Motor Manufacturing Business Simulation Prestige Motor Company Performance Analysis

Business simulation is a process by which entrepreneurs single out the requirements needed in the business and then develop solutions that can satisfy these needs. The analysis is important since it ensures that a company’s resources are utilized in the most effective ways so as to achieve the goals of the company.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Motor Manufacturing Business Simulation: Prestige Motor Company Performance Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This implies that, business simulations lead to reduced cost of production and other operations while on the other hand, increasing the profit margin (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 3). There are aspects considered while analyzing a company. These factors include the history and the experience of the company, its objectives, market (target market), competition, financial status, and future plans among many other factors (Blais 2012, p. 39). This paper analyzes Prestige Motors Company on these various aspects. History and Experience of Prestige Motor Company Prestige Motor was formed 6 years ago by a group of automobile experts it is a locally based company. From the time this company was formed, it has been dealing in a wide range of executive vehicles. These models include PR-1, PR-2, PR-S1, PR-X2 and PR-M8. The company solely conducts its markets research as well as the marketing of its products (Leeds Metropolitan University 2009, p. 1). The company’s many years of experience make it one of the best car dealers in the entire region. It offers the best services to its customers and as a result, has been able to retain very many customers. Prestige Motor has a staff consisting of professionals of high caliber. The company offers some of the most attractive deals in the area. It is located at a convenient point making it very easy for the customers to trace it. In addition, it offers other services such as the sales of used vehicles. It accepts various forms of payment, a factor that could be considered as an advantage to the customers (Thomas 2008, p. 281). Objectives The main objective of Prestige Motor is to ensure that it offers the best services to its customers. For that reason, the company strives to produce the best and most modern car models.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To support the main objective, the company has developed other objectives. They include ensuring Prestige safety, improved information processing, developing models that are energy efficient and adoption of scientific advances (Carkenord 2008, p.13). Prestige Motor through its researchers has been able to bring to the market cars that have sensors. Sensors are devices that detect driver’s exhaustion and other factors that may interfere with the driver’s attention. This is a move geared at improving safety of the drivers while on the road. The move has dramatically reduced the occurrence of accidents that were initially caused by Prestige cars. Currently, the research team is working on a strategy to develop other safety systems such as those that detect developing dangers such as oncoming traffic and wind around prestige vehicles (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 186). The company has achieved its first dream, transiting from electrical cars with power control machines to the ones with sensors. The company plans to produce cars with GPS that are voice-activated. In addition, these new makes will have emergency communication devices together with cell phones (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 191). The company has succeeded in building an energy saving car models. In fact, it is the first company to produce a hybrid car in the region. This hybrid car is a product of semi-conductor power device know-how. At the moment, the company is looking for strategies that would enable it develop models with lower fuel consumption. There is also an ongoing research to establish cars with alternative energy sources such as solar cells (Carkenord 2008, p. 17). The research team is working on a plan to develop more efficient engines that consume less amount of fuel and which produce less noise. These models will be developed using engine vibration and stimulated airflow technology. The company also plans to make vehicles that are more aerodynamic based on mirror vibration and wind throb technology (Carkenord 2008, p. 35).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Motor Manufacturing Business Simulation: Prestige Motor Company Performance Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Market for Prestige‘s Products The company produces vehicles that only suit the need of the customers. This implies that Prestige Motor’s vehicles are manufactured according to the specifications of its research ers. The researchers provide the details that conform to the ones they gather in the fields. As a result, these vehicles are being produced to match customers’ specific need. The company has widened its market locally and globally (Carkenord 2008, p. 39). The company has discovered that, emerging economies purchase more cars than the economies that are already developed. For that reason, the company has been directing most of its marketing efforts to developing countries and very little, to developed ones. As a matter of fact, these emerging economies constitute more than 60% of the entire market for Prestige products. To ensure that these emerging markets are retained, the company manufactures relatively cheaper vehicles since most of these people are just average earners (Carkenord 2008, p. 30). The company relies on target marketing. All its marketing and adverts are directed to specific prospects, people who are likely to purchase the company’s products. The import ance of target marketing is that, it saves money and time. The marketing strategy ensures that all the marketing efforts and resources are directed to the right people. The strategy is also known to yield good outcomes (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 35). The company’s main challenge is the companies which offer similar products but at a lower price. Even though, their products are of lower qualities, the fact that their products are cheaper hinders Prestige products from penetrating the market of the developing regions. Citizens of developing countries prefer to buy cheaper auto-mobiles in order to save money. They pay a lot of attention to cost thereby assuming the quality of a product (Carkenord 2008, p. 36). The Company’s Financial StatementAdvertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other Financial Statements of the Company Target Promotion Data retrieved from Leeds Metropolitan University 2009 Web The company has made a total sale amounting to 2378.74 sterling pounds. This was possible following the effective marketing and advertisement strategies it employed during the selling processes. The cost incurred while making the sales totaled to 2084.49 sterling pounds. The costs were far much