The 8 Characteristics of Living Things

The 8 Characteristics of Living Things Overall in science there are 8 characteristics that can be used to determine whether something is living or non-living. Living things are made of cells, have levels of organization, grow & develop, maintain homeostasis, process by metabolism, respond to stimuli, reproduce & evolve over time. Yes those are the eight characteristics of a living thing. The first characteristic is that all living things are made of one or more cells. For instance living things are all multi-cellular, WE HUMANS, are multi-cellular. On the other hand though bacteria are unicellular but it’s also living.Multi-cellular organisms are made of many cells. The cell is the basic unit of life. The second characteristic is all living things display organization. Different parts of a cell are organized to do different jobs. Different parts of a body are organized to do different jobs also. The levels of organization in biological systems begin with atoms and molecules an d increase in complexity. The next characteristic is all living things grow & develop. We humans are born as babies & grow into adults. Our body grows and changes, so do plants! They grow from root, to stem into big plants.The cells get bigger and organisms develop, become more complex and gain new characteristics over their life span. The fourth characteristic is all living things respond to stimuli, they react to environmental changes. The reaction to a stimulus is a response. Organisms can sense stimuli in their environment and react appropriately. If an organism is unable to respond to harm it might not live long enough to reproduce. For example when you go to the doctor and they tap you on your knee, they are trying to test your reflexes. The fifth characteristic is that all living things reproduce.Humans have kids and babies, then they reproduce and it goes on again forever! Animals mate and have their children too. Reproduction is important because it makes your species go on . All living organisms have ways to reproduce weather asexually or sexually to produce an offspring. The sixth characteristic is that all living things take in ENERGY! We do that by eating, when you’re hungry in class and all you think about it food it’s because you’re hungry & you NEED to eat. Plants produce their food by using sunlight and photosynthesis. All living things break down food to make energy for themselves.Because good gives you protein & the good stuff you need for your body! Energy is required for ALL life processes. Almost done! The seventh one is that all living things maintain homeostasis. Now you’re probably thinking what’s that? Homeostasis is all the things organisms do to regulate their internal conditions and stay alive. For example you perspire (sweat) to cool off. Perspiring and eating are examples of maintain homeostasis. If an organism doesn’t maintain homeostasis they die. Like amoebas maintain homeostasis by mov ing towards food and away from danger.Finally, the last one is living things can adapt to the ever changing environmental conditions, in other words they can EVOLVE. Which simply mean we & other living things can change, weather it’s over a 100 years or a 1,000. Populations of species of organisms change over time over many generations. At time goes on they adapt more and more to the environment. Conclusion time, I listed all the eight characteristics. And they are all important when classifying if something is living or not. But yet we humans do all those things & plants and animals. We are all living and we need to maintain homeostasis!

Competition Freaks Essay

According to Dr. Phil, Everybody likes to be a winner, but some people are â€Å"competition freaks† who have to be first, be the best or win at everything they do. This overly competitive nature oftentimes causes tension in their personal relationships. â€Å"Love and competition are oil and water, they do not mix,† Dr. Phil warns. He offers the following advice for competitive people who want to overcome their need to compete, and learn to relax and enjoy what they have. Being competitive in our academic, working and personal lives can be good for achieving success and moving into the ranks of glory and glamour. Competitive attitudes can help you to feel energized, able to take on challenging tasks and ready to achieve many things in life. However, competitive behavior that is not considerate of your well-being or well balanced in its application can take its toll, leading to self destruction and perhaps ostracizing the very people you care about the most. REFERENCE: http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/510 http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Competitive-in-a-Non-Destructive-Way 1. SELFISHNESS B. EFFECTS OF COMPETING 1. NEGATIVE EFFECT 1.1 SELF- HATRED Another risk of burying our competitive feelings is that we may turn them around and use them to feel bad about ourselves. A straightforward competitive thought like, â€Å"I hate that he is so smart and always says the right thing,† may turn into an attack toward our selves like, â€Å"You are so stupid. You never know what to say. He is so much more engaging than you.†Ã‚  When we turn against our competitive feelings, we turn against ourselves. We feel ashamed of who we are and what we want. Instead of seeking to emulate the people we admire, we simply tear ourselves down in relation to them. With so many negative manifestations of suppressing our direct competitive feelings, how can we face them more honestly and make sure to use them in healthy ways? First of all, we have to remember that feeling competitive is not about letting these emotions take over or ruminating in negative thoughts. It’s about accepting our naturally occurring competitive responses, feeling them fully and moving on. We can accept that we have these feelings a lot of the time. We can even have fun with them, letting ourselves have the nastiest thought possible, then letting that thought go. Doing this as an exercise can feel clean, healthy and even refreshing. As illustrated by the above examples, when we suppress our competitive feelings, they have a way of seeping into and influencing our behavior. Yet, each time we acknowledge that we have these thoughts, we can consciously choose how we want to act. We can be much more proactive in becoming the best version of ourselves, both accepting ourselves and evolving, as the motivated (and competitive) individuals that we inherently are. 1.2 JEALOUSY/BEING ENVY Competitive feelings can be full of jealousy. Allowing ourselves to have competitive thoughts will not leave us falling victim to unstoppable fits of envy or suspicion. When we hold back our healthy and natural competitive feelings, we strengthen the negative parts of those feelings –jealousy included. Instead of building a case against someone, we can face the reality of our feelings and adopt a healthier attitude. For example, a guy I know recently revealed to me a thought process he went through at a party with his girlfriend. He noticed that she was happily chatting with other people, including a few men throughout the night. At first he thought, â€Å"She is totally flirting with my friend. Why does she light up around him? Is she more into him than me? I should just dump her before she makes a fool out of me.† At a certain point, he realized that what he was really feeling was competitive. He wanted her to respond to him the way she was responding to other people at the party. His thinking quickly changed to, â€Å"I love when she is fun like this. I want to share that with her.† Instead of listening to  the voice in his head that told him to pull away and act cold to her, he joined her and engaged in joking around with her. By being lighthearted and fun himself, she was naturally drawn to him, and they were both able to feel closer and happier with each other. If he’d acted on his jealous insecurities, rather than admitting he felt competitive, he would have achieved just the opposite. 1.3 SELF-DENIAL One of the worst results of denying our competitive feelings is that it can cause us to reject what we really want in life. Because feelings of desire or jealousy make us uncomfortable, we may pretend that we don’t want whatever we once longed for anymore. If someone we had a crush on goes out with someone else or if a job we interviewed for falls through, we can easily turn against ourselves and become self-denying. Instead of thinking, â€Å"I really wanted that, and I’m furious that I didn’t get it,† we might think, â€Å"I don’t even care. I never really wanted that. I’m not going to put myself out there to embarrass myself again.† When we engage in this pattern, we become increasingly passive. Rather than going after what we desire, we avoid it, all in the interest of denying our â€Å"unacceptable† competitive feelings. REFERENCE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201309/the-benefits-feeling-competitive 2. POSSITIVE EFFECT 2.1 MAKES YOU PERSEVERE When you look at someone ahead of you and you do whatever it takes to catch up to them†¦that is the essence of perseverance. You don’t give up until you are at the top. Without competition, we would have no reason to persevere. We wouldn’t know our limits and how far we can stretch them. The rewards of perseverance are priceless and to experience such rewards, you need a reason, and competition is that reason. 2.2 HELPS ASSESS YOUR STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES Following up from my previous point, what you do notice is what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. With competition, you have a way to measure how well or how poorly you are doing. Knowing what you are good at and what you are not is extremely important, because success is all about accentuating your strengths and hiding your weaknesses. How well you accomplish this determines how far you go. REFERENCE: http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/7-positives-of-competition/

International Comparison Program(2005) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Comparison Program(2005) - Essay Example Therefore one can think of investment in either India or China. I took India as the country to develop new product because cosmetic, especially 100% herbal and vegetarian Lipstick with variety of shades can be a new product that can be developed in an Indian Market. The increasing urbanization and a growth in the number of office workers have resulted in a strong focus on grooming in that country. 65% of the total population of India is below 35 years of age but only around 30% of the women use lipsticks in India, so there is a wide scope to flourish in India. The USP (unique selling proposition) of this product is its attribute of being 100% Herbal and Vegetarian as almost 40% of the total population in India is vegetarian and till now no other company has launched this type of product in the Indian Market. Cosmetics and toiletries have seen tremendous growth in 2007. Growth was partly due to high levels of inflation but volume sales also saw dynamic growth. Rising income levels resulted in lower-income groups being able to afford more cosmetics and toiletries and also saw many trading up from unpackaged to packaged products. Meanwhile, mid- and high-income consumers in urban areas began to seek out value-added mass brands and premium products. India can be taken as the country to sell the product as Indian females are considered an epitome of beauty and they are more and more becoming beauty and fashion conscious. The product that can be marketed is a wide range of cosmetics (100%Vegetarian) especially lipsticks and it can be launched in the Indian market by the name: Zebra For the beautiful Diva in you Indian Culture:- Culture is the manner in which things are performed within a society, community or nation. Culture is not a trait that comes with birth but it is learnt over a span of several years. The major things that can be observed amongst Indian culture are as follows:- The Terpstra and Sarathy Cultural Framework helps marketing managers to assess the cultural nature of an international market. The Eight categories are Language, Religion, Values and Attitudes, Education, Social Organizations, Technology and Material Culture, Law and Politics and Aesthetics. 1. Language: - There are as many as 22 official languages in India. The national language of the country is Hindi and most of the people in the country are quite well versed with English as well owning to the British rule in the country for around 200 years. 2. Religion: India is considered to be a land of unity in diversity. Many religions are practiced in the country including Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islamism, Sikhism, Christianity etc. The cow is considered sacred in Hinduism. She is the one who should be worshipped for the various graces She bestows on humanity. 40% of the total population is Vegetarian. 3. Values and Attitude:- Generally people in India have a high regard for their elders. Although traditional roles are changing, especially in urban areas, there are important values shared by most Indian families. Normally, Indians hold family progress, unity and support in high regard throughout their lives. Mostly people live in an extended family, in which every member has their own role, often determined by age and gender. There is typically a head of the family who takes the major decision with respect to the family and his decision is respected by everyone in the family. Elders are supposed to use their experience and wisdom to help guide

