Free Essays on Why The Concept Of Heroes Survives The Centuries

could portray the divine beings and saints of Greek and Roman folklore. They have mind blowing quality, they have ponies that fly, or are interminable. â€Å"He was astute, he saw riddles, and knew mystery things, . . .† is a portrayal of Gilgamesh. (Sandars 12) According to Sandars â€Å" . . . the divine beings gave [Gilgamesh] an ideal body . . . blessed him with excellence . . . invest... Free Essays on Why The Concept Of Heroes Survives The Centuries Free Essays on Why The Concept Of Heroes Survives The Centuries WHY THE CONCEPT OF HEROES SURVIVES THE CENTURIES For a considerable length of time, society and writing have respected and adored uncommon people called ‘heroes.’ The word saint infers a few pictures: quality, dauntlessness, assurance. Saints have been a piece of human societies for a huge number of years. Gilgamesh is perceived as the first superhuman, trailed by numerous others including Hercules and Odysseus, Spiderman and Rambo, George Patton and Todd Beamer. Legends in â€Å"The Iliad† by Homer, for example, Agamemnon, Achilles, and Hector, all display mental fortitude, quality, and determination. Our history books are loaded up with records of chivalrous activities. Every day broadcasts report tales about saints in varying backgrounds. Understudies regularly question why study antiquated works of writing. One explanation is that perusers of old writing are blessed to receive probably the best superhuman stories at any point composed. Makes the narratives much additionally interesting that the most sufferin g epic, â€Å"Gilgamesh,† is about 4,800 years of age. (Lawall, â€Å"Gilgamesh† 10). Regardless of which period, our saints share these and other certain attributes practically speaking. The most unexplained quality is that of being a â€Å"common person† or â€Å"regular guy.† These characteristics clarify why the idea of social legends endures the hundreds of years. Demonstrating that history rehashes itself, some of today’s superheroes pull inclinations from the incredible legends of folklore. For instance, think about Superman. He is tall and attractive. He is brilliant. He can likewise fly, is for all intents and purposes invulnerable, and is the most grounded of men. These words could depict the divine beings and legends of Greek and Roman folklore. They have inconceivable quality, they have ponies that fly, or are unfading. â€Å"He was shrewd, he saw riddles, and knew mystery things, . . .† is a depiction of Gilgamesh. (Sandars 12) According to Sandars â€Å" . . . the divine beings gave [Gilgamesh] an ideal body . . . invested him with magnificence . . . supply...

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay Example for Free (#2011)

Bookkeeping Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay ? The point of this report is to give a bookkeeping examination of the 2011 yearly report for Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), and an investigate of the detailing of their exhibition. The report talks about the decision of bookkeeping arrangements and the adaptability of these approaches. The principle goal of this report is to assess and perceive the chance of utilizing inventive bookkeeping inside the organization, perceive and flawed bookkeeping numbers inside things recorded beforehand. Various things have been chosen from Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), has history of 137 years with system of more than 280 branches working in Queensland. It offers center banking (business/retail), gear fund, riches the board and insuranceservices. BOQ is recorded on the ASX and utilizations its exceptional idea of the Owner-Managed Branch (OMB),a association between the Bank of Queensland (franchisor) and experienced bank supervisors (franchisees) to give banking administrations. 3. Portrayal of key bookkeeping strategies and guidelines 3.1 Loans and advances at amortized cost (Asset) As appeared on BOQ’s Balance sheet in FY11, advances and advances at amortized cost are expensive itemsin its advantages representing roughly 98 percent. As per the noteworthy bookkeeping strategies investigated by BOQ yearly report 2011, credits and advances are started by the bank and are perceived upon money being progressed to the borrower. In view of AASB13, credits and advances are at first perceived at reasonable incentive in addition to steady direct exchange cost utilizing the successful intrigue technique. 3.2 Deposits and acquiring (Liability) Stores, as the one of the most significant money inflows of the bank, follow ruleAASB13 too. They are at first perceived at reasonable incentive in addition to exchange costs and thenby utilizing the viable intrigue strategy, they are estimated at amortized cost. It is arranged in two fixations: retail stores and discount stores. This thing follows AASB119Employee Benefits which has been revised in its bookkeeping rules influencing the estimation of its commitments and the planning of acknowledgment of end benefits. Representative advantages can be grouped to four classes: wages, pay rates and yearly leave; long help leave; superannuation plan and offer based installments. 4. Adaptability of Management in Selecting the Key Accounting Policies It is irrefutable that having flexiblemanagement can apply beneficial outcomes on the introduction of company’s yearly monetary report. In particular, from the Bank of Queenslandâ's point of view, if troughs have impressive flexibility in choosing the key bookkeeping arrangements, the monetary presentation of Bank of Queensland Ltd can be improved; subsequently more financial specialists and clients would offer need to helping out them later on. 4.1 Loan and Advances at Amortized Cost 4.1.1 Flexibility Analysis The estimation of advances and advances at amortized cost is extremelyfavourable to business banks. From BOQ’s united money related yearly report, the credit and advances at amortized cost represented around 83.3% of absolute resources in 2011, it had expanded from 31,736,5 million to 33,276,1 million during 2010 to 2011. This change in $1539, 6 million was brought about by weakness charges made by directors of the bank. The expansion of advances and advances at amortized cost could upgrade the clients trust in the bank. Sincefinancial reserves, credit business and obligations are the center business exchange of the financial business, this itemappears to increment receivable records. Likewise, as banks could charge a sensible pace of enthusiasm on such future credits/propels, they are capable utilizethis salary to pay current liabilities, compensation and pay rates of workers, and furthermore the assessment risk of business. Thus, the BOQ’s supervisors have chosen an adaptable bookkeeping arrangement in this thing. Being prevailing in the benefits, advances and advances at amortized cost worries about the concern of producing money. The way that Bank of Queensland perceives advances and advances at amortized cost can be isolated to two stages. At first, credits are perceived at reasonable incentive in addition to steady direct exchange costs. Also, BOQ utilizes powerful intrigue strategy to quantify the amortized cost at each announcing date. The benefit of this bookkeeping approach is that incorporating direct exchange cost in the advance cost can balance the real exchange cost happened and amplify the benefit for the bank. Also, the powerful intrigue strategy is considered as one of the earlier techniques for amortizing a security rebate. Hypothetically, financial specialists require a rebate on securities on the grounds that the market loan cost at the hour of issue is higher than the coupon installments on the security. Consequently, by amortizing the rebate at the market loan fee, bookkeep ing proclamation of Bank of Queensland will precisely uncover the monetary truth of the security issue and its actual expense of obligation. 4.2.1 Flexibility Analysis Due to the attributes of banking industry, there is a high adaptability for the board in these two liabilities. It is perceptible that stores and acquiring represented about 97% of all out liabilities on the asset report. Possessing 69% of absolute stores, chiefs give more consideration to Retail Banking Services on account of itsattractiveness to clients contrasted with different kinds of stores. This approach expresses that securitization set-up costs identifying with on-monetary record resources are incorporated with securitization borrowings, and amortization is recorded as intrigue cost. At first, barring reeling sheet costs makes the risk a lot littler and develops their net resources. In like manner, enthusiasm on obligation is a duty deductible cost and makes an expense shield profiting Bank of Queensland. The significant capacity for this approach is to spare incomes for BOQ. 4.3.1 Flexibility Analysis Employee costs chiefly comprise of offer based installments and representative advantages. These sorts of budgetary exercises are beneficialto BOQ.The come about because of expanding motivators to representatives applies as it urges them to performenthusiasticallywhicheventuallyleads to higher benefits for the firm. Among Employee Benefits, shared based installments are recognized. The bookkeeping arrangement exhibits that Bank of Queensland permits workers to get its offers, choices and rights sold perceived in the Employee Benefits Reserve. This cost could be turned around if the misfortune isn't because of an economic situation. This is profoundly valuable as it urges workers to buy portions of their own organization at the same time, then again, as more offers are sold, the more significant expense ascends in the stock trade. 5. Nature of Disclosure Made in BOQ Accounts The nature of revelation in the BOQÂ's approaches, procedure, execution and fiscal reports and reports is agreeable as it gives open, straightforward and genuinely advocated data. As the BOQ is a recorded organization, it needs to consent to all ASX divulgence strategies and revealing however what's more it likewise conforms to the ASX Corporate Governance Recommendations just as the Australian Prudential Standards (APS) (Profit Announcement 2011). In the benefit declaration report for 2011, BOQ reveals various exposure standards which incorporate administration, load up structure, moral and dependable dynamic, monetary announcing, convenient and adjusted revelation, regard privileges of investors, perceive and oversee hazard, compensation. 5.1 Business Strategy and Economic Consequences The business technique and monetary results are uncovered in the notes to the yearly report regarding the hazard the executives of the organization. As it clarifies in these notes the bank approach is to deal with its hazard as far as credit chance, advertise chance, liquidity, operational hazard, consistence arrangements and capital administration. As it states in the yearly report there is an elevated level of appraisal and observing of these dangers so as to follow the companyâ's methodology. 5.2 Notes to the Financial Statements †Explanation of Policies The notes to the fiscal reports and reports do give a clarification to the bankâ's administration arrangements. As per the 2011 Annual Report these strategies give adequacy and productivity as far as dealing with the dangers portrayed above just as making controls to help development and upper hand. A case of these strategies in 2011 was a solid cost the executives which lead them to diminish their expense to-salary proportion from 45.8% to 44.5%. In addition, these approaches give administrative consistence just as execution the board. 5.3 Explanation of Current Performance BOQ through its yearly Profit Announcement Report obviously clarifies its present execution as far as its primary exercises. It expresses its present degree of productivity and the primary purposes behind any misfortunes. Just as these benefit or misfortunes clarifications the report shows clarifications for changes in costs, resource development, retail store development, branch organize extension and capital administration. Regarding budgetary shows that limit the firm as a financial organization, the principle one is the Basel II Accord in which the bank is committed to keep up capital sufficiency prerequisites. In the 2011 Annual report is referenced that Tier 1 capital made up of value capital and uncovered stores was higher than required by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Besides, AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures is furthermore uncovered so as to comprehend the effect on the firm. Additionally it reveals all its combined explanations for all auxiliaries of the gathering keeping all union principles. The nature of the fragment divulgence for BOQ is adequate as it reveals its two working portions, and since the bank works just in Que

