Octavia Butler Essay - 3243 Words

Table of Contents Page 1. A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH OCTAVIA E. BUTLER Page 2 - 4. Biography Page 5 - 9. Synopsis Page 9 - 14. Analysis of Criticism Page 14 – 15. Influences on Society Page 16. Footnotes Page 17. Bibliography A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH OCTAVIA E. BUTLER 1. Who is Octavia E. Butler? Where is she headed? Where has she been? Who am I? Im a 51-year-old writer who can remember being a 10-year-old writer and who expects someday to be an 80-year-old writer. Im also comfortably asocial - a hermit living in a city-a pessimist, a student, endlessly curious; a feminist; and African-American; a former Baptist; and an oil-and-water†¦show more content†¦Shortly after Butler was born, her father died leaving Butlers mother and grandmother to raise her. Octavia’s mother used to read her bedtime stories until she was six years old. As soon as she got to like the stories, her mother said, â€Å"Heres the book. Now you read.† She didnt know what she was setting her both up for. Just at the age of ten Octavia began to write short stories of fiction. Octavia lived most of her life in Pasadena. All through Junior High and High School, even college, Butler was a very shy person. She would not get up in front of class to do anything, her teacher’s thought this was because she didnt do the work and was unprepared. One time, she even went as far as to record her presentation on a tape and turn that in instead. During her years in school, there were three teachers who made a critical difference in Butlers development. The first was Butlers home economics teacher in seventh grade, Miss Peters. Peters took the time to read 2 Butlers stories and offer encouragement. The second teacher was Mr. Pfaff, an eighth grade science teacher who typed her first story, quot;typed it the way it was supposed to be, with no holes erased into the paper. He even corrected my terrible spelling and punctuation. The third teacher was Butlers first Black teacher. Miss Buggs taught ninth grade English, social studies, and drama. Butler remembers her as the only teacher who truly understood how muchShow MoreRelatedMy Creation Of A Soundtrack For Octavia E. Butler s Parable Of The Sower2146 Words   |  9 Pagesparticular emotions. A good soundtrack not only allows for the listener to understand the film better, but it should also bring to mind particular scenes, images, or characters. Soundtracks for books can do the same. In my creation of a soundtrack for Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, I strove to encompass Lauren’s journey throughout the novel and the various emotions that she experiences. Lauren wr ites about her experiences, and therefore, her reactions become central to the audiences’ feelingRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler Essay1434 Words   |  6 Pagessignificant other? In the novel Kindred, by Octavia Butler, Rufus learns this the hard way, after inheriting power over slaves; he was caught between love and reality. Where Alice, the one Rufus loved, was in love with another man; but Rufus being the slave owner, had the power to make her love him†¦or so he thought. Love/power can make you do some of the most questionable acts in life, just as it did to Rufus and Alice in the bygone days of slavery. Octavia Butler shows us the compelling force that overtakesRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler Essay1679 Words   |  7 PagesIn Octavia Butler’s novel Kindred, she creates a unique science fiction, first person slave narrative that illustrates the structures designed by white people to suppress black people in America. Just as other slave narratives, her novel helps bring remembrance to slavery and how it is still apparent in today’s society. Butlers makes it clear in her book that white people were able to gain their power by the establishment of a racial hierarchy and an additional marginalization of black women, whichRead MoreKindred by Octavia Butler671 Words   |  3 Pagesperiod of time by examining a fiction novel. Ironically, some argue fiction can educate us about part of our life by enabling us to relate and empathize. I a m certain that many people can learn factual items in fictional stories. In Kindred, by Octavia Butler, the near death experiences of Rufus Weylin transported an African American woman named Dana from 1976, to the antebellum south to gain an unbelievable experience of what it is like to have been a slave. Through her daily life on the Weylin plantationRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler1527 Words   |  7 Pagessame frame of reference because perspective varies from person to person. All human beings have experienced their own experiences and have backgrounds that, at times, play a great role in molding who that individual is. In the book Kindred by Octavia Butler, this notion of varying perspectives is tackled very head onwards. Kindred is primarily about a a young black women named Dana living in the 1970’s with her husband Kevin, an older white man. The whole story is centered around Dana and her experiencesRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler1061 Words   |  5 Pages Published June 1971,Octavia Butler’s science fiction narrative, Kindred, gives a glimpse into how life was for African Americans during slavery in the Antebellum South. Kindred serves as a time portal between the 1800s and the year 1976. As the main character Dana goes from an 1800’s plantation to her home in 1976 it is obvious that time period changed, however being that Dana is constantly back and forth between the two times, she is able to see exactly how drastic the change was and what libertiesRead More`` Kindred, By Octavia Butler1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred, Butler presents to the reader the controversial character of Rufus Weylin, a white plantation owner who is also the ancestor of the novel’s protagonist, Dana. As the story progresses, Rufus commits various heinous and agreeable acts that would have the reader question his innate goodness, or lack thereof. Butler never explicitly states whether Rufus is naturally good or inherently evil, but, through a number of incidents that merge to illustrate his true characterRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler Essay1556 Words   |  7 Pagesthe novel Kindred, by Octavia Butler, the main character Dana is exposed to the brutality and exhausting existence inflicted on slaves in the 1800’s. Through intentionally suppressive measures, slave owners used a series of methods to control and manipulate an entire race of people into submission. Dana describes this process as dulling and her experiences haunt her as she is slowly broken down. â€Å"See how easily slave are made?† (Butler 177) her thoughts say; this is Butler attempting to illustrateRead More Kindred by Octavia Butler Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesKindred by Octavia Butler Octavia Butler’s novel Kindred is categorized as science fiction because of the existence of time travel. However, the novel does not center on the schematics of this type of journey. Instead, the novel deals with the relationships forged between a Los Angeles woman from the 20th century, and slaves from the 19th century. Therefore, the mechanism of time travel allows the author a sort of freedom when writing this slavery narrative apart from her counterparts. Butler is ableRead More`` Bloodchild `` By Octavia Butler834 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Bloodchild† is a story that pushes the limits of humankind, creating blurry interpretations of good and evil that challenges everyday societal norms. Octavia Butler takes a traditional action-filled story and twists it into an unexpected and intensified tale. Through this heightened piece of work, the most compelling argument can be found from the structure of the narrative itself. From the first-person narrative, readers are able to receive first hand perspective in which no omniscience of any

John B. Updikes Short Story Trust Me - 980 Words

John B. Updike is a novelist, poet, short story author, playwright, children’s book author, literary critic, art critic, and essayist. Updike is one of the world’s most versatile, serious, and prolific writers. Though his writing style and subjects vary greatly, he is committed to addressing the moral, social, and cultural conditions of his generation. Updike was born on March 18, 1932 and raised in a small town by the name of Shillington, Pennsylvania, right outside of Reading. He lived there as an only child, until the age of thirteen. As he grew older, he attended Harvard University, where he majored in English and contributed to and later edited the Harvard Lampoon. In 1955 he married his first wife Mary Pennington, with whom he†¦show more content†¦In the story the main character, Harold, was married twice and in Updike’s life he was married twice. John and Harold also both only had children with their first wives. John Updike grew up in the northeast part of America, as did Harold. As John Updike’s children grew up with divorced parents I’m sure there were many trust issues within the family, this relates back to â€Å"Trust Me† because Harold’s children had trust issues with him on account of the divorce from his first wife as well. There are many ideas this story portrays that lead the reader back to the idea that John Updike’s â€Å"Trust Me† is really about his own life. Being known primarily as a fiction writer, Updike’s readers may believe that everything he writes has no relation to his life or the people in it. Just because he is known as a writer of fiction doesn’t mean that’s all he writes. Having wrote over 50 books and short stories, I’m sure at least one of his ideas were about his life in some way. Since â€Å"Trust Me† was written in the time period of the twentieth century, and all of Updike’s related works were fi ction and made up readers believed that â€Å"Trust Me† was as well. People believe â€Å"Trust Me† is a made up story that has no correspondence to Updike’s real life. Since Updike is one of the greatest American fiction writers of his generation, and he was the most written about living American novelist of his time, people believe that he onlyShow MoreRelatedANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesthat may prove helpful. PLOT The Elements of Plot When we refer to the plot of a work of fiction, then, we are referring to the deliberately arranged sequence of interrelated events that constitute the basic narrative structure of a novel or a short story. Events of any kind, of course, inevitably involve people, and for this reason it is virtually impossible to discuss plot in isolation from character. Character and plot are, in fact, intimately and reciprocally related, especially in modern fiction

A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery OConnor Essay Example For Students

A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery OConnor Essay A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery OConnorA Good Man Is Hard To Find, by Flannery OConnor, presents many topics that can be discussed and debated. Christianity is one of the main topics that influence this paper and its meaning. The exploration for the meaning of the Christian faith is continuous throughout OConnors paper. Christianity is filled with sin and punishment, good and evil, belief and unbelief, but grandmother fully tells her opinion as she tries to convince The Misfit that he is a good Christian man before he kills her. Foreshadowing, personification, and the meaning of religion are all main points effecting the reader as they interpret this story. Foreshadowing is one of the most prominent elements of speech throughout the story. Grandmother says, in the beginning of the story, I wouldnt take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldnt answer to my conscience if I did (OConnor 1063). This is only the beginning of grandmas ironic statements that later come true with an eerie frequency. Grandmother seems not to want to go on the trip, but the next morning is the first out to the car, ready to go. The quotation above demonstrates how the grandmother has absolutely no control over the family. She truly thinks that what she says will sway the decision of the true decision-maker, Bailey. As the story continues to develop, grandmother becomes more hypocritical. Grandmother says, In my time, children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then. Oh look at the cute little pickaninny! (OConnor 1065) This quote illustrates what a hypocrite gra ndmother really has become. She is scolding her kids to be more respectable and then all the sudden sees a black boy and makes fun of him. The foreshadowing continues as the grandmother speaks up again to ask the question, Yes and what would you do if this fellow, The Misfit, caught you?(OConnor 1064) She has no idea how true this statement will become in just a few short hours. Everything that grandmother says early on in the story, in someway, comes true later on in the story. Its almost like God is listening to every word that grandmother says and makes it come true. Also, one of the most ironic happenings in the story is when each time a number becomes relevant to the story, it always happens to be five or six.This is also the number of people in the family. The grandmother never had a more true statement then when she described the plantation from Gone with the Wind (OConnor 1065). Another on of the most prevalent figures of speech throughout the story is personification. Everything throughout the story is personified. The most commonly personified item is trees. All at once they would be on a hill, looking down over the blue tops of the tress for miles around, then the next minute, they would be in a red depression with the dust-covered trees looking down on them (OConnor 1068). The trees are looking over the family. Its almost like God is looking over the family himself. God realizes that this family must be punished somehow for not realizing that he is their Supreme Being. Throughout the story, trees are personified while surrounding the family. The most ironic part of OConnors personification of the trees is the final killing spot of the whole family is the trees. I think the trees are reminiscent of Gods children. The whole family, except grandmother, is killed among the trees. All the killings are among Gods children. OConnor is trying to make us realize that no matter what we do in life, we are among God and his children. Christianity is laced throughout the whole story. Almost every figure of speech, action, or quote from the story is laced with influence by some form of religion. The grandmother is described as a perfect, almost God-like figure. The old lady settled herself comfortable, removing her white cotton gloves and putting them up with her purse on the shelf in front of the back window. The childrens mother still had on slacks and still had her head tied up in a green kerchief, but the grandmother had on a navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white violets on the brim and a navy blue dress with a small white dot in the print. Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady (OConnor 1064). .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .postImageUrl , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:hover , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:visited , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:active { border:0!important; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:active , .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32 .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua49aed60663239d3c91cc8cb4afc2f32:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Its a right handed world EssayMy personal feelings swayed often throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, I thought grandmother was a religious person through and through. Her outer appearance has an impression at the beginning of the story. Her clothing, her perfection, and her attitude are perceived as a truly religious person. As the story goes on, her attitude changes. She projects an aura of holiness, while at the same time making fun of the little pickaninny standing in the doorway. The most important and most dramatic part of the story is the grandmothers total transformation while facing her final moments of her life. She is facing The Misfit after the r est of the family has been taken into the woods and killed. The Misfit is reminiscing on his life with his mother and father. The grandmother is listening to the whole story about his life and at the same moment, grandmothers head clear for an instant. She saw the mans face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured, Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children! She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest. The he put his gun down on the ground and took of his glasses and began to clean them (OConnor 1074). The grandmother realized that everyone is a child from God above. She wants The Misfit to realize God forgives everyone and is saved by the grace of God.No matter what people have done in their life, God gives us his grace and forgives us in time of need. The grandmother needed this epiphany to occur to realize this free gift from God. The grandmother wants The Misfit to recognize this present from God before his time for death comes around. Grandmother would have acted like a new person if she had realized that God forgave her for everything she did wrong in her life. She didnt understand that she didnt have to act like a saint to get in good with God.Flannery OConnor says, herself, if I took out this gesture and what she says with it, I would have no story (OConnor 1551). I, along with OConnor, agree that this is the most influential part of the story. Without this part of the story, Christianity would have fewer ties to the entire story. To many people, Christianity has ties to every part of life. Throughout this story, Christianity has relations with many things. Flannery OConnor connected religion in many different and unique ways. The personification and foreshadowing throughout the story are filled with religious links. Works CitedOConnor, Flannery. The Element of Suspense in A Good Man Is Hard To Find. The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 4th ed. Ed. Ann Charter. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martins Press. 1995. 1549-1552. OConnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard To Find. The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 4th ed. Ed. Ann Charter. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martins Press. 1995. 1063-1074.