Apple - Organization Profile Strategic Analysis Research Paper

Apple - Organization Profile Strategic Analysis - Research Paper Example By mid 2011, Apple had approximately 364 retail stores based in at least 13 countries, as well as a robust online store. Towards the end of 2011, Apple had 60,400 permanent, full-time employees globally. Its global annual revenue for the year 2010 was $65 billion and $ billion in 2011. The company’s shares are highly demanded in the stock exchange market with the latest sale price totaling $570 per share. Foundation Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak, established Apple in 1976, focusing on the sale of Apple 1 personal computer kit, which were hand-built by Wozniak. The company’s incorporation took place in early 1977 exclusive of Wayne who sold his shares to Jobs and Wozniak (Lashinsky 27). Ownership Apple Inc. is publicly owned after the company launched its IPO, in 1980, generating more capital than any other company since Ford Motor in 1956. Apple Inc. is a for-profit, C Corporation trading under the AAPL ticker on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Business The comp any’s business has evolved significantly since the early 1980s when its main products included the Mac. Today, the company concentrates more on the design and production of personal electronics such as iPhones and iPads than Macs since its iPads and iPhone generate more income than Macs. Industry The company is among the key players of the consumer electronics or devices industry, which encompasses some of the world’s biggest corporations. Research shows that the consumer electronic device industry generated revenues totaling $512 billion in the 2011 financial year (Lashinsky 115). This indicates a growth rate of 12% compared to the total revenue in 2010. Furthermore, in 2011, the industry experienced 29% positive growth in unit sales. This is indicative of the overall profitability of the industry. Competitors The industry is highly competitive encompassing large multinational corporations dealing in the manufacture of hardware such as computers and handset phones, so ftware and operating systems. Apple’s main competitors include Microsoft, Motorola Solutions, Samsung Electronics, AdMob, Songbird (POTI Inc.), Sony, Adobe Systems, Research in Motion, MUBI, SlideRocket, Hewlett Packard, LG, HTC, Palm, Nokia and Dell among others (Lashinsky 84). Industry Leaders While the consumer electronics industry is highly competitive, there are few companies that lead the rest in terms of market share, capitalization and profitability. The industry leaders are companies that continue to redefine their products in accordance to the latest technology. The leaders include Microsoft with regard to the provision of software and operating systems, market capitalization, revenues and market share. Nokia and Samsung are also leaders in the consumer electronics industry with regard to sales of handsets and market share for cell phones. Apple Inc. is also a key leader in the industry. Industry Structure The industry is highly competitive and dynamic and is curren tly enjoying relative maturity, which is characterized by declines in overall profitability, as well as intense market competition (Lashinsky 72). In this context, leading brands resort to improving competitive advantage through expansion. This results in the adoption of strategies such as brand consolidations, acquisitions and mergers. These structural approaches help companies to maintain their positions in the highly lucrative

STEEP ANALYSIS ON INDUSTRY OF PULP AND PAPER Essay

STEEP ANALYSIS ON INDUSTRY OF PULP AND PAPER - Essay Example ronic medium of communication or the digitization and automation in the every aspect of business the need for physical paper has shown a decline in the recent ages (Barney, 1991). The use of the electronic medium in the businesses has affected this industry. This has led to a decline in the purchase of the paper and pulp. However, a number of new technologies have been adopted by the manufacturers which would be cost efficient and would lead to rise in the revenue of the companies. The technological shift would also lead to a rise in the production of the paper in the country. However, as most of the companies are moving towards sustainability the use of hardcopy paper using for mails and documentation are getting reduced. Since the major inputs for the manufacturing of paper and pulp is tree, the manufacturers have become more inclined towards eco friendly. This has led to a rise in the demand for the hand-made paper or of materials which are made up of recyclable products and thereby saving a lot of trees. The manufacturing companies also have to be conscious about the balance in the emissions during the process of production (Chhabra, 2010). There are a number of laws pertaining to the environmental auditing and regulations which has been set by the government of the country. The companies have to ensure that these laws are not violated while they are undertaking their production process. There is a lot of variety of paper that is being produced in India. For each of the qualities the pricing of the paper varies and hence the revenue from the expensive category of the product is quite low. Canada has a stable political environment. Along with that the trade relations with the United States and the participation in the NAFTA has helped the country to move towards a better economic position and have helped the country to complete in the larger world

Math Lesson PLan (Measuring Angles) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Math Lesson PLan (Measuring Angles) - Essay Example Students with autism perform better in a predictable environment (Ernsperger, 2002). Special signals will be developed which the student can use to draw attention of the teacher if he needs help. These instructions will not disturb the class and will also shield the child from undue attention (Mcminn, 2006). Frequent feedback is essential in order to ensure proper learning. To facilitate this, the student will be questioned repeatedly and his understanding will be tested to ensure he remains on the right track. As frequent questioning in the classroom can be disruptive, special session will be given to the student. Once the students draw two lines intersecting with each other, they will be taught that the point at which they intersect is called as the vertex and angles are formed when two lines meet at the vertex. Students will now be encouraged to give examples where angles are important. They will be asked to give examples from everyday lives. Ask each student to give one example of an angle. This will ensure that students understand what angles mean and what their importance is. The teacher will then distribute an angle worksheet to all the students. This worksheet will include the following – definition of angles, how angles are measured, and 3 categories of angles: acute angle, obtuse angle, and right angle and their definitions. The worksheet to be distributed in shown in appendix A. Special worksheet will be distributed for the student with visual impairment which is readable for him. The worksheet will also serve as class notes which can be given to student suffering from SLI, ESL and hearing impairments. The teacher will then draw the three types of angles on the whiteboard – acute angle, obtuse angle and right angles and explain each and every point mentioned in the worksheet clearly and precisely. While explaining these points, the teacher will face the students at all

Film, Television and Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Film, Television and Society - Research Paper Example Such as in 1973, new shows that were introduced increased the number to 28 but most of the new shows were cancelled. Similar evidences were reported in 1975 to 1977 but majority of the efforts failed. This constant failure reflected boredom of viewer for the various programs that were significantly similar and other emergent trends in the society (Dunnett, 126-127). The era of 1970 in US television is also regarded "The Decade of Norman Lear." This show characterized the Lear and Bud in situation comedy of an American society with an opportunity to see the various dimensions that were earlier considered as restricted domain by other channels. The shows casted different aspects of women rights identifying pressing women for identifying her true strength. For example, One Day At A Time presented the success of single mom in gaining success in the their lives. The show presented single mom as Heroes. All In The Family was another show despite being the controversial gained much populari ty. The show depicted the ways with which American family deals with issues. Various taboos in the American families were pushed aside in this program that created complexities. The news on television was given more acceptance than newspaper. The era viewed the increased influence on the television by the government. For example, the government banned the cigarettes advertisement on television and caused broadcasters loosing revenue of around US $ 200. In addition to this, the influence of US government was also witnessed in the government attempting to gain the support for the defence policies. The television in the era of 1970s also gained some greater exposures to country political conditions and other related matters. For... This paper approves that another factor that was raised from the freedom was loss of grounds that binds the society. The religious, social and even governmental grounds of society were increasingly losing its strength. The society was more inclined to free love, trends of rock and roll, changing genders etc has immense impact. In addition to this, the rising freedom orientation and frustration led to usage of drugs in society. People increasingly relied on drugs such as cocaine to continuously keep the energy level high and nitrate to arouse sexual abilities. The disco parties for all night had to offer these artificial energizers to keep people going on. The other negative impact from these factors resulted in promiscuity within constantly rising heterosexuals and homosexuals set in society. This report makes a conclusion that the above document attempted to comprehend the conditions of society transition from one state to other as result of the infusions from media of communication. TV and film selected as the medium for transmitting these changes. With central focus on the programs aired on TV and content that formed the subjects of film the document entails the varying factors reflected. Though there has been constant debate on the fact of the TV and film picks up subjects from surrounding and so happened in the 1970s era but at the same time the fact remains that such content further had devastating impact on the society. The worsened impact as concluded is the societal condition where government loses all morals and reflections are observed in the society’s conduct.

Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Code of Ethics - Essay Example My core values are respect, integrity, responsibility, and fairness. Respect is important to me because I honor all individuals as human beings with dignity. Respect is essential in having a good life because, if I see every one as equal, I will not mistreat or abuse anyone. Furthermore, respect means being open to and tolerant of differences. If I respect people, I do not need to force my beliefs and values on them. I will not also unfairly judge them, which avoids prejudice and discrimination. Integrity is my second core value because it means being honest in what I say and do. Integrity is important to living a good life because I can earn and protect the trust of people. I will also feel better about myself because my values do not conflict with my actions. Responsibility is the third core value that I find important because I want to be accountable for my decisions and actions. Responsibility is significant to a good life because I am proactive in setting goals and handling prob lems. Fairness is also an important core value because I want to be impartial by listening to others and having an open mind. It is valuable to a good life because it results to just processes and outcomes. My core values will help me live a good life because they will enable me to become conscious of my ethical needs as a human being and to respect other people as beings with equal moral worth. I believe that I have good moral character because I live with integrity. Integrity is all about interconnecting my values, beliefs, attitudes, and actions. To be a person of integrity is to act according to my cherished values and virtues. The virtues that I aspire to cultivate and practice are connected to my code of ethics. I want to embody the virtues of hope, justice, and temperance. By having hope, I see positive things in people and the future. I also contribute to a hopeful future through my actions,

Love the Way You Lie by Eminem and Rihanna Essay - 1

Love the Way You Lie by Eminem and Rihanna - Essay Example Rihanna chants the chorus with words such as â€Å"†¦ That’s all right because I like the way it hurts.† The video is particularly useful since Eminem’s and Rihanna’s past lives were characterized by violence or abuse (Fallon 4). Eminem is fond of singing a lot about violence while Rihanna was once abused by Chris Brown. When one examines the video very carefully, it appears like it glorifies domestic violence. Eminem sings If she ever tries to fucking leave me again, I'm a tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.† Eminem appears to promote violence against woman since he is set to punish her partner if she decides to dump him (Enck and Blake 621). On the other hand, Rihanna sings â€Å"Just gonna stand there and watch me burn. But that's all right because I like the way it hurts.† Rihanna suggests that she may tolerate domestic violence if it is directed at her again (Cundiff 22). The song explains a superficial narrative of a violent relationship without an analysis. In the video, Eminem raps aggressively in the background insinuating that he is the male character that appears in the video. The video indicates how a love so violent at one time could quickly go wrong after some time. On the other hand, Rihanna sings as if she is the female character that appears in the video. Rihanna’s line, â€Å"I love the way you lie†, insinuates that the female character gets pleasure in being let down and mistreated. Both Eminem and Rihanna play their part in the video in front of a house that is burning. The flames may be representing anger, desire or even regret. The video helps to tell a story, but it fails to paint the whole picture that many anti-violence proponents have been witnessing. Viewers of the video may be left wondering what could have brought the two individuals to that place. In the video’s depiction, passion and violence appear to be the same thing.  

Corporate Finance Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Corporate Finance Project - Essay Example Because of their fewness, oligopolists have considerable control over their prices, but each must consider the possible reaction of rivals to its own pricing, output & advertising decision. Oligopoly pricing behavior has the characteristics of certain game of strategy, such as poker, chess, & bridge. The best way to play such game depends on the way one's opponent plays. Players (& oligopolists) must pattern their actions according to the actions & expected reaction of rivals. The study of how people behave in strategic situations is called game theory. In other words, game theory analyzes the way that two or more players choose strategies that jointly affect each-other. This theory that sounds frivolous in its terminology is fought with significance & was largely developed by john Von Neumann (1903 - 1957), a Hungarian-born mathematical genius. Economists, union-management disputes, country's trade policies, international environmental agreements, reputations, & a host of other situations have used game theory. It offers insights for policies, welfare, & everyday life as well. Thus, similarly, in our motto in the market competition in the product market for business i nvestment purpose, this theory has a major implication. To realize so, we will need to move for the further analysis. Here, the vertical rust arrows show uptown's price cuts; the horizontal rust arrows show Starship's matching each price cut. ... Why Because the only price compatible with both stratifies is a price of 0, 90% of 0 is 0. Finally, it dawns on the two firms- when one firm cuts its price, the other firm will match the price cut. Only if the firms are shortsighted will they think that they can undercut each-other for long. So, they will think that- What will my rival do if I cut my price or raise my price Basic Explanation: In a duopoly market, it is assumed that each firm has the same cost & demand structure, each can choose whether to charge its normal or lower price below marginal cost & try to drive its rival into bankruptcy & then capture the entire market. The novel element is the firm's profits will depend on its rival's strategy as well as on its own growth. A useful tool for representing the interaction between two firms is a two way payoff table or matrix which shows the strategic & payoffs of a game between two players. In this table, a firm can choose between the strategies listed in its rows or columns like below- In this figure, each firm decides whether to charge its high price or to start a price war by choosing a lower price. Cell A, at the upper left, shows the outcome when both firm choose the high price; D is the outcome when both choose to conduct a price war & B & C result when one firm has a high price & one a war price. The numbers insight the cells show the payoffs of the two firms, the profits earned by each firm for each of the four outcomes. The rust number in the lower left shows the payoff to the player on the left (Starship), the upper right shows the payoff of the player at the top (Uptown) as the firms are identical, the payoffs are mirror images. Alternative

Legal and Ethical Implications for Classroom Management Essay Example for Free

Legal and Ethical Implications for Classroom Management Essay Today’s classrooms are more dynamic than ever before. Educational needs of students are changing at breakneck speeds, along with the demands being placed on their teachers. There are associated legal and ethical implications that are evolving as rapidly as the technology that is driving a lot of the change. In order to have a chance to meet the needs of students and legal/ethical obligations, educators must have well developed classroom management techniques. These can get tricky quite often and require balancing the increasingly diverse needs of many different people. To be an effective teacher today is extremely difficult for these reasons. This essay will examine some of the current issues that teachers are exposed to in today’s classrooms by summarizing four journal articles and responding to them. The specific issues will be free speech and what it means in a school setting, cell phones in classrooms, bullying (specifically of students with disabilities), and gender specific dress codes. Freedom of Speech The issue addressed in the first article summary is freedom of speech and how it is interpreted in a public school setting in relation to the distribution of religious materials. This is really not a new topic of debate. Current precedents have been set in court cases dating as far back as1969 and the Tinker vs. Desmoines case. In that case, the court decision reads that, in order to prohibit any students’ expression of opinion, the school must provide evidence to support the fact that the actions being suppressed would be significantly disruptive (Essex, 2006). Because it is an issue of ongoing debate there are cases still being heard all over the country. This article is specifically in response to a case in the New York Supreme Court, where a student was prohibited from distributing religious fliers on school property. The question is, why was the student prevented from expressing her opinion in the first place. According to Essex (2006), one of the requirements placed on schools is that they remain viewpoint neutral. This means that if the literature was suppressed because it was religious in nature, the suppression violated her First Amendment rights, even in the school setting. In all court cases, the real message has been that schools are responsible for making sure parents and students are aware that the schools are merely sending messages indiscriminately from religious and non-secular sources and that they are not in support of any of them (Essex, 2006). Really the essence of the article is that sound policies must be in place, well documented, and consistently followed for a school to be able to regulate what a student says or distributes and there must be no endorsement of any particular ideas from any group or student. Cell phones The next topic of discussion is cell phones in classrooms. The article being summarized is entitled The Only Thing We Have to Fear is†¦120 Characters. In this article, Kevin Thomas and Christy McGee (2012) make arguments for the use of cellphones in classrooms in spite of the fact that 69% have banned them. This paper responds to the many reasons for disallowing their use, and then it goes on to highlight some ideas about why cell phones should be used as educational tools. Both sides of the discussion certainly make valid points. If 69% schools have taken students cell phones away, there must be some reasons. Thomas Mcgee (2012) identified and responded to four commonly offered rationales, including misuse for cheating, replacing Standard English with textese, sexting, and cyberbulling. It seems rather obvious that these are negative side effects of the technology, however there are also positive results that can be attributed to the use of cell phones. Today, they are relatively affordable and powerful miniature computers. When used properly, the possibilities for better use of time are astonishing. According to Thomas and McGee (2012), teachers need to be modeling appropriate behavior with their portable electronic devices and taking advantage of the benefits because the technology is not the cause of the problems. The problems being associated with cell phones all existed in some form, long before modern technology. Thomas Diamates (2010) reports that courts have supported schools in their efforts to ban cell phone use as long as the school follow established procedures. Bullying The third topic has to do with bullying, specifically students with disabilities. These students stand out in the classroom, as they are â€Å"different† and so they are subjects of increased abuse from fellow students (Eckes and Gibbs, 2012). Schools and teachers have an obligation to provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). This paper looks at the findings in several court cases to establish what is required of teachers in situations where students with disabilities are being bullied. What this article shows is that there are an increasing number of suits against school where disabled children are being bullied. The interpretation of what is considered an appropriate education, and whether or not the school took proper preventative/disciplinary steps in light of the bullying are the reasons for these suits. The findings of this study provide evidence that the courts will generally side with schools that have taken and documented actions to alleviate the harassment. In Brown vs. Monroe County Board of Education (1999), the Supreme Court ruled that for a school to be liable, it must receive federal funds, it must have been aware of and acted â€Å"deliberately indifferent† to the harassment, and the bullying must have been severe enough to deprive educational opportunity (Eckes and Gibbs, 2012). Basically, schools must make an adequate effort to alleviate the harassment in order to limit their liability, and this has been upheld by the courts in cases like Werth v. Board of Directors (2007), and Biggs v. Board of Education (2002). Dress codes The last article on the list takes a look at how and why public schools can or cannot implement gender based dress codes. Proponents of dress codes list reasons including less distractions, less pressure to dress right, safety, and lower cost to families. Opponents say that dress codes take away students expressive rights, which are already severely limited in school settings. In this particular case, Ceara Sturgis had her picture and name removed from her senior yearbook because she is a lesbian who was more comfortable wearing the school prescribed male outfit. The current question is whether or not this is in violation of her civil liberties. Historically the courts have upheld the rights of schools to implement dress codes with very few exceptions. In Blau v. Fort Thomas Public School District (2005), a father brought suit against the school for violating 1st and 14th amendment rights with their dress code. The court found no violation of rights since â€Å"it is not related to suppression of the content of expression, it furthers a substantial government interest, and it does not burden substantially more speech than is necessary to further that interest† (Dowling-Sender, p. 34, 2005). On the other side of the coin, in United States vs. Virginia (1996), schools were required to show a â€Å"legitimate and important† reason for any gender based restrictions (Smith, 2012). In Ceara’s case, the school is going to have to show that it meets all these criteria, and the outcome has some potentially far reaching consequences. What all this means is that teaching in todays classrooms must be dynamic. Teachers need to be aware of their ever-changing legal and ethical obligations as educators. Decisions must be based on sound judgment and carefully documented observations. Teachers, students, and parents must work together and communicate with each other to create the best possible learning environment for everyone.