Absolute Guide for Beginners on How to Write a Precis

Absolute Guide for Beginners on How to Write a Precis Writing a precis is not an easy task, especially for beginners. Here we have defined the step by step procedure on how to write a precis. But before getting started, lets have a look at what is precis? What is Precis? Summary What is Precis?Feature of a Good PrecisUses of precis writingRules of Precis WritingHow to write a Precis?Qualities of PrecisClarityCorrectnessObjectivityCoherenceConcisenessPoints must be included in PrecisPoints must be avoided in PrecisConclusion A precis is a clear and concise statement of the substance of a lengthier passage in a distinct and connected shape. A precis should be accurate, clear, and brief. A précis reviews a reading that students have completed. The précis’s length may be different significantly; it may be around 100-200 words or approximately 1/5 to 1/6 of the length of the original text. Feature of a Good Precis The text must have precision and clarity.The student must not lift the sentences from the actual text. They tend to use their own words.A precis requires to be concise to convey essential instead of secondary data or information.  Also, the main points must be listed in their entirety, cover the material as broadly as possible.It is a text summary and not a summarized version.Writing must be in a logical order. It must be well-connected.It must have a title.In addition, it must not have any inappropriate detailsDo not take data from outside articles. Uses of precis writing Precis writing forces students to pay closer attention to what they read as no one may write a passage summary unless they carefully read it. It also helps to improve overall writing skills. It teaches you how to understand the thoughts concisely, effectively, and clearly. Students learn to choose words carefully and make the sentences concisely and logically. Rules of Precis Writing It must be clear and precise. Precis writing is not lifting the words from the actual paragraph. It must be well-written in an organized manner in their own words. It must be appropriately summarized and a miniature version of the actual paragraph. How to write a Precis? Carefully read the article and mark or highlight the main ideas.Try to reveal what the author intends to communicate by the text.Take a close aspect of the evidence that the author has been used.It could require to restate the thesis provided through the author in their own words. Make sure that it should be on-point and precise.It also needs to write only around two sentences for every section. It could be a summary of every section but not in many words.Now one requires to re-read the article and check either it is in sync with the summary.One should review write-up and make sure either you have covered the key points or not.Always use a rational or logical format or structure.Check the text for clarity and correctness. Do a grammar check before submitting it to the lecturer. Qualities of Precis Clarity It means a reader must recognize what the author tried to convey. Achieve it by using a simple structure and language. Correctness It means the student should watch grammar, spelling, and punctuation they use, and also the significant figures, facts, and dates they address. Objectivity It means open construal of the data. Do not give a personal opinion in a précis. Coherence It means the logical interconnection of the significant ideas from the actual context. The audience should not lose their common interest while reading a precis. Conciseness It means avoiding excessive details in the précis. Do not omit vital facts but avoid tedious repetitions, expressions, and wateriness. Points must be included in Precis Start the Precis with the universal fact or idea so that the reader may quickly recognize the principle of the Precis.When writing a precis, make a suitable atmosphere where all the key points may be equally discussed and described.Avoiding all the irrelevant sentence or data is as essential as writing the appropriate points.Identify the redundant data and facts and keep the significant idea of the work in the Precis. Points must be avoided in Precis Precis writing is an organized way of writing a purer form of the given paragraph.Students cannot insert their criticism and remarks in a precis.For writing a precis, avoid using abbreviations and contractions.Write the full form of the given words only.Students should carefully read and recognize the Precis well, do not form their facts and opinions. Conclusion The above information discusses how to write a good precis. This information is very beneficial for the readers to know about the features, uses, steps, and superior qualities of useful Precis. Several significant difficulties arise due to writing a precis in a well-organized way. If you worry about writing the précis, it is an excellent opportunity to contact our experts. Our managers and editors are there 24/7 for higher convenience. Make a request and contact the support team, and we will support you with the best précis any time of the whole day, meeting all of the basic needs. Get the best writing help from the experts at Calltutors, we are offering world-class writing services to the students at nominal charges. Submit your requirements now!

What Was the Umayyad Caliphate

The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of four Islamic caliphates and was founded in Arabia after the Prophet Muhammads death. The Umayyads ruled the Islamic world from 661 to 750 C.E. Their capital was in the city of Damascus; the founder of the caliphate, Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, had long been the governor of Syria. Originally from Mecca, Muawiya named his dynasty the Sons of Umayya after a common ancestor he shared with the Prophet Muhammad. The Umayyad family had been one of the major combatant clans in the Battle of Badr (624 CE), the decisive battle between Muhammad and his followers on the one hand, and the powerful clans of Mecca on the other. Muawiya triumphed over Ali, the fourth caliph, and Muhammads son-in-law, in 661, and officially founded the new caliphate. The Umayyad Caliphate became one of the major political, cultural, and scientific centers of the early medieval world.    The Umayyads also began the process of spreading Islam throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. They moved into Persia and Central Asia, converting the rulers of key Silk Road oasis cities such as Merv and Sistan.   They also invaded what is now Pakistan, beginning the process of conversion in that area that would continue for centuries. Umayyad troops also crossed Egypt and brought Islam to the Mediterranean coast of Africa, from whence it would disperse south across the Sahara along caravan routes until much of West Africa became Muslim. Finally, the Umayyads waged a series of wars against the Byzantine Empire based in what is now Istanbul. They sought to overthrow this Christian empire in Anatolia and convert the region to Islam; Anatolia would eventually convert, but not for several centuries after the collapse of the Umayyad Dynasty in Asia. Between 685 and 705 CE, the Umayyad Caliphate reached its apex of power and prestige. Its armies conquered areas from Spain the west to Sindh in what is now India. One after another, additional Central Asian cities fell to the Muslim armies - Bukhara, Samarkand, Khwarezm, Tashkent, and Fergana. This rapidly expanding empire had a postal system, a form of banking based on credit, and some of the most beautiful architecture ever seen. Just when it seemed that the Umayyads truly were poised to rule the world, however, disaster struck. In 717 CE, the Byzantine emperor Leo III led his army to a crushing victory over the Umayyad forces, which had been besieging Constantinople. After 12 months trying to break through the citys defenses, the hungry and exhausted Umayyads had to retreat empty-handed back to Syria. A new caliph, Umar II, tried to reform the financial system of the caliphate by increasing the taxes on Arab Muslims to the same level as taxes on all other non-Arab Muslims. This caused a huge outcry among the Arab faithful, of course, and caused a financial crisis when they refused to pay any taxes at all. Finally, renewed feuding broke out among the various Arab tribes around this time, leaving the Umayyad system tottering. It managed to press on for a few more decades. Umayyad armies got as far into western Europe as France by 732, where they were turned back at the Battle of Tours. In 740, the Byzantines dealt the Umayyads another shattering blow, driving all Arabs from Anatolia. Five years later, the simmering feuds between the Qays and Kalb tribes of Arabs erupted into full-scale war in Syria and Iraq. In 749, religious leaders proclaimed a new caliph, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah, who became the founder of the  Abbasid Caliphate. Under the new caliph, members of the old ruling family were hunted down and executed. One survivor, Abd-ar-Rahman, escaped to Al-Andalus (Spain), where he founded the Emirate (and later Caliphate) of Cordoba. The Umayyad caliphate in Spain survived until 1031.

The Narrowing, but Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1543 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Equal pay for equal work. It actually reflects something which is reasonable; it is very hard to extremely believe on that in 2017, we are always talking about the issue of gender pay gap in our society. In the actual sense, there is no any single state across the globe where women do earn the same income as men(Belleet al, pg.111). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Narrowing, but Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay" essay for you Create order One of the cognitive reasons that can be used to explain this is that females tend to study less lucrative courses that lead them to lower paying jobs in the career ladder. In reality, the choice of the stubborn gap is totally an idea of true choice. As this tries to give women a lot of flexibility then leads to lower payment in the society. It is not due to the fact that women take less lucrative courses but it has been evident that if in an organization is made by females and are paid less than no issue to raise but if for the case of men then it would raise alarm in the society. Therefore, if for the ladies who have totally devoted themselves to better-paying courses they end up being paid less. This issue has totally turned to be an issue of concern in the society due to changes in the structure of government, technological progress and also issues that are related to globalization. This conceptual paper explores the issue of gender gap pay in the US. Gender inequality exists in our society though it is not as simple as it is portrayed. The issue of gender takes different perspectives in our society for instance gender, gender roles and eventually gender. Each of the aspect does play a critical role when speaking on issues to do with men and women in the society (Belleet al, pg.112). Sex perspective is actually the biological differences that exist between male and females thus gender is only socially learned behaviors which are fully attached to sexes that make Gender Roles. Gender roles encompass the behaviors as well as attitudes which are expected of people in a particular societal culture. The gender roles are the key drivers of gender inequality in our society. In the actual sense, the gender roles are not determined at the time of birth but they are learned and eventually taught across ones life through the environment he or she associates with and the culture. The gender roles are taught in the environments that an individual is raised and commonly the family. This is due to the fact that a family is responsible for passing values and beliefs that govern the issue of gender in the society(Bolzendahlet al, pg.767). Nevertheless, in the recent times, women have fully turned to be self –sufficient and in the same case independent from the male counterparts from the historical family issues. In the actual sense, the issue of gender inequality has turned to be less common in our modern society. Women at all the time had been fully subjected to different kinds of extreme historical discrimination that greatly influenced the community to decide on the type of occupations that women could occupy. Women have devoted themselves for a good nu mber of years to bridge the gap of discrimination but in actual sense, it seems to persist in the society.   Thus it is essential to try to address the issue in other ways in order to bridge the gap by trying to offer job opportunities on grounds of academic qualification but not on the basis of the societal beliefs(Stieret al, pg.1194). Women in the society have actually been treated as individuals who do not deserve any kind of respect and dignity at large from the institutions as well as the laws that are found in the society. Women in the society are treated as producers, agents of prosperity in the society and eventually sex outlets(Rileyet al, pg.410). Women have fought tirelessly since the 1950s in order to ensure that their role is recognized and the society does not discriminate them at any cost. From the time the issue of civilization took roots in the society, women have totally been playing a secondary role in the community and perceived to be less when compared to men.   In the years of 1970s and 1960s, women from the West fought tirelessly. In 1913, the then president of United States of America-Roosevelt emphasized that the laws that did exist in the society should be the one that did support equality in the society(Rileyet al, pg.415). In other words, the Constitution had to advocate for equality be tween men and women in the society in order to realize economic, social and political development. Despite that, it has been evident that there is a positive correlation between gender discrimination and the rate of poverty in the society and thus to address this issue of poverty we have first to solve the issue of gender inequality in our states. Regardless of the fact that the number of women in higher-paying jobs has significantly increased, women still persist to be overrepresented in occupations that do pay less and this in the actual sense leads to the difference in the pay (Brah, Avtar, and Ann Phoenix, pg.85). According to traditions, the higher positions were actually occupied by men and thus the ladies were totally neglected. This kind of pay gap may as a result of gender discrimination in the society. According to a case study made in the year 2013, it was disclosed that women were more discriminated in job setting. The approximation was 18 percent to 10 percent so it was significant that women were discriminated on grounds of gender thus leading to gender inequality. Despite that, 77 percent and 63 percent of women and men respectively claimed that it was necessary for a state to advocate for changes in the society to bring equality in the work setting. According to a research that was conducted recently, it was revealed that females do contribute approximately 77 cents of every earned dollar and thus it is not good to be discriminate.   Despite that, it was also revealed that the probability of women completing the higher education was high when compared to the males and it was totally irrational to continue to discriminate women in the society on some grounds. Due to the condition that women can perform better in the education system, it is good for them to be paid relevant to their male counterparts(Bolzendahl et al, pg.780).   Therefore, in terms of employment and enumeration, it is good to offer equality of every opportunity in order to create a sense of being in the society. Besides that, the gap of pay should be bridged in order for the ladies to feel being part of the society as a whole. Gender equality in the United States is being passed by the time but in the actual sense, it has built deep roots in the society that i n order to eliminate it is a huge task. It has been witnessed that women are penalized with lower payment as well as fewer promotions after return to the job after they take their time to move and spend with their children as they do work in less paying jobs. Despite in some organization, women are penalized for working part time upon which work pay fall less than an hour of the whole working time. Despite that, the number of women that are working time is compared to their counter parts males. Females do make an approximately 41 percent while men 12 percent. The government of United States is taking all possible ways to close the gender pay gap on the issue of gender equality. In the actual sense, it has risen in the ladder of the countries that are fighting the issue of gender inequality in payment(Brah, Avtar, and Ann Phoenix, pg.76). They have introduced flexible parentage leave in order to cater for the women and not to discriminate them. Despite that, it has increased the total amount of free childcare as an offer fo r the parents who are working in order to put the employers under pressure to cater for that. Despite that, there is a move to increase the total number of women on boards in order to defend the others(Bolzendahlet al, pg.759).   In the actual sense, it is the high time for the government to address the issue of gender inequality and try to get a good number of women into the higher- paying cut institutions in the region. Therefore, the gender pay gap should be addressed by all the means in order to have a society that income is equally distributed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion In the current century we are anyone who tries to claim that women do earn less in the society are not true and no evidence that can support the statement. Everyone can witness that the world is changing day by day and thus the jobs that are available in current world will not be available in 10 years to come (Stieret al, pg.1189). The reason behind women taking what is yours is due to the fact that women are actual product of any given society that does instill in the power of men to be assertive while women are termed to be passive and eventually meek.

