Kudler Foods †Expanding their Business towards Catering

Kudler Fine Foods is a rapidly expanding public alimentation business in California. They organize their activity within three retail stores: the first in La Jolla, the second in Del Mar and the third one in Encinitas. Kudler products are mostly fine products, and the customers are being provided with numerous delicatessens. The net advantage that separates Kudler from other competitors is represented by the relatively low prices. Kudler’s policy is to insure the best quality of their products at affordable costs. After having registered impressive success on the market, Kudler is now considering launching into the catering business as well. This means that the producer would have to acquire additional space, employ certified chefs and distribute the food to several social events. Investing in such a business opportunity implies a multitude of risks. Therefore, prior to starting a catering business, marketing specialists need to analyze the market and develop a plan for the business. The Marketing Mix The marketing mix is a combination of four crucial elements, also known as the 4Ps: product, place, price and promotion. In order to insure the success of its strategy, the manager at Kudler Fine Foods needs to base his decisions on the effects that these four elements generate upon the targeted market. The Product The catering product offered by Kudler is a complex one as it is both a product as well as it is   service. The product is represented by the actual food presented to the customer and the services are the making of the food and its delivery to the address requested by the customer. Regarding the product, the manager has to make several decisions, such as: brand name, functionality, styling, safety, quality, packaging, warranty, accessories and services. (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). The Kudler catering products are mostly designed for two occasions: social events and lunch meals for employees. The main characteristics of both types of products are similar, in the meaning that they are meant to appease one's hunger. However, in the case of employee lunch, the foods would have a simple consistence whereas in the case of social events, the order would be more sophisticated,   consisting of numerous delicatessens, rare appetizers and desserts. The catering products would be distributed under the name and exclusive approval of Kudler Fine Foods Inc. The quality of the products would be in perfect accordance with the rename gained so far by Kudler: high and irreproachable quality. The packaging of the food would be Kudler's responsibility and they would contract a company specialized in manufacturing packages. These could be personalized for each occasion and they would definitely have written on them the the caterer's name and contact details. The warranty of alimentation products is a sensitive issue within caterers and their clients. Considering that the products are prone to rapidly deteriorate if kept in inappropriate conditions, the supplier has the moral and legal obligation to inform the customer of the conditions in which to properly preserve the food. If the customer respects the supplier's indications and the food still goes bad, the caterer will either replace it, either return the customer their money. Finally, the accessories and services provided by Kudler could include additional spice, pickles and drinks, dishes and table linens or trained personnel to wait on the quests. The additional charge for these accessories and services would be pre approved by both customer and caterer. The price of the products When it comes to determining the price of the catering products, the manager needs to decide upon several issues, among which are: pricing strategy, suggested retail price, establishing the volume of discounts and wholesale pricing, cash and early payment discounts, seasonal pricing or price flexibility (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). In order for Kudler Catering to benefit of a successful launch and gain as many customers as possible, they should implement pricing with 5% lower from the prices promoted by their competitors. Such a strategy would not raise significant difficulties for Kudler as the community already acknowledges them as a provider of high quality products at decent cost. Therefore, the catering products would easily offer customers an effective report qualityprice. Even if the prices are to be lower than those promoted by competitors, they should be established based on the company's costs. In this order of ideas, the price of the products would enable the producer to financially remunerate their staff, pay all fiscal obligations towards the state, repay the supply debts, grant the ability for further material purchase and insure a significant profit. For a successful promotion of the products, Kudler would also grant their customer several discounts. The usual remuneration method would consist of an advance of 25 to 50%, and a further payment upon the delivery. However, if the customer is willing to allocate the supplier the entire amount of money instead of just the advance, the caterer would grant them a 5 to 10% discount (depending on the amount of the ordered products). Place Placing the products implies finding appropriate means and channels for successfully distributing them. The Kudler Fine Foods manager has to decide upon the following problems: distribution channels, market coverage, specific channel members, inventory management, warehousing, distribution centers, order processing and transportation (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). The catering products would be manufactured and initially stored within Kudler's space. An hour prior to the event for which the products were ordered, the caterer would have them transported to the customer where they would be prepared for the guests. The order processing and transportation would be entirely the responsibility of the producer. Promotion Promoting the catering products on the market implies a constant communication with the target audience and the means of getting their attention and generating a positive attitude towards the products. Among the issues regarding promotion are: promotional strategy, advertising, personal selling and sales force, public relations and publicity (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center). Kudler would use most of the available media channels for promoting their new business. They could contract an advertising company to be in charge of their promotional campaign. They could develop commercial advertisements that could be seen on television or radio announcements. Also, they could order spreading out fliers and organize sampling sessions. Aside from the advertising campaign, the producer would establish a 24 hour PR department in charge of receiving telephone calls from customers. Kudler employees would register all requests and complaints from clients and forward them to their colleagues and superiors. Target market and technology The Kudler catering target market is composed of two categories: organizers of social events and company managers who wish to order the products for their employees' lunch. The second category is a less pretentious one and does not require highly specialized production technology. On the other hand, catering for social events demands hi-tech gadgets and a high quality of the foods served. In order to successfully cater social events, Kudler needs to posses several hi-tech devices such as highly specialized kitchen and industrial robots. Not only do these machines improve the overall quality of the final products, but they also save a significant amount of time and energy for the producer. Kudler catering and organic growers For several years now, the usage of organic growers in cultivating agricultural products has been a widely disputed issue around the globe. Supporters of organic growers argue that the quality of the resulted vegetables is significantly better than the quality of the vegetables grew in the classical method. Moreover, they state that the organically grew vegetables have better chances of developing in unfriendly weather and soil conditions. They say that â€Å"organic crops perform up to 100 percent better in drought and flood years† (The New Farm Research). On the other hand, disclaimers of the artificial soil fatteners argue that organically grew vegetables generate negative effects upon the consumer's health. They believe that long term exposure to organic growers could lead to incurable diseases and even death. Given the multitude of arguments in favor and against organic growers, the reactions of Kudler's customers would be diverse: some would agree, some would disagree and some would be indifferent. In order to satisfy their clientà ¨le, the catering company could discuss this issue with the order deponent and allow them the choice of the kinds of products and vegetables to be used for their event. Conclusions Kudler Fine Foods is a company that has, in a relatively short time, gained the trust and respect of customers. With their three stores opened in California, they proved their commitment and understanding towards the clients' needs by presenting them with high quality products at decent prices. Today, Kudler is considering launching their company onto the catering market. By maintaining their effective report of price and quality, aided by their acknowledged reputation and the support of a well trained marketing team, Kudler is prone to register successful outcomes. Bibliography: ? NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center, Marketing Mix, 2002 – 2006 http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/, last accessed on October 7, 2006 ? The New Farm Research,  Ã‚   Organic crops perform up to 100 percent better in drought and flood years, posted on November 7, 2003 http://www.newfarm.org/depts/NFfield_trials/1103/droughtresearch.shtml, last accessed on October 7, 2006 ? Varsity Essays, Kudler Fine Foods Proposal, 2006 http://www.varsityessays.com/essays/63026.html, last accessed on October 7, 2006                                    

