Thursday, December 26, 2019

Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility -- a...

Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility A Short Report on IKEA B.V Written By: Syed Rehan Rizvi February 16, 2010 IKEA’s Social and Environmental Initiatives Introduction IKEA is one of the largest European home furnishing retailers established in 1943. It has more than 300 stores in 37 countries with a business turnover of approx. 22,7 billion Euros in 2009 and an approximate direct workforce of 127,800 employees all over the world. IKEA’s retail concept is based on selling well designed products at low prices so that maximum people can afford them and live a better life. IKEA’s Corporate Social and Environmental Initiatives Globalization has changed the world business environment. The cost competition forces†¦show more content†¦These clauses explains the methodology to be adopted for the implementation and monitoring of IWAY requirements which includes commitment for IWAY compliance, assigning responsibilities or designating a core team within organization responsible for the implementation, communication of IWAY requirements to all the employees i.e. staff and workers of company as well as all sub-suppliers, conducting Internal IWAY audits and above all the requirement for the company to update all laws and regulations applicable to their business/ industry. IWAY Clauses 3 to 7 is related to the inside and outside working environments as well as health and safety systems that companies must implement. All the remaining clauses of the standard are basically for the efforts in developing an effective and transparent social accountability management system within the organization, which directly give benefits to the workers and the society as whole. IWAY requirements related to Environmental Protection and Management †¢ Environmental classification, reporting and inspections ------- This requires all organizations to comply the applicable environmental laws and regulations, reporting its environmental performance and inspections by concern authorities. †¢ Outdoor Air pollution and Noise Pollution ---- This requires permits and monitoring of air emissions from the plantShow MoreRelatedMarketing Strategy at Ikea2750 Words   |  11 PagesSynopsis The case study is to discuss about the different strategy used by IKEA to approach their customers. It is also talking about the localization concept from a global company based on the cultural demand from different countries worldwide. IKEA is also famous for their less expensive furniture, has some other strategies to â€Å"reach† the customers based on their needs. 4 Ps concept plays a very important role on IKEA’s success besides the way of shopping which is differ from all other theirRead MoreIkea Case Study Ebusiness5766 Words   |  24 PagesTABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Theoretical Analysis 3 1.1.Background 3 1.2 Literature review 3 1.2.1 Click and Mortar Strategy- integration of two channels 4 1.2.2 Transaction-based and trust-based strategy 6 1.2.3 Corporate website e-commerce system 7 1.2.4 Summary 9 2 Strategy analysis 11 2.1 Business idea 11 2.1.1 Business Model 12 2.1.2 Vision 14 2.2 Global Strategy 14 2.3 Future challenges 15 3 Web site analysis 16 3.1 Informative communication 16 3.2 StructureRead MoreIkea China Marketing Analysis5728 Words   |  23 PagesInternational Marketing Report of IKEA in Chinese Market [pic] 12BSP040 INTERNATIONAL MARKETING School of Business and Economics 2013. 04. 22 Contents 1. Executive Summary 1 2. Introduction 2 3. Internationalization 3 4. Foreign Market Segmentation and Targeting 5 5. Environmental Analysis 7 5.1 Strengths 7 5.2 Weakness 8 5.3 Opportunities 9 5.4 Threats 10 6. International Marketing Objectives 11 7. Foreign Market Entry Strategy 12 8. Product/Read MoreIkea Marketing Plan8221 Words   |  33 PagesIKEA Marketing Plan – Part I Submitted to: John Daly Submitted by: Lindsay Churchman Matthew Holland Jamie Krebs Eveline Man Chris Manellis Chelsea Slade Due Date: February 17, 2011 MRK428MS Internal Environment IKEA current marketing goal and objective The IKEA vision is to create a better life for many people who purchase their products. Their main objectives are: - IKEA produces cheap and affordable products for the customers - The company wants better life for those who cannot afford expensiveRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pages169 170 174 182 188 192 202 214 215 221 223 223 230 236 241 246 248 250 251 255 261 4 Market and environmental analysis 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 Learning objectives Introduction: the changing business environment (or the new marketing reality) Analysing the environment The nature of the marketing environment The evolution of environmental analysis The political, economic, social and technological environments Coming to terms with the industry and market breakpoints Coming to terms

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Tuesdays With Morrie Essay - 1111 Words

Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Cries of despair by self-righteous, egotistical(for that moment) individuals. Questioning why is this horrible thing happepppning to them, the thing they said never could or would . Death, a very intimidating subject. Most of us put it off ,we know its something that happens to everyone and somehow continue tolive like its not going to happen to us. When that moment finally gets here they say you have that flashback of your life and how you lived it. Including things such as important people, mistakes you made, things left undone or words left unsaid guilt, regret etc. The aim of this story Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom is to encourage the individual to live a†¦show more content†¦A few of the aphorisms from the novel that stick out,â€Å"Love each other or perish.†, â€Å"You are not a wave you are part of the ocean.†, â€Å"love wins, love always wins.†, â€Å"Dying is only one thing to be sad over, living unhappily is something else.†. This first one â€Å"Love each other or perish† shows the audience how it is that we love one another, and that if we fail to, we too will fail. â€Å"You are not a wave you are part of the ocean†, this aphorism expresses how Morrie felt in the spiritual sense, he realized that the world is so much bigger then just him, instead that we are all one. â€Å"Love wins, love always wins.† Simply reinforces to the audience the importance of loving one another. â€Å"Dying is only one thing to be sad over, living unhappily is something else.† shows the reader Morries opinion on why people do have so many regrets and things they wish they would have done, they live a life their not satisfied with because they think they have too, focusing on materialistic things, money, cars, clothes etc. In the book Morrie elaborates that things arent true happiness their just replacements for true happiness, which comes from things such as love, knowledge etc. Flashbacks serve a huge role in this story, they allow us to get a betterShow MoreRelatedSummary of Tuesdays with Morrie Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesSummary of Tuesdays with Morrie Tuesdays with Morrie, is a look a man dying from a terminal illness and how he chose to deal with his prognosis. The book was written by Morrie Schwartz’s former student, Mitch Albom. Mitch was busy with his career, but one night while watching Nightline in 1995, he rediscovered his old professor, dying with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Lou Gehrig’s disease is also known as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosisis). ALS is a fatal degenerative disease of the nervous systemRead More Tuesdays with Morrie and A child called it Essay1212 Words   |  5 PagesTuesdays with Morrie and A child called it In life, we must all ask the question as to whether or not we have love in our lives. It is of great importance that we analyze the way we live and determine if love is ubiquitous within us. Throughout the stories of Tuesdays with Morrie and A child called it, we are given a thematic concept that true happiness is only attained through the love and caring of others, as well as that of yourself. This connecting theme from both novels is exemplified throughRead MoreFriday s With Morrie By Mitch Albom Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesTuesday’s with Morrie by Mitch Albom is a wonderful book that focuses on the struggle life and how to lead through them. Morrie, once a lively professor at Brandeis University, now suffers from ALS. This incurable disease begins to suck the ability to do the things he loves, and soon confines him to the quiet rooms of his house. Mitch, a favorite student of his, comes back upon hearing the news and the two continue to discuss the true meanings of life and how to effectively uphold one’s characterRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Production That I Went By Jeffery Hatcher And Mitch Albom 932 Words   |  4 Pagesproduction that I went to see was called Tuesday’s with Morrie. The play was written by Jeffery Hatcher and Mitch Albom. Elaine Morehead directed the play. This play was about a former college student, Mitch, and his professor, Mor rie. Mitch was played by Ben Daniel and Morrie was played by Ronald Jebaily. Mitch and Morrie had a very close relationship when Mitch was Morrie’s student so much so that Mitch called Morrie â€Å"coach†. When Mitch graduated he promised Morrie he would stay in touch but life gotRead MoreThe Social Gerontology Textbook Was Great Supplemental Tool917 Words   |  4 PagesThe book Tuesdays with Morrie and how it relates to the Social Gerontology textbook was great supplemental tool. Tuesdays with Morrie also was enlightening to read during our group service learning project at the Amistad Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The two sources and the group service learning project were educational, emotional, and experiencing. Gerontology, the study of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of aging (Hooyman Kiyak, 2011). Aging is a process of life thatRead MoreSummary Of Tuesdays With Morrie1487 Words   |  6 PagesTuesdays with Morrie was awakening, yet, heartbreaking and I couldn’t put the book down. It was a story of friendship that turned to love, a story of family, a story of trust, and a story of death. As I read each page, I felt closer to Morrie Schwartz as if I knew him personally. Morrie, the main character in the book, was a kind, sensitive soul. He believed in humanity, and enjoyed sharing his wisdom with others. As a sociology professor at Brandeis University he taught and mentored many studentRead MoreWhat Would Be A Great Deal Of End Of Life Planning872 Words   |  4 PagesFor All Eternity.† If I were to die in the near future I would want my epitaph to read, â€Å"Always and Forever. To the moon and back.† My mom and I always tell each other we love one another to the moon and back so I think that would be very fitting. Morrie decided that he wanted his tombstone to read â€Å"A Teacher to the Last† (134). 5. Has she/he thought of end of life planning (e.g. advanced directives)? You? â€Å"I have thought a great deal of end of life planning. Especially since everything that hasRead MoreMorrie Character Analysis786 Words   |  4 Pageswhen does Morrie experience any of Kubler-Ross’s five stages of greif? Name at least two examples and explain what stage It is. †¢ Before everyone wakes up, Morrie gets angry and bitter about his ALS. He asks where the fairness is, and cries in disbelief. This is an example of the anger stage of the Kubler-Ross cycle, where an individual will experience frustration and irritation. †¢ Morrie told Mitch that â€Å"When you’re in bed, you’re dying† this was his way of bargaining. As long as Morrie wasn’t inRead MoreTuesdays with Morrie Essay1074 Words   |  5 PagesCameron, discuss how effectively Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie, uses plot and story, character development, point of view, theme, and symbols to convey his mesage. Include your personal thoughts and views, as well as textual references, to support your opinions. In Mitch Albom’s Tuesday’s with Morrie, Albom detailed his personal experiences with his professor Morrie Schwartz. Mitch also expressed how influential Morrie was to his friends, relatives, patients, and coworkers. Within thisRead MoreLessons From Tuesdays With Morrie. To Be Happy In Life,1196 Words   |  5 PagesLessons from Tuesdays With Morrie To be happy in life, live the way you want, with dignity, courage, humor, and composure. In â€Å"Tuesdays With Morrie† Professor Morris â€Å"Morrie† Schwartz taught that lesson every single day of his life up until his death. Even the threat of death does not mean that you stop living with compassion, love, and energy. Morrie’s story and the way he taught Mitch is a perfect example of psychology in real life, taught by two people who are very talented in the subject of sociology