The Hunters Moonsong Chapter Fourteen Free Essays

Matt hunched his shoulders miserably. He had come to the pledge meeting because he didn’t want to stay in his room alone, but now he wished he hadn’t. He’d been avoiding Elena, Meredith, and Bonnie – it wasn’t their fault, but so much violence had happened around al four of them in the past year, so much death. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Fourteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now He’d thought it might be better being around other people, people who hadn’t seen how much darkness there was in the world, but it wasn’t. He felt almost like he was swathed in bubble wrap, thick and cloudy. As the other pledges moved and talked, he could watch them and hear them, but he felt separated from them; everything seemed muffled and dim. He felt fragile, too, as if removing the protective layer might make him fal apart. As he stood in the crowd of pledges, Chloe came over and stood next to him, touching his arm reassuringly with her smal , strong hand. A gap appeared in the bubble wrap, and he could real y feel her with him. He put his hand over hers and squeezed it grateful y. The pledge meeting was in the wood-paneled underground room where they’d first met. Ethan assured them this was just one of many secret hideouts – the others were only open to ful y initiated members. Matt had discovered by now that even this pledge room had several entrances: one through an old house just outside campus, which must have been the one they brought them through that first time, one through a shed near the playing fields, and one through the basement of the library. The ground beneath the campus must be honeycombed with tunnels for so many entrances to end up in one place, he thought, and he had an unsettling picture of students walking on the sun-warmed grass while, a few inches below, endless dark tunnels opened underneath them. Ethan was talking, and Matt knew that usual y he would have been hanging on his every word. Today, Ethan’s voice washed over Matt almost unheard, and Matt let his eyes fol ow the black-clad, masked figures of the Vitale members who paced the room behind Ethan. Dul y, he wondered about them, about how the masks disguised them Wellenough that he was never sure if he recognized any of them around campus. Any of them except Ethan, that is. Matt wondered curiously what made the leader immune to such restrictions. Like the tunnels beneath the campus, the anonymity of the Vitales was slightly unsettling. Eventual y, the meeting ended, and the pledges started to trickle out of the room. A few patted Matt on the back or murmured sympathetic words to him, and he warmed as he realized that they cared, that somehow they’d come to feel like friends through al the sil y pledge bonding activities. â€Å"Hold up a minute, Matt?† Ethan was next to him suddenly. At Ethan’s glance, Chloe squeezed Matt’s arm again and let go. â€Å"I’l see you later,† she murmured. Matt watched as she crossed the room and went out the door, her hair bouncing against the back of her neck. When he looked back at Ethan, Ethan’s head was cocked to one side, his golden-brown eyes considering. â€Å"It’s good to see you and Chloe getting so close,† Ethan declared, and Matt shrugged awkwardly. â€Å"Yeah, Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said. â€Å"You’l find that the other Vitales are the ones who can understand you best,† Ethan said. â€Å"They’l be the ones who wil stand by you al through col ege, and for the rest of your life.† He smiled. â€Å"At least, that’s what’s happened to me. I’ve been watching you, Matt,† he went on. Matt tensed. Something about Ethan cut through the bubble-wrap feeling, but not in the comforting way Chloe did. Now Matt felt exposed instead of protected. The sharpness of his gaze, maybe, or the way Ethan always seemed to believe so strongly in whatever he was saying. â€Å"Yeah?† Matt said warily. Ethan grinned. â€Å"Don’t look so paranoid. It’s a good thing. Every Vitale pledge is special, that’s why they’re chosen, but every year there’s one who’s even more special, who’s a leader among leaders. I can see that, in this group, it’s you, Matt.† Matt cleared his throat. â€Å"Real y?† he said, flattered, not knowing quite what to say. No one had ever cal ed him a leader before. â€Å"I’ve got big plans for the Vitale Society this year,† Ethan said, his eyes shining. â€Å"We’re going to go down in history. We’re going to be more powerful than we’ve ever been. Our futures are bright.† Matt gave a half smile and nodded. When Ethan talked, his voice warm and persuasive, those golden eyes steady on Matt’s, Matt could see it, too. The Vitales leading not just the campus but, someday, the world. Matt himself would be transformed from the ordinary guy he knew he had always been into someone confident and clear-eyed, a leader among leaders, like Ethan said. He could picture it al . â€Å"I want you to be my right-hand man here, Matt,† Ethan said. â€Å"You can help me lead these pledges into greatness.† Matt nodded again and, Ethan’s eyes on his, felt a flush of pride, the first good thing he’d felt since Chris’s death. He would lead the Vitales, standing by Ethan’s side. Everything would be better. The path was clear ahead. Indeed, Keynes posited that economic activity was determined by aggregate demand. For the fifteenth time in half an hour, Stefan read the sentence without beginning to comprehend it. It al just seemed so pointless. He’d tried to distract himself by investigating the murder on campus, but it had only made him more anxious that he couldn’t be by Elena’s side, seeing to it himself that she was safe. He closed the book and dropped his head into his hands. Without Elena, what was he doing here? He would have fol owed her anywhere. She was so beautiful it hurt him to look at her sometimes, like it hurt to stare into the sun. She shone like that sun with her golden hair and lapis lazuli eyes, her delicate creamy skin that held just the faintest touch of pink. But there was more to Elena than beauty. Her beauty alone wouldn’t have held Stefan’s attention for long. In fact, her resemblance to Katherine had nearly driven him away. But under her cool y beautiful exterior was a quicksilver mind that was always working, making plans, and a heart that was fiercely protective of everyone she loved. Stefan had spent centuries searching for something to make him feel alive again, and he’d never felt as certain of anything as he did about Elena. She was it, the only one for him. Why couldn’t she be as sure of him? No matter what Elena said about Stefan being the one, the fact remained: the only two girls he’d loved in his long, long life both loved not just Stefan but his brother, too. Stefan closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers, then shoved himself away from the desk. Maybe he was hungry. In a few quick strides, he crossed his white-painted room, through the mix of his own elegant possessions and the cheap school-issued furniture, and was out on the balcony. Outside, the night smel ed of jasmine and car exhaust. Stefan reached tendrils of Power gently into the night, questing, feeling for †¦ something †¦ there. A tiny mind quickened in response to his. His hearing, sharper than a human’s, picked up the faint whine of sonar, and a smal , furry bat landed on the balcony railing, drawn in by his Power. Stefan picked it up, keeping up a gentle thrum of Power between his mind and the bat’s, and it gazed at him tamely, its little fox face alert. Stefan lowered his head and drank, careful not to take too much from the little creature. He grimaced at the taste and then released the bat, which flapped tentatively, a little dazed, then picked up speed and was lost again in the night. He hadn’t been terribly hungry, but the blood cleared his mind. Elena was so young. He had to remember that. She was stil younger than he’d been when he became a vampire, and she needed time to experience life, for her path to lead her back to Stefan. He could wait. He had al the time in the world. But he missed her so much. Gathering his strength, he leaped from the balcony and landed lightly on the ground below. There was a flower bed there, and he reached into it, feeling petals as soft as silk. A daisy, fresh and innocent. He plucked it and went back inside the dorm, using the front entrance this time. Outside Elena’s door, he hesitated. He could hear the slight sounds of her moving around in there, smel her distinctive, intoxicating scent. She was alone, and he was tempted to just knock. Maybe she was longing for him, just as he longed for her. If they were alone, would she melt into his arms despite herself? Stefan shook his head, his mouth tight. He had to respect Elena’s wishes. If she needed time apart, he could give her that. Looking at the white daisy, he slowly balanced it on top of Elena’s doorknob. She would find the flower and know that it was from him. Stefan wanted Elena to know that he could wait for her, if that was what she needed, but that he was thinking of her, always. How to cite The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Fourteen, Essay examples

