Focus of the Final Paper Essay

Focus of the Final Paper You’ve just been hired onto ABC Company as the corporate controller. ABC Company is a manufacturing firm that specializes in making cedar roofing and siding shingles. The company currently has annual sales of around $1.2 million, a 25% increase from the previous year. The company has an aggressive growth target of reaching $3 million annual sales within the next 3 years. The CEO has been trying to find additional products that can leverage the current ABC employee skillset as well as the manufacturing facilities. As the controller of ABC Company, the CEO has come to you with a new opportunity that he’s been working on. The CEO would like to use the some of the shingle scrap materials to build cedar dollhouses. While this new product line would add additional raw materials and be more time-intensive to manufacture than the cedar shingles, this new product line will be able to leverage ABC’s existing manufacturing facilities as well as the current staff. Although this product line will require added expenses, it will provide additional revenue and gross profit to help reach the growth targets. The CEO is relying on you to help decide how this project can be afforded Provide details about the estimated product costs, what is needed to break even on the project, and what level of return this product is expected to provide. In order to help out the CEO, you need to prepare a six- to eight-page report that will contain the following information (including exhibits, but excluding your references and title page). Refer to the accompanying Excel spreadsheet (available through your online course) for some specific cost and profit information to complete the calculations. Final Paper Spreadsheet I. An overall risk profile of the company based on current economic and industry issues that it may be facing. II. Current company cash flow a. You need to complete a cash flow statement for the company using the direct method. b. Once you’ve completed the cash flow statement, answer the following questions: i. What does this statement of cash flow tell you about the sources and uses of the company funds? ii. Is there anything ABC Company can do to improve the cash flow? iii. Can this project be financed with current cash flow from the company? Why or why not? iv. If the company needs additional financing beyond what ABC Company can provide internally (either now or sometime throughout the life of the project), how would you suggest the company obtain the additional financing, equity or corporate debt, and why? III. Product cost: ABC Company believes that it has an additional 5,000 machine hours available in the current facility before it would need to expand. ABC Company uses machine hours to allocate the fixed factory overhead, and units sold to allocate the fixed sales expenses. Bases on current research, ABC Company expects that it will take twice as long to produce the expansion product as it currently takes to produce its existing product. a. What is the product cost for the expansion product under absorption and variable costing? b. By adding this new expansion product, it helps to absorb the fixed factory and sales expenses. How much cheaper does this expansion make the existing product? c. Assuming ABC Company wants a 40% gross margin for the new product, what selling price should it set for the expansion product? d. Assuming the same sales mix of these two products, what are the contribution margins and break-even points by product? IV. Potential investments to accelerate profit: ABC company has the option to purchase additional equipment that will cost about $42,000, and this new equipment will produce the following savings in factory overhead costs over the next five years: Year 1, $15,000 Year 2, $13,000 Year 3, $10,000 Year 4, $10,000 Year 5, $6,000 ABC Company uses the net-present-value method to analyze investments and desires a minimum rate of return of 12% on the equipment. a. What is the net present value of the proposed investment (ignore income taxes and depreciation)? b. Assuming a 5-year straight-line depreciation, how will this impact the factory’s fixed costs for each of the 5 years (and the implied product costs)? What about cash flow? c. Considering the cash flow impact of the equipment as well as the time-value of money, would you recommend that ABC Company purchases the equipment? Why or why not? V. Conclusion: a. What are the major risk factors that you see in this project? b. As the controller and a management accountant, what is your responsibility to this project? c. What do you recommend the CEO do? Writing the Final Paper 1. Must be six to eight double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 2. Must include a title page with the following: a. Title of paper b. Student’s name c. Course name and number d. Instructor’s name e. Date submitted

Outline for Treatment Approaches Essay

There are types of approaches to help an individual with recovering from drug and substance abuse. The approaches that are being looked at to help someone recover is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Medication Management, Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), and Community Reinforcement and Family Training Approach (CRAFT). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Cognitive behavioral; therapy (CBT) was developed as an aide to prevent relapse when treating addiction. CBT is based on the principle that the learning process is important in dealing with male adaptive behaviors like substance abuse. It is a process of identifying problematic behaviors and corrects them with various skills to fight addiction. CBT is based on identifying an individual’s problems and helping the individual’s self-control by developing the ways to cope with the problems effectively. This is done by evaluating the consequences of the substance abuse positive and negative, self-monitoring and recognizing the cravings and their triggers, and developing strategies to cope with the cravings and the triggers. Avoiding the trigger situations also help. In CBT an individual may have a support group to depend on during the recovery process. Such a group is helpful while a person is struggling with solutions. The group also gives positive encouragement during stressful times. In CBT an individual addict is encouraged for positive thinking rather than dwelling in negative thought patterns. CBT can help addicts with low self-esteem to improve their self-esteem which helps in fighting addiction. In CBT an individual learns to resist peer pressure. During CBT an individual can continue his/her normal activities which avoids strained relationships and financial crises.  It is a gradual process both in learning, maintaining and being on their own. It is also very cost effective therapy(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Motivational Enhancement Therapy Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) is a counseling approach that helps individual’s confusing dilemma about the treatment of substance abuse and stopping substance abuse. MET is based on the principles of motivational interviewing. It draws self-motivational statements early on in early discussion and plan for change is built on that. This approach engages the addict in building the plan. Based on their own motivations as oppose to societal. People who cannot follow like 12 –steps may benefit from this therapy. Enlightenment can only occur if an individual wants to learn and MET is centered on this insight. Using peoples own statements about desired better outcomes initial resistance is countered after this is achieved an introduction of behavioral techniques can be introduced to support and individual’s ability to fend for him/herself. MET is often used with other cognitive behavioral approaches. MET could go a long way in offering insights for those effective by many mental illness. With this therapy one can heal from other associated problems like anxiety and depression for life style change (The Ranch, 2014). Medication Management Medication Management is when medical care is an option to help someone reduce the risk of drug abuse. It is usually a pharmacists or physicians that help with medication management by lowering the medications based on the side effects and how the person is with taking the medications. It is that the doctor will ask brief questions about the medications and the feel you need therapy or counseling that will then get set up (McNeece, 2012). Community Treatment Approach (CRA) The Community Reinforcement approach is an alcoholism treatment approach that aims to achieve the addict from looking at positive reinforcement for living a sober free lifestyle and to eliminate all enforcement or influences to drink or do drugs (Miller, 2014). This treatment approach embraces positive incentives to stop drinking or doing drugs verses punishing the addict for the continued abuse (Miller, 2014). Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training Intervention (CRAFT) This approach is an intervention that is based scientifically on intervention strategies designed to help the family members or those concerned with the addict, (CSO), concerned significant others, to help in the facilitation of the addict entering treatment to gain sobriety (Meyers, 2014). This new intervention method was developed with the belief that since family members can, and do make important contribution in other areas of addiction treatment (Meyers, 2014). Conclusion Treatments for people with problems with drug and substance abuse can be helpful when it comes to recovery. The treatment approaches help with managing medications, giving the individual counseling, or even prevention from relapsing back to the addiction. All of these approaches help an individual become healthier and live a longer life. References McNeece, C. A., & DiNitto, D. M. (2012). Chemical dependency: A systems approach (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.n.). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/ The Ranch. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.recoveryranch.com/ Meyers, R. (2014). CRAFT. Retrieved from http://http://www.robertjmeyersphd.com/craft.html Miller, W. (2014). The Community-Reinforcement Approach. Retrieved from http://http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/381/1/The-Community-Reinforcement-Approach/Page1.html

Reflection Paper on School Counselor’s Skills

School Counselors’ Perception of Required Workplace Skills and Career Development Competencies John Barker Ph. D, Jamie Satcher, Ph. D The journal is about a research made to examine US counselors’ perception about the workplace skills and career development for the high school students who are going either work-bound or college bound. Researchers used a questionnaire with a participant of 152 high school counselors nationwide. It was defined from the study that work-bound students are those who are going to work right after high school while college-bound students are those who will pursue a degree after their secondary schooling.Workplace skills and career development competencies were essential for the high school students because according to their department of education, the students need to have a clear understanding of their future occupations. Results of the research indicated that high school counselors view work- and college-bound students as more similar tha n different in their need for developing required workplace skills and competencies. Moreover, the acquisition of said skills and competencies were recognized to be vital for both group of students.There is only a discrepancy when it comes to acquiring skills for according to the results, counselors believed that the work-bound students need to have more idea when it comes to skills so it will be easy for them to look for some jobs. The study emphasized on the great need of acquisition for high school students when it comes to work skills and career competencies as a part of their secondary school experience. Westerners have always been competitive when it comes to pursuing a career.The study was done in December 2000 and it is great to find out that they are already studying about the needs of career development for their high school students. On the other hand here in the country, counselors were just starting off making career programs, not to mention that most schools in the Phi lippines only have career talks. It is not that I am being judgmental when it comes to counseling programs in the country. It so happened that I realized how behind the Philippine schools when it comes to these programs.In fairness with some schools, they have a good guidance program particularly when it comes to placements. Problem here is that not most schools have a career program, so most students get into a course that they really do not like. An example of this is the boom in the nursing profession in our country. Several years ago, there was a big demand for nurses abroad. Almost every graduating secondary student was talking about it and how easy it will be for them to go to the other country for there is a greener grass there.Almost half of the population of each secondary school took the course. After four years of being in the college and passing the board examinations, their next question is â€Å"What now? † Since most of the students took the same course, the de mand decreased already and most of them ended up being jobless. I always look back on these days and I feel bad every time I think of it. I wished that there is someone who could have guided these people when they were choosing the course.Most of the nursing graduates that I know keep on saying that they regret the course they took and that they could have chosen another one. The Commission on Higher Education should really do something about it. On the lighter side of this issue, it is great news that schools are now starting to develop career guidance programs. These programs are even starting as early as pre-school. The National Career Assessment Examination is a great help in identifying their future career. A follow-up form the counselors is a bigger help in shaping their future goals.

