Case_2_-_Al_Dar-done-X Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case_2_-_Al_Dar-done-X - Case Study Example For example, the company’s revenue for the year ended December 31, 2009 was AED 1,979.3 million compared to AED 4,978.3 million for the previous year (year 2008). That was a decrease of about 60.2%. In addition, the profit for that year was AED 1,006.9 million compared to AED 3,446.7 million in the previous year. Second, the reduction in the company’s profitability levels minimized its ability to handle debt obligations promptly. In addition, the property crash had left the market with just a few private players with the capacity to and the will to buy the assets. Therefore, the mentioned reasons landed the company in liquidity deficit situation, thus, the inability to handle the debt. Third, the cost reduction strategy of the company involving the layoff of 105 employees sparked worries among the employees. Most of them were unsure of their job security in the business thus, the genesis of the reduction in morale. The UAE’s real estate industry is deeply affected by the global debt crisis. The foreign investors reduced the level of investment in the property. The residents’ purchasing power was also reduced by the inflation effect. For that reason, the demand for housing products is low leading to a reduction in rental prices. The following economic factors have affected the company’s performance: first, the unification of the individual states to form the Union, which prompted widespread infrastructural development, which boosted the company’s performance. Second, the oil boom in the 1970s up to 1990s provided the capital necessary for economic growth and development, which increased the company’s performance. Last, the 2007-2010 credit crunch led to a reduction in the enterprise’s performance. Yes, the economy, the industry, and the company were shaken. Since the demand for real estate products and the level of foreign investments reduced, the profitability of the industry declined. The

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger Essay Example for Free

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger Essay The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is a novel, which centres around the theme of isolation. This study will examine this theme, along with the writers use of characterisation and setting, which help to convey the characters eventual break down. The Catcher in the Rye is a personal account told by Holden Caulfield, the narrator of the book. He recalls a weekend of his life from a psychiatric hospital, and throughout gives off an impression of his loneliness, and isolation from society. We see everything through Holdens eyes, and so he cannot always be said to be a reliable narrator, however we still see him to have problems and so there is still room for an outside perspective. Throughout the novel, Holden shows feelings of alienation. He says he feels trapped on the other side of life, and generally doesnt feel he fits in with the world around him. He finds interaction with other people confusing and difficult, and so makes out to himself that he is above interacting with other people, and almost superior to anyone else around him. I thought what Id do was, Id pretend to be one of those deaf-mutes. That way I wouldnt have to have any goddam stupid conversations with anybody. Holden tries to escape from social situations, as he finds them difficult to cope with and uncomfortable. However, as well as causing Holden problems, his isolation from society also acts as the little stability that he has in his life, and the only aspect he can control. As a sixteen-year-old boy growing up, these feelings of alienation could simply be seen as regular teenage emotions, however in Holdens case his isolation eventually leads to him breaking down, and ending up in psychiatric care. Holden is at the stage in his life where both society and his own body are telling him that he should be progressing into adulthood. He can be a very immature character, and even Holden himself realises this, but justifies it by saying he is going through a phase. He seems to want to resist the process of maturing, and fears the change and complicity of adult life. He enjoys the innocence, and lack of responsibility of childhood, and doesnt want to swap this for the grown up and more serious things in life. However, Holden is attracted to some aspects of grown up life, such as independence, sexuality and alcohol. Throughout the book he experiences these aspects, but he refuses to accept the others. He believes that adulthood is full of phonies, and that many people around him are fake and superficial. Having said this, Holden himself lies and deceits people throughout the story. He tells the woman on the train that he is the school janitor because he didnt feel like giving her his whole life history, and he says himself that he is a compulsive liar, the most terrific liar one could meet. Throughout the book though, it is unclear whether people actually believe him, and so his deceitfulness and lies could be seen to simply help his own self-delusion, and be another part of him not understanding who he is. As Holden cannot fully accept that he is maturing, and becoming an adult, he doesnt appear to really know who he is. He seems to be trying to find himself in the story, and is looking for direction in life. We see this when he asks people several times where the ducks fly away to in the winter. This shows that he is searching for a way to lead his life, but is not sure where to go from his current situation. During the book, Holden stays in the same place for very little time. He moves from his school, Pencey, to several locations in New York, and then ends up back in his hometown. This constant change of scenery reflects Holdens feeling of not belonging, and shows that he is struggling to find his place in society. While at Pencey, Holden does not get on overly well with his classmates. After being thrown out of many schools previously, Holden is asked to leave Pencey, and so goes to New York City hoping to find something to do with himself. While in New York, he visits many places such as pubs and clubs. These places are usually seen to be for adults, and more mature people and so they act as a contradiction to Holdens feelings towards adult life. While in the clubs Holden can experience the only aspects of adulthood that he is willing to accept, and so he goes in order to drink and meet new people. After being in several places away from home, at the end of the novel Holden returns back to his hometown. Originally Holdens intentions are to move away, and live away from his parents. However after speaking to his younger sister, he decides that he will stay at home. This shows that he is finally beginning to accept that he has to face up to real life, and deal with the things that truly matter such as his family. It is ironic however; that it is after talking to his younger sister that he makes this decision. She manages to convince Holden to stay put, and it is when watching her on the merry-go-round that he finally breaks down into tears and realises what is happening to him. Holden does not finish the story, but ends it here, only going on to say that he is now in the hospital. While in the hospital it seems that he has had time to reflect on what happened to him, and possibly think about who he is as a person. After inventing his own fantasy of adulthood, full of superficiality, he must realise that all of his presumptions are not necessarily true and that he himself has been behaving in an unrealistic manner. The character of Holden could be seen simply as a troubled teenager, however it is made more believable that the character does in fact have mental problems, having ended up in a psychiatric ward. The Catcher in the Rye raises issues of isolation and how Holden as a young individual deals with it. J.D. Salinger expresses very well how the character struggles to cope with life; its effects on him and the way he ends up, using the technique of setting and the development of Holden as a character.

Clothing and Gender in Virginia Woolfs Orlando Essay -- Virginia Wool

Clothing and Gender in Virginia Woolf's Orlando In her novel Orlando, Virginia Woolf tells the story of a man who one night mysteriously becomes a woman. By shrouding Orlando's actual gender change in a mysterious religious rite, we readers are pressured to not question the actual mechanics of the change but rather to focus on its consequences. In doing this, we are invited to answer one of the fundamental questions of our lives, a question that we so often ignore because it seems so very basic - what is a man? What is a woman? And how do we distinguish between the two? It seems that in ordinary life, we are most likely to distinguish between a man and a woman by clothing. This is more difficult to do in the present day, in which women have adapted much traditionally male clothing for their own use, but in the time periods in which Orlando is set it was still the case that men and women wore distinct clothing. If we consider our everyday experience, it becomes clear that this is the means we use, at least from a distance. Other cues such as hairstyle, quality of voice, and so on enter the equation later, but clothing comes first. A man with long hair is eccentric at worst; a man wearing a dress runs the risk of being beaten to a pulp for this transgression. People wishing to undergo a sex-change operation must undergo a period of living as the opposite gender before going through with surgery - the first and most important thing invariably done here is to purchase a new wardrobe. So, if clothes are the cues that we use to differentiate the two genders, then it is no surprise that Orlando's sex change takes place when it does. In the opening paragraph of Chapter Four, upon Orlando's departure from Turkey, Woolf writes... ...ch woman when in fact it is not very clear what she is. Woolf posits that her choice of clothing points to something deeper: "Clothes are but a symbol of something deep beneath. It was a change in Orlando herself that dictated her choice of a woman's dress and of a woman's sex" (188). If only it were possible for us to change our genders and all the social baggage that comes with them merely by changing our clothing? But Orlando's life is in some ways magical, and this makes it possible. Works Cited and Consulted Boehm, Beth A. "Fact, Fiction, and Metafiction: Blurred Gen(d)res in Orlando and A Room of One's Own." Journal of Narrative Technique 22:3 (1992): 191-204. Thompson, Nicola. "Some Theories of One's Own: Orlando and the Novel." Studies in the Novel 25:3 (1993): 306-17. Woolf, Virginia. Orlando: A Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. Clothing and Gender in Virginia Woolf's Orlando Essay -- Virginia Wool Clothing and Gender in Virginia Woolf's Orlando In her novel Orlando, Virginia Woolf tells the story of a man who one night mysteriously becomes a woman. By shrouding Orlando's actual gender change in a mysterious religious rite, we readers are pressured to not question the actual mechanics of the change but rather to focus on its consequences. In doing this, we are invited to answer one of the fundamental questions of our lives, a question that we so often ignore because it seems so very basic - what is a man? What is a woman? And how do we distinguish between the two? It seems that in ordinary life, we are most likely to distinguish between a man and a woman by clothing. This is more difficult to do in the present day, in which women have adapted much traditionally male clothing for their own use, but in the time periods in which Orlando is set it was still the case that men and women wore distinct clothing. If we consider our everyday experience, it becomes clear that this is the means we use, at least from a distance. Other cues such as hairstyle, quality of voice, and so on enter the equation later, but clothing comes first. A man with long hair is eccentric at worst; a man wearing a dress runs the risk of being beaten to a pulp for this transgression. People wishing to undergo a sex-change operation must undergo a period of living as the opposite gender before going through with surgery - the first and most important thing invariably done here is to purchase a new wardrobe. So, if clothes are the cues that we use to differentiate the two genders, then it is no surprise that Orlando's sex change takes place when it does. In the opening paragraph of Chapter Four, upon Orlando's departure from Turkey, Woolf writes... ...ch woman when in fact it is not very clear what she is. Woolf posits that her choice of clothing points to something deeper: "Clothes are but a symbol of something deep beneath. It was a change in Orlando herself that dictated her choice of a woman's dress and of a woman's sex" (188). If only it were possible for us to change our genders and all the social baggage that comes with them merely by changing our clothing? But Orlando's life is in some ways magical, and this makes it possible. Works Cited and Consulted Boehm, Beth A. "Fact, Fiction, and Metafiction: Blurred Gen(d)res in Orlando and A Room of One's Own." Journal of Narrative Technique 22:3 (1992): 191-204. Thompson, Nicola. "Some Theories of One's Own: Orlando and the Novel." Studies in the Novel 25:3 (1993): 306-17. Woolf, Virginia. Orlando: A Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Environmental Effects When Species Become Extinct Essay

