Monetary Policy Action Effect on Economy Essay

The Federal Reserve’s decision in August 2006 to leave interest rates unchanged underscores the degree of uncertainty in the U. S. economic establishment about the near future. For the past two years monetary policy more or less went on in a straightforward manner; the Fed’s policymakers raised their benchmark federal funds rate by a quarter point at 17 successive meetings as the economy emerged from a period when deflation looked a real threat back to a more normal world of strong growth and steadily rising inflation. Currently, there are, broadly, three views among economists about what happens next. The first, an optimistic assessment in keeping with recent economic history, favors the â€Å"soft landing† approach. The Fed has raised rates by just enough, according to this view, to restrain growth so as to squash inflation back into its box. The Fed funds rate now stands at 5. 25 per cent; with inflation in the 2. 5 per cent to three per cent range, that represents a real rate of about 2. 5 per cent, a reasonable amount of restraint. On this view, the Fed probably won’t have to do anything more on interest rates for the foreseeable future — just watch in satisfaction as the economy slows to its desired pace. The second view is pessimistic and fearful. It believes that the Fed has already gone too far. The housing market, the driver of so much demand for the global economy, is off sharply. Many Americans are desperately refinancing short-term adjustable rate mortgages they took out three years ago when rates were at historic lows. They are finding themselves with thousands of dollars less a year in disposable income than they had last year. Debt levels are sky high and the savings rate is negative. As consumers rebuild their tattered balance sheets, they will cut spending sharply, with catastrophic consequences. High oil prices are making matters even worse. On this assessment, the next move in rates will be down, if the Fed is to avert a really unpleasant shock to the economy. Some economists think the fed funds will be below 4. 5 per cent by the middle of next year as Ben Bernanke, the Fed chairman, struggles to avert a full-blown recession. The third view might be called fatalistic realism. It accepts the second proposition that, on current policies, a recession is coming, but insists that it is absolutely necessary and it says that the Fed, far from pressing on the economic accelerator, should keep its foot on the brake. For the Fed, and the world, a recession may be the price that now needs to be paid to avert a longer-term catastrophe (Baker).

Ethnic Paper Essay

Write a 100- to 200-word response to each of the following questions. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What is discrimination? How is discrimination different from prejudice and stereotyping? Discrimination is the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups because of predjudice or for other arbitrary reasons. Discrimination is different from predjudice and stereotyping because discrimination are actual negative actions towards the objects of predjudice. Stereotype is an unreliable generalization of members of a particular group and predjudice is a negative attitude and emotion response to members of a group. †¢ What are the causes of discrimination? Discrimination can be caused from learned behavior If you grew up in a home where your parents discriminated against others, then your more than Likely to do the same thing. Growing up in a neighborhood where there are mostly people of the same race and members of a different race coming into your neighborhood can cause discrimination. I also believe ignorance is probably one of the main causes of discrimination people are blind to the fact that we are all human beings and have feelings and everyone should be treated the same regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, oreientation, disability etc. †¢ How is discrimination faced by one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) the same as discrimination faced by another? How are they different? I would agree that sexual orientation and gender face similar discrimination if you are gay, straight transgender people will look at you in disgust they will treat you differently and deny certain rights llke getting a job, marrying, and many more gender can be similar in the sense that you can be denied certain job positions and be incapable of performing certain duties especially a female who tries to attempt to do a job that is usually done by a man. I think the difference in the two is sexual orientation is a much bigger problem and strict laws have been put into effect for people who discriminate against gays, transgender, lesbians and they are still continuing to fight for equal rights today like getting married as far as gender if you’re male and female you have that right automaticall, whereas the gay community doesn’t. Racial and Ethnic Groups (13th ed.) (Schaefer)

The 2012 Olympic Games in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The 2012 Olympic Games in Britain - Essay Example It is a global event and it attracts a lot of world attention, which is an avenue for prosperity for the host country. The most profound of this sporting event is that it features summer and winter sports where the well-molded and crafted athletes from around the globe gather and showcase their superb talents (Davis, 2012:41). This has been a culture of late, a stage for the outstanding talent. Since the times of BARON PIERRE DE COUBERRTIN (the founder of the initial Olympic committee), the games have evolved into accommodating numerous changes. This will bring new visitors to Britain who probably would not have come. As a result, it will open new visitors markets, which is to greater extend what United Kingdom dreamed of (Great Britain Parliament House Committee, 2010:71). Hosting the Olympic Games in London will bring with it the inspiration merits, support and subjects for thousands of clinical and scientific studies. This is expected benefit because most of the overlooked legacie s of these games give avenues for scientific research in science and medicine (Thornton, 2011:4). All eyes will be glued as the biggest sporting event on the planet will kick starts at its grounds. With 26 performances to pass through our eyes, with 10,500 multi-talented athletes, they form useful experimental subjects (Houlihan and Green, 2011:113). This is so because modern sport and medicine have of late enjoyed a close relationship. These are great avenues for Britain scientists to put into practice their knowledge since the athletes volunteer to be examined because of their competitiveness This gathering is expected to bring out one of the busiest summers in the history of the England nation (Houlihan and Green, 2011;151). Moreover, the London economy is set to convey out its most sophisticated transport system, which in-deed is expected to be the crandle of running wheels in the entire Europe (E.S.R.C., 2010:09). Again the world is set to be fed with yet another new architectu ral design of the recent times as the games will take place in the magnificently designed venues and the Olympic parks across London and around the United Kingdom (Davis, 2012:77). This is for sure, all good news since the economy will be expected to tap from this source. As the festival progress by, the England nation is set to host and accommodate all this visitors. The welfare of all the Olympic ticket holders not to mention their security will whole-handedly be in the hands of the host. It is all in the care of the London government to bring out and unleash its deep sitted level of services in order to gain (Davis, 2012:45). In addition, the country will again benefit by exposing its culture to the world. As expected, there would be hostels and campsites. Luxury hotels are set to be, food and ancient traditions and all forms of travelling (Thornton, 2011:17). London and United Kingdom have a great range of things to show to the attending and spectating world and benefit a lot. W hether the country will profit from these events, is all left on how the organizers have planned. It is now a question of how the games can be sustained in terms of the environmental impact and the dire need of the United Kingdom government to deliver a long lasting legacy and benefit at a variety of scales. As scheduled, almost all the Olympic proceedings should be held within the London locality (E.S.R.C., 2010:13). The country been part of the organizers will try to provide profitable grounds for

Death penalty information center. Web site evaluation Essay

Death penalty information center. Web site evaluation - Essay Example The life of a human being, or for that matter any animate being, has an inalienable right of dignity and sustenance irrespective of whether social law dictates otherwise. According to this fact, no man has the right to kill another living being regardless of the intention. The system of capital punishment is a brutal ideology, which instead of respecting the value of life, forces upon us an artificial perspective of legality which tries to prove that punishing a criminal with a similar crime is ethical. There are several groups and resources in and around the world that voice their disapproval of this method of punishment and which shows us clearly that even though the penal code of justice was designed by man to streamline society, many of its nuances do not have complete consent of the society it is trying to protect. Among the various websites advocating the abolishment of the death penalty, one which stands out is the Death Penalty Information Center having abundant information o n the subject as well as all the ongoing campaigns being worked out in the various states of America. The choice of this website is based on the evaluation criteria that have been selected to judge its relevancy and results in the field of legal amendments to the section of the penal code on capital punishment. Among the criteria used in evaluating the website, first and foremost is the accuracy of the information and the credibility of the site authorities, following which is the periodicity of the available information and last but not the least are the proffered methods by which the general public can contribute to the cause as well as make use of the tremendous detail of reports on death penalty. On the initial visit to the DPIC website, one is amazed at the level of proficiency with which the subject of capital punishment is dealt with and would definitely be impressed by the amount of work that has gone into the preparation and maintenance of the site. It is clear that the concerned personnel behind DPIC are not amateurs and to validate this detail, the visitor is presented with an exemplary Board of Directors list when the 'Contact' or 'About DPIC' link is clicked. In very many cases we find that a professional and business like website lacks the simplistic feel and ease of getting around for a general visitor, but DPIC is so neatly designed to make the visitor comfortable in accessing the information in an organized fashion. The extensive information provided has been cited from various newspapers articles, books and television that were cross checked and found to be legitimate. The media sources are multifarious and give an authentic impression of the view subscribed by people from various walks of life about the death penalty. Clippings from news broadcasts, interviews and radio talk shows as well as a wealth of videos enables us to analyze real life accounts of families of murder victims and death row prisoners as to how the law is framed in injustice for what is being done. There maybe instances where visitors to DPIC may feel bombarded with vast amounts of information and statistical data, although not a single one of them deviates from the central theme of abolishment of the death penalty. But what we must keep in mind while analyzing the claims of this advocacy website as being a leader among other sites pertaining to the same subject, is that the expected visitor is more likely to be a relation or an acquaintance of a murder victim or a death row inmate, a student interested in the field of law or a researcher in social demographics with respect to crime and punishment. The statistical information provided, when the 'Facts' link is clicked, is vital to any research candidate and the thoroughly organized manner in which the information is laid out on the site is beneficial to quick finds and relevant gathering of data.

