My most significant memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My most significant memory - Essay Example Most of my friends live in the city, yet they are always enraptured by the mere mention of the country. Slowly but surely, I fell in love with this city that exudes the charm of tranquility. Nonetheless, I could not help feeling lonely and helpless for being a foreigner here. I was too timid to talk with the locals for fear that they would reject a person like me who could not speak their language flurntly. Not having many other Chinese citizens around me, and not being pampered by my caring and attentive parents only increased my distress. Soon I realized the only thing I could and should do was to be fully devoted to my studies so that I could be distracted away from the consuming homesickness. As a result, my grades started iproving and I felt I was slowly overcoming my homesickness. Occasionally, my mind would involuntarily cast back to those days of happiness I enjoyed back home. These memories always lead to my memories of the last day that I was in China, especially the final few minutes before boarding on the plane to America. My father looked at his watch and said, â€Å"It is time for you to go.† Yes, it was the time for me to go, for me to live without my parents, and for me to survive and thrive on my own abilities in a foreign country. We stood up, and went to Chinese customs. The moment was deeply imbued with melancholy. We were reluctant to depart, but we were all clearly aware that it had to happen. In front of the customs, we asked a warm-hearted passer-by to take a picture of my family as a keepsake for that special day. I hugged my parents, said my goodbyes and walked to the customs. For no reason, I decided to turn my head, and that was the moment when I saw my father’s eyes were welling up and my mother was shedding torrential tea rs. I melted, and the brave look I tried to put on was shattered. When the time

Poverty And Hunger In Africa Economics Essay

Poverty And Hunger In Africa Economics Essay In different places all over the globe, especially evident in developing nations, it is very much obvious that the problem of poverty is far-reaching. It is attributed to be the cause of other problems which are the main causes of human suffering. The problem with poverty inevitably leads into other worse predicaments such as hunger which in turn brings about both mortality and morbidity. Because of the existence of poverty, there is insufficiency in food resources and results into an increase in the rates of different illnesses, especially those resulting from hunger. In this paper, the author wishes to provide a discussion about poverty and hunger, and on how the two factors are interrelated. The researcher finds the topic interesting because the problem with poverty and hunger has already proven to be widespread and brings about a number of consequences leading to the suffering of mankind. This problem is especially evident in Africa, which shall be the focus of this study. Furthermore, this paper will also capitalize on some facts and statistics which will be helpful in painting a clearer picture of how problematic hunger and poverty becomes today. Lastly, to be able to provide a solution to this growing problem, a set of solutions and recommendations will also be suggested. This paper wishes to outline poverty and hunger in terms of its causes as well as the consequences it bring. Aside from the general discussion regarding the background of the problems on hunger and poverty, this paper will also provide a specific discussion on poverty and hunger, food as a commodity, HIV/AIDS, and other problems in the African setting which are brought about by both poverty and hunger. The methodology which will be used in the completion of this research will also be discussed. Moreover, another significant section of this research paper will be the exploration of the two sides of the issue which will be both examined. The first side lies on the notion that government can help in the stipulation and execution of solutions to the problem. On the other hand, another side of the issue which will be considered in this paper is the argument that the government cannot extend any help to the people who are suffering from the consequences of poverty and hunger. Finally, the last section of this paper will present a set of conclusions and recommendations to be able to help solve the problems of poverty and hunger in Africa. GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE One of the most commonly used definitions of poverty is that which is provided by the United Nations reiterating that poverty basically entails the denial of choices and opportunities which then results into the violation of human dignity. Poverty can also be translated into the lack of basic capacity to be participatory in the society. Inevitably, the causes of hunger become as well the causes of poverty as the two problems are deemed to be closely linked to each other. In fact, one of the root causes of hunger, needless to say, is poverty itself. Different factors have been identified to be able to provide a clearer discussion of how poverty leads into hunger. Some of the most salient points about such issue will be provided in the succeeding paragraphs of this section. Ownership of the land and the rights to control such property are two of the factors which are often overlooked when thinking about the main factors which can significantly lead into hunger. The issue on the buying and control of land is not at all helpful in the provision of solution to the problem. Instead of delivering the economic benefits it promises, it often leads into lack of food security and supply because the land is often used for reasons other than the provision of food products such as agricultural crops among others (Shah, 2010). In addition to the issue of land ownership and control as being related to poverty and hunger, it ahs also been identified that war, famine, and the lack of democracy can be identified as the main causes of the problem (Shah, 2010). Because of teh war, there are many consequences which people have to suffer, and such leads into poverty. For instance, war destroys the food resources which then leads into shortage and result into hunger. War also leads into the death of many parents who are the main sources of income from different families. Because of their death, as brought about by war, many children tend to suffer from poverty and hunger. Shah (2010) also attributes the diversion of land use as another reason on why people are suffering from extreme poverty and hunger. The land is often now used for dam projects and tobacco plantations. Because of these, lesser land is used for the purpose of growing food supplies, thereby also contributing to the problem of poverty and hunger. Because of the dam projects, many people were displaced from their homes and the project also resulted into flooding which causes damage to arable land. All of these factors, although may not prove to be as always highlighted prove to be contributory to hunger and poverty. SPECIFIC BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE Furthermore, Shah (2010) also noted some specific details about the problem which is generally related to the presence of hunger and poverty. One of the arguments raised by Shah (2010) is the fact that food has been seen and treated to be a commodity nowadays. Therefore, because of its nature as a commodity, only the people who have the necessary financial resources are the ones who are able to have and gain access to different food supply. On the other hand, those who are deprived of financial freedom are not able to find the appropriate means to gain access to sufficient foods. Furthermore, to be able to have a better understanding on the specific background of the problem, it would also be useful to take a look at some statistics which is reflective of the extent of the problem which has been brought about by hunger and poverty. According to statistics, because of poverty, at least 50,000 people die everyday and 18 million deaths of the poor population die yearly because of poverty. This figure is very alarming as it constitutes to about one third of all the deaths of man, considered to be the factor which constitutes the most to human deaths. In addition to this statistics, it has also been reported that 39.5 million people are suffering from AIDS, and most of them, around 63%, are living in Sub-Saharan Africa. This resulted into numerous deaths in the region and continues to persist as one of the most pressing problems of today. In Africa, the problem with hunger and poverty has proven to be too extreme that everyone, even the government, finds it too ha rd to handle the said problem. Aside from the lack of access to food resources, contamination with water supply has also been a problem in Africa which generated many illnesses such as cholera and others. all of these can be attributed to extreme poverty which translates into lack of access to clean potable water as well as the food supplies with the appropriate nutritional contents (Cozay, 2010; Hearts Minds, 2010). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY As it is mentioned earlier, the main purpose of this research is to be able to present a significant discussion of hunger and poverty, including its root causes as well as some relevant suggestions in order to provide a remedy to the problem, with Africa as the geographical limitation of the facts and recommendations. To be able to complete the research, and to have a solid foundation and basis for the recommendations which will be stipulated in the latter part of this paper, the researcher will consider the use of different sources of information, specifically websites which offer substantial amount of information tackling hunger and poverty in Africa. For instance, one of the said sources would be the work of Anu Shah (2010) which presents the main thesis of this paper which reiterates that the causes of hunger are closely and directly linked to poverty. Furthermore, other websites and books will also be sued as references in order to provide a more succinct discussion of the issue . However, no surveys and interviews will be conducted in the completion of this paper. The sole basis of the facts and the recommendations will be retrieved from the critical review of various literatures which are assumed by the author as credible sources of information. RESULTS The next section reflects the findings of the authors based on a critical evaluation of the issue as well as the findings which are demonstrated by the literatures which were examined. The results section of this paper will be divided into two parts. The first part will discuss how the government can be able to help solve the problem, while the second part will discuss how the government cannot help to the solution. The Government Can Help One of the sides of the issue which should be examined is the notion that the African government could be of help to be able to provide a set of substantial solutions and can be able to alleviate the problems brought about by poverty and hunger. This belief is grounded on the notion that the government is equipped with the necessary authority to be engaged in practices and policies which can prove to help remedy the situation which continues to grow worse in the recent years. One of the ways by which the African government can be of help in the provision of solutions to the problem is through the implementation of policies and legislations which will be geared towards the improvement of the quality of life and the reduction of poverty. For instance, agricultural improvements such as through biotechnology can be initiated by the African government. Policies regarding such agricultural practices can prove to be helpful in the improvement of food security and in generating additional food supply to meet the demands of the general population. The African government must be able to engage themselves into decisions concerning agricultural technologies, policies, and institutions, along with the full support of civil societies, to be able to formulate strategies and legislations which can be able to help them solve the problem of poverty and hunger through the provision of a more dynamic food supply (Mkhize, 2004). Moreover, the Facts on World Hunger and Poverty released by Hearts Minds (2010), reiterate that the problem with access to clean and safe potable water is among the causes of many of the child deaths in the African setting. Without the doubt, government intervention can prove to an effective way to be able to remedy this problem. Because of poverty, many people are not able to have access to clean drinking water. Many of them merely rely on whatever water source is available, without paying any attention to its health consequences. Lack of financial resources leads into having water without proper sanitation, and inevitably leads diseases and even to 1.8 million child deaths recorded annually for children who die of diarrhea basically because of drinking dirty water. On this note, the government can be part of the solution by being more active in the pursuit for having clean and sanitized water in order to prevent contamination. The government must be able to extend the necessary fi nancial aid and help to the Africans allowing everyone to have access to a drinking water which is safe and free from any disease-causing bacteria. According to Hughes (2010), the task of removing the evident water poverty is not at all that too hard to be addressed by the government. In fact, all that is needed to be accomplished by the government is to repair and build different infrastructure to keep water clean and to ensure its safe delivery to different households. Furthermore, the author also reiterates that the government can be more helpful in abolishing the problems with dirty water and diseases from such by being able to improve educational programs at schools. This means that the African government can be able to urge educational institutions to teach the children, especially those who are from the younger population, proper hygiene and water sanitation in order to prevent further problems brought about by water poverty. The Government Cannot Help Furthermore, the other side of the issue which the researcher wishes to investigate on this paper is the belief that the government cannot help in the solution to the problem. This belief is grounded on the notion that the problems are naturally occurring and that its remedy is outside the functions and limitations of the African government. For instance, one of the issues which have been raised as the main causes of hunger is overpopulation. Governments which fail to demonstrate efforts and policies to regulate the growth of households will not be able to remedy this problem. Reproductive health bills, for instance, are often not part of government legislations. Because of this, families are normally given the freedom to choose as to the size of the family that they desire. Inevitably, some go overboard and are ballooning at a rate which parents could no longer sustain, thereby resulting to the inability to have access to food. The problem with overpopulation has grown too fast that it becomes too hard for the African government to handle, characterized by lack in existing policies to regulate population growth. However, there are some people who argue that overpopulation is not the ultimate cause of hunger, or at least a significant reason for majority of the Africans to be hungry. There are certain studies which conclude that the rapid growth of population is in no way associated with the suffering from hunger. Rather, the study concludes that the population of the poor countries in the world has lesser to eat. This means that there are limitations with regards to access to food resources, and such is the reason for hunger, and not directly associated to overpopulation (Lappe et al., 1998). Lastly, for those who believe that the government could not be of help to the provision of a sustainable set of solutions to combat hunger, it is argued by some that the presence of different economic policies and programs along with immense poverty inevitably leads into lesser access to food resources. The believers of this notion also reiterate that overpopulation is not the main reason for hunger. The problem is therefore assured to be political and not due to food shortage alone (Shah, 2010). It is argued that this cannot be given full remedy by the government alone. This should include the efforts of the greater portion of the population to provide resolution to the problem. CONCLUSION AND RECOMEMNDATIONS Without a hint of doubt, poverty and hunger are indeed present in the African setting and continue to be among the worst of the problems haunting its citizens. The consequences of the problem have already been felt widely by the general population, and worst, even lead into deaths especially among the younger generation. It is, however, not yet too late to implement a set of solutions which can be able to help alleviate the predicament. The African government might have already demonstrated its efforts to fight poverty and hunger but there needs to be a set of stronger strategies to combat the problem. Since hunger and poverty prove to be two of the most persistent problems in the African region which proves to be morally unacceptable, there is an urgent need for both short term and long term practices which can be able to help lessen the burdens of such problems. One of the solutions identified to be able to remedy poverty and hunger is to facilitate different programs within smaller communities in order to provide education about the problem. Through these programs, it will be possible to teach the citizens how to approach poverty. Simple things can be thought. For instance, they can be thought how to properly take care of their health in spite of suffering from poverty. Because of this, undesirable health issues can be lessened. In addition, they can also be taught sanitary techniques, especially in the treatment of contaminated water. Because of this, they will be able to have clean and safe drinking water despite the limited access to such resource. Furthermore, there is also a need to improve food supply. Majority of the African population are farmers and they earn a living through cultivating and rearing their lands. However, because land is often dedicated to other commercial purposes, these farmers do not have enough area of land to farm. The government must then be able to provide enough space for farming. Moreover, the government should also develop agricultural techniques and improvements which will be both essential in increasing food production in Africa. There should also be the demonstration of the willingness of the government to provide more job opportunities for the people of Africa. To make this possible, the education system should also be improved to make the citizens more competent and therefore more able to handle professional work. Once employment opportunities confront the Africans, they will have a sufficient source of income and can therefore be translated into the ability of having the financial resources which will be required to have access to food. Moreover, people should also be taught not to waste food. Everyone should be encouraged not to buy in excess and prepare only what can be consumed. Through this, it will be possible to help others by giving them any excess which can no longer be consumed. This also promotes a sense of responsibility to properly management scarce resources such as that of food. Furthermore, charitable institutions, donations, and foreign aids should also be encouraged by the government to possibly provide them with the financial assistance which will be required to be engaged in various poverty and hunger reduction measures. Furthermore, according to Runge (2003), to be able to possibly solve the problem which is associated with poverty and hunger, there is a need for scientific innovation, renewed structures of various institutions, presence of new investments in order to generate more financial resources, and the demonstration of responsibility to the environment. The latter, being more responsible to the environment, is very important because it can assure sufficient supply of food resources in the future and can also help solve the problem with water contamination which is also one of the most pressing problems which is experienced in Africa. Many people believe that it is impossible to end poverty. However, such false beliefs should be stopped. It is possible to end poverty. Through the collaborative efforts of all parties concerned, especially between the African government, the African citizens, and with the help of the global landscape, it is possible to end poverty in Africa and prosper as a country free from the wrath of hunger. With the renewed efforts of all the parties which are concerned, it would be possible to put an end to the problem of poverty and hunger. However, the process is gradual. Like in the achievement of any specified goal, these things cannot be rushed. The leaders of the African government must demonstrate better capabilities in order to provide solution to the problem. Corruption in every aspect should be removed. The people of the country should be more participatory in the efforts of the government. Foreign countries and government must also be able to demonstrate willingness to help, especia lly those nations which are already rich.

