The Awakening By Kate Chopin - 2115 Words

There are considerable amounts of critical debates regarding the way Kate Chopin ended her novel, The Awakening. One group of commentators say that the main character s, Edna Pontellier s, awakening is one of psychological lucidity and that her suicide is an act of success. This meaning that Edna finally frees herself from social restrictions and rules by committing suicide and is thus seen as the greatest feminist. Other commentators, on the other hand, believe that Edna s development throughout the novel is her character slowly descending into lunacy, and that her act of suicide is one of surrender and â€Å"a pathetic defeat that is inconsistent with the depiction of her previous strength and achievements† (242) according to George†¦show more content†¦Chopin asks her reader to believe in an Edna who is completely defeated by the loss of Robert, to believe in the paradox of a woman who has awakened to passional life and yet quietly, almost thoughtlessly, chooses de ath† (209), I believe the suicide is well thought out. To begin with, one must understand Edna s role in society and how the said role contributes to the ending of her life. Chopin had written The Awakening during the 19th century, when patriarchal society existed. According to Wikipedia, patriarchy can be defined as â€Å"a social system in which males hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. In the domain of the family, fathers or father—figures hold authority over women and children.† Men have roles that require them to be strong and to provide for their family as the authoritative figure of the household. Women, on the other hand, have roles that require them to do housework, and to take care of their husband s and children s needs. Their patriarchal criterions are commonly incorporated within females from their childhood, which makes it difficult for them to have any other roles. However, patriarchal societies may be different from one another depending on their locations. Edna moves to New Orleans from Kentucky where she comes across a different style of interaction than what she is used to; the Creole way of communication is more physical,Show MoreRelatedThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1479 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopin’s controversial novel, The Awakening, ignited turmoil because of her blatant disregard of the established 19th century perspective of women upholding strictly maternal and matrimonial responsibilities. Edna’s candid exploration of the restrictions on women through her liberal behavior in a conservative Victorian society makes her a literary symbol for feminist ideals. Despite denunciation from other people, Edna chooses individuality over conformity through her veering from traditionalRead MoreThe Awakening by Kate Chopin1102 Words   |  5 Pagesveracity of this quote as both find their independence by boldly exceeding the norm. Their stories were fashioned during a period of great change and both characters are hallmarks of the hope and power women were unearthing at the time. The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy are novels concerned with the transformation of women’s roles in society. Their protagonists, Tess and Edna, are not outright feminists, but they are acutely aware of the limitations imposed uponRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1919 Words   |  8 PagesIn the novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, we see how much of an importance the men in Edna’s life serve as a purpose to her awakening. Chopin is known to write stories about women who are unsatisfied with their lives while living in a life that is dominated by men. Other than Edna, the main men characters are typical men of the late 19th century era. Chopin shows how these three men are diverse from one another. The Creole men are Là ©once Pontellier, Edna’s husband, Robert, Edna’s mystery man numberRead MoreThe Aw akening By Kate Chopin901 Words   |  4 Pagescandidly. Kate Chopin is honorably amongst this group of authors. Her works divinely portrayed the culture of New Orleans and the lives of Louisiana s Creole and Cajun residents. Chopin openly express her views on sex, marriage, and the injustices of women during the time. Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, best exemplifies the contextual achievement of realism through the rejection of conformity, the exploration of love, and the weight of social opinion on individual choices. The Awakening is publishedRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1222 Words   |  5 Pages The Awakening By: Kate Chopin Emely Maldonado AP LIT Period 3 Topic 3 Maldonado 1 Displacement The late 1800s and the 1900s was a prison for woman’s individuality. During this time period, stereotypical views of women were commenced by society and men. In the era that the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin was published, the gender roles were graved in stone, men would work to maintain their family and women would adhere to the house-hold duties. Dissatisfaction with theRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1193 Words   |  5 PagesDavian Hart The Awakening By: Kate Chopin AP Literature Topic 3 Hart 1 Over the course of time the male species has always been the gender to attain the more favorable conditions. Numerous cultures heed to the belief that the man is the provider and head of his family. This machismo nature can condition the mind to believe that a man should feel superior to a woman. The continuous cycle of male superiority flows down from father to son subconsciously. Do to this unceasingRead MoreThe Awakening, By Kate Chopin887 Words   |  4 Pages Feminism has been a term used by many authors and writers for centuries, symbolizing women being able to use freedom the way they want to, not the way others want them to use it. Edna Pontellier, the main character in Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, experiences an â€Å"awakening† in her life, where she discovers her position in the universe and goes in this direction instead of what others like her husband Leonce tell her to take, similar to the style of feminism. â€Å"In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beg inningRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1427 Words   |  6 Pagessuffering an imposition (Moderata). Throughout history, the inherent inferiority of women to men has often been cited as a way to deter women from becoming an individual and pursuing more in life. This notion is a prevalent issue in The Awakening by Kate Chopin; in which Edna fights to live her own way and is ultimately unable to survive in the cage of society. Not only has this supposed inferiority effected women for generations, but it has created inequality in our society today; especially inRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1633 Words   |  7 Pages1. Title of text (underline novels/plays) author’s name The Awakening by Kate Chopin 2. Characterization Character Development (a) 1.Edna Pontellier- Edna is the main character of the novel who is married to a businessman. Edna is a dynamic character because at the beginning of the novel, she conforms to society by being the â€Å"perfect† mother and wife; however, Edna suddenly realizes that she is no longer happy with the way she was living her life and began to become independent only for herRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin915 Words   |  4 PagesMany of Kate Chopin’s writings are trademarked by her unique, deliberate word choices. Chopin uses phrases that do not make sense and seem to contradict themselves to get across a point. In two of her stories, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Awakening,† Chopin’s word usage highlights the idea of self-discovery. â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† share similar themes. â€Å"The Awakening† is the story of a woman in the late 1800s discovering her apathy for her traditional female role as a wife

Water Runs Dry †North American Water Crisis Free Essays

Water Runs Dry – North American Water Crisis Collectively the United States is ranked as the greatest consumers of water worldwide; a startling fact for a country that cannot support its own unrivaled demands (Barlow, 2007). The United States is now crucially dependent on nonrenewable groundwater for a staggering 50% of its daily water usage (Barlow, 2007). In addition to such formidable numbers, citizens of the United States use and waste up 80-100 gallons or 454 liters of water per day (Perlman, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Water Runs Dry – North American Water Crisis or any similar topic only for you Order Now The United States simply doesn’t possess enough fresh water or renewable sources of water to keep up with its gross demands. Nearly 40% of U. S waters are deemed unsafe for recreational activities such as fishing and even swimming (Barlow, 2007). The Ogallala Aquifer accounts for 95% of the United State’s groundwater, but it is being pumped so rapidly, that not enough rainwater is provided the chance to replenish the source. As a result 12 billion cubic meters (bcm) a year is extracted a year which amounts to 325 bcm of total depletion; equal to the yearly flow of eighteen Colorado Rivers (BBC, 2000). At the current rates, thirty-six states stand to confront similar water crisis compared to California within the next five years (Barlow, 2007). As, the United States water crisis continues to spiral violently downhill, its neighbor, Canada has already quickly followed this American trend. Dramatically changing climates has had an indelible impact on North America’s water crisis; being the root to many distressing issues. The most physically visible of these issues is the rapid melting of glaciers in the North that have been wearing thin due to increasing temperatures. The result of these melting glaciers means rivers in Canada such as the Alberta Bow’s in 50 years will be left with absolutely no flowing water aside from occasional flash floods that won’t be able to permanently restore the river (Barlow, 2007). Melting glaciers overseas will also become a very important concern as water from glaciers account for half of the worlds freshwater which at this current rate will not be able to sustain future generations. Glaciers that are melting in the seas translate to tremendous and unaffordable loss of drinking water as the freshwater diffuses into the saltwater. Further effects of climate shift will lead to evaporation of lakes which is already transpiring in the St. Lawrence River, Prairies and Great Lakes. However, one catastrophic problem that arises which may silently extinguish entire populations of life is the surging levels of acidity in the oceans; something that is being overlooked. In conclusion, the water crisis in North America has created overwhelming ecological changes, and heavy economic strain as a product of reckless over-consumption of water by humans. The effect of water pollution and vast lack of renewable water will cause great conflicts between the nations. With the water supply rapidly draining, practically Canada’s ‘abundance’ of freshwater, there needs to be a global consciousness towards the crisis. In order for North America and the world to curb the water crisis, there must first be realization and acknowledge by everyone that it exists. The next step to hindering the crisis is to sacrifice and reduce as much wasting of renewable water resources as possible, especially here in the developed world, where people are fortunate to have the surplus of resources to have access to water; whereas billions endure a daily struggle to find a glass of water. The water crisis affects everyone worldwide and the perception of this crisis being a nation versus nation, every country for themselves affair will ultimately lead to catastrophic war over water. We need to be unified in finding plausible solutions and start treating renewable water for what it is-a finite resource. Our generations always discuss about how the future will never see beautiful national parks and magnificent landscapes, but at this rate they may not ever lay eyes on lakes or rivers as the water runs dry. References BBC. (2009). World Water Crisis. _ BBC_. Retrieved April 21, 2009, http://www. bizjournals. com /losangeles/stories/2009/04/20/daily19. html Los Angeles Business. (2009). California to restart 5,000 projects. Los Angeles Business. _ _ Retrieved April 21, 2009, http://www. bizjournals. com/losangeles/stories/2009/04/20/ daily19. html Perlman, H. (2008). Irrigation water use. USGS. Retrieved April 21, 2009, http://ga. water. usgs. gov/edu/wuir. html Perlman, H (2009). Water QA: Water use at home. USGS. Retrieved April 21, 2009, http:// ga. water. usgs. gov/edu/wuir. html Science Daily. (1999). Water Over Water Predicted by United Nations Environmental Official. Science Daily. Retrieved April 21, 2009, http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/1999/ 01/990106075344. htm Yi, M. (2009). Water projects to get $260 million of stimulus. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 21, 2009, http://www. sfgate. com/cgi-bin/article. cgi? f=/c/a/2009 /04/15/MNUQ1735QH. DTL How to cite Water Runs Dry – North American Water Crisis, Essay examples

