The Design and Implementation of a Networked Technology For Distance Essay

The Design and Implementation of a Networked Technology For Distance Learning - Essay Example The Development of the Web-based communication, as well as the collaboration of other related tools, are considered as the basis for the design and implementation of a ‘Networked Virtual Classrooms’ we have today supports the flexibility in the educational and training systems.3 Over the years, there has been a constant change in the terminology used in describing the Web-based ODL. Sometimes the term ‘Networked Open Learning’ (NOL), Networked Learning (NL) or Electronic Learning (e-learning) can be used interchangeably.4, 5 The Networked Virtual Classroom functions in two ways: as a learning material database and a two-way platform for the mentors and students. According to Turoff (1995), a virtual classroom can be used as a substitute for a classroom-based teaching through the use of an electronic-based environment that incorporates the virtual working spaces with the use of communication features.6 On the other hand, McCormack and Jones (1998) describe a virtual classroom as a Web-based environment that has an organizational, communicational, and evaluation features wherein the mentors and students conducts the learning activities.7 This study will discuss the educational objectives and goals of an open and distance learning; the usual framework of information system used in a networked virtual classroom; who are the target learners as well as their unique characteristics and their role; the special role of the mentors; the activities involved in distance learning; and the materials used in distance learning. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) aims to enable the people to access the educational system by removing all barriers including time, place, and pace.

Capital budgeting decisions made too early Essay Example for Free

Capital budgeting decisions made too early Essay Hughes Corporation employs a machine to manufacture its output. It has identified a replacement but wishes to carefully consider the effect on various aspects of the business if it continues to use the existing machine compared with the effect if it replaces it with the new machine. The importance of Capital Budgeting cannot be underemphasized as a replacement decision can impact Hughes Corporation for many years, and so it must be carefully planned. A bad decision can have a significant effect on the firm’s future operations. The timing of the decision is important as capital budgeting projects may take years to implement. Firms should plan accordingly, failing which they may find that the capital budgeting decision is timed too late, and prove to be costly with respect to competition. Capital budgeting decisions made too early can also cause problems because generally capital budgeting projects are large investments, thus early decisions may generate unnecessary costs for the firm. Hughes Corporation would like to assess whether it should replace the machine now with the new one or defer the decision. Requirement 2 The idea for a capital budgeting project, whether generated by customers, employees, suppliers, should be based on the requirements and experiences of the corporation, and of these groups. For example, a sales representative might often receive customer feedback that there is a need for the product to have particular characteristics that the firm’s existing product does not have. The sales representative may present this idea to management, who subsequently evaluates its viability by consulting with production personnel, engineers, and by carrying out a feasibility study. Once the idea is proven to be viable the financial manager conducts a capital budgeting analysis to ensure it will be beneficial to the firm with respect to its value. The corporation is satisfied with the output from its existing machine. However, its efficiency is comparatively less than a new machine and the operating and maintenance costs of the existing machine are also higher. Research conducted on internet sources revealed an article published in the Engineering Review (September 22, 1999) which explained the rationale behind the decision on replacing an asset. As pointed out in the article by Hartman, traditionally, a replacement analysis is undertaken, taking into account an optimal replacement schedule and building-in minimization of purchase, maintenance, operating costs and salvage value, over some time horizon. These costs are based on the asset utilization over its useful life (Hartman 1999). Requirement 3 In the case of this corporation, to determine the value of an asset, we should compute the present value of cash flows that the asset is expected to generate over its useful life. When the value of the asset is determined, we can determine if we should invest in the asset by comparing its computed value to the purchase cost of the asset. If this decision-making procedure is followed it will help ensure the firm will maximize its value—that is, if an asset has a value to the firm that is greater than its cost, the firm’s value would be increased if the firm purchases the asset (Besley 2007). Requirement 4 Besley continues to explain the techniques employed in assisting a decision to be reached by aggregating the cash-flows resulting from buying a replacement asset. However, as the cash-flows span over several years (over the asset’s useful life) the cash-flows should be discounted to arrive at their net present value.

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Literary Analysis, Mark Twa

Often throughout a person’s life negative and positive influences are infused into one’s mind through friends, and family. In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the lead character, grows up under the guidance of three different adult views on how a boy should behave. Huck, the lead character, learns helpful and damaging life lessons from the Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, Jim, and pap. To begin with, the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson are two wealthy sisters who adopt Huck. Thw two sister’s want to teach Huck the importance of religion, manners, and behaving. After staying in the house for a while, Huck realizes that â€Å"it [is] rough living in the house all the time†, because the Widow Douglas wants to â€Å"sivilize [him]†(Twain, 1). When dinner is ready the widow would call Huck to the table, but before they began eating the widow needs â€Å"to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals† (1). Huck knew there was nothing was wrong with the food but because the widow was religious she was trying to instill in Huck that he needs to bless his food and give thanks to God for it. The widow is trying to make religion a part of Huck’s life, which seems to be a negative impact on his life considering the many times Twain portrays religious persons as being gullible. Miss Watson, the more forceful of the two sisters, i s adamant about getting huck to behave. To help mold Huck into a person that â€Å"go[es] to the good place† also known as heaven, Miss Watson constantly tells him things to do to help him behave such as â€Å"don’t put your feet up there† and â€Å"set up straight†(2). Besides adopting a religion, and behaving, Hucks appearance needed to be neat and respectable. Although the new clothes made Huck â€Å"sweat and sweat,... ...who has ever â€Å"kep’ his promise to ole Jim† (80). Another character quality that Huck learns from Jim is that African-Americans are people too that can feel the same about their family as Caucassians feel about theirs. Huck often hears Jim moaning in the night about being homesick and missing his family. This is when Huck understands that just because Jim is African-American does not mean that they are incapable of having the same feelings as Caucassians. In general Jim affects Huck positively because now Huck is humble, trustworthy, and not as influenced by society about African-Americans. Ultimately, Huck’s personality is shaped by three adults with different guidance styles. In general Miss Watson, Widow Douglas, and Jim put in beneficial character traits to help shape Huck Finn as a person, while pap only added worthless drivel such as not going to school.

Kim Challenger Essay

What do your chosen three stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories tell us about English society in the nineteenth century? The three short stories I have decided to study are, â€Å"The Speckled Band†, â€Å"Silver Blaze†, and â€Å"The Man with the Twisted Lip. † These were all written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and are of a detective genre. They were first published in a magazine in the Victorian times called â€Å"The Strand†. The stories are all of a similar length because they fitted into columns in the magazine and were all short stories. On Conan Doyle’s last story, â€Å"The Final Problem†, there was a public outcry because they loved Sherlock Holmes’s character so much and Conan Doyle killed him off. As a result of this outcry, Conan Doyle was forced to bring him back in â€Å"The Empty House†, in 1905. The Victorian period is the time when Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire from 1837 to 1901. It was a time of growth in the areas of wealth, technology, culture and literature. There was a class system and this was believed to have been dictated by God. There were three classes; upper class, middle class and working class. There was also an â€Å"underclass† who could not support themselves and lived in extreme poverty. The upper class consisted of the Queen, aristocrats, lords and ladies. The middle class consisted of businessmen and the working class consisted of servants. The Victorians were very religious; they went to church every Sunday and said prayers before meals. The vast majority of them were Anglican. Life for women and children was unbearably hard. As soon as a child could walk, it was expected to work; making matchboxes was one of the main jobs for children as it was easy. Women from all classes were expected to be married young and to raise a family of their own. Few marriages in the middle and upper classes were love matches, but were arranged by parents. Victorian London is where Sherlock is based but not necessarily where all the crimes took place. For example, â€Å"I (Watson) walked †¦ holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying fumes of the drug†. This took place in â€Å"The Man with the Twisted Lip. † This story was set in London.

