Wednesday, July 31, 2019

How Volvo Evolve in the Changing Market

BK 3037 Strategic Marketing Question 1: PESTEL Answer: Political One of the macro-environment factors which influencing Volvo’s strategy is the large taxation toward automotive trade by the government. Government is putting in place taxation structures that penalize large cars, with large CO2 emission. According to the case, Volvo’s biggest seller was its XC range, now being particularly successful in America, where big cars typically equated to big success. This government acts is encouraging consumers to move to hybrid or fuel efficient cars from big cars because the selling price of big cars would be more expensive when governments impose larger taxation on large vehicles. Consequently, the demand for big cars would drop significantly as consumers would prefer smaller cars due to high price sensitivity level and benefits gained from the government on smaller cars (Yoon and Tran, 2011). Therefore, large taxation on large cars will affect the sales and revenues of Volvo who mostly sells big cars. Legal The enforcement of US government toward the safer initiatives for automobile industry has challenged most of the automobile manufacturer which included Volvo. Therefore recently, Volvo invested heavily in safety research and development; its Goteberg Safety centre is world-renowned. Hence, Rudall (2011) emphasizes that the cost per unit of car has increased as research and development require a lot of experiments and tests to assure the performance. Besides that, research and development in new products involves a risk of whether the consumers will like the new features that have been added to the new or existing product. The more Volvo invests in research and development, the less cash flow they have in hand, thereby affecting the smooth running of daily operations. Economic Oil is the major ingredient in the production of tires. According to Li and Zhao (2011), increase in oil prices means that the cost to make the tires also increases. These tire production affects the Volvo as the increase in the price in tire production affects their profit margin. Additionally, rising commodity prices also affects Volvo’s strategy as 1 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing he raw materials for automotive industry are basically rubber and steel. Since, the prices of these commodities have gone up; Volvo would have to spend more money to purchase the auto component to make the entire cars. The higher the price Volvo purchases these commodities, the higher the selling price that Volvo would have to charge their customers. If they were to transfer the cost to their customers, there is a possibility that customers would shift to Volvo’s competitors as customers are very price sensitive (Lee and Cheong, 2011). Hence, the sales and profits of Volvo will decline and they might lose market share. Moreover, with the rising price of oil in the American market, sales and revenues of Volvo has dropped dramatically because their main business comes from fuel grueling SUV’s. With the increasing fuel prices, the trend has shifted from bulky cars to smaller and fuel efficient cars, thus, Volvo will be faced with many competitors such as Toyota while dealing with satisfying their customer demand (Hilmola, 2011), and hence, it affects the profit margins of Volvo. Moreover, increased oil prices is affecting the type of vehicles demanded by the customer and the way those vehicles are designed. According to Xia and Tang (2011), since there is a big shift from SUVs to fuel efficient or hybrid cars due to the rise of fuel prices, the problem of manufacturing overcapacity has incurred, where supply is more than demand, thereby, sharply dropping the SUV price. Additionally, when Volvo lowers down the selling price of SUVs, the profit margins of each car will become smaller, as their selling price might just be sufficient to cover the total cost of the production. Besides, when supply is more than demand, they would need more space or bigger warehouse to store the cars, and hence, higher cost of storage would incurred. Consequently, it forces Volvo to change their strategy to produce fuel efficient cars instead of SUVs. Environmental Furthermore, the community realizes that the transportation sector is becoming increasingly linked to environmental problems. With a technology relying heavily on the combustion of hydrocarbons, notably with the internal combustion engine, the impacts of transportation over environmental systems has increased with motorization (Bernon, et al. 2011). According to case study, Volvo’s main strategy is to produce SUVs but the consumers are engaging with environmental concerns where they are 2 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing demanding from fuel-efficient cars that release less pollution and absorb lesser fuel. Hence, this forces Volvo to offer Flexi-Fuel (combination of Petrol and Ethanol) in certain geographic mark ets in order to catch up the latest trend. Due to this reason, Volvo has to spend vast amount of money to purchase new raw materials and develop the technology to produce fuel-efficient cars to meet the current demand. Under such conditions maintaining market share and customers is difficult as the selling price needs to be lower to beat the competition, thereby, forcing Volvo to absorb the production costs (Needles, et al. , 2010). Social On the other hand, the changing social culture is affecting Volvo’s strategy as well. There are declining birth rates in Europe, smaller families and more couples choosing to remain childless. This demographic change has influenced Volvo significantly as their main product, SUVs, as it is suited well for big-size families. However, due to the increase of nuclear families consumers are willing to purchase smaller cars because of their small family size and smaller cars consume less petrol, thus it saves cost (Gwartney, et al. , 2008). In addition, many cars on the road today are used by just single occupants, commuting to work. Hence, the socio-cultural changes affect Volvo business strategy as the demand for SUVs is declining but demand for smaller and fuel-efficient cars is increasing. Besides that, they have to invest a big amount of money to do research and development for fuel-efficient cars in order to compete with Toyota for market share. Baumol and Blinder (2011) emphasizes that heavy R&D will lead Volvo to incur higher cost of production and profit margin will decline as they cannot sell the cars at a high price since to their competitor (Toyota) is offering reasonable price for fuel-efficient cars. Technological Technological factor plays an important role in automotive industry because consumers always demand for better and higher quality technologies in their cars so that the technologies can help consumers to save petrol, bring greater convenience to them, and ensure their safety (Hage, 2011). Based on the case study, Volvo took the first step as the pioneers of the safety cage, crumble zones, side-impact protection, antilock brakes, whiplash protection, and airbags. As the first mover, Volvo is able to 3 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing enjoy great profits before their competitors come out with the similar technologies but with lower prices or better quality (Aswathappa, 2005). Hence, Volvo would have to invest heavier in R&D to develop innovative technologies that create the safest most exciting car experience to customers. Additionally, Volvo also needs to invest in R&D for fuel-efficient cars as it is the current of the market. If Volvo fails to produce hybrid or fuel-efficient cars with a reasonable price, they will lose market share due to competitors are offering customers with the demanded products (fuel-efficient cars) (Schwartz, et al. , 2010). Heavy R&D is required from Volvo and at the same time they cannot charge higher prices, and hence, the profit margin of Volvo will be smaller. 4 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing Question 2: Five Forces framework Answer: Five Forces framework included the bargaining power of supplier and buyer, threat of substitute, threat of new entrants and power of rivalry. Any changes from any of the forces will bring huge impact to an industry. As the world is going to global, competition arise and it make the five forces framework even more competitive and it affect the global automobile market directly. Bargaining power of buyer Bargaining power of buyer are referring to the negotiation power or influencing power of the buyers toward the prices charge by a company (Jones and Hill, 2010), the buyer of the automobile company may refer to the end user of the automobile. As year by year, there are more and more new players joining the market of automobile. One of the reason contributes to high bargaining power of buyer is low switching (Jones and Hill, 2010). As times past, there are more and more players join to the automobile industry. For example, U. S’s automobile market shares which used to dominate by the Big Three (Ford Motor Company (Ford), General Motors Corporation (GM) and DaimlerChrysler (DC)) had been taken over by foreign brands such as Honda, Toyota and Mitsubishi in 2005 (Gopal, n. d. ). Hence, this provides larger range of choices for the consumers and this makes the buyers have high bargaining power toward the industry. Since there are more choices in the market, consumers’ dependency toward the particular brands will decrease, as the product does not fulfil the customers’ expectation, they might switch to another brand with low or even non switching cost. For example, as according to research, the sale of new car in U. S market has increase, as people are willing to pay for better quality cars (Gopal, n. d. ). The world now is moving to the environmental friendly site, thus, most of the automobile firms are facing challenge by switching their focus from big car, large engine to fuel-efficient engine. Beside, due to the availability of information, buyers nowadays are more educated and they are very concerning about the effect of the automobile to the environment and this has relatively increase their bargaining power as buyer. For example, there are more than 100 type of motor magazine in the market 5 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing which provides reliable and sufficient information for consumers (Gopal, n. d). Since the switching cost of the buyers is low due to the fierce competition, buyers’ brand loyalties have decrease. Bargaining power of supplier Bargaining power of supplier is referring to the negotiation power of the supplier for the business which may include supplier of human resource, supplier of raw material, and other outsourcing partners (Jones and Hill, 2010). For the auto component supply industry, the bargaining powers of suppliers are relatively low, as there are many available suppliers of raw materials in the market, the switching cost of the cars manufacturer to other suppliers are low or even none. For example, large automobile manufacturers such as GM, Ford and Toyota have strong bargaining power as they always purchase the raw material in large quantities (Jones and Hill, 2010). The sizes of auto components are typically small (Ahmadjian and Lincoln, 1997), meanwhile the big players are able to use the threat of manufacturing a component themselves rather than buying it from auto component suppliers to played off suppliers against each other, forcing them to lower down the price and increase the quality (Ahmadjian and Lincoln, 1997). Hence, we can say that the bargaining powers of auto component suppliers are relatively low. Unlike air line industry, which the air line are highly depend toward the suppliers, automobile manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda or Volvo, it has own research and development department (R&D) which helps in exploring all the latest technology. It contributes in lowering down the dependency toward the suppliers as suppliers merely involve in supplying raw material instead of important technologies as like Boeing (air plane manufacturer) and other air line. Hence, in short, the bargaining powers of suppliers are relative low as the low dependency toward the suppliers and the threat of switching to other suppliers always work as a strong bargaining tool for the automobile manufacturers. Threat