less than the actual sales. As a result, the company recorded a pre-tax gross profit of 291.34 sterling pounds. Compared to its competitors, Prestige Company recorded relatively high gross profit. This implies that this company is competing fairly well in the motor manufacturing industry (Blais 2012, p. 109). The company has a gross margin of 12.24 sterling pounds. Gross margin is the difference between the cost of production and the sales revenue. The company’s margin is positive indicating that the company’s revenues surpassed the cost it incurred in produc ing these cars. In essence, this shows that Prestige Company is faring well in the industry. This is also reflected in the company’s fixed overheads and total overheads. The company’s total overheads amount to 159.81 sterling pounds and fixed overheads sum up to 563.85 pounds (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 99). Since the company is still new in the motor manufacturing industry, there are some hidden expenses that it has to meet. These expenses have great impact on the operating profits. As a result, the company has recorded a bad operating profit of -345.86 sterling pounds. It is obvious that ones the operating profit is affected, post tax profit and sales margin will be affected as well. The company’s sales margin is -14.54% while the post tax profit is -690.53. If the company was an old one, these hidden expenses, which drastically reduce the gross profits, would be minimized. Still, the company’s trend shows that, it will be able to avoid such expenses in due course (Blais 2012, p. 112). The company still depends mostly on financial institutions in order to finance its operations. The revenues obtained from sales of the cars are not sufficient to cover all the expenses. For that reason, the company has been forced to dig deeper to its bank savings, to finance some of the operations. The company’s overall bank balance is -680.64 and 313.25 as the outstanding loan. In turn, this has affected the total profit, reducing it to -768.37. Still, the company’s management has been effective enough to prevent the effect from spreading to value of stock. The value of stock is maintained at zero (Carkenord 2008, p. 42). Even though the company has been able to maintain the value of stock at 0.00, it is evident that the company is in dire need of other sources to help it finance its operations. The management is currently working on a plan that will see the company finance most of its operations from its own revenues. This strateg y will assist in ensuring that the company avoids unnecessary debts that negatively affect its profits (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 102). The company does not have many assets. Its assets in monetary value amount to 855.22 sterling pounds. These assets are sufficient enough to run the company. However, the company plans to add more assets under its expansion program. Probably, the small amount of the assets and reduced bank reserve has resulted in the company not being able to return value to the share holders and the assets. The total funds for share holders are recorded as -268.37 sterling pounds whereas the percentage of return on assets is -1538.45 (Blais 2012, p. 114) The company’s current ratio of 0.24 indicates that the company is still incapable of meeting all its short term liabilities using the short term assets. It is a common knowledge that the ratio determines a company’s ability to offset its short term liabilities. The lower the current ratio the more i ncapable the company is of meeting majority of its short term obligations. This also applies to the quick ratio. The company’s quick ratio is less than one. This implies that it still requires some interventions in order to be able to meet its short-term obligations (Blais 2012, p. 115). The company has recorded an interest cover of 587.93. Unlike the quick and the current ration, the interest cover is a bit encouraging. This cover determines the company’s profits adequacy in comparison to the interests it incurs on its debts. The cover is large enough and this shows that Prestige Company is able to pay all its interests using the profits it obtains from the sales (Cadle, Paul Yeates 2010, p. 107). There are five models of cars manufactured in Prestige Company. These models include PR-1, PR-2, PR-S1, PR-X2 and PR-M8 having workforce of 1500, 1500, 250, 250, 500 respectively. These models sell at 62000, 62000, 50000, 65000 and 50000 respectively. The fourth model has t he highest gross margin of, 19.13%. For that reason, the company plans to increase its labor force and the number of units produced, this move will increase the company’s sales. The move will also include increasing its market share from 0.50% to more than 2.60% (Leeds Metropolitan University 2009, p. 1). Recommendations Firstly, Prestige Company needs to increase the number of the shareholders. The current investors that the company currently has do not contribute enough money that can finance all the operations of the company. As a result, the company operates at a very low quick and current ratio. This is particularly dangerous since the company cannot fully finance its current liabilities using the current assets such as sales. Therefore, increasing the number of shareholders will automatically increase the amount of money that the company will reserve for any uncertainty (Thomas 2008, p. 272). The management of Prestige Company needs to re-examine the total number of emp loyees that serve at the manufacturing level. The number of units of a model needs to reflect the market share of that model. For instance, the model PR-M8 has been accorded smaller workforce whereas it has a bigger market share. Therefore, it is recommendable that the models, which sell most be accorded bigger workforce. This will increase the number of units produced thereby increasing the sales of that particular model (Thomas 2008, p. 274). Lastly, the current prices of Prestige models are slightly higher given that the company is new in the industry. People rarely purchase expensive cars which they have very little knowledge about. Therefore, it is only proper if the prices are slightly cut and the promotional activities for the models should be increased. This will have the effect of attracting more customers, which in turn will increase the sales volume (Thomas 2008, p. 275). References Blais, S 2012, Business analysis: best practices for success, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Cadle, J , Paul, D Yeates, D 2010, Business analysis, British informatics Society, Swindon. Carkenord, BA 2008, Seven steps to mustering business analysis, J. Ross Ft Publisher, Lauderdale, FL. Leeds Metropolitan University 2009, Business analysis and practice: x-stream. Web. Thomas, SJ 2008, The journey to improved business performance, Industrial Press, New York, NY. This assessment on Motor Manufacturing Business Simulation: Prestige Motor Company Performance Analysis was written and submitted by user Javion E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Targeddy of Julius Ceasar