The Decolonisation of Africa 1959-1964 Essay Example for Free

The Decolonisation of Africa 1959-1964 Essay To what extent was Britain able to retain control over decolonisation in Africa between 1959 and 1964? By 1959 decolonisation in British Africa was well under way, for example, the Gold Coast in West Africa had become independent in 1957, Nigeria and Sierra Leone were well on their way to independence, and agitation and advances towards independence were already taking place in Kenya and Tanganyika in Eastern Africa. By 1964 this had spread throughout Britain’s African territories and many more had either become independent or started their journey and development towards independence, as the â€Å"political face of the continent was transformed†[1]. This essay will examine what it was that led to this huge change in policy towards Africa, from a time at the beginning of the 1950s when no one expected any of Britain’s colonies to become independent within a generation, let alone within a decade, to a time in the mid-1960s when Britain’s colonial possessions in Africa were severely dwindling and there was a clear line of policy towards decolonisation there. Even in 1959, as Hemming recognises, â€Å"a conference of East African governors agreed that the likely timetable of independence would be: Tanganyika in 1970, Kenya in 1975 and Uganda somewhere between the two†[2]. In fact Tanganyika gained independence in 1961, Kenya in 1963 and Uganda in 1962. As Hemming identifies, â€Å"a fifteen year timetable had been reduced by 80 percent†[3]. This essay will look at such questions as: How can we judge if Britain was in control? ; Was Britain in control of the pace, or the actual process of events of how independence came about? ; Was Britain in control of who to transfer power to? This essay will attempt to answer these questions by examining all of the various problems, and pressures with which Britain was faced regarding its African colonies, which can been seen to have taken the control of decolonisation in Africa between 1959 and 1964 out of Britain’s hands. It will look at whether Britain really wanted to maintain control of its colonial territories, or whether, once Britain had decided not to keep its colonies, it actually did not want to remain in control of decolonisation in Africa. In some cases did it actually make it easier for Britain to allow control of African decolonisation **** out of its hands. This essay will examine whether it is certain that once the ‘wind of change’ of African nationalism began spreading through Africa, that Britain was not entirely in control, and, will examine the extent to which Britain did retain control, if it did at all. It will look at the pressures the British government had to deal with, for example, pressures from the UN to end British imperialism, pressures from the US, and pressures from other members of the Commonwealth, as well as from the rest of Europe. It will examine the strength of colonial nationalism and the extent to which this took the control of decolonisation in Africa away from Britain, or at least forced the British government to change and adapt its policy in order to cope and deal with this threat. This essay will look at pressures at home in Britain, from members of the government and those in opposition as well as British public opinion, and the extent to which this affected Britain’s policy over decolonisation. It will also look at the impact and influence that the process of decolonisation being pursued by other European imperial powers in Africa had on Britain’s decolonisation policy. It will look at how much the desire of Britain to maintain its role as a world power, and maintain, for example, the special relationship with America, and its position in the Commonwealth, had on British policy over decolonisation and whether this desire led to Britain pursuing a policy direction which it otherwise would not have done. Finally, having examined all these pressures and events which affected Britain’s decolonisation policy in Africa, this essay will attempt to examine to what extent Britain was, or was not, able to retain control over this process, and affect it in a way which was acceptable to Britain. It will then try and make an assessment, whether or not Britain did retain control over decolonisation in Africa in the period from 1959 to 1964, and, if Britain was in control, the extent of this control.

