Analyst Report

Business 101 4 November 2011 Analyst Report Part 1: Executive Summary VF Corporation is a multi million-dollar industry that produces and distributes apparels from various brand names. Throughout the past two years VF Corp has performed very well as concluded on its annual report. By looking at the annual report for 2010 it is very clear that VF Corp has performed very well over the past year. The total revenues for 2010 were $482,303 more than the total revenues for 2009. The long-term debt for the company reduces by $2,612 from 2009.With the various brand names that VF Corp has, it is clear that the total revenue will always increase as the demand for those brands increases, which they have been increasing. To add to their brand base VF Corp just recently bought the company Timberland so that too will help increase their earnings. By purchasing another popular name brand VF Corp will have a number of appealing brands that the public is always interested in purchasing. This helps VF Corp in the future because the more brands they purchase, the larger their consumer population will become.By doing so they are also highlighting one of their major goals addressed in their mission statement, which states â€Å"Our goal is to continuously exceed the expectations of our consumers, customers, shareholders and business partners. † Part 2: Company Profile †¢ Ticker symbol: VFC †¢ Mission Statement as it is printed in the Annual Report: We will grow by building leading lifestyle brands that excite consumers around the world. Ours is a perpetually driven culture, focused on constant innovation. Using deep research and insights, we combine the art and science of apparel to create products that excite consumers and brands that inspire loyalty.We responsibly manage the industry's most efficient and complex supply chain, which spans multiple geographies, product categories and distribution channels. Our goal is to continuously exceed the expectations of our consumers, customers, shareholders and business partners. We help our retail partners win with consistently solid execution and outstanding service. And we continually find ways to improve our performance and generate bottom line results. †¢ Corporate headquarters location: 105 Corporate Center Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27408 †¢ Name of CEO: Eric C.Wiseman †¢ Name of CFO: Robert K. Shearer †¢ Stock classifications (common, preferred, both): Common †¢ Exchange (NYSE, Nasdaq): New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Part 3: Projections: Based on the graph of the stock performance I project that the stock prices will steadily increase in the years to come. During the 2009 recession the stock levels for VF Corp went down but bounced right back up towards the 70’s closer to 2010. Since then the stock levels slowly increased each month and now are at a steady positive increase and I believe that it will continue to increase.Also VF Corp is associated with various clothin g and apparel companies and regardless of how serious the economy might decline, people will still go out and buy clothes. VF Corp is also associated with a number of big name brands such as The North Face, Lee, Vans, Timberland, Nautica, Wrangler, Majestic, Jansport, and many other brands. These different brands are very popular these days and their sales are always going up so the overall stocks for VF Corp will continue in a positive slope. [pic] Part 4: Current Events The first article discusses how VF Corp is purchasing â€Å"VF Arvind Brands Private Limited†.This company is responsible for marketing VF Corp’s brands throughout India. This is helpful for VF Corp because it can market its own brands and spread throughout Asia as well. This would allow VF Corp to not only have the final say on how exactly it markets its products but to also choose the locations that they want the products to be marketed at. Overall this purchase will greatly benefit VF Corp right no w and in the future as well. The second article discusses how VF Corp is set to buy the brand Timberland. By doing so not only is VF Corp helping increase its profits but Timberland’s as well.Timberland is a famous company that primarily sells boots. This would greatly increase VF Corp’s variety in terms of outdoor wear. By purchasing Timberland VF Corp will also be able to expand oversees as the article stated. Since most of the sales from Timberland occur in China, this would help VF Corp market not only Timberland but many of their other name brands. This purchase will definitely have some very positive results in the future and if more purchases like this are made then VF Corp will increase its earning greatly. Part 5: Recommendations:Based on the information that I’ve gathered about this corporation I strongly suggest that investors should move fast and â€Å"buy† stocks from this company. Using the current ratio I can see that the company’s l iquidity levels will be increasing in the years to come and since the economy is slowly recovering it is clear that VF Corp is going to do well in terms of stock sales. The difference between the current ratio of 2010 and 2009 is 0. 14. though this might not seem like a large enough of a number to make a huge difference, in reality it does. The profit margin between the two years has also increased by 1. %. All of this information tells me that VF Corp is a company that you should invest in because the company is only going on a positive direction. Article 1: VF Corporation To Acquire Joint Venture in India Published: November 2, 2011 GREENSBORO, N. C. , & BANGALORE, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 2, 2011– VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, today announced that its subsidiary, VF Mauritius, has acquired full ownership of VF Arvind Brands Private Limited, a majority-owned joint venture between VF Mauritius and Arvind Limited for med in 2006 to market VF brands in India. Our business in India is strong, and now is the time to assume full ownership,† said Eric C. Wiseman, Chairman, President and CEO of VF Corporation. â€Å"Anchored by our Lee ® and Wrangler ® brands, the Indian market will provide a robust platform for future growth in the Asia-Pacific region. † Aidan O’Meara, President, VF Asia, noted: â€Å"VF is grateful for the contribution Arvind made to the development of a fast-growing and profitable business for our brands in India. VF and Arvind will continue to have a strong working relationship, now and in the future. †O’Meara added that he does not expect any impact to jobs or changes in the day-to-day operations of the business in India. The new name of the wholly owned business in India has not yet been announced. Article 2: VF Corporation to Buy Timberland BY MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED The VF Corporation agreed on Monday to buy the Timberland Company, the boo t maker, for about $2 billion in cash, paying a big premium in an effort to bolster its outdoor clothing offerings. VF, which already owns lines like Wrangler and 7 for All Mankind, will add Timberland to a stable of outdoor brands like the North Face and Eastpak.Eric C. Wiseman, VF’s chairman and chief executive, described the Timberland deal on Monday as a â€Å"transformative† acquisition that will add footwear to his company’s fastest-growing unit. The outdoor and action sports business reported a 14 percent gain in revenue last year, to $3. 2 billion. â€Å"We are confident in our ability to take big brands and make them bigger,† he said during an investor conference call. Still, VF is paying up: Under the terms of the deal, it will pay $43 a share, a more than 40 percent premium to Timberland’s Friday closing price.Founded in Abington, Mass. , in 1952 by the Swartz family, Timberland became synonymous with American work garments and outdoor c lothing, particularly with its hard-wearing boots. But the company has faced rising materials costs, with its operating margins falling to just 9 percent last year. It reported a 30 percent drop in first-quarter profits this year. VF executives appeared confident that it could wring profits by improving Timberland’s business performance, primarily by folding it into the apparel giant’s global platform and cutting costs.On an investor call with analysts, VF’s chief financial officer, Bob Shearer, said his company planned to raise its new acquisition’s operating margin to 15 percent, in line with the rest of the conglomerate’s brands. In Timberland, VF also sees an opportunity to expand its presence overseas. Though Timberland’s popularity in the United States surged years ago, the brand remains popular in high-growth markets like China. The company also has a foothold in Japan, where VF is still building out its presence. VF executives expect to reap benefits from the Timberland deal soon after its closing, which is expected in the third quarter this year.Timberland is expected to begin adding to VF’s earnings by 45 cents a share this year and 90 cents next year, excluding acquisition costs. VF plans to keep Timberland based in Stratham, N. H. Members of the Swartz family have agreed to support the deal. The Timberland sale appeared to stoke hopes that other outdoor apparel makers could soon go on the block as well. Among the big gainers was Wolverine World Wide, another maker of rugged work boots, whose shares jumped about 5. 1 percent to $39. 08. Columbia Sportswear, another purveyor of activewear, rose 1. 7 percent to $59. 43.Shares of VF also rose, gaining 10 percent on Monday to $101. 01. Usually, an acquirer’s shares fall after a deal is announced, as shareholders worry about the transaction being overpriced. Shares in Timberland soared 44 percent to $43. 20. Analysts praised the deal, citing VF†™s history of integrating brands into its business platform. â€Å"We regard Timberland as a high-quality brand that has been operationally challenged for a number of years,† analysts at Sterne Agee wrote in a research note on Monday. â€Å"We believe that VF has exhibited a strong track record and the capabilities to rectify many of the historical problems. †