Animals are, like us, endangered species on an endangered planet, and we are the ones who are endangering them, it, and ourselves. They are innocent sufferers in a hell of our making. Now a days is common to listen that more and more kind of animals are going to be part of a long list of species in extinction called â€Å"the red list†, When a animal is endangered it means that they are disappearing fast or have a very small population. Every day we can see in the media the great campaign that is carried out to preserve these animals, as for example: they are keeping in zoos, they have attended reproduction, they have their habitat protected, and however, it is really necessary? Does it affect in something to the environment that a species extinguishes? Does it affects to humans also? DAVID M.  RAUP in his article called â€Å"The role of extinction in evolution (2004)† said: â€Å"The extinction of species is closely tied to the process of natural selection and is thus a major component of progressive evolution. In some passages of the Origin, Darwin seems to have seen extinction as part of natural selection; in others, as an inevitable outcome. † so why a lot of people are trying to defend the preservation of these species? Let? s analyze the reasons for which animals in extinction should be conserved. It remains all the scientists agree with which the extinction of the species has been part of the development of the earth during all its existence, According with Juliette Jowit (2010) â€Å"Extinction is part of the constant evolution of life, and only 2-4% of the species that have ever lived on Earth are thought to be alive today† When a species disappear, new ones emerge, it has happened during millions of years, such it is the case of the extinction of the dinosaurs or the â€Å"dodos†. In addition we have to bear in mind that to preserved a species is too difficult, this requires of big quantities of money, and not all countries has the possibility to do that. A good example is Ecuador with their project to preserve the â€Å"Yasunni ITT†. It is an extensive area of wild earth that contains big quantities of petroleum but it also has a great flora and fauna diversity. Ecuador requested economic help to other countries to maintain the petroleum under earth, but a great acceptance has not existed to this project and it is feared that to future the exploitation of this area will be unavoidable. On the other hand, there is not denying that researches show that the species extinction increases since the human appeared, and now days the rate of animals in extinction has been duplicated for many reasons, the global warming, habitat loss, hunting, pollution and so on. How it affects to the environment? Michael Evans (2011) says: â€Å"The more species disappear, the more entire eco-systems become vulnerable and would eventually fall apart as the links in the food chains become broken† It means that the eco-system is a big net where animals and plants are related each others, if some of them disappear, the others won? t have food, home or protection and they also will be in danger. Likewise humans can be affected with this deal, according with Michael Greenwell (2007) â€Å"Species provide economic value in the form of food crops, fuel wood and lumber, paper, and medicine†. The genetic information in species is also very important to mankind† Seen like that of the survival of certain animals ours also depends. I am entirely in favor of animal conservation because as we can saw, the animal extinction affects a lot in the environment, it’s certain that the variety of species and their habitats have an important role in ecosystem function and in the many services ecosystems provide. These include nutrient and water cycling, soil formation, plant pollination, climate regulation, and pest and pollution control. If we don’t have this benefits from ecosystem the life could be impossible. It is necessary that people, as thinking beings, should take the responsibility of preserving the life of plants and animals that compose the big planet called Earth. Let? s think about the Charles Darwin? s thought: â€Å"so profound is our ignorance, and so high our presumption, that we marvel when we hear of the extinction of an organic being; and as we do not see the cause, we invoke cataclysms to desolate the world, or invent laws on the duration of the forms of life! To sum up, Although extinctions are a normal part of evolution and it is almost impossible that a species survives forever, in the last times the rate of animals in extinction has been duplicated in an alarming way, by reason of this the ecosystem is suffering a imbalance with serious consequences for itself and for humans. For this reason it is indispensable that people realize the important of animal conservation, just in this way future generations will enjoy the wonderful nature that the Earth has.

2.5 work file Essay

Directions: Complete the food safety interactive quiz. Use the information from the interactive quiz to complete the following responses regarding food safety practices. For each of the following food safety practices, share at least 2 statements from the interactive quiz. Be sure to put these statements in your own words and explain why they are helpful in preventing food borne illness. An example would be: When dining from a buffet, make sure hot food is hot and cold food is cold. Food that is 40 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit has already begun to grow bacteria and pathogens. Clean (16 points): 1. After handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs wash your hands because you can get a foodborne illness. 2. Rinse fruits and vegetables with running tap water before eating, cutting, and cooking to reduce amount of bacteria present. Separate (16 points): 1. Keep many foods separate to avoid cross-contamination. It is the transfer of harmful bacteria from foods to other foods. Especially, when handling raw meat, eggs, or poultry. 2. Be sure to wash your counter and utensils with hot, soapy water to kill bacteria. Cook (16 points): 1. I f you leave cooked food out for 8 hours, throw away the food. See more: Recruitment and selection process essay Bacteria can grow rapidly and cause illness when it has the nutrients it needs. 2. You can a hamburger is cooked when you use a food temperature and the internal part of the hamburger is 160 F. Chill (16 points): 1. Freezing food should be kept and 0 F and below because it inactivates microbes- bacteria, yeasts, and mold. 2. By refrigerating foods at cold temperatures, you keep bacteria from multiplying. In your own kitchen, explain 2 food safety practices you feel your family can improve and 2 food safety practices you feel your family does well. (16 points) 2 food safety practices are: Run fruits and vegetables under tap water before cooking, eating, and cutting. Refrigerate food when not being used because bacteria forms rapidly. 2 safety practices: Wash utensils with warm, soapy water. Clean your counter with warm, soapy water to kill bacteria. In what ways do your school and community practice or promote food safety to contribute to your personal health? (20 points) They contribute to this by reducing pollution and cleaning up the community. By doing these little things, it can help my lungs be full of oxygen and not pollutants and cleaning up the community can save my life my protecting fish that I eat.

All Men Are Created Equally, a Contradiction Essays

All Men Are Created Equally, a Contradiction Essays All Men Are Created Equally, a Contradiction Paper All Men Are Created Equally, a Contradiction Paper Smith 1 James Smith English 101-28 Short Answer Response #3 09/12/2012 All Men are Created Equally: A Contradiction Over the centuries america has fabricated the cultural mythology that all men are created equally. For years america has enforced that all men are created equally when in fact the statement itself is a contradiction. Years ago certain people could not vote because of slavery, race, and also gender. Also America has social classes that have always been vivid in american culture. Finally this cliche holds very little currency in this nation now. Before and during the era of the civil war, slavery was a huge issue for many reasons. One of the biggest issues was that even though they were heman and on american soil; they were not allowed to vote. At this time in history slaves were not able to vote because they were considered â€Å"Property. † â€Å"Slaves were considered property, and they were property because they were black. (â€Å"PBS. org†)† How is property supposed to vote, right? Even though they were considered property, they were still human. If all men were created equally, as the constitution stated, then the slaves should of had the right to vote. Unfortunately they did not obtain this right until 94 years later. After slavery was abolished, there was still a problem. Certain people were not allowed to vote because of their race and gender. Again, all of these humans are supposed to be created equally, yet because of race and gender they are denied basic human rights. It would take another 94 years until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for any of these people to be able to vote. So apparently all men are created equally unless they are a different gender or race. By living in america, you automatically become apart of a social class. America consists of four social classes: an upper class, working class, middle class, and finally a lower class. Smith 2 James Smith English 101-28 Short Answer Response #3 09/12/2012 America should not even have social classes if all men are created equally. If all men are created equally, then everyone would be making the same amount of money, have the same education, and etc. This surely is not the case. Results from these three research methods suggest that in the united states today, approximately 15 to 20 percent are in the poor, lower class; 30 to 40 percent are in the working class; 40 to 50 percent are in the middle class; and 1 to 3 percent are in the rich upper class. (â€Å"CliffsNotes†)† There is a wide variety of different people in different social classes. This fact completely contradicts that all me n are created equally because clearly they are not if america divides itself into different social classes. This particular cliche holds very little currency in this nation today. It still has some value though; by this i mean anyone who is an actual citizen of the united states can vote. Other than that it holds no currency. This cliche still lingers around because it gives people a sense of satisfaction. It gives people satisfaction because they think that even though that person is richer than me, or is different from me in any way; we still have the same rights and same penalties. Therefore this phrase will stick around until people realize that it is a contradiction and cultural mythology; eventually they will become unsatisfied with it. America has fabricated that all men are created equally. As you read, you realized that the phrase itself is a cultural mythology and contradictory. There are countless other reasons why this cliche is contradictory. You now know that slavery, race, gender, and social class play a vital role in proving this. Smith 3 James Smith English 101-28 Short Answer Response #3 09/12/2012 . Conditions of Antebellum Slavery. PBS. org. PBS, 01 Aug 2012. Web. 12 Sep 2012. . . Types of Social Classes of People. CliffsNotes. CliffsNotes, n. d. Web. 12 Sep 2012. .

