Saturday, August 31, 2019

Economics Essay

Save this file in your course folder, and name it with Assignment, the section number, and your first initial and last name. For example, Jessie Robinson’s assignment for Section 1 would be named JRobinson. Type the answers to the assignment questions below. Use complete sentences unless the question says otherwise. You will have more than one day to complete an assignment. At the end of each day, be sure to save your progress. Review Lesson 4 of the Course Overview for instructions about turning in your assignments. Assignment Questions In Section 1, you learned about economic principles. Now, you’ll apply what you learned. 1. Choose a well-known company that you know of, and answer the following questions about it: a. Is this mainly a product-based or service-based business? (1.0 points) it is mainly a product based company. b. What type of good or service is this company best known for? (1.0 points it is a food service company so it is known for the food. c. What makes the company different from its competitors? (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) this company is known for there quality of fast food. The food is prepared much more fresh than other companies much like this one. This company also tends to have more of a range of foods to pick from. d. Why do you think this company became successful? Describe at least one reason. (1-5 sentences. 2.0 points) I think this company became successful because it was not the first company like it and people like to be able to grab something quickly and go so fast food works well. 2. Choose a different well-known company that you know of, and describe its direct and indirect competitors. Describe at least 2 direct competitors and 2 indirect competitors. (1-5 sentences. 4.0 points) a indirect competitor would be for example if someone opens a shop selling Malay rice while the opposite street another person is selling the same rice but then comes along a person selling Chinese fried rice. Although the person who is selling the Chinese fried rice and the two other competitors are selling Malay rice, the person selling the Chinese fried rice is considered an indirect competitor. But for another example a pizza shop in competition wit a fried chicken shop would be indirect because the products are not the same but they are still competing for sales. 3. Describe at least 3 nonprice competition strategies a company could use to convince customers that its product is better than other similar products. Why would those strategies matter to customers? (1-6 sentences. 3.0 points) It is better quality so it will last longer, it has a better warranty in case anything goes wrong, it functions or looks better than the opposition, the design is future projected. They would matter to the customers because customers care about the quality of whatever product it is they are possibly thinking about investing in. customers also don’t want things that are going to out of date in a year. And of course the customer is going to purchase the product depending on how much better they think it is in general including the appearance of the product. 4. Describe a real or made up but possible example of a product that went through a time of scarcity. What was likely to happen to the price of the product when it was scarce, and why? (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) alcohol during the prohibition. The price skyrocketed. As the penalties for breaking the law increased, so did the demand and price. 5. Describe a product you know of that has elastic demand. Why is the demand for this product elastic? Explain. (1-3 sentences. 3.0 points) a stock in a micro cap company or a gas pharmaceutical company. Its factors are that the government proposing a law that is in favor of te industry, media, and just regular speculation.

Friday, August 30, 2019

An Intercultural Comparison Between Chinese Essay

An intercultural comparison between Chinese and foreign humor Summary: Humor is  a wonderful work  of human civilization  and wisdom, she smiled as a bridge, bond people in different culture, and made people recognizing the power of the humor in their normal communication. This paper  will trace the  historical origins of  humor. From the humorous discourse features, themes, social functions, performance practices and seize of the  subtle to start  the  similarities and differences between Chinese and Western humor. Humor is  a wonderful work  of human civilization  and wisdom, she smiled as a bridge, bond people in different culture, and made people recognizing the power of the humor in their normal communication. 1. Origins and scopes of humor Humor  comes from the  Latin  word ‘humor’, it  is an  ancient Greek physiology term refers to the ‘fluid’. Greek physician Hippocrates believed that the human  health and  temperament  of different  types of  four kinds of  body  fluids  on  the mixing ratio. Temperament  theory  in ancient Greece, medieval and Renaissance  have a great impact. Thus, humor  is  the original meaning of four kinds of body fluids determined by  the proportion of the human mind, body, customary tendency, temperament, or  temporary  mental and emotions. The first of the humor into the field of aesthetics  is a famous British  dramatist, Ben Jones,  gradually  dilute the  meaning of humor physiology, aesthetics increasingly in-depth  the study  of  humor. Late in the 17th century, humor began to have the modern meaning; In the 18th century, humor  for the  aesthetic features  of  drama,  fiction, poetry,  prose and writing style with humor  for the  writers and artists  have been common. Such as in : Sunday school teacher: Hands up all those who want to go to heaven? Hands up †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ What about ou Terry? You haven’t got your hand up-don’t you want to go to heaven? Terry: Sorry, I can’t. Mum told me to go straight home. The  suspense  in  the beginning  of the first  discourse,  two,  third and  fourth inningdirect rendering. The  little boy’s ‘Sorry, I can’t. ’ is  a  reversal,  the last  one  is  a  hilarious  mutations. Cultural context  is an abstract,  general concept, an abstraction  form  in people’s everyday  social life. Because  discourse  is a communicative form,  while the  communication  is  carried out  in  certain situations, therefore, discourse analysis  must consider  its contents, participants in  communicative activities,  speech,  media  and other factors. In addition,  there is also a  certain  discourse  of environmental  factors, such as ‘context’, Marlinowski called it ‘Situational context’. Halliday thinks, from the  language  point of view  the use of  situational context  the most important three factors are:  language field,  the tone  and manner. Language field  is  corrected  in the event of  things;  tone  is  who is  communicative, their basic  conditions, characteristics, status  roles,  role relationships  between participants;  manner  refers to the language  in  the role of  communication, including communication  channels and modified way. From the above  humorous  point of view,  the language field  is  the scene ask questions in class;  communication of both  the teachers  and students; both  in communication  is the  unequal  status of  the teacher  is  the speaker, students aresubject to  speaker. Student’s  response should be to  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsupport’ or  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfight against’. The  confrontation  is  the beginning of  reversal,  which produce  humor. Communicative  role of the conversion  from the  point of view, discourse  is the speaker  and  the recipient  as a  center of  rotation. 3. Cross-cultural  comparison  of  Chinese and foreign  humor 3. 1 Themes Humor  is mankind’s  an aesthetic  pursuit,  is  a reflection of  real life, first in  its  themes and  content  reflect  the unique  customs  of the  ethnic,  social and cultural. By traditional  Chinese  Confucianism  deeply rooted  that people  talk about sex  pale, therefore,  traditional Eastern humor neutral topic is taboo. The  humor  in  the West accounted for  a large proportion  of these  topics. 3. 2 Social functions Classified  according to their  social function  of humor as: negative humor(Deny  the shortcomings  of  life  and  negative  phenomena), positive humor(Affirm the  advantages  in life  and positive  phenomenon)  and pure humor(Does not  contain  affirm  and  negative,  just  full of  fun  to everyday phenomena  of  reflection). Europe and the United  States  purely  for entertainment  humor  in  a significant proportion of  the pure  humor,  this is  the time when  humor  from  the bud  will form  adistinctive  feature. The Chinese  sense of humor  seems to  bear  a heavier  historical mission – skewer the current ills. Throughout  hundreds of popular since the traditional dialogue  segment,  the vast majority of  satire  piece. 3. 3 Performance practices National characteristics  of humor  in  artistic  expression  on the  subject matter as  far as  clarity. It  is often  rooted in  long-standing  cultural traditions of a nation  and psychological quality,  the performance  is very subtle, delicate. China  has always been  deliberately seeking  humor  in the end,  the  taste  of the progressive  layers. Most indicative of  the Chinese  culture  of  humor  in the form  of humor  than the  comic. Crosstalk  of the  four  aspects of  the structure  corresponding to  the  four parts  of humor. Comic  from start to finish  with multiple  suspenses,  so that  the audience  is always  with interest, from the  tension  eased  to meet  expectations, and then  across  to the new expectations and new  meet. The  European and American  humor  often only one  piece  of suspense, comedy  to be more  suspense,  but because of  the integrity of  comedy,  the plot  of  coherence nd requirements, restrictions on  the use of  a lot of suspense. Crosstalk  is not,  although it  has some  plot lines, but not sticking to  the plot  needs the opportunity to  abandon the use of  suspense. On the contrary,  sometimes  to  the medium of  suspense, clever plot jumps from one to another with no ass ociated plot. 3. 4 Seize of subtle Subtle  sense of humor  is the  world’s nations   common feature. Each nation’s sense of humor  by  their historical  and cultural  tradition,  in the long-term artistic practice  in the  form  of  subtle style, extent  and methods vary. From the  perspective  of contemporary  humor  writing, in the  subtle  nature of  the pursuit, China  and Western countries  along two  different directions. Overall,  the humor  works of  Western-oriented  and  strive to concise of implicit, philosophy  combine  to make  more  room for  humor  after taste. The Chinese contemporary  humor,  its ability to  master the  subtle  and bright scales. 4. Summary Western countries,  China’s  humor and  humor  in their  culture,  nurtured by  the soil  to form  a  different style. Through this  cross-cultural comparison, our  team  has  a better understanding of  world culture,  to accelerate  the pace of  China into the  world.