Comment on how Romeo Essay

Comment on how Romeo and Juliet use language to communicate their feelings about love until Act II, scene ii of the play. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is the tragic story of two lovers separated by their feuding families. The origins of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ originate before Shakespeare and so the story has been made familiar to audiences and readers of previous generations. Many historians believe he got his inspiration from literature dating back to the sixteenth century such as the poem by Arthur Brooke called ‘The Tragicall Historye Of Romeus and Iuliet’, written in 1562. Shakespeare adapted this story in order for it to appeal to the Elizabethan audience. The male protagonist of the play is Romeo Montague. He is approximately seventeen or eighteen years old. Romeo is a stereotypical adolescent boy, who emotions are fickle and based on lust. He constantly spends time thinking about love and his desire to be in love. He is spurned by the lady he adores Rosaline. Romeo follows the conventions of ‘courtly love’ with diligence. In contrast the female protagonist Juliet Capulet is of a younger age; barely into her teenage years. Juliet is the opposite to Romeo as she is not stereotypical. Juliet does not comprehend or desire marriage, which is unusual of a girl her age. However, it is surprising Juliet breaches the rules of ‘courtly love’ by accepting the proposal of marriage as soon as Romeo enquired Juliet. Juliet also defies the convention by not marrying a man of her father’s choosing. Despite the Capulets and Montagues long standing hatred for each other, fate coincidently brings Romeo and Juliet together. The play ends with tragic consequences as a result from the families hatred. Romeo and Juliet both sacrifice themselves for the power of love. Shakespeare uses numerous dramatic devices and language techniques to explore and convey Romeo and Juliet’s emotions. Act I, scene i takes place after a riot between the Montagues and Capulets. Despite the uproar Romeo decides to take no participation in this argument as he is so infatuated by his desire for Rosaline. Benvolio says â€Å"Good morrow, cousin†. Romeo replies â€Å"Is the day so young† indicating that he is so wrapped up in his own emotions that he is surprised it is still morning. This is typical of courtly love. Benvolio informs Romeo that it has only just struck the hour of nine. â€Å"Aye me! Sad hours seem long† Romeo personifies time to portray the grief he endures. â€Å"Not having that, which, having, makes them short† Romeo indicates that time passes quickly with Rosaline but time drags on without her. Romeo also says; â€Å"Out of favour, where I am in love,† This shows that the feeling is not mutual therefore it can not be true love. Romeo also says; â€Å"Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! † Romeo implies love is cupid and although he is blindfolded he still makes people fall in love. He believes love is inevitable. Romeo enquires about the dispute but he quickly switches back to talking about love that he yearns for, when he says â€Å"Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. † Romeo is talking about fighting in general and not he has heard about the fight that has just taken place. He completely does not care about it and he is disloyal to his family. â€Å"Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. † He believes no matter how much people talk about hate, love is far more interesting as Romeo implies. Romeo’s infatuation with lust is reflected in his over elaborate use of language. â€Å"Well, in that you miss: she’ll not be hit With Cupid’s arrow; she hath Dian’s wit; nd, in string proof of chastity well arm’d, from love’s weak childish bow she lives unharm’d. she will not stay the siege of loving terms,† Romeo here portrays lust that he wants from Rosaline. He describes virginity like a fortress which needs to be conquered . Romeo is also critical of her virginity. Romeo is continuously using paradoxes to describe love. Romeo demonstrates a young man who does not actually feel genuine love as he describes it as love and hate when he says â€Å"O brawling love! O loving hate! † â€Å"O heavy lightness! Serious vanity! Mis-sharpen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, Sick health! † Conveying emotions of love which Romeo is experiencing, which is in such a mixed up way that it is not enjoyable but painful. Romeo says; â€Å"Tis the way To call hers exquisite, in question more:† Romeo has a fickle nature and he believes that looking at others would only make her more beautiful. Romeo implies that speaking of his lady would make him ‘groan’. Romeo emphasizes the pain he endures by referring love of love to be a sickness and of dying by saying; â€Å"Bid a sick man in sadness make his wil† Romeo ends with â€Å"farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget. † Romeo shows that he can not forget about his love and one can teach him to forget about his love. Juliet Capulet is a young girl living in the town of Verona. Juliet is probably around the age of fourteen or fifteen years of age. Ladies in Verona, by the ages of Juliet were often married and settled down with children. Juliet being the daughter of wealthy Capulet is no exception to this and is expected to marry. Juliet has hardly reached womanhood when she is expected to make a life changing decision Act I scene iii takes place in a room in the Capulets mansion. Lady Capulet breaks the news to Juliet about the idea of marriage. Lady Capulet says, â€Å"Marry, that ‘marry’ is the very theme I came to talk of†. Juliet replies â€Å"it is a n honour that I dream of not† as she is very shocked by the idea as she still thinks she is too young. She is innocent and nai ve. Lady Capulet says to Juliet; â€Å"Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers; by my count† Lady Capulet is suggesting Juliet is being left behind as most ladies are married by now. Lady Capulet also uses persuasive adjectives like â€Å"valiant† to advertise Paris as being perfect and encourage her daughter to marry him. The nurse of Juliet also emphasizes Paris being perfect â€Å"He’s a man of wax† Juliet hardly shows much emotion about married. Juliet says; â€Å"I’ll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives me strength to make it fly† Juliet shows here she will happily make the acquaintance of Paris only to please her mother, but Juliet is promising nothing. Juliet is not really bothered about meeting Paris as she does not desire married and partnership. Juliet and Romeo meet each other in the Capulets mansion where a party was taking place. Towards the end of act II, scene ii Romeo and Juliet use extended images of falcony to demonstrate their reluctance to separate until the following morning. Juliet confides in Romeo by using a metaphor; â€Å"O for a falconer’s voice, To lure thus tassel-gentle back again† Juliet wishes to capture Romeo, like a bird, so that she can lure him back to her whenever she wants. Romeo extends the metaphor by referring to Juliet as â€Å"My Niese†. Romeo is implying Juliet as being a hawk, this is important as it reminds the audience of Juliet’s age and her innocence. Juliet is very protective and shows this by using a simile; â€Å"I would have thee gone; And yet no farther than a wanton’s bird; That lets it hop a little from her hand, Like a prisoner in his twisted gives, And with a silken thread plucks it back again, So loving-jealous of his liberty† Juliet desires to imprison Romeo like a bird. Juliet uses a oxymoron to highlight her contrasting feelings; half of her wants to set Romeo free as if he remains he will get into danger but Juliet is selfish and wants Romeo to stay for her own benefit. Romeo and Juliet uses extended images of sea voyages and adventure to communicate their love for each other. Romeo uses a metaphor to show Juliet how much he loves her and how important she is to him. â€Å"As that vast shore wash’d with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise. † Romeo relates to Juliet being merchandise, which he is prepared to travel the furthest sea to gain such a priceless treasure. Juliet uses an extended simile later on in the play to re-emphasize Romeo’s feelings. â€Å"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep, the more I give to thee. † Juliet’s love is as endless like the sea. Both Juliet and Romeo worship each other and are prepared to do anything, just to get what they want. Juliet also has ‘bounty’, the willingness to give her love to Romeo. Romeo and Juliet use extended images of angels and heaven to express how heavenly their love and desire is for one another. Romeo expresses his feelings about Juliet in his soliloquy at the beginning of the scene; â€Å"Her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. † Romeo is saying that Juliet has the power over nature, she is as bright as the sun, her beauty is so extreme she can make the birds sing. Romeo extends the idea of cosmic image; â€Å"O speak again, bright angel† Romeo refers as Juliet being an angel as there is nothing more perfect as angels , more beautiful than any mortal could wish to be. Juliet impresses Romeo so much that he can not believe she is human. â€Å"For thou art As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, As is a winger messenger of heaven† Romeo expresses Juliet to have angel-like qualities, she is immortal, a perfect goddess. Romeo uses sibilance and a simile to make Juliet’s voice sound like beautiful music to one’s ears; â€Å"Like softest music to attending ears! † In the beginning Romeo is represented as a typical young man. His language is completed with drama and emotions. Juliet is opposite, her language is straightforward and shows her disinterest in marriage and love. Juliet experiences the most dramatic change in the play after meeting and falling in love with Romeo in act II, scene ii. Juliet displays a newly sexually awaken young woman. Her language is altered to display a likeness of Romeo’s language which is constantly uses hyperboles and imagery to portray her intense emotions. Romeo is less of a dramatic change as he still remains a passionate young man. His feelings are more genuine love rather than lust. Romeo’s feelings are intensified by reciprocate love. Romeo also uses imagery to show intense feelings and the endeavour to commit to Juliet. Throughout the play Shakespeare uses numerous language techniques to convey emotions and to show true passion between two teenagers. The play demonstrates to what extent people are prepared to do for the power of love. Tragic consequences at the end of the play lead to sad emotions which heightens the audience. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, a tragic story that teaches people the true meaning of love.

To what extent the laws on foreign invested enterprises in China have Essay

To what extent the laws on foreign invested enterprises in China have transformed in line with China' WTO membership - Essay Example Moreover, the ‘dual tax system’ has led towards imposition of different tax rates that are applicable to FIEs and Chinese enterprises. FIEs in China possess favourable tax treatment in comparison to domestic Chinese enterprises. The FIEs are also facilitated with special tax rates as well as deduction of taxes along with tax holidays 1(LI 2008). The People’s Republic of China (PRC) Enterprise Income Tax Law, from the beginning of the year 2008 has developed a unified tax system that is applicable for both domestic Chinese enterprise and FIEs. In accordance with the revised PRC law, it has been viewed that an income tax charge of 25 percent is applicable for all business enterprises of China2. In December 2001, China acceded towards significant World Trade Organisation (WTO) that deals with trade regulations between different nations, ultimately changed the scenario of the business law environment of China3. In this regard, WTO had devised significant reforms for d ifferent FIEs in China that emphasised upon minimising tariff rates as well as opening new sectors for foreign investment. Moreover, WTO has also reformed the legal system which includes protection of intellectual property as well as control of foreign exchange4. The discussion intends to emphasize upon examining the historic background, development and features of Chinese law governing the forms of organisation belonging to FIEs. Moreover, the WTO impact upon the transformation of Chinese business law will also be portrayed in the discussion. Main Body Historic Background and Development of FIEs The historic background and the development of Chinese law governing the forms of organisations of FIEs can be segregated into three phases that have been discussed hereunder. The Initial Stage (1979-1986) In the year 1979, a law on Chinese-Foreign Joint Ventures was approved and it was the first law of the State Council of China that is related to foreign investment consumption. The Chines e State Council from the year 1979 to 1980 had provided favourable as well as flexible policies with regard to foreign investments. In order to develop the Chinese economy as compared to Soviet Union, China developed a legal system based on Soviet Union legal framework. In this similar context, it was viewed that Hong Kong as well as Macao was regarded to be the major foreign investors in China and investments were mainly made in manufacturing units as well as hotels which are mainly labour intensive5. Steady Development Stage (1987-1991) In the year 1986, the State Council instigated a law relating to the development of foreign investments for the motive of minimising issues between domestic Chinese enterprises and FIEs. Moreover, the law helped in eliminating the problem of currency exchange for foreign investors and it also facilitated the foreign investors and export businesses to reap significant benefits. During this stage, foreign investments increased in export enterprises a s well as manufacturing industries along with high technology industries and its expansion in many business areas was also been observed 6. Accelerated Development Stage (1992-1999) In the year 1993, it has been observed that the amount of foreign inve

Financial Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Concepts - Essay Example n to compensate for the underlying risk involved .This rate of return (Ke) is defined as the sum of risk free rate of return (Rf) and risk premium (Rm- Rf) multiplied by beta (KPMG, 2005).Thus beta is useful in calculating the rate of return of a risky asset and thus very applicable in investment decisions. 2.2. Variance- It is a standard statistical measure of the dispersion of a set of data points around their mean value. In finance, the variance of the market return is the expected squared deviation from the expected return (Myers, 2000). Variance is useful in measuring portfolio risk in the sense that it measures the volatility from average value. This helps the investors in risk assessment while purchasing stocks or bonds (Investopedia, 2010). 2.3. Duration: It is defined as the average number of years to an asset’s discounted cash flows (Myers,2000).It denotes how much sensitive is the price of a fixed income investment to a change in interest rates. The bigger the duration, the greater the reward for bond prices. Thus this is applicable in investment decisions. 2.4. Return on Assets (ROA): It is defined as the ratio of net income to total assets (Myers, 2000). It indicates how efficiently a company is using its total assets to generate its earnings. It is an indicator of a company’s efficiency and profitability. 2.5: Return on Equity (ROE): It is defined as the ratio of net income to shareholder’s equity(Myers,2000). It an indicator of the profitability of a company. It shows how profitable a company is making use of the money invested by the shareholders 2.6. Cost of Capital- Each firm expects a minimum rate of return on its investments as earnings for attracting new capital and to maintain its current value. This rate of return is called cost of capital (KPMG, 2005). The opportunity cost of investment in funds is reflected in cost of capital and hence it is a very important parameter for any company (Civil Aviation Authority, 2001). The two

