The secret sharer by joseph conrad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The secret sharer by joseph conrad - Essay Example The captain then meets Leggatt, a run away murderer. He was the chief mate in another ship by the name Sephora where he had killed a fellow crew member accidentally weeks ago (Conrad 38). They talk with the captain who tells him that he will hide him in his state room. The captain of Sephora comes looking for him but they do not find him. Nobody knows that Leggatt hides in the cabin and the captain keeps him as a secret. Leggatt asks the captain to drop him off in an island because he cannot go home and face incarceration. It is this rapport that assumes the central position of the entire account, hence the name â€Å"secret sharer†. Activities that follow include the captain commanding his crew to steer the ship close to the Kho-ring Island’s shores (). This marks the climax of the secret whereby even other members are still in dark the intentions of passing by those shores where they end up protesting but captain’s words were final. They steer to the shores giv ing Leggatt time to escape whereas on the other side where he emanated thought of him having committed suicide (Conrad

The Transmission Model Of Communications

The Transmission Model Of Communications Most professionals need a few theories to back up their thinking and also to help give substance to their recommendations. A few theories and models give us a concrete and rational foundation for decision-making. These are especially helpful when thinking about how to tackle an issue and how to work out what is going on. They are useful too when devising plans and writing communications strategies, explaining concepts to colleagues and clients or giving focus when we need direction. These are my ten top theories, the ones I have found most useful in over thirty years as a practitioner, consultant and lecturer. Theory One Shannon and Weaver the transmission model of communications One of the oldest and simplest theories about communications came from Shannon and Weaver (1949). But Shannon and Weaver were not PR professionals; they worked for Bell Telephone Labs in the USA. Shannon and Weaver were focused on issues about accuracy and efficiency in telephony. Their model is both simple to understand and generally applicable and this originally made it attractive to not only people working in PR and communications but also academics who have since developed more sophisticated models and theories to explain the process of human and organisational communications. Shannon and Weavers original model often called the transmission model consisted of five sequential elements: An information source, that produces a message. A transmitter, that encodes the message into signals A channel, that carries the signals, which have been adapted to allow transmission A receiver, that decodes the message from the signal A destination, where the message arrives. They also included a sixth element, noise, defined as any interference with the message travelling along the channel that could change or impair the signal and so change the original message into something different from that intended. This transmission model, which has been around for a long time, is somewhat simplistic. But it does serve as a reminder to practitioners about the basic processes involved in communications and in PR. Its also the basis for social scientist and guru on propaganda Harold Lasswells explanation of communications as being Who says What to Whom in What Channel with What Effect Shannon and Weaver argued that there are three problems when thinking about communications: The technical problem: how accurately can the message be transmitted? The semantic problem: how precisely is the meaning conveyed? The effectiveness problem: how effectively does the received meaning affect behaviour? They assumed that sorting out the technical problems would largely solve the semantic and effectiveness problems (and that really is simplistic). You can see that there are a few problems with this model. It is linear and one-way there is no engagement with the receiver. The sender is called the information source it is not a complex sender. The receiver appears to be a passive and accepting, a simple and willing absorber of information, hardly a critical interpreter of what he or she is exposed to. There is no way to assess whether the receiver has accurately picked up the message and then believed it or acted upon it. There is no consideration of the context of meaning (is this teacher to parent, politician to floating voter?). Nor to when in terms of time the communication takes place. But then again this theory was devised by and for telecommunications engineers. Consequently this simple model cannot reflect the complex psychology of the human being or the physiology of the human brain. Nor does it accommodate the existing relationships between sender and receiver, or the infinite ways a message can be encoded in term s of words and pictures. Also it does not allow for the unique characteristics of the multiple channels that could be use d to get the message across and that affect how a message will be seen and interpreted. So theor y one is a useful start point. Theory Two James Carey transportation/communications links http://wyolife.com/Thank%20US/morse%20telegraph.jpg Invention and technology have a huge part to play in the development of corporate communications. James Carey was an American academic and journalism specialist. In his book Communication As Culture (1989) Carey discussed the development of the telegraph and its understated role in future developments in communication. The non-electric telegraph was invented by Claude Chappe in 1794 and was a visual system using semaphore, a flag-based alphabet, and depending on a line of sight for communication. The optical telegraph was subsequently replaced by the electric telegraph, the invention of Samuel Morse. Morse proved that signals could be transmitted by wire and, to facilitate this developed the Morse Code. The first news dispatched by electric telegraph was in May 1844. The death knell for the electric telegraph came with the invention of the telephone in 1877. So before the nineteenth century the movement of information was more or less the same as the transport of goods or people and both were described as communication. Before the telegraph (and the telephone) most decisions particularly business and political decisions were made face to face. Carey argued that the telegraph permitted for the first time the effective separation of communication from transportation. So after the telegraph, as soon as messages could travel faster than the people, horses or trains that delivered them, everything changed, in terms of how humans communicated across distances and over time. Geography became irrelevant, enabling communities to move away from the local, towards the national, and international or global. The telegraph allowed people from one side of the world to communicate almost instantaneously with someone on the other side of the world. How quaint this seems in todays digital world but this helps us look at the origins of modern communication. Because this shows to some extent where plain English came from. The short brief telegraph demanded a prose style that Carey noted was more à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦lean and unadorned. Think of a tweetà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. So all those years ago it was the simple old telegraph that first called for the plainest of writing and, as a knock-on effect, changed the way news was written. At the same time style became more objective because these words would be read by individuals of many different beliefs and opinions, from many different communities, regions and countries. Technological advances continue to have a huge impact on how we practice communications on what messages work, on how we encode our message, on what channels to use so that the receiver sees and hears it accurately and so on. The meaning of the message comes from the process listeners, readers and/or viewers go through when they make sense of what they see, hear and feel. Meaning is not extracted from but constructed by the message. Its clear that, while we dont need to be technician, everyone working in the field of communications must keep abreast of developments in technology because you can bet your bottom dollar they will have an impact of professional communications practice. Theory Three Grunig and Hunts Four Models for Public Relations Managing Public Relations written by Grunig and Hunt (1984) highlighted four models for how organizations can chose to practice public relations. The four models developed more or less chronologically through the twentieth century. This is the most often cited theory of public relations and these theories are still relevant, taught as part of graduate, post-graduate and vocational qualifications across the UK and overseas. The Four Models Press agent model one way communication where an organization tells an audience what it wants it to believe. Little or no research to determine audiences needs interests or inclinations to agree with the organisations objectives. This is the simple, original, historic model for PR with the focus on getting favourable coverage (ie publicity) for your organization, cause, celebrity, brand via the media. One -way transfer of information No feedback Little or no research Information is not always accurate all publicity is good publicity Public information model a journalists approach to public relations, offers truthful accurate information about an organisation leaving our damaging or harmful information. This model developed pretty much as a reaction to attacks on large corporations and government agencies by investigative journalists. The leaders of these institutions needed more than simple propaganda peddled by press agents to counter the attacks on them in the media. So they hired their own journalists to act as public relations practitioners, and press handouts were written and distributed to give their point of view and explain actions. This is also the model where essential information is provided to the people and persuasion or attitude change is not essential. Examples might be letting people know about the weather, about road traffic, or internally about new appointments and soon. The approach is very much lets get the facts out. One way transfer of information Some evaluation on effectiveness Little or no research about the audience(s) Used most often by government Truthful and accurate Two-way asymmetrical model emphasises a change in attitudes or behaviours in the audience only in accordance with the objectives and goals of the organisation. Persuasive communication really has its origins here. In 1917 during World War 1 US President Woodrow Wilson set up The Creel Committee (AKA CPI Committee on Public Information). Committee members included the so-called founder of modern public relations practice, social scientist Edward Bernays. Communications took a more scientific approach that made the practice two-way with practitioners both seeking information from and giving information to publics. Theories introduced by Bernays were those of propaganda, persuasion, and the engineering of consent. This model is clearly at work when attempts are made to influence publics to adopt a preferred point of view or behaviour. Research provides input into the process (for example research into why people buy a new car help manufacturers create motivating relevant messages). Scientific persuasion Two-way transfer of information Research done to persuade audience(s) Messages created to persuade Model slanted in favour of organization The two-way symmetrical model uses research to better understand the audience and to resolve disputes. Each party the sender and receiver is willing to alter messages and even behaviours to accommodate the others needs. The two-way symmetrical model makes use of research and other forms of two-way communication. Unlike the two-way asymmetrical model, however, it uses research to facilitate understanding and communication rather than to identify messages most likely to motivate or persuade publics. A good example might be management and workforce in a consultation process enabling a change of policies and practices resulting in higher productivity and better pay and conditions. This model includes ideas and principles like telling the truth, interpreting the client and public to one another and management understanding the viewpoints of employees and neighbours as well as employees and neighbours understanding the viewpoints of management. It is perhaps a communications ideal as many organisations are unwilling to go all the way and engage so fully with audiences as they wish to retain the concept of control. It could be argued that modern technology and digital communications is forcing even the most reluctant organisation to have to consider this model seriously to maintain a competitive or an ethical position that enhances reputation. Behaviour change on both sides Research done to understand, not manipulate, the audience Strategies include consultation, bargaining, negotiation , discussion, compromise Best model of communication? http://tidforlivet.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/tabell.png https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQVEJk2oJlvwJIQ1hFPbnN7ZbquS8C89mTdmcDSzbZOtwuDhCv5YScFBaKXxKcCGj-DSGU84eUIDeKq7fTg-H6jT5vQqps9kOEvkhbFnrekHmEYYnSUZwI6oXEu6Bp864uQ2AoUI02BI/s400/Ethical_Influence.png http://www.derekchristensen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/cialdini-influence-chart.png Theory Four Robert Cialdini and Influence Arguably one of the key tasks of corporate communications is to influence others to comply with what you want; which may be to understand an issue, engage in debate, prefer or like or support your point of view, or behave a different way. Robert Cialdini, Regents Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University has made influence his lifes work. Having observed extensively how influence works by studying compliance professionals (people skilled in getting others to do what they want them to do salespeople, fundraisers, recruiters, advertisers and so on) he published, in 1984, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. I was given this book when I worked in the advertising industry and I go back to these ideas time and time again. Cialdini arrived at what he called his six weapons of influence and we can see these six principles at work in many successful PR and communications programmes. But do take care influence in the wrong hands becomes manipulation. There are many examples when this thinking has been used for evil ends. Use these strategies for good, not to persuade people to do things that are wrong. Examine your conscience and apply this thinking ethically 1. Reciprocity People generally aim to return a compliment. They invite people to come to dinner having been invited themselves; they pay back debts; they treat others as they are treated. Its youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. This leads us to feel obliged to offer concessions or discounts to others if they have offered them to us first because we feel uncomfortable if we feel indebted to them. For example youll giving money to a fundraiser who has given you a little badge or sticker; a free tasting of a new food product in-store may make you buy a pack; you might decide to buy more from a supplier if they have offered you preferential terms first. You can sometimes use this principle by simply reminding the other person of how you have helped them in the past. Key thing is to give a service, information or a concession. Your target will then be primed to return the favour. To use reciprocity ethically to influence others, identify objectives, and consider wha t you want the target to do. You can then identify what you can give to them in return. 