Etiquette Essays - Etiquette, Pragmatics, Virtue, Sociolinguistics

Etiquette THESE pages have been prepared for those who are striving to improve themselves in exterior polish, and to add to their stock of information concerning the subjects upon which it treats. It has not been written for those who have been trained in the best usages of society from their infancy; nor for those who learned politeness at the same time that they mastered the alphabet; but for the less favored of both sexes in our land, who are desirous of obtaining a knowledge of the etiquette which governs social intercourse, and are desirous of cultivating both politeness and good-breeding. Its instructions are perfectly plain, practical and simple -- so simple that many persons may incline to ridicule them. But only in this way can we convey information to the many who are desirous of receiving it. Etiquette has been define as a code of laws which binds society together -- viewless as the wind -- and yet exercising a vast influence upon the well-being of mankind. These laws were instituted during the days ancient chivalry, but as years have flown they have been modified in a great degree, many of them being quite obsolete and others entirely changed. Some, however, have been but slightly varied, to suit the times, being governed by the laws of good taste and common sense, and these not only facilitate the intercourse of persons in society, but are also essential to their ease and composure of manner. And manners, said the eloquent Edmund Burke, are of more importance than laws, for upon them in a great measure the laws depend. The law can touch us here and there, now and then. Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine, by a constant, steady, uniform and insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in. They give their whole form and color to our lives. According to their quality they aid morals, they supply them, or they totally destroy them. It is often said that such a man's pleasant, affable manners made his fortune. And it is a truth that politeness and good-breeding go far towards forming both a man and a woman's reputation, and stamp upon them, as it were, their current value, in the circles wherein they move. Agreeable manners are very frequently the fruits of a good heart, and then they will surely please, even though they may lack somewhat of graceful, courtly polish. There is hardly any thing of greater importance to children of either sex than good-breeding; and if parents and teachers would perform their duties faithfully, there would not be so much complaint concerning the manners of the American child of the period. BE COURTEOUS, it is an apostolical injunction which we should ever bear in mind. Let us train up our children to behave at home as we would have them act abroad; for we may be certain that, while they are children, they will conduct themselves abroad as they have been in the habit of doing, under similar circumstances at home. The new version of Solomon's proverb is said to run thus: -- Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will go on training. But it is open to several definitions. Enter a home where the parents are civil and courteous towards all within the family circle -- whether guests or constant inmates -- and you will see that their children are the same; that good manners are learned quite as much by imitation as by fixed rules or principles. Go into a family where the parents are rude, ill-bred and indulge in disputations and unkind remarks, and you will find the children are rough, uncouth and bearish. Good manners are not merely conventional rules, but are founded upon reason and good sense and are, therefore, most worthy of the consideration of all; and there are many points of good-breeding which neither time nor place will ever change, because they are founded upon a just regard of man for man. We frequently hear these questions asked: Who is a lady? and who is a gentleman? The answers may be difficult to supply on account of the great difference of opinion in various classes of society, upon

