The Iliad or the Poem of Force Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Iliad or the Poem of Force - Essay Example It's anything but an account of individuals however how power is being utilized to enslave others and dairy animals them. Numerous individuals were mixed up on this part of the story and thusly neglected to concentrate on a genuine good exercise which is the manner by which power is the large determinant among individuals' connections. It has a capacity to impact individuals and shape the course of occasions in history also. Her bits of knowledge into Iliad had constrained individuals to reconsider of the genuine story regarding a power that de-acculturates individuals, both of the heroes in any contention. The mental and the passionate impacts of the utilization of power scars the individuals who use power to threaten the others just as the beneficiaries or survivors of the power being applied. It can inebriate or numb the individuals who have the ability to utilize power since it blinds them to its evil impacts. War can never be supported, even those alleged pre-emptive wars intend ed to forestall further wars by striking at the adversary first and hence save the people of a more extensive fire. It very well may be found in the delayed consequences of such a large number of wars where warriors get back like zombies. They quit mindful and thinking; soon, they take part in self-loathing (Bell, 1998, p. 186). From her perspective, there are no champs in a war regardless of how this is advocated. She had communicated this viewpoint in her various compositions expressing the pointlessness and mercilessness of wars (Bell, 1993, p. 149).

Buy Term Papers Online in Canada

Buy Term Papers Online in CanadaStudents who are learning in Canada can buy term papers and degree essays online for some tuition fees. The idea of buying online term papers is a very logical one, especially when considering the fact that you can buy entire courses for cheaper than traditional colleges or universities.Canadians living in Canada can now find online courses for their degree without having to travel long distances to attend classes and can therefore save money on tuition fees. These courses are usually accredited and therefore meet the international standards and regulations.One way to avail of these programs is to sign up with online colleges in Canada. If you already live in Canada and would like to further your education, you can contact your local authorities to find out if there are any online schools in Canada that can give you an accredited education. You can also make use of the Internet to find the institutions in Canada that can help you earn your degree onlin e.It is highly recommended that you take your time to research the legitimacy of an online college in Canada before you enroll. The Canadian government has established many rules and regulations regarding the accreditation of online schools in Canada. Most online schools must follow the guidelines set by the Canadian accreditation body, which ensures that students are able to study and receive their degree in an environment that is free from fraud.Before signing up for an online program, you should check the accreditation status of the online school in Canada that you intend to join. If you have an interest in studying abroad or are planning to study on your own, there are other options that can give you the opportunity to study abroad.However, if you want to have an accredited education, you should consider enrolling in an online school in Canada. However, because online courses do not require the same classroom space and physical infrastructure as traditional ones, online colleges in Canada do not have the same set of requirements as traditional schools. This means that they have a lot of flexibility when it comes to approving students.It is therefore important to look for an accredited online college in Canada that has the necessary resources of a traditional university. It is a good idea to check out the courses that are offered and see what kind of course work that is required. Check the course curriculum in detail so that you will be able to decide whether you need an online course or not.It is often advisable to join an online school in Canada because it can be expensive to attend a regular school. This is especially true if you want to continue studying in Canada. But if you want to study abroad and still remain in Canada, you will need to continue working towards your degree.

Country Study on Malaysia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nation Study on Malaysia - Term Paper Example 60 percent of the populace contains ethnic Malays, 26 percent of the populace is Chinese while the rest are Indians and different indigenous races. Since 1971, Malays have seen positive segregation and ethnic Chinese are wealthiest of all networks in Malaysia socially just as strategically though the Indians are the most unfortunate. The worldwide monetary downturn has marked the financial possibilities in Malaysia. The legislature presented a financial upgrade plan worth $16bn in 2009 to hinder the impact of the moving toward downturn (â€Å"Malaysia Profile†). Marking relationship of Malaysia The Branding Association of Malaysia was built up in July 2000. It advocates solidarity between the part nations so as to distinguish answers for approaches and issues that are difficulties to the brand. The Branding Association of Malaysia has thought about the foundation of a marking relationship for the Asean nations so that brands’ needs over the district regarding item advan cement and promoting can be tended to. Nations individual from Asean incorporate Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. President Datuk Eric Chong has proposed all part nations to build up their marking relationship by moving toward little and medium undertakings and distinguish important brands: â€Å"We are prepared to help Asean business relationship to set up comparable associations like us. As of now, we are helping our companions in Thailand to set up a marking association† (Chong refered to in â€Å"Branding Association†). Business people group can utilize the marking relationship so as to plan for the 2015 Asean Economic Community. As an Asean part, Malaysia has taken viable measures for more noteworthy advancement of exchange among the part nations in 2003 to understand the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is another significant exchange activity that takes a stab at the accomp lishment of financial and exchange combination provincially constantly 2015 with the goal that free progression of administrations and products, capital and venture can be encouraged among the part nations. As per the exploration did by the World Trade Organization, benefits got from the exchange assistance change would influence ASEAN altogether. For instance, exchange would be helped by 7.5 percent with the improvement in port offices and by 5.7 percent with the improvement of seriousness in the segment of internet providers in the locale (â€Å"Doing business in† 16). Assets Malaysia is an asset rich nation. The two principle fares of Malaysia are palm oil and oil. Petroleum is nationalized and its incomes contribute up to 40 percent of the yearly administrative spending plan of Malaysia (Coca). The palm oil aggregates in Malaysia are the world’s biggest and make up 39 percent of the palm oil creation everywhere throughout the world (Coca). Characteristic assets wer e very nearly 33% of the absolute fares of Malaysia in 2012 (Coca). While the asset rich nations expectedly experience the ejection of common wars in them as a result of diminished reliance on the charges for incomes and as needs be lesser responsibility to the residents, Malaysia is one such asset rich nation that has indicated development and steadiness by utilizing its assets. Malaysia is situated close by the world’s busiest exchange course for example the straights of Malacca. Malaysia

