Managing change - case study analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing change - case study analysis - Essay Example This essay stresses that according to Lewin's model, the restraining force is the management hierarchy which delays the decision-making process. The management thought that the situation will change as there will be â€Å"ups and down† in every industry.But the price decline continued for a long period. Sensing the deterioration of the company profitability and assets the management has opened for the thought of revamping the administrative structure to suit the current requirements and decrease the decision making process time. The driving force was the change in the management thought that the decision making authority should vest with few to enhance the decision-making rate. As the change was forced the CEO with a team of seven others formed an apex committee to speed up the decision-making process. The management team has focused on the identified need to deal with a possible long-term decline in commodity prices, set the achievable goal of simplifying the management struc ture to foster accountability and communication. In conclusion, communication is the key to implement the ideologies of the management. There should be a smooth and distinctive flow of information right from the managers to the ground staff down the line who form the core of the employee group. The discrepancy in the information will elevate the decisions in the other way and could change the trajectory of the desired results. The right form of information will guide the person to the desired output.

Alvin Ailey Contextualisation Essay Example for Free

Alvin Ailey Contextualisation Essay Ailey used his culture and many childhood memories to base his choreography on. Church and worship played a huge role in the lives of black Americans and was the center of Ailey’s community. â€Å"The exuberance and poignancy of the black experience are well served in Aileys splendid. â€Å"The church was always very important, very theatrical, very intense. The life that went on there and the music made a great impression on me. † (A. P Bailey 1997 pg. 8) He grew up in Texas in the 1930s with both racial segregation and the economy being big problems of the time. â€Å"Black lives were as peaceful and secure as racism and poverty would allow. (Dunning, 1996) â€Å"In those days black people were forced into certain sections of the town†¦you couldn’t buy a house in other sections of the town, so you had to go to schools that were essentially segregated’’. In spite of the miserable living conditions   Ailey’s community and others alike were joyful in church and the drew drop inn which was where all the adults used to go on Saturday nights to dance to the blaring juke box. The dew drop inn was a rough place to be. My mother was in there, and everybody was doing what they considered to be the nasty dances†¦many of the same people who went to dew drop inn on a Saturday night went to church on a Sunday morning. In dance I deal with these two very different worlds: Blues suite and revelations. † (A. P Bailey 1997 pg23) At the age of 12 Ailey joined his mother in Los Angeles where she was to work as cleaner for a wealthy white family â€Å"I remember very well seeing my mother on her knees scrubbing these white folks’ rooms and halls. That image is in my ballet cry† (A. P Bailey 1997pg32) Here he experienced the theatre and heard the music of Duke Ellington for the first time, who’s music he later came to create a total of 14 dances to. Including The River’ â€Å"The River is a legendary collaboration between Ailey and Ellington was Ellingtons first symphonic score written specifically for dance†¦The legendary and highly acclaimed collaboration mirrors together the art forms beautifully. (http://www. exploredance. com/article. htm? id=1635) Creations of Two Masterful Artists, Alvin Ailey and Duke Ellington by Amber Henrie December 28, 2006. It was not until the 1940s that Ailey took a serious interest in dance, seeing the Dunham Company perform excited him in a way that nothing ever had before. Proving it to be a transcendent experience for him, he felt a connection with her and her dancers and was ‘lifted into another realm. I couldn’t believe there were black people on a legitimate stage†¦before largely white audiences†¦doing afro-Caribbean. Lester Horton not only inspired Ailey with his stylized technique and incredibly expressive movement but also in the way he offered his students a ‘complete education’ teaching them how to participate in all aspects of production from lighting and reading music to choosing the correct fabric for performances â€Å"He knew every fabric in the world and was extremely knowledgeable about color, design, dyeing and tailoring†¦I am still guided by Lester’s insistence that costumes must be made from extraordinary fabric† (A.P Bailey 1997 pg. 63) The Horton Technique focus’ on movements that lengthen the spine and the hamstring muscles with flat backs, lateral stretches, descending and ascending from the floor into horizontal positions, release swings, leg swings and deep lunges all of which appear in Ailey’s works regularly. Lester Horton has proved to be Ailey’s biggest influence; the similarities between the 2 choreographers are due to Ailey’s awe of Horton, his works and his attitude. As he just as Martha Graham had, had a mixed racial company â€Å"He realized that you have to use the best dancers regardless of color† (A. P Bailey 1997 Pg. 60) All of the above stylistic features are seen in works of Ailey’s such as Revelations, Cry and Witness to name a few. Each using deep plies and stunning lines to create interesting and meaningful viewing, using a combination of modern dance with jazz and classical ballet. Each with a meaning and a message to its audiences worldwide. Ailey (cited by De Frantz) said From his roots as a slave, the American Negro – sometimes sorrowing, sometimes jubilant, but always hopeful – has created a legacy†¦ which have touched, illuminated and influenced the most remote preserves of world civilisation We bring you the exuberance of jazz, the ecstasy of his spirituals and the dark rapture of his blues. † Yet while Ailey drew lots of his choreography from his ‘blood memories’ he did create plot less works too, making more use of ballet technique which can be seen in Streams. After Lester Horton’s death, Ailey founded his own company and had great success that still lives to this day; he and his company toured worldwide and were awarded with numerous honours before settling In New York. Yet Thomas F DeFrantz (2004) said the unasked question, implicit in dozens of feature articles and reviews, seemed to be: how could a gay black man from dirt-poor. Rural, depression-era Texas, with limited dance training and no college degree found and run the most successful modern dance company in the idiom’s history?

Immunosorbent Assay in a Synacthen Test

Immunosorbent Assay in a Synacthen Test Introduction In this practical, an immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the outcome of a Synacthen test. This test is used to assess adrenal gland functions. It is routinely used to diagnose adrenal insufficiency and other related conditions. It works by giving a patient a dose of synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (Synacthen) in the morning after taking a baseline serum sample. The Synacthen will normally stimulate the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Further serum sample are taken post dose (after 30 and 60 minutes) to determine if there is an expected increase in cortisol levels. If there is no response from the adrenal glands (low levels of cortisol), the patient is then diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency (Ref). The levels of cortisol are measured by using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This method uses specific monoclonal antibodies that target cortisol. These antibodies are coated to the plate, once the sample is in contact with the antibodies, the cortisol present in the sample will bind to the specific coated antibodies to form an antibody-antigen complex (Ab-Ag complex). This complex is then bound to a secondary detection antibody which is coupled to horseradish peroxidase (HRP). This secondary antibody creates a coloured signal in the presence of TMB substrate due to the HRP. The reaction is then stopped with a stop solution and the coloured signal can then be detected by a spectrophotometer. The intensity of the signal is correlated to the concentration of Ab-Ag complexes. Materials 96 well plate Pipette and tips Primary antibody Patient serum sample x6 (2 samples per patient) Secondary antibody Wash buffer TMB substrate Hydrochloric acid HCl (stop solution) Plate reader Method Firstly, a first washing step was performed on the pre-coated plate. This was done by adding 200 µl of wash buffer to each well of the provided pre-coated plate. The plate was then emptied and the gently tapped on a cloth until all the buffer was removed. This was performed 3 times in a row. Then, 100 µl of the samples were added to a separate well in duplicate and the plate was left to incubate at room temperature for 30 minutes. After the incubation at room temperature, a second washing step was performed. 100 µl of the secondary antibody was then added to each well and the plate was left to incubate for 60 minutes at room temperature. After incubation, a third washing step was performed. 100 µl of TMB substrate was added to each well and the reaction was left to develop for 15 minutes. Finally, 100 µl of stop solution (HCl) was added to each well to stop the reaction and the plate was read at 450nm on the plate reader. Results The results below were provided to interpret the cortisol levels of the 3 patients: Table 1. Provided results Standards: [Cortisol] nM Absorbance 0 0.046 50 0.060 200 0.132 500 0.200 750 0.339 1000 0.482 Samples and internal quality controls: Sample Absorbance IQC1 0.052 IQC2 0.161 IQC3 0.241 Patient 1 Sample 1 0.081 Patient 1 Sample 2 0.263 Patient 2 Sample 1 0.069 Patient 2 sample 2 0.138 Patient 3 sample 1 0.050 Patient 3 sample 2 0.049 By using the results provided from the standards, a standard curve can be plotted. Figure 1. Standard curve of the absorbance over the concentration Then, by extrapolating the known absorbance from the QCs and samples, corresponding concentrations can be determined as shown below. Table 3. Quality control results QC (45 nmol/L) QC (315 nmol/L) QC (520 nmol/L) absorbance 0.052 0.161 0.241 concentration 48.47 302.75 489.37 Bias % 7.71785044 3.889442 5.889947428 The accuracy of the controls is calculated as absolute bias (% RE, where relative error [RE] = [measured value actual value]/ actual value). The bias is within the 20% range for every quality control meaning that the assay is accurate and that the results generated from the assay are validated (De silva EMEA). Finally, by extrapolating the provided absorbance of the samples on the standard curve, a corresponding concentration can be determined. Table 4. Sample results sample 1 (t=1) sample 1 (t=2) sample 2 (t=1) sample 2 (t=2) sample 3 (t=1) sample 3 (t=2) Absorbance 0.081 0.263 0.069 0.138 0.05 0.049 Concentration (nmol/L) 116.12 540.69 88.13 249.09 43.81 41.47 Discussion As described earlier, assays measuring cortisol levels in the blood are used to interpret Synacthen tests. In this case, 3 patients had undergone a synacthen test, a baseline serum sample and a second serum sample taken after 30 minutes post synacthen dose were taken. The samples were analysed and the cortisol levels were determined for each sample. Using the results obtained from the cortisol assay, a clinical interpretation can be done. According to guidelines, adrenal insufficiency is ruled out if the basal cortisol level is greater than 180 nmol/L, if the increase of cortisol levels 30 minutes post dose is greater than 200nmol/L or if the maximum serum cortisol level is greater than 500-600nmol/L (reference ranges vary depending on the laboratory) (https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Short%20Synacthen%20Test.pdf)( http://www.pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/dnn_bilm/Investigationprotocols/Synacthentestsshortlong/StandardShortSynacthenTest.aspx)( http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/cortisol-14668#2) (https://cks.nice.org.uk/addisons-disease#!diagnosisadditional). Patient 1 is a 65 year old male which performed a synacthen test after a surgery to remove a pituitary tumour to assess the adrenal functions. The baseline cortisol levels at time 0 minutes was 116.2nmol/L and the cortisol levels after 30 minutes post dose was 540.69nmol/L. Following the guidelines, this patient does not suffer from adrenal insufficiency even though his basal cortisol levels are lower than 180nmol/L. This low basal level can be explained because part of the pituitary was removed due to a tumour, meaning that the ACTH signal from the pituitary gland to the adrenal cortex will be diminished, therefore the basal cortisol level is decreased. But since the cortisol levels at 30 minutes have increased by more than 200nmol/L and are above 500nmol/L, it can be determined that the Synacthen response is normal. Patient 2 is an asthmatic 15 year old female that performed a synacthen test following a long term steroid treatment. Her basal cortisol level measured was 88.13nmol/L followed by a 30 minute cortisol level of 249nmol/L. Following the guidelines, it can be said that this patient suffers from adrenal insufficiency. This diagnostic is given since the increase in cortisol levels after 30 minutes post synacthen dose is below 200nmol/L, furthermore, the cortisol levels at 30 minutes is greatly below 500nmol/L. The 3rd and final patient is a 38 year old male, admitted to AE after collapsing. His cortisol levels at the time were described as low. Following the synacthen test, the results showed that the basal cortisol level was 43.81nmol/L and the cortisol level after 30 minutes was 41.27nmol/L. According to the guidelines, this patient is suffering from adrenal insufficiency. This diagnosis is determined since the basal cortisol level is below 180nmol/L plus there is no increase in cortisol levels 30 minutes post dose (there is a decrease even!), therefore remaining below normal cortisol levels. This practical used a sandwich ELISA method, a sandwich ELISA uses a primary antibody (capture antibody) coated on a plate, this antibody binds to the antigen present in the sample,in this case the antigen is cortisol. The antigen is then bound to a secondary antibody (detection antibody). In other words, the antigen is sandwiched between the antibodies (see figure 2 step 3). This can only be done if the antigen has at least two antigenic epitopes that can bind to the antibodies. This method has various advantages compared to other ELISA techniques such as the direct method. For example, the sandwich method does not require for the sample to be purified before analysis, also, this technique offers a high sensitivity compared to the direct ELISA technique. Figure 2. Sandwich ELISA schematic (http://www.elisa-antibody.com/ELISA-Introduction/ELISA-types/sandwich-elisa) As shown above the antibody in step 1 is the capture antibody which is coated to the plate prior to the addition of the sample. Step 2 shows the antigen present in the sample binding to the specific capture antibody before being bound to the detection antibody in step 3. Step 4 and 5 show the addition of the secondary antibody which binds to the detection antibody to then create a coloured signal when in presence of the correct substrate. This signal is then measured spectrophotometrically. Another widely used ELISA method is the competitive method. This method is different to the sandwich ELISA since the detection of the antigen or antibody is done in a different approach. The main advantage of using a competitive ELISA is that an antigen can be detected even though the sample is crude or impure. Figure 3. competitive ELISA schematic (http://www.elisa-antibody.com/index.php?page=competitive-elisa) It works on the principle that the more antigen/antibody present in the sample, the less coloured signal will be produced. The antigen or antibody bound to the plate will bind to the specific antibody or antigen present in the sample. A detection antibody is then added, this detection antibody will only bind to the antigen or antibody that was originally bound to the plate, and cannot bind to the antigen/antibody from the sample (it is specific to the plate-bound antigen/antibody). Therefore, the added antibody/antigen and the antigen/antibody present in the sample are in competition for the plate-coated antigen or antibody. Only the detection antibody added after the sample will produce a coloured signal in presence of the correct substrate. This creates a change in intensity of the coloured result depending on the amount of antigen/antibody in the sample. The amount of antigen/antibody in the sample will decrease the intensity of the signal. This practical used wells coated with monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies produced from a single type of B cell. These identical B cells produce antibodies that present only one unique epitope. These cells are isolated and grown to multiply the production of these single epitope antibodies. The characteristics of these monoclonal antibodies offer a very high specificity since there is only a single epitope, minimizing cross reactivity with different epitope presenting antibodies. These antibodies are preferred in assays which require quantification due to the high specificity. Another type of antibody that can be used in immunoassays are polyclonal antibodies. These antibodies, unlike monoclonal antibodies, originate from various types of B cells. They can recognize more than one epitope of an antigen or antibody. Technically, individual polyclonal antibodies are monoclonal antibodies, they therefore have the same characteristics as mentioned earlier. They can bind to specific epitopes on an antigen/antibody. But since there are many different types of monoclonal antibodies present (polyclonal), the antigen can be detected by binding the antibodies to different epitopes present on the antigen. Polyclonal antibodies have various advantages, for example, production is less expensive and quicker than producing monoclonal antibodies since the specificity is not as important. The use of polyclonal antibodies is preferred in assays that require less specificity, more robustness, stability, sensitivity for detecting small amounts of antigen and time constrained p rotocols. Conclusion   Ã‚   Immunosorbent assays are widely-used in clinical laboratories to detect compounds in samples. They are highly sensitive, specific and reproducible which makes them a great tool in a clinical laboratory. There are different types of enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), each with its own way of detecting the antigen/antibody. The use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies varies depending on the antigen/antibody needing to be detected and they both come with their own advantages and disadvantages. One of these ELISA methods can be used to detect and measure cortisol levels in serum samples. By performing a synacthen test, a set of serum samples from a patient can be drawn before and after administering a dose of synthetic ACTH. By measuring cortisol levels in these samples, an assessment of adrenal functions can be made. This test helps diagnose adrenal insufficiencies and disorders related to it.