Does learning how to properly express oneself help Dissertation

Does learning how to properly express oneself help - Dissertation Example The study does not attempt to supplant existing programs, rather, it seeks to work with it, and enhance existing programs. This is done by opening and providing alternative means with which violence may be prevented. Social scientists believe violent crimes to be crimes of expression. While conducting motivational speaking sessions at schools in New Orleans, I have noticed that there are not many school-based programs in the district. The programs that currently exist do not look at the juvenile problem of violence as a possible problem of expression. Disciplinarian measures such as suspension and expulsion along with tight security methods seem to be the proposed solution to the problem of school violence. In this state of ‘tight security’ to curb juvenile violence, the study offers an innovative method - creative expression as a means of violence reduction, of juvenile violence prevention. This approach is novel, as no such programs currently exist, especially in New O rleans. Problem Statement Despite data showing reductions in violent crime nationally, youth violence remains a serious problem (Feder, Levant, & Dean, 2010). According to the Bureau of Justice Statistic, more crimes are committed against students’ ages 12-18 at school than away from school (Roberts, Zhang, Truman, 2010). Students who ranged from ages 12-18 experienced approximately 1.2 million nonfatal crimes at school compared to about one million nonfatal crimes away from school. The figures represent total crime victimization rates of 47 crimes per 1,000 students at school and 38 crimes per 1,000 students away from school. The number of school days in a year is essentially equivalent to the number of non-school days in a year. Despite the balance of days between school and non-school days, most (63%) violent crimes committed by juveniles occur on school days (OJJPD, 2010). Violence is the leading cause of nonfatal injuries among young people (Hammond, Haegerich, & Saul, 2 009). According to 2008 FBI statistics, New Orleans had the highest per capita murder rate in the nation (Murder Capital Title, 2009). The intersection of teen violence and the murder capital was evident more than ever in 2006. As New Orleans was scrambling to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans emerged as the murder capital once again. Five teenage juveniles ranging from ages 16-19 were gunned down in a one incident. The horrific event prompted the mayor of New Orleans to call for the deployment of the Louisiana National Guard to patrol the streets of New Orleans. Despite turning New Orleans to mirror an Iraqi city with armed military soldiers patrolling its streets, the violence remained. Juvenile violence remained a problem in New Orleans despite the presence of the Army. Once again, another attempt of increased security results in no answer. Tighter security looks good, but it has not proven to reduce violent crime. In this regard, the urgency of finding alternative mean s of addressing the problem of juvenile violence on top of existing programs is of intrinsic value. This is to promote existing programs, and open other venues that may help the young person express their experiences. Purpose Statement The purpose of this mixed research study is to

Threats and Challenges of Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Threats and Challenges of Walmart - Essay Example When Mike Duke took over as Chief Executive Officer in 2009, he faced more challenges from the inside and the outside. In 2009, Lee Scott announced his retirement from the company he had reined for years. During Lee’s stint, he overcame internal and external foes by transforming the company and dragged it â€Å"into the 21st century from its clannish roots† (Kapner, 2009). Under Mike Duke, Wal-Mart has a new strategy of doing business with the public and with its suppliers: it wants to sell and deliver environmentally friendly products and serve the public with the least environmental impact that it could have and do. Moreover, Wal-Mart wants to transport the products from suppliers so that it could cut costs and save more for its stores (Burritt, et al., 2010). Vice-president for corporate transportation, Kelly Abney, says that with lower costs they would have increased sales. The strategy is to take over transportation service from companies that produce the goods – Wal-Mart believes it could do it more efficiently while allowing the companies just to produce the goods for them. In this sense, manufacturers would pay Wal-Mart for the transportation through lower wholesale prices. More savings means more sales for Wal-Mart and low prices for the customers. Wal-Mart had done this before and saved $200 million by packing and scheduling efficiently its fleet of trucks (Burritt, et al., 2010). With the new strategy, Wal-Mart can use contractors and its own vehicles in picking up products directly from manufacturers’ facilities. Wal-Mart can save more time in delivery with this new strategy. The problem in this new strategy is the economies of scale that it will create. According to Randy Huffman, a former Wal-Mart executive, the move will have an adverse reaction on other manufacturers, but this will be beneficial on the part of the customers.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Summary - Essay Example Method In order to gather the response from children the author asked them to create self-portraits with their names beneath. In addition family questionnaires were also given as handouts during the previous open house. In addition consistently observing children would help to design a more effective classroom environment and also the pattern of teaching. In case a child needs help in any area only documented evidence will help the teacher to identify the problem with better clarity and use appropriate intervention methods. Apart from teachers school directors as well as family members would also be able to understand the child better in case of such evidences. These assessments should continue even after the introduction of a program as only then the strengths and weaknesses of the program will be identified. In the present study when a particular sample of work from the child could not be obtained the child was observed while performing a task of its interest or during group activi ties to gather the required information. Such observations also helped in understanding when a child required individual attention or guidance. The artworks of children who painted or drew pictures were also included in the portfolio. Through this the children felt that their efforts were valued.

Why We Must Tell Lies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why We Must Tell Lies - Essay Example Caught in a forbidden act, a two-year-old will quickly try to don a look of absolute innocence all while denying the alleged wrongdoing. Lying in children this young makes one wonder if lying is part of the human genetic code. The fact is, children probably are taught to lie by their first teachers- their parents. Brian Martin claims that parents carefully teach children how to lie and just as often lie to them (29). In teaching their children to lie, parents are preparing them to deal with the world. Once children set off for school, they must know how to lie effectively to teachers and classmates. Children who do not become good liars will not develop good interpersonal skills, and they will probably not become highly effective people. Every child needs to know how to explain the missing homework assignment and how to get along with playmates. Well-told lies are the most expedient means to these ends. In the adult world, the most successful people are those who are proficient liars. Businesses would cease to function if proprietors always told the truth.

Sustainability, Crime and Perceptions of Safety in Newcastle Essay - 10

Sustainability, Crime and Perceptions of Safety in Newcastle - Essay Example A sustainable community is one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of social, economic and environmental goals and has a comprehensive set of policies designed to satisfy the multiple benchmarks that define sustainability. According to the Centre for Sustainable Development at Simon Fraser University in Canada, â€Å"Sustainable Community Development (SCD) aims to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives in community development.† (â€Å"Why Sustainable Community Development†) In the context of the city of Newcastle, this cluster of goals and interrelated policies was compiled in The Australia Institute and Newcastle City Council authored report entitled, Indicators of a Sustainable Community, published in 2000. The report begins by noting, â€Å"Sustainability incorporates economic, social and environmental attributes of the City as they affect the quality of life of community members.† It goes on to note that sustainability is not a goal to be achieved but rather a process to be worked on with communities becoming more or less sustainable: â€Å"The challenge for policymakers and others involved in improving the quality of life in Newcastle will be to review these indicators over time and integrate them into management and decision-making processes within the City.† Interestingly, both of these indicators are important although they may, at times, be contradictory. It is not unheard of for crime rates to be dropping in a community at the same time that residents perceive themselves to be less safe. Therefore, this evaluation of crime and public safety in Newcastle will be conducted through analysis of actual crime rates and public perceptions of criminality and safety. The Indicators of a Sustainable Community report clearly identifies as one Desired Outcome improving community perception of safety. It defines the benchmark for this as, â€Å"Measuring how fear of crime impacts on people’s decisions to participate in activities outside the home indicates the community’s  perception of safety.  

Security and Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 1

Security and Justice - Essay Example Additionally realism beholds security studies as ‘the conditions that tend to employ force more likely, the ways that the application of force influences individuals, societies, state and the exclusive policies that states implement so as to get ready for, prevent or take part in war’ (Walt 1991: 212). The Welsh School approach considers security essentially different to traditional approaches. The School of thought describes security as emancipation (Booth 1991: 319; McDonald 2012: 43). Emancipation is understood as ‘the freeing of people (as individuals and groups) from those physical and human constraints which stop them carrying out what they would freely choose to do’ (Booth 1991: 319). These ‘physical and human constrains’ are not defined deterministically but are somewhat context-specific (McDonald 2012: 48). In comparison to a realist understanding of security, the Welsh School provides a standardized outline that people are supposed to be the referent objects of security established against the state because the moral intent of the state is to oblige a social contract and preserve its population. The two different conceptualizations of security stated above demonstrate how security is judged because there is no consensus on what the expression stands for. Both make convincing yet differing statements about what security means. Consequently, there is no available description of the term that is sensitive to the way security can be perceived or performed by all players. The Welsh School has expressly criticized the realist perception of security. Realists see the state as the principal player in world politics and hence comprehend security to be concerned with the defense of the state (Carnesale and Nacht 1976: 2; Walt 1991: 213). Welsh School scholars oppose this view, arguing that the fundamental role of the state is not to protect itself but to impose a social contract and shield its population especially since the state is offered