Annotated bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Annotated bibliography - Essay Example Such categorization helps to give priority to things that need our immediate attention. This article is especially useful for employers to understand the expenditure their companies incur over long periods of time. This article shows how to group expenses into different categories to keep track of the expenses incurred. It tells us that by allotting a certain amount of money towards each category, it is easier to keep track of how much is spent in any particular category. In this way we can track if a particular category is over shooting expenses. The article highlights the fact that though budgets are considered a necessary evil, it is important that they are well maintained and updated on a regular basis. It also explains the three main steps necessary for maintaining a budget and they are as follows – 1) Identifying expenditure, 2) Evaluating current expenditure, and 3) Maintaining a regular track record of all the expenses. This article is particularly useful for those in the field of finance because it gives many important tips on budget maintenance. In this article the author explains the necessity of maintaining budgets saying that it helps to keep a control on one’s finances.‎ Budgets are used for various purposes such as – Controlling income and expenditure, providing direction, Motivating employees, Improving efficiency, Establishing the company’s priorities and for Monitoring employees performance. In this context, the managers play a pivotal role in maintaining proper communication between the employers and employees and lay down the plan of action based on the budget given. This article was very useful as it had many guiding principles that help to keep finances of any kind under control. This article is important in the sense that it is a good guide to Budget Management. It gives us necessary information

Brain Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brain Development - Research Paper Example Brain functions through activity of neural circuits. These circuits are formed from the fetal period and throughout the life by forming synapses in a process called synaptogenesis. The necessary neutrons that a brain will have until death are almost present in a new born baby's brain. During the development stage 250,000 neutrons are added per minute. The brain grows after birth by increasing the size of the neurons and consequent increase in number of supporting cells. The weight of the brain of the newborn is approximately 300 grams. Brain weight increases with age and achieve mature weight between six and fourteen years of life. The baby's brain moulds itself in response to the demands of the surroundings. The child's brain is an amazing learning engine. A child learns to do everything step by step in his growing stage. Children acquire language in a fast pace. It is found out that a baby reacts to language with his complete brain until he is one year old. Brain imaging studies suggest that the brain continues to develop through adolescence and into young adulthood. During adolescence, the parts of the brain that are liable for expressing emotions and for seeking enjoyment tend to mature sooner than the regions of the brain that control impulses, reasoning and decision making. The adult brain is related mostly to the human intellect. The modern science admits that emotions are fundamental to the general mental health. Recent studies show that brain produces new neurons even at the age of seventies. The normal aging process leaves most mental functions unharmed, and even provide the brain with unique advantages that form the root of wisdom The 'Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus', written in the 17th century BC, has the earliest recorded reference to the brain. Hippocrates believed the brain to be the seat of intelligence. Studies of the brain became more sophisticated after the invention of the microscope. In the late 1890s Santiago Ramon y Cajal and Camillo Golgi suggested the neuron doctrine, which established that the functional unit of the brain is the neuron. Related studies by Paul Broca suggested that certain regions of the brain were responsible for certain functions. Modern researches are ongoing to show that distinct areas of the cortex are activated in the execution of specific tasks. The advance in neuroscience in the last 10 years is ahead of that has made ever since the studies of brain began. let us try to brief the current trends in the studies of brain. A child gets adapted to the environment at his birth, due to the presence of abundance of the neural circuit in his brain. Healthy brain cells will die if they don't have to perform during the critical periods of a child's developmental years. Each element of a picture which we see is sent to different parts of the brain for processing. The human brain's capacity is best standardized by the number of connections that develop among its billions of brain cells. Different neurological and behavioral differences come out in the early developmental stages and continue throughout a lifetime. Neuro-biological differences mostly causes many of the gender-specific patterns in learning and behavior. Immobility is unable to get along with complex learning experiences. Continual stress and fear can lead to the physical destruction of neurons in the hippocampus, a sub-cortical structure that plays an important role

Gramsci's Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gramsci's Philosophy - Assignment Example This is because any slight manifestation of intellectual activityin any language contains varied conceptions of the world. The diverse conceptions are necessitated by the fact that everyone is unique in his or her way. Thereafter, an individual may be compelled to move to the next level of conceptualization, which entails criticism and awareness. In other words, spontaneous philosophy gives people insights on how their world is; thus, they are presented with the opportunity to take part in everything that occurs in it. Spontaneous philosophy consists of three elements namely;common sense and good sense, language and religion. First, the language in spontaneous philosophy should not have baseless words, but concepts and notions that have content. Common sense as an element of spontaneous philosophy refers to the illogical set of held beliefs and assumptions common to any society; whereas good sense refers to the concrete realistic, common sense in the English meaning of the term. Gram sci’s intention in conceptualizing spontaneous philosophy aims at giving individuals an opportunity to criticize their own conceptions of the world. This in turn, makes the world comprehensible and raises it to a level that can only be reached by the utmost advanced opinions in the whole world. In addition to that, acquiring one’s own conception of the world puts an individual within the same social framework with other individuals who are likely to share the same philosophy. 2. Discuss in detail the passage from spontaneous philosophy to philosophy of Praxis. Engage the moment of critical awareness, which serves as a transition. What, then, is philosophy of Praxis and what sets it apart from spontaneous philosophy? Spontaneous philosophy begins with individuals viewing themselves as philosophers. This is magnified by the fact that everyone is unique in his or her own way; thus, they view the world differently. The varied conceptualization of the world makes one belong to a particular group where common thoughts are shared. In these groups, thoughts and conceptualizations of individuals are tailored to make them be at par with the world’s most advanced thoughts. This forms the starting point of one’s critical elaboration since he gets the opportunity to have knowledge of himself. After comprehension of oneself, individuals are supposed to have a better understanding of the philosophical history as well as the history of culture. Knowledge of one’s history of culture and philosophy puts one in a better place to have a clear and critical conception of the world. Understanding one’s language is also central in conceptualizing the world since it lessens the intricacy in comprehending things. Language understanding also enables the translation of one culture to the other; thus, producing a new culture with an extraordinary element of intellectualorder and harmonizationis made easier. The philosophy of Praxis denotes the soc io-practical activity whereby actions and thoughts are mutually determined. It cannot present itself at the beginning in a critical and polemical appearance, but as superseding the prevailing perceptible thoughts and the existing modes of thinking. First, it must be criticize the commonsense notion, basing its arguments that everyone is a philosopher in his or her own way. Then, it must criticize the philosophy of intellectuals, from which the history of philosophy developed. Having understood these criticisms, one may conclude that philosophy of Praxis leads to a higher life conception and does not leave simple details in their nascent philosophy of common sense. 3. Discuss the differences between the two great (in Gramsci’

Consumer Compliance- Discussion Post 4 Assignment

Consumer Compliance- Discussion Post 4 - Assignment Example CFPB and FTC both have limited powers to sue any party but are free to intervene in the litigation. Both agencies coordinate their activities in ensuring elimination of task duplication. For instance, both bodies would inform each other of an investigation and enforcement of actions against any party that exploits consumers. FTC and FFPB both conduct a joint customers’ education in promoting consistency of information and proper knowledge about the use of resources (FTC, 2012). CFPB protects consumers against exploitation by banking institutions and credit unions. FTC, however, does not serve to protect consumers over banks and credit unions. FTC develops auto financial tips on its website in conjunction with American Financial Services Association and National Automobile Dealers Association. CFPB, however, does not provide financial tips. CFPB gathers consumers’ complaints on its website and forwards them to relevant authorities that resolve consumers’ grievances. The strategy that CFPB uses in consumers’ protection is strict and firm while FTC’s web site is neutral and adopts no strict measures in solving the problems of customers (Consumer Financial Service Group, 2011). Consumer Financial Service Group. (2011, July 7). How the CFPB and the FTC interact (part 1). CFPB Monitor. Retrieved May 13, 2015 from http://www.cfpbmonitor.com/2011/07/07/how-the-cfpb-and-the-ftc-interact-part-i/ Federal Trade Commission (FTC). (2012, January 23). Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Pledge to Work Together to Protect Consumers. Press Release. Retrieved May 13, 2015 from

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Questions - Assignment Example Some of the differences between mitosis include but not limited to, mitotic cells divide once whereas meiotic cells divide twice. Mitosis results in cell replication as for meiosis, genetic recombination and production of reproductive cells being the sole aim. Mitosis doesn’t yield exact copies whereas meiosis does. Mitosis also gives rise to diploid cells while meiosis gives haploid cells. DNA crossover occurs only in meiosis (Armstrong, 2007). As for similarities, duplication of an organism’s genome takes place only once preceding any other duplication in both processes. There is the existence of metaphase plates, centrioles in both (Armstrong, 2007). Basic steps of division are the same for both. Mitosis and meiosis occurs both in eukaryotic cells. Finally, both represent reproduction processes. A wild population contains tall and short plants. In one cross, two parental tall plants yield all tall progeny. In another experiment, two short plants are crossed and all progeny are short (cross 2). In the third experiment (cross number 3), two different short plants from cross 2 are crossed and 23 tall progeny and 77 short progeny are observed. The F1 generation came about through selfing of F1 plants. While maintaining Mendel’s first law, law of segregation, where the gamete is formed when each member of the allelic get disjointed from their other member. Confirmation of accuracy of his law through selfing of F2 plants yielded all tall and short plants respectively (Tornqvist, 2006). This can be depicted using a Punnet square as depicted on the next

