Argue about the misconception of Technology in Children Lives Essay

Argue about the misconception of Technology in Children Lives (Research based arguments of minimal 5 sources- 2 primary, 3 secondary, minimal 2 scholarly sources, needs citation in each paragraph) - Essay Example I could edit picture easily at my phone, mixing music through the application, and specialize for chatting and texting.  However, I recently realized that children now on is smarter than me for using technology. The toddlers were being introduced to IPod and keep playing with their gadget instead of playing with their friends. I also find out that child in this era has being addicted to games and not being responsible for their assignment. Skoric feels that addiction is not simply playing video games throughout but playing video games to the point of neglecting their responsibilities. However, people think --parents--that technology really helps child to learn and enhance more creativity. "Is it true that technology educate child to a better learner or it actually isolated them from the world and changes their behavior?" I believe that technology is harming the children because of the negative effects it is giving them. Children of today are mostly on their phones and iPods playing games. This leads them to becoming game addicts and inactive in other things that can help make their life improve such as studying. For example, they just sit in their bedrooms playing games and there is drop in their school performance. According Skoric in Cyberpsychology & behavior, trend of addiction are negatively related to academic performance. This is because they give more of attention to playing video games than school work. The child put effort to win the games and miss out on the value of educations. Mostly, the children who get addicted to these games have problem with interacting with other kids because they spend a lot of time on computer device playing video games. These make them even more addicted and there is a drop in their academics since they do not create time to study (Skoric 572). However, this game can also be good for the children if they play for reasonable amount of time. Skoric describes that it may

Unity 3D Essay Example for Free

Unity 3D Essay Based on our research Game development is the process of creating video games and games can be developed as an artistic outlet and to produce a lot of money. Game developer is software developer, business or an individual who is in charge in creating video games. There are many types of video games examples areRPG, Actiongames, Adventure games, Strategy games, Vehicle Simulation games, Puzzle games, Sports games and many more. On this part the researchers discussed the data gathered in some related games in the World Wide Web or internet and study it to serve as reference to the project. Unity 3D as a Game development tool Firstly we could see in this article is all about Unity 3D and initially Unity is an integrated development tool used for creating interactive 3D software, like 3D games and simulations games. Based on our research Unity3D is a superior 3D engine and the environment of Unity 3D is very simple to understand and easy to use for a beginner. Unity should interest anyone who wants create 3D games and game applications in cell phone, desktop and many more. Unity’s iterative light map baking gives you complete control of your light mapping workflow. The integrated light mapping tool, Beast, perfectly bakes lights into textures for amazing performance. You can opt to spend time baking only the parts of the scene you are actively working on. Unity facilitates the smooth deployment of your single-player games online, with options such as adding high scores, chat, and real-time interaction and Unity also makes the complexities of real-time networking easy to negotiate. Turning a single-player game into a networked multiplayer game requires few changes to your existing code, and you never have to worry about networking technicalities like NAT punch through Unity also helps you quickly bring your scene to life with automatic navigation mesh. A navigation mesh is a summary of data structure used in artificial intelligence applications to aid agent in path-finding through large spaces. Lastly Unity also provides powerful tools for resonant scenes. Like In-game audio is powered by FMOD, one of the worlds most widely used libraries and toolkits for the creation and playback of interactive audio. In Scripting with Unity it brings you fast iteration and execution and the  strength and flexibility of a world-leading programming environment. Scripting is uncluttered, straightforward and incredibly fast. In Unity, you write simple behavior scripts in JavaScript, C# or Boo. All three languages are easy to use and run the three programs is an open source so it means you can download it just for free. Unity 3D also offers a free unlimited trail version of the software, but also sells Unity Pro, a more feature-rich professional version. In addition they offer developers a source code license if they encounter limitations in the Unity Pro development environment, allowing programmers to extend the capabilities of Unity. Techniques in 3D Modeling In this article it will discuss what 3D modeling is all about and we could see in this article the different techniques in modeling. Firstly the Primitive modeling is a very basic modeling technique and hence has several draw backs too. The software tool like 3D Max, Maya andmany more.Provides a set of 3D primitives like spheres, boxes, triangles etc. The artist alters these shapes to suit his/her character modeling needs, using lattices, deformers and many more.Primitive modeling technique is more suitable for building objects like houses, furniture etc rather than, for live organic modeling. Next is the â€Å"NURBS† or Non Uniform Rational B-spline. If we see this modeling technique from an outer view, all we see is a set of simple curves that we call NURBS. How the 3D tool implemented it we don’t need to care much these curves are very flexible and have control points on them which we can use to change its shape. The NURBS modeling has its advantages and disadvantages. It is an easy to model approach, since the NURBS curves are easy to manipulate. But this modeling technique has limited extensibility. Suppose you want to add an extra limb to your alien creature after the modeling is complete, it will become extremely difficult, if you choose NURBS modeling. Finally the surface modeling, this is the widely adopted modeling technique used primarily for organic modeling. In this modeling technique, the 3D artist creates a spline cage profile for the 3D character. The splines intersect between each other, creating a completely closed profile of the character, unlike the NURBS technique. This method has the advantage that it can be extended to adapt to varied requirements, during any stage of the modeling process. This offers a lot of flexibility  to the artist. This technique is used widely in 3D animation software’s. Autodesk 3Ds Max 3Ds max is one of the most powerful and popular desktop 3D graphics programs available today the program is used for a wide variety of commercial and artistic applications, including architecture , computer games, film production, forensic, medical and scientific visualization, virtual reality, web design and even fine art. In auto desk 3Ds Max where you can create alien planets, towering ruins, heroes, villains and create your own paradise. By harnessing your imagination to 3Danimation, you can make animals prowl and mountain as people run through quivering jungles. But before you start creating chaos and quest you need to learn the basics about 3ds max if you have mastered the skill in how to navigate viewports, control the display, create and select objects, and transform your creations. Then you will learn how to model objects in greater details. Example of Car Racing PC game: Dirt 3 Based on our research Dirt 3 is a rally Car racing video game and the third in the Dirt series of the Colin McRae Rally series, developed and published by Code masters. However, the Colin McRae tag has been completely removed from this iteration (having previously been removed from only American versions of previous games in the series). The game was released in Europe and North America on 24 May 2011, and two days later in Australia for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The Japanese version of Dirt 3 was released on 25 August 2011. F1 Online: One example of a Car racing PC game in Unity is the F1 Online it is the Game that uses an innovative control method that allows anyone with a mouse to take part in exhilarating races with up to 24 players on stunning circuits from around the world. Test your racing prowess over a selection of 19 officially licensed circuits and 18 custom-built circuits spanning 6 continents. Discover the perfect racing line, master corner braking and learn to deploy DRS and KERS at the right moment to drive your team to victory. The more successful you are on the track, the more rewards you will earn. http://www.naturalmotiongames.com/games/csrracing/ http://unity3d.com/gallery/made-with-unity/game-list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_modeling http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-3d-modeling.htm

Karl Gauss: Biography :: essays research papers

Karl Gauss: Biography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl Gauss lived from 1777 to 1855. He was a German mathematician, physician, and astronomer. He was born in Braunschweig, Germany, on April 30th, 1777. His family was poor and uneducated. His father was a gardener and a merchant's assistant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At a young age, Gauss taught himself how to read and count, and it is said that he spotted a mistake in his father's calculations when he was only three. Throughout the rest of his early schooling, he stood out remarkably from the rest of the students, and his teachers persuaded his father to train him for a profession rather than learn trade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His skills were noticed while he was in high school, and at age 14 he was sent to the Duke of Brunswick to demonstrate. The Duke was so impressed by this boy, that he offered him a grant that lasted from then until the Duke's death in 1806.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl began to study at the Collegium Carolinum in 1792. He went on to the University of Gottingen, and by 1799 was awarded his doctorate from the University. However, by that time most of his significant mathematical discoveries had been made, and he took up his interest in astronomy in 1801.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By about 1807, Gauss began to gain recognition from countries all over the world. He was invited to work in Leningrad, was made a member of the Royal Society in London, and was invited membership to the Russian and French Academies of Sciences. However, he remained in his hometown in Germany until his death in 1855. Acomplishments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During his Teen years, Karl Gauss developed many mathematical theories and proofs, but these would not be recognized for decades because of his lack of publicity and publication experience. He discovered what we now call Bode's Law, and the principle of squares, which we use to find the best fitting curve to a group of observations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having just finished some work in quadratic residues in 1795, Karl Gauss moved to the University to access the works of previous mathematicians. He quickly began work on a book about the theory of numbers, which is seen as his greatest accomplishment. This book was a summary of the work that had been established up to the time, and contained questions that are still relevant today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While at the University in 1796, he discovered that a 17-sided polygon could be inscribed in a circle with only the tools of a compass and a ruler. This marked the first discovery of Euclidean geometry that had been found in 2000 years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1799, Gauss found and proved a theorem of Algebra that fundamental Karl Gauss: Biography :: essays research papers Karl Gauss: Biography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl Gauss lived from 1777 to 1855. He was a German mathematician, physician, and astronomer. He was born in Braunschweig, Germany, on April 30th, 1777. His family was poor and uneducated. His father was a gardener and a merchant's assistant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At a young age, Gauss taught himself how to read and count, and it is said that he spotted a mistake in his father's calculations when he was only three. Throughout the rest of his early schooling, he stood out remarkably from the rest of the students, and his teachers persuaded his father to train him for a profession rather than learn trade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His skills were noticed while he was in high school, and at age 14 he was sent to the Duke of Brunswick to demonstrate. The Duke was so impressed by this boy, that he offered him a grant that lasted from then until the Duke's death in 1806.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl began to study at the Collegium Carolinum in 1792. He went on to the University of Gottingen, and by 1799 was awarded his doctorate from the University. However, by that time most of his significant mathematical discoveries had been made, and he took up his interest in astronomy in 1801.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By about 1807, Gauss began to gain recognition from countries all over the world. He was invited to work in Leningrad, was made a member of the Royal Society in London, and was invited membership to the Russian and French Academies of Sciences. However, he remained in his hometown in Germany until his death in 1855. Acomplishments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During his Teen years, Karl Gauss developed many mathematical theories and proofs, but these would not be recognized for decades because of his lack of publicity and publication experience. He discovered what we now call Bode's Law, and the principle of squares, which we use to find the best fitting curve to a group of observations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having just finished some work in quadratic residues in 1795, Karl Gauss moved to the University to access the works of previous mathematicians. He quickly began work on a book about the theory of numbers, which is seen as his greatest accomplishment. This book was a summary of the work that had been established up to the time, and contained questions that are still relevant today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While at the University in 1796, he discovered that a 17-sided polygon could be inscribed in a circle with only the tools of a compass and a ruler. This marked the first discovery of Euclidean geometry that had been found in 2000 years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1799, Gauss found and proved a theorem of Algebra that fundamental

