The Woman Warrior

Brittany Tiano Ms. Wenzel WLS Tutorial 24 October 2012 Reality vs. Fantasy: Kingston’s use of Juxtaposition in The Woman Warrior In The Woman Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston writes an honest memoir that focuses in on the lives of five woman; the most important being Kingston, and is told in 5 chapters. As a reader, we get a glimpse into the realities of life for many Chinese emigrants in America and their children. Kingston, who is the narrator in the book, creates an elaborate fantasy in the second chapter, called â€Å"White Tigers†.In it, Kingston portrays a strong warrior woman, who leads her army to victory by overthrowing the emperor at his palace. In reality, she was in America, struggling to get noticed by the unfamiliar people surrounding her. This section of the book bares great importance because it shows the authors use of juxtaposition on the girls reality and a fantasy world she wishes to be in. Readers feel sympathy that she can’t reach her goal of b ecoming a warrior, but must be stuck in an unfamiliar country where she is ignored and made fun of. Life in America was not all it was cracked up to be.Kingston learned this pretty quick. Since she was of chinese dissent, she had a very slim chance of ever becoming anything big, maybe an owner of a laundromat, but that’s it. Men would be especially difficult for Kingston to get the hang of as well. She tried to look feminine and be sweet but nothing worked. At school she wasn’t respected. At work she wasn’t respected. While working at an art store, her boss was telling her to order more of a certain type of yellow and he used the â€Å"N† word to describe it. She says, â€Å"‘I don’t like that word,’ I had to say in my bad, small persons voice that makes no impact.The boss never deigned to answer†(Kingston 48). In America, Kingston is especially down on herself and winey: â€Å"Nobody supports me at the expense of his own adven ture. Then I get bitter: no one supports me; I am not loved enough to be supported†(Kingston 48). She feels like she has nobody to turn to, nobody to relate to, and worst of all, nobody to love her; which made being in America harder for her. In reality, a woman's place in society was beneath those of men, and then being an Asian-American woman would direct her to the bottom of the food chain.In a quick second though, things would change and she was a whole new person. This was possible in her fantasy world, one which she created in her minds eye and loved to be in. Imagine being two people at once; only one of them turned off and the other brought to life. That’s how kingston felt when she was in her fantasy world of being a warrior. She trained for 15 years to be the best she could be and impressed all who she met. She had the ability to give life; giving birth to a baby boy, and take life; executing many targets she had seen in the magical gourd.As the author writes this, you can see just how juxtaposed the two worlds are and wish that Kingston lived a better life, or that the fantasy could become a reality. In her fantasy, she has a son, confidence, a killer army (literally), and a loving husband. She has such passion for going after men that had impressed her brother and father: â€Å"I watched the baron’s piggish face chew open-mouthed on the sacrificial pig. I plunged my hand into the gourd, making a grab for his thick throat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Kingston 45). She was so eager to destroy him and get her family members back.Such confidence then led to a numerous army that would â€Å"attack fiefdoms† and â€Å"pursue enemies† that she had seen in the gourd. Kingston notes, â€Å"I inspired my army, and I fed them†¦ We brought order where ever we went†¦ I won over a goodly number of fighters†¦ † (Kingston 37). She practically had people bowing down to her, and for once in her life, she was loved, a wish sh e had had for so long. She realized that her â€Å"son was so delighted that the shiny general was his mother too† and a sense of accomplishment and honor was brought about her. (Kingston 45). Between this fictional life, and her reality, she was stuck in a rut.Right off the bat, Kingston tells the reader that her American life has been such a disappointment† (Kingston 45). Being an Asian-American was no easy task. Kingston suffered through bias, and it came â€Å"to the point that as long as you ‘look’ Asian, you’re open to attack, regardless of which group you belong to†¦ † (Lindsey). The most interesting part of this chapter is the last few pages when Kingston gets back to talking about her fantasy life. She says, â€Å"I mustn’t feel bad that i haven't done as well as the swordswoman did; after all, no bird called me, no wise old people tutored me. I have no magic beads, no water gourd sight†¦My brain had momentarily lost it’s depth perception. I was that eager to find an unusual bird†(Kingston 49). In this last part, Kingston self-reflects on her fantasy and how badly she wants it. She feels like if she just looks hard enough for the signs; the bird, the clouds, the mountains, she’ll find her way to the old people’s home and fulfill her fantasy. As readers, we know this will never happen, which makes us feel sympathetic that her future will never be as appealing as she wants it to be. There are numerous examples of juxtaposition throughout the book but this chapter most likely held the bulk of them.Maxine Kingston’s writing was filled with stories and unfortunate realities that made a reader understand what it was like to be so different now matter how much she did to blend in. The opposition between the two lives gave us an inside look of a culture’s myth brought to an imagination, and a reality that pain staked a girl to disliking a place that she lived. K ingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior. New York: Vintage International, 1976. Print. Lindsey, Robert. â€Å"Asian-Americans See Growing Bias. † New York Times 10 09 1983, Special Edition n. pag. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. .

Li&Fung

Summary Li & Fung, which is a long-standing Hong Kong based company, has evolved from an export trading company to a coordinator of value-added services across the whole supply chain in a global, open manufacturing circumstance. Its corporate culture has enabled it to keep pace with the current trend of global business. The successful acquisitions and the venture capital make the company grows stably and rapidly. However, the company now faces some challenges coming from Asian financial environment and related policies.High sensitive of the change in macro environment is essential for the company to success. At the same time, keeping Asia in an important position could take long time competitive advantages. Finally, the update of information and technology may bring more efficiency and effective within the organization. Introduction Li & Fung was the first export company that solely funded by Chinese capital in Chinese trade history. Fung Yiu-hing and Li To-ming founded it in 1906 in Guangzhou, China. The firm grew to be a limited company in Hong Kong on December 28, 1937.The company expanded quickly to globalize by the leading of the second generation from the Fung family. The high-speed growth of Li & Fung Limited started when the third generation of Fung’s family took over the organization. The core parts of the company’s business are foreign trade, logistic, distribution and retail. Victor and William tried to restructure the company, use the modem human resource management, and utilized professional management skills to control the company without eliminating the Chinese style management.Li & Fung Limited made use of acquisition to take over the competitors and expanded their suppliers and clients all over the world. The most famous and successful one is the acquisition of Inchcape Buying Services (IBS), which helped Li & Fung Limited to open the European market. At the same time, the brothers establish a venture capital corporation to accomp any the suppliers and stable its supply chain. According to one anonymous (1999), Li & Fung is the world’s largest trade sourcing company and it pioneers a new model for multinationals.By now, William and Victor want to expand the company from Asia based company into a region closer to their target market. With the new trend of the global economy, Li & Fung Limited will encounter more challenges and find a way out of a difficulty. Since its foundation, the company has establishes a culture that incorporates pragmatism and innovation. According to Msmith (2008), the progressive corporate culture, which blends traditional pragmatic reasoning with entrepreneurial innovation, has enabled adaptability and growth in a dynamic market.Additionally, it combines the Chinese business culture (â€Å"Chineseness†) with the foreign operations. Not only is it expects loyalty and reward diligent, but it also has a reasonable and transparent bonus system, where bonuses were based solel y on profit performance. Generally, the company is employee-concerned, where the workers and managers are treated as family. As is the vision of the corporation, they strive to use resources efficiently; to add business value for our customers and their suppliers; to focus on the health and wellbeing of our colleagues; and to positively impact our communities and societies (2013).Analysis of Li & Fung Li & Fung’s outsourcing matrix suits particularly well to its global position and activity: To begin with, outsourcing teams are firstly divided into two main product categories: soft and hard goods. Since they â€Å"specialized† in a certain kind of good, they develop a certain expertise, which is an asset in their discussions with external agents. Besides, inside each category, the teams are divided depending on their geographical market. This organization displays an advantage in satisfying specific local needs.Furthermore, connection and communication is established a nd fostered between the divisions, which know exactly whom to contact for each particular issue. Finally, Li & Fung is able to efficiently master the â€Å"4Cs† (connections, communications, control of quality, and consolidation of shipments), and obtain a competitive advantage because of their organizational chart. In terms of Li & Fung’s business model, it is â€Å"a virtual factory† or â€Å"private label manufacturing program†. This means that it specializes in providing product itself, not brand or promotion.Although there is big scale merit in production of textile industry, it is difficult that each company has a big factory as there are lots of competitors and fashion of the clothes are always changing, as is thought by Swan (2008). As to company which has a talent of designing or marketing, it is better not to have its manufacturing and outsourcing. Maybe this is why Li & Fung is always required from many customers. Also, Li & Fung has developed the relationship through its network so that it can get such soft goods as textiles at high speed and excellent quality with the lowest cost.Successful acquisition Li & Fung’s mergers have been the main way of expending their business. Among all the mergers, the biggest merger during 1994 to 1997, which is acquiring IBS, is the most successful and famous one even in the global range. The main reason why Li & Fung can get so many benefits from merger is based on the following reasons. The first reason is that, Li & Fung knows which company to merge. When Li & Fung choose companies, they will look for what the company is having at that time, the sourcing, the customers and the employees.In this way, Li & Fung can complement the blank its current business. For example, although the margin of IBS was only 0. 8% and the combined average was 2. 2%, the sourcing supplement brought by IBS has make up the blank of Li & Fung’s South Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean and Latin Amer ica. The second reason is that Li & Fung knows how to merge. At that time Li & Fung is the largest world’s supplier of retailers and IBS was the second largest. So the merge was very difficult and was treat as an elephant eat elephant merger.Especially for the huge difference between the two companies, Li & Fung was a U. S. – style Chinese-family business, While IBS was a British company. There would be a lot of unaccustomed and conflicts as expected. So Li & Fung created a transition team to review organizational processes and implement a unit-by-unit transition. Instead of doing the transition after the merger, Li & Fung did it ahead of the merger, in order of saving accustoming time. When the scale of the company increases, the operational mode of the company has to keep changing as well.After the merger, Li & Fung’s scale is twice as big. Li & Fung changed its mode into a more efficient and suitable one. It assigned managers to customer groups and not countr ies. This has made the management to be more professional and make the production more efficient. The merger has made the sourcing matrix of Li & Fung more mature. The margin of Li & Fung was higher than those of other companies due to their regionally coordinated sourcing services. Small Venture Capital Arm In 1986, Li & Fung established a small venture capital group in order to improve and perfect the whole supply chain.LFI invested in companies, which could assist the Li & Fung’s sourcing services. Magretta (1998) indicates that Victor said â€Å"A big piece of our corporate development is plugging those holes-the phrase we use is â€Å"filling in the mosaic† – and we use venture capital to do it. † LFI pay the same attention on the companies’ management system as the product when they were choosing the company to invest. Biers (2000) said, â€Å"Its venture activity has remained modest by industry standards, with just two or three new investme nts a year, each typically of just a few million dollars or less. The CEO of LFI mentioned that they only invested in companies that had at least $3 million profit, lack of resource and kept the control of the company. At the same time, they were looking for the young and creative companies that owned by people with design and marketing talent. The most successful capital injection is the investment to a promotional company; Cyrk Inc. LFI spent $200,000 in order to take 30% shares in Cyrk Inc. during 1990. At the very start, Cyrk Inc. provided service of T-shirt print.Three year after the capital injection, the sales volume raised 20 times more than before through capitalized on its logo and promotional design capabilities. In this case, they made contract with Philip Morris to produce a full line of promotional clothing. Five years later, LFI sold their shares of Cyrk Inc. for about $65 million. After spending a great deal of investment in America, LFI transferred their sight to th e European market. As a result of diverse culture and language, it was more difficult to invest in several companies to cover the whole European market.The complex situation required the managers in European have more experience and different strategies for different countries. During the process of helping these companies, they gain experience about the selection of the collaborate companies and create more opportunities to broaden their business fields. At the same time, Li & Fung can gain high reputations among the growing companies, because the goal of the LFI is not acquire these companies. In this case, these companies could unconstrained develop themselves. And Li & Fung could not only maintain the good relationship with both potential partners and current partners.Challenges & Recommendations For Li & Fung, although it is already the largest export company in the world, it is still facing a lot of challenges. According to the trend of international Economics, Asian Financial Crisis will be gone. By then, the labor cost of Li & Fung will not be as low as now. So margin will be lower in the coming future. But even if the Asian market has recovered, its labor cost is still lower than other countries; also the gap between the wealthy and poor is huge. Most of people are living under average level, which will bring a low cost of labor.Also Asian has a large population, which will involve a large number of rich people, whose price sensitivity is low and needs are high. They can purchase the products, which have been produced in Asian. So Li & Fung could give more attention to Asian Market, instead of giving it up. Policies of trade protection, which have been published by governments in different countries, will also be a huge challenge to Li & Fung. Under this circumstance, all that Li & Fung can do is to prevent before it or actively adjust after the coming of policies.Li & Fung should do market research and macroeconomics analysis regularly in order to ch oose the very best sourcing places. Also, it ought to try to find outstanding suppliers in different economic regions and different fields, so that the risk will be shared. Thereby, Li & Fung should closely monitor the changes of economics and adjust it in time. With the development of technology, information system is playing an important role in supply chain management. In this case, Li & Fung could establish a proprietary information network that enabled clients to view the status of an order.This will improve their customer relationship management. At the same time, they could set up a powerful database to do data mining, which could collect the data of suppliers and consumers, in order to calculate the shortest time and distance and lowest cost in operation. Also they can collect the data of customers, so that they can know better of market needs and offer better service. Overall, for Li & Fung, challenges and chances are coexisting. If it could continue to reflect, to improve, it would keep up with the trend of world economics and update information and technology timely.References 1. Biers, D. (2000). Thinking small. Far Eastern Economic Review, 163(46), 48-48. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/208225120? accountid=9744 2. Li & fung pioneers a new model for multinationals. (1999). Strategic Direction, 15(6), 24-25. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/218626878? accountid=9744 3. Li & Fung: Beyond â€Å"Filling in the Mosaic†, 1998-1998(HBS Case 9-398-092). 4. Magretta, J. (1998), Fast, global, and entrepreneurial: Supply chain management, hong kong style: An interview with victor fung.Harvard Business Review, 76(5), 102-114. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/227758445? accountid=9744 5. Mismith068 (2008, 12). Li and Fung Case Analysis. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 12, 2008, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Li-Fung-Case-Analysis-185365. html 6. Swan (2008, 9). Agri-Future; trendspotting & futu re thinking. Retrieved 9, 2008, from http://swan-futurethinking. blogspot. ca/2008_09_01_archive. html 7. Sustainability (2013, 3). Retrieved March 14, 2013 from http://www. lifung. com/eng/csr/csr1. php

