Saturday, August 31, 2019

Can We Hide from Failure

Can We Really Hide From Failure? Does success and failure go hand in hand? Success gives people satisfaction and delight, where failure can discourage and exhaust them. But what people can tend to forget is that in life, everyone comes across failure every once in a while. What everyone should remember is that no one is perfect and they should not lose hope and give up. Winston Churchill once said â€Å"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts† (Winston Churchill) Humans have always been imperfect, so we often tend to stumble every now and then.Life tests everyone. Failures are more memorable, but they can be helpful in many different ways. They are our best teachers and give us the most growth. Every time one fails they can learn some type of lesson. When people learn to investigate the reason behind their failures, they can attempt to change the outcome the next time to protect themselves against making the same mistake. Success c an mislead many into negative paths. It can make them become less enthusiastic, uncreative, make them conceited and sometimes arrogant. It can even make people forget who they are.If they become too proud of their accomplishment, it can allow for some to forget their selves. On the other side many can learn from ones success. If people learned to study the success of others, they could learn a lot about themselves. Present day society learns a lot from other people’s failures, and society needs to consider more that failure can be the best lesson. No one should be fearful of failure. People are able to learn the most about themselves when they have failed, so in turn, people should never be afraid to fail. Failure is a large part of becoming successful.Many people are so afraid to fail that they fail to even try. The experiences that man receives through failure each time makes their future success lasting and enjoyable. If everyone gave up on trying as soon as they came acro ss failure, they would feel defeated all through life, even when they possess the courage to reach the goal. In each failure on can discover hidden intelligence. Each failure gives more experience and knowledge than the last. People need to learn how to avoid giving failure attention to be careless or disorganized of the person’s responsibility.If people learn to be equipped with the experience of failure and use courage to continue on, success will be theirs. â€Å"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently† (Henry Ford). Man should not need to feel flustered if failed. People are beginning to hear and read about adults wanting to protect children/students from the trauma and the experience of failure. Things they hear are about removing exams in the school system, or if exams are being presented; for them to not be marked as zero’s or even with â€Å"fail†. Of course they have also heard about the sporting events.Tryi ng to avoid the winning and losing aspects, and instead favoring the enjoyment of just playing the game. This is occurring because people are worried for the fragile nature of their self-worth, and being protected against the early bumps in the road. This fails to represent the reality of their lives, the reality that children/students will be involved in as adults and the reality that they will be expected to function within. What good is this movement doing to this generation? By doing engaging the removal of failure we will not be prepared to deal with the reality that we see out in the world every day.Failure allows man to take in the positive learning experience. Failure teaches people many character building life lessons. Only those that try and fail can physically and mentally understand the difficulties and disappointment of others who have misfortune and lack of success. Without empathy and compassion this world would be a lot more miserable. Man’s ability as an indi vidual expresses compassion for others will have increased by experiencing failure themselves. As man grows they learn to be patient when their plans go astray and are forced to gather themselves up and start over.These challenges are difficult to overcome in one easy try. When plans don’t go as accordingly, they should patiently try again and again until they achieve success. If man were experiencing nothing but success, might they potentially walk around all high and mighty? Failure also allows them to be humble, to take nothing for granted. When man witness another experiencing failure, they are more than able to help and support the individual while in the rut of failure. There is no one more exquisite then a humble successful person. One of the more positive side effects of failure is acquiring the virtue of perseverance.Every accomplishment man achieves in life is by trying and failing and then trying again to accomplish success. Determination leads to perseverance whic h culminates all man’s efforts into achievement. If we give up early, we may never experience success. The only way to overcome failure is to never give up. Many people have probably experienced failure at one time or another. They all have their own definitions of failure, simply because they have different standards, values, and beliefs. A failure for one person can simply be a learning experience for someone else. The fear of failing can be damaging.Many people are afraid of failing, most of the time. It can cause them to do nothing, and therefore resist moving forward. But when they allow fear to stop their forward progress in life, they are likely to miss some great opportunities, and achievements along the way. Man can choose to see failure as the end of the world, or look at failure as the incredible learning experience that it often is. Every time man fails at something, they can choose to acknowledge the lesson they are meant to learn. These lessons are how man grows as a person, and how they keep from making the same mistake again. Failure will only stop man if they let it.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Child aimed reviews in the media Essay

My review is aimed generally at teenagers, the ‘Top Of The Pops’ article is based at early teenagers, although it is obvious that children of a younger age will read it. The purpose of the reviews are purely to entertain, but also to promote the band. This is done by using emotive and persuasive language. When i looked at real reviews from ‘Top Of The Pops’ i noticed that every review that was printed was in the favour of the band, using strong adjectives like ‘energetic’, and ‘deep’ in the bands favor. Whereas the review from ‘Kerrang’ (a magazine for teenagers who’s style of music is not mainstream) showed strong adjectives against the band such as ‘Nothing inspirational’. The reviews are aimed at teenagers but regarding the fact that younger people than teenagers are bound to read the magazine, this is because younger children want to look, and seem older. The article aimed at the ‘Times’ supplement is aimed at an age significantly higher than that of both reviews this is around the age of eighteen plus. The purpose of the article is one to entertain, and two to inform about the history of the band (Coldplay). When i looked at an example of an article from the times supplement it became clear that the in-house style had a very concentrated taste of music and they would be very particular about the things they would say about a band. I tried to make this clear in my piece by adding quotes and opinions from NME such as â€Å"The ideal debut album. Very Nick Drake. Very English†. The formality of the reviews in comparison with the article show big differences. The reviews use colloquialisms such as â€Å"same old†, â€Å"basically† and â€Å"might as well†. I think this is to create a relaxed atmosphere e. g. â€Å"Stand back Westlife†¦.. Pheobus Apollo is in town†. as the piece is aimed at teenagers and teenagers will understand a less formal format, and relaxed style of language. The review uses mild jokes to also create a relaxed atmosphere The review uses some incomplete sentences, for example â€Å"Great to finally see some good Brit rock again† whereas the article only uses incomplete sentences in quotes/statements for example † Very Nick. Very English†. The main text does not uses incomplete sentences. Both of the reviews use personal pronouns, for example in kerrang â€Å"you might as well†. In the article from the times supplement use less personal pronouns to keep up the formality of the piece, also to make the article more formal i wrote in the third person. Because i thought the review was to entertain (and to inform) i used exclamative sentences and declarative sentences, with the article i used predominantly declarative sentences as it was all basically informing. The reviews use proper nouns like band names; Blink 182, Finch, and Staind, when assuming that the reader will already know the band names, they also use personal pronouns to get this effect. This is to create a relationship with the reader, the reader will feel involved in the text because they will recognise the references to bands and this makes it exclusive. The times article uses proper nouns but assumes that the reader will have to have some of it explained for example â€Å"Coldplay released their first elf funded EP Safety†. The article also makes lots of references to time; dates, months and years. This is used to provide the impression that the writer has researched properly. The layout of the review is based on the reviews that i have looked at in Top Of The Pops and Kerrang, they were all in columns, but this has no relevance to linguistic language features. Both pieces use a lot of Jargon that is within the lexical field of music (in general) and bands. From the review this included â€Å"two chord, punk, Westlife, Finch, and album†. From the article the words include â€Å"acoustic, guitar, EP, Grammys, and charts†. The difference here between the two pieces is that the reviews assumes that the reader already knows the lexis, but the article gives extra information for the reader. Regarding this both articles do use brackets (to provide additional information). I carried out a smog test on the reviews article so i could compare the reading age and level of each piece. I found that both the reviews have a reading age of fourteen which suggests that the language used is relatively simple and easy. The article’s reading age was at the older age of eighteen, this indicates that the words used (and the language in general) is much more sophisticated than that of the review.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Assingments 2012-2013

