Resourcing Talent

Resourcing Talent Report Adrienne Westerdale Attracting and retaining a diverse workforce is very important; there are many organisational benefits for doing so. People of different ages, genders and cultures will bring new skills and ideas to the organisation. A diverse workforce can help to inform companies of new or enhanced products and services as well as open up new market opportunities. It can improve market share and broaden an organisations customer base. CIPD defines managing diversity as â€Å"valuing everyone as an individual- valuing people as employees, customers and clients†.Location is a factor that can affect an organisations approach to attracting talent; there are lots of people that will look for work close to their homes to avoid commuting or even relocating. This could become a problem for organisations especially if recruiting for a specialised position such as engineers; it could be that they have advertised the vacancy locally and haven’t had a suitable applicant so will need to look further afield. It may take a little longer to fill the position which could increase the work load for other employees.Again this would have an effect on the organisation as it could lead to employees taking time off due to stress. Salaries would be another factor that can affect the approach to attracting talent. By offering a high salary you are more likely to receive more applicants for the position, however, the company can only offer a specific salary for a specific role. The organisations reputation has a massive affect, maintaining good relationships with employees will help create a good reputation. Offering your staff good benefits and salaries as well as treating them fairly with respect will encourage them to speak highly of the company.Good news travels fast which will attract potential employees to the organisation, however, if you don’t look after your employees you will find it hard to gain their respect which could resu lt in loosing staff. The recruitment methods a company use can determine who they attract when recruiting. There are many things to consider when deciding which methods to use; we must look at the costs of different methods. Advertising can be very expensive, magazines especially. For a black and white quarter page advert a company can look to pay as much as ? ,100 and up to ? 7,650 for half a page. This can also affect an organisations approach to recruitment and selection; as advertising is very costly most companies will be limited to where they can advertise a vacancy which may not attract the appropriate candidate. Recruitment Methods Email: Recruiting through email can be an effective way to recruit internally as everyone within the organisation has access to it; however, there are chances that some employees may not pick their emails up in time to apply for the position.It could also cause conflict if only certain people are sent the email encouraging them to apply for the va cancy and others within the company aren’t. Notice boards are also used to advertise vacancies internally; there are advantages to these as everyone can see them. Most people will take a look if something new is put up; the advert will have to be bright and bold to attract attention. Notice boards don’t always attract the appropriate candidate and employers can find that most of their applicants are unsuitable for the position.A successful way of recruiting internally would be through talent planning/management; this way the employee has the chance to learn all aspects of the business at different levels while progressing. Methods of external recruitment can be through recruitment agencies; a variety of different external agencies can be employed to undertake some part of the recruitment process on behalf of employers. The good thing about using agencies is that they do all the work for you.They will advertise the vacancy as well carry out a short interview with any ca ndidates to identify if they are suitable to apply. The only downside to using this method is the cost; some private agencies will charge a fee. Some companies may also use the job centre as a method of recruitment; however, some employers are reluctant to use them despite the fact that unlike recruitment agencies they offer free advertising. This is partly because the clientele is mainly comprised of unemployed people, who are perceived to be unskilled or low skilled and therefore inappropriate for many jobs.The recruitment function of an organisation is affected and governed by a mix of various internal and external forces. The internal are the factors that can be controlled by the organisation, whereas the external factors cannot. Examples of internal factors would be: * Recruitment policy * Size of the firm * Cost of recruitment * Growth and expansion Examples of external would be: * Supply and demand * Labour market * Unemployment rate * CompetitorsOther factors that will affec t an organisations approach to recruitment and selection can be the effectiveness of the interview; most interviews will be made up of a panel of interviewers from specific departments of the organisation, it is important to ensure that all panel members are trained in interview techniques. You should make sure you carry out thorough preparation and know the candidate’s background while asking competency based questions linked to the person specification. Allowing sufficient time for the interview is very important and always gives the candidate chance to ask any questions.References can affect the approach to recruitment and selection; Stephen Taylor says â€Å"Like interviews and application forms, it is very widely used but has been found to be of limited value by researchers. As a predictor of job performance it has low validity and has often been found to contain more information about its author than about its subject† (Resourcing and Talent Management, Stephen T aylor. P242) a great deal of time and effort is put in by some employers to chase up references to find that they have little practical value.It is very rare that negative or semi-negative references are made; however, most employers now have a policy of only providing factual information and make no comment about an individual’s suitability at all. The law have made it difficult for employers writing references to know for certain that what they will write will be confidential as unsuccessful candidates now have the right to ask for a copy of their references. Inductions The purpose of an induction is to ensure the effective integration of a new employee into the work place.As well as the usual orientation, a new starter needs to understand the business, where their role sits within the set up and what’s expected of them, as well as being quite clear regarding their terms and conditions of employment. A good induction programme should leave no room for confusion or la ck of understanding and should, therefore, induce a feeling of â€Å"belonging†. The employee should then integrate well into the team, have high morale, achieve optimum productivity and therefore be able to work to full potential. In other words- job satisfaction.For the employee it means that all bases are covered and their trained and introduced properly. It also means that all employees receive the same, consistent experience when joining. It ensures that they aware of the company policies and procedures as well as the company ways of working and vision. â€Å"The main reason is that new employees who have undergone an effective induction programme are likely to be competent performers at their jobs more quickly than those whose induction was scanty or non- existent. † (Malcolm Martin and Patricia Jackson, 4th Edition.P110) â€Å"Also, the former group are less likely to leave the organisation at an early stage than the latter group (this phenomenon is commonly kn own as the ‘induction crisis’ and signifies a dissatisfaction with the job or the organisation or both). (Malcolm Martin and Patricia Jackson, 4th Edition. P110) There are certain subjects that should be covered during the induction; employees need to be informed of the organisations products, services, markets and values, terms and conditions of employment for example; pay, hours of work, holidays and sick pay and pension schemes.During the induction employees will be made aware of the physical layout of the organisation along with their rules and procedures, they will also be told of the background and structure. These subjects will put across using different training methods. On the job training will include: * Demonstration/ Instruction- This is showing the trainee how to do the job. * Coaching- This is a more intense method of training that involves a close working relationship between an experienced employee and trainee. Job rotations- This is where the trainee is given several jobs in succession, to gain experience of a wide range of activities (eg. A graduate management trainee might spend periods in several different departments). * Projects- Employees join a project team- This gives them exposure to other parts of the business and allows them to take part in new activities. Advantages of on the job training are that it’s most cost effective as there are no external training courses to pay for and employees don’t need to be given a day release to attend them.It also means new employees are training alongside real colleagues so get an actual feel for how their working day will run. There are disadvantages however to on the job training; employees may pick up bad habits from those who have been with the company for a long time there is also the potential for disruption to production. The learning environment might not be conductive when carrying out on the job training. Off the job training will include: * Distant learning * D ay release * Self-study * Block release course- This may involve several weeks at college.Advantages of off the job training are that a wider range of skills and qualifications can be obtained, employees can learn from outside specialists and experts. It could also mean that employees can be more confident when starting the job. Disadvantages are that it is more experience; companies may need to pay for not only the training course but also for transport and accommodation depending on the location. It could mean lost working time and potential output; once they start the job they may need some further induction training. A big disadvantage to external training courses is the timescales in which they are done.You may book an employee onto a course but will have to wait a couple of weeks for them to attend; this will prevent them from their starting their role. People who will take part in an induction would usually be managers, HR professionals and any trainers depending on the posit ion. Inductions don’t need to be a very formal process but it needs to be properly managed. ACAS run practical training courses to equip managers and HR professionals with the necessary skills to deal with employment relation issues and to create a more productive work place environments.

How to Plan a Party Process Essay Essay

Parties are to commemorate special events and memorable occasions. However, what makes a party worthwhile and a happy occasion for both the host and his guests is perfect planning for such an event. Planning a surprise birthday party can be fun and exciting. The anticipation that the planner feels waiting for the reaction of the birthday person brings as much, if not more joy, than the actual birthday person’s acknowledgement of the party. Organization is a major key for things to run smoothly so when planning a party, there are many important details to be remembered: setting, theme and decorations, menu, guest list, entertainment plan and r.s.v.p The First step is to decide on the date, place, and time of the party. Most parties take place on the weekends for the convenience of working class; however, if permitted you can have a party scheduled during the week. Be sure that the party does not conflict with the birthday person’s schedule, because they have priority. Once you have picked a date and time check to make sure your location will be available. Try choosing a place that you know your guest of honor will love, such as a favorite park or familiar hang out spot or even a place that has special sentimental value for the person. After you have confirmed that the date, place, and time are all available, it is time to choose a theme you would like to have. The theme is  where you get ideas for your decorations, invitations, and even games. The theme is especially crucial when sending out invitations. Depending on what the invitation says it can tell your guest what type of party to expect, for example water party, s kate, costume, etc. So you want to be sure that both your theme and invitation match up. When choosing a theme be sure it is age appropriate and that everyone will feel neutral about. Once chosen, buy decorations to match. After choosing a theme it will be time to decide on a menu, which should be the easiest part of all. Finger foods are always a great route to go, because they are simple and you have a wide range to pick from. However if budget is an issue you can prepare simple platters such as fruit plates, sandwich trays, cheese and cracker trays, and vegetable trays. If you’re throwing a party for a younger age group chips and hot dogs are always a winner. This is also the time to order the cake. The cake should match the theme or be a symbol of the birthday person’s favorite character or hobby; also you should provide a variety of drinks. The next step is choosing a guest list. When choosing this list, it is crucial to invite only those who you are sure the birthday fellow will enjoy. By inviting people whose company is unwanted drama is likely to follow. Also keep in mind that you can never invite too many people, because more than likely half will not show up and those who do just might bring a friend along. To ensure your guests will have a jolly time, have great entertainment plan. DJ’s are generally a great choice where they allow guests to enjoy their favorite songs, but they can be costly. However, if you need entertainment that fits your budget better try planning games such as, pin the tail on the donkey, hide and seek, dominoes, spades, and pià ±ata. So use your imagination and be creative, also improvise whenever needed. Finally, send out your invites be sure to include an r.s.v.p with a deadline. Make sure the deadline is at least a week before the party. This will allow you time to make changes if necessary. Include an end note informing your guest that food and drinks will be provided. Once your r.s.v.p. deadline has come, you can decide if you need to order more or less food and party favors. To sum up, planning a birthday party is simple; it just requires time and dedication. Not only are they simple, but they can be quite inexpensive so long as you budget properly. If you follow these steps, your planning will go stress and hassle free. And as you run over a few last minute details and await the arrival of guest, relax and breathe; your party will have a great turn out and be the talk of the town.