The Role Money Plays

Critical Text-Based Analysis Money plays a vital role in Bahamian society. Throughout the years our governments have placed our cultural identity at risk. They negotiated contracts and decisions based on our country’s financial circumstances. It is evident that our islands are truly â€Å"up for sale† but this can have drastic effects. As the years go by The Bahama Islands are being sold for the naturalness of what they are and are being transformed into something different.Nowadays, there are more aspects of American culture rather than Bahamian culture on display. If this continues our country will eventually succumb to the hands of its main financial provider, the United States. The Bahamas is too dependent on other societies and if we don’t change our mindsets our culture would be destroyed. Immigration has become a major issue in Bahamian society. Many migrants travel here searching for a better way of life. Their values and customs have greatly influenced o ur society.This was indicated by the author in paragraph three, â€Å"Abaco is called ‘Wcylef Jean Refuge’ after its new owner, the Haitian hip-hop superstar, while white Abaconians steam in lobster-red fury at the fact that their land could now be owned by a Haitian. † This agitated the natives of Abaco because their beloved island is now owned by a Haitian. In the Bahamas, Haitians are populating our islands in vast amounts and are influencing our culture. This has led to clashes among the societies which have caused a negative opinion of them. This evidence proves that our native culture is on decline and must be preserved.The Bahamas is known as a tourism country. Most of our income comes from the tourism industry. This has allowed our country to become a popular tourist destination. However the government constantly jeopardizes our main source of revenue. This was stated in paragraph 6, â€Å"Dead dolphins and whales beach daily like drowned slaves. † As a result of signing the Pipeline Contract, many tourists travelled to other countries due to the pollution of the ocean. This was emphasized in paragraph eight when he mentioned how Cuba took over as the number one tourist destination.In addition, Bahamians escaped to Cuba to avoid working under poor conditions at the amusement park and factories. This is quite ironic considering Bahamians love to travel to other countries for their amusement parks. The industry further declined when Junaknoo was abolished in 2015. It was no longer of tradition but of a trend. This was displayed in the twelfth paragraph, â€Å"A thoroughly diluted version on Junkanoo, Junkanoo Lite, is currently serving as the official mascot of the Miami Dolphins. † These instances show how our culture is constantly placed at risk.The writer used various rhetorical techniques to enhance his message. He used similes and euphemisms to give his piece appeal. In addition, the use of sarcasm and humor strengt hened his purpose. Our society is becoming a replica of America. We are adopting customs and policies that are not our own. As indicated by the author our nation is losing its identity. This produced serious consequences in the future which inhibited our growth as an independent nation. Our governments should not sacrifice our culture for money but endeavor to save this special gem.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Financial Information for Business Decisions Essay - 1

Financial Information for Business Decisions - Essay Example Marks and Spencer’s well established business attracts a great deal of consumer base irrespective of demography. The company’s main business consists in selling fabric items and clothing for men, women and kids’. The company, by applying prudent marketing techniques, has been able to grab market share of around 11.0%2 by value and 11.2%3 by volume. Marks and Spencer has also been actively involved in the business of marketing and selling edible products which has earned the company immense revenue in the past few years. Through its unmatchable food quality, Marks and Spencer is now regarded as one of the finest when it comes to quality food products. Operating Performance of the Company Marks and Spencer has been actively involved in the marketing of fresh meals and canned food items. The company also earns a good portion of its revenue through selling some of the finest wines and other affordable grocery products as well. In the recent past the company has been able to renew its food range and now offers a diverse variety of products to its customers. This change in strategy has been of benefit to the company which has caused an increase of 1.8%4 in sales revenue from food business. During the financial year 2010, the company progressed by leaps and bounds. ... The table below compares the financial results of Marks and Spencer, for the last five financial years from 2010 till 2006. Particulars8 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Group Revenue 9,537 9,062 9,022 8,588 7,797 Operating Profit - Continuing Operations 852 871 1,211 1,046 850 Profit from ordinary activities before taxation - continuing operations 703 706 1,129 937 746 Profit for the year 523 507 821 660 523 As can be observed from the above analysis, the financial outlook of the company has improved in the last five years. The group revenue has shown an inclining trend which pertains to the opening of new stores and outlets of the company. The company has expanded its operation both in and out of England over the past couple of years. Marks and Spencer is actively involved in overseas sales, and fluctuation in exchange rate has had a significant impact on the revenue of the company. The company was able to shrug off the recent global meltdown .The gross profit to sales ratio for the year e nded December 31, 2010 was 8.93%9 which has decreased by 0.67% during the current year. Despite the decrease in gross profit to sales ratio, the net profit of the company has increased by ?16.210 million. The primary reason behind the increase in the net profit is the fact that during the current financial year the company did not incur any cost during the current year on corporate restructuring. The increase in net profit is due to the fact that during the current year the company did not incur any exceptional cost which it had incurred during the year prior to that on strategic restructuring. If we analyze the financial year 2009, there has been a major decrease in the profit after tax. This

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Ownership Structure and Financial Performance Essay

Ownership Structure and Financial Performance - Essay Example The paper talks about the measurement of the ownership structures with respect to financial performances and finally generates an understanding of US and UK based companies by distinguishing them on the basis of ownership identities and level of concentration. The development in corporate governance practices and regulations pertaining to disclosures of ownership are also discussed. Various measures of financial performance are highlighted and discussed in relation with the research topic. It has been concluded that ownership structure has an impact on financial performances, but with varying interests as there are other internal and external factors that may play a vital role in reducing or increasing productivity. It has been identified in this report that the relationship between ownership structure and financial performance of firms is not observed to have a similar trend in different countries. Corporate governance comprises of control mechanisms through which corporations are governed and directed to perform their duties effectively. The ownership structure needs to be directed by corporate governance because lack of transparency of ownership structure may have an adverse impact on financial performances. In other words, it can be said that ownership structure shows the types and compositions of different shareholders that have an influence on company’s key decisions areas so they need to be administered by corporate governance in order to carry out their processes in ethical and transparent manner. The purpose of this paper is to generate an understanding of the relationship of ownership structure and company’s performance. In this regard, investigation of UK and United companies is carried out in this paper.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Risk management planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk management planning - Essay Example The whole process will take around one month which will include visiting people, distributing and collecting questionnaires, and conducting interviews. Before going into the details of proposal regarding identification of risk and implementation of an appropriate risk management plan, let’s get a better understanding of what risk management actually is and why is it important for any company or organization to implement a suitable risk management plan. Risk management means identification of the threat of risks anywhere in the organization’s activities and businesses and finding out the proper solution to the identified risks. This process of risks’ identification and planning is known as risk management process. Risk management is one of the most important tasks for any company, business, or organization. It is because without the implementation of an effective risk management plan, the chances of failure of business get increased. Risk management planning is not only important for the success and stability of the business operations but also it is very beneficial for the security and safety of the employees w orking in any specific company or organization. If we talk about risk management planning in the construction industry, we can say that the managers of the construction companies properly concentrate on balancing the eventuality of any risk, which their companies may face in near future, with their contractual, financial and operational necessities. In the process of achieving this balance between risk and company’s operational requirements, an effective and efficient mechanism is required which can identify and analyze any sort of risk to the companies. â€Å"Crisis can strike at any time, which is why it is important for organizations to have risk management plans in place† (Sheldon). The key steps involved in the risk management planning include defining the risks for the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Research Paper Example Women have been ever frightened about this issue and think it to be the most derogatory thing that can happen to them. It is a shocking fact that most of the rapes go unnoticed and it happens within the family arena. There are lots of cases of sexual assault and rape among families and many of the children and individual are afraid to bring out this subject in to the public. Rape is a social violence and cannot be an act of passion as there is coercion happening in the act which results in damage to the physical and mental stability of the victim. â€Å"It is found in the study by National Institute of Justice and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that 22 percent of male and 48 percent of female have confronted their first rape before the age of 12† (Golden,17). Rape is a social issue which most people encounter directly or indirectly in a particular social environment. Women are always subjected to sexual assault and suffer mainly because she is judged more as an object of sexual desire. Since ages they are looked upon as a medium to satisfy sexual gluttony of men, and she has been living in darkness when it is the matter of her individual right and freedom. In this novel, the girl named precious is forcefully impregnated by her father and less could be done by the girl to protect her virginity and self respect. However, this is not a frequent case in America where female are subjected to sexual exploitation and rape from the hands of parents, close relatives and friends. The main issue as in case of the character Precious is that there is less support offered from her mother when she has been molested and raped by her father .This mostly makes the scenarios worse and the victim feel helpless and hate her individuality and the social connection she share with her family members.â€Å"It was found that instead of lagging behind female rape along the stranger - acquaintance rape dimension, male rape was viewed predominantly in terms of Ã¢â‚¬Ë œother’ factors (factors not found on the stranger - acquaintance dimension, e.g. victim/rapist sexual orientation, rapist calls victim names), which were erroneous, sexualizing and homophobic† (Anderson,25-245). Rape is a social evil and many girls and women are victimized at the hands of parents, strangers and other men in the society at a staggering rate Rape as a heinous act as reached a high proportion in our society and has ruined many innocent lives on a permanent basis. The black girl in the book â€Å"Push† have found to be helpless and imprisoned in an atmosphere where she had no support to look for and has been struggling under the cruel hand of her father and ignorant mother. It is not only women who are subjected to rape, but also infants, corpse and men become a slave of this cruel act. Mostly it is found that the traumatized victims of rape are frightened and emotionally handicapped at such a level that they carry this tragedy through out their who le life. Trauma victims essentially need more private time to sort out their feelings, and grasp what had happened to them in order to get some professional help in dealing with their emotional tragedy. If we read the book ‘push’ we can find out that Precious the character which was subjected to sexual assault from her parents was illiterate and was from low class family. However, according to studies, rape more frequently it occurs among low classes as their social