Effect of IT on Business Management Research Paper - 275 Words

Effect of Information Technology on Business Management (Research Paper Sample) Content: Effect of information technology on business managementMost of the industries today employ information technology in their day to day operation in industries. Various effects of the use of information technology is evident in the society today. The Information Technology (IT) group is often described as having its own culture different from that of the business, which can result in different codes of behavior (Ward and Peppard, 1996; Ward and Griffiths, 1996). Using the concept of culture as a basis for understanding differences between groups provides a foundation for understanding the generation of conflict (Dubinskas, 1992; Schein 1996). Through awareness by both parties of IT culture and the effect that this culture has on the IT-business relationship, an effective IT-business partnership can be established, thus promoting a healthier relationship and a more desirable work environment that will ultimately lead to greater organizational success. It is important fo r organizations to understand and develop relationships between individuals, groups, and across organizational boundaries for effective operation (Musgrave and Anniss, 1996; Robbins, 1998; Ivancevich and Matteson, 1999).An extensive review of related literature preempted development of a research model for assessing the effect of the IT on the business management. The case study considered in this research included an analysis of interview transcripts from 11 IT professionals and 21 business professionals in Four Kenyan Business organizations. Findings include compelling insights into the effect of the IT culture on the IT-business relationship.Before proceeding further, it is necessary to distinguish between IT and business professionals. For the purpose of this research, IT professionals are regarded as those who make IT work (Markus and Bjorn-Andersen, 1987; Grindley, 1995). This broad category includes CIOs, information systems managers, systems analysts, designers, programmers, database administrators, and external specialists such as hardware vendors and manufacturers, software firms, and consultants (Laudon and Laudon, 2000). Business professionals are regarded as the remaining organizational members, specifically, "those who use IT" (Grindley, 1995). Thus, the expression "IT-business relationship" is used to indicate the relationship between IT professionals and business professionals.Review of Existing LiteratureAccording to European Commission, small- to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are those companies which have the number of employees up to 250 people and a maximum annual turnover of 50 million euro. The importance of SMEs today is undeniable both for developed and developing countries. By providing millions of work places, the institute of SMEs serves as the primary mean of sustainable industrial and social diversification of the society, thus addressing one of the main drivers of economic development in the majority of the countries. However, such phenomena as globalization, the internationalization of domestic markets, the global economic crisis, the volatility of financial markets, declining investment, rapidly changing consumer demand - have increased pressure on SMEs and encourage them to seek the ways for survival and development in the modern business environment. How do then SMEs find these ways, struggle with the above mentioned problems?The undoubted factor which indicates the improvement of the competitiveness of most enterprises is the usage of the result of scientific and technological progress in business, namely information and communication technologies (ICT). The access of SMEs to ICT increases the efficiency of business and of the world economy in general, being a factor within the value chain of the product. The usage of ICT on the enterprise is determined by different management approaches and the methodology of its implementation and usage. That is the main reason why ICT should be investigated in con junction with all the business processes implemented on the enterprise.The global market for ICT-enabled business process management (BPM) which incorporate all sorts of communications, software, web applications and services, ERP-systems, etc. was estimated in 2008 at 1.8 billion dollars and is expected to grow up to 6.2 billion dollars in 2015. At the same time, nowadays the usage of ICT in business process management for SMEs in developing countries is quite low. Consequently, additional studies have to be conducted on the usage and impact of ICT on SMEs and on the development of the concept of customized BPM which takes into account the specificity of small-and medium-sized businesses in developing countries. Herewith, among the developing countries with the greatest potential for ICT development one can distinguish the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The development of small and medium businesses is one of the main tasks both of these states and the other countries in the world. The above arguments and the facts became the prerequisites for the analysis of existing practices of ICT usage and its impact on business process management in SMEs.Previous research in the discipline of IT has been criticized for the lack of regard given to existing theory (Robey and Zmud, 1992). Existing theory should be used for three reasons. First, theory offers general predictions that can be tested. Second, communication between researchers can be improved by offering a standard language to describe complex subjects. Third, IT researchers must develop theoretically sound research projects rather than just presenting descriptive results. Additionally, IT research has been criticized for narrowly and economically focusing on investigating technology, design methods, computers, implementation, production tools, and communication without adequate regard to the people factors involved (More, 1990; Avison an...

Should Grad Students Work Employment During Graduate School

There is no one answer to this question. Why? There are many ways to attend graduate school - and many graduate programs with differing cultures and rules. Take the graduate program that we attended: Working was frowned upon and sometimes forbidden. It was a full-time doctoral program and students were expected to treat their graduate studies as a full-time job. Students who held outside jobs were few and far between -- and they rarely spoke of them, at least not to faculty. Students who were funded by faculty grants or institutional funds were not permitted to work outside of the institution. However, not all graduate programs look at student employment in the same way. Full-Time Graduate Programs Students who attend full-time graduate programs, especially doctoral programs, generally are expected to treat their studies as a full-time job. Some programs expressly forbid students from working while others simply frown on it. Some students find that working an outside job is not a choice - they cannot make ends meet without the cash. Such students should keep their employment activities to themselves as much as possible as well as choose jobs that will not interfere with their studies. Part-Time Graduate Programs These programs are not designed to take up all of the students time - although students often find that part-time graduate study takes a lot more time than they anticipated. Most students enrolled in part-time graduate programs work, at least part-time, and many work full time. Recognize that programs labeled part-time still require a great deal of work. Most schools tell students to expect to work about 2 hours out-of-class for every hour in class. That means every 3-hour class will require at least 6 hours of preparation time. Courses vary - some might require less time, but those with heavy reading assignments, homework problem sets, or lengthy papers may require more time. Working often isn’t an option, so at least begin each semester with open eyes and realistic expectations. Evening Graduate Programs Most evening graduate programs are part-time programs and all the comments above apply. Graduate students who enroll in evening programs usually work full time.​Â  Business schools often have evening MBA programs designed for adults who are already employed and want to advance their careers. Evening programs schedule classes at times that are convenient for students who work, but they arent any easier or lighter in load than other graduate programs. Online Graduate Programs Online graduate programs are deceptive in the sense that there rarely is any set class time. Instead, students work on their own, submitting their assignments every week or so. The lack of meeting times can trick students into feeling as if they have all the time in the world. They dont. Instead, students who enroll in an online graduate study have to be diligent about their use of time - perhaps more so than students in brick-and-mortar programs because they can attend graduate school without ever leaving their home. Online students face similar reading, homework, and paper assignments as other students, but they also must set aside time to participate in class online, which may require that they read dozens or even hundreds of student posts as well as compose and post their own responses. Whether you work as a graduate student depends on your finances, but also on the type of graduate program you attend. Recognize that if you are awarded funding, such as scholarships or assistantships, you might be expected to refrain from outside employment.

Essay about Cormac McCarthys The Road and Michael Bays...

The two dystopian texts, The Road is written by Cormac McCarthy and The Island directed by Michael Bay are great examples of a dystopian world. The Road is a post-apocalyptic novel where a father and son have nothing but the dirty clothes on their backs, a pistol and a cart filled with scavenged items. Their destination, the coast, although they don’t know if anything awaits them there. The Island is an advanced world where clones of â€Å"real† people are made in order to help their clients live longer. These two mediums are fairly similar once you go in depth. The two works, The Road and The Island have common dystopian characteristics which are the use of brute force, alienation and dehumanization of individuals which is reflected in terms†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The man fell back instantly and lay with blood bubbling from the hole in his forehead. The boy was lying in his lap with no expression on his face at all† (McCarthy, pg. 66). In other word s, the boy was so shocked by the situation he was in; this caused him to change his attitude towards strangers. In the same manner The Island has important character development that causes the protagonists to change their behaviours. For instance, when Jordan Two Delta and Lincoln Six Echo escaped and went to Tom Lincoln’s house. In this scene there was an altercation that resulted in the client –Tom Lincoln- dying, which was a great example of how the characters developed. After this scene the protagonist realized how careless and willing they were to hurt others in order to get the clones back to the facility. The scene allowed the protagonist -Lincoln Six Echo- to develop and take extra precautions to maintain safety. Six Echo would always be on his toes; look back every so often, and though through his plans. This leads into the theme that is related to brute force which is that people will do anything to survive. The theme that is comparable to this dystopian characteristic is that individuals will do whatever they can to survive. In the movie the actor Steve Buscemi who is Lincoln’s friend says this to