Crop Cover

Crop Cover Vineyard Floor Management I. Clean cultivation: 1. conserves moisture 2. destroys organic matter at surface 3. may damage soil structure 4. changes soil porosity-root growth is restricted 5. earthworm populations are lower 6. suppresses root growth in upper layer 7. increases the breakdown of nitrogenous compounds into nitrates.8. May develop hard pan.COVER CROPS Choice and performance are site specific, so test in a few rows before deciding.Two types: 1) disked or 2) perennial sod Considerations: 1. costs vs. benefits 2. irrigation method 3. tillage practices 4. nitrogen needs 5. frost concerns Cover crops are generally only grown in row middles, with under-row vegetation controlled by mulch, herbicide, or tillage.Advantages of cover crops: 1. provide organic matter for the soil 2. provide mulch for under-row 3. increase water infiltration rate 4. control erosion 5. reduce dust in vineyard.6. Dry out and stabilize the soil in wet areas 7.A photo demonstrating the use of cover crops betwe...

Bibliography

Bibliography As you put the finishing touches on your research paper or business report, youll want to begin compiling your bibliography. During the writing process, you will use the parenthetical citations as outlined in the APA style manual. For each source you cite, you will need to include it in your list of works cited at the end of the paper. Click Here For Our Recommended Site About Bibliographies! The Importance of Listing Sources Why are bibliographies so important, anyhow? Most of us throw them together hastily just before we print out our papers. However, they are often the most important part of your paperthe proof for each APA style citation, and the basis on which you built your paper. How to Compile Your Bibliography Creating your bibliography has never been easier than it is when using the APA writing style. You simply list the texts alphabetically, by authors last names. You include the title of the text, publication information, and page numbers used. Making Bibliographies Easier with Software You simply choose which type of publication you are entering, and the software provides the formatting. In fact, at the end of your paper, you can simply use the citations youve made to generate an instant, alphabetized bibliography! You wont believe how easy it has become to create a flawless bibliography in seconds.

Statistic Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistic Analysis - Term Paper Example As a student interested in international studies, with a goal of eventually entering a business or public administrative realm that deals with international technologies and markets, I have prepared this brief paper to analyze a number of variables that pertain to population demographics of a number of Western and non-Western societies in order to determine variables that have an effect on quality of life. Specifically, I have gathered a series of data from the world rankings dataset of educational, sociopolitical, and quality of life characteristics produced for statistical analysis by the Statistics Online Computational Resource center at UCLA, titled the SOCR Data 2008 World Countries Rankings. This data presents a range of information on variables dealing with country size, economic dynamism, literacy rates, health and wellbeing, quality of life, and religiosity for the top 100 countries in the world. I analyzed the data for these countries to determine some of the major characte ristics of the demographic trends within each nation in order to summarize the overall international standings of countries relative to their population demographics. I present a variety of data analysis compilations drawn from this dataset in the brief summary that follows. In order to weigh the overall trends regarding general quality of life as determined by the SOCR dataset, I developed a histogram and stem and leaf plot for the quality of life measure tabulated in the dataset, defined as a multivariate measure including inequality, gender-based, poverty, homicide, environment, and employment indices. Figures 1 and 2 below present the findings relative to this measure. As can be seen from this data, the distribution seemed to follow a relatively normal pattern. This indicated that there were a wide range of countries in the middle of the quality of life demographic

Economic Impact of Festival in Qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Economic Impact of Festival in Qatar - Essay Example From a general point of view any festival has following impacts on any country/city /society: Festival helps the country to boost its economy; Festival helps to foster community pride in a large way; Festivals help people to teach and at the same time learn new things from the visitors, and Festival often helps a country or any community to strengthen its relationship with the neighboring nations. (Grames & Vitcenda, 2012). In this paper the main objective is to analyze the economic status of Qatar from an overall perspective, measure how it able to grow in a span of last ten or so years and how various festivals of Qatar helps the country to boost its economy. The paper will also focus on government spending in various kinds of festivals in Qatar and whether those spending by the government able to yield good result in terms of stable economic relation with others, boosting the economy as a whole, developing the overall infrastructure of the country etc. Diversity in the festival is one of the main attractions of Qatar. Over the year Qatar is started to gain popularity among rest of the world due to its variety of international festival. Doha is the capital of Qatar and also the hub of every kind of economic, social and political activities. Doha is the main country which represents the cultural diversity of the country of Qatar in front of rest of the world. Doha is well recognized in every part of the globe for its food festival, film festival, ethnic cultural activity etc. Doha is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The growth of the city is mainly due to high volume exports of oil, liquefied natural resources (mainly gas) and other petrochemicals. The city is very modern with high sky-scrapers and high standard of livings among the people of the city. The city is in the center of attraction by hosting the various international conference and local festivals.

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Assignment 2 - Essay Example ng, investigating and comprehending concepts for the main objective of concept advancement, description, contrasting, explanation, classification, modification and substantiation. Conceptual analysis is further a course of investigation that delves into concepts for their stage of advancement as portrayed by their interior framework, applications and interaction to other concepts. In fact, conceptual analysis outlines the center for supplying definitions of abstract concepts. It has varied standing in learning. From the time when it was introduced in learning, it was clear that it is a fundamental tool for advancement of theory. However, it is clear that conceptual analysis is complicated. It is evident that it does not provide clear means to contribute to further theoretical knowledge (Sowa, 2006). Conceptual analysis does not provide significant theoretical foundation of learning. In reference to Sowa (2006), it is a random and an informal process that constrains the development of science. It can lead to huge worry and anxiety for the reason that there are no strict rules on how to conduct the process of conceptual analysis. This means that researchers can fail to determine the best way to carry out the whole process that includes going through large mass of literature. Due to the fact that conceptual analysis has an easy attribute, the work at the end of the process is associated with poor quality. It is clear that conceptual analysis requires a lot of thorough work, patience and elevated levels of cognitive abilities which many researchers lack, thereby lowering the quality of the end result. Conceptual analysis may lead to a value attachment, thereby moralising the concept in analysis in case there are any values attached. This may bar the analytic process and destroy the entire research. On the other hand, concept critical thinking lacks a moral feature and value attachment turns out to be useless in the current analysis. There is a desire to increase

Resonse to comment W4CT and CE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resonse to comment W4CT and CE - Essay Example The payback period gives the manager the amount of year it takes to break even. The payback method allows managers to assess a capital project quickly and make operating decisions based on the results. If the payback period is longer than what the company can afford then the project must be rejected. The reason a manager should accept a project with above an above cero NPV is because the metric ensures that the firm will generate money taking into considerations the time value of money. As you mentioned in your response the use of the NPV method lowers the risk of managers of accepting projects that could be unprofitable. The great thing about using the NPV method to evaluate projects is that this method provides results that are unbiased due to the fact that the NPV mathematical methodology is flawless. If the NPV results states that a project has a negative NPV results this is undeniable prove that the project will not bring a company any benefits. If a manager does not use any pro ven capital budgeting techniques such as NPV the manager is being irresponsible and his work as a manager can be considered irresponsible and incompetent. DQ2 Managers must use financial capital budget techniques to evaluate whether to accept or reject a project.

Random Numbers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Random Numbers - Essay Example While practicing the use of random numbers it is highly advisable to choose few random number generators that have an acceptable reputation. Indeed, deriving an excellent random number is still a plight since computation of a series of random numbers cannot be generated by computers. True random numbers generation has turned to be one of the important factors in the increasing levels of innovation. The increase in innovation has made the developing of algorithms that generate random numbers that entail all properties of being true random numbers (Haule, 2014) Malcolm (2010) argues that all output produced by the machines including computers today are totally predictable hence making it impossible for them to generate true random numbers. In today’s world there are various methods of generating random numbers being used. Various methods have been innovated to produce true random numbers and they include use of radioactive decay or quantum system, Lehmer’s multiplicative congruently algorithm from which lots of random number generators are based, pseudo-random generators which are simple and when used together with Monte Carlo or multidimensional integration give a much satisfying result. There are several others like the numerical inversion method which is mostly used to generate Gaussian distributed random numbers. From a real experience of random number generating machine that is online, the resultant random number is quite unpredictable from the start. A continuous use of the random number generator revealed a slight clue of predictability as the results seemed to be shifting towards the larger integer out of the two keyed in. This could probably be due to the narrow integral limit of the numerical algorithm. Pseudo-random generator being one of the easiest random number generators to use and being readily available in various libraries is an excellent generator and is used by several institutions in the globe. They

Resonse to comment W4CT and CE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resonse to comment W4CT and CE - Essay Example The payback period gives the manager the amount of year it takes to break even. The payback method allows managers to assess a capital project quickly and make operating decisions based on the results. If the payback period is longer than what the company can afford then the project must be rejected. The reason a manager should accept a project with above an above cero NPV is because the metric ensures that the firm will generate money taking into considerations the time value of money. As you mentioned in your response the use of the NPV method lowers the risk of managers of accepting projects that could be unprofitable. The great thing about using the NPV method to evaluate projects is that this method provides results that are unbiased due to the fact that the NPV mathematical methodology is flawless. If the NPV results states that a project has a negative NPV results this is undeniable prove that the project will not bring a company any benefits. If a manager does not use any pro ven capital budgeting techniques such as NPV the manager is being irresponsible and his work as a manager can be considered irresponsible and incompetent. DQ2 Managers must use financial capital budget techniques to evaluate whether to accept or reject a project.

Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis - Essay Example This "Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis" essay outlines the main problems of Jersey Shore reality TV. Reality TV shows have become a controversial issue. Several scholars have raised questions regarding the deceitful realism depicted in several reality TV shows. Most reality TV shows are characterized by stereotypes and unearned celebrity. To some scholar, using the term â€Å"reality TV† to refer to some shows is misleading since the shows are characterized by fabricated reactions accomplished in contrived situations. Bignell, Fiske, Barnet-Weiser, and Portwood-Stacer feel that reality TV programs should focus on how ordinary people behave without too much exaggeration. In their opinion, reality shows should focus more on passing an ideology and not on the individual taking part in the show. Jersey Shore is a reality TV show that has been debated on my several scholars. Though considered a reality show, Jersey Shore demonstrates promiscuity, stereotyping, and abuse of alcohol. The shore pays more attention to the personal behaviors and opinions of the casts and not on ideologies. This has resulted in a lot of criticism from scholars who feel that the show is unrealistic since it dwells too much on negative aspects. One such negative aspect is the depiction of feminism in the twenty-first Century. Nicole, who is one of the main casts being idolized by several American teenagers, considers herself a modern woman. She considers herself a good example of feminist but engages in endless clubbing and gets drunks often. , gets drunks often, and engages in sexual intercourse with any man. Additionally, she feels that clubbing at night with her male colleagues makes her equal with them. This is a distorted portrayal of equality and it depicts denigration of feminism. This kind of feminism is what Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer (259) refer as â€Å"as testimony for the collapse of identity with representation.† Although the Jersey shore tries to depict girls as strong and independent, the depiction is erroneous. Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer would have opposed and criticized such a depiction of feminism. This is because the two believe that such portrayal of feminism is â€Å"a symptom and effect of gender oppression.† In the shore, the male casts underrate the female cast. The female thus engage in activities such as clubbing in an attempt to prove the men wrong (Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer 260). According to Fiske (5), â€Å"It is by no means natural for television to repr esent reality in the way that it does, just as it is by no means natural for language to do so.† Fiske considers most reality Television to be unrealistic. He claims that all television shows relies on codes to construct reality. In case of Jersey shore, most happenings are idealistic. A good example is the pretense that the casts are of Italian American origin, yet they

Good cancer pain management can help patients feel better Essay Example for Free

Good cancer pain management can help patients feel better Essay Most cancer patients suffer from pain in varying degrees during their illness. The management of this pain and its relationship in improving the wellbeing of the patient is the primary focus of this study. This paper approached the study by researching articles that dealt with pain management from different angles. After critical analysis of these articles this paper will arrive at a conclusion that addresses the research question.   The topics reviewed included: 1. The use of a clinical instruction module (CLIM) for hospice nurses to upgrade their skills (Plymale, M. et al, 2001) 2. The role of cognition in promoting the psychological well being of the patient (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002) 3. The use of pain management autobiographies to discover how best to deal with pain management (Schumacher, K. et al. 2001) 4. Overcoming patient related barriers to pain management by educating them (Chang, Ming-Chuan. 2002) 5. Providing a description of advanced cancer pain in home hospice subjects to enable the caregivers to alleviate their suffering (Dobratz, M. 2001) The material for this study was searched from the University of Wollongong database of Medline. The key words in the search for journal articles were nursing, research and cancer pain.   Articles were chosen for their relevance to the research question and the findings they came up with. Information that was obtained from these studies enabled the writer to draw important conclusions as concerns pain management in cancer patients with pain. The research is of extreme importance to the writer. I lost my husband to cancer. The trauma we all went through watching him in pain gave me a new impetus to do all in my power to ensure that no other patient will need to go through the same suffering as he did. As I continue to practice, I would like to contribute to breaking new ground in pain management in cancer patients; especially as concerns alleviating their pain and improving their quality of life. Article 1 In an article entitled ‘Cancer Pain Education: A Structured Clinical Instruction Module For Hospice Nurses’, appearing in the journal ‘Cancer Nursing ‘,Plymale M. et al (2001) studied the effect of pain education on the quality of service by caregivers. The research aimed to determine whether educating nurses on pain management will improve their ability to assess and manage pain in cancer patients. A clinical instruction module (CLIM) based on cancer pain management and assessment skills was administered to 25 hospice nurses whose average field practice was 4.1 years (Plymale M. et al. 2001, p. 424).The course involved the nurses going round 8 stations focussing on   different aspects of cancer pain, assessing 5 cancer survivors and one actor. They carried out tests on various aspects of pain management. Prior to and after the exercise the nurses self assessed their skills in pain management using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1(not competent) to 5(v ery competent). They also evaluated the CLIM on a similar scale. (1= strongly disagree; 5= strongly agree) All participants agreed that the course helped improve their competence in the teaching items that were being addressed. The use of patients with cancer was considered more beneficial as opposed to having actors. Nurses that felt competent enough before the course did not perceive any noticeable improvement in their abilities in the post exercise self assessment. This finding is consistent with the view that hospice nurses are more competent in dealing with cancer pain management than those nurses working in hospitals. Those who assessed themselves as not competent indicated a higher assessment of themselves after the course. In a further study conducted among post instruction medical students, those trained using a CLIM on pain management did better than those schooled it traditional methods. (Sloan P.A. et al., 2001, 112)     Ã‚  There is an urgent need to introduce CLIM’s addressing pain assessment and management in the teaching courses for all nurses and caregivers in a bid to improve their skills and service delivery. The more competent the nurses the better will be the treatment of patients in prolonging their lives and alleviating the pain they go through. A significant observation of this study is the competence level of hospice nurses was higher than that of their counterparts. It is advisable to seek their input in developing manuals and modules of this nature as they have first hand knowledge that is invaluable to this area of study. Article 2 ‘Pain And Hope in Patients with Cancer’, an article written by Chen, Mei-Ling and appearing in the journal ‘Cancer Nursing’ (2003) examines the relationship between pain and hope in cancer patients. Hope is a therapeutic factor in the treatment of any disease including cancer. Patients with high levels of hope coped better with the disease than did those who dwelt on the hopelessness of their situation. The hopeful patients on average tended to live longer and had extended periods of remission. This study had three main purposes; i. Examine the effect of disease status on hope levels among patients with cancer who have pain ii. Compare the level of hope between patients with cancer that have pain and those who do not iii. Determine which dimensions of pain are associated with hope (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p.62) The conceptual framework for the study was based on the ‘self- regulation model of coping with health threats’. (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p.62) The main emphasis is on how people cope with their health problems in their own unique ways. Personal beliefs, religious orientation, cultural practises and previous experiences all work to determine a patient’s attitude towards his illness.(Donavan, H.S., Ward, S., 2001, pp. 211 – 216) Any one of the factors mentioned will have a bearing on the hope levels of the individual. The study employed the use of the Herth Hope Index (HHI) to assess the level of hope. It sampled 274 inpatients with cancer at two medical centres in Taiwan. 226 of them finalised the survey and the analysis was based on their responses. The study used Perceived Meaning of Cancer Pain Inventory (PMCPI) to measure the meanings that patients ascribed to their pain. Four subscales were used and these were challenge, threat, spiritual awareness and loss. The findings showed that in cancer patients with pain and those without pain, the hope levels did not differ. However, sensory dimensions of pain showed a link between the bearable pain intensity and level of hope (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p. 65) The findings supported the view that the hope levels in patients were higher in those who were able to tolerate more pain. Perception of one’s pain played an important role in the way one held on to hope. Those who viewed the pain as a challenge were more hopeful than those who took it from a negative perspective. In assessing one’s reaction to treatment, it is notable that the findings showed no difference in hope levels for those patients who were unsure of the effect of treatment and those who affirmed that the treatment was working positively.

