The Relationship Between Attention And Child Television...

The Relationship between Learning, Attention, and Children Television Programs Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Specific Aims The specific objective of this study is to establish the relationship between attention and child television programs by improving on existing research. The study aims to focus on the impact of different types of television on the cognitive attention of children. Children’s education and development are important topics, and parents always want to educate their children in the best possible way. Nowadays, children spend a lot of time watching television; however, most parents are not so confused about how to select television shows for their children. Naturally, they want their†¦show more content†¦Usually, there are two kinds of children television shows, live action shows and cartoons. There has emerged research, which argued that viewing television cartoons could have immediate negative effects on young children’s cognitive function including self-regulation and working memory (Lillard and Peterson, 2011). Therefore, watching cartoons is not a good idea to entertain children. There is increased concern that increased exposure to television has a negative impact on the cognitive development of a child. It has been linked to late language development and the development of attention disorders (Landhuis, Poulton, Welch Hancox, 2007). A majority of studies conducted on the impact of television have not compared different types of content. According to the CDC, the number of children getting ADHD is rising rapidly (CDC, 2015). Correspondingly, research has indicated that there is an increasing number of children watching cartoons such as â€Å"SpongeBob†, â€Å"Bob’s burgers† and â€Å"The Simpsons.† Most of the parents are extremely worried about the impact of the content that their children watch on television because of warning from research findings. They are also worried about the children live action shows such as â€Å"Kid Nation,† â€Å"Sesame Street† and â€Å"Teletubbies†? In our study, we are going to test if the live action

Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus Free Essays

Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus Overview The Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling provides a rigorous and integrated set of quantitative tools to understand and ex plain financial instruments, financial risk and corporate value and the fundamentally important relationship between them. The emphasis throughout is on t he practical modelling of real life problems and opportunities. Techniques such as no-arbitrage pricing, duration, convexity and portfolio analysis – including the trade-off between risk and return – are explained and applied. We will write a custom essay sample on Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus or any similar topic only for you Order Now The course analyses the use of options for financial risk management, and the valuation of different types of option using binomial pricing models, the Black Scholes model and other techniques. It also int roduces and applies Value at Risk measures, their potential us es and their limitations. Study Unit 1 – Fundamental concepts in financial maths and modelling Study Unit 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of financial maths and modelling in the five areas of: interest rat e mathematics; modelling the values of a series of fixed or growing future cashflows; modelling the term structure of int erest rates using no arbitrage relationships; selected issues in probability and statistical models; and modelling the maths of Value at Risk. Study Unit 2 – Modelling the maths of debt Study Unit 2 looks at modelling the maths of debt in the main areas of: present values, fut ure cash flows, timing and risk; and interest rat e sensitivity and duration models, in particular value relationships with respect to yield, maturity, coupon rate and coupon frequency. Study Unit 3 – Modelling the maths of foreign exchange Study Unit 3 introduces the c oncepts of modelling t he maths of foreign exchange in the four areas of: quoting conventions; hedging using forward foreign exchange cont racts; the relationships bet ween foreign exchange rates, interest rates and inflation rates and applying VaR to foreign exchange risk management. Study Unit 4 – Modelling the maths of derivatives Study Unit 4 covers the maths and modelling of derivatives in t he two areas of: int roduction to derivatives mathematics; and modelling capital market swap mathematics. Study Unit 5 – Modelling the maths of options Study Unit 5 covers the maths and modelling of options in the four areas of: option payoff mathematics; option payoff maths in the context of hedging; option valuation modelling; and options arbitrage and the put-call parity relationship. Study Unit 6 – Modelling the maths of portfolios and corporate finance Study Unit 6 introduces the fundamental concepts of modelling the maths of port folios and corporate finance in the t wo areas of: modelling port folios – analysis of risk and return, and modelling for corporate finance – corporate valuation and the impact of changing capit al structure. Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) Study Unit 1 – Fundamental concepts in financial maths and modelling Unit introduction 1. 0. 1 Notation and rules of algebra 1. 0. 2 Financial modelling Section 1 – Interest rate mathematics 1. 1. 1 Interest calculations and quoting convention s 1. 1. 2 The time-value relationship Section 2 – Modelling values of a series of future cashflows 1. 2. 1 Infinite series cashflows (perpetuities) and their valuation 1. 2. Finite series cashflows (annuities) and their valuation Section 3 – Modelling the term structure of interest rate s: no arbitrage relationships 1. 3. 1 Zero coupon, forward and par structures of interest rates: different forms of yield curves 1. 3. 2 No arbitrage relationships between zero coupon, forward and par rates Section 4 – Probability and stati sti cal models: selected issue s 1. 4. 1 Measures of central location (or central tendency), dispersion and correlation 1. 4. 2 Frequency distributions in theory and in practice Section 5 – Modelling the maths of Value at Risk 1. . 1 Modelling the maths of Value at Risk for single risks 1. 5. 2 Extending the modelling of Value at Risk Study Unit 2 – Modelling the maths of debt Section 1 – Short term debt 2. 1. 1 Short term debt issuers, market participants and market conventions 2. 1. 2 Calculation of interest and valuation of short term debt instruments Section 2 – Longer term debt 2. 2. 1 Analysis and valuation of bonds 2. 2. 2 Real interest rates and inflation indexing Section 3 – Interest rate sensitivity and duration models 2. 3. Duration and int erest rat e price sensitivity, relative and absolute measures 2. 3. 2 Interest rate immunisation, convexity and modified convexity Study Unit 3 – Modelling the maths of foreign exchange Section 1 – Foreign exchange mathematics 3. 1. 1 Converting between currencies: using spot foreign exchange rates 3. 1. 2 Converting between currencies: determining and using forward foreign exchange rat es 3. 1. 3 The maths of foreign exchange risk management 3. 1. 4 Applying Value at Risk to foreign exchange risk management Study Unit 4 – Modelling the maths of derivatives Section 1 – Introduction to derivative s mathematics 4. 1. 1 Payoffs for fixing derivatives and options 4. 1. 2 The maths of FRAs: cashflows, hedging, valuation and basis risk 4. 1. 3 Futures contracts: cashflows, hedging and valuation Section 2 – Modelling swap mathematics 4. 2. 1 The maths of capital market swaps including interest rate swaps 4. 2. 2 The maths of cross-currency interest rate swaps  © Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) Study Unit 5 – Modelling the maths of options Section 1 – Option payoff mathematics 5. 1. 1 Payoffs from trading strategies with single options 5. 1. 2 Payoffs from trading strategies involving more than one option Section 2 – Option payoff maths: hedging and hedged results achieved 5. 2. 1 Hedging a portfolio: options plus underlying asset/(liability) 5. 2. 2 Hedging corporate exposures with options Section 3 – Option valuation modelling 5. 3. 1 Binomial option valuation models 5. 3. 2 Black Scholes option pricing model 5. 3. 3 Arbitrage and the put-call parity relationship Study Unit 6 – Modelling the maths of portfolios and corporate finance Section 1 – Modelling portfolios: analysi s of ri sk and return 6. 1. 1 Modelling simple port folios: analysis of risk and return 6. 1. 2 Modelling multi-asset port folios portfolios including liabilities Section 2 – Modelling for corporate finance 6. 2. 1 Modelling the cost of corporate capital 6. 2. 2 Modelling the relationship between corporate value and capital structure 6. 2. 3 Modelling corporate valuation  © Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) How to cite Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus, Papers

