Play format to influence the audiences feelings Essay

Examine how Arthur miller uses the play format to influence the audiences feelings towards Eddie The play ‘A view from the bridge’ was written in 1955 by Arthur Miller; a man who’s play was heavily influenced by the work and lives in the communities of dockworkers and longshoremen. This play examines individuals, characters like Eddie, and their responsibilities and position in society. In addition, Miller also reveals to the audience a meaningful understanding way of how Eddie thinks, acts and behaves to his surroundings. While doing this, he also portrays a different perspective of what family and Italian culture is like, based on his own past experiences with Italian immigrants. It is this, which dramatizes the themes of conflict, betrayal, love and obsession. The American immigration system at the time was at its peak and due to the ‘American dream’ many were illegal. Arthur Miller’s play was influenced by this immigration system in America as he had heard stories and personal experiences involving illegal immigrants. At first he didn’t act upon this idea, but after visiting Italy it inspired him to write a play influenced by the social, historical and cultural background of these Italian communities. At the beginning of the play Alfieri sets the scene by showing his perspective through a monologue. The language he uses is direct, formal and expressive of what the characters mean. By the end of Alfieri’s first speech Miller uses the dialogue to influence the audience into thinking their interpretation of Eddie Carbonne to be one of the main characters and to be identified as the hero of this particular tradgedy. The opening of the play also highlights Eddie to be seen as a decent and respected member of the community as he and his wife Beatrice were responsible for bringing up Catherine, Beatrice’s niece, when her parents died. This established Eddie as a father figure, which could explain why Rodolpho and Marco came to stay with him when they first arrived in America. The respect earned from this conveyed in many ways, such as Catherine fetching and lighting a cigar for him, and a more important way in terms of status, twice interrupting his wife in mid speech, and putting words into her mouth if anyone asks her about the immigrants in their house:’ Eddie suppose somebody†¦ ‘ ‘I don’t care what the question is. You-don’t-no-nothin’. He is drilling this idea into her head slowly so she understands the importance of not telling anyone about the Marco and Rodolpho. Miller uses this repeated interruption, which happens towards the opening of the play, to show how early on tension is evident in Eddie and Beatrice’s marriage therefore showing Eddie to be considerate. The first characters Miller presents to the audience are Catherine and Eddie. At first we see Eddie to be quite an overprotective father who sees the naivety of Catherine and tries to explain to her the fact that she’s, â€Å"Getting to be a big girl, you got to keep yourself more, can’t be so friendly†. Eddie still sees her as a â€Å"baby† as does not seem to be able to handle the fact that she is growing up and wants to be noticed by boys. Catherine’s character is presented to the audience as happy and confident, but maybe a bit forward. Eddie sees the craving of attention when she is â€Å"walking wavy† like she is selling her body to the opposite sex. Eddie does not like the fact that the boys â€Å"heads are turning†. This conversation takes place early in the first act into the story and already there has been a change in relationship whereby the audience question Eddie being jealous of the younger boys. Catherine is naive about Eddie’s reactions and thinks nothing of it. There is a lot jealousy developing in their relationship between Eddie and Catherine. Eddie becomes upset at the fact that maybe Rodolpho has won over the affection of Catherine and Eddie has been unsuccessful. Eddie retaliates through jealousy by telling Catherine that Rodolpho is using her for an American passport when they are alone. The stage directions influence the audience, as Catherine is â€Å"smiling but tense†. It is as if you can feel the friction in the air. We sympathize with Catherine as she only wants to grow up and Eddie is holding her back and still treating her like a child. Eddie is doing this because he is scared of the fact that Rodolpho is taking his â€Å"baby† away. However, later on in the play, another side of Eddie is shown. When Eddie had finished the phone call to the immigration bureau and is own his way home he bumps into Louis and Mike, they ask him to come bowling but Eddie at this time turns down the offer, as he is feeling guilty. When Eddie is back into the house Miller presents to the audience the development in Eddie and Beatrice’s relationship. Eddie expects Beatrice to respect him and do as he says â€Å"a wife is supposed to believe a husband. † This dialogue highlights Eddie’s character as being very demanding and uncompromising. The final paragraph uses poetic language and Alfieri says it in an emotional tone. Alfieri shows some admiration in his ending speech for Eddie, â€Å"I will love him more than all my sensible clients. † Alfieri admires Eddie as his heart was in the right place and he didn’t settle for half. This last speech influences the audience into thinking that throughout the play Eddie had always been loyal and decent to his family. Eddie Carbonne is a prime example of a tragic hero, as he was an honest man who nurtured and raised an orphan and gave a home to illegal immigrants. He had a fatal flaw, which, combined with other negative characteristics such as stubbornness and selfishness, led to his downfall. His death was an indirect result of his own actions, and he would have stayed alive had he not incestuously loved his niece, and tried to stop then getting married. Eddie allowed himself to be open with his personality as he portrayed his whole character in the play, from kindness to cowardness.

