Ethno Nationalist Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Ethno Nationalist Terrorism - Essay Example The main Palestine groups employing terrorism as a means of achieving their goals and strategic objectives in the region currently include Hamas, most notably its military wing – Al-Qassam Brigades – and Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. The Israeli Government counter-terrorist organizational framework includes the Israeli Police, ISA, Mossad and IDF (Ganor 2005). International human rights organizations, like Amnesty International for instance, blame IDF for a number of war crimes and violations of human rights during their offensives in the Gaza Strip (Amnesty International, 2015). Inasmuch as the primary method of attacks employed by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups is rocket-firing mainly into Israel, the range of targets is vast, including civilians, army and police personnel as well as infrastructure and build environment. According to IDF, civilian and public buildings, including schools and hospitals are used by Hamas as command centers and/or weapons depots (Amnesty International, 2015). Being aimed at the achievement of the main political goals, these attacks are commonly associated with the Palestinian grievances and discontent (see Oberschall, 2004). A significant attempt at conflict resolution, besides the peace treaties between Israel and Egypt in 1979, and Israel and Jordan in1994, was the so-called Oslo Accord (Gelvin, 2014). Despite the transfer of control over the Gaza Strip and West Bank to autonomous Palestinian rule, thus being considered an unprecedented breakthrough, the Oslo Accord failed to achieve both the fundamental goal of permanently appeasing the region and creating an independent Palestinian state (Selby, 2003). As Oberschall (2004) points out, denying political opportunity, safe bases for terrorist operations, and alleviation of poverty and socio-economic inequities would

Jean Baudrillards concept of the orders of simulacra Essay Example for Free

Jean Baudrillards concept of the orders of simulacra Essay A commodity appears at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties (Marx). It has long been a condition of western culture to act for the accumulation of material objects. This is in part due to the capitalist nature of the world within which we live. Marx identifies in The Critique of Capitalism the emergence of two new classes of people, namely capitalists and labourers. The term capitalist describes any person who has personal ownership of capital, which consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence (Marx). In contrast a labourer has only the value of his labour (life activity), which he exchanges with the capitalist for a wage and as such the worker sinks to the level of commodity (Marx). Because the labourer produces for the capitalist a commodity of greater value than that of his wages and in addition those wages are paid back to the capitalist in return for subsistence, therefore social control in exerted over the working class, whilst providing the capitalist with excess commodity. The labourer consentingly becomes a slave to the system on which he depends. In addition Marx states that as the relation between capitalist and labourer (manufacturer and consumer) develops, so competition between rival capitalists becomes apparent. In effect the capitalist is forced to capture more of the market by selling goods more cheaply by the consolidation and exploitation of labour power e.g. by machinery. Such a strategy ultimately limits the demand for labour and so new industries must be developed for exploitation. These new industries are necessary because capital exists only in relation to its ability to command labour and social control and as such they reciprocally condition the existence of each other (Marx). These forced increases in demand and therefore production are evident in the contemporary world market. Important to the development of Capitalism is the use of money which abstracts labour and commodity values to a common unit for the purpose of trade. In effect the labourer discovers that the product of his activity is not the object of his activity (Marx) thus a level of abstraction occurs, which was consistent with the modernist values of the time. Karl Marx and early capitalism were mainly concerned with production which remains important but it was Situationist, Guy Debord, who gave the first insights into late capitalism and the theories that best apply to todays world economics and culture of commodities. Debord, in his book The Society of the Spectacle, bases his examination of commodities around consumption, media, information and technology. As such Debord suggests that in societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation. By this he means to describe the world and its products as mere appearances, where the real meanings and values of commodities are translated into signs. Essentially it is a world vision that has been objectified (Debord). Debord explains the phenomenon of the spectacle as resulting from the ever increasing production of capitalism. Because competition between capitalists inevitably leads to an excess of produce, so consumer demand must be increased. Such an increase is controllable by the spectacle as the real consumer becomes a consumer of illusions, (Debord) so he can be manipulated to believe he must consume beyond the basic necessity for survival e.g. leisure products. Therefore the spectacles form and content are identically the total justification of the existing systems conditions and goals (Debord). The spectacle is mediated in society as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption, (Debord). The effects of the mediated spectacle tend to lead the consumer to an experience of alienation as the consumers want for commodities is dictated to serve and maintain capitalism. In addition the spectacle constantly reinforces itself, for example the television, which is in itself a product of the spectacle that is then used by the capitalist to implement the advertisement of other spectacles. Essentially the spectacle is the nightmare of imprisoned modern society (Debord) and explains the transition from the degradation of being into having to having into appearing (Debord). Jean Baudrillard took Marxs Critique of Capitalism and Debords The Society of the Spectacle to their conclusions with his own theory of simulation and simulacra. Similar to the idea of the spectacle, Baudrillard describes a world where the subject of everything has been replaced by a semiological value that has become more important than the original, real meaning of the object. This object he calls a simulacra. In Simulacra and Simulation Baudrillard adds extra complexity to these ideas by establishing a hierarchy of simulation, which he gives four orders. In the first order the object is a copy of an original and so can be linked to a basic reality, for example a photograph of an actual event. The second order of simulation misrepresents the original subject; in the example the photography has been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to present a non-occurrence. In the third order a reality is recreated from a simulation of an original reality, when in fact, through the process of simulacra, the original has been lost, e.g. a scene is recreated from the digitally manipulated photograph of the original event. Finally, the forth order of simulation is the combined process of the first, second and third order to such an extent that the object bears no relation to reality or the original, for example the photograph has become a virtual reality. In this instance the link between reality and the signifying systems is almost impossible to ascertain, thus creating a hyper-reality. It is the use of one simulacra as a basis for the formation of another simulacra that shows the first signs of relevance to post modernity. Consequently, in post modernism, everything is understood in relation to everything that has come before, which in design manifests itself in referencing. Post modernism is also concerned with the fact that there is no right or wrong and essentially that no real truth exists. It is of course possible for a sign to make a transition through all four of the orders of simulation, constantly abstracting meaning and widening the gap between simulation and reality. However due to the complexity of repeated abstraction and signification it becomes necessary for an amount of speculation and simplification to occur when examining transitional examples. If we take, for example, the now famous emblem of automotive company Rolls Royce, it becomes apparent the extent to which a symbolic object can be re-simulated, each time loosing a part of its original meaning. Spirit of Ecstasy, designed by sculptor Charles Sykes and mass produced in 1911, is a cast metal emblem representing the figurine of a girl with arms outstretched to hold the folds of her gown blowing in the breeze. To the present day this emblem has been displayed on the bonnets of Rolls Royce cars and is the first order of simulation in terms of it being a representation of a real person from which the sculpture has been modelled. The object also references the figure heads of classic sailing ships in an attempt to convey the automotive product as an elegant, quite and reliable vehicle, which were the mediated associations with the brand during the early development of the company. In this instance the object enters the third order of simulation as a real event (model posing for sculptor) is created from an existing symbolic object (sailing boat figure heads) in order to be recreated as a new symbolic object (Spirit of Ecstasy emblem). At this point it is important to note that this example as an investigation could examine many more stages of referencing prior to the signs use as figure heads, though this could prove too difficult and inaccurate, again reinforcing the existence of a hyper-reality. The tea pot, designed by Michael Graves in 1985 for Alessi, brings the symbol to its conclusion. The tea pot employs a plastic emblem of a bird that is attached to the spout of the kettle and creates a whistling noise when the water is boiled. This creates a pun between the whistling of a kettle and the singing of bird but more importantly, its similar visual appearance (i.e. the wings of the bird and the outstretched arms and gown of the girl) makes a reference of Rolls Royce cars. Because during the late 20th century the values associated with Rolls Royce have matured to convey the brand as one of top class and status, so it are these value that are associated with Graves tea pot, supposed to the original associations that Rolls Royce was referencing from classic sailing ships. Therefore the product has clearly entered the forth order of simulation is it holds no relation to the original meaning that the original object as sign attempted to represent. Also, by referencing past signs, it can be described as a post modern object. Like Debord, Baudrillard agreed that simulation was important to the survival of capitalism as it, through mediation, can control the level of consumption within society. Baudrillard used the term valorisation to describe the process through which symbolic objects attain value. An excellent example of valorisation is Pokemon cards, which are essentially printed illustrations on card and so their use value is very low. However, via mediation, Pokemon cards have been given a simulated symbolic value that has made them desirable and powerful as a commodity. As well as design, Baudrillards theory of simulation and simulacra has also proved influential in film making, for example in The Matrix, directed by the Wachowski brothers. The Matrix is set in the future at a time when the real world has been reduced to a desert waste land by a war between humanity and machines; after the invention of artificial intelligence. Because the machines are dependant on solar power, the humans have caused the equivalent of a nuclear winter by blocking out sunlight. This has caused the machines to retaliate by imprisoning humans in gel filled pods so that energy can be extracted from them in the form of heat. In order to control the humans in this procedure a computer simulated world called the matrix exists, that all of the imprisoned humans are connected to, living their lives in what they believe is the late 20th century, oblivious to the fact that their real bodies are in stasis in the real world. The film therefore acts as a metaphor for contemporary western cultures. Firstly the matrix is an existence of the fourth order of simulation in that it is a system of mere signs that are completely detached from reality, i.e. hyper-reality. Just as in contemporary cultures, the people who live in the matrix are unaware that they are controlled by a system through simulation. You are a slave, neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this (he holds up a copper battery) (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix). In addition the film suggests that the prisoners of the Matrix are also dependant upon it, to the extent that they will fight to protect it. Baudrillards idea of mediasation appears in the film when it is suggested that there was a machine spawning a whole race of machines (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix), thus the social control of the machines (mediation of signs) increasingly exert themselves with every new generation. Interestingly The Matrix seems to offer a solution to simulation and social control by the system, which is one of enlightenment. Once Neo understands the systems and can see the signs (computer code) of the matrix for what they really are, then he can choose to follow a different set of rules thus gaining control of his environment. As well as a theological basis on Baudrillard, The Matrix tends to convey the story via symbolic references and thus is post modern by nature. For example the follow the white rabbit scene employs a tattoo of a white rabbit, which is referenced from Alice in Wonderland in order to convey the uncertainty in discovering the truth of an alternate reality. In the same scene Neo also opens a copy Baudrillards Simulacra and Simulation in effect reinforcing links to that element of the film. In conclusion, I have identified the main themes surrounding Baudrillards orders of simulacra and simulation, shown how they relate to modern and post modern design and have given contemporary examples of their use in product design and film making. I believe that such an understanding of simulation has served well to better understanding referencing in post modernity. References Debord, G., (1977) The Society of the Spectacle, Black Red Poster, M., (1998) Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, Polity Press Tucker, R. C., (1978) The Marx Engels Reader Second Edition, Norton Company Bibliography Hebdige, D., (1994) Hiding in the Light, Routledge http://www.geneseo.edu/~bicket/panop/baudrillard.ht http://www.artisanitorium.thehydden.com/nonfiction/film/matrix.htm http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/master_frame.html