Is Islamic Financing better for Real Estate financing than the Essay

Is Islamic Financing better for Real Estate financing than the conventional Financing - Essay Example (Tarek El Diwany, 2003) While conventional banking is more of a profit oriented business seeking interest on the finance provided to the consumer, being part of the capitalistic interest based financial system, etc. (Kabir Hassan and Mervyn Lewis, 2007) Islamic banking activities are mostly clustered around three parts of the world; Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is further reported that Islamic banking system provides services in the real estate sector in many Muslim countries and banks have started special windows to attract petrodollars from the Muslim people. It is further reported there is high scope for investing Islamic financing in real estate market in Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain and other Muslim nations as it offers more ethical and efficient alternatives as compared to the interest based conventional banking system.(M. Mansoor Khan and M. Ishaq Bhatti, 2008) Since the Islamic financing has strong foothold in many of the Muslim count ries and provides services in various fields, it is believed that Islamic finance is better than the conventional financing system with regard to the financing in real estate sector as it provides more customer oriented services unlike the conventional banking where profit is the first objective of the organization. Hence the present study is proposed into the research of Islamic financing system and conventional financing system, and which is the best suited in the area of real estate financing to the public. Zamir Iqbal et al (2009) mentioned that the conventional financing system which is based on debt financing has taken a set back after the recent credit crisis that started with the initial collapse of the sub prime real estate market in the United States in 2007. Islamic banking and finance represents the worldwide phenomenon that is taking place in Malaysia, Indonesia, the United

TUI AG's Restructuring and Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

TUI AG's Restructuring and Expansion - Essay Example Product-market diversification refers to the strategy where the company simultaneously seeks to expand both into new products and new markets. New product expansion is manifested through activities such as the opening of the â€Å"World of TUI Travel Mall† in Berlin whereas new market expansion is characterized by the acquisitions and joint ventures done throughout the organizations growth. Vertical integration strategy involves TUI AG seeking to gain control of both inputs and outputs within the tourism industry’s supply chain. TUI does this through owning and operating companies in both the tourism destinations and source markets as well as the distribution channels, hotels and airlines (Sigala, 2008). Horizontal integration refers to when the company combines with competitors operating in the same industry and doing the same things for example in 1998 HTU took a minority stake in First Reiseburo Management GmbH & Co. KG., a competitor in Germany (Sigala, 2008). T UI’s operations enable its business strategies to be successful through a number of ways. Firstly, through operations the company is able to set and control quality levels uniformly across its integrated tourism supply chain. ... 2-What benefits does TUI AG achieve through its integrated tourism supply chain? Are there any disadvantages to this? The three major benefits to TUI AG of having an integrated tourism supply chain are: increased guarantee of product quality, better protection of proprietary technologies and processes, and lower transaction costs. By controlling both its inputs and outputs, TUI AG has a greater ability than a non-integrated tourism company to implement standard quality control systems as well as share best practices across all its products. Further, the organization can integrate operations across its supply chain to create a seamless experience for its customers. With regards to better protection of proprietary technologies and/or processes, TUI could have developed a more effective way of, say, minimizing the time it takes a customer to move from holiday planning to actually going for the holiday. If the company were to use an external service provider it may have to share some of its knowledge to make the experience seamless. On the other hand, by having all service providers within its supply chain, the company can keep the process secret or as a competitive advantage for a much longer period. Lower transaction costs are achieved in two ways. To begin with, TUI could standardize infrastructure and procedures across all its subsidiary companies which would make transactions cheaper and less time consuming across the supply chain. Secondly, by having an integrated supply chain TUI is guaranteed of retaining maximum value from the customers thus the margins set across the value chain are lower. This implies that the subsidiary companies across the value chain face lower costs than those faced by

Romantic Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Romantic Poetry - Essay Example Blake, being a creative poet, based most of his literary works on a wide popular style of Romanticism, leaving after him the great poems, such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Wollstonecraft and others. For a great regret, unconventional and enigmatic works of William Blake did not achieve an understanding of people of his time, but exactly now, due to the gradual realization, studying and actively publishing, his works, like his biography – a biography of a thinker, rebel, seeker, mastermind and sage - are shared. Investigating both poems it becomes obvious that the author wrote them being in a big inspiration, because all words go from the bottom of his heart, allowing some natural expression being visible. The poem Infant Joy shows us the true nature of every person, because the main aim of all people is to be happy like newborn children who never know sorrow and regret, while their hearts and minds are open to the world and they are looking for good feelings and joy. Observing th e poem The Smile we can say that it describes ‘smile’ as something symbolical to personal feelings and thoughts, while deeper motives of every person are reflected trough the smile, making it unique and mysterious. The poem The Smile is a kind of a very intimate confession where the author explains the necessity to be ‘smiling’ in the meaning of kindness and tenderness of feelings.

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) Essay

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) - Essay Example A study of college students stress found that stress is self-imposed surprisingly often (Weiten & Lloyd 65). Further enhancing available research that links college activities to self-imposed stress, this researcher noted a particular instance in which a student manifested not only outward indications of self-imposed stress, rather the student began to exhibit behavior toward self-fulfilling prophecy in which the students unrealistic expectations about academic performance caused her negative assertions to become reality. In an attempt to justify a hypothetical linkage between self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy, this researcher engaged the student to become an It became a crucial determining factor to this case study to witness how the participant functioned in an academic environment and for this researcher to observe behaviors which could be linked to self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy. The subject was observed frantically reinforcing her impending failure to an upcoming class examination, exclaiming on several occasions that she was "stupid" and could not manage to secure an acceptable understanding of her curriculums material. This researcher allowed the subject to openly express her misgivings with her academic performance and twice witnessed the subject toss her study materials in frustration. Further forward in the subjects study session, the student publicly refused to continue studying because she perceived the activity as a "useless effort" and that she was "doomed to work at a car wash for the rest of her life" and would never attain her degree. As part of our association, it was commonplace for this researcher to offer study assistance by quizzing the subject on her study material. After reviewing the information, this researcher was able to conclude that the subject comprehended

Marijuana should be legalized or not Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marijuana should be legalized or not - Essay Example It is very hard for authorities to reprimand a person for behavior that injures or harms only himself or herself (Clifford 23-26). According to philosophy, current regulation on drugs is unjustified and that some drugs such as marijuana that have been made illegal are treated like alcohol or tobacco. Marijuana should not be legalized despite the ethical implications associated with its use. Body The use of marijuana will lead to increased organized crime rates, corrupt governments, increased violence, and economic markets distortions. The social, economic, and political effects that substance abuse has had on the entire society are self-evident. For instance, a substantial number of Americans who succumb due to drug-related complications has soared. Direct health care costs have also increased to large extents. Besides, substance abuse cost Americans billions of dollars annually. Further, there is Low productivity in the U.S due to morbidity, which has adversely affected the American economy (Boschert 29). Drug- related crimes are the order of the day in U.S in that crime rate has tremendously heightened. Consequently, crime and law enforcement costs have been on the rise due to increases in use of illegal use of marijuana. This has invoked the American government to tighten up its belt in the fight against illicit drug and substance abuse. Psychoactive drugs have been incorporated in social events such as celebrations, religious ceremonies, and rites of passage. When discussing the issue of recreational drugs, it is sensible to talk about the harm associated with these drugs (Sabet 2009). Marijuana can be taken on regular basis with no ill basis but long-term exposure and intake of drugs is harmful. Majority of people die from drug induced causes such as organ damage, heart attack, and even overdose. In addition, there are some healths risks associated with marijuana drugs such as sexually transmitted diseases that arise from poor precautionary judgment. Apart from the self-inflicted harm, there is harm that is caused to others in society such as increased crime rate from users who cannot control their system since drugs consumed inhibits their legitimate decisions (Kilmer 39-42). Theft and muggings are commonly associated with addiction and women who are under the influence of drugs would engage in prostitution without their own convictions to do so. Children born in families where parents are drug user’s end up homeless while family resources are depleted. The idea of selling and using marijuana has both legal and moral issues. On one hand, if the government legalized the use of marijuana in society, we can deduce whether application of marijuana is immoral or not. If the law allows an individual to engage or do certain things, it does not mean that the person should do it. On the other hand, even if the use of marijuana is not morally acceptable we can question ourselves whether the use of such drugs is illegal or not. The law has many flaws in that it allows us to do many things that are immoral such as saying lies to other people (Boschert 32-34). The whole purpose and motive of marijuana is for the pleasure that they produce to the user. Search for pleasure comes natural to us as human beings. It is human nature that people are pleasure seeking and what makes life enjoyable is in pleasure of larger variety. There are pleasures in food, drugs, or romance. This way brain chemistry

