“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles Essay

â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† is an original song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the one of the most famous bands of all time, the Beatles. The song was about the indistinct story of a woman named Eleanor Rigby who lived a heartrending and desolate life. The still and hollow life of Eleanor Rigby seemed to have followed her after her death as the song depicts the absence of people – neither her family nor friends – during Eleanor’s funeral. Lennon and McCartney wrote, â€Å"Eleanor Rigby died in the church, and was buried along with her name, nobody came. † This particular line suggests the silent passing of Eleanor Rigby – that is, as if she never existed when she was still alive, and when she died, her name got lost in the sea of people who were born and have died without leaving any sign of their existence. In general, Eleanor Rigby represents all the lonely people in the world who suffer the same emptiness and insignificance. Considering the structure and the content of the song â€Å"Eleanor Rigby,† it may be classified as a ballad for various reasons. The defined characteristics of a ballad fit the structure and content of the song. For one, the song tells a story (â€Å"Characteristics of a Ballad†), although indistinct, about the unpretentious life of Eleanor Rigby and the involvement of Father McKenzie in her interment. The indistinctiveness of Eleanor Rigby’s story entails the reading between the lines and the direct interpretation and assumption of her life and how Lennon and McCartney related it to the sea of lonely faces that live and die not knowing who they are, what they’re supposed to do, and such. Second, the story of Eleanor Rigby is told through simple, uncomplicated language (â€Å"The Ballad). One can easily deduce what her life was all about, although the meaning necessitates a deeper look and understanding, the main idea of the song is clearly understood from the lyrics. Other features of the song that match its categorization as a ballad includes its dramatic and somber tone, the direction of the first few lines of the song which directly takes the reader or the listener toward cataclysm, and the focus of the song which is on a particular situation or experience. (â€Å"Characteristics of a Ballad†) The feeling of loneliness and sadness is felt throughout the song, from the first line to its last. The repetitive tone of being abandoned and deserted is reflected leaving behind a depressive and sad state of mind. (Price) Next, the first line, â€Å"Ah, look at all the lonely people,† smashes directly into the catastrophic or tragic motif of the song – that is the lonely life of Eleanor Rigby, and her seeming demise even before her actual bereavement. The focus of the song is on her life and how it relates to other lives that are plagued by uselessness and non-existence. The more specific features of the song that are readily observable, depicting its inclination to become categorized as a ballad, has something to do with the repetition of the lines throughout the song (â€Å"The Ballad†), particularly the following lines: â€Å"all the lonely people, where do they all come from, all the lonely people, where do they belong. † In addition, the song was written on a third-person perspective, such that the author does not interfere with the events in the story constituting the song. The life of Eleanor Rigby was narrated in such a way that the author is identified as an observer or spectator. (â€Å"The Ballad†) Through the basic and observable characteristics of the song, one can classify it as a ballad. From the narrative tone of the song, to the uncomplicated or simple use of language in depicting the story, from the dramatic tone of voice, to the direct theme of catastrophe and tragedy, the repetition of various lines, the third-person perspective, and the single focus of the song, which is on the life of Eleanor Rigby and every other individual she represents, everything comes together to form a lyrical ballad which is meant to be sang revealing various emotions of clarity. s Works Cited â€Å"The Ballad. † (N. D.) Retrieved from Grinell. 11 December 2008. . â€Å"Characteristics of a Ballad. † (N. D. ) Retrieved from Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. 11 December 2008. . Price, Richard. (2008). â€Å"REVEALED: The Haunting Life Story Behind One of Pop’s Most Famous Songs†¦ Eleanor Rigby. † Retrieved from Associated Newspapers Ltd. 11 December 2008.

Conceal to Open Carry

When it comes to the right to openly carry, many feel it's the right thing to pass the OCW law In Wisconsin for a law abiding citizen to rightfully carry a conceal weapon. A normal citizen would feel threatened if he or she encounters a individual who is legally carrying a firearm in public. And a convicted felon or an citizen who does not possess a permit to carry might feel threatened by a citizen who carries his flamer legally when he or she encounters that individual and might pose a threat to that individual or himself to protect their self.With the recent uprising in violent crime this year due to the recent drop of the economy, Wisconsin should not have a Concealed Carry Law as it would increase the already too many guns that are on the street and increase the odds of more gun violence. This issue of open carry a concealed weapon Is becoming an alarming topic In Wisconsin and In Illinois; which feel that allowing this law will help in the decrease of violent crime.However, wit h the recent reports of the top ten cities which have the lowest poverty rate shows that they have a steady rate In violent crime. ND the robbery rate Is astounding. The threat of the latest release of the major cities that is experiencing a drastic drop of poverty are experiencing a rise of robberies and a steady pace of gun violence: with the fact that Milwaukee, WI are noticing a rise in violent crime in 2010, hence the crime rate was at its lowest in five years in 2009[1].The recent uprising of robberies and homicides In Milwaukee are making red flags go offer Legislatures to try to constitute on what can be done so that this recent rise does not continue. In addition, with the big issue of straw buying and open gun shows that with the right to be able o purchase firearms without having to go through any background checks give the right for many illegal firearms to purchase and used in violent crimes. Even though the rate of violent crime in many of the major cities are declinin g with a great rate; the rise of homicides and shootings are rising.In cities such as Detroit. Philadelphia, the State of Ohio and SST. Louis are noticing a rise in gun shootings; which do authorize the right to conceal carrying a firearm (â€Å"Concealed Carry† Laws and Homicide Rates). The legislature of gun laws feel that the right to conceal carry can help eliminate Eileen crime and most states shows a decline In violent crime that firearms are used; but for the major cities that actually permits open carry are still having their share of increase in violent crime.Since 1999 when the US experienced a 30-year low in violent crime, most of these major cities have experienced a dramatic Increase In gun violence. Missouri permitted concealed carrying beginning in September 2003. Since then the murder rate in Missouri has gone up 8. 8% while the rate of rape has risen DAY 14 [2] http://city. Milwaukee. Gob/Deliberativeness/201 October/Policemen)-Reports-11- Straight-Quarter. H TML

Jeep and Social Media Essay

In recent years, social media has become an incredibly important tool with which people communicate. Young and old people alike use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs to relay messages and connect with one another. However, these platforms are no longer used by individuals solely. More and more companies have begun to use social media to reach out to current and future customers and to advertise themselves. It is not uncommon for company Facebook pages and Twitter feeds to have a large number of subscribers or followers nowadays. One company that uses social media quite effectively is Jeep. The company uses outlets like Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube to reach out to their customers and try to capture new ones. Jeep uses social media to target a different type of audience than most companies. Whereas many firms would be trying to capture new customers, Jeep is more devoted to engaging existing customers and connecting Jeep owners. In doing this, Jeep’s target audience consists mainly men and women who are of driving age. There are a few other qualifications though. One of the attractions of a Jeep is the ruggedness and outdoorsy image that it embodies. Therefore, the target audience that Jeep tries to reach through it’s social media usage would most likely include those that are interested in a number of outdoor activities. In addition, though the Jeeps are sold to customers of any age, it seems that most users of social media are in the younger generations. While this is currently beginning to change, it is reasonable to believe that Jeep’s social media is targeted more towards younger Jeep owners – most likely those customers whose age lies in the range of the early teens to the late thirties. As already mentioned, Jeep’s focus is not really to attract new customers but to provide existing owners with a number of different ways to connect with eachother and with the company itself. Establishing these connections is where the interactivity of Jeep’s social media platforms comes into play. The main parts of Jeep’s social media are the Jeep Facebook page, the Jeep MySpace page, the Jeep Twitter feed, the official Flickr group, the Jeep YouTube account, and an online community titled â€Å"Come Together†. All of these places are used as exchanges where Jeep owners and enthusiasts can interact with one another. These interactions consist of uploading and viewing photos and videos to the Flickr and YouTube accounts, commenting on interesting segments on the â€Å"Come Together† community site, or talking to each other on the Facebook and MySpace pages. While there are not many contests or downloads that Jeep tries to push on visitors to their sites, visitors are strongly encouraged to post photos and comments relating to their personal experiences with the company. I have personally worked in a company that makes and sells aftermarket Jeep accessories and have seen firsthand how proud and involved Jeep owners can be over their Jeeps. Therefore, it is not surprising that these sites and social media platforms are often very successful in getting viewers to post photos, videos, and comments about their Jeeps and any others they see on the sites. There is no real advertising for products taking place on these social media sites. Instead, the sites act merely as an exchange of ideas and opinions between customers and the company. However, this is an example of a very good product marketing strategy. When site visitors view pictures of other Jeep owners’ vehicles, they may often see products on the other vehicles that they like and become interested in purchasing. This will often lead to sales of Jeep accessories without any real advertising expenses incurred by the company. Reviews, photos, and videos from actual customers serve to enhance the products in other people’s minds and indirectly lead to visitors purchasing goods. Traditional advertising is also integrated in all of these social media sites. All of Jeep’s current regular television commercials are posted on both the YouTube and MySpace pages. Print ads can also be found on the MySpace page. However, while traditional advertising can be found in many places on Jeep’s social media sites, it is not the focus. Jeep uses these sites more to promote connectivity between the customers. It seems as though they want visitors to forget that all these sites are part of a corporate marketing strategy; instead they want to promote the idea that the sites are merely a way for owners to exchange photos and stories about their experiences with the Jeeps they have bought. The company is not trying to push new products down the customers’ throats but rather is interested in hearing about the likes and dislikes that the customers have. I believe that this dedication to engaging the customer is part of what makes Jeep owners so devoted to the company. Therefore, Jeep’s social media platform is very effective at doing what the company sets out to do.