Small-Scale Fish Farming in Bangladesh

Small-scale fish farming in Bangladesh Introduction For many people in Bangladesh small-scale fish farming is an important opportunity to generate income and is a significant nutritional source providing protein-rich food all year round. It comprises of a range of options that can be adapted to suit the needs and capacity of people living in rural Bangladesh. The two approaches commonly implemented on a small scale are: †¢ Local pond fish farming Open water fish farming in lakes, rivers, dams and reservoirs The benefit to low-income farmers is that they are able to invest in fish cultivation when there is sufficient income, which will then be able to generate additional income and food when other sources of income are limited. Much of Bangladesh is flooded annually during the monsoon season as water flows into the country through the Ganga (Ganges), Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. This provides an extensive range of habitats for wild and cultivated fish species.Fish catches are h ighest after the monsoon rains when supplies of other foods, such as rice, are low. With so much water, fishing plays a vital role in the economy of rural villages. Fish farming options Capital intensive One of the main trends in fish culture over recent years has been towards capital-intensive, high-input high-yield systems, which can dramatically improve the rate of production if operated in ideal conditions. The development of practical hatching techniques has vastly improved fish cultivation and allowed careful breeding and selection of desired species to take place.Although these techniques were introduced to Bangladesh some years ago, it has taken time for them to become established. Commercially produced fish have become a significant proportion of the total fish supply. But intensive cultivation methods increase the cost of fish production beyond the reach of poorer farmers. Consequently, alternative low-cost approaches have been promoted by NGOs working in the country. Fish farming for the poorAn enormous variety of water bodies, including rivers, irrigation canals, flood plains, beels (large depressions), ox bow lakes and ponds are dispersed throughout Bangladesh offering considerable potential for fish cultivation, but a general lack of capital, access to resources and knowledge means that many farmers are unable to provide all the commercial inputs required for intensive production methods. An alternative low-cost approach is more appropriate for many people, relying on existing water bodies and natural vegetation and household waste, supplemented with animal protein in the form of snails and homemade supplements for fish feed.Many NGOs are adopting strategies to minimise the inherent riskiness of fish culture by undertaking research into low-input systems, low-cost technology, fast growing species and alternative management practices. Pond culture Site selection is an important factor in the success of a fish farm but the ideal site is usually not available to poorer families. Site location will be dependent on a number of factors: †¢ The fish species being raised. †¢ Soil quality, which affects water quality and productivity. †¢ An adequate supply of water. †¢ Land ownership. Marketplace and market conditions. †¢ Fish food and other inputs available to the farmer. †¢ Groups adjacent to water. †¢ More than 1 metre water retention capacity for at least 6 months of the year. †¢ Pollution free. Ideally, the fishpond should be 0. 5 to 1. 0 metres at the shallow end and sloping to 1. 5 to 2 . 0 metres at the drain end. Drain vales, baffle boards or tilt-over standpipes should be incorporated into the design. It should be possible to drain the pond within three days. The edges of the pond should have a slope of 2:1 or 3:1 on all sides.If possible the pond should be located to take advantage of the effect of the wind on the surface of the pond to mix the water; although locations that are too windy can cause erosion of dykes. If the site is very windy the long side of the pond should be at right angles to the prevailing wind. Hedges and trees can be used to protect the pond. In practice, existing ponds and pools are abundant in Bangladesh, often located near to farmers’ homes. Small-scale fish cultivation is mainly a secondary occupation for farmers. These ponds tend to be small (less than 0. 5 acres) and do not have any water drain facility. They are commonly referred to as fishponds but are in fact â€Å"borrow pits†, where earth has been removed for building. Fish breading is just one of the activities that the ponds are used for. Other uses may include domestic water use, washing, irrigation or duck keeping. Ponds are occasionally integrated into paddy fields as additional ditches. Consequently, the ponds have many limitations for producing fish. In managing the ponds there are many potential problems to be considered, including: †¢ Broken pond ba nks; check the pond walls on a regular basis. An irregular water supply, too much water in the monsoon season and too little in the summer. †¢ Predators; check the pond for signs of snake and rat holes. The Boal fish is a particular menace that eats smaller fish. †¢ Grazing animals can damage the pond banks and should be kept out of the way. †¢ Silting or a build up of organic matter; check the bottom of the pond and scoop silt out when required. Mud on the bottom of the ponds can be agitated with a rope to release harmful gasses. †¢ Leakage; check the inlet and outlet on a regular basis. Fish diseases; check the fish on a regular basis. †¢ Poor water quality; lime can be added to improve the water quality. Open water fish farming Open water fish farming is particularly suited to Bangladesh with its many water sources. Cages or pens are used to separate an area of larger water bodies for fish cultivation. The selected water source should be of good quality w ith low turbidity. Dams and reservoirs primarily exist to store water but as a secondary function these bodies of water can be stocked with fingerlings or fry and the fish can be harvested later on using nets.In river locations a slow current is necessary and there should be little disturbance from water traffic. The disadvantages are: †¢ Fish farmers have little control of the water, as they do not own the dam or reservoir. †¢ Water cannot be drained, as the main function of the resource is to provide water. †¢ There are likely to be more predators of the fish in the water. †¢ It is not possible to feed or fertilize the water, as occurs in more intensive fish farming, so there is a reliance on naturally occurring fish food. There is a potential risk from disease but stock held in small-scale cages scattered around villages will probably be less vulnerable than stock held in more concentrated and centralized commercial systems. †¢ The risk from theft and van dalism is a serious problem in some places. This is especially real for the poorest people who are perceived as easy victims. †¢ A significant expansion of cage culture activities in some villages could lead to local depletion of snail or other foods, to the detriment of ducks and other domestic and wild animals. †¢ Multiple ownership of ponds can be a major drawback to the effective use of such resources.Consensus over access to the water for the poor has to be developed. Figure 2: Bilkish Begum and Hamida Begum working with fish cages (Photo credit: Practical Action / Zul) Fish cages Cages are used as a form of farming in their own right within flowing or large bodies of water and can also be used in small pond fish culture to protect fingerlings in the initial stages of development. Small cages with a capacity of one cubic metre are suitable for fingerling protection. The cage can hold up to 300 fish at a time. People grow fish in their local ponds using a simple fish c age known locally as a â€Å"hapa†.A few young fish are put into each â€Å"hapa†, which acts as their home, floating just below the surface of the pond. Cage construction Cages can be made using a few cheap materials. Bamboo poles form an outer frame that is covered in netting; inside is a â€Å"nursery† section for the younger, more delicate fish; and floats are added at the corners. A cage is a very simple means of restraining fish in one place and it can be easily made using local materials. Cage design must incorporate certain physical properties, including the ability to hold fish securely but also to be within the financial means of the cage operators.The cages presently used are small in size, measuring between 1 and 2m3, inexpensive and simple to construct. Farmers use both fixed and floating cages. In general, fixed cages are installed in water where the depth is relatively low and bamboo poles can be fixed into the riverbed or substrate. Floating cage s do not have this limitation and can be used in deep water. Floating cages tend to be easier to manage but when selecting the type and design the following points should be considered: †¢ Ability †¢ Input availability †¢ Natural disaster †¢ Type of water body Water depth †¢ Water current †¢ Water retention period over one year †¢ Social problem †¢ Cage management Fixed cages Fixed cages are very easy to construct and only require a small amount of capital investment. The materials needed to make fixed cages are netting with an 8mm mesh size, bamboo, rope, twine and sinker. Routine management is difficult for these cages and storms, strong currents, tidal surges and flooding may cause damage if precautionary measures are not taken. Fixed cages are difficult to move from one place to another during water fluctuation.A top cover is usually provided on cages to reduce the risk of fish escaping, especially in areas prone to flash floods where wate r levels rise very quickly. A small opening is kept at one edge or in the middle of the top covering for feeding purposes. A feeding platform made of fine mesh is placed on the bottom of each cage to minimise food loss. To fix the cage, four bamboo poles are fixed in the substrate and the four top and bottom corners of the cage are tied to the bamboo poles with nylon rope, allowing the cage netting to stretch.To minimise installation cost and to reduce daily management labour, cages are sometimes fixed in rows with a narrow space between the adjacent cages. Floating cages The size of the cage is usually 1m3. A top net is always used to minimise escapees because the cage is only a few centimetres above the water surface. The top of the cage is on hinges that can be opened to allow feeding, the checking of fish, the removal of waste and harvesting. A layer of fine mesh net is placed along the bottom of the cage and 10 centimetres up each side which reduces food loss.However, where wat er has a high turbidity, the use of fine mesh is not recommended as it clogs up the mesh and causes structural stress on the cage frame. In these areas, feeding trays should be used instead of fine mesh. Buoyancy is achieved by using four plastic floats (buoys) which are tied to the four horizontal frames, approximately 10 centimetres from the top of the cage. Bamboo frame cage To make a 1m3 bamboo cage, twelve one metre long bamboo sticks (about 2cm in diameter) are required and fixed into the holes of the angles, one angle for each corner, giving a box shape. Advantages and disadvantages of fixed and floating cages | |Fixed cages |Floating cages | |Advantages | |Cost per unit is small |Water volume remains constant even with a fluctuation in the water | |Not damaged by storms |level | |Easy age management |Cage can be installed in deep water | |Cage bags spread properly in the water |Floating cage with box type frame gives adequate space inside | |Easy to construct | |In tidal water bodies the effective cage depth is greater | |Disadvantages | |Water depth inside cage varies with the fluctuation of the water |Cost per unit is higher than fixed cages | |level |Algae deposits on cage net affect the water exchange | |Vulnerable to tidal surge and storm |Cage management i. e. cleaning, moving and sampling are not easy | |Cage cannot be installed in all types of water bodies |Due to water flow sometimes the cage bag does not spread properly | |Prone to crab cutting |Easy to steal fish by lifting the cage | |Poorer fish growth and higher mortality rate |During flooding may wash away | Cage managementCare of cages – cleaning of aquatic weeds nearby, removal of water hyacinth, cleaning of waste feeds from cages, cleaning of deposited silts from cage, removal of dead fishes, checking cage frames, floats, ties, anchors, feeding trays etc. , cage shifting, considering the water level, checking water pollution and guarding. Care of net – Algae attachme nt should be cleaned at regular basis to ensure water exchange, net holes must be checked properly and need quick repairing when necessary. Care of fish – profitability depends on proper attention to the fish growth, regular, adequate and quality feeding is important. Fish health and disease should be monitored during feeding and sampling.The fish must be fed daily using aquatic weed or a mixture of rice bran, oil cakes, kitchen waste, chopped snails or cow dung. Minimising risk of cage culture †¢ Appropriate cage design can help minimise failure. †¢ The use of more than one cage per household greatly reduces the risk of an individual losing all fish. †¢ Placing many cages together in clusters also reduces the risk of poaching. †¢ Individual farmers can form groups that can guard the fish and therefore considerably reduce potential poaching threats. Fish types Fish is an important part of the diet for the people in Bangladesh providing protein calcium, fat ty acids and vitamins.Traditionally, a variety of local species were used in ponds, mainly carp, caught from the wild as spawn (fertilised eggs or small fish). One of the main drawbacks of this source of supply is that along with the desired fish species come many undesirable ones Most of the species currently used in the cages in Bangladesh are exotics. However, for decades these fish have bred naturally and distributed themselves throughout the flood plains and the delta. Common fish types The selection a suitable fish species will depend on various biological and economic factors, such as; †¢ Market price †¢ Growth rate †¢ Ability to reproduce simple culture of young fish Match of fish and available fish feed †¢ Water temperature is an important criteria in assessing which fish species is suitable. The main types of cultivated fish are Carp, Tilapia and Catfish. Other fish suitable to cultivation are eel, tawes, mullet, snakeskin, and rohu. Some fish are more suitable to pond conditions than others, some fish will not adapt the confined conditions while others such as the indigenous Koi (Anabas testidunous) have been found to thrive in cages. Small indigenous species In addition to the main cultivated species there are many indigenous breeds of fish that play an important role in the nutrition of the population.These fish are classed as small indigenous species although not all fish within this classification are particularly small. Of the 260 species of fresh water fish found locally, over 140 species are classified as Small Indigenous Species (SIS) and account for over 80% of the total catch, consumed by the poorer section, as preferred species. The term SIS would seem to be a recent re interpretation of the Bangla word chotmach (literally small fish) as opposed to Boromach (literally large fish). Common fish within the small indigenous species category include: Figure 3: Bilkish with prepared food for her fish (Photo credit: Practical Action / Zul) †¢ Small catfish †¢ Knifefishes Snakeheads †¢ Needlefishes †¢ Minnows, Rasboras, and bards †¢ Loaches †¢ Anchovies and sardines †¢ Spiny eels †¢ Climbing perch †¢ Gobies †¢ Mud Perches †¢ Glassfishes †¢ Fresh water prawns Small, low-value fish are particularly important for the extremely poor after the rice harvest when the demand for their labour declines. Feeding the fish With the non-intensive approach it is possible to feed fish on nothing more than scraps and waste, duck weed, oil cake, kitchen waste, rice bran and snails which will provide all the nutrition required. Some low-cost feeds are bought in by the households, typically rice bran and oilcake, but these costs are minimal.Occasionally, the diet may be supplemented with commercially available compound feeds. In most cases a mixture of diets is offered, according to their availability and needs of the fish. Fish harvesting and marketing Growth is r apid in the warm climate of Bangladesh and the fish attain marketable size within 3-9 months, providing farmers with a rapid return on their investment and labour. Fingerling production culture cycle is between 1 and 2 months. Cage nursery producers can sell fingerlings to the pond farmers and ox-bow lake operators. Fish for food culture cycle is between 4 and 6 months. Fish food producers consume the cage fish as well as selling them in the market.Figure 4: A group of landless women discussing finances in Madaripur (Photo credit: Practical Action / Neil Cooper) Profitability depends on many factors including the type of water body and culture, cage construction materials, the choice of fish species, fingerling size and price, stocking density, feed price, availability of protein rich feed, culture duration, cage management, harvesting and marketing. Another concern relates to economies of scale. Almost all enterprises are subject to economies of scale, and cage culture is no except ion. The labour of looking after one small cage is far greater per kilogram of product than that for looking after a large one.The cost of the cage per kilogram of production will also be higher for a small cage versus a large cage. However, co-operative use of labour can be used to realise economies of scale in relation to labour, and this is already done in many villages. The third concern, related to the second, is comparative advantage. A significant proportion of the fish is intended to be sold for cash rather than consumed by the farmer and his family. In the medium term, an important question is whether small-scale producers in villages are well placed to compete – either with larger commercial producers, or producers from elsewhere. If they are not, and if competition increases, then prices – and returns – will steadily decline.In practice there is strong local demand for fish throughout the country, and small-scale producers are well placed to serve wid ely-dispersed rural markets. Secondly, the use of surplus off-season and/or family labour is itself a comparative advantage. Thirdly, in those systems which use local food resources, such as natural foods and kitchen wastes, feed costs are relatively low compared with those for commercial producers. Small-scale fish producers should therefore be able to survive competition in much the same way as village-scale poultry producers have survived, and even to some extent benefit from the increasing number of intensive poultry operations. References and further reading †¢ Small-scale Freshwater Fish Farming by van Ear et al.Agromisa 1996 †¢ Cage and Pen Fish Farming: Carrying Capacity Models and Environmental Impact FAO Fisheries Technicla Paper 225, 1984 †¢ Food, Livelihoods and Freshwater Ecology: The Significance of Small Indigenous Fish Species, ITDG Bangladesh, 1999 For further information, please contact: Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Devel opment Bourton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire CV23 9QZ United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0)1926 634400 Fax: + 44 (0)1926 634401 E-mail [email  protected] org. uk Website: www. practicalaction. org Practical Action Bangladesh G. P. O. Box 3881 Dhaka 1000 Bangladesh Tel: + 880 – (0)2 – 8111934, 9110060, 9123671 Fax: + 880 – (0)2 – 8113134 E-mail: [email  protected] org. bd