Human Resource Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human Resource Development - Essay Example Because the soft learning of management training is not measured currently, Westway Land requires a different human resources model to determine management growth in training using a Critical Incidents Technique and alterations to how HR approaches the assessment of management learning. Because the movement from a junior-level position to a middle management position requires maintaining the specific skills and competencies necessary to fulfill a higher-influence role in business activities, Westway Land requires a template by which these competencies can be measured from identified trainee to trainee. The critical incidents technique describes a series of hypothetical management situations or other relevant encounters, asking for a specific solution from trainee members regarding how best to appropriately handle these situations. Based on the individual demands of the business, whether the middle management positions entail heavy customer interaction or simply the organisation of subordinate employee job roles, the critical incidents template can be constructed at a relatively low cost, with low staff investment in its design, to capture the essence of management job roles after training has occurred. Because the systems and processes already exist at the company which measure individual job performance and clearly outline the role responsibilities in management positions, the critical incidents techniques should be constructed with 10-15 unique circumstances, calling for an ultimate qualitative analysis of assessed manager responses. Lau and Neal (2009) offers that significant contributions to what drives employee satisfaction are job security, communication, autonomous working environments, and compensation. With this in mind, from a rather practical HR viewpoint, if the junior manager’s new role (upon training completion) will involve a heavy focus on staff interventions and project leadership roles, assessment criteria built into the new critical

Argue against any common controversial position, such as supporting Essay

Argue against any common controversial position, such as supporting death penalty, or contemporary phenomenom, such as the disadvantages of online education - Essay Example A vast majority of religions, particularly the Abrahamic religions, consider both suicide and murder some of the gravest sins described by these religions. For example, killing one person is considered equal to killing all mankind according to Islam. Proponents of euthanasia say that euthanasia is not murder since the will of the victim is involved in it. In a vast majority of cases, this is not what happens. A lot of cases of euthanasia happen to people who are either mentally retarded, or are the patients of comma. In neither of these cases, the victim is able to decide for himself/herself. The decision is made by the relatives who are bearing the expenses of medical care of the victim. There are certain cases in which the personal will of the individual who is given euthanasia, is involved. From the religious perspective, this may not be a murder, but for sure is a suicide, which is again a grave sin. This sin is committed not only by the victim of euthanasia who opted for it, but also by the doctors who helped in making the victim’s wish come true. Therefore, religion condemns euthanasia whether or not the personal will of the victim is involved. From the ethical perspective, euthanasia is wrong as well. In the case when the victim’s will is not involved, ending his/her life is essentially a violation of his/her most fundamental right of living. Every human being deserves to live till the time of natural death. It is not for other human beings to decide when a certain individual’s life should be brought to an end. On the other hand, when the victim’s will is involved in euthanasia, giving him/her euthanasia is still unethical for several reasons. People opting for suicide are psychologically disturbed and overcome with distress and tension. The solution to their problems is medical help and psychological therapy, not euthanasia. If the individual is allowed to survive, his/her health might improve with the

Target market Essay Example for Free

Target market Essay Fitness United is a large fitness facility, in its early stages of operation. We started this fitness facility to help our members save money. While getting fit, staying in the shape they all ready are, or just starting something new. Our gyms will reduce the expenses that the average household spends on staying fit, by offering low prices and making sure that you stay on track; without there being a loss for equipment. When you stay fit and in shape you improve productivity, you feel better about yourself, and you know that you are doing all that you can to make your life better. Our target markets are demographic, psychographic, and behaviour segments. We felt that Demographic segmentation will allow us to reach everyone and anyone in our community. Our gym will have an age restriction, unfortunately youll need to be over 17 years of age to come into the gym. We will be trying to reach out to the younger people in our community and be able to accommodate their children with day care, this way gym goers will be able to workout and stay healthy knowing that their children are safe and being watched over. Beginning to plan for the future, Fitness United will allow you stay fit and healthy and be able to plan for what ever you want to do. By staying fit and healthy you can plan for that dream vacation hiking mountains in the mayan, or where ever your heart desiers. We will have the latest products and resources that our members will be able to work with to achieve their goals. The newest equipment that allows our members to get fit faster and work different muscle groups each time they attend the gym. Our trainers will help you with meal plans to make sure you get the best out of your work outs and help repair your body after workouts. Our trainers are trained to help members stay on track, with monthly weigh ins and meal plans; this is all part of the membership cost. Psychographic segmentation will let us reach out to people and make their dreams come true, with the right marketing and the right advertising we can touch on what they will be able to achieve with purchasing our membership. Not just a great body or a low fat percentage, but a new you. A new you that you can be proud of and challenge the ones around you to become the same. The power of self confidence is a key with psychographic segmentation and fitness unlimited. Behaviors segmentation will allow us to target the people to seek to fulfill their goals. We will make sure that our staff will walk with our clients step by step to achieve these goals. Knowledge is key they say, we have the best trainers and staff that will sit with our clients and make sure that they are educated about what they are doing in the gym, and be able to answer any questions clients may have. We know that there will be cheaper and flashier gyms in the community, but none will be have the expertise and equipment that we will have. We will drive sales and beat the competition by advertising everything, and I mean everything that you get without membership. No gyms will be able to offer the same as we can. From trained and certified child minding, to trained and certified trainers we will have all the tools to go above and beyond all the other gyms in our demographic.

Home Depot Analysis Essay Example for Free

Home Depot Analysis Essay Strategic audit 1. Current Situation A. Current Performance The Home Depot Inc. performed quite well in the past few years from 2000- 2005. Firstly, It opened more than 900 stores until 2005 and their sales doubled during that period as well. Secondly, The Earnings per share growth at least 20% in each of the year from 2000 till 2005. Thirdly, it accounts 10% market share of the US home appliances market by the end of 2005. This growth is outstanding because The Home Depot was just an inconspicuous company five years before. To sum up, its financial success ensures the company to create values to the shareholders. B. Strategic Posture Mission: The Home Depot is a home improvement retailer. It can be categorized as a retailer that devilries products and services at the same time because the goal of The Home Depot is to provide the highest level of service. The Home Depot is not just selling home improvement products but also installing the products, thus it combines the warehouse-format stores with a high level of customer service. Objectives: The slogan of the company is:â€Å" Improve Everything We Touch.† Strategies: The Company’s overall strategy is enhancing the core, extending the business and expanding the market. The 3E are consistent with each other. Policiesï ¼Å¡ 2. Corporate Governance A. Board of Directors There are 11 people in the board of directors and 9 of them were external member, which called no-management directors. The directors are full of experience in different aspects; they are closely working together to ensure the company is in the right track. Robert Nardelli: Chief Executive Officer of Home Depot. He is an inside director. Milledge Hart: non-independent outside director. He is an external member. Kennth Langone: Lead Director of the Board. Non-Management Directors Gregory D.Brennman: CEO and chairman of Burger King. Owned 33,519 of Home Depot stock. John L.Clendenin: CEO and chairman of Bellsouth Corporation. Owned 38,832 shares of Home Depot stock and chaired the boad’s Audit Committee. Claudio X.Gonzalez: Chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark de Mexico.Owned 64,457 of Home Depot stock. Milledge A,Hart: Chairman of DocuCorp International. Owned 3,568,411 of Home Depot stock. Bonnie G.Hill: Owned 22,370 of Home Depot stock, etc. 4. Internal Environment C. Corporate Resources Research and Design