Hitch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hitch - Essay Example During the time when Hitchens tries to help out Albert he also falls for Sara who was a gossip columnist. Thus the movie moves forwards with the interplay of the four characters in different situations. (Tenant, 2005). As the movie moves forward it is able to capture the attention of the audience because it is a movie to which most of the audience is able to relate easily. The goal of the paper is to explore how closely sociological issues are related to the movie Hitch. The main issues which have been addressed through the movie are primarily social interaction, race and gender. This is because we see in the movie Sara the gossip columnist had a strong dislike for men and she believed that men are worthless. From the feminist perspective it can be said that Sara wanted to protest against all men of the society by showing complete disregard and disgust for them. Moreover we also see in the movie that she thinks Alex Hitchens as a man who teaches other men to use women according to their fancy. This is because one of the clients of Alex had a one night stand with Sara’s best friend. Taking cue from this we can say that the movie Hitch also tries to focus on the objectification of women from the perspective of Sara. Through Sara the message which we get is that objectification of women by men was a very common phenomenon and women were aware of such a system existing and here in the movie Sara’s desire to unmask Hitchens is basically a p rotest which women want to undertake against men. Therefore Sara is determined to unmask Alex in front of the world. Devereux in the book, â€Å"Media Studies: Key Issues and Debates† says that the casting of the movie â€Å"Hitch† has remained an example of the inadequate representation of the minority groups like the Blacks in the mass media. Alex played by William Smith is an example of African representation in the media and the presence of stars like him point to the fact that though Blacks have received

The role of the teacher in teaching and learning mathematics Coursework

The role of the teacher in teaching and learning mathematics - Coursework Example spects that inform the existing teaching practices while leading to the modification of learner perception of the mathematics environment (Norton & DAmbrosio, 2008). Feedback is needed as students require information on their accomplishments for purposes of growing and progressing. Integration of maths in the learning areas is related to teaching mathematics and its outcomes. For example, testing requires a consideration of opportunities for learning mathematics. Additionally, mathematics teachers should be aware of how students progress and troublesome areas (Cooke & Buchholz, 2005). The early childhood teacher has a critical role in teaching and learning mathematics through questioning of constructivist environments. For example, the roles of mathematics teachers in questioning can be group discussions to enhance students’ participation in different classroom activities, it is critical to appreciate roles of efficient. Feedback that is related to the assessment of outcomes allows for learners to be aware of gaps existing between desired goals and current knowledge (Arthur, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2012).The application of questioning within constructivist environment allows for feedback. Further illustrations steered questioning in a constructivist environment involves relating to early childhood classroom. The approach enhances students’ participation in classroom activities while teachers play important roles for the enhancement of student’s participation in classroom activities. A positive impact on mathematics teachers in childhood years promotes mathematics learning. The engagement of questioning through constructivist environment is related to sharing mathematics as an important component. The mathematics classroom assessment is defined a context created for students learners. The early childhood teacher has a critical role in the teaching and learning of mathematics and use of play resources and hands in rich environments. Understanding

AIDS in Africa in the 20th Century Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

AIDS in Africa in the 20th Century - Term Paper Example food, clothes, etc. Soon enough, however, they are not only confronted with economic distress alone but also with an insurmountable social disaster. Apparently, two of the most prevalent social issues they are facing are stigmatization and discrimination. These issues are evident in a study about the women in Nigeria. This paper argues that these two social issues--stigmatization and discrimination--are the top reasons why AIDS survives up until the 20th century and beyond. Even so, both social issues worsen the problem of AIDS in Africa. Lastly, this paper suggests that if the government and other interventionists alike are really serious with their aim of eliminating AIDS in Africa, they should first gear their efforts on eliminating these two social issues. AIDS as a Social Construct Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS is a condition brought about by HIV infection. As the disease’s name suggests, the HIV infection would make the body’s immune system deficient , making it more susceptible for other infections that may potentially compromise body functioning (Stolley and Glass 2009, 5). However, beyond this scientific definition, AIDS became known as a more complex problem. In a study by Keniston (1989, 2), he revealed that AIDS resonates problems in public health, politics, psychological processes, education, as well as issues regarding public attitude and morals. Moreover, Keniston (1989, 2) pointed out that AIDS is more of a social construct than a biological one. To date, it seems that the same still holds true. First and foremost, the spread of the virus is enacted within the sexual behavior of two individuals--clearly a social interaction. Second, cultural and social structures help shape and condition the behaviors and interactions that further spread AIDS (Keniston 1989, 2). For instance, the African society’s poverty prods women to engage in sexual trades, thereby, perpetrating the disease. Lastly, societal notions regardin g AIDS give rise to the concepts of stigma and discrimination, which contribute to oppression towards African women as well as to the worsening of Africa’s problem on AIDS. Stigma and Discrimination Stigmatization Defined In ancient times, stigma is a Greek term used to symbolize the mark on the flesh of a scandalous character, â€Å"a traitor, criminal, or slave† (Harvey 2001, quoted in Akanbi 2010, 3209). Additionally, a famous definition states that stigma is characterized as a â€Å"discrediting within a particular social interaction, as a spoiled social identity and a deviation from the attributes considered normal and acceptable by society† (Harvey et al. 2001, quoted in Akanbi 2010, 3209). Interestingly, a study made by Inside-Out Research (2003, quoted in Akanbi 2010, 3209) regarding South Africa, provides a two-fold definition of stigma: (1) internal stigma, an internal remorse that further makes the victim hide her condition, thereby, declining assista nce and access to resources, and (2) enacted or external stigma, which implies discrimination and society’s fear of association with a person who has HIV or AIDS. Factors That Brought Stigmatization A study asserts that certain natural and socio-demographic factors influence HIV/AIDS stigmatization and discrimination among women in Lagos State, Nigeria. Among these factors are related to what Liz

Solve general biology 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Solve general biology 1 - Essay Example   CAM plants  have temporal adaptations which allow the fixation of carbon dioxide through stomata only during the night, while C4 plants exhibit morphological adaptations and can keep stomata partially open during the day even under hot and dry temperatures, storing the fixed carbon in specialized cells. Links to Test Questions and Answers Read question 1 Read answers for question 1 Read question 2 Read answers for question 2 Read question 3 Read answers for question 3 Read question 4 Read answers for question 4 Read question 5 Read answers for question 5 Read question 6 Read answers for question 6 Read question 7 Read answers for question 7 Read question 8 Read answers for question 8 Read question 9 Read answers for question 9 Read question 10 Read answers for question 10 Read question 11 Read answers for question 11 Read question 12 Read answers for question 12 Read question 13 Read answers for question 13 Read question 14 Read answers for question 14 Read question 15 Read answers for question 15 Read question 16 Read answers for question 16 Read question 17 Read answers for question 17 Read question 18 Read answers for question 18 Read question 19 Read answers for question 19 Read question 20 Read answers for question

Compare Chinese monster and American monster Essay

Compare Chinese monster and American monster - Essay Example Chinese holds the Spring Festival to commemorate Nian Monster. Besides, they consider the Spring Festival as the grandest, most magnificent festival in the history of the country’s culture. On the other hand, Momo the Missouri Monster is a hairy, foul-smelling monster. According to Taylor (130), Momo, in simple term refers to Bigfoot. It was first reported in 1971 and identified to live in Missouri. Since that time, the monster has been spotted up and down the Mississippi river. In the first scenario, two picnickers asserted that they saw the monster come out the woods nearby. The foul-smelling creature allegedly ate their food while they locked themselves inside the car. In the second scenario, local children (Doris, Wally and Terry) reportedly saw Momo walk regally past them hauling a dead dog. The fundamental differences between the two legends, Nian and Momo, highlight the deep-seated cultural variation and beliefs between Chinese and Americans. In this regard, this paper tries to compare the existence of Nian vs. Momo the Missouri Monster and their importance to Chinese and American cultures respectively. Nian was a furious monster that allegedly descended from the mountains or under the sea to hunt people every 1st and 15th of the lunar month. Thus, people locked their doors very early before nightfall on the days the creature was likely come (Wong 27). Although the monster attacked anyone regardless of gender, it mainly preferred children. Parents were terrified of a possible fatal attack on their children who often played outside their homes. The old man in the village thought the panic in people perhaps made the monster furious and so bold. He asked the people to come together and find a way of conquering the monster. According to the old man, burning of bamboo, beating gongs and drums, lighting off fireworks would be an effective approach to conquering Nian (Wong 27). He believed that large noises would threaten and scare away the horrible monster.