Importance of Biology free essay sample

Ever wonder about those words in science that make you feel like your talking in some foreign language? Well I’ll be telling you about one of them†¦ biology (If you hadn’t already guessed that from the title). Biology is a useful tool for anyone to have, not only doctors and biochemists. It can help you when dealing with medical concerns that may arise in your future. After all, it’s always good to have a general idea of what your doctor is talking about. Understanding your body is key to living a long and healthy life. Biology is a very important part of everyday life, whether we realize it or not. Any advances in medicine, dealing with environmental issues, or biotechnology depend on an understanding of living organisms, great, medium, and small. Even if our main goal was simply ensuring the survival of the human race, we still must be able to understand and sustain the biosphere. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of Biology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We poison our land, air, and water. The Greenhouse Effect and Global warming are both threats that concern our biosphere. It would be utterly hopeless to try to sustain the diversity of life on Earth in the future without a decent knowledge of biology. In order to maintain the delicate balance of life on Earth, we first must understand that we are not alone on this planet. We need to learn about the effect we have on our environment and other living things. The value of many species cannot be predicted. Many plants may contain chemicals that could prove useful in treating illnesses, among other things. Also, the extinction of any species can disturb the equilibrium of an ecosystem. So, basically, we should understand that all of our actions have effects on other organisms and the environment. Well I hope this convinced you that studying biology is a very important skill to have and that it has cleared up any questions about biology that you may have. I also hope that in reading this you have come to understand a little bit about why you need to not only learn about biology but also practice what you learn in your every day life. I know that I have enjoyed writing this for you and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Same Sex Marriage an Example of the Topic Psychology Essays by

Same Sex Marriage Should same sex marriage be legally recognized? Marriage is one of the most important socio-cultural institutions that for centuries have served the humanity for its inpidual and collective good. Although sexual co-habitation exists since primitive times but marriage was exclusively a heterosexual phenomenon. However, since the last half of the 20th century certain segments of the society defied the views of the conformist prepositions about the nature and purpose of marriage and challenged the tenet that marriage is and should be entirely heterosexual. This phenomenon developed in the last years of 1950s and surged in the early years of 1960s. Need essay sample on "Same Sex Marriage" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Marriage is not only a summation of two spouses but it is an all-encompassing phenomenon that includes social, cultural, moral and legal aspects. Marriage is developed as a social patronaged and culturally patterned institution that is much more than an intimate personal relationship as it has assimilated and incorporated itself with other social institutes, so marriage should not viewed as a relationship for personal intimation only as adherents of the same-sex marriage articulate and thus should not be legalized. University Students Often Tell EssayLab support: I'm not in the mood to write my essay. Because I want to spend time with my boyfriend Professional writers advise: Don't Waste Your Time Paper Writing Service College Papers Online How to Prepare an Assignment Essay Writing Help Company The adherents of the same-sex marriage disseminated the notions that marriage has nothing to do with heterosexuality and it is exclusively superfluous religious and legal fiction. They further propagated that different other dimension of the marriages i.e. same-sex marriage, should not be sacrificed at the altar of conventional religious morality. Generally, this change in the thought process of society compelled these segments of the society to indulge in same sex marriages. (Cantor, 2006) The case for heterosexual marriage is based on the religious, social and historical fact. (Dent, 1999; Frank, 2006; Finnis, 1997; Reid, 2005;Vetri, 1998) Marriage is a social and religious bond between a man and woman. Biblical references can be provided that marriage as an institution is an association of one man and one woman. Furthermore Christianity is against gay and lesbian relationship and considers it immoral and unethical. In some cases has ordered to outcast the convicts of such crimes. In Christianity, marriage is considered a holy and sacred obligation since the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). So it was considered a vital activity since the time of Jesus as a legitimate and sacred sexual relationship between man and woman. Several legal court decisions and constitutional codes also include the same definition of marriage. Prof Eskridge (1993) provides a crux of the arguments of the opponents of the same-sex marriages by saying; Marriage, they say, must involve a man and a women because (1) this is the definitional essence of the marriage (2) the Judeo-Christian tradition requires it and/or (3) the modern Western nation-state has structured society around the assumption that only different-sex marital unions are allowed. Historically, homosexual indulgence and practices were common in primitive societies but no verified or verifiable clue is available that same-sex marriage was recognized and sanctioned as marriage socially and stately in various parts of the world. Prof Eskridge is his well researched work A history of Same-sex marriage provides various historical facts about homosexuality but not about legal sanctity of same-sex marriage. For example, he provides example from certain archaeological remains like tomb of two male courtiers of the fifth dynasty (circa 2600 B.C.) includes bas-beliefs of the two men in intimate poses. He further quotes the views of social historian David Greenberg to affirm his point of view about same-sex relationship that same-sex relationship was accepted by the state, because Pharaoh provided their tomb. (21) So it is quite clear that historically, same-sex marriage were never sanctioned by any primitive law. This historical fact is important to assume that millennia of human experience never sanctioned homosexuality as a legal marriage and there were various reasons behind that i.e. collective good of human society, fear of extinction of human species etc. He again cites David Greenberg to explaore the state recognition of same-sex relationship in the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia where Mesopotamian monarch, notably King Zimri-Lim of Mari and King Hammurabi of Babylon, had male lovers akin to wives. (22) He further suggests hat although earlier laws of Mesopotamia regulates the action of sexual indulgence and marriages but it has no connotations toward approval of same-sex relationship. Reproduction is the essential human phenomenon that is primarily concerned with future and retainment of human specie. This primarily refers to the importance of hetero-sexual marriage as social fact. As the world is tending to move toward inpidualistic societies and its concerns, it is fundamentally imperative that wider social concerns must be taken into account. So the primary purpose of marriage is not an intimate relationship sanctioned by the society and state alike but it is the development and retainment of human generation. Hetero-sexual marriage is compatible with this social objective but same is not true with the same-sex marriage. Scott Bidstrup, a distinguished supporter of same sex marriage, does not take into consideration this important objective of marriage and only relies on the personal intimacy theorem. He says that Sex, in a committed gay relationship, is merely a means of expressing that love, just the same as it is for heterosexuals. Being gay is much more profound than simply a sexual relationship; being gay is part of that person's core identity, and goes right the very center of his being. (Gay Marriage: The Arguments and the Motives) But marriage is much more than an expression of love and affection for the partner or spouse. Hetero-sexual marriage capacitates men to achieve their moral and personal discipline that is a pre-requisite to achieve success in life on one hand whereas it also enabled them to live a stable and balanced domestic life. On the other hand it facilitates the married women gain a protected and stable social status, acknowledgment of protection and economic provision of their children. Somerville refutes the same-sex marriage in a higher cultural level as she derives that Marriage is primarily a cultural phenomenon and one of its absolute function is to transmit human life to the next generation and nurture and protect that life. (3) She is of the opinion that same-sex marriage could not perform that function due to the fact that it involves a relationship rather than a social function. A research study Why Marriages Matters: Twenty-One Conclusion from the Social Sciences by twelve scholars have tried to summarize the positive effects of marriage through analyzing research literature and found that Marriage is an important social good associated with an impressively broad array of positive outcomes for children and adults alike [W]hether American society succeeds or fails in building a healthy marriage culture is clearly a matter of legitimate public concern. [Doherty, William J. et al., 2002] So marriage is a social phenomenon here that has social connotations and it is not a personal relationship between two inpiduals. Adherents of the same-sex marriage further refer to the civil rights guaranteed by the constitution and put their case in the historical context that once interracial marriages were prohibited but Supreme Court established that these laws were unconstitutional and were against the letter and spirit of the constitution and fundamental rights. So they maintain that it is also erroneous and unconstitutional to bar same-sex marriages. But this argument does not validate their yearning for legalization of same-sex marriage because being of a different race and color is a natural phenomenon whereas theirs is a behavioral predicament. It is not an innate feature. It is a habitual formation that seems to be instinctive. There are certain other segments of the society with deviant behaviors i.e. pedophiles, people with incestuous orientation, pornography addicts. It does not mean that civil rights grant them validation to exercise their will against the collective good of the society. Don Browning sums the overall opposition to the case for same-sex marriage and says that providing social recognition and legal sanction to the gay marriage will epitomize the societys stride toward dismantling the goods associated with marriage. The further says that same-sex marriage is not an extension of old institution of marriage to new segments of society but it alters the overall objective and purpose of marriage. He further extends that same-sex marriage reduces marriage primarily to committed affectionate sexual relations. It goes further. It gives this new and a more narrow view of marriage all of the cultural, legal, and public support that accrued to the institution when it functioned to hold together this complex set of good. (Browning 204) All these arguments clearly manifest that same-sex marriage will not serve like the traditional institution of marriage based on hetero-sexual relationship, so it should not be endorsed as legally and constitutionally in order to save the society from socio-cultural catastrophe. From the primitive times the institution of marriages is regarded as the major source of family life. In almost every civilization it is known to serve and has served three essential social purposes. First, it is regarded, as a hatchery where new pool of children are conceived and are brought up under the maternal and paternal supervision; the rearing of children in this way assures the provision of all their psychological, emotional, social and economic needs. So same-sex marriages should not be sanctioned and must be prohibited by law. If not an extensive power of judicial activism save the society, the proponents of same-sex marriage will exploit the situations and will put aside the majority opinion about aberrancy and deviancy of homosexuals. References Bidstrup, S. Gay Marriage: The Arguments and the Motive. Retrieved on 7 Febrauary, 2007 Browning, D. S. The Liberal Case against Same-sex Marriage. The New York Times. 09 Mar. 2004. Cantor, D. J. Same-Sex Marriage: The Legal and Psychological Evolution in America. Wesleyan University Press. 2006. Dent, G. W. "The Defense of Traditional Marriage," The Journal of Law and Politics 15 (1999) :581-644. Eskridge, W. N. A history of Same-Sex Marriage. Symposium on Sexual Orientation and The Law. Virginia Law Review 79. 7 (1993): 1419-1513. Eskridge, W. N. The Case for Same-Sex Marriage: from Sexual Liberty to Civilized Commitment. New York: Free Press, 1996. Franke, K. M. "The Politics of Same-Sex Marriage Politics". Columbia Journal of Gender & Law 15 (2006):236-248. Finnis, J. "The Good of Marriage and the Morality of Sexual Relations: Some Philosophical and Historical Observations". American Journal of Jurisprudence 42 (1997):97-134. Patterson, C. J. "Same-Sex Marriage and the Interests of Children...," Virginia Journal of Social Policy & Law 9(2001):345-351. Perkins, J. (ed.) Defense of Marriage: Does It Need Defending?. Nova Science. 2004. Reid, E. "Assessing and Responding to Same-Sex "Marriage" in Light of Natural Law". Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy 3(2005):523-539. Somerville, A.M. The Case against Same-sex Marriage. A Brief Submitted to The Standing Committee on Justice and Human. McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law. 2003. Vetri, D. Almost Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Lesbians and Gay Men, Their Families, and the Law". Southern University Law Review 26 (1998):1-91.