Monday, December 9, 2019

Personal Leadership Model Good and Effective Leadership

Question: Discuss about thePersonal Leadership Modelfor Good and Effective Leadership. Answer: Introduction Leadership is the most important parameter and the factor behind the success of any organization. Leadership can be defined as the process or art by which the people can be influenced for performing the tasks that are assigned to them in the most efficient, competent, and in a willingly way. When there is a presence of good and effective leadership within the organization, the culture in the organization is developed fruitfully and is not forcibly developed. Leadership is found to have a direct influence on the success of the organization and affects the relationship existing between the organizations (Schneider, 2012). The leaders are found to determine different culture, values, the motivation of the employees, and influences the tolerance level of the employees in the organization. They are capable of shaping the various institutional strategies involving their effectiveness and execution. An effective leader is the one who is capable of influencing the people surrounding him to r eap the possible maximum benefits and outcomes by giving their maximum efforts and by utilizing the different resources of the organization (Spitzer, 2015). Personal Leadership Model Various studies and research have shown that there is no single way of leading and showing leadership qualities. Further, it has been observed that the successful and famous leaders have developed their own styles and models of leadership. For the effective development of the leadership qualities and style, it is very important for the individual to have a reflection of his/her own limitations and strengths for a clear demonstration of his leadership qualities and skills (Wageman, 2001). Moreover, a good leader is the one who is able to exhibit his leadership qualities including his practices and attitudes in the most cultural competent manner and on the grounds of the ethical framework. The capability of the individual to work in a culturally competent and ethical sound framework differentiates him/her as a leader from others (Spitzer, 2015). Hence, the development of the personal leadership model is very important for analyzing and developing the required skills that are necessary for becoming the efficient leader. The personal development model is ECTE driven model, which includes the four core elements, i.e., ethics, cultural competence, team-orientation, and empathy. Ethics can be defined as the set or combination of various moral principles that are capable of governing the behavior of the individual. It is basically the concept of differentiating right from wrong. This element is very important for the leaders as leaders are the ones who influences their followers, and if the leader is incapable of distinguishing right from wrong how he will guide his followers and group members. The second element of the model which is cultural competence can be defined as a set of appropriate attitudes, behaviors, and policies that are formed in a system, organization, or among different professionals of the organization. The cultural competence is a very important component as it enables the entire system and the professionals to work in a most efficient and effective manner in the cross-cultural enviro nments and situations (Raybourn, 2005). Team orientation is very important and fundamental component of the leadership model as it ensures that the leader doesn't only think of himself but also includes the decisions and ideas of his team members. Hence, team orientation is very important for a leader to develop a better relationship among his team members and inculcate the feeling of trust amongst them (Giessner et al., 2013). Empathy is the art of understanding, as well as, sharing the thoughts and feelings of the individuals. It is also one of the important components as it enables the followers and team members to know that the leaders is aware of and cares, as well as, understands their needs and feelings (Cornelis et al., 2013). To be a leader is not just having strong willpower that is sufficient enough influence other people to do in accordance to your desire. But, being a leader is also possessing a high level of ethical and moral standards and convictions that are capable of guiding the leader and his followers on the right path for achieving the goals (Smith, 2009). Hence, the main idea of organizing the leadership model is to determine the important parameters and elements that are essential for an effective leadership. I have analyzed that I lack empathetic attitude and feels uncomfortable working in teams. Moreover, the main issues in the leadership model that may arise are the development of the ethical and empathetic relationships simultaneously. As in some cases, it can happen that the team member is not working in accordance with the ethical framework, dealing with them in an empathetic manner can be an issue for me. Because, I lack the empathetic attitude and if someone does something wrong, it is very difficult for me to show positive attitude towards them. Hence, this leadership model will help me to develop the effective qualities I am lacking and will also help me to become team-oriented. The most important traits of an effective leader are intelligence, self-awareness, determination, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, integrity, sociability, and self-confidence. The ability of the individual to lead in the most effective way is the resultant of various key skills. The skills that are required by the individual for effective leadership includes strategic thinking, effective communication, organizing tasks, action planning, risk management, decision-making skill at the time of crisis, and problem-solving skills (Balamohan, Tech, and Gomathi, 2015). The delegation of the task in the most efficient manner and motivating his/her team members are also the important tasks of the leader. The core values that are emphasized by my leadership model are human dignity, open mind, fairness, honesty, mutual understanding, hard work, motivation, healthy relationships amongst followers, respect, and empathy. As the leadership model is focused on the four main components, which are very important for the effective leadership qualities and skills, the organization will have the overall benefit of this leadership model. Since, the globalization of the modern era and businesses are increasing, leaders are required to be adept at the management of the employees who belong to various cultural backgrounds, as well as, in communicating and developing healthy relationships with the clients globally. Cultural competency is the primary component for developing relationships with the colleagues, subordinates, team members, and consumers. Moreover, as the model is focused on ethical leadership, it is hence, associated with the concepts like honesty, trust, consideration, fairness, and charisma. This, in turn, will help in building a healthy and trustful relationships and environment with the organization (Berry, 2007). Hence, the culture that will exist within the organization if this model would be more fruitful, healthier, trustworthy, culturally competent, as well as, will also bring respect, credibility, and collaboration within the organization and its employees. The leadership style that is being practiced in this model is focused on achieving internal consistency, dynamism, versatility, proactivity, a sense of trust amongst each member, ethical values and moral beliefs, capability of distinguishing right from wrong, empathetic attitude amongst each other, having cultural knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and competence. The leadership model is different as it underlines the importance of ethical framework and cultural competency in the leadership and also tries to inculcate the empathetic attitude at the same. The concept of team orientation and empathetic behavior will inculcate the feeling of trust amongst the followers. While the concept of ethics and cultural competency will enable the followers to work in accordance with the ethical framework and at the same time will motivate them to respect the cultural diversity in the organization (Liu, 2015). The personal application of this leadership model will include the assessment of the current level of the knowledge of cultural competence, the gaps, skills, and attitudes that I have at present. After having a complete assessment of my present skills and qualities, I will use this model to analyze the strengths and weaknesses I have against these four components of the leadership model. The analysis of the characteristics that have been listed in the model will help me to understand drawbacks and areas of improvement that restricts me to become an effective leader. Hence, by a complete analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of my personality and skills, the leadership model will provide the path of incorporating the missing attributes into my personality (Ross, 2014). Conclusion Leadership is the combination of the important and required professional, as well as, interpersonal skills within an individual. An effective leader is the one who is successful in influencing his followers or team members on various levels like at their personal, intellectual, or social level. For becoming an effective leader various skills and qualities are required. Leadership is the art that is capable of determining the excellent performance of the organization (Wageman, 2001). Hence, leadership is the fundamental aspect that helps in maximizing the efficiency, as well as, achievement of the organizational goals. Leadership is the crucial element and essential part effective management. An effective leadership behavior is focused on building the atmosphere in which every member develops, as well as, excels his performance (Simonet and Tett, 2012). The combination of ethics, cultural competency, team orientation, and empathy provides the basis for good and effective leadership, w hich is the main underlying reason for choosing this type of leadership model. References Balamohan, P., Tech, M. and Gomathi, S. (2015). Emotional Intelligence Its Importance and Relationship with Individual Peformance, Team-Effectiveness, Leadership and Marketing Effectiveness.MJSS. Berry, G. (2007). Adding ethical consideration to the decision-making process: A leadership challenge.Journal of Leadership Studies, 1(1), pp.45-50. Cornelis, I., Van Hiel, A., De Cremer, D. and Mayer, D. (2013). When leaders choose to be fair: Follower belongingness needs and leader empathy influences leaders' adherence to procedural fairness rules.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(4), pp.605-613. Giessner, S., van Knippenberg, D., van Ginkel, W. and Sleebos, E. (2013). Team-oriented leadership: The interactive effects of leader group prototypicality, accountability, and team identification.Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(4), pp.658-667. Liu, H. (2015). Reimagining ethical leadership as a relational, contextual and political practice.Leadership. Raybourn, E. (2005). Adaptive thinking and leadership training for cultural awareness and communication competence.Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2(2), pp.131-134. Ross, S. (2014). A conceptual model for understanding the process of self-leadership development and action-steps to promote personal leadership development.Journal of Mgmt Development, 33(4), pp.299-323. Schneider, M. (2012). Developing Entrepreneurial Leaders.Organization Management Journal, 9(4), pp.280-280. Simonet, D. and Tett, R. (2012). Five Perspectives on the Leadership-Management Relationship: A Competency-Based Evaluation and Integration.Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, 20(2), pp.199-213. Smith, R. (2009). Challenge models: Leadership development and effective team-based solutions.Leader to Leader, 2006(S1), pp.58-63. Spitzer, R. (2015). An Effective Leadership Paradigm.Nurse Leader, 13(2), p.8. Wageman, R. (2001). How Leaders Foster Self-Managing Team Effectiveness.Organization Science, 12(5), pp.559-577.