How to Use Geographic Information Systems in School

How to Use Geographic Information Systems in School Maps are effective teaching tools for geography, but when maps are combined with technology, they can become visually powerful through a geographic information system (GIS). The combination of maps and data can produce digital maps that engage students in the science of where things are. The interactive features in digital maps can help students, for example, learn how things have changed over time or to research solutions to real-world problems at any grade level. Key Takeaways: GIS in the Classroom Geographic Information Systems can produce digital maps that engage students in the science of where things are.GIS are able to manipulate and analyze data as a 3-D map of an environment.There are different GIS that educators can integrate into lessons in any content area. Systems like Google Earth and ESRI provide training, resources, and support to educators. What Is a GIS? The acronyms for tools of location can be confusing. The science of location is a geographic information science also called GIS. Location science has always been a part of geography. In contrast, a GIS (system) manipulates and analyzes data to present it spatially, as a 3-D map of an environment. This data can be collected from multiple sources. These sources can include global positioning satellites (GPS) as part of the global positioning system (GPS). These satellites relay real-time information using radio signals from space to pinpoint an exact location. In summary, the data from GPS devices is collected by GIS (systems), which is then used by GIS (scientists). Google Earth for the Classroom The most obvious example of the use of GIS in classrooms today is the use of Google Earth, an open source program that can easily be downloaded and installed for immediate use. Google Earth offers location searches and 3-D orbits around those locations. There are tutorials for educators and also topics for educators which include the writing of story maps using geographic context on the web with locations, photos, and videos. Educators can use already prepared explorer adventures with detailed information about different places to share with students. Examples of topics available using Google Voyager include: Black History Month lessons featuring locations where Black Culture has changed the trajectory of American history.Myths and Legends from Around the World lessons featuring the locations of myths from China, India, Italy, the United States, Australia, Greece, Egypt, and Scandinavia.How the Wind Becomes Electricity lessons featuring the location of an off-shore wind farm in the North Sea and the Arctic. Google Earth also offers cross-curricular activities called Warm-up Passports. Each activity is connected to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or content area frameworks such as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). There are also opportunities to integrate Google Earth with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) so that educators can offer students virtual field trips. Examples of Google Earth GIS Lessons and Activities The Warms include: Math Grade 5: Double (triple, quadruple) the area of this location. Write the new area in square feet. If the area of this location was divided in half, what would the size of each part be in square feet?Math Grade 7: Research the average annual temperature in this location for last year. Scientists predict that temperatures will increase by 6% globally this year. Write two equivalent expressions to represent this change.Social Studies Grade 6: Research the biggest industry of this location. What does that tell you about how people make a living there?Social Studies Grade 8: What transportation services are available in this location?ELA Grades 6-8: Identify or research one example of how humans have changed the physical environment of this location. Overall, was this change positive or negative? Use specific details to support your answer. Write a poem about the physical characteristics of this location that includes the following elements: rhyme scheme, alliteration, and stanzas. ESRI GIS in the Classroom The  Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) also offers GIS to educators for classroom use. Like Google Earth, there are subject area content resources for grade levels K-12 using a GIS. On the ESRI website, teachers can use GeoInquiriesâ„ ¢, which are available without a login or download. The description for these on the ESRI site reads â€Å"short (15 minutes), standards-based inquiry activities for teaching map-based content found in commonly used textbooks.† There are 15-20 activities per topic, and many of these activities can be modified for hands-on engagement. ESRI also features educator training under the online ESRI Academy. There are course modules that demonstrate strategies for integrating GIS to support instruction and discussion. There is also a Mentors Program to support teachers. Student competitions using ArcGIS story maps are linked on ESRI’s website. Educators and administrators in the United States can request a free ArcGIS for Schools Bundle for instructional use by completing a form on the ESRI website.   Examples of Lessons and Activities Using ESRI Like the plans in Google Earth, ESRI’s detailed lesson plans are centered on a geographic context to help students connect lessons with real places. In ELA, there are lessons for American Literature in which students can explore the geographic context of Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.In mathematics, students could site a water tower shared by two towns at the midpoint and determine the costs involved using the Pythagorean theorem.For a world history class, there are lessons organized around story maps for the Cradles of Civilization, the Silk Roads: Then and Now, and Early European exploration.Environmental science students can investigate marine debris, the role of ocean gyres, and how humans impact trash accumulation. Whatever the platform, educators who use GIS in the classroom engage their students in inquiry-driven, problem-solving activities that are aligned to state standards. The application of GIS in the classroom can also prepare students to consider a variety of career pathways that are in demand. GIS for Education Policy GIS helps students think critically about authentic problems by using real-time data, but there are other educational applications. A GIS can support large and small school districts in decision and policy making. For example, a GIS can provide district administrators and community safety experts the information about school buildings and surrounding areas to design and manage safety programs. In other examples, GIS data analysis of the communitys transportation infrastructure can help streamline bus routes. When communities experience population shifts,  a GIS can help districts in making decisions about building new schools or when to close old ones. The GIS can also provide school district administrators with tools to visualize patterns in student needs in attendance, academic achievement, or after-school support. Students Know GIS Students are already familiar with GIS in game applications as a blend of real and virtual environments such as Pokà ©mon Go, the mobile app which was downloaded 500 million times worldwide in its first year (July 2016). Students who play video games would be familiar with the urban environments created by GIS software, such as City Engine. Different GIS software is used for film, simulations,  and virtual reality. Finally, any student who has been in a car with GPS or has used a mobile application with interactive maps applications from Google, Bing, Apple, or Waze has experienced how the data from GPS and analyzed by GIS (systems) can blend their real world with a virtual world. Student familiarity with GIS helps their understanding of how GIS applications operate in their world. They may have enough background knowledge through personal experience that they can help their teachers become more comfortable in learning about GIS!

Principles and practices of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principles and practices of management - Essay Example In this company oeople are brought together on the basis of defined roles within the structure of the organisation. The nature of the tasks to be undertaken is a predominant feature of Byfords of Holt. Goals are identified by management, and certain rules, relationships and norms of behaviour established. Byfords of Holt tends to be relatively permanent, although there may be changes in actual membership. Byfords of Holt uses line communication which means authority flows vertically down through the structure, for example from the managing director to managers, section leaders, supervisors and other staff. There is a direct relationship between superior and subordinate, with each subordinate responsible to only one person. Line relationships are associated with functional or departmental division of work and organisational control. Line managers have authority and responsibility for all matters and activities within their own department. Manor Hotel uses informal communication method which helps it to achieve the goals. It helps to provide satisfaction of members' social needs, and a sense of personal identity and belonging. This type of communication provides additional channels of communication and provides a means of motivation, for example, through status, social interaction, variety in routine jobs, and informal methods of work. Informal type of communication provides a feeling of stability and security, and through informal 'norms' of behaviour can exercise a form of control over members (Cole, 1990). With the help of this method of communication Manor Hotel has an important influence on the morale, motivation, job satisfaction and performance of staff. It can provide members with greater opportunity to use their initiative and creativity in both personal and organisational development Staff relationships has a great influence on the decision making process. Persons in a staff position have no direct authority in their own right but act as an extension of their superior and exercise only 'representative' authority. In Manor Hotel there is no direct relationship between the personal assistant and other staff except where delegated authority and responsibility has been given for some specific activity. This may be partially because of the close relationship between the personal assistant and the superior, and partially dependent upon the knowledge and experience of the assistant, and the strength of the assistant's own personality (Senior, 2001). Successful management of Manor Hotel lies in responding to internal and external change. This involves the clarification of objectives, the specification of problems, and the search for and implementation of solutions. Manor Hotel is seen as an information-processing network with numerous decision points. An understanding of how decisions are made helps in understanding behaviour in the organisation. The decision making in Byfords of Holt involves the isolation of those functions most directly concerned with the achievement of objectives and the identification of main decision areas or sub-systems. Viewing Byfords of Holt as a system emphasises the need for good information and channels of communication in order to assist effective decision making in it. Applying Handy's theory to both companies it is possible to say that companies apply different types of culture. Byfords of Holt has 'A Web'