Different Research strategies you can use in your Dissertation

Different Research strategies you can use in your Dissertation Different Research strategies you can use in your Dissertation One of the key problems you need to address early on when writing your dissertation is that of the best strategy to use to conduct your researchThat is, how will you go about answering the research questions you want to investigate Defining your research strategy means deciding whether you want to do primary research or confine yourself to the existing literature. You can get help deciding whether a primary or secondary study is best for you from one of our helpful guides. Research strategy for secondary studies is fairly straightforward, although you do have to look at your search methods and define key words and so on. However, defining different research strategies you can use in your dissertation to conduct primary studies is slightly more involved. This guide will help you understand the basics by looking at some of the most common research strategies.Case StudiesCase studies are a type of descriptive research looking at individuals, a small group of people or a unit (an organ isation for example). Data is collected by observation, participation and a range of other methods including examining existing records, interviews and tests Case studies may include participants own accounts Conclusions are relevant primarily to the people or unit studied, they are not as appropriate if you want to generalise to a much wider population Case studies tend not to look at cause and effect, rather they focus upon exploring and describing A typical case study looks at the way a number of variables interact in order to fully understand a given situation Case studies are usually used for qualitative research Case studies are useful for ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, where context is important, and where the researcher has little control over events.SurveysSurvey research is frequently used in social science research. Surveys are also used in commercial settings, primarily market research. Surveys often gather quantitative data, but can also gather qua litative information through open-ended questions Surveys are carried out on a sample of respondents from a selected population through the administration of a questionnaire. The questionnaire can be done online, face-to-face or over the telephone. Surveys are very flexible and can be used to collect different types of data from small or large numbers of people Surveys can also be useful across a wide range of disciplines from business to anthropology The data collected in surveys needs to be analysed to produce useful results. Quantitative data (numbers) is typically analysed using statistical software like SPSS. Qualitative data can be analysed by a number of techniques including coding and thematic analysis.InterviewsAn interview is a discussion with one or more people. The matters raised are recorded (video-taped, audio-recorded or written down) and subsequently analysed Interviews are very flexible. They can be highly structured and formalised, with all the possible options det ermined in advance (a quantitative survey administered face-to-face would be an interview of this type) or unstructured and relaxed. Interviews are usually divided into three groups, depending upon the degree to which they are structured: structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews. Structured interviews are based on a pre-determined set of questions and allow little-to-no scope for deviation from the structure. Unstructured interviews start with a few broad questions or areas for discussion, and the interviewer uses techniques like prompting and probing to elicit responses from the participants. Interviews can involve one subject, or a group of subjects, but typically no more than 5 or 6 people in a group. The dynamics of a one-to-one interview and a group interview are different and are suitable for different purposes: one-to-one interviews are useful where you want people to open up about personal or private matters, while group interviews allow people to interact and create group dynamics.Other StrategiesAction research, also known as participatory research and collaborative inquiry can be seen as a process of research through doing something. It involves the ability to usefully reflect upon process in order to improve understanding of practices and situations Ethnomethodology as an approach tries to understand the way people interact with each other, and therefore studies social realities, often of the day-to-day lives of ordinary people. Its concern is with how people make sense of their world. Grounded theory research does not have a set of assumptions or research objectives which are tested against reality. Rather it generates theory by first examining a social situation and seeing what explanations could account for the phenomena.BibliographyBadke, W (2012) Research Strategies: Finding your way through the information fog (4th edn), iUniverse, USA Colorado State University (2013) ‘Case Study’ [online] (cited 6th March 2013) available from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=60 Marsden, P V and Wright, J D (2010) Handbook of Survey Research (2nd edn.), Emerald Group Publishing, London. Punch, K (2003) Survey Research: The Basics, SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Big Screens Big Failure-Stephen

Case Summary Big Screen Studios is one of the largest Hollywood movies studios. Buck Knox, the president of Big Screen has established Big Screen as a studio that produced cost-efficient and profitable films. The studio also had a good reputation for being supportive of the creative side of film making. However, in the last two years Big Screen had invested in several major productions that for various reasons had all performed well below expectation. Knox heard that some of the board members were prepared to force him out of the presidency if Big Screen did not come up with a hit soon. Knox contacted Mark Frazier, the director who had made several profitable movies and had a reputation as being a maverick with a â€Å"vision†. Frazier wants the script that he’s been writing to be filmed by Big Screen, the story about two strong male lead characters, a beautiful woman the men encountered in South America whose affection they fought over, battles, sea journeys, and challenging journeys over mountains and through jungles. Knox enchanted by the script; however Knox could also see that this movie might be extremely expensive to produce. Frazier convinces Knox that it will pay off. After a serious consideration, Knox decided to produce Frazier’s movie with $50 million budget agreement. John Connor, one of Knox’s trusted vice presidents, act as the studio’s liaison with Frazier and to be executive producer on the film. Connor was a veteran of many years experienced in working with directors and budgets. The first major problem the film encountered involved casting. Frazier’s first signing was Cole Rogan, a famous actions star, to be one of the male leads. Knox and Connor felt that Rogan was an asset because he had a reputation as a star who could â€Å"open† a film (audience would come to a movie just because he was in it). However, Frazier then decided to cast Frank Monaco as the other male lead. Monaco had made only a few films to date, and those were fluffy romantic comedies. Monaco had never proved himself in an epic adventure role, and he was an accomplished enough actor that he would make the rather wooden Rogan look bad. Knox suggests recasting Rogan’s role. Unfortunately, it turned out that Frazier had signed Rogan to a â€Å"pay or play† deal, meaning that if the studio released Rogan from the project, the studio would have to pay him a considerable sum of money. Rogan was replaced by Marty Jones, an actor who had had some success in films but mostly in supporting roles. A few weeks after casting was completed, Frazier insists the majority of the production be filmed in the jungles of South America, rather than in the studio. Frazier also insists that he needed to bring along most of the crew that had worked on his previous films. This also means that the budget will be increased. Knox agreed to raise the budget to $75 million as he was afraid of Frazier would go to another studio if he was not allowed to film on location in South America. Frazier, Connor, and the cast and crew headed off to the South American jungles for a scheduled two-month shoot. After two weeks had passed, Frazier was shooting scenes several times over- not because the actors or the crew were making mistakes, or because there was something wrong with the scene, but because the output just didn’t meet his artistic standards. Also, because the filming locations were so remote, the cast and crew were spending nearly four hours of a scheduled seven hour workday traveling to and from location. The production was incurring huge overtime costs. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the progress showed that Monaco and Jones didn’t have any chemistry as a pair, and Gia Norman, the female lead characters, had such a heavy accent that most of her lines couldn’t be understood. As the troubles that come up, Knox headed to the location to meet with Frazier. Knox will put $5 million more into the movie and tell Frazier that the movie must be done within the budget. Knox thought, Connor was doing a good job of reporting, but he didn’t seem to be doing much to correct the budget problems he was observing. After three and half month Frazier came back to California and started editing the film. He refused to allow anyone associated with the studio to be in the editing room. Three weeks into the editing Frazier ask that he want to hire a ship and bring the actors and crew back to perfecting the prologue which would cost the studio another additional cost. Knox agrees after he had a discussion with the board member.

Next order mult. papers and PPT. they need to build on each other too Essay

Next order mult. papers and PPT. they need to build on each other too - Essay Example The customer has added to the complaint that after a period of three months the cylinder head had started to show leaks and he had to get repairs done. After a period of five months the engine had started showing problems that were repaired and by that time the warranty had expired so a new engine had to be bought. I have noticed similar complaints in the case of the 1997 as well as the 2000 models of Ford Expedition. In addition to the oil cylinder and the engine problems the one point that has been raised very aggressively by the customers is that the company has not been too helpful in paying the repairs for the losses. It has been mentioned by one of the customers that her expedition had been reporting errors in the gasket and she asked our organization for the repairs that was under warranty. But for unknown reasons our organization had been unable to pay for the losses and had not paid for the repairs either. All the complaints can be summarized by saying that there are problems in the case of the head gasket as well as the oil cylinder. The engine might be in need of being rechecked in a detailed manner so that the newer Expedition do not show such problems as these are the problems in the Expedition models that have become, sadly, well known among the people. The organization’s reputation is the most important to me and the other clients. Any kind of issues that might be harmful to the company’s reputation have to be dealt with in a strategic manner so the future clients can be made to trust the organization. The issues that we might face in the future, as I might say, need to be dealt with at this very point so that they are resolved at an earlier stage rather than being delayed. The customers are the main stake holders for the organization and we, at Ford Motors respect this relationship in the business. The customers need to be heard regarding their complaints so all the trust is regained in order that they

Profile Dr. Jonathan Calof Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Profile Dr. Jonathan Calof - Research Paper Example Awards also came to him from educational organizations like Academy of Business Administration, the International Council for Small Business - South Africa, the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, and the Academy of International Business. The international journals like Competitive Intelligence Review, Business Quarterly, International Journal of Small Business Management, and International Business Review also contain informative articles and eye openers contributed by him. His case on the Sterling Marking products has become a key collection of Ivey School of Business and was a part of the 10 most marketed cases. This is also a selection amongst the best articles collected by Business Quarterly. He has been heard over the radio in different interviews (Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, n.d.). Dr. Jonathan Calof passed his graduation level from University of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business and Carleton University. He is a part of the editorial t eam of many publications and an editor of Executive Magazine. In general he is a productive author and has over 100 publications in his name.