of Substitution This refers to the product of different businesses or industry that can satisfy similar customer needs (Jones and Hill, 2010). For automobile industry, due to the increasing 6 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing number of public transport and other way of transportation, the demand toward automobile has gone down. For example, as according to research, nowadays people might choose to take public transport as their daily transport instead of own private car due to cost and environmental issues (Eboli and Mazzulla, 2008). Beside as government is placing pressure toward the environmental issue, public transports are being well develop day by day (Eboli and Mazzulla, 2008), and it actually decrease the dependency of owing a private car. In addition, as the social-culture has changed, people nowadays are reluctant to give birth and hence it decreases the willingness of consumer to own a car. As according to research, the birth rate of developed countries such as Japan, Korea and State are relatively low and it actually affected the several industries and this included automobile industry (Powell and Hendricks, 2009). In this case we can justify that only small part of the automobile industry are highly affected by the substitution, however, for those luxury brands such as Volvo, BMW or Audi, their target markets are hardly affect by the improvement toward the public transport (Svensson and Wagner, 2011). In short, the threat of substitution toward the automobile industry is not high as it merely affected those below middle-income. Threat of New entrant New entrant may refer to potential competitors that are not currently competing in an industry but have the capability to do so if they choose so (Jones and Hill, 2010). As refer back to the case, the automobile industry has facing increasing deregulation; this had broken down the entry barrier for new entrance. For example, Volvo needs to compete with not only the local market players but also the Asia market player such as Toyota since there entry barrier of foreign brands to the local market had been broken down. As more new entrance coming into the market, the switching cost of the consumer from one brand to another brand is even lower than before (Che and Seethu, 2008). Hence, there deregulation may affect partly of the industry but not whole. Firstly, setting up a new automobile manufacturing company requires huge capital injection which decreases the willingness of new player to enter the industry. This may due to the high risk of huge capital injection and hence potential companies dare not to grab the opportunity. Beside there are already few strong players in the automobile manufacturer industry such as GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda, which have 7 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing already gain certain economic of scale in term of buying large quantity of auto components (Xia and Tang, 2011), and this had build barrier of entry for potential players. In short, the threat of new entrant is low as it is high risk business. Rivalry among established companies It refers to the current struggle between companies in an industry to gain market share from each other (Jones and Hill, 2010). For automobile industry, the rivalry is intensified due to the high exit cost and the industry demand. As mentioned earlier, the set up cost of an automobile manufacturer is relatively high and hence this has created exit barrier. Hence, even the business of an automobile manufacturer is bad; it will still lock into the industry where overall demand is static or declining (Jones and Hill, 2010). For example, GM, had struggled in the industry for more than 8 years due to declined sale, because of the high exit cost, it had been locked within the industry (Terlep, 2011). Besides, the declining demand from customers as mentioned earlier had contributed to intensify the rivalry as well. As consumers are reluctant to buy a new car due to environmental issue or declining birthrate, it actually forcing the automobile manufacturers to play off against each other for larger market shares (Eboli and Mazzulla, 2008). Hence, we can conclude that the rivalry among the established companies of automobile industry is intensified due to the declining demand and high exit cost. 8 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing Question 3: Answer: There are many different brands of vehicles. As to stand with one foot crossed in front of the other competitors, Volvo has adopted the focused differentiation strategy (Dinitzen, 2010). A focused differentiation strategy is aimed at a niche group of customers with unique tastes (Schermerhorn, 2010). The cars produced by Volvo are targeted at a niche market of safety conscious upscale families. These upscale buyers of Volvo are those who value Volvo's reputation for durability, and are willing to pay high dollars for this Swedish brand of luxury. Volvo has differentiated their cars by adding additional features that are not available on other cars. Their cars are known as extremely safe cars for families due to the design, which its innovation in car safety enhancements, being pioneers of the safety cage, crumble zones, side-impact protection, antilock brakes, whiplash protection, and airbags, as stated in the case. One primary means of differentiating Volvo’s cars is through its research and development department to produce cars model that exude quality, performance and safety which emphasize on creating luxury automotive brand for family sector. This can be seen from the case that the model of XC90 is well-designed with a large SUV and the price range from ? 33,000 to ? 54,000. However, Volvo continually develops and adds new features that increase values to customers. Some recent innovation of Volvo’s that differentiates their products is Volvo’s sporty hatchback S30 which the engine and brake system of the S30 is designed differently from any compact executive hatch class cars in existence and is destined to compete against high-end versions of VW’s Golf. This shows Volvo attempted to broaden their target market by attracting younger drivers to their car marque (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2007) and Volvo sees their future as delivering safe, premium and exciting driving suitable for families. At the same time, Volvo has reached a level of maturity, by providing a better balance between sportiness and comfort, and also achieved high level of safety. Besides using focus differentiation strategy, Volvo should use differentiation strategy with a little of expansion strategy. A differentiation strategy depends on developing resources that set the company’s offer apart in a way that is meaningful and difficult 9 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing to duplicate (Lowy and Hood, 2004). This can be achieved through keeping ahead of competition, satisfying customer’s wants and also expectations better than business rivals (Moynihan and Titley, 2001). Volvo’s cars consist of those attractive features which meet customers' exact demands in terms of passenger comfort, driving safety and total economy. This enables Volvo to sell their cars at a premium price and satisfy the unique needs or preferences of customers (Hills and Jones, 2007). Furthermore, people are becoming more conscious about what they are buying, and are more environmentally and safety conscious too in today’s trends (Aarts, 2010). This means that quality work is a crucial part of all areas in their global organisation from product development and design to purchasing, manufacturing, sales and service. Therefore, Volvo should expand their products and focus on product innovation that developing product features that customer value to prevent eroding the current market and increase overall sales and profits (Hunt, 2003). This is to ensure that in case the existing market for the type of product that Volvo offers is already saturated and there are convenient ties to other product types. This strategy helps reduce overall business risk by offering products in a variety of customer categories. With this, Volvo may build up a brand name that evokes the feeling of safety and luxury in an expanding market base. The uniqueness of Volvo may insulate the company from competitive rivalry and reduce customer sensitivity toward price increases. Consequently, these will increasingly affluent public and they will become more famous and trusting of automotive industry. 10 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing Reference List Aarts, L. (2010) Feeding People. United Kingdom: Academy Press. Aswathappa, A. (2005) International Business. nd ed. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Baumol, W. J. and Blinder, A. S. (2011) Economics: Principles and Policy. 12th eds. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Bernon, M. , Rossi, S. and Cullen, J. (2011) ‘Retail reverse logistics: A call and grounding framework for research’, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 484-510. Dinitzen, H. B. (2010) Organisational Theory: A Practical Approach. Denmark: Hans Reitzels Forlag. Eboli, L. and Mazzulla, G. (2008) ‘Willingness to pay of public transport users for improvement in service quality’, European Transport. Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 107-118. Gwartney, J. D. , Stroup, R. L. , Sobel, R. S. and MacPherson, D. (2008) Economics: Private and Public Choice. 12th eds. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Hage, J. (2011) Restoring the Innovation Edge: Driving the Evolution of Science and Technology. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Hills, C. W. L. and Jones, G. R. (2007) Strategic management: an integrated approach. USA: Cengage Learning. Hilmola, O. P. (2011) ‘Benchmarking efficiency of public passenger transport in larger cities’, Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 23-41. Hunt, B. 2003) The Timid Corporation: Why Business is Terrified of Taking Risk. England: John Wiley and Sons. Jones, G. and Hill, C. (2010) Theory of Strategic Management. 9th eds. South-Western Cengage Learning. Lee, K. H. and Cheong, I. M. (2011) ‘Measuring a carbon footprint and environmental practice: The case of Hyundai Motors Co. (HMC)’, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 111, No. 6, pp. 961-978. Li, Z. and Zhao, H. (2011) ‘Not all demand oil shocks are alike: Disentangling demand oild shocks in the crude oil market’, Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, Vol. , No. 1, pp. 28-44. Lowy, A. and Hood, P. (2004) The power of the 2Ãâ€"2 matrix: using 2Ãâ€"2 thinking to solve business problems and make better decisions. United States: John Wiley and Sons. 11 BK 3037 Strategic Marketing Moynihan, D. and Titley, B. (2001) Advanced business. New York: Oxford University Press. Needles, B. E. , Powers, M. and Crosson, S. V. (2010) Financial and Managerial Accounting. 9th eds. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Powell, J. and Hendricks, J. (2009) The Welfare State in Post-Industrial Society: A Global Perspective. London: Springer. Rudall, B. H. (2011) ‘Research and development: Current impact and future potential’, Kybernetes, Vol. 40, No. 3/4, pp. 581-584. Schermerhorn, J. R. (2010) Management. United States: John Wiley and Sons. Schwartz, R. A. , Carew, M. G. and Maksimenko, T. (2010) Micro Markets: A Market Structure Approach to Microeconomic Analysis. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons. Svensson, G. and Wagner, B. (2011) ‘Transformative business sustainability: Multilayer model and network of e-footprint sources’, European Business Review, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 334-352. The Sydney Morning Herald. 2007) Smallest, cheapest Volvo targets younger customers. [Online]. Available from: http://www. smh. com. au/news/news/new-targetmarket-forvolvo/2007/03/20/1174153023503. html%20Achieved%2013%20July%202011 [Accessed 13th July 2011]. Xia, Y. and Tang, L. P. Thomas. (2011) ‘Sustainability in supply chain management: Suggestions for the auto industry’, Management Decision, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 4955 12. Yoon, K. and Tran, T. V. (2011) ‘Capturing consumer heterogeneity in loyalty evolution patterns’, Management Research Review, Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 649-662. 12