These 10 Study Hacks Will Change Your Life

Let’s face it: studying sucks. Whether you’re studying for a huge exam or a little quiz, buckling down to study and focus isn’t exactly at the top of your list of things to do. With a seemingly endless list of distractions, it’s not exactly easy to set everything aside and devote all of your attention to notes and books. And for whatever reason, no matter how hard you try, studying never gets easier. If you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open and glued to the text, here are 10 hacks to help keep your studying game strong. 1. Use an online flashcard site, like Quizlet or Cram. Not only can you create your own cards and decks, you can find study materials through the community of premade flashcards. You’ll help yourself, help others, and find new ways to learn that you might not have thought of otherwise. 2. Looking for practice tests? Use Google, it’s your friend. Search â€Å"site:edu subject exam†, and you’ll find old exams from various schools and colleges made by actual teachers and professors. It’s a great way to practice, especially if you time yourself. 3. Take notes for yourself, for someone else. Okay, I know that sounds confusing. But what it really means is simple: when you take notes in class, pretend you’re actually taking them for someone else. That way, you’ll force yourself to be much clearer and organized. I mean, who wants to read your jumbled, half-paying-attention notes anyways? 4. Force yourself away from the internet. There are so many distractions out there (I’m talking to you, Reddit). Luckily, there are programs you can download that actually prevent you from visiting the sites you tell it to block. That way, even if you find yourself drifting, social media will be blocked. Don’t worry, it’s not permanent. You could never last without Instagram. 5. Use a new font. If you’re used to using Arial or Times New Roman, odds are, you’ll skim through what you’re reading. Use a font that’s a bit harder to read, preferably one that you don’t see as often. Sure, it might take you longer to actually read the text, but it will force you to actually read. Which is a good thing. Yes, little man. Weve all been there.6. Write everything down, again. Sometimes, simply reading and studying isn’t enough. Writing down your material again can actually solidify the content in your brain, since you’ll have read it, written it down, and read it again to check. This especially helps with math and science formulas, history events and their dates, and, well, maybe it doesn’t help as much for English. Sorry, English majors. 7. Listen to relaxing music. A layer of soft music in the background can help you relax and focus, and helps way more than you might think. Give Tycho, Bonobo, or Hammock a try. 8. Take study review breaks. Ever feel like you’ve been studying for hours and hours on end? That’s probably because you have. Odds are, you’ve probably already lost some of that material, since you’re tired and losing focus. Take breaks every 30 minutes to review what you’ve learned. Whether youre studying for the SAT or for your AP History test, taking breaks is a good thing. 9. Talk to yourself. Yes, I’m being serious. No, you won’t sound crazy (well, you might). Speaking your material out loud, as if you’re teaching someone else, can actually be a great way to test yourself. If you stumble while talking, you probably need to review one more time. 10. Color code your work. It might be annoying to switch pens every 5 seconds, but it’s an easy way to stay organized while studying without having to shift everything around. Plus, it’ll look pretty cool. If youre just starting the application process, search through essays, stats, and advice answers from thousands of students that got in. Chat with a mentor to get personalized help with your college essays and applications.

Autistic Savantism essays

Autistic Savantism essays Autism spectrum disorder is a disorder marked by developmental delays, or abnormal functioning, resulting in impaired reciprocal social interaction, impaired communication and language, and a restricted, repetitive pattern of behaviors, interests, and activities. However, 10% of the autistic population can be diagnosed with autistic savantism meaning they have a remarkable ability in some area of life. Many autistic savants hold a spectacular memory of which non-autistic individuals could only dream. Two such individuals are Temple Grandin, an animal scientist, and Steven Wiltshire, a visual artist. Though there is no definitive research proving how an individuals memory works, four areas are being researched regarding the memory of autistic individuals, and subsequently many theories exist. The areas being researched are the thought process style used by autistic individuals, the role emotion plays in these individuals, as well as the role of meaning, and their comprehension of exp ressive language. This research may help determine how and why their memory ability differs from the norm, giving insight into the memory capacity of normal individuals. A small girl sits quietly in front of a piano, fingers poised over the bright white keys. Her teacher, seated beside her on the bench, played a complicated series of chords, filling the air with melody. After a single hearing, the little girl begins to play, perfectly reproducing the song she has just heard for the first time. As the last note fades away, the girl sits still for a moment, and then gently begins to rock back and forth, stopping only when the music begins again.... One might label this child a genius or prodigy after witnessing this, were it not for the little nuances of the situation: the rocking, the unemotional expression on the childs face, and the lack of response to voices around her. Instead, this girl has been diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disor...

How Many Pounds in a Ton A Fascinating Story

How Many Pounds in a Ton A Fascinating Story SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The most basic answer to the question of how many pounds in a ton? There are 2000 pounds in a ton. Still feel confused? You're not alone. But why is the ton a measurement that no one ever quite understands or remembers? This conversion is endlessly confusing because a ton can refer to different forms of measurement. In this article, I’ll explain exactly what a ton is, what it measures, and how to convert tons to pounds. I'll go into the differences between a ton, a metric ton, and several other kinds of tons. And finally, I'll give you a brief history of this often mixed up and misused unit of measurement. The Basics: What’s a Ton? How Do You Convert Tons to Pounds? First things first: here are the most basic facts you should know about tons. If you live in the US, then when you encounter a reference to a ton, you're looking at a measurement of mass. The conversions for tons to pounds and pounds to tons are below: 1 ton = 2000 pounds 1 pound = 1/2000 of a ton But what if you dig a little deeper into this unit? Let’s check out some other kinds of tons around the world. What’s the Difference Between a Short Ton, a Long Ton, and a Tonne (Metric Ton)? One of the reasons the ton is such a confounding measurement is that there are actually three different kinds of tons in use around the world. Short Ton The United States has never adopted the metric system for measuring things. Instead, our country uses a system called customary units. To measure mass, this system uses pounds and ounces as well as the tons I described in the previous section. The US ton is called a short ton. 1 short ton is 2000 pounds. Long Ton The United Kingdom uses a mix of the metric system and the older Imperial system for its measurements. This means that they measure mass sometimes in kilograms and other times in units called stones. The ton that is used in Imperial measures is a little heavier than the US one, so the UK ton is called a long ton. 1 long ton is 2240 pounds. Tonne (or Metric Ton) Most other countries have by this point fully adopted the metric system, and use grams and kilograms to measure mass. The metric ton is never officially called a metric ton, and is instead called a tonne (pronounced just like the word â€Å"ton†). 1 tonne is 1000 kilograms, or 2,204.6 pounds. Short Ton, Long Ton, and Tonne Conversions 1 short ton = 0.89 long tons = .9 tonnes = 2000 pounds = 907 kilograms 1 long ton = 1.12 short tons = 1.01 tonnes = 2240 pounds = 1016 kilograms 1 tonne = 0.98 long tons = 1.1 short tons = 2204 pounds = 1000 kilograms So, in order from lightest to heaviest, it goes: 1 short ton 1 metric ton 1 long ton. Tons are like nesting dolls- each a slightly larger version of the next. Why Are There So Many Different Tons? The word "ton" originally comes from a measurement of volume called a â€Å"tun†- basically a very big wine-making cask. And you're right- this does, in fact, mean that originally a ton was a measurement of volume rather than mass! Eventually, it was determined that a tun could hold about 2000 pounds worth of wine, and the term "ton" evolved to describe this weight. The short ton and long ton measurements diverged when this wine-making measurement was standardized. In the US and the UK, the ton was defined as 20 hundredweights (another unit of mass). But, while in the US 1 hundredweight = 100 pounds, in the UK 1 hundredweight = 8 stones. Since 1 stone = 14 pounds, the UK hundredweight = 2 pounds. The US took the road less traveled- and that has made all the difference. At least as far as short tons are concerned. What Other Kinds of Tons Are There? In addition to the three types of tons above, there are many other sorts of tons that are used to describe a wide range of measurements. These less common tons are generally quite specialized, meaning you're unlikely to encounter them in your day to day life. Still, the diversity of usage certainly helps explain why the word ton is frequently so confusing. As we go through the other kinds of tons, notice how sometimes the ton is used to measure mass, sometimes to measure volume, and sometimes it's not a measurement at all- but instead a standard quantity! Tons in the Ocean At sea, tons typically have to do with measuring ships- and in this context, tons are generally a way to express volume rather than mass. Deadweight Ton. A volume measurement of a ship's carrying capacity, including cargo, ballast, crew, and supplies. It is expressed in tonnes or long tons. Register Ton (or Tonnage). A volume measurement of a ship’s cargo capacity. Tonnage isn’t the same thing as the weight of a ship (called â€Å"displacement†). Ton Class. A volume measurement that categorizes types of yachts based on the capacity of the hold. Displacement Ton. A measurement of the weight of a ship. It’s called â€Å"displacement† because you calculate it by measuring the volume of water that a ship displaces, and then converting this volume into weight. Tons in the Ground One of the uses of "ton" as a standard amount rather than a measurement happens with ore. Check out the "assay ton" to see that a ton can sometimes mean a very small amount of something! Dry Ton (or Tonne). A measurement of mass used for material that’s usually wet but has been dried for transportation (think sludge, slurry, or compost, for example). Assay Ton. This is not a unit of measurement, but is always either 29 1⠁„6 grams (short assay ton) or 32 2⠁„3 grams (long assay ton)- much lighter than a pound! This amount is the standard quantity of ore necessary for testing the ores of precious metals. Tons of Energy Here, the ton is so removed from its original meaning that it's used to measure energy output in the same way that units like the joule or the calorie do. Ton of TNT. This kind of ton is not a measurement of volume or mass, but instead, a specific amount of energy- 109 calories (about 4.184 gigajoules)- generally used to describe nuclear weapons or earthquakes. This energy unit hasn't had anything to do with the actual chemical TNT for a long time. Tonne of Oil Equivalent. Another standard energy value, based on the amount of energy released by burning one tonne of crude oil. The very similar "tonne of coal equivalent" is the amount of energy released by burning one tonne of coal. Tons of Cold Ton of Refrigeration. This is a measure of heat absorption used for refrigeration and air conditioning, and comes from the days when cooling was accomplished only through ice. 1 unit ton of mechanical refrigeration is the capacity to meet the consumption of 1 ton of ice in 1 day. That's a good-looking ton of ship. So, Really, How Many Pounds in a Ton? All you really have to know is that in the US, a ton measures mass and is the same as 2000 pounds. It helps to have a general sense that the US short ton, the UK long ton, and the metric ton are slight variations on the same measurement. To be a ton superstar, you should remember that the ton started as a measurement of volume and is still used that way about ships.