Alcohol :: essays research papers

After maneuvering through a herd of people, the ultimate goal of the night is found, the keg. The party is full of people just looking to have a good time on a Friday night and alcohol just waiting to be consumed by the partygoers. As the night progresses, the keg empties, and the minds and motor skills of the partygoers have deteriorated. Some can no longer control their actions or sense what is happening in their surroundings. Though according to them, their current state is well worth the trouble because they had a good time at the party. Alcohol and its effects are far too accepted in today’s society. In life, the biggest role models for children are their own parents. Too often is the case where minors are allowed a small sip from Dad’s beer just to obtain a taste. From there, these children see that if their own parent allowed them to drink, then it must be perfectly normal to consume alcohol as a minor. The legal drinking age is a law that seems to go unnoticed by teenagers who want to get an early start on consumption. High school students are beginning to drink at an earlier age as more underclassmen are experimenting with the party scene. They are naturally curious of what drinking is like, and without parents standing in the way at parties, there is nobody to stop them from drinking. One thing that seems to allure the younger drinkers is the highly publicized state of being drunk. Not being in control over one’s body would seemingly be a state that most would want to avoid. However, they see it as an excuse for actions that they would most likely not have done if it were not for the alcohol. Too often is the case where others will not hold a person liable for the things they do while drunk. In Dorothy Parker’s You Were Perfectly Fine, Peter had become ridiculously drunk the night before and awakes in the apartment of a woman. How often is the case where people will find themselves waking up in a strange place with no recollection of what took place the night before? This scenario definitely sounds familiar because of the portrayal on television of this being a natural occurrence following a night of heavy drinking. In most cases, both parties would be absolutely embarrassed when they realize what took place. Alcohol :: essays research papers After maneuvering through a herd of people, the ultimate goal of the night is found, the keg. The party is full of people just looking to have a good time on a Friday night and alcohol just waiting to be consumed by the partygoers. As the night progresses, the keg empties, and the minds and motor skills of the partygoers have deteriorated. Some can no longer control their actions or sense what is happening in their surroundings. Though according to them, their current state is well worth the trouble because they had a good time at the party. Alcohol and its effects are far too accepted in today’s society. In life, the biggest role models for children are their own parents. Too often is the case where minors are allowed a small sip from Dad’s beer just to obtain a taste. From there, these children see that if their own parent allowed them to drink, then it must be perfectly normal to consume alcohol as a minor. The legal drinking age is a law that seems to go unnoticed by teenagers who want to get an early start on consumption. High school students are beginning to drink at an earlier age as more underclassmen are experimenting with the party scene. They are naturally curious of what drinking is like, and without parents standing in the way at parties, there is nobody to stop them from drinking. One thing that seems to allure the younger drinkers is the highly publicized state of being drunk. Not being in control over one’s body would seemingly be a state that most would want to avoid. However, they see it as an excuse for actions that they would most likely not have done if it were not for the alcohol. Too often is the case where others will not hold a person liable for the things they do while drunk. In Dorothy Parker’s You Were Perfectly Fine, Peter had become ridiculously drunk the night before and awakes in the apartment of a woman. How often is the case where people will find themselves waking up in a strange place with no recollection of what took place the night before? This scenario definitely sounds familiar because of the portrayal on television of this being a natural occurrence following a night of heavy drinking. In most cases, both parties would be absolutely embarrassed when they realize what took place.