Since The Introduction Of Social Networking

Since The Introduction Of Social Networking Social networking site, abbreviated SNS, is the term used to describe any web page that enables users to create community profiles within that web page and develop relationships with other users of the same web sites who read their account. Social networking sites can be used to describe community-based Web sites, online discussions forums, chat rooms and other social spaces online. Some features included on many sites are instant messaging, video calling, chat, file sharing, discussion groups, voice chats, emails, blogging and so on. Social networking sites are web pages that are made for casual and effective interaction among members. Most social networks are Internet based and aim to provide different and interesting resources on how uses can interact. What attracts people to social networking sites are they are excellent places to stay in touch with friends; especially those who we do not normally see frequently. These sites also provide a forum to discuss or request a number of topics ranging from sports, languages to science and technology or even politics and news. Social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace) can become highly addictive enough that people can turn to depend on them for confidence as well as increase personal information about others. It has taken nation by storm making it possible to get the most accurate and personal information on any one person from their favorite food to what school they are in and even get their sexual orientation in a matter of seconds, sometimes without even having them as a friend or knowing the person. It also gives people a sense of self. It allows individuals the freedom of speech with the ability to allow others to like what they have to say or comment (retweet etc.) back almost as if to let someone know if what they think or feel is cool or funny enough. Social networking sights (Kiesbye 2011) reduce productivity and innovation in the work area and can become an enormous distraction amongst coworkers. Many of the websites provide users the option of email notifications and text message aler ts to help feed the growing dependency of knowing who is saying what about your status, commenting on a picture or updating their profile. These sights make it almost impossible to escape their anger due to massive advertising and celebrity cameos. They have online contests (ex. the 10000th person to like this page gets a gift card) and giveaways to save luring in different people by the day. In Feb. 2009, Los Angeles Times reported, MySpace identified 90,000 registered sex offenders with profiles on the site, while Facebook declined to reveal how many were available on its site. Even if the sites decide to remove sex offenders, they cannot identify all of them or stop them from creating new accounts (Cited procon.org). In the past few years, social networking websites have become increasingly popular among Internet users, as a place where people can meet other people, communicate, and exchange information(Philippines Pinoy 2011) . Because of the popularity with social websites, social websites have the number one attractions for bullies. Children use social networking sites to post derogatory, hurtful, or threatening information about others. According to Kiesbye, National Public Radios Veronica Miller discovered Becky, a MySpace cyber twin who had copied a photo of Miller from Facebook and published it-along with photos of Millers family-on the imposters site. Although Millers impersonator did not threaten or stalk her (and MySpace promptly removed Beckys site), the incident shows the potential of such sites for stalking or harassment (Kiesbye 2011). Not only has the misuse of social networking sites gotten adolescents in trouble, but recently professionals at work got in trouble for it. In 2009 the US Marine Corps reported, The US Marine Corps banned the use of all social media sites on its networks because the sites are a proven haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user generated content and targeting by adversaries. (Cited ProCon.org) The entire Department of Defense is considering a ban on social networking sites because of concerns over security threats and potential computer viruses. Recently, Time magazine reported that 70% of U.S. human resources officers said that they rejected new job applicants for inappropriate material they uncovered about the applicant, from social networking sites. According to many surveys and studies employers surfing the web has become one of the number one reason why people are fired from work. After finding and artice via a browser (e.g., Google), people are penalized for what they are posting. Many are denied jobs, dismissed from work or disciplined because of comments they h ave carelessly left lying around on social networking sites. Sharing too much information on social networking sites can be problematic in two ways. First, it can reveal something about you that you rather your current or future employer or school administrators not know, and second, it can put your personal safety at risk. A potential downside of social networking sites is that they allow others to know a persons contact information, interests, habits, and whereabouts. Consequences of sharing this information can diverge from the relatively harmless but annoying such as an increase in spam to the potentially deadly such as stalking. Criminals can use information provided about a persons birthday, location, routine, hobbies, and interests to impersonate a trusted friend or convince the unsuspecting that they have the authority to access personal or financial data. Even though SNS have potential harm because of stalkers or hackers, there is a way to avoid it. Someone should never disclose private information online or through a chat. If possibl e do not send relevant information, including bank account information, your social security number, and birthday, over the Internet. Several social networking site features may increase users vulnerability to stalkers and other predators. For example, new MySpace members was asked to supply a name or nickname and information about their marital status, sexual orientation, hometown, school, religion, education, interests (e.g., music, movies, television, books, and heroes), children, or income. Although most of these questions are optional, users may automatically answer them because they are using the site to meet other people. On many sites, all these answers go public, remaining open to anyone who uses the site. Stalkers may use such information to gain access to site members. Victims also have options in civil or family courts. They can seek protective orders against stalkers, who can be ordered not to contact the victim, including not using any form of electronic communications to stalk the victim. Victims may also be able to file a civil tort case against their stalker, seeking damages for the impact of stalking on their lives. Also, under certain conditions, victims can sue social networking sites for failure to remove offensive or defamatory material regarding the victim from the site (Kiesbye 2011). Therefore, deciding whether to post something, remember that the more information malicious people have about a person, the easier it is for them to take advantage of that person. Social networking sites can be abused. People treat them like their own diary or journal, and then get upset when people get mad at them because they posted something about them on their wall. They should be banned because of the harm they are doing to personal relationships and a persons wellness. friendships, marriages torn apart, and Internet bullying done. Although SNS can be a terrible time waster and provides an avenue for cyber-bullying and harassment, it is also a extremely useful tool for maintaining contacts, friendships and social interaction, even when friends move homes, jobs, etc. Used sensibly, there is no reason at all to see social networking sites as a threat or a problem. Individual users, however, are not always very sensible. (Add More Use Sources) Social networking sites provide a whole new way of meeting new friends and discovering fascinating communities, however; the cyber interactions cannot, in many people opinion, replace the real physical contacts. Ironically, people are less social through social networking sites because rather than talking to those around us; we almost solely talk to those online. While social networking sites can help make us more connected throughout the world, an unintended side effect is that we become isolated in your own communities. Social networking sites are destroying peoples ability to be able to read facial expressions and body language. The more people talk online the less we talk in real life, so much so that we lose the ability to catch those little nuances that are warning signs that we are offending someone or boring them. We are also relying too much on the anonymity of online interaction, and this causes us to be meaner online. Take my name for example-the name of my profile is my r eal name, and my real age and short list of what I like is also listed. In a face to face encounter, there are consequences for what a person may say. This is not true online, and you can say any horrible thing you want with the protection of anonymity. Many people believe that they are quite safe online because they are only using social networking sites to talk to friends, or they think that they are entirely anonymous. People should be cautious to whom they just met online. There are number of ways identities can be stolen online continues to increase. Hackers and thieves use these networks to obtain the information they need to wreak havoc on those who innocently use these sites. In order to protect your-self against predators, hackers, or professional job people should learn about how different sites work. Learning how different sites work will insure that the user knows what they are signing up for. A user of any SNS should allow only users you authorize their page. If a user does not know a person then he or she can always deny a friend invitation. Not only should one not allow unknown members but members also should guard personal information with privacy settings, this allows only certain information to be seen by others. W hen using social networking sites a person should only post information that you are comfortable having others see and know about you. These posts leave lasting reputation that potential jobs and others can see. There are many different discussions on the topic of social network addiction but one argument is clear: These sights are addictive and they can and will directly and indirectly affect the daily lives of individuals. While some use these sights for positive outreach and to inform and educate others, there will be some who abuse the sights by not using them for their intended purposes. It is imperative that people use their greater judgment and take caution and be fully aware of these social networking sights and what they are signing themselves up for. So before you commit yourself to constant email updates, text message alerts and advertising campaigns assess the positive and negative aspects of internet socialization and ask yourself is it really worth it?

How To Write A Song :: essays papers

How To Write A Song Want to write a song to call your own? I imagine most would love the opportunity. All you really need is a little knowledge playing a guitar or piano, a voice that can sing relatively in key, and a touch of imagination spliced with creativity. Depending on someone’s personality, interests and experiences the type of song, how it is sung, what is sung, and how it is played can vary greatly. Writing the song can be easy enough if you have the skills and some patience. To start your creation, sit down with your guitar or piano, a pen, a piece of paper, and an open mind. Ask yourself questions before you begin. What do I want to sing about? I suppose you do not have to sing at all if an instrumental piece is what you are after; for the sake of argument, lets say you want to sing and play your own backing. Jon Huntress of Lyrical Line (2000) says, â€Å"You can write about ANYTHING! That’s the beauty of song writing-there are no rules†. Make some notes about the story you want to tell or message you plan to get across. Writing it down can help in case you might forget. Now think about how a song speaking of such a topic should be sung. Is it a serious subject? Perhaps a ballad. Funny? Perhaps punk or rock. If you’re angry, or have taste in music like myself, you may want heavy metal or hard rock. There are many other types, as well, such as reggae, blues, jazz, latin, and funk. Jimmy Brown (2000) says, â€Å"Keep your mind and ears open, and don’t be afraid to wade into unfamiliar musical waters†. Now that you’ve decided on your song’s subject and have an idea how you want it to sound, write it! Play around; strum some simple chords and notes. Try to get a feel for the sounds you need to back up your voice. No one can tell you what to write, but it never hurts to ask others opinions. Once music is there, hum along. How you will sing to what you play is very important. Try to be unique in your sound, so the song is distinctly your own. At this point, get some lyrics in there. Jon Huntress (2001) adds, â€Å"Most of the stuff you put down won’t work, but you never know.