Arab Tech Constructions

Question: Write a report onon the Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C in the United Arab Emirates. Answer: Introduction The present report focuses on the Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C in the United Arab Emirates. It is one of the major constructions companies, which is very much committed on building ever-lasting impressions on its customers. It aims to expand by using its resource capabilities and its degree of expertise in construction of high-rise residential buildings, industrial constructions projects, airport development, entertain complex and commercial communities (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). The current report emphasis on the residential construction Plot based on the Najmat Abu Dhabi on Reem Island where a residential high rise is being constructed. The report further explains the viability of cost of investing in residential construction project along with the analysis of other financial tools such as Internal Rate of Return, Net Present Value, Profitability Index, Operating Cash Flows, Projected Income and Expenses and the Payback Period of the investment made. Descriptions of Project: Reem Island project is a 24 storey high-rise residential plot with stylish building designs aiming to provide a luxurious living experience to its dwellers. The project spreads across 66,000 square meters (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). The yet to be constructed residential high-rise is beautifully situated adjacent to Marina Bay waterfront. The towers of the project comprises of three-basement floor along with two podium levels in order to accomplish a height of over 100 meters (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). The residential plot will consist of more than 200 spacious apartments with a mix of one, two and three bedroom, kitchen and dining room (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). Financial Analysis of Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C According to the reports obtained after conducting the financial analysis of the projects undertaken the initial amount of investment was $3,000,000. A cash flow analysis is conducted to analysis the viability of the project for the long run. The anticipated amount of sales revenue that will be generated from this project will be approximately $2,000,000. The sales revenue has been forecasted on the parameters of 10 financial years. In the subsequent financial year the sales revenue is projected at $2,200,000 and the trend is on the upward rising parameters. The sum total of the discounted cash flow statement stood at $12,827,217. In the final year of revenue projections it can be noticed that the projected sales revenue is forecasted around $4,715,895. In addition to this, the payback period is estimated on the parameters of 10 years (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). The annual cash flow for the initial year is projected around $1,301,136. The payback period for the current construction proje ct undertaken by the Arab Tech L.L.C is 1.24 which means that the amount of investment made can be recovered in the subsequent year of investment. Profitability index for the current project shows 4.275 which highlights that Arab Tech Construction is approximately yielding 42% of profit on the completion of construction. It is estimated that on the completion of this project the sum of investment made can be recovered within three financial years (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). The project is assumed to yield growth at a rate of 10% annually with the required rate of return being estimated at 10%. The PV factor for the first year is projected to be around 0.91 and in the subsequent year it is projected around 0.83 (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). After conducting the cost benefit analysis the internal rate of return is estimated around 15%. On the other hand, the net present value shows a sum of $1,692,286. Projected Revenues and Expenses: The operational cost in the project implementation phase consists of the salaries and wages of the workforce which includes a sum of $725,000. The cost of plant and equipments employed in this project consists of $625,000. The gross total cost of operations includes $1,926,000 (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). On the other hand, the revenues generated from this project during the constructions were 405,000 which included the amount generated from revenue receipts along with the federal cost of investment. The final cost of operations derived after the deducting the revenues obtained are $1,521,000 (Arabtecuae.com, 2016). Discussion and recommendations: The report gives a detailed overview of the companys constructions affairs. It is to be noted that all the available data and financial information is presented in a comprehensive and accessible format. The report consists of the estimations of cost of investment in the residential construction along with the annual forecast of the net cash inflows. The report also describes the profitability index in order to facilitate direct competitive benefit between the Arab Tech Holdings and its numerous competitors. Therefore, this report provides a clear and precise understanding of Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C position in the Engineering and construction service industry. The report contains the in depth information of the internal affairs of the business environment of Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C regarding the data of the owners, senior executives, locations, subsidiaries and the constructions details of plot at marina bay. Another part of the report describes the microenvironment facto rs that are used to carry out in order to identify the several business elements, which is favourable and unfavourable in terms of accomplishing its objectives. In addition to this, the report identifies and outlines the main financial and investment aspects pertaining to the cash flow after tax, profitability, margin analysis and companies initial cost of investment. Note discussing about the profitability index of this report is that the construction project at marina bay involves a profit margin of 42%, which represents that the project is profitable in the end and hence, the initial cost of investment will be recovered during the span of 10 years with Net Present Value of $9,827,217. Recommendations: It is evident that the prices of constructions materials and components are higher in the region of Marina Bay. It is advised that Arab Tech L.L.C employ strategic investments in order to make optimum utilisation of the available resources. It is recommended that the new workers mus t be provided with the tools in order to encounter the areas of safety since the construction project involves construction of high rise. Enabling the use of scaffolding and crane can reduce the hazard on work for Arab Tech Constructions L.L.C. Arab Tech L.L.C must employ supervisor and site managers to conduct a detailed review of the constructions site by paying more focus on the possible hazardous sides. It is recommended for Arab Tech L.L.C that it must employ vigorous marketing and sales promotion strategies to combat its current set of competitors. Arab Tech L.L.C is one of the reputed brands in U.A.E under the banner of construction, so it is recommended that it can take into the considerations of building designs for older aged populations. Such recommendations can attract those sets of customers by considerably not jeopardising its current set of young customers. Environmental Analysis: Microenvironment analysis:Construction companies like Arab Tech L.L.C learns a lot from the combinations of internal elements of the organisation with the external elements of the market, which illustrates a stark picture of the organisation to where it belongs during any moment of time (Sevkli et al., 2012). Arab Tech L.L.C found the microenvironment elements especially critical, as the necessity to anticipate the effects of evolving economic conditions and existence of new competitors to sponsor expensive projects. Below listed is the detailed analysis on the microenvironment factors of Arab Tech L.L.C. Reference list: Arabtecuae.com,. (2016). Arabtec Construction L.L.C. Arabtecuae.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016, from https://www.arabtecuae.com/Barry, P. J., Robison, L. J. (2014). Technical note: economic rates of return and investment analysis. The Engineering Economist, 59(3), 231-236.Barth, M. E. (2013). Measurement in financial reporting: The need for concepts. Accounting Horizons, 28(2), 331-352.Bierman Jr, H., Smidt, S. (2012). The capital budgeting decision: economic analysis of investment projects. Routledge.Disney, S. M., Warburton, R. D., Zhong, Q. C. (2013). Net present value analysis of the economic production quantity. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, 24(4), 423-435.Dumont, G., Schmit, M. (2014). Tier-1 MFIs' Financial Performance: Cash-Flow Statement Analysis Version 2.0.Elsas, R., Flannery, M. J., Garfinkel, J. A. (2014). Financing major investments: information about capital structure decisions. Review of Finance, 18(4), 1341-1386.Farshadfar, S., Monem, R. (2013). Further e vidence on the usefulness of direct method cash flow components for forecasting future cash flows. The international journal of accounting, 48(1), 111-133.Ferwerda, J. (2014). Cost-benefit analysis. Chapters.Guerra, M. L., Magni, C. A., Stefanini, L. (2014). Interval and fuzzy Average Internal Rate of Return for investment appraisal. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 257, 217-241.Hastings, N. A. J. (2015). CostBenefit Analysis. In Physical Asset Management (pp. 239-248). Springer International Publishing.Johnson, C. H. (2013). Measure Tax Expenditures by Internal Rate of Return. Tax Notes, SPECIAL REPORT, April, 15.Kaplan, R. S., Atkinson, A. A. (2015). Advanced management accounting. PHI Learning.Lewellen, J., Lewellen, K. (2014). Investment and cash flow: New evidence. Tuck School of Business Working Paper, (2010-77).Marglin, S. A. (2014). Public Investment Criteria (Routledge Revivals): Benefit-Cost Analysis for Planned Economic Growth. Routledge.Mishan, E. J. (2015). Elements of Cost-B enefit Analysis (Routledge Revivals). Routledge.Penman, S. H., Penman, S. H. (2016). Financial statement analysis and security valuation (p. 476). New York: McGraw-Hill.Percoco, M., Borgonovo, E. (2012). A note on the sensitivity analysis of the internal rate of return. International Journal of Production Economics,135(1), 526-529.Sayadi, A. R., Tavassoli, S. M. M., Monjezi, M., Rezaei, M. (2014). Application of neural networks to predict net present value in construction projects.Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 7(3), 1067-1072.Sevkli, M., Oztekin, A., Uysal, O., Torlak, G., Turkyilmaz, A., Delen, D. (2012). Development of a fuzzy ANP based SWOT analysis for the construction industry Expert Systems with Applications, 39(1), 14-24.Torritia, J., Ikpeb, E. (2014). CostBenefit Analysis.

Business Evaluation Essays - Allstate, Factoring, Insurance

Business Evaluation Business evaluation The subject that I interviewed was Mike Anderson from Allstate Insurance. Mike is an agent who owns his own office and has his own employees but at the same time is also an employee himself for the Allstate Corporation. The nature of Allstate is the sales of different lines of insurance policies. Mike's office is very service oriented although they are in the sales business. He classifies his office as a retail business with the explanation that he is selling something that is not provided directly by him, rather by the company, and because what he is selling is being bought. Allstate is a company that has many people that work for it. Each of these employees is a separate agent that works as a mediator between the customer buying the product and the company selling the product. Thus, Mike's own business inside another business positions itself, as well as Mike, as an agency. Since Mike is ultimately a salesperson, what he does most frequently during the day is to interact with people and sell them a policy or assist them with one he already provides them with. Even though this is what he does most often, he finds human relations to be the most difficult thing to do. Working with people isn't the easiest thing to do and he informed me that in the insurance business the calming people down and making sure you do your best to try to satisfy the customer can sometimes become quite exhausting. What made this the most difficult for him was frequently having to this for customers who were upset with something that happened and trying to remain calm and pleasant after dealing with someone who refuses to be satisfied. He uses trend exploration to determine his forecast. Since he is the sales person of his business he does his own forecasting. Trend exploration involves extending a pattern observed in past data into the future. He simply looks at the past sales of a few months or a year to try to come up with a projection for the next few months or year. This is a simple way of forecasting because trend exploration assumes that sales will remain the same, however, this may not always be the case. Allstate is probably known best as the good hands people. This is their main advertising campaign. It commonly uses the sales pitch, your in good hands with Allstate. Beyond having a photo and name in the yellow pages, Mike himself doesn't have a particular advertising campaign for his individual office. He does, however, supply his customers with his personalized pens, magnets, calendars, and business cards. Mike doesn't supply any promotional things for his office; the company does it for him. They manufacture and send him any special promotional advertisements that he can place or hang in his office. The company informs him of what areas that the agents need to focus on selling but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is a promotional campaign that will go along with it. Prices for each policy are determined to specifically fit the individual who is buying the policy. Things such as the number of years a person has had his license, how many points are on ones record, and the type of vehicle being driven, along with other certain factors, help to determine the price of an auto policy. Certain features such as smoke detectors and an alarm system, again along with many other factors, contribute to a final cost of a home policy; and a person's age, health, and length of the policy will all affect the price of a life insurance policy. In addition to the individual factors that help the agent find the premium that needs to be paid, the company also figures in how many losses, of money, there were due to claims, the salaries and benefits paid to the employees, and the cost of advertising and promotions. All of those factors contribute to the final cost that the customer has to pay. The way the competition is analyzed is actually quite simple. Mike himself uses comparative rating. He merely notes the premium of his competitors compared to his own so he