Career Exploration Paper Essay

For my career exploration paper I choice the following job Marriage and Family Therapists. That said, Most of my career information that is use in my paper will be from O*NET Online (National Center for O*NET Development, 2014). The codes that I recived from taking the O*NET interest profiler was that my social was 23, artistic was 15, enterprising was 8, and conventional was 3.Ppeople, who are social, like interests in working with others to help them learn and grow (Holland, 2014). That I liked working with people, instead of working with machines, information or objects. Having taken both tests, I believe that the O*NET interest profiler was my best profiler. When it came to taking Holland’s theory test, I got different results: It sated that my highest score was in Systematic, which means that I prefer jobs that that routine and challenging. It also stated that I need jobs that are secure; I don’t like changes in my routine and situations that may require me to make quick decisions. I also scored high in the arts, which means that I have a great an appreciation for all the Arts. The last high score I recived was in the Health Service, which mean I enjoy helping others. The Nature of the Work for this career, including such things as: The duties that are involved in this position are: 1) They ask questions about the clients so that they can help their clients recognize their behavior and feelings. 2) They help clients with their concerns in their marriages, such as helping them work through an unsatisfactory relationships, being separated or divorce, raising their children, improving how they manage their home, and help them find a way to solve their financial difficulties. 3) They encourage family member and individual’s members tin helping them in developing useful skills and plans overcome their problems in a beneficial manner. 4) They are responsible for  maintaining their case files that include their evaluation, progress notes and recommendations. 5) They are responsible for developing and implementing client’s treatment plans which address their family relationship difficulties, damaging patterns of behaviors, and additional personal issues. 6) Gather information about each client, which use s techniques which includes testing interviewing, observations, and discussions. 7) Discuss with their clients to help them develop a plans for their post treatment and activities. 8) They may have to consult with other counselors, doctors and other professionals to help their clients get the best care possible. 9) Help determining whether their clients should be referred to another professional in such areas as legal aid and psychiatry. 10) Monitor the results of their counseling programs and how well their clients’ adjusted, so that they can to determine how effective the programs are (O*NET Development, 2014). The skills that are required for this position are 1) Being an active listener , 2) social perceptiveness, 3) Being able to judge, and make decisions,4) Must be service oriented, 5) Must have good specking skills, 6) Be able to solve complexed problems , 7) Use critical thinking , 8) Reading comprehensive, 9) Good writing skills, and 10) Being able to monitor the performance of other and yourself. The activities for this position are 1) Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships. 2) Assisting and caring for others.3) Documenting/re cording Information, 4) Making decisions and solving problems. 5) Gathering information. 6) Organizing, planning, and prioritizing work. 7) Resolving conflicts and negotiating with others. 8) Communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates. 9) Thinking creatively. 10) Coaching and developing others. Typical work day 1) This job requires that you work indoors in an environmentally controlled atmosphere, sitting for prolonged periods of time. It also includes using the phones in talking with clients, prospective clients and insurance companies on a regular basis. 2) You also have to have face to face contact clients and other employees. 3) You will also be working in groups or teams, to work out conflict situations. 3) This job requires that you are able to make frequent decisions that may affect other people, financial resources, or other /or the image and reputation of the organization.Working Conditions According to the Florida Health Career the work environments for marriage and family therapists usually work  in agencies, clinics, hospitals, private practice, and schools. Their hours have to be flexible so that they can accommodate working people who are required to work evenings and families that are in crisis. All of their work is indoors in well environmental conditions. As far as supervision, it would vary do to the fact that the work in a various places of employment. Because of the demands of this job that has deadlines, crisis situations and multiple tasks, this job can be very stressful and demanding. Preparation and Qualifications The training and education that are required will vary by each state for marriage and family therapist. This job usually requires y a master’s degree is required in order to obtain your licensure. Most of the experience comes from the internships and the intensives at the colleges. The personal traits for a marriage and family therapist is to have strong desire to help people in a respectful manner, are confident, and trustworthy which are an important characteristic of marriage and family therapists. Another important characteristic of marriage and family therapists is to be able to work with individual and have a team work skills.Opportunities and Future Outlook Employment for marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is much faster than the average compared to other occupations. The reason for this growth is that more people will have their mental health counseling services that will now be covered by their insurance policies. Because of such growth and demand we will see more marriage and family therapist see a bigger geographic distribution in large and small firms, which will give way to job security and advancement opportunities. Economic and Non-Economic Benefits As of Jan 8, 2014, for an entry-level education with a Master’s degree in marriage and family was $40,080. Also for marriage and family therapist the median annual was $46,670 in May 2012. As far as benefits goes, most for marriage and family therapist work fulltime so they would get the following benefits such as insurance, vacation time off, sick leave, and paid education. The personal satisfaction benefits are: 1) Many psychologists have flexible work schedules.2) Psychologists have the potential to earn very high salaries.3) Psychologists can own and operate their own businesses .The associated lifestyle of marriage and family therapist are that you can afford a bigger home, expensive car, go on long vacations, pay for your child’s education and give more money to charities.  The psychological rewards are that psychologists get to meet and help a wide variety of people.Disadvantages and or Special SituationsThe disadvantages of b eing a marriage and family therapist are that you have to work irregular hors to accommodate clients. This may require you to work late and sometimes weekends. Some work maybe seasonal or require you to travel as part of their job requirements. Some of the hazards of being a marriage and family therapist are: 1) dealing with insurance and billing issues can be a hassle.2) Setting up your own practice can be challenging. 3) Dealing with clients on a daily basis can be emotionally draining. 4) You will need to devote time to finding new clients.Conclusion What I didn’t know about my career choice was that you may have to travel and that some jobs are seasonal. The characteristic and requirement are not a problem with me. I was used to working in stressful environments as a surgical tech. I also was used to working late and weekends and holiday as part of my job requirements. My job was also very demanding. I have always been a caring individual, and I like helping people so I feel that I will enjoy being a therapist. I also believe that my interest and values will be fulfilled with this job. I believe that there is a great advantage using O*NET in my future career. Because this job requires that you are able to make frequent decisions that may affect other people, financial resources, the couple might be looking for higher paying jobs as one of their options and O*NET would be a useful tool in helping people finds higher paying jobs. References O*NET Interest Profiler ww.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1013.00 Retrieved 4/1/2014 Free Holland test www.free-career-test.com/‎ Retrieved 5/5/2014 http://www.flahec.org/hlthcareers/MARRIAGE.HTM Retrieved 5/5/2014 www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/mental-health-counselors-and-marriage-and-family-therap Retrieved 5/5/2014 | .|

The Olmec Civilization Essays - Mesoamerica, Free Essays

The Olmec Civilization Essays - Mesoamerica, Free Essays The Olmec Civilization The Olmec were Mesoamerica's first civilization. They were located in Laguna de los Cerros, tres Zapotes, San Lorenzo, La Venta, and the Tuxtla Mountains, in Mexico. The purpose of this report is to show how the Olmec lived, their beliefs, and their spectacular art. The Olmec were a mother culture to later civilizations. The culture of the Olmec started in Mexico's Gulf Coast between 1200 and 1400 B.C , approximately between the Trojan war, and the golden age of Athens, and ended about 3000 years ago. The Olmec were among the first Americans to design ritual centres and raise earthen pyramids. On the pyramids there were statues which were strategically placed as a shrine. As the Olmec culture gradually developed some Olmec villages grew strong and powerful, while others were less fortunate. The villages shared their resources, such as rubber and basalt. The Olmec had different social ranks, from workers such as fishers, farmers, traders and specialists such as artisans and sculptors, to rulers. Rulers were individuals who had the power to float basalt down the river and to commission colossal statues and other public work. The Olmec farmed and ate corn. They also ate shellfish, fish, turtles, beans, deer, and dog. Perhaps the most spectacular trait of the Olmec were that they used hieroglyphs. They used hieroglyphs to record dates, events, and to tell stories. Although the Olmec were hard workers they still had time for a ceremonial ball game. The Olmec had many beliefs. Among these beliefs were chaneques which were dwarf trixters who lived in water falls. They also had their own beliefs in cosmology. The Olmec had natural shrines devoted to the hill on which the shrine was located and the water. The Olmec were believed to have a corn god. Jaguars were also worshipped religiously, perhaps because the jaguar was the most powerful predator. The Olmec believed that the jaguar brought rain. The men would sacrifice blood to the jaguar, wear masks, dance, and crack whips to imitate the sound of thunder. This ritual was done in May. The Olmec also made offerings of jade figures to the jaguar. The Olmec had early achievements in art. Perhaps the most incredible findings from the Olmec culture are the sculptures. The Olmec used wood, basalt and jade to make the statues. The wooden artifacts are said to be the oldest in Mesoamerica. The Olmec used basalt to make colossal heads. The size of these heads ranged from 5 feet to 11 feet tall. Some say the heads represent sacrificial offering. Others think they portray the elite Olmec ancestors. These heads have also been interpreted as being warriors or ball players. Basalt was also used to carve thrones. The Olmec used art to glorify rulers by making them monuments of super natural creatures to portray them such as part human, part beast. The beast was usually the jaguar. It is believed that these monuments were annihilated after the death of the leader. The figurines made of jade were small and sexless. Some of the more elaborate statues wore extensive headdress with a long train, and rectangular chest plates, sat cross-legged, leaned forward and looked straight ahead. In conclusion the Olmec, Mesoamerica's first civilization were a mother culture to other civilizations. They had many beliefs, and had early achievements in elaborate art. The article, "New light on the Olmec," was an interesting article but it was very repetitive. It is scarcely recommended.