Marketing and Competitive Environment for the University Brand

Question: Analyze the "Marketing and Competitive Environment" of a University Brand in Australia. Answer: Introduction and Background: This assignment is intended to describe the marketing and competitive environment for the university brand of Australia. University of Newcastle is considered by the learner to complete this total study. In this post-globalisation era, marketing and promotional strategy is everything to attract any customer towards any organisation. Different effective marketing strategy helps the customer to be aware regarding the product of organisation that helps them to make effective decisions in their near future. In this competitive environment, those organisations achieve success, whose marketing strategy is strong. Market summary: Education in the Australia is compulsory between the ages of 5 and fifteen or seventeen that mainly dependent upon the state or territory. The main budget for government for their education sector is the $489 million (Newcastle.edu.au, 2017). Therefore, it can be easily assumed that the growth of the sector is high. However, the percentage of the people that attained the post-secondary diploma is 34%. Therefore, number of students that enrolled them for the graduation course is very less in numbers. However, there are several students who come from different foreign countries and complete their higher education from Australian universities. Demand assessment: It has been observed that there are huge numbers of accredited and non accredited universities in all over the Australia. In Australia, 136097 numbers of students enrolled for the higher education in last year (Altbach Knight, 2013). It has been observed that, the number of enrolment is increasing in every year. China contributed 27.3% students among all of the international students that complete their graduate or post-graduate degree from Australian universities (Globalhighered.files.wordpress.com, 2017). Therefore, it can be easily determined that, the demand for Australia university is very high. If number of universities increases in Australia, then the demand for a particular industry will be increased according to the law of demand. On the other hand, if number of universities will be increased then, demand will be decreased. Figure 1: Law of demand (Source: Altbach Knight, 2013, p. 294) Segmentation and target market: There are different segmentation criteria, among which University of Newcastle mainly follow the geographic and demographic segmentation. By following the geographic segmentation strategy they attract students from different countries and different places such as rural and urban. On the other hand, by following the demographic segmentation criteria, UoN attracts students middle class family (Australian education exports reach AUS$18 billion in 2014/15. 2017). Along with that, they attract students belonging from all family sizes or any social status of Australia and other country. Their target customers are international and domestic students. They mainly target the students belonging from the lower middle class and higher middle class families. Marketing mix analysis: Marketing mix can be defined as the combination of different factors that are mainly controlled by any company for influencing the customers for purchasing the products. The marketing mix of the University of the Newcastle is as follows: Product: Product is the first element of the marketing mix. A product is the element that can be offered to any market for their consumptions so that their need can be satisfied. The products of the University of Newcastle (Australia) mainly involved bachelor degree courses and master degree courses: Bachelor degree courses: Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of laws Graduate certificate in the applied finance Graduate certificate in the applied linguistics Bachelor degree in the aboriginal professional practices Bachelor certificate in the advanced computing Graduation in the aviation management Master degree courses: Masters of the aviation management Masters in architecture Masters in the linguistics Masters in the applied business and health Price: Price elements of the marketing mix elements is one of the crucial elements that must be decided based on the affordability of the target customer group. This element can be quickly changed. University of Newcastle set two types of fees, among them one for domestic student and another for the international student. From domestic and full time undergraduate student, University of Newcastle charge $294 and they charge $220 from the part-time student (Australias international education sector worth more than previously estimated | Ministers' Media Centre, Australian Government. 2017). However, they charge high price from the international students. However, they have different scholarship scheme for both the domestic and international student. Promotion: Promotion is one of the most important elements of the marketing mix that helps nay organisation to attract their target customers through proper communication strategy. This element is intended to create awareness among the target customer group. UoN follows different promotional media such as website advertising, advertisings through social media as well as advertising through newspaper and television. They attract students by providing them several scholarships and concessions. Distribution: According to Altbach Knight (2013), distribution element mainly focuses on making any services or product of any company available to their customers. University if Newcastle offer their courses through the face-to-face or online or combination of the two. The university makes their product available through their Ourimbah, Calllaghan, Singapore as well as Sydney. The university has their three campuses on different places of the Newcastle. PEST analysis: PEST analysis is one of the environmental scan that helps to measure the market growth as well as decline based on the external environmental factors. PEST analysis of the University of Newcastle is as follows: Political factors: Present strategy of the Australian government increases the number of students by hiring them from diversified backgrounds. The strategy of the government enrols students in the universities who are belonging from the under-represented group such as the aboriginal people (Wright O'Neill, 2012). This strategy increases the number of highly educated people in the Australia as well as develops the education sector of Australia. Moreover, education sector of the Australia benefitted from different associated activities and funding by the Australian learning and teaching council. This helps the Australian education sector to secure more growth. Economical factors: In this current economic situation, value for the money, employability factors and sector wide funding are the significant issues. It has been observed that funding across the higher level of education is competitive as well as tight. This creates huge issues in funding for the universities. However, government allocates 5.10% of the total GDP on the education sector but it is not sufficient to generate a greatest infrastructure for education (Australia releases 10-year blueprint for expansion of its international education sector. 2017). Socio-cultural factors: The need and expectation of the students are increasing but the present education sector of Australia are currently following the traditional teaching style, rigid structures as well as antiquated technologies that are not sufficient to maintain the studentcentred approaches, which creates negative impact to create effective infrastructure for education (Williams Jacobs, 2014). However, the effective and efficient ways of the Australian universities to share or spread knowledge among students helps the student to conduct their study effectively. Technological factors: Technology has huge impact on the higher educational environment. It has been observed that present generation students are technically proficient so that different Australian universities have implemented technology in the learning and teaching. Moreover, universities applied effective technology such as blogs of the universities or their websites to share knowledge with the students (Kemp, Madden Simpson, 2012). Competitor analysis: It has been observed that, there are total 43 accredited universities in the Australia; therefore, it can be easily assumed that there is huge competition among those universities. The main reason behind that is the numbers of students who want the graduate and post-graduate degree from those universities are very fewer in number (Kift, Nelson Clarke, 2010). Therefore, the number of students is not very large in numbers; therefore, they have so many options available to them. However, there is less possibility regarding the threat of new entrants because the sector is segmented. Moreover, the initial costs to set up any university are huge and the initial legal process is also difficult. SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis helps to evaluate the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of any organisation so that they can get the opportunity by avoiding the threats. The SWOT analysis of University of Newcastle is as follows: Strength: UoN has implemented the problem based learning system for their undergraduate students that helps them to gain more brief knowledge UoN currently has 1066 number of highly skilled and experienced academic staff that helps the organisation to generate huge reputation by providing good academic services to the students UoN is one of the public academic organisations that help them to get more fund for the development of the company. UoN currently has branches in 5 different places that help them to generate more profit by providing education services to customers (Course Details. 2017). Weaknesses: UoN followed two different fee structure for domestic and international student They provide admission to very little number of postgraduate students. Presently, the number of postgraduate students in their company is 8150. Opportunities: Currently, UoN has the branch in only one foreign country that is Singapore. Therefore, they can expand their organisation by implementing their branches in different country (Opinion Editorial: Australia's higher education sector is one of the best in the world. Fact.. 2017). They can increase sits for the post graduate students and other type of students. Threats: UoN is facing competitions from different public and private university that decreases the number of students in their organisation. Value as well as brand positioning analysis: Effective brand positioning strategy is important for any organisation to increase the competitive advantage for the organisation (Cruickshank, 2013). Australian education sector mainly followed the quality positioning strategy and describe their quality of standard so that they can attract more number of students from not only the country but also from the other country. Conclusions: From the above discussion, it can be clearly demonstrated that the education sector of the Australia is very much developed. Along with that, it is also saturated. Therefore, in order to increase the communication with the target customers it is very much important to apply the effective promotional strategy or promotional media. Moreover, a good relationship with the government is necessary to arrange the fund or achieve accreditation for the colleges. References Altbach, P. G., Knight, J. (2013). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities.Journal of studies in international education,11(3-4), 290-305. Cruickshank, M. (2013). Total quality management in the higher education sector: a literature review from an international and Australian perspective.Total Quality Management Business Excellence,14(10), 1159-1167. Globalhighered.files.wordpress.com, (2017). Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://globalhighered.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/theaustralianeducationsectorandtheeconomiccontributionofinternationalstudents-2461.pdf Opinion Editorial: Australia's higher education sector is one of the best in the world. Fact.. (2017).Group of Eight. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://go8.edu.au/article/opinion-editorial-australias-higher-education-sector-one-best-world-fact Australia releases 10-year blueprint for expansion of its international education sector. (2017).ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://monitor.icef.com/2016/05/australia-releases-10-year-blueprint-for-expansion-of-its-international-education-sector/ Australian education exports reach AUS$18 billion in 2014/15. (2017).ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://monitor.icef.com/2015/08/australian-education-exports-reach-aus18-billion-in-201415/ Kemp, S., Madden, G., Simpson, M. (2012). Emerging Australian education markets: A discrete choice model of Taiwanese and Indonesian student intended study destination.Education Economics,6(2), 159-169. Kift, S. M., Nelson, K. J., Clarke, J. A. (2010). Transition pedagogy: a third generation approach to FYE: a case study of policy and practice for the higher education sector.The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education,1(1), 1-20. Australias international education sector worth more than previously estimated | Ministers' Media Centre, Australian Government. (2017).Ministers.education.gov.au. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://ministers.education.gov.au/colbeck/australias-international-education-sector-worth-more-previously-estimated Newcastle.edu.au, (2017). Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://www.newcastle.edu.au/current-staff/our-organisation/Strategy-and-culture Course Details. (2017).Newcastle.edu.au. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://www.newcastle.edu.au/course/MKTG2102 Williams, J. B., Jacobs, J. S. (2014). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector.Australasian journal of educational technology,20(2), 232-247. Wright, C., O'Neill, M. (2012). Service quality evaluation in the higher education sector: An empirical investigation of students' perceptions.Higher Education Research Development,21(1), 23-39.