Free Essays on Moon

The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth: orbit: 384,400 km from Earth diameter: 3476 km mass: 7.35e22 kg Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks, and many other names in other mythologies. The Moon, of course, has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. As the Moon orbits around the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun changes; we see this as the cycle of the Moon's phases. The time between successive new moons is 29.5 days (709 hours), slightly different from the Moon's orbital period (measured against the stars) since the Earth moves a significant distance in its orbit around the Sun in that time. Due to its size and composition, the Moon is sometimes classified as a terrestrial "planet" along with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The Moon was first visited by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 in 1959. It is the only extraterrestrial body to have been visited by h! umans. The first landing was on July 20, 1969 (do you remember where you were?); the last was in December 1972. The Moon is also the only body from which samples have been returned to Earth. In the summer of 1994, the Moon was very extensively mapped by the little spacecraft Clementine and again in 1999 by Lunar Prospector. The gravitational forces between the Earth and the Moon cause some interesting effects. The most obvious is the tides. The Moon's gravitational attraction is stronger on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon and weaker on the opposite side. Since the Earth, and particularly the oceans, is not perfectly rigid it is stretched out along the line toward the Moon. From our perspective on the Earth's surface we see two small bulges, one in the direction of the Moon and one directly opposite. The effect is much stronger in the ocean water than in the solid crust so the water bulges are higher. And because the Earth rotates much faster than the M... Free Essays on Moon Free Essays on Moon The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth: orbit: 384,400 km from Earth diameter: 3476 km mass: 7.35e22 kg Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks, and many other names in other mythologies. The Moon, of course, has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. As the Moon orbits around the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun changes; we see this as the cycle of the Moon's phases. The time between successive new moons is 29.5 days (709 hours), slightly different from the Moon's orbital period (measured against the stars) since the Earth moves a significant distance in its orbit around the Sun in that time. Due to its size and composition, the Moon is sometimes classified as a terrestrial "planet" along with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The Moon was first visited by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 in 1959. It is the only extraterrestrial body to have been visited by h! umans. The first landing was on July 20, 1969 (do you remember where you were?); the last was in December 1972. The Moon is also the only body from which samples have been returned to Earth. In the summer of 1994, the Moon was very extensively mapped by the little spacecraft Clementine and again in 1999 by Lunar Prospector. The gravitational forces between the Earth and the Moon cause some interesting effects. The most obvious is the tides. The Moon's gravitational attraction is stronger on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon and weaker on the opposite side. Since the Earth, and particularly the oceans, is not perfectly rigid it is stretched out along the line toward the Moon. From our perspective on the Earth's surface we see two small bulges, one in the direction of the Moon and one directly opposite. The effect is much stronger in the ocean water than in the solid crust so the water bulges are higher. And because the Earth rotates much faster than the M...

The Changing Geography of International Business Essay - 1

The Changing Geography of International Business - Essay Example The word ‘Latin America’ is used to explain the collection of 21 countries in the continent of South America. The language that is spoken is Latin. It has been observed that Latin America enjoys components of historical experience, culture and language. Latin America is an ethnically diverse region and is also deemed as a mounting political and economic force. The main languages that are spoken in this continent are Spanish, Portuguese and French. Conventionally, the Hispanic family is a cohesive group and the most vital social unit. They generally believe in extended family. It has been observed that in Latin cultures, the familial group is quite crucial. In a few of the Latin American countries, peasants might leave their workplaces during holidays so that they can meet their relatives in other parts of the country. They also tend to attend the funeral, weddings of their friends, or distant relatives. A manager may be faced with greater difficulties related to non-atte ndance impacting the workplace to a major extent. According to a study conducted by Geert Hofstede for Latin American countries, it was noted that there is high power distance in Latin America. In Latin America, the people in higher level of authority expect to gain respect from others and are familiar to make decisions without taking into consideration the viewpoints of their subordinates. Latin America has low individualism rate. In Latin America gender roles become quite different in comparison to the United States, men hold the greater authority.

The Elimination of Poverty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Elimination of Poverty - Research Paper Example Counterfactuals allow us to enter a universe of possibility: one where we cannot be in the normal state of affairs but only in a kind of imaginary state of examination. Having said this, it should be clear that counterfactual analysis has little to do with reality or practical application. The conclusions reached here about what if can say nothing to inform public policy that deals with the here and now. In fact, precisely because the antecedent in this case cannot be true (as was said previously), it might be the case that these considerations cannot have any practical use beyond the useful practice of logical conjecture. What if poverty were eliminated? Such a question presupposes that we know what poverty is, beyond the concepts that we use in day-to-day life. However, what we find with these common concepts is that they are often faulty and not representative of the actual state of affairs. For instance, while we might think of justice as fairness, this might mean that justice is the property of abiding by rules. The rules themselves could in fact be unjust themselves. The concept of poverty, like justice, bears hidden connotations that must be sheared off before continuing. There are actually two components of the concept of poverty, one of which has to do with economics and the other which has to do with personal properties. These two facets of poverty readily interact with one another and often reinforce one another. The elimination of one kind of poverty, contrary to popular belief, will not lead automatically or ensure the elimination of the other, which perpetuates the problem and has the po tential to move us into committing evil acts. The first facet of poverty is that of virtue. While the word â€Å"virtue† might sound overly philosophical, it is merely a matter of personal excellence. A virtue is a personality trait that serves as a means to a greater end. For instance, the virtue of a

