The Content Review of the Website - As You Sow Article

The Content Review of the Website - As You Sow - Article Example The author is credible enough given the method in which the information has been compiled and represented given also that this is a registered charity. Moreover, this information has been derived from official sources so this lends greater credibility to it. The information represented on this page is only partially complete as it covers public limited companies in large part. However, the accuracy of the information is not contestable as the author has included references to his source of information. The author has presented the perspectives of his organization on corporate social responsibility using properly cited official sources including reports and conference proceedings. References to the information are pervasive throughout the document and the author has made it a point to bolster his arguments by presenting references before advancing his argument. The document and the website are both updated given the state of the issues listed. In addition, the website displays current issues from 2012 in its menu which also points to the fact that the website is regularly updated. The current page on corporate social responsibility addresses the issue from a variety of perspectives. The author first defines corporate social responsibility and then relates corporate social responsibility to sustainability. This is followed by a discussion of socially responsible investors and corporate social responsibility. Finally, the author relates global reporting guidelines for corporate social responsibility and the document ends with a link for guides to corporate social responsibility reports and resources.

Bipolar Disorder in Islam Essay Example for Free

Bipolar Disorder in Islam Essay If your pancreas couldn’t produce insulin, you wouldn’t have much trouble accepting the deficiency and then taking the necessary meds or treatment. Well, think of your brain in the same way. Right now your mind is not in balance. It is missing certain chemicals that control your mood. And you are simply taking meds to fix the balance of chemicals. Blame no one for the Bipolar. It’s not your fault that you got sick. As Randy Pausch says, We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. You are simply being tested with this illness. Some people have high cholesterol, some have diabetes and some have a missing leg. It’s all a test from Allah. And no one is spared from it. This test is here to bring out the best in us. Accept Bipolar as one of your tests from Allah. This will distance you from the disorder and make you see it for what really is: an illness. Once you separate yourself from the illness, you will start to detach yourself from the illness. . Being sent to the hospital doesn’t mean no one cares for you; it doesn’t mean you have failed. A hospitalization can often be the best thing during a severe mania episode. , look at the hyper sexuality objectively. See it as part of the disorder and not as your personality. Look for the good in it. As one Prophet passed the donkey’s carcass, all his companions commented on its ugliness. But he praised it for its white teeth. During depression, your   brain is low on the hormone that makes you feel good. That is why you are feeling down. It has nothing to do with what kind of a Muslim you are and how much you pray or don’t pray You must see depression as a disease, with a biological cause that can be treated and not a character flaw. That is 80% of your work: distancing yourself from the depression. Then you can love yourself for who you are and work on treating the depression. 1) Pray on time. 2) Take meds on time. 3) Sleep, exercise and eat healthy. Meds do 20% of the work and exercise is a big part of the other 80%. It’s not all about losing pounds. Jogging or swimming or lifting weights keeps you sane. So don’t follow a workout routine that makes you go insane. Yes Allah will run to you but you have to walk to Him first. Your family, doctors and the meds can only do so much. The rest is in your hands. I will leave you with one question: How will your Bipolar bring you closer to Allah?

Charles Fraziers Use of Music in Cold Mountain Essay -- Charles Frazi

Charles Frazier's Use of Music in Cold Mountain The American Civil War was a bitter, grief-filled conflict with oddly musical overtones. A Southern soldier, Alexander Hunter, recalled that â€Å"There was music in plenty,† (Lawrence 169) just as Charles Frazier’s character Stobrod in Cold Mountain remarks that â€Å"there was so much music back then† (407). While both the Union and the Confederacy placed great import on music, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier focuses primarily on the Southern perspective of the war, in all of its aspects. Spiritual music gave soldiers hope, gave them something cheerful to listen to after their days of slogging through the grime of human remains, as Inman discovers during his journey. Songs of homecoming and perseverance also strengthened the women, children, and parents left behind, waiting with fearful hopes for the return of their loved ones. Ada’s continual reference to â€Å"Wayfaring Stranger† illustrates this point beautifully. Finally, the musical natures of both armies created a bond that otherwise would not have been possible, forming brief alliances among enemies. The impact of music during this period of American history was so great that General Robert E. Lee was heard to say â€Å"I don’t believe we can have an army without music† (Wiley qtd. in Waller and Edgington 147). Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain exemplifies this statement, interweaving music throughout the struggles of Ada and Inman, using it as a tool to express emotion and to give a common thread to the broken culture that was the American South. The dissonant harmonies of Civil War-era music both complemented and contrasted itself, creating new forms from old ones and forging bonds where there had been nothing. Hope was a rare p... ...ow Music Shaped the Confederacy, 1861- 1865. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole, 2000. netLibrary, U of Denver Penrose Library. 15 April 2004 . â€Å"Aura Lea.† Music of the War Between the States. 24 April 2004 Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. New York: Vintage, 1998. Hill, Lois. â€Å"Lorena.† Poems and Songs of the American Civil War. 23 April 2004 . P. Wilson, Keith. Campfires of Freedom: The Camp Life of Black Soldiers During the Civil War. Kent: Kent State U P, 2002. S.A., R. â€Å"God Save the South!† Ballads of the North and South in the Civil War. Comp. Walbrook D. Swank Colonel, USAF RET. Shippensburg: Burd Street P, 1996. 66. W. Sears, Stephen. To The Gates of Richmond. New York: Ticknor and Fields, 1992. Waller, Lynn, and William P. Edgington. â€Å"Using Songs to Help Teach the Civil War.† Social Studies 92.4 (2001): 147- 150.

Elizabethan society Essay

At the end of the novel there can be seen to be a change of attitude of society towards Grenouille. Due to his amazing gift, Grenouille is able to create a scent that powerfully manipulates human emotion through preserving the aroma of the 25 virgin girls. At Grenouille’s execution he reveals this scent and the whole town is overwhelmed by emotion. It is at this point in time that the townsfolk admire Grenouille’s gift and because of their state of delirium, disregard Grenouille’s crimes. It is here when Grenouille can be seen to be accepted into society. However, regardless of this Grenouille still perceives himself as an outsider. Grenouille believes that he is not loved for himself but for the perfume he created, he states; â€Å"I have always found gratification in hatred, in hating and being hated, not love. † He then decides to return to Paris upon finding that the satisfaction that he initially felt has transformed itself into self-hatred and disgust. In comparison to Othello the novel Perfume can be seen to be both similar and different in their representations of the Outsider. Like Grenouille, Othello is seen as an outsider because of his background. He is outcaste because of his race and his differing values due to past experiences. Grenouille can be seen to reflect this idea, as he is an outsider initially because of his background that challenges the norm of society at the time the novel was set. Another similarity that can be made between these two texts is that the perception of the outsider is perceived from society and also from within the outsider itself. Othello, even though quite underestimating at times, believes that he is inferior to the Venetians, he states; â€Å"Happily for I am black and do not possess the soft parts of conversation chamberers have†. Grenouille also perceives himself as an outsider and is aware of the unwelcoming presence he bestows upon others. The fact that Grenouille devotes his life to creating a scent that will make him accepted and valued in society shows how he is aware if this. Another likeness between Othello and Grenouille is that both characters share a differing attitude to women that makes them outsiders in society. They are both somewhat oblivious to women as a sexual commodity, or do not show the affiliation to what would be expected of them. Othello shows an unusually lack of affection or infatuation towards his wife Desdemona. Othello has just been married to a young, and beautiful woman but does not seem to be besotted with her at all. This can be compared to Grenouille’s differing attitude to women. Although Grenouille does not have a rightful relationship towards the women he comes across, he is still obsessed with them, unlike Othello. The way Grenouille expresses this obsession or feeling, however, is still different to what would be expected of most adolescent men. Grenouille is not attracted physically to the women but is enthralled by them because of their scent. Grenouille can also be compared to Iago in the play Othello, as both are dismissive towards the values and ideologies of their context. Loyalty, love, reputation and honesty were all values of great importance in Elizabethan society. Iago’s actions, however, derive from hate, vengeance and deceit. Yet Iago is still considered an insider in Venice and only chooses to disregard the values of society. Grenouille on the other hand is completely isolated from society and struggles for any kind of acceptance. His brutal actions that go against the values of 18th century France may be partially influenced by the fact that he was not introduced to the morals of society in the first place, due to this isolation. Grenouille, having seen no human affection or experienced any of the values we inherit from human interaction such as love and compassion, find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong in his actions. Another text that has enhanced my understanding of how the concept of the outsider can be portrayed is the short film â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy†. The film was produced in 2006 for the annual Australian tropfest short film festival. It was directed by Sean Ashcroft, produced by Kristy Fransen and stars Andrew Supanz. â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy† is a film about a man named â€Å"Bubbleboy† who is trapped in the past and redeemed by the future. Bubbleboy is a sad outsider who lives alone due to a fanatic phobia of pointed and sharp objects. He is so afraid that he results to wrapping everything, including himself, in bubble-wrap. He never ventures from his house because the outside world is too terrifying and he cannot comprehend his fears. The film tells the story of his self-imposed exile from the world and how one day, driven by dwindling supplies he ventures out. Bubbleboy, while growing more confident as his adventure draws to an end, is ironically stabbed in an ally way. However, having been stripped from his protective bubbles in his last moments, Bubbleboy finds salvation and feels connected with the world. Because of Bubbleboy’s fear and self imposed isolation, he is regarded as an outsider by society. He completely avoids human contact and is scorned by the community. Bubbleboy longs for belonging but cannot comprehend his fears. A particular scene in the novel that conveys this idea is the beginning segment where we are introduced to Bubbleboy’s way of life and how it differs greatly from that of society. Here, filming techniques are used to show that Bubbleboy is an outsider. A flashing mirage of everyday â€Å"pointy† items is shown while a narrator explains Bubbleboy’s situation. There is then a long shot of Bubbleboy wrapped from head to toe in bubble-wrap huddling in a corner of his home. This initiates the idea that he is definitely an outsider and is uncomfortable with his surroundings. Close-ups are used to show the trepidation on Bubbleboy’s face to emphasize this point. A panning shot is then used to show how every household item has been covered in bubble-wrap, emphasizing the intensity of the problem. A birds eye view is also used here of Bubbleboy moving uncomfortably through his home; this suggests that he is a victim and is clearly suffering from his phobia. To show how Bubbleboy’s fears cause him to be perceived as an outsider by the community is the use of dramatic contrast between the outside world and his own. A view from the inside of the house looking out into the street brings a striking contrast of lively colors. When this is compared to the insides of Bubbleboy’s house, which is mostly colored in grays, the fact that he is an outsider is emphasized. Two young girls ride past the house and stop mocking Bubbleboy’s strange appearance from the window. Bubble boy then shuts his curtain and disappears. The use of the window here also symbolizes the physical barrier between himself and society. Contrast is used in a further scene in the film when illustrating the differences of Bubbleboy’s lifestyle to that of people his own age. Here, Bubbleboy is seen looking longingly into the window of a house where a lively and entertaining dinner party is taking place. A camera angle is used to show how Bubbleboy is looking up into the scene creating a sense of his inferiority and isolation. There are then a series of flashing images back and forth between the vibrant and colorful party life, with Bubbleboy’s lonesome isolation, again reinforcing this idea. When Bubbleboy finally faces his fears and leaves the house, more techniques are used to show how new and trepidating this is for him due to his experience as an outsider. For example when he opens the door into the outside world, a blinding and foggy light is emitted suggesting the unknown. Once outside the house, Bubbleboy again contrasts greatly with his surroundings as his general appearance is confronting and obviously very odd. Close-ups are used to show the looks of mockery and confusion on the towns people’s faces to convey this idea. The attitudes’ towards Bubbleboy as an outsider may be seen to change towards the end of the film. When he is ironically stabbed on his way home from his healing journey his is stripped of his bubble-wrap protection. It is here when society can accept him as his true self is revealed. This is shown by a woman rushing to the aid of injured Bubbleboy, truly concerned for his wellbeing. Bubbleboy’s perceptions of himself as an outsider can also be seen to change. A narrator’s voice is used to explain that at that point, Bubbleboy finds salvation, and for the first time feels connected to the world once outside his shell. There are not many similarities to the play Othello as the short film is such a vastly different text. Though it is clear that both characters; Bubbleboy and Othello are perceived as outsiders by society. However, it is Othello’s unforeseen and irrational actions that confirm his status as an outsider. While it is Bubbleboy’s out of the ordinary actions that enable him to be accepted into society. Also, Bubbleboy is portrayed to be a victim of the imposing views of society, as he is a lonely and lost character, but on the other hand Othello victimizes society itself when he undergoes the actions that make him an outsider. Evidently, the three texts; â€Å"Othello†, â€Å"Perfume† and â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy† have all increased my understanding of the outsider as they illustrate a vast use of techniques and concepts that make a person an outsider in society.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

