Prince of Hijaz and Ottoman Empire Free Essay Example, 1250 words

Over the same period, Abdul Aziz managed to extend his rule to other territories; however, he faced a challenge from the competing tribal loyalties. Abdul used the Islam religion to claim a hold on his political conquests; moreover, because of his ability to convince religious leaders, Abdul Aziz was able to exercise absolute discretion with regard to political. During the Al Saud’s reign, tribal politics took precedence in terms of rebuilding the Al Saud’s empire. Abdul Aziz was known to travel with his treasury and delivered gifts, settled scores and this further strengthened his authority. During the tribal revolts, Abdul Aziz was able to convince his opponents to become loyalists and in turn, he promised them protection and a peaceful life. In the first decade of Abdul Aziz’s family rule, another force also emerged in Nejd. This was a group of men from Harb and Mutair tribes, and mainly practiced agriculture and followed Muhammad Ibn Abd al teachings. Relyin g on this source is important in the sense that it examines the life and experiences of the Prince of Hejaz (Mackey 91). Prince of Arabs, by Joel Carmichael This text can be associated with the topic at hand in the sense that it explains Abdul Aziz’s activities during his reign in Hejaz. We will write a custom essay sample on Prince of Hijaz and Ottoman Empire or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now His activities contributed to him gaining fame within Saudi empire. In addition, this article also enables the reader to understand how Abdul Aziz gained political influence (Carmichael 721). Arab nationalism and Islamism: Competitive past, uncertain future, by Adeed Dawisha Relying on the information from this article is significant in terms of allowing the reader to understand the ideological forces that emanates from the Arab world. These ideological forces include nationalism and an emphasis on the Islamic religion. Further, the information in this text is important in understanding the relationship that existed between the Arabs and the Ottoman Empire (Dawisha 79). Unification of Arabia, by Hans Kohn This article allows the reader to learn how Abdul Aziz’s effort of organizing the nomads to become civilized people. In addition, Abdul Aziz also engaged in convincing his people to shift from religious enthusiasm to embracing modern social activity. Abdul Aziz wanted his citizens to embrace civilization that was spreading across the globe after the World War I. The efforts of Aziz in convincing his people to embrace civilization have contributed to an organized Saudi Arabia that is cautious and firmly modernized (Kohn 95).

Essay The Prohibition of the 1920s - 702 Words

During the 1920’s there was an experiment in the U.S. â€Å"The Prohibition†, this experiment, made by the government, was written as the 18th amendment. The prohibition led to the bootlegging, increase in crimes, and gang wars. The experiment consisted in all importing, exporting, transporting, and selling liquor was put to an end. Prohibition had been tried from a lot of time as temperance movements, the movements that tried to stop the alcohol consumption started in the latest 1700’s. The first group that wanted temperance was made by a group of Litchfield, Connecticut in 1789. Evangelical Protestants mainly formed these groups; however, they wanted moderation for preventing drunkenness. The ones who were most affected by†¦show more content†¦There where numerous of places that had secret places to hide alcohol during this time. By 1925 there were at least 3200 speakeasies and stores who sold liquor in order to get some extra income in New York. The smuggling of alcohol was a very good business that involved money. Some of the direct distilling and home brewing were secretly installed in garages, tenements, and warehouses. With the fear of being hijacked, the bootleggers hired gunmen to protect the goods; so illegal gun market was a side effect of the Prohibition that brought big amounts of mo ney. The illegal alcohol and gun market brought gangs to everywhere, these gangs fought constantly to maintain the territory and respect. Chicago and New York where the cities where the Mafia gain more power, gang wars and assassination became an everyday thing. On May 11th, Jim Colosimo was the first of the Chicago mafia bosses to be assassinated. The gang wars began with the simple plan made by the gang bosses. When John Torrio took out their leader â€Å"Big Jim†, he took over the biggest gang in Chicago. John Torrio was the one who saw that this prohibition could be a good opportunity for making money, so he started the bootlegging. John and other gang bosses made a deal to split the City so that everybody had their own place to sell liquor in a territory. However, whenShow MoreRelatedThe Prohibition Of The 1920s Essay1817 Words   |  8 Pages This paper discusses one of the most significant events of the 1920s and 1930s that still affects life to this day, the prohibition. Throughout the modern American, who may be interested in the prohibition and why organized crime was so powerful, discover just that as well as why the prohibition was implemented, who had the most influence, how people viewed one another at the time, and the factors that lead to the prohibitions lack of success. It was a time of struggle between law enforcement, organizedRead MoreThe Prohibition During The 1920s1590 Words   |  7 PagesThe Prohibition during the 1920s has been widely scrutinized and is often used as an example today to show how banning a specific substance after it has been in wide circulation is a wasted effort. Many historians, economists, and Americans have analyzed the complications during the Prohibition and have culminated their thoughts to provide an accurate and in depth analysis of what caused the Prohibition to fail. Simila rly, experts have presented data that shows just how drastically each year differedRead MoreThe Causes of Prohibition (America 1920s)848 Words   |  4 PagesWhy was prohibition introduced in America in the 1920? When federal prohibition was introduced in America with the 18th Amendment to the constitution in 1919 and the Volstead Act in 1920, it was often termed ‘The Nobel Experiment’. It didn’t take long for most people to recognise that the experiment had gone terribly wrong and that it was fostering what it was supposed to eradicate, crime, excess and corruption. But the question is why it was introduced in America in 1920 and to understand thisRead MoreThe Prohibition Of Alcohol During The 1920s1318 Words   |  6 Pagesalcohol industry: the manufacturing, distribution, and selling of liquor was now illegal. This so-called prohibition, which occurred alongside similar events in the U.S., was supposed to greatly improve society by eliminating the source of all of its evils – drunkenness – but instead was one of the greatest political blunders in North American history. Canada’s prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s was a catastrophic failure, giving rise to organized crime and a lasting mindset of subversiveness in theRead MoreProhibition During The 1920 S1655 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the 1920’s, America went through the prohibition era, where alcohol was no longer allowed to be purchased, sold, or drank. People were not pleased with not being allowed to drink alcohol, when they have consumed alcohol for so long. Therefore, people created underground saloons, where they had a type of club. People played music, drink, and have a wonderful time. These places earned their name of â€Å"speakeasies†, because the people who attended the illegal attractions had to be quiet enoughRead MoreWas Prohibition Successful in the 1920s?551 Words   |  2 Pagesand Feminism arose, and among those innovations, the Prohibition in North America was debated most. Some argue that the prohibition is a success because it did half the alcohol consumption and gained status for women. However to me it was unsuccessful, because it ma de unscrupulous people wealthy, did not decrease alcohol abuse, and made citizens disregard the federal law. First, the prohibition significantly encouraged gansterism in the 1920s, when the mafia raised a considerable amount of moneyRead MoreProhibition of the 1920s Essay2301 Words   |  10 PagesThe 1920s was a time of major social change in the United States. The social changes during this period were reflected in the laws and regulations that were brought into play at this time. One of the most prominent examples of this was prohibition. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, also known as the Volsted Act, which got its name from its sponsor, Representative Andrew Volsted of Minnesota, was created to eliminate the use of alcohol in the United States. In doing this, the proponents of prohibitionRead MoreEffects Of Prohibition In The 1920-19331861 Words   |  8 PagesWhen the prohibition law was passed, it affected many different people in many ways. Prohibition lasted from 1920-1933 during this social experiment it helped us realize as a nation the more serious crimes that were occ urring in our nation. Some disrespected the law, people who broke the law became criminals. Many groups fought to up hold the law of prohibition by keeping immigrants and foreign nations out of the U. S’s affairs. While other groups turned to criminal actions such as violence and murdersRead MoreThe Failure of the Prohibition Act of 19202204 Words   |  9 PagesIn 1919 the Constitution of the United States issued the 18th amendment, enforced into law as the National Prohibition Act of 1920. Prohibition is the banning of the manufacture, sale, and possession of alcohol, including beer and wine. This amendment was repealed with the passing of the 21st amendment to the constitution, allowing the possession of alcohol in the United States. In the City of Washington on Monday, December 5th, 1932 the 21st amendment document included the reestablished rights ofRead MoreProhibition During The Era Of 1920-1933 Essay814 Words   |  4 PagesProhibition Essay: By: Savannah Crawford During the era of 1920-1933 could best be characterized as the path to a sober nation. This time of history consisted of the eighteenth amendment which was passed on October 28th 1919; Volstead Act. The Volstead act was created to carry out the movement of prohibition. In addition, Prohibition is the legal prohibiting of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks for common consumption according to dictionary.com. Furthermore, this amendment concurs that

General Biology Human Perspectives

Questions: 1. What could be happening to George? 2. How should he be treated? 3. Based on what youve learned thus far, what could George have done to help prevent this situation? 4. What factors may be contributing to George's symptoms? Answers: 1. George was running in a hot summer morning. In such a situation, the temperature of the body increases and our sweat glands produce droplets which carry excess heat to the skin surface. With further heating up of our body, it gets more and more dehydrated and enters into the survival mode but maintains the flow of blood into the organs that are essential. Very less blood flows into the GI tract making the person feel nauseous (Dudley, 2013). The overheating happens because of the imbalance that arises as a change in the electrolyte level thus making us dehydrated. In the given problem, George could have been dehydrated. 2. In order to provide treatment to George he needs to be given carbohydrate or electrolyte containing drinks. Certain good choices for sports drinks in this case are Gatorade or replacement solutions like Pedialyte. Also, tepid water can be sprayed using misters on George to facilitate cooling by evaporation. 3. To prevent this situation, George should have taken more fluids in the course of the run. Generally, our body requires 1000 ml of water every 20 kilograms of our body weight. George in the instance has had only a piece of toast and a cup of coffee since the morning. He refrained from taking any other fluids and participated in the run. Thus, what was required of George is that he should have taken more fluids to prevent the mishap. 4. The factors contributing to Georges symptoms are heat exposure associated with too much exercise, lack of proper water intake and electrolyte imbalance in the body (Simmons, 2010). References Dudley, H. (2013). Electrolyte Imbalance.Res Medica,1(4). doi:10.2218/resmedica.v1i4.305 Simmons, S. (2010). Acute dehydration.Nursing,40(1), 72. doi:10.1097/01.nurse.0000365928.03169.ca