Gun Rights Under President Ronald Reagan

Gun Rights Under President Ronald Reagan President Ronald Reagan will forever be remembered fondly by Second Amendment supporters, many of who are among the American conservatives who consider Reagan a poster child of modern conservatism.  But words and actions of Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, left behind a mixed record on gun rights. His presidential administration did not bring about any new gun control laws of significance. However, in his post-presidency, Reagan cast his support to a pair of critical gun control measures in the 1990s: 1993’s Brady Bill and 1994’s Assault Weapons Ban. Bettmann/ Getty Images Reagan: The Pro-Gun Candidate Ronald Reagan entered the 1980 presidential campaign as a known supporter of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. While gun rights wouldn’t be a primary issue in presidential politics for another decade, the issue was being pushed to the forefront of the American political scene by those, as Reagan wrote in a 1975 issue of Guns Ammo magazine, â€Å"who say that gun control is an idea whose time has come.† The Gun Control Act of 1968 was still a relatively fresh issue, and U.S. Attorney General Edward H. Levi had proposed outlawing guns in areas with high crime rates. In his Guns Ammo column, Reagan left little doubt about his stance on the Second Amendment, writing: â€Å"In my opinion, proposals to outlaw or confiscate guns are simply unrealistic panacea.† Reagan’s stance was that violent crime would never be eliminated, with or without gun control. Instead, he said, efforts to curb crime should target those who misuse guns, similarly to the way laws target those who use an automobile feloniously or recklessly. Saying the Second Amendment â€Å"leaves little, if any, leeway for the gun control advocate,† he added that â€Å"the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms must not be infringed if liberty in America is to survive.† Firearm Owners Protection Act The lone piece of significant legislation related to gun rights during the Reagan administration was the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. Signed into law by Reagan on May 19, 1986, the legislation amended the Gun Control Act of 1968 by repealing parts of the original act that were deemed by studies to be unconstitutional. The National Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups lobbied for passage of the legislation, and it was generally considered favorable for gun owners. Among other things, the act made it easier to transport long rifles across the United States, ended federal records-keeping on ammunition sales and prohibited the prosecution of someone passing through areas with strict gun control with firearms in their vehicle, so long as the gun was properly stored. However, the act also contained a provision banning the ownership of any fully automatic firearms not registered by May 19, 1986. That provision was slipped into the legislation as an 11th-hour amendment by Rep. William J. Hughes, a New Jersey Democrat. Reagan has been criticized by some gun owners for signing legislation containing the Hughes amendment. Post-Presidency Gun Views Before Reagan left office in January 1989, efforts were afoot in Congress to pass legislation creating a national background check and mandatory waiting period for handgun purchases. The Brady Bill, as the legislation was named, had the backing of Sarah Brady, the wife of former Reagan press secretary Jim Brady, who was wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt on the president. The Brady Bill initially struggled for support in Congress  but was gaining ground by the latter days of Reagan’s predecessor, President George H.W. Bush. In a 1991 op-ed for the New York Times, Reagan voiced his support for the Brady Bill, saying the 1981 assassination attempt might have never happened if the Brady Bill had been law. Citing statistics suggesting 9,200 murders are committed each year in the United States using handguns, Reagan said, â€Å"This level of violence must be stopped. Sarah and Jim Brady are working hard to do that, and I say more power to them.† It was a 180-degree turn from Reagan’s 1975 piece in Guns Ammo magazine when he said that gun control is pointless because murder cannot be prevented. Three years later, Congress had passed the Brady Bill and was working on another piece of gun control legislation, a ban on assault weapons. Reagan joined former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter in a letter published in the Boston Globe that called on Congress to pass a ban on assault weapons. Later, in a letter to Rep. Scott Klug, a Wisconsin Republican, Reagan said the limitations proposed by the Assault Weapon Ban â€Å"are absolutely necessary† and that it â€Å"must be passed.† Klug voted in favor of the ban. End Result of Reagan Presidency on Gun Rights The Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 will be remembered as an important piece of legislation for gun rights. However, Reagan also cast his support behind the two most controversial pieces of gun control legislation of the past 30 years. His support of the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 may have directly led to the ban winning the approval of Congress. Congress passed the ban by a vote of 216-214. In addition to Klug voting for the ban after Reagan’s last-minute plea, Rep. Dick Swett, D-N.H., also credited Reagan’s support of the bill for helping him decide to cast a favorable vote. A more lasting impact of Reagan’s policy on guns was the nomination of several Supreme Court justices. Of the four justices nominated by Reagan   Sandra Day O’Connor, William Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy the latter two were still on the bench for a pair of important Supreme Court rulings on gun rights in the 2000s: District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 and McDonald v. Chicago in 2010. Both sided with a narrow, 4-3 majority in striking down gun bans in Washington D.C. and Chicago while ruling that the Second Amendment applies to individuals and the states.

Identifying American Basswood Trees

Identifying American Basswood Trees Tilia is a genus within the Linden family (Tiliacea). This family contains about 30 species of trees that are native throughout most of temperate Northern Hemisphere.  The greatest species diversity of the lindens is found in Asia. It exists only scattered in pockets throughout  Europe and eastern North America. The trees are sometimes  called lime in Britain and linden in parts of Europe and North America. The most common name for the tree in North America is American basswood (Tilia americana),  but there are several varieties with separate names. White basswood (var. heterophylla) is found from Missouri to Alabama. Carolina basswood (var. caroliniana)  is found from Oklahoma to North Carolina and south to Florida. The fast-growing American  basswood  is among the largest trees of eastern and central North America. The tree will often support several trunks off its base, will prolifically sprout from stumps, and is a great seeder. It is an important timber tree in the Great Lakes states. Tilia americana is the northernmost basswood species. Basswood flowers produce an abundance of nectar  from which choice honey is made. In fact, in some parts of its range basswood is known as the bee-tree, and can even be identified by the honey bee traffic.   Basswood Tree Identification Basswoods asymmetrical and lopsided heart-shaped leaf is the largest of all broadleaf trees, nearly as wide as it is long at between 5 and 8 inches. The rich green upper side of the leaf is in contrast to the underleafs paler green to almost-white color. The basswoods  small greenish flowers are uniquely attached and hanging under a pale, leaflike bract. The resulting seeds are in a hard, dry, hairy, nutlike fruit, which is quite visible during the fruiting season. Also, take a close look at the twigs and you will see them zigzag between oval buds with one or two bud scales. This tree should not be confused with the non-native urban basswood called little leaf  linden or Tilia cordata. The leaf of the linden is much smaller than basswood and typically, it is a much smaller tree. Characteristics Leaves: Alternate, broadly ovate, coarsely saw-toothed, notched at the base.Bark: Dark gray and smooth.Fruit: Elliptical nut-like, hard seed.

Economics of State and Local Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics of State and Local Government - Essay Example If the schools do not make acceptable grades then corrective action or school improvement will be implemented. Data will also be sorted according to each demographic, (race, sex, poverty, ethnicity, disability and English proficiency) to better recognize groups that aren’t meeting standards. Each State will also be measured against each other. Charter school programs, rural education programs, education provision for homeless children and youth, programs and funding designed to provide children attending unsafe school opportunity to attend a safe school, and safe and drug free school policy guidance are each provisions of the No Child Left Behind. Numerous States have fought the act, calling it unfunded. The claim and reasoning behind this is that there is no reinforcement in the act should the federal government not provide the funding. States are specifically written out of the act and not required to fund the act in any circumstance. Therefore the act is thought of as an un funded act. 2. The reason that guaranteed tax based formulas have failed is because there are differences in the actual dollar cost of providing educational services in schools, districts, and student populations. Some groups of students will have much higher needs than others and small school districts might not see the same benefits as that of a larger one on a comparative scale. These differences are accounted for by associating funding with certain types of students and schools, as mentioned prior and setting up separate programs that bring in dollars for certain student populations, districts and schools. Weighting and adjustment programs usually assign a specific numerical value to portions of the student population by certain attributes and qualities. This helps to illustrate where financial resources are needed and can be directed. Students who have special needs may be weighted 1.5, while students who have no special needs may be weighted as 1.0 (Hightower, Mitani, Swanson) . This helps in deciding how much funding is actually needed when taken all factors into consideration. Weighing programs such as this are a better way of allocating funds and reducing inequity in education funding. 3. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Family’s (TANF) program was created to help families reach self-sufficiency by providing individual states with grants to reach certain goals. One being to assist families so that children can remain in the home with families, two, promoting job preparation, work and marriage, three, preventing pregnancy in unmarried individuals, and encouraging the formation and maintenance of two parent family’s (About†¦). Federal rules regarding TANF requires work participation hours standards that states must meet to continue to be eligible for TANF grants. The all-family requirement states that half of all families that contain an adult or head of household must participate in work related activities 30 hours per week if child ren are over six and 20 hours for children under six. The separate two parent family standard is that 90% of families must be participating in these work activities each week. Child support enforcement activities must be cooperated with and parents who do not have child support ordered are required to get an order (Temporary†¦). Assistance can only be received for a total of five years in

Globalization and Urbanization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Globalization and Urbanization - Essay Example During that time, there was no development, and cities were merely those locations or islands where the ships would dock. There was a predominant presence of rural areas, where cities stood out as islands, causing more of a nuisance according to the rural folk than any benefits. There were many reasons why urbanization was not a trend. The industrial revolution had not arrived, and there was much distraction about wars and key discoveries that had not taken place. The pace of life was slower, and the world had not begun its race for global domination. The populations were less and the resources were plenty. The competition was less fierce, and time was on the people’s side. The population ratio at that time was very different from the one today. One study suggests that out of every 100 people, only three people used to live in cities. With the passage of time, this proportion has changed, with almost half of the current population living in cities. In other words, urban univer ses increased. Till the end of 1800, the number of residents living in large urban cities was only 29 million. However, by the year 2000, the urban population numbers increased to 2.8 billion. (Short 23). The most prominent and important development was the creation of large metropolises. In the year 1800, only four metropolises had populations of more than 1 million; the situation was much different by the end of year 2000. The second trend in urbanization represented a shift of populations from minor cities to major cities of the world. a graphic representation would show a flat pattern by 2000, with the line getting steeper after 2000. The impact of this shift is very significant. It causes major alteration in the spatial form of the social organization of space and society. The development of such areas goes fast with the somewhat mercurial changes in the economic system, depending upon agricultural enhancements to economies that move around the construction and service sector. The development of cities is directly linked to the social shift from short scale to the large one, from closely knit urgent social links to more spread unknown themes, and to the growth of unique and antipathetic social classes (Weber, 26). Cities point on both the growth and avatar of social shift. They usually counted as the concept uses of socio-economic shift. There is a challenging link between the social perspective and the city as the city holds a complex base of social shift as well as also considers as an important ingredient of social theorizing. The article focuses on both elements: the most aspirational chore demanding a broad linked of approaches. Two liberal spans are under looked. First, the article focuses on the incline of the present city and its linkage with modernism, capitalist economy and post modernity, questioning the macro-scale relations between deep urban changes and broad social changes. The other goal is to present a wide ranging judgment of the basic t heoretic estimates recently implemented to understand the city. In start, it discusses about the old exercising influence theoretical models in their past context (Graham & Marvin 12). After wards, it discovers the link between present-day urban sociospatial procedures and updated theoretical models in order to understand the complex links between place, space and social conjecturing with the challenging aim of judging urbanizing theory and the city. The authoritarian city can be seen in different perspectives of thicknesses. Authority is strongest when daily routines are covered with the exercise of