Discuss the Political, Social, and Economic Impact of the Civil War on the US

The total number of military causalities on both sides exceeded 1 million. More men died in the Civil War than in all other American wars combined until Vietnam. However, the Civil War impacted the United States well beyond just deaths. The Civil war brought fundamental alterations in the life of the nation, changing the economy, the political landscape, as well as ways of life. Economically, wartime measures had introduced new federal involvement in both he banking and transportation systems.The National Bank Acts of 1863, 1864, and 1865 helped to create a uniform currency in the nation. It also forced many major state institutions to join the national system. This gave the federal government even greater control over the economy of the nation. This also allowed for the government to assist in the establishment of businesses. There was also rapid and mass industrialization that took place in both the North and South. Such was needed in order to supply all the products needed to surv ive as well as fight this modern war.This brought about the Second Industrial Revolution. Much money was invested into public transportation, especially the railroads, in order to allow for easier and swifter transportation and communication. The government had also exercised its power to support manufacturing and business interests via means of tariffs, loans, and subsides. With the support from the government, there came a rise of capitalists. The extremely rich elites invested their money in a business and in turn created even larger profits. The War also, for the first time, brought economic unity to the US.The South joined the market system, abandoning their former semi-subsistence economy. Industrialization and large economic enterprises clearly had arrived to stay. Politically, important changes had accompanied the maintenance of the national unity. Under Republican leadership, the federal government had expanded its power not only to preserve the Union but also to extend its freedom. Through the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, freedom was given to all slaver. However, this did not grant them any rights nor did it grant them equality in any form.The executive offense definitely expanded its power, exercising martial law as well as suspending habeas corpus during the war. Constitutionally, this war shut the door on secession for it was determined as unconstitutional. Nullification also no longer existed, showing that federal law was supreme. State government must yield to the federal government. The only way to change a law that a state legislature disagrees with is by bringing it before the Supreme Court. Other than this, the state was not allowed to decide on the constitutionality a federal law.The federal government also extended its reach into the economic realm by implementing the National Banking Acts which gave it more power in the economy. Life during and after the Civil War shifted drastically. Life the south has dr amatically altered. Greater awareness of class inequality came about as there were unfair draft laws. The Civil War in the south was truly the rich man’s war, but the poor man’s battle. Many of the ordinary folks sacrificed necessities, while the rich only had to give up their luxuries at most.The south soon also realized that the semi-subsistence culture would not work if they wanted to become independent or fight this modern war against the North. So, the South had to turn to industrialization. Along with the North, industrialization occurred rapidly. This devalued human labor, causing wages to plummet. Along with massive inflations, the gap between the rich and the poor in society grew larger and larger. Despite emancipation, blacks were guaranteed nothing more than freedom. This left a population of poor blacks who were left to fend for themselves.Slavery disappeared, but racism still ran strong. In fact, racism probably ran stronger than ever before. The war also expanded the role of women in society. In the absence of men, women had to step up to fill the spots that were left open. This allowed for women to gain even greater freedom and economic power. War had come and gone, changing many things in its path. Wartime actions taken by the government of the United States spurred on the economy, changed the political arena, and also altered America’s society forever.

