Friday, November 29, 2019

Monologue on crooks free essay sample

Life is really hard at the moment. I was ‘aving the time of me life on Saturday night wiv that big bindlestick whats his name? ( scratch back, stroke chin, sigh) Ahhhh Lennie thats it. Well anyway we was just sittin’ and talkin’ and talkin’ and sittin’ ‘bout this amazing place that George and Lennie was going to hav’. It gave me hope it did to get out this bloody place, start a fresh life and maybe just maybe be treated like a real guy for a change. (imagine it, rest chin on hands) I really thought this would happen I really did and Candy perked up as well saying he would pay for it with his compensation for his hand. But then blommin’ Lennie has to go and mess it all up that crazy bastard He goes (sigh) and has to kill Curley’s wife. I heard it all happenin’ from inside me shed, Curley’s wife was bragging on about bloody anything to try and get Lennie into trouble! Then starts talking about her hair and Lennies touchin’ it and strokin’ it and I start hearin’ these muffled screams and I thought they was in me head but then there was a little snap and he must of snapped her neck! (sigh) Curley went bloomin’ crazy and started shouting an’ swearin’ and throwing things. We will write a custom essay sample on Monologue on crooks or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They had all gone to find Lennie and sort him out. It was all silent and I closed me eyes for a little nap when from a distance I heard a single, muffled but still there, gun shot. Candy came shufflin’ back into my place scratchin’ his stump and tells me things I didn’t want to here. ‘ He’s dead Crooks they killed him. He didn’t know what he was doing poor little sod and now George has gone and shot him I thought they were friends Crooks I really did and I thought George was better than that Lennie even ‘ad Carlton’s gun an’ George just took it off him like a lamb. Anyways I’d better be off’ And Candy left me in deep thought

Monday, November 25, 2019

Cold Mountain Essays - Literature, Fiction, Cold Mountain, Films

Cold Mountain Essays - Literature, Fiction, Cold Mountain, Films Cold Mountain The setting for Cold Mountain is in the state of North Carolina during the Civil War time period. Most of the key events happen in Cold Mountain. Inman tries to go back to Cold Mountain because Ada's home is near Cold Mountain. When he reaches Cold Mountain he can go to Ada's home. The plot of Cold Mountain is to reunite Inman and Ada. Inman deserts the Confederate army a few years after the start of the war, and he tries to go back to Cold Mountain where he can find Ada's home. On his way to Cold Mountain Inman faces many challenges. Some of the challenges he faces are: 1. He has to hide from the home guard so they can't capture him and take him back 2. He has to hide from federal raiders so he won't get killed on his way back 3. He has to find food and shelter everyday The challenges stated above are just some of the challenges he faces, he faces many more challenges that I have not mentioned above. Also on the way to Cold Mountain Inman meets many different people. Some of these people help Inman and others just endanger his life. Ada Visible moisture- light haze, dense valley fogs, tatters of cloud hanging like rags on the shoulders of Cold Mountain (pg35). The third major difference is found the way they feel about small town life. Ada comes form city life. She lived in Charleston before moving to the country there for she had a view of the country that was not in the positive side (pg53). In the other hand Inman sees the country as his home. A place were every body is kind and peaceful. He is deeply attach to his small town life. But not everything where differences between the characters of Ada and Inman. There were also some similarities between them. The first similarity is found in their believe of the supernatural. Their characters both see superstition as a last resort for hope. Ada sees a man coming to town in a reflection in a well (pg49), this image she believe is the image of the person thats going to solve her problems. Inmans supernatural believe is the hope that Cold Mountain is a magical place were he can be reborn (pg23). They also agree in the thought that they need some one to help them continue their life. they need companion ship and some to express their feelings and believe to. One of the major points of the novel is the believe that nature is a the perfect shelter to protect them self from harm (pg66). In Adas case from the harm of public opinion, and in Inmans case from the