Airplane Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Airplane Evolution - Essay Example The historical development of airplanes brought several trials and inventions that were trimmed down to create an aircraft that shall able to cope up with wind velocity and gravitational pull. Even before the inventions of the Wright brothers in the 18th century where gliding planes became the fundamental outline for modern planes, many engineers and inventors aspire in building an aircraft through their sketches and visual designs substantiated by mathematical equations. Nevertheless, modern planes emerged from collective efforts of inventors and engineers in the recent centuries. Part of the building and development of modern planes are previous inventions such as the windmill which will serve as the early plane propeller, the kite as wings, and definitely the modern helicopter. Modern airplanes today are significant equipment both on commercial used, military used and in space explorations. Also economic growth especially on export dependent countries, faster consignment of goods to countries with the use of private planes can create economic bombasts. Such is the achievement on the invention of airplanes. I. History. Body I. History. Part of airplane history is the desire of men to fly and glide in the air as birds do. Even in mythology, flying was then perceived. Daedalus the Greek prisoner in Greek mythology was imprisoned along with his son Icarus by King Minos in the Minotaur's labyrinth. To escape the devour of the Minotaur they decided to flee through flying. Using wax as wings they escape the labyrinth. With the joy of flying, Icarus flew through near the sun and this cause his death. The wax melted and he drowned in the Aegean Sea. Daedalus however managed to escape. This myth has become the aspirations of men that someday an equipment or a birdlike aircraft would be invented. Several centuries past and the myth became a modern tale, the Puritan fairytale. According to the tale, the period of experimentation on inventing airplanes is in its height during the 17th century. Leonardo da Vinci's brilliance is their epitome. Da Vinci's ornithopters were a piece of draft that was supported with math ematical equations. His mind was preoccupied with bird flight and with flapping-wing machines. It is in this premise that his flying machine focused. Da Vinci's work lack technical value, that is why his flying machine was not considered a great achievement but just a draft that needed further replenishment. In 1714 Emmanuel

Airplane Crash Survival Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Airplane Crash Survival - Assignment Example This research will begin with the list of item collected. The pilot who was among the survivors instructed how to gather all items that had been left after the crush, and listed them down in the order of importance. The items were listed as follows; newspaper for starting fire, liquid lighter for lighting fire, small axe for cutting woods, can of coconut oil and large chocolate bars, which would provide food, a map and compass for direction, extra shirts and pants for the extreme weather. Additionally, large heavy-duty canvas for making a tent, red lipstick for marking the map, lastly the batteries and toothpaste for freshening. After the survival of the plane crush, the pilot stressed that they had to work as team in order to survive in the jungle. Their Primary objective was to survive the extremely cold and snowing weather whilst trying to find help. The author was tasked with the responsibility of fetching woods and setting up fire, while his teammates were tasked with erecting a tent using the large piece of canvas. The following day, their focus shifted to finding help. According to the map that they collected after plane crush, the nearest town was 20 km away. The team tasked the author with role of reading the map and the compass in locating the nearest town since he had some background knowledge in surveying and navigation, while his teammates cleared the bushy forest for their passage.... Concerning leadership, the activity exhibited the fundamental role of leadership in an organization. The presence of a leader, who was the pilot, ensured effective delegation of tasks and provision of guidance in attaining the set objective. The STAR team model The performance of the pilot, the team leader together with the activities of the team members can further be explained with the STAR team model. According to Maginn, the STAR team model seeks to identify what a team leader and team need to focus on. The model combines various teamwork theories such as those proposed in the Tuckman’s model, leadership theories, and theories relating to the surrounding of the team and teamwork (pg 155- 160). The STAR team model focuses on an individual’s strength with the objective to enable the individual attain his/her goals leading to happiness. Thus, the application of the model ensures teamwork, which results to flourishing of individual as they use and develop their strength s. In our activity, the pilot assigned tasks to each survivor based on his or her strengths, which ensured attainment of the set goal. The model also explained that coming together of individual strengths and teamwork creates natural flow of performance and results, which are rewarding to the team. Contribution of members to the outcome of the activity Though every member executed distinctive tasks, the tasks culminated into the success of the team. Specifically my contributions were collection of firewood and lighting of the night fire. I further ensured that the fire kept burning through the night to scare away wild beasts. In addition, my expertise in map and compass reading enabled the team to find the location of the nearest town. Shortcoming in the leadership and

Legal Services Bill 2006 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legal Services Bill 2006 - Essay Example In Great Britain, as far back as July 2003, Sir David Clementi was appointed to carry out an independent review of the regulatory framework for legal services in England and Wales. In December 2004, Sir David published a Report following his Review. The report was analysed by a number of luminaries, including Rob Baldwin, Julia Black, Martin Cave, Richard Brealey, Julian R Franks, Paul A. Grout, James Dow and Carlos Lapuerto, Jordi Blanes Vidal, Ian Jewitt, Clare Leaver and Stephen Davies.1 The bill as it will be observed, addresses three basic objectives, the primary being controlling of the legal profession. In the draft, and in the ultimate submissions of the bill, great care has been taken to ensure that the legal profession continues to be fearless and is allowed to retain its independence, and the faith of the customer, enshrined in the principle of 'Privilege' is also kept. In the draft, we see the emphasis on this.5 Therefore the CONTROLS envisaged is more to regulate the functioning and not to hamper with the independence of the legal practitioner. It addresses the concerns of unbridled misuse of legal protection and extraordinary abilities and privileges accorded to them. Giving the genuine practitioner a right and privilege to practice, removing the scrounge of unauthorized practitioners, and regulation of commercial companies, which can now be formed in the practice of law, is the chief laudable objective, with a separate body, which will oversee the functioning of all bar councils and associations has now sought to bring some order and create a more efficient legal system. Important Factor The most important impact will be on removing 'Village Barristers'. Those quacks who profess knowledge of law, and act as touts between the lawyer and the client. This bill gives definitions of a legal practitioner, and does away with those not qualified to practice law altogether from the judicial field. It is ironic that Great Britain had to take this long to bring in this legislation to stream line the legal profession, while elsewhere as in India for example, the Advocates Act did away with practitioners other than trained lawyers in one stroke, as far

Airplane Crash Survival Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Airplane Crash Survival - Assignment Example This research will begin with the list of item collected. The pilot who was among the survivors instructed how to gather all items that had been left after the crush, and listed them down in the order of importance. The items were listed as follows; newspaper for starting fire, liquid lighter for lighting fire, small axe for cutting woods, can of coconut oil and large chocolate bars, which would provide food, a map and compass for direction, extra shirts and pants for the extreme weather. Additionally, large heavy-duty canvas for making a tent, red lipstick for marking the map, lastly the batteries and toothpaste for freshening. After the survival of the plane crush, the pilot stressed that they had to work as team in order to survive in the jungle. Their Primary objective was to survive the extremely cold and snowing weather whilst trying to find help. The author was tasked with the responsibility of fetching woods and setting up fire, while his teammates were tasked with erecting a tent using the large piece of canvas. The following day, their focus shifted to finding help. According to the map that they collected after plane crush, the nearest town was 20 km away. The team tasked the author with role of reading the map and the compass in locating the nearest town since he had some background knowledge in surveying and navigation, while his teammates cleared the bushy forest for their passage.... Concerning leadership, the activity exhibited the fundamental role of leadership in an organization. The presence of a leader, who was the pilot, ensured effective delegation of tasks and provision of guidance in attaining the set objective. The STAR team model The performance of the pilot, the team leader together with the activities of the team members can further be explained with the STAR team model. According to Maginn, the STAR team model seeks to identify what a team leader and team need to focus on. The model combines various teamwork theories such as those proposed in the Tuckman’s model, leadership theories, and theories relating to the surrounding of the team and teamwork (pg 155- 160). The STAR team model focuses on an individual’s strength with the objective to enable the individual attain his/her goals leading to happiness. Thus, the application of the model ensures teamwork, which results to flourishing of individual as they use and develop their strength s. In our activity, the pilot assigned tasks to each survivor based on his or her strengths, which ensured attainment of the set goal. The model also explained that coming together of individual strengths and teamwork creates natural flow of performance and results, which are rewarding to the team. Contribution of members to the outcome of the activity Though every member executed distinctive tasks, the tasks culminated into the success of the team. Specifically my contributions were collection of firewood and lighting of the night fire. I further ensured that the fire kept burning through the night to scare away wild beasts. In addition, my expertise in map and compass reading enabled the team to find the location of the nearest town. Shortcoming in the leadership and

Open Topic under Composite Materials Term Paper

Open Topic under Composite Materials - Term Paper Example As described in Wikipedia, there are two main kinds of wind turbines one is Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine and second is Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (1). However, Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) are the most widely used design for commercial purposes. Earlier standard parts and components were used for manufacturing of turbines; however, with advancement in technology, specialized materials and parts started to be designed for turbines introducing alternate solutions for manufacturing (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2917). UTILIZATION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN WIND TURBINES Two or more materials are arranged with each other with a specific medium in between them to form a composite material. The fiber material is usually harder and stronger than the binding medium (matrix) being used. This not only rearranges structural and physical properties like rigidity, toughness and corrosion but also unlocks new dimensions to electrical, thermal and environmental properties of materials forming a composite. The aim of modern research is to reduce the cost, improve performance and impact resistance of the composite materials for their better application in a wide range of fields. These discussed significant features of composite materials have made these future materials for wind turbines (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2917). In general, metallic, organic and inorganic materials called matrix, fibers, particulates, stamps and layers having limited geometry constitute composite materials. The binding medium, matrix, creates a phase impact by producing distribution of other material structures in its own structure. This brings changes to overall physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the composite materials. These materials fibers, matrix and reinforcements are chemically inert and dissolved among each other. It is pertinent to note that in metallic composites even a small amount of dissolution may affect the overall properties of the material (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2 918). Purpose of using composite material in turbine blades is to exploit one or more of the physical, mechanical and other properties of materials forming the composite. To achieve this, numbers of methods are used but the principle is same as to improve weak properties of the materials in composite to achieve a good performance turbine blade. WIND ENERGY A convertor is the main component that is required to convert the kinetic energy of motor due to blade rotation into electrical or heart energy, thus producing a power given by following equation P = Av3 where ? = Aerodynamic efficiency constant ? = Density of air A = Area of tubrine-plane v = Wind velocity The two or more blades are installed on central part (disc) of turbine called rotor to form a wind turbine which is rotated by action of wind on turbine blades (Brondsted, Lilholt, and Lystrup 506). Wind turbines usually consist of two to three large blades made of wood, plexiglass or a composite material. The basic design pri nciple encompassing the wind turbines is that of an aero engine turbine or air plane wing where lift is used to make use of energy. Complete turbine assembly consisting of two or more blades is installed in vertical plane on horizontal axis into wind. In a similar fashion, wind energy is captured using same basic design principle. Stall and pitch regulations are used to control the speed and power of