Early Roman Architecture Essays - Bridges, Arch Bridge, Arch

Early Roman Architecture Essays - Bridges, Arch Bridge, Arch Early Roman Architecture DAVID HATFIELD ART HISTORY I FALL 2000 The Romans gained much of their engineering skill from the Etruscans and drew on Etruscan and Asian models for the semicircular arch. From them, the Romans learned the use of the keystone arch, which enabled them to build extremely strong and durable structures. Many of these engineering and architectural projects are still standing. Some are still in use after two thousand years like this bridge in Spain. Early Roman architects were influenced by Greek post-and-lintel construction. But the Greek design was limited in its capabilities to span large distances and being able to bear heavy loads while not falling down of its own weight. Post and lintel construction comprises a flat piece of stone bridging a space between two upright supports. Post and lintel supports have a flaw. When a heavy weight is placed on the middle of the span too much stress may be put on the stone and it can break in the middle. The Romans solved this problem by using a type of construction called voussoir arch with keystone. The engineering principle of the arch is quite simple. The circle is the strongest structural shape. The arch is just half of this perfect form. To create a voussoir arch, tapered stone blocks were cut then arranged like the diagram at the right. It was then stood up on its ends. The ends rested on piers made of stone blocks or bricks mortared together with pozzolana cement in the typical Roman arch bridge. The cement was named after a local mountain that the ingredients of the cement came from. The weight of the stone and concrete of the bridge itself compressed the tapered stones together, making the arch an extremely strong structure. During construction, the voussoir's were supported by a temporary wooden frame until the keystone was inserted. The Roman invention of the arch allowed architects to build larger structures than ever before. The extension of the arch idea lead to the development of domes, alcoves, and soffits. The arches and its derivatives were also employed in Triumphal Arches, aqueducts, bridges, houses, theaters, exedra, nynpheum, basilicas, thermal baths and temples. The Coliseum is a prime example of the many uses of arches. The arches allowed for a tall and wide structure to accommodate many people. The wide arches also enabled people to move in and out of the building safely and quickly. They also provided spaces for visitors to sit and places to display works of art. The Romans took the form of the simple arch and developed it into many forms. With their insight, modern day architecture has been functionally advanced its beauty enhanced and variety diversified.