Module 8(pol)Principles of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 8(pol)Principles of Leadership - Essay Example In order to successful implement change all phases are necessary as sudden change can be resisted or ignored if others do not know why and understand the need for change (Yukl 2010). Sabri et al (2007) explain that Lewin’s force field analysis model is frequently utilized when changes are planned and it is utilized for diagnosing forces â€Å"driving† and â€Å"restraining† change (p. 195). This diagnostic tool is necessary for identifying plans for obtaining â€Å"leverage† via the â€Å"driving forces† and reducing â€Å"the restraining forces† (Sabri et al 2007, p. 195). 2. My Understanding of How Culture Influences What Can Be an Effective Change Strategy. I believe that culture influences effective organizational change strategy because it identifies how change will be accepted and adapted to. Yukl (2010) explains that culture helps to shed light on the organization’s â€Å"environment† and determines â€Å"how to respond to it† and thus reduces barriers to change such as, â€Å"anxiety, uncertainty and confusion† (p. 304). I also believe that culture is not static and unchanging and therefore can be influenced by leadership to promote organizational change. Poole and Van de Ven (2004) explain that leadership can influence culture to ensure that it is consistent with organizational change (p. 207). 3.

Gypsy Fashion Deco Co. The Global Expansion Essay

Gypsy Fashion Deco Co. The Global Expansion - Essay Example The paper "Gypsy Fashion Deco Co. The Global Expansion" discovers the gypsy fashion deco co. and global expansion. GFDC started out as an experimental fashion company already applying its credo. With only a cutter, hi-speed sewer, a contractual bookkeeper and another contractual accountant, it launched a website maintained by an independent web-serving company. Demands grew in about six months so that GFDC had to set up and maintain its own website, as well as cater to its growing clientele. While in its first three months, there were only about two clothe items finished in a day, and there was only a weekly update of website, these have to be changed. Everyday, since it hired additional fashion purchaser, cutters and sewers, as well as a web designer and programmer, there are about 20 solo products made available in the website, so that everyday, the website need to be updated. GFDC was able to cope with this set up until global demands flooded the company. To maintain its ever-grow ing consumer market, GFDC had to set-up country branches, source out more skilled workers, both sewers and cutters, as well as purchasers and fashion designers in its major product destinations London, New York, Shanghai and the Middle East’s Dubai. The internet market had growing demands due to the expansion, and to remain competitive, global delivery and outsourcing became necessary. The management which had grown adept to the small-scale setting is suddenly faced with the dilemma of multifold expansion and to deliver., it has to adopt the enterprise architecture of its information technology system integrating the whole global expansion project into one working dynamic group. Identification of Major Enterprise Architecture Issues Organizational Issues: Organizational, Management, People, Culture Expansion of departments Inter-department cooperation Research and development Data, Information & Knowledge Issues: New system addressing intranet and internet work flow and sharing Standardized design Information Technology Issues: Ease of website update Website potential in attracting consumers Business Process, Policy & Procedure Issues: Corporate strategic plans Extended guiding principles Scope Environmental dynamics Goals and objectives Architecture Issues: Organization structure Business area structure Role players and actors Business rules and commitment Analysis of the Major Enterprise Architecture Issues Schekkerman (2005) acknowledges that enterprise architecture "is about understanding all of the different elements that go to make up the enterprise and how those elements inter-relate," facilitating factual and actual knowledge on the existence of the enterprise and everything that keeps it going. Raines (1997) likewise added that enterprise architecture "is the explicit description of the current and desired relationships among business and management process and information technology. It describes the target situation which the agency wishes to create and maintain by managing its IT portfolio." It was discussed further by Sheckkerman (2005) that by the end of this year (2006), Global 2000 organizations are already expected to have integrated holistic enterprise architecture, enterprise program management, enterprise strategy or planning, and information t

Corrections Trend Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Corrections Trend Evaluation Essay Corrections Trend Evaluation There have been several assorted and strenuous general directions in the midst of the justice system. These general directions contain several topics and debates over the past years. As a nation individuals then study and perceive that the judicial tribunal method is increasing with time and expanding a diverse outlook to examine a better way to keep going ahead. In fact, a study will explain incorporating the past, present, and future of the development and operation of institutional and community based corrections. In addition, this document will speak of, and examine contemporary and impending concerns facing a place or state of confinement prison management today, and the functions, and concerns of alternate correction systems as an expanding trend. Past, Present, and Future These three general directions belong to the improved function of organizations and areas based on corrections (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). A consideration has built an unbroken extension and growth in places of confinement in the 20 – first century. As the cycles continued individuals transformed, and the justice system continued to go forward in the direction of method familiarization. Society at large and correction will continue to be updated (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). During the 1600s a transgression was revised to decrease transgressions through an improvement that contained help to violators, this contained fewer rough treatments to violators and less sympathetic arrangements (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). In the 1700s dispositions became different, however, places of confinement continued to change and capital punishment continued. In fact, at the end of the 1800s there were occurring dilemmas with the rules. In addition, this was the discipline the inmates received, the popu lation of the inmates, the upkeep of places of confinement, and the circumstances in which the inmates lived. Furthermore, by the 1970s the conventional trends of those periods of intervals became what is known today as the justice system (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). Development and Operations of Institutional Corrections In proceeding years the growth if establishments of institutional corrections left no visualization. The outlook of improvements and procedures of institutional corrections is one of several facts that the prisoners were lodged in situations gloomy and dirty. Prisoners were treated rough, and worked very severe. Although today in places of confinement the population of prisoners is still high the prisoners are receiving his or her justice (Community Corrections, 1998). A right of the prisoners is health care. In today’s places of confinement the systems are not run the same. Governing actions and rules dealing with details of procedures are executed effectively not only by the department but also by the law officials. Prisons today are still over populated but no longer gloomy and dirty (Community Corrections, 1998). In fact, prisoners get three meals per day, showers, recreation, use of the prison library, and some technology. In addition, the significance of health care for prisoners is to guarantee prisoners let go from places of confinement are not in a situation in which he or she cannot mask civilization to deadly illnesses. The places of confinement systems decisive objection is to keep the inmates protected from infliction, and to equip the day – to- day requirements that the system of law enforcement permits. In fact, the judicial tribunal needs to halt the inmates from receiving leisure’s, and concentrate on the concerns of why the violators are incarcerated (Community Corrections, 1998). Development and Operations of Community – Based Corrections Future improvements should be effective and used with changes to adapt to communities. Community – based programs began in the 1950s. In the 60s and 70s the programs came to be numerous goals for individuals responsible for making policies and the system of law enforcement tasks. In fact, community – based corrections are for individuals who are not brutal violators proposed by the judicial tribunal system. In addition, the community – bases corrections aid individuals through special areas of the criminal process (Community Corrections, 1998). Options for community – based programs are compelled to the individual but he or she remains in places of confinement. In fact, individuals awaiting appearances are in the custody of another individual until he or she goes to his or her hearing or judgment. In addition, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for example, ankle bracelets are used to inform law enforcement officials on the individual’s position. Furthermore, alternative measures are binding agreements the violator’s takes part in to reply his or her violation. Moreover, the felon may settle for advice, aiding in neighborhoods, giving professional duties to the individuals  injured or donate funds, and if the violator brought infliction or damage to an individual he or she may be required to pay back money to the individuals (Community Corrections, 1998). Current and Future Issues Some of the present topics comforting the judicial tribunal and the judicial tribunal managers are accumulations of false unperformed, postponements, and overcrowding. This generates greater dilemmas in the judicial tribunal method because it solemnly jeopardizes the character and bearings of the judicial tribunal. In fact, the judicial tribunal gets backed up on the case that in turn causes the judicial tribunal to play catch up. In addition, the judicial tribunal systems are not laid out to operate under pressure, and the judicial tribunals are not laid out to perform fast tasks on the cases the judicial tribunal have. Furthermore, when the judicial tribunal tried to play catch up on the numerous caseloads it has there is room for error for example; making mistakes (Court Issues, 2004). Another concern that might ascend is the judicial tribunal is behind on cases an agreement that permits a defendant to plead to a lesser charge is expanded. In fact, an agreement that permits defend ants to plead to a lesser charge provides an opportunity for the judicial tribunal to accept a lesser charge for the individuals. In addition, charge bargains are used when individuals accused with grave transgressions the wrongdoings receives an unusual title to create an agreement that permits a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge so the case can be resolved. Furthermore, both of these agreements put the protection of the community at risk (Court Issues, 2004). If the judicial tribunal system is pressured it can bring results for the members of the judicial tribunal system. These interferences can lead to law enforcement releasing the convicted individual, more pressure for law enforcement officials to obtain legal punishments for convicted violators, and more formal statements. In fact, there are several ways for the judicial tribunal to relieve the pressures of the judicial tribunal system for example, the use of applied science. The use of applied science aids law enforcement official to hurry the process for the judicial tribunal because the lower judicial tribunals have control over certain regi ons in the judicial tribunal systems for example, unauthorized substances, violence or physical harm to an individual, agreements or conflicts (Court Issues, 2004). In  addition, there are areas that aid in the many fields in the judicial tribunal for example, injury to the body of an individual, medical providers negligence, and work agreements. Agreements between individuals are not as costly, and easier to use than the use of lawsuits (Court Issues, 2004). Furthermore, individuals in places of confinement are under pressure from the penalties he or she has received from the judicial tribunal. Moreover, in places of confinement the prisoners are given the chance to reestablish his or her wrongdoing when he or she if released on parole (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). With several prisoners in places of confinements troubles are likely to occur for example, the deaths of other individuals. This in turn directs additional injury or abuse to prisoners in the set of agencies established by the government. In fact, prisoners are stripped of his or her essential programs and these circumstances affects places of confinement management because he or she has the obligation to make sure that the requirements, manager’s safety, and the day – to – day procedures are taken care of. In addition, officials in places of confinement are obligated for the employees, and the rehabilitation curriculum in places of confinement (Community Corrections, 1998). Places of confinement are putting more tensions on a set of agencies and processes established by the government to control crime. These circumstances affect and expand the expenses of additional places of confinement, and additional inmates. Prisoners who have moderate punishments and prolonged intervals build additional problems in places of confinement. In fact, additional issues include how the general population views the beliefs those inmates receiving help is not enough, and the resolution for prisoners to prevent additional violations (Muraskim Roberts, 2009). Roles and Issues of alternate Correctional Systems There are tremendous dilemmas when bargaining with correctional systems. Individuals locked up in today’s places of confinement are not working as it should be. The government of politics economic system of corrections and the community at some point can devise the remedy. Crime will continue to go up and violators let go can reestablish hazards to community security (Inayatullah, 2002). In conclusion, the significance of the past, present, and future trends of community – based corrections are to comprehend and raise awareness in the United States. The individuals of a city or town need to have freedom in his or her neighborhood and not felt threatened by inmates released early form places of confinement. In fact, the past, present, and future are sets of agencies established by the government. In addition, community – based corrections need to blend more procedures and discover substance plans of procedures. Furthermore, the set of agencies and processes established by the government to control crime began in the 1950s. Moreover, in the 1700s dispositions became different, and by the 1800s there were occurring dilemmas with the rules. References Communtiy Corrections. (1998). John Howard Society of Alberta, (), . Retrieved from http://johnhoward_ab-ca/pub/c29.ht Court Issues. (2004). , (), . Retrieved from http://facutly.ncwc.edu/mstevens.111/111ec09.htm Inayatullah, S. (2002, May). Working report for comment and scenario development Scanning for correctional futures a report for the department of justice Victoria office of the correctional services commisioner, (), . Retrieved from http://www.metafurture.org Muraskim, R., Roberts, A.R. (2009). Visions of change; Crime and justice in the twenty first century (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, (), .