The Targeddy of Julius Ceasar Free Online Research Papers The adopted son of Julius Caesar, Augustus (63 B.C. – 14 A.D.) became the first emperor of Rome in 27 B.C., founding the Julio-Claudia dynasty. Many portraits of Augustus were erected throughout the empire in order to convey his political and social beliefs and to validate his claim to power. To distinguish his rule from that of the earlier Roman Republican period, when gravitas (seriousness) and age were emphasized in portraits, Augustus was always depicted as youthful, as in this marble head. A distinctive hairstyle identifies the emperor: comma-shaped locks form a pincer in the center of his forehead. Private portrait sculpture was most closely associated with funerary contexts. Funerary altars and tomb structures were adorned with portrait reliefs of the deceased along with short inspiration noting their family or patrons, and portrait busts accompanied cinerary urns that were deposited in the niches of large, communal tombs known as columbaria. This funerary context for portrait sculpture was rooted in the longstanding tradition of the display of wax portrait masks, called imagines, in funeral processions of the upper classes to commemorate their distinguished ancestry. These masks, portraits of noted ancestors who had held public office or been awarded special honors, were proudly housed in the household lararium, or family shrine, along with busts made of bronze , marble , or terracotta. In displaying these portraits so prominently in the public sphere, aristocratic families were able to celebrate their history of public service while honoring their deceased relatives. In the Republic, public sculpture included honorific portrait statues of political officials or military commanders erected by the order of their peers in the Senate. These statues were typically erected to celebrate a noted military achievement, usually in connection with an official triumph, or to commemorate some worthy political achievement, such as the drafting of a treaty. A dedicatory inscription, called a cursus honorum, detailed the subjects honors and life achievements, as well as his lineage and notable ancestors. These inscriptions typically accompanied public portraits and were a uniquely Roman feature of commemoration. The express mention of the subjects family history reflects the great influence that family history had on a Romans political career. The Romans believed that ancestry was the best indicator of a mans ability, and so if you were the descendant of great military commanders, then you, too, had the potential to be one as well. The intense political rivalry of the late Republican period gave special meaning to the display of ones lineage and therefore necessitated its emphasis, manifested in such traditions as the cursus, wax imagines, and funerary processions, as an essential factor for success. The establishment of the participate system under Augustus, the imperial family and its circle soon came to monopolize official public statuary. Official imperial portrait types were principally displayed in Sebastian, or temples of the imperial cult, and were carefully designed to project specific ideas about the emperor, his family, and his authority. These sculptures were extremely useful a s propaganda tools intended to support the legitimacy of the emperors powers. Two of the most influential, and most widely disseminated, media for imperial portraits were coins and sculpture, and official types laden with propagandistic connotation were dispersed throughout the empire to announce and identify the imperial authority. Scholars believe that official portrait types were created in the capital city of Rome itself and distributed to the to serve as prototypes for local workshops, which could adapt them to conform to local iconographic traditions and therefore have more meaningful local appeal. Coins by their very nature are easily and quickly dispersed, reaching countless citizens and provincial residents, and thus the emperors image could be seen and his power recognized by people all across the vast empire. Conversely, in the instance of the bad emperors such as Nero and Domitian, whose reigns were characterized by destructive behavior and who were posthumously condemned by the Senate, imperial portraits were sometimes recycled or even destroyed. Typical effects of a damnatio memoriae, a modern term for the most severe denunciation, included the erasure of an individuals name from public inscriptions, and even assault on their portraits as if brought against the subject himself. Imperial portraits of bad emperors were also removed from public view and warehoused, often later recycled into portraits of private individuals or emperors of the following decades. A recarved portrait is relatively easy to recognize; certain features such as a disproportionate hairline or unusually flattened ears are typical signs that a bust had been altered from an earlier likeness. â€Å"Portrait head of Julius Caesar† â€Å"Head of Marcus† The head on the front of this sestertius is the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who died in A.D. 180 after a reign of nineteen years. His funeral pyre decorates the back. After death, a Roman emperor could be deified by decree of the Senate, and this was the case with Marcus Aurelius. He was declared a god, and the event was commemorated on coins issued by his son and successor, Commodus. On this coin, Marcus portrait is surrounded by the Latin inscription DIVVS M ANTONINUS PIVSmeaning the god, Marcus Antonius Pius a version of his name that incorporates the name of his father, the emperor Antonius Pius. On the back, Marcus elaborate, four-story funeral pyre is decorated with statues on the second and third levels and a statue of the emperor in a four-horse chariot on the top. The word CONSECRATIO, meaning deified, is written around the pyre, and the letters SC are the abbreviation for senate’s consul to, which stands for by decree of the Senate. â€Å"Through his Brutus as through his Horatii, [Jacques-Louis] David talks to the people more directly and more clearly than all the inflammatory writers whom the regime has confiscated and burned, wrote a contemporary about Jacques-Louis Davids paintings.† David made this study in preparation for the well-known painting completed in 1789, the year of the French Revolution. Although it created a republican political sensation at the Salon, he had almost certainly not intended that reaction. He had chosen the subject from Roman history to satisfy a commission from King Louis. After Brutus, founder of the Roman Republic, drove out the kings, he followed Roman code and condemned his own sons to death because they had supported the monarchy. Lictors, or Roman officers, bring in his sons bodies for burial, while Brutus sits impassively in the shadow of the goddess Roma. In contrast, his brightly lit wife and daughters succumb to grief at the sight of the corpses. David aimed for absolute historical correctness in figures, furniture, and costume; this style and specifically this picture decisively influenced the Revolutions fashions, furniture, and hairstyles. In conclusion, although coins continued to be minted in the name of Caesar after his death, influenced in their imagery by the policies and propaganda of the late dictator, a fascinating study in themselves, here, with the death of Caesar, this little biographic sketch ends. In looking back at his coinage, we see a consistency in themes and images: his dignitas reflected in his offices as augur, pontifex maximus, consul, dictator and imperator and in his descent from Venus and the very founder of Rome, Aeneas; his virtues of courage, piety and clemency reflected in his wreath, his veil and Clementia; his power in the images of Victory, scepters, globes, trophies and bound and weeping Gauls. The Republic had died even before Caesar’s death and could not be resurrected. The coinage of the liberators and of Caesar’s would-be successors and his heir, Octavian, were markedly different from those of the Republic and although a few emperors did issue â€Å"restoration† issues mirroring types from the Republic, Rome and her coinage were never to truly return to the types, variety and, perhaps, the creativity of that which preceded Caesars. Research Papers on The Targeddy of Julius CeasarQuebec and CanadaCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2PETSTEL analysis of IndiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Project Managment Office System19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

