11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work

9/11 and New York City firemen post hoc unit backing and control atmospheres A setting hypothesis of the outcomes of inclusion in awful work Presentation The examination article viable for investigation is by Bacharach and Bamberger (2007) named â€Å"9/11 and New York City firemen post hoc unit backing and control atmospheres: A setting hypothesis of the results of contribution in horrible business related events.† The focal point of this paper is on scales’ legitimacy, estimations, namelessness, uncertainty and reaction sets. The paper will likewise portray the DASS review things and will dissect the inspecting used to assess the example qualities and shortcomings and offer recommendations.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on 9/11 and New York City firemen post hoc unit backing and control atmospheres: A setting hypothesis of the results of inclusion in horrendous business related occasions by Bacharach and Bamberger explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Scales Analysis The reliant factors gloom, tension and stress depended on the DASS scale for estimating pressure and ment al characteristics. The scales went from 0 to 3 where 0 suggested â€Å"did not concern me at all,† 1 was deciphered as â€Å"applied somewhat or a portion of the time; 2 inferred â€Å"applied to a significant degree or a decent piece of the time,† while 3 inferred â€Å"applied to the member without question or a large portion of the time† (Bacharach Bamberger, 2007, p. 851). The autonomous factors of force of basic episode inclusion depended on an estimation size of 0 or 1 for agreed to the 15 methods of association while for the four including self injury a size of 2 to 5 was utilized where 2 spoke to a minor physical issue with no prerequisite of treatment and 5 speaking to serious injury requiring clinical consideration and being put on light obligation or leave. The range for post horrendous pain depended on Weiss Marmar (1997) Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R) which involved a size of 0 to 4 where 0 inferred â€Å"not at all,† 1 implied †Å"a little bit,† 2 suggested â€Å"moderately,† 3 for â€Å"quite a bit† and 4 spoke to â€Å"frequently† (p. 56). The current unit control atmosphere was estimated on an info size of 1 to 7 with 1 speaking to â€Å"little or no input† and 7 inferring â€Å"a extraordinary arrangement of input† (Bacharach Bamberger, 2007, p. 853). The current administrative help atmosphere was to measure the recurrence of help inside a size of 1 speaking to not in any manner, to 4 speaking to frequently. The social attractive quality predisposition was controlled and estimated utilizing the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) scale. Other basic occurrences associations were controlled and evaluated utilizing the estimation scale utilized for basic episode contribution with incorporation of the scale demonstrating the occasions a member was engaged with a basic occurrence going from 0 (suggesting zero or no occasions) to 7 (inferring seven or sig nificantly more occasions). Face Validity and Measurement examination The estimation of mental states, for example, sorrow, nervousness and stress has demonstrated to be solid particularly with the utilization of the DASS 21 scale. The utilization of the scale to gauge discouragement, uneasiness, and stress is face legitimate (Miller, Cardinal Glick, 1997). The basic episode contribution measure used to test the inclusion in a basic occurrence utilizing the 15 modes scale on the certifiable premise is valid.Advertising Looking for article on correspondences media? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Impact of Event Scale-Revised used to quantify the post horrible pain is restricted in legitimacy because of the predisposition in the scales portrayed as â€Å"a little bit†, â€Å"moderately† and â€Å"quite a bit.† The measure for current unit control atmosphere used to test the degree of contribution of the work is legitimate in spite of the fact that it is constrained by the utilization of review strategy with the nearby relationship of the scale from 2 to 6 levels. The estimation of administrative atmosphere to test for the recurrence of help is legitimate with the reactions obviously sketched out. The utilization of Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding scale to evaluate and control for social attractive quality predisposition is substantial in spite of the fact that the scale goes back over ten years from the exploration year (Johns, 2006). Namelessness Analysis The current unit control atmosphere requires the info level of the members in six significant choice regions of their boss organization while the current administrative help atmosphere requires data on the recurrence of the help of the organization to the members. On an individual level, I would not answer them honestly since any negative reaction would make a terrible picture for the organization and may influence my work with the organization. Uncertainty and Response Sets Analysis The current unit control atmosphere estimation size of the information level of the members to the six significant choices of the organization is vague since input level is subject to the hierarchical structure while the six choices may not be of high hugeness for certain organizations. The four modes scale for estimating the basic episode inclusion as far as the degree of physical injury is likewise questionable since just physical injury is depended on while passionate, mental and different wounds are not surveyed. The current unit control atmosphere that utilizes input scale things is available to different reactions because of the distinctions in the organizations, current situation of the member of the member in the organization, desires for the member on the amount they should be included and the picture this thing models for the company.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on 9/11 and New York Ci ty firemen post hoc unit backing and control atmospheres: A setting hypothesis of the results of inclusion in awful business related occasions by Bacharach and Bamberger explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The current administrative control atmosphere is additionally open to a few understandings of help starting with one member then onto the next since the translation of help might be as far as directing administrations, fiscal advantages, leaves, etc with the recurrence subject to impacts of the desires for the members and friends strategy (Johns, 2006). Order of DASS Survey Items DASS 21 Statements Depression Anxiety Stress I thought that it was difficult to slow down X I knew about dryness of my mouth X I couldnt appear to encounter any constructive inclination whatsoever X I encountered breathing trouble (e.g., too much fast breathing, windedness without physical effort) X I thought that it was hard to stir up the activity to do things X I tended to over-respo nd to circumstances X I encountered trembling (e.g., in the hands) X I felt that I was utilizing a great deal of apprehensive vitality X I was stressed over circumstances in which I may frenzy and make a simpleton of myself X I felt that I had nothing to anticipate X I wound up getting fomented X I thought that it was hard to loosen up X I felt despondent and blue X I was prejudiced of whatever shielded me from continuing ahead with what I was doing X I believed I was near frenzy X I couldn't get eager about anything X I believed I wasnt worth a lot as an individual X I felt that I was fairly tricky X I knew about the activity of my heart without physical effort (e.g., feeling of pulse increment, heart thinking twice) X I felt frightened with no valid justification X I felt that life was pointless X Sampling examination The example utilized in the investigation incorporated those members who determined the organization they worked for just as their sexual orientation narrowing down the example to incorporate those 101 organizations that had in any event five respondents. The last example was of n= 1,110 with age going somewhere in the range of 21 and 60 years and a mean age of 33 years. The example was not decisive dependent on sexual orientation contrasts, while the issue of organization detail constrained the degree (Johns, 2006). The specialists utilized probabilistic inspecting methods to be specific irregular examining and delineated arbitrary testing which guaranteed the generalizability of the discoveries to comparative organizations. End The examination article viable gives important scales to the factors viable however is confronted with the confinements of reaction uncertainty because of the length of span between the event of the basic occurrence and the exploration which likewise restricts the legitimacy. Namelessness of the respondents was restricted while the example however constrained to fit the exploration pertinence doesn't indisputably cover sex viewpoints. Reference List Bacharach, S., Bamberger, P. (2007). 9/11 and New York City firemen post hoc unit backing and control atmospheres: A setting hypothesis of the results of association in horrendous business related occasions. The Academy of Management Journal, 50(4), 849-868. Johns, G. (2006). The fundamental effect of setting on hierarchical conduct. Foundation of Management Review, 31, 396â€408. Mill operator, C., Cardinal, B., Glick, H. (1997). Review reports in authoritative exploration: A reconsideration of ongoing proof. Foundation of Management Journal, 40, 189â€204.Advertising Searching for exposition on correspondences media? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Weiss, D., Marmar, C. (1997). The Impact of Event Scale-Revised. New York: Guildford.

Causes of the American Revolution :: Essays on American Revolution

During the late seventeen hundreds, numerous wild occasions brought about Colonial resistance to Great Britain. The states of rights of the settlers will gradually be changed as the narrowing of the parliament turns out to be increasingly unfortunate. During the Seven Years' War Britain was not just frightened by the settlers' emphasis on exchanging with the adversary, yet in addition with Boston traders recruiting James Otis so as to fight the legitimateness of the writs of help (general court orders) used to chase out pirated products. let the parliament lay what burthens they please on us, we should, it is our obligation to submit and quietly bear them, till they will be satisfied to calm us..... This is a solid decree, that in 1764, the pilgrims were of an agreeable sort, and were pitifully arguing for self-self-rule. This little fire of outrage will turn into a immense blaze as the rights are gradually repealed. On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary Tax collection board of trustees' passed a few laws that endeavored to fortify the hold of the English crown. I.That his Majesty's subjects in these states, owe a similar faithfulness to the Crown of Great Britain that is owing from his subjects conceived inside the domain, and all due subjection to that august body, the Parliament of Great Britain. This announcement can be utilized as a summation of the whole report that the Stamp Act Congress had started. The announcement delineates the homesteaders has being agreeable and servile in the perspective on Great Britain, this arrangement maddened the homesteaders without question, and was another part of the change of the homesteaders' privileges and freedoms. At the point when the Declatory Act was passed in March of 1766, numerous provinces were endeavoring to guarantee that they were withdrawing from England. Though a few of the places of agents in his Majesty's settlements and estates in America, have recently, against law, or to the general gatherings of the equivalent, the sole and selective right of forcing obligations also, charges upon his Majesty's subjects in the said colonies....be it proclaimed ...., that the said states and estates in America, have been, are, and of right should be, subordinate unto, and ward upon the royal Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;. The Parliament obviously reviled the endeavor at independance and still dogmatilcally passed the accompanying law to show that the pilgrims were as yet english subjects. Once more, the pilgrims were incensed and later will oppose the english government on the states. All previously, are determined to direct exchange, and protect prpromote a commonly valuable intercourse between the few constituent pieces of the