Friday, November 22, 2019

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay Example for Free

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay It is clear that the establishment of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) act in 2002 was specific to reducing future financial fraud and imposing criminal penalties for publicly traded companies. What is not clear is whether or not the act has proved to be successful in its implementation and governance. The establishment of the act and subsequent amendments are intended to protect the public from fraud in the financial accounting of publicly traded corporations. In 2002, there were opinions both for and against the effectiveness of SOX. More than a decade later, there are still opinions on both sides of the debate. Criticism of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act The effectiveness of the Sarbanes-Oxley act has been highly criticized since its inception. One of the major contentions is that the Sarbanes-Oxley act has no provisions to differentiate the requirements for small publicly traded businesses from large conglomerates (that lead and often monopolize the marketplace). Publicly traded companies that are small in size may find the costs of compliance prohibitive to the future of their business (Coustan, 2004). Critics of SOX believe that this unnecessarily reduces the number of players in a competitive marketplace. The cost of compliance can be excessive for some smaller companies. Auditing expenses cause companies to seek private investment and become privately owned (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). Ten years ago, critics expressed â€Å"fears that small, publicly listed companies might not meet internal control reporting requirements without substantial additional expense; some may have to delist because of it. It could mean only larger companies will go public† (Coustan, 2004, p. 1). In recent years, this debate continues. Critics still express concerns â€Å"that Sarbanes-Oxley is overreaching and has placed unnecessary  restrictions on corporations that have and will continue to unduly inhibit corporate performance until they are removed† (Brite, 2013). Another major contention of critics is that the costs of compliance for outweigh the benefits in an international marketplace. Those against SOX feel that the costs outweigh the benefits and speak out in public forums stating that the â€Å"Sarbanes-Oxley has burdened the US financial market with costly rules and regulations that have reduced international competitiveness† (debate.org, 2014). There are those that openly share the opinion that the implementations of regulatory overkill through the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley act â€Å"wrongfully make the innocent suffer for the guilty† (Gilmore, 2013). The reporting requirements of SOX are specific to businesses in the United States. Unlike American business, international business does not have the same requirements. â€Å"Regulatory compliance opposes economic costs on organizations and can affect their competitive advantage† (Srinivasan, 2014, p. 44). Increasing the cost for American business decreases competitive advantage in the worldwide marketplace. In addition to cost and competitive advantage, the structure of the bill has also been called into question. The Court of Appeals recently found difficulty with the wording of the amended 18 USC, citing that â€Å"paragraph (b) of the statute includes the word â€Å"knowingly† while paragraph (c) does not† (Bishop, 2013). The opinions of the Court of Appeals lends to the public opinion expressed in published CPA perspectives that â€Å"SOX was a hastily assembled bill† (Moran, 2013). Involved and cumbersome requirements cause confusion and frustration for companies attempting to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley act even more than a decade after its implementation. Companies and lawmakers alike have had difficulty over the years with the interpretation of and compliance with the act. â€Å"SOX brought about many changes to the way public companies had to operate, and there was some question as to how these would stand up over time† (Moran, 2013). Positive Aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Despite complaints by critics, there are positive aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley act that have withstood the test of time. Initial reactions have softened after smaller businesses were granted some relief in later amendments of the act. Larger businesses found that compliance with the act  increased investor confidence and contributions. In addition, the resultant increase in financial transparency has improved business relationships on many levels. First and foremost, there are many of the opinion that the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increased investor confidence and protection in the marketplace. â€Å"Does Sarbanes-Oxley prevent all bad actors from defrauding investors? No law could accomplish that. But it can and has deterred such activity† (Gillian, 2012, p. 1). Those in support of the Sarbanes-Oxley act agree that there is a positive side for investors and the businesses in which they invest. â€Å"A 2005 survey by the Financial Executives Research Foundation f ound that 83 percent of large company CFOs agreed that SOX had increased investor confidence, with 33 percent agreeing that it had reduced fraud† (Hanna, 2014, p. 2). With an increase in confidence and a perceived reduction of fraud, investors could more confidently make intelligent business decisions on the purchase and sale of publicly traded companies. Those on the positive side of the SOX act believe that the effects on small business have softened. Studies show that as companies become more accustomed to the costs of compliance, the expense decreases (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). In addition, the effects on smaller companies were ultimately deferred. â€Å"Audit standards also were modified in 2007, a change that reportedly reduced costs for many firms by 25 percent or more per year† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). Although the costs of compliance decrease retained earnings, investors are more confident in the reliability of company reports (Gillian, 2012). â€Å"The cost of being a publicly traded company did cause some firms to go private, but research shows these were primarily organizations that were smaller, less liquid, and more fraud-prone† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). These modifications of the act allowed more small businesses to remain competitive in the marketplace. Business relationships have also improved with increased transparency. The reduction of information asymmetry is a direct benefit to both the company and the investors. â€Å"Information asymmetry is a situation in which one party in a transaction has more or superior information compared to another† (Brite, 2013, p. 1). Periodic testing of internal controls required by SOX 404, increases transparency among internal and external stakeholders of the business. The American Institute of CPAs states on their website that â€Å"section 404B has led to improve financial reporting and greater  transparency† (American Institute of CPAs, 2006 – 2014). To evaluate the effectiveness of SOX in preventing future frauds, one must take into consideration the many different situations in which the legislation is applicable. Enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increases corporate responsibility and sets restrictions on auditor services. This certainly reduces the potential for fraud; however it does not eliminate it. From a business perspective, compliance is beneficial. The costs of implementing the requirements may be high; however the benefit of increased investor confidence in a publicly traded environment is higher. There are going to be situations in which fraud is inevitable. Fraudulent wrongdoers and companies will find loopholes and the recent Court of Appeals case is evidence of that fact. As with any law, this regulation will reduce the frequency of, but not prevent, purposeful future criminal activity. References American Institute of CPAs. (2006 – 2014). Section 404B of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. believe the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has failed? -believe-the-sarbanes-oxley-act-has-failed Gillian, K. (2012, July 24). It Enhanced Investor Protection.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Consumer decision making process on muller rice Essay