Capitalism and the Common Man :: Economy Economics Essays

Capitalism and the Common Man There are some arguments, having a faint measure of plausibility, that have served politicians, charlatans and assorted do-gooders for well for over a century in their quest for control. One of those arguments is: capitalism primarily benefits the rich and not the common man. That vision prompts declarations such as: Congressman Richard Gephart's assertion that high income earners are "winners" in "the lottery of life." Then there's, Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor, who says high income earners the "fortunate fifth." These nonsensical visions lead to calls for those who've been "blessed" to "give back" either voluntarily or coercively through the tax code. While demagogic statements like these have high emotive worth, they reflect resolute, near incurable stupidity about the sources of income. Listening to some of the talk about income differences, one would think that out there somewhere is a pile of money. People who are wealthy just happened to get there first and greedily took an unfair share. Justice requires that they "give back." Or, there's talk about income distribution. The way some people talk, unequal distribution of income means that there is a dealer of dollars who shells out $1,000 to one person, $100,000 to another and a million dollars to yet another. Thus, the reason why some people are wealthy while others are not wealthy is that the dollar dealer is a racist, sexist, a multi-nationalist, or just plain mean. Economic justice requires a re-dealing of the dollars, income redistribution, where the ill-gotten gains of the few are returned to their rightful owners. In a free society, for the most part, people with high incomes have demonstrated extraordinary ability to produce valuable services for, and therefore please their fellow man. Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, and singer Michael Jackson provided services deemed highly valuable by their fellow men who voluntarily took money out of their pockets to purchase those services. Their high incomes stand as unambiguous proof of that service. Their high incomes also reflect the democracy of the market place. For example, millions upon millions of independent decision makers decided to fork over $200 or $300 for Microsoft founder Bill Gates' "Windows 98" operating system. Those who think Bill Gates is too rich, and want to redistribute his income, are really registering disagreement with the democracy of the market place and want to cancel or offset the market "vote.