How to Handle Major Life Events While in School

How to Handle Major Life Events While in School Here’s how you can manage major life events that occur while you’re in school Here’s how you can manage major life events that occur while you’re in school When a major life event occurs, it’s easy to begin to feel out of control since everything is going to change. There are several life-changing events that can have a domino effect on the rest of your life, such as: a health diagnosis, death, tumultuous break-ups or parents divorcing, and many other unpleasant circumstances. While major life events are sure to happen throughout the course of your life, it can be especially difficult to deal with them while also juggling school. Here are some ways that you can better manage coping with major life events that occur during school. Allow Yourself to Feel Ignoring your emotions may seem like a good idea in the moment since it helps you to concentrate on the task at hand, but, ignoring your emotions could lead to more issues later on. After all, if you bottle up the way you are feeling, you are bound to explode at some point. It’s better to feel horrible in the moment and take the proper steps to heal rather than suppressing your emotions and possibly experiencing more distress in the future. Stay Busy â€" Or Don’t! There’s no one way to cope since everyone experiences different levels of emotions, and has different ways of dealing with them. The main thing to keep in mind is to do what feels right. If you’re the type of person that needs to work and stay busy with activities in order to help regulate your feelings, that’s completely fine. With that being said, if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t want to do anything during this difficult time, that’s certainly fine as well! Take a break, lay down, and just take care of yourself. Stick With Supportive People Finding and sticking with a support system is a vital part of handling any major change you may experience. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed with sadness or extremely anxious about the unknown, your support system (be it friends, family, professional counsellors, etc.) should be there for you without judgement. Speak With Your Professors While you may be inclined to keep any issues in your life to yourself, it may be best to speak with your professors to make them aware. Waiting to say something until after you’ve missed a deadline will not help your case, but if you make your professors well-aware ahead of time that you are experiencing a major change that you’re trying to cope with, they will be more inclined to do whatever they can to help ease the stress and pressure (perhaps like moving a deadline or allowing you to miss a class but still receive the key notes for it). Who knows, they may even offer their own words of wisdom as a gesture of support. After all, professors are humans just like the rest of us and have likely experienced their own set of hardships over the years as well. Move On This is the most difficult part of overcoming any major life change as it involves the need to accept, feel your emotions, and let go. While you should certainly hold onto memories and look back to lessons learned, moving on will provide you with closure and the strength to just let things be. Major life events can be overwhelming since they change everything you know. They can affect your thinking, emotions, physical well-being, and your day-to-day functioning. While you can and should find ways to cope that are best for you, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone. If you’re falling behind in school due to an unexpected major life event, contact us to find out what we can do to help alleviate some of the workload. References: Medlock, L. S. (2013, October 22). 7 Things You Need to Know to Deal With Major Life Changes. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from How to Handle Major Life Events While in School Here’s how you can manage major life events that occur while you’re in school Here’s how you can manage major life events that occur while you’re in school When a major life event occurs, it’s easy to begin to feel out of control since everything is going to change. There are several life-changing events that can have a domino effect on the rest of your life, such as: a health diagnosis, death, tumultuous break-ups or parents divorcing, and many other unpleasant circumstances. While major life events are sure to happen throughout the course of your life, it can be especially difficult to deal with them while also juggling school. Here are some ways that you can better manage coping with major life events that occur during school. Allow Yourself to Feel Ignoring your emotions may seem like a good idea in the moment since it helps you to concentrate on the task at hand, but, ignoring your emotions could lead to more issues later on. After all, if you bottle up the way you are feeling, you are bound to explode at some point. It’s better to feel horrible in the moment and take the proper steps to heal rather than suppressing your emotions and possibly experiencing more distress in the future. Stay Busy â€" Or Don’t! There’s no one way to cope since everyone experiences different levels of emotions, and has different ways of dealing with them. The main thing to keep in mind is to do what feels right. If you’re the type of person that needs to work and stay busy with activities in order to help regulate your feelings, that’s completely fine. With that being said, if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t want to do anything during this difficult time, that’s certainly fine as well! Take a break, lay down, and just take care of yourself. Stick With Supportive People Finding and sticking with a support system is a vital part of handling any major change you may experience. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed with sadness or extremely anxious about the unknown, your support system (be it friends, family, professional counsellors, etc.) should be there for you without judgement. Speak With Your Professors While you may be inclined to keep any issues in your life to yourself, it may be best to speak with your professors to make them aware. Waiting to say something until after you’ve missed a deadline will not help your case, but if you make your professors well-aware ahead of time that you are experiencing a major change that you’re trying to cope with, they will be more inclined to do whatever they can to help ease the stress and pressure (perhaps like moving a deadline or allowing you to miss a class but still receive the key notes for it). Who knows, they may even offer their own words of wisdom as a gesture of support. After all, professors are humans just like the rest of us and have likely experienced their own set of hardships over the years as well. Move On This is the most difficult part of overcoming any major life change as it involves the need to accept, feel your emotions, and let go. While you should certainly hold onto memories and look back to lessons learned, moving on will provide you with closure and the strength to just let things be. Major life events can be overwhelming since they change everything you know. They can affect your thinking, emotions, physical well-being, and your day-to-day functioning. While you can and should find ways to cope that are best for you, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone. If you’re falling behind in school due to an unexpected major life event, contact us find out what we can do to help alleviate some of the workload. References: Medlock, L. S. (2013, October 22). 7 Things You Need to Know to Deal With Major Life Changes. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from

Elderly Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery - 1700 Words

Within this essay I will write about elderly patients, undergoing cataract surgery, as a particular vulnerable client group. The local Health Board (2014) define cataracts as the clouding of the lens, occurring as a natural part of the ageing process, preventing light from adequately reaching the retina and therefore having an effect on vision. This can be corrected through the surgical process of Phacoemulsification, through which the clouded portions of the lens are removed and replaced with an artificial implant (Local Health Board, 2014). Whilst it is common for cataracts to develop as a result of old age, they can also occur as the result of injury, inflammation, degenerative disease, or from the prolonged use of medication. It is also possible for children to be born with cataracts. Clients will be administered either a general or local anaesthetic prior to surgery, though the latter is safer and more commonly utilised due to fewer side effects and a faster recovery process (National Health Service, 2015). Occasionally an intraocular local anaesthetic may be used and in specific cases, where there are anticipated technical difficulties, a general anaesthetic may be more appropriate; for example, clients who have Downs Syndrome, or younger patients who are less likely to be co-operative (Khaw Peng, 2013). Improvements to surgical technique and an increased awareness of the possible complications has led to a much reduced risk of life-threatening outcomes, orShow MoreRelatedOffice Based Cataract Surgery : Advocacy Of A Nursing Professional2480 Words   |  10 PagesOffice Based Cataract Surgery: Advocacy of a Nursing Professional Barbara Bohan Wilkes University April 2, 2016 Abstract Cataract surgery has generally been performed in an ambulatory surgical center or a hospital outpatient facility. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) called for comments on its proposed Regulation 2016 Medicare Fee Schedule. With the high surgical intensity of cataract surgery and the importance of patient safety due to the existing co-morbidities of the elderly population;Read MoreThe Basics On Corrective Eye Surgery1604 Words   |  7 PagesThe basics on corrective eye surgery Before contact lenses finally became popular in the 50’s, eyeglasses had been the only practical way to correct refraction vision errors. Now however, there are several modern ways when it comes to correcting vision problems including corrective eye surgery. Corrective eye surgery ranges from laser reshaping of the eye surface known as LASIK and PRK to a surgically inserted artificial lens that corrects the eyesight. Within LASIK and other such similar proceduresRead MoreIndia Is A Leading Charity For Disadvantaged Elderly For More Than 3 Decades Essay3782 Words   |  16 PagesHelpAge India is a leading charity in India working with and for disadvantaged elderly for more than 3 decades. It was set up in 1978 and is registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. Traditionally the focus was to improve the quality of life of destitute elders primarily in the rural areas through its welfare projects by providing free rations, free medicines and consultations and condu ct free cataract surgeries. It slowly spread its wings and started focusing on long term sustainabilityRead MoreCaring For The Elderly And Aging2343 Words   |  10 PagesWalden University Caring for the Elderly and Aging Old age or the later years of adulthood and the final steps of life begins about the mid-sixties. .With people living longer, the elderly population is growing nearly as fast as the U.S. population as a whole. As more people retire from the labor force, the share of retired elderly will increase, demanding more health care and other resources. But most importantly, the elderly will be more visible in everyday life. For most of our populationRead MoreHigh School Senior Year Research Paper on Surgeons4371 Words   |  18 PagesSurgeons One might think of surgery as simple as going to the hospital and receiving a complex operation that saves ones life or improves their quality of life. What most people do not realize is the hardships that those people go through unless they had surgery performed on them themselves, and same thing for the surgeons it is not easy for them as well, even though they are professional and highly trained. Most people do not think about or even know of how surgery came to be what it is todayRead MoreNursing Care Plan Essay10501 Words   |  43 Pagestreatments have been started. Pt. Has a fungal lung infection with a pleural suction drainage tube inserted in his chest . Pt is extremely thin with poor skin turgor with a diagnosis of cachexia ( wasting) secondary to malnutrition and infection. Patient is no known allergies to drugs but is allergic to aerosol sprays disinfectants and dust.. Advanced directives on chart. Code status DNR. Primary physician Dr. R, Thoracic surgeon Dr. L. Psychology Dr.W. There is PT, OT Dietary and InfectiousRead MoreSocm Study Guide Essay30404 Words   |  122 Pagesdiagnosed patients in a given period, usually a year. Prevalence- refers to the number of persons with a disease at any one point in time. Morbidity- The frequency of disability within a population. Mortality- is a measure of the number of people dying in a given period. MF-0216 Identify the relative frequency of the leading causes of acute diseases. Acute diseases are those that last a short period of time, usually a few days to a few weeks. Any health condition that causes the patient to seek