After his mother dies giving birth to him on the day of victory in World War I in 1918, Benjamin is taken by his father, Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng), and deposited on the doorstep of a home for the elderly. That is fitting since the infant looks like an 80-year-old man with sagging skin, cataracts, and wrinkles all over is body. Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), an African-American attendant at the place, finds him. She immediately decides that baby who is â€Å"as ugly as an old pot† is a child of God who must be cared for, no matter how difficult that may be. And so Benjamin (Brad Pitt) the man-child grows up in the presence of elders who share their stories with him and accept him as one of their own; they are all outsiders in a country where youth is worshipped and the elderly are viewed as obsolete. Benjamin starts out in a wheelchair and proves himself to be a great listener: everyone wants to tell him what they've been through in life. A man with a poor memory points out again and again that he was struck by lightening seven different times. â€Å"God keeps reminding me I'm lucky to be alive. A wealthy woman who keeps to herself teaches him to play the piano. A gregarious visitor, an African bushman (Rampai Mohadi), takes a fancy to the man-boy and introduces him the joys of sex in a bordello. At the age of 12, Benjamin looks about 70. He meets Daisy (Elle Fanning), the granddaughter of one of the residents at the home. They become instant friends and forge a bond which will last for a long time. In fact, Benjamin's story is shown i n flashbacks as Daisy lies near death's door in New Orleans at the time of Katrina. As the winds howl outside, her 40-year-old daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) reads to her from a diary filled with pictures and postcards about this strange man who played such a major role in her life. At age 17, Benjamin is much younger and stronger. He leaves New Orleans for life aboard a tugboat that is piloted by Mike (Jared Harris), a colorful character with tattoos and a love of liquor. He travels to many cities and in Murmansk encounters Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), who is intrigued by his mysteriousness. Although married, she begins a brief affair with Benjamin and introduces him to the pleasures of caviar, night-time dialogue, and sex. Benjamin also tastes the rush of adrenalin in war when he and the tugboat crew take on a Nazi U-boat that has just sunk a troop transport in World War II. Many of his shipmates are killed in the clash. Benjamin returns to New Orleans in 1945 and encounters his father, a rich entrepreneur who runs a button business. He is a lonely old man who is dying and wants to reconnect with the boy he ditched years ago. Instead of showing anger or seeking revenge, Benjamin treats him with kindly compassion for he has come to realize that death is a tender moment that must be treated with respect and dignity. Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is now a renowned dancer in New York who stops by for a visit. She has read his postcards from around the world and still feels they are soulmates. She tries to seduce him, but he is not ready for the changes that he sees in her. But after he inherits his father's estate, he travels to New York to be with her. But now she is too caught up in the drama and excitement of her career and artist friends. There is more to their relationship as new twists and turns bring them together again as Benjamin grows younger and more handsome. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the best films of the year with its complex story, idiosyncratic characters, and treatment of the themes of love, time, aging, youth, change, death, and the impermanence of life. David Fincher directs this soulful movie with a marvelous attention to detail and pacing. The secret to the film's powerful impact is the terrific screenplay by Eric Roth who wrote Forrest Gump, a 1994 movie that was also a picaresque tale about a strange outsider and his wild adventures. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that has been substantially changed for the screen. Another plus is the melodic and impressive music by Alexandre Desplat. What does Benjamin learn from his odd condition that makes him grow younger instead of older? What are the lessons of his adventures that take him around the world and back home again? At one point, he says: â€Å"You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. You can make the best or the worst of it. † Benjamin always keeps an open mind and uses each encounter as an opportunity to soften his heart. He makes the best of bad situations and does not allow them to bring him down. He demonstrates an equanimity that enables him to handle failure and success, defeat and victory, with calm. One of his favorite mantras is â€Å"You never know what's coming for you. † It is best to see everything as a mystery that does not need to be solved or explained away. Just live in the present moment and savor what presents itself to you. A sense of wonder is a trademark of Benjamin's personality. As a man-child in the home for the elderly, he listens to the house breathing. As a child-man he savors the start of the day looking out over the water just like his father did. Benjamin learns how to let go and not to cling to anyone: â€Å"We're meant to lose the people we love. How else will we know how much they meant to us? † From start to finish, this character tries to be himself, accepting his flaws and celebrating his strengths as a human being: â€Å"It's never too late or too early to be whoever you want to be. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button reminds us that the best thing we can do is make the most of our journey and be thankful for the people we meet along the way. It's all gift. Benjamin embodies the zest for life described in one of our favorite quotations by Diane Ackerman: â€Å"The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. . . It began as mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between. â€Å"

Moral Truth in Emotivism and the Social Convention Theory essays

Moral Truth in Emotivism and the Social Convention Theory essays Ethical theory aspies to an articulation of the principles and motivations underlying our intuitive moral judgements. A sufficient theory must, therefore, account for the character of morality as we view it. We regard morality as aspiring to truth, and our intuition dictates that our moral judgements are at least sometimes true. We speak of morality as involving some degree of universality within the whole of humanity or within society. Philosopher Gilbert Harman presents emotivism as a potential theory and rejects it as an insufficient account of our sense of moral truth. He presents the social convention theory as a feasible alternative, but his proposal does not satisfy the criteria on which emotivism is rejected. Emotivism asserts that moral judgements express emotions, attitudes, feelings, favor, and values. They are expressions of, not about, approval or disapproval. For example, emotivism does not say thatX is wrong? meansI disapprove of X.? The first statement expresses disapproval. The second is about the speaker's disapproval. Moral judgements, according to emotivism, are manifestations of emotion rather than expressions of cognitive states like beliefs. Emotivism accounts for the passion of moral responses, explaining moral disagreements as differences in attitude, rather than differences in belief. Moral judgements cannot be explained in assigning characteristics to actions as in the sentence,To hit Sally is wrong because to hit Sally is to cause suffering.? This is of the formX is wrong because X has characteristics C.? Emotivism claims that it is always an open question as to whether or not X is wrong. The descriptive phraseX has characteristics C? lacks the force of emotion. This assertion seems to deny the existence of universal values. Despite such evidence to the contrary, emotivism does not eliminate the possibility of universal values. Perhaps some basic values are congenital. The assumption...

Slavery, the Civil War Reconstruction

Slavery, the Civil War Reconstruction The American history is defined by different factors, which may include slavery, the civil war, and the reconstruction among others. Eric Foner, in his book ‘Slavery, The Civil War Reconstruction’ presents a clear discussion of how these factors have influenced America over time. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Slavery, the Civil War Reconstruction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social movements have also contributed in inspiring the American history in the past 20 years by shuttering the â€Å"consensus† vision that dominated historical writing. Civil rights movement is suggested to be at the center of social change in post World War II America. In civil war era, emancipation and slavery were some of the central issues. In addition to this, the blacks shaped the era’s history by being active agents. Slavery According to the author, historians suggest that early U.S. slavery was situa ted in a transatlantic system. This was due to the link that United States had with Africa and the Caribbean. Despite the inauguration of the first president, a vigorous slave trade continued for twenty years. However, the languages and the cultural forms of the African slaves remained vibrant and sustained by infusion of the new people arriving in the United States. In addition, Intellectual Privacy was sustained by the ability of the slaves to speak languages the owners did not understand; while tribal identities were also sustained by speaking these different languages (Foner, 45) The legal basics of slavery were lost in the 1780s in the North due to the phrase â€Å"all men are born free and equal† which was interpreted by a Massachusetts court as simply outlawing slavery (Foner 43) Civil War John Shy describes civil war as â€Å"a social process of political education† (Foner 48). According to the author, the war began as a mass resistance of the crowd but later shifted to armed forces. Market revolution, which was crucial to the American lives contributed to new components of consciousness, politics and social life, which in turn brought about Civil War. The author also notes that in Lincoln’s second inaugural address, he insinuated that slavery was the cause of the civil war, although some historians differ with this (Foner, 91)Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reconstruction A large number of freed black men learn to read and write in the army before becoming articulate political leaders during the Reconstruction era (Foner, 93). Former slaves were thrust into a no-man’s land which was between freedom and slavery by the end of reconstruction. This in turn was considered a mockery of the idea of equal citizenship (Foner, 102). Moreover, majority of the blacks in the reconstruction period supported the Republican Party , which is said to have won their royalty during that period (Foner, 111) Conclusion The three factors that have been discussed above were some of the main pillars that shaped the American history. Social change in the American history was brought about due to the efforts of civil rights movements. The Republicans were considered to be antislavery thus contributing to their liking by the black community. Moreover, the northern society of America was opposed to slavery in contradiction to their southern counterparts that still held on to slavery. Foner, Eric. Slavery, the Civil War Reconstruction. Philadelphia: TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 1997.