Black People and Birdie Essay

In her novel Caucasia, Danzy Senna paints the image of a young bi-racial girl, Birdie, growing up in the 70’s and 80’s. Her mother is a white, blueblood Bostonian woman turned political activist, and her father is a black Boston University professor with radical ideas about race. Birdie and her older sister Cole are both bi-racial children, but Cole looks more black and Birdie looks more white. The two sisters are separated early in the novel and then the rest of the story focuses on Birdie and how she needs to â€Å"pass† as white. Passing is the ability of a person to be regarded as a member of social groups other than his or her own, such as a different race, ethnicity, social class, or gender, generally with the purpose of gaining social acceptance. Birdie’s existence is the ultimate experiment on how to pass. She is first asked to pass as black at Nkrumah, even though she doesn’t fit the profile of a black child. Then she is taken to New Hampshire and asked to be the opposite of what she’d been before- a white Jewish girl. Senna introduces Birdie to all different versions of the races she is torn between, and none of them seem to fit quite right. Through Birdie, Senna is making the point we see that there is no one size fits all version of any race. Birdie is exposed to many different ideas of what it means to be black while she’s younger, even though the general idea of the time was very specific. All of the adults around her are busy preaching this idea of The Black Person, but they are showing her all different versions of what that really means. The first impression she gets of a black person is her father who â€Å"in the past year had discovered Black Pride and†¦ was trying to purge himself of his ‘honkified past’†(10). Deck is an intellectual; he studied at Harvard and is a professor at Boston University. However by the time his daughters are old enough to really start understanding things, he has gotten caught up in the idea of The Black Person, saying things about his sister like â€Å"she sleeps with these white boys, then acts surprised when they don’t take her home for dinner. I told her, these ofays just want their thirty minutes of difference†(10). He’s telling his daughters that the way to truly be black is to have no association with white people, which is a direct contradiction of his own life and something that is impossible for them to do given their genealogy. He’s telling them there’s no way for them to be the ideological black person. Then the girls go to Nkrumah, a black power school. This school is supposed to be about owning your race and being proud of being black, but Birdie isn’t initially accepted well because she’s not ‘black enough’. The way she becomes more accepted is through her sister, but also because she assimilates to the idea of black culture that her school has. She reads Ebony magazine, speaks in a specific slang, dresses differently and does her hair in a braid to hide it’s smoothness. At Nkrumah, she tries to live as though she doesn’t have a white mother. However, that’s not who she is. She says that she â€Å"learned the art of changing at Nkrumah, a skill that would later become second nature†(62). She’s acknowledging here that this all black persona isn’t who she is. She’s simply changing, pretending. Pretending is what Birdie has to do for most of this book, but as she gets older instead of needing to pass as black, she needs to instead adopt a new identity as Jesse Goldman, a Jewish white girl. She maintains in her mind that she is black, and is just pretending with her white half. While using this persona, and having the mindset that she is just gathering information on whiteness, Birdie gets painted a picture of different types of white people. In an authoritative sense, Birdie gets ideas about being white from her mother and her mother’s boyfriend Jim. Jim is the type of white man who likes to act like he’s liberal until it comes down to real world circumstances. After causing a scene with some young black men, Jim says â€Å"I swear, I try to be liberal. I try really, really hard. But when you meet fucking punks like that, you start to wonder. I mean, Jesus, what did we do to deserve that? We’re on their side and they don’t even know it† (265). Jim is the white man who sees his liberality as a gift instead of a belief. Birdie says about this that â€Å"it scared me a little†¦. how easily they could become cowering white folks, nothing more, nothing less† (264). To contrast these this very negative views of what it means to be white, Birdie also has her mother as a model. Despite coming from an upper class, white family and the struggles that she has with that, Sandy is a white person who firmly believes in equality, even if she may take it to extremes. She tells her daughters â€Å"that politics weren’t complicated. They were simple. People, she said, deserved four basic things: food, love, shelter, and a good education† (22). This is the opposite from what Birdie has seen in other white people. Her mother doesn’t revert to racism or abandon her views when it comes time for her to uphold them. Finally, Birdie befriends the most racist girls in school saying it’s because â€Å"there was a safety in this pantomime. The less [she] behaved like [herself], the more [she] could believe that this was still a game†(233). However, as much as she’d like to say she’s acting, she assimilates to this culture just like she did the black culture at Nkrumah; â€Å"I was a New Hampshire girl now†¦we dressed identically: cutoff jean short, halter tops that exposed our tan bellies, and jelly shoes on our feet† (244-245). This version of being white was a skin Birdie could slide on easily, even if she didn’t really want to. The only thing that shocks her out of the comfort she’s fallen into in this identity is the fact that another half black girl recognizes that she’s not fully white; â€Å"I’m black, like you† (286). None of these ideas about race fit Birdie. She cannot exactly fit into a version of what it means to be white because that’s not the only part of who she is. She also cannot be fully black, not only because she has light skin but also because that’s not the only part of her heritage that exists. Birdie is the perfect example of how multidimensional race is. There is no one way to be black and there is no one way to be white. Race isn’t one size fits all.

What role did Nicholas II play in his own downfall? Essay

Nicholas II played, by far the biggest role in his downfall as the Tsar of Russia. Certain aspects of his behaviour definitely contributed to bringing down the Russian empire, however most of these qualities were not weaknesses in character but qualities associated with poor leadership. By weakness, I mean being easily influenced and controlled by others. Nicholas was a firm believer in autocracy and was virtually unmoveable in this belief. This unconscionable belief illustrated how he stuck to his ways, although in early years as Tsar, his uncles had a huge influence on him. The fall of the Russian empire was not all a result of Nicholas’ character and poor leadership but also the huge socio-economic changes as well as the outbreak of WW1, which hugely influenced the coming about of and the timing of the Russian revolution. In 1905 Russia had experienced a year of revolution and by the end of the year Tsar Nicholas had managed to keep power as he had promised a reform which h ad divided his opponents and because he had kept the support of the army. In March 1917 the Tsar abdicated because he lacked the support from both the Duma and the army. After a week of unsettlement in Petrograd, Russia had become a republic. Russia was a massive empire, stretching from Poland to the pacific and home to many different languages, religions and cultures. For the Tsar ruling such a massive nation was difficult and he soon found himself with too much pressure and weight on his shoulders. He wasn’t able to keep up with the needs of his people and so this contributed to the industrial revolution in 1917. There are many long term causes for this while the short term trigger was clearly World War 1. During the early 1900’s there were several events and issues which threatened the authority of the Tsar. Living and working conditions of workers and peasants were unwarranted. Life for peasants was brutal, often short, and quite unpromising. Until 1861, most peasants were illiterate and owned by their landlords. After emancipation their living conditions were still primitive. Many were in debt to their landlords. Unrest among peasants was extremely widespread. Workers on the other hand, could not afford decent housing as their wages were too low. Although workers were paid commission per piece on a low rate, they too had heavy taxation on food and goods. The government, aware of the growing discontent, became worried as ideas of revolution began to spread among the poor. Russia was an autocracy which  meant that there was no parliament. The Tsar made the laws and appointed and dismissed ministers as he pleased. His authority was upheld by Church leaders, the Orthodox and the Okhrana who were the Russian secret police. There was an extreme lack of rights as political parties and trade unions were illegal. This left the middle class, urban workers and peasants dissatisfied. Riots, strikes and protests were taking place across Russia. As a solution to these problems, the government decided to have a war against Japan. When the war began in 1904, the Tsar had hoped, that if Russia was successful, people would stop criticizing his government and he would be popular again. Instead, Russia suffered a terrible and humiliating defeat, weakening the Tsar’s authority and position. In cities and towns across Russia, many strikers set up councils called â€Å"Soviets†, which became an alternative government. As food and raw materials ran short, scores of workers found themselves out of work. On the 22nd of January 1905, an incident called â€Å"Bloody Sunday† sparked revolution. A mass of 200,000 workers and their families marched towards the Tsar’s Winter Palace to present him with a petition. The workers were asking for better conditions. However, outside the Winter Palace they were met by troops and police. Even though the protestors came in peace, shots were fired and over 500 marchers were killed. The extent of the unrest forced Tsar Nicholas II to make concessions. In October 1905 he issued a document called the October Manifesto. In this document, the Tsar promised that there would be a parliament elected called a ‘Dum a’ to make the laws, and basic rights for the Russian people. Just as the Tsar had planned, these concessions divided his opponents. The middle class were now satisfied but the workers and peasants were not. They did not trust the Tsar’s promises as these solutions didn’t solve their economic issues. The Tsar’s new Prime Minister, Count Sergei Witte, decided in December that it was time to end the revolution. Opposition in the towns and cities was suppressed, as many were killed or exiled. The revolution ended in March 1917. The Tsar had been â€Å"saved†, and had managed to keep power. This was because he had the support of the army, he gave concessions and basic rights, introduced a parliament and divided the opposition. Although there was now an opportunity to make Russia a constitutional monarchy, there was no guarantee that the Tsar would keep his promises. However, by early 1917, Tsar Nicholas II had lost complete  support. This was due to several factors. After issuing the October Manifesto in 1905, the Tsar decided he would take action to prevent further revolution. The Tsar a nd Prime Minister Peter Stolypin used repression against terrorists and revolutionary groups in an attempt to subdue the unrest. Stolypin then attempted to solve the problem of peasant unrest and poverty by cancelling the redemption payments and modernizing farming. Working conditions among the city factory workers were also improved, with factory inspections and insurance schemes introduced. These efforts were in vain, as unrest throughout Russia continued. The Tsar did not fulfill the promises he made in the October Manifesto, and Russia did not become a constitutional monarchy. The Tsar stated that he possessed supreme autocratic power and could dismiss the duma and call elections. Even though farming had been â€Å"modernized†, the peasant population was growing increasingly large, creating further poverty and unrest among peasants. Industrial unrest also continued as strikers on the goldfields were being shot by soldiers. Although Stolypin was competent and determined, he was assassinated by a revolutionary in 1911. The emerging influence of Rasputin in the government became clear after 1915. Raspu tin was a Siberian peasant whose full name was Gregory Rasputin. He was said to be a holy man and was sure of having received, from god, a gift for healing. The Tsar’s son, Alexei, suffered from haemophilia and Rasputin was brought in to try to heal him. Rasputin had won the devotion of both the Tsarina, Alexandra, and the Tsar, Nicholas II, after controlling the internal bleeding of Alexei. Both the Tsar and Tsarina saw Rasputin as their friend. While the Tsar was absent at the front with the Army, the Tsarina virtually controlled Russia, and Rasputin became her personal advisor. He influenced the Tsar on his appointing and dismissing of government ministers, which brought a great deal of discredit on the royal family. In people’s eyes Rasputin played against the Romanov reputation. He was found to have regularly joined in drinking parties, participated in orgies and was seen with prostitutes. He was nicknamed the ‘holy devil’ and despised by the church representatives. In an attempt to save the monarchy from future scandal, Rasputin was murdered in December 1916, by a group a nobles. Instead of solving Russia’s problems, this only increased dissatisfaction with the Tsar. By this stage, there was a notable lack of competent leaders, as once again the Tsar was  struggling to maintain power. Involvement in World War I left Russia in a state of hopelessness. After the Tsar decided to leave his country and takeover the post in 1915, the government turned into chaos. Massive troop movements across Russia caused regular bread shortages in the cities and towns. There was also unfair distribution of food, inadequacy of sources of supply and an immense and rapid increase in the cost of living. As a result of the unbearable conditions of everyday life, strong feelings of hostility and opposition to the government were widespread. In terms of the war itself, Russia’s army suffered terribly. Within the first six weeks, 250,000 Russian soldiers h ad been killed, and by the end of 1914 over 1 million Russian soldiers had been lost to the war. The month of March 1917 was one of utter discontent and mayhem. On Wednesday 7th March, a major steel works company locked out 20,000 workers as pay talks broke down. The 20,000 now angry works were out on the street, joined by other factory workers who went on strike in support. Within 3 days, a total of 250,000 workers were on strike. There was no public transport or newspapers and food shortages continued. After mutinies occurred in parts of the army, the Tsar was sent a telegram informing him that the situation in Russia was serious. The Tsar responded by telling the Duma to stop meeting. By Monday 12th March, various units sent to fight the strikers and mutinies were defecting. The Duma held a meeting and established a 12 man â€Å"Provisional Committee†. Revolutionaries set up a â€Å"Soviet† of workers and soldiers in Petrograd. Both wanted to take over the government. After one week of complete havoc, the Tsar sent a telegram to the Duma stating that he would sh are power. The Army Generals replied and told him that it was too late as none of the Army supported him. On Thursday 15th March, revolutionaries halted the Tsar’s train only 250km away from Petrograd. He had no choice but to agree to abdicate and give the throne to Alexei. After realizing that Alexei was too sick to become Tsar, the throne was given to his brother Grand Duke Michael. Fearing that he would be just as unpopular as Nicholas, he too abdicated. Russia was now a republic as there was no longer royalty or monarchy. Tsar Nicholas II had lost support because he failed in his duties to provide for and rule his country effectively. Nicholas allowed himself to be easily sued by the people and opinions around him. He did not have to force and fierce  determination to rule a country and didn’t believe in himself enough. In the source below he states that he never wanted to be Tsar of Russia and so in term he failed. He wasn’t experienced and trained in leadership and never had the support of his father leading from beside him. From the moment Nicholas became Ts ar, the welfare of Russia and its people became the last priority. Nicholas himself, was the main reason why he failed as his role as the Tsar of Russia. Although the Tsar was able to keep power in 1905, after losing the support of his army and not fulfilling the promises stated in the October Manifesto, growing unrest among the people was inevitable. It was no surprise that by 1917 he had lost support from his country. Nicholas was not brought up to be a leader and to be in control and so when the time came for him to lead, he was unable to do so properly. His firm beliefs and ways of life allowed little room for opinion, causing unrest and later losing vital support from governments and leaders and after losing the Japanese war he lost the respect of the army. BIBLIOGRAPHY: About.com – Russian History 2014 15.3.14 * http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/russiaandukraine/a/Causes-Of-The-Russian-Revolution.htm All class worksheets, booklets and slide shows Histor-C November 11 2010 15.3.14 * http://historc.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/12c-how-far-was-nicholas-ii-responsible-for-his-own-downfall/ History learning site – Rasputin 201317.3.14 * http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/rasputin.htm Maureen Anderson ‘Retrospective’ Year 11 Modern History Jacaranda Press 2007 * Chapter Titled – The Fall of the Tsarist Regime Parisia201224.3.14 * http://www.parisia.com/paris/romanov/paris.php?id=12 Philip Ingram ‘Russia and the USSR 1905-1991’ Cambridge University Press 2005 * The events of 1905, the first world war etc†¦.. Skwirk – interactive schooling 2014 19.3.14

Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass

Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass Introduction Douglass’s book, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass- An American Slave, provides the best evidence about American slavery. In the book, Douglass gives vivid evidence that he was once a slave; a fact that was doubted by many critics due to his oration skills and impeccable language (Douglass 11).He also gives solid evidence of the inhumanity that was characteristic of this institution. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass An American Slave specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Douglss begins the book by giving a detailed description of his childhood life and the effects that slavery had on him as a child. He then goes on to give a detailed description of the brutality that was perpetrated against American slaves during his time as a slave. The book is filled with names, scenes and events which evidence its truthfulness. This paper is a description of the brutality that Douglas witnessed as a slave (Douglass 4). Aspects of American slavery American slavery was characterized with many acts of inhumanity. Slaves were denied their rights to literacy, severely beaten, overworked in farms, provided with poor living conditions, abused sexually, separated from their families, killed, tortured psychologically and emotionally, dehumanized, etc. Let us have a look at the evidence of these acts of inhumanity portrayed in Douglass’s book. Whippings The most portrayed act of inhumanity is the frequent beatings that were perpetrated on slaves. After Aunt Hester had gone out, she was severely beaten and caused to bleed profusely. All this was done because she was not there when the master â€Å"desired her presence† (Douglass 14). This is an act of inhumanity because it appears that the slaves were â€Å"tethered† like livestock and were not free to attend their needs. Before the beating, she was stripped from her neck to the waist and then whipped severely. This can be seen as an indication that her master, Captain Anthony, was abusing her sexually. This claim is substantiated by the fact that Aunt Hester had gone out to see a male neighbor named Ned Roberts. Captain Anthony was calling her a â€Å"b -b b -h† (Douglass 14) as he whipped her. Captain Anthony got his name, presumably, from having sailed at Chesapeake Bay. Another evidence of beatings perpetrated on slaves is seen when Douglass is taken to the custody of Mr. Covey. He says that he was whipped every week until one day he collapsed while working in the farm. However, one day as Covey wanted to tie him for his weekly routine, Douglass protested and put up a fight. They fought for two hours until Douglass won the fight. This can be seen as one of the things that encouraged Douglass to relentlessly fight against the institution of slavery. It is also the beginning of Douglass’s confidence in his manhood. This is because a fter the fight, he was never beaten again. Douglass also explains how his mother received frequent whippings for not being in the farm at sunrise since she travelled at night to see him (Douglass 12). Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If a slave committed major misdemeanors, tried to escape or opposed the authority of the overseers in the farms, he/she was exposed to severe beatings before being sold. There is also a woman who was whipped in the presence of her children, who were crying begging the overseer to stop whipping their mother. The woman is said to have been whipped by Mr. Severe in front of her children until her blood ran for almost thirty minutes (Douglas 17). Psychological and emotional torture There is substantial evidence of psychological and emotional torture perpetrated on slaves by their masters. First of all, the separating of infants from their mothers bef ore they were one year old amounts to emotional torture on both the mothers and their children. Douglass explains how his mother walked a distance of about twelve miles night after night to see him. This was after she was separated from him during his infancy (Douglass 12). When his mother was sick and during her death, Douglass was not allowed to go and see her. Even when she died, he was not allowed to attend her burial. He says that his separation from his mother made him have no emotions for her such that her death hit him like the death of a stranger (Douglass 12). This is emotional torture perpetrated on Douglass. There is also the stated incidence in which a woman was whipped in front of her children (Douglass 17). This is emotional torture on the children. An example of how slave-holders psychologically tortured their slaves is seen when Colonel Lloyd meets one of his slaves who speaks ill of him. After the incident, Colonel Lloyd postpones the punishment for this act until two weeks later. The delay of punishment can be seen as psychological torture on the slave (Douglass 34). Sexual abuse Although Douglass does not give much evidence about sexual abuse, the reader is left to make his/her conclusions about this issue. First of all, Douglass’s father is said to be an unknown white man who is suspected to be his master. The fact that his father is unknown is a clear indication that his mother was sexually abused during his conception. This is also evidenced by the fact that his master was the chief suspect. Since masters were never good to their slaves. It is apparent that Douglass’s mother was forced into having sex with the man who bore Douglass. Another evidence of sexual abuse perpetrated on slaves is seen when Aunt Hester is whipped. There was also the rule that children who were born by black women belonging to white fathers were to be regarded as slaves (Douglass 13). This is enough evidence that the whites (masters) were sexuall y abusing slaves since for them to develop such a rule, there must have been several cases of children born by white men and black women. The rule is an indication that they had, kind of, legalized this behavior. It was also an evidence of the inhumanity that the masters had if they could send their own children to experience the woes of slavery.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass An American Slave specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Poor living conditions The slaves were provided with very poor living conditions. After a very busy day with whippings, slaves had limited time for household chores and thus they lacked enough time to sleep. They all slept on cold floors covered with very poor blankets. Slaves were provided with clothes annually. This meant that when a slave missed clothes, he/she could stay with tatters for two years. The clothes provided include two linen shirts , two linen trousers, one jacket, and another trouser for winter, a pair of shoes and stockings. Food was given on a monthly basis. Children of both sexes between the ages seven years and ten years were always naked. These were the characteristics of the â€Å"Great House Farm† (Douglass 17) which was the prestigious â€Å"workplace† of the slaves (Douglass 17). One wonders what the conditions of other lesser farms were. Dehumanization There are many cases of dehumanization in Douglass’s book. First of all, the slaves were overworked in the field and they received severe beatings while working. The effect of this can be seen when Douglass was taken to Mr. Covey. He was overworked and whipped routinely until he lost consciousness while carrying out his duties in the field. Another evidence of dehumanization of slaves is seen when Douglass’s master dies. His death is followed by the inheritance of slaves along with livestock and other property (Douglass 16) . Other acts of inhumanity Other acts of inhumanity in the book include the jailing of Douglass and his friends after an attempted escape. Additionally, while Douglass was working as a Caulker in Baltimore, all his wages were given to his master, Auld. The slaves were also denied their rights to literacy. However, Douglass beat the system and found his ways of attaining literacy. His literacy contributed greatly to his fight against slavery (Douglass 15). There is evidence that some slaves were killed for no apparent reason. This is evidenced in the description of the character of one of the overseers of Douglass’s master named Mr. Plummer. He is said to have been beheading women slaves (Douglass 13). Conclusion Many people doubted that Douglass was a slave due to his language skills but his book gave the proof that he was actually a slave. His description of the events and the environments of American slavery is filled with a lot of evidence of truthfulness inform of names. Among the names of places that are repeatedly mentioned in this book are the â€Å"Great House Farm† (Douglass 17), the Chesapeake Bay, the Baltimore, etc. On the other hand, events that are highlighted in this book are all meant to show the suffering of the slaves. These events include the singing of the slaves, who worked in the â€Å"Great House Farm† (Douglass 17) and events during which slaves were tortured or mistreated. Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The latter include the whipping of Aunt Hester, the whipping of a woman in front of her kids, the collapsing of Douglass while working on the field and his subsequent fight with Mr. Covey, the whipping of Douglass’s mother in the morning after failing to make it to the farm by sunrise etc (Douglass 12-17). All these events are meant to show the brutality that was perpetrated against American slaves. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass-An American Slave. U.S: Yale University, 2001. Print.