How to Let Your College Crush Know You Like Them

How to Let Your College Crush Know You Like Them Had your eye on that crush for a little while, and ready to at least see if that persons feelings for you are the same? You may be terrified, but you also may be at the point where youd just rather take the step than keep things in the unknown. If youre not sure where to start, consider these ways to let your college crush know you like them. Give Some Kind of Gift It can be flowers, a small care package (who doesnt like care packages in college?), or even something that you know your crush has a soft spot for. But any small gift or gesture is sure to let someone know that you hold your relationship whatever it is closer to your heart than most others. Utilize Some Kind of Campus Fundraiser If its around Valentines Day, Halloween, or another major holiday, take advantage of a campus fundraising program. You can send a Valentines Day gift, flowers, Halloween treats, or any other small gift to your crush in his or her classroom through fundraisers on campus that offer the opportunity. It can be a great way to show someone you like them while also helping support your campus community. Just Ask It sounds and is terrifying. But if your crush is really all you hope he or she is, sitting down and talking about your feelings may be the best thing you ever do. You just may surprise yourself with how the conversation works out! Ask Your Crush to Dinner off Campus or at Your Apartment Nothing says youre-just-another-college-friend-to-me than dinner in the campus dining hall(s) or cafe(s). Take your crush somewhere special to indicate that youre interested in being more than just college pals. Put Something in Writing It shouldnt be too long (that gets creepy), and it can be handwritten or by email. But, since some folks express themselves best through their writing, sending along a letter letting your crush know how you feel may be your best bet. It can also eliminate the awkwardness of a conversation and give your crush some time to process before responding.

Definition of Surveillance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definition of Surveillance - Assignment Example The device is ideal for longer ranges detection. The parabolic dish aids intelligent officers to increase the sound for 40 decibels. It comes with an amplifier with connected earphones to enhance the quality. Intelligence officer finds it ideal for amplification of sounds that the naked ear cannot hear. The voice changer aids intelligent officers for masked voices. The changer is battery powered and connected to the phone with 8 voice settings. The sound amplifier is a high-tech microphone ideal for sound amplification (Brakel & Hert, 2009). Implied surveillance plays an important role is providing controlled information growth. The advantage is in the process of ensuring security first identifies the critical information of the company that will be important to plan. The disadvantage is in executing the security measures during critical times. Overt surveillance process is the analysis of threats; the company should be able to assess its ability to collect, process and analyze information, this will ensure the company knows exactly to what extent it is likely to suffer from possible threats. Covert surveillance process is to ensure that vulnerabilities are also analyzed; this should involve ranging them in terms of high, medium and low to help identify the weaknesses that can easily be used to exploit the security system. The clandestine surveillance process should also be able to analyze the type of information that the company offers. The disadvantage lies in the analysis of risks; here the threats and vulnerabilities are put on the comparison and help determine the potential risk that is posted. Extraluminal surveillance plays a role in maintaining vigilance. The advantage is in the assessment if the assessment shows that the level of vulnerability is high and the threat is evident, then exploitation is expected and the risk is assessed to be high and protective measures are  put in place.