Impression of the Culture Essay

Prior to working in government, I worked in the private sector. In comparison of the two cultures, I realize that politics exist in both cultures and it is a game that I really do not like to play. My impression of the two cultures leave a lot to be desired in the sense that I am one who is not afraid of hard work; I am always committed to the job. However, working in the private sector gave me a greater sense of satisfaction: I could prioritize my work and get things done; there was less bureaucracy. I could determine what was good for the organization, share it with my management who respected what I brought to the table and implement a cohesive strategy that would benefit the organization. Working in government you have to be prepared and committed to the policies that sometime prevent you from completing your job.(i.e. public interference and internal obstacles) in addition to working with people who do not share the same ideals as you. The government mentality of being a paper pusher was a concept that I fight with myself constantly about. My first few years in government, I went above and beyond what was expected of me because I did not like the feeling of being â€Å"unresponsive†. Working in government I now see what the mentality is all about. I as an individual am not a paper pusher; I am a results driven hard worker who wants to see the results of my hard work; however, being in government you do not control what gets accomplished by your work ethic’ you only control what is expected of you: meaning â€Å"I do what I am supposed to do† however what road the journey takes does not depend on me it depends on who is going to benefit from the fruits of my labor. The positive side of the two cultures: Private Sector gives you room to grow based on your commitment to work, There is less beauracy to deal with and most are working toward the same goal. In government, when you are given a task, th e positive side is that you know it is for the good of the mass and you can envision the end result.

“A Conversation with My Father” Response Essay

In the short story â€Å"A Conversation with My Father,† there are two narratives intertwined. This story brings to light a generation gap between the past and the present. This generation gap leaves the dying father and his writer daughter with different views not only in life but also in literature. Paley’s use of characters exemplifies her efforts to combine realism with experimentation. This story is a great example of her style of writing: telling stories through the use of characters. Paley blends real life and literature, portraying her characters as practical people with realistic problems. Every character has his/her own unique opinion on life. The two narratives mirror each other in the sense that they are about the relationships between parents and their children. Read more: Essay About My Father Goes to Court The daughter hates the kind of story her father wants, while the father rejects her tale because he sees in it her inability to face tragic realities of fiction and life. Their different attitudes towards the possibility of opportunities and change, fictional or real, stem from their different worldviews and experiences. Not only are the intertwined narratives paralleled, but the overall story might also reflect Paley’s relationship with her father. Did Paley have issues with her father regarding her career choice? In the story the daughter writes for her dying father, the father she would rather have surfaces as the mother who uses drugs as a mean of being closer to her son. This idea might be Paley’s way of expressing her desire to have a father like the mother her protagonist created. In a way, Paley puts herself into her work as the protagonist and uses the hidden message in her work as a way to express her problems.

Essay on Changing organizational structures

Essay on Changing organizational structures Essay on Changing organizational structures Essay on Changing organizational structuresThe organizational structure has a considerable impact on members of organizations. In fact, the impact of the organizational structure may be so strong that it can influence interpersonal relations within the organization and affect the organizational performance. This is why organizations are always concerned with the elaboration and maintenance of the organizational structure that matches the organizational culture, environment and current needs of the organization and key stakeholders.On analyzing possible impact of the organizational structure on organizations and members of organizations, it is possible to refer to the case of SAS, Google or Apple, which are quite successful companies, which though cannot avoid the impact of the organizational structure. If in case of some organizations, such as Apple or Google, their organizational structure is effective and contributes to the successful organizational performance of two companies. Th en in case of SAS, the organizational structure may be a cause of problems and cause tension in interpersonal relations between employees as well as it can deteriorate the organizational performance, especially in a long-run perspective (Chambers, 2005).The ineffective organizational structure of SAS contributed to the emergence of conflicts and tension within the organization along with the considerable downturn in its business development. In this regard, the bureaucratization was one of the main effects of SAS’ organizational structure. On the contrary, Google benefits from its flexible organizational structure and develops its business successfully since the company works on multiple projects and the best one obtain funding from the company. In such a way, the fair and tight competition within the company along with the freedom of work on diverse projects brings the company large opportunities to develop very successful projects. As for Apple, this is another case of the successful organizational structure, especially after changes introduced by Steve Jobs, which made Apple’s organizational structure efficient and successful.The problem of many organizations, including SAS is the inability of the organization to match its organizational structure to its current marketing position. For instance, in case of SAS, the company sticks to the centralized organizational structure, while the company operates globally. Therefore, the company would be more efficient, if it had a more flexible organizational structure but the company refuses to change its organizational structure so far.Therefore, the major cause of the problem of SAS and other organizations is their inability to change their organizational structure. At this point, the poor or wrong vision of top executives of the company of goals and prospects of the company may be one of possible causes of the problem. However, in its essence, the cause of the problem is systematic. What is meant here is the fact that organizations and their business environment keep progressing but organizations cannot always catch up with changes in their business development and their business environment. As a result, they retain their old organizational structure which once used to be successful and effective, but they remain unaware of the fact that this organizational structure does not work effectively anymore and changes are needed urgently.In such a situation, a possible solution to such companies as SAS and other companies that need the immediate solution of their problems through balancing their organizational structure and human behaviors. In this regard, changes have to be conducted at the organizational level. Organizations should change their organizational structure to create comfortable conditions for work of their employees and to maximize the effectiveness of their interaction in the course of their work. At the same time, there are no universal solutions concerning the organ izational structure because companies are different and they operate in the different business environment (Buhler, 2011). Therefore, one and the same organizational structure may be effective for some organizations and ineffective for others.Consequently, the possible solution that all organizations can apply to enhance their organizational structure and match human behaviors in their structure is to develop organizational structures that are the most efficient for them specifically. In this regard, organizations should assess adequately their current needs and challenges along with future prospects and goals, which they want to attain (Puffer, 2004). On the ground of their current needs and future goals, they can elaborate the strategy of changing or developing their organizational structure to maximize their effectiveness through balancing their organizational structure and behavior of their employees and other stakeholders.Thus, the development of the effective organizational st ructure is essential for the successful business performance of companies. The organizational structure influences human behaviors and may cause conflicts within organizations and deterioration of the organizational performance. Hence, organizations should develop effective organizational structures that match their current needs and future goals and help them to maintain positive behavior patterns in their employees.

Bipolar Issue Paper

Bipolar Issue Paper Bipolar Issue Paper Abstract: Treatment for the Bipolar Disorder patient is one of the complex to accomplish. They have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. This is not only due to their manic and depressive behaviors but the pharmacological treatment they receive. Studies have shown that they receive less screening and treatment for these conditions (2). There seems to be a gap between the mental and physical health care that leads to these comorbidities which can result to premature death for Bipolar patients. Importance of a multidimensional care model for the treatment of a Bipolar Disorder patient especially with any or increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Proper screening, medication reconciliation, and help from many health professionals can help increase their physical health as well as their quality of life. Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Cardiovascular disease is also the leading cause of premature mortality among individuals with bipolar disorder. These conditions can be worsened by psychiatric symptoms and unhealthy behaviors such as inactivity, overeating and tobacco use (3). Diabetes and CVD are closely linked to one another, therefore a patient would be at risk for one just by having another. BD patients are 30% less likely to receive care for CVD and diabetes and tests for blood glucose and lipid (2). It may be easier to tell if someone is obese but CVD and diabetes do not show symptoms until they have progressed and are commonly known as silent killers. Therefore, detailed screening is important before these diseases cause permanent damage such as a myocardial infarction, kidney damage or even worse death. Individuals with Bipolar Disorder receive fewer prevention interventions and have difficulty implementing lifestyle interventions that can modify risk factors (7). Obesity can be linked to the characteristics of bipolar disorder, su ch as binge eating, sedentary behavior, and treatment non-adherence which stems from the shifting symptoms of mania and depression (1). Bipolar patients are less likely to seek help from their general practitioner because of decreased awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and symptoms (7). In nursing, it is key to educate patients and to never assume what they have been taught before. BD patients are not properly screened or educated just because they have a mental illness. â€Å"Poor quality of medical care for persons with bipolar disorder has also been attributed to the organizational and professional separation of mental and physical health care and to lack of effective self-management strategies that target cardiovascular disease-related risk factors† (1). Bipolar Disorder medications lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and patients lack proper screening and treatment for these conditions. CVD and diabetes are twice as prevalent in SMI and are relate d to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and the use of antipsychotic medications (2). Antipsychotic medications also have adverse effects that contribute to these conditions. These medications can lead to elevated glucose and lipid tests but BD patients are lacking the proper screening to determine these findings (2). â€Å"Atypical antipsychotics, lithium, and other mood stabilizers is postulated as one important determinant of weight gain† (4). As mentioned before, weight gain will lead to obesity which will increase a patient's risk for diabetes and CVD. BD patients are also less likely to be prescribed blood pressure management or cardiovascular medications (7). The effect of not being prescribed these medications could lead to many severe life-threatening conditions, the most serious being death. Lithium is one of the most common drugs prescribed for Bipolar Disorder patients and it has a small therapeutic index which increases the risk of toxicity. When lithium is given with angiotensin converting