First Amendment Is the Cornerstone of the United States Essay

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed freeing the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain, creating what would become the most powerful democratic country in history. The United States of America’s path to success is filled with trial, error, and countless sacrifices. The founding fathers envisioned a nation that was governed by the people not by a tyrannical king. On December 15, 1791 a very significant document was added to the Constitution of the United States known as the Bill of Rights. Most Americans are vaguely familiar with the Amendments that construct the Bill of Rights. Nonetheless, the Amendments were created to protect the â€Å"people† from future government tyranny. This Bill of Rights, like the Constitution, is a fluid document that was meant to always be adapted to the times of the country. The Bill of Rights included the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. I believe the ever evolving First Amendment to be the most important because it protects our freedom of speech and the press, religion, the right to assemble or petition the government. These individual rights are the cornerstone of our country and facilitate a nation free of oppression. Read more: How does the constitution prevent tyranny essay Freedom of speech defined as the right to speak without censorship or restraint by the government.[1] Even though United States is considered to be a successful democratic nation, however there are moments in our history that defined us through freedom of speech. There are several examples throughout history where the use of freedom of speech allowed our nation to evolve socially. August 1963, Martin Luther King on the footsteps on Lincoln Memorial gave one of the most important speeches of the 20th century, â€Å"I have a dream†. It is considered by many scholars to be responsible for pressuring President John F Kennedy to continue his fight for civil rights, which led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 under President Lyndon B. Johnson[2]. Without freedom of speech I believe that our nation would have slipped into a socialistic style government long ago. What has caused the majority of conflicts throughout the world in history? The most prevalent reason for conflicts throughout history is religion. In many countries around the world, religion is influential and plays a vital role in the political system. However, in the United States be free of religious establishment and having religious diversity have not allowed for religious conflicts to escalate. I would have to imagine if the founding forefathers had not included the freedom of religion in the first amendment that our nation would have not survived. The right to assemble is defined as the right to hold public meetings and form associations without interference by the government[3]. The right to assemble covers a variety of venues that most Americans take for granted. The right to assemble allows us to meet in public to discuss a variety of topics, take part in protest, belong to groups or associations, and practice religion openly in public. There are multiple examples throughout our nations young history were the right to assemble has accomplished positive and negative advances in our society. Without the right to assemble African Americans would not been able to protest prompting the Civil Rights Act, employees would not have been able to protest unsafe working conditions and unfair wages, and more recently the tea party forming to bring to light political concerns. However, there are instances of negative assembles such as the Ku Klux Klan which was against the civil rights; more recently the Westboro Baptist Church who protest funerals of military veterans and are anti-homosexuality rights. Even though there are negative with the right to assemble the positive will always outshine the negative. The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances gives citizens the right to lobbying, letter-writing, e-mail campaigns, testifying before tribunals, filing lawsuits, supporting referenda, collecting signatures for ballot initiatives, peaceful protests and picketing: all public articulation of issues, complaints and interests designed to spur government action qualifies[4]. The right to petition to me is one of the main reasons the colonies went to war with England. The colonies felt oppressed and had no say in what direction the country was headed. The forefathers wanted to ensure that the people had the right to check an over grasping government. The right to petition allows the people to have a voice in choosing what direction our nation takes. I believe First Amendment to be the most important because it protects our freedom of speech and the press, religion, the right to assemble or petition the government. We as American citizens often take these individual rights for granted. We are born into a free democratic nation and have never experienced socialistic or communist oppression. Without the First Amendment, our nation would have not survived, and I believe that we would have conformed into the exact thing that we were fighting against in the Revolutionary War. In order for our nation to continue to be prosperous, the First Amendment must be protected and never taken for granted. Bibliography C.Herman, Jacob,†Famous Speeches That Changed the Nation†. Voice Nation Going Beyond the Call. 2009. http://www.voicenation.com/resources/article-library/famous-speeches-that-changed-the-nation.shtml (accessed January 1, 2013). Newton, Adam, and â€Å"Petition† Ronald K.L Collins. The Five Freedoms Project. 2012. http://www.fivefreedoms.org/5freedoms/peition (accessed January 1, 2013). The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. Dictionary.com. 2005. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freedom of speech (accessed December 31, 2012).

Account for decision maker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Account for decision maker - Essay Example Interpretation of these statements is vital for a successful investment. The relation between the different elements of the financial statements is important to understand as it reflects the performance of the company and the management can take proper decision pertaining to any strategic change. The external and internal financial statements are prepared in order to fulfil a set of objectives. The external statements highlight the external reporting only and it is mostly used by the tax authorities, investors, suppliers, creditors and public. These statements are usually prepared at an interval of one year and the period is defined by the individual company or the accounting standards they follow. Internal financial statements are flexible in nature and have excellent analytical components. These reports are prepared for the internal use i.e. for the management and its employees. These statements are prepared weekly or even quarterly (Will, Subramanyam and Robert, 2001). For a layman financial statement of an organisation or financial institution is the only source of information pertaining to its financials. This financials are essential for the layman investors who try to decide whether the company is worth investing or not. The liquidity, profitability and solvency are checked by the investors however, for a layman it is difficult to analyze so he/she actually concentrates on the net profit and sales revenue of the company to assess its financial position. Thus, this investor has the opinion that these financial statements are accurate enough to analysis and take any investment decision. The financial statements have a number of components which are very important for a number of individuals. These individuals include company, shareholders, creditors, stakeholders and general public (Stickney, 1993). The components of the financial statement are described

Animal Liberation Front Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Animal Liberation Front - Research Paper Example Finally, the report has stated that how the activities of ALF cannot be compared with the activities of other extremist terrorist groups in this world. The Animal Liberation Front is also recognized as ALF. ALF can be acknowledged as the terrorist groups that contains domestic terrorists. ALF is an international, leaderless and underground resistance that used to involve in different types of illegal direct actions in the pursuit of the animal liberation. This terrorist group believes in direct action. In addition to this, this terrorist organization has activity in more than 40 countries. ALF can be considered under the radar of the Animal Enterprise Protection Act (AETA 2005 and AEPA 2002). The activists of Animal Liberation Front try to remove the animals from the farms and laboratories. Major motives of this group are to arrange safe housing, organize veterinary care, and destroying facilities, ensuring healthy and sustainable living of the animals. However, several critiques have compared the activists of this group to the terrorists due to their direct illegal and devastating actions. This research paper is going to determine how the AEPA 2002 and AETA 2005 have been attached or linked to the ALF. The common problem of both AEPA 2002 and AETA 2005 is to label the groups as terrorist as the individuals within these terrorist groups with a lawful message that cannot engage the terrorist aspect. Therefore, it is quite important for the researcher that whether the label of terrorism can be applied to the Animal Liberation Front. However, based on the above mentioned facts and aspects, the research question of this paper can be articulated as: The origins of the Animal Liberation Front trace back to the English Activists’ group in the late 1960s, when a British Journalist formed HSA to stop the killing and torturing of the animals. Ronnie Lee was the founder of this Animal Liberation Front. Animal