ASSINGMENTS 2012-2013 Marketing Studies (1 year, Diploma) 1 BUSINESS ENGLISH Assignment 1 a) Luis St. Jean is a famous design house in France with annual sales of $1. 2 billion in clothing, perfume, scarves, and other designer items. Each year it prepares more than 150 original designs for its seasonal collections. As head buyer for Cindy’s, an upscale women’s clothing store at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, you think you might like to start offering the LSJ’s line of perfume. You need to know more about pricing, types of perfume offered, minimum ordering quantities, and marketing assistance p rovided by LSJ.You would also like to know if you can have exclusive marketing rights to LSJ perfumes in the Minneapolis area and whether you would have to carry LSJ’s complete line (you don’t think the most expensive perfumes would be big sellers in your area). Write to Mr. Henri Vixier, License Supervisor, Luis St. Jean, 90513 Cergy, Pointoise Cedex, Fr ance, seeking answers to your questions. Your answer should be in a letter format requesting the necessary product information. You can make up all the necessary details. b) You are the marketing manager of a company selling electronic goods.You are having a meeting with the board directors for introducing some new products in the Cypriot market. You need to prepare an agenda for the meeting and send that agenda to the board of directors in the form of a memo. In your answer, include all the necessary details you think are essential. 2 Format: (a) Letter (b) Memo, approx. 2000 words (in total), produced on a laser printer Deadline: 14th December 2012 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 3 Assignment 2 You are an external consultant for an airline company.You have been hired to assess the current declining customer numbers and provide advice to the company. Develop a report to be handed to the CEO including new ways/techniques to promote the company in both local and inte rnational markets. In your answer you should include examples to support your arguments taking into account the current competitive market, where the flight destinations for Cyprus are increasing as new airlines enter the Cypriot market. Format: Essay Type, 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 4 BUSINESS ORGANISATIONAssignment 1 The group is to analyse a case study and prepare posters around identifying: three key OB issues in the case relevant OB theories for each of the OB issues recommendations for action to improve each of the three issues. The case study will be distributed during Week 5 of the module. Your seminar group will be asked to form syndicate groups of 5 people to develop answers to the case. Your poster group may use words, diagrams, drawings, images and cartoons on the posters to make your key points. The poster presentation will take place during Week 8 at a time and place notified by the tutors in week 8.There will be limited time for your group to work together in seminars and you may decide to meet outside of formal teaching times and communicate by phone, e-mail, conference calls and social networking sites. Each group member must complete a ‘Peer Review Sheet’. This is an assessment by each member of a group on every other group member. It requires objective skills to critically assess the contribution of other members in your group. Your ‘Peer Review Sheet’ must be given to your seminar group tutor during the poster presentation session.A example of the ‘Peer Review Sheet’ follows the Poster Presentations Marking Criteria. The poster presentation will be marked against the assessment criteria shown and individual marks adjusted taking into account the Peer Review. Work will be double marked and externally moderated in accordance with the University regulations. Assessment criterion 5 requires evidence in the form of agend as and minutes for meetings held by the group together with a one page analysis of 5 the group working process. This should be submitted to your seminar group tutor on the poster presentation day together with your ‘Peer Review Sheets’.Please note: All members of your group MUST be present and prepared to answer any question stimulated by your poster from both the tutors and fellow students. Any person who is absent will receive a mark of zero for this assessment and fail the module. Deadline: 14th December 2012 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 6 BUSINESS ORGANISATION Assignment 2 The final reflective report requires you to identify how you have applied OB theory, learned in the module, to develop your knowledge and skills in working with others.You are to identify three issues, or topics, from the OB module where you can identify relevant experience to which you can apply OB theory. The experiences may be from your studies, from work, or from social gro ups or clubs to which you belong. For each of your three topics you are to identify relevant experience and select and apply appropriate OB theory to those experiences. You should evaluate the theory in analysing what happened and in guiding future action. To help you plan your final report you are to submit a proposal that forms part of the Groups and Teams portfolio. The proposal should be no more than 150 words.Also a list of at least five academic references you intend to use, in Harvard format, should be provided. The final report should be a business report of 1500 words. Actual word count should be specified on the cover page of your report and outside +/ 10% will incur a penalty of 10%. References and any appendices should not be included in the word count. Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 7 COMMERCIAL LAW Assignment 1 a) P, a car salesman, is advertising one of his cars, made by Ferrari for sale at the price of 50000 Euro in the new spaper.N sees the advertisement and calls to P offering him 40000 Euro. P rejects N’s offer and tells N that he would be willing to discuss an offer for 45000 Euro. N agrees on the price but under the condition that P proves to her that the car is indeed a genuine Ferrari. P promises to disclose all necessary documents in the next 3 weeks. N agrees and waits. 2 weeks later N discovers that P has sold the car to C for 50000 Euro. Advise N. b) Why is Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co (1893) a very important case? Format: Essay, approx. 2000 words (in total), produced on a laser printer Deadline: 14th December 2012 No assignment will be accepted after this date) 8 COMMERCIAL LAW Assignment 2 ‘Corporate personality refers to the fact that as far as the law is concerned a company really exists. As a result of this a company can sue and be sued in its own name, hold property under its own name and most importantly be liable for its own debts. ’ Discuss Format: Essay Typ e, 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 9 ECONOMICS Assignment 1 Analyse the Production Possibilities Frontier (PPF) and explain how it illustrates the main economic concepts of scarcity and opportunity cost.Format: Essay Type, 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 14th December 2012 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 10 ECONOMICS Assignment 2 Given the table below: a) Draw the demand and supply curves and show equilibrium. b) Demonstrate the shift due to the increase in quantity demanded on the same graph, illustrating clearly the new equilibrium. c) Analyse the factors that may cause a shift of the demand curve, both inwards and outwards. d) Analyse the factors that may lead to an inward or outward shift of the supply curve. ) Discuss the laws of demand and supply. f) Analyse the theory behind a movement along the 2 curves or a shift of the curves. Demand 1 Quantity Price 65 EUR 2. 60 78 EUR 2. 30 98 EUR 1. 95 124 EUR 1. 63 156 EUR 1. 30 Demand 2 Quantity Price 52 EUR 2. 60 65 EUR 2. 30 85 EUR 1. 95 111 EUR 1. 63 143 EUR 1. 30 Supply 1 Quantity Price 65 EUR 1. 56 78 EUR 1. 69 98 EUR 1. 95 124 EUR 2. 23 156 EUR 2. 80 Format: Applied Essay Type, approx. 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 11 MARKETING MANAGEMENTAssignment 1 The Body Shop – good luck or good marketing? The body Shop may have grown rapidly during the 1970s and 1980s, but its founder, the late Dame Anita Roddick publicly dismissed the role of marketing. Roddick ridiculed marketers for putting the interests of shareholders before the needs of society. She had a similarly low opinion of the financial community, which she referred to as ‘merchant wankers’. While things were going well, nobody seemed to mind. Maybe Roddick had found a new way of doing business, and if she had the results to prove it, who needed marketers?But how could even such an icon as Anita Roddick manage indefinitely without consulting the fundamental principles of marketing? By embracing ethical issues, was she way ahead of her rivals in understanding the public mood, long before the major retailers piled into Fairtrade and ‘green’ products? Or did the troubles that the Body Shop suffer in the late 1990s indicate that a company may publicly dismiss the value of marketing while the going is good, but sooner or later it will have to come back to earth with good old-fashioned marketing plans? Roddick had been the dynamo behind the Body Shop.From her first shop, which opened in Brighton in 1976, she inspired the growth of the chain of familiar green-fronted shops, which in 2006 comprised 2,100 stores in 55 countries around the world. She was the first to introduce socially and environmentally responsible business onto the High Street and was talking about fair trade long before it became a popular corporate buzzword. Her pioneering products included naturally based skin and hair preparations, such as Fuzzy Peach Bath and Shower Gel and Brazil Nut Conditioner. Her timing was impeccable, coming just at a time when increasingly affluent consumers were 12 ecoming concerned about animal testing and the use of chemicals in cosmetics. She had gone down the classic market route of understanding consumer trends and then developing the appropriate products with the right positioning. She simply had a passion for humanely produced cosmetics and was just luc ky with her timing – more consumers were coming round to her view just as she was launching her business. As for planning a promotion campaign, she did not really need to do very much at all. With her boundless energy, outspoken views, and unorthodox dress sense, she was continually being talked about in the media.Her flair for publicity won free editorial space for the Body Shop worth millions of pounds. Much of the companyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s success has been tied up with its campaigning approach to the pursuit of social and environmental issues; but while Roddick campaigned for everything from battered wives and Siberian tigers to the poverty-stricken mining communities of southern Appalachia, the company was facing major problems in its key markets. Yet until the late 1990s, she boasted that the Body Shop had never been used, or needed, marketing.By the late 1990s the Body Shop seemed to be running out of steam, with sales plateauing and the company’s share price falling – from 370p in 1992 to just 65p in 2003. What was previously unique about the Body Shop was now being copied by others, for example, the Boots company matched one of the Body Shop’s earliest claims that it did not test its products on animals. Even the very feel of a Body Shop store – including its decor, staff, and product displays – had been copied by competitors. How could the company stay ahead in terms o f maintaining its distinctive positioning?It causes seemed to be increasingly remote from the real concerns of shoppers. Whilst most UK shoppers may have been swayed by a company’s unique claim to protect animals, how many would be moved by its support for Appalachian miners? If there was a Boots or a Superdrug store next door, why should a buyer pay a premium price to buy from the Body Shop? The Body Shop may have pioneered a very clever retailing formula over 20 years earlier, but, just as the product range had been successfully copied by others, other companies had made enormous strides in terms of their social and environmental awareness.Part of the problem of the Body Shop was its failure fully to understand the dynamics of its marketplace. Positioning on the basis of good causes may have been enough to launch the company into the public’s mind in the 1970s, but how could this position be sustained? Many commentators blamed the Body Shop’s problems on the i nability of Roddick to delegate. She is reported to have spent much of her time globetrotting in support of her good causes, but had a problem in delegating marketing strategy and implementation. Numerous strong managers who had 13 een brought in to try to implement professional management practices apparently gave up in bewilderment at the lack of discretion that they had been given, and then left. The Body Shop’s experience in America had typified Roddick’s pioneering style which frequently ignored sound marketing analysis. She sought a new way of doing business in America, but in doing so dismissed the experience of older and more sophisticated retailers – such as Marks & Spencer and the Sock Shop, which came unstuck in what is a very difficult market.The Body Shop decided to enter the US markets not through a safe option such as a joint venture or a franchising agreement, but instead by setting up its own operation from scratch – fine, according to Ro ddick’s principle of changing the rulebook and cutting out the greedy American business community, but dangerously risky. Her store format was based on the British town-centre model, despite the fact that Americans spend most of their money in out-of-town malls. In 1996 the US operations lost ? 3. 4 million. Roddick’s critics claimed that she had a naive view of herself, her company, and business generally.She had consistently argued that profits and principles do not mix, despite the fact that many of her financially successful competitors have been involved in major social initiatives. Critics claimed that, had Roddick not dismissed the need for marketing for so long, the Body Shop could have avoided future problems; but by the early 2000s it was paying the price for not having devoted sufficient resources to new product development, to innovation, to refreshing its ranges, and to moving the business forward in a competitive market and fast-changing business environm ent.It seemed the heroes can change the rulebook when the tide is flowing with them; but adopting the disciplines of marketing allows companies to anticipate and react when the tide begins to turn against them. The year 2006 turned out to be a turning point for the Body Shop. In that year, the cosmetics giant L’Oreal acquired the company for ? 652 million. L’Oreal was part owned by Nestle, and both companies had suffered long disputes with ethical campaigners.L’Oreal had been the subject of boycotts because of its involvement in animal testing, and Nestle had been criticized for its treatment of third-world producers. Ethical Consumer magazine, which rates companies’ ethics on its ‘Ethiscore’, immediately down-rated the Body Shop from a rating of 11 to 2. 5 out of 20, following the takeover by L’Oreal. A contributor to the magazine commented about the Body Shop. I for one will certainly not be shopping there again and I urge other cons umers concerned about ethical issues to follow my example. There are plenty of other higher scoring ethical companies out there. 14Not be to outdone, Roddick dismissed claims that she was ‘selling out to the devil’ by arguing that she would be able to use her influence to change L’Ore al from inside the company. Suppliers who had formerly worked with the Body Shop would in future have contracts with L’Oreal, and through an agreement to work with the company for 25 days a year, Roddick would be able to have an input into its ethical sourcing decisions. It seemed that the Body Shop was destined to become a safe, predictable company, carrying out marketing in more of the textbook fashion that had allowed its new owners to grow steadily but surely over the years.Maybe the missionary zeal had long ago gone out of the Body Shop, so perhaps having new owners who placed less emphasis on ethics would not be too great a price to pay in return for bringing the huge w ealth of marketing experience of L’Oreal to the Body Shop. Part of the marketing experience of L’Oreal led it to believe Body Shop as an independent brand and to respect its trusted heritage. It was aware that ecological concerns were rapidly rising up mainstream consumers’ concerns, and having Roddick on board would not only be good for PR, it could also change mindsets with L’Oreal more generally.Roddick died soon after selling out to L’Oreal and her obituaries agreed that she had made a difference to the world. She certainly had put enormous energy into her mission and had been lucky with her timing. However, critics were more divided on whether she was a good marketer for the long haul; after all, its relatively easy to make money when the tide is going with you and your luck is in, but much more difficult to manage a changing a nd increasingly saturated marketing environment.Like many entrepreneurs who have been good at creating things, but no t so good at maintaining them, was it simply time for Roddick to hand over to classically trained marketers who could rise to this challenge? Case study review questions 1. Critically assess the extent to which you consider the Body Shop to be a truly marketing-oriented organization throughout its 30+ years’ history. (50%) 2. What are the basic lessons in marketing that the Body Shop might have taken on board in its early years in order to improve its chances of long-term success? (50%) 15Format: Essay Type, 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 14th December 2012 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 16 MARKETING MANAGEMENT Assignment 2 To be handed out later Format: Essay Type, approx. 2000 words, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 17 STATISTICS Assignment 1 The assignment is a development of the activities from Chapters 1 and 2 of the workbook. It consists of: (a) A short presentatio n made by groups of 2 or (maximum) 3 students based upon one of the research activities from chapter 1.This will take place during the tutorials in week 5 (week commencing 29th October) and will account for 25% of the marks for the assignment. (b) An individual report of around 1200 words submitted by each student. This will account for the remaining 75% of the marks for the assignment. The handing -in deadline for this is 19th November. Tasks: 1. After forming groups of 2 or maximum 3 students, firstly you need to agree with yo ur RBD tutor which topic you are going to research from section 1. 9 of the RBD workbook. Within a seminar group, each group of 2/3 students will research a different topic. . During your tutorial of week 5, you will present the basic facts that you have discovered to the rest of your tutorial group. This will involve an explanation of what you are researching, how you have chosen to answer the question (for some of the activities there are various ways of m easuring the results), and what your findings are. You should use visual aids e. g. slides, to help your presentation. The individual report involves a discussion of the findings in your own words plus some further research and thought: 18 3.Use the data you have collected to answer the research question chosen by your group i. e. report on what you have discovered. Basically you are repeating here, in your own words, the things that were mentioned in your group’s presentation. 4. By conducting some further research from published sources, try and give an explanation for the results i. e. answering the question ‘why? ’. For example, if you were asked to produce some figures on crime, you might try to explain the reasons why the figures have changed over the years, or why they are higher in certain places or amongst certain groups of people.By researching the relevant sources describe how the data were originally collected, including the sampling procedure where r elevant. For example, if the figures were derived from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, you would be expected to obtain some information about this survey. Discuss any potential sources of error in the figures, such as response errors and errors caused by non-response. 5. Learning Outcomes The following learning outcomes are being assessed: Collect data using primary and secondary sources. Describe the procedures involved when conducting a sample survey.Communicate findings using appropriate business formats. Allocation of marks: Presentation: 25 marks See the handout on Blackboard (filename Presentation assessment 2012 -13. docx) for an indication of what the assessors are looking for in the presentation. The content of the presentation carries a higher weighting than the style. Individual Report: Clarity of expression, use of English, grammar Answering the research question Further research into reasons behind the results, influential factors etc. Discussion of sampling procedur es and non-sampling errors. 10 marks 25 marks 20 marks 20 marksAdditional Information: Group sizes are 2 or 3. Four people = 2 groups i. e. 2 different topics. Failure to attend the presentation will result in a mark of zero out of 25. 19 An assessors’ report for this type of assignment is also available on Blackboard (filename RBD assessment feedback. docx). Deadline: 14th December 2012 (No assignment will be accepted after this date. 20 STATISTICS Assignment 2 QUESTION 1 CALCULATE: 8 P 3 8 P 4 7 P 6 6 P 1 8 C 3 7 C 5 6 C 2 5 C 0 5. 9 10. 4 5. 7 6. 2 10. 7 11. 7 6. 8 11. 5 13. 1 7. 1 11. 6 13. 6 7. 8 8. 2 8. 1 4. 4 QUESTION 2 12. 3 9. 9 9. 0 a. b. c. . e. f. 5. 8 10. 1 10. 0 8. 3 12. 9 8. 8 6. 7 9. 2 7. 9 9. 4 8. 4 Find the maximum Find the minimum Find the mode Calculate the arithmetic mean Calculate the geometric mean of: 5. 3 and 7. 8 and 10. 4 If the mean family size is 4. 75 what is the total population of a city of 25000 families? QUESTION 3 If the mean rate of arrival in a restaurant is 10 customers per hour, what is the probability of having 4 customers arriving in any hour? 21 QUESTION 4 Defects Workers 0-2 7 3-5 9 6-8 10 9-11 8 12-14 11 15-17 6 18-20 5 21-23 8 24-26 7 a. Calculate the arithmetic mean b. Calculate the median . Calculate the standard deviation QUESTION 5 Listed below are the commissions earned ($000) last year by the sales representatives at the Furniture Patch, Inc. $3. 9, $5. 7, $7. 3, $10. 6, $13. 0, $13. 6, $15. 1, $15. 8, $17. 1, $17. 4, $17. 6, $22. 3, $38. 6, $43. 2, $87. 7 a. Compute the Pearson’s skewness coefficients. b. What is your conclusion regarding the skewness of the data QUESTION 6 A box contains 20 balls of which 2 are red, 5 are black, 5 are blue and 8 are green. A ball is drawn at random from the box; the color is marked each time and then placed back in the box.The experiment repeated three times. Find the probability that: (i) All are red. (ii) Neither is black. (iii) One black, one is blue and one red. (iv) At least one red. 22 QUESTION 7 Find the correlation between the 2 stock prices for the period given. Draw a graph showing the correlation between the two stocks and briefly explain your answer. Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Stock A 12. 4 12. 5 12. 9 12. 1 11. 8 12. 3 11. 4 11. 0 10. 4 10. 4 10. 8 10. 1 10. 2 9. 4 Stock B 31. 0 31. 4 30. 4 30. 0 28. 7 28. 9 29. 2 27. 8 27. 0 27. 2 26. 9 26. 2 25. 0 25. 7QUESTION 8 A company wants to estimate the relationship between its country’s quarterly Growth Domestic Product (GDP) and quarterly net income margin ((Net Income/Sales)*100). Calculate the intercept and the slope and explain the relationship. Quarter GDP % 1 2. 4 2 2. 1 3 2. 0 4 1. 8 1 0. 9 2 1. 3 3 1. 9 4 1. 8 1 2. 3 2 2. 9 3 2. 1 4 2. 2 NI margin % 0. 32 0. 78 0. 67 0. 44 0. 91 1. 10 0. 80 0. 87 0. 78 1. 3 0. 83 0. 84 23 Format: Practical/Calculations, produced on a laser printer Deadline: 12th April 2013 (No assignment will be accepted after this date) 24