Controversy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Controversy - Essay Example In fact, the market economy of New Zealand is one of the most prosperous economies of the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $181.3 billion, as on April, 2013 (OECD, 2013). Taxation in New Zealand is a vast and complex phenomenon. Since 1980, the country is going through significant tax reform programs for the purpose of restructuring its marginal tax rate system. In 2010, the marginal income tax rate was reduced from 66% to 33%, corporate tax rate was also diminished from 48% to 33%. GST (Goods and Service Tax) was introduced at a rate of 10% initially. However, imposition of Capital Gain Tax in New Zealand still remains a controversial issue. A Capital Gain Tax may be defined as the tax levied on realization of assets such as shares, bonds and properties or capital gains for individuals and corporations. This kind of tax is imposed when investors realize a profit by selling the capital asset at a price higher than the purchase price. In this paper, the significance of introducing Capital Gains Taxation in New Zealand’s economy will be discussed and eventually relevant inference regarding the concerned matter will be drawn (OECD, 2013). New Zealand is one among the three countries in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which is not having Capital Gains Tax. According to the reports from March, 2014 both the Labour Party and Green Party of New Zealand are advocating the importance of imposing Capital Gains Tax. However, implication of imposition of such tax burden is still in debate (Claus, Creedy & Teng, 2012). Capital Gains Tax from economic income perspective is a long debated issue. Arguments can be introduced in this regard by experiencing the Labour Party’s effort to establish horizontally equitable income by taxing the capital gain on accrual basis and by imposing taxes at an equal rate on capital gain irrespective of their other source of income. Apart from that, be it Labour or Green Party, the

History and Memory Essay Example for Free

History and Memory Essay The interrelationship of history and memory show that each is individually limited- memory presents limited perspective while history presents limited account- this conflicting nature ensures that without considering both we have a less reliable history. This concept is portrayed in the prescribed text â€Å"The fiftieth gate† by Mark Baker that involves an individual’s journey into the past to reconstruct his parent’s experiences. Baker’s explores the idea that both history and memory are essential to validate, illuminate and add emotion and colour to the other in order to ultimately form a true representation of history. Through the study of this text one can come to understand that the ultimate role of history is to find self-identity and unlock the barriers of the past. Memory is shaped by and composed of individual emotions and self-reflections; as a result it is influenced by bias and is highly subjective. Therefore memory only provides one bias and subjective perspective of history, making the representation of history to be less reliable and limited. This is portrayed in the line â€Å"It was cold, winter, we had winter boots on, the ones with money sewn inside. He says it was cold. Winter. But it was warm. Autumn†. Here the use of direct speech engages the audience into Yossl’s situation. The audience is then able to realise that the experiences of fear, torment and paranoia that Yossl went through in the holocaust has shaped and influenced his memory. As a result his perspective of history is less reliable and thus highly limited. This is portrayed in the line â€Å"I remember this exactly like yesterday: there was a church with some hills†¦can you see my legs through there? Here through the use of a narrative device, an interview, Baker engages the audience’s attention through the use of first person language and direct speech. This then conveys the idea that memory is limited in representing history because it is influenced by individual experiences that will change their perspective of history. In addition the spontaneous responses add a personal sense to further emphasize the limitation of memory that it can fail at any time. History is shaped by collective memory, providing a common representation of an event, personality or situation. As a result the representation of history is less reliable because it does not account for the views and perspectives of those that are a minority or have been forgotten. Baker uses a wide range of textual features to communicate to the audience how documented evidence paints a picture of the past. The use of archival documents, letters, school reports, council reports and Yiddish and German lullabies engage the reader but also adds a sense of authencity and historical presence. However through Baker’s self-journey in the book, the audience is able to realise that documented evidence cannot account for all stories, this is especially seen with Genia’s story of the holocaust. This is explored in the line â€Å"does history remember more than memory? I only recognise suffering in numbers and lists and not in the laments and pleas of a human being, of a mother, screaming for acknowledgment† The use of a rhetorical question builds suspense as the audience realises that the persona has come to a stage of realisation where Baker has understood that memory is just as important as the documented evidence that validates it. Documented evidence is able to validate as well as illuminate memory, while memory adds self-emotions and reflections to fill the gaps of documented evidence. In collaboration they create a more reliable and truthful history. Baker uses archival documents, school reports, lullabies, council reports and letters to illuminate hidden fragments of his parent’s memory. This is shown in the line â€Å"I thrust his report card under his eyes and command him to read. He obeys, like an intimidated school child†¦He smothers an involuntary laugh, hiding the thoughts that lie behind it. † Baker through the use of a simile compares his father to a child. This conveys the idea that the documented evidence has allowed Yossl to step back into his youth and bring forward the significant memories of his past. In addition the use of emotive and descriptive language through â€Å"Laughing† and â€Å"intimidated† creates a warm and personal atmosphere to emphasises the idea to the audience of how memory can add emotions to documented evidence, and thus together to create a more reliable and truthful history. Together both documented evidence and memory allow for an â€Å"exchange of pasts† to create a more reliable, valid and truthful history. Through this Baker has shown the interplay of history and memory. Baker has shown that the importance of the interplay of history and memory is to create a reliable history allowing one to explore the recreation of the past to make sense of who they are, where they are and the journey they have gone through. In â€Å"The fiftieth gate† the journey into the past of his parents has allowed Baker to undergo a self-journey of learning. At first Baker observed the past of his parents with an historian point of view, seeking documented evidence to validate and make true his parent’s memory. However the experiences with the past of his mother, made Baker realise the importance of memory in the representation of history. This is shown in the juxtaposition of the line â€Å"His was a past written on a page of history shared by other survivors. My mother could not point to anyone with the line What are these papers anyway except echoes of the past, dark shadows without screams, without smells, without fear. The juxtaposition of the lines shows the change in attitude of Baker as he realises the importance of memory in the representation of history. The use of emotive language such as dark shadows† creates a dark atmosphere to emphasise the anger and torment he feels because of his ignorance to listen to his Mother’s story of the holocaust. Baker has used a circular structure to convey the idea that the journey into history and memory is a circular one. This is demonstrated in â€Å"The fiftieth gate† through the repetition of the line â€Å"It always begins in blackness, until the first light illuminates the hidden fragment of memory† at the beginning and end of the book. This conveys the idea that the journey will allow for greater insight and understanding of your past and yourself. This will further inspire a self-journey of change and understanding. This has been shown through the changing attitude of Baker himself in the novel. This is demonstrated through the juxtaposition of the lines â€Å"His was a past written on a page of history shared by other survivors. My mother could not point to anyone with the line What are these papers anyway except echoes of the past, dark shadows without screams, without smells, without fear. This conveys that at first observed the past of his parents with an historian point of view, seeking documented evidence to validate and make true his parent’s memory. However the experiences with the past of his mother, made Baker realise the importance of memory in the representation of history. The use of emotive language such as dark shadows† creates a dark atmosphere to emphasise the anger and torment he feels because of his ignorance to listen to his Mother’s story of the holocaust.