Alignment of IT Functions and Business Processes †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Alignment of IT Functions and Business Processes. Answer: Introduction Many organizations all over the world today have welcomed the idea of information technology integration, and the organizations are increasingly becoming dependent on the IT in conducting their basic activities (Chan Reich, 2007). The alignment process can be described as a mutual synchronization of the objectives and the goals of the business and the services of Information Technology. Notably, it is challenging to achieve the complete alignment of both the business functions and the IT services (McCubbrey, 1999). This is because of the many and random changes that are happening in the world of business and the Information Technology environment. Business and IT alignment have been a critical issue since the early 1970s and many stakeholders which includes; consultants and IT and business executives have over the years tried resolving the issues that hinder the success of this alignment (Ali Green, 2009). It is also important to note that these stakeholders have regarded the alignment process as being a difficult process for several reasons which include; differences in the objectives of different organizations, communication gap, inflexible organization structure and lack of proper methodologies to handle the problem (Ali Green, 2009). Most importantly to note, it needs great effort for IT to comprehensively provide all the services that are required in an organization when the organizations are rapidly diverting their goals and objectives on a daily basis. Additionally, both business and IT are related to the fact that IT provides all the services that are required in all the levels of business to facilitate achievement of its objectives and goals. In order to heighten the alignment process there are issues that need to be addressed these includes; understanding of business strategy, fostering a strong and complex cultural relationship between business and IT, sustaining effective communication between all the groups, the strategies of both the business and IT must be clearly understood, both business strategy and It strategy must always provide support to each other and all the groups in either of the sides must have trust (Braun Winter, 2007 ). Below are some of the challenges that are experienced in the alignment of IT and business functions. Alignment Challenges Inappropriate methodologies by The International Foods Group (IFG) can substantially undermine the process of alignment (Scott, 2000). The organization compares its activities with Glow-Foods Company and then decides that it has to implement such a system that is similar to that of IFG. This is without any market research or analysis its business activities. IFG like most of other organizations rarely makes full use of IT capabilities. The only technology they use is a website that they use to advertise where customers can find their products and come nutritional recipe. Similarly to other organizations which used IT for back-office operations and regarded it as an expenditure other than a booster of business value (Scott, 2000). There are organizational factors that greatly undermine the alignment process, in many organizations, the formal information systems strategies are controlled and made by the senior management. In the case of IFG Tonya is seen taking part in the alignment pr ocess although she is busy to commit to it fully. In many organizations, this results to a misunderstanding of the business plan by both lower and middle-level management. In this regard, it is important to note that unclear business strategies like duplicating other organizations alignment plan may hinder IT-business alignment. Personal and group involvement is essential in developing clear business strategies. Also, the existing and current techniques of alignment have not captured the real advantages of alignment (Baker Niederman, 2014). In the case of The International Food Group IFG, the benefits developing the information system have not been outlined the management is only focused on developing a system that works similarly to those systems that are used in the Glow-Foods company. Similarly to other organizations, this has consequently affected the alignment of IT and business functions in most of the organizations. Most of the techniques used in developing the systems do not understand that business is not a constant entity rather it is active and keeps on changing its processes and also different organizations have different have different requirements and information system working for one company may not work for another company (Baker Niederman, 2014). Instead of driving the business many techniques follow the business. Most of the researchers and experts feel that most of the a lignment methods that are in existence are business-driven and instead they feel that they should mostly be IT-driven. For this reason, more attention should be focused on IT to determine how IT can be implemented to offer better support to the organization. Most of the researchers conducted are focused mainly on the IT side rather than the business side. Poor or inadequate understanding of the alignment process also hinders that process of linking both IT and business functions (Galup, Dattero, Quan Conger, 2009). In this case, both Ahern and Tonya dont seem to understand the processes need to align their company IFG, and it is for this reason that they have to rely on Josh who seems to have some experience out of his past work experiences (Silvius, 2008). The best conceptualization of alignment is the changing state in which organizations can effectively make use of IT processes to achieve the goals and the objectives of the organization and also to enable the organizations to compete with their competitors effectively like in this case hoe IFG want to compete with the Glow-Foods. If Information Technology is not implemented in a manner that it helps in providing the required services in an organization, then the alignment of the business and the IT is not effective (Galup, Dattero, Quan Conger, 2009). According to Henderson Venk atraman, 1993 they say that alignment cannot be considered as a single entity and explain that it has several phases which represent specific parts of the business organization. Improper understanding of what alignment entails will compromise the alignment of IT and business functions. Organizations heads and employees should comprehensively understand the whole processes involved in alignment to get to integrate both IT functions and business functions effectively. Lack of encouragement from colleague workers. In this case, Tonya is heard pledging her support to Josh who will help in developing the new system. However, she cautions him that not everyone in the organization will be supporting him in the development of the new system. This is a common trend in many organizations that aim at improving their technological advancements (Luftman, 2003). This is because many employees may fear to lose their jobs and there are those who do it because of jealous. Lack of support for the systems development team may negatively impact on the development process thus interfering with the alignment process (Luftman, 2003). In this case, the IFG Company may have difficulties in developing the systems because of the opposition that Josh is expected to receive from the companys employees. Copying of innovative technologies and lack of research many compromises the alignment process of an organization. In this case, Tonya is heard addressing Josh and his team that they should remain vigilant on the ground and report to the management about any innovative technologies that can work for IFG organization. It is clear that IFG is not undertaking any research to understand what the users need and know how they will develop their systems. Rather they keep on copying what other organizations are doing like the case of Glow-Foods Company, and in this case, Tonya instructs the team that they should also report any advancements in technology that they think can be applied in IFG. Copying informational system without conducting proper research may hinder the alignment process of the organization this is because not all information systems that work for one organization can work for another. Therefore organizations need to develop a culture of conducting research and developing th eir systems that respond to their organizational requirements and systems that will help them meet the objects and the goals of the organization Recommendations for challenges facing alignment The best way of achieving the alignment process is by developing information systems that aid the managers, the businesses, and all the other stakeholders to efficiently and effectively meet the objectives and the goals of the business (Ordanini Pol, 2001). Developers and engineers of information systems find it hard and challenging in developing information systems that can effectively and comprehensively meet the business expectations of an organization in a dynamic environment. If proper and effective information systems are not developed, they can lead to misalignment of an organization. Some of the factors that can make organizations fail to get aligned with IT include; making of IT decision by business executive who have no or little knowledge concerning IT process can lead to misalignment of organization, in other organizations Information Technology managers are involved in making decisions yet they little knowledge about the needs of the business the other main reason than contributing to the misalignment of the business is that there are disagreements and lack of trust between the IT managers and business executives, their relationship leads to the suffering of the organization. This section will examine some of the tools that should be used in modeling and development of information system to facilitate the alignment of business, and IT functions. Requirement Engineering Requirement engineering plays a major role in the development any system. The main objective of requirement engineering is identified both the user and system requirements. The processes involved in requirement engineering includes: elicitation- during this activity, the needs of the user and the needs of the business are examined, requirement analysis- this activity is used to examine the feasibility of the collected requirements, documentation- during this activity, the requirement of the stakeholders are documented in a formal document, validation- this particular activity makes it possible for the developers and engineers to determine whether the developed system is in line with the requirements of the proposed system, requirement management- during this activity all the changes in the requirements are captured and traced (Silvius, 2008). Requirement engineering in relation Information Technology and business alignment it can be implemented to capturing all necessary information of information system and business requirement engineering. For this reason, proper requirement engineering-based models should be developed to help in the alignment process. These models will help in explaining the different activities involved such as requirement elicitation- this should clarify the objects and the goals of the organization that the system under development should meet, requirement negotiation- this activity explore the different goals of the business in perspective of all the stakeholders and aid in defining agreement on the system requirements and the user requirements. Requirement specification- this activity outlines the system behavior that the system should have and also should describe the context of the company that is to use the system, requirement validation- this activity is aimed at ensuring that the final requirements of the system meet the expected requirements. Component-based system development It is with no doubts that developing an information system that is meant to meet the objectives and the goals of an organization in a rapidly changing environment is a hard task. Component-based development of information systems ensures fast and reliable development (Saunders Jones, 1992). This system development model makes it possible to develop different modules of the system, different testing of the modules and also ensures that the models are in a position to meet the requirements that are designed for and then the integration of the different models. Most importantly, component-based development makes it possible to subdivide the objectives of complex systems into small objectives which are meant to be achieved by the modules (Saunders Jones, 1992). This is key in the development of information systems for facilitating alignment of IT and business in an organization since the different business processes are carefully subdivided depending on their requirements, and then the processes are developed by the engineers in modules (Scott, 1961). Component-based also facilitates the reusability of the modules in case such systems are to be developed for another organization that has the same objectives as the first organization. Component-based development facilitates the alignment of business and IT functions of an organization as it is easy to replace, reuse, and maintain the existing components to align with the changes that may occur in the dynamic business environment Software Product Line Engineering Technology SPLE Integration of technology in the development of systems to aid in alignment of business and Information Technology is a great idea that is aimed at helping organizations to improve the alignment of their organizations (McCubbrey, 1999). The SPLE technology demonstrates the best processes of developing IT-based products at a less cost and within a short period producing systems and products that are of high quality (McCubbrey, 1999). In the context of aligning IT process with business activities, the features of SPLE can be of great importance to the organization. Most of the organizations put more emphasis in enhancing the performance of their IT departments, and therefore they raise their expectations regarding the capabilities associated with technological advancements. The main reason as to why SPLE should be integrated into alignment is because it reduces the cost associated with the development of information systems that facilitate the alignment process (McCubbrey, 1999). The a dvantages of using SPLE is that helps in improving the quality of the systems developed, and also it aids in testing the product line independently. SPLE technology is recommended for all organizations including those whose financial capability is low because it helps in developing information systems at a lower cost. Most importantly is simplifies complex systems and also facilitates the reusability of code so the organization can always change the functions of the information system with ease to match the requirement of the dynamic business environment. By so doing the alignment process will not be compromised. Business process management A business process is activities that take place within an organization and leads to layout business output. The business process always identifies the user needs and provides the services that meet the user needs (Ullah Lai, 2011). On the other side, business process management is a set interlinked process that works together to facilitate the achievement of business objects and both short-term and long-term goals (Ullah Lai, 2011). Business process management provides a systematic approach that can be effectively used manage the processes that take place within an organization (Sawhney, Prandelli Verona, 2003). Business process management is important and effective because it can be used to manage the changes that take place in a dynamic business environment thus facilitating alignment in both static and dynamic environment (Sawhney, Prandelli Verona, 2003). The main advantage that can be achieved by using business process management is that it structures and organizes the work flow of activities in an organization in a way that organization objectives and goals can be effectively achieved. Proper management of business activities can help in implementing effective alignment processes. Business process modeling tools In information systems and business engineering, business process modeling is the activities that represent organizational processes to effectively analyze manage and carry out changes that may be required in the systems processes (Skoularidou Spinellis, 2003). There are several business modeling tools that can be implemented to help in managing processes in an organization which is in a dynamic environment. Some of the most useful tools used in businesses and information systems include; six sigma- which works by effectively by identifying and improving areas of business processes. Another tool that is commonly employed in SWOT analysis- it consists of modeling tools that are used in analyzing both resources and the environment of the organization or the business. Such tools are key in ensuring that an organization remains focused on implementing alignment processes. The tools can help in case the activities and processes of the business keep on varying. In conclusion, this report focuses on the alignment of business functions and IT functions. The report has examined some of the challenges that hinder the alignment processes and also it has explained some of the techniques that can be applied to overcome the challenges that are encountered by organizations during alignment. If these strategies are used effectively applied then organizations can effectively ensure that organization remains aligned even in the most dynamic environments. References Ali, S., Green, P. (2009). IT governance mechanisms in public sector organisations: An Australian context. Handbook of Research on Information Management and the Global Landscape, 458-478. Baker, E. W., Niederman, F. (2014). Integrating the IS functions after mergers and acquisitions: Analyzing business-IT alignment. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 23(2), 112-127. Braun, C., Winter, R. (2007, March). Integration of IT service management into enterprise architecture. In Proceedings of the 2007 ACM symposium on Applied computing (pp. 1215-1219). ACM. Chan, Y. E., Reich, B. H. (2007). IT alignment: what have we learned?. Journal of Information technology, 22(4), 297-315. Galup, S. D., Dattero, R., Quan, J. J., Conger, S. (2009). An overview of IT service management. Communications of the ACM, 52(5), 124-127. Luftman, J. (2003). Assessing IT/business alignment. Information Systems Management, 20(4), 9-15. Luftman, J., Kempaiah, R. (2007). An Update on Business-IT Alignment:" A Line" Has Been Drawn. MIS Quarterly Executive, 6(3). McCubbrey, D. J. (1999). Disintermediation and reintermediation in the US air travel distribution industry: a Delphi study. Communications of the AIS, 1(5es), 3. Saunders, C. S., Jones, J. W. (1992). Measuring performance of the information systems function. Journal of Management Information Systems, 8(4), 63-82. Sawhney, M., Prandelli, E., Verona, G. (2003). The power of innomediation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 44(2), 77. Scott, J. E. (2000). Facilitating interorganizational learning with information technology. Journal of Management information systems, 17(2), 81-113. Scott, W. G. (1961). Organization theory: an overview and an appraisal. The Journal of the academy of Management, 4(1), 7-26. Skoularidou, V., Spinellis, D. (2003). Security architectures for network clients. Information management computer security, 11(2), 84-91. Silvius, A. J. (2008). The Business Value of IT: A Conceptual Model for Selecting Valuation Methods. Communications of the IIMA, 8(3), 57. Ordanini, A., Pol, A. (2001). Infomediation and competitive advantage in B2B digital marketplaces. European Management Journal, 19(3), 276-285. Ullah, A., Lai, R. (2011). Modeling business goal for business/it alignment using requirements engineering. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 51(3), 21-28.