A Pestel Analysis Of China Market Economics Essay

A Pestel Analysis Of China Market Economics Essay Since 1979, China adopted an export-manufacturing strategy successfully following with Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. The Golden Bridge Co., Ltd is one of the beneficiaries. It was founded in 2007 with flooring as its main products. The product is of high quality by utilizing advanced technology and equipments imported from Germany and Italy. The glue and lacquer materials for production are also imported. In current stage, Golden Bridge has a total capital of 800 million RMB and exported to 35 foreign markets including the U.S., Canada, Japan and Germany. In order to help it to expand the business, our consultancy company attempt to analyze the China business environment and seek a foreign market to relocate the manufacturing of this company with proper entering and competing strategies. This essay first illustrates the business environment of flooring industry in China and German with PESTEL analysis. Then it evaluates the threats in Germany market by following Porters five-force mode l. Later a recommendation would be given on how to properly enter into the targeted country. PESTEL analysis of china market: The PESTEL analysis is used to assess the macro environment and identify the challenges Golden Bridge faced with in china market in order to make an appropriate suggestion. Political: The Chinese political system characterized as one-party communist dictatorship makes a great contribution to national stability, enabling the economy keep dynamic and sustainable. Nevertheless, when the economic system was deregulated from the command economy to market economy since 1978, the power of economic management was increasingly decentralized, raising the issue of uncoordinated development of regional economy. Currently, though the central government has made effort to alleviate the gap among different areas in terms of developing standards, provinces tend to give a priority to local profits rather than considering the integrated advancement of the whole country. Local protectionism exerts detrimental influences upon market expansion of Golden Bridge Company in nationwide and deters the establishment of a comprehensive distribution channel. Economical: China is valued as one of the most vibrant countries in terms of economic development among the world. The reform opening up in 1978 accelerated Chinas GDP growth from 362.4 billion RMB to 30 trillion RMB within a 30-year period. Moreover, in 2010, China has been the second largest economy instead of Japan whilst the value of export accounted for 10% of world. Based on these statistics, judgment can be made that manufactures in China including flooring industry may keep an optimistic attitude to their future prospects in some extent. Nonetheless, Chinese economy may suffer unpredictable circumstance in the future. Labor resource is one double-edge sword. Once being an advantage of China, abundant labor resource and economical labor price make a great contribution to progress of those labor-intensive manufacturing industries. This is also the primary reason that China flooring industry is quite profitable though China is a net importer of timber. However, as cited by AME info (2005) there is a growth in the minimum wage standard, labor may not be regard as a perpetual advantage of China if this trend continues. In Addition, appreciation of CNY since 2005 against USD may imperil the export of Golden Bridge Company (Goldstein, M. and Lardy, N., 2006). Social: It is claimed by Su and Littlefied (2001) that China is an extremely high-context country where people prefer to receive implied messages. For establishing a business in China, strong private-relationships with different stakeholders is the key to success. However, this is extremely time-consuming while the maintenance is also expensive. Potential conflicts in interest may easily erode it. Besides the relationship, corruption is another issue in China. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, China was positioned 72nd among all 179 countries in 2008. However, damages caused by corruption may be far more hazardous than anticipated, particularly to the economic development. Corruption has been treated as a vital barrier for operating in Chinese market due to enormous back-stage expenditures as well as resulted injustice. For Golden Bridge to gain more import quotas and pay less tariff, costs may be made up of not only normal ingredients such as transporting, but also implied expense for smoothing the network. Technological: China wood flooring industry is experiencing a relatively laggard technological standard in its initial stage of development. According to Cheng and Song (2006), the level of timber utilization was 61% in 2004 with a considerable disparity with developed countries (nearly 90%). Additionally, imbalanced technological support aggravates the long-term conflicts between wood supply and demand in Chinese domestic market. In 2004, though the total domestic timber supply is 273.6 million cubic meters and exceeded the total consumption of 241.5 million cubic meters, scarcity of raw material still existed in some parts of timber manufacturing industry. Environment Legal: Chinese government proposed the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) nationwide in 1998 to limit exploitation of natural forest resources. The legislation made the supply of domestic natural timber restricted. Between 1997 and 2003, natural timbers supply decreased from 32.05 million cubic meters to 12.145 million cubic meters (Cheng and Song, 2005), which was extremely insufficient to satisfy demands of the highly prosperous timber industry in China. Timer manufacturing companies in China have to depend on importing. Statistics shows that in 1997 the quantity of imported timber only occupied 23.56% of total wood consumption, while the number soared to 53.78% in 2004. The expenditure of imported timber was $33.96 higher per cubic meter compared with the price in 2007, which increased the material coast of Golden Bridge Company. PESTEL analysis of German market: Since this essay has analyzed the macro environment of the china flooring market, further looking at the political, economic, social and technological factors of the German can help advance and strength the logic of the whole assessment. Political factors: Germany is a home of secure, legal and rewarding investment. The World Economic Forum has rewarded its legal system as the most efficient and this fact has also gained international recognition. Flooring coverings are categorized according to German and EU laws and building products should be subject to the EU construction products directive and the German construction products law. The directive and law are mainly focused on environmental, health-related, material and usability sectors and most people agree that by considering the environmental restrictions, the EU can be the strictest market. Moreover, with the transnational economic environment, it is predicted by experts that the approval criteria for flooring is likely to decrease and there seems to be a limited permission of eco-labels for flooring products. Further, comprehensive incentives  are provided to both home and oversea investors by German government, individual federal states and the EU. Economic factors Germany is the largest economy in Europe and in general German is export-oriented. Since 2003, German has been the largest exporter machinery, vehicles, chemicals and household equipment, with an annual export increase of 8%. However, factors that may prevent Golden Bridge from entering into and developing itself in Germany also exist. They can be excessive dependence on euro currency, tight credit markets and an increasing rate of unemployment. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKELs second term will increase Germanys record budget deficit, which is expected to exceed 5% of GDP in 2010. The EU required Germany to get its consolidated budget deficit below 3% of GDP until 2013. A new constitutional amendment likewise limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016. Technology factors: Germany is claimed to be the leading nation in high-tech development and receives high turnover accordingly. In 2007, the high-tech products exported by Germany accounted to a value of RUR 114 billion, ranked first in Europe and third worldwide. More than 27% turnover of German manufacturing factory is generated from high-tech products, compared to a European average of 19%. Social factors: Social factors also need consideration. Hofstedes analysis of Germany shows the emphasis on individualism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. Power distance and long-term orientation are both ranked considerably lower than the others. Germany believes in equality and equal opportunity, as well as its ability to change and adapt rapidly. Another arising issue is the social awareness of pollution, which leads Germany to use more environmental-friendly materials. Abstract for the use of five-force model: After analyzing the macro-environment of both countries, it is reasonable and necessary to apply Michel Porters five-force model in order to provide a thoroughly understanding of the German flooring market before the Golden Bridge company entering into it. According to this model, the competitiveness of an industry is influenced by such five forces and their collective strength and thus determines the ultimate profit potential of this targeting industry. These five forces covered in the analysis are competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, the threat of substitution and the threat of potential new entry. However, the five-forces framework is not a set of principals per se, instead is a tool for systematically use these principals to assess the current status and likely evolution of an industry. Competitive Rivalry: The internal competitive rivalry in German flooring market seems high. There are three main reasons. First, the switching cost is low because flooring products are homogenous with little product differentiation. Another reason is that the German flooring market is saturated with a relatively low growth rate. The flooring production in 2008 suffered a 15.1% decline while the total consumption slumped for about 12.19% (FEP, 2008). Also the number of competitive companies in German flooring market and the intensity of rivalry also determine the high threats of rivalry. There are a large number of companies competing in the German flooring market and these companies are divided into three categories, they are Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Domestic Leading Manufacturers (DLMs) and Niche Market Brands (NMBs). First of all, SMEs has the largest number in the German flooring market (Roadmap, 2010). These SMEs are often manufacturers provide low-grade flooring with low price. Their marketing strategy is just reverse to Golden Bridges. Thus Golden Bridge is suggested to treat them in an abstemious way. However, there are also a few numbers of large flooring manufacturers who operating on European and/or global base. It is suggested by German Timber (2007) that few DLMs account for the majority of the total market share. These companies usually possess strong competencies, highly recognized reputation and well-established brand image. One main rivalry is the Krono Group, who is one of the world leading producers of high-quality flooring. Founded in 1897, it has accumulated years of experience and extensive knowledge know-how. It delivers products to 80 countries worldwide while has its own production-base in 18 countries. In 2004, its production capability of flooring reached 310 million à £Ã … ½Ã‚ ¡, took up about 1/3 of the world market share with total sales revenue of 24 billion RMB. It also has an annual RD investment of 15billion RMB with over 200 scientists doing research in Krono International Laboratory. In addition, there are Niche Market Brands (NMBs) with several well-known brands like Espirt and Kaindl, holding part of the flooring market (FEP, 2007). These companies merely provide certain kinds of flooring to meet the special needs of a group of customers. Furthermore, in order to gaining competitive strength, the NMBs together with some foreign brands such as Balterio from Belgian and Vito from Austria have formed a conglomerate named Beamy International, a commercial platform allowing them to compete on both domestic and global markets (FEP, 2008). As the competition is fierce in German flooring market, Golden Bridge is suggested to adopt a niche strategy and doing effective promotion after entering the market. To explain, the original German wood flooring manufacturers already gains economy of scales and undeniably enjoy a cost advantage. Advanced distribution channel comparing with those new entrants also allows them first mover advantages. Cost disadvantage and lacking reliable cooperators are main barriers for Golden Bridge to survive in German market. Insufficient in capital determines that an aggressive expansion strategy is also irrational. However, one advantage Golden Bridge occupies is that it has been doing export business within German importers for couple of years and its products did have certain reputation in this highly competitive market. By offering additional value, Golden Bridge can efficiently differentiate itself among the rivals with a brand image of reliability, valuable, and symbol of statuses. This may help obtain sustainable brand loyalty among German customers. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitution refers to the extent to which different products used in place of a companys products or offered by other industrials. Flooring is not restricted on only wood but other materials such as textile and stone/ceramics are also widely used. For instance, in German market in 2008, textile took the largest raw material market share (i.e. about 37.4%) for making flooring. This is followed by stone/ceramics of 28.6%. Comparably, the laminate only had a market share of 13.9%, ranked in the third place. In terms of switching cost, the result can be distinct regarding to different objects of study. To individual consumers, there is almost no switching cost exists because choose one kind of material instead of another is just a matter of personal taste. However, this can be criticized in depth for the reasons that wood-made flooring has its own characteristics and functions that other materials may not have. To some extent and to specific customer groups, for instance, those who have fixed-decoration style, the switching cost can be relatively high. However, to large wholesalers (e.g. Beamy International) who previously dedicated in wood-made flooring, the switching cost would be extremely high, as they may lose the stable distribution channels with their current wholesalers or retailers, and also the price advantage provided by the long-term cooperative producers. This means the substitution threat is less considerable because their past investment in developing stable distribution channels with retailers and producers offers them an advantage in current market and this may make them unwilling to undertake risks of operating and competing in a new and highly competitive market. Summing up the above, it is the end-user customers that Golden Bridge should pay close attention to. First of all, it is advised that a regular customer survey to be conducted to make a comprehension of customers preferences and what they really appreciate. The company should also emphasize the exclusiveness and unique utilities of their products, making it cost more for the customers to switching to other substitutes. In the meantime, though as mentioned the future trend seems favor wood flooring industry, Golden Bridge should cause enough value that the technology development is always indeterminate. Thus in order to avoid sudden shock of new technologies that brings in comparable substitutes, Golden Bridge should invest continuously in Research and Development to keep pace with the times. Threat of New Entrants: Threat of new entrants is moderate. As put by European Commission (2001), the main barriers to enter German market include certification approval and the quality standards and label, while the incentive to enter German market depends mainly on its impeccable infrastructure system. The extensive unified intensification, which has been mentioned before in PEST Analysis of German, increase the starting investment of new entry, accordingly has negative effect on new entrants to the market. There are totally fourteen member countries of European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP). Under the Single European Market policy, twelve of them have reached an agreement on moving goods, service and capital freely internally, giving companies in these markets strong mobility. To put it simpler, a flooring company located in Germany for example, can either choose to develop domestically or entre into either of the other 11 member countries of EFP, in support of the unified system. Once entering into the consolidated FEP, the new members deserve this privilege with little hindrance, however, the legal entry requirement, especially for flooring companies compliance with environmental protection, is said to be quite strict in European Market, which is especially true in Ge rmany. Thus it can be expected that in order to harmonize to European standards, a large quality of funds will be needed to invest in order to fulfilling the standards ranging from environmental protection to individual healthcare. What is more, the sophisticated infrastructures that Germany possesses nationwide make the market considerably attractive to those adventurous entrepreneurs. As known to all, Germany lays in the center of the Western Europe, with large-scale transportation centers such as International airport in Frankfurt and seaport in Hamburg (ELA, 2010). Centering in a fast and efficient logistic network covering almost all the main markets in Europe, flooring companies in Germany can procure raw materials namely timber on a global scale, and reach the external markets with relatively lower transportation costs. Therefore the threats of new entrants would be moderate in German flooring market. For Golden Bridge, the corporate should create a marketing and brand image and keep customers loyalty, tie up to both suppliers and distributors. More important, it should sign a patent to protect the intellectual property of their high-tech products. Buyer Power: Buyer power, which is determined by the individual customers ability in negotiating purchase prices with suppliers, is at an intermediate level in German market basing on four crucial reasons. Firstly, according to the previous analysis, competition in the wood flooring manufacturing is largely intensified by a large amount of incumbents. Hence, purchasers are more unrestricted in choosing their suppliers with considering competitive advantages of products, and price may be a decisive factor for some customers. However, it is important to note that Wholesalers have more bargaining power than individuals. Being the large-volume buyers, they are not only main customers where companies earn profits from, but also controllers of dominant distribution channels. By stark contrast, individual customers with smaller purchase volume may be positioned less vitally in suppliers minds. Secondly, the buyer power is attenuated by the availability of substitutes of wood flooring in German market. E xcept for this category of flooring, more choices are supplied on the market. Despite competition reinforces customers bargaining power, the phenomena of demand surplus in German wood flooring alleviates this circumstance. According to the research of European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP), the consumption of German wood flooring is about 17.88 million square meters, while the production of German wood flooring is only about 11.04 million square meters (Slides Stats 2008). In additionally, German culture also plays a significant role in lessening customers bargaining power. The spirit of the nation, such prudence and fixation lead to a fairly strict standardization in both work and life. Germans are used to calculating a precise price based on all dimensions. Hence, they dislike dealing with situations out of their planning, enabling bargaining become very difficult. Ten percentage cut in price is the biggest range they will agree in they dealing with foreign buyers. (LeMont Schmidt, 2001). Supplier Power: Supplier Power refers the power of suppliers to drive up the prices of raw materials, supplies, equipment or inputs. Your company purchases the glue, paint and equipment, and employs labors from Germany and imports the wood from Russia. There are some crucial factors performing low supplier power of your company. Firstly, German is not used to bargaining, which is mentioned in Buyer power. Hence, it is meaningless for German suppliers to drive up the price of material and equipment. Negotiating power is weak in Russia as well. Although the nation is one of the largest wood producers, there are a large number of wood suppliers ¼Ã…’which provide a strongly competitive circumstance in Russia. Admittedly wood is a kind of nature product so that customers are sensitive to the price of wood. Because of high standard of transparency, the switching cost is low in Russia. On the other hand, many substitutes with lower expenditures are becoming increasingly prevalent such as marble, carpet, plastic flooring. High standard of substitutes threat can restrict the suppliers to drive up the price and reduce the power of suppliers. However, high labor cost strengthens the supplier power. The German labor cost is one of the highest in world. According to Common Protocol of Salary, Labor wage need be determined by the negotiation between wood flooring industry and backwards industry (Fact about Germany, 1996). Therefore, the security of labor force is quite completed. Unions are powerful to argue with unfair wage or welfare. For example, Michael Sommer, the head of the trade union federation(DGB) , claimed that is necessary to increase labors wage with the upturn of economy in 2010( Guardian ¼Ã…’2010). Supplier power and buyer power, which exert a moderate threat on Golden Bridges development in German, can be alleviated through several ways. From one aspect, to limit bargaining power of large-volume wholesalers, the company should give priority to building up a distribution network itself by developing new franchisers rather than depending on the primary channels of wholesalers. In terms of individual customers as well as challenges from substitutes, enhancing the products benefits would be the most efficient way to reduce their bargaining desire as most of affluent people value quality more important than price. From the other aspects, labor relationship, the most considerable barrier in lessening German supplier power, should be harmonized through affording sufficient welfare to employees, as well as building a relative democratic organizational culture by the company. Moreover, it is supposed that importing a few skilled workers from China would benefit the company not only by more economical labor cost, but also reducing the significant dependence on the German labor market. Limitation of the 5-forces: Porters five-force model is not perfect but based on the assumption that from the view of any one firm, all the other firms no matter whether they are supplier, competitor or buyer are threats to the profitability. However, according to Brandenberger and Nalebuffs value net theory, interactions among firms can sometimes enhance profits. Thus critics raised and attentions on cooperation are much more paid. The cooperation between the Golden Bridge Company and other foreign flooring companies will be analyzed and evaluated in the later recommendation part. Recommendation By illustrating the German macroeconomic environment and its circumstance of flooring industry, it is thought that the most recommended strategy for Golden Bridge is to build a joint venture with one or several German covering floor manufacturing enterprises, whilst maintaining the manufacturing section and primary market system in China. Joint venture can be explained as a collaborative formation among companies that each party invests parts capabilities to constitute a new enterprise, thereafter determining the distribution of ownership according to corresponding contributions. Nevertheless, two preconditions should be taken into consideration before making an alliance with German incumbents. Firstly, as a dominant barrier in Chinese market, capital insufficiency would also limit the investment ability of Golden Bridge in German to a large extent. Consequently, small-to-medium incumbents are more desirable as cooperators rather than large-scale companies in terms of ensuring a rela tively high proportion of ownership of Golden Bridge in the new joint venture. Moreover, it is imperative to illustrate compatibility of potential partners based on a number of philosophic criteria, including similar experience, common principles and agreed future target as well (Kanter, 1994). Where extremely intensive competition takes place, German market would tend to pose more threats than opportunities on the Golden Bridge if the company attempts to entirely entry the market alone. In comparison, cooperating and aligning with local companies would be a much safer and efficient measure from two aspects. First, by giving joint ventures preferential treatment, the Golden Bridge gains a good opportunity to penetrate the German market in a relatively short period with minimum risks as the company is unnecessary to expose abundant long-term investments to gain market shares in German wood flooring industry. Instead, it can utilize those important strategic assets of local cooperators such as complete distribution channels, customer relationships and brand loyalty. Moreover, Golden Bridge is still deficient at technology and management comparing with the local German companies. Through setting up a joint venture, advanced technology and managerial know-how can be more easily accessible by Golden Bridge, which is beneficial to its development in China market as well. Nevertheless, possible issues relating to joint venture cannot be neglected by the Golden Bridge. First, operational dissimilarities caused by political and economic divergence between China and German may be a vital problem for Golden Bridge. For instance, blind spots in law or financial systems will damage the corporate profits at initial stage. Additionally, cultural and managerial difference may be difficult to consolidate as different authority, reporting and decision-making patterns (Kanter, 1994), therefore leading to possible mistrust and misunderstanding between Golden Bridge and its partners. It has been widely recognized that German managers are prudent and rigid in dealing with regulations and rarely consider the influences of the network relationship, which is fairly distinct from Chinese managers conceptions. Conclusion: In conclusion, according to the PESTEL analysis, there are a number of challenges in China. These challenges can be the unbalanced market condition in china because of local protectionism and insufficient infrastructures, under-developed technology and managerial skill led to the low efficiency of timber industry in China, Natural Forest Protection Program limits the domestic nature timbers supply as well as the increasing labor cost in flooring industry due to Chinas economy prosperous. The complexity of interrelationship of different parties involved in the business environment also cannot be neglected. The PESTEL analysis of German market was further conducted to make the assessment more comprehensive. Later the consultants use five-force model to assess threat of entering the German flooring market. For instance, the competitive rivalry and threat of entry in German flooring market is extremely high. In terms of threat of substitution, it is much more complex. The supplier power and buyer power are both at an intermediate level. However, Porters model is criticized for lacking of corporation with other market players. Thus, a recommendation is made by our consultancy company for Golden Bridge to organize a joint venture and thus with other reliable and competitive companies for instance, the Beamy International. Facts about Germany. (1996). Frankfurt am Main: Società ¤ts Verlag. LeMont Schmidt, P. (2001). Die amerikanische und die deutsche Wirtschaftskultur im Vergleich: Ein Praxisbuch fà ¼r Manager. Gà ¶ttingen: Hainholz Verlag. Guardian (2010) German steel workers demand 6% wage increase http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/14/germany-angela-merkel http://www.roadmap2010.eu/wisd/pdfs/68-81.pdf http://ecotec-energiesparhaus.de/Daten/Holztechnik-Forest-and-wood-industries-in%20Germany%20at-a-glance.pdf http://www.tarkett.com/group/en/company/Tarkett-at-a-glance http://www.homeinstitute.com/types-of-flooring.htm http://news.frbiz.com/parquet_floor_once_again_leading-440481.html http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004D0275:EN:NOT