Internatinal business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internatinal business - Essay Example Entering into China will not only open the gates of opportunity in China but in other Asian countries also. Star Traders aims to procure low cost products and sell them at the relatively reasonable margins in the international markets. This strategy will be leveraged through extensive marketing to the existing client base in the developed countries of the world. It is however, important to note that China has the risk of political instability as country is predominately a Communist society with government controlling most of the assets in the country. International firms are not allowed to operate on their own and need to develop working partnerships with the local players to enter into the market. To successfully enter into the market, a financing of approximately $10 million will be required. Research The name of the business is Star Traders and it is going to operate in China in partnership with the local players already working in the chosen field of business of the firm. China h as a population of over 1.3 Billion with Han Chinese forming the 92% of the overall population of the country. The overall population growth rate is around 0.48% which China has been able to control over the period of time (â€Å"CIA World Fact Book. China†). China has the highest population in the world therefore in order to control the population, China has implemented one child policy (â€Å"CIA World Fact Book. China†). As mentioned above, the major ethnic groups in the country include Han Chinese which form over 90% of the population of the country. Apart from Han Chinese, Zuhang, Manchu, Hui and other smaller ethnic groups exist too. However, the overall concentration of these smaller groups is relatively low and Han is the major ethnic group in the country. Mandarin is the major language being spoken in the country. Apart from this, Cantonese, Wu and other languages are also been spoken in various parts of the country. Mandarin however, is the major language spo ken by most of the ethnic groups in the country. It is also critical to note that the there are various dialects of the Mandarin also. Over 30% of the population of the country lives under the age of 30 years indicating that the country has ample supply of young labors to continue to supports its economic progress achieved and sustained over the period of more than 10 years. China is the fastest growing economy in the world and has recently overtaken Japan as the second largest economy in the world. With over $12 trillion GDP with a real growth rate of over 7.8% indicate that the Chinese economy has the potential to offer one of the most lucrative business investment to be made. It is also important to note that the China is a predominately manufacturing oriented economy with manufacturing taking more than 46% of the overall GDP of the country. Services sector has a share of 43% whereas rest of the share is taken over by the agriculture sector of the economy. Major export items incl ude electrical and mechanical equipment. Iron, textile and data processing equipment. The major trading partners of the country are US, Japan, Hong Kong as well as Germany and South Korea. As compared to exports, Imports are relatively low and are only over $1.7 trillion with electric and other

Japan waste pollution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japan waste pollution - Research Paper Example Japan has been focused on economic development and has primarily given importance to its re-establishment in the global scenario. When we consider the economic and industrial grown, Japan has taken large strides after the World War II in an effort to become a sustainable nation, indulging in industrialization and modernization of all facilities. However, waste pollution became an issue that required to be addressed with the lapse of time. As far as agriculture is concerned, the night soil which used to be disposed into rivers were not much of a problem earlier, but became a threat after the introduction of chemical fertilizers and such. Eventually, the effects of pollution became evident and the people of Japan, who had moved to the cities, began to see the effects of pollution. The development in waste pollution treatment, including the sewerage facilities has always been slow until recent years. Now people have realized the importance of waste pollution treatment. In the past, Japan has suffered considerable loss as a result of waste pollution, including copper poisoning and cadmium poisoning through water sources, Sulphur di-oxide and Nitrogen di-oxide pollution through air. Another important form of poisoning that affected the people was arsenic poisoning which was caused by the arsenic dust from the mines, causing breathing illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. With the increase in the number of waste pollution issues, the government decided to make some drastic changes, making strict efforts to curb pollution.

Ethics of Robotic Warfare Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics of Robotic Warfare - Research Paper Example During military missions such as Operation Iraq Freedom in Iraq and Operation enduring Freedom in Afghanistan the US troops used 6,000 unmanned robotic systems. Systems such as the Global Hawk and Reaper are highly effective in reconnaissance, munitions delivery, air/ground survey and photography (Weber 11). These robotic operations are helpful as they help commanders make rational, intelligent and well informed military decisions in times of war. Although the robots may be used for tactical defense and other war actions, there remains the question of ethics behind the use of robots in warfare. Capurro and Nagenborg state that â€Å"robots are and will remain in the foreseeable future dependent on human ethical scrutiny as well as on the moral and legal responsibility of humans (54).† What exactly is robotic ethics? Ethics is a discipline that is concerned with morals and values that explicitly or implicitly underlie human behavior. Robotic ethics therefore, is the term used to describe the moral norms and values that relate to the use of robots where human life or interest is concerned. The interaction of humans and robots raises some difficult but serious questions regarding the creation of war machines that may or may not be morally inclined to carry out war operations (McDaniel 99). The big question here is: does the world really need robotic welfare? Issues arise regarding the application of these robots for example, the use of these robots in warfare, ramification of labor and the intentional manipulation of the human beings by the robot creatures (Brey, Briggle and Waelbers 45). Of great concern has the use of the robots for warfare as it would be discussed in this paper. The use of the robots has short term ethical consequences which are very serious. The ethics of the battlefield have for a long time been a huge problem and caused a lot of constraint for military conduct. The Geneva Conventions were created

Philosophy ( professional and business ethics) Essay

Philosophy ( professional and business ethics) - Essay Example Most likely, Bob is not only self centered but also materialistic in nature causing him to care very little about the benefits or positive aspects of â€Å"being good† or acting morally. One aspect of acting morally is how one is perceived by others. If Bob begins to act in a manner that appears moral and considerate of those around him, he is more likely to be trusted and liked. If Bob is trusted and liked, he will easily be able to convince others to do business with him or even help him out in a time of need, in the spirit of neighborly kinship. As an amoral person, Bob must feel the consequences of his actions in that others around him are repelled by him and avoid a great deal of contact with him. If Bob can be convinced that changing his attitude and actions will yield favorable results for him personally, he will most likely be conducive to such changes. The concept of â€Å"ought† or â€Å"should† may in fact be erroneous to Bob as the idea of what one should or should not do are subjective and void of scientific reason. Additionally, Bob is coming from a place of primal desire or concern as opposed to an ideology that doing the right thing is something that one should do in order to be a good person versus the motivation to do the right thing in order to perpetuate one’s own best interests. In theory, the latter of the two motivations, seems to in essence make the notion of Bob’s doing the right thing amoral because of the motivation behind those actions. This however, may be the only form of morality that Bob is willing to embrace and since it benefits those around him for him to act morally as opposed to amorally, it can be argued that regardless of Bob’s motivation for his moral actions, the actions themselves are moral due to their results all the way across the board. Additionally, if Bob can be convinced that his conversion to moral actions versus continuing in amoral actions will preserve his

Researched Drama Paper (Hamlet) Research Proposal

Researched Drama Paper (Hamlet) - Research Proposal Example The Shakespeares were a prosperous and locally prominent family. His father, John Shakespeare, was a successful businessman. A great deal is known of Stratford which enables us to understand something of Shakespeare’s boyhood there. The town supported a grammar school which was free to the sons of Burgesses of whom Shakespeare was one. He also went to Grammar school. It is not known what Shakespeare did between the time he left school and his departure for London. Some stories about him that he got into trouble for poaching deer – are possible, but unproved. He married Ann Hathaway, daughter of a yeoman farmer. Their first child was Susan and later, twins, Hamnet and Judith. Very soon after the latter’s birth, Shakespeare departed for London without his family. Shakespeare entered the theater as an actor and was to be an actor-manager for the rest of his life. He made money also as a playwright. Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616 at the unbelievably early age of 52. Shakespeare wrote the following plays in a period of eight and nine years. Julius Ceasar; Hamelt; All’s Well that Ends Well; Troilus and Cressida; Measure for Measure; Othello; King Lear; Macbeth; Antony and Cleopatra; Timon of Athens; Corionalus. Hamlet has been adjudged the best of men and the worst of men. Mark van Doren in his introduction to the play states that something in his personality renders him superior to decision and incapable of acting. His antic disposition has been analyzed as both a sign of abnormality as well as a device for seeming to be mad. One judgment is as good as another. Very little can be said that will be untrue of this brilliant and abounding young man. Opinions have differed as to which other character can best bring out Hamlet’s character to the fore. Many writers would probably choose Horatio, his close friend and ally who supports Hamlet throughout the story, who echoes his way of thinking and is all praises for him. For