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Comparative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Comparative - Essay Example The president, George W. Bush says the hatred is because of America’s greatness. This greatness brings forth rage especially for the countries that cannot get freedom. The other opinion is from a minority group who think America is hated because of its support for some regimes especially in Middle East which can be repressive. According to America’s democracy, some of these ideals are not really acceptable. Wade thinks that America looks at the inward such that even the spending of money is much far than other countries like India. The emergence of original and more so unique cultures in America leads to celebration of individuals at community’s expense. Examples of these are human affairs innovations and the sociological event of atom splitting (Wades, p247). The United States people are quite unwilling to know or rather learn anything outside their borders. The difference in classes has led to emergence of groups such as al-Qaeda of Osama bin laden. Wade thinks al-Qaeda forms due to rich as well as poor differences. For example the leader Osama may be rich but fellow al-Qaeda may not be. The culture of America is much modernized, but for most uncivilized people especially from Africa, some of the things seem mean as they view from televisions’ programs. They conclude that that’s how the American people. Another example is where the people in the Middle East believe America’s values are questionable. ... It is not clear however, what happens to these children as they turn into young adults or thereafter leading to low leaving standards. In Kenya, most youths after getting some literacy end up unemployed and thus dwell in slums in Nairobi and some hate their ancestral lifestyles. Throughout the world, people forget the old and traditions but the fact is that they have to struggle to survive. According to anthropology, people and cultures that are under stress bring forth ideologies which are strange or weird and unexpected. For example, the case of Boxers of China who beheaded and murdered missionaries and displayed these heads as well (Wade, p249). Wade on page 250 also says al-Qaeda does not have full Muslim faith and so is partly Muslim, partly not. A sociologist from Harvard Daniel Bell wrote that the state of the nation is too small compared to the world’s big problems yet too big for the world’s small problems. Modernization has led to changing in the cultures; eve n languages are not taught to the children. He also thinks that the past may end up defining the future and its culture. He gives the example of Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination that took place in 1914. This incidence may turn out to define the fate of two different worlds in even 100 years to come. As a conclusion, Wade strongly points out that there must be aspiration to a new type of pluralism spirit which must be an international one. True democracy according to Wade, is supposed to be globally available, so that several cultures which are unique whether they are small or large, have the right to be in existence. Interdependent declaration moreover, must also be global in its existence as it is very essential for survival of

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Chinese civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Chinese civilization - Essay Example ted a lasting foundation for the development of a lasting authority at the Yellow River Basin considered as the cradle of civilization in China (Keightley, 4). The Yellow River Basin gave the earliest hint of civilization that later spread to other areas. The family unit of the ancestors of the current Chinese people in the Yellow River basin allowed for the passing on of culture from the Xia through to the Shang dynasty within which civilization began. The height of the bronze culture began during the Shang Dynasty due to the start of smart casting and smelting for the generation of beautiful wares (Keightley, 12). There was also a development of pottery making, silk weaving, and sericulture, caving in jade and ivory during the same period facilitated by the family unit and the ancestors spurring civilization. The other development that has been documented of the Shang dynasty is Chinese writing for oracular purposes on the shoulder blades of pigs owing to the family unit to which the dynasties formed their basis. This development continued to the 15th Century when China was the most powerful country in the world, and it occupied the position of the most productive and technology advanced country. There were a number of advances tha t were made that all came from the family and ancestors, who together gave the seeds for civilization including developed agriculture, independent medicine, botanical knowledge, and developed irrigation. The family and the ancestors in China also were the main factors for civilization because they were able to make cast iron in industrial scale leading to the civilization in

Friday, August 23, 2019

Googles dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Googles dilemma - Case Study Example When Larry Paige and Sergie Brian hit upon the idea in 1998, the concept of search engine was still vague. Thus, Google’s success lies in tapping the search engine space and as it grew exponentially; it had to evolve into some kind of structured organization if it had to maintain its astounding growth rate. Summary of the situation: The tile of the case about the â€Å"dilemma† faced by Google is how to motivate and energize its young staff while maintaining a semblance of formalized structures. The key is to incubate new ideas in an organization while having some sort of bureaucratic structures in place to sustain its growth. SWOT The strength of Google is innovation and the workforce that prides itself on being â€Å"geeky† but resents formalized structures. Google derives its main strength from the way in which employees use their spare time to sound off on potential ideas that can be the â€Å"next big thing†. The weakness of Google lies in the way in which it is grappling with establishing formal governance structures. This is a classic dilemma faced by many technology companies: How to grow without making the workforce feel that are part of an â€Å"impersonal† and â€Å"mechanical† organization. Google’s opportunity is the ever growing web applications market that has seen it grow at an annualized rate of around 30% over the last few years. The vitality and creativity of the workforce is another area of opportunity. Finally, the threat to Google is two-fold: potential start-ups like cuil.com that were started by ex-Google employees and can eat into its search engi ne market. Second, the rising headcount that now stands at over 6,000 can make it a victim of its own success. Recommendations: it is recommended that Google’s management team inculcate a spirit of structure and formalized communication channels instead of the â€Å"college† atmosphere that

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Educational interests and goals, educational background, special Essay

Educational interests and goals, educational background, special interests, and plans for when you return to your home country - Essay Example In 2006, I was given the Most Outstanding Boarder award from Hills International, as well as a Certificate of Achievement for academic results for demonstrating diligence in studies. I feel proud to state that, in 2007, I was among the top 10 percent of the Hills International graduating class. I received commendations for academic excellence in English and Mathematics, and in Physical Education. I also received the prestigious Caltex All Rounder Award for achievement at school and in the broader community. I was College Captain of Hills International College in 2007, and was also a student of the Hills International Golf Academy in 2006-2007. Sport has been an important part in my life-golf is a passion with me. Interest in the game developed because of my family-especially my dad-who, having served three terms as club captain of the Sabah Golf and Country Club, also takes keen interest in junior golf development in Malaysia. I started golf at the age of 12 under my father's coaching, and later trained under British and Australian PGA's. I have received many awards in the sport (a detailed list is enclosed), among which are the First Place for Girls Under 12 Sport Excel Junior Circuit qualifier (Sabah-2002) and the Best Overall Position for All Sabah Players-2003(international Event). In Australia, I represented the Methodist Ladies' College in the golf tournament for Western Australian schools, and also the Royal Fremantle Golf Club in all junior tournaments. My current scores are: average scores 9 rounds, 693 strokes, average 77; Personal Best Tournament Score 72 (par). I derive inspiration for my game from Jason Day, who studied at Hills, and is a golf buddy. Jason was the World Junior Champion in 2004. I spend an average of four hours a day practicing golf. I also play badminton, basketball and touch football for fun. I represented my school in Badminton, cross-country and middle distance running. I am also a PADI open water diver and have logged over 50 dives. I frequently dive at Sipadan Island, which has some of the best diving spots in the world. I read a lot during my free time, especially after my golf practice, which helps me to unwind. I have participated in arts and musical events too while in school. I passed the examination in Pianoforte with high honors, and obtained the third position in the 21st Inter-Secondary Schools Choral competition. I now play the piano for relaxation. I also received an 'Outstanding Achievement' mention in the poster competition for the theme Sports against Drugs under the Rotary Youth Leadership Development Program (2002). I have had some work experience, having worked as 'Assistant Banker' at the Commonwealth Bank, Claremont (W Aus.) in 2005. I have also done voluntary work with the deaf and dumb center at Bukti Padang, Malaysia. Here I participated in activities with hearing impaired children, and was a 'buddy' to a child at the center. I learned sign language for this purpose. I enjoyed my time and learned a lot during the past 3 years in Australia. I had the chance here to meet many friends and people from different parts of the world. It is this experience away from home as a student-athlete, which taught me the importance of being independent, as well