Interactive and Digital Marketing Research Paper - 1

Interactive and Digital Marketing - Research Paper Example 636-645). Furthermore, in this age, both interactive as well as digital marketing is highly used in order to enhance the bonding within the customers and the organization. It is the bonding or relationship that acts as a catalyst for the organization of today’s age to improve its presence and sustainability in the market. However, in order to retain such type of relationship with the customers, it’s extremely essential to offer all sort of essential information or details regarding the products and services of the organization in an effective way. This report mainly deals with the information available within the web-sites of two retailers named Primark and marks and spender (M&S). It also describes the difference present within the websites of the two mentioned retailers along with the traditional bricks and mortar shops. According to Kotler (2008), marketing acts as a tool that may be used to identify, anticipate, and gratify the requirements and demands of the customers in an effective way. Moreover, in today’s age, marketing is essential to identify the target customers of the products or services of an organization. However, in this age of digitalisation, it might be possible only if an organization becomes successful in developing an online presence. Online or digital sites helps an organization to present its products or services to a wide range of customers of varying income profiles, age-groups and standards in a very short period of time as stated by market segmentation theory. Along with this, with the help of online or digital websites, an organization may immediately fulfil the queries of its target customers and develop the customised products that might prove effective in increasing its profitability and loyalty in the market among other rival brands (Keegan. 2002, pp. 456-467). Due to these underlining reasons, the level of preference of digital or online websites is quite high as

Violent character Essay Example for Free

Violent character Essay Abigail starts off in the play all innocent, but as the play progresses she becomes a more violent character. Shes had an affair with John Proctor and wants him, but he wants to stop the affair altogether, she accuses him of being cowardly Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be. She really doenst want John to stay with Elizabeth so later on she tries to blame her for witchery. She makes the scene really dramatic, and grabbes the audiences attention more in a way of what they think of her now, to what they thaught of her at the start of the play. This man is a newcomer to Salem, an outsider who the people are not very accepting of him. One of the reasons maybe that hes no were near as religious as the people of Salem, for example I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart Mr Parris, there are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardily ever mension God anymore. This makes Parris angry, and aroused, he replies with Why, thats a drastic charge!  As the play goes on, in act 1 we learn that Parris is an important man, but also a man with enemies. The Putnams are always trying to find ways of sending him down, they get a great chance when his daughter is accused of being a witch. From this mans language in the play, the audience think of him more as being a respected man, but also one who doesnt want his authority questioned. Reverrand Hale comes into the play towrads the end of act one, he plays a very straight forward man, hes infact a man who knows a lot about witches, thats why Rev. Parris sends for him when Betty is taken ill.  He rises the tension in the play by shouting at the suspected girls who were dancing in the woods, shouting at them to confess about Lucifer.  In The Crucible there has been quite a lot of emotionaly charged scenes , like when Abigail and Proctor were discussing their affair behind the barn building, also theres been a lot of violence and arguments, for example when Tituba was being wipped for being accused of conjuring spirits in the woods, then Abigail was shouting all the bad things what Tituba was ment to have done. There was arguments like when Parris was arguing with Abigail, do you look for wipping, I thaught I saw someone running naked through the trees! and when Abigail says its not true he replies in anger I saw it!. I think the most dramatic scene was when the girls were dancing in the woods because they were all screaming with someone naked, with a chamber pot in the middle where a innocent chicken was sacrificed for the sake of the girls sportin as it were.  There were lots of interrogation scenes like when Rev. Hale was asking the girls who were dancing in the woods, who conjured spirits, he had them all in a line until one of them spoke out and accused Abigail. Abigail replied in anger and strongly denied the accusation. This builds up tension in the scene. Another thing that the audience want to know is if Abigail and Proctor are still sleeping together, further on in the play we find they dont, Its mostly based on Proctor and whether he is to save his life and lie, or go with his concience and suffer the consiquences.  I think what makes the plot dramatic is all the happenings comming at once, like the witchcraft, Abigail and Proctors affair, Betty being ill, Parriss disputes with the Putnams and Tituba being accused and beaten all packed into the opening scene of the play. Another small factor is Abigails dialogue being more and more violent as she gets more annoyed, first she was quiet later shes loud and violent. I think Arthur Miller chose to set the play in Salem simply because it was a very religious community with strong views on witchcraft and the supernatural, so if anything of the sort was to happen, serious problems would occur.  The play is also set in the spring time, which is ironic, and also it maybe a new start for the people, it almost looks like nothing bad would ever happen there, as if its a fairy tale land in a childrens book. Salem was a place where the community was divided between people who done good or bad thing in their life, for example Rev Parris has a faction within the church to drive him out. Sale is also a community split by religious disputes.  Another place is scene 1 which creates dramatic tension is when Rev. Parris in the small room where hes arguing with Abigail, hes almost in prisoned in the small dark room, where outside its bright and sunny. Almost making the audience think that Parris is a harsh, cruel man with something about him. If it started were he where outside, the audiences may have a different view on him. The stage directions help to build the tension in ways which build up towards the heat of the argument (the explosive force crucible), for example when Abigail keeps coming on stage and critisising Goody Putnam. When people come in and out of the play all the time, its not as boring for the audience which makes them want to see whats going to happen next, therefore building up dramatic tension all the way through. Characters appearing in and out of the play at specific times helps the audience build up a picture of what is happening and whats going to happen, they may mension or give clues on where theyre going then return when whether the audience expects it or not, most of the time if the writer of the play wants to create dramatic tension the characters will pop up when the audience leasts expects it. This helps give false expectations of the characters where abouts building up the tension bit by bit. To concude this essay I think think scene one in The Crucible is dramatic because of all the major happenings occur all together in one, action-packed scene, as I have explained earlier on in this essay. I think its a very effective first act because it grabs the audiences attention straight away, even in the first few minutes of the play. Scene one leaves you where you desperately want to see what is going to happen to the characters later on in the play. I think the audiences would have reacted in different ways, when the girls were dancing at the start of the play and Abigail smashed the chiken on the ground getting blood all over her face the audiences would have been quite shocked and even more shocked when they saw a naked woman all this was very dramatic, I think Miller deliberatley wanted the girl to be naked because of this.  Another audience catching scene was when Abigail and Proctor were behind the barn discussing their affair and Abigail said you sweated like a stalion when I ever came near, the audience must have been enthrolled at the thaught they were taking risks on having an affair in such a strict community.

