Is It Best to Live with Roommates? Essay

Is it best to live with roommates? Or is it best to live alone? There’s no right or wrong answer to this question — and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s a personal decision that all apartment dwellers are entitled to make, and your answer should depend on what you want at the time you’re looking to rent. If you need help deciding whether to live with a roommate, consider the common reasons why people choose one route over the other. Reasons to Have a Roommate There are many good reasons to have a roommate. See if any of these reasons appeal to you: * You won’t be lonely. Even if you’re not close with your roommate, having a roommate means having someone else around, so you won’t have to feel lonely. * You’ll gain convenience. Having a roommate adds convenience. For instance, if you have different schedules, a roommate can feed your pet or water the plants when you’re not at home to do it. If you go out of town, your roommate can tell you about any important mail you receive. * You’ll save money. When you have a roommate, you’ll save money in several ways. First, you can rent a larger apartment that would give you both more room and more value. You’ll also split utility bills and the cost of groceries, among other apartment expenses. Plus, if you or your roommate cook (even if you just do the basics), cooking for two (or three or more) normally saves money over cooking for just one. * You’ll have help. With a roommate, you can split the chores needed to keep your apartment in shape. So, you won’t have to be the one to do grocery shopping all the time. Or, if you become the designated grocery shopper, your roommate can take on other errands that you would normally have to do. Sharing errands helps lighten the load for both of you. Reasons Not to Have a Roommate Many people appreciate the reasons in favor of having a roommate but feel that the reasons for living alone present a much stronger case. You shouldn’t live with a roommate if: * You want more privacy. If you live alone, you’ll almost certainly have more privacy than if you live with others. Simply stated, not having roommates means you can do what you want, when you want it. For instance, you can have guests over as you please or get home late and leave early without having to worry about disturbing a roommate. * You don’t want to risk problems. Although having a roommate can be a rewarding experience, there are many types of problems that may arise in a roommate relationship. These range from lifestyle conflicts (think of a roommate who likes to play guitar while you need peace and quiet to study or do work) to financial issues (think of a roommate who has trouble paying his share of the rent and expenses). Living alone is the only way to guarantee that none of these problems ever arises.