Understanding OPEC: An Economic Analysis Essay -- Oil Economics Econom

Understanding OPEC: An Economic Analysis In the last few months, much has been said of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Interestingly enough, one of Iraq’s motivating factors was economics. Kuwait provided Iraq with a pretext for war as it violated the economic policies of the Organization of Oil-Exporting Countries by exporting oil above its quotas. This is but one chapter in the complicated history of OPEC. OPEC is an international assembly of nations which co-ordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of eleven countries and has enjoyed the highs and weathered the lows of oil prices in the last few decades. To solve their problems, both member countries and oil-importing countries must address the complex nature of oil price elasticity in making their policy decisions. An analysis of OPEC’s policies demands a cursory review of its history and the recent and current structure of the oil market. Acting in concert, OPEC’s eleven member countries set per country quotas for oil production to limit the oil supply. It seeks to â€Å"co-ordinate and unify their petroleum policies in order to promote stability and harmony in the oil market† (OPEC 2). In other words, OPEC seeks to secure a long-term profitable stream of income for OPEC members by exploiting its market power in an oligopoly. OPEC has commanded tremendous market power in the oil industry ever since Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela founded it on September 14, 1960. Today, the number of member countries has risen to 11 and now includes Algeria, Indonesia, SP Libyan AJ, Nigeria, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Together, these countries have pooled their tremendous resources: â€Å"OPEC Members Countries produce about 41 per cent of the world’s crude oi... .... 2000. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. 19 April 2003 . Answers to frequently asked questions about the petroleum industry. 2000. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. 19 April 2003 . Foreman, Gary. Use the â€Å"Law† to Save Thousands. Soho America. 19 April 2003 www.soho.org/Finance_Articles/Spply_and_Demand.htm. Hwang, M. J. and C. W. Yang. Unstable Price Elasticity and High World Oil Prices. October 2001. The 52nd International Atlantic Economic Conference. 19 April 2003 < www.iaes.org/conferences/past/philadelphia_52/prelim_program/d00-1/index.htm>. Taylor, Jerry. No Need to Panic over Oil Prices: Don’t Believe the Politicians’ Rhetoric. 2003. Cato Institute. 19 April 2003 .