Abortion the Pope and Peter Singer essays

Abortion the Pope and Peter Singer essays Abortion is one of the most controversial issues today. It has become a question of not only ethics, but morals. In the 1973 case of Roe v Wade the Supreme Court ruled that a woman has the right to terminate a pregnancy by abortion within the first six months of the pregnancy. However, conservative Presidents have changed the legislation enough to allow states to restrict abortion in various ways (Practical Ethics, Peter Singer). In the following paper, I will summarize the views on abortion of Pope John Paul II and philosopher, Peter Singer. These two men have very conflicting opinions This argument is very adamantly against abortion. It is also a religiously based argument. He uses exerts from the Bible and other religious documents and quotes many different clergymen and priests to help defend his position. He starts by explaining how you must follow the ten commandments to live a good life and have eternal life. Jesus replied, If you would enter life, keep the commandments (Mt 19:17). The first of these ten commandments is You shall not kill. On the contrary, you should love respect and promote life (The Gospel of Life, Paul II). In order to do this, one must carry out Gods plan of procreation with love and intentions to multiply. By having an abortion, one is doing the exact opposite. Not only are they killing an innocent human being, but they are killing a child of God. Also, man is not the final judge in matters such as life and death, he is only a minister of Gods plan (Humanae Vitae, Paul VI). Paul II goes on to explain how human life is sacred and inviolable. Life is sacred because it is a gift from God and man was created in the image of God. God overlooks our lives from birth to death, and no one else has the right to destroy an innocent human being, especially one as inno...

The Names of Colors in Italian

The Names of Colors in Italian You want to tell your friend the color of the Vespa you want to buy, the type of wine you were drinking, or the hue of the sky while you were on a hilltop in Florence, but how do you say the colors in Italian? To start, here are the most common thirteen along with a list of subtle and unique  blends. Basic Colors Red – Rosso Lei porta sempre un rossetto rosso. - She always wears red lipstick. Pink – Rosa Ho comprato un vestito rosa per la festa. - I bought a pink dress for the party. Purple – Viola Ho dipinto le unghie di viola. - I painted my nails purple. TIP: Unlike other colors, you don’t have to change the ending of â€Å"rosa† or â€Å"viola† to match the object it’s describing. Orange – Arancione La sua macchina nuova à ¨ arancione ed à ¨ troppo sgargiante per i miei gusti. - Her new car is orange, and it’s too bright for my tastes. Yellow – Giallo Stava leggendo un giallo con una copertina gialla. - He was reading a mystery novel with a yellow cover. TIP: â€Å"Un giallo† is also a mystery novel or thriller. Green – Verde Mi piace vivere in Toscana, in mezzo al verde. - I like living in Tuscany, in the middle of the green. Blue – Azzurro Ho gli occhi azzurri. - I have blue eyes. Silver – Argento Gli ho regalato un cucchiaio d’argento per la loro collezione. - I gifted them a tiny, silver spoon for their collection. Gold – Oro Cerco una collana d’oro. - I’m looking for a gold necklace. Gray – Grigio Il cielo à ¨ cosà ¬ grigio oggi. - The sky is so gray today. White – Bianco Non voglio indossare un vestito da sposa bianco, ne preferisco uno rosso! - I don’t want to wear a white wedding dress, I prefer a red one! Black – Nero Calimero à ¨ un pulcino tutto nero con un cappellino bianco in testa. - Calimero is a black chick with a white little cap on his head. Brown – Marrone Mamma mia, lei à ¨ bellissima, ha gli occhi marroni e lunghi capelli castani. - Oh my goodness, she’s beautiful, she has brown eyes and long, brown hair. TIP: You would use â€Å"marrone† to describe the color of someone’s eyes, like â€Å"gli occhi marroni†, and you would use â€Å"castano† to describe the color of someone’s hair â€Å"i capelli castani†. Dark Colors If you want to talk about dark shades, you can just add the word scuro at the end of each color. Dark red – Rosso scuroDark green – Verde scuroDark blue - Blu TIP: â€Å"Blu† is understood all its own to be a darker shade. Light Colors Here are some lighter shades: Baby blue – CelesteBaby pink – Rosa confettoLight green - Verde chiaroLight blue - Azzurro TIP: Like â€Å"blu†, â€Å"azzurro† on its own is usually understood as light blue. Unique Colors Shiny/glossy red – Rosso lucido Stavo pensando di comprare una Vespa di color rosso lucido, che ne pensi? - I was thinking about buying a shiny red Vespa, what do you think? Vermilion red - Rosso vermiglione Rimango sempre affascinata dalla tonalit di rosso vermiglione dei dipinti di Caravaggio. - I’m always attracted by the red vermilion shade used by Caravaggio in his paintings. Hot pink – Rosa shocking Non mi piacciono per niente i vestiti di colore rosa shocking, non sono eleganti. - I don’t like hot pink clothes at all, they’re not elegant. Blue green – Verde acqua Mi sono innamorato dei suoi occhi verde acqua. - I fell in love with her blue green eyes. Lilac – Lilla Il lilla à ¨ un colore davvero rilassante. - The color lilac is really relaxing. Maroon – Bordeaux Il mio colore preferito à ¨ bordeaux. - My favorite color is maroon. Hazel brown – Nocciola Ho comprato le lenti a contatto affinchà © potrei avere degli occhi color nocciola. - I bought contact lenses so that I could have hazel brown eyes. Italian Expressions with Colors Heart of gold – Cuore d’oroNot all that glitters is gold. – Non à ¨ tutto oro quel che luccica.Sweet dreams – Sogni d’oroBlack sheep (of the family) - La pecora nera

The Impact of Perceived Organizational Justice on Contextual Dissertation

The Impact of Perceived Organizational Justice on Contextual Performance for the Employees in Al-Ayuni Company - Dissertation Example The following research deals with the concept of organizational justice, which is increasingly gaining importance in corporate spectrum. Employees’ perception about level and the nature of justice and fairness in an organization influence their performance, level of job satisfaction and trust towards management. Organizational justice can be defined as perception of employees in relation to fairness in decision-making, interactions, outcomes and procedures in relation to the organizational management. These perceptions are so powerful that they can alter one’s attitude for good and ill as numerous organizational conflicts have repeatedly shown that the an organization is as good as its employees. The strength of an organization remains in how well organized is the management structure and how transparent is the management towards the employees regarding any ongoing, past or upcoming issues within the organization. Along with this, it can influence employees’ perf ormance both negatively and positively and thus can have direct impact on organization’s success. It is also a part of sound managerial practices and its successful application brings fruitful results for the organization. The importance of organizational justice increase manifolds, especially considering the economical challenging environment of today’s highly competitive world. Any organization that is not fair and transparent while making decisions has few chances of sustaining in today’s market environment. ... In the last, research methodology of the dissertation is elaborated which is based on survey through questionnaire. 1.2 Background of the Dissertation The following dissertation deals with the concept of organizational justice, which is increasingly gaining importance in corporate spectrum. Employees’ perception about level and the nature of justice and fairness in an organization influence their performance, level of job satisfaction and trust towards management. Organizational justice can be defined as perception of employees in relation to fairness in decision-making, interactions, outcomes and procedures in relation to the organizational management (Colquitt, Greenberg and Zapata-Phelan, 2005). These perceptions are so powerful that they can alter one’s attitude for good and ill as numerous organizational conflicts have repeatedly shown that the an organization is as good as its employees. The strength of an organization remains in how well organized is the manageme nt structure and how transparent is the management towards the employees regarding any ongoing, past or upcoming issues within the organization. Along with this, it can influence employees’ performance both negatively and positively and thus can have direct impact on organization’s success. It is also a part of sound managerial practices and its successful application brings fruitful results for the organization. The importance of organizational justice increase manifolds, especially considering the economical challenging environment of today’s highly competitive world. Any organization that is not fair and transparent while making decisions has few chances of sustaining in today’s market environment. When employees feel

Debate topic Abortion Should Be Illegal in Canada Essay

Debate topic Abortion Should Be Illegal in Canada - Essay Example Indeed, the situation is causing enough concern that skilled manpower has to be imported not only for the purpose of obtaining the best brain power but also to augment the population figures. This may not be the best way to preserve human habitation, like we do with natural reserves to preserve dying species of wildlife. Couples desirous of prolonging conception or limiting their families may be inclined to resort to abortion. As such, pro-choice is pro-child and serves the interest of the family. However a rising number of children may encourage couples to abort the unwanted child. Nonetheless, in Canada, the rules must favor child birth, and governmental incentives must be put in place to encourage bigger family units. Also, the vexatious issue of teenage sex and pregnancy, repugnant as it may seem, must be viewed with concern as well as consequence. This is so that although teenagers may be educated against pregnancy before marriage, they could be encouraged to avoid abortion to bring up the child as a consequence to their deed, even if it had been a result of an impulsive act. In many ways, the Catholic Church is doing a yeoman service by discouraging abortion from its rooftops. The Bible prohibits abortion in no uncertain terms.