Microenvironmental Factors Affecting Toyota Essay Example for Free

Microenvironmental Factors Affecting Toyota Essay Microenvironmental factors are â€Å"The factors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers† [principles of marketing]. The microenvironmental factors that affected the introduction and sale of the Toyota Prius were it customers, competitors and publics. Customers are anyone who buys or rents from the company. Customer are the most important microenvironmental factor that affect company as they survive on meeting the wants and needs of the customer and failure to do so will result in the company failing. Toyota study their customers and saw that they wanted a car with better fuel consumption and as a result Toyota decided to make the Prius, their first hybrid car. Toyota dealt with their customers by setting up website to educate the customers about the Toyota Prius. They took advantage of Earth Day to send out green seed cards shaped like Toyota’s logo to prospective buyers and they also gave away some green Prius at Earth Day events. However, Toyota did not recognise that consumers normally don’t buy cars for the saving in the long-run so â€Å"fuel savings are not going to be the key it convincing people to purchase the Prius† [principles of marketing]. As a result of this Toyota have asked governments to give tax cuts to cars with better fuel consumption. Competitors are any company in the same market place as your company. In order of a company to be successful in the market place a competitors most grain a competitive advantage over its competitors. Toyota has been successful in maintaining its competitive advantage although competitors like Citroen have cars which are just as efficient as the Toyota Prius, â€Å"Toyota is still the market leader in this segment† [principles of marketing]. They have done this by capturing people imagination by being the first Hybrid car on the market and through the effective use of advertisement. Publics are any group that has an actual or potential interest in an organisation’s ability to achieve its objectives. Good relations with the public help to enhance the company’s reputation so helping to increase in sales. The biggest factors of the Toyota Prius’ microenvironment are media and the government. Toyota has worked with Government bodies and has asked for tax incentives encourage people to buy more environmentally friendly cars to increase the amount of hybrids sold. Toyota also has spent 15m of its 200m annual marketing budget on the Prius. It has introduction ads that appealed more to peoples’ emotion to get them to buy the Prius. Overall, Toyota has analysed its icroenvironment extremely well as it has maintaining its competitive advantage over it competitors and has sold over 1m Prius with the waiting list of the Prius waiting list being over 18 month and becoming a status symbol among Hollywood stars. Question 2: The macro environment consists of six forces that affect the whole microenvironment, demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural forces. The Toyota Prius is such a highly technologically advanced vehicle with its four cylinder petrol engine and 33-kilowatt electric motor. This could be one of the demographic factors that prompted the introduction of the Prius for Toyota. The Prius appeals to Generation Y also known as the â€Å"echo boomers† who were born between 1977 and 1994. Their comfort with computers, digital technology and overall technical advances prove they are and attractive target for marketers wanting to create a device at the high end of new, innovative devices on the market today e. g. iPad , Toyota Prius. The economic environment consists of the factors that affect consumer buying power and spending patterns. With many countries experiencing economic recession, consumer purchasing power is reduced. People have less money and now have to spend more carefully. The recent high petrol prices are causing a rising demand for greener, more fuel efficient cars that are cheaper to run. Several governments are providing incentives to people to buy these hybrid cars. In the UK, the government is offering reduced car tax on initial purchase. Electric car drivers can also avoid the ? 8 per day Congestion Charge in London. Toyota must be aware of and keep up with the technological environment which includes the forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. This is the most rapidly changing environment. By introducing the Toyota Prius, the company has gained a technological initiative in the hybrid market. Toyota knew that their target market for this product would include technology enthusiasts, or ‘techies’ as they are known, and included reference to the cars leading technology in their advertisements. Natural forces also affected Toyotas decision to manufacture a hybrid car. Consumers are becoming more concerned about the environment and about how the products they purchase have an effect on it. Petrol and diesel are both non-renewable fossil fuels which release carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Therefore there is a demand in the market for alternatives to petrol-powered vehicles, such as electric cars. Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius offer improved gas mileage and emissions standards. Toyota have used this opportunity to position themselves in the market as an ‘environmentally concerned company’ Toyota needs however, to be aware of the political environment which may pose restrictions on its business activity. The political environment includes laws, government agencies and pressure groups that influence and limit various organisations and individuals in a given society. Recently, the EU commission announced new legislation which will be brought in that requires all manufacturers selling cars in the European Union to lower average CO2 emissions of new cars. The governments of some countries have intervened and offered tax incentives to stimulate the purchase of clean-fuel and high-mileage hybrid cars. Cultural values have an effect on the products people choose to buy. Although core values and beliefs held by society are quite persistent, secondary cultural values are more open to change. Recent changes in cultural values include a greater appreciation for nature. People are starting to realise that nature is finite and fragile. They are beginning to seek out more environmentally-friendly products, one of these being fuel-efficient cars. Toyota has responded to this by introducing the Toyota Prius onto the market. Even in Hollywood it seems that it is now cool to be environmentally responsible as a range of A-listers are now owners this hybrid car. Question 3:  Toyota has ran a masterful marketing campaign so far. It has become the â€Å"environmentally concerned† car manufacturer and the technology leader in the hybrid car market. It has targeted â€Å"techies† and early adopters by educating consumers about the new car. Toyota have used the power of the internet to promote the Prius. The first thing they did was educate consumers about the prius. They launched a website to distribute the information and sent 40000 e-brochures to likely buyers. It worked. The Prius â€Å"flew out of dealer’s showrooms† and they even had difficulty â€Å"keeping up with demand†. They also ran print ads with tag lines such as â€Å"when it sees red it charges†, an emotional reference, and they ran television ads as well. By using these marketing tools to great effect the company was firmly established as a caring brand in the consumer’s mind. The new â€Å"environmentally concerned† Toyota is clearly a hit with customers as it sold 400000 hybrids in 2006 alone. It has even succeeded in making being green cool as a host of Hollywood celebrities like Cameron Diaz and even Arnold Schwarzenegger has one to park, ironically, beside his giant hummer. Another effective strategy was to become the market leader in a new technology. It was risky to jump into the market that soon as it could have cost the company a lot of money if it didn’t work out. Toyota always subtly stresses the technology aspect of the car in its advertising. Surprisingly hybrids aren’t all that efficient. The citroen CZ, C1 and C3 all have better fuel consumption than the Prius, but it doesn’t matter as Toyota â€Å"have captured people’s minds†. It’s marketing campaigns have won over the environmentally conscious companies like IKEA, who are switching their car fleet to hybrids. Toyota’s efforts have left other car makers â€Å"racing to catch up†. Marketing segmentation was used to great effect by Toyota. It set out very early on to target the â€Å"techies† and the â€Å"early adapters† through emails and the online website. â€Å"Many Prius owners are immersed in technology†, they even have their own website called â€Å"Priusenvy. com†. It really has taken off with the â€Å"techies†. They were able to make changes such as â€Å"cruise control† and a â€Å"sniffer† to the car without the help of a qualified mechanic or engineer. This success can be attributed to the narrow targeting of the cars. Toyota could improve its strategy by appealing more to the general market for cars. Today the cost of a Prius is significantly lower than it was when it first came out. Perhaps it’s time to focus on what a great small family car it would make or how it might suit a professional, like a teacher for example. There are many environmentally conscious people among the ranks of the middle class families of Ireland. By honing in on the small family market Toyota could bring an alternative to the Ford Mondeo and the Volkswagon Passet. Overall Toyota has done almost everything right with the Prius. When we think â€Å"Hybrid† we think â€Å"Prius† exactly like â€Å"MP3† and â€Å"iPod†. That is the sign of an extremely efficient marketing campaign.

