Case Study-Barclays

BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS I. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CASE INTRODUCTION AND KEY POINTS Introduction The case covers the introduction of Matt Barrett as CEO of Barclays and the changes he introduced to the organization to maintain its competitive position within the retail financial services industry. In an increasingly competitive environment, Barclays is losing ground due to its lack of data-driven actions and small global presence. The case outlines the actions taken by Barrett to transform some of the key characteristics of Barclays’ corporate structure, and concludes by presenting the challenge he will face in getting management buy-in in order to implement his vision. The key challenges that Barclays faces include: market consolidation, the emergence of the Euro and European Central Bank, increased reliance on IT and web-based platforms, and the rigidity of its own corporate structure. II. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Summarize the external environment, including conditions in the general, industry, and competitor environments. a. The General Environment Definition: The general environment is focused on the future and can be analyzed by considering the STEEP framework: Social/demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental/geographic and Political/legal/governmental factors at play. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Social/Demographic Technological Economic Environmental/Geographic Political/Legal/Governmental Discussion Question 1: Perform a STEEP analysis to understand the general environment facing Barclays. How will Barclays be affected by external factors? In particular, what will the effect of globalization be in terms of threats and opportunities? Social/Demographic Segment ? English is becoming increasingly the world-wide language of business offering Anglophone Barclays opportunities to expand into international markets with reduced language barriers. BARCLAYS |1 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Technological: ? ? ? Increased world-wide reliance on IT and the emergence of web-based solutions in 2000 will elevate Barclays’ need to diversify portfolio offerings. Barclays’ must update its â€Å"woefully inadequate† Management Information Systems (MIS) and begin to automate labor intensive processes to reduce costs. In order to enter new markets to increase revenues and satisfy institutional investors, Barclays must invest in increased technology capabilities. Economic: ? ? ? Robust economic environment due to tech boom will increase liquidity in the marketplace. As a result, acquisitions will be more costly than in a down economy. However this will also cause capital to be more accessible. Market trends towards consolidation will pressure Barclays to regain its industry leadership position through acquisition. Globalization and world economy flattening will require Barclays to become a global company expanding its offerings beyond its current UK focus. Environmental/Geographic: ? Geographic borders and distances between countries are shrinking with increased technology and a globalized economy. This will both require and facilitate Barclays’ global presence. Political/Legal/Governmental: ? ? Emergence of the Euro and strengthening of the EU will reduce FX exposure for the European markets and stabilize European economies. European Central Bank will control interest rates in Europe making Barclays more vulnerable to its decisions (versus the decentralized banks prior to the Euro emergence). With an ever increasing number of banks operating across both political and geographic borders, Barclays must expand its reach beyond the UK to remain competitive and avoid a potential takeover. In doing this, Barclays must consider a set of threats and opportunities that are involved with operating outside the UK: Threats 1. Operating a multinational corporation involves managing across multiple cultures, languages, and economic environments – Barclays’ organizational structure must be flexible enough to adapt to these. . Low brand recognition internationally would make competition against local institutions costly. BARCLAYS |2 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 3. Relocation abroad requires high infrastructure costs. 4. Locating Barclays’ and its customers’ assets across multiple currencies exposes both to fluctuations in exchange rates. 5. Failed expansion into foreign market might damage brand image and alienate n ew customers. Opportunities 1. Increased global reach and brand presence. 2. Diversified risk. 3. Possibility to create new revenue streams through new customer acquisition. 4. Gain first mover advantage in emerging markets. 5. Increases attractiveness of Barclays to multinational corporations. b. The Industry Environment Definition: An industry is a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes. In the course of competition, these firms influence one another. Typically, industries include a rich mixture of competitive strategies that companies use to pursue above-average returns. In part, these strategies are chosen because of the influence of an industry’s characteristics. Compared with the general environment, the industry environment often has a more direct effect on the firm’s strategic competitiveness and above-average returns. The industry environment is the set of factors that directly influences a firm and its competitive actions and competitive responses. Porter’s 5 Forces Model is a powerful tool for understanding the dynamics amongst the five key factors that determine an industry’s level of rivalry and profit potential. [Outlined below, High=H; Medium=M; Low=L] 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry) Supplier Power Threat of Product Substitutes Buyer Power Intensity of Rivalry Discussion Question 2: Use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the retail financial services industry in the UK. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? The below Porter’s 5 forces analysis shows that the retail financial services industry in the UK is a potentially attractive industry due to low threat of new entrants, supplier power, and substitutes. On the other hand, medium buyer power and high rivalry within the industry could inhibit return possibilities. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry): Low ? ? High infrastructure costs Barclays has high brand recognition within the UK, less so in its other markets BARCLAYS |3 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS ? ? Regulatory and security issues make market entry complicated for smaller players NOTE: Mergers of existing banks, if considered ‘new entrants’, must be addressed given the consolidation trend existing in the market. Smaller regional banks could pull customers away from Barclays if they were to merge and offer more extensive services but retain local roots and connections. Supplier Power: Low ? Switching costs among IT suppliers low in a fragmented industry Threat of Product Substitutes: Low ? Traditional, paper based, systems have become outdated and are no longer feasible. Asset management advice is preferred by customers over DIY Buyer Power: Medium ? ? Price sensitivity of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to that of corporate client Switching costs of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to those of corporate client Intensity of Rivalry: High ? ? Customer loyalty and brand recognition make switching of banking provider less likely Large number of competitors within the retail banking space NOTE: Competition within the industry is based on both price and services The Competitor Environment c. Definition: The competitor environment is the final subject of analysis required to gain a full understanding of the company's external environment. A competitor analysis focuse s on each company against which a firm directly competes and involves gathering and interpreting information about its competitors. Competitive rivalry is the ongoing set of competitive actions and responses that occur among firms as they maneuver for an advantageous market position. Especially in highly competitive industries, companies constantly jockey for advantage as they launch strategic actions and respond or react to rivals’ moves. It is important to understand competitive rivalry because it influences a firm’s ability to gain and sustain competitive advantages. 3 I’s Framework Leveraging the 3 I’s framework provides a thorough overview by grouping competitors into three buckets: immediate competition, impending competition, invisible competition. BARCLAYS |4 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 1. Immediate Competition: Immediate competitors to Barclays are considered to be the major financial institutions located in the UK such as Lloyds TSB and RBS. These institutions are gaining increasing presence over Barclays due to their lower cost structures and improved efficiencies. 2. Impending Competition: Impending competitors to Barclays include international financial services firms such as Credit Suisse First Boston, and smaller firms operating in one of Barclays’ business categories such as investment advisory firms (Zoete Bevan, Wells Fargo Nikko). . Invisible Competition: Barclays’ invisible competitors include smaller UK based businesses that focus solely on a product offered by one of Barclays’ divisions, such as smaller mortgage lending businesses (Woolwich). III. INTERNAL COMPANY ANALYSIS Summarize internal company factors including: capabilities and weaknesses, value chain activities, strategy, and financial situation. a. Outline the company's internal capabilities and weaknesses. Definition: Capabilities exist when resources have been integrated to achieve a specific set of tasks and are frequently developed within a specific functional area. In addition to identifying the company's opportunities and threats from the external environment, another important objective of the situation analysis is to evaluate strengths and weaknesses as input for developing the company's strategies. Discussion Question 3: What are the main capabilities of Barclays? Does Barclays have a core competence? Barclays’ main capabilities include retail financial services and corporate banking within the UK. The company’s core competencies (i. e. trengths relative to competitors that give it a competitive edge) include: a strong brand presence within the UK, a strong domestic franchise, new innovative leadership under Matt Barrett, and outstanding (276%) market cap growth from 1995-2000. BARCLAYS |5 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Discussion Question 4: Create a SWOT analysis to understand Barclays’ strengths and weaknesses. Does Barclays have a sustainable competitive advantage in the re tail financial services industry? If so, what is the source? Strengths 1. Strong brand presence within UK 2. 76% growth in market cap from 19952000 3. Strong domestic franchise 4. Strong new leadership with strategic vision (Matt Barrett) Opportunities 1. Opportunity to expand into global markets (Barclays Global Investors only 2% of business) 2. Ability to strengthen existing brand presence within Europe (10% of sales and profits) 3. Streamline cost sharing among business units (HR, IT, Finance, etc. ) Weaknesses 1. Cost to income ratio significantly higher than competition (business units operate as silos) 2. Narrow focus (61% of revenue from RFS, capital division focused on debt products) 3. Limited global presence (80% of profits from UK) Threats 1. Management reluctance to embrace new strategies, demoralized staff 2. Competitors have lower cost advantage 3. Stronger global presence of international competitors 4. Dissatisfied institutional investors 5. Inadequate IT systems can inhibit growth Barclays’ competitive advantage includes its: strong presence within the UK market both in terms of locations and brand recognition, strong innovative leadership, and international presence. Barclays’ business strategy has focused on growth within the UK and has not invested enough capital into international expansion. In a globalizing economy with rising multinational financial corporations, the lack of a strong international presence is something that could significantly hurt Barclays in the long-term, and even turn it into a takeover target as institutional investors continue to lose faith in the company. b. Conduct a Value Chain analysis to identify value-creating activities. Definition: By exploiting its core competencies, a competitive firm creates value for its customers. Value is measured by a product’s performance characteristics and by its attributes for which customers are willing to pay. Companies with a competitive advantage offer value to BARCLAYS |6 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS customers that is superior to the value competitors can provide. Value is created by innovatively bundling and leveraging resources and capabilities. A value chain analysis provides information relative to primary (inbound/outbound logistics, operations, marketing & sales, and service) and secondary (firm infrastructure, human resources mgmt, technological developments and procurement) activities. A value chain representation of Barclays’ primary and support activities is presented in the diagram below. This information can be used to establish a business strategy which targets select activities to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Primary Activities ? ? ? ? Inbound/Outbound Logistics: N/A Operations: o Strong focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS), account for 61% of revenue o Sold cash, equities, and corporate finance businesses to focus on debt products Service: N/A Marketing and Sales: o Strong focus on UK market and low global presence o Reliance on UK brand recognition Support Activities ? ? ? HR Management: o Executive committee not performing as decision making team o Higher than average staff expenses put heavy strain on cost structure Technology Development: o Management Information Services (MIS) system is outdated and inadequate Firm Infrastructure: BARCLAYS |7 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS o Divisions operating as silos (each has own HR, IT, etc. ) o Lack of data driven decision making processes o Introduction of the Euro and the European Central Bank affect Barclays’ exposure to foreign exchange as well as interest rate changes both for the company itself and its clients Procurement: N/A Discussion Question 5: Which components of Barclays’ value chain have made the company successful thus far? What changes to Barclays’ organizational structure and focus are necessary for Barclays to remain competitive? Barclays has become a major player in the banking industry through strong brand presence within the UK, earning it one out of every five personal customers, and a clear focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS). However, both its UK presence and RFS focus have failed to provide a sustainable competitive advantage for the company. In order to remain competitive within the banking industry, Barclays must examine and redesign various components of its value chain including: 1. Focus on Retail Financial Services: a. Barclays must expand its focus beyond RFS by creating new product offerings for corporate customers and further expanding internationally to give newly acquired corporate customers global access. 2. Outdated and inadequate MIS system: a. In order to manage its internal functions efficiently, Barclays must adopt technological innovations and update its MIS system. 3. Lack of data driven decision making: a. In order to compete in an industry driven by statistics and analytics, Barclays must emphasize data driven decisions throughout its corporate structure. 4. Fragmented core divisions: a. Operating fragmented core divisions such as HR and Finance creates additional costs as well as bureaucracy and inefficiencies. Barclays must consolidate these shared services. BARCLAYS |8 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS c. Financial Analysis Definition: Financial analysis is used to assess the viability, stability and profitability of a company or operating division. The analysis is done using quantitative historical performance found in the financial reporting documents (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows). The goal of the analysis is to understand a company’s financial health through its profitability, solvency, liquidity, and stability. Given the financial information provided in the case, it is clear that Barclays is lagging behind its competitors in cost control measures, and has allowed both PP&E and Staff Expenses to rise above its competitors’ average. Operating expenses as % of income In addition, an analysis of the company’s divisions and their respective earnings contribution reveals that Barclays heavily relies on its Retail Financial Services division for a large portion of its earnings; this suggests that diversification might be needed. NOTE: Further analysis into the average contribution of each revenue stream for other players in the industry is needed before diversification can be e ntirely justified. BARCLAYS |9 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS IV. STRATEGY FORMULATIO N Summarize Barclays’ strategic position as it relates to its current strategy and the components thereof. a. Summarize Barclays’ current strategy. Barclays’ current strategic objective is to drive profits by consolidating internal functions and expanding its international presence. The company is a major player in the UK financial services and retail banking industry but has lost ground internationally despite rapidly rising market capitalization. Fragmented internal divisions and a lack of aggressive expansion have brought up the need for extensive managerial and structural changes to the firm. This prompted the hiring of a new CEO, Matt Barrett, who established a series of restructuring goals for Barclays to remain competitive. b. Strategic Analysis Definition: Conduct an analysis of Barclays’ business strategy by using the 4 P’s Framework. The 4 P’s Framework is used to understand a company’s strategy based on its Position (Mission, Values, and Vision), Priorities, Payments (what it will spend its money on to reach those priorities), and Performance (how it will measure success). By completing the framework, we can analyze a company’s current, future, or recommended priorities as well as set forth a path in order to achieve goals and measure accomplishments. Use the 4 P’s Framework to analyze the firm’s past/current/future strategy. 1. Position a. Mission: To provide innovative products, excellent careers, positive community contributions B A R C L A Y S | 10 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS b. Values: Fact based decisions, customer service, and value maximizing strategy c. Vision: To be one of the most admired financial service organizations in the world 2. Priorities: 1. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency 2. Expand reach of Barclays brand abroad through strategic alliances/acquisitions 3. Continue to diversify existing business portfolio 3. Payments: 1. Invest in adequate IT systems 2. Invest in human capital initiatives to align incentives and boost morale 3. Invest in marketing and strategic alliances/acquisitions in underserved regions/segments 4. Performance: 1. Shareholder returns vs. peer institutions 2. Customer and revenue growth (double profits in four years) 3. Increased profit due to lower costs and increased efficiency (reduce costs by ? 1bn) Discuss possible recommendations that Barclays could follow going forward to improve the performance of the company. Determine the decision criteria and also analyze the pros and cons of each recommendation. In order to remain competitive within the marketplace, Barclays must: 1. i. ii. iii. 2. i. ii. 3. i. ii. iii. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency by: Rebuilding core infrastructure to consolidate HR, IT, and Finance groups across individual divisions Reducing costs by 18% (? bn) Realigning incentives to reward value-add decisions; Expand Barclays brand abroad though: Increased brand presence in Europe to enter top 5 ranking Strengthening of the brand in US and Africa; Continue diversifying the existing business portfolio by: Expanding Barclays product and service portfolio to strengthen weak or underrepresented areas to serve affluent/high net worth segments Decrea sing reliance on Retail Financial Services by strengthening Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors divisions Entering new markets by acquiring major players (e. g. Woolwich). B A R C L A Y S | 11 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Question Reduce staff expenses Option / Hypothesis Reduce labor costs by increasing automation Decision Criteria ? Cost/Benefit analysis ? Effect on employee morale ? Technology capabilities ? Revenue growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources ? Revenue Pros †¢ Long term cost reduction †¢ Streamlining of processes †¢ More control over information flow and analysis †¢ Does not cannibalize existing revenue streams †¢ Increase global reach and brand presence †¢ Diversifies risk †¢ Existing customer loyalty and brand presence †¢ No need for customer acquisition Cons †¢ High up-front cost †¢ Lengthy implementation period †¢ Technology risk †¢ Negative effect on employee morale †¢ High cost †¢ High risk and FX exposure †¢ No trial period †¢ Culture clashes, integration logistics †¢ Might stretch resources too thin †¢ Requires investment in infrastructure and human capital †¢ Requires new expertise Diversify target markets Increase revenue through new market entry with current product suite Diversify product offerings Increase equity and investment banking focus of Barclay Capital division growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources B A R C L A Y S | 12