Comparing Politics In The Us And Saudi Arabia Politics Essay

Comparing Politics In The Us And Saudi Arabia Politics Essay A political system is the system of the government and usually the government works to develop their political system. In most countries, the political system has some weaknesses and strengths points because nothing can be perfect also; it has some similarities and differences between countries to other country. Countries success depends on the political system because the political system is significant to development the country. United States is one of greatest countries on the earth because it has superior political system. Although Saudi Arabia does not compare with success of United States, they are attempting to be more achievement in the world. The political systems of United States and Saudi Arabia have some similarities and differences. United states and Saudi Arabia have a competent authority to discuses and give the rules for the country. In United States, the Congress has the power to formulate the rule. The Congress decides the rule to be appropriate for the government and they decide to improve their country to be more powerful and successful. For instance, after the war between United States and Vietnam, the Congress decided to stop the conscription because it did not help the country. The Congress put the rules appropriate for society because United States is multicultural and multi-religions country. The religion sometime against some rules but the Congress decides to be away of problems. In Saudi Arabia, Majles Alshora has the right to make the rules. Majles Alshora decides the rules suitable with Islamic religion. For example, Saudi Arabia has capital punishment because it is part of Islamic religion also, everything is close at the pray times accept hospitals and clinics so it is close five times a day. M ajles Alshora makes the rules suitable for society but it has to be compatible with Islamic religion. For instance, they have free education and they give students wages to encourage them to study because the knowledge is part of Islamic religion. In conclusion, the rules in United States and Saudi Arabia have the same way to decide it. The foreign relations of United States and Saudi Arabia are similar to each other because, they have diplomatic relations with most countries. United States has diplomatic relations with most countries and it has problems with some countries in the Middle East so, United States has perfect relations with most countries with the exception of Middle East. For instance, it has great relation with United Kingdom, France, Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, United States is fighting the terrorism especially in the Middle East so, United States has some war in the Middle East. For instance, it has war with Iraq because they said Iraq was terrorist country also, it has war in Afghanistan because they are fighting Al-Qaida and many countries help them to end the terrorist in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has diplomatic relations with most countries also; it has problems with some countries in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has a political relation with most European, Asian, African and American countries so; they have political relation with most countries because Saudi Arabia has petrol and every country needs the petrol because it is the main energy source in the world. However, Saudi Arabia has some problems with some countries in the Middle East such as Iran and Israel because, Iran helps the terrorist people in Saudi Arabia and there is a religion problem with Israel. In conclusion, United States and Saudi Arabia have the same foreign relations because the political relations with most countries accept in the Middle East. In spite of these similarities, these two Countries have some differences. The leadership in United States and Saudi Arabia has huge differences because United States has presidential system and Saudi Arabia has a monarchy system. The president of United States is the chief of States and government and has the highest political official by influence and recognition the United States. People have the right to vote for their president in United States because this is United States policy. Every four years the citizen vote for president. The president should lead the country for four years or eight years. For instance, the citizen in United States voted for George W. Bush before he leaded the country for four years and, when his four years has finished, the citizen voted for him again however, he cannot be president of United States because he was president for eight years. But on the other hand, Saudi Arabia has totally different leadership system because Saudi Arabia has monarchy system. Saudi Arabia has royal family and the king has to be from the royal fam ily of Saudi Arabia. The first king of Saudi Arabia was king Abdul-Aziz bin Abdurrahman because he was the Saudi Arabias founder. Before he died, he established his son Saud to be the king Of Saudi Arabia. The king leads the country until he dies and the royal family chooses one to lead the country. For instance, King Fahad bin Abdul-Aziz had been the king of Saudi Arabia for twenty three years until he died after that the royal family had chosen his brother Abdulla to be king and he is the king of Saudi Arabia until now. In short, There are quite differences between Unites States and Saudi Arabia in the leadership because, the system in United States is presidential and kingdom in Saudi Arabia. The other different between the political system of United States and Saudi Arabia is the economy. United States and Saudi Arabia have the larger economy in the world but they have differences in the economic system. United States has a capitalist mixed economy so; United States economy depends on industrial. United States has many of largest company in many things in the world such as vehicles manufacturing, computer companies and aircrafts factories. However, The companies have been dropping since the last global financial crises that affected most countries and companies. For instance, General Motors is one of greatest companies and it is Americans company also the government supports it but it affected by the last global financial crises. United States encourages the population to have their own business to increase the United States economy because economic of the country depends on the public business. But on the other hand, Saudi Arabia has an Islamic economy system so the Isl amic economy system is what written in the Quran and also Saudi Arabias economy depends on petrol. The economy of Saudi Arabia is one of the greatest countries because of the petrol moreover Petrol is abundantly in Saudi Arabia. Although the last global financial crises had affected most countries, Saudi Arabia had made outrageous profit because the price of oil had reached into the highest level. Saudi Arabia exports the petrol to many countries on the world because it exports more than eight millions barrel per a day. In conclusion, some countries have differences in economic system and United States and Saudi Arabia are one of these countries. The political system of United States and Saudi Arabia: different, yet alike. Although the two countries differ in many parts such as diverse in the economic system and command system adopted various between them. In addition, the difference assist to have some similarities because there are no countries has entirely different. However, there are some similarities between United States and Saudi Arabia in many parts at the political system for example the two countries has the same foreign relation specially in the Middle East and the most important resemblance is the competent authority to establish the rules.

Women In Math :: essays research papers

Women In Math Over the past 20 years the number of women in the fields of math, science and engineering have grown at astronomical rate. The number of women which hold positions in these fields has more than doubled. In post secondary education women are filling up the lecture halls and labs where in the past where it was rare to see a woman at all. If a woman was able withstand the pressure that was put on her it was more than likely that she wouldn't even be hired. Many organizations have been established to help young women to prosue carriers in either math, science and engineering. A few examples of these organizations are, AWM (Association for Women in Mathematics), WISE (Women In Sience and Engineering), ASEM (Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics) and many others. Many young women do not prosue carriers in math for one or more key reasons. One is that they have no female role models to look up to or any famous females in that field to inspire them. Another is that they are often disgouraged by others, usually family members, â€Å" Why don't you be like your mother and stay home and raise the children.† is a common line used. This is most likely because the parents don't want to see their daughter go out and fall flat on her face when she doesn't make it. There is little support from others if a woman wants to go into these fields. Equal opportunities is also a large factor in this, either as a decision maker wether to go into the field or not or cold hard facts. Facts like 90 percent of engineering, math and science position are held by men, this means that they don't hire very many women. Another reason is that the maybe lacking the self-esteem within their self. This could be because of the scary numbers that are related to women and math, science and engineering positions. Or that they could be struggling in that area. Another factor could be that they fear that hiring opportunities are very

Yanomamo Tribe :: Yanomamo Indians Culture

The Yanomamo My name is Eric Dunning and this is my proposal to go and study the Yanomamo tribe in the rain forests of Brazil. I have compiled a historical outline of the Yanomamo tribe and some of their religion and culture, ranging from marital status to the type of food they eat. I have chosen this tribe because according to many anthropologists the Yanomamo are perhaps the last culture to have come in contact with the modern world. The Yanomamo people of Central Brazil are one of the oldest examples of the classic pre-Columbian forest footmen. The Yanomamo live in almost complete seclusion in the Amazon rain forests of South America. The Yanomamo live in small bands or tribes and live in round communal huts called shabonos, which are actually made up of individual living quarters. The Yanomamo language consists of a variety of dialect, but no real written language. Clothes are minimal, and much of their daily life revolves around gardening, hunting, gathering, making crafts and visiting with one another. These small tribes hold their men in high ranks. Chiefs are always men who are held responsible for the general knowledge and safety of the group's women. The men are able to beat their wives if they feel the need to and are able to marry more than one woman at a time. This loose form of polygamy is a way of increasing the population of the tribe. Yanomamo people rely heavily on a system of political alliances based upon relationship. As part of that system, they have incorporated a complex feasting and trading system into their culture. One of these methods of forming political alliances is feasting. Feasting is when one village invites another village for a feast or dinner. During the feast there is a lot of social activity. The Yanomamo dance and mingle with each other along with eating a different variety of foods. The only catch is the other village must reciprocate a feast by one village. This feast is more like an American dinner party in which members of family or social group invite others to attend. A feast however can be dangerous and or fatal for those who attend. The Yanomamo can be very conniving and deceiving. They pretend to be loyal friends and invite the other village for a feast. The other very village very trustfully attends the feast not knowing that this might be their last meal.

The Glamorization Of Heroin :: essays research papers

The Glamorization of Heroin Celebrities and popular culture in society have glamorized the deadly drug heroin today. The status of heroin in America today is that the drug is "in." Advertisements in magazines and television are displaying gaunt, extremely thin, glassy-eyed, pale faced models. This look of death is often found in Calvin Klein ads or even in Packard-Bell commercials. For over three decades now, powerful role models from music to movies have taken to heroin like pigs take to slop. The drug continues to be portrayed in a favorable light by the fashion, music, and entertainment industries. Mixed messages about heroin are everywhere from raccoon eyed models to songs such as "Heroin Girl" by Everclear. Rock musicians have created and celebrated a culture of heroin, and some have become role models in their death. The use of heroin is increasing in almost every part of the United States. All age groups are all over the drug, including high school and middle school students. What doesn't help is that the availability of heroin has increased as well. New sources and networks of distribution have been reported. The comeback of heroin is not only apparent in the inner cities; it has been making its way to suburban life as well. Another way to tell that the use of heroin is on the rise is by the number of emergency room visits that deal with heroin users. In 1990 there was 33,000 emergency department visits nationally where heroin use was involved. By the year 1995 the number had more than doubled to 76,000. In the mid-1980's about ten percent of patient population was identified as being IV drug users. Now, the number is up to about twenty percent. (Source # 4, Gabor Kelen, Professor of Emergency Medicine in the School of Medicine and director of Hopkins Emergency room). What are the causes of this heroin obsession? Some say it could Hollywood's apparent fascination with the drug. Heroin has been a theme in several recent movies. From Trainspotting, to The Basketball Diaries, and even greater hits like Pulp Fiction, heroin is the subject matter. People think that since the movie was so great, maybe their life will be great as well. The "heroin chic" approach taken by photographers is another major cause. Also, all the media attention "heroin chic" gets by the press is a factor causing more people to notice the look of death trend. On May 21, 1997, President Bill Clinton addressed the U.