The power of building relationships at work

The power of building relationships at work For most of us in the work world, our jobs aren’t exactly solo missions. Unless you’re a one-person show or your own boss in a lean start-up, chances are you’re part of a team, one whose members all utilize their individual abilities and skill sets collaboratively in pursuit of a common goal- to ensure the success of your company. Most of us will have opportunities to work with a wide range of people and personalities over the course of our careers. Some we get along with right off the bat; some we learn to appreciate and work well with over time; and some we might not nominate for â€Å"person of the year,† but we make an effort to not let differences get in the way of doing our jobs with them effectively. If you’ve spent any amount of time in the workplace, you’ve likely come to realize that building and maintaining solid relationships with coworkers is not only beneficial, it’s absolutely essential.Bonding makes us work harderBuildi ng and maintaining positive relationships is a huge contributing factor to our satisfaction, productivity, and success at work. Harvard Business Review recently reported that â€Å"When people feel like they belong at work, they are more productive, motivated, engaged and 3.5 times more likely to contribute to their fullest potential, according to our research at the Center for Talent Innovation.† It can also mean the difference between getting chosen for new work opportunities and promotions and getting passed over for someone else with a more enviable work profile.Simply put, connections in life and at work matter, and those of us who are viewed as team players and have lots of strong relationships with colleagues- including higher ups, peers at the same level, and subordinates- are best positioned for long-term happiness and success.Work life has a large effect on overall moodBeyond these obvious work relationship benefits, people simply crave positive connections with the people whom they work with and interact on a regular basis. Humans are social animals after all, and we thrive when we feel we’re accepted and appreciated by others; conversely, we’re susceptible to a range of negative effects when we fail to forge significant connections with others, including unhappiness; decreased energy, motivation, and enthusiasm; and depression- and it isn’t hard to envision the unfortunate ripple effect this can have on your satisfaction and performance at work.Working well with others is often mandatoryThere are also practical reasons for building good relationships with your colleagues. Most of us work on projects and initiatives that span coworkers, teams, and departments, which means that your success is tied to your ability to collaborate effectively with your fellow stakeholders. Strong positive relationships typically bode well for project success, while tension between colleagues can be a real impediment to successfully completing a project on target.  Ã‚  Hopefully, by now, it’s clear that building positive relationships at work can benefit you in a host of ways, and that it’s in your best interest to make this a real goal- both to improve your happiness and well-being at work as well as to improve your chances of long-term career satisfaction and success. So, make an effort to enhance your professional network and forge solid connections with your coworkers and you’ll be sure to reap the benefits!

It is necessary for large listed companies in different countries to Assignment

It is necessary for large listed companies in different countries to prepare financial statements using uniform accounting stand - Assignment Example Financial accounting and managerial accounting deal with the preparation of accounting reports that provide information for decision making. Financial accounting deals with the preparation of financial statements such as the balance sheets and the profit and loss accounts. These are disclosed to both internal and external users. The internal users include the management and employees. Management accounting deals with the preparation of accounts that are used internally by management for decision making. Financial accounting statements are subject to the scrutiny of outsiders; potential investors, financial institutions and economic analysts compared to managerial accounts that are used internally by management (Ramanna & Sletten, 2009). Financial accounts provide information on the financial position and position of the business whereas management accounts provide information for planning, budgets and controls for management decision making. This explains why financial accounts need to follow certain standards compared to managerial accounts. Due to globalization, countries need to speak the same language internationally so that the accounts produced can be understood and improve investor confidence regardless of the country concerned. This paper sets out to explain what IFRS is, the arguments for and against using uniform accounting standards in the preparation of financial statements and the flexibility of the preparation of management accounting reports (Caroline, 2010). History of International Financial Reporting Standards The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) was formed to promote the adoption of the IFRS so that there is worldwide consistency in financial reporting regardless of where the organization was located. The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) was formed in 1973 to prepare standards that would be used by smaller nations in creating their own internal accounting standards. This was succeeded by the IASB in 2001. GAA P is an appropriate tool for financial reporting where organizations operate within a country’s borders with reason. With globalization a company may find it difficult to compare its financial statements using its GAAP without violating the GAAP of another. IFRS were developed due to the growth of global markets and the desire by multinationals and organizations to have one common set of financial statements that can be understood internationally. The IASB was mandated to develop high quality accounting standards that would reduce the cost of doing business, increase efficiency and provide information for potential investors. Currently, there are over 100 countries that have adopted the IFRS. There are many countries that are in the process of replacing the local standards with IFRS such as the US (Armstrong, Barth, Jagolinzer, & Riedl, 2010). Benefits of International Financial Reporting Standards There is greater comparability of financial statements. Companies from differe nt countries can easily compare their accounts. Using different rules in the preparation would not be possible and good for investment. The statements can be compared in all the financial markets irrelevant of where they were prepared. Financial statements prepared using IFRS are more flexible as they are principle based compared to local accounting stan

Light in August Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Light in August - Essay Example Nicholas and Golay when critically analyzing William Fauklner’s novel â€Å"the light in august† gives a different point as a reason to why Joe hate women. Joe had an affair with Allen Bobbie, who’s a prostitute but after a short quarrel she ditched him and went away from town. This act leaved deep and life long affects on the way Joe stereotyped women for the rest of his life. Joe Christmas, main protagonist of the novel â€Å"the light in august† written by William Faulkner, serves as one of the novel’s most mysterious character. Portrayed as an angry man, he is the one stepping comfortably in neither black nor the white world. As Joe makes his first appearance in the novel, he arouses a strong amount of inquisitiveness on the mill workers, along with contempt for his greater lack of involvement and other appealing qualities. Though Faulkner has provided a number of statements to elucidate Christmas’s attitude, he still remains an isolated, enigmatic figure, indefinable. When working at the mill he is a non entity, an empty slate that is used by biased men who examines Joe according to their own minute level of understanding. Many of them believe that he is a native from an unknown foreign country. Joe Christmas is the central character for the theme projected by Faulkner. By his appearance and complexion he is a white man, but he suspects that he have some black ancestry. He is at times sickened by his blackness, like the time when he beats a prostitute for willing to sleep with a black man, and even loves to live in â€Å"black† neighborhood to absorb their norms and way of life. He perceives a mixed opinion, both ashamed and sometime proud of his blackness. He was always eager to inform everyone that he had a black heritage. He himself admits that his seek to come to terms with his racial uniqueness has entirely structured his life. Question 1: Why is Joe Christmas so violent towards women? The perception of feminine sexuality that Joe Christmas has is somehow similar to the characters of â€Å"Quentin Compson† and â€Å"Horace Benbow†, famous personalities of typical English literature. He is actually against the idea of menstruation, and equals hate the idea of naming a prostitute as an immoral woman. He adores the beauty and attractiveness of a virgin, declaring her a beautiful pot. Yet Christmas never loves the idea of women as a companion, which is why he favors prostitutes. Christmas links bodily blood with his outlook of women. He defines races and masculinity by the odor of their blood, and is responsible and ruined because of the color of his black blood. Faulkner intimately relates to Joe, in particular sexuality, race, and faith, is dyed by the metaphors of blood he belongs. His black blood is the most important element in Christmas's harsh view of women. He has a sick insight of women and her sexual position due to Christmas’s disturbing very first disc losure to sexuality, at the age little age of just five, where he supposed the mating act as aggressive and repulsive. Apart from the fact that he characterized sex as being a disgusted act, he developed the feeling that the male is predestined to provoke fear in his female co-worker. This idea remained in his mind for years and he acted brutally towards women in his own sexual encounters. Question 2: To what extent does his upbringing affect how he

Failures of DRM and Digital content copyright Essay

Failures of DRM and Digital content copyright - Essay Example Additionally, according to Hombal & Prasad (2012, p. 237), the media must keep changing from one data format to another. Producers of digital materials ought to generate device-specific and product-specific licenses, which are only issued to the client after delivery, for use in specific devices. This implies that any reproduced copies only operate in the originally licensed device and the licensed product. Producers ought to collaborate with network experts such that if any attempt to reproduce digital materials in a device is sensed from any location. This requires a great deal of partnership, involving the hardware manufacturers who should install the electronic tracking units in the hardware devices. The devices can be configured to send information to central location for monitoring copyright reproduction. Campidoglio M., Frattolillo F & Landolfi F, 2009, "The Copyright Protection Problem: Challenges and Suggestions", ICIW, 2009, Internet and Web Applications and Services, International Conference on, Internet and Web Applications and Services, International Conference on 2009, pp.

Constitutional & Judicial Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Constitutional & Judicial Review - Essay Example Al is a US citizen and cannot claim entry to another country as a matter of right, unless that country is willing to grant entry to him. Under the circumstances, the Home Secretary to UK is of the opinion that violent speeches and statements of Al against the ongoing war in Europe may create violent eruptions in UK society. His meeting in Washington DC has already resulted in unpleasant violence and arrests, and this incident combined with his earlier writings and statements led the Home Secretary to presume that his presence in United Kingdom might result in violence and clashes. Home Secretary is within his right to reject permission to enter UK1. Home Secretary need not give explanations to entry denial actions. A judicial Review action against the United Kingdom Home Secretary might not be very successful, even though Al's speeches in United States could not be termed as violence provoking. This charismatic leader belongs to an anti-war pressure group and it is not an offence to oppose a war. There is a lot of difference between an anti-war pressure group and a terrorism-provoking group. Anti Government sentiments are not exactly terrorist acts. Violence broke out because of pro-war protesters and it was a mere clash between the two groups that could happen anywhere. There was no bloodshed and the event did not leash out any anti government euphoria. Al can fight the decision by saying that condemning the war in Iraq is not exactly fomenting terrorism and he has a right to express his opinion2. But his rights to go to the European Human Rights commission are limited as he is neither a citizen of European Union, nor of one of its Member States. In the second case, Shoab, a Muslim clerk from Libya was given permission to stay in UK as postgraduate student till August 2003. He applied for indefinite leave to remain in United Kingdom. As Shoab is on student visa, it is difficult for him to get indefinite leave to remain even under normal circumstances. Usually student visas are extendable only during the period of study and it is never indefinite and Shoab's visa did not get extended. Home Secretary informed him that 'on account of your connections with Islamic terrorists groups, your deportation from the United Kingdom would be conducive to the public good'. Home Secretary believes that Shoab has connections with MAWI (Muslims against Western Imperialism), a group implicated in recent terrorist incidents in the West and had adopted a policy of seeking to deport all foreign nationals with links to MAWI. Home Secretary is also accused of gaining mileage and electoral support for government in the approaching election. At a hear ing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), the deportation order was confirmed. Shoab's barrister was however prevented from cross-examining witnesses and from knowing full details of the case against him. As Shoab is living in United Kingdom as a student he can approach European Union Human Rights Court against his deportation. He can go to the court and to Human Right Activists.