Employment Law Compliance Essay Example for Free

Employment Law Compliance Essay Our client, Bradley Stonefield, is planning to open a limousine service, Landslide Limousines, in the Austin, Texas area. Mr. Stonefield plans to hire approximately twenty-five people to provide first class transportation to a variety of clientele. Before Mr. Stonefield begins hiring it is imperative that he has an understanding of applicable employment laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) is a well-known and widely used federal anti-discrimination law (LaMance, n. d. ). Title VII make it illegal for employers to discriminate against someone based on their race, religion, national origin or sex (U. S. EEOC, 2014). The Act also made it illegal for employers to retaliate against a person who files a complaint of discrimination or participates in a discrimination investigation (U. S. EEOC, 2014). An employer who violates Title VII may find themselves subjected to a number of legal consequences such as having to pay large sums for damages and being required to readjust the company’s policies (LaMance, n. d. ). To avoid violating Title VII Mr. Stonefield and his managers should treat all employees and applicants equally without regard to any characteristics except job performance (HR Specialist, 2013). The Texas Payday Law covers all business entities in the state of Texas, regardless of size except public employers such as the state or federal government (TWC, 2013). This law gives the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) the authority to enforce wage laws and investigate wage claims (TWC, 2013). Texas Payday Law covers compensation for services rendered, commissions and bonuses, and certain other fringe benefits according to a written agreement with or policy of the employer (TWC, 2013). The law states that employers must pay employees for all hours worked and these wages must be received by the employee no later than payday (TWC, 2013). If the employer lays off, discharges or fires an employee they must pay all wages owed to that employee within six calendar days of the date of separation (TWC, 2013). If an employee voluntarily quits or retires their final payment of wages is due to them on the payday following the date of separation (TWC, 2013). If an employer violates the Texas Payday Law they may be fined the lesser of the wages claimed or $1,000 (TWC, 2013). To avoid violating this law Mr. Stonefield should make sure that employees are paid for all hours worked and that all wages due are paid to employees on time. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to all employers that employ twenty or more employees (U. S. EEOC, 2008). The Act states that it is â€Å"unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his or her age with respect to any term, condition or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments and training† (U. S. EEOC, 2008). Violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act can cause the business to incur legal liability and require payment of large monetary judgments (Mayfair, n. d. ). Mr. Stonefield and his managers can avoid violating this Act by never taking a person’s age or proximity to retirement into consideration when making decisions about hiring, firing, pay, benefits or promotions (HR Specialist, 2013). The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 prohibits an employer from knowingly hire, recruit or refer for pay any person who is unauthorized to work in the United States (Boston University, n. d. ). If an employer violates this law they can be fined from $100 to $1,000 and the fine is not just for the employer but also for each employee working for them illegally (Boston University, n. d. ). There is also the possibility of imprisonment for employers that are deemed to show a pattern of violating this Act (Boston University, n. d. ). To avoid violating the Immigration Reform and Control Act Mr. Stonefield must verify the identity and employment eligibility of each employee he hires. He must complete and retain a complete INS Form I-9 documenting this verification (Boston University, n. d. ). Conclusion It is important that Mr. Stonefield and his management team understand that labor laws were passed in order to provide protection for both employees and employers. That is why the government puts so much emphasis on making sure organizations take them seriously by enforcing the laws with strict consequences for noncompliance. Staying in compliance with these laws is not only important to avoid legal penalties but will also protect the business from gaining a negative public image that can be extremely damaging to their bottom line.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Portrayal Of Women In Film Film Studies Essay

The Portrayal Of Women In Film Film Studies Essay I have chosen the following question. To what extent do you agree with the statement that the female in film is on display, passive and purely there because of her to be looked-at-ness? Women in my opinion have been the subject of eye candy in films and are not that often respected. Yes, there are a number of films about the power that woman can show along with the control to be on a par with men. But, they still show them as voyeuristic and sexual items. Most of Hollywoods films have men in control and makes use of the male gaze (that is, the audience sees what they see about the female). Women are characteristically on the receiving end of that gaze. According to Mulvey: In a world of sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy on the female figure which is styled accordingly. In my paper and my assessment of females on display I will be looking mainly at Tomb Raider (Simon West, US, 2001) about the adventures of Lara Croft. The character is played by and stars Angeline Jolie. I will also take a look at another film also starring Angelina Jolie Mr and Mrs Smith (Doug Liman, USA, 2005). Firstly Tomb Raider. This film follows the success of a popular video game where as an adventurer you are taken through many seemingly impossible swashbuckling events to win the game. Like other characters, she must save the world. But when interviewed about her movie and her part in it she even talks about her to-be-looked at character. Angelina Jolie states Cmon, Im not so flat chested to begin with, she said. So it wasnt like we had to completely change me. You know, we just had to enhance me a little. Im a 36C. Lara, shes a 36D. And in the game, shes a double D, so we took her down some. But we did give her a bit of padding there. For me, it was simply one size, so it was like having a padded bra. So we are looking here at an almost virtual body that can satisfy desires and highlights her enthusiasm to play a real human but at the same time to invest erotically in a fictional character. Can we see anything else at times other than her being on display? We are also looking at Tomb Raider as a voyeuristic gaze. Although Lara Croft is a woman she is giving us the female version of Indiana Jones but she lacks the fully realized three-dimensional qualities male counterparts usually show, as she is seen as Incredibly hot-n-juicy, and although playing probably the best action heroine the quality of the story dictates that she alone is probably the reason to see this movie. It appears that despite the move towards a masculine role as a woman the effort to mould her into a positive figure is difficult in a society because she is a woman. In an influential academic paper in 2002, Helen W. Kennedy said the question surrounding Lara Croft was simple is she a positive role model for young girls or just that perfect combination of eye and thumb candy for the boys?. It appears that (West) the producer wanted to set the film in a marketable form potentially appealing to both male and female audiences. Particularly to at the time girlpower and the emerging ladette culture. This as Helen Kennedy says centres around playing lads at their own game but still seen primarily addressing a male audience. Lets look at the first five minutes of Tomb Raider it gives an appropriate insite into what is to be seen in the rest of the film. The opening sequences spend a lot of time focussing on Laras body. To begin with the shot of her face is from a particularly low angle, perhaps to express her dominance over the impending scene, but is more likely for the audience to see empathised breasts. It goes on to show several gratuitous shots of Laras crotch and thighs. What is also interesting is that the sound has been exaggerated and the moans and screams while Lara is fighting the robot have clearly been digitised louder, thus supporting Mulveys theory of voyeurism. Take a look at the photo below of Lara Croft. Notice she looks directly at you as a person and could be construed as a gesture of her awareness of herself as the object of the male gaze. (2001) Tomb Raider [online image] http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/LetsCutTheBS/news/?a=7733 (Accessed 30th April 2010) Another film with Angelina Jolie that represents a completely different type of format is Mr and Mrs Smith (Doug Liman, USA, 2005). This time the film is about a bored married couple who are surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other. Whereas Lara Croft was shown very much eye candy, in this film the attempt is to show empowerment of woman to do the same role as a man. Uunfortunately Hollywood still insist on showing the female character as a tasteful, soft-core fantasy. Jolie (Janet Smith in the film) is depicted as a fiery, professional assassin. Just where the point in the film of her wearing a PVC corset with a little matching micro-skirt thing, bears no relationship at all to the genre the film is trying to depicts. This time looking at a still from the film which is themed as a nonstop action movie like the Bourne identity series (Doug Liman, USA, 2002) Angelina Jolie is still shown in parts of the film as a voyeuristic woman on display. (2005) Mr and Mrs Smith [online image] http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/mr_mrs_smith07.jpg (accessed 4th May 2010) Conclusion Of course I appreciate these are my personal opinions and how I see womans role in the film industry. One question comes to mind-why cant women be portrayed as strong, intelligent and empowered as well as being sexually attractive? I am not trying to say that women have to be either stupid, pretty, ugly or clever. I am not saying that beautiful women cant be empowered and vice versa, what it is merely questioning is why the film makers feel the need to spend more time focussing on the body, appearance and sexuality of the female characters than they do the male characters. There needs greater focus on the characters intelligence or ability and more focus on the aesthetic than on the plot itself. Which, really, is the reason most people go to watch a film in the first place. Bibliography Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) Laura Mulvey Originally Published Screen 16.3 Autumn 1975 pp. 6-18 http://www.jahsonic.com/VPNC.htm Lara Croft: Feminist Icon or Cyberbimbo?- Helen W Kennedy Originally Published-School of Cultural Studies, University of the West of England. pp. 4-5 http://www.gamestudies.org/0202/kennedy/ Mr and Mrs Smith (2005) Copyright  © The 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved. pp. 5 http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/mr_mrs_smith07.jpg Movie minutiae Lara Croft Tomb Raider 2001 Originally published by Vivien Cuttle, 15th February 2008. pp.1 http://blogs.abc.net.au/articulate/2008/02/movie-minutia-1.html Back to the future for Lara Croft Originally published by the BBC on 10th May 2007. pp. 1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6641833.stm