Management issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management issue - Essay Example Management in the contemporary business world is increasingly encountering the inevitable need to respond to change like never before, especially because sudden shifts in the global business environment such as globalization and technological advancements often demand so (Mastenbroek, 1996). The rapid explosion of knowledge and information systems has instigated the massive growth of social media, and mobile adaptability, which are remarkable phenomenon that have revolutionized the way of doing business in the modern world to great expanses, thus, creating the need for change, and change management accordingly. Furthermore, the increased ease of access to information through the internet has led to unprecedented challenges such as the excessive scrutiny from stockholders and the media, thus, businesses world over must always stay on the alert because they are wary of prying ears and eyes that might sabotage their operations due to bad publicity. Business executives all over the world are under pressure from the left, right, and centre, and have to seek ways of adapting to the pervasive changes that surround their organizations for them to continue operating profitably and sustainably as well. In this regard, change management is a central focus in global organizations today (Beekman, Chenhall & Euske, 2007), especially because the capacity to manage and adapt to change is the single most significant approach to surviving competition in the highly complex and dynamic business environment today. Change Management As already indicated before, organizations all over the world are facing a great threat of extinction due to the rapidly changing and challenging global business environment and have to adopt some rapid structural and operational changes quickly to ensure both their continued existence and profitability. The ability to respond to the rapid changes that are occurring in the global business environment quickly and successfully is a potential source of comp etitive advantages that cushions organizations from stiff completion in the business markets, especially because they are able to leverage on new opportunities that present themselves due to change. However, in ability to respond to changes effectively and fast enough makes organizations to fall behind in terms of business trends, thereby falling out of trade too, due to both logistical and technical challenges that cannot be resolved in the absence of adaptability. Every organization today is focusing on strategies that will lead to high performance and industry competitiveness, thereby ensuring profitability and survival of business; management is facing the greatest challenge ever, of managing the organizational change process effectively towards achieving the desired future state. Both internal and external forces often motivate organizational change (Stewart & Kringas, 2003); however, external forces exert a considerably profound impact on organizations than the internal pressu res; when charting the way forward or the organization’

Moral Panic Definition Essay Example for Free

Moral Panic Definition Essay Deborah Cameron is a linguist whose focus research is on what people’s attitudes are towards language. She writes a long definition on moral panic in Verbal Hygiene explaining how the media and general public exaggerate concerns beyond reason. Cameron reports that Jock Young describes moral panic as the public’s reaction that is â€Å"completely disproportionate to the actual problem.† Cameron explains that the causes of moral panic are analyzed in a simplistic manner, but the concern to the problem escalates to intolerable levels. She uses the term â€Å"folk devil† as an example of how they are identified in gang related violence and is a scape goat to the exaggerated issues reported by the media. Cameron also states from what scholars have suggested â€Å"that moral panic†¦is a product of modern mass media†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , if there is media attention the event will turn into an issue. However, if the media does not give attention, then the event will go unnoticed. In â€Å"American Werewolf in Kabul†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sean Brayton, a Ph.D student researching the specifics of critical race theory and media studies, analyzes the concept of moral panic as being an important cause of the potential threat of national security to the United States of America. He illustrates the three main elements of moral panic: folk devils, ambiguous terms, and moral entrepreneurs using the reality of John Walker Lindh’s journey through multiple identities. Comparing Cameron’s definition of moral panic to Brayton’s discussion of moral panic, which originated from Cohen’s developed description of the context in 1972, there is agreement that media overemphasize concerns beyond practicality. Both Cameron and Brayton use the term â€Å"folk devils† to represent a subgroup of individuals that is a leading cause of moral panic, yet with different purposes. Cameron suggests that the term â€Å"folk devil† is usually branded to social minorities that bear the burden enmity and blame by the socially ideal majority, whereas Brayton expands Cohen’s understanding of the term as a threat to the moral constitution of society on the whole. Although their research areas are not of a similar context, they both relate their writing to a â€Å"cultural history† in an era of media induced politics. As the previous paragraphs mentioned, the term â€Å"moral panic† is applied in both Cameron and Brayton’s writing, which Cameron realizes the crucial influence to expanded reports, while Brayton blames that those reports magnify the guilty to the individuals who commit. According to Brayton, three essential elements can be found in the concept moral panic: folk devils, moral entrepreneur, and ambiguous terms. Those elements are perfectly applied to a real life example during WWII, most of the innocent Japanese-Americans (devil folks) were forced to move into the internment camp by the U.S.A. Government (moral entrepreneur) after American military base in Pearl Harbour was destroyed by Japanese army. The U.S.A. Government treated the Japanese-Americans unfairly, as national enemies, traitors, or spies for the ir homeland (defined terms). Cameron is a linguist and uses moral panic theory to explain why negative attitudes arose toward youth literacy in 1980 1990’s England. Brayton looks at moral panic theory from the perspective of cultural politics and how moral panic was used post 9/11 to preserve American ideals and create separation from conflicting cultural values. In both cases, Cameron and Brayton use moral panic theory to understand a culture’s reaction to some social problem exaggerated by the media. Moral panic theory provides researchers with a method of analyzing a situation resulting from a moral panic. Moral panic is, as Cameron describes, a problem â€Å"†¦discussed in an obsessive, moralistic and alarmist manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The theory may also be a useful model for researchers dealing with the study of human behavior or culture, such as cultural history, social theory, criminology, and anthropology. In particular, it could be useful in studying the effects of media on culture.

John Grisham Essay Example for Free

John Grisham Essay Introduction The Capital Area Food Bank has been serving 633,000 unprivileged residents in Washington D. C Metropolitan Area and 200,000 children whose standards of living are precarious inviting utmost care and concern. There are 200,000 children who are in need of food. [source: U. S Census Bureau,2000] Food Bank distributes over and above 62,000 pounds on daily basis and serves meals accounting to 1. 6 million per month apart from serving 700 non-profit partnership agencies affiliated with Washington D. C. Metropolitan Area. The minimum wage of D. C. is $7. 00. Also the minimum wage is $6. 15 in Maryland and $5. 15 in Virginia. [source:Hunger in America 2006, Mathematica Policy Research] CAFB definition of poverty : The Capital Area Food Bank defines poverty based upon 185% of the poverty guidelines. This means that a household may earn up to 185% of the U. S. government’s standard of poverty and still be considered â€Å"in poverty†. This measure (and other multiples such as 125%, 150% and even 200% of poverty) is utilized determine eligibility for many government programs. 1 Contributing factors to Hunger and Homelessness 1. Unemployment The following States have the problem of unemployment [2005]. Sno State High Low 1 Mississipi ^ 2 Louisiana ^ 3 South Carolina ^ 4 Alaska ^ 5 Michigan ^ 6 Hawaii ÐŽ 7 North Dakota ÐŽ 8 Vermont ÐŽ 9 Virginia ÐŽ 2. National poverty indicators: Sno (In millions} Status For the Year 1 25,350 Individuals 2005 2 5,146 Avg monthly individuals 2005 3 25,682 Avg monthly food stamp: individuals 2005 4 38,196 Food insecurity-household 2004 5 7,591 Unemployed individuals 2005 6 36,997 Individuals in poverty 2004 [source:Hunger in America, Draft Report, February 2006] 2. Food Insecurity [2002-2004] 1 Oklahoma ^ 2 South Carolina ^ 3 Arkansas ^ 4 Delaware ÐŽ. 5 North Dakota ÐŽ 6 New Hampshire ÐŽ 7 Minnesota ^ 8 Hawaii ^ [source:National Statistics on Hunger and Poverty]2 3. States with poverty [2004]3 1 New Hampshire 1 2 Minnesota 2 3 Vermont 3 4 New Jersey 4 5 Hawaii 5 6 Delaware 6 7 Masschusetts 7 8 Alaska 7 9 Virginia 9 10 Nebraska 10 11 North Dakota 11 12 Maryland 12 13 Wyoming 13 14 Idaho 13 15 Utah 13 16 Connecticut 16 17 Colorado 16 18 Iowa 18 19 Oklahoma 19 20 Nevada 20 21 Pennsylvania 21 22 Kansas 22 23 Rhode Island 23 24 Washington 23 25 Florida 25 26 Maine 25 27 Indiana 25 28 Ohio 25 29 Missouri 30 30 Illinois 30 31 Wisconsin 32 32 Georgia 33. 33 California 34 34 Michigan 34 35 South Dakota 36 36 Montana 37 37 West Virginia 38 38 Arizona 39 39 North Carolina 40 40 South Carolina 41 41 New York 42 42 Arkansas 43 43 Tennessee 44 44 New Mexico 45 45 Texas 45 46 Alabama 49 47 Kentucky 50 48 Mississippi 51 57% of hunger is prevalent in urban areas and 43% is prevalent in sub-urban/rural areas of U. S4. 4. Income – Household Employment status [2006]5 sno Income – (USD) percentage Employment percentage 1 0-999 60. 6 Full-time 14. 6 2 1000-2499 25. 3 Part-time 13. 2 3 2500 and above 2. 9 Unemployed 72. 2 4 Not known 11. 2 North Carolina – A study. Statistics of hunger and poverty in North Carolina sno year Household income (Avg) % (+) (-) Increase in numbers From To Increase % 1 2000 –2002 (-) $1749 (-) 4. 4 985,000 1. 07 mn 9 According to the survey of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, it was found that the overall percentage of hunger in U. S in 4. 3 and according to Quandt â€Å"food insecurity† is between 35. 6% to 41. 8% in four surveys conducted. North Carolina with a population of 8 million is having an account of 15. 2 % of individuals and 21. 2% of families with small children facing a risk of hunger. Statistics of Polkton. 1 Total population 18,324 2 Households 7,908 3 Families 5,337 4 Average household size 2. 28 5 Average family size 2. 78 6 Household Median income $36,259 7 Family Median Income $45,096 8 Percapita Income $19,804 9 Male – Median income $29,375 10 Female-Median income $23,070 11 Below poverty line-18 under 11. 70% 12 Below poverty line-65 and older 8. 80% 13 Children under 18 23. 50% 14 Married couples 56. 30% 15 Female householders 7. 90% 16 Non-families 32. 50% 17 Individual households 28. 90% 18 65 and older living alone 15% 19 Below poverty line 10. 10% of population 20 Families below poverty line 6. 40%. The break up of people living is: †¢ White : 92. 26% †¢ African American : 5. 89% †¢ Native American : 0. 19 †¢ Asian : 0. 247 Conclusion The result of 25 cities survey of status report on Hunger and Homelessness in U. S concludes that 83 per cent of cities surveyed that there is a dire need of assistance in shelter and food which has risen by 15 per cent, still having 76 per cent of cities reporting to be increasing. There are totally thirteen cities facing the acute and emergency need of home and food. viz. , Burlington, Vermont,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,Charlotte,North Carolina,Portland,Oregon, San Antonio and Texas. [source:Mayor’s Conference]. North Carolina crisis in budget is expected to exceed $1Billion. Some of the other contributing factors are : increase in accommodation cost, unemployment, and employment problems, poverty, low income or lack of income, increasing utility rates, non-availability of transportation and handicapped and mentally disabled persons. There is an account of 1/5 of homeless persons who are mentally ill in the above cities. According to a survey 60percent of eastern North Carolina have participated in WIC program conducted by U. S Department of Agriculture, as compared to 40 per cent in Forsyth County. 6 Compared to other parts of the world, United States is free from food insecurity and hunger. The nations data accounts that 82. 4 per cent of households were secured with food and 13. 3. Percent of households were food insecure and 4. 3 percent were accounted with hunger. There are several community based organizations and local head departments [CBO, LHD] which are working for North Carolina to assist people in every manner providing comfort for illness and food. There is a severe need for adult care for treating mental illnesses apart from providing all kinds of facilities for children. References [1] Hunger in D C Metro Area, Capital Area Food Bank http://www. capitalareafoodbank. org/hunger/statistics. cfm [2]. A Report on the North Carolina 2003 Public Health Partnership Survey of Local Health Department and community based organization. http://www. schs. state. nc. us/SCHS/pdf/LHDCBOSurveyweb. pdf#search=%22statistics%20of%20hunger%20and%20poverty%20in%20Anson%20county%22 [3] Housing and extreme poverty of extreme poverty http://www. common-sense. org/journal/housing. html.