PVH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PVH - Essay Example The current marketing strategy that the company is trying to implement is three-pronged: Wider range brand offerings; multiple distribution channels; wider range of price points. To complement this strategy, the company has the following in place. The company has broken down its markets into high end, middle and low end consumers, which will be discussed in detail in the next section. For each of these, the company has categorized its segments into Wholesale Dress, Wholesale Sports, Retail Apparel, Retail Footwear, Licensing of Calvin Klein and others. According to the company’s Annual Report1 in 2009, sales volumes for these segments show a huge chunk being contributed from the retail apparel and wholesale businesses. With the existing portfolio of brands, PVH has something to offer to a wider cohort of consumers. These are classified on the basis of their income and preferences of shopping, both of which signify their brand consciousness. These high end consumers spend a lot of money on very high quality clothing, footwear and accessories. The brand name matters a lot to them and they are willing to spend on the exclusivity and image the brand carries. These might include high successful businessmen, industrialists, sports stars and celebrities. For this topmost layer of this consumer segment, PVH One tier below that is the CK Calvin Klein range, which is offered through specialty stores. These consumers value good quality but also like practicality to go with it. They are image conscious, but not as much as the high-end consumers. For this client base, PVH has on offer Ferrell Reed and Eagle brands. These group of people have a decent amount of take-home pay but they are normally employed and have to conscientiously manage their spending. They do, however, appreciate good clothing and style. Brands offered for these customers include Calvin Klein and City of London; It can be noticed from the spectrum of brands offered

Achieving the NAEYC Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Achieving the NAEYC Standards - Essay Example I met this standard. I got to understand what young children are like; understood what influences their development; and used this understanding to create great environments where all children can thrive. During my internship, I took part in various voluntary activities whereby I engaged personally with individual children. For instance, in the first day I hold a child who is five months, and he was crying; I sat with him and played with him by using different toys, and I used a toy to teach him the colors (red, green, yellow, and blue.) The first couple of weeks was very informative and built block throughout the entire internship; I observed a lot. It is important for any professional teacher to get to know and develop an understanding of children in their classroom. These observations helped me get a deeper view of the thinking and reasoning skills these children possessed. Hence, it gave me an easier time creating any game that would point them in the right direction such as I ma de a traffic light which helped them to understand what they saw every day on the street when they came to the school. I put it in the outdoor play and, I explained that red means stop, yellow means slow down, and green means go. Then, they pretended that they were the policemen who controlled the traffic. They were very active and happy, and they loved it. Thus, through the sensitive nature the simple it was to meet their learning needs and develop a productive and comfy environment for teaching and learning.

PVH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PVH - Essay Example The current marketing strategy that the company is trying to implement is three-pronged: Wider range brand offerings; multiple distribution channels; wider range of price points. To complement this strategy, the company has the following in place. The company has broken down its markets into high end, middle and low end consumers, which will be discussed in detail in the next section. For each of these, the company has categorized its segments into Wholesale Dress, Wholesale Sports, Retail Apparel, Retail Footwear, Licensing of Calvin Klein and others. According to the company’s Annual Report1 in 2009, sales volumes for these segments show a huge chunk being contributed from the retail apparel and wholesale businesses. With the existing portfolio of brands, PVH has something to offer to a wider cohort of consumers. These are classified on the basis of their income and preferences of shopping, both of which signify their brand consciousness. These high end consumers spend a lot of money on very high quality clothing, footwear and accessories. The brand name matters a lot to them and they are willing to spend on the exclusivity and image the brand carries. These might include high successful businessmen, industrialists, sports stars and celebrities. For this topmost layer of this consumer segment, PVH One tier below that is the CK Calvin Klein range, which is offered through specialty stores. These consumers value good quality but also like practicality to go with it. They are image conscious, but not as much as the high-end consumers. For this client base, PVH has on offer Ferrell Reed and Eagle brands. These group of people have a decent amount of take-home pay but they are normally employed and have to conscientiously manage their spending. They do, however, appreciate good clothing and style. Brands offered for these customers include Calvin Klein and City of London; It can be noticed from the spectrum of brands offered

Medical Mentoring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical Mentoring - Essay Example Since there is a rarity of women in several elite fields in medicine, which reduces their chances of getting mentorship or sponsorship in these sub-fields, women are rarely inducted into these fields. Most female medical students have wondered whether there are women in some fields of medicine for them to contact. In addition, there was also a feeling that female medical students could mentor undergraduate female students; especially the undergraduate students interested in science, but short on ideas and encouragement (DeLaat, 2007). However, the issue of what mentors would get out of mentoring female students came up, to which the contended that hospitals and institutions must recognize how important mentorship is, especially as the unequivocal support from senior management or organizational leaders for the concept of sponsorship and mentoring. This will encourage mentors to consider a serious mentorship, while allowing the professional time to support the programs (DeLaat, 2007). From this case study, it is clear that gender has a major role to play when it comes to the expectations of female students with regards to mentoring, while also having an influence on their career planning. Optimal relationships in sponsorship and mentoring are relational, while relational mentorship is more crucial compared to gender concordance (Humphrey, 2010). In addition, power dynamics, which are gender-based, have a greater influence on the thinking of students concerning mentoring. Stereotypes and assumptions based on gender also have a significant effect on sponsorship and mentoring relationships. Successful relationships in mentoring can only occur when the mentors in the faculty, whether female or male, attempt to take the time required to know the students on a personal level, as well as to know the students from a career point of view. From the case study, it seems that the female medical students and physicians have gender expectations that they will relate better to female mentors, who will also be more supportive compared to male mentors. This could be because male mentors are more content focused, direct, and less comfortable when discussing with female students on work-life balance (Humphrey, 2010). From the case study, it also seems that those attending the seminar believe that the gender of the mentee will affect the advice that they are given with regards to choices of career. The students may also wish to go beyond stereotypes of gender when interacting with the mentors (Humphrey, 2010). A perception exists where the gender of female students may potentially hinder their sponsorship opportunities and networking, as well as the perception that mentors of the female gender are not in a position to provide the access female students require to vital networks. However, while the case study does not provide enough evidence whether this is the case, it is clear that there is a need for more female mentors with experience, as well as for women holding powerful positions in medicine, particularly in fields that are dominated by women. While the case study was mainly focused on female students in medical school, the mentee and the

How to Succeed in (or Flunk Out of) College Essay Example for Free

How to Succeed in (or Flunk Out of) College Essay How to Succeed in (or flunk out of) College Everyone has hopes and dreams to succeed in college, but things don’t go as plan all the time. As a result it can cause you not reach your highest potential. It’s hard for some to make the transition from High School to College because having complete freedom to do whatever you like can be a task within itself. For example deciding when and how long you stay in a particular class and things of that nature. So there is much more to explain and guide you along how to make the best of your college experience and also succeed in the classroom. So let’s begin. Being successful in college is harder than you think; first you have to figure out which school best suit you as a person and the career of your choice. Then you must set up certain classes that are in respectful time frame that’s suitable for you and will help you attain your degree. Also you must learn where each class location around the college campus. Once you have achieved those tasks this is where the real work begins. Meaning preparing yourself for the long hours of studying and writing ten page term papers. In addition there are ways that you can fail in college also. For example, not being prepared for class and not being on time. Also not having your work done in the correct time frame it has to be done within. Also letting other things affect you meaning if you having problems with your roommates or partying too much and not making sure your studies are not taking care of before you do whatever that you want to do. In closing, there are plenty of ways to fail in college and plenty of ways to succeed also. Yes, you might be excited that you are able to come and go as you please but you also need to know when to have fun and when it’s time to hit those books and study. There is no step by step process because everyone is different and is able to do things that others may not be able to do. All things considered you can learn from people that been there and have been in your shoes and take the information that is giving you and used it in your own way.

Essay on Obsession in Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Obsession in Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Webster defines obsession to be "Compulsive, often anxious preoccupation with a fixed idea or unwanted emotion." Or, "A compulsive, usually irrational idea or emotion." The strange thing about obsession is the absolute inability of the person, once obsessed, to understand their own actions in retrospect. Both Victor Frankenstien, of Marry Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Henry Jekyll, of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fit the criteria of one who is obsessed. With Victor Frankenstien, obsession came in the form of a lust for fame. Victor’s own word reflect his inability to understand or control his own actions. "a groan burst from his heaving breast. †¦ he spoke, in broken accents: Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me; let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!" Victor describes his actions as those of a man possessed by "madness," or one who is "intoxicated." In his refusal to take personal responsibility for his actions, he blames (four times ) destiny or fate. Victor’s actions are those of a man possessed by his own desires, turning a blind eye to the possible consequences of his actions until the completion of the event by which he was obsessed. Upon succeeding in reanimating a dead body, or more accurately the composition of parts from various dead bodies from both human and animal bodies, Victor recoils in horro r. "How can I describe my emotions at ... ...f for, are of no concern when compared to those of Victor and Henry. And yet, I think of them as being quite destructive in my own world. I suppose that by reading these novels, I can learn from their mistakes. Or, perhaps more honestly, I am obsessed with the vicarious thrill and terror that I experience through them. I hope, for my sake, that the former is true. Perhaps the reason I enjoyed these readings so much is that I identify with both Victor and Henry to a small extent. I know from experience that I am capable of being captured by an idea or desire. Perhaps the reason I so vehemently abhor the actions of these two characters is that I secretly fear that I would be susceptible to the same weaknesses that they were. Indeed, perhaps we all are.

The Farm House Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

Throw a dart at any year in the over-sized target that is the 1960s and you will hit on something big in American history. Nineteen sixty-three has the March on Washington, the publication of The Feminine Mystique, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Humanity was marching ever onward with ceaseless progress in science, medicine and engineering. The first ever telecast of a live murder by NBC as Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald. With the U.S. on the eve of yet another war against communism as over one hundred fifty thousand military advisors are stationed in South Vietnam; the Cold War still creeping amidst the nightmares of millions fearing nuclear holocaust. However, for the Geis’ of Lexington, Kentucky, they will see a regression to a life much more arduous. My grandparents, along with my mother Betty and her sisters, were about to leave the easy living and conveniences of nineteen sixties metropolitan life behind. Howard and Regina Geis had a dream that lay well away from the city life. Well away indeed. This dream lied within the backwoods of Barren County down an old country road obscured by the forest itself. An old country road that ran for a good mile down into the hollow†¦ Forty-four acres of farmland that--building from memory and photographs--would eventually become the epitome of rustic charm. The old homestead was surrounded by the kind of eerie, primeval wilderness that can only be truly felt by the unfiltered imagination of youth. Never more truer than when the fog would roll out of the thicket, over the rise and fall of the hills and creep up to the doorsteps. Even though one could call upon memory to reconstruct the family farm and the subsistence farming lifestyle, to really tell this story... ...est daughter’s dairy farm. Before writing this I took the opportunity to venture back into those fabled woods, down that stretch of country gravel to see for myself what remained of the place where my mother grew up and so many fond memories were shared between my cousins and I. Suffice to say, no wild guess was needed to assume what to expect once the farmhouse was within view. I was not surprised when my eyes fell upon the solemn sight. That place which held a lifetime of memories shared by three generations was nothing more than a shadow left in shambles. The farm house had been swallowed up in the years passed as any sign of life and cultivation has been slowly returning to natural order. Gone away were the verdant fields, the shrill laughter of children, and the nostalgic smell of the seasons that always mingled with the aromas of Grannie Geis’ country cooking.