VG Jones e-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

VG Jones e-commerce - Essay Example While this method of doing business seems au courant, e-commerce relies on time-tested methods of smart, ethical business practises to realise profits. VG Jones can leverage its existing business experience as it expands into this new arena. Two of the biggest and most successful retailers online are Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Amazon.com is the world’s largest online retailer, offering everything from the latest bestselling novels to garden gadgetry. It â€Å"exists† only online and as such is known as a â€Å"pure play† operation. Barnes & Noble is the largest bookseller in the United States, with many large high street shops known as â€Å"superstores† as well as a significant online operation, though none in the UK. Both companies have simply found new channels through which to earn profits and offer significant lessons for VG Jones as it seeks to expand its presence onto the web. Both websites are examined in detail for lessons that VG Jones can use in its web planning process. As the company ventures into an expanded web presence, the following recommendations can help provide guidance: 1. Make sure the existing business model is a good one. 2. Create a distinctive presence as a UK retailer. 3. Make the online experience enjoyable and informative. 4. Take advantage of â€Å"buzzworthy† events. 5. Make the website work for the high street shops and vice versa.

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management accounting - Essay Example BA is flying to over 550 destinations and to 155 countries worldwide including Americas, UK, Europe, Middle East and South Asia, Africa, and Asia/Pacific (â€Å"British Airways,† 2010). It has been considered as one of the leader in the airline industry worldwide and known for its excellence, quality, and full air and ground services. Aside from being the largest international scheduled airline in UK, BA offered several services and facilities to their customers to guarantee their convenience. The company has been privatised and shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol BAY (â€Å"London Stock Exchange,† 2011). As history trace its origins back, BA was formed with the mergence of BOAC, BEA, Cambrian Airways, and Northeast Airlines last 1974 (â€Å"British Airways,† n.d.). ... They have decided to merge because of recession that badly hit the operations of the two airlines (BBC News, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to explain how management accounting can supply information to assist the management of British Airways, particularly the key techniques that are favourable to the company. Review of the Nature and Role of Management Accounting Management accounting is an exclusive type of accounting wherein the supplied information is more specific. Furthermore, it â€Å"exists to serve managers helping them work as decision makers, planners, and controllers of their respective departments or areas of responsibility† (Atrill & McLaney, 1994, p.14). In other words, the role of management accounting is to assist the managers in making decisions or problem solving, and provide accounting information necessary to make realistic future plans. They are expected to provide financial or economic information particularly available to those in managerial posit ion. These are needed in carrying the tasks of decision-making, planning, and control so that organization will be managed effectively and efficiently. Decision making and planning is one of the crucial tasks played by management accounting. There are instances that the management needs to settle with the best option to be pursued which at the same time favourable to the organization. The determined courses of action will be evaluated as to their costs and benefits which is the role of planning. Furthermore, the information will be more effective if the result of the appraisal showed that the benefits outweigh the costs. Control is the second primary tasked that â€Å"involves a comparison of actual performance with the plan so that

Multimedia campaign three page proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multimedia campaign three page proposal - Essay Example According to the silo it is recognizable of which sex they are, and that is the only characteristics of the character. Basic idea of marketing campaign is to ensure targeted group that Daisy and Low rides jeans are positioning them ina leading position, no matter what color, sex or religion they are. Campaign should be conducted through tv stations, radio, newspapers and magazines, billboards and local Internet portals. Beside that, it is necessary to run special promotional actions through places where targeted audience are gathering, such as Starbuck or Lugz shops. Special attention should be given to local Internet portals which are gaining popularity and where the advertising is relatively cheap but reaches huge number of targeted population. In development of media campaign for Wrangler jeans, two radio spots, one billboard, two tv commercial ads and two Internet banners shall be developed. It is essential to reach as many as possible people aging between 16 and 30 which are major consumer population for Daisy and Low ride jeans. For the television ads, in two commercials, invisible people will be shown wearing "Daisies" and "Low rides". Invisible group of man and woman shall be distinguished by the silhouettes and jeans model that they are wearing. When invisible man wearing jeans comes near the living person in commercial, invisible person suddenly transforms into the visible man, suggesting that wearing Daisies or Low rides will make consumer noticeable wherever he comes or appears. Project flow: Television: Developing two different 30 second commercials, broadcasting them 3 times a week for a trial period of 6 months 1. Ad development a)Actors, directors, video graphics 100.000,00 $ b)Storyboard development 50.000,00 $ c)Agency fee 50.000,00 $ TOTAL 200.000,00 $ 2. Air time national 30 second spot 40.000, $ x 3 times/week x 4 weeks x 6 months 40.000 x 3 x 4 x 6 = 2.880.000 $ per 6 months Television total (development + broadcasting)= 3.080.000,00 $ for trial period of 6 months Billboards: 1. Ad development 2.000,00 $ 2. Placing in 20 major US cities 200.000,00 $ TOTAL 202.000,00 $ Internet 1. Banner Development 1.000,00 $ 2. Positioning banners on major 20 local portals for 6 months 1.000 $ x 20 portals x 6 months= 120.000,00

Values and Democracy (Politics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Values and Democracy (Politics) - Essay Example Even though regular elections are, according to Beetham (1992), ‘a continuous discipline on the elected to take constant notice of public opinion’ (ibid, p. 47), the dictate that politicians take pleasure from is the fact that citizens have very little influence on political decisions made in their behalf. The core argument of this essay is that in order to justify the diversity of environmental values and the dedication of citizens, the process of decision making should be to improve and endorse democratic participation. In order to do this, this essay will compare and contrast the relationship of environmental values and democracy in four countries, namely, The United States, Great Britain, Russia, and China: the former two countries being highly democratic while the latter two being less democratic. As reported by the Brundtland Commission, an environmental right should state that â€Å"all human beings have the fundamental right to an environment adequate for their health and well being† (Smith 2003, 104). ... 216). Democracy should be concerned with the composition of the constitution, since the effect of rights is experienced all over the legal, political, and moral areas. Several theories have been used for establishing environmental values (Carrow et al. 1998). Eckersley (1996) sums up the environmental challenge to democratic ideas of rights by saying that the democratic explanation of the moral interest of protection and independence from control needs consideration of the physical situations of its use. As argued by Eckersley (1996), â€Å"we must accord the same moral priority to the material conditions (including bodily and ecological conditions) that enable that autonomy to be exercised† (ibid, p. 223). Environmental values, however, conflicts with the democracy. Yet, the statements above show that ecological values and particular democratic rights are in fact connected. As stated by Saward (1996), â€Å"Rather than being something outside the purview of democratic theory , core environmental concerns are part of it† (ibid, p. 88). The following section will show the connection (or conflict) between environmental values and democracy in four countries, the US, the UK, China, and Russia. Environmental Values and Democracy If one looks at the political guidelines for the environment of the US and the UK, which are highly democratic societies, a particular problem appears as the clearest feature of the political practices, which is shown in their regulations. The problem has its source in knowledge of democracy that respects the involvement of citizens in decision making process to be a must. As shown by this idea, citizens should be given the right to express his/her opinion of and interest

The Economic Theory of Second and Third Degree Price Discrimination Essay

The Economic Theory of Second and Third Degree Price Discrimination - Essay Example The price discrimination is successful when the seller or service provider meets the following conditions in the market, to have the control of the market or having market power; identification of different groups of individuals who have different demands for a good or a service and keeping the buyer in one of the market segment from offering the service or reselling the good to another group in the market in order to prevent or limit arbitrage. The sellers should be able to control the different prices of goods or services in order to succeed in this type of price discrimination. If the firms have no market power, then it means that they have no ability to affect the prices, which are charged on the goods they sell and therefore all the goods are going to be charged at one price. Monopolies are the best examples of firms which are skilled in price discrimination because they are price makers. Monopolies have the ability to charge different prices at different markets without any pro blems. Oligopolies and monopolistic competition firms also can practice price discrimination if they control the prices of goods and services. The other condition necessary for the operation of a monopoly is that the firms must identify the different groups of buyers with each group of buyers in the market assumed to have different elasticities of demand related to the price of the commodity. Different buyers found in the different markets are able to pay different prices for the same type of goods existing in the market.