Effect of Nutrition on Cardiovascular Disease Essay

Effect of Nutrition on Cardiovascular Disease - Essay Example Exercise as well benefits the heart while having the added benefit of weight loss and strength gain. According to a study conducted at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (2005), "The more fast-food restaurants in a neighbourhood, the higher the prevalence of cardiovascular disease or death" (Taggart 2005). Such outlets offer menus with foods extremely high in fat and cholesterol, therefore avoiding such foods can only be good for the heart and the body overall. Eating more fish and fish oil, which increases omega-3 fats, and ingesting more fresh fruits and vegetables, will lower one's risk of heart disease (Massey 4). Although alcohol is looked upon by many as part of an unhealthy lifestyle and a decadent pleasure, wine has been found to have a beneficial affect on mortality for those individuals with CVD, as well. A 1995 study indicated that "there was a does-response relationship between the frequency of the intake of wine and mortality; the maximum effect was observed with a daily intake" (citing Gronbeak, et al.; Bygren, Carstensen, Engfeldt, & Theobald 652). Another decadent delight, chocolate, can have health benefits as well when eaten in moderation. It is the flavonoids in dark chocolate that appear to have some benefit on risk factors for cardiovascular disease when consumption is limited to approximately and ounce a day (Tufts 3). A risk that is almost unavoidable ... A risk that is almost unavoidable in today's industrial-age lifestyle is pollution. No matter where one lives, factories and vehicles have created air quality issues, and "several medical studies have suggested a link between air pollution and heart disease in people who are already at risk because of high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure" (Massey 4). Researchers discovered that this is because pollution combined with a high-fat diet results in a quicker build up of "atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries" (4). Another enormous CVD risk is obesity and abdominal adiposity as reported in one recent study. Researchers determined that "a changing waist circumference affected the cardiometabolic riskboth waist and BMI change, together, were related to change in systolic blood pressure and hypertension" (Balkau, Fezeu, Picard, Vol, et al. 1901 & 1904). A lifestyle conducive to a healthy heart is one that includes regular exercise and weight loss. "A person who leads a sedentary lifestyle is two times as likely to develop heart disease as an individual who is physically active" (Ebony 122). Aerobic exercise promotes cardiovascular fitness and can be accomplished through cycling, jogging, walking for extended periods of time, etc Other "heart-smart" activities include resistance training, "which increases strength, decreases body fat and helps regulate blood cholesterol. Conclusion With a change in lifestyle, including a healthy diet and regular exercise, the possibilities of reducing or eliminating cardiovascular disease is great. Unfortunately, lifestyle changes are difficult and take enormous will and commitment to successfully obtain. However, when individuals realize that a change in habit can dramatically lengthen their

Marketing Strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Strategies - Research Paper Example When the companies take the decision for expanding and diversifying their businesses across the national boundaries, it is important for them to take into consideration various factors that are important for the successful operation of the company on the international scale (Keegan and Green 2008). The focus is to formulate a strategy regarding the international operations of Algerian wine in the UK market. Algerian Wine is a wine that is made from a country of North Africa in Algeria and is among the renowned name in the history of wine. Algeria is known to be one of the oldest producers of wine in the world. For the Romans, Algeria is considered to be the breadbasket and vineyard throughout the history of viticulture starting from the Roman Empire. Algerian wines have been seen to prosper the world with constant prosperity because of the fact that they have their own unique characteristics. Algerian wines are produced in five major regions that include The MEDEA region, The ZACCCAR region, The DAHRA region, The MASCARA region, and The TLEMCEN region. The aim of the company is to export the Algerian Wine called Coteaux De Mascara from Algeria into the market of UK. Coteaux De Mascara is termed to be the red wine from the Atlas Mountains. This wine belongs to The MASCARA region. This region has been well renowned in terms of producing wines with distinguished features. The wines produced in this region are considered to be robust and well structured. They are of good colour, and consist of high level of alcohol up-to 14 percent. All the wines of Algeria are distinguished with taste of deep berry flavours and the fragrance of roses and raspberries. For the purpose of data collection, various scholarly journals and articles will be selected, which will help in retrieving adequate information in relation to the international marketing. Secondary data will be helpful in collection of adequate and authentic information.

Western designer with an Eastern touch Essay Example for Free

Western designer with an Eastern touch Essay Designer Vivienne Tam has received quite a multicultural upbringing as she was born in Canton, brought up in Hong Kong, and eventually settled in New York. She has made a name in the fashion world by being innovative, and having her own distinctive style. I want to design harmonious and beautiful clothing that enhances ones personality, she says. Vivienne first became famous with her signature collection of Eastern inspired clothing with a modern edge on the New York stage in 1994. After that, East-meets-West style became her trademark and distinctive feature. Pieces of her now classic Buddha collection of 1997 ultimately became part of the permanent archives of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, The Museum of FIT and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Tams designs that have been described as simple but at the same time unique in their combination of East and West, traditional and modern have attracted the attention of celebrities including Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Madonna, and Britney Spears. At the moment, Tam owns boutiques in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Kobe, Japan. In November, 2004, Vivienne Tam opened her second freestanding store in Xian Tian Di in Shanghai, China, and her ninth store in Hong Kong, located at The Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon. One of her recent successes is a partnership with The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group where she is a brand ambassador. Her works will be featured in an advertising campaign to break in spring of 2005 in nationally distributed U. S. publications. Vivienne herself described her style in her book â€Å"China Chic† where she dwells on different aspects of Orientalism including fashion, food, art, architecture and home decor. She describes in the book in detail her own crosscultural style that unites Western and Eastern elements. Vivienne Tam describes the Chinese style that is native to he rand teaches readers to appreciate the Chinese design and assess the beauty of her favorite Ming chair. Vivienne Tam’s style has always been characterized by distinct feature of Orientalism, or something that is perceived by the predominantly Western public assessing her creations as oriental. Most critics describe her style as eclectic, that is, combining the elements of the â€Å"Oriental† and â€Å"Occidental†. Her clothing are carrying the trends similar to the folk Chinese costumes, such as the glistening fabrics and loose cut while remaining attached to the spirit of New York City’ s cultural life. Said’s Orientalism and Barthes’ â€Å"signifier† Thus, Vivienne Tam’s fashionable art can be linked to the concept of Orientalism described in Edward Said’s famous work â€Å"Orientalism†. Said himself, being of Palestinian descent, had a â€Å"cross-cultural† background. Said defined Orientalism as a â€Å"way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the Orients special place in European Western Experience† (Said 1979). Said insisted on the Orientalism being a cultural concept that is conditioned by the existence â€Å"cultural contestant† to the European Occident, and a recurring image of the â€Å"Other†. The Orient is thus an elusive notion that is merely a product of the European imagination and is utilized to help the Occidentals to conceptualize themselves in contrast to the Oriental tradition. Said describes Orientalism as a ‘style of thought based on an ontological and epistemological distinction’† between the Orient and the Occident† (Yang). Said insisted that Orientalism is a notion that was artificially created by the artistice circles of the West who were unable to grasp the crude reality of Eastern life and conjured up for themselves a sweetened â€Å"Orient†. He wrote in his work: â€Å"By virtue of the fact that the poet, scholar, and politician speaks for, or writes about the Orient indicates the Orient is absent, and that the Orientalist is outside the orient†¦ Poets make the Orient speak, and renders its mysteries plain to the West. † (Say-Saue 2001). Thus Said sees Orientalism as a kind of representation of the Orient by the Orientalists, found in the so-called truthful texts, such as history, journals, or, in other words, as cultural stereotype other opposite to the Occident (Yang). In Orientalism Said described this notion as it surfaces in the works of the European writers trying to provide an account of Eastern realia. Said connected the orientalist approach with the European culture that tried to control its relations with the Eastern subordinate states. He denoted the Western tradition of Orientalism as corporate institution for dealing with the Orient dealing with it by making statements about it, authoring views of it, describing it, by teaching it, settling it, ruling over it: in short . . . a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient (Edward Said). Thus, the tool of the Orientalism was utilised by the West in order to subjugate and oppress the East. The ideas present in Said’s works show that the application of Orientalism to the description of an obscure phenomenon was similar to the idea of a â€Å"signifier† used by Bathes. In the sense used by Roland Bathes’s theory of semiotics, â€Å"signifier:† is in some ways a substitute. For example, words, both oral and written, are signifiers, later exchanged by the brain for a working definition. The difference between the word â€Å"tree† and the substance which the brain substitutes for the input tree lies in the fact that you can make something out of the entity that is symbolized by the word, but you cannot use the word itself in construction. The signifier is therefore a kind of icon (Rowland Barthes Theories). Interesting in this respect is the idea of myth utilised by Roland Bathes which he determines