Customer Analysis on Equine Industry and Products free essay sample

Due to the range of disciplines and activities covered by this market, targeting just one group could lead to increased sales through word of mouth promotion or competition between sports. Creating a marketing strategy with respect to the product, price, place and promotion (McCarthy, 1960) should maximise sales, brand position and loyalty as well as encouraging repeat sales. It is important to highlight the quality and benefits of the product, as customers will feel more relaxed about a purchasing decision if the risk is reduced (Kalish, 1985: 1569). 2. Rationale for a new product The product idea is a trolley with multi-surface wheels used to transport saddles, bridles and tack such as bandages or boots. It is a modification of an existing trolley in circulation which only carries three saddles (Robinsons, 2009b). By attaching bridle hooks and a small basket it creates a more productive design as more equipment can be carried in one journey. The product fulfils a need for all horse owners and those involved in the tacking up process. It allows saddlery and tack to be easily and safely transported and stored. It eliminates health and safety issues of carrying heavy equipment and the risk of damage to equipment through dropping, falling or improper storage. Equipment can remain clean and dry as it elevated, not left on a damp yard or dirty stable floor. 3. 0 Target market The aim is to launch the product into the equine industry, an extremely large and varied market, its contribution to the wider economy is often ignored (Graham-Suggett, 1999: 31), therefore it is underappreciated and the launch of a new product could prove very profitable. As the industry is so fragmented and dispersed, there is a huge variety horse owners to target all connected by overlapping organisations and governing bodies (Graham-Suggett, 1999: 33). The trolley will be aimed at the average horse owner, of which there are an estimate 1. 3 million in the UK (BETA, 2006: 15), but has the potential to be altered slightly to then be offered to professional riders, riding schools or the racing industry in the future. It is estimated that there are 2,000 livery yards/riding schools, 2,000 breeders and 750 trainers of race horses (BETA, 2006: 15). 3 % of the population of the UK have some interest in the industry, with 11% directly involved either through the sports themselves or as spectators (Defra, 2004: 13). With around ? 4 billion total horse related expenditure in the UK each year, the equine industry is growing both in leisure and competition (BETA, 2006: 19). Similarly, ? 140 ? 170 million was spent on saddlery and tack in 1999 (BETA, 1999: 21) a figure that is only likely to rise with changing fashions and increased interest in the sport. Similarly, the Henley Report (Defra, 2004) outlines key strategies to promote the equine industry both in the UK and international. Therefore, the industry is only likely to develop and grow in the future. A strong market position will be held as there is a greater understanding of the customer’s needs as well as competing with a smaller number of rival brands. It would be uneconomical to launch the product in an undifferentiated market, as it has such as selective appeal (Armstrong Kotler, 2009: 209 210). 4. 0 Rationale for brand position Branding is the way in which businesses add value and individuality in the market place. It allows customers to differentiate between various products on offer (Baines et al, 2008: 374). The trolley would be marketed as more of a niche product, taking a large share of a small part of the market (Blythe, 2005: 86), however relatively value for money, therefore enabling competition on grounds other than price, such as quality and durability of the trolley (Hooley et al, 2004). This is in order to attract a wider cross section of the market. In terms of competition, there is only one similar product in the UK produced by Stubbs Equestrian, costing ? 41. 40 through online sales or Robinsons catalogue (Robinsons, 2009b). The trolley should be branded in a way that will distinguish it as better quality and value including: the physical characteristics of the trolley, it must use superior materials with a more attractive design, the packaging should be eye catching and if it is made recyclable it will give the company a socioeconomically advantage, as a â€Å"green company† (Baines et al, 2008: 383). The brand name should be easy to remember, advertising the product through word of mouth. By registering a trademark, the trolley is protected and greater value added to the company (Hooley et al, 2004). . 0 Marketing mix A mixture of elements used to pursue a particular market response, the aim of the marketing campaign is to maximise sales at as low a cost possible, in McCarthy’s (1960) analysis of the marketing mix cited in (Waterschoot Van de Belte, 1992:84), he describes the 4P’s method these are: 5. 1 Product In order to sustain growth of the brand, Ansoffs (1957:114) matrix can be used as a guide for opportunities, threats and resource requirements (see figure 2). It provides strategic direction for the marketing strategy as the arket penetration section aims to promote high sales volumes in a current market (Brassington Pettitt, 2006:955-957). In respect to the trolley, this means high sales to existing Countrywide customers or members of the equine industry. This can be achieved by demonstrating to customers that the product satisfy their needs and expectations (Blythe, 2005: 141). The customer must perceive the trolley as solving a problem and it’s superiority to other products on the market (Zeithaml, 1988: 4) by using in store promotions such as: demonstration, flyers and leaflets, poster campaigns or competition give away (Jefkins, 1994: 124-126). An alternative strategy would be market development, selling more of the existing product to new markets (Ansoff, 1957:116). After selling to horse owners, other equestrian enthusiasts can be targeted such as: equestrian professionals, riding schools, stud farms and racing yards. In terms of product development, the trolley is a new product being introduced into an existing market (Ansoff, 1957:116) and so purchasing the product entails a lot of risk for the consumer. The higher the service provided, the more valued the product is by the customer (Birgelen et al. 2002: 46-47) and by offering a warranty or after sale service, customers will feel more confident about investing in the product as risk is reduced. Finally, diversification, introduction of a new product to a new market (Ansoff, 1957: 116) the trolley could move away from the equine industry entirely and be marketed to other sectors such as leisure, home or garden. 5. 2 Price Pricing of a new product is crucial for diffusio n into the market, therefore the optimal price must be found in order to maximise sales. As diffusion increase, the market decreases, therefore sales may benefit by dropping the price of the trolley later in the products life. Krishnan et al. (1999: 1656) found that a monotonically declining price policy is most successful in areas of price sensitivity, as there is a level of risk associated with any new product, this seems like the best marketing strategy for the trolley. Therefore, using Rogers (1995) curve of innovation (see figure 3), early adaptors such as equine professionals such as event riders can be targeted with a premium price, as demand falls, the price can be â€Å"skimmed† to encourage the laggards, maximising sales. However, dropping the price could be ineffective, particularly with the uncertainty of the future. A price drop would depend largely on the size of the future market and so the number of customers that would benefit from a price drop (Krishnan et al,. 1999: 1656). Figure 3: Categories of innovation (Roger, 1995) cited by (Baine et al, 2008: 94) Consumers use price as a method of judging a products quality and advantage, there is a positive correlation between price and perceived product quality (Zeithaml, 1988: 10). High quality products have higher profit margins, and so the price of the product must also be high, due to price elasticity (Carpenter, 1987: 212). Similarly, higher priced products are less vulnerable to price cuts from competition or price increase from suppliers (Kamakura, W. Russell, J. 1993: 10). However, a lower priced product would help consumers to become aware of the product as it represents value for money (Yoo, et al. , 2000: 199). 5. 3 Place In store Physical surroundings can play an important role in consumer behaviour as it impacts their perceptions of the store. (Bitner, 1992: 59-60). The store and its staff should provide a welcoming environment to encourage customer loyalty, repeat purchase of the product, and to promote sales through word of mouth. Promotional material could be displayed, drawing attention to trolley as well as positioning it amongst the equine merchandise to maximise sale potential. By placing the product in a widely known country store, it is available where the target customer finds shopping most convenient (Blythe, 2005: 141). Online sales Technological and cultural changes have lead to a huge consumer base using the internet to seek pre-purchase information or online shopping (Alba et al,. 997: 38). Online sales are extremely interactive and can be undertaken anywhere as well as eliminating any physical constraints such as shelf space or product display, due to the nature of consumerism, the consumer could be manipulated with â€Å"interactive decision aids† (Haubl Trifts, 2000: 5) such as search engines, and attracted to the produ ct even when their intention was to purchase something completely different. The online service allows the product to be delivered straight to the customer’s door making it convenient. 5. 4 Promotion All new products are categorised by two stages: awareness and adoption. Awareness can only be achieved by advertising or word of mouth and adoption is conditional of product awareness. Consumers will be willing to pay more for a product if the information received from early adaptors reduces uncertainty (Kalish, 1985: 1569). Advertising can reach a mass audience at a low cost per exposure. It has become part of everyday life and consumers view advertised brands as more legitimate (Armstrong Kotler, 2009:387). However, advertising is expensive and impersonal in comparison to a salesperson. As advertising has become second nature, a lot of people tune it out, not taking in any of the information. It would be more beneficial to target equestrian magazines such as Horse and Hound or British Dressage as they have a higher geographic and demographic selection (Armstong Kotler, 2009 :400), just the equestrian market can be targeted. It will also be displayed amongst other reputable equestrian products, having a positive effect on the reputation. Throughout the year there are a huge number of equestrian events, from open British Dressage and Show Jumping events, open to the average horse rider, to international events such as Badminton or The Horse Of The Year Show attend by professionals and enthusiastic spectators. Demonstrations and trade stands could target the market all in one place, it is flexible with high repeat exposure as customers walk by (Armstrong Kotler, 2009 :400) particularly when a high volume and variety of consumers will attend the events. In store promotion such as leaflets, poster campaigns, demonstrations and displays can be used to attracted consumers attention, promoting sales (Jefkins, 1994: 124-126). 6. 0 Conclusion Equestrian and outdoor stores provide the perfect marketing environment for the trolley as they are everywhere, appealing to the country and leisure market. The product itself appeals to all members of the equestrian community as it is not discipline specific, nor does it age or gender discriminate. It solves a problem suffered by both amateur riders and professionals alike. A promotional campaign through the media and outdoor sales as well as the internet and company website will encourage mass sales of the trolley because of its quality and unique design. By targeting a niche market such as equine, a gap in the market is being for filled as the market itself is often underestimated.

The Fighter free essay sample

I was ten years old when I saw one of the most frightening sights of my life. I was at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, with my mom, my sister, and my grandmother. We were all gathered around my grandfather who was hooked up to numerous amounts of tubes, machines, and IV lines. My grandfather was in the middle of his fight against esophagus cancer and I remember thinking to myself, this is going to be one of the last times that I ever see my grandfather. The part that I did not take into consideration before that thought was; my grandfather has a fierce driving force to live deep down within him. No matter what obstacle is thrown in his way, it is not a question of whether he can get around it; he just wonders when he is going to conquer the problem. A few months later, when my grandfather was at home recovering, my family and I would make daily trips over to see him, since we live about a two minute walk away from each other. We will write a custom essay sample on The Fighter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The majority of the times we would go over to see him, there would be a visiting nurse taking care of him, he would be sleeping, or he would be in too much pain and agony that my mother would not want us to come inside and see him. But then there were the times that my grandfather and I would sit and watch the Red Sox or just talk about what’s going on hours after my family left. Once summer time rolled around I was always over my grandparents house. I mowed their lawn and did small tasks that needed to be done around the yard. One day my grandfather came outside with me and I figured he was just supervising because I was working near a cluster of thorns. I didn’t notice the pair of clippers he was carrying. He told me that he was going to help me take down the vines that were strangling a group of trees. I was completely surprised and excited for us to be working together. From this moment on, every time I do a project at his house, he is right there next to me, even if he is sitting under a tree in the shade, while watching me work. All of my aunts, uncles, and cousins often say that I am the one that keeps my grandfather going because he’s always outside doing something with me. I know that he is a fighter and will never give up on anything that gets in his way.

Silver Linings Playbook Bipolar DIsorder Essays

Silver Linings Playbook Bipolar DIsorder Essays Silver Linings Playbook Bipolar DIsorder Essay Silver Linings Playbook Bipolar DIsorder Essay As the term bipolar disorder suggests, afflicted individuals also experience the poop site of mania depression. The result is an oscillation between extreme mood states that is o ten accompanied by severe distress and impairment and requires consistent and intensive med action management (the traditional remedy is a mood stabilizer such as Lithium, although many to her classes of drugs have been shown to be effective for its treatment). In the role of Pat Jar. Bradley Cooper (best known for his role in the raunchy Hangover films) shows hurtfulnesss range and talent. As is often the case with individual s with bipolar disorder, he plays Pat Jar. As remarkably charismatic and intense. Despite this, the portrayal of bipolar disorder is a mixed bag. Only in one terrific scene when Pat Jar. Obsess veal finishes a classic novel and storms into his parents bedroom in the middle of the night t o deliver a rapider rant about the books ending do we see a true manifestation of the d crosier. Throughout most of the rest of the film, his tendency toward verbal and physic cal aggression and his obsessive thought patterns are the primary symptoms on display. Although h these symptoms are not atypical of bipolar disorder, they are hardly the hallmarks and overlap with a wide range of other pathologies. There is nothing particularly dishonest or blatantly niacin rate about the depiction, but it pales in comparison to others that have been captured on fill m and television. The relationship between Pat Jar. And Tiffany is an extremely Odd one. It involve sees enormous deceit, a fair amount of stalking, and offensive, blunt, and callous barbs repeat deadly flung back and forth. Despite this, the incredible chemistry of Cooper and Lawrence (and some sharp writing) makes the audience root for them to fall in love. But is that really a g DOD idea? A great deal of work in evolutionary and social psychology has focused on the factors that go into our election of potential mates. We know that individuals across cultures and thro ought history are attracted to others who share our attitudes, values, and various other character restricts. (If we want to speak in clicks, the research concludes that in general birds of a feather FL sock together, not that opposites attract. ) We also know that individuals with mental illness are more likely to have unstable and unsuccessful romantic relationships and that this is nana cede when both individuals have mental illness.