A good day turned bad – creative writing

Swimming was always an exciting sport for me, it made me feel alive and athletic. However, this finest sport became a mark that would be on me for the rest of my life. Burbury Park was the place, me and my friends decided to go park because there was a football tournament that we had all been waiting for, this was our chance, a chance to get to the final. The weather was absolutely smashing, it couldn't get better. The sun beat down on us and we couldn't have felt a more positive vibe. The birds were singing and the trees moved to the calm wind that was keeping us cool. We were getting ready, doing our warm ups and having a team talk on how we are best team. The match had gone underway, after a nervy few minutes, the score was level, ‘nine-nine' and the atmosphere had already set in; the situation was that the next team to score would advance into the finals of the ‘Birmingham cup'. I dived towards the ball to make a critical save which kept us in a dominant position; thereafter my team had capitalized on what I had done for them. I shouted â€Å"COME ON LADS! Pass and move† and little did I know, they were doing what I had asked of them. I had to be harsh; this will improve them, â€Å"Hey! Markus! What the hell do you think you're doing, shooting from that range, do you think you're Ronaldo?† we were under vast amount of pressure, and the supporters made us know it with their screaming and supportive shouting, knowing that the next goal will be the decider. Markus was by far one of the best players in my team and I knew no-one at the age of fifteen could shoot that far out. The opposition were closing in towards our half of the pitch, and I was becoming more and more anxious with every second that passed by. I had a quick glance towards the clock and to my horror, there was only sixty seconds left, and as the role of captain, I had a duty, and that was to control my team and motivate them to win. I knew that the lads would not survive extra time as the looks on their faces told me they were exhausted and tired. To my surprise I had noticed Aquil (the weakest player in our squad) running towards the box, and then I had seen an opportunity. At that point, Abbas had possession of the ball. I knew that this maybe the last chance, we had to take advantage and maybe even score. Abbas successfully crossed the ball to Aquil, he had finally heard my commands which resulted in the fine cross. The cross was neatly passed to Aquil, it had looked like he was definitely going to score the winner. All the supports were chanting his name, in hope that he was going to score, it was one on one with the keeper, but unfortunately he had slipped. A depressed moan came from our supporters. However out of nowhere, Hussein been waiting for the rebound and had smashed the ball in the bottom of the net. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and the crowds chanted our names, I finally knew what it is like to be a professional football player. We were all tired after that fantastic win allowing us to celebrate like packs of wild animals. I owed it to all my players for all their hard work. Going to the finals of the ‘Birmingham cup' was the greatest achievement ever in our lives! ‘Knackered' was not even the word to describe how tired we were. Sweat was running down our faces onto the cold floor as though it were a waterfall. Tired, half of our team had decided to go back to their warm homes for a cup of tea and a bath, while the rest of us decided to go swimming at our local swimming centre, in Newtown. Me, Aquil, Abbas and Hussein were walking towards the swimming centre. We were all feeling excited about our upcoming match against Aston Villa Youth team in the final. We had just beaten West Bromwich Youth team making us better than them. I had decided that I was going to treat the lads for their hard work after swimming. Me, more than anyone else wanted to step inside the swimming pool and calmly cool down and rest. We were on the way to the swimming pool, we were on the main road and Newtown Swimming Centre could be seen not too far in the distance. On the way towards the Swimming Centre we had seen a park leading us straight to the Swimming Centre. â€Å"C'mon lets take the left and go through the park, it looks much easier.† I said, not knowing what was going to happen next. We had been through the park, ‘Yellow Park', many times before and we had thought it would be the safest and quickest way. We walked pass the main play area and it had seemed empty. Swings left swinging by the wind, and slides left for children to play on. I started to feel agitated and began thinking to myself why there wasn't anyone around. Goosebumps started appearing on my skin as an ice cold shiver rattled through my spine. But there was no turning back now as we had already walked past most of the park. We were at the end of the park and it was just one dark long alleyway. I began wondering even more and started thinking to myself about how corrupted this area had recently become. Newtown is not how it used to be back in the days but is becoming more and more violent and even more crimes are occurring by the minute. We were halfway down the alleyway and I could smell freedom just around fifty yards away. â€Å"Oi! Come here now!† a cold deep voice shouted at us from down the alley. I automatically looked up and to my horror and I saw two dark men. Both were hiding their identity with masks and caps, we knew they were criminals. I felt nervous and scared, thoughts began running through my mind as I thought of an escape plan. Who are these people and what do they want? What are they going to do to us? Why are they calling us? I was able to identify their ethnicity and they were both black. From then on I knew something bad was going to occur. Aquil was standing next to me. On the other hand as I turned around I was shocked to see the rest of my mates making a run for it. All these signs meant that these people were not good and I knew that the next few minutes were going to be some of the worst in my life. I didn't clock on, I was never in this situation before. Froze by fear, I stood still as I saw the men walk towards us, â€Å"Yo, what ends you from?!† they said, not bothering to wait for an answer. I knew if I hadn't responded fast, I wouldn't make it out uninjured. I answered â€Å"Lozells†. There was no reply from these men as they looked down on us. I began to get anxious. I knew that I had a huge sum of money in my wallet and thoughts began creeping into my mind, as I saw the second man reach into his pocket, that these people wanted our money. The first of the two men had started coming closer and closer and as he approached us, he put his arms around the both of us. From that moment my suspicion had been answered because he had said the following words to me. â€Å"I need some money man!† I kept quite. The other black man that was with him had taken my friend, Aquil into a corner of the alley in which I couldn't communicate to him. I had to say something to the person who was talking to me otherwise I would have to face the consequences. I was in a dilemma. I said without thinking â€Å"I have five pounds†. Of course I was lying. â€Å"Good, good, now hand over the flipping money or I will knock the hell out of you.† he said with a harsh tone as he raised a fist to my face, he was swearing too. I was thinking of a way to take out my money without him realising that I had more. Too my stupidity, I took too long and the man had thrown a strong punch at me on my chin. â€Å"ARGH† I shouted in pain as I fell to the floor on my knees. Aquil quickly looked over but really couldn't help me because he was getting robbed by the other mugger. Another punch fell my way but this time on the back of my head, I swore in pain and anger. I looked up and saw that I had no choice but to hand over all my money a huge sum of money. It was sixty pounds. The mugger helped himself and searched me and ran off with my wallet. So did the other mugger. I felt weak. I felt helpless. I was injured. I was bleeding from my mouth and from the back of my head. It had also looked like the other mugger had finished with Aquil. Me and Aquil laid there for a couple of minutes before a couple of members of the public helped us up. I was shaking as I walked back towards my home. I met up with my friends, and they were in shock, they were wondering what they could have done to help me and Aquil. I had told my parents everything that had occurred and of course my parents had phoned the police. It was useless and there was no point as the muggers were long gone†¦ I just thought to myself how a superb day just became worse.

Gun Control vs. Crime Rate

Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Akens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Gun Control vs. Crime Rate According to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. † In this very amendment lies the main issue of gun control. â€Å"To many, the language of the amendment appears to grant to the people the absolute right to bear arms. However, the U. S.Supreme Court has held that the amendment merely protects the right of states to form a state militia. † (Kimberlin) Gun control, or the controlling of firearms, is any act or proposal by any local, state, or federal agency to inhibit, deter, or prohibit the possession of firearms by any law abiding U. S. citizen. Some believe that by controlling the people’s possession of firearms, the violent crime rate will decrease. However, this is not the case. The contro lling of firearms, also known as an infringement of the second amendment, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime.Instead, further investigation into the criminals’ motives and state of mind will better resolve the rate of crime in our country. The Second Amendment is a mere twenty-seven words long. However, both campaigns of the gun control debate obtain such different interpretations from those words. â€Å"The gun-control campaign interprets the Second Amendment as if it is specifically referring to militias. The Gun-rights supporters say all the other amendments focus on individual rights, as does â€Å"â€Å"2A. † The Second Amendment helps protect what is promised in the other nine and that it is a line the government is forbidden to cross. † (Kimberlin) Kimberlin also states that, â€Å"not many nations have firearms enshrined into their constitutions, but in 1789 the Founding Fathers thought that guns were important enough to deserve one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. † If the possession of guns for our personal protection were not an important factor, they would not be included into such an important document to our country. What the Second Amendment means, more than two centuries later, seems to depend on which side of the gun issue you are on. † (Kimberlin) This being so, further investigation of this amendment is necessary to becoming more informed on this fiery debate. Gun control is a very heavily debated topic at this point in time, especially since the shootings at Newtown and Sandy Hook have taken place. But this has been a topic of debate ever since the Prohibition Area of the early twentieth century. However, these mass shootings have triggered new debates on this controversial issue.In the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Adam Lanza entered the school carrying multiple firearms and shot at students, as well as teachers, after shooting his mother at their home in Newtown, CT. Th ese shootings prompted further debate on the rising issue of gun control and have brought a proposal to legislation in which the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition would be banned, and reduced access to certain firearms would be enforced.Although this shooting was a very tragic event, are firearms really the problem? Or should we be venturing further and investigating the minds of these criminals before they even pick up a weapon? According to Joe Wicked, â€Å"on the other side of this debate, there are concerns addressing the mental health aspect, addressing the illegal activities associated with firearms and that the law abiding citizens should be left the right to own the types of firearms and magazines that they desire and have the ability to maintain access to both the firearms and/or magazines that they choose. This side of the gun control debate points to a story in which, â€Å"a young man prese nt when a gunman began shooting at the Clackamas Mall in Portland Oregon, Nick Meli, heard the first shots fired and pulled out his concealed weapon and confronted the shooter. He did not fire, as he did not want to risk bystander’s lives. The gunman then ran and took his own life (Benner, 2012). The latter side of the debate shows how civilians are capable of stopping a crime before the police are able to arrive. â€Å"Some even claim that more guns will help to control the crime and prevent mass shootings from occurring. (Wicked) After being subjected to so much information, how is the reader to know which side is right? According to Wicked, â€Å"This can be a difficult question to answer and requires detailed analysis to come to an informed decision. Studies that have been done on the issue of gun control have found many things that gun control affects and many things that it does not affect. One key item that studies have found is that gun control laws affect the use o f specific guns in violent crimes, but do not affect the rate of crime itself. The controlling of firearms by either banning the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacture of, as well as controlling the amount of ammunition available and the storage of that ammunition, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime. When debating the effect that a particular law, or ban of item, has on the rate of violent crime, it is beneficial to look back at the effect that laws and bans similar to these have had on the crime rate throughout history. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban which Dianne Feinstein proposed and that of which Congress passed would be a prime example. This ban specifically selected fire arms that looked like the firearms militaries around the world used. These types of weapons are weapons not commonly used in crime. In 2010 handguns comprised 68. 5% of all gun murders in the United States (FBI, 2010). This means that in the remaining 31. 5% of gun murders, shotguns, hunting ri fles, and the banned assault weapons. Rifles constituted 0. 6% of all murders by gun. The banned assault weapons make up a subset of these rifles. We know that less than 0. 6% of all murders were by these weapons that were banned. (Wicked) Another way to look at the effectiveness of prior firearm bans, according to Wicked, is to look at the crime rate after the ban was lifted or, as in the case of the 1994 Assault Weapons ban, the ban expired. â€Å"The FBI data from 2010 shows that the five year trend in crime is that it continues to decline. Further drill downs of the data show that on average the crime rates in all categories are on the decline in the United States. If the ban were effective on reducing violent crime, the expectation would be that the crime rates would increase when the ban is lifted or it expires.Crime rates continuing to decline after the lifting of the ban suggests that factors other than the ban are affecting crime rates. (FBI, 2010). † (Wicked) This i nformation further supports the fact that there is no correlation between the controlling of firearms and the reduction of violent crime. Crime rates decreased after the expiration of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, and the evidence clearly shows that the banning of a certain weapon, causing that particular weapon to be more difficult to purchase, or causing a firearm to be too expensive to purchase will only ffect which weapon is chosen to commit a crime, not reduce the rate of crime. â€Å"Instead of deciding to ban a weapon as a response to a tragedy, the leaders of our country would better serve the people of the United States by conducting a study into the causes in society which create the situations that lead to violent crime and addressing those root causes, whether it be mental health, violent movies and games, lack of access to proper education, or whatever other root factor.Addressing the causes of the crimes will produce better long-term results in reducing violent crimes . † (Wicked) The shooters in these violent crimes were denied from purchasing firearms and in most cases resorted to taking them from a legal owner. How would gun control laws prevent this situation from happening in the future?Perhaps a mental health screening and identifying there might be a problem with these citizens in a mental aspect would be more effective than further gun laws that already denied the shooter the ability to purchase these firearms. We should be focusing on the mental aspect of this situation rather than the firearms themselves. If someone is planning on killing a massive amount of people, they most likely are not concerned with the legality of obtaining firearms. No laws against or banning of firearms have worked in the past, and they will not work now.Taking the politics out of the issue, and researching the true causes behind the crime while addressing them effectively would best serve both sides of the gun control debate. Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Ak ens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Works Cited Kimberlin, Joanne. â€Å"The Second Amendment: two interpretations. † Virginian Pilot. 02 03 2008: n. page. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Wicked, Joe, ed. â€Å"Does Gun Control Reduce Violent Crime? † Cold Dead Hands. Cold Dead Hands, 30 Jan 2013. Web. 2 Mar 2013.