The Ancient Practice of Bloodletting in Archaeology

Bloodletting--purposefully cutting the human body to release blood--is an ancient ritual, associated with both healing and sacrifice. Bloodletting was a regular form of medical treatment for ancient Greeks, with its benefits debated by scholars such as Hippocrates and Galen. Bloodletting in Central America Bloodletting or auto-sacrifice was a cultural trait of most of the societies in Mesoamerica, beginning with the Olmec perhaps as early as 1200 AD. This type of religious sacrifice involved a person using a sharp instrument such as an agave spine or sharks tooth to pierce a fleshy part of his own body. The resulting blood would drip onto a lump of copal incense or piece of cloth or bark paper, and then those materials would be burned. According to historical records of the Zapotec , Mixtec, and Maya, burning blood was one way to communicate with the sky gods. Artifacts associated with bloodletting include sharks teeth, maguey thorns, stingray spines, and obsidian blades. Specialized elite materials--obsidian eccentrics, greenstone picks, and spoons--are thought to have been used for elite bloodletting sacrifices in the  Formative period and later cultures. Bloodletting Spoons A so-called bloodletting spoon is a type of artifact discovered on many Olmec archaeological sites. Although there is some variety, the spoons generally have a flattened tail or blade, with a thickened end. The thick part has a shallow off-center bowl on one side and a second, smaller bowl on the other side. Spoons usually have a small hole pierced through them, and in Olmec art are often depicted as hanging from peoples clothing or ears. Bloodletting spoons have been recovered from Chalcatzingo, Chacsinkin, and Chichà ©n Itzà ¡; the images are found carved in murals and on stone sculptures at San Lorenzo, Cascajal, and Loma del Zapote. Olmec Spoon Functions The real function of the Olmec spoon has long been debated. Theyre called bloodletting spoons because originally scholars believed them to have been for holding blood from auto-sacrifice, the ritual of personal bloodletting. Some scholars still prefer that interpretation, but others have suggested spoons were for holding paints, or for use as snuffing platforms for taking hallucinogens, or even that they were effigies of the Big Dipper constellation. In a recent article in Ancient Mesoamerica, Billie J. A. Follensbee suggests Olmec spoons were part of a hitherto unrecognized toolkit for textile production. Her argument is in part based on the shape of the tool, which approximates bone weaving battens recognized in several Central American cultures, including some from Olmec sites. Follansbee also identifies several other tools made of elite greenstone or obsidian, such as spindle whorls, picks, and plaques, that could have been used in weaving or cord-making techniques. Sources Follensbee, Billie J. A. 2008. Fiber technology and weaving in formative-period Gulf Coast cultures. Ancient Mesoamerica 19:87-110. Marcus, Joyce. 2002. Blood and Bloodletting. Pp 81-82 in Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, Susan Toby Evans and David L. Webster, eds. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York. Fitzsimmons, James L., Andrew Scherer, Stephen D. Houston, and Hector L. Escobedo 2003 Guardian of the Acropolis: The Sacred Space of a Royal Burial at Piedras Negras, Guatemala. Latin American Antiquity 14(4):449-468.

Scientific Sessions Free Essays

Name: Ornella Hayles ID Number: 816008392 Tutor: Sheldon Pilgrim Session: Tuesdays 2-3pm3700030000 Name: Ornella Hayles ID Number: 816008392 Tutor: Sheldon Pilgrim Session: Tuesdays 2-3pm44000341947525002514604000070000455003536315690006939915370000455003536315350003520440Sci, Med TechReflective Journal3600028000Sci, Med TechReflective JournalSession Date: 22/01/18 Session No: 1Session Title: Introduction to Science TechnologyIn the first session, the lecturer did an introduction of Science Technology and an overall view of the course outline. After the introduction, I got a perspective of what Science Technology was. At first, I thought the course was going to be essentially, about science since it was mainly being mentioned, but I was wrong. We will write a custom essay sample on Scientific Sessions or any similar topic only for you Order Now The lecturer took her time to clearly distinguished between science and technology and its importance to society or the world in general. She ensured that we all understood what she was lecturing by engaging us to respond to her questions, it appeared that she really wanted us to understand what was being taught so she went over what she said twice, two different ways which I appreciated. It helped me a lot to understand and grasp the concepts effectively. The use of visual cues seemed to work well with the class as it captured our attention and made us receptive. Through research I’ve come to realise scientists all have different perceptions of the word science. â€Å"Science does not purvey absolute truth, science is a mechanism. It’s a way of trying to improve your knowledge of nature, it’s a system for testing your thoughts against the universe and seeing whether they match† Isaac Asimov 1988. Science is important because it can solve some of our problems such as global warming and world hunger. I believe that science is still evolving and there’s trial and error with science which means we learn new information and we advance as humans but, it can all take years for such research or technology to be developed. â€Å"Technology can be thought of as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes†. I’ve always considered technology and science to be separate now, through critical analysis I know that science and technology are closely associated with each other. Which means technology is a part of science, it has been in existence since the prehistoric human culture (stone age). In my opinion technology is everywhere although we might not realise it our note books are a form of technology whereby we use our knowledge to document for practical purposes like computers. Overall for my first time doing this course it was challenging but, I’ve come to appreciate science and technology more, subsequently I can’t imagine having to sleep without a roof above my head or having to cook using sticks and rocks. Through this experience I’ve got a spark of curiosity that makes me more enthusiastic to know more about science and technology. Scientists have reached so far in the field of technology whereby people can afford to do scientific research and make scientific break throughs from their own houses. The society we all know and accustomed to would be non-existent if it wasn’t for the advancement in technology. We’re so dependent on science and technology without realising it. 23 MORE WORDS Session Date: 29/01/18 Session No: 2 Session Title: Scientific Methods The Nature of ScienceFor the second session, the lecturer started class with a recap of science. â€Å"All of science is uncertain and subject to revision. The glory of science is to imagine more than we could prove† Freeman Dyson. To follow up with the course outline, she started the second topic. To my understanding science is like a puzzle, to see the full image you need to put the pieces together. This can be distinguished through the scientific process. â€Å"The scientific method is a series of steps followed by scientific investigators to answer specific questions about the natural world† Regina Bailey 2017. What surprised me the most about this process is the fifth step experimentation, which is the most important step in this process. This is so because it can cause major breakthroughs in the world of science or a reversal. Through science we can make technological advancements and end some of the world major problems. â€Å"Fields of engineering are closely related to applied science. Applied science is important for technology development† Wikipedia 2018. It is understood that through scientific knowledge scientists have been able to provide services for the wellbeing of humans. Through many experiments people have been saying technology is good because it helps people medically and physically, it connects us as human beings and gives us entertainment. On the plus side technology is causing us to become less social. With this experiment, it shows how technology is applicated through private and public knowledge orientation. â€Å"Scientific objectivity is a characteristic of scientific claims, methods and results. It expresses the idea that the claims, methods and results of science are not, or should not be influenced by particular perspective value commitments, community bias or personal interests, to name a few relevant factors. Objectivity is often considered as an ideal for scientific inquiry, as a good reason for valuing scientific knowledge, and as the basis of the authority of science in society† Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy 2014. To my knowledge there are three methods that scientists use inductive approach, deductive approach and hypothetico -deductive approach. The inductive approach and deductive approach are opposite, where the inductive approach is based off fact then there’s a conclusion whilst deductive approach is a valid type of reasoning. Induction starts with observation, then a pattern, tentative, hypothesis and finally a theory. â€Å"In induction inference, we go from the specific to the general. We make many observations, discern a pattern, make a generalisation, and infer an explanation or a theory† Wassertheil Smoller 2017. Deduction has four stages theory, hypothesis, observation and confirmation. â€Å"Deductive reasoning is a logical process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple premises that are generally assumed to be true† Tech Target. Lastly hypothetico- deductive method which is seen as the only true method. What I understand is that the only way to truly test this is through experimentation which you either accept or reject the hypothesis and finally have an example. This week’s session journal was manageable enough for me. Session Date: 05/02/18 Session No: 3 Session Title: Scientific Methods, Theories and ModelsIn this week’s session, the lecturer started with the scientific method, then followed with theories and lastly models. Science is empirical, which means that it is based on observation over theory or logic. In class, we briefly discussed the history of scientific methods. It is understood that Plato 429-347 BC did not believe in empiricism but reasoning. â€Å"All knowledge could be obtained through pure reasoning (inductive), no need to actually go out and measure anything,† Plato 427-347 BC. â€Å"Contributions have been more influential, particularly when it comes to science and logical reasoning (deductive)† Aristotle 384-322 BC. Aristotle believed in empiricism. Personally, I agree with both Plato and Aristotle, for me science can be based on observation and reasoning also through empiricism where there’s a logical way to test such observations. A major point in this week’s session was observation. Observation is knowledge or data we acquire through experimentation. An example of observation from what I understand is the writing up of labs (biology or chemistry) for labs you have to observe then write what you understand. Through my research in observation I came across this question which intrigued me â€Å"Is creative concentration contagious?† Lynda Barry 2011. This brings me into another key example in topic three. When a baby sees his mother drinking in a cup, he tries to do the same with his cup, he holds it up and tries to take a sip from his cup. The baby first observes, then experiments. There are two types of observations, qualitative observations which uses your senses to observe the results and quantitative observations are made with instruments such as ruler, cylinders and thermometers which are tangible. These results are measurable. They could be used together or separately to measure data. Quantitative observation only gives statistical analysis after all the data has been gathered. What I understand from scientific theory is that it’s a repetition of a process of the natural to ensure the accuracy or legitimacy using a form of observation and experiment. An example of this would be no new evidence would show water is wet, or that you can see without your glasses. Experimentation is the process of performing a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something† Oxford dictionaries 2018. From the information, I gathered from the session so far is that observation and experimentation are relate and there are two types of observation. â€Å"A statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some aspects of the universe is called a scientific law’ Wikipedia 2017. A scientific law doesn’t explain the why or what of this observed phenomenon. The explanation of this phenomenon is the scientific theory, this is why or how they are related. â€Å"In science, laws are a starting place† Peter Coppinger 2017. The description of such phenomenon is called a model. These models can be physical, conceptual or mathematical it is often used in scientific theories. How to cite Scientific Sessions, Papers

Role of a Leader for Good Communication Skills -myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theRole of a Leader for Good Communication Skills. Answer: A good leader should have some qualities like honesty, confidence, good communication skills, creativity, inspiring others and several other factors (Cashman 2017). It is said that the best quality of a leader is honesty. The leader should always be honest so that the followers also get inspiration from him to be honest which would improve the team work. He should have the confidence to make his own decisions and show some boldness to achieve respect from his subordinates. The leader should have the ability to inspire others by setting positive examples. There are also bad qualities of a leader that I have known through my experiences. Some leaders are there who has lack of focus. Leadership is more about priority and less about balance (Amanchukwu, Stanley and Ololube 2015). It is important to be disciplined so that he can encourage his followers to be disciplined. There are some leaders who are not aware of their lack of information. Some leaders are even there who does not care about the opinion of his followers which is considered as a negative quality. I have come across with several leaders in my education life as well as professional life who have both positive and negative qualities. One of the instances that I want to give regarding a leader is that in my MBA class we were given a project to do in a team. The leader of that team was chosen by me and my team mates because we thought that he would lead our group in a well coordinated manner but later on we realized that he has some bad qualities like over confidence and he used o think that he knows everything and did not even bother to take opinion from others which led our project to downfall. References Amanchukwu, R.N., Stanley, G.J. and Ololube, N.P., 2015. A review of leadership theories, principles and styles and their relevance to educational management. Management,5(1), pp.6-14. Cashman, K., 2017.Leadership from the inside out: Becoming a leader for life. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Beaux Stratagem And Divorce Essays - Restoration Comedy,