My Finial Project Reflection

DRAFT COPY Reflective Essay, Group Project & Discussion Question Guidelines for Effective Writing Peace Studies 1050, Introduction to Peace StudiesSpring, 2009 FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS: Be sure to have your name AND lab section (A,B,C,D,E, or F) at the top of the assignment! One reflective essay (four to six pages), one Group Project, one final essay and fourteen discussion questions ( ? to ? page each—may be longer) will be assigned at various times throughout the term (see the Syllabus, the Readings & Assignments Calendar and the Blackboard website for due dates).They are an opportunity for you, the student, to pose your own sociological questions about the assigned topic or reading material. You might want to think of these essays/questions as conversations with me in which you can develop your own line of sociological reasoning and critical thinking about peace studies. Keep in mind that critical analysis = thoughtful, academically grounded questioning rather than making a nega tive attack. Write in the first person and use active voice for all assignments. **Note: be sure to include appropriate citations!! *** The essay and/or discussion question cluster should be based on the following outline: 1) Begin by framing a question about the assigned reading— keep in mind that this question will form the basis of our classroom discussion. Some of the themes from which questions might be drawn include— a. Ethics, comparisons among readings (e. g. , if Johnson makes one claim about social justice, but Nibert makes another claim then you might ask why they are different); b. Personal experience (e. g. if you have ever joined a student protest (or not) and your observations about the experience are different from Johnson’s then you might ask why he sees things in a different way—first trying to see things from his point of view as a sociologist! ); c. Suggestions for how things might be different (e. g. , questions about how the public c an be made aware of issues that you think are being kept under wraps—e. g. how economic development in Africa relates to increased poverty and war—see Tola Pearce article); d. How power and policies relate to socially constructing norms and values (e. g. asking why the media covers college student stories or animal abuse cases with a particular slant†¦you could ask who controls the media and how do they do it? ). 2) Explain why you are asking the question (e. g. , your experience might contradict what you are reading or you think that the author may have missed something and you wonder why) and be sure to relate the question to our readings and discussions. Do NOT simply repeat the question(s) that the author is asking!!!! Show me that you are thinking sociologically and critically about the reading. For the ESSAY ONLY you will also complete items 3-10: ) Give your own reflective response to a question you have asked about the assigned reading(s). Either use one o f your already completed Discussion Questions OR create a new Discussion Question. Elaborate on how you developed your response. In other words, what most influences your thinking (e. g. , parents, peers, religion, other classes, or ? )? Explain how others are (or are not) able to influence your thinking. 4) Support your sociological line of reasoning with material from classroom discussions, course texts, at least one (1) professional journal article from the field of sociology, and your own empirical observations.While there is no specific requirement about the number of citations needed for each assignment, academic work of a high quality is marked by the way all knowledge claims are supported with full citations. (remember that you must cite readings along with discussions, lectures and primary source documents such as letters) 5) If you feel limited in your ability to answer the question then explain how and why you feel limited. Maybe you have never before considered the issue and feel as if your worldview has been shaken. What do you think would help you to better answer the question?Perhaps you will think that having more work experience in a particular organization would give you a better insight into the matter. You might also want to speculate about interviewing people affected by conflict(s) or interviewing so-called experts. What would you ask them? Would interviewing the author help? 6) Keep in mind that I am not asking you to tell me your opinion of the reading (that it is good or bad—easy or hard). I am asking you to reflect on how the material pertains to the academic discipline of sociology as it relates to peace studies.Be a sociologist and ask questions a sociologist would ask. It is important for you to use sociological language and footnotes/bibliography where appropriate. Here are a couple of very brief examples of sociological questions (for more examples see the questions posted on our Blackboard website—I expect YOUR que stions to be much longer than my examples! ): a. If there is enough food to feed the entire planet then why are there conflicts over humanitarian aid? Why are people anywhere dying of hunger related illnesses? How is the media involved in peace processes that could help feed the hungry?Through what social processes other than the media do people attach meanings to peace? b. If peace is valued in a society, then why are Peace Studies classes and academic programs considered controversial? Who benefits from questioning the value of peace studies? Who loses? Whose voice is silenced? For the Essay AND the Small Group Poster/Essay/Abstract Exhibition complete items 7-10— 7) The Revision Process (applies only to the Reflective Essay and Small Group Essay Exhibition—not the abstract)—you will be given one week after the individual graded reflective essay and small group essay are returned to complete revisions.NOTE: You will not be given a grade on your first draft. We want you read the comments of the grader and make appropriate revisions. Revisions should focus on the following: 1) course content; 2) the quality of critical analysis; 3) consistency and parsimony in your line of reasoning; 4) quality of sources cited; 5) grammar; 6) syntax; 7) spelling; 8) composition; and 9) any other suggestions made by the person grading your essay. ) The Grading Rubric (posted on Blackboard Course Documents page) provides specific guidelines for your revisions; however, revisions should not involve the following: 1) the submission of a completely new essay; 2) simply making the essay longer without attention to the comments of the grader; and/or 3) making only cosmetic changes. 9) NOTE: You must submit the original copy of your individual essay AND Small Group Essay WITH the revised copy! Attach them with a staple or a paper clip. Also, it is entirely possible that your revisions will not be sufficient to merit a superior grade.You will not lose points in th e revision process, but you may not gain points either. Quality of effort matters! 10) About those citations—the graders will be checking to make sure that the sources you cite include (but are not limited to): course readings, classroom discussions, Blackboard posts, professional academic journals, and primary source documents. You do NOT need to use all of these sources in each assignment (although you will need to cite at least one journal article in your reflective essay). Simply make sure that you fully support your line of reasoning.NOTE: Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable source of information, and it will not count as a citation—use of Wikipedia may even have negative consequences. It is also important that you use a sociology dictionary rather than a standard dictionary when trying to define key concepts such as peace, freedom and liberty. I want to reiterate that there is NO SET NUMBER of citations required for any assignment. It is quality and not quantity that matters! SECOND REMINDER: FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS: Be sure to have your name AND lab section (A,B,C,D,E, or F) at the top of the assignment!

Fundamental Principles to Adult Education Essay

Adult education’s principal and fundamental principle is to harness and enhance adult individual’s skill and knowledge to be productive contributors to the society. Adult learners are provided then with programs and adult education movement for granting more opportunities for their advancement, as their success is regarded as the society’s growth as well. Adult learners should be educated not only for increase of knowledge but also for gaining more integral values as they were expected to give more of themselves and contribute in productivity of the society they belong. Fundamental Principles to Adult Education Being a teacher of a particular credit-based community college course is a very serious and tedious task. Since there would be a variety of 35 students’ whose age range vary from 17- 70 years old, this would certainly mean a† big challenge† for the instructor’s part, in order to teach and provide learning effectively. Malcolm S. Knowles, a prominent writer and instructor, advocated the theory of non-formal (informal) andragogy or adult education in the United States. He taught various principles and wrote numerous detailed accounts discussing on how to facilitate learning especially for the adults. Applying clinical Rogerian psychology in his writings and teaching; in result, he was able to train his students to acquire the attitude of being self-motivated. Furthermore, Knowles initiated the interest for implementation of informal adult education and he differentiated the advantages of the informal education, to the standard, traditional formal education. According to Knowles, formal education are mostly implemented and commonly used in secondary educational schools, commerce schools, and universities; whereas in informal adult education, students are just likely to complete credits on particular vocational or training courses and their classes are to be held on â€Å"community center unions, and other industries and even churches. Moreover, formal education requires that of being stable for completion of long term four-year course or more; when the latter (informal education) serves to be more temporary and flexible. However, it does not mean that informal education is not serious, the system just purports to be flexible enough to meet the needs of the adults who may be busy with their lives (job, family, religious and other activities). And these cases meet the demands of several adults who would want to re-educate themselves and to refresh their knowledge and learning from their vast experience, or to simply increase and gain more knowledge and training from their desires course of interest. In brief, Malcolm Knowles acknowledged the increasing demand and importance of adult education in the present 20th century. Knowles objective of real learning in adults, he emphasizes that an adult learner should acquire self-concept, readiness to learn, experience, orientation towards learning, and especially, the motivation to learn (Smith, 2002). On the other hand, a professor in New Zealand named, T. A. Hunter, also propounded the proliferation and development of an adult education movement. Hunter’s principle of education is grounded on his belief that education is depicted to the successful adjustment of a man to physical and social changes in one’s environment. His blueprint for adult education is the successful integration of biological, physiological, sociocultural, and cognitive knowledge derived from the informal training or education (Hunter, 1929). Adult education should mainly function to harness and enhance adult individual’s skill and knowledge. Adult learners at the same time should still be given the opportunity for advancement since their success is the society’s growth as well. Adult learners should be educated not only for increase of knowledge but also for gaining more integral values as they were expected to give more of themselves and contribute in productivity of the society they belong. In addition, this adult education is more of an inspiration among individuals who are in search for more adequate and applicable learning, and is regarded as an opportunity to success with one’s endeavors and purpose of serving the society (UNESCO, 1960). Fundamental principles of adult education then, should be grounded on the â€Å"realistic† and objective goal of learning. Education as embedded in the infinite realm of knowledge should be available to everyone regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, and culture. Adult education, as it plays a significant role and is the demand of most populace, should be taken seriously to address the learner’s need for proper, adequate, and effective learning. Moreover, there is a call for the government, to increase attention for the provision of the proper adult education. Increase of funding for the adult learners’ facilities, venues, and other learning tools is urgent to make this effective learning possible (UNESCO, 1960). References Hunter, T. A. (1929, July 1). Adult education. The New Zealand Railways Magazine, 4, 3. Retrieved from October 13, 2008, from http://www. nzetc. org/tm/scholarly/tei- Gov04_03Rail-t1-body-d7. html Smith, M. (2002) Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and Anadragogy. Tthe encyclopedia of informal Education. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www. infed. org/thinkers/et-knowl. htm UNESCO. (1960). World conference on adult education. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www. unesco. org/education/uie/confintea/montre_e. pdf