Komatsu Case Study Analysis

Komatsu Case Study Contents Executive Summary2 Evolution and Strategic Drivers of Komatsu (EME)3 Organizational Culture4 Five-Force Analysis: The EME Industry:5 SWOT Analysis8 Resource Based Competitive Advantage8 Financials & Future Course9 Company on The Right Path11 References12 Executive Summary Komatsu, the Japan based earth moving equipment taking on Caterpillar manufacturer has been studied by management students around the globe for years now. This story of David vs Goliath provides us an insight about the strategies followed by David in bringing down Goliath.Komatsu’s evolution and its strategies were studied in comparison with that of Caterpillar. Responses to each other’s moves in the global earth moving equipment industry have been analysed in the context of their international business strategies. An industry to analysis was done to understand the environmental factors that affected the competition between the giant and the emerging. A SWOT analysis identif ied the internal resources and capabilities of Komatsu that aided it to develop its distinctive competitiveness.How Komatsu achieve a sustained profitability, higher than the industry average despite the volatile international EME market was studied under the financial analysis. The role of organizational culture in enabling Komatsu to succeed in the highly competitive industry was also studied in the case analysis. Through all the above mentioned analysis, it was found out that the company was in the right track. Measures to ensure that the company continues to stay in the high profitability section have been discussed in the concluding part of the report. Evolution and Strategic Drivers of Komatsu (EME)Komatsu Limited  or  Komatsu  is a multinational corporation that manufactures construction mining, and  military  equipment, Industrial equipments such as press machines, lasers and  thermoelectric generators. Komatsu is the world's second largest manufacturer of  con struction and  mining equipments  after  Caterpillar. However, in some areas (Japan, China), Komatsu has a larger share than Caterpillar. It has manufacturing operations in Japan, Asia, Americas and Europe. Komatsu was especially dangerous to Caterpillar due to the fact that it was the second largest EME company worldwide.The 1920s to the 1930s marked major developments for Komatsu and prominent growth. The company stressed that the management should have two important perspectives * Overseas orientation * User orientation During World War II, Komatsu thrived by producing for the Japanese military surplus of products (military tractors,  bulldozers,  tanks,  howitzers etc. ). After the war, the company introduced commercial bulldozers and forklifts to its equipment line up meanwhile experiencing exponential growth precipitated by strong market demand in a post-war construction era. The company brought a wide range of new products to market by the late 1960s.The company c ontinued to expand through the 1970s but sales began to steadily decline as early as 1982. Komatsu now understood the competition it faced but still held a 60% market share within Japan. With the threat of the Caterpillar/Mitsubishi venture taking place Komatsu decided to attempt a revitalization of the company. Since Komatsu mainly exported whole machines, the company soon realized that needed to also expand into other markets and set up assembly plants. Unable to persuade dealers to sell its equipment, the company set up its own branch sales offices and authorized small repaid shops to be Komatsu service agents.The company set two goals during the 1960s. * The acquisition of the necessary advanced technology from abroad * The improvement of product quality within the company. In the early 1970s, Komatsu started to recognize its distributor network worldwide, aiming to supplement the direct sales offices with more servicing dealers (similar to CAT’s). The company entered lic ensing agreements with two major EME manufacturers in the United States – International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric. They also launched quality upgrading programs in its factories.The program was used to reflect the Total Quality Control (TQC) concept. All personnel were expected to strive for TQC. In 1964, the company started Project A which aimed to upgrade the quality of the small and medium-sized bulldozers. In 1972, the company launched project B which focused on exports. In 1979 the company launched Project called â€Å"F and F† which stood for â€Å"Future and Frontiers† and its objective was to develop new products and new businesses. The project encouraged suggestions from all its employees by asking them to consider both the need of society and the technical know-how of the company.The company also began to focus more towards its Research and Development during the early 1970s. Efforts continued with some attention to basic research as well as product d evelopment. It had the distinction of introducing the world’s first radio-controlled bulldoze, amphibious bulldozer and remote-controlled underwater bulldozer. The management decided to focus on improving the competitiveness of its products. A four- part cost reduction plan was initiated. During the same time the company also accelerated its product development program.In 1981, they launched EPOCHS (Efficient Production Oriented Choice Specifications) whose main purpose was to allow the company to respond to the diverse market needs without compromising its cost position. Also, by the end of 1983, the company’s manufacturing had become fully integrated, producing all of its parts in-house. Komatsu has been a leader in innovative quality-control initiatives ever since President Yashinari Kawai decided to leverage MITI’s opening of the EME industry in 1963, and fight back in the face of the Caterpillar/Mitsubishi joint venture.The company had managed to overcome v olatile market fluctuations over the last few years, particularly in key construction markets, as a result of aggressive organizational restructuring and corporate mergers and joint ventures. Organizational Culture We can analyze the organizational culture on the basis of the following parameters: 1. Strength/Weakness of the Culture: Komatsu’s culture can be classified as a strong culture because of their strong alignment to organizational values, which makes them respond to stimulus and help the firm operate in a highly efficient manner. 2.Power Distance: Due to hierarchy being a very important aspect of the culture in Japan, the power distance is quite high in Komatsu with a well defined hierarchy though the interactivity between different levels of the organization is also fairly high. The power is also mainly concentrated in the hands of the chairman who maintains a tight control. 3. Individualism vs Collectivism: Again in line with Japanese culture, the organizational cu lture is more collectivistic with every employee striving towards a common goal. Yet certain individualistic natures are also encouraged to satisfy the intrinsic needs of the workers. . Goals and Objectives: The culture of Komatsu underlines the clear goal it has, i. e. beating Caterpillar and becoming the number one in the EME industry. In fact Komatsu’s internal slogan is Maru-C, which when roughly translated means encircle Caterpillar. 5. Employee relations and empowerment: Komatsu maintains very strong employee relations and ensures that each employee has satisfaction in terms of work, cooperation with colleagues and winning approval from others, making them feel that they’re contributing to the organization greatly while ensuring that they’re in line with the organization values and goals.Five-Force Analysis: The EME Industry: I. Threat of New Entrants| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Economies of scale is low | X| | | The industry is based on ‘Build to Orderâ⠂¬â„¢ and the machine specs differ from customer to customer. | 2. Experience effects are high; therefore| | | X| Experience in running the business in this industry is vital because huge capital is invested. | 3. Product differentiation is medium| | X| | Differentiation in the product quality and the customer requirements is moderate during the time of sales but the differentiation factor lies in the after sales service & availability of spares| 4.Brand identification is high| | | X| Customers blindly rely on branded equipments. E. g. Caterpillar (55% market share)| 5. Capital requirements are very high| | | X| Because of the capital intensive nature of the product/ industry, new entrants would stand weak comparatively| 6. Incumbents control of distribution channels is high| | | X| Access to distribution channel for new entrants is difficult because the branded players maintain strong relationship with the partners| 7.Incumbents proprietary knowledge is high| | | X| Ease of startin g business in this industry is low for an individual. It demand high degree of prior knowledge| 8. Incumbents control of access to raw materials is low| | X| | Procurement of raw material (basically steel) is not too difficult as there is cut throat competition in the steel industry| Overall Threat of New Entrants| Low| | 6. II. Bargaining Power of Buyers| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Buyer concentration is low | X| | | Not many are involved in buying these equipments. Even the amount is high but the distribution is concentrated. 2. Buyer purchase in small volume, and less frequently| | X| | The number of transactions is low (non-recurring) but post-sales the dependence on the vendor increases due to spares & support| 3. Buyer switching costs are high| | | X| Because of the huge initial investment, high life span of the product & the dependence for the after-sales support makes the buyers immobile| 4. Buyers have good information| X| | | The buyers are well experienced in their particular b usiness and hence have full knowledge of the product| 5.Buyers’ ability to integrate backward is low| | | X| It is almost impossible for a retail customer to start up such a business (capital intensive, knowledge based)| 6. Close-substitute products are rarely available| | | X| A tractor cannot be replaced by other equipments or a bullock-cart| 7. Product differentiation of suppliers is low| X| | | Players tend to match the product quality is very low because of the cut-throat competition| 8. Buyers’ profitability is very high| | | X| EMEs in these industries (mining, forest, agriculture) holds high importance | Overall Bargaining Power of Buyers| Medium| | . III. Bargaining Power of Suppliers| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Concentration of suppliers is low | X| | | The number of suppliers is less. | 2. Availability of substitute products is moderate| | X| | Raw Materials involved are normally irreplaceable except in highly innovative product. | 3. Importance of customer to the supplier is moderate| | X| | Steel industry has other customers also (automobile, real estate/housing, other mfg. industries) but due to lower margins the volume is also important for them. Thus, moderate. | 4.Differentiation of supplier’s product & service is low| | | X| Basic raw materials required are almost of equal quality from other suppliers. | 5. Switching costs of the buyer are moderate| | X| | Due to strong relationships and credit dependence, the buyers would resist switching very often. | 6. Threat of forward integration by the supplier is low| | | X| A steel supplier is least likely to start the EME business. | 7. Importance of the input to the quality of the buyer’s product is high| X| | | The quality of the raw materials determines the quality of the final product. 