Comparing the Novel and Movie of Steinbecks Of Mice and Men Essay

Comparing the Novel and Movie of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Who doesn't know of John Steinbeck's classic novel "Of Mice and Men"? It is a novel that almost everyone educated in the United States has either read it or pretended to read it. But how many have seen the 1992 film "Of Mice and Men"? The relative obscurity of 1992 screen version of this timeless drama does not mean that it was poorly done. Just the contrary is true, it is one of the best film adaptations of a novel that I have seen. The novel and the film are very similar. The Steinbeck's novel could be thought of as the screenplay's first draft. There were some small changes, but they were instituted for the good of the film. I liked the film better than Steinbeck's novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Of Mice and Men" is a story of people who express their troubles clearly, holding on to thin dreams as they go about their thankless business. The novel, set in the 1930s, is a story of friendship of migrant workers George Milton and Lennie Smalls. The pair travels from ranch to ranch, dreaming of someday making enough money so they can buy their own plot of land and a stake in their future. George is a father figure and protector of the strong simple- minded Lennie. Lennie's strength is his gift and his curse. Like the child he is mentally, he loves animals, but he inadvertently crushes them to death. Women, to him, are rather like animals, -- soft, small, and gentle. And there lies the tension that powers this narrative to its tragic conclusion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film version and the novel are very similar. There is minimal description in the novel, enough to set the scene, and the rest is dialogue. The film's story is very pure and lean as Steinbeck's original. Producer/director Gary Sinise and screenwriter Horton Foote don't try do anything fancy, they don't try to make it anything other than exactly what it is, a timeless simple story. Sinise and Foote make American Literature teachers everywhere proud; they have left the film's story uncluttered. Everything is very clear, and makes sense within its context. They remembered "Of Mice and Men is a classic for a reason, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The screenplay and the novel are not synonymous but they are very close to being that way. Sinise and Foote held very true in their adaptation. All of the changes made were minor a... ...im to be more dirty and grizzled men. I thought Ray Walston looked a little too feeble to play Candy but his acting made up for any shortcomings he had in his appearance. Slim looked a little too young and handsome to be the character I had envisioned. Overall, the casting and photography was excellent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason why I liked the film better was because of its dramatic conclusion. At the end of the novel we know what that George has Carlson's gun and then we know what is going to happen. At the end of the film, we don't know George has the gun and we can't see that he is holding the gun to the back of Lennie's head. This makes for a very dramatic ending. Because I read the novel, I knew what was going to happen, but I still was very drawn into the action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film was a very good adaptation of a great book. It is a wonderful story of friendship,loneliness, and pain. This was an excellent film because it was dramatic but it never went too far and became sappy and overdone. This film is great because the creators realized how important the original text was in making this film. They did not fool around with it; the story says all they want to say.

Poverty and Destitution

Defining Poverty Poverty has been defined in many different ways. Some attempt to reduce it to numbers, while others believe that a more vague definition must be used. In the end, a combination of both methods is best. DiNitto and Cummins (2007), in their book â€Å"Social Welfare, Politics and Public Policy,† present six definitions and explanations of poverty. Social reformers Webb and Webb (1911) present another angle on poverty. Essentially, all definitions are correct, the debate is of which to use when creating policy. â€Å"Less than† Poverty DiNitto and Cummings (2007) first present poverty as depravation. They explain that poverty as depravation is an insufficiency in an â€Å"item required to maintain a decent standard of living† such as clothing, food, shelter or medical care. At first glance this definition seems to sum up the general understanding of poverty. However, the issue lies with the â€Å"decent standard of living. † This statement implies that there is an agreed upon standard for a comfortable or decent lifestyle. To be considered in poverty by this definition one would have to live below the invisible standard of decent living. This is the ‘less than enough† definition of poverty and is the most commonly used definition of poverty to date. Second, DiNitto and Cummings (2007) described poverty as inequality. Poverty as inequality refers to the â€Å"inequality in the distribution of income. † This definition is such a vague generalization that practically any person can make a legitimate claim at being impoverished. Any individual can claim that they receive an unequal amount of income and therefore are in relative poverty- having less than someone else and are entitled to more. This is the â€Å"less than that guy† definition of poverty. The last â€Å"less than† poverty definition is poverty as lack of human capitol. This definition, according to DiNitto and Cummings (2007), describes that in a free market productivity is key and those with low productivity are impoverished. If an individual has low productivity because of a lack of skills, knowledge, education or training then they will receive a low amount of reimbursement for their production. This is the â€Å"less skills† definition of poverty. â€Å"That’s just the way it is† Poverty There are three different â€Å"that’s jus the way it is† types of poverty; poverty as culture, poverty as exploitation and poverty as structure. The first, poverty as culture is described by DiNitto and Cummings (2007) as poverty becoming the norm for a subset of individuals. DiNitto and Cummings (2007) explain that it is not just a â€Å"way of life† but also a set of attitudes, lack of self-respect and lack of incentive within the group that perpetuates poverty among them. Poverty as exploitation was sociologists Marx and Weber’s basis for socialism. Poverty as exploitation assumes that the upper and middle classes are exploiting the lower class by using them as cheap labor and paying them insufficient salaries to escape poverty. This definition presents that possibility that poverty does not have to exist, but that through cooperation of the classes poverty can be eradicated. Poverty as structure is described by DiNitto and Cummings (2007) as the continuation of poverty due to â€Å"institutional and structural components. † Institutional discrimination refers to the inequality in opportunity within the institution. DiNitto and Cummings (2007) gives the example that poor school districts are often given less funding and fewer resources for their students. With fewer resources and frequently larger classes, the students in these school districts do not get a full or proper education resulting, ultimately, in the continuation of poverty. â€Å"Destitute† Poverty After all of these definitions and attempts to explain or better understand poverty there is still an essential piece missing. Defining poverty by comparing one individual to another or to a number is not sufficient. There is no agreed upon standard of living and in some definitions anyone could make a reasonable argument that they live in poverty, despite their income or resources. However, there is another definition not mentioned in our text. Berleman (1970) in his article â€Å"Poverty- Some Dilemmas in Definition† quoted early twentieth century social reformers Webb and Webb as they describe poverty. Webb and Webb explain that destitution is â€Å"the condition of being without one or more of the necessities of life, in such a way that health and strength is so impaired as to eventually imperil life itself. This definition provides the most concrete of standards as well as provides a harsh view of what poverty really is. Preventing Destitution The agenda to end poverty is nothing new in American politics. However, with the recent changes in the US economy the war on poverty is raging and politicians are making daring statements and promises. In the 2008 Compass Forum Barack Obama bol dly vowed to halve poverty within 10 years. Later, Republican John McCain declared if he were voted president that the â€Å"eradication of poverty will be top priority of the McCain administration. The interesting thing about these comments is the plan each politician created to support them. Both John McCain and Barack Obama followed in the footsteps of politician John Edwards, supporting the plan that he had once proposed. The plan included a list of actions that needed to be taken to alleviate poverty in the US. However, a the top of the list were only temporary solutions including increasing minimum wage and unemployment insurance, revising the earned income tax credit and child tax credits as well as government funded child care and creating new jobs. In the long run these solutions will not hold. Raising minimum wage and increasing tax credits are a never ending process that may lighten the burden of low income families and workers, giving the illusion temporarily that the plan is working. Still minimum wage and tax credits would have to be increased regularly to keep this illusion from collapsing and landing US poverty rates back in the exact same position. Much lower on the â€Å"to do list† to eradicate poverty were programs that will yield increasingly higher and longer lasting results such as Pell grants, school-to-work programs and vocational rehabilitation for former prisoners and disabled workers. Providing the necessary resources and skills to impoverished individuals with the desire to work will allow them to not only acquire higher paying positions but also provide access to the resources they need to maintain the position. Empowering an individual to rise above poverty by providing resources and skills will have a slower rising, but longer lasting positive result. Increasing minimum wage and tax credits may likely bring those on the edge of the poverty line slightly above it, but what about those who are destitute? How is another $. 0 to $. 40 per hour going to alleviate their destitution? How is a child tax credit going to benefit them when they are not able to feed their child? There are two ends of the poverty spectrum that need our politicians focus; the focus needs to be on increasing the resources for low income families for affordable health care, food stamp programs, school meal programs and temporary assistance for needy families. Then the next step is not a tempo rary tax credit or increase in minimum wage, but support in vocational skills, education and training. Long term decreases in poverty rates will only occur after there is an increase in nutritional support, medical attention, education and training for low-income Americans References Berleman, W. (1970). Poverty–Some Dilemmas in Definition. Growth & Change, 1(4), 27. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. Besharov, D. , & Call, D. (2009). Income Transfers Alone Won't Eradicate Poverty. Policy Studies Journal, 37(4), 599-631. DiNitto, D. & Cummings, L. (2007) Social Welfare, Politics and Public Policy. Pearson Education, Boston, MA. P 80-118, 161-197, 250-379.