Monday, December 2, 2019

success of Wal-MArt Essays - Walmart, Sam Walton, Discount Store

Wal-Mart?s Success by Utilizing Four Components of Business Abstract This paper is the result of internet research on the Wal-Mart retail chain. During the research, I focused on the four components of business which are Business, Profit, Business Environment, and the Economy. I was able to find resources that depicted all of these within the confines of Wal-Mart?s success. After reading this essay, you should find that Wal-Mart is a successful business that continues to have success through the original vision and strategies of its founder, Sam Walton. Sam Walton was a leader with a vision. He started his own company and made it into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. Through his smooth, smart, and sometimes unusual business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years. Even now years after his death, the company is still growing steadily. Wal-Mart executives continue to rely on many of the traditional goals and philosophies that Sam's legacy left behind, while simultaneously keeping one step ahead of the ever-changing technology and methods of today's fast-paced business environment. The future also looks bright for Wal-Mart, especially if it is able to strike a comfortable balance between increasing its profits and recognizing its social and ethical responsibilities. In 1962 Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas. No one could have ever predicted the enormous success this small-town merchant would have. Sam Walton's talent for discount retailing not only made Wal-Mart the world's largest retailer, but also the world's number one retailer in sales. Wal-Mart was named "Retailer of the Decade" by Discount Store News in 1989, and on several occasions has been included in Fortune's list of the "10 most admired corporations." Even with Walton's death (after a two-year battle with bone cancer) in 1992, Wal-Mart's sales continue to grow significantly. The Wal-Mart Philosophy leaves it successful not only because it makes sound strategic management decisions, but also for its implementation of those strategic decisions. Regarded by many as the entrepreneur of the century, Walton had a reputation for caring about his customers, his employees (or "associates" as he referred to them), and the community. In order to maintain its market position in the discount retail business, Wal-Mart executives continue to adhere to the management guidelines Sam developed. Walton was a man of simple tastes and took a keen interest in people. He believed in three guiding principles: 1. Customer value and service; 2. Partnership with its associates; 3. Community involvement (The Story of Wal-Mart, 1995). The key features of Wal-Mart's approach to implementing the strategy put together by Sam Walton emphasizes building solid working relationships with both suppliers and employees, being aware and taking notice of the most intricate details in store layouts and merchandising techniques, capitalizing on every cost saving opportunity, and creating a high performance spirit. This strategic formula is used to provide customers access to quality goods, to make these goods available when and where customers want them, to develop a cost structure that enables competitive pricing, and to build and maintain a reputation for absolute trustworthiness (Stalk, Evan, & Shulman, 1992). Wal-Mart has leveraged its volume buying power with its suppliers. It negotiates the best prices from its vendors and expects commitments of quality merchandise (Thompson & Strickland, 1995). The purchasing agents of Wal-Mart are very focused people. "Their highest priority is making sure everybody at all times in all cases knows who's in charge, and it's Wal-Mart" (Vance & Scott, 1995, p. 32). "Even though Wal-Mart was tough in negotiating for absolute rock-bottom prices, the company worked closely with suppliers to develop mutual respect and to forge long-term partnerships that benefited both parties" (Thompson & Strickland, 1995, p. 866). Just how Successful is Wal-Mart? A forecast of Wal-Mart's income for the period 1995-2000, considering increases of 30.6% in Net Sales, 27.7% in Operating Expenses, and 52.3% in Interest Debt (a level which is below Wal-Mart's historically compounded growth rate of 55.6%) indicates that the company should continue to report gains each year through 2010. According to most analysts and company projections, sales should approximate $425 billion by 2012, representing an increase of 30.6% as compared to 2005. The growth on sales that

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

NEGATIVE REVIEWS

NEGATIVE REVIEWS Okay, lets talk about this. Ive been watching people run rampant across the web, in various writers groups, talking about negative reviews. Yes, they are devastating to writers. Yes, they can make you mad and crave to strike back. You will never please every reader. Someone will eventually think you are absolutely stupid for what you wrote. Your characters were two-dimensional. The plot never made a valid point. The setting was mundane. The red herrings were too obvious. The romance too cheezy . . . predictable, shallow, poorly written, etc. And yes, these people have a right to leave a review. You chose to present your work to the public. Do you think nobody will have an opinion on it? Of course you want four- and five-star reviews. Maybe they made a mistake in the review, like saying your setting was New Hampshire instead of Vermont. Maybe they thought it was a mystery when it was a romance. Maybe they prefer literary and got a commercial sci-fi, and are frustrated they wasted their time. They may have confused the title to mean one topic, then the book took off in another direction. But even if they did not read the entire book, they are entitled to an opinion. There are horror stories abounding these days, where naysaying groups are banding together to bash bad writing Lets just stop here and say that we should treat each other with respect. I have a few iffy reviews. No, I did not chastise them, just as I hope nobody would chastise me for any review I left. Lets try to be professional. Lets try not to toss comments out there anonymously. Lets struggle to post our best work and leave our best reviews. And lets hold our tongues if we dont like what someone else has said. Its so tempting to throw out too-quick remarks on the Web. Publishing and writing is difficult enough as it is without us fueling the fire of negative commentary. But . . . we do owe authors the courtesy of a review. No, Im not pandering for reviews. Ive been as negligent as anyone in reading a book and moving on. Now, I try to make a point to pick my stars and leave comments at Amazon or Goodreads, if for no other reason than to thank the author for spending so much time and effort to put yet another book out there for the reading public.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Simple Laver (to Wash) Verb Conjugations in French

Simple Laver (to Wash) Verb Conjugations in French When you want to say to wash in French, use the verb  laver. Alternatively, if youre going to wash someone or something else,  baigner  is used.  Laver  is relatively easy to remember because it sounds like lather, which is what soap does.   Conjugating the French Verb  Laver In order to change  laver  to mean washed, washing, or will wash, a conjugation is required. While there are more forms to learn in French than in English,  laver  is a  regular -ER verb  and it follows a standard pattern. Before you can conjugate  laver, identify the verb stem, which is simply  lav-  This is what we will attach the infinitive endings too. In French, we have multiple endings to remember for each tense. Thats because each subject pronoun requires a new ending. For instance, I am washing is je lave  and you are washing is  tu laves. Likewise, nous laverons means we will wash while I will wash is je laverai.   Subject Present Future Imperfect je lave laverai lavais tu laves laveras lavais il lave lavera lavait nous lavons laverons lavions vous lavez laverez laviez ils lavent laveront lavaient The Present Participle of  Laver Adding -ant  to the verb stem of  laver  results in the  present participle  lavant. Not only is this a verb, it can also become a noun, adjective, or gerund in certain contexts. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © Beyond the imperfect, you can use the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  to express the past tense washed in French. To construct this, begin with the subject pronoun and a conjugate of the  auxiliary verb  avoir. Then, attach the  past participle  lavà ©. For example, I washed is jai lavà © and we washed is nous avons lavà ©. More Simple  Laver  Conjugations to Learn Its best to concentrate on the above forms of  laver  and commit them to memory first. When youre comfortable with those, add the following forms to your vocabulary. You may not use them often, but they are useful. The subjunctive verb mood implies uncertainty while the conditional form says the action is dependent on something else. In literature, you will find the passà © simple or the imperfect subjunctive in use. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je lave laverais lavai lavasse tu laves laverais lavas lavasses il lave laverait lava lavt nous lavions laverions lavmes lavassions vous laviez laveriez lavtes lavassiez ils lavent laveraient lavrent lavassent The imperative verb form is useful for short demands and requests. This is the one time when its acceptable to skip the subject pronoun: use lave rather than tu lave. Imperative (tu) lave (nous) lavons (vous) lavez

Thursday, November 21, 2019

NAFTA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

NAFTA - Essay Example Reduction of Tariffs and other Controls Basic economics predicts that the reduction of tariffs and other controls on imported goods will probably lower domestic production and employment in these sectors. There should also be a corresponding increase in activities oriented towards exports (MacArthur 33). In principle, one can investigate the net effect of liberalization on output and employment. Currently, this question has important ramifications in both Canada and Mexico, even though the contexts are quite different--Canada has lowered some barriers as part of the Free Trade Agreement signed with the United States, while Mexico's adhesion to the GATT required a unilateral tariff reduction, much larger than that of Canada. In both these countries, the tariff reduction has been accompanied by a recession, which has been sharper in Mexico. Neither case is an ideal test of liberalization. Canada has been lowering tariffs for some time, while Mexico's recession had begun before the GAIT accord, as a result of the debt crisis. With regard to Canada, the tendency is that more of the coefficients on the liberalization dummy variables in the labor demand equation are large and statistically significant. This is the case for the following sectors; food, leather, textiles, wood, printing, transport equipment, and electrical equipment. This finding is robust to changes in the specification of the equation. Thus, even given the level of production, there still was a strong tendency for labor use to fall.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Comparison between EDF group (lectricit de France) and E.ON S E from Assignment