How a Top Startup Consultant Turned a Blog into his Debut Book

How a Top Startup Consultant Turned a Blog into his Debut Book How a Top Startup Consultant Turned his Blog into his Debut Book In the first season of Reedsy’s podcast, Bestseller, host Casimir Stone followed a single author’s journey from idea to publication. In the coming months, Stone will be releasing a series of one-off episodes (or addendums, to keep with the publishing theme). The first of these episodes has just dropped, and it features Bretton Putter: a London-based expert on â€Å"startup and high-growth company culture.† A great listen for all aspiring non-fiction writers, Putter’s story also contains a lot of the lessons we’ve gathered from other authors over the years. Namely, the value of writing a book to boost your professional authority, and the benefits (and pitfalls) of turning a blog into a book.And if you haven’t had the change to listen to the full first season of Bestseller, now’s your chance. Enjoy the show!If you have any suggestions for the kinds of authors we should be featuring in these one-off podcast episodes, just leave them in the comments below.

Leading in a changing world Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leading in a changing world - Coursework Example The team members are better involved as they own the entire process through their contributed views which are discussed and agreed to do. A team creates an environment in which each member can positively contribute more to solving problems and decision making. A team can be a very rich forum to identify talent and or weaknesses of participants. In a very positive way can help create synergies based on strengths and weaknesses of individual members. For a team to fulfil the primary role it is formed in improving organisational effectiveness, it is imperative that the teams are developed into working units that are oriented towards a set goal, mission or the reason for its existence. From an adaptation in Coventry University Journals, a team is formed through five major stages; forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning or mourning. Forming is the primary stage in which members are meeting for the first time. They are characterised by politeness, positivity and impartiality; some might be very excited about their expectation. There could be some negative forces though like anxiety, unwillingness to fully participate, and some members might be very careful treading on some sensitive issues held by one. This is brought about by the perceived weakness not to give the whole ability to the intended purpose for the team. Storming is the second stage in the team formation in which the reality for the team formation dawns to the members. The roles are clarified for each member and how the team will work is clarified. The process might create or result in conflict as members confront each other as some might be uncomfortable with the perceived workload to be performed, and the approach used. What happens at point might either strengthen a team or break it as others feel that they are overburdened while others have less to do. The conflict and perceived inequity will cause some members to opt out of some roles or withdraw membership from the team. The third stag e is norming. The team, at this stage, settles on and starts respecting the team hierarchy, nominated officials and role heads. Specific skills are developed to facilitate the performance of the roles of each member of the team. Systems and procedures are developed by which challenges, tasks, and feedback will be performed, tackled and processed. At this stage, socialisation is enhanced and members will begin to help each other and constructively criticize one another. Stronger commitment to the team’s goals is developed, and progress is made towards achieving is made. At the performing stage, team’s hard work leads to substantial and tangible progress is made in achieving the vision with a solid structure in place which means that a team member can leave or join without affecting the activities of the team. The team leader, after delegating roles, can concentrate on observing and assisting where necessary individual members of the team who have issues. Closeness and c ooperation achieved thus far will entrench support to one another, foster trust, sharing of ideas and better way to tolerate one another. All goals are achieved at this stage. The last stage is what is referred to as adjourning or mourning. The team is disbanded at this stage after completing its role and achievements can be celebrated at this stage. Preliminaries can be set to for future

Management accounting for business decisions Trailer Construct plc Coursework

Management accounting for business decisions Trailer Construct plc - Coursework Example The Trailer Construct PLC is a small family business which is in the process of expansion into a higher level of operations. The enterprise is involved in the construction and repair of trailers custom made according to the specifications of the client. The demand for construction of new trailers has been consistently rising through the five years to 2011, although demand for repair remained consistent throughout the same period. As a result, the company decided to raise its production level, however its policies and practices remained the same.Trailor Construct’s problem is comprised of a mismatch between its increased scale of operations, and its policies regarding inventory management, cash management, cost tracing and determination, price setting, and its human resources management. The firm is comprised of three divisions, namely Administration, Repair and Construction. The aforementioned policies involved practices undertaken in all three, and therefore are resolved usin g a systemic approach. This report recommends that the economic order quantity be applied to the inventory management practices of the company, instead of the present long lead time, large inventory storage employed by the company which unnecessarily inflates carrying costs. Production should be enhanced to make better use of expanded capacity and increase production efficiency, to reduce the level of fixed costs distributed to each unit of production. Cash management should be managed better by speeding up collection of receivables. This is to avoid the need to borrow from the bank to bridge cash shortfalls, and thereby eliminate unnecessary interest charges. Finally, employee performance should be improved by motivation through employee engagement. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Repair 4 Construction 5 Administration 6 Inventory management 7 Treatment of employees 8 Conclusion 8 References 10 Introduction The case of the Trailer Construct plc concerns the transformation of a small family business into a larger corporation as a result in the escalation in the scale of operations. This is typical of successful enterprises which attract a greater volume of business than its usual procedures are suited for. The administrative procedures, employee management, and inventory policies should evolve when a company shifts towards a higher scale of operation, because the greater business volumes enable the development of economies of scale, and demand a greater efficiency in these policies and activities. Repair The financial performance of the Repair division shows turnover to be almost unchanged from one year to the next; in comparison, turnover in construction is growing steadily. There is therefore no reason for the procedure that the client can bring in their trailer for repair after only a phone call. However, there is concern that maintaining a large stock or spare parts is unnecessary investment in materials when a lowe r stock level would do. There may be some merit to stocking up on materials in anticipation of higher prices, but this seldom results in the anticipated savings (unless a sudden significant rise in price or severe shortage takes place) because of the increase in storage and carrying costs that may just offset and even exceed the amount saved by chasing the lower price. The recommendation therefore is that the inventory system should employ the economic order quantity (EOQ) system which is described in the discussion on inventory below. Construction Being the larger of the two divisions, the Construction division shows a steadily rising turnover, indicating that the market is expanding. This presents an opportunity that Trailer Construct should take advantage of. The financial show that although turnover rises, profits remain unchanged for Construction. This may or may not mean that the firm is unduly incurring unnecessary expenses. The company decided to increase capacity by

Carrefour in Indonesia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Carrefour in Indonesia - Essay Example Carrefour, with it’s headquarter in Levallois-Perret, Paris, France, is a chain of retail business, having more than 12,500 outlets, serving 100 million customers over 30 countries worldwide. Carrefour was created by Marcel Fournier and Denis Defforey on 3rd June 1959 when they opened the first Carrefour (means crossroads in French) retail outlet at the convergence of five roads in Annecy, near Paris. Over the past 40 years, Carrefour has grown into the largest retail group in Europe and China and second in the world in terms of revenue and sales figures after Wal-Mart. It has built a reputation as a retailer that offers the most variety and freshness at reasonable low prices rather than bargain – basement value. It is currently operating in four main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience and hard discount stores (Current News: Indonesia-Opening of the 35th Hypermarket, 2007). In 2000, Carrefour, Sears and Oracle created the first worldwide onli ne marketplace called GlobalNetXchange for retailers connecting 50,000 suppliers, partners and distributors (Duran, 2005, pp.1-5). Carrefour was the first international retailer to establish its presence in Asia in 1989, when it entered in Taiwan through a joint venture with Uni President Enterprises Corporation. Gradually, Carrefour extended its distribution network in thirteen Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Hong-Kong, Korea, Singapore and Japan. and Japan. The retail giant, Carrefour, entered in Indonesian retail market in October, 1998 when it opened its first retail unit in Cempaka Putih, a sub-district of Central Jakarta (Duran, 2005, pp.1-5). Carrefour entrance in Indonesian retail market involved a number of factors. The following few section briefly discusses the factors which resulted Carrefour operation. It also highlights the progress made by it since 1989. Important Factors Involved in Carrefour Operation in Indonesia Following are few important factors that had played major role in setting up of Carrefour operation in Indonesian retail market. 1. The liberalization of retail trading: Indonesia offers a good market potential for modern retailers. In March, 1998, the Indonesian government issued the SK Meninvest/No. 29/SK/1998 and Keppres No.99/1998 policy letters and effectively opened its wholesale and large-scale retail trade to foreign investment, lifting most of its restrictions. Although some retail sectors were reserved for small-scale enterprises under another 1998 decree yet large and medium scale enterprises that wish to invest in these sectors, were given the option to enter the market through a partnership agreement with a small-scale enterprise, although this may not require a joint venture or partial share ownership arrangement. Since Carrefour already had its presence in Asian market hence it took the liberalization step as an advantage started to expand its retail network by setting first retail outlet in Cempaka Putih a subdistrict of Central Jakarta (Indonesia, 2005, pp. 73-76). 2. Carrefour Strategy and Indonesian Potential Market: Carrefour follows very specific strategy before entering a new market. It assesses few parameters of target market before launching its operation. In doing so, it follows a few criteria including: - Small-scale retail rationalization and reorganization has not progressed. - Large-scale chain supermarkets are absent from the market. - Potential competitors that carry specialty items like household electrical appliances and clothing are absent from the market. - Large amounts of retail space can be attained at low cost. - Laws and regulations governing large-scale retail operations are "developer friendly". Carrefour followed the same market entering strategy and made all assessment