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Facebook Financial Performance Report

Financial Performance 7. 1 Financial Statement FACEBOOK, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except for number of shares and par value) (Unaudited) | | | | | | | | | |   Ã‚  | June   30, 2012|   |   | December  31, 2011|   | Assets|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current assets:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Cash and cash equivalents|   Ã‚  | $| 2,098|   |   | $| 1,512|   Ã‚  | Marketable securities|   Ã‚  |   | 8,090|   |   |   | 2,396|   Ã‚  | Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $17 as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 578|   |   |   | 547|   Ã‚  | Income tax refundable|   Ã‚  |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Prepaid expenses and other current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 634|   |   |   | 149|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 11,967|   |   |   | 4,604|   Ã‚  | Property and equipm ent, net|   Ã‚  |   | 2,105|   |   |   | 1,475|   Ã‚  | Goodwill and intangible assets, net|   Ã‚  |   | 809|   |   |   | 162|   Ã‚  | Other assets|   Ã‚  |   | 47|   Ã‚  |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total assets|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current liabilities:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Accounts payable|   Ã‚  | $| 43|   |   | $| 63|   Ã‚  | Platform partners payable|   Ã‚  |   | 153|   Ã‚  |   |   | 171|   Ã‚  | Accrued expenses and other current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 441|   |   |   | 296|   Ã‚  | Deferred revenue and deposits|   Ã‚  |   | 85|   |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | Current portion of capital lease obligations|   Ã‚  |   | 312|   |   |   | 279|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   | à ‚  |   |   | Total current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,034|   Ã‚  |   |   | 899|   Ã‚  | Capital lease obligations, less current portion|   Ã‚  |   | 394|   Ã‚  |   |   | 398|   Ã‚  | Other liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 191|   |   |   | 135|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,619|   |   |   | 1,432|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Stockholders’ equity:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Convertible preferred stock, $0. 000006 par value, issuable in series; no shares and 569  million shares authorized as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, no shares and 543  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   |   |   | 615|   Ã‚  | Common stock, $0. 00006 par value; 5,000  million and 4,141  million Class  A shares authorized as of June  30, 20 12 and December  31, 2011, respectively, 641  million and 117  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 1  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011; 4,141  million Class B shares authorized, 1,501  million and 1,213  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 2  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase, as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Additional paid-in capital|   Ã‚  |   | 11,684|   |   |   | 2,684|   Ã‚  | Accumulated other comprehensive loss|   Ã‚  |   | (29| )  |   |   | (6| )  | Retained earnings|   Ã‚  |   | 1,654|   |   |   | 1,606|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  |   | 13,309|   |   |   | 4,899|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 1,184|   |   | $| 895|   |   | $| 2,242|   Ã‚  |   | | 1,626|   Ã‚  | Costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  |   | 367|   Ã‚  |   |   | 210|   |   |   | 644|   Ã‚  |   |   | 377|   | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 392|   Ã‚  |   |   | 96|   |   |   | 535|   Ã‚  |   |   | 158|   | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 705|   Ã‚  |   |   | 99|   |   |   | 858|   Ã‚  |   |   | 156|   | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 463|   Ã‚  |   |   | 83|   |   |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 140|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total costs and expenses|   Ã‚  |   | 1,927|   Ã‚  |   |   | 488|   |   |   | 2,604|   Ã‚  |   |   | 831|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income from operations|   Ã‚  |   | (743| )  |   |   | 407|   |   |   | (362| )  |   |   | 795|   | Interest and other income (expense), net:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Interest expense|   Ã‚  |   | (10| )  |   |   | (9| )  |   |   | (24| )  |   |   | (17| )  | Other income (expense), net|   Ã‚  |   | (12| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  |   |   | 3|   Ã‚  |   |   | 19|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income before benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | (765| )  |   |   | 399|   |   |   | (383| )  |   |   | 797 |   | Benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | 608|   Ã‚  |   |   | (159| )  |   |   | 431|   Ã‚  |   |   | (326| )  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $| 471|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Less: Net income attributable to participating securities|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 81|   Ã‚  |   |   | 21|   Ã‚  |   |   | 160|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 159|   |   | $| 27|   Ã‚  |   | $| 311|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 12|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 25|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Diluted|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 11|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 22|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Weighted verage shares used to compute (loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,292|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,613|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,267|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Dil uted|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,510|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,792|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,499|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 66|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 232|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  |   |   | 251|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 545|   Ã‚  |   |   | 35|   Ã‚  |   |   | 605|   Ã‚  |   |   | 39|   Ã‚  | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 263|   Ã‚  |   |   | 15|   Ã‚  |   |   | 282|   Ã‚  |   |   | 18|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total share-based compensation ex pense|   Ã‚  | $| 1,106|   Ã‚  |   | $| 64|   Ã‚  |   | $| 1,209|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   | | Three  Months  Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | Six  Months   Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   Ã‚  | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $|   471|   Ã‚  | Other comprehensive (loss) income:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Foreign currency translation adjustment|   Ã‚  |   | (21| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (22| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  | Change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale investments, net of tax|   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Comprehensive (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (179| )  |   | $| 240|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  | $| 25|   Ã‚  |   | $| 472|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Figure #: Financial Statement (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) Looking at the Financial Statement of Facebook Inc above we can calculate the current ratio on June 30, 2012 and compare it with December 31, 2011's ratio. We can calculate the 2011 ratio by using Total Asset of $6,331 million divided by Total Liabilities of $1,432 million equals $4. 42 million. And we can also find out the current ratio of Facebook Inc on June 30, 2012 by using the Current Assets of $11,976 million divided by Current Liabilities of $1,916 million equals $6. 25 million.Financial StatementsAs we can see the just in six months Facebook Inc's ratio increased almost by 70%. 7. 2 Active Users Figure #: Trends in Facebook User Metrics, Daily Active Users(Sour ces: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) The graph above showed us how Facebook Inc increased their ratio almost 70% in just six months. As we can see Daily Active Users Worldwide had increased from 108 million to 552 million users. Facebook Inc define a daily active users as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited Facebook through the Facebook website or through a device that can connect with Facebook.Facebook Inc check DAU (Daily Active Users) everyday. In Figure # we can see that the Worldwide DAUs increased 32% from 417 million users on June 2011 to 552 million users on June 2012. Most of the users now can log into Facebook through mobile device and Facebook Inc has already realized that. March 31, 2012, DAU's increased from 526 million to 552 million because of the increase of mobile users. 7. 3 Competitor The biggest competitor for Facebook is Twitter. The reason is that because many celebritie s like to use Twitter to connect with their fans. Twitter has not only become a well known social network but yet a tool for celebrities to do advertisement.In the United States presidential election of 2012, President Barack Obama used Twitter to connect with his fans. Figure #: Twitter Total Active Users, Worldwide (Source: Business Wired 2012) Even though Twitter is one of the threats for Facebook, but from the figure # we can clearly see the big difference that the two company have. On March 31, 2012 Facebook has 526 million active users worldwide, and Twitter only has 200 million active users worldwide. Facebook clearly beat Twitter. 7. 4 Facebook's Stock Markets Even though Facebook beat Twitter in the social network markets, but it has clearly not beat anyone in the stock markets. Below is the graph for Facebook's stock markets.Figure #: Facebook Stock Market graph, June 2011-December 2012 (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterl y period ended June 30, 2012) Facebook opened its stock markets with $31 per stock on May 18, 2011 and on November 16, 2012 it has closed with $23. 56 per stock. Facebook's stock market did not increase as we can see through Facebook. Below is the graph why it has dropped dramatically. Figure #: Facebook's Revenue Makeup, 2012 (Business Insider 2012) As the graph shows that Facebook Inc spent most of their money in Advertising the market instead of using the money to pay off their Payments and Other.Although Facebook will continue to increase their active users due to mobile services, but if users growth flattens or decline, the impact of these increase have on Facebook's revenue growth will be limited for sure. Sources: Financial Statement : http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm#tx371464_3 Daily Active Users: http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm Twitter Active Users: http://blog. business wire. com/tag/social-media/ Facebook Stock Markets http://tmx. quotemedia. com/charting. php? qm_symbol=FB:US Facebook's Revenue Makeup: http://www. businessinsider. com/facebook-users-decline-2012-8