Dell Hbr Case Study

INTRODUCTION Dell Computers was started by Michael Dell in 1984. Dell’s primary differentiator was its business model. It sold primarily on the B2C market and custom built personal computers on demand. Therefore, it had very low inventory by comparison to its competitors. As a result of this, Dell was able to operate quite efficiently and profitably in its niche market. By the late 1980’s – early 1990’s, Dell noticed that its market share was only 1% of total and that industry amalgamations could potentially force Dell out of the market.It was time to make a decision; it could remain status quo or pursue an aggressive growth strategy. The latter option proved to be favourable and Dell expanded into the B2B marketplace through a growth plan that focused on selling to retailers to improve its market share. The plan worked and Dell saw subsequent revenue increases of 268% within two years, compared to industry growth of 5%. 1 The good times came to an end in 1993 when Dell posted its first loss after eleven subsequent quarters of profit. Dell decided to more efficiently manage its liquidity, profitability and growth and was exited the indirect retail channel where margins were exceptionally low . The retail channel had served its purpose, however, in assisting Dell as a brand to become well known throughout the market place. Following these measures, and the fact that Dell had exceptionally low relative inventory, they were able to become the first company to launch the new Pentium chip computers and maintain first mover status with subsequent upgrades.Michael Dell was now in a position to forecast future growth for his company. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Michael Dell predicted that the company’s growth rate for the next year would again outpace the industry. Dell needed to focus on how its working capital policy could assist in financing future growth. Further, what other internal and external financing options might assist Dell in re aching their goals? RECOMMENDATION Assuming Dell’s sales will grow at 50% in 1997, h ow would you recommend that the company fund this growth?How much capital would need to be reduced and/or profit margin increased if the company were to fund its growth by relying only on internal sources of capital? What steps would you recommend the company take? Dells attempt to increase its sales by 50% in 1997 will require 2 major types of investments: Investment in working capital We estimate this figure to be $345M (please refer to Exhibit 1 for the detailed calculation). Investment in fixed assets Expansion of production will most likely require the purchase of the additional equipment.There is no data available in the case on depreciation expenses or capital expenditures made by Dell in 1996 to support the 52% growth of sales. However, if we refer to Dell’s full financial statements for 1996, we see that Dell spent $100M on capital expenditures and we assume it will spend appr oximately the same amount in 1997. 1 2 Richard Ruback, â€Å"Dell’s Working Capital,† Harvard Business Review 9-201-029 (2003): 3. Ibid 1|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case From the projected figures in the Exhibit 1 we conclude that Dell will be able to finance the above investments using the following funding sources:Profit margins and management of the working capital cycle Assuming that there is a certain percentage of fixed costs in Dell’s cost structure, the company will be able to increase its net profit margin from 5. 1% in 1996 to 5. 6% in 1997, generating a net profit of $448M. Net margin should be sufficient to cover additional working capital of $345 M if Dell is able to maintain its Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) at 1996 levels of 47 days. Maintaining the CCC at the same level is crucial for this type of financing to be sufficient.An increase in DSO by 5 days will increase working capital delta up to $453M (refer to Exhibit 2) and will force Dell to increase margins, which may reduce revenues, or look for other sources of funding. Debt or use of the short term investment funds The use of these resources might be necessary for the financing the purchase of the equipment to expand the production capacity. Two scenarios could take place: 1. A one-off investment is required to be made in the beginning of the year.Since the company will have no possibility to generate profits or free up its working capital, it could either liquidate some of its short term investments of $591M or get a loan. The decision will depend on whether the rate of return on investment is higher or lower than the interest rate on the loan, taking after tax effects into consideration. If the rate of return is higher, Dell should finance the purchase of fixed assets through the loan, if it is lower , it should use its investment account to finance the capital expenditure. 2. Gradual investment in capital expenditure is possible.This could be done only by using margins generated within the year and decrease in CCC by managing receivables-days cycle. If the company can manage to decrease its DSO days from 50 to 40 days, it can reduce its working capital delta to $126M (Exhibit 2), thus making the remaining net profit available for capital expenditures. How, if at all, would your answers to Question 3 chang e if Dell also repurchased $500 million of common stock in 1997 and repaid its long-term debt? If Dell decides to repay its debt of $113M and repurchase stock of $500M, the following steps could be undertaken.Stock repurchase A decrease in DSO by 10 days and increase in DPO by 10 days will release working capital of $44M in addition to cash profit based on $448M in accounting profit (most likely it is higher by the amount of depreciation). These cash amounts will then allow Dell to repurchase its stock. As Dell expands its customer base and brand penetration in the market it can start working with prepayment for its orders which wi ll help to collect the cash faster. Further, as the size of its orders to suppliers grows, it will be able to exercise its buyer power and negotiate more favourable payment terms.However the following action should be taken only if Dell shareholders could earn better return at a similar level of risk in the market. In the current situation it seems that Dell performs better than its competitors thus it would be more appropriate to invest the $500Mof free cash in further expansion. Debt repayment If Dell increases its margin up to 6. 8% it will be able to make an additional $110M in net profit to repay the debt. Another option is to free up some funds from short term investments. The decision will depend 2|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case on whether increase in price will lead to a significant loss of customers.If this is the case, the company should use its current cash reserves to perform the repayment. We also note, that 0% debt in the capital structure is most likely to be not optimal for the company and by using leverage Dell will be able generate better returns for its investors. DISCUSSION Explain how Dell’s working capital policy is a competitive advantage for the company? Strategy Built-to-Order Just-In-Time Delivery Distribution Channels (Retail Stores) Early Adoption of New Technology DELL ? ? X ? Apple X X ? X Compaq X X ? X IBM X X ? X Built to Order: Unit production only begins after receiving customer orders over phone or via email.This significantly reduced the outstanding inventory and hence reduced working capital requirements for funding inventory warehousing and inventory financing. Just-in-time Delivery: Dell’s factory had close physical proximity to its suppliers. Suppliers would ship parts only after customers placed orders, for just-in-time delivery. This helped to maintain accounts payable to a minimum. No Retail Distribution Channels: Since orders were only taken via email or phone, Dell was able to cut down o n the costs of maintaining distribution channels and reduce accounts receivable from distributors and retailers.This reduced working capital requirements. Early Adoption of New Technology: Low inventory levels helped Dell to quickly switch to newer product upgrades and reduce the cost of existing inventory turnovers compared to competitors. This further reduced working capital requirements. DSI Advantage: As a result of above strategies, Dell achieved an average DSI of 40 between 1993 and 1995, compared to Apple’s 64, Compaq’s 68 & IBM’s 56. How did Dell fund its 52% growth in 1996?Please be sure to distinguish between internal and external sources of funding, and to discuss the trade -off between the use of external funds in order to maintain high growth rates. The 52% growth was a result of the new Pentium chip introduction (Exhibit 3 from the case). Regarding working capital management, we noticed from Exhibit 2 from the case, excellent performance in maintai ning CCC at 40 days; while product switches required double stock management. As the Pentium introduction was already launched in 1995, we assume that growth was constant and continuous during 1996 period.Compared to 1995, the 1996 financial performance for gross margin is lower by 1%, but net profit has increased by 1%. 3|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case To improve the availability of cash, Dell can implement factoring on receivables (internal) or negotiate with banks for short term credit lines and overdraft accounts (external). Even if CCC remains constant during this period of growth, balance sheets analysis shows that CCC changed from $428M in 1995 to $689M in 1996. As the debt level remained constant during these two periods, this extra $261M was financed with internal funds.The two main sources of internal funds used to finance working capital and CAPEX (not detailed in case information) were: The $272M 1996 net profit and the capital increase at $74M (total stock value difference between 1995 and 1996). Even if Dell decided to not reduce its amount of debt, this process will allow the company to reduce the Debt/Equity ratio keeping constant level of debt while significantly increasing equity. This strategy will bring Dell more flexibility for the future.The firm will be able to consider different options for future growth; either the same strategy the issuance of more debt due to their low leverage being relatively unleveraged. 4|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case APPENDIX Exhibit 1 Projected Income statement and balance sheet items for the year 1997 Item Sales Cost of sales Gross Margin Operating expenses Operating income Financing and other income Income taxes 30% Net profit 1996 (actual) 5 296 4 229 1 067 690 377 6 111 272 Growth Coefficient 1,5 1,5 1,4 1997 (projected) 7 944 6 344 1 601 966 635 6 192 448 Ratios : 37 1 37 DSI 50 1 50DSO 40 1 40 DPO 47 1 47 CCC Balance sheet items : 429 644 Inventory 726 1 089 Accounts receivabl e 466 699 Accounts payable 689 1 034 Working Capital 345 Additional working capital required Projections for the year 1997 were built based on the following assumptions: 1. Growth coefficient of 1,5 was applied to income sales and cost of sales to reflec t the projected 50% growth in operations 2. Growth coefficient of 1,4 was applied to operating expenses. The assumption was made that part of operating expenses are presented by fixed costs thus they don’t grow at the operations growth ration. 0% rate was taken based on the year 1996 increase. 3. Income taxes were calculated using 30% rate being the rate on income tax in 1996 (calculated as Income taxes/(Operating income + Financing income)) 4. Ratios for the year 199 were calculated using the following formulas: DSI=Inventory*365/COS DSO=Accounts Receivable*365/Sales DPO=Accounts Payable*365/COS 5. We assumed that company will maintain the average ratios for the year 1997 6. Using the reverse formula for ratios calculations we derived accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventory for 1999 from the projected sales and COS figures. . We calculated Working Capital for both years using the formula: Inventory + Accounts receivable – Accounts payable 8. Additional working capital required: Working capital 1997 – Working Capital 1996 5|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case Exhibit 2 Variations in working capital requirements 37 50 40 47 37 55 40 52 37 40 40 37 -10 days on DSO; + 10 days in DPO 37 40 50 27 Inventory, $mln Accounts receivable, $mln Accounts payable, $mln 644 1 088 699 643 1 197 695 643 871 695 643 871 869 Working Capital 1997, $mln Working Capital 1996, $mln 1 033 689 1 145 689 818 689 645 689 344 456 129 -44 ItemDSI, days DSO, days DPO, days CCC, days Additional working capital required, $mln Ratios at 1996 level +5 days in DSO -10 days in DSO Exhibit 3: Detailed calculations relative to question N °2 6|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case 1 – CCC wo rth calculation: (see figures in red rectangle) CCC = DSI + DSO – DPO From above table, CCC = inventories + Accounts receivables – Accounts payable CCC1995 = 293 + 538 – 403 = 428 M$ CCC1996 = 429 + 726 – 466 = 689 M$ 2 – Total stocks value: (see figures in blue rectangle) Total value = Preferred stocks + Common stocks 1995 = 362 M$ 1996 = 436 M$ 7|P a ge Dell Hbr Case Study INTRODUCTION Dell Computers was started by Michael Dell in 1984. Dell’s primary differentiator was its business model. It sold primarily on the B2C market and custom built personal computers on demand. Therefore, it had very low inventory by comparison to its competitors. As a result of this, Dell was able to operate quite efficiently and profitably in its niche market. By the late 1980’s – early 1990’s, Dell noticed that its market share was only 1% of total and that industry amalgamations could potentially force Dell out of the market.It was time to make a decision; it could remain status quo or pursue an aggressive growth strategy. The latter option proved to be favourable and Dell expanded into the B2B marketplace through a growth plan that focused on selling to retailers to improve its market share. The plan worked and Dell saw subsequent revenue increases of 268% within two years, compared to industry growth of 5%. 1 The good times came to an end in 1993 when Dell posted its first loss after eleven subsequent quarters of profit. Dell decided to more efficiently manage its liquidity, profitability and growth and was exited the indirect retail channel where margins were exceptionally low . The retail channel had served its purpose, however, in assisting Dell as a brand to become well known throughout the market place. Following these measures, and the fact that Dell had exceptionally low relative inventory, they were able to become the first company to launch the new Pentium chip computers and maintain first mover status with subsequent upgrades.Michael Dell was now in a position to forecast future growth for his company. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Michael Dell predicted that the company’s growth rate for the next year would again outpace the industry. Dell needed to focus on how its working capital policy could assist in financing future growth. Further, what other internal and external financing options might assist Dell in re aching their goals? RECOMMENDATION Assuming Dell’s sales will grow at 50% in 1997, h ow would you recommend that the company fund this growth?How much capital would need to be reduced and/or profit margin increased if the company were to fund its growth by relying only on internal sources of capital? What steps would you recommend the company take? Dells attempt to increase its sales by 50% in 1997 will require 2 major types of investments: Investment in working capital We estimate this figure to be $345M (please refer to Exhibit 1 for the detailed calculation). Investment in fixed assets Expansion of production will most likely require the purchase of the additional equipment.There is no data available in the case on depreciation expenses or capital expenditures made by Dell in 1996 to support the 52% growth of sales. However, if we refer to Dell’s full financial statements for 1996, we see that Dell spent $100M on capital expenditures and we assume it will spend appr oximately the same amount in 1997. 1 2 Richard Ruback, â€Å"Dell’s Working Capital,† Harvard Business Review 9-201-029 (2003): 3. Ibid 1|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case From the projected figures in the Exhibit 1 we conclude that Dell will be able to finance the above investments using the following funding sources:Profit margins and management of the working capital cycle Assuming that there is a certain percentage of fixed costs in Dell’s cost structure, the company will be able to increase its net profit margin from 5. 1% in 1996 to 5. 6% in 1997, generating a net profit of $448M. Net margin should be sufficient to cover additional working capital of $345 M if Dell is able to maintain its Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) at 1996 levels of 47 days. Maintaining the CCC at the same level is crucial for this type of financing to be sufficient.An increase in DSO by 5 days will increase working capital delta up to $453M (refer to Exhibit 2) and will force Dell to increase margins, which may reduce revenues, or look for other sources of funding. Debt or use of the short term investment funds The use of these resources might be necessary for the financing the purchase of the equipment to expand the production capacity. Two scenarios could take place: 1. A one-off investment is required to be made in the beginning of the year.Since the company will have no possibility to generate profits or free up its working capital, it could either liquidate some of its short term investments of $591M or get a loan. The decision will depend on whether the rate of return on investment is higher or lower than the interest rate on the loan, taking after tax effects into consideration. If the rate of return is higher, Dell should finance the purchase of fixed assets through the loan, if it is lower , it should use its investment account to finance the capital expenditure. 2. Gradual investment in capital expenditure is possible.This could be done only by using margins generated within the year and decrease in CCC by managing receivables-days cycle. If the company can manage to decrease its DSO days from 50 to 40 days, it can reduce its working capital delta to $126M (Exhibit 2), thus making the remaining net profit available for capital expenditures. How, if at all, would your answers to Question 3 chang e if Dell also repurchased $500 million of common stock in 1997 and repaid its long-term debt? If Dell decides to repay its debt of $113M and repurchase stock of $500M, the following steps could be undertaken.Stock repurchase A decrease in DSO by 10 days and increase in DPO by 10 days will release working capital of $44M in addition to cash profit based on $448M in accounting profit (most likely it is higher by the amount of depreciation). These cash amounts will then allow Dell to repurchase its stock. As Dell expands its customer base and brand penetration in the market it can start working with prepayment for its orders which wi ll help to collect the cash faster. Further, as the size of its orders to suppliers grows, it will be able to exercise its buyer power and negotiate more favourable payment terms.However the following action should be taken only if Dell shareholders could earn better return at a similar level of risk in the market. In the current situation it seems that Dell performs better than its competitors thus it would be more appropriate to invest the $500Mof free cash in further expansion. Debt repayment If Dell increases its margin up to 6. 8% it will be able to make an additional $110M in net profit to repay the debt. Another option is to free up some funds from short term investments. The decision will depend 2|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case on whether increase in price will lead to a significant loss of customers.If this is the case, the company should use its current cash reserves to perform the repayment. We also note, that 0% debt in the capital structure is most likely to be not optimal for the company and by using leverage Dell will be able generate better returns for its investors. DISCUSSION Explain how Dell’s working capital policy is a competitive advantage for the company? Strategy Built-to-Order Just-In-Time Delivery Distribution Channels (Retail Stores) Early Adoption of New Technology DELL ? ? X ? Apple X X ? X Compaq X X ? X IBM X X ? X Built to Order: Unit production only begins after receiving customer orders over phone or via email.This significantly reduced the outstanding inventory and hence reduced working capital requirements for funding inventory warehousing and inventory financing. Just-in-time Delivery: Dell’s factory had close physical proximity to its suppliers. Suppliers would ship parts only after customers placed orders, for just-in-time delivery. This helped to maintain accounts payable to a minimum. No Retail Distribution Channels: Since orders were only taken via email or phone, Dell was able to cut down o n the costs of maintaining distribution channels and reduce accounts receivable from distributors and retailers.This reduced working capital requirements. Early Adoption of New Technology: Low inventory levels helped Dell to quickly switch to newer product upgrades and reduce the cost of existing inventory turnovers compared to competitors. This further reduced working capital requirements. DSI Advantage: As a result of above strategies, Dell achieved an average DSI of 40 between 1993 and 1995, compared to Apple’s 64, Compaq’s 68 & IBM’s 56. How did Dell fund its 52% growth in 1996?Please be sure to distinguish between internal and external sources of funding, and to discuss the trade -off between the use of external funds in order to maintain high growth rates. The 52% growth was a result of the new Pentium chip introduction (Exhibit 3 from the case). Regarding working capital management, we noticed from Exhibit 2 from the case, excellent performance in maintai ning CCC at 40 days; while product switches required double stock management. As the Pentium introduction was already launched in 1995, we assume that growth was constant and continuous during 1996 period.Compared to 1995, the 1996 financial performance for gross margin is lower by 1%, but net profit has increased by 1%. 3|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case To improve the availability of cash, Dell can implement factoring on receivables (internal) or negotiate with banks for short term credit lines and overdraft accounts (external). Even if CCC remains constant during this period of growth, balance sheets analysis shows that CCC changed from $428M in 1995 to $689M in 1996. As the debt level remained constant during these two periods, this extra $261M was financed with internal funds.The two main sources of internal funds used to finance working capital and CAPEX (not detailed in case information) were: The $272M 1996 net profit and the capital increase at $74M (total stock value difference between 1995 and 1996). Even if Dell decided to not reduce its amount of debt, this process will allow the company to reduce the Debt/Equity ratio keeping constant level of debt while significantly increasing equity. This strategy will bring Dell more flexibility for the future.The firm will be able to consider different options for future growth; either the same strategy the issuance of more debt due to their low leverage being relatively unleveraged. 4|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case APPENDIX Exhibit 1 Projected Income statement and balance sheet items for the year 1997 Item Sales Cost of sales Gross Margin Operating expenses Operating income Financing and other income Income taxes 30% Net profit 1996 (actual) 5 296 4 229 1 067 690 377 6 111 272 Growth Coefficient 1,5 1,5 1,4 1997 (projected) 7 944 6 344 1 601 966 635 6 192 448 Ratios : 37 1 37 DSI 50 1 50DSO 40 1 40 DPO 47 1 47 CCC Balance sheet items : 429 644 Inventory 726 1 089 Accounts receivabl e 466 699 Accounts payable 689 1 034 Working Capital 345 Additional working capital required Projections for the year 1997 were built based on the following assumptions: 1. Growth coefficient of 1,5 was applied to income sales and cost of sales to reflec t the projected 50% growth in operations 2. Growth coefficient of 1,4 was applied to operating expenses. The assumption was made that part of operating expenses are presented by fixed costs thus they don’t grow at the operations growth ration. 0% rate was taken based on the year 1996 increase. 3. Income taxes were calculated using 30% rate being the rate on income tax in 1996 (calculated as Income taxes/(Operating income + Financing income)) 4. Ratios for the year 199 were calculated using the following formulas: DSI=Inventory*365/COS DSO=Accounts Receivable*365/Sales DPO=Accounts Payable*365/COS 5. We assumed that company will maintain the average ratios for the year 1997 6. Using the reverse formula for ratios calculations we derived accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventory for 1999 from the projected sales and COS figures. . We calculated Working Capital for both years using the formula: Inventory + Accounts receivable – Accounts payable 8. Additional working capital required: Working capital 1997 – Working Capital 1996 5|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case Exhibit 2 Variations in working capital requirements 37 50 40 47 37 55 40 52 37 40 40 37 -10 days on DSO; + 10 days in DPO 37 40 50 27 Inventory, $mln Accounts receivable, $mln Accounts payable, $mln 644 1 088 699 643 1 197 695 643 871 695 643 871 869 Working Capital 1997, $mln Working Capital 1996, $mln 1 033 689 1 145 689 818 689 645 689 344 456 129 -44 ItemDSI, days DSO, days DPO, days CCC, days Additional working capital required, $mln Ratios at 1996 level +5 days in DSO -10 days in DSO Exhibit 3: Detailed calculations relative to question N °2 6|P a ge EDHEC MBA – Dell Business Case 1 – CCC wo rth calculation: (see figures in red rectangle) CCC = DSI + DSO – DPO From above table, CCC = inventories + Accounts receivables – Accounts payable CCC1995 = 293 + 538 – 403 = 428 M$ CCC1996 = 429 + 726 – 466 = 689 M$ 2 – Total stocks value: (see figures in blue rectangle) Total value = Preferred stocks + Common stocks 1995 = 362 M$ 1996 = 436 M$ 7|P a ge