Natural Cocaine Production in Plants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Natural Cocaine Production in Plants - Essay Example The coca plant has similar biochemical properties as those that produce alkaloids. The coca plant belongs to a group of plants with natural alkaloids, or nitrogen-containing compounds that produce diverse effects on the physiology of humans. The alkaloid compounds in these plants are proven to have strong pharmacological effects on people and are known to contain nicotine, caffeine, quinine, morphine, atropine, strychnine, and the illegal stimulant compound cocaine. The plants that contain alkaloids include the Solanaceae or potato family, the Brassicaceae or mustard family, and the Erythroxylaceae or coca family, to which the coca plant belongs. The close relatedness of these plants is not only justified by the fact that they all contain alkaloid compounds but also by the fact that they had a common ancestor around 120 million years ago and that the alkaloid compounds that they contain obey similar biochemical pathways. The significance of this fact is that if one were to uncover th e details of the natural synthesis of cocaine, then it is possible to study it from the point of view of the other plants to which the coca plant is related (How Plants Make Cocaine, 2012). In the experiment conducted by researchers of the Max Planck Institute, in order to understand better how protein is naturally made by the coca plant, the synthesis of alkaloids in a particular species of the Solanaceae family was compared with the biochemical synthesis of cocaine in the coca plant (Secrets of Natural Cocaine Production Revealed, 2012).

Case Analysis on Jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Analysis on Jobs - Essay Example A systematic body of knowledge on the design of jobs is a result of the Industrial revolution and the rise of large-scale economic enterprises. Job in simple can be defined as 'a grouping of tasks, responsibilities and duties'. Companies rely of job analysis to enrich the job experience, so that the worker is in a position to give his/ her optimum to the company. Jobs are classified based on the types of requisite qualifications, expertise and experience and accordingly people are selected for each job. The process of reclassifying, enlargement, specification of jobs is an evolutionary process within an organisation and continues with newer inputs to the industry and job profile. Job analysis therefore provides details of the tasks and activities to be carried out on a particular job together with required human skills and motivations to the human resource. Adequate working ambience and other motivators then act towards maximizing the productivity and satisfaction. Job design and wor k organization function towards complementing each other's roles. Employees are placed in different positions in the hierarchy depending upon the levels of responsibility entrusted to them. The working is regularly evaluated by the seniors and accordingly there are higher responsibilities for deserving ones. The process of job evaluation is a prerequisite to effective recr... Step-2: Determining the process of job analysis. A suitable technique of job analysis is defined for carrying out the task. For this adequate support is required from different quarters like the HR professionals, managers, executives etc. This process is a time consuming process and requires patience and an eye for observation. Preparations are made for a thorough analysis of the job with the help of questionnaires, interviews, observation and the reports about the job gathered over time. Step-3: Data collection: Data is collected with the help of questionnaires, surveys, observations and other reliable reports. Step-4: Data Compilation: The data collected in step-3 happens to be in raw form and requires grouping in different segments, tabulation etc. so that conclusions can be drawn out with comparisons and analysis. Step-5: Verifying job description and job satisfaction. This process is required to take care of any loose ends that could have been left during the data collection process. Under this process the documents are sent to the participants for reviews for ascertaining the accuracy. Step-6: After the participants review the document and give a seal of approval the jobs are provided specifications with the approval of middle level supervisors and senior management. Step-7: Maintaining the Job specifications for future reference: The jobs thus specified and described are to be documented and maintained for references in future so that whenever a need is felt to undertake such an exercise again, these documents are available for

Creativity & Art Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creativity & Art Education - Research Paper Example If one thinks of a new idea, he has to evaluate its feasibility or workability, convince those who are in charge of putting it into practice that it will work, and if they do not accept it persist with it in the face of opposition. Many people relate creativity to intelligence. Studies have shown that there is no direct relation between the two. Environment on the other hand may have an important part to play in creativity. There also seems to be a co-relation between creativity, spontaneity and freedom of thought. Creative people are usually found to be more impulsive and unafraid to experiment with new ideas and voice their opinions even if these go against the norm. Creating an environment for children where they have the freedom to experiment and are exposed to new experiences can nurture creativity in them. Can creativity be learned? Yes it can. All of us were very creative as children, till we learned that there were certain ways of doing things that are considered the right ways. If we can learn to question the way we think and try to stifle the idea that a new way of doing something must lead to failure, every one of us has it in us to be creative. Art education has long been associated with the notion of creativity. However the question remains of how we define creativity. Is it a sudden flash of inspiration or is it as Edison described it 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration? There was a time when art education focused on creativity, which in turn was linked to spontaneity and novelty. Hence the curriculum was designed to develop creativity in children rather than teach them skills. This was the model on which art teachers were trained. The four functions on which creativity depended were thought to be fluency, flexibility, originality and openness. Freud considered creativity as an unconscious primary process, and the prevailing thinking was that children were more creative when left alone and art should be fun and

Case Analysis on Jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Analysis on Jobs - Essay Example A systematic body of knowledge on the design of jobs is a result of the Industrial revolution and the rise of large-scale economic enterprises. Job in simple can be defined as 'a grouping of tasks, responsibilities and duties'. Companies rely of job analysis to enrich the job experience, so that the worker is in a position to give his/ her optimum to the company. Jobs are classified based on the types of requisite qualifications, expertise and experience and accordingly people are selected for each job. The process of reclassifying, enlargement, specification of jobs is an evolutionary process within an organisation and continues with newer inputs to the industry and job profile. Job analysis therefore provides details of the tasks and activities to be carried out on a particular job together with required human skills and motivations to the human resource. Adequate working ambience and other motivators then act towards maximizing the productivity and satisfaction. Job design and wor k organization function towards complementing each other's roles. Employees are placed in different positions in the hierarchy depending upon the levels of responsibility entrusted to them. The working is regularly evaluated by the seniors and accordingly there are higher responsibilities for deserving ones. The process of job evaluation is a prerequisite to effective recr... Step-2: Determining the process of job analysis. A suitable technique of job analysis is defined for carrying out the task. For this adequate support is required from different quarters like the HR professionals, managers, executives etc. This process is a time consuming process and requires patience and an eye for observation. Preparations are made for a thorough analysis of the job with the help of questionnaires, interviews, observation and the reports about the job gathered over time. Step-3: Data collection: Data is collected with the help of questionnaires, surveys, observations and other reliable reports. Step-4: Data Compilation: The data collected in step-3 happens to be in raw form and requires grouping in different segments, tabulation etc. so that conclusions can be drawn out with comparisons and analysis. Step-5: Verifying job description and job satisfaction. This process is required to take care of any loose ends that could have been left during the data collection process. Under this process the documents are sent to the participants for reviews for ascertaining the accuracy. Step-6: After the participants review the document and give a seal of approval the jobs are provided specifications with the approval of middle level supervisors and senior management. Step-7: Maintaining the Job specifications for future reference: The jobs thus specified and described are to be documented and maintained for references in future so that whenever a need is felt to undertake such an exercise again, these documents are available for

Unemployment in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Unemployment in America - Research Paper Example Unemployment in America The analysis then is extended to examine a variety of macroeconomic concerns that have been argued to contribute to unemployment. In these regards, the research argues that Federal spending and the increasing National Debt are major areas of concern regarding investment that could contribute to improved unemployment. It then demonstrates that the very nature of the American political and economic sectors contain significant structural elements that are contributing to the country’s high and rising unemployment rate. Background After the Great Depression, the United States experienced unprecedented economic growth and progress almost until the end of the XX century. During the early years of the XXI century, this growth continued in sometimes staggering proportions with house prices steadily rising and Americans enjoying sizeable employment success. In 2008, this stopped. With the sub-prime mortgage crisis leading the charge, America and, eventually, the world economy experienc ed perhaps the greatest economic collapse since the Great Depression. American unemployment rose to staggering rates, leaving citizens and politicians equally perplexed about the future. Even as some progress has been made in staving off the tide of unemployment, including lackluster reform policies, in great part the American economy is still experiencing a large number of problems, most prominently in terms of employment. One of the overarching considerations in regards to unemployment in America is the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate, as the name indicates, is a statistical measure established by the United States government; it indicates the amount of Americans that are currently unemployed. The American unemployment rate over the last decade demonstrates a number of trends, some of them highly problematic. Unemployment Rate 2002-2007 While the unemployment rate was at a slightly high but manageable 5% at the beginning of the ten-year period, it lowered significantly through 2007 (Hupp 12). While the exact causes of this lowered rate are complex and multi-varied, a reasonable assumption can be made that the infusion of capital into the American economy coupled with technological innovation that placed the United States at the forefront of development greatly contributed to these shifting trends. Still, perhaps more problematic is the recognition that this declining unemployment rate  œ nearly reaching 4% in 2007 – is greatly contrasted with the startling spike caused by the 2008 recession (Hupp 12). Unemployment 2007-2009 The spike in the unemployment rate during 2007-2009 demands specific consideration be given to the juxtaposition of these rates and the potential causes of the Great Recession. This research argues that the declining unemployment rate between 2003 and 2007 is at least partly attributable to a bubble economy that was brought on by inflated home prices. The eventual mortgage crisis that would lead to the recessionary period and spike in unemployment was at least partially caused by a correction in the true value and production of the American economy. The Economist points out that even when the economy begins to recover certain job sectors may never see pre-recession employment figures. It argues that: â€Å"The past decade’s jobs in retail and in entertainment were largely supported by household borrowing. Not only is a new wave o f borrowing unlikely to develop after the