Consumer decision making process on muller rice - Essay Example The source of the competitive advantage is in the name of the company and the ability to price its products in a competitive manner. The main challenge that it faces is the increased competition from the other producers. Its opportunity is in the increased awareness in people about the food that they take. The marketing objectives of the company are to penetrate the market and attain the most market share possible. The company also aims at cementing its position in the global arena. The growth strategies that the company can use include the introduction of new products such as new flavours. The company may also expand its cream division since this will be able to utilize the excesses in the capacity (Pride and Ferrell, 2008). The understanding of the customer decision making is important for the company since this is the approach that the company will use to come up with new products. The targeting can be made in such a way that it focuses on the individual needs of the different classes of people (Pride and Ferrell,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Response Paper One Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response Paper One - Assignment Example Most of these issues point to the knowledge-preparation of nurses and delivery of a compassionate care. Nursing educators and students promote learning and competence by changing the methods used in learning nursing concepts. It has been identified that nursing education placed less emphasis on rote learning and memorization and greater emphasis on locating and understanding information or critical thinking. Does this mean that nurse educators should not require learners to memorize information such as the classifications of medications or normal blood values? Does the emphasis on finding information rather than memorizing it impact critical thinking skills of learners? Memorization vs. Critical Thinking Students who used memorization as a learning strategy are viewed as passive learners(Cherry & Jacob, 2005, p. 72). Memorization familiarized the students with different nursing concepts and serves as guide during academic evaluation and examinations. However, nursing education today face the challenge of an ever-changing treatment modalities and technological advances. The health care environment become increasingly complex, researches are updated, and care centers on patient and evidence-based practice.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

National Culture Essay Example for Free

National Culture Essay In other words, although the concept of nation unfairly characterizes colonized subjects as istorically unified in their primitiveness or exoticness, the terms promise of solidarity and unity often proves helpful nonetheless In their attempts at political amelioration. Fanon encourages a materialist conceptualization of the nation that is based not so much on collective cultural traditions or ancestor-worship as political agency and the collective attempt to dismantle the economic foundations of colonial rule. Colonialism, as Fanon argues, not only physically disarms the colonized subject but robs her ofa pre-colonial cultural heritage. And yet, if colonialism in this sense alvanizes the native intellectual to renew contact once more with the oldest and most pre-colonial spring of life of their people, Fanon is careful to point out that these attempts at recovering national continuity throughout history are often contrived and ultimately self-defeating. l am ready to concede, he admits, that on the plane of factual being the past existence of an Aztec civilization does not change anything very much in the diet of the Mexican peasant of today. In the passage below, Fanon explains that national identity only carries meaning insofar as it eflects the combined revoluuonary efforts of an oppressed people aiming at collective liberation: A national culture is not a folklore, not an abstract populism that believes It can discover the peoples true nature. It Is not made up of the Inert dregs of gratuitous actions, that is to say actions which are less and less attached to the ever-present reality of the people. A national culture is the whole body of efforts made by a people in the sphere of thought to describe, Justify, and praise the action through which that people has created Itself and keeps Itself In existence. Muhammad Slbtaln Haider 11-12-2013 National Culture By sibtainJaf because it re-inscribes an essentialist, totalizing, fetishized, often middle-class solidarity and unity often proves helpful nonetheless in their attempts at political but robs her of a pre-colonial cultural heritage. And yet, if colonialism in this sense below, Fanon explains that national identity only carries meaning insofar as it reflects the combined revolutionary efforts of an oppressed people aiming at believes it can discover the peoples true nature. It is not made up of the inert dregs through which that people has created itself and keeps itself in existence. Muhammad Sibtain Haider

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Romeo And Juliet: Medicines Used In The Renaissance :: essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet: Medicines Used In The Renaissance Romeo and Juliet both killed themselves with poison, although it was not synthetic drugs. The poison had to be as powerful, some scholars believe that it was hemlock that sealed the fate of the two start crossed love, other are skeptical, but we will probably never know. The methods and medicines used in Renaissance and Medieval times were very primitive compared to today's standards. medical concepts were magical and demoniacal. With no anesthetics, no knowledge of how the human body and it's functions people many times would do anything they thought would help, not necessarily what worked. They to cure people from "evil" or the devil, people would literally open up a person's skull and then massage the brain. Wizards (alchemist) would mix potions, trying to find eternal life , and cures to everything. For years these alchemists tried to find a way to change lead into gold, they as you probably know never suceed. Alchemists as crazy as they may seem to us were in reality the first chemists discovering metals and mixing them etc. Here's a poem about something that happen during the Renaissance: Ring around the rosies, A pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes! We all fall down. For hundreds of years children sang this song not knowing the horrible meaning behind it. Song was written about the Bubonic Plague. Horrible living conditions in the cities and town helped the "Black Plague" spread killing thousands and greatly lowered the population of the world. It would cause glands to swell and caused a horrible oder in it's victims. There was not really a sanitation system in Elizabethan England garbage was left in the street for days, rats would then get into the garbage and the rats would then spread the plague rapidly and in one great wave swept across the country side. No one was safe, but important religious officials like the arch bishop of France were surrounding in fire for months. Back to the meaning of the poem: The rosies refer to rosary beads to