Siddhartha - The Three Stages Essay -- Hesse Siddhartha Essays

Siddhartha - The Three Stages "On the great journey of life, if a man cannot find one who is better or at least as good as himself, let him journey joyfully alone." The story of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse makes this point true. The main character Siddhartha dealt with the Samanas and Gotama Buddha, the second with Kamala and then the ferryman. The three parts correspond to the three stages though which Siddhartha passes on his journey to enlightenment: The stage of the mind; the stage of the flesh; the stage of transcendence. During this period-the realm of the mind, Siddhartha actively sets about letting the self die, escaping his Self. This attempt reaches its most concentrated form during his stay with the ascetic Samanas, during which he discards all material possessions and tries further to flee his own body and control his other needs. This is shown when he says, "He killed his senses, he killed his memory, he slipped out of his Self in a thousand different forms." S... Siddhartha - The Three Stages Essay -- Hesse Siddhartha Essays Siddhartha - The Three Stages "On the great journey of life, if a man cannot find one who is better or at least as good as himself, let him journey joyfully alone." The story of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse makes this point true. The main character Siddhartha dealt with the Samanas and Gotama Buddha, the second with Kamala and then the ferryman. The three parts correspond to the three stages though which Siddhartha passes on his journey to enlightenment: The stage of the mind; the stage of the flesh; the stage of transcendence. During this period-the realm of the mind, Siddhartha actively sets about letting the self die, escaping his Self. This attempt reaches its most concentrated form during his stay with the ascetic Samanas, during which he discards all material possessions and tries further to flee his own body and control his other needs. This is shown when he says, "He killed his senses, he killed his memory, he slipped out of his Self in a thousand different forms." S...