Drive by daniel pink

The Puzzling Puzzles of Harry Harlow and Edward Deci Drive offers a new way to think about motivation. Most of what businesses, governments, and nonprofit organizations assume about human behavior, particularly about what motivates us, is wrong. Short-term incentives and pay-for-performance schemes come from outdated assumptions that favor external motivations (i. e. , rewards and punishments for behaving a particular way) overintrinsic motivations (i. e. , the Joy that comes from completing a task).Organizations that rely on external rewards and punishments do so at their peril. In two separate studies, psychologists Harry Harlow and Edward Deci found that external motivations negativelyimpacted performance for non-routine tasks. Although Harlow and Deci's results were robust, they were controversial and ignored. In the book, Drive, Dan Pink argues that it's time to get rid of the old operating system and replace it with a more scientifically accurate understanding of human behavior . Drive, is organized into three parts. Part One reveals how external motivations (a. . a. , carrot-and-stick incentives) can do more harm than good, except in tasks that have straightforward solutions and that equire adherence to a simple set of rules. It's time organizations move to a new mindset that embraces what Dan Pink calls Type I behavior (i. e. , behavior fueled by the inherent satisfaction of the task itself). Part Two examines the three building blocks of Type I behavior: autonomy (i. e. , our desire to be self-directed), mastery (i. e. , our urge to make progress and get better at what we do), and purpose (i. e. our yearning to contribute and to be part of something greater than ourselves).

A Critical Review of Infant Artificial Language Learning Essay

They also give evidence which comes from experiments showing that newborns discriminate a passage read aloud by their mothers during the last six weeks of pregnancy from an unfamiliar one. Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken’s observation about this phenomenon is very helpful especially for those who are learning about the mystery of how children acquire their language and it is only how but also since when children especially infant acquire the language and it can be answered by Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken which stated that there’s a probability infants learn and acquire language since in the utero. Summary How children acquire language is one of the mysteries of human cognition. There is a view about thirty years ago states that children master language by means of a language-specific learning device but in earlier proposal states that children make use of domain-general, associative learning mechanisms. Language acquisition is one of the most complex learning tasks imaginable. The complexity of natural language makes it exceedingly difficult to isolate factors responsible for language learning. Infant language researchers have begun by examining four aspects of the language learner’s task. The first involves identification of word-like units in speech. The second involves encoding and remembering the order in which words occur in sentences. The third involves generalization of grammatical relations. The last involves learning at the more abstract level of syntactic categories (e. . determiner, adjective, noun and verb). This fourth sensitivity is at the root of our unique human ability to produce and comprehend novel utterances. First implication of the research on infant artificial language learning concerns artificial-language-learning studies discussed have examined infants’ sensitivity to linguistic form in the absence of semantic content. This is not to say that learners do not ultimately need to map the syntactic forms they encode durin g infancy onto meaning. Obviously they do. However, the fact is infants are able to acquire certain aspects of form prior to acquiring the meaning of these forms changes the nature of the language acquisition problem in a fundamental way. A second implication of the research on infant artificial language learning concerns the specificity of the constraints on the learner. On many accounts, these constraints have been construed as being language specific, such that for every aspect of language to be acquired, the child is born with a specific constraint. Data showing that infants can use transitional probabilities to segment grammatical tone sequences contrasts with this view. A third implication of both the infant artificial-language learning studies reviewed here and many studies of infant language perception preceding them concerns the relevance of children’s early utterances as evidence for theories of language acquisition. One of the key observations of linguistic natives involves errors that children do not make. Children never erroneously transform a statement like ‘The man who is tall is Sam’ into a question like ‘Is the man who tall is Sam? The lack of such errors, along with logical arguments concerning the poverty of the stimulus, have been taken as evidence that children never consider rules based solely on linear order in sentences. it is equally important to note that if the studies of infants’ early linguistic abilities tell us anything, it is that they have become sensitive to many asp ects of linguistic form a year or more before they ever begin to produce multiword speech. This is not to say that all of language is acquired by the age of 12 months. However, if infant language-perception studies have one theme, it is in demonstrating the extremely complex relationship between aspects of their native language infants. Thus, we must exercise caution in interpreting children’s early utterances as evidence for or against the linguistic representations they do and do not entertain. Critical Evaluation Infant Artificial Language Learning and Language Acquisition by Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken are based on the observation which they already held and also from the later observation from other experts. The main focus in this journal is about the artificial language of infant, here Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken made such a grammar for infant to determine whether infants could learn ‘grammatical’ word order, Gomez and Gerken exposed 12-month-olds to a subset of strings produced by one of two grammars. However, this journal focuses not only how children especially infant acquire language but also since when infant acquire the language itself. Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken also give evidences which make their observation stronger. The explanation given is also complete and simple. Conclusion Infant Artificial Language Learning and Language Acquisition by Rebecca L. Gomez and Louann Gerken is a journal that expose about infant artificial language. They explain how infant acquire language from their own observation and they also made a grammar special for infant in order to complete their observation but besides that, they also take some observation which also already been discovered. This journal is worthy to read especially for the linguists who try to reveal and find out one of the mysteries in human cognition which is how children acquire language.

Better Major: Computer Science or Software Engineering?