Finance & Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance & Accounting - Essay Example Wallace defines Tests of Reasonableness "as non-statistical models using operating or external data as well as financial data to predict an amount under examination" (Wallace, 1994, Section on Evaluating Analytical Procedures). As Wallace illustrates, Tests of Reasonableness include accounting and non-accounting variables in the model, with the aim of enhancing "the reliability of a test of reasonableness compared to single variable and financial ratio analysis." On the company's purchases, the going-rate for the exchange rate between UK and the import country source's respective currencies, multiplied by the average volume of clothing purchases, can be used to evaluate the reasonableness of the current month's purchases. For the company's sales, the average sales of a retail clothing company of similar size, multiplied by the company's average monthly sales volume, can be used to test the reasonableness of the current month's sales. Lastly, the average salary (including commission) of employees who work in similar industries (of the same size) in England, multiplied by the company's total number of employees, can be used to check the reasonableness of the company's wage expenses. Wallace explains that Financial Ratio Analysis "tend... of a retail clothing company of similar size, multiplied by the company's average monthly sales volume, can be used to test the reasonableness of the current month's sales. Lastly, the average salary (including commission) of employees who work in similar industries (of the same size) in England, multiplied by the company's total number of employees, can be used to check the reasonableness of the company's wage expenses. Financial Ratio Analysis Wallace explains that Financial Ratio Analysis "tends to be more effective than single-component procedures because it explicitly considers interrelationships among financial variables" (Wallace, 1994, Section on Evaluating Analytical Procedures). This approach entails comparing one entry in the financial statements versus another entry, to draw implications regarding the company's financial or operational state. For example, a low net income-to-sales or gross margin ratio can possibly suggest that the company is losing significant amounts of money in its operations, because its operating expenses cannot justify the sales and revenues that it is receiving. Comparing these ratios against industry benchmarks can suggest how well the company is faring, against the whole retail clothing industry. Moreover, the ratios 'days sales in receivables,' 'days sales in inventory,' and 'inventory turnover' can give an idea of the efficiency of its collection efforts on its receivables, as well as how fast it needs to replenish its inventory to keep up with periodic demands. Regression Analysis Regression Analysis "involves the creation of a model using operating and external data as well as financial data" (Wallace, 1994, Section on Evaluating Analytical Procedures). This type of analysis, however, is more precise than the basic

The role of public relations in the shaping of news Essay

The role of public relations in the shaping of news - Essay Example Since the past century, when journalism became an established and highly respected practice, journalists have helped to shape news and public opinion. While journalism involves creative writing and plagiarism is abhorred, a few journalists and media houses have taken up an unhealthy practice called Churnalism. This is a form of journalism in which press releases given out by the Public Relations agencies and news agencies are copy/ pasted to create content for print and online media, without verifying the news or investigating the issues. This has given rise to the internet bound writer whose main source for news and creative ideas is the Internet. Field and investigating journalism that once made erring national leaders and business barons wait with dread for the morning paper is now nonexistent. Taking its place is the ubiquitous PR release that forms the main news source. Overall, crime stories see the highest Churnalism with PR release sent by police departments. PR releases by b usinesses and NGOs find some more publishers among journalists. (Davies, 2009). The dangers of this churnalism are manifold. There is a strong indication that the PR agency, that releases the news releases are tendentious and in favour of the entity, that pays the agency. For such agencies, truth and facts are secondary and they tend to pile calumnies, distort news, and twist facts until the resulting story meets their prescribed line of thought. Such reports create more trouble when ill-advised journalists, media and newspapers pick up.

Business research and consultancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business research and consultancy - Essay Example The paper tells that research and consultancy are two different concepts, which have a number of variations between them. However, they have so much in common and this is quite essential towards each other. Consultants require knowing the findings of research prior to recommending any incentive technique in dealing with the practical problems of management. It is imperative for consultants to consider whether any researches had been conducted towards the utilization of such techniques in circumstances similar to the ones their clients are experiencing. Business research was in the past deemed a data collection service focusing on markets whereby clients requested particular data and the market researchers collected and provided to them. Where such data is now accessible by the various market competitors, business have continually been challenged to not only focus on marketing but also their competitors in order to diagnose the market’s current situation and the problems existi ng in a more detailed manners and identify their weaknesses and strengths. Market is highly dynamic and this requires businesses to constantly analyze the marketplace so as to plan and match their company strengths with the existing market opportunities and devise tactics and strategies to achieve their objectives. Market research also plays an important role in enabling businesses to continuously watch for threats to their plans achievement. Business research is also critical for monitoring progress of an organization’s strategy implementation... Market is highly dynamic and this requires businesses to constantly analyze the marketplace so as to plan and match their company strengths with the existing market opportunities and devise tactics and strategies to achieve their objectives. Market research also plays an important role in enabling businesses to continuously watch for threats to their plans achievement. Business research is also critical for monitoring progress of an organization’s strategy implementation (Kent 1993, p. 2). Marketing research and consultancy practice is concerned with collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on market, company, and its surrounding environment. Such information is relevant for problem diagnosis, business planning, and market strategies control. When firms and entrepreneurs face problems in their businesses related to issues like decline in sales, poor customer relationships and satisfaction, stiff competition or general decline in product demand, they approach business r esearch and consultancy firms for advisory. To identify and address the problems, relevant data is required to identify factors leading to the problems and clarify the decision required to be made. Some research may involve product testing and others may involve pricing research especially for new market entrants (Kent 1993, p. 4). This paper is a reflective report in which the writer desires to give a comprehensive experience of business research and consultancy. The research has used secondary type of research to explore the debt collection software solutions used by various debt collection companies such as Line Time, Win Collect, Proclaim Case Management, Crevice, Adtec, TDX Group, Actius, Capture, Silver Link, Latitude and Experian’s Tallyman. This is a reflection of the