Ping-Pong Ball Bounces Essay Example

Ping-Pong Ball Bounces Paper This section is mainly based on putting my planning into action, hence all of the practical work and not a lot of written work. The averages in the table are recorded to the nearest cm. Observations My results table shows that as the height of the drop increases, so does the average bounce. This is illustrated in the table whereby at 50cm the average bounce height is 36. 6cm, and then at 120cm the average bounce height is 75. 2cm. If I take away the height of drop from the height of bounce I can see that for each height the energy lost in sound and heat is fairly similar each time the ball is dropped. Height of Drop (cm) Potential Energy. (J) Kinetic Energy (J) 50 1200 1200 60 1440 1440 70 1680 1680 80 1920 1920 90 2160 2160 100 2400 2400 110 2640 2640 120 2880 2880 I can see from my table on potential and kinetic energy that as the height increases the potential energy increases and as this increases so does the kinetic energy as more energy is been converted. Analysis My graph has a straight line of best fit, which suggests that my results are proportional. This means that whatever happens to one factor, it does the same to the other. In my experiment, as I increased the height of the drop, the height of the bounce increased as well; therefore my prediction was correct. This trend occurred, because the higher the ball was dropped the more potential energy it had. When the ball was dropped the potential energy was converted into kinetic energy and since energy can neither be created or destroyed, only converted it will move at a faster speed; therefore when the ball hit the bench some of the energy was transformed into sound and heat. The energy left after impact and the fact that the upward force is dominating the downward force causes the ball to be forced back up into the air. The more kinetic energy at the bottom, the more can be converted back into potential energy, therefore the ball bounces higher. We will write a custom essay sample on Ping-Pong Ball Bounces specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ping-Pong Ball Bounces specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ping-Pong Ball Bounces specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are no obvious anomalous results and there is strong positive correlation between the height of the drop and the height of the bounce, as the points are fairly close to the line of best fit. Evaluation My experiment went reasonably well and efficiently, due to the plan that I had drawn up beforehand. I received fairly reliable results from which I drew a firm conclusion. I would not alter the amount of results next time as I managed to gain a maximum outcome in the time selected. I think that the experiment was fair to some extent, because I controlled all other identified variables and only varied the height. However there were some problems that occurred, which fortunately did not affect the results dramatically; therefore there were no anomalies. I can see from my plan that I conducted a fair test, whereby I used a ruler as a marker each time to help in gaining more reliable results, I repeated the experiment three times and took five readings for each height, I kept the angle of the ruler constant each time, I used the same equipment each time, I kept the mass and the temperature constant each time and I dropped the ball on the same surface each time. The problems that occurred when doing this experiment were those, the ball didnt bounce in a straight line some of the time; therefore it was difficult to receive good readings. This was most likely to have been caused by the wooden bench being uneven and I could restrict this from occurring next time by using a spirit level. The results could have also been affected slightly, because there could have been a crack on the section of the bench where the ball was dropped. I could varnish the bench next time so that there arent going to be any cracks that are liable to affect the results next time. The ruler that I used as a marker was not as efficient as using a light beam or a video camera, because by using a light beam I would have been able to read off the readings more accurately and with a video camera I could record the experiment and then use pause to freeze the picture and then read off the values. I could extend my investigation further by doing the experiment again, under exactly the same conditions, but this time I would investigate how a different mass of ping-pong ball affects how high it bounces. Even though I havent varied the mass in this present experiment, by doing this extended investigation I can determine how mass may be another major factor, which might affect how high a ping-pong ball bounces. Accordingly I can progress further in this area of physics and this will help me in my understanding of this subject.

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions The toughest interview questions can be deceptive- after all, how can â€Å"tell me about yourself† be a trap? In reality, these are questions that require some thought behind them, and that means you don’t want to look like the proverbial deer in headlights while you scramble for an answer. Here are some of the most common tough question types, and how to get through them.What is your biggest weakness?/Tell me about a time you failed./What is your greatest missed opportunity? These are questions designed to get you to be honest, and to (unofficially raise any red flags for the interviewer). They’re kind of a trap. If you say you don’t have any weaknesses or failures, they’re likely to keep digging until you reveal something you might not want to reveal. If you use a blatantly positive â€Å"weakness,† like â€Å"I love my job too much,† that will likely also result in more pushing for the real you.Instead, confront these questions hea d-on. Before the interview, prep some examples of times you faced adversity in your job, but that you persevered. Find a way to turn it into a backdoor positive: â€Å"My weakness is that I try to take on too much, but I’ve learned along the way to trust the people around me and work on realistic plans to get the job done.† Or â€Å"I used to have issues with organization, but now I’ve developed a planning method that works for me, and I also take advantage of tools like Asana to keep me on track.†Are you a team player?/Tell me about a time you handled conflict./What would you do if you disagreed with your boss?These questions are meant to gauge your ability to work with others. Incorrect answers include: â€Å"There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team,’ right?† However, you also don’t want to look like a middle-of-the-pack pushover. The best way to handle questions like these is to have specific examples of how you’ve collaborated with others in the past. If you were the leader, make sure you emphasize that, and talk about how important it is for the whole team to work well together and put aside differences so that the work gets done.Aren’t you overqualified for this position?/Where do you see yourself in five years?/What are your long-term goals?  These are commitment questions. The last person a company wants to hire is someone who’s going to bolt for a new opportunity six months in. Realistically, the interviewer knows you’re not likely to put in 50 years in this job, but it’s good to reassure him or her that you’re committed to the idea of this role. The answer to the long-term question doesn’t need to be, â€Å"I see myself right here in this position,† but definitely talk about how you see yourself growing into the role and what your professional goals are in the industry.The â€Å"overqualified† question can be especially sticky, e specially in a tough job market were people just want a foot in the door. If that’s the case, be honest that you’re seeking a position where you can settle in and build a new arm of your career, picking up new experiences and bringing your skill set to this new job, even if it’s a step back in seniority.If you practice these kinds of questions beforehand, and have a mental list of specific anecdotes and points you want to hit in the interview, the interview should go more smoothly. You never want to be caught by surprise, lest you start rambling or admitting to things that make you look like a weaker candidate. Always find a way to spin answers to these questions as either a strength or as a learning experience, and you’ll do well on interview day.

How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years”

How to Answer â€Å"Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years† When you’re sitting in an interview, there’s a good chance that most of your mental real estate lately has been going toward this day. So when the interviewer asks you where you see yourself in five years, it can be a bit of a jolt to suddenly think about the long term. Knowing the reasoning behind it and doing some prep ahead of time, you can be ready to handle this one like a pro on interview day. 1. DO understand why you’re being asked.Five years is a long time away from now. We’ll have a different president, and maybe hoverboards will finally be a reality. (A gal can hope, right?) The interviewer isn’t asking you to predict fashion trends or whatever social media scene will replace Instagramming your food. Rather, he or she is trying to do two things: 1) gauge your commitment to this job; and/or 2) see what kind of ambitions you hold dear to your heart. So while thinking about society’s future might be fun, focus your thoughts on your pro fessional development.2. DON’T exaggerate, even to yourself.â€Å"Running this place† is not an answer that will get you in the door. Think about where you realistically see yourself. Are you mid-management now, and see yourself higher up that ladder? Are you just starting out, but you’d like to be managing others in five years? Those are realistic goals. Assuming you’ll be the next CEO is, well, not. (Unless you’re interviewing right now to be the CEO, in which case this is a totally valid response.) Well before interview day, think about what you want out of this job, and what it would mean for your future.3. DO emphasize the experience angle over the job title.In my experience, job titles are too much of a moving target, even within a company. Positions are created, changed, and reimagined all the time. Rather than strain to figure out what your business cards will say, talk about what you hope to have achieved in the meantime. â€Å"I see myse lf as having deep expertise in this field, and this position is the way to do that.† Or â€Å"I would like to be taking the lead on projects, and become a great manager like the ones I’ve had along the way.†4. DON’T be brutally candid.If you’re interviewing for a receptionist position with a financial company when you’re really hoping to become an assistant at a music company, this is not the time to come clean and advertise that fact. The interviewer is spending a lot of time and energy on this hiring process, and him or her knowing that you’re only doing this as a Plan B is not going to get you any bonus points. So while you should never lie to answer this question, and say that all you’ve ever wanted is to be answering phones at BankCorp in five years, you can talk around that. Emphasize the skills you’d like to gain in this position, and talk about how you’re looking forward to growing roots and developing as a professional.5. DO emphasize your commitment for the long haul.Again, the interviewer is looking to confirm that you’re not a flight risk or someone who will give half-hearted effort to this job. While you talk about your goals for the next five years, make sure you emphasize how this position and this company will help you achieve that- and perhaps more importantly, emphasize what you bring that will help the company move forward in that time as well.You don’t need a crystal ball to answer this question- just some forward-looking talking points that show you’re the right person for this company, for the right reasons.