Cancer dedection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cancer dedection - Essay Example Carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, gold particles, quantum dots etc can be used to fabricate nanotool sensors which may be used for detection of cancer biomarkers accurately (Zhang et al,2013,71). Recently colloidal gold or nano-gold particles had been used to distinguish cancerous cells from non-cancerous ones and by interacting these particles with light the cancerous cells were burnt up (Prajapati et al,2010). Thus nano-particles are not only used for detection but maybe used for its diagnosis of cancer as well. It is true that nanoparticles are bestowed with unique properties which are both a boon and a bane. Much of its efficacy is dependent on the way these particles are engineered. There is no way for the nanoparticles to target the tumourous cells solely and chances are that minimal damage maybe inflicted on normal human body cells as well. However, since this is a relatively new field ,researchers are still to find out the negative points about nanotechnology. However, so far nanotechnology has shown positive results especially in the field of medicine. Questions are raised on the ethics of using nanotechnology especially for health purposes. The engineering of materials at the atomic or molecular level may seem unethical to some. However, there is no doubt about the fact that nanotechnology is a revolution in the medical field which makes it easier for us to fight against diseases more efficiently. Oncologists are of the opinion that nanotechnology maybe the answer to many unanswered questions about cancer detection and treatment. The accuracy and efficacy of nanotechnology in cancer detection and subsequent diagnosis makes it a promising diagnostic and detection tool. More research should be undertaken to study its positive as well as its negative

Economic Profile of the US Airline Industry Research Paper

Economic Profile of the US Airline Industry - Research Paper Example This had negative impacts on the industry. The elasticity of demand is affected by the reason the passenger travels. Three reasons that can be accounted for travelling by airplanes are business necessity, time saving and pleasure. The financial crisis forced many travelers to opt for other modes of transport leading to loss of revenue for the industry as a whole. While calculating the price of tickets the airline companies use a formula that takes care of the yield as well as inventory cost. Sometimes customers look to book tickets that are close to the departure dates. There is certain amount of risks to the airline industry as if the seats are not filled the flight will have to travel with vacant seats which again brings revenue loss to the consumers. In order to mitigate such kind of risks the airlines have to increase the price of tickets. The high volatility of the prices of crude oil leaves the airline operators at greater risk of cost fluctuations. Therefore the demand conditi ons are highly affected by the fluctuations in the crude oil prices. The travel by airplanes is considered as luxury and luxury tax is added with the price of tickets. The demand conditions can be affected by the existence of such taxes too. The price elasticity of supply for the airline industry is elastic. The availability of seats in the airplanes responds substantially to the changes in prices which prove the elasticity of the airline industry. Elastic supply can also be witnessed in the price wars that are initiated by the competitors. The drastic changes in the prices of tickets bring about large or small changes in the availability of seats on airplanes. Monetary and/or fiscal policies that have affected the airline industry The...This research paper offers comprehensive analysis of the current trends on the American market, where the airline companies operate. Also, effectiveness of the economic policies of the US government toward the industry is evaluated. The airline industry is a cyclical one. The industry witnesses bankruptcy as well as M&A activities every decade. The estimates of the International Air Transport Association and that of Federal Aviation Administration expect a rise in cargo traffic and passengers along with decline in profits for the airline companies. The airline industry is dependent on the conditions of the market.. The demand for the industry was greatly influenced by the global financial crisis and the fluctuations in the oil prices. It is a competitive industry as many players have emerged into the market. The other modes of transport provide competition to the industry. The monetary and the fiscal policies can influence the aggregate demand. Monetary policies can influence the shift in the aggregate demand for goods as well as services by increasing the supply of money. The economy can also contribute in the industry through lack of competition or through increased competition. The same factors that determines economic performance also affects the growth of the international airline industry. The factors includes growth in international trade, the rise of GDP and the growth of the industries that use air services. Sustained economic growth of international trade has strong positive impact on international traffic.

How Alex Fuhrman Has Filed a Case against Frederick, Hibbs, and Uvex Article

How Alex Fuhrman Has Filed a Case against Frederick, Hibbs, and Uvex Corporation - Article Example After a period of five years of Alex being in service, the corporation went public. The company built a state-of-the-art facility for cancer treatment. San Rafael was highly capitalized with highly sophisticated radiation therapy equipment. San Rafael was the best-known center due to its best services in treatment of cancer. San Rafael received research donations from generous patience, business parties, and even the public. The research group consisted of key leading scientists with doctorate degrees in biochemistry. Alex was made the administrative head of the cancer research and treatment department. In order to replace Alex a new accountant and financial manager, Christopher Hibbs was hired in West coast division. Hibbs had worked Sacramento city as a bookkeeper. He had a very good recommendation letter from his former employer and Fredrick recommended that Hibbs should be hired as a financial accountant of Uven. Hibbs wanted to make new changes in his management different from those made by Alex. He prepared and sent his financial report directly to the executive controller. Frederic found a memo from Alex stating that some funds were missing, this had happened when Alex was the financial controller. A meeting was organized whereby Alex overreacted and did not finalize into reconciliation with Hibbs. Alex filled a lawsuit. There is the lack of communication between Alex and Hibbs and that has gone to the extent where Alex has filed a case against the company, Frederick, and Hibbs. Alex thinks that Memo from Hibbs as slanderous. He is an administrator and thus he was supposed to handle this case with patience but not being emotionally uncontrollable. Because of good communication, Frederick and the executive controller did not mind asking further questions on Hibbs competence before giving him the job.  

Main Aspects Of Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Main Aspects Of Consumer Behavior - Essay Example The fact that the customer likes the product and is satisfied with it means that the product has positive attributes. Recalled attribute information with respect to a product strongly influences the product choices and buying decision of the consumer (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008). Environmental Impact: This falls under the social, ethical and moral values. It is known that consumer behavior is more closely connected to social, moral and ethical behavior of a consumer. As the consumer is concerned with the environment, the poor ratings of the product can negatively influence her decision making with respect to the product. Quality and Pricing: The consumer also has information about the quality and pricing of the product. In the current context, quality and pricing favors the product and is bound to positively impact the decision making (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008). 2 What theoretical approach(es) best explain(s) this situation and how the consumer might cope with it? Remember to cover the main aspects of the theory/theories you use and explain how exactly they apply in this case. (max 2 pages) The current situation involves pro-social consumerism and ethical consumerism. Pro-social consumption is based on the ideology that one’s action must benefit others or society as a whole. In the current context, purchasing a product must not have negative effects on the society or the environment which is not the case. Being an environmentally concerned, the consumer, in this case, will tend to incline towards pro-social consumption as she is aware now that the product that she is buying has negative effects on the environment. Ethical consumerism is the practice of buying products or boycotting products that are produced by unethical means.

Cost Accounting and Cost Accounting System Assignment

Cost Accounting and Cost Accounting System - Assignment Example 2008). The most important feature of a cost accounting system is the regularity with which relevant cost information is provided to users. There are two types of cost accounting systems the job order cost and process order systems. Job order cost system operates by provides I cost information in regard to each quantity of product/ service in batches. It is mostly applicable in factories with wide variety of product/service lines e.g. accounting firms and apparel manufacturing industry. Secondly, process order cost system refers to the process of accumulating costs by department or process in a factory. It is applicable mostly in cases of continuous productions such as oil refineries and food processing industries. Several companies use both types of cost accounting systems due to the diversity of their product/services pressing and the need for a cost system that provides relevant decision making information. In addition, it enhances flexibility and accuracy contributing to a more effective operational and strategic