Yips Drivers Of Globalisation Management Essay

Yips Drivers Of Globalisation Management Essay There is an increasing trend to market globalisation for a variety of reasons. In some markets, customer needs and preferences are becoming more similar. The opening of McDonalds outlets in most countries of the world signalled similar tendencies in fast food. As some markets globalise, those operating in such markets become global customers and may search for suppliers who an operate on a global basis. The development of global communication and distribution channels may drive globalisation- the obvious example being the impact of the internet. Marketing policies, brand names and identifies, and advertising may all be developed globally. This further generates global demand and expectations from customers, and may also provide marketing cost advantages for global operators. Cost globalisation may give potential for competitive advantage since some organisations will have greater access to and/be more aware of these advantages than others. There might also be cost advantages from the experience built through wider scale operations. Other cost advantages might be achieved by central sourcing efficiencies from lower cost suppliers across the world. Country specific costs such as labour or exchange rates, encourage businesses to search globally for low cost in these respects as ways of matching the costs of competitors that have such advantages because of their location. For example given increased reliability of communication and cost differentials of labour, software companies and call centres are being located in India, where there is highly skilled but low cost staff. Other businesses face high costs of product development and may see advantages in operating globally with fewer products rather than incurring the costs of wide ranges of products on a more limited geographical scale. The activities and policies of governments have also tended to drive the globalisation of industry. Changes in the macro environment are increasing the global competition, which, in turn, encourages further globalisation. If the levels of exports and imports between countries are high, it increases interaction between competitors on a more global scale. If a business is competing globally, it also tends to place globalisation pressures on competitors, especially if customers are also operating on a global scale. Porters 5 forces (diagram p.80) Porters five forces framework was originally developed as a way of assessing the attractiveness of different industries. As such it can help identifying the sources of competition in an industry or sector. Although initially used with businesses in mind, it is of value to most organisations. It must be used at the level of SBUs and not at the level of the whole organisation. For example an airline might compete simultaneously in several different arenas such as domestic and long haul, and target different customer groups such as leisure, business ad freight. The impact of competitive force may be different for each of theses SBUs. Understanding the connections between competitive forces and the key drivers in the macro environment are essential. For example technological changes can destroy many of the competitive advantages and barriers that have protected organisations historically. The five forces are not independent of each other. Pressures from one direction can trigger off changes in another in dynamic process of shifting sources of competition. Competitive behaviour may be concerned with disrupting these forces and not simply accommodating them. Threat of entry will depend on the extent to which there are barriers to entry. These are factors that need to be overcome by new entrants if they are to compete successfully. These should be seen as providing delays to entry and not as permanent barriers to determined potential entrants. They may deter some potential entrants but not others. Typical barriers are as follows- Economies of scale The capital requirement of entry. The capital cost of entry will vary according to technology and scale. Access to supply or distribution channels. In many industries manufacturers have had control over supply or/and distribution channels. Customer or supplier loyalty. It is difficult for a competitor to break into an industry if there are one or more established operators that now the industry well and have good relationships with the key buyers and suppliers. Experience. Early entrants into an industry gain experience sooner than others. This can give them advantage in terms of cost and/or customer/supplier loyalty. Legislation or government action. Legal restraints on competition vary from patent protection, to regulation of markets through to direct government action. Threat of substitutes. Substitutes reduces demand for a particular class of products as customers switch to the alternatives-even to the extent that this lass of products or services become obsolete. This depends on whether a substitute provides a higher perceived benefit or value. Substitution may take different forms- There could be product for product substitution- for example email, substituting for a postal service. There may also be other organisations that are complementors-meaning that they have products and services that make organisations products more competitive-and vice versa. There may be substitution of need by a new product or service, rendering an existing product or service redundant. For example, more reliable and cheaper domestic appliances reducing the need for maintenance and repair services. Generic substitution occurs where products or services compete for disposable income, for example furniture manufacturers compete for available household expenditure with suppliers of televisions, videos, cookers, cars and holidays. The power of buyers and suppliers. Buyer power is likely to be high when some of the following conditions prevail. There is a concentration of buyers, particularly if the volumes purchased by buyers are high and/or the supplying industry comprises a large number of small operators. This is the case on items such as milk in the grocery sector in many European countries, where just a few retailers dominate the market. The cost of switching a supplier is low or involves little risk-for example, if there are no long term contract or supplier approval requirements. There is a threat of the supplier being acquired by the buyer and/or the buyer setting up in competition with the supplier. This is called backward integration and might occur if satisfactory prices or quality from suppliers cannot be obtained. Supplier power is likely to be high when: There is a concentration of suppliers rather than a fragmented source of supply. The switching costs from one supplier to another are high, perhaps because an organisations processes are dependant on the specialist products of a supplier, as in the aerospace industry, or where a product is clearly differentiated-such as Microsoft products. There is the possibility of the suppliers competing directly with their buyers(this s called forward integration) if they do not obtain the prices, and hence the margins, that they seek. Competitive rivals are organisations with similar products and services aimed at the same customer group. There are a number of factors that affect the degree of competitive rivalry in an industry or sector: The extent to which competitors are in balance. Where competitors are of roughly equal size there is the danger of intense competition as on competitor attempts to gain dominance over another. Industry growth rates may affect rivalry. The idea of the life cycle suggests that the stage of development of an industry or sector is important in terms of competitive behaviour. High fixed costs in an industry, perhaps through capital intensity, may result in price wars and low margins if industry capacity exceeds demand as capacity fill becomes a prerogative. Where there are high exit barriers to an industry, there is again likely to be the persistence of excess capacity and, consequently, increased competition. Differentiation can, again, be important. In a commodity market, where products r services are undifferentiated, there is little to stop customers switching between competitors increasing rivalry. The following questions help focus on the implications of these forces- Are some industries ore attractive than others? This was the original purpose of the 5 forces model, the argument being that an industry is attractive when the forces are weak. For example, if entry is difficult, suppliers and/or buyers have little power and rivalry is low. What are the underlying forces in the macro environment that are driving the competitive forces? For example, the lower labour costs for software and service operators located in India are both an opportunity and a threat to European and US companies. So five forces needs to be linked to PESTEL as mentioned earlier. Critical success factors-from the potential providers viewpoint it is valuable to understand which features are of particular importance to a group of customers(market segment). These are known as the critical success factors. Critical success factors are those product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organisation excel to outperform competition. Strategic capability can be defined as the adequacy and suitability of the resources and competences of an organisation for it to survive and prosper. Tangible resources- are the physical assets of an organisation such as plant, labour and finance. Intangible resources- are non physical assets such as information, reputation and knowledge. Typically, an organisations resources can be considered under the following 4 categories: Physical resources- such as the number of machines, buildings or the production capacity of the orgnaisation. The nature of these resources, such as the age, condition, capacity and location of each resource, will determine the usefulness of suc resources. Financial resources- such as captal, cash, debtors, and creditors, and suppliers of money (shareholders, bankers, etc) Human resources- including the number and mix of people in an organisation. The intangible resource of their sills and knowledge is also likely to be important. This applies both to employees and other people in an organisations networks. In knowledge based economies people do genuinely become the most valuable asset. Intellectual capital is an important aspect of the intangible resources of an organisation. This includes patents, brands, business systems and customer databases. There should be no doubt that these intangible resources have a value, since when businesses are sold part of the value is goodwill. In a knowledge based economy intellectual capital is likely to be a major asset of many organisations. Such resources are certainly important but what an organisation does-how it employs and deploys its resources-matters at least as much as what resources it has. There would be no point in having state of the art equipment or valuable knowledge or a valuable brand if they were not used effectively. The efficiency and effectiveness of physical or financial resources, or the people in an organisation, depends on not just their existence bt how they are managed, the cooperation between people, their adaptability, their innovatory capacity, the relationship with customers and suppliers and the experience and learning about what works well and what does not. Competences is used to mean the activities and processes through which n organisation deploys its resources effectively. In understanding strategic capability, the emphasis is, then, not just on what resources exist but on ho they are used. Threshold capabilities are those essential for the organisation to be able to compete in a given market. Without these an organisation is unlikely to be able to survive in the market. The first 2 basic questions are- -what are the threshold resources needed to support particular strategies? If an organisation des not possess these resources it will be unable to meet customers minimum requirements and therefore be unable to continue to exist. For example, the increasing demands by modern multiple retailers made on their suppliers means that those suppliers have to possess quite sophisticated IT infrastructure to stand a chance of meeting retailer requirements. Threshold levels of capabilities will change and will usually rise over time as critical success factors change and through the activities of competitors and new entrants. An example is the way in which the premier league developed during the 1990s created a gulf between those who were able to spend money on players and who were not. While threshold capabilities are fundamentally important they do not of themselves create competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is more likely to be created and sustained if the organisation if the organisation has distinctive or unique capabilities that competitors cannot imitate. This may be because the organisation has unique resources. Unique resources- are those resources that critically underpin competitive advantage and that others cannot imitate or obtain. It is, however, more likely that an organisation is able to achieve competitive advantage because it has distinctive, or core, competences. Core competences- are taken to mean the activities and processes through which resources are deployed in such a way as to achieve competitive advantage in ways that others cannot obtain or imitate. For example, supplier that achieves a competitive advantage in a retail market might have done so on the basis of a unique resource such as powerful brand, or by finding ways of providing service or building relationships with that retailer in ways that its competitors find it difficult to imitate, a core competence. The summary argument is this. To survive and prosper an organisation needs to address the challenges of the environment that it faces. In particular it must be capable of delivering against the critical success factors that arise from demands and needs of its customers. The strategic capability to do so is dependant on the resources plus the competences it has. These must reach a threshold level in order for the organisation to survive. The further challenge is to achieve competitive advantage. This requires it to have strategic capabilities that its competitors find difficult to imitate or obtain. These could be unique resources but are more likely to be the core competences of the organisation. Cost efficiency An important strategic capability in any organisation is to ensure attention is paid to achieving and continually improving cost efficiency. This will involve having both appropriate resources and the competences to manage costs. The management of the cost base of an organisation could be a basis for achieving competitive advantage. However, for many organisations in many markets this is becoming a threshold strategic capability for 2 reasons; First, because customers do not value product features at any price. If the price rises too high they will be prepared to sacrifice value and opt for a lower priced product. Second, competitive rivalry will continually require the driving down of cost because competitors will be trying to reduce their cost so as to under price their rivals while offering similar value. Sustainable competitive advantage If capabilities of an organisation do not meet customer