Marketing Mix †4Ps of Marketing Mix Essay

Marketing mix can be describes as â€Å"the use and specification of the 4 Ps describing the strategic position of a product in the marketplace†¦ A prominent person to take centre stage was E. Jerome McCarthy in 1960; he proposed a four-P classification which was popularized. (wikipedia.com)† The marketing mix approach to marketing is a model of creating and implementing market strategies. The marketing mix stresses the mixing of different factors in a way that both organizational and consumer or target markets objectives are attained. The 4 Ps of marketing are Product, Place, Promotion and Price. Each plays a key factor in the overall successful marketing of a product or service. Product†Although this typically refers to a physical product, it has been expanded to include services offered by a service organization. The specification of the product is one of the variables that a marketer has at his/her control. For example, the product can include certain colors (or not), certain scents (or not), certain features (or not). Lastly, in the broadest sense when a consumer purchases a product it also includes the post-sales relationship with the company. The post-sales relationship can include customer service and any warranty.† The product or service is an important part of the whole marketing process, after all, something that is completely useless to anyone is usually unsuccessful regardless of how great the place, promotion or price is. Sometimes companies don’t come out with all new products; they just try to tailor current products to better suit people. Convenience is one of the major factors in coming up with a better version of a current product. Price†The price is the amount paid for a product. In some cases, especially in business-to-business marketing this can also include the total cost of ownership (TCO). Total cost of ownership may include costs such as installation and other products required to deliver a complete functional solution.† It is important to remain competitive when it comes to pricing. If the product is new and different customers will be willing to pay more, but if the same product is being offered, one should really consider keeping the price at or below the value of its competitors. This will give the product an even chance of being purchased, as it wouldn’t fall outside of  the average budget for that type of product. Promotion†Promotion represents all of the communications that a marketer may insert into the marketplace. This can include TV, radio, and print advertising, as well as coupons, direct mail, billboards, and online advertising. One of the less well-defined areas in promotion is the role of a human sales force. Are the messages the sales person provides to a consumer a component of the promotional mix, or is it part of the product? On the other hand, consumers may rather purchase the product only when sold through the support of a known salesperson.†Often times we think of marketing as just the promotion or sales part, but the other 3 factors are often times just as important, if not more important. Promotion is the advertising of the actual product or service. One must consider who the audience is and what the best way is to target them. This could include television advertisements, radio advertisements, mailing and so on. There is no one best way to advertise, it really depends on the product and its audience. This is a very important aspect of marketing, and often times a good or bad promotional campaign can make or break a product or service. Place†Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred to as the distribution channel. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet.† Place is also an important part of marketing. The product or service needs to be accessible to customers, especially its target market. Often times there are no need for an actual store location, as many very successful companies offer just online services or products. In these instances, products or services are much more convenient and cheaper to the customer because of the lower overhead costs. One very successful company that I thought of that had the 4 Ps of marketing down packed was Netflix. The company almost singlehandedly brought its competitors to their knees. These companies, including Blockbuster video have since recovered and began offering a similar service, but Netflix had it all planned out and rolled out so efficiently that it really caught everyone by surprise. ProductNetflix is a little tricky when it comes to the product. Their product isn’t a product at all, but a service that it provides for its customers. It offers the service of movie rentals, but in a more convenient way than the traditional movie rental stores such as Blockbuster or Hollywood Videos. I know personally that I didn’t always have time to return a movie on the day it was due back, which was usually only 2 days after renting it, so I paid a lot of late fees. These late fees often times added up to almost as much as actually just purchasing a movie, which steered me away from even renting movies in the first place. Around 1999 Netflix came up with an online movie subscription with no late fees. This gave people the convenience of receiving the movies they wanted to see right in their mailbox. No more having to go searching through the isle for a movie that was already rented out. PlaceNetflix doesn’t offer a place where a customer can come pickup their order, instead everything gets conveniently shipped to each customer via United States Postal Service. This makes it convenient for just about anyone to use because there doesn’t have to be a local store or shipping location around. Customers are able to place orders right online, which is a convenient and private way to pick the DVDs that they desire to view. PromotionThe promotion of Netflix was primarily done through television advertisements. They targeted television watchers, who for the most part also watch movies. Their catchy marketing claimed â€Å"No Due Dates and No late Fees†, which was very appealing to consumers who were tired of paying late fees with their current movie rental stores. It also offered the convenience of â€Å"No shipping or handling charges†, which made it just as competitive as the other places. PriceThe prices that Netflix charges its customers are very competitive to the current market of DVD rentals. They have different options to suit different needs. According to their website, they have a plan starting as low as only $4.99 per month. This plan allows viewing of up to 5 movies. For customers who want to watch more movies per month, they offer other plans  also, such as the $17.99 a month plan that allows 3 movies to be out at a time. Once one movie is returned, another is sent out in its place. These different plans offer a wide variety of choices to fit different budgets. Its clear to see how the marketing mix and the 4 Ps of marketing have a large impact on marketing. As we can see, Netflix was a very carefully planned out project. Product, Place, Price and Promotion were all identified and have played a great part in its success. When a company has a well planned out marketing plan, which consists of the 4 Ps, as Netflix does, it leads to greater success in the long run. References: www.wikipedia.comwww.netflix.com

African American and Black People Essay

1 . What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? Reconstruction brought important social changes to former slaves. Families that had been separated before and during the Civil War were reunited, and slave marriages were formalized through legally recognized ceremonies. Families also took advantage of the schools established by the Freedmen’s Bureau and the expansion of public education, albeit segregated, under the Reconstruction legislatures. New opportunities for higher education also became available with the founding soon after the Civil War of black colleges, such as Howard University in Washington, D. C. , and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The number of African-American churches grew significantly and became social and political centers as well as houses of worship. Black ministers assumed a leadership role in the community and were among the first elected officials. The most fundamental concern of blacks through all of the changes, though, was economic survival. 2. What did black political leaders accomplish and fail to accomplish during Reconstruction? What contributed to their successes and failures? During the decade known as Radical Reconstruction (1867-77), Congress granted African American men the status and rights of citizenship, including the right to vote, as guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U. S. Constitution. During Reconstruction, some 2,000 African Americans held public office, from the local level all the way up to the U. S. Senate, though they never achieved representation in government proportionate to their numbers. 3. Were black political leaders unqualified to hold office so soon after the end of slavery? They were unqualified to hold office soon after the slavery because some of the amendments disqualified blacks. Yes because the amendments prevented blacks to be in the office. 4. To what extent did African Americans dominate southern politics during Reconstruction? Should we refer to this era as â€Å"Black Reconstruction† African Americans dominated the southern politics during Reconstruction because of the debate play a big part in the situation. 5. Why did the Republican Party fail to maintain control of southern state governments during Reconstruction? Because other party had more voters and stronger debates. 6. What was â€Å"redemption†? What happened when redemption occurred? What factors contributed to redemption? The return of an investor’s principal in a fixed income security, such as a preferred stock or bond; or the sale of units in a mutual fund. A redemption occurs, in a fixed income security at par or at a premium price, upon maturity or cancellation by the issuer. Redemptions occur with mutual funds, at the choice of the investor, however limitations by the issuer may exist, such as minimum holding periods. 7. How and why did Reconstruction end? reconstruction ended because of the compromise of 1877. It was an unwritten agreement that stated Hayes would win the presidency, if he were to remove troops from southern states (political).. Reconstruction also failed because many people in the south did not want to accept a life different from what they were used to (social). 8. How effective was Reconstruction in assisting black people to move from slavery to freedom? It was very effective because black people did get a chance to become free. 1 . How were black people prevented from voting despite the Fifteenth Amendment? Many white Americans were upset about the fifteenth amendment so they put fear in the black community by attacking them at the polls and throughout different cities. 2. How did white Americans justify segregation? They had better options than blacks. For example Blacks had to seat in the of the classroom and buses. 3. Why did the South experience an epidemic of violence? and lynching in the late nineteenth century? Because people wanted revenge upon people in the south 4. Why didn’t more black people leave the South in this period? Because they was afraid of what people from the south might do to them. 1. How did the strategies promoted by Booker T. Washington differ from those of W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP? Which were more effective? W. E. B Du Bois wanted people to work for the things they wanted. Booker T Washington wanted people to find a trade and work for the stuff they want. W. E. B Du Bois was more effective because the black community wanted to be educated was the can understand things . 2. Assess Washington’s contributions to the advancement of black people? Booker T Washington wanted people to find a trade and work for the stuff they want. 3. How did middle-class and prosperous black people try to contribute to progress for their race? Were their efforts effective? They efforts were effective they seen that it was possible for blacks to advance in life and they wanted to progress. 4. Why did most African Americans support U. S.participation in World War I? Was that support justified? Because they loved their country, and wanted to support their families. 6. Why did many black people leave the South in the 1920s? Why didn’t this migration begin earlier or later? Because they were not being treated fair. 2. What examples of progress could leaders like W. E. B. Du Bois, James Weldon Johnson, A. Philip Randolph, and Marcus Garvey point to in the 1920s? 3. Why did so many African-American leaders reject Marcus Garvey? Because he wanted them to go back to Africa and got close with Ku Klux Klan. 4. How did the black nationalism of the Universal Negro Improvement Association differ from the white nationalism of the Ku Klux Klan? Because they were not violent. 5. What economic opportunities existed for African Americans who had migrated to northern cities? 6. Why did the literary and artistic movement known as the Harlem Renaissance emerge? 7. What was distinctive about black writers, artists, and musicians? Were their creative works essentially a part of American culture or separate from it? 8. Did African Americans have any reason to be optimistic by the late 1 920s? 1 . Why did African Americans abandon their long association with the Republican Party in favor of the Democratic Party? Because African Americans felt like the democratic party share the same beliefs. 2. How did black radicalism influence Roosevelt’s New Deal policies and programs? 3. How did black people respond to and survive the Great Depression? How did the experiences of black women during the Depression reflect their race, class, and gender status? 1 . How did the Great Depression affect black culture? How did the WPA democratize black culture? How did black religious culture change during this era? It rapidly increases and had black support and establish an organization. 2. How did black artists, musicians, filmmakers, and writers negotiate the dilemma of dual consciousness as articulated by Du Bois? They knew that people had to be educated to make their dreams come true. The different talents that they had needed to be shared with the world and the way they could do that is understanding how, why, when and what message will people understand them or they dreams. This provided blacks with the opportunity to shine and show their talented. 3. How did swing-era big band music lead to bebop? What problems did the bebop musicians encounter? They were introduce to beats, It was not catching a lot of people attention. It was a culture change in Chicago and Harlem. The cities started a different age of music. Jazz and hip-hop dancing help create the renaissance in the two areas. 6. Why did black athletes become prominent during the1930s and 1940s? What was their impact on American.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel is a well known musician who has sold millions of albums across the world. Billy Joel has also won multiple grammys and several other awards. He has worked with many other artists and is affectionately known as â€Å"The Piano Man.† Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949. He was born as William Martin Joel in Bronx, New York. He grew up in Levittown, New York. He had two siblings a sister named Judith, and his half-brother Alexander Joel. He started his career at a very early stage in his life. At the age of four he began taking piano lessons. He took lessons on piano until he was sixteen. He was in three bands before he could even drive and he was a veteran of all of them. Billy Joel decided to start his music career after watching a famous band called â€Å"The Beatles† on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1971 he came out with his first album after dropping out of high school to pursue his career in music. The solo album was called â€Å"Cold Spring Harbor.† Billy Joel then decided to move to Los Angeles. Soon after he job a job as a lounge pianist. Billy Joel married his first wife Elizabeth Weber Small in 1973. They had been partners for years before they married. In 1982 they separated from each other and both moved on. He then went on to marry famous supermodel named Christie Brinkley. They then had a daughter named Alexa Ray on December 29, 1985. He then split from Christie Brinkley in 1993 and then met and married television star and journalist Katie Lee. The two divorced after being married for fives years. Billy Joel then went on to meet his current wife Alexis Roderick. They then married in 2015, and went on to have a baby named Della Rose. She was born on August 12, 2015. Billy Joel sold over 150 million successful albums and has won multiple awards. Throughout his career his singles hit the top charts almost every time. His singles hit the Top 40 thirty-three times through the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's. He received a Grammy Legend Award in 1990 and a Billboard Century Award in 1994 for his outstanding music. Later in Billy Joel's career he suffered from an alcohol addiction and was continuously in rehab. He then recovered going on to make more music throughout the early 2000's. Joel then released â€Å"All My Life† in 2007. The single was his first in thirteen years with original lyrics. Billy Joel performed multiple times at Madison Square Garden and broke records, selling out his concerts monthly. Billy Joel is one of successful artists of all time topping the charts numbers of time throughout the years. He has won several awards and sold out many shows at popular venues such as Madison Square Garden. Billy Joel has continued to perform and tour throughout the world and break records.