The aims and nature of ryanair

The aims and nature of ryanair The aims of this report are to analyse and explain the nature of Ryanair business organisation, identify the contribution of functional areas to the operation of Ryanair organisation and to demonstrate an understanding of core concepts in functional areas. The objective of this report is to show understanding in organisations key areas such as: organisational type, financial information, marketing management, quality and supply chain. The Ryanair Holdings second-largest airline in Europe in terms of passenger numbers came to the business world in July 1985 with flights on a 15-seater Bandeirante aircraft. It was operating daily from Ireland to London Gatwick airport. Quantity of passengers was approximately 5,000 thousands. In 2009 quantity of passengers increased by 66,503,999 million. Ryanairs fleet rose to 232 Boeing 737-800. During 1985-2009 Ryanair has opened bases in the centre and north side of Europe. Low cost airline profits rose 200% to over 318 million euro while many of Ryanairs competitors announce losses and even more go bankrupt (Ryanair 2009). Ryanairs future activities will be considered in below presented articles. 2.0. Findings Figure 1. Ryanair Holdings Logo (Ryanair 2010) 2.1. Organisational Structure Bonderman and OLeary (1996) established a new company Ryanair Holdings, they have bought the control of Ryanair Company just for  £5 million cash, an airline they had valued at approximately  £57 million. From that moment Michael OLeary is Ryanair Holdings legal entity (Creaton 2007:117). 2.1.1. Sector in which Ryanair Trade According to Palmer et al., Ryanair operates in private-sector, because the aim of private-sector organisations is to earn profits for the owners of the organisation. As OLeary is entity of Ryanair, he: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦always acting in the interests of the company because he is a shareholder (Siobhan Creaton 2007:278). Moreover, OLeary said that he will earn as much profit as he cans (Siobhan Creaton 2007:277). In addition, private-sector is able to monitor the results of its marketing activity, as the benefits are usually internal to the organisation (Palmer and Hartley 2006:230). Ryanair publish their annual report which will be used in this report as an example of sources of finance (Ryanair Holdings 2010). Private sector is subdivided into four types, but Ryanair refers to two of them: Private Limited Company (LTD) and Public Limited Company. LTD permits some defence to the shareholders they take a risk to invest money for business. Thus, shareholders can use Ryanairs annual report (Ryanair Holding 2010) which includes detailed financial information (Boddy 2002:488). PLC must have a minimum share capital of  £50,000 and must have at least two directors. As to Ryanair, OLeary and Bonderman have bought control over Ryanair Limited for  £5 million (Palmer et al. 2006:220). Consequently, Ryanair Holdings PLC (Ryanair Holdings) is the holding company for Ryanair Limited (Ryanair). 2.1.2. Structural Style Ryanairs structural style is divisional, where administrators create divisions and make them responsible for all the functions to deliver their facilities to the consumers (Boddy 2002:245). Ryanair Company has geographic divisions, to the location of customers. For example, Ryanair has a group of people who works in Baltic countries, such as Latvia and Lithuania and there are managers, who are responsible for staff, customer needs, and manager use autonomy to meet local needs (Boddy 2002:246). 2.2. Ryanairs Source of Finance Ryanairs company is financed by internal sources sources of finance that come from the business activities retained profit. For example, if the Ryanair business had a successful trading year, the organisation can use got profit for future activities. Of course, Ryanair can use profit only after paying all its costs (Manak 2009:184-185). The advantage is that source is very useful for long term business, because they can use it sources for future business activities. For example, Ryanairs attendants sell a variety of products such as MP3 players, digital cameras, perfumes and so on. All the extras revenues are up to 15% of all revenues. Ryanair Company is trying to earn revenue on everything on the board except seats (Kotler et al. 2009:577). Furthermore, Ryanair is run by equity finance. That means that organisation or a person providing money, does not receive interest and there is no guaranty that it will be repaid. If organisation had a success in borrowing money there will be an increase in share value or in dividends. Besides, after borrowing success, shares could be sold to some on else. (Smith 2007:291). There are different types of shares: ordinary shares and preference shares. Ryanairs organisation has ordinary shares. Shareholders receive ownership of a small part of a business and they carry complete voting rights. The number of ordinary shares that Ryanair has is 1,476.4 (in Ms) (Ryanair Holdings 2010:138). Correspondingly, companys earnings per ordinary shares are 20.68 (euro cent). However, if organisation will have unsuccessfulness, shareholders will be last people who will receive proceeds and may be receive nothing at all. (Smith 2007:292). 2.2.1. Profit or Loss? Being based on Ryanairs Income statement for year 2010 company got the profit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬341million before tax and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬305.3 million after tax (RH 2010:135). Thanks to lower oil prices, companys traffic increased to 14% of customers. Ryanairs non-ticket revenues rose to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬661 million or 11% in 2009 but now (2010) account is 22%. Besides, Ryanair opened 280 new routes in 2009, with destinations such as Spain and Portugal for summer travellers, making higher summer rates. Besides, shareholders will receive special dividends up to 550 million euros. Congruently, Ryanairs chief executive OLeary will receive 20 million euros, who owns just 4$of the companys shares. (Guardian 2010) 2.3. Marketing strategy and Target Market Marketing strategy: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦involves the activities of selecting and describing one or more target marketsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Lamb et al. 2008:43). To identify target market, an organisation should identify which of the segmentation is distinct and actionable. Ryanairs target is market segmentation activity. Segmenting market relies on detecting the variables that differentiate customers with need (Boddy 2002:215). Ryanair organisation refers to demographic segmentation social class. It can be used characterised function standards such as education, profession and property worth (Kotler 2009:16). Company select only one target segment to focus on, consequently, organisation use concentrated targeting strategy. The advantage is that business may concentrate on resources and can better meet the needs of defined segment (Lamb et al. 2008:247). 2.3.1. Marketing Mix When target market is identified organisation can evaluate marketing mix. McCartneys four marketing mix tools were expanded to 7Ps by Boden, which had a more services focus and included process, physical evidence and people. 7Ps is a necessary mix that company should track to maximise marketplace results (Kotler et al. 2009:17).Ryanair is using 7P Formula for its brand image, which consists of: 2.4. Quality Strategy According to David Garvin (1981) there are 8 dimensions of quality that can serve as a quality framework. For Ryanairs Company quality strategy identification we will use only 4 the most obvious dimensions: Performance characteristics of a service (Garvin 1987:50). For example, Ryanairs service speed, flight booking is depended on your own, because Ryanair is offering only self-service. Another example is absence of waiting, unfortunately, Ryanair not the best in this service, because flights are usually delayed. Perceived quality -it is about clients previous experience, what he thinks about that company (image, reputation) (Garvin 1987:59-60). Focussing on core brand value (providing cheap tickets to approximately 49 million passengers who desire low cost to high service) is a key of Ryanairs success. (Kotler et al. 2009:443). Aesthetics it is about personal judgment of individual (Garvin 1987:59). For example, passenger is ordering some food that looks and tastes not as good as at picture was. In addition, sight or vision of service. For example, Air France KLM have an impression of luxury thanks to leather seats, while Ryanair has plastic seats with blue and yellow as the dominant colours of no frill focus company (Kotler et al. 2009:681). Serviceability how fast client will be served (Garvin 1987:57). For example, passenger is ordering some meal and he gives denomination but not a coins, it will take an eternity to receive back your change. So Ryanair has very poor serviceability. Relying on above mentioned facts it is possible to tell that Ryanair has not got any strategic quality at all. Ryanairs chief executive is obsessed with providing a functioning airline and cared little about pleasing its passengers, passengers number growth and companys profit (Creaton 2007:271). 2.4.1. 3 Key Areas of Quality Quality Service People Marketing High (Service satisfies customers needs) Sales promotion Low (customers are dissatisfied) Food for extra pay; Uncomfortable seats; Checked luggage; Bus transportation into town. Employees must pay for own security checks Staff must pay for own uniforms and parking Staff must supply own tea and water Advertising Service is an indicator of poor quality, because while you are flying at Ryanair aircraft you will not receive any food for free. For example, the hot dog for 4 euros (Kotler et al. 2009:577). Moreover, it is well known fact, that Ryanairs seats are uncomfortable, seats do not recline and seat-back pockets have been removed (Kotler et al. 2009:577). Comparing British Airways (BA) with Ryanair, BA has first business and economy classes seats, while Ryanair has only Economy class seats (British Airways 2011). Furthermore, client should spent extra money for bus or train transportation into town from distant airports that Ryanair uses (Kotler et al. 2009:577). Furthermore, Ryanair has poor quality in HRM. Staff could no longer enjoy their tea or coffee for free, staff must to bring own drinks and snacks to work. Cabin crew were banned to use ovens on board, because there will be no additional cleaning costs. Pilots were told that they can use only one ream of paper a day (for reports). They also have to do bi-annual medical examinations, in their own time, and what is the worst they have to pay for their own for it. Additionally, reduction concerns to uniforms, company will deduct monthly sum from staff pay to cover their uniforms. Besides, there is a problem of absenteeism in Ryanairs company (have lost over 10,000 days) (Creaton 2007:239). Ryanair is famous with rude and scandalous posters. One of the examples is poster which offended BAs company (Creaton 2007:239). Comparing Ryanairs posters with BAs we can say that BAs advertising is more enjoyable, because there are no slogans that are concerned with price reduction (see Appendix 1 and 2). The only thing that has a high quality is sales promotion; because a quarter of seats are free, passengers pay only taxes and fees of approximately 7 16 euros (Kotler et al. 2009:577). In addition, buying a ticket passenger can return their 10 pounds, receiving a coupon (after completing online booking Ryanair offer to complete form). 2.5. Sequence of Supply Chain Activities Ryanair Company provides transaction by airplane services. The table below shows the sequence of supply chain activities. At First, passengers decide to use Ryanairs airline then they have to complete the online form at Ryanair.com, then passengers will receive digital receipt at their e-mails. The following stage is online check-in, which you must to complete from 15 days up to 4 hours prior to passengers scheduled flight departure. Moreover, client must to print check in ticket. (à Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…“ à Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ Ã… ¾Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ -à Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚  à Ã‚  Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã… ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ ¬) At day of flight traveller arrives to the airport and registers their luggage and then goes transportation. When passenger arrives in the airport he should undergo the same procedure as well as before flying (registration, à Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒâ€˜Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã‚ µ luggage). The disadvantage of Ryanairs Supply Chain service output is waiting time. It is the time that customer has to wait before flight. The lower the waiting time, the higher the level of service (Bowersox et al. 2010:51). For example, Ryanairs flights are often delayed and sometime even cancelled. Consequently, Ryanairs level of service is poor. 2.5.1. Value -Added Services Ryanairs internet booking is the value-added service in Supply Chain process. According to Bowersox (2010) et al. value-added services refer to unique activities that firms can develop to increase their productivity. For example, internet booking is unique activity, and passengers, buying tickets, online can save they time. In addition, online check-in is value added service, because if passenger does not have luggage (more than 15 Kg) he can go straight to the gate. Online check-in helps to save passengers time (do not wasting time staying in the registration queue) and companys time and money (staff working hours). The company is in great demand at consumers despite that consumers are performing self-service, of course except transaction by airplane. People are ready to for this kind of services, because they prefer low cost rather than high quality or supply chain services. Ryanair is offering close distance only that is why consumers prefer low cost ticket, 2 or 4 hours may not cost a high quality. 3.0. Conclusion The main conclusion that can be drawn therefore is that: 1. Ryanair organisation is trading in the public sector that gives an advantage for its owners, because private sector helps to earn money for them. Also, Ryanair adopted divisional structure, because airline has it offices almost in all over Europe. 2. Ryanair is run by retained profit and equity finance. Furthermore, company is making profit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬341m before tax. 3. Ryanairs target market is demographic segmentation if speak in detail Ryanair company is considering social class for characterising function standards such as education, profession and property worth. Ryanair is using Seven P Formula as a marketing mix for its brand image. 4. Quality dimensions speak about that Ryanair business organisation has got a poor quality. 3 key elements: people, service and marketing -are not high quality. The only thing that is high quality is Ryanairs sales promotion. 5. Almost all the Ryanairs services are self-services, except transaction by airplane. Correspondingly, Ryanairs supply chain has disadvantage such as service waiting time and supply chains poor quality. Ryanairs trading in the last 5 years are talking that organisation had pick moments and also had some falls. Generally, company had shown excellent performance in low-cost strategy, increasing it passenger number from 34.8 million (2005) to 66.5 million (2009), while many of Ryanairs competitors announce losses and even more go bankrupt. During 5 years Ryanair has opened bases several new bases such as Bournemouth, Birmingham and Belfast. Forecasting how the Ryanair business may proceed in the current economic climate, I may say that Ryanair will continue to exist in the world market, because its chief executive knows what people want low cost tickets. Consumers interest in traveling will continue to exist even in economic recession time. While consumers incomes are falling but supply is increasing, Ryanairs organisation will continue to offer low cost seats or even seats for free. I assume that in future Ryanair will expand it destinations to other continents such as South America and Africa, because company has got huge possibilities for that. The only thing to do is to find additional investors and to think over the strategic plan. 4.0. Recommendations In the light of these conclusions, I would recommend Ryanair organisation to improve organisations supply chain. All the Ryanairs destinations are operating into far-flung airports and passengers are confused about airports. All that it is necessary is change some of the destinations to major cities. Another solution is to write not only the airports name and country but write a citys name as well. In addition, I would recommend to improve quality strategy a specially one of the quality aspects people (HRM) as staff may start to strike. Their needs are not considered, company should prove such necessary elements such as uniforms and bi-annual medical examination. Of course, it will cost huge amount of money for the organisation but still staff will be satisfied. As a consequence, staff will work better and Ryanairs service will be little improved as well. References Boddy, D. (2002) Management An Introduction (2nd Ed.) Harlow: FT Prentice Hall. Bowersox, J., D., Closs, J., D., and Cooper, B., M. (2010) Supply Chain Logistics Management (3rd Ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. British Airways (2011) Travel classes [online] available from [5 February 2011]. Garvin, D., A (1987) Managing Quality, New York: The Free Press. Guardian.co.uk (2010) Ryanair returns to profit [online] available from [9>HYPERLINK http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jun/01/ryanair-returns-to-profit> [9 [9 February 2011]. Kotler, P., Keller, K.L., Brady, M., Goodman, M., and Hansen, T. (2009) Marketing Management. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Lamb, W., Hair, F., J., and McDaniel, C. (2008) Marketing (10th Ed.) Mason: Nelson Education, Ltd. Manak, S. (2009) Introduction to Business Organisation 121BSS, Glasgow: McGraw-Hill. Palmer, A., and Hartley, B. (2006) The Business Environment (5th Ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. Ryanair (2009) About Us [online] available from [27>HYPERLINK http://www.ryanair.com/en/about> [27 [27 January 2011]. Ryanair (2010) Logopedia [online] available from [31>HYPERLINK http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/Ryanair > [31 [31 January 2011]. Ryanair Holdings (2010) Annual Report Financial Statements 2010 [online] available from [3 February 2011]. Siobhà ¡n Creaton (2007) RYANAIR: The Full Story of the Controversial Low-Cost Airline, London: Aurum Press Limited. Smith, M. (2007) Fundamentals of Management, Glasgow: McGraw-Hill Education. Bibliography Beckford, J. (2002) Quality (2nd Ed.) London: Routledge. Calder, S. (2002) No Frills The Truth Behind The Low-Cost Revolution In The Skies, London: Virgin Books Ltd. Harrington. J., H. (1987) Poor Quality Cost, New York: Mareel Dekker, Inc. Hoyle, D. (1997) QS 9000 Quality Systems Handbook, Newton: Butterworth Heinemann. Hutt, M., and Speh, W., Th. (1998) Business Marketing Management a strategic view of industrial and organizational markets (6th Ed.) Orlando: The Dryden Press. McDaniel, C., Lamb, W., Ch., and Hair, F., J. (2008) Marketing (10th Ed.) Mason: Nelson Education, Ltd. Waters, D. (2003) Logistics An Introduction to Supply Management, New York: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN. Appendices Appendix1

Terrorism and Game theory :: essays research papers fc

Terrorism is a rare, broad concept that affects individuals, schools, corporations, and governments alike. Generally terrorists end up wanting to make change with governments, and governments are usually the only groups powerful enough to try to deal with governments. But what should be the best strategy to deal with terrorists? Since September 11, 2001 game theory has been used to analyze how governments and how terrorists should act to achieve their best outcome. This paper will analyze the games that these competing forces can use to determine the best course of action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The current war on terrorism is tending to have three different sides: the United States, the European Union, and the terrorists. Before the September 11th attacks all policies towards terrorism were reactive rather than proactive. So before we get involved with terrorists at all, there is a game in which based on what policy the EU is going to enact, the how should the US act towards terrorism. A proactive policy means that the government is going to attack POSSIBLE terror threats, whereas a reactive policy would mean that there would be no strikes against terrorism unless the terrorists decide to strike first.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now lets take a look at a model. Lets say, for analysis sake, that a proactive strategy costs a government 6, but casts a benefit of 4 for both governments. For example, if only the US has a proactive strategy, then it’s net would be -2, but the EU would get all 4 of benefit. If both governments are proactive, then the cost is still 6 for each, but the benefit is doubled to 8 because they benefit from each other’s policies. Using this structure, we can construct this normal form of the game:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  from Acre & Sandler Vol. 34 In this model it is clear that the Nash Equilibrium is where neither government has a proactive policy towards terrorists. Because neither government is willing to bear the entire cost, neither government will be proactive although the largest benefit can be derived from both being proactive. This is why this is a type of prisoner’s dilemma game. Real life is hardly ever as fair as this model would suggest. The United States is the target of 40% of all terrorism in the world. (Oster) The US is also more often successful in thwarting terrorism than Europe. Thus, a more realistic model might be one in which the United States gets a benefit of 8 for it’s proactive strategy.

Inspirational 20th Century Americans Essay

There are many powerful, influential, and memorable Americans that impacted the United States, and even the world. Of those outstanding Americans, there are three in particular that have impacted America, uniquely. During the 20th Century, Martin Luther King Jr. , Walt Disney, and Bill Gates made strong impacts in our country. These brilliant icons influenced American civilization and culture using their determination, creativity, and intelligence. Martin Luther King Jr. as an average man with a dream to live in an integrated society. He was such an inspirational man due to his strong determination, love, faith, and fearless representation. King applied nonviolent protest to grasp national attention in hope to spread his dream of peace among all individuals, and did all that he was capable of to share that same dream with the rest of society. Also, he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and participated in The March on Washington where he delivered his well-known speech, â€Å"I Have a D ream†. In 1964 King became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to him for leading non-violent resistance to racial prejudice in the U. S. (Martin Luther King, Jr. ) Due to his perseverance and participation in the civil rights movement, it led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which then eliminated discrimination and fulfilled Martin Luther King’s dream at last. Another man that was not afraid of showing the world what he was capable of was Walt Disney. Walt Disney had such an inexplicable imagination that was unstoppable. His love to create and fantasize brought him to produce one of the biggest companies in the country and is now well-known worldwide. He was one of the most iconic figures of recent history; children’s impresario Walt Disney has had a striking effect upon children’s literature through his adaptations of classic novels, unique brand of storytelling, and mass market approach to reaching his target audience (The Influence of Disney on Children’s Literature). Disney Productions reach into the hearts of children, not only by amusing but by fulfilling their urges to imagine and dream. Hundreds of Disney films, cartoons, and productions have been created due to one man’s imagination and resoluteness. Perhaps one of the most intelligent and significant Americans, is Bill Gates. Gates was the first to develop the first user-friendly operating system; previously, the first operating system had a program called DoS, meaning you had to type out commands for your computer in order to perform tasks. Bill Gates and his partner Paul Allen, after receiving money from another invention known as BASIC, decided to create a formal business partnership and created one of the most used operating systems today, Microsoft. This invention leads to most of technology that is used today from the computers, laptops, notebooks, to the handhelds and cellphones we use on a daily basis. All these inventions created by Bill Gates definitely sparked this â€Å"Technology Era†, inspiring people to follow his steps and crave to improve and expand technology in the years to come. As a result of this intelligence Bill Gates had, he is now one of the wealthiest men on earth. All of these iconic and successful Americans shared similar qualities such as determination and intelligence. Each of them accomplished their goals and contributed one thing that ameliorated society. These men brought equality, creativity, and advanced technology that is valued even today. America is beneficial for the capabilities of Martin Luther King Jr. , Walt Disney, and Bill Gates. They impacted our society highly, by improving it in their own ways.