Company Analysis of Nike 2014 Essay

INTRODUCTION/ COMPANY BACKGROUND This report examines NIKE Inc. one of the leading sports brand in the world. It uses business analysis techniques such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s five forces, and Ratio analysis to analyse the business environment and performance of this company. NIKE Inc. is one of the world’s biggest sporting brand based in Oregon USA. Founded in 1968, NIKE is the world’s biggest designer marketer and seller of athletic footwear, sports equipment, apparel, accessories and services, by sales revenue of $21.5 billion in 2012 (NIKE, 2013). With 48000 employees, NIKE’s operation cuts across different regions in the world including Canada, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. They posted revenue of $25313 million in the 2013 financial year ending May 2013, the company has enjoy growth in its revenue since 2010, and this trend is expected to continue as they leverage on top sporting events to boost their brand image (Tefris 2013). PESTEL ANALYSIS PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological Environment, and Legal) analysis is a business analysis technique that is used to analyse the growth potential of a company. It helps firms identify the environment in which they operate, and can firms predict future circumstances and situations by using information and data it provides (Yà ¼ksel, 2012). This report provides a PESTEL analysis of NIKE in the following paragraphs. Political Political environment have a huge implication on the micro and macro environment of a business, and they can significantly influence a range of business decisions (Leslie and Phillip, 2012). Political environment includes political system, government policies and other trade related regulations. Some of the political factors that can affect NIKE includes the relationship between USA (Nike’s country of origin) and other host countries where NIKE operates (for example China). For example increased tension between US and China can lead to certain aggressive policies that can affect the company’s operations in China. Furthermore recent pressure on US firms to keep jobs in the US can affect plans for future factory locations of NIKE. Economical The economic environment of the countries NIKE operate in is very vital to the overall strategy and decisions of the company. These factors include the state of the global economy, economic incentives from the countries where NIKE factories are cited, the general economic condition of these countries, inflation rates and changing oil prices. All of these factors can affect the revenue of the company, increased economic growth in emerging markets such as Brazil and China presented a huge revenue opportunity for the company, however recent decline in the growth of the Chinese economy will also have some negative impact of revenue projections of NIKE. Social Social factors can influence the business decisions of NIKE one way or the other. These factors includes tradition, customs, beliefs, level of education, corruption, customer’s consciousness, changing lifestyle, and income distribution (Singla, 2007). For example increased consciousness to maintain healthy living will lead to more demand for fitness centres and gyms that in turn could lead to more sales revenues for NIKE. Furthermore clamour for increased better welfare for workers in clothing factories in countries like China, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, and pressure from the civil society groups like Worker’s Right Consortium on companies like NIKE to ensure their suppliers follow health and safety standards are among some of the social situations and issues the company have to contend with. Technological The commercial success of NIKE’s product is based on technical innovation and quality control in the design and manufacturing process of footwear, athletic equipment, and apparel (Nike, 2014). For this reason changes in technological factors can have serious impact on the overall operations of the company. For example new technology can lead to new products, improve the manufacturing process, and improve the distribution network. This implies that the revenue of NIKE can increased, or there could be reduction in the cost of manufacturing due to better technology. To maintain competitive advantage the company need to constantly understand the technological factors that affect them. Environmental Business operations of firms such as NIKE can have huge impact on the environment. Factors such as climate change, waste management, water management, and use of hazardous chemicals are all environmental impact areas the company has identified. NIKE highlights its commitment to reducing the impact of the company’s operations through understanding how related these factors are, and how a coordinated approach in the design of its product and processes can mitigate the impact on the environment, and on their business. Legal The judicial system, consumer rights, trade treaties, and ethical codes are all legal factors that affect NIKE. Constant understanding of laws and regulations is imperative to avoid serious legal implication for the company. Gotham (2013) highlights that one serious legal related issue NIKE needs to constantly deal with is the issue of counterfeit product. Ensuring that fake NIKE products are not wide spread is necessary to keep the NIKE reputation, and avoid lawsuits that can increase the legal cost of the company. Furthermore, keeping ethical standards is very vital in protecting the NIKE brand. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT is a management tool that is used to build strategic business plans (Amin et al, 2011). It is widely used in business due to its simplicity of its four factors (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats) and its flexibility (Al-Araki, 2013). The SWOT analysis of NIKE is presented in the next few paragraphs below. Strength One main strength of NIKE is its dominant position in the market, and the strong brand portfolio of the company. According to Forbes (2014a) NIKE’s market share in the global footwear market reached 18.6% in 2012, and it is expected to rise to 27% in the long run. The main source of value for NIKE are footwear and apparel that are sold under the NIKE brand, together they make approximately 70% of the overall value of NIKE (Trefis, 2014). This competitive brand portfolio of NIKE and the dominant position of the company  are key strengths that enables the company outperform the industry. Weakness Watts (2009) asserts that one of NIKE’s weakness is their inability to address problems linked to their labour and factory conditions. The company has been consistently criticised for its lack of control, and dependence on contractors and manufacturers that do not meet labour standard, safe factory conditions in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and China. This has caused to bad publicity for the company, and increased calls for product boycott in recent years. Furthermore the company’s focus on quality could be a potential weakness as it explore emerging market like Brazil, because its price points will be higher and some customers in these markets could lack the level of income to purchase their products. Opportunities Increased growth in emerging economies presents a huge expansion opportunity for NIKE. The company’s management believes there is high potential for their products in markets such as China, Brazil, and other emerging countries (Trefis, 2011). The growth these economies enjoy expands the global footwear market, and NIKE is in a strong position to tap into this growth opportunity. Furthermore the increasing use of multi-channel platforms such as online and mobile for shopping is an opportunity for NIKE to reach out to more customers worldwide. Threat The company’s main threat is its increasing competition, the intense competition and unpredicted changes in in technology and consumer preference in the industry NIKE operates presents a huge risk that can threaten the operations of the company (NIKE, 2013). Some of the main competitors that remain a threat to the company includes Adidas, Puma, and Under Amour. Furthermore, the strong brand value of NIKE products increases the risk of counterfeiting of their products. This is a constant threat the company needs to tackle to ensure it doesn’t lose brand value and revenues. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Porter’s five forces analysis helps firms to understand the competition and profitability in an industry, the framework includes potential entrants, industrial competitors, suppliers, buyers and substitutes. According to  Porter (2008) understanding the competitive forces, and their fundamental causes enables companies see the root of current profitability of an industry, while it provides framework that helps anticipate and influence competition over a period of time. The following paragraphs give analysis of the how these five forces influence the competition of NIKE. Potential Entrants Potential new entrants into the market can cause NIKE to lose market share, however in the current situation the risk of potential new entrant to NIKE is minimal because of the high entry barrier because of the established nature of the global sportswear industry. While the risk of new entrants is low, it should be noted that there is a risk of new entrant into NIKE’s existing product line, this can lead to loss of sales and revenue. The company needs to channel its energy into continuously expanding its market share through improving on existing products, and introducing innovative products that will enable them maintain their competitive advantage. Level of competition The level of competition in the global sport footwear and clothing industry is very high. NIKE faces stiff competition from other brands like Adidas and Puma. According to Forbes (2014b) the company faces tough competition in emerging markets and Western Europe, as rival brands like adidas increases their competitive campaign through lunch of products and other related activities aimed at gaining back lost market share. Furthermore, NIKE also faces competition from local brands like Li Ning as they expand to emerging markets like China. The company need to work very hard to continue to protect and expand its brand, for them to be able to maintain the dominant level they are presently. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers often determine the success of companies selling a product (Bode et al, 2011). However, the availability of commodity items like rubber, and cotton NIKE uses for the production of its goods, and the high amount of suppliers in the industry gives the company absolute advantage over its suppliers. NIKE can choose to switch to any supplier at any time with less cost implication, and low risk of disruption to it supplies due of its brand reputation. Furthermore, every supplier will want to do business with NIKE because of the huge manufacturing ability of the firm. This gives NIKE power over its suppliers, and guarantee of steady supplies. Bargaining Power of customers The loyalty of customers to NIKE brand gives the company bargaining power over its customers. NIKE can decide to set its prices at high levels because it knows customers are willing to pay to be identified with its brand. As long as the company continues offer products that are innovative and appealing to its customers, the company will continue to maintain it strong position, and attract more customer loyalty (Lussier and Kimball, 2014). The bargaining power the company has over its customers gives them a great deal of flexibility in their pricing. Threat of Substitutes There is a high tendency for customers to substitute NIKE products for other brands when they face squeeze in their income during economic downturn. This is due to the fact that NIKE product are considered pricey can could be considered luxury product among certain middle class families if there is a squeeze on their disposable income. Competitors can capitalise on this to release cheaper products that will be appealing to these customer during economic slowdown, therefore NIKE need to constantly monitor the overall economic wellbeing of its customers before introducing any product. ANALYSIS OF NIKE FINANCAL RATIO *Extracted data Ratios Formula 2013 2012 2011 Asset Turnover Ratio Revenue/Total Assets 1.44 1.51 1.39 Return on Assets(ROA) Net Income/Total Assets 14.13% 14.37% 14.22% Return on Equity(ROE) Net Income/Equity 22.28% 21.41% 21.67% Gross Profit Margin (Revenue-COGS)/Revenue 43.59% 43.50% 45.58% Quick Ratio (CA – Inv.) / CL 2.60 2.22 2.19 Current Ratio CA/CL 3.47 3.05 2.85 Debt Ratio Total Debt/Total Asset 7.89% 2.49% 4.42% Debt to Equity Total Debt/Total Equity 12.44% 3.71% 6.74% Inventory Turnover COGS/ Inventory 4.16 4.09 4.35 Receivables Turnover Revenue/Receivables 8.12 7.45 6.65 *P/E Ratio 22.90 22.40 18.90 *EPS 2.71 2.37 2.20 Nike’s revenue increase by approximately 8% in 2013 from 2012 figures, looking at the profitability ratios in the table above, it can be observed that the company’s profit margin reduced from 45.89% to 43.50% in 2012 and slightly increased later in 2013 to 43.59%. The gross profit margin is a reflection what is left after the cost of production is deducted, other profitability ratios such as ROE also shows upward trend from 2011 to 2013 indicating a favourable year for the company compared to its 2012 figures. This according Forbes (2014a), and NIKE was as a result of pricing actions, and reduce cost of material such as cotton, and lower investment activities by the company in 2013. The asset turnover of the company reduced in 2013 compared to 2012, this could be attributed to the fall in sales in China one of the biggest market for the company. Furthermore, looking at the liquidity ratio of the company, it can be observed that its current and quick ratio  have been i ncreasing within the period under review. For 2013 quick ratio was 2.60times an increase from 2.22times in 2011, this is well above the industry average which is currently at 0.77times. The current ratio of the company has also been increasing in the years under review, this reflects a strong financial position for the firm because it indicates that the company will be able to meet up future debt obligations. Other solvency ratios such as debt ratio and debt to equity ratio saw a high increase from 2.49% and 3.71% in 2012 to 7.89% and 12.44% respectively. This is an indication that the company relies on debt to fund its assets, this can be due to the strong liquidity position of the company which is reflected in its quick and current ratios. The company has the ability to meets its debt obligations so the risk of using debt of using debt is low. Finally from the efficiency ratios it can be observed that the inventory turnover for the company reduced from 4.35times to 4.09times in 2012, and later rose slightly to 4.16times in 2013. This indicates that the company is still slow in the number of times its inventories is sold and replaced compared to the 2011 figure. This could be as a result of the slow recovery of most countries coming out of recession, and slow growth in key markets for NIKE. However this is not a problem peculiar to NIKE, and the company is still above the industry average of 3.6times. The receivable turnover of the company has been increasing within 2011 and 2013, it is possible that this also adds to the increasing liquidity position of the company. The EPS of the company has observed an upward trend from $2.20 in 2011 to $2.71 in 2013, also its P/E ratio also increased 18.90% to 22.90% this is an indication of NIKE’s profitability within these years and it reflects NIKE’s strong position among the investing community. The increasing P/E ratio of NIKE also indicates investors’ confidence in NIKE’s future earnings and the growth prospect of the company. In conclusion, from the analysis of NIKE financials it is evident that the company maintains a strong position in the industry, because of its inc reasing revenue despite slight drop in certain emerging market, its liquidity position is strong compared to industry average and their growth prospect is also high as reflected in their growth ratios. ANALYSIS OF SHARE PERFORMANCE Figure : Movement of Nike share price in the past 6 months. The figure above presents the share performance of NIKE for the past 6 months, from the figure it could be observed that in the third quarter of NIKE’s financial 2013 year ending May 2014, the share price of the company observed a sharp drop to $70.51, then rose to $79.64 reaching its peak in the period under review. The share price dropped to $73.2 and since then have been fluctuating within 70 and $71. According to NIKE (2013) fluctuations in NIKE share prices can be attributed to various factors that affects performance in these quarter, they include the seasonality of its products, general economic condition, weather condition, and changes in consumer preference. However, dividend pay-out announcements, expectations of quarterly results and other industry related factors could also lead to the fluctuations of NIKE share price. Overall NIKE’s share performance has been fairly stable at $70-$80 as no highly significant drop have been observed in the period under revie w. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the analysis of NIKE indicates that it remains one of the biggest sports manufacturing brands in the world. The company’s focus on manufacturing innovative products has kept them in a very strong position in the sportswear and clothing industry. Though the global economic growth has slowed down slightly, and this has also affected key emerging markets such as China, growth projections for NIKE remain strong as investors believe the company has the ability to fight off intense competition and continue to expand its dominance in the market. It is very imperative for the company to continue to maintain its level of innovation to ensure continued customer loyalty and increasing revenues. References Al-Araki, M 2013, ‘SWOT analysis revisited through PEAK-framework’, Journal Of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 25, 3, pp. 615-625, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, [Accessed on 19th June 2014]. Amin, S. H., Razmi, J., & Zhang, G. (2011). Supplier selection and order allocation based on fuzzy SWOT analysis and fuzzy linear programming. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(1), 334-342. [Online] available from Science Direct Platform on: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2010.06.071 [Accessed on 19th June 2014]. BanJo , S. (2014) Inside Nike’s Struggle to Balance Cost and Worker Safety in Bangladesh. Wall Street Journal. [Online] available from: http://blogs.wsj.com/frontiers/2014/04/22/inside-nikes-struggle-to-balance-cost-and-worker-safety-in-bangladesh/ [Accessed on 17th June 2014]. Bode, c, Wagner, s, Petersen, k, & Ellram, l (2011), ‘understanding responses to supply chain disruptions: insights from information processing and resource dependence perspectives’. Academy Of Management Journal, 54, 4, pp. 833-856, Available on Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, [Accessed on 17th June 2014] Forbes (2013) Nike Shares Can Find Some Zip on Emerging Market Sales [Online] available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/04/11/nike-shares-can-find-some-zip-on-emerging-market-sales/ [Accessed on 17th June 2014]. Forbes (2014b) Nike Faces Tough Competition In Europe and China. [Online] available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/03/04/nik e-faces-tough-competition-in-europe-and-china/ [Accessed on 17th June 2014] Forbes. (2014a) Nike Brand Apparel Division in Focus. [Online] available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/03/20/nike-brand-apparel-division-in-focus/ [Accessed on 17th June 2014]. Gotham, S. (2013) Nike’s Changing External Environment. Nike.Blogpost [Online] available from: http://philnike.blogspot.com/2013/02/nikes-external-environment.html [Accessed on 18th June 2014]. Hamilton, Leslie & Webster, Philip, (2012) The International Business Environment, Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition. Lussier, R, Kimball, D, (2014), ‘Applied Sport Management Skills’, Elms College, 2nd Edition. NIKE Inc. (2013) Annual Report and Notice of Annual Meeting. [Online] available from: http://investors.nikeinc.com/files/nike2013form10K.pdf [Accessed on 18th June 2014]. ‘NIKE, Inc. (2014) NIKE Inc. SWOT Analysis, pp. 1-8, [Online] Available from Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost , database [Accessed 18 June 2014]. Porter, M. E. (2008) The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard business review, 86(1), 25-40. Singla, R. K. (2007) Business Studies. Prince Print Process, New Delhi. Tefris. (2013) Here’s What Matters For Nike’s $56 Valuation. [Online] available from: http://www.trefis.com/stock/nke/articles/167536/heres-what-matters-for-nikes-56-valuation/2013-02-12 [Accessed on 18th June 2014]. Trefis (2011) Nike’s

Racial Equality And The State s Reconstruction Government...

Wade Hampton, a Southern Democrat, could never accept racial equality and in time would even lead Democrats to overthrow the Republican regime in South Carolina. Hampton III was born into a world of wealth and privileges thanks to the South s slave system. He attended a private academy, went to college, and studied law later on. He had great battlefield skills and gained a reputation out of this. Hollitz in â€Å"Race and Redemption in the Reconstructed South: Robert Smalls and Wade Hampton† describes Hampton as a â€Å"natural leader of a white supremacist counterassault on the state s Reconstruction government,† since he not only shared the same views as many other southerners and white people, but he also demonstrated power, wealth, and security to the state. In the other hand, Robert Smalls was a Republican Representative from South Carolina who wanted to reconstruct the South and guarantee political equality for the freedmen. As described in John Hollitz work, Smalls was born with a common disadvantage: he was a slave. Nevertheless, Hollitz continues to describe Smalls slavery commitment as different, yet beneficial compared to other slaves in that time. He worked for wages known as a â€Å"hired out†, which gave him relative autonomy and even gave him a type of freedom to peruse education during his youth. As Smalls grew older his skills, education, and position as deck hand on the Planter– A ship originally from the Union– served him well to escape the South and become a freeman