Letters about Wars and Trade (1760) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Letters about Wars and Trade (1760) - Essay Example The team comprised of skilled men from all lifestyles. They included soldiers, farmers, and artisans with one mind to find readily exploitable land and use its inhabitants as slaves. John Smith was admitted to the colony in 1608 with the main purpose to consolidate the colony, subordinate the natives, and make the colony profitable. This was a hard task for Smith who quite the operation after he suffered a wound. Additionally, his harsh leadership did not work well to consolidate the natives but alienated even his own subordinates (Lankford 18). The task of consolidating colonies did not end after Smith quit in 1609 but continued under Captain Christopher Newport. The team managed to meet some of their targets including getting slaves for cheap labour. However, the team with slaves acted defiantly and its work productivity was much lesser compared to the settlers. The natives worked unwillingly producing very low results in the tasks delegated to them. In addition, not all settlers e ngaged in real work because others proved superior. One major hindrance to consolidation of colonies the threat other colonies posed to it. For instance, a colony could abduct a ship from a rival colony after a trade harvesting and steal form them all they had gathered. This resulted to weak colonies without the necessary material support. Ancient Trade Trade started under the leadership of Newport who took some men on an expedition in Peninsula. Newport had one goal in mind to find mineral resources and to open up trade with the natives in the land. Normally, the trade involved was barter trade that included exchange of goods for other goods. At first, it was neither possible to convince the natives to trade with them, nor find the goods that the team had targeted to collect from the inhabitants. The natives had prior knowledge of attacks from previous colonies, which made them hide their corn. Trust between traders did not exist those days that would enable flow of goods form one colony to another or form one place to another. Previous colonies that visited the inhabitants had done more harm than good, which made the inhabitants targeted to trade with withdraw and refuse to trade (Lankford 18). Poor means of transport hindered trade in this era. When Newport and his men arrived Jamestown, they were half-sick, complaining, tired with toil, and hungry. This describes the poor means of transport that made them spend thousand of hours travelling to their destinations. Additionally, the types of goods described for barter exchange include logs, corn, tar, pitch, soap ashes, cheese, far, and animals. Poor transport hindered progress in trade and encouraged colonies to war. In addition, ancient trade lacked professionalism. Nations who refused to trade with another had to be threatened or made pay in another manner to comply. For instance, after president returned from amongst the woods and discovered that the ship laid idle with no goods for trade, he opted to thr eaten the community to a revenge mission of his imprisonment. The nation complied by making peace through giving of their corn, fish, and fowl. The leaders of trade crews seemed knowledgeable and were willing to go an extra mile to ensure that their ships were loaded on their way back. However, this type of trade in these ancient times was not sustainable because it included trading of animals,

Nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Essay

Nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Essay Example The paper would be looking at the various perspectives that could have motivated the Americans to use this weapon of mass destruction. During the WWII1, Japan joined forces with the Germany and Italy, the enemies of the Allied Forces and fought against them vigorously. It accessed several small nations like Vietnam, coastal China and in its efforts to increase its oil reserves, after the boycott of oil supply by America, its attacks and subsequent accession to Indonesia, considerably expanded its territorial rights over a large area in Pacific Ocean. This aggressive behaviour further escalated the tension between Japan and the Allied forces specially America and Britain. The war between the two intensified, leading to bloodiest attacks of Pearl Harbour by Japanese forces and invasion of Okinawa by US forces. Even though, the allied forces regained territories and reduced the Japanese influence in the Pacific, they were unable to overpower the might of Japanese forces. Hence, after the fall of Mussolini of Italy and Hitler of Germany, Japan became the sole target of the allied forces. HiroshimHiroshima was the headquarters of the Japanese army and one of the most advanced cities of Japan. It therefore became the first target of the nuclear attack by America. American President, Harry S. Truman, deliberately targeted Hiroshima because the devastation of the city and killing of a large part of the population, would, according to the American President, convincingly show the repercussions of the Japanese refusal for an amicable peace treaty (Hersey, 1989). The detonation of 'Little Man' (name of the nuclear bomb that was dropped) on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945, became a reality and created unprecedented holocaust, ever recorded in the history of mankind. It killed more than 90,000 people, maimed and injured grievously more than 30,000 and genetically damaged the surviving population. The second attack on the city of Nagasaki became significant because it was an important off shore trading centre and an important port of Japan. Though, much of the population was shifted from the mainland, 'Fat Man', the atomic bomb that was dropped on 9th August 1945, was equally devastating in its effect. About 70,000 were killed instantly and more than 60,000 injured. The total casualties in the two attacks defied the imaginations of the world. Japanese government called an immediate ceasefire and surrendered to the allied forces and signed the 'instrument of surrender' on 2nd September 1945, which officially ended the World War II. The Emperor Hirohito of Japan surrendered for the overall welfare of his people and his surrender was subject to keeping the sovereignty of the Crown intact. Japan surrendered and the WWII came to an end. Reasons cited for bombings Japan was increasingly becoming powerful and the allied forces wanted to curb the growing influence of the Japanese. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were major cities of Japan that were commercial hub. The decision to bomb the two cities had mainly two objectives. The foremost being, to establish the