Academic degree Essay Example for Free

Academic degree Essay The different Definitions of education are misinterpreted in different ways, but there are still ways that you can interpret what you think the definition is on education. Education is to be able to find your own path. To have a high school diploma or to have a college degree, education is to be successful in your life in whatever way that is. Trying to define education is like trying to define why the sky is the color it is or why the grass is green, there is no accurate definition of education to me. Education can mean more than one thing having a college degree but also can mean not having a college degree. Being educated to me means to be successful in your life, just because you do not have a college degree doesn’t mean you will not go far in your life or make a good amount of money. People make it seem as if you don’t have a decent degree you will just work at a fast food restaurant. If someone were to ask me what it meant to be educated I wouldn’t be able to give them an answer. My mother Julie, went to the University Of Arkansas were she had completed law school. After completing law school she got a job at JB Hunt being a contract attorney. My father Carlos, who only has a high school diploma but works for a company called South Western Energy and is a company man for two rigs out in Pennsylvania where he is very successful in what he does. I don’t think you have to have a college diploma to be the most educated person around. Do I think you would make more amount of money in certain professions? Yes. Society makes it out to be that you must be admitted to a college to be educated, but really how educated do you have to be, to be admitted into a college. Back in the day it was a lot harder to get into a college, now-a-days you can score a fourteen through a sixteen and easily get into a college and just have to do remediation classes. Being tested for an ACT, SAT, Standardized test to me doesn’t show how educated you really are. Teachers teach you for the chapter they are covering than they either expect you to continue to remember what they taught you or you forget it. On the standardized test or the ACT or SAT there is information that you were taught in younger grades or that you haven’t been taught yet. So technically it really isn’t showing how educated a person may really be. Life its self-offers you an education. This lesson of education is more a hard learning education. ‘The best way to predict your future is to create It. ’- Abraham Lincoln. You are not taught in school how to balance a check book, how to cook, how to pay taxes, or how to do major things in the real world. Sooner or later you will get to the point that you will graduate for high school, get your GED or even drop out, but there will come a time that you will leave your parents’ house, which then you will have to find your own path in the real world. Unless you were taught by your parents or other adults how to balance a check book, how to cook, how to pay taxes, or how to do things in the real world you won’t be an educated person on how to go about life. In life there will be times that you will come to points in life that will you will see how educated you are, or when there is times that you need to speak up or when you need to go ahead and back off from the situation. People are different and learn in many different ways some faster than others and some who remember everything easily or some who forget stuff by the time class is over. Being knowledgeable in one subject and not in the other is that consider too make someone less knowledgeable or less comprehensive than another person. When going through college to earn a degree depending on what we want to major in we aren’t taught certain subjects. When majoring in anything in the medical field you aren’t taught any type of histories because you don’t need to know it. When you want to become a history major you aren’t taught any sciences because you don’t and won’t need them. If someone was to walk up to someone and try and have a conversation with them about a certain subject or ask them for some type of help on a certain subject but the other person isn’t able to have a conversation back because they aren’t taught that subject or haven’t been taught that subject does that make them any less educated than the person asking for help. There will always be some one that is always smarter or believes to be smarter than you, but really how can you tell how smart someone is. Being successful to me is a huge part of being educated. When knowing people who have a good degree and do not do anything with their degree and make bad choices in their life and not care what anyone thinks isn’t a successful and well educated person. When you are living on the streets and have a good degree you could go and find a job even if it means starting at a fast food restaurant and working your way to the top to get a job for what your degree is. It may take time but no reason to just sit around and waste a well-educated mind as society would say. There may be as many definitions as there are defines, but it is important for people to have a clear understand of education in order to be able to define it to other people on what your beliefs are and what it means to be a well-educated person. Lincoln, Abraham. Education Quotes Edgalaxy. Edgalaxy. Techzoo, 2009-2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

Binge Drinking in the UK: Causes and Effects | Essay

Binge Drinking in the UK: Causes and Effects | Essay Drinking ourselves to death? This essay will look into the question as to whether we are a nation that is on the verge of drinking ourselves to death, despite the ever increasing health warnings raised by the government and the National Health Service, about the consequences of consuming too much alcohol. A vast majority of individuals still seem to be regularly binge drinking without thinking about the devastating damage that they are doing to their bodies. It will also examine the ever demanding costs of alcohol related incidents that the National Health Service have to deal with upon a daily basis. It will look at the alcohol ‘strategies’ made by both the Labour government in 2004 and the Conservative government in 2010, to help tackle the problems related to alcohol. Furthermore I will look to evaluate whether the current alcohol policies proposed by the present government are helping to tackle the ever increasing problems related to binge drinking. It will also examine the tricks that the media use to try and persuade individuals to consume an unsafe amount of alcohol. Along with shocking evidence that a unit of alcohol is unbelievably cheaper that a bottle of water! The first section of this essay will discuss the current problems relating to binge drinking. Secondly I will look to evaluate as to whether the policies that have been imposed by the Labour government and Conservative government are actually helping to resolve the problems, caused by individuals choosing to consume considerable amounts of alcohol. Thirdly I will expose the ‘tricks’ that the supermarkets and media use in order to encourage individuals to consume unsafe amounts of alcohol. Along with this I will add some recent research conducted by myself to find out about the unit price of a number of different wines and spirits. The last section of this essays will discuss as to whether I believe the current binge drinking problem has spiralled out of control. Plus if the government has in fact left the long list of consequences attributable to alcohol related accidents and violence, far too late to tackle. Firstly the main point to be raised about the irresponsible drinking habits of individuals in Britain. Are they young adults who choose to pre-drink before going out clubbing, sometimes these young individuals can be under the drinking age? Or young individuals who are choosing to drink more than the recommend safe amount. The nation seems to have an irresponsible relationship with alcohol consumption, which leads to individuals choosing to binge drink as the result. The true reality of the impact of the nation’s irresponsible drinking habits can be highlighted in research, which was conducted by The Home Office in 2010. It is estimated that in a community of 100,000 people each year: 2,000 people will be admitted to hospital with an alcohol related condition. A 1,000 people will be victims of alcohol related violent crimes. Over 3,000 will be binge drinking. (Drugs and Alcohol Unit, 2012: 6) Sadly those who choose to drink to the extent where they became paralytic are often t he ones, who end up needing medical treatment. Moreover it is the Accident and Emergency departments throughout Britain that are consistently clogged, mainly at night, with individuals that have been injured or have become ill due to the result of excessive alcohol consumption. The Police also have to deal with individuals that choose to repeatedly drink irresponsibly. It is believed that at peak times 70% of all admissions to Accident and Emergency are in fact alcohol related (Cabinet Office, 2004: 9).This means that there is ever increasing pressure being put upon these services trying to deal with real emergencies. The Labour Government calculate the cost of the health service treating alcohol misuse to be  £1.7 billion per annum (Cabinet Office, 2004: 12). Clearly there is a number of points to be raised about individual’s irresponsible attitudes when it comes to alcohol consumption. Furthermore the admissions to hospital because of alcohol related violence and accidents could in fact start to rapidly increase. In a report by the Home Office, almost two million people more than six percent of men and two percent of women, were consuming more than what is regarded as the safe level of alcohol. (Baggot, 2004: 203) What these individuals do not realise is that by drinking alcohol to the extent they do, may causing them to develop extreme health complications in the future. They could develop kidney failure, liver damage and a number of different forms of cancer. Secondly this section will look to identity some of the policies the government have imposed in order to tackle the nation’s irresponsible drinking. Before the government can introduce a new set of policies they need to identify the aims. Moreover, in order to justify a national alcohol policy there needs to be an acceptance that alcohol has a profound effect upon society as a whole and that in the interest of the public good there is a need to combine the regulation of alcohol use with actions to attenuate the actual or potential consequences (Ratistrick, Hodgson and Ritson, 1999: 19). In order to impose a new set of policies the government needs to consider a number of different circumstances, as to which interventions will work to prevent the current problem. The government may consider imposing a set of polices within the interest of protecting the basic rights of individuals, whilst considering the overall safety of the public. Sometimes governments can make mistakes. The shocking decision that was made in 2000 when the Labour government, introduced plans to alter the licensing laws proposing a dramatic relaxation in those provisions covering hours of sale in England and Wales(Baggot,2000: 206). Probably one of the biggest mistakes that any government has made regarding the effects it has had upon increased binge drinking and consequently public health. On the other hand the current government has imposed some ambitions that they believe will help curb the problem with the nation’s irresponsible drinking habits. They have three main ambitions these include, a change in behaviour so that people think it is not acceptable to drink in ways that could cause harm to themselves or other. Along with a reduction in the amount of alcohol fuelled violent crime and a reduction in the number of adults drinking above the NHS guidelines (Drugs and Alcohol Unit, 2012: 5). There has been slight improvements in the reduction of alcohol fuelled violent crimes when Police Forces have imposed alcohol removal zones in certain towns and cities. Where any individual caught with alcohol in these areas will have it removed. Although this scheme seems to be working to reduce the number of crimes occurring due to alcohol, the same cannot to be said for the majority of the country. Recently the Home Office have introduced a series of posters highlightin g the problem of drinking too much alcohol too early. They hoped that the posters would highlight that drinking before going out clubbing, can cause you to become ill and miss out on the fun later on. However it seems that the message is not getting through. There are still many individuals choosing to drink above the recommend safe guidelines. Thirdly the media maybe one of the contributing factors to the nations binge drinking. With a constant stream of adverts that show individuals enjoying alcohol in a number of different social situations. There seems to be a cultural representation of the drinking mirror society in a way that shapes and reinforces the public discourse on alcohol related problems. (Ratistrick, Hodgson and Ritson, 1999: 145) However not all the blame can be put upon the media. Supermarkets and independent shops are just as much to blame, by advertising ever increasingly cheap deals. Whether the deals be three boxes of beer for  £21 or two bottles of wine for  £10. They are still encouraging purchases of a vast amount of alcohol. Pubs and clubs may also be blamed for the ever increasing spiralling out of control of the binge drinking nation. Pubs and clubs sometimes have deals on certain spirits or beers. Some clubs even advertise cheap entry and cheap drink deals to lure individuals into drinking va st amounts of alcohol. On the other hand the argument here is that some young people do not seem to worry about what binge drinking does to themselves or others. (Wechsler and Wuethrich, 2002: 157) Furthermore some health professionals have argued that there needs to be a stricter unit price. The Conservative Government did state that they were going to impose a minimum unit price of 50p, however this is yet to come into force. After conducting some research of my own on Monday 3 rd. February 2014 it came back with some surprising results. In order to work out the unit price, an individual needs to divide the price by the number of units. For example a  £4.99 bottle of wine has 9.8 units, meaning each unit costs 50p, along with  £ 1.93 bottle of cider has 10.6 units , meaning that each unit costs 18p. Shockingly a unit of alcohol costs less than a bottle of water at  £1.00 or a packet of chocolate at 70p. Lastly in this essay I have researched as to whether the nation is in fact drinking itself to death. Firstly the fact that it costs the National Health Service  £1.7 billion in order to treat incidents related to alcohol is shocking. However as highlighted in the third section of this essay the government has imposed some policies to try and tackle the binge drinking problem. Although some of these policies seem to be helping to reduce the problem slightly, others seem to be having the reserve effect. Moreover it is clear that there should be a reduction of the licensing laws. On the other hand perhaps imposing that minimum unit price of 50p may help to reduce the current binge drinking culture. Bibliography Baggot. R, 2000, Public Health Policy and Politics, Hampshire, Palgrave Cabinet Office, Strategy Unit, 2004, Alcohol Harm and Reduction Strategy, H.R.S.O, London Drugs and Alcohol Unit, 2012, The Government’s Alcohol Strategy, London, Home Office Ratistrick. D, Hodgson. R and Ritson, 1999, Tackling alcohol Together the Evidence Base of a UK policy, London, Frist Association Books Wechsler H and Wuethrich, 2002,  Dying to drink confronting Binge drinking on college campuses USA, St. Martin’s Press

