UNIT 4 seminar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UNIT 4 seminar - Research Paper Example Process evaluation comprises of assessment activities integrated into the implementation of the program. The purpose of the process evaluation is to determine the potential success or failure of a certain program. It assesses the implementation of a given program (Royse, Thyer, & Padgett, 2010). It may require a detailed description of the program, constant monitoring as well as quality assurance check. On the other hand, outcome evaluation is carried out after the conclusion of the implementation program in a bid to determine whether the program really works. Moreover, outcome evaluation assesses the efficiency of the program on the target population. After a successful search for formative evaluation in the Kaplan Library, 8,648 appeared. This number was shocking because the scholarly articles yielded were too many. With such a high number of results, only a limited number of them are relevant. After the search of process evaluation in the same library, 1,182,652 results appeared (Smith, 2006). When outcome evaluation was searched on the Kaplan Library, the search yielded only 16 results. This number was also shocking because it showed that limited researches on this aspect has been done. When formulating objectives, experts have highlighted that they should be measurable and specific. Measurable objectives are subject to successful assessment or evaluation yielding results that determine whether they are effective (Kellaghan, Madaus, & Stufflebeam, 2000). On the other hand, specificity is critical in formulating objectives as it minimizes chances of confusing ideas. Evidently, the three types of evaluation are critical in the adoption of any program as they reflect the potential of any program in addressing the needs of the target

Need a management theory and explain it Research Paper

Need a management theory and explain it - Research Paper Example In this paper communication has been discussed within the context of helix and structuration theories. Globalization has exerted more pressures to operate efficiently and effectively and has pushed organizations to employ skillful means to enhance efficient organizational functions. The effectiveness of an organization’s employee is grounded on organizational culture, effective communication and solid leadership at the workplace. From the case study provided, it is evident that Ford clearly lacks these important elements that can motivate employees and hence increase productivity. It is obvious from the excerpt that there is a complete lack of leadership from the supervisors employing old school tactics to manage new age problems. Culture, communication and leadership are critical elements of an effective homogenous work force that is bent of increasing productivity. These three elements are intricately linked and must be continually sought by the dynamic and high achieving organisation out to make a competitive edge in business. the role of the leader with an organizational s et up is to steer the firm towards realization of a common objective goal. In the case study, Bob through application of this principles management to successfully meet and surpass his quotas daily, much to the chagrin of other supervisors. Communication enjoys a crucial place within organizations and its importance is not in doubt; in fact it is the lifeblood of any organisation that seeks to gel and improve as a unit. The success of an organization can be partly attributed to the degree of communication within an organization as it serves as an essential link for any formal organization, thereby linking the mutual objectives that people within the familiar setting seeks to achieve. In the case provided, communication between the management and the hourly employees has completely broken down and their mode lacks the essential elements that define

Car Accidents: Causes, Statistics and Prevention

Car Accidents: Causes, Statistics and Prevention Introduction Cars today play a vital role in our lives. They bring ease and satisfaction to our lives, because these vehicles help us transport from one place to another without exerting so much effort on it. Wherever you desire to go cars are the fast and easiest solution for your problems. Plus it’s mostly used in our daily activities, transportation from home to school safely, going on road trips; since you will not be able to walk carrying your luggage easily, etcetera†¦ In addition, it comes in handy during emergencies. Moreover, cars are helpful when it comes to safety, but accidents sometimes occur. Scientists and mechanics are attempting to overcome accidents by trying to figure out the faults behind the car. As explained in â€Å"Importance of Cars† article, submitted on June 25th, 2012. Reasons behind car accidents There are plenty of reasons behind car accidents: The speed of the car: For example, in Ireland it is one of the biggest factors that contribute to road deaths. Excessive and inappropriate speed causes more than 40% of deadly collisions. Excessive speed is when you cross the speed limit. The table below explains how a small difference in the speed of the car could be the difference between the life and the death of a defenseless pedestrian. The figure below sums up the stopping distance of the car in wet conditions. While the other figure explains the stopping distance of the car in normal conditions. â€Å"The pictures above are provided by Holroyd City Council Australia.† Driving in Fog: Fog can be defined with â€Å"thick cloud of tiny drops of water in the air† according to Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary. It makes driving perilous in these conditions, since it reduces visibility to around 400 metres. How fog affects vision First of all, the ones vision of speed is twisted. He might think that a vehicle is driving slower than it actually is, as a result to the lowered distinction. Furthermore, as this person will not be able to judge his own speed by taking a look at his surrounding, since he is enclosed by a foggy atmosphere. Secondly, distance may be underestimated. Since people distinguish between far and nearby vehicles based on whether they are blurry or not. As a distant object or vehicle might appear blurry, and the driver’s mind will interpret that the object is actually far. Therefore accidents are more likely to take place. Distraction: If a person diverts his attention away from the road it can cause an accident. Whether that person is adjusting the stereo, using his cell –phone, or even a distraction outside on the streets, it all might happen in a split of a second. As explained in the picture above, using a mobile phone while driving will reduce the driver’s reaction time as slow as a 70 year old. Driving under influence: Driving under the influence of alcohol leads to accidents, because it’s like a tranquillizer and a powerful depressant drug, so it slows down brain functions. The brains ability of processing information is affected by alcohol. As it diminishes consciousness and sight A drunk driver would find it hard to: â€Å"judge the speed of your vehicle; Judge the distance between your car and other cars; Notice traffic lights, pedestrians and other hazards; Concentrate on the task of driving; Keep your balance, especially if you are riding a motorcycle; Stay awake when you are driving; and react appropriately to things going on around you, particularly if an unexpected hazard should suddenly appear.† As reported by the Department of Transport. Furthermore, a person may take more risks than usual, and alcohol would slow down their nervous system, and some people may not react at all. Here are some statistics: â€Å"Every 53 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving crash. That equates to 27 people every day.† â€Å"211 children were killed in drunk driving crashes in 2010. Of those 211 children, 62% were riding in the car with the impaired driver.† How Physics Improves Car Safety: Seatbelts: According to Sir Isaac Newton in his 1st law which is â€Å"if the resultant force is zero, then the object will If stationary, remain stationary. If moving, keep moving at a steady speed in a straight line.† During the accident, forced are exerted on the car. But not directly to the passenger, since he will keep moving even when the car comes to a stop. They might even hit the steering wheel or go out through the window. The speed of the car before it crashes is sharply equal to the speed of the passenger when it hits anything inside the car. That’s why seatbelts are made; to slow the driver down. Again, Newton’s 2nd law states that: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to its mass. This law is represented by the equation below. When the accident occurs the seatbelt diminishes the stopping distance. As explained in the diagram that’s on the left. The total force exerted on the passenger’s body equals the mass of the vehicle times the vehicle’s acceleration. When seatbelts are used in the correct way, they lessen the external force of the accident and allocate the initial inertia of the collision across the body. Throughout crashes, seatbelts reduce a lot of force sensed by the passenger and lessen the severity of that person’s injury. Airbags: When the person’s head jolts forward during the vehicle crash, it will be protected by the airbags that inflate whenever the car crashes from certain aspects. So basically, its purpose is to help reduce the passenger’s speed when they collide with the interior vehicle without getting injured. Each and every object in a car has mass, speed and direction (velocity). If a person is not secured inside a car he will continue moving in the same direction (forward, or depending on the crash itself), with the same speed as the car’s, and when the car comes to a stop, until a force is exerted on that person. This passenger has momentum. So in order to stop it, a force has to act on them. Such as airbags that provide impulse. The more time the force has to act on the passenger to slow them down, the less damage caused to the passenger. The airbag has a certain amount of time to inflate when the car crashes with another object, and then the passenger hits the steering wheel. After the collision occurs in 15-20 milliseconds, the crash sensors will decide whether to inflate or ot to inflate the airbag (6-10km/h). If the sensors decide to puff up the airbag it Is about 25 milliseconds after the collision. The airbag takes about 20 milliseconds to inflate, so the person can crash onto it. The person has made contact with the airbag around 60 milliseconds, and then it begins to deflate. The deflation process take about 35-40 milliseconds. Today, airbags can be found in different places in the vehicle. Such as the head airbags, steering wheel airbag, passenger airbag, and side airbags, Even though airbags are found, the passenger still has to buckle his or her seatbelt, because it will decrease his injury. Rule and Regulations In Canada Fog. (n.d.).The American Heritage ® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Retrieved May 12, 2014, from Dictionary.com website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fog http://www.roadsafetymayo.ie/CausesofAccidents/ http://www.roadsafetymayo.ie/media/Media,4515,en.pdf http://boltsaction.com/the-importance-of-cars-in-our-lives/ http://kimenglish9.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/car-accidents/ http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211.web.stuff/sill/ http://www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/2004/en/traffic_facts_en.pdf http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1830396?uid=3738872uid=2uid=4sid=21104009116417 http://www.roadsafetymayo.ie/CausesofAccidents/ http://seriousaccidents.com/legal-advice/top-causes-of-car-accidents/fog/ http://tristanmac.tripod.com/id14.html http://books.google.ps/books?id=kE9wMh6DjlMCpg=PA94dq=how+roads+improve+car+safety+physicshl=ensa=Xei=XDlxU9eLEaLe7Aax2ICoDAved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=how%20roads%20improve%20car%20safety%20physicsf=false https://www.google.ps/search?q=how+seatbelts+workoq=seatbelts+workaqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.3914j0j4sourceid=chromeie=UTF-8 http://tristanmac.tripod.com/id8.html http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/licensing/LBU_DL_B_AlcoholAndDriving.pdf