Political Corruption Essay Example for Free

Political Corruption Essay Wrongdoing on the part of an authority or powerful party through means that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical standards. Corruption often results from patronage and is associated with bribery. In economy, corruption is payment for services or material which the recipient is not due, under law. This may be called bribery. Way back in 200 B.C., Kautilya meticulously described 40 different kinds of corruption in his Arthashastra. He has aptly commented: Just as it is impossible not to taste honey or poison when it is at the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government servant not to eat up a bit of revenue. And just as it cannot be found out whether a fish swimming through water drinks or not so also government servants cannot be found out while taking money for themselves. Corruption is defined as moral depravity and influencing through bribery. Essentially, corruption is the abuse of trust in the interest of private gain. This normally involves business man and government. The extortive type is the kind where the donor is compelled to bribe in order to avoid harm being inflicted upon his person or his interest. It is not difficult to locate the causes of corruption. Corruption breeds at the top and then gradually filters down to the lower levels. Gone are the days when people who joined politics were imbued with the spirit of serving the nation. Those who plunged themselves into the fight for freedom knew that there were only sacrifices to be made, no return was expected. So only the selfless people came forward. But the modern politicians are of entirely different mould. They are not motivated by any lofty ideals. They win elections at a huge personal cost and then try to make the best of the opportunity they get. Powerful business magnates who are forced to give huge donations to political parties indulge in corrupt practices not only to make up their losses but also to consolidate their gains. Corruption in different fields Collusion is an agreement between two or more persons, sometimes illegal and therefore secretive, to limit open competition by deceiving, misleading, or  defrauding others of their legal rights, or to obtain an objective forbidden by law typically by defrauding or gaining an unfair advantage. Collusion is a corrupt activity. The different fields of corruption are 1. Political corruption 2. Police Corruption 3. Corporate corruption 4. Corruption in local Government 1. Political Corruption Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties, is done under color of law or involves trading in influence. Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities. The activities that constitute illegal corruption differ depending on the country or jurisdiction. For instance, certain political funding practices that are legal in one place may be illegal in another. In some cases, government officials have broad or poorly defined powers, which make it difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal actions. Worldwide, bribery alone is estimated to involve over 1 trillion US dollars annually. A state of unrestrained political corruption is known as a kleptocracy, literally meaning rule by thieves. When people in power indulge in corruption so unabashedly, the common man gets a kind of sanction. Ironically, instead of  fighting against the menace of corruption, our political leaders declare it a worldwide phenomenon and accept it as something inevitable. 2. Police Corruption Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, and/or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest. One common form of police corruption is soliciting and/or accepting bribes in exchange for not reporting organized drug or prostitution rings or other illegal activities. Another example is police officers flouting the police code of conduct in order to secure convictions of suspects — for example, through the use of falsified evidence. More rarely, police officers may deliberately and systematically participate in organized crime themselves. In most major cities there are internal affairs sections to investigate suspected police corruption or misconduct. Similar entities include the British Independent Police Complaints Commission. Police corruption is a significant widespread problem in many third world countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Mexico. 3. Corporate Corruption Corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation (i.e., a business entity having a separate legal personality from the natural persons that manage its activities), or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity (see vicarious liability and corporate liability). Some negative behaviours by corporations may not actually be criminal; laws vary between jurisdictions. For example, some jurisdictions allow insider trading. Corporate crime overlaps with: †¢ White-collar crime, because the majority of individuals who may act as or represent the interests of the corporation are white-collar professionals; †¢ Organized crime, because criminals may set up corporations either for the purposes of crime or as vehicles for laundering the proceeds of crime. The world’s gross criminal product has been estimated at 20 percent of world trade. (de Brie 2000); and †¢ State-corporate crime because, in many contexts, the opportunity to commit crime emerges  from the relationship between the corporation and the state. 4. Corruption in Local Governments There are several types of political corruption that occur in local government. Some are more common than others, and some are more prevalent to local governments than to larger segments of government. Local governments may be more susceptible to corruption because interactions between private individuals and officials happen at greater levels of intimacy and with more frequency at more decentralized levels. Forms of corruption pertaining to money like bribery, extortion, embezzlement, and graft are found in local government systems. Other forms of political corruption are nepotism and patronage systems. Bribery Bribery is the offering of something which is most often money but can also be goods or services in order to gain an unfair advantage. Common advantages can be to sway a person’s opinion, action, or decision, reduce amounts fees collected, speed up a government grants, or change outcomes of legal processes. Extortion Extortion is threatening or inflicting harm to a person, their reputation, or their property in order to unjustly obtain money, actions, services, or other goods from that person. Blackmail is a form of extortion. Embezzlement Embezzlement is the illegal taking or appropriation of money or property that has been entrusted to a person but is actually owned by another. In political terms this is called graft which is when a political office holder unlawfully uses public funds for personal purposes. Nepotism Nepotism is the practice or inclination to favor a group or person who is a relative when giving promotions, jobs, raises, and other benefits to employees. This is often based on the concept of familism which believes that a person must always respect and favor family in all situations including those pertaining to politics and business. This leads some political officials to give privileges and positions of authority to  relatives based on relationships and regardless of their actual abilities. Patronage systems Patronage systems consist of the granting favors, contracts, or appointments to positions by a local public office holder or candidate for a political office in return for political support. Many times patronage is used to gain support and votes in elections or in passing legislation. Patronage systems disregard the formal rules of a local government and use personal instead of formalized channels to gain an advantage. Corruption Perceptions Index Since 1995, Transparency International (TI) publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) annually ranking countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. The CPI generally defines corruption as the misuse of public power for private benefit. The results of the 2010 edition, as every year, are sobering. No region or country in the world is immune to the damages of corruption, the vast majority of them score below 5. The CPI has played a critical role in branding the issue of corruption on the world’s conscience. It sends a powerful message and national governments have been forced to take notice and act. The demand for public sector governance that keeps the interests of its citizens first with openness and accountability is not limited to a country or region – this is a common goal that transcends borders and cultures. The public sector is just one side of a multi-faceted problem though. Transparency International conducts an array of global research, such as the Global Corruption Barometer, a world wide public opinion survey, and the Bribe Payers Index, which measures the likelihood of firms from leading exporting countries to bribe abroad, which taken together enables us to better comprehend the many sides of corruption. Corruption is notoriously difficult to measure. The complexity and secrecy that shroud corrupt deals mean that it is virtually impossible to quantify the financial cost of corruption. The human expense is clear to see though, and it is the poorest that are most vulnerable. The diversity of victims that seek help from one of TI’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Centers shows that corruption can affect anyone. As we support these individuals, their personal triumphs are translated into systemic change – proving that corruption can be fought and  beaten. It may be that the CPI scores are just a number to you, but for many people around the world it is their daily reality. It need not be so. As Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International, notes, â€Å"These 180 countries in our index are your countries, and their perceived levels of corruption will remain as such until you demand accountability.† India in Corruption Perception Index India’s ranking in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index too has slipped from 84 to 87 in 2010. All this exhibits a problem that is not going anywhere soon and mocks the high moral ground that we aspire to occupy in the international arena. Corruption has afflicted all the organs of our society including the polity, bureaucracy, judiciary, police, businessmen, and even public at large. It has rendered our governance apparatus hollow and ineffective. Countless efforts to combat corruption have not made any significant dent into this hydra headed monster. The public perception of India has been extensively damaged by the corrupt activities of politicians, bureaucrats and business houses. The telecom spectrum allocation scam – the biggest in the history of independent India – for which a minister, an MP and several corporate bosses are in jail and others are expected soon, the Commonwealth Games scandal in which the whole organizing committee, including the chairman are in jail, politicians grabbing prime real estate in housing Society meant for war widows in Mumbai, and the cash-for-vote scam involving parliamentarians have all badly eroded the public faith in government functioning in India. Corruption is silently eating into the vitals of our nation like termite. Bit by bit, it is denting our dignity and compromising our soul. Not only does it affect only individuals but alarmingly it affects our nation as a whole. India Against Corruption India Against Corruption (IAC) is a citizens movement to demand strong anti-corruption laws. Lokpal bills were introduced several times since 1968, yet they were never passed by the Indian Parliament. After a fast by veteran social activist Anna Hazare and widespread protests by citizens across India the Government of India constituted a 10-member Joint Committee of ministers  and civil society activists to draft an effective Jan Lokpal Bill. The primary focus of IAC movement is to ensure a strong Lokpal bill. This corruption in India does not lead simply to cabinet portfolio shifts or newspaper headlines, but to massive human deprivation and even more extreme income inequalities. Combating corruption in the region is not just about punishing corrupt politicians and bureaucrats but also saving human lives. The IAC is a strictly voluntary organization and its participants are bound by the IAC code of conduct. India Against Corruption Movement – Code Of Conduct 1. The movement is completely NONVIOLENT PEACEFUL  2. It is INCLUSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATORY. Encouraging every community regardless of religion, caste, language, region, culture, sex, age, profession, economic strata, etc. to be part of the movement and be treated equally. 3. The movement is completely SECULAR. Communalism is more dangerous than corruption. Also, the problems of this country cannot be solved without people from all faiths and religions coming together. 4. The volunteers should work in the spirit of SELFLESS SERVICE to fulfill the dream of realizing a strong Jan Lokpal Act for the country without expecting money, name, fame, recognition, etc. for oneself. 5. India Against Corruption is not a Sangathan or an NGO or any institution. It is a people’s movement, a collective expression of the people of India fighting against corruption and seeking a better future. Therefore, the movement cannot have any branches. Rather than an organizational structure, it seeks to develop an efficient communication structure to enable free flow of ideas. Every person participating in the movement does so as a citizen of India with a burning desire to do something for the country. No person is a representative of Anna Hazare or in any other position. 6. FRATERNITY UNITY. People should work with a feeling of brotherhood and avoid conflicts within a group or across groups. The forces opposite us are so powerful. We must stay united if we have to win over them. Deficiencies in the present anti-corruption systems Central Government level: At central Government level, there is Central Vigilance Commission, Departmental vigilance and CBI. CVC and Departmental vigilance deal with vigilance (disciplinary proceedings) aspect of a corruption case and CBI deals with criminal aspect of that case. Central Vigilance Commission: CVC is the apex body for all vigilance cases in Government of India. †¢ However, it does not have adequate resources commensurate with the large number of complaints that it receives. CVC is a very small set up with a staff strength less than 200. It is supposed to check corruption in more than 1500 central government departments and ministries, some of them being as big as Central Excise, Railways, Income Tax etc. Therefore, it has to depend on the vigilance wings of respective departments and forwards most of the complaints for inquiry and report to them. While it monitors the progress of these complaints, there is delay and the complainants are often disturbed by this. It directly enquires into a few complaints on its own, especially when it suspects motivated delays or where senior officials could be implicated. But given the constraints of manpower, such number is really small. †¢ CVC is merely an advisory body. Central Government Departments seek CVC’s advice on various corruption cases. However, they are free to accept or reject CVC’s advice. Even in those cases, which are directly enquired into by the CVC, it can only advise government. CVC mentions these cases of non-acceptance in its monthly reports and the Annual Report to Parliament. But these are not much in focus in Parliamentary debates or by the media. †¢ Experience shows that CVC’s advice to initiate prosecution is rarely accepted and whenever CVC advised major penalty, it was reduced to minor penalty. Therefore, CVC can hardly be treated as an effective deterrent against corruption. †¢ CVC cannot direct CBI to initiate enquiries against any officer of the level of Joint Secretary and above on its own. The CBI has to seek the permission of that department, which obviously would not be granted if the senior officers of that department are involved and they could delay the case or see to it that permission would not be granted. †¢ CVC does not have powers to register criminal case. It deals only with vigilance or disciplinary matters. †¢ It does not have powers over politicians. If there is an involvement of a politician in any case, CVC could at best bring it to the notice of the Government. There are several cases of serious corruption in which officials and political executive are  involved together. †¢ It does not have any direct powers over departmental vigilance wings. Often it is seen that CVC forwards a complaint to a department and then keeps sending reminders to them to enquire and send report. Many a times, the departments just do not comply. CVC does not have any really effective powers over them to seek compliance of its orders. †¢ CVC does not have administrative control over officials in vigilance wings of various central government departments to which it forwards corruption complaints. Though the government does consult CVC before appointing the Chief Vigilance Officers of various departments, however, the final decision lies with the government. Also, the officials below CVO are appointed/transferred by that department only. Only in exceptional cases, if the CVO chooses to bring it to the notice of CVC, CVC could bring pressure on the Department to revoke orders but again such recommendations are not binding. †¢ Appointments to CVC are directly under the control of ruling political party, though the leader of the Opposition is a member of the Committee to select CVC and VCs. But the Committee only considers names put up before it and that is decided by the Government. The appointments are opaque. †¢ Therefore, though CVC is relatively independent in its functioning, it neither has resources nor powers to enquire and take action on complaints of corruption in a manner that meets the expectations of people or act as an effective deterrence against corruption. Departmental Vigilance Wings: Each Department has a vigilance wing, which is manned by officials from the same department (barring a few which have an outsider as Chief Vigilance Officer. However, all the officers under him belong to the same department). †¢ Since the officers in the vigilance wing of a department are from the same department and they can be posted to any position in that department anytime, it is practically impossible for them to be independent and objective while inquiring into complaints against their colleagues and seniors. If a complaint is received against a senior officer, it is impossible to enquire into that complaint because an officer who is in vigilance today might get posted under that senior officer some time in future. †¢ There have been instances of the officials posted in vigilance wing by that department having had a very corrupt past. While in vigilance, they try to scuttle all cases against themselves. They also turn vigilance wing into a hub of corruption, where cases are closed for  consideration. †¢ Departmental vigilance does not investigate into criminal aspect of any case. It does not have the powers to register an FIR. †¢ They also do not have any powers against politicians. †¢ Since the vigilance wing is directly under the control of the Head of that Department, it is practically impossible for them to enquire against senior officials of that department. †¢ Therefore, , the vigilance wing of any department is seen to softpedal on genuine complaints or used to enquire against inconvenient officers. CBI: CBI has powers of a police station to investigate and register FIR. It can investigate any case related to a Central Government department on its own or any case referred to it by any state government or any court. †¢ CBI is overburdened and does not accept cases even where amount of defalcation is alleged to be around Rs 1 crore. †¢ CBI is directly under the administrative control of Central Government. †¢ So, if a complaint pertains to any minister or politician who is part of a ruling coalition or a bureaucrat who is close to them, CBIs credibility has suffered and there is increasing public perception that it cannot do a fair investigation and that it is influenced to to scuttle these cases. †¢ Again, because CBI is directly under the control of Central Government, CBI is perceived to have been often used to settle scores against inconvenient politicians. Therefore, if a citizen wants to make a complaint about corruption by a politician or an official in the Central Government, there isn’t a single anti-corruption agency which is effective and independent of the government, whose wrongdoings are sought to be investigated. CBI has powers but it is not independent. CVC is independent but it does not have sufficient powers or resources. Conclusion We are all part of this historic movement to eradicate corruption. Together, under the leadership of Anna Hazare, the â€Å"Jan Lokpal Bill† – a strong law to ensure swift and certain punishment to the corrupt political leaders and government officials is being drafted. Jan Lokpal Bill is a Law being made by the people and for the people. The success of this campaign depends entirely on us. So we have to support the fight for effective Jan Lokpal Bill. References http://www.google.co.in/ http://www.wikipedia.org/ http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org