Proctor reluctantly Essay Example for Free

Proctor reluctantly Essay This powerful line comes in act 4 when Proctor reluctantly confesses to seeing the devil. He is now passionate about making sure his name doesnt get put up on the church door. This is the line that starts the incredible build up of emotion and frustration leading to the dramatic climax of the play. Saying it with a cry of his whole soul shows how much his name means to him. There isnt a more emotional way he could say it than with his whole soul. John Proctor would rather give up his life than his name. The exclamation mark at the end and the word cry shows he should shout the words with a lot of emotion and passion. I can imagine the actor looking very angry and yelling the line with his arms spread and his fists clenched in rage at the prospect of losing his dignity and reputation. I think when he says the line the other charactors will be silenced and be shocked by his flood of emotion. This abrupt line would surprise the audience and it might make them sympathize with Proctor. In Act 2 John is asked by Hale to repeat the Ten Commandments and remembers all but thou shalt not commit adultery and has to be reminded of it by Elizabeth. It is ironic that Proctor forgets this sin because of the affair he had with Abigail. Adultery was seen as a terrible sin in the Puritan society and adultery was taken very seriously. From Elizabeths perspective this would make her feel uncomfortable as she is wounded by her husbands affair: Proctor (as though a secret arrow had pained his heart): Aye. The description Miller uses to show how Proctor should say the line is very dramatic and the simplicity of just using the word Aye will also have dramatic impact. I can imagine the actor almost whispering the word, dropping his head in shame and with a crack in his voice. This might have the effect of generating sympathy from the audience for both Elizabeth and John. It also adds to the build up of tension creating an expectant atmosphere. Arthur Miller is very good at making the audience feel very involved. One of the ways he does this is by using a technique called dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when there is contradiction between what a character thinks and what the audience knows to be true. For example in Act 3 Proctor confesses to the court that he had an affair with Abigail. He tells them that Elizabeth knew about the affair and this is why his wife put Abigail out of the house. Danforth sends for Elizabeth and orders that no one is to speak to her and Proctor to turn his back. She is asked about the affair. Not knowing that Procter has confessed and trying to protect Proctor, she lies and denies all knowledge of the affair between John and Abigail. She realizes too late that she should have told the truth and she is led away. During this most tense scene the audience would feel very frustrated with Elizabeth and be willing her to tell the truth. The audience would feel sorry for Elizabeth as she lied to protect Proctor even though it was about his affair, which deeply hurt Elizabeth. At this point in the play I felt desperate for Elizabeth to tell the truth. Arthur Miller uses very powerful stage directions in The Crucible. He uses them for several reasons. One of the reasons is to describe a movement or action of a character. He directs this line at Mary Warren. His wife has just been arrested on suspicion of witchcraft after a poppet is found in her house, which Mary made. This movement prepares us for the dialogue, which is to follow: Proctor (moving menacingly towards her): You will tell the court how that poppet came here and who stuck the needle in. This shows the mood that Proctor is in. Proctor is furious at Mary and wants to scare her into telling the court. The movement would draw everyones attention towards the actor. I think the word menacingly would mean that the actor would walk purposely with an edge of threat towards the girl. He would tower over Mary ready for the dialogue. By this point the audience would be anticipating though his actions what would be going to happen next. In Act 4 Proctor is losing control and is confused about his decision of confessing to seeing the devil: (He moves as an animal, and a fury is riding in him, a tantalized search). This stage direction would enable the actor to behave in a dramatic, inhuman manner. I can imagine the actor pacing and his eyes searching for answers. It would give the actor the opportunity to take centre stage and exploit this important twist of the play. This would add dramatic tension and a feeling of anticipation of what Proctor was going to do next. I think the actor would pace up and down the stage quickly with his body quite tensed up. I think Arthur Miller was successful in creating tension in The Crucible. He does this through a variety of methods. Firstly his use of dark, forbidding sets. This gives the idea of tension before the scenes have even begun and the characters have started speaking. His use of dramatic dialogue and stage directions build up the tension and help the actors relate to the character and perform the play with more emotion towards the characters. Through dramatic irony he involves the audience and manages to maintain their interest throughout the play. Miller portrays the characters in an intense way. The relationships between them are very close, with the stifling intimacy of their lives adding to the slow build up of hysteria in the play. I found the most dramatic moment in the play was when Proctor confessed to his affair. Elizabeth was then asked if she knew about the affair but she denied all knowledge of this. This was a particularly tense moment because anxiety and frustration was high; the characters along with the audience wanted her to tell the truth, fearing the consequences of a lie. This had the affect of making me feel nervous that something could go wrong and also involved because I knew about Proctors confession. I felt that Abigails character was especially strong and influential in the play. She was the root of all the troubles. I felt pity for Elizabeth because of Abigail; her affair with Proctor and her accusations about Elizabeths involvement in witchcraft destroyed her life. Miller has the ability to pull the audience into the lives of the characters by his use of dramatic devices and theatrical techniques, which maintain interest and participation throughout the play. Miller made me feel nervous and frustrated in The Crucible. He made me feel sympathy, fear and anxiety towards the characters. For example I felt great empathy for Elizabeth Proctor as her husband betrayed her and then she was accused of being a witch. Miller uses the other characters to portray Elizabeth as a cold person but through our knowledge of her as the play progresses we become emotionally involved with her and come to realize what a strong courageous woman she is. With Elizabeth, as with many other characters, Miller allows us to make up our own minds about their honesty and strength as we are drawn into the characters lives and we begin understand the double standards and different tensions that are operating throughout The Crucible.

Free Essays - Social Expectations in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Social Expectations in Oedipus the King It is made clear that the citizens of Thebes were religious and had a deep reliance on the gods. "You cannot equal the gods..."p161. It was expected socially, that the citizens of Thebes recognized the gods power, and so for Jocasta to refer to the prophecies as "hollow" would not have been generally accepted behaviour. The priest is an elderly and religious man, something we realise is well respected in Thebes as Oedipus who is king, speaks with the priest on an equal level. The elderly were considered to be wise and therefore socially it would be expected that even the king should be polite to them. "Speak up, old man. Your years, your dignity..." p. 159 Oedipus is rude to Teiresias who is also a wise and religious man. "You're a nuisance here..."p185. Oedipus is not living up to his social expectations here, signifying he is fast approaching his downfall. Oedipus is seen to have double standards with regards to the idea of murder. He is aware that he has killed someone, yet to hear that King Laius was killed, he seems appalled, "...so daring, so wild, he'd kill a king?"p166. It is depicted as being morally less acceptable to kill someone of "royal blood". The king was someone who the people of Thebes turned to when they needed help, "find us strength, rescue!" p. 161. Oedipus had set himself high social expectations after helping free Thebes "from the sphinx". Oedipus was admired as being "best of men" p. 161, and therefore socially the citizens would have expected him to help them when they needed it. Oedipus was kinder to the citizens and more open with them than was generally expected from a king, "my children" p. 162. He spoke to them directly and not through a messenger, showing the closeness between the people and their king, "Here I am myself..." p. 159. Oedipus and Creon put all their efforts in to finding the killer of Laius. They take it on as their moral obligation as it has gone so far without justice being made, "But you, loyal men of Thebes who approve my actions, may our champion, Justice, may all the gods be with us.

Computer Use in the Construction Industry :: Expository Essays Research Papers

Computer Use in the Construction Industry Technological advances are benefiting the construction business in many different ways. On-line services, estimating software, and blueprint design (CAD) are just some of the areas that have enhanced the building world. Commercial and residential contractors are suddenly seeing how computer technology can benefit their business and are now utilizing it more and more everyday. For the past thirty to forty years, construction, technologies, and practices had hardly changed. From the drawing boards to finished product, building science stayed very conventional and for the most part simple. According to Building Performance Construction Services, â€Å"Builders are adverse to change.†1 They had a system and it worked, so why change it? Statistically proven, over the past couple of years there has been a significant increase in competition and customer demand. Thus, forcing companies to use advanced building materials, techniques, and technology to keep up to date in the competitive world. Computer programs like estimating software, Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Excel, and Access are all designed to draw, compute, and keep track of information for you. Estimating software uses pre-programmed data to come up with price figures; they are virtually error free and can be done fast, in a fraction of the time it would take to complete a task in longhand. Computer Aided Drafting, or (CAD), can draw plans that are exactly to scale and viewable in 3D from every angle imaginable. This allows new modern design techniques and style to become possible and put to use. Excel and Access create spreadsheets and compute equations to organize and categorize necessary material. Excel can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, as well as many other functions automatically which can then be applied to a document on the computer, saving a lot of time and paperwork. It is obvious that programs like these make the managerial side of construction much faster and easier. Using advanced equipment is another way computers have revolutionized the building industry. Electronic tools are constantly improving with the use of lasers, digital equipment and battery-power. Lasers for cutting or leveling purposes enable projects to be more precise and accurate. Digital equipment can save needed data on the jobsite to a card/disk, which can then be downloaded and accessed from a computer system. Advances in battery technology can now power many tools changing the way the construction process is approached.