Capital Structure Effect on Performance in Renewable Energy

Capital Structure Effect on Performance in Renewable Energy Sarah Sophia Hamdi â€Å"Capital Structure Effects on Firm Performance in the Renewable Energy Sector: Evidence from Germany† 1. Explanation of your dissertation topic (about 800 words) Overall motivation and objectives: The Kyoto Protocol induced a growing number of countries to establish targets for renewable energy supplies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to increase energy security. These targets are either expressed in terms of installed capacity or as a percentage of energy consumption. These targets have served as important catalysts for increasing the share of renewable energy throughout the world. As a result of the growing share of energy generated from renewable sources such as wind, water and biomass Germany’s energy supply is becoming â€Å"greener† from year to year. As shown in graph 1 in 2014 renewables already accounted for 25.8 per cent of the gross power production in Germany. On 1 April 2000 the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) went into force and lead to a massive increase of the renewable energy production in the electricity sector, from under 40 to over 140 billion of kilowatt per hours (see graph 2). Graph 1: Gross power production in Germany in 2014 Source: AG Energiebilanzen, as of: December 2014 Graph 2: Gross electricity generation in billions of kilowatt-hours Source: BMWi based on Working Group on Renewable Energies Statistics (AGEE-Stat, August 2014; Preliminary figures) The German government wants to further expand this share by the year 2025, the aim is to produce 40 to 45 per cent of electricity from renewable sources and 55 to 60 per cent by the year 2035. These numbers indicate that renewable energy companies increasingly need to compete efficiently against existing companies generating energy through other power sources such as oil, nuclear and hard coal energy etc. As investments in renewable energy plants grow, so do the risks inherent in owning, building and operating such plants. Excluding debt, business risk is the basic risk of firms operations and one of the factors that influence a companys capital-structure decision making. The level of business risk is shaped not only by the companies’ decisions but by whats happening to the industry and the economy. The renewable energy industry is effected by numerous sector specific risks such as building and testing risk, business, environmental, financial, market, operational, political/regulatory and weather related volume risk. In such a risky industry, what otherwise would be an appropriate and safe amount of debt becomes more dangerous and unstable, so that normally equity financing is safer than through debt. However firms that are in the growth stage of their cycle typically finance that process through debt and borrow money to enable their growth. The conflict that arises with this m ethod is that the revenues of growth firms are typically unstable and unproven. Meaning that a high debt load is usually not appropriate due to the danger of financial embarrassments. Hence as companies expand their investments in renewable energy projects, funding is a particular challenge and questions about firms’ capital structure decisions are not easily answered. Theoretical background: Over the last few decades much research has been done on whether a relationship between capital structure and a firms financial performance exists. At this point I would like to include a detailed literature review. Franco Modigliani and Merton Miller formed with their theorem the foundation for modern thinking on capital structure. They developed the Capital Structure Irrelevance Proposition where they hypothesized that in perfect markets the capital structure of a firm does not influence its performance. Nevertheless the theorem is generally viewed as a highly theoretical hypothesis, since it disregards important factors such as transaction costs and uncertainty, it was often used as the basis for further research in the last decades. The pecking-order theory, the agency theory and the trade-off theory are the three main theories discussing the optimal capital structure of a firm. All of them follow different approaches which I will summarise and contrast with each other. The different theories and findings raise key questions such as whether it is possible to identify an optimal capital structure for firms operating in the important and future-oriented industry of renewable energies. Research analysis and methodology: Following to the introduction of the key theories and the literature review on this topic I would like to carry out my own quantitative study and run a regression analysis with financial data of 20 companies operating in the renewable energy sector, including wind, solar, bio and water energy in Germany. Due to the fact that non-listed firms are not required to disclose their financial accounts my data will be gained from listed companies that are obligated to share the relevant information. I would like to examine whether there exists a relationship between the implemented capital structure and the firms performance measured in return on equity and share price. Equations: (1) (2) Where: return on equity for firm i in year t. : price of a share for firm i at year t. : financial leverage for firm i at year t .: tangible assets for firm i at year t. : size of the firm i at year t. : growth of the firm i at year t. Tangible assets, size and growth serve as control variables whereas financial leverage of the firm is considered as the main variable to express the capital structure. My aim is to be able to match one of the three theories and to identify an optimal capital structure for renewable energy firms. In order to interpret the findings of the quantitative analysis I would also like to include a complementary qualitative research analysis for example through directors’ statements on their financing decisions. 2. List of References (no minimum number required, but as acceptable by your supervisor) Agnihotri, A. (2014): Impact of Strategy Capital Structure on Firms overall Financial Performance, Strategic Change, Vol. 23, No. 1-2, pp. 15-20. Ben Ayed, W. H., and Zouari, S. G. (2014): Capital Structure and Financing of SMEs: The Tunisian Case. International Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 96-111. Bouraoui, T., and Li, T. (2014): The Impact of Adjustment in Capital Structure in Mergers Acquisitions on us Acquirers’ Business Performance. The Journal of Applied Business Research, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 27-41. Economist Intelligence Unit (2011): Managing the risk in renewable energy. A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit Sponsored by Swiss Re. file:///C:/Users/Sarah/Downloads/Managing-The-Risk-In-Renewable-Energy.pdf Gill, A. and Biger, N. and Mathur, N. (2011): The Effect of Capital Structure on Profitability: Evidence from the United States. International Journal of Management, Vol. 28, No.4, pp. 3-. Green, J. (2010): Renewable energy projects: Risk and insurance elements. Technical feature – Construction Engineering, www.meinsurancereview.com, pp. 41-42. Hatfield, G. B. and Louis, T. W. and Davidson, W. N. (1994): The determination of optimal capital structure: The effect of firm and industry debt ratios on market value. Journal of Financial and Strategic Decisions, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 1-14. Holz, C. A. (2002): The Impact of the Liability-Asset Ratio on Profitability in Chinas Industrial State-Owned Enterprises. China Economic Review, Vol. 13, pp. 1-26. Majumdar, S. K. and Chhibber, P. (1999): Capital Structure and Performance: Evidence from a Transition Economy on an Aspect of Corporate Governance. Public Choice, Vol. 98, pp. 287-305. Margaritis, D., and Psillaki, M. (2007): Capital structure and firm efficiency, Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Vol. 34, No. 9, pp. 1447-1469. Modigliani, F. and Miller, M. (1958): The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and The Theory of Investment, The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 261-97. Modigliani, F. and Miller, M. (1963): Corporate Income Taxes and the Cost of Capital: a Correction. The American Economic Review, Vol. 53, pp. 443-53. Myers, S. (1984): Capital structure puzzle, The Journal of Finance, Vol. 39, Issue 3, pp. 574–592. Omondi, M. M., and Muturi, W. (2013): Factors Affecting the Financial Performance of Listed Companies at the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, Vol. 4, No. 15, pp. 99-105. Onaolapo, A. and Kajola,O. (2010): Capital Structure and Firm Performance: Evidence from Nigeria. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences, Vol. 25, pp. 70-82. Pathirawasam, C. (2013): Internal Factors which Determine Financial Performance of firms: With Special Reference to Ownership Concentration. pp. 62-72. Rajan, R. G., and Zingales, L. (1995): What Do We Know about Capital Structure? Some Evidence from International Data. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 1421–1460. Shyam-Sunder, L. and Myers, C. (1999): Testing static trade off against pecking order models of capital structure. Journal of Financial Economics, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 219–244. Soumadi, M. and Hayajneh, O. (2012): Capital structure and corporate performance, Empirical study on the public Jordanian shareholding firms listed in the Amman stock market. European Scientific Journal, Vol. 8, No. 22, pp. 173-189. Stiglitz, J. E. (1969): A Re-Examination of the Modigliani-Miller Theorem. American Economic Review, Vol. 59, No. 5, pp. 784-794. Tailab, M. M. K. (2014): The Effect of Capital Structure on Profitability of Energy American Firms. Journal of Business and Management Invention, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 54-61. Titman, S. (1988): The Determinants of Capital Structure Choice. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 1-19. Umer, U. M. (2014): Determinants of Capital Structure: Empirical Evidence from Large Taxpayer Share Companies in Ethiopia. International Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 53-65. Wippern, R. (1966): Financial Structure and the Value of the Firm. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 21; No. 4, pp. 615-633. Links: Bundesministerium fà ¼r Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi): http://www.bmwi.de/EN/Topics/Energy/Renewable-Energy/renewable-energy-at-a-glance.html