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Essay Example

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Essay The Towers of Hanoi is an ancient mathematical game. The aim of this coursework is to try to identify patterns and rules associated with the game and explain them in mathematical terms. The definitions and rules are: Rules: * There are only three positions a disc can be placed. Poles A, B or C. * A disc can only go on top of a larger one. (I.e. Disc A can only go on top of Discs B and C, but Disc B cannot go on top of disc A) We will write a custom essay sample on Queen Elizabeth Grammar School specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Queen Elizabeth Grammar School specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Queen Elizabeth Grammar School specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer * The object of the game is to get all the discs to move from pole A to pole B of C in the least number of moves. * Only one disc may be moved at a time. Finding Formula A Number Of Discs Least Number Of Moves Previous term (Doubled) 1 1 2 3 2 3 7 6 4 15 14 5 31 30 6 63 62 7 127 126 8 255 254 From looking at the table it is quite clear that there is a pattern linking the number of discs and the least number of moves. It is clear that there is an element of doubling involved, as the least number of moves nearly doubles each time. When I add the extra column see above, it is clear that there is a doubling element involved. When I look again, I can see that the pattern is the previous term doubled plus 1. This can be expressed mathematically as: Un = 2(Un-1) +1 This can be shown in: 1. For 1 disc, it takes 1 move to move disc A from pole 1 to pole 3; 2. For 2 discs, it takes 3 moves: 2(Un-1) +1 = 2(1) + 1 = 3 3. For 3 discs, it takes 7 moves: 2(Un-1) +1= 2(3) + 1 = 7 4. For 4 discs, it takes 15 moves: 2(Un-1) +1= 2(7) + 1 = 15 5. For 5 discs, it takes 31 moves: 2(Un-1) +1= 2(15) + 1 = 31 To understand how this works, coding is needed to see how a disc moves individually. Coding should show me the patterns involved and then I should be able to justify my formula based on this. Coding is on the next page. Coding Number of Discs: 2 3 4 5 Disc Moving: A A A A B B B B A A A A C C C A A A B B B A A A D D A A B B A A C C A A B B A A E A B A C A B A D A B A C A B A From my coding it is now clearer why that formula is that particular formula. It can be seen that there is symmetry involved in each pattern. The symmetry is always about the name of the bottom disc. I.e. with 3 discs the symmetry is about disc C and this is the bottom disc From the coding, I can also see that the pattern of moves for 2 discs is present in the beginning of 3 discs, 4 discs etc. The pattern for 3 discs is also in the pattern for 4 discs and so on. This is can therefore be explained as: In n number of discs where n is greater than 2, the first three moves will always be ABA. This is because the n-1 discs pattern is included in the n pattern. We have (Un-1), because we take into account the previous terms pattern when making the next tower. We have the 2 term because this pattern is repeated twice, firstly to deconstruct the tower and then to rebuild the tower on top of the bottom disc. We have the +1 term because this is where the bottom disc moves from Pole A to Poles B or C. This can be demonstrated when we move three tiles. ABA This is the move pattern for 2 tiles (Un-1). This allows C to be able to move. C This is when the bottom tile moves and we therefore get the +1 from. ABA This is where the doubling element comes in as well as the n-1 discs moves pattern. This is where the tower is rebuilt on top of disc C. So overall, we get the formula: 2(Un-1) +1 There are limitations to this however. Un-1 has to be an integer because we cannot have 3.5 moves. Un-1 has to also be equal to or greater than 0 and has to be an integer because the formula wouldnt work as the result would be negative and we cannot have a negative number of moves. Formula B Finding the formula that shows how many times a certain disc moves From formula A I now have a basis on which to work. Given a certain number of discs I need to be able to say how many times a desired disc moves. Firstly, I need to analyze my results from the coding. Disc: Disc A Disc B Disc C Disc D Disc E Disc F Total Number of times each disc moves: 3 Discs 4 2 1 7 4 Discs 8 4 2 1 15 5 Discs 16 8 4 2 1 31 6 Discs 32 16 8 4 2 1 63 We can also once again see a pattern here. There is a doubling, well halving element involved depending on which way you look at it. The table above shows how many times a certain disc moves. Whenever a new disc is added to the sequence, such as in Disc 4, the number of moves for Disc A doubles. I.e. As you go down the table the number of moves for each disc doubles. When I look at the results, I notice that they are all from the 2n pattern. Therefore I can come up with the relationship for the number of times each disc moving being: Number of times a certain disc moves = 2n-d with d being the disc number. So in Disc A, the number for d would be 1, as this is the first disc. Disc B would be 2 etc. In the series for 6 discs, the terms would be Disc A: 2n-d = 26-1 = 32 Disc B: 2n-d = 26-2 = 16 Disc C: 2n-d = 26-3 = 8 Disc D: 2n-d = 26-4 = 4 Disc E: 2n-d = 26-5 = 2 Disc F: 2n-d = 26-6 = 1 This therefore works. Now I have to prove that this works. We can see that Disc B always moves half as many times as Disc A. If we do 2n we get how many times Disc A Moves always. If we do 2n-2 we get how many times disc B moves always. This is because as we take more away from 2n we get smaller and smaller until it ultimately converges to 0. Taking 1 away from this halves the number of moves; whereas taking 2 away quarters the number of moves. Disc B always moves less times than Disc A because of the recurring pattern. A has to move more times, because it has to keep going on top of the larger tiles as the rules state. A has more options to move than B because it is smaller. There are limitations to this however, because we cannot have d being greater than n because the formula would not work. It wouldnt work because we cannot have half of a move or a quarter of a move. We cannot also have n being less than 1 because of the same principal. The number of moves and the disc number have to also be an integer because we cannot have Disc A moving 3.5 times. The Link The series above is a geometric series. I know this because the difference is different each time. The general way to write a geometric series is: General: a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + arn-1 The terms: a is the starting number in the sequence. I will use a 6 tiled sequence so my starting number from the table will be 32 as this is the number of times disc A moves. Ratio r This is the amount that a is multiplied to get the next term. So 32 is multiplied by 0.5 to get 16. Our sequence is: S= 32 + 16 + 8 4 +2 +1 To get the sum of a geometric sequence, we need to multiply by the common ratio (0.5) S = a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + + arn-1 rS = a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + +arn-1+ arn S-rS = a arn This can be expressed as S(1-r) = a(1-rn) Divide this by 1-r gives: a(1-rn) S= 1-r Before I can use this information however, I need to determine a formula to get a. I can use the formula I discovered above but just modify it slightly. To get a the formula is: 2n-1 as this is the formula for Disc A always. So the formula above instead of being 2n-d could have also been 2n-1 for the same principals. With n being the disc number you are trying to find. Disc 50 would be 249 and disc 3 would always be 22 and so on. Therefore I can now substitute in my values in a pile of 6 discs to get the formula that links formula A and B. To determine the ratio we have to just see how much the sequence is decreasing each time. 32 + 16+ 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 To get the next term suing the general geometric sequence rule, it says that we have to multiply 32 by a constant. a ar. So: a ar is the same as ar divided by a. 16 = 0.5. This is the ratio. 32 Therefore for the sum of my geometric series, the formula should be: a(1-rn) S= 1-r S = 25(1-0.56) 0.5 S= 31.5 = 63 0.5 Therefore the sum of a 6 termed series is 63. This can be proved by getting the formula for the previous term. S = 24(1-0.55) = 31 0.5 According to my earlier formula (Un = 2(Un-1) +1) when I substitute in I should get the answer 63. 2 x 31 + 1 = 63. This works because of the algebra of the general geometric sequences: S = a + ar +ar2 This is the rule for each term in the sequence: arn-1 or 2n-d I then multiplied by the common ratio (r) rS = ar + ar2 + ar3 This is the rule: arn Then I subtracted the sequence multiplied by the common ratio from the first sequence. This gave: S-rS = a arn = a(1-rn) Therefore S=a(1-rn) (1-r)) Limitations are: S has to be greater than 0 and has to be an integer a has to be positive and an integer r has to be an integer and greater than 0 Extension Work: Finding which pole the pile will be built upon. I have noticed from my work that when I had 3 discs on my pile, disc C landed on where I put disc A to start off with which was on Pole C. When I had 4 discs however, I noticed that the pile finished on where I did not place tile A which was Pole B. This can therefore be expressed as: If the number of discs in the pile to start with is even then the bottom disc will land where you place Disc A to start off with. If the number of discs in the pile is odd however, then the bottom disc in the pile will finish up on the pole where you did not place Disk A. Therefore where you put Disc A can be considered crucial to where you want your pile to land Overview: If I have 25 discs in my pile, I can expect there to be: 33554431 moves involved in the series. Disc A will move 16777216 times; whereas disc y will move only once. The Pile will end up on the pole where you place disc A, so if I leave it on pole B to start with, the pile will end up on Pole B. According to the monks in Hanoi, the world will end in over 500 Million Years. The problems with my investigation: I have realized that there are only 26 letters in the alphabet. With my system of labeling, it is impractical for me to label each disc A, B C etc because I will run out of letters. I will either have to name the poles ABC or call each disc past 26, A1 etc.

How to answer Walk me through your resume in a job interview

How to answer Walk me through your resume in a job interview You’re all excited for your interview and then you get the dreaded question. â€Å"Walk me through your resume,† the interviewer says. â€Å"Walk through it yourself!† you think. â€Å"Can’t you read?† We kid- of course, you can only think this. (Please, only think it!) It may seem like a ridiculous question, but think of it instead as an opportunity. You have a captive audience here to really fill in any holes or gaps on your resume and talk your interviewer through the bullet points while fleshing them out with the details they deserve! Take care, however, that you don’t let your own overconfidence trip you up. Be prepared to give a succinct, non-rambling answer. Also be prepared to have a smooth way of glossing over positions you put on for necessary padding in the hopes that the recruiter wouldn’t read those sections too carefully.Here are a few good tips for preparing to answer this common question.1. Be brief and articulate.Conci sion is your friend. Don’t just wing this answer- practice it with all your other interview prep answers. Remember, you’re probably also being evaluated here on your communication skills. Cut out the â€Å"um†s and set your resume in the context/tone you want without droning on too long about yourself. And whatever you do, don’t let yourself get bogged down with irrelevant extra details that have nothing to do with why your past will make you an ideal candidate for the job you want.2. Keep your eye on the prize.Your job in this answer is to put everything in your resume in the context of the job you’re applying for. Stick to the script! When you’re talking about your background, mine it for little gems that will show just how perfect your history makes you for this position. Explain your career so far in such a way that your interviewer will see how it perfect it makes you for the open job.3. Explain yourself.Some questions undoubtedly come up with any resume, no matter how bulletproof. Try to anticipate any questions or concerns your interviewer might have and have answers prepared. Explain your motivations and what went into the various decisions you’ve made along the way. Try to frame every negative or challenge into a positive. Show yourself to be scrappy and problem-solving when you go over any gaps and potential red flags, as well.4. Anticipate what they want to hear.As much as you want to practice a perfect answer, make sure to also think on the fly. Try to suss out what your interviewer is actually after and incorporate that into your answer. Tailor or fix what you’re about to say what you know they’re after.5. Stay classy.Paint yourself as the best person for the job, but don’t just shine yourself in best, brightest light and trash everyone else. Stay honest. Don’t throw anyone under any buses. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions, and don’t exaggerate you r successes while sweeping all weaknesses under the rug (even though you shouldn’t dwell too long on those)- you just won’t seem believable.6. Think big.When in doubt, frame your answer to be about how  this job is the perfect next step on your career path and how everything in the past has led up to this position.  Don’t forget to show the big picture and highlight your passion and enthusiasm for the position, in addition to your expertise.  Back everything you say up with actual bullet points on your resume. Stick to the script, show off without being too braggy, and the job should be yours!