Monday, July 29, 2019

Should executives use structured or unstructured interview formats Essay

Should executives use structured or unstructured interview formats when interviewing managers What are the positive and negative implications - Essay Example Therefore, Executives should use structured interview formats to interview their managers. Structured interviews entail use of the interview questions written on a paper and the interviewer asks questions verbally noting down the answers. The script may be created in advance or may be given by the human resources department. The questions are structured in a predetermined format and are similar to all interviewees, in this case, interviewee are the managers. A structured interview allows the executive find out any information need remarkably quickly and determines the qualifications of the candidate to the next level. The executives will be released off the pressures since they will be aware of questions to ask, and the answers given by the managers will be reliably aggregated (Beebe, 2001). Structured interview questions are based on the job analysis in order to ensure impartiality and fairness. The questions asked are critically analyzed and highly effective in evoking responses from managers to enable the decision making process. Every candidate is asked a similar question, and the rating scales are detailed to enhance the quantification of the subjective data. Professionalism is highly emphasized through training the executives interviewing the managers. The interview panels in a structured interview provide checks and balances where more than one member from the executive conducts the interview. Structured interviews ensure objective assessment of the responses from the managers based on the rating scale scores (Chiba, 2010). The process of structured interview involves three main stages. The executive members perform different roles during the interview process. Firstly, before beginning any interview, determination of the scope of the interview is crucial. The number of managers in the appointment process is discussed. Review of the crucial documents forming the basis of the interview like the job description and competency profile enhances

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Strategic Management and Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management and Leadership - Assignment Example Product mix of the company is essentially constituted of a larger percentage of beverage products followed by food items and also other exclusive coffee products. The company also exclusively works to sell equipments and accessories relating to the production of coffee thereby diversifying on its product mix. Moreover the company management works to administer the operation of the stores on their own rather than depending on franchisees. Success for Starbucks can also be measured by its market size and growth rate as the coffee brands has developed itself and become a global brands. Starbuck presently holds 30% of market share second to Costa Coffee in the UK market and market share of 74330.7% (Neate, 2012). Sales of Starbucks coffee generated 26.5million in 2012 and continued to introduce variants of different type and thus earn profits and increase market share (Restaurants Brands, 2012, p. 8) Starbucks also focuses on enhancement of market share and penetration of larger markets through focusing on conducting sales through other co-branded outlets. Similarly the company also focused on reaching to target consumer bases like youths and children in the form of conducting sales through use of kiosks. ... The marketing strategy of the firm greatly depends on activities like referrals in the form of word-of-mouth and also through the gaining in of support by other partnership companies and alliances in the industry. The company markets its message to the customers through the use of electronic mails rendered in by the people in their visits to the different stores. Further the company also works through the formation of strategic business and promotional alliances with other firms to gain on in distribution and marketing efforts (Larson, 2009, p.3-6). Another secret for the success of Starbucks in the global market for specialised coffee products counts on its enhanced social media marketing efforts. The social media networking activities of the company helps in gaining a large number of followers both in Facebook and Twitter where these people tend to post a large number of messages about their experiences on Starbucks’ products and services. The company through the use of soci al networking sites focuses on gaining a large number of potential feedbacks and recommendations. Through the use of such open communication networks the company tends to enhance its relationship with the consumers while operating in the global market. Similarly the company also encourages sharing videos and experiences on the web thereby focusing on to develop an emotional relationship with its target consumer base. Moreover the company through the use of different social networking sites focuses on empowering the consumers to render potential decisions about business, service and product development categories. These ideas being incorporated in its operational and service dimensions thereby create a sense of belongingness among the consumers relating to the

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Universalization of Christianity Through Repetition and Essay

Universalization of Christianity Through Repetition and Differentiation in Sandro Boticelli's Primavera - Essay Example Over their heads hang many oranges, and at the feet of the party is a field of various flowers, all of different colors and shapes. One of the most immediate formal aspects of this work is the obvious well balanced and symmetrical repetition of many different colors, forms and lines, which, when combined with the Christian implication of several of the symbols of the work, create a universalizing image of Christianity. The repetition in this work begins with the plants that grow above and below the main scene. The trees are dotted with oranges, bright colored fruit that create a star-like pattern over the roof of the party, which is mirrored by the flowers on the floor. These sprinkling of bright colors recall the expanse of the universe and the night sky, and begin creating the idea of this as a universal representation. Following the lines of these fruit trees behind the party of figures draws the viewers attention to the ground, which is likewise full of star-like clusters. These clusters are made of flowers, which, while homogenous at a distance and in creating the effect of repetition, are in fact extraordinarily varied. Each of the flowers is brightly colored, reinforcing the star-like pattern caused by the oranges hanging overhead, but when examined closer it becomes apparent that each has its own particular form and color, and is not like any of the others. This further reinforces that the painting expresses the whole of creation, both in its expanse, through the repetition of bright, star like patterns, and through the specific, with a huge amount of individual flair still being represented in the homogenous whole. The setting of this painting, through its repetition of bright colors, recalls the whole of creation. The symmetry of both the horizontal and the vertical axis also serve this purpose, allowing the viewer to imagine that the expanse continues on all sides in a similarly diverse but congruent way. This repetition is carried through the figure s in the painting as well, with Venus serving as the central axis over which the repetition is made. There is repetition in color, with figures on both the left and the right of Venus, as well as the red of Mercury’s tunic being mirrored in Venus’s. Finally, there is a compositional symmetry in the sole adult male figures, Zephyrus and Mercury, both being on the outside of the painting serving as the boundary of the image. The purpose of all of this repetition of is to create a universalizing effect, but what, if anything, is Botticelli trying to universalize? To understand this it is important to look at the symbolism of the painting. The Putto over Venus’s head serves as a dual symbol – it is both a Christian symbol with associations of heaven (in having innocence, angelic wings etc), while also being a common Roman motif. Venus serves a similar double role – she is obviously the Roman goddess of romance and birth, but here she also serve as a st and-in for Mary. The leaf patterns and archway over her head both serve to draw attention to her and create a halo effect, mirroring the kind of halo that Mary is often depicted with, while her pregnant-looking belly recalls the birth, something else Mary is frequently associated with. Her hand seems to be raised in benediction. Her white dress symbolizes innocence, while the red cloak hanging over her lower half

Human Cloning and Its Consequences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Cloning and Its Consequences - Essay Example Human cloning is also wrong for other reasons, one of them being that human clones might have their bodies harvested for body parts and/or human organs. Then they would be left for dead. We must remember that every person has a soul and a spirit. People should not be grown like oranges on a tree. There has been talk about, indeed, cloning people in order to harvest their organs for one’s clone. This is not only morally reprehensible, but also ethically wrong. How one could even consider raising a human, only to use the human’s body parts for another human—is almost inconceivable. It is possible, but why would any forward-thinking individual want to do something like that? Not only is it a moral lapse, but it would also be a societal lapse as well. The value of human life would be reduced to what a human could provide in terms of body parts and/or organs for another human being. That is absolutely disgusting, not to mention wrong. Human cloning has no place in our society. Perhaps someday, people might have more of a vested interest in seeing their clone produce body parts or even organs which they might be able to harvest for themselves. This is not only ethically dangerous but morally backwards. Cloning has no place in our society because we do not want people who look just like us, talk just like us, and, in short—make a mockery of the human race. Everyone is an individual, and even clones would have their own personalities, even if their bodies were to be identical to the people being cloned. It has come to the attention of a one Dr. Gregory Pence that such research is necessary in order to foment the research field in ethical medical bioengineering. As a medical doctor, he can see many reasons for why people should indeed embrace cloning in all its forms. However, when Dr. Ruth Macklin presents her ideas as to why she feels that cloning would not be a good idea, her rationale seems to make much more logical sense as to why we sho uldn’t clone humans. In his book Medical Ethics, Dr. Pence—a seemingly ethical biomedical doctor— argues in favor of cloning, noting that it is not something of which one should be afraid.2 Of course, the idea of cloning people is not an entirely new one, but we must take into account the risks and the problematization of human existence. We already know that stem cell experiments are taking place, so the question remains, â€Å"What next?† How far will we have to fall as a society for us to realize that cloning is immoral and wrong? It may not be easy to convince those who are persuaded by scientific research that cloning is the way to go—the wave of the future, if one will. It will not be easy to convince those who are insistent upon the fact that there is nothing wrong with cloning—when the ethical scruples are staring us in the face. How is it going to be possible to clone people ethically? It just doesn’

Friday, July 26, 2019

R Software to complete this task Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