Positive effects of video games Essay Example for Free

Positive effects of video games Essay Now I am no expert in the mind, but in my research I have found that there is several ways that we can learn from playing video games. Video games have always been infamous for their anti-social aspect and the violence that is shown in them. They have been seen as negatively affecting the players in terms of lack of social skills, inefficiency, obesity and laziness. We lack the unbiased view thus miss on the positive effects of video games. The negativities brought in by video games are due to the unrestricted duration for which they are played. Video games are popular among the children and the youth of America. If there is no limit to the time for which a child is allowed to play a video game or no supervision on the way in which the game is being played, the not-so-positive effects of video games will start showing up. In the contrary case, video game players will start manifesting the positive effects of video games. Good video games incorporate good learning principles. Why? If no one could learn these games, no one would buy them. Players will not accept easy, dumbed down, or short games. Challenge and learning are a large part of what makes good video games motivating and entertaining. First of all a gamer can learn identity. No learning happens unless gamers make a commitment. Learning a new area, whether it be physics or medicine, requires the learner to take on a new identity: to make a commitment to see and value work and the world in the ways in which good physicists or doctors do. Good video games capture the player through identity. Players are either given a strongly formed and appealing character, such as Master Chief in the Halo series or they get to build a character from the ground up, as in Fallout 3. Either way, players become committed to the new virtual world in which they will live, learn, and act through their commitment to their new identity (Gee 4). When playing video games, gamers can learn how to interact. In fact, nothing happens until a player acts and makes decisions. Then the game reacts back, giving the player feedback and new problems. In a good game, words and actions are all placed in the context of an interactive relationship between the player and the world. (Gee 5). Players are producers, not just consumers. Even at the simplest level, players co-design games by the actions they take and the decisions they make. An open-ended game like Fallout 3 is, by the end, a different game for each player. In a massive-multi-player game like World of WarCraft thousands of people create different virtual careers through their own unique choices in a world they share with each other. Also many games come with versions of the software with which they are made and players can modify them. Such modifications range from building new skate parks in Tony Hawk or new scenarios in Age of Mythology to building whole new games. Players help â€Å"write† the worlds they live in. Players learn how to take risks and manage resources. Good video games lower the consequences of failure. If this happens then the players are encouraged to take risks, explore, and try new things. In fact, in a game, failure is a good thing. When facing a boss, the gamer uses initial failures as ways to find the boss’s pattern and look for a weakness. Also, especially with strategy games, player receive resources at given intervals and must save and spend them wisely to reach his ultimate goal. This involves abilities of resource management and testing. A player can learn to recognize the types of situations and react to them with determination. He can also learn to map the virtual world scenarios to those in the real world. Players can usually, in one way or another, customize a game to fit with their learning and playing styles. Games often have different difficulty levels and many good games allow players to solve problems in different ways. In a role-playing game, the distinctive attributes each player chooses for his or her character determines how the game will be played. Players can even try out new styles, thanks to the risk taking principle above. Research has shown that when learners are left free to roam in a complex problem space they tend to hit on creative solutions to complex problems. In good video games, the problems players face are ordered so that the earlier ones build a foundation so that later players can be presented with more, harder problems. It matters how the problems are organized, this is why games have levels. Good games offer players a set of challenging problems. Then, when the players have got it figured out the game throws a new type of problem at the players (sometimes this is called a â€Å"boss†), requiring them to rethink their now taken-for-granted mastery, learn something new, and integrate this new learning with their old mastery. In time, this new mastery is reinforcedA game can create an accomplished feeling by being pleasantly frustrating. Thanks to many of the above principles, good games stay within, but at the outer edge, of the player’s comfort level. That is, the game feels doable, but challenging. This is a highly motivating state for learners because it can feel rewarding beating the level or the boss that the player fails at a few times. Games encourage players to think about relationships, not isolated events, facts, and skills. In a game like Empire: Total War, for instance, players need to think of how each action taken might impact on their future actions and the actions of the other players playing against them as they each move their civilizations through the Ages. In a massive multi-player game like World of WarCraft, players must think of the consequences, good or bad, of their actions not only on all aspects of the game world, but on lots of other players as well. In our complex, global world, such system thinking is crucial for everyone. When players play a multi-player game like World of WarCraft, they often play in teams, in which each player has a different set of skills (say a Mage, a Warrior, or Druid). Players must each master their own specialty, since a Mage plays differently than a Warrior, but players learn to use each other’s strengths to minimize weaknesses. Furthermore, in such teams, people are allied by their commitment to a common goal, not primarily by their race, class, ethnicity, or gender. Players can play before they are experienced, supported by the design of the game, the help the game offers, and often, too, the support of other, more advanced players (in multi-player games, in chat rooms, or standing there in the living room). A very important positive effect of video games is the improvement of hand-eye coordination. A player has to watch on screen while simultaneously operating the joystick of the device in his hand to make moves. This requires the player to be alert and well coordinated. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester found that people who play fast-paced action video games have improved visual and reaction skills when compared to those who dont play. According to the study, people who played such video games were able to better track objects appearing simultaneously, and processed fast-changing visual information more efficiently. To help ensure the validity of the study, researchers also looked at people who did not normally play video games, trained them to play, and then looked at the results. This group, too, showed improved visual capabilities. The games the non-players were trained on were Medal of Honor and Tetris. Those who played Medal of Honor scored better on the visual tests than those who did not. The findings indicate that video game training for people who require improved visual skills, such as soldiers or teenagers preparing to drive, would be successful. In a study conducted in 2004 by Butch Rosser, a surgeon of Laparoscopy, he studied the surgical skills of surgeons playing video games and surgeons who did not. It was astonishing to know from the results that surgeons playing video games were faster in action and made lesser mistakes during work than those who did not play video games. Children with problems with attention, lack of self-confidence, or who are picked on are often helped by the gaming experience. Video games have also been included in the therapy for children with such psychological problems. Children that see themselves as failures receive benefit from playing video games, because they can provide the player with a sense of participation success. In playing video games, a child gets a sense of participation, a sense of achievement, thus building his self-confidence. Children, after playing video games begin to feel excited about their lives, they start feeling positive and enthusiastic. This enables them to defeat their psychological disorders to a certain extent. And video games give children a chance to share their expertise and skills with their parents. This can give the child a boost of self-confidence when he gets to teach his parents something that he learned. Playing video games involves problem solving, planning, estimation and analysis of the moves or actions of both you and your opponent. This affects the player positively by developing in his problem-solving skills, analytical and estimation skills and quick decision-making. Video games give the means to channel one’s emotions in a positive way. Anger, hatred and such other negative feelings in a person’s mind get a chance to come forth by way of a game instead of real life. A player can shoot or beat up enemies with satisfying results that gets rid of anger that might have built up inside them.