2. Commitment and Consistency Once weve committed to something, were then more inclined to go through with it because, says Cialdini, we human beings have an innate desire to be consistent. For example people who sign a petition supporting a new community facility are more likely to donate money to that cause when asked later. Get peoples commitment early on, either verbally or in writing. For example, if the communications programme is building support for the building of a new supermarket, communicate early on with stakeholders, and take their comments and views into account. 3. Social Proof This principle relies on peoples sense of safety in numbers because people tend to follow similar others. For example, were more likely put some money into a dish for staff tips if theres money already in that dish, well buy a product if lots of others have done so and provide testimonials that its good and and were more likely to support a policy if support seems high already. The assumption is that if lots of other people are doing something, then it must be OK, safe to do, good, right to do too. Were more likely to be influenced if we feel uncertain and, another key factor, is whether those people already behaving a certain way are like us in terms of lifetsage and lifestyle. Internally you could use social proof when trying to get support for a new project by getting the support from influential people in your organisation whose opinions others respect. And if you are selling a product, say how many people use it and get them to recommend it on social networking sites. 4 Liking Were more likely to be influenced by people we like. And people are more likely to buy from people like themselves, from friends, and from people they know and respect. Likability comes in many forms people might be similar or familiar to us, they might give us compliments, or we may just simply trust them.. Put in the time and effort needed to build trust and rapport with clients and people you work with, and behave with consistency. Develop your emptional intelligence together with active listening skils. But dont try too hard to be liked by others people can always spot a phoney. Companies that use sales agents from within the community employ the liking principle extensively and with huge success. 5. Authority We feel a sense of duty or obligation to people in positions of authority. This is why advertisers of pharmaceutical products employ doctors to front their campaigns, and why most of us will do most things that our manager requests. Job titles, uniforms, and even accessories like cars or gadgets can lend an air of authority, and can persuade us to accept what these people say. 6. Scarcity This principle says that things are more attractive when their availability is limited, or when we stand to lose the opportunity to acquire them on favorable terms. For instance, we might buy something immediately if were told that its the last one, or that a special offer will soon expire. Authority Here you can use both your own authority, and the authority of others, as influencers. When you use your own authority, be careful not to use it negatively. Our article onFrench and Ravens Five Forms of Power has more on different sources of power, and explains how you can use power and authority positively. To use authority, get support from influential and powerful people, and ask for their help in backing the idea. (Use Influence Maps to help you network with people who can help.) If youre marketing a product or service, highlight well-known and respected customers, use comments from industry experts, and talk about impressive research or statistics. Things like well-produced brochures, professional presentations, impressive offices, and smart clothing can also lend authority. Scarcity With this principle, people need to know that theyre missing out if they dont act quickly. If youre selling a product, limit the availability of stock, set a closing date for the offer, or create special editions of products. This principle can be trickier to apply within your organization if youre trying to influence others to support your ideas or projects. You can, however, use urgency to get support for your ideas. For example, you can highlight the possible urgent consequences of the problem that your idea helps to solve. http://www.mindtools.com/images/box/top460grey.png Tip: Remember that these are just six ways that you can influence others. Use these principles alongside other tools such as the Rhetorical Triangle, Monroes Motivated Sequence, Win-Win Negotiation, the Persuasion Tools Model, and the Minority Influence Strategy. You can also use Stakeholder Analysis and Management to build support for your ideas and projects. http://www.mindtools.com/images/box/bottom460grey.png Resisting Influence You can also use this tool when others are trying to influence you. In these situations, bear the following points in mind: Before accepting a free gift or a discounted service, or before agreeing to hear confidential information, ask yourself whether youre going to feel obliged to give the same or more in return. Should you decline, so that you dont feel indebted? Before agreeing to a course of action, even at a very preliminary level, think about the consequences of your decision. Will you feel so invested in this new course of action that you wont want to change your mind? Though everyone else is pursuing a particular route or buying a product, it may not be right for you. Avoid falling victim to the herd mentality. You might decide that its best to go against the trend. When you feel tempted to buy a product or sign up for a service, ask yourself whether youve fallen under the spell of a particularly likable salesperson. Is the salesperson similar to you, familiar to you, or extremely complimentary? Carefully note your reaction to authority figures. Has the person youre negotiating with triggered your respect for authority? Are you making your choice because you want to, or are you swayed by an expert opinion? And does this person genuinely have the authority he is implying, or is he merely using the symbols of that authority? Before you fall for a sales pitch claiming that a product is running out of stock or that a discount deal is soon to expire, think again. Do you really want or need the product now, or has its lack of availability caught your attention? http://www.mindtools.com/images/box/top460grey.png Key Points The Six Principles of Influence were created by Robert Cialdini, and published in his 1984 book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. The principles are: reciprocity, commitment, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. You can use the six principles whenever you want to influence or persuade others. However, its also useful to use them with other tools. And, by knowing about the principles, you can become resistant to people who try to use them to manipulate you. You also need to make sure that you dont misuse these principles avoid using them to deceive or mislead people, and make sure that you use them for peoples good, rather than to disadvantage them. Theory Five Patrick Jackson and others the people change ladder Patrick Jackson was a public relations practitioner working in the US he and others considered the steps communicators has to go though in order to effect behaviour change Build awareness eg publicity, advertising, face to face communications Develop a latent readiness an inclination to make change during which opinions begin to form Trigger a desire to change via a natural or planned event Utilise an intermediate behaviour during which an individual begins to investigate new behaviours Changing behaviours and adopting the new behaviour Theory Six Mendelsohns Three Assumptions for Success Mendelsohn (1973) believed campaigns often failed because campaign designers overpromised, assumed the public would automatically receive and enthusiastically accept their messages, and blanketed the public with messages not properly targeted and likely to be ignored or misinterpreted. His Three Assumptions are still a touchstone for communications planning 1.Target your messages 2. Assume your target public is uninterested in your messages. 3. Set reasonable, midrange goals and objectives. Theory Seven Hierarchy of effects theory of persuasion This is a sequential representation of how advertising in particular influences a consumers decision to purchase or not a product or service. The hierarchy-of-effects theory is used to set up a structured series of message objectives with the aim of building on each successive step until the sale is achieved. Although this model is often used to plan advertising campaign it is a useful one to look at in relation to PR campaigns as often these too require a stepped approach. This thinking informs AMECs communications objectives funnel (see section on measurement and evaluation) Step 1 Exposure. Some PR programmes get no further than this just putting the message out. But just placing a message in an environment cannot guarantee it is seen or acknowledged. Step 2 Attention Even paid-for placed advertising will fail if the audience is not paying attention. A PR message must be capable of attracting attention and cutting through the noise of daily life. Complex messages have to capture even higher levels of attention, especially with attention spans diminishing as they are. Creativity, presentation and encoding are key elements at this stage. Carefully selected culturally specific and acceptable multi-sensory PR and communications techniques, using symbols, colours and music, are used to grab peoples attention and wake them up. Some aspects of attention are controlled by the potential receiver and some are involuntary responses to sensory cues. A sudden noise, for example, can get someones attention (essentially a human response mechanism to ensure quick responses to danger.) Conversely something amusing will draw attention because the receiver enjoys seeing it. Advertising practitioners may use physiological triggers like fast cut video to get and retain attention. But this is exhausting process requiring high levels of mental processing. So sometimes even though attention is gained, the desired message is lost in term sof being able to remember wht that was all about. Step 3 Involvement/Engagement Although research indicates people pay attention to sudden changes in sounds or visual effects, its true too that they stop paying attention if a message seems irrelevant, uninteresting, or distasteful. Messages that are relevant keep people interested and make them primed to absorb the information. This is essentially saying that communications needs to answer the question Whats in it for me? Once that is demonstrated, techniques like storytelling, examples and case histories and the use of novel content keeps the receiver engaged and interested. Step 4 Comprehension Keeping the receivers attention does not ensure he or she will understand the message. Step 5 Skill acquisition (learning how). Well-intentioned people may be unable to follow through on an idea if they lack the skills to do so. Potential voters without transportation to the polls will not vote; intended nonsmokers will not quit smoking without social support; interested restaurant patrons will not come if they cannot afford it; parents interested in a civic betterment program will not attend a meeting if they do not have child care. An effective campaign anticipates the target publics needs to provide the help they require. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), for example, found, through a Burke Marketing survey, that many people had a passive attitude about fire, many believed they had much more time to escape than they really do, and only 16% had developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. As a result, NFPAs 1998 Fire Safety Week promotion focused on teaching students about fire escape planning and practice, with incentives to encourage them to part icipate in a documented practice drill with their families. Although the Silver Anvil Award-winning campaign generated an enormous amount of publicity, the most dramatic result was that at least 25 lives were saved as a direct result of the families participation in the promotion. Step6 Persuasion (attitude change). Although McGuire listed this step following skills acquisition, attitude change often precedes skill development. People who lack the skills to follow through on an idea may tune out the details, figuring it is not relevant for them. Attitude change is another of the necessary but often insufficient steps in the persuasion process. Sometimes, however, attitude change is all that is necessary, particularly if the goal of a campaign is to increase a publics satisfaction with an organization in order to avoid negative consequences such as lawsuits, strikes, or boycotts. Usually, however, a campaign has an outcome behavior in mind. In that case, remember that people often have attitudes inconsistent with their behaviors. Many smokers believe smoking is a bad thing but still smoke. Many nonvoters say voting is important and they intend to vote, but they still fail to show up on election day. Step 7 Storing the new position in memory emory storage. This step is important because people receive multiple messages from multiple sources all day, every day. For them to act on your message, they need to remember it when the appropriate time comes to buy a ticket, make a telephone call, fill out a form, or attend an event. They need to be able to store the important information about your message in their memory, which may not be easy if other messages received simultaneously demand their attention. Key elements of messages, therefore, need to be communicated in ways that make them stand out for easy memorization. Step 8. Information retrieval. Simply storing information does not ensure that it will be retrieved at the appropriate time. People might remember your special event on the correct day but forget the location. Reminders or memory devices such as slogans, jingles, and refrigerator magnets can help. Step 9. Motivation (decision). This is an important step that many campaign designers forget in their own enthusiasm for their campaign goals.Remember Mendelsohns (1973) admonition that people may not be interested in the campaign? They need reasons to follow through. The benefits need to outweigh the costs. In addition, the benefits must seem realistic and should be easily obtained. The more effort required on the part of the message recipients the less likely it is that they will make that effort. If the message recipients believe a proposed behavior is easy, will have major personal benefits, or is critically important, they are more likely to act. The challenge for the program planner is to discover what will motivate the target audience successfully, an issue addressed later in this chapter. Elgin DDB of Seattle, when asked to help reduce Puget Sound curbside disposal of grass clippings by 5%, realized motivation would be an important focus. Focus groups and phone surveys indica ted that the target group, male homeowners aged 25 to 65, had an interest in grass-cycling but needed the proper tools to make it easy and practical. As a result, they arranged to recycle consumers old polluting gas mowers for free at a special event and sell Torro and Ryobi mulch mowers at below the normal retail price, with an additional rebate. With a goal of selling 3,000 mowers, they sold 5,000. They hoped to remove 1,500 gas mowers from the market and ended up recycling approximately 2,600. And, as for their original goal of reducing curbside disposal of grass clippings by 5%? They more than tripled the target amount, reducing grass clippings by 17%, winning a 1999 Silver Anvil Award. 10. Behavior. Success often is measured in terms of behaviors such as sales or attendance figures. Marketing experts, however, know that getting someones business once does not guarantee long-term success. One study (Building Customer, 1996) found that keeping customers loyal can boost profits up to 80%. As a result, the program planner needs to do everything possible to ensure that behavior attempts