Importance of Nature

The Importance of Experiencing Nature The more technologically savvy our society becomes and as our cities become larger and more urbanized our connection with nature gets weaker and weaker. It is difficult to remember the natural beauty of a 100 year old oak tree while you dwell in the city where you are lucky to see a tree every three blocks. Our attitudes (especially people who live in very urbanized areas) tend to think that civilization surrounds nature instead of â€Å"wilderness [as] the element in which we live encased in civilization. (1) I am not stating that our technological advances are a bad thing, but we must remember the importance of nature. People need to experience nature. One reason is that the beauty of nature excites our senses, but it also is a perfect place to experience personal growth and meditation. From a logical standpoint though, learning more about nature can lead to growth as a society. As humans, we are constantly looking to be awed. We look to beaut y to do this. Nature offers the most pure form of beauty. Nature is stunning, yet not distracting. Our senses are enlightened by the magnificence of it yet we are not so distracted that we cannot think of anything else. It’s not the flash of a million colorful lights or the awe inspiring power of a larger than life sky scrapper. This kind of beauty demands your attention while the beauty of nature is humbly offered. A baby is a great example of our attraction to nature or just natural things in general. When there is a baby in a room full of people, people cannot help but stare and coo over it. We are attracted to them. I think a big reason for this is because they act so natural. They are not analyzing their actions, they are completely uninhibited. Society has not shaped them and told them what is right and wrong and how they should act. Everything is much more appealing in the most basic, natural form. Nature is the closest thing we have to perfection. There is no denying the fact that we love to stare at the oranges and yellows of a sunset or enjoy the deep greenish blue of the ocean. We fill vases with flowers in our home in hopes that it will make our home more appealing. Life should always be celebrated and beauty if part of life. We should look for it and admire it, especially in nature. A lot of this sense of perfection comes from a â€Å"higher, namely, of the spiritual element. †(2) Many religions are centered on the grace of their god(s) and are often believed that the perfection of nature is a reflection of the perfection of their god(s). In Christianity and Judaism, God was the essential creation of nature. In the bible â€Å"when a noble act is done-perchance a scene of great beauty†(2) will appear such as the rainbow that appeared after the flood that lasted for 40 days and nights in the story of Noah’s Ark. Perhaps why we are so attracted to natural beauty is it makes us feel closer to God. Or maybe just something bigger than ourselves. Nature has a spiritual quality to it which offers the ideal place to meditate. If one wants to learn more about themselves, then they should learn about nature because that is where we came from. It is hard to escape the sense of one’s predecessors†(1) when we spend enough time outside of civilization. We all once used to dwell among nature with animals and all other forms of life. Civilization is simply a wall which we have placed between us and nature. When we are in nature we have â€Å"striped away the human facade† (1) than stands between us and the universe and we can â€Å"see more clearly† (1) where we are. Thoreau stated in Walden â€Å"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth†(3) and there is nothing more truthful than nature. Nature is as truthful as it gets. Alone in the woods, away from society and the people in it, one is allowed to escape the influence of society and influence themselves independently. There we can figure out who we truly are and not what society makes us believe we are. I constantly hear of people talking about the importance of having a diversity of people and ideas on earth, yet how can we have true diversity if we are unable to discover out natural selves free from society? Nature is not only the window into our history, but also to the core of our existence. Nature offers perspective to people and our place in this world. Some might view my past two arguments as exceedingly unsatisfying. Why should we care if it beautiful or if it helps us â€Å"discover† ourselves? But one argument cannot be denied: nature is the key to the survival of the human race. We use the stars to navigate, we till the land to plant our crops, trees provide us with oxygen, we use plants for medicine, and we drink the water from lakes and creek. The list goes on and on. â€Å"The endless circulations of the divine charity nourish man†(2) while nature never expects anything back. It is strange how we forget about nature when it is the essential factor to our survival. When people experience nature, they are more likely to join the effort to conserve it and its resources. If we learn to appreciate it, then we will want to take care of it. Ecological conservation and preservation is extremely important. Not only does nature offer important nature resources, but there have also been studies that suggest that people who spend more time outside are typically happy and healthier individuals. There has also been research that points to a correlation between stress levels and the amount of time spent outside. Nature provides us with general health and well being. Each year we build more buildings, more houses, and more roads. We do this so we can continue to progress as a society, but as we do this we must remember nature because it also helps us progress as a society. Without it, there would be no society. Nature is beautiful, insightful and necessary. We must never forget about it and we must always work to protect it.

Benfords Law or the First Digit Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benfords Law or the First Digit Law - Essay Example I can astronomer names Simon Newcomb, who noticed that the earlier pages of logarithm tables that are used in the performance of calculations were much more worn than other pages. Newcomb published result become the first known instance of this observation and also includes the distribution of the second digit. He then proposed a law that is based on the probability of a single number N that is the first digit of a number was equal to log(N  +  1)  Ã¢Ë†â€™Ã‚  log(N). The results from Benford’s law are used in different data such as street addresses, electricity bills, population numbers, lengths or rivers, stock prices, death rates, mathematical and physical constants as well as processes that are described using power law. The main condition for this law is that the data set or population must only consist of natural numbers (Nigrini 170). The results from the law tend to be highly accurate whenever the values are distributed across numerous orders of magnitude. Benford’s law is also highly used in the detection of fraud, errors, embezzlements, and sloppy accountants. This is because those people who normally commit a crime may end up creating fake payment amounts that may appear real. Benford’s law is a data mining approach that is used in auditing in order to examine the digit properties in different accounting data for the purposes of character identification. However, unless the person committing is aware of Benford’s law of distribution, then he will not be in a position to make up numbers that follow the proper curve and this makes it very easy to spot a potential fraud. People who commit a crime also tend to distribute their digits in a fairly uniform manner. With a simple comparison of the frequency of the first digit from the data in accordance with the expected distributing according to Benford’s law will always reveal anomalous results. Based on this idea, Benford’s law could be used in auditing and forensic auditing to act as an indicator.

Arts Criticism and Cultural & Historical Perspectives on-line Assignment

Arts Criticism and Cultural & Historical Perspectives on-line explorations - Assignment Example Time remains valuable to the human race, and when it passes when one has not accomplished set goals it causes regret or sadness (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). Fireflies Over the Uji River by Moonlight is an 18th century painting by Suzuki Shonen based on Japanese culture. The painting signifies a secluded place or a dark neighbourhood that appears threatening for a passer-by. In essence, this Japanese painting basis its theme on the life of a Buddhist who lives in an isolated location such that a passer-by cannot hear music coming from area because of the night rain (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The big idea from the painting invokes a murky situation that leads to feelings of somberness. The heavy rain and mist shows an environment of darkness and dullness (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The General View of the Burial Chamber of Neferkhewet before the Commencement of Clearing represents the 20th century painting of Harry Burton. This Egyptian work shows the tomb of Neferkhewet and family that was found in 1935. The tomb appeared tattered, crumbled and collapsed in many areas leaving it exposed (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The big idea from the painting reflects dumbness and somberness in how the tomb appears ruined. The image shows that the dampness led to the breakdown of most of the organic matter in the tomb. In this way, it leaves a feeling of dullness and grimness for the destruction of human remains that should be protected (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). This visual arts website provides information on the history of transportation from ancient to modern day machines. The site offers important timeline information from 3500 BC wheels on carts were the main source of transport and later years of horses, wheelbarrows and hot air balloons. The 18th century saw the first road vehicle, 19th century cable car, and 20th century airplanes as well as

Research paper(gay) Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

(gay) - Research Paper Example At present, same-sex marriage is recognized only at the state level because the federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal recognition of such marriages. This essay argues that gay marriage should be legalized because same-sex relationships are not intrinsically more unstable compared to heterosexual unions, gay couples have the same interests as straight ones in getting married, same-sex couples do not rear psychologically unhealthy children, and same-sex marriage promotes and affirms personal and constitutional rights to privacy and social justice. Same-sex relationships are not inherently more unsound compared to heterosexual relationships. Opponents of same-sex marriage stressed that homosexuals tend to fly from one relationship to another, which means that they are unprepared to be in monogamous marriages. Obama presents a different view, when he talks about people in service and close acquaintances â€Å"who are as committed, as monogamous, as responsible† (Yoshino 11). His personal experience reveals that these couples can dedicate themselves to one partner too. If there are many gay people who have numerous sexual partners, this cannot be isolated as an inherent trait of being gay because many heterosexual men and women are unfaithful to their partners too. Numerous gays are in long-lasting relationships because they can do so and because they want to. Hence, saying that gays cannot be committed is fallacious and is not based on the reality of long-term gay relationships. Gay couples have the same interests as heterosexual ones and as a matter of fairness, they deserve the same access to marriage. In â€Å"The Fundamental Argument for Same-Sex Marriage,† Wedgwood stresses the reality than countless gay couples have the same expectations as heterosexuals, when it comes to marriage. They expect sexual intimacy, domestic and economic cooperation, and a voluntary commitment to preserving

Major Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Major Project - Essay Example However, there are arguments favouring and opposing the need to preserve the public employee union strength. The debate remains unsettled. The problem needs to be treated based on the peculiarities of the public sector and the implications of preserving the bargaining power of the union in an organization. In this essay, the debate in this regard is discussed based on the existing Wisconsin debate. This essay is organized as follows. In section 2 the history of public employee union is discussed. In section 3,the ongoing debate in Wisconsin is discussed based on the debate between the Unions and the state, parties, media, President of USA etc. Section 4 concludes the essay. 2. History of Public Employee Unions The first public sector collective bargaining started in the years between 1955 and 1965 along with the civil rights movement. Both of these were based on the principle of the need for granting the rights and freedom of all citizens equally. There were many acts granting the ri ghts of private sector workers like Wagner Act 1935 and Social Security Act while the public sector workers were not covered by these acts. This unequal treatment between both workers became more intense with the private sector workers achieving lifestyle of the middle class (Mc Cartin, 2011). This was intensely criticized by many including the special committee of the American Bar Association. The legislation for the public sector bargaining rights was first started in Wisconsin in 1959.Starting from this, many laws were passed here like the one in 1962, 1968 Meyers-Milias Brown Act in California, the one passed by Richard Nixon in 1969 etc. Consequently, there had been significant rise in the membership of public sector employee unions. However from 1970 onwards the public sector employee unions were seen to influence the political system of nations which resulted in the antiunion voices to a great extent like in Madison. According to the antiunion arguments by the Public Service Research Council in the 1970, the public sector employee unions will result in strikes that stop the works of many government institutions. Other argument includes possibility of unions controlling government. In spite of these arguments, practical experience showed no strikes that paralyzed government institutions and no control of the unions over the government. There are many arguments for and against preserving the bargaining power of workers. These include union strength as very important in protecting the rights of individual workers. The estimates show greater percentage of workers in public sector as unionized compared to the workers in private sector. Thus weakening of the union strength means weakening of union strength in the public sector. Weakening of the union strength results in weaker protection of non unionized workers for getting their rights (Halliday, 2011). The arguments against preserving the public sector bargaining rights include the huge disparity in the wag es and compensation benefits of public and private sector workers. However, the recent estimates show the disparity only at the national level while at the state and local level the disparity is not very much significant(Freeman,1988).Moreover arguments also are based on the adverse effects on the finances of government. The estimates by the Centre for Budget and Policy Priorities, shows no significant