The ultimate guide for matching your shirts and ties.

The ultimate guide for matching your shirts and ties. Thinking about spicing up your wardrobe from drab to fab? Maybe you should try switching up your shirts and ties. Replacing your shirts and ties with some fun colors and patterns might be just what you need to break you out of the boring office outfit. But before you go all pattern crazy here is what you need to know about mixing colors and patterns†¦and even patterns and patterns. With this simple guide, you will never have to second guess your outfit combinations.  Source [BeckettSimonon]

American political parties, relatively weak compared to similar Essay

American political parties, relatively weak compared to similar nations, why and what are consequences - Essay Example mparison to other highly industrialized society because in reality and practice, the American political parties have always had severe internal divisions. In a two-part system, ideal internal ideological unity could be nothing more than political picture. The political parties are plainly too immense and varied to encourage stable internal unity. Yet, integrated party control confers an electoral incentive for party leadership to downplay, or even vigorously steer clear of, those matters on which the party is divided to protect the outward show of cohesion. In the concern of electoral success and a significant party ticket, party member find motivating incentives to downplay intraparty conflict. Alternatively, it is in my own opinion that the capability of a divided government to provoke resentment rest partly in its capability to generate prospect for intraparty conflict to arise. Moreover, in a divided government system, the prevailing congressional party has the power to compel public concern of those matters most perceptive to the president’s party. Through placing conflict-ridden issues on the agenda, the party dominating Congress compels the president’s party to discuss matters its congressional members would vigorously steer clear of. The typical justification for the irresponsible nature of American political parties is that our very Constitution makes our party system what it is. Richard Hofstadter, the historian, put it in a few words: â€Å"We have a Constitution against parties† (Disch 2002: 62). However, it is also possible that federalism contributes to national and state parties that are primarily self-governing but it is also possible that federalism is the cause. The actual problem is in fact the failure of the political parties to attain an appropriate balance of power within the federal system, which demands a higher nationalization of party influence. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that there is no focus of party leadership in the American

Insurance Is Not Always Beneficial to Emplyees Essay

Insurance Is Not Always Beneficial to Emplyees - Essay Example In the United States, for example, many employees get Insurance policy through their employers where the employers help pay the Insurance policy. When the employer insures one, it is usually through a managed care plan that are health insurance plans that provide health care facilities to members at reduced costs by laying down contracts with medical facilities and health care providers. Employer based Insurance is often much cheaper as compared to buying individual Insurance, hence many people rather have their insurance bill cut from their salaries. The United States unlike other industrialized countries has a different case in that it does not have a national Insurance System. It is important to be insured because one cannot always tell when they are going to need the medical attention. There are vast advantages of getting employee-based health insurance. In the essay, I will look at health insurance in group verses individualized context, explore the advantages of employer based health insurance plan and discuss that insurance is not always beneficial. Group verses Individualized Insurance Employment based Insurance is an example of group based Insurance. ... e of group insurance policy is that it is much easier to obtain in that there are little procedures to be followed, which would in turn delay or even terminate the whole application process like inquiring about the health history of individual members. Group insurance policy is definitely the cheapest form of insurance available. However, as compared to group insurance, there are numerous advantages of individualized insurance plans. Firstly, one is able to customize the provisions they may want included or neglected in their package. They may also choose to regulate on the deductible amount of payment that the insurance company does. It also enables individual to choose the doctor that would be conducting their services. Here the price range may be elevated as compared to group insurers, but the services are better. It may also be exceptionally costly particularly when one runs a high risk being ill or has high health risk qualities. Advantages of Employment Based Health Insurance P lans A health plan would gain more if groups of individuals with low health risks were enrolled in it as compared to unhealthy list of individuals. In the United States where the employee health insurance benefit scheme is purely voluntary, there is a great chance that a group of highly unhealthy individuals are registered in the plan. Insurers would often prefer to enroll a group of individual as compared to the specific individual. Employment based insurance groups are one of the individual groups that are always considered to be formed for the sole purpose to offer their employees health insurance. It does not discriminate and whether the individual in the group posses a high health risk than the other, they will automatically qualify for the system. Not only are employers capable of

The Meaning of American Pie Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of American Pie Essay In the autumn of 1971 Don McLeans elegiac American Pie entered the collective consciousness, and over thirty years later remains one of the most discussed, dissected and debated songs that popular music has ever produced. A cultural event at the peak of its popularity in 1972, it reached the top of the Billboard 100 charts in a matter of weeks, selling more than 3 million copies. By identifying this great success it illustrates that it was no ordinary song. With its boldness, originality and it being thematically ambitious created uncertainty. Presenting the idea that we weren’t entirely sure what the song was about, provoking endless debates over its epic cast of characters. But however open to interpretation the lyrics may have been, the songs emotional resonance was unmistakable: McLean was clearly relating a defining moment in the American experience—something had been lost. Opening with the death of singer Buddy Holly and ending near the tragic concert at Altamont Motor Speedway, we are able to frame the span of years the song is covering—1959 to 1970—as the 10 years weve been on our own of the third verse. It is across this decade that the American cultural landscape changed radically, passing from the relative optimism and conformity of the 1950s and early 1960s to the rejection of these values by the various political and social movements of the mid and late 1960s. American Pie appears to chronicle the course of rock n roll, it is not, as is sometimes suggested, a mere catalogue of musical events. In using the cast of rock n roll players from the 1960s and setting them against the backdrop of Buddy Hollys death, they become polarized—metaphors for the clash of values occurring in America at this time: Holly as the symbol of the happier innocence of the fifties, the rest as symbolic of the sixties growing unrest and fragmentation. And as each verse sums up chronological periods in time—the late 1950s, 1963-66, 1966-68, 1969, 1970—another blow against the happier innocence of another era is registered: another day the music dies. Verse 1 of American Pie looks back from the early seventies and introduces the catalyst for the story about to unfold. â€Å"A long long time ago I can still remember how the music used to make me smile†. The narrator here is nostalgic for a simpler and more optimistic kind of music—a music that can make people smile, and that could help them forget their troubles—and a music that very much represents the happier optimism of the 1950s in America. â€Å"But February made me shiver†, he also identifies Buddy Holly by the month in which he dies. Hollys passing had a profound effect on him, which is displayed throughout the song. The day the music died† this reflects and supports the idea that the day the music died becomes the day the innocence and optimism within America died The chorus is the primary key in understanding American Pie as the theme of America’s lost innocence is clearly stated. â€Å"So bye bye Miss American pie† Miss Amer ican Pie* is as American as apple pie, so the saying goes; she could also be a synthesis of this symbol and the beauty queen Miss America. Either way, her name evokes a simpler time in American life when these icons held more meaning. She is the America of a passing era, and he is bidding her farewell. Drove my Chevy to the levee alludes to a drive along a levee mentioned in a series of popular 1950s Chevrolet television commercials sung by Dinah Shore and which serves as a signpost to that era—just as the Chevrolet itself is a familiar icon of 1950s America. Also, given that a drive to a levee carries the suggestion of romance in a car, we can almost see him on a date here. But the date is over, the levee is dry—someone he once loved has betrayed him; something that once gave him sustenance has evaporated. This’ll be the day that I die† is a rewording of the line â€Å"cause that’ll be the day when I die† from the chorus of Holly’s hit that’ll be the day. This signifies McLean’s way of both mourning the death of that music and way of life, and pointing to Holly as his symbol of it. Verse 2 erupts with the idea that the narrator reaches little further back in time to the days of his youth, the late 1950s—a time of sock hops, pickup trucks and pink carnations—as he courts a woman who ultimately spurns him. This is a fickle lady here, and the narrator questions her loyalties. And can you teach me how to dance real slow? † This is a romantic dance. He is courting her. The slow dance itself is yet another reference to the fifties and the kind of dancing that went out of fashion in the following decade; it also alludes to the slower pace of life in America at this time. This verse helps us to further identity Miss American Pie, whose brief introduction in the chorus needed this additional exposition; and which, along with verse 1 and the chorus, also serves to establish the 1950s as the reference point for the res t of the song. In so doing, McLean characterizes the period primarily through its musical symbol (Holly), using him and the music (those rhythm and blues) as a metaphor for the innocence of the times, and a sacred thing. The day the music died now takes on the significance of a lost faith in the values of a passing era and the sorrow the narrator feels at their passing: blow number two. Having personified America as a woman, Bye bye Miss American Pie now more clearly becomes a farewell to the America he once knew.

Pompey :: essays research papers

Pompey the Great Gnaeus Pompeius, better known as Pompey, was born on September 29, 106 BC. He was four years older than Julius Caesar. Pompey’s father was a rich Roman noble, who was elected to the consul in 89 BC. Pompey distinguished himself as a great leader early in his life. In the civil war between Gaius Marius and Lucius Sulla, Pompey sided with Sulla. Sulla, with the help of Pompey, made some vary impressive defeats in Africa and Sicily. In 79 BC Sulla resigned and died the next year. Two of his patrons, who had fought for him, Pompey and Marcus Crassus, moved to leading military positions in the seventies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crassus and Pompey fought together in a battle against a Marian rebel, Quintus Sertorius, and a slave rebellion lead by Spartacus in Italy. They returned, having won, in 71 BC. Pompey then spent time campaigning successfully in Rome before he was elected to consul, with Marcus Crassus for the year 70 BC.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Pompey served his time on Consul he was given command over the Mediterranean, where he did what nobody else had successfully done before. He rid it of Pirates. Pompey, then, went to various places, establishing an ally of the King of Armenia, capturing Jerusalem, and making Syria a Roman duty. Pompey was a great general, but not a very good politician.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 59 BC Pompey returned to Rome to find that tensions with himself and Crassus had grown. Both Crassus and Pompey had large armies, but also pieces of the city that were loyal to them. Cicero, the leader of the sena te, allied himself with Pompey through great flattery. Cicero told Pompey that he must be the protector of the republic. Crassus had other plans, and by 57 BC both men were in Italy with their armies. Before war broke out Julius Caesar stepped in.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Caesar being a neutral negotiator used these well-known talents and convinced Pompey, Crassus, and Cicero to meet. The men worked out an agreement. This settlement had never been made before among the leaders of Rome. Caesar convinced Crassus and Pompey to join their power and influence with his own. Caesar was a successful leader of Gaul at this time. So the three agreed, and formed what is today known as the First Triumvirate. During this time Pompey married, most likely for political reasons, Julia, Caesar's daughter.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two of the three men returned to Rome and forced the Senate to obey them.