Comparison between EDF group (lectricit de France) and E.ON S E from an investor's perspective point of view - Assignment Example It is assumed that the reader has basic knowledge of these tools of analysis. Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) According to Rai University: â€Å"The CAPM was developed to explain how risky securities are priced†¦CAPM aims at a more practical approach to stock valuation.† The assumptions of CAPM include: 1. Investors hold diversified portfolios 2. Single-period transaction horizon 3. Investors can borrow and lend at the risk-free rate 4. Perfect capital market (Rai University, 2013) Capm reflects that investors need to be compensated in two ways Time Value Of Money Risk (Investopedia, n.d.) The risk-free (rf) rate in the formula represents the time value of money invested at a minimum rate while the other half of the formula represents market risk applicable to the company. CAPM is in the view that the expected return of a stock is equal to the rate on a risk-free stock plus a risk premium. If the expected return does not match or meet the required return then any such investment is termed to be not feasible and is not to be carried out. The betas calculated in the attached working represent the risk of the specific company in relation to the market. When coupled with the market equity risk premium and the risk free rate, we can establish a minimum rate of return that would be required by the shareholders in relation to risk and returns in the market The calculated ROE of both companies is in the 5%-7% range showing that the companies’ shareholders require a minimum return of 5% as compared to the risk and return level they face in their investment in the company’s stock. CAPM is not an absolute model as it faces many limitations. It assumes markets are information efficient and all investors preferences are the same. These assumptions may not hold true in the actual market place and so, there are other models to calculate required return on equity, such as the gorden growth model or the earnings multiplier model. The major assumptio n in CAPM relates to perfect capital market and the assumption of all perfect information being available to investors. This introduces the concept of efficient market hypothesis. Efficient Market Hypothesis - EMH Many different theories state that it is simply impossible to beat the market. This is mainly due to the fact that market efficiency leads share prices to reflect all relevant information at any given time. The Efficient Market Hypothesis believes that all the stock traded always hold their fair value hence it is impossible for the buyer to purchase undervalued stocks or for the seller to sell at an overvalued price as stated by Malkiel, 2003. Due to this the only way that any investor may get a higher return is by getting hold of high risk stocks or a balanced portfolio (Pesaran 2010) On the other hand people against the hypothesis highlight the example of Warren Buffet beating the market consistently over fairly long periods (CBS, 2012). â€Å"Beating the market† is considered impossible under the efficient market hypothesis. Another aspect highlighted by those against the theory is events of 1987 during which the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by more than one fifth in a day. This gives proof that the prices of stock may show a deviation from their fair values. Efficient Marke

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Making sense of data Essay Example for Free

Making sense of data Essay This is due to the atoms of the metal gaining kinetic energy. As they move faster they collide with passing electrons, inhibiting their passage. This creates not only resistance, but also more heat as electrons try to get rid of their energy. Considering all factors, I think that the results still clearly portray that there is a positive correlation between the length of wire and resistance. The resistivity of the metal can be calculated by using RL=k Where: R is resistance L is length K is the constant of resistivity (The ability of a metal to conduct). To maximise accuracy, I will use the point closest to the line of best fit to calculate this value. RL=k 200. 7=k 14? m=k This figure is a very rough approximation due to the Inaccuracy of the equipment used. Experiment 2: Cross-sectional Area and Resistance The purpose of this experiment is to prove the relationship between cross-sectional area and resistance. As the cross-sectional area increases, the resistance should decrease. This should happen because there will be more room for the electrons to flow through the metal. There will be fewer collisions, thus less resistance. This experiment was conducted by using multiple strands of wire, side by side. In order to calculate the total cross-sectional area, the number of strands multiplied the cross-sectional area of one strand. Note: Where the AreOhms column says E, this refers to Exp or x10^-4 ect. Cross-Sectional Area (m ) Amps (mA) Volts(V) Ohms(? ) Area(m ) Ohms(? ) Inv 0The cross-sectional area of wire used was 3310 cm, and the length was 1m for every trial. Using data from the above table: Yet again the resistivity can be calculated, this time using the equation: R = ? L A Where: R is resistance ?  m A graph to show the relationship between 1/R and Cross-sectional Area The positive correlation illustrates the proportionality between 1/R and the cross sectional area. The straight line is due to 1/R being the inverse of R. Instead of the resistance decreasing as the area increases on the graph, it makes both axes increase. This makes it easier to extract trends and identify errors. Also the regression of plots can be calculated. The regression of this particular line is 9. 919. This implies that the results plotted are almost perfect, that being 1. This exemplifies that there is definitely a relationship between the cross-sectional area of wire and the resistance. I would imagine that the minute errors are systematic. Small miss-calibrations in the equipment could lead to such errors, and using analogue meters would definitely contribute to this Conclusion In conclusion, both experiments have proven the relationships between the dimensional properties and resistance of wire. In each experiment, the resistivity of the wire was calculated. As it is a constant, it should always be the same for that particular wire. However, the resultant values arent incredibly similar. This may be due to the fact that Nichrome is an impure metal. Composed of both Chrome and Nickel, it may be un-uniformly proportioned, thus giving a different resistance. I would consider the second value to be the most accurate due to the fact that the line of regression on the graph is very close to 1 (perfect). It is very evident that there was a much larger error margin for the first set of results which could also be due to` lack of accuracy when measuring lengths of wire. Calculating is a much more reliable method, as illustrated in the cross-sectional area experiment. If I were to improve the experiment, I would use digital meters, which will have a much higher resolution and accuracy. To further the integrity of my results I would ensure that all measurements are made accurate and exact. As Physics Making Sense of Data Coursework 1 Calvin Stewart 22/04/2002 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Wal Mart Company Overview Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Basic History Overview† Wal-Mart's history is one of innovation, leadership and success. It started with a single store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and has grown to what is now the world's largest - and arguably, the most emulated - retailer. Some researchers refer to Wal-Mart as the industry trendsetter. Today, this retailing pioneer has annual revenues of over $100 billion, 3,000 stores and more than 750,000 employees worldwide. Wal-Mart operates each store, from the products it stocks, to the front-end equipment that helps speed checkout, with the same philosophy: provide everyday low prices and superior customer service. Lower prices also eliminate the expense of frequent sales promotions and sales are more predictable. Wal-Mart has invested heavily in its unique cross-docking inventory system. Cross docking has enabled Wal-Mart to achieve economies of scale which reduce its costs of sales. With this system, goods are continuously delivered to stores within 48 hours and often without having to inventory them. This allows Wal-Mart to replenish the shelves 4 times faster than its competition. Wal-Mart’s ability to replenish theirs shelves four times faster than its competition is just another advantage they have over competition. Wal-Mart leverages its buying power through purchasing in bulks and distributing the goods on it’s own. Wal-Mart guarantees everyday low prices and considers them the one stop shop. Case Overview   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The case study starts off with quotes from Wal-Mart executives with their thoughts of how employees/consumers should feel about the arguably most innovative retailer. â€Å"Wal-Mart employees who do not think globally are working for the wrong company.† â€Å"Wal-Mart must think and act as if it’s a global company. Otherwise, it cannot grow enough in the United States to maintain its stock price. It needs to be in South America. It needs to be in Asia. It needs to be in Europe.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wal-Mart has taken their mind and cash over the last 20 years to become the world’s largest retailer. Wal-Mart had a base of 2,200 stores in the 80’s, closing out of the 90’s with a bang of 3,600 stores and $4.4 billion in net income. Spurred by NAFTA, Wal-Mart took advantage foreseeing potential growth in the foreign markets. Currently they have stories in the following countries: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada... ...nment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of Wal-Mart’s main competitors would be Franklin, which is currently struggling at this time. (I better get my Wal-Mart set up quick.) Many of the Australian retailers such as Aldi, Tesco, and Ahold, who previously relied on specials, would be forced to reduce their daily prices to compete with Wal-Mart’s everyday low price strategy. Low-Prices are the foundation of Wal-Mart’s ideas and strategy and could surely beat out Australia’s smaller end retailers. Another are in which Wal-Mart would prosper is with tourists,. Wal-Mart is well known and trusted , and in high tourism cities such as Sydney, travelers would be more likely to shop at a place they know and trust. Its inevitable that while on vacation for example, people forget to pack or run out of necessities such as toothpaste, shampoo, and deodorant, etc. Why not go to Wal-Mart and get all these things and pick up the few extra goodies you didn’t realize you needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thinks Wal-Mart’s normal marketing strategies are traditional marketing strategies, ideal for the Australian culture. Australians expect the quality they need at the prices they can afford.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Philosiohy Comparison Essay