Hispanic Groups Living in US Essay Example for Free

Hispanic Groups Living in US Essay It is very common for someone walking down the streets of any American city and hears Spanish spoken. The federal government of America coined this term ‘Hispanic’ way back in 1970’s to refer people tracing their origin in Spanish speaking countries which were former Spanish colonies or those who can trace their origin to Spain or its territory. This represents a varied range of countries and ethnic groups with different social, political and emotional experiences. A large part of Hispanics still try to characterize themselves in terms of their individual ethnic identity as Mexican, Cuban, and others rather the whole term ‘Hispanic’. Hispanic Americans, n. d. ) The wide range of the Hispanic group includes Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, El Salvadorians, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, Columbians, Central and South Americans among others. The Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Cubans form the largest part of the Hispanics living in America. (Tienda and Mitchell, 2006) America’s cultural canvas is very vivid as each group brought their respective culture’s specialty with them which has totally mingled in the main force. The Hispanic community has left their mark over traditions, customs and cultures throughout the country and the bilingual education structure of America displays the growing importance in the country as they are the largest minority community. It has been noticed that people from the Hispanic groups have done well in various fields and their progress is something to be watched. The 2002 census showed the Mexicans forming the largest part of the population with 66. 9%, followed by Central and Latin Americans at 14. 3%, third position held by Puerto Ricans, others 6. % and last Cubans at 3. 7%. (The Hispanic Population, 2002) Majority of the Hispanics are native born neutralizes citizens or have acquired legal residency status. They are largely concentrated in the west part of the country especially the urban areas of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, and Texas. There is a tendency among them to live in family units which are generally large in size unlike the non-Hispanic Whites. In comparison to Whites communities, the rate of unemployment and poverty is much more in the Hispanic groups. Mexican Americans are the one to form the largest part of the Hispanic population living in America and they are also the largest group of White Hispanics. The Mexican immigration could be traced in the past decades as they started establishing themselves in the 1600s in southwestern parts of the country who later became New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas. (Stacy, 2002) The work at railroads and steel industry of the Midwest America attracted them in the 1800s and this immigration is still continued to the present time. Today majority of Mexican Americans are U. S. born citizens. The major causes behind the migration of Mexicans to America are self-liberty, quality education, modes to improve economic condition and achieve good living standard. Spanish is the main language for Mexican Americans, some of them are monolingual. But most can fluently speak both English and Spanish. The attitude of the Mexican Americans is something to be watched as more than 90% of them are literate. Their respect towards others is also acclaimed as their communications are respectful in manner. They are one of the strict believers in the concept of familism (Nash, 2007) and value family considerations over individual as well very much rely on family in times of crisis. Patriarchy is the trend of Mexican American family. Earlier, they used to neglect family planning but at present time they have been active in that. Largely they are the followers of Roman Catholicism. They look at churches as powerful source of hope, faith and strength while spirituality and religion play significant role in times of illness, health and life. Their housing conditions are really bad as they live in colonies not appropriate for living to low-income. Central and South Americans stand second in the American Hispanic population. They owe their origin to different countries such as Guatemala, Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, and Argentina among others. These groups of people display a vast diversity due to their different origins. Most of them migrated from their respective countries in the period of 1970s and 1980s when the region was going through political turbulence. Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala were suffering from civil wars that made their people to flee in search of stable life. In the present time too, the immigration is on due to different causes. Although many of them arrived in U. S. as refuges, gradually they acquired political asylum from the state. Cheap accommodation and easy immigrant services made most of the Central and South Americans settle in California. They speak other languages rather than Spanish, which is a main language, such as French and Portuguese. Though Catholicism is the main religion, Protestants and Jews as well as other beliefs are followed by this group. They have high religious values. Males are treated as the head of the family. Due to intermarriage among this group and other Hispanics or Europeans, they have become much diversified. The education level of Central and South Americans is much appreciable than other Hispanics but still they lack behind in employment tin respects of other groups. Third largest group belonging to Hispanic community are the Puerto Ricans as they became U. S. citizens after Jones Act of 1917. (Stacy, 2002) But they are not allowed to vote in U. S. Presidential elections. They are mainly settled in industrial areas such as the states of Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and New York due to the availability of employment opportunity. Wherever they settled, they tried to hold on their tradition and culture and formed various groups and organizations to support them. Puerto Rican Americans pay huge respect to education but still they maintain a low level than other Hispanics which makes parents encourage their children to pursue good education for better future. They are bilingual speaking both Spanish and English. The expressive nature of Puerto Ricans and their hospitality is well known. They possess high respect for women, parents and elderly people and family units that they even allow more than one family living together. Puerto Ricans are followers of Catholicism and seek support from religion and spiritualism in tough situations. Their approach to health and illness is based on these beliefs. Cubans too comprise a significant part of the Hispanic community. Cuban immigration to America can be traced back to history but the major wave was created during the political turmoil of 1959 which still continues today. They have their bases at Miami, Florida and New Jersey. They can be considered as the most affluent among all the Hispanic groups due to their well performance in education, which led to better employment opportunities and a good quality lifestyle. Till recent past they faced problem in speaking English, but nowadays they have overcome that. The Cuban Americans are very much into their culture that they most often do not show much interest in the Anglo culture. They hold a rather conservative outlook towards politics due to their experience in their native country. They possess diverse beliefs of religion; still Catholicism is more prevalent among them. They stand against communism holds much important place in U. S. The Hispanic groups in spite of their various origins share some commonalities as well some major differences among them. Spanish is a bond that binds all of them, while most of them are bilingual. Approach towards education is another common factor between them as all the groups show very much respect to education as they know it is the only key to good living. Religion too makes them stand on a common platform as most of the Hispanic Americans are followers of Catholicism. Political perspective is one thing that creates differences among these groups as each of them has their respective political idea. Cuban Americans support Republicans as they are inclined towards conservative idea of politics whereas Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Central and South Americans have a liking for democrats. Still, Catholic faith, language and belief in their respective culture make them stand on a single platform.

Essay Dramatistic Analysis on Breaking Bad Essay Example for Free

Essay Dramatistic Analysis on Breaking Bad Essay Cady is going to encounter psychological struggle and unwritten social rules that teenage girls face today. Through the Marxist perspective, the movie will be analyzed in order to show how sometimes the pull to conform to hegemony is so important that we have no choice that letting us be dragged to respect the established hierarchy. Mean Girls is an excellent artifact, worthy of investigation in the way that it shows how we expect teenage girls to act, but also how difficult it is for them to refrain from acting that way. When using the Marxist perspective, we begin by identifying the subject positions, as models or anti-models. Mean Girls provides clear subject positions about the models – characters that viewers are encouraged to want to be like, and the anti-models – characters that viewers are encouraged to no want to be like. Thus, the models appear to be â€Å"The Plastics†, a group composed of the three teenage girls Regina George, Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith. By analyzing â€Å"The Plastics†, it seems like teenage girls need to follow a specific pattern in order to be popular. That is to say, on a physical standpoint, teenage girls need to be thin, pretty, and wear tight and revealing clothes, while on a behavioral standpoint, they spend their time gossiping, partying, dating, and talking about boys, rather than focusing on their academic success. On top of the hierarchy is Regina George, and the two other â€Å"Plastics† are her subordinate. On the contrary, the anti-models, challenging the status quo and considered as abnormal or undesirable are represented by Janice and Damien. Both of them are belonging to the oppressed group, or the group that is considered as â€Å"inferior† and â€Å"subordinate† to the dominant group. Mean Girls depicts how easy it is for a dominant group (â€Å"The Plastics†) to impose its ideology on other groups. The interests of the empowered group are then promoting as being natural. Indeed, in Mean Girls, the dominant social group keeps the control over the other groups because nobody dares challenging the authority claimed by â€Å"The Plastic†. â€Å"The Plastics† keep their status quo by oppressing and manipulating the other subordinate groups. They dictate how things should be. The positive power of popularity combined with the negative disempowerment of being unpopular and rejected ultimately reinforces hegemony. That is to say, those who are popular are empowered even if popularity is just a facade for these teenage girls, and those who are not popular are disempowered. By focusing on Cady Heron, and observing how from an innocent teenage girl, she becomes a terrible â€Å"Plastic†, we can deduce that once accepted by the dominant group, people have trouble in seeing the flaws and drawbacks of the hegemony they are in. In order for them to be aware of it, they have to become a member of the subordinate group. Only the anti-models characters are able to see how wrong is the hierarchy they live in, and are willing to change it in order to create a more equal system. Mean Girls proposed both a preferred and an oppositional view on the hegemony. Indeed, from the beginning to the middle of the movie, Mean Girls brings a preferred reading with Cady altering her original beliefs, joining the dominant group and becoming a â€Å"Plastic†. Cady’s desire to respect conformity can be explained by a need to fit in and avoid ridicule. As a consequence, the viewers, siding with her, support the status quo. On the other hand, from the middle to the end of the movie, Mean Girls gives an oppositional reading by considering that â€Å"The Plastics† ought not to be empowered, in order to have a more equal system. Indeed, by the middle of the movie, Cady understands that her destructive behavior made her loose her two closest friends (Janice and Damien). She also realizes she needs to stop acting like a â€Å"Plastic† and to categorize people according to superficial traits, and that she should start considering people according to different characteristics (intelligence over beauty for example). As a consequence, Cady, desirous of putting things right, starts to think how she could readjust the hegemony around her. Thus, she considers destroying the hegemony reigning at school in order to challenge the status quo. At that time, the movie gives the viewers an oppositional reading rejecting the hegemony. In spite of the casualty and frivolity of the topic addressed (teenage girls movie), Mean Girls is still interesting to study because it gives us some interesting and engaging acumen into Marxist perspective and hegemony. Mean Girls shows us how hard it is to resist hegemony when everyone else is subjected to it. Mean Girls also makes viewers being more critical about how hegemony is reproduced in regular patterns of life, like the passage in high school for example.