R Software to complete this task - Coursework Example The negative skewness implies that there are more data points on the left side of the histogram (negative side of a skew plot). One can conclude that the life expectancy across the 182 countries is well below 70 years. The scatter plot above barely indicate any form of correlation between internet usage and life expectancy. However, it is clearly indicative that as internet usage increase from 20 to 80, the life expectancy tends to stay above 70 years and steadily moves towards 80 years. This can be simply explained by the fact that increased internet usage leads to better health care awareness. Being exposed to better and healthy living habits and information through the internet may be the cause for increased longevity. The histogram for life expectancy in Europe also shows that the distribution is negatively skewed, but much lesser compared to the entire world life expectancy. The skewness coefficient stands at (-0.52496). However, looking at the bar plots above, there seems to be a reduced number of age data points on the left side. This means that Europe experience increased longevity compared to the world (Reimann et al.). A careful look at the histogram shows that between ages 60 to age 78, the distribution is symmetrical. However, when the age limit is extended above 80, the distribution becomes negatively skewed. The life expectancy in Europe is much higher compared to the 182 countries. The first histogram plot clearly shows that the life expectancy across the 182 countries is 70 years, while the second histogram plot shows that the life expectancy in Europe is at 78 years. Both histograms distribution are negatively skewed, however, Europe seems to have more access to information technology (internet access) which obviously has improved the living standard and heath care for the aging population. In addition, one can also conclude that since Europe has many developed markets, a huge proportion of the population is able to

Thursday, July 25, 2019

World economies (PHD level) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

World economies (PHD level) - Essay Example The economy had cheap money floating which was invested by the public. The borrowings were then invested in the stocks and securities in the domestic market as well as foreign markets directly opposite to the reason of borrowing. The banks and other institutions lent the money to be invested in land holding but instead it was invested in stock markets (The Lost Decade - Japans Economic Crisis). According to the article ‘The Lost Decade - Japans Economic Crisis,’ the Finance Ministry after realizing this increased the interest rates which caused the stock market to crash big time. The increase in interest rates caused the banks to go in large debt crisis due to huge bad debts. And even those official numbers dont capture the full size of the flood of cheap money. This was also due to the fact that the banks and other institutions were selling bonds in the foreign market with a low interest rate which when swapped into yen, reduced the cost of money to zero. The Japanese banking sector was in crisis and many banks were bailed by the government or the whole banking sector of Japan would have been destroyed. The name Lost Decade was given because the Japanese banks were in no position to lend more money or do capital investment due to huge amounts of bad debts. The economic situation in Japan is now not as bad as the Lost Decade when the economic expansion had just come to an abrupt stop. Unemployment had rose and is still an issue but it is not at a level of crisis like in the Lost Decade. It is argued by many economists that the economic situation in America is on the path of economic crisis like the Lost Decade in Japan. The Federal Reserve of The Fed of US is also lowering the discount rate. As a result of this the growth in the American economy is slowly crawling upwards, the savings are invested in the real-estate which does not make any contribution to the country’s savings and the stock market

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Research proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research proposal - Dissertation Example According to Hopwood (1991) According to Hopwood (1991) â€Å"accounting can be conceived as a technical development formed by the cultures, the socio-historical situations and the institutional forms of the definite societies from which it issues.† Perera (1989, p.42-43) indicates that culture influences accounting pattern as it is a human action and only not a physical process. According to him culture as such is a commanding environmental attribute which impacts the accounting arrangement of a country. Accounting is a socio-technical activity and demands wherewithal from both human being and machine with an interface between human and machine. Although the technological aspect implicated in reporting is little reliant on culture, the human aspect is more reliant and as the two acts jointly, accounting can not be free of culture. This paper probes the kinship between culture and reporting and makes a study as to whether accounting is dependent on a country’s culture. ... Literature Review Belkaoui (1995, p.3) states that: â€Å"Culture in its real meaning influences the judgment or decision procedure involved in accounting. Culture, by its constituents, factors and proportions, prescribes the organisational construction acquiring the micro-organisational conduct and the psychoanalysis operation of individuals, in a manner which finally affects their opinion or assessment course when they are confronted with an accounting or auditing development.† Since accounting is culture dependent, it is essential to comprehend which vistas of culture determine accounting pattern and how it is affected. Doupnik and Salter (1995) suggest that the accord of how culture affects cross-national accounting variety can contribute towards the attempts made to reduce that diversity and increase comparison of accounting info collectively. Perera (1989, p.43) indicated 2 linked modes to study the ethnical squeezes on accounting patterns. The 1st implies fixing some pr ecise societal measures or ethnic elements probably to link straightaway with reporting pattern. The 2nd is to authenticate whatsoever connection between social measures and exact report exercises. By surveying Hofstede and Gray’s (1988) works, Perera (1989) extended an academic model for probing the influence of civilization on method of accounting. He debated that the method of accounting patterns and arrangements of diverse nations are determined by their ethnical measures thus regulating their method of accounting patterns. He submitted that the decisions of former works disclose a universal variety of reporting wants and exercises that are predominately understandable with relation to the internal ethnical deviations. He in addition indicated that â€Å"any exercise

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

The Short Story and Essay Writing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Short Story and Writing - Essay Example Also I would try to look at the narrative point of view and the attitude of the writer towards the subject matter. But mainly, I would focus on the efficacy of the opening paragraph and gauge if it was effective enough in capturing my attention by comparing the two short stories. Araby (27-33) is a short story written by James Joyce that is narrated in the first person point of view. The story discussed the subject matter of discovering sexual desires from the perspective of a boy at the brink of adulthood. Although the topic of the story is not something that I have discovered on the latter part, the opening paragraph did contain in a nutshell the attitude of the writer towards the subject matter—â€Å"North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Joyce 27) As a boy, the narrator was blinded by his youth towards his perception on sexuality and love. And upon finally arriving at Araby late at night, was symbolic because he saw ‘adulthood’ for its true colours. It was not what he imagined it to be—of shops with their wares and bustling people but instead, â€Å"nearly all the stalls were closed and the greater part of the hall was in darkness.† In the end, the boy realized his folly: â€Å"Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger† (Joyce 32-33) Though there have been a truck-load use of metaphor and symbolism used throughout the story, the opening paragraph, on my opinion was not effective enough in capturing my attention. For me, it lacks interest. There was nothing familiar in North Richmond Street that could spark my interest that though it was an exact location that could symbolize any typical English suburban street during the early 18th century, it was insignificant, detached; greatly because it was very time/ era