Social Networking Sites Analysis

Social Networking Sites Analysis Social Networking Sites are increasingly becoming popular, attracting the attention of millions of users by functioning like an online community. These sites are web based services that allow individuals to create a public/private profile on one or more sites. Users once registered can input their personal data including photos and videos. This then allows them to interact with other users with whom they want to share a common interest or view point. Currently there are thousands of different social networking sites operating worldwide that offer a variety of features aimed at an assortment of different subject groups. Therefore the social networking sites works by collecting profiles of users who are registered. Once they collect information, this data is open to other members of the group or community for which the user is registered. INTRODUCTION Internet is considered as a part of our life in todays world. Through internet, people can interact with other person from anywhere in the world. There are no divisional and setbacks to prevent people from interacting. Social networking websites are very popular nowadays especially within teenagers. Millions of users incorporate these sites into their daily lives by checking their profile several times a day and getting updates from friends and families time to time. Almost all the online users are members of either one or more social networking websites. In my own words, I would describe these sites as an online utility that enables users to communicate actively with other members and friends by allowing individuals to set up an account and describing his/her own interests. Once the account is created, users are then able to post personal information including photographs, videos and blog entries in their account. The way user interacts with other person depends on features that eac h social networking websites offer. Some of those features include instant messaging, video calling, chatting, emails, blogging, group discussions, file sharing and so on. The social networking websites are classified into different categories. While most of the sites are based on general purpose, some of the sites are based on specific theme. A few of these categories are discussed below. Category 1 General Interest These sites are for general purpose where a user can keep contact with old friend, or make a new friend. These sites also enable user to comment on other member messages/views. Below are some of the top general purpose sites. Facebook: This site allows users to have contact with friends, family around them. Currently facebook is most popular networking site among teenagers. Orkut: Similar to facebook, Orkut also provides its users to meet new friends and maintain existing relationships. This website is owned by Google Inc. Twitter: This website enables its users to send and read other user messages called tweets. This site is sometimes described as the SMS of the internet. Category 2 Specific Interest These sites are based on specific themes which are aimed at certain kinds of groups. Below are some of the theme based network sites. LinkedIn: It is a business-oriented network where members invite people to be connections instead of friends. This is mainly used for professional networking. The purpose of this website is to allow its users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in ones contact network. Employers use these sites to post job vacancies in their companies. Last.fm: This networking site is based on Music. Registered Users will be able to post in the Last.fm forums, send and receive private messages and use the Last.fm client music player. Flixster: This is a social movie site allowing users to share movie ratings, discover new movies and meet others with similar movie taste. Benefits of Social Networking Websites Using social networking sites, we can develop friendship with people online all around the world. Not only we can make new friends but we will get an opportunity to learn about new languages, cultures of other countries. Social networking websites mostly involves either specific individuals or organizations together. For individuals, these sites provide better ways to keep in touch with friends, families. Also one can increase their group of contacts that can go beyond geographical and cultural differences as they can meet people who share your interests from almost all sides of world. We can share messages within seconds with the person sitting at distant places. One can also create and share blogs with friends and families by providing links to them. Thus, social networking sites have been quite effective in facilitating making new friends or enabling old friend after years of lack of communications. Hence social networking sites can be great way to stay in touch with large groups of people. On the other side, businesses and organizations can use these sites to promote their websites, products and services widely. News channels provide updates to public with recent and up-to-date news about events and activities around the world. Disadvantages of Social Networking Websites Even though there are lot of advantages of these sites, there are dangers also associated with this. The main consequence will be identity theft and fraud of personal data which is on rise. The names, addresses, email ids, age and so on are personal information that a user can give out and fraudsters use this information in performing illegal activities. There are also many people who pretend to be someone else and are using these sites to make a business deal. But the truth is that they will rob money out of another user. Another danger would be meeting strangers online. The main concern from these people is online harassment. They use the information available on users profile. Some fake advertisements can invite users to unwanted viruses to their computers. Nowadays, professional companies are referring online profile while judging people at the time of interviews. Conclusion Social networking sites are an online community that has users registered from all around the world. As seen above there are both pros and cons from using this sites. Therefore one must be very careful while providing personal data online. Nowadays all the social networking websites are offering an option of privacy. By using this option, one can restrict the entry of unwanted users and unknown users. We may get many requests for adding as friends or joining different communities. It is always better to know as much as information about them before adding anyone as friend or joining any community. Otherwise there is a possibility that we may become a victim of fake identity which may spoil your image.

Free Henry IV Essays: Falstaff and King Henry :: Henry IV Henry V Essays

Henry IV - Falstaff and King Henry    Throughout the play Henry IV : Part I,there are many similarities between characters. Two that seem particularly alike are Falstaff and King Henry. Their common traits are demonstrated by Shakespeare in many subtle and not-so-subtle ways. While Falstaff seems   to be able to accept himself for what he is, the King appears to be tied up in his image as a great ruler, and thus will never admit to being anything less than great.      Ã‚   The characters of Falstaff and the King at first seem to be diametrically opposed opposites in terms of personality, yet they share many common traits. Falstaff is a thief; he admits to being a robber of purses, and, in fact, is pursued by the Sheriff at one point. The king is also a thief; instead of robbing purses from travellers, he stole an entire empire from Richard II, whom he also had murdered. In their ways of dealing with people, especially under uncomfortable circumstances, the two also behave in like ways. It is well known that Falstaff often works his way out of unpleasant situations using only his wit. The King is continuously modifying his behavior to suit the occasion, such as when he is dealing with Hotspur and the opposing Vassals and when he deals with Hal at the royal court. Both Falstaff and the King live,to a great extent, by the sharpness of their minds: Falstaff as a criminal, and the King as a politician. Another similar facet of these two characters is their view of bravery. Both the King and Falstaff subscribe to the theory that it is better to avoid danger and thus avoid the possibility of harm than to takerisks. Falstaff does this on several occasions,such as when he played dead during the battle to avoid injury. At this same battle, the King employed similar tactics, when he had many of his men disguised to look like him and thus him hard to find. It is in these ways that Falstaff and the King are alike; it would appear that their only real differences are in how they see themselves. A politician and a thief can be said to have many things in common.

Black Women in Rap Essay -- Essays Papers

Back That Ass Up: A Discussion of Black Women in Rap †¦You can put it in your mouth I said your mothafuckin mouth I said your mothafuckin mouth And you could just eat me out What do ya choose to lick? You could eat me out Pussy or dick? Within the booming business that has become the rap world, certain musical themes and issues are more prevalent than most. In addition to such topics as drugs, alcohol and police brutality, a dominant theme within rap music is the denigration and derision of women. Indeed, as the above lyrics to Akinyele's song â€Å"Put It in your Mouth† illustrate, many male rappers use violent and misogynistic lyrics to create an image of women that is both degrading and disgusting. The graphic and shocking nature of this particular type of rap causes it to be widely publicized, and thus it serves as a definition of rap for a majority of people today. However, there are a number of female artists within the rap music genre spreading messages of female empowerment and respect, not denigration. These female artists, often ignored due to the hype surrounding their male counterparts, use their lyrics to create raps which focus on life as women; dealing with issues of love, power, and discrimina tion. The face of women in rap culture is both multi-faceted and contradictory. The rap world has many different dynamics, including economics, racism, sexism, and violence. How do these relate to black female rappers? What is the role of the feminist rapper within rap culture? What is the message of black female rappers and how is that conveyed within their music? Why are women exploited, i.e. verbally demeaned and abused within rap songs; being turned into objects of sexual violence and denigratio... ...â€Å"Music in African American Culture.† Mediated Messages and African American Culture: Contemporary Issues. Ed. Venise Berry, Carmen L. Manning-Miller. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1996. Mies, Maria. Patriarchy and Accumulation on a World Scale: Women in the International Division of Labour. New York: Zed Books, 1998. Roberts, Robin. â€Å"Ladies First: Queen Latifah's Afrocentric Feminist Music Video.† African American Review. 28.2 (1994): 245-257. Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America . Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 1994. â€Å"Never Trust a Big Butt and a Smile.† Black Feminist Cultural Criticism. Ed. Jacqueline Bobo. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. Ya Salaam, Kalamu. â€Å"It Didn't Jes Grew: The Social and Aesthetic Significance of African American Music.† African American Review 29.2 (1995): 351-375.