Marketing theories and concepts applied to Waitrose

Marketing theories and concepts applied to Waitrose In this report firstly I aim to examine different theories within marketing, secondly I would be critically analysing the common characteristics of a marketing oriented organisations. Moving on from there I would be explaining various elements of marketing concepts using my research I carried out on Waitrose and would be evaluating and comparing the costs and benefits of marketing approach for todays business. Furthering in this report I would be explaining how tools of macro and micro concepts would help in decision making within marketing using Waitrose as my example. Then I would be looking into the significance of segmentation and factors influencing during the choice of targeting strategy. To summarise this section, I would be looking into how buyers behaviour affects any marketing activities in an organisation in two different situations. Finally, I would be examining how product development helps Waitrose in sustaining a competitive advantage over their competitors and how are their distribution channels they have in place for their customers proving convenient for their customers and how it helps the business in return. Defining marketing There are many definitions of marketing which generally revolve around the primacy of customers as part of an exchange process.   Customers needs are the starting point for all marketing activity.   Marketing managers try to identify these needs and develop products which will satisfy customers needs through an exchange process.   As a business philosophy, marketing puts customers at the centre of all the organisations considerations.   This is reflected in basic values such as the requirement to understand and respond to customer needs and the necessity to search constantly for new market opportunities.   Marketing means more than one thing. Many Marketing experts have many definitions of marketing, but most of them are based around different ideas of marketing. If you look at these two expert definitions of marketing, they are based on the idea of marketing being a range of activities. Kotler defines marketing as a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they want and need through creating, offering, and exchanging products of value with others. his view on marketing looks at marketing being more of an exchange process. [Kotler, 1991] Chartered Institute of Marketing defines it as the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers requirements profitably. However, there exist numerous definitions of marketing; it is always about meeting existing needs and anticipating future needs [Bagozzi, 1975]. In Elements of marketing, Prentice Hall, 1975;Marketing is all those activities involved in getting goods from producers to users, including buying, selling, storing, transporting, advertising, and promoting the goods [Bagozzi, 1975]. Another view explains marketing as being more of a process of goods or services getting it from the supplier to the customer. This definition is based on that idea. Marketing is the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producers to customers. [C E Merril. 1982] Now after the definition of marketing, it is important to understand the marketing concept. This concept holds to achieve organizational goals depends on the needs and wants of the target market and delivering the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors. To illustrate the marketing concept Peter Drucker said: if we want to know what business is we must first start with its purposeThere is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer. What business thinks it produces is not of first importance. What the customer thinks he/she is buying, what he/she considers value is decisive-it determines what a business is, what it produces, and whether it will prosper? [Peter Drucker, 1954] Common characteristics of marketing oriented organisations The major feature of the marketing oriented organization is that they are aimed to stay closer to the customers and ahead of their competitors. The reason is that the basic aim of these organizations is to attract the customers. There are four major characteristics which define the marketing oriented organizations including, Shared Values, Organization, Strategy, Customers. Firstly, all decisions of these companies consider the customers first and they share the common value of superior quality of products. Secondly, their organizational structure has very few layers and their policies are not very difficult. Thirdly, the strategy of a market oriented organization is long term, flexible and participative. Finally, they consider the expectations of the stakeholders before making any important decision. The Marketing Concept and the Mix The marketing concept is a kind of recipe how a company can achieve its goals by understanding the exchange partners and associated costs, being a response to external opportunities and threats and to internal strengths and weaknesses as a means of competitive advantage (Houston, 1986). Bagozzi (1975) underpins this viewpoint, arguing that marketing is much about the exchange paradigm which focuses on the question why parties take part in exchanges and how these work.   The marketing mix is the organizations overall offer or value to the customer.   The Marketing Mix is a term used to describe the combination of tactics used by a business to achieve its objectives by marketing its products or services effectively to a particular target customer group.   Businesses need to make sure they are marketing: The right product, to the right person, at the right price, at the right place and at the right time. The aim of doing this is to gain a competitive advantage and thus to outperform competitors. (De Wit and Meyer, 1998) The concept of marketing mix and 4Ps was introduced in 1965.It has become the basic model of marketing and has been unchallenged since then. It is defined as the set of controllable tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.   The marketing mix consists of everything the firm can do to influence the demand for its product. It is considered that a common model for achieving this is the 4-P framework as put forward by Kotler and Levy (1969). Lauterborn (1990) proposed that there were twelve dimensions of marketing, however, McCarthy reduced the model so that it became known as the 4Ps: Product, Place, Price and Promotion. Waitroses Marketing Mix There are many factors that encourage Waitrose to vary its product mix, promotional offers pricing from store to store as place (location) is also very important to Waitrose. . Price   Although Waitrose tries to operate a uniform national price list (all products sold at identical prices) it does admit to some price flexing to keep in line with its competitors. A variation of prices between stores can be in response to the size of the store, position of a store, regional incomes, and customer preferences, which can all have major affects. To illustrate the picture, a Waitrose store situated in the centre of London may have higher prices compared to a Waitrose store out of town in Surrey. This can be due to the high operating costs of trading within the city centre. Transport costs can also have an affect on prices especially to stores situated in London, as they will now experience the cost of the congestion charge, resulting in an increase in the cost of delivering stock. Also stores may face higher costs because they are remotely located. Yet stores that have a local monopoly, because no alternative shop is located within reasonable travelling distance, Waitrose may decide to exploit this by setting high prices. On the other hand, fierce competition will see low prices to attract the consumer who would have a choice in this case. Regional incomes and customer preferences can also have an effect on prices as certain areas may have lower incomes so prices of certain products may have to be decreased to meet the wealth of certain areas. All these factors have to be considered when Waitrose prices it products. Overall prices within Waitrose tend not to vary as most stores are situated in the south of England so incomes and operating costs are fairly similar. Product Product mix may differ from area to area because of varying consumer tastes. For example, the Canary Wharf store is tailored to meet the needs of its affluent customer base as they offer designer breads, a sushi bar, a wine bar, a steak and oyster bar, and an exclusive wine cellar offering vintage wines. Product mix may also vary in relation to what Waitroses competitors are doing, as Waitrose may feel they have to supply certain products just to keep up to date and in competition with its competitors. Additionally, Waitroses product mix may vary due to the size of the store and the space allocation of products. Waitrose may choose to supply certain products in certain areas as they are good sellers and so the bigger store the more they may sell. Sales data is a good way of identifying where certain products should be situated between branches and a process of achieving sales data is by the use of electronic data interchange (EDI). Varying the product mix is part of an efficient consumer response system (ECR). By focusing on the efficiency of the supply system and thereby reducing cost enables Waitrose to offer products tailored to a region. A major advantage of own brands is their extremely short maturity process. Since own brands are commonly exact imitates of branded manufacturers products. They benefit from this, by being immediately familiar with the customer. Most popular own brand products are those that show little difference to branded products, so-called inferior goods, where there is little room for differentiation. Retailers have the advantage of tracking market needs fast and react to the change in social life style (take away, healthy eating, alternatives food, exotic, ethnic foods) that encourage expanding in new own brand categories. The retailers have often been quicker than the major branded producers to respond to consumers tastes, as it tends to be easier and quicker to alter lower volume, private label products specifications than higher volume manufacturer branded products. Promotion Promotional offers may be carried out within certain stores to help grow specific lines which do not sell well, in hope of increasing sales, and matching sales targets of other stores, while encouraging shoppers to increase their spend within the store. Another reason for promotional offers to contrast between stores is so that they can compete against their local competitors offers in aim of keeping and gaining (counter competitor activity). A new store may also have promotional offers running at different times to other stores a means of winning customers, and increasing awareness of the new store. Different levels of store traffic can also have an effect on promotional offers, as stores with low traffic may carry out promotional offers in an attempt to increase the number of people visiting the store. An alternative motive for the variation in promotional offers between stores can be to stimulate customers switching to own brand products, as certain stores may have low own brand s ales. Place Waitrose is located mainly in the south east of the UK with stores only as far north as Newark. The typical Waitrose Store is located in town centres next to other major shopping facilities. The average Selling Space of a Waitrose Store is under 1500 sq meter, which is fairly small. However newly opened stores tend to be of at least 2000 sq meters and preferably 2500 sq metres. With the introduction of its food home store format, Waitrose has also started to build in out of town locations, however, this account for only a very small share. Costs and benefits of marketing approach The principal benefit of marketing is that it enables companies to maximise their potential and reach the right customers at the right time. But any organisation should weigh up the costs approaching marketing. Every project is different and could end up with the costs mentioned below, Setting marketing focus structure Initial product development Building excellent services Attracting attentions of customers Building long-time relationships with: +customers +suppliers +distributors customer retention A proper approach to marketing involves understanding the customer and his or her needs: identifying the real needs of the market.  And the below benefits are more likely to happen; Profits Customer loyalty and trust Long term goal Reputation PEST Analysis PEST Analysis is used to finding out if the market is in growth or decline, or has potential and the direction of the business. PEST analysis is manly used for measurement implement. External factors usually are beyond the firms control and many of different times can cause problem and treats for a business, but external environment also creates new opportunities, this is different for each country because they have different rules and guidelines. Pest analysis can be used for market and business development and decision making.  Ã‚   Waitrose PEST Analysis Political: The Government remains firmly committed to the objectives of PPG6, which seeks to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of our existing city, town, district and local centres and to make them the focus for retail investment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦means that it is very difficult to get planning permission for out-of-town stores. The Competition Commissions report The Supply of Groceries from Multiple Stores in the United Kingdom, published in 2000, stated that the leading supermarkets do not operate as a cartel to keep food prices unduly high. (Key Note, 2001, Supermarket Services) Although some questionable practices were found (selling product at a loss, lower prices in areas of high competition), the Commission did not recommend any corrective actions. EU Competition might not be as generous as the Competition Commission and therefore might order changes. If the introduction of the congestion charge is successful in London, it is likely that this kind of scheme will be extended to other big cities. Economic The takeover of Safeway by Morrison is an indicator that competition is getting more intense with fewer but bigger players. Social Demand for organic and healthy foods has increased and most retailers have responded to that trend. Today customers are less prepared to pay a premium price for organic foods, which is why retail chains have started to offer own brand organic products. Waitrose has long been offering these kinds of products. Busier lifestyles increased the demand for convenient foods/ ready meals. Also notable is an increasing demand for exotic and ethnic foods from consumers. The public has become more environmentally aware and Waitroses strategy fits well into this Almost 70% of women are working and working times are longer than in any other European Country. However, women are still doing the majority of the shopping. More than 75% of shopping trips are made by car. Public transport links are even declining as a percentage. Technological Online shopping is a major new opportunity for retailers and the UK offers a good market for this with the highest percentage of people online across the EU. And already more British food shoppers have converted to online grocery shopping than in any other country (Keynote, 2001, The Internet Grocery Market) Tesco is now the worlds biggest Internet grocer. Information technology and Communication has enabled more sophisticated store management, with detailed statistics of products sold being made available, thus facilitating the ordering of new stocks. More attributes of the store can be steered centrally such that costs are reduced, margins increased and sales enhanced. Stakeholders of Waitrose and their influence in marketing. A stakeholder is a person who interests a business. The stakeholders in Waitrose are: Customers: without customers Waitrose would not survive. Sales provide revenue. Employees: Waitrose has many employees in all aspects of their business.