Repressed Sexuality in Bram Stokers Dracula Essay -- Bram Stoker Dra

Repressed Sexuality in Bram Stoker's Dracula      Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps no work of literature has ever been composed without being a product of its era, mainly because the human being responsible for writing it develops their worldview within a particular era.   Thus, with Bram Stoker's Dracula, though we have a vampire myth novel filled with terror, horror, and evil, the story is a thinly veiled disguise of the repressed sexual mores of the Victorian era.   If we look to critical interpretation and commentary to win support for such a thesis, we find it aplenty "For erotic Dracula certainly is.   'Quasi-pornography' one critic labels it.   Another describes it as a 'kind of incestuous, necrophilious, oral-anal-sadistic all-in-wrestling matching'.   A sexual search of the novel unearths the following:   seduction, rape, necrophilia, pedophilia, incest, adultery, oral sex, group sex, menstruation, venereal disease, voyeurism" (Leatherdale   155-156).   While there are many other interpretations of the novel, such as th e vampire as a Satan figure who wishes to take away the mortality Christ won mankind, this analysis will explore how it reads as a story of repressed sexuality and the conflict it creates for the characters living in a repressed Victorian world. Christopher Craft, in his review of the novel, argues that the gender roles of males and females were extremely well-defined and limiting in Victorian society.   The male was perceived as the stronger of the sexes, and women were relegated to a voiceless and submissive role.   He argues that Harker's eager anticipation of the incestuous vampire daughters is a direct parallel of the roles of men and women in Victorian society, but the roles are reversed "Harker awaits an erotic fulfillment ... ... novel allows an outlet for natural, human biological necessities, no doubt many Victorian readers were similarly thrilled and repulsed by its deliberate depiction of them. WORKS   CITED Auerbach, N. A. and Skal, D. J.   Bram Stoker:   Dracula:   Authoritative Text, Contexts, Reviews and Reactions, Dramatic and Film Variations, Criticism.   New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 1997. Carter, M. L. (ed.).   Dracula:   The Vampire and the Critics.   Ann Arbor, U.M.I. Research Press, 1988.   Darling, L.   Dracula is us:   the vampire always sinks his fangs into our deepest fears.   Newsday.   Nov. 8, 1992, (07) 1-5. Leatherdale, C.   Dracula:   The Novel and the Legend:   A Study of Bram Stoker's Gothic Masterpiece.   Brighton, Desert Island Books, 1993. Taylor, S. B.   Stoker's Dracula.   The Explicator.   Vol. 55.   Sept. 1, 1996, (29-31) 1-3.  

Mercury Athletic Footwear: Valuing the Opportunity Essay

Team 10 / Mergers and Acquisitions West Coast Fashions, Inc (WCF) was a large business, which dealt with men’s and women’s apparel. One of their segments was Mercury Athletic Footwear. WCF wanted to dispose off this segment. They just wanted to divest because they wanted to focus more on their core business and move it up to the elite class. John Liedtke was the Business Development Head at that time in Active Gear Inc. He had a clear idea that acquiring Mercury will shoot up AGI’s revenues for sure. It would also ensure an expansion of the key business. In order to get a clearer picture on the acquisition, he needed to compare and analyze the company’s financials well. By this he could gauge the pros and cons of this acquisition. Are the strategic reasons behind the Merger good enough? Explain As a team, we had different views on this question. Some reasons make us think that it may be beneficial for AGI to grab the opportunity but some make us think that it might not be as promising as it seems. Let us see why we feel it is a good idea for AGI to acquire Mercury. Active Gear Inc. Mercury Athletic Footwear Revenue $470,285mn $431,121mn % Revenue Product wise 42% Athletic 58% Casual 79% Athletic 21% Casual Operating Income $60.4mn $42,299mn Revenue growth 2% to 6% 12.5% Active Gear was one of the most successful firms in terms of profitability, in the footwear industry. Mercury looked like a good opportunity for an  attractive investment because they almost have the same revenues, while being smaller in size, in the market. The Percent revenue in the casual footwear in AGI compensates for the gap in Mercury. It’s a perfect balance. When we looked at the industrial average of revenue growth is 10% and AGI is below the standard, however Mercury is above by 2.55%. It is a good sign to move ahead for this acquisition, as it will enable AGI to remain at the top in the market. Both companies are in the same industry and have same products. Both Mercury and AGI does its manufacturing in China. AGI sourced its resources to the contract manufacturers in China. Mercury can leverage with these manufacturers as China just experienced a wave of consolidation favorable for these kinds of manufacturers. This, in turn, can enable AGI to have the opportunity to expand with its top retailers and distributors. Mercury’s cost of manufacturing is low and could help to sync the lower profit margins of AGI, which it had been facing from its suppliers, distributors and consumers. (Refer Case Page 5 and 3). Mercury had always been an autonomous body, which maintained its own financials, data management, resource management and distribution. This would pave a smooth way for AGI to take over. This smoothness could not have been expected had Mercury been totally under WCF. Now let us look at why some of the members of the team thought that the acquisition is not an appropriate decision: There would be strategic clashes because AGI focuses on Classic and elite products with long life, on the other hand, Mercury focused on flexibility and changed its pr oducts based on demand and trend. (Refer Case study Page 2 and 4). There is a huge difference in days Inventory between the two companies. It means that there must be a strategy of keeping their products on shelf. We also come to know that Liedtke believed that Mercury can adopt the Inventory Management of AGI and a bit incremental cost and then it might reduce the levels of DSI of Mercury. Mercury also concentrated on a different geographic section than AGI. We also think that this Acquisition might just entail a complete take-over of the Women’s line of Mercury. However, it might me a loss making business for AGI later (Refer case study Page 6). Review the projections by Liedtke. Are they appropriate? How would you recommend modifying them? We put the Exhibit 7 for reference: As a team we analyzed each segment’s projection: Men’s Athletic This segment indicated a 8,72% average growth rate from 2007-2011. According to the information in the case, Men’s Athletic revenue grew more 40% over the prior year and the average compound rate from 2004-2006 was of 29%, therefore the forecasted item should be based on this assumption from the case of CAGR of 29%. This projection seems conservative and it can be modified towards the expected 29% growth. Men’s Casual Women’s Athletic This segmented shows a growth rate of 2,50% from 2007-2011. According to the information provided in the case, the sales of this business line should be declining at 6,25% per year not increasing. Therefore its sales should decrease in this percentage not increase as projected per Liedtke. Liedtke projected for this business segment, an average growth rate 7,98% (2007-2001). The case indicates a growth from 2004-2005 of 13,5% per year . Therefore this can be somewhat a conservative growth projection. Since this has been solid growth, this could be increased to maintain the 13, 5% sales growth in the upcoming years Women’s Casual Lietdke’s projection assumed that this business line was going to disappear by the end of 2007 this is aligned with was its expected from Mercury management according to the facts stated in the case (page 6). Given this information we can conclude that the Women’s Casual as part of Mercury revenue generator would disappear, therefore this projection seems reasonable if Mercury does not merge. If merger happens this business line can be enhance by the synergies of both companies and it might be a positive approach to keep the brand alive. Estimated Capital Expenditures This projected expenditure was based on 5, 67% average growth rate from 2007 until 2011. The information in the case indicates that Mercury’s capital spending its little since they focus its resources in market research and product designs. Estimated Depreciation This item maintains an average growth rate of 5,67% for the years of 2007-2011. Because there is no more evidence of changes in depreciation this seems reasonable for Mercury’s operations. Cash Used in Operations From the Historical balance of exhibit 4, in 2006 Cash & Equivalents closed with a balance of $10,676. Liedtke projected a 61% decline for 2007 reducing the Cash line item to $4,161. This reduction might be since the historical Balance Sheet (2004-2006) was taking into account Cash & Cash Equivalents â€Å"† where the projected Balance Sheet (2007-2011) it’s only taking into account â€Å"Cash used in operations†. In addition, it might also be affected by the fact of â€Å"Men’s casual footwear† and â€Å"Women’s Casual Footwear† revenue are declining and not generating enough sales. Accounts Receivable The accounts receivable of Mercury, maintained flat growth with a 6% average growth rate from 2006-2011. Probably they have credit terms with retailers and shops, although there is not enough information in the case about this, therefore it seems an appropriate projection. Inventory According to Liedtke projections inventory also maintain an average growth of 6% until 2011. An inventory increase it’s necessary for this type of business, since Mercury needs to supply large retailers with their Footwear. In addition, this increase might be justified with the fact that, Mercury its receiving pressure from suppliers in China who need larger orders to operate at full capacity, therefore Mercury might be forced to make larger orders in the future to maintain its current relationship with the Asian suppliers. However, if Mercury it’s considering Women’s Casual as dead brand this can make the growth to be somewhat conservative. Prepaid Expenses According to Liedtke’s projection these expenses increased from$ 10,172 to  $14,747 in 2007 represented 42% increased. After 2007 Liedtke’s projected an average growth rate of 6% will maintain an average growth rate. Prepaid expenses might be rent of related to their operations however there is not enough information to assume that prepaid expenses can change aggressively over the projected years. Property Plant and Equipments This line item seems to maintain a flat and conservative growth since there is no indications of major changes in this area in the future of Mercury fixed assets. Trademarks &Other Intangibles The amount in trademarks and other intangible should not change since the company already owns the brands of the different segment. If in the future the merger happens then this might decrease Accounts Payable This was projected with a 5% average growth rate per year since 2007. For this type of business model seems reasonable that mercury maintains a conservative growth rate for the future years. The company already has established relationship with retailers and probably their credit terms will remain the same for the upcoming years. Accrued Expenses Accrued expenses which might be related to workers’ wages, increased from 16,981 to 22,778 in 2007 (21% increase). This increase seems somewhat aggressive since the company it’s probably expects to have less staff from the business lines, which are declining. Deferred Taxes Taxes might not suffer any changes, since this the taxes the company will have to pay for the upcoming years. Pension Obligation Projections of pensions seems reasonable and with no changes for upcoming  years. Nevertheless, if we assume that organizational changes will occur in the future such as lay-offs this line could be reduced. Value the target company, first by the DCF approach, and second, by multiples, using Liedtke’s baseline case. Explain all the assumptions that you make in this process We look at the valuation done by Joel L. Heilprin for Mercury when the WACC is 11.06% and the long run growth rate is projected at 2.78%: However, our DCF uses a WACC of 8.73% and a long-term growth rate of 3%. We do understand that there is a significant difference from Heilprin’s calculations; however, it is to reflect upon the probable different values of the treasury securities that we chose. Here is our DCF, but please refer to the excel file (attached through â€Å"Turn it In’) for all the formulas and values we used to give us an idea and to help us reach the solution. In one of our calculations we took Termination Value in 2007 based on the M&A. And in the other one, we took the Termination Value from 2011 because the FCF is growing slowly. (Please refer to the calculations in the Excel) Do you regard the value you obtained as conservative or aggressive? Why? Three calculations give different results because we took assumptions. The DCF method based on case assumption gives higher value than the P/E method. Based on the calculation we get two different market value of the company. The evident one is $236,988. This approach can be considered as aggressive. Moreover the target company has the steady financial statement with a low debt proportion, while the bidder has higher debt in portfolio. We combine the company by â€Å"Pooling Interest† method. This situation considers that the bidder, which tries to target the company with higher price, is considered to be aggressive. From our Lower WACC calculations we drop the Cost of Capital, which can inversely raise the enterprise value. With our high enterprise value we have a higher proposal value to the buyer, higher than Heilprin’s. What kind of synergies or other sources of value not included in Lietdke’s projections? How would you take them into account? The additional opportunities that the company has to improve the results are: Maintain line of Women casual revenues. AGI has the opportunity to add this line of products. AGI can use the infrastructure of Mercury without new investments. Additionally, AGI could change the Women casual brand of Mercury to their own brand, so changing the products style to the concept of lifestyle for women. The company could consider as minimum an EBIT of $0.5M similar to the 2004. Improvement in DSI, DSO, DPO. Mercury has fewer DSI, more DSO, and more DPO. If we analyze the next table, we can consider that AGI have the opportunity to match the DSI of Mercury with the ones of AGI. Additionally, the company has the opportunity of increase the PDO of Mercury with AGI, negotiating days of payment with the providers in China. These opportunities improve the Working capital in $17M for AP, and $22M for inventory. The total improvement for WC is $39M. Increase volume for their providers. AGI reduced the number of providers to allow them achieve more scale and put AGI in a better negotiating position. In that way, AGI could benefit from the bigger scale and continuing consolidation of their providers. Notice that the Gross margin of Mercury is 44%, while it is 50% for AGI. Therefore, with better negotiations for the Mercury products there is an opportunity for reducing COGS in $25M. Elimination of duplicated costs in China. Eliminate the surplus of people the company have in China. AGI manage their providers in China with 85 employees, and Mercury manages 73 professional. The merged company can eliminate at least the 73 professionals of Mercury. The value of 73 employees is $1.7M per year (assuming an average monthly payroll and related of $20k per employee).