Harley Davidson, Inc.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. – 2009 Case Notes Prepared by: Dr. Mernoush Banton Case Authors: Carol Pope and Joanne Mack A. Case Abstract Harley-Davidson, Inc. (www. harley-davidson. com) is a comprehensive strategic management case that includes the company’s calendar December 31, 2008 financial statements, competitor information and more. The case time setting is the year 2009. Sufficient internal and external data are provided to enable students to evaluate current strategies and recommend a three-year strategic plan for the company. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Harley-Davidson, Inc. s traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol HOG. B. Vision Statement (Actual) Harley-Davidson is an action-oriented, international company, a leader in its commitment to continuously improve its mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders (customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, government, and society). Harley-Davidson believes the key to success is to balance stakeholders’ interests through the empowerment of all employees to focus on value-added activities. Vision Statement (Proposed) We want to make your motorcycle ride a safe and a lifetime experience. C.Mission Statement (Actual) We fulfill dreams through the experiences of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles, branded products and services in selected market segments. Mission Statement (Proposed) Harley-Davidson is committed to providing the highest quality products and financial services to men and women worldwide (1, 3). The Harley name stands for customer satisfaction (7) and we would like all Harley customers to relay their satisfaction to all motorcycle dreamers. Harley-Davidson uses advanced technology to produce the superior motorcycles (4).Our philosophy is to conduct business with utmost integrity while serving our customers, employees, and shareholders (6). We appreciate the hard work of our employee s (9). We push excellence though our Harley-Davidson bar and shield logo and the Harley Owners Group (HOG) (7). We continue to do our part in supporting all environmental laws in every country we do business (8). Harley-Davidson intends to stay committed and determined. 1. Customer 2. Products or services 3. Markets 4. Technology 5. Concern for survival, profitability, growth 6. Philosophy 7. Self-concept 8.Concern for public image 9. Concern for employees D. External Audit CPM – Competitive Profile Matrix |   |Harley-Davidson |Honda |Yamaha | |Critical Success Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score|Rating |Weighted Score|Rating |Weighted Score| |Advertising |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 |2 |0. 16 |3 |0. 24 | |Top Management |0. 05 |2 |0. 0 |2 |0. 10 |3 |0. 15 | |Customer Service |0. 10 |4 |0. 40 |3 |0. 30 |2 |0. 20 | |Technological Advances |0. 09 |3 |0. 27 |1 |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 | |International Market Sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |4 |0. 28 |2 |0. 14 | |Global Expansion |0. 06 |2 |0. 12 |4 | 0. 4 |3 |0. 18 | |Financial Position |0. 07 |2 |0. 14 |4 |0. 28 |3 |0. 21 | |Customer Loyalty |0. 11 |4 |0. 44 |3 |0. 33 |2 |0. 22 | |Market Share |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 |4 |0. 36 |3 |0. 27 | |Product Quality |0. 10 |4 |0. 40 |3 |0. 30 |2 |0. 0 | |Marketing |0. 10 |2 |0. 20 |3 |0. 30 |1 |0. 10 | |Price Competitiveness |0. 08 |1 |0. 08 |3 |0. 24 |2 |0. 16 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 86 |   |2. 98 |   |2. 25 | Opportunities 1. Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than United States 2. Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 3.Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 4. Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the United States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin America 5. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of product offerings 6. Female riders are on the rise 7. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and watercraft in addition to vario us motorcycle product lines 8. Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles when gas prices are on the riseThreats 1. Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who could afford to buy a motorcycle 2. Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales 3. Disposable income is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and 54 4. Competition is strong in markets outside the United States 5. Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales 6. Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and financing high ticket items 7. Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost 8.Shifts in buyers’ needs and tastes External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix |Key External Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Opportunities |   |   |   | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than United States|0. 08 |4 |0. 32 | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |0. 6 |3 |0. 18 | |Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 |0. 09 |3 |0. 27 | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the United |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin America | | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of product |0. 5 |2 |0. 1 | |offerings | | | | |Female riders are on the rise |0. 04 |3 |0. 12 | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and watercraft in |0. 07 |3 |0. 1 | |addition to various motorcycle product lines | | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles when gas |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 | |prices are on the rise | | | | |Threats | | |   | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who could |0. 9 |2 |0. 18 | |afford to buy a motorcycle | | | | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 | |Disposable inc ome is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and 54 |0. 07 |2 |0. 14 | |Competition is strong in markets outside the United States |0. 06 |2 |0. 2 | |Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales |0. 07 |1 |0. 07 | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and financing high |0. 05 |2 |0. 1 | |ticket items | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost |0. 05 |1 |0. 5 | |Shifts in buyers' needs and tastes |0. 04 |1 |0. 04 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 55 | Positioning Map [pic] E. Internal Audit Strengths 1. Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin 2. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the industry in the United States for retail unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles 3.Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) motorcycles and related products. 4. Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P); (2) General Merchandise; (3) Lice nsing; and (4) Motorcycles 5. The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna, (3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC 6. In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin America 7. Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty . International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 9. Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 10. Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS Weaknesses 1. The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 percent and 48. 7 percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively 2. Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are to female buyers 3. A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income of approximately $87,000 4.For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and 273,00 0 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from 2008 5. Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year 6. International retail sales growth slowed to 0. 7 percent during the fourth quarter of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside the United States 7. In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were down 13. 0 percent 8. Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008Financial Ratio Analysis (December 2009) |Growth Rates % |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Sales (Qtr vs year ago qtr) |-18. 00 |-13. 00 |-4. 80 | |Net Income (YTD vs YTD) |-71. 60 |15. 80 |-6. 00 | |Net Income (Qtr vs year ago qtr) |-84. 10 |6. 40 |26. 80 | |Sales (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |4. 2 |0. 78 |12. 99 | |Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |-2. 96 |-7. 50 |12. 69 | |Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |45. 92 |34. 93 |11. 83 | | | |Price Ratios |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Current P/E R atio |24. 3 |25. 6 |26. | |P/E Ratio 5-Year High |21. 9 |4. 3 |68. 0 | |P/E Ratio 5-Year Low |3. 0 |0. 8 |9. 9 | |Price/Sales Ratio |1. 12 |1. 12 |2. 25 | |Price/Book Value |2. 58 |3. 36 |3. 48 | |Price/Cash Flow Ratio |11. 90 |15. 0 |13. 70 | | | |Profit Margins % |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Gross Margin |29. 1 |23. 1 |38. 9 | |Pre-Tax Margin |9. 2 |6. 0 |10. 3 | |Net Profit Margin |4. |2. 4 |7. 1 | |5Yr Gross Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |37. 9 |29. 4 |38. 6 | |5Yr PreTax Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |23. 8 |17. 4 |16. 6 | |5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |15. 3 |11. 2 |11. 5 | | | |Financial Condition |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 |Debt/Equity Ratio |2. 26 |1. 53 |1. 09 | |Current Ratio |1. 4 |1. 8 |1. 5 | |Quick Ratio |1. 3 |1. 4 |1. 3 | |Interest Coverage |46. 2 |27. 4 |23. 7 | |Leverage Ratio |4. 1 |3. 5 |3. | |Book Value/Share |9. 77 |9. 22 |21. 63 | Adapted from www. moneycentral. msn. com |   |Avg P/E |Price/ Sales |Price/ Book |Net Profit Margin (%) | |12/0 8 |12. 20 |0. 67 |1. 87 |11. 0 | |12/07 |15. 50 |1. 90 |4. 69 |15. 2 | |12/06 |14. 0 |3. 02 |6. 60 |16. 9 | |12/05 |15. 50 |2. 55 |4. 58 |16. 9 | |12/04 |19. 00 |3. 39 |5. 56 |16. 7 | |12/03 |17. 80 |2. 95 |4. 85 |15. 5 | |12/02 |26. 80 |3. 28 |6. 6 |13. 5 | |12/01 |32. 10 |4. 64 |9. 36 |12. 2 | |12/00 |36. 40 |3. 96 |8. 54 |11. 3 | |12/08 |12. 20 |0. 67 |1. 87 |11. 0 | |   |Book Value/ Share |Debt/ Equity |Return on Equity (%) |Return on Assets (%) |Interest Coverage | |12/08 |$9. 9 |1. 86 |30. 9 |8. 4 |226. 6 | |12/07 |$9. 96 |0. 90 |39. 3 |16. 5 |NA | |12/06 |$10. 68 |0. 62 |37. 8 |18. 9 |NA | |12/05 |$11. 25 |0. 39 |31. 1 |18. 3 |NA | |12/04 |$10. 94 |0. 40 |27. 6 |16. |NA | |12/03 |$9. 81 |0. 34 |25. 7 |15. 5 |NA | |12/02 |$7. 38 |0. 34 |26. 0 |15. 0 |NA | |12/01 |$5. 80 |0. 34 |24. 9 |14. 0 |NA | |12/00 |$4. 65 |0. 32 |24. 7 |14. 3 |NA | |12/08 |$9. 9 |1. 86 |30. 9 |8. 4 |226. 6 | Adapted from www. moneycentral. msn. com Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix |Key Internal Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Strengths |   |   |   | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin |0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the industry in the United States for retail |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 | |unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles | | | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) |0. 05 |3 |0. 15 | |motorcycles and related products. | | | | |Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P); (2) General |0. 3 |4 |0. 12 | |Merchandise; (3) Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles | | | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna,|0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |(3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC | | | | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships|0. 5 |3 |0. 15 | |in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin America | | | | |Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty |0. 07 |4 |0. 28 | |International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 | |Total current asset increased by $1. billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |Weaknesses | | |   | |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 percent |0. 07 |1 |0. 07 | |and 48. percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | | | |Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles|0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |are to female buyers | | | | |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income of |0. 05 |1 |0. 5 | |approximately $87,000 | | | | |For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and 273,000 |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from 2008 | | | | |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year |0. 06 |2 |0. 12 | |International retail sales growth slowed to 0. percent during the fourth quarter |0. 03 |2 |0. 06 | |of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside the United States| | | | |In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |down 13. 0 percent | | | | |Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |1 |0. 6 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 43 | F. SWOT Strategies | |Strengths |Weaknesses | | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the | | |improve its profit margin |heavyweight market was 45. percent and 48. 7 | | |Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the |percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | |industry in the United States for retail unit |Only 12 percent of U. S. etail motorcycle sales| | |registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles |of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are to | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) |female buyers | | |financ ial services and (2) motorcycles and |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average | | |related products. |of median household income of approximately | | Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & |$87,000 | | |Accessories (P); (2) General Merchandise; (3)|For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans | | |Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles |to ship between 264,000 and 273,000 new | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of |Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent| | |motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna, (3) |reduction from 2008 | | |Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in| | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, |2008 from previous year | | |Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships|International retail sales growth slowed to 0. | | |in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, |percent during the fourth quarter of 2008 as a | | |and 32 in Latin America |result of deteriorating economic conditions | | |Strong bran d recognition and customer loyalty |outside the United States | | |International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent|In the United States, retail sales of | | |as compared to 2007 |Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were down | | |Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion |13. percent | | |dollars from 2007 to 2008 |Total operating income dropped by about $400 | | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through |million from 2007 to 2008 | | |HDFS | | |Opportunities |S-O Strategies |W-O Strategies | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing |Develop a lower price / light weight bike, |1. Offer a better discount for retailers to | |at a better rate than United States |efficient in fuel consumption for individuals |sell / promote Harley merchandise such as | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |who are interested in riding a bike but can’t |clothes, mugs, etc. (W5, W6, O) | |Competition has reduced their production of |afford or ride the current models (S3, S4, S5, |2.Offer better financing rate to new / first | |motorcycle in 2009 |S6, S7, S8, S8, S9, S10, O1, O2, O5, O6, O8) |time buyers (W1, W3, W5, W7, O3, O4) | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing |Create a new line for female riders to be | | |motorcycle sales in Japan, the United States, |promoted in US and foreign markets (S5, S7, O8,| | |and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast |S9, S10, O1, O4, O6) | | |Asia and Latin America | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified | | | |than Harley in terms of product offerings | | | |Female riders are on the rise | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, | | | |scooters, and marine and watercraft in addition| | | |to various motorcycle product lines | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good | | | |replacement for automobiles when gas prices are| | | |on the rise | | | |Threats |S-T Strategies |W-T Strategies | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United |Increase current promotional campaign (product |Introduce a new product line – Harley2 suitable| |States among middle class who could afford to |placement, advertising, Online newsgroup / |for female riders, light weight and priced | |buy a motorcycle |press releases, media ads, etc. ) both in the |lower to be marketed to a new segment (W2, W3, | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they |U. S. nd abroad (S1, S2, SS7, S9, S10, T3, T8) |W4, W5, T1, T2, T3, T5, T6, T7) | |can improve sales | | | |Disposable income is falling among | | | |professionals between the age of 35 and 54 | | | |Competition is strong in markets outside the | | | |United States | | | |Increase in fuel price could impact the | | | |industry sales | | | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers | | | |from purchasing and financing high ticket items| | | | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact | | | |product design and cost | | | |Shifts in buyers’ needs and tastes | | | G. SPACE Matrix [pic] Financial Stability (FS) | |Environmental Stability (ES) | | |Return on Investment |6 |Unemployment |-5 | |Leverage |5 |Technological Changes |-2 | |Liquidity |4 |Price Elasticity of Demand |-1 | |Working Capital |4 |Competitive Pressure |-4 | |Cash Flow |4 |Barriers to Entry |-5 | | | | | | |Financial Stability (FS) Average |4. 6 |Environmental Stability (ES) Average |-3. | | | | | | |Competitive Stability (CS) | |Industry Stability (IS) | | |Market Share |-2 |Growth Potential |5 | |Product Quality |-1 |Financial Stability |1 | |Customer Loyalty |-1 |Ease of Market Entry |5 | |Competition’s Capacity Utilization |-3 |Resource Utilization |4 | |Technological Know-How |-2 |Profit Potential |3 | | | | | | |Competitive Stability (CS Average |-1. |Industry Stability (IS) Average |3. 6 | Y-axis: FS + ES = 4. 6 + (-3. 4) = 1. 2 X-axis: CS + IS = (-1. 8) + (3. 6) = 1. 8 H. Grand Strategy Matrix [pic] 1. Market development 2. Market penetration 3. Product development 4. Forward integration 5. Backward integration 6. Horizontal integration 7. Related diversification I. The Internal-External (IE) Matrix The IFE Total Weighted Score | |Strong |Average |Weak | | |3. 0 to 4. 0 |2. 0 to 2. 99 |1. 0 to 1. 9 | |High |I |II |III | |3. 0 to 3. 99 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |IV |IV |VI | | | | | | | | | | |Medium | | | | |2. 0 to 2. 99 | |Harley-Davidson | | |Low |VII |VIII |IX | |1. 0 to 1. 99 | | | | J. QSPM    |   |Develop a lower price /|Offer better financing| | | |light weight bike, |rate to new / first | | | |efficient in fuel |time buyers | | | |consumption for | | | | |individuals who are | | | | |interested in riding a | | | | |bike but can’t afford | | | | |or ride the current | | | | |models | | |Key Factors |Weight |AS |TAS |AS |TAS | |Opportunities |   |   |   |   |   | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 |2 |0. 16 | |United States | | | | | | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 | 1 |0. 06 | |Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 |0. 09 |4 |0. 36 |3 |0. 27 | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the |0. 5 |— |— |— |— | |United States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin| | | | | | |America | | | | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |product offerings | | | | | | |Female riders are on the rise |0. 04 |3 |0. 12 |1 |0. 04 | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and |0. 7 |— |— |— |— | |watercraft in addition to various motorcycle product lines | | | | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 |2 |0. 12 | |when gas prices are on the rise | | | | | | |Threats | |   |   | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 |4 |0. 6 | |could afford to buy a motorcycle | | | | | | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |1 |0. 07 | |Disposable income is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and|0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |1 |0. 07 | |54 | | | | | | |Competition is strong in markets outside the United States |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 |2 |0. 12 | |Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales |0. 07 |4 |0. 28 |2 |0. 4 | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and |0. 05 |4 |0. 20 |3 |0. 15 | |financing high ticket items | | | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |Shifts in buyers' needs and tastes |0. 04 |— |— |— |— | |TOTAL |1. 00 |   |2. 54 |   |1. 6 | |Strengths |   |   |   | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |Harley-Davidson motorcycle s have led the industry in the United States for|0. 08 |3 |0. 24 |1 |0. 08 | |retail unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles | | | | | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |motorcycles and related products. | | | | | |Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P&A); (2) |0. 03 |— |— |— |— | |General Merchandise; (3) Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles | | | | | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, |0. 06 |— |— |— |— | |(2) Dyna, (3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC | | | | | | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service |0. 05 |2 |0. 1 |3 |0. 5 | |dealerships in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin| | | | | | |America | | | | | | |Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |2 |0. 14 | |International retail sa les were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |2 |0. 14 | |Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |— |— |— |— | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |4 |0. 4 | |Weaknesses | |   |   |   | |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 |0. 07 |— |— |— |— | |percent and 48. 7 percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | | | | | |Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson |0. 05 |3 |0. 15 |1 |0. 05 | |motorcycles are to female buyers | | | | | | |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |of approximately $87,000 | | | | | | |For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |273,000 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from| | | | | | |2008 | | | | | | |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |International retail sales growth slowed to 0. 7 percent during the fourth |0. 3 |— |— |— |— | |quarter of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside | | | | | | |the United States | | | | | | |In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |were down 13. 0 percent | | | | | | |Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |3 |0. 8 | |SUBTOTAL |1. 00 |   |1. 19 |   |1. 51 | |SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE |   |   |3. 73 |   |3. 07 | K. Recommendations Develop a product line with 3 to 5 bikes that are light weight, fuel efficient, lower than average Harley motorcycles, compliance with EPA and other regulatory agencies to be marketed to 25 to 45 age group with income level of $65,000 or higher. The brand s hould be promoted for substitute to automobile for short distances. L. EPS/EBIT Analysis Amount Needed: $150 million Stock Price: $25. 20 Tax Rate: 36. 7% Interest Rate: 6. 97% # Shares Outstanding: 234. 4 Million |   |Common Stock Financing |Debt Financing | |   |Recession |Normal |Boom |Recession |Normal |Boom | |70 Percent Stock – 30 Percent Debt |   |   |70 Percent Debt – 30 Percent Stock |   |   | |   |Recession |Normal |Boom |Recession |Normal |Boom | |EBIT |$1,000,000,000 |$1,500,000,000 |$1,800,000,000 |$1,000,000,000 $1,500,000,000 |$1,800,000,000 | |Interest |8,364,000 |8,364,000 |8,364,000 |2,091,000 |2,091,000 |2,091,000 | |EBT |991,636,000 |1,491,636,000 |1,791,636,000 |997,909,000 |1,497,909,000 |1,797,909,000 | |Taxes |36,393,041,200 |54,743,041,200 |65,753,041,200 |36,623,260,300 |54,973,260,300 |65,983,260,300 | |EAT |35,401,405,200 |53,251,405,200 |63,961,405,200 |35,625,351,300 |53,475,351,300 |64,185,351,300 | |# Shares |238,566,667 |2 38,566,667 |238,566,667 |236,185,714 |236,185,714 |236,185,714 | |EPS |148. 39 |223. 21 |268. 11 |150. 84 |226. 41 |271. 76 | | M. Epilogue Harley-Davidson is extending the deadline for some its competitive bike exchange trade-in program so customers would have more time to take advantage of the promotion. The company has been trying to stimulate its sales and financing program due to weak economy and low sales results. They also announced that the Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0. 10 per share for the first quarter of 2010. This decision will reduce their cash flow by approximately $23. 7 million. Harley-Davidson still is suffering from borrowing of $600 million three years ago at a rate of 15%.The interest of this loan is approximately $90 million a year which is impacting the company’s bottom line. For 2009, the company announced 27% down from 2008 and ended up with a $55 million loss – its first loss since 1993. ————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Brand Loyalty (High) Brand Loyalty (Low) Price (High) Price (Low) Harley-Davidson, Inc. Honda BMW -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 7 -6 -1 -7 -5 -4 -3 -2 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Defensive Competitive Aggressive Conservative 1 2 3 4 5 6 IS Weak Competitive Position Quadrant II Quadrant I Quadrant IV Quadrant III Strong Competitive Position Rapid Market Growth Slow Market Growth The EFE Total Weighted Score ES CS FS Yamaha