Six Sigma Question Paper

MGT 561 – Operations Management Exam B Student Name: ____________________________Date: _________ Operations and Productivity (each question is worth 1 point) 1) Manufacturing and service organizations differ chiefly because manufacturing is goods-oriented and service is act-oriented. TrueFalse 2) Operations, marketing, and finance need to function independently of each other in most organizations if they are to be truly effective as an organization. TrueFalse 3) â€Å"How much inventory of this item should we have? † is within the critical decision area of quality management? TrueFalse 4) Customer interaction is often high for manufacturing processes, but low for services. TrueFalse 5) Productivity is the total value of outputs produced divided by the total value of all inputs to the transformation process. TrueFalse The operations function includes which of the following activities. a) forecasting b) capacity planning c) scheduling d) managing inventories e) all of the above Manufacturing-related jobs are decreasing in America for which of the following reasons. a) global competition b) technology advances ) because manufacturing workers in California earn $25K/yr less than service workers d) a and b e) b and c Which of the following is not a typical service attribute? a) easy to store b) intangible product c) customer interaction is high d) simultaneous production and consumption e) difficult to resell Operations Strategy in a Global Environment (each question is worth 1 point) One reason to globalize is to learn to improve operations. TrueFalse 10) Dec isions that involve what is to be made and what is to be purchased fall under the heading of supply chain management. TrueFalse The use of a SWOT analysis is only applicable to manufacturing organizations? TrueFalse The product life cycle phases include introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. TrueFalse Which of the following is true about business strategies? a) an organization should maintain its strategy for the life of the business b) all firms within an industry will adopt the same strategy c) well defined missions make strategy development much easier d) strategies are formulated independently of SWOT analysis e) organizational strategies depend on operations strategies The ability of an organization to produce services that, by utilizing the consumer’s five senses, have some uniqueness in their characteristics is a) mass production b) time-based competition c) differentiation d) flexible response e) experience differentiation Which of the following is the best example of competing on low-cost leadership? a) a firm produces its product with less raw material waste than its competitors b) a firm offers more reliable products than its competitors c) a firm’s products are introduced into the market faster than its competitors d) a firm advertises less than its competitors Which of these is not one of the characteristics of high return on investment organizations? a) high product quality b) high capacity utilization c) low investment intensity d) low direct cost per unit e) global location Design of Goods and Services (each question is worth 1 point) Studies confirm that firms considered to be industry leaders typically generate 15-20 percent of their overall sales from new products released over the last 5 years. True False 18) QFD stands for quality for development. True False Value analysis focuses on design improvement during production. True False 20) The analysis tool that helps determine what products to develop, and by what strategy, by listing products in descending order of their individual dollar contribution to the firm is a) decision tree analysis b) pareto analysis c) breakeven analysis d) product-by-value analysis e) product life cycle analysis 21) Quality function deployment a) determines what will satisfy the customer b) translates customer desires into the target design c) is used early in the design process d) is used to determine where to deploy quality efforts e) all of the above 2) Which of the following is true concerning CAD? a) accurate information flows to other departments b) most product costs are determined at the design stage c) design options are easier to review before final commitments are made d) virtually all products have their development cycle shortened e) all of the above are true The dimensions, tolerances, materials, and finishes of a component are typically shown on a (an) a) eng ineering drawing b) bill of material c) statement of work d) work order e) none of the above Managing Quality (each question is worth 1 point) 4) An international quality standard developed to establish commonly accepted procedures to manage product quality is ISO 9000. True False 25) Statistical process control, one of the tools of total quality management, uses statistics and control charts to evaluate processes. True False 26) The concept of selecting best practices to use as a standard for performance is referred to as a quality circle. True False 27) Generally speaking, the cost of quality represents the cost of doing things wrong, that is, the price of nonconformance. True False 8) Which of the following is not one of the major categories of costs associated with quality? a) prevention costs b) appraisal costs c) internal failures d) external failures e) none of the above, they are all major categories of costs 29) A successful total quality management (TQM) program incorporat es all of the following except: a) continuous improvement b) employee involvement c) benchmarking d) centralized decision-making authority e) none of the above 30) The â€Å"four M’s† of cause-and-effect diagrams are a) material/machinery/manpower/methods b) material/methods/men/mental attitude ) material/management/manpower/motivation d) none of the above Supply Chain Management (each question is worth 1 point) 31) The objective of the make-or-buy decision is to help identify the products and services that should be purchased externally or made internally. TrueFalse Because service firms do not acquire goods and services externally, their supply chain management issues are insignificant. TrueFalse Blanket orders are a long-term purchase commitment to a supplier for items that are to be delivered against short-term releases to ship. TrueFalse 34) One of the keys to effective supply chain management includes developing â€Å"long-term partnerships† with key suppliers. TrueFalse 35) Standardization is the process of increasing the number of variations in materials and components to assist in supply chain’s efforts to enlarge their supplier base. TrueFalse In supply chain management, ethical issues a) are particularly important because of the enormous opportunities for abuse b) may be guided by company rules and codes of conduct ) become more complex with the increasing trend toward global suppliers d) may be guided by the standards of the Institute for Supply Management e) all of the above are true An approach that seeks efficiency of operations through the integration of all material acquisitions, movement, and storage activities is a) integration b) logistics management c) line balancing d) product design e) none of the above Inventory Management (each question is worth 1 point) 38) One function of inventory is take advantage of quantity discounts TrueFalse 9) ABC analysis is based on the presumption that carefully controlling all items is necessary to produce important inventory savings. TrueFalse 40) In cycle counting, the frequency of item counting and stock verification usually varies from item to item depending upon the item’s ABC classification. TrueFalse 41) Insurance and taxes on inventory are part of the costs known as setup or ordering costs. TrueFalse 42) Most inventory models attempt to minimize a) total inventory based costs b) the number of orders placed c) the safety stock ) the likelihood of a stockout e) the number of items ordered 43) The major purpose of safety stock is to a) replace failed units with good ones b) eliminate the possibility of a stockout c) eliminate the likelihood of a stockout due to erroneous inventory tally d) control the likelihood of a stockout due to the variability of demand during lead time e) protect the firm from a sudden d ecrease in demand 44) The following are inventory models for independent demand a) basic economic order quantity (EOQ) b) production order quantity c) quantity discount model ) a and b only e) a, b, and c JIT and Lean Production Systems (each question is worth 1 point) 45) In a JIT system, product inspection adds value by identifying defective items. True False 46) Because most services cannot be inventoried, there is little place for JIT to help service organizations achieve competitive advantage. True False Kanban is the Japanese word for card that has come to mean â€Å"signal† in JIT terminology. TrueFalse Setup time reductions are not a key aspect of an effective lean production system. True False 9) If the goals of JIT partnerships are met, which of the following is a result? a) for incoming goods, receiving activity and inspection are outsourced b) in-transit inventory falls as suppliers are located closer to facilities c) the number of suppliers increases d) in-plant inventory replaces in-transit inventory e) all of the above are consequences of meeting the JIT partnership goals 50) Which of the following is not a layout tactic in a JIT environment? a) work cells for families of products b) fixed equipment c) minimizing distance d) little space for inventory e) poka-yoke devices

Austin V. Berryman United States Supreme Court of Appeal Essay

Citation: Austin V. Berryman United States Supreme Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, 1989. Facts: Barbra Austin is challenging the Virginia Employment Commission for unemployment compensation benefits, which she chose to quit her job out of religious beliefs to fallow her spouse. Issue: She is claimed to be denied of her unemployment compensation benefits because she quilted due to her religious belief and distance from her new home to her workplace. Decision: The decision was that Austin was denied of her unemployment compensation benefits not because of her religion or how far she lived from her workplace. Reason: Austin’s religious belief does not require her to be kept her away from work but what really is the matter is that the distances from home to work. In the state of Virginia, its laws stated that moving 150 miles away from work does not prove that she cannot work at that distance but she quitted with that reason. Questions on the Case Analysis 1. The plaintiff was Barbra Austin and the defendant was the Virginia Employment Commission. 2. Mainly because Austin home was too far away from her work place but she also stated that it was her religious beliefs to move with her spouses if they move. 3. She was refused of her unemployment benefits because this was nothing to do with her religion but rather her issue with the traveling distance from home to work, which can be solved easily. 4. No, since this has no known issue that deals with religion, the state did not violate her rights. 5. The court’s conclusion was that it was her responsibility to manage the possible way to get to her workplace to from home regardless how far in the state of Virginia.