Martin The Warrior Essays - Martin The Warrior, Redwall, Free Essays

Martin The Warrior Essays - Martin The Warrior, Redwall, Free Essays Martin The Warrior Martin In a time of danger A time of hunger The mouse was a stranger The mouse was strong He showed the cats With help from some bats How to behave He showed his pain, anger, and strife The creatures were thankful As a matter of fact He was honored for not only a life But for many years to come The novel, Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques, is a book about a young mouse warrior named Martin, son of Luke the Warrior, a mouse that fought sea rats, One day, after the murder of most of his tribe (including his wife), Luke set sail to have his revenge against Vilu Daskar, the stoat pirate responsible for the massacre. Before he left, he gave Martin his sword, which had been handed down through their family since Luke's own grandsire lived. This book is about how Martin travels through a land full of moles, squirrels, and other woodland creatures which talk and walk upright. Martin goes around meeting creatures from all different lands and asks them to join his army to fight a tyrant who is keeping slaves in his fort, Marshank. The plot of this book is how Martin and his friends fight the tyrant, Badrang, to free slaves. The main idea of the book is how and why Martin and his army fight the tyrant. When Martin was captured as a slave for Badrang the Tyrant, he was furious. Not only did the evil rat steal his father's sword, he beat and mistreated all of the slaves horribly! Devising a plan, Martin frees himself and two of his friends from the Marshank, the slave camp: Brome the mouse and Felldoh the squirrel. Brome's sister, Laterose (Rose for short) and her companion Grumm the mole all set out with Martin and his friends to go get help from their hometown of Noonvale. Unfortunately, due to the sea's conditions, Martin, Rose, and Grumm get separated from Brome and Felldoh. The two strings of the story carry on and tie together at the end: Martin's group eventually reaches Noonvale, where he returns to Badrang to get his revenge, and Brome and Felldoh join the Rambling Rosehip Players, a bunch of happy-go-lucky animals that made the hardships less hard, and also get to the slave camp. The ending is tragic, and whenever I read it I get depressed. Martin, in the end, retrieves his sword from Badrang, and succeeds in killing him, but Rose, who he has become very much attached to, tries to help Martin in killing Badrang, but only ends up getting killed by him herself. Also, Felldoh died toward the end he had fought Badrang one-on-one but the lousy cheater called his army to help him. Felldoh, being a great warrior, killed many of Badrang's men but did not kill Badrang himself. Brome still lived, but found he did not like war, so he became a healer. Some of the characters that Martin encountered along his travels changed from being his enemies to being his allies. The creatures changed when Martin was off to go fight the tyrant and when he and his friends asked them to which to join fight the tyrant so he could not capture any more creatures for his slaves and makes his horde any more powerful. Sometimes it did not seem believable because of how they turned from enemies to allies instantly and why they joined without even knowing who Badrang the tyrant was. I felt like I had a similar relationship when Martin was leading his army into battle. I have this feeling when Im a captain of my basketball team and I have the partial responsibility of leading them to victory or defeat. I thought that the best scene in the book was when Martins army attacked the tyrants fort for the second time. It reminds me about whenever I lead or am a part of an activity of some sort, like basketball or tennis. I think that the title, Martin the Warrior, is fitting because its simple and it tells what the book is about. I liked the authors style of telling what was going on in the book and how he described it. He

7 Fun Facts About Thanksgiving You Probably Dont Know

7 Fun Facts About Thanksgiving You Probably Dont Know Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings people together. Regardless of what your race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation is, it’s a time when we can all get together, enjoy good food and share what we’re thankful for. To get you prepared for this year, we’ve compiled an infographic with some fun facts about Thanksgiving you might not have known.

How personality affect organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

How personality affect organization - Essay Example The examination of the influence of personality on the organizational behaviour has led to the assumption that the interaction between the firm and the employee is intensive and constant. Moreover, it has been found that the diversity as a phenomenon does not occur only in the lower organizational levels but can equally appear in the managerial department. On the other hand, the existence of differences among a firm’s employees cannot be considered as disadvantage but should be viewed instead as a challenging experience for every organization. In this context, it has been proved that the existence of diversity is not connected with the negative phenomena that can be often observed in an organizational environment, like the fraud or the sabotage which are more individual – related. However, because the existence of diversity may create problems to the daily organizational operations – particularly when there are not the mechanisms for the successful operation of s uch a business strategy, it has to be noticed that in order for an organization to apply a diversity schema to its employment sector, the relevant measures have to be taken in advance. It should be noticed here that any relevant measure has to be tested in advance not only as of its financial cost to the company involved but mainly as of its effects to the firm’s employees.

Dislocated Shoulder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dislocated Shoulder - Essay Example In most cases,  dislocation occurs due to direct fall or blow on the outstretched arm. Additional, there are posterior (backward) and the inferior or the downward dislocation (Rockwood, 2009). The posterior occurs occasionally, and it is to electric shock. Shoulder Dislocation often leads to severe pain that makes the victim unable to move the affected shoulder in a particular direction; thus, making their rams numb. Sometimes, the dislocated shoulder makes the arm twist off the body with the arm facing towards the back (Kuehl and National Association of EMS Physicians (U.S.), 2002). A severely dislocated shoulder is visible whereby the victims shoulder appears unusual. Dislocated shoulders can be tested and examine in different ways; however, it is pertinent to note the time of injury, prior medical condition to the problem or injury, and how the injury occurred. Some of the tests include the deltoid muscle test, touch sensation, twist, hand movement, and x-ray in the invisible situations (Rockwood, 2009). The treatment of the dislocated shoulder may include medication to a lessen pain and some cases require a general anesthetic. The treated patient is often sent home in shoulder immobilizer or sling (Rockwood, 2009). This reduces movement of the shoulder thereby facilitating recovery. Additionally, a pillow may be placed in between the body and the affected arm to help support the injured shoulder. A fully recovered victim may get back to the pitch but can avoid or prevent further injuries by learning safe landing

Professional Team Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Professional Team Sports - Essay Example Making profits is a key aspect in any business venture (Wladimir and Stefan, 2006:617). This understanding has created interest in finding out the real effect of decisions made by club owners and franchise on the structure and regulation of leagues around the world. This paper therefore seeks to interrogate the different ways in which the objectives and decisions of club owners in professional sports affect the overall sporting arena. In order to get better sales in sports, high level of competition is required unlike in business where monopoly is the ultimate goal. If there are championships or leagues, the participation of more than two clubs will be necessary to ensure better products to the fans. If one club is far better than the rest and keeps on winning all games with ease, the products become so predictable and therefore less marketable to the fans (Wladimir & Stefan, 2006:27). Fans will get bored in watching a team that wins with big margins repeatedly and so need some degre e of uncertainty for them to enjoy watching the game. This phenomenon of the professional sports as an industry has led to the development of cooperation among clubs and the adoption of governing bodies charged with ensuring that the industry attains its optimal production capacity by way of organising championships and leagues. These leagues are highly competitive and as such have become some of the most profitable enterprises around the globe. For instance, the European champions’ league, the Barclays premier league in England and the La-liga of Spain are some examples among many leagues in football that are leading income earners for the respective clubs and contribute a considerable amount of the countries’ GDP. Baseball, basketball, indoor sports, golf, athletics, and Olympics in general all form a multibillion-dollar economy (Masteralexis and Hums, 2002:295). The graph below shows how revenue from sporting activities has increased over the years. Figure 1: graphi c illustration of increase in revenue in the sports sector associated with increasing commercialization Retrieved from http://www.econweb.com/MacroWelcome/sandd/D-Shift_New_Equilibrium.gif According to some economists, this feature of professional sport is quite favourable as it eradicates monopolies, which are responsible for poor quality of products or services offered and high non-commensurate prices. In the end, the whole arena of professional sports forms a model of free market where competitiveness of the product offered carries the largest share. This competition however is not always healthy especially with respect to the labour market (Stefan, 2007:47). Here, the free relocation and transfer of players from one club to the other based on the wages has made the wealthier clubs maintain a grip of the top leagues and championships over the less wealthy clubs. Therefore, wealthy club owners can get all the best talent there is in the market and thereby in a way kill competition , which is the very phenomenon on which the industry thrives (Rodney, 2004:25). This has resulted to creation of oligopolistic cartels where the higher level of game is exclusive to the rich clubs where as the less wealthy clubs play in the lower divisions that are less competitive and less famous among the fans ((Wladimir and Stefan, 2006:64). This means that fans will be flocking the gates only when big teams are playing. This obviously means very high revenues for them where as the poorer clubs will only have small number of fans in

War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning Essay Example for Free

War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning Essay The book â€Å"War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning† by Chris Hedges provides in-depth discussion of the appeal and pull of war on national actions and attitude of people towards the war. The author highlights fifteen years of experience and reports through his own prism the very nature of the war, its causes and terrible consequences such as numerous deaths, hunger, cataclysms, etc. Moreover, Hedges discusses physical and moral devastation the war leaves. The author claims that war should be considered a deadly addiction or a drug which offers intoxication. He argues that war is meaningless and in reality war is only the basest form of aggression. One interesting moment is that the author argues that the war has attractive nature. He writes: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It can give us purpose, meaning, a reason for living. Only when we are in the midst of conflict does the shallowness and vapidness of much of our lives become apparent. War makes the world understandable†¦ (p. 54) Hedges explains that the leading causality in war is the truth. He means that hesitations and doubts whether the war is justified aren’t permitted. The state and the news media are to be blamed for fostering the myth of the good and bad sides of the war. He argues that mythic war â€Å"reporting sells papers and boosts rating†. (p. 156) War myths are created to provide the nation with illusion of clear chain of events that prove nobility of the cause and aggression of others. Moreover, war myths are necessary for making people follow leaders, fight and die for them. However, one of the worst myths is the plague of nationalism. Hedges writes that it is nationalism that divides people on the basis of their culture, ethnicity, language, etc. Nationalism teaches nation to consider itself either superior or minor. Actually, nationalism is one of the most frequently observed causes of war nowadays. Culture is seen as the victim of war as war applies cultural peculiarities to its own purposes. Finally, the author assumes that religion is the only ultimate power that can resist war. Charity, kindness, love and humanity are able to fight the evils of war. References Hedges, Chris. (2002). War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. New York: Public Affairs.

An Analysis of Prostitutes on Strike: The Women of Hotel Street During World War II :: essays research papers fc

When most people hear the word â€Å"prostitute†, they immediately envision a person who is a disease-ridden imbecile of society. However, if one researches the statistics and personal recollections of prostitutes, they will find that they may be very moral and great women. The reflection that Beth Bailey and David Farber recall in the essay called Prostitutes on Strike: The Women of Hotel Street During WW II shows what the prostitutes were actually like in the 1940’s. In several cases of the women in Hawaii during World War II, their compassion is shown through their cooperation with organizations and with the public. Many of the things that they did, however, were not entirely as moral as they seem to appear to be. The events associated with the prostitutes that stayed in Hawaii during WWII can be thought of as both ethical and unethical, but nonetheless, they fought a war of their own to keep their occupations and ways of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prostitutes in Hawaii thrived with business during the times surrounding the War to End All Wars. With the growth of men passing through the area on leave, grew the business of the prostitutes of the time. The brothels that the prostitutes worked in were aimed at the servicemen during the war. The men were lined up outside the buildings for sometimes hours at end, in front of everyone to see. On top of that, the women at the door would sometimes reject a man who they did not trust, or even those who appeared drunk. The brothels also brought peace to the area; if a man needed to fill a sexual desire, the use of a prostitute would prevent a rape or sexual assault from happening (432).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The status quo for prostitutes in Hawaii changed dramatically after the attack on Pearl Harbor. When they went to volunteer at hospitals to aid the wounded, many were turned down, due to fear of infection. Some women did what they could to help, even going as far to transform the brothels into living quarters for the wounded. Since their rooms were occupied, the prostitutes were forced into the street. Soon after, they discovered that they could buy or lease houses and resume business as normal. Weeks later, after the wounded soldiers moved out, the prostitutes wished to continue living down by the beautiful beaches where they could continue their business, and live in secrecy as well.