Leaders are made not born Essay

Good morning honorable judges, fellow debaters and audience My name is †¦.. and I am here with my team members †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. to address the issue â€Å"are leaders born or made and we are in favor of leaders are made. We will discuss eight points to support our argument. There’s a common misconception that some people are born as natural leaders and others simply don’t have it. Although it’s true that people are born with different talents, different abilities and different potential, it’s also true that we as human beings are incredibly versatile. There are skills and lessons that we all can learn to continue growing and developing both as leaders and as people That’s because leadership is an apprentice trade. Leaders learn about 80 percent of their craft on the job. They learn from watching other leaders. And choose role models. Leaders improve by getting feedback and using it. The best leaders seek feedback from their boss, their peers and their subordinates. Then they modify their behavior so that they get better results. They learn from trial and error and from experience so when something fails, a true leader learns from experience and puts it behind him. The only failure they recognize is the failure to learn from experience. If leaders are made then why we have business schools and universities, and why we study business degrees? Through different process of learning, we learn to take decision, control the situation sensibly, being responsible Rajiv Gandhi of India was made leader who was a pilot ; did not like politics. Even during 1989 elections, he said publicly that he was zero in politics.

The 9 Literary Elements Youll Find In Every Story

The 9 Literary Elements You'll Find In Every Story SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The AP Literature exam is designed to test your ability to analyze literature. That means you’ll have to know how to use analytical tools, like literary elements, to uncover the meaning of a text. Because literary elements are present in every piece of literature (really!), they’re a good place to start when it comes to developing your analytical toolbox. In this article, we’ll give you the literary element definition, explain how a literary element is different from a literary device, and look at the top nine literary elements you need to know before taking the AP Literature exam. So let’s get started! WhatAre Literary Elements? Take a minute and imagine building a house. (Stick with us, here.) What are some of the things that you would absolutely have to include in order to make a house? Some of those non-negotiable elements are a roof, walls, a kitchen, and a bathroom. If you didn’t have these elements, you wouldn’t have a house. Heck, you might not even have a building! A literary element’s definition is pretty similar. Literary elements are the things that all literature- whether it’s a news article, a book, or a poem- absolutely have to have. Just like a house, the elements might be arranged slightly differently...but at the end of the day, they’re usually all present and accounted for. Literary elements are the fundamental building blocks of writing, and they play an important role in helping us write, read, and understand literature. You might even say that literary elements are the DNA of literature. How Is a Literary Element Different From a Literary Device? But wait! You’ve also learned about literary device (sometimes called literary techniques), which writers use to create literature! So what makes a literary element different from a literary device? Let’s go back to our house metaphor for a second. If literary elements are the must-have, cannot-do-without parts of a house, then literary elements are the optional decor. Maybe you like a classic style (a trope!), or perhaps you’re more of an eclectic kind of person (a conceit)! Just because you decorate your house like a crazy person doesn’t make it any less of a house. It just means you have a...unique personal style. Literary devices are optional techniques that writers pick and choose from to shape the style, genre, tone, meaning, and theme of their works. For example, literary devices are what make Cormac McCarthy’s western novel, Blood Meridian, so different from Matt McCarthy’s medical memoir, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly. Conversely, literary elements- especially the elements that qualify both works as â€Å"books†- are what keep them shelved next to each other at Barnes Noble. They’re the non-negotiable things that make both works â€Å"literature.† Top 9 Literary Elements List (With Examples!) Now let’s take a more in-depth look at the most common elements in literature. Each term in the literary elements list below gives you the literary element definition and an example of how the elements work. #1: Language The most important literary element is language. Language is defined as a system of communicating ideas and feelings through signs, sounds, gestures, and/or marks. Language is the way we share ideas with one another, whether it’s through speech, text, or even performance! All literature is written in a recognizable language, since one of literature’s main goals is sharing ideas, concepts, and stories with a larger audience. And since there are over 6,900 distinct languages in the world, that means literature exists in tons of different linguistic forms, too. (How cool is that?!) Obviously, in order to read a book, you need to understand the language it’s written in. But language can also be an important tool in understanding the meaning of a book, too. For instance, writers can combine languages to help readers better understand the characters, setting, or even tone. Here’s an example of how Cherrie Moraga combines English and Spanish in her play, Heroes and Saints: Look into your children’s faces. They tell you the truth. They are our future. Pero no tendremos ningà ºn futuro si seguimos siendo và ­ctimas. Moraga’s play is about the plight of Hispanic migrant workers in the United States. By combining English and Spanish throughout the play, Moraga helps readers understand her characters and their culture better. #2: Plot The plot of a work is defined as the sequence of events that occurs from the first line to the last. In other words, the plot is what happens in a story. All literature has a plot of some kind. Most long-form literature, like a novel or a play, follows a pretty typical plot structure, also known as a plot arc. This type of plot has six elements: Beginning/Exposition: This is the very beginning of a story. During the exposition, authors usually introduce the major characters and settings to the reader. Conflict: Just like in real life, the conflict of a story is the problem that the main characters have to tackle. There are two types of conflict that you’ll see in a plot. The major conflict is the overarching problem that characters face. Minor conflicts, on the other hands, are the smaller obstacles characters have to overcome to resolve the major conflict. Rising Action: Rising action is literally everything that happens in a story that leads up to the climax of the plot. Usually this involves facing and conquering minor conflicts, which is what keeps the plot moving forward. More importantly, writers use rising action to build tension that comes to a head during the plot’s climax. Climax: The climax of the plot is the part of the story where the characters finally have to face and solve the major conflict. This is the â€Å"peak† of the plot where all the tension of the rising action finally comes to a head. You can usually identify the climax by figuring out which part of the story is the moment where the hero will either succeed or totally fail. Falling Action: Falling action is everything that happens after the book’s climax but before the resolution. This is where writers tie up any loose ends and start bringing the book’s action to a close. Resolution/Denouement: This is the conclusion of a story. But just because it’s called a â€Å"resolution† doesn’t mean every single issue is resolved happily- or even satisfactorily. For example, the resolution in Romeo and Juliet involves (spoiler alert!) the death of both main characters. This might not be the kind of ending you want, but it is an ending, which is why it’s called the resolution! If you’ve ever read a Shakespearean play, then you’ve seen the plot we outlined above at work. But even more contemporary novels, like The Hunger Games, also use this structure. Actually, you can think of a plot arc like a story’s skeleton! But what about poems, you ask? Do they have plots? Yes! They tend to be a little less dense, but even poems have things that happen in them. Take a look at â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night† by Dylan Thomas. There’s definitely stuff happening in this poem: specifically, the narrator is telling readers not to accept death without a fight. While this is more simple than what happens in something like The Lord of the Rings, it’s still a plot! #3: Mood The mood of a piece of literature is defined as the emotion or feeling that readers get from reading the words on a page. So if you’ve ever read something that’s made you feel tense, scared, or even happy...you’ve experienced mood firsthand! While a story can have an overarching mood, it’s more likely that the mood changes from scene to scene depending on what the writer is trying to convey. For example, the overall mood of a play like Romeo and Juliet may be tragic, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t funny, lighthearted moments in certain scenes. Thinking about mood when you read literature is a great way to figure out how an author wants readers to feel about certain ideas, messages, and themes. These lines from â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are a good example of how mood impacts an idea: You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes,You may kill me with your hatefulness,But still, like air, I'll rise. What are the emotions present in this passage? The first three lines are full of anger, bitterness, and violence, which helps readers understand that the speaker of the poem has been terribly mistreated. But despite that, the last line is full of hope. This helps Angelou show readers how she won’t let others’ actions- even terrible ones- hold her back. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter book series #4: Setting Have you ever pictured yourself in living in the Gryffindor dormitories at Hogwarts? Or maybe you’ve wished you could attend the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Wonderland. These are examples of how settings- especially vivid ones- capture readers’ imaginations and help a literary world come to life. Setting is defined simply as the time and location in which the story takes place. The setting is also the background against which the action happens. For example, Hogwarts becomes the location, or setting, where Harry, Hermione, and Ron have many of their adventures. Keep in mind that longer works often have multiple settings. The Harry Potter series, for example, has tons of memorable locations, like Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and Gringotts. Each of these settings plays an important role in bringing the Wizarding World to life. The setting of a work is important because it helps convey important information about the world that impact other literary elements, like plot and theme. For example, a historical book set in America in the 1940s will likely have a much different atmosphere and plot than a science fiction book set three hundred years in the future. Additionally, some settings even become characters in the stories themselves! For example, the house in Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† becomes the story’s antagonist. So keep an eye out for settings that serve multiple functions in a work, too. #5: Theme All literary works have themes, or central messages, that authors are trying to convey. Sometimes theme is described as the main idea of a work...but more accurately, themes are any ideas that appear repeatedly throughout a text. That means that most works have multiple themes! All literature has themes because a major purpose of literature is to share, explore, and advocate for ideas. Even the shortest poems have themes. Check out this two line poem, â€Å"My life has been the poem I would have writ,† from Henry David Thoreau: My life has been the poem I would have writ But I could not both live and utter it. When looking for a theme, ask yourself what an author is trying to teach us or show us through their writing. In this case, Thoreau is saying we have to live in the moment, and living is what provides the material for writing. #6: Point of View Point of view is the position of the narrator in relationship to the plot of a piece of literature. In other words, point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. We actually have a super in-depth guide to point of view that you can find here. But here’s the short version: literature can be written from one of four points of view. First person: This is told by one of the characters of the story from their perspective. You can easily identify first-person points of view by looking for first-person pronouns, like â€Å"I,† â€Å"you,† and â€Å"my.† Second person: second-person point of view happens when the audience is made a character in the story. In this instance, the narrator uses second person pronouns, like â€Å"you† and â€Å"your.† If you ever get confused, just remember that â€Å"Choose Your Own Adventure† books use second person. Third person limited: this is when the narrator is removed from the story and tells it from an outside perspective. To do this, the narrator uses pronouns like â€Å"he,† â€Å"she,† and â€Å"they† to refer to the characters in the story. In a third person limited point of view, this narrator focuses on the story as it surrounds one character. It’s almost like there’s a camera crew following the protagonist that reports on everything that happens to them. Third person omniscient: in this point of view, the narrator still uses third-person pronouns...but instead of being limited to one character, the narrator can tell readers what’s happening with all characters at all times. It’s almost like the narrator is God: they can see all, hear all, and explain all! Point of view is an important literary element for two reasons. First, it helps us better understand the characters in a story. For example, a first person point of view lets readers get to know the main character in detail, since they experience the main character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Second, point of view establishes a narrator, or a character whose job it is to tell the story, which we’ll talk about in the next section! #7: Narrator Like we just mentioned, the narrator is the person who’s telling the story. All literature has a narrator, even if that narrator isn’t named or an active part of the plot. Here’s what we mean: when you read a newspaper article, it’s the reporter’s job to tell you all the details of a particular event. That makes the reporter the narrator. They’re taking a combination of interviews, research, and their own eyewitness account to help you better understand a topic. The same is true for the narrator of a book or poem, too. The narrator helps make sense of the plot for the reader. It’s their job to explain, describe, and even dramatically reveal plot points to the audience. Here’s an example of how one of the most famous narrators in literature, John Watson, explains Sherlock Holmes’ character to readers in A Study in Scarlet: He was not studying medicine. He had himself, in reply to a question, confirmed Stamford’s opinion upon that point. Neither did he appear to have pursued any course of reading which might fit him for a degree in science or any other recognized portal which would give him an entrance into the learned world. Yet his zeal for certain studies was remarkable, and within eccentric limits his knowledge was so extraordinarily ample and minute that his observations have fairly astounded me. Surely no man would work so hard or attain such precise information unless he had some definite end in view. Desultory readers are seldom remarkable for the exactness of their learning. No man burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some very good reason for doing so. John Watson tells the story from a first person perspective (though that’s not evident in this quote). That means he’s giving readers his own perspective on the world around him, which includes Sherlock Holmes. In this passage, readers learn about Holmes’ peculiar learning habits, which is just another part of his extraordinary nature. Grant Snider/Incidental Comics #8: Conflict Because conflict is a part of plot- and as we’ve already established, all literature has some sort of plot- that means conflict is a literary element, too. A conflict is the central struggle that motivates the characters and leads to a work’s climax. Generally, conflict occurs between the protagonist, or hero, and the antagonist, or villain...but it can also exist between secondary characters, man and nature, social structures, or even between the hero and his own mind. More importantly, conflict gives a story purpose and motivates a story’s plot. Put another way, conflict causes the protagonist to act. Sometimes these conflicts are large in scale, like a war...but they can also be small, like conflict in a relationship between the hero and their parents. One of the most important things to understand about conflict is it can be both explicit and implicit. Explicit conflict is explained within the text; it’s an obvious moment where something goes wrong and characters have to fix it. Bram Stoker’s Dracula uses explicit conflict to fuel its plot: a vampire has come to England, and the heroes in the story have to kill him as soon as possible. Implicit conflict is more common in poetry, where there isn’t a specific occurrence that obviously screams, â€Å"this is a problem.† Instead, you have to read between the lines to find the conflict that’s motivating the narrator. Take a look at Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s â€Å"How Do I Love Thee?† for an example of implicit conflict in action: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and heightMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sightFor the ends of being and ideal grace.I love thee to the level of every day’sMost quiet need, by sun and candle-light.I love thee freely, as men strive for right.I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.I love thee with the passion put to useIn my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.I love thee with a love I seemed to loseWith my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death. The conflict here is actually a happy one: the narrator is so in love that she’s struggling with expressing the depth of her emotion! Cyanide and Happiness/Explosm.net #9: Characters A piece of literature has to have at least one character, which can be a person, an object, or an animal. While there are many different character types (and archetypes!), we’re going to talk about the two you absolutely need to know: the protagonist and the antagonist. The protagonist of a work is its main character. The plot circles around this person or object, and they are central to solving the conflict of the story. Protagonists are often heroic, but they don’t have to be: many stories focus on the struggles of average people, too. For the most part, protagonists are the characters that you remember long after the book is over, like Katniss Everdeen, David Copperfield, Sherlock Holmes, and Hester Prynne. Antagonists, on the other hand, are the characters that oppose the protagonist in some way. (This opposition is what causes the conflict of the story!) There can be multiple antagonists in a story, though usually there’s one major character, animal, or object that continues to impede the protagonist’s progress. If you ever forget what an antagonist is, just think of your favorite Disney villains. They’re some of the best bad guys out there! What's Next? If you’re not taking AP practice tests, there’s no way to know how you’ll do when you’re taking the exam for real. Here’s a list of practice tests for every AP exam, including the AP literature exam. It might seem like extra work, but we promise- practice tests are one of the best ways to help you improve your score! Listen: we know you’re busy, so it can be hard to schedule time to study for an AP test on top of your extracurriculars and normal class work. Check out this article on when you need to start studying for your AP tests to make sure you’re staying on track. What does a good AP score look like, anyway? Here’s a list of the average AP scores for every single AP test. This is great for seeing how your practice scores stack up against the national average.