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Midterm Exam Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Midterm Exam - Coursework Example However, according to many scholars, Sharia has been pointed out as not being a well-defined set of rules or codes, but rather, characterized as an interpretation and discussion of Muslim duties based on both extensive literature and the Muslim community opinions. Sharia is a diverse, long, and complicated divine law, rather than just a set of rules and codes of conduct for the Muslim community. Although only eighty verses in the Qur'an are regarded as the legal prescriptions, the Sharia law is established with regards to this. Muhammad’s example is emphasized as an importance source of Sharia in the Quran with which the Muslim community bases their arguments of the divine law. Sharia based on Sunnah is contained in reports of Muhammad's actions, his sayings, and his tacit approval of his demeanor and actions. Sunnah as Sharia takes pride of the many compilations of reports during both the sahih period and thereafter regarding Muhammad’s examples. However, Sharia extend s and interprets its applications beyond the issues addressed in the Quran and the example Muhammad and includes secondary sources such as consensus regarding religious scholar in the ijma and qivas analogy. More to the analogy of the Quran and Muhammad’s example, Shia jurists always seek to apply reasoning as Sharia basis. Sharia is believed by the Muslim community as God’s Law although the extent to which the law exactly entails is diverse. Sharia functionality based on traditionalist, modernists, and fundamentalists holds varying opinions among divergent views of scholars and schools of thought. More so, different cultures, countries, and societies have divergent views and interpretation of Sharia as a divine law. The functions of Sharia entails defining societal issues with regards to aspects such as crime, economics, politics and personal issues that range from hygiene, sexual intercourse, fasting, diet and prayers. Through these issues, Sharia seeks to streamline the lives of human beings as intended by their creator. Sharia functions through the Imam whose responsibility entails interpretation of the Sharia. Section B Question 3 Worship basically entails honoring the creator through adherence of individuals and communities to detailed codes of conduct according to ones religion. The livelihood of a people with regards to prayers and general day-to-day activities entails worship activities. Communities and individuals have particular ways of honoring their creator through their day-to-day activities such as their way of praying, waking up in the morning, and even eating. Through these specific activities in honor of God, a community and individual can be attributed to having worshiped their Creator. Worship shapes and expresses religious life in Judaism through their day-to-day activities of individuals and communities and more so their way of communication to their creator. Judaism worship is rather an informal way of communicating to God although it is largely guided by tradition. Judaism focuses on the tenets of rituals where community and individual’s religious life expresses values that are inclined towards helping others and Loving God. Ritual is basically inclined towards helping others and loving God. Judaism religious life is defined and shaped to greater extent by dietary law, which comes out as the most evident and significant form or worships. Judaism adherence to the dietary laws is a form of worship that expresses and shapes