Desperate Times Essay

After a series of measures to remedy the mortgage crisis that has beset the US economy, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and his colleagues are once again looking at cutting the central bank’s key interest rate as they hope that lowering the interest rates will give the economy a boost by encouraging investors and consumers to borrow and spend (Associated Press, n. pag.). The Fed is looking at slashing the interest rate by a full percent however, many economist believe that this is not the appropriate remedy for economic conundrum (Gavin, n. pag).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to many analysts, the issue of the economy regarding the mortgage is the lack of confidence by both the lender and the borrower. Even as the Fed resorts to drastic interest cuts, the first time the central bank has cut a full percentage point in one shot since 1982, this provides little help if lenders are not loaning money out of fear they will not be repaid and the borrowers are reluctant to make loans since they are worried about losing jobs (Gavin, n. pag).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a recent report by the Labor Department, private employers all over the country have cut jobs in each of the past three months. With consumer spending being responsible for over two-thirds of US economic activity, it is unlikely that the interest cut will have a significant effect in the economy (Gavin, n. pag).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Federal Reserve’s move to lower the interest rate aims to stimulate a loan frenzy. By lowering the interest rate, mortgages will be made available to borrowers at more affordable rates. The Fed hopes that the American consumers will once again be enticed to take mortgages and ultimately be able to revive the economy. However, this move is quite a long shot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First, the Fed is banking on the idea that a demand for mortgages will increase if the interest rates are cut. Although this is what a change in demand means in elementary economics, it seems, however that the Fed failed to factor in the trend of the US housing market. According to reports the house prices are continuously plunging while the cases of mortgage defaults and foreclosures are increasing. These causes the investors and more importantly the lenders to lose confidence in the economy (Gavin, n. pag).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Second, this is not the first time the Fed lowered the interest rate. Since last September, the Federal Reserve has cut the interest rate for a total of six times, with the reductions becoming more aggressive since January (Associated Press, n. pag.) and this raises a valid concern. Although the Fed has its own army of experts, this interest-slashing spree might reach the point of diminishing returns if the consumers do not respond favorably to these drastic measures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Last, the Federal Reserve is not really addressing the issue of confidence by cutting the interest rates. One of the biggest reasons why the consumers are reluctant in acquiring mortgages is the fact that private corporations nationwide are practicing massive lay-offs. Lenders on the other hand are gripped by distrust as the business is beset with bad debts (Gavin, n. pag). In both cases, this breeds an atmosphere of fear and doubt which affects the borrowers likelihood of acquiring mortgages and the lenders willingness to approve loans out of fear they will not be repaid.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Personally, the Fed would have been better off if it had taken measures that would have addressed the issue of employment and bad debt. Works Cited Associated Press. â€Å"Fed cuts key rates three-quarters of a point.† March 18, 2008. The msnbc website. 27 March 2008. Gavin, Robert. â€Å"Economic quicksand.† March 18, 2008. The Boston Globe website. 27 March 2008.  

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House Essay

The role, treatment, disadvantages, and sacrifices of women in their societies are vital themes in both Federico L’Orca’s The House Of Bernarda Alba and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. In Federico L’Orca’s The House Of Bernarda Alba, to start with, all characters that appear on stage are females, and men are merely talked about. In Ibsen’s A Doll’s House the protagonist is Nora, a woman who gets treated by her husband as though she were a little girl. At the time when Federico L’Orca and Henrik Ibsen wrote their plays, it was normal for women to get treated as anything but equal to men. Women were expected by men and by their society to do nothing more than stay at home, cook for their family, get children, and then take care of their children as well. Although Ibsen and L’Orca wrote these plays several decades apart, since Ibsen wrote his play at the turn of the century in Norway and L’Orca wrote his in 1930’s Spain, the expectations of women were pretty much the same. It was not normal for women to receive an education, let alone a good one, and women were not allowed to vote. In A Doll’s House there are three female characters: Nora, Mrs. Linde, and the maid working for Nora. All of these women have to sacrifice something and have disadvantages, simply because they are women. Every character in The House Of Bernarda Alba has to suffer because they are women. Spanish tradition in the 1930’s forces them all to isolate themselves from the outer world for eight years of their lives. In The House Of Bernarda Alba, Bernarda Alba and all of her daughters have to mourn the death of their father. This is Spanish tradition, and so they all have to live in their house for eight years, completely isolated from the rest of society. They may only wear black, even in the scorching heat of southern Spain. This already shows how harshly women were treated. Bernarda Alba and her daughters are forced to isolate themselves from the outside world completely, whether they want to or not, because of tradition. The eight women are forced to give up eight years of their lives in which they may do nothing but mourn. Also, the fact that a woman has to kill her own child when she gets pregnant, and is then hunted down by the whole town and killed herself, shows how women were viewed and treated. Also, a woman could often not decide who she wanted to marry, and when a women got married it was often just nothing more than a business deal, and the feelings of the woman were completely ignored.