A Explanation Of Different Financial Terms Finance Essay

A Explanation Of Different Financial Terms Finance Essay The main objective of the Finance Manager is to manage funds in such a way so as to ensure their optimum utilization and their procurement in a manner that the risk, cost and control considerations are properly balanced in a given situation. To achieve the objective the Finance Manager performs the following functions in the following areas:- The need to estimate/forecast the  requirement of funds  for both the short term (working capital requirements) and the long term purpose (capital investments). Forecasting the requirements of funds involves the use of budgetary control and long-range planning Helps to decide what type of  capital structure  the company needs to have return: whether these funds would be raised: from loans/borrowings or from internal source (share capital) To raise sufficient long term funds to finance fixed assets and other long term investments and to provide for the needs of working capital Investment Decision In projects using the various capital budgeting tools like payback method, accounting rate of return, internal rate of return, net present value. Assets management policies are to be laid down regarding the various items of current assets like accounts receivable by coordinating with the sales personnel, inventory with production Dividend Decision Taking into consideration, earnings trend, share market price trend, fund requirement for future growth, cash flow situation and others. Financial negotiation Plays a very important role in carrying out negotiations with the various financial institutions, banks and public depositors for raising funds on favourable terms. Cash Management The finance manager needs to ensure the supply of adequate, timely and cheap fund  to the various parts of the organization. That there is no excessive cash idling around. Evaluating financial performance To need to constantly review the financial performance of the various units of organization generally in terms of ROI (return on investment. Such review assists management in seeing all the funds have been utilized in the various divisions and what can be done to improve it. Dealing with relevant parties in the Financial Markets Where the company is a listed entity, the need to interact with the Stock Exchange To deal with money markets and capital markets for financing or investment of idling funds To foster relationships with bankers, investors, underwriters of equity and bond issuances and other government regulatory bodies. For those who are uninformed, they tend to think the sole function of this position is that of the head of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, but it goes far beyond that capacity. In fact, the finance manager is in charge of any  financing  and accounting function throughout the company. The role of this position involves that of not only financing functions such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Billing, but it also involves that of budget projections and working with the Chief Financial Officer to make sure that the companys funds are stable and assisting with any budget cuts that become necessary. The finance manager is the head of both the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable areas of the company. As such, he will be the one to set policy and direct procedures for both areas of  business. That includes hiring staff based upon need, following budget guidelines for expenses including staffing, assuring that procedures are followed by all staff members, setting reasonable quota system to assure work is completed in a timely fashion, and interacting with department supervisors on a regular basis in order to stay abreast of happenings within the department. The finance manager will also compile reports that show all of the conditions within his department including expenditures, open invoices, production standards, quality control standards, and timeliness of both payment of invoices and processing of payments. The finance manager is also responsible for the billing operation of the Accounts Receivable Department and making sure that guidelines for timely billing are followed as well. The finance manager also is the one who will work with other executives in order to develop the budget for each year. He will work with the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Executive Officer in order to develop an equitable solution for each years expenditures in both staff, office supplies, and any other needs that the company has including training, business trips, out of town meetings, and staff entertainment expenses. The finance manager has a very important position within a company, and his decisions will determine the financial stability of the company, at least within the areas that fall under his control. It is also his job to make certain that other departments and areas of the company follow their budgets and make the most use of the companys  money  by avoiding frivolous expenses. Nature of Financial Management Financial management is that part of total management which is concerned primarily with the financial affairs of an organization and the translation of actions, both past and proposed, into meaningful and relevant information for use in the management process. It includes the functions of budgeting, accounting, reporting, and the analysis and interpretation of the financial significance of past events and future plans. It sometimes also includes other related functions such as internal auditing, management analysis, and others. It is not primarily concerned with the technical procedures and methodology of those individual functions. Rather, it is characterized by the coordination and correlation of those functions into an effective and broad system of financial control that will assure that they, collectively more than individually, become an integral part of the management of the organization. Financial management involves the art of interrelating data to obtain a perspective of the total financial situation that will assist managers in program planning and decision-making. A very simple operating program may require only a minimum of financial management, and this, in some cases, can be provided by the manager himself. Financial Management is also an important field of Management Sciences. It is a combination of Managerial Finance and Corporate Finance. Managerial Finance concerns with the managerial use of financial techniques, whereas on the other hand, corporate finance deals with corporate financial decisions. In both the cases, it is extremely important for Managers in an organization. Financial Management is used to determine the best way to use the  money  available to an organization in order to improve the future opportunities to  earn  money. Thus the financial managers use techniques such as Valuation, Portfolio management, Hedging and capital structure etc for better decisions about the future of an organization. On the other hand, it is also used to interpret financial results in a given year or time period using financial analysis techniques. This helps in judging the actual performance of an organization in that time period. Financial management helps in proper allocation of costs, anticipate future expense, and budgeting for the future. Retained Earnings The accumulated net income that has been retained for reinvestment in the business rather than being paid out in dividends to stockholders. Net income that is retained in the business can be used to acquire additional income-earning assets that result in increased income in future years. Retained earnings are a part of the owners equity section of a firms balance sheet. Retained earnings also called retention ratio or retained surplus, it is the percentage of net earnings not paid out as dividends but retained by the company to be reinvested in its core business or to pay debt.  Retained earnings are one component of the corporations net worth and increase the supply of cash thats available for acquisitions, repurchase of outstanding shares, or other expenditures the board of directors authorizes. It is recorded under shareholders equity on the balance sheet. It is calculated by adding net income to or subtracting any net losses from beginning retained earnings and subtracting any dividends paid to shareholders, as shown here: Smaller and faster-growing companies tend to have a high ratio of retained earnings to fuel research and development plus new product expansion. Mature firms, on the other hand, tend to pay out a higher percentage of their profits as dividends. In most cases, companies retain their earnings to invest them in areas where the company can create growth opportunities, such as buying new machinery or spending the money on research and development. If a net loss is greater than beginning retained earnings, retained earnings can become negative, creating a deficit. Debenture A debenture is a debt instrument, which is not backed by collaterals. Debentures are backed by the creditworthiness and reputation of the debenture issuer. Besides, a debenture is a long-term debt instrument issued by governments and big institutions for the purpose of raising funds. The debenture has some similarities with bonds but the terms and conditions of securitization of debentures are different from that of a bond. A debenture is regarded as an unsecured investment because there are no pledges (guarantee) or liens available on particular assets. Nonetheless, a debenture is backed by all the assets which have not been pledged otherwise. Normally, debentures are referred to as freely negotiable debt instruments. The debenture holder functions as a lender to the issuer of the debenture. In return, a specific rate of interest is paid to the debenture holder by the debenture issuer similar to the case of a loan. In practice, the differentiation between a debenture and a bond is not observed everytime. In some cases, bonds are also termed as debentures and vice-versa. If a bankruptcy occurs, debenture holders are treated as general creditors. The debenture issuer has a substantial advantage from issuing a debenture because the particular assets are kept without any encumbrances so that the option is open for issuing them in future for financing purposes. Usually, debentures are categorized into the following types and their definitions are also given below: Convertible Debenture:  Convertible bonds  or bonds that can be converted into equity shares of the issuing company after a predetermined period of time. Convertibility is a feature that corporations may add to the bonds they issue to make them more attractive to buyers. In other words, it is a special feature that a corporate bond may carry. As a result of the advantage a buyer gets from the ability to convert; convertible bonds typically have lower interest rates than non-convertible corporate bonds. Non-convertible debenture: Simply regular  debenture cannot be converted into equity shares of the liable company. They are debentures without the convertibility feature attached to them. As a result, they usually carry higher interest rates than their convertible counterparts. Corporate Debenture:   Debentures issued by companies and they are insecure in nature. Bank Debenture:  This type of debentures is issued by banks. Government Debenture:  This includes Treasury Bond (T-Bond) and Treasury Bill (T-Bill) issued by the government. They are usually regarded as risk-free investments. Subordinated Debenture:  This is a particular type of debenture, which ranks below regular debentures, senior debt, and in some instances below specific general creditors. Corporation Debenture:  Corporation debentures are issued by various corporations. Exchangeable Debenture:  They are like convertible debentures, but this debenture can only be converted to the common stock of a subsidiary company or affiliated company of the debenture issuer. Seed Capital Seed capital means the initial capital used to start a business.  Seed capital often comes from the company founders personal assets or from friends and family.  The amount of money is usually relatively small because the business  is still in the idea or conceptual stage.  Such a  venture  is generally  at a pre-revenue stage and  seed capital is needed for  research development, to cover initial operating expenses  until a product or service can start generating  revenue, and to attract the attention of venture capitalists. Seed capital is needed to get most businesses off the ground. It  is considered a high-risk investment, but one that can reap major rewards if the company becomes a growth enterprise. This type of funding is often obtained in exchange for an equity stake in the enterprise, although with less formal contractual overhead than standard equity financing. Banks and venture capital investors view seed capital as an at risk investment by the promoters of a new venture, which represents a meaningful and tangible commitment on their part to making the business a success. Frequently,  capital providers  will  want to wait until a business is a little more mature before making the larger investments that typify the early stage financing of venture capital funding. Seed capital in other words can be said as money used as the initial investment for a new product or service launch. Seed capital enables businesses to launch a new product or service without depending fully on a business loan. The funds for this form of financing are typically provided by private investors who are looking for a high return on their investment of at least 30 percent. The investors look to invest in an industry with a market of at least $1 billion, and they also want an industry with few competitors for the business. Businesses that typically obtain seed capital are young companies around one year of age that have not produced a product or service for commercial sale yet. The companies are so new, so it can be difficult to obtain a regular commercial loan that is sufficient for covering all of the related start up expenses. Cash Credit and Overdraft Cash credit  is  a short-term cash loan to a company.  