Thailand the Struggle for Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Thailand the Struggle for Success - Essay Example The import substitution policy was then replaced in the mid-1970s with the policies to boost exports. The impact of this shift in policy meant that not only Thailand now had a strong agrarian and industrialized economy but it also diversified in a sense that its economic structure became export-led which had a portfolio as diversified that it included textiles, electronics, chemicals, iron and steel, and minerals. One of the reasons for this diversity in the portfolio was the abundance of labor and natural resources. Thus, Thailand took complete advantage of globalization and its economy reported a growth in its average real GDP of 6.6% from 1960 to 1996 (The Brooker Plc p.8-9). This growth is the average growth rate in these years, there were also years in which Thailand witnessed exponential growth rate in terms of GDP and until 1997, Thailand was all set become the regional hub of the business and commerce activities in the region. Before 1997 Thailand implemented a policy of fixed exchange rate. Its exchange rate was pegged against the dollar. This effectively reduced the transaction costs attached to the inflow and outflow of investments. This obviously resulted in speedy growth as a result of the foreign direct investment. Unfortunately, the lack of foresight and anticipation on the part of Thai government led to the settlement of an economy which was heavily dependent on this direct investment. This policy saw its negative ambiance when in 1997 the investors lost confidence in the recovery of their investments and thus began to keep a check on their investments. The trigger down effect led to heavy speculations against baht and the local investors sold baht and bought more dollars. This caused the capital outflows from the country. But the real impact was felt when the government decided to float the exchange rate.

The copenhagen criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The copenhagen criteria - Essay Example In order to acquire the European Union membership the candidate countries should fulfil the above-mentioned three criteria. Since the enlargement process by European Council was held at Copenhagen, the name Copenhagen criteria came into existence. "Neither the EU nor the candidate countries have the power to change the geographical reality on the ground or the definitions of terms long defined in the English language in respect of physical and political geographic descriptions" (Wikipedia). The enlargement process is resolved at the beginning before taking an opinion of the application of a particular country. There is no geographical limit for any European country to join European Union. Some cases of non-European countries2 came into picture but none the less it is not possible for non- European states to attain a European Union membership. It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. ... It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. The reasons cited for their inclusion was French Guiana was an integral part of French Republic and Greenland joined the EEC as a Danish dependency. It clearly shows the double standards employed in the inclusion.One of the biggest headaches for European Union member states is inclusion of Turkey as a EU member. Turkey has been declared as a candidate for membership. At first European Union declined the inclusion of Turkey as a member. To become a EU member every country has to fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria and Turkey was well short of the above-mentioned criteria. One of the reasons for turning down Turkey's candidature was its being a non Christian st ate. The majority community of Turkey is Muslims. Since shariat3 law was enforced as it has been in every other Islamic country, became one of the reasons for its being declined.The human rights record of Turkey was well below the mark. They had very bad human rights record. Since it is an Islamic country there was a fear of terrorists residing in Turkey. Due to the increase in terror activities Muslim sympathisers may take advantage of the membership and might cause damage to the European Union members. They might indulge in terrorist activities. There is no gender equality in Turkey. Women were treated as slaves. They don't have any independence inside