Changes

Historians and cultural critics trace the post-modernist hip hop movement which pioneered sampling and graffiti art to the sasss, New York, a movement rooted in the black nationalism of the black panthers post civil rights movement (Price, 2006). Hip Hop has become a dominant global youth culture with music, art, fashion, films and Outpace an Icon within this culture a Black Elvis. Hip Hop has many different sub genres such as conscious, gangs, party rap and with emcees in the different genres according to their subject matter.The paper will explore Changes a conscious rap Eng that was recorded by Outpace in 1 992, at a time when African Americans were affected by the beating of Rodney King by Police Officers, which led to the Los Angels Riots of 1992 (Johnson, 2009). The environment was politically charged and conducive for a song chronicling that moment in history. What is interesting is that the song was posthumously released in 1998 on Tubas Greatest Hits album, two years after Outpace died of gunshots wounds on the 13th of September 1996 (Scott, 1997). Outpace Shakers music Is characterized by hard hitting hip hop beats sampled room different music genres and lyrics that criticize, the capitalist system that divides America into the haves and have-nots. The collective identity in Tubas music is identified In the struggle of the lower classes to find political, economic, social discourse In a capitalist society by chronicling from the perspective of a young black male growing up in post civil rights America.His work vocalizes the thoughts of the masses trapped within a modern slavery system (poverty and discrimination). The writers credited on the album sleeve are Shaker, T. , Evans, D. , Horns, B. ; Changes ample the beat and part of the chorus from Bruce Harmonys The way It is(1986) and appropriated It Into a Hip Hop political anthem. This part of the paper will delve into the psyche of the artist and explore the lyrics of Changes. ANALYZING OUTPACE When did I ever say I was a gangs rapper? Is Frank Sinatra a gangs singer?Is Steve Seal a gangs actor? What is that? Thats such a limited term. Maroon Brandon is not a gangs actor, hes an actor. Axle Rose and them are not gangs rock and rollers, thieve rock and rollers. So Im a rapper, this is what I do. Im an artist. And I AP about the oppressed taking back their place. I rap about fighting back. To me, my lyrics and my verses are about struggling and overcoming, you know (Shaker, 2003) Left: OPAC. 1996. All Eyes On Me (outpace. Com) Right: OPAC. 1995. Me against the World (outpace. Mom) Outpace Shakers controversial image drowned his work; the media at the time concentrated on what he did off record and forget that he was a brilliant rapper, lyricist and actor. He did cultivate the gangster image with Thug Life tattered across his abdomen and his persona as seen on the album cover of All eyes on me (1996) Is that of a gangs, The persona Is evident on him with the words Outlaw tattered on his lower arm, a panthers head on his upper arm with a miscreant intensity and 1 OFF on music videos, further reiterates that he is a gangs rapper.However on the cover of an earlier album Me against the world(1995) another side of the rapper is seen, with his back against a wall, he stares at the camera like a deer caught between two headlights. In interviews and talk shows when he takes off his mask, an intelligent, misunderstood, creative young man who wants to change the world with his music merges. Tyson (2002) in his explanation of Tubas dua l persona mentioned something very interesting that Tubas mother Affine was impregnated by one of two possible candidates, a revolutionary black panther by the name of Billy Garland and Legs a drug dealer.On the song Dear Mama he writes They say Im wrong and Im heartless, but all along I was looking for a father he was gone (1995) these lyrics give the assumption that he might have looked for a father within himself and thus created twin personae founded on the character of the two people he thought could e his father. Outpace created binary oppositions as creative mechanisms, the socially constructive poet vs.. The destructive street thug and he could write as well as speak from both alter egos.His conscious rapper ego tackled social issues such as racism, violence, drug abuse whilst his gangster rapper ego talked about selling drugs, perpetrating violence and called women derogatory names. To understand Just a little part of Tubas complex character, the following quotation by Carl Jung would give some insight. Such a man knows that whatever is wrong in the world is in myself, and if he only learns to deal with his own Shadow he has done something real for the world.He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day. These problems are mostly so difficult because they are poisoned by mutual projections. How can anyone see straight when he does not even see himself and the darkness he unconsciously carries with him into all dealings? Nouns, 1938). The two images of Outpace show that instead of hiding his other self (the shadow) he consciously projected it and White toes (1997) that a misguided Outpace drew his masculine principles from Legs his father figure.Outpace Shaker was born on the 16th of June 1971; a month after his mother Affine Shaker was released from prison for her suspected part in the alleged Black Panther plot to bomb banks and department stores (White, 1997). In several songs and interviews Outpace has mentioned his birth and childhood as a miracle. l was born not to make it, but I did (Still I Rise, 1999) and on the last verse of Mama Just a Little Girl (Better Days, 2002) he philosophies You see you wouldnt ask why the rose hat grew from the concrete had damaged petals, on th e contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity.We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well we are the roses, this is the concrete and these are my damaged petals He uses symbolic words to compare himself and his peers to that of beauty natured in an unnatural environment. This verse is a self reflective analysis of his impoverished childhood in socially depraved ghettos of America and by noting We are the roses he feels that any child that grows up in that environment and makes it however damaged they are should be celebrated.According to Goals (2007) in 1985 Outpace was enrolled at the prestigious Baltimore Schools of the Arts, where he learned how to act and he spent Outpace went through moral Juggling as a teenager, selling Drugs whilst writing poetry. His childhood experiences gave him the canon to be able to articulate social and political commentary easily identifiable with his audience. Tyson emphasis (2003) that Outpace believed in keeping it real a slang term defined on (revolutionary. Com) as try to benefit the environment and society that surrounds you a nd eventually serving humanity for the greater good.Outpace has achieved musical immortality with eight albums produced posthumously, an art center (task. Org) producing the next generation of thespians, dancers and poets and a Biopic on his life is currently in Production, written by Oscar nominated screenwriters Stephen J Revile and Chris Wilkinson (All, Nixon). In a recent Manage. Com article Revile had this to say about Outpace He was a really sensitive, very romantic talented young poet who also could sing, dance and act, but the realities [of the hip-hop record business] were that he had to create this persona of the gangster.He saw the contradiction between the musical persona of Thug Life and his essential nature as a gentle, sensitive person. And that was partly responsible for his murder. He was not a gangster, but the people around him were, and they saw he was going to leave, that they were going to lose him, and so I think they decided to kill him(Borders-Manner, 2011) CHANGES Changes portrays America from a critical non violent point of view, the view of a young black male living in the projects (Ghetto) committing crime as a survival necessity, whilst been abused by the system.Changes (Shaker, Evans Hornsby, 998) uses basic slang, repetition, melodic rhythm, the artist does not use profanity, the word Niger is used to make a racial statement not intimidate. Analysis of this song elicits reaction in the listener, a desire to become the Change that Outpace requires of his audience. Tubas ability to elicit this type of reaction can be attributed to the authority yet passionate sensitivity of his voice and the flow of his rap.The chorus uses the same melody as The Way it is with a slight change of chorus whereas the or iginal says, Some things will never change, Changes is changed to say, Things will never be the same. Elaborating that inequality will always be rooted in American society; the chorus is repeated to drum the message. The opening line to Changes l see no changes seems to be a modern reply to the original The way it is Bob Dylan The times they are changing(1964), which is considered the civil rights movement theme song.He then continues to show his frustration with his situation, which has not been changed by the I have a dream speech by DRP King Wake up in the morning and ask myself is life worth living should I blast myself, I am tired of en poor and even worse Im black, my stomach hurts so I am looking for purse to snatch, hes telling his audience that he is poor, black, hungry and faced with two choices either to kill himself or alleviate his economical situation by stealing. Cops give a damn about a negro, pull the trigger kill a Amiga hes a hero He uses the N words to emphasize how racist the police are and the reward for killing a black person. Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares, one less hungry mouth on watch me kill each other He paints an image of a big brother conspiracy of shipping rugs and guns into the Ghetto and then watching the fabric of black America dismantle with kids on crack, drug dealers killing each other, a genocidal way of easing the welfare system. Its time to fight back thats what Hue Said, 2 shots in the dark now Hues dead By mentioning Hue Newton founder of the Black Panthers, he acknowledges that Black militant mantra of fighting back the system with guns is wrong because you will be slain by a gun. Outpace then finds a socialist solution in how to beat the system and unify We can never go nowhere unless we share with each there, We goat start making changes, learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers, thats how it is supposed to be.How can the Devil take a brother if hes close to me, Id love to go back to when we played as kids, but things changed, and thats the way it is He wants to go back to the innocents of childhood, not complicated by what Freud regards as the ID, however Outpace is resigned to the fact that even if he goes back to that moment, he cannot change Today because change will never happen. L see no changes all I see is racist faces, misplaced hate makes grace to races, We under, I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, lets erase the wasted Outpace is not talking about or to a specific race but to the people of America that racial hatred should not be tolerated but erased from society. Both Black and White is smoking crack tonight Drugs are not Just a black problem It anti a secret and dont conceal the fact the penitentiarys packed and its filled with blacks His observation is backed by Discard, Mouth and Andrews Of the 789,700 male inmates in 1992, 51 percent, or 401,700 were black and that is still a fact today.Although it seems heaven sent we anti ready, to see a black president, uh This line is prophetic in the sense that even though America now has a black President, but some quarters of society are still not ready to accept a Black President Some things will never change. Try to show another way, but you staying in the dope game. Now tells me whats a mother to do. Been real dont appeal to the brother in you.You goat operate the easy way In these lyrics hes now using Frauds structural model of the psyche, the mother is the Super Ego telling the impulsive child (the ID) hat look at another way to survive but morals do not appeal to the ID for it wants everything now and then when it gets satisfaction it shows off l made a G Today the super ego critics but you made it in a sleazy way, selling crack to the kids Finally the ego goes into defense mechanism Well hey, thats Just the way it is The third verse begins with Outpace talking instead of rapping so that everybody understands the clear message he conveys We goat make a change, Its time for us as a people to start making some changes. Lets change the way we eat, Lets change the way we live and lets change the way we treat each other. You see the old ways wasnt working so its on us to do what we goat do, to survive he is speaking to his generation, that the only way to change is complete transformation from the racial philosophies of old for the survival of the human race. Its war on the streets and war in the middle east, Instead of war on poverty they got war on drugs so the police can bother me, And I anti never did a crime I anti have to do. Outpace observes that whilst America concentrates on foreign wars in the Middle East, domestic street wars rage on. He problem poverty.