Marketing Report Virgin Media Marketing Essay

Marketing Report Virgin Media Marketing Essay The aim of this research is to disclose the challenges and progress being made by Virgin and the marketing process and other crucial means leading to their progress. In order to complete this analysis, the adoption of strategic planning and marketing tool is crucial. Additional research for this report was completed through visiting Virgins online resources, which include historical archives, annual reports, strategies, operations etc. The aforementioned sources or documents provide background information, which acts as the basis for Virgins current position and against strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT analysis). Further analysis includes market segmentation, environmental analysis, target market and launching strategies. The first phase of this marketing report is to conduct a situation analysis that reveals the present state of the organization and its opportunities in the market. However, disclosing the history of the organization in view is crucial. The focus of the report thus would be on virgin media groups especially the mobile or telephony sector alongside the HD-TV or (3d TV) and broadband connection in the United Kingdom. Introduction Kotler and Kevin (2006) defined marketing as the science and art of selecting the right market, and then attracting and retaining customers making use of different techniques and making the customers happy. The marketing is not an easy concept of management. People believe it just as selling of goods, but it has the important role of satisfying the customers by giving them their needs and wants (Drysdale, 1999). This suggests that marketing is a tool, which involves the process of identifying the need of the product/ service in the market, and designing the product accordingly to fit into the market, using different strategies of sales and promotions. Successful marketing strategy is one, which makes increased returns from existing customers (Wilson et al., 2002). Marketing Process It is the process of marketing that makes the success or failure of the business. For below figure describes important characteristics associated with the marketing. Virgin media focuses on characteristics such as social, technological, political, and demographic factors for its marketing and promotional activities. Virgin also targets customers based on products in an appreciable manner by introducing 3D TVs into the market. This might act as the USP for the organization. Source: Kotler and Kevin (2006) Figure: Important factors of marketing strategy Company Background /Mission Statement The history of Virgin dates back to 1970 when Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Company started with a student magazine and then the company expanded to several sectors; ranging from music labels, travel, drinks, financial services, media, music, transportation, telephony, media and services and fitness (virgin.com). Virgin has developed more than 300 branded companies globally. Global branded revenues as of 2009 accrued to around  £11.5 billion. A merger between Richard Bransons Virgin Mobile in 1993, and cable operator NTL, which metamorphosed into Virgin Media Inc on February 6, 2007, established media. External Marketing Audit Macro environment -Virgin Media Marketing is depicted by Brassington Pettit (2003, p.8-9) and Brassington Pettit (2007,p.2-3) as composed of conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas , goods and services. Brassington Pettit (2007, p.2-3; Armstrong 2009,p.7-9) specifically submitted that marketing involves; identifying, planning, anticipating, and satisfying customer demands or specification with profit in mind. It thus involves exchanging or stimulating of ideas and the processing of such ideas. It could also be depicted as the creation of awareness for products, which stems from designing products, conducting market research, launching strategies, ensuring availability and service. Marketing thus can be depicted as a demand management activity. The marketing scope however takes place in an environment which takes into consideration basic themes in marketing and customer relationship management (Brassington Pettit 2003, p.9-11). The macro environment audit examines ranges of issues that affect the organization from the environmental perspective. This is represented by PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological analysis (Drummond et al 1999, p.24). Despite the global economic recession, the innovation and launch of products have remained constant. The particular segment of Virgin media; the television and telephony sector which provides distribution of television programming , broadband and fixed line telephone services to consumers on Virgin Medias cable network accounted for over 84.5% of total revenue in the first half of 2010. Micro Environment Market Analysis With the new development of TV 3D and the proposed increase of the network offering a downstream speed of 100Mbps and an upstream speed of probably 10Mbps by the end of 2010. The cable TV, telephony and broadband sector however of Virgin media is envisaging spending up to 30% of  £40mthan last year as compared to  £170m this year. Appendix 1 further explains the current position of Virgin Media. The launching of 3D by Virgin media ahead of other major competitors like BSkyB which is available for domestic use demonstrates the innovative intent of the company. In this era of globalization, technologies become the particular part in our life. One of the significant parts of people daily-life is communication. That makes telecommunication infiltrate into customer lifestyle. Virgin Media, despite the so many innovative and early market entry cases with its product remains a loss prone company. Competitors such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4,BT Group and Talk Talk through their collaboration which seeks to deliver internet access and video on demand programming accessible to the Freeview digital TV box. Competitor Analysis The present position of Virgin Media in the market, as an innovative and early launcher of products .In 2010 , Virgin media has successfully completed a portfolio of voice, data and internet solutions to leading businesses alongside public organizations and service providers in the United Kingdom (Barnet 2010). The focus of this report however would be on the 3D revolution. With the new converged TV and broadband set -top box gaining more demand, Virgin Media would launch TiVo at the end of the year. From this perspective, Virgin media submits that in the first three months of the year and recorded around 200 views million views of video- on -demand content. TV channels have benefitted from this video-on- demand strategy, for instance, Channel 4s 4oD realized up to 19 million views through Virgin Media (Guardian.co.uk). The BBC iPlayer however stands as another medium through which more than 50 million views of content in the first quarter. The competitive advantage of BSkyB cannot be ignored. The battle for the 3D market is on, as Virgin Media has beaten BSkyB to launch the first commercial 3D Television service to the United Kingdom customers and further to other European companies starting from 1st October, 2010 (Virgin Media press release, 2010). The latest of strategies employed by BSkyB is the unveiling of the service known as 3D Movies on Demand, which allows customers access to 3D versions of films with a loop of preview programming. The positive of all this submission is that over 1.2 million households that have a V plus or V HD receiver and 3D glasses would be able to benefit from the 3D rental services. Customer Analysis The number of subscribers in the United Kingdom is increasing continually especially with the introduction of internet, broadband and lately 3D TV video on demand. Cable Products and Services Virgin media offers cable broadband internet, television and fixed line telephone services to residential customers in the United Kingdom. Virgin media offers its customers several packages and multiple services (Virgin media annual report 2009). Broadband Internet Virgin media has over 3.8 million subscribers, with several upgrades made to the network in the first half of 2010. As the first provider to offer download speeds of up to 50Mbps to over 12 million homes across the United Kingdom, with the current upgrade of up to 100 Mbps, Virgin media ranks one of the first companies in the United Kingdom to provide a further download speeds up to 200 Mbps (Halliday 2010). The broadband internet service has been credited as one of the successful sectors of Virgin Media with intense marketing and customer relationship management services (Virgin media annual report 2009). Television Virgin media operates in different aspects from the TV; Cable Television, Free TV service, Virgin TV on Demand (VOD) , High Definition Television, and Digital Video Recorders. The new 3D TV revolution leads to the examination of the internal market and the position of the media sector of the company. Internal Marketing Audit Operating results Virgin media has held a solid presence in the market with a combination of different sectors as disclosed above. From the perspective of Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p. 73-75) is concerned with strengths and weaknesses , organizational performance and structure, operations and resources , marketing objectives ,marketing strategy, information systems , control systems, functional efficiency, inter functional efficiency, cost effectiveness analysis. Fig 1 : The place of the marketing auditing in the overall management auditing Source: Gilligan Wilson, 2009, p. 79 Internal auditing assesses the extent to which an organization, its structure, and resources interact with the environment and they have the means of operating efficiently within certain constraints that the environment presents Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p.80). Five stages of auditing as disclosed by Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p.82) involves; defining the market, determining the performance, determining differences in competitive programmes, profile the strategies of the competitors and determining the strategic planning structure. Strategic Issue Analysis Investing in a particular business, demands a marketing research or audit. Following the corporations aim, which is to be the leader in entertainment communication, according to Virgin Media website, it provides a wide range of products to serve consumers wants and needs by focusing on entertainment and 3D technology with design and suitable for customers lifestyle. There are main three category of product, which is divided by usage and customers lifestyle as following: Daily life tool, Communication Entertainment, and Style Statement. Firstly, daily life tool is the mobile phone which is produced for customers who want just only basis of communication which could be linked with the mobile telephony business. The strategic concern here is the launch of the 3D TV, which is supposed to boost the Virgin Media Inc. Considering the modernity, and new customer or coverage of this new product. Certain things need to be taken into consideration; segmentation process which covers the consumer behaviour, social influences, personal influences and psychological influences (Drummond et al, 1999, p.51-59). SWOT Analysis Strengths Wide-range of products Environmentally friendly Strong partnership Reasonable price Early launcher or early market entry Weaknesses Accumulated deficit Wide range of Media products without any specialization Weak Brand identity Limited expansion of coverage Opportunities Christmas and New Year/Seasonal period sales Expanding of signal, broadband coverage with the TV. Increasing in On-line purchase Technology flood trend Threats More entrants into the market Strong competitors Negative media reports Marketing / Strategic Objective With the new 3D TV on demand in place, the entire marketing objective of Virgin Media is to consolidate its profit in the market through innovation and launching of new products (Virgin Media). At the beginning of this strategy, the strategic objective is to stimulate existing customers and potential customers to purchase the product (3D TV on demand). This plan takes issues such as services, after service, customer relations management and promotion, quality products and service delivery are crucial. However, it is crucial to drive total sales unit by attracting customer with a great deal. This can be achieved by applying Ansoffs Growth Strategies (Wood, 2007), to decide which area might be suitable for this plan, the decision is made by choosing market penetration. This penetration strategy of Virgin may help it in the long-term. The company will be able to penetrate well into the market segments left untouched. This will lead the organization towards a better position in the market. The company uses its different segment of products to penetrate simultaneously into the different market segments. Virgin strictly follows the marketing concept to sell its products all acros s. Their focus is on branding the products for increased sales. Furthermore, customer relationship management has become an important factor for Virgin, as the performance outcomes are categorized as customer loyalty, profitability, customer satisfaction and the market share (George A. Day Robin Wensley, 1988). Marketing Strategies Virgin should make use of segmentation strategy of market, based on the 4Ps of marketing (Kotler, 2006). They should select their two products 3D TVs for entertainment and the TV for transfer of information etc. Firstly, the 3D TV shall be sold to users who want just the comfort of the 3D entertainment. While the second type of TVs are for those looking for different applications on their TV for the transfer of information or use of the internet (Style Statement). Those who make purchase just for entertainment include children and homemakers, shall be targeted for the first type of product. Some people, who are professional by nature, and are more involved in the information transfer, shall be targeted for second type of product. The product chosen for discussion in the below sections is TV. Product Virgin Media produces a variety of products to serve any market segmentation with wide-range of prices depending on what features fit in customers needs. The customers have many choices to purchase other HD TVs or TVs with multimedia benefits, which are suitable for their lifestyle. According to the Product/segment analysis grid, Wood (2007), there are three categories for Virgin media TV. Their product (TV) is aimed to wide range of market segment. Thus, the company can achieve economies of scale by selling its products all across. Considering the products by using Product Life-Cycle Marketing Strategies, Kotler et al (2009), it has some products extinct from the market but it has also the products which resurrection to the market as well. Price The impact of the economy crisis, slow down the purchasing power and customer spending behaviour, during gift-giving holiday as Christmas and New Year are the special occasions for European. However, the pricing of their TVs is fit to the market today. The products range from HD TVs to the simple TVs for wide range of genera. Thus, the company here focuses on earning revenues from low involvement TVs by achieving economies of scale, while good margin on high involvement TVs. The information from Mintel mention that the average amount spent on gift for family and friends this Christmas was 370 pounds (Mintel 2007). This simply implies that for a product such as the 3D TV videos on demand, the price would be much affordable for subscribers and it would focus on a particular class of the society at first, which are the high earners and early technology adopters. (See Appendix 2). Place One of the marketing mix elements that would be the key success factor for any business is distribution channel. The channel, which could approach to the customer directly, should be the suitable way to increase profit in short term. Virgin thus makes use of the retailers distributed worldwide, to sell its products. From this fact, it leads the marketing department to choose direct marketing in term of e-marketing to be the channel and also using the existing channel that distribute product to retailer and the retailer sells to customers which means the company is using dual distribution for this marketing plan and selective distribution. The competitive advantage of online marketing is lower costs and prices. According to the accumulated deficit of the company, the department desire to lighten the load of companys expenditure by developing the website to sell the product. Promotion Just like the place, there should be multiple ways of communicating the benefits and awareness of the new product. Promotion could be through the following ways; Internet marketing, magazine, television to mention but a few (Appendix 3). The company uses promotion strategy as advertisements and various promotional plans randomly for selling its TVs. Virgin gains competitive advantage against its competitors due to its wide range of quality products. Continuous research and development by the company helps it to introduce new products into the market. These products, with big brand attached to it, sells in the market to gain revenues. Additionally, the long lasting existence of the company shows its expertise and experience in the industry. The company thus has linked with large number of retailers indirectly, to distribute the products directly to its end consumers. The company does not stand up with high pricing. Their pricing strategy is worth the brand value they have achieved. They stand well in the market with strong base. Thus, it suggests their pricing fit for upper-middle class of people. Marketing- An approach to success Marketing in itself is not an easy phenomenon. It varies from one geographic location to the other. For Virgin, the company analyses well the different approaches for selling its products at different places. For example, for selling its products in US, the products should be trendy and luxurious. The products shall be sold showing their fade. However, for countries such as India, China and Malaysia, the company shall use promotional strategies using the local cultural approach. The company offers huge discounts during cultural timings in these countries. This raises the sales of their products. Company also uses traditional means of representing their products as cost effective and as value to price. For this, Virgin promotes its products to grab the attention of both, end consumers and organizations. Selling to end consumer focuses on the benefits attached with the product for home use. However, for organizations, benefits on bulk purchase, benefits on using various range of products etc. is laid. This increases the probability of Virgins products acceptable all across. References Armstrong,G, Kotler, P,Harker, M,Brennan,R. (2009) Marketing and Introduction, Pearson Education Limited. Barnet, E. (2010) Virgin beats Sky to 3D service launch; accessed 29th September, 2010 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8029425/Virgin-beats-Sky-to-3D-service-launch.html Drummond, G , Ensor, J Ashford, R.(1999) Strategic Marketing :planning and control; Oxford:Elsevier. Drysdale, L. (1999) Marketing or Market Orientation: Whats the Difference, Prime Focus The Professional Journal for Australian Primary School Leaders April pp28-29 George A. Day Robin Wensley (1988), Assessing Advantage: A Framework for Diagnosing Competitive Superiority. A Journal of Marketing, Vol. 52, pp. 1-20. Giligan, C Wilson,M.S .(2009) Strategic Marketing Planning, Oxford ,UK: Elsevier. Halliday, J . (2010) Virgin Media steps up battle over broadband speed advertising, accessed 1st October ,2010 ; http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/02/virgin-media-broadband-speed-advertising Kotler, P. et al (2009) Marketing Management, London: Pearson Education Limited. Mintel, (2007), Christmas Shopping Habits 2009 report, Accessed 29th September, 2010: http://www.academic.mintel.com Philip Kotler, Kevin lane Keller (2006), Marketing Management, Prentice Hall, 12th edition, ISBN 0-13-145757-8, p. 6 Virgin Media press release (2010) accessed 1st October, 2010; http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406p=irol-newsArticleID=1449279highlight= Virgin Media First Quarter 2010 Results ( 2010) accessed 1st October, 2010; http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406p=irol-newsArticleID=1418909highlight= Virgin Media on Demand , accessed 1st October, 2010; http://www.virginmedia.com/tvradio/ondemand/ Virgin Media brings 3D TV to UK living rooms ; accessed 1st October, 2010; http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/virgin-media-3d.php Virgin media annual report 2009; accessed 30th September, 2010 ; http://investors.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=135485p=irol-reportsAnnualVirginMedia Wilson, H., Daniel, E., MacDonald, M. (2002), Factors for success in CRM systems. Journal of Marketing Management. Vol. 18, No.1, pp. 193-219 Wood, M.B. (2007), Essential Guide to Marketing Planning, London, Prentice Hall. Zack Investment research online archive ; accessed 1st October, 2010, http://www.stockresearchwiki.com/Ticker/VMED/ Appendix A