Financial analysis of the worldwide performance of Starbucks

Financial analysis of the worldwide performance of Starbucks The aim of this financial analysis of Starbucks is to obtain a deep knowledge of annual financial reports and other corporate information, which can provide us measurable conclusions about the company. It is essential to understand the nature of companys business, by analyzing its economic and financial environment and strategy choices made in the past. This report will begin with industry and company description, followed by financial performance overview and projection of company development over the next two years. Conclusions drawn from above analysis will support managers in making a decision whether to invest in the company. 2. The industry description The coffee industry is growing since 2002, and in recent years there was a boom caused by consumers becoming more educated about espresso-based drinks and how they are made (H. Holmes, 2004). The coffee industry includes 20,000 outlets with combined revenue of $11 billion. Approximately 20 million people work in the coffee industry worldwide. Market is very concentrated at the top with the 50 companies taking up 70% of the sales, and fragmented at the bottom. Starbucks is the market leader (Franchise direct, 2010). 2.1. Starbucks description Starbucks Corporation is involved in: purchasing, roasting, and sale of whole bean coffees, cold-blended beverages, various food items, selection of teas, and beverage-related accessories and equipment, primarily through its company-operated retail stores. It was established in 1971 in Seattle, Washington. In 1986 Howard Shultz, Retail Sales and Marketing Manager, left the company to start his own retail coffee outlet, Il Giornale. In 1987 the original investors of Starbucks bought Peets Coffee and sold Starbucks to H.Shultz, who renamed Il Giornale to Starbucks. Firm expended with shops in Chicago and Vancouver. Starbuck was the first coffee company to offer employee stock options in 1991 and went public in 1992. In 1990s Starbucks started distributing coffee through department stores, bookstores, hotels, supermarkets and online; it signed contract with PepsiCo, AOL and Dyers and opened stores in Japan, Singapore, and UK. (Hoovers.com, 2008) Starbucks has built one of the worlds most powerful and recognizable brands and the image of a unique Starbucks Experience. Its mission statement was to revolutionize the coffeehouse industry by building a perception of a coffee shop as the third place between work and home. Wi-fi internet access in all stores makes it a place where customers can work. The companys goal was to make each location a community center for higher-income crowd of the young and college-educated, a group that tends toward higher luxury-consumption levels. (Wikinvest.com, n.d.) 2.2. Competition Starbucks close competitors include other specialty coffee shops, doughnut shops, and restaurants. Starbucks holds a dominant position in the coffeehouse market which is dispersed among the thousands of independent or small-chain coffee shops. Their largest direct competitors are Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds. Both offer specialty coffee at a lower price. Main competitors short description: Dunkin, specializes in fresh baked goods, but began offering coffee in 2005. Their level of sales is at $4.3b. Currently, their coffee sales start to exceed food sales, 5-10% of total sales are from espresso-based drinks. Dunkin has a 22.9% market share. (Starbucks in the aggregate category controls a 24.7% market share) McDonalds entered the coffeehouse industry in 2007, offering coffee at its flagship stores and opening its espresso-centric McCafe concept in some markets. McDs coffee sales generate $813m in additional annual income. Current revenue from coffee is around $490m, about 6-6.5% of Starbucks coffee sales. Their price point is at 18% discount on Starbuckss. The two competitorss targets are slightly different from Starbucks. They focus on cheaper coffee to go, whereas Starbucks is providing a premium experience for a luxury price. Consequently, they compete with each other more directly than with Starbucks, however McCafe has a negative impact on Starbucks. Analysts believe that competitors will settle into separate niches, McDonalds being the better value proposition and Starbucks offering higher quality experience. 3. Financial Performance 2007-2009 3.1. Overview of Starbucks performance 2007-2009 In the fiscal year 2007, Starbucks achieved a solid performance. All goals like new stores opening, total revenue growth, comparable store sales growth and considerable cost rises from dairy products were completed. The consolidated operating income in 2008 was $503.9 and operating margin 4.9%. This was a significant decrease compared with the past few years, the reason for decrease was a changing of structure. In 2009, Starbucks faced many challenges caused by unexpected economic environment and more intense competition, which had impact on the revenue, comparable store sales, operating income and margins. 3.2. Income statement analysis 2007-2009 While net revenues of Starbucks havent been stable from 2007 to 2009 (first increasing then decreasing), its total operating income have also been moving in 2008 it decreased by 52,2% and it was $503.9 million, 4.9% of total net revenues. The reason for decrease was high distribution costs and high rent expenses. In 2009 it increase again by $58.1. Main reason for this improvement was the restructuring charges which contain: assets impairment, lease exit and severance costs. In 2008 and 2009 while net revenues were $10,383 million and $9,774.6, total operating expenses were $9,992.7 million in 2008 and $9,334.5 in 2009 that means expenses were highly eating up more than 96% of the net revenues. The company suffered a major loss of 113.185% in net earnings between 2007 and 2008. Starbucks realized that he need to re-think its business strategy. In 2008, the company incurred restructuring charges of $266.9 million due to store closures in the US and Australia and reduction of the work force. Starbucks Company derived 84% of total net revenue from the company-operated retail stores. They opened 681 new stores in the last 12 months and this offset -3% losses in comparable store sales. Total net revenue of 2009 was showed a decrease of 5.9%, stayed at $9,774.6. The company-operated retail also went down. In detail, there was a change of nearly 6.7% in comparable, for 4% decrease in transactions and a 2% decrease in the average value per transaction. Figure : Net Revenue of Starbucks 2007-2009 (Starbucks annual financial report) Figure : Operating Income of Starbucks 2007-2009 (Starbucks annual financial report) Figure : Net earnings of Starbucks 2007-2009 (Starbuck annual report) 3.4. Balance sheet In term of assets, the total assets for the three years kept staying around $5,600 million. The total current assets in 2009 were $2,036 million. This was higher than in 2008 and 2007 due to the high cash and cash equivalents in 2009. The marketable securities in 2007 were $157 millions so in 2007 the company had more short term investment. On the other hand, the total liabilities in 2008 were the highest in three years because of the commercial paper and short-term borrowing in 2008. Additionally, there was no short-term debt in 2009 but it was the highest accrued expenses during the three years. The shareholders equity in 2009 was the highest in three years owing to the additional paid-in capital. 3.4. Ratio analysis: By doing ratio analysis, the company performance would be evaluated more clearly. As we can see the current ratio for the 2009 was higher than 2008 and 2007. In 2008 and 2007, the current ratio was under 1. That means Starbucks was not in good financial health in these two years. However, this situation didnt exist for a long time but it was not a good sign. The current ratio for 2009 was 1.29, so the company had 1.29 times more current assets than current liabilities. That means Starbucks was able to cover its own obligations. As the Exhibit 1 shows the quick ratio was low for 3 years that is all below 1. This indicates that the company had difficult to turning their inventory into cash like a short-term liability which the company could not pay off immediately. In 2007, the profit margin of Starbucks was 7.15%. This means 7 cents of each dollar is companys profit. In the next two years, the profit margin decreased by nearly 3 percent. That means the net income in 2009 was visibly lower than 2007. It may mainly caused from the increase of the restructuring charges. The return on assets ratio in the year 2007 was 13.77% while the ratio declined to 6.95% in 2009. From this we know Starbucks earned more in 2007 and the net income in 2007 was higher than in 2009. The reason for this decrease results is also from increase cost of the restructuring and innovation in 2008 and 2009. In terms of leverage ratio, to measure its ability to meet financial obligation from 2007 to 2009 the debt ratio was around 50%. That means nearly 50% of funds for assets came from debt. This does not seem good for the company and the most liabilities were long-term liabilities. The debt to equity ratio from 2007 to 2009 was pretty high and the highest point was in 2007, so in 2007 more debt was used. Interests earned ratio in Starbucks during the 3 years was extremely high like in 2007, the ratio was nearly 28 times, but finally in 2009 the ratio was around 15 times a year. It could be a really good margin since the company was able to cover its interest expenses 15 times with operating income. 