Monday, November 11, 2019

Culture and Disease

Asthma is a disease that is sweeping the country. With so many new cases being reported daily, it has become somewhat of an epidemic. It can be found in almost all corners of the world. Although it is most common in the US, Canada, and UK, it is growing more common in heavily industrialized countries like Brazil and South Africa. This disease can affect anyone; from women to men, children to adults, Caucasians to African Americans. However, it is most prevalent in African Americans, and even more so in African American women. Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs and one of the most common long term diseases in children (â€Å"Asthma â€Å", n. d). The actual cause of asthma is unknown and there is currently no cure, but certain things in the environment trigger the inflammation of the airways, ultimately leading to asthma attacks. However, it is manageable and can be prevented by avoiding your triggers. Triggers vary for every person, but the most common are tobacco smoke, dust mites, pets, and pollution (â€Å"Asthma â€Å", n. d). The symptoms include tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing (â€Å"Asthma â€Å", n. d). Asthma attacks can be deadly if they are not taken care of right away. During an attack the airways in your lungs shrink and do not allow enough air to pass through. Since we do not know the cause of asthma, why is it that African Americans are three times more likely to be hospitalized from it (â€Å"Asthma Facts And Figures†, n. d)? According to â€Å"Asthma data surveillance† (n. d) African Americans are at 11. 6% for having asthma, compared to Caucasians at 8. 2% or Hispanics at 7. 3%. African Americans are also three times more likely to die from asthma, and African American Women have the highest asthma mortality rate of all groups, more than 2. 5 times higher than Caucasian women (â€Å"Asthma Facts And Figures†, n. d). Some researchers believe that it is socioeconomic while others believe it is genetic. Either way, the numbers speak for themselves; for some reason African Americans are more likely to have asthma than any other culture. Looking at socioeconomic reasons, there are many that can be factors in why African Americans are more likely to develop asthma. According to (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. . ) studies have been done that show even though the same health care is offered to both Caucasians and African Americans; the quality of treatment is often lower for the latter. A certain study even discovered that, in a poor minority neighborhood, there was a higher rate of hospitalization and considerably less people with inhalers (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. d. ). It was also found that minorities compared to Caucasians, would have an increased chance of seeing primary care physicians rather than specialists because of the cost that specialists usually charged (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. . ). Another contributing factor could be lower literacy levels in not only the African American culture, but minorities as a whole. Studies have been done to correlate the two, and what was found was that out of 483 minority patients, mostly African-American only 27% of the study subjects could read at a high school level (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. d. ). This is important because the patients may not comprehend important information given to them about the disease. There are also environmental factors that affect not only this culture, but the population as a whole. Since asthma is triggered by particles in the air, pollution is a big factor in it. Living in areas with higher pollution rates will definitely affect those with asthma. African American children have been known to live in more polluted areas, which help develop more vulnerability to allergens (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. d. ). The pollution in the high level of ozone is the one that can trigger asthma attacks among African-American children. The ozone causes irritation to the lungs, and then creates inflammation in the lungs making it hard to breathe (Castillo, Jordan III, & Tan, n. d. ). All of these factors have been known to increase restriction in the airways which results in a greater number of children being hospitalized in these polluted areas. As mentioned before, asthma is not curable. However, it is treatable with the correct combination of medications prescribed by a doctor. Medications can either be given in pill form (anti-inflammatories) or inhaler form (bronchodilators). There are also two types: long term and quick control. The long term medications are to help the patient have fewer and milder attacks, but they will not help during an asthma attack (â€Å"Asthma â€Å", n. ). Inhalers are the most common for quick control. During an asthma attack, taking an inhaler is one way to help control the symptoms, and get the attack under control. The other way to help manage asthma is to avoid triggers. Everyone has different triggers, where pet dander may affect one person; it may not affect someone else. One way schools are working to promote the awarenes s of asthma is by letting students and parents know the air quality for the day. Schools now have a colored flag for the three air qualities. Green is for good, yellow is for moderate, and red for unhealthy. Students often have to miss school because of asthma attacks or asthma related problems. If parents and teachers can work together to educate the students about the importance of staying indoors on unhealthy days, we can help to prevent attacks. Another way is about educating children on the benefits of staying away from people who are smoking. We see the commercials on television constantly; the ones with the baby in the crib and the smoke finding its way from a nearby apartment into the child’s lungs. The baby goes into a coughing fit and we are reminded how easily smoke can travel. Second hand smoke is dangerous, especially to someone whose asthma can be triggered by it, sending them into an attack. Anyone can get this disease, although it is more prevalent in African Americans. Even though it is not curable, educating people on this deadly disease is an important aspect to ensuring those affected by it can manage it. Avoiding your personal triggers and making sure you have spoken with a doctor about a treatment plan is key. In this case, both culture and environmental factors have contributed to why African Americans are more commonly diagnosed with this disease. References: Asthma .  (n.d).  Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/faqs.htm Asthma facts and figures.  (n.d).  Retrieved from http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=42 Asthma data surveillance.  (n.d).  Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/asthmadata.htm Castillo, R., Jordan III, M., & Tan, L.  (n.d.).  Prevalence of asthma disparities amongst African?American children.  ,  (), 1-3.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Market Entry Plan Essay