Twisted :: essays research papers

Twisted Audience: General Audience / Instructor Purpose: Literary work To explain how a tornado can affect a family. Thesis Sentence: Although an event may be traumatic it is not necessarily life changing. Outline: I. Describe the setting A. Where / When B. What was heard 1. What did the tornado sound like 2. How did parents direct us C. What was seen 1. How did the storm look 2. What did the tornado look like II. What was on the farm A. House B. Storm Cellar C. Animals D. Trees E. Newly plowed and planted fields III. Where did we go A. Root cellar B. Neighbor III. What did the tornado do A. To the farm B. To the family I guess everyone experiences at least one terrifying event in his or her lifetime. How we assimilate the event shapes our attitudes, or maybe vice-versa. It can become the catalyst that lead, to phobias; sometimes it even earns itself a fancy title with â€Å"syndrome† attached to the end of it. I just call it a memory, but one I shared with eight other people. In a north central Indiana cornfield, not far from Indianapolis, my father returned to his chores in the field after a brief rain shower had passed. The edge of an enormous thunderstorm, laced with brilliant lightning, had passed overhead and it seemed as if the worst of the storm was over. Life was not easy on the fertile soil of Wabash County, Indiana, on May 25, 1966. For my family, life was about to become even harder. A muffled roar in the distance grew louder and sharper. As dad began to move toward the house, he realized that the low, indistinct form in the distance was not rain or a patch of fog. It was a rotating transparent funnel, beneath a dark mass of cloud. It extended from under the southwest corner of the thunderstorm. An occasional snake-like form would briefly appear within the cloud, and then suddenly vanish. It was coming directly toward our farm. The next time he looked, three or four contorted and transparent columns would briefly circle the center of what looked like a patch of swirling mist. The cloud looked nothing like the thin funnels and ropes that we had seen in the distance every few years. Dad now ran at full speed for the house, trying with each breath to shout "Twister!" Within the next few seconds, nine people would make life or death decisions about self-preservation, about prized possessions, and about family members. The rotating cloud had changed from transparent mist to a solid brown mass, at the edge of the newly

Chinese Communist Party Essay

Throughout the countries early history, a series of dynasties ruled larger and larger territories to what has now become known as the People’s Republic of China. All through the 19th century China faced European powers that were militarily stronger than they were. The humiliation brought on by the imperialist powers during the previous century sparked an early revolution in the 20th century against the dynastic regime that had ruled for so long. By 1911 the revolutionist won the battle and the first elected president (Yuan Shikai) of the Republic of China was named thereby putting an end to the monarchies that had ruled for so long. Although officially titled the Republic of China, it wasn’t truly a republic until 1949. In 1948 the prevailing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) defeated the then ruling Nationalist Party. The current government was established in October 1949 after CCP chairman Mao Zedong declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This effectively brought an end to Western imperialist involvement in China because the communist government set up a one-party state that was to be ruled by the CCP. Under Zedong’s leadership, China began down the long road of economic recovery. In 1953, with the assistance of the Soviet model of central planning, the Communist set forth a series of Five-Year Plans to dramatically reorganize essentially all aspects of Chinese life. This involved a focus on the development of basic heavy industry, a progressive socialization of Chinese agriculture and the suppression of non-communist ideals within the country’s religion, press and schools. Although the plan reduced inflation, restored communications and reestablished domestic order, the Chinese began to back off from their original dedication to heavy industry, which was a mainstay of the Soviet model. By the end of the 1950’s China began to focus on the agricultural sector again and eventually broke their ties with the Soviets in 1960. In 1966 Zedong launched the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which was a back-to-the-basics movement. The intentions with the Cultural Revolution were to stamp out the heavy industrialization and the â€Å"bourgeois† ideas and customs presented with the Soviet’s central planning model. The movement lasted for a decade and severely set back China’s economy. China’s foreign relations were strained early on in the Cultural Revolution; although, in 1970 things began to take a turn for the better. By 1971 the United Nation’s China seat that had been held by the nationalist government of Taiwan, was given to the People’s Republic of China. In 1976 after Zedong’s death, a group of old-guard radicals known as the Gang of Four were arrested and charged with the crimes of the Cultural Revolution thereby signifying the formal conclusion of the crusade and a new beginning for China’s economy. By 1978 moderate reformer Deng Xiaoping obtained control of the Chinese government after being removed from the vice premier public office by the Gang of Four in 1976. This marked a significant turnaround for China because Xiaoping believed in the idea of alleviating poverty via economic development. He led the economic reform with a simple slogan that promoted the â€Å"Four Modernizations† of agriculture, industry, technology and national defense. Xiaoping backed up his ideals by initiating a reform of the old communal agricultural system. The reform promoted land privatization and gave an incentive for people to work efficiently and sell their surplus. In addition he rejuvenated the military academies that had been neglected during the Cultural Revolution and he sanctioned an Open Door policy with foreign nations. The policy reversed the long lasting self-sufficiency and isolationist viewpoints held in previous decades, thus fostering the foreign relationships necessary to adopt new technology, which has assisted with the modernization of China’s industry. The reforms set in motion by Deng Xiaoping significantly improved the standard of living for many of the Chinese people. His modernization movement was so successful that by the early 1990’s, figures that indicated the people’s average incomes had tripled since he took control of the country. The modernization didn’t come easily though. For example, after people began have a better understanding of the individual freedoms and rights enjoyed by Western culture, student protest became commonplace throughout the 1980’s as the Chinese people struggled for further reforms to add more choice in their daily lives. The unrest came to a head in 1989 when students and others joined together for a demonstration in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Eventually armored troops stormed the city center killing numerous defenseless civilians to put an end to the demonstration. Although the Tiananmen Square incident hurt the country’s foreign relations to some degree with ti me, ties were mended. Throughout the 1990’s China’s international reputation greatly improved. In fact, the United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively, handed over control of Hong Kong in 1997 and Macao in 1999 to the People’s Republic of China. This was a tremendous accomplishment for the then newly elected president, Jiang Zemin. Zemin continued to pursue the economic liberalization started by Deng Xiaoping. In addition to the transfer of power in Hong Kong and Macao, he also successfully negotiated a trade agreement with the United States that reduced barriers to commerce between the two countries. The world over took this as the next step in China’s Open Door policy. This in turn resulted in bilateral trade agreements with many other nations. By December 2001, China was formally admitted into the World Trade Organization marking what will become the rebirth of the Chinese economy. CULTURE Over 20 percent of the world’s population lives in the PRC. Most of the country’s inhabitants (92 percent) are considered ethnic Han Chinese. Approximately 5,000 years ago people began settling the plains and plateaus of northern and central China. These people eventually absorbed the residents of southern China 2,000 years ago, which spawned a shared culture and the people known today as Han. Minority nationalities make up the remaining 8 percent of the population that include ethnicities such as Mongols and Tibetans. The scarcely settled regions of western and southwestern China are home to most of the minorities. In 1982 China became the first nation with a population that just exceeded 1 billion. By 2004 China’s estimated population has grown to 1,294,629,600. The country is showing signs of decreased population growth rates in conjunction with declining fertility and birth rates. Since the Chinese Communist Party came into rule in 1950, the average number of children born per woman during their lifetime (fertility rate) declined from 6.2 to 1.7 in 2004. Over the same period, the birth rate dropped from an average of 45 births per 1,000 people to an approximated 13. This in turn has had a dramatic affect on the population’s growth rate, which was reduced from 2.25 percent in the early 1950’s to .59 percent in 2004. Even with these reductions, China’s population still increases by the millions each year. Although the nation’s economy grew significantly during this time period, China continually faces the problem of gainfully employing the millions of new wor kers entering the workforce each year. The fertility rate has dropped primarily because of government intervention. For example, couples have been encouraged to marry at an older age than what was previously common. In addition, the state began a campaign in 1979 to prevent couples from having more than one child. To assist with the one-child policy, abortion has remained legal and more public health facilities were created to distribute birth-control devices and information. Beyond these measures, women who become pregnant that already have a child will often be coerced to terminate their pregnancy due to social and administrative forces. Although the one-child policy still remains active, there are times when it’s not strictly enforced. This is often the case for females whom are considered minorities. Due to the high mortality rate among minorities, non-Han people have typically been granted more cultural freedom by the government to have larger families. This stance also serves the government who wishes to appear to be sympathetic towards the desires of the various ethnic groups within China. The one-child policy has led to an uncommonly high ratio of males to females. The preferences for males are due in part to a complicated set of cultural traditions. For example, the birth of a son ensures that the family name will be carried on. Sons are also necessary to be able to fulfill the customary requirements of ancestral worship. Most importantly, men are charged with the obligation of taking care of their natural parents once old age sets in. Women also care for their husband’s parents which can make it difficult financially for the parents of daughters in old age because the Chinese government provides little to no retirement funds in rural areas where a majority of the population is located. To adhere to the one-child policy the Chinese often take what would elsewhere be considered extreme measures to ensure the birth of a son. Males are so preferred that it’s common to see baby girls abandoned and left for adoption in public places. Some employ new technologies to determine the sex of unborn fetuses so that a pregnancy can be terminated if a daughter is expected. It’s also not uncommon to hear of baby girls being killed soon after being born so that another attempt at a son is possible.

Heredity in a Doll’s House Essay

One major topic incorperated in Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House is the influence of heredity on a person. Ibsen seems to think that heredity is responsible for all faults in a person’s existence. Even what modern-day scientists would classify as environemental factors are ocnsidered heredity in Ibsen’s play. The first discussion of inheretid traits comes barely a dozen pages into the play. Helmer is telling Nora how she is a spendthrift: You’re an odd little one. Exactly the way your father was. . . . It’s deep in your blood. Yes, those things are hereditary, Nora. Most of the discussions having to do with heredity seem to be accusing the person of inheriting an ill-suited trait. This could be because in general people want to appear as though everything good that happens to them is a direct result of something they themselves did. Anything bad that happens is always someone else’s fault. Also, characters in the story place such credence upon the concept of heredity that one does not want to give his sons a bad start in life due ot his bad â€Å"genes. † Krogstad is an example: â€Å"My boys are growing up. For their sakes, I’ll have to win back as much respect as possible here in town. † Helmer, perhaps more than any other character, puts much faith into this system. He remarks, â€Å"Because that kind of atmosphere of lies infects the whole life of a home. Every breath the children take in is filled with the germs of something degenerate. Further, â€Å"Oh, I’ve seen it often enough as a lawyer. Almost everyone who goes bad early in life has a mother who’s a chronic liar. † Heredity plays a large part in setting up the belief systems of the characters such that the background provided in the first act carries through to its eventual conclusion in the final act. The power of heredity ot shape the play is shown by the last li ne of the first act, uttered by Nora: â€Å"Hurt my children—! Poison my home? That’s not true. Never. Never in all the world. â€Å"

Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane Essay

Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane Essay Social Dimensions of Disaster Essay Example Social Dimensions of Disaster Essay Example Hurricanes are very intense storms, which are created over water, especially in oceans, and then shift towards the neighboring land. They are categorized into five types according to their wind damage potential, central pressure and the velocity of the wind. Category 5, 4, and 3 are major hurricanes considering the scale since they have high wind speeds that cause great destructions. Category 1 and 2 are not as destructive as other major storms but can still result into the demolition of properties and wounds to individuals. These types of natural disasters have an effect on inland and coastal regions. However, the latter are the most affected ones because they are closer to the oceans than the mainland areas. The primary hazards associated with hurricanes include storm surges, rip currents, cyclones, inland flooding, severe rainfalls, as well as high winds. Due to the destructive effects of hurricanes, countries should have programs for preparing their citizens for a potential occur rence of such disasters. This paper evaluates how a community that lives in the coastal region should react to a storm warning. It will further discuss the recovery process after the storm has hit the area. As an Emergency Management Director in the region, it is important to offer the community 24, 48, and 72-hour plans during the emergency. Moreover, it is necessary to provide possible evacuation approaches before the disaster. Finally, the paper highlights sociological and psychological aspects just before, amid, as well as after the catastrophe. Early Preparation The coastal community must prepare for a possible occurrence of a hurricane in the region within 72 hours. The tragedy may cause the interruption of services like gas, transportation, communications, and power, injuries and deaths of animals and people, and the demolition of buildings (Hamilton, 2012). Animal and human injuries are mainly brought about by collapsing buildings or structures from flooding, storm surge, and high winds. Therefore, preparation is significant to reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and destructions. A preparation plan should be elaborated and divided into three phases of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours before the hurricane hits the coastal region. Besides, the process entails evacuation arrangements to evade the disaster. Preparation Within 72 Hours 72 hours before the hurricane, most of the conditions are not known certainty except a hurricane alert. This phase may require the senior management in the Emergency Management Department to assess the existing and the predicted hurricane path. They should also ensure that all response preparation measures are set in motion, including the last arrangements. The team should continue highlighting general methods and the readiness of the whole community. All hurricane preparation plans and emergency strategies are laid down. The team may start examining the weather from different media sources from time to time. Moreover, the department needs to ensure that all households in the community have enough supplies of water, food and fuel to use during the disaster period. Since most people in the region will not be working during this time, an adequate food supply is necessary. At this point, the department can discuss plans to clear the ground from all debris, dead limbs, loose materials, a nd equipment and uproot all weak trees together with the local population (Nardo, 2009). These activities are imperative since such materials may result into injuries during the hurricane. Households have to make sure that they have the latest phone numbers for receiving fuel, water, food emergency generator suppliers, and any other support responses. During the 72-hour duration, support responses may be needed any time since the community will be mostly indoors. Other plans during the 72-hour phase include providing community hospitals with adequate oxygen as well as fuel supplies. Injuries are common during catastrophes, and hospitals should be fully prepared to handle high numbers of casualties to prevent possible deaths. The hospital staff must be equipped with necessary tools and equipment to undertake their duties appropriately. All hospital phones should be working in case of any emergencies affecting the coastal community. Furthermore, the latter ought to ensure their family readiness. Structures and homes will be blocked by sandbags filled and put suitably (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Lastly, the emergency department must be fully equipped, and the IT staff should guarantee that all Command Center phones are working. Briefings need to be held on a regular basis to discuss the changing weather conditions and evacuation plans. Preparation Within 48 Hours The second phase of the preparation process is the 48-hour plan before the hurricane. The latter is just two days before it hits the area, and the community is to make the final preparations. The hurricane poses a considerable threat to the area, and the catastrophe path remains unpredictable. The emergency team should be holding meetings to assess new weather conditions to brief the community if necessary. Some of the team members can disperse in different parts of the region to help the community in securing their buildings from the hurricane (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). The activities of protecting homes may involve giving them sandbags to to prevent heavy flooding waters. Besides, house items are supposed to be moved to one section of the house. Food and water supplies should also be kept in a safe place in a house, where every member of the family can access them prior to the disaster. Furthermore, all drainage systems around homes should be clear to ease the flow of water to avert flooding. Poor drainage contributes a lot to flooding being dangerous as it carries debris and may drown people or animals. Clearing the drains involves unblocking any blocked systems and collecting all items around the houses. There are circumstances that will require people to shield themselves from strong winds caused by the tornado. Therefore, families ought to start recognizing protective spots around their homes. Such locations may include small rooms that do not have windows like a closet or a bathroom located on the lowly sides of houses. Every member of the family should practice taking cover in a shielding location rapidly. Institutions like schools need to be closed for all students to be able to join their families before the storm. Hospitals can discharge all patients who are not severely ill and can recuperate at homes. This strategy aims to create more space in the local hospitals in anticipation of possible casualties. The hospital management will divide the hospital staff into groups for proper coordination during the disaster. Each group expected to be on duty during the catastrophe will be informed to go to work as soon as the emergency management department in the area gives a warning. They will then be discharged from obligations 24 hours preceding the disaster to deal with individual needs and come back to their separate organizations before the typhoon hits the region (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Additionally, the emergency team in the area will start releasing weather alerts to the community as soon as it receives them from meteorologists. Evacuation strategies should start 48 hours before the hurricane strikes. The authorities and emergency management teams should purpose to evacuate as many residents as possible from dangerous locations (Stein, Dueà ±as-Osorio, Subramanian, 2010). Consequently, all risky areas that are located in the hurricane’s path will be identified. The general population is urged to act to their greatest advantage and willfully clear high-risk regions before a suggested evacuation. In the event if one intends to evacuate, he or she should leave ahead of schedule, as it will be prudent before the typhoon winds and hurricane surges cause road blockages. Leaving early may likewise help the people to maintain a strategic distance from massive traffic jams experienced later during an evacuation. Sitting in front of the television and listening to the radio is hence significant to get the most recent reports about the tornado. Most of the time, three phases of evacuation are carried out in areas prone to hurricanes and other catastrophes (Dixit, 2008). The first step involves moving those people who reside in parts that are the most susceptible to the results of storm water and winds. They include people on boats, in low-lying regions and islands, offshore employees, and those in need of special medical attention. This phase is mostly undertaken starting from 50 hours ahead of the hurricane. The second stage focuses on residents of risky areas like those in flood-prone parts, low-lying regions, and those living in manufactured houses such as mobile homes. In addition, all persons residing outside levee protection are considered during this stage. It starts 40 hours or less before the hurricane hits the region. The final phase of evacuation is the most serious and takes place 30 hours before the disaster. The emergency team collaborating with the local authority should stress an evacuation and restrict acce ss to risky regions. The establishment of contra-flow lanes is done at this phase to redirect traffic. The routes used during the evacuation will be secured as the hurricane nears the vulnerable area. The community people evacuating the region need to be well prepared before they leave their homes. They should pack some of their most valuable items in bags. Parents ought to gather their children, pets, livestock, and any other animals ready to move. Medical equipment, medicines, hearing aids, eyeglasses, power cords, and batteries should also be taken, as they are very vital. All relevant documents such as school and insurance certificates whether in hard or soft copies must be the first things to pack (Dixit, 2008). Moreover, items for personal needs like the first aid kit, cash, credit cards, ATMs, clothing, water, and food are to be included in the bag. Finally, there are priceless things with an emotional attachment such as mementos and pictures, which should not be left behind during the evacuation procedure. Preparation Within 24 Hours The third stage of the preparation process is a 24-hour plan before the storm in the coastal area. Before this stage, almost all persons in high-risk locations have already been evacuated. A few people remaining will be evacuated within 24 hours. Those in low-risk areas who are not evacuating will also take precautionary measures to reduce or eliminate damages and injuries. Such measures include but not limited to staying in houses, but away from any glass doors and windows. Strong winds during the hurricane lead to flying debris that may be deadly if they hit people. Unnecessary lights should be put off since the storm interferes with electricity and can be dangerous. However, using candles is discouraged as well as it can cause fires. If in darkness, one should use flashlights because they are safer. The emergency management team should ensure that all vehicles to be used during emergencies are fuelled. All local hospitals should be ready, and the staff who will be working during t he storm should go back to the hospital. Lastly, people can communicate with their friends and families to avoid overwhelming the telephone system once the hurricane hits (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). Recovery Process Another primary process that is required in the event of a disaster is assisting the community in recovering after the hurricane is over. The process of disaster recovery is a combination of different activities that take place ahead of, amid, and after the catastrophe. The disaster recovery procedure usually starts prior to the occurrence of the hurricane. This phase is known as preparedness, and the community equips itself with all necessary things to cope with the aftereffects of the hurricane during evacuation, warning, and sheltering (Hamilton, 2012). Furthermore, such activities as the removal of debris, organization of volunteers, donations and utility restoration are regular in high-risk regions. Such recovery plans before the disaster lead to a reduction of the effects of the hurricane and post-recovery procedures. Most of the time, post-calamity recovery takes place in two stages, that is, long-term and short-term. The latter comprises searches and rescue, utility restoration, debris clearance, public information and damage assessments. Long-term recuperation starts when the local community begins to repair and restore streets, extensions, homes, as well as stores. This period also entails changes and improvements, for example, fortifying construction standards, zoning assignments, changing area utilization, progressing transportation passages and considering affordable housing (Schaefer-Jones, 2007). A majority of changes and improvements occur at this stage whether they are well thought-out before the disaster or not. The long-term recovery process aims at decreasing the number of fatalities during subsequent catastrophes. Psychological and Sociological Impacts of the Hurricane From the moment a hurricane warning is issued in a particular region like the coastal area, some people will be affected sociologically and psychologically. Psychological aspects are those that affect the community emotionally. Before the hurricane hits the region, nearly everyone will be stressed due to the fear of losing one’s life or his or her property. Others may be anxious since they are not sure they will reunite with their family and friends after the storm. Panic attacks are common during this period, and it is characterized by extreme fear and psychological arousal. Furthermore, one thinks that he or she is about to die expressing hopelessness, uncertainty, and the feeling of severe environmental restriction (Fink, 2010). Different individuals will experience various symptoms such as vertigo, sweating, nausea, hyperventilation, cardiac palpitations, and bradycardia. During the actual occurrence of the disaster, psychological effects may include panic attacks. Some people may be unable to contain themselves and start running from safe locations. Such scenarios will cause injuries or even deaths since going outside the buildings is perilous. Persons may experience irregular heart rhythms, rise in blood pressure or gastrointestinal problems. Events in which people wet, particularly children, are common during a hurricane due to fear. Other people may be so distressed because of strong winds that shake the buildings that they commit a suicide (Fink, 2010). The worst psychological effects among people in risky regions occur after the disaster because some have lost their loved ones and property worth a lot. One of the most common is post-traumatic stress, which may include nightmares, evading and withdrawal reactions and physical arousal reactions. The second effect is traumatic grief, which is described as distress that a person undergoes after losing a relative or a friend in a traumatic way, such as a hurricane. Such people cannot grieve properly as they concentrate on death’s circumstances regularly. Depression is also a very common psychological impact of the hurricane that influences its survivors. Its symptoms can incorporate discouraged temperament, diminished enthusiasm for exercises, change in rest patterns or appetite, weakness, and emotions of misery and uselessness (Fink, 2010). Undesirable changes, delayed pain, and misfortune are clearly identified with the buildup of post-catastrophe dissatisfaction. Some young people and grown-ups may encounter self-destructive contemplations, which is a noteworthy issue that ought to be considered important to avert a self-hurting conduct. Someone who is undergoing such symptoms is advised to seek medical and counseling help promptly. Physical effects such as headaches may also be experienced even without physical harm (Fink, 2010). The impact of social factors before a tragedy hits a region is inevitable since social ties will be broken. For instance, family members may be separated during the evacuation process, especially if they do not live in the same region. School-going children, work colleagues, and neighbors are also divided at this period (Thomas, Phillips, Lovekamp, Fothergill, 2013). Social ties are further broken during the hurricane as some people die, and others are caught up in the debris. Communicating with the loved ones during the catastrophe is almost impossible as telephone lines are overwhelmed, and one cannot leave the house. Social connections are vital because they are important components of society. The community finds it difficult to recover even after the hurricane effects have been reduced. After the storm, social relationships suffer greatly since people are scattered all over the country. Children who lose their parents or guardians are often placed in foster homes. It breaks the ties among siblings further. There are cases of people who get lost after the disaster despite the rescue efforts by the local authorities. Others cannot relate with their families and friends because of their post-disaster traumas. Institutions like churches, schools, and business organizations are also affected negatively by the events (Thomas, Phillips, Lovekamp, Fothergill, 2013). Consequently, the community ought to undertake all efforts necessary to restore the broken social ties since they will affect even the economic aspect of the country. In conclusion, hurricanes affect all aspects of a community life, whether social or economic. As a result, the preparedness of the community before the region is stricken by the disaster is essential. The preparation process should include phases of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours. Activities undertaken by the community during this period may include an evacuation, securing buildings, and keeping food and water supplies safe. The recovery process involves procedures of helping society make progress after the catastrophe. The community can also identify useful efforts that could have reduced fatalities in the recovery process. Reconstructing homes, roads, and other social amenities occurs in this period. Finally, people are affected socially and psychologically by the events that occur during a hurricane. Since the whole community is impacted negatively, there is the need to reduce such effects.