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

IT Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IT Industry - Essay Example The better they manage their asset the better they perform in the industry. We can rightly say that a healthy workforce leads to a healthy business. It's the policies in each organization which either makes them a favorite or not so sought after. However it is very necessary that each organization should carve out some policies for their employees so that they have a feeling that they are taken care of. There are many such organizations which have done this beautifully well and are now reaping the success. One such organization is IBM. Not only has this organization seen a tremendous growth but has also become one of the most sought after organizations for IT professionals all over the world. IBM is undoubtedly one of the most sought after organizations for IT professionals all over the world. Whichever country we may consider and ask its IT professionals the reply will most of the time lay in favor of IBM. What makes it so Is it just the brand name Or is there something more to it If it had been just the brand name then it would not have gone so far in becoming one of the most favored organizations to work with. There is definitely more to it. A very tempting area is the diversity of domains in which it works; there are a lot of options available for one, after he/she joins the organization. The list goes on like this; Aerospace and defense, Automotive, Banking, Chemicals and Petroleum, Consumer Products, Education, Electronics, Energy and Utilities, Financial Markets, healthcare, Insurance, Life Sciences, Media and entertainment, Retail, Telecommunications, Travel and Transportation, Wholesale Distribution, Cross-Industry. The women work force is also not left behind. We can say there is something for satisfying everybody's needs. The driving force for women to join IBM is the fact that its policies are very considerate towards working women who also have a family to take care of. The organization understands that there may be times when the lady of the house cannot move out; for those difficult days there is an option for work-from-home the working hours are also flexible. These are definitely a boon for people who have responsibilities in their personal lives. The organization also thinks about the health needs of its people and has a very well developed gymnasium in almost all the office premises. One indication of good policies is if we are able to find a good number of employees who are with the organization for a long time. This indicates that they are too satisfied to think of a change in their work environments. Having spoken to an employee who has been with the organization since long, got a view of an insider and why the attrition rate is lower than many of its competitors. When asked why does he work there This is what he has to say "They are one of the best pay masters, and then the opportunity to go onsite is very often." Who doesn't love to earn money After all most of us work for money; and that's what is common throughout the world, however with due respect to all those people who work as volunteers or with NGOs. When asked about the work culture He says it to be "Cool, though there is pressure at times but the work environment is fun to work in. then on days when he doesn't have too much of work at office; he can plan for

Science Meet Real Life Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science Meet Real Life - Assignment Example It has been realized that there are some cases of students continually missing classes in the schools. It has also been noted that this is a phenomenon that seems to be on the rise and it is not just affecting a single student but it is becoming something that affects the population at large. The most probable reason for this is most likely to be caused by the food which is on offer in the schools. On critical examination of the subject matter. It is actually the most probable reason that can be linked to the case. This is so because the one thing which most of the students in the school share is the food. It might be that the food which is being offered right now may be from a supplier who may not be carrying out quality tests on it or at the same time the school restaurant may be having a lacking in the quality inspection which it is supposed to carry out. The problem can pose itself in two ways; either internally or externally. The statement "The Brentwood Indians basketball team lost the state championship because there is bad stuff in the stars happening with Mars in Aquarius" can be a suitable thesis statement in the course of carrying out research. The main reason for this is because it can be used as a statement from which a phenomenon can be established and in this case getting to know whether it is true or false. After having the statement as the guide it is when it can be established whether the research will fulfill its demands or

Monday, August 26, 2019

Alienation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alienation - Essay Example Alienation appears in different planes for different societies. Race, Gender, abnormalities, intellectual disabilities, nationalities, creed, and ethnicity etc are few of the themes of alienation. Alienation causes pain, frustration, disappointment, rebellions, fights and several other problems. The society’s strange demand of conformity has destroyed the life of thousands of individuals. Alienation is one of the weakest natures of human society. Alienation has destroyed the life of immigrants in America. Alienation closes the door of opportunity for people of color in different parts of the world. Few are not the negative consequences of alienation. It is high time that alienation be rooted out from all societies. Alienation has been the leading theme of several literary works. Pat Mora’s ‘immigrants’ tells the story of a helpless family seeking acceptance in the new land where they reached. Parents are trying to feed their child with the notion of materia lism. They desperately want to teach cultural American traditions to their child. Event though they make hard attempts to transform their children they are not still sure whether American society will accept them. Children loses their natural and cultural personality and at the same time fails to acquire the culture of the new land where they reached. In the poem ‘Sonrisas’ we find the images of living in two world. Through the poem Mora presents some of the experiences she encounters in her life in the two worlds. Mora describes her working place that is strict, dull and boring. The term â€Å"quiet clicking† explains the quietness of her office. Mora’s words like â€Å"black coffee† and â€Å"budgets, tenure, and curriculum† makes the readers understand how boring her office is. Mora is indirectly presenting the alienation she suffers in her work place. The poem heritage presents before the readers the painful experience of a man of color w ho suffers ill treatment being an alien. He is ridiculed because of his dark skin. An alien in the American land will have the same experience. The poem refugee ship also tells the story of the unfortunate speaker who suffers because of her identity. The speaker presents her sorrow, being alienated from her American and Mexican cultures. Literary works include the theme of alienation to highlight the importance of eliminating alienation. Alienation is a painful experience for immigrants. Alienation disturbs the immigrant children in several ways. The effect of prejudice on immigrant children in public schools is not negligible (Takaki 10). Abuse influences the personality of children. According to Karen Horney, experience in the early childhood influences the character development of a person. Hurting experiences can prepare children with criminal attitude. The childhood experiences create the self or character of child. Children may undergo defective self-development because of the abuse that they undergo in their early life. Abuse negatively influences children’s construction of self. They are thus susceptible to various wrong habits and practices. The practice or attitude of showing discrimination towards an individual belonging to a foreign race, ethnicity and nationality is very common in the United States. It is highly prevalent in work places and educational institutions. These attitudes are quite unhealthy and unjust and are extremely intolerant (Simmel 375). Individuals are discriminated on the basis of nationality, race, ethnicity, color and various other factors and are not allowed to exercise their constitutional rights even (Simmel 375). In the educational insti

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Coporate Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coporate Governance - Essay Example Definition of corporate social responsibility also includes the broader concept of economic, environmental, and social sustainability. CSR is a fundamental part of an integrated set of principles applied to the management of business. A business model should integrate economic performance with environmental and social values. This is a good definition of corporate social responsibility. The Boeing Company is the world's leading aerospace company, with its heritage mirroring the history of flight. It is the largest manufacturer of satellites, commercial jetliners, and military aircraft. The company is also a global market leader in missile defense, human space flight, and launch services. in the cabins and cockpits of many jets manufactured. Use of an overly harsh cleaning fluid on fuel tanks caused the inner coating of the tanks to flake off. Fuel tank repairs were made after the tanks had been Boeing has managed to stifle environmental reforms, become the state's second-worst polluter in a region renowned for its environmental awareness, and avoid serious scrutiny from the media, the public and even environmentalists. Despite Boeing's claims of a proactive environmental evolution, government regulators agree that Boeing rarely makes any major environmentally minded reforms without being so ordered. Boeing has taken credit, for example, for phasing out wasteful spray-paint guns and the use of CFCs in its part-cleaning vapor-degreasers. Boeing withholds from the public details of its plans to reduce toxic waste emissions, keeping watchdogs in the dark about areas where the company could or should be cutting down on pollution. State officials are allowed to see the plans, but they can't copy them. Perhaps most importantly, Boeing uses its enormous tentacles reaching deep into the state's political, business, social, even religious institutions to blunt criticism.Boeing's Aub urn plant discharged nearly 1,400 pounds of chromium - a carcinogenic heavy metal that can kill marine wildlife - into one of Metro's sanitary sewage systems. Boeing uses chromium to help make parts corrosion-resistant. Unbeknownst to Metro, the chromium went to the agency's sewage treatment plant in Renton, where most of it found its way into truckloads of bio solids - treated solid waste primarily used to fertilize forest and farm lands. Much of it winds up in the Olympic National Forest. In 2003 Boeing Co. chairman and chief executive Phil Condit resigned unexpectedly only days after the huge aerospace manufacturer fired two other Boeing officials for an alleged ethics breach. Condit had been with Boeing since 1965, when he joined the company as an aerodynamics engineer. He has been chief executive since 1996 and chairman since 1997; the company's seventh chairman since it was founded in 1916.Boeing has been roiled for months by ethical controversies