Continental philosophy, Pragmatic philosophy, and Analytic philosophy are all three forms of philosophies that are in response to Hegel. The differences began within English speaking countries and European speaking countries, which off-set into two separate traditions. Continental philosophy is the most different in its response to Hegelian idealism in Europe in the 19th and 20th century. The main schools of philosophical thought are existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and critical theory, being that existentialism and phenomenology are the two prominent schools. Some of the themes of existentialism include â€Å"Philosophy must focus on the individual in her or his confrontation with the world,† and â€Å"Senselessness, emptiness, triviality, separation, and inability to communicate pervade human existence, giving birth to anxiety, dread, self-doubt, and despair,† (Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. , 2011, p. 154). Continental philosophers do not agree that science is the best way to describe the ways of life and emphasize on metaphilosophy. To me, Continental Philosophy is difficult to describe because it seems critical instead of expressive. Next, Pragmatic philosophy is the main tradition of philosophy in the United States. Overall, Pragmatic philosophy speaks of the lack of an absolute truth. The truth can change accordingly to any situation depending on the time and place. The three best known pragmatists are C.S Peirce, William James, and John Davey. Instrumentalism, which is Dewey’s product of pragmatism, says that human activity and human thoughts are instruments used by humans to solve practical problems. They believed that truth varied from person to person depending on where he/she wanted to progress in life. Lastly, Analytic philosophy is the main tradition of philosophy in England and later in the United States. Of course the main purpose of Analytic philosophy is analysis, which expresses complex concepts into more simple concepts. A philosopher, Bertrand Russell whose emphasis was mainly in mathematics, related to logicism. Logicism says that mathematical truths can be proved from principles of logic. Russell along with G.E Moore and Gottlob Frege disagreed with Absolute Idealism, but also traditional philosophy all together. Continental philosophy, Pragmatic philosophy, and Analytic philosophy all have quite different concepts but have been conceptualized around the same roots. References Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. (2011) Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas. (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Cost Centres, Profit Centres, Investment Centres Essay

The increasing complexity of today’s business environment makes it virtually impossible for most firms to be controlled centrally. Decentralisation is a necessary response to this increasing complexity and involves the delegation of decision-making responsibility by senior management to sub-ordinates. The structure is such that decision making is dispersed to various units within the organisation, with managers at various levels making key decisions relating to their centre of responsibility. These centres of organisational activity are known as responsibility centres and may be defined ‘as a unit of a firm where an individual manager is held responsible for the unit’s performance.’1 The performance of each centre and its manager is measured and controlled through a system of responsibility accounting which is based on the principles of locating responsibility and tracing costs/revenue/investments etc. to the individual managers who are primarily responsible. The division of the firm into separately identifiable units of responsibility allows for more accurate measurement of managerial performance because local information is more thorough. Overall, in order to obtain an accurate measurement of managerial performance, measures should be based on elements which the manager can control or significantly influence. There are three main types of responsibility centre. A cost centre is the lowest level of responsibility, and performance is measured in terms of the costs incurred by it. Cost centres do not generate revenue and therefore have no profit objectives, which differentiates it from profit and investment centres. Managers of cost centres are accountable only for controllable costs and are not responsible for level of activity or long-term investment decisions. Managerial performance is measured by efficiency of operations in terms of the quantity of inputs used in producing a given output. The basis of this type of measurement lies in comparing actual inputs to budgeted controllable costs or some predetermined level that represents efficient utilisation. Cost control and efficiency of operations are the main elements of this type of unit. However, costs in general can be difficult to measure, trace and allocate and it can be difficult to differentiate between controllable and uncontrollable costs. This poses a major drawback for the evaluation of cost centres and their management, since cost is its main element of measurement. The focus being mainly on costs, makes this centre some-what weak in terms of evaluation and measurement of managerial performance. Cost centres can be split into two different types; standard cost centres and discretionary cost centres. In the former, measurement is exercised by comparing standard cost with actual cost. Variances would be indicative of the efficiency of the centre and therefore its managers’ performance. Discretionary cost centres are centres where output cannot be measured in financial terms, for example advertising and publicity, R&D etc. ‘Control normally takes the form of ensuring that actual expenditure adheres to budgeted expenditure for each expense category.’2 However, a major problem with this type of responsibility centre is the measurement of the effectiveness of expenditure and the determination of the efficiency of the centre itself and its management. A profit centre offers an additional element to the measurement process in that both inputs and outputs are measured in monetary terms. The manager of a profit centre has increased autonomy as s/he is responsible for revenue as well as costs; hence it is easier to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of managerial performance in financial terms. ‘In this situation, managers are normally free to set selling prices, choose which markets to sell in, make product-mix and output decisions and select suppliers.’3 A profit centre differs form a cost centre in that its main objective is to maximise profit and the performance of the manager is measured in terms of profit made. Top executives allocate assets to a profit centre, and the manager is responsible for using these assets to make a profit. Each profit centre has a profit target and has the authority to adopt such policies that are necessary to achieve these targets. Profit centre managers are evaluated by comparing actual profit to targeted profit. Profit analysis using profitability ratios or segmented income statements are used as a basis for evaluating managerial performance. The major issue with profit statements is the difficulty in deciding what is controllable or traceable, and in order to assess the managers’ performance rather than the economic performance of the unit, measures must be based on controllable profit only. Another difficulty arises in allocating revenue and costs to profit centres, as it is unlikely that the profit centre is completely independent. This has prompted many firms to use multiple performance measures such as a balanced scorecard, which measures non-financial as well as financial elements of the unit. The measurement of profit is also compounded by the use of transfer prices and agreeing on its ‘fairness’. Transfer prices are allocated to goods transferred from one unit to another within a firm. The implication of transfer prices is that for the selling unit it will be a source of revenue and for the receiving unit it is an element of cost, and as a result each division may act in its own interests. Transfer pricing therefore has a significant bearing when calculating revenues, costs and profits of responsibility centres. The choice of transfer pricing method is important because it affects goal congruence as well as performance measurement. However, it is difficult to determine the correct transfer price, as there are a wide variety of methods available, varying from negotiation to approaches based on the market or based on cost. The investment centre manager has increased responsibility in comparison to the cost and profit centre managers and as a result there are further options for managerial performance measurement by top management. The investment centre manager has responsibility for revenue and costs, and also has the authority to make capital investment decisions. This type of unit represents the highest level of managerial autonomy. An investment centre differs from a profit centre in that investment centre management is evaluated on the basis of the rate of return earned on the assets employed or the residual income earned, while profit centre management is evaluated on the basis of excess revenue over expenses for the period. The manager in charge has the objective of profitability, depending not only on sales but also on profitability of the capital used. Overall, investment centres offer the broadest basis for measurement in the sense that managerial performance is measured not only in terms of profits, but also in terms of assets employed to generate those profits. Performance can be measured using a variety of tools, and this ensures that the drawbacks of one method are overcome by the merits of another. This in turn leads to more accurate results and is one of the main reasons why investment centres are so popular as a means of managerial performance measurement in large companies. Both the effectiveness and the efficiency of the manager can be assessed by reference to the accounting data available. Investment centres offer many qualities required for good managerial performance measurement. For example, they provide incentives to the unit manager, they can recognise long-term objectives as well as short-term objectives and the increased responsibility means there are more controllable factors for use in performance measurement calculations. Return on investment is a measurement approach in common use in investment centres. This method has the advantage of being simple and easy to calculate. ‘ROI expresses divisional profit as a percentage of the assets employed in the division.’4 It has the further advantage of motivating managers to achieve the best return on investments in order to achieve the associated rewards. ROI provides a return measure that controls the size and is comparable to other measures. It can be used as a common denominator for comparing the returns of similar businesses, such as other divisions within the group or outside competition. It is widely used and most managers understand what the measure reflects. However, some complications arise in the calculation of this method. For example, difficulties regarding the calculation of profit, some of which are described above. Profit can be defined in a number of ways and this enables the figure to be manipulated. In the case of the figure for investments, the question arises whether this should be total assets (gross or depreciated), total operating assets or net total assets. The result would differ in each case, but if consistency is maintained throughout the organisation, decisions would remain unaffected. Another difficulty that may arise in relation to this method is that managers may focus on self-interests rather than the overall goal of the organisation and some profitable opportunities may be ignored because s/he fears potential dilution of existing successful endeavours. Furthermore, ROI does not adequately recognise risk. A manager who generates a large ROI result may be investing in riskier assets which may not be consistent with organisational goals. Use of ROI as a managerial performance measure can lead to under or over investment in assets or incorrect asset disposal decisions, in order to achieve the result the manager requires to accomplish his reward. To overcome some of the above difficulties, many firms use residual income to evaluate managerial performance. This method seeks to motivate managers to invest where the expected returns exceed the cost of capital. For the purpose of managerial performance measurement, ‘it compares the controllable contribution of an investment with the targeted rate of return.’5 There is a greater possibility that managers will be encouraged to act in the best interests of the company. Another advantage of this method is that it is more flexible because different cost of capital rates can be applied for different levels or risk. Though ROI and RI operate on a similar basis, RI proves better in certain circumstances. For example, if ROI is chosen as the measuring technique, managers may be reluctant to make additional investments in fixed assets as it may bring down the ROI for their centre. RI calculation results would be more accurate in these situations. However, residual income does not overcome the problem of determining the value of assets or the figure to be used for profit. If RI is used in a short-term perspective, it can over-emphasise short-term performance at the expense of long-term performance. Investment projects with positive net present values can show poor ROI and RI results in early years, leading to rejection of projects by managers. Residual income also experiences problems in comparing managerial performance in divisions of different sizes. The manager of the larger division will generally show a higher RI because of the size of the division rather then superior managerial performance. Another drawback for this method is that it requires an estimate of the cost of capital, a figure which can be difficult to calculate. Economic value added is an extension of the residual income measurement. It measures surplus value created by total investments which include funds provided by banks, shareholders etc. Its key element is the emphasis on after-tax operating profit and the actual annual cost of capital. The latter aspect differentiates it from the RI measure, which uses the minimum expected rate of return. EVA is a further step towards encouraging centre managers to concentrate on the overall goal of the organisation rather than their own self interests, hence reducing dysfunctional behaviour. The above measures are financial measures. As stated previously, it is important also to study non-financial aspects, such as customer satisfaction, quality, internal processes, growth etc. in order to get a more complete picture when measuring managerial performance. The above measures also focus on performance within the investment centre and do not consider the performance relative to overall company objectives. In conclusion, it can be stated that in order to assess managerial performance as opposed to the economic performance of the division, it is vital to make a distinction between the controllable and uncontrollable elements used in the chosen calculations. Each measurement technique is not without limitations, but these difficulties can be overcome by using a wide variety of measurement tools and striking the right balance between them. Of the three types of responsibility centre, an investment centre can be considered to yield better results, as it allows for the broadest basis for measurement, making it widely popular as a means of managerial performance measurement. 1 C. Drury, Management and Cost Accounting, 6th Ed. P. 653 2 C. Drury, Management and Cost Accounting, 6th Ed. P. 654 3 C. Drury, Management and Cost Accounting, 6th Ed. P. 654/655 4 C. Drury, Management and Cost Accounting, 6th Ed. P. 845 5 IPA Manual, Management Accounting, P 239