The Aluminum market in Europe does not have a good prospect to be expanded. Alcoa claimed that it will shut down the factory in Portovesme, Italy, and reduce the output of the factory in Spain. This is because Alcoa and European commission have argued for the power supply contract for a long time. Moreover, the European debt crisis led to a depressed economy. Thus, Alcoa decided to turn its market out of Europe and then start to look for other oversea markets. Although, Africa is one of the poorest continents of the world, in some countries, such as Mozambique, the economy has been growing steadily. From this prospective, we recommend Alcoa to open up the market in Mozambique, South Africa. We conducted the research based on sources from on-line resources. Our proposal focuses on analyzing the operation of Alcoa and the opportunity of a new market. 2. About Alcoa Alcoa is the world’s most famous producer of aluminum and fabricated aluminum, and it is the biggest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. Alcoa has over 61,000 employees and over 200 locations in 31 countries. Alcoa not only provides hard alloy extrusions, forgings, Alcoa ® wheels, but also has its expertise in other light metals. The sales of Alcoa were $25 billion in 2011. 2. 1 Brief History Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa Inc. ) has 120-years’ history. During the 1920’s, Alcoa monopolized aluminum production in North America and produced more than 63 percent of the world output. At the end of World War I, Alcoa produced excessive capacity, especially for civilian uses. However, the war made Alcoa realize that it was very important to improve the quality of product, and Alcoa invested more money in research and development. In 1925, Alcoa entered the first external market, Canada, and it held over half the rimary aluminum in the world. In 1958, Alcoa started the first major overseas mine-to-metal venture in Suriname. After the successful venture in Suriname, Alcoa decided to expand the offshore ventures. In 1960s, Alcoa developed operations in Australia and Brazil. At the same time, Alcoa drove the strategy to focus on commercial real estate construction and fabricated products. The Easy-Ope n aluminum technology made Alcoa hold a large percentage of the canned beer market. In the 1970’s, Alcoa continuously expanded the overseas market and used mathematic modeling to control the production. In the 1980’s and the 1990’s, Alcoa focused on producing non-aluminum products and was concerned about safety. From 2000 to present, Alcoa has made strategic mergers and acquisitions, such as Alumax, Reynolds. 2. 2 Business Operation Alcoa Business System (ABS) is the core used to manage Alcoa businesses. Here are its three principles: ?Make to Use The first principle is based on customers’ will and demand, such as single-piece production, on demand; defect free, at the lowest possible cost, made safely. ?Eliminate Waste The second principle aims at exposing and solving problems and focuses on cost cutting and cost saving during all their manufacturing and business processes. ?The People Linchpin the System The third principle is concerned with creating on environment which satisfies people. Also, Alcoa tries to identify and solve problems, and link to their transition from â€Å"make to inventory† to â€Å"make to use†. 2. 3 Product Scope Alcoa produces various products, such as flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings; as well as Alcoa ® wheels, fastening systems, and precision. Here are some important products of Alcoa: ?Aerospace Alcoa is the world leader in single-crystal technology for advanced castings that withstand the extreme temperatures of clean-burning aero engines. ?Automotive Alcoa builds a better car, truck, trailer or vessel. The reason for this is using more aluminum to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, which significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. ?Building & Construction Alcoa has always offered unique advantages for designing the shape, appearance and sustainability of modern buildings. These new aluminum components can achieve green building standards. Alcoa also provides high-performance glass, which allows for efficient light control, lower energy consumption, corrosion-resistance and immunity from the harmful effects of UV rays. ?Packaging Aluminum packaging solutions deliver freshness, convenience, and security for food, beverages and other products. For example, the aluminum bottle offers premium, high-end packaging options. 2. 4 Targeted Market According to the statistics, Asia, North America and Western Europe are the top three aluminum consumption areas in the world. In Asian region, such as China, Korea and India, these developing countries have an increasing demand for aluminum. However, the total amount of aluminum consumed in America, Canada and Japan experienced a downward trend. At this point, Alcoa’s target market should pay more attention to China and India. Besides, although Africa is endowed with natural resources, aluminum resources have no commercially exploited value. Therefore, all the producing raw materials are dependent on imports from foreign countries in South Africa. In other words, Africa is mainly producing primary and secondary aluminum products. As a result, if Alcoa exports other forms of aluminum products to Africa, Alcoa will gain a huge profit. Figure 1: Target Market of Alcoa 2. 5 Strength and Weakness Alcoa is the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. Also, it has a long history started in 1888 so the company is an expert in administration and producing. In addition, Alcoa is the leading producer of primary aluminum and fabricated aluminum all over the world. Alcoa has received many records and good will, such as 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2012—Corporate Responsibility Magazine. What is more, advanced techniques and unremitting effort in innovation make its products and services play an important role in the aluminum market. However, Alcoa is faced with the problem of pollution. For example, Alcoa’s pollutions made the residents who lived six kilometers away from the factories get sick. As a result, Alcoa was punished by the government in Australia. 3. New Oversea Market: Mozambique Located in Southeast Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world. Mozambique is abundant in rich and extensive natural resources, and its economy is based largely on agriculture. Today, the economy is growing very fast in Mozambique, and the developed legal system makes Mozambique become a hope in this poor continent. We recommend Alcoa to enter this market, because of the prosperous development of Mozambique. 3. 1 Economy in Mozambique Mozambique is in the poorest region in the poorest continent of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, it was considered as the second poorest country, with a per capita GDP below the African average. 4 percent of the population of Mozambique was below the poverty line in 2008. But, economic growth in Mozambique has been strong since the country’s civil war ended in 1992, and it has emerged as one of the fasted growing economies. Since 1996, economic growth has been stable; the economic growth rate was around 6. 2 percent in 2009. The inflation rate has been around its lowest level in a decade. Also, the rea l income grew rapidly, and it tripled in the same decade. Moreover, the real income has grown by 14 percent in 2001 and 11 percent in 2002. However, Zimbabwe, a neighboring country, has declined 8 percent in 2001 and 6 percent in 2002. Currently, more foreign firms have invested in Mozambique, and these firms are mostly in the aluminum industry and mining industry. The foreign enterprises can enjoy tax privileges in Mozambique. In 2010, UK exported around 112 million pounds to Mozambique with imports at almost 78 million pounds. A British mining group has invested 1. 3 billion dollars in the country, which covered aluminum industry, tourism, and it leads to much foreign exchange. The large towns and cities have been promoted by the influence of foreign investment; however, the influence does not apply to the rural area in Mozambique. We can infer that the economy in Mozambique is the hope of this region, comparing to other country in Sub-Saharan Africa. 