Creativity and Bipolar Disorder Essay -- Bipolar Creative Creativity E

Creativity and Bipolar Disorder History has always held a place for the "mad genius", the kind who, in a bout of euphoric fervor, rattles off revolutionary ideas, incomprehensible to the general population, yet invaluable to the population's evolution into a better adapted species over time. Is this link between creativity and mental illness one of coincidence, or are the two actually related? If related, does heightened creative behavior alter the brain's neurochemistry such that one becomes more prone to a mental illness like bipolar disorder? Does bipolar disorder cause alterations in neurochemistry in the brain that increase creative behavior through elevated capacity for thought and expression? Is this link the result of some third factor which causes both of the two effects? Centuries of literature and innumerable studies have supported strong cases relating creativity--particularly in the arts, music and literature--to bipolar disorder. Both creativity and bipolar disorder can be attributed to a genetic predisposition and environmental influences. Biographical studies, diagnostic and psychological studies and family studies provide different aspects for examining this relationship. A 1949 study of 113 German artists, writers, architects, and composers was one of the first to undertake an extensive, in-depth investigation of both artists and their relatives. Although two-thirds of the 113 artists and writers were "psychically normal," there were more suicides and "insane and neurotic" individuals in the artistic group than could be expected in the general population, with the highest rates of psychiatric abnormality found in poets (50%) and musicians (38%). (1) Many other similar tests revealed th... ...ay Redfield. Touched with Fire. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. 2) Journal of Memetics, an article addressing creativity, evolution and mental illness. http://jomemit.cfpm.org/1997/vol1/preti_a&miotto_p.html 3)Bipolar Disorder, an educational resource about bipolar disorder. http://216.239.57.100/search?q=cache:Hac5G2R_ezsC:faculty.washington.edu/chudler/bipolar.html+serotonin+bipolar+disorder&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 4) Manic-Depressive & Depressive Association of Boston, an article discussing the genetics of bipolar disorder. http://www.mddaboston.org/lect020900.html 5) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, an online version of the resource book. http://www.psychologynet.org/bipolar1.html 6) From Neurons to Neighborhoods, a book that addresses early development of the brain. http://books.nap.edu/books/0309069882/html/187.html#pagetop

Introduction to the Economic and Management Environment

INMALL-N/301/3/2004 FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES Introduction to the Economic and Management environment Module 1 (INM101-3) and Module 2 (INM102-4) ? ? ? ? ( INMALL-N: TUTORIAL LETTER 301/2004 GENERAL INFORMATION 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INMALL-N/301 PAGE 1. Student number 3 2. Tutorial material 3 3. Inventory letter 4 4. Tutorial letters 4 5. Queries and problems – what do I do? 4 6. Examination: 5 6. 1 Examination admission 5 6. 2 Examination date and centre 5 6. 3 Examination paper 5 7. Why assignments? 8. Assignment system 6 8. 1 The support/enrichment stream 6 8. 1. 1 Information: Self evaluation assignments 7 8. 2 The ordinary stream 7 8. 2. 1 Information: Multiple choice assignments 8 3 INMALL-N/301 Dear Student A big welcome to the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences! You have registered for a unique course which gives you the opportunity to become acquainted with all the disciplines offered by the Faculty and combinations of them before deciding wha t direction you wish to follow in your studies.Five departments in the Faculty, namely Business Management, Industrial Psychology, Economics, Quantitative Management and Accounting, have joined forces to give you an idea of each one's field of study and to show you how the disciplines can complement one another in a management setup. So in one course you are exposed to various management aids which are used by the professions (eg accountants) as well as business enterprises. Most Unisa students start their university studies a relatively long time after leaving school. Along the way they often forget how to study.Studying in the right way is not something we do automatically – and so we considered it very important to include a section on study management (see Topic 1, in the study guide of INM101-3). This topic is presented by the Student Services Bureau. Besides an academic introduction to the core courses, we also concentrate on career management since you are embarking on the present study with a view to your future career. Topic 2 in the study guide of INM101-3 (Career Management) gives you an overview of the various phases in the process which culminates in making sensible career, course and subject choices.Career Management is therefore relevant for anyone beginning their studies in the Faculty, whether or not you have decided on a career. It is, however, more useful for those of you who are uncertain about your choice of career and we strongly recommend that you work through the study guide of INM101-3 very carefully. This tutorial letter is very important because it contains important general information. Please keep it in a safe place. We hope that you will find this course most useful! 1. Student number Every Unisa student receives a unique student number the first time he or she registers.You should have this student number with you AT ALL TIMES and should always mention it in any communication with the University. 2. Tutorial material The t utorial material for this course consists of: † The study guides Module 1(INM101-3): One Study Guide Module 2(INM102-4): One Study Guide † Tutorial Letter 301 – General information † Tutorial Letter 101 for INM101-3 – Assignment questions Tutorial Letter 101 for INM102-4 – Assignment questions † Tutorial letters which will be sent to you during the course of your studies with feedback on the assignments and other important information. INMALL-N/301 3. Inventory letter On registration you will have received, together with the available tutorial material, an inventory letter for the current academic year. This inventory letter lists only those items that are available on the day you register from the Despatch Department in Pretoria or the University's regional offices. Those of you who registered at a regional office will receive the rest of your tutorial material by registered post from Pretoria as it becomes available. Please check the tu torial material that you have received against the inventory letter.Unless the letter indicates otherwise (eg â€Å"out of stock†), you should have received all the items listed. If some of the items are missing, please immediately follow the instructions on the reverse side of the inventory letter. Please note! Use only the telephone number that appears on the inventory letter when you phone the Despatch Department to inquire about tutorial matter that you do not have. 4. Tutorial letters Tutorial letters are Unisa's principal means of communication and teaching. Please read ALL tutorial letters.The brochure Unisa: services and procedures explains the numbering of the different types of tutorial letters. 5. Queries and problems – what do I do? ; – Problem ( – Solution a. Course related queries about the contents of the study material / assignments Lecturers: Mrs Ria van Helden F(012) 429-8643 Mrs Jacoleen Vogel F(012) 429-8513 Mrs Suzette Ragadu F(012) 4 29-8609 Mr Adolph Rasengane F(012) 429-8650 b. Any other queries about the assignments Secretaries: Mrs Tersea Dalporto Mrs Helene Louw All other administrative queries e. g: Change of address nd/or exam centre Marks and credits for assignments etc. Write to: The Registrar (Academic) UNISA P O Box 392 Pretoria 0003 c. F (012) 429-4114 F(012) 429-8635 F(012) 429-8750 5 INMALL-N/301 Please remember! You may include more than one letter in an envelope, but please do not address the lecturers responsible for the course, another department, the Library and/or an administrative department all in the same letter! This will only cause delays. Write a separate letter to each and mark each clearly for the attention of the department in question.Do not include correspondence in an assignment envelope, and please never write to Unisa without clearly indicating your student number, subject and paper code at the top of your letter. WE ASSUME THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FOLLOWING BROCHURES: (1) CALENDAR PART 2 and 3, 2004: GENERAL INFORMATION GENERAL REGULATIONS (2) UNISA: SERVICE AND PROCEDURES 2004 6. Examination 6. 1 † 6. 2 † 6. 3 Examination admission Due to the implementation of the new modular system, all students registered for modular courses will be granted automatic admission to the examinations in 2004.Examination date and examination centre Please see the Undergraduate Information Brochure of 2004 Examination paper In the examination you can expect questions similar to those set in the multiple choice assignments. The examination paper will consist ONLY of multiple choice questions. 7. Why assignments? ; We realise that it is difficult to have to rely entirely on distance education. You do not always have a lecturer right there to explain the learning material to you. You have to depend on yourself and need considerable self discipline.The way to an academic qualification is narrow and steep – Unisa's motto is not â€Å"Hope through hard wo rk† for nothing. There are, however, also advantages to studying in this way. You can earn while you study, and you can study at your own pace. And although we might be far from you, we are always available to give you guidance and support. Always bear this in mind. We know from experience and research that assignments are one of the most effective ways in which we can offer guidance and support to make you part of a meaningful learning experience.Although you do not have to submit assignments in order to earn credits for examination entry, we recommend that you do all the assignments. It will help you to work in a structured way throughout the academic semester and to achieve success. We should like to explain why assignments are so useful in the hope that it will inspire you to approach yours with enthusiasm. 6 INMALL-N/301 † They provide a study programme which, if you follow it carefully, will help you to work through all the tutorial material and still have enough t ime to revise for the examination. They are a reasonable periodic check of your knowledge. † Assignments help you to prepare for the examination. The examination paper will consist of similar questions to those in the multiple choice assignments. For this reason it is also a good idea for you to practice answering multiple choice questions on a mark reading sheet. † You have to obtain 50% in the examination to pass regardless of the marks you earned for your assignments. † Assignments are a good means of teaching. It is therefore to your advantage to do assignments.You not only acquire knowledge in the process but also learn from the feedback we give you on your assignments. ( Try to keep to your study programme – it will definitely be to your advantage! Academic ethics require that students submit their own original work. You are only cheating yourself if you copy other students' work or do an assignment haphazardly. 8. Assignment system In order to help yo u with the submission of assignments, we have designed a system that makes provision for two assignments in each module. One assignment is in the ordinary stream and the other one is in the support/enrichment stream.Each assignment has a due date. The due date is the date on which the assignment must be at Unisa and not the date on which you post it. Be sure to plan for possible delays in the post! 8. 1 The support/enrichment stream – Assignment 1 of INM101-3 and INM102-4 The assignment in this stream is made up of paragraph and essay type of questions and must be answered on the assignment writing pad. This stream has a double purpose. † Firstly it is exactly what the name indicates – an opportunity for enrichment. Here you have a chance to improve your reading and writing skills.As you will see in Topic 3 (Communication) in the only study guide for INM102-4, reading and writing skills are very important tools for anyone and not something one learns automaticall y – you have to acquire them. This enrichment stream serves to prepare you for the essay type assignments you can expect in later years of study. The assignment in this stream is an opportunity for enrichment. † Secondly, this assignment has been designed to develop your ability to evaluate your own work. This ability is a very important component of independent study. Although we shall not be marking this assignment, we shall read it.You should therefore make a copy of your assignment before posting it to Unisa. You will receive guidelines for this assignment (after the due date) to help you evaluate it yourself. 7 8. 1. 1 INMALL-N/301 Information: Self evaluation assignment This is assignment 1 of INM101-3 and INM102-4 in the support/enrichment stream. This assignment does not have an unique number for the computer. Very important! We shall not return the self evaluation assignment to you. Please make a copy of your assignment before posting it so that you can evaluat e it yourself using the guidelines for the solutions.Remember! † † † † † † † † † † † † Work carefully through the relevant tutorial material before tackling an assignment. Read the question carefully and underline the key words – this will help you with the interpretation. Think about the question! Plan your answer before beginning to write. To sketch a framework for your answer, you need to use headings and subheadings. Set out your opinions clearly. Write legibly and use full sentences. There is no excuse for an untidy and illegible assignment. Fill in your student number correctly on the assignment cover.Fill in the assignment number correctly on the assignment cover. You will receive a set of guidelines and solutions for all the assignments. You get no marks for assignments which you submit. Because the support stream option is so lenient, we will not grant extensions for assignments. 8. 2 The ordinar y stream – Assignment 2 of INM101-3 & INM102-4 The assignment in this stream is made up solely of multiple choice questions and must be answered on a mark reading sheet. Mark reading sheets are read into the computer immediately when they are received at Unisa and are marked by the computer on the due date.Unisa does not work according to a system of semester marks, and marks for assignments are not taken into account when the final examination marks are calculated. The percentages obtained for assignments indicate to you how well you have mastered the work. After the due date for each assignment all registered students will receive the solutions, or guidelines for solutions to, or a discussion of the assignment received. 8. 2. 1 Information: Multiple choice assignment This is assignment 2 of INM101-3 and INM102-4 in the ordinary stream. This assignment has an unique number for the computer.Very important! † † Work carefully through the relevant tutorial material before you tackle the assignment. Work out your answers on a separate piece of paper before you complete the mark reading sheet. 8 INMALL-N/301 Instructions on how to use mark reading sheets to answer multiple choice questions are contained in the 2004 â€Å"Unisa: Services and procedures†. Read these instructions CAREFULLY and follow them EXACTLY to avoid making mistakes. Remember! † † † † † † † † There is only one correct answer to each question. Only mark reading sheets may be used. Colour in the correct block with an HB pencil.Fill in your student number correctly. Fill in the assignment number correctly. Fill in the unique assignment number correctly. Every assignment which is marked by the computer is given a unique number. The number contains information on the course code and assignment number. When the computer reads the mark reading sheet with, say, the unique number 198415, it â€Å"knows† that it is Assignment 02 for INM101-3 in the first semester. Send only your mark reading sheet to the Assignment Division in the appropriate envelope. You do not have to complete an assignment cover.Make sure that you have enough mark reading sheets. Do not: † † † † † † † † Do not Do not Do not Do not Do not Do not Do not Do not make more than one mark per question tear or fold the mark reading sheet staple the mark reading sheet to another piece of paper colour outside the block colour in the blocks with a pen make corrections with Tipp-Ex submit answers on a written sheet of paper try to repair a torn mark reading sheet with sticky tape – use another one The assignment questions and due dates will be included in Tutorial letter 101 Good luck with your studies! Your INM101-3 / INM102-4 lecturers