Psychology - Ethical Dissonance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Psychology - Ethical Dissonance - Essay Example Of course, in psychology, we have Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance that says, â€Å"If a person holds two cognitions that are psychologically inconsistent, he experiences dissonance: a negative state (not unlike hunger or thirst)† (Aronson 128). Elliot Aronson elaborated that Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance hold that the experience of dissonance is â€Å"unpleasant† and, thus, â€Å"the person will strive to reduce it----usually by struggling to find a way to change one or both cognitions to make them more consistent with one another† (128). According to Aronson, Festinger integrated the dynamic marriage between the cognitive and the motivational (128). Thus, given the Aronson review, it is just as viable to define ethical dissonance as the unpleasant experience of having two divergent ethical perspectives on the use of drugs that enhance or that claim to enhance physical and mental capacities. Following Aronson’s in terpretation on Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, the ethical dissonance described to modify one or both ethical perspectives to make them consistent with one another because of discomfort. ... by where the individual has to struggle to modify one or both ethical perspectives within himself or herself to make his or her perspective consistent. Smith and others defined cognitive dissonance theory as a theory that â€Å"assumes that there is a drive toward cognitive consistency, meaning that two cognitions---or thoughts---that are inconsistent will produce discomfort, which will in turn motivate the person to remove the inconsistency and bring the cognitions into harmony† (Appendix G-3). Ethical perspectives, after all, are also types of cognition. My interpretation of the Gary Stix assertions on ethical dissonance is that there are three ethical perspectives on the use of drugs or medical treatments or procedures for boosting physical or mental capacities or enhancers (the focus of the Stix article was on the cognitive). The first ethical perspective holds that physical and cognitive enhancers are unnecessary, unfair, and that it is improper to use enhancers or employ medical procedures that would boost one’s physical or cognitive capacities except for such conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s patients. The premise for the first ethical perspective is not evidence but perspective. The ethical perspective assumes that enhancers do work. The assertion that the use of enhancers is unfair or that it is improper involves perception and not evidence. The second ethical perspective hold that enhancers or medical procedures that boost physical or cognitive capacities are similar to wearing eyeglasses and that we must dispense with the notion that drugs or medical procedures are only for illnesses. Related to this, Stix noted that an article from an influential journal in 2008 raised â€Å"the prospect of a shift away from the notion of drugs as a

Limited Liability Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Limited Liability Partnership - Essay Example This business entity will be registered in the US under the state laws of the country. As an entrepreneur, I have identified two other investors who have a similar objective of establishing a social communication company in the US that will link up people through a website. In order for people to communicate, they will have to register and give their personal details that will differentiate them from other persons. Under this communication platform, we will earn our income from advertisements, which are posted, on our websites. This means that the higher the number of registered social networkers, the greater the outreach of advertisements. We intend to have a global presence and a minimum of 250,000 registered people by the end of the first fiscal year. To achieve our noble idea, we have decided to form a partnership business with the two investors. We will register our partnership business under the Uniform Partnership Act of 1996 that govern partnership businesses in the US. Our b usiness will be a limited liability partnership that will strictly follow the regulations laid by the Act. Limited liability partnership has several advantages that have fascinated us to form a partnership business. Under the limited liability partnership, all the partners in the business will be limited depending with their individual contributions to the business. In the partnership agreement, we have decided that each partner will contribute equally to the business. This means that the amount of liability will be treated equally to all partners. Moreover, the profits and losses will be shared equally to the partners. Besides, all partners should participate equally in management of our partnership business in order to achieve our vision, mission, goals, and objectives. Various factors have riveted us to form a limited liability partnership. Limited liability partnerships are advantageous in that they are easy to establish and manage as compared to corporations and companies. Limi ted liability partnerships require no minimum capital to be established as compared to other forms of businesses, such as companies and corporations. The partners in the agreement decide the amount of capital in this form of business. Limited liability partnerships have few legal formalities required to establish the business. For instance, a few numbers of partners, 2, are required to form the partnerships as compared to a company’s 50 members. In management of our partnership business, designated partners, who are in charge for ensuring the compliances of all applicable laws, will manage daily operations of limited liability partnership. Limited liability partnerships are advantageous in that the partnerships are treated as separate legal entities from their owners. This means that the partners cannot be sued individually for the liabilities resulting from the partnership. This means as limited liability partners, we are obliged to take responsibility of the partnership bus iness through proper management. Furthermore, limited liability partnerships and their members are treated as distinct and separate from each other (Bouchoux 34). These depicts that a partner will be accountable for the duties bequeathed upon them by the partnership. Additionally, partners in this form of business organization are not held responsible for the acts of other partners and their personal assets are treated separately and never exposed unless there is a case of fraud. Limited liability partnerships are flexible as compared to companies. Flexibility of limited liability partnerships is brought about by the minimal legal requirements to establish the partnership. Such an example is the minimal amount of capital required to

A New Tunnel under the Thames Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A New Tunnel under the Thames - Essay Example 7. Include a set of drawings of your proposed tunnel, including a. a detailed cross section, b. a long section c. a map showing your suggested new road layout and d. a map indicating remedial works to minimise the impact of the extra traffic on the surrounding areas. 8. The site designated for the northern access (between Galleons Reach DLR and the river) is currently a brown field site with possible contamination, which includes an infestation of Japanese knotweed and some fly-tipping which may contain asbestos. Explain the procedures needed to bring the site into a condition suitable for construction. A new Tunnel under the Thames Introduction A tunnel is a subversive vessel, entirely covered a part from openings for entrance and exit, usually from both ends. A tunnel can be constructed for foot passage, rail, vehicle traffic, or a canal. The new Thames river crossing will allow closing of the Wool Wish Ferry. The bridge will relieve congestion for people living adjacent to Blackwa ll. This marks the location of Thames Gateway Road Bridge that was scrapped by the mayor in 2008, following the rejection of the plan by the Inspector at a Planning Inquiry. The tunnel, which will run from Greenwich Peninsula to the royal Docks, is expected to have a capacity of up to 2400 cars per hour in each route. While the link is very much worthy and will perhaps help reduce the severe overcrowding in the city, it will tamper with Blackwall Tunnel, making the suggestion for a Gallions Rach ferry a laughable alternative for the Thames Gateway Bridge. In addition, it raises questions with regards to the future of the current Woolwich Ferry. Supporters of environmentalists are likely to criticize the scheme of the tunnel, alleging that it would bring problems to people of London by creating more traffic, noise and more pollution. Furthermore, if the leaders in this region want to make London one of the world’s greenest capitals, their policies should be much focused (Irsha d, Wagner & Mussger, 2003). Since the era when Brunel made the first Thames tunnel, which was called Rotherhithe Tunnel, the tunnel construction has undergone great breakthrough, especially between 1825 and 1842. Tunnel constructions during these times were done through a rectangular safeguard with a miner revealing the face. The dimensions of the shield were 29ft high and 33ft wide, with brick coating after the miners and an arch brick being constructed. Nonetheless, tunneling will remain a risky activity since the conditions can never be certain, regardless of the number of boreholes that are taken. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to find tunneling gaining more prominence in the next few decades. The proposed Thames Tunnel will occupy a distance of 25 kilometers from west London. It will be 67 meters below the ground and will widely follow the direction of Thames River. According to the environment agency, this tunnel will link 34 of the most contaminated sewer outflows (Munfah 20 03). CDM requirements CDM regulations background Areas where CDM is applicable and those areas where it is not applicable General health and safety practices and laws Recognition of accident prevention, causation and prevention. Risk management practices Control procedures and reviewing and monitoring requirements Roles of different professional Land/engineering survey Land surveyors establish and give recommendations on the