3. 2 Political System in Mozambique During the civil war, the politics and economy were disrupted. Since the end of the civil war, the political situation in Mozambique has been stable. The government is determined to maintain national unity, and implements appropriate and pragmatic politic policy. Mozambique held the first democratic elections on October 1994, under international scrutiny. Although some limitation exists, for example, the electoral process was boycotted in municipal elections in 1998; this election system can help the electorate to express their will. Mozambique now has developed an elected democracy, which gives rise to a strong legal system. Moreover, a good legal system protects private property and provides incentive to people to invest and produce by both domestic and foreign investors. 3. 3 International Relationship Mozambique has very close relations with its formerly British-ruled neighbours in Africa, because these countries shared experience that fought against white rule. This led to Mozambique joining the Commonwealth in 1995. Mozambique also dispatched troops to contribute to the United Nations, helping them in peacekeeping affairs in Burundi, and participated in South African Development Community peacekeeping training and planning. 3. 4 Aluminum industry in Mozambique 3. 4. 1 Brief Introduction of the Market Alcoa is located in 31 countries all over the world. However, it is only located in two countries in Africa: Morocco and Guinea. To start up a new business in Africa is a brand new challenge for Alcoa. Mozambique is growing rapidly in recent years. The Aluminum industry has a very significant impact on this country’s economy. In order to attract foreign investment and capital, Mozambique’s government takes special policy. The country is not the producer of minerals, but the overseer and promoter of mining activities. This is good news and a great chance for Alcoa to enter the aluminum market in Mozambique. The development of Mozambique’s economy urges big companies’ entry like Alcoa to provide funds and advanced technique. The labor wage is low there, which is also a benefit for Alcoa. Aluminum is a key element in Mozambique’s economic growth. The export of aluminum accounts for nearly 60% of the country’s total export amount. The strongest rival is Mozal, which is the largest company among the country. However, the potential market is still huge. The construction of buildings and machines for production are all relative with aluminum. The fast growth of economy in Mozambique will drive the demand of aluminum. The domestic market can not satisfy the demand and will turn to foreign companies or investment. It provides a great opportunity for Alcoa to gain a sizable market share in this new market. 3. 4. 2 Operation in Mozambique ?Geography Mozambique lies beside the Indian Ocean in southern Africa, and this convenient location is good for delivering goods or trading with others through marine transportation. Besides, it is relatively easier to generate electricity here by taking advantage of sea water at a coastal position. ?Natural Resources Mozambique is well endowed with natural resources, such as coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, and graphite. However, the country’s natural resources are not fully exploited. Mineral resources such as gold, gemstones and bauxite have not been mined yet. Mozambique’s natural wealth can satisfy Alcoa’s demand for natural resources. ?Transportation Under great efforts, Mozambique’s transportation infrastructure has been improved in recent years. The Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) aimed at improving current infrastructure conditions in Africa. The first phase of the AICD focused on 24 countries that together account for 85 percent of the gross domestic product, population, and infrastructure aid flow in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mozambique was included in these 24 countries. Transportation plays an essential role in a company’s business plan to purchase raw materials or deliveries of finished goods to customers. ?Local Government Policy Since its first trade policy review in 2001, Mozambique has taken actions to liberalize its trade regime. Its tariff was reduced in 2002 and again in 2007, with maximum rates lowered from 30% to 20%. Therefore, it is a piece of good news for foreign companies to directly invest in this market. ?Workforce Mozambique is a developing country. Compared to developed countries, Mozambique’s labor cost is relatively low. As a result, it helps Alcoa reduce costs and increase revenue. Take the minimum wage for a 19-year old worker or an apprentice for an example: in Mozambique, the wage is 80. 5 US dollars per month, Australia is 1597. 1 US dollars per month, Brazil is 299. 6 US dollars per month, Jamaica is 215. 0 US per month, and China is 182. 5 US dollars per month. ?Economic Condition The economy was boosted in many aspects, such as mining, financial service and construction, which helped to push GDP real growth rate to 7. 2 percent in 2011. Moreover, the consistence of high foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, along with strong agricultural growth and infrastructure investment will drive growth to 7. 5 percent and 7. 9 percent in 2012 and 2013. Good economic conditions indicate Alcoa can gain huge potential profits. Figure 2: Real GDP growth of South Africa ?Advanced Technology Alcoa is the world’s third largest producer of aluminum so it implies that Alcoa has advanced technology and equipment. It well known that Mozambique has abundant resources, but aluminum firms in Mozambique can only produce limited types of aluminum products out of technology problems. Under this situation, with its advanced technology, Alcoa can produce aluminum products which are extremely demanded by Mozambique’s market. 3. 5 Competitors: Mozal: Mozal, an aluminum smelter is belong to BHP Billiton, is located in the Maputo province of southern Mozambique. Mozal was the first major project for BHP Billiton in Mozambique and it was Mozambique’s largest private investment in the past 30 years. BHP Billiton is a leading global resources company and one of the world’s largest producers of major commodities. Mozal is one of the largest smelters in Mozambique; the output of Mozal is more than 500,000 tones of aluminum per year. In the two construction phases, the project of Mozal contributed more than 160 million to the local economy. Especially the employment of Mozambican, which make good use of the local labor and stimulate the local’s contractors and suppliers’ profit. The local government and the Mozal’s operations teams have created a great achievement by cooperation. Harmonious industrial relations were created during the construction period; no days were lost because of any industrial action. The local government and the Mozal have benefited a lot from needs-based infrastructure, social and community development projects. It’s a kind of win-win cooperation. 4. Evaluation Alcoa’s expansion in to Mozambique is a bold attempt as Alcoa does not have much experience of open up a new business in Africa. However, as one of the most famous companies in aluminum industry, it can provide adequate funds and mature management to support the operation in Mozambique. This country’s development relies greatly on foreign companies’ investment. Government in Mozambique will provide preferential policy to Alcoa. Besides, the low labor cost in Mozambique helps Alcoa to save operation cost. Although Mozal, the strongest competitor, has taken the largest project in Mozambique, the potential for Alcoa to enter this market is strong. Alcoa has built up a good reputation, with a long history and rich experience in aluminum industry, and this cannot be competed by Mozal. We recommend that Alcoa should seize this opportunity to enter the aluminum market in Mozambique with its advanced technology and experienced management.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Alexander Graham Bell