Dba Financial Management Essay

1. What is Annuity kind of cash flow? Answer: Annuity is fixed sum of money paid every year in at any other fixed interval shorter than a year. This annuity may be by way of return of some principal plus interest payment of against money invested or by way of payment of other dues such as pensions after retirement. In any case it represents out flow of cash from one account to in flow of cash to another account. In this way all annuities involve movements of cash or funds. Therefore all annuities are cash flows that can be suitably represented in cash flow statements.An annuity will be represented as inflow of cash in the cash flow statement for the recipient of the annuity and out flow of cash in the cash flow statement of the person or firm paying out the annuity. 2. What do understand by Portfolio risk? Answer: In business and finance the term portfolio refers to the collection  of various investment of an individual or a firm in various bonds, stocks or other securities and instruments. Portfolio risk is refers to the extent of risk or possible variation associated regarding the amount of return the individual or the firm is likely to earn on the portfolio. Broadly a specific investment in a portfolio can be judged for its riskiness along a scale. On one end of this scale a risk less investment offers a guaranteed rate of return on the amount invested, but generally the quantity of return is low. On the other end of the scale are very risky investments which may end giving a very high return or may actually result in a heavy loss. The risk of the total portfolio is assessed on the basis of combined likelihood of variation in the combined profit or loss on all the investments in the portfolio. 3. What do you understand by ‘Loan Amortization’? Answer: Loan amortization is the process of paying back a loan over an extended duration of time along with the interest incurred. The interest to be paid for the amount borrowed, till the loan is completely repaid, is calculated in advance. This is divided by the total number of payments being made and added with the principal payments to arrive at an amount that consists of both the principal as well as the interest. The payments have to be made according to this amortization schedule, which is decided before the loan is issued and could be in the form of simple monthly or annual payments. Before the principal amount is issued, the terms for calculation of the interest are also fixed. 4. What is the Difference between NPV and IRR? Answer: The difference between net present value and internal rate of return both of these measurements are primarily used in capital budgeting, the process by which companies determines whether a new investment or expansion opportunity is worthwhile. Given an investment opportunity, a firm needs to decide whether undertaking the investment will generate net economic profits or losses for the company. The main difference however should be more evident in the method or should I say the units used. While NPV is calculated in cash, the IRR is a percentage value expected in return from a capital project. Due to the fact that NVP is calculated in currency, it  always seems to resonate more easily with the general public as the general public comprehends monetary value better as compared to other values. This does not necessarily mean that the NPV is automatically the best option when evaluating a firm’s progress. The best option would depend on the perception of the individual doing the calculation, as well as, his objective in the whole exercise. It is evident that managers and administrators would prefer the IRR as a method, as percentages give a better outlook that can be used to make strategic decisions over the firm. Another major shortfall associated with the IRR method is the fact that it cannot be conclusively used in circumstances where the cash flow is inconsistent. While working out figures in such fluctuating circumstances may prove tricky for the IRR method, it would pose no challenge for the NPV method since all that it would take is the collection of all the inflows-outflows and finding an average over the entire period in focus. Evaluating the viability of a project using the IRR method could cloud the true picture if the figures on the inflow and outflow remain to fluctuate persistently. It may even give the false impression that a short term venture with high return in a short time is more viable as compared to a bigger long-term venture that would otherwise make more profits.In order to make a decision between any of the two methods, it is important to take note of the following significant differences. Section B: Case lets CASE 1 1. Which type of financing is appropriate to each firm? Answer: – APT Inc. can go in for debt with warrants since it is nearly a zero debt company and is also willing to accept any form of security. Sandford Enterprises can go in for callable debentures since it has a low debt equity ratio combined with excellent track record of servicing debt. Its future cash flows also suggest a strong capability to service future debt. Sharma Brother Inc. can go in for issue of preferred stock considering that its fund requirements of $20 million cannot be met by debt issue. Sachetee Energy Systems can consider issue of common stock for meeting its expansion requirements. Ranbaxy Industries can issue convertible bonds or debt with warrant considering that it is averse to divesting management control. 2. What types of securities must be issued by a firm which is on the growing stage in order to meet the financial requirements? Answer: – for a company which is in a growing stage, issue of debt may be the most optimum mode of rising fresh funding, this is because future potential cash flows would be sufficient to service the debt obligation or make a premature payment. This would also be in line with the potential risk appetite of the organization to sustain its growth and earn incremental returns. Issue of equity is another option which such a company can look at. This would however depend on the management philosophy of retaining or divesting management control. A mix of debt and equity could also be a potential source of financing. Cost of raising debt or equity would be an important consideration in deciding the option. CASE 2 1. How would you judge the potential profit of Bajaj Electronics on the first year of sales to Booth Plastics and give your views to increase the profit. Answer: – Sales fluctuate seasonally and the average collection period tends to run 40 days. Bad-debt losses are less than 0.6 per cent of sales. The Perluence’s accounting dept estimated a 24 per cent markup as the average for items sold to Pucca Electronics. Bajaj Electronics, in turn, resold the items to yield a 17 per cent markup. Bajaj Electronics incurred out-of pocket expenses that were not considered in calculating the 17 per cent markup on its items. James would receive a 3 per cent commission on all sales. a commission paid whether or not the receivable was collected. In addition to the sales commission, the company would incur variable costs as a result of handling the merchandise for the new account. As a general guideline, warehousing and other administrative variable costs would run 3 per cent sales. First of all, he considered the potential profit from the account. James had estimated first-year sales to Booth Plastics of $65,000. Assuming that Neck Booth took the, 3 per cent discount. Bajaj Electronics  would realize a 17 per cent markup on these sales since the average markup was calculated on the basis of the customer taking the discount. His department probably spent three times as much money and effort managing a marginal account as compared to a strong account. He also figured that overdue and uncollected funds had to be financed by Bajaj Electronics at a rate of 18 per cent. 2. Suggestion regarding Credit limit. Should it be approved or not, what should be the amount of credit limit that electronics give to Booth Plastics. Answer:- Strand Electronics has 950 employees and handles a volume of $85 million in sales annually. About $6 million of the sales represents items manufactured by Perluence. He supervises five employees who handle credit application and collections on 4,600 accounts. The accounts range from $120 to $85,000.Thefirmsells on terms, with 2/10, net 30 mostly. Sales fluctuate seasonally and the average collection period tends to run 40 days. Bad-debt losses are less than 0.6 % of sales. The company was founded in 1977 by Neck and has grown steadily. The Perluence’s cost-accounting department estimated a 24 % markup as the average for items sold to Pucca. Bajaj, in turn, resold the items to yield a 17 per cent markup. Bajaj incurred out-of pocket expenses that were not considered in calculating the 17 per cent markup on its items. James would receive a 3 % commission on sales made to Booth, a commission that would be paid. a general guideline, administrative variable costs would run 3 %. James estimated first-year sales to Booth of $65,000.Assuming that Neck took the, 3 percent discount. Bajaj would realize a 17% markup on these sales since the average markup was calculated on the basis of the customer taking the discount. If Neck did not take the discount, the markup would be slightly higher. In addition to the potential profit from the account. He also figured that overdue and uncollected funds had to be financed by Bajaj at a rate of 18 %. All in all, slow paying or marginal accounts were very costly to Bajaj. SECTION C 1. Honey Well Company is contemplating to liberalize its collection  effort. Its present sales are Rs. 10 lakh, its average collection period is 30 days, its expected variable cost to sales ratio is 85 percent and its bad debt ratio is 5 per cent. The Company’s cost of capital is 10 per cent and tax are is 40 per cent. He proposed liberalization in collection effort increase sales to Rs. 12 lakh increases average collection period by 15 days, and increases the bad debt ratio to 7 percent. Determine the change in net profit. Answer:- At 85 percent variable cost the gross contribution of various costs including cost of bad debt and and capital cost amount tied up as receivables to be collected will be 15 percent of the sales. From this contribution of 15 percent all other expenses except the bad debt and cost of capital tied up in receivable will change. Therefore we can calculate the impact of liberalization in collection on profit as follows. Original Amount Changed Amount 1. Sales [per year] 1,000,000 1,200,000 2. Contribution [15% 0f (1)] 150,000 180,000 3. Receivable [(1)*Days/365] 82,192 147,945 4. Cost of receivables [(3)*0.1] 8,219 14,794 5. Cost of bad debts [(1)*%] 50,000 84,000 6. (4) + (5) 58,219 98,794 7. Balance Contribution (2) – (6) 91,781 81,206 ———————————————————————————- We can see from above table that that the balance contribution available will decrease by Rs. 10,575 from Rs. 91,781 to Rs. 81,206. The profit before tax will also reduce by the same amount. The reduction in profit after tax will be: Reduction in profit after tax = 10575*60/100 = Rs. 6345 2. Explain the concept of working capital. What are the factors which influence the working capital? Answer:- The management of the current assets deals with the determination, maintenance, control and monitoring of level of all the individuals current assets. Current assets have short life span. Each current asset is swiftly converted into other assets forms. The  existence and necessity of current assets is implied for the efficient and optimal use of the fixed assets. This project reveals the various aspects of working capital management in general, and also at the same time sneaks into the practical aspect of applying theoretical concepts of the company. The importance of working capital management is reflected in the fact that financial managers spend a great deal of time in managing current assets and current liabilities. These include arranging short term financing, negotiating favorable credit terms, controlling the movement of cash, administering accounts receivables and investing short-term surplus funds. For the analysis part, the data collection was done by primary and secondary sources where the primary sources includes the personal interaction with the industry guide and secondary sources includes external and internal sources involving company annuals. Thus the presentation of data collected was done in the form of graphs and tables. In summer training; I was given the project related to working capital management and CMA forms which were discussed later in the project. For this purpose, I regularly interacted with my industry guide and the other staff of the Corporate Finance Department. For the preparation of the project, I had a look on the company profile and made a plan by going through its previous accounting reports. Then, I had analyzed the plan and accordingly I filled the CMA forms and projected as per the instructions of my industry guide.The basic objective of this project is to know the factors that determine the working capital requirements and to analyze the different approaches available for the financing. Basically, working capital is composed of various items. Most of the time you got inventories and retained profits. According to the US GAAP (Generecally accepted accounting principles), the inventories must follow any appreciation (or depreciation) of the items in inventory. Let’s say that you have a pencil in your company’s inventory whose value is US$1, 00. If from October 2008 to November 2008 the value of the pen would go from US$1,00 to US$1,20, your working capital would be affected in 20%. On the opposite, if the value had dropped to US$0,80, your working capital would have depreciated in 20%. But this is according one of the many accounting principles. On the other side, if you have money invested in any kind of product or fund, you have to adjust properly, reflecting its appreciation or depreciation. But in this case, other factors play an important role.