Environmental Article Critique Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Critique - Article Example This indicates the insufficiency of empirical studies to identify effects of environmental tools on environmental performance. Empirical data for this research was obtained from cross-country data on various environmental tools such as taxation and government involvement as well as the environmental performance of such countries. Statement of Research Procedure Motivated by the need to engage in empirical study to obtain the link between environmental tools and performance, Im and Wonhyuk (2011) decided to obtain cross-country data in order to evaluate their research objectives, which was to evaluate the link between environmental tools and environmental performance through empirical data. Most of the empirical data in this study was obtained from the World’s major economies. The data included mainly the involvement of the various governments through research and development or environmental governance impact of such government. After obtaining such data, Im and Wonhyuk (2011) decided to measure the performance of environmental governance whilst defining the environmental performance through literature review. ... In addition, econometric model was used to identify the correlation between dependent variable (environmental performance) and the independent variables (R&D and taxation). The econometric model included regression analysis, variance analysis; least squares procedures, and QUE estimates to provide the necessary covariance matrix for identification of error. Results of the regression analysis were presented using tables after which a discussions based on such results were conducted. The discussions were linked to various levels of success of applicable environmental policy tools within the global spectrum. Flaws in Procedural Design Despite having a beautiful research procedure in a bid to attaining their objectives, Im and Wonhyuk (2011) research was flawed within the procedural design. Firstly, the researchers did not mention it anyway other than the introduction on the research design. In other words, Im and Wonhyuk (2011) research did not provide for research methodology. Every re search conducted should explicitly provide research methodology, which will guide not only the researchers but also the users of the document into how the study was conducted. Another flaw was on the data analysis. Im and Wonhyuk (2011) just given the analyzed data after stating the statistical tools they had used. It would have been better if such econometric models were included within the research other than just mentioning them. Lastly, despite obtaining empirical data from the selected major countries, which they did not explicitly indicate, there was need to identify the sample size and sampling method of the major countries they though would effectively represent the entire globe. Analysis of Data Analysis of

Competitive Advantage of Sales force.com Case Study

Competitive Advantage of Sales force.com - Case Study Example Finally, the paper will outline the action plan about how to implement the suggested recommendations. Basically, SWOT refers to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and this is a widely used technique by managers to determine the strategies that can be implemented by the firm in its operations (Strydom, 2004). As noted, Salesforce.com specialises in providing the CRM services and the section below outlines its SWOT analysis. The company is facing problems related to competition and its inability to realise profits from its operations. Essentially, businesses are primarily concerned with generating profits in their operations as their main goal. However, in this particular case, the main problem is related to intense competition facing the company in its operations. Indeed, competition is inevitable as a result of the fact that there are also other players in the environment in which organizations operate. Porter (1985) has suggested that there are companies with viable strategies that can hardly matched by their competitors and this gives them competitive advantage. Thus according to this concept, strategies such as differentiation, diversification low cost leader as well as focus can give the firm competitive advantage depending on how they are implemented. In the case of Saleforce.com, differentiation and low cost leader are viable alternatives that can be implemented. Differentiation entails that the company ought to design its products and services in a unique way in order to gain customer superior value. This will help the company to gain more revenue by virtue of charging high prices for quality products offered.

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Research paper - Essay Example The value and importance of IT field in any economy is also brought forward in this paper. The UAE, United Arabs Emirates, lies on the South-eastern side of Arabian Gulf. It occupies eighty three thousand six hundred square kilometers in the East of Arabian Peninsula. Some of the countries it shares boarders with include Qatar (north-western side), Saudi Arabia (Western and Southern sides) and Oman (Eastern and North-Eastern sides). The United Arabs Emirates, which is a federation of 7 emirates which were known as Trucial States, was established in 1971. The name â€Å"Trucial States† traces its roots from a perpetual Treaty of Maritime Truce signed by their rulers and the British In the eighteen fifties with its main aim being to keep and maintain peace at the sea especially during the pearling season. There was some uniqueness with the treaties they signed in that the British undertook their foreign affairs responsibilities and external defense while agreeing not to intervene in their internal affairs. There were some disputes and differences between the rulers o f the emirates. In 1971 British terminated the treaty having not treated the Trucial States like its other colonies and aiding nothing to the economic development of the country. UAE was therefore as a result of the rulers of the emirates realizing they could accomplish more united rather than divided hence they formed a federal state. Thirty years ago, there were very few tarmac roads. High rising buildings were virtually unknown. The larger part of the country was under developed. In the education sector, those living in major town were the only one accessing education. The illiteracy level was so high to an extent that out of a UAE population of about 180000, only 46 nationals had a University degree (Kirkwood, 1995), most of which had been acquired in

The degree of poverty in individual countries Essay

The degree of poverty in individual countries - Essay Example The United Nations World Summit on Social Development passed a declaration, â€Å"Copenhagen Declaration† which defines poverty as â€Å"a state characterized by harsh deficiency of essential human needs, including safe drinking water, food, health, education, sanitation facilities, and information.† When people do not have anything to eat, have access to health facilities- they are considered poor regardless of their level of income. This is the social definition of poverty and does is problematic at times as in this regard, most people living in developing and underdeveloped countries of the world will judged as poor. The Statistical definition yields more relevant results on how poverty should be measured. Using statistical measures, two methods are mostly used to describe poverty. These are Relative Measurement of poverty and Absolute Measurement of Poverty. Both of these measures rely on consumption or income values getting information to accumulate statistics on i mpoverishment much enhanced. The simplest way of measuring the degree of poverty in individual countries is Relative property measure. By using this method, the whole population is classified in order of their per capita income. Then the bottom 10% is believed to be ‘impoverished’ or ‘indigent’. This method is well for country-wide measurements, but it has some great drawbacks in worldwide use. If, for instance a 10% relative poverty extent was applied in a universal setting.

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Research paper - Essay Example The value and importance of IT field in any economy is also brought forward in this paper. The UAE, United Arabs Emirates, lies on the South-eastern side of Arabian Gulf. It occupies eighty three thousand six hundred square kilometers in the East of Arabian Peninsula. Some of the countries it shares boarders with include Qatar (north-western side), Saudi Arabia (Western and Southern sides) and Oman (Eastern and North-Eastern sides). The United Arabs Emirates, which is a federation of 7 emirates which were known as Trucial States, was established in 1971. The name â€Å"Trucial States† traces its roots from a perpetual Treaty of Maritime Truce signed by their rulers and the British In the eighteen fifties with its main aim being to keep and maintain peace at the sea especially during the pearling season. There was some uniqueness with the treaties they signed in that the British undertook their foreign affairs responsibilities and external defense while agreeing not to intervene in their internal affairs. There were some disputes and differences between the rulers o f the emirates. In 1971 British terminated the treaty having not treated the Trucial States like its other colonies and aiding nothing to the economic development of the country. UAE was therefore as a result of the rulers of the emirates realizing they could accomplish more united rather than divided hence they formed a federal state. Thirty years ago, there were very few tarmac roads. High rising buildings were virtually unknown. The larger part of the country was under developed. In the education sector, those living in major town were the only one accessing education. The illiteracy level was so high to an extent that out of a UAE population of about 180000, only 46 nationals had a University degree (Kirkwood, 1995), most of which had been acquired in

Size and Complexity of an Animal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Size and Complexity of an Animal - Essay Example The essay "Size and Complexity of an Animal" talks about the fundamental aspect of animal growth and the relationship between the growth in size and the surface area relative to its volume. The relationship between surface areas to volume ratio is best exemplified by reflection on phylum Porifera. The organism has a smaller surface area in relation to its volume. As a result, it depicts a simple form of exchange with the external environment. For example, nutrients are taken directly from water then enters through pores by cells lining the organism. On the other hand, complex organisms have a larger surface area to volume. As a result, these animals have trouble in acquiring nutrients. Therefore, they have developed a complex mechanism of feeding such as mesoderm in platyhelminths. The development of larger and complex bodies posed a challenge in respiration. The reason is that smaller animals such as sponges could take gasses directly from the surrounding water. As a result, there was no need for a development of the specialized organ. The challenge arises, as organism could not exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide directly with their cells. Moreover, in platyhelminths, the development of flat body enhanced efficient exchange of gasses through diffusion. The flat body help in providing a high surface area to volume ratio and hence easy supply and exchange of gasses. On the other hand, higher animals could not maintain gas exchange through their body surface. As a result, diffusion was not possible on their body surfaces.