Beaux Stratagem And Divorce The Beaux Stratagem is a play that places a pair of presentable yet impoverished London gentlemen, named Aimwell and Archer, in the English country inn at Lichfield. Due to the laws of this time Aimwell, as the younger son, has been denied his opportunity to share in the family fortune. His plan at the inn is to assume his older brother's identity and improve his chances of marrying a wealthy woman her fortune. His friend, Archer, has agreed to act as his servant on the condition that he would get half of what Aimwell gains from his venture. After some dalliance with the innkeeper, Bonniface, and his daughter Cherry, Aimwell sets his sights on Dorinda, the wealthy daughter of Lady Bonntiful, a local widow of high reputation. Her son, Squire Sullen, has been wrongly matched in a prearranged marriage to a beautiful woman with no inclination to share his hunting and drinking lifestyle. Mrs. Sullen is fed up with the marriage and has prepared a trap to make Sullen jealous by flirting with French Count. The flirtation is solely for her husband's benefit, but as Aimwell woos the young Dorinda, Archer makes advances to the cautiously receptive Mrs. Sullen, who is quite taken by Archer. One evening at the inn where Sullen is in search of drinking companions, a band of thieves plot with Bonniface to rob Lady Bonntiful's home on the assumption that the women are alone and unprotected. Cherry, who has overheard the their discussion, has Aimwell vanquish the thieves. He, along Archer, stops the robbery and locks up the thieves. All the while this is happening, Sir Charles Freeman arrives at the inn and is escorted by a drunken Sullen to the house where Aimwell and Archer continue their advances on Dorinda and Mrs. Sullen. Freeman brings news that Aimwell's brother has died making him a lord. Aimwell can now legitimize a marriage to Dorinda, with his new stature and a love that has grown to be real rather than fake. Sir Charles persuades Sullen into a divorce by mutual consent and to return the dowry that was more important than his wife. Aimwell and Dorinda marry, and Mrs. Sullen is free to accept the advances of Archer. Farquhar's views on divorce were ahead of their time. The subject of divorce was controversial and strictly forbidden in polite company. Laws were such that in the rare event that a couple was granted a divorce , a woman was neither allowed to remarry or make claim to her husband's finances. The Beaux Stratagem ends with the divorce of Squire Sullen and his wife through mutual consent. Mrs. Sullen's indignation at her treatment by Sullen seems very rebellious for its time and prescient of the modern woman's assertion of her rights. In fact, Fraquhar wrote The Beaux Stratagem not as an early woman's liberties but as a call for the liberalization of the divorce laws, this may be due to his own unhappy marriage.

How to Calculate Acceleration The 3 Formulas You Need

How to Calculate Acceleration The 3 Formulas You Need SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips "Whoa, you really went from zero to sixty there!" Have you ever heard someone use the idiom "zero to sixty" like I did in the above example? When someone says something went from "zero to sixty," they’re really saying that things accelerated very quickly. Acceleration is the amount by which the velocity of something changes over a set period of time. In this article, we’ll be talking all about acceleration: what it is and how to calculate it. Buckle up! What Is Acceleration? Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over a set period of time. You need to have both velocity and time to calculate acceleration. Many people confuse acceleration with velocity (or speed). First of all, velocity is simply speed with a direction, so the two are often used interchangeably, even though they have slight differences. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, meaning something is getting faster or slower. What Is the Acceleration Formula? You can use the acceleration equation to calculate acceleration. Here is the most common acceleration formula: $$a = {Δv}/{Δt}$$ where $Δv$ is the change in velocity and $Δt$ is the change in time. You can also write the acceleration equation like this: $$a = {v(f) - v(i)}/{t(f) - t(i)}$$ In this acceleration equation, $v(f)$ is the final velocity while is the $v(i)$ initial velocity. $T(f)$ is the final time and $t(i)$ is the initial time. Some other things to keep in mind when using the acceleration equation: You need to subtract the initial velocity from the final velocity. If you reverse them, you will get the direction of your acceleration wrong. If you don’t have a starting time, you can use â€Å"0†. If the final velocity is less than the initial velocity, the acceleration will be negative, meaning that the object slowed down. Now let’s breakdown the acceleration equation step-by-step in a real example. How to Calculate Acceleration: Step-by-Step Breakdown Now we’ll breakdown the acceleration formula step-by-step using a real example. A race car accelerates from 15 m/s to 35 m/s in 3 seconds. What is its average acceleration? First, write the acceleration equation. $$a = {v(f) - v(i)}/{t(f) - t(i)}$$ Next, define your variables. $a$ = what we are solving for $$V(f) = 35 m/s$$ $$V(i) = 15 m/s$$ $$T(f) = 3 s$$ $$T(i) = 0 s$$ Now, plug your variables into the equation and solve: $$A = {{(35 - 15)m}/{s}/{(3 - 0)s}$$ $$A = {(35 - 15)}/{(3 - 0)} m/s^2$$ $$A = {20/3} m/s^2$$ $$A = 6.66 m/s^2$$ Let’s try another example. A cyclist traveling at 23.2 m/s comes to a complete stop in 1.5 $s$. What was her deceleration? First, write the acceleration equation. $$a = (v(f) - v(i)) à · (t(f) - t(i))$$ Next, define your variables. a = what we are solving for $$V(f) = 0 m/s$$ $$V(i) = 23.2 m/s$$ $$T(f) = 1.4 s$$ $$T(i) = 0 s$$ Now, plug your variables into the equation and solve: $$A ={{(0 - 23.2)m}/s}/{(1.4 - 0)s}$$ $$A = {0 - 23.2}/{1.4 - 0} m/s^2$$ $$A = -23.2/1.4 m/s^2$$ $$A = -16.57 m/{s^2}$$ 2 Other Common Acceleration Formulas Wondering how to calculate acceleration using a different formula? There are several other common acceleration formulas. Angular Acceleration Formula Angular acceleration is the rate at which the angular acceleration of a rotating object changes with respect to time. Here is the angular acceleration equation: $$a = {\change \in \angular \velocity}/{\change \in \time}$$ Centripetal Acceleration Formula Centripetal acceleration is the rate of motion of an object inwards towards the center of a circle. Here is the centripetal acceleration equation: $$a(c) = {v^2}/r$$ $a(c) $= acceleration, centripetal $v$ = velocity $r$ = radius Key Takeaways Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over a set period of time. You calculate acceleration by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. What's Next? Are you studying clouds in your science class? Get help identifying the different types of cloudswith our expert guide. Working on a research paper but aren't sure where to start?Then check out our guide, where we've collected tons of high-quality research topics you can use for free. Need help with English class- specifically with identifying literary devices in texts you read? Then you'll definitely want to take a look at our comprehensive explanation of the most important literary devices and how they're used.

Psychology - organization and motivation Assignment

Psychology - organization and motivation - Assignment Example This downward flow of communication is used to let the workers understand their individual functions, to give and clarify instructions, and to give advices on how they can be most effective in their individual roles. It is also used to provide feedbacks on individual performances which can greatly help boost an employee’s determination to strive for perfection. On the other hand, employees also have an upward flow of communication where they can reach their managers, superiors and bosses. Through this communication flow, the workers provide a picture of how well the organization functions. It is where employees channel sentiments to their supervisors and employers. Their higher-ups in return take actions in resolving and improving these needs. Upward communication also shows how well the workforce understood the downward communication. It is a communication where the employee, managers, supervisors, and employers have an exchange of ideas and have a chance to contribute in making decisions. Having these forms of communication produces a more established workforce who is committed in doing their jobs. It is where a great employer- employee relationship is forged. Disregard any part of this two way communication and it will produce disasters. The organization will absolutely fail. It can result to an organization deviating from its goal and purpose, incompetent workers, unemployment, bankruptcy, and even death. In response to my peers’ responses, I would agree with both of them. For Kenneth, limited communication suffocates creative thoughts when the ability of subordinates to express themselves is taken away from them. This is true since it will make an employee feel unimportance and alienated. It is also true that lack of communication takes precious time, money and resources. On the point where bosses usually tells their managers what needs to be done, managers should have the ability to facilitate the ways and means to achieve that goal and

PhD research proposal (Risk of investment of sovereign wealth and

PhD (Risk of investment of sovereign wealth and strategies that can be used mitigate against the risks - Research Proposal Example Reports published by OECD reveal that government-driven mergers and acquisitions reached the peak (almost 20 percent of the total international value) level immediately before the financial crisis struck the Euro zone in 2009. In the subsequent year, this value declined sharply to half. The bulk of this international investment originated in few countries, China, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and few other Asian economies. Recently, SWFs have gained serious attention from the governments of countries around the world on the issue of risk associated with the holding of such wealth and its investment. In this paper, the impact of such risk on the economy is studied and the ways to mitigate risks have been discussed. Background Sovereign wealth funds are funds that are controlled by the government of a country. The government of a nation used this fund to make investments in other economies. Governments make investments in other countries by acquiring the assets located in those countries (Keefe, Fournier and Torys, 2003). The developing nations have also been affected hard by the crisis. However, research shows that due to the fact that these countries are developing, growth rate of these countries are higher than the growth rate of the developed nations (Manganelli and Engle, 2001; Mehta et al., 2012). A gradual but steady shift in power is visible from the West to the Eastern countries. The West is traditionally the centre of economic and financial power and the developed countries of the United States of America and European countries, until now enjoy the maximum economic power and therefore hold the highest political position in the global economy. The ongoing shift in traditional position and power from the western developed countries to the emerging economies in the east, such as China, is associated with higher levels of investment of SWF (Waki, 2010; Saunders and Cornett, 2011). These investments are mostly made in the emerging market eco nomies. Different levels of risks are associated with the SWFs depending on the pattern of investment made with these funds. Economists and policymakers have made different recommendations and suggested divert ways to mitigate such risks (Seagal, 2013). After the Euro zone crisis took place in late 2009, the issue of risks associated with sovereign wealth has been receiving greater importance (Jost, 2009; Saunders, 2013). Through further research it has been identified that the emerging economies are at lower levels of growth but showing higher growth potential than the developed countries (Smith, 2003). Hence investment of SWF is migrating fast towards the emerging economies. Research objective The objective of this research paper is to analyse the risk of investment of sovereign wealth and strategies that can be used mitigate these risks. The researcher aims to check whether risks of investing sovereign wealth adversely affect the economic variables in a country,