needs, at least to a threshold level, the organisation cannot survive. If it cannot manage its costs efficiently and continue to improve on this, it will be vulnerable to those who can. However, if the aim is to achieve competitive advantage then this itself is not enough. The question then becomes, what resources and competences might provide competitive advantage in ways that can be sustained over time? If this is to be achieved, then strategic capability has to meet other criteria. It is important to emphasise that if an organisation seeks to build competitive advantage it must meet the needs and expectations of its customers. There is little point in having capabilities that are valueless in customer terms; the strategic capabilities must be able to deliver what the customer values in terms of product or service. Given this fundamental requirement, there are then other key capability requirements to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Rarity of strategic capabilities Competitive advantage cannot be achieved if the strategic capability of an organisation is the same as other organisations. It could, however, be that a competitor possesses some unique r rare capability providing competitive advantage. For example some libraries have unique collections of books unavailable elsewhere. Competitive advantage could also be based on rare competences such as years of experience in, for example, brand management or building relationships with key customers; or perhaps the way in which different parts of a global business have learned to work harmoniously. Rarity may depend on who owns the competence and how easily transferable it is. For example, the competitive advantages of some professional service organisations are built around the competence of specific individuals- such as a doctor in leading edge medicine. An organisation may have secured preferred access to customers or suppliers perhaps through an approval process or by winning a bidding process. This may be particularly advantageous if this approval for access cannot be obtained without a specific history of operation or having followed a specified development programme-say with pharmaceutical products. This means that a competitor cannot find a short cut to imitation. Some competences are situation dependant and not transferable because they are only of value if used in a particular organisation. For example, the systems for operating particular machines are not applicable to organisations that do not use those same machines. Sometimes incumbent organisations have advantage because they have sunk costs that are already written off and they are able to operate at significantly lower overall cost. Other organisations would face much higher costs to set up to compete. Whilst rarity of strategic capabilities can, then, provide the basis of competitive advantage, there are dangers of redundancy. Rare capabilities may come to be core rigidities difficult to change and damaging to the organisation and its markets. Robustness of strategic capabilities (diagram p.128) It should be clear by now that the search for strategic capability that provides sustainable competitive advantage is not straightforward. It involves identifying capabilities that are likely to be durable and which competitors find difficult to imitate or obtain. Indeed the criterion of robustness is sometimes referred to as non-imitable. Advantage is more likely to be determined by the way in which resources are deployed to create competences in the organisations activities. For example, as suggested earlier an IT system itself will not improve an organisations competitive standing; it is how it is used that matters. Indeed what will probably make most difference is how the system is used to bring together customer needs with areas of activities and knowledge both inside and outside the organisation. It is therefore to do with linking sets of competences. Core competences are likely to be the liked activities or processes through which resources are deployed in such a way as to achieve competitive advantage. They create and sustain the ability to meet the critical success factors of particular customer groups better than other providers and in ways that are difficult to imitate. In order to achieve this advantage, core competences therefore need to fulfil the following criteria: -they must relate to an actitvity or process that underpins the value in the product or service features-as seen through the eyes of the customer. -the competences must lead to levels of performance that are significantly better than competitors. -the competences must be robust-that is, difficult for competitors to imitate. Stakeholders are those individuals or groups who depend on an organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends. Important external stakeholders usually include financial institutions, customers, suppliers, shareholders and unions. External stakeholders can be usefully divided into 3 types in terms of the nature of their relationship with the organisation and therefore, how they might affect the success or failure of a particular strategy. -stakeholders from the market environment such as suppliers, competitors, distributors, shareholders. These stakeholders have an economic relationship with the organisation and influence the value creation process as members of the value network. -stakeholders from the social/political environment such as policy makers, regulators, government agencies who will influence the social legitimacy. -stakeholders in the technological environment such as key adopters, standards agencies and owners of competitive technologies who will influence the diffusion of new technologies and the adoption of industry standards. These 3 sets of stakeholders are rarely of equal importance in any specific situation. For example the technological group are clearly crucial for strategies of new product introduction whilst the social/political group are usually particularly influential in the public sector context. Since the expectations of stakeholder groups will differ, it is quite normal for conflict to exist regarding the importance or desirability of many aspects of strategy. Stakeholder mapping identifies stakeholder expectations and power and helps in understanding political priorities. It underlines the importance of 2 issues: -How interested each stakeholder group is to impress its expectations on the organisations purposes and choice of specific strategies. -Whether stakeholders have the power to do so. Power/interest matrix(diagram p.182) It seeks to describe the political context within which an individual strategy would be pursued. It does this by classifying stakeholders in relation to the power they hold an the extent to which they are likely to show interest in supporting or opposing a particular strategy. Stakeholder mapping might help in understanding better some of the following issues: -whether the actual levels of interest and power of stakeholders properly reflect the corporate governance framework within which the organisation is operating. -who the key blocker and facilitors of a strategy are likely to be and how this could be responded to. -whether repositioning of certain stakeholders is desirable and/or feasible. -maintaining the level of interest or power of some key stakeholders may be essential. Equally it may be necessary to discourage some stakeholders from repositioning themselves. Stakeholder groups are not usually homogeneous but contain a variety of sub groups with somewhat different expectations and power. Most stakeholder groups consist of large numbers of individuals (such as customers or shareholders), and hence can be thought of largely independently of the expectations of individuals within this group. Power Power is the mechanism by which expectations are able to influence purposes and strategies. It has been seen that, in most organisations, power will be unequally shared between the various stakeholders. For the purposes of this discussion, power is the ability of individuals or groups to persuade, induce or coerce others into following certain courses of action. There are many different sources of power. On the other hand, there is power that people or groups derive from their position within the organisation and through the formal corporate governance arrangement. since there are a variety of different sources of power, it is useful to look for indicators of power, which are the visible signs that stakeholders have been able to exploit one or more of the sources of power. Corporate parent The levels of management above that of business units are referred to as the corporate parent. So, a corporate centre or the divisions within a corporation which look after several business units act in a corporate parenting role. The corporate parent refers to the levels of management above that of business units and therefore without direct interaction with buyers and competitors. The discussion does not only relate to large conglomerate businesses. Even small businesses may consist of a number of business units. For example, a local builder maybe undertaking contract work for local government, work for industrial buyers and for local homeowners. Product/market diversity An underpinning issue related to how a corporate parent may or may not add value to that created by its business units is the extent and nature of the diversity of the products or services it offers. Diversification may be undertaken for a variey of reasons some more value creating than others. These are as follows- First, there may be effieciency gains from applying the organisations existing resources or capabilities to new markets and products or services. These are known as economies of scope. Second, there may also be gains from applying corporate managerial capabilities to new markets and products and services Third, having a diverse range of products or services can increase market power. With a diverse range of products or services, an organisation can afford to susidise one product from the surpluses earned by another, in a way that competitors may not be able to. Related diversification can be defined as strategy development beyond current products and markets, but within the capabilities or value network of the organisation. For example procter and gamble and unilever are diversified corporations, but virtually all of their interests are in fast moving consumer goods distributed to retailers, and increasingly in building global brands in that arena. Related diversification is often seen s superior to unrelated diversification, In particular because it is likely to yield economies of scope. However, it is useful to consider reasons why related diversification can be problematic. These include- -the time and cost involved in top management at the corporate level trying to ensure that the benefits or relatedness are achieved through sharing or transfer across business units. -the difficulty for business unit managers in sharing resources with other business units, or adapting to corporate wide policies, especially when they are incentivised and rewarded primarily on the basis of the performance of their own business alone. Unrelated diversification is the development of products or services beyond the current capabilities or value network. Unrelated diversification is often described as a conglomerate strategy. Because there are no obvious economies of scope between the different businesses, but there is an obvious cost of the headquarters, unrelated diversification companies share prices often suffer. It is important also to recognise that the distinction between related and unrelated diversification is a matter of degree. It is the role of any corporate parent to ensure it does add value rather than to destroy it. Indeed how many corporate parents create value is central not only to the performance of companies but also to their survival. (diagram p.309)The portfolio manager is, in effect, a corporate parent acting as an agent on behalf of financial markets and shareholders with a view to enhancing the value attained from the various businesses in a more efficient and effective way than financial markets could. Its role is to identify and acquire under-valued assets or businesses and improve them. It might do this, for example, by acquiring another corporation, divesting low performance businesses within it and encouraging the improved performance of those with potential. Portfolio managers seek to keep the cost of the centre low, for example by having a small corporate staff with few central services, leaving the business units alone so that their chief executives have a high degree of autonomy. Synergy manager a corporate parent seeking to enhance value across business units by managing synergies cross business units. Resources or activities might be shared, for example, common distribution systems might be used for different businesses, overseas offices may be shared by smaller business units acting in different geographical areas. There may exist common skills or competences across businesses. The parental developer seeks to employ its own competences as a parent to add value to its businesses. Rather parental developers have to be clear about the relevant resources or capabilities they themselves have as parents to enhance the potential of business units. The parental developer; a corporate parent seeking to employ its own competences as a parent to add value to its businesses and build parenting skills that are appropriate for their portfolio of business units. Managing the corporate portfolio This section is to do with the models managers might use to make sense of the nature and diversity of the business units within the portfolio, or businesses they might be considering adding given the different rationales described above. A number of tools have been developed to help managers choose what business units to have in a portfolio. Each tool gives more or less focus on one of these criteria: -the balance of the portfolio, eg in relation to its markets and the needs of the corporation; -the attractiveness of the business units in the portfolio in terms of how profitable they are or are likely to be and how fast they are growing; and -the degree of fit that the business units have with each other in terms of potential synergies or the extent to which the corporate parent will be good at looking after them. The growth share (or BCG) matrix (diagram p.315) One of the most common and long standing ways of conceiving the balance of a portfolio of businesses in terms of the relationship between market share and market growth identified by the Boston Consulting Group. The types f businesses in such a portfolio are- -star is a business unit which has a high market share in a growing market. The business unit may be spending heavily to gain that share. -question mark or problem child is a business unit in a growing market, but without a high market share. Cash cow is a business unit with a high market share in a mature market Dogs are business units with a low share in static or declining markets. The growth share matrix permits business units to be examined in relation to (a) market (segment) share and (b) the growth rate of that market and in this respect the life cycle development of that market. It is therefore a way of considering the balance and development of a portfolio. It is argued that market growth rate is important for a business unit seeking to dominate a ma