Buddhism and Vegetarianism

Buddhism and Vegetarianism All Buddhists are vegetarians, right? Well, no. Some Buddhists are vegetarians, but some are not. Attitudes about vegetarianism vary from sect to sect as well as from individual to individual. If you are wondering whether you must commit to being a vegetarian to become a Buddhist, the answer is, maybe, but possibly not. It is unlikely the historical Buddha was a vegetarian. In the earliest recording of his teachings, the Tripitaka, the Buddha did not categorically forbid his disciples to eat meat. In fact, if meat were put into a monks alms bowl, the monk was supposed to eat it. Monks were to gratefully receive and consume all food they were given, including meat. Exceptions There was an exception to the meat for alms rule, however. If monks knew or suspected that an animal had been slaughtered specifically to feed monks, they were to refuse to take the meat. On the other hand, leftover meat from an animal slaughtered to feed a lay family was acceptable. The Buddha also listed certain types of meat that were not to be eaten. This included horse, elephant, dog, snake, tiger, leopard, and bear. Because only some meat was specifically forbidden, we can infer that eating other meat was permissible. Vegetarianism and the First Precept The First Precept of Buddhism is do not kill. The Buddha told his followers not to kill, participate in killing, or cause to have any living thing killed. To eat meat, some argue, is taking part in killing by proxy. In response, it is argued that if an animal were already dead and not slaughtered specifically to feed oneself, then it is not quite the same thing as killing the animal oneself. This seems to be how the historical Buddha understood eating meat. However, the historical Buddha and the monks and nuns who followed him were homeless wanderers who lived on the alms they received. Buddhists did not begin to build monasteries and other permanent communities until some time after the Buddha died. Monastic Buddhists do not live on alms alone but also on food grown by, donated to, or purchased by monks. It is hard to argue that meat provided to an entire monastic community did not come from an animal specifically slaughtered on behalf of that community. Thus, many sects of Mahayana Buddhism, in particular, began to emphasize vegetarianism. Some of the Mahayana Sutras, such as the Lankavatara, provide decidedly vegetarian teachings. Buddhism and Vegetarianism Today Today, attitudes toward vegetarianism vary from sect to sect and even within sects. On the whole, Theravada Buddhists do not kill animals themselves but consider vegetarianism to be a personal choice. The Vajrayana schools, which include Tibetan and Japanese Shingon Buddhism, encourage vegetarianism but do not consider it to be absolutely necessary to Buddhist practice. Mahayana schools are more often vegetarian, but even within many Mahayana sects, there is a  diversity of practice. In keeping with the original rules, some Buddhists might not purchase meat for themselves, or choose a live lobster out of the tank and have it boiled, but might eat a meat dish offered them at a friends dinner party. The Middle Way Buddhism discourages fanatical perfectionism. The Buddha taught his followers to find a middle way between extreme practices and opinions. For this reason, Buddhists who do practice vegetarianism are discouraged from becoming fanatically attached to it. A Buddhist practices metta, which is loving kindness to all beings without selfish attachment. Buddhist refrain from eating meat out of loving kindness for living animals, not because there is something unwholesome or corrupt about an animals body. In other words, the meat itself is not the point, and under some circumstances, compassion might cause a Buddhist to break the rules. For example, lets say you visit your elderly grandmother, whom you have not seen for a long time. You arrive at her home and find that she has cooked what had been your favorite dish when you were a child- stuffed pork chops. She doesnt do much cooking anymore  because her elderly body doesnt move around the kitchen so well. But it is the dearest wish of her heart to give you something special and watch you dig into those stuffed pork chops the way you used to. She has been looking forward to this for weeks. I say that if you hesitate to eat those pork chops for even a second, you are no Buddhist. The Business of Suffering When I was a girl growing up in rural Missouri, livestock grazed in open meadows and chickens wandered and scratched outside hen houses. That was a long time ago. You still see free-ranging livestock on small farms, but big factory farms can be cruel places for animals. Breeding sows live most of their lives in cages so small they cannot turn around. Egg-laying hens kept in battery cages cannot spread their wings. These practices make the vegetarian question more critical. As Buddhists, we should consider if products we purchase were made with suffering. This includes human suffering as well as animal suffering. If your vegan faux-leather shoes were made by exploited laborers working under inhumane conditions, you might as well have bought leather. Live Mindfully The fact is, to live is to kill. It cannot be avoided. Fruits and vegetables come from living organisms, and farming them requires killing insects, rodents, and other animal life. The electricity and heat for our homes may come from facilities that harm the environment. Dont even think about the cars we drive. We are all entangled in a web of killing and destruction, and as long as we live we cannot be completely free of it. As Buddhists, our role is not to mindlessly follow rules written in books, but to be mindful of the harm we do and do as little of it as possible.

Amos Is Identified As The Prophet Amos Religion Essay

Amos Is Identified As The Prophet Amos Religion Essay Introduction: The author of the Book of Amos is identified as the prophet Amos. Amos was the first prophet in the Bible whose message was recorded at length. Although he came from a town in Judah, he preached to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel, about the middle of the eighth century B.C. The Book was likely written between 760 and 753 B.C. As a shepherd and a fruit picker from the Judean village of Tekoa, he was called by God, even though he lacks an education or a priestly background. His mission is directed to his neighbour to the north, Israel. It was a time of great prosperity, notable religious piety, and apparent security. But Amos saw that prosperity was limited to the wealthy, and that it fed on injustice and on oppression of the poor. Amos’ ministry takes place while Jeroboam II reign over Israel, and Uzziah reigns over Judah. Amos can see beneath Israel’s external prosperity and power; internally the nation is corrupt to the core. In short, they had forgotten what it meant to follow God. Amos took his uncompromising message straight to the religious authorities of his day, instead of listening to him, they threw him out. In the same way that Amos challenged the Israelites to reconsider their priorities, he challenges us in the climax to his book, and reminds us of what God wants (Amos 5:24). In this essay, I wish to write an introduction on the Book of Amos. Background and Meaning of Amos: The Book of Amos is set in a time when the people of Israel have reached a low point in their devotion to God. The people have become greedy and have stopped following and adhering to their values. The people in Amos’ time expected the ‘day of the Lord’ to be a picnic; but Amos pointed a different picture of inescapable terror. Scholars have understood Amos’ image of Yahweh passing through the midst of the people of Israel as an allusion; to his passing through Egypt. They make reference in this regard to (Exodu s 12:12). ‘For I will pass through the midst of you; says Yahweh.’ According to Amos, Israel is guilty of injustice toward the innocent, poor and young women. As punishment Yahweh’s vengeance would be directed against Israel, and the prophet warns his audience; ‘Is not the day of the Lord darkness in it'(Amos 5:20). The ‘day of the Lord’ was widely celebrated and highly anticipated by the followers of God. Amos came to tell the people that the ‘day of the Lord’ was coming soon and that it meant divine judgement and justice for their iniquities. Structure and Theme: The nine chapters of the Book of Amos emphasize one central theme. The people o the nation of Israel has broken their covenant with God, and his judgement against their sin will be severe. In the first major section of the book, Amos begins with biting words of judgement against the six nations surrounding the lands of Judah and Israel.

South African News Reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

South African News Reports - Essay Example Rens recalled an incident in which Oscar thought that a burglar had entered his house only to realize that it was nothing more than a tumbler dryer. This was not a particular incident since the prosecution cited a tweeter update in November 2012 when Pistorius talked about going into ‘core-red’ mode after entering his house but later realized that he had left the washing machine on. Additionally, the defense supported their claims about his trigger-happy nature by citing 10 visits to the shooting range.The primary witness on Monday clarified that Oscar understood private gun ownership laws in the land. All purchasers are required to fill a questionnaire that tests their knowledge of these laws. Some of the questions seek to find out if the buyer understands conditions for use of the guns. When asked whether one should shoot buglers stealing a TV, Oscar replied negatively because no life was in danger. Additionally, he selected an ideal shooting incident as a condition wh ere burglars were pursuing the gun owner, were armed and no barrier existed between them. The questionnaire ended with a final question in which the gun owner is always expected to know their target as well as what lies beyond. 18th March, Tuesday was police captain Chris Magena’s day. He explained how he reconstructed the scene in order to establish how the crime occurred.It came to light that he was not wearing his prosthetics since the bullet trajectories supported this conclusion. The chief investigator measured the athlete.

How far does the form and structure of the city together with its Essay

How far does the form and structure of the city together with its transport network influence individual travel patterns - Essay Example Perth, Western Australia is one of the most densely populated regions of the continent. Perth is the capital of Western Australian province. Perth is located by the side of River Swan. The total population of Perth is more than 1,700,000. Like most of the densely populated cities in the developed world, Perth has a very well developed and well planned public transport system. Majority of the people in Perth use ferries, buses and trains as their chosen mode of transport. Transperth is the organization which supervises this public transport and the routes, while Transwa provides routes to the rural and sub urban area around Perth. Public transport Authority operates Transperth. The mode of transit only includes ferries, busses and trains, as mentioned earlier. This brand, Transperth, was launched in 1986. Although the control was initially under Metropolitan transport trust, and Western Australian government railways, it was later transferred to Department of transport, in 1993. Perth is divided into 9 fare zones. These zones are created keeping the distance of a place from the city centre in mind. All three transit services offered by Transperth cover Perth city up to Wundowie in the East of the city, to Fremantle in the west, up to Mandurah in the south and up to Two Rocks in the north of Perth City. The central business district of Perth has 15 bus stations and 70 railway stations. The time tables are color coded and thus the routes are easier to understand once a person understands the color codes. City centre is a Free Transit zone, where one does not need to pay a fare to travel. Overall, the transport infra structure in Pert is well developed. Keeping the growth of population in mind, the government has planned forward to accommodate the future requirements. Modes of transit most frequently used in Perth: It is a fact that the form and structure of the city together with its transport network influence individual travel patterns. Travel to work (includes multi-mode journeys) Perth 2006 2001 Enumerated data number % Perth Statistical Division % number % Perth Statistical Division % Change 2001 to 2006 Train 79 3.2 4.3 47 2.8 3.8 32 Bus 142 5.8 4.2 80 4.8 3.7 61 Tram or Ferry 6 0.2 0 3 0.2 0 3 Taxi 101 4.2 0.2 93 5.6 0.2 8 Car - as driver 616 25.4 63.0 447 26.7 63.2 169 Car - as passenger 130 5.3 5.8 107 6.4 5.7 23 Truck 6 0.2 1.0 3 0.2 1.2 3 Motorbike 5 0.2 0.6 0 0 0.5 5 Bicycle 20 0.8 1.0 11 0.6 0.9 9 Walked only 676 27.9 2.1 318 19.0 1.8 358 Other 172 7.1 1.1 116 6.9 1.4 57 Worked at home 67 2.8 3.6 72 4.3 4.1 -5 Did not go to work 371 15.3 11.5 357 21.3 12.1 14 Not stated 36 1.5 1.7 20 1.2 1.5 16 Total 2,426 100.0 100.0 1,673 100.0 100.0 753 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991. NOTE: Table totals may not equate with other similar tables due to  randomisation  of small numbers. Please refer to the  specific data notes  for more information. Looking at the abo ve table, few very important findings can be noted. First of all, it is important to note that the 2006 figures show that around 27.9% of the people taking part in this survey walked to work. This means that the structure and form of city definitely has its impact over the way people choose their modes of transit. People living near the central business district or metropolitan Perth prefer to walk to work if their offices are located at a notable distance. The high percentage of people walking to work also shows a trend that people either try to find work at some place close to their residence, or they shift to reside at some place close to their work place. Another important aspect clearly visible from this table is that the trend of using own cars for going to work is on the rise. This is because of the fact that people are generally busier now, and also,