A bank provides this type of funding, but  only after the required security is given to secure the loan. Once a security for repayment has been given, the business  that receives the loan can continuously draw from the bank up to a certain specified amount. This type of financing is similar to a line of credit. Furthermore, cash credit is a facility to withdraw the amount from the business account even though the account may not have enough credit balance. The limit of the amount that can be withdrawn is sanctioned by the bank based on the business cycle of the client and the working capital gap and the drawing power of the client. This drawing power is determined, based on the stock and book debts statements submitted by the borrower at monthly intervals against the security by hypothecating of stock of commodities and/ or book debts. The excess withdrawal of cash is made generally on demand from the customer and the customer has to pay interest on the excess amount he/she has withdrawn. The cash credit facility is quite useful to those businesses where cash payment like wages, transportation, cash purchases are to be made and the receivables are not realized in time. An overdraft facility is a formal arrangement with a bank which allows an account holder to draw on funds in excess of the amount on deposit. Overdraft facility financing is most commonly used by businesses as a way of making their  working capital  more flexible, although it can also be available to individuals. Banks which offer this service typically have a number of expectations from customers who use it, and it is important to be aware of these expectations before entering an overdraft facility agreement. The idea behind overdraft facility agreements is that sometimes one needs a bit more money than is available on deposit to deal with various expenses. For example, a business which is always slow in March and April might like to use its overdraft facility to make  payroll  and keep current with all accounts and creditors. Or, a business might need to make a big one-time expense which exceeds the funds on deposit. With an overdraft facility, people can repay the funds at their convenience. The bank may charge an overdraft fee for accessing the overdraft facility, and the  interest rate  can be higher than that for other types of loans. The bank also has the right to demand repayment in full. Balancing an overdraft facility wisely can free up capital and make people more stable financially, but unwise use can lead people into a spiral of debt which may be difficult to escape. The amount of an overdraft facility is also curbed; people are not allowed to continually take money out and not repay it. The amount of the overdraft is usually pegged to account history and financial information, with the goal of ensuring that people do not end up borrowing more than they can realistically repay through an overdraft facility. The agreed limit can be negotiated with the bank, and some banks are willing to reevaluate if customers feel that their circumstances have changed. Similar to personal overdraft facilities, a business overdraft is a prearranged spending limit with your bank. Many businesses find an overdraft useful for those times when cash flow is a problem for a short period of time. Overdrafts are not a good option for funding larger needs, such as capital or expansion expenses. For these needs it is less expensive to obtain a separate business loan. Business overdrafts  may also be subject to more fees than a personal overdraft. Examples include fees to open the overdraft, to renew the overdraft, or sometimes even a fee for not using the overdraft. When used judiciously, overdraft facilities can be a great help in managing the occasional financial shortfall. Commercial Paper Commercial paper is a form of financing that consists of short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by firms with a high credit standing. Generally, only large firms of unquestionable financial soundness are able to issue commercial paper. Most commercial paper issues have maturities ranging from 3 to 270 days. Although there is no set denomination, such financing is generally issued in multiples of $100,000 or more. A large portion of the commercial paper today is issued by finance companies; manufacturing firms account for a smaller portion of this type of financing. Businesses often purchase commercial paper, which they hold as marketable securities, to provide an interest-earning reserve of liquidity. Commercial paper is sold at a discount from its par, or face, value. The size of the discount and the length of the time to maturity determine the interest paid by the issuer of commercial paper. The actual interest earned by the purchaser is determined by certain calculations. Commercial paper is not  usually backed by any form of collateral, so only firms with high-quality debt ratings will easily find buyers without having to offer  a substantial discount (higher cost) for  the debt issue. For the most part, commercial paper is a very safe investment because the financial situation of a company can easily be predicted over a few months. Furthermore, typically only companies with high  credit ratings  and credit worthiness issue commercial paper. Over the past 40 years, there have only been a handful of cases where corporations have defaulted  on their commercial paper repayment. There are two methods of issuing paper. The issuer can market the securities directly to a  buy and hold  investor such as most money market funds. Alternatively, it can sell the paper to a dealer, who then sells the paper in the market. The dealer market for commercial paper involves large  securities  firms and subsidiaries of  bank  holding companies. Most of these firms also are dealers in  US Treasury securities. Direct issuers of commercial paper usually are financial companies that have frequent and sizable borrowing needs and find it more economical to sell paper without the use of an intermediary. In the United States, direct issuers save a dealer fee of approximately 5 basis points, or 0.05% annualized, which translates to $50,000 on every $100 million outstanding. This saving compensates for the cost of maintaining a permanent sales staff to market the paper. Dealer fees tend to be lower outside the United States. Bridge Finance Bridge financing  is a method of  financing, used to maintain  liquidity  while waiting for an anticipated and reasonably expected  inflow of cash. Bridge financing is commonly used when the cash flow from a sale of an asset is expected after the cash outlay for the purchase of an  asset. For example, when selling a  house, the owner may not receive the cash for 90 days, but has already purchased a new home and must pay for it in 30 days. Bridge financing covers the 60 day gap in cash flows. Another type of bridge financing is used by companies before their  initial public offering, to obtain necessary cash for the maintenance of operations. These funds are usually supplied by the  investment bank  underwriting  the new issue. As payment, the company acquiring the bridge financing will give a number of  stocks  at a  discount  of the issue price to the underwriters that equally offset the loan. This financing is, in essence, a forwarded payment for the future sales of the new issue. Bridge financing may also be provided by  banks  underwriting  an offering of  bonds. If the banks are unsuccessful in selling a companys bonds to qualified institutional buyers, they are typically required to buy the bonds from the issuing company themselves, on terms much less favourable than if they had been successful in finding institutional buyers and acting as pure intermediaries. There are 2 types of bridging finance which are closed bridging and open bridging. Closed bridging finance is where there is a date for the exit of the bridging finance and is sure that the bridging finance can be repaid on that date. This is less risky for the lender and thus the interest rate charged is lower. Open bridging is higher risk for the lender. This is where the borrower does not have an exact date for the bridging finance exit and may be looking for a buyer of the property or land. Capital Market A capital market is a market where both government and companies raise long term funds to trade securities on the bond and the stock market. It consists of both the primary market where new issues are distributed among investors, and the secondary markets where already existent securities are traded.  In the capital market, mortgages, bonds, equities and other such investment funds are traded. The capital market also facilitates the procedure whereby investors with excess funds can channel them to investors in deficit. The capital market provides both overnight and long term funds and uses financial instruments with long maturity periods. The financial instruments are traded in this market such as foreign exchange instruments, equity instruments, insurance instruments, credit market instruments, derivative instruments, and hybrid instruments. The primary role of the capital market is to raise long-term funds for governments, banks, and corporations while providing a platform for the trading of securities.  This fundraising is regulated by the performance of the stock and bond markets within the capital market. The member organizations of the capital market may issue stocks and bonds in order to raise funds. Investors can then invest in the capital market by purchasing those stocks and bonds.  The capital market, however, is not without risk. It is important for investors to understand market trends before fully investing in the capital market. To that end, there are various market indices available to investors that reflect the present performance of the market. Every capital market in the world is monitored by financial regulators and their respective governance organization. The purpose of such regulation is to protect investors from fraud and deception. Financial regulatory bodies are also charged with minimizing financial losses, issuing licenses to financial service providers, and enforcing applicable laws.   Capital market investment is no longer confined to the boundaries of a single nation. Todays corporations and individuals are able, under some regulation, to invest in the capital market of any country in the world. Investment in foreign capital markets has caused substantial enhancement to the business of international trade.   The capital market is also dependent on two sub-markets the primary market and the secondary market. The primary market deals with newly issued securities and is responsible for generating new long-term capital. The secondary market handles the trading of previously-issued securities, and must remain highly liquid in nature because most of the securities are sold by investors. A capital market with high liquidity and high transparency is predicated upon a secondary market with the same qualities. Money Market The  money market  is a component of the  financial markets  for assets involved in short-term borrowing and lending with original maturities of one year or shorter time frames. Trading in the money markets involves  Treasury bills,  commercial paper,  bankers acceptances, certificates of deposit, federal funds, and short-lived  mortgage-backed and  asset-backed securities.  It provides  liquidity  funding for the  global financial system. The money market consists of  financial institutions  and dealers in money or credit who wish to either borrow or lend. Participants borrow and lend for short periods of time, typically up to thirteen months. Money market trades in short-term  financial instruments  commonly called paper. This contrasts with the  capital market  for longer-term funding, which is supplied by bonds  and  equity. The core of the money market consists of banks borrowing and lending to each other, using  commercial paper,  r epurchase agreements  and similar instruments. The money market is a subsection of the  fixed income  market. We generally think of the term fixed income as being synonymous  to  bonds. In reality, a bond is just one type of fixed income security. The difference between the money market and the bond market is that the money market specializes in very short-term debt securities (debt that  matures in less than one year). Money market investments are also called cash investments because of their short maturities. Money market securities are essentially IOUs issued by governments, financial institutions and large corporations. These instruments are very  liquid  and considered extraordinarily safe. Because they are extremely conservative, money market securities offer significantly lower returns than most other securities.   One of the main differences between the money market and the stock market is that most money market securities trade in  very high denominations. This limits access  for the individual investor. Furthermore, the money market is a dealer market, which means that firms buy and sell securities in their own accounts, at their own risk. Compare this to the stock market where a broker receives commission to acts as an agent, while the investor takes the risk of holding the stock. Another characteristic of a dealer market is the lack of a central trading floor or  exchange. Deals are transacted over the phone or through electronic systems.   Venture Capital Funds Venture capital  (also known as  VC  or  Venture) is a type of  private equity  capital typically provided for early-stage, high-potential,  growth  companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an  IPO  or  trade sale  of the company. Venture capital investments are generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the invested company. It is typical for venture capital investors to identify and back companies in high technology industries such as biotechnology and ICT (information and communication technology). A  venture capital fund  refers to a  pooled investment  vehicle that primarily invests the  financial capital  of third-party investors in enterprises that are too risky for the standard  capital markets  or  bank loans. Venture capital funds mean an investment fund that manages money from investors seeking private equity stakes in startup and  small- and medium-size enterprises with strong growth potential. These investments are generally characterized as high-risk/high-return opportunities. Theoretically, venture capital funds give individual investors the ability to get in early at a companys startup stage or  in special situations  in which there is  opportunity for explosive growth. In the past,  venture capital investments were only accessible to professional venture capitalists. While a fund structure diversifies risk, these funds are inherently  risky. Most  venture capital funds  have a fixed life of 10 years, with the possibility of a few years of extensions to allow for private companies still seeking liquidity. The investing cycle for most funds is generally three to five years, after which the focus is managing and making follow-on investments in an existing portfolio. This model was pioneered by successful funds in  Silicon Valley  through the 1980s to invest in technological trends broadly but only during their period of ascendance, and to cut exposure to management and marketing risks of any individual firm or its product. In such a fund, the investors have a fixed commitment to the fund that is initially unfunded and subsequently called down by the venture capital fund over time as the fund makes its investments. There are substantial penalties for a Limited Partner (or investor) that fails to participate in a capital call. It can take anywhere from a month or so to several years for venture capitalists to raise money from limited partners for their fund. At the time when all of the money has been raised, the fund is said to be closed and the 10 year lifetime begins. Some funds have partial closes when one half (or some other amount) of the fund has been raised. Vintage year generally refers to the year in which the fund was closed and may serve as a means to stratify VC funds for comparison. This  free database of venture capital funds  shows the difference between a venture capital fund management company and the venture capital funds managed by them. Present Value Present value means the  current worth  of a future sum of money  or stream of cash flows  given a specified rate of return. Future cash flows are discounted at the discount rate, and the higher the discount rate, the lower the present value of the future cash flows.  Determining the appropriate discount rate is the key to properly valuing future cash flows, whether they are earnings or obligations. The calculation of discounted or present value is extremely important in many financial calculations.  For example, net present value, bond yields, spot rates, and pension obligations all rely on the principle of discounted or present value.   If offered a choice between $100 today or $100 in one year  ceteris paribus, a rational person will choose $100 today. This assumes a positive interest rate for the time period. This is described by economists as Time Preference. Time Preference can be measured by auctioning off a risk free security like a US Treasury bill. If a $100 note, payable in one year, sells for $80, then the present value of $100 one year in the future is $80. This is because you ca