Monday, July 22, 2019

Food safety Essay Example for Free

Food safety Essay However, according to Unit 04 Communication of Health Consumers Directorate-General of the European Commission (SANCO): The Codex, while being recommendations for voluntary application by members, Codex standards serve in many cases as a basis for national legislation. The reference made to Codex food safety standards in the World Trade Organizations Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS Agreement) means that Codex has far reaching implications for resolving trade disputes. WTO members that wish to apply stricter food safety measures than those set by Codex may be required to justify these measures scientifically. So, an agreement made in 2003, signed by all member states, inclusive all EU, in the codex Stan Codex 240 – 2003 for coconut milk, sulphite containing additives like E223 and E 224 are allowed till 30 mg/kg, does NOT mean, they are allowed into the EU, see RASFF entries from Denmark: 2012. 0834; 2011. 1848; en 2011. 168, â€Å"sulphite unauthorised in coconut milk from Thailand â€Å". Same for polysorbate E 435: see 2012. 0838 from Denmark, unauthorised polysorbates in coconut milk and, 2007. AIC from France. Only for the latter the EU amended its regulations with (EU) No 583/2012 per 2 July 2012 to allow this additive, already used for decades and absolutely necessary. Australia[edit]Food Standards Australia New Zealand is working toward ensuring that all food businesses implement food safety systems to ensure food is safe to consume in a bid to halt the increasing incidence of food poisoning, this includes basic food safety training for at least one person in each business. Smart business operators know that basic food safety training improves the bottom line, staff take more pride in their work; there is less waste; and customers can have more confidence in the food they consume. Food Safety training in units of competence from a relevant training package, must be delivered by a Registered Training Organization (RTO) to enable staff to be issued with a nationally recognised unit of competency code on their certificate. Generally this training can be completed in less than one day. Training options are available to suit the needs of everyone. Training may be carried out in-house for a group, in a public class, via correspondence or online. Basic food safety training includes: Understanding the hazards associated with the main types of food and the conditions to prevent the growth of bacteria which can cause food poisoning and to prevent illness The problems associated with product packaging such as leaks in vacuum packs, damage to packaging or pest infestation, as well as problems and diseases spread by pests. Safe food handling. This includes safe procedures for each process such as receiving, re-packing, food storage, preparation and cooking, cooling and re-heating, displaying products, handling products when serving customers, packaging, cleaning and sanitizing, pest control, transport and delivery. Also the causes of cross contamination. Catering for customers who are particularly at risk of food-borne illness, including allergies and intolerance. Correct cleaning and sanitizing procedures, cleaning products and their correct use, and the storage of cleaning items such as brushes, mops and cloths. Personal hygiene, hand washing, illness, and protective clothing. People responsible for serving unsafe food can be liable for heavy fines under this new legislation, consumers are pleased that industry will be forced to take food safety seriously. China[edit]Main article: Food safety in the Peoples Republic of China Food safety is a growing concern in Chinese agriculture. The Chinese government oversees agricultural production as well as the manufacture of food packaging, containers, chemical additives, drug production, and business regulation. In recent years, the Chinese government attempted to consolidate food regulation with the creation of the State Food and Drug Administration in 2003, and officials have also been under increasing public and international pressure to solve food safety problems. However, it appears that regulations are not well known by the trade. Labels used for green food, organic food and pollution-free food are not well recognized by traders and many are unclear about their meaning. A survey by the World Bank found that supermarket managers had difficulty in obtaining produce that met safety requirements and found that a high percentage of produce did not comply with established standards. [6] Traditional marketing systems, whether in China or the rest of Asia, presently provide little motivation or incentive for individual farmers to make improvements to either quality or safety as their produce tends to get grouped together with standard products as it progresses through the marketing channel. Direct linkages between farmer groups and traders or ultimate buyers, such as supermarkets, can help avoid this problem. Governments need to improve the condition of many markets through upgrading management and reinvesting market fees in physical infrastructure. Wholesale markets need to investigate the feasibility of developing separate sections to handle fruits and vegetables that meet defined safety and quality standards. [7] European Union[edit]The parliament of the European Union (EU) makes legislation in the form of directives and regulations, many of which are mandatory for member states and which therefore must be incorporated into individual countries national legislation. As a very large organisation that exists to remove barriers to trade between member states, and into which individual member states have only a proportional influence, the outcome is often seen as an excessively bureaucratic one size fits all approach. However, in relation to food safety the tendency to err on the side of maximum protection for the consumer may be seen as a positive benefit. The EU parliament is informed on food safety matters by the European Food Safety Authority. Individual member states may also have other legislation and controls in respect of food safety, provided that they do not prevent trade with other states, and can differ considerably in their internal structures and approaches to the regulatory control of food safety. France[edit]Agence nationale de securite sanitaire de lalimentation, de lenvironnement et du travail (anses) is a French governmental agency dealing with food safety. Germany[edit]The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer. Protection (BMELV)[8] is a Federal Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. History: Founded as Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Foresting in 1949, this name did not change until 2001. Then the name changed to Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture. At the 22nd of November 2005, the name got changed again to its current state: Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. The reason for this last change was that all the resorts should get equal ranking which was achieved by sorting the resorts alphabetically. Vision: A balanced and healthy diet with safe food, distinct consumer rights and consumer information for various areas of life, and a strong and sustainable agriculture as well as perspectives for our rural areas are important goals of the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety is under the control of the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. It exercises several duties, with which it contributes to safer food and thereby intensifies health-based consumer protection in Germany. Food can be manufactured and sold within Germany without a special permission, as long as it does not cause any damage on consumers’ health and meets the general standards set by the legislation. However, manufacturers, carriers, importers and retailers are responsible for the food they pass into circulation. They are obliged to ensure and document the safety and quality of their food with the use of in-house control mechanisms. Hong Kong[edit]In Hong Kong SAR, the Centre for Food Safety is in charge of ensuring food sold is safe and fit for consumption. India[edit]Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is the regulating body related to food safety and laying down of standards of food in India. New Zealand[edit]See also: Food safety in New Zealand The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), or Te Pou Oranga Kai O Aotearoa is the New Zealand government body responsible for food safety. NZFSA is also the controlling authority for imports and exports of food and food-related products. The NZFSA as of 2012 is now a division of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and is no longer its own organization. Pakistan[edit]Pakistan does not have an integrated legal framework but has a set of laws, which deals with various aspects of food safety. These laws, despite the fact that they were enacted long time ago, have tremendous capacity to achieve at least minimum level of food safety. However, like many other laws, these laws remain very poorly enforced. There are four laws that specifically deal with food safety. Three of these laws directly focus issues related to food safety, while the fourth, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, is indirectly relevant to food safety. The Pure Food Ordinance 1960 consolidates and amends the law in relation to the preparation and the sale of foods. All provinces and some northern areas have adopted this law with certain amendments. Its aim is to ensure purity of food being supplied to people in the market and, therefore, provides for preventing adulteration. The Pure Food Ordinance 1960 does not apply to cantonment areas. There is a separate law for cantonments called The Cantonment Pure Food Act, 1966. There is no substantial difference between the Pure Food Ordinance 1960 and The Cantonment Pure Food Act. Even the rules of operation are very much similar. Pakistan Hotels and Restaurant Act, 1976 applies to all hotels and restaurants in Pakistan and seeks to control and regulate the rates and standard of service(s) by hotels and restaurants. In addition to other provisions, under section 22(2), the sale of food or beverages that are contaminated, not prepared hygienically or served in utensils that are not hygienic or clean is an offense. There are no express provisions for consumer complaints in the Pakistan Restaurants Act, 1976, Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, 1996. The laws do not prevent citizens from lodging complaints with the concerned government officials; however, the consideration and handling of complaints is a matter of discretion of the officials. [9] South Korea[edit]Korea Food Drug Administration[edit]Korea Food Drug Administration (KFDA)[10] is working for food safety since 1945. It is part of the Government of South Korea. IOAS[11]-Organic Certification Bodies Registered in KFDA: Organic or related claims can be labelled on food products when organic certificates are considered as valid by KFDA. KFDA admits organic certificates which can be issued by 1) IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement) accredited certification bodies 2) Government accredited certification bodies – 328 bodies in 29 countries have been registered in KFDA. Food Import Report: According to Food Import Report,[12] it is supposed to report or register what you import. Competent authority is as follows: Product.

Types of business Essay Example for Free

Types of business Essay A sole trader is one who is wholly responsible for his business and hence has complete control over it. He keeps all the profit generated from the business and runs the business according to his own will. He does not have access to substantial capital for expansion; he does not have anyone to manage his business affairs and therefore has to do all the work by his own. Sole proprietorship has unlimited limited which means he will have to sell his own assets apart from business in order to pay back the debts. Partnership: the Business is run by partners who share the profit and loss according to the share of capital put into the business. It is run by mutual ideas of the partners. They can overcome each other weakness which can be helpful in making the business more profitable. They loss form the business is shared among the partners. One of the disadvantages is that the profit generated from the business has to be shared among the partners . The partners may get into conflict when making any decision. Corporation: There are two types of corporations. Private limited and Public limited. Private Limited corporations are those where the shareholders have limited liability and the shares of the corporate may not be offered to the general public. One of the major advantages of private limited company is that the corporation is separated from management and its members (the shareholders). Another advantage is that all the shareholders have limited liability that means only there share in the business is at stake and they are not liable to pay back the debt from their own property. Disadvantages may be that all the decisions have to be consulted with every shareholder that takes time and effort. The other form of corporation is the public limited corporation where the ownership is held by the public . The company has limited liability; a public limited corporation has a greater access to financial institutions for loans which is not the case with sole traders or partnership. With so many shareholders, they can all contribute their ideas for the benefit of the company. The disadvantages of a public limited company is the double taxation , at first the company has to pay the corporation tax on the profit earned and then the shareholders pay the tax on the dividends they get . Second advantage of a public limited company is that there are many legal formalities involved in setting up. The third disadvantage may be that the public limited corporation is bound to disclose all the financial information to its shareholders that takes a lot of time, effort and money. (Cinnamon and Larsen, 2006) Franchising: It is a method by which a person uses a business name that already exists. The person who takes the name is know has franchisee and the person who owns that business is know as franchisors. The franchisee in order to get authorize to use the name of the business has to pay a fees and a percentage of gross monthly sales. Sherman , 2004) Advantage to the franchisor may be that it can come near to the market by giving out the name to a franchisee. For a franchisee the advantage may be that he can earn from a business that already exists and is well renowned. Disadvantage for the franchisor is that the franchisor has to keep in eye on the quality of the products available in the franchise and also on the customer service given by the franchisee. For a franchisee the disadvantages may be that he has to give some profit to the franchisor. (Sherman , 2004)

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Positive Effects A Nuclear Reactor Politics Essay