Business Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Law - Assignment Example The offeror cannot just cancel an offer once it is made. When an offer is made, the offeree (the one the offer is made to) can decide whether to take it or not within a reasonable timeframe. Since an offer puts some kinds of obligations on the offeror, there is the need to define what constitutes an offer. In this definition, there are some exceptions to the rule. When a person makes an indication that another person can enter negotiations for a contract, this is not an offer, it is an invitation to treat. A typical example of an invitation to treat is the case of the display of goods in a shop window. In Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain V Boots Cash Chemists (1953) it was held that goods displayed in a shop does not constitute an offer but an invitation to treat. Additionally, the declaration of an intent is not an offer. In Harris V Nickerson (1873), an auctioneer advertised the sale of goods in an auction. However, he refused to hold the auction on the said date. A prospect ive attendant sued for a breach. It was held that the advert was simply a declaration of intent but not an offer. Application In this, the advertisement by Gift House that they have reduced their A1 cameras was not an offer. It can be considered an invitation to treat. ... They are mere invitation to treat and declaration of intent respectively. Due to this, Martin does not have the right to purchase the camera at ?50. Davina Issue Davina gets informed that the A1 Camera (which sells for ?100) goes for ?50 in the shop. The shop also states that if anyone purchases goods worth ?500 by 1st December, there will be a free television. Davina mails an order for the camera and the goods totaling ?500 and indicates she wants the free television on 30th November. Davina receives the goods but finds out that she was charged ?100 for the camera and she did not get the television which was promised. The issue is whether the postal order created a legal contract that gives her rights to the camera at ?100 as well as the television set. Rule In Carlill V Carbolic Smoke Ball (1893), the defendants advertised to pay ?100 to anyone who caught flu after using smoke their smokeballs. Mrs Carlill used the smoke balls but caught flu. She argued that she was entitled to the ?100 promised. It was held that the offer was one that a reasonable person could take seriously. Secondly, the postal rule is established in the case of Adams V Lindsell (1818). It states that acceptance of an offer takes effect once the acceptance letter is posted. Application In this case, Davina saw a catalogue that advertised two things: the sale of a camera at ?50 and an offer of a free TV when a customer shops to the tune of ?500. This is something that the average person could take seriously and follow up. Davina followed up by making an order through post on the 30th of November. This order was a valid claim for the A1 Camera at ?50 and the TV prize since she shopped to the tune of ?500. According to the postal rule, this postage

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 91

Summary - Essay Example Whenever there is social prevention, children feel that they are being heard and taken care of through attention and supervision by their parents. This will reduce criminal activities for children who engage in criminal activities do not get attention and supervision from their parents. Social approach also effective to practice than punitive approach. The approach involves activities such as sports, arts, music and dance which are important in keeping children’s minds at work and prevent them from doing other things. It also reduces the desire to commit other crimes than punishments. When children are punished they get rude and they become more susceptible to mistakes. In addition, punishments instill fear in children . Thus, they are more likely to commit a crime. Furthermore, most children are no longer scared of punishments. Rewarding them with things they like to do will help them avoid crimes rather than punishments (Rosenbaum, 1998). Finally, social prevention is more effective than punishments. The use of training, guiding and counseling, foster care can work effectively in the society. This is based on the fact that the child understands to distinguish between good and bad things in the society. Hence, it becomes easy for the child to implement the values in daily lives. When these activities are implemented in the society, adults can also benefit from the same. The â€Å"strengthening the family† approach aims to achieve effective parenting in order to prevent problems such as child abuse, neglect among many others. With the implementation of the â€Å"strengthening the family† approach, kids have found themselves growing in the most positive way possible. Thus, leading to better families and conducive societies. This approach reverses the need to have other interventions since it can solve most of the social ills in the society. This is because strengthening the family has made

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

Synthisis - Essay Example Facebook makes a person or a student happy and helps them go through life challenges. It also helps freshmen to adapt faster to their new stage in life, as explained in â€Å"Facebook and first year college students†. In spite of the criticisms against social websites, these sites help many people such as students in dealing with stressful situations and life challenges through constant communication between peers who pass advisory information. In Konnikova’s article, she talks about how everyone who joins Facebook sought not to be sad or depressed, but becomes inflected after a while. She quotes, â€Å"the more people used Facebook in the time between the two texts, the less happy they felt—and the more their overall satisfaction declined from the beginning of the study until its end. The data, he argues, shows that Facebook was making them unhappy.†(Ethan Kross). I do not agree with her, the problem is that it becomes an obsession or an addiction to check Facebook more and more to see what people have written on their walls and keep track on a crush or a loved one. I do not believe this form of unhappiness can be attributed to the social media website but from the individual self who gets too close to a website that has no feelings or affection. In the article about college students, Facebook helps first year college students overcome the major change in their lives. â€Å"An estimated 17 million Americans attend college each year, of whom, approximately 3.5 million are first-year students† (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). It also helps them to overcome challenges and depression when facing the changes and moving away from home. This is mainly achieved through reading memorable messages, or seeing a picture that will keep them going forward and help them in focusing in their educational goals. Personally, I can relate to this point in that social media helped me to get in touch with peers and professors. Furthermore, it

Vincent Van Goghs Starry Night and Hans Hofmanns Spring Essay

Vincent Van Goghs Starry Night and Hans Hofmanns Spring - Essay Example The essay "Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Hans Hofmann’s Spring" discovers two paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Hans Hofmann. Despite the similarities in the titles to the two works of art, they reveal a differences which reflects on the artist as a person and as an artist given expression to his experience and perspectives. Where Van Gogh looked to create work that was an interpretation of life through his own deeply emotional brush, Hofmann's works were directed at all expressions that his audience could relate to. However, since art is both an expression of mood/emotion and the artist’s own experiences, the contextual backgrounds of both Hofmann and Van Gogh help to explain why similar titled paintings convey different emotions. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was an iconic nineteenth century Dutch painter of the post-impressionist movement. Van Gogh was a deeply religious man, known for his struggles with mental illness (Blumer: 519). Van Gogh’s let ters and accounts of his life indicate that he suffered episodes of high energy and moods swings that are consistent with Bipolar Disorder. In the last two years of his life, a French doctor diagnosed Van Gogh with ‘temporal lobe epilepsy’. Still, Van Gogh’s life is described as ‘extraordinary’ due to his special artistic talents. After studying in Belgium, he spent time in Paris which exposed him not only to both the classical and then modern works of the French avant-garde, but as a metropolitan city exposed him to the Ukiyo-e style of Japan.

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

Synthisis - Essay Example Facebook makes a person or a student happy and helps them go through life challenges. It also helps freshmen to adapt faster to their new stage in life, as explained in â€Å"Facebook and first year college students†. In spite of the criticisms against social websites, these sites help many people such as students in dealing with stressful situations and life challenges through constant communication between peers who pass advisory information. In Konnikova’s article, she talks about how everyone who joins Facebook sought not to be sad or depressed, but becomes inflected after a while. She quotes, â€Å"the more people used Facebook in the time between the two texts, the less happy they felt—and the more their overall satisfaction declined from the beginning of the study until its end. The data, he argues, shows that Facebook was making them unhappy.†(Ethan Kross). I do not agree with her, the problem is that it becomes an obsession or an addiction to check Facebook more and more to see what people have written on their walls and keep track on a crush or a loved one. I do not believe this form of unhappiness can be attributed to the social media website but from the individual self who gets too close to a website that has no feelings or affection. In the article about college students, Facebook helps first year college students overcome the major change in their lives. â€Å"An estimated 17 million Americans attend college each year, of whom, approximately 3.5 million are first-year students† (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). It also helps them to overcome challenges and depression when facing the changes and moving away from home. This is mainly achieved through reading memorable messages, or seeing a picture that will keep them going forward and help them in focusing in their educational goals. Personally, I can relate to this point in that social media helped me to get in touch with peers and professors. Furthermore, it