Pepsico Swot Analysis Essay

When making any investment decision, it is important for a potential investor to gain insight into the company. An evaluation of the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats will help the investor determine if the venture is worth going into (Nickels, McHugh & McHugh, 2010). It also provides details about the internal status of the business and the future growth to expect in the future. SWOT Analysis Conducting a SWOT analysis of PepsiCo will help the company determine where change is possible. If the company is at a turning point, an inventory of its strengths and weaknesses can reveal possibilities. The identified strengths can be built on and used to their full potential and makes can be made to reduce the weaknesses. Potential problems that need to be addressed or at least recognized are identified. It will help PepsiCo discover what it does well, could improve, whether they are making the most of the opportunities around them, and whether there are any changes in the market that may require changes in the business (Nickels et al., 2010). Strengths PepsiCo has a diverse product portfolio that includes foods, snacks, and beverages with annual revenue of over $66 billion. The PepsiCo brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana, Mountain Dew, Lay’s, Aquafina, Sierra Mist, Fritos, and Quaker stand for quality and are well recognized household names. These brands generate over $1 billion each in annual global sales revenue which gives PepsiCo an advantage over its competition that have limited product line (â€Å"Brands,† 2012). Lower sales in one product line because of unforeseeable circumstances can be offset with promoting sales from another product line. PepsiCo’s geographical footprint is another strength of the organization. It currently operates in more than 200 countries worldwide which provides PepsiCo with diverse income sources. In 2011, only 50% of the company’s revenue came from the United States but this did not impact PepsiCo’s overall revenue growth because of the company’s increasing revenue from other parts of the world like Asia, Russia, Europe, and Latin America (â€Å"The Power of PepsiCo,† 2012). Weaknesses With the diverse portfolio of PepsiCo, not all products produced by this  company bear it name and its holdings are still seen by the public as separate entities, not as parts of PepsiCo. Its branding is not obvious and not easily recognized and this is hurting the image of the company. One of its most popular brands, Gatorade, recently changed its name to multiple sub-brands such as â€Å"G Prime 01,† and â€Å"G Series Pro 03 Recover† (Edwards, 2011). PepsiCo is gradually losing its credibility because of its lack of stability in management. The company has a high turnover rate and in the last four years, 26 senior marketing managers have resigned and those that are still with PepsiCo have been moved from one brand to another or from one division to another (Edwards, 2012). The revenue of PepsiCo is over dependent on sales to Wal-Mart. In 2011, approximately 18% of PepsiCo’s North American net revenue was from sales to Wal-Mart (including Sam’s Club). As a result PepsiCo is highly influenced with the business strategies of Wal-Mart (â€Å"The Power of PepsiCo,† 2011). Opportunities PepsiCo is investing its resources by expanding its operation in emerging foreign markets like China and Russia and developing continents like Africa. With the company’s recent purchase of Wimm-Bill-Dann, a Russian food and beverage company with huge market shares in dairy and juice products, PepsiCo will expand greatly its presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and is expected to increase its annual sales revenue by $5 billion (â€Å"Pepsi Absorbs Wimm,† 2011). PepsiCo recently signed a partnership agreement with Theo Muller, a German dairy company to sell its dairy products in the US starting with yogurt. PepsiCo will also invest in research to create new dairy products for the US market. This is a great opportunity for PepsiCo to increase its future revenue because it is predicted that annual revenue of $9 billion will be generated by 2016 with nearly 100 million American households expected to buy yogurt products (Steinberg, 2012). Threats PepsiCo faces a strong competition from The Coca-Cola Company, its primary competitor in the carbonated beverage category. These two companies have  had a long history of rivalry since the 1800s with Coca-Cola has a leader for most of the period. PepsiCo recently lost its five-year partnership deal with Dunkin’ Brands to Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola products will now be offered in 7,000 Dunkin’ brands outlets instead of PepsiCo products. In January 2012, Dunkin’ Brands announced the plan to double their outlet stores to 14,000 over the next 20 years. This is a huge revenue loss for PepsiCo (Fisher, 2012). Also in 2010, Diet Coke overtook Pepsi to become the second largest soda brand in the Unites States behind Coke, moving Pepsi to third (Theodore, 2012). There has been a steady decline in carbonated drink sales for the past seven years in the US with total sales dropping one percent in 2011. Americans are now turning to healthier food and drinks like bottled waters to avoid the high sugar contents in soda (â€Å"Soda Sales Fall,† 2012). Even with the diverse portfolio of PepsiCo, this decline in sales of carbonated soda drinks will have a negative impact on its total revenue. United States federal, State, and local laws and other regulatory authority in foreign countries could have a negative impact on the sales and profitability of PepsiCo. PepsiCo’s marketing, manufacturing, and distribution of its products can be affected as a result of what the government dictates. Also Governmental agencies that exist where PepsiCo operates can impose new labeling, accounting standards, product requirement, marketing practices, and taxation requirement. In California, PepsiCo is required to post a warning label on any product sold that contains a substance that the state has found to cause cancer or birth defect. If this type of law is enacted in other states or foreign countries, it would affect the sales of PepsiCo products (â€Å"The Power of PepsiCo,† 2011). Investor Analysis As a result of the SWOT analysis, investing in PepsiCo would yield a positive return on investment. The analysis shows a strong company with increase in earnings for the past five years. PepsiCo’s increasing presence in developing countries is most relevant in the decision to invest. With nearly 72% of the world’s processed food consumption in 2050 predicted to be  happening in developing countries because of increase in population, this will give PepsiCo a competitive edge. Internal and External Stakeholders The success or failure of PepsiCo is determined by how the wants and needs of its internal and external stakeholders are met. The internal stakeholders of PepsiCo are associates, shareholders, and board of directors. The external stakeholders of PepsiCo are consumers, local and foreign communities, retail and food service customers, partners, suppliers, and competitors. PepsiCo meets the needs of its associates by providing a supportive and empowering workplace. The company helps its employees to succeed by helping them develop the skills needed to increase the growth of the company (â€Å"Talent Sustainability,† 2012). The need of the shareholders of PepsiCo is met by striving to deliver top of the line financial performance and providing a high return on their investment (â€Å"Performance,† 2012). In 2011, the dividends paid to PepsiCo’s shareholders was six percent higher than 2010 ((â€Å"The Power of PepsiCo,† 2011). PepsiCo provides its consumers with a diverse list of products that delivers affordability and great taste. The company has recently begun offering consumers a wide range of healthy foods and beverages. Current products are constantly been improved and new products created to meet the changing needs of consumers (â€Å"Stakeholders Engagement,† 2012). Local jobs are created in the developing countries that PepsiCo operates in. PepsiCo provides support for education through PepsiCo Foundation grants. The company is working to protect the water resources they have used in India and working with nonprofit organizations to promote sustainable agricultural practices (â€Å"Stakeholders Engagement’† 2012). Products are delivered directly to retail and food service customers such as grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and vending machines. PepsiCo  also assist these stakeholders with marketing services that contributes to the customers’ growth and profit (â€Å"Stakeholders Engagement,† 2012). Conclusion A company’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats must be analyzed to determine the potential of the return on investment. Even with its weaknesses, PepsiCo is a strong company with earnings growth over the past five years, and has enough cash on hand to maintain its operation. With the new initiatives that PepsiCo is working on, such as expanding its market into developing countries and providing healthier options to its consumers, the company will be able to meet the needs of its stakeholders. References Brands. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/Brands.html Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks Ready-T0-Drink Beverages Grow to the Billion-Dollar Brands for PepsiCo. (2012, January 26) Retrieved from http://seekingalpha.com/news-article/2139612-diet-mountain-dew-brisk-and-starbucks-ready-to-drink-beverages-grow-to-be-billion-dollar-brands-for-pepsico Edwards, J. (2011, June 22). Pepsi Just Can’t Stop Pulling the Tab After Shaking Up Management. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-42749107/pepsi-just-cant-stop-pulling-the-tab-after-shaking-up-management/ Edwards, J. (2012, May 10). How Pepsi Management Shuffles Led To Sales Collapse. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-pepsis-management-shuffles-led-to-sales-collapse-2012-5?op=1 Fisher, B. (2012, June 12). Pepsi loses Dunkin, Eyes Emerging Markets. Retrieved from http://beta.fool.com/bobbyfisher/2012/06/12/pepsi-loses-dunkin-eyes-emerging-markets/5599/?logvisit=y&source=eptcnnlnk0000001 Nickels, W. G., McHugh, J. M., & McHugh, S. M. (2010). Understanding Business (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Pepsi Absorbs Wimm-Bill-Dann. (2011) Retrieved from http://rt.com/business/news/pepsi-absorbs-wimm-bill-dann-333/ Performance. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Performance-with-Purpose.html Stakeholder Engagement. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Overview/Stakeholder-Engagement.html Steinberg, J. (2012, July 11). PepsiCo Expanding Its American Portfolio With Dairy Products. Retrieved from http://seekingalpha.com/article/714491-pepsico-expanding-its-american-portfolio-with-dairy-products Talent Sustainability. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Talent-Sustainability.html The Power of PepsiCo – 2011 Annual Report. (2011) Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/annual11/downloads/pep_ar11_2011_annual_report.pdf Theodore, S. (2012, August 13). Diet Coke Enters A New Decade: The Carbonated Soft Drink Brand Has Come A Long Way. Retrieved from http://www.mintel.com/blog/diet-coke-enters-new-decade-carbonated-soft-drink-brand-has-come-long-way Tomlinson, S. (2012, March 3). Soda Sales Fall Faster As Americans Turn To Healthier Options. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2118291/Soda-sales-fall-faster-Americans-turn-healthier-options.html