Example of Perfect Competition in the Philippines

MARKET STRUCTURES IN THE PHILIPPINES â€Å"A term paper submitted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements in Microeconomics† Submitted by : Jake Kevin P Borja BSBM – IIB Submitted to: Ms. Azelle Agdon Date of submision : October 10, 2012 I. Introduction Any study of economics has to begin with an understanding of the basic market structure of the country. An economy is made up of producers of goods and services, of traders who make these goods and services available in the market, of consumers who buy the goods and services and so on. Philippine is an industrialized country wherein there is a lot of establishments and firms inside it. A of lot competitions here like retail trade, including restaurants, clothing stores, convenience stores, gasoline stations and etc. We all have the freedom to enter a new business firm, we just need the extensive knowledge of prices and technology. The real world is widely populated by competitors whereas half of the economy’s total production comes from competitive firms. A market structure is characterized by a large number of small firms but not identical products sold by all firms. These are the four basic market structure in the Philippines, Pure competition, monopoly, oligopoly and cartel. Competitors have typically small firms, absolute and relative and capital requirements are low. Competitive industries is relatively easy but we have to know the market structure where we will establish our own business because if not  nothing prevents an competitor from holding a going out of business sale and shutting down. II. Pure Competition The market consists of buyers and sellers trading in a uniform commodity such as wheat, copper or financial securities. No single buyer or seller has much effect on the going market price. A seller cannot change more than the going price, because buyer can obtain as much as they need at the going price. In a purely competitive market, marketing research, product development, pricing, advertising and sales promotion play little or no role. Thus, sellers in these markets do not spend much time on marketing strategy. A market said to be purely competitive if :1. There is a large number of buyers and sellers of the commodity each too small affect the prices of the commodity.2. The output of all firms in the market are homogenous. Example: The product of any seller is considered as exactly alike in all respects to the product of any other seller and :3. There is perfect mobility of resources. Example: There is freedom of entry into and exit in the industry. Perfect competition : To the far left of the market structure continuum is perfect competition, characterized by a large number of relatively small competitors, each with no market control. Perfect competition is an idealized market structure that provides a benchmark efficiency.Example of Pure Competition : Wheat Farm – There are great number of similar farms; the product is standardized; there is no control over price; there is no nonprice competition. However, entry is difficult because of the cost of acquiring land and from present proprietor. Ofcourse, government programs to assist agriculture complicate the purity of this example. III. Monopoly A market with a sole supplier of good and services or resources for which there is no close subtitute. In addition, there is barriers to entry of new firms. In economics, an industry with a single firm that produce a product, for which there are no close substitutes and in which significant barriers to entry prevent other firms from entering the industry to compete for profit is called Pure Monopoly. One firm ; unique product ; with no close substitutes ; much control over price ; price maker ; entry is blocked ; mostly public relation advertising. * There is Market Power * Single Seller * One product ( Limited or no group substitutes ) * Barriers to entry The Meralco Electric Company is a perfect example of Monopoly in the Philippines. The only supplier of electricity in our country Birth of Meralco in 1903. Meralco started its electric service to Manila by taking over operation of La Electricista's system. However, Meralco built its own steam generating plant on Isla Provisora near the Ayala Bridge which powered the streetcar system and eventually also the electric service. Getting Started, 1903-1905 On April 10, 1905, Meralco's street railway system was formally inaugurated. By year-end, the completed system consisted of about 40 miles (63 km.) of track crossing the business section of Manila and beyond. It passed the busy streets of Binondo, Escolta, San Nicolas, Tondo, Caloocan, Malabon, Quiapo, Sampaloc, Santa Mesa, San Miguel, and other strategic parts of Manila. Constituting for a long time the largest single investment of private capital of any nationality in the Philippines, it reflected a pioneering act of faith in the future of the country Over the years, Meralco's transportation service grew and improved. Bigger and better streetcars with double wheel-trucks and closed sides were added. The Electric Service Within less than a decade from 1905, the annual earnings of Meralco's Electric Department began to surpass those of Transportation. When war broke out in 1941, Meralco's earnings were roughly 80% electric, 10% autobuses and 10% railway. There are two types of Monopoly:Regulated MonopolyNon – regulated MonopolyRegulated Monopoly : The government permits the company to set rates that will yield a â€Å"fair return†. Non – regulated Monopoly : Company is free to price at what market will bear IV. Oligopoly One characterized by small number of firms where quantity sold by any one firm is influenced by its choice in respect of strategic variables ( such as prices, product, design, research and development, advertising and sales location ) and these choices are strongly influenced by other firms in the industry. In economics, the market consist of few sellers who are highly sensitive to each other’s pricing and marketing strategies. There are few sellers because it is difficult for new seller to enter the market. Each seller is alert to competitor’s strategies and move. Few firms ; standardized or differentiated products ; some control over price in a narrow range ; relatively easy entry ; much nonprice competition ; advertising ; trademarks ; brand names. In the middle of the market structure, residing closer to monopoly, is oligopoly, characterized by a small number of relatively large competitors. Each with substantial market control. A substantial number of real world markets fits the characteristics of oligopoly. * Small number of firms * Product differentiation may or may not exist * Barriers to entry Examples : 1. Hometown Supermarkets – Supermarkets are few in number in any one area ; their size makes new entry very difficult, there is non – price competition. However, there is much price competition as they compete for market share and there seems to be no collusion. In this regard, the supermarket acts more like a monopolistic competitor. This may vary by area. 2. Steel Industry – within the domestic production market. Firms are few in number, their products are standardized to some extent ; their size makes new entry very difficult ; there is much nonprice competition ; there is little if any, price competition ; while there may be no collusion, there does seem to be much price leadership. V. Cartel A  cartel  is a group of companies, countries or other entities that agree to work together to influence market  prices by controlling the production and sale of a particular product. Cartels  tend to spring from oligopolistic industries, where a few companies or countries generate the entire supply of a product. This small production base means that each producer must evaluate its rivals' potential reactions to certain business decisions. When oligopolies compete on price, for example, they tend to drive the product's price throughout the entire industry down to the cost of production, thereby lowering profits for all producers in the  oligopoly. These circumstances give oligopolies strong incentive to collude in order to maximize their joint  profit. Members of a cartel generally agree to avoid various competitive practices, especially price reductions. Members also often agree on production quotas to keep supply levels down and prices up. These agreements may be formal or they may consist of simple recognition that competitive behavior would be harmful to the industry. A cartel is formed when a group of independently owned businesses agrees not to compete with each other in areas such as prices, territories, and production. A cartel agreement is considered a collusive agreement in that the different parties agree not to allow market forces to determine their pricing, production, and other business practices. Rather, the members of the cartel agree on such matters as what price to charge, how much to produce, and which markets to serve. * Rice in the Philippines is cartelized. There are seven rice cartels here in the Philippines, all controlled by Filipino-Chinese traders. Cartels use legitimate rice traders cooperatives or farmers cooperatives to get rice importation permits. These permits are then used to procure rice from abroad. What traders do is put aside the whole milled rice with that of the broken. Normally, when we buy a kilo of rice. A kilo of rice differs in prices depending on the composition of whole and broken rice. Normally, its 70-30, meaning 70% whole grains with 30% broken ones. The percentage of broken rice decreases if the trader wants to increase price. So price really depends on how small or how little the percentage of broken rice you have in a kilo. If you buy a kilo of whole grain, that is higher than that of all broken rice. VI . Summary We have seen that there are four basic market structure in the Philippines. Producers are led by the profit motive to produce those goods and services which the consumers want. They try to do this at the minimum possible cost in order to maximize their profits. Moreover, there is a competition among a number of producers, they will each try to keep the price of their product low in order to attract the consumers. The goods produced are made available in the market by traders. They also act in their own self interest. VII. Analysis The Philippines economy is the world’s 43rd largest in the world as of 2012. The Philippines has undergone a transformation from being an agricultural based country to a industrialized country. The economy is now vastly dependent on the services and manufacturing sector. The country has a total labor force of around 38. 1 million. Labour and capital intensive industries can be distinguished in terms of their employment generating potential. A labour intensive industry or method of production, can be considered to be one which generates more employment per unit of investment. VIII. Conclusion Therefore I conclude that the operation of market forces brings out the best results when there is Pure Competition in the economy. Pure competition is a situation where there are a very large number of firms producing the same product, and size of no firms is so large that can exercise dominating influence over market. Under these conditions, the competition between the firms is such that they tend to manufacture their products at a very competitive price and a high level of efficiency and productivity prevails in the market. IX. Recommendation I therefore recommend that the monopoly company in the Philippines to lessen their price cost for the consumer because as we all know that they are only supplier of the electricity in the country. All of the people over the country pay for their business and if they will do that the whole country will benefit on it and it will not affect their firm even if they got 1 peso per consumer because every Filipino purchased their product (Electricity) and one of the most important thing in a business is electricity. And for cartels to be fair in doing their products, arrangements and mergers that limit  competition. Traditionally, when we fail in fixing the economy, and fail to anticipate the rise of this basic staple, sure enough, expect a potential crisis in the streets. And if we do not balance the competition between one another there will be no effect in the growth of the economy of our country. X. References http://www. scribd. com/ http://www. britannica. com. ph/ http://www. investinganswers. com/ http://www. enotes. com/ http://www. newphilrevolution. com/ Economics for managers

Importance of Strategic Planning Essay

The small business I would like to start would be a candy store. This paper will define strategic management, planning and explain why a strategic plan is important to the success of this business, and explain the four functions of management relative to creating and implementing a strategic plan. Strategic Management is the groundwork for a company’s vision and allows a company to be ready to capitalize on opportunities. Strategic management is a process of evaluating a company’s mission, establishing the company’s design, developing the company’s organization and relationships, and guiding the company’s plan to execution to ensure that the management is consistent with the company’s strategy. Strategic management also enhances or protects the company’s interests and defines the way a company wants to expand or focus. Strategic management if often overlooked and should be the first step in defining a company’s core values, mission, and product focus (Fazzini, 2008). Strategic planning is so important to the success of my business. Its size is what makes strategic planning so important because it means growth from small to a thriving international corporation. This is basically a growth plan. Meaning where wells it be 3 years from now or 5 years or 7 years from now. First he or she must focus on gathering data about the internal and external environment of their company. He or she must also consider outside socio-cultural factors and inside factors, including management style and workforce (Strategic Planning, 2007). One of the most important factors is having goals for your company. Make sure your goals are attainable and reasonable; follow the SMART rule – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. By following this rule, it makes goals attainable. By being the owner, I have the yeah or nay when it comes to decisions. However, in order to have a successful business, your employees should have a say in some decision-making. This ensures that the company works together to obtain set goals. Finally devise an action plan. List possible and specific courses of action then choose what all you deem as most suitable. Define a schedule for everything but also give leeway for unexpected delays. During this time also set a budget. PlanningPlanning is a function where managers work together with others in the organization towards a common goal. Whether the goal is to increase profits or retaining employees is not the point. Working together and coming up with a plan to achieve that goal is. To be competitive in a local or global economy you need to begin by coming up with goals and create a plan on how to achieve them. Sometimes change is needed in leadership. Goals may need to be changed and updated from time to time. The planning stage will help in laying out these goals and the steps the organization will need to follow. OrganizingOrganizing an organization’s resources is the next step toward success for any management team. What can a business offer to attract employees, how can they acquire the financing they need, or what are the proper materials needed to get the project off the ground? These are but a few of the questions that need to be answered during the organizing phase. All the resources need to be organized so they can be used to the companies highest potential. If a company has strong financial backing but fails to offer incentives to retain their employees will fail in the end. The employees are who keep a company running. It is such a waste to spend the time and money to train an employee, then turn around, and offer nothing else but a pay check. Employee benefits and regular training are a few beginning incentives to keep employees interested in staying with your company. If the employees are not happy they will eventually go somewhere else and the company will have to spend more money to hire and train more employees to replace the ones that left. LeadingLeading people towards doing their best is a skill greatly needed in management positions. Helping coworkers to achieve the goals and programs of the company through two-way communication can help employees feel like their contributions have meaning and will be considered. Management that leads the  employees to contribute will have a better chance of success than a company that â€Å"tells† and expects the employees to blindly â€Å"follow.† The employees see the daily function of the organization. Many times he or she sees what does and does not work before management does. Management needs to take this information and use it to lead the company. ControllingEven with planning, organizing, and leading, you still need to exert some control to keep things on track. Managers need to know what it going on in the organization and be able to make changes when needed. A manager can also exert too much control over a situation by not helping the employees to think and work through a problem that may have arisen. A company that encourages its people to think is a company that will be able to succeed in the long run. As important as planning, organization, leadership and control are in a company, you need all these functions for the company to succeed in the business world. You cannot have planning and leadership with a small amount of organization and no control and expect things to work out well. Each function depends on the others to support and carry the organization. A successful company implements all four functions and uses the managers and employees to the best of their abilities. References Fazzini, D. (2008). How to Define Strategic Management. Retrieved July 6, 2008, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2364537_define-strategic-management.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_artStrategic Planning, (2007, March 15). Why Strategic Planning is Important Even for Small Businesses. Retrieved July 7, 2008, from http://smbconsulting.wordpress.com/?s=Why+Strategic+Planning+is+Important+Even+for+Small+Businesses&submit=

Donald Marshall Jr. (Wrongful Conviction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Donald Marshall Jr. (Wrongful Conviction - Essay Example This involves a situation whereby the judge or a group of judges have a mandate to investigate a case, and come up with a conclusion regarding the case under consideration. Botting (2010) explains that the adversarial justice system is characterized by a two sided structure. Under this structure, the criminal trial courts are able to pit the defense against the prosecutors. Justice occurs, when the most effective and efficient adversary manages to convince the judges or the jury that his or her perspective regarding the case, is the right one. The evolution of the modern adversarial justice system can be associated to a variety of historical figures, these includes Donald Marshall in Canada, and Lord Henry Brougham of United Kingdom. The contributions of these two important historical figures are somehow related. This is because Donald Marshall was convicted of a crime that he did not commit, by a jury that was partisan. On the other hand, Lord Henry Brougham played an influential role in advocating for a non-partisan judge, who does not take the side of either the defense or the prosecutor during the process of administration of justice. However, this paper concentrates on the role played by Donald Marshall in promoting equality and fairness in the administration of justice. This paper takes a stand that the wrongful conviction of Donald Marshall led to a reformation of the Canadian Justice System and that of the state of Nova Scotia. R vs. Marshall jr is a 1971 court case that provides an example of a wrongful conviction. Donald Marshall was imprisoned to a life sentence, because he was accused of murdering his friend, Sandy Seale. During this period in time, Sandy Seale and Donald Marshall were both 17 years old. The two were walking around the Wentworth Park, during a late evening, with the intention of going to take a drink. These two young people met Roy