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Owners and shareholders: Waitrose have people that own parts of the company and get a part of profit. If they invested money successfully then they will make money for Waitrose. But if it is not, they will lose money. The local community: their interest in business activities and operations that could result in damage to the local environment such as the building of housing on green-field sites. Pressure groups: their main concern is the products that Waitrose are selling.   Suppliers: Suppliers selling their goods to Waitrose. Financial: Waitrose would not survive without money. Waitrose loan money from e.g. bank. Stakeholders within Waitrose have different interests in the business like, Customers have an interest in the production and services that Waitrose provide. The range of goods or services offered in the Waitrose. Also the price of these and the quality, and the range of additional facilities and services such as free home delivery. The customers also have interest on the attitude of staff and the overall performance of the organisation in this case Waitrose. The Employees have an interest in success of Waitrose as this can affect their wages and long-term employees with the company. Also employees have an interest on the way which they are treated e.g. they want be treated fairly and to do interesting work. They want to be paid a fair rate in relation to other people worked in Waitrose with the same qualifications and experience. They have interest in receiving sick pay and holiday pay. Owners and shareholders have interest in the amount of profit that is made. How much money Waitrose has invested? All shareholders have one vote for each share. Large institutional shareholders like Waitrose may hold several hundred thousand shares and they can use their votes to influence the way company is run. Also they have interest on the health and safety of customers and employees. The local community has an interest in many of the business activities taking place in an area. E.g. residents of a large housing state might welcome a supermarket opening the edge of their estate but be concentrated but the number of Lorries making late deliveries to the store. Also local community may be concentrated about business activities and operations that could result in damage to the local environment.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government have interest on employment of people, more taxes off Waitrose. They want employ the people that could be the best for customers. Government is also interested in business for political reasons. The government want to retain power aim to be re-elected. If the economy is healthy, then the government receives more money. Pressure groups have interest in what kind of products Waitrose are selling and if they harm the environment or have been animal tested. There are thousands of pressure groups in Britain including: trade unions and the TUC, most charities e.g. Amnesty International, many famous environmental groups such as Greenpeace. The interests of a specific pressure group will depend upon who it represents. For example The TUC and trade unions represent the views of employees and campaign on issues such as health and safety.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suppliers have interest on in selling their goods to Waitrose for a fair price. To be successful themselves, they need to keep receiving orders from buyers. Some suppliers dislike being dependent on business buyers so they extend their operations to sell direct to the final consumer for example, many breweries own their own pubs and restaurants and petrol companies have their own petrol stations. Equally some business do not like being dependent on suppliers. Financiers have interest in putting money into a business like Waitrose. If a grant has been provided, there will be checks ensure the money is used as agreed. If the financier has provided a loan, the business must honour its repayment commitments. Porters Five Force Analysis for Waitrose This is a means of identifying the forces which affect the level of competition in the retail industry. Threat of New Entrants Economies of scale in terms of square footage of shopping area and breadth of distribution channels are all critical factors in the U.K market. Larger stores can stock and sell many more products faster which is consistent with both their customers and suppliers preferences. Brand loyalty of customers in the sector is relatively high in that existing players have built a certain amount of goodwill with customers through loyalty and own branded credit cards. Scarcity of suitable real estate for shopping centres consequent to the absorption by the existing players as well as government legislation placing strictures on further out of town development. New entrants have limited access to U.K distribution channels as these channels are controlled by existing players. Access is typically being gained through mergers and acquisitions. There are very low switching costs to customers in the market and so market share can typically be gained by leveraging price and product range variables.  Ã‚   Existing players have accrued cost advantages due to experience curve effects of operation with  fully depreciated assets.   Power of the Supplier Supplier power tends to be relatively low for the most part in the U.K market as there are a small number of significant operators in the market. However in certain segments of the market for example washing powder where Procter and Gamble and Unilever enjoy a virtual duopoly. As own brands are emerging as a growing segment of the goods portfolio of large grocery multiples due to the higher margins available, even large suppliers manufacturers such as Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo have been increasingly producing   for own labels despite potential competition to their own brands. Some however such as Kelloggs, Coca Cola and Gillette do not agree to such arrangements as they consider it prejudicial to their quality reputation. Power of the Buyer Buyer power is particularly strong in the U.K grocery retailing industry where there is an extremely high concentration of buyers. Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda dominate the market. For smaller retailers joining a buying group is an important element of survival and give members enhanced economies of scale in purchasing. These groups however play only a small and declining role in the market since they do not buy on the scale of the large supermarkets and also cannot guarantee sizeable shelf space to major suppliers. Consequently they obtain lower discounts than the major chains. Wholesaling and distribution have been internalised and the retailer controls them directly. The cost of switching suppliers in the U.K market is very low and involves negligible risk.   Threat of substitutes Though Tesco has successfully improved its margins by increasing the ratio of non-food to food in its superstores it has moved into other competitive arenas e.g. its foray into furniture and household appliances has put it on a collision course with household appliance retailers like Currys and Argos. Changes in public consumption; e.g. the loss of confidence in British beef during the B.S.E beef crises of 2001 or fear of the long term implications of consuming genetically modified foods. Competitive rivalry Four major firms dominate the U.K market at present but concentration has increased markedly in the 1993-1996 period with major multiples pursuing active policies of new store development. Over this period Tesco has overtaken Sainsbury to become the market leader while Asda has since being newly acquired by Wal-Mart been threatening to take Sainsburys slot. There is no genuine differentiation between products therefore the principal rivalry tends to revolve around pricing and perceived value for money. Own-Label is increasingly becoming an important differentiator. Information Technology offers modern retailers the potential to speed up stock replenishment while reducing the cost of distributing products as well as strengthening links between the retail chains and their customers. Players which are most innovative in adapting technologies for these purposes tend to have a decisive advantage in the market. Strategies of the larger players are fairly similar in that larger players typically employ growth by international acquisition in emerging markets and by increasing their exposure to the non food segment of the market. Players in the lower echelon such as Sainsburys have since embarked upon a strategy of consolidation around a core business of food while maintaining a presence in the international arena. Other Global competitors such as Carrefour/Promodes just across the channel may gain entry positions to the U.K market by way of acquisition of weaker companies. Segmentation Undifferentiated marketing assumes everyone is the same and aims a particular product at everyone. Advantages: easy to plan, doesnt miss anyone. Disadvantages: can be wasteful, ignores segmentation, can lead to disappointing sales. This applies to market coverage strategy whereby a company ignores differences within a market and attempts to appeal to the whole market with a single basic product line and marketing strategy. Undifferentiated marketing relies on mass distribution and mass advertising, aiming to give the product a superior image in the minds of consumers. It is cost effective because there is only one product line to be produced, inventoried, distributed, and advertised. Also the absence of segmented market research lowers the costs of consumer research and product management. Concentrated Marketing:   This is where an organisation concentrates its marketing effort on one particular segment. The firm will develop a product that caters for the needs of that particular group. For example Rolls Royce cars aim its vehicles at the premium segment, same as Harrods within the UK. Concentrated marketing is when the message is aimed at just one small market. Advantages: Small firms can concentrate their marketing, allows a specific mix to be developed. Disadvantages: Ignores other areas of the market, can cause problems in future as may make it more difficult for company to expand. Some companies, particularly smaller companies, identify a comparatively small segment of the market on which to concentrate their marketing effort. By selecting a niche in the market for themselves, they hope to avoid head on competition with larger and more powerful rivals. A classic example of a successful product in a small market is the hand-made Morgan sports car (UK), the demand for which keeps the companys order books filled. Rolls Royce, though a much larger company, has been equally successful in catering to a small but affluent segment of the international market. Niche marketing, as concentrated segmentation is sometimes called, is currently very popular. It is no guarantee of a safe haven, however, since mass marketers will only ignore niches as long as they see no way to compete in them profitably and as long as they are not threatened by them. Should an opportunity or a threat be detected, however, the market power of the mass marketer would prove very uncomfortable fo r the richer. Proposed Waitroses segmentation Waitroses differentiation strategy and its competitive industry were analysed. The selection of the location can be identified as one of the most influential decisions in the life of a store. Various methods are described in order to help identify the most suitable location. The merits and problems of online shopping are explained and it is regarded as too early to evaluate Waitroses performance in this segment. Market segmentation allows Waitrose to identify different groups of buyers who share similar definable needs and behaviours. (Debbie Anderson) Whilst Behaviouristic responses are fundamental to segmenting Waitroses market as factors such as usage rates, impulse purchases, loyalty, and sensitivity to marketing mix factors allow for conclusions and positioning within consumer markets. Waitrose seems to segment its market based on simple variables such as incomes and Geographics (geodemographics). This has been identified by associating the number of Waitrose stores in the south of England with the average incomes, showing that Waitrose is aiming at the higher income earners at the upper end of the market, and segmenting itself toward the social groups of A, B and C1. There are no Waitrose stores in areas such as Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Bradford, Britains poorest regions indicating that Waitrose would not benefit financially from these areas. The use of Geo demographics is a fast and efficient way of identifying trends within certain geographical areas, allowing Waitrose to divide a market into different groups based on social class and lifestyle characteristics. Segmentation helps the marketers to distinguish one customer group from another within a given market and thereby enables him to decide which segment should form his target market. Targeting strategy Once a firm has successfully identified the segments within a market, the next step is to target these segments with products that closely match the needs of the customers within that segment.   There are a number of targeting strategies, including: Niche/concentration marketing this is concerned with targeting one particular, well-defined group of customers (a niche) within the overall market.   An example is, Jordans, the cereal company, adopted this approach by targeting groups of customers interested in organic products at a time when this group of consumers represented a relatively small proportion of the overall market.   Niche markets can be targeted profitably by small firms who have relatively small overheads and, therefore, do not need to achieve the volume of sales required by larger competitors.   The main disadvantages of niche markets are that the potential for sales growth and economies of scale may be limited, and the survival of the firm may be seriously affected if sales begin to decline. Mass/undifferentiated marketing this is concerned with selling a single product to the whole market.   This strategy is based on the assumption that, in respect to the product in question, customers needs are very similar if not identical.   The main benefit for the firm is that it can produce on a large scale, benefiting from low unit production costs via economies of scale.   These lower costs can be passed on to the consumer in the form of lower prices because, although profit margins on each item sold may be lower, high sales volume should generate large profits over