The Weimar Republic essays

The Weimar Republic essays Why did the Weimar Republic get off to a "bad start?" What were the republics main successes and failures? What were the unique features of the Weimar constitution? What social problems existed in post war Germany? What does "We shall all be nationalists in ten years," mean? Why was 1926 a good year of the republic? Why was 1929 a bad one? Make a chronological list of the major events in Hitlers early life through 1933. This will be collected. Rosa Luxemburg- (One of the Sparticist leaders murdered by German police)"Freedom only for the supporters of the government, only for the members of one party however numerous they may be is no freedom at all. Freedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks." Of all liberal attempts at reconstruction, none began more hopefully nor ended more pathetically than the German republic. On paper-that is, in its constitution-it appeared to be one of the most advanced democratic nations of the times, but almost from the beginning it encountered die-hard opposition from both ends of the political spectrum. Its founders carried the onus of having accepted the Versailles treaty with the war guilt clause. It was overwhelmed by the worldwide depression, which struck Germany with greater severity than almost any other nation. The republic got off to a bad start. The provisional government declared an immediate end to martial law and the reestablishment of traditional civil liberties and set about preparing for an election for a constituent assembly. Before the election could take place the Sparticist uprising in Berlin showed that the forces of democracy would be opposed on the Left as well as the Right. The government called on elements of the old imperial army to suppress the revolt and executed its leaders without trial, both of which were bad precedents for a new democracy. At the same time it went ahead with plans for the election, the freest and most democratic i...

How to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)

How to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included) The healthcare industry is one of the hottest career paths around right now. As the baby boomer generation ages and people focus more on health and quality of life, the demand is growing for professionals in all corners of healthcare. If you’re already on that path as a physician assistant or looking for a career change, a great resume can be your best ally in finding the right job. Let’s look at sample resumes from three physician assistants who are at different places in their career. First up is Alex, who’s trying to get started as a physician assistant.download this resume in ms wordAlex doesn’t yet have a lot of experience to fall back on, so he wants to focus on his skills and training. The functional resume format works better for Alex than the traditional reverses)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

Who are you Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Who are you - Assignment Example I intend to cut government spending, strengthen relations with European Union by avoiding a national referendum on EU membership, and also cut taxes on businesses (Stone par. 3, par. 11). The issues are thorny, and the current regime is reluctant to make any changes. The main losers are the middle and low-income families. All the objects aim at increasing the welfare of the country and its citizens. I cannot accomplish my goals without public mandate since the United Kingdom is a strong democracy. Thus, I will seek the votes in the elections on a Labor Party ticket. I consider leadership as a call to serve and not to satisfy personal ambitions. To win an election, I require a majority in parliament in order to pass crucial bills. Currently, the party has 256 members in the house. The numbers imply that the public has confidence in my policies. The UK populace is sensitive to poor governance; thus, the failures of the current government may propel me to the position of the Prime Minister in the next

Visitor centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Visitor centre - Essay Example Considering that the terrain is a pond, the piles are designed such that the loads from the footings are transmitted to the underlying strata with enough bearing capacity to support the load without settlement. Notice that all columns are within the wall perimeter, both internal and exterior walls. Since all exterior walls shall be of glazing, it would be aesthetically appropriate to have the glazing occupy the full width of a span then being split into two with a central column. As mentioned previously, the footings will convey the loads to the piles which in turn are supported by rigid strata. Lateral loads (wind, ground movement) are countered by beams connected to the columns. The only beams inclined from the horizontal are the roof beams which support the grass roof. The structure in this scheme is fairly stable as long as the beams are of the adequate size and the beam-to-column connections are sufficiently anchored to each other. The only issue would be the stability of the foundation, thus a comprehensive geotechnical study has to be done to determine the most suitable type of foundation. Scheme 2 is recommended for the proposed structure. The addition of intermediate beams to support the slab would translate to the reduction in the size of the members. Although more columns can be introduced in the structure, it may not be economical for the reason that more foundation must be made to support it. However, more columns would result in less loads carried by each footing, there is the danger of differential settlement to deal with. Ultimately, an extensive geotechnical study must be conducted to determine the best foundation in this case. When the type of foundation is determined, the structural framing can then be designed to suit the type of foundation whether be it pile or mat foundation which almost is the case for small bearing capacities typical of soft soils. The structure shall have bigger girders (column-to-column) beams and smaller intermediate beams. References: McCarthy D., (2006) Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations: Basic Geotechnics. Salmon C., Johnson, J., Malhas, F. (2008) Steel Structures: Design and Behavior. USA: Prentice

Spanish Film Review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spanish Film - Movie Review Example Ignacio approaches the priest at the Catholic School where he attended as a boy and confronts Father Manolo, who molested Ignacio when he was a boy at the school. Ignacio threatens Manolo with publishing a fictionalized account of the molestation. Enrique is intrigued with this script because it accurately represented what happened to the real Ignacio, however, he suspects that the man who presented the script was not really Ignacio. His suspicions prove correct, and it turns out that Father Manolo, with the help of Ignacio’s brother Juan (who is now posing as Ignacio), murdered Ignacio by giving Ignacio pure heroin which caused an overdose. This was ironic, because, at Enrique’s urging, the ending to the script was changed to where the priest had Ignacio killed. This film is reflective of Spanish culture, in that the culture has become more liberalized with regards to homosexuality and homosexual themes. Therefore, the protagonist, Enrique, can be portrayed sympathetically, even though he is a homosexual. It also is timely, in that it’s focus is on priestly pedophilia, and this is a topic which is currently in the news on a regular basis. The sexual issues in the film enhance the story because these issues show the problems created by pedophiliac priests. One has the suspicion that perhaps Ignacio would not have the problems that he had in life- the drug problem, the sexual identity problems, etc. – if the priest did not molest him. Therefore, the sexual issues in the film give clarity and focus to the central themes.

Drug Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Drug Education - Essay Example Thos who had not used an illegal drug were only 15%. Effective and efficient drug education is essential because young individuals are faced with numerous influences to using both illicit and licit drugs. Drug education plays a counterbalancing role through shaping a normative culture of moderation, safety and making decisions that are informed. Schools have been helped by various departments to develop a sustainable and ongoing drug education programs and policies that are based on approach that aims at minimizing harm. The approach aims at reducing the adverse health, economic and social impacts of drugs. This is achieved through limiting or minimising the hazards and harms of using drugs for both the individual and the community without eliminating the use necessarily. Globally, it has been recognised that teachers are perfect in providing young individuals with the knowledge and skills for making sound choices and decisions on drug use. As such, there is need to adequately train teachers. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to document a comparative analysis of the following two models: Youth development and Diversionary activities and Drug use prevention through social marketing. Youth Development and Diversionary v. Drug use prevention through social marketing Under youth development and diversionary we have the positive futures. A positive future is a social inclusion national activity-based program for young individuals. The program aims at helping young people from communities that are deprived. It helps them to leave a healthy life through steering them away from alcohol and drug misuse and crime. In addition to that, the program provides young individuals with role models thus widening their horizons and providing them with access to new opportunities within an environment that is cultural familiar (Positive Futures Impact Report, 2006, p. 5). Positive future target young adults aged between ten (10yrs) and nineteen (19yrs) old. In its endeavour to en sure youths live a positive and health lives, it has partnered with organisations such as Diageo GB. This is a drinks business comprising of a collection of brands that are widely known internationally such as wine, spirits and beers. The positive future activities have managed to enrol majority of young individuals to its activities. For instance, as at September 2005, one hundred and nine thousand five hundred and forty six (109,546), young individuals had enrolled in the positive future regular activities. Moreover, young people who attended the programs of positive future were fifty seven thousand (57,000). Through attending these programs, the youths have been able to achieve a lot. For example, their behaviours, self esteem and self confidence were greatly improved. In its urge to mould the youths in the society, the positive future takes an approach that is developmental. Unlike other social policy initiatives that are sports-based, positive futures is not a sport development or diversionary program as traditionally practiced or understood. On the contrary, it uses a relationship strategy whose aim is to interact with young people in a trustful and respectful manner. In that case, young individuals are able to interact with positive role model who guides them on the right path rather than

Exploring the continuity between heritage and nationalism Essay

Exploring the continuity between heritage and nationalism - Essay Example At the heart of the concept of nationalism therefore is the recognition and portrayal of this nation and the creation of an identification of its people. This can be done through the fostering of national heritage. Heritage is an important and indispensable addition to the concept of national identity and has evolved simultaneously with nationalism. The connection between nationalism and heritage is evidently strong. The nation is a concept built by heritage. Nations will cease to exist without their national heritage. The Relationship between Nationalism and Heritage Heritage, defined as â€Å"that which has been or may be inherited† (Howard, 2003, p. 6), developed from a set of philosophies and ideas, which openly represent ‘modernity’. The modern period, as usually described, frequently espouses a Eurocentric worldview. 18th- and 19th-century Europe are regarded as the zenith of modernism as secularism developed during the Renaissance finally translated into th e Enlightenment of the 18th century, with its support for and confidence in human rationality. The idea of European nation-state was formed within this perspective (Howard, 2003, p. 6). Similar to the Renaissance, the Enlightenment is regarded as being characterised by its specific interpretation of heritage. Consequently, the modern period is characterised by the development of various accounts of nationalism as the â€Å"ideology of belongingness† (Corsane, 2005, p. 3) and primary component of validation in state-building process. As stated by Woolf (Corsane, 2005, p. 3): National identity is an abstract concept that sums up the collective expression of a subjective, individual sense of belonging to a socio-political unit: the nation state. Nationalist rhetoric assumes not only that individuals form part of a nation (through language, blood, choice, residence, or some other criterion), but that they identify with the territorial unit of the nation state. The character of a nation is an aspect related to its attitude toward its national heritage. Basically, national heritage is defined as shared memories of a society emphasising symbols, cultural objects, historical experiences, and people which are viewed as prerequisites for the existence of nation (Labadi & Long, 2010, p. 39). The more components such as symbols and cultural objects that are integrated into a dynamic appreciation and recognition of national heritage, the stronger the concept of national identity and the more intense and committed the nationalism of the community. Thus, when the English appreciated their national heritage, particularly their diverse English intellectuals and literary geniuses, they showed a strong and passionate sense of being‘English’ (Laurajane, 2006, p. 136). Moreover, according to Borelli and Lenzerini (2012), the attempt of Eastern European peoples to restore their 19th-century national heritage, with its focus on commemorating historical events and past grandeurs, is a perfect example of strengthening the sense of nationalism. In this visualisation of a nation that is also the native soil of inhabitants who share cultural similarities, heritage is the most important tool in the development or building and consequent cultivation of a national identity. National heritage and nationalism evolved simultaneously while the concept of ‘nation’