The French Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The French Revolution - Essay Example But more interestingly, it was a rebellion against the conventional ideas and the established philosophy, with even religious discord and a struggle for supremacy (Smitha). This paper purports to discuss the main aspects of the revolution, both in terms of its reasons, and its effects. Let us consider the economic and political reasons first. France was emerging as the second world power after Britain, and there was a relentless struggle for world domination (Smitha). The French had colonies and their economic status was improving. However, their population was increasing side by side, and at a much rapid pace. Moreover, the colonies in the New World were getting independent and forming the United States of America, so the trade and commerce was divided, with Britain taking the lead (Smitha). The population of France had increased by five or six million in a span of roughly fifty years, whereas the food production was still slow and rudimentary, unsuitable to provide for the increase in the people to be fed (Smitha). In the 1780s, Paris alone had a population of 650,000 (Smitha). However, around eighty percent of the crop production around Paris was done for personal consumption by the farmers, and only around twenty percent was available in the market (Smitha). This meant that any loss in the yield, which happened frequently due to poor methods of farming and feudal system, made the common man go hungry (Smitha). This was worsened by the fact that the French economy was by large an agricultural economy, so there was no other major source of income for the government (Smitha). The government had not provided any means of storage or relief in times of need, and so the prices of bread, the staple food of the French, rose as the availability declined (Smitha). Moreover, the textile industry, which was till then a leading industry, was overtaken by the British who provided cheaper and better quality cloth to the French, thereby decreasing French export and increasi ng their import (Smitha). These, and many other economic and political factors led to a great divide between the ruling class and the common man. In 1788, there was a terrible hailstorm, which led to the worst crop yield in forty years, giving way to a most severe winter season (Smitha). Most of the people were jobless. A riot broke out (Smitha), which soon formed the shape of the revolution that went in history as the French Revolution. The intellectual and philosophical reasons behind the revolution were as important as the economic and political motives. There were two distinct groups of thinkers and socialites, the conservatives and the radicals (Cody). It is interesting to note that this intellectual revolution, for the most part, originated elsewhere outside of France, mostly in Britain, but it effected the French in the most potent manner, who rose to rebel against the established regime (Cody). There rebellion, in turn, effected the British and the rest of Europe in a profou nd way. The conservatives sided with Newton and Locke, and believed in reason, whereas, the radicals included Blake, Godwin, and Paine, among others (Cody). The French were then more influenced by the radicals who promised equality, brotherhood, and freedom (Cody). This strife led to prolonged debates on the subject of humanity and liberty between the radicals and conservatives for years (Cody). The French Revolution, however, ended in a â€Å"reign of terror† (Cody). The radicals, who had been greatly praised and supported by their British counterparts, lost control and went too far in their struggle to end any traces of the former regime (Cody). They assured that by slaughtering anyone who had any

Electronic health record (EHR) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Electronic health record (EHR) - Coursework Example On a general scale, this type of recording system prompts direct access to key health information on the level that can be both personal and population-based. Such actions are solely executed by permitted health personnel as authorized users of the system. In whole, it is a significant provision of necessary data sets that supports the decision-making process for â€Å"quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care...(in) efficient processes for health care delivery† (Lehmann et al., 2006, p. 3). Broadly speaking, the system adapted in EHR serves as fundamental parameter in which health care team base the category of care to be provided, as past information are profound on how present health status should be approached in clinical settings. As EHR is an electronically run, it largely involves both hardware constructs and software applications. In particular, connections are managed through workstations of computer sets and servers for large database storage and application se ttings, which must be affiliated by a telecommunication services for further assistance inter-departmental network interactions within and outside the clinical zone (please see Figure 1 in Appendix A). As the hardware part of the infrastructure is presented through routers, PCs and related electronic devices, softwares are the application mechanics that run the programs needed in entering data information in computer equipments. To establish a valid link in all computer programs in different clinical departments, a â€Å"local area network (LAN)† must be installed in each computers, or â€Å"wide area networking (WAN)† in multiple site connections, uniting strategic users (billing/accounting, administrative and recording sectors) who require copies of basic and/or patient information (Walker, Bieber, & Richards, 2006). As the structural side of EHR have been explained, it is important to note that the internal flow of organization management is also a critical point in the success of the whole system. In Figure 2 (please see Appendix B) a sample of customized work flow of organization communication and function of both health care and IT teams involved in the system of electronic recording are presented. Basing from the diagram, one can surmise that the simple arrival of a clients for a check-up requires an extensive flow of functional work. In the absence of a systematized work flow structure, the whole organization may face delays as information storage and retrieval are backlogged by inappropriate system of recording. The large volume of data stored through EHR makes it an ideal system for promoting an intensive communication pattern that is both comprehensive and accurate in form. As unique identifiers, this type of system has been largely encouraged in first world countries due to its unique characteristics. It is an identification medium that can easily be accessed from internal and external data systems, efficiently discriminating between similar demographic information from potential receptors of health care (Cunningham, n.d.). The idea of storing bulk of information starting from birth to the dying moments is essential in order to trace how individuals maintain their well-being during their whole life. This is an epidemiological tool that inventively personalizes health services provided by one

The price of diamonds is too high Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The price of diamonds is too high - Essay Example Before the 19th century, diamond minerals were known to be rare as it was found in India and Brazil. During 1870 large mines for diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa at place near orange. Such became a threat to the few diamond producers despite the large supply thus made the commodity a luxury instead of a commodity. At the year 1888, a body was formed known as De Beers Consolidated mines in South Africa by suppliers in order to secure a high market for diamond prices. Initially, diamond cartel controlled successfully the supply worldwide regulation done at mine output and purchase of the exclusive right to mining nations across Africa. At the onset of 20th century, DE beers dominated around 90 percent trade for diamond internationally. In 1930, there was a decline in the diamond demand, causing the son of De beers to initiate an advertising agency that incorporated an advertising strategy to target young men in order to purchase a ring for engagement in order to become a form of acceptance during courtship declaration. Through such strategy, diamond price rose, unlike other minerals. Currently, the cartel dominates in approximately two thirds of the diamond (Diamond, 1971). According to pricing theory consideration, is on economic activity due to creation and transfer of value. That covers the trading of goods and services on economic agents that are distinctive. Such explains the high cost of the diamond in comparison with water .this depends on the utility of particular purpose and purchasing power of goods that the object possesses. Such is known as the value exchange and uses in value. Minerals such as diamond derive its value due to scarcity nature and labour intensity required to extract such minerals. The labour involved forms a basic unit the exchange process of value of goods. That will be of great significance to determine overall prices. Thus, the nominal price according to Bagweel & Riordan (1991) has a

The USSR Under Stalin Essay Example for Free

The USSR Under Stalin Essay 1)a) Evidence in Source D that suggests that Stalins motive for the mass arrests of the late 1930s was to obtain slave labor is that â€Å"the mass arrest of the late 1930s may have been carried out to satisfy Stalins desire for slave labor,† and â€Å"more prison laborers were urgently needed.† b) In Source D, â€Å"absurd inefficiency† means that the overpopulation of the prison laborers in the camps made them disorganized and made it difficult for the camp commanders to be able handle them all. 2) In both Sources B and E, Stalins view of industrialization as a war economy is expressed as: Both sources share the view that the purpose of industrialization was for the making of a war economy, â€Å"to prepare for war against the capitalist enemies abroad.† However, for Source B, the view for the Five Year Plans is that, â€Å"Essentially the Plan was a huge propaganda project, aimed at convincing the Soviet people that they were engaged in a great industrial enterprise of their own making.† It was a propaganda project promoting industrialization for the purpose of war, but the Soviet people werent aware of the â€Å"war† part, only the industrialization. In Source E, since it is a poster that is used for the purpose of propaganda, it instead puts the Five Year Plan in a better light, showing that the Five Year Plan will be successful in the future, that it will surely benefit the U.S.S.R. in the future, and that the U.S.S.R. will be prepared to defeat its enemies abroad (the capitalist enemies) in case of future wars. 3) The origin of Source A is that its a speech by Stalin, 1st March 1927, to workers in the Stalin workshops of the October Railway. The purpose of this speech is to spread his view of the U.S.S.R. being able to industrialize on its own to the workers of the workshops, saying it with confidence. Filling the workers up with confidence will give them the will to work more for the sake of the industry. The value of this speech is that this is a primary source and its a speech by Stalin himself, so it clearly expresses his views on the U.S.S.R. industrializing on its own. The limitations of this speech is that it only shows Stalins perspective and it doesnt show the views of the public or of the workers on his view on industrialization. He was trying to express his idea in a confident way to the workers to convince them that this is to solely benefit the U.S.S.R. The origin of Source C is its an extract from Women in Soviet Society: Equality, Development, and Social Change by Gail Warshofsky Lapidus, Berkeley, 1978. The purpose of this extract is to tell of the reason for the increased employment of women. It was necessary to hire women to work because of the rapid expansion of the economy, so there was a need for more workers. It wasnt for the purpose of economic equality. The value of this is that it shows us that eventually everyone in the society, including women, were required to work to follow Stalins Five Years Plan. It shows us the economic status of women during this time period. The limitation of this source is that we dont know the publics opinion or a womans view on the increased employment of women. It is a secondary source since it is an extract from a book that was written after the time of Stalin Russia. 4) Stalins methods for a â€Å"change-over from a peasant country to an industrial one† include: In Source A, he expresses his view in that the U.S.S.R., unlike other countries like Great Britain and Germany, can industrialize on its own. He says it in a confident tone to instill that confidence in the workers in the Stalin workshops so that they will be convinced that industrialization for the means of production is beneficial for the U.S.S.R. as a whole. In Source B, Stalin declared that â€Å"he was promoting a war on the inefficiences of Russias past, a war on the class enemies within, and as preparation for the capitalist enemies abroad.† The U.S.S.R. â€Å"adopted a similar industrial pattern in its drive toward modernization,† but it would â€Å"take the path of socialism† instead of capitalism. The Plan itself â€Å"was a huge propaganda project, aimed at convincing the Soviet people that they were engaged in a great industrial enterprise of their own making.† In Source C, due to the rapid urban development in the U.S.S.R., â€Å"A new perspective emerged in official documents, one that viewed the increased employment of women not in terms of its effects on women but as essential to the fulfillment of the economic plans.† The purpose was to â€Å"ensure the fulfillment of the production program of the Five Year Plan, it was necessary to draw more wives of workers into production.† In Source D, it says that â€Å"the mass arrests of the late 1930s may have been carried out to satisfy Stalins desire for slave labor† because â€Å"more prison laborers were urgently needed.† There were camps where mass number of slave laborers were kept. The more the slave laborers, the more the work, and the faster the Five Year Plans goals would be achieved. In Source E, the poster is for the purpose of propaganda, showing Stalins idea in a â€Å"good light† to the Soviet public by showing the people that the Five Year Plan would be successful in the future, that the U.S.S.R. would be powerful in terms of military due to the mass industrialization, so that it could defeat its enemies abroad in future wars. Other methods that Stalin used to change the U.S.S.R. from a â€Å"peasant country into an industrial one† that werent mentioned in the Sources were: Stalin made all industry and services nationalized, managers were given predetermined output quotas by central planners, and trade unions were converted into mechanisms for increasing worker productivity. Many new industrial centers were developed and thousands of new plants were built throughout the country. Stalin, a pro-Socialist, used collectivization to improve agricultural productivity so that the surplus would be sufficiently large enough to feed the growing urban labor force, all for the sake of industrialization. Collectivization was also expected to free many peasants so that they would go into industrial work. However, Stalins forcefulness on collectivization on the peasants (who fiercely resisted) resulted in a disruption in agricultural productivity, but it still helped achieve Stalins goal of rapid industrialization.