A marketing plan for a small gym

A marketing plan for a small gym I will be opening a small business. It will be a gym called Maximize Yourself. It is a private business, this seemed fit because it is a new business and incase it fails, I will have limited liabilities. The Goal of any business would obviously be to make a profit, but to enjoy yourself whilst doing so is important. The goal of enjoying is going to happen automatically because I love fitness training and being able to help others achieve their fitness goals makes it all worth the while. To jump start the business and start making quick profits, debts are required to be repaid, bank overdrafts will be paid as soon as possible to jump start the profit making process. The gym offers amazing services and products including, clothing, supplements, and protection gear and of course fitness training. The gym will have 6 employees including 2 women and 4 men. The women will be mostly concerned with boxing and fitness training and the men focus more on the main gym room, boxing, and also rehabilitation done by myself. All employees are able to answer any questions that members might have, give tips on how to do exercises, and even offer nutritional plans to those of whom are looking to improve their diets. The gym is located in Ryde because there are no other gyms in the area and it is a high traffic area. There is also a pool nearby and sporting clubs in Ryde making it an advantage because people would want to stay in shape and have nice bodies to show off. Also the fact that there are no competitors nearby makes it less of a hassle to have to constantly keep up with competitors. The gym is open 7 days a week, from 8 am to 8pm on Monday to Friday and 8 am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Maximize yourself gives bonus offers whether its free boxing and fitness training classes, or discounts for multiple members entering at once, discounts for people who refer others and of course for loyal long term members. This business is all about, overcoming objectives using various strategies, achieving goals, helping people with their fitness goals, and enjoying a job at a gym. Because the gym is in the establishment stage it needs to build a reputation, and to do this we are giving special trial offers and also advertising via commercials and radio broadcasts, etc. Business Description and Ownership It will be a small business, its called Maximize Yourself, it will be a Private Company because it is a new business and if it fails it will limited liabilities. The goals of the business will be to make a profit and to do this it will need to build a reputation, starting with ads like commercials showing free trial offers and deducted prices on equipment in the opening month to get some customers. It will be located in Ryde because there arent many gyms there and its a high traffic area. I will be the owner and start off with 6 employees that have personal training experience to help customers with training and they will ensure all equipment is in place and help with questions that members might have. Employees will rotate between jobs and I will manage financial statements like cash flow in and out of the business. The purpose of the business is to help people with physical goals whether its building or losing weight and in doing this make profit. I will need to manage my funds for the equipment I will be buying with a loan and then repay them when I can. Purpose of plan Preventing failure and guiding a business to achieve its goals is the main purpose of a business plan. By setting targets for the business a giving a design it enables it to evaluate its progress against identified reference points. In order to have a clear direction with the business and a path for the future a well written business plan must be created. It can show how the business could perform in the future and the priorities that are set for the business. The goals of Maximize yourself include: Making a profit (Financial goal, short term/long term) Satisfaction in work self achievement (Personal goal) Long term security Financially (Financial goal, long term) Sponsorship by supplement/ body fitness companies (Social goal) Successful business (Personal goal/Financial goal, long term) Increasing market share (Financial goal) Help people achieve their physical goals (Personal goal/social goal) According to the textbook a business plan outlines: A description of the business (Name, address, organisation and management) The businesss goals A market analysis Customer needs and size of the market The goods and/or services the business provides The industry in which the business operates Marketing/production/financial/employment relation strategies. Situation Analysis This is to make an analysis of the position of the business at the present time SWOT analysis Strengths Great Locations Brand new equipment No bad perspectives of the business because its new Buildable reputation based on service Good manager Skilled and qualified Workers Good use of technology 4 rooms (gym room, fitness training room, boxing room, rehabilitation room) Great reputation (over 100 members) New and updated equipment Large rooms for easy transition between equipment and rooms Weaknesses Low amount of staff and therefore longer shifts Still an expanding financial position High costs required for quick profits No reputation Opportunities Expanding to new locations A growing market means more people will participate Can attract more people due to it being a multigendered gym Threats Increased rent costs Possible changes in governmental regulations. Competitors (Runyaway gym) Competitor Analysis Runyaway Gym Strengths Low prices Many workers A lot of equipment Great reputation Good finance Trained employees Qualified and experienced managers and workers Weaknesses Due to it being popular it has high membership costs Its large reputation means that the Gym could be filled with members at certain times Opportunities Much easy chance of expanding to new locations Large profit allows it to Buy out competitors Threats Competitors (Fitness First) A lot of gyms are starting up Loss of members due to high costs Market Analysis provides enough information to convince a lender or investor that the business has enough existing or potential customers to achieve a certain amount of sales even though theres competitors Target Market and market research The reason maximize yourself is located in Ride is because there arent any gyms in that area, but there is sporting teams and swimming pools which will influence people to want to workout out, lose weight and get fit, to look and feel better and what better way then joining the gym and pursuing their goals . The businesses main focus is: Helping people achieve their physical goals with prices that wont burn a hole through their income. A place to socialise and possibly meet future husbands/wives and also to share tips and make new friends. Also teenagers will be a major topic, due to the fact that there is suddenly a revolution of mostly teenage boys wanting to get into shape a build muscles to show off to the girl in summer. -Aged people, to keep their fitness levels up and maintain their dietary needs. -Lastly, mothers, having to lose those stubborn few pounds to achieve the body they had before getting pregnant Market Segmentation The division of the total market into small segments based on the similar characteristics of a customer group. This is a prediction of how many members the gym will have in the first 2 months, and their age range. AGE AMOUNT OF MEMBERS 10-15 5 16-18 15 19-26 44 26-35 19 36+ 17 This is a prediction of what areas of the gym they will be doing Age Bodybuilding Boxing Body Fitness Cardio/weight loss room 10-15 1 4 0 0 16-18 9 4 2 0 19-26 24 10 2 8 26-35 4 2 2 11 36+ 1 5 1 10 Objectives and strategies Objectives are specific goals. They need to be S.M.A.R.T which means they need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. Key business functions Operations: The physical production of a good or the provision of a service. Since my business is a gym it is service based. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Its an advantage because: -There isnt that extra hassle of having enough stock -Making sure its not over stocked -Finding the latest new products to sell to appeal to consumers needs and compete with other businesses -Having to constantly innovate into the business later on in the business life cycle. This is a disadvantage because -If what your providing isnt selling then you could always innovate new products into your business, but when its service based there is no backup, therefore it means that your service must be so good that it will appeal to others and keep consumers interested -It costs a lot more to replace equipment used for services as opposed to just replacing a product -The fact that you cant actually advertise how good your service is as opposed to saying how good a product is in an advertisement. Also having a good description of the good or service, including: -Technology used -Materials and equipment required -Supplies used Testing and evaluation expenses The service the business will provide includes: -From open till close, 7 days a week, at all hours, there will be personal trainers available throughout the gym answering any questions members might have and also helping out people with their workouts, and giving tips on how to maximize their time in the gym to get the best possible results and help them to achieve their goals fast. -Personal trainers that will constantly give feedback to members and support them as they strive to achieve their goals. -A range of knowledge ranging from bodybuilding and body fitness to fat burning and rehabilitation, also kickboxing will be taught by a former champion. The businesses service will be amazing because all employees will have experiences of at least one of these categories and will be able to share experiences and accomplishments and help members do the same. Objectives for the gym include reducing cost of merchandise like supplements, and gym gear, also lowering membership costs or giving free offers, a strategy to accomplish thisis to lower the prices but be aware of competitors prices so the business has a fighting chance, its at a reasonable price, and its still making profit. Another objective will be to improve quality of the service and the products sold, strategies involve researching about the new and latest product but for the sake of them being beneficial as opposed to them costing more then requiring members to pay more for products, also introducing new employees or exercise categories like yoga to attract a variety of consumers. Marketing: This involves finding out what consumers need and want and linking these to the businesses product/service. These may result in a new promotional campaign. Appealing to consumers needs and wants is one of the very daunting tasks of the establishment stage, because it requires finding out what the consumers want and being able to provide that with your business. In terms of a gym, consumers want to be able to achieve their physical goals without getting ripped off, they want to be able to be able to get their moneys worth, be in a comfortable, friendly and inviting environment that would make them want to continuing using the gym without the hassle of being in a crammed room that contains weights, bikes, boxing bags and boxing rings, and be able to navigate throughout the gym with ease. In words this is easy, but being able to be a competitor on the market and show consumers just how good the gym is, will be a challenging task. An objective of the business will be to increase the number of members of the gym by 5 percent in the first year. Strategies to achieve this objective will include trial offers and deducted prices, also special offers that include discounts on equipment and classes to get new members and allow them to experience the gym and potentially keep them as members and possibly have them refer other people to the gym. The main strategy is to find what the consumers want and being able to provide it, also giving people a reason to joining your gym as opposed to going to another gm which will be a competitor. To do this the gym will be for both male and female and for all ages. Other objectives include increased market share which also allows the business to have a chance against competitors and last of course increased profits by 10 % in 12 months. Strategies to achieve this include introducing new products that appeal to consumer demand like the latest supplements or the newest workout machine; this will potentially get more members and also extend current members membership. Marketing strategies must be consistent, the following must be taken into consideration: -Position: Knowing consumers perspective on your product/service and being apply to use this information to improve your business -Price: Set prices, how it was determined and how it is compared to competitors. -Place: Available distribution methods must be assessed Accounting and finance: Provides the financial information needed for sound and viable decision-making. All small businesses must have the following to function properly and also to keep track of money. Financial requirements are needed; new businesses must have a clear idea of the amount of funds they will need. This could come from debt financing or the original owners