How are the index number used to display economics or financial data Essay

How are the index number used to display economics or financial data Identify some examples to illustrate your answer - Essay Example assigned a value of unity, or even 100, in some reference period, and the value of other index for other given periods of time are intended to indicate the average proportionate or even the percentage change in price from this price reference period. For example if a given product is costing thrice as much as in 1990 as it did in 1980, its index could be taken to be 300 times relative to 1980. Price indices can be used to measure differences in price levels between different regions, countries and cities at the same point in time. For example, the Bic Mac price have been noted to occur in China at 51% reduction from U.S. prices. Considering such indices, it can be possible to forecast currency values. Based on this illustration China currency is undervalued and provides a currency investment opportunity. The price indices have three important characteristics. They are published frequently, usually every month but at times every quarter. They are available quickly, about two weeks after the end of the month or quarter. They are usually not revised, and they are closely monitored hence attracts a lot of publicity (Moulton et al, 2002). As a result of continuous publication, the price index provides timely information about the rate of inflation, and at times they are used to provide a wide variety of purposes, in addition to indexing wages. For example, consumer price indices are used to index other payments such as interest payment or rents, and at times the price of bonds. They are also used to provide index pensions and social security benefits. There are different kinds of index of numbers that can be used. Most economists and compliers of consumer price index agree that the index formula to be used should belong to a small class of indices called superlative indices (Turvey, 2004). This superlative index is expected to provide an approximation to a cost of living index. The main feature of superlative index is that it treats both periods being compared

Sound and fury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sound and fury - Essay Example Heather’s family members seem to be all deaf; two brothers and parents. Peter, one of Heathers families, is a candid head of the anti-implant deaf society who lives on the Island of Long. His life is twisted upside down by his daughter aspiration to hear. After being overpowered by the daughter’s desires, Peter and Nita put on hold their long-standing position about the implant. They later realize that children that are under implant are frequently conversant and mainstreamed interested in the hearing situation. Heather’s parents become frightened that the implant will make their daughter develop a rejection to the American Sign Language and deaf way of life. The family divergence or disagreement arises after one of Peter’s brothers who do not have hearing impediment, and the wife realized that their newborn infant is also having a hearing problem. They decide to put the child under the implant. The clash gets to an intense peak after the part of the family who does have hearing impediment tries to battle for Heather’s right to join the hearing world while the other part of the family (deaf family members) also battle to keep her deaf individuality. In my opinion, the movie talks about respect for culture. From the movie, there is a battle between two different groups, one group supporting the use of cochlear implant while another group is opposed to the use of the device. It is an indication of how important culture is to different people with different conditions especially the disabled group; respect to culture is essential to every individual. Aronson, Josh, Roger Weisberg, Chris Artinian, Nita Artinian, Heather Artinian, Peter Artinian, Brian Danitz, Ann Collins, Mark Suozzo, Ronald Guttman, and Nora Coblence. Sound and Fury. New York?: Docurama,

Organizational Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Organizational Culture - Essay Example According to his perspective artifacts, values, and basic assumptions do not reflect separate levels of culture. This perspective tries to link the manifestations of culture to provide a deeper understanding of the overall organizational culture. Therefore, the perspectives of these two authors regarding organizational culture are very different from each other. Changing organizational culture is very significant in an organization’s effort to increase its performance. However, this culture requires continuous changes in order to sustain growth in organization’s performance. Organizational culture can be changed by following four major steps. The first step is undertaking a research on the current organizational culture. The second step is designing a strategy to change the culture while the third step is implementing the strategy designed. The final step of changing the organizational culture is the evaluation of the changes obtained from the strategy. Organizations can undertake changes on their different aspects. The changes are always very closely associated with changes in the organizational culture. This is because organizational culture results to overall change in the organization. Organizational development is regarded as a change in the primary level of organizational aspects of a company. Such changes include changes in both the individual and group level of the employees of the organization. Introduction of new technology in an organization is a challenge to both the management and members. In implementing a new accounting information system, I would begin by researching on various accounting management systems and the benefits of each of the systems. After researching, I would select the most beneficial accounting management system and then communicate to employees about the benefits that the organization would obtain from the new system. Moreover, I would inform them the benefits they can derive from the system and

The Strategic of Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Strategic of Zara - Essay Example The company is also endowed with experienced human resources beginning with the company’s chief executive officer. For instance, the company boasts of a 200 person strong innovative team that is inspired by customers’ need for value and quality. Moreover, the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability is a boost to its image given that there has been a push for environmentally friendly products in the recent years due to climate change concerns worldwide. The company’s product portfolio is full of a variety of apparel and accessories for women, children, and men from all corners of the globe. The company has a good product positioning strategy with its stores adopting different outlook and setups that vary with the respective countries or regions of operations. The company has adopted best practice for its daily operations. For instance, the company uses the just in time inventory management technique to ensure that it effectively manages the lev els of inventory in its storage facility and deliver the products according to demand. This technique has helped the company to eliminate the wastes associated with inappropriate inventory management. It is also notable that the company’s internationalization strategy has been advantageous for its completion. The company has been aggressively involved in expansion in the recent years with the approach taken including the use of franchises and licenses in far-flung markets. As a result, the company has positioned itself as a global leader in the design, manufacture.... Internal Environment One of the common methods of evaluating a company’s internal environment is through the use of SWOT analysis (Henry, 2008). Zara Company has various strengths and weaknesses. To begin, some of the strengths of the company as depicted in its relative strength in the market include: Originality of the company’s products that has distinguished it from its competitors. The company’s products are distinct in terms of design and this has made them identifiable. The company has dedicated staffs that are committed to personalized customer service. With experts in the fashion and design industry led by the CEO, the company’s human resources is unmatched. The stores and outlets across the globe are fully managed by the company as opposed to licensees and franchises used by other industry players. This has helped the company control the quality of products sold in the outlets. The company has also an admirable production line that is able to prod uce new products within short timelines. Technology use has been enhanced in the manufacturing segment for efficiency. Costs of the company’s products are relatively lower attracting many buyers. With relatively lower prices, the company’s attract high sales volumes. A well managed supply and value chain that ensures distribution of products required standards. The centralised warehouse acts a is within good regulator in the company’s revolutionalised distribution system. Apart from the company’s numerous strengths, the company still has weaknesses as outlined below: The company is yet to have a good advertising campaign that has had a negative impact on its brand recognition