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Honda: SWOT and PESTEL

Honda: SWOT and PESTEL Introduction of Business Environment Business Environment is individual and organization that exist outside the business and have influence direct and indirect to the business. Business Environment refers to all those internal and external factors which impact the functioning or performance of a firm and its decision making particularly strategies in the organisations. According to Gerald Bell: An organization external environment consists of those things outside an organization such as customers, competitors, government units, suppliers, financial firms and labour pools that are relevant to an organizations operations Thus, it can be said that environment as the set of external factors such as the economic factors, social factors, and government factors legal factors, political factors, which are uncontrollable in nature and affects the business decisions of organisation or company. Types of Business Environment: The business environment are divided into two ways. Micro Environment Macro Environment MICRO ENVIRONMENT The micro environment of business consists of the forces in the companys environment that affects the performance of the company. These forces are more closely linked with the business than the macro factors. According to Philip Kotler: The micro environment consists of the actors in the companys immediate environment that affects the performance of the company. These include the suppliers, marketing intermediaries, competitors, customers and the public. Micro environment factors are related Suppliers Competitors Public Labour Financiers Customers Macro environment: The macro environment of business includes activities which are uncontrollable and need proper attention on the part of a business enterprise. According to Hill and Jones The macro environment consists of the broader economic social, political, legal and technological setting within which the industry and the company are placed. Macro environment factors are related Political factor Economical factor Social factor Technological factor Environmental factor Legal factor Environmental factors internal to the firm classified SWOT as strengths and weaknesses, and external firm classified as opportunities or threats. Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis. It is provides information that is helpful in firms resources and capabilities to the environment in which it operates. As such, it is helpful in strategy formulation and selection. Introduction of Company Hero Honda Motors Ltd. is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. Hero Honda is a joint Venture that began in 1984 between the Hero Group of India and Honda From Japan. It has been the worlds leading manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001.During the 80s, Hero Honda became the first company in India to prove that it was promising to drive a vehicle without polluting the roads. The company introduced new age group motorcycles that set industry benchmarks for fuel saving and low emission. A legendary Fill it Shut it Forget it campaign captured the imagination of commuters across India, and Hero Honda sold millions of bikes on the commitment of better mileage. Hero Honda has developed at double digits since foundation; and today, every second motorcycle sold in the country is a Hero Honda. Every 30 seconds, someone in India buys Hero Hondas top -selling motorcycle Splendor. This celebratory season, the company sold half a million two wheelers in a single m onth-a feat supreme in global automotive history. Hero Honda has a massive network of sales and service network now over 3000 customer touch points. These touch points cover of dealerships, service stations and spare parts stockiest and authorized representatives of dealers which are located across different places. Hero Honda has a proper value system and hence it cares for its relationship with its customers. It has a unique CRM initiative i.e. Hero Honda Passport Program which is one of the key programs of this kind in the world. The program has not only helped Hero Honda understand its customers and deliver value at different price points, but has also created a reliable society of brand ambassadors. Vision The Hero Honda story began with a simple vision the vision of a transportable and an empowered India, powered by Hero Honda. This vision was driven by Hero Hondas commitment to customer, quality and excellence, and while doing so, maintaining the highest values of principles and societal responsibilities and they are believes that the fastest way to turn that dream into a reality is by outstanding focused on that vision. Mission Hero Hondas mission is to effort for synergy between technology, human resources and systems, to produce products and services that get together the performance, price and quality aspiration of its customers. At the same time maintain the highest standards of principles and social responsibilities. Strategy Hero Hondas key policy has been driven by innovation in every field of activity building a strong product portfolio across categories, exploring new markets, aggressively expanding the network and continuing to invest in brand building activities. Manufacturing Hero Honda bikes are manufactured across globally manufacturing facilities. Two of these are based at Gurgaon and Dharuhera which are located in the state of Haryana in northern India. Technology In 1980s Hero Honda company pioneered the introduction of fuel-efficient, environment friendly four-stroke motorcycles in the country. Today, Hero Honda continues to be technology pioneer. It became the first company to launch the Fuel Injection (FI) technology in Indian motorcycles, with the launch of the Glamour FI in June 2006. Products Hero Hondas product series includes variety of motorcycles that have set the industry standards across all the market segments. The company also started manufacturing scooter in 2006. Hero Honda offers large no. of products to wide variety of requirements across all the segments. Key milestone of HERO HONDA Year Event 1983 Joint partnership Agreement with Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Japan. 1984 Hero Honda Motors Ltd. Incorporated. 1985 First motorcycle CD 100 rolled out. 1987 100,000th motorcycle produced. 1989 New motorcycle model Sleek introduced. 1991 New model CD 100 SS introduced. 500,000th motorcycle produced. 1994 New motorcycle model Splendor introduced and 1,000,000th motorcycle produced. 1999 New motorcycle model CBZ introduced. 2000 4,000,000th motorcycle produced. Splendor stated World No. 1 largest selling model. Hero Honda Passport Programme CRM Programme launched 2001 New motorcycle model Passion introduced. One million productions in one year. 2002 New motorcycle models -Ambition and Dawn introduce. 2003 Become the first Indian Company to cross the growing 7 million sales and Splendor has emerged as the Worlds largest selling model for the third calendar year in a rank (2000, 2001, 2002) New model Karizma introduced. 2004 Hero Honda became the World No. 1 Company for the third consecutive year. 2005 Hero Honda is the World No. 1 for the 4th year in a row. 2006 Hero Honda is the World No. 1 for the 5th year in a row 15 million production milestone achieved. 2007 Hero Honda is the World No. 1 for the 6th year in a row New Splendor NXG launched. New Passion Plus launched. New model Hunk launched. 20 million production milestone achieved. 2008 New model Passion Pro launched. New CBZ Xtreme launched. 25 million production milestone achieved. CD Deluxe lauched with power start feature. New Glamour launched. 2009 Splendor completed 11 million production marker. New model Karizma ZMR launched. Silver jubilee celebrations. Hero Honda Business Environment (P)olitical Factors These refer to government policy such as the degree of intervention in the economy. Political decisions can impact on many critical areas for business such as the knowledge of the workforce, the health of and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy, such as Customer protection laws: These laws are designed to protect customers against unfair practices such as confusing descriptions of the product related auto mobile. Opposition laws: These are aimed at protecting small firms against bullying by larger firms and ensuring customers are not exploited by firms with monopoly power. Employment or labour laws: These cover areas such as discharge, working hours and minimum wages. Health and safety: These laws are aimed at ensure the workplace is as safe as is reasonably practical. They face issues such as training, reporting accidents and the appropriate provision of safety equipment. (E)conomic factors Economic Environment refers what is happening within the economy, for example; economic growth, interest rate, exchange rate, inflation rate, demand, wages rate etc. Marketers need to consider the trading economy in short term and long term. Economic factors have major impacts on how business operate and how to they make decisions. Hero Honda has been strongly committed not only to environmental management programmes but also express the increasingly inseparable balance between the economic concerns and the environmental and social issues faced by a business. A business must not grow at the expense of mankind and mans future but rather must provide mankind. (S)ocial factors Social factors include the demographic and cultural aspects of the external macro environment. These factors affect customer needs and the size of possible markets. Changes in social trends can contact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. Culture is the set of morals and attitudes that are approved by a group of people and transferred from one generation to another. Social factors include health awareness, population rate, age, importance on safety. Hero Honda auto mobile change various management strategies use different strategies related age, gender, categories in society (income of society). Hero Honda has been set up on 40 acres of land along the Delhi-Jaipur Highway. The Centre-complete with wide approach roads, clean water, and education facilities for both adults and children-now nurtures a vibrant, educated and healthy community. Hero Honda taken up by the Foundation includes: Raman Munjal Memorial Hospital Raman Munjal Sports Complex Vocational Training Centre Adult Literacy Mission Marriages of underprivileged girls Rural Health Care : We must do something for the society from whose land we generate our prosperity. A quote from Chairman of Hero Honda Motors Pvt.Ltd. (T)echnological factors Technological factors include environmental and natural aspects, such as Research Development activity, technology incentive. Technology has played a essential role in developing the transportation system. Technology has also positively affected the economic status of some countries. It is generally practical that the countries employing a high level technology is a well advanced state. It has increased productivity and has contributed actually in producing more quantity with quality. Some benefits of technology in production process are: Reducing the record wastage. fewer waiting time. Decreased over production. -Reduces avoidable activities of employees. Hero Honda committed at all levels to achieve high quality in anything they do, mainly in their products and services which will meet and exceed customers growing aspiration through- Innovation in products processes and services. Continuous improvement in our total quality management systems. Teamwork and responsibility. (E)nvironmental Factors Environmental factors include the weather and climate change. Changes in temperature can impact on many industries including agriculture, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes happening due to global warming and with larger environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a major issue for firms to consider. Hero Honda environmental awareness of our employees and dealers , while promoting their involvement in ensuring noise environmental management. Institutionalise resource conservation, in particular, in the areas of oil, water, electrical energy, paints and chemicals. fulfil with all applicable environmental legislation and also controlling their environmental discharges. (L)egal Environment factor Marketing decision is affected by developments in legal environment. This environment is related of different types laws, government policies. Sometimes these laws also create new opportunities for business. (Kotler, p 2003). Legal environment refers to what is happening with changes to legislation. Legal Environment impact resources, import export, taxation, employment etc. It is reflect the policy framework and the move towards of the Governmental structure of the country and ensure that every company is performance as per the legislative structure of the country. SWOT analysis of Hero Honda (S)trengths: Sales Increase: Hero Honda experienced great growth throughout its early days. By 2002 Hero Group had sold 86 million bicycles producing 16000 bicycles a day. Today Hero Honda has many different models of motorcycles available. It holds the most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model in last many years. b) Fuel efficiency: Over all fuel consumption by its products is less in compare to other brands product. Hero Honda able to give better mileage. Because of this Hero Honda splendor has magical sales record and the reason of mileage. c) Service : Hero Honda offers free services on all their two-wheelers. Customer avail all these service within the time period or kilo metre range. d) High financial performance: The Hero Honda financial information shows that it has strong financial background in terms of sales, profit and assets. Honda Motors Ltd. the worlds largest two-wheeler manufacturer, today reported 31% per cent growth in profit after tax at Rs 275 crore for the third quarter October-December of financial year 2007-08. (W)eaknesses: a) High maintenance: Some of the products of hero Honda like Karizma, CBZ, Hunk require high maintenance. Less promotion and Lack of recycling scrap: The promotions and of Hero Honda are very less to its competitors and they have problem of recycling scrap. c) Labour relations: In Hero Honda Company there is no labour organized and family member of employees. The majority of the production workers, who are hired through contractors, these benefits are out of reach. (O)pportunities: a) Good will of the company: With new launch Hero honda can be benefited at present market scenario like Karizma, CBZ, Hunk has huge attraction in the younger generation because of its style, look, and power at high speeds. (T)hreats: Technical aspect: Competitor bike like Bajaj pulsar and TVS apache are threat to Hero Honda product like Karizma, CBZ and Hunk in respect to fuel economy. So if they dont short out in the new launches and give something extra in its engineering performance it may affect in demand of this company product. Inflation: If inflation increases the cost of raw material used in production will go high and selling price of product may go high that may decrease demand of the two wheeler.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity :: Book Review, David Allen