A Reflection On My Learning Styles Education Essay

A Reflection On My Learning Styles Education Essay INTRODUCTION This reflective essay aims to draw reflection from experience acquired from the Learning from Practice and Reflection (LFPR) module studied at level 1. My own development during this period will be examined in addition to issues encountered in the progression of the event/activities endeavoured upon. In an attempt to demonstrate significant comprehension of my learning from experiences encountered during this process, emphasis would be made on the learning style(s) utilised and how these were examined and developed. My preferred and actual pursued roles will also be highlighted to show how I developed and/or changed behaviours. How I have managed to develop new and existing skills will be assessed and the extent to which I understand myself and my learning. Finally, I would evaluate the potential scope of improvements made and in need of being made by looking ahead in order to perceive how things would be done and what I would do differently resulting from lessons learnt from past experience. The aforementioned analysis will be well structured to cover the different stages (planning, implementation and evaluation) involved in the activity pursued, and will be made against a backdrop of theory and models that would be utilised and act as supporting evidence accumulated from the module. In doing so, one must also acknowledge the importance and relevance of such a topic due the wide scope it possesses to the extent of being applicable far and beyond this module, university life, but to greater dimensions at the peak of ones career. Learning styles, preferences and skills learnt and adopted could be further honed and tailored around ones expertise in order to maximise ones potential and capacity. This would prove crucial and particularly beneficial in areas where there is much at stake, not to mention the flexibility involved in its transferrable nature (the acquisition of transferrable skills such as organisational, decision making, communication, research, IT appropriate numeracy and group work) where its concept could be implemented in areas/situations of a less magnitude such as nurturing kids to adopt such learning techniques a an early age when starting a family or general everyday experiences. LITERATURE ON LEARNING STYLES/CYCLES PREFERENCES Honey and Mumford The process of learning has been found to be multi-dimensional as various schools of thought have come up with various theoretical models that conjure how people learn. Among the most renowned is Kolbs (1984 1995), who presented learning as a cycle; evolving on a constant basis. Viewing this one can easily reason perhaps why academics such as the likes of Kunzel(no-date) would argue from a psychological standpoint that learning is a journey or a lifelong process. The diagram below illustrates the Kolbs (1984; 1995) initial development of learning as a cycle: Subsequently deduced from the original cycle above is Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning cycle illustrated below: The second enhanced version seems to suggest that in every learning situation, the learning process involving the learner should move consciously through every stage of the cycle. However, this may be found contrary to practical reality and experience which show significant preferences for one or more of the stages over others and that not all learners are well grounded in all stages of the cycle. Although some learners may positively or negatively dislike one or some of the stages, there is nothing to prove or indicate that such preference systems make learners better or worse than one another. Relevant and directly aligned to each stage of the learning cycle, Honey and Mumford (1992) identified four different preferential methods in which people prefer to learn, namely; Activist, Reflector, Theorist and Pragmatist. People tend to operate in just one or in a combination of these modes depending on the degree of preferences, because rather than being fixed characteristics, these are assumed to be acquired characteristics adaptable either through evolved circumstances or at will. Additionally, it is said as mentioned by Honey and Mumford (1992), that ones managerial approach usually reflects ones learning style or vice versa. Honey and Mumford (1992) also found: Activists tend to prefer being proactively involved and dominated by imminent and new experiences with a philosophy of wanting to give a go at anything at least once. This consumes their days with activity and problems are usually tackled through brainstorming. Honey and Mumford (1992) also suggests that activists are busy looking for another activity once the short bursts of excitement from one has sedated. Apparently according to Honey and Mumford (1992), activists are bored with implementation and longer-term consolidation processes and are least productive in learning from passive situations centred on concept or theory that may include the likes of watching and listening to lectures or reading, but rather tend to thrive on and relish the challenge of new experiences. One may argue however, that this element of interest does in fact involve implementation however short-termist it may be, so perhaps it is long-term implementation that activist dislike, but can tolerate short-term as long as it serves their needs of interest and preferences. Activists also prefer not to review their learning achievements and opportunities and dislike situations requiring detailed preparation, solitary work or repetitive tasks. Reflectors prefer to stand back, listen, observe and ponder on experiences from various perspectives, and learn best when doing this. This process usually involves collecting information (either first-hand or from others) to be thoroughly thought through from every possible angle before coming to any definite conclusions, comments or actions. As a result, characteristics traits present in reflectors include postponing outcomes as long as possible; always exercising caution, whilst watching other people in action preferring to occupy a back seat in discussions and meetings, always thinking before speaking, adapting a low profile and possessing a slightly tolerant, distant and unruffled aura. Honey and Mumford (1992) suggests reflectors are weaker in learning when rushed into things without time to plan or with inadequate data, when pushed into role play duties like chairing a meeting. Theorists as learners enjoy analysing and synthesising; by combining and converting distinct facts and observations into comprehensive logical theories. Theorists are said to learn best when presented with a concept theory, system or model irrespective of the potential distance from reality associated with such application. This philosophy relishes logic and rationality. Honey and Mumford (1992) state that theorists enjoy being intellectually challenged; preferring to work with structure, a clear purpose, and being allowed to: investigate associations and interrelationships question assumptions and logic analyse reasons and to generalise from deductions Theorists are said to usually think things through in a well structured and logical manner with high perfectionist tendencies; restless unless and until things fit well into a rational scheme or sequence. Characteristic of this learning preference is keen interest on principles, theories, models, assumptions and systems thinking, and detached, analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity in nature. Anything flippant, subjective in judgement, ambiguous and lateral in thinking, tend to be of discomfort to theorists, who are weaker in learning when: supposed to do something without clear purpose activities are unstructured and ambiguous emotion is emphasised faced with shallow activities subject supporting data is unavailable feeling out of tune with the rest of the group (Honey and Mumford, 1992). Pragmatists are more concerned with making things work on a practical reality by possessing a keen interest on implementing theories, ideas and/or techniques learnt (either recently or previously) to test if they work. This is a feat in slight contrast with reflectors and theorists. Pragmatists are said to positively (and perhaps proactively) search out new ideas and relish opportunities to experiment with applications. They enjoy getting on with things, making practical decisions and solving problems, and are confident and decisive when acting on ideas proving attractive. Pragmatists are also practical and down-to-earth in nature; responding as a challenge to problems and opportunities with a can do, there always a better way or an it is good if it works attitude. Such attitude can be easily perceived as positivist and optimist in mentality or way of thinking. Honey and Mumford (1992) suggests that pragmatists are best at learning when there is a clear link between their current job or (team) role and what is being learnt (the subject matter). They are said to enjoy exposure to processes or techniques clearly practical in nature with immediate relevance where there is a high probability for an opportunity to exist for implementation. As identified by Honey and Mumford (1992), points of weakness in learning with such preference are where there are no immediate rewards, benefits and/or relevance existing from learning activity and/or event(s). After completing Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning styles questionnaire, my highest and second highest score was against reflectors and theorists respectively. This indicated that strengths and learning preferences centred on those of reflectors and theorists and weaker in comparison to adapting traits of activists and pragmatists learning styles. Additionally, my personal results of Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning survey indicated that I preferred watching and thinking than doing and feeling; which effectively placed me in a philosophy category. This complemented the theorist style of learning more than the reflectors by suggesting that I preferred: to dwell on observations and pull thoughts into an integrated whole in a structured manner, logical reasoning, theories, projects and models, analogies, systems, case studies and lectures; courtesy of Clarke (2010). Equipped with this knowledge, placed me in a better convenient position to benefit from choosing the most suitable and adaptable learning techniques, experiences and opportunities at given activities/event(s)/tasks such as the group activity we embarked upon as on a module requirement. Additionally, there are options now available at least consciously where learning styles can be developed in order to expand the range skills available for learning purposes. Considering that by preference, with regards to the three main stages involved in any given task/activity/event (planning, implementation and evaluation), reflectors and theorists are more keen and productive in the planning and evaluation sides of things as opposed to activists and pragmatists implementation, it is of no surprise that I also enjoyed and performed better during these stages (planning and evaluation) of our group activity. Pragmatically speaking this does not suggest however, that Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning cycle theory was not at all contradicted or called into question at times in reality, as it would be quite naive to deem it flawless especially considering the wide dimension of learning styles preferences theory and literature out there. This criticism of Honey and Mumfords (1992) learning cycle matches Smiths (2001) fourth criticism of the cycle which outlines that the ideological sequences do not necessarily equate to reality. Among other criticisms by S mith (2001) worth mentioning is the fact that cultural conditions and experiences are not at all considered and acknowledged, not to mention the subjective perhaps pre-judgemental and weak empirical evidence it relies on for diagnosis. The overriding criticism of this learning cycle is Smiths (2001) sixth but not least criticism which quite rightly points out that the relationship between knowledge and learning processes is much more complex than Kolb (1984) and Honey and Mumford (1992) suggest. Emphasising this point is the Islamic principle and philosophy described so eloquently by Abdalati (1975) as; the truth and knowledge are not entirely confined to sensory knowledge or perception alone. This principle is so firmly rooted when pondered upon that it goes further to expose the fact that any view held or derived by an individual(s) without infallibility or divine revelation, is usually based on the rationalisation of ones own prejudices. LEARNING LOG These were noticed and considered upon critical reflection of critical incidents aided by the utilisation of a learning log which kept track of how I was managing my learning. Consciously and deliberately, time was taken out to focus on my performance during the course; as is the emphasis of this essay. The objective of this is to review thoughts that led to specific actions, outcomes, and lessons learnt from experience in order to be well equipped and informed for future practice; weaknesses could be developed and repeated mistakes avoided. From an enhanced version of the earliest known version of the renown proverb initiated by Julius Caesar,: experience is the teacher of all things, author Pliny the Elder in Naturalis Historia (A.D. 77) mentioned experience as the best teacher, which does emphasis the rationale behind such learning methods. When used critically, the technique of critical reflection can assist one to hone skills. The learning log; which in essence is a diary, a pro gress file or a journal of event/activities with short term reactions to activities, can significantly in the reflecting process. The learning log used during this module can be summarised into three main sections, these were: An actual log; this was a detailed/brief account of what happened Immediate Reactions to situation/activity A Rear View; looking back at what significant outcomes would I take away from event/activity, what lessons were learnt and if anything could have been done differently looking ahead for the future One of the most significant of critical incidents logged (courtesy of Gallagher (2010)) during our group activity within the period of this module was recording briefly that I had left my phone behind on the day we were supposed to be selling cupcakes at university and only realising it 15 minutes after leaving the house on my way to pick up the cakes from a group members house. My immediate reaction was one in rational non-panic mode; with less emotional attachment to the situation I assessed the fact that it was not at all imperative to have my as opposed to the imperativeness attached to actually having cupcakes for sale, being on time to secure a good spot and to allow enough time to plan ahead on the day to make sure everything was in order running smoothly than rushing into things with less thought; traits usually associated with lateness. So I decided not to go back for it and proceeded to my destination which was to a team-members house to pick up the cupcakes. This of course complemented a philosophy style of learning, with the only contradiction being that if philosophers due think things through logically and prefer structure, then surely there should have been provisional scope made in my thoughts to make sure I did not leave my phone behind especially in an important occasion as our big day as far as our group activity was concerned where communication could play crucial roles for organisational and logistical purposes. The counter argument to this would perhaps be acknowledging the fact that no man is perfect not even the best of philosophers not to mention a mere student and besides, surely not all group members would forget their phones; so in such terms this was not a deal breaking error that would seal ones fate, but was easily absorbable and offset by other more superseding factors. In the looking back section of this log, lessons learnt was to go that extra mile to prepare a little bit more; perhaps by making a shortlist of essentials and to dos and tick each one and I go along; this ensures all bases are covered in events leading to a big day/event/activity/occasion/meeting and so on. This is something I could do differently in the future in any role applicable. Overall, I rated my performance and confidence in this critical incident as 4. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING Subject to necessary changes a personal development plan (PDP) is most relevant to target driven job/role as highlighted by Honey and Mumford (1992) and is usually utilised for unexpected opportunities and/or weaknesses. To monitor ad record progress, a PDP also identifies areas in need of improvement. Set criteria/targets are usually individualistic and unique to individual performance. Overleaf is a copy of one among PDPs made during module, but this drew reference to the group activity: What I am going to do Open the sales of cupcakes by picking up cakes, setting up stall and begin selling the cakes and the documented accounting for sales Why I am going to do this My personal contribution as s a group member in an attempt to achieve success; a goal that unifies all group members as we are all in this together How I am going to do this Plan ahead, through structured and logical manner, logical and rational reasoning over the logistics involved with the delivering of the above target. Make sure estimated time of arrival is early, cakes are ready for pick up on time, use selling, numeric and bilingual skills to the best of my ability to close as many sales as possible When I am going to do this On the 21/03/11 When I will review the results /how I will know I was successful Post 21/03/11 Courtesy of Honey and Mumford (2006) Quite similar to a learning log to the extent that it extracts from ones learning log and appraisal documents, but perhaps more challenging, target driven and development orientated. A PDP would usually include dates, event/activity, achievement/results, interpretation of achievement/results against a benchmark, lessons learnt and any possible room for improvement or what could be done differently is under-achieving. OTHER RELEVANT MODELS: VAK Leite et al. (2009) highlights one of the most renowned classifications of the different kinds of learning styles is Flemings VAK also known as VARK which is an expanded version of neuro-linguistic programming models. As an abbreviation the VAK stands for: Visual learners; prefer seeing/thinking things through pictures, handouts, visual aids like PowerPoint slides and so on. Auditory learners; prefer learning by listening via lectures, tapes, discussions and so on. Kinesthetic learners; prefer learning by experience; actually doing on a physical dimension; be it experiments, moving, touching, and active exploration to name a few (Walter et al., 2009). Upon taking the VAK survey, Visual learning was revealed as my preferred learning style and my goal thereon was to focus on visual aids as a main source of learning in order to maximise my educational experience. However, to avoid getting too carried away with this model, it is hard not to recognise the fact that all three styles within VAK are required for effective learning in the pursuit of knowledge and experience as they are inter-related/-dependent and used more often than not interchangeably. Although it supplemented my other identified styles of learning (reflector/theorists/philosophy), my preference for visual aid for instance as a visual learner would still require listening when benefitting from a PowerPoint presentation being presented by a lecturer unless one was deaf or chose to cover their ears and kinaesthetic element involved would be efforts and energy required to access it in the first place be it using a computer/laptop, jotting down notes or taking a walk into t he classroom again unless one was immobile or chose to be stationary. Emphasising this fact of objective criticism is the mere fact that losing any one of the imperative senses directly associate specifically with anyone of VAK classifications would equate to having a learning disability irrespective of what type of learner/learning preferences one is/has. BELBIN TEAM ROLES Source: XenerGie (no date) The above illustration outlines the nine different main team roles that people are scored on depending on how strongly they express behavioural characteristics of the nine roles, which are more or less self explanatory. The overall assessment process involved to derive such results is known as the Belbin Team Inventory or Belbin Self-Perception Inventory (SPI), which was instigated by Belbin (1981; 1994) to measure preference for the main roles. My SPI results indicated that my most natural roles (where I scored exceptionally high) were as: A Plant; described by Belbin (1981; 1994) as someone with bright ideas who prefers to work on his or her own and generates ideas without considering the practicality or considering others views and can be bored easily by others inputs. Plants are also described as weak at communicating with, learning from, or managing, other people. A Monitor Evaluator; Excellent in reasoning for solutions, views from a wider perspective when all options are considered, but similar to plants weaker at motivating, acknowledging, or facilitating others as rationality is favoured over emotions. A Completer Finisher; Possesses depth to efficiently assist a team to see task(s) through but with major emphasis on accuracy and perfection which can frustrate other practically minded members. Members feel safe by him although there still remains a tendency to annoy due to perfectionism characteristics. My results in totality with key for decipher and interpretation purposes are illustrated below: Courtesy of Belbin (1981; 1994) IM Implementer CO Co-ordinator SH Shaper PL Plant RI Resource Instigator ME Monitor Evaluator TW Team Worker CF Completer Finisher Very Low 0-5 0-3 0-3 0-1 0-2 0-2 0-3 0-1 Low 6-8 4-5 4-6 2-3 3 3-4 4-5 2-3 Mid-Range 9-12 6-9 7-14 4-7 4-7 5-9 6-10 4-8 High 13-15 10-13 15-18 8-9 8-10 10-11 11-13 9-10 Very High 16+ 14+ 19+ 10+ 11+ 12+ 14+ 11+ Courtesy of Belbin (1981; 1994) BELBIN SELF PERCEPTION INVENTORY EXERCISE DT360 From the results shown above, it is clear that absolute coordinating and team worker roles are best avoided as I had very low scores on them, although on average I am capable of assuming shaper and resource instigator roles with relative ease. Some may argue that a more objective and rational method of executing this model would have been to rank each statement in order of preference with the highest rank being made on a statement that best described ones behaviour/personality rather than being confined to 10 points where it is inevitable that some statements would be unaccounted for even though one may have a degree of response for them. Surely it would be fairer in distribution and unbiased if all statements were accounted for to some degree, although keeping the key hidden among the statements and not revealed until ones completed the survey does account to an extent for objectivity. The model can also seem quite daunting and complicated for participants with poor numeric skills; (as a total of 10 points has to be maintained for each number), to the extent that they may be easily confused, put off or end up providing a false reflection due to inaccuracies or poor calculations. Additionally, the fact that Belbin (1981; 1 994) defines an ideal team as consisting of 4 members and anything over this constitutes of a group. This implies that the model is best applicable to teams than groups, but in practicality teams in the workplace and in most cases than not are usually exceeding 4 members. The contradiction of this is that the total number of team roles being tested are 9 (far excessive than 4), although one may argue that depending on the overall goal/objective/activity/event at hand, it may not be an imperative to have all 9 roles present in your team, but perhaps the best/most suitable 4 selections from the 9 that would best serve the overall task at hand. JOHARI WINDOW Initiated by Luft and Ingham (1955), a Johari Window is usually used as a heuristic activity in an attempt to assist people to comprehend interpersonal relationships and communication much better and is seen as a cognitive psychological tool. In terms of input and facilitation, in comparison to the other models aforementioned, this model tends to be less individualist and more interactive (imperatively requiring others input). As revealed by Luft (1969), in practice, a list of 56 adjectives is provided (to both the subject and peers) and utilised by both in the same way but independently input (picking 5 or 6 adjectives), to describe the subjects personality, which are then sieved and mapped onto a grid similar to the one found below (relevant to myself and completed for this module): 2. BLIND SELF Warm Sympathetic Warm Proud Self-conscious OPEN SELF Happy Kind Nervous Adaptable Friendly Known to self Not known to self Known to others 3. UNKNOWN SELF Reflective Observant Logical Adaptable Organised 4. HIDDEN SELF Complex Independent Loving Modest Dignified Not known to others Handy (2000) describes this concept as a house with 4 rooms; moving in a clockwise direction: Room 1; represents traits of my personality that I share in common with peers in terms of awareness. These adjectives were selected by both me and peers. Room 2; represents traits of my personality that I am unaware of, but revealed by peers. These descriptions were selected by my peers only without my input. Room 3; represents traits of my personality that were oblivious to both me and my peers. These were in effect selected by the other aforementioned models revelations and indications; these adjectives that best described my found learning preferences/styles. Handy (2000) describes this room as the most mysterious where the unconscious or subconscious part of us noticed by neither ourselves nor others. Room 4; described as confidential; the part of us known only to us and not others. These adjectives were selected by only me. The limitation with this window is that the number of adjectives does not always tally with what is required; and an uneven distribution of selections would have to be made more often than not; which may invalidate findings to an extent in terms of bias. However, this only tends to be an issue if a requirement is made to ensure an even distribution of adjectives across all 4 rooms is achieved. There is nothing to suggest in the theory that an uneven distribution across the rooms is unacceptable or invalid, rather the main emphasis is actually only made on an even independent selection of adjectives between subjects and peers. The problem with this is, if I did not select any adjective that matched my peers selection, would mean room 1 would remain empty. There is also some ambiguity on the frequency of selection required for each participant; is it confined to once or are multiple frequencies of selection allowed to offset such limitation? CONCLUSION PLANNING This was part of the group activity that I enjoyed the most and quite rightly so as indicated by the learning cycle/preferences models. I was proactively involved in this part of the session and my confidence in doing so was mostly thanks to completing most of the learning style/preferences models in precedence to the actual activity. I made the most of knowing where my learning preferences, strengths and skills lay by maximising my potential input/contribution to the group activity. Demonstrating traits of a reflector, theorist, plant, monitor evaluator, completer finisher, in a visually orientated dimension meant this role and stage of activity was performed naturally. One of my most productive and influential contributions at this stage of the activity was the highly imaginative idea to suggest that we considered raising money for charity as this seemed feasible under the circumstances considering our limited resources in terms of lack of funding (a concession from which the idea to submit a funding request stemmed from; although this attempt ultimately proved futile), and limited capacity to produce a lucrative venture under such confinements such as limited timeframes and manpower. Deciding on actually which charity (in this case red nose) to support/represent came from another team member. I must admit that I did not pay much interest or attention on the ins and outs involved in seeing through, although I was quite passionate about the idea. Moving forward perhaps I should develop my pragmatism on this aspect a bit further in order to be more specialised on hands-on experience. IMPLEMENTATION It is obvious that this was not my strongest point and as opposed to the brainstorming phase of the activity, I was not too much involved in this part of the procedure. My main input in this stage of the process was merely driving to picking up the cakes from a group members house (who happened to be more involved with liaising with the producer and negotiating on a price) setting up the stalls and a passive participation in selling on the day of sale. During this time I was better at observing spanners at work, how they work and generating ideas from gone wells and not gone wells. I was more committed to tracking our progress on sales projecting sales based on current sales ad how long we may be expected go on for. It was my idea that we always made sure we had spare change available, which required for each of us to bring coins along on the day. This highlighted preferred passion for the evaluation sides of things as similarly expressed for the planning stages. There is a lot that I have learnt from the implementation process and there is also a lot more to learn provided I am more involved in this stage, the realisation that theories do not always work in reality for instance would more easily verifiable and assessable. EVALUATION I did enjoy the evaluation stage other than the aspects of implementation involved in this process. My evaluation skills contributed toward the drive that was derived from projected findings on sales that led to us completing sales three hours ahead of schedule whilst generating a healthy profit of 64.5% and a total contribution of pou