Core Context Overview Ratios And Evaluation Finance Essay

Core Context Overview Ratios And Evaluation Finance Essay Kesko Corp is a diversified retail business headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Founded in 1940, it deals with food trading, logistics, data and network management, building and home improvement alongside agricultural supplies, car and machinery trading. Apart from Finland, the company operates through subsidiaries like Kesko Food, Musta Porssi, Konekesko, Indoor, Intersport in Norway, Sweden, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Latvia. 2. CORE: Context, Overview, Ratios and Evaluation Context: External Kesko has around 2,000 stores structured as chain operations in parts of Nordic, Baltic, Scandinavian regions. Kesko and K-retailers comprise of K group which employs approximately 45,000 employees with year 2011 turnover stands at â‚ ¬ 12 billion. By 2011, Kesko Corporation has circa 19,000 employees with net-sales around â‚ ¬ 9.46 billion. An increase of 7.8% from last years (â‚ ¬ 8.77 billion). Finnish net-sales rose by 7.3% and other countries operations increased by 10.1%. Main drivers of success were food trade, building, car and machinery business. Earning-per-share of 2011 stands at 1.85 compared to 2.08 in 2010. A dividend of â‚ ¬ 1.2, 65% of the EPS was issued. Keskos market share is 35% and local major competitors are: S-Group (45%) Suomen Lahikauppa International competitor includes: Lidl Internal Kesko is controlled by its shareholders. Shareholders elect the Board of Directors and Auditor. Kesko Group is managed by the Board and the Managing Director who is also the President and CEO. CEO and President are selected by the Board of Directors. The company has Corporate Management Board having 7 members that control different divisions and responsibilities of the group. All Kesko Board members are non-executive directors. In 2011 it was decided by the Board that all of its members are independent of its companys shareholders. The Board ensures that the companys administration, operations and accounting as well as financial management controls are in place. Shareholding as below: The companys share capital is â‚ ¬ 197.2m. Total number of shares is 98.6m of which 31.7m are classed as A shares and 66.9m are B shares. Share A carries 10 votes and Share B one vote. Key group strategies include: Growth in Russian Regions Investment in development of store network Development of e-commerce Healthy profitable growth and increase shareholder value. All in all Keskos capital expenditure in growth stands at â‚ ¬ 425m in year-2011. Six new K-citymarket stores, 17 K-supermarkets in food business, 4 new K-rauta stores in building and home-improvement, 1 Kodin Ykkonen departmental store. The aim is to open 10 new stores in Russia with approx. â‚ ¬600m expenditure till 2015. Overview: Kesko: YEAR 2011 â‚ ¬m 2010 â‚ ¬m Turnover % Change 9,460 7.8% 8,776 Cost of Sales % Change 8163 8.17% 7546 Operating Profit % Change 281 -8.4% 307 Profit after Tax % Change 197 -8.8% 216 Operating Cash flow % Change 215 -51% 438 Capex % Change 427 30.2% 328 Total Debt (Long + Short term) % Change 400 -16.1% 477 Total number of Employees % Change 18,960 4.1% 18,215 The difference between costs and sales determines the operating profit. Though turnover is healthy, decrease in operating profit can be attributed to increase in cost of sales. Expenses also increased and in totality affected the profit position. Increase in capital expenditure is due to expansion in international markets and machinery which impacted negatively on the cash-flow position. Total debt position decreased which shows a healthy sign of effective use of company resources. Employee number remains constant. Koninklijke Ahold: YEAR 2011 â‚ ¬m 2010 â‚ ¬m Turnover % Change 30,271 2.5% 29,530 Cost of Sales % Change 22,350 3.4% 21,610 Operating Profit % Change 1,347 0.8% 1,336 Net Income % Change 1,017 19.2% 853 Operating Cash flow % Change 1,786 -15.4% 2,111 Capex % Change 881 -21.1% 1117 Net Debt % Change 1,088 47.6% 737 Total number of Employees % Change 218,000 2.3% 213,000 In comparison to Kesko, Ahold is 3 times bigger company as above. c).Ratio Analysis The ratio analysis is made up of performance, working capital, liquidity/solvency and shareholder ratios. Performance ratio is how well the company manages its assets and converts them into revenue and how efficiently converts its sales into cash. The better these ratios are the better value for shareholders. Kesko in comparison with Ahold Performance calculations 2011 2010 Change in 2011 Ahold 2011 Gross margin 2011: 13.7% 14.0% -0.3% 26.17% 1297/9460 2010: 1230/8776 Expenses/sales 2011: 18.1% 18.4% -0.3% 21.72% 1721/9460 2010: 1622/8776 Net margin* 2011: 2.9% 3.5% -0.6% 4.45% 281/9460 2010: 307/8776 Asset turnover 2011: 3.6 3.4 0.2 2.92 9460/2565 2010: 8776/2550 Return on 2011: 12.5% 13.9% -1.4% 12.99% Capital 281/2233 employed * 2010: 307/2210 Gross margin has declined because of increase in cost of sales sub-sequentially affecting the net margin. Slightly better asset turnover shows improved sales performance by every â‚ ¬ invested in the given year. Given the retail nature of the business this is normal. ROCE is not a matter of huge concern, however needs to be monitored closely. The ROCE decline could be the reduced profits attributed to shareholders. Ahold on the other hand shows big numbers. From retail perspective, Keskos performance is not bad at all. There are few dips in the numbers which are usual for a transactional retail business. d).Working capital is used to measure the companys short-term financial health. It is also called operational liquidity for the period of 12 months. Positive working capital can prove that the company can pay its short-term liabilities well. Negative working capital will increase the risk of default on short-term liabilities. Keskos working-capital ratios Working Cap Calculations 2011 2010 Change Ahold 2011 Inventory days 2011: 38.8 days 36.6 days 2.2 23.9 (divided by CoS) 867 x 365/ 8,163 2010: 757365/7,546 Debtor days 2011: 27.0 days 25.8 days 1.2 9.1 (divided by 700 x 365/9,460 sales) 2010: 620365/8776 Creditor days 2011: 51.3 days 52.4 days -1.1 39.8 (divided by CoS) 1148 x 365/ 8,163 2010: 1,085 x 365/ 7,546 Some difference year-on-year. Increase in inventory days shows negative cash-flow and control on inventory. Increase in debtor-days is bad for cash hence the cash position. This could be poor collection or price negotiations for discounts. Also seems like customers are taking longer to pay. Early payments to creditors depict the decrease in creditor-days, a virtuous gesture for suppliers but not good for cash. (d).Liquidity and Solvency ratios also a measure of companys ability to pay its short-term obligations also called a Quick ratio. This means that the current assets should outweigh current liabilities to stay positive. It also indicates the companys ability to meet interest payments. Higher the level of capital compared to debt, the lower these ratios are. Liquidity calculations 2011 2010 Change Ahold 2011 Current ratio 2011: 1.33 1.49 -0.16 1.13 2161/1625 2010: 2407/1616 Acid test 2011: 0.80 1.02 -0.22 0.81 2161- 867/1625 2010: 2407-757/1616 Solvency 2011 2010 Change Ahold 2011 Interest cover 2011: 13.40 18.05 -4.65 281/21 4.01 2010: 307/17 Gearing 2011: 0.18 0.21 -0.03 0.56 400/2233 2010: 477/2210 Decrease in current ratio is due to in-efficiencies in debtor and inventory turnover. Shortfall in cash has deteriorated acid test which is more conservative than current ratio. Variation in interest cover is an imminent concern given its retail landscape and possible inability to meet its debt obligations. Keskos cost of sales needs to be addressed to better manage profits sub-sequentially improving its cash reserves to shield the interest-cover shortfall. Decrease in gearing is a positive sign, showing Keskos good portion of equity is in place displaying monetary strength. e).Shareholders and Investment ratios Return on equity is the measure to see how much profit is left for shareholders. Higher this ratio, higher the profit for shareholders. Shareholders can decide to withdraw this profit or keep it invested in the business as retained earnings. Earning per share is a measure of firms profitability. Dividend cover is the number of times a firms dividends to shareholders is paid from its net profits. Higher the cover, more the ability to pay the shareholders. PE ratio measures price compared to earnings. The bigger the earning, more potential of rise in future earnings. Shareholder Calculations 2011 2010 Change Ahold 2011 Ratios 2011: ROE 197 / 2,233 8.8% 9.7% 0.9 17.3% 2010: 216 / 2,210 2011: 1.85 2.08 0.1 0.92 EPS 197 / 99 2010: 216 / 99 2011: Dividend Cover 1.85 / 1.20 1.54 times 1.6 times 0.06 2.30 EPS / Dividend 2010: Per share 2.08 / 1.30 PE Ratio 2011: 24.1 / 1.85 2010: 34.70 / 2.08 13.0 16.82* -3.82 11.48 Low ROE is result of low profit. Debt in the company also affects ROE, but in Keskos case debt has been reduced which might not be relevant for decline in ROE. Keskos increase in intangible assets can also result in low ROE. EPS is declined resulting from decline in operating profit, and possible increase in capital expenditure from last year. But still manageable and shows strong growth potential. Dividend cover is constant but relatively lower than Ahold. PE ratio is declined from previous year. This may show low market confidence in 2011. *http://www.kesko.fi/en/Investors/Share-information/Key-indicators-by-share/ f).Conclusion and Recommendation: Kesko is a strong company with year-on-year growth. However year 2011 has underperformed. The year seems a bit challenging ranging from its high cost of sales and higher volatility in its share price. Given its higher interest payments shows a possibility of higher borrowing costs. Increase in intangible assets (Computer Software, Licences) and expansion cost in the form of CAPEX is also a driver of declining cash-flows. The seasonal nature of operations arising from seasonal fluctuations took a toll on profits which are not earned throughout the year. Depending on Keskos segmental characteristics these profit variations are possible. Kesko Strengths Diversified product portfolio Effective Business model Growth in E-commerce Strong chain support functions Weaknesses High dependency on euro-zone. Lack of skilled labor Foreign exchange risks Changes in the Groups structure by creating a new subsidiary in Russian market and transferring 36 stores to the subsidiary has also affected Keskos performance. Uncertainties in the euro zone, volatility in consumer demand is affecting the appetite for CAPEX in the euro zone. Hence the reason of strong expansion in Russia. E-commerce is booming with international customers creating alternative benefits for Kesko. Future looks favorable for Kesko. Low investment in euro-zone will offset high CAPEX in Russian region. Steady growth in the food business expects to continue. Home and building business is expected to balance against consumer demand. Net sales are expected to grow next year i.e. 2013. All in all the growth-story looks good for Ahold. Ahold has the means to acquire Kesko. However my recommendation would be hold the acquisition desire for now till numbers become promising. As an alternative a 20% shareholding now will be suitable for Ahold. In both scenarios, if Kesko does well in the future, Ahold is sure to benefit from its interest in Kesko. Answer 3: The cash-flows of the project are below: Year 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Sales Revenue 0 300,000 510,000 680,000 450,000 240,000 Loss of Contribion (35,000) (35,000) (35,000) (35,000) (35,000) Variable Costs (160,000) (240,000) (280,000) (210,000) (140,000) Fixed Costs (22,000) (22,000) (22,000) (22,000) (22,000) Op Cash flow 65,000 195,000 325,000 165,000 25,000 Working capital (70,000) (70,000) (70,000) (70,000) (70,000) Capital Cost (500,000) Residual Value 100,000 Net Cash flow (500,000) 78,000 338,000 598,000 278,000 98,000 Depreciation of 80,000 is not included in fixed costs as it does not affect cash. Head office overheads are also not a constant fixed cost over 5 year period so not including in the fixed costs. The Payback time is approx. 2 years 6 months. Net Present Value calculation is below with discount rate of 15%. Year Cash flow PV Factor PV 0 (500,000) 1.0 (500,000) 1 78,000 0.870 67,860 2 338,000 0.756 255,528 3 598,000 0.658 393,484 4 278,000 0.572 159,016 5 98,000 0.497 48,706 NPV 424,594 NPV is positive, so recommendation to the board is to go ahead with the project With adding back depreciation of 40,000 i.e. 80,000 x 5 at the end of 5 year: Year Cash flow PV Factor PV 0 (500,000) 1.0 (500,000) 1 78,000 0.870 67,860 2 338,000 0.756 255,528 3 598,000 0.658 393,484 4 278,000 0.572 159,016 5 98,000 0.497 48,706 Depreciation (400,000) NPV 24,594 NPV is still positive, so recommendation to the board is to go ahead with the project. The IRR is 43.7%, where NPV becomes zero. Answer 4: Usefulness of Company accounts to assess value of companies Hello friend, In order to understand company accounts, the financial accounting statements provide a representation of financial position and performance of the company. Company accounts are made up of 3 statements: Balance Sheet (aka Statement of financial position) Income Statement ( aka Profit and Loss account) Cash-flow statement Cash-flow statements show how much cash came in or went out in a particular period. For example, I started a business of selling flowers with  £40. On Tuesday morning, I bought flowers worth  £40 and sold three-quarters of flowers for  £45 cash that day. My cash-flow position during Tuesday will look like this: Cash invested by me:  £40 Cash from sales of flowers:  £45 Cash paid to buy flowers: ( £40) Closing balance of cash  £45 Income statements show how much wealth i.e. profit is generated or lost by the company over a period of time. Profit and loss can be defined as increase or decrease in wealth through trading activities. For income statement it shows wealth generated on Tuesday. It represents the difference between the value of the sales made and the cost of goods sold. Sales revenue:  £45 Cost of goods sold (3/4 of  £40) (30) Profit  £15 It is the cost of flowers sold that is matched against the sales revenue to get profit. Not the whole cost of flowers is shown as unsold flowers in my case  ¼ of  £40=  £10 will adjusted against the future sales revenue that it will generate. Balance sheet shows accumulated wealth of the business at the end of the given period. It also shows what form have that wealth taken? For balance sheet the wealth created at the end of Tuesday trading. It will show list of resources held at the time. Cash (closing balance)  £45 Stock or inventory for resale  £10 Total assets  £55 Equity  £55 Equity is the stake of the owner in the business. Where-as assets include cash and stock. Cash is a vital resource for a business to function. It is used to retire debt and or for the purchase of stock. However, reporting cash alone will not portray the health of the business. The changes in cash do not tell us how much profit is generated. Thats why income statements are used. A balance-sheet on the other hand shows total wealth of the business. Cash is only one form in which wealth can be held, however in bigger businesses there are land, machinery and equipment is also classed as wealth in the balance-sheet. A combination of these statements states the financial position and health of the company. The relationship of these statements can be seen by a figure below: Another way to valuing a business is through company assets, price of parallel business and finally the cash-flow. Company assets are appraised to assess their value deducting any liabilities. The sales of similar business are valued in the area of your business. Location is very important in valuing the business though the limitations include undermining the value of your business by management and sales. The most effective way is the liquidity of the business i.e. cash position minus liabilities. You know what is coming your way. Issues: Issues related to these statements are the way they are presented. Use of creative accounting can somehow alter the real picture and position of the company. Audited company accounts are seldom used by investors or potential buyers, primarily for the reason of creativeness. Depending on the nature of your query for valuing the company, apart from simplified company accounts mentioned above, it can vary from share price to ratio analysis to cost of capital or debt and so on.