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 9

International business - Essay Example In a word OPEC maintains the price and distribution control of petroleum as they are largest crude oil producers globally. In order to reduce the oil dependency on the OPEC countries US went for the introduction of substitute of fossil fuel. Ethanol is the effective solution and substitute. The ethanol industry from the starting days has created the objective in order to achieve the target audience base. In order to become the strongest economy the US government has motivated the industry from the starting point. The reduced dependency on OPEC will cut down several oil cost of US economy. Moreover, the adoption and the usage of ethanol will solve many problems. The problems of fuel consumption, emission of green house gas and air pollutant will be overcome (Elmendorf, 2009). The objective of the study is to analyze the ethanol industry according to the case study. The analysis will be followed by the industry SWOT analysis in US, and then the study will reveal the critical thinking, decision making and strategic analysis about the case in order to achieve the desired objective. Moreover the industry related issues are being found for the purpose of the study. The major objective is to bring the strategic solutions of those problems and structure some recommendations. Finally the study ends with the evaluation of analysis and conclusions. Ethanol is produced by sugar fermentation. It is an alcohol found in grains and different biomass. Now-a-days ethanol industry is one of the leading and profitable industries worldwide. In order to achieve the objective of the study ethanol industry SWOT analysis has been implemented. The SWOT analysis is consisting of internal strengths and weaknesses of an industry or a product or a service and external threat and opportunities and threats of those. Reliable, cost efficient and flexible supply and distribution network is the important strength of ethanol industry in US.

Critical Thinking and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Thinking and Technology - Essay Example Critical thinking also enhances the communication and presentation skills of employees, students and even employers as the information presented is thoroughly thought over and researched. With critical thinking, our ability to express our ideas, opinions and beliefs to other people is enhanced and this promotes cooperation and productivity in organizations that are dependent on technology. Creativity is important in success of individuals, organizations and institutions across the globe in this technology age. According to Plato (Pinliucci, 2011), critical thinking increases the inventive ability of people and this enhances entrepreneurship and business growth. To think critically, an individual must be able to develop a strong purpose and develop a problem upon which different questions will be used to understand it. The position of critical thinking in modern day world has remained a major issue as a result of the emergence of technology and more so, the internet (Whitney, 2010). Information technology and especially the internet improve critical thinking ability of students and employees as it enhances judgment and decision making processes. With information technology, data processing is enhanced due to the massive sources that readers are subjected to and this enhances critical thinking. The development of critical thinking skills is essential in the development of students and employees as it enhances the process of gathering information and developing skills. As a result, the questioning information presented to an individual enhances their understanding of the area and improves their discussion skills. The global economy is currently reliant on technology, an aspect of development that is dynamic and influenced by the level of knowledge of an individual. As a result, the development of flexible skills is essential, a process that can only be achieved through developing strong analytics skills found among critical thinkers (Taylor, 2012). Technology

Universally effective and desirable leadership attributes Essay

Universally effective and desirable leadership attributes - Essay Example Essential leadership characteristics include: leadership inspiration (feeling the need to lead but not by searching for power/leadership forcefully), drive, self-confidence (this accounts for emotional stability as a leader), integrity and honesty, knowledge, and intellectual ability. There is little proof that versatility, creativeness and charisma are traits that should be exhibited by leaders. Our belief is that the important leadership traits always come in handy in enabling a leader to acquire skills necessary for coming up with a desired achievable vision and taking the necessary measures in the implementation of the vision. This is a paper that is interested in highlighting the effectiveness and desirability of leadership traits universally with regard to being an international leader. I will show, in this paper on universal effectiveness and desirable leadership attributes that are constituted and exhibited by an international leader, illustration and some examples of the traits that an international leader should exhibit. Leadership has been described by some as the procedure of public influence that one individual can solicit the help and assistance of other people in a bid to successfully perform and conclude a prevalent task. Another common definition of leadership is that it is a process in which a particular person influences a group of people for the achievement of a common vision. (Northouse, 2007, p3). A leader is that said to be the person in charge of the group accomplishing the task. He is the one with the ability to his influence and other traits while commanding a group for the accomplishment of the desired task. Concepts of leadership In accordance to Bass, the concept of leadership declares that there exist three primary approaches to describe how individuals are initiated to leadership (Bass, 1990, pp. 20). The approach depicted in the first two describes the leadership growth for some individuals. One of the concepts of leadership is that a person may rise to the occasion when an important event or a looming crisis occurs making the individual to behave like a leader and exhibit some of the important traits necessary for leadership. An example of such a leader is Nelson Mandela. He grew up i n South Africa a normal person like any other but due to the invasion of South Africa by colonialist he rose to the occasion to fight for the independence of his people and this made him recognised as a hero. This is called the great events concept. The other trait is referred to as the Trait concept (Schwartz 2010). This is the concept that says that some individual traits will act as a natural guide to people that will lead them leadership tasks/roles. The third concept is the process or transformational leadership concept. It states that leadership traits can be learnt and thus people have the ability to become leaders by choice. Global leadership The interdisciplinary research of the key components that leaders of the future in all areas of the personal expertise should obtain to successfully get familiar themselves with the emotional, physical, regional, anthropological, geopolitical and sociological results of globalization is referred to as global leadership (Hayes, 2011). Gl obal leadership takes place when a person or a group of people get around collaborative initiatives of distinct stakeholders through ecological sophistication towards a perspective by utilizing a global attitude. As an effect of styles, that start at colonialism and get perpetuated by the increase in press channels, advancement that come to being due to interconnection on networks

Andidal olonization in Diabetic Patients Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Andidal olonization in Diabetic Patients - Essay Example As a result, there are infections that opportunistic and attack the host in colonies. In comparison to the effect of these infections on normal healthy individuals, the effect on diabetic individuals is adverse. Oral candidiasis is an infection that attacks individuals invaded by the fungus Candida albicans (Barnes, 2006). This infection occurs in colonies and the rigorousness of their spread in blood differs with individuals. The rate is higher in diabetic individuals as compared to normal individuals. The research utilizes the cytological techniques of oral exfoliation in data collection. Two test samples with a definite sample population are demarcated (Barnes, 2006). The two test samples are; normal individuals and diabetic individuals. The test involves tallying of the age and gender of the two test samples for a common base (Pallavan et al, 2014). The research is ethically undertaken with the underlying accord of the sample inhabitants is a study demand. A brief medical history for the individuals provides the basis for exclusion. The individual with rare deficiencies, other endocrine disorders; immunodeficiency, and chronic ailments are left out the sample population list. The mucosa linings of the mouth commonly emit the test sample. The reagent, which is the Periodic Acid Schiff, depicts the degree of the annexation of the verbalized candidiasis (Barnes, 2006). The microscope helps in the examination of the prevailing oral candidiasis colonies. Under specific test parameters, the result analysis employs statistical techniques to draw out test patterns. The underlying method commonly used is the Chi-square test. The Chi-square test shows major variations in the oral candidiasis colonies for diabetic and normal individuals (Pallavan et al, 2014).  

Crime and Punishment Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment Essay The themes of sacrifices and egoism are usual in his works. He believes that egoism became that reason that destroyed earlier civilizations and made a threat to contemporary societies. Despite the fact that he saw nothing wrong in the wish to self-perfection, he blamed those, who tried to oppose their â€Å"I† to the rest of the world and considered only their own needs and desires. Raskolnikov, the protagonist of Crime and Punishment is severely punished for his extreme egoism and daring to take the decision about human lives. For example in The Brothers Karamazov Zosima worries about moral responsibility for all actions, committed by the person. Ivan doubts his views and states that responsibility is nothing but abstract notion and without God it becomes impossible to talk about any limits to the behavior of an individual. In the poem Ivan declaims to his brother in the cafe he expresses his view on the free will. The Inquisitor blames Jesus for giving people free will, which has become a hard burden and the reason of misery. The feeling of guilt becomes Ivan’s price for an attempt to express his free will. Dostoevsky does not agree or disagree with any opinion discussed but he constructs the plot of the story in such a way that the readers get an opportunity to get the proofs of ideas, expressed by Zosima. (Dostoevsky) The characters of Dostoesky are haunted by their past. In many his stories people cross the limit and take excessive responsibility to make the decision for other people and get severe punishment for it. In contrast to Borges, whose characters exist in present, and to Tolstoy, who regarded human history as a reason for all the events, which happen to us, Dostoevsky made the past the reason of suffering and misery. His characters are haunted by the ghosts from the past and can not find their place in present. For Dostoevsky the conflicts between free will and determination, and between egoism and responsibility become driving force and a source for creativity. All three authors use literature not only as means to bring their messages for the readers, but also as a way to resolve their inner conflicts. Art is always a personal experience for both – creator and those, who perceive it, and Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Borges make their art serve one ultimate purpose a quest for the meaning of life. Sources Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). Crime and Punishment. Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). The Brothers Karamazov. , Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Fyodor translation by Pevear, Richard and Volokhonsky, Larissa (1990). The Brothers Karamazov. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Tolstoy, Leo (1969). War and Peace , transl. Rosemary Edmonds, Penguin. Borges, Jorge Luis (1998). Collected Fictions(translated by Andrew Hurley), Viking Penguin