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Across cultures, English is the word

Across cultures, English is the word The text is responding to a situation whereby English language is facing challenges in such a way that it is not clear whether it is a global language. There are instances in the text when the author is agreeing that English language has massively evolved into a major global language (Mydans, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Across cultures, English is the word† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the author does not take a firm position on whether English language is indeed global. This paper offers a rhetorical analysis essay on why English should be regarded as global language. It is also vital to explore how the writer has managed to establish his credibility in the text. The author has established his credibility by referencing other pieces of literary works from other authors. He has not taken all the credits for himself in the various arguments presented in the paper. In addition, ther e are myriads of sources that the author has cited in the text in order to support his arguments. Use of direct quotes is also instrumental in the text because it adds value and additional credibility. It is also evident that the writer has an attitude towards the subject matter since the audience can easily identify with both the mood of the writer and the text itself. The writer’s attitude towards the subject is quite skeptic. As already mentioned in the paper, the writer has failed to take a particular standing point regarding the issue of English being a global language. It is interesting to mention that the piece of writing contains various sub-themes from other authors even though he tends to neither support nor refute the notion that English is a global language (Mydans, 2007). The author is also quite frank in his description of English as the ‘king of languages’. He attains this by citing fascinating statements from other literary sources. The text is ta rgeting a particular audience or readers. The audience can be grouped into primary and secondary. The primary audience of the text is basically learners of English language both in grammar and in literature. Since this language is being discussed as a global entity, students of English language are definitely the primary audience who are supposed to be furnished with such information.Advertising Looking for essay on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, teachers of English should also be regarded as the primary audience that are being targeted by the text bearing in mind that they are supposed to learn the language and be acquainted with it even as they teach the various versions. The secondary audiences are individuals who have great passion for English language. These are people with inner desire to learn more about English as a language especially in terms of its origin, growth as well as current and future developments. The author has built several arguments in the paper that are supposed to persuade the reader to agree with the given piece of writing. The major argument in the text revolves around whether English should be treated as global language. The author has indeed attempted to circumnavigate the argument by citing and quoting various pieces of works that have been written by other reputable authors. At the initial point, the author begins the text with an introduction and a thesis statement that highlights what is to be discussed in the paper. After the introduction, the author builds the argument by presenting his individual understanding of the subject matter before eventually going deep into the issues to be discussed. Nonetheless, there is no concluding point in the text where the author agrees to own or wind up the argument (Mydans, 2007). There are also other arguments and perspectives that the author has presented in the text. Some of the arguments include historical development of English, globalization, the influence of technology in the development of English language and the cross cultural influence of English in the world of linguistics. He has also employed pathos, logos and ethos in the text as described in the remaining section of the paper. English is one of the fastest growing languages across the world today. It has largely been boosted by the current trends in technology and globalization. The progressing dominance of this language has been discussed with cross reference to a published article by Seth Mydans. Although the author argues that English language may never become a global language, there are clear indications that it is indeed growing at a very fast rate that cannot be reversed at all. The author has also employed excellent use of pathos, ethos and logos in the piece of writing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Across cultures, English is the word† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He has offered a detailed description on English language as a whole. However, the author has failed to convince the audience whether English language will ever become a global language. This is one of the glaring weaknesses in the article when rhetorical analysis is conducted. The author has also attempted to explain why English language has transited itself into the â€Å"king of languages†. He has achieved the latter by carrying out an interview with quite a number of experts in linguistics. Perhaps, this is one of the ways that the author uses to boost the credibility of his analysis (Mydans, 2007). The audiences that read newspapers such as the Tribune or New York Times are drawn from various social and economic backgrounds. Paragraphs are brief and simple to comprehend. In the case of Mydans, the author has made use of high degree of allusions, metaphors and diction. These techniques have been closely intertwined with his tory. In spite of the complexities in this piece of writing, the audience can still find it easy to read and understand. The author has used the word linguist in reference to one of the persons he interviewed when he was gathering information from the field. In order to expound the opinion of the linguist in regards to English as a global language, the author has made use of the word unequivocal. The text also contains the term vernacular. The latter word has been employed by the author in order to offer a description of various versions of English language adopted in different destinations across the globe. Some of the regions noted in the text include Papua New Guinea, Caribbean, Nigeria and Singapore. The phrase ‘kind of languages’ has been used by the author at the introductory section of the text so as to offer a glimpse preview of the arguments presented in the essay (Mydans, 2007). In conclusion, there is need for a global language since global communication is r apidly expanding (Crystal, 2003). A global language should be in a position to be understood and recognized by a large number of people. English language has been established in various parts across the globe. It is found in various forms or versions depending on the location.Advertising Looking for essay on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Crystal, D. (2003). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Mydans, S. (2007). Across cultures, English is the word. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/world/asia/09iht-englede.1.5198685.html?pagewanted=all_r=0mtrref=undefinedgwh=66C2E4BE92CCCD2EB95C45787C91D565gwt=pay

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

PHP Web Page Redirect Script

PHP Web Page Redirect Script A PHP forwarding script is useful if you want to redirect one page to another so that your visitors can reach a different page than the one they land on. Fortunately, its really easy to forward with PHP. With this method,  you seamlessly transfer visitors from the web page that no longer exists to the new page without requiring them to click a link to continue. How to Redirect With PHP On the page that you want to redirect elsewhere, change the PHP code to read like this:   ?php header( Location: yoursite.com/new_page.html ) ; ? The  header()  function sends a raw HTTP header. It must be called before any output is sent, either by normal HTML tags, by PHP,  or by blank lines. Replace the URL in this sample code  with the URL of the page where you want to redirect visitors. Any page is supported, so you can transfer  visitors to a different webpage on your own site or to a different website entirely. Because this includes the  header()  function, be sure  that you do not have any text sent to the browser before this code, or it will not work. Your safest bet is to remove all the content from the page except for the redirect code. When to Use a PHP Redirect Script If you remove one of your web pages, its a good idea to set up a redirect so that anyone who bookmarked that page is transferred automatically to an active, updated page on your website. Without the PHP forward, visitors would remain on the dead, broken, or inactive page. The benefits of this PHP script are as follows: Users are redirected quickly and seamlessly.When the  Back  button is clicked, visitors  are  taken to the last viewed page, not the redirect page.The redirect works on all web browsers. Tips for Setting up a Redirect Remove  all code but this redirect script.Mention on the new page that users should update their links and bookmarks.Use this code to create a drop-down menu that redirects users.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Week 6 Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Week 6 Assignment - Research Paper Example Business practices differ from one state to another based on the company culture in the respective countries. The appreciation of a county’s entrepreneurial culture and hierarchy allows smooth running of commercial activities devoid of unethical circumstances. There are multiple challenges associated with ethics in global business; however, there are various roles that standards plays in the same setting. This paper seeks to examine the need and the importance of establishing a global set of ethical standards, the history and growth of international ethical standards, as well as the challenges that governing bodies face. The accounting field is a constantly growing and changing industry. Accounting was regarded an area with high ethical standards until recently. The business world has recently experienced high profile failures through unethical behavior. Conducting business internationally may cause numerous ethical concerns. Some of the ethical issues are corruption, diverse cultures and customs, human rights, and different working environments. The economy of today is becoming globally smaller; for this reason, corporate institutions across the globe are becoming co-dependent on one another on local and international viewpoint. For instance, labor, information technology, raw materials, and finance. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants draws the behaviors within the United States during the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), outlines international ethical standards and practices. The principle of one ethics system requires the understanding of the ideologies and operations of both standards bodies as well as similarities amid them. The AICPA is an American based professional organization for certified accountants. The key objective is this institution is to provide sufficient resources, set professional and ethical standards to certified public accounting