Computer Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Computer Security - Essay Example These measures although controversial and undefined currently in their basic emphasis and in all certainty aim to reduce free access, ease of use, timeliness and the completely cost effective advantages that attract such a high level of abuse to the facility. This in itself is a true loss with legitimate users caught in the cross fire and being on the receiving end of all the barriers that are proposed to the easy usage of email and web access. The core problem with spam is that it bears the senders almost no cost to send the spam. The network service providers and the recipients bear the cost. Hence the cost associated with spam weighs down on the receivers in terms of reduced convenience and higher cost resulting from the proposed proof of work that aims to alter the economics of spam, by requiring that the send commit to a per-email cost. There are many reasons why a systemic spam response has not been adopted. This is mainly because the proposed responses lack in suitable aspects and hence cannot be generally adopted as a counter for the issue at hand. This issue being largely the enabling factor that spam is cheap to send. The most original and highly examined model to deter spam is the proof-of-word model. This comprises a set of proposals, in which email senders would be required to pay money, perform a resource-intensive computation, perform a series of memory operations, or post a bond for each message sent. The working assumption of this model was to deter spam by making it uneconomic to send a large number of messages, while enabling legitimate users to send small number of messages. Hence proof of work reverses the cost model of email by charging the sender instead of the user. All these components of the proof of work model seem promising however a uniform POW mechanism will not. Firstly because if it is expensive enough to stop spammers it must be so expensive that it will also stop legitimate users. Infact, the cost to a spammer would have to be a magnitude higher than the cost to a legitimate user because spammers face very different production costs due to spambots. The model does not accommodate these variable magnitudes. Second it is proposed that POW might work if it is combined with anti spam efforts such as reputation systems and per-email spam identification mechanisms. However criticism of this approach is based on the fact that these efforts suffer from penalizing new IP addresses and discarding incorrectly identified email which is a type of effort difficult to balance and will result in either new entrants being not allowed to send email, or each ne IP address will be allowed to send enough email that spam remains profitable. Changes to the current infrastructure are necessary to counter spam. It is suggested in various researches that unsolicited bulk email is such a problem on the internet mainly because the current economic framework and the basic infrastructure for email handling does little to discourage it . It

Social research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Social research methods - Essay Example Different types of statistics can be used to serve different purposes of the research. While descriptive statistics can be used to describe the data, statistical model can be used to forecast data. Researches that are aimed at finding relationship between variables can make use of statistical techniques such as correlation and regression. Difference between Descriptive and Inferential statistics, purpose of each and applications Descriptive statistics: Descriptive statistics can be defined as the set of tools and techniques that can be used to describe the quantitative features of a collection of data (Mann, 1995). The main purpose of using descriptive statistics is to summarize a data set. Statistics such as measures of central tendency, measures of variation, graphs, and bar charts etc are examples of descriptive statistics. The three most important types of descriptive statistics are: measures of central tendency, dispersion and distribution. While distribution is an indication of the frequency of specific values of a range of data variables, measures of central tendency such as mean and median are aimed at finding the center of the entire data set (Levin and Rubin, 2007). Measures of dispersions such as range or standard deviation are an indication of the spread of data set. Inferential statistics: Inferential statistics are the set of tools and techniques that can be used to draw inferences about a population from a small sample of data (Lane, 2011). The various examples of inferential statistics techniques include t-test, Analysis of Variance, Correlation analysis, regression analysis, factor and cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis etc. There are two types of inferential statistics: estimation testing and hypothesis testing. While in estimation testing, the confidence interval of a particular parameter is calculated using the sample, hypothesis testing is generally used to compare certain parameters in two or more samples or comparing a sa mple parameter to a specific value. A hypothesis can be defined as an assumption about a population parameter (Stattrek, 2011). The null hypothesis can be defined as the hypothesis of no difference or the hypothesis of status quo (Bajpai, 2009). The alternate possibility is called the alternate hypothesis. Hypothesis testing can be used by researchers to test certain theories that they want to prove. Frequency table and bar chart a. Ethnic origin Ethnic origin (5 groups) Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid White 3746 91.1 91.5 91.5 Mixed race 35 .9 .9 92.3 Asian 179 4.4 4.4 96.7 Black 87 2.1 2.1 98.8 Other 48 1.2 1.2 100.0 Total 4095 99.6 100.0 Missing -8 16 .4 Total 4111 100.0 Table 1: Frequency table for ethnic origin As can be seen from the frequency table, the most common ethnic group is White. The next highest frequency of ethnic group is Asian with 4.4% of the data items. Another way of representing the data is using a bar chart. The graph below shows the bar chart for the data set: Figure 1: Bar chart for ethnic origin b. Education level The frequency table for the variable education level is shown below: Education Level - 2000 Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Higher Degree 147 3.6 4.6 4.6 First Degree 450 10.9 14.0 18.6 Teaching qualification 47 1.1 1.5 20.0 Other higher qualification

Implications of Day Care in Young Children Essay Example for Free

Implications of Day Care in Young Children Essay Within this assignment I will be discussing the implications of day care for young children and giving both the positive and the negative aspects of this. A study was done in the united states by Kagen (1978), the study was done on children whose mothers worked, in which case the children were put into day care centres compared to home –reared children. Kagen found little difference between the children placed in day care centres and those raised at home either in the amount of protest or seeking closeness to their mothers when upset. From the findings it appears that it doesn’t matter if a child is in day-care or raised at home or the amount of hours spent with its mothers, there is a special bond between mother and child. Bee (1974) Concluded that there are no negative effects when a child is cared for in a day care centre, provided these are run by trained professionals and only a small number of children. However, Bee (1997) also suggests â€Å"The crucial issue is the discrepancy between the level of stimulation that the child would receive at home and the quality of day care. When the day care setting for the child provides more enrichment than the child would normally receive at home, we see some beneficial cognitive effects. When day care is less stimulating than the child’s home care would have been, it has negative effects.† Psychologists disagree about the developmental effects of day care on young children. Some agree with Bowlby’s prediction that long to medium term separation from the mother could have far-reaching consequences. Others claim that, provided day care is high quality day care has no adverse effects on intellectual development and does not disrupt the child’s attachments. Some psychologists believe that it might even make a positive contribution to the child’s development. The type and quality of care can influence many aspects of development—including memory, language development, school readiness, math and reading achievement, the nature of relationships with parents and teachers, social skills, work habits, and behavioural adjustments Below I have tried to outline the positive and negative aspects of day care: Positives * When children attend nursery or playschool it’s clear that peer relationships take on increasing importance but peer relationship importance  is important before this . Early as 6 months old babies smile and are more vocal to other infants. * Intellectual stimulation * Helps develop some social skills- building relationship with peers and other trusted adults other than those within the family. * Psychologists have shown there is no affect on the mother-child attachment * Children receive Adequate and nutritious meals Negatives * Putting a child into day care can cause the child stress ( i.e upset from being away from its mother)as can any situation in which the mother isn’t with the child. * If a day care doesn’t have the correct form of attachment for adults and the children as mentioned above ( conclusion raised by Barbara Tizard) this will not have as greater benefits as a quality day care that has this attachment and familiarity etc. * Some research in the US argue that day care can cause the child to grow up to be aggressive and disruptive once they reach school age (research taken from -NICHD national child care study)