English Films Essay Example for Free

English Films Essay It was an unpromising period for the British film industry, the World War II (WWI). With its outburst on the third of September 1939, â€Å"all cinemas in Britain, along with other such venues as theatres and sports arenas, were closed† 5. However, when the cinemas reopened and the films started to reproduce, some of the notable works were that of McAllister and Jennings. McAllister was viewed to have â€Å"symbolic† approach while Jennings was â€Å"articulating a robust Socialist patriotism, a full-blooded love of England and the English centred on an unashamed admiration for the qualities of the common man, 6 a very suitable theme during those periods. During the phase approaching 1960s however, English films portraying the â€Å"English working life† 7 in a realistic approach started some production and popularity. Currently, what suits the public and what satisfies them are films related to society, politics and culture: the three common aspects of humanity where anyone can almost relate with. One satirical and famous English celebrity for this is Mike Leigh. What does the aforementioned themes in the film production suggest? This means that a film must coincide with events and societal demands as well as the requirements of regulatory bodies behind it. At present in Great Britain, English films must be approved by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) which is an independent, non-governmental body responsible for classification of cinema films beginning 1912 and the regulation of videos since the Video Recordings Act passage in 1984 8. Some of the rules administered by the Board is to ensure that violence, crime, foul nature, criminal behaviour, illegal drugs, horror and sex, as well as videos teaching criminal techniques in the films are closely examined and must not be shown to inappropriate audiences, especially to the children as mandated by various legislations the likes of Obscene Publications Act or the Protection of Children Act 9. In the past three years, 2005 until last year, the Board has made seven, ten and five cuts, respectively, on all the movies that passed through the inspection. 10 Aside from the previously mentioned set of rules and regulations for the films, another thing that must be well thought-out before producing films are the subjects that the national government is promoting and supporting, or, in another case, what that government is banning. This is obvious as what the government wants (or does not want) to be shown in public, thus they subsidize and/or reduce taxes for some films while others are not shown at all. In fact, government tactics in film propaganda was already rampant since the WWII to support what they want to convey such as the production in 1941 of â€Å"The Big Blockade, a feature-length propaganda film dramatizing the activities of the Ministry of Economic Warfare (MEW),† 11 a peculiar film, mixing stylized reconstructions of life in Europe, newsreel, and a barrage of information on the vital importance of MEW, At present the British government has the UK Film Council to support the production of films the government encourages. There are eight kinds of funds available for the program such as development fund, new cinema, festival, international festival sales and support, premiere, prints and advertising, short film completion and film publication fund. 12 In a way to promote the national lottery together with the films it funds, the UK Film council was created and it is funded from national lottery funds. It is currently the richest funding film body with approximately 38 million sterling pounds in budget. 13

The Benefits of Marriage to Society

The Benefits of Marriage to Society Cheng Jiang (Fiona) Martin Behr A marriage is the relationship between two people who are willing to share life together in the future under a legal contract. Marriage is good for the couple, and it also provides the optimal conditions for bearing and raising children. However, nowadays, more and more people start to question the necessity of getting married because they believe that they dont need to get married to share life with others and they also enjoy their lifestyle. Thus, the numbers of single and cohabiting families has increased now in the society. This is because some people believe that marriage is personal. Nevertheless, marriage is the bedrock of society. Therefore, it is necessary for adults to get married for a society to remain strong because marriage helps children become more successful, creates healthy citizens, and contributes positively to the economy. First of all, in order to keep the society strong, adults should get married because marriage enhances childrens wellbeing and development. In other words, children who grow up in a two-parent family are more likely to achieve excellence in the future. In fact, children grown up with their married parents perform better in many ways. Specifically, they have greater physical, cognitive, and emotional achievements than children who grow up in other family forms. (Ribar 12). It is clear that marriage contributes to childrens future development since children who grow up in a stable family do better than others. Some people argue that it is normal for children to live with their cohabiting parents in todays society and they are able to promote health and development. According to Wendy D. Manning, stable cohabiting families with two biological parents seem to offer many of the same health, cognitive, and behavioral benefits that stable married biological parent families provide, (Manning 51). The opponents idea is clear; however, they ignore the fact that cohabiting families tend to be very unstable and the family instability harms children in many ways. In fact, almost 50 percent of cohabiting couple will end relationship and separate while their children are young. And some of them will start new relationships and have other children later (McLanahan and Sawhill 3). Clearly, it shows that cohabiting families are not very stable. Cohabiting couples estimated to have higher possibility that they will separate from each other compare with married couples. More importantly, the instability tends to have great negative effects on children wellbeing. For example, living in an unstable family is greatly related to childrens poor future performances. Children who live in cohabiting families tend to see their parents separate more frequently than married families, which cause them to have long-term mental problems (Manning 51). This clear shows that childrens healthy deve lopment is greatly affected by their family stability. In other words, marriage provides a more stable family for children, which reduces the risks of children being raised in an unstable environment. Therefore, marriage benefits childrens wellbeing. The positive effect of marriage for childrens well-being is clear, but more importantly, marriage helps society to create healthier citizens. Some people argue that marriage cannot create healthier citizens because married people more likely to be obese, which is not related to health. Based on a study done by CDC, married people have higher chance of becoming obese. To be more specific, the percent of married men who have greater possibility of becoming obese after getting married is up to 20, compared with single men (Oliwenstein 37). The opponents point is clear; nevertheless, it is deficient as it overlooks the benefits of marriage towards peoples health. For example, married people are healthier because they are less likely to have serious health problems like cancers. Based on research done by U.S. cancer centers by analyzing the medical records of 734,889 patients who were suffered from one of the 10 most common and deadliest forms of cancer between 2004 and 2008, the numbers of singles who have higher risks of suffering from metastatic cancer is up to 17 percent, which could spread from one organ to another, and 53 percent have lower possibility to receive the best therapy (Lunau 50). This demonstrates that married people are healthier in a way that they have lower risks of having serious cancers. Moreover, according to a 2013 study published in Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Peter Martin, a professor who works at human department and family studies at Iowa State University, and his co-author found that unmarried people have twice the risk of dying early compared with married people (Sifferlin 94). It clearly shows that marriage has significant benefits on peoples health, which reduces the risks of having serious diseases and improves longevity. Therefore, marriage creates healthy citizens, which allows society to remain strong. Despite the benefits to children and health, some opponents argue that getting married cannot strengthen the society because compared to singles, married people contribute less to economy. This is because singles tend to have higher purchasing power than married people. Single people are more likely to eat out, exercise in gyms, take classes, attend public events and volunteer than married people says Eric Klinenberg, an American sociologist who teaches at New York University, Single people fuel the economy and spend more discretionary dollars than those who live with a partner or have children (Klinenberg 128). It is clear that single people spend more money on their personal interests since they dont have to worry about their partner. The opponents idea may be true, but it is insufficient as it overlooks the benefit of marriage towards the economy. This is because economy is not just about its purchasing power. For example, married people contribute more to economy because they typ ically have higher level of household income. Based on a report done by an economist named Adam Thomas and Isabel Sawhill, a senior editor of Future of Children, in 2003, single mother and cohabiting families had 37 and 61 percent of the salaries of married-people households (Ribar 17). This clearly shows that married people have more stable and high-paying jobs, which contributes to economic growth. Moreover, the economic level of married people is higher than others. In Why Marriage Matters for Child Wellbeing, David C. Ribar points out, married-parent households have more financial assets and are wealthier than other types of households, and that lone mothers and cohabiting parents have substantially fewer assets than other households. (Ribar 18). Clearly, it demonstrates that married couples enjoy relatively better quality of life, which they are wealthier than others. Since married people have better economic conditions, it helps them have less reliance on the social welfare sy stem. Thus, the society will remain stable and continue to thrive. To conclude, it is apparent that marriage keeps society strong because it helps children become more successful, improves peoples health, and contributes more to the economy. Since the number of singles in society is likely to increase, some governments make several policies that aim to encourage citizens to get married. For example, married people benefit from lower taxes; some developed countries even reward women who have children. Marriage, which means love, trust, and responsibility, provides society with more chances to be strengthened. Works Cited Klinenberg, Eric. The Solo Economy. Fortune, vol. 165, no. 2, 2012, pp. 128. EBSCOhost, http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=13ca4457-4c07-492e-a882-fe9db800f4d3%40sessionmgr4007vid=3hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edsgaoAN=edsgcl.289999315. Accessed 15 Mar. 2017. Lunau, Kate. The New Science of Marriage. Macleans, vol. 127, no. 1, 13 Jan. 2014, pp. 50-54. EBSCOhost, http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=25sid=6235a22d-4e8d-4f0b-b3a2-8d64ac4891c1%40sessionmgr4008hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=edsgcl.355776544db=edsgao. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017. Manning, Wendy D. Cohabitation and Child Wellbeing. Future of Children, vol. 25, no. 2, Fall 2015, pp. 51-66. EBSCOhost, http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=8ab1800e-fc77-405d-acce-19343592f954%40sessionmgr104vid=0hid=119bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=110372682db=a9h. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017. Mclanahan, Sara and Isabel Sawhill. Marriage and Child Wellbeing Revisited: Introducing theIssue. Future of Children, vol. 25, no. 2, 01 Sept. 2015, pp. 3-9. EBSCOhost, http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=97622ac3-4e4c-43a9-bf3b-46f49d771eb9%40sessionmgr4009vid=0hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=ericAN=EJ1079423. Accessed 15 Mar. 2017. Oliwenstein, Lori. Please Marry Me. Time International (Atlantic Edition), vol. 171, no. 5, 04Feb. 2008, pp. 35-37. EBSCOhost, http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/[emailprotected]vid=7hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ==#AN=28801786db=bth. Accessed 15 Mar. 2017. Ribar, David C. Why Marriage Matters for Child Wellbeing. Future of Children, vol. 25, no. 2, 01 Sept. 2015, pp. 11-23. EBSCOhost, http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3sid=8501e7f3-73a0-4131-b5ee-1266448f8b8a%40sessionmgr101hid=119bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=ericAN=EJ1079374. Accessed 15 Mar. 2017. Sifferlin, Alexandra. Do Married People Really Live Longer? Time, vol. 185, no. 6/7, 23 Feb.2015, pp. 94-96. EBSCOhost, http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=a49fd131-9df8-4882-8287-2a644df82302%40sessionmgr4006vid=0hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=100945413db=a9h. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017.