Friday, November 1, 2019

General Project Description - Technology Research Paper

General Project Description - Technology - Research Paper Example They cannot compete with others to excel in academics if they do not learn the use of computer and its programs and softwares. Even the vast majority of tests they are required to pass to prove their eligibility for higher studies are computer-based. The contemporary business is heavily dependent upon technology (Martinez). Be it planning, scheduling, accountancy, auditing, progress-tracking, management of product distribution channels, or advertisement of the product or service, everything is accomplished with the help of softwares, online or broadcasted programs on the television and/or the Internet. The positive impacts of society’s dependence upon technology include improved efficiency, improved performance (Carte), improved communication, and reduction of time in the accomplishment of tasks in all fields. The negative impacts of society’s dependence upon technology include increased violence, new ways of bullying and blackmailing, reduced safety and security, and increased exposure to risk (â€Å"We Are Detrimentally†). In the contemporary age, one who is not well-versed with the use of technology is outdated and lacks competence to compete with the rest of the world. Apart from the aforementioned uses of technology in the academia and industry, society’s dependent on technology in other fields including traveling and recreation cannot be overemphasized. Dependence on technology has yielded both positive and negative results for the society. A research conducted by CourseSmart and Wakefield Research suggests that students have become very dependent on technology. Use of E-books, laptops, and mobile phones for educational purposes has increased a lot. The positive outcome of this is increased awareness of the students regarding their performance in the class. Despite the immense usefulness of technology in business, the importance of sustaining old practices and processes cannot be overlooked since these

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Bugatti (Veyron) Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bugatti (Veyron) Marketing - Case Study Example The company has some exclusive strategies which add to the brand value and creates strong brand equity in the customer mind. If a potential buyer is deemed serious enough to buy the car then the company brings in Pierre-Henri Raphanel , grand prix driver, to give the potential customer a test drive. Also the company keeps on bringing out ‘Special edition’ models like the EB 16.4 Veyron pur Sang, Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes or the EB 16.4 Veyron Sang Noir. The company depends on various environmental forces, which affect its business. Competitor might produce technologically superior products or the prevailing economic rescission might have some effects on sales, though its buyers are comparatively less affected by it. Though the company has strong and powerful competitors in the shape of marquee names like Mercedes, Porsche, Lamborghini and others, yet the fact that Bugatti produces the fastest and the most expensive car in the world creates huge brand pull for the com pany and helps in adding an exclusivity factor to its positioning. The Bugatti brand and therefore the Bugatti Veyron brand follows core values of elegance, exclusivity, power and excellence in design. One of the foremost and prominent strategies of the brand has been to focus on exclusivity of the brand. The fact that it is the fastest and the most expensive car on the planet is itself a strong marketing pitch for the brand. Moreover form time to time the company has focused on coming out with exclusive special version Veyrons like the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes, EB 16.4 Veyron pur Sang or the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes. Another strategic move has been to expand its brand value by introducing the Bugattio Collection which consists of car accessories and fashion items, which are designed by equally exclusive and world famous artistes or designers (Displaying timeless style and elegant details , while

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The development of the low cost airline industry in asia

The development of the low cost airline industry in asia 1. Introduction This report will address the assignment topic. ‘Discuss the development of the low cost airline industry in Asia. The topic chosen for this report is the development of Low cost airline in Asia Tourism industry. To address the complexities of this topic, it is necessary to begin the report with an understanding of low cost airline and Aisa tourism industry. In a broader area, it is necessary to concern the impacts of Aisa, and implication for the future. It is important to keep in mind the global impact on the Tourism Industry that these changes could have. However, base on the limitation of time and information, this report will focus on China, Hong Kong, and Japan to investigate all of the issuse of low cost airline.Moreover, because these three regions are most popular to discuss and people will familiar with the situations of these regions.Therefore, the following content will investigate these three regions and all of the issues. 2. What is Low Cost Airline? According to ITF (2002), the operation model of low cost carrier is point to pint services, usually low cost carriers will mainly focus on short haul flight between 400 -600 nautical miles, even they will not have catering and entertainment service inflight. Moreover, they will use one aircaft type to enhance the utilisation and reduce the maintanace cost; also they will often using secondary airports with cheaper landing charges. In addition, they will focus on the lower income market and base on the time of booking and choice of flight 3. The Developmet of Low Cost Airine Refer to Thomas Bieger, Andreas Wittmer (2006), in the early 1970s, the first Low cost airline mode was operated by Southwest Airlines in the United Stated. For the charateristics of this mode, the Southwest Airlines was just providing the single class and no frills air travel services that means they will no provide the meal and snacks, and just provide the economic class for passengers. Moreover, the fare price was low and high restriction, that means the fare will have a high penality for those who need to change the time and location of the fare. Base on the liberalisation, deregulation and release of open skies policy. More Low cost airline was inccur and base on the growth of air travel (WTO 2002), the demand of aircraft was huge. Therefore, air travel was a potental market to develop. For the development of Asia, In 1998 the two low-cost carriers, Skymark Airlines and Air Do, entered, respectively, the Tokyo-Fukuoka route and the Tokyo-Sapporo route. In South Korea, the LCCs, Hansung Airlines and Jeju Air, entered the domestic market in 2005 and 2006 respectively, and two more LCCs, namely, Yeongnam Air and Jin Air, just entered the market in July 2008. In Hong Kong and Macau, the two Special Administrative Regions of China, Oasis Hong Kong and Viva Macau are the respective LCCs, both serving long-haul international routes in effect, established in 2004 Viva Macau is the first long-haul LCC in Asia In 2005, the first low costairline was established in China which was Spring airline. Spring Airline was established by Spring Travel and their operation model was quite similar to Southwest Airliness, they also just provide single class and no frills services. Spring Airine was just provide the domestic flight and have about 34 routes within China. 4. Feasibility Study of Potential Market According to World Airline Report (2008), In 2008 the Revenue passenger kilometreswas about 355,243. For 2009 the Revenue passenger kilometres was about 313,469.Although, the revenue was decrease about 11.8% (Figure, 2). However, it was huge revenue for the airline idustry within Asia Pacific. On the othe hand, in 2009 the amount of passengers was abot 75,363,000 and in 2008 the amount of passengers was about 84,586,000 (Figure, 2), and decrease about 10.9%. However, it can prove that the Asian market still have a large demand of the aviation industry. 3. 1 China Base on the World Tourism Organisation Report (2004), About 108 million foreign visitors travelled to China, and 18 percent increase from 2003 and a 10 percent increase from 2002.Foreign tourists who stayed at least overnight reached 41 million, up 24 percent from 2003 and 11 percent from 2002. Moreover, foreign exchange revenue from tourism reached 25 billion US dollars, a 47 percent increase from2003 and a 25 percent increase from 2002. In addition, the number of domestic tourists will reach 930 million.Domestic tourism revenue isexpected to exceed 400 billion Yuan, 5.9 percenthigher than that of 2003 and 3.1 percent higher than that of 2002. 3.2 Hong Kong On the other hand, in 2004, Hong Kong obtained over 21.8 million tourist arrivals, representing an increase of 40.4% as compared to 2003.Moreover,the strong performance of the tourism industry was mainly attributable to the spectacular growth of the Mainland arrivals, especially after the implementation and continual expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme which covers residents of Beijing, Shanghai Guangzhou, under the auspicesof the Close Economic Partnership Agreement(CEPA) with Mainland China. During 2004, over 12.2 million Mainland tourists visited Hong Kong,with over 4.2 million travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme. Meanwhile, other major overseas markets also exceeded pre-SARS level andare growing healthily. 3.3 Japan According to World Tourism Organisation Report (JNTO) international visitors to Japan in 2004 (January to December) is estimated to be 6.1million tourists, up 17.9% from last year. Base on World Tourism Organisation Report (2004), the total number of Japanese travellers to Republic of Korea in 2004 was 2.4 million tourists and it exceeded the same figure in 2002. This is attributed to the popularity of Korean TV dramasinJapan.The total number of Japanese travellers to China in 2004 (January to November) was 3 million. The total number of Japanese travellers who went to Taiwan, province of China and Singapore was 890,000 and 598,000 respectively. Both figures exceeded 2003 figures when SARS was an issue, but did not reach the figure of 2002. 4. Low Cost Carrier Contribution in China According to Civil Aviation Administration of China Report, In 2007, GDP reached 24.6619 trillion yuan, an increase of 11.4%, the fifth consecutive year growth rate of more than 10%. Base on the CAAC report, over the last five years Chinese civil aviation has seen a rapid growth, averaging 20 % annual growth rate. In 2007, the completion of the total Transportation turnover 36.53 billion ton-km, passenger turnover 279.17billion person- kilometers, passenger transport volume of 190 million passengers, cargo and Mail turnover 11.64 billion tonkm, cargo and mail transport volume of 4.019 million tons, respectively, compared with 19.5% last year17.8%, 16.3%, 23.5%, and 15.0% (Figure 1,3) Low cost airline to complete a total turnover of 1.85 billion ton-km, an increase of 216.9 percent, accounting for 5.1% of the industry, an increase of 3.2 percentage points (Figure 2) 4.1 Low Cost Carrier Contribution in Hong Kong By the Census and Statistics Department report (2008), In the first quarter of 2008, Hong Kongs GNP increased by 6.5% over a year earlier to $427.3 billion at current market prices. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), estimated at $409.3 billion at current market prices in the same quarter, recorded a 9.6% increase during the period. Compared with GDP, the value of Hong Kongs GNP was larger by $18.0 billion in the first quarter of 2008, representing a net external factor income inflow of the same amount, and equivalent to 4.4% of GDP in that quarter. Moreover, Hotel occupancy across all categories of hotels in January 2009 was 79%, eight percentage points lower than in January 2009. The geographic locations with the highest occupancy were Yau Ma Tei/Mong Kok, where hotels recorded average occupancy rate of 85%. The average achieved hotel room rate across all hotel categories was HK$1,117, 10.3% lower than in January 2008. 4.3 Low Cost Carrier Contribution of Japan According to Department of National Accounts Economic and Social Research Institute Cabinet Office, the report of Quarterly Estimates of GDP (2009), the GDP offirst quarterly was about 521,560 trillion yen, and in 2008 the GDP of first quarterly was about 569,139 trillion yen. Moreover, for the private consumption between 2008 and 2009, the amount of privateConsumption in 2008 was about 312, 069 and in 2009 was about 303,639 trillion yen. 5The Drawbacks of Low Cost Carrires Base on the analysis of China, Hong Kong, and Japan, although low cost carrires canIncrease the econmoic level of these three regions. However, for the econonmic point of view, when the Gross Domestic Product getting increase, the cost of living will also getting increase. Becase of the inflation problem for the goods and products, people may not affordable to purchase the goods and products. Morover, it will also occurthe unequal income distribution, that means rich guy can get more rich and poor guy will get more poor.On the hand, when the demand of low cost airline increase, that mean the demand of air traffic will increase too. For this issue, it may occur the overcrowding for the airport. The capacity of the airport a limit, if too many flight come to the airport, it may occur the congestion of air traffic, the congestion of runway and apron and increase the accident rate of air traffic. Moreover, air traffic accounts in a sizeable way in the emissions of carbon dioxide the most credited international estimates go from a minimum of 3% to a maximum of 10%. However, Aviation accounts for 2% of man-made global carbon emissions, and with current global demand for the aviation industry increasing, it is predicted to grow to 3% by 2026. 6. Conclusion To sum up this report, after the analysis of the development of low cost Airline in Asia, all of the evidents and data can prove that low cost Airline a continue contribute the Asian regions such as China, Hong Kong, and Japan. Airline Industry is one of the key transports within Asia, the government of these regions, need to pay atttention to develop and control. But for the further development of Low cost airlines within Asia, there are some barrires will affect the expansion of Low cost carriers. The first one is the deregulation issued, China and Japan are more restrict their sky policy such as Chinese government will restirct the route of the flight and the price stucture of the air ticket, because the government will more protect the local airlines. Second, China and Japan are lack of secondary airport. For China areas, all of the major airports are main airport. If low cost carrires want to entry this market, they can not redcue the operation cost and can not compete with the regional airlines. Thrid, Hong Kong aviation market was monopoly by Cathy Pacify; the Oasis Hong Kong was a good example to prove that if the market was monpoly by a large airlineCompany, they can not survive. The last one is the fuel cost issue, although the international crude oil prices have recently fallen from the peak of US$70-odd to US$50-odd. However, the fuel cost is one of the major cost of airline companies. If the crude oil prices return to peak of US$70-odd or higher, the lost cost airline can not survive with this issue. Therefore, for the further development of Low cost carrires these kinds of issue are necessary to concern and may to have greater negotiation of all the countries to discuss all these issues.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Last Chapter of A Brave New World :: A Brave New World