Deregulation Act of 1978 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Deregulation Act of 1978 - Essay Example The Airline Deregulation Act’s intention was to stop government control over airline industry policies. The control was majorly over routes, fares, and market entry of new airlines from commercial aviation. The government approved this Act on 24th October, 1978 and President Jimmy Carter signed it into law four days later (Kaps, 1997). Before the Act, the industry was more of a public utility with a government agency. The CAB; Civil Aeronautics Board determined the routes taken by each airline and the prices they charged their passengers. This has changed ever since after the incorporation of the Act which has seen the market shift to a market –driven industry. The customer demand determined the level of service and price charge. The deregulation Act came by after several flaws in the airline industry. One of them was the Middle Eastern oil case; this led to a rise in price of fuel costs. This shoot up in fuel cost led to price inflation. Another flaw was the development of the wide body aircraft that allowed for carriage of increased capacity to different and many routes with one flight. These two cases came when there was an economic fall that led to a strain on the airlines. This fall led to failure in the airline businesses, and rising fuel prices did not aid the situation at all. The Civil Aeronautics Board in response to this situation and trying to ensure reasonable return for the airlines allowed the different carriers to increase fares. It also embarked on a four year suspension by the carriers on authorizing new services and approved agreements among the airlines to limit the carriage capacity on specific routes. The public did not welcome this move with open arms the fares had increased. The airlines also did not see much change on the Civil Aeronautics Board last decision as through the 1970’s their earnings were poor despite the

Infection control in the hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Infection control in the hospital - Essay Example In this regard, the nursing professionalism as designated by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) codes of conduct will be referred to with reference to the theoretical underpinning of adult nursing care delivery. The objective of this assignment would thus be recognition of the parameters of healthcare environment and the factors associated with it, which may influence safe healthcare delivery by the nurses to the intended population. The National Health Service (NHS) was expected to provide universal healthcare of identical standards throughout the UK. It was supposed to be comprehensive such that it would cover all health needs of the population. The third principle was to make it free at the point of delivery, so that it is available based on needs to all citizens equally, not on the ability to pay. The system works through a participatory structure involving conjoint work of the Local Health Board and Local Health Authority including Community Health Council and other private or voluntary organisations (Goldie and Sheffield, 2001). Since the NHS activities are sum total of national and local policies, it would be worthwhile to examine which policies may influence the health and social care in adult nursing (Department of Health, 2003). These include Misuse of drugs (Act 1971); infection control, food hygiene, health and safety work (Act 1974); moving, handling, and protection of vulnerable adult and public health disease control (Act 1984); disability discrimination act (Act 1995); data protection act (Act 1998); and over all, the policies in relation to standards of care (Hewitt-Taylor, 2003). The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a vehicle of production and dissemination of evidence-based practice guidelines in order to influence the practice of the healthcare professionals including nurses. NICE provides technical and operational criteria of treatment practices and guidelines for promotion of

Commentary on Testing the Reality Essay Example for Free

Commentary on Testing the Reality Essay This short but powerfully descriptive poem tells the story of a young man who comes to discover just how fragile the boundary between life and death really is. Written in the form of a dramatic lyric, the poem highlights the moment of revelation and reflection as the man realizes his mother hadnt died; instead she had moved on to another place. The themes of death and abandonment are clearly depicted by the poet through the use of tone, setting, rhythm, symbolism, hyperbole, alliteration and time. Through all these methods, the poet builds a sense of sorrow and feeling of utter reliance the narrator has upon his mother. It emphasizes the mans lifelong journey, from a young child learning to count to a fully grown man mourning the death of his 70-year-old mother. As he grows in body and matures in mind, he fills his head with knowledge and pushes at the boundaries of his world, testing it. The name Testing the Reality arises because the son has to face the reality of life, and the deaths that occur in life. The poem takes place in a church, in a funeral set-up, with flocking birds in the sky. We understand this because of the phrase so crammed church roof and belfry. I can comprehend that it is a funeral because the poet relates the hibernation of the birds to a 70 year old woman. The writer also illustrates a picture of a myriad of birds as he writes There must have been 10,000 there or more. Even though he feels immense loneliness and sadness after the passing on of his mother, he is not yet ready to follow her, and must remain in reality, hence he is the last soul still unhatched. The poem begins in the first person as the poet describes his experiences as a boy. We learn that his mother taught him to count to a ragged 20 but no higher. When he was still a boy, the sheer number of birds perching on the belfry exceeded his counting abilities, cramming church roof and belfry, cross and spire. At this later stage in his life, however, it is not due to his counting skills that he cannot count but due to the sheer immeasurable quantity and their uncontrollable, free nature, unable to be caged or catalogued. Their numbers were so great that their final taking off blacked Beestons sky. These birds feature throughout the poem, creating a sense of activity and movement and dramatic symbolism. Here, the black sky symbolises the unfortunate and sad mood. While the flocking birds represent what the man is looking at and his memories of them as a boy, they also have a metaphorical meaning, symbolizing the life and death of his mother. The crossroad of reality and imagery appears in line six with the following alliteration: picketed piercingly the passing of each day. The power of the repeated P sound reflects the sound of the birds cries. In the poets mind, each bird also represents a single day in the life of his mother. In fact, as the second stanza progresses, the birds only exist to measure the accumulated days in the life of the mans mother. Her attraction towards the birds is completed when they suddenly depart, taking her life with them. The shock of the mothers death is so deep that the first person used throughout the first two stanzas is obliterated and transformed into the third person in the last stanza, the man suddenly being referred to as her son. The third stanza also dramatizes the metaphorical blend of his mother and the birds. Death becomes the wings of night, her life becomes the flocking days. Her departure from the earth is an effusion, a release, of all her physical experiences which are soaring away. So significant was she to her son that her departing life blocked the light. In the final line the son becomes an unhatched egg/soul left behind in the clutch or the nest. Having come to associate the birds with his mother, his memories of her are immediately summoned whenever he sees them. She may be dead but she lives on in his memories of the birds. At first they shrilly hailed the first new light they saw, greeting the new day in what initially seems to be an irritating way because they are portrayed as having loud, high-pitched cries that are not particularly pleasant to the ears. However, after his mother dies, and they leave too, he comes to see them in a different light, after they soared away. His opinion of them has now changed and he sees them as graceful and elegant creatures. This imagery also successfully implies life after death, and the setting of the poem becomes important when looked at in this light. A church is a place of peaceful meditation, praying and holiness, a place where the boundaries between the physical and the spiritual, the barriers between life and death, merge. For these reasons it becomes the nest that hatches souls into the heavens. Even though the birds, and the mans mother with them, fly beyond all sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch they do not fly beyond love or memories, instead leaving a path for the man to follow when it is his turn to be hatched. The lesson the mother taught her son began with counting, but ended with a realization of life after death and the possibility of living, in spirit, for infinity.