Misguided Ink

Tattoos today are becoming very popular within the younger generation. Despite this creative trend of self expression, society still places judgment upon inked individuals. What ever happened to, don't Judge a book by its cover? Unfortunately, people fail to the person who really Lies behind the Ink. Having tattoo's can lead to a lot of misjudgment. Especially In the workplace.An employer might misjudge a potential employee with tattoos for a criminal, without a second thought. Even though it may be true that most prisoners have tattoos, it's not right to put everyone with a tattoo in that category. Even a prisoner with a tattoo could be falsely accused. Also, an employer might consider tattoos as a sign of less Intelligence. Since when does art become a sign of a weak mind? Being creative helps open closed minds. What's on a person's skin should not determine there abilities to work.Eventually, with the growing trend of tattoos, employers are going to have to reconsider there tattoo policies. One day this younger generation will be doing the hiring, it will become rare to not have tattoos. Regardless, there Is still a human being behind the Ink. Toffees make a statement groups, religion, and even memories. Tattoos are transforming into an art form rather than a lowly form according to some perspectives. As humans we have the gift of free will, who has the right to tell us what we can and cannot put on our bodies?Whether we use the gift of free will for good or bad we should not be Judged, since we all have a story to tell whether we express it through a tattoo or on a piece of paper. Tattoo's are a creative way of expressing inner feelings to the world, and can help with self esteem issues ND give someone a boost of confidence. To look down upon someone with tattoo's without knowing the full story behind the ink is like throwing away a flower. It takes a brave individual to express themselves to the world with a permanent line of ink.To be careless about what others may think of there bodied art is rather spontaneous. Judging a person with a tattoo is similar to Judging a child for coloring outside the lines. Coloring outside the lines can give someone the sense of freedom and self. What is even more misjudged is the creator behind the ink. Tattoo artist can be misjudged as well. The effort, thought, and talent that goes into the creating process of the tattoo can be challenging and time consuming.The creative process needs necessary machinery, a body with an idea, an experienced hobby rather than a real profession. Some would fail to realize tattoo artist have earned art degrees, while spending years building a portfolio of beautiful masterpieces of Art is everywhere, without it life would be a blank boring canvas. Some people may themselves as a canvas to splash color on. A tattoo is a way of expressing a feeling or image. Everyone has feelings, there is no need to place Judgment on someone who is tot afraid to express there inner bein g.A piece of art is a unique form of identity, we all want to be noticed, and have different ways of showing it. Its not right to Judge another as one is perfect. Color your own walls and leave no room for Judgment. There is more than what meets the eye, not everything that is seen is as bad as it seems. A open mind can set a soul free. It's not good to let the world define an individual based on there appearance. Don't let the world define beauty. True beauty and strength comes from within the soul, and Ink is only skin deep. Tattoos bleed out character.

POLAR vs BROWN BEAR essays

POLAR vs BROWN BEAR essays There are eight different species of bears found throughout the world: the spectacled bear, the Asiatic black bear, the brown bear (including grizzlies), the polar bear, the sun bear, the American black bear, the sloth bear and the giant panda. Even though most people can distinguish a polar bear from a brown bear by the color of the fur, a lot of people fail to identify all the differences among those two species. Both bears can be perceived as large, clumsy and lumbering beasts with heavily built bodies but short legs, necks and tails. Both of them have rounded ears and noticeably small eyes relative to their large body size. While both of the bears belong to same family, they have several profound differences. They live in different geographical areas, differ in amount of the population, size, physical features, some eating habits, and their The polar bear is found in all of the polar regions of the entire northern hemisphere. This includes Russia, Norway, Greenland, The United States and Canada. Their preferred habitat is in the area where the northern seas meet the shoreline. In this area, there is a constant freezing and thawing of the ice. It is estimated that there are currently somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 polar bears. The polar bear is the largest member of the bear family, weighing in at between 440 and 1760 pounds with overall body length 11.5 feet. It can grow much larger, however. In fact, there is a record of an adult polar bear weighing over 2200 pounds. Polar bears have a distinctive all white fur which is important camouflage when hunting on the ice pack. Their actual color of the skin is black which is thought to be an adaptation for better heat retention. Compared to the other bears, the neck of polar bear is much longer. This makes it easier for the ...

Alternative Meanings for Hand and Names of Its Parts

Alternative Meanings for Hand and Names of Its Parts Alternative Meanings for â€Å"Hand† and Names of Its Parts Alternative Meanings for â€Å"Hand† and Names of Its Parts By Mark Nichol The human hand is such a quintessential element of our anatomy we wouldn’t be human without ours (specifically, without our prehensile thumbs) that we have applied the word to many literal and figurative senses other than the physiological one, as well as a wealth of idiomatic phrases (too many to list here). Here’s a discussion of alternative meanings of hand, as well as those for its parts. Hand can refer to participation or an offer of assistance, or it denotes a round of applause. It applies to a body part or a component of an object resembling a hand, and a symbol resembling a hand with an outstretched index finger is called a hand, or an index. An aspect, direction, or side is called a hand; on the other hand, the word also refers to the concept of control, possession, or supervision. One can give one’s hand as a pledge (usually, in reference to marriage), and one’s signature or handwriting is called one’s hand. The word denotes ability or skill, or interest or participation or a significant role. In card or other games, hand refers to the cards or game pieces held, to a round in a game, or to a player in a game; by figurative extension, it means â€Å"the strength of one’s position.† In the realm of a rougher game, pugilistics (boxing), or in fighting in general, hand identifies a punch. The creator or producer of a work might be acknowledged as a hand; it could also reference someone with knowledge of or skill in a specific topic, or handiwork or workmanship. The word also applies, more mundanely, to an employee or worker, especially a laborer, or a member of a ship’s crew (or the figurative equivalent). In a sense more akin to tactile connotations, hand describes the feel of a material. Finger, too, has other meanings, including something resembling a finger in shape or function, or a measurement equivalent to the general width of a finger. As a verb, it means to identify or to touch, to extend as a finger would be extended, or to play music using one’s fingers. Likewise, thumb applies to something with a thumblike appearance, and, as a verb, it means â€Å"to leaf through a book or to cause wear by doing so,† or â€Å"to hitchhike or to signal for a ride by holding out one’s thumb.† A knuckle, too, is something that looks like a joint in a bodily appendage (or, in the case of a cut of meat, is that anatomical part from livestock), including a weapon worn on the knuckles and more commonly called brass knuckles. Knuckle can also refer to a part of a hinge or to a structural component with the appearance of a knuckle. To knuckle is to press or rub with one’s knuckles. Palm extends to objects that might remind one of that part of the hand; the palm tree derives its name from resemblance of the fan-shaped leaves to a hand. A palm is also the act of palming; to palm is to conceal with one’s hand or to stealthily give or take something, or, by extension, to commit fraud. It also means to touch with one’s palm, as in the basketball violation of resting a ball in one’s hand during dribbling. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsRules for Capitalization in TitlesFew vs. Several

The Impact of Global Financial Crisis on the UK Consumer Buying Dissertation

The Impact of Global Financial Crisis on the UK Consumer Buying Behaviour - Dissertation Example Analysis 41 4.2.1.Demographic Findings 41 4.2.2.Descriptive Findings 45 4.2.3.Frequencies of Responses 48 4.2.4.Cross Tabulation of Responses with Respondents’ Income 59 4.3.Regression Results 63 4.4.Chapter Summary 66 Chapter 5: Interpretation of Research Results 67 5.1.Introduction 67 5.2.Interpretation of Results 67 5.3.Thematic Analysis of Interview Responses 67 5.4.Chapter Summary 71 Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations 72 6.1.Conclusion 72 6.2.Recommendations 72 List of References 74 List of Figures Figure 1: Theoretical Framework 18 Figure 2: Risk Attitude and Risk Perception 25 Figure 3: Demographic Findings – Age Group 42 Figure 4: Demographic Findings – Gender 43 Figure 5: Demographic Findings – Marital Status 44 Figure 6: Demographic Findings – Occupation 44 Figure 7: Demographic Findings – Income 45 Figure 8: Regression Findings – Consumption Behaviour vs Psychological Factors 64 Figure 9: Regression Findings – Consumption Behaviour vs Situational Factors 65 Figure 10: Regression Findings – Consumption Behaviour vs Marketing Mix Factors 65 List of Tables Table 1: Risk Attitude and Risk Perception 24 Table 2: New Trends in Consumption Behaviour 27 Table 3: Impact of Financial Crisis on Consumption Behaviour 29 Table 4: Survey Questionnaire Statements 37 Table 5: Interview Questions 38 Table 6: Demographic Findings – Age Group 42 Table 7: Demographic Findings – Gender 42 Table 8: Demographic Findings – Marital Status 43 Table 9: Demographic Findings – Occupation 44 Table 10: Demographic Findings – Income 45 Table 11: Descriptive Findings – Psychological Factors 46 Table 12: Descriptive Findings – Situational Factors 47 Table 13: Descriptive Findings – Marketing Mix Factors 47 Table 14: Descriptive Findings – Consumption Behaviour 48 Table 15: Cross Tabulation – Respondents’ Income vs Responses Against Stateme nts 63 Table 16: Regression Findings 64 Table 17: Thematic Analysis 68 Abstract The researcher of this study aims at investigating how the recent financial crisis of 2008 influenced buying behaviour consumers in the United Kingdom. In this regard, the researcher has decided to adopt a mixed approach which covers both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the research. By opting for a mixed approach, the researcher is able to address the limitations associated with each of the two approaches. The research work has concluded that there is a significant impact of various factors, such as psychological factors, personal factors, social factors, situational factors and marketing mix on the development of consumption behaviour. Moreover, the impact of financial crisis has