Brief History of Sustainability :: Environment Economy Sustainable Development

A Brief History of "Sustainability" â€Å"[M]odern industries still operate according to paradigms that developed when humans had a very different sense of the world† (McDonough and Braungart 26)—when resources were thought to be infinite. In 1972 the UN convened the Conference on the Human Environment where â€Å"the global community acknowledged that more exploration was needed of the inter-relationships between the environment and socio-economic issues of poverty and underdevelopment. Thus the concept of sustainable development emerged in the 1980s in response to a growing realization of the need to balance economic and social progress with concern for the environment and the stewardship of natural resources† (â€Å"Education,† par. 2). The concept of sustainability has since permeated the globe. It is integrated within curricula or used to refer to â€Å"green† campus initiatives at numerous international and national universities, including: Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Arizona State University, UMass Lowell (Lowell Center for Sustainable Production), UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Alaska Anchorage, George Washington University, and Colombia. MIT is part of an international partnership called the Alliance for Global Sustainability. Created in 1997, the Alliance â€Å"brings together hundreds of university scientists, engineers, and social scientists to address complex issues that lie at the intersection of environmental, economic and social goals† (â€Å"Alliance†). In 1999 Dow Jones launched Sustainability Indexes, which are â€Å"the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide† (â€Å"Dow†). By 2002, at the UN Johannesburg Summit, social justice and poverty were recognized as â€Å"key principles to development that is sustainable. The human and social aspects of sustainable development meant that solidarity, equity, partnership and cooperation were as crucial as scientific approaches to environmental protection† (â€Å"Education,† par. 6). At the 2002 Summit, the United Nations General Assembly declared years 2005–2014 the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development â€Å"as a way of signalling that education and learning lie at the heart of approaches to sustainable development† (â€Å"Education,† par. 6). According to the UN Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), â€Å"Improving the quality of education and reorienting its goals to recognize the importance of sustainable development must be one of UNESCO’s and the world’s highest priorities† (â€Å"Education,† par. 10). The Association of University Leaders for Sustainable Development, whose mission is to â€Å"make sustainability a major focus of teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities worldwide† (â€Å"About†), has partnered with the International Association of Universities and UNESCO. â€Å"The rationale for

The Code of Chivalry Essay -- The Lay of the Nibelungs

The epic poem, â€Å"The Lay of the Nibelungs† (1200’s), set to practice the major pillars in the code of chivalry that the Duke of Burgundy in the 14th century eventually condensed and ascribed to the Burgundian Knights: Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance, Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, and Valor. Though values bear merit, â€Å"The Lay of the Nibelungs† teaches that true worth and longevity comes from assessing the situation and applying intellect to the code, from submitting to God, and from not cheating the system (the laws and cultural norms of the time that be). A man only bears value based upon his actions or the potential for him to act in a certain manner. However, if an action contradicts that man’s beliefs, then no longer can he be said to possess such ideals. Sivrit embodies the code both through his actions and his beliefs, yet he is still human and thus has shortcomings. Sivrit faulted initially when he came to Burgundy and was clear as to his intentions stating to King Gunther upon his arrival: â€Å"In my father’s land I was told that alongside you here are the boldest warriors that a king ever gained— I’d gladly learn if this is true! I’ve heard a great deal about this. That is why I have come here.† (Anonymous, 14) At this lie or at the very least his hiding the truth of his interest in Kriemhild from Gunther, Sivrit broke an important declaration of the code, which states to all times speak the truth. However, from then onward Sivrit is the noble vassal, who serves his king, and who fig hts for the welfare of all those around him. â€Å"Let that be of little concern to you and rest easy. Do as I ask: let me win honor and gain for you, and ask your knights to come to you aid also. [†¦] I wou... ... Therefore, Hagen reason for killing Sivrit similar to the very modern United States currency can be viewed to have no meaning, they are both merely there as place holders, ideas never fully developed, bubble gum on the bottom of your shoe. And that notion that there might not be any meaning to the text is a troubling scenario for a literary analyst. One reason could be that the book is too short, not lengthwise for it is as long as any short novella at present, but developmentally. The characters come and go, are introduced and killed off, begin to play a crucial role and then disappear. And as for Hagen, who though he stuck around till the very end, at times acted against the Jungian archetype he was written to depict – that of a loyal warrior vassal loyal and submissive— which is problematic only because the author never gave reasons to support Hagen’s actions.

Large Amounts of Glutamine as the Cause of Disease Essay -- Biology Al

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are caused by the aggregation of abnormal proteins in neurons. An essential component of cellular function is the correct assimilation of proteins in the cell. Proteins fold into specific structures and then carry out cellular functions. However, when this folding process runs amuck, abnormal proteins are introduced into the cell. In neurodegenerative diseases, these protein aggregates are characterized by having genes which contain too many CAG trinucleotides repeats that encode for polyglutamine (polyQ). Having too much polyQ leads to the gene products being converted to a proteotoxic state. All in all, disruptions in protein folding lead to an overabundance of CAG repeats which results in an overproduction of polyQ which raises the toxicity of the cell to levels that effect the cell's functions. Through experimentation, this paper attempted to find the threshold for the number of CAG repeats that determines whether cellular function will be disrupted by the protein aggregates. Molecular genetic studies have already established than normal chromosomes (and genes) contain fewer than 30-34 CAG repeats. This paper attempted to prove that 35-40 CAG repeats results in cellular toxicity levels that severely disrupt cellular function. To address the connection between the CAG threshold (thus, the polyQ aggregation) and cellular toxicity, a species of worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, was used during experimentation. (C. elegans are good model organisms to study human neurodegenerative disease not only because C. elegans' neurons resemble vertebrate neurons at cellular and molecular levels, but also because many genes are conserved between worms and h... ... aggregation causes cell toxicity, or if the aggregates are a benign product of some other, yet unknown process that causes the detrimental effects. If future research reveals that glutamine aggregates promote cell toxicity, we can direct research on how to inhibit these aggregations to slow down or possibly reverse the course of the disease. 2.) How aging in the infected organism influences the progression of Huntington's disease: Experiments with C. elegans expressing the age-1 genetic mutation not only had an extended the lifespan, but also had a delayed onset of Huntington's disease. This suggests that a substance produced as an organism ages can catalyzes the toxicity of Huntington's disease. With this in mind, further research could hunt for what this aging-related catalyst is. Blocking this substance may slow down or halt the progression of the disease.

Winning by Jack Welch

As the name itself suggests, the book is all about winning. Winning as a business, winning as a manager, winning as an employee and also winning in the personal life. The book is written in a way that is now popularly known as ‘blog-speak’. There are no jargons used and it’s a typical CEO type of writing. In the book, Welch touches a range of issues ranging from mission and values to Six Sigma in a very lucid manner. The book is a treat for anyone who really wants to know what it takes to make a great company and a great manager as it is written by a man who is known as the best CEO of America. The book starts with explaining foundation stones that an organization must have in order to become a winning company under the section ‘Underneath It All’. These are mission and values, candor, differentiation, voice and dignity. Welch explains all these requirements in detail, giving first hand examples from GE and other real life stories. The section gives fair and actual understanding of the cliched words like mission and values and methods of instilling them in the company firmly. After explaining about foundations Jack Welch turns the discussion to leadership in the Your Company part. He explains things needed in a strong leader. The leader should be able to convert organization’s mission into actions. He needs to instil values in the culture of the company. A leader should be able to appreciate and be adeptable to change. A function of the leader also includes picking winners for the company. The leader should be able to take tough decisions and manage crisis. The most important thing for a leader is to gain trust of the team. He should lead by setting examples and ‘leading from the front’. From the section, I gained a good amount of understanding about leadership qualities and how to actually get things done. After developing a strong leadership, the next step Welch suggests is knowing your competition. You must know what your competitors are doing, how they are doing it, and how to counter the attack. When you know what others are doing or are going to do, it will help you in developing your own strategies, which shall, in turn, translate into your budgeting for execution of those strategies. If you want to grow your company, there are two ways in which it can be done: organic growth i.e starting something new afreash and Mergers and Acquisitions. The company needs to utilize both in order to grow. Both methods require different but clear stategies. This section gave insight into the real running of a company. In the next section: Your Career, Jack Welch explains how companies recruit best employees. Its chapters talk about how to get the right job for you, how to get promoted and the likes. Welch also talks about work-life balance. The last part is about questions and answers that were discussed in a number of sessions that Jack Welch attended throughout the world. WINNING is a must read for anyone who loves business whether he is a CEO or a management student. The talk is quite straightforward, full of insights gained from first hand experience of running GE successfully for twenty years. The reader would find the quality that is emphasised by Welch himself – ‘candor’ in his writings throughout the book. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  

What Weapons and Transportation Machines Were Improved the Most Between World War One and World War Two?