The Natural Violence of Human Nature as Shown Through the Epic Beowulf

The Natural Violence of Human Nature as Shown Through the Epic Beowulf Violence is the way of the game in the world of Beowulf. It is how things get done. It is what people care about. The songs in the Mead Hall are all sung of the great violent epics that took place in the times long gone. When there is no violence that can be perpetrated, these cultures tell stories of violence, so as to release this need for aggression that is somewhere deep with in them. This is in many ways like the world that we live in. Humans in this modern world are surrounded and fascinated by violence. Whether or not they are taking part in it, it does fascinate them. It can be found in television, movies, video games, music, books, and all other forms of cultural expression. Our fascinations have not changed that much in the last 1700 years, they have just gained more sophistication and technology. In the days of Beowulf, they sang songs and told epics of the battles and conquest long passed. That was there way of building a heroic nature to their famous warriors. The bards would go out and compose epic ballads in the memory of fallen soldiers and of the great conquerors. Now instead of court bards, we have men like Stephen Ambrose. Instead of the ballad of Sigmund and the dragon, we have D-day. As the men in the Heorot told great tales of battle, bravery and death, we make video games. Video games serve to purposes that both derive straight from our violent nature. They are entertainment and a way to release our natural aggression. Of course they sell so well with young adults. In our modern society violent action against one another is heavily regulated. It is hard for us to release our pent up aggression without invoking the l... ...ommander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, architect of D-Day, and President, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Govenator and even the current frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination, John McCain. We still find confidence in leaders who have proven themselves in combat. The legacy Beowulf leaves behind is that of a great and powerful warlord. Violence is what is seen and told in the stories of his greatness. It is barely mentioned that he was a great ruler for fifty years of peace. This is completely forgotten in the histories. What is remembered is his great battles, because human nature is fascinated with violence. It still is today. The top grossing video game is Halo 3, a game which?s entire game play is warfare. Of the top three grossing movies of all time, two are violent Epics. Violence has and probably will always fascinate human society.

Cars :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the summer time of the year 2000 this picture was taken. The photographer was myself. I tried to capture the Oldsmobile Cutlass in the air off all four tires. The person controlling the car was my friend June Rodean. We were attending a low rider car show in English Town, New Jersey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The car in this picture is an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with hydrolics. This car also is equipped with the following: twelve inch spoke rims, custom paint job called a bowling ball the color is called bowling ball because the paint is mixing together like a bowling ball or a piece of marble, there is a string of neon blue outlining the interior. It has several sound effects controlled by switches, by pressing the switch you will be able to hear the siren of a police car, fire truck, ambulance, and other alert sirens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The temperature that day was around ninety degrees. I was sweating a lot but the excitement from the event kept my mind from heat. There was a large crowd there. People of all races were cheering all the cars. As you could see not the only one taking pictures. I had fun that day there was lots of girls. The air was filled exhaust fumes, burnt rubber and fried foods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was able to take this picture while the car was eight inches off the ground. The camera that I used was digital. Later on my friend printed out the picture I took from using a computer. So the picture was able to be enlarged and you could see a large amount off details. Overall the picture was taken on a bright day with good weather conditions and a clear shot was able to be taken at the right moment. From you could see this is an exciting event to attend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion this picture captured one of the best highlights of my day. My friend absolutely knew how to handle this vehicle. His prize for this stunt was second place. We both was very happy competing with other cars. We seen a lot of ideas and a lot of

Learning Disabilities: ADHD Essay -- Essays Papers

Learning Disabilities: ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that can affect any person’s behavior and way of life. In their book, Special Education, J.Ysseldyke and B. Algozzine state that no area has experienced as much growth as learning disabilities. It is by far the largest of all special education categories. Enormous changes in the last century have changed the way society treats children with disabilities. Psychologist William Lee Heward affirms that in the 1800’s there were few public provisions dealing with adults or children with special needs. Psychologists researched in order to discover the characteristics of a person with ADHD and the effects it has on human behavior. Teachers, parents, and other people have an important role in dealing with a person who has the condition. Special education today is an area of growing interest and of continuing controversies. Full and fair access to educational opportunities was often denied to children who were different because of race, culture, language, gender, or exceptionality (Banks and Banks 293). Because local school officials did not have any legal obligation to grant students with disabilities the same educational access that other non disabled students enjoyed, many schools denied enrollment to children with learning disabilities. This exclusion had to be corrected making it necessary to make laws governing the education of exceptional children. As a consequence, in 1975 Law 94-142, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law has changed education throughout the country affecting and changing the roles of special educators, schools, administrators, parents and many other professionals involved in the... ...o Special Education. 6th ed. Ohio: Prentice may, 2000. Kirk, Gallagher & Anastasiow. Educating Exceptional Children. 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. Parodi, Luis M. Educacià ³n Especial y sus Servicios. Puerto Rico: Publicaciones Puertorriqueà ±as, Inc., 2002. Rief, Sandra F. Cà ³mo Tratar y Enseà ±ar al Nià ±o con Problemas de Atencià ³n e Hiperactividad. Argentina: Editorial Piados, 2000. Schirduan, V. M. Elementary students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in schools using multiple disorders (ADHD) intelligences theory: Intelligences, schools using multiple intelligences theory: Intelligences, and achievement. Ed. D. diss., University of concept, and achievement. Ed. Diss., University of, 2000. Ysseldyke, J. and Algozzine, B. Special Education: A Practical Approach for Teachers. 3rd.ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995.