My favorate stock :: essays research papers

Stock name: ADVANCED NEUROMODULATION SYSTEMS INC. Stock symbol: AISI.O SECTOR: Healthcare INDUSTRY: Medical Equipment & Supplies Overview Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc. (ANSI), designs, develops, manufactures and markets advanced implantable neuromodulation devices that improve the quality of life for people suffering from chronic pain. Neuromodulation devices include implantable neurostimulation devices, which deliver electric current directly to targeted nerves, and implantable drug pumps, which deliver small, precisely controlled doses of drugs directly to targeted sites within the body. GROWTH RATES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 Year  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 Years  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 Years Sales %  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  32.57  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  47.12  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  27.54 EPS %  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  33.80  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  103.45  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.06 Dividend %  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM REVENUE Quarters  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2003  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2004 MAR  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8,341  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11,473  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  19,671  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26,633 JUN  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9,205  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13,423  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22,324  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30,488 SEP  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9,900  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14,328  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23,419  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  31,330 DEC  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10,470  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  18,148  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25,668  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  32,293 Totals  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  37,916  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  57,372  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  91,082  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  120,744 Note: Units in Thousands of U.S. Dollars EARNINGS PER SHARE Quarters  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2003  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2004 MAR  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.053  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.133  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.190 JUN  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.027  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.090  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.140  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.210 SEP  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.033  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.100  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.190  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.230 DEC  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.047  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.127  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.180  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.240 Totals  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.107  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.370  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.643  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.870 Note: Units in U.S. Dollars Quick Financial Synopsis Advanced Neuromodulation Systems designs, develops, manufactures and markets implantable neuromodulation for chronic back pain or nervous system disorders. For the FY ended 12/31/04, revenues rose 33% to $120.7M. Net income rose 37% to $18.2M. Revenues reflect increased unit sales from Neuro Products and O.E.M. business segments. Net income also reflects increased operating margin as well as increased investment income. Actual revenue and EPS for the latest fiscal year Actual revenue: $US 120.7 millions Recent share price and date $US 27.23 March 29, 2005 Month of the company ¡Ã‚ ¯s fiscal year end December Indicate annual dividend per share 0.00 Valuation Valuation Ratios RATIO COMPARISON Valuation Ratios  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sector  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S&P 500 P/E Ratio (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  32.54  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  33.55  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28.97  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  21.43 P/E High - Last 5 Yrs.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  60.54  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  50.30  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  42.31 P/E Low - Last 5 Yrs.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  20.88  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22.65  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  19.88  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.75 Price to Sales (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4.89  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4.94  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.21  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.87 Price to Book (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.55  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.53  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4.99  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.92 Price to Tangible Book (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.04  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.94  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11.83  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.15 Price to Cash Flow (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.55  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.93  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  21.91  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14.76 Price to Free Cash Flow (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  367.76  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  32.72  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30.18  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25.30 % Owned Institutions  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  95.00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28.56  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  47.26  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  65.58   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dividends Dividends  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sector  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S&P 500 Dividend Yield  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.79  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.17  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.12 Dividend Yield - 5 Year Avg.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.45  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.04  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.58 Dividend 5 Year Growth Rate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10.54  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11.37  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9.06 Payout Ratio (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.02  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  29.38  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  29.26   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Growth Rates Growth Rates (%)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sector  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S&P 500 Sales (MRQ) vs. Qtr. 1 Yr. Ago  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25.81  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  19.33  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.07  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  17.60 Sales (TTM) vs TTM 1 Yr. Ago  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  32.57  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22.67  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.33  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.81 Sales - 5 Yr. Growth Rate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  27.54  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.88  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.01  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9.76 EPS (MRQ) vs Qtr. 1 Yr. Ago  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  36.72  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.87  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.47  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.59 EPS (TTM) vs TTM 1 Yr. Ago  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  34.01  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.50  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9.68  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.79 EPS - 5 Yr. Growth Rate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.06  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  27.20  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.01  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.64 Capital Spending - 5 Yr. Growth Rate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.42  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.33  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11.59  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.15   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Financial Strength Financial Strength  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sector  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S&P 500 Quick Ratio (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.84  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.99  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.94  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.20 Current Ratio (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  18.78  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.79  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.54  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.69 LT Debt to Equity (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.38  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.37  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.63 Total Debt to Equity (MRQ)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.44  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.44  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0.79 Interest Coverage (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NM  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  17.38  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10.81  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11.87   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Profitability Ratios Profitability Ratios (%)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sector  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S&P 500 Gross Margin (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  73.42  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  63.67  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  68.92  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  46.09 Gross Margin - 5 Yr. Avg.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  64.02  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  62.12  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  68.29  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  45.61 EBITD Margin (TTM)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.87  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.66  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.68  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  21.60 EBITD - 5 Yr.

Native American Headdresses

Headdresses are a great symbol of the American traditional attire. They are a representative of the beautiful American art work. Most of the headdresses in the American art history have been associated with the Indians and South Americans . The history of the headdresses can be traced back in the sixteenth century. Since then the Americans have had a variety of headdresses all which are made in different styles and decorations. The headdresses also had various means and were worn during specific occasions (Beamer,23).The paper discusses a collection of the native American head dresses, how they were made, when they were worn , the ethnic groups associated with them as well as the differences between the headdresses. One of the headdresses in the native American history is the Feather war bonnet. The war bonnets were made of feather and were very common in the western movies and television shows. This war bonnets remain the best among the Indian headdresses in America. They were worn by most of the Indian tribes in the Great Plains who included the Cheyenne, Plains Cree, Black feet,Crow and the Sioux.The bonnets were worn during formal events. The bonnets were made of three types which included the Trailer war bonnet, Halo Warbonnet and the strait-up warbonnets. All the three types were made from tail feathers of the Golden eagle. Every single feather used in the artwork had to be worn from very brave actions. some of the feathers were painted red in colour to commemorate certain events or deeds. Other decorations added to the feathers included the ermine skin and also beautiful bead work. The war bonnets were very crucial regalia worn by the chiefs and the warriors during ceremonies.This war bonnet was exclusively a masculine headdress and was not worn worn by the women even if they went to war or they were chiefs (Taylor,113). The Indian men wore this bonnet sometimes when they were fighting although it was usually reserved for the formal occasions. In the 18t h century, the native American men started to were the warbonnets to boost the American tourist industry. As the native American tribes divided, Indian tribes assumed different territories and they attached different means to the traditional regalia. The new tribes that were formed adopted the warbonnet as fashion and a general regalia that symbolized authority.As for the traditional plains Indians they referred to the feather warbonnet as a holy symbol of men's courage and honor. Each of the feathers in the bonnet had it own different tale. Today, the Eagle feathers are still honored by the plains Indians and they are awarded to those who work in the armies and also those who perform very brave actions (James, 67) The Roach Headdresses which are also referred to as the porcupine Roaches were also very famous headdresses among the Indians in the United States. It was common among the tribes that lived in the east side of the Rocky Mountains.This type of headdresses were made from ve ry stiff animal hair mostly from the porcupine guard hair, the deer's tail hair and the moose hair. The hair was designed to stand up straight from the head and this was made possible by attaching the hair to a leather base or bone hair ornaments. The hair was normally dyed to enhance its with bright colours. Other decorations that were attached to the regalia were feathers and shells. The roach headdress was worn differently depending on the tribes of the men wearing it. It was normally worn by the dancers and the traditional warriors.They were also masculine headdresses and they were therefore not worn by women. Different tribes attached different meanings to the Roach Headdress. Most of the tribes wore the headdress during war or battle. Other tribes wore the roaches as traditional dancing regalia and also as a sports gear. Today the roaches are important dancing regalia for males in most Indian tribes (Beamer,27). In the west of the rocky mountains, there was another common head dress commonly known as the basket hats among the native Americans. The hats were made of different shapes and styles by the different native tribes.The Indian tribes from California made small rounded hats that were usually made from tight coiled sumac (James, 69). The coastal tribes, the Haida and the Salish made large hats which were more round from spruce root or cedar bark fibers. This regalia was generally feminine and was worn by women and girls. The hats were made in very decorative styles to enhance their beauty. The regalia was worn during ceremonies and also as a dancing regalia. This baskets had a special symbol of giving information about the person s clan, status and also ones achievements in the tribe(Taylor,118).Another popular regalia by the native Americans was the feather headbands. This was a headdress that was common among very few communities in the northeast woodlands of America. The head band was made from finger woven and also beaded skin from the deer . The woven band would then be tied around one or two feathers. They used a variety of feathers from the eagles, hawk, turkey, crane feathers and also egret feathers. The headband was unisex and could be worn by both men and women. Unlike most regalia's , the headband was not associated with war or battles.The feathers that were used to make the band were not attached to any special meaning although the eagle feathers were always associated with the warriors. They were worn for their beauty and they were therefore very decorated using different patterns, beads and also quill work (Creighton, 98). Buffalo headdress is also another traditional regalia associated with the warriors from the plains Indians. They were kind of helmets made from the buffalo hides and had a pair of buffalo horns attached to them. The headdress was also containing shaggy fur from the buffalo skin and a tail was attached behind.Just like the warbonnets, the horned headdresses signified the tribes spiritual believes and was also worn during ceremonies. The regalia was worn by very distinguished male warriors. It was less common than the war bonnet because only a few communities used it and it was also meant for very few persons who had certain specific brave actions (Milia, 57). The Otter fur turbans were also among the traditional regalia worn during ceremonies. They were made of fur and with a hanging tail. They were usually decorated with beads. They were formal headdresses with great symbolic significance.They were worn during formal events by the warriors who were not entering battle. To date, the otter caps are worn during formal events by the men from the southern Plains Indians (Beamer,54). The Mexican, central and also the South Americans had their own headdresses which were made from feathers. This headdresses were very different from the war bonnets which were also made from feathers. The Aztecs and the Mayans who made this head dresses used to sew together many feathers which were then attached at the back of their heads using straps. The eagle feathers were not used to make this regalia.They used the feathers from the macaw, parrot and the Quetzal feathers. The head dress was also unisex and could be worn by both men and women. They were not associated with the war but they were used to signify nobility in the Aztec empire. Today they are worn by the dancers form Guatemala and also from Mexico (Taylor,221). Another famous headdresses worn by the native Americans were the masks. The most famous mask is the American Indian mask. The masks were used for religious functions. The masks were made in different types in respective to the different communities making them.Most of the Masks were made of the head and also skulls of very crucial animals. This included animals such as the buffalo bull, the wolf and also the bear. Other masks were curved from wood and were then decorated using fur and leather. The masks were normally worn by men as a dancing regalia (Beam er,72). Other Traditional head dresses include the Iroquois gustoweh cap, the Hupa Flicker headdress, the Seminole cloth turban and the Pueblo headband. This were all masculine head dresses. The feathers that made the Gustoweh symbolize the specific tribe an individual came from.For example, three feathers attached to the gustoweh showed that the specific individual came from the Mohawk tribe. The flicker head dresses were worn by men from the northern California as a dancing regalia(Milia, 88). It was made from very wide leather strips which were decorated with the woodpecker's red scalps. The cloth turban was common during the eighteenth century. They were also decorated using feathers and were very common among the different native American tribes. The other head dresses which were common among the women include the Cayuga beaded tiara, peaked hood, the Eskimo dance headdress and the Wishram bridal headdress.The tiara was normally worn during formal events while the Wishram was w orn during wedding ceremonies (James, 86). In conclusion the native Americans had a variety of the traditional headdresses. They are still present today and they are sold in most headdress shops. They are very important to the Americans since they preserve their culture especially to the Indian-Americans. They are also a tourist attraction for both the domestic and the international tourists who are interested in the history of the native American art work. Work cited Arlene B.Hirschfelder, Yvonne Beamer. Native Americans Today: Resources and Activities for Educators, Grades 4-8. Published by Libraries Unlimited, 2000,p 23-76 Colin F. Taylor. The American Indian: The Indigenous People Of North America. Courage Books, 2002, p112-223 Davenport, Milia. The Book of Costume. New York, Crown Publishers, 1948, p 54-97 Gilbert, Creighton. History of Renaissance Art throughout Europe. New York, Harry N. Abrams, 1973, p65-105 Laver, James. Costume and Fashion. A Concise History. New York, Tha mes and Hudson, 1985, p 67-89