International Financial Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Financial Markets - Essay Example From this point, bond portfolios can be restructured in a systematic manner outlined as under: In the events when interest rates are expected to decrease, it would be advisable to restructure the bond portfolios drifting towards securities constituting long-term maturities. This will allow the portfolios to earn maximum capital gain because there is a stronger likelihood that the price of the bonds having long maturities are expected to increase by a greater amount than that of bonds having short maturities in case of a decrease in the yields. Conversely, in the events of an increase in the interest rates, it would be advisable to restructure the bonds portfolios drifting towards short-term securities as it may likely to result in decreasing the capital losses from a decrease in the prices of long-term maturities compared to the increase in the prices of securities having short-term maturities. ... ter 1 year Price of Bond 2 (5yr) after 1 year Price of Bond 3 (10yr) after 1 year Price of Bond 4 (20yr) after 1 year Price of Bond 1 (2yr) after 2 years Price of Bond 2 (5yr) after 2 years Price of Bond 3 (10yr) after 2 years Price of Bond 4 (20yr) after 2 years Bond Current Price P1 P2 2yr 109.5 104.4599 105 5yr 120.23 115.0694 109.2377 10yr 126.63 122.9504 118.6706 20yr 126.46 123.9087 121.6928 Holding Period Returns Bond 1 (2yr) Return for 1 year: 0.23 - 5.04006 = -4.81 Bond 2 (5yr) Return for 1 year: 0.85 - 5.16058 = -4.31 Bond 3 (10yr) Return for 1 year: 2.03 - 3.67964 = -1.64 Bond 4 (20yr) Return for 1 year: 3.19 - 2.55135 = 0.638 Bond 1 (2yr) Cumulative Return for 2 years: [0.23(1.0113) + 0.23] -4.5 = -4.0374 Bond 2 (5yr) Cumulative Return for 2 years: [0.85(1.0113) + 0.85] -10.99 = -9.2804 Bond 3 (10yr) Cumulative Return for 2 years: [2.03(1.0113) + 2.03] -7.96 = 3.877 Bond 4 (20yr) Cumulative Return for 2 years: [3.19(1.0113) + 3.19] -4.76 = 1.656 Bond 1-year Return 2-year Return 2yr -4.81 -4.0374 5yr -4.31 -9.2804 10yr -1.64 3.877 20yr 0.638 1.656 Task 5 Holding period return is considered as quite significant because the period covering this return pertains to the time horizon for which the investment is to be held in the portfolio. In the light of the holding period returns generated for the four bonds, it can be closely observed that if the time horizon is kept as 1 year, securities having short-term maturities, are unable to provide any returns, rather they are incurring losses. Only 20-year bond is providing the holding period return of 0.638 while rest of the other three securities, are in negative zone. On the other hand, if the 2-year time horizon for holding the securities in the portfolio is taken into consideration, it can be noted that the

Palliative care- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Palliative care- - Essay Example Cancer is an incurable condition that is growingly becoming common among the elderly people as well as a bigger segment of the population. With early diagnosis and timely intervention, the patient’s quality of life can be gratefully improved. The challenge of managing chronic pain usually makes many patients to give up the fight to carry on with life. However, there has been progress in better pain management that seeks to extend the life of patients and improve their condition, thus limiting the option for assisted euthanasia. The family is the immediate primary care giver that should be listed in the care of the patient; it forms a useful link in the provision of service in palliative care. They provide psychosocial support and necessary home-based care for the patient. Key decisions that affect the patient’s medical condition should aim to incorporate their decision. Conflict of interests over the individual and family arises when the family’s expectations exceed the individual’s, hence the need to balance societal expectations to meet individual needs. The health care team should provide the best care and support for the patient to meet varying needs of the patient. They have to stick to the guidelines of the nursing or medical care when managing patients in palliative care or at any stage of medical treatment. The necessary link is provided in the Australia guidelines for medical provision of palliative care that stipulates the standards of practice, which should be used as a yard stick for performance. The patient rights are usually guided by the code of standards for practice outlined for reference. The key obligation should always be to ease pain and prolong lives, which are aspects of good care. Laurie’s experience with a terminal illness depicts the moral lessons that the media shapes following events that pity the societal structures in explaining causation that draws parallel from the various arguments, which point to the ideal

Analyze response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyze response - Essay Example While critically examining the title of the book, one can see that the title carries two different meanings, according to Horwitz’s point of view. The first meaning that can be extracted from the title gives glimpses of Horwitz’s interest in the Civil war. Horwitz came from a Jewish family in Russia and, therefore, he grew up in the North but it was in his early age that he became fascinated with the myths and history of the South. He states that during his childhood he wrote about many wars and also drew paintings of some of the historically significant wars that took place in the attic of his home. One of the main purposes of Tony Horwitz’s book â€Å"Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the unfinished civil war† is to find and reexamine the link and question as to why a North based resident having an active political life as a student still finds himself attracted to the war stories that he has struggled to work against in his entire life. The anc illary meaning drawn from the title of Horwitz’s book emphasizes on its regional meaning. Horwitz still finds himself attached to the momentous memories of this national event (the Civil War). Horwitz mentions that when he visits the war sites in the South, he finds the unreconstructed mutineers who were attached to their ancient beliefs. He also meets some of the re-enactors who attempt to live the moments to experience the death and lives of soldiers all over again. Horwitz isn’t surprised to realize this disheartening fact that as one moves towards the racial line, the attitude of people towards war starts changing. Perhaps, this was one of the reasons that why the subtitle of his book is â€Å"Dispatches of the unfinished civil war†. In order to prove that the memories of the war are still alive in the minds of people and the war is unfinished, he travelled to each of the eastern and southern states where the Civil war took place. Horwitz’s friend Rob , who was an enactor, invited him to a high speed car tour to the war sites and this tour was named â€Å"The Civil Wargasm†. It was during this road trip Horwitz became the captive of the past and he got to experience the events of the Civil war all over again (Madden). This book is considered as a personal exploration of the modern attraction with Confederacy in the South of America. When he as a child was living in Maryland, Horwitz had his own fascination with war. This fascination later rekindled him when he met a group of en-actors who contributed all their resources while reliving the lives of the soldiers. There were series of trips plotted by Horwitz to the war sites which made him realized the fact that the war is unfinished as its aftereffects were so prominent that people were reliving the memories of the war that their ancestor lived through in the past. In the starting of the book, Horwitz discusses his strange childhood memory where his weekend sleep often got disturbed by the loud sound of gunfire. Horwitz, as a little boy, found himself mostly engrossed in the stories of civil war. He drew sketches of wars imagining the Yankee and Dixie soldiers fighting in a battle and penned down stories of war. He worked a number of years as a war correspondence and it was his encounter with the â€Å"men in grey† which prompted him to critically analyze the fascination of his own country with wars. Horwitz’s childhood memories are inflicted by the glimpses of war and, perhaps, it was the reason behind compiling

Shwood Eyewear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Shwood Eyewear - Essay Example Artists combine precision technology and exceptional artistry. The business operates in the apparel & fashion industry (Shwood, 2014). Its location is along Arctic Dr. Beaverton in Oregon, US. It is a privately held business started in 2009 (Shwood, 2014). It manufactures and supplies naturally simple sunglasses to the highly populated city of Portland. The city has a neighborhood of a large population that ensures it has a good market base. The business mission statement is â€Å"Experiment with Nature† (Eyes+ Edge, 2012). It aims at producing leading and unique products that make clients feel elegant and stylish. Innovation and creation constitute key aspects of the business’s production methods. The business has eleven to fifty employees (Shwood, 2014). The employees are mainly engaged in cutting lenses, shaping and finishing sunglasses. Shwood business acquired its capital from the family savings and donations. The business values creativity and innovative ideas that are unique to the demands of its clients. Shwood Eyewear products are unique wooden sunglasses. The artisans serving as the business employees are highly skilled that makes them competent in their work. Besides the production of sunglasses, Shwood business also offers quality services to its clients. The services it offers include replacement of broken and worn out glasses. The business also distributes wooden glasses to homes of its clients on order and new sales missions. The idea of creating uniqueness that blend with the environment has prompted the use of wood to make the sunglasses. Shwood capitalizes on the originality of its production that most of its competitors do not have. Using wood and stones to make sunglasses renders it an environmentally sustainable business. It also majors in cost effective production that do not burden consumers of its final products in terms of cost. The business promotes its products through online marketing, display, and exhibition.

Healthcare Marketing Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healthcare Marketing Analysis - Research Paper Example The four Ps in this organization are well strategized to ensure that patients get the best products from the hospital. London Medical Diabetic Health Clinic offers the following products to diabetic patients. The initial product is a superior care for patients with diabetes through the utilization of glucose sensors and pumps. This ensures that patients get a standard check for their glucose levels with striking accuracy, which does not leave any room for error. The second product is the educational courses, which are offered to staffs and patients to provide them with current information and findings about diabetes (Acton, 2011). For instance, there are open days for education to the hospital fraternity, and courses that focus on stress reduction to both patients and staff. Further, there are courses like Continuous Glucose Monitoring Information and Advanced Carbohydrate Counting and Insulin Dose Adjusting. Further, there is a pharmacy within the site of the hospital, which has the entire medication and books that diabetic patients require. Furthermore, the hospital installed a facility of teleconsultation, which enables patients to access consulting services from professionals without having to go to London (Leathard, 2000). Other products include diabetes care on a regular basis, expertise on pediatric diabetes and assessment of risks for heart disease, as well as vascular checks. The prices for the services offered at this hospital are fair and affordable to patients from a wide range of economic backgrounds. The prices are also competitive, with reference to other medical facilities that are in the same locale as the London Medical Diabetic health Clinic. The consultation fees are as low as $450, and... As mentioned earlier in the text, London Medical Diabetic Health Clinic provides a comprehensive approach to ensure that patients with diabetes live normal lives, which are fulfilling. The four Ps in this organization are well strategized to ensure that patients get the best products from the hospital. London Medical Diabetic Health Clinic offers the following products to diabetic patients. The initial product is a superior care for patients with diabetes through the utilization of glucose sensors and pumps. This ensures that patients get a standard check for their glucose levels with striking accuracy, which does not leave any room for error. The second product is the educational courses, which are offered to staffs and patients to provide them with current information and findings about diabetes (Acton, 2011). For instance, there are open days for education to the hospital fraternity, and courses that focus on stress reduction to both patients and staff.Further, there are courses l ike Continuous Glucose Monitoring Information and Advanced Carbohydrate Counting and Insulin Dose Adjusting. Further, there is a pharmacy within the site of the hospital, which has the entire medication and books that diabetic patients require. Furthermore, the hospital installed a facility of teleconsultation, which enables patients to access consulting services from professionals without having to go to London (Leathard, 2000). The consultation fees are as low as $450, and this can be adjusted depending on the patient.

Depreciation Schedule Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depreciation Schedule - Research Paper Example The accumulated depreciation is arrived at by adding the current year's depreciation and the all the prior years' depreciation. The book value is arrived at by the formula: cost less accumulated depreciation. The accumulated depreciation figures are $300 for year 1, $600 for year 2, $900 for year 3 and $1,200 for year 4. The book value figures are : $ 900 for year 1, $600 for year 2, $ 300 for year 3, and $0 for year 4(Smith, 2004). The above excel computation shows that depreciation expense for year 1 is $4,800. Under the double declining balance method, the straight line depreciation rate is first computed by dividing 1 by the 5 year life of the asset. The result is 20%. This is then doubled to get 40%. Next, the first year depreciation is arrived at by multiplying the cost of $12,000 by 40% to arrive at the first year's depreciation of $4,800. Then the second year's depreciation is arrived at by multiplying 40% by the prior year's book value of $7,200 to arrive at $2,880. This is the second year's depreciation. On the third year, the book value of $4,320 is deducted the scrap or salvage value of $3,000 to arrive at the third year's depreciation. The third year's depreciation is $1,320. The book value figures are : $7,200 for the first year, $4,320 for the second year, and finally $3,000 on the third year (Hall & Aldridge, 2007).