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the Essay

The overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France - Essay Example The main purpose of the research is to present that the twentieth century witnessed developments on many fronts at the same time including construction. A number of hallmark projects were commissioned in the twentieth century such as New York’s Empire State Building and others that served to boost mankind’s confidence in taking on large projects. A large number of mega projects spanned progress in the twentieth century but taking on and executing these projects represented large challenges. The early parts of the twentieth century saw randomised approaches to project management in order to deal with large projects. However, as time proceeded and human experience increased in dealing with large projects, the approach to such projects became more and more structured. A large amount of advancement has occurred on the fronts of project management although there is still much ground to be covered. Initially project management was largely restricted to dealing with the techni cal aspects of projects especially the larger projects. In time it was found that project management needed to deal with other aspects of projects such as financing, scheduling, quality initiatives and others. Development on these fronts has been steady and has resulted from learning from various mega projects. The unique nature of mega projects means that the same ideas are not equally applicable to different projects even though they may hold similar grounds. One project that sparked the imaginations of mankind was the Channel Tunnel project that was initiated to build a fixed link between England and France. Historically the English Channel has represented a major obstacle to crossing over into United Kingdom. In order to deal with this challenge some kind of a system was required that could facilitate the movement of goods and people between both nations. This project was all the more critical for England because it did not have a direct link to mainland Europe. Such a link was necessary to ensure trade and commerce between England and mainland Europe. Prior to the tunnel’s opening, the only modes of transport available included ferries and airplanes. Both modes of transport were not only expensive but were at times dictated by weather over the English Channel making crossing or flying difficult. Early ideas to deal with this challenge included large iron bridges with spans of many kilometres. However, the technical challenges facing the creation of such spans and bridges were large and rather insurmountable. Constant tries on the British and French sides finally saw the emergence of a tunnel system beneath the English Channel that could finally connect both countries with ease. The movement from mere ideas to a practical working system represented one of the largest challenges undertaken by mankind. The creation of the Channel Tunnel was confronted by myriad challenges such as costing, planning, execution, finance, teamwork, quality, safety and sch eduling amongst others. When the project was finally completed, it was found that the project was delayed as well as overpriced when compared to original estimates. This paper analyses the overriding concerns that caused delays and cost escalation in the construction of the tunnel link between England and France. 3. Problems 3.1. Pre-Planning The creation of such a gargantuan tunnel system to accommodate trains and shuttle services required taking over challenges on many fronts. The primary challenge to initiate the Channel Tunnel project was garnering the right kind of political will to create this project. The political will garnered to initiate the C

Friday, August 23, 2019

Proposal Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposal Identification - Essay Example The technique becomes effective for studying and describing interactional patterns within social networks, work relationships, and in assessing peers solicited in taking drugs. The choice for sociometry is due to its appropriateness for effective study of the question. One element that the research is going to consider is exploring the question is behavior of the subjects. Already, it is crucial to seek for consent of the participants and the counselors. So, it is not easy to apply other designs like ethnography and natural observation since the two can only be appropriate in cases where consent is unnecessary. In fact, seeking for client’s consent while to applying ethnography or natural observation is enough to compromise the purpose of a research (Stone-Romeo, 2011). Case history, archival research, and content analysis are irrelevant and inapplicable to the design of the study. The research will majorly apply interviews and observations to gather and record findings. This expression is to dispute any possibility of employing case history, content analysis, and archival research. From the analysis, sociometry becomes the automatic choice since it involves interaction with participants who have knowledge of the purpose of the research (Cillessen & Mayeux, 2004). As discussed by Bordens and Abbott (2014), sociometric study has to have participants evaluate one another along certain dimensions. Sociometry fulfills the purpose and planned design of the research that will have counselors and clients under treatment or treated from conduct disorders as the participants. As initially intended, counselors will help in evaluating the conducts of the clients studied to obtain understanding of the relationships in the outcomes between individual and family models of treating conduct disorders. While using the sociometric design of nonexperimental research, the researcher will consider using stratified and random sampling techniques. Stratified sampling technique

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Jekyll And Hyde The Musical Essay Example for Free

Jekyll And Hyde The Musical Essay The play was preformed in Bristol Hippodrome on the 11th May. The musical was about a doctor, Jekyll, who wants to see the other side of a persons soul. He believed that in every person there is a darker side, the opposite of a persons soul. He believes he has way of seeing this other person. He has an experiment that will enable him to do so but people wont listen to him and knock back his ideas. After his idea being rejected he decides what to do. He takes the potion, and from it emerges as his other double side, Hyde. Hyde is the opposite of Jekyll, and is a cold-blooded murderer. Jekyll and Hyde both know about each other and as Hyde finds out about Lucy he plans to do something about it. Jekyll cant control Hyde as Hyde forms a strong part of him. Throughout Hyde, kills people, one of which includes Lucy, a prostitute whom Jekyll had formed a friendship with. At the ending as Jekyll is about to marry Lisa, he makes himself get shot to end Hyde ever coming back. The main character in the play played both parts of Jekyll and Hyde. Whilst he was playing Jekyll, his appearance was smart and clean, whereas when he turned into Hyde his appearance was rough and sinister looking. Jekylls personality was kind and he was a gentle man. Hyde was his other side, being Vulgar and violent. Lisa was Jekylls fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e and was one of the only people whom listened to Jekyll. At the start they appeared to have a close relationship but as Jekyll turned into Hyde they became more distant, also this occurred when Jekyll met Lucy. Lucy was a prostitute who although seemed confident there was times when she showed her vulnerability and longing to go away from her life. When she met Jekyll, he was different and treated her with respects unlike all the other men. She falls in love with him, but as Hyde finds out about her he then kills her. The other characters in the play treat Jekyll as if he is just a doctor who has mad ideas but not worth the time to listen too. Hyde meanwhile makes people listen to him, right before he kills them. Jekylls relationship to other characters is distant apart from his fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e Lisa. Also when he meets Lucy, he is kind to her and they form a connection. Hyde doesnt care about anybody. But when he finds out about Lucy, he makes himself involved with her. At the end Hyde visits Lucy and kills her. Throughout the play Jekyll constantly changes into Hyde, and as the play progressed the transformation was sudden and at the end the change between them was every second or two as they spoke to each other before transforming. He changes throughout the play because of the potions effect and he changes without his consent, as Hyde starts to overpower him. There were contrasts between pace between and within scenes. These occurred when Hyde would emerge from Jekyll or the suddenness of the next scene change. The effect this created was to make the scene more alive with what the characters were feeling and what the situation was about. Some changes of paced were specifically linked to characters such as Hydes would be loud and lively whereas Jekylls would be more calm and quiet. The changes in pace added to the tension. The set was made up of one floor, which was changed into a bar, a street scene and mostly Jekylls laboratory. Then there were two flights of stairs leading to another floor, like a balcony. Both of the floors were used for different parts of the play. When Hyde killed a man on the top floor he would drop down onto the next one. There was a number of exists. The set was mostly dark colours but between the scenes the mood of the set could change. The colours were made lighter for the scene in the bar but darker for Jekyll changing into Hyde. The lightning added to the effect of the different atmospheres of the scenes. The effects used when Jekyll and Hyde were changing straight after one another were the lightning would swirl and for Jekyll a calm, good blue colour whereas Hyde had a blood red colour. It showed the contrast between the two characters. When Hyde first came and was in Jekylls room, the lightning used was Hyde hitting a table and the candle on it light up and the lightning was more dramatic and the music was rushed. When something dramatic happened the lighting would add to this by bright colours and the fastness of it. The lights had patterns on them, which showed, as well as the colours, what the action mood was. When it was calmer such as Jekyll it would be softer. The music used were suited to the part of the play it accompanied, such as when Hyde was on a killing spree the music was fast and dramatic. The opposite to when Jekyll was with Lisa or Lucy. Obviously as this play was a musical the words spoken would be a song about how that character was feeling or what was happening in that event of the play. The sound and music produced an atmosphere as it expressed clearly peoples emotions as to what was happening. One of the best moments was when Lucy and Lisa sang together. They both had feelings for Jekyll and combined them into one song with each other. The costumes of the characters were suited to them. Jekyll was smart and organised looking whereas Hyde was scruffy and threatening. Lucys was suited to her but when she met Jekyll she changed a bit as she had feelings for him. When Hyde kept changing more frequently it affected Jekylls appearance, as Jekyll seemed more worried his appearance would be nervous. The overall success of the play was good. There were some scenes which were better than others, Lucy and Lisa singing together, which lifted the play and improved it. There were parts of the play, Hyde first emerging from Jekyll, which also added to the feeling of the play. The main characters of the play stayed in character and played their parts well.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Difference between Branding and Brand Equity Essay Example for Free