The Positive Effects A Nuclear Reactor Politics Essay Providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation. (Obama) This was the endorsement made by the President of the United States in January of 2010 during his annual State of the Union Address of adding more nuclear power facilities around the United States. Nuclear power is the energy source of the future, and Louisa County is on the cusp of becoming one of the frontrunners in the nation in this aspect with its partnership with Dominion Power Electric Company to add a third reactor to its nuclear power plant situated on the shores of Lake Anna. Lake Anna was originally built to fuel the nuclear reactors that began commercial use in 1978 (Unit One) and 1980 (Unit Two). The lake is used to provide the water necessary to fuel this power station and its use and output will soar to new heights in the com ing years. Already armed with two nuclear reactors on its power plant, the addition of a third reactor will only bolster Louisa Countys already advantageous position in the alternative energy game. In adding a third reactor at the Dominion Electric Power Plant on Lake Anna, Louisa County will put itself in a position to be the benefactor of numerous Federal aides, it will also create more jobs to be added to the local economic structure, and spark an influx of new businesses opening in the Lake Anna region as a result of this jump in population. More people will be attracted to the area, and more money will be brought into the county as a result, all of which will benefit the area while the recreational value of the lake and surrounding area will not be harmed, as some residents are fearful will happen. All of these factors bode well for the local economy and the citizens of Lake Anna and Louisa County. In times where oil and coal are insufficient in appeasing worldwide energy needs, nuclear power is an efficient alternative. They are often constructed in times when oil is in short supply. The below chart depicts the growth and addition of nuclear power plants [NPPs] worldwide from 1950 to 1997. The near bell-curve shape of the chart and the nuclear boom from 1970 to 1990 can be attributed to a worldwide oil crisis, forcing countries to find alternative energy sources to compensate for their deficit of oil. Nuclear energy was also the hot new form of alternative energy and there was an arms-race of sorts to have the biggest and best fleet of nuclear performance. Nuclear growth proved to be cyclical as it dropped and leveled off at the turn of the Century. Number of Reactors In the coming years however, another spike in nuclear production will be seen as military tensions in the Middle-East reach new heights. The addition to the North Anna power station, when completed, will be one of the first plants to lead in this upward trend. It can be predicted that the growth will peak again around the year 2014 as the world settles into using nuclear power as a safe and reliable alternative to coal and oil. As Americans, we will soon see more and more nuclear bases around the nation, as it has been proven and endorsed by the government that nuclear is the way of the future for America. With the recent fuel crisis that has hit the United States, a concentrated effort has been put into discovering and fostering alternative energy sources. Hybrid cars was the first alternative venture in which American citizens began to alter their buying habits, but it has since spread into all facets of American society, including power supplies as a whole. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the United States has allotted 2.4 billion dollars of Clean Renewable Energy Bonds [CREBs] to be given to local governments to fund mass projects that will promote or provide alternative energy for mass numbers of people. (Department of Energy, April 10, 2010) The funding Louisa County will receive through the Recovery Act will foot most of the construction bill for the reactor, leaving Louis a ready to profit off of the venture. Energy shortage is also hitting very close to home for Louisa County residents. The Commonwealth of Virginia itself is currently looking at an energy deficit that could reach 4,000 megawatts by year 2017. (Dominion Power, March 13, 2010) The demand for energy is heading in the opposite direction, growing by over 40% over the past ten years and can grow to almost 50% by the end of 2011. (Dominion Power, March 13, 2010) This can be accredited to growing populations and a large number of citizens that are not energy-conscious. The third reactor at North Anna Power Station is aiming to help appease these new demands while cutting into the deficit itself. With any great change will come those who are resistant, those who do not want to alter their ways from the status quo. There have been specific groups of people from the lake community who have been opposed to the expansion of the nuclear power plant. The Lake Anna Civic Association (LACA) is a group of lake residents who have served as the voice of the cautious opposition. Termed N.I.M.B.Y.s (meaning Not In My Back Yard) by colleagues in the area, this association stood in the way of county approval of the Dominion project by lobbying the local government and presenting reasons that the construction of the third reactor would be detrimental to the Lake. Though there are not many residents who feel that the extension of the nuclear power plant would be a negative addition to the lake judging by support for the project displayed at local governmental meetings, their arguments have been noted and studied by the authorities in charge of approval. They argued that with increased water m ovement and usage by the power plant will raise the water level an excessive amount. Though it is predicted by Dominion Power that the water line will rise two inches, it is expected that this will not affect property that shares a border with the lake by encroaching on the land. It has also been argued that some of the bridges that traverse the lake will be made unsafe for boat traffic due to the water level. This would be because the clearance would be lowered by two inches and boats with canopies or a second level may strike the bottom of the bridge when passing. Following a study conducted by the Lake Anna Advisory Committee that was presented on February 9, 2010 showed that the three bridges in question were already below safe boating conditions (the boat, operator, and passengers are not in immediate danger) even when the water was low. It was also argued that an increased water temperature will deter tourists from enjoying the lake and joining in water activities. Discussed e arlier, this slight temperature increase (two to three degrees) will not be physically troubling to lake-goers but will rather make it enjoyable for a longer period of time and will also not have any acute impact on the wildlife within the lake. Given Louisa Countys developmental support track record, a project with the magnitude that this one possesses would not be approved unless it was certain that it would not cause major harm to the environment or citizens around it. Those who oppose the power plant on the lake must remember that it was constructed in the first place to serve as a power resource for the power plant and it would not exist without it. In an interview with William Blount (telephone interview, January 4, 2010), a longtime resident and entrepreneur on the lake, when discussing the opposition, he remarked that complaining about the power plant would be like purchasing land near an airport and complaining about noise. Nuclear energy has been proven to be an effective and safe avenue for harvesting energy for a large number of people. Louisa County, through its construction and use of Lake Anna as a power source to fuel its nuclear combines, provides power to the city of Richmond and the Southwest region of Virginia, as well as other states both north and south of Virginia. President Obama has endorsed this method as being safe and logical avenue for providing power to a nation who has seen its population grow by 208 million people over the past 100 years [1900 to 2000] (U.S. Census Bureau, March 4, 2010). This is a significant step toward nuclear energy becoming more common and available. Being of the Democratic Party, this is a sign that the endorsement is no false advertisement because the Democrats have traditionally been the major stopping point for the implementation of nuclear power as a major source of national energy. Democrats, as well as millions of previously undecided citizens on the topic of nuclear energy are beginning to see nuclear power as a safe alternative to oil and coal, which there has been a recent shortage of, with no end in site as long as the war and associated long term conflicts in the Middle-East continue. With each crisis comes a solution and a benefactor; Louisa County will be a benefactor from our national oil shortage. In order to ensure and promote the further use of nuclear energy, a town such as Louisa County could be granted sums of money and credits reaching into the millions (U.S. Department of Energy, April 10, 2010) for using this energy source . The wealth accrued through these cuts can be spent on public utilities such as roads and offices, meaning the county as a whole will benefit and be more pleasurable for all citizens. Reputable people closely involved with the project feel as if it will be a positive for Louisa. Lifetime Louisa County resident and former County Administrator and Clerk of the Court Dean Agee feels as if the addition of the third reactor will only help Louisa County fiscally. The income from the projected boost in commerce and population will help to offset the cost of the influx of public school attendance this county has seen in the past decade. This was most recently illustrated with the construction of Moss-Knuckles Elementary school on Route 208 toward Charlottesville. Schools are being built to accommodate all of the new students being enrolled in Louisa County Public Schools each year, and funding is necessary to make this possible. A large portion of this money will come from County taxes on the construction projects and new businesses blossoming in the area. When discussing the economic benefits Louisa will experience, Agee revealed that the Board of Supervisors will increa se the value of the county to offset the State lowering its fiscal aid, which is taxing on its actual value, this will level off the overall fiscal value of the Countyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ combining that with the Federal incentives that we will receive, a substantial increase in overall value will emerge. The growth that will take place can be shocking. During the original construction of Lake Anna Mr. Boodgie Duke, a local businessman and prominent land owner in the area, was speaking to a construction official about the digging of the hole where Lake Anna was to go. He inquired about how such a massive amount of dirt was going to be displaced, and was told that over one hundred bulldozers would be utilized in the process, What? he exclaimed, There are only three bulldozers in the entire county! This is merely a small example of the growth that nuclear power stations can bring to an area. While the area has seen much greater growth since then, adding a third reactor will have similar effects. There will be an influx of new jobs created by this third reactor; construction, building parts for the reactor, shipping, workers, and security for the new component will be needed for completion and use. Different stages of the construction project will involve multiple businesses and contract ors, so exact numbers for each specific construction discipline will only be able to be seen with time. These jobs will not only attract workers, but also their families will move with them if they are to stay permanently, these numbers will add up quickly. To accommodate all of the new citizens and workers in the County, the local real estate market will also see a boost as it must provide both permanent and temporary housing for those working. Lake Anna Island has already taken measures of preparation for this by having a building project in the works to create over fifty new housing condominiums to complement the twenty it already has. This undertaking is projected to be completed by late summer of 2010, in time to advertise and sell to migrant workers who are helping in building the third unit. According to local businessman B.J. Blount, by completion of the project over 700 permanent new jobs will be brought in to Louisa County in addition to roughly 5,000 temporary jobs over t he next five to seven years, adding wealth and notoriety to the area. According to former Louisa County administrator and lifelong resident Dean Agee, Lake Anna is already by far the most powerful and wealthy market in Louisa County; it is projects and progressiveness such as the addition of a third nuclear unit that makes it such. With this influx of new jobs in the area, the arrival of a new reactor will establish the northwest area of Lake Anna as a jumping-off point for more businesses and development projects in the area. As is true with virtually all areas that feature a great density of corporate prosperity, there was a major project that served as a catalyst for the attraction of other businesses to establish themselves in the area. A prime example of that would be the Short Pump Town Center erected in 2003 in northwestern Henrico County, Virginia. As soon as that came to fruition, and even perhaps before, more businesses and companies were purchasing land and leasing buildings to establish themselves in and around. There are now over a dozen housing developments and apartment communities established in the general vicinity of the Town Center with more to come. The Short Pump area has also established itself as one of the main shopping and leisure areas in the state of Virginia and many high school-aged kids migrate there on weekends to spend time and money. There is a direct correlation of growth in population to growth in wealth in corporate areas, and this will occur in this region of Louisa County. When the tide comes in, all the boats rise; the growth of the nuclear power plant will serve as that tide in Louisa. More businesses will flock to the Lake Anna region to reap some of the benefits. An agreement has already been reached to have a Food Lion constructed on Route 208 in Louisa, located roughly five miles from the Dominion Power Plant. A grocery store such as this would not have signed on for development in the area without a projected growth in patrons that would shop there, so this would be a good indication of the projected growth in the immediate vicinity. Gary Griffith, owner of Dockside Realty, is developing Stonewall Town Center on Route 522 that will feature a restaurant and shopping opportunities. Lake Anna Island Realty was an early player in the race for position to attract business from the new growth. To go along with the covered boat slips that house the Lake Anna Island Yacht Club. Owner B. J. Blount and his partners have agreements and are in the process of building numerous other amenities on their property, located next to the 208 Bridge on New Bridge Road. There are b oat slips available for lease or rent for commuters or new residents to tie up their boats and access them at any time. As that project progresses, there is a potential for over 400 slips to be implemented, along with storage space for each purchased slip. There are the aforementioned housing units under construction that will be available for permanent or temporary use for specialized or contracted workers and their families. Buildings will be constructed to house a hotel and a restaurant, along with separate housing for a doctors office and two other separate restaurants. There is also now a houseboat available for rental on a weekly or weekend basis, with the opportunity for more boats to form a fleet that can turn into a steady source of income for the Realty. This is the sort of business plan and construction project that may well be seen blossoming in Louisa County with more regularity in the years to come. An effect the Power Plant will have on the environment will be the slight increase of water temperature on the lake due to the increased consumption of water by the actual units. It is predicted that the water temperature will rise by two to three degrees. While this is not a glaring difference from the norm, the newfound warmth can potentially extend the tourist season by an extra week. This is because the higher temperature will take longer to cool in the fall and the water will be warm enough for recreational activities for a slightly longer period of time. The increased amount of reactor output (predicted two to three inch water level increase) means that the larger amount will also take longer to cool. Though it is only one week, the collective wealth accrued by businesses of the area, be it restaurants, rentals or general boat activity will pay great dividends in the long run for the local economy. Multiple studies have been done to back up all of the claims made in favor of the third reactors positive impact upon Louisa Countys economy. From 1960 to 1976, sixty-four towns and cities that were located around any of four Northeastern U.S. power plants were observed and measured by their property market values. Positive growth trends in property value, listing and sale prices were seen across the board in these areas. (Downing, Gamble, Sauerlander, n.d.) Throughout the completion of the study the communities experienced positive growth. Furthermore, it was found that property market values increased at an inverse ratio to distance that they are situated from the nuclear power plants, possibly indicating that buyers specifically paid more to live closer to the plant. The municipalities that were in the general area of the plants also grew disproportionally to areas in the same state that were not near a nuclear plant. (Bezdek Wendling, 2006) In 1986, a study was conducted by a gr oup of college professors from Oakland University in Michigan that studied whether the federal policy to deter citizens from living near nuclear power plants had positive effects or not. In a study made of 204 local government that were situated within ten miles of any of the 49 functional nuclear power plants in the United States at the time, the governments were polled on their citizens feelings toward the plants and the physical plants public safety. (Folland Hough, 1999) The results showed that feedback was greatly in favor of living near the plants and it was suggested that governments should encourage migration toward the plants rather than discouraging citizens from living near them. Constructing a third reactor to add to the North Anna Power Plant in Louisa County will provide numerous benefits for everyone involved. Federal incentives will be sent the countys way, citizens will come pouring in searching for one of the multiple new jobs that will be created and numerous pre-existing and prospective businesses will be able to reap the benefits from all of this. All of these factors will culminate in making Louisa County a richer, more prosperous county. Resources Bezdek, R., Wendling, R. (2006). The Impacts of Nuclear Facilities on Property Values and Other Factors in the Surrounding Communities (Rep.). Retrieved January 10, 2010, from misi-net.com Dominion Power. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2010, from http://www.dom.com Downing, R., Gamble, H., Sauerlander, O. (n.d.). Real Estate Economics: Community Growth Around Nuclear Power Plants (3rd ed., Vol. 8). John Wiley Sons. Folland, S., Hough, R. (1999). On the External Effects on Nuclear Power Plant: Further Evidence (Rep.). Rochester, Michigan. Retrieved January 14, 2010, from Gale Group. Nuclear Waste Disposal. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2010, from http://www.nei.org Number of Reactors Being Brought Online Number of Countries Bringing Reactors Online [Chart]. (n.d.). In TVA. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Obama, B. H. (2010, January 27). State of the Union Address. Speech presented at State of the Union Address 2010 in U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. United States, Department of Energy. (n.d.). Government Tax Incentives. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.energy.gov/government_tax_incentives.htm United States, Census Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://census.gov