3.5. Cash flow Operating activities: the net cash provided by operating actives in 2009 was highest during the 3 years. The main part of activities was depreciation and amortization. Same as in 2008 the company spent $604.5 thousands on depreciation and amortization. Investing activities: the net cash used by investing activities in 2007 was $-1201.9 thousands. The main costs here were addition to property, plant and equipment and the company also spent money on purchasing available-for-sale securities. But in 2009 the net cash used by investing activities was $-421.1 thousands. This was much less than in the 2007. The reason for this was the company spent less money on additions to property, plant and equipment. Financing activities: the net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in 2009 was $330.0 thousands. That means Starbucks gained money from financing activities in 2009 while in 2008 and 2009 they had losses in financing activities. The reason for the gain of money in 2009 was the profit in short-term borrowing and nothing spent on the issuing of long-term debts. 4. Forecasting 2010-2011 In order to project the next two fiscal year performance of Starbucks, particularly to construct the pro forma income statements of 2010 and 2011, establishing the revenue (or sales) projection should be the first task of all. In the next steps, the rest items of the statement would be projected by the percent of sales method since it does provide simple, logical estimate of many important variables (Higgins, 2009). In fact, there was a visible growth of Starbucks revenue in both volume and speed during the period of time from 2000 to 2009. Especially, from 2000 to 2007, the annual company sales increased in steady pace in the range of 20% to 29%. This impressive growth of Starbucks revenue was a sophisticated proof for its great business strategies during the beginning of this decade. However, the story had some changes since 2008. At the end of this fiscal year, Starbucks finished with $10,383 million revenue, in comparison with 2007, the growth ratio was 10.3% only, the lowest rat io since 2000. Continuously, in the midst of the US economic crisis, Starbucks sales got negative growth at 5.9% after finish the fiscal year 2009, stay at $9,744 million. Figure : Starbucks Sales chart in 2000-2009 (in Millions) Obviously, the trustable estimation should be the sophisticated one, that normally came from data base statistic analyses. Specifically, with the availability of the last ten years data of Starbucks revenue, it was possible to apply most of time series forecast methods such as moving average, weighted moving average, exponential smoothing, and so on. Since each method had its own advantages and limitations, it is necessary to compare how every method would reflect the same provided data (Exhibit 4). The value of W3 (for the Weighted moving average method) and ÃŽÂ ± (for the Exponential smoothing method) were decided high at 0.6 and 0.3 due to the emphasis of the closest time period in term of its impact to the next following year. As a result, the forecasts for 2010 sales were quite low though there was still a slightly growth than 2009. Among the three methods, the weighted moving average method seems to be the most appropriated one since it had the smallest value of the Mean Absolute Deviation. Basically, it proved that this method had less forecasting error than others and might be the best choice of all. To be clear, the plot chart was established base on the result of the three forecast methods in Figure X. Figure : Plot of Actual Sales and Forecast Sales for 2010 in three different models (in $ Million) Visibly, the line created from weighted moving average method was the closest one to the actual sales line. Its trend reflected almost similarly to the actual during the period of time from 2003 to 2009. That is why this method was chosen to determine the 2010 Starbucks sales instead of the two methods remaining. Objectively, $9,920.81 million may not be a number that Starbucks shareholders and investors really expect, even it showed slightly growth at 1.5% than 2009. However, in some levels, it seems to reflect quite appropriately the reality of the economic conditions as well as the Starbucks status. In spite of many positive signs of the economic recovery, Starbucks is still continuing its plan to close 800 retail stores over two year 2009 and 2010. Since the 566 stores had already released in 2009, another 244 are expecting to be cleared in fiscal year 2010. Thus, it could be hard to see a rapid growth in revenue of Starbucks at the end of fiscal year 2010. In regard to fiscal year 2011, since all of the three forecasting method above only allowed forecaster to see the result of 2010 revenue, the Linear Regression method was applied to estimate the sales in 2011. By collecting the sales data from the last three years (2007 to 2009) in quarterly, by the calculation of the regression line (Exhibit 11), the value of a ( the y intercept) and b (slope of regression line) were found. These two values were use to determine the dependent variable (y). The regression forecast of sales in equation is: y = a + bx (Exhibit 5 ). The forecast results of $10,078.21 and $10,189.41 for each year of 2010 and 2011 once again confirmed about the growth trend of Starbucks sales in the next two year. Nonetheless, base on the Starbucks plan of opening over 500 new stores in US and over sea during 2011, there should be a stronger increase in sales of Starbucks in this year. Subjectively, the authors believed that Starbucks revenue would increase no less than 15% in 2011. In other words, if the 2010 revenue was forecasted at $9,920.81 million, the same item in 2011 would be around $11,408.93 million. This result was also determined base on many positive factors that Starbucks could get benefits from such as the economic recovery in higher volume and speed, the more effective operating of Starbucks after the reorganizing process in its retail stores system as well as the objective increase in customers demand. Moreover, the volume of average transaction would be higher due to the increase in cost of goods sold and the im pact of inflation. In the Exhibit 6, all the operating performances of Starbucks from 2005 to 2009 were displayed in detail by the percent of total revenue. Base on those historical data and theirs visible trends, it was possible to anticipate logically the operating results for next two fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (Exhibit 7). According to the Exhibit 14, the net income of Starbucks stays at $466.27 and $479.18 million for each of 2010 and 2011. This may be considered as the acceptable results in regard to the challenges of the current circumstance. In fact, the forecast net income of 2010 is 19.3% higher than 2009. Since the revenue of 2010 did not rise in a strong level (only 1.5%), this impressive net income mainly came from the reducing the stores operating expenses and the more effective tax rate. In 2011, the operating expenses are expected to increase and stay at 95.2% of total sales, this is an objective fact that many items in operating expenses areas are in trend of steady increase year by year accompany with the business enlarge strategy of Starbucks, such as store operating expenses or general and administrative expenses. However, this ratio might be less in the next following years if the restructure process of Starbucks would get its aims of improving efficiency of cost control in various act ivities. Conclusion and recommendation Starbucks has been the largest specialty coffee retailer in its industry, but due to the problems with our economy, it has been seeing an effect on its sales and profits. The economic situation has affected consumers spending at Starbucks and other luxury goods. Starbucks also raised prices by an average of 9 cents a cup in July of 2007, causing U.S. customers who face higher food, fuel and housing expenses to go to McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts for cheaper coffee. These issues have affected Starbucks stocks performance in the market and are slowly making this stock an unfavorable one for potential investors. My recommendation for potential investors would be to hold off on purchasing stocks from Starbucks at this moment because now is not a good time to invest in them. I would advise these investors to keep looking into this stock until they see a positive change in its market pattern and that would be when I would advise them to purchase the stock; before its price increases higher t han the average market price. My recommendation for investors holding the share of the company would be to hold on to it until they can see for certain if Starbucks stocks will continue to go down and become a loss or maybe potential go back up and become profitable as they once were. After conducting my research, I believe the Starbucks stock will eventually start going up again after they put into effect their plans for the upcoming year. This stock is definitely a valuable one that I would not let go of if I owned shares in it. Starbucks hold value to its stock, which is why my advice to shareholders is to hold off on selling their shares until they see how the upcoming year goes for the company. In a response to the McDonalds challenge Starbucks is teaming up with Burger King, which has announced that by September 2010 it would begin selling Starbucks Seattles Best Coffee in about 7,250 U.S. outlets it would launch its first national advertising campaign. India, Russia, and China represent key areas of focused future expansion.