Investigating the concentration of the solutions inside the vacuole of a potato cell. :: essays research papers

Osmosis Investigation We are trying to find out what the concentration of the solutions is inside the vacuole of a potato cell. We will investigate how the mass of the potato chips change in different sucrose solution concentrations. We will use osmosis to do this. I will be measuring and controlling many different variables, these include; - The dependent Variable – Weight of potato chip Independent Variable – Concentration of sucrose Control Variables consist of; - 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperature 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Surface area of potato 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Volume of sucrose solution 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Same time for each potato chip submerged in solution 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Potato chips all from same potato The effects on the dependent variables all differ; here is how the main variables in my experiment work out. Variable  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Effect on Dependent Variable Surface area of potato chip  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The greater the surface area the more water it will be able to absorb Same chip from the same potato  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The genetic make-up will be the same and therefore the partly permemble membrane will be similar Time left in the solution  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The longer spent in solution the more that is absorbed Coating on the potato chips  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If not rinsed off and dried after a certain period of time the chips will form a coat of sugar thus decreasing surface area Quantitative prediction I predict that the effect of changing the sucrose concentration will be that as the concentration of the sucrose solution increases, first of all the mass of the chip will increase, and then the change in mass will gradually decrease until mass is lost and this mass loss will gradually increase in amount. Because when the sucrose concentration is low, the concentration of water outside the cells of the potato chips will be greater than that inside, and therefore water will osmosis into the cells of the chip which will gain mass. As the concentration of sucrose increases the concentration of water outside the call will eventually become less than inside the cells of the chip and mass will be lost.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dependent   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Variable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inside the cells Outside the cells Dilute solution  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Concentrated solution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Higher water concentration Low water concentration Key: = Sucrose particle = water molecule = osmosis = partially permeable membrane In the higher sucrose concentration solution, the net movement of water (osmosis) is to the outside of the cell, and the chip will lose mass, the cells will become plasmolysed. The chip in a low concentration of sucrose solution, is the opposite of the diagram above, in that the water osmoses into the cells of the chip, mass it gained, through osmosis of water into the plant cells, the cells will become turgid.

Dialogue between Beccaria, Lombroso and Durkheim

Criminology, as every science, relies on facts and evidence. This paper is aimed at creating a dialogue between three criminologists of the nineteenth century Beccaria, Lombroso and Durkheim; in this discussion, they will explain their points of view and try to implement their theories into the reality at the end of the twentieth and beginning of the twenty first century.Their doctrines were a response to the processes of industrialization and the modernization in the 18th and 19th centuries; they aimed to promote cohesion and rationality in the society (Vold & Bernard, 1986, p. 101) Lombroso and Beccaria are sitting in a bright living room drinking tea and waiting for Durkheim to join them. While the criminologist has not come yet, they have time to talk and discuss each other’s works: Beccaria: Good afternoon, Mr. Lombroso. How are you doing?Lombroso: Good afternoon, Mr. Beccaria. Fine, thanks. What about you? Beccaria: I’m also fine, thank you. I should compliment yo u: recently I have read your work The Criminal Man (1911) and it appeared to be fantastic; I must admit that your point of view is rather interesting; but I have not understood the way you distinguish those three classes of criminals. Lombroso: I will gladly explain you that. Three types of criminals are: Atavist, Criminaloid and Insane criminal.Atavists are the criminals that reproduce the most ferocious characters of a wild animal or a primitive man, which explains that they are well recognized by large jaws, prominent superciliary arches, solitary lines in the palms, their orbits are of extremely large size, handle-shaped or sessile ears found in criminals, they are insensible to pain, have extremely acute sight, their bodies are covered with tattoos, excessive idleness, they love to participate in orgies and have the irresistible craving for evil for its own sake, the desire not only to extinguish life in the victim but to mutilate the corpse, tear its flesh and drink its blood.   (Lombroso, 2006, p. 101) Becaria: Remember the case of the Op shop vandalism?I suppose that those teenagers, who have robbed this shop, may be classified as Atavists. Am I right? Lombroso: Exactly. Now let me explain you about two other types of criminals. Criminaloids are respectable persons, who carefully and thoroughly hide their criminal nature from society. They enjoy being respected and realizing that nobody knows about their other â€Å"me†. Criminaloids usually connect their occupation with law or they work for government, which makes it easier for them to hide their crimes.Besides, Criminaloids tend to commit misdemeanors rather than felonies. Insane criminals are mentally ill and not born to be criminals as Criminaloids or Atavists. Insane criminals commit crimes because â€Å"of an alteration of the brain, which completely upsets their moral nature† (Lombroso, 2006, pp. 14-15). I would say that to such category belong alcoholics, kleptomaniacs, child mol esters. Beccaria: I must admit that your theory is rather interesting. Knowing what type of criminal a detective faces, he will know how to punish him or her and where to search for an offender. Lombroso: Yes, but it is not as easy as it may seem.Nowadays, it is very popular among teenagers to have piercing and tattoos or behave aggressively; on the other hand, that does not mean that they are Atavists, it is only the way of expressing themselves. Beccaria: To my mind, Mr. Lombroso, your theory is not perfect. I am sure that there are no those, who were born to be criminals; we live in a free country, and every person is willing to choose what he or she wants; therefore, I am sure that if a person is a criminal, he or she has chosen to act so. I do not say that your approach is not right, but it cannot be implemented in life.Lombroso: I have read your book On Crimes and Punishment, where you have presented your own point of view on this issue. I know that you think that there are tw o characteristics to explain a human behavior: rationality and intelligence. However, I cannot understand how this is related to criminology. Beccaria: Let me explain you, my dear Lombroso. Let us take as an example the case, we have discussed before, the case of the Op shop vandalism. Those juveniles, who were committing this misdemeanor, thought that they would have some particular profit out of this robbery.â€Å"Every single individual is said to be not the servant but the master or manipulator of his/her fate. They are more possessed of free will rather than driven by spiritual phenomena† (Vold & Bernard, 1986, pp. 8-9). They were acting according to their free will; they wrongly thought that they will have some benefit after this act of vandalism. Lombroso: I cannot agree to you, my dear friend Beccaria. Some criminals, it does not matter whether they are Atavists, Criminaloids or Insane criminals, commit some crimes driven only by some particular obsession.For example, Atavists are born criminals, they have no other choice, but to commit crimes, it is their nature. I have talked to those criminals who belong to three different types, and those who are Atavists did not even confess that they have committed a crime. To my mind, criminals are not something extraordinary, they are a part of the modern society, and one cannot do anything with this. Those teenagers, as I have already mentioned, looked like Atavists, they act in a different way in order to feel special.How do you think, why do they have tattoos? Because this reflects their inner insensitivity to pain and their love to adornment (Lombroso, 2006, pp. 84). Durkheim: Good afternoon, my dear friends, Mr. Lombroso, Mr. Beccaria. I am sorry for being late. I suppose you have been discussing some interesting issues about modern criminology without me, have not you been? Lombroso: Yes, you are right, Mr. Durkheim. We were trying to explain each other our theories about criminals, and why they be come criminals. I was trying to prove Mr.Beccaria that there are three types of criminals, and that they are not extraordinary, their criminal nature is what they were born with; it is something like a mental disorder. Besides, I cannot agree to Mr. Beccaria that people commit crimes, because they want to do so. Durkheim: I see. I have read your book The Criminal Man, dear Lombroso. Your theory is rather interesting, although I think that in this very discussion you were too much aggressive with Mr. Beccaria. To my mind, criminal conduct is not something ordinary nowadays; I think that everything is determined by society.Social factors are highly significant and they influence the way a person acts. The point is not that a person has some internal or external reasons to commit a crime; sometimes, a person is driven by social factors. â€Å"A social fact is however normal in relation to a given social type at a given phase of its development, when it’s present in the average society of that species at the corresponding phase of its evolution† (Durkheim, 1982, p 65). Beccaria: I suppose that your theory is based predominantly on the way how society influences criminals and not vice versa. Durkheim: Yes, you are right.I suppose that all world’s societies  are of two types, according to how the labor is divided there: Organic societies and Mechanical societies. Organic societies are more complex; people, who live in such social groups, are more differently employed, they have more opportunities to find job. Mechanical societies, on the other hand, are primitive; they are isolated from other social classes and are relatively self-dependent. They have almost identical life conditions, and they do the same job, all they have one occupation. Lombroso: Do you want to say that a person is more likely to commit a crime in a Mechanical society? Durkheim: Yes, you are right, my dear Lombroso.For a mechanic society, crime is normal; besides, I think t hat there are no societies in the world, where people are not significantly different from the collective type (Durkheim, 1982, p. 70). Let me explain you. Imagine a perfect society, for example, a society of saints; it is a mechanical type of social group. If a person in an organic society, which is an ordinary society, the one we live in, commits a cruel crime, there will be a scandal; the same situation will be if somebody from a mechanical society, from a society of saints, does something wrong, which in an organic society will not be even noticed.If we define what crime is and such criminal behaviors subsists no more in a society, the new criminal behaviors will appear and replace the old ones. However, in organic societies, such quick changes, which appear because of the increasing division of labor, may lead to social rules confusion, and a person may feel lost in this particular society. All social norms break down, and it leads to the appearing of the Anomie. (Durkheim, p. 70) Lombroso: Anomie? Do you mean that it can be a kind of disorder of a society? Beccaria: I suppose, it is possible.Durkheim: You both are right. We are not ready for our society to be changed; it does not matter whether changes are high or low. If society is changed, people who live in this society begin to panic, which leads to the increasing quantity of suicides, people are used to stability. Instability means abnormality. Human appetites are excessive; if some of the goal is unreachable, a person may become depressed and unhappy; on the other hand, people can be limited only by one thing. Lombroso: I cannot agree with you that human appetites are excessive.Durkheim: They are, my dear friend Lombroso; the point is that sometimes those appetites are reduced by some social factors, for example, economic crisis. Economic crisis is a kind of disaster, which makes a person not only be unhappy or depressed, but also commit suicides. Thought I should admit that such anomie will be wor se in an abrupt growth or power and wealth. The original needs can no longer remain but they are not able in accustoming to the new condition. The richer situation will always stimulate the appetites and make them more exigent and impatient of control.  (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 246-247).Do you remember the case of three teenagers, who robbed the Op shop? Beccaria: Yes, we have also used this case as an example explaining our theories. Durkheim: That is good. Those three teenagers have committed the crime because of the process of modernization; the society is changing, and teenagers have an unstable state of mind, which makes it more possible that they commit an offence. This act of vandalism is only their way to show how frustrated they are; how frustrated people in our society are because of coming changes.Beccaria: What about punishment for these crimes? Durkheim: First of all, we should understand that in a mechanical society, law is far more oppressive, while in an organic societ y, laws are to restitute. In mechanical societies, people are bound to be punished for violating the law, whereas in organic societies, punishments are meant to restore a normal functioning of the society. Lombroso: Those three teenagers have committed a crime, and they should be penalized; besides they are Atavists, which means that they were born to be criminals.Durkheim: I agree to you that they have violated the law and should receive a penalty. Nevertheless, their punishment should be fair and effective. The role of judges is only to determine guilt, whereas the role of legislators is to determine crimes and punishment. Besides, I think that it is the extent of damage that should determine the seriousness of an offence. Sometimes, the intention itself may cause bad results. Besides, before those boys were punished, nobody said anything about the purpose of those juveniles.The punishment for those teenagers should not be too severe; it will be ridiculous if those juveniles are s entenced to death or life imprisonment (Durkheim, p. 357). One more essential problem is that people suppose that a criminal should be punished as fast as possible; they think it is more effectively. Finally, it is better to forestall a crime than to penalize a perpetrator. My theory is that a crime itself is a disease, an illness; therefore, the punishment should be compensation.What I want to say is that in order to be a relevant compensation, a punishment should fulfill its role. â€Å"If crime is not pathological, the object of punishment cannot be to cure it. † (Durkheim, pp. 72-75) Lombroso: Your ideas are remarkable to a considerable degree, my dear friend. I suppose they will be useful not only for our modern society, but also for future generations. Beccaria: I think that all the ideas we have heard today will be useful for future criminologists. Thank you, my dear friends, for such a pleasant discussion.