Free Essays on The Big Odyseus

The tale begins on Mt. Olympus where Athena draws Zeus' attention to Odysseus whose journey has been halted on the island of Calypso. Zeus sends Hermes to have Odysseus released and Athena goes to Ithaca. In Ithaca she assumes a disguise and convinces Telemachus to go on a journey seeking news of his father. Telemachus calls an assembly announcing that the suitors who have besieged his house and have eaten his food for years are in the wrong. He goes to see Nestor at Pylos and Nestor does not know anything recent about his father. Nestor advises him to go to Sparta to see Menelaus. When he gets to Sparta, Menelaus tells him that the last thing he heard about Odysseus was that he was trapped on the island of Calypso. They feast together and talk into the night. Athena reminds Zeus to send Hermes to Calypso and he tells her that Odysseus may leave but under strict conditions: he has to build his own raft. Calypso isn't happy about the command and Odysseus has problems believing her. Once he has built his raft, she gives him food and sends him off. He sails for seventeen days and then his raft is destroyed by Poseidon. He is aided by a nymph and floats for two days to land. He is found by Nausikaa and told to go to the house of her father Alkinoos. Alkinoos hears part of his tale and secures passage for him back to Ithaca. There are athletic games and feasts at which a minstrel sings. The minstrel's songs make Odysseus cry and this makes Alcinoos even more curious about his situation. Alkinoos asks Odysseus if any of his relatives died at Troy and Odysseus begins his tale. He tells them how he left Troy and lost some men in a botched raiding party. Soon after this they came near the land of the Lotus eaters where some of his men were almost lost to the enchanting flower. Then came the island of the Cyclops. Odysseus led his men in to investigate and was trapped by Polyphemus, one of the Cyclop... Free Essays on The Big Odyseus Free Essays on The Big Odyseus The tale begins on Mt. Olympus where Athena draws Zeus' attention to Odysseus whose journey has been halted on the island of Calypso. Zeus sends Hermes to have Odysseus released and Athena goes to Ithaca. In Ithaca she assumes a disguise and convinces Telemachus to go on a journey seeking news of his father. Telemachus calls an assembly announcing that the suitors who have besieged his house and have eaten his food for years are in the wrong. He goes to see Nestor at Pylos and Nestor does not know anything recent about his father. Nestor advises him to go to Sparta to see Menelaus. When he gets to Sparta, Menelaus tells him that the last thing he heard about Odysseus was that he was trapped on the island of Calypso. They feast together and talk into the night. Athena reminds Zeus to send Hermes to Calypso and he tells her that Odysseus may leave but under strict conditions: he has to build his own raft. Calypso isn't happy about the command and Odysseus has problems believing her. Once he has built his raft, she gives him food and sends him off. He sails for seventeen days and then his raft is destroyed by Poseidon. He is aided by a nymph and floats for two days to land. He is found by Nausikaa and told to go to the house of her father Alkinoos. Alkinoos hears part of his tale and secures passage for him back to Ithaca. There are athletic games and feasts at which a minstrel sings. The minstrel's songs make Odysseus cry and this makes Alcinoos even more curious about his situation. Alkinoos asks Odysseus if any of his relatives died at Troy and Odysseus begins his tale. He tells them how he left Troy and lost some men in a botched raiding party. Soon after this they came near the land of the Lotus eaters where some of his men were almost lost to the enchanting flower. Then came the island of the Cyclops. Odysseus led his men in to investigate and was trapped by Polyphemus, one of the Cyclop...

Pause for commas - Emphasis

Pause for commas Pause for commas Compared with pondering the placement of the much less familiar semi-colon or the enigmatic apostrophe, the ubiquitous comma might seem hardly worth worrying about. Theyre ten a penny, arent they? Why not just sprinkle them at will or leave them out entirely? Unsurprisingly, we dont recommend doing either. They may seem a common or garden item of punctuation, but just like the elderly in society we can learn much from commas and should treat them with respect. So, use them: to denote a natural pause, such as if you were reading aloud Unfortunately, commas are often underrated. after a secondary clause thats been put at the beginning of a sentence Even though the comma had been left out of the speech, he paused for dramatic effect. to separate items in a list My job involves typing, proofreading, answering the phone and stocktaking commas. Im looking for a tall, dark, handsome lover of punctuation. to make it clear exactly how items are split (to avoid confusion, usually when the word and is involved in the list) The courses on offer were Introduction to colons, Intensive comma revision, Hyphens and dashes, and Figures and numbers. in pairs, for information additional to the main point (that could be lifted out to leave a sentence that still makes complete sense) The phone call, which lasted ten minutes, was mostly about Marys incorrect use of punctuation. However, the information contained by the two commas has to be non-defining (not vital to the overall gist of the sentence); if it is defining, you would use no commas at all: The phone call that was about Marys poor punctuating was full of awkward pauses. to introduce short quotes He said, Lets take a short break here. Changing sense Given the often ambiguous nature of our language, it is important to give pause to where you place your commas. Otherwise you may end up saying something other than you intended, or leaving your reader rather confused. Compare: However, you might feel the report is irrelevant [and we may take that into consideration] with However you might feel, the report is irrelevant [your opinion doesnt really matter]. Or I donated, myself, to that charity [I, like you, am a philanthropist] and I donated myself to that charity [not sure how much use theyll have for me]. Or even The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we [thats why the Common is so tidy] and The Wombles of Wimbledon, common are we [cant move for wombles while watching the tennis]. Commas can make subtle distinctions too. Observe the nuances: Our boss, who is based in Basingstoke, will be at that business writing seminar and Our boss who is based in Basingstoke will be at that business writing seminar. In the first example, there is only one boss. He may be based in Basingstoke, but that is not vital information (it is non-defining). The main point is that hell be at the seminar. In the second example, there are presumably several bosses. But it is specifically the one lucky enough to be based in Basingstoke who will attend the seminar. Weve said it before and well say it again: punctuation matters. Particularly if you want your writing to end up meaning what you meant it to.

The Effect of the Black Death on English Higher Education Essay Example

The Effect of the Black Death on English Higher Education Essay Example The Effect of the Black Death on English Higher Education Essay The Effect of the Black Death on English Higher Education Essay Essay Topic: The Black Cat The Effect of the Black Death on English Higher Education, an article written by William J. Courtenay, takes a look into the quantitative and qualitative effects the plague had on English higher education.Courtenay, a history professor at Wisconsin University, has written several books on education in the 14th century, and is also Associate Chairman of the Classics Department, giving him credibility on the subject.By using several primary sources, such as registers from several schools, including that of Oxford, and other newly available sources, he is able to delve into a subject that even two decades ago was still very gray.With these new sources, Courtenay attempts to change the previous assumption that the plague greatly affected English higher education, and that the mortality rate within the educational establishments equaled that of the general population. The two questions Courtenay attempts to answer, whether there was a qualitative and/or quantitative decline in English e ducation as a result of the Black Plague, are both, even to this day, up to speculation.Courtenay begins by stating that up until a few decades ago, there had not been enough information to make an argument based on much fact.Work done, such as that of Anna Campbell, was mainly based on the statements of contemporary scholars, that the Black Plague had a major effect not only on the population, but every other facet of life, including education.Courtenay argues that though the Black Death most certainly affected educational establishments, the death rate of scholars was most likely not that high.He defends his argument by making a case study of a particular focus group, the theology department at Oxford.Using the newly computerized The Biographical Register of the University of Oxford, as well as other sources, Courtenay finds that the number of professors and students did not necessarily decline after the plague.He gives many reasons for

High Stakes Curriulum and Teasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

High Stakes Curriulum and Teasting - Essay Example ontributing to the high stakes curriculum and testing since it greatly supports standard-based education reforms by ensuring schools institute high standards and setting measurable to improve the quality of education in American schools. The RTTT contributes to high stakes curriculum and testing since it promotes innovation and reforms with local and state district K-12 education. The Common Core Standards contribution is pegged on the fact that it clearly denotes what students should learn and the basic skills they should acquire in each grade. According to Oakes and Lipton (2007), the main advantage of these initiatives is that they mainly seek to improve the quality of education and ensure American children gain quality and relevant education in order to sustain the future growth of the Nation. Secondly, Sowell (2010 stated that the initiatives aim at ensuring public schools offer quality education unlike the usually norm whereby it is perceived that only private schools offer quality education. Thirdly, Sowell (2010) wrote that the initiatives aim at creating a just society whereby every child is able to gain quality education that will make him or her competitive in the future. Sowell (2010) lamented that the main disadvantages of these initiatives is that they create confusion within the education sector because of varying requirements imposed on schools and the insistence of uniformity among schools, hinders some schools from customizing their education program in order to address their individual or state challenges that is impairing their education

Week 5 Discussion and Participation Questions Essay - 1

Week 5 Discussion and Participation Questions - Essay Example The fast food industry is an example of an industry that is facing a red ocean. There are over 160,000 fast food restaurants in the United States serving over 50 million people daily in an industry generates approximately $165 billion in revenues each year (Numberof, 2011). The red ocean characteristics of the industry mean that the industry is every saturated. A way to create a blue ocean within this industry is by formulating a niche strategy. A good niche strategy would be to form a pizza fast food chain that specializes in Neapolitan pizza. Neapolitan pizza is an Italian pizza style that cooks pizza at high temperature which enables the pizza to be ready in three minutes. I see how your specialized talents could help a person in a niche within a marketplace. I have a family member that recently graduated from psychiatric school. She has on offer on the table to work in Laredo Texas. She is trilingual. She speaks fluent English, Spanish, and French. In Laredo Texas there is a high population of Latino people especially a lot of Mexicans because Laredo is located near the border of Mexico. Looking back at history Texas used to be a part of Mexico. My cousin has a great chance in the future to create her own niche psychiatric practice based on the fact that she speaks three languages. I respect the fact that you might not be interested in pursuing a niche strategy for yourself as far as not wanting to start your own business, but as a future MBA graduate it is in your best interest to study and learn how niche markets work. As a future manager you might be faced with a scenario in which you might have to perform a product launch for the company you are going to work in the future based on a product positioned in a niche market. In the educational field you might be able in the future to formulate a niche market strategy. For instance you could start a business that provides