Food Consumption Among American Teenagers :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Food Consumption Among American Teenagers American teenagers eat many different types of food. Some teenagers today are starting to pay attention to health warnings about what they put into their bodies. Those that do not will greatly impede how healthy they are later in their lives. There are so many food choices that can be made throughout each day. Lack of time due to homework, sports participation, and social lives can hurt healthful eating. This is not necessary though. So many foods are available to us. Speaking from experience, college students (in their freshman year) can be placed in a couple of dietary categories. Some teens are stereotypically what one may consider to be normal. These students usually just pick up whatever food is convenient. Teens eat what looks appetizing at the moment that they feel hunger coming on. This youthful portion of the population completely disregards all fat, sodium, and calorie content of the materials that they place in their mouths. There are many foods that the casual consumer will automatically obtain. The main items of consumption include sugar-laden colas, candy bars, and chips. Fried foods such as hamburgers and French fries, as well as Mexican foods, are especially popular treats. Pizza is a large component of this food group as well. A second class of eaters lies at the opposite extreme from the casual consumer. These students, the "health nuts", have paid attention to what their mothers have tried to convince their children to eat since childhood. In the long run, these students will be better off than the casual consumers. In their later years, the healthful consumers will have fewer myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and their arteries will be much less likely to be clogged. Bagels, fruits, and salad (with little or no oily dressing) are the foods of choice among this healthy bunch. A third class of teens may include the students who eat a combination of nutritious and unhealthy foods. These teens may eat poorly at one meal and will turn around and eat sensibly at the next. Mood plays a large part in what these students choose to eat. Because life is so busy for everyone in the `90s, our diets, including those of teenagers, have gone downhill quickly.

Dracula :: essays research papers

Overview Dracula has appealed to readers for almost a century, at least in part because it deals with one of the great human conflicts: the struggle between good and evil. Stoker acknowledges the complexity of this conflict by showing good characters attracted to evil. For example, Jonathan Harker, the lawyer who journeys to Transylvania, is almost attacked at Dracula's castle by three young female vampires. In fact, he seems to be actually welcoming the attack before it is interrupted by the count. In this scene, as well as others, Stoker suggests that evil, represented by the vampires, is an almost irresistible force which requires great spiritual strength to overcome. It eventually takes the combined forces of a band of men, representing different countries, to defeat the vampiric count. Stoker's novel is a symbolic exploration of a conflict which has long troubled humankind. Dracula also has considerable cultural importance. Stoker was not the first writer to make use of the vampire legend. Throughout the 19th century vampires appeared in a number of works, including Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla (1872), which Stoker read as a young man. But it is Stoker's version of the vampire legend that has had the most enduring popular appeal and the greatest influence on modern writers and filmmakers. In his book Vampires Unearthed, Martin Riccardo tells the story of a survey taken by Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum to determine the world's "most hated person." Dracula ranked fifth. Clearly, Stoker's creation continues to capture readers' imaginations. SETTING Stoker uses a circular structure for his novel, incorporating two settings. Transylvania is the setting for the beginning and end of the novel, and, since he had never been there, Stoker had to rely on research for his description of the country and its people. The rest of the novel takes place in England, a setting familiar to Stoker and his audience. The novel begins with Jonathan Harker's journey to Transylvania on May 3 of an unspecified year. Harker later states that seven years elapse between the events themselves and his compilation of them, so we may assume that the action of the novel takes place from May to November in 1890. Harker's initial enjoyment of a country filled with wonderful new sights, people, and food contrasts sharply with his apprehension as he approaches the count's castle and his terror when he finally realizes he is Dracula's prisoner. This section, the first four chapters of the novel, has been highly praised for its accurate descriptions of the region and its use of those descriptions to create suspense and terror.

Chekhovs Vanka - The Pathos of Vanka Essay -- Vanka Essays

Chekhov's Vanka - The Pathos of Vanka  Ã‚   Immediately following Chekhov's death, the Russian philosopher Shestov (1866-1938) wrote an essay entitled "Creation from the Void," in which he stated, "Chekhov was a singer of hopelessness . . . Chekhov did only one thing: In one way or another he smashed human hopes." Anton Chekhov's "Vanka" accomplishes that quite thoroughly. Vanka, the only active character, believes himself beset on all sides by his bleak world and relies on his own innocence and naivetà © to shield him. The basic premise of the story centers around the boy, including his futile epistolary plea for release to his questionable grandfather, while the author stresses the dangers of the boy's reliance on his innocence. The author's exploitation of Vanka's innocence and naivetà © challenges the sentimentality of Chekhov's "Vanka." Vanka assumes his grandfather, the lively Konstantin Makaritch, will lovingly bear him from his bleak existence upon receiving the letter, but upon closer inspection his grandfather is an unfit and unlikely savior. There are two separate aspects to "Vanka." The boy either concentrates on the drafting of his letter or loses himself in the memory of his grandfather. However, the boy's fond recollections contain evidence of his grandfather's disturbing character traits. In one instance, Vanka recalls his "laughing face and drunken eyes" (47). This fond remembrance alludes to a perpetual state of alcohol-induced befuddlement. His grandfather, a probable drinker, was also probably a womanizer, as Vanka imagines him "pinching first the housemaid, then the cook" (47). Thus, the author establishes the grandfather as unfit to care for Vanka. To discredit the grandfather further, the author uses rel... ...easing the pathos of the story, this final joke acts as a heart-hardener, transforming dejected despondency into caustic hilarity. The degree of exploitation of Vanka's innocence in Chekhov's tale alters the tone of the story. The growing sentimentality for Vanka and his grandfather extinguishes itself, replaced by empty mirth. Though first a tale of mawkish sentimentality, the author utilizes Vanka's naivetà © to debunk the grandfather, then ends "Vanka" with an ironic, twisting joke, similar to that of Maupassant's "The Necklace." Works Cited Chekhov, Anton. "Vanka" Understanding Fiction. 3rd ed. Eds. Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979. 46-50 de Maupassant, Guy. "The Necklace" Understanding Fiction. 3rd ed. Eds. Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979. 66-72