equity, keeping track of the businesses budget and cash flow is crucial because it lets the owner know what areas are making profit and which areas are slowing the increase in profit. To keep track of these, businesses use a range of tools such as financial forecasting which tells the owner whether or not they can afford to produce the product or provide the service, this helps with a gym because it helps to show which products are selling, and whether or not the quality of their service is good based on the amount of members that they have or the amount of members the have ended their membership. Also theres financial records, this is good for small businesses so they can keep track of their finances, they will need to have, revenue statements (Income, profit and loss of the gym), cash flow statements (the money coming into and going out of the gym), balance sheets and budgets. Also theres breakeven: A planning tool that can be used to forecast how much of the product must be produced, or the service must be provided to cover costs of product and cost of paying employees to cover costs and make a profit. Lastly, financial controls are needed, which is having controls in place to ensure the business stays on track. These controls allow corrective action to be taken and without controls, the businesses ability to succeed start to be questioned. Objectives include reducing debts, that being said reducing the bank overdraft for all the equipment and land that was bought from $35000 to $25000 after 6 months, strategies for this to be done include getting more members to make profit and to do this, the gym will need to be advertised and show special offers to get consumers attention. Another objective includes increases profits by 10 % in the next 12 months by advertising more to make more money, also by continuing to sell products and providing services. Employment Relations: Due to such easy access to technology and raw materials, a businesses staff has become a valuable asset. The gym has an excellent range of staff hand picked by the owner due to their experience and the fact that they did a personal training course, or completed a course for the area of the gym they are working in. A challenge for the owner is keeping the employees interested in the job, this can be bother an easy or hard task depending on whether or not they like the job to start with. Objectives include increasing the pay of the employees. Even though the business is still starting out, a rise in pay should still occur because there wont be much members at first and itll make it easy for the employees to get bored of their jobs. Also rewards and bonuses will be given to employees who deserve it. 10% increase in employees pay in 12 months. A strategy to achieve this will be to possibly cut back the owners pay for a while or by advertising more to sell more products and get more members to make more money to be able to pay the employees. The numbers of staff, and the skills they contain have a large impact on strategic goals, the employment relations of the gym has objectives such as: Ensuring that the employees understand what their job is and whats expected, ensuring a healthy and safe environment, measuring and evaluating their perfomances. Strategies to achieve them include buying fresh new equipment and products, training the employees for a few weeks, keeping track of employee achievements. Job Description Must have a resume showing all recent achievements. Most have completed a personal training course or have certificates in the area they wish to work in. Also at least 3 years experience of the job. Also a medical check is needed to ensure that there is no injuries that will affect the employee on the job. Staffing requirements Rostering is the process of allocating particular staff to complete particular duties. Employees: Steph Greensburg Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course) Penelope Chaaya Personal Trainer, boxer (Body Fitness course) Tim Stevens Personal Trainer, bodybuilder ( Personal training course, 5 years experience) Alex Dagher Personal Trainer, Boxing (3 Year personal training course) -Simon Rassy Former boxing champion (degree in personal training) Charles Chaaya (Boss) Personal Trainer, Physiotherapist, Rehabilitation doctor (degree in personal training, 4 year course of physiotherapist, 3 year course on body fitness) ROSTER Example: 1 hour break Day (8am-2pm) Area (3pm-8pm) 6pm on Saturday and sunday Area Monday Charles Chaaya Steph Penelope Gym room Boxing Room Rehabilitation room Charles Chaaya Steph Penelope Gym room Boxing/cardio Fitness training Tuesday Alex Tim Simon Cardio/fitness Gym room Boxing Alex Tim Simon Cardio/fitness Gym room Boxing Wednesday Steph Alex Charles Cardio/fitness Gym room Rehabilitation Steph Alex Charles Cardio/fitness Boxing Gym room Thursday Steph Tim Penelope Cardio/fitness Gym room Boxing Steph Tim Penelope Cardio/fitness Gym room Boxing Friday Charles Simon Alex Rehabilitation Boxing Gym room Charles Simon Alex Gym room Cardio/fitness Fitness training Saturday Steph Penelope Tim Cardio/fitness Boxing Gym room Steph Penelope Tim Cardio/fitness Boxing Gym room Sunday Charles Simon Alex Rehabilitation Boxing Gym room Charles Simon Alex Rehabilitation Boxing Gym room Price / Promotion The pricing of Maximize yourself will be based on whether it is an affordable amount, and whether or not it beat competitor pricing. There will be promotions of cheaper trial offers to let people try out the gym and see whether they like it or not. There will be free trials for boxing classes and body fitness classes to also attract a wide range of consumers. Also bonuses included free boxing or body fitness lessons with 3+ month memberships, this will also be to gain members. Apart from profit being a main goal, it is important to have an environment where people dont feel trapped in a maze and can move around freely, and these offers will allow the consumers o discover just how good the gym is. There must be a distinguish between maximize yourself and other gyms, that being, and amazing service and of course amazing prices. Ways of Promoting the gym include: A commercial -Social networking sites -Radio -Door to door sales informing residents of the cheap offers -Discounts for referrals -bonuses for long term members Membership Fees Single visits: $5.00 per person 1 week pass: $20.00 1 month membership: $55.00 3 months membership: $140.00 6 months membership: $240.00 12 months membership: $400.00 OR free boxing/Body fitness classes: membership cost+$15.00 Classes will be posted on a timetable hung up in the gym: Boxing: 1 Class: $8 1 Month: $55 Body Fitness 1 Class: $5 1 Month: $35 Supplement Prices MUSCLE MASS Protein bucket: 1kg: $30, 2kg: $50, 4kg: $80 Creatine Powder: $30 Fat burner supplement: $40 Bulk Building supplements: $60+ depending on product. Products: Bodybuilder and 100% Natural shirts: $15 each Training Singlets: $10 (Different Colours) Gloves for weights: $20 (different colours) Belt for weights: $40 (different colours) Product Due to Maximize yourself being a new gym it is obvious that it will have new top notch products, including trademark brands which are easily bought due to a friend of the owners being a seller of them giving him discounted prices. Due to the spacious layout of the gym the equipment will be spread accordingly allowing free movement without bunching into equipment and interrupting others during their workouts. Obvious products will be sold such as supplements, shirt, singlets, gloves and belts. The products of course vary in size to suit different sized customers and the maximize yourself logo will be on the lower back of the shirts/singlets and imprinted on the belts and gloves. Place How and where the product is distributed. Maximize Yourself did not create the supplements they are going to sell. Although everything else is owned by the business and they are all made by a retailer then send to the business when stock is ordered. Only Maximize yourself will be able to sell the equipment due to it being exclusive distribution. Description of the product/service Even though Maximize Yourself is service based it sells many great products. Services include the following: The gym area, this is where all the main equipment is, this room is mostly used for bodybuilding and contain all the weights and machines that assist with bodybuilding, there will always be a personal trainer in there helping people with their weight training and giving out advice/ answering questions. Also the other trained staff who run boxing classes and fitness training class simultaneously are expertly trained and will give you your moneys worth. Whether thats to learn how to defend yourself, lose weight or get fitter, theyll supply the help. Equipment inside the gym Bench press x 2 $500 Power racks $800 Rubber floors- $1000 per square metre Rubber mats x 8 -$100 Cable equipment (For all muscles) 45 degree leg press $400 45 degree back extension $200 Dip / pull up assist machine $200 Medicine balls x 6 $120 Set of Dumbbells- $1500 Fitness step x 4 $360 Barbell set (10kg 70kg) $2500 Smith Machine x 2 $3000 Rowing machines x 3 $2000 Treadmills x 3 $4000 Exercise bikes x 12 $5000 Boxing bags x 5 $600 Boxing ring $3000 Helmets x 20 $800 Boxing gloves x 20 pairs $600 Personal Trainers Steph Greensburg Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course) Penelope Cruz Personal Trainer, boxer (Body Fitness course) Tim Stevens Personal Trainer, bodybuilder ( Personal training course, 5 years experience) Alex Dagher Personal Trainer, Boxing (3 Year personal training course) -Simon Rassy Former boxing champion (degree in personal training) Charles Chaaya (Boss) Personal Trainer, Physiotherapist, Rehabilitation doctor (degree in personal training, 4 year course of physiotherapist, 3 year course on body fitness) Classes Boxing See instructors for details Fitness training See instructors for details Boxing Class Learn how to fight and defend yourself with our top notch boxing instructors. Fitness training Intensive cardio, bodyweight training like pushups, dips, squats, lunges, abdominal circuits. Opening hours Monday Friday: 8am 8pm Saturday Sunday: 8am 6pm Front Counter Drinks Singlets Shirts Supplements Gloves Belt Boxing gloves Wrist pads Maximize yourself offers great discounts like: Free trials Discounts for loyal members More people=less you pay Financial Forecasts Balance Sheet Maximize Yourself Pty Ltd Current assets Cash $10000 Accounts Receivable $20000 Inventory $30000 TOTAL $60000 Non-Current assets Equipment $150,000 Land $250,000 Building/Property $100,000 TOTAL $500 000 Other Current Assets Good Will $100,000 TOTAL assets: $660 000 Current Liabilities Overdraft $80 000 Accounts Payable $30 000 TOTAL $110 000 Non Current Liabilities Mortgage $600,000 TOTAL $600 000 Owners Equity Shareholders funds $167,000 Capital $80,000 Retained Profits $40,000 Total Liabilities + Equity $997 000 Liquidity = Current Assets . Current Liabilities =$60000 = 0.55 $110,000 Cash Flow Statement Cash flow from operating activities Receipts from customers Payments to Suppliers and Employees Net cash provided by operating activities $120000 ($110 000) $10 000 Cash Flow from investing Activities Payment for Property, plant and equipment Net cash provided by investing activities ($50000) ($50000) Cash Flow from Financing Activities Repayment of borrowing Net cash provided by financing activities Net increase (decrease) in cash held Cash at beginning of year $40000 $40000 ($5000) $(20000) Cash at end of year ($25000) Critically review the plan and process In all honesty, I actually enjoyed doing the assignment, sure it was EXTREMELY long but it involves me being creative and actually doing an assignment about a topic I like for once. I must admit, if it wasnt for my plan and help from the business teachers I wouldve had no clue what I was doing. Now that I think of it, I regret not setting out my plan correctly, I left to much of the report if not ALL of it for the last due date, this left me with a mess load of work, plus the fact that I didnt manage my time and ended up having to do more than half the assignment in the last two days. I regret not asking as many questions in class. It was startling having a different teach teaching the subject after having Mrs Jones for so long but I eventually adjusted. I was disappointed in my slow progression and poor time management skills, and having assignments for other subjects just made it all the more less motivating in proceeding to complete this assignment. One of my worst flaws is my short attention span, something as little as seeing an item on my desk would cause me to stop and daydream, also knowing that I was one click away from face book and msn. On top of all these distraction is my MAJOR distraction! My Xbox 360, my mentality was always, play now, do business later, Im so good at this game, I cant just stop playing now im owning' is what I always said to myself, even whilst making progress I thought about getting off the computer and going to play. Another factor was friends, theres always someone to have a discussion with, and of course anything to get out of doing work right? Overall I believed I achieved what I planned to and was glad due to the relief of completing such a detailed assignment. I believe a few more lessons dedicated to actually explaining the assignment mightve motivated me to have completed some work sooner. Although Im g