How to Control Tent Caterpillars

How to Control Tent Caterpillars Eastern tent caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum, build unsightly silk tents in cherry, apple, and other landscape trees during early spring. The caterpillars feed on leaves of these host trees and may cause significant defoliation if present in large numbers. They can also be a nuisance as they tend to wander when theyre ready to pupate, making themselves at home on houses and decks. Make Sure Youve Really Got Tent Caterpillars First, be sure what you have are eastern tent caterpillars  and not another similar pest. Eastern tent caterpillars appear in early spring and build their tents in the crotches of tree branches. As their name suggests, fall webworms also build tents but theirs are located at the ends of branches, forming an envelope around the foliage. Some people confuse eastern tent caterpillars with gypsy moth larvae but gypsy moths do not construct tents and they usually appear a little later in spring than tent caterpillars. Prevention and Manual Controls for Tent Caterpillars If you have a few caterpillar tents in an apple or cherry tree, dont panic. Eastern tent caterpillars rarely infest ornamental trees in large enough numbers to kill landscape plants. Because they appear in early spring and complete their life cycle by summer, most of your host trees will have time to produce more leaves after initial defoliation. Pest control may not be necessary at all, however, if the infestation is overwhelming- or you just cant stand the sight of caterpillar tents in your trees- there are some things you can do to deter the invasion. To prevent tent caterpillars, the best defense can be a good offense. In the autumn, after the leaves have fallen, scout the branches of host trees for egg masses. Prune out any you find, or scrape them from the branches and destroy them. If you do find yourself facing an invasion, knowing your enemy can be the best way to rid yourself of them. Tent caterpillars rest inside their tents after they feed so you can actually remove them manually. When you notice a large group of caterpillars in the tent, use a stick or gloved hands to pull the tent from the branches, caterpillars and all. For a large tent, try winding the silk around a stick as you pull it from the tree. To eliminate the caterpillars, simply crush them or drop them in a pan of soapy water. In the past, people often set fire to caterpillar tents. However, since the practice does more harm to the tree than the caterpillars do, it is not recommended. Biological and Chemical Controls for Tent Caterpillars Young larvae may be treated with Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, or  Bt, which is applied to the foliage of infested trees. Bt is a naturally occurring form of bacteria that interferes with the caterpillars ability to digest food. After the caterpillars ingest Bt, they stop eating immediately and die within a few days. You do not need to spray the tents or the caterpillars. Late-stage caterpillars, especially those that are already migrating to pupate, cannot be treated effectively with Bt. Some contact or ingestion pesticides work on eastern tent caterpillars as well. If you feel the infestation is sufficient to require this drastic an intervention, contact a pest control specialist in your area to ensure the safety of pets and wildlife.

5 Things You Should Never Put on Your Resume

5 Things You Should Never Put on Your Resume We all know how crucial a resume can be. It’s the document that gets you past the computer, through the door, into the interview. And you can’t get the job without getting through those stages. You’ve added in all the things you’ve been told are resume must-haves, but have you considered there might be a few things you should take out of your resume? Here are 5Â  things that you should delete from your resume as soon as possible. 1. ObjectiveThe Objective statement has gone the way of the dodo. To avoid being hopelessly retro, take it out. Your Objective statement probably just says that you’re looking for a challenging position in a great and growing company anyway, right? That tells the recruiter nothing whatsoever, and it undoubtedly also bores them. A Summary statement is much more effective. If you don’t have one, sub one in for your Objective. Either way, delete the Objective part.2. Laundry listDo you have a section where you merely l ist all of your skills and the key- or buzzwords you were told were must-haves for computer screening? The trouble with these sections is that a) they are usually unreadable by the very computer programs they’re aimed toward enticing, and b) this is a very transparent ploy. Throwing a bunch of keywords at a recruiter won’t convince them. Thread those keywords through the body of your resume text instead.3. Page 2Except in very specific contexts in very specific careers, a second page is never a good idea. You can probably expect that no one else but you will ever bother reading your second page. Better to edit your brains out, pack the first page full of your greatest hits and most impressive skills and work experience, and save the tree.4. Fancy formattingAgain, unreadable to most employers–especially if you’re uploading to a computer system. Anything that isn’t plain text will be scrapped. That includes text boxes, tables, bulleted lists, swanky fonts, page borders, etc. Save the creativity for the wording of your cover letter, or the interview process. Keep your resume clean, standard, and simple.5. HobbiesIt used to be in vogue to include a section on personal interests and hobbies. Unless you can make a case that these have some impact on your qualifications or work performance, skip this section- usually it ends up on page 2 anyway! Save your personal flourishes for the interview, when such things can really liven the conversation and help you shine.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Marketing - Essay Example Was their objective to change their image from a conservative clothing store to a more fashion-updated store? Did they want to reposition their products? Are they willing to sacrifice their conservative market just to tap another segment of the market? These are essential questions which should have been addressed before deciding to come up with the ad. Another important aspect which Penny might have overlooked is the pre-testing stage of the advertisement. They should have randomly picked out a â€Å"consumer jury† who will view the ad and see how they would react to the ad. The â€Å"jury† should be representative of their target market, to include their present consumers and the market which they want to tap. Had they done this process, they could have gotten outright feedback on the impact of their ad. 2. How could Penney use public relations strategies to counteract the bad publicity it received as a result of the ad and the t-shirts? As a result of its television commercial entitled â€Å"Attitude Adjustment†, Penny suffered from bad publicity. Their customers reacted negatively. This same problem was encountered by Penny when they came out with a T-shirt design with a slogan â€Å"Home Skooled†. To counter the negative publicity that they experienced from these instances, I think Penny should try to redeem itself and beef up its reputation again.