Academia and Briefly Summarize

BAYLORIndicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application information. 2000 character limit.COLUMBIA1. Please describe your parents’ occupations: (250 char.)2. If your first and last name is often mispronounced, how do you pronounce it? (250 char.)3. Have you previously applied to P&S? (Yes/No)If yes, briefly summarize your activities since your previous application:4. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)5. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? (250 words)6. Did you work for compensation during college during the year or the summer? YesNo If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? (250 words)7. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. (300 words)8. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? (250 words)9. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (300 words)DARTMOUTH1. Please indicate your plans for the 2012-13 academic year. If in school, please list your courses. If working, let us know something about the nature of your job.2. Please share with us something about yourself that is not addressed elsewhere in your application and which could be helpful to the Admissions Committee as we review your file.HARVARDD. If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters max) summarize your activities since graduation.E. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include si gnificant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.(4000 character maximum)DUKEDescribe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine?What is the most significant moral or ethical dilemma that you have faced in your life (excluding instances of academic dishonesty involving another person)? Describe how you dealt with and potentially resolved it, including beliefs, resources, individuals, etc. How did this dilemma and its resolution change your life and what, if any, impact will this have on your future as a health c are provider?What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients?The curriculum at the duke university school of medicine is unique and academically challenging. Please describe how the duke curriculum is well-suited to your learning style and how it will serve your long term career objectives.There are 3 optional essay topics:Giving Back To Your Community: What is the value of giving back to your community? Is it a more important attribute of a physician than of others performing other roles within a community?How Are You Misunderstood: What are people most likely to misunderstand about you and why?