Last Chapter of A Brave New World John's eyes fluttered open and he cautiously surveyed his surroundings. Where was he taken? Who knocked him unconscious and carried him from his solitude at the lighthouse? He did not have to wait long for his answer, when he saw his friend standing over him, shaking him to awareness. "It's about time you came to," said Bernard Marx, "we've been worrying about you." Helmholtz laughed as he came around to the bed John was laying on. "Don't look at us like that, Savage. We have good news for you." Bernard wore a smug look on his face as he told John of their accomplishments. "We have met some of the most intelligent men of the world here at this island, and we found a way to overthrow this so called civilized society which has tried to subdue us one too many times. We destroyed all the soma in London, and right about now, all England is in an uproar. We were able to get you out in time; before anyone tried to come for you, youà ­re to blame for all this, you know." "Youà ­re a mighty unpopular fellow back in London at this moment, Savage," came Mustapha Mondà ­s voice from the corner. "But anyway, enough of this dallying, we have work to do." As John rose from the bed, all that he was hearing started to sink in. Loss of control in England? Thatà ­s not what he had intended. The damage was done, though, and Mustapha was right, they had a lot of work to do. There was no time to waste. The group consisted of one hundred fifty seven men and women who had been sent to the island because of their inability to follow the rules of civilized society, as well as Mustapha, Marx, Helmholtz, and John. Mustapha was the leader, of course, because he knew all the laws, and was a natural commander. Together, they planned to destroy the worldà ­s soma supplies, and all the manufacturing plants. Once the citizens were cut off from the drugs, theyà ­d be more apt to become deconditioned. The next step would be to teach the world of meditation and natural herbs such as St. Johnà ­s Wort for wellbeing, and to detoxify and preserve their bodies using deep tissue cleansing techniques and fasting. Schools had to be set up; treatment and rehabilitation centers had to be opened.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Determinants of Intelligence Test Scores

Determinants of intelligence test scores Heredity Is the passing of traits to offspring (from its parent or ancestors)? This is the process by which an offspring  cell  or  organism  acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some  species  to evolve. The study of heredity in  biology  is called  genetics, which includes the field of  epigenetic. Social Refers to a characteristic of living  organisms  as applied to populations of humans and other animals.It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is  voluntary  or  involuntary. Education In its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people sustain from one generation to the next. [1]  Generally, it occurs through any experience  that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts.In its narrow, technical sense, education is the formal process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated  knowledge,  skills,  customs  and  values  from one generation to another, e. g. instruction in schools. A right to education has been created and recognized by some jurisdictions: Since 1952, Article 2 of the first Protocol to the  European Convention on Human Rights  obliges all signatory parties to guarantee the right to education. At the global level, the  Nations’ International  of 1966 guarantees this right under its Article 13.Maturation Maturation is the process of learning to cope and react in an emotionally appropriate way. It does not necessarily happen along with aging or physical growth, but is a part of growth and development. A situation a person must deal with at a young age prepares them for the next a nd so on into adulthood. Maturation does not stop when physical growth ends – it continues through adulthood. An adult who loses a parent, for instance, learns to cope with a new emotional situation that will affect the way he or she deals with ituations that follow. physical factor A factor in the  a biotic  environment that influences the growth and development of organisms or biological  communities. Personality psychology Is a branch of  psychology  that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include: * Constructing a coherent picture of the  individual  and his or her major psychological processes * Investigating individual differences—how people are unique * Investigating  human nature—how people are alike Personality† can be defined as a dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her  cognitions,  emotions,  motivations, andbehaviors  in vario us situations. The word â€Å"personality† originates from the  Latin  persona, which means  mask. Significantly, in the  theatre  of the ancient Latin-speaking world, themask  was not used as a plot device to  disguise  the identity of a character, but rather was a convention employed to represent or  typify  that character.Personality may also refer to the patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors consistently exhibited by an individual over time that strongly influence our expectations, self-perceptions, values and attitudes, and predicts our reactions to people, problems and stress. In a phrase, personality is not just who we are,  Gordon Allport  (1937) described two major ways to study personality: the nomothetic and the  idiographic. Nomothetic psychology  seeks general laws that can be applied to many different people, such as the principle of  self-actualization, or the trait ofextraversion.Idiographic psychology  is an attempt to u nderstand the unique aspects of a particular individual. The study of personality has a broad and varied history in psychology, with an abundance of theoretical traditions. The major theories include dispositional (trait) perspective, psychodynamic, humanistic, biological, behaviorist and social learning perspective. There is no consensus on the definition of â€Å"personality† in psychology. Most researchers and psychologists do not explicitly identify themselves with a certain perspective and often take an eclectic approach.Some research is empirically driven such as dimensional models based on  multivariate statistics  such as  factor analysis, whereas other research emphasizes theory development such as  psychodynamics. There is also a substantial emphasis on the applied field of personality testing. In psychological education and training, the study of the nature of personality and its psychological development is usually reviewed as a prerequisite to courses in abnormal or clinical psychology. Abilities associatedSpatial visualization ability  or  Visual-spatial ability  is the ability to mentally manipulate  2-dimensional  and  3-dimensional  figures. It is typically measured with simple  cognitive tests  and is predictive of user performance with some kinds of  user interfaces. Verbal fluency tests  are a kind of  psychological test  in which participants have to say as many words as possible from a category in a given time (usually 60 seconds). This category can be  semantic, such as animals or fruits, or  phonemic, such as words that begin with letter  p. 1]  The semantic fluency test is sometimes described as the category fluency test or simply as ‘freelisting'. The COWAT (Controlled oral word association test) is the most employed phonetic variant. [2][3]  Although the most common performance measure is the total number of words, other analyses such as number of repetitions, number and length of clusters of words from the same semantic or phonetic subcategory, or number of switches to other categories can be carried out. 4][5] Verbal comprehension  is the ability to understand the  meaning  of  verbal stimuli. This may involve  listening comprehension,  reading comprehension  as well as  sentence comprehension  . Inductive reasoning, also known as  induction, is a kind of  reasoning  that constructs or evaluates general  propositions  that are derived from specific examples. Inductive reasoning contrasts with  deductive reasoning, in which specific examples are derived from general propositions.