Drug Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Drug Education - Essay Example Thos who had not used an illegal drug were only 15%. Effective and efficient drug education is essential because young individuals are faced with numerous influences to using both illicit and licit drugs. Drug education plays a counterbalancing role through shaping a normative culture of moderation, safety and making decisions that are informed. Schools have been helped by various departments to develop a sustainable and ongoing drug education programs and policies that are based on approach that aims at minimizing harm. The approach aims at reducing the adverse health, economic and social impacts of drugs. This is achieved through limiting or minimising the hazards and harms of using drugs for both the individual and the community without eliminating the use necessarily. Globally, it has been recognised that teachers are perfect in providing young individuals with the knowledge and skills for making sound choices and decisions on drug use. As such, there is need to adequately train teachers. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to document a comparative analysis of the following two models: Youth development and Diversionary activities and Drug use prevention through social marketing. Youth Development and Diversionary v. Drug use prevention through social marketing Under youth development and diversionary we have the positive futures. A positive future is a social inclusion national activity-based program for young individuals. The program aims at helping young people from communities that are deprived. It helps them to leave a healthy life through steering them away from alcohol and drug misuse and crime. In addition to that, the program provides young individuals with role models thus widening their horizons and providing them with access to new opportunities within an environment that is cultural familiar (Positive Futures Impact Report, 2006, p. 5). Positive future target young adults aged between ten (10yrs) and nineteen (19yrs) old. In its endeavour to en sure youths live a positive and health lives, it has partnered with organisations such as Diageo GB. This is a drinks business comprising of a collection of brands that are widely known internationally such as wine, spirits and beers. The positive future activities have managed to enrol majority of young individuals to its activities. For instance, as at September 2005, one hundred and nine thousand five hundred and forty six (109,546), young individuals had enrolled in the positive future regular activities. Moreover, young people who attended the programs of positive future were fifty seven thousand (57,000). Through attending these programs, the youths have been able to achieve a lot. For example, their behaviours, self esteem and self confidence were greatly improved. In its urge to mould the youths in the society, the positive future takes an approach that is developmental. Unlike other social policy initiatives that are sports-based, positive futures is not a sport development or diversionary program as traditionally practiced or understood. On the contrary, it uses a relationship strategy whose aim is to interact with young people in a trustful and respectful manner. In that case, young individuals are able to interact with positive role model who guides them on the right path rather than

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

Algebra - Essay Example After writing the augmented matrix for this system, use elementary row operations to reduce this to reduced row-echelon form. If the entries in the last column do not affect the values in the entries in the first n columns and if we take the same set of elementary row operations and apply them to A we will get In and so A is row equivalent to In since we can get to In by applying a finite set of row operations to A.   6) A is expressible as a product of elementary matrices, because every elementary matrices are invertible and its inverse is also an elementary matrices. A square matrix is only invertible if it can be written as a product of an elementary matrix. 7) A family of vectors is linearly independent if none of them can be written as a linear combination of finitely many other vectors in the collection. An alternative method uses the fact that n vectors in Rn are linearly dependent if and only if the determinant of the matrix formed by the vectors is zero. 8) To prove that columns span Rn, finding the basis of the column-space is essential. Then you must reduce the matrix and see if the rank = n; there has to be n linearly independent. columns, which is very easy to see if the matrix is reduced. The basis is the columns of the original matrix, not the columns of the reduced form. An invertible matrix A, determinant (A) != 0 (not equal to zero). 10) Rank A = n because in linear algebra, the column rank (row rank respectively) of a matrix A with entries in some field is defined to be the maximal number of columns (rows respectively) of A which are linearly

CCOT Analysis Essay Example for Free

CCOT Analysis Essay The Indian Ocean was a significant division of water that was bounded primarily by the Indian Subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula, and eastern Africa. Many changes occurred over time in the area, especially from 500 BCE and 1400 CE. The interaction of Buddhism and Confucianism altered, increased wealth came to new towns and ports, and population increased due to advancements in technology. Though there were many changes, many things stayed constant in the region. The Indian Ocean region continued to keep many economic/religious factors the same, such that Islamic world continued to spread and exotic goods remained as the basis of trade. Buddhism and Confucianism were the main religious views in the Indian Ocean region. They both flourished initially keeping a stable ratio, but Buddhism began to diminish during the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty based their civil service exams on Confucianism, which as a result led to more focus on Confucianism and later to the downfall of Buddhism. Interactions between developing trade routes led to city popularity, wealth and success. Such cities include, Cairo, Quilon, and Melaka, which became major factors in Afro-Eurasian trade. Technology in the region also led to many different changes in the Indian Ocean region. The three-field crop rotation rapidly changed the rise of cities. Since they were now able to grow dissimilar crops in the same area, more food and trade products came about. As urbanization increased, simultaneously, rural areas increased system also played a big role. As cities grew, they began to prosper. Agriculture boomed and therefore more opportunities for merchants were available as trade was excellent in the area. Many significant transitions and alterations occurred in the Indian Ocean region, which encouraged, primarily, economics, religion, and city success. Coming from the changes that occurred, many things also did remain the same in the Indian Ocean region. Islam continued to spread throughout the division. Trade relations have existed between Arabia and the Indian subcontinent, which linked the Indian Subcontinent to the Islamic world. On top of Islam’s prosperous spreading, Indian trade was still and is still based on exotic goods. A good example of this could be how gold, slaves, silk, and spices were traded at around 150 CE, as well as 700-1000 CE. These constants were significant for the foundation of the regions trade, and the rise of a new religion. The Indian Ocean region had many changes and continuities that all occurred over time. Some changes were made including the rise of cities and trade, and the fall of Buddhism. The continuities include the constant spread of the Islamic world, and the same basis of trade; exotic goods. These factors all shaped the region building a stronger base of advancement demographically, culturally, and economically.