Difference between Branding and Brand Equity Essay â€Å"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending†. (Bard qtd. in. ThinkExist. com) This quote shows one fact that the process of ‘branding’ is endless. Because, simply, when ‘brand equity’ is known or measured, the brand could be protected and managed properly. This essay aims at giving an overview of the ‘branding’ and ‘brand equity’ terms or concepts to show the difference between both of them. And due to the fact that â€Å"both terms are usually defined around the concept of adding value to a product (or service)† (Binnie 17), it could be hard for some people to differentiate between both of them. That’s why the best approach to realize the difference between ‘branding’ and ‘brand equity’ is to dig and search in the literature to define both terms to know what is meant by each one of them. However, before separating each term from the other -to know the difference between both of them-, let’s move to the real world to have an idea about a simple fact concerning a certain brand (Coca-Cola in this case). This interesting example –mentioned by Blackett- deserves to be mentioned here to realize how important a brand could be for a company. â€Å"By mid-2002, Coca-Cola Company’s stock market value reached $136 billion, while the business net asset value (the book value) was only $10. 5 billion†. (5) The interesting fact here is when we add this information to the fact that: â€Å"The value of Coca-Cola brand for the same period (mid-2002) was estimated by $70 billion (over half of the $136 intangible value mentioned above! . † (Blackett 5) Then, after realizing the importance of ‘branding’ to the company in the marketplace -in the previous example-, it’s time to know what is meant by both terms, ‘branding’ and ‘brand equity’. First of all, a ‘brand’ is defined by the Dictionary of Business and Management as â€Å"a name, sign or symbol used to identify items or services of the seller(s) and to differ entiate them from goods of competitors. † (qtd. in. BuildingBrands Ltd. ) However, a ‘brand’ is more than a name, a sign or a symbol. In another word, this definition is not sufficient to describe the term ‘brand’. Grimaldi gave a better definition for the term ‘brand’ as â€Å"a combination of attributes, communicated through a name, or a symbol, that influences a thought-process in the mind of an audience and creates value. † And this is what Blackett assured when he mentioned that â€Å"the visual distinctiveness of a brand may be a combination of any of the following: name, letters, numbers, a symbol, a signature, a shape, a slogan, a color, a particular typeface. (3) Also, Davis (2) defined the ‘brand’ term as â€Å"all the promises and perceptions that an organization ‘wants’ its customers to feel about its product(s) and service offerings. † (2) Now, moving to the ‘branding’ concept or term, according to Davis (1), ‘branding’ is a complex ‘process’, but its goal is simple: it is the creation and development of a specific identity for a company, product, commodity, group, or person. † (3) Grimaldi mentioned an interesting definition for ‘branding’: The blend of art and science that ‘manages associations’ between a brand and memories in the mind of the brand’s audience. † And this blend â€Å"involves focusing resources on selected tangible and intangible attributes to differentiate the brand in an attractive, meaningful and compelling way for the targeted audience. † Now, after understanding what is meant by both ‘bra nd’ and ‘branding’ terms, it’s time to know what is meant by ‘brand equity’ term or concept. The ‘brand equity’ concept â€Å"emerged in the early 1990s†, (Tuominen 96) and introduced in marketing literature in the 1980s† (Rajh 1) and before mentioning definitions of this term, it is necessary to realize that â€Å"brand equity is the key to understanding the net impact of marketing† (Reynolds and Philips qtd. in. Binnie 16) According to Hoeffler and Keller, â€Å"most definitions of brand equity rely on ‘brand knowledge’ structures in the minds of consumers –individuals or organizations-† (421 qtd. in. Binnie 17). And Pullig gave a simple definition to the term ‘brand equity’ as â€Å"consumer brand knowledge†. Keller also defined the ‘brand equity’ term as â€Å"the ‘differential consumer response’ from ‘knowing’ the brand†. (qtd. in. Binnie 17) According to Keller and Kevin, ‘brand equity’ is â€Å"the value of the brand in the marketplace† (qtd. in. Pullig). McDonald added another dimension when she defined it as â€Å"the stored value built up in a brand which can be used to gain ‘market advantage’† (2). So, after studying these definitions, it is obvious -as Tuominen mentioned- that â€Å"there are three key ingredients in the ‘brand equity’ definition and they are: (1) brand knowledge, (2) differential effect, and (3) consumer response to marketing. † (75) Finally, according to these definitions, it is obvious that (1) ‘branding’ is the process of creating, developing, protecting, and managing the special identity of the product, or the ‘brand’ (to differentiate it in the marketplace) and it is not only marketing effort, it includes all the companies efforts to build this differentiation; (2) the ‘brand’ is the end result of that process or the combination of all the tools used to create this special identity of the product; and (3) the ‘brand equity’ is the ‘feedback’ of the ‘branding’ process or the key to measure, assess, or weigh the end result ‘brand’ –as we saw previously in the Coca-Cola example- and compare it with what is desired or planned in the ‘branding’ process. In another word, ‘brand equity’ will show whether the ‘branding’ process and other marketing efforts (or even public relations) are on the right track or not.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Last Leaf O.Henry

The Last Leaf O.Henry â€Å"The Last Leaf† The Hope That Heals. The Last Leaf by O. Henry is an interesting short story about a sick girl named Johnsy, who is deeply affected by a bare vine tree. Johnsy has decided she will not get well and has reconciled herself with the fact that she is going to die when the last leaf falls off the ivy bush outside her bedroom window. Johnsys hopelessness and willingness to accept the worst without a fight is a major statement about the emotional state of the character. In his wonderful short-story â€Å"the last leaf†, using sacrificial themes, fear of pneumonia and a twist on the fatalistic tone, O.Henry depicted a really meaningful goal: Life must have hope. In brief, I love this story very much. Its plot and its characters are simply, but it is a very touching story that makes I recognize many things in life. Life is meaningful only for people who have hope and love. The hope helps us live better and heals our body and spirit. Hope is the foundation of our personal futures; each of us would probably suicide without hope. It is the virtue that helps us overcome obstacles. Without hope, we seem to give up easily like Johnsy in the story. Without hope, there is nothing. Another important thing in life is love. O. Henry, through the story, advices us should love ourselves and other people. The love between three persons, Johnsy, Sue and old Behrman makes a moving story. Johnsy had sometimes forgotten loving herself and cause the worry for Sue, but the biggest love is the love of the old Behrman for Johnsy. He was self sacrifice to save the life of Johnsy. Despite being a old man, he didnt hesitate to go out in a cold weather, climb up the ladder and paint the last leaf, because he know that it is the leaf of hope, a hope for a life that is giving up . In addition, I never see that life and death seem to be close like that. The fate is â€Å"decided† just through the last faint ivy leaf, it was such an â€Å"idiotic imaginings† (Henry 49). Life and death link together by the revivification of Johnsy and the death of the old Behrman. It is a familiar method in O. Henrys stories: everything has its own worth. The meaning of masterpiece in this story makes me change my mind. Before that, I think a masterpiece should be a large, a big, and an imposing picture. In the story, the last leaf picture of Behrman is very simple, but it is really a masterpiece by the meaning. He spent all the night under the terrible weather to draw it, and pay his life for it. Eventually, all of the leaves fall from the vine, save the one last leaf. All readers easily understand that how much effort, how much love contained in that leaf picture. More than that, the most important thing, â€Å"the last leaf† saved a life of a poor mind girl, who gave up life too easily. The end being the surprise ending that make the story feel sad.. The reader then finds out that O. Henry wrote a character that is obviously so void of passion about anything that at the first illness she gets, plans to die. Behrman, the man who will become her savior, seems to have the same lack of interest with his art. He is described as â€Å"a failure in art† (Henry 46). .†He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it† (Henry 48). If he was motivated or inspired to be an artist, he would have found something to paint in all of his years instead of waiting for the one inspiration that would create his masterpiece. Although he died, he did become what he had always claimed to be, an artist â€Å"had been waiting there for twenty-five years to receive the first line of the masterpiece† (Henry 49), his final masterpiece, which saved Johnsys uninspired life, was nothing more than a simple leaf painted upon a drab brick wall. All the things that our doctors tell us to do and undergo may not be easy, but they are meant to make us well. All the things that our love ones do to us, for us, they do for one reason: To keep us alive! We may not be living a very easy life, but all these tribulations, if surpassed, will make us stronger. They make life more meaningful and significant. â€Å"It is a sin to want to die† (Henry 51). Most of the times we are trying to be Johnsy just fearing about the last leaf, we often forget to love the life God has given us. Being Bermans is quite not possible for everyone, but at least we can live our life not just waiting for that â€Å"last leaf†. Let us, at all cost, dare to dream, dare to live, †¦ Live the life that God want us to live, no matter how short it be. Works Cited O.Henry. â€Å"The last leaf† The best story of O.Henry. New York, Modern Library.