Jealousy in Shakespeares Othello Essays -- GCSE English Literature Co

Jealousy in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare is known for his exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, trickery, revenge, and jealousy. The play Othello, evolves around the theme of jealousy.    One of Shakespeare's most credible characteristics in his writing is his ability to compose a play in which has a story that originates, and strides on lies. As theses lies were unraveled the central theme of his play became distinct, and clearly visible. The central theme was based on the acts that characters had taken based on their jealous feelings. The flaws within all of the characters lied within their blindness to over look Iago's lies. What made each character jealous, was what they perceived as the truth.    What adds to this great tragedy is that it is a love story as well. In which a man, Othello, loves excessively and passionately, however he loves unwisely. Love consumes all those who take part in it, and in Othello's case his flaws lie in his loving Desdemona so blindly. It is for that single reason that Iago knows that such a naà ¯ve man as Othello, who loves his wife so blindly and unrealistically, can be corrupted.    Just as Othello's flaws lied within his inability to see past his jealous feelings, so did most of the rest of characters, no matter what social ranking they were classified in. Even from the well-developed characters, such as Othello, to the lesser figures, such as Roderigo, envy and lust were feelings all of Shakespeare's characters were accountable of holding at one time or other in the play. Within each of the characters in Othello was a level of jealousy, which Iago created by testing their pressure points for his benefit.    In Act 1 scene 1, Shakespeare... ...'s Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970.    Ferguson, Francis. "Two Worldviews Echo Each Other." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare: The Pattern in His Carpet. N.p.: n.p., 1970.    Gardner, Helen. "Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from "The Noble Moor." British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955.    Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.      Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Essay --

Growing Your Business Joseph Leoni Bus. Communication Research Paper For a company to reach international status the firm’s foundation must be rock solid. Once you have successfully started your business and continue to maintain the business the next step is to grow the business. Growing the business is essential to going global with the business for a couple reasons. One reason is that the costs alone for going international are substantial. Your business needs to go from being profitable to very lucrative in order to fit the bill for overseas costs. The second reason growing your business is important before going global has to do with the companies success formula. What happens if your business starts booming overseas at an unexpected? With an understanding of how to grow your business here in the U.S. you will be able to reproduce the successful formula overseas as well. Before steps are taken to start growing the company it’s important that the company be as efficient as possible. This means that a very analytical view of the companies operations need to be addressed. Where can the company cut back on costs without hurting the company? Are there any redundancies? Cut back any unnecessary costs that seem fit, but keep in mind your employees morale can be affected by these changes which will in effect hurt the company. Also ask what, if any, technologies you can implement to improve your profit margin. New technology is constantly coming out and it’s usually the companies that best implement it that get ahead and maintain efficiency. Once all the excess spending and redundancies are fixed it’s time to look at the different possibilities as there is always more than one way of doing something. With a successfully maintaine... ... rising another assessment similar to the first one is suggested. With growth of the business comes new variables and changes to the company thus effectively changing the company. Go back again to cut unnecessary spending, keeping in mind employee morale. Franchising your business can be a very rewarding venture especially if your business success formula has been tried and tried again. Franchising can also be your way into the international market although it depends on each businesses needs. Food and consumer businesses usually do very well as the formula can be duplicated easily. Service companies are still possible to franchise but more difficult as they usually require people with special skills or training to get the job done. In general, franchising your business will lead to increased revenues because the customers for the product or service already exist.

Bisphenol A Essay -- Chemistry, Polycarbonate Plastics

In society, Bisphenol A is also known as BPA it’s important and relevant in some areas like in cars and medical equipments and not so important for the human body. BPA is mostly link to metal cans. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the molecular process, the real world applications, and the advantages and disadvantages of Bisphenol A. Bisphenol A has deep connection in the can making industry, in the NACAR business and the history of Bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is a chemical building block that is used primarily to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics is a plastic that is lightweight, it’s a high performance plastic, that possesses a balance of toughness, stability, optical clarity, high heat resistance and excellent electrical resistance. Because of these abilities, polycarbonate is used in a wide variety of common products, such as us in CD’s and DVD’S. An epoxy resin begins with the reaction of two compounds, Bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin. Epoxy is a thermosetting epoxies polymer that cures when mixed with a catalyzing agent that makes the hardness of the can. What this means is, when you are making polymer, when you are mixing these two chemicals together you get a hardness that is made and put into cans to give their hardness. According to Dr. Castan of Greenlee (1936), The request for epoxy is based on materials that are extensive and have include coatings, adhesives a nd complex materials such as those using carbon fiber and fiberglass reinforcements. (Greenlee and Castan, paragraph 2). Also Epoxy resin is a hard substance created when two substances, an epoxies and a polyamine, are combined. In most cases the two chemicals are epichlorahydrin and Bisphenol A. Bisphenol A was invest... ...ic no steroidal estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) during their pregnancies between 1948 and 1971 and have 2.5 times the normal incidence of breast cancer. In general, my topic is Bisphenol A and it has a muti-step molecular process which allows many real world implications, such as cancer, over weight. In addition Bisphenol A molecular process involves a hard way molecular process which allowed bathing the polymers letting it cool down, and then making the diepoxy polymers. And tying it together with an electron at each end. This disadvantage doesn’t help the human body because it makes you body weak and you can’t treat these health issues. In our society Bisphenol A could offer a solution to the problem of human body and lower the health issues down. And also many people can start making healthy choice’s in life instead of eating can food try fresh food instead.

American Home Products Corporation Essay

American Home Product Corporation (AHP), a highly growing American company, has four business lines: prescription drugs, packaged drugs, food products, house wares and household products. Its policies include: -A tight financial control and maintained an aggressive capital structure policy. – Make money for its stockholders and to maximize profits by minimizing cost. – It has been able to finance internally its growth while paying a very high portion of its earning to its shareholders (60%). Currently, AHP seems to have no business risk but may face a certain risk in the long run. Based on the ratios shown on the attached sheet, AHP should not worry about business risk since its working capital is very healthy ($1472.8 million) and cash excess $233 million. The high ROA, high profit margin, low current-to-asset ratio and 49.71 collection days show that AHP can generate cash quickly, thus it can maintain current high growth rate. However, it’s decreasing annual sales growth from 14.1% in 1978 to 8.8% in 1981 (exhibit 1) shows that it faces future risk of losing market shares in all its business lines if it does not foresee competition and continues to focus on increasing stockholders’ value. AHP’s current financial performance is very good since it has high ROE (30.3), high quick ratio (42.68), low debt-to-equity ratio (0.09) and low debt-to-asset ratio (0.01). However, an analysis of different debt ratios shows that if AHP increases debt ratio, it will face a financial risk of increased debt-to-equity and debt-to-asset ratios. In other words, it will face solvency problems in long terms. AHP also face liquidity problems since the quick ratios decrease when the debt ratios increase. 2 The proposed mechanism follows a dual mechanism of leveraging:- (a) Increase the Debt Equity Ratio. (b) Buy back the shares. This also results in the following:- (i) Improves EPS as the amount gets shared by lesser number of shares. (ii)Improves Price / earnings ratio (iii) The excess capital gets utilized. (iv)Sends a +ve signal to the market and share prices likely to increase. (v) Improves Return on Equity ratio. The calculations enclosed indicate that the best option in accordance with the company stated policy would be to have Debt-Equity Ratio of 70%. Shareholders’ value increases when debt ratios increase. EPS increases from $3.18 to $3.49. The dividend payout ratio also increases from 0.597 to 0.602. Similarly, the dividend yield from 0.063 to 0.070. It means that the company can increase shareholders’ value by increasing debt ratios. However the following needs to be considered:- (i) The valued net worth of the firm which decreases may not convey the correct picture to the investor and thus negating the positive signals of buy back of shares. (ii) The firm has no strategy related to R&D in new products and focuses on me-too products thus constituting a large business risk. (iii) The firm would reduce the cash to debt ratio substantially exposing itself to financial risk. The closest competitor has Debt – Equity Ratio of 30% which if taken as a benchmark gives a conservative method of deciding the proposed leveraging, however this does not maximize the shareholder value, but is in line with the strong conservatism philosophy of the firm. It also gives a better Return on Assets ratio and has a safer Debt to Cash ratio. Even though AHP has a very good current financial performance, it should change the financial policy to increase debt ratio at a certain level. To meet the goal of increasing shareholders’ value, AHP should not use its excess cash flow to repurchase its stocks because this is only a temporary solution and may generate serious financial problems in the long run. Instead, AHP should use this excess cash to invest in profitable projects to improve its current products and launch new products that meet current market demands. By doing so, AHP can minimize the business risk, prepare itself for competition and increase sales growth. On the other hands, AHP should increase debt ratio to a certain level that is suitable for its  business to increase shareholders’ value. Also it should continue to exercise tight monetary policies as earlier to pay off the debt in a disciplined manner This solution does not bring financial risk to AHP but enable it to minimize business risk. If AHP remains only concerned about how to increase shareholders’ value and ignores market threats, it might lose its business to its competitors.