Mcdonalds Energy Drink Research Report

McEnergy 1 Energy Drink Research Report For McDonalds Corporation Marketing Research, Unit 9 8 August 2011 McEnergy 2 Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to investigate past trends and forecasts of the energy drink market. Included in this report, is information on market size, target population and statistical data on growth history and growth projections. The aim is to determine if adding energy drinks to McDonalds offerings will create a profitable segment for their menu. The market research collected and contained in this report consists of secondary data. This research was authorized by: McDonalds Corporation. Current market research shows that the energy drink market has grown into a multi-billion dollar business, which has been reported as being the fastest growing segment in the beverage industry since bottled water. The US energy drink industry is expected to more than double in the 5 years preceding 2013. (Comprehensive Reviews) Eighteen to twenty-four year olds or college students are the largest segment of energy drink consumers. NutritionJ) The conclusion of this report suggests that the growth of the energy drink market has been greater than most other liquid refreshment beverage sectors in the US in the past five years and that this trend will continue. It is recommended that McDonalds Corporation add energy drinks to their offerings and target college-aged students. Introduction Fast food consumption in the US has declined during the rece nt economic crisis. To stay profitable, many fast food chains have introduced low-cost or â€Å"value† items too keep sales up. Along with low-cost items, many fast food chains have added specialized items or niche items to attract customers that can more conveniently buy these at a fast food store. McEnergy 3 Energy drinks have continued to gain popularity since Red Bull was launched in 1997. More than 500 new energy drinks were launched worldwide in 2006 and beverage companies are reaping the rewards of the exploding energy drink industry. This report examines the energy drink market and its potential to become a niche item in a fast food chain along with the population to target. Methods This report was conducted using a secondary statistical data and secondary research that was gathered using a focus group and survey of college age participants. The statistical data was obtained from New York City-based Beverage Marketing Corporation which is the leading research firm dedicated to the global beverage industry. The statistical data regarding the previous growth patterns and growth forecasts will be discussed in the results. The focus group and survey were done by Nutrition Journal and focuses on energy drink consumption patterns among college students. The survey was based on responses from a 32-member college student focus group and a field test, a 19-item survey was used to energy drink consumption patterns of 496 randomly surveyed college students. (nutritionj) The population was defined as undergraduate students at a state university located in the Central Atlantic Region of the United States. 85% of the undergraduates were 18-24 years of age, 12% were 25-40 years of age and 3% 41 years of age or older. Sixty two percent of the entire student body is female. The sampling units were individual college students that were generated with a McEnergy 4 non-probability method of asking students around campus if they would like to participate. (Nutritionj) Results Fifty one percent of participants reported consuming at least one, energy drinks a month. Thirty four percent of participant reported consuming at least two energy drinks a month. Table 1 % of college energy drink users reporting amount and frequency of energy drink consumption by situation in an average month Energy drinks consumed Days/month ________________________________________________ Situation n 1 2 >2 1-4 5-10 >10 Insufficient Sleep 169 64 22 14 74 18 8 Need general energy 165 63 21 16 74 18 8 Studying or project 125 50 36 14 85 10 5 Driving long distance 114 63 23 14 86 9 5 With alcohol 136 27 24 49 73 18 9 Treat hangover 42 74 10 16 74 14 12 N= 253 college energy drink users (nutritionj) The US refreshment beverage market grew by 1. 2% in 2010The growth of the energy drinks market is up 5. 4% in the past year. (beveragemarketing) From 2004 to 2009 the McEnergy 5 overall growth of the energy market is up over 240% (Wiley) The shift from consumption of sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade towards energy drinks should continue. In the last year, carbonated soft drinks remain the largest liquid refreshment beverages category but their volume slipped 0. 8% from 13. 9 billion gallons in 2009 to 13. 8 billion gallons in 2010, which resulted in their market share decreasing. (beveragemarketing) Table 2 U. S Liquid Refreshment Beverage Market Change in Volume by Segment 2009-2010 Percent Change Segments 2009-2010 RTD Tea 12. 5% Sports Drinks 9. % RTD Coffee 8. 1% Energy Drinks 5. 4% Bottled Water 3. 5% Value-Added Water 0. 2% Fruit Beverages -2. 0% Carbonated Soft Drinks -0. % Total LRB 1. 2% Source: Beverage Marketing Corporation (BeverageMarketing) McEnergy 6 Conclusion The energy drink market has grown into a multi-billion dollar business, which has been reported as being the fastest growing segment in the beverage industry since bottled water. Having grown 240% in the past five years, the only beverage sectors to grow faster that energy drinks last year were ready-to-drink tea, ready-to-drink coffee and s ports drinks. McDonalds already distributes these other three beverages and would benefit by adding the next fastest growing beverage sector, energy drinks. Despite the large market share that carbonated beverages owns, there is a demand and shift towards other beverage sectors as evidenced by a decrease in carbonated beverage market share last year. A large segment of energy drink consumers is the college-aged consumer. With over 50% of college students drinking at least one energy drink a month and 34% at least two a month, this would be a good population to target. Recommendations Include energy drinks to the offerings at McDonalds fast food restaurants. Target college-aged students with initial locations and marketing strategies. McEnergy 7 References: – Gonzalez de Mejia, E. & Heckman, M. A. & Sherry, K. (2010). Energy Drinks: An Assessment of Their Market Size, Consumer Demographics, Ingredient Profile, Functionality, and Regulations in The United States. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. Retrieved from: http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1111/j. 1541-4337. 2010. 00111. x/pdf – West, T. (2011). The Energy Market is Still Full of Growth Potential Reports. Wholesale News. Retrieved from: http://web. ebscohost. com. lib. kaplan. edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=12&hid=123&sid=eeec713f-80bc-4ca6-b6ce-02c68e0f1f50%40sessionmgr112 – The US Liquid Refreshment Beverage Market Increased by 1. 2% in 2010. (March 2011). Beverage Marketing Corporation Reports. Retrieved from: http://www. beveragemarketing. com/? section=pressreleases – Aeby, V. G. & Barber-Heidal, K. & Carpenter-Aeby, T & Malinauskas, B. M, & Overton, R. F. (2007). A Survey of Energy Drink Consumption Patterns Among College Students. Nutrition Journal. Retrieved from: http://www. nutritionj. com/content/6/1/35

Practice in Identifying Indirect Objects

Practice in Identifying Indirect Objects An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that indicates to whom or for whom the action of a verb is performed. This exercise will give you practice in identifying indirect objects in sentences. InstructionsEach of the following ten sentences contains an indirect object. Identify the indirect object in each sentence, and then compare your answers with those on page two. Give Marie the prize.The taxi driver charged us twenty dollars.I wished my friends a happy new year and headed back into the house.After washing the dishes, I told the children a bedtime story about otters and eagles.Preetha often lends her brother money, but he never pays her back.Mikey handed me a note from his mother explaining his absence the day before.The young man built his family a house in an isolated hollow near White Bluff.Lynn bought her uncle a Western-style gray felt hat at the Franklin Sporting Goods store.Kate passed him the canteen, and he took a big drink of the cold water.Last fall our church group sent the missionaries mops and pails and building supplies. Below are the answers (in bold) to the exercise Practice in Identifying Indirect Objects. Give Marie the prize. The taxi driver charged us twenty dollars. I wished my friends a happy new year and headed back into the house. After washing the dishes, I told the children a bedtime story about otters and eagles. Preetha often lends her brother money, but he never pays her back. Mikey handed me a note from his mother explaining his absence the day before. The young man built his family a house in an isolated hollow near White Bluff. Lynn bought her uncle a Western-style gray felt hat at the Franklin Sporting Goods store. Kate passed him the canteen, and he took a big drink of the cold water. Last fall our church group sent the missionaries mops and pails and building supplies.

Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth Essay Example

Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth Essay Example Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth Paper Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth Paper Essay Topic: Literature Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth is a work containing elements of satire, portrayed through Thady. It is to these satiric elements that it owes much of its subtlety. Castle Rackrent is an achievement because of what lies in the subject matter and the narrative methods through which Maria Edgeworth presents her characterisation, language, imagery, tone and satire. These methods are wrapped in the subtlety that comes from total control. The most substantial and remarkable aspect about the novel is the subtlety of its implications. In her dealings with the Edgeworthstown tenants Maria Edgeworth gained first hand knowledge of Irish peasant life and of the peculiarities of Irish peasant character, which form the basis for the success of Castle Rackrent both as a social document and as a work of fiction. At the centre of Maria Edgeworths work is the Big House itself, which is the symbolic focus of the Protestant Ascendancys preoccupation with its own decline. The big house, the manor houses of the Anglo Irish ascendancy, are often used as a metaphor which might allow the author to explore the socially disintegrated world of the protestant ascendancy Castle Rackrent was published in 1800, the first Big House novel set on an ascendancy estate, was the first Irish family chronicle, and the first fictional book to make Irish history and politics central to its story and theme. The critic Patrick Murray states that Maria Edgeworth allows many of her characters to reveal them selves by indirection. Thady is an outstanding example. It is interesting to observe how much we learn about Thady himself from his descriptions of other people, particularly when his feelings are strongly engaged. One of his more diverting habits is to praise or censure his various masters and their wives according to their generosity or meanness towards himself the classic attitude of the old retainer. This habit produces some extremely satiric and at times subtle effects. As well as being the first regional novel in English literature, Castle Rackrent has a strong claim to be considered the first of the saga novels, since it traces the fortunes of a single family through several generations. The novel has been often commended as a work of profound historical significance The most ironic word throughout the novel is the word faithful faithful Thady, the steward, who tells this tale, in the first person when he is beyond his eightieth year. So skilful is Maria that the quick and careless reader may finish the story without detecting the deviousness with which Thady had managed to turn his employers weaknesses to his own advantage. According to Patrick Murray Thady Quirk is commonly taken at his own valuation as an honest, faithful, unselfishly loyal servant who feels deeply for his ruined masters and is willing to excuse their worst failings. But on of the triumphs of Castle Rackrent is the subtly ambivalent presentation of the old steward. To regard him as an artless, simple-minded old man is to miss completely the wealth of irony, which pervades the whole narrative. The irony of Castle Rackrent is that Thadys much-vaunted loyalty to the Rackrents should be the principal means of his sons acquisition of their estates. The critic, Thomas Flanagan finds the novels acts and statements ambiguous and unsettling and comes to grips with the problem of Thady in a much more forthright matter: Thady is a partisan of the family, or rather, of the honour of the family. Only when the story is finished does the reader realise that Thady has his own wry view of the matter. Even so he does not fully understand the story, which he is telling. The meaning and passion with which he instinctively invests the words honour and loyalty lead him to bring forth evidence which prompts the reader to a quite different judgement of the Rackrents. Thady tells the story of the Rackrents with a hint of satire running through it. A memorable satiric piece within the novel made with Sir Kits cruel vengeance on his Jewish wife in having pig meat of all kinds brought to her table against her wishes, even though she has visited the cook in her kitchen for the precise purpose of averting this. Satirically, when she is unexpectedly released after seven years, by Sir Kits death, her first act is to sack the cook. Thomas Flanagan states that the effective satiric detail here is shown throughout the book, particularly in the first part, where the madness of the Rackrents seems to rage most wildly. Thady quirk is the most alive and complete of all Miss Edgeworths character creations and one critic has considered him The most subtly drawn and skilfully presented character in the whole course of the Irish novel. The reader is shown in the passage below the satiric nature that Thady portrays each character with. The swaggering Sir Kit, who throws a guinea to the servile Thady with such bravura, cuts a very different figure as he is brought home from his last duel up the avenue on the hand-barrow while his wife watches incredulously from her window, scarcely able to believe that the tables have been so thoroughly turned on her bizarre spouse. The alcoholically hospitable Sir Patrick is granted the final Irish accolade, a fine funeral, but just as all was going on right, through his own town they were passing, when the body was seized for debt. The litigious Sir Murtagh, so proud of his forensic capacities, is literally talked to death by his domestic opponent, the Skinflint widow, and bursts a blood vessel while the servants crown the back stairs to eavesdrop on his final apoplectic submissions. There is an unmistakable darkening of tone of the work in the second part the History of Sir Conolly Rackrent. Where the earlier Rackrents were tragic-comical characters, Sir Conolly is pitiable. The next incident illustrates the ambivalence in Maria Edgeworths presentation of Honest Thady. When Jason visits Sir Condy in the hunting lodge to pester him with a final piece of business. Sir Condy is asleep and Jason insists on seeing him at once but Thady seems to resist. Ill not be disturbing his honour for you, Jason, says I; manys the hour youve waited in your time, and been proud to do it, till his honour was a leisure to speak to you. His honour, says I, raising my voice, at which his honour wakens of his own accord, and calls to me from the room to know who it was I was speaking to. Jason made no more ceremony, but follows me into the room. Thadys raising his voice on recurrence of his honour is a fine satiric touch. This may serve as a rebuke to Jason or as a means of focusing the sick man so that Jason may wring the last penny out of the Rackrents before Sir Condy dies. Castle Rackrent has considerable historical importance. There is a good deal of evidence that represents Edgeworths attempts to capture the speech, rhythms and idioms of the Irish peasants with whom she came in contact. Maria Edgeworths novel confused fiction and history. In her preface to Castle Rackrent, Edgeworth attacked conventional histories as unreliable while claiming that the recollections of an Irish servant were more genuine and important as a historical record. Edgeworth claims that in her novel the civilisation of Irish life involved its Anglicisation in every facet and that she presented a stereotype of the native Irish, designed mainly to convince an English audience of the validity of her preferred approach. Edgeworths colonialism was a benevolent one and she stressed the amenability of the Irish character to this, and by contrast its degradation by the abrasive and tyrannical colonialism, which she felt still characterised Irish society. Her fascination with and delineation of, Irish character focussed on language, and in particular its exploitation as a mechanism of survival by the vulnerable servant. Thady makes an effective use of irony and uses it as a satiric weapon against Sir Murtaghs wife. She was a strict observer, for self and servants, of Lent and all fast-days, but not holidays. One of the maids having fainted three times the last day of Lent, to keep body and soul together we put a morsel of roast beef into her mouth, which came from Sir Murtaghs dinner, who never fasted, not he;. There are references of irony to Lent, fast days and holidays. Irony as a satiric weapon is effectively wielded by Thady to ridicule Sir Murtagh. Castle Rackrent is episodic in structure, but the consistent use of satire helps to lend consistency and unity to what might other wise be an ungainly collection of episodes and incidents randomly strung together. Maria Edgeworths title to Castle Rackrent is to minimize the readers alertness to the question of irony. Within the novel itself there is a body of evidence, which casts shadows upon the short title. Within the larger area of Irish culture one can find the material for an ironic interpretation even of the short title. Maria Edgeworth allows many of her characters to disclose themselves by indirection. Thady is an excellent example. We learn a lot about Thady from his portrayal of other people, particularly when his feelings are strongly engaged. One of his diverting habits is to praise his various masters and their wives according to their generosity towards himself. This produces several extremely comic, and subtle effects. Maria Edgeworths chief purpose is to tell an entertaining story, and consequently she does with enthusiasm. As well as being a regional novel, a saga novel, and a social and historical document, Castle Rackrent is a work containing elements of satire. It is in fact to these satirical elements that it owes much of its subtlety. There is some doubt as to whether Maria Edgeworth intended this novel to be anything but a comical revelation of the Rackrent family and its failings by using the tragic happenings of each family member to portray what could only be described as a work of satire. Maria Edgeworth presents her characterisation, language, imagery, tone and satire, all wrapped in the subtlety that is portrayed throughout the novel.

Saving Private Ryan Essay

Saving Private Ryan Essay Saving Private Ryan Essay Saving Private Ryan EssayThe first paragraph of a Saving Private Ryan essay should spell out the main purpose or thesis behind the essay. To do this you should familiarize yourself with the original source by:Reading in and around the textReading of literary reviewsBy watching the film a few times. Once you are familiar with the source, brainstorm before asking yourself the following questions and writing the outline of your essay:According to you is Saving Private Ryan all about exposing the ugly face of war-instead of glorifying it?Do you think there is a very real misrepresentation of life due to the fact that the role that women played in the war has been entirely ignored?Is the theme of Saving Private Ryan anti-war or anti-women?Your Saving Private Ryan essay should comment on the fact that this is a film in which Women appear, only very briefly, as mothers, wives, typists (Gans). In that sense does Saving Private Ryan give an accurate picture of the Second World War in whic h the pivotal role of women has long been recognized? (It is a well known fact that women took over the day to day running of the country at a time when most of the men were away at war)-so does Saving Private Ryan give a faulty view that implies that men were largely responsible for saving our country and that women had a very limited role to play as housewives and typists?Your Saving Private Ryan essay should also draw attention to the fact that Graham is trying to show us what the frontlines of war are really like; as he focuses on the slaughter and mayhem of the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach and we witness horrific scenes of a soldier picking up his own arm, an injured soldiers guts spilling out, or a legless soldier trying to crawl with the help of his arms.Graham does not spare the viewers the horrors of war but in the process feminists feel that he is passing a comment on the insignificance of women by keeping completely silent about their role Women are virtually absent from Private Ryan, and they appear only in a soft-focus montage of breasts and lapping waves (Goldstein). These are some of the aspects your Saving Private Ryan essay can touch on.