Hospitality Information paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospitality Information - Term Paper Example become a priority for many hotels as the industry growing very fast, so there is a need to conserve energy not to mention the customers’ preference for hotels that have gone green. In the hotel industry, going green means many things. Green technology, which was once used as luxury in hotels is now a very important idea to adopt that is seeing unwilling hotels lose customers and profits. Different hotels embrace the green technology in different ways. This may include recycling waste in the hotel, reusing materials such as towels, using solar and wind energy, making organic food whose waste could be easily disposed and decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere among others (Kasavana, 2008). There are many ways through which hotels can use green technology. Conserving energy is very important in any industry and many ways are available for obtaining this objective. A common way is using solar energy that makes use of the renewable energy from the sun. Some hotels have solar panels installed in their buildings. The solar cells in the panels get energy once exposed to the sun and change it into electricity that can be used to perform many activities needing electricity. A plus for solar energy is that it can be kept safe for later use, and it does not harm the environment in any way. When used in place of electricity costs of producing electricity and level of pollution decreases. Wind energy that does not harm environment can also be used in places with a lot of wind where wind turbines move with wind and produce electricity. Solar and wind energy are a good strategy to green technology because they make use of the available natural energy reducing the need for power fro m electricity plants and also do not produce greenhouse gases that harm the environment(Hotels Going the Green Way with Technology, 2013). The design of hotel buildings also plays a big role in using the green technology. With the use of more environmentally friendly

October 2007 IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting Essay

October 2007 IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting - Essay Example housing market, adverse credit conditions, and the rapid appreciation of some currencies could be some of the areas of concern in the days to come. Djoudi confirmed that the World Bank is defining strategic directions to address this growing threat. The World Bank would focus on good governance and financial stability frameworks, knowledge transfer, and cohesive agreements on trade and aid to mitigate the impacts. Otohiko Endo (Temporary Alternate Governor of the Bank and the Fund for JAPAN) suggested that "IMF should establish a new crisis-resolution strategy built upon the responses to the movement of private capital across borders". He said that IMF must set up a user-friendly preventive instrument, taking into consideration the views of major emerging market economies. For surveillance, he recommended that "IMF should shift its emphasis from a static analysis of the current situation toward a dynamic analysis of the risk of financial crises over a medium-term horizon". Globalization was identified as one of the other primary challenges. Globalization has brought uneven benefits to the billions in middle income countries and the developed countries are also facing the opportunities and strains of globalization. A few steps, as suggested by the participants, to mitigate the risks of globalization include: Leveraging the strengths and synergies among the four principal entities that make up the World Bank Group - IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA. IDA 15 replenishment with more contribution from the World Bank. Stronger growth strategy for IFC. Better cooperation between IDA and IFC to boost the private sector in poorer economies. Price simplification and reduction for loans from IBRD. World Bank President Bob Zoellick assured that the development committee would focus on strategic direction of the World Bank Group, IDA15 replenishment, and the role of the Bank in the fight against global climate change. Infratructure is also a basic necessity in the global economic environment, a lack of which is a definite threat to growth. It is serious concern, considering that the investment in infrastructure has declined significantly in developing countries. Corruption in governments is one of the key detriments to infrastructure development. A World Bank report says that Africa could have saved $45 billion in road reconstruction costs if had spent just around $12 billion [in the late 80s] towards maintenance of the roads. So, the issue in most of the developing countries is not only lack of infrastructure, but a lack of will to invest in it, coupled with corruption. Reforms or Changes in IMF Policy The Minister of Finance for Nigeria - Shamsuddeen Usman - emphasized that the developing countries need a greater voice and representation in the two institutions, and the greater voice would come only through the quota arrangements. He called for "at least a tripling of the basic votes for the developing countries, and the other quota and voice reforms, especially using

Final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Final paper - Essay Example Additionally, around 6% of the Palestinians are Christians and only 1% of the Palestinians are represented by other small religious groups. Israel is an official Jewish country and it is situated in the Middle East. Additionally, Palestine comprises of two physically separate groups; the Muslim and Arab territories and they are located alongside the Israel’s West Bank (Gaza and Jordan River). Moreover, all these territories are dependent. Officially, no internationally recognised border separates Palestine and Israel. The lack of a demarcating border has led to the two countries claiming that they own the lands they currently occupy, and this has resulted in disputes for centuries now.1 The decades-long course of action aimed at resolving the border conflict between the two religious factions led to the creation of another overlapping conflict; managing the extremely unpleasant coexistence between the Israelis and Palestinians. The unpleasant coexistence has led to the Israelis military occupation of the Palestinian territory, while at the same time the Palestinian armed groups terrorise the Israelis mercilessly. Those two conflict dimensions were made worse by the long existence history of violence and bitterness between the two groups. Essentially, it is not the existence of distrust and resentment that usually make reconciliation between these two groups ineffective, but the existence of extremists who usually oppose any negotiation and want to subjugate or even destroy the other side. Moreover, when these extremists control the peace conversation and process, they usually ensure that they derail the whole process.2 In other words, the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis has advanced into a horrible cycle of conflict and the peace process continues to look less possible each breaking day. In most cases, these two groups are blamed equally for perpetuating conflict because many people, in both sides, enjoy squandering peace as well

Assig (see instructions) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assig (see instructions) - Essay Example I would say that these capabilities are dependent upon breadth and depth of life experiences and how frequently a person uses his oral language ability in expressing his ideas, insights, needs, and feelings. As there is an inter-linkage between oral language acquisition and reading ability, it would hence be easier for a learner to learn reading and appreciate it. The appreciation would come with the cultural aspect of reading. This being said, the development of reading ability must hence be coupled with oral language usage in order to speedy the progress of reading. The reading to learn/for pleasure stage is a stage where the learner has already established the fundamental stages and basis of reading such as vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction, and the like. The teacher will hence have no difficulty enabling the learner read. The level of reading at this stage is no longer for comprehension, familiarization of words, sounds, or vocabulary, but is rather one that stimulates the learner’s interest to learn more things through reading and appreciate a reading material such as a novel, a short story, a poem, etc. In this stage, the learner tends to be independent of the teacher/mentor when he/she is reading, can be very absorbed to the material, and may ask a few questions he/she does not understand or may consult the dictionary/thesaurus for new words. The learner doe not need pictures in the text to describe certain concepts depicted in the material. Instead, they can already picture in their mind what is being talked about. In this stage, the learner appreciates learning about a certain place, event, situation, or idea, which can trigger their imagination. An activity that can be used to help a struggling reader develop oral fluency is through discussion questions participated in by a group of learners and the teacher. The teacher asks a question to the group, which the participants answer. The participants themselves

October 2007 IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting Essay

October 2007 IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting - Essay Example housing market, adverse credit conditions, and the rapid appreciation of some currencies could be some of the areas of concern in the days to come. Djoudi confirmed that the World Bank is defining strategic directions to address this growing threat. The World Bank would focus on good governance and financial stability frameworks, knowledge transfer, and cohesive agreements on trade and aid to mitigate the impacts. Otohiko Endo (Temporary Alternate Governor of the Bank and the Fund for JAPAN) suggested that "IMF should establish a new crisis-resolution strategy built upon the responses to the movement of private capital across borders". He said that IMF must set up a user-friendly preventive instrument, taking into consideration the views of major emerging market economies. For surveillance, he recommended that "IMF should shift its emphasis from a static analysis of the current situation toward a dynamic analysis of the risk of financial crises over a medium-term horizon". Globalization was identified as one of the other primary challenges. Globalization has brought uneven benefits to the billions in middle income countries and the developed countries are also facing the opportunities and strains of globalization. A few steps, as suggested by the participants, to mitigate the risks of globalization include: Leveraging the strengths and synergies among the four principal entities that make up the World Bank Group - IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA. IDA 15 replenishment with more contribution from the World Bank. Stronger growth strategy for IFC. Better cooperation between IDA and IFC to boost the private sector in poorer economies. Price simplification and reduction for loans from IBRD. World Bank President Bob Zoellick assured that the development committee would focus on strategic direction of the World Bank Group, IDA15 replenishment, and the role of the Bank in the fight against global climate change. Infratructure is also a basic necessity in the global economic environment, a lack of which is a definite threat to growth. It is serious concern, considering that the investment in infrastructure has declined significantly in developing countries. Corruption in governments is one of the key detriments to infrastructure development. A World Bank report says that Africa could have saved $45 billion in road reconstruction costs if had spent just around $12 billion [in the late 80s] towards maintenance of the roads. So, the issue in most of the developing countries is not only lack of infrastructure, but a lack of will to invest in it, coupled with corruption. Reforms or Changes in IMF Policy The Minister of Finance for Nigeria - Shamsuddeen Usman - emphasized that the developing countries need a greater voice and representation in the two institutions, and the greater voice would come only through the quota arrangements. He called for "at least a tripling of the basic votes for the developing countries, and the other quota and voice reforms, especially using

Assig (see instructions) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assig (see instructions) - Essay Example I would say that these capabilities are dependent upon breadth and depth of life experiences and how frequently a person uses his oral language ability in expressing his ideas, insights, needs, and feelings. As there is an inter-linkage between oral language acquisition and reading ability, it would hence be easier for a learner to learn reading and appreciate it. The appreciation would come with the cultural aspect of reading. This being said, the development of reading ability must hence be coupled with oral language usage in order to speedy the progress of reading. The reading to learn/for pleasure stage is a stage where the learner has already established the fundamental stages and basis of reading such as vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction, and the like. The teacher will hence have no difficulty enabling the learner read. The level of reading at this stage is no longer for comprehension, familiarization of words, sounds, or vocabulary, but is rather one that stimulates the learner’s interest to learn more things through reading and appreciate a reading material such as a novel, a short story, a poem, etc. In this stage, the learner tends to be independent of the teacher/mentor when he/she is reading, can be very absorbed to the material, and may ask a few questions he/she does not understand or may consult the dictionary/thesaurus for new words. The learner doe not need pictures in the text to describe certain concepts depicted in the material. Instead, they can already picture in their mind what is being talked about. In this stage, the learner appreciates learning about a certain place, event, situation, or idea, which can trigger their imagination. An activity that can be used to help a struggling reader develop oral fluency is through discussion questions participated in by a group of learners and the teacher. The teacher asks a question to the group, which the participants answer. The participants themselves