Interactive Training of Hospitality Operations Personnel Essay

Interactive Training of Hospitality Operations Personnel - Essay Example The rise in employee turnover costs and the increased use of technology in the industry further emphasizes the need for training (Sheldon and Gee, 1987). Internet based 'interactive training' programs (an umbrella term that includes both computer based and multi-media training) of hospitality operations staff provides access to on-demand training, tracking of each trainees' progress, as well as in-depth reporting of each trainee (hotelonline.com, 2000). The training is provided with an interactive format that includes text, animation and audio. A successful interactive training program in the hospitality sector ensures consistency in providing a quality environment for employees, guests and visitors. It is a cost effective way of upgrading skills of hospitality personnel, the benefit of which can be visible from consistent and quality delivery of essential guest services and avoidance of any litigious situation. In the present age of IT dominance, interactive training of hospitality personnel is an integral part of the industry without which introduction of technologies in the hospitality sector would not have the desired result. ... With new innovations in the IT sector, more and more hotels are equipping themselves with the tools of modern technology to ensure global connectivity to their customers, particularly corporate executives. Without upgrading, the knowledge and skills of hospitality personnel rapidly gets outdated. In the competitive atmosphere of modern day hotels it is crucial to satisfy and win the loyalty of each customer. A satisfied customer apart from becoming prospective customer for the future may also bring in more customers through positive multiplier effect (Duprey & Kearsley, 2005). In the new e-economy, the value of human capital, meaning mainly employees' skills, competencies, and knowledge is greater than any other form of business capital and can crucially drive competitive advantage (Cohen & Levinthal, 1990). Increase in skills leads to improved performance which enables the employer to meet the needs of the employees also helping in retention of the precious talent. "No hotels can have excellent operations without excellent employees and that requires excellent human resource practices" (Siguaw & Enz, 2000, p.48). Human resource skills have always been an important element in the hospitality industry. "Friendliness and a willingness to serve others are the tools of the hotel trade, and training is the sharpener that refines the tools into hospitality machines" (Higley, 2004). Proper attitude starts with management and ends with diffusing it to all the staff of the hotel. It is of utmost importance to make right impression at the front desk which is reflected through a positive, outgoing and friendly attitude and also through efficient service. Increasingly intense competition, high customer expectations and retaining

New Museum of Contemporary Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

New Museum of Contemporary Art - Research Paper Example In the article, Holland describes the new works of art under exhibition assembled by Ryan Inouye. The works of art described are a clear indication that the traditional and appealing work that was adorned in the museum were slowly being replaced by modern and young artworks which neglect most of the art principles. The assembly is mainly centered at attracting human megaphone through formal gestures, social engagements and conveys an emphatic tone. This has been associated with the global reach target that has resulted in most of the artists to come from outside the United States. Only four of the fifty artists in this exercise came from the United States. This was evident before the ‘American Whitney Biennial’ when the lobby gallery of the museum had two collections; one from the Middle East and the other from Africa. The occasion also had only one artist and was from Colombia, Gabriel Sierra. Thus ‘The Ungovernables’ article by Holland supports the argumen t that the ‘New Museum’ has been transformed and is now characterized by political commentary coming from young artists below the age of 30 years(Holland 120). On the emerging survey trends and the artists recognized by the media, the article by Vogel Carol, titled ‘Whitney Museum’s Survey of Contemporary Art’ published on February 17, 2002, featured the climax of this trend that had never been witnessed before. Vogel argues that contemporary art planet in New York had never witnessed any alignment like this and this will take some years before it is witnessed again.