How Technology Changed Design Process

How Technology Changed Design Process Consider for a moment the argument of good vs. evil. Neither can seem ably exist alone, without the other surfacing or breaking the mould at one time or another. Now consider the historical friction between the arts crafts era of design and todays computer aided magnificence. As soon as design aids such as AutoCAD, and laser cutters were created, people began to argue for the loss of design origins and individuality; some may even say its soul and character. Those who were enticed by this new technology that allowed production to be executed in half the time on twice the scale, were in awe, and naturally as with all two sided battles, alliances were formed. Gone are the days of hand carving and endlessly tiring man hours in workshops shouted the people of the future, what takes you a week and four men, takes us a day with a computer, with no need for getting grubby. The conceptual age of design was truly revolutionized by computers, no argument there, but was it necessarily a good thing? No! shouted the people of tradition, where you exceed us in production you lack in character, where is the heart and soul? The attention to detail absorbed through precise workmanship and craft? (Pemble, 2010) Once again I feel that their argument is sound, but is it not also a prime case of people fearing what they do not understand? As is the case with all arguments, it often takes a step back and a good long look at both sides of the case to induce or create a compromise that allows both sides to advance further than they imagined. For this we need to begin in Weimar, Germany, the year is 1919 and the Bauhaus school of Art design is formed. Throughout Europe, world war one had clearly left its mark. The German state lay in disarray and its economy lay in tatters and after the initial turmoil over the future of Germany. Whether it be soviet communist or capitalist German, several factors were set in stone, the way of imperialist grandeur and ornamentalism design had to change, the transformation of emotional Expressionism to the matter-of-fact New Objectivity (Minusfive 2006). This gave the German organisation, Deutscher Werkbund, founded in 1907 and considered the forerunner to the Bauhaus, a newfound vessel for their visions of design. The Werkbunds aim was: to harness the new potentials of mass production, with a mind towards preserving Germanys economic competitiveness (MinusFive 2006). This kind of agenda for change become apparent in many areas of design, it may have originated in architecture, with the Werkbunds idea of economical production for housing and the built environment, but it spread to even the most men ial of objects, combining industrial methods with artistic flair, an example I suppose being envelopes. Up until 1840 all envelopes were handmade, cut from paper and constructed before being used to send mail. However, in that year a British man George Wilson derived a method of mass production from the geometric layout called tessellation. This enabled multiple envelopes to be cut simultaneously minimising the waste cut paper. Only five years later the production of envelopes was revolutionized further by two men, Edwin Hill and Warren De La Rue, whom pioneered a steam pressing machine that enabled the cutting, folding and gumming process of envelopes all to be done in one stage. As was to happen less than a century later to various crafts, the traditional method of production died slowly at first, then all together outclassed and outperformed by its machine age successor. Here is where the compromise between industrial and traditional methods is required. During my journey in which I created my own envelope design, I was able to see the merits and disadvantages of both ends of the spectrum. The first step was to take a standard sized envelope and dissect, analyse, and recreate it, several times, to get the feel for and a thorough understanding of its design. I then, from a purely conceptual view, came up with my design, which was to be a clasp sealing disc shaped envelope. I then repeated the process i used for an existing design, for my own, entailing technical drawings, models, prototypes, and experimentations, until I came up with my finalised design. Here is where the best of both worlds comes into its own. If I were to embark on this project in an identical fashion, but in a 3D virtual computer world via programs such as CAD and 3DSMax, it would be quicker; however there would be no feel for the design, certainly no character, and there would be no way of knowing if it worked, or how it were to assemble. Tactility is one of the charms of handmade works. It was at this point that I was encouraged to investigate the more industrial side of production, so after transferring my design from hand drawn plans to an AutoCAD design, It was then onto the laser cutter, which essentially is a robotic device that reads the lines, line weights, and colours of lines to determine where needs to be cut or scored on the material placed under the laser. Now here comes the difficult part, but does prove to be the part that pays off, as the laser cutter is undeniably fiddly to setup and calibrate with regards line weights, fold lines and cuts. In this sense, there is still no smooth transition between man and machine, as it took several attempts for the laser cutter to understand the design, however that said, once calibrated it is the perfect tool for recreating a single design on a mass production level. Modern methods have thankfully taken the stress and immense man hours required out of hand production and tradition, but the integration and principles of tradition and good design should never become fully digitalised like its successor. Just like the argument of analogue vs. digital regarding timepieces, each will have their role as one simply wouldnt exist were it not for the original. The point of this investigation for me is that both modern and traditional crafts both have their roles, and as many influential figures agree, neither should be neglected nor overlooked, for they both hold merits. Technology has indeed renovated the design world, but in todays society it does on occasion overpower and fail to do itself justice, leaving the piece cold, generic and grey, failing to do itself justice. This as with most aspects of the design world boils back down to the roots of the Bauhaus. Take for instance the idea of Bauhaus furniture design, it wanted to maintain the traditions of soul in design, along with logic, so for instance a better thought out design made with more economic materials and technologies, but still manually overseen or produced would therefore potentially be the perfect design formula. Enter Mies Van Der Rohe. Originally from Aachen, he moved to Berlin in 1905. At the age of 19, he was unqualified and spent his time hopping between building sites. Not exactly the start in life most would stereotypically associate with a famous architect, whom set about change we feel the benefits of today. The tasks of design and construction were combined in his early education, not separated by increasingly common divisions between architect and builder. (Zimmerman C. 2006, p.7) Mies van Der Rohe was trained as an accomplished bricklayer and stonemason under apprenticeship of his father, but also trained as a proficient draftsman, after taking a keen interest in design whilst he worked for a specialized plasterwork company. He saw the need for an understanding of both the ends of the construction spectrum from the initial spark of an idea, to the laying of foundations, so that he may design more efficiently. Riehl House was his first commission under recommendation of a colleague at Bruno Paul architects, and was finished in 1907. The young Mies proved himself able to design and build competently, even skilfully, and capable of productively engaging the most contemporary issues of the architectural world in Berlin at the time. (Zimmerman C. 2006 p.19) This was only the beginning of a long and fruitful career for Mies, and this subliminal theme was present throughout his career, the breakaway from tradition and supposed acceptable form, in favour of modular, efficient modern materials in design. This ability to draw and recollect from the design ethos of yesteryear, and combine it with the forefront of technology to create something that is not only perfected in its balance, but also pleases a wider audience is an ability he seldom neglected. A prime example is of this is dark red masonry built Lange and Esters House. The esters and Lange buildings were both surfaced in dark brick; but they are only partially bearing-wall structures. They were among the first modern buildings to free brick from its load bearing function. (Zimmerman C. 2006 p.33) It gives the appearance of a traditionally built house of the time, yet modernised in aesthetics slightly, and due to its modular skeleton of steel it allows the large open views that it contains, and for the first time in German architectural history, the spatial design dictated the structural calculations. Just like with his most prolific of projects like the Seagram building, IIT centre and exhibition hall in Berlin (ironically his career peaked both as he left and later returned to the city) he used the most modern of approaches to construct the building yet he still remained true to the classical ideals of open flowing space, secular views, and the overall mastery of the space provided. I suppose a pinnacle case study would be that of the Barcelona Pavilion. After being accepted into the Werkbund in 1927, Mies was commissioned by the German Reich to design and build the 1928 World exhibition in Barcelona. With its beautiful classical onyx and marble walling, and chrome framed glass facades of multiple shades, it was the epitome of form with function, a piece de resistance of the Bauhaus vision. Instead of the normal layout of conventional housing or building, it followed Mies combination of Rhythmic movement and carefully composed views. (Zimmerman C. 2006 p.39) Though beautiful, like all individual prototypes it was slightly flawed (due to insufficient budget and lack of specialised materials, the prolific flat roof was susceptible to water damage and nearly ruined the entire structure), but just like the method of trial and error in many of the hand crafts, Mies learnt from his mistakes, and embraced them with his future projects, like the Seagram building and IIT, whereby he perfected his steel frame designs that have revolutionized todays construction. The Seagram building was undoubtedly in this paradigmatic fashion. It is often seen as the finest high-rise building Mies ever built. No longer looking back to past historical design for legitimation, the building presents the architecture of capitalism with its most essential, concentrated face. (Zimmerman C. 2006 p.16) Just like in my investigation into envelope design, sometimes things can be flawed; the important part is learning from it and being able to continue. This is where I feel that by doing all of the experimenting stage by hand, with copious amounts of trial and error, I managed to succeed in a design that as viewed by others was vitally flawed, my point being this. The initial design criteria given to me was that the envelope had to be capable of holding this essay and any accompanying notes, drawings, work etc and my design being circular was therefore flawed, considering all of my notes and work is on rectangular pieces of paper. It may seem like a very simple answer to a glaring omission, but I have simply decided to enlarge the size of the envelope, and changed its own criteria in that it will be more like a folder, capable of holding my work. Just as alterations were needed to my envelope, drastic alterations were needed to the world of design. The winds had changed direction, and change was coming. As with a lot of the architects of the time and followers of the Neues Bauen, people frowned upon this new rationale of design. By 1933 many architects of Neues Bauen understood their precarious status in national socialist Germany, and many emigrated. (Zimmerman C. 2006 p.14) With the tension growing rapidly in Germany, and the intolerance of the now empowering Nazi party quickly showing itself, the design world soon became a focal point. With its grand imperialist nature, the new Reich wanted its capital to show this. However tradition ruled the waves. As soon as the National socialist party came to power the Bauhaus was voluntarily closed by its members, knowing the view of the new Reich and how its left wing ideals would be dealt with. Nazi writers like Wilhelm Frick and Alfred Rosenberg had labelled the Bauhaus un-German and criticized its modernist styles (MinusFive 2006) Many architects of the time soon began to emigrate, restrictions upon Mies own work was imposed and his security was soon threatened. In 1938 he made a career changing choice and emigrated to the United States of America. Here I feel began the true nature of ingenious design. By that I mean the ability to cover the entire spectra, correcting the negatives and reinforcing the positives, and fulfilling the Bauhaus ideals of singular design. The Seagram building was by any standard, miles ahead of its competitors. Yet it achieved this without claiming to be the future, or resenting the past. With classic interiors, a classy dark outside skin of externally mounted bronze, and topaz tinted glass; it not only looked the part, but also integrated frontier technology, to aid in wind buffering and reduce UV glare/heat. Its latticed modular steel framework also represented the way forward, not only with its curtain walling efficiency that allowed simple mountings for the traditional venetian blinds, but also with regards a lighter, stronger, more adaptable construction method that retained so called classic features. However, the buildings piece de rà ©sistance is what many of todays skyscrapers have to thank. Before Mies got his hands on the commission, he looked at the competitors, the other structural locale, and also back at his previous concepts. He then did what no one else had done. He set the tower a reasonable distance back from the street and created what we see throughout todays cities, urban landscaping. By creating this public space, this void filler that bridged the public and private sector he thereby integrated the Seagram immediately with its environment, it was this sort of thinking, that put Mies one step ahead, enabling him to cater perfectly for both ends of the spectrum by simply thinking outside of the box, where no others considered or dared to. It paid dividends, whilst also setting the trend of vertical design for decades to come. Conclusion Balance is what enables many things in life to perform at their respective bests, from the balance of work and social, to the balance of a relationship, and none more so than the design world. When it comes to the argument of traditional vs. Modern, the initial stages of design should always respect their roots, thus keeping to hand drawn methods, crafts, and human investigation like sketching and model making. It is all too easy to rely solely upon CAD and other such programs that have made some of todays design rather inert and cold, without human charm, and the only possible preservative of these features is the maintaining of traditional methods and heritage to keep the human signature alive. The investigation I carried out made this all too apparent, that relying upon technology to carry a design from inception to creation is a vitally flawed theory, and that without sacrifice of man hours and effort with my own skills, my envelope would be nowhere near as thorough or well desig ned, not saying that it is a perfect example, but what designer is without his or hers mistakes? Far too many things in life have slipped into the vast abyss that is history and all because weve become too eager and thirsty for this new age of production ease, of technological employment, whereby objects are no longer designed, they are manufactured, devoid of all the initial ingenuity. The radically simplified forms, the rationality and functionality, and the idea that mass-production was reconcilable with the individual artistic spirit. (MinusFive 2006) Within the last century, the Bauhaus is the only thing that has come in the way of the seemingly unstoppable machine age. It questioned craftsmanship vs. Mass production, usefulness vs. Beauty, and mainly whether a singular proper combined form could exist. In many areas it succeeded, especially in furniture design, with the likes of Breuer and Stam, whom renovated modern furniture with the cost effective use of steel, providing form and the most necessary function. At the end of the day, the dispute over the necessitation of design evolution will rage for years to come, the important factor which I cannot emphasise enough is the compromise, the balance, the equilibrium, and however many other words there are to describe the simple fact that both are equally as important as the other. One of the main objectives of the Bauhaus was to unify art, craft, and technology. The machine was considered a positive element, and therefore industrial and product design were important components (MinusFive 2006)