8. Cost of the input, relative to the total product cost is high| X| | | The raw material contribution to the final product comprises of ;50% of the total cost| Overall Bargaining Power of Su ppliers| Medium| | 8. IV. Threat of Substitute Products| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Profitability of industry producing substitute is NA | | | X| There seems to be no substitute industry for EMEs| 2. Rate of improvement in price-performance relationship of substitute product is NA| | | X| NA for the same reasons as above| 3. Buyers switching costs are high| | |X| As mentioned earlier, dependence for after sales support and big life span of the product makes it difficult for the buyers to switch| Overall Threat of Substitute Products| Low| | 9. V. Competitive Rivalry & Barriers to Exit| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Concentration of competitors is high | X| | | There is close competition among the existing players. There are around 10 competitors in the industry. | 2. Industry growth rate is moderate| | X| | The growth rate of the industry is moderate (6%-7%) because of maturity in the industry (more competitors coming in and depleting margins)| 3.Fixed Costs are high| X| | | The CAPEX involved in setting up facilities is high and this is lowered by JVs to an extent. | 4. Product differentiation is low| X| | | There is not much difference in the main equipments the competitors make except the after sales service| 6. Switching costs are high| | | X| Because of the huge initial investment, high life span of the product & the dependence for the after-sales support makes the buyers immobile| 7. Exit barriers are high| X| | | Asset specialization is high & huge investment makes it difficult to quit| 8.Strategic stakes are high| X| | | Caterpillar was exposed to loss in Europe due to Komatsu eating up its market share. | Overall Intensity of Competitive Rivalry| High| | 10. *1-High 2-Medium 3-low 11. SWOT Analysis STRENGHTS * Wide range of products – Full Line offered * Excellent quality levels in terms of products and processes with Total Quality Control (TQC) being adopted for all practices and supplemented by the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle. * Price advantage with r espect to major competitors. Large international presence and market leaders in its home country as well as a few other countries, especially in the eastern bloc. * Low cost and highly productive nature of the labor force. * Excellent R & D facilities and development of breakthrough and specialized products and adaptation of products to suit user requirements in various countries. * Able to respond to diverse market needs without compromising on the cost position (EPOCHS project). * Fully integrated manufacturing with production of all components and parts in house. WEAKNESSES * Centralized production system which will lead to less flexibility on account of changing competitive factors like protectionism, exchange rate fluctuations etc. * Logistical difficulties in shipping and high landed cost. * Weaker sales and distribution network as opposed to that of Caterpillar. * CAT still has wider brand recognition and a larger brand value * Product range still smaller than that of Caterpi llar. | OPPORTUNITIES * Increase in infrastructure development in developing countries in Asia and Latin America. * Mining boom in Australia. A number of unique products in its kitty like amphibious and remote controlled bulldozers which can be used for specialized purposes such as working at toxic dump sites and underwater mining. * Ever increasing usage of robots in manufacturing will give a large market share for its industrial robots. | THREATS * Reduction in demand for EME equipment due to the decline of the construction boom, especially in developed countries. * Fluctuating nature of the Yen. * The rise of trade frictions between the US and European Community and Japan. The rise of smaller domestic companies in the international market. | Resource Based Competitive Advantage Let us now analyze Komatsu on the basis of its Physical, Reputational, Organizational, Financial and Intellectual resources. 1. Physical: The physical resources of Komatsu are quite valuable and some of it is quite rare such as its unique products such as the amphibious bulldozer but is not hard to copy and is substitutable. In fact CAT still has advantages over it in terms of sales and distribution and factory locations. 2.Reputational: The reputation of Komatsu is quite valuable and is widely known as a maker of good quality EME machines at competitive prices but CAT still has a higher reputational advantage over it. 3. Organizational: The organizational set up of Komatsu is highly efficient and it is one of its most valuable resources. It has one of the best labor relations in the industry. 4. Financial: The financial position of the company is quite stable at the moment but is subject to a lot of risks on account of various factors like the fluctuating Yen, decreasing demand for EME equipment etc. . Intellectual: The intellectual resources of Komatsu is one of the best in the industry, making it highly valuable and rare, leading to the development of its excellent R & D infrastru cture and highly productive nature of its labor force. Financials & Future Course From the limited and abridged version of the financial performance of Komatsu, we can see that the company has shown consistent growth. Yet, there has been considerable fluctuation in the sales revenue and net income over the years. Plotting the data in a graph gives us a clear picture of this trend.The above three figures show that the market-share of Komatsu, in the global EME market, has steadily grown between 1978 and 1984. It is interesting to note that the net sales and net income of the company does not correspond to the steady growth in the market share. These ups and downs can be explained in a case by case basis. In the early 1970s, the company started focusing on upgrading the quality of its products to compete in the global market. MITI’s decision to open the EME industry to foreign investments led to an obsession for quality and acquisition of advanced technology.Licensing technolog ies from International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric and implementation of quality improvement programs led to high costs but they started paying off in the late 1970’s in terms of increased market penetration and lower cost of manufacturing. Aggressive exports to Western Europe and other parts of the world in the early seventies led to the sustenance of growth in market share and sales. But poor dealer network and lack of global servicing facilities led to a overkill of inventories and parts in international subsidiaries that led to substantial decrease in net income.Pricing its products at 30-40% less than that of CAT’s products enabled Komatsu to sell high number in LDCs. Komatsu’s ratio of exports grew from 20 % to 55 % in 1975. Late 1970s saw an increased investment in R to facilitate the V-10 program to reduce cost by 10 %, reduce the number of part of by 20 %, focus on value engineering and rationalizing the manufacturing process. This dented the balance she et. Rapid appreciation of Yen against many major currencies led to further constraints. Though the engineers used pessimistic internal yen/dollar exchange rate, the volatile nature of Yen had an impact on the net income.Buying its way out of the licensing contracts between International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric again led to a major expense in the early 1980s, but they saved the company a great deal of trouble and licensing fees. This led to the unrestricted introduction of products like hydraulic excavators and wheel loaders to the world market. This led to a spike in the net income and net sales of the company in early 1980s. The rise of trade friction between European community and USA on one hand and Japan on the other slumped Komatsu’s international sales after 1982.Subsequent freight costs from shipping heavy earth moving equipment with poor volume to value ratio, simultaneous initiatives such as EPOCH, PDCA and increase in R spending to 5. 8 % in 1983 pulled down the net income figures. These are temporary downtrends which will be turned in to rapid up swing once these efforts start to paying off. Company on The Right Path The company is on the right track. Results of R efforts like superior cast iron development, 1000 bhp bulldozer, and diversification to arc-welding robots, heat systems etc have ensure the future of the company.It has spread its risk and has capitalized on changing trends like the embargo by Reagan’s administration which got Komatsu the Siberian natural resource project. Through it initiatives like F, it has identified the future course of the organization with the participation of its employees. But a competitor like CAT will definitely bounce back stronger than ever. CAT has its distinctive competitiveness built through strong dealership, huge financial reserves, global learning and experience. Innovation, operational efficiency, quality and consumer responsiveness are the key factors in achieving distinctive competit iveness.Komatsu has already addressed the needs of innovation, quality and operational efficiency. But there is a big gap in the consumer responsiveness aspect. CAT offers service and spare parts in 24 hours in any part of the world. Inventory overkill is a not a sustainable solution, hence the company’s immediate concern should be of improving the consumer responsiveness to ensure repeat purchase and nurturing customer loyalty. Company’s internal exchange rate has kept it buoyed during turbulent times in the money market, but initiatives like hedging revenues from international business will reduce forex risk.Innovation is vital, but innovation should be backed by organization commitment. If these innovations are not deftly handled, the sunk cost in R will scuttle the company. Komatsu should hence avoid falling in to the ‘Chasm’ between the early adopters and early majority of its new products. This can be achieved by sensing the different needs of the ea rly majority and perfecting the design of the products, adopting the distribution network to commercialization and revamping its business model based on the new requirements.If Komatsu fails in these fronts, it will fall in to the ‘Pioneers’ category of the Icarus paradox Danny identified by Miller. References * http://www. cat. com/about-the-company * http://www. komatsu. com/CompanyInfo/profile/ * C. W. L. Hill & R. Jones, ‘Strategic Management- an integrated approach’(2009). Bizantra, New Delhi. * C. W. L. Hill & Arun. K. Jain, ‘International Business – competing in the global market place’ (2009). Tata McGrawHill, New Delhi.