The book I chose to read is Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. David Allen is considered by Forbes Magazine to be in the top five executive coaches in the United States. He has over thirty years of experience in coaching some of the highest ranking executives in some of the biggest businesses in the United States. Time Magazine called this book, â€Å"the defining self-help business book of it’s time." The book is broken down into three main parts and thirteen chapters and sub-sections. The first part is titled The Art of Getting Things Done. It contains information on societal shifts in the workplace and ways to manage work. Among his tips, he believes everyone should physically write down every task they must accomplish on a daily basis, whether they write it on paper or electronically. They must then make decisions based on length and importance and decide which tasks to accomplish and when to accomplish them. His main point of emphasis in this first chapter is that the mind becomes too cluttered and that short-term memory should be used to focus not store things. In chapter two, the author introduces his five keys or stages to controlling/managing workflow. They are (1) to collect, (2) process, (3) organize, (4) review and (5) do. He points to these five steps as a way to organizing work that needs to be accomplished and successfully completing it. The last chapter in the firs t section is about vertically focusing on the thought process to complete projects. Allen outlines five more steps to accomplish any task. They are (1) defining purpose and principles, (2) outcome visioning, (3) brainstorming, (4) organizing, and (5) Identifying next actions. The second part of this book, which is well over  ½ of the entire book, is somewhat of a repeat of the first part but a much more detailed perspective of the methodology of David Allen. He recommends taking two days at the start of his process just to get organized. Within these two days, one should set up private workspace not only at work but at home also. In chapter five and six, Allen refers back to his five keys to control workflow, he points out to accomplish the collecting phase completely before moving onto the processing and organizing stages. This will eliminate distractions. During the processing phase, a person is not really completing any items but rather identifying what needs to be done with each one.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Essay -- History, Atomic Bomb

With the approval of American President Harry S. Truman, the fates of two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sealed. This decision came with heavy hearts, as the United States attempted to end their involvement in World War II by using nuclear power against the nation of Japan. Truman’s primary goal in this form of attack was to discontinue the war as quickly as possible, while also sending a message to the enemy and establish the United States as the leader in atomic energy. Beginning as a secret operation labeled the Manhattan Project, atomic bombs became the new weapons of mass destruction. The evident frontrunner in nuclear technology, the United States was the first country to release atomic bombs on another nation for war purposes (not including testing), eventually creating a window for today’s modern combat. Even though it was common knowledge between scientists since 1939 that nuclear warfare was a possibility, no specialists understood the process of inventing the explosive devices. The United States, along with the United Kingdom, underhandedly worked on the Manhattan project, doling out and collaborating information until the atom bomb was completed. It was a necessity for this international government project to remain a secret, in order to make sure that Germany did not make any atomic discoveries before the Allied powers, and to surprise the Japanese with the bombings. With this goal in mind, it was essential that information would not Due to this cloak-and-dagger secrecy, the attacks were unexpected to the inhabitants of Japan, especially the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With specific objectives, the United States’ decision to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima required extensive research lea... ...tops within ten miles of the city there came unofficial and confused reports of a terrible explosion in Hiroshima. All of these reports were transmitted to the Headquarters of the Japanese General Staff† (Avalon Project: Chapter 7, par. 3) .Upon a staff officer’s flight survey of Hiroshima, â€Å" after flying for about three hours, while still nearly 100 miles from Hiroshima, he and his pilot saw a great cloud of smoke from the bomb. In the bright afternoon, the remains of Hiroshima were burning† (Avalon Project: Chapter 7, par. 4-5). While the damage was being observed, â€Å"a great scar on the land, still burning, and covered by a heavy cloud of smoke, was all that was left of a great city. They landed south of the city, and the staff officer immediately began to organize relief measures, after reporting to Tokyo† (Avalon Project: Chapter 7, par. 6).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Efficient and Economical Forms of Team Processes

Purpose: The research aims to study key team processes, through which the team members share their individual knowledge, create shared understanding of the team, situation, task, leading to high team performance. The current research also aims to understand how teams adapt with team processes to high task load situation. Design/Methodology: Video recordings of Nuclear Power Plant operator teams’ activity have been used for collecting and analysing data. 16 operator teams had to follow the selected same scenario, including 96 team members’ interaction. The performance scores were made by the instructors’ evaluation. Team process categories were developed based on different theoretical, empirical frameworks of team processes and semi structured analyses of transcribed communication and video recordings. Results: Specific forms of team processes help team members to build a shared conceptualization of the faced problems, thus lead to higher team performance, such as: providing directions, summarizing, projecting to the future, coherent information flow. Economical forms of team processes may help to lessen and manage high task load situation. Limitations: Team performance evaluations were based on subjective assessments of performance. The study lacks explicit team knowledge measurements. Research/Practical Implications: The revealed team process categories may serve as a valuable input for team members’ social skill focused selection and development methods. Originality/Value: The study aims to capture team processes in a naturalistic and complex work environment. The analyses reveal how good performing teams manage unpredictable high task load situation with team processes from information, knowledge sharing perspective.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Concept of Sustainble Development Essay