Cultural Funeral Practices Essay -- Culture

Globally, people celebrate or mourn the passing of loved ones in different ways. Because these traditions are engrained in cultural practices, some may not understand the reasons for death rites of passage. However, monetary challenges in reproducing these traditions can cause a change in tradition. This report addresses the different funeral traditions and offers a solution in the event of financial challenges. History Throughout history our primordial ancestors have believed in the after life. Such beliefs entail processes like burials and ceremonies, which some believed were used to be used in the afterlife or to be recovered in a later reincarnation. As Vicki Lensing cites Despelder and Strickland: Research indicates that as far back as 50,000 years ago, man exhibited concern for the dead. Neanderthal burials included food, ornamental shells, and stone tools. This implied a belief in the afterlife and a concern about life, death, and the rituals that connected the two. Other ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans also demonstrated beliefs and rituals about death and an afterlife (2001). Because these beliefs originated in antiquity, one may question the nature of these beliefs. The way of thinking 50,000 years ago was quite different from modern man. According to the late author and psychologist Julian Jaynes, there was no consciousness within man then. Man was vulnerable to auditory senses and hallucinations, the only sense that can not be irreversibly shut off. When analyzing the bicameral mind, primordial thought was completely centered in the right-brain (Jaynes, 1967). When examining tradition, it is important to question the origins; for they may not prove useful ... ..., L. (2009). Leading the world: The role of Britain and the first World War in promoting the â€Å"Modern Cremation† movement. Journal of Social History, 42(3), 557-579. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database. (NEED DOI) IF NOT PUT IN THE WEBSITE References Dorsey, J. (2008). 10 Extraordinary Burial Ceremonies From Around the World. Brave New Traveler - Online Travel Magazine. http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/25/10- extraordinary-burial-ceremonies-from-around-the-world/ Jaynes, J. (2000). The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. New York: Mariner Books. Kazmier, L. (2009). Leading the world: The role of Britain and the first World War in promoting the â€Å"Modern Cremation† movement. Journal of Social History, 42(3), 557-579. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database. (NEED DOI) IF NOT PUT IN THE WEBSITE

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Character of Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- GCSE English Literature

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet is arguably the greatest dramatic character ever created. From the moment we meet the crestfallen Prince we are enraptured by his elegant intensity. Shrouded in his inky cloak, Hamlet is a man of radical contradictions -- he is reckless yet cautious, courteous yet uncivil, tender yet ferocious. He meets his father's death with consuming outrage and righteous indignation, yet shows no compunction when he himself is responsible for the deaths of the meddling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the pontificating lord chamberlain, Polonius. He uses the fragile and innocent Ophelia as an outlet for his disgust towards the Queen, and cannot comprehend that his own vicious words have caused her insanity. Hamlet is full of faults. But unlike Macbeth, who has committed murder and, as a direct consequence, has been relegated to the heap of weak-willed villains, Hamlet has remained a demigod of sorts -- his faults having been quashed under his good qualities. What are Haml et's good qualities? How is it that even seemingly negative qualities like indecisiveness, hastiness, hate, brutality, and obsession can enhance Hamlet's position as a tragic hero -- a 'prince among men'? To answer these questions we must journey with Hamlet from beginning to end, and examine the many facets of his character.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Our first impression of Hamlet sets the tone for the whole play. Even without Shakespeare providing an elaborate description of Hamlet's features, we can envision his pale face, tousled hair, and intense, brooding eyes. Dressed totally in black, Hamlet displays all the 'forms, moods and shapes of grief'. His mother cannot help but notice Hamlet's outward appearance of mourning, but Hamlet makes it clear that the overt signs o... ...ally die, it is his princely qualities that make the lasting imprint in our minds. Hamlet remains The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword, The expectancy and rose of the fair state, The glass of fashion, and the mould of form The observ'd of all observers (III.i.153-56)          Bibliography Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean Tragedy. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1966). Burnett, Mark, ed. New Essays on Hamlet. (New York: AMS Press, 1994). Evans Lloyd Gareth. Shakespeare IV. (London: Oxford university Press, 1967). Granville-Barker, Henry. Prefaces to Shakespeare.3 (New York, Hill and Wang, 1970). Loske, Olaf. Outrageous Fortune. (Oslo: Oslo University Press, 1960). Muir, Kenneth. Shakespeare and the Tragic Pattern, Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol.XLIV (London: Oxford University Press, 1958).

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Puerto Rico Independence? Essay -- essays research papers

To argue on Puerto Rican Independence, Commonwealth, or Statehood, we must first learn of the history of Puerto Rico. Growing up I was very ignorant about Puerto Rico. It wasn’t till I was in the Navy and got stationed in Puerto Rico did I really find out the small Caribbean island. Although Puerto Rico has an extensive history, I will only give a brief synopsis of it: In November 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico for the country of Spain. It remained a colonization of Spain until 1898 when Spain ceded the island to the United States after the Spanish-American war. In 1917 Puerto Rican’s became U.S. Citizens, but only 24% consider themselves as American (2000 census). Puerto Rico was also granted its own government and constitution, however, it had to be approved by the U.S. congress. Also Puerto Rico must obey our federal laws. In 1952 Puerto Rico became a â€Å"Commonwealth† associated with the United States. Puerto Rico does not p ay any federal income tax and yet still receive federal benefits. To make for this, they cannot vote in presidential elections and have no voting representation in congress. Puerto Rican Statehood has been a hot issue for several years. Currently, there are three views on this issue: Statehood (New Progressive Party or NPP), Commonwealth (Popular Democratic Party or PDP) and Independence (Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP). In this report, I hope to show each view clearly and back it up with documentation. VIEW OF STATEHOOD Statehood supporters "see the United States as a union of 50 sovereign states united to give their citizens the best opportunity to succeed in life. "They believe that Puerto Rico is in a unique position to join this union and partake of the benefits, and responsibilities, of being an integral part of the United States of America. There are economic, social, and political advantages to becoming the 51st state." PROS OF STATEHOOD In the economics of Puerto Rico, statehood has many pros. The first is that Puerto Rico will receive taxes from their citizens to build the infrastructure of the state. They will have an open market to trade with all nations that are in alliance with the U.S. With becoming a state, Puerto Rico will enjoy the benefits of America's high per capita income and low unemployment rates. "Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States ... ...erto Rico will be able to enter into trade agreements with other free nations as it so chooses. Chris Dodd, Bill Bradley, Pat Moynihan, and various members of the CBO, of Yale University and Harvard University, and others comment on the Independence economic model in very favorable terms. Every major financial analyst and economist in both the academic and federal sectors have expressed appreciation and approval to the economic strategy as being fair, equitable and workable. In a worse case scenario, Puerto Rico will operate under a combined budget of six billion dollars. Puerto Rico would receive revenue from sources such as customs, parks, excise taxes, user-paid tolls, and service fess. That is what several other small, independent nations are doing right now. Allen, R.E. The Dialogues of Plato, Volume II. London: Yale University Press Publisher, 1991. Grant, Michael. Cicero, Selected Works. Blatimore: Penguin Books Publisher, 1960. Dolan, John P. The Essentials Erasmus. New York: The new American Library Publisher, 1964 Internet. Plato (circa 428-C.-347 B.C) Plato Page. http://www.connect.net/ron/plato.html. Hare, R.M. Plato. London: Oxford University Press, 1892 Puerto Rico Independence? Essay -- essays research papers To argue on Puerto Rican Independence, Commonwealth, or Statehood, we must first learn of the history of Puerto Rico. Growing up I was very ignorant about Puerto Rico. It wasn’t till I was in the Navy and got stationed in Puerto Rico did I really find out the small Caribbean island. Although Puerto Rico has an extensive history, I will only give a brief synopsis of it: In November 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico for the country of Spain. It remained a colonization of Spain until 1898 when Spain ceded the island to the United States after the Spanish-American war. In 1917 Puerto Rican’s became U.S. Citizens, but only 24% consider themselves as American (2000 census). Puerto Rico was also granted its own government and constitution, however, it had to be approved by the U.S. congress. Also Puerto Rico must obey our federal laws. In 1952 Puerto Rico became a â€Å"Commonwealth† associated with the United States. Puerto Rico does not p ay any federal income tax and yet still receive federal benefits. To make for this, they cannot vote in presidential elections and have no voting representation in congress. Puerto Rican Statehood has been a hot issue for several years. Currently, there are three views on this issue: Statehood (New Progressive Party or NPP), Commonwealth (Popular Democratic Party or PDP) and Independence (Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP). In this report, I hope to show each view clearly and back it up with documentation. VIEW OF STATEHOOD Statehood supporters "see the United States as a union of 50 sovereign states united to give their citizens the best opportunity to succeed in life. "They believe that Puerto Rico is in a unique position to join this union and partake of the benefits, and responsibilities, of being an integral part of the United States of America. There are economic, social, and political advantages to becoming the 51st state." PROS OF STATEHOOD In the economics of Puerto Rico, statehood has many pros. The first is that Puerto Rico will receive taxes from their citizens to build the infrastructure of the state. They will have an open market to trade with all nations that are in alliance with the U.S. With becoming a state, Puerto Rico will enjoy the benefits of America's high per capita income and low unemployment rates. "Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States ... ...erto Rico will be able to enter into trade agreements with other free nations as it so chooses. Chris Dodd, Bill Bradley, Pat Moynihan, and various members of the CBO, of Yale University and Harvard University, and others comment on the Independence economic model in very favorable terms. Every major financial analyst and economist in both the academic and federal sectors have expressed appreciation and approval to the economic strategy as being fair, equitable and workable. In a worse case scenario, Puerto Rico will operate under a combined budget of six billion dollars. Puerto Rico would receive revenue from sources such as customs, parks, excise taxes, user-paid tolls, and service fess. That is what several other small, independent nations are doing right now. Allen, R.E. The Dialogues of Plato, Volume II. London: Yale University Press Publisher, 1991. Grant, Michael. Cicero, Selected Works. Blatimore: Penguin Books Publisher, 1960. Dolan, John P. The Essentials Erasmus. New York: The new American Library Publisher, 1964 Internet. Plato (circa 428-C.-347 B.C) Plato Page. http://www.connect.net/ron/plato.html. Hare, R.M. Plato. London: Oxford University Press, 1892

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Analysis of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Essay