Family and friends Essay Example for Free

Family and friends Essay Katherine had done exercise which was more than necessary. She went to the gym about 5 times a week, which had really been a waste of time, as she was underweight and there was no need for her to exercise. This is because she did not have many calories which needed to be burnt off by exercising. Her diet was mainly made up of; unnourished foods and she did not eat as much as she did not either have the time, or did not enjoy eating at all. She was anorexic and also had the eating disorder of being bulimic. Although, my client is a very clean and hygienic person; she likes working in areas which are clean, and thought this was very important. However, my client was a very heavy smoker and alcoholic. Intellectually:  My client worked 6 days a week and only gets Sundays off to spend with her family and friends. Although, the Sunday Katherine sort off she did not make any use of it as she slept most of the day as she was very tired. My client was a very independent person, and did not at all try to be dependents he did not think she was self-worth and she had a low self esteem. Katherine was often stressing about either work or her family this made her become a very paranoid and anxious person. However she was a very hard working person. Emotionally:  Katherine was always depressed because, she is always being caught up in her work. My client does have the ability to go out and socialize; but feels that she does not have the confidence to go out and make new friends. By doing this she thinks bad of herself, which makes her feel disappointed about herself. Katherine was always sad and unhappy, most of the day which did not improve her motherly skills with her children. Socially:  My client had some friends but didnt have a close nor good relationship with both her family and friends. And had a problem against talking to other people and making new friends, as she did not feel self-worth and didnt have the self-esteem to boost her confidence. She wouldnt organize day trips to enjoy her holidays, and whenever she tried something would go wrong.  AFTER:  My client- Katherine Lewis  But now my client is doing more of this. Physically: Katherine now does a regular amount of exercise. My client takes part in more exercise activities; she has also widened her variety in activities, which has been really good for her physical status. She takes part in things like: swimming, aerobics, dance- for about an hour each session, and jogging, walking for about- 30 minutes each day. Katherine has improved her diet dramatically as, she now eats more than usual and has a very spread out and balanced diet plan. Her diet is mainly made up of now, more nutritious and healthy foods; she also replaced her diet of made up of mostly liquids, to fruits and nuts. On the whole Katherine has a stable weight which is really good for her body, and is slowing becoming a much healthier person from before. Intellectually:  My client now gets up earlier and goes to bed quicker, as this refreshes her for the morning activities which lay ahead of her. This also gives her the opportunity to think straight, and get ready for the challenges which may come ahead of her. She has begun thinking more about the positive things in life, rather than always thinking about the negative sides of things. She has stopped stressing so much about her work and home life, so this gives her a better view upon things, such as how to go solve a problem, or how to spend more time with the family. Her intellectual thinking skills, has improved massively, as she feels more confident about herself. Emotionally:  Katherine goes out more, and opens up her feelings much more than she used to. She feels that she has become a more self-assured person, so this encourages her more to go out and spend some time with her family and friends. My client, who used to feel that she had no one to discuss problems with, has now realised that her family and friends are always there to talk to and to confide with. She used to always be depressed, but now has found resolutions to that, and is happier than before. She emotionally is aware that she has many people around her, who will support and provide her with company if she ever needs it. Overall, my client is a supplementary joyful person, than before.  Socially:  Katherine has now started socializing more than she used to. She invites family and friends over to her house, to get to know them better. This has assisted her a lot, in her socializing skills; she goes out more and has meet many new friends; which are all from different backgrounds. She has the confidence, and the assurance to create a relationship with new people.