Freezing Of Gametes And Embryos :: essays research papers

A Heated Issue Frozen in Time: The Controversaries within the Freezing of Gametes and Embryos   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Could you imagine freezing your eggs or sperm and a century after your death you are still mothering or fathering children? How about creating embryos and then freezing them until you are ready to have children? In today’s society, the freezing of gametes and embryos brings up several ethical and personal issue that are very controversial to people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since the day scientists and doctors discovered infertility existed they have been trying to find cures, or new methods, to work around this disability. The freezing of gametes and embryos just happens to be the new cure people are turning to. Sometimes couples’ egg and sperm won’t mesh together. The couple then turns to in-vitro fertilization and creates about 10 embryos. 3 out of the 10 embryos are inserted back into the woman’s uterus hoping that at least one would take. Now the question is what happens to the 7 embryos that are left? This is when couples usually turn to the freezing method. Before the freezing method existed the doctors would just create about 5 embryos and insert all of them into the uterus, which usually resulted in multiple births. If none of the embryos took the couple would spend around another $10,000 to do the process all over again. Once the freezing method came into play couples then froze the extra embryos f or later use instead of doing the process of making the embryos again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The freezing of eggs, sperm, and embryos tends to bring up a huge controversy among people. There are two different sides to this issue. There are the people who think that freezing gametes or embryos is unnatural and unethical while the other side begs to differ. The other side views the freezing method as a huge milestone in reproductive technology and should be taken advantage of generously.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of right now, the freezing process is open to anyone that can afford it. The people who are against the freezing of gametes and embryos not only want limitations set on reproductive technology in general but they wish to get rid of the whole idea of the freezing method. They feel as though the freezing method is mostly used for a delaying purpose instead of its main intention, which was to help the infertile at a lower cost. An example of the delay situation that they are talking about is a woman who is 30, successful in her career, but hasn’t found Mr.

Racism in Tracking Essay -- essays papers

Racism in Tracking Ideally, the education system in the United States aims to serve as the great equalizer in the constant struggle to counter decades and centuries of historical oppression against those of non-European descent. The ideology of education as a great equalizer purports a pedagogy as a starting point for those oppressed and separated by such forces as race and class to have access to a quality education, and hence an equal chance at all the US has to offer. It attempts to bring children from disparate realms in a place that serves them all equitably. This ideal constantly challenges the broader values of equality, liberty and democracy considered to be at the core of American ideology. In interpreting this conception, two questions are indirectly answered by examining our educational practices: Does equality in education simply foresee that all students are treated the same, despite their different needs? Or, does it intend to challenge and rectify past inequalities for a truly equ itable educational system? The ideology of education as the great equalizer rests on several assumptions. The first, as stated by bell hooks, is the idea that, "To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn" (hooks, p.13, 1994). hooks expresses well the understated notion that, education as a democratic practice, available for all, is based on the assumption that all children, all people, are capable of learning. Another assumption is that children have different needs, and at its best, aims to provide resources according to need. Most importantly, naming this ideology "the great equalizer" in itself assumes that education has the potential to be the key force to counter inequality in society. Though a powerful assumption to make, it can fail to acknowledge the need to reconstruct all other institutions affecting children. The assumptions that everyone can learn, and that schools have the potential to transform a country with a tradition of hatred and an unequal distribution of wealth, extend from the vision of education as a democratic practice where there is "a struggle for both change and the freedom to change" (Irwin, p. 51, 1991). The change is about transforming an exclusive, often oppressive and disempowering system into a more inclusive, equal, and equitable one that is accessible to children from ... ...ike democracy, is a process, and not an end in itself. In my view, system-wide, large-scale reform is needed to achieve the goal of "getting all young people as close as possible to their upper limits of learning potentialities" (Perrone, p. 15, 1991). This is crucial to ensure change because "trying to transform schools within the existing structure is a contradictory process" (Murphy, p. 38, 1991). The first step is to involve the traditionally voiceless at all decision-making levels to best determine what the needs of the least privileged are, if we are truly committed to providing opportunities that respond to children's needs. I specify, "opportunities" through funding based on my assumption and belief that money can improve education through attracting and keeping good teachers, reducing class sizes, establishing programs to respond to different needs, and maintaining healthy facilities and quality resources. Equitable funding, where all children have the chance to receive a high-quality education, is the first step towards ed ucation acting as the great equalizer in a country where oppression limits, dehumanizes, and disempowers in virtually every other life realm.

Classification Essay - Good Books and Great Books -- Classification Es

The Difference Between Good Books and Great Books Reading is fundamental, but some books are more so than others. Surely Daniel Steele is a far cry from William Shakespeare, but what exactly is the difference? Even in the realm of quality literature there are still "good" books and "great" books. The difference between the importance of good and great books is also why it is so important to read great literature: Great books have a scope much larger than good ones. Good and great books differ by nature, not by degree. A good book is not almost a great one; a great book is a totally different creature than a good book. What makes them different is how much they pertain to the human experience. A good book may have one very important meaning, but it is a meaning that only pertains to the time in which it was written. Across the river though, a great book has many meanings. Great books also involve deeper issues, issues that are and always were part of the human experience. A good book only needs to be read once, but to realize all the different meanings of...

Excessive Talking Essay

I am being disciplined for talking in class without the teacher’s permission. I must realize that when too many people are talking at once, it is hard to hear and understand anyone at all. That is one reason why my teacher wants only one person to talk at a time. A second reason is that most people find it difficult to think about what they are trying to say if someone else is talking at the same time they are. A third reason I should not talk in class without first being given permission is that most people find it hard to concentrate on their schoolwork when others around them are talking. There are times to listen and think and work quietly. It is at these times that I should not talk without being given permission first. Additionally, by paying attention to, and doing, my schoolwork instead of talking without permission, I will probably get better grades. When I talk in class, I bother everyone around me. I also bother my teacher. By talking in class I keep myself and others from learning. I also show others that I have not learned how to follow directions or how to control myself. Some students might find it hard to be friends with me if I cannot follow directions or control myself, because they could get in trouble too, by talking back to me during class. In fact, if they get caught and I don’t, they will probably be angry at me because I started talking first! I should work very hard to not talk during class unless I get permission first. A step to learning how to stop talking is to know why I do it, and what problems it causes others. Then I need to make a plan for improving my behavior, like making a promise to the teacher (and myself) at the beginning of each class. Or, I could make a card to put on my desk during class that reads something like: â€Å"Get permission to talk.†

Conflicting Principles of Life in William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”