meaning light and sound. His partner and attorney was Charles Sumner Tainter. The photophone paved the way for today’s fiber optic technology and wireless phones. The tetrahedron was one of Bell’s first flight experiments. He tried to build a structure that was light but strong enough to hold a man. This was the start of a flight revolution. The Silver Dart was the last of the four aircrafts built by the AEA. With the help of the Wright brothers, Bell revolutionized aerial technology and changed the way of the skies forever. Because of his discoveries and breakthroughs we are able to go places with unimaginable speed and convenience. We can travel from country to country in a matter of hours. And we can even travel outside the atmosphere. The Hydrofoil began with a need for a safe place for Bell to take off and land his flight models. He later insisted on using his hydrofoil to help detect submarines during the war in 1817. His hydrofoil could skim the top of the water much like a skitter bug which helped avoid mine fields in the water. Alexander has improved life for the world in so many ways we can hardly count them all. Without him we wouldn’t have the air conditioner (of which he designed out of a fan and a block of ice), or the idea of solar panels to heat houses. Alexander Graham Bell contributed so much to making life easier for everyone. From his first invention used to clean wheat when he was eleven to the world’s fastest machine at the age of 75, Bell has made the world what it is today and made everyone’s life a whole lot easier.... Free Essays on Alexander Graham Bell Free Essays on Alexander Graham Bell If you asked someone who Alexander Graham Bell was they might tell you he invented the telephone, but is that all? Of course it’s not. Bell was responsible for many of the modern conveniences we use every day. The telephone, photophone, tetrahedron, silver dart, hydrofoil, and the iron lung. Bell’s photophone was derived from the Greek words meaning light and sound. His partner and attorney was Charles Sumner Tainter. The photophone paved the way for today’s fiber optic technology and wireless phones. The tetrahedron was one of Bell’s first flight experiments. He tried to build a structure that was light but strong enough to hold a man. This was the start of a flight revolution. The Silver Dart was the last of the four aircrafts built by the AEA. With the help of the Wright brothers, Bell revolutionized aerial technology and changed the way of the skies forever. Because of his discoveries and breakthroughs we are able to go places with unimaginable speed and convenience. We can travel from country to country in a matter of hours. And we can even travel outside the atmosphere. The Hydrofoil began with a need for a safe place for Bell to take off and land his flight models. He later insisted on using his hydrofoil to help detect submarines during the war in 1817. His hydrofoil could skim the top of the water much like a skitter bug which helped avoid mine fields in the water. Alexander has improved life for the world in so many ways we can hardly count them all. Without him we wouldn’t have the air conditioner (of which he designed out of a fan and a block of ice), or the idea of solar panels to heat houses. Alexander Graham Bell contributed so much to making life easier for everyone. From his first invention used to clean wheat when he was eleven to the world’s fastest machine at the age of 75, Bell has made the world what it is today and made everyone’s life a whole lot easier....