The tradition concept of development has for a considerable period of time been driven by economic considerations. Exploitation of natural resources which leads to environmental degradation motivated by targets of maximum profits has been the norm and little regard has been granted to the side effects of development initiatives. Gradual escalation of awareness and realisation of the range as well as the magnitude of environmental effects of development initiatives led to worldwide discussions on the way forward. Consequently, the concept sustainable development was conceived. However, this concept is perceived to be oxymoron by environmentalists, in other terms it is viewed as a combination of two contradicting terminologies. In view of the above, this essay endeavours to explain with relevant specific examples the reason why environmentalists consider the concept sustainable development as an oxymoron. In order to establish a good argument, two literature definitions of sustainable development shall be given. This will be followed by an explanation why sustainable development is considered to be oxymoron and this shall be supported by examples. And only after then shall a conclusion be stressed. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (2007: V) sustainable development is defined as, â€Å"development that meets the needs and aspirations of the present generation without causing deterioration and without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations†. On the other hand Todaro and Smith (2003) asserted that sustainable development entails both intra-generational and inter-generational equity. These concepts project a requirement of the present generation to meet their needs and aspirations without destroying the ability of the future generations to come and meet their needs and aspirations. As earlier alluded to, the concept s ustainable development is a mixture of two words with distinct opposing interpretations. According to Arend and Eureta (2002) sustainability entails the maintenance of the extraordinary diversity of plants, animals and insects that exist on earth. The other term development is known as a multidimensional phenomenon which has several aspects namely; economic, social, political, cultural and environmental. It is imperative to acknowledge the fact that true development involves a record of progress in all the dimensions of the development process. Furthermore, it is also necessary to be cognisant of the point that the environment and global systems which includes development are a series of dynamic and interconnected processes changing and interacting overtime, (Todaro and smith, 2003). From the definitions provided above, it is apparent that the two expressions sustainability and development contradict each other. This is due to the point that sustainability emphasizes on maintaining diversity and productivity of natural resources overtime. On the contrary, natural resources fuel the process of development; therefore, development cannot be a reality without consuming natural resources. The global community is hungry for development as a result people are constantly improving their livelihoods and welfare so as to attain higher standards of living through many innovations such as technology which in turn negatively impact on the environment. The question which maybe asked here is â€Å"what forms the basis of livelihoods?† (ECZ, 2008). According to ECZ (2000), the environment is the cornerstone of our livelihoods because biological resources are the primary sources of economic development thus development is all about consuming natural resources. Besides development, population dynamics also exert pressure on natural resources. With a clear reflection that development is all about the utilisation of natural resources, how then can sustainability be transformed into actuality? This is the question asked by many environmental practioners. It is evident through many global development initiatives how planetary natural resources are being utilized in order to achieve desired development targets. The two terminologies sustainability and development can be compared to a saying that says â€Å"two cobras cannot stay in the same mountain one has to die or eventually leave the mountain†. Therefore, sustainability and development are two cobras staying in the same mountain. The implication according to environmentalists is that, if we are to achieve ultimate sustainability then development should be out of the picture, (Energy Regulation Board, 2007). In Zambia, development programmes are using environmental resources at an increasing rate. With a fast growing population, the drive to meet goals set out in national development strategies and in international conventions, most recently defined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has likewise accelerat ed. As an example to illustrate the contradiction between sustainability and development, urbanisation in Chipata district can be utilized. As by definition, urbanisation may also mean development of land into residential, commercial and industrial properties. Urbanisation in Chipata has resulted in a number of negative environmental impacts which have adversely affected the diversity of biological resources. Consequential environmental effects include deforestation which has provoked excessive vegetative removal of tree cover along streams and on hills around Chipata town. Furthermore, land degradation due to urbanization is also prevalent in Chipata and this has led to soil erosion, sand and earth mining and degradation of catchment areas of Lunkhwakwa and Lutembwe rivers, (ECZ, 2008). Chipata district has over 56,000 hectors of land under protection and most areas are threatened by encroachment and deforestation due to urbanisation. Urbanisation in Chipata can be considered as progress from a developmental perspective because more houses, shops and industries have been erected and this has advanced people’s liv elihoods in terms of increased housing facilities and employment opportunities. However, this contradicts with sustainability because there has been excessive destruction of forests on the hills of Chipata which has resulted in extreme soil erosion down the slope, (ECZ, 2008). With reference to the economic dimension of the development process, the construction and expansion of mining as well as manufacturing industries can be perceived as progress. This is due to the fact that the existence of operational industries attracts various benefits to the local people. Firstly, job opportunities are created for the local and this helps them sustain their lives by acquiring wages at the end of each month. Salaries obtained by people from employment give them the ability to command their basic needs such as food, shelter and clothes, (MoFNP, 2006). The mining industry has played a pivotal role in the development of the country. However, the availability of exposed, accessible and near surface mineral deposits are increasingly becoming scarce requiring more expensive equipment to locate deeper buried ore deposits. This has led to gigantic environmental degradation due to the use of heavy sophisticated earth moving machines. For instance, when Konkola copper Mines (KCM) took over from Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) on the copperbelt, Chingola and Chililabombwe in particular. After a while later, the production scale was upgraded and this created employment opportunities for over three thousand individuals who were unemployed, (MoFNP, 2006). Other benefits included improved infrastructure such as roads and schools as well as better health services. According to economists and development planners this was considered as national development because the lives of people were improved. However, the view of economists and development planners contradict with that of environmentalists because an elevation in the production scale of any industry is problematic as far as environmental sustainability is concerned because of unsustainable production strategies that hamper a good quality of life, (ECZ, 2011). According to ECZ (2008) mining activities especially large-scale open pit mining has negatively affected the environment resulting into environmental degradation. Among the prominent open pit mines are Nchanga, Kansanshi and Maamba collieries. Despite development enhanced by these mines, industrial operations of these sites have caused the contamination of terrestrial ecosystems mostly ascribed to dust fall-out and this has been a draw back as far as the maintenance of biological resources diversity and productivity are concerned. Kafue River on the copperbelt was polluted by Konkola copper Mines Plc due to toxic substances which were discharged into the water body. This occurrence negatively affected marine ecosystems which resulted in a depletion of certain species. Water resources have been affected by climate change and other factors such as increase in population growth, industry and agriculture which are induced by development. Unfortunately, there has been no corresponding expansion of sewerage infrastructure and solid waste disposal facilities and most of them are in a poor state, despite the increasing rate of development and this actually curbs sustainability. However, it must be realized that only after the last tree has been cut, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught only then will it be discovered that money cannot be eaten, (ECZ, 2008). Human sustainability has also been affected due to the side effects of development which have made the environment unsafe to support a good quality of life. The rate at which development is happening has put so much pressure on the environment and this has resulted into various environmental issues such as air pollution, water pollution, land pollution and ozone layer depletion among others. Environmentalists have identified that increasing industrial operations in Zambia have negatively influenced life expectancy and infant mortality rate. For example, adult survivorship levels have been declining in the last twenty years following rapid development trends. Life expectancy for females dropped from 46 years in 1980 to 44 years and 29 years in 2000. In the same category for males it was 44 years in 1980, 42 years in 1990 and 23 years in 2000. Diseases associated with environmental degradation include malaria, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis and dysentery among others and these so far have claimed quite a considerable number of lives, (MoFNP, 2006). In conclusion, it can be said that development and sustainability are two ends of the same continuum. Whichever example of development one might think of such as industrialization and housing, they are unsustainable, unless that development is related to green technologies or meant to counter the adverse effectives of development. In the end, the solution is a compromise because people need sustainability but cannot progress without development, hence, sustainable development. We can have development as long as we put measures in place to minimise environment damage. These measures include environmental impact assessments, environmental audits and strategic environmental assessments among others, hereafter ensuring sustainability. REFERENCES Arend. H and Eureta. J (2002). Environmental Encyclopaedia: South Africa: Eco-Logic Publication. ECZ (2000). The State of the Environment in Zambia. Lusaka: Environmental Council of Zambia. ECZ (2008). Zambia Environment Outlook Report 3. Lusaka: Environmental Council of Zambia. ECZ (2011). The Enviroline; ECZ Magazine Issue No. 33, January-April 2011. Lusaka: Environmental Council of Zambia. Energy Regulation Board, (2007). Energy Regulations Board: Energy Sector Report-2006. Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (2007). National Policy On The Environment. Lusaka: MTENR. Ministry of Finance and National Planning (2006). Economic Report. Lusaka: Zambia. Todaro M.P and Smith S.C (2003). Economic development.8th edition.New Delhi, Pearson Publication.

Gloablization Positive and Negative Impact

Advantages of Globalization Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Advantages * Goods and people are transported with ease and speed * the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases * free trade between countries increases * global mass media connects all the people in the world as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic * there is a propagation of democratic ideals * the interdependence of the nation-states increases * as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones * the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases * the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases * environmental protection in developed countries increases Effects of Globalization enhancement in the information flo w between geographically remote locations * the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital * there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies * worldwide production markets emerge * free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits * global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions * more trans-border data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones, etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched * the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase * corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance * worldwide financial markets emerge * multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation * international t ravel and tourism increases * worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held * enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture local consumer products are exported to other countries * immigration between countries increases * cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place * there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture * free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs * due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced * subsidies for local businesses decrease * capital controls reduce or vanquish there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions, i. e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages in the Developing World It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberti es are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations.It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1. 5 billion to 1. 1 billion.Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such people decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries. Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Advantages * Goods and people are transported with ease and speed * the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases * free trade between countries increases * global mass media connects all the people in the world as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic * there is a propagation of democratic ideals * the interdependence of the nation-states increases * as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones * the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases * the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases * environmental protection in developed countries increases Effects of Globalization enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations * the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital * there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies * worldwide production markets emerge * free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits * global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions * more trans-border data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones, etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched * the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase * corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance * worldwide financial markets emerge * multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation * international travel and tourism increases * worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup re he ld * enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture * local consumer products are exported to other countries * immigration between countries increases * cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place * there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture * free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs * due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced * subsidies for local businesses decrease capital controls reduce or vanquish * there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions, i. e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages in the Developing World It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberties are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free tra de are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations.It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1. 5 billion to 1. 1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased.Thus, the percentage of such people decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries. The Negative Effects of Globalization globalization point out to its negative effects. Some of them are listed below. * Developed nations have outsourced manufacturing and white collar j obs. That means less jobs for their people. This has happened because manufacturing work is outsourced to developing nations like China where the cost of manufacturing goods and wages are lower. Programmers, editors, scientists and accountants have lost their jobs due to outsourcing to cheaper locations like India. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. * Job insecurity. Earlier people had stable, permanent jobs. Now people live in constant dread of losing their jobs to competition. Increased job competition has led to reduction in wages and consequently lower standards of living. * Terrorists have access to sophisticated weapons enhancing their ability to inflict damage. Terrorists use the Internet for communicating among themselves. Companies have set up industries causing pollution in countries with poor regulation of pollution. * Fast food chains lik e McDonalds and KFC are spreading in the developing world. People are consuming more junk food from these joints which has an adverse impact on their health. * The benefits of globalization is not universal. The rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer. * Bad apects of foreign cultures are affecting the local cultures through TV and the Internet. * Enemy nations can spread propaganda through the Internet. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe. * Local industries are being taken over by foreign multinationals. * The increase in prices has reduced the government's ability to sustain social welfare schemes in developed countries. * There is increase in human trafficking. * Multinational Companies and corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Disadvantages of Globalization So what's the harm if the entire world is coming together on a common platform?Why are we even discussing whether globalization is good or bad for the world? As we said earlier, everything has a good side and a bad side. The bad side of globalization predominantly revolves around the fact that the preferences differ from nation to nation, and coming to a consensus on any issue becomes more difficult when too many nods are required. When it comes to globalization, the difference between the rich and poor nation can be a major hindrance. Even though the richer nations will try to assimilate and help poor nations come up, they will not sacrifice on their national interests willingly.Economic Problems:Â  If the entire world becomes a global village, any sort of economic disruption in one nation will have a disastrous impact on various other nations which are closely related to it in terms of trade and commerce. It will be a domino-effect wherein disturbance in one economy would result in disturbance in another, and so on! Cultural Problems:Â  Cul ture and globalization also seem to be at the loggerheads. Critics of globalization are also of the opinion that it will hamper the age-old cultures which have been followed religiously all over the world.There are many countries in the world which would never agree to compromise when it comes to culture or religion. Migration will become even easier, and the influence of local cultures and traditions will slowly start to wear down. Incessant westernization of Southeast Asian nations has already put western cultural beliefs and traditions under the scanner in these countries. Unemployment:Â  One may feel that globalization is promoting employment, but the fact is exactly reverse of this is happening, especially in developed countries wherein people are losing jobs as a result of outsourcing.Several major companies from the United States and United Kingdom have outsourced their jobs to the developing nations in Asia, this has in turn resulted in unemployment in these countries. Spre ad of Diseases:Â  Increase in flow of people will also result in spread of diseases, and thus make people more vulnerable to health issues. We do have many examples in history wherein outbreak of a particular disease happened in some part of the world, and before we could realize it spread throughout the world.The critics of globalization and those involved in anti-globalization movement often argue that the implications of this phenomenon will be seen in economics, culture, health and employment, and most of the countries are not ready to take on these disadvantages head-on. Taking their seriousness into consideration, it is not at all possible to turn a blind eye towards these negative effects of globalization. The need of the hour, therefore, is to evaluate the pros and cons of this concept to find out which of the two have an edge over the other.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Exercise and Heart Essay