The Struggle of Revolutions Essay -- War American History Government E

The Struggle of Revolutions _ Have you ever wondered why were revolutions fought for? Why in some cases they had to risk millions of lives in order to have a successful revolution? And how does these turnovers that were fought in our past affect us today? If we look at the history of revolutions, we can find revolutions almost in any country on earth. But three of them were a main revolutions that on their steps, and by the influence of them, other revolutions had been fought. They are: The Glorious Revolution, The American Revolution, and The French Revolution. But when we look at these three in History, By studying them we can find lots of similarities and correspondences. As these three shakeups were closely followed by each other. We can find similarities in every two of them; as follows: The Glorious Revolution which was the first, shared some consequences, and issues with the American Revolution. And for the French Revolution which followed the American Revolution and influenced by it, had also some in common. And same as for both The Glorious, and French Revolution. No one could ever expected the extreme impact of the Glorious revolution over the American revolution and their similarities. In 1685 the Glorious Revolution occurred. In 1776 the American Revolution had begun after announcing The Declaration of Independence. Even though, the Glorious Revolution shared so many similarities; there was a slight difference about it. But these issues that have been shared in between, were amazingly straight to the eye. â€Å"A continuation of the struggle between the crown and parliament, sums up the powers that parliament had been seeking since the petition of rights† _The English Bill of Rights document. â€Å"By authority of the god people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and Independent States†_The declaration of Independence document. Studying these quotes; there is an obvious similarity, both their chiefs achieved their point, and they were successful in the conclusion. â€Å"The English Bill of Rights ensured the superiority of Parliament over the King and Queen.† _English Bill of Rights document. â€Å" Americans protest British Policies† -Enlightenment document. Americans decided to ‘mobilize colonial opinion against parliamentary interference in American affair... ...reat revolutions, as it seemed; there were some communications. The Glorious Revolution had obvious similarities with the American Revolution, the American Revolution strongly affected the French Revolution, Glorious Revolution also shared; even though little similarities with the french Revolution. They all communicate with each other, they influence one another, as they were all one by one came after another. All these Revolutions were fought in the process of making and getting a better government and democracy for the people. And we ask ourselves; Did it all stopped over getting a better government and winning the democratic principles and rights? And why were Revolutions an important point and emphasis where it changes and effects the lives of the people of the future generations in the history of the people and nations? Some answers may be found in these lines that I wrote, but still there are plenty of reasons why Revolutions are still fought for. Even in our world today there are still people dying in their countries struggling to achieve Democracy. Blood still the price in the people’s conquest to gain their rights and democracy. For better Government; for better Life.

Mexico Democracy

Democracy requires several elements to succeed and grow. The leaders of a democracy must respect the boundaries they are given. Freedom of the press is an essential element of modern democracy. People must be willing to participate and support the system of government. Classes may exist in a democracy, but should not be perceived as a detriment to participation in a democracy. Cultural and ethnic cohesion will support a ‘group think’ toward policy and ideals. Mexico during its history lacked several of the elements for a successful democracy.Mexican independence was initially a continuation of Spanish colonialism. The government was not able to see a way forward without continuing policy. Every new nation has a bumpy time converting from monarchy to democracy, but Mexico faced a difficult cultural change. The Catholic Church had a strict hierarchy that also permeated the culture of Mexico and the indigenous people did not have a fair voice in the new government. The wars with France, the US and Texas did not help stabilize a new democracy and led to dissatisfaction and a non-cohesive government.Democracy could not grow in this environment and led to further dissatisfaction with the ‘democracy’ in Mexico. This allowed for a long period of dictatorship under Porfirio Diaz. Mexico was an agrarian society at the time and the lack of education led itself to a dictatorship. Although Diaz brought science and industry to Mexico, he did not allow democracy to flourish under this success. Diaz was more concerned with keeping centralized power of the country and did not allow mass participation in government. Any dissent was silenced. The press was not free and was used by the government to strengthen the Diaz government.Without freedom of the press and centralized power Mexico could not gain true democracy. A free press allows citizens the ability to criticize and form opinions of their government. Mexico did not have this ability under Diaz. Th e growth of the Haciendados continued to keep democracy at bay. With an uneducated and rural population, it is difficult to bring the ideals of democracy to the masses. One of the elements of a successful democracy is a literate voting block. Class seperation, education and the disenfranchisement of citizens continued to keep democracy at bay.Following the revolution of 1910, the leaders of the revolution were unable to gather a productive government. The ideals of revolution were difficult to govern; therefore the government reverted to learned behavior of the previous dictatorship. The cultural divide between indigenous tribes, Crillios and Spaniards was a further detriment to equality under the law in Mexico. The industrial revolution had already started tapping Mexican resources for production in the US and other countries. Corruption was continued and allowed to flourish to keep rebellious elements of the country under control.A democracy cannot move forward with a government t hat allows corruption. Fuentes speaks of the problems with a strong sense of national cohesion or â€Å"mexicaness. † A democracy requires a sense of strength as a people. One of the most famous lines from American democracy is â€Å"a government of the people, by the people, for the people. † Mexico does not have a government that they see in these terms. The continued struggle to gain land rights and justice in the Mexican system does not allow the citizenry to feel a part of their own country and government.The late 20th Century allowed for further economic growth, but governmental policy did not allow for the social structure to continue a growing democracy. Corruption has continued to plague Mexican politics leading citizens to distrust elections. The resent elections in Mexico have been as widely criticized as the elections of the early part of the century. Mexico continues to have a strict class system, uneducated indigenous people and cultural separation. Democ racy will continue to struggle to grow in a rocky environment until Mexico builds the social structure to support an educated society with further cohesion as a people.