Technology powers our world and is deeply embedded into nearly every facet of our lives. The prospect of working with computers as a career is becoming increasingly popular with high school and college students; the number of computer science majors is rising every year, and even younger students are getting involved with programming and building computer hardware. There’s a good reason for this rise in interest. Demand is high for qualified employees in technology fields , and some of those positions offer particularly high pay and other perks. Someone has to invent, build, and maintain all that technology we use on a regular basis, and in the future, you might be the one filling that role. If you’re interested in pursuing a college major involving computers, however, you might be confused by the variety of different programs with different names that are available at colleges across the United States. Mainly, you’ll find a difference drawn between programs that go by the name â€Å"computer science,† and those that are called â€Å"computer engineering† or similar names. As a high school student with minimal experience in the field, you’re likely wondering what distinguishes these two fields, and which major it’s better to pursue. Read on for ’s take on this popular field and its variations. Variations exist in how different colleges and organizations use these terms, so it’s always a good idea to research what a particular major involves at a particular school. You might also find additional variations on this theme; MIT, for example, offers four different undergraduate majors that include computer science. Variations aside, however, here’s how computer science and computer engineering are generally used as specific titles for undergraduate majors. In some contexts, computer science can be used as an umbrella term that covers many different intellectual and academic endeavors related to computers. When it’s used as a specific field, computer science is typically more theoretical than computer engineering. It addresses the ways in which computers think on a fundamental level, requiring you to get to the root of how technology solves problems and meets human needs. If you want to study computer science, you’re going to have to take a lot of math courses — you might be surprised at the amount of overlap between the two fields. Your math studies will be higher-level and more abstract than what’s covered in typical high school math classes. An undergraduate computer science degree can qualify you to become a programmer or software developer, which is a job you can perform in almost any field, from healthcare to government to cutting-edge technology. Eventually, some positions or career paths may require you to get a master’s degree, but even with a bachelor’s degree alone, your career and income prospects are strong. You’re more likely to find computer science as an option at a wide range of top-tier colleges than computer engineering. For example, all the schools in the Ivy League offer majors in computer science, but not all offer the ability to specifically major in computer engineering. Computer engineering is generally considered to be a more practical, less theoretical major than computer science. While you’ll still need to build a strong math background, if you study computer engineering, you’ll spend more time working with actual computer hardware and focusing on practical, hands-on skills for working with technology and solving real-world technical problems. Some computer engineering programs are specifically intended to teach you what you’ll need to know for a career as an information technology professional. IT professionals work in every industry to administer and maintain computer networks, manage an organization’s computer resources, and troubleshoot everyday computer issues. Generally, computer engineering programs fall under a university’s engineering department, and may be grouped with electrical engineering. You’re more likely to find computer engineering (or a similar title) available as a major at engineering-heavy colleges and institutes of technology, or at public colleges that offer a particularly long list of majors. Check with your college for more information. There’s no definitive answer as to whether computer science or computer engineering is the better major. Each has its pros and cons, and each approaches the subject of computer technology in a different way. Each major will prepare you for a slightly different career path, but neither path is â€Å"better.† Practically speaking, you’re likely to find a lot of overlap between these two majors when it comes to what you’ll study. The basics of programming will be the same, and though computer engineering tends to involve somewhat less theoretical math, you’ll still need to build a strong understanding of how the subject relates to technology and programming. Desirable companies like Google are notorious for including difficult, math-heavy programming tasks in their hiring process, even if you won’t have to do that kind of problem-solving on a daily basis in that position. At the same time, practical skills in working with computers are always beneficial when you’re planning to go into a technical field. Rather than asking which of these majors is â€Å"better,† ask which of these majors appears to be the better fit for you — your needs, your talents, and your career plans. If one of these approaches to technology is particularly appealing to you, gives you opportunities to use your talents in a satisfying way, and allows you to achieve your personal goals for your adult life, it’s likely the better choice for you as an individual. Finally, your choice between computer science and computer engineering as undergraduate majors may be less important than your overall choice of college. Choosing a college that’s a good fit for you across the board is tremendously important, and the presence of your preferred major may not outweigh the absence of other features you find important. If you’re worried about your future career prospects, keep in mind that many jobs aren’t tied to one particular college major, and you’ll have time to amass work experience and other qualifications that are equally important. Also, remember that if you attend a competitive and well-regarded college (especially in the field of technology), having that recognizable name on your diploma will reflect well upon you, regardless of the specific name of your major. You’ll also need to take into account the differences between specific computer-related undergraduate programs at specific colleges. Not all computer science or computer engineering programs are the same, and while a certain type of program might seem preferable for you in general, there may well be exceptions. (For example, you might be especially excited to work with a certain professor, and that might influence your college choice.) Besides the importance of fit, you’ll need to consider that your future plans may change after you arrive at college. This is incredibly common — multiple studies have shown that a strong majority of students, perhaps as much as 80%, change their major at least once. If you choose a school that’s an all-around solid match to you, you’ll be better equipped to handle these future changes if they come to pass. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. You won’t always have a choice between computer science and computer engineering at a given college; many colleges only offer one or the other. However, as you incorporate your preferences regarding your major into your college choices, it’s wise to think about which path is a better fit. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help assess whether computer science or computer engineering is a better choice for you, generally speaking: Again, there’s a lot more to choosing a college than whether the school offers the best possible major for you. Don’t focus too much on your major — it will only be one facet of your college experience and preparation for the working world, and it may very well change later on. Make sure you do your research about what else each college has to offer, inside and outside the classroom. Teaching style, campus facilities, financial aid availability, and the general â€Å"feel† of the campus are all important factors. Visiting the school is a good idea if it’s possible for you to do so, and talking to current and former students provides valuable personal perspectives. Technology is a burgeoning industry, and many high school students today are interested in building a strong background in the computer field. If you’re one of these students, it pays to get started early in exploring this field. Check out these posts from the blog for more information about options you might find interesting: Looking for more help navigating the often-confusing world of college admissions? ’s experienced advisors are here to help you with every aspect of the process. We can even match you up with a current college student who’s interested in computers and can offer specialized advice.

The decline of manufacturing sector in U.S.A. has been compensated by Essay

The decline of manufacturing sector in U.S.A. has been compensated by a growing service sector - Essay Example United States has for more than three decades witnessed growth in its service sector and a converse trend in manufacturing. This has been the trend for many high income countries as they have been shifting reliance from manufacturing to service. This is a post-industrialization trend where people’s income continues to rise with less interest in investment in material processing The current trend has been more investment or shift to health care, education, insurance and others. It is important to mention that employees’ productivity grows slowly in the service sector than in the manufacturing the reason being low mechanization in service processes. Services therefore become more expensive which results in them contributing a higher portion of US GDP (Gallaher 49). This trend has also resulted to having higher employment in service sector than in the mechanized manufacturing sector. The service sector is now leading while manufacturing is declining with former compensatin g for the decline. The service sector capitalizes in production of intangible commodities in health, information and communication, education and others (Triplett and Bosworth 64). Globalization has been one of the key factors towards the shift from manufacturing to service. Manufacturing firms have been relocating to other countries mostly in the developing economies which either have more people in the low-income or middle-income bracket. Countries like China and India have for the last two decades been encouraging foreign investments through various incentives like tax holidays and low wages for workers. American government in turn is trying to develop policies that will see most of its citizens above the minimum wage bracket; a move that is driving industries to foreign countries. The service sector is labor intensive and it requires highly skilled personnel therefore raising the need to have quality and sustainable education. Also due to globalization many skilled immigrants ha ve come to the United States to seek jobs in the service sector resulting to high brain drain especially in the developing nations (Gallaher 130). Global trends also dictate firms to engage in more environmentally friendly activities and the service sector has come to solve this problem. The service sector engages in more human capital than natural. This has made United States to have heated debates regarding quality of education so as to have more skilled human capital (Gallaher 89). The general lack of undue intervention in the natural resources reduces environmental degradation which is more prone with manufacturing firms. Environmental consciousness has therefore caused investors to shift their investments to more environmentally friendly businesses. Statistics show that in the turn of the 20th century America’s manufacturing and agricultural sectors had taken more than 75 percent of the GDP while in the turn of the 21st century the service sector had more than 60 percent contribution (Triplett and Bosworth 106). This is a huge turn of events considering that it is a gap of just a century. It is within this century that America’s economy grew tremendously into the current post-industrialization era. The above statistics show that to a large extent the service sector is surely filling the gap left with the decline in the manufacturing sector. The world economy has in the last four decades experienced turbulence of booms and decline which have affected the two sectors differently. The manufacturing sector over this period has been heavily affected and shrunk as a result (AIER 2006). The recent economic crisis of 2008 heavily affected industries like motor vehicle manufacturers leading to closure of many plants, takeovers, bailout programs and many other negative occurrences. In the recovery trend the service sector has been seen to recover quickly than the manufacturing

Richard Kuklinski (Iceman) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Richard Kuklinski (Iceman) - Essay Example The murders he committed and the sufferings he caused in his victims create an image of unbelievable cruelty, which is hardly a sign of normality. However, Kuklinski is not a psychopath in a traditional sense of word. For many years, he was able to conceal his criminal activity behind the veils of almost perfect marriage and family life. What psychopathy is and how it differs from antisocial behaviors is a continued debate. In 1996, Doctor Robert D. Hare wrote an article, which had to expose and explain the criteria for antisocial personality and how they differed for psychopaths. It appears that all psychopaths are necessarily antisocial but not all antisocial individuals are psychotic (Hare). In this sense, Richard Kuklinski (Iceman) is believed to be one of the brightest examples of psychopathy in forensic psychiatry. Several actions Kuklinski did in his crimes lead professionals to believe he is a psychopath. First, the number of his victims is simply enormous: Kuklinski reports having killed at least one hundred of people. Second, Kuklinski recognizes that most, if not all, people he attacked were murdered before he would know them – simply stated, he would kill anyone he did not like at the first glance. Third, Kuklinski turned his asocial quest for murders into the source of considerable profits. Throughout his life, he would trust only his wife and family and profess his love for Barbara and his children (Holmes & Holmes 142). Surprisingly or not, Kuklinski confesses he did not experience any pleasure while committing his murders –throughout his life, sex was his greatest source of satisfaction and pleasure. It is difficult to imagine that a person would commit so many people without any sign of satisfaction with his action. Yet, if Kuklinski is truthful, it only reinforces the picture of his psychopathy. It should be noted that, according to the Five-Factor model of personality, Kuklinski manifests most, if not all, features characteristi c of a psychopath. His neuroticism is extremely low. He creates an impression of being free from any psychological impediments and social disorders. As a psychopathic person, Kuklinski has an ability to put people at ease (Cooke, Forth & Hare 54). Throughout his interview with the psychologist, Kuklinski does not show a single sign of nervousness. Low neuroticism is also the sign of low self-consciousness which is further supplemented with the feeling of low vulnerability to stress and risk (Cooke, Forth & Hare 54). His excessively low anxiousness is one of the best proofs to his psychopathy (Cooke, Forth & Hare 55). Kuklinski does not show any sign of deceptiveness and, unlike many psychopaths, is remarkably stable in his marital relationships (Cooke, Forth & Hare 56). Nevertheless, he demonstrates the signs of antagonistic aggression, low conscientiousness, the need for external stimulation (Cooke, Forth & Hare 56). He is not a psychopath in a traditional sense of word, since he i s able to balance his commitment to deep, prolonged family relationships with coldness and non-emotionality in human relations. It should be noted, that the roots of Kuklinski’s psychopathy date back to his childhood and the episodes of abuse which he experienced from his parents. His father was a railroad brakeman and his mother was a meat packing plant worker (Anonymous). Both parents beat Kuklinski and his brothers. In 1940, Kuklinski’s older brother died as a result of parental violence, but his parents were able to conceal the case from