Bilingual Education Argumentive Essay Essay

The United States is a diverse country of many different races and languages. Even though many languages are spoken in the United States, English is the preferred language in the United States. Speaking English in America is the key to success. Without English, acquiring employment is almost impossible. More and more immigrants are attracted to the U.S every year, and the populations of immigrants, which do not know the American culture, continue to rise. This population must be assimilated into the United States in order for the population to find employment and function in the United States. Assimilation is the process by which an outsider becomes part of a new community by adopting its language and customs. Public schools are a vital place where the country’s customs, language, and culture, in general, can be taught. According to Ginsburg, ever since the 1960’s young immigrants and U.S born children, of immigrant parents, were sent to public schools with little to no understanding of the English language. These students were forced to â€Å"sink or swim.† The public school offered no help to LEP students. LEP (limited English proficiency) is term used to describe students whose level English language is low. As a result, many of these students began to drop out, but finally in 1968, the federal government passed the Bilingual Act which paid special attention to students whose native language was not English. This provided special funding to create and maintain bilingual education programs. The goal bilingual education is to teach English more efficiently to students, with low English proficiency, protect students’ self-esteem, increase their academic performance, and lowering dropout rates. In bilingual education, LEP students are taught subjects such as math, history, and science in their native tongue, while the LEP students take classes to learn English, and once a student shows increasing proficiency in English they are put into main-stream â€Å"English-only† (â€Å"Bilingual Education†). There have been many controversies whether or not the bilingual education programs are achieving their goal. Bilingual education programs should not be allowed as a way to teach English to students with low English proficiency because the programs segregate students based on their native language, are too costly, and are poorly  maintained. Bilingual Education programs segregate students based on their native language. These students are isolated away from other cultures and different perspectives for many years. This assimilates students slowly into mainstream English classes. While bilingual classes segregate students by their primary language, English immersion brings them all together to learn a common language, with the common goal of quickly entering mainstream classes. Speaking English is vital for communication and success in the U.S. The sooner a student understands and communicates in English the sooner they will transition into mainstream English, and the more successful the student will become, which will increase their self-esteem According to Ginsburg many students stay up to six years in these programs and still are low in English proficiency once they complete the program (Ginsburg). Bilingual education programs are too costly to maintain. Students are taking too long to learn English in bilingual education programs. According to â€Å"Bilingual Education,† A scientist named Christine Roswell found that there is little evidence that bilingual education is working, and he determined, from 78% of his studies, that student in bilingual education programs only do as well, or even worse, than LEP students in English immersion type programs or no programs at all. Also Roswell determined that English Immersion programs are a more affordabl e way to teach English. Some teachers are delaying the student’s education in order to receive more money. Most bilingual education programs persist because teachers and school districts receive more federal and state money if they maintain those programs and keep high numbers of students enrolled. Spanish speaking teaches can receive up to $5,000 in bonuses a year (â€Å"Bilingual Education†). In bilingual education, students are taking longer to transition to mainstream â€Å"English-only† classes. Bilingual education programs are poorly maintained. English immersion is a better solution to teaching English than bilingual education. Many LEP students often feel stressed out and frustrated in mainstream classes, which causes them to dropout. According to Clouthier, dropout rates among Hispanics, who speak Spanish, have not improved in the past 25 years that bilingual education programs started. Clearly bilingual education has not help students with frustration and stress or decreased dropout rates. Students learn English with less proficiency and more slowly in bilingual ed ucation  programs. Proponents claim that proficiently teaching a students’ native language first and then teaching English as a second language helps students in the long run, but according to Clouthier, The National Academy of Sciences reviewed 30 years of bilingual research and found no negative effects from teaching reading and writing in English, without first teaching proficiency in a students’ primary language. In bilingual education students take five to seven years to assimilate students; because the program believes that teaching the students, whose native language is not English, their culture values, languages, and customs, when the students’ parents should teach them their heritage (Clouthier). On the other hand, supporters of bilingual education believe that effective bilingual education helps students, for whom English is not their native language, to assimilate into main stream America. Supports say that the controversy is actually rooted in the misunderstanding and misapplication of how language is learned and taught. According to Stokely, students must first learn proficiently their first native language and then learn English as their second language. Supporters say that bilingual education programs enable non-English speaking students to learn English without losing learning time in other academic subjects. Supporters say that the reason some bilingual education programs are ineffective is because they are poorly maintained by the federal government and finding a bilingual teacher is very rare (Stokely). To conclude, bilingual education should not be allowed as a way to teach English students, which have a low proficiency in English, because bilingual education programs segregate students, are too costly, and are poorly maintained. Bilingual education segregates students from other peers based on their native language which cause slower assimilation. Since students are learning English at a slower pace which more funding is needed for these programs to run, and some teachers intentionally keep students longer these programs for the money, which makes these programs too costly. Most bilingual education programs are poorly maintained because these programs have not decreased the student dropout rate. English immersion is a better solution to bilingual education because it’s more affordable and joins students to learn one language. Works Cited â€Å"Bilingual Education.† Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 15 Feb. 2005. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. . Clouthier, Kris. â€Å"Point: English Immersion: Creating Equal Opportunity For Immigrant Students.† Points Of View: Bilingual Education (2013): 5. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Ginsburg, Jill. â€Å"Bilingual Education: An Overview.† Points Of View: Bilingual Education (2013): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Stokely, Anne. â€Å"Counterpoint: The Benefits Of Bilingual Education.† Points Of View: Bilingual Education (2013): 6. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