The Company Background And History Of Coca Cola Marketing Essay

The Company Background And History Of Coca Cola Marketing Essay The Coca-Cola Company is established in 1886 by the pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton in Atlanta, in the beginning it was sold as a medicine. The Company registered its trade mark in March 27, 1944. Nowadays it is spread in more than 200 countries with over 500 brands and 3,300 beverage products. These products include sparkling beverages and still beverages, such as waters, juice drinks, teas, coffees, sports drinks and energy drinks. The top five NARTD (non alcoholic ready to drink) are: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta. The number of employees worldwide is 92,400 and headquarter is in Atlanta. The Coca-Cola Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KO. The Coca-Cola system operates on a local scale in every country where they do business. It does not own or control most of its bottling partners, its compromises the company and the bottling partners. The Company has more than 300 bottlers worldwide. Coca-Cola manufactures and sells concentrates, bev erage bases and syrups through its concentrate plant to bottlers; it does own the brands and is responsible for brand marketing initiatives. The bottling Companies manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute the finished branded beverages to Coca-Cola customers and vending partners, who then sell the products to the consumers.1 This was an overview on the Global Coca-Cola Company. Lets look to Coca-Cola Egypt as the paper is studying the company in Egypt. Coca-Cola exists since 1942 and has two bottlers TCCBCE and El Nile Beverage Company. The bottling operation ownership for The Coca-Cola Bottling Company (TCCBCE) is: 51% TCCBCE and 49% Coca-Cola Company as for El Nile its 100% owned by El Nile. The entire system has 11,494 full time employees. 1-coca-cola annual report The Strategic business units that the company operates in Egypt are carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and mineral water. The company recorded revenues of $78,526 million during the financial year ended December 2009 with an increase of 15% compared to 2008. The increase of 12% in revenues was coming from CSD (carbonated soft drinks) segment and 3% from the Mineral water segment. However there is a decrease in the CSD growth rate by 3% in 2009 which was 15.6% (FY 07-08) versus 12% (FY 08-09) the decrease is due to change in the consumer life style became healthier conscious. Egypt juice Industry analysis The non carbonated soft drinks are considerate to have a huge potential within the juice sector. Egypt juice industry is a lucrative market with a value of $/$216mm, it is growing from 11-22% over the last eight years. The industry sales are 44 mm unit cases in 2009. The juice segment expected to grow at 11% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in 2012 while the Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) segment is expected to grow at 4.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in 2012. Based on retail audits done by the AC Nielsen and Protrac studying the Egyptian beverage market the result shows that the consumer life style is changing and became healthier conscious and they are shifting to the drinks that are healthier. The CSD market is shrinking and other markets are developing. Juice is a lucrative product category that has been growing consistently over the past 8 years. The juice industry depends on farms that cultivate fruits. The different juice type: Fruit-Flavored Drink is a 100% concentrate, Juice Drinks it contain up to 24% Juice, Nectar contains 25% up to 99% juice and product called 100% juice is a product of 100% juice. PESTEL Analysis for Juice in Egyptian market PESTEL analysis is a business measurement tool that helps to understand the external surroundings and market as such the position, potential and direction for a business. PESTEL stands for Political factors e.g. changes in government policies, Economic factors relate to changes in the wider economy such as rises in living standards or the general level of demand, Social factors explain the buying patterns and buying attitude, Technologic factors is the changes in innovation potential, Environmental factors include the weather and climate change and Legal factors major legal changes that have affected firms where they operate. All these factors are used to assess the market. Political factor Egypts political condition is secure and a completely democratic republic is projected within the near future. Egypt was ruled by many countries before establishing freedom and today it is run by a multi-party semi-presidential system where the supervisory power is separated between the president and the prime minister, although in practice the president tends to hold a larger share of the power. Egypts political system presently receives much needed financial support from the US which is helping to develop the country into a new era of optimism. Egypt increased inward investment, creating a rich investment atmosphere. Economic factor The economic environment in Egypt is ready for investment. Egypts economic freedom score is 59.0, making its economy the 94th freest in the 2010 Index. 3.2% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) Per capita to reach $2,161. Per capita consumption of non alcoholic ready to drink (NARTD) will increase by 30% reaching in 2020. Growth is highly driven by stills (juices and water). Juice is the fastest growing category with Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) increase of 11 % driving growth of non alcoholic ready to drink NARTD. Social factor Key factors behind the forecast increase of juice market in Egypt is the new consumer lifestyle preferences for healthier drinks and scare of obesity which resulted a slowing growth rates for sales of carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market. Despite the fact the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market has remained profitable. One of the main characteristic of Egyptian life style is the importance of family and friendships. Egyptians are enormously socials and one of the importances of their life style is the relaxation time which they spend with friends or families at home, cafà © or restaurants. An important part of Egyptian residents is the eating behavior. The last five years the coffee shops spread very fast in daily life especially in young adults and teen generation. The consumption of juice is correlated to person age. Population is 81 Million out of which 50% are under 20 years. 50% of the population is the prospective juice target (kids and teenagers) because 64% of ready to drink juice volumes comes from 8-29 yr olds skewed towards 8-11 yrs old. Technology factor The juice industry benefits of a huge technology. Its for the sake of both business and the consumer when new technologies guide to better quality products. The industry depends on the quality of fruits that are growing in the country. Juice makers divided their production into two different forms pasteurized and raw juice. Technology helps to retain the properties of fruit the same as its original taste. Juice shelf life is small due to defect that can happen based on environmental climate. To extend the shelf life, juice is pasteurized on the same method as milk which for decades can be considered a middle ground between raw and ultra-pasteurized. The flavor of milk is affected by pasteurization much more strongly than fruit juices tend to be. Ecological factors Juice Industry is depending on agriculture and fruit growth wherever it spread. It is necessary to realize that fruit growing relies on agricultural land, water and suitable climate. Fertilizers used in agriculture can be a source of environmental pollution. Major change in climate occurring due to global warming can impact the farming industry. This leads to a need of integration of farmers into an agro environmental program that needs a support and keeping production procedures in accordance with environmental protection and sustainability of natural process. Legal factors Legal issues involve laws in juice production regulated by Egyptian government which prohibits use of returnable glass bottles. Such regulation negatively affects juice industry as returnable glass bottles are more profitable. Porter five forces model for juice sector Porters Five Forces Model was developed by Michael E. Porter in his book Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors in 1980. The famous book he wrote in his thirties became an international best seller, published in nineteen languages and re-printed approaching sixty times. Since that time Porters Model became an important tool help for analyzing an organizations industry structure in strategic processes. Porter has identified five competitive forces that shape every industry and every market. These forces determine the intensity of competition and hence the profitability and attractiveness of an industry and answer the question of What are the key factors that can determine a business success? The five forces are described as follows: Threat of new entrants Bargaining power of customers Competitive rivalry within the industry Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of substitutes Recklies Management Project GmbH www.themanager.org (figure 1) Bargaining Power of Customers Threat of New Entrants Threat of Substitutes Competitive Rivalry between Existing firms In combination with a PESTEL-Analysis, which reveals drivers for change in an industry, Five Forces Analysis can reveal insights about the potential future attractiveness of the industry. Porters Model is useful tools to determine potential changes of competitive forces. Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers is described by how much power suppliers have on you in a specific industry or market. A business or a producing industry requires inputs to give a final product such as raw materials, labor, component and other supplies. This lead to a relationship between buyer and supplier provide raw materials used in the production. Supplier is called powerful when he has influence on the producing industry. Lets focus on suppliers in Egyptian juice industry and how much they have power influencing the production of the final juice product. Juice industry depends on many suppliers; sugar, material required in packaging, preservative, flavor and a key player in juice industry is the juice concentrate supplier. Juice supply chain starts form farm that depend on fruit seasonality. The crop of any fruit varies from time to time in quantity and quality based on climate changes and natural crises. This is the main reasons that change in juice concentrate availability pric e and quality. Juice concentrate suppliers are divided in three categories. Suppliers that produce concentrate and use them in the production of final juice product, others that produce concentrate and use part of their production to make a final juice product and sell the rest and suppliers that sell all their production of juice concentrate. Its worth to mention that a big part of the juice concentrate is exported outside Egypt to other countries and one of the main countries who import from Egypt are the Gulf countries. Therefore the supplier power is considerate high because the market is dominated by a few large suppliers rather than fragmented source of supply, supplier customer are fragmented, there is a possibility for supplier to increase concentrate juice prices and there is no substitute to the juice concentrate. To reduce supplier power in juice industry it is important to know what is the influence of outside factors to be taken in consideration to find a place in the m arket. Juice producers make a partnership with suppliers that produce juice concentrate to reduce the power of suppliers. Bargaining power of customers Bargaining power of customers is how much negotiation power the customers have and how much power he has over you in a specific industry or market, meaning how much customer can impose pressure in margin and volume. When buyer has a strong economic power the relationship to the producing industry is near to what economist call monopsony, a market where there is many suppliers and one buyer. In such case your ability to capture a high proportion of the value created will decrease, and you will earn lower profit. Having a few large buyers will have a significant leverage to negotiate price and others terms because you will be afraid losing an important buyer and volume which puts you in a weak position. Buyers have also power on you if they can produce the product themselves and they can play suppliers against each others. However there is a few large buyers and they buy in a large quantities. Meanwhile there are many small buyers that you have greater control over them because they buy a small portion of your sales. Bargaining power of consumer in the juice industry, there are three type of buyer which is the direct consumer, the retail outlets and the wholesalers. 75% of direct consumers for juice freshly prepare juice at home or they buy it from a plain juice shops. In this situation the main competition of those buyers is any plain juice shops or fresh fruit that can substitute the juice product. The juice producer can reduce this bargaining by offering a differentiated product and create loyalty to the brand that offers higher value as the juice freshly prepared its shelf life is limited. The Wholesalers are few in number therefore their bargaining power of consumer is significant due to the number of juice product that they do have on the retails shelf and how do they present the product to the consumer. The retails outlets are many in numbers and they do have a big number of products however the bargaining power of wholesalers and retail outlets are not significant if the consumers are loyal to the brand. Generally the juice industry in Egypt, buyers has more power than the entrepreneurs due to the fact that consumer have different option to entertainment, number of retail outlets that have a several product on self. Therefore the differentiation, creating value to the product and loyalty to the brand is very important. Threat of a new entrant Threat of a new entrant is how easy a competitor can enter into your industry or market? New competitors determents changes in the market environment in terms of gain market shares, pressure to reduce the prices which have an impact on profit and impact on customer loyalty at any time. In term of reaction and adjustment the existing players have a pressure on them. Threat of new entrant depends on barrier to enter industry or market and how the existing player will react with a new competitor. New entrant barrier is economies of scale, the experience that the existing players have which lead to cost advantage, high fixed assets cost and strong distribution channel of existing players. The existing of these barriers protects the existing player from the threat of new entrant. In addition the existent players can react by reducing price or forming a partnership to reduce the threat of a new entrant. Threat of new entrant is considerate in Egyptian juice industry due to high capital cost and knowledge required. Based on this usually the threat of new entrant is higher for the companies that are involved in manufacturing then service. Its not always negative that you do have a competition close to you. Some industry encourage a new entrant specially if they do have already experience in a similar field and they do have a big part of their capital already established such as the factory which just need the production line and having their own distribution channel. Threat of a substitutes products Threat of substitutes products, we give term substitutes to a product that a buyer can replace a business product with another one. What products your buyer can replace your product with? It exists when a buyer can replace your product with another product for the same purpose with a lower price. In such case they can attract a significant proportion of the market and have impact on sales and volume of the existing players. The substitutes product also applies on complementary product. The main factors that can affect substitutes product are customer shift to another similar product based on lower price because your product doesnt give different value from the competitors one and customer have a little loyalty to your product therefore, the threat of substitute is considerable. A substitute threat can be reduced by differentiating your product than the other existing in market and create loyalty to the brand through marketing initiative (TV, radio, outdoors advertisingetc). Following the new live styles trend, consumers became healthier conscious make the threat of substitutes products low in juice industry. The consumption of carbonated soft drinks decreased. The substitute product in this industry can be a healthy product such as fruit juice drink, fruit flavored drink, powdered fruit drinks can substitute the juice concentrate drink and it can also be substituted by milk , fruit base yogurt and mineral or bottled water. Variety of substitutes products are available at the market consumer have an open choices which they can choose whatever suits their needs. However they are not real substitutes products because juice is drunk in different time and occasions. Rivalry between existing firms Rivalry is the competition between existing firms in an industry. In certain industry the rivalry is high and has an impact on profit as you cannot set your own price and it can make the profit to zero. This force might be the most important in Poters five forces as it describe the intensity between existing players. The rivalry is called high when the competitors on a same industry have similar products with no differentiation and they compete in term of price. The market players are same in mass with comparable strategies. Having high barrier to exit the market and when the market is increasing slowly or shrinking this makes the rivalry a considerable force. To decrease the rivalry between existing players you should avoid price competition, differentiate your product and strategies, focus on a different sector and avoid high capacity production. The Egyptian juice market is a fragmented market with many players. Four companies have 50% of the market the rest are less than 5% each. The market is not only splited between the players in terms of market share but also shrinked by products. This means that there is a good chance to enter the market. However, PepsiCo the major competitive to Coca-Cola is preparing new juice launch during the current year. PepsiCo made a joint venture with Almarai Company (extremely successful dairy foods company in the Middle East) and have acquired Beyti well known brand name in Egypt. It produces a variety of high-quality dairy and juice. They are big in size with a very strong distribution channel however the consumer has a law loyalty to specific brand. This situation will make rivalry in the near future. Egypt juice market analysis Lets go more deep and look into the market analysis to be able to determine the juice market sucess . The goal is to be able to find out the market attractivness and understand more about the opportunity and threats of the sector. Key success factors Key success factors depend on two questions which need to be analyzed What does the consumer want? (Here we need to analyze the market) How to face the competition? (Competition analysis) In Egypt juice sector to make a success from the consumer point: Egyptians doesnt make a great difference between artificial distilled fruit beverage and fruit juice they are comparing products in terms of price. Therefore you need to have a competitive price or to build a differentiation strategy to enable you to set your price. Innovation is one of key success factors that need to be present to gain consumer. The consumer has a law loyalty to brands this makes the product availability in market very important. The availability plus the innovation in packages and product range that suits the new consumer life styles will help to build loyalty to the brand. For the competition, you need to be different in product image, have a strong distribution channel to be able to position yourself in the market and to start to compete. Demand Analysis Demand characteristic Following the new consumer life style, the juice market has a high demand based on questionnaire done by MEMRB agency to the Coca-Cola Egypt company here is the outcome. Those that consume juice product on monthly bases dont think it is as strong on Thirst quenching, Good for you, Great tasting and refreshing. However, an improvement on all measures for juice, frequent consumption coming from weekly consumers. Consumer that thinks that they are always doing new thinks shows growth from0% to 7% in 2008-2009 while the carbonated soft drinks shows 3% increase in 2009 and the one that things that uice gives energy shows an improvement from 5% to 9% for year 2008-2009 while the carbonated soft drinks shows a decrease from -6% to -11% for year 2008-2009.