BeckerKevinE2Phil100F2014 Essay Example for Free

BeckerKevinE2Phil100F2014 Essay Empiricism, or the belief that knowledge is achieved through the senses, was a popular belief amongst some of the greatest modern philosophers. Perhaps the most prominent Empiricists were John Locke, George Berkeley and David Hume, all of whom are regarded as some of the most influential philosophers of the last 500 years. Each of those philosophers can be considered Empiricists due to the importance of experience throughout their philosophical principles. More specifically, Lockes empirical views can be seen in his idea of the primary and secondary qualities of an object. Berkeleys empiricism is evident in his critique of Lockes concept of abstract ideas. Lastly, Hume can be considered as the most consistent empiricist of the group as he did not waver from experience being the source of knowledge and at the root of reasoning. His views are evident in his concept of humans having perceptions and impressions and his idea of â€Å"self†. John Lockes empirical views are evident throughout his philosophical principles. Locke believed that there were no such things as innate thoughts and that the only way a person could obtain  knowledge about something is through directly experiencing it. This is especially evident in his explanation of objects having primary and secondary qualities. Locke suggests that all things posses two qualities about them: primary qualities and secondary qualities. Primary qualities consist of traits that are completely within the object such as the shape of a ball. This primary quality about the ball will not change even when viewed from a different perspective because that is the physical structure of the ball. On the contrary, a secondary quality is a trait that requires perception by an observer. Secondary qualities are relative to the observer and change depending on the observers perspective or the physical differences between observers. For example, the color of the ball can change depending on the lighting in the room or due to an observer being color blind. In his 4th book of his Essay, Locke writes,â€Å"We cannot demonstrate the certain equality of any two degrees of whiteness; because we have no certain standard to measure them by, nor means to distinguish every the least real difference, the only help we have being from our senses, which in this point fail us. † (Locke, Book 4, Chp 2, #13). In other words, he is saying that the secondary quality of the color white cannot be scientifically quantified because each individuals perception of the color is different which prevents us from being able to determine the true â€Å"whiteness† of the given object. Locke makes this distinction between primary and secondary qualities in a response to the idea of innate thoughts, or thoughts that are naturally ingrained in our minds without having to experience them. Further, Locke is suggesting that innate thoughts are simply  common experiences. Locke also believed that the primary qualities of an object were things that could quantified and measured by the Newtonian science of the time. Lastly, Lockes concept of primary and secondary qualities indicates that he is an Empiricist because they show that he believes that we need past experiences in order to have an idea about different objects. Without experiencing the color red previously, we wouldnt have an idea of how red a ball is. George Berkeleys philosophical methodologies and principles reflect empiricist ideas as well. This is evident in his critique of John Lockes concept of abstract ideas. According to Locke, we can come up with an abstract view of, say a cat, by taking our experiences of many different cats and extracting from them common properties that all cats have. This abstract idea therefore applies to all cats despite their size, breed, or coat color. Berkeley argued that these abstract ideas cannot be thought about in our mind without creating an image of a particular cat in our minds. One cannot imagine a cat that is neither big or little, of no specific breed, or colorless. Berkeley addresses this idea in his book A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, saying, â€Å"Whether others have this wonderful faculty of ABSTRACTING THEIR IDEAS, they best can tell: for myself, I find indeed I have a faculty of imagining, or representing to myself, the ideas of those particular things I have perceived. † (Berkeley, 10). In other words, Berkeley is saying that unlike others who claim to be able to come up with abstract ideas, he is only capable of imagining these â€Å"abstract ideas† with previous particulars that he already experienced at some point. The author of our textbook, William Lawhead summarized Berkeleys critique quite nicely, saying â€Å"We can think of, speak about, and imagine only particular things. † (pg 322). Furthermore, George Berkeleys critique of abstract ideas reflects his empiricist views because they show how important experience is to his concept of ideas. To Berkeley, one cannot come up with abstract ideas because we always draw on previous experiences to give us an idea of what were thinking about. This is a more strict version of Empiricism compared to Lockes. David Humes concept of perceptions are simply the contents of our consciousness, similar to what Locke would call an idea (Lawhead, 336). Hume further breaks down perceptions into two categories: impressions and ideas. To Hume, all original experiences are considered impressions. These impressions remain as â€Å"copies† in our mind and we draw upon them when we have a similar experience later on in life. These â€Å"copies† of the original impression are what Hume calls an idea. In his work, Treatise of Human Nature, Hume says â€Å"When we search for the characteristic, which  distinguishes the memory from the imagination, we must immediately perceive, that it cannot lie in the simple ideas it presents to us; since both these faculties borrow their simple ideas from the impressions, and can never go beyond these original perceptions. † (Hume, Section 5). In other words, Hume is saying that when one is trying to think about a characteristic of an object we always revert back to the original impression that we previously had in our mind from a past experience. Further, Hume is saying that even simple ideas about an object are faint memories of our previous experiences. David Hume can be considered the most consistent Empiricist especially when considering his idea on a persons perception of self (or lack thereof in this case). Lawhead described this simply by saying â€Å"Hume maintains that when we introspect we only find some particular perception of one sort another. If you focus on your experience right now you find puzzlement, tiredness, heat, anger.. What you dont find is a self. † (pg 340). This is an extremely empirical way of looking at ones self. Hume is such a consistent. Empiricist that he goes so far to say that we cannot have an idea of our self, because our minds always revert back to previous experiences of other perceptions. In addition to this, Hume suggests that we cannot even be certain about things such as the sun rising tomorrow. To Hume, the only reason that we know the sun will rise tomorrow is because of all of the past experiences and perceptions that weve had of the sun rising each morning. Therefore, we can only be certain of things that we have experienced. These two beliefs by Hume are evidence that he was the most strict Empiricist of the  group mentioned above. John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume can all be considered Empiricists due to the prevalence of experience in their philosophical principles.Lockes experience oriented principles can be observed in his idea of primary and secondary qualities of an object. Berkeleys can be seen in his critique of Lockes abstract ideas, which Berkeley suggests do not exist. Lastly, David Hume, who can be considered the most strict Empiricist, demonstrates his empirical views in his concepts of impressions and idea and his lack of self perception.