The Building of the Panama Canal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Building of the Panama Canal - Research Paper Example The birth of the Industrial Revolution in which big machines were available for earth moving finally made the dream of Panama Canal into a reality. This is the subject of this paper - how the canal went from an idea to be an engineering marvel. Spanish colonizers were among the first to realize the need for a passage through the small isthmus separating the two vast oceans. What they did was create a land route that will connect ports on both sides of the American land mass on either side. This was a time when it was technologically impossible yet to actually construct the canal; prior to the opening of the said canal, ships had to travel south all the way to the Drake Passage around Cape Horn at the tip of South America. The Panama Canal saves a total of 12,500 kilometers (7,800 miles) of extra travel equivalent to an estimated 30 days of sea voyage. The canal not only saves time but puts ships out of harms way when they had to travel south before, where strong typhoons are quite common. Elimination of unnecessary extra days at sea also puts sailors at ease. The land route became known as the Camino Real (and later on, the Las Cruces trail) and this route was the one used to lay down a railroad track; this extended from Colon on the Atlantic to the Pacific side terminus (in present-day Panama City) and was built 1850 to 1855 and ran for 47 miles. Besides the Spaniards, some colonizers from Scotland also attempted the same objective but failed. The railway was a marvel at that time, considering all the primitive engineering technology, lack of investment capital and the challenges of working in a tropical jungle environment marked by diseases like malaria, dysentery and cholera. The French Project – France is considered as the initiator of the Panama Canal with a comprehensive engineering study to build a sea level canal.1 The French were emboldened with their recent completion in building the Suez Canal of Egypt and its builder

Major Changes in Kuwaiti Culture and Economy during the Past 20 Years Research Paper

Major Changes in Kuwaiti Culture and Economy during the Past 20 Years - Research Paper Example A marketing technique that works in, say, North America, may not work on another continent, like Asia. Using the same marketing method may actually backfire and even cause harm to a product or service when used in a country with a different culture (TradePals). The following factors need to be considered in international marketing: International marketing research plays an important role in the identification and development of a company’s strategies for internationalization. It enables a business to identify, evaluate and compare potential foreign market opportunities and develop a marketing plan. Research also provides a company with foreign market intelligence to help it anticipate events, take appropriate action, and prepare for global changes. Kuwait is located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and a short trip across the Persian Gulf from Iran. Kuwait was nominally part of the Ottoman Empire until 1899 when it fell under British protection. It remained a British protectorate until 1961, although Britain granted independence to Kuwait in 1914. Oil was discovered in 1938, and Kuwait is believed to have about 10 per cent of the worlds known oil reserves. With little arable land or natural fresh water with which to grow crops, petroleum dominates the Kuwaiti economy. Presently, Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy headed since 1977 by Amir Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah. Political parties are illegal in its 50-seat, popularly elected legislature, but several informal political groups — including Muslim groups — have put up candidates. Eighty-five per cent of Kuwaiti residents are Muslim, and only 45 per cent of the nation's residents are ethnic Kuwaitis. Others are mostly from elsewhere in the region. In August 1990, Iraq attacked and invaded Kuwait. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a UN-mandated coalition led by the United States began a ground assault in February 1991 that liberated  Kuwait.  

Study Topic 5 Valuing your customers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Study Topic 5 Valuing your customers - Essay Example ies need to provide services that correspond to the needs of their customers by getting rid of the gaps between what the customers receives and what they expect (Rhys, Oakley, Power, & Sinka 2008). Hence, the most essential concept in valuation of customers is the organization’s capacity to measure, predict, and influence the business value of their customers (Soman & N-Marandi 2010). This paper is a discussion of how Halo Leisure, manages sport and fitness facilities for the county of Herefordshire in England. They value their customers and this gives them an advantage over other fitness and sport organizations in the country. Furthermore, the paper outlines the measures that could be taken to improve the satisfaction of members in a sports club. The customer care issues addressed in the paper include market research and feedback, the customers’ expectations and experiences, the staffing issues, customer satisfaction, and retention. Market research is used by organizations to inform them of the most appropriate methods or ways to accomplish their aims by offering their services according to the expectations of the customers. According to Bolton & Tarasi (n.d), improved customer care in organizations is aimed at increasing the revenues, the value of the shareholders, and profit margins using certain marketing activities, such as marketing research. Therefore, the organizations need to, critically, understand the value of their customers, which the organizations derives from them and that which the organizations presents to them (Njenga 2010). Therefore, Halo Leisure uses the market research and feedback to attract more customers by delivering services that meet their expectations. For instance, Jon Arget, CEO Halo Leisure, states that the considerable increase in growth and development of an organization is attributed to the changes implemented in the organization according to the needs and wants of customers in certain customer care elements. He affirms

Quantitative Data Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Quantitative Data Analysis - Essay Example Below the introduction, the report provides a brief overview of the data used, including a statement on the adequacy, and the implications of this factor. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), the study further explored specific features of the data used, including highlights on frequencies and descriptive statistics. Two extra variables (â€Å"the total number of health conditions that a doctor ever told an ELSA respondent they have or have had† and â€Å"prevalence of disabilities that limit activities†) were developed in SPSS and used for further analysis of the variations in heart conditions and correlation between income health statuses. Multivariate regression of depression scores and severity of disability was then performed as the last bit of analysis. A summary of the health statuses of the older people in England was provided just before the list of references that preceded the appendix (comprising syntax files obtained through the SPSS ). The data used to compile this report was obtained from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). ELSA is an interdisciplinary resource for data pertaining to health, economic wellbeing and quality of life as people in England age (The Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2011). The data collected usually represents persons aged 50 years and above. The Institute for Fiscal Studies explains that the sample from which the data is obtained is representative of the English population falling within the recommended age bracket. This implies that the organisation takes time to calculate a sample size that would be both financially viable to reach as well as one that is not too small to represent the qualities under investigation (Lavrakas, 2008). Additionally, the results obtained from the representative sample have the added advantage of increased ease of generalization to the entire population that it was obtained from.

The Effects of an Ineffective Safety Program Research Paper

The Effects of an Ineffective Safety Program - Research Paper Example Stranks (2010) explains that any organization should take responsibility of its actions. Whether a goods making or service industry, the operations of a business will affect the environment either positively or negatively. The negative effects are the most common due to awareness of labor laws and human rights by the employees. Safety programs cut across almost every type of business or organization be it teaching, service providing or nonprofit making organizations. Its consequences are felt due to the presence of people. A business which practice poor safety measures suffers a big blow in the long run. If the company has poor working conditions, it risks the effect of strikes, vandalism and go slows. Strikes and go slows hinders the organizations operations and profitability at the end of the day. A peaceful environment is easy and cheap to maintain as compared to the costs incurred to solve a dispute (Williams, 2014).The costs incurred to solve organizational disputes may be tremendous involving legal fees, fines and compensation which add up to the company’s cart of losses. The company’s ineffective safety precautions can also cause financial losses due to payment of damages to workers and law suits. Financial losses affect the stakeholders capital share which ruins the company’s net worth and reputation. The company can also be sued by the community if it practices unhygienic waste disposal mechanisms (Cambridge, 2010).The community can also seek an injunction from the court to terminate the existence of the company. These are some of the areas that the companies need to check to avoid sudden interruptions. Manufacturing organizations pose a significant chance of hazards to its employees as compared to service providing companies. This is due to the frequent usage of dangerous machines and equipments. Many manufacturing companies experience a lot of cases regarding partial or physical disability encountered during the line of duty. Under Labor

See the attachment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

See the attachment - Coursework Example More aggressive competitive pressures, coupled with drastic changes in the external environment have tested global organizations’ existence in the last few decades. DHL Company has sustained diverse challenges and remained successful through time. It is the objective of this essay to proffer a strategy assessment of DHL Company, as a global organization, with the specific aims of addressing the following concerns: (1) an identification of the organization’s companywide strategy; (2) a determination of the specific aspect of the strategy being focused on; (3) the competitive advantages of DHL; (4) the competitive strategies employed; and (5) an exploration of any identified issues on global management. The analysis of the organization would be used analytical tools such as SWOT and PESTLE analysis for a more comprehensive illustration of its competitive advantage on a global scale. Brief Executive Overview The management report is designed to proffer an assessment of the global strategy of DHL to be â€Å"The Logistics Company for the World† (DHL: Corporate Portrait, 2010) where focus would be on logistics and mail. ... tions in Asia in a move linked to the inauguration of its expanded central Asia hub in Hong Kong and the launch of its north Asia hub in Shanghai† (Wallis, 2008, p. 38). By identifying and enumerating the organization’s internal resources and the factors that influence its external environment through both SWOT and PESTLE analyses, the report would clearly indicate the viability of the global strategy to sustain leadership in the logistics industry. Short introduction to the organisation and its markets DHL Company boasts of being â€Å"an express shipping multinational company operating in diverse countries and territories around the globe† (DHL:About us, 2010, par 1). The official site of DHL revealed its â€Å"expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and 300,000 employees wor ldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements† (DHL: About us, 2010, par. 1).  DHL operates in countries such as Hawaii, the Far East, Middle East, Africa and Europe, and now reached 220 countries in all. DHL’s operations focus on four major divisions such as: DHL Express (global dispatch and delivery of parcel and express shipments); DHL Supply Chain (customized, IT-based solutions); DHL Freight (national and international transport solutions); DHL Global Forwarding (air and ocean freight and a project logistics services provider operating worldwide) (DHL: Company Portrait, 2010). The incredible growth story of the organization utilized exemplary leadership, high quality of service at competitive price. The growth and geographic

Ebola Study Essay Example for Free

Ebola Study Essay DALLAS — The Texas nurse who contracted Ebola while caring for the first person to die of the virus in the U.S. has been identified as 26-year-old Nina Pham. Health officials have not released the nurse’s name, but Yahoo News identified Pham through public records and a state nursing database. Then on Monday, Pham’s family confirmed her identity to local Dallas ABC News affiliate WFAA. Pham, a critical care nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, is one of at least 50 people who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan before he passed away last Wednesday. Pham has been in isolation since late Friday. The CDC confirmed her Ebola diagnosis on Sunday. It is the first time the deadly virus has ever been transmitted in the United States. The Dallas resident is a 2010 graduate of Texas Christian University and has been a nurse since June 2010, according to state records. CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said Pham is in stable condition at Texas Health Presbyterian. An unidentified person Pham had close contact with last week is also in isolation at the hospital, but Frieden said that individual has not become ill. Investigators have not determined how Pham specifically contracted the disease from Duncan, who died on his 10th day of intensive care at Texas Health Presbyterian. If this one individual was infected and we dont know how — within the isolation unit — then it is possible that other individuals could have been infected as well, Frieden said during a press conference. We consider them to be at risk and we are doing an in-depth review and investigation. A day earlier, Frieden characterized the transmission from Duncan to Pham as a possible breach in safety protocols. On Monday he apologized for those remarks. Some interpreted that as finding fault with the hospital or the health care worker, and Im sorry if that was the impression given, that was certainly not my intention, Frieden said. What we need to do, is all take responsibility for improving the safety of those on the front lines. I feel awful that a health care worker became infected in the care of an Ebola patient. She was there trying to help the first patient survive. Tom Ha, a longtime friend of Phams family, told the Dallas Morning News that it is in the nurses genes to go out of her way to assist others. I expect, with the big heart that she has, she went beyond what she was supposed to do to help anyone in need, Ha told the newspaper

Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally lll Essay Example for Free

Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally lll Essay 1. In my article deinstitutionalization bought on some positive effects by lowering health cost, but negative consequences came into the community also. Bringing into effect such things as Medicare and Medicaid, and the establishment of the Community Health Centers. This began to make it easier for the mentally ill to be able to get the help and rehabilitation that was needed rather than just being placed in mental institutions and left alone. â€Å"For example, decreases in inpatient mental health care can be complemented by increases in outpatient mental health care. Decreases in inpatient mental health care can also be paired with increases in other forms of care, such as social welfare, criminal justice, or nursing home care.† The article showed that the government began to step up and take part in the care of the mentally ill, making a way for the public hospitals to no longer be responsible for the mentally ill and private sectors to step in and offer more one on one care. Deinstitutionalization began to free up rooms in hospitals and offer lower medical costs 2. But crime and homelessness did increase in local communities. Some former patients went home to their families, some to nursing homes, where almost a million mentally ill Americans are said to now live. Because of the amount of mentally ill people being released or put out of mental institutions this bought on a great deal of them living on the streets and forced to rob and steal in order to survive. This is how the crime rate began to increase, mentally starting to be placed in the jail or prison system, which in the long run ends up costing far more than one being placed in a mental institution. Communicable diseases became more prominent as women began prostituting themselves. With their mental capacity questionable, it was still believed that people didn’t care what happened to them nor did they pay attention to their needs, until the epidemic of STD’s such as AIDS began to rise and start to affect what was considered to be â€Å"normal Americans households.†

Dietary Analysis and Reflection

Dietary Analysis and Reflection Diet Analysis Summary Final MyPlate.gov was very informative. It was nice to start the class out with a website that was very detailed but still interesting so you weren’t overwhelmed with the vast amount of information. It was easy to maneuver and find the information you needed. It is a very useful tool for an individual to use so they can learn the proper portions of a healthy diet. The individual plan you can receive from a licensed dietitian on the Super Tracker portion of MyPlate.gov is a wonderful feature. It can keep track and inform you if you have reached your goal for each food group, how many calories you’ve eaten per day, and the target amount of physical activity you should be doing per week. Each food group section under the MyPlan portion of the SuperTracker gives you the exact amount of ounces needed for your personal calorie goal. It breaks down how much an ounce is in popular foods, for example, 1 ounce of bread is 1 regular slice and 1 ounce of brown rice is  ½ cup. The indiv idualized sample meal plans take the guess work out of planning your weekly meals. It is designed to meet your individual nutritional needs and your personal calorie goals. Unfortunately, I haven’t used it since it was a part of the assignment many weeks ago. Since my diet isn’t well balanced and I need to add healthier selections off all the food groups into my diet MyPlate.gov is a great place for me to start. It can help me do some weekly meal planning since that is a huge weakness of mine. I can make healthier choices for myself and my family with the help of MyPlate.gov. Carbohydrates are a huge weakness for me as I love sugary candies, breads, pastas, chips, and juices. Each one of my weaknesses has an excess amount of sugars. When I eat too many sugars my digestive tract delivers glucose to my bloodstream and that carries the glucose to my liver and body cells. However, my body cells do not need any additional glucose so it is stored as glycogen in the muscle and liver. Once those stores are full the body cells go from burning fat to burning the excess glucose which leaves excess fat floating in my bloodstream until it’s picked up by fatty tissues and stored. Unfortunately, the fatty tissues have an unlimited capacity to store fat. An excess of blood glucose can lead to type II diabetes which can lead to circulation problems and nerve damage. Low blood pressure and nerve damage can lead to loss of blood flow to the kidneys which damages them, increased likelihood of infections, and possible loss of limbs due to gangrene and amputation. How I can prevent type II diabetes is to reach a healthy body weight of 120 pounds. To do that I need to eat healthy meals that are moderate in calories low in saturated fat, high in vegetables, fruit, legumes, chicken, fish, and whole grains. I need to be physically active, and limit my alcohol intake. The best way for me to cut out the excess sugars in my diet is to switch the sugary candies and chips with fruit and vegetables. Change the breads and pastas I eat to 100% whole grain bread. Stop drinking fruit juices and replace them with water. Doing all this can also increase my soluble and insoluble fiber intake which can help reduce my risk if type II diabetes, alleviate or prevent constipation, and lower my risk for digestive tract cancers. The changes I have made this semester about my carbohydrate consumption are; I have replaced my breads and pastas with whole wheat breads and pastas. I’ve increased the amount of vegetables and fruits I’m eating daily. Unfortunately , I haven’t decreased the amount of chips and sugary candies. It has been and still is a very stressful time for me and when I’m stressed I eat and I prefer to eat chips and candies. I have a great weakness for eating foods that are high in cholesterol and fat. I’ve enjoyed eating items like shrimp Alfredo and hamburgers and French fries. I have an elevated risk of developing heart disease because I am overweight, I eat high cholesterol and fatty foods, and I am physically inactive. The recommended daily amounts of fat for someone like Me Is 37 to 66 grams; whereas my average daily intake was 75grams. The recommended daily amount of cholesterol should be less than 300mg; whereas my average daily intake was 367mg. If I continue to eat this way I will develop heart issues like hypertension, atherosclerosis which can lead to coronary heart disease or stroke; I am also at high risk for developing cancer. I can lower my blood cholesterol by focusing on low cholesterol foods, low saturated fat foods, and Trans fat free foods like whole grains, fruits, soy, vegetables, fatty fish, oats, and beans. I need to become more physically active. Even doing simple things can impact my physical activity level like using the stairs instead of the elevator or I can wash my car instead of taking it to a car wash. One of the best changes I can make to improve my health is to start eating fatty fishes like sea bass, herring, trout, and salmon. These fish are an excellent source of omega-3. Omega-3’s can lower total cholesterol and LDL and can increase HDL. It can also lower the rates of some cancers by suppressing inflammation. Additional foods I can eat to fight cancer are crucifer vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and kale which boosts an enzyme in the body that fights cancer. All berries have a phytochemical that can slow down the growth of pre-malignant cells. Tomatoes have lycopene which can stop the growth of endometrial cancer. This semester I have decreased my red meat intake and have replaced it with chicken or turkey. When I cook at home I get a 3% fat ground turkey for our meals instead of ground beef. I have also changed the hamburg ers I make at home for turkey burgers or veggie burgers, and my family loves them. My biggest weakness with proteins is animal-derived proteins; I eat eggs almost every morning for breakfast and have an animal derived protein with almost every lunch and dinner. An excess amount of protein itself is not known to contribute to heart disease, but excess amount of animal-derived protein does. They add unnecessary fat calories and saturated fat to my diet. Eating all that animal-derived protein leaves out all the other sources of protein I can consume which are much healthier like whole grains, fruit, legumes, and vegetables. Since I eat a lot of animal-derived protein I have a higher risk in being obese, it causes adult bone loss, and I have a greater risk in heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. To lower my animal-deprived protein I can eliminate the eggs in my breakfast and eat oatmeal. For lunch I can have rice and beans instead of a lunch meat sandwich. For dinner I can make a tofu stir-fry instead of a grilled chicken breast. If I change at least one of my daily me als form animal-derived protein to vegetable-derived protein I can cut down the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat I consume. This semester I haven’t changed the types of proteins we consume. What I can do that wouldn’t change our routine to much is to switch out or eggs for egg beaters. For three tablespoons, which is the same as one egg, it has zero saturated fat and cholesterol but still has 5 grams of protein which is only 1 gram less than a normal egg but so much healthier. My diet is low in folate, vitamin C, and potassium; and it is high in sodium. A diet low in folate can lead to many problems like anemia, fatigue, headache, weakness, irritability, and mental confusion. Most adults are to have 400mcg a day of folate; my average was 186mcg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in folate like asparagus, pinto beans, and lentils. A diet low in vitamin C can lead to fatigue, joint pain, bone fragility, bruises, frequent infections, bleeding gums, and poor wound healing. Most adults are to have 75mg a day of vitamin C; my average was 49mg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in vitamin C like sweet red peppers, strawberries, and broccoli. A diet low in potassium can lead to confusion, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Most adults are to have 4700mg a day of potassium; my average was 1050mg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in potassium like lima beans, baked potato, and a banana. I can pick out s ymptoms that I suffer from, out of each of those deficiencies. A diet high in sodium is also very bad for my health. Over time my high sodium diet may damage the linings of my blood vessels in ways that makes hypertension more likely to develop. A high sodium diet can also lead to heart disease and stroke. Some of the foods I eat regularly that are high in sodium are chips, microwave popcorn, turkey dogs, and macaroni and cheese. All that food can easily be replaced with healthier options. The chips and popcorn can be replaced with the strawberries and sweet red peppers so I can also get the vitamin C I need. The turkey dogs and macaroni and cheese can be replaced with a baked potato and pinto beans. This semester I have been eating more fruits and vegetables so I fell like my folate, vitamin C, and potassium will be better but my sodium intake hasn’t been decreased. I’m still eating my chips and convenient food. My diet is low on both calcium and iron. The recommended daily amount of calcium is 1000mg a day. There were days when I was just under that amount, 750mg, because I would have milk and cereal sometime during the day. However, there were some days where I would only consume 200 mg of calcium. That fluctuation and having more days where I consumed less calcium I am at risk for osteoporosis. Since calcium supplements are less effective than the calcium found in food sources I should increase my consumption of calcium rich foods like tofu, milk, and broccoli. The recommended daily amount of iron is 18mg a day. The average amount of iron I consumed was 12mg. That’s only because one day I had consumed 21mg; that’s because 12 mg came from eating a fortified cereal. Other days ranged from 2-11mg. Having an iron deficiency I have a higher risk of becoming anemic, being weak and fatigued, having headaches, and impaired immunity. The best way for me to increase my iron consumptio n is to eat navy and black beans, spinach, and clams. I have tried to increase my calcium intake during this semester by eating more yogurt. I’m not a big milk drinker but I like soy milk and almond milk. When we can get back into our condo I plan on making smoothies for breakfast again. I made it with tofu, soy milk, yogurt, spinach, a banana, and frozen fruit. It was delicious and full of nutrients. According to my BMI I am considered obese our book even calls me extremely obese. I absolutely, with every fiber in my being, hate that word. That one word can just get under my skin and make me so angry. I understand I’m overweight and I need to lose all the excess pounds I’m carrying, but don’t degrade me! That word has such negative connotations that it only makes you feel even worse about yourself. Is that what that word is meant to do? Is it meant to humiliate you into losing weight? If so it doesn’t work on me, it does the exact opposite. I get so angry and defensive, but inside I’m embarrassed so I eat more and become unhappy. I already have such prejudices for being overweight that I don’t need a book to call me names. I can’t go to the grocery store and buy healthy food because I get comments from people asking if I’m on a diet and getting a â€Å"good for you for trying to be healthy†. Or if I go to the store to buy any type of junk food I always get the nasty stares or the comments of â€Å"are you sure you should be eating this†. So either way if you’re fat you can’t win. Never mind about going to the gym; if you want to find the most stuck up nasty people be an overweight person at a gym and they’ll find you. I understand that one of the best things I can do to live longer and healthier is to lose weight, but I feel like if I do that then I’m agreeing with society that I’m not good enough for them just the way I am, and I’m not ok with that. Finding out all the information about nutrition, and my specific diet, throughout this semester has made me realize I do need to make some changes. I have come up with 5 SMART goals to accomplish during the summer. My first goal is to make my meals more balanced with healthier selections. Starting Monday I will follow the MyPlate.org guidelines by adding more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy to my diet. I will do this by adding a fruit and vegetable to each meal and snack; having some type of dairy with each meal like low-fat cheese or yogurt; and changing all my carbohydrates to 100% whole grains. I will reassess my progress in 4 weeks. My second goal is to lower my daily sodium intake by 1000mg by the end of June. I will actively look for low sodium food to replace the high sodium food I’m currently eating. Instead of having chips with my lunch Ill have carrots or celery. I will not sprinkle additional salt on to my food during meals. My average daily sodium intak e is at 3600mg so by the end of June I will have it to 2600mg or less and then reassess my sodium intake. Since a lot of my protein intake is from animals I would like to change that. My third goal is by the end of June one meal each day will be vegetarian. I will do this by substituting my animal protein with plant based protein. Instead of a turkey sandwich for lunch I can make a bowl of brown rice and beans; or for breakfast I can have oatmeal. Dinner I can make a tofu stir-fry with fresh vegetables. My fourth goal is to decrease the amount of sugary candies and chips I eat. My go to food when I’m stressed, feeling sad or lonely is candies and chips. By the end of July I will be able to switch my dependence on candies and chips to exercise and eating healthier. When I’m craving a candy I’ll go and drink a glass of water and eat an apple. Instead of sitting on the couch and feeling sorry for myself I’ll get up and go for a walk. My fifth and final goal is to be more active. By the end of July I will walk for 30 min on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and lift weights beginning with 3 reps of 25 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. By the end of July I will reassess my physical abilities to see if I can increase my routine. My feeling on this assignment was that it was interesting and eye opening. The only complaint I have is with the 7 paragraphs, at least for myself it wasn’t that clear on what you were wanting for each paragraph. The 4 bullet points you wanted added to each paragraph didn’t fit in with all the paragraphs. One of the bullet points asked for you to discuss your successful strategies; what if you haven’t changed any part of your diet to have any strategies. With the paragraph about MyPlate the 4 bullet points were hard to incorporate into it. I did somewhat enjoy the class; I was getting tired of every chapter telling me I was going to die of heart disease and cancer. I need to teach myself to not be so defensive about this subject and to stop thinking that trying to improve myself doesn’t mean the person who I was wasn’t good enough. Works Cited ChooseMyPlate.gov.ChooseMyPlate.gov. USDA, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Heartorg Home Page.Heart.org. American Heart Association, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Learn About Cancer.Cancer.org. American Cancer Society, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Supertracker.Supertracker.usda.gov. USDA, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Webb, Frances Sizer., and Eleanor Noss. Whitney.Nutrition: Concepts Controversies. 13th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.