Play Critique Essay

The main idea of this play, ‘The Voice of Turtles’ was finding truth and comfort in love despite the difficulties. That sounds similar to the main idea of my 1st critique’s play, ‘Romeo & Juliet’ but compare to that, this play was lighter and softer. This play took its setting in the main character Sally Middleton’s (Kate Woodruff) apartment in New York City, in 1943, and it was displayed well through their comforts and passionate times in the apartment. There were three characters in the play: Sally Middleton, Olive Lashbrooke, Bill Page. Sally Middleton was played by an actress named Kate Woodruff, and she was the only character who was in the beginning and the end. First, she started as a girl who had a little knowledge about things in this world, but as she met Bill and spent more and more time with him, she began to realize certain things and eventually acknowledges her true love, Bill. Kate Woodruff’s acting style expressing obtuseness and vulnerability perfectly fitted with Sally. However, Bill Page, who was performed by Jim Felton, was not developed well enough to capture the audience. I understood that Bill was the character who was optimistic and learned a lot through his experiences during the WWII, but he was not sharp enough to express that â€Å"well-experienced soldier† type of a guy. I could feel that he became more lovable and passionate towards the end, but it seemed like he didn’t fully understand his character. But Olive Lashbrooke, who was played by Lisa Perez, was another well developed character. She was the only character who had a major switch in her attitude in the middle of the play because she had a suspicion about the relationship between her friend Sally and â€Å"ex-lover† Bill. However, Lisa Perez does it really well with the consistent in the character by clearly displaying arrogant and flirtatious behaviors, and that consistent also gave reliability to the audience. The plot of play expanded with the timeline of late afternoon Friday to Sunday night, and although it was a short period of time, the story was comprehensibly displayed. It started with a basic idea that Bill and Olive were seeing each other, but Olive broke up with him at Sally’s house when he comes over, so Olive left her house. Bill had no one to spend time with and Sally was available so two of them spent time together. Olive became  suspicious about the relationship between Sally and Bill, so she visits Sally tries to win Bill back but Bill denies. Bill fell in love with Sally, who was unsure about the relationship. But Bill convinced her to work together in their relationship and Sally agrees at the end. Considering that happy end, there were few situations where it displayed opposite signs that their relationship might not work. There was a scene where Olive tried to interrupt the relationship between Sally and Bill, which caused Sally to think their relationship might be bad for her friendship with Olive. Also Sally was tired of promiscuous life and did not want to involve deeply with Bill. These situations made the play more appealing, which all worked out well at the end. The setting of the play, which was Sally’s apartment, helped her character to be more understandable. As I mentioned above, in the beginning part of the play, Sally started as a girl who had a little knowledge about this world, and this apartment setting made it looked like she spends most of her time in her apartment. Also it was her apartment that created an environment to be comforter and more honest for Sally. There was an emotional change of Olive when she became suspicious about the relationship between Sally and Bill, and in the scene where she came back to win Bill back, Olive wore an awful fur clothes. In many plays and films, fur clothes are usually wore by greedy and deceptive women and that costume added more to Olive’s characteristic. It was an interesting thing to see because they were explaining her characteristic through costume rather than words. Just like Olive’s costume, all other features of the play worked together very well to support the play. For example, the light, which shined on Bill’s face when he looked out the window, was supposed to be the moonlight, and it was amazing. He could just act like he was looking out the window, but when that light shined on his face, it just made me to think that I was in the apartment. Also the warm light on the set tied the apartment together and created a cozy feeling. I felt performances of Sally and Olive were great but not Bill’s performance. Most of the time, Sally—performed by Kate Woodruff—looked comfortable and I  think she intended to do that because the setting was her apartment. Her actions, such as the way she sit on her couch, cooking in the kitchen, and even her walks all seemed like what a woman in 20’s would be at home. Also when she was listening to Sally and Bill saying what happened outside of the apartment,—which is this world—she expressed her curiosity and interests with her facial expressions such as her eyes getting bigger and blinking her eyes quickly. Those performances told us that she had a lot to experience and learn from this world. On the other hand, Olive—performed by Lisa Perez—experienced a lot outside of the apartment, and used the high-pitched voice that helped her cocky and funny character. However the performance of Bill—played by Jim Felton—was not enough to express the character and generate interests. He was trying hard but I just could not sympathize with his lines. But overall, it was a good play. The audiences’ seats were so close to the stage and I really enjoyed being close to the characters.