Abstract Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is a report used by cities, and local governments to provide the public with their financial records each year, while adhering to government accounting standards board (GASB) guidelines. The report presents a comprehensive picture of the reporting entity’s financial condition, it provides how funds are spent and allocated throughout the year. Introduction I will be covering the Carlsbad CAFR for year ended 2011. The Beautiful city of Carlsbad is located along the coast of southern California. Carlsbad is known for its beautiful beaches, and lagoons which cover 1,000 Acres of nature preserves and hiking trails. Its history dates back to 1700, before becoming part of the United States, it was a territory of Spain and then Mexico, the shoreline of Carlsbad’s coastal lagoon was home to the indigenous Luiseno and Diegueà ±os Indians for centuries before the arrival of  the Spaniards (City of Carlsbad, n.d.). The current population of the city is approximately 107,000 residents; total area is 42 Sq. Miles (City of Carlsbad, n.d). The cities top business consists of hospitality, life science, sporting goods and recreation, and telecommunications. The city provides a wide range of services to residents such as; police, fire, infrastructure, and general administration, the CAFR provides detailed information about how these services are funded, and the type of the governmental funds allocated for these services. The city exhibits accountability and honesty by sharing the CAFR with its residents, in turn this builds trust in the residents toward their city, trust in that their hard earn money is being used in the appropriate services, and these funds are put back in to the maintenance and development of their communities. I will be presenting an analysis of Carlsbad’s comprehensive annual financial report for year ended 2011. The report consists of three sections that are introductory, financial, and statistical. Introductory Analysis The introductory for the city Carlsbad’s CAFR begins with a five-year vision statement, it is general vision statement, I find this very encouraging, and reassuring to present it before going into depth with the report. It includes the city’s economic goal, programs, policies, and decisions to be implemented by the city’s officials; it also lists the type of leadership, the open government policy, and they type of environmental services and how they are managed. Then one can find the Letter of Transmittal presented by the city’s finance department, addressed to the mayor, city council and citizens of Carlsbad. The letter is to explain why the CAFR is prepared, what is included in the CAFR, the guidelines followed such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and that GASB requirements were preserved in the report; the finance department received an auditing from the independent auditing firm Mayer Hoffman McCann, they also included where the resu lts of the auditing can be located which I will cover in the financial analysis later on. In addition the letter offers an audited governments internal control and compliance with legal requirements were in place. The letter also includes a profile of the city, stating the population, geographical location of the city, a section about the city of  Carlsbad community vision, budget process that explains priority projects for the city, and budgetary controls. Followed by factors affecting financial condition, in this section there are Economic profile, long term financial planning, and cash management. Economic profile covers economic strengths and weakness of the city, the city shows improvement in most of its General fund revenues, and is expecting to increase by $ 2.3 Million or 2.1 percent in fiscal year 2011-12, also weakness in residential housing market affected by property tax and 0.2 percent decrease is anticipated in coming year (City of Carlsbad, n.d.) One of the leading factors to the economic crisis in the United States was the housing market, this had affected Carlsbad negatively, house prices fell like many cities in the country, 8 percent in Carlsbad compare to last year, and the following is a chart showing the trend in housing prices in the city (City of Carlsbad, n.d.) Long term financial planning is states that it is the City’s Council’s goal to ensure that they city remains in good financial health, and the city has taken a number of steps to attain this goal, setting forth Growth Management Plan, the plan was adopted by the citizens, the plan ensures that all the necessary public facilities are either constructed along with development or that a financing plan is in place to pay for the facilities prior to the development of the property ,to ensure this plan is effective, an Infrastructure Replacement Fund was created, this fund sets aside money on a yearly basis for major maintenance and replacement of its infrastructure(City of Carlsbad, n.d.). The creation of this fun is a brilliant idea, so when the time come to make the necessary improvement the city would have the money ready, and it would not have to transfer money from other governmental funds. As the economy expected to slowly recover, and provide to support to the largest aspect of our economy, the housing market. The General fund revenue will continue to cover the ongoing cost as seen in the following graph (City of Carlsbad, n.d). The last part of the letter was informative about cash management, major initiatives and projects. The cash management section covers the investment programs, its procedures as well as its objectives. The major initiatives  and projects section goes in to detail about the upcoming projects, it also provides developments and the maintenance of these projects that are designed to strengthen and improve the community. Followed by the letter of transmittal are the Awards and acknowledgments, the government finance officers association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded the city of Carlsbad the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting to the city of Carlsbad for its CAFR. (City of Carlsbad, n.d.). A webpage called Carlsbadistan which is dedicated to new, events, and all things Carlsbad, stated that city of Carlsbad had been awarded for the 11th time the GFOA during 2009, with this CAFR dating June, 30 2011, this award would be the 12th award received by the city. The Introductory section concludes with a list of the city’s elected officials, leadership team, chairpersons, commissions and boards, and finally an organization chart of electorate. I found the introductory section and the information presented to be very well put, educational, easy to read and follow, the statistical numbers presented in the economic section, the cash management and investments were informative. This city has earned the 12th GFOA awards received, because they simplified yet very complex information that is presented year after year in the CAFR. Financial Analysis The financial section of the CAFR for the city of Carlsbad lists and analyzes the components of financial information for the city, which helps the reader understand the financial condition of the city for the year ended and the projected budgetary for the following year. This section includes Independent Auditors’ report, Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), and financial analysis of the city’s funds. The Independent Auditors’ report main purpose is to examine the financial information presented in the city’s financial statements, the independent auditors concluded the city’s governmental activities, business-type activities, and each major fund was represented in a fair matter, also in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles as of June 30, 2011. MD&A part includes an overview of financial statements, with a chart of the statements, it is informative about the type of financial statements such as Government-Wide fina ncial statements (â€Å"which are intended to provide  aggregated overview of a government’s net assets and changes in net assets†) (Wilson, E.R., Reck, J.L., & Kattelus), and fund financial statements, I thought it breaks down and simplifies the purpose of these statements in financial reporting. Particularly in the Changes in net assets, this has general overview revenues and expenses from 2010-2011, with 11.5% decline from previous year, 2011 revenue is 217.2 (Governmental activities 152.4 and Business-type activities), while expenses 26.1 had an increase of 1.4 %( Governmental activities 21.8 and Business activities 4.3). The chart for sources of revenue can be found in this section, the following are the sources of revenue for fiscal year 2010-2011 amounted to $217.2 Million, the breakdown was as followed: Contributions from property owners 11%, property taxes 26%, income from property & investments 5%, other taxes 4%, sales taxes 4% federal aid 4%, and finally the biggest contributor to revenue was charges for services 31%(City of Carlsbad, n.d.) The following is an overview of the Governmental and Business- type activities on page 25. Governmental activities had an increase in net assets of $21.8 Million, the increase was generated by total revenues of governmental activities of $ 152.2 Million ( $42.7 million in program revenues and $109.5 million in general revenues) offset by $130.3 million in total costs of governmental activities and $ 135,000 transfer to the solid waste fun ( City of Carlsbad, n.d.) And for those who are visual learner like me, here is the visual aid to show the breakdown of the Governmental activities program revenues and expenses (City of Carlsbad, n.d.) Business-type Activities components are water, golf course, wastewater, and solid waste, for these program revenues totaled $56.5 million for the year, and functional expenses $60.8 million(City of Carlsbad, n.d.). Financial Analysis of the city’s funds provides information regarding Governmental funds and Proprietary funds. Governmental funds are near-term, inflows, outflows and balances of spendable resources that are essential for assessing the city’s financing requirements. Under the Governmental funds one can find the General fund statement of revenue, expenditures, and changes in fund balance, the city’s revenue and expenditure for 2011 were as followed; Revenues saw an increase of 2.6% from previous year, total $111.6 Million, largest element of the revenue was taxes at $95.5 Million. Whereas  Expenditures largest element was public safety $44.2 Million, total expenses were 102.1 an there was an increase 1.0%. Ending fund balance in the statement was $13 0.4Million (City of Carlsbad, n.d.). As for the purpose Proprietary Funds in addition to operating revenues and expenses, is to provide short and long term financial information about the city’s Business-type activities, the operating revenues were $35.1 Million which exceeded operating expenses that were $747,000, this increase was due to the increase in water sales revenue to rates (City of Carlsbad, n.d.). This increase has a bitter sweet side to it, in one hand in revenue is a sign that the city is doing great under light of this depressive economy, on the other hand citizens of this could use a break from these increasing rates. Before moving on to the statements the city listed the contact information for the city’s financial management for questions about CAFR. Notes to financial Statements begin on page 59 of the report, it includes when the city was incorporated, a description and scopes of the reporting entity which have several components, I consider it a great way of presenting a conclusion for the report, it presents some of the information presents earlier in the report, such as Governmental wide and fund financial statements, the notes states why they reported and how they were reported. Also lists the type of the governmental funds included in the report such as general funds, and redevelopment debt service funds, as a reader I appreciated how each of these funds were defined and actually listed. In addition a list of the enterprise fund were introduced in this section, describing what they are for example Carlsbad municipal water district, golf course, waste water, and so on, and where are those funds allocated. Financial Standing Overview of the city’s financing over the past 10 fiscal years shows that the city has been doing great, and is experiencing a growth considering the tough economic situation the country has been facing, looking at the total net assets supports that growth. In 2002, city of Carlsbad had $740,000 in total net assets, while in 2011 the total net assets were $17Million (Carlsbad CAFR 2011, 120) I think one of the main reasons the economy in this city is holding up relatively well, is due to the housing market, the city location is the main factor why a lot of home buyers gravitate towards  it. Conclusion The CAFR for the city of Carlsbad was exceptionally interesting, informative, and easy to read and follow. Now wonder this city has earned the GFOA for consecutive 12 years. The introductory, financial and statistical sections had graphs and charts to explain and show how funds for this city was spent, which more so help the visual learners in the public to grasp the complicated accounting components of the report. References 1- The city of Carlsbad CAFR webpage http://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/departments/finance/Documents/2011%20CAFR.pdf 2- Carlsbadistan web page http://www.carlsbadistan.com/?p=5623 3- Accounting for Governmental and Nonprofit Entities(15th edition) 4- APA Reference Guide http://datel200.nu.edu/web/documents/APA.pdf