William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† presents the conflict between two forms of justice: (1) justice based on kinship and (2) justice based on human dignity. The conflict between these two forms of justice was presented within the text through Sarty’s perspective of Ab’s actions who sought to achieve ‘freedom’ from his previous agreements by defiling the rights of other individuals. Set after the period of the Civil War, the text presents Sarty’s conflicts as he tried to understand his father’s motivations for the actions that have led his family to further hardships in life. It is important to note that Ab, Sarty’s father, has a led a life geared towards self-fulfillment as his actions throughout his life have been motivated by his desire to attain material wealth. Note for example that even if Ab was considered as a ‘soldier’ in the ‘fine, old, European sense,’ of the term, his motivations for choosing to join in the battle was neither to save the South from the Northern invasion nor to protect his region’s views regarding slavery (Faulkner 1743). This is apparent if one considers that as Ab and Sarty reached the De Spain mansion, Ab ironically tells his son, â€Å"Pretty and white, ain’t it†¦. That’s Nigger sweat. Maybe it ain’t white enough yet to suit him. Maybe he wants to mix some white sweat with it† (Faulkner 1737). This statement was neither motivated by Ab’s disgust for slavery nor by his disgust in the African American’s position in life. His statement was motivated by his sense of outrage against the wealth and power symbolized by the plantation. His outrage statement was thereby meant to be a bitter view against the wealth and power that he could not achieve in life. The conflict, within the text, thereby arises as a result of Sarty’s inability to understand his father’s motivations and reasons for his actions. As was mentioned above, his father chose to defile another individual’s rights in order to free himself from his obligations. This is apparent as his father burned the barn of the man who has slighted him. Sarty recognizes the harm that was inflicted upon his father however he does not consider this a sufficient reason to defile the right of another individual. As a result of this, he was placed in a position where he will either amend the harm inflicted on the other individual in order to protect his father and thereby maintain his loyalty to his family or he will refuse knowledge of his father’s actions thereby allowing his father’s misdeed but enabling justice for the other individual. The conflict is thereby defined by the necessity to choose, on Sarty’s part, what he considers to be ‘the right’ decision within the text.

Critical Success Factors and Marketing Mix Essay

Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide an insight into the footwear company TOMS’ critical success factors (CSF’s) and make recommendations for the company based on them. CSF’s have become essential elements to strategic planning and no business can achieve consistent success without effectively adopting them, it is a term that describes a component that is essential for a company to succeed in its tasks. (Howell, M. 2009) The report will identify, analyse and evaluate TOMS’ critical success factors (CSF’s) on the basis of the market and marketing mix that surrounds the company. The marketing mix is defined as a set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that can be blended to produce the desired results within the target market.  (Kotler, P. Et al, 2010). The report will then provide potential links between the factors of the marketing mix and the CSF’s of TOMS, suggesting potential changes to the marketing mix and what the effects of the changes may be. Research Methods The research methods undertaken in the report are secondary. The CSF’s of TOMS I have presented come as a result of previous research carried out within a group project based on the company, in which we analysed the microeconomic and macroeconomic factors of TOMS, allowing us to present a list of critical success factors. Basic findings and Recommendations The three key Critical Success Factors for TOMS I have chosen to look into are firstly for the company to expand into wider markets. Secondly is for TOMS to focus on their business ethics and their ethical procedures. The final CSF is the marketing and advertisement of TOMS. The recommendations are mainly based upon making changes to the factors of TOMS’ marketing mix that link to its CSF’s. Some of the factors, such as product, place, promotion and positioning can be changed slightly to aid in TOMS’ CSF’s and result in great benefits for the company. However I recommend that some of the factors of the marketing mix are not as vital for TOMS success as the others and therefore do not need to be changed as much. TOMS (2013) About TOMS TOMS originated from the word ‘Tomorrow, which further originated from the ‘Shoes for Tomorrow’ Project. The company was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, who formed an idea whilst on vacation doing voluntary work. Mycoskie had noticed how many children in Argentina were without shoes, provoking him to sell his company for $500,000 and invest in TOMS. The company went on to sell 10,000 pairs of shoes in its first 6 months. By 2012 over 2million pairs of shoes had been donated in over 40 countries, with over 500 retailers selling them. (TOMS 2012) Business Model TOMS is a for profit company, however they have a non-profit subsidiary, Friends of TOMS. The company designs and sells shoes based on the Argentine Alpargata design, as well as eyewear. The shoes are made from canvas or cotton fabric with a rubber sole and come in a variety of colours and styles. The business model is referred to as the ‘One for One concept’. The slogan used by TOMS is ‘One for One’. The model uses a word for mouth advocacy and the main focus for the business is based on corporate and social responsibilities. When TOMS sells a pair of shoes, a pair of shoes is given to an impoverished child. When TOMS sells eyewear, part of the profit is used to save or restore the eyesight for people in developing countries. TOMS also works with a large variety of charities and None Government Organisations in order to distribute its shoes and create awareness for the cause. (TOMS 2012) ‘Countries we distribute to’ – TOMS Giving Report (2012) The Critical Success Factors The first CSF for TOMS to succeed is for them to expand. TOMS currently only sell through other retailers and online stores, meaning that they have a lack of physical presence on the high street. If TOMS acquired a chain of physical stores it would allow them to provide their whole range of stock to an increased potential customer base. It would also allow them to market and advertise themselves more successfully, making their brand known to more people. TOMS already has just over 500 retailers for their products worldwide, however I think that they could benefit from having more, especially as there are only a handful in the UK. They may be able to increase their presence in more countries worldwide. TOMS could also expand their product range and move into new areas of clothing or accessories. The second factor surrounds the ethics of their business. Although TOMS is focused heavily on being a socially and corporately responsible company,  research showed that it has come under a vast amount of scrutiny regarding its policies and ethical procedures. There is a growing opposition to the TOMS business model and the way TOMS operates. The one for one system is being scrutinised and the way in which TOMS shoes are produced are being questioned. TOMS need to clearly establish how they manufacture their shoes and illustrate the benefits of the one for one system, helping impoverished people. The final CSF is to increase their marketing. This is based around the marketing of TOM’s products and the business itself. Whilst the company is known worldwide, it only advertises its products through fashion shows, word of mouth marketing and pop-up-stores. If TOMS were to change its marketing techniques such as advertising through social and other forms of media, they could pose more of a threat to competition and reach a much wider audience. My research illustrated that TOMS do not currently have many marketing methods other than those mentioned above, resulting in TOMS being frequently overshadowed by rival companies. Blake Mycoskie, TOMS (2011) How does the marketing mix link with the CSF’s? The factors of the marketing mix that link to the first CSF are Placement and Product. Placement is where and how the product is sold. For example, it could be where TOMS products can be bought and how they may be bought, such as online, in a physical store or at trade shows. It would aid TOMS expansion if they were to use a combination of placement methods for their company and products. I recommend that they implement more distribution channels and ensure that they offer a wider variety of ways for consumers to buy their products. The next factor, product, can relate to the CSF in that TOMS need to expand their product range, offering a wider range of products. This may allow them to gain market superiority over it’s rivals and lead the company into new markets. I recommend that TOMS evaluate their products’ life cycles and look into potential new product development in order to fulfil this CSF. The second factor that relates to TOMS’ CSF’s is positioning. Positioning is about how the company stands within their market, such as how the customers and rivals see the company. This factor links in with TOMS’ CSF of being an ethically and socially responsible company. Research suggested that TOMS has large amount of people opposing its ethical procedures and its business model. If they were to re-evaluate their market position and try to boost their current image by re-assuring customers that the one for one model is in fact beneficial to impoverished people, as well as providing evidence that their shoes are made ethically, they will silence their critics. TOMS may also want to adapt to its competitors marketed position, focusing on their USP’s and making the most of them. The final marketing mix factor that can link with the CSF’s of TOMS is promotion. This consists of all the ways in which TOMS products and services are advertised and sold. My research suggested that TOMS currently has a relatively poor promotion structure, therefore if they were able to change the way that they promote and advertise themselves, they could abolish the problem. Making use of promotional tools such as advertisement, public relations, direct marketing and sponsorship, TOMS could reconstruct their promotional factor of the marketing mix to further allow them to succeed. There are however three factors of the marketing mix that don’t tend to link with the CSF’s. The first factor is price. Although research suggests that some may think that TOMS’ products are overpriced for what they are, they still succeed in selling a very large amount. TOMS has appeared to do well with its current price structure, therefore I do not think that the price factor needs to be changed in order to aid the CSF’s. The next factor is packaging. Packaging for TOMS seems to be a minor issue, if an issue at all. The packaging for TOMS’ products is more than satisfactory and has little to no effect on their current CSF’s. As a result of this, packaging is not as important in the marketing mix for TOMS as the other factors. The final factor that has less effect on the CSF’s is people. TOMS only has around 80 employees, however if the company were to expand this would be much more. Currently, the people factor doesn’t aid in helping TOMS achieve success as much as the other factors, however if the CSF’s develop and TOMS expands, people may become more and more important for the company. It would be essential that they have the right people on board to help them achieve their goals in the long run. TOMS Giving Report (2012) REFERENCES Howell, M.T. (2009) Critical Success Factors: The measurable path to success. Taylor and Francis. Accessed 19th April 2013 TOMS (No Date) Corporate Responsibility at TOMS [Online] Available from: http://www.toms.com/corporate-responsibility/ Accessed 20th April 2013 TOMS (No Date) Official Website, Available from: http://www.toms.co.uk/ Accessed 28th February 2013 TOMS (No Date) Corporate Information [Online] Available from: http://www.toms.com/corp-info/ Accessed 20th April 2013 Kotler, P.J., Armstrong, G.M., (2010). The Principles of Marketing, P 76 Pearson education Accessed 22nd April 2013 Schultz, D. and Dev, C. (2012) ‘Revisiting the marketing mix’. Marketing Management P45-47 Accessed 22nd April 2013