Introduction Aim: Finding out how exercise affects the heart rate and breathing rate. Hypothesis: Exercise exists in different forms and has many benefits; it improves the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, development of bones, strengthens muscles and the lungs capacity plus it can make you feel good. There are different exercises and intensities for different benefits. Lower intensity exercises are not designed to work the body as hard. As a result less oxygen is needed and less waste is in excess. However even low intensity exercises require more substances to be carried out than if your body was in its resting state. Therefore different concentrations of substances are required for different intensities of exercise. In effect this affects your heart and breathing rate. (Jones & Jones, 1984) (Ross, 1978) Null Hypothesis: Exercise has no effect on the heart rate or breathing rate. The overall rate of the heart and breathing increases during exercise. The heart beats faster, allowing blood to supply substances required by the cells to respire. Oxygen is needed to replace the oxygen used up in respiring cells, while at the same time the cells produce carbon dioxide that needs to be removed from the body. The heart rate increases to pump blood around the body quicker, ensuring oxygen is constantly dissociating from the blood to the cells. At the same time the breathing rate increases to increase the rate of gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and remove excess waste from the body as soon as possible. (Jones & Jones, 1984) (Ross, 1978) â€Å"Exercise, although essential both for early, sudden muscle contraction ( a few minutes ) and for prolonged, sustained exercise, muscle food stores are not enough. The contracting muscle must also take up glucose from the blood.† (Ross, 1978, p. 705) â€Å"Aerobic exercises improve lung capacity. Exercising muscles need extra oxygen, which is supplied to them by breathing faster and more deeply. If you regularly do exercise which make your muscles demand extra oxygen, called aerobic exercise, this helps your respiratory system to become efficient at getting oxygen into your blood.† (Jones and Jones, 1984, p. 279). Risk assessment: Chemical/Procedure| Hazard| Precaution| * Stepping off and on exercise step| * Slipping off step| * Dry shoes * Appropriate support| * Exercising| * Pulling muscles * Feinting/Blackout * Spraining ankles| * Appropriate stretching before exercise * Supervised by professional * Don’t force ankles onto the surfaces * Try to be light on the feet| * Wide breadths of movement| * Inflicting contact on others| * Suitable space for procedure| Variables: Constant Variables * Exercise step * Number of steps taken * Resting period * People recording pulse and breathing rate * Temperature of room Independent Variables * Exercise Dependent Variables * Heart rate * Breathing rate Method: 1. Record the pulse (preferably from the wrist) for 30 seconds of the person participating before exercise. 2. Double the number of pulses – this gives an estimate of the heart beats per minute 3. Place hand on the lower back of the person participating before the exercise and count the number of times the person inhales and exhales in 30 seconds then double it – this is the breathing rate per minute. 4. These are the heart rate and breathing rate at rest. 5. Explain to the participant the concepts of both exercises: a. Slow 20: Slowly climb onto and off the step for doing 20 steps in total. b. Fast 20: Climb onto and off the step as fast as possible for 20 steps in total. 6. After the participant has done the â€Å"Slow 20† exercise, record the heart rate and breathing rate. 7. Stop the stopwatch and reset 8. Next record the heart rate and breathing rate after the participant has undergone â€Å"Fast 20† exercise – however keep the stopwatch running for an additional three minutes 9. At the end of the three minutes record the heart rate and breathing rates 10. Work out the averages of all the results 11. Plot results in a suitable table Results Table Heart Rate Rest| Slow 20| Fast 20| 3 minute rest| 76| 107| 130| 72| Breathing Rate Rest| Slow 20| Fast 20| 3 minute rest| 18| 23| 33| 20| Analysis As the intensity of exercise increased, so did the rates of the heart and breathing. After a small period of rest, the heart rate and breathing rate both decreased to a point close to their resting rate. This proved the stated hypothesis. First, the hearts average resting rate was recorded to be 76 bpm. The heart is therefore transporting oxygen and removing carbon dioxide at a reasonably steady rate via the blood. During the low intensity exercise (Slow 20) the heart rate increases to 107 bpm, which further increases to 130bpm at a higher intensity level (Fast 20). The heart therefore needs to beat faster to increase the speed at which oxygen is carried to the cells and the rate at which carbon dioxide is taken away by the blood. Oxygen is required by the cells to carry out respiration, this provides the energy in the form of adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) which is a molecule required for muscular contraction. As exercise takes place, oxygen is used to form ATP, which needs to be replaced. Carbon dioxide is also built up in the same cells due to muscle contraction, and this excess COâ‚‚ needs to be removed. The breathing rate increases to increase the gaseous exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is breathed in through the atmosphere and diffuses into the thin walls of the alveoli, which then diffuses into the blood along the capillaries. The blood then passes the respiring cells and the oxygen it contains diffuses into the cells. At the same time, the excess COâ‚‚ diffuses from the respiring cells into the blood, along through to the alveoli and is breathed out. This maintains equilibrium in the body of oxygen and carbon dioxide. â€Å"To create energy for physical efforts lasting more than 1 minute, muscles need oxygen. The harder your muscles work, the more energy they need and the more you must suck wind to supply them with oxygen. Also, the more oxygen your muscles use to create energy, the more waste (carbon dioxide) they produce. Exhaling expels this carbon dioxide from your system.† (Why Does Exercise Increase Heart Rate And Breathing Rate?, 2012) â€Å"Blood is the vehicle that delivers oxygen to and removes carbon dioxide waste from the working muscles. To deliver more oxygen and remove more waste products, the heart pumps more blood. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), at lower intensities (up to 50% of your maximum cardiac output) your heart can meet the increased oxygen demand by increasing both heart rate and stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped with each beat). However, beyond 50% of cardiac output, increasing your heart rate in proportion with your effort is your body’s only way to deliver more oxygen to the muscles.† (Why Does Exercise Increase Heart Rate And Breathing Rate?, 2012) Graph Evaluation The experiment was good enough to gain results as the results were those predicted by the hypothesis. The experiment was carried out by five people at random in terms of height and weight, the individual weights were taken and the average result were used as the final result – results used to be plotted onto the graph. The combination of random sampling and number of repeats increases the experiments reliability as it tries to keep the results obtained as much due to chance as possible. Also, because the results were predicted by the hypothesis it suggests that this data can be used to find out what was being looked for – the effects of exercise on the heart and breathing rates. Validity is therefore increased, adding more support for the experiment to be a suitable method for finding effects of exercise on the heart and breathing rates. No anomalous results were found, the results followed the predicted trend, the reason for this result could be due to the nature of the body and how it counter reacts with the external influences on the tissues and organs. The secretion and inhibition of certain substances are essential for the body to sustain itself in a stable state during the effects of exercise. Improvements I would improve this experiment by using more accurate equipment to improve the accuracy of the overall experiment. I would run repeats to see if my results complimented each other to increase the reliability. The difference is I would run the experiment in the same way which may differ from other people’s subjective habits. More accurate equipment could have been used to improve the accuracy of the overall experiment. The heart rate is measured by finding the pulse of the body, a more precise method of determining pulse involves the use of an electrocardiograph, or ECG (also abbreviated EKG). Commercial heart rate monitors are also available, consisting of a chest strap with electrodes. The signal is transmitted to a wrist receiver for display. Heart rate monitors allow accurate measurements to be taken continuously. (Heart Rate, 2012) The breathing rate can be measured over a full period of 60 seconds to get more accurate results. Repeats using the improvements to accuracy of finding the heart and breathing rates would yield more reliable results. The exercise itself is very subjective to each person. Their interpretation of slow could be different to other people, which would affect the time it takes each individual person to take twenty steps. The exercise could then be controlled by suggesting a method to keep generalise the types of speed people would undergo during the exercise. For example, people could use counting as a reference point for when they should stand onto or off the exercise step. Bibliography * Jones, M. And Jones, G. 1984. Biology: The Press Syndicate * Ross, G. 1978. Human Physiology: Year Book Medical Publishers * Why Does Exercise Increase Heart Rate And Breathing Rate? (2012)Breathing Rate & Heart Rate [Online] Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/109267-exercise-increase-heart-rate-breathing-rate/ (Accessed: 15 November 2012) * Heart Rate (2012) Measurement [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_rate (Accessed: 16 November 2012)