Definition and Examples of Zimbabwean English

Definition and Examples of Zimbabwean English Zimbabwean English is the variety of the English language spoken in the Republic of Zimbabwe, located in southern Africa. English is the primary language used in schools in Zimbabwe, but it is one of the 16 official languages in the country.   Examples and Observations: From Rhodesia to ZimbabweZimbabwe, earlier Southern Rhodesia, became a British colony in 1898. By 1923 it gained a measure of self-government and was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1963. Like South Africa, Southern Rhodesia had a settled white population, the leaders of whom opposed the notion of one man, one vote. In 1965, the white minority broke away from Britain but its Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was declared illegal. In 1980, general elections were held and Zimbabwe came into existence.(Loreto Todd and Ian F. Hancock, International English Usage. Routledge, 1986)Influences on  Zimbabwean EnglishRhodesian English is regarded as a fossil, non-productive dialect. Independence as a democratic republic under black majority rule in 1980 changed the social, economic and political conditions in which blacks and whites interacted in Zimbabwe; in this environment, it is appropriate to refer to the prevailing English dialect in the country as Zimbabwean English (ZimE) as it is a productive and changing variety. . . .The principal influences on Rhodesian English lexis are Afrikaans and Bantu (mainly chiShona and isiNdebele). The more informal the situation, the more likely it is is to encounter local expressions.(Susan Fitzmaurice, L1 Rhodesian English. The Lesser-Known Varieties of English, ed. by D. Schreier et al. Cambridge University Press, 2010) Characteristics of  Zimbabwean English[W]hite Zimbabweans perceive that their dialect of English is distinct from other southern African accents. They . . . refer to details of pronunciation and lexis in order to illustrate how their speech differs from British English on the one hand and South African English on the other. For example, informants will refer to the fact that lakker . . . is a Zimbabwean word. Actually, it is a loanword from Afrikaans lekker, nice, but it is pronounced in a specifically Zimbabwean way, namely with a more open front vowel: lakker  [là ¦kÉ™]  and without a final flapped [r]. Additionally, Zimbabwean English has unique lexical expressions, many of them dating from early colonial days, some adaptations or innovations, some loan translations. For example, the (now quite old-fashioned) approbatory adjective mush or mushy . . . nice may well have arisen out of the persistent misunderstanding of the Shona word musha  home, while shupa (v. and n.) worry, bother, hassle, is a borrowing from Fanagalo, the colonial pidgin used by whites. The verb chaya strike ( Shona tshaya) also occurs in Fanagalo. Thus white Zimbabweans . . . link their dialect to the matter of the identification with place and differentiate themselves from those from neighboring South Africa for instance.(Susan Fitzmaurice, History, Social Meaning, and Identity in the Spoken English of White Zimbabweans.  Developments in English: Expanding Electronic Evidence, ed. by  Irma Taavitsainen  et al. Cambridge University Press, 2015) English in ZimbabweEnglish is the official language of Zimbabwe, and much teaching in schools is also carried out in English, except in the case of the youngest Shomna- and Ndebele-speaking children. . . . The Zimbabwean English of the native anglophone population resembles very closely that of South Africa, but according to Wells (1982) it has never been systematically studied. Native English speakers make up less than 1 per cent of the total population of 11 million.(Peter Trudgill, Lesser-Known Varieties of English. Alternative Histories of English, ed. by R. J. Watts and P. Trudgill. Routledge, 2002) Also Known As: Rhodesian English

How does Les Murray use sound features to convey the heroism of Bill Tuckett Essays