Gabriel’s Epiphany in James Joyce’s “The Dead” Essay

In James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead,† through an epiphany the main character, Gabriel, realizes the true relationship between him and his wife, Gretta. The epiphany Gabriel experiences is the direct effect of his wife’s confession to having a love before she met him. Not just a love, but a true love named Michael Furey. Before Gabriel had heard this story he continuously looks at his wife thinking about how much he loves her and how much he wishes they could only feel the excitement of their relationship. His emotions and feelings are shattered when he hears Gretta’s story of Michael Furey. At first he feels anger toward her. Anger at the fact that he was not her first love. He is also humiliated to feel as he did before, foolishly in love, when it was quite clear their relationship was not what he thought it was. He thinks about how she still carries so much fondness for her dead lover and he grows envious that she had found her one true love. After staring at his wife asleep on the bed, he feels deeply saddened that he will never experience a true love relationship in return from his wife. He wants her to be happy, and he knows she is actually devastated even after all these years of appearing to be content in their boring marriage. He decides then that he will make it up to her. He will be the man she always wanted and needed. Gabriel makes the decision to move to Ireland, the country he detests in the beginning of the story. This is a sacrifice he will make to show his true love to his wife, Gretta. A sacrifice which in no way would have been possible if he had not experienced the epiphany within the story.

Analysis of “The Soldier” by Rupert Brooke

â€Å"The Soldier† by Rupert Brooke Analysis â€Å"The Soldier†, is a British patriotic sonnet written by Rupert Brooke in 1914. It expresses love for the mother country which in this case is Great Britain. This poem describes the physical aspects of death and the writer’s opinion of it. Although death is the main point in this poem, it not depicted in a twisted and gruesome manner. Rather, death in this poem is a sacrifice. â€Å"The Soldier† is a patriotic poem. The purpose of patriotic poems during WWI was to motivate people to enlist for the armed forces.It is quite similar to a piece of propaganda, asking in a way for people to join the armed forces; to take his place should he be killed –â€Å"If I should die, think only this of me†. We know that this poem is patriotic because of the last three lines of the first stanza, in particular –â€Å"A body of England’s, breathing English air,† We also know this poem is patr iotic because it was written in 1914, when the war just started and spirits were high. After a while though, the enthusiasm dropped as people began to discover the nasty and cruel conditions of the trenches.By the end of war, famine and constant bomb raids had completely obliterated all signs of patriotism. In the first stanza, Brooke mentions his belief of the physical aspects of death for one’s country. The â€Å"foreign field† is where his body will lay forever. The soil contains the soul of a glorious man who died for his country. Brooke believes that if he dies there, the soil around his body will become a part of England as a result of the purity of his soul –â€Å"That is forever England,† The soldier was brought up by England and as a result, his thoughts and beliefs are both influenced by England.When he dies, all of his evil deeds and sins have been forgiven because he gave the ultimate sacrifice; to die for one’s country. Brooke also bel ieves that, because the motherland was so nice to him, he must give back what she has given to him; that he must lay down his life to ensure that the motherland stays a free country. It is the only thing that he can give back to the motherland to say thanks. Throughout this poem, England is personified as a mother. It demonstrates how important the soldiers of England really are to the country itself.Brooke writes this poem in a patriotic and joyful manner. He does not believe that dying for your country is a traumatic experience. This in contrast to another famously acclaimed poem by Wilfred Owen –â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† Brooke believes that dying for one’s country is a brave and honourable thing to do, especially during war. It states that should the person die, he should not be mourned, instead he should be looked upon as a selfless sacrifice to England.Although the poem itself is referring to one person; himself, the title suggests that this poem is repr esenting all soldiers, as when soldiers fight in wars, they lose their identity and become cogs in a big machine. To conclude, Rupert Brooke’s â€Å"The Soldier† is a patriotic poem about a soldier who had great love for his country. Brooke presents this sonnet as a piece of propaganda and encourages people to enlist for the armed forces. This poem describes the ideas of death in a mind of a patriotic person and gives us an insight into Brooke’s style of writing. Overall, this is a poem about honour and glory, about life and death.

Contemporary Masculinity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary Masculinity - Essay Example It is, thus, that images of masculinity and the implications of the concept are a topic of debate and academic research, questioning and exploration. Despite the stated, however, there remains a persistent tendency towards the maintenance of earlier images of hegemonic masculinity. Indeed, a review of Connell's notion of hegemonic masculinity will reveal the extent to which contemporary images of masculinity are being overtly countered and contested by the concept of hegemonic masculinity. Following a review of Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity, this essay will argue that Connell's concept serves to shed invaluable light on the extent to which contemporary masculinity is experiencing crisis. This crisis, as briefly touched upon in the preceding, is a direct outcome of the dominant culture's refusal to accept changing notions of masculinity and its determination to maintain the gender status quo. Hegemonic masculinity is predicated on the longstanding notion that distinct gender differences exist between men and women.1 Hegemonic norms are accepted because "mass culture generally assumes there is a fixed, true masculinity beneath the ebb and flow of daily life,"2 where men are expected to be strong, independent, competitive, risk-taking, aggressive, powerful, display sexual prowess, be emotionally distant, and be dominant over women in both the private and public spheres.3 Gender differences underpin an unequal system of power relations where "men, as a group, enjoy [access to certain] institutional privileges"4 not afforded to women. Although this is not a recently constituted ideology, Connell holds that the dominance of hegemonic masculinity represents an endeavour to maintain this system of inequality through efforts to quell challenges to its institution. He states, "Hegemonic masculinity can be defined as the configuration of gender practice which embodies the currentl y accepted answer to the problem of the legitimacy of patriarchy."5 The social prescription for western hegemonic masculinity, aimed at preserving the legitimacy of patriarchy, thus includes elements of heterosexism, homophobia, and male-dominant gender roles. Connell stresses that hegemonic masculinity is a "historically mobile relation" noting that when "conditions for the defence of patriarchy change," such as with economic or political pressures like the global movement for women's emancipation, "the bases for the dominance of a particular masculinity are eroded."6 In fact, the institutional and cultural features that give rise to any one form of masculinity also create alternate versions of masculinity that support or conflict with core assumptions. For example, dominant conceptualizations of masculinity portray adult males as family breadwinners. This conceptualization, alongside dominant discourse and practices perpetuate this belief, irrespective of evidence to the contrary and, in so doing, affirm a gender based division of labour. As may be inferred from the aforementioned, despite the fact that the concept of hegemonic masculinity is increasingly being questioned by contemporary economic realities, not to mention socio-political ones, the tenacious hold that this concept has on mass culture is such that alternative realities are labeled exceptions to the rule. Connell does not only acknowledge the veracity of the above-stated but emphasizes the extent to which the

Slavery Story by Harriet Jacobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Slavery Story by Harriet Jacobs - Essay Example This clearly establishes Jacobs' own status as a person and to make a case against the dehumanization inherent in slavery. Moreover, these women were denied the right to bond, nurture and care for their babies. Indeed fact, it was not unusual but common for the plantation master to satisfy his desires with his female slaves and force them to bear his offspring. As Linda points out, children from such unions were often sold to protect the honor and dignity of the slaveholder's wife, who would otherwise be forced to face the undeniable evidence of her husband's lust. Notably, in an attempt to further humanize these victims, she addressed the women of the North, desperately trying to show them that unless they spoke out in protest, they were just as guilty as Southern slaveholders of supporting and perpetuating the system of slavery. In short, apathy towards the act of slavery is just as horrendous as the act itself. We immediately see the human calling in this piece because from the beginning, Jacobs identifies herself as a slave girl. She maintains focus on her female gender. Because she refers to herself as "a slave girl," she implies-and later states explicitly-that she is speaking not only for herself, but also for her sisters still in bondage. Truth be told, this is actually a documentary. In furtherance of Jacobs' establishment of her own status as a person and to make a case against the dehumanization inherent in slavery, Linda continues to exist in this tortured world. Linda could have left her master. As the story progresses we learn that Linda actually had many opportunities to escape. Determined, she chooses to give up her freedom and her own life to save her children. This is the natural choice of a mother. Thus despite the continued abuses suffered by Linda, she presented her story not just as a woman but as a mother. Finally, it is apparent that Jacobs was determined to convince the world of the devastating and dehumanizing impact of slavery on women. In so doing, she let us see the impact from several perspectives. We see it as a female, and as a girl growing into a woman. Further adding to the experience, we see her as a mother and as one who has the daily risk of loosing her babies to the plantation owner that raped her. It is sickening that a woman had to fear one of the most important parts of her life, the beauty of being pregnant. Indeed, perhaps Jacobs transcends the human nature, because while many of the children of these poor slave women were the result of involuntary sex, it did not interfere with the immediate maternal instinct. It is all of these moments that bring Jacobs' perspective as a truly human