Environmental Engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Engineering - Research Paper Example Additionally since 1990, the number of patents for nanoparticle products has doubled every two years (Chalew, and Schwab 2). The emergence of engineered nanoparticles have resulted a new class of environmental contaminant and a new field of study sometimes termed as Nanotxicology. Nanotxicology investigates the nanoparticles related concerns both on human health and environment (Haynes 9). In last couple of decades, though the nanotechnology greatly improves the efficiencies of many sectors of science and technology yet studies have shown that rapid increase in nanoparticle materials have potential health and environmental implications. They have considerable toxicological pollution impacts on environment particularly due to their uncertain shape, size, and chemical compositions (Zhang, et al. 1). The particular health concerns are about the use of nanoparticles based products like cosmetics form where nanoparticles free to react with people and environment. Unfortunately very limite d research work is available in this regards. In view of available research information leading scientists and organization across the globe are calling for the regulation of nanoparticles in consumer goods until the longer-term impacts on human health and the environment are better understood (Livingstone 1). Currently there are no specific federal standards that regulate the maximum contamination level to food product including the drinking or ground water and only existing certain federal statutes are applied that monitor the maximum contamination of nanoparticle materials. Most of the existing nanoparticles containing cosmetics and drugs products fall under the regulations of Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA). Similarly Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is used to regulate nanomaterial those are considered chemicals. It is believed that during all three phases’ i. e. production, usage, and disposal of a nanoparticles containing consumer product, nanoparticles are likely to enter surface waters. Highly sensitive instrumentation research reveals the presence of nanoparticles in surface and drinking water samples from yet the source of such particles are still unknown (Wigginton, et al., 1306). Although the probability of nanoparticles to go into surface waters, and subsequently drinking water sources, is high, yet the technology to investigate and separate the nanoparticles from ordinary drinking water through conventional water treatment processes such as coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation, is still at it infant stage. Few studies have done in this regards show that the removal of nanoparticles through conventional treatment is highly dependent on water characteristics such as pH, natural organic matter (NOM) content, and salt composition etc. These factors greatly influence the size, aggregation, dissolution, and stability of nanoparticles in the water. Though the study to probe the effect of ingested nanoparticles is still at i ts initial stages yet whatever research has been done in this regards through in vitro and in vivo experiments indicates that there are adverse health effects from exposure to nanoparticles. The concept of partitioning between living tissues is also applied to nanoparticles materials. Studies have shown that at the cellular level as nanoparticles accumulate, they may release ions that can directly impact

Evolutionary Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Evolutionary Ethics - Essay Example What some evolutionists seem to say is that conduct which causes the doer of that conduct or even the race to which he belongs to survive is good conduct. It may be a plausible theory that prolongation of life in the individual or in the race is a good thing, so that all actions leading to it are good, but this is not an evolutionary theory of ethics. Like Sharmer (2004) wrote: "As we transition from kin and reciprocal altruism to species altruism and bio-altruism and as religion continues to give ground to science, we need a new ethic for an Age of Science, a new morality that not only incorporates the findings of science, but applies scientific thinking and the methods of science to tackling moral problems and resolving moral dilemmas. We have done well thus far, but we can do better" (p. 64) In contrast to the Shermer's statement, there seems to be something unstable about every evolutionary theory which tends to turn into a theory of a different type. This is especially true of the greatest revolutionary theories of ethics, that of the twentieth century philosopher, Michael Shermer. Is there a natural selection and a 'survival of the fittest' in the sphere of morality as there is in the sphere of biological evolution According to Shermer "with an ascending hierarchy of needs from self-survival of the individual (basic biological needs), to the extension of the individual through the family (the selfish gene), to a sense of bonding with the extended family (driven by kin selection [or] helping those most related to us), to the reciprocal altruism of the community (direct and obvious payback for good behaviours), to indirect altruism of society (doing good without direct payback), to species altruism and bio-altruism as awareness of our membership in the species and biosphere continue[d] to develop" (p. 20). If we were dealing with the positive science of ethics we could certainly make generalizations very like those that are made by the Shermer. Individuals and races may vary their conduct, just like the 'chance variations' of Shermer, and we may believe that certain varieties of conduct will lead the race or individuals that practise them to survive, while those practising other types of conduct will perish. There may be a struggle for existence in the world of men as in the world of animals; only in the developed stages of that struggle the qualities which lead to survival will change, as Spencer himself realized. According to Richard Dawkin, "such struggle engages not only human beings but lower beings too, all competing with each other for limited resources"1 (Bromberg). His philosophies are significant in realizing that human beings, in spite of everything, still act reluctantly on a biological level. The use of intelligence, as in the construction of aeroplanes and atomic bombs, and co-operation for

Geologic History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geologic History - Assignment Example Movement of ice during the ice age pushed away huge rocks on its path while the action of volcanicity eroded several sedimentary material that later formed the Colorado river. The Colorado river with its massive water volume led to severe corrosion of the valley below to set up patterns that in turn became the Grand Canyon. The activity has since been slowed down due to absence of vast ice movement and also reduced human activities around the area since it had been declared a national park(Act of congress,1919). Some of the most predominant rocks within the Grand Canyon can be classified as Metamorphic-igneous basement rocks, Grand canyon supergroup,Tonto group, Surprise canyon,Supai group, Coconino and Mesozoic deposition. The Metamorphic and igneous basement rocks are believed to have been formed 1.8 billion years ago. They mainly contain volcanic deposits like ash, mud and lava- silt. It is also interesting to note that the Grand canyon super group contains about nine rock formations of small plates. This group was formed about 1.3 billion years ago and covers up flooded sections such as the Inner gorge. The Tonto group rock structure was formed due to explosion dating 500 million years back from conglomerates and sand deposited off shore. These group of rocks might have been carried vastly by the ice movement. Another rock structure within the Grand Canyon is the Surprise canyon. The Supai group was deposited about 300 million ago in Mississippian era too. It contains fossils of reptiles, amphibians and plant material deposit. The penultimate rock composition in the Grand Canyon is the Coconino group. It has fossils of species such as insects, plants and the vertebrates too. These rocks were created about 275 million years ago and are about 600 feet high. Finally, the Mesozoic rock deposition completes the rock composition in the grand canyon. These group of rocks were formed as a result of

Malcolm X's life in the Nation of Islam and his Life after his Research Paper

Malcolm X's life in the Nation of Islam and his Life after his Pilgrimage to Mecca - Research Paper Example They would face large scale unemployment; lose the unskilled jobs and other avenues of income. There was also another school of thought that propagated racial hatred based on a completely different agenda. The period of the erstwhile 1950’s was notorious for the growth of the Neo-Nazi groups, groups proclaiming racial superiority, the rise of the Klux klux clan among others. They did a very good job of instilling the feeling of racial hatred and abomination in the minds of the average American. The sum total of this was that the divide between the blacks and the whites reached levels of extreme bitterness. Majority of the black population believed that the laws were loaded completely against them and favored the agenda of the whites. INTRODUCTION- Malcolm X was an adapted name of Malcolm Little. He was born in the year 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the forth child of a total of seven children. His father was an activist for the pan African Movement and also the area leader for an Indigenous organization called as the Universal Negro Improvement Association. His father taught him the values of black rights, the issue of self determination and the tenets of self reliance. He was also greatly influenced by Marcus Garvey. He grew up in an atmosphere of great friction. There were a lot white local groups who were against the black people and would cause a lot of troubles to the family including threats. One of the younger brothers of Malcolm X was lynched and killed violently by the members of a white supremacist group (Klux Klux clan). These early incidents shaped the mind of young Malcolm who would later grow up to hate the whites (Karim, 1971). Ultimately, the family had to shift to Milwaukee after repeated threats from the clan and later to Lansing, Michigan. In the year 1939, Earl Little (Father of Malcolm X) was killed in a road rage accident. Although the accident was supposed because of a careless driver, however, the reason for the killing was att ributed to the various white supremacy groups (Karim, 1971). The thought process also gained momentum because a few days back, their house was also burned down by the same people. The family was further peeved at the fact that the money that they were supposed to get out of the life insurance was also not properly given to them. Malcolm’s father had two life insurance policies. However at the time of his death, the insurance of the higher denomination was denied to them on the count that his father had committed suicide, this pushed the family into a great amount of financial trouble and affected the mind of young Malcolm greatly (Breitman, 1971). Thereafter, Louise (Malcolm’s mother) suffered a nervous breakdown and was declared a mentally insane, this divided the complete family and the siblings were sent to various foster homes. Malcolm X moved to Boston where he lived for a while. The formative early years Malcolm X was one of the best students in the junior high a nd wanted to become a lawyer by profession. But even in his school, he faced a great deal of racial segregation, in Boston; he lived in an area called as Roxbury, which was predominantly an African American area of the neighborhood (Haley, 1999). He used to occasionally find

Article critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Article critique - Essay Example Recently the nurse practitioners have started to struggle for their right to treat patients without the supervision of any doctor by passing a bill all over the United States although many states have allowed them to do so (Back, 2013). This would be helpful as the legislation will provide autonomy to nurse practitioners to provide services on their own without waiting or consulting to a doctor. Since nurse practitioners have ample knowledge to handle situations keeping them behind a physician limits their growth and potential to serve. According to a research conducted by Lambing et al., (2004) NPs have been found to be providing effective care to hospitalized aged patients especially those who were sicker and older. In another research, it was shown that the care provided by physician and nurse practitioner independently is comparable (Mundinger et al., 2000). This will be helpful for the entire healthcare industry as well as will be beneficial for the whole society. So the government may conduct trials to check the technical qualifications of nurse practitioners in order to eliminate any chances of doubts in their ability. However, the bill should be passed and the nurse practitioners will be allowed to independently handle patients. This will also provide a bright arena for youth currently studying nursing and their testing procedures should be adequately regularized to ensure patients safety. Lambing, A. Y., Adams, D. L., Fox, D. H. and Divine, G. (2004). Nurse practitioners and physicians’ care activities and clinical outcomes with an inpatient geriatric population. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 16(8):343–52. Mundinger, M. O., Kane, R. I., Lenz, E. R., Totten, A. M., Tsai, W. Y., Cleary, P. D., Friedewald, W.T., Siu, A. L. and Shelanski, M. L. (2000). Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: A randomized trial. JAMA.