History Of Penguin Paperback Books Arts Essay

History Of Penguin Paperback Books Arts Essay Penguin paperback books have become a constantly evolving part of British culture and design history since 1935 when the company was founded by Allen Lane. Lane came up with the concept of mass-producing inexpensive paperback editions of hardback titles. McLean (1952) mentions that the Penguin book venture is a standing reminder to manufacturers that the best is not too good for mass consumption. For the design of the books, Lane wanted to keep a consistent template for all the book covers to follow. He instructed his office Junior, Edward Young to devise a simple horizontal tripartite division of the covers using colours to signify the genre of each book orange for fiction, green for crime, dark blue for biography, cerise for travel and adventure and red for plays (Baines, 2005). The design featured contemporary typefaces at that time. Bodoni Ultra Bold was used for the publishers name Penguin Books and two weights of the relatively new (1927-8) Gill Sans Serif for the contents of the book cover and spine information (Baines 2005). First editions of Penguin paperback books (Adapted from Baines, 2005. p18-19) The fresh and modern appearance of the Penguin book covers was a major contributor to the commercial success. Other British publishers soon realised that design was an important feature for book covers and the demand for highly skilled designers increased (Doubleday, 2006b). Penguins design standards established uniformity and improved the overall aesthetic of books in Britain (Doubleday, 2006b). Despite the unity of their appearance there was twelve main front cover variations with some that contained illustrations. Lanes simple template for the Penguin books is derived to a degree from the Albatross book covers brought about in 1932. These designs were devised by Hans Mardersteig (McLeery, 2006). Lane was often quoted that he was trying to emulate the Albatross collection series which set the standard for early paperback book design (Doubleday, 2006b). Mardersteig designed the covers with the efficient system of colour-coded subject matter. Symmetry and centred sans-serif type placements were a feature. The size chosen for these books were 181 x 112 mm which adhered to the golden section of 1.61. Penguin books initially followed this size format which has become one of the two standard sizes within the paperback book industry, known as A and B format (Baines, 2005). The A format gives the reader a good line length for reading and a suitable compactness of the book (McLeery, 2006). Albatross book cover design series 1932 (Adapted from Genetic Joyce Studies, 2006) The bird inspired name and colophon, bright, plain coloured covers and focus on contemporary titles provided the influence for Lane a captivating standardised cover. Young, who went on to become the production manager at Penguin Books stated: it was time to get rid of the idea that the only people who wanted cheap editions belonged to a lower order of intelligence and that therefore cheap editions must have gaudy and sensational covers. (Joicey, 1993, p4) The classic design and layout of the Penguin books were to undergo a subtle, refined advancement under the direction of Jan Tschichold. Tschichold arrived at penguin in 1946 and asserted a more disciplined approach to the design (British Council Design Museum, 2006). The template for all Penguin books to follow consisted of designated positions for the title and authors name with a line between the two. The most notable change was the replacement of Gill Sans for Bodoni Ultra Bold for the PENGUIN BOOKS publisher title. He also drew the penguin symbol in eight variations. The oval or quartic that contains the publishers name is subtly more elegant and attractive than Youngs [Do a comparison in illustrator]. Some books included an illustration on the central horizontal band as shown on the Pelican book Sailing. Tschicholds Pelican Books follows the standardised layout with the inclusion of illustration and the blue colour that distinguishes Pelican. As Tschichold was already distinguished in the field of typography, great care was taken to optically letter-space all text on the covers and inside the book. Tschicholds experimental layout,left, and the revised design and layout, right (Adapted from Baines, 2005. p56 58) Tschichold studied a theory which claims to provide the most beautiful and harmonious proportions. It is was first documented in a book by Fra Luca Proportione(1509) and is said to have been the method laid down by Phidias, the architect of the Parthenon. It states clear rules of of the division of space. It is known as the Golden Section. The Golden Section is described as an aesthetic phenomenon. It is a division of space omnipresent throughout the universe. This division is an irrational ratio of 0.618:1. It represents every line, every surface, every volume whose elements are arranged in conformity with these proportions reflect the idea of Beauty (Br, 19xx). It has even been linked to the scale and proportion of human anatomy. It is all about expressing harmony. [Golden Section Diagram] The Golden section had great influence on Tschichold in his search for perfection in design and a greater awareness of proportion. He controlled the placement and size of elements with this ratio. The size of Penguin books were close but not precisely equal to the Golden Rectangle. It can be noted by (Br, 19xx) that the Golden Ratio can be substituted by another ratio e.g. 3:5, 5:8, 8:1, 13:21 etc. This is because such small differences are not picked up by the eye and can still be perceived as the Golden Ratio. The Golden section reassures that aesthetics is not subjective. That it is not an individual feeling and more a general taste that can be measured and mapped out. Tschichold commonly expressed the importance of constant adherence to standardised formats and composition rules. Soon after being offered the job at Penguin, Tschichold produced a set of rules known as the Penguin Composition Rules (Doubleday, 2006b) that were to be followed by Penguins typographers and printers to ensure the books followed the same style and that there were no variations. These rules, which ran into four pages long, standardized the formats and typographic specifications and unified the design of the book series (Doubleday, 2006a). Tschichold implemented a coherent grid system in conjunction with the Penguin Composition Rules that set the foundation for the trimmed page area, width and height of each book, visual cover size, type area on cover and spine, position and style of the spine label and lettering on labels for all the Penguin series (Doubleday, 2006). One of Tschicholds grids to control the design and production of Penguin books with detailed instructions (Adapted from Hurlburt, 1978. p70) This above illustration shows that Behind the simplest grid there is often a complex process of analysis (Hurlburt, 1978, p71). Hurlburt cites that many publishers treat the book cover design as a separate entity, often using different designers for the book to encourage advertising. But a better looking product will result when the overall design of a book is considered in the early stages. Magazines and newspapers designers always work in the sizes of the established format (Hurlburt, 1978). On the other a book designer may have the responsibility to select the size of shaped and pages. Also, a concern with the weight and thickness of the book will put a three-dimensional edge on the project. Tschichold identified contrast as the most important important element in all modern design (cited in Hurlburt, 1979, px). Furthermore, Hurlburt (1979) believes that the importance of contrast in the design of layout is very important. He states: The contrasts of dark against light and large against small, the contrast of mood in subject matter, and the punctuation of space in strong accents all contribute to the dramatic presentation of graphic material. (Hurlburt, 1979, px) This element of contrast is clearly evident in Tschicholds work for Penguin books The idea of great literature mass produced and sold cheaply, the famous Penguin slogan Good Books Cheap (Doubleday, (2006b), p24). The brightly coloured contrasts of each genre cover. The separation of the cover into three coloured sections for publisher, book title and author, and logo. The dissimilarity compared to other books on a merchants bookshelf that makes them stand out. The moderate use of then contemporary fonts instead of traditional ones. Doubleday (2006b) reasons Tschicholds main objective at Penguin books: was to synthesize all of the Penguin series with unprecedented quality, distinctiveness, and uniform styling, while at the same time, designating singular individuality and genuine features for each and every book. (Doubleday, 2006b, p45) Rationale Penguin books have been in production for over 70 years and although the cover designs have seen changes from different designers, the Tschichold era remains to be the most studied and the most iconic. Tschichold left a lasting impression on graphic design that few could compete against and undoubtedly set the standard for successful book design. Tschicholds design work and principles while at Penguin, inspires a great standard for design, even for contemporary designers. What was it about the Penguin book covers that made them so successful and in retrospect, a timeless and iconic part of British design history? The two defining achievements for Tschichold and his time at Penguin are the standard typographic conventions of the Penguin Composition Rules and the rigid grid structure that housed the design. The following list summarises Tschischolds achievements while at Penguin: Develop a grid for rigid and consistent use across all platforms. The grid must have distinct planned placements for the different elements and provide balance and uniformity Use the Golden Section to influence proportion Apply typographic standards for continuity Use legible and contemporary typefaces Pay close attention to brand loyalty and do not deviate far from it Use contrast for effective presentation of graphic material and to stand out from competition. Contrasting elements include colour, size and mood. Over the years, other popular culture mediums take shape that require tactile and original design in order to survive in such a competitive market. Many companies choose to re-brand in order to refresh their image due to decline in sales. In popular culture, it is not uncommon to recycle trends. Covers of contemporary media such as computer games have some similarities to book cover design after all, computer games are essentially a more interactive version of story-telling. Like book covers, they require the name of the publisher, the game authors, the title, room for illustration and other elements such as age-rating. A continuous grid structure that separates all these elements is used as well as typographic specifications. This shows a cover for Uncharted for the Sony Playstation 3 gaming console. It is a cover for the platinum range of Playstation games the games that sell a high amount in their first year. The design differs from the original game covers in order to signify its high acclaim in sales. These games are less than half the price of the original games and stand for good value gaming. The grid system used for the range of covers is shown below. [IMAGE] The current design of Playstation Platinum covers is hotly debated. They are deemed ineffective, perhaps because of a grid structure that does not allow for a well-proportioned design. To clarify this, a short questionnaire with a series of eight questions was presented to a number of computer-gaming community based forums. The questions were presented through Survey Monkey(http). The following is a breakdown of the questions with the three most relevant answers contributed. 1.How many hours per day/week do you spend playing computer games? 20 hours a week if I have time too many4 hrs per day 20-25 hours per week 2.Are you bothered by a games cover design? I prefer the cover to look nice, but not really no. A little Bothered no, but they can do catch my eye sometimes. 