How does Les Murray use sound features to convey the heroism of Bill Tuckett Essays How does Les Murray use sound features to convey the heroism of Bill Tuckett Essay How does Les Murray use sound features to convey the heroism of Bill Tuckett Essay Essay Topic: Literature Les Murrays Morse is a poem about Bill Tuckett and his heroic surgery, however through the effective use of sound techniques several levels of meaning are created; of the Morse code and how poetry is dying out. Les Murray emphasizes throughout the poem isolation, Morse code and conveys the heroism of Bill Tuckett using plosives, rhyme and rhythm. One of the sound features used to convey the heroism of Bill Tuckett is plosives. Les Murray crafts Morse into a poem with words that is interpreted in more than one way. Plosives such as c, k, t and p sound like tapping noises, very much like that of Morse code. To the reader this link to Morse code is very entertaining because the constant tapping such as the ck and tt of Tuckett and the p and t of patient. This evokes a positive atmosphere; one to support the heroism of Bill Tuckett conveyed through this humorous tone. Furthermore Les Murray uses plosives in pluck and epoch. These are words that are rarely used in this age are considered archaic which in use matches the era of Bill Tuckett. This adds realism and humour to Morse. This realism emphasizes the isolation of the area and how there is nobody except Bill Tuckett to do the surgery which increases the heroism of Bill Tuckett. Plosives also are very short syllables which speed up Morse evoking an urgent atmosphere. Les Murray conveys the urgency to give the effect of Bill Tuckett trying to quickly send Morse to others. Even though he is a hero because of the surgery, his fast sending of Morse has made a hero is Morse as well. The plosives in Morse convey heroism through the tapping noise, being archaic and the urgency. Another of the sound features is rhyme which conveys the heroism of Bill Tuckett through isolation, urgency and entertainment. Les Murray uses some assonance in slit but slit and razor blade portraying dark images of horror and evoking a negative atmosphere. However the words that rhyme end in plosives like lack luck, and pluck which creates an echo. The echoing of sounds is very entertaining to the reader which evokes a positive atmosphere. The contrast between the positive atmosphere and the negative atmosphere reduces the intensity of the horror which conveys Bill as being less horrible through is horrifying actions of the surgery but instead very heroic for what he has done. In all lines of Morse they end in a plosive except for the line which ends in gone. Les Murray uses this to emphasize the line Morse keys have mostly gone which is suggesting that Morse or even poetry is being used less and less. Les Murray is emphasizing the point to convey the importance of the theme and show that since it is running out and he is using Morse effectively, Bill Tuckett is heroic. Rhyme in Morse conveys the heroism of Bill Tuckett through the pleasure of rhyme and his Les Murrayss use of Morse. Heroism is conveyed by Bill Tuckett through rhythm. Morse is made up of short syllables and long syllables. Les Murray creates the effect of short corresponding to the dit of Morse code as well as the long syllables corresponding to the dah of Morse code which is entertaining to the reader because there are several levels of meaning. Because it is entertaining this reiterates the positive atmosphere therefore emphasizing the Positivity of the heroism of Bill Tuckett. A pause is used in Stanza one where there are lots of commas between heat, glare and dust to portray imagery of a difficult environment. Les Murray is emphasizing how its hard for Bill Tuckett to cope and conveys heroism. Throughout Stanza two there is a lack of pauses as there is no full stops therefore evoking an urgent atmosphere. This urgency reiterates Bill Tuckett sending Morse and conveys Bill Tuckett as being heroic. Rhythm in Morse conveys the heroism of Bill Tuckett through the syllables corresponding to Morse code and pauses conveying the difficult environment. In Morse, Les Murray conveys the heroism of Bill Tuckett effectively through rhythm, rhyme and plosives which portray several levels of meaning. Themes of isolation, the loss of art; poetry and Morse are conveyed through the urgent and positive atmosphere. Les Murray conveys to the reader that the art of poetry is important and should be recognised and appreciated.

Typical Marketing strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Typical Marketing strategies - Research Paper Example In such a strategy, companies ensure that there, no excess cost being incurred. In the case of products, companies source raw materials from suppliers at the lowest possible cost and still maintain the necessary quality required. This aggressive concept to remaining the market director requires the firm to expand the entire market by seeking new consumers, new product uses and encouraging current consumers to use more of the service or product. All of these strategies will serve to boost quantity demanded resulting in lower costs through proper economies of scale permit the firm to reinforce its supremacy in the industry.  Wal-Mart  is the perfect example of this strategy. Wal-Mart has been flourishing using this strategy of daily low prices to attract consumers. The plan of daily low prices is to offer goods at a lower rate compared to competitors, relatively than relying on sales. This company attains this due to its great scale and resourceful supply chain. They get products from cheap local suppliers and low-wage overseas markets. This allows the corporation to sell their things at low prices and to profit off thin margins from very volume sales. Therefore, based on this approach, Wal-Mart has been a ble to acquire and control the vast market share. This Strategy is based on exploiting recognized weakness in the place of the cost leader or other companies in the market. These weaknesses might be customer dissatisfaction with the products available, consumer services or value of the product obtainable by the Cost-Leader.  Target  is an outstanding example of this approach countering with lesser, friendlier stores easier for the purchaser to navigate when in a rush. Differentiated products gain a competitive advantage as the customer derives satisfaction from the product, which is not accessible to other products. Companies that employ such a strategy can end being a monopoly in the

Getting fired from jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Getting fired from jobs - Essay Example However, this is not true in some cases leading to the said employees having to struggle to keep up with the requirements of their job description after hiring. This is a leading cause as it puts the employer in a difficult position following this inability, of a highly decorated employee, to learn their jobs in or on time for productive working. In addition, the issue of bringing personal issues into work is not left out. This is following the potential that some workers have in their social lives in relation to their ability to socialize effectively and the inability to keep apart professionalism and personal issues. In light of this, personal issues may be brought through one of two or even both ways, which are gossip on other employees, or even bringing in personal differences with other employees to cause squabbles. These are solid grounds for dismissal as it affects the productivity of the employee in question and others that are involved in the personal differences. In addition, the interference of personal issues in the workplace may also occur through using business hours n the workplace to attend to personal issues. Such issues include family problems or even helping friends take care of their own problem. It may be a positive thing to help others or even take care of one’s own problems, but the negative point comes in when the employee cheats the employer of productive time through the same. For example, if an employee has marital problems with his or her husband or wife, it is only logical to attempt at correcting the problems for peace of mind. However, using time, which one is paid for by the employer and is meant for the benefit of the said employer, for personal gain is grounds enough for dismissal. The proper channel would be to go through the employer and ask for time off to sort out one’s personal issues before