Dreams come true Essay

When I was 3 years old my mother used to tell me mesmerising bedtime stories about the greatest world inventions ever made. I liked whenever, she talked about medical inventions or greatest cure to diseases, and I told her one day I will become a great biomedical scientist, and I will find cure for cancer. The prospect of becoming outstanding member of the society was overwhelming, and I always wondered when I will accomplish that dream. The journey of that dream of becoming a great scientist started when I first opened my science book in year three. The stories my mother used to relay when I was young were great, imaginative, and not feigned, and I always used to wonder if I will one day discover new technologies to cure the incurable diseases. My childhood dream of becoming a great scientist is taking shape and here I am operating computerised machines, collecting data and analysing them. My dream was to be accepted to study my chosen field of science at one of the best universities in the world, and here I am in 2016 studying biomedical science at one of the prestigious universities in the world. My dreams came to light, and I cannot wait to conduct research and challenge theories, and kill cancer for good. I am very excited about this. The creative juices are really flowing, and I exploit the bed time stories of my mum as a motivation, and a vehicle to push me through the challenges of daily life. To succeed in life and achieving your childhood dreams needs a lot of hard work, and I have gone through grueling years of high school studies to achieve success. Dreams come true, and I am a living proof.

The Novel as a Popular Form of Literature

The Novel as a Popular Form of Literature A novel is a narrative, fictional piece of literature that is usually written in prose. A novel gives stories that are presented in a serial or sequential manner and has been part of human culture since the medieval and the early romance periods when the novella tradition was in vogue. The novel is the most prominent form of literature world wide and has been treasured as the best example of what a man can write (Guglielmo Chartier, 2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Novel as a Popular Form of Literature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are some characteristics that make up a novel. To start with, a novel may be written in a narrative form but it is not narrated, it exists in written form. It is not an oral account. Secondly, very few novels contain factual accounts and almost all of them are fictional in nature, which differentiates them from myths which are near factual accounts. Novels focus on the to tality of life, history in an artistic way through the construction of a plot in a way that a work of fiction appears as reality. The artistic merits in a novel are shown by the creative use of language and style to deliver the meaning (Andersen Sauer, 5). The earliest novels in the world are of Greek origin that include the Iliad and the Aneid that were written by homer thousands of years ago. The popularity of the novel rose with the advent of the printing press because, before then, only a few copies of each novel could be distributed. The earliest novels did not have landmark literary stylistics and the only piece of writing that stands out from the mediaeval period is the Canterbury tales that was written by Chaucer, which is still taught in most literary classes to date. The novel did not gain permanent positions as an acceptable literary form very easily. Its development has been marked by the waxing and waning in popularity and most of the landmark novels that took the ge nre into the next level were written in the 19th and 20th century. Since the 19th century, the novel has become the most acceptable, popular and common mode of literature blazing the trail ahead of published plays, non fiction works and poetry, that used to enjoy popularity when the novel was still struggling to make an impact. Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Novels are especially popular for the way they create a fantastic, spectacular world using characters that the audience either empathizes with or likes to emulate (Guglielmo Chartier, 2).The arguments and the sequences that are created in a novel are well though out and present a realm of exploration, innovation and creativity that does not have borders. They have within them, various subgenres that sprout out tackling every type of subject that can be thought of in the world. There is a wide range of ima ginary elements that can be put in a novel in a manner that is cost effective as opposed to movies which present the same information as the novel but in a way that really stretches the financial muscle of the creator (Andersen Sauer, 5). No form of literature in the contemporary world can rival the novel. It uses language and style to create an art that portrays the totality of human life and history in a very creative manner that makes things that are outright fictions to appear so real that the audience almost suffers from the affective fallacy because of the way the novel brings them closer to the real world. Andersen, Jennifer Sauer, Elizabeth. Books and Readers in Early Modern England: Material Studies. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001. Guglielmo, Cavallo Chartier, Roger. A History of Reading in the West. Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press, 2003.

How to Fix Problems with Parallel Sentence Structure

How to Fix Problems with Parallel Sentence Structure The Common Core, as well as portions of many standardized tests, require  students to recognize and improve poorly-constructed sentences. It’s important for students to know what problems appear frequently within these sentences  in order to improve their chances of scoring well. One common sentence problem involves non-parallel structure. What Is Parallel Structure in a Sentence or Phrase? Parallel structure involves using the same pattern of words or the same voice in a list of items or ideas. By using parallel structure, the writer indicates that all of the items in the list are of equal importance. Parallel structure is important in both sentences and phrases. Examples of Problems with Parallel Structure Problems with parallel structure usually occur after a coordinating conjunction such as or or and. Most are a result of mixing gerunds and infinitive phrases or mixing active and passive voice. Mixing Gerunds and Infinitive Phrases Gerunds are verb forms that end with the letters -ing. Running, jumping, and coding are all gerunds. The following two sentences correctly use gerunds in parallel structure: Bethany enjoys baking cakes, cookies, and brownies. She doesn’t like washing dishes, ironing clothes, or mopping the floor. The  sentence below   is incorrect, however, because it mixes gerunds (baking, making) and an infinitive phrase (to eat out): Bethany likes to eat out,  baking cakes, and making candy. This sentence contains an unparallel mixture of a gerund and a noun: She doesn’t like washing clothes or housework. But this sentence contains two gerunds: She doesn’t like washing clothes or doing housework. Mixing Active and Passive Voice Writers can correctly use either the active or the passive voicebut mixing the two, especially in a list, is incorrect. In a sentence that uses the active voice, the subject performs an action; in a sentence that uses the passive voice, the action is performed on the subject. For example: Active voice: Jane ate the donut. (Jane, the subject, acts by eating the donut.) Passive voice: The donut was eaten by Jane. (The donut, the subject, is acted upon by Jane.) Both of the above examples are technically correct. But this sentence is incorrect because the active and passive voices are mixed: The director told the actors that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some vocal exercises before the show. A parallel version of this sentence might read: The director told the actors that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some vocal exercises before the show. Parallel Structure Problems in Phrases Parallelism is necessary not only in full sentences but also in phrases, as well: The British Museum is a wonderful place to see ancient Egyptian art, find beautiful  textiles from around  the  world, and  you can explore African artifacts. This sentence sounds jerky and out of balance, doesn’t it? That’s because the phrases are not parallel. Now read this: The British Museum is a wonderful place where you can find ancient Egyptian art, explore African artifacts, and discover beautiful textiles from around the world. Notice that each phrase has a verb and a direct object. Parallelism is necessary when a series of words, thoughts, or ideas appear in one sentence. If you encounter a sentence that just sounds wrong or clunky, look for conjunctions like and, or, but, and yet to determine whether the sentence is off balance.