Business Strategy of Emirates Airline

Business Strategy of Emirates Airline In 1974, three years after the independence, the rules of the EAU decided to establish to a joint carrier of flag: Air of Gulf. Nevertheless, a tense relation between the air line and the government of Dubai existed after his beginning, as this one re fading to yield before the demands of the Air of Gulf to leave his politics of open skies. In the reaction, the Air of Gulf reduced frequencies and capacities to and of Dubai for more than two thirds between 1984 and 1985 without the notice previous(Wilson 2005). Since the foreign carriers demonstrated incapable or desinclinados to fill the hollow, Dubai then the rule, recepiente of Sheikh Mohammed Rashid To Maktoum, summoned a team of experts headline Maurice Flanagan and later affiliated by Tim Clark and the son then 26-year-old of the rule, Sheikhs Recepiente Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum to design an emergency plan. The recommendation of the group to establish to a carrier of house for Dubai was rapidly accepted by the rule, but heimpo sed two conditions: the new air line should find the standards of the highest quality and there would be no additional injections of capital of the government in addition to the financing of starter of 10 millions of reconciled USD. On October 25, 1985, the first flight of the Emirates left to Karachi, using an A300 wet leasehold of Pakistan International air Line. The air Line of Emirates is the carrier of flag of United Arab Emirates and a principal air line of the Middle East. His key bucket is the International Dubai Airport, which joins it with an extensive network of international routes.The air line is a branch of the group of Emirates, an international public corporation that also supports the honor of making work four of the commercial flights the longest continues from Dubai to Los Angeles, San Paulo, Houston, and San Francisco. This offers extensive trips of air in the EAU and Middle East. The air line also supports a division of separated load, for the name of Emirates SkyCargo. It is between the most rapid air lines of growth of the world, which gained enormous income for 500 million dollars in 1993. HISTORY OF EMIRATES AIRLINE Air Lines of Emirates support 127 aircraft quickly, consisting of Airbus A330-200, Airbus A340-300, Airbus A340-500, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777 -300 and Boeing 777-300ER. The airline investigating its fleet frequently, in accordance with its policy to support a young fleet. In 2008 the Emirates for the second air line to demolish the Airbus 380-800, after Air Lines of Singapore. This has also asked for 58 Airbus A380-800, making it the biggest customer of this Airbus. The use of air line of his plane is the highest in the industry, climbing to 13.7 hours in a day. aviation, value U.S. $ 19 billion, adding 71 new planes. This is now the client as principal cast of two ultra-modern new aircraft A340-600 HGW and double-decker A380 super-jumbos. DESTINATION COVERED Emirates Airline covers 101 destinations, in 60 countries of the world. It flies to Canada, U.S, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, it serves France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, England, Switzerland, Turkey and Malta. The airline carries passengers to destinations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Philippines in Asia and Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, Libya, Angola, Kenya, Mauritius, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana in Africa. FLEET Air Lines of Emirates support 127 aircraft quickly, consisting of Airbus A330-200, Airbus A340-300, Airbus A340-500, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777 -300 and Boeing 777-300ER. The airline investigating its fleet frequently, in accordance with its policy to support a young fleet. In 2008 the Emirates for the second air line to demolish the Airbus 380-800, after Air Lines of Singapore. This has also asked for 58 Airbus A380-800, making it the biggest customer of this Airbus. The use of air line of his plane is the highest in the industry, climbing to 13.7 hours in a day. ACHIEVEMENTS Air Lines of the Emirates is one of the first 10 airlines in the world, based on revenue, passenger kilometers. This is also the largest air line in the Middle East, in terms of income, fast-size, and passengers walked. The airline is the seventh largest in the world in terms of international passengers is taken. This supports the state of the air lines of the worlds larger quarters, in terms of kilometer international demolished because of the passengers. In 2009, Singapore Airlines, the fifth best air hose was voted the world by signing the agreement with the survey Skytrax, the earliest positions ninth (2008), ninth (2007), called up the (2006) and third (2005). http://www.iloveindia.com/airlines-in-india/international/emirates-airline.html The Emirates Group Air Lines of Emirates (including his subsidiaries Load of Sky by Emirates of load) is only one division of the Group for the Emirates, a few globally active national travel and tourism conglomerate, which provide good aviation-related support services. Finally, the group of Emirates 43.6 percent of the Air Line SriLankan. The Dubai Governments aviation- Related Activities dress of an even higher level of aggregation, the Emirates Group, for his {your} part, it is only one element of a complete bundle related to aviation, full as it is about responsibility Sheikh receiver Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum (1) (1) World of Dubai Central Consortium (activity: the construction of Jebel Ali Airport City is also the new mega-airport in Dubai). (2) Department of Dubai Civil Aviation (activity: that all statutory tasks related to aviation, which operates the airport DXB, Dubai Libre of taxes and the people of the Load in Dubai) (3) Business of the airspace in Dubai (activities: leasing of planes, airport planning and direction, consultation, maintenance and related to aviation education). SWOT Analysis Strengths Many of the forces in the Emirates they come from the ruling which the Court has taken in his foundation, and from his single organizational structure. Not only carrier benefits of having failed to be created from scratch just 22 years ago, leading to flat hierarchies and essentially all of the costs of heredity, but which is more important is the central role of aviation in the strategy for the development of Dubai, Emirates also by ensuring a very favorable political environment. Emirates extract profit well below costs in its airport in the house. Obtaining the fees are generally the same as that of the main airports, has no air line flying into DXB to pay any additional cost (as cost of noise, the cost of ATC, security expenses, etc.), the Emirates just like any other company doing business in Dubai or, indeed, in most states, the Gulf of Mexico to take advantage of the low tax rate from Dubai diet, which only holds branches of foreign banks and companies of energy to the corpo ration. Obviously this is an advantage, while the company is profitable. The laws of immigration of Dubai is quite generous by international standards. Only it does not support this one for foreign experts who can be easily recruited by the local signatures. This also applies to passengers in transit who do not have to clean the immigration of DBX changing planes. second of the fort in the Emirates is his service awarded in all classes, which are connected or surpassed only by a few other airlines such as Air Lines, Singapore. Weaknesses It is almost impossible for foreigners to discern any great weakness. But although apparently not reliable as a source, some cartels on the Internet related to travel blogs complaining about the quality of services as sanding (as he stabilizes himself) in general and the lack of consistency that service in particular. In fact, the Emirates was less affected in the recent profit Syntax and other awards for the quality of exceptional service. Opportunities Clearly the factor of the main contributions to the success of the Emirates, and a huge opportunity for future growth, is very favorable position in Dubai. Approximately 3.5 billion people live within eight hours of flying. Moreover, Dubai is placed directly in the intersection of some basic flows of passengers and cargo, p.ej. Asia (Small Stone / India) Africa, Asia in the southeastern part of Europe, Europe-Australia/New Zealand, India North America, sits on the economic importance of which grows in parallel with an increase in the emerging economies in the vicinity. In addition, DXB has become a master and often saves time go point for passengers (and it loads) travel from smaller towns, especially in Western Europe, the road to Australasia and up to Africa. In fact, for passengers flying, lets say, Hamburg to Sydney, Emirates offer a universal one union instead of at least two stops in almost all of Oneworld, Skyteam or encaminamientos of Estrellas Alliance. And for flights t o Asia, Emirates offer the same universal service as his European competitors, but to a greater number of destinations). What is more, not only has EAU government has been very hit in the negotiation of agreements on free trade in all major economies in the U.S. to the emerging markets of Asia (but not with a European reluctance Union), who very likely will increase demand for air travel to and from the EAU. What is more, has the Arabic entire peninsula has been one of the faster growth regions worldwide. From the many nearby countries, including the most populous, Saudi Arabia, they have dealt with the gradual liberalization of his markets for air transport, the new opportunities for growth are also the Emirates in his region in the house. Finally, for the decision of the Emirates to work a huge fleet of A380 allows the air line to continue to grow by no means airports are forced to groove it serves, though even their European competitors primary buckets. Threats A much more likely threat is the increase that lobbies for some of his competitors in key markets such as Australia, France and Germany, and largely without the benefit of Canada, for the legal protection from the extension of the Emirates in his to house the cover with lawn . For example, Lufthansa campaign vigorously against the project by Singapore Airlines to serve the Berlin and Stuttgart, although the operators of these two airports have tried a lot of time to attract more intercontinental services that Lufthansa has not prone to, or, in the case of Berlin, it has not provide a profitable way. http://www.aerlines.nl/issue_38/38_Knorr_Eisenkopf_Emirates_Business_Model.pdf PEST ANALYSIS OF EMIRATES AIRLINES: POLITICAL ASPECTS: Air Line of Emirates has been protected by regulation or the rules and policies formulated by the Government of Dubai and other countries where they work. Bosom of the government of Dubai is the only holder of the industry the company has been able to join to the policy of all governments to ensure him that the company will lead commercial activities successfully and with power. In addition, the company also formulates its own policies for protection against possible government restrictions and limitations. ECONOMIC ASPECTS It is said to be one of the largest and most competitive industry in the world in terms of air management and air transport, Air Line of Emirates, to be economically stable and guessed stability. Despite the many dangers that they find in different parts of the world, trying way air line of the Emirates that they could overcome such struggles and the strain of having a better economic conditions. SOCIAL ASPECTS The airline of the Emirates is affected by the situation in the society in which they work. Along with this, try the air line of Emirates harder to see him that they give to each community an equal opportunity to utilize the resources provided by the organization. The company follows the high reputation and relationships in the community to which they belong (2004). TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS The appearance of the technology of information and the Internet have a power line of Emirates has worked in recent years. Different Ello / ES adopt the companys systems and Internet are used to reach his client over the world and to know the latest trends in global business. Apart from these, the company uses including facilities that help to improve his productions and activities. http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/02/emirates-airlines-leadership-analysis.html An Emerging Global Brand Emirates is a brand that actually occur as a global icon with its logo represented in the Arabic writing as a symbol of his origin. The air line at the Emirates construct an operational strategy and approach to the service of a truly global purveyor, supplying high quality service and boasting of one of the youngest and more advanced fleet of industry who will win the loyalty of its customers worldwide. Today, the Emirates flies to 78 destinations in 55 countries with more than 12 million passengers annually. Meanwhile, most of the air lines of the world has in the past year stabbing costs and slashing services, Emirates started eight new major lines only in 2004. Last summer it began his first U.S. flight, JFK airport of New York City and that he has already said that no fewer than nine U.S. destinations. Emirates Branding Emirates brand positions all traditional and new instruments for the marketing major, but the way that has helped him to walk with their customers and increase their knowledge of the brand the fastest sound sports patronage of the event owner. As Simon said: When we launch a new route, we do not just go there with an advertising campaign to promote our products and services.We together a complete campaign that builds up our reference letters as a corporate citizen and really he promotes social, cultural space and Community events. by hand with our publicity and campaigns of public relations, Emirates decide to sponsor events, groups or businesses that attract coverage of world television. Our study shows that choosing the right protection, we have been able to spectacular jumps in the promotion of our knowledge about the brand in new markets. http://www.dinarstandard.com/marketing/EmiratesBrand0091005.htm VIRO FRAME WORK Using Jay Barneys VRIO Frame work, we can better understand the competitive advantage of Emirates Airlines and the reasons behind its success. VALUE Air Lines of Emirates has valuable human resources and a personal good experience. Vice Chairman of the power line has more than 50 years experience in the business of aviation. The airline provides excellent information to his staff and it is pervasive in order to improve their skills without considering expenses. Also, air lines of the Emirates is the international carrier in Dubai that is politically stable area and having to its strategic location, especially for passengers in transit. Cardinal humans and the location of the airport to resolve an important role in the help of potential prowess of the power line and avoid threats. RARENESS I would consider to be the strategic location of Dubai, a scarce resource that provides the power line a great demand for their services. Human capital is a scarce resource as well. For example, the Sheikh Ahmed, an object of value and a scarce resource, and his image has a large contribution to the success of the airline. This is similar to Richard Branson and Virgin Atlantic Ocean. IMITABILITY The position of Dubai is a resource that cannot be imitated easily since Dubai is the commercial capital of the Middle East. ORGANIZATION The cooperation between all divisions of Emirates Airlines has been very cost cutting and increased efficiency. His leadership and policies of the compensation they are worth mentioning too. In conclusion, the air lines of the Emirates has a competitive advantage that supports the benefit is based on the work of the framework VRIO. http://g00001651.blogspot.com/ COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The competitive advantage is a position that a signature occupies against its competitors. A company that had the advantage among competitors can overcome the expected revenues and it was a possibility that the main signature in the commercial sector or industry. Many forms of competitive advantage can not be supported indefinitely because of the promise of economic rents invites competitors to duplicate the competitive advantage that is supported by a signature. Therefore possesses a signature of a competitive sustainable advantage when his processes that create value and status could not be a duplicated or imitated by other signatures. FIVE FORCES OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE In analyzing the competitive advantage, numerous theories and models are presented including the Five Forces Model Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers of materials keys that arranges an end product can have a significant influence in the competitive spirit in an industry mainly the timing of the lead-availability of the product as well as his ultimate prize. Bargaining power of customers When customers are the source of revenue in an industry, they are obviously important in determining its attractiveness. The information is available, their price sensitivity, geographic concentration, and switching costs affect the revenue side, a competitor in the market can expect to receive. Customers will always seek to optimize their purchasing position, and will therefore use all available information to them so that they get the optimal price for the product that suits their needs. Threat of substitute products When a replacement product is available in the market had the advantage of being first can be significantly reduced especially if it is comparable price and features. These substitutes can simply increase competition in an industry such as the impact of the introduction of the iPod in the MP3 player market. Potential entrants The ideal situation for any competitor is to participate in a market that is closed to others. Barriers to entry when youre on the right side of the fence can be an effective source of competitive advantage and thus increase the overall attractiveness of an industry. Industry rivals The player who arranges industry making the competition for the ratio of the market. The factors that determine the degree of the attractions include the grade of rivalry between the players, the category of implicit complexity had economies of scale as existing players, and the level of investment to become a viable competitor. Discussion In the Additional Study of Five Forces In The Competitive Advantage, the Air Line of Emirates Are The use as the subject. The Air Line of Emirates, in a brief definition, is a principal air line in the Middle East. This is the National Air Line of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (EAU). The lines of Air Line Between the first 10 carriers all over the world in terms of Income, Passengers miles, the biggest air line speed donated in the Middle East in terms of Income, fixed size, the Passengers went; andnow the seventh biggest air line. In the business of air line, There Is note doubt thats the Establishment of A Few very Enormous commercial facilities and Organization is risky.And the care of stable it is undoubtedly risked also also, into effect. But These thoughts Were Already eliminated in the minds of the persons work behind the WHO Air Lines of Emirates. They did Strategies Using Five Forces Of The Competitive Advantage to analyze the ambience of the business. The strategy The strategies of the emirates are a function of the ambience where this works and the product of the strategic intrinsic thought from within the carrier. Threat of New Entrants. It seems apparently that the airline industry is a low entry barrier industries. Finance, the main barriers to entry are readily available in the Middle East and the technology and expertise available for purchase. The threat lucrative markets that offer high returns will attract business. This results in many new players who will in practice profitability decreases. Unless the entry of new signatures could be blocked by new entrants, the price for profits drop down to a competitive level (perfect competition).This will prove to the dam is at the line (clear, right, etc.), the economies of the differences in product, capital of the brand, etc. Power of Suppliers Boeing and Airbus are the two main suppliers and the struggle between them is likely, observable, but not horrible. Moreover, the probability of a provider that integrates vertically pretty remote. Negotiating Position also described as the market outcome.Suppliers of major issues, components, labor and services (such as domination) to the signature can be a source of power on the signature. Suppliers can shoot back to work with the signature, or p.ej to receive prices that exceed the high places of the only resources. Power of Buyers Bargaining power of buyers of industrial air management in the Middle East is quite low. Negotiating Position also described as market outcomes. The customers suitability to put your signature under the pressure and this also affects the sensitivity of the client contrary to the changes in prices. Availability of Substitutes The threat is really limited, because the distances in the Middle East and the quick steps to make himself a symbol of the area. The threat the existence of closely related products of alternative increases customers propensity to switch to alternatives in response to increases in the price (the high elasticity of demand) the buyers willingness to pay. In an ordinary business that sells retail, substitutes are always present clients that the common motive in the choice of options is: the interpretation of the relative prices of substitute products, buyers who change costs, and perceived level of product differentiation. Competitive Rivalry The industry of air line are generally very competitive and highly competitive industries in general, once again, winning the returns because the cost of competition is high. East could mean disaster in the low times of the cycle. Middle East, gives a different story thanks to the preparation of the governments in the suppression of shock. Rate for most industries, this is the most important factor that competitive spirit in the industry. Sometimes rivals compete aggressively and sometimes competing competing in dimensions not prices as innovation, marketing, etc. http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/08/competitive-advantage-of-emirates-airline.html CONCLUSION The role discovers that the success of the brand of Emirates Air Lines has not happened for a typical kind of happiness, but rather for the planning of good strategy and appropriateness of direction to act quickly and with the decision, which has contributed to the wave of the company over its competitors as much on regional markets and the global The role of passing it discovers that what started as an air hose with aircraft that is given has made for herself now an air hose with the largest and the youngest fleet of Airbus and Boeing in the industry of the entire airline. The role of talking to the customers first service and services, has helped to make the Emirates a top position in the classification of the Award of Excellency Skytrax. This role identifies some issues and benefits of the planning of the brands image and strategy, and the effect on markets, customers and economies that affect the success of an organization. http://www.academon.com/Research-Proposal-Emirates-Airlines/111739

Should Workers Be Allowed To Strike? - Argumentative Essay

It is difficult to see how anyone could deny that all workers should have the rights to strike. This is because striking gives workers freedom of speech. This is justifiable, because Britain is a democratic nation. My first reason supporting the motion that workers should be allowed to strike is in order to bring to the fore poor safety conditions. For instance, in the nuclear power industry, any breaches of safety can have tragic consequences. If the employees are exposed to nuclear material, this could lead to serious illnesses such as cancer, leukaemia and radiation sickness. Radioactive material could also affect residents of the surrounding area, as in the case of the Chernobyl disaster. In the light of poor safety conditions, workers striking can be justified by the fact that the government and public would be informed. Similarly, another justification for employees striking is that production and confidence would perhaps increase after industrial action. This could be because, when workers strike for higher pay or better conditions and their employers meet their demands, the employees return to their place of work with higher morale than before the walk-out. As a consequence, the higher productivity would be beneficial to the owners. Likewise, industrial action gives the worker a line of protest against unfair hours or miserly wages. Theoretically, if taking industrial action was outlawed, the management could impose any terms and contract changes that they wished ...