Counselling Skills Essay

The counselling process is based on the exchange of emotions between the client and the counsellor which aims to form an alliance (Hough, 1998). It involves the counsellor using skills in which they possess in order to communicate effectively with clients (Hough, 1998). This reflective essay clearly articulates my application of counselling skills used in this practice session and suggestions for improvement. It will provide a summary of the session, identification of a range of skills used and a brief explanation of the reasons for using the skill. It will also provide an evaluation of my application of the skills chosen, including verbatim examples, suggestions for improvement, also including verbatim examples to demonstrate what could have been said or done and an overall reflection of my effectiveness as a counsellor and the implications for future reference. My client met with me for 20 minutes to discuss an issue she had based on her sense of balance in relation to her study and other commitments. She felt it wasn’t going very well and she came to counselling to talk about strategies that would make her life easier. During the session I tried to demonstrate skills learnt in counselling skills 1 and 2. The skills that I reflect on include non verbal communication, development of rapport, active listening, paraphrasing and open ended questions. My use of non verbal communication was effective as I greeted my client with a positive hand shake and a smile to ensure security when entering the room. I feel I succeeded in my active listening skills as I demonstrated my listening through non verbal eye contact and nodding. I paraphrased my client’s statements effectively to demonstrate my understanding of her issue. However, I feel I needed to decrease the amount of times I stroked my hair and used negative expressions to ensure my security and confidence towards my client. I also needed to be aware of how I asked my open ended questions by excluding questions beginning with the word ‘why’. Finally I needed to be clear and concise when terminating and reflecting on the session. At the beginning of the counselling session, I tried to adopt an open and positive attitude towards my client. I demonstrated this by employing the use of non verbal communication to assist in the creation of the joining relationship. Non verbal communication refers to communication without words (DeVito, 2010). Joining with a client refers to a meaningful and constructive relationship that has developed with a counsellor and a client (Armstrong, 2006). The most crucial part of the joining process occurs within the first 60 seconds of meeting the client (Armstrong, 2006). Within seconds of meeting my client, I greeted her with a positive hand shake and a smile. As a counsellor moves towards the client to greet them, this will in some way affect their feelings towards the counsellor and their confidence inside them (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). I decided to use non verbal messages towards my client to ensure comfort when entering a new environment. I also thought by demonstrating these messages I would establish a sense of rapport. Rapport refers to the harmonious communication between a client and their counsellor (Hough, 1998). By using the usual person-to-person encounter, expressing equality, I thought my client would feel secure when ready to communicate. It was effective as she responded with the usual positive hand shake and smile. Further along in the session, I felt I was using a skill known as active listening. Active listening refers to the observation of the client’s non verbal behaviour as well as the understanding of their verbal content and meaning (Hough, 1998). I demonstrated this through verbal and non verbal communication. I tried to monitor her feedback and secured my attention with the use of my focused eye communication. Eye contact is considered to be an expression of genuineness and honesty and when glancing directly at one’s face; this demonstrates a high interest in the interaction (DeVito, 2010). I was nodding when my client was explaining her issue and I made use of minimal expressions. A good way to let a client know you are listening is by the use of minimal responses including expressions and non verbal responses that occur in our everyday conversations (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). For example at the beginning of the session my client said â€Å"†¦ , Sometimes I feel I choose my job or something else in my life over my uni†¦ † I replied by nodding and made use of the expression â€Å"Mm-hmm†. I demonstrated this skill to allow the client to speak without interruptions and to verbally express my interest in her issue. Another skill I used within this session is a technique also known as paraphrasing. Paraphrasing refers to stating in one’s own words what they think the client means helping to ensure their understanding and interest in the client (DeVito, 2010). I felt that I demonstrated this when the client said â€Å"As the term progresses I get lazier, but at the beginning of the semester I am productive, and it feels rewarding when I do, do well nd I feel better about myself and everyone is proud of me as well when I get the results and stuff, but there’s this thing that comes into my mind that said I can’t do this and maybe I start rethinking about staying in uni and I start considering dropping it, so I can have more free time. † I reply by saying â€Å"Ok so you are saying that it is kind of a relief when the work is done, however you are finding it hard to kind of keep up, and maybe you don’t have the will power or the drive to continue this planning all the way through the semester. † The client replied saying â€Å"Ye that’s right†¦ I demonstrated this skill to ensure the meaning of my client’s statement was true, resulting in a positive response. During the session I noticed I demonstrated a hair stroking gesture. According to Eunson (2008) the hair stroking gesture is a shorthand way of showing insecurity. I felt that I was feeling a bit nervous at the beginning of the session only due to the recording taking place. I need to be self aware about how I come across to the speaker and how the speaker interprets my non verbal behaviour (Brems, 2001). For future reference, to allow the speaker to discern easily, I need to decrease hand gestures. Moreover, I found when I was communicating verbally I would use an insecure expression such as â€Å"umm†¦ † a number of times during the session. I was a little nervous at the beginning; however as the session progressed my use of that expression did decrease demonstrating I was feeling more confident in what I was saying and through the positive responses from my client. In time and through experience, this feeling will pass as I grow and develop, however I will need to hide my feelings so I can build a stronger relationship with my client. In addition, I found I made use of open ended questions throughout the session. Open ended questions explore the clients issue in greater depth (Hough, 1998). I demonstrated this when I asked â€Å"What is it that makes you feel that you can’t do it? † My client was then able to explore her reasons for the word â€Å"cant† by responding â€Å"I don’t know, I just feel when the term progresses I get lazier†¦ † I feel this allowed her to explore her main area in relation to her issue. However, later on in the session I asked â€Å"Why do you think you can’t continue this behaviour for the rest of the semester? According to Geldard & Geldard (2001) in response to such questions clients tend to look for an intellectually thought out response, rather than centring on what is occurring internally. To allow the client to elaborate for future reference I could ask â€Å"What is it that is stopping you from continuing this behaviour all the way through the semester? † During the session I tried to help my client develop a strategy for enabling a better future. Strategies are actions that help clients to accomplish their goals (Egan, 2010). When my client said â€Å"†¦ I feel it may also be that I am worried about coming home and doing my work on the computer and getting headaches and migraines†¦ † I asked my client â€Å"Have you ever considered checking your eyes at the optometrist? † She replied by saying â€Å"Yea I have†¦ and they said everything is alright†¦ † I then replied â€Å"Let’s try to explore some other options here, how about instead of using the computer all the time, maybe you can try and print out all of your readings for the semester, rather than using the computer as your resource, use writing pads and paper†¦ She responded by saying â€Å"That’s a good idea actually, it’s funny that you said that because at the beginning of the semester†¦ I spent time at the library printing off all my readings and all my learning guides and I sort of bound them professionally so then I can be organised†¦ but I didn’t think of it in the context of not being on the computer to help with my migraines†¦ † When exploring options with my client I found it was effective as she agreed with the new strategy and said she had put it in place for other reasons, however it made her realise it was a useful tool for this issue. Moreover, I attempted to conclude the session by specifying a time and reflecting on what was discussed, however I feel I didn’t end the session well and my closing statement wasn’t clear. I ended the session by saying â€Å"We have a couple of minutes left; I hope we can continue this in the next coming session, but I hope we have kind of resolved something today. We have had our options open with the prioritising thing, at least we know now that it is about prioritising, so we need to try and structure that and say this is my first priority†¦ nd once that is stuck in your head then hopefully we can progress and next time after you try these strategies at home and it still isn’t working then we can fall back on ways in which you can open up your time†¦ † It is sometimes important for the counsellor to provide a summary of the information discussed by the client to serve as a natural ending (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). Prior to concluding the session I felt another topic was introduced too late when the client said â€Å"That’s been really helpful, maybe we just find a way to prioritise my stuff† I replied by saying â€Å"†¦ With prioritising, in your life what is highest on your list? † It is important to avoid introducing new subjects at this stage, and if the client introduces a different topic or to extend the topic, schedule this for discussion in the next session (Hough, 1998). I could have ended the session without appearing intrusive or insensitive if I said â€Å"We have ten minutes left. Maybe we could look at what you have said so far, and highlight any points which you would like to talk about in your next session. † I feel this would have given a more clear termination to the session and would have provided a clear and concise summary. Upon reflection of the session, I believe my strengths lie in my ability to develop and maintain rapport. This was evident when I greeted the client using verbal and non verbal communication skills. I demonstrated a non verbal hand shake and smile to ensure my client’s comfort and security when entering a new environment. I believe my strengths also lie in the use of active listening. I demonstrated this through the use of non verbal eye contact and nodding when the client was speaking and through the use of paraphrasing. My learning edge is to be able to sit comfortably without too many hair stroking gestures and insecure verbal expressions to allow the client to feel that she isn’t being disturbed. Finally I need to ensure I conclude my session demonstrating a clear termination and concise summary. In conclusion, during the session I used a range of skills learnt in counselling skills 1 and 2. I demonstrated the use of a non verbal handshake and smile when greeting my client ensuring security and the establishment of rapport. I was able to demonstrate active listening when nodding and maintaining eye contact. I condensed my client statements showing my true understanding when paraphrasing. However, I needed to ensure I decreased insecure verbal and non verbal expressions to ensure the comfort of my client. I also felt I needed to choose the correct way in asking an open ended question, without using the word ‘why’ demonstrating my initial focus on her issue alone. Lastly I needed to correctly conclude my session by clearly and concisely summarising my client’s issue.