Gluttony in Doctor Faustus Essay -- Doctor Faustus Essays

Gluttony in Doctor Faustus    Doctor Faustus is a scholar who questions all knowledge and finds it lacking.   Because none of his learning will allow him to transcend his mortal condition, he rejects God and forms a pact with Lucifer all the while pursuing the arts of black magic.   Of course, this is one more propaganda piece of Western Christianity attempting to argue that knowledge is dangerous and confining instead of rewarding and liberating.   It also suggests a Protestant parallel in its representation that one who believes in everything ends up believing in nothing.   However, if we cast aside its use as a socio-economic, ideological tool of manipulation, we can explore its character, action and themes without suffering too much offense as open-minded scholars.   In a play of five acts, twenty scenes and more than 70 pages of typed text, Gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins, consumes a mere 13 lines.   While such economy of space and expression is atypical of Gluttony, it is not typical of Marlowe who surfeits our senses with images of gluttonous, swollen, and surfeited allusions.   In fact, Faustus appears to be a fathead because his head has become swollen in self-conceit due to his attempt to understand more than it is within the power of humans to know.   According to Marlowe (23-24), "Till swoll'n with cunning, of a self-conceit,/His waxen wings did mount above his reach/And melting, heavens conspired his overthrow!/For falling to a devlish exercise/And glutted now with learning's golden gifts/He surfeits upon cursed necromancy/Nothing so sweet as magic is to him/Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss-/And this the man that in his study sits." Gluttony, personified, only has two dialogue exchanges with Faus... ...demption. WORKS   CITED Fitzhenry, R. I.   Barnes & Noble Book of Quotations.   New York, Barnes & Noble Books, 1986. Marlowe, C.   Doctor Faustus.   Barnet, S. (ed.) New York, Signet Classics, 1969. The student may wish to begin the essay with several of the following quotes: Puritanism - the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.  H. L. Mencken Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.  George Bernard Shaw Men prefer to believe that they are degenerated angels, rather than elevated apes.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   W. Winwood Roade As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague interests.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charles Darwin God is dead.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Neitzsche When a man is freed of religion, he has a better chance to live a normal and wholesome life.   Sigmund Freud   (Barnes & Noble Book of Quotations, 310-312)

Gender Analysis of “The Tigers Bride” by Angela Carter Essay

The short story_The Tigers Bride_ raises thought provoking concepts around gender through a plot both alike and unlike traditional Beauty and the Beast. The role of both genders is explored and true freedom questioned within the bounds of society. The text delivers a powerful and even handed message to the genders that constraints are merely a construct, a mask which can slip and shatter when pressure is applied. Angela Carter sketches a bleak setting, and equally bleak outlook for the female protagonist, caught in a powerless, debased and objectified position of social standing. Agency is firmly placed with The Beast, and the father, opening with the line; ‘My father lost me to The Beast at cards’. Objectified from the outset for her beauty, the narrator is declared a ‘treasure’ by both men and a ‘pearl beyond price’ by her father. The barb is deepened with Christmas, the day of items named as the day of her birth. Her nickname ‘Christmas rose’ gives rye commentary on the traditional symbolism of the rose, which re-emerges later stained with her blood, representing the loss of innocence at the hands of the patriarchy much as her mother before her who ‘did not blossom long’. Despite her predicament the narrator represents herself and her gender atypically to binary stereotype with a cynicism and wit that cuts through the flaws of the hegemonic dominated society around her. Receiving a rose from The Beast, she calls it ‘unnatural and out of season’ and tears it apart whilst being bartered as an object in the card game. Her disdain for her predicament and surrounds are powerless in these early stages and are blended with a sadness ‘you think there is no winter but forget you take it with you’. The narrator fast becomes a heroine to the audience, through a nurtured appreciation of her budding inner strength. This is emphasised by the stark contrast to the insipidness of the father and veiled vulnerability of The Beast. The windup soubrette doll becomes a leading symbol of the dehumanising ideals of society on the female gender with the heroine  likening herself to the doll, initially. The valet’s statement ‘surrounding ourselves for utility and pleasure with simulacra is no less convenient than for most gentlemen’ casts light on the hegemonic expectation of society. However the heroine’s character grows in strength with every denial to The Beast and her rejection of society’s expectations of ‘her skin as her sole capital’ she acts on this through her rejection of the gifted diamond earrings. Role reversal occurs when The Beast himself unclothes in vulnerability ahead of the heroine. Transformation is near complete when she views the soubrette in a new light and intends to send the doll back to perform the stilted role of father’s daughter, realising that true freedom from the limitations of society means shedding and joining the ‘beasts’. The text proposes that gender constraints are a construct and are not limited to the suppression of female power. The bounds of society on The Beast and his estate are also evident and ironically his visage, scent and abode is criticised by the heroine as failing to comply with expectations. Her animosity towards The Beast is likely birthed in her predicament, his mask a reminder of the too perfect hegemony she detests. However The Beast conducts himself with a subtleness and dignity that can be afforded to no human in the story. Contrasting The Beasts behaviour with the character of the father or the viscous rumours of the nursemaids highlights the authors point that the limitations gender and society have created hamper the full potential of character. The Beasts compassion and coyness suggest an inner subordinate or complicit form of masculinity, the hegemonic persona forced, donned as disguise to conform. The story outlines an ideal place; ‘nothing human lives here’, a place where identity is essential to being not performed as a requirement. The message is bittersweet; the escape to freedom in a new skin is a relative exile from society; a clear rebuke to a society which forces such drastic methods upon the genders to avoid cultural ideation. Bibliography: Carter, Angela, (1996). The Tiger’s Bride. In Carter, Angela, Burning your boats : the collected short stories, (pp.183 – 201). London: Vintage.