3.Do you think a games cover design inspires you to purchase it? It might make me want to purchase a game I was already interested in a little more. Impulse buying, Yes no. the game has to be good for me to purchse it. 4.Do you like to collect your game purchases and keep them in good condition? Yes. After all, I worked to buy them. Yes I do like to keep them in good condition. no. I just toss them in a file cabinet to play later. 5.Do you ever buy from the platinum game range? If no, please specify a reason why not for PS3 because of the game covers, but yes for other platforms Not usually, because I like to keep a well organized collection No as the boxart looks out of place with my other games 6.What are your views on the platinum game covers? Plain. Should re-design the covers entirely. They are fine, and allow one to find the cheaper games faster. platinum branding ruins the look 7.Would you prefer to see a better cover design for the platinum range? Possibly modify the colour, reduce the size of the borders. They shouldnt be as conspicuous as they are (e.g. not luminous yellow for EU PS3 platinum covers) yes. Something that shows off the greatness of the game. 8.Would you prefer to see the same cover design for the platinum range but with the price reduction only? No Have some distinction it is a platinum title. yes, however some indication that its platinum range would also be good, maybe a sticker or something id have no covers if it made it cheaper Considering these comments, create an alternative grid structure that will influence better proportions. Practice 1.Taking an accurate measurement of the physical dimensions and a rough idea of the elements to be included e.g. type size, line-height, image sizes. 2.Thinking about the nature and content of the project. Considering how to best present this and the amount of emphasis each element needs. Emphasis is the contrast between elements size, colour, disposition, placement. Used correctly, it should signify hierarchy. 3.Considering which type of grid best suits the project. [ILLUSTRATIONS OF GRIDS AND INFO ON TYPES] 4.Sketching the grid to a closely accurate scale that justifies the division of space and the placement of elements at the co-ordinates. The following image shows a grid using a series of Golden Sections constructed from the dimensions of the cover. There are six Golden Sections reaching from each side of cover. Using the co-ordinates of this grid to position elements may seem unorthodox. There is no sense of continuity and unvarying spatial zones. However, the asymmetrical divisions of the Golden Ratio is the concept of its beauty and harmonious proportions. A Golden Section grid was best suited to this project as it called for irregular proportions and a slightly intuitive placement of the objects. There is a clear hierarchical structure evident in the design. The tripartite division of the cover resembles the Penguin series. The top horizontal division contains the well known Platinum title and is of a modest type size. It casually confirms the highly acclaimed status of the game. The colour choice seemed appropriate to be eponymous to the section. In the bottom horizontal division is the game title, publisher, game authors and age certificate. This division needed to be the largest to house all the objects. The game title has the largest font size as it is the most important characteristic of the game. It is slightly off centre to the right and does not align with any other element. The unevenness gives the cover an edge and emphasizes each element individually. The choice of colour for the bottom division is reminiscent of the Penguin concept to visually signify the genre. It was decided to use a colour system of green for action and adventure, blue for sports, cerise for strategy, red for combat and orange for racing. The font used for the platinum title and game title is FF Blur medium by Neville Brody. Created in 1991, it was chosen for its irregular yet legible appearance that gives it a contemporary aesthetic. Its not too serious and not too playful, which aptly fits the nature of Playstation 3 and the temperament of its users. The font was chosen consistently for the platinum title and game title so that it keeps the range of games on the same level and is clear and lucid to observers on a sales stand. [FF BLUR TYPE] The middle horizontal division contains the non-translucent part of the game illustration. The illustration shows in-game action, like a snapshot of the game-play that encapsulates the greatness of the game. The top and bottom divisions are translucent to support a full cover illustration and provide a constant contrast against the text across all game covers. The middle division is structured as a focal point according the Golden Section and acts as a peer into the game-play. The borders to the left are kept constant with the regular non-platinum game covers. This is to keep an order of continuity in a game-players library. Many mentioned in the questionnaire they are put off buying platinum games because the luminous yellow borders hamper their ordered games library. The overall appearance of the game cover is suggestive of the Penguin covers and what they stand for good games cheap. This is perhaps overlooked by most gamers, however, the design is not intended to be nostalgic. When a project is planned like this it leaves little uncertainty for positions, image sizes etc. In a well structured grid, elements fall into place and the design takes shape more easily. Careful planning of this type can be applied to all mediums of graphic design. Grids for books, posters, magazines, web design etc. call for different grid structures. It depends on the subject matter and how it is to be presented and communicated. When including photography in any piece of design it is necessary to have good composition. Golden Ratio dimensions can to help compose a photography appropriately to achieve a sense of balance and harmony. The following page shows photographs that have been positioned appropriately to Golden Sections within a spatial zone. To do this, a program called PhiMatrix can be used as an aid. It displays a completely customisable Golden Rectangle over any program at any time. The three most important customisable features are the size of the rectangle, the amount of divisions within the rectangle and the style of Golden Rectangle. Although this program is useful for quick mock-ups of Golden Rectangles, it restrains the freedom to move in and out of programs when you want the Golden Rectangle to stay positioned where it is. Also, it does not contain the spiral rectangle. A better solution is to manually draw each type of Golden Rectangle. Begin with a scaled Golden Rectangle by using the Golden Ratio of 1:1.618. If the rectangle is 100mm in height, then it would be 161.8mm in width. To get the first vertical line for the grid do a calculation of 161.80.618 which equals 99.99mm. Make a vertical rule division 99.99mm across. To get the first horizontal rule for the grid do a calculation of 1000.618 which equals 61.8mm. Make a horizontal rule division 61.8mm up. These are the first two lines of the Golden Grid. If you need more lines in the grid for added structural assistance then times 0.618 by the next rule divisions i.e. 99.99mm and 61.8mm. Keeping repeating these steps until there is sufficient spatial zones to work with. For the grid to have a more modular structure, copy and flip the horizontal and vertical lines. For the purpose of positioning photography, four rules should be sufficient as shown. To draw a spiral Golden Rectangle begin by drawing a square and a horizontal halfway line of the square. Locate the point where the halfway line meets the squares edge. Draw a circle from this point with the radius of the distance from the point to the opposite top corner of the square. Extend the square up until it meets the tangent point of the circle. Draw another within the new rectangle division and repeat the process three times for the spiral to emerge. The Golden Ratio is becoming more established as practicable method method in influencing graphic design. It is believed that many logos are influenced by the Golden Section. A fictional Swedish brand was created to use the Golden Ratio to create a logo. The brand is called Skogsr . The idea of the logo was to use three crowns as it is a national emblem of Sweden, present in the Coat of Arms of the Realm of Sweden. The crowns were created using a total six Golden Rectangles that combine to make up one large Golden rectangle. The finished logo was wrapped around a 3D-model of two beer cans using 3DS Max. The beer cans were positioned relative to a Golden Ratio grid. The end result is an example. Evaluation To achieve a successful design solution, the process can be broken down and simplified by use of a grid. When all the necessary information of words and images are composed in a proportionate manner, the design then takes a dynamic form. This is a fundamental part of what design is elements positioned in a beautiful and harmonious system. Considering which elements go where when piecing together a work of images and words can be for the most part an unsure process. Experience and perhaps an innate sense of proportion account for most judgements when weighing up proportion. Essentially, there are two methods in which a designer can take to tackle a design problem using creative intuition about sense of proportion or using a grid for a sense of proportion. Both methods can result in a beautiful and harmonious design solution where all elements have a unique relationship to one another. It may be argued which method is best for the study of graphic design. From the experience gained during the course of this study, it has helped find solutions faster and more efficiently. Evidence shows designing with reference to a planned grid can consistently produce better results (Hurlburt,1978). When an intuitive course of action leads the creative process it could produce sometimes unordered and self-indulgent results. This may hinder the communication purpose of design. On the other hand, a purely pragmatic approach could result in design that lacks originality and flair. Breaking a grid in certain circumstances can be practical but knowing when to do so is import ant Education of design does not really call for a rigid use of grids. This is perhaps because people who seek roles in design are people with creative insight and have an innate sense of balance and proportion. A grid is essentially a combination of horizontal and vertical lines that act as a foundation for the placement of elements. The mind makes these lines when deciding where to place things. A grid can provide these lines and help the mind focus on the objective of communicating design effectively. Hurlburt(1978) states that many highly educated and and contemporary graphic designers can perform without the use of formal grids. Even so in Switzerland and Germany where it is believed grid systems originated. Grids provide a solid framework to work with and can be used in all desktop publishing software. Quite often, effective design ideas come as a correspondence in time between thoughts/moods and the design project at hand. There are times when creative ideas come to mind easily and design solutions are apparent. There times when there is a dry-up of creative flow, possibly as a result of outside forces. During these times a solid framework with which to work is the best course of action. It is comforting that a framework that assists the creative process exists, as graphic design is often thought of as a purely creative line of work that combines knowledge in software and not as a subject where rigid structures exist. Grids provide beautiful harmony and make a design more lucid. It can make a page come alive. They are a guide to, but not a guarantee to effective design and a sensible approach to the design problem. The design work created has laid the foundations for effective future work