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors Over the past few decades the concept of podded propulsion in merchant ships has gained significant acceptance in the merchant marine industry. Mostly due to the fact that podded propulsion systems offer several advantages in contrast to the conventional, shaft drive arrangement systems. The benefits we will refer to are mostly maneuverability, lower noise generation and more available space for cargo in merchant vessels. However before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a podded propulsion system we must first explain what is meant by podded propulsion by briefly analyzing its mechanical components and how they interact with the vessels water resistance and thrust efficiency. Nonetheless in order to fully realize the benefits provided by a podded propulsion system, we also need to briefly examine several aspects of conventional propulsion systems such as conventional single and double screw propulsion systems, systems using fixed pitch propellers, contra-rotating propell ers, overlapping propellers and controllable pitch propellers which are most commonly used today in the propulsion of merchant and navy vessels. Podded Propulsion Systems A podded propulsion system refers to a gondola shaped pod located at the stern of the vessel mounted on a leg which is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Inside the pod there is an electrical motor capable of producing thrust by using a fixed-pitch propeller. The entire system is azimuth since there is no need for a rudder or any other steering arrangements (Appendix 1,2). This type of propulsion system was created in the late 1980s by the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in cooperation with the ABB Stromberg Drives and the Finnish Maritime Administration. The first podded propulsion system was mounted onboard icebreakers such as the 16.000dwt M/T Uikku and M/T Lunni tankers. These type of vessels used the podded propulsion system in order to navigate through the North-East Passage in extremely harsh conditions by moving backwards with the propeller first, thus breaking the ice with a considerably higher efficiency than before. Today there are several types of podded propulsion systems available, some of the most commonly used are the Mermaid unit (Appendix 3) constructed by Kamewa and Cegelec, the Dolphin unit (Appendix 4) which was produced by John Crane Lips as well as STN and the SSP Thruster (Appendix 5) which is a product of Siemens and Schottel companies. The Mermaid unit uses a low emissions gas turbine in order to power the propeller which acts as a tractor unit located in front of the pod, this type of propulsion configuration allows an optimum undisturbed water inflow to the propeller thus increasing propulsion efficiency and decreasing vibration and noise. The Dolphin unit operates by integrating a powerful electric drive into a hydro-dynamically optimized pod below the stern of the vessel resulting in a directly driven propeller. The pod is capable of rotating 360 degrees thus ensuring maximum maneuverability while the power of this unit ranges from 3 MW to more than 19 MW, thus this type of pr opulsion configuration is suitable for a wide variety of commercial merchant vessels. The SSP Thruster uses two twin propellers one in front of the unit and one in the stern, rotating in the same direction powered by a permanent magnet motor. The propeller located at the stern of the pod uses the rotational energy produced in order to provide thrust by using a pair of hydrofoil fins angled away from the pod thus increasing efficiency of the unit while allowing the same maneuverability as the other pod units since the whole system is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Conventional Propulsion Systems Since the beginning of the development of merchant vessels, for the transportation of different types of products the propulsion systems created played a significant roll in the advancement of the maritime industry. Over the past two centuries many propulsion designs were created in order to further improve the speed, fuel consumption and efficiency of merchant and navy vessels. Today the most conventional design propulsion systems for merchant vessels consist from a shaft, which directly drives different types of propellers while it is connected to a gearbox. Power is generated mostly from a high torque diesel engine while a rudder usually located in front of the propeller at the stern of the vessel provides the steering. Research has shown that the use of different types of propellers can produce different results depending on the type of the vessel they are used. Fixed pitch propellers (Appendix 6) created the basis of propeller production in either its mono-block or build-up form. Mono-block propellers are most commonly used today while they cover a broad spectrum of design types and sizes. They can range from those weighing only a few kilograms to those, which can weight around 130 tonnes. Their designs can vary since the blade number of the propeller can be anywhere between two and seven blades. These kinds of propellers are used to provide propulsion for container vessel, bulk carriers and even high-speed patrol crafts. They offer several advantages in order to solve a variety of propulsion problems such as cavitation effects and excessive noise regeneration. In contrast to the fixed pitch propellers the controllable pitch propellers provide an extra degree of freedom since they can change the blade pitch. Even thought this type of propulsion system configuration is sensitive to cavitation problems it can provide significant advantages of maneuverability since fine thrust control can be achieved without the need to accelerate the propulsion machinery. Controllable pitch propellers are mostly used in passenger ships, ferries and general cargo vessels, which require frequent berthing maneuvers. Furthermore to the propulsion configurations we discuss above the use of contra rotating propellers (Appendix 7) can provide several advantages to the merchant marine industry. Contra rotating propellers compromise two coaxial propellers sited one behind the other while they rotate in the opposite direction. The contra rotating propulsion system provides the hydrodynamic advantage of recovering a part of the slipstream rotational energy, which would otherwise be lost. Additionally contra rotating propellers are able to balance the torque reaction from the propulsor. This kind of propulsion configuration is most commonly used in small high-speed outboard units while the use of this kind of propulsion system is not efficient for large merchant vessels since large vessels equip a large shaft line. Finally the last conventional propulsion system we will discuss involves the use of overlapping propellers (Appendix 8). This system uses again two propellers although in this case the propellers are not mounted coaxially but are each located on separate shaft line systems with the distance between the shaft centerlines being less than the diameters of the propellers. The advantage gained from this type of configurations is to increase propulsion efficiency by achieving as mush benefit as possible from the low-velocity portion of the wake field. Despite the fact of improved propulsion efficiency this kind of configuration may increase the levels of fluctuating thrust and torque thus more research and development must be done before it can be used on large merchant vessels. Advantages and Disadvantages of using Podded Propulsion Since we have briefly examined the mechanical characteristics behind podded propulsion and conventional propulsion systems it is time to discuss several advantages and disadvantages of using podded propulsion in the operations of merchant vessels. As yet, studies have not shown whether pods are more efficient than conventional shaft lines. There has been much research on the subject, but most studies have been aimed at a specific aspect of pod performance instead of an overall efficiency review. Several advantages have been attributed to pod propulsion systems, such as: reduced emissions, lower noise and vibration levels, improved steering maneuvering, and braking capabilities. The reduced number of component parts also allows for more flexibility in arranging system machinery, more efficient construction and improved shipyard logistics. On the opposite end of the argument, pods require a greater capital investment, have a 30MW power limitation (per screw), and have been known to suffer losses in power due to the electric propulsion. Specifically by using podded propulsion merchant vessels gain a significant advantage due to the fact that they can achieve an increased space capacity in order to fit more cargo mainly because the engine can be allocated more freely thus decreasing the size of the engine room. This advantage plays a crucial role for todays shipping companies, which depend mainly in increasing their deadweight tonnage in order to reduce their costs by achieving economies of scale. Moreover another crucial advantage of using podded propulsion seems to be the environmental benefits realized not only from reduced gas emissions but also due to the decreased fuel consumption thought good hydrodynamic efficiency. Since fuel consumption is a significant factor when calculating the vessels costs, it is of high importance that the vessel is capable of covering great distances at competitive speeds with as less fuel as possible. Even though today most berthing terminals and major ports invest in increasing the size of their facilities in order to accommodate the larger merchant vessels, maneuverability plays an important role in order to avoid delays and unnecessary costs due to the use of tug assistance. Research has shown that using podded propulsion can significantly increase the maneuverability of even the largest vessels, since the pod is able to rotate in a 360 degrees angle and thus provide thrust in every direction. Despite the advantages we mention above podded propulsion suffers from several disadvantages. The most crucial disadvantage seems to be that the capital costs associated with the production and use of pods, are a lot higher than the capital costs associated with the use of conventional propulsion configuration. This is one of the main reasons most merchant vessels are not equipped with podded propulsion. Furthermore another important disadvantage seems to be associated with the power production of podded propulsors. Due to the fact that pods have a 30MW power limitation and they depend on electric propulsion, sufficient speed may not be achieved while power losses due to the electric propulsion may be experienced. Finally it is not easy to realistically judge the suitability of pod propulsion for different ship types based on these advantages, disadvantages and limitations. However if we examine more closely reports based on the efficiency of podded propulsion we can derive that pods would be more efficient, fitted in cruise and liner vessels using twin screw configurations and even some small bulk carriers and general cargo vessels, while on the other hand they would not be suitable for large container vessels and tankers which require high power outputs. Conclusion In this essay we provided the reader with a comprehensive analysis of podded propulsion systems as well as conventional propulsion configurations. We examined several benefits created from the use of both types of propulsion systems, while we furthered analyzed the podded propulsion configuration by also providing several disadvantages experienced in merchant vessels, in order to conclude whether or not podded propulsion systems will be well suited in the operations of todays merchant ships. Finally reports has shown that even thought there is still a lot of research and development to be done on podded propulsion systems their use on merchant vessels would be more extensive in the future. Appendix Appendix 1 Source: Azipod ® XO The new generation Azipod ® takes podded propulsion to a new level www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot293.nsf//azipod%20xo_2010.pdf Appendix 2 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 3 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 4 Source: Podded propulsion drive for cruise liner Seven Seas Voyager www.sam-electronics.de/dateien/pad/broschueren/1.083.pdf Appendix 5 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 6 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 7 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 8 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd

Puerto Rican Music in the United States Essay example -- Culture cultu

Puerto Rican Music in the United States Music has always been a pervasive symbol of identity. It is a mode of expression that crosses gender, ethnicity and age. One need not understand the lyrics to identify with a musical genre; identification can be found through rhythm, tone of music, as well as other techniques in the music, unrelated to words. For example, most operas are in Italian and obviously everyone that attends an opera, does not speak or understand Italian. However, the audience is moved by the emotion conveyed through tone, facial expressions, and beat of the music. I believe this is relevant to the situation of Puerto Rican forms of music, and its success when Puerto Rican musicians migrated to the United States. Original forms had to be adopted to become popular in the United States, often assuming a heavier dance beat, but when the songs and musicians did become popular, it was not because a majority of Americans understood the lyrics in Spanish. For Americans, it was because the music provided lively back ground entertainment. However, for the Puerto Ricans, it meant much more. The music symbolized their background and struggles, what it means to be Puerto Rican. In New York, Puerto Rican musical traditions evolved in accordance with societal change. This was necessary in a society, as Glasser describes â€Å"where Puerto Ricans lived among a constellation of constantly changing ethnic groups within a protean social environment†(Glasser, 7). In Puerto Rico there are diverse groups, with different traditions of politics, economics, and music. When Puerto Ricans migrate to the United States, they unite under an identity as â€Å"Puerto Ricans† but there is still diversity within. Furthermore, I believe it is the Ameri... ... difficult as Americans commercialized the entire profession and employment became near obsolete for those trained musicians. In the U.S. music serves as a representation of the identity of the Puerto Rican, just as it does for other cultures. Puerto Ricans became disillusioned at the prospect of remaining in Puerto Rico as Rafael Hernà ¡ndez sang- â€Å"Piensa remediar la situacià ³n/del hogar, que es toda una ilusià ³n.† (Glasser, 165) Music provides a socially acceptable way to express disgust and disillusionment with the status quo and communicate one's identity. Bibliography Glasser, Ruth, My Music is My Flag: Puerto Rican Musicians in New York and their Communities, 1917-1940. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996). Oct. 29: Puerto Rican Music Between Rafael Hernandez and Rafael Cortijo. Guest Lecture by Prof. Lise Waxer, Music Dept., Trinity College

Kobe Bryant Essay -- essays research papers

Could you imagine being nineteen years old and making five million dollars a year? Kobe Bryant, the son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, jumped directly from high school to the pros in 1996 and enjoyed an impressive rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also won the Nestle Crunch slam-dunk contest, and was the leading scorer in the Rookie Game during the NBA all-stars Weekend. Kobe Bryant could very well become one of the best basketball players to ever step on a basketball court. Kobe's parents named him after a type of steak (Kobe) seen on a restaurant menu prior to his birth. This type of steak is very popular in Japan. Bryant is also fluent in Italian. Even though Bryant plays in the NBA, he is still a kid at heart and makes time for playing video games. He has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya. Bryant was the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania history with 2,883 points, breaking the marks of NBA legend and Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (2,359 points) and former St. Joseph's player Carlin Warley (2,441 points). Bryant led his high school team to a 77-13 record in last three seasons and was a four-year starter. His father, Joe, played eight NBA seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets, and is a former assistant coach at La Salle. As a senior at Lower Merion High School, USA Today and Parade Magazine selected Bryant as the National High School Player of the Year. He was also named Naismi...