International trade theory Essay

Abstract In this reading a number of international trade theories are explained to help the reader better understand why it is beneficial for a country to engage in international trade, and explains the patterns of international trade that is observed in the world economy. It is understood how the theories of Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin all make strong cases for unrestricted free trade. In contrast, the mercantilist doctrine and, to a lesser extent, the new trade theory can be interpreted to support government intervention to promote exports through subsidies and to limit imports through tariffs and quotas. In explain the pattern of international trade, the exception of mercantilism, which is silent on this issue, the different theories offer largely complementary explanation. Although no one theory may explain the apparent pattern of international trade, taken together, the theory of  comparative advantage, the Heckscher-Ohlin theory, the product life-cycle theory, the new trade theory, and Porter’s theory of national competitive advantage do suggest which factors are important. Comparative advantage tells us that productivity differences are important: Heckscher-Ohlin tells us that factor endowment matter; the product life-cycle theory informs the reader that where a new product is introduced is important; the new trade theory inform the reader that increasing returns to specialization and first mover advantages matter; and Porter theory states that all these factors may be important in so far as they affect the four components of the national diamond. Introduction International Trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders of territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product also known as GDP. While international trade has been present throughout much of history, its economic, social, and political importance has been on the rise in recent eras. People trade because they believe that they benefit from the exchange. They may need or want the goods or services. Industrialization advanced in technology transportation, globalization, multinational corporations, and out outsourcing are all having a major impact on the international trade system. Increasing international trade is crucial to the continuance of globalization. Without international trade, nations would be limited to the goods and services produced within their borders. International trade is, in principle, not different from domestic trade as the motivation and the behavior of parties involved in a t rade do not change fundamentally regardless of whether trade is across a border or not. The main difference is that international trade is typically more costly than domestic trade. The focus of this essay is to understand the different theories in international trade. First, the discussion of mercantilism, even though mercantilism is an old and largely discredited doctrine that method echoes remain in modern political debate and in the trade policies of many countries. Secondly, the absolute advantage theory by Adam Smith. Smith’s theory was the first to explain why unrestricted free trade is beneficial to a country. Free trade refers to a situation where a government does not  attempt to influence through quotas or duties what its citizen can buy from another country, or what they produce and sell to another country. Smith argues that the â€Å"invisible hand† of the mechanism, rather than government policy, should determine what a country imports and what are exports. His arguments imply that such a laissez-faire stance toward trade was in the best interests of a country. Building on Smith’s work are two additional theories that we shall review. One is the theory of comparative advantage, advanced by the 19th century English economist David Ricardo. This theory is the intellectual basis of the modern argument for unrestricted free trade. As the 20th century approach, two Swedish economists, Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin, who theory is known as the Heckscher- Ohlin Theory, refined Ricardo’s work. The Benefits of Trade The dominant strength of the theories by these economists was that they identify with precision the specific benefits of international trade. Common sense suggests that some international trade is beneficial. For example, nobody would suggest America produce their own oil, due to lack of resources. America could benefit from trade by exchanging some of the products it can produce at a low cost wheat for some products in cannot produce at all oil. Thus by engaging in international trade, China gains wheat and America gains oil. The theories of Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin go beyond this common sense notion, however, to show why it is beneficial for a country to engage in international trade even for products it is able to produce for itself. This is a difficult concept for people to grasp. For example many people in the United States believe that American consumers should buy products produced in the United States by American companies whenever possible to help save American jobs from foreign competition. The same kind of nationalistic sentiments can be observed in many other countries. However, the theories of the economists give an understanding that a country’s economy may gain if its citizens buy certain products from other nations that could be produced at home. The gains arise because international trade allows a country to specialize in the manufacture and export of products that can be produced most efficiently in that country, while importing  products that be produced more efficient in other countries. The economic argument is often difficult for segments of a country’s population to accept. With their future threatened by imports, American textile companies and their employees have tried to persuade the U.S. government to limit the importation of textiles by demanding quotas and tariffs. The Pattern of International Trade The theories of Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin also help to explain the pattern of international trade that we observe in the world economy. Some aspects of the patterns are east to understand. Climate and natural resources endowments explain why certain countries export certain products. For example, Ghana exports cocoa, Brazil exports coffee, Saudi Arabia exports oil, and China exports catfish. David Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage offers an explanation in terms of international differences in labor productivity. The more sophisticated Heckscher- Ohlin theory emphasizes the interplay between the proportions in which the factors of production (such as: land, labor, and capital) are available in different countries and the proportion in which they are needed for producing particular goods. One early response to the failure of the Heckscher-Ohlin theory to explain the observed pattern of international trade was the product life-cycle theory. Proposed by Raymond Vernon, this theory suggested that early in their life cycle, most new products are produced in and exported from the country in which they were developed. As a new product becomes widely accepted internationally, however, production starts in other countries. By the 1980s, Paul Krugman an economist from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed the revolutionary theory of trade known as the new trade theory. New trade theory stresses that in some cases countries specialize in the production and export of particular product not because of essential differences in factor endowment, but because in certain industries the world market can support only limited number of firms Mercantilism The main theory of mercantilism was that it was in a country’s best interests to maintain a trade surplus, to export more than it imported. By doing so, a country would accumulate gold and silver and consequently, increase its  national wealth and prestige. Consistent with this belief, the mercantilist doctrine advocated government intervention to achieve a surplus in the balance of trade. The mercantilists saw no virtue in â€Å"large volume of trade.† Rather, the recommended policies to maximize exports and minimize imports. To achieve this imports, were limited by tariffs and quotas, while exports were subsidized. Developed in the sixteenth century, mercantilism was one of the earliest efforts to develop an economic theory. This theory stated that a country’s wealth was determined by the amount of its gold and silver holdings. In its simplest sense, mercantilists believed that a country should increase its holdings of gold and silver by promoting exports and discouraging imports. In other words, if people in other countries buy more from you (exports) than they sell to you (imports), then they have to pay you the difference in gold and silver. The objective of each country was to have a trade surplus, or a situation where the value of exports are greater than the value of imports, and to avoid a trade deficit, or a situation where the value of imports is greater than the value of exports. A closer look at world history from the 1500s to the late 1800s helps explain why mercantilism flourished. The 1500s marked the rise of new nation-states, whose rulers wanted to strengthen their nations by building larger armies and national institutions. By increasing exports and trade, these rulers were able to amass more gold and wealth for their countries. One way that many of these new nations promoted exports was to impose restrictions on imports. This strategy is called protectionism and is still used today. Nations expanded their wealth by using their colonies around the world in an effort to control more trade and amass more riches. The British colonial empire was one of the more successful examples; it sought to increase its wea lth by using raw materials from places ranging from what are now the Americas and India. France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain were also successful in building large colonial empires that generated extensive wealth for their governing nations. Although mercantilism is one of the oldest trade theories, it remains part of modern thinking. Countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, and even Germany still favor exports and discourage imports through a form of neo-mercantilism in which the countries promote a combination of protectionist policies and restrictions and domestic-industry subsidies. Nearly every country, at one point or another,  has implemented some form of protectionist policy to guard key industries in its economy. While export-oriented companies usually support protectionist policies that favor their industries or firms, other companies and consumers are hurt by protectionism. Taxpayers pay for government subsidies of select exports in the form of higher taxes. Import restrictions lead to higher prices for consumers, who pay more for foreign-made goods or services. Free-trade advocates highlight how free trade benefits all members of the global community, while mercantilism’s protectionist policies only benefit select industries, at the expense of both consumers and other companies, within and outside of the industry. The Flaw with mercantilism was that it viewed trade as a zero-sum game. (A zero- sum game is one in which a gain by one country results in a loss by another.) It was left to Adam Smith and David Ricardo to show the shortsightedness of this approach and to demonstrate that trade is a positive-sum game, or a situation in which all countries can benefit. The mercantilist doctrine is by no means dead. Absolute Advantage In 1776, Adam Smith questioned the leading mercantile theory of the time in The Wealth of Nations. Smith offered a new trade theory called absolute advantage, which focused on the ability of a country to produce a good more efficiently than another nation. Smith attacked the mercantilist assumption that trade is a zero-sum game. Smith argued that countries differ in their ability to produce goods efficiently. Smith reasoned that trade between countries shouldn’t be regulated or restricted by government policy or intervention. He stated that trade should flow naturally according to market forces. Hypothetically, say two-country world, if Country A could produce a good cheaper or faster (or both) than Country B, then Country A had the advantage and could focus on specializing on producing that good. Similarly, if Country B was better at producing another good, it could focus on specialization as well. By specialization, countries would generate efficiencies, because their labor force would become more skilled by doing the same tasks. Production would also become more efficient, because there would be an incentive to create faster and better production methods to increase the