Psychological Effects of Consumption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychological Effects of Consumption - Essay Example The dynamics of consumerism in modern social life partially indicates a collapse of other narratives of progress like religious, ideological and other traditional community values which no longer occupy such a central place in the public priorities as they did a few decades before. In their absence, the only markers of progress are the relentless accumulation of market-based assets like stock market indices, property prices and disposable income. Now, even professional and educational qualifications, are subject to obsessive interest as clues to an individuals status in the society. Benjamin R Barber in his book Jihad vs. MacWorld aptly puts it by saying "Just beyond the horizon of current events lie two possible political futures-both bleak, neither democratic. The first is a retribalization of large swaths of humankind by war and bloodshed: a threatened Lebanonization of national states in which culture is pitted against culture, people against people, tribe against tribe-a Jihad in the name of a hundred narrowly conceived faiths against every kind of interdependence, every kind of artificial social cooperation and civic mutuality. The second is being borne in on us by the onrush of economic and ecological forces that demand integration and uniformity and that mesmerize the world with fast music, fast computers, and fast food-with MTV, Macintosh, and McDonald's, pressing nations into one commercially homogenous global network: one MacWorld tied together by technology, ecology, communications, and commerce. The planet is falling precipitantly apart AND coming reluctantly together at the very same moment" The growth of market freedom has not only produced mass participation in ever increasing frenzy in shopping trends; it has also fuelled the birth of new moral energies and social revolutions ranging from environmentalism to anti-sweatshop campaigns. A growing proportion of the present population would like to participate in 'ethical' consumption choices. The route to this synthesis lies in re- evaluating the basis of the self, and the practical meaning of 'choice' in the many different settings where the modern individual now has to exercise it. Hitherto, the debate has attempted to make a distinction of principle between 'consumers' and 'citizens' in order to demonstrate that consumerism is compatible with fair outcomes, or that 'citizenship' is an alternative to the market model which can provide excellent services fairly, depending on your social and financial position. Nevertheless, the distinction between consumer and citizen is seldom put to practice despite its meaningfulness. People and markets are embedded in social and civic contexts (Kay, 2003). As a result, our everyday consumption decisions are a ripple of myriad effects, not just on the price and availability of what we are consuming, but also on the public context in which we consume it. The dominant models of choice and progress currently do not allow us to evaluate individual acts of consumption for their widespread contribution to the social, public or environmental context. Choice is interpreted as a representation of expression of private freedom and fixed preferences and not as an act of participation amid imperfect information in a socially contingent setting. Likewise, the collective models of progress in which we are conditioned to believe tend

Article critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Article critique - Essay Example Recently the nurse practitioners have started to struggle for their right to treat patients without the supervision of any doctor by passing a bill all over the United States although many states have allowed them to do so (Back, 2013). This would be helpful as the legislation will provide autonomy to nurse practitioners to provide services on their own without waiting or consulting to a doctor. Since nurse practitioners have ample knowledge to handle situations keeping them behind a physician limits their growth and potential to serve. According to a research conducted by Lambing et al., (2004) NPs have been found to be providing effective care to hospitalized aged patients especially those who were sicker and older. In another research, it was shown that the care provided by physician and nurse practitioner independently is comparable (Mundinger et al., 2000). This will be helpful for the entire healthcare industry as well as will be beneficial for the whole society. So the government may conduct trials to check the technical qualifications of nurse practitioners in order to eliminate any chances of doubts in their ability. However, the bill should be passed and the nurse practitioners will be allowed to independently handle patients. This will also provide a bright arena for youth currently studying nursing and their testing procedures should be adequately regularized to ensure patients safety. Lambing, A. Y., Adams, D. L., Fox, D. H. and Divine, G. (2004). Nurse practitioners and physicians’ care activities and clinical outcomes with an inpatient geriatric population. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 16(8):343–52. Mundinger, M. O., Kane, R. I., Lenz, E. R., Totten, A. M., Tsai, W. Y., Cleary, P. D., Friedewald, W.T., Siu, A. L. and Shelanski, M. L. (2000). Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: A randomized trial. JAMA.

MBA - business Startegy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MBA - business Startegy - Essay Example In today’s world, a company can have its head office in London, the main production facility in China, the research laboratories in Germany and the support centre in Pakistan. At the same time, the individuals working for the company in different locations are likely to come from different cultures, have different logistical needs and they may even require different management policies (Hollinshead and Leat, 1995). While it may seem complicated, these elements are just some of the basic concerns of a modern MNE (Johnson et. al., 2005). However, it must be noted that the functioning of the company may be much simpler than comparative companies in the past and the size of the company can actually be tiny compared to the global organisations of the past. The internet is certainly a great tool which allows relatively miniscule companies to come face to face with big players in the market. A company can have less than ten employees, work only with a capital of a few million and yet have a logistics and supply chain system which works better than giants such as BP. Margulius (2006) presents several examples of how companies can use information technology to improve their position in competing with larger companies on the basis of their created supply chains. This certainly complicates the organisation of the company since every individual is a key decision maker but at the same time, it lets the MNE be more agile in terms of conducting business across the world. For example, a very small company such as Oriel wines was the subject of the cast study by Chozich (2005) who showed that a producer and supplier of wine could used the internet to give their clients an image of a company which seems to be much larger than it actually is with a supply chain that runs from California to Germany and as far as Japan. The company is simple in structure, but the organisation of such an effort depends on several very complicated technologies which work