Marriott Corporation: Business Overview

Harvard Business School 9-282-042 Rev. September 15, 1986 Marriott Corporation The idea of repurchasing shares was no stranger to Bill Marriott by January 1980. Almost five million shares of common stock had been repurchased on the open market by Marriott Corporation during 1979 at a total cost of $74 million and an average price of $15. 16 in the belief that they were undervalued—a belief that still was not fully reflected in the market price. At $19 5/8, the stock was selling at only six times cash flow per share; and its price/earnings ratio of nine was a far cry from historical multiples as high as fifty times as recently as 1973.Its low price seemed to offer once again an obvious opportunity to benefit shareholders. However, the proposal to repurchase 10 million of the 32 million still outstanding shares aroused some uneasiness. If successful, it had the potential of enhancing Marriott's EPS and of increasing family and management control from 20% to 29% of outstanding sh ares. However, it represented a move that was almost entirely financial—one that would run the debt well above the levels advocated before the Board of Directors only two years earlier.The repurchase would also necessitate renegotiation of restrictive covenants in existing loan agreements. Lastly, the huge size of the proposed program would require a tender price of $23 1/2, a hefty premium of $4 over the current market price. All of this seemed somewhat out of character for a corporation known for caution and stability. Background Marriott Corporation was founded as a nine-seat A Root Beer Stand in Washington, D. C. , in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott. Mr.Marriott had a gift for anticipating, or helping to create, trends in public eating habits. Shortly after the first stand opened, a second was built, and soon a chain of Hot Shoppes was underway. In 1934, industrial cafeterias were opened at a General Motors plant in Georgia and at the Ford Motor Company plant in Virginia. In 1937, the airline industry was revolutionized when Mr. Marriott established an airline catering service, providing box lunches from a Hot Shoppe next to the old Hoover Airport, on the site of what is now the Pentagon. Seven years later, Mr.Marriott led the company into the hotel field, opening the Marriott Twin Bridges just over the Potomac River from Washington. It became known as a motor-hotel and helped to revolutionize the lodging industry, for it offered a drive-in registration desk, a restaurant on the premises, and a convention center. By 1964, there were 77 restaurants, 4 hotels, and 9,600 employees generating total sales of $85 million. This case was prepared for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation.Copyright  © 1981 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 282-042 Marriott CorporationBill Marriott assumed the presidency from his father in 1964 and initiated further diversification into theme parks, cruise ships and international host services. In 1967 the company acquired the Big Boy Restaurants franchise based in the Los Angeles area. A year later, Marriott opened its first Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich outlet, which would grow into the Roy Rogers Family Restaurant chain. Since 1964, growth was little short of phenomenal. From sales of $85 million 16 years earlier, sales in 1979 exceeded $1. 5 billion.Operations expanded to 476 company-operated restaurants, 55 hotels and resorts, a cruise ship line, two theme parks , and 66,000 employees. (See Exhibit 1 for financial information on Marriott's various businesses. ) Hotels (35% of sales)—Marriott Hotels was one of the world's leading and most successful operators of hotels and resorts. By 1980, more than 23,000 rooms were offered through 55 hotels and resorts located primarily in the U. S. Approximately 70% of company-operated rooms were owned by outside investors and managed by Marriott under agreements averaging 70 years in length.These management agreements contributed approximately $40 million to operating profits in 1979—profits that tended to rise with inflation. Contract Food Service (32% of sales)—Marriott operated almost 300 contract food units, providing a wide range of food service capabilities to a variety of clients. It was the world's leading supplier of catering services to airlines, with 62 flight kitchens serving domestic and international air travelers. The Food Service Management Division also managed rest aurants, cafeterias, conference centers and other facilities for over 200 clients, including business, health care, and educational institutions.Restaurants (25% of sales)—Marriott's Restaurant Group consisted of 476 company-owned units offering a variety of popularly priced food in 46 states. Roy Rogers fast food restaurants and Big Boy coffee shops accounted for 92% of the total units. Theme Parks and Cruise Ships (8% of sales)—The two Great America theme parks, located in Gurnee, Illinois, between Chicago and, Milwaukee, and in Santa Clara, California, were opened in 1976. Both parks combined a wide variety of thrill and family rides, live musical productions and stage shows, arcades and games, merchandise and food.The attractions were set in five authentically recreated areas of America's past and have strong appeal for the entire family. The Sun Line fleet, consisting of three vessels, offered luxury sailing in both the Aegean/Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise ma rkets, and was widely recognized as the leader in quality in the Aegean market. Past Performance Marriott had always been a strong performer in profit terms. Over the entire 25 years ended 1979, there were only two down years and only three other years in which earnings per share grew at less than a 15% rate.Profits doubled on average every 3 to 4 years. A major return on investment improvement program, initiated in 1975, accelerated the earnings growth. The program consisted of three parts: (1) the sale or liquidation of $92 million of marginal assets, including land, 38 restaurants, a security services business, 2 European airplane flight kitchens, and a travel division, (2) a major effort to turn around the Sun Line operation and to develop volume in the recently opened Theme Parks, and (3) the shift of Marriott's hotel strategy from ownership to leasing and management contracts.The shift in the hotel strategy reflected management's belief that its comparative advantage was in ho tel development and management, and not in long-term hotel ownership. 2 Marriott Corporation 282-042 The results were dramatic. Net income as a percentage of sales rose from 3. 1% to 4. 7%. The company's return on average equity improved from 9. 5% in 1975 to 17. 0% in 1979. Earnings per share soared from 69? to $1. 95. (See Exhibit 2 for a summary of Marriott's historical performance. ) Profitability—An Elusive NotionWhile the trend in profitability seemed clear and encouraging, the actual level was a matter of debate and uncertainty for Marriott, as well as for American business in general. Double-digit inflation cast doubts on the usefulness of numbers based on historical costs, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) recently issued guidelines which required firms to present, beginning in 1979, supplemental financial information that reflects the effects of general inflation. Marriott even though they reported these adjustments as required by Financial Account ing Standards No. 3 felt the numbers were misleading since they only adjusted for general inflation. Marriott also reported a second method of adjusting for inflation which they called Current Value and which they explained in the annual report: The Financial Accounting Standards Board has recently addressed the problem of financial reporting during inflationary periods. However, each industry and company is impacted differently by inflation and the choice of measurement must reflect the specific situation. Current Value is the best method for tracking Marriott's economic performance, and it differs from either historic costs or the present FASB definition.According to Current Value accounting, the value of shareholders' equity increased by $125 million in 1979 alone, and the increase would have been $199 million more if not for the $74 million share repurchase. (See Exhibit 3 for Current Value Figures). Current Value accounting differs from historic cost accounting in four areas. F irst, it values most fixed assets on a discounted cash flow basis, net of anticipated future capital requirements, thereby eliminating the valuation distortions caused by conventional depreciation accounting.In contrast with manufacturing facilities, Marriott's high-quality building structures, properly maintained, do not physically wear out at the depreciation rates assumed by industry accounting standards. In fact, Marriott's real estate assets actually increase in value during inflation, as demonstrated by actual property sales. For example, Marriott's Essex House Hotel is 50 years old, yet it remains one of America's finest real estate values due to its location in New York City and its excellent maintenance program.Second, Current Value reports an improved measure of annual economic profit— Discretionary Cash Flow—which disregards accounting depreciation and substitutes the actual required capital expenditures made for maintenance of property, plant and equipment. Third, Current Value accounting recognizes the annual gains in purchasing power from repaying debt in cheaper, inflated dollars. Accounting convention charges the inflation component of interest against current earnings, but does not reflect the benefits of debt.Fourth, Current Value reflects the gains from holding debt borrowed at comparatively low interest rates. According to Marriott's calculations the current value price per share of Marriott's stock was $27. 83 versus the historic book value of $12. 88. Prospects Stock price, of course, is based on more than book or replacement value; it is also based on future earnings potential. Marriott's prospects for growth and profitability seemed excellent. Marriott's major chain competitors were not expanding on an ownership basis and only selectively on 3 282-042 Marriott Corporation management basis; and independents were unable to obtain financing for new hotels without a chain affiliation and a management contract from a successful national operator. This presented management with a major opportunity to accelerate the planned annual hotel room growth to 20%-25% per year. There were already over 50,000 hotel rooms, representing nearly 100 properties, in the development â€Å"pipeline. † This was 2 1/2 times the current number of company-operated rooms. Management was optimistic about the future and expected profitability to improve from an aftertax return on assets of 6. 6% in 1979 to 8. 7% by 1983.Furthermore the company seemed ahead of schedule in achieving its goal of a 20% ROE by 1983. Main contributors would include a continued buildup of attendance at the two Theme Parks and a continued shift from hotel ownership to outside ownership and Marriott management contracts. All management contracts provided at a minimum a constant percentage of hotel profits, and most new contracts would provide Marriott with an increased share in profits after achieving certain targeted levels. Financial Policies Marri ott's success seemed certain to present management with a problem of too much cash and underutilized debt capacity. . . a situation almost totally the reverse of what Gary Wilson, chief financial officer, found when he joined Marriott as treasurer in 1974. At that time, he found a company with a high debt burden, heavy debt repayments due to short maturities, and access to only a limited number of funding sources. Wilson immediately went to work at broadening the potential lenders, opening up the commercial paper market, refinancing with longer maturities, and reducing the total debt load from 55% of total capital in 1975 to 41% at year-end 1979.His financial policy guidelines won approval by the board of directors in 1978 and included the following: 1. Maintain senior funded debt to total capital in the 40%-45% range; maintain this ratio including capitalized financing leases below 50%. 2. Maintain the P-1 Moody's commercial paper rating, as it lends credibility to Marriott's claim of prime credit worthiness and impacts the availability and rate of its commercial bank and privately placed bond debt. Among the 500 companies with P-1 rated commercial paper and rated bond debt, only one has a bond rating of less than â€Å"A. â€Å") 3. Position the company further in the domestic, unsecured, long-term, fixed-rate bond market as the principal source of future debt financing. 