Nike Case Study Essay

Kimi Ford, a portfolio manager at North Point Group, is looking into the profitability of investing in the stocks of Nike for her fund that she manages. She is supposed to base her decision the company’s data which was disclosed in the 2001 fiscal reports. While Nike management had addressed several issues that are causing the decrease in market sales and stock price, management presented plans to improve and perform better. Nike revenue has been at a plateau since 1997 yet net income and market share were falling. Supply chain issues and the strong dollar negatively affected revenue too. Plans are in place to address top line growth and operating performance. To boost revenue, the company would develop more athletic shoes in the mid priced segment which has been overlooked by Nike in recent years. They also planned to push their apparel line which under strong leadership had performed very well to control expenses. Revenue growth targets are around 8-10% and earnings targets are above 15%. Analyst reactions were mixed as some of them thought this was too aggressive. Lehman Brothers recommended a strong buy while others expressed misgivings and recommended a hold. At this point, North Point Group decided to do their own analysis in order to decide if Nike shares should be purchased for the fund. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay its debt and equity holders to finance its assets. It is the minimum return that a company must earn on existing asset base to satisfy its owners, creditors, and other providers of capital or they will invest somewhere else. Companies raise money from many sources such as common and preferred equity, straight, convertible, and exchangeable debt, options, warrants, pension liabilities, executive stock options, governmental subsidies, and others. Different securities, which represent different sources of finance, are expected to generate different returns. WACC is calculated taking into account the relative weights of each component of the capital structure- equity and debt, and is used to see if the investment is worthwhile to take part in. Management notices the cost of capital while making a financial decision. The concept is very relevant in the following managerial decisions and hence its importance: (1) Capital Budgeting Decision. Cost of capital may be used as the tool for adopting an investment proposal. Naturally, the firm will choose the project which gives a satisfactory return on investment which would never be less than the cost of capital incurred for its financing. In the many methods of capital budgeting, the cost of capital is the main factor in deciding the project out of different proposals pending before the management. It determines the acceptability of all investment opportunities by measuring financial performance. (2) Designing the Corporate Financial Structure. The cost of capital is a significant factor in designing the firm’s capital structure. The cost of capital is influenced by changes in capital structure. Financial executives keep an eye on capital market fluctuations and try to achieve the economical and sound capital structure for the firm. They may try to substitute the various methods of finance in an attempt to minimize the cost of capital a nd to increase the market price and the earning per share. (3) Deciding about the Method of Financing. Financial executives must have knowledge of fluctuations in the capital market and should analyze the rate of interest on loans and normal dividend rates in the market from time to time. Whenever company requires additional finance there are better choices of the source of finance which bears the minimum cost of capital. Although cost of capital is an important factor in such decisions, but equally important are the considerations of relating control and of avoiding risk. (4) Performance of Top Management. The cost of capital can be used to evaluate top executive financial performance. Evaluation of the financial performance will involve a comparison of actual profitability’s of the projects and along with the projected overall cost of capital and an appraisal of the actual cost incurred in raising the required funds. (5) Other Areas. The concept of cost of capital is also important in others areas of decision making, such as dividen d decisions, working capital policy, and more. WACC CALCULATION: [pic] One important question is if Joanna Cohen should use a single or multiple of capital for each of Nike’s footwear and apparel divisions? We agree with the use of single cost rather than multiple costs of capital. The reason of estimating WACC is to value the cash flows of the entire company that is provided by Kimi Ford. Plus, Nike business segments have a similar risk and thus a single cost is sufficient for this analysis. Joanna Cohen’s cost of debt was incorrect. An important fact is the WACC is used for discounting future cash flows, thus all components of the cost must reflect the firm’s concurrent or future abilities in raising capital. Cohen wrongly used the historical data in estimating the cost of debt. She divided interest expense by the average balance of debt to get 4.3% of before tax cost of debt. It doesn’t reflect Nike’s current or future cost of debt. The correct way to calculate the cost of debt is explained below. If the cost of debt is intended to be forward looking, it can be estimated by the yield to maturity of bond. The more appropriate cost of debt can be calculated with the data provided in Exhibit 4 of the case. Market data is correctly used rather than historical data. PV: 95.60 N= 40 Pmt: -3.375 FV: -100 The values above were put into Excel’s rate function. This came to a 7.16% annual cost of debt. The tax rate is 38%. The correct way to get the after tax cost of debt is to take 7.16% * (1-38%) = 4.44% The correctly calculated before tax cost of debt is 7.16%. This is significantly higher than Joanna’s incorrectly calculated cost of debt of 4.3%. Her incorrect calculation came from using historical rates rather than market rates. Next, the cost of equity is calculated. It is a good idea to use the 20 year T-Bond rate to represent the risk free rate. The cost of equity and the WACC are used to discount cash flows in the long run, thus rate of return of a T-Bond with 20 years maturity at 5.74% is the longest rate that is available. The geometric mean of market risk premium is 5.9%. This is more accurate than using arithmetic mean to represent market risk premium. By using arithmetic mean to represent true market risk premium, we have to have independently distributed market risk premium. It is often found that market risk premiums are negatively serial correlated. Market average Beta of .69 is used because it is a good indicator of the average Beta’s and their fluctuations throughout the years. Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) |Cost of Equity(KE) | |KE = |Rf + ÃŽ ²(Rf – Rm) | |Rf = |5.74% | = |9.81% | |Beta |= 0.69 |Average Nike Beta | | Next, the weights of debt and equity need to be calculated. The market value of equity is $42.09 share price X 271.5 million shares = 11,427,000 Due to the lack of information of the market value of debt, book value of debt at 1296.6 million is used to calculate weights. Calculations for market and debt weights: 11,427,000 / (11,427,000 + 1297) = 89.8% Equity Weight 1 – 89.8% = 10.2% debt weight WACC Calculation 4.44% After Tax Cost of Debt X 10.2% Debt Weight + 9.81% Cost of Equity X 89.8% Equity Weight = 9.27% The CAPM method was used when calculating cost of equity for the WACC. Advantages and disadvantages of this method are explained below. Advantages: †¢ It only considers systematic risk, reflecting a reality in which most investors have diversified portfolios from which unsystematic risk has been essentially eliminated. †¢ It generates a theoretically-derived relationship between required return and systematic risk which has been subject to constant empirical research and testing. †¢ It is generally seen as a superior method of calculating the cost of equity than the dividend growth model (DGM) in that it explicitly takes into account a company’s level of systematic risk relative to the stock market as a whole. †¢ It is clearly better than WACC in providing discount rates for use in investment appraisal. Disadvantages: †¢ It is practically impossible to estimate betas for many projects. †¢ People sometimes focus on market risk rather than corporate risk, and this may be a mistake. The Dividend Discount Method is another method of calculating cost of equity. The assumption made with this model is that the company pays a substantial dividend, but Nike Inc. does not pay dividends. Therefore, we rejected this model since it does not reflect the true cost of capital. The method Compares dividends forecasted for the next period with the current share price for the firm and then adds the growth rate of the firm. Equation: Ke= D1/ P0 + g †¢ Variables: – G= the value line forecast of dividend growth, which equals 5.5% – PO= current share price, which is $42.09. – D1= DO (1+g), which equal .48 (1+.055) †¢ DO= from dividend history and forecast chart, which equals .48 Therefore, cost of equity = .564/42.09 + .055= 6.7% Advantages: †¢ Allow great flexibility when estimating future dividend streams †¢ Provide useful value approximations even when the inputs are simplified †¢ Can be reversed so the current stock price is used to impute market assumptions for growth and expected return †¢ Investors are able to suit their model to their expectations rather than force assumptions into the model †¢ Specifying the underlying assumptions allows for sensitivity testing and analyzing market reactions to ever changing circumstances Disadvantages †¢ Subjective inputs can result in wrongly specified models and bad results †¢ Over-reliance on a valuation that is really just an estimate †¢ Sensitivity is high to small changes in input assumptions †¢ Flow-through of minor formula or data entry errors when using spreadsheets The Cost of Equity Method is the other method for forecasting cost of equity. The final model used to compute the cost of capital was the earning capitalization model. The problem with this model is that it does not take into consideration the company’s growth. Therefore we chose to reject this calculation. The earnings capitalization model calculations were found this way: †¢ Stands for earnings capitalization model †¢ This model compares forecasted earnings for the next period over the current share price. †¢ Equation: – Ke: E1/ P0 †¢ Variables: – E1= (1+g) * (E0/ # of shares outstanding) †¢ G= retention ratio * return on equity †¢ Retention ratio= retained earnings/ net income †¢ 3194.3/ 589.7= 5.42 †¢ Return on equity= net income/ total shareholders’ equity †¢ 589.7/ 3494.5= 16.88% †¢ G= 5.42* 16.88%= .914 †¢ EO= Net Income, which equals 589.7 †¢ Share Outstanding= 271.5 – E1= ((1+.914) * 589.7)/ 271.5= 4.1572 – PO= Nike current share price, which is 42.09 †¢ Therefore, cost of equity= – 4.1572/ 42.09 = 9.88% Advantage Strong representation of earnings Disadvantages Brealey & Myers argue in Principles of Corporate Finance that this model is not good to use for growing firms but is appropriate for no-growth firms. Hence it is not appropriate for Nike Inc. since this company is still growing. Analysis and Recommendation Kimi ford used a WACC discount rate of 8.4% to find a share price of $63.50. Nike is currently trading at $42.09. This makes the share price undervalued by $21.41. However, her discount rate does not reflect true market value due to the mistakes in her methods we discussed earlier. The discount rate we came up with from using the CAPM was 9.27%. This higher WACC results in a lower share price of around $55.60. Share price has decreased once Joanna’s calculation methods have been corrected, but Nike is still overvalued so we still recommend buying the stock. Share price is now undervalued by $12.97. SWOT Analysis Strengths: †¢ Globally recognized #1 sports brand †¢ Strong marketing, research and development, and innovation †¢ Worldwide logo recognition, brand loyalty, and slogan â€Å"Just do it.† Weaknesses: †¢ Most profits are solely from footwear †¢ Revenue has plateaued, expenses have increased †¢ Supply chain issues affecting financial health too †¢ Price sensitive retail industry Opportunities: †¢ There are plans in place to address top line growth and operating performance †¢ Plans to create more athletic footwear †¢ Also plans to push apparel line †¢ High revenue growth (8-10%) and earning (15%) targets Threats: †¢ Uncertainties in international trade †¢ The market is cut throat †¢ Growing competition from other companies can lead to decreased market share DuPont Analysis †¢ Net Income: 589,700,000 †¢ Sales:9,488,800 †¢ Total Assets:5,819,600 †¢ Common Equity – Common Stock, Par: 2,800,000 – Capital in excess of stated value: 459,400,000 – Retained Earnings: 3,194,300,000 – Total: 3,656,500,000 †¢ NI/Sales: 589,700,000/9,488,800,000 = 6.2% †¢ Sales/TA: 9,488,800,000/5,819,600,000 = 1.63 †¢ TA/CE: 9,488,800,000/3,656,500,000 = 2.60 †¢ Profit Margin * TA Turnover * Equity Multiplier †¢ 6.2% * 1.63 * 2.60 = 26.27% ROE. This Return on Equity is high, further stating the fact that Nike stock is good to buy. Nike has strong financial health and its stock is a sound investment. It would make a valuable addition to any mutual fund. The End Thank You