An evaluation of impact on financial and operations consequence

An evaluation of impact on financial and operations consequence INTRODUCTION Choosing the Topic After completion of all my fundamental papers in August 2010, I waited till the next session to decide to submit a research and analysis project for the Oxford Brooke University. The reason for such delay was the pressure to complete three professional papers in December session. This report is also important to me because I believe by having combination of both Profession qualification and a degree will uplift my career. To base my project on ACCA provided me with a list of 20 recommended topics to choose from. After reading through the list, the topic that immediately attracted my attention was topic 19 which was â€Å"The financial and operational consequences of a merger between two organisations or of the acquisition of one organisation by another†. What attracted me the most about this topic was that, it was all very relevant to my studies as I am thinking to pursue financial management after ACCA. I knew this topic will allow me to try out and learn the all important, analytical skills. Other reason to choose this topic was the much talked about acquisition of KRAFT and Cadbury therefore it encouraged me to choose this topic. Another reason was availability of the vast amount of information through the internet and press release because of recent release of Krafts recent fourth quarter in the month on February 2011. Choosing the organisation Once I chose my topic, I had to choose an organisation to base my research on.   I chose Kraft and Cadbury for my analysis; it was an obvious choice as this was the acquisition that impelled me to select this topic. This was one of the most controversial and largest takeovers in the year of 2010. I believed the takeover by the 2nd Largest Food Giants in its industry would accomplish the objective I had in mind for the project. Aims Objectives The main objective of this report is to evaluate the consequences of the acquisition on the finance and operations aspect of KRAFT FOODS. The financial statements by themselves only provide the quantitative data which need to be analysed by drawn graphs. The main focus of this report, therefore, is as follows: * To analyse the reasons for Kraft to make a strategic choice of acquiring Cadbury and whether it satisfy the strategic fit as claimed by the CEO of KRAFT FOODS in terms of financial and business operations. * The second part of the research aims to analyse whether Kraft is on the track to achieve its targets it promised its stakeholders at the time of acquisition. * Since financial information wasnt sufficient for my research, I need to review the strategic decisions made by Kraft for its subsidiary Cadbury after the acquisition along with the friction identified while integrating both business. The anticipated future of Cadbury under Kraft Group. In order to achieve the aims mentioned above, I have done qualitative analysis using SFE (Suitability, Feasibility Acceptability) and Ashridge model along with quantitative analysis using financial ratios and linking both to get an overall picture. THE ORGANISTAION Company Profile Kraft Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company headquartered in North Field, Illinois manufactures and market packaged food products, including biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, convenient meals and various packaged and grocery products.( KRAFT FOODS INC, 2009)The business was formed by James L. Kraft and his four brothers who began by wholesaling door to door cheese business in Chicago. Kraft then achieved growth by merging with other companies and increases the size of the business by expanding more product lines.( Wikimedia Foundation,2011) Being listed on NYSE, Kraft now has approximately 127,000 employees worldwide. Kraft sells products to consumer in approximately 170 countries. At 31 December 2010, Kraft had operations in more than 75 countries and made products at 223 manufacturing and processing facilities worldwide. Kraft portfolio included eleven brands with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion each: Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Kraft portfolio included approximately 70 brands which each generate annual revenues of more than $100 million. (KRAFT FOODS INC, 2010) Cadbury Cadbury was a leading global independent business in the exciting world of confectionery, a large, growing, brand-led industry. With an outstanding portfolio of chocolate, gum and candy brands, the largest emerging markets business and a focused and experienced team, Cadbury is committed to its long-term vision to be the worlds biggest and best confectionery company. Cadbury operated in more than 60 countries with a workforce of 46000. (Cadbury, 2008) Cadbury made its beginning by opening one single shop by John Cadbury. As time progressed John Cadbury moved into the manufacturing of drinking chocolate and cocoa. Cadbury grew bigger through some organic growth and some mergers. During the first world war Cadbury started to achieve great success, its products were regarded as necessities and Cadbury were at their peak. Cadbury kept investing in technology, new factories and in new products to remain ahead of competition. With factories all over the world and a host of well known brand names it has become a household name in many countries. (Birminghamuk, (n.d.)) INFORMATION GATHERING Sources of Data Data can be collected for any research by the following ways: * Primary Research: Under primary research new information is collected via interviews, survey or questionnaire etc; hence information is collected first hand. * Secondary Research: Also known as Desk Research is gathered from information which has already been provided but may not be for the same purpose. Such information are easy to access and are my cheaper than carrying out primary research. Such information gathered should be analysed and screened properly so that it fits for the purpose. Kraft and Cadbury both being listed companies although listed in different countries were required to issue annual accounts for its stakeholders by Sarbanes Oxley and Companies House respective. These companies especially Kraft issued Interim Reports as per the stock list requirement. Therefore much of the quantitative and qualitative date was readily available for analysis. Hence I chose to use secondary data over primary. The only complication I faced apart from time pressure was obtaining latest financial information for Cadbury (2009 accounts). Fortunately Kraft public relation team co-operated and emailed me 2008 and 2009 Cadbury annual accounts on my request. The following are the sources of secondary information I used for my project: Annual and Interim Financial Accounts and Reports This is the main source I used for financial aspect of my business and to draw graphs. I had to use interim reports even to demonstrate impact of Cadbury acquisition on Kraft at each and every quarter due to complexity of the business. Krafts annual accounts were available to view and download on Krafts Investors Website. However Cadbury financial statement isnt easily available. Internet This is the source of limitless information; hence it took me a lot of time to extract information which was relative to the point. Firstly it provided me the qualitative information which was missing or less in the financial statement of both entities. Secondly it also provided me information from a third party or neutral point of view. Letters and Reports Under this source, I analyzed the documents sent by Kraft to Cadbury management or reports addressed to Kraft shareholder explaining them the strategic fit of Cadbury acquisition. These documents were available over the internet. Library I used study text published by Kaplan for ACCA to brush my skills and be of aid when I got confused during an analysis phase. Apart from my course books I visited local library for reference books. As I mentioned earlier I didnt had an opportunity to visit British Library for the access of database such as Datamonitor and Mintel. However I was able to get access to Euromonitor through internet and used it as a tool to aid understanding of the application of analytical tools regarding acquisition and both the entities. Data Collection Methods Its easy to collect data, but skills are required to make sense of data and using it for the purpose. It was a fiddly job to collect reliable authentic information to base my reports on. Any negligence on my behalf may cause me a failure in achieving the report objectives. I was cautious and took my time to read through all the information once before starting with my project. As this acquisition was of the biggest acquisition in the year 2010, too much was written by the newspapers and media about it. Reading about the merger in 2011 gave me this idea to do a project on Kraft and Cadbury, as Kraft were about to issue its fourth quarter results. I started my data collection by reading articles from local newspapers as well as papers or journal published in other counties. I viewed them retrospectively. The most prominent newspaper I viewed was Financial Times, Guardian, Reuters, Wall Street Journal and Economists. After I got a general idea behind the acquisition and critics claiming the acquisition as a failure. I downloaded the fourth quarter as well as annual report. I need to know what did CEO responded on the acquisition as it had been a year. Then I looked at financial data provided to support any statement by the CEO. Internet provided me great deal of help in my project. I type in the keywords such as Cadbury Kraft in etc at www.google.com . Find the relevant articles and making notes as well as bookmarks of the WebPages if I needed to read it again for qualitative part of my research. I even visited many libraries in my local areas; the librarian helped me by giving me advice on referencing as I had no idea on references. Unfortunately I couldnt make a trip to British Library to access database which could help me in my project. But I was pretty content with the amount of information I already collected to carry out my analysis. Referencing I have used the HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM for the referencing in my research and to aid readability, I have cited the source below the paragraph if the whole paragraphs were written based on the same single source. Acquisition for Kraft PreAcquisition To systematic analyse the strategic choice by Kraft to acquire Cadbury, I will be using Johnson and Scholes framework (Suitability, Feasibility and Acceptability Model). (Wu, 2010) Suitability Kraft Foods Inc. being the second largest food company still looks for opportunities to grow and try to remain one of the market leaders in the industry and and to spread risk by a diversified portfolio. Kraft believes in rapid expansion by acquiring other businesses. Kraft adopted new strategy implemented by new CEO who believed low growth segment should be disposed of and adopt those strategies that will achieve rapid growth even by means of acquisition .Kraft will look for businesses that will build on its strengths and guide against its threats. Kraft has a successful track record of acquiring iconic brands and businesses and effectively using it for its expansion.   We will be using one of the criteria of Ashridge model under suitability. Under Ashridge model we will be examining two criteria; whether Kraft has sufficient skills, resources and understanding of the Cadbury business and whether there are opportunities for helping to achieve critical success factors. (Steiner, 20 09) * One key reason for Kraft to acquire Cadbury was to penetrate in those growing markets where Cadbury has good base such as China, India and Mexico. Brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk dominated such markets by a vast length compared to its rivals. Cadbury did receive 40% of its revenue from fast growing emerging market.   Cadburys acquisition of Adams played a vital role to increase their market share in Latin America.   Cadbury has experienced 12% growth in revenue in emerging market over five years (EUROMONITOR, 2008) this can be beneficial for Kraft as it intends to use Cadbury s distribution network to sell its brands. (Cadbury, 2008) (Cadbury, 2009a) Kraft being aware of Cadbury s heritage and its strong confectionery business ranking and its iconic brands makes Cadbury globally number one in chocolate, gum and candy. By attaining all these eponymous brands Kraft will become a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals with exceptional portfolio of leading brands in the world. Hence will be one step closer in achieving organic growth objective. Feasibility Under feasibility we would evaluate Krafts position before acquisition in terms of internal resources of the organization this can even be connected to Ashridge s model criteria of possessing sufficient resource by Predator Company. Kraft being second largest business in its industry has huge cash reserve which reflects in its Cash flow Statements of 2008 and 2009 ($1.24 billion and 2.10 billion respectively). Buts its worth mentioning   the disposal of Krafts North American Pizza to Nestle for total consideration of $3.7 billion contributed majorly to its high cash reserve. High cash reserve helps them to with acquisition cost and integration cost and any other abnormal cost. Apart from cash reserve Kraft does have reasonable current ratio of 1.04 reflecting its above average liquidity position then its peers. Although Cadbury has a strong hold on overall emerging markets Kraft have a greater position in some markets such as Brazil and Russia. As Kraft being a huge conglomerate bu siness it has vast amount of resources in terms of specialist staff, a highly invested research and development teams and finance etc to back up Cadbury to face competition from other rivals such as Hershey and Mars. Kraft can eve use its power over major supermarket chains such Wal-Mart to increase shelf value of Cadbury as majority of its sales come from small convenient store. Kraft is even able to promote Cadbury heritage brand more rigorously due to available of immense resources. It would be worth mentioning the fact that billion dollar Kraft empire has been experiencing an average growth of impressive 5 % over period of four years to 2008 (where it achieved 13% growth than previous year).(Daltorio, 2009) Acceptability To carry on with a strategic choice it also need to be acceptable by the stake holders. As shareholders are key stakeholders their consent is highly important. Although Kraft assured them the acquisition would result in increase in shareholders wealth as it fits in into its business culture, some shareholders have different opinion. One of the reasons for such conflict of interests is the fear of increase in companys gearing. By 2008 Kraft had a high gearing of 1.34 (ratio) compare to its rival Nestle of (0.36). They fear by acquiring Cadbury, Kraft would issue more long-term debt that may adversely affect the gearing ratio and hence increasing the financial risk of the business and affecting the capability of paying out dividends, hence damaging shareholders interest. The other reason for conflict of interest was the reaction from one of the biggest shareholders Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway who regarded the acquisition as â€Å"bad deal â€Å".He believed Kraft has overval ued Cadbury for purchase consideration and the disposal of pizza business to Nestle for $3.7 billion   was a mistake. He firmly believed Kraft is paying high premium for the acquisition. One shareholders view didnt affected Krafts strategic choice and Kraft went ahead with the acquisition despite got rejected first time. (Barr, 2010) Ballast Businesses *CADBURY* Heartland Businesses Alien Business Value trap Business According to my analysis I think Kraft values Cadbury as Heartland Business as Kraft has the skills to exploit opportunities from Cadbury. (UNDER ASHRIDGE MODEL) ACQUISITION for Kraft The long clashing 5 month battle between Cadbury and Kraft was finally over on 2nd February 2010 as Kraft clinches control over Cadbury by 72% holding. Kraft then took total control of Cadbury on June 2010. Cadbury shareholders had a deadline of 2nd February to accept Kraft offer of 500 pence in cash for each Cadbury share and 0.1874 new Kraft shares for each Cadbury share which altogether values each Cadbury share at 840 pence including a special 10 pence dividend. This sums up the total valuation of Cadbury business to approximate of  £11.9 Billion ($19.4 Billion). Kraft offered this purchase price on 19th of January after a long negotiation with Cadbury management. Kraft tried to make hostile takeover on 7th September by a bid worth 300 pence in cash and 0.2589 new Kraft shares for each Cadbury share (valuing it 745 pence a share). However Cadbury rejected the bid immediately and regarded it â€Å"derisory†. Kraft sweetened the bid by raising the original offer and increa sing the cash component from 40% to 60% to make it more appealing for Cadbury shareholders. (Cimlluca et al, 2010) I have extracted this graph from Thomson Reuters to illustrate the impact on the share price for both involved parties after the announcement of take-over. We notice an increase of almost 40% in the market value of Cadbury. The increase in Cadburys share price was triggered by the initial announcement by Kraft of its intention to take over Cadbury in early September of 2009. The announcement was received well by Cadbury Shareholders causing an increase in demand and thereby price of the stock. However we see a fall in the share price of Kraft food at the time announcement (graph below), some analysts believe this was due to Warren Buffet dissatisfaction of Kraft Acquisition. He regarded the acquisition as ‘bad deal, which caused chaos amongst other shareholder hence a price falls. This price fall deteriorated the purchase price offered by Kraft which was immediately rejected by Roger Carr, Chairmen of Cadbury. KEY POINTS FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Kraft foods acquired Cadbury plc in February2 2010. Hence Cadbury results are restricted to 10 months rather than full 12 years and its subject to fluctuate with moving exchange rates. Cadbury data was adjusted from IFRS (previously applied by Independent Cadbury) to U.S GAAP followed by its new Parent Kraft Foods Inc. Cadbury previous years figures couldnt be compared with unless comparison is made in percentile due to the size difference of both businesses. Kraft even revised its Net Revenue retrospectively 2009 onwards. Post Acquisition Financial Perspective The above graph represents s the growth and decline in sales over a period of 4 years by means of percentage. The 2010 information contains data post acquisition, specifically contribution from Cadbury of $9143 that has been converted using the exchange rate of $1.595 per  £1.00 for the aid of analysis. It can clearly be noted the reason why Cadbury was so desirable by Kraft. Cadbury attained significant growth from 2007. In June 2007 Cadbury introduced their Vision into Action plan which insisted in strengthening their position in emerging market. This strategy was immediately effective and can be reflected in the graph. As stated earlier in this research report one of the key reasons for Kraft to acquire Cadbury was their better position in emerging market as compared to Kraft. Although Cadbury has just been acquired for 11 months under Kraft we see a marginal fall of 4% in Cadbury sales than its preceding years. This maybe because Kraft maybe getting acquainted to Cadburys opera tion and network hence not utilizing Cadburys full potential. (Cadbury, 2009a) This graph explains what did Krafts CEO meant by â€Å"GLOBAL POWER HOUSE†. If we examine the two graphs we see a change in the revenue from developing and North American markets. The main reason for Kraft to takeover Cadbury was to derive maximum benefit of Cadburys strong hold in emerging market. Although Kraft is one of the largest companies in food industry it drives more than 57% of its revenue from its Home Market US. As US market is experiencing economic recession Kraft needed to adopt an effective strategy to broaden its operations globally. Hence Cadbury looked more attractive from Krafts perspective. Its worth mentioning that Cadbury earns more than 40% from the fast emerging markets portraying its position being better than Kraft.. It should be taken into consideration that fact that Kraft hasnt launched any new aggressive marketing scheme or any strategic step via Cadbury in emerging markets. In 2010 Kraft has continued to run Cadbury operation without making any m ajor changes. Talking quantitatively Cadbury boosted Krafts net revenue in emerging markets by $3382 million which can be seen clearly in the graph at the bottom. Krafts strengths in Russia, Brazil and China along with Cadbury great position in United Kingdom, India and Mexico has spread its revenue source which has reduce the risk of a recession affecting Krafts sales .By acquiring Cadbury Kraft enhanced its distribution channel which became effective in the first year of acquisition and clearly be seen in the 2010 net revenue segments. In 2010 revenue from US market contributed less than 50% to Total Net Revenue minimizing the business risk driven by recession. (Farrell et al, 2010) The above illustrated graphs represent the change in Krafts revenue source after the acquisition of Cadbury. Krafts adopt a rational approach and pursue the strategy of selling off less profitable brands and achieving quick growth by acquisition. Kraft faced fierce competition from private label companies in the cheese and packaged meat market. Therefore Kraft acquired Cadbury to diverse its revenue source as there were dangers of fall in revenue from its main segments. There is an increase of 16% in the contribution made by confectionery segment. This segment is a high potential growth segment and Kraft would like diverse its business risk by investing more in promotion of this segment. (Trefis, 2011) The Gross margin shows the amount of gross profit generated by the company as a percentage of the sales revenue. Kraft Gross Profit Margin has been plotted against each quarter from 2009. It can be analyzed by the graph that Kraft tried to maintain its Gross Profit Margin in mid 30s percentile despite economic downturn in US market and increase in raw materials Kraft is able to maintain its objective, the main grounds for such level gross profit margin was the acquisition. By acquiring Cadbury Kraft has widen its distribution network as Cadburys main selling networks are convenient stores open on High Street therefore reach of every individual. Talking in respect on cost of sales (100 Gross Profit Margin) Kraft will benefit from economies of scale especially regarding purchases as Kraft will be bulk buying and using Cadbury suppliers rationally to minimise cost of sales as possible. (Szalai, 2011) Net Profit Margin is an indicator of profitability, calculated as net income or net profit divided by net revenue. As shown by the graph, we see a downward trend in the net profit margin against each quarter in 2010.Despite the fact that there has been a 27% increase in Net Revenue in 2010 as compared to its preceding year, we notice a fall of 23% in net profit especially in the fourth quarters of 2009 and 2010 ($711m and $547 respectively. However in aggregate there has been an increase in the net profit from 2009. The major reason for such deteriorates result for the fourth quarter was the cost associated with integration between Kraft and Cadbury. The pizza business of Kraft did contributed to the net profit in 2009 , by the sale of its pizza business to Nestle ,Kraft has deprived itself from the positive contribution of its disposal component.(BBC, 2011) The Prime objective of making investment in any business is to obtain satisfactory return on capital invested. Hence, the return on capital employed is used as a measure of success of a business in realizing this objective. Return on capital employed establishes the relationship between the profit and the capital employed. It is used to show the overall profitability and efficiency of the business. By analysing we see a fall in return on capital employed although the sales and net profit overall has increased however it hasnt increased by the proportion of investment made by KRAFT FOOD. As Mr. Warren Buffet feared that Kraft did overpay for the acquisition this can be reflected in diminish of return on capital employed. I have also included a graph showing fall in earning per share that illustrate the point of less return for the investors this maybe due to issue of new share to Cadbury shareholders. (Wilson , 2010) I have included this graph in my research report especially to breakdown the positive and negative contribution made by Cadbury to Kraft operating income in 2010 as compared to Kraft in 2009. As announced by CEO of Kraft Foods, Kraft is highly likely to expect $1 billion in incremental revenue synergies apart from $750 million in cost saving by 2013. In order to achieve the synergies Kraft has budgeted to spend $1.5 billion in the first three years following the acquisition to combine and integrate the two businesses and already incurred $657 million in 2010. As stated in Kraft Annual Account 2010, Kraft incurred and expensed transaction related fees of $218 millions in 2010 and $40 million in 2009.Kraft has recorded the mentioned costs under selling, general and administrative expenses in Profit and Loss Statement (Statement of Comprehensive income). However in the above graphs include figures which has been given in the Kraft 2010 annual accounts analysis of operating profit rather than actual incurred cost as some cost have been taken under finance cost which hasnt been included in arriving at operating profit for 2010. This seems a draw back in the acquisition object ive and maybe criticizes by its stakeholders as integration cost has reduced Krafts earning by 33%. (BBC, 2011) Liquidity ratio expresses a companys ability to repay short-term creditors out of its total cash. The liquidity ratio is the result of dividing the total cash by short-term borrowings. This Graph represents the two liquidity ratio one normal current ratio and another quick test ratio. Unlike Current ratio, quick ratio focus on the most liquid assets hence it exempt inventory from current asset while calculating ratio. Some of the key points that need to be addressed before analysis of the graph are the disposal of the pizza business and all the working capital relating to it. We should also account for the current assets and current liabilities acquired by Kraft such as Net Receivable of $ 1333 m and Accounts Payable of $ 1605 m etc. Another point to be mentioned is that while calculating Quick ratio I havent excluded the deferred tax asset, while some analyst exclude deferred tax asset as they dont regard it liquid. We see a significant difference between both ratios as inventory has occupied much of the working capital. Comparing it to the last year it is almost consistent with the growing sales. We notice a slight deterioration in both the ratio of 2010. The $3.7 billion cash raised by disposal of the pizza business was used to pay cash component of the acquisition. The rise in the actually figure is in line with the growing and diverse sales (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010) Gearing Ratio is a measure of financial leverage, demonstrating the degree to which a firms activities are funded by owners funds versus creditors funds (investopedia).The above   graph represents   how much company has borrowed compare to equity raised by KRAFT FOODS. Kraft had issued a long term debt of $9.379 billion (net proceeds) to support the cash component of Cadbury of acquisition along with proceeds from Pizza Business. Kraft even made a repayment $2.1 billion of long term debt during the year. This has increased the total debt of the business from $18990 million to $28724 Million. Kraft has also issued 262 million shares to existing Cadbury shareholder as part of purchase consideration. This has enlarged Krafts share capital affecting the gearing ratio. By taking into consideration the above mentioned circumstances, we see an increase in the gearing ratio of 7%. This may cause some concerns amongst shareholders and lenders of Kraft as the financial risk of the business has increased as more interest will be paid from the profits available to pay dividends to shareholders. (Tradition Financial Concept.). This may even damage the creditability of KRAFT FOOD in lenders market as it has borrowed 80% to Equity, hence it may be charged high interest rate by the lenders in future. (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010) (Hoskins, 2010) Interest cover is a measure of the adequacy of a companys profits relative to interest payments on its debt. This ratio will help to explain the previously mentioned financial due to increase in gearing. Due to the increase in leverage we see a fall of 0.94 in interest cover which means there would be less profit available for dividends.   This maybe is one of the reasons why Warren Buffet (one of the major shareholder in Kraft) reduced its stake from 9% to 6%. The ratio is over 2 which is considered strong by analyst and reflects Krafts strong position in borrowers market. However Fitch, one of reputed credit rating agency, has downgraded the default rating on both companies to BBB-. However its rivals havent downgraded the rating as yet but our reviewing if they should follow their peers. Flitch has downgraded the rating due to anticipated increase in financial leverage of the combined Kraft/Cadbury. (Peters   et al, 2010) Operational Changes Post Acquisition The significant changes in operations along with their impact on KRAFT FOOD GROUP as a whole: Closure of Somerdale factory Days after acquisition Kraft announced the closure of Cadbury factory in Bristol. During the acquisition struggle, Kraft pledged to retain Somerdale Factory. The announcements created a chaos amongst Cadbury workforce and British Unite trade union as 400 employees were being made redundant. It would be worth mentioning; Cadbury prior to its acquisition (in year 2007) had already announced the closure of its Somerdale factory as they had invested more than  £100million in the production plant