Economic and monetary union

Economic and monetary union Identify and discuss the costs and benefits of joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Thesis Statement The Economic Monetary Union has been the centre of prolonged debates as to whether a country joining it will either create benefits or drawbacks. During the course of this analytical report, both costs and benefits will be identified and explained in order to judicate the feasibility of joining the EMU and a specific country will be chosen to illustrate this further. Introduction To understand the concept behind the creation of the Economic Monetary Union, the overall objective of the European Union must firstly be understood. Since the end of the World War II, European political forces have been attempting to unite forces in order to escape the extreme forces of nationalism which were seen as unsustainable. Industries were evolving and beginning to compete globally, international trade throughout the globe expanded at an exponential rate and some felt it had to be regulated in order to maximise the gains achievabe. As a result, the European Union was set up in 1993 with X. Its primary principles are of a single market with no barriers to trade in goods and services or to capital and labour movements, competition and social policies, co-ordinated macroeconomic policy and a harmonised fiscal policy. In order to regulate these aspects effectively the EU set up a body named the Economic Monetary Union. This was seen as potentially a contender to the widely trade d and valued US dollar and as the solution to deepening the integration of the European Union. The EMU is characterised by the following policies, policy harmonisation to remove barriers to improve mobility, a common monetary policy which states there is one interest rate and exchange rate policy determined by the Central Bank, fixed exchange rates via the single currency and the pooling of foreign exchange reserves. The evolution of the EMU began in the late 1980s and was characterised by three stages set out by the Delors Report in 1993. The first stage was devoted to ensuring all member states participation in the Exchange Rate Mechanism and improved policy co-ordination and the removal of barriers to capital flows. The second stage consisted of the creation of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) and central banks becoming independent from their national governments (January 1994). Finally the last stage involved fixing the participating currencies and creating the European System of Central Banks which takes over the responsibility for monetary and exchange rate policies and finally the Stability and Growth pact came into force by January of 1999 to ensure member states that do not comply to the EMU principles are fined or sanctioned. During this evolution in 1992 twelve countries signed the Maastricht Treaty, which fundamentally was the root of the introduction of the Euro. During 1992 and 1997 the convergence criteria was set out which stated that in order for a country to join it must have a low and stable inflation, stable exchange rates and stable public finances and by 1999 the countries officially joined the EMU. However as the Euro could not be introduced overnight, there was a transition period in order to allow the member states to adapt to the new currency and after three years, by 2002, the euro was officially the single currency for all European union member states. Initially the transition period was considered a triumph by European Union members, but as individuals (mainly economists) observed the evolution, many critics are still debating whether joining the EMU and endorsing the euro brings success or just adds to the ever amounting issues each member states are already experiencing. This topic will be thoroughly explored throughout the course of this analytical report and a balanced argument will be drawn from the information available as to whether the EMU carries with it primarily, benefits or costs to a member state joining. The Economic Monetary Union is considered to be one of the major steps in integrating a before divided Europe, as people and businesses could begin moving and trading freely as trade barriers were removed, the currency becomes more stable, financial markets are integrated, the cost of exchanging currencies was eliminated, transaction costs reduced and theoretically increased competition between countries which is a driving factor in keeping prices low and productivity high which is both favourable for consumers and businesses. These benefits must be more deeply explored in order to comprehend the extent to which they have aided success or deepened the intricate network in Europe. The success of the EMU has been difficult to quantify as its revolutionary principles have only been recently enforced, however the theoretical benefits are supposed to be more easily identifiable in the long run as more member states join and European integration is extended to particularly the eastern European community. Debra Johnson and Colin Turner state that one of the major benefits, the elimination of transaction costs in intra-EU trade, have only saved 0.5% of the EUs GDP and that SMEs which predominantly serve local markets, will not benefit extensively from this. However as successful SMEs usually have high exports they can expect a favourable return from the introduction of the Euro. The EMU is also responsible for the lowering of interest rates. Various studies suggest that decentralised fiscal policies cause a bias in inflation and public spending (Sibert 1992, Levine 1993, and Levine and Brociner 1994) and therefore are in favour of the co-ordinated fiscal policies in a monetary union. The single European market can bring numerous benefits to a joining country such as the price transparency. It is still considered too early to quantify precisely the degree to which it has helped and many argue that the EMU must speed up the price convergence through enabling consumers to compare prices across member states more easily. This in turn could facilitate a lowering or raising in in labour costs and could change supply patterns resulting in a more stabilised and fair souricng of resources for firms and possibly improve equality throughtout the European union. These benefits are possibly achievable but have not yet been completely achieved as these processes take time and co-operation and some believe these are not present in todays European society as the recession has caused political and financial instability. The EMU has the potential to create extraordinary gains for the member states but these will not be visible or quantifiable in the near future as it is a timely process of evolution, this therefore poses a risk of not only time consumption but also of resources both nationally and individually and along with the few drawbacks of joining the EMU, critics believe the EMU is not the optimum choice for certain countries in Europe. The drawbacks of joining the EMU are considered to not outweigh the benefits by the majority of observers but still must be considered thoroughly before joining a revolutionary body which causes a country to enter a short-term of deflation, the loss of the exchange rate tool which is considered a tool of national economic policy, the potential problems related to a lack of ‘real convergence and potential policy conflicts and finally the inappropriateness of one monetary policy for many states. These will be analysed and explored in order to conclude whether these outweigh the benefits even considering the majority of parties disagree. The main risk of joining the EMU is the differences in trade cycles between countries, this is one of the core reasons as to why the UK is yet to join. European countries have differing economic statuses and languages, which fundamentally are essential in permitting countries to maximise the gains achievable from a single currency. It is therefore argued that more attention needs to be given to how economies can enhance their factor mobility to balance out the differences found in differing countries. Cohesion funds are the possible solution to the problem but today there are still great differences across the member states in terms of economic performance and labour mobility. This raises the legitimate question whether one monetary policy can fit all member states. The globe today is experiencing an economic recession which is highlighted one of the major issues with joiing the Economic Monetary Union as governments from member states are obliged through the stability and growth pact to keep to the Maastricht criteria meaning they cannot regulate or alter fiscal and monetary policies in order to alleviate the problems arising from a receeding economy. Countries would not be able to devalue to boost exports, to borrow more to boost job creation or to decrease taxes because of the public deficit criterion. The most debated issue with joining the economic monetary union is the loss of national sovereignty. This would result in more established and developed states having to co-operate with the less stable and strong economic countries which are more tolerant to higher infation rates. Finally, the last drawback of joining the EMU is the initial cost of introducing the single currency. This issue is mainly debated in the UK as the British Retailing Consortium estimated that British retailers will have to pay between  £1.7 billion and  £3.5 billion in order for the Euro to be introduced. However it is argued that the one off cost does not outweigh the long-term benefits obtainable from the policies and regulation and that if more countries join the EMU these benefits will be amplified even further. Robert Mundell and Abba Lerner(1960s) believed in a currency area. This is a group of countries that maintain their separate currencies but fix the exchange rates between themselves permanently (Nello, 2009:205). The optimal currency region (OCR) is the idealistic view that an entire region sharing a single currency can benefit extensively the efficiency of the member states economies. It states the optimal characteristics needed for a successful economic integration to occur. These are optimal labour mobility across the region, openness with capital mobility and price and wage flexibility across the region and an automatic fiscal transfer mechanism to redistribute money to areas/sectors which have been negatively affected by the first two characteristics. Supportive Evidence The UK has the worlds fourth largest economy and the EUs second largest and is consequently one of the primary targets of speculation as to whether the benefits outweigh the costs of joining the EMU. In 1999, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown said that although the government supported the principle of a single currency, Britain would not join. This decision was based on various factors that could have caused rifts in the country. In terms of trade it was seens as unfeasible to join because the UK has the lowest level of intra-EU trade and therefore is more vulnerable to fluctuations in external countries. The UK is vulnerable compared to the rest of the EU counties to potential unfavourable interest rates set by the Central Bank because it has one of the highest percentages of home owners potentially leaving British mortgage holders in a state of crisis. Another characteristic that lead the UK to not favour the joining of the EMU is its position as an oil producer and ex porter meaning it is harshly affected by changes in oil prices, however as the quantity of oil diminuishes at an ever expanding rate and the gradual transition to more sustainable energy resources means that this is not as important as it was when the EMU was introduced a decage ago. These issues are feasible arguments to the absence of the UK in joining the EMU however as the countries that have joined the EMU continue to attract foreign direct investments, the UK has been threatened by foreign investors that the Eurozone is becoming a more attractive zone to trade with because of its increased stability. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development released information on the World Investment Report in the form of a bar graph clearly illustrating the downward trend of inward FDI of the UK compared to the general upward trend of the countries with the EMU. As clearly illustrated by figure 1.0, the UK continued to attract FDI from 1992 until 2000, where it increased five-fold from 20 billion in 1992-1997 to almost 120 billion U.S dollars in 2000. However by 2003 this figure drastically fell to below 20 billion, which was less that it was almost ten years before. Whilst France, Netherlands, Spain and Ireland all either increased or stabilised by 2000 and resumed until 2003. This is further evidence that the UK should consider joining the EMU, in order to guarantee long-term success. As more countries join, currently 26 today, the EMU is ever closer to achieving an optimal currency area (Mundell, 1973) creating, idealistically speaking, a perfectly harmonized economy and resulting in countries flourishing. Conclusion In a perfect world, the EMUs potential benefits would be endless but due to unforeseeable fluctuations in economies, labour mobility, and personal matters it is difficult to quantify the benefits and costs of joining the EMU. Especially with the recent economic downturn the risk of joining the EMU has been even more re-considered by certain countries especially the U.K. However these drawbacks are limited and do not outweigh the vast benefits achievable from embracing a single currency and single European market as it would guarantee to a certain extent the long-term success of a country as harmonization and stabilisation will cause consumers to be given better prices and businesses to trade more efficiently creating a, arguably, more competent country. Establishment of the Maastricht Treaty which was signed by twelve countries in 1992, which set out the convergence criteria, ultimat The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 established a single currency, the euro, and on January 1st 2002, the EMU began using the euro.The EMU was created in 1992 It has stringent conditions and objectives which countries have to meet via signing the Maastricht Treaty. With joining the EMU, the euro must be endorsed and therefore the monetary policies become the responsibility of the European Central Bank and national central banks of member states. Essentially they are co-ordinating the monetary and fiscal aspects of the member countries. Sovereignty

Postmodern Poetry - Confessional Poets Essay -- essays research papers

Postmodern Poetry - Confessional Poets With World War II finally over and a chapter in history written, the next chapter is about to begin. The twentieth century brings with it a new literary movement called postmodern, where poetry is "breaking from modernism" and taking on a whole new style Within postmodern poetry emerge confessional poets whom remove the mask that has masked poetry from previous generations and their writings become autobiographical in nature detailing their life's most intense personal experiences, therefore becoming the focus of their work. Considered to be the "mainstream of postmodern poetry" confessional poetry did not hit its peak until the late twentieth century. Confessional poetry is in direct contrast to the poetry of William Butler Yeats. Yeats poetry, Romantic in nature, depended on symbols and images to convey his themes. Confessional poetry is very direct and conveys the inner most feelings of the post modern poets. The twentieth century brought forth many confessional and post confessional poets who appeared to be embarking on unmarked territory. Confessional poets Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roehtke and post confessional poet Adreinne Rich all dealt with taboo subjects. Their life held an intensity of personal experience that became the focus of their work. Confessional poetry does not simply touch upon emotion. Confessional poetry allows emotion or looks at emotion through an examining eye rather to drive poems, permeating each poem with an air of necessity, the necessity of conv eying and aiming to understand emotion through confession. Postmodern poet, Robert Lowell's poetry really captures the true essence of confessional poetry by sharing his own raw emotions with the reader. The mask that once was placed upon the influence of the symbolist, Eliot and Pound, Lowell removes. The speaker of his poems is unequivocally himself. Lowell does not spare himself in his poetry. In his poem "Man and Wife" he deals directly with his own marriage. The reader gets grotesque glimpses into his marital life. He begins "Tamed by Miltown, we lie on mother's bed." And later tells how "All night I have held your hand,/ as if you had/ a fourth time faced the kingdom of the mad-/ its hackney... ...bsp;The thing itself and not the myth. Diving deep into the inner most recesses of her self, exploring the wreck of her own life, Rich feels compelled to map the geography of her self. Rich declares in a forward to her poems "with the failure of patriarchal politics" and "to be a woman at this time" is to know extraordinary forms of anger, joy, and impatience, love and hope. Poetry, words on paper, are necessary but not enough; we need to touch the living who share†¦ our determination that the sexual myths underlying the human condition can and shall be †¦ changed. Rich's work is personal, intimate and confessional. Confessional and post confessional poets clearly chose to write about subjects that were taboo. That took their private lives and deep inner thoughts and made them public. Confessional poets took the baton from the moderns such as Yeat's and Eliot and took poetry to another whole level. They opened up their heart, mind and feelings to a society that was able to relate.