Engineering Notebook – How to Keep One

That means, Write EVERYTHING Down, even include a dentist appointment; that's what helps make it a believable Legal Document and suitable for assessment purposes (and believe it or not patent applications too! ). So, keep the notebook up to date and have it Witnessed often by those whom you, report to and understand your work. Also, it can jog the old memory and reduce the number of times you do the same tests. â€Å"†¦ mmmm I’m sure I’ve already done that?†¦ † Of course, It won't Hurt when Final Reports are Due either! Here's How: ) Use a Bound (stitched binding) notebook. DO NOT use a loose leaf or Spiral bound notebook! 2) Entries Should be in Permanent Ink–Not Pencil. 3) The Title, unit Number, date and Book Number (should you need more than one! ) should be accurately recorded when starting a New Page. 4) All data is to be recorded directly into the notebook. The inclusion of all elaborate details is preferable. Notes and calculations should be done in the notebook, NOT on loose paper. In the case of an error, draw a single line through the incorrect data. Do Not Erase or use correction fluid. All corrections should be initialled and dated. 5) In the case where you have used CAD or computer simulation to provide evidence then this should be stored in a folder BUT referred to and cross referenced (using consistent format of date / time / names etc. ) in your notebook 6) After entering your data / design ideas / calculations etc. , sign and date all entries. Witness or witnesses should sign and date each entry too. The witness must observe the work that is done, and have sufficient knowledge to understand what they read. Names of those present during any demonstration should also be recorded. 7) Use Both sides of a Page and Never leave any White Space: â€Å"X† out or Crosshatch all unused space, and don't forget to initial & date the crossing out!. 8) All contents of the notebook / folder should be kept secure & safe. It should be kept in a SAFE place to safeguard against Loss. [The website shown below is full of ideas about design, electronics and tips – but done in an easy to read anecdotal and often humorous way]

Financial Statement part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Statement part 2 - Essay Example The main operation is carried out in the United States but there are also several Home Depots located in Mexico, Canada, People’s Republic of China. Focusing on a long term scenario the industry is unpredictable, but the development of the home industry can lead to a promising future if the housing market remains stable (Roush, 1999). The current ratio indicates whether the current assets of the company are able to pay off its short term liabilities and obligations. The current ratio of the company that is 1.15 is good. As too high current ratio or too low current ratio is not a good indicator of the liquidity position of the company. Here the ratio indicates that the company has a sound liquidity condition to meet its short term liabilities. Current assets are 0.3 which indicates that the company should increase the current ratio to 1 because a higher current ratio indicates the liquid position of the company. The return on asset is 20% is fairly good as it indicates the profitability position of the company. A company with high return on asset indicates that how a company is able to generate profit by employing the asset of the company. The higher return signifies that the management is able to well utilize its asset. The return on capital employed is 63% which indicates that the company is has a strong asset base. It signifies the ability to generate revenue from its current capital base. The debt ratio that is the debt equity ratio indicates or compares the shareholders equity with that of the total liabilities of the company. It identifies and compares the commitment of the company with the commitment done by the shareholders. Here the ratio is 1.50 which is a result of a good scenario. It signifies less difference in the total liabilities and the shareholders equity. The debt capitalization ratio plays an important role in focusing the growth of the company. As it delivers an insight into the company’s leverage, the asset turnover ratio

Journal 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journal 5 - Essay Example Mobile technologies have revolutionized the educational system by allowing greater opportunities and greater exposure to new forms of learning which can be beneficial to not only traditional students, but also those returning to school to earn their degree. From a historical context, the development of mobile technologies such as the Internet has been slow. Text messaging and email would have been looked at as science fiction about a hundred years ago. The first type of â€Å"e-mail† was done through Morse code. Research was done in the library by reading over many journals and papers. The smallest computers would take up entire buildings. Compared to the cell phones and palm pilots we have today, the original cell phones were often so big they would have to be carried in a bag. The rudimentary internet technology could only be accessed with minimal functions. The development of all these technologies has increased exponentially over the last century. Greater communication tec hnology and development of technology in general has lead to a more diverse educational experience. Now, many lectures and lessons that are done in traditional schooling, both at the elementary and higher education levels, are all technology enhanced. In particular, this allows schools which have limited academic resources the chance to have access to resources and notes from other schools/institutions. Also, technology allows greater diversity in learning, which in children can be essential because children respond to many different types of learning. Mobile technologies also add to the flexibility of learners, especially in non-traditional students who are returning to school. It allows them to access and submit assignments from phones or computers rather than the traditional handing in hard copies because many of these people work full time jobs and have families. Additional developments in this technology and in data processing has allowed for greater cooperation and communicati on in politics, research, education, and in many other areas as well. Personally, this technology has greatly affected my life. In my short time in society, I have seen the growth and expansion of technology, specifically in the last few years. The internet has revolutionized the way I study for school. I can now research topics on multiple databases as well as type up reports. Mobile media and streaming videos/music has also served an entertainment purpose. If I miss an episode of my favorite show or want to download the new top song, I can access it not only from my computer, but also from my cell phone. The most important part in the development of mobile technology is the ability for me to stay connected with everyone. Not only can I call my parents and friends, but I can also send them text messages from my phone. Social networking sites also allow me to keep up with all my friends. Even though the development of this technology has the greatest effect on learning and education , I believe that it has mostly impacted my social life. Even though we are able to use and function with the technologies we have today, in the next few years they will become obsolete as better and more efficient technologies take their place. To every side of the coin, there are benefits and consequences to the development and uses of more advanced technologies. There is a greater benefit in this development. Our technology is what allows for society to communicate and cooperate with each other.

Describe social hierarchies and discuss their relevance for ethnic Essay

Describe social hierarchies and discuss their relevance for ethnic studies - Essay Example better comprehension of the processes of social stratification and inequality in the general society but more importantly the business world (Karin 7). Ethnic minorities encounter a lot of challenges such as labor market discrimination to an extent that some of these people face health differences where those with low socio-economic status are at a disadvantage. Significantly, a good example is where in the United States there are groups that experience inequality through discrimination when it comes to acquiring jobs i.e. Africans, Asians and Latinos (Karin 23). It is very hard to find people from these ethnic groups in the top level management of prominent organizations; once they get jobs in these organizations and are at the bottom of the hierarchies, it is very hard for them to get any promotions or even job upgrades. Generally, ethnicity is a significant category of social hierarchies in contemporary societies that contain a significant number of ethnic communities with most parts of the society dealing with challenges associated with racism, ethnic discrimination, ethnic identity or even minority rights. This has actually resulted to the ethnic communities in the United States relying on social ties and latter groups that look upon state agencies for employment and trying to find ways that they can employ so as to improve labor market chances like acquiring high level skills (Karin

Biomedicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Biomedicine - Essay Example First, it is necessary to examine the sociocultural values which have lead to our own de-habilitating illnesses. We live in a fast, paced society in which there is little room to stop for a breather. This has been influenced by the internet and the ability to access information at the speed of light. Many jobs are now conducted straight out of the office and usually involve sitting behind a desk at the computer. Due to declining economic conditions around the world, many jobs are requiring longer hours to work as well as increasing layoffs causing stress in the local population. These increasing hours along with the stress associated with the fear of layoff and daily stresses such as traffic, family dynamics and other interpersonal problems has lead to an enhanced sedentary lifestyles as well as poor dieting and use of alcohol/tobacco which has lead to inherent chronic disorders and diseases. Poor dieting has lead to an increase in obesity across most of the western countries. This c an be due to multiple things. First, it is important to recognize that the onset of fast food restaurants has made it easier for the population to have access to high calorie and high fattening foods at a low cost. This is based on the 80/20 principle in human reasoning in that the decision to eat fast food over is influenced by the ease of access and quickness over the fact that it is not nutritionally sound (Gardner, 2006). Another important aspect is that G20 populations have an increased sedentary lifestyle. Due to the stress and fatigue associated with working a job, it is a de-motivational aspect which leads to a lack of physical fitness. It is also seen at the early childhood level as there has been a detrimental increase in childhood obesity. There has been a greater emphasis on academics and children spending more time in the classroom learning which has cut time which has usually been allotted for physical activity (Buckmaster, & Brownell, 1988). This is all a result of ou r progressive lifestyle which has led to obesity. In order to meet the classification for obesity, a person must meet a BMI, body mass index, of 27 which correlates to 120% of the desirable weight in comparison to height. As a result, this excess weight has added physiological and psychological illnesses. Metabolic associated diseases associated with obesity can be insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, and hyper tension (Dwyer, 1994). In insulin resistance, insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars. Certain cells in muscles and fat become affected due to the disruption of glucose and insulin. The decrease in the amount of insulin being secreted by the pancreas associated with insulin resistance can lead to type II diabetes. Hyperglycemia occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood (Myers, 2004). This can be caused by a lack of exercise, consuming too many daily calories, etc. There are many debilitating factors associated with hyperglycemia such as kid ney, neurological, and cardiovascular conditions. Hyperuricemia is a condition which is associated with an abnormal increase in uric acid. Lastly,