Present Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Present Value - Essay Example Interstate Travel Centre will borrow $2.5million to start-up the business. Hence the discount-rate for this project will be considerably higher compare to other two projects as the other two businesses do not intend to borrow long-term finances and rely on only short term financing and as their project start-up costs are very low compare to Interstate Travel Centre hence their discount-rates will be lower. Ice Dreams project would be more riskier than the RJ Wagner & Associates Realty project because the Ice Dreams project is 100% being financed through a loan and they would have to make interest payments even if they do not make a profit, whereas RJ Wagner & Associates Realty project is equity financed as well as debt financed and their interest payments will be considerably lower than   Ice Dreams hence RJ Wagner & Associates Realty project will have the lowest discount rate compare to the other two projects. The owners of Interstate Travel Centre, Steven and Janet Smith do not h ave the relevant experience or exposure to run such a business. Steven Smith had years of experience in the automotive repair industry, but this was a totally new domain for him. On the other hand Janet Smith had twenty years of experience of budgeting and book-keeping services for small companies. Janet Smith may not be capable enough to handle and manage the finances of a considerably larger business compare to her past experience. The owners would face many hardships due to their relative inexperience in handling or being part of bigger projects. Interstate Travel Centre have mentioned in their business plan that the restaurant business will generate the third highest revenue for the business. Both the Co-owners Steven and Janet Smith have absolutely no experience of working in the restaurant industry so the lack of knowledge and skill may hamper the sales of the company as they may not know the actual requirements of the customers visiting the restaurant. Hence Interstate Travel Centre business is very risky. On the other hand the owner of the Real Estate business, Regina J. Wagner, a broker by profession has credibility in the Real Estate market as she recently published a real estate book and due to her credibility she would be able to attract customers and as she had experience of the Real Estate market she would be better able to understand the needs and wants of the customers. She would also have contacts in the market which will help her in developing the business further. The experience of the owner in the same industry compare to the owners of Interstate Travel Centre makes this venture is less risky compared to the Interstate Travel Centre business. The Ice Dreams business has the advantage of being first movers in the area as there are no businesses who sell shaved ice at a large scale and their indirect competitors like Snow Shack do not provide good quality syrups and the weather in the city of El Centro, California is warm for seven months. He nce Ice Dreams have a good chance of establishing themselves as the market leaders in this city. On the other hand Interstate Travel Centre faces less competition but they are not the first movers in t

Importance of Management in an Organization Research Paper

Importance of Management in an Organization - Research Paper Example This report considers management as an asset and a resource to the organization putting forward an explanation on its importance to the organization. The report tries to provide a deeper and precise understanding of the management phenomena for the sustainability and the competiveness of the organization. Using a case setting of a health care and a medical service provider it is evident that management contributes greatly to the improved performance, efficiency and the competitiveness of the organization, this examination is based on the longitudinal study of this organization covering its key departments in which the concept of management is vital. The report provides the importance of management for a better organizational corporate environment attributed by good management. Finally is that the report justifies the importance of management in the interaction among the stakeholders organization which is crucial in determining the stability and the organizational future sustainability. Contents ABSTRACT 2 Contents 3 INTRODUCTION 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 9 Case Study Setting 10 RESULTS 10 The Perception of the Stakeholders 12 DISCUSS ION OF THE RESULTS 13 CONCLUSIONS 16 INTRODUCTION There have been ambiguities in the context of the concept of management in most organizations on its importance in the contribution to the improved performance and the overall success an organization. Most of the organizations notably both the profit and non-profit organizations have began to realize the importance of adopting best and improved management principles and practices in order to be able to establish themselves and to adapt into the current corporate environment. In regard to the principles of best management practices, management is widely recognized as the intangible asset and a resource of an organization which is the key factor towards the achievement of organizational sustainability as well as the competitive advantage thus contributing to the accelerating pace and the overall growth of the organization (Agarwal 2003). According to the various research provided by scholars, in the current corporate world the initial and traditional factors of production such as the capital, labor and land have become less important in the achievement of optimum positive economic and social returns without the incorporation of the concept of management. As the implication of this, it is notable that most of the organizations have concentrated in the investment and the creation of value and convertible economic results through the integration of management principles and practices while running the operations of the organization (David Knights 2007). The importance of management in the running of organizations has been acknowledged by most of the scholars and researchers as the major strategic resource management in the achievement of the organization competiveness and the organizational sustainability. The increased dynamicity, complexity and the complexity in the operations of the various organizations has sparked the interest and the need to adopt better and enhanced management. The key importance of managemen t is its purpose and role in the formulation and design of management strategies, these strategies are regarded as the essential corporate resource which provides the sustainability and the competitive advantage to the organization. The major part of the workforce is the presence of qualified employees who are well educated with the relevant knowledge and experience for the designated

Final reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Final reflection - Essay Example With the help of my tutors I have been able to assess my progress in both learning and writing depending on my improved efficiency in terms of creating texts from what I learn. In the thought of Earl personal assessment helps a student gauge their strengths and weaknesses in their education system (56). My writing process has been significant in my experience and an active learner. My writing has shifted from simple writing to a much complex form of writing based on the complexity of the content. The content in my texts have grown significantly showing that I have been able to be an active writer based on the skills and experience in acquire in class. Apart from the content, the creation of words and texts in my texts can now be related to mature student. My performance in writing has been steady and exceptional since my first inducement in writing. The same sentiments can be shared in my active learning process. Based on attentiveness, the ability to apply skills taught, completing tasks effectively and relating to activities in class to real world experiences. According to Earl, learning is measured by the way in which an individual completes test that involves the application of learned materials (77). My experience in close reading and contextualization has grown significantly since I have acquired more efficient reading and text analysis skills. The ability of a student to read and analyze texts effectively is based on their prowess in their reading skills and comprehension skills which is acquired through active learning. Working with peers in my active learning and writing process has been helpful is sharpening my skills working with my peers has greatly increased my communication skills. My ability of creating studying and professional relationships has also been increased by my involvement in working with my peers. In an argument by Earl, learning systems should have peer based tools to help boost the studying ability of all students though a related a nd appropriate support (87). In my relationship to my class I have learned a lot in the practices and activities the class have been involved in. I have been participating in numerous class activities including groups activities based on tasks provided by instructors. In group tasks I have led different groups towards completion of requirements such as reading and writing assignments, creating projects outlines, completing research projects and engaging in oral contests. Apart from learning from these activities, groups’ activities in class enhanced my relationship in thus class in terms of having the will to learn and being happy in my learning environment. According to Earl, in active learning the type of perception a learner creates in their class /environment is important in their quest for education (123). Additionally, other participations in my class revolved around completing different forms of assignments. For instance, I completed annotated bibliographies, research assignments, oral and practical exams, projects, interviews, text critiques and final exams and continuous assessment tests. These assessment tools increased my level of concentration and participation in class activities. At the beginning of my class, I had poor writing and learning skills. I did not have the ability to create visual creations of what I acquired in class. This was only to change if I had to create an effective relationship with