Federalizing Aiports Essay -- Airport Security Government control Essa

Federalizing Aiports On September 11th, 2001, the United States was dealt a devastating blow when our own airplanes were used as weapons of a terrorist attack. Within just days of the attack our nations leaders began debating over how we could solve our airport security problems. As citizens of the United States were avoiding airports, because they did not seem safe, the House and the Senate of the United States Congress argued whether or not airport security staff should become federal employees. The United States House representatives, and President George W. Bush, disagree with the fact that airport security should be federalized. After evaluating the Senates proposal the House found many reasons as to why federalizing airport security is not logical. The proposal to federalize appeared to present many flaws. The fact that the proposition "concentrates on passengers and ignores the thousands of caterers, cleaners, refuelers and others with access to airports and jets who lack mandatory background checks or ID cards" (Why Federalizing Airport Security is a Bad Thing). With insufficient knowledge of the employees background or identification, another travesty, much like September 11th could occur whether security is federalized or not. The Senates solution to make one set of standards for the employees concerns the House. With the so-called "one size fits all" plan, there would be deficient security at many airports, because the sizes of our airports greatly vary. If standard s were set to secure all major airports, such as Chicago OHare and John F. Kennedy airport in New York, then many small airports would be overwhelmed by the amount of security they are required to have. As the House stated "a one size fits all soluti... ...h government intervention, the interests of the House will also be met by not forcing all airports to federalize their employees. Works Cited Book sources Hahn, Robert. Risks, costs, and lives saved: getting better results from regulation. New York: Oxford University Press; Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 1996. Internet sources The Case Against Federalizing Airport Security. 20 October 2001. Richard W. Rahn. 13 November 2002. <http://www.cat.org/cgi-bin/scripts/printtech.cgi/dailys/10-20-01.html>. Senator Clinton Calls on Congress To Adopt Senate Bill Federalizing Airport Security. 6 November 2001. Last viewed: 13 November 2002. <http://clinton.senate.gov/news/2001/11/2001B07603.html>. Why Federalizing Airport Security Is A Bad Idea. 24 October 2001. Daily Policy Digest. 13 November 2002. <http://www.ncpa.org/iss/ter/2001/pd102401a.html>.

Commentary on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

This passage comes from the first chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Huckleberry is explaining how life is with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. He is describing one evening at his new home in their company. This section serves to characterize the two ladies, to foreshadow some events that will happen later in the novel, to create a mood of death, to reinforce the theme of death and rebirth, and to characterize Huckleberry. At the beginning of the passage, Huck describes Miss Watson as a deeply religious person. She talks about the â€Å"good place† (3), as a reward for â€Å"sivilized† people. Twain satirizes religion when the widow says that all a body does in heaven is play the â€Å"harp and sing forever and ever† (3). Indeed, why would she want to sing endlessly once she is dead? But because of Huck’s pure heart, he â€Å"didn’t think much of it† (3). All he wants is to be with Tom Sawyer. So even at the beginning of the story, Huck is already rejecting society because he does not care about going to heaven. In addition, Miss Watson is mean toward Huck. She keeps â€Å"pecking† (3) at him. The word â€Å"pecking† is very important in this passage because it compares Miss Watson as a bird that strikes with its beak. This comparison suggests that Miss Watson is a nag and that her constant criticism is painful to Huck. With the help of Huckâ₠¬â„¢s description, the reader can infer that the two ladies are civilized and educated, but surprisingly, when it comes to slaves, they lose all of their humanity and just â€Å"fetched the niggers in and had prayers† (3). They treat them no better than they would treat animals. Their behavior toward slaves demonstrates how superficial and hypocritical they are. In addition, Mark Twain foreshadows death, which will happen later in the book. For example, when Huck goes up to his room, he feels â€Å"lonesome† (3), he wishes he were dead. In this passage, Twain emphasizes the theme of Huck’s quest for freedom. Huck has a need for liberty. Since he is stuck in a house he feels â€Å"tiresome† (3), and locked in. The author also uses many morbid words to foreshadow death, such as â€Å"mournful†, â€Å"dead†, â€Å"crying†, â€Å"die†, â€Å"shivers†, â€Å"ghosts†, â€Å"grave† and â€Å"grieving† (3). As a result, the death imagery and diction creates a dreadful mood.

How to Be a Football Player

How to be a Football Player Football has always been America’s natural past time. Many fans love watching football but do not realize how hard it is to prepare for a football season. Most fans think the players just show up on the one day and perform. This belief is completely false. Preparing for a football season requires much preparation. The preparation for most football players usually includes working on strength, conditioning, and fundamentals of the game. These steps are necessary for football players to have a successful season.These steps have proven to be a valuable aid in helping players such as myself prepare for the season. I believe these steps are the basic steps to becoming a great Football player. The first step to becoming a great football player is working to improve your conditioning. Conditioning is basically a way of improving your body’s endurance resistance and overall athleticism. To improve your conditioning you start off running for multiple times daily. Every second of the day you spend running your increasing your athleticism and the condition your body is in which is a very valuable concept in any sport.The more u condition the more your body will be able to endure and endurance is a big part in football if you plan to stay on the field. By increasing the condition your body is you will have set your self up in improve your physicality, endurance, and mentality. Next, you should start working out using weights to improve your chances for success in the upcoming season. I believe that this step puts you ahead of the other athletes. A strict weight training schedule has allowed many athletes to stay in top shape throughout the years.This second step is imperative to becoming a successful football player is by increasing your strength. Strength is just important as conditioning because football is game of physicality. To improve your strength you can start off with push ups dips and sits to get your body toned up. After toning your body that’s when you start lifting weights to build lean muscle instead of toning up your muscles. Weights lifting include exercises such bench press, squats, and leg presses etc. Every work out in the weight room improves different parts of the body like you chest, calves, triceps, biceps, forearms etc.By working on all these body parts different days of the week such as Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays you will continue to develop strength and your body mass. The final step in preparing for the upcoming season and being successful in football is being prepared mentally. Being mentally prepared consists of four things concentration, confidence, control and commitment. Football requires concentration because you have to be able to focus on the task that is at hand. Football requires confidence because you have to believe you achieve a certain goal then go achieve it.Control is also a part of the mental process because an athlete's ability to maintain control of th eir emotions in the face of adversity and remain positive is essential to successful performance. The fourth and final asset of the mental process is commitment, there is an insurmountable amount of things you have to remember in football and a football players performance depends on the athlete being fully committed to the game and his team if the player plans on being successful at the game. As much emphasis as athletes put on the physical aspect of the game the mental part is just as important.Football Consist of plays, assignments, coverage’s and a thousand other things that you have to be cognizant of. In conclusion, I feel that preparing to be a great football player requires much preparation. It’s not enough to just play the game you have to understand the game and how much dedication and preparation goes into the game. You have to have a great amount of endurance, strength, speed and commitment to play this sport. Once you connect all of the pieces to the puzzl e you will be a football player.

Health & Safety

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Under this Act, the employer, the workers and the individuals being supported have responsibilities to ensure safety is maintained in the workplace. Your employer should display a copy of this Act on their main premises. The main purpose of the legislation is:†¢To secure the health, safety and welfare of people at work †¢To protect others from risks arising from the activities of people at work †¢To control the use and storage of dangerous substances †¢To control the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substancesOther key pieces of legislation that sit alongside and support the Health and Safety at Work Act are:†¢The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 emphasize what employers are required to achieve under the Health and Safety at Work Act. †¢The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (kn own as COSHH) require employers to control substances that can harm workers' health. †¢The Manual Handling Regulations 1992 sets out requirements for manual handling and moving and handling of people.†¢The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (known as RIDDOR) sets out what needs to be reported.My employer has policies and procedures covering a wide range of health and safety subjects to incorporate the legal requirements. Here are some of the policies and procedures:†¢Personal safety and lone working †¢Fire safety †¢Food safety and hygiene †¢What to do in the event of an emergency †¢Risk assessments †¢Smoking at work †¢Use of chemicals and waste disposal †¢Moving and handling of people and objects †¢Personal hygiene †¢Infection control †¢Security measures and visitorsIn health and safety my responsibilities are:†¢Take reasonable care of your health and safety †¢Take reas onable care not to put other people, including other employees and members of the public at risk by what you do or don’t do at work †¢Co-operate with your employer making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow your organisation’s health and safety policies †¢Not to interfere with or misuse anything that’s been provided for your health, safety or welfare †¢Tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work, for example becoming pregnant or sustaining an injury†¢Not to undertake any health and safety tasks that you haven’t been trained forIn health and safety my employer’s responsibilities are:†¢Provide a safe workplace †¢Give information on health and safety †¢Provide free health and safety training †¢Make sure you can enter and leave the workplace safely †¢In health and safety the individuals you support’s responsibilities are: †¢Follow health a nd safety advice given to them †¢Co-operate with you to use appropriate equipment safely †¢Take reasonable care of their own health and safety †¢Without the correct level of training you are not allowed to carry out certain tasks relating to health and safety.Here are a few examples:†¢Moving and handling †¢Administering medication †¢Emergency first aid †¢Giving injections †¢Peg feeding †¢Colostomy †¢Fighting fireIf you are unsure about what you can and cannot do, you must discuss this with your Proprietor or manager. Health & Safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Under this Act, the employer, the workers and the individuals being supported have responsibilities to ensure safety is maintained in the workplace. Your employer should display a copy of this Act on their main premises. The main purpose of the legislation is:†¢To secure the health, safety and welfare of people at work †¢To protect others from risks arising from the activities of people at work †¢To control the use and storage of dangerous substances †¢To control the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substancesOther key pieces of legislation that sit alongside and support the Health and Safety at Work Act are:†¢The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 emphasize what employers are required to achieve under the Health and Safety at Work Act. †¢The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (kn own as COSHH) require employers to control substances that can harm workers' health. †¢The Manual Handling Regulations 1992 sets out requirements for manual handling and moving and handling of people.†¢The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (known as RIDDOR) sets out what needs to be reported.My employer has policies and procedures covering a wide range of health and safety subjects to incorporate the legal requirements. Here are some of the policies and procedures:†¢Personal safety and lone working †¢Fire safety †¢Food safety and hygiene †¢What to do in the event of an emergency †¢Risk assessments †¢Smoking at work †¢Use of chemicals and waste disposal †¢Moving and handling of people and objects †¢Personal hygiene †¢Infection control †¢Security measures and visitorsIn health and safety my responsibilities are:†¢Take reasonable care of your health and safety †¢Take reas onable care not to put other people, including other employees and members of the public at risk by what you do or don’t do at work †¢Co-operate with your employer making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow your organisation’s health and safety policies †¢Not to interfere with or misuse anything that’s been provided for your health, safety or welfare †¢Tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work, for example becoming pregnant or sustaining an injury†¢Not to undertake any health and safety tasks that you haven’t been trained forIn health and safety my employer’s responsibilities are:†¢Provide a safe workplace †¢Give information on health and safety †¢Provide free health and safety training †¢Make sure you can enter and leave the workplace safely †¢In health and safety the individuals you support’s responsibilities are: †¢Follow health a nd safety advice given to them †¢Co-operate with you to use appropriate equipment safely †¢Take reasonable care of their own health and safety †¢Without the correct level of training you are not allowed to carry out certain tasks relating to health and safety. Here are a few examples: †¢Moving and handling †¢Administering medication †¢Emergency first aid †¢Giving injections †¢Peg feeding †¢Colostomy †¢Fighting fireIf you are unsure about what you can and cannot do, you must discuss this with your Proprietor or manager.