Marketing Analysis for Samsung Essay

INTRODUCTION Samsung was founded by Byung-Chull Lee on March 1, 1938, in Taegu, Korea, with 30,000 won. Initially his business focused primarily on trade export, selling dried Korean fish, vegetables, and fruit to Manchuria and Beijing. In little more than a decade, Samsung-which means â€Å"three stars† in Korean-would have its own flour mills and confectionery machines, its own manufacturing and sales operations, and ultimately evolve to become the modern global corporation that still bears the same name today. For over 70 years, Samsung has been dedicated to making a better world  through diverse businesses that today span advance technology, semiconductors, skyscraper, plant construction, petrochemical, fashion, medicine, finance, hotels and more. The flagship company, Samsung Electronics, leads the global market in hightech electronics manufacturing and digital media. Samsung move to partner with Google for their Android OS and the recent series of Smartphone has tremendously brought their revenue to greater heights. In 2011, the stellar Samsung GALAXY S II sold more than 10 million units worldwide, achieving the No. 1 global market share for smartphones (2011 Samsung Electronics Annual Report). Approx 94.5% of Singapore household has a hand phone in 2008.   Likely the percentage should be higher now. The functions of a hand phone have evolved greatly in this decade. From means of communication via SMS and calls, hand phone or rather Smartphone serves consumers a far range of functions today. A Smartphone offers more advance computing ability and connectivity then conventional mobile phone. Generally the established Smartphone brands in Singapore are Apple, Samsung, Nokia, HTC & Motorola. The rapid growth and success of Samsung are the reasons why our group chose this brand. We hope through in-depth research and analysis can we better understand the success factors behind this rapidly sprang brand, particularly in the Smartphone industry. 2.  SURVEY RESEARCH Survey research approach is done via questionnaire targeting general public. It can be used to gather information about people’s knowledge, attitudes, preferences, or buying behaviour for Smartphones. Basha and Harter (1980) state that â€Å"a population is any set of persons or objects that possesses at least one common characteristic. Through our survey, we sample a population which we hope can be representative of the Singapore consumers. This approach is selected by the group because it is the most widely used method to collected primary data to meet our research objectives. Through the primary data collected, we hope to draw certain information through analysis on consumer behaviour on the purchase of smartphones. Research Objectives The purpose of this survey is to understand our responders behaviour and attitude towards smartphone. We segmented the questionnaire into 4Ps namely product, price, place and promotion. We hope that with this survey finding we can better understand the needs of smartphone users, why they will or will not be using and also the reason why others are not using Samsung smartphone and the likelihood of them using Samsung in future. With the findings, we hope to draw conclusive data and make recommendations. 2.2  Contact Method We personally gave out the survey forms as shown in Appendix 1 to the general public at Ang Mo Kio Hub and Nanyang Polytechnic. We have given out to 41 respondents and used 30 of them for analysis (11 were deemed as void due to insufficient information or non completion) 2.3 Sampling Plan & Survey Questions A segment of the population selected for marketing research to represent the population as a whole. The survey is to be conducted with a sampling size of 30.The questions were limited to 10 to avoid being too lengthy resulting in fatigue respondents. First part of the survey included information pertaining respondents’ background such as gender & age which then we proceed to gathering information like consumer preference. Five point Likert scale was used to measure few variables. 3.  CUSTOMER We will further describe the customer segment for Samsung smartphones using demographic, psychographic and behavioural factors. 3.1  Demographic factors The targeted segment is for both male and female, probably age between 14 and 55, skewed more towards the Gen Y. The country or area should have good network (Eg: 3G, 4G, wireless connection) to ensure optimal usage of Smartphone features. 3.2  Psychographic factors There are basically three segments of users broadly in which Samsung wishes to target; entertainment focused, communication-focused and information-centric users. The entertainment-focused users are generally younger group which see a mobile device as a lifestyle choice, and they’re willing to pay extra for a device that’ll help keep them entertained. Entertainment can also include things like social messaging with friends, facebook and networking. The communication-focused users are extroverts who live to communicate with others. They’re often in people-facing jobs like sales. They’re willing to pay extra for a mobile device that lets them keep up with others in multiple ways. E-mail, SMS, voice, conferencing, video calling — basically, anything communication-related is compelling to them, and they will pay extra for a device that does it well. The information-centric users are more introverted. Rather than focusing on their dialog with others, they tend to do a lot of thinking on their own, and want their mobile device to be a  memory supplement and a means to capture new information. They’re will ing to pay extra for features that help them capture and remember ideas and information. 3.3  Behavioural factors Past users of Samsung (Be it handphone or other appliances) will likely purchase Samsung again due to familiarity and if they have had pleasant experience with the phone, the likelihood of repurchase is high. 4.  MARKETING MIX 4.1  Product a.  3 Levels of Product A product is normally defined as the physical items that consumers purchase. But actually the nature of a product can be further explored in 3 levels. They are The Core Product, The Actual Product and The Augmented Product which are further explained in Appendix 3. Smartphone industry is growing rapidly with many new brands coming in for a slice of market share each fighting towards fulfilling consumer growing wants. Understanding the 3 levels of product can better enable Samsung to position itself. Based on Kotler’s Three Level of Product Framework, the Samsung smartphone core product is giving consumers tool of communication. Through product  differentiation of smartphones, consumers are given a variety of choice for the actual product as illustrated in Appendix 3. Samsung’s strategy will ensure it is already at the finishing line when consumer tastes change hence it produces a wide product range for every taste and demand. b.  Consumer Product Samsung smartphone is categorised as a Shopping Product. Consumers will compare on the price, style, function, quality and suitability of the smartphone due to the multiple brands and model available in the market. Having achieved unmatched global competitiveness in hardware, Samsung has been focusing on enhancing its software capabilities in user interface, user experience, and design and brand awareness. To remain competitive, Samsung must continuously develop quality and innovative smartphones to stay in the lead. c.  Brand Development Strategy The most difficult step in developing a marketing plan is normally the process of developing a brand strategy. It’s often the biggest challenge face by most businesses but it is an important step in creating the company identity. In the smartphone market, Samsung branding still falls behind Apple. However Samsung in recent years has been very aggressive and rapidly gaining market share. We will move on to discuss Samsung brand development strategy. ‘While many companies that sponsor events are focused on boosting their brand awareness, Samsung Electronics looks at things a little differently. The Korean giant – a major sponsor of the recent Youth Olympic Games (YOG) – says that â€Å"brand preference† is a better indicator of whether its investment has paid dividends.’ (The Straits Time, 13 Sept 2010) Samsung sponsorships in Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and the upcoming London 2012 Olympics will certainly provide strong profile and brand power. Through sponsorship in the Olympics, Samsung seeks to, through user experience boost up their brand. d.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Product) From our survey findings, 94% of the respondents are smartphone users with with 2 respondents one non-smartphone user and one unsure. We have checked with the unsure respondent and respondent was using a smartphone bought to her by her daughter. The strong percentage of smartphone users 94% as per survey results showed a strong And 60% of the respondents responded they are likely to purchase Samsung for their next phone. 4.2  Price a.  General Pricing Approach Price will always be the key concern of consumers’ before making any purchasing decision (Smith and Carsky, 1996). The level of price is found to positively affect behavioral intentions mainly because price establishes image of the brand in the eyes of the consumers (Aaker, 1991). The price set for any product including smartphone is crucial as it directly impacts on consumer purchase. The company’s range of low- to high-end smartphones caters to almost every budget. Based on client perceived value and market offerings, Samsung adopts  a value based pricing strategy. ‘If there is a consumer for it, we will offer the product, says Younghee Lee, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Samsung’s mobile business.’ (The Business Time, 17 March 2011) b.  Price Compared to Competitors Samsung stays on a competitive price and with its vast product line; every price range is met with a product. We have used the recent launch of Samsung S3 Smartphone with its competitors as illustrated in Appendix 4. Samsung S3 smartphone is considered the high end product series in the smartphone market and we have chosen close competitors mainly Apple iPhone 4S and HTC One. From the comparison, though Samsung S3 is the latest product launch amongst the three phones, it still stays at a less than $100 price difference with competitors. The price Samsung offers is very close to its competitors giving it an edge over them. c.  Product Mix Pricing Strategies The product mix is the collection of products and services that a company chooses to offer its market and pricing strategies based on what objectives the company had set for them. Samsung’s product strategy is to create Android devices across varying price points and flood the market through as many carriers across the world as possible. The original Galaxy S was sold through about 240 different global vendors. Product-line pricing involve setting price for different products within a product range at different price point is the strategy Samsung applied for smartphone. For example, Samsung had a lot of smartphones products with different design and feature at different prices as shown in Appendix 5. The greater the feature and benefit obtain, the higher the consumer have to pay. d.  Price Adjustment Strategies A set of strategies used by companies to adjusted their basic prices to account for various customer differences and changing situations. The  commonly use strategies are Discount and Allowance Pricing, Segmented Pricing, Psychological Pricing and Promotional Pricing. In the smartphone industry, discount and allowance pricing adjustment strategy is commonly used. This strategy allows companies to adjust their basic price to reward customers for certain responses, such as early payment of bills, volume purchases, and off-season buying. This strategy can come in many forms. Seasonal discount is a price reduction to buyers who buy merchandise or services out of season. For example, when Samsung Galaxy S3 is launch, the price of Samsung Galaxy S2 was reduced. In this scenario, older model of smartphone is the same as off season products. Seller will offer discount to encourage the buyer to purchase off older models. Allowances are another type of reduction from the list price. For example, trade-in allowances are price reductions given for turning in an old item when buying a new one. Trade-in allowances are most common in vendors selling smartphone. e.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Price) Through our survey findings, most respondents rated price as ‘most important’ factor to consider when buying a smartphone. An interesting thing to note is 40% of the respondents mentioned they will pay up to $300 for a smartphone and 30% mentioned they are willing to pay more than $1500 for a smartphone. It is therefore important to draw specific data to understand the needs and wants for those segmented clients. 4.3  Place a.  Number of channel levels Place is also known as channel, distribution or intermediary. It is the mechanism through which goods are moved from the manufacturer to the consumer. We have analysed Samsung smartphone distribution as shown in Appendix 6. Samsung practises indirect channels using selective distribution. The channel contains one to two intermediary levels. Through the major telcos and authorised dealers, Samsung distribution in Singapore is very intense, and this is exactly what Samsung wants. One can purchase a Samsung Smartphone at every neighbourhood in Singapore. All authorised distributors were given product training & support whenever needed. All telco (SingTel, M1, Starhub) also have dedicated staff to provide training & desk support to consumers should they require assistance on how to use the smartphones. b.  Channel intensity From the Appendix 6, the distribution channels are intense diverting to over 300 outlets making it easily accessible for consumers. The wide and broad channels are one factor for Samsung success. c.  Number of outlets, location The outlets for Singapore are estimated to be over 300, with at least one outlet in every neighbourhood and the availability to buy online with free delivery. d.  Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Place) From our survey results, 99% of the respondents bought their phone through the various channels with 49% through telco and dealers. Consumers prefer buying phones with contracted lines and this might suggest Samsung can consider giving a better incentive to telcos and dealers to further boost up their sales. 4.4  Promotion a.  Marketing Communications Objectives Marketing communications objectives is paramount to marketing success. If there is no objective, than there will be no way to measure the marketing success. After all, an objective is the goal intended to attained, which should be attainable and can be measured. Understanding the Product Life Cycle (as illustrated in Appendix 7) of each product can enable the company to respond with the marcom objectives. Though Samsung started its Smartphone in 2008, in our opinion the stage for Samsung smartphone is at its maturity stage in the Singapore context. During launch of a new smartphone, the objectives will be more informative like: Telling market about the new product Explaining how a product works Suggest new uses for a product Marketing effort by Samsung is normally conducted for launch of new products. As for their existing products, it is conducted together with their vendors like IT fairs and Electronic fairs. The marketing communication objectives for these efforts will be different from a new launch. The objectives these efforts are: Encourage brand switching Persuading customers to purchase now Build brand preference Keep product in consumers’ mind Maintain top of mind awareness Promotion Mix Attractive prices of good products are not enough for a business to generate maximum sales and profits. The benefits of products have to be communicated to customers. In marketing, this is commonly known as â€Å"promotion†. The total marketing communications programme is called â€Å"promotion mix†. Elements of promotion mix include Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, Personal Selling and Direct Marketing. The elements of promotion mix used by Samsung smartphone are: 1) Advertising Deliver marketer’s message using any paid form of mass media outlets, it involve non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. The 3 purpose of advertising are Informative, Persuasive and Reminder. Samsung has been using all three purposes for their advertising campaign in different occasion. Let’s look into Samsung individual advertising purpose and objectives. Sales Promotion Sales promotions normally refer to encouraging customers to respond or undertake some activity using some form of incentives through special short-term techniques. Some of the sales promotions technique used by Samsung smart phone is: a)  Joint promotion with Major Telco Samsung smartphone often had joint promotion with major telco to boost up the sales of the smartphone. For example the  promotion that was in the Starhub official site that offers  Samsung Galaxy S3 at different price depending on the plan  sign up or the Samsung Galaxy S2 at a low price with 2 years plan. (As shown in Appendix 8) b)  Joint Promotion with Major Electronic Mega Store Samsung always conduct joint promotion with major electronic mega store during ad-hoc promotion fair. Premiums like additional SD card, screen protector, casing or 0% interest instalment plan is often used during such fair. This promotion is used to enhance the sales by offering some perks and also to clear stock for the older model smartphone. (As shown in  Appendix 9) Survey Result on Target Segment Perception (Promotion) Through our survey findings, respondents rated ‘current mobile plan expired’ as the most important factor which influence their purchase of smartphone. This might be an important indicator for Samsung to have intense tie up promotions with the telcos to offer consumers attractive rates for those plans that have expired. A significant percentage of respondents also mentioned the launch of new  smartphone is influential in making the purchase. These are likely the consumers who are willing to pay a premium price for the latest launch of smartphone. Samsung can utilise this and through advertising for example; television commercial, newspaper advertisements, internet announce the new launch in a tasteful manner to attract this segment of consumers. 5.  CONCLUSION Constantinides (2006) emphasizes that marketing mix is a framework of the dominant marketing management paradigm to identify market development, environmental changes and trends. Several studies confirm that the 4Ps is indeed the trusted conceptual platform of practitioners dealing with operational marketing issues (Romano and Ratnatunga, 1995; Coviello et al., 2000). The wide acceptance of the 4Ps among field marketers is the result of their profound exposure to this concept during college years, since identifying the 4Ps as the controllable parameters is likely to influence the consumer buying process and decisions (Brassington and Pettitt, 2003; Soekartawi, 2005a). We conducted the survey to evaluate different segments of customers’ attitude toward 4Ps. It is expected that with this survey findings with the primary data we have collected can we better understand and provide recommendation for Samsung  to develop greater understanding of how to serve existing and potential customer based on 4Ps concept for a basis to meet profitability of their business. Through our survey, we realised a very important trend; almost 94% of the respondents carry a smart phone. Assuming the latest data from Singstat stating 95% of Singapore household having a handphone, and with that equate to 94% of them having a Smartphone, the total volume of smartphone market is estimated to be minimum 3-4Million in Singapore alone. Current users of Samsung are generally satisfied with the features and functions of the phone. However as Samsung faces close competition with its competitors, Samsung needs to continuously come out with new innovation and technology to stay in the lead. As Samsung is in its maturity stage of the product life cycle, Samsung needs to differentiate itself from competitors. However the tricky part is to position products across different, yet overlapping, market segments. It is important to note, however, that since some consumers may belong to both segments, positioning claims for a product should never conflict. To avoid confusing consumers, it may be necessary to make a broad appeal to both segments and then change the positioning slightly within each segment. As Samsung smartphone do has many variations, approximate 24, the positioning within each range should be unique and clear to consumers. Overall we feel that Samsung has done well to come this far and stay in the lead. The advantages Samsung has over competitors are the wide distribution channels and the vast product variations. Samsung must continue to ensure its distributors and telcos are given attractive incentives which in turn can bring in non Samsung users. Samsung should also focus on building brand loyalty, which will ensure retain of past and current Samsung consumers. Their primary goal should be to maintain their current market share and extend the product life cycle. REFERENCES Samsung Electronics 2011 Annual Report accessed on 25 June 2012 http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/download/2011_annual _rpt.pdf Singapore in figures 2011 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/sif2012.pdf accessed on 25 June 2012 Constantinides E (2006). The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing. J. Mark Manag, 22: 407-438. Porter, M., â€Å"Competitive Strategy – Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors,† (New York: The Free Press,1980). Smith, M.F., and Carsky, M.L. (1996). Grocery Shopping Behaviour:A Comparison of Involved and Uninvolved Consumers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 39 (2), 73-80. Aaker, D.A. (1991), Managing Brand Equity. Capitalizing on the Value of Brand Name, Free Press, New York, NY. Busha, Charles H., and Stephen P. Harter. Research Methods in Librarianship: Techniques and Interpretation. Orlando, FL: Academic Press, Inc., 1980. Romano C, Ratnatunga J (1996). The Role of Marketing, Eur J. Mark, 29: 9-30. Brassington F, Pettitt S (2003). Principles of Marketing, Third Edition, Prentice Hall/Financial Times. New Jersey. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-27/samsung-overtakes-nokia-as-world-sbiggest-phone-vendor.html http://www.samsung.com/sg/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/valuesphilosophy.html