specialization. The absolute advantage occurs in the production of a product when it is more efficient than any other country in producing  it. According to Smith, countries should specialize in the production of goods for which they have an absolute advantage then trade these for goods produced by other countries. In Smith’s theory reasoned that with increased efficiencies, people in both countries would benefit and trade should be encouraged. His theory stated that a nation’s wealth shouldn’t be judged by how much gold and silver it had but rather by the living standards of its people. Smith’s basic argument therefore, is that a country should never produce goods at home that it can buy at a lower cost from other countries. According to Smith, by specializing in the production of goods in which each has an absolute advantage, both countries benefit by engaging in trade. Comparative Advantage The challenge to the absolute advantage theory was that some countries may be better at producing both goods and, therefore, have an advantage in many areas. In contrast, another country may not have any useful absolute advantages. To answer this challenge, David Ricardo, an English economist, introduced the theory of comparative advantage in 1817. Ricardo reasoned that even if Country A had the absolute advantage in the production of both products, specialization and trade could still occur between two countries. Comparative advantage occurs when a country cannot produce a product more efficiently than the other country; however, it can produce that product better and more efficiently than it does other goods. The difference between these two theories is subtle. Comparative advantage focuses on the relative productivity differences, whereas absolute advantage looks at the absolute productivity. Let’s look at a simplified hypothetical example to illustrate the subtle differenc e between these principles. Miranda is a Wall Street lawyer who charges $500 per hour for her legal services. It turns out that Miranda can also type faster than the administrative assistants in her office, who are paid $40 per hour. Even though Miranda clearly has the absolute advantage in both skill sets, should she do both jobs? No. For every hour Miranda decides to type instead of do legal work, she would be giving up $460 in income. Her productivity and income will be highest if she specializes in the higher-paid legal services and hires the most qualified administrative assistant, who can type fast, although a little slower than Miranda. By having both Miranda and her assistant concentrate on their  respective tasks, their overall productivity as a team is higher. This is comparative advantage. A person or a country will specialize in doing what they do relatively better. In reality, the world economy is more complex and consists of more than two countries and products. Barriers to trade may exist, and goods must be transported, stored, and distributed. However, this simplistic example demonstrates the basis of the comparative advantage theory. Heckscher-Ohlin Theory (Factor Proportions Theory) The theories of Smith and Ricardo didn’t help countries determine which products would give a country an advantage. Both theories assumed that free and open markets would lead countries and producers to determine which goods they could produce more efficiently. In the early 1900s, two Swedish economists, Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin, focused their attention on how a country could gain comparative advantage by producing products that utilized factors that were in abundance in the country. Their theory is based on a country’s production factors—land, labor, and capital, which provide the funds for investment in plants and equipment. They determined that the cost of any factor or resource was a function of supply and demand. Factors that were in great supply relative to demand would be cheaper; factors in great demand relative to supply would be more expensive. Their theory, also called the factor proportions theory, stated that countries would produce and export goods that required resources or factors that were in great supply and, therefore, cheaper production factors. In contrast, countries would import goods that required resources that were in short supply, but higher demand. For example, China and India are home to cheap, large pools of labor. Hence these countries have become the optimal locations for labor-intensive industries like textiles and garments. Leontief Paradox In the early 1950s, Russian-born American economist Wassily W. Leontief studied the US economy closely and noted that the United States was abundant in capital and, therefore, should export more capital-intensive goods. However, his research using actual data showed the opposite: the United States was importing more capital-intensive goods. According to the factor  proportions theory, the United States should have been importing labor-intensive goods, but instead it was actually exporting them. His analysis became known as the Leontief Paradox because it was the reverse of what was expected by the factor proportions theory. In subsequent years, economists have noted historically at that point in time, labor in the United States was both available in steady supply and more productive than in many other countries; hence it made sense to export labor-intensive goods. Over the decades, many economists have used theories and data to explain and minimize the impact of the paradox. However, for what remains clear is that international trade is a complex and has impacted numerous and often-changing factors. Trade cannot be explained neatly by one single theory, and more importantly, our understanding of international trade theories continues to evolve. Product Life Cycle Theory Raymond Vernon, a Harvard Business School professor, developed the product life cycle theory in the 1960s. The theory, originating in the field of marketing, stated that a product life cycle has three distinct stages: (1) new product, (2) the growth of the product (3)maturing product (4) the decline in the product. The theory assumed that production of the new product will occur completely in the home country of its innovation. In the 1960s this was a useful theory to explain the manufacturing success of the United States. US manufacturing was the globally dominant producer in many industries after World War II. It has also been used to describe how the personal computer (PC) went through its product cycle. The PC was a new product in the 1970s and developed into a mature product during the 1980s and 1990s. Today, the PC is in the standardized product stage, and the majority of manufacturing and production process is done in low-cost countries in Asia and Mexico. The product life cycle theory has been less able to explain current trade patterns where innovation and manufacturing occur around the world. For example, global companies even conduct research and development in developing markets where highly skilled labor and facilities are usually cheaper. Even though research and development is typically associated with the first or new product stage and therefore completed in the home country, these developing or emerging-market countries, such as India and China, offer both highly skilled labor and new  research facilities at a substantial cost advantage for global firms. Global Strategic Rivalry Theory Global strategic rivalry theory emerged in the 1980s and was based on the work of economists Paul Krugman and Kelvin Lancaster. Their theory focused on MNCs and their efforts to gain a competitive advantage against other global firms in their industry. Firms will encounter global competition in their industries and in order to prosper, they must develop competitive advantages. The critical ways that firms can obtain a sustainable competitive advantage are called the barriers to entry for that industry. The barriers to entry refer to the obstacles a new firm may face when trying to enter into an industry or new market. The barriers to entry that corporations may seek to optimize include: research and development, the ownership of intellectual property rights, economies of scale, unique business processes or methods as well as extensive experience in the industry, and the control of resources or favorable access to raw materials. Porter’s National Competitive Advantage Theory In the continuing evolution of international trade theories, Michael Porter of Harvard Business School developed a new model to explain national competitive advantage in 1990. Porter’s theory stated that a nation’s competitiveness in an industry depends on the capacity of the industry to innovate and upgrade. His theory focused on explaining why some nations are more competitive in certain industries. To explain his theory, Porter identified four determinants that he linked together. The four determinants are (1) local market resources and capabilities, (2) local market demand conditions, (3) local suppliers and complementary industries, and (4) local firm characteristics. Factor Conditions). Porter recognized the value of the factor proportions theory, which considers a nation’s resources (e.g., natural resources and available labor) as key factors in determining what products a country will import or export. Porter added to these basic factors a new list of adv anced factors, which he defined as skilled labor, investments in education, technology, and infrastructure. He perceived these advanced factors as providing a country with a sustainable competitive advantage. Demand conditions. Porter believed that a sophisticated home  market is critical to ensuring ongoing innovation, thereby creating a sustainable competitive advantage. Companies whose domestic markets are sophisticated, trendsetting, and demanding forces continuous innovation and the development of new products and technologies. Many sources credit the demanding US consumer with forcing US software companies to continuously innovate, thus creating a sustainable competitive advantage in software products and services. Related and Supporting industries. To remain competitive, large global firms benefit from having strong, efficient supporting and related industries to provide the inputs required by the industry. Certain industries cluster geographically, which provides efficiencies and productivity. Local firm characteristics. Local firm characteristics include firm strategy, industry structure, and industry rivalry. Local strategy affects a firm’s competitiveness. A healthy level of rivalry between local firms will spur innovation and competitiveness. In addition to the four determinants of the diamond, Porter also noted that government and chance play a part in the national competitiveness of industries. Governments can, by their actions and policies, increase the competitiveness of firms and occasionally entire industries. Porter’s theory, along with the other modern, firm-based theories, offers an interesting interpretation of international trade trends. Nevertheless, they remain relatively new and minimally tested theories. Today’s Dominate International Trade Theory The theories covered in this reading explain the evolution of the international trade theory. While they have helped economists, governments, and businesses better understand international trade and how to promote, regulate, and manage it, these theories are occasionally contradicted by real-world events. Countries don’t have absolute advantages in many areas of production or services and, in fact, the factors of production aren’t neatly distributed between countries. Some countries have a disproportionate benefit of some factors. The United States has ample arable land that can be used for a wide range of agricultural products. It also has extensive access to capital. While it’s labor pool may not be the cheapest, it is among the best educated in the world. These advantages in the factors of production have helped the United States become the largest and richest economy in the  world. Nevertheless, the United States also imports a vast amount of goods and services, as US consumers use their wealth to purchase what they need and want—much of which is now manufactured in other countries that have sought to create their own comparative advantages through cheap labor, land, or production costs. As a result, it’s not clear that any one theory is dominant around the world. This section has sought to highlight the basics of international trade theory to enable you to understand the realities that face global businesses. In practice, governments and companies use a combination of these theories to both interpret trends and develop strategy. Just as these theories have evolved over the past five hundred years, they will continue to change and adapt as new factors impact international trade.