San Diego International Airport Green Project Research Paper

San Diego International Airport Green Project - Research Paper Example Therefore, airports are important regional, national and international commerce. They create an avenue for the connection of a nation’s aviation system with other modes of transport. There is a need to carry out research to solve operating problems by adopting new technologies, and introduce innovation to the airport industry. When planning to implement a terminal improvement project, the terminal planning process should provide insights on potential issues and future trends that they affect the functionality of that terminal (Ashford, Mumayiz, & Wright, 2011). Significant changes in technology, airline operations and industry structure have occurred, creating the need for a balance of importance of certain planning factors for airport terminal buildings. These changes have occurred in cost effectiveness, passenger and baggage security, gate utilization to ensure low cost, and concessions (Brown, 2010). The airport and aviation industry is ever changing. This has led to the need for today’s airport buildings to be planned and constructed in ways that will safeguard flexibility for future modification at the list expense, while responding to variations in demand, the changing passenger needs, airlines and aircraft. Therefore, there has to be a flexible, balanced and visionary planning for airport terminals to ensure future flexibility (Brown, 2010). It should be noted that the creation of plans and designs of airports that provide superior services to travelers is difficult. Airport operational needs are extremely dynamic, creating more challenges in the planning and designing of sustainable airports (Brown, 2010). Additionally, in most cases, capital investment resources for expansion and construction of modern, efficient airports are limited. Therefore, development of airport facility designs which can provide the

Management. Performance Based Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management. Performance Based Budgeting - Essay Example While traditional budget tends to attach budget based on expense on specific items, PBB is concerned with general event outcomes (Last, 2009 p.2456). The planned and actual performance are both evaluated in terms of efficiency and effectiveness and the assessment used to allocate resources rather than using blind resource allocation system which emphasizes on organizational units and line item expenses. PBB has an objective of improving efficiency and effectiveness in public expenditure by linking allocation of funds to public organizations to their actual and projected performance (Guajardo, 2001 p.457). A basic form of PBB has a design, which ensures that the participating decision makers provide a systematic consideration to the results achieved by the expenditures at various government units when formulating budget on government expenditure. Performance Based Budgeting needs the following essential elements for proper budgetary planning. First it requires a measurable quantity of inputs available for the given project. These include monetary value of all resources ready to be injected in the project. Another requirement is units of output from the project. This involves assessment of the outcome of the project (Hughes, 2012 p.1004). Next is calculation of efficiency. This involves assigning an amount of input to each unit produced in order to get productivity per unit unit or activity. Lastly is analysis of achievement of the predetermined level of performance. The organization must have set goals, which it wants to accomplish; hence, it is necessary to measure the effectiveness of the management system used in terms of objectives achieved. Policy objectives and organizational goal development is the starting point in the PBB process. The achievement of goal and objectives should be reflected using developed performance measures. In the process of budget preparation, the main considerations are, past performance, current performance and projected future per formance information (Hood, 2009 p. 456). A detailed decisional analysis is undertaken in order to come up with the best and the most appropriate decision. The final decision should be the best in interlinking resources allocations to the measures, objective and goals. The outcome is a final report financial details and the recommended performance information. The report has a description of how the initiated measures taken influence the strategic plan and the projected result from the project. PBB is effective in Periodic project evaluation as regularcheckup is performed as the project proceeds. Financial information and performance information should be appropriately aligned and coincided during the duty execution in order to enhance efficiency in its implementation. Performances audit is done at the end of the financial period or project to determine the effectiveness of the PBB system used. PBB is beneficial in the sense that it raises accountability of an organization, as it se ts targeted outputs that enable the organization to work hard towards achieving. It encourages proper decision-making that are aimed at reducing the gap between the desired level of output and the actual level of output. PBB ensures that government strategic decisions are carefully implemented in terms of financial analysis. It is a tool of trigger to policy makers, customers and service

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY- - Essay Example The study will also discover the relation of these theoretical frameworks with the movie Lord of the Flies directed by Harry Hook in 1990, and the film Independence Day (1996) directed by Roland Emmerich. Consequently, the study will provide a critical appreciation of the above-mentioned theoretical frameworks by demonstrating their association with the international politics one the one hand, and with the films afore-mentioned on the other. First articulated by the American political-scientist Kenneth Waltz in his remarkable work Theory of International Politics in 1979, neo-realism perspective submits to state that the nation-states of the world appear to be the most dominant actors at international, which serve as sovereign in nature and hence introduce and apply the strategies in the best interests of their subjects (Baldwin, 1093, p. 26). Their ego-centrism does not allow them to work against their political, economic, cultural, geographical and strategic interests; as a result, the administrations of these sovereign states may take even unjust steps in favour of their own country, and against the rival states at large. It creates an anarchical state of affairs at global scale, because of the absence of any regularity authority that could play decisive role in order to maintain peace and dictate the states work within their geographical boundaries instead of meddling into the affairs of others through unjust and unnecessary interferences into the affairs of others (Keohane, 1994, p. 11). This anarchical state of affairs not only appears to be extremely challenging for the global peace and tranquillity, but also could pave the way towards conflicts and clashes between the states for the future years to come. As a result, the situation could create the circumstances similar to the ones that had ignited the European nations for standing against each other and for waging the horrible Great Wars eventually. Neo-realism approach is aptly regarded the expansion o f the idea of realism devised by the renowned sixteenth century Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli in his illustrious the Prince (1532), where he had declared sovereignty and defence of the geographical and ideological boundaries of his state as the first and foremost obligation before a head of state (Machiavelli, 2009, p. 19). However, neo-realism approach also contradicts and suns the realism perspective due to the very reality that it lays stress upon the need for the maintenance of peace and stability at international scale with the creation and upsurge of a neutral and impartial regularity authority that could bring all sovereign states to terms during their entering into cruel and ruthless adventures against the sovereignty of other countries of the world. In other words, neo-realism looks for the appointment of international authority, in the absence of which the nation-states appear to be blowing their own trumpet and justifying even their unjust causes that look reall y challenging for the security of the comparatively weaker nations of the world; the movie under the title â€Å"Lord of the Flies† (1990) also draws out the same scenario. The movie

Dorian Gray Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dorian Gray - Essay Example The warning has its effect, and he resolves to beg Sibyl to pardon his outburst and to marry him. True, the warning comes too late to make Sibyl any happier, but Dorian takes his first step down to the abyss of his doom when he shows no real sorrow at her fate and goes to enjoy himself at the opera with Harry Wotton. The Picture is a mere reflection of his inner nature-its effect on him should have been positive, but Dorian chose to ignore its message. The artist Basil Hallward might have been inclined to blame himself, at least in part, for Dorian's disaster, but it is actually Basil who tries the hardest to preserve Dorian's 'purity.' The question is whether Dorian was ever pure. When he senses that Basil was not too keen on his becoming intimate with Lord Wotton, Dorian perversely pushes for Wotton to stay longer at their first meeting. Anyway, Harry Wotton had privately determined to stay, and to become intimate enough with Dorian to 'influence' him. Basil's death was occasioned by his own attempts to bring Dorian back to the straight path. Dorian not only does not follow his advice, he mouths Wotton's words only to irritate Basil. When Basil tries hard to get him to repent and turn a new leaf, he is not only unscrupulously murdered but ruthlessly vaporized by Dorian for his pains. It might be argued that Lord Henry Wotton should be found guilty of influencing the course of Dorian's dark life and thus be held responsible for the dreadful death of the young man. It was, after all, he who influenced Dorian, by his very persuasive words and views, and by his gift of the 'yellow book' to be a 'hedonist.' In reply, one might say that Dorian actively sought to be influenced by Harry, and actively exceeded the scope and field of the influence. Moreover, if he understood that Harry Wotton only preached hedonism without really practicing it, he did not follow that admirable example. He chose to be first a narcissist and then a hedonist, before ending up as a detestably extreme combination of both. Conversing with Dorian at the end of the novel, Lord Wotton appears a nave greenhorn before a connoisseur of vice. Anyone with some knowledge of the details of Oscar Wilde's biography would be quick to discern aspects of Wilde in characters as diverse as Basil Hallward, Harry Wotton, and Dorian Gray. There would surely be some who would blame Wilde for the 'immorality' of Wotton and Gray. The course of the novel, however, makes it clear that the author's standpoint is characterized by the highest standards of true morality and sincerity, rather than conventional hypocrisy or downright immorality. Again, any inclination to lay the blame at the door of God or Fate would have to be checked by the awareness that Dorian's downslide is active, rather than passive or forced, from the moment he chose hedonism over repentance, on hearing of Sibyl's death. Victorian hypocrisy has been attacked more strongly by few Victorians other than Oscar Wilde, and he is as audacious as ever in giving the five-finger-salute to the Society of the times. In fact, towards the end, Dorian Gray makes a very rare affirmation of sensitivity when he tries to prevent the shooting of a hare. Ironically, it was not a hare, but a man it was that died-the very man who had been stalking Dorian Gray. The