The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed

Maybe I should have run the other way. But no one was holding me back now, and though his voice was cold and angry, Jared was calling to me. Melanie was even more eager than I was as I stepped carefully around the corner and into the blue light; I hesitated there. Ian stood just a few feet ahead of me, poised on the balls of his feet, ready for whatever hostile movement Jared might make toward me. Jared sat on the ground, on one of the mats Jamie and I had left here. He looked as weary as Ian, though his eyes, too, were more alert than the rest of his exhausted posture. â€Å"At ease,† Jared said to Ian. â€Å"I just want to talk to it. I promised the kid, and I'll stand by that promise.† â€Å"Where's Kyle?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Snoring. Your cave might shake apart from the vibrations.† Ian didn't move. â€Å"I'm not lying, Ian. And I'm not going to kill it. Jeb is right. No matter how messed up this stupid situation is, Jamie has as much say as I do, and he's been totally suckered, so I doubt he'll be giving me the go-ahead anytime soon.† â€Å"No one's been suckered,† Ian growled. Jared waved his hand, dismissing the disagreement over terminology. â€Å"It's not in any danger from me, is my point.† For the first time he looked at me, evaluating the way I hugged the far wall, watching my hands tremble. â€Å"I won't hurt you again,† he said to me. I took a small step forward. â€Å"You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, Wanda,† Ian said quickly. â€Å"This isn't a duty or a chore to be done. It's not mandatory. You have a choice.† Jared's eyebrows pulled low over his eyes-Ian's words confused him. â€Å"No,† I whispered. â€Å"I'll talk to him.† I took another short step. Jared turned his hand palm up and curled his fingers twice, encouraging me forward. I walked slowly, each step an individual movement followed by a pause, not part of a steady advance. I stopped a yard away from him. Ian shadowed each step, keeping close to my side. â€Å"I'd like to talk to it alone, if you don't mind,† Jared said to him. Ian planted himself. â€Å"I do mind.† â€Å"No, Ian, it's okay. Go get some sleep. I'll be fine.† I nudged his arm lightly. Ian scrutinized my face, his expression dubious. â€Å"This isn't some death wish? Sparing the kid?† he demanded. â€Å"No. Jared wouldn't lie to Jamie about this.† Jared scowled when I said his name, the sound of it full of confidence. â€Å"Please, Ian,† I pleaded. â€Å"I want to talk to him.† Ian looked at me for a long minute, then turned to scowl at Jared. He barked out each sentence like an order. â€Å"Her name is Wanda, not it. You will not touch her. Any mark you leave on her, I will double on your worthless hide.† I winced at the threat. Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness. It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappeared. I looked at Jared's face first, while he still stared after Ian. When he turned to meet my gaze, I dropped my eyes. â€Å"Wow. He's not kidding, is he?† Jared said. I treated that as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Why don't you have a seat?† he asked me, patting the mat be-side him. I deliberated for a moment, then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole, putting the length of the mat between us. Melanie didn't like this; she wanted to be near him, for me to smell his scent and feel the warmth of his body beside me. I did not want that-and it wasn't because I was afraid he would hurt me; he didn't look angry at the moment, only tired and wary. I just didn't want to be any closer to him. Something in my chest was hurting to have him so near-to have him hating me in such close proximity. He watched me, his head tilted to the side; I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to look away. â€Å"I'm sorry about last night-about your face. I shouldn't have done that.† I stared at my hands, knotted together in a double fist on my lap. â€Å"You don't have to be afraid of me.† I nodded, not looking at him. He grunted. â€Å"Thought you said you would talk to me?† I shrugged. I couldn't find my voice with the weight of his antagonism in the air between us. I heard him move. He scooted down the mat until he sat right beside me-the way Melanie had hoped for. Too close-it was hard to think straight, hard to breathe right-but I couldn't bring myself to scoot away. Oddly, for this was what she'd wanted in the first place, Melanie was suddenly irritated. What? I asked, startled by the intensity of her emotion. I don't like him next to you. It doesn't feel right. I don't like the way you want him there. For the first time since we'd abandoned civilization together, I felt waves of hostility emanating from her. I was shocked. That was hardly fair. â€Å"I just have one question,† Jared said, interrupting us. I met his gaze and then shied away-recoiling both from his hard eyes and from Melanie's resentment. â€Å"You can probably guess what it is. Jeb and Jamie spent all night jabbering at me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I waited for the question, staring across the dark hall at the rice bag-last night's pillow. In my peripheral vision, I saw his hand come up, and I cringed into the wall. â€Å"I'm not going to hurt you,† he said again, impatient, and cupped my chin in his rough hand, pulling my face around so I had to look at him. My heart stuttered when he touched me, and there was suddenly too much moisture in my eyes. I blinked, trying to clear them. â€Å"Wanda.† He said my name slowly-unwillingly, I could tell, though his voice was even and toneless. â€Å"Is Melanie still alive-still part of you? Tell me the truth.† Melanie attacked with the brute strength of a wrecking ball. It was physically painful, like the sudden stab of a migraine headache, where she tried to force her way out. Stop it! Can't you see? It was so obvious in the set of his lips, the tight lines under his eyes. It didn't matter what I said or what she said. I'm already a liar to him, I told her. He doesn't want the truth-he's just looking for evidence, some way to prove me a liar, a Seeker, to Jeb and Jamie so that he'll be allowed to kill me. Melanie refused to answer or believe me; it was a struggle to keep her silent. Jared watched the sweat bead on my forehead, the strange shiver that shook down my spine, and his eyes narrowed. He held on to my chin, refusing to let me hide my face. Jared, I love you, she tried to scream. I'm right here. My lips didn't quiver, but I was surprised that he couldn't read the words spelled out plainly in my eyes. Time passed slowly while he waited for my answer. It was agonizing, having to stare into his eyes, having to see the revulsion there. As if that weren't enough, Melanie's anger continued to slice at me from the inside. Her jealousy swelled into a bitter flood that washed through my body and left it polluted. More time passed, and the tears welled up until they couldn't be contained in my eyes anymore. They spilled over onto my cheeks and rolled silently into Jared's palm. His expression didn't change. Finally, I'd had enough. I closed my eyes and jerked my head down. Rather than hurt me, he dropped his hand. He sighed, frustrated. I expected he would leave. I stared at my hands again, waiting for that. My heartbeat marked the passing minutes. He didn't move. I didn't move. He seemed carved out of stone beside me. It fit him, this stonelike stillness. It fit his new, hard expression, the flint in his eyes. Melanie pondered this Jared, comparing him with the man he used to be. She remembered an unremarkable day on the run†¦ â€Å"Argh!† Jared and Jamie groan together. Jared lounges on the leather sofa and Jamie sprawls on the carpet in front of him. They're watching a basketball game on the big-screen TV. The para-sites who live in this house are at work, and we've already filled the jeep with all it can hold. We have hours to rest before we need to disappear again. On the TV, two players are disagreeing politely on the sideline. The cameraman is close; we can hear what they're saying. â€Å"I believe I was the last one to touch it-it's your ball.† â€Å"I'm not sure about that. I wouldn't want to take any unfair advantage. We'd better have the refs review the tape.† The players shake hands, pat each other's shoulders. â€Å"This is ridiculous,† Jared grumbles. â€Å"I can't stand it,† Jamie agrees, mirroring Jared's tone perfectly; he sounds more like Jared every day-one of the many forms his hero worship has taken. â€Å"Is there anything else on?† Jared flips through a few channels until he finds a track and field meet. The parasites are holding the Olympics in Haiti right now. From what we can see, the aliens are all hugely excited about it. Lots of them have Olympic flags outside their houses. It's not the same, though. Everyone who participates gets a medal now. Pathetic. But they can't really screw up the hundred-meter dash. Individual parasite sports are much more entertaining than when they try to compete against each other directly. They perform better in separate lanes. â€Å"Mel, come relax,† Jared calls. I stand by the back door out of habit, not because I'm tensed to run. Not because I'm frightened. Empty habit, nothing more. I go to Jared. He pulls me onto his lap and tucks my head under his chin. â€Å"Comfortable?† he asks. â€Å"Yes,† I say, because I really, truly am entirely comfortable. Here, in an alien's house. Dad used to say lots of funny things-like he was speaking his own language sometimes. Twenty-three skidoo, salad days, nosy parker, bandbox fresh, the catbird seat, chocolate teapot, and something about Grandma sucking eggs. One of his favorites was safe as houses. Teaching me to ride a bike, my mother worrying in the doorway: â€Å"Calm down, Linda, this street is safe as houses.† Convincing Jamie to sleep without his nightlight: â€Å"It's safe as houses in here, son, not a monster for miles.† Then overnight the world turned into a hideous nightmare, and the phrase became a black joke to Jamie and me. Houses were the most dangerous places we knew. Hiding in a patch of scrubby pines, watching a car pull out from the garage of a secluded home, deciding whether to make a food run, whether it was too dicey. â€Å"Do you think the parasites'll be gone for long?† â€Å"No way-that place is safe as houses. Let's get out of here.† And now I can sit here and watch TV like it is five years ago and Mom and Dad are in the other room and I've never spent a night hiding in a drainpipe with Jamie and a bunch of rats while body snatchers with spotlights search for the thieves who made off with a bag of dried beans and a bowl of cold spaghetti. I know that if Jamie and I survived alone for twenty years we would never find this feeling on our own. The feeling of safety. More than safety, even-happiness. Safe and happy, two things I thought I'd never feel again. Jared makes us feel that way without trying, just by being Jared. I breathe in the scent of his skin and feel the warmth of his body under mine. Jared makes everything safe, everything happy. Even houses. He still makes me feel safe, Melanie realized, feeling the warmth where his arm was just half an inch from mine. Though he doesn't even know I'm here. I didn't feel safe. Loving Jared made me feel less safe than anything else I could think of. I wondered if Melanie and I would have loved Jared if he'd always been who he was now, rather than the smiling Jared in our memories, the one who had come to Melanie with his hands full of hope and miracles. Would she have followed him if he'd always been so hard and cynical? If the loss of his laughing father and wild big brothers had iced him over the way nothing but Melanie's loss had? Of course. Mel was certain. I would love Jared in any form. Even like this, he belongs with me. I wondered if the same held true for me. Would I love him now if he were like this in her memory? Then I was interrupted. Without any cue that I perceived, suddenly Jared was talking, speaking as if we were in the middle of a conversation. â€Å"And so, because of you, Jeb and Jamie are convinced that it's possible to continue some kind of awareness after†¦ being caught. They're both sure Mel's still kicking in there.† He rapped his fist lightly against my head. I flinched away from him, and he folded his arms. â€Å"Jamie thinks she's talking to him.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not really fair to play the kid like that-but that's assuming a sense of ethics that clearly does not apply.† I wrapped my arms around myself. â€Å"Jeb does have a point, though-that's what's killing me! What are you after? The Seekers' search wasn't well directed or even†¦ suspicious. They only seemed to be looking for you-not for us. So maybe they didn't know what you were up to. Maybe you're freelancing? Some kind of undercover thing. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was easier to ignore him when he was speculating so foolishly. I focused on my knees. They were dirty, as usual, purple and black. â€Å"Maybe they're right-about the killing-you part, anyway.† Unexpectedly, his fingers brushed lightly once across the goose bumps his words had raised on my arm. His voice was softer when he spoke again. â€Å"Nobody's going to hurt you now. As long as you aren't causing any trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"I can sort of see their point, and maybe, in a sick way, it would be wrong, like they say. Maybe there is no justifiable reason to†¦ Except that Jamie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My head flipped up-his eyes were sharp, scrutinizing my reaction. I regretted showing interest and watched my knees again. â€Å"It scares me how attached he's getting,† Jared muttered. â€Å"Shouldn't have left him behind. I never imagined†¦ And I don't know what to do about it now. He thinks Mel's alive in there. What will it do to him when†¦?† I noticed how he said when, not if. No matter what promises he'd made, he didn't see me lasting in the long term. â€Å"I'm surprised you got to Jeb,† he reflected, changing the subject. â€Å"He's a canny old guy. He sees through deceptions so easily. Till now.† He thought about that for a minute. â€Å"Not much for conversation, are you?† There was another long silence. His words came in a sudden gush. â€Å"The part that keeps bugging me is what if they're right? How the hell would I know? I hate the way their logic makes sense to me. There's got to be another explanation.† Melanie struggled again to speak, not as viciously as before, this time without hope of breaking through. I kept my arms and lips locked. Jared moved, shifting away from the wall so that his body was turned toward me. I watched the movement from the corner of my eye. â€Å"Why are you here?† he whispered. I peeked up at his face. It was gentle, kind, almost the way Melanie remembered it. I felt my control slipping; my lips trembled. Keeping my arms locked took all my strength. I wanted to touch his face. I wanted it. Melanie did not like this. If you won't let me talk, then at least keep your hands to yourself, she hissed. I'm trying. I'm sorry. I was sorry. This was hurting her. We were both hurting, different hurts. It was hard to know who had it worse at the moment. Jared watched me curiously while my eyes filled again. â€Å"Why?† he asked softly. â€Å"You know, Jeb has this crazy idea that you're here for me and Jamie. Isn't that nuts?† My mouth half-opened; I quickly bit down on my lip. Jared leaned forward slowly and took my face between both his hands. My eyes closed. â€Å"Won't you tell me?† My head shook once, fast. I wasn't sure who did it. Was it me saying won't or Melanie saying can't? His hands tightened under my jaw. I opened my eyes, and his face was inches away from mine. My heart fluttered, my stomach dropped-I tried to breathe, but my lungs did not obey. I recognized the intention in his eyes; I knew how he would move, exactly how his lips would feel. And yet it was so new to me, a first more shocking than any other, as his mouth pressed against mine. I think he meant just to touch his lips to mine, to be soft, but things changed when our skin met. His mouth was abruptly hard and rough, his hands trapped my face to his while his lips moved mine in urgent, unfamiliar patterns. It was so different from remembering, so much stronger. My head swam incoherently. The body revolted. I was no longer in control of it-it was in control of me. It was not Melanie-the body was stronger than either of us now. Our breathing echoed loudly: mine wild and gasping, his fierce, almost a snarl. My arms broke free from my control. My left hand reached for his face, his hair, to wind my fingers in it. My right hand was faster. Was not mine. Melanie's fist punched his jaw, knocked his face away from mine with a blunt, low sound. Flesh against flesh, hard and angry. The force of it was not enough to move him far, but he scrambled away from me the instant our lips were no longer connected, gaping with horrorstruck eyes at my horrorstruck expression. I stared down at the still-clenched fist, as repulsed as if I'd found a scorpion growing on the end of my arm. A gasp of revulsion choked its way out of my throat. I grabbed the right wrist with my left hand, desperate to keep Melanie from using my body for violence again. I glanced up at Jared. He was staring at the fist I restrained, too, the horror fading, surprise taking its place. In that second, his expression was entirely defenseless. I could easily read his thoughts as they moved across his unlocked face. This was not what he had expected. And he'd had expectations; that was plain to see. This had been a test. A test he'd thought he was prepared to evaluate. A test with results he'd anticipated with confidence. But he'd been surprised. Did that mean pass or fail? The pain in my chest was not a surprise. I already knew that a breaking heart was more than an exaggeration. In a fight-or-flight situation, I never had a choice; it would always be flight for me. Because Jared was between me and the darkness of the tunnel exit, I wheeled and threw myself into the box-packed hole. The boxes crunched, crackled, and cracked as my weight shoved them into the wall, into the floor. I wriggled my way into the impossible space, twisting around the heavier squares and crushing the others. I felt his fingers scrape across my foot as he made a grab for my ankle, and I kicked one of the more solid boxes between us. He grunted, and despair wrapped choking hands around my throat. I hadn't meant to hurt him again; I hadn't meant to strike. I was only trying to escape. I didn't hear my own sobbing, loud as it was, until I could go no farther into the crowded hole and the sound of my thrashing stopped. When I did hear myself, heard the ragged, tearing gasps of agony, I was mortified. So mortified, so humiliated. I was horrified at myself, at the violence I'd allowed to flow through my body, whether consciously or not, but that was not why I was sobbing. I was sobbing because it had been a test, and, stupid, stupid, stupid, emotional creature that I was, I wanted it to be real. Melanie was writhing in agony inside me, and it was hard to make sense of the double pain. I felt as though I was dying because it was not real; she felt as though she was dying because, to her, it had felt real enough. In all that she'd lost since the end of her world, so long ago, she'd never before felt betrayed. When her father had brought the Seekers after his children, she'd known it was not him. There was no betrayal, only grief. Her father was dead. But Jared was alive and himself. No one's betrayed you, stupid, I railed at her. I wanted her pain to stop. It was too much, the extra burden of her agony. Mine was enough. How could he? How? she ranted, ignoring me. We sobbed, beyond control. One word snapped us back from the edge of hysteria. From the mouth of the hole, Jared's low, rough voice-broken and strangely childlike-asked, â€Å"Mel?†