Whether The Discipline Of Accounting Can Be Classified As A Science Accounting Essay

The issue at manus is to find whether the subject of accounting can be classified as a scientific discipline, or non. In order for me to organize an sentiment on the above stated affair, I would hold to take a closer expression at, foremost the term accounting, and secondly the construct of scientific discipline. Many good weather-beaten research workers have looked at constructs associating to my subject in recent history. I will take into consideration their ideas and findings in an effort to come to my ain decision. Science: The word scientific discipline comes from the Latin word â€Å" scientia, † intending cognition. How do we specify scientific discipline? Harmonizing to Webster ‘s New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of scientific discipline is â€Å" cognition attained through survey or pattern. † What does that truly intend? Science refers to a system of geting cognition. This system uses observation and experimentation to depict and explicate natural phenomena. The term scientific discipline besides refers to the organized organic structure of cognition people have gained utilizing that system. Less officially, the word scientific discipline frequently describes any systematic field of survey or the cognition gained from it. What is the intent of scientific discipline? Possibly the most general description is that the intent of scientific discipline is to bring forth utile theoretical accounts of world. Science as defined above is sometimes called pure scientific discipline to distinguish it from applied scientific discipline, which is the application of research to human demands. William claude dukenfields of scientific discipline are normally classified along two major lines: A A A – Natural scientific disciplines: The survey of the natural universe, and A A A – Social scientific disciplines: The systematic survey of human behavior and society. In modern times, the term scientific discipline is frequently treated as synonymous with ‘natural and physical scientific discipline ‘ , and hence restricted to those subdivisions of survey that relate to the phenomena of the material existence and their Torahs. As clip progressed it became more common to mention to natural doctrine as â€Å" natural scientific discipline † . Over the class of the nineteenth century, the word â€Å" scientific discipline † became progressively associated with the disciplined survey of the natural universe including natural philosophies, chemical science, geology and biological science. This sometimes left the survey of human idea and society in a proficient quandary, which was resolved by sorting these countries of academic survey as societal scientific discipline. Similarly, several other major countries of disciplined survey and cognition exist today under the general term of â€Å" scientific discipline † , such as formal scientific discipline and applied scientific discipline. Accounting: Harmonizing to the book Investerwords, Accounting can be defined as the systematic recording, coverage, and analysis of fiscal minutess of a concern. The individual in charge of accounting is known as an comptroller, and this person is typically required to follow a set of regulations and ordinances, such as the International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) . Accounting allows a company to analyse the fiscal public presentation of the concern, and expression at statistics such as net net income. Accounting is defined by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ( AICPA ) as â€Å" the art of recording, classifying, and sum uping in a important mode and in footings of money, minutess and events which are, in portion at least, of fiscal character, and construing the consequences thereof. † Accounting is 1000s of old ages old ; the earliest accounting records day of the month back more than 7,000 old ages. Early histories served chiefly to help the memory of the concern individual and the audience for the history was the owner or record keeper entirely. Cruder signifiers of accounting were unequal for the jobs created by a concern entity affecting multiple investors, so double-entry clerking foremost emerged in northern Italy in the fourteenth century, where trading ventures began to necessitate more capital than a individual person was able to put. The development of joint stock companies created wider audiences for histories, as investors without firsthand cognition of their operations relied on histories to supply the needed information. This development resulted in a split of accounting systems for internal ( i.e. direction accounting ) and external ( i.e. fiscal accounting ) purposes, and later besides in accounting and revelation ordinances and a turning demand fo r independent attestation of external histories by hearers. Today, accounting is called â€Å" the linguistic communication of concern † because it is the vehicle for describing fiscal information about a concern entity to many different groups of people. Accounting that concentrates on describing to people inside the concern entity is called direction accounting and is used to supply information to employees, directors, owner-managers and hearers. Management accounting is concerned chiefly with supplying a footing for doing direction or operating determinations. Accounting that provides information to people outside the concern entity is called fiscal accounting and provides information to show and possible stockholders, creditors such as Bankss or sellers, fiscal analysts, economic experts, and authorities bureaus. Because these users have different demands, the presentation of fiscal histories is really structured and capable to many more regulations than direction accounting. The organic structure of regulations that governs fiscal accounting is called International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) . What does other research workers say on the subject: Over many old ages philosophers have been debating on what the standard of scientific discipline should be in hopes that this standards could be used for at least two intents: foremost, to separate scientific discipline from common sense cognition ( without claiming that the two are radically disjunctive. In some instances they may differ merely in grade, non in sort ) ; 2nd, to separate that which is scientific from that which is non-scientific or unscientific. Many philosophers have proposed different standards. One of these philosophers is Herbert Feigl. In the book Introductory Readings in the Doctrine of Science by Klemke, Hollinger and Klein ( 1980 ) , Feigl ‘s 5 standards, which can be found throughout his Hagiographas and talks, is discussed and listed as follows: Intersubjective testability. This refers to the possibility of being, in rule, capable of documentation or â€Å" check-up † by anyone ; hence, private intuition must be excluded. Dependability. This refers to that which, when put to a trial, turns out to be true, or at least to be that which we can most moderately believe to be true. Testing is non plenty. Feigl wants theories which, when tested, are found to be true. Definiteness and preciseness. This refers to the remotion of vagueness and ambiguity. We seek, for illustration, constructs which are definite and bounded. We are frequently helped here by measuring. Coherence or systematic character. This refers to the organisational facet of a theory. A set of staccato statements is non every bit fruitful as one which has systematic character. It besides refers to the remotion of, or being free from, contradictoriness. Comprehensiveness or range. This refers to our attempt to achieve a continual addition in the completeness of our cognition and besides to our seeking theories which have the maximal explanatory power. For illustration, to account for things which other theories do non account for. Michael Power has written extensively on the subject of accounting as a scientific discipline. In his book From scientific discipline of histories to fiscal answerability of scientific discipline he writes that for many old ages fiscal accounting discourse had been concerned with the nature of economic measuring, in peculiar income acknowledgment and plus rating. He besides states that as academic accounting established itself, it was possibly inevitable that these inquiries should get an epistemic spirit. In his book, Power besides refers to another philosopher, Paul Miranti. Miranti explores the thought of â€Å" scientific accounting † in the early old ages of the American accounting profession. These early contemplations represent efforts to raise accounting and audit patterns beyond the position of trade cognition and to link them with comparatively established signifiers of scientific thought. Harmonizing to subsequently theoreticians such as Ray Chambers and Robert Ster ling accounting pattern suffered and continues to endure from the permeant subjectiveness of its calculating operations. In their position, accounting pattern could go more scientific merely by refering itself with the nonsubjective economic measuring of the independent phenomena. Ray Chambers had a womb-to-tomb aspiration to change over accounting into a pure scientific discipline. Unfortunately he became so captive with this political orientation that he failed to see accounting as an applied scientific discipline, one that will ne'er be able to mensurate up to criterions known from the pure and strict scientific disciplines. Last, I want to mention to the early Hagiographas of Earl Saliers. In 1941 he wrote in The Accounting Review that accounting and economic sciences are by and large considered to be societal scientific disciplines. This indicates to me that the specific subject has been debated and written about for many decennaries. Decision: After taking into history everything that I have read, I have to organize the sentiment that accounting decidedly classifies as a signifier of scientific discipline. When using the subject of accounting to Feigl ‘s standards it decidedly meets the demands. The accounting pattern is really dependable. It is a systematic application of certain rules which can be applied numerously with precisely the same result, doing the subject really definite and precise. Accounting besides requires a strong footing of cognition which is another indicant that it is in line with the definition of a scientific discipline. In my sentiment nevertheless, it is really difficult to sort all facets of accounting as a pure scientific discipline. My concluding decision therefore has to be that accounting can be regarded as an applied scientific discipline, where cognition and systems are combined and applied in order to organize a subject which forms the nucleus of all concern traffics and record maintaining minutess.