MK 491 Seminar in Marketing-Report Research Paper

MK 491 Seminar in Marketing-Report - Research Paper Example Since then it has literally transformed to a giant firm employing over 10,000 people. Google Inc. is a household name for their search engine service. Google has become so big now that it has almost become a new word in English language. Research Question The Research question posed here is discussion of the product, pricing, promotion and distribution strategies adopted by Google Inc. Literature Review Google Inc. is one of the top technology companies in the world. It offers a range of products and services which caters to the needs of the users. This company is present across different domain in the Internet and most of the consumers use their products and services in everyday life. Google hence uses different strategies to market their diverse products and services. Since they offer such diverse set of products and services, they use different market segmentation strategy to reach out to their consumer base. Their positioning strategy has to be prefect so that they live up to con sumers demands. Similarly their pricing and distribution strategy has to be developed to make them be on profit terms with other competitors. Analysis and Findings Overall business and marketing strategy of Google For Google their biggest success factor is the search engine which they have created. Google alone earns millions of rupees through advertisements. For Google information gathering is the key to their success. It makes all the products and services in such a way that it caters to all the segments in the market. This makes non-profit and private use by users absolutely free of cost. The founders of Google have a strong liking to education and libraries. The atmosphere of the company is like a university where continuous research and analysis of their product and services are done. They strive continuously for better search methods so that more useful information is available to the consumers through as many means as possible. Hence all the employees are encouraged to create something new and are rewarded for their effort through means like freedom with work hours, free meals, competitive pay etc. It organizes Annual Code Jam international competition which aims at solving the mind racing problems, and the winner is given large amounts of money. This helps them to find bright new employees. Hence Google primary business strategy is the innovation which the innovation in their products and services which they brings in front of the consumers. They have been largely successful at their overall business strategy. Segmentation strategy The segmentation strategy of Google is very diverse. Google has a diverse product line and hence it is present everywhere to cater to a number of users worldwide. For instance Google Search and other products are available to users at over 110 languages and it is still expanding (Anderson, Lazarus, Loftsgaarden and Weiss, 2003). According to a survey conducted in United States it was seen that their Search Engine was popular among users less than 34 years of age. Among them 55% of the users are male. Their users are predominantly technologically adept. Most of the users are business professionals. Again the products like Google plus, Google hangout, Picasa indicate that they are targeting the young peoples who are in their colleges and like to engage in social networking. One of the best Google products is the YouTube

Modern pricing models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Modern pricing models - Essay Example This work involved calculating a derivative to measure how the discount rate of a warrant varies with time and stock price. The result of this calculation held a striking resemblance to a well-known heat transfer equation. Soon after this discovery, Myron Scholes joined Black and the result of their work is a startlingly accurate option pricing model. The Black–Scholes model was first published in their 1973 paper, "The Pricing of Options and Corporate Liabilities", published in the Journal of Political Economy (Black & Scholes, 1973). Robert Merton was the first to publish a paper expanding the mathematical understanding of the options pricing model, and coined the term "Black–Scholes options pricing model" (Merton, 1973). Merton and Scholes received the 1997 Nobel Prise in Economics for their work. Black was mentioned as a contributor by the Swedish Academy though ineligible for the prize because of his death in 1995. Black and Scholes cant take all credit for their work, in fact their model is actually an improved version of a previous model developed by A. James Boness in his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Chicago (). Black and Scholes improvements on the Boness model come in the form of a proof that the risk-free interest rate is the correct discount factor, and with the absence of assumptions regarding investors risk preferences. The Black–Scholes model assumes that the market consists of at least one risky asset, usually called the stock, and one riskless asset, usually called the money market, cash, or bond. The key idea is to hedge the option by buying and selling the underlying asset in just the right way and, as a consequence, to eliminate risk. (random walk) The instantaneous log returns of the stock price is an infinitesimal random walk with drift; more precisely, it is a geometric Brown motion, and we will assume its drift and volatility

Personal Statement seeking admission to Master programme in History of

Seeking admission to Master programme in History of Science and Technology - Personal Statement Example Hence, the more reason I would want to undertake this Masters programme in History of Science and Technology in order to teach young people in school on the need for a country focusing in Science and Technology. One factor I have learned in life is the need for discipline in every pursuit that I engage in. Perhaps this comes from my military background where I worked as a finance administrator with Singapore’s People Defence Force ultimately attained the rank of Sergeant in 2009. Moreover, my other engagements, albeit in a co-curricular role, have enabled me gain focus in the direction that my career should take. These engagements in attending and organising delegates meetings within outside the country have played the crucial role in my life of finding value in helping people and influencing lives. In addition, the undergraduate scholarship-teaching award presented to me by the Ministry of Education in Singapore gave me the clear indication that I was destined to become a teacher and impact lives. They say that work without play makes Jack a dull boy. While my pursuit and the passion in becoming a teacher are self evident, I have a passion for media work. For this reason, I choose to pursue a Diploma in Multi-Media technology with a major in Film Studies and Production. In fact, my high average GPA score of 3.24 in my final semester emphasize my passion in every activity I focus on. Moreover, I have continued playing a part-time role by teaching camera handling and cinematography at a school I have helped organise. It is in light of the above that I would request for a placing in your prestigious institution to study for my Masters Degree in History of Science and Technology. I am a well-rounded student with an interest in teaching, which I believe will help me achieve my long life goals. I am a dynamic student who is ready to take what life offers in both hands and to use it to my best of

The Unique Categorical Imperative of Kant Essay Example for Free

The Unique Categorical Imperative of Kant Essay Morality appears to us as a concrete term which is underscored by certain rational assumptions about the universe. And yet, our own experience tells us that that which one considers to be vice may, to another, be seen as virtue. The reverse may also apply. Thus, it is rather difficult to reconcile that which does in fact define our cause for moral behavior, though all figures of importance to the historical discourse on philosophy have ventured a framework. The 18th century in particular would witness a flurry of activity, with the latter generation of the Enlightenment Era providing a spirited exchange across decades of literature on that which inspires moral behavior. In our investigation here of the various possible lenses through which to understand morality, consideration of German theologian Immanuel Kant’s 1785 Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals provides basic understanding for the discussion of morality from the normative perspective. Such is to say that Kant’s will be the most rigid, socially constrained and dangerous of understandings, but nonetheless, totally unique in its orientation and provisions for its time and place. At the center of Kant’s argument is the premise that the same reason which applies to the empirical nature of scientific discourse must rationally apply in the same way to ethical discourse. His perspective toward scientific certainty would mark a unique and original bridging of worlds between the corporeal and the ideological. Accordingly, Kant contends that â€Å"physics will have its empirical part, but it will also have a rational one; and likewise ethics – although here the empirical part might be called specifically practical anthropology, while the rational part might properly be called morals. † (Kant, 20) To Kant, previous ideals on ethical autonomy are threatening to social order, representing the opportunity for the individual to devise his own ethical parameters. The rationality of scientific practicality denotes, to Kant, instead a heteronomous orientation whereby there is a connective tissue of ethicality common to all men and women, restraining and directing behaviors. Kant defines autonomy as the ability to act based on one’s own volition. Heteronomy, on the other hand, is a common set of social forces inclining individuals to tend toward common motives and common actions. Accordingly, Kant lays out a concise framework for justice, admonishing that â€Å"the categorical imperative, which declares the action to be objectively necessary without referring to any end in view. . . . holds as an apodictic practical principle. † (Kant, p. 18) The ‘categorical imperative’ to which Kant refers is foundational to the normative theory suggesting that there is some immutable force associated with our conception and actualization of the idea of ‘good’ or ‘evil. ’ It inclines us to understanding that the means by which we behave are inherently informed by our commitment to a single, shared and unchanging idea about what is right. To commit to this idea is practical reason and to fail to make this commitment is irrational, which allows Kant to propose that such a positive correlation could be observed between rationality and morality. . This contrasts the idea of utilitarianism, which proposes that all situations demand a certain degree of pragmatism with respect to behavior. This throws into chaos the moral presuppositions of Kant, with such thinkers as Bentham and Mill coming to the fore of the discussion. In utilitarian philosophy, it is imperative that morality be channeled through an understanding of context and the nuances of society human interaction. By contrast to this view of morality, Kant provides deep ideological refusal for what he might argue is mere ethical laxity. Kant presents this argument that moral order is impossible to define without permanent standards that are shaped by man’s dignity, denoting therefore that it is only reasonable to act in cooperation with this conception for one’s own self-preservation. If Kant’s points are to be assimilated when adopting a moral stance which is consistent with man’s dignity, such absolute terms are inevitably defined by dominant social structures, bringing us to the application of a normative theoretical structure. The inextricable relationship which theology and morality have shared throughout history tends to have a tangible impact on the way these hegemonic standards are defined. And Kant, rejects any flexibility outright, however. Beyond its deviation from his established disposition toward moral absolutes, such variation violates Kant’s maxim about man as an end rather than a means. Man is to be the motive for moral acts, with his dignity defining right and wrong. Indeed, as he pointedly phrases it, â€Å"the laws of morality are laws according to which everything ought to happen; they allow for conditions under which what ought to happen doesn’t happen. † (Kant, 1) To my view, this demonstrates Kant’s approach to be both unrealistic and unattractive to the nuance and flexibility of human social systems and individual ideological orientations. Absent of these characteristics, ethicality becomes an empty term and morality a weapon against minority ideologies. Works Cited: Kant, Immanuel. 1785. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Jonathan Bennett. Preferred language style: English(U. S. ) A. Explain the originality uniqueness of Kants ethical theory by:1)explaining kants general critcism of previous ethical theories 2)defining how kant distinguishes between autonomy heterononmy 3)explaining kants formulation of the `catergorical imperative. ` 4)explaining how adherence to the categorical imperative provides for autonomous ethical choice. B. Reflect on Kants ethical theory by:1)supporting a position on how kants theory on ethical decision making is correct or incorrect with personal thought. 2)supporting your position with evidence from the text