Marriage Is a Private Affair – Interpretation

Arranged marriages are something that is still going on in our time. They are something that I don't agree with. The marriage isn't about love, just the profit that each family can make by marrying their children to each other. People who are put together in these marriages usually have not even met before. They are just assigned to eachother from a young age. They spend the first years of their marriages just getting to know each other. The guy usually forces himself onto the woman, since in the countries that arrange such marriages; women are usually treated like property. The families of the children force their kids to go through with the marriages or else they are disowned and dishonor their families. They are then banned from family gatherings and out cast by society. I don't see why people don't just give up these traditions. I know of one person who decided to leave and not go though with an arranged marriage. She is From India she is the sister of my friend Ferhad. She left India to come live here with her brother and uncle. Her parents literally wanted to kill her because she left without telling them. They disowned her and won't speak to her. She doesn't care because now she's here and no one can tell her what to do because she has a job and pays half the rent. She is happy now. I don't understand why more people just don't leave their homes instead of being forced to marry. Arranged marriages are something that will slowly fade away as time goes by. They will just be seen as a barbaric practice of the past. Until that day though, people will just have to leave their homes and break contact with their families or put up with it and let their lives be run by their families and tradition.

An Analysis of Huntington’s disease

An Analysis of Huntington’s disease The disease that I have chosen for my research essay is most commonly known as ‘Huntington’s Disease or the scientific name for it which is ‘Huntingtons chorea’. Huntington’s disease is a Neurodegenerative disease that progresses over time, causing the death of brain cells usually in Your 30’s to 40’s. Huntington’s disease is hereditary and dominant, so if one parent has Huntington’s disease may inherit it. Huntington’s disease is named after George Huntington, who discovered it in East Hampton, Long Island in 1872. In those days, people that had Huntington’s disease were often thought of As devils due to the lack of understanding of the disease. In 1993, a group of investigators Discovered the gene that revealed the causes of Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease can start to show symptoms at any age, but usually later in life. It varies Greatly from person to person. Usually, the symptoms start out as very subtle changes, such as Changes in coordination, fidgety movements, trouble thinking through problems, and depression/irritability. It then progresses to move obvious and intense symptoms over time, only. To result in the inability to walk and speak, and intense fidgety movements People who are at most risk for this disease are people who have a parent or parents with Huntington’s disease. An offspring of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. There is no way to prevent Huntington’s when you inherit it, so only the potential parents can avoid passing it on to their future children. This can be done by doing genetic testing prior to conceiving, or doing vitro fertilization. Someone is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease is mainly diagnosed through basic medical questions and questions about your family history, and tests which will show your motor skills, like reflexes, muscle strength, muscle tone, and coordination. A neurologist will also test your sense of touch, hearing, mental status, memory, mental agility, and language function as so on. Huntington’s disease is mainly treated by simply controlling the symptoms using medications, speech or language therapy, nutritional support, exercise, and physical therapy. Using blood samples, genetic testing, and prenatal testing are technological tests involved with diagnosing Huntington’s. These are usually the best methods of discovering the disease.