Marx’s Theory of Alienation

Sociology Essay – Assessment 1 Q. Outline and assess Marx’s concept of Alienation Alienation, a concept that became widely known during the 19th and 20th century has been looked at extensively by a number of leading theorists. Theorists such as Georg Hegel first used the idea of alienation as a philosophic idea, but his work was later grasped upon by theorists known as Ludwig Feuerbach and more importantly Karl Marx. The world till now has been witness to a change in different social structures and forms in which society operates. We as human beings must ask, what purpose do we serve within society?What means do we have to sustain an effective or prosperous way of living? Marx believed we have been through different economic stages and ownership of the things we need to live, beginning with the times of the ancient to feudalism (land granted from the crown) to now where we have arrived at capitalism (private ownership). He saw this as historical stages of development wh ere each stage has the characteristics of a system of production and division of labour, forms of property ownership and a system of class relations (Morrison,K. 1995:40).This brought forward Marx’s idea of historical materialism which centred on how to interpret the history of mankind and the development of one stage of society to the next. In turn it looks for reasons for changes in human society and how humans together produced the necessary requirements to live. In relation to historical materialism there was another idea of dialectal materialism. This was a term used by Marx to study natural phenomena, the evolution of society and human thought itself as a process of development which rests upon motion and contradiction (Clapp,R: Acc 10/11/2012).Marx further explains historical and dialectical materialism which will be looked at further in the essay. By understanding how humans produce the necessities to live (historical materialism) and how a way of reasoning helps us t o see the growth in efficiency of economic orders where in turn they develop contradictions and weaknesses (dialectical materialism), we can begin to look at the idea of alienation and how it exists through expanding economic orders according to Marx. Alienation can be described as an idea where humans are dominated by forces of their own creation, which pose as ‘alien powers’ (Coser: 1977 Acc. 0/11/2012). It is seen that we are subject to psychological or emotional separation from the things we produce and the surplus value that is gained, all be it in the control of private owners in a capitalist climate. There are different ways in which we are separated from these factors. They are the worker from the product of labour, the actual activity of labour, members of society and from our ‘species being’. However both the worker and capitalist suffer forms of alienation which will be discussed further.The purpose of this essay is to outline and assess Marxâ₠¬â„¢s theory of alienation where many forms of separation occur and how different members of society suffer from it, as well as taking into account how historical and dialectical ideas help to give a background to it. Karl Marx who was born in 1818 in Germany was considered as an unconventional theorist. His reputation for being a political economist, philosopher, revolutionary and founder of Communism did not bring people to the typical image of a sociologist.Marx was a strong believer in the materialistic understanding of factors such as social change, class conflict, labour and the organisation of production. He put forward some notions that would help him identify the materialist perspective. So what does historical materialism tell us about history? When using this idea to analyse society we are always looking at the economic base or structure of it. In order for society to live in this sense, we must be able to produce the necessities like food, shelter and clothing in order t o do so. The act of production is one of the principle requirements to satisfy human economic needs.Marx also made a comparison of humans to animals where we as humans produce the means to satisfy our primary material needs. For this reason humans are different from animals because humans need to produce the means for survival and when done, they build an active conscious with nature in order to do so (Morrison, K. 1995:40). Another point was that the way humans produce depends on what is already there in nature and what they must to survive. If this is the case then how they exist and how they live will run parallel to what they produce and how they produce. Historical materialism was given a number of main concepts to look at.These were the means of production (necessitates for survival), relations of production (the link between producers and non-producers of physical labour) and the mode of production (changing the way of making a living). By taking these points into account we can see how an economic structure has been formed over different periods of time and how historical materialism helps to look at social processes of human economic work and how it will help give a background to the theory of alienation. Historical materialism serves a link to the dialectical way of thinking as Marx was the first person to merge materialism and dialectics together.The dialectics was a way of thinking to understand the world. Marx was mainly influenced by the theorist Hegel in his younger days, he was a pioneer in understanding philosophic logic through his process of dialectic. This involved looking at natural phenomena, the evolution of society and thought through motion and contradiction with a direct challenge to formal logic. Marx seen that the contradictions and oppositions were paramount to the whole analysis. For example in using dialectics imagine there is tension for a nurse trying to accommodate a client but at the same time we know she is trying to bring c hange for the client.Using this small scale example in the greater picture we can see that dialectics accepts reality as a set of opposing forces which exist at the same time (Estefan,A:2002 Acc 10/11/2012). Moreover by understanding historical and dialectical materialism in nature, society or economy we are able to understand how through different economic periods it gives a background to Marx’s theory of alienation. As we discuss alienation by Marx we first need to analyse the environment he sees it in. Capitalism is an economic system, whereby ownership of factories, materials and machinery for production is the property of private individuals.The term alienation relates to the specific levels of separation that are seen through the production and increasing surplus value by workers. Marx had this idea that private property is the ‘material summary expression’ of estranged labour. Marx highlighted that labour power had a major value where the use of it by the capitalist was turned into surplus value. This labour is something that cannot be similar to work because it has a social relationship that can only identify with capitalism. What he is trying to say is that during the production of goods, physical effort (work) is changed into labour.With an increasing industrial demand for production workers are subject to exploitation, where they are required to work harder to meet demand but still for a wage not in proportion to the work carried out. The wage that the workers receive will fluctuate but will not be in proportion with the increase in productivity, the increased input turns into surplus value in which the capitalist owner takes in the form of profit. The relationship between the productivity of workers and the production of surplus value is therefore the more wealth he produces the less he will expect to see back or he will become all the poorer (Calhoun, Craig. 002). This shows us that an object which the worker produces becomes m ore distant from him as the bond created between the product and worker is lost, knowing that it will be owned or disposed of by another, the capitalist. In turn, the object that the worker has put a part of his life into stands against him as something alien. In all societies people use skills that have been gained over time to produce goods that they need to live, exchange or sell. This is not the case in a capitalist environment because ‘‘the worker cannot use the things he produces to keep alive or to engage in further productive activity†¦The worker needs, no matter how desperate, do not give him a license to lay hands on what these same hands have produced, for all his products are the property of another’’ (B Ollman, Alienation, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p143). This form of separation was highlighted by Marx as separation of the worker from the product of labour. He identified other main levels of separation within the idea of alienation . These consist of separation from the act of labour, from fellow members of society and from species being.When looking at separation from the activity of labour we mean that the worker is alienated by the lack of control in the process of production. This drainage of control completely restricts on how the worker can carry out his work. He is limited to a systematic process so the input of creativity almost becomes nothing as the worker would need to follow restrictions. With lack of input in the activity of labour, it would seem that an increased division of labour from the process would become more existent. For example in a car factory there would be a line to assemble a car together which consists of many different parts.With little say in the process the worker may be restricted to assembling only the tyres on the car. The activity would be a repetitive process and would separate the worker from the rest of the production line and in essence from his natural being as his pote ntial is not being utilised. A third aspect of alienation is that man is a species-being. Marx argues that humans come across as social animals where he states ‘man makes his life activity itself the object of his will and of his consciousness. He has conscious life activity.It is not a determination with which he directly merges. Conscious life activity distinguishes man immediately from animal life activity. It is just because of this he is a specious-being’ (Calhoun, Craig. 2002. 38). What Marx is saying here is that we as humans have the ability to consciously interact with the world around us and it is in our character to do so. Also, the main thing that separates us from the animal world is that we know who we are and have a personal conscious of our self with a kind of relation to the natural world.In terms of capitalist relations of production when our labour is used, we are displaced from our species being as it turns labour into a physical act. We are effectiv ely revoked from what nature has favoured us for over animal life. Also, by converting conscious being into physical being it makes human labour like the labour of animals (Morrison, K. 1995. 96). With this kind of alienation by being taken from our specious being we become creatures of physical activity all in tandem with the drive for profit for the capitalist owner.However under capitalism the development of production methods results in specialised division of labour which with some difference can increase society’s ability to produce, but the benefits in turn will flow in the favour the few private owners. The fourth factor of alienation that Marx brought forward is that from fellow humans and from our human social community. Those who live in a capitalist society are separated from fellow members as a class structure becomes evident.There is a structure of those who work and those who exploit the workers so for this reason Marx feels we are alienated from fellow members . Those in the capitalist society are only partially connected by the way of the market. In the market members will come to buy and sell goods that they produce or sell so by looking at it this way individuals are not connected properly but as separated representatives of different relations of production in competition with each other. We can then see the different forms of alienation that Marx sees existent in a capitalist society.The theory of alienation has taken many forms and laid down many points, but it may be important to consider a few criticisms that may exist within it. By looking at it from a modern perspective, some may consider that the concept is not fully defined in the sense that working for someone else or above with free movement is difficult. A main feature of Capitalism is that property rights and freedom of contract is what strengthens it. In a contract of employment if a worker is not satisfied with a job then it is possible for them to leave with notice and look for work elsewhere or even start up their own business.This level of autonomy in decision making is what one may argue shines light on capitalism. The government may play a role in alienating the capitalist owner as it may be through legislation that they need to follow specific rules. In turn it will filter through to the worker and that feeling of degradation may be situated elsewhere. In defence of the private owners the hate feeling of workers may point at the wrong direction when it is other factors that have contributed to their change.For example in 1912 employees went on strike from a textile factory in Massachusetts, U. S. A when owners reduced wages due to the reduction of working hours by the state from 56 to 54 hours. As the root of the change was the state, it should be them that are targeted not the owner. Marx’s theory of alienation therefore contests that in modern industrial production under a capitalist system workers will eventually lose control of the ir lives by the overwhelming conditions they are faced with at work.Through the different degrees of separation be it from the product of labour, the activity of labour, from species being or from fellow members of society Marx attempts to show that under the conditions of modern factory production the average worker is just like a cog in a machine where it is continuously worked and replaced by swarms of other parts. The new workers perform repetitive tasks which are closely under watch and with them they don’t have control over production, the products of labour and relations with each other. As a result the worker is taken away from his human nature.Overall, the role and conditions for the labourer has changed through time along with the changes in economic systems. Word Count: 2,475 Bibliography (B Ollman, Alienation, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p143) * (B Ollman, Alienation, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p143) Calhoun, Craig. (2002). Economic and Philosophic Ma nuscripts of 1844. In: Classical Sociological Theory. Massachusetts: Blackwell. 35. * (Calhoun, Craig. 2002. 35) * (Calhoun, Craig. 2002. 38) Coser. (1977:50-53) Alienation. Available: http://www. cf. ac. uk/socsi/undergraduate/introsoc/marx7. html. Last accessed 10/11/2012. (Coser: 1977 Acc. 10/11/2012) Clapp, R. An Introduction to Dialectical Materialism. Available: http://www. marxism. org. uk/pack/dialetics. html. Last accessed 10/11/2012. * (Clapp,R: Acc 10/11/2012) Estefan, A. (2002). Dialectical Thinking. Available: http://www. palgrave. com/nursinghealth/mcallister/suggestions_thinking/example%20of%20teaching%20dialectical%20thinking. htm. Last accessed 10/11/2012. * (Estefan,A:2002 Acc 10/11/2012) Morrison, K. (1995). Laws of Historical development. In: Morrison, K Formations of Modern Social Thought. London: SAGE. 40. * (Morrison, K. 1995. 40) * (Morrison, K. 1995. 96)