Impact Magnum Has Had On Photography Photography Essay

Impact Magnum Has Had On Photography Photography Essay Magnum Agency was created in the 1947 just after Second World War .Agency was formed by photographers themselves Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger and David Chim Seymour. They created Magnum to show their independence as photographers but also as a people who highlighted not only what was seen but the way one sees it. After the destruction to the world as a consequence of the War they were scared but full of believes that the world survived and that is still more to be explored out there (Magnum in motion website). Furthermore the history of documentary photography show us the most accurate records of events that we have in the past and the documentary photography was used to capture almost everything such as terrorism and war, world events right to documenting peoples lives. Early stage of documentary photography focused on urban settings, industry and often artist used photography as a tool for social reform. For example Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange created images for Farm Security Administration (FSA) who documented workers and their lives in America and also how the depression had an impact on them. Lewis Hine exposed horrors of child labour, homelessness and immorality. These photographs helped to pass the Child Labour Law in America. In addition a lot of images produced during World War II were captured by Magnum photographers. Magnum ability of storytelling and to work in series drew a line between documentary photography and photojournalism. Often attached with a moral position on th e artist who belief to show the viewer the best understanding of his subjects live. Altogether this kind of photo essay or series of images are more powerful to conveying the message then the single image. Sebastiao Salgado probably the best documentary photographer joined Magnum agency in 1994 creating artistic meaningful documents of cultures, world issues and places that would be better remember before human take their action. Salgado has earned his high reputation from his black and white photographs of places and people from all over the world. His work is about showing the world the war effects, poverty, disease and famine. His work was evidence what was happening on our planet. However the Martin Parr photographs strongly contrasts from work of Salgado. Parr humorous images document contemporary society, for example the image of the tourist in Mexico show us a woman in pink shirt taking a picture of something that we cannot see. Martin Parr takes the over dressed tourist one step up. The woman is a contemporary simple person who aimed her camera the wrong way. Ancient pyramid full of cultural and historical significance becomes an excuse just to be there. Parr demonstrate lack t o cultural values and intellectual pursuits. Also he contrasts form, colour and scale of the woman on the washout stone pyramid to depict society little interests and intellectual curiosity. In 1938 the British magazine Picture Post announced Robert Capa the greatest war photographer in the world, mostly based on his photojournalistic work in the Spanish Civil War and on the war in China. Capas photography is all about being there, close, telling a story about events he witnessed. It was him who made blurred, visceral images of the D-Day invasion that became its symbols. (Magnum Stories, p.67-73). On the other hand Henri Crtier Bresson had a different point of view ,interested in finding a visual agreement that he later called the organic coordination of the elements seeing by the eye'(In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers).His photographs mostly emphasized the complexity of whole piece seeing itself and often avoiding a narrative. Furthermore he was creating a broad essay concerned with a countrys past and present during a period of rapid social change. Also he was fascinated by Gandhi and India. Bresson written notes about Gandhi dead and they reveal a narrative writer, eloquently involved with negotiating the issues of Indias society and history. Even though he was denying his interest in the formulas of photojournalism Bresson was nevertheless engaged with what the photo story involved (Magnum Stories, p.74-75). Today people love snapshots in USA alone we take 7 billion images a year but it is a sad fact that in most of them people are photographing each other. In a way we submit to anonymity for example names of builders of Notre Dame or the Cologne Dom were lost in that age of faith. However the 21th century is exact opposite because we are possessed by overweening sense of self. Every moment is captured and posted in albums, every wedding are choreographed and videotaped for future generations. Another rising distinction between a picnic shoot and a great photograph is not subtle. You can look at the image and stay passive while art photograph engages you and force your instincts to participate. Photographers often deal with harsh, ironical material thats why sometimes their scepticism is shown in their work. Nevertheless we were and we will be enriched by their vision, by the strength of the world that they stalked, searching for decisive moments. Some photographers adapted techniques fr om great Magnum artists and using them today. Although documentary photography today does not trying to improve the situation of people or help resolve problems is just trying to get best shot and it is nothing else behind while 60 years ago it was life changing profession. Today photojournalists barely are present at the events they cover. The function changed from realism to consequence. Also what we seeing today for example in war photography is meant to show us the impact of war not its devices. I would point out that days of war photographer are long gone because nowadays photojournalists are fulfil with their own imagination of telling a story for less than a large conflict or issues. Images move from one category to another over period of time for example press photography of crime in the 1940s has moved to the art books and museum, as also Dorothea Langes documentary photographs of migrants in depression era and Robert Capa war images. Therefore all that definitions are just the schematic and act as a help for descriptions. I believe that documentary photography emphasizes in depth ongoing story on the long term basis. Documentary projects often lasts for years and focus on social issues rather than news. Again documentary is mostly assumed to be subjective because photographer has a point of view on what he is about to photograph. Not only had that it also believed to be honest reporting from witnessed event. As Henri Cartier Bresson said as far as I am concerned, taking photographs is a means of understanding which cannot be separated from each other means of visual expression. It is a way of shouting, of freeing oneself, not of proving or asserting ones own o riginality. It is a way of life (Masters of Photography Aperture, p.8). Other, art photography is more about creating and expressing personal points of view which is done to be sold or hang in galleries. Nevertheless some of its art may deal with issues but they are usually already covered by photojournalism and documentary, such as famine and war. At the end of the day of course all photography is an interpretation of what is in front of the lens. Summarising, for todays generation of young photographers there is much more complex awareness to what is or is not possible to explain. Today, if you pictures arent good enough you might be too close then not close enough, as Capa said (Time article, 2002). All those years Magnum promoted abstracted generalized narratives about human condition and their photographs often aim to the almost iconic status to represent themes about humanity. Magnum and its members had a political impact; they were interested how they can use their cameras to examine political and social issues. They showed examples of suffering and human dignity, brutality of war and photographer braveness in witnessing. This raises an important thought of what can be learn from images is still important and Susan Sontag wrote in her essays that The knowledge gained through still photograph will be some kind of sentimentalism, knowledge at bargain prices a semblance of knowledge and wisdom(On Photography,p.23-24). Today we are still learning how world changed since Capa found Magnum. From its beginnings which truly marked the advent of photojournalism legendary figures like Bresson and Capa aimed to record the truest and most essential stories, moods of our time. The drama of war and despair in Eastern Europe, the wounded and the dead in brush fire wars around the world. Finally, the greatest change over taking stills images is an introduction to computer technology which allows to generate imagery that appears to be as realistic as photograph, without using a camera.

Essay --

It is widely known that in EFL learning situations, many students â€Å"exhibit fear of foreign language speaking† (Yaikhong & Usaha, 2012, p. 23). In Asian countries, EFL learners suffer even more in language classroom anxiety because of insufficient language environment. According to Scovel (1978), anxiety in language learning is â€Å"a state of apprehension, a vague fear† (p. 134). Such anxiety may exist in many aspects of language learning process. Language classroom anxiety is one of the most common concerns. Many researches showed that students’ classroom anxiety will greatly affect their language learning effect (Young, 1986; Horwitz & Young, 1991; Phillips, 1992; & Aida, 1994). For example, Wariyachitra (2003) stated that classroom anxiety will reduce students’ motivation in communication, and if students avoid interaction in English, they will not succeed in learning the target language. Arnold and Brown (1999) believed that anxiety might be the most important reason that causes obstruction of language learning. Another researcher Boonkit (2010) did a research in Thai, and the result revealed that the undergraduate students are not confident enough to communicate in English, even in language classrooms. These findings tell us many EFL students are lack of communication opportunities, which are very crucial to their language learning, because they dare not use the language. In the learning process, this classroom anxiety is the key element that causes students’ lack of confidence and poor language performance. In China, situations are quite the same. Reading, writing, even listening are always much easier for Chinese EFL learners, and Speaking is always the most suffering course. People don’t have chance to speak English in their ... ...age skills and cognitive abilities. Harris, etc. believed that students with speaking anxiety will â€Å"often avoid anxiety-producing social or performance situations†, because they don’t know how to change their negative response in such situations, if they cannot avoid such situations, the will suffer a lot (2002, p. 543). The problem is what will happen after they repeated suffering and practice? Can they improve themselves with proper training and sufficient practice chances? Few researchers have done investigation in this field. In this study, I will try to answer the following question based on previous researches and a survey: a) Can EPS tasks lead to EFL students’ language classroom anxiety reduction? b) Can EPS tasks lead to EFL students’ language public presentation improvement? c) Is there any relation between students’ anxiety level and language performance?