Monday, November 4, 2019

Outsoucing in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outsoucing in the United States - Research Paper Example In as far as recruitment is concerned, there are other independent companies which can offer advanced services on behalf of different organisations which entails that they can outsource the recruitment and staffing services to third parties. As such, this paper seeks to explain the meaning of outsourcing as well as outlining its pros and cons. The paper will also attempt to evaluate real life situations of outsourcing in different organisations. According to Heneman & Judge (633), outsourcing refers to contracting work to a vendor or third party administrator to perform the tasks that could be done by the organisation itself. This means that the functions of the whole human resources department in particular can be done by an outside company. There are many examples of outsourcing of specific staffing activities and some of them include the following: seeking temporary employees, executive search, skills testing, assessing employee backgrounds, job relocations, assessment centers as well as affirmative action planning (Kleynhans, 85). Basically, the organisation can outsource some of its functions such as recruitment to the third party whilst it concentrates on other core business of the organisation. ... This process is usually longer and many organisations usually spend a fortune in recruiting and selecting the right candidates for the organisation. Outsourcing the recruitment services to the third party is advantageous in that the organisation will only pay a fixed fee and these employment agencies have experience in attracting experienced and skilled workers in the industry. The organisations will not waste more money and resources while training new candidates since the recruitment agencies can head hunt for people with the required knowledge and skills. By outsourcing the recruitment services to the other parties, the HR department of the organisation concerned will be better positioned to focus on the other pertinent issues such as employee motivation as well as improving their performance for the benefit of the organisation as a whole. The other advantage of outsourcing is that the organisation is likely to witness improved services since the vendors have special expertise in selecting the right people for different clients. On the other hand, the recruitment agencies are flexible to meet the changing needs of the clients given that they constantly seek information about the needs of different organisations with regards to their staffing needs. Despite the driving factors forcing the organisations to consider outsourcing of HR activities to the other third parties, there are also some cons that are not always favourable to the company. One notable disadvantage is that there is likely to be some form of resistance within the organisation where some members will prefer the HRM to fulfil all its functions by considering internal promotion of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Death penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Death penalty - Research Paper Example The criminal justice system is implemented under imperfect conditions. Risks of convicting innocent individuals within the system have been seen all too often. These risks are some of the primary considerations in the opposition of the death penalty – that innocent individuals may be put to death because of this imperfect system. For which reason, this paper now seeks to discuss the abolition of the death penalty. It presents arguments and supporting theories and discussions on the abolition of the death penalty within the criminal justice system. Discussion I believe that death penalty should be abolished because it is an inhumane punishment. â€Å"Death destroys an individual’s status and his or her very existence in organized society† (Chenwi, p. 97). In effect, the death penalty is a form of punishment which practically strips a person of his rights and his rightful place in an orderly and peaceful society. The severity of the death penalty as a punishment de grades human beings and strips them of honor. It summarizes and defines their life into one act of violence and deems such life to be unworthy of continuance. And such summary judgment is something which should not be supported The imposition of the death penalty must be prevented because of the criminal justice system is basically imperfect. No matter what evidence is often unearthed from any criminal investigation, to some degree, such evidence cannot often completely prove a person’s commission of a crime. The possibility of convicting a person of a crime he did not commit has been proven true time and again (Cole and Smith, p. 405). The possibility therefore of sending someone to his death for a crime he did not commit is also a strong likelihood. This is a risk we cannot prevent and manage with the death penalty because, unlike imprisonment sentence which can be carried out in jail, carrying out the death sentence is irreversible. On the off chance that a person is indee d later proven innocent, imprisonment affords a person freedom. But death? Death is a one-way ticket. Lang also set forth these same arguments. He argues that there is a distinct possibility that a person who is wrongly convicted of a crime would be sentenced to death. This is a strong possibility which is too grim for me to consider. It would be wrong for us to close our eyes to this grim possibility. Lang discusses the injustices suffered by Michael Blair as a basis for his opposition to the death penalty. He discusses how evidence eventually presented in court successfully proved that Blair was innocent of the crime being charged against him. However, this was after fourteen years spent in death row. This was after fourteen years of emotional trauma – waiting for the possibility of having his head next to the proverbial chopping block. Blair also lost fourteen years of his life – a life which could have been productive in terms of career, family, and social life. Un til and unless we can absolutely avoid more ‘Michael Blair’ incidents can we safely consider the possibility of imposing the death penalty as a means of deterring crime and rendering punishment to criminals. It would be difficult to gauge and decide that things would have been better off for people like Michael Blair, but in considering the cases on mentally retarded individuals, being