The Factors Affecting Marketing Marketing Essay

The Factors Affecting Marketing Marketing Essay Marketing is the activity and set of processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings which have value for customers, clients and partners. It is defined as the process of determining the needs and wants of consumers and being able to deliver products that satisfy those needs and wants. Marketing includes all activities that are necessary to move a product from the producer to the consumer, an example of marketing is window displays in travel agencies. Thomas Cook changes their window displays quite often as they have many holiday deals to attract their customers, displays have catchy slogans to invite them to find out more about that holiday and reasonable prices including a packaged holiday. The function of marketing is deciding as a whole what services and products the customer will want and what ways they will be delivered to the customer. It also helps a company to identify successful products for the marketplace and then promote them by separating them from similar products. There are seven main functions of marketing; distribution, selling, financing, market information management, pricing, product and service management and promotion. There are different aims of marketing; to increase awareness of the product or service, to increase market share, to research customer needs, to communicate with different customers and to solve any problems which involves affecting the process of marketing. Marketing mix is different elements of a products marketing plan which an organisation uses to meet their customers needs, this is also known as the four Ps; Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Product refers to physical products and services, the following are some examples of product decisions; brand name, styling, packaging, quality and repairs. Some examples of pricing decisions include; seasonal pricing, price flexibility, price discrimination and cash payment discounts. Distribution which refers to the place is all about getting the products to the customer, here are some examples of distribution decisions; order processing, transportation, distribution centres and channels and inventory management. Promotion represents the various aspects of marketing, its goals is to generate a positive customer response by following decisions which include; sales promotions, advertising, personal selling and public relations and publicity. An example of marketing mix is a new company who is starting up their own company is trying to spend more money on promotion in order to get themselves known, whereas at the same time an established business will need to monitor its prices and if needed they will make changes. Market segmentation is the process of defining a large market into clear segments by having similar wants, needs and characteristics; it has an objective to design a marketing mix which matches the expectations of customers. Market segmentation can be done in different ways using a combination of methods which include; demographic segmentation, socio-economic segmentation, geographic segmentation and psychographic segmentation. Demographic segmentation is separating your consumers to advertise the groups separately according to gender for example developing holidays for women, age for example designing holidays to meet the needs of the 18 to 30 age group and people over 55, and ethnic grouping. Whereas socio-economic segmentation is based only on occupation which is then advertised by the media to target people in an area. Geographic segmentation is collecting information according to the location of the customer so they know where there products are being sold which increases advert ising, an example of this is people living in a particular postcode area could be sent a holiday brochure. Whereas psychographic segmentation categorises there consumers according to motivation, lifestyle and personality types and this can be done by introducing new activity holidays. Marketing communication methods is part of the marketing mix which extends to all the areas of the organisation; this means the same marketing message can be presented in all areas of marketing through branding to customers and target audience. Marketing communication mechanisms, such as print, radio, television advertising, publicity and online advertising help promote a companys products and services. Using different methods of marketing communication allows the company to reach the widest audience. An example of marketing communication is tour operators such as Thomas Cook who advertise their holidays on-line followed by pictures, prices and activities they include within a destination and they advertise on shop windows to attract more customers to book a holiday within them. Thomas Cook also appears as a pop up if a person is on another website like Facebook in order to sell themselves and make them known. P2/M1: There are a variety of factors which influence marketing in the travel and tourism industry, this includes the negative and positive factors which have influenced the marketing decisions. On the next few pages I am going to explain the effect of all the factors and include examples in my answers from travel and tourism companies. Company Ethos is a companys defined set of beliefs and values which can be articulated in a mission statement, these statements are then advertised on websites and in an office reception area. They are very important as it tells customers what to expect as a product and gives an idea to employees about what the company wants to accomplish. Social responsibility is an organizations management heading towards the interests of the society in which it operates. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the commitment by a business in order to behave ethically and continue to contribute to economic development while improving the quality life of the workforce. Companies which meet their criteria can be listed which specifies to stakeholders that the company has suitable polices for CSR. A CSR strategy is all about managing the way a business deals with issues such as gender and supervising foreign workers, it helps ensure that a business has positive impact on people as well as the environ ment wherever it operates. The first example of company Ethos is the mission statement of the airline Easyjet which reads to provide our customers with safe and good value. To offer a consistent and reliable product and fares, appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes. http://www.slideshare.net/esteewu/easyjet-presentation My second example is Thomas Cooks stock exchange overall price in December 2012 is  £48 and the change is 2.13%.http://www.lse.co.uk/shareprice.asp?shareprice=TCG My third example is British Airways objectives and strategies; they want to become the worlds leading global premium airline and to focus on customer service to help them create a sustainable future for their business. www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0910/our_business/strategy2.html Consumer protection consists of laws and organizations which are designed to ensure the rights of consumers as well as truthful information in the marketplace. The laws are designed to prevent businesses who engage in fraud from gaining an advantage over competitors, they are a form of government regulation which aim to protect the rights of consumers. Consumer protection ensures that products purchased by consumers are safe to use, will meet all standards, that consumers have adequate  information  to make safe purchase and that marketers are prevented from using false methods to sell their products. An example of a consumer protection is the Data Protection Act 1998 which gave individuals a right of access to personal data, this is often collected when a person completes the purchase of a service or good from a company which consists of bank, contact details and any other important information. Personal data must be kept secure and up-to-date; this data can be held either on a computer or in paper files. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_protection_laws My first example is First Choice which is a tour operator who has regulations to protect the travelling public; they are protected by Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL). This will not allow customers to lose their money or become stranded. http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/about-us/who-we-are/ My second example is British Airways and its Data Protection Act; they treat all their information as confidential so therefore they protect every customers privacy. All personal information will not be passed onto third parties. http://www.bavirtual.co.uk/administration/privacy My third example is Thomas Cooks codes of practice to the Criminal Records Bureau; they treat all applicants fairly but however to assess applicants for positions of trust. http://www.thomascook.com/thomas-cook-careers/ Standards of practice are an alternative term for code of professional responsibility, an example of this is codes of practice; these are written guidelines issued by a professional association to its members in order to help them obey with its ethical standards. The British Code of Advertising is legal and honest, they value the principles, and they are prepared looking at responsibility within the society and the consumers and are also connected with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) who receives responses about rules on advertising. The ASA work includes acting on complaints and checking the media to take action against harmful or offensive advertisements. Their mission is to; be more effective with business and consumers, be an effective part of the response to social issues which are affected by advertising and making a success of regulating online advertisements. ASA is an independent body who checks samples of advertisements and work to publish standards of service so therefore they are committed to; resolve complaints without any delays, to deliver a high quality service, to be open about their procedures and the decisions in which they make, meet all their customers needs and respect the advertising industry and members of the public. My first example is tour operators such as Virgin Holidays who are subject to legislation in order to ensure the health and safety of their customers on their holiday. My second example is Ryanairs display advertising which is one of the most effective media formats achieving 82% of messages among the different passengers and overhead locker advertising is visible throughout the flight. http://www.ryanair.com/en/advertise My third example is First Choice sales promotion on their voucher codes which gives a boost to customers especially as they can get discount on their next holiday and money off on summer and winter flights. http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/firstchoice.co.uk Political, economic, social and technological are factors that influence businesses, this is described as PEST analysis because the factors involved are categorized into four. PEST analysis helps an organisation to take note of external factors which are affecting its business; they help with the SWOT analysis which identifies threats and opportunities. SWOT analysis evaluates internal factors such as strenghts and weaknesses and internal factors such as opportunities and threats which influences the marketing. Political factors are related to government policy and administrative practices that can have an effect on something, these factors must be taken into account when considering a political change. These changes could involve employment laws which companies must therefore have respect for. Political  factors are how a  government  interferes in the economy, it include areas such as  tax policy,  labour law,  environmental law,  trade restrictions,  tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services which the government wants to provide and those that the government does not want to provide; www.puremoneymaking.et/pages/strategy_building/mission-vision/elements-of-pest.aspx therefore the governments have great influence on the  health,  education, and infrastructure  of a nation. International relations are an example of a political factor which is the relationship between countries, including the roles of states, organisations and corporations. It is the branch of political science that is concerned with the foreign affairs of and relations among nations, peoples and states. My first example is all tour operators have to be very careful of political incidents especially in all the different destinations they sell to their customers. My second example is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) who gives up-to-date information on all safety techniques in the countries located all over the world. My third example is tour operators who can get all their passengers back home if something happens abroad such as an incident and so therefore they make sure that they will be safe out there with given advice. Economic factors are the resources that can influence a person on their everyday life and is the distribution of services and materials. Economic factors include economic growth,  interest rates,  exchange rates  and the  inflation rate; these factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and how they make decisions. www.puremoneymaking.et/pages/strategy_building/mission-vision/elements-of-pest.aspx An example of an economic factor is interest rates, it is the amount charged as a percentage by a lender to a borrower for the use of assets which can include cash and consumer goods. Interest rates  are typically  noted on an annual basis, known as the  annual percentage rate  (APR). Interest rates is charged or paid for the use of money, it is calculated by dividing the amount of interest by the amount of principal however the rates can change according to the result of inflation. Central banks generally tend to reduce interest rates when they wish to increase inv estment in the countrys economy; they are taken into account especially when dealing with variables like inflation, investment and unemployment. My first example is passengers travelling on different airlines have to pay air passenger duty only if their aircraft carries chargeable passengers. http://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/when-you-must-pay-air-passenger-duty My second example is interest rates in the Bank of England which holds interest rates at 0.5%; the reason they set interest rates is to keep the inflation as low as possible to preserve the value of money. http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/Pages/home.aspx My third example is exchange rates which affect a tour operators pricing strategy, this is because it can increase or lower the price of a product in store or abroad and prices of products from competitors can change. http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/external_environment_economic_exchange_rates.htm Social factors are the facts that influence individuals personality, lifestyle and attitudes which include; the cultural aspects, health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a companys products and how that company operates. www.puremoneymaking.et/pages/strategy_building/mission-vision/elements-of-pest.aspx An example of a social factor is ageing population, this occurs when the median age of a country or region increases due to a rise in life expectancy and declining birth rates. Population aging is a shift in the distribution of a countrys population towards older ages, this is usually reflected in an increase in the populations mean and  median ages, a decline in the proportion of the population composed of children, and a rise in the proportion of the population that is elderly. Population ageing is widespread across the world and is most  advanced  in the most highly developed countries. http://coolgeography.co.uk/A-Level/AQA/Year%2012/Population/Population%20change/managing%20pop%20change%20new.htm My first example is ageing population in Japan; the elderly population which includes people over the age of 65 years hit a record of 22million. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1083097.stm My second example is the media which has a social influence on different cultures especially in America where media such as TV, magazines, movies and news media reflects and creates the culture. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/The-Role-and-Influence-of-Mass-Media.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26946.html My second example is holiday bookings to Madame Tussauds where you have the chance to see celebrity wax figures, the way these celebrities are made are amazing as they look real when you see them face to face. http://www.madametussauds.com/ Technological factors are influences which have an impact on how an organisation operates that are related to the equipment which is used within the organizations environment. The factors include technological aspects such as  RD  activity,  automation, technology incentives and the rate of  technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum production level and influence  outsourcing  decisions and these technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and also lead to  innovation. www.puremoneymaking.et/pages/strategy_building/mission-vision/elements-of-pest.aspx An example of a technological factor is the internet which has changed the way customers book their holidays, on-line booking systems are used a great number of times by people for booking holidays as well as hotel accommodation and transport. Travel agents and tour operators are making use of new technologies now and again in order to market their services and products; this allows different companies to market via the internet. Technology has also changed the way that firms market their products, prices, places and promotions. My first example is the internet where now every customer prefers online booking for their holiday, this has affected travel agencies as they receive fewer customers to help book a holiday. My second example is Heathrow Airport and its self check-in scheme where the customer uses a computer to choose their seat and print out their boarding card and then take their baggage to the bag-drop facility. http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/checking-in#selfservice My third example is new technology being brought out which is a good thing as it is benefitting each and every customer to carry out advertising via other companies as well as their websites. Environmental factors are a restricted element in the physical, cultural, demographic, economic, political, regulatory and technological environment which affects the survival, operations and growth of an organization. www.slideshare.net/Karvee/environmental-factors-business Environmental factors include ecological and environmental aspects such as weather and climate which may affect industries such as tourism, farming and insurance. Therefore growing awareness of the impacts of climate change is affecting how companies operate and the products which they offer. www.puremoneymaking.et/pages/strategy_building/mission-vision/elements-of-pest.aspxAn example of environmental factors is global warming which is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earths surface contributing to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming is often referred to the warming which can occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities. Another example of an environmental factor is natural disasters, this includes; earthquakes, avalanches, hurricanes, floods, mudslides, tornadoes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. My first example is global warming which is a rise in temperature of the earths atmosphere and it can be good but if the thermal blanket gets thicker too much heat is kept therefore it is bad. http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/world/global_warming/newsid_1575000/1575457.stm My second example is natural disasters which includes; floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and tsunamis and most of the times they are unexpected and overwhelming. http://www.apa.org/topics/disasters/index.aspx My third example is Boris bikes which are bicycles named after Boris Johnson who is the mayor of London and the prices are as follows; 24 hours costs  £2, 7 days will cost  £10 and annual costs  £90. If the bike is damaged the charge will be up to  £300, late return charge will be  £150 and non return ch arge is  £300. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14811.aspx All the factors which are mentioned above influences decisions on marketing which means companies may have to come to a conclusion to change their old products, change their prices, advertise new campaigns and make changes to marketing communications. Price and  competition  represent two of the strongest influences on marketing strategy which are classed as internal and external influences. For example, small businesses require direct short-term profits; therefore the marketing strategy introduces a high-performing product to a niche segment of the market before competitors. The business then generates as much profit as possible until competitors introduce a cheaper product and then it moves to launch a new product in a new market. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/influences-marketing-strategy-43431.html