Essay --

â€Å"The great tragedies of history occur when men or women with extreme or deviant personality traits rise to a position of great power from whence they can do great damage† (Edward and Renato). To the public eye, Lenin was a very normal child within the common populace of Russia; but, later with the death of his brother and the breeding of Marxist ideas, Lenin transformed into a powerful leader ready to commit crimes against humanity. Seizing the throne was not easy for Lenin, he had to manipulate the common people, abolish opposition, and maintain his rule throughout Europe. All attempts to delay his rule would prove insufficient in weakening Lenin’s grip on radical favoring Russia. In order to establish authority and build a legacy, Lenin began manipulating the common people. Initially he sought the passion of the people to reinforce his personal agenda. Being without a following, Lenin decided he had to force his views onto the Russian people, he â€Å"entered the debate on the correct path for Russia to enter socialist society by writing hand-printed pamphlets and leaflets, circulated among workers, and reviews of other Marxists' writings† (Frame). By circulating pamphlets he manipulated the minds of others that had no choice but to believe the thoughts he’s injecting. Rather than using propaganda, as many other leaders had done themselves, Lenin decided he was going to directly influence the factory workers. While Marxist ideas consisted of the proletariat rising up against capitalist oppressors, Lenin changed his views to fit Russia while persuading the factory workers into siding with him, "With all my might I urge comrades to realize that ev erything now hangs by a thread; that we are confronted by problems which are not... ...out seeing the effects of his changes, he molded Russia into a powerful pedestal for his own liking. Some might say that Lenin was simply learning from previous leaders; for example Hitler and his storm troopers or Robespierre and his Reign of Terror, but his intentions were not to comb out â€Å"bandits† as he once said but rather to mandate, manipulate, and eliminate all opposing forces. As seen above Lenin can easily be related to many powerful yet cruel tyrants throughout history. Hitler and Robespierre both encouraged terrors of their own as Lenin did himself. Lenin manipulated and controlled Russia every step the way leading up to his final grasp of control. He morphed Russia into his own vision of what he believe it should be, and lost more than fifty thousand lives on the way. Lenin, killed, controlled and forced Russia into becoming what it never should have.

21st Century Advertisement Tactics Essay -- essays research papers

21st Century Advertisement Tactics At first glance you see an incredibly handsome man embracing an enchanting young lady. The two appear to in love. They are all alone, kissing in a dark gloomy subway station. How can this be an advertisement for men ¡Ã‚ ¦s shoes? Most advertisements use appealing visuals like these to sell their products. Many of those techniques are illogical, deceptive, and some may even be considered too erotic. The attached advertisement for shoes employs many of these techniques in campaigning their product to customers. It promotes shallow values (sex appeal), it was illogical, and even deceptive. This advertisement was geared more for men. It is an ad for men ¡Ã‚ ¦s shoes and was found in a magazine geared for men. The magazine Maximum is geared generally toward the male crowd. The most prominent figure in the advertisement is what appears to be a couple, dressed in dark dull colors, standing in a subway kissing. However, at the bottom of the advertisement a bright tan colored shoe appears to jump out at you from the dismal dark back round. This advertisement is a prime example of using color to promote a product. The tan shoe is bright in contrast to the dismal bland appearance of the background. It seems to jump off the page and grab your attention. Clearly in this advertisement color was used to help elaborate on the product. The use of color is only one of the many techniques advertising companies can use to embellish their product. Sometimes they may...