Alibaba Is A Business To Business Company Marketing Essay

Alibaba Is A Business To Business Company Marketing Essay Alibaba.com is regarded as a dominant player and a high-growth company due to its large membership base and its phenomenal growth. Its total registered user base grew from 6.0 million in 2004 to 19.6 million in 2006. In the same vein, it registered a cumulative annual growth rate of 94.8% in 2006 alone. One of its major competitors in the international marketplace B2B giant Global Sources, which has an online directory of many other B2B services it offered, such as print business directories and exhibitions, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7). However, Alibaba.com has various strengths which served as its competitive advantages over Global Sources and other competitors. Indeed, Alibaba.com should continue in being a dominant player in the B2B eCommerce industry. Among all the upcoming B2B in china, Alibaba.com has received much despite not been listed in NASDAQ .In 2001 the company was featured by Forbes as its cover story also selected as the only firm on the Forbes Best of the Web:B2B list founded in china (Doebele,2000).By 2002 the Alibaba.com was selected and featured by Forbes again as its only Best of the Web:B2B in the month of September.(Qin Hu et al.,2004). 1. 0 Background 1.1 What is Alibaba.com Alibaba.com was founded in June 1999 by Jack Ma and eighteen other founders (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 3). It is a business-to-business portal which allows suppliers of everything from 176 countries to connect with buyers around the world. (Bi, 2002). The Companys founder Jack Ma was nominated as one of the 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum and was honored as a recipient in the Asian Business Association Business Leadership Award in 2001, on the 27 December 2001 with the registered 1,000,000 Alibaba.com member, which became the only B2B Webster with 1,000,000 registered business members from 202 countries. (Qin Hu et al., 2004) Since inaugurating its website in simplified Chinese to serve the Chinese mainland market in 1999 (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 3), it has now become worlds largest online business-to-business global trading marketplace, with 2.5 million and 14 million registered users in its international and Chinese domestic marketplaces respectively , (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). Based on the number of registered users and market share by revenue at the end of the second quarter of 2007, Alihaba.com was considered as the largest online B2B company in China. The international marketplace was served through its English language website which caters to global importers and exporters (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). On the other hand, the China marketplace was served by its Chinese language website, Alibaba.com which caters to domestic suppliers and buyers (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4).Alibaba.com online transaction basically has six levels as describe CTO,John Wu which are information exchange, negotiation, price bargaining, shipping, insurance, inspection and customs processing and payment. As its lowest level that Alibaba.com operates. In other words it only provides an information platform on which the buyers and sellers meet and post business information.(Qin Hu et al 2004). Farhoomand (2008, p. 4) explains that the business model of Alibaba.com centers on the use of the marketplace by suppliers and buyers who would establish their presence online, identify potential trading partners and conduct business with each other. Farhoomand (2008, p. 4) describes the manner by which the Alibaba.com interface is used by suppliers and buyers in China and around the world in their trading activities: , Suppliers and some buyers would use the marketplaces to host their company profiles and catalogues in standardised formats known as storefronts and post listings such as products, services and trade leads. Users could view storefronts and listings in over 30 industry categories and nearly 5,000 product categories by either searching for keywords or browsing through the online industry directory. (Farhoomand 2008, p. 4). Figure 1 presents the value proposition of Alibaba.com and the manner by which it effectively facilitates the conduct of trade within the context of B2B commerce. Figure 1 Alibaba.coms Value Proposition Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 17) Figure 2 below shows the typical process of trade in Alibaba.com. Suppliers and buyers were able to successfully establish large online comminutes in Alibaba.com which features active listings, enquiry exchanges, instant messaging, discussion forums and other user-friendly community features, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). Figure 2 A Typical Trading Process in Alibaba.com Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 17) Although Alibaba.com offers free basic services to its all its registered members, it generates is revues from the services purchased by suppliers which include membership packages that provided priority placement of storefronts and listings in the industry directory and search results, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 5). These suppliers are charged from their subscription to value-added services which include: (1) purchase of additional keywords which help improve their search result rankings; and (2) premium placement on Alibaba.coms web pages (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 5). 1.2 Why Should Alibaba.com be Considered a High Growth Company? Alibaba.com should be considered as a high-growth company due to its large membership base and its phenomenal growth. Its total registered user base grew from 6.0 million in 2004 to 19.6 million in 2006. In the same vein, the total number of its paying members grew from 77,922 in 2004 to 219, 098 in 2006. Figures 3 and 4 below show the growth in the number of Alibaba.coms registered users and paying members, respectively. . Figure 3 Growth in the Number of Alibaba.coms Registered Users from 2004 to 2006. Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 5). Figure 4 Growth in the Number of Alibaba.coms Paying Members from 2004 to 2006. By the end of 2007, Alibaba.com has already successfully captured 50% of the market share of Chinas online e-commerce revenue (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 19). Figure 5 below presents the market share of Chinas online e-Commerce Market by Revenue. Basically the pie chart demonstrated how successful Alibaba.com has been able to stay above its major competitors by seizing half of the market share. Figure 5 Market Share of Chinas Online E-Commerce Market by Revenue Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 19). Moreover, its phenomenal growth in the B2B industry is buttressed by its impressive financial standing. By the end of 2004, its annual revenues totaled US$48.3 million, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 5). With a cumulative annual growth rate of 94.8%, its annual revenues amounted to US$183.2 million at the end of 2006. Figure 6 below presents the financial data of Alibaba.com from 2004-2007. Figure 6 Financial Data of Alibaba.com from 2004-2007 Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 5) 1.3 Who is Jack Ma? Jack Ma is the founder and chairman of Alibaba.com and is a native of Hangzhou, which is situated approximately 100 miles southwest of Shanghai, where the companys headquarters resided (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 3). Jack Ma is one of the first entrepreneurs to develop e-commerce in China, (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). He, together with his partners have successfully established the following: (1) first internet commercial website in China; (2) a B2B marketplace platform for suppliers and buyers around the word; (3) the worlds first on-line credit platform for companies, called the Trust Pass (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). Jack Ma grew up during Chinas Cultural Revolution and became fascinated in learning English at the tender age of 12, (Farhoomand, 2008, pp. 3-4; Fannin, 2008). For eight years, he rode 40 minutes every morning on his bicycle to a hotel near the West Lake and practised his English by giving free tour guides to foreigners, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). Later, when he decided to pursue a degree in education out of his desire to teach English to high school students, he flunked his admission exam twice for a University, prior top being accepted at Hangzhou Teachers University, (Fannin, 2008). After graduating, he was offered a teaching job with a rate of 100 to 120 renminbi, which is equivalent to USD $12 to $15 per month, (Fannin, 2008). Then in 1995, he was employed by the Chinese government to settle a dispute between a Chinese firm and its US partner, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). The US partner held Ma captive at gunpoint for two days before he regained his freedom by agreeing to become a p artner in an internet startup in China, even though he had no concept of the internet at all, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). During the same year, Ma joined a trade delegation in Seattle as an interpreter wherein a friend showed him a computer with an internet connection (Fannin, 2008; Farhoomand, 2008). There, he was surprised to find out that nothing turned up in the search results when he searched for the word China. This prompted Ma and his friend to set-up a website and name it China Pages ((Fannin, 2008). Upon his return to China, he borrowed $2,000 to establish China Pages which shared a strikingly similar ideology with Alibaba.com: to list Chinese companies on the internet and help foreigners find their websites, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). However, China Telecom bought out his stake which eventually forced him to return to civil service. In 1998, he started to resume work on his vision of connecting Chinese companies to the world through the internet. Then, in December of that same year, Ma finally realised his vision with the establishment of Alibaba.com, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4; Fannin, 2008). Indeed, Ma had the makings of a successful business leader. Under his leadership, Alibaba.com became a leading B2B marketplace which have successfully attracted more than 17million registered members in 220 countries globally, with daily postings exceeding 35 million, making Alibaba.com the most active Internet marketplace and B2B community worldwide, (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). 1.4 What is the Basis for the Report? This report is primarily based on secondary data obtained from the case study undertaken by Farhoomand (2008) and from other relevant online and offline sources. This study did not use any primary research methods such as interviews in gathering information about Alibaba.com. 2.0 The beginning of Alibaba.com Jack Ma officially launched Alibaba.com online in December 1998, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 3). Alibaba.com originally served as a bulletin board service for businesses to post buy and sell trade leads. Jack Ma and 18 other founders established the Alibaba group in June, 1999, which is the parent company. It first served clients domestically (Farhoomand, 2008,p.3). 2.1 The Opportunity In 1995, while in Seattle, Jack Ma made his first contact with the computer and internet and was shocked to find out that no search results could be found for the keyword China. Together with a friend, Ma decided to set up an online company and name it China pages. In 1998, upon his return to China, he launched China Pages which featured a list of companies on the internet and help foreigners find their websites, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). After three months, Ma and his team established Alibaba China which was a major operating subsidiary in China and which served to carry out the business of operating B2B marketplaces, ((Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). After three more months, three more sites were set up by the team, which include: (1) an English site for international users; (2) a Korean site for Korean users; and (3) a traditional Chinese site for Chinese users outside China ((Farhoomand, 2008, p. 4). 2.2 Competitive Environment Even during its infancy, Alibaba.com has already been faced with stiff competition from rivals based domestically and internationally, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7). One of its major competitors in the international marketplace B2B giant Global Sources, which has an online directory of many other B2B services it offered, such as print business directories and exhibitions, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7). Global Sources was first established in Hong Kong in 1971 as a monthly trade magazine for consumer products made in Asia for export to Western markets , (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7). As of the end of September 2007, Global Sources already has a community of over 647,000 buyers and 160,000 suppliers (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7).Moreover, Global Sources has successfully : (1) enabled suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 230 countries; (2) delivered information on two million products annually; (3) operated 14 online marketplaces that delivered more than 23 million sales leads annually; (4) pu blished 13 monthly magazines and over 100 sourcing research reports per year; and (5) organised nine trade-specific exhibitions that ran 22 times a year across seven cities, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 7). Farhoomand (2008, p. 7) explains that Global Sources could be considered as a serious threat to Alibaba.com because its revenue source was shifting online, as evidenced by its 2006 annual report demonstrating that online businesses generated over 40% of total revenue. Figure 7 below shows the contributors to Global Sources revenues for 2006. Figure 7 Contributors to Global Sources 2006 Revenues Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 8) 2.3 Strategic Review of the External Situation at Start up Ma only had to carry out very little analysis before launching Alibaba.com due to the structure of the B2B marketplace subsector at that time, which is characterised by a high national internet penetration rate and a robust growth of the Chinese online shopping market; the Chinese B2B eCommerce Market, the Chinese SME and usage of third party eCommerce among Chinese SMEs (Farhoomand, 2008). 2.4 What Competences were Required There were numerous competencies required in the establishment of Alibaba.com. First, it needs to posses the capacity to make its online marketplaces more effective for SMEs around the world, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 6). To do this, Alibaba.com needed to employ people with the necessary technical skills . Moreover, it needed to have people who could help it : (1) expand of it user base and active listing; and (2) enhance community experiences to further improve user loyalty and activity through continued development and introduction of new features and tools (Farhoomand, p. 7). 2.5 Summary of Alibaba.coms Early Years Alibaba.com was officially launched online in December 1998. On July 9, 1999, and September 9, 1999, Alibaba (China) Technology Co., Ltd was founded in Hong Kong and Hangzhou, respectively (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). In October 1999, Goldman Sachs invested USD 5 million in Alibaba. (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). In October 2000, Alibaba launched the Gold Supplier membership scheme to serve Chinese exporters, followed in August 2001 by the launch of International TrustPass, a membership service catering to exporters outside China. China TrustPass was launched in March 2002 to serve SMEs engaged in domestic trade, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 3). 3.0 Alibaba.coms Development from 2002 2007 3.1 Evolution of Alibaba.com On March 2002, Alibaba China launched its TrustPass plan initiative, which made Alibaba the worlds first on-line credit business community, (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). By the end of that same year, Alibaba.com has successfully started making profits (Alibaba.com: A Smiling Community with a Dream, undated). After several years, in November 2007, Alibaba.com debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising US$1.5 billion to become the worlds biggest internet offering since Googles initial public offering (IPO) in 2004, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 1). According to Qin Hu et al.,(2004) many other businesses owner believe that alibaba.com growth and impact will only become more prevailing in the future.Over the years the sale of goods on the internet by American firms is assumed to reach US$ 1.3 million by 2003.By 2004 the European online business to business sales is expected to be US$1.6 million compare to China largest population in the world. However some compa nies in euro are still probing this new source of revenue. 3.2 Understanding the Market and Their Target Customer Alibaba.com operates in a business environment whose structure is largely shaped by the following: (1) National internet penetration rate ; (2) Chinese online shopping market; (3) the Chinese B2B eCommerce Market; (4) the Chinese SME; and (5) usage of third party eCommerce among Chinese SMEs (Farhoomand, 2008). In terms of the national internet penetration rate, in 2007, China registered an internet penetration rate of 12.3% trailing after the US, Japan and South Korea, whose penetration rates were above 65% (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 2). However, Chinas internet penetration rate has been documented to grow at approximately three percentage points annually. Figure 8 shows Chinas internet penetration rate from 2002 to 2007. Figure 8 Chinas Internet Penetration Rate from 2002 to 2007 Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 10). In the same vein, Chinas online shopping market has also showed a rapid trend of growth (see Figure 9 below). Figure 9 Chinas Online Shopping Market from 2006 to 2007. Source: Farhoomand (2008, p. 10). 4.0 The Future for Alibaba.com Just one after the IPO in 2007, Alibaba.com has already considered a venture with Softbank. Although the Japanese telecom giant disclosed no details regarding the venture, it was likely that Alibaba.com would expand its service to mobile users in Japan, a market that had been impenetrable to the Chinese e-commerce company, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 9). In China, Alibaba.com toppled EachNet, an older rival backed by global leader eBay, (Farhoomand, 2008, p. 1). The future of Alibaba.com seems bright due to a combination of the positive influence of its competitive strengths and effective strategies. According to Farhoomand (2008), Alibaba.com has numerous strengths which serve as its competitive advantages over its rivals. These strengths include the following: (1) it had effectively built a premier brand in the e-commerce domain, boasting the highest traffic among all online B2B marketplaces; (2) it focused exclusively on the highly lucrative SME sector; and provided tools and solutions tailored to SMEs, Alibaba.com was confident in the value proposition of their service offerings ; and (3) its sales force and customer service support in attracting and retaining users, especially those who paid for subscriptions, were excellent. 5.0 Conclusions The results of the critical examination of the various information regarding Alibaba.com, including its strengths and achievements only indicate that Alibaba.com should remain a dominant player in the B2B marketplace category of eCommerce. Its solid financial standing would help it whether the uncertainties of the future which is largely brought about by the stiff competition in the industry. Moreover, its sound and innovative business model is rather hard to copy, making it difficult for new entrants to compete with Alibaba.com. With respect to its key competitor, Global Sources, Alibaba.com only needs to continue to innovate and diversify its businesses in order to gain competitive advantage over Global Sources and other international rivals.