General Motors Analysis: SWOT and Porters Five Forces Analysis

General Motors Analysis: SWOT and Porters Five Forces Analysis Automotive legend of the last century, GM, is one of the biggest corporations in the world. Although GM had big turmoils in its business, it still operates successfully in all over the universe. The aim of this assignment is to determine the GMs business strategies with rises and falls by looking into their history, having the data of what and how did they do in their businesses and analysing their company activities. Being a leader and pioneer of the automobile industry since this sectors infancy times , General Motors Corporation still keeps its successful place in this competitive business. Since 1908, General Motors Corporation (GM) is one of the largest auto producer in the world as measured by global industry sales, whose headquarters is in United States of America. William C. Durant was the founder of General Motors Company with being an innovator in automobile technology. As being a multinational automobile manaufacturer General Motors employes about 280 million people all around the world with the total assets of 149 billion US Dollars. The company manufacturers the cars and the trucks in 55 different countries (exluding US and Canada). General Motors has sub-brands under its management. Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, Vauxhall, Holden, Saturn and Wuling are some one the names of General Motors brands. The General Motors Company placed into a global market throughout the 1920s. Meanwhile, the company built itself as a firm which provided prestige, power and the other options. As a competitor, Ford, that focused on lower costs and lower prices, reversely GM targeted customers who had likely money to spend on more featurative products. During the World War II, General Motors Company manufactured armament and military vehicles,both for Allied and Axis forces. GM had improved its business level and becomed the largest corporation in the United States after the world war II. During the 1950s, style, desing, and engineering innovations are applied into the companys production line. In 1960s, GM also focused on insurance, home appliances, financing, electronics, locomotives and banking etc. In request for the smaller cars of European producers , GM introduced Chevrolet Corvair, that was ciriticized for safety issues in following days. In the next decade, oil prices went up and as well as the oil costs , environmental problems are taken into consider at those times. Therefore, there were a shift from huge oil guzzling cars to smaller European cars increased with the first energy crisis. After that , second crisis followed quickly by rising the concern for pollution and controlling of over emission and safety problems resulted GM lose of its market share to more economical and smaller vehicles. Especially between 1980s and 1990s , the Japanese imports rocketed ( See Appendix 1) ,so that, that time of a period was a hardship for GM, which was plagued by high competition with Japanese companies. As a result of this, GM had chenged its strategies like redesingining and reengineering of its car models. However , because of the high production costs , GM had continioued its high losses in the market with huge numbers. In 1990s, General Motors Company had started to close many of its plants and also cut the jobs. With these turmoils among the company, GM followed different strategies ,like buying Saab and Daewoo, and a little portion of Subaru and Suzukis shares, that were sold later for increasing the money. As follows, GM merged with FIAT car company which lasted five years. In the late-1990s, General Motors Company seemed on the way to big recovery, with sales stabilizing and stock increasing. However, end of the 2001 September, the company started to have challenges, and the system was changed again. In the following next few years, General Motors became a survivor in the highly competitive automobile industry with the economic recession in 2008, therefore the company had bailed out by the government for avoiding bankruptcy. (bbc.co.uk, 2010) In the first quarter of 2009, the auto giant posted a 6 billion dollars loss and said that it burned through 10.2 billion dollars of cash in the first three months of the year as revenue plummeted by 20 billion dollars'(about.com, 2010). However, besides these hard circumstances, in the first half of 2010, the General Motors sold more vehicles in China than in the US. (Constantini,2010) 3. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF GENERAL MOTORS Analysing the companys internal and external environments, there are many different frameworks and models exist for companies. By having some strategies enables the firms to get better understanding of the critical factors for their future success. Some sof the strategic analysis methods are Dunnings Eclectic Paradigm (Cavusgil et al., 2008), Porters Diamond and Five forces, Directional Policy Matrix, Mintzbergs School of Thoughts (Mintzberg et al., 2003) Value Chain Analysis (Johnson et al., 2008), SWOT analysis (Kotler and Keller, 2009), etc. The suitable frameworks choosing is depends on what the company needs to address and in what circumstances it needs to do so (Johnson et al., 2008). This is because many firms today operate both on a national, regional and global basis and as such need appropriate strategy for each individual environment (Schlie and Yip, 2000). As being a multinational enterprise, GM operates in approximately 57 countries, including Canada and US, and they serve and operate in variety of services from improvement, marketing, manufacturing of cars, trucks to economy and insurance services (Datamonitor, 2009). A potent tool and a flexible framework that could assist in describing and assessing competitive pressures in an industry and industry attractiveness is the Porters five forces (FF) model (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). The model helps a company to decide how and where to make strategic changes for gaining and sustaining competitive advantages over rival firms and thereby generating above-average return on investments (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). In addition, one the school of the Mintzberg Ten School of Thoughts, The Design School, gives us another highly essential analysis for the firms. According to Mintzberg, The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). Meanwhile, strenghts and weaknesses are given as the internal capabilities, on the other hand, opportunities and threads are seen as the external possibilities. Therefore, in this assignment, the General Motors Company will be analysed through company strategies. Firstly competitive advantage and analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces. Secondly, internal and external analysis will be given according to Mintzbergs Design School by applying the SWOT analysis. Finally, in the last to secion Value Chain and BCG Matrix Analysis will be examined. 3.1. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MICHAEL PORTERS FIVE FORCES The competitive analysis of a company is an essential element of identifying components which are a threat to reduce profitability. For assesing over the competitive problems , Michael Porters five forces analysis is the one of the most efficient way. Porter (2004) has brought the light of five such factors: (1) Rivalry between existing competitors, (2) Barriers to entry, (3) Pressure of price from Substitutes/Complementaries, (4) Bargaining power of buyers, (5) Bargaining power of suppliers. Therefore, General Motors Corporations competitive advantage analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces . 3.1.1. Rivalry Between Existing Competitors: Rivalry occurs, because one or more competitors either feels the pressure or sees the opportunity to improve position (Porter, 2004 :p.17). Additionally, The strategies pursued by one firm can be successful only to the extent that they provide competitive advantage over the strategies pursued by rival firms. ( David, 2011 :p.107-108). Therefore, if we look at the GM motors in this section, in the 1970s and 1980s, competition in the US automobile industry had become much more strong with the increase of foreign rivals such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan (See Appendix 2). Although GM was a leader of the automobile industry at that period of time, its rivals had started to compete with GM providing some different offers. For example, Toyota started to produce cars with lower price than GM cars , whereas the quality of cars were high. So that, the competitros of GM became well-known brands ,while GM had difficulties with competing with them. 3.1.2. Barriers To Entry: According to Porter, new capacity may be brought to an industry by new entrants. Furthermore, gaining the market share, and getting high proportion of resources can be achieved by new entries. Meanwhile, the presence of of new corporations in an any industry can push the prices down and may decrease the profitability. Although these entries may seem as a threat, those may protect the established companies. During the both world wars, GM made a high profit, and it enlarged its business. Being a leader of the sector and being a well-known brand placed the GMs competitors very difficult positon to entry the industry. Especially for the smaller firms, competing with the GM was very hard. In early 20s, GM invented self-starters by differentiating itself from Ford, later on , in 1970s, Japanese and European companies introduced their fuel-efficient models to the industry. 3.1.3 Pressure of Price From Substitutes/Complementaries : All of the companies are in the competition broadly with the industries manufacturing substitute and complementary products (Porter, 2004). In this highly competitive automobile industry, any change in the prices on complementaries such as gas, tires, could have a important effect on the demand for automobiles. If we look at the GM, recent rising gas prices are highly to get a bigger effect on GM. Because, generally GMs cars are energy inefficient. Therefore, this will have great impact on GM. 3.1.4. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Buyers compete with the industry by forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality and more services, and playing competitors against each other, all at the expense of industry profitability'(Porter, 2004 p:24). As a result of highly improved information technologies, and as well as with globalization, customers of the GM (like for the other companies) became more aware of the what were they buying and how much were they paying. Furthermore, getting the information the rivals of GM from the internet increased the bargaining power of dealers of GM. 3.1.5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of an industry plays a significant role for their businesses. They may reduce the quality of the products, or may raise the prices up. For GM, raw materials and machine parts suppliers threat is very low, because there many suppliers for those sections (Nytimes, 2011). However, the powerful labour union, United Auto Workers (UAW), is a potential threat to GMs economical capability and endurance. For example, the liability of pension and health-care costs acquired an additional 1,400 to the cost of every vehicle comes from GM place compared with competitor products (The Economist, 2008). This is a magnificent amount and GM needs to search ways to cut this liability, therefore, GM may get more economical improvement and the growth of the company. 3.2. INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MINTZBERGS DESIGN SCHOOL Mintzberg explained The Design School as in the following: The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). In this definition, internal factors are given as strenghts and weaknesses. Besides this, opportunities and threats are described as external factors. Therefore, for analysing the GENERAL MOTORS external and internal factors we should do a SWOT Analysis with the light of Mintzbergs Design School. 3.2.1. Strengths: During the 20th century, GM has been the automotive leader in car industry. Although the company had some turmoils, its market share is still very much competitive in the sector. GM is well established not only in US but all around the world. Moreover, GM also have an rising share in the Chinese market (See Appendix 3). If GM takes the right decisions, there will be no reason for GM becoming a boss of the car industry again with. In addition, GM has wide range of brands such as Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Vauxhall. Company operates in more than hundred countries in the world with employing the approximately 250,000 people (gm.com, 2010) . Therefore, General Motors, with its global experience and its huge market share in the world, is still keeps the professional place in the automobile industry. General Motors Corporation uses OnStar Satellite Technology. This technology provides its customers security and safety facilities. For example, in the event of emergency , the system allows the driver to communicate with OnStar personnel just away a button immediately. GM has been controlling the costs by alliance and partnership with corporations like Shanhai Automobile Industry Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Daimler AG. So that, GM improved its cost reduction system by sharing the company costs. 3.2.2. Weaknesses: For analysing the GMs weaknesses, first, we should consider that, this company is an US firm. So that, from its early years until present times, it is still over dependent to US market. The company should take the benefit for expanding globally. According to an article issued by Associated Press (2010), GM had low credit ratio which is determined as junk-credit (BB-). On the other hand, another problem is downsizing. GM put on the market some of its brands and it closed them completely. Additionally, the inactive profitability is the other issue of GM. After the global economic recession in 2008 , companys profit margins and sales went down dramatically. Staying one step behind on alternative energy movement is the biggest weakness for General Motors Company. The competitors of GM like Honda, Toyota, are using fuel efficiently, and also that are producing more ecological and environment friendly vehicles. Therefore, this may led problems such as decrease of market share and loss in company profit. GMs organizational structure is designed vertically. This causes a lack of information between the levels in the company, from bottom to top. So that, many problems can be occur because of the operational and top managerial levels uncommunicative situation. 3.2.3. Opportunities: One of the lightly opportunities of GM is maintaining the Global Expansion. In the last few years, GM achieved a substantial rise in the Chinese market, that made the GM alarm to major on the foreign markets. The other advantage for GM to take is the catching up the hybrid technology cars. Although they had lagged behind the alternative energy, it is not late for the automotive giant becoming again once it was. Recently, GM started to operate Green-Manufacturing systems, such as water-borne technology, reduction goals for hazardous and non-hazardous waste at source ( See Appendix 4). Developing new vehicle models and designs is the big advantage for GM. Because, as we know, what is in today will be out tomorrow. Therefore, focusing on innovations should be the urgent mission through the GM company. 3.2.4. Threats: The threat of the increase in the supply costs is very common in automobile industry like as the other industries. This threat pushes the firms to reduce manufacturing and production costs as much as possible, without carrying away the product quality. For instance, the fluctuation in the steel prices between 2005 and 2010 had a negative impact on GMs production costs, especially as a result of the economic crisis , the rise in 2008, put a negative impcat on GM ( See Appendix 5). The other danger for GM is the increase in fuel prices (See Appendix 6). As same with the rising in the steel prices, after the economic recession in 2008, the sales have plummeted considerably. Therefore, soaring in fuel costs has played a magnificant role in enhancing the advantage for development of hybrid and more fuel efficient vehicles respectively. The increasing competition factor is the another big threat for General Motors. Because, GM is not a leader once it was, currently there are many different brands in the industry, which are working hard for competing with their rivals. Therefore, GM should always keep the innovation on top for competing in the industry. 3.3. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF GM Value Chain is called to add value to the product and remove excess waste of resource consumption, in other word, to maximize the value of work done by the systematic and asset management. Supplier of products and processes that increase the effectiveness of all stages up to final customers and to maintain, so used to gain competitive advantage. Value Chain Management focuses on the destruction of waste inside the company and also focuses on the customers satisfaction inside the company . Value Chain assits to the companies to identify activities where it may well apply its presence potentials (Diez-Vial, 2009) and also identify which activities to outsource in order to decrease prices by getting opportunity of country-specific advatages. One of the compenent of manufacturing is outsourcing which is congress the features of GMs activities that needs a much more labour to the other countries where labour costs are cheaper, and this could relieve GM from employment responsibility . Additionally, recently GM could be able to resolve problems with United Automobile Workers. Michael Porter (2004) examined a set of interconnected generic activities common to a variety of companies. GM, for instance, gives highly importance on its customer relationships. For the theory part, Service activities are the activities that continue and enhance the products value including customer support, repair services, etc. Meanwhile, for the GM strategy, they are using OnStar Technology which enables the customers get in touch with the call center of GM in an emergency situations. 3.4. BCG MATRIX ANALYSIS OF GM The BCG Matrix method is based on the product life cycle theory that can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a business unit ( Lancaster and Reynolds, 2004) . To ensure long-term value creation, high-growth products and low-growth products should be undertaken by the companies in need of cash inputs and generate a lot of cash respectively. As I mentioned above, determining the factors of industry and as well as firms businesses is playing an essential role for gaining competitive advantage in the global market. Till before the two decades, oil prices had gone up with high percentages. So that, this and the environmental factors had oushed the automobile sector to the fuel efficiency vehicles. With the consideration of BCG Matrix applied to the GM, GM should pull off the brands like Pontiac, Hummer which are fuel-efficiency and oil-guzzling cars. Furthermore, more investment should put into producing smaller fuel-efficient vehicles, and also HEVs ( Hybrid Electric Vehicles). 4. CONCLUSION In conclusion, analysing the General Motors Corporation is done by using some strategical analysing methods, such as Porters FF, Value Chain, BCG Matrix, and Swot Analysis. Searching and applying the systems into the GM is quite broad because of the companys long time history which is more than a hundred years. In to the this content, the Company is analysed in detail according to factors of competitive advantage, internal and external. Therefore , I reached up a conclusion for GM. Of course, every single company and firm can make mistake in their business life cycle, however, minimizing those mistakes is one of the essential area for the firms. If we turn to GM, they had been really successful in the industry when there were no any other competitors. However, once GMs rivals entered to the business, GM started lose its market share globally. Because they overlooked at them, they didnt do many things until they lose their profits. After that , they changed some system, they started to struggled with their rivals. So that, with consideering all the analysed strategic forces above and the company, some recommendations should be done. For forthcoming improvements, first of all, General Motors should describe possible and suitable sector to serve. And also GM should concern about arrangement application and differentation strategy. For example, Focus strategy may assist GM to enable to reduce the costs as GM diverge from broad-line manufacturer to another varieties. By doing his, GM will be able to differntiate its product from the other rivals , because of focusing on a specific niche market that may perform much more better . The other one is to stay ready for even every hard and difficult circumstances, such as financial crisis. Although , generally it is an unexpected factor, companies, and also GM, should gain their SWOT analysis under the line of Threats. Staying in prepare positon always gives high competitive advantage with the other competitirs in the global industry. Last but not least is maintaining the speed of rivalry environment, GM should enhance and improve its product development. Alongside with the product development, environmental factors should be considered as well for gaining the high quality of business. 5. RECOMMENDATION In my opinion, General Motors should follow some strategies such as restructuring, product development, liquidation and market development. If GM does the product development, this would allow them to sustain the speed of rivalry environment. As a pratic example of this theory is Hybrid SUV vehicles, which matches the GM shape with continuing the portion of SUV, basically that allocate the company to keep on with trend models. My another recommendation for GM is reevaluation of the market. Global market is a market that which changes frequently. First GM vehicles had got tradition style, however, among the changing industry, they started to produce big cars, especially for the US market. One practical example for that case is to produce ultra-modern vehicles. If they manufacture that futuristic cars before the Honda or Toyota Company, they would gain an advantage in competitive industry. Lastly, liquidation is very essential for GM. The reason for that is, its assets are much more than its incomes. If General Motors can get the assests through the cash, therefore, GM could be more available finance. Moreover , when they achieving that process, GM wouldnt have to rely on US market, they could be independent in global industry. 6. APPENDIX Appendix 1 Imported Japanese Cars Develoopment: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlshow=html Appendix 2 Auto Sales Monthly Change: Source: http://www.wstreet.com/investing/stocks/19359_gms_fire_sale_and_auto_sales_preview.html Appendix 3 -China Car Market Soars: Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/243737-outlook-2011-china-says-no-more-cars-down-goes-auto-industry Appendix 4 Green Manufacturing Processes: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractshow=abstract Appendix 5 Steel Prices Between 2005 and 2010: Source: : http://www.ttiinc.com/object/ME_Materials_Steel Appendix 6 Rise in Fuel Prices Between 2009 and 2010: Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12098981 7. 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