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Swot Analysis

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Swot Analysis This store which was known as Block Quayle, and was later abbreviated to BQ. This main store later developed and spread across the UK; by 1979 there were 26 stores in United Kingdom. During this period, the first of the co-founders already left the business. They both left the business in 1976 and 1982 respectively. BQ sprung up very well during this period through business combination methods which include mergers, acquisitions and expansions. In 1980, BQ bought over the Scottish company Dodge City, and was itself acquired by F. W. Woolworth Company. F. W. Woolworths UK subsidiary (Woolworth) and BQ were bought, two years later, by Paternoster, who are now known as Kingfisher plc and are still BQs parent company. OBJECTIVE The objective of this project is to produce a proposal on a new project that an organisation is about to start. The following are the objectives to be achieved: The title and nature of the project. The business case and tangible outcomes of the project. Competitive advantage of the organisation. 1.1 THE TITLE AND NATURE OF THE PROJECT BQ is planning an expansionary project which is the establishment of five (5) more stores in the Republic of Ireland. This will bring the number of its stores in Ireland to fourteen (14). These stores as planned would be in the central areas and in the interior so as to meet the needs of its customers and also bringing the store closer to the customers. This project would involve a huge finance base as it is a project expected to be completed within one (1) year. The management is looking into the various ways of getting finance to carry out this project in order to improve the services of the company. THE BUSINESS CASE AND TANGIBLE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT The start of project management starts from the construction industry. This day there are quite a lot of project management requirements which are even more outside the construction industry as project needs cut across every business segments. Current construction firms now uses a new model of project management, using visual equipments and software to help in managing the movement of materials delivery and consumption alongside equipment usage. This project will bring about numerous benefits in addition to the existing benefits of and in the organisation. Amongst this includes: Increase in profitability. Shareholders wealth would increase and there would be more income to put in for more dividend and expansionary development in the company. Value of shares may increase as there would be more sales. Creation of job opportunities. Achieving the objectives, goals and vision of the organisation. A better local environment An increase in access to quality local spaces An increase in people actively involved in a practical environmental project An improvement in partnership between support organisations, communities and authorities. 1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT PROPOSAL BQ is planning an expansionary project which is the establishment of five (5) more stores in the Republic of Ireland. This will bring the number of its stores in Ireland to fourteen (14). These stores as planned would be in the central areas and in the interior so as to meet the needs of its customers and also bringing the store closer to the customers. To effectively analyze the viability of the project, B Q need to examine its SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and also using PORTERS FIVE FORCES to examine the success of the project. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BQ SWOT is a tool which is used in strategic and marketing analysis of a business. It can be used to confirm the level of readiness and conformity between the organisations strategies and its business environment, and to find ways in which the organisation can utilize its strengths to checkmate its weaknesses while it uses its opportunities to checkmate its threats (Adams, 2005). Strengths Strength determines the capability of an organization. The strengths of BQ lie in its ability to provide the desired goods of its customers at relatively cheap prices and at the same time quality goods. BQ is widely known for the quality goods it sells to various customers. Weaknesses This determines a companys weaknesses. This should be not only from its own point of view, but also more importantly, from those of the customers. BQ has received quite a lot of complaints from customers about the prices of its goods which according to the company is as result of the quality of the materials used in the production. However, compared to some of its competitors it still has a better bargain price for its products. Opportunities Opportunities are everywhere, such as the changes in technology, government policy, social patterns, and so on. Opportunities for BQ lie in the structure of the general market segment and its environment. The world market and individual with corporate needs enormous for BQ to see and utilise the opportunities at its disposal. Having the financial strength and the backup of major stakeholders to open up more branches in strategic locations is an opportunity to the organisation is another sense of opportunity for BQ. Threats Threats expresses the weaknesses and incapacitation of an organization. It entails those fears which the company may be nursing and which could affect the company haphazardly. Parts of BQs threat is their competitors in the market that can win over some of their customers. Also here is the threat from suppliers and others. PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Five Forces Analysis will help BQ to contrast a competitive environment. It has likeness with other tools for environmental analysis, such as PESTLE analysis, but tends to focus on the single, stand alone, business or SBU (Strategic Business Unit) rather than a single product or range of products. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The term suppliers include all sources for inputs that are required so as to provide goods or services. Supplier bargaining power is likely to be high in BQ when: In such situations, BQ will face a high pressure on margins from their suppliers. The relationship to powerful suppliers can potentially reduce strategic options for the organization. Bargaining Power of Customers Customers of BQ bargaining power is likely to be high when there are substitutes to the products in the market, much more when the substitutes are of more or same quality than that of BQ. Threat of New Entrants BQ will also keep up threat of new retailers in the store. Every moment in the market there comes in new set of sellers which definitely will share the market with the existing sellers in the market. Threat of Substitutes Consumers all have different taste and can change from the use of one item to the other. Substituted items definitely will cause a loophole in the market which have been dropped, therefore, BQ may face the challenge of its products being substituted for another. Competitive Rivalry between Existing Players Michael Porter (2005) also explained that in a monopolistic or general open market where there exist many sellers especially of the same product there would exist rivalry which can affect the market sales and profitability at the other end. 1.3 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF THE ORGANISATION This is seen as the benefit a company has over its rivals in the market which can be with its ability to outshine its competitors in the market/industry. BQ have a competitive advantage when it has the strength or ability to overturn its rivals in getting the face of customers. This applies to both services and products. Michael Porter (Theory of Management) (1990) explains that, though not all nations are at the peak of competition, the home nation which shapes the competitive advantage is the starting point for a firms competitive advantage and also from which it must be upheld. Therefore, BQ has a lot of competitive advantages which made it a leader in the market. It should be take in account that competitive advantage can be checked to one of three forms: Superior resources, superior skills and superior positions. TASK 2 2.0 INTRODUCTION Project Management is about organising and managing resources in a form that they deliver the desired mind to complete a project within the agreed scope, quality, and time and cost constraints. It covers the planning, monitoring and control of the project as well as the motivation of those involved in order to achieve the project objectives as set. Each project is expected to have a Project Manager to maintain project progress and integrate stakeholders to make sure that the risk of failure is reduced and also to intimate the m on the progress of the project. As a successful project manager you must be able to visualize the project from beginning to ending and to have the ability to ensure that this vision is achieved. The following are the methodologies which can be used in common principles to manage a project development: Define the project detail Involve the right people Estimate the resources, time and costs Break the project into manageable sections Define how change will be managed Agree on performance/acceptance criteria OBJECTIVES This task is to cover some areas in this project which are as listed below: To identify all resources required for the project and the benefits to the organisation. To identify all costs associated with the project. To set up a budget for the project. To carryout costs benefit analysis for the project. Staff development and training costs. 2.1 REPORT FROM: Management Consultant TO: Board of Directors/Management DATE: 22nd July, 2010. SUBJECT: RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT INTRODUCTION BQ with its quest to satisfy all their customers by bringing services closer to them has decided to build more stores in the Republic of Ireland as this will also improve the profitability of the entire business. This is a project which will definitely require the company to establish a technical committee on the work to be done as this will require a large sum of investment for the success of the project. The budget show that the total sum  £15 million would be required. However, to furnish the stores with the items for sale would be handled by the procurement department and so the cost for this transaction is not included. The analysis of the  £15m cost plan (budget) is as follows:  £ Contract sum ( £2.5m x 5 stores) 12,500,000 Planning service cost (for the 5 stores) 1,500,000 Training cost (recruitment retraining of existing staff) 500,000 Other related cost 500,000 15,000,000 SOURCES OF RESOURCES The resources that would be required as clearly stated above would be financed by partly bank borrowing and partly using part of the banks investment income from the reserve. Noteworthy is the fact that the contract sum as mentioned above would be paid to a building contractor. The amount specified above represent the contract sum quoted by the building contractor. The training cost would be paid to PWC consultants for the training which will be in two phases; one for the new recruits that would start work in the new stores after the completion and some of the present staffs that would be transferred to the new sites. The training cost is as follows:  £ Facilitators (one year contract) 400,000 Refreshments (1 week) 20,000 Training materials 10,000 Accommodation for trainees (Scheduled quarterly) 50,000 Transportation expenses 20,000 500,000 COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS A cost benefit analysis is done to determine how well, or how poorly, a planned action will turn out and how this would be applicable to BQ. Although a cost benefit analysis can be used for almost anything, it is most commonly done on financial issues. Since the cost benefit analysis relies on the plus or minus of financial issues concerning a project to determine a net result. A cost benefit analysis finds, quantifies, and adds all the positive factors. These are the benefits. Then it identifies, quantifies, and subtracts all the negatives, the costs. The difference between the two indicates whether the planned action is advisable. The real trick to doing a cost benefit analysis well is making sure you include all the costs and all the benefits and properly quantify them. To achieve this, I will use the pay back period to check the time the project would pay back as there is a policy in the company that any investment that would not be recouped within the first five years of establishment will not be seen as being viable. The inflows are projected inflows for the new stores as a group i.e. the stores would be analysed collectively not individually. Year Cash flow Balance  £  £ 0 (15,000,000) (15,000,000) 1 2,500,000 (13,000,000) 2 3,175,000 (9,825,000) 3 5,220,000 (4,605,000) 4 6,725,000 5 6,875,000 3 + 4,605,000 = 3 + 0.685 6,725,000 = 3years, 7 months. From the above, the project would have a pay back period of less than 4 years which according to the policy of the company, the project is seen to be viable as the pay back period is less than 5 years. 2.2 STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Want to keep members of staff motivated about learning new ideas, the quality and variety of the employee training provided is major for motivation for consideration. Whatever the reason for conducting an employee training session, there is need to develop the employee training within the framework of a comprehensive, ongoing, and consistent employee training program. This quality employee training program is essential to keep the staff motivated about learning new concepts and your department profitable which definitely will help in the new outlets to be built by BQ. This training will serve the new and existing members of staff. Beneficial Components of Employee Training Skills To make a complete training of employees either new or existing staffs, there need be a balance with the companys expectation about the employer and the expectations of the employees. This training will give a detailed understanding on how and what the company is all about, individual and general expectation of both parties at the short and long run. New Hire Training This has to do with training of new recruits in the organization. They are new employees that need to understand the basis, rules and norms of the organization, either with or without previous experience in a related job exposure. On the Job Training Many organizations make good use of this system to train staffs. On the job training is so essential and can be seen as a continuous system of training for employees. During the course of the job, new styles of work are being learnt which help to progress more on the job being carried out. This involves the supervisory and the operational level of work. Managers go round during the course of work or work colleagues who are more experienced are used to train the especially the new recruits. (http://humanresources.about.com/od/coachingmentorin1/a/trainmotivation.htm) However, for this project, the type of training that would be used is contracted to PWC consultants. This is to prepare the staff ready for the new stores when they are completed in the Republic of Ireland. The training cost has been analysed above. TASK 3 3.0 INTRODUCTION Implementing strategy needs more strength and it requires effort for a lot of organizations, knowledge from emotional feedbacks on time during the implementation process, which shows the impact of any force placed alongside the quest for the use of strategy which would lead or give the basis for the realization of strategy for proper implementation. Many businesses fail to achieve strategic objectives of the organization as highlighted at the planning stage of the company because they do not successfully attach operations with goals. Effective communication among all stakeholders is critical in jumping this critical issue. The performance gap drawn between strategy creation and benefit realization is frequently a companys inability to put in place the strategies they define. Potential hazards may be grouped into four basic categories: Clarification, Communication, Alignment and Measurement. The above mentioned issues would be discussed alongside the milestones to be put in place to achieve the implementation of this project by BQ in the Republic of Ireland. Thus must emphasis would also be laid on the involvement of stakeholders in the achievement of this project. OBJECTIVES Use suitable tools and techniques to plan the implementation of the chosen project: Develop a milestone for the project. Analyse the involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of the project. Develop a set of measure that would enable you monitor and evaluate progress of the project and ensure relevant feedback procedures have been put in place to inform stakeholders of the projects progress. 3.1 MILESTONE FORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF 5 STORES IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND BY BQ. Many managers during the course of project management would think projects would be near completion from information given to then by subordinates and or people working with then and only to find that project over-runs by weeks or even months more than expected. This is because the last part of the work takes longer than planned. If youve ever been in this situation and have been affected by this disturbing situation, then, youll know why experienced managers carefully monitor how actual completion dates checked against planned completion dates at certain milestones within projects. This gives the managers room to take corrective action, or manage peoples expectations appropriately, and this is where Project Milestone Reporting becomes evidently important. A real life milestone is a table that tells you how far you are from a certain point so you know how far you have come, or how much effort you have to put so as to reach your realization goal. Project Milestones perform exactly this role in a project plan. They mark significant events, deliverables or interdependencies that need to be monitored to keep the project on track. Project Milestone Reports show you what has been achieved and what else needs to be done to successfully complete your project. The milestone for this project is reflected in the table below: ISSUES EXPLANATIONS The project in focus The project in focus is the construction of five (5) more stores for BQ strategically in the Republic of Ireland. Construction site. Development plan has been received in respect of the construction from the government for the development which will be at strategic locations in the country. Quality measures The quality of materials to be used for the construction is standard checked and guaranteed materials for the building. Target date The project is expected to span through twelve months as it is handled by the same contractor and would be time effective during the construction. The above represents the milestone that would serve as guide to the construction of the projects. However, the stakeholders of the company would also be involved in the development stage. This can also be represented using the Gantt Chart. ISSUE EXPLANATIONS 2010 2011 JAN.- JUNE. JUL.-DEC. JAN.- JUNE. JUL.-DEC. The project in focus Construction of five (5) more stores for in the Republic of Ireland. construction site Development plan has been received in respect of the construction from the government for the development which will be at strategic locations in the country. Quality measure The quality of materials to be used for the construction is standard checked and guaranteed materials for the building. Target date The project is expected to span through twelve months as it is handled by the same contractor and would be time effective during the construction. 3.2 STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT A stakeholder is someone who has something to gain or lose in the result of a planning of process or project or business. These are known as interest groups and which have a powerful bearing on the outcomes of business dealings. It finds normally beneficial for research projects to analyse the needs and concerns of different stakeholders, particularly when these projects are set out to achieve a particular goal. Stakeholders, who have high interest and high power with the project, are the organisations or the people are generally fully engage with it. At the time of policy change or new campaign these people are target. Decision makers are on top of power list which are normally member of government. After that there are opinion leader whose opinion matters. This creates pyramid which known as influence map. Stakeholders with low power but high interest need to be updated all the time, and if they are properly organised they form coalition which can lobby for change. If these people are satisfied they are the main supporter at the time of policy change. If time and resources permits, detailed analysis can be carried out which give detail knowledge of (i) the nature of the power and its position and (ii) the interests that give it that position. By doing this one can get the better t understanding of the project that why people take certain stands and how they can work together. The final stage is to create a strategy for how to involve different stakeholders in a one project, how to distribute information which is useful to them, and maintaining a relationship with them. Identify who will make each contact and how, what message they will communicate and how they will do the follow-up and most importantly who will do that that how they will do. The diagram above represents the level of the stakeholders of BQ. The following are the major stakeholders of the company: The investors (shareholders) The customers The suppliers The creditors/debtors The government The competitors These represent the summary or compressed version of the companys stakeholders. All the stakeholders would be kept abreast of the happenings in the organisation so as to be able to achieve a successful implementation of the project. 3.3 PROJECT IMPLENTATION Most projects share a common life cycle as seen in the project of BQ. Define (1. Initiation) 2. PLAN The project IMPLEMENTATION (3. Executing) (4. Controlling) MONITOR ADJUST EVALUATE (5. Closing) CELEBRATE (Source:http://informationr.net/ir/8-1/paper144.html) Monitoring As the project managers of BQ will start this project, they will need to develop a work schedule for the many activities that would be done and would be expected to monitor the project from the start i.e. the initiation period down to the completion of the project as this will aid the success of the project. Managers of BQ need to check the time table written or built for this project so as to have a good grip on the monitoring of the project. They also have to consider the budget and the resources available for the completion of the project. In order to have a successful project monitoring the following should be considered: The use of the set up note for the project to monitor the growth of the project. Checking on the plan time table regularly. Quality must be checked and emphasized on. Progress should be checked on a regular basis. The full involvement of managers and project supervisors. The project time table should be followed regularly to avoid drift from the original plan. Changes during the construction should be communicated to the members of the team. Reasons why project should be monitored: To check planned work to actual work done. To know level of job completion. To know the quality of work done. Compare budgeted cost to actual spending. To check on attitude of everyone involved in the project. To know the level of commitment given in by team members. Ways to express the project development events Formal and informal Formal: Reports Level of job completion form/reports should be completed by all those involved so that progress and problems that occurred during the project work can be identified on time. Audits are used mostly to identify these issues when they arise. Project review meetings Meetings should be carried out by the managers and the project managers with the management so that periodic review could be carried out on the project so as to know the level of job completed and the requirements needed by the rest of the area not completed in the building of the project. Informal: Interaction with the members involved in the building project. Involvement of the other stakeholders of the company. Strict observation during the project design. Reports and guidelines for small and large projects to be used for the BQ project: Action Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly Informal interaction with members Small Large Staff interaction with managers Both Meeting to review project Small Large Level of work report Small Large Project audit Large Team development practice Both Final report to the directors/mgt. Both SIMPLE FORMS TO CREATE USEFUL REPORTS (THE FINAL REPORT) The final report is a form of writing that deals on the whole history of the building work carried out during the designated period of time. This has to do with keeping of record of the initial stage build ups, every action that took place during the course of the project and the final report. Schedule on informal meeting with key players is important as to know their opinions and ask them about the project and what they would do next time. The final report of the project can be written using the form format written below: Summary of the project to include revisions to the original project plan Summary of major successes achieved. Analysis of planned requirements to actual achieved. Final financial analysis considering the difference that exists. Evaluation of administrative and management issues. Team performance should also be included in the report. Any other issue that require further investigation Recommendations on the project which can be used as a guide for the future. Acknowledgement of all those involved in the project work. CONCLUSION Project development is important and requires the development of end-to-end concepts for The construction of any project especially the construction of the stores for BQ in the Republic of Ireland which is part of the developmental plans of the company and as this will improve the profitability stage of the company. The reason for asset management is to maintain a ful set of investments, properties and fund which will in turn help in maximising the wealth of the shareholder. In property management, the duty of improving the status of the company so as to achieve profits for the business which would be carried on in the building as expected to be done by the management of BQ. This is a big organisation that has a great investment and any further investment that would be made would require the involvement of its major stakeholders. The extension would definitely call for an improvement in the state and status of BQ in the Republic of Ireland and as well the profitability of the company as a whole.