Financial Ratio Analysis of British Airways The WritePass Journal

Financial Ratio Analysis of British Airways INTRODUCTION Financial Ratio Analysis of British Airways INTRODUCTIONFinancial AnalysisCurrent Ratio:Interpretation:Quick Ratio:Interpretation:Stock Turnover:Interpretation:Debtors Collection Period:Interpretation:Creditors Collection Period:Interpretation:% of Wages:Interpretation:Gearing Ratio:Interpretation:Fixed Assets Turnover:Interpretation:Total Assets Turnover:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £mReturn on Capital Employed:Interpretation:Gross Profit %:Interpretation:Net Profit %:Interpretation:Margin al Ratio:Interpretation:Solving Ratio:Interpretation:Assets Cover:Interpretation:Operating Ratio:                                                                                                                                                                                                                         £mInterpretation:IMPACT OF EVENTS:  RECOMANDATION:CONCLUSION:References:Related INTRODUCTION British Airways is the largest international airline in the world. It is based at the busiest international airport of the world named Heathrow Airport with holding 42% of land slots. It has a global flight network through partners such as American Airways in US and Qantas in Australia. It serves about 150 destinations in some 75 countries. British Airways is, through its subsidiary British Airways World Cargo the words twelfth largest cargo airline. British Airways world cargo has global fright opportunities through the British Airways flight routes. Due to recession, British Airways faced loss in the year 2008-09. So the company took the decision to get merged with Lberia. As a result it reported half yearly profit of 158m, first in last two years. In 2010 it revealed the double whammy of volcanic ash cloud from Iceland and cabin crew strikes. British airways reported a pre-tax loss of 164m, larger than 148m loss it made in the same period last year. But they performed really bette r at the end of the current year and gained profits. ND British Airways’ earliest predecessor was an Aircraft Travel Pvt. Ltd. It was found in 1916. On August 25, 1919 the company inaugurated the world’s first scheduled international airways service. In November 1936 British Overseas Airways Corporation was found. The long term service was started by British European Airways in 1946. After the integration of British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways, British Airways was found in March 1974. Company was officially incorporated in the year 1984. Company’s operational headquarter is situated at Heathrow airbase. Company serves to more than 150 top destinations of the world and carries about 32 million passengers on average annually. British Airways faced many ups and downs during its journey. Company faced losses due to the strike of its crew members. The strike continued for 22 days and led company to the estimated loss of  £150m. After earning good profits in the previous years, it faced huge collapse during mid of 2008 and it continued for around two years. In 2010 company announced to merge with Lberia. And finally on April 8, 2010 the combination was established. After this combination, now at the end of this year it is estimated that company will have profits. Combination of British Airways and Lberia will lead company to great profits. Performance is improving day by day. Performance of last six months is far better than previous time period. Financial Analysis Current Ratio:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Current Assets 2674 2346 3148 Current Liabilities 3740 4142 3244 Proportion 0.71 0.57 0.97 Interpretation: This Ratio is to calculate that which assets we can turn in to cash. In current liabilities we count long term borrowings, Bills payable etc. The ratio in year 2008 was 0.97which came down in year 2009 to 0.57 and in 2010 it was felt down to 0.71. This shows the current assts are recovered in 2010 after fell down in 2009. Quick Ratio:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Liquid Assets 2576 2219 3036 Current Liabilities 3740 4142 3244 Proportion 0.69 0.54 0.94 Interpretation: This ratio is to calculate the liquid assets of the company. In year 2008 ratio was 0.94 which reduced to 0.54 in year 2009 but once again in year 2010 it came back to 0.69. The reason behind that current liabilities effects ratio indirectly. Stock Turnover:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Sale 7994 8992 8758 Stock 98 127 112 Proportion 82days 71days 79days Interpretation: The average number of Days Company hold the stock called stock days. In year 2008 the stock turnover was 79 days it slight came down in year 2009 to 71 days but in year 2010 it again went up to 82 days. Company should circulate their stock and generate cash in small days for better growth. Debtors Collection Period:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Debtors*365 182135 193450 213890 Sales 7994 8992 8758 Proportion 23days 22days 25days Interpretation: Sale or investment in fixed assets is good but company should check their debtors. This ratio helps to calculate that average in what time company receive money from debtors. British Airways debtor’s collection period in 2008 was 25days which came down in year 2009 to 22days and in2010 to 23days respectively. It is good sign for company is able to collect money in short period. Creditors Collection Period:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Creditors*365 227395 243090 236520 Cost of Sales 7994 8992 8758 Proportion 29days 28days 28days Interpretation: This ratio is almost same like debtor’s collection period ratio the only difference is that this ratio is to calculate in what time company pay to their creditors. In 2008ratio was 28days which remained same in year 2009 it slight up in year 2010 to 29days. It shows that company’s reputation is very good for payment. % of Wages:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Wages*100 134600 146600 143300 Sales 7994 8992 8758 Proportion 0.17% 0.17% 0.17% Interpretation: This ratio helps to calculate averagely how much company spend to sale the goods or provide the service. In year 2008 this ratio was 0.17% which remains also same in next two years. It means company’s good management is able to control the wages. Gearing Ratio:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Short term lib. overdrafts+ Long Term Lib. *100 509700 504900 518400 Shareholder funds 1913 1644 3033 Proportion 267 307 171 Interpretation: In gearing Ratio Company finance it from high level loans. In year 2008 this ratio was 171 but in year 2008 it rapidly up to 307in year 2009 but in year 2010 it again come down to 267. It means company did well after 2008 to maintain their gearing ratio. Fixed Assets Turnover:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Sales 7994 8992 8753 Fixed Assets 7520 7802 7890 Proportion 1.06 1.15 1.11 Interpretation: This ratio shows the increase and decrease in utilization of company’s fixed assets. In year this ratio was 1.11 which slight increase in year 2009to 1.15 but just come down in year 2010 to 1.06. Fixed assets somehow depend on the sale of the company. Total Assets Turnover:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Sales 7994 8992 8753 Total Assets 10194 10148 11038 Proportion 0.79 0.89 0.80 Interpretation: This ratio helps to measure that what is the ratio of company’s total assets turnover. Company’s total assets turnover was 0.80 which was just more in year 0.89 and in year it just down in year to 0.79. Return on Capital Employed:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 P.B.I.T or (L.I.B.T)*100 (53100) (40100) 88300 Long Term Liabilities+ Share Capital 6472 6006 7794 Proportion -(8.23) -(6.68) 11.33 Interpretation: R.O.C.E ratio is the perfect way to calculate the profitability of the company. R.O.C.E of British Airways was 11.33 in year 2008 which became negative in next two years 2009 and 2010 to -6.68 and -8.23. It clearly reflects that company’s revenue goes up but its profit falls down. It means that company went in loss in last two years. Gross Profit %:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Gross Profit*100% (23100) (22000) 87500 Sales 7994 8992 8753 Proportion (0.03)% (0.03)% 0.10% Interpretation: G.P ratio is the share of the company compare to its sales. Gross profit is the margin on sales before deduct tax. In year 2008 company’s profit was 0.10% but in next two years company faces loss ratio 0.03% equally. It means that company definitely not being successful to improve their revenue to make the profit. Net Profit %:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Net Profit/(Loss)*100% (42500) (35800) 69600 Sales 7994 8992 8753 Proportion (2.45)% (4.46)% 10.09% Interpretation: Net profit is the remained profit after deduct tax. This amount is the net amount of the company. British Airways conclude 10% net profit in year 2008 but in next two years 2009 and 2010 it shows the loss 5% and 10%. It shows overall strength of the organization. These ratios prove that company faces losses from last two years. Marginal Ratio:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Net Profit/(Loss) (425) (375) 680 Sales 7994 8992 8753 Proportion (0.06) (0.05) 0.08 Interpretation: Marginal ratio is to calculate the margin of company on net profit. This ratio is very flexible ratio. The marginal ratio of the company in year2008 was 0.08 but in next two years it goes in to negative (0.05) and (0.06). Because company face losses in these two years so it effect marginal ratio of company. Solving Ratio:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Shareholder funds *100 191300 164600 303300 Total Assets 10194 10148 11038 Proportion 18.77 16.22 27.48 Interpretation: This ratio clearly shows that the solving ratio percentage is down from last 2008 year continuously. In year 2008 the ratio was 27.48 which were good but after that in 2009 it came down to only16.22 but it starts recovering from last year. It is now good sign for company. Assets Cover:  £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Total Assets 10194 10148 11038 Long Term Debt 3446 3074 2751 Proportion 2.96 3.30 4.01 Interpretation: Assets cover ratio of the company is coming down from last three years. In 2008 it was 4.01 but in year 2009 it reduced to 3.30 in year 2010 it again fell down to 2.96. This is really not a good sign for the company. Index is enlightening that company’s assets are sharing high proportion of debts which indicates that shareholders are losing faith in company’s performance. Operating Ratio:                                                                                                                                                                                                                         £m Years 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 Operating Expenses 8225 9212 7880 Net Sales 7994 8992 8758 Proportion 1.03 1.02 0.90 Interpretation: This ratio shows the overall efficiency of organization. It is an important ratio for any company. In 2008 company ratio was 0.90 which climb up to 1.02 and 1.03 in years 2009 and 2010. It is a good sign for company. It means company will took up their profit in future. IMPACT OF EVENTS: British Airways faced biggest loss of its history  £401 million in year 2008-09. The reason behind that were 15days cabin crew strike and ash cloud due to volcano explosion in Iceland. But April 2010 bring some relief for British Airways when they successfully merge with Lberia the Spanish airways company. After this merger company come back on track company report  £158 million profit in first six months after merger. There was an unexpected raise of 8.4% in revenue. After two years continues loss company first time come up with profit. British Airways expecting good result and definite increase in their profit.   RECOMANDATION: British Airways is very well known company. It is true that company faces losses continuously from last two years, But Company handle the situation very effectively. The company merge with Spanish airways company Lberia. After this merge company is come back on track company had made  £158m in first six months. So it is advisable that still company is trustable. After all these still British Airways has bright future. CONCLUSION: After analyse ratios it conclude that British Airways pass through lots of up and downs. Company faces losses from last two years continuously. Still company is able to run their business effectively. In year 2008 company revenue was 8753 which slight up in 2009 to 8992 but in 2010 it was again fall to 7992. There is no doubt that company’s revenue come up in 2009 but if we see company’s gross profits and net profits ratios, company is in loss from last two years continuously. In year 2009 company G.P ratio was (2.45) and in 2010 was (2.89).Same in net profit/(loss) ratio in 2009 was (4.46) and in year 2010 was (6.64). In R.OC.E ratio also shows the negative return after 2008. In 2009 ratio was (6.68) in 2010 it was come up to (8.23). But after merging with Lberia in April 2010 British Airways starts deal with profits which is good sign for company. So it concludes after two years losses still company’s future seems bright. References: https://fame.bvdep.com/version-2011222/cgi/template.dll?checkathens=1kick=1product=1user=student%40beds.ac.ukpw=dsQVymWfUHCPaHwR7YzRVg%3d%3d 20th march 2011 www.Britishairways.com 22nd march 2011 Dyson, John R. Accounting for non-accounting students 8th edition. FT Prentice Hall.