Cda Autobiography Essay

I am Larissa R. antechamber and I was born to John L. and Wilma R. student residence on February 17th in Utica, NY. They knew I was going to be a special(prenominal) person because I was born on my grandm differents 50th birthday. I stomach 3 siblings, 2 brothers and 1 sister of which I am the back oldest. I currently reside in Philadelphia, PA and attended school in the Philadelphia Public shallow System. I am a symphonyian by heart, see and soul who has a holdion for children. trance attending the Girard Academic Music Program, initi every(prenominal)y for singing, I learned to reanimate the trombone and was likewise taught music supposition, how to read and write music, which lone few(prenominal) increased my love for music all the more. After getting a right(a) grasp on the trombone I dogged to pick up the trumpet and taught myself how to play that as well. Upon graduating high school I attended Eastern University where I analyze music education and church music. La ter, I transferred to Temple University and there I examine Jazz performance with a squirt in music education.I stand always had a great tie-up with children and during my early teenage years I obtained my branch job which was babysitting for some friends of the family. I enjoyed being with children so untold that my first real-world paying job was at a summer campy. Between volunteering at the church Vacation Bible School and working at the summer camp I realized I have a great connection with children and behind help make a deviation in their lives and that is what I seek to do.I have since been employed at a few different child complaint facilities on with a music store and sacred scripture store but no consequence what I always found myself move to working in either a childcare or school setting. Recently, I had the privilege to work at an primary school for 5 years. Initially, I was leased to be a lunchroom aide, but afterward careful observation I was tending( p) the opportunity to become their music teacher. This was an honor to me because I had not yet true a degree in music.I taught the choir and I was able to pass on my k right offledge of music theory to children in grades K-8th. I was employed as the instrumental music teacher and taught tyro piano, trumpet, flute, clarinet and saxophone lessons. This was most of the childrens first experience in learning a musical instrument and I was honored to be the person to impart my knowledge into them. Unfortunately, it was time for me to move on from this tell of employment and as I searched for other employment I was led to another(prenominal) childcare facility, where I am tranquillise employed.I have been at the Jenkintown mean solar day Nursery for 2 years now and although sometimes challenging, it has indeed been a honour opportunity. During this time, I had an urge to get a better understanding of how to properly care for children and to further my education in earliest Child hood Education. I thought and prayed recollective and hard about this and the door was open for me to touch this desire. Now, I am taking classes to obtain my CDA and words cant express the excitement I tactile property in being able to fulfill this.Upon completion of my CDA, I plan on getting my certification to teach music to preschool aged children. Even though I am already working in the field and teaching music too, I desire to have the certification to do this. Just knowing that I am fulfilling the things I was meant to do is an exciting aspect and to know that I can do both, childcare and teach music, makes this opportunity however more rewarding.