Book Analysis: The Science of Muddling Through

A Summary of: The Science of â€Å"Muddling Through† By Charles E. Lindblom Public Administration Review, Vol. XIX, No. 2 (Spring, 1959), 79-88 I. Introduction This article discusses two different strategies for comparing policies. The first strategy, Lindblom entitles Root, or Rational-Comprehensive Lindblom refers to the second strategy as Branch, or Successive Limited Comparisons. After a brief explanation of the two systems, he goes on to argue the superiority of the Branch system over the more commonly discussed Root system II. RootThe Root approach, or Rational-Comprehensive, is best utilized for more simple problems, according to Lindblom, due to the necessitation of massive intellectual capacities and sources of information. He states that this approach is generally not correct for policy analysis, as time and money are restrictions in these scenarios. He also states that public agencies are effectively instructed not to practice the root method, due to political or le gal constraints Ironically, the common literature tends to preach formalization of this method. This leads to many practitioners acting against the philosophy commonly published.Lindblom lists the characteristics of the Root approach as the following:Clarification of values or objectives distinct from and usually prerequisite to empirical analysis of alternative policies.Policy-formulation is therefore approached through means-end analysis: First, the ends are isolated, then the means to achieve them are sought.The test of a â€Å"good† policy is that it can be shown to be the most appropriate means to desired ends.Analysis is comprehensive; every important relevant factor is taken into account.Theory is often heavily relied upon.As this theory is often discussed, Lindblom assumes it is familiar to the reader and shifts his focus to explaining and clarifying the alternative. Most of the article revolves around the Branch approach, or Successive Limited Comparisons. III. Branc h The Branch Approach, or Successive Limited Comparisons is the approach Lindblom claims most administrators use for their approach to understanding complex problems. Lindblom assigns the following characteristics to the Branch approach:Selection of value goals and empirical analysis of the needed action are not distinct from one another but are closely intertwined. Since means and ends are not distinct, means-end analysis is often inappropriate or limited.The test of a â€Å"good† policy is typically that various analysts find themselves directly agreeing on a policy (without their agreeing that it is the most appropriate means to an agreed objective).Analysis is drastically limited:Important possible outcomes are neglected.Important alternative potential policies are neglected.Important affected values are neglected.A succession of comparisons greatly reduces or eliminates reliance on theory.The Branch approach could be illustrated as continually building out from the curre nt situation, slowly, by small degrees, one step at a time. Lindblom then elaborates on the Branch approach throughout the remainder of the article. a. Intertwining Evaluation and Empirical Analysis In this section, Lindblom explains how the Root method breaks down its handling of objectives and values. He states that clarifying values prior to investigating alternative policies produces several problems. The first problem is that citizens, congressmen, and public administrators frequently disagree on many critical values.Second, even when an administrator opts to choose his own value set for guidance, he often will not know how to rank conflicting criterion. A third problem arises concurrent to the previous two â€Å"Social objectives do not always have the same relative values. † These common problems often lead administrators to ask a question like the following: â€Å"Given the degree to which we are or are not already achieving the values of good public relations, is it worth sacrificing a little speed for a happier clientele, or is it better to risk offending the clientele so hat we can get on with our work? †The answer, of course, varies according to the situation. The particular difficulty with values is the issue with attempting to state marginal objectives in forms other than particular policies. This leaves administrators attempting to choose between policies that offer different marginal combinations of values. Lindblom closes this argument with two summarizing points. First, for complex problems, the Root system is impossible and irrelevant, while the Branch method is possible and relevant.The Branch method is possible because the administrator does not need to attempt to analyze any values except those where the alternative policies differ, and this differentiation is only notable marginally. This drastically reduces the need for collecting information on values or objectives, which keeps the capacity for comparing values within rea son. b. Relations Between Means and Ends Generally, and according to the Root method, decision-making is considered to be a means-ends relationship.The means are to be evaluated and selected depending upon the ends which is selected independently and before choosing the means. But this is difficult unless the values have been agreed upon and are stable at the margin. This relationship between the means and the ends does not exist with the branch method, as both are chosen simultaneously. c. The Test of â€Å"Good† Policy Under the Root method, a decision can be considered correct if it can be shown to attain some specified objective. This objective must be defined beyond just describing the actual decision.If administrators cannot agree on the objectives, the Root method offers no test For the Branch method, the test is agreement on the actual policy, which may be possible even when agreement on values has proven impossible. Different ideologies can agree on different policie s, even if the agreement is based on different reasoning. Lindblom states that â€Å"agreement on policy thus becomes the only practicable test of the policy’s correctness. † The Branch method relies upon agreement whenever possible. d. Non-Comprehensive Analysis It is impossible to take every important aspect of a problem into onsideration unless the problem is very narrowly defined, therefore limiting analysis. Simplification of complex problems is imperative.Lindblom illustrates that under the Root method, simplification is achieved systematically through limitation of policy comparisons to those policies that differ in relatively small degree from policies presently in effect. It is only necessary to study the aspects in which the alternatives and their consequences differ from the current norm. This limitation reduces the alternatives under consideration and simplifies the investigation of each of these alternatives.It only becomes necessary to study the respects in which the proposed alternative and its consequences differ from that norm. i. Relevance as Well as Realism In the west, policy analysts tend to limit their analysis to marginal differences in policies that are chosen to differ incrementally. Democracies tend to change policies incrementally. By simplifying the policy by limiting the focus to slight deviations, the most value is made of available information. â€Å"Non-incremental policy proposals are therefore typically not only politically irrelevant, but also unpredictable. †Another way to simplify analysis is by ignoring important potential consequences of the possible policies, and also ignoring the values associated with those neglected consequences. Even if the exclusions are made at random, the policies may be formulated more intelligently than by attempting to achieve a comprehensiveness which is too extensive. ii. Achieving a Degree of Comprehensiveness The potential for losing important values is present in any o rganization. The benefit of a hypothetical division of labor is that every important value has its own watchdog; these watchdogs can guard their respective interests in two ways.First, they may redress damages done by other agencies. Second, they may anticipate and avoid injury before it happens. In the United States, no part of government attempts comprehensive policy overviews on things such as income distribution, yet a policy evolves. This incremental policy-making pattern fits with the multiple pressure pattern. When this particular type of policy-making model is followed, it is easier for one group to anticipate the moves of another group. It is also easier for these groups to make adjustments for injuries already accomplished.Administrative coordination occurs as each of these agencies adjusts its policies according to the concerns of the other agencies in a fragmented form of decision-making. Branch method exclusions are deliberate and systematic, yet it does not necessarily disregard long-run considerations. Sometimes the only way long-run objectives can be given enough attention is through neglecting the short-term considerations. e. Succession of Comparisons The last element concerns the comparisons. These comparisons proceed in a chronological order. When the policy maker uses a succession of incremental changes, serious lasting mistakes can be avoided.First, he learns from past sequences of policy steps, and gains knowledge of the probable consequences of similar steps. Second, he can avoid big jumps that may require predictions he does not possess the knowledge to adequately make. This is because he never expects his policy to be the final resolution. Third, he is able to test his previous predictions as he slowly moves on to the proceeding steps. Fourth, past errors can be fixed relatively quickly. For policy-making purposes, the analyst need only know the consequences of each of the policy aspects as they differ from the others. iii. Theorists and PractitionersThe Branch system explains why administrators often feel that outside experts are not helpful and would rather work off of gut instinct than following the advice proposed by theorists. Lindblom gives two reasons why theory can have limited applicability in policy-making. First, it is greedy for facts and can be construed only through a great collection of observations. Second, it is generally insufficiently precise for application to a policy process that moves through small changes. Only in restricted areas is economic theory precise enough to become particularly helpful when resolving policy questions. v. Successive Comparison as a System Lindblom concludes that the Branch system is indeed a legitimate system, despite its imperfections.He reminds the reader that the Branch method lacks a built-in safeguard for all relevant values, and it may lead the decision-maker to overlook potential policies simply because they are not suggested. One of the benefits of clarify ing this method is â€Å"the light it throws on the suspicion an administrator sometimes entertains that a consultant or adviser is not speaking relevantly and responsibly when in fact by all ordinary objective evidence he is. While much of organization theory argues the virtues of common values and agreed organizational objectives, for complex problems in which the root method is inapplicable, agencies will want among their own personnel two types of diversification: administrators whose thinking is organized by reference to policy chains other than those familiar to most members of the organization and, even more commonly, administrators whose professional or personal values or interests create diversity of view†¦ so that, even without a single agency, decision-making can be fragmented and parts of the agency can serve as watchdogs for other parts.IV. Conclusion Lindblom’s argument basically attempts to legitimize the decision-making processes that are already frequen tly in use. He points out a gap between the theory advocated by policy academics and the real-world problems faced by decision-makers. He explains how and why the current work-around is legitimate and worthy of acceptance. The Branch method, as he calls it, simply needs to be recognized as having merit. By pointing this out and attempting to define the Branch method and its attributes, he is opening the door for academics to begin theorizing on this method, as well.