Briar rose essay

Briar Rose mainly tells us about what Gamma went through ruing the holocaust and this brings out more characters Like Harvey Goldman and Josef. Gamma's story tells us about her experiences during the holocaust and also reveals how Jews , gypsies and homosexuals were treated. Holey told Gamma's story in a fairy tale because the story is too scary to retell. She also Told It Inform of a fairy tale so that It won't be as scarier, so that Beach, Shania and Sylvia can understand, so It can reach an audience faster.As mentioned before, Gamma's story was told in a fairy tale form, it is about what she went through during the holocaust but Holey chooses to tell it a fairy-tale form. She uses a lot of symbolism, Gamma's story uses symbolism. Gamma mentions Crown of red hair and represents blood shed during the holocaust. She also mentions big black boots with silver eagles on her hat and this represents the Nazi soldiers. The castle was the gas chambers, she mentions a hundred years is foreve r and this represents death which Is discovered by Beach later in the novel. She mentions the thorns as sharp as barbs which represented barbed wire around the camp.In the story Gamma says whoever goes In doesn't come out and this represented the death camps, she meant the death camps. The story mentioned the prince who had knowledge of the past he had knowledge of the pass Gamma was talking about Joseph, a man who knew everything that was going on, he had lived through it. The princess was given breath to breath, mouth to mouth (the kiss of life) by the prince. The curse that she mentions in the story is actually the curse for the Jews from the Nazis, she says l curse you and your father and your mother the queen and all uncles and cousins and aunts.And all the people in your village. † And all the people who bear your name†, this represents all the Jewish people who were killed including Gamma's family and friends. The mist represented the gas chambers that most of the Jews were killed and burnt In. But symbols often have a cluster of connotations. The mist may also stand for the Imperfect knowledge Gamma and her family has of the events of her past, which they only dimly understand. The briars can also represent the difficulties to be overcome consciousness about what was going on.The rose of the title is the symbol of love, which survives through the thorny briars, and is the motivating force of the whole tale, forcing Beach to carry out her promise o find the castle in the sleeping woods. Her research reveals that Gamma's survival and her daughter's existence have both been made possible by the love of Aaron and of Josef. The very existence of Beach and her sisters is owed to the selfless love the briar rose symbolizes. In Gamma's fairy tale story, she says Not everyone will die, a few will Just sleep.You, princess will be one† the princess is Gamma, it is revealed throughout the novel and she even says it to Beach when she was telling t he story. She also mentions this in the fairy tale story â€Å"The peasant smiled, he had only few teeth, hue peasants know how to sort of thin, the peasant represents Joseph Petcock and the other man he was with, he reached into a pit of bodies to get her (probably because she was so pretty and so easy to spot) – as Harvey Goldman mentioned that she was so pretty and every guy wanted her but they all couldn't talk to her.Josef Petcock in dead bodies got Gamma and the guys gave her a life kiss. She woke up when it was Josef turn that's why Josef is the prince. The effect of using symbolism is so that the story can be more effective, important, and less scary and also so that it can attract a wider audience. Holey also focuses on the theme of growing up and telling the truth. She still continues on using symbolism. We see how Beach and her sisters argue over hearing the Gamma's story (Beach wants to hear it but the sisters don't want to hear it), this represents the inability of people to deal with different situations.Josef tells his own story the way it happened, he doesn't glamour it and this represents his braveness. Holey also made him to be a partisan to show us his braveness. He is introduced by Father Stash, who devotes himself to the spiritual needs of the Echelon people. Their guilt makes them hostile to all recognition of the evil times many of them took part in, or at the very least permitted. Stash understands why Josef lives near Echelon Like me, he is drawn back by the souls of the dead† The Briar Rose tale is thus an allegory of Gamma's life.Although she cannot recall the details of her past, an amnesia that had made her survival possible, she needs to pass this story on to her descendants, and uses the fairy tale to do so. Like many allegorical tales, it tells of good triumphing over evil, of a contented life won only after life-threatening difficulties and dangers have been overcome. The effect of using allegory is very effective in conveying her story which she delivers in a superb fashion. The use of allegory also gives it a sense of realism and acts as a metaphor which helps us realism what happened during the holocaust and Gamma's life through Beech's promise and research.Holey has added strands from other traditional tales to enrich the story, Beach is on Beach makes sense of Beech's story and promised Gamma that she was going to find out about the castle â€Å"promise me you will find the castle†. Gamma's whole version of the Briar Rose tale, Beach recognizes to be a metaphor for her life. The effects of this are the placement of segments of the never-completed fairy story at intervals through the narrative adds suspense and mystery to the novel.More importantly, the fairy tale references seem to deepen the story of Gamma's Holocaust sufferings and relate them to the whole cultural tradition of good and evil, of suffering and rescue, and of seeking and eventually finding. The narrative of Beech 's determined quest is to make sense of this story after her grandmother's death. A third stage of Beech's developing relationship with fellow Journalist, Stan is presented more lightly, but suggests that, for Beach, a happy ending is likely.Her own happy ever after tale springs out of her grandmother's life story, and make the bitter sadness of the Holocaust easier for the readers to bear. Gamma's story itself was one of a happy ‘normal' ending with a supportive family. The novel is ironic; the happily ever after† ending of the conventional fairy tale is, an ironic contrast to the horrific suffering of camp victims such as Gamma, and to the deaths of millions. As for Josef Petcock, he is gay, not the expected heterosexual lover Beach was ready to cast as her unknown grandfather.In fact Gamma is saved by twin heroes – Josef, who gives her the kiss of life, and Aaron, who pulls her from the mass grave and soon after marries her. Josef presence is more than Justifie d in the story, as homosexuals were victims of the Holocaust. It is not altogether clear that Holey has intended such irony. The reality of such old folk tales is often brutal and harsh. The original Sleeping Beauty included such ingredients as rape, and attempted murder, inspired by almost insane Jealousy. It is only the versions that are produced for children to avoid dealing with horrifying evil.It is possible to view Gamma's life as indeed a â€Å"happy ending† where the ghosts of a bitter past are being freed by family support and the ability to speak of the mercifully destroyed completely past only in terms of fairy tale. Briar Rose shows the significance of the Holocaust and its continued impact, Holey does this through characters. She does this through most of the characters, for example Gamma and Josef. Josef tells his story like he wasn't a hero, even though he was the hero, Holey does this to represent those who are brave, he tells it the way it is (he doesn't find different ways to tell it).This represents heroism and how some people affected during the holocaust can still talk and tell people about it. Gamma tell her story in fairy tale form, Holey does this to represent those who want to tell the story but they story is too scary to retell. Gamma has forgotten her past and relives it through a fairy tale, and her past was so traumatic that in order to cope Gamma's memory of the past was always presented in a unique way to her family. The quote â€Å"I have no memories in my head but one†¦ A fairy tale† from Gamma tell us this. With their lives.She is a very typical of a certain kind of a person; she is a courageous mother, the miraculous survivor. Holey shows the social importance of family through Beach, she was always there for her grandmother when she was in the nursing home. The importance of family heritage and understanding of the past is emphasizes by Beach, who says that she is going to solve the mystery of Gamma's past in order to understand her own family I am going to find the castle and the prince and reclaim our family heritage† She shows the importance of remembrance-past, presence and future.The quote, â€Å"Time may heal all wounds, but it does not erase the scars. † The effect of this quote is for representing those who could tell the story/history, it means hey could to tell the story but it don't mean that they are not affected with it anymore. It is a story that is supposed to be shared; it is the history that is supposed to be known. Beach suddenly realism the impact of the death of others when she went on to search and find out about the grandmothers past Just like how the holocaust still affect some of today and in the future.It is clearly the suffering of those left behind especially those who were affected by it. â€Å"The future is when people talk about the past, so if the prince knows all their past lives and tells all the people who are still to come, then the pr inces live again into the true†, the effect of this quote is to stress the importance of oral tradition directly though the character of Gamma.Briar Rose indeed represents hidden millions whole stories whose stories were destroyed during the holocaust and it focuses on the impact of the holocaust, Just not the holocaust but also people affected by the holocaust (showing us what they went through). Hole's overall purpose of writing this novel was to make us consider the real history of the holocaust and the people it affected for example Gamma and Josef. Briar Rose is indeed shaped by the intense focus of extraordinary human experiences Briar rose essay Briar Rose mainly tells us about what Gamma went through ruing the holocaust and this brings out more characters Like Harvey Goldman and Josef. Gamma's story tells us about her experiences during the holocaust and also reveals how Jews , gypsies and homosexuals were treated. Holey told Gamma's story in a fairy tale because the story is too scary to retell. She also Told It Inform of a fairy tale so that It won't be as scarier, so that Beach, Shania and Sylvia can understand, so It can reach an audience faster.As mentioned before, Gamma's story was told in a fairy tale form, it is about what she went through during the holocaust but Holey chooses to tell it a fairy-tale form. She uses a lot of symbolism, Gamma's story uses symbolism. Gamma mentions Crown of red hair and represents blood shed during the holocaust. She also mentions big black boots with silver eagles on her hat and this represents the Nazi soldiers. The castle was the gas chambers, she mentions a hundred years is foreve r and this represents death which Is discovered by Beach later in the novel. She mentions the thorns as sharp as barbs which represented barbed wire around the camp.In the story Gamma says whoever goes In doesn't come out and this represented the death camps, she meant the death camps. The story mentioned the prince who had knowledge of the past he had knowledge of the pass Gamma was talking about Joseph, a man who knew everything that was going on, he had lived through it. The princess was given breath to breath, mouth to mouth (the kiss of life) by the prince. The curse that she mentions in the story is actually the curse for the Jews from the Nazis, she says l curse you and your father and your mother the queen and all uncles and cousins and aunts.And all the people in your village. † And all the people who bear your name†, this represents all the Jewish people who were killed including Gamma's family and friends. The mist represented the gas chambers that most of the Jews were killed and burnt In. But symbols often have a cluster of connotations. The mist may also stand for the Imperfect knowledge Gamma and her family has of the events of her past, which they only dimly understand. The briars can also represent the difficulties to be overcome consciousness about what was going on.The rose of the title is the symbol of love, which survives through the thorny briars, and is the motivating force of the whole tale, forcing Beach to carry out her promise o find the castle in the sleeping woods. Her research reveals that Gamma's survival and her daughter's existence have both been made possible by the love of Aaron and of Josef. The very existence of Beach and her sisters is owed to the selfless love the briar rose symbolizes. In Gamma's fairy tale story, she says Not everyone will die, a few will Just sleep.You, princess will be one† the princess is Gamma, it is revealed throughout the novel and she even says it to Beach when she was telling t he story. She also mentions this in the fairy tale story â€Å"The peasant smiled, he had only few teeth, hue peasants know how to sort of thin, the peasant represents Joseph Petcock and the other man he was with, he reached into a pit of bodies to get her (probably because she was so pretty and so easy to spot) – as Harvey Goldman mentioned that she was so pretty and every guy wanted her but they all couldn't talk to her.Josef Petcock in dead bodies got Gamma and the guys gave her a life kiss. She woke up when it was Josef turn that's why Josef is the prince. The effect of using symbolism is so that the story can be more effective, important, and less scary and also so that it can attract a wider audience. Holey also focuses on the theme of growing up and telling the truth. She still continues on using symbolism. We see how Beach and her sisters argue over hearing the Gamma's story (Beach wants to hear it but the sisters don't want to hear it), this represents the inability of people to deal with different situations.Josef tells his own story the way it happened, he doesn't glamour it and this represents his braveness. Holey also made him to be a partisan to show us his braveness. He is introduced by Father Stash, who devotes himself to the spiritual needs of the Echelon people. Their guilt makes them hostile to all recognition of the evil times many of them took part in, or at the very least permitted. Stash understands why Josef lives near Echelon Like me, he is drawn back by the souls of the dead† The Briar Rose tale is thus an allegory of Gamma's life.Although she cannot recall the details of her past, an amnesia that had made her survival possible, she needs to pass this story on to her descendants, and uses the fairy tale to do so. Like many allegorical tales, it tells of good triumphing over evil, of a contented life won only after life-threatening difficulties and dangers have been overcome. The effect of using allegory is very effective in conveying her story which she delivers in a superb fashion. The use of allegory also gives it a sense of realism and acts as a metaphor which helps us realism what happened during the holocaust and Gamma's life through Beech's promise and research.Holey has added strands from other traditional tales to enrich the story, Beach is on Beach makes sense of Beech's story and promised Gamma that she was going to find out about the castle â€Å"promise me you will find the castle†. Gamma's whole version of the Briar Rose tale, Beach recognizes to be a metaphor for her life. The effects of this are the placement of segments of the never-completed fairy story at intervals through the narrative adds suspense and mystery to the novel.More importantly, the fairy tale references seem to deepen the story of Gamma's Holocaust sufferings and relate them to the whole cultural tradition of good and evil, of suffering and rescue, and of seeking and eventually finding. The narrative of Beech 's determined quest is to make sense of this story after her grandmother's death. A third stage of Beech's developing relationship with fellow Journalist, Stan is presented more lightly, but suggests that, for Beach, a happy ending is likely.Her own happy ever after tale springs out of her grandmother's life story, and make the bitter sadness of the Holocaust easier for the readers to bear. Gamma's story itself was one of a happy ‘normal' ending with a supportive family. The novel is ironic; the happily ever after† ending of the conventional fairy tale is, an ironic contrast to the horrific suffering of camp victims such as Gamma, and to the deaths of millions. As for Josef Petcock, he is gay, not the expected heterosexual lover Beach was ready to cast as her unknown grandfather.In fact Gamma is saved by twin heroes – Josef, who gives her the kiss of life, and Aaron, who pulls her from the mass grave and soon after marries her. Josef presence is more than Justifie d in the story, as homosexuals were victims of the Holocaust. It is not altogether clear that Holey has intended such irony. The reality of such old folk tales is often brutal and harsh. The original Sleeping Beauty included such ingredients as rape, and attempted murder, inspired by almost insane Jealousy. It is only the versions that are produced for children to avoid dealing with horrifying evil.It is possible to view Gamma's life as indeed a â€Å"happy ending† where the ghosts of a bitter past are being freed by family support and the ability to speak of the mercifully destroyed completely past only in terms of fairy tale. Briar Rose shows the significance of the Holocaust and its continued impact, Holey does this through characters. She does this through most of the characters, for example Gamma and Josef. Josef tells his story like he wasn't a hero, even though he was the hero, Holey does this to represent those who are brave, he tells it the way it is (he doesn't find different ways to tell it).This represents heroism and how some people affected during the holocaust can still talk and tell people about it. Gamma tell her story in fairy tale form, Holey does this to represent those who want to tell the story but they story is too scary to retell. Gamma has forgotten her past and relives it through a fairy tale, and her past was so traumatic that in order to cope Gamma's memory of the past was always presented in a unique way to her family. The quote â€Å"I have no memories in my head but one†¦ A fairy tale† from Gamma tell us this. With their lives.She is a very typical of a certain kind of a person; she is a courageous mother, the miraculous survivor. Holey shows the social importance of family through Beach, she was always there for her grandmother when she was in the nursing home. The importance of family heritage and understanding of the past is emphasizes by Beach, who says that she is going to solve the mystery of Gamma's past in order to understand her own family I am going to find the castle and the prince and reclaim our family heritage† She shows the importance of remembrance-past, presence and future.The quote, â€Å"Time may heal all wounds, but it does not erase the scars. † The effect of this quote is for representing those who could tell the story/history, it means hey could to tell the story but it don't mean that they are not affected with it anymore. It is a story that is supposed to be shared; it is the history that is supposed to be known. Beach suddenly realism the impact of the death of others when she went on to search and find out about the grandmothers past Just like how the holocaust still affect some of today and in the future.It is clearly the suffering of those left behind especially those who were affected by it. â€Å"The future is when people talk about the past, so if the prince knows all their past lives and tells all the people who are still to come, then the pr inces live again into the true†, the effect of this quote is to stress the importance of oral tradition directly though the character of Gamma.Briar Rose indeed represents hidden millions whole stories whose stories were destroyed during the holocaust and it focuses on the impact of the holocaust, Just not the holocaust but also people affected by the holocaust (showing us what they went through). Hole's overall purpose of writing this novel was to make us consider the real history of the holocaust and the people it affected for example Gamma and Josef. Briar Rose is indeed shaped by the intense focus of extraordinary human experiences