4. Issue no convertible debt or preferred stock. In addition, while Marriott had begun paying a cash dividend in 1977 and had increased it twice, the firm's policy was not to increase payout substantially as explained in its Annual Report: 5. The company has a good record of reinvesting cash flow at high returns.Marriott will continue this reinvestment strategy, so that shareholders should profit through share appreciation taxed at advantageous capital gains rates, rather than through higher dividends taxed at ordinary rates. Too Much Cash By 1979, Marriott's four-year-old program of impro ving its returns through hotel management fees and the divestiture of low return operations was working so well that it was producing an embarrassment of cash-flow riches. The company was rapidly moving in the direction of unused debt capacity, which Wilson deemed â€Å"imprudent† in an inflationary environment. 4 Marriott Corporation 82-042 By 1983, the debt to capital ratio would fall to roughly 20% if the projected excess cash flow, $125 million over the 4-year period, were merely used to pay down debt while the equity base continued to grow through the retention of earnings. Wilson explained his dislike for low debt ratios: I'm a great believer in prudent leverage. Many other companies aren’t. But in the next decade, inflation will make them come around to my viewpoint. Leverage is attractive for a very simple reason. Capital, which is the stuff by which investments are made, is comprised of two components—equity and debt.Equity in the case of Marriott costs about 17% after tax; that is, the investor expects to earn 17% on an investment in Marriott's stock. Debt costs only about 5% after tax. Given an investment that earns 10% after tax, it is evident that the more debt that I have in my capital structure, the lower will be the cost of my capital, and the more return I will have left over for the holders of my common stock. Since debt is so cheap relative to equity, it would seem attractive to use as much debt as possible in a capital structure. In fact, if cost were the sole criteria for selection, one would use 100% debt.This brings us to the second component of the determinants of capital structure and that is coverage. Debt unlike equity has a fixed interest charge that must be met or the equity holders' investment will be jeopardized. It is common to speak of the firm's ability to meet its interest payments in terms of coverage, or the number of times the pretax cash flow from the firm meets the interest charges. Coverage is proba bly the most important quantitative measure used in the rating of debt instruments by rating agencies; as coverage rises, so does the bond rating.Highly rated firms also tend to have low debt ratios which are more representative of the fact that these firms tend to be exceedingly large, in mature industries, with limited reinvestment opportunities, rather than demonstrative of prudent financial policy. It can be reasonably argued that growth companies should be positioned in the triple-B range or lower, as opposed to the higher ranges. The firm's annual report expanded on this theme by stating: Maintaining excess debt capacity is inconsistent with the goal of maximizing shareholder wealth for three reasons; (1) Unused debt capacity is comparable to unused plant capacity.Fully utilizing this capacity maximizes shareholder's returns. (2) High proportions of debt reduce a company's weighted cost of capital and increase the real returns to shareholders. (3) Debt-financed real estate pro vides distinct advantages in an inflationary environment. Repurchase of 10 million shares would, with one move, eliminate Wilson's concern. In fact, it would push the debt ratio back above the 1975 high and also above the policy guidelines passed less than two years before. Further, it would result in interest coverage of less than three times—well below the six times deemed necessary for an â€Å"A† rating. See Exhibit 4 for pro forma statements based on the proposed share repurchase. ). Bill Marriott's Concerns Bill Marriott had great respect for the judgment of his financial team. However, a $235 million debt issue used to repurchase 10 million shares would put Marriott's debt ratio well outside the range of other food and lodging firms, and would necessitate renegotiation of several restrictive covenants under existing loan agreements. (See Exhibits 5 and 6 respectively for financial information on competitors and for information on restrictive covenants. ) Repurch ase also seemed to 5 282-042 Marriott Corporation be a negative move. . . a cutting back of resources . . . . very different from the tone of aggressive expansion of operations. Maybe Finance was right about the potential leverage benefits; maybe the proposal to repurchase all shares held outside of the family and management was more than jest. But was it obvious that paying a premium of $4 per share to bring in 10 million shares was wise? What was the correct price for Marriott's stock and would a repurchase help increase it? The Street certainly seemed divided on the attractiveness of the stock at $19 5/8. (See Exhibit 7 for a summary of the forecasts and opinions of several leading analysts on Wall Street. 6 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 1 Sales Summary of Operations by Principal Business Segment (dollars in millions) 1975 $238 256 268 – 14 $776 1976 $281 289 296 64 17 $947 1977 $335 342 317 72 24 $1,090 1978 $408 388 347 76 31 $1,250 1979 $535 480 377 84 34 $1,510 Hotel group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Total Operating Profit Hotel Group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Total Interest (net) Corporate expenses Income before taxes $33 19 22 – (3) 71 23 8 $40 $38 19 20 15 1 93 27 13 $53 $54 21 26 10 4 115 30 16 $69 $66 23 28 12 5 134 24 15 $95 87 32 29 17 6 171 28 20 $123 Net Assets 1978 Hotel Group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Corporate Total $304 99 162 161 32 69 $827 Employed 1979 $372 124 175 158 32 31 $892 Capital 1978 $63 11 34 9 0 22 $139 Expenditures 1979 $81 20 45 6 1 5 $158 Depreciation 1978 1979 $15 8 12 9 2 1 $47 $16 8 15 9 1 2 $51 7 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 2 Summary of Historical Performance (dollars in millions, except per share amounts) 1975 1976 $ 947 32 3. 4% $ 326 378 48% 3. 0 10. 4% $ . 86 0 8. 95 13. 54 36. 5 14,765 52,900 1977 $1,090 39 3. 6% $ 366 370 45% 3. 3 11. 1% $ 1. 04 . 03 10. 02 11. 75 36. 15,383 56,100 1 978 $1,250 54 4. 3% $ 419 310 38% 5. 0 13. 9% $ 1. 43 . 13 11. 40 12. 13 36. 7 17,987 63,600 1979 $1,510 71 4. 7% $ 414 365 41% 5. 4 17. 0% $ 1. 95 . 17 12. 88 17. 38 32. 1 20,956 65,700 Sales Net Income % of sales Shareholders' equity Senior debt and capital lease obligations % of total capitala Times interest earnedb Return on average shareholders' equity after taxes Earnings per sharec Cash dividends per share Book Value per share Year-end market price Number of shares outstanding (millions) Company-operated hotel rooms Employees $ 776 24 3. 1% $ 264 406 55% 2. 7 9. 5% $ . 69 0 7. 68 15. 46 34. 4 12,987 47,600 Total capital is defined as total assets less current liabilities. b Times interest earned is calculated by dividing earnings before interest and taxes by interest expense net of interest on projects under construction. c Fully diluted earnings per share based upon the average number of shares outstanding for the year. 8 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 3 Current Value Statement (dollar figures in thousands) Changes in Shareholders' Current Value Equity for 1979 Current value, December 28, 1978 Increase in current value of assets Discretionary cash flow Reduction in current value of debt Cash dividends Purchase of sharesCommon stock issued Current value, December 28, 1979 Change in current value during 1979 Change in current value during 1979 before cash dividends, share repurchase and issuance of new common stock $ 767,719 77,227 99,123 25,287 (5,776) (74,187) 3,810 $ 893,203 $ 125,484 201,637 Shareholders' Equity Historical Cost Non-monetary assets (primarily plant and equipment) Less: net monetary liabilities Senior debt and capital leases Convertible debt Other monetary liabilities Shareholders' equity, December 28, 1979 $ 927,287 365,279 26,918 121,587 $ 413,503 Current Value $1,356,244 320,736 20,718 121,587 $ 893,203 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 4 Pro Forma Financial Statements Based on Repurchase of 10 Million Shares of Common Stoc k, Funded with a $235 Million Debt Issue (dollar figures in millions, except earnings per share) Year Ended December 28, 1979 Actual Pro Forma Earnings before interest and taxes Interest: existing debt $235 million in new debt Profit before tax Income taxes Net income Average number of shares (millions) Earnings per sharea $ 151 28 – $123 52 $71 36 $1. 96 $151 28 31 $92 36 $56 26 $2. 14 Consolidated Balance Sheet, December 28, 1979 ASSETS Cash & Mkt.Securities Accounts receivable Inventories Other Total current Net fixed assets Other Total Actual $ 21 100 47 10 $ 178 825 77 $1,080 Pro Forma $ 21 100 47 10 $ 178 825 77 $1,080 LIABILITIES & EQUITY Short-term loans Current portion, longterm debt Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Income taxes payable Total current Senior debt Capital lease Subordinated debt Other liabilities Equity Total a Fully diluted based upon the average number of shares outstanding for the year. Actual $ 4 10 72 80 22 $ 188 341 24 27 86 414 $1,080 Pro Fo rma $ 4 10 72 80 22 $ 188 576 24 27 86 179 $1,080 10 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 5Financial Information on Competitors Holiday Inns $17 1/4 1. 75 9. 9 3. 50 4. 9 . 66 17. 50 Marriott Stock Price January 1980 1979 epsa P/E Ratio 1979 Cash Flow per share a Price/Cash Flow Dividend per share Book Value per share Avg. Annual Growth (1974-1979) Sales Earnings Return on Equity, 1979a Total Long term debt % Book Capital Times Interest Earned Rating of Senior debt Beta a Estimated Hilton $29 1/2 3. 75 7. 9 4. 80 6. 1 1. 09 14. 91 McDonalds $ 44 4. 70 9. 4 6. 80 6. 4 . 51 23. 69 Disney $ 45 3. 50 12. 9 4. 80 9. 4 . 48 29. 75 $19 5/8 1. 95 10 3. 80 5. 2 . 17 12. 88 18. 7% 23. 4% 17% 45% 5. 4 NR 1. 25 6. 2% 41. % 26% 24% 15. 0 NR 1. 30 2. 45% 11. 4% 9% 33% 5. 6 BBB 1. 45 21. 6% 22. 9% 20% 50% 5. 2 A 1. 05 13. 1% 18. 7% 12% 0% – NR 1. 15 Note: Yields on 91-day Treasury bills, 5 yr. Treasury notes and 30 yr. Treasury Bonds were 12. 5%, 10. 4%, and 10. 1%, respectively, as of Janu ary 1980. 11 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 6 Selected Restrictive Covenants Under the $40 Million Loan Agreement Dated 1977 With Six Life Insurance Companies, 8-3/4% Rate, Due in 15 Equal Annual Installments Beginning December 15, 1983 1. Total book assets shall be at least 155% of the sum of consolidated funded debt plus consolidated capital leases.Funded debt shall mean all indebtedness having a final maturity of more than one year. 2. Consolidated net working capital shall be at least equal to $6 million. 3. Consolidated senior funded debt shall be less than the sum of 66 2/3% of consolidated net hotel assets plus 50% of all other consolidated assets. 4. Consolidated tangible net worth shall be maintained at all times in an amount of least equal to the sum of $240 million plus 25% of consolidated net income for the period from July 31, 1976. Tangible net worth shall mean shareholders' equity minus all intangible items. 5.Net income available for fixed charges for the past year shall have been at least 175% of pro forma annual fixed charges. Net income available for fixed charges shall mean EBIT plus the imputed interest in all capital leases. Source: Casewriter 12 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 7 Summary of Forecasts and Opinions of Several Leading Analysts from Major Investment Firms Firm A Est. 1980 eps Est. 1983 eps Est. 1980 return on equity Est. 1983 return on equity Est. long-term eps growth Riskiness of stock $1. 95 3. 00 14% 14% 15% average Firm B $2. 20 3. 80 16% 17% 20% average Firm C $2. 0 3. 25 14% 15% 16% average Firm D $2. 10 3. 60 15% 16% 20% low Firm E $2. 15 3. 25 15% 15% 15% low Avg. $2. 08 3. 38 14. 8% 15. 4% 17. 2% – Recommendation Long-term Hold Long-term Buy Long-term Hold Hold Long-term Hold – Marriott and Market Information Marriott Return on Equity Earnings per share Dividends per share Price/Earnings (Average) Market value/Book value (Avg. ) Standard & Poor's Industrials Return to Equity Earnings per shar e Dividends per share Price/earnings Market value/Book value Interest Rates (Year-end) 91-Day Treasury Bill 5-Year Treasury Note 30-Year Treasury Bonds 7. % 7. 2% 8. 0% 5. 3% 7. 4% 8. 0% 4. 4% 6. 2% 7. 3% 6. 3% 7. 5% 8. 0% 9. 6% 9. 3% 8. 9% 12. 5% 10. 4% 10. 1% 14. 8% $9. 69 4. 72 10 1. 4 12. 3% $8. 55 3. 78 11 1. 4 14. 5% $10. 68 4. 25 11 1. 5 14. 6% $11. 57 4. 96 9 1. 3 15. 2% $13. 12 5. 35 8 1. 2 17. 1% $16. 08 6. 04 7 1. 2 1974 10. 6% $ . 70 0 18 2. 1 1975 9. 5% $ . 69 0 17 1. 6 1976 10. 4% $ . 86 0 17 1. 8 1977 11. 1% $1. 04 . 03 12 1. 2 1978 13. 9% $1. 43 . 13 10 1. 3 1979 17. 0% $1. 95 . 17 8 1. 2 13