The Great Depression Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Great Depression - Article Example After the 1929 stock market crash, there was scramble for liquidity which caused funds to flow back to America while Europe’s fragile economies crushed Spielvogel (416). According to Spielvogel (412), there were widespread structural failures among financial institutions which made banks more vulnerable. The worst hit banks were those tied to agriculture because most farmers defaulted when interest rates rose coupled with low crop prices. Farmers were also already in great debts and they owned over-mortgaged lands due to great increase in land prices in 1919. Other banks were failing to maintain adequate reserves and had resorted to making risky loans or investing more in stock market. However, they were not adequately prepared to absorb to absorb the shock of a great economic recession especially those that lent money to Latin America and Germany. Works cited Spielvogel Jackson. Western Civilization: Volume II: Since 1500. New York. Wadsworth Publishing Co. 2009.

Individual assignmentnew rules of globalization Essay

Individual assignmentnew rules of globalization - Essay Example n reasons for guarded globalisation is the fact that policy makers in various markets create policies as well as international laws that put the local businesses at an advantage while creating more hurdles for international companies. Cases where the government regulates the wealth of the markets as well as the economic development of the country through some form of State capitalism in the emerging markets and recently in the developed markets have brought changes to the free markets and consequently changed globalization. Business that originate in the western world and operate in the emerging market progressively need to compete with the local business that have financial and political support while at the same time having to prove their strategic value in the host market. Regardless of this bleak picture, foreign corporations still have a chance of succeeding in local markets (Freinkman, 2002, p. 79). For instance, in the new phase of globalization, the industries that were initially out-of-bounds may be the best source of strategically important opportunities. In the process of this new phase of globalisation, the foreign businesses can stay at home and increase their strategies at home, get and increase the support of the host as well as the home government, foster alliances with the host countrys businesses and develop more diversity. International economic rules symbolise the standards of behaviours associated with governments, organizations as well as citizens, and they represent a type of self-commitment in such a system (Peil and Staveren, 2009, p. 186). Thus in relation to any system of rules, a negative index can be detected in the form of a sequence of limitations on the behaviour of countrywide governments. These constraints are aimed at a safeguarding international division of labour against conflicting interests from various national governments and the self-commitment of the states also acts as a shelter against the power of protectionist groups

Iraq Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iraq Memo - Essay Example Katrina victims, requiring nothing more than 2.5% of the total cost of the war to date, in relief aid, have not been granted those funds due to the unavailability of resources (Becker and Posner, 2004). In other words, the economic cost of the war is such that it is adversely affecting the quality of life in the country and capacity of federal and state governments to extend much need services to their populations. Iraq war has incited anti-American sentiments across the world, including in Europe. As Albrechtsen (2007) quotes a European thinker and writer, Markovitz as saying: "European anti-Americanism is becoming an unprecedented Europe-wide lingua franca †¦ key mobilizing agent for a common European identity.† Defense analysts maintain that troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan are â€Å"sapping’ American military power and undermining its capacity to effectively defend the mainland (Conetta, Knight and Murphy, 2004); and Apart from the political implications of the economic and the national security concerns cited in the above, the argument for a phased withdrawal from Iraq is further predicated on a set of domestic political concerns. Central to these concerns is the divisive nature of the war. The war in Iraq has divided the American people and, in so doing, has transformed the very concept of political debate and differences of opinion in this country, into conflict. While divisions and disagreements are not new to American society, they have only reached their present heights in very few instances, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War (Black and Black, 2007). This means that the very concept of national unity and cohesion, such as which make nations strong and ensure social stability, are being undermined by the Iraq War. This, in itself, is a strong and powerful indicator of the

Asymmetric or symmetric security key Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asymmetric or symmetric security key - Case Study Example In this scenario, both the sender and receiver decide for the shared key before sending/receiving the data and then they can start encrypting and decrypting data between them by making use of that key. Some of the well known examples of symmetric key encryption comprise TripleDES (Data Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) (Stretch, 2010; Ezeobika, 2010). Fig1 demonstrates the process of Symmetric key encryption: In addition, DES, 3DES, AES, and RC4 are some of the well known examples of symmetric encryption algorithm. In this scenario, 3DES and AES are widely utilized in IPsec and other types of VPNs (Stretch, 2010; KetuWare, 2004). Asymmetric encryption is also referred as public-key cryptography. As compared to the symmetric encryption method in asymmetric encryption two keys are used: one for encryption and another for decryption. Basically, this encryption technique uses two keys for the data encryption: a public key and a private key. In this scenario, the public key is made available for all so it can be used to encrypt data and information by anyone who wants to send a message to the person who has the key. However, the private key is not disclosed to anyone and is employed to decrypt received data. Most commonly seen example of asymmetric key encryption is RSA (Stretch, 2010; Ezeobika, 2010). Fig2 demonstrates the process of Symmetric key encryption: Excellent Support for Message Authentication: In view of the fact that the asymmetric encryption technique supports the digital signatures which allows the data receiver/sender to authenticate that the data is actually received from a specific sender. Integrity of data: As discussed above, the use of digital signatures also ensures the integrity of data. In addition, this technique allows the receiver to become aware of if the data was modified during transmission because a digitally signed data cannot be altered without invalidating the

SEC 10-K annual report for Nike Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

SEC 10-K annual report for Nike Inc - Essay Example The company adopted its â€Å"Swoosh† logo in 1971. Dramatic growth of the company started with the signing of Michael Jordan and the launch of the Air Jordan brand in 1985. The company revenues have grown at 8.2% CAGR in the last 10 years while the profits have grown at 23.1% CAGR (Gibbs, 2012). Athletic footwear made up 64% of Nike’s products business in 2012 and sports apparel 30%. Branded equipment made up the remaining 6%. The global footwear industry is projected to grow from $ 185 billion in 2011 to $ 211 billion in 2018. Athletic footwear is expected to be about one-third of this market (PR Web, 2012). The sports apparel market is expected to grow in the same period from $ 122 billion to $ 190 billion (TREFIS, 2010). Nike’s market share in both markets is expected to grow over the next five years as shown in the charts below which should make Nike an even stronger market leader in its industry (Guenette, 2013). 2. Analysis of Nike Financial Reports The th ree key financial reports to be examined are the Income Statement, the Balance Sheet and the Cash Flow statement. A summary of these three statements made from the company’s 10-K filing for the fiscal year ended 31 May 2012 has been included in this report. 2.1 Analysis of the Income Statement A summary of the Income Statement is shown below (Nike Annual Report, 2012, p 41). Income Statement ( in $ million)    2012 2011 2010 Revenues 24,128 20,862 19,014 Cost of Sales 13,657 11,354 10,214 Gross Profit 10,471 9,508 8,800 Gross Margin % 43.4% 45.6% 46.3% Marketing Expense 2,711 2,448 2,356 Other overheads 4,720 4,245 3,970 Total SG & A 7,431 6,693 6,326 SGA / Revenue % 30.8% 32.1% 33.3% Interest expense 3 4 6 Other expenses/ (income) 54 (33) (49) Income before Tax 2,983 2,844 2,517 Tax expense 760 711 610 Net Income 2,223 2,133 1,907 Net Income / Revenue % 9.2% 10.2% 10.0% The company revenues have grown 16% in 2012 over 2011 which were 10% higher than the previous year (Nike Annual Report, 2012, pp 18-20). This growth shows that Nike is gaining market share as the total markets are only growing at around 2% a year. Nike’s main competitor Adidas had revenues of â‚ ¬ 11.88 million ($ 15.6 billion) in 2012, a growth of 11.7% over 2011 (Adidas Annual Report, 2012, p 190). The Gross Margin has decreased by about 300 basis points over the two years to 43.4% and this has been attributed by the company management to increases in input costs, higher import taxes in some countries and discounts on close-out sales (Nike Annual Report, 2012, p 21). Adidas has had significantly higher gross margins at 47.7% in 2012 and 47.5% in 2011 (Adidas Annual Report, 2012, p 190). The decline in gross margin for Nike has been offset by reduced SG&A costs and the net income in 2012 has only declined 80 basis points compared to 2010. For Adidas the SG&A costs are much higher than Nike at 41.3% in 2012 and 41.8% in 2011 resulting in a net income of 5.3 % in 2012 9 (excl uding â‚ ¬ 265 million Goodwill write-off) compared to 4.6 % in 2011. 2.2 Analysis of the Balance Sheet The Nike balance sheet as of 31 May is given only for two years 2011 and 2012 in their Annual Report and is summarized below. a) Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) The Capital Employed in Nike’s operations is the total of the non-current assets in the balance sheet and the working capital made up of inventories and accounts receivables less

Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Budgeting - Essay Example In this way, the managers will be motivated to achieve the desired budgetary targets. Budget is like a pressure device. For example, each department is given a certain budgetary goals and targets and they are to be achieved within a specified period of time. Consequently, the department manager will be required to work hard and take necessary steps for achieving the budget targets. Sometimes, the given budget targets are difficult and challenging. In that condition, the department manager feels the pressure because the given targets look unachievable. Budgetary control can be defined as determining and evaluating planned budget with the actual results and taking necessary measures to obtain the budget objectives. In the budgetary control, first a budget is planned and its objectives are also determined. Subsequently, after getting the actual results, they are compared with the planned budget. After that, if certain budget objectives are not met, the causes will be investigated and then the corrective measures will be taken. Activity based budgeting means budgeting based on activities. In this budgeting process, activities which incur cost are summarised and recorded and subsequently analysed. After this step, it is the responsibility of related department manager to identify and establish relationship between them. By knowing the relationship between cost and activities, the managers become in a position to develop an achievable. Based on the relationship between activities and costs, the managers can use the actual results and forecast the cost behaviour and its subsequent trend and impact on the overall budgeting process. Zero based budgeting means entire budgeting process should be started from scratch. The budgetary objectives, goals, budgetary targets, budgetary planning and other features of budgeting are started from zero level. On the other hand, flexible budgeting is different than zero based budgeting because only some adjustment is