A Balanced Scorecard for Small Business †Small Business Research Paper (500 Level Course)

A Balanced Scorecard for Small Business – Small Business Research Paper (500 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers A Balanced Scorecard for Small Business Small Business Research Paper (500 Level Course) Abstract The balanced scorecard is a performance management system that enables businesses to drive strategies based on measurement and follow-up. Since the early 1990s the balanced scorecard has been applied in numerous large organizations resulting in many positive results that have been chronicled in the management literature. However, there are few studies addressing the use of a balanced scorecard within small companies. Hence, this paper presents a discussion of the key elements of the balanced scorecard and its applicability to small business. Executive Summary The balanced scorecard (BSC) approach helps organizations manage the implementation of their strategies. The BSC measures an organization’s performance from four key perspectives: financial, customer, internal business processes, and learning and growth. The BSC approach logically links these four perspectives. Improvements in employee learning and growth result in improved internal business processes, which create better products and services and, therefore, higher customer satisfaction and higher market share, leading to enhanced financial results for the organization. Thus, a good balanced scorecard identifies many cause-and-effect relationships within the business and helps employees and managers appreciate the roles of employee and task as well as the importance of each result to the overall corporate effort. For a decade, large firms have subscribed to the BSC approach, with mixed results. Most failures follow an inconsistent or half-hearted application of the BSC, or an unwillingness to consider the BSC a dynamic process of self-improvement. The successful implementers of BSC agree on its usefulness for translating strategy into a coherent, linked, limited set of under-standable, measurable operational goals. Small firms can benefit from the BSC approach by avoiding pitfalls of large firms whose BSC implementations failed. While small firms may deploy measures of performance covering fewer processes, and collect less data to evaluate performance, in the end, the methodology is the same and benefits will inure to small firms willing to treat BSC as a dynamic self-improvement process. Thus, firm size is not a barrier to the successful implementation of this important measurement and follow-up tool. A Balanced Scorecard for Small Business Elite companies successfully apply performance measurement to gain insight into, and make judgments about, the organization and the effectiveness and efficiency of its programs, processes, and people (Amaratunga, Baldry, Sarshar, 2001). One criticism of such programs is their failure to measure and monitor multiple dimensions of performance by focusing almost exclusively on financial measures (Brignall Ballantine, 1996). Studies by Dixon, Nanni, Vollman (1990), Ernst Young (1998), Neely (1998), and Daly (1996) suggest that a comprehensive performance evaluation system has greater predictive validity than one that is purely financially oriented. Recognizing the difficulties of an overemphasis on financial measures, Kaplan and Norton (1992; 1993; 1996a; 1996b; 2000), advised that long-term organizational excellence can be achieved only by taking a broad, holistic, and balanced approach and not by focusing solely on financials. Using the balanced scorecard (BSC) approach managers are encouraged to take a â€Å"balanced view across a range of performance measures† (Amaratunga et al., 2001, p. 180) including â€Å"†¦financial and nonfinancial measures relating to a company’s critical success factors† (Chow, Haddad, Williamson, 1997, p. 7). Hence this paper discusses BSC as a tool applicable to small business to improve their performance and is structured in several sections. First, we outline the BSC approach and illustrate some applications. Next, we present the context, strengths, and challenges of a BSC approach. Then we discuss the applicability of a BSC to small business and what it might look like for a small organization. A summary concludes the paper. The BSC The BSC is an integrated set of financial and non-financial measures. It is an integral part of an organizations strategy execution process that emphasizes communicating strategy to the members and providing feedback to help attain objectives (Mendoza Zrihen, 2001). The score-card can be used at different levels: the total organization, a sub-unit, or even at the individual employee level as a â€Å"personal scorecard.† For each level, the BSC approach identifies the key components of operations, sets goals for them, and finds ways to measure progress toward achieving these goals. Taken together, the measures provide a holistic view of performance both inside and outside the organization, and allow each constituent of the organization to see how his or her activities contribute to attaining the organizations overall mission. As Richard Quinn, Vice President of Quality at Sears, has observed, â€Å"You simply cant manage anything you cant measure† (Lingle Schiemann, 19 96, p. 61). This trend toward seeking better measurement systems is well documented. Birchard (1995) and Kurtzman (1997) report that most US companies seek improvements in the performance measurement area. The shared concern of these companies is that measurement systems that focus on the wrong aspects of performance can undermine the organizations strategic mission by perpetuating short-sighted business practices (Hoffecker Goldenberg, 1994). As a measurement system, the BSC is based on several underlying notions. The first is that financial measures alone inadequately measure the health of a company and that a single-minded pursuit of financial objectives could lead to long-term ruin. The second is that BSC focuses on process, not metrics. As such, it is forward-looking (e.g., â€Å"How can our organization retain its best customers?†) rather than backward-looking (e.g., â€Å"What were our organization’s earnings per share last quarter?†). The third is that the scorecard is an analytic framework for translating a company’s visions and business strategies into specific, quantifiable goals and for monitoring performance against those goals. When fully deployed, the BSC transforms strategic planning from an academic exercise into the nerve center of an enterprise (Figure 1). Kaplan and Norton further describe the innovation of the BSC as follows: â€Å"The BSC retains traditional financial measures. But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation† (1996b, p. 7). Across organizations, the relevant BSC components vary depending on the organization’s specific goals and circumstances. However, there is some agreement that a typical BSC would include the following four components in some form (Horngren, Foster, Datar, 2000): Learning and growth perspective: Can the firm continue to improve and create value for customers? Internal business process perspective: In which capabilities must the firm excel? Customer perspective: How do customers see the firm? Financial perspective: How does the firm look to providers of financial resources? Inherent in this model is the idea that â€Å"gains in the learning and growth perspective lead to improvements in internal business processes, which in turn lead to higher customer satisfaction and market share, and finally to superior financial performance† (Horngren et al., 2000, p. 467). Thus, the BSC scheme is organized and rational and identifies for employees and management the importance of each perspective as a feeder of success into the next perspective. Insert Figure 1 about here The learning and growth perspective This perspective includes employee training and corporate cultural attitudes related to individual and organizational self-improvement. In a knowledge-worker organization, people- the only repository of knowledge- are the main resource and should be in a continuous learning mode. Appropriate metrics can guide managers in focusing training funds where they can help the most. Frequently cited BSC measures for the learning and growth perspective emphasize employee capabilities (e.g., employee education and skill levels, employee satisfaction scores, employee turnover rates); information systems availability (e.g., percentage of front-line employees with on-line access to customer information, percentage of business processes with real-time feedback); and motivation and empowerment (e.g., number of suggestions per employee, percentage of employee suggestions implemented, and percentage of compensation based on individual and team incentives). Kaplan and Norton (2000) emphasize that learn ing includes not only training, but also mentoring, ease of communication among workers, and technological tools. The internal business process perspective Metrics based on this perspective allow managers to evaluate how well their business is running, and whether its products and services conform to customer requirements (the mission). These metrics must be carefully designed by those who know these processes most intimately; with firms’ unique missions these cannot be developed exclusively by outside consultants. Frequently cited BSC measures for the internal business process perspective include the innovation process (manufacturing capabilities, number of new products or services, product development times, and number of new patents), operations process (yield, defect rates, product delivery time, on-time deliveries, average time taken to manufacture orders, setup time, manufacturing down time), and post sales service (time taken to replace or repair defective products, hours of customer training for using the product). The customer perspective Recent management philosophy has shown an increasing realization of the importance of customer focus and customer satisfaction in any business (Chabrow, 2003; Holloway, 2002; Needleman, 2003). If customers are not satisfied, they will eventually find other suppliers who will meet their needs. Poor performance from this perspective is thus a leading indicator of future decline, even though the current financial picture may look good. In developing metrics for satisfaction, customers should be analyzed in terms of kinds of customers and the kinds of processes for which an organization is providing a product or service to those customer groups. Frequently cited BSC measures for the customer perspective include market share, customer satisfaction, customer retention percentage, penetration of targeted market segments, and time taken to fulfill customer’s requests. The financial perspective Kaplan and Norton do not disregard the traditional need for financial data. Timely and accurate funding data will always be a priority, and managers will do whatever necessary to provide it. Often there is more than enough handling and processing of financial data. With the implementation of a corporate database, more of the processing can be centralized and automated. However, a non-BSC emphasis on financials leads to an â€Å"unbalanced† situation with regard to other perspectives, implying a need to include additional data such as risk assessment and cost-benefit data in this category. Frequently cited BSC measures for the financial per-spective include operating income, revenue growth, revenues from new products, gross margin percentage, cost reductions in key areas, economic value added, and return on investment. An example of these four perspectives in an actual business is presented in Figure 2 (Mair, 2002). As can be seen, once the strategy is identified, tactical objectives and performance standards in support of the strategy within the four perspectives are clearly delineated giving an organization a balanced measurement system. Insert Figure 2 about here Extant BSC implementations Recent articles and books discuss the advantages of the BSC and its application in the for-profit sector (e.g., Hoffecker Goldenberg, 1994; Kaplan Norton, 1992; 1993; 1996a; 1996b; 2000; Kurtzman, 1997; Maisel, 1992; Migliorato, Natan, Norton, 1996; Newing, 1994; 1995). Among the numerous successful users of the BSC are the AM R division of Mobil Oil, Tenneco, Brown and Root, ATT, Intel, 3Com, and Elf Atochem. Philips Electronics has used the BSC to align company vision, focus employees on how they fit into the big picture, and educate them on what drives the business (Gumbus Lyons, 2002). As an essential aid to communicating business strategy, the BSC works as a vehicle to create a quantitative expression of the business strategy from key financial indicators. In fact, Philips Electronics’ management team uses it to guide the quarterly business reviews worldwide in order to promote organizational learning and continuous improvement (Gumbus Lyons, 2002). Adopters in the service sector include the international accounting firm Ernst and Young (Vitale, Mavrinac, Hauler, 1994), the Bank of Montreal (Birchard, 1995), Allstate Corp. (Birchard, 1995) and Cigna Insurances property-and-casualty division (McWilliams, 1996). Even non-profit organizations such as universities (e.g., U. of California at San Diego) and governmental agencies (e.g., Department of Commerce) have embraced the BSC to help them become more effective (Relyea, 1998; Haddad, 1999). Context, strengths, and challenges of the BSC Context According to Abernathy (2000, p. 31), the typical employee does not understand the organization’s strategy and consequently fails to focus on the right things; does not know his or her personal role in accomplishing the strategy and as a result does what is required, not what is needed; and does not know how well he or she is doing or how to improve strategic results and thus, assuming performance is adequate, does not try to improve. In addition, employees in many organizations pursue personal rather than organizational goals, because of disharmony between employee and organizational strategies and goals, and because of existing reward structures that focus on individual or sub-unit achievements rather than the achievement of corporate goals (Kerr, 1975). In such a corporate environment, organizational suboptimization is the result of sub-organizational optimization. Frigo and Krumwiede (2000) suggest that the BSC can help remedy this situation because it requires organizatio ns to engage in several beneficial activities. These activities delineate the major strengths of the BSC, as outlined in the following section. Strengths The first strength the BSC approach is a focus on the company’s strategic direction. A BSC approach helps management communicate the companys mission by linking performance measures to its mission and strategy. While the idea of tailoring the company’s performance measurement system to its strategy is almost commonsensical, several studies conducted over the years note that too many firms fail to implement it properly. Kerr (1975), for example, described how many companies’ performance measurement systems rewarded behaviors other than the ones they hoped to obtain from their employees (e.g., firms often hope for teamwork but reinforce individual effort). Another advantage is the implementation of performance measures for each perspective that clearly relate to each other and to the mission of the organization. Thus, although the measures are necessary, communicating the importance of each activity as a crucial link in the larger organizational chain of events offers employees an appreciation of the context in which each task is performed and the context in which each result will be evaluated. The BSC approach limits the number of measures of performance used. Thus, it avoids a proliferation of measures and focuses management attention on measures crucial to the success-ful implementation of strategy. The BSC avoids the tendency to engage in the â€Å"majoring in the minors† characteristic of many organizations and managers (Busby, 1999; The Nielson Group, 2003). Finally, implementing the balanced scorecard is a beneficial activity because it responds to common questions raised in annual employee motivation surveys, such as How does what I do every day fit into the bigger picture of the company? The BSC enables employees to under-stand what they need to do on a daily basis to impact results (Gumbus Lyons, 2002, p. 49). Challenges of the BSC In many cases, the BSC no doubt delivers improvements over what existed before. But almost any organizational intervention triggers the Hawthorne effect (Kenny, 2003), named for experiments conducted in the 1920s and ’30s on a group of production employees at Western Electric. Those studies showed that attention placed on the activities being measured invariably led to performance improvements. Hence, many of these early BSC successes may simply be a manifestation of this phenomenon. Although the BSC is comprehensive in its coverage of perspectives, it might be that an organization, based on its particular strategy, might do better by focusing on one or more of these measures rather than having a balanced emphasis in each of the four areas, because different strategies have different requirements for success. Indeed, Slater, Olson, and Reddy (1997) argued that the scorecard should be â€Å"unbalanced,† based on the strategy of the business. Using Treacy and Wiersemas (1993, 1995) â€Å"value disciplines,† they asserted that product leaders should emphasize the innovation and learning perspective; customer-intimate companies (those that excel in customer intimacy) should emphasize the customer perspective; the operationally excellent should emphasize the internal business perspective; and all of the value disciplines should pay attention to the financial perspective. Their rationale was that each value discipline has a performance perspective that is a leading indicator of its financial performance. This â€Å"unbalanced† perspective is supported by Olson and Slater (2002) who found that as a group, prospectors (organizations seeking to locate and exploit new product and market opportunities; Miles Snow, 1978) emphasized the innovation and growth perspective more than any of the other strategy types, and high-performing low-cost defenders placed greater emphasis on the financial perspective than did low-performing ones. High performers that have adopted this competitive strategy also placed significantly lower emphasis on both the customer perspective and the innovation and growth perspective than did low performers. This suggests that attempting to get close to their customers and pursuing innovation and market growth detracted from low-cost defenders’ quest for efficiency. Thus, a balanced approach may not be appropriate for all organizations, and benefits can be derived from matching an emphasis in the scorecard to strategy type. McAdam O’Neill (1999) likewise suggest that the BSC method is potentially so broad that it may divert resources from those few areas that really are vital to shareholder return and does not readily weight the relative importance of the metrics it uses. While the four categories may have been right for Analog Devices (the first organization to use the BSC approach) at the time, they are not necessarily right for all organizations in all situations. The applicability of the BSC to small business Many large organizations have identified the BSC methodology as their chosen approach for deploying strategic direction, communicating expectations, and measuring progress towards corporate objectives. According to a recent survey by Bain Company, approximately 50% of Fortune 1,000 companies in North America and about 40% in Europe use a version of the BSC (Gumbus Lyons, 2002). Heaney (2003) indicates that the BSC is used by over half of the companies in Fortune’s Global 1000 companies. These data suggest that the BSC is primarily used by large organizations. This is regrettable since small businesses represent more than 99% of all employers, and employ more than half the private work force (American Small Businesses, 2003). Small business entrepreneurs create more than two out of every three new jobs and generate about 50% of the nations gross domestic product. Furthermore, more than three million minority-owned small businesses are providing job opportunities for millions of Americans in thousands of communities across America (American Small Businesses, 2003). Small business, then, is important to America and activities to improve these organizations are of critical importance. Large international firms tend to face more turbulent and competitive environments, have more dispersed and varied products and processes to coordinate and monitor, and have more resources for undertaking change initiatives. In comparison, small or local companies may have different needs, and what works for large companies may be ineffective or unnecessary for them (Chow et al., 1997). However, the benefits of the BSC can be just as significant for small businesses. Indeed, they may be more important since small companies focus mostly on financial goals, because they are often fighting for survival and it is difficult to make plans for the future when most of the effort is directed to making ends meet in the present (DeFeo, 2000). Most small firms require lower volumes of information to carry out their operations and evaluate their performance than do their larger counterparts. Nonetheless, the value of the information, and the communication of that information within the small firm, is crucial to the success of the small firm. Therefore, while the scope and magnitude of performance evaluation across the firm may be less in the small firm, the need for, and the benefits of, an effective system of performance evaluation is vital to all firms. Small firms enjoy innate advantages in their ability to achieve consensus and impart to employees news of change. The smaller number of interested internal parties reduces challenges to effective communication and facilitates corporate-wide team participation. It is easier to get ten people on board than it is to get ten thousand people on board, and it is easier to identify a party or parties not on board within a group of ten than within a group of ten thousand. The underpinnings of the BSC approach are as relevant to the small firm as to the large. Small firms have employees performing operational tasks and processes. If the employees are effective and efficient (i.e., sufficiently trained and motivated), then internal business processes will be efficient. Efficient operations run by effective employees should generate higher quality output, which will attract and keep satisfied customers. Repeat customers contribute marginally more to the firm’s bottom line than do new customers who must be wooed. In short, the BSC can work as well for the small firm as for the large firm. The BSC’s complexity may be diminished and its formality may be dampened in the context of a small firm, but neither its importance nor its utility suffers negative consequences related to firm size. Concluding remarks The BSC emphasizes measurement in four key business areas or perspectives. These four perspectives provide for a more comprehensive evaluation of the organization than the traditional emphasis on tangible and financial assets of the organization. Incorporating these perspectives in the BSC offers a framework for translating strategic objectives into performance measurements that gauge the effects of implemented strategies and provide feedback on the performance of strategic initiatives. We believe that the BSC offers some useful generic performance measurements that apply to practically all organizations. Companies, small or large, need to know how they measure up to their own goals and standards, and the BSC can give them the advantage they need to evaluate themselves accurately and, as a result, place themselves in a better position to compete. The main goal for small business is to manage their overall performance so that they make a profit. Birch (1998) said it best when he indicated that â€Å"The key point to remember is that what get measured gets managed† (p. 45). References Abernathy, W. B. (2000). Managing without supervising: Creating an organization-wide performance system. Memphis, TN: William B. Abernathy. Amaratunga, D., Baldry, D., Sarshar, M. (2001). Process improvement trough performance measurement: The balanced scorecard methodology. Work Study, 50, 179-188. American Small Businesses (2003). Retrieved June 26, 2003, from whitehouse.gov/ infocus/smallbusiness Balanced Scorecard Institute (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2003 at balancedscorecard.org/basics/bsc1.html Birch, C. (1998). Balanced scorecard points to wins for small firms. Australian CPA, 68, 43-45. Birchard, B. (1995, October). Making it count. CFO: The Magazine for Senior Financial Executives, 11, 42-51. Brignall, S., Ballantine, J. (1996). Performance measurement in service business revisited. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 7, 6-31. Busby, J. S. (1999). An assessment of post project reviews. Project Management Journal, 30, 23-29. Chabrow, E. (2002, September 23). Keep ’em happy. InformationWeek, 907, 20-22. Chow, C. W., Haddad, K. M., Williamson, J. E. (1997). Applying the balanced scorecard to small companies. Management Accounting, 79, 21-27. Daly, D. (1996, September). Performance measurement and management. Management Accounting, 78, 65-66. DeFeo, J. A. (2000). Measuring what matters. Industrial Management, 42, 31-33. Dixon, J. R., Nanni, A. J., Vollman, T. E. (1990). The new performance challenge: Measuring operations for world class competition. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin. Ernst Young LLP (1998). Measures that matter. Cambridge, MA: Ernst Young Centre for Business Innovation. Frigo, M. L., Krumwiede, K. R. (2000). The balanced scorecard. Strategic Finance, 81, 50-54. Gumbus, A., Lyons, B. (2002). The balanced scorecard at Philips electronics. Strategic Finance, 84, 45-49. Haddad, K. M. (1999). Using the balanced scorecard for improving finance education. Financial Practice Education, 9, 92-101. Heaney, P. D. (2003). Can performance be managed? Progressive Grocer, 82, 11-13. Hoffecker, J., Goldenberg, C. (1994). Using the balanced scorecard to develop companywide performance measures. Journal of Cost Management, 8, 517. Holloway, A. (2002, October 28). It’s all about relationships. Canadian Business, 75, 80. Horngren, C. T., Foster, G., Srikant, M. D. (2000). Cost accounting: A managerial emphasis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1992, January-February). The balanced score card- Measures that drive performance. Harvard Business Review, 171-179. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1993, September-October). Putting the balanced scorecard to work. Harvard Business Review, 135-147. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1996a). The balanced score card. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1996b, January-February). Using balanced scorecard as a strategic management system. Harvard Business Review, 75-85. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (2000). The strategy-focused organization: How balanced scorecard companies thrive in the new business environment. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Kenny, G. (2003, March 5). Strategy: Balanced scorecard- Why it isnt working. New Zealand Management, 50, 32-34. Kerr, S. (1975). On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B. Academy of Management Journal, 18, 769-783. Kurtzman, J. (1997, February 2). Is your company off course? Now you can find out why. Fortune, 135, 128-130. Lingle, J. H., Schiemann, W. A. (1996). From balanced scorecard to strategic gauges: Is measurement worth it? Management Review, 85, 56-61. Mair, S. (2002, November-December). A balanced scorecard for a small software group. IEEE Software, 21-27. Maisel, L. S. (1992). Performance measurement: The balanced scorecard approach. Journal of Cost Management, 6, 47-52. McAdam, R., O’Neill, E. (1999). Taking a critical perspective to the European Business Excellence Model using the balanced scorecard approach: A case study in the service sector. Managing Service Quality, 3, 191-197. McWilliams, B. (1996). The measures of success. Across the Board, 33, 16-20. Mendoza, C., Zrihen, R. (2001, April). Measuring up. Financial Management (CIMA), 26-29. Migliorato, P., Natan, N., Norton, D. P. (1996). A scoring system for creating JVs that survive. Mergers and Acquisitions, 30, 45-50. Miles, R., Snow, C. (1978). Organizational strategy, structure, and process. New York: McGraw-Hill. Needleman, T. (2003, May). Customer satisfaction is supreme. Internet World, 9, 6. Neely, A. (1998). Measuring business performance. London: Economist Books. Newing, R. (1994). Benefits of a balanced scorecard. Accountancy, 114, 52-53. Newing, R. (1995). Wake up to the balanced scorecard. Management Accounting, 73, 22-23. Olson, E. M., Slater, S. F. (2002). The balanced scorecard, competitive strategy, and performance. Business Horizons, 45, 11-16. Relyea, S. W. (1998, June). From gutter balls to strikes: UCSD’s balanced scorecard program. National Association of College and University Business Officers Business Officer. Retrieved August 4, 2003 at nacubo.org/website/members/bomag/9806/ scorecard.html Slater, S. F., Olson, E. M., Reddy, V. (1997, July-August). Strategy-based performance measurement. Business Horizons, 40, 37-44. The Nielson Group. (2003, April). The Nielson report, 3, 1-4. Retrieved August 1, 2003 at nielsongroup.com/newsletter/vol3issue4.pdf Treacy, M., Wiersema, F. (1993, January-February). Customer intimacy and other value Disciplines. Harvard Business Review, 71, 84-93. Treacy, M., Wiersema, F. (1995). The discipline of market leaders. Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley. Vitale, M., Mavrinac, S., Hauler, M. (1994). D. H.: The chemical division’s balanced scorecard. Planning Review, 22, 17-45. Research Papers on A Balanced Scorecard for Small Business - Small Business Research Paper (500 Level Course)Open Architechture a white paperAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Project Managment Office SystemIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaStandardized TestingThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and