Market and business analysis of camille bloch

Market and business analysis of camille bloch Camille Bloch is one of the most visionary and creative chocolate manufacturers in Switzerland. It only can be found in European countries such as Canada, Denmark, France, Austria and Italy, etc. There is no market share in Asian countries. Therefore, Camille Bloch needs to extend new market for their product, such as Singapore. Through analyzing external environment, company finds that Singapore is a potential market. The government welcomes any legal business to invest in Singapore. Besides, Singapore is a free port for imported confectionery and snacks. According to World Bank 2010 report, Singapore economy is the easiest to do business and has been awarded the most competitive country in Asia. Facing many competitors, this company can use its competitive advantage to improve its growth potential. Because Singapore is a relatively niche market which have only one city, Camille Bloch will make market segmentation according to the demographic of Singapore and decide to choose 13-29 years old customers as target market. They are reported as one of the most dynamic customers in the market. And teenagers with discretionary spending power, they can choose any kind of product they want without influences from the parents. Camille Bloch will choose direct exporting to let Singaporean distributors put new products in this market. Company will choose to export directly through importer located in Singapore. It gives an opportunity for company to learn Singapore markets before investing and reduces the potential risks of operating overseas, extending the sales potential of existing products and gain information about foreign competition. At the same time, MOUSSES is current product in Camille Bloch. If it want to develop new market, company need to use market development strategy as market expansion strategy. During the process of development, Camille Bloch needs to use marketing mix strategy to make MOUSSES popularized. For product strategy, company will choose indepe ndent little piece packaging to produce and put in Singapore market while its price strategy is making combination with three kinds of pricing strategies. The lower limit of this price is marginal cost while the upper limit of this price is demand price. After that, Camille Bloch will establish good cooperation with Fairprice, Cold Storage Group, Sheng Siong, Carrefour and Giant supermarkets through choosing good distributors possessed high reputation and abundant experience. Once entering into Singapore market, company will continually propagandize this product to enlarge its popularity and obtain market shares through sales promotion, advertising and retail terminal inputs POP. Through these strategies to introduce this brand, we believe that company will have good foreground in Singapore market. 2. Introduction Camille Bloch is one of the most visionary and creative chocolate manufacturers in Switzerland. Camille Bloch is an independent family business. With the rapidly development of epoch, they have a greatest challenge is the balance between the established and the modern. They must connect their recipes and advanced technologies. Besides, they try their new product ideas. However, Camille Bloch products cannot be found all over the world. It only can be found in some European countries such as Canada, Denmark, France, Austria and Italy, etc. There is no market share in some Asian country. Therefore, Camille Bloch should export their product to some Asian countries such as Singapore. 3. External Environmental Analysis Environment is most important part for a company that is in any industry. For a company, they should put a lot concentration on this part. First of all, a company should analyze the macro-environment and it can be analyzed from many areas. There are some main elements can be impacted corporation such as political, economical, social, technological, environment and legal, etc. Singapore is one of the best business environment countries in the world. There are many influences can impact chocolate product import such as government political, importer tax or huge demand, etc. However, some of them are positive and the others may negative. 3.1. Political and Legal Environment Government affects almost every aspect of business life in every single country. Singapore is an enterprise friendly country. The government welcomes any legal business to invest in Singapore. Besides, Singapore is a free port for imported confectionery and snacks. Although, there are 7% tax of goods and service will be charged by the importer before imported products but no import duties are levied on imported confectionery and snacks. This politic can help chocolate company which export to Singapore to reduce cost. However, Chocolate manufacturer who wants to sale the products in Singapore should has high product quality standard because their product should be subject to inspection. 3.2. Economy environment The Singapore economy is active free-market economy and the per-capita income of Singapore also is the highest in ASEAN. According to report, Singapores economic growth was rapidly slowing down than before since third quarter 2008 because of the international financial crisis. However, Singapores economic still very strong. According to World Bank 2010 report, Singapore economy is the easiest to do business. Also, Singapore has been awarded the most competitive country in Asia. 3.3. Social Cultural Singapore is multi-culture country. It also is an eastern country which still has traditional family values, but the young generation has adapted to western culture and values. Currently, the population of Singapore is more than 4 million. Singapore ethnic mix is Chinese (75.2%), Malays (13.6%), and Indians (8.8%). Singaporean are very hard working, therefore, they get a lot of work stresses. So, they need chocolate or candy to reduce pressure. 3.4. Technological Factors With the rapidly development of technology, it can impact many kind of things such as distribution strategies, media strategies, etc. When a brand goes to a foreign country as a new brand, the company must use some method to introduce their product. Media is perfect tool can help them to achieve their goals. In Singapore, there are many media tools can be available such as MRT, bus, taxi, TV or magazines, etc. Also, distribution channels are very important tool for a company. There are many distribution channels can be used. For example, Convenience store is important channel for confectionery. Because, these places always are frequented by younger Singaporeans but it is difficult to increase brand awareness. Therefore, the company can choose some major retailers to sale their products such as Fairprice, ShengSiong and Carrefour, etc or some specialty confectionery shops such as The Cocoa Trees or Umeya chains of outlets 4. Competitor Analysis Competitor analysis is important to a company. It can affect marketing strategies when the company wants to launch the product in the market. In this way the company can find areas of potential competitive advantage and disadvantage. We can use many methods to analyze competitors, first identifying competitors and assessing competitors and then selecting which competitors can become attacker and which competitor can be avoided. 4.1. Main competitor For Camille Bloch chocolate company, there are many direct and indirect competitors in Singapore. More than 30 countries supply confectionery to Singapore such as USA, UK, Netherlands, and Switzerland, etc. Also, there are many different brands can be found in the market such as Nestle, Ferrero, Lindt, Hershey and Haagen-Dazs, etc. But some brands are direct competitors and some of them are indirect. For example, Haagen-Dazs is a famous confectionery company. Their major product is ice-cream. Although, Haagen-Dazs is indirect competitor for Camille Bloch, however, they still can get some market share in confectionery market of Singapore. Also, it can affect the marketing strategy when Camille Bloch products enter market. Direct competitor is most important part which should put more concentration. In Singapore confectionery market, Nestle, Ferrero, Cadbury, KitKat, Cacao, etc are key competitors. These competitors have different products and have different target customer. These competitors products are quite traditional. 4.2. Competitive advantage Singapore chocolate market needs some new product can bring some activities. Therefore, Camille Bloch has a new product is called Mousse mixture can give a fresh filling to Singapore market. The Mousse mixture from Camille Bloch has always been smooth and light. And there are three different flavours can be chose such as Lait Extra for light-coloured, milky extravagance; Lait for traditional connoisseurs and Noir for gourmets who prefer the bittersweet taste of plain chocolate. 4.3. Growth potential Singapore confectionery market is a developing market. There are many opportunities can make company successful. Camille Bloch can use Mousse mixture to enter to market and increase their brand awareness. When this product can get some market share, Camille Bloch can launch some other products into Singapore market. According to Singaporeans habit, Camille Bloch also can do other product except chocolate such as coffee or ice-cream. It is because many Singaporean love these two things. Some Singaporean is coffee drinker, they may drink more than eight cup of coffee per day. So, these are the growth potential for Camille Bloch in Singapore market. 5. Market segmentation and target marketing There is no single way to segment a market. Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market into smaller groups of buyers with distinct needs, characteristics or behaviors who might require separate products. Market segmentation reveals the firms market segment opportunities. After evaluating different market segments, companies must decide on target market to conduct business strategies. A target market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Due to the demographic of Singapore, target market of our product is teenager and young adult age from 13 to 29 year old. Chocolate has been a part of the everyday consumers lives and become a popular product of Singaporean adults and children. They are reported as one of the most dynamic customers in the market. Teenagers with discretionary spending power, they can choose any kind of product they want without influences from the parents because they already have their own allowance. For young adults, they have jobs and income so they can decide for their consumer behavior. They buy chocolate for themselves or they use chocolate as gift item at other celebration such as birthdays, weddings. This has created a situation in the market where there is seasonal demand, with a high proportion of sales being made between November and April. This period includes most of Singapores major festivals or celebrations like Deepavali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Calendar New Year, Chinese New Year, and Valentines Day. In this period there is quite a high level of spending. 6. Market entry and expansion strategies 6.1. Market entry strategies There are many ways for company to introduce products into foreign markets such as Exporting, Licensing, Franchising, Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances, Acquisition or Greenfield Operation. Selection method depends on costs, risk and the degree of control which can be exercised over them. The simplest form of entry strategy is exporting because it requires minimum resources while allowing high flexibility and offers substantial financial, marketing, technological and other benefit to the company. Exporting methods include indirect or direct export. Indirect exporting involves the use of independent intermediaries or agents to market the firms product overseas. These agents, known as export representatives, assume responsibility for marketing the firms product through their network of foreign distributors and their own sales force. On the other hand, direct exporting occurs when a manufactures or exporter sells directly to an importer or buyer located in a foreign market. In Singapore, people can be purchased chocolate from hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol station stores, minimarts, provisions/grocery shops and kiosk-type shops or stalls located in shopping centre, entertainment complexes, tourist locations, airport shops and even at traditional street-side newspaper stalls. There are also some specialty shops, which operate in chains or as single site outlets. Because this is the first time company introduce product into Singapore, we select only mousse chocolate; it is the latest news product mixture from Camille Bloch has always been smooth and light. Company cannot sell products directly to consumers so company will choose to export directly through importer located in Singapore. It gives an opportunity for company to learn Singapore markets before investing and reduces the potential risks of operating overseas, extend the sales potential of existing products and gain information about foreign competition. Some companies spec ialize in importing Singapores Confectioneries are Hong Yi Hao Trading Pte Ltd, Kaimay Trading Pte Ltd, Sing Long Foodstuff Trading Company Pte Ltd, Diethelm Singapore Pte Ltd and etc. Most importers have their own distribution networks, collect cargoes, re-pack in warehouses and deliver to consumers through retailers such as Fairprice, Cold Storage Group, Sheng Siong, Carrefour and Giant. 6.2. Market expansion strategies Current Product New Products Current Market 1. Market Penetration Strategy 3. Product Development Strategy New Market 2. Market Development Strategy 4. Diversification Strategy Figure 6.2.1: The product/ market expansion grid Company has decided to developed new market (Singapore market) for the existing company product (mousse chocolate). It is called market development strategy. Finding new market for the new customer helps company to increase performance by increasing sales and profit. After the company approached the new market, companies must conduct the strategy to expand market so the company to be able to survive long term. The first one is to introducing more products to the market, that way you will be able to get multiple new customer bases. Company is able to launch all kind of Camille Blochs product like Ragusa chocolate, Torino chocolate, Liqueur chocolate and Napolitains chocolate. Since then company can find the best- selling product and focus marketing effort on that product as well as use this bestseller product to gain multiple profits. The second one is to add segment to expand companys market. One way to do so is to decide to target a new segment such as children age from 3 to 12 year old or family consumers. 7. International marketing mix 7.1. Product strategy Camille Bloch releases many kinds of products in Switzerland. Especially, MOSSUE have its special feature. So company will decide to choose it to expand Singapore market, enhancing chocolate categories. Camille Bloch puts MOUSSE into Singapore market in order to generate differentiation with competitors. According to the survey for Singapore retail markets, most of chocolate being sold in Singapore market are imported brand or joint venture brand, their packaging are mainly row block packaging. However, independent little piece packaging is seldom used by chocolate company. Table 7.1.1 shows packaging specifications of major competitors. Brand Row block Gift packaging Cadbury 50k,70k,100k 180k,220k Berly,s 46k,50k,70k,85k 130k,250k Ferrero 40k,60k 200k,300k,375k Toblerone 50k,100k 200k Table 7.1.1: The analysis of packaging specifications of major competitors Through analyzing two kinds of packaging, traditional row block packaging have some obvious shortcomings, such as incommodiousness, insanitation and so on. While the characterization of independent little piece packaging is that every piece of chocolate have its own packaging. Consumers can tear wrapping paper to eat out every piece. This kind of packaging is conveniently used and health for consumers. And the production volume of independent little piece packaging can conveniently be adjusted according to market needs or they can be split into bulk packaging. So Camille Bloch should launch independent little piece packaging of MOUSSES in Singapore market in order to obtain more competitive advantage. 7.2. Price strategy The level of market share in enterprises, speed of market acceptance for new products, the image of enterprises and their products in the market have close relationship with price strategy. Under the fierce competitive environment of chocolate industry, we need to make combination with three kinds of pricing strategies. The lower limit of this price is marginal cost while the upper limit of this price is demand price. Apart from it, company also needs to refer the competitive situation of Singapore market in order to make the reasonable price. Camille Bloch should adopt invasive pricing strategy. When MOUSSES products entered into Singapore market, the pricing for this product is lower than joint ventures and wholly-owned international competitors. Through this pricing strategy, company hopes Singapore customers to know that MOUSSES chocolate is cheap but good Switzerland imported chocolate. Then the position of MOUSSES chocolate will become clear through pricing and brand image like imported products, reasonable price can be clearly established. Through analyzing the retail price of main competitive brands, we obtain the proportion of price competition from main competition brands and have developed suggested retail price of MOUSSES Number Brand Retail price (the smallest unit) 1 Cadbury SGD $1.55 per piece (50k) 2 Berly,s SGD $3.15 per piece (46k) 3 Ferrero SGD $2.7 per piece (40k) 4 Toblerone SGD $2per piece (50k) 5 MOUSSES SGD $2.8 per bag (45k) Table 7.2.1: The analysis of chocolate retail price Notes: the pricing of retail prices will decrease 5%-10% than competitors, which can give customers adequate impulsion of visual, psychological and the value. But the range of price is not greater than 10% of international competitors. Its final price is lower than Berlys chocolate, about 6%. If invasive pricing appears profits loss, company can compensate this through the scale sales. Once this product get a foothold in Singapore market, its retail price will call-back. 7.3. Place strategy 7.3.1. The choice of channels Singapore is a relatively niche market which have only one city. So the choice of distribution channel doesnt consider the differentiation between cities. Camille Bloch firstly cooperates with supermarkets to directly provide this product into Singapore market. At the same time, Camille Bloch should establish good cooperation with Fairprice, Cold Storage Group, Sheng Siong, Carrefour and Giant supermarkets. Moreover, this brand finally spread all over selling point of this country in the right of national network of supermarkets. For example, hypermarkets, convenience stores, provisions/grocery shops and kiosk-type shops or stalls located in shopping centre, entertainment complexes, tourist locations and airport shops. 7.3.2. The choice of distributors For MOUSSES, employing dealers to distribute is an economic and effective way. Dealers send MOUSSES of Camille Bloch to customers, the speed of pass and service quality directly affect the sale of product and market image. So company will select local distributor possessed high reputation and abundant experience, such as Hong Yi Hao Trading Pte Ltd, Kaimay Trading Pte Ltd, Sing Long Foodstuff Trading Company Pte Ltd. 7.4. Promotion strategy The promotion mix for extending MOUSSES as follow: 7.4.1. Sales promotion Promotion persons will send free sample in large person flow and high-end commercial network. The main target customer is 13-29 years old persons. Sales persons strive for letting target consumers taste. Using novel taste and good quality attract customers to buy MOUSSES chocolate. 7.4.2. Retail terminal inputs POP This part contains some means such as posters, flags, special shelves, organizing professional tallymen to tally. They unified the standard of display in the store and make use of neat, orderly and beautiful display to cause the impulsion of customers, inspiring purchasing desire. 7.4.3. Advertising During the period of Singaporean important festival, company should input some advertisement through TV media and make outdoor advertisement putting up air-conditioned vehicle to establish the brand image, cultivating target consumer group loyalty and attracting new customers. 8. Conclusion Through the analysis of external environment and competitors, Camille Bloch will make market segmentation according to the demographic of Singapore and decide to choose 13-29 years old customers as target market. This company will choose direct exporting to let Singaporean distributors put new products in this market. Market development strategy as market expansion strategy will be used for MOUSSES. Apart from that, marketing mix strategy also will be designed to successfully put this new product into Singapore market. Company hopes that this product can be extended as soon as possible.