Three Sisters the Ancient Cornerstone of American Farming

An important traditional form of agriculture is the use of intercropping strategies, sometimes called mixed cropping or milpa agriculture, where different crops are planted together, rather than in big monoculture fields as farmers do today. The Three Sisters (maize, beans, and squash) is what Native American farmers called a classic form of mixed cropping, and archaeological evidence has shown that these three American domesticates have been grown together for perhaps 5,000 years. Growing maize (a tall grass), beans (a nitrogen-fixing legume) and squash (a low-lying creeper plant) together was a stroke of environmental genius, the benefits of which practice have been studied by crop scientists for decades. Growing the Three Sisters The three sisters are maize (Zea mays), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and squash (Cucurbita spp.). According to historical records, the farmer dug a hole in the ground and placed one seed of each species into the hole. The maize grows first, providing a stalk for the beans, which reach upward for access to the sun. The squash plant grows low to the ground, shaded by the beans and corn, and keeping the weeds from affecting the other two plants. Today, intercropping, in general, is recommended as an alternative system for small-scale farmers to improve their yield, and thus food production and income in limited spaces. Inter-cropping is also insurance: if one of the crops fail, the others might not, and the farmer is more likely to get at least one of the crops to produce in a given year, no matter how extreme the weather circumstances. Ancient Conservation Techniques The microclimate produced by the three sisters combination favors the survival of the plants. Maize is notorious for sucking the nitrogen out of the soil; beans, on the other hand, supply replacement mineral nitrogen back into the soil: essentially, these are the effects of crop rotation without actually having to rotate crops. Overall, say crop scientists, more protein, and energy are produced by intercropping three crops in the same space than that achieved by modern monocultural agriculture. Maize maximizes photosynthesis  and grows straight and tall. Beans use the stalks for structural support and to gain greater access to sunlight; at the same time, they bring atmospheric nitrogen into the system, making the nitrogen available to maize. Squash performs best in shady, humid places, and that is the type of microclimate provided by the corn and beans together. Further, squash decreases the amount of erosion that plagues monocultural cropping of corn. Experiments conducted in 2006 (reported in Cardosa et al.) suggest that both nodule number and dry weight of beans increases when intercropped with maize. Nutritionally, the three sisters provide a wealth of healthy foodstuff. Maize provides carbohydrates and some amino acids; beans provide the rest of required amino acids, as well as dietary fiber, vitamins B2 and B6, zinc, iron, manganese, iodine, potassium, and phosphorus, and squash provides Vitamin A. Together, they make a great succotash. Archaeology and Anthropology Its difficult to say when the three plants began to be grown together: even if a particular society had access to all three plants, we cant know for sure that they were planted in the same fields without direct evidence from those fields. Thats pretty rare, so lets look instead at the domestication histories, which are based on where and when the domesticated plants turn up in archaeological sites. The Three Sisters have different domestication histories. Beans were domesticated in South America first, about 10,000 years ago; squash followed in Central America about the same time; and maize in Central America about a thousand years later. But the first appearance of domesticated beans in Central America was not until about 7,000 years ago. Agricultural use of the co-occurrence of the three sisters seems to have spread throughout Mesoamerica by about 3,500 years ago. Maize was the last of the three to reach the Andes, between about 1800 and 700 BC. Intercropping with the Three Sisters has not been identified in the American northeast, where the European colonists first reported it, until AD 1300: maize and squash were available, but no beans have been identified in a North American context any earlier than 1300 AD. By the 15th century, however, the intercropped triple threat had replaced the original domestic maygrass-chenopod-knotweed agricultural crops planted throughout northeastern and midwestern North America since the Archaic period. Planting and Harvesting There are accounts from various Native American historical sources as well as reports of early European explorers and colonists on maize-based agriculture. In general, Native American farming in the northeast and midwest was gender-based, with men creating new fields, burning grass and weeds and trenching the fields for planting. Women prepared fields, planted the crop, weeded and harvested the crop. Harvest estimates range between 500/1000 kilograms per hectare, providing between 25-50% of a familys caloric needs. In Mississippian communities, harvests from fields were stored in community granaries for use by elites; in other communities, the harvest was for family or clan-based purposes. Sources Cardoso EJBN, Nogueira MA, and Ferraz SMG. 2007. Biological N2 fixation and mineral N in common bean–maize intercropping or sole cropping in southeastern Brazil. Experimental Agriculture 43(03):319-330. Declerck FAJ, Fanzo J, Palm C, and Remans R. 2011. Ecological approaches to human nutrition.  Food Nutrition Bulletin 32(Supplement 1):41S-50S. Hart JP. 2008. Evolving the Three Sisters: The changing histories of maize, bean, and squash in New York and the greater northeast. In: Hart JP, editor. Current Northeast Paleoethnobotany II. Albany, New York: The University of the State of New York. p 87-99. Hart JP, Asch DL, Scarry CM, and Crawford GW. 2002. The age of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the northern Eastern Woodlands of North America.  Antiquity 76(292):377-385. Landon AJ. 2008. The How of the Three Sisters: The origins of agriculture in Mesoamerica and the human niche. Nebraska Anthropologist 40:110-124. Lewandowski, Stephen. Dioheko, the Three Sisters in Seneca life: Implications for a native agriculture in the finger lakes region of New York State. Agriculture and Human Values, Volume 4, Issue 2–3, SpringerLink, March 1987. Martin SWJ. 2008. Languages Past and Present: Archaeological Approaches to the Appearance of Northern Iroquoian Speakers in the Lower Great Lakes Region of North America. American Antiquity 73(3):441-463. Scarry, C. Margaret. Crop Husbandry Practices in North America’s Eastern Woodlands. Case Studies in Environmental Archaeology, SpringerLink, 2008.