Erewhon and Walden Two: Essay -- Comparative, Butler, Skinner

Close your eyes. Listen. What do you hear? Do you hear the gentle hum of a computer? Do you hear the noise of a distant radio or television? Do you hear the constant drone of a fan? Do you hear anything at all? Most likely you are near some sort of technological device. Whether that be the calculator in your desk, the watch on your wrist, or the light bulb giving you the ability to read this essay (typed on a computer, by the way). The plain fact is that it is almost impossible to escape technology. It cannot be debated that our modern society has accepted the role of technology in the future of just about all aspects of our lives. We can see it in the economy, the military, domestically and internationally. To many the integration of technology is a great convenience, to others a great mishap. Technology is a central idea presented in both Samuel Butler’s Erewhon, as well as B.F. Skinner’s Walden Two. However, the two authors take a very different approac h to their perception of technology in a Utopian society. The societies of Erewhon, and Walden Two, both recognize technology as a means to make life easier, however, their societal perceptions of technology and its affects on their future differ. Butler in Erewhon, and Skinner in Walden Two, both relate that technology is means to make life easier. And while, each utopia has a different view on the effects of that technology it is important to note this distinctive similarity. The society of Erewhon has a very distinct negative view on any type of technology. However, Butler is very careful to note that technology does help to improve a person’s condition and ability to succeed. For instance Gibbs translates one author’s view on machines as s... ...whon the key to the future of society is the repression of technology, the key to the future of Walden Two is embracing technology. In conclusion, technology is viewed by both of these utopian societies as a way to improve life. This in itself is not very ground shaking or surprising. However, it is essential to note in order to understand the great difference between the two Utopias. One embraces technology and encourages its exploitation, innovation and production as a way to further the individual’s and society’s happiness. The other on the other hand views technology as evil, something to be hidden and destroyed. It is seen as a danger not only to the physical attributes of society but also their future freedom. Thus, both societies understand that technology is useful, but differ in their views on societal perspectives and its effects on the future.

The Elements of Style and Style Toward Clarity and Grace :: Teaching Writing Education Essays

Strunk and White's Elements of Style and Joseph Williams' Style Toward Clarity and Grace When I initially thought about writing style I believed that there would be some nice neat definition, and maybe a few rules that would govern writing with â€Å"style†. It turns out that I grossly underestimated this topic and while I knew that writing style would be a topic of considerable depth, I did not fully understand the degree that I would be pondering the issue of writing with â€Å"style†. The first book I encountered, The Elements of Style written by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White was a collection of numerous rules, that presumably if you followed would lead you to writing with â€Å"style†. This book is a handy reference book and one that I am sure I will continue to turn to. My favorite quality of this book is that it is short, sweet and to the point. The Elements of Style, was written is such a way that it was easy to understand which helped me paint a picture of what writing with â€Å"style† is like. This book is a collection of numerous tips and ideas that help the reader to know what it is that they need to do in order to write with â€Å"style†. The information that I found to be most useful came in the chapter entitled An Approach to Style. In this chapter the authors lay out some practical guidelines to writing with style. Some headings from this chapter are â€Å"Place yourself in the background, Write in a way that comes naturally, Work from a suitable design† (76). After I read this chapter I felt that I had a better knowledge of what writing with â€Å"style† really was. I began to understand the more abstract concept of style, it became more than following a series of set rules. Joseph Williams book Style Toward Clarity and Grace expanded the seed that was planted by the Strunk and Williams book and took my thoughts on style to a higher level. With his sometimes exhaustive examples and in depth discussions Williams paints a much more vivid picture of what writing with â€Å"style† is. Perhaps what made Williams book clearer was the way he laid out his book. Williams book is not laid out like a reference book like the Strunk and White text.

Management Information Systems

The internet allows organizations to connect with the general public through open traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words. An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which Include everything from basic Information to retail software. Automatically updating Information on a user's system Is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the Internet Intranets: The Intranet Is an Internal system that can facilitate operations Inside an organizations.These types of systems Include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource Information that can help manage benefits. Extranet: The extranet is an opportunity to connect to business partners through direct relationship networking in order to facilitate supply chain management, project management, accounts and advanced technical support that is specific to their relational interaction. Organizations utilize internet technologies to conne ct with both suppliers and consumers in order to create systemic management. Advantage: Technology innovations create a temporary advantage over competition. Patents will run out over 17 years at the optimum level of proprietary protection, with copies of the technology usually not falling under the protections of the patent to the point that the innovation cannot be used by others. Competitors often can take the new tech and innovate, fixing problems and coming out with a unique and improved version of the original concept, side-stepping patents and taking advantage of a market hungry for more. Imitation limitations:Imitation can be limited through economies of scale, proprietary tech, high switching costs and branding through which imitations may be only modestly successful. Xerox Is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations, the company was without competition through quality, innovation, and brand. The example of courier shows that compet itors only need to invest in the readily available technology to create their own version of the company. Management Information Systems By zoo traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words.An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which include everything from basic information to retail software. Automatically updating information on a user's system is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the internet Intranets: The intranet is an internal system that can facilitate operations inside an organizations. These types of systems include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource information that can help manage is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations, Management Information Systems The internet allows organizations to connect with the general public through open traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words. An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which Include everything from basic Information to retail software. Automatically updating Information on a user's system Is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the Internet Intranets: The Intranet Is an Internal system that can facilitate operations Inside an organizations.These types of systems Include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource Information that can help manage benefits. Extranet: The extranet is an opportunity to connect to business partners through direct relationship networking in order to facilitate supply chain management, project management, accounts and advanced technical support that is specific to their relational interaction. Organizations utilize internet technologies to conne ct with both suppliers and consumers in order to create systemic management. Advantage: Technology innovations create a temporary advantage over competition. Patents will run out over 17 years at the optimum level of proprietary protection, with copies of the technology usually not falling under the protections of the patent to the point that the innovation cannot be used by others. Competitors often can take the new tech and innovate, fixing problems and coming out with a unique and improved version of the original concept, side-stepping patents and taking advantage of a market hungry for more. Imitation limitations:Imitation can be limited through economies of scale, proprietary tech, high switching costs and branding through which imitations may be only modestly successful. Xerox Is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations, the company was without competition through quality, innovation, and brand. The example of courier shows that compet itors only need to invest in the readily available technology to create their own version of the company. Management Information Systems By zoo traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words.An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which include everything from basic information to retail software. Automatically updating information on a user's system is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the internet Intranets: The intranet is an internal system that can facilitate operations inside an organizations. These types of systems include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource information that can help manage is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations, Management Information Systems The internet allows organizations to connect with the general public through open traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words. An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which Include everything from basic Information to retail software. Automatically updating Information on a user's system Is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the Internet Intranets: The Intranet Is an Internal system that can facilitate operations Inside an organizations.These types of systems Include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource Information that can help manage benefits. Extranet: The extranet is an opportunity to connect to business partners through direct relationship networking in order to facilitate supply chain management, project management, accounts and advanced technical support that is specific to their relational interaction. Organizations utilize internet technologies to conne ct with both suppliers and consumers in order to create systemic management. Advantage: Technology innovations create a temporary advantage over competition. Patents will run out over 17 years at the optimum level of proprietary protection, with copies of the technology usually not falling under the protections of the patent to the point that the innovation cannot be used by others. Competitors often can take the new tech and innovate, fixing problems and coming out with a unique and improved version of the original concept, side-stepping patents and taking advantage of a market hungry for more. Imitation limitations:Imitation can be limited through economies of scale, proprietary tech, high switching costs and branding through which imitations may be only modestly successful. Xerox Is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations, the company was without competition through quality, innovation, and brand. The example of courier shows that compet itors only need to invest in the readily available technology to create their own version of the company. Management Information Systems By zoo traffic that can be accessed through addresses or searches using key words.An organization can utilize a variety of opportunities which include everything from basic information to retail software. Automatically updating information on a user's system is also possible. There are many examples of online retail operations on the internet Intranets: The intranet is an internal system that can facilitate operations inside an organizations. These types of systems include training systems, knowledge to support operations, and access to human resource information that can help manage is an example of tech that was difficult to copy and for the first three incarnations,