What Weapons and Transportation Machines were modify the Most between man fight atomic number 53 and globe war dickens? During solid rationality fight unmatched, tank cars, electric rays, chemical weapons, bombs, airplanes, ships, submarines and grenades were utilise to devour. A lot of these weapons and appliances were difficult to use, in reality easy to destroy, similarly heavy, didnt last withal long, not accu treasure enough, and didnt shoot to a fault far. The weapons and Transportation autos were meliorate in knowledge base contend twain to make it easier to pop up therefore soldiers would kill more than of the enemies. Also, if the automobiles were too easy to destroy, they improved them or eliminated them. in the buffborn technologies were invented after humankind warfare mavin because the soldiers realized that they needed better st sum upgies to kill the enemies without themselves getting injured and killed. Some of those technologies were ut ilise for defensive purposes as well. For example, the radar was a new technology that was utilise to line where the enemies are so they could kill them, and the radar was used to identify when the enemies were attacking so that they could defend ahead of snip. Transportation machines more than(prenominal) as airplanes, tanks, submarines, ships, and weapons much(prenominal) as varied types of guns were improved in adult male contend 2.Airplanes, tanks, submarines, and ships used in domain war angiotensin converting enzyme were improved for macrocosm state of war ii. Airplanes in globe war genius didnt reach as much technology as in humanity state of war deuce and couldnt vanish a long distance in a short amount of time like the planes from population struggle Two used to fly. Airplanes in gentlemans gentleman warfare Two had more space for bombs on board and they had radars. Tanks in sphere fight Two had more weight than in World war One, meaning that they had more metal on them so bullets wouldnt damage the tanks easily.In World struggle One war most tanks would have a start of 25 miles1, go offarm in World contend Two a tank could reach the prescribe of 400km2, which is 248. 5 miles. The armor inside the tank also increased, thats why the tanks got heavier in World War Two. wedge heels had more pull down guns in World War Two because more guns were invented during World War Two3. The radar was invented after World War One and before World War Two therefore they installed the radar in the submarines for World War Two. The Submarines in World War Two had air conditioning and new battery-powered engines, which was not used in WorldWar One either4. The ships in World War One didnt have radars because the radar was invented after World War One. Ships in World War Two had the radars installed, got their speed increased, and the cannon range increased as well. The usage of machine guns in World War One brought new ideas to bu ilt better models of machine guns and submachine guns in World War Two. MP40 is a submachine gun that was produced from 1940 to 1945. The MP40 is an automatic gun, and its truly accurate. Its efficacious range is 100 meters, and its rate of fire is 550 rounds per minute. 5 Another model of a comm solo used submachine gun is the Thompson. This submachine gun was produced in 1921. The Thompson is an automatic gun as well. It is very(prenominal) accurate, and the fire rate is very high 800-850 rounds per minute. Its strong range is 50 meters. 6 A very commonly used and successful machine gun is the SG-43, which was in service from 1943-1968. This machine gun was liquid operated, and it was automatic. The machine guns in World War One were not gas operated and didnt have the rate of fire that the machine guns from World War Two have.The rate of fire from the SG-43, which was used in World War Two, is ergocalciferol-700 rounds per minute,7 while a machine gun from World War One woul d only fire 400-600 small-calibre rounds per minute. 8 The performance of the sounds in World War One was genuinely poor therefore they improved about rifles and even made new models for World War Two. Rifles in World War One would usually fire only 15 rounds per minute. Their range was about 1,400 meters, and the accuracy could only be guaranteed at around 600 meters. 9 Before World War Two, the performance of the rifles was improved and new Rifles were created.The STG-44 was a gas-operated assault rifle that was developed during World War Two in 1942. Its effective range is 300 meters, but its fire rate was 500-600 rounds per minute. 10 The Karabiner 98k is a bolt-action rifle that was produced from 1935-1945. Its effective range with iron sights is 500 meters, and over 800 meters with optics. 11 The M1 Garand is a gas-operated semi-automatic rifle that was produced from 1936-1957. Its effective range was 402 meters. 12 All weapons and transportation machines such as airplanes , tanks, submarines, nd ships that were used in World War One had a poor performance therefore they were improved before and during World War Two. kit and boodle Cited Day, V. , 14, A. , 1945. , produced, o. f. , & Army, m. t. (n. d. ). Rifle, Cal. .30 06, M1, Garand. GlobalSecurity. org Reliable Security Information. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from http//www. globalsecurity. org/military/systems/ground/m1garand. htm (February 6, 2010). StG 44. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stg_44 (February 16, 2010). Karabiner 98k. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Kar98 (February 16, 2010) M1 Garand. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/M1_garand (February 16, 2010). MP 40. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/MP40 (February 14, 2010). Thompson submachine gun. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website h ttp//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun First World War. com Weapons of War Rifles. (n. d. ). First World War. com A Multimedia History of World War One. Retrieved display 3, 2010, fromhttp//www. firstworldwar. om/weaponry/rifles. htm guns, 1. h. (n. d. ). First World War. com Weapons of War Machine Guns. First World War. com A Multimedia History of World War One. Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http//www. firstworldwar. com/weaponry/machineguns. htm I, t. e. (n. d. ). World War One, The Submarine. World History worldwide World History Essays From Prehistory To The Present. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from http//history-world. org/world_war_i_and_the_submarine. htm (January 4, 2010). SG-43 Goryunov. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. ikipedia. org/wiki/SG-43 rusty coot. (2010) What is the difference between World War 1 submarines and World War 2 submarines?. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from WikiAnswers website http//wiki. answers. com/Q/W hat_is_the_difference_between_World_War_1_sub marines_and_World_War_2_submarines St. Christopher House & The Working Group Inc. (2004). World War II Tanks. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from The Valour and the aversion website http//www. valourandhorror. com/DB/SPEC/WW2tanks. php (Thursday, February 13, 2003). WW1 Tanks & Cars. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from Mailer. fsu. edu website ttp//mailer. fsu. edu/akirk/tanks/ww1/WW1. html 1 Katya Kuersteiner, Witold J. Lawrynowicz, hind end Stevens, Auke Smit, John Wilson, (February 13, 2003). WWI Tanks & Cars. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from Mailer. fsu. edu website http//mailer. fsu. edu/akirk/tanks/ww1/WW1. html 2 (2004). World War II Tanks. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from The Valour and the Horror website http//www. valourandhorror. com/DB/SPEC/WW2tanks. php 3 World War One, The Submarine. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from http//history-world. org/world_war_i_and_the_submarine. htm 4 (2010). What is the difference between World War 1 submarines and World War 2 submarines? Retrieved February 16, 2010 from WikiAnswers website http//wiki. answers. com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_World_War_1_submarines_and_Wo rld_War_2_submarines 5 (February 16, 2010) MP40. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/MP40 6 (February 14, 2010). Thompson submachine gun. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun 7 (January 4, 2010). SG-43 Goryunov. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. ikipedia. org/wiki/SG-43 8 Michael Duffy, (22 August, 2009). Weapons of War Machine Guns. Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http//www. firstworldwar. com/weaponry/machineguns. htm 9 Michael Duffy, (22 August, 2009). Weapons of War Rifles Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http//www. firstworldwar. com/weaponry/rifles. htm 10 (February 6, 2010). StG 44. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/Stg_44 11 (February 16, 2010). Karabiner 98k. Retrieved February 16, 2010 from Wikipedia website http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kar98

Perception and reality of technology

Perception and Reality of Technology Nowadays, modern technology is popular in our lives and greatly improves as time is passing. Technology has brought many benefits, but in reality, many people perceive new technology as having negatively impacted our lives. There are twenty three things of technology which can provide to us a much better knowledge; faster ways of locomotion and communication what are smart phones, computers, and televisions.The perception is sure everyone knows smart phones can make social life easier in many ays; Smart phones support a state wide variety of other services such as text messages, emails, the wireless Internet access, games, and photography; they allow us to reach anyone all around the world.Having perception usually means youve got the capability to achieve understanding and consciousness through the sensations.Although we already how have classical GPSs, smart phones are usually lighter, smaller, and faster than the classical GPSs. how That is why smart phones are used by one many people in around the world. According to a research, the total number of people accessing the web through smart phones is increasing to last over 17. 4% of worldwide internet usage (Fox).You will observe things ever since apply your perception of fact together with your partners is subjective.

Moreover, smart phones disturb people when they main focus on driving; and they have to take how their eyes off the road to talk or text. It is very risky and dangerous to everyone in and around the car. According to a report in 2009 in he U.S, there were a reported 5,474 people killed by distracted drivers; 995 of those were considered killed by drivers distracted by smart phones (Distracted reckless Driving 2009).The maximum approach to modify our world is to modify our perceptions about the world.Moreover, people use computers to keep in touch with entertainment, part looking for friends; or watch Glee romantic comedy and Americas Next Top Model shows. On the other hand, in reality, people sometimes abuse computers. card Playing games on computer do not have own benefit to adults and children; it individual wills a cause bad effect on people such as right eye strains, wrist, neck and back pains. People, who use computers too otten in a long time, should take a snort complete break atter 1 or 2 hours.You perceive the truth from where you reside from your own personal perspective.

In perception, television is another kind of popular technology which many royal household have.They can be operated either by battery or electronics. Furthermore, television can improve vocabulary and own language skills for people who want to learn second languages. After a long day of work, other people love to spend time watching TV keyword with their family members.Could be a reflection of the fact, or it may be distorted.Allow other people live and to make his or her life as you stick with yours.But controlled your life is, its never the identical day.

Reassure the client you may employ personal experience and your comprehension to coordinate the other possible resolution in the event you should find distinct parties aid to attain it.Your mind can only concentrate on a new single thing at one time.The logical mind is essential.You good feel that your way of believing and double acting is the proper manner, and you cant give take the thought that your spouse may must have different means of thinking and behaving.

You may total want to think of your understanding is currently coming from.Perception late may really make a difference in failure or success.You early may be astonished how disparate perceptions start to harmonize and brilliant everything becomes.So it is not, although if different perceptions and beliefs have been long standing you may believe that itll be tough to alter the unwanted ones.