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Battle of San Pasqual :: essays research papers fc

The Battle of San Pasqual   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The battle of San Pasqual was one of the many battles fought against Americans to protect their land. The greedy American government was determined to conquer California from Mexico and make it part of the union. The mass migration of immigrants caused the widespread of people to flee south.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico had departed from Spain in 1821. California wanted to manage their own affairs however, they lacked self government. Pio Pico was the civil governor and Jose Castro was the military comandante. The two men held great hostility toward each other. They divided California’s land and raised armies for themselves. These divisions of armies led to future problems, due to the lack of unity between the two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States Navy arrived in Monterey on July 2, 1846. â€Å"The two California leaders made a half-hearted attempt at cooperation† (Johns 2). The two men and their followers met at a ranch near San Luis Obispo to agree on an opposition towards the American forces. The lack of trust within one another led the two armies to march in separate units to Los Angeles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon the troops arrival in Los Angeles Castro wrote a letter to Commodore Robert F. Stockton demanding to discuss a way of preventing war. Stockton wrote back concluding that the men must allow American forces to raise an American flag in California. Baldridge 2 The American flag represented that California was America’s land. Stockton also claimed that a treaty would be issued after the flag was inputted in the California soil. Castro refused to take the American negotiation. Castro soon spread the word of American disgrace to Governor Pico, and he also informed him that he was vacating the land due to a lack of resources. He claimed the resources were unable to carry on a war. Pico soon followed with the same intentions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Following the departures of Pio Pico and Jose Castro, the United States naval forces entered Los Angeles without opposition and raised the stars and stripes on August 31, Stockton appointed Captain Archibald Gillespie military commandant of the town, with instruction to be vigilant, firm and strict, and by no means permit anyone to escape† (Johns 3). California natives soon grew angry with Gillespie’s demands and lodged an attack on him; the Americans won the small battle. And, four days later California won another attack at Chino Rancho of Isaac Williams. â€Å"Encouraged by their success, the local inhabitants then gathered a large force which surrounded the detachment in the pueblo and forced Gillespie to evacuate his post on Sept, 30† (Johns 5).

Friday, July 19, 2019

Left Brain vs Right Brain Essay -- Human Intellect

The Left Brain vs The Right Brain: How Does This Impact Learning Do you ever hear some people say that, ‘I learn this way, because I’m left or right brain dominant,’ but what is your learning style? Some people go majority of their life, not knowing which learning style works for them. It is good to know what this learning style is so people can respond most effectively to the material being presented. Templeton (2003). The better people know their own learning style, the faster they can develop, and process information. The hemisphere of the brain; which are call the left and right brain; plays a major part in influencing people learning style. The left and right brain are only connected by nerves fibers; which are called the corpus callosum; helps share information between the two brains. Knowing which side of the brain is dominant will better help them understand what learning style is theirs. Back in (1981) Noble Prize Winner Roger Sperry was one of the first scientists to do an experiment on the two brains, which was call, the â€Å"split-brain† experiment. His conclusion was that there appear to be two modes of thinking, verbal and nonverbal, represented rather separately in left and right hemispheres respectively and that our education system, as well as science in general, tends to neglect the nonverbal form of intellect. What it comes down to is that modern society discriminates against the right hemisphere. Eden (2011). Scientist will say that the left brain is more of an Auditory Learner, and the right brain is more of a Visual Learner. Some people would say that whatever gender they are weights on how people learn, and what side of their brain to use in school; which impact they’re learning. In the prior statements, it rea... ...on, M. (2007). Negotiating for dummies, 2nd edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing INC. Eden, Dan. (2011). Left brain: right brain. Retrieved from, http://www.viewzone2.com/bicam.html Gibson, Karen. (2002). Right or left brain: which is dominant in your family. Learning Styles and Hemispheric Dominance (Part 2). Retrieved from, http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/art/kmg/learningstyles2.html Morris, R. (2006). An Examination into the theory of brain, lateralization, learning styles, and the implications for education. Left Brain, Right Brain, Whole Brain? Retrieved from, http://singsurf.org/brain/rightbrain.html Philips, H. (2006). Introduction: human brain. New Scientist. Retrieved from, http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9969-instant-expert-the-human-brain.html Templeton, M. (2003). Learning styles. Retrieved from, http://frank.mtsu.edu/~studskl/hd/learn.html