Inustrial/organizational psychology worksheet Essay

1. Describe the evolution of the field of industrial/organizational psychology. The area of Industrial and organizational psychology was created in the eighteen-hundreds out of experimental psychology (Spector, 2012). The creators of Industrial and organizational psychology were Walter-Dill Scott, Hugo Munsterberg, and also James Mckeen Cattel. These three creators of Industrial and Organizational psychology brought both the findings as well as the application of mental ethics into the area of businesses. When industrial and organizational psychology first started the aim was to enhance businesses organizational efficiency and productivity, mostly by employing psychology with an importance on specific dissimilarities, throughout ones selection and also their training. Throughout the earlier years of this type of psychology its main emphasis was on the industrial side (Spector, 2012). Within this time frame there was a joining in the area of industrial psychology linking both the field of engineering and the principles of psychology. Most of the people that helped with this area had some sort of background in the industry, some of these individuals also had a history in the law as well (Spector, 2012). The main purpose of industrial psychology would be to understand ones’ behavior in order to improve the selection of new employees and their training. The main purpose of organizational psychology would be to better understand ones’ behavior in order to better the satisfaction of employees as well as their well-being within the corporation. 2. Explain why industrial/organizational psychology should be considered a science. Include an explanation of how descriptive and inferential statistics are used in I/O research. Most Industrial and Organizational psychologists do several different positions in a wide variety of situations (Spector, 2012). Those psychologists whom concentrate on industrial and organizational psychology are generally separated between both scientific research and the different areas of practice. Due to Industrial and Organizational psychology being based upon research that is produced by precise information, Industrial and Organizational psychology relies upon scientific research (Spector, 2012). Though there are two different categories of industrial and organizational psychology, those individuals whom concentrate in the field are most likely to complete the jobs that crosses both of the areas. Most of the research is generally completed in either a college or a university type of setting where an Industrial or Organizational psychologists is working as an instructor. I feel as though that Industrial and Organizational psychology could be considered to be a science because research is a main activity that industrial and organizational psychologists perform. One of the main contributions that have been given by researchers to this field of psychology would be the advancement in methods that are used to both select as well as train new employees (Spector, 2012). Their research is also used in order to solve any issues that a company may be going through. 3. Discuss the influence industrial/organization psychology has had on organizations. Provide examples. Industrial and Organizational grew due to the World War l. Whenever America appeared in World War l there were industrial and organizational psychologists that were called on in order to create a plan for recruits, psychological evaluations, and also to be used as a method when it came to selecting people for certain jobs in the military. The duo of psychologists that were working with the military was ran by Robert Yerkes (Spector, 2012). The most well-known success of this group of psychologists would be the creation of both the Army Beta as well as the Army Alpha tests that tested ones mental abilities. Two main things that helped to influence the field of industrial and organizational psychology in America was the Americans with Disabilities Act in the year of 1990 as well as the passage of the Civil Rights Act in the year of 1964 (Spector, 2012). Though these two main events helped the field of industrial and organizational psychology be shaped, research from both fields helped to produce very helpful information that helped industrial and organizational psychologists to improve their workplace.

Bilateral or unilateral contracts Essay

The Law of Contract can be defined as an agreement containing a promise or promises which can be enforceable by law. Sir John William Salmond a legal scholar defined a contract as â€Å"an agreement creating and defining the obligations between two or more parties†. A contract may be in any two kinds either bilateral or unilateral depending on the whether both or one party makes a promise or promises. Where both parties to the contract make a promise or promises, then the contract is referred to as a bilateral contract. Bilateral is the most common kind of contract in business. Both parties are bound together at an exact time, this is also referred to as mutuality of understanding. The bilateral one is quite normal compared to unilateral and creates a mutual contraction obligation from the start. (Buckley 1996, 10). Bilateral contract can be explained in the case of Thornton v. Shoe Lane Parking. Francis Thornton a professional musician had a one day job at Farringdon Hall in Central London. He was to entertain in the BBC with his trumpet. The plaintiff had chosen to leave his car just close to where he was performing in a newly opened multy-storey car park in Shoe Lane near Fleet Street. He drove up, switched the button and got a ticket. When the barrier opened, he parked his car inside the car park. His appointment lasted for three hours after which he returned. An accident occurred as the defendant was loading some goods in his car. The plaintiff later sued Lane Parking Ltd for damages on his car and for the injuries he sustained. Mr. Thornton was compensated $3,637 for the injuries sustained but non for the car. It was found that he had 50% contributory negligence (Buckley, 2005, 7). The major issue in this case was if any attempts were made by the defendant to exclude liability both to the plaintiff and his car. Altogether the defendant had made some attempts; the ticket processed from the machine, the sign displayed outside the park and a notice inside the park excluded liability to the car. The rule provided that the terms that can be brought to the parties in the contract are those that occurred at the exact time or before the formation of the contract (Collins, 1999, 23). A contract is said to be unilateral when the promise is only from one party. The other party does not make any promise but only does the act in order to achieve the other parties promise. An example of such a case is where Peter promises to pay Tony $70’000 if Tony finds his cat. Tony is not under any obligation to find the cat but Peter is obliged to pay Tony incase Tony finds the cat. An offer of a unilateral contract can be made ‘to the world’ in form of advertisement. In such situations acceptance will be deemed to have occurred on the fulfillment of the condition. An example of a unilateral contract is the insurance contracts. Unilateral contract can be explained in Carlil v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. Ltd, the defendant through an advertisement made a promise to pay $100 to any user of Carbolic Smoke who during a usage period of two weeks contracts influenza. Mrs. Louise Carlil was infected after using the defendant’s product. She sued Carbolic Smoke Ball for $100 as promised (Cheesman, 2003, 34). Works Cited Buckley Francis. Just Exchange: a Theory of Contracts. London: Routledge, 2005, pp7 Buckley J. Peter. Firms, Organizations and Contracts: A Reader in Industrial Organization. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996, pp10 Cheesman Henry. Contemporary Business and E-commerce Law: Custom Edition for Collins Hugh. Regulating Contracts. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999, pp. 23 Students in Arts. New York: Pearson Custom Publishing; 2003, 4th Edition, pp. 34

By the Way and Mother

It is often said that life is about dreaming, and hoping and learning. As a child, I dreamed of only one thing – to be successful in everything- to be successful in everything I do to make everyone proud of me, especially my mother. But later I realized that I, just like most children, do not have to do anything to win my mother’s heart. Back in 70’s my father was diagnosed with lung cancer resulting in a very difficult, prolonged treatment that did not save him, after all.This was a cruel blow to our family, especially to my mother who has understandably at a loss, left with nine children to raise all by herself. She was young at 39 when she was widowed but she never entertained the thought of marrying again because she wanted to give her children her undivided attention. Now we are professionals in our own field but we know we can never repay our mother’s for all that she has done for us to be where we are now.Words will never be enough to honor a hero l ike my mother whose silent, endearing ways have given us the best of life, peace, joy, love and the security of knowing that even if we should fall in any way at any time again and again, she would always be by our side to be what she has always been to us- our certainty is the most uncertain times; the true hero who knows how to live her life to the fullest by doing the supreme sacrifice of living for her children. Even now at 68, she still amazes me by the way she manages the great and minute details of motherhood.Whenever I feel some doubts about my worth before God, I only have to think of how worthy I am to my mother according to the way she accepts me even if I had done something wrong. Yes, through my mother I know there is God. Thank you mama- for being all too human. You have led us to discovering that which is divine! And as a true hero you have freed us from the tyranny of ignorance by educating us beyond the corners of a formal school, for even in the comfort in our home you have always served as the light of our lives.

Russian 20th Century History Post WWII Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Russian 20th Century History Post WWII - Essay Example The city dwellers also experienced food supply crisis forcing most of them to starve (Zubkova and Hugh, 1998). Many ex-soldiers and young civilians served in the red army while others worked in labor battalions to rebuild infrastructure destroyed during the Second World War. Following the massive loss experienced by Russia during the war, Russia developed reconstruction programs to overcome these losses and rebuild itself just like other countries affected by the war. The reconstruction program focused more on the industry and the loss of agriculture and consumer goods, and as a result, the steel production was doubled. Some of the major events that have positively affected Russia’s development include strengthened ties between Russia and China. The China-Russia cultural and people-to-people exchanges have assisted in promoting the development of bilateral relations. This has led to better trade relations between the two countries, which have in turn enhanced Russia’s development. Further, Russia’s Prime Minister claims that the major sports event in the country will trigger the country’s development. According to him, there have been major developments particularly in infrastructure because of the Olympic Games. Olympic Games provide Russia with an opportunity to develop its territories including building proper roads, housing, and airports. Truly, one of the most important factors in development of any country is geography, that is, where the country is located in the world. It has been noted that geographical location plays a significant role in access to markets, and that all great countries are based around trade routes. Undeniably, Russia’s geographical location has helped in enhancing the country’s development. Russia’s remoteness ensured that the government was not tampered with by a European-style renaissance or a religious reformation

Calculus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Calculus - Essay Example During elementary level of math education, one merely learns that divisibility by zero is not in any way valid or possible and becomes content at treating such case as closed without entertaining its logic any further. In Calculus, however, though the concept widely recognizes that functions do have domains and ranges within which they remain defined, the subject goes beyond such point as extending concern to limits of a function. By using the principle behind the asymptotes for instance whenever a function is rational, logarithmic, or exponential, Calculus enables a student to strive to grasp and appreciate the idea regarding how a function may come really close or approach a value at least even if it is never meant to cross its exact location. A function, according to Calculus, is said to be continuous in an interval [a, b] if it is continuous and defined at any point within this same interval. If this initial condition is not satisfied, then the non-continuity implies that the fun ction is also non-differentiable within [a, b]. Equivalently, the two-sided limits are stated in theorems that guide the study of whether a function’s limit does exist or not as x approaches a certain value and this requires tests to be conducted prior to conclusion.