Monday, December 30, 2019

Marketing Plan For A Business Plan - 1241 Words

Marketing Plan As I navigated my way through the business plan provided to me by ChopSaver, I saw that they had a clear and concise marketing plan. Currently ChopSaver is sold online and in over 9,000 U.S. retailers, including over 7,000 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide. When asked how they market their product, ChopSaver replied, â€Å"As a brand with a unique and authentic story behind it, we utilize both social media and public relations to tell the story. The musical part of the brand lends itself well to YouTube and other use of video including Facebook, Facebook ads and Twitter. Additional marketing will include traditional methods including email, direct mail, and product sampling both through the mail and at live events. Many of these tactics are done through our key influencers including school band directors and physicians including dermatologists and oncologists†. In order for ChopSaver to successfully compete in the market, they will â€Å"influence the influence rs.† ChopSaver goes after band directors because they have hundreds of students in their classes. They will also continue to target physicians because they have thousands of patients under their care. ChopSaver believes that marketing to thousands of trusted teachers, doctors, and nurses, they can reach millions of end users. ChopSaver has acknowledge that this is a crowded market, but their placement in CVS allows for access to both the â€Å"niche† market as well as a wider consumer base. I believe that ChopSaverShow MoreRelatedThe Marketing Plan For The Business Plan858 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant to protect it and continue the development and positioning it in the market. Therefore, there are numerous models of communication plans, the firm should use the one they find appropriate for them. In essence communications plans have several disciplines that interrelated and in synergy would support the business plan can create an effective communication plan with resu lts potentially beneficial to the positioning of the brand. These disciplines are: advertising, paid search, social media, customerRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan1159 Words   |  5 PagesFirst Things First: Before you start tutoring, it s important to create a business plan, determine your company’s specialization and create a company image that sets you apart from the competition and attracts your target market. Draw up a Business Plan and Name Your Business: Name your tutorial business if you have not already done so. Brainstorm a list of names with the help of friends, family members and business partners. Choose a name that stands out and communicates your business’s uniqueRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan1266 Words   |  6 Pagesgrow health hair.† 2) Next, create an outline for a business plan by answering the following â€Å"nine questions every business plan should answer†: 1. Who is the customer? The customer is the party that will receives or consumes my products and has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. The customers for my products would the working moms, housewives and dads in my local area. I would like to start by selling and marketing my product to them firms because I know how I can reachRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan1445 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing plan is very important and pretty much to the overall financial and business plan. This plan is the way to success, and it is breaks down into two components that will enable The Sub Shop to perform marketing activities to provide a solid return on investment. Plan is designed to complete the business plan, but is also a way for company officers to get a handle on the external and internal factors that will influence the company s success in the Ashland market. The following topicsRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan1268 Words   |  6 Pagesare invested in making this a business not creating a hobby business for the sake of brewing beer. Therefore, a written business plan is in existence. A written business plan would have been required to secure the government loan. ï‚ · A business plan should be a working document, not created and then placed in a drawer. It should remain on the desk as a reminder of the objectives and goals set forth initially and revised as the business grows and adapts. Every business owner has a goal of profitabilityRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan792 Words   |  4 PagesMarketing Plan A well-developed marketing plan will provide many benefits. For example, it will help Priority attract clients, keep marketing efforts aligned with the organizations mission and goals, and enable leaders to effectively evaluate the market environment in which they plan to operate. Since Priority is attempting to enter a new market, their marketing plan should emphasize strategies that will enable them to build their client base and gain market share. Additionally, Priority expectsRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business879 Words   |  4 PagesA marketing plan completely relies on the marketing strategy which have been used in order to create a solid business plan for any corporate. In absence of strategies, it s an impossible to get large use of market plan. In terms of getting incentive benefits from a business, market plan gives a blueprint outlines of marketing efforts which have to be done to raise good business. A market plan is aimed to create incentive pay plans for business employees to satisfy the business corporate objectivesRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business1200 Words   |  5 PagesGrowing your business can be a daunting task in today’s business and economic conditions. Competition is fierce in almost every trade. To carve out your own niche in a highly competitive market, you need to align your business plan with your marketing plan from the get-go. Customers today are influenced by several elements In addition to running your business, marketing your products or services has now become a full-fledged endeavor that is crucial to the promotion of a business. The promotionalRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Plan Competition1715 Words   |  7 PagesReview Research shows that business plan competitions throughout time have always provided a substantial opportunity to improve entrepreneurial education. Student entrepreneurs originally were interested in business plan competitions because it was a place for them to create and pitch their business ideas to real investors and get incredible feedback. However, over time, the location of the competitions, the people competing in the competitions, the robustness of business plans, and the outcome of theRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Essay2071 Words   |  9 PagesThe success of any business lies in marketing, both internally and externally. The overall marketing aspect covers advertising, public relations, promotions and sales. Mokhtar Wan-Ismail (2012), citing Panayides definition states marketing is ‘†¦the process of planning and exacting the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges and satisfy organizational objec tives’. Without marketing, a business may offer the best products or service in an industry

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Sigmund Freud On Modern Psychology And Schools Of Thought

Introduction: Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939), a Jewish Viennese doctor, developed psychoanalysis at the end of the 19th Century as a form of therapy which seeks to cure mental disorders and their physical manifestations by ‘investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind’ (Concise Oxford Dictionary). Freud’s work and philosophy played a large part in the development of Western liberal humanist understanding of meaning and purpose. Freud believed that the goal of the adult human being should be to liberate ourselves from â€Å"repressed† traumas and consequently become â€Å"free to love and work again†. Freud placed heavy emphasis on the personal solving of problems, believing that things wouldn’t change if you didn’t†¦show more content†¦Inspired by Breuer, Freud posited that neuroses had their origins in deeply traumatic experiences that had occurred in the patient s past. He believed that the original occurrences had been forgotten and hidden from consciousness. His treatment was to empower his patients to recall the experience and bring it to consciousness, and in doing so, confront it both intellectually and emotionally. He believed one could then discharge it and rid oneself of the neurotic symptoms. Freud and Breuer published the ir theories and findings in Studies in Hysteria (1895). After a while working together, Breuer ended their collaboration, feeling that Freud placed far too much emphasis on the sexual aspect of the patient’s neuroses, and was unwilling to consider other alternative viewpoints. Freud would go on to continue to refine his own arguments and in 1900 would publish a work titled The Interpretation of Dreams. Freud was a known atheist, and adamantly refused to consider any form of religious belief a solution to the problems he sought to answer. He viewed Religion as a form of psychological neurosis and distress, often suggesting that it was a kind of wish fulfilment, or perhaps an attempt at controlling the Oedipal complex. In his book NewShow MoreRelatedAnna Freud. Bio Essay1357 Words   |  6 PagesAnna Freud The philosophic contributions to the formal discipline of psychology have primarily been dominated by male visionaries, but many notable women pioneered a role in the history of psychology between 1850 and 1950. Sigmund Freud was not the only Freudian to establish credibility in the field of psychology, as his youngest daughter Anna Freud pursued a career in psychology and made significant historic contributions. Anna’s background, theoretical perspective, and contributions to theRead MoreSigmund Freud. Briana Gates. Mr. Wiles. Psyc 43101-01:1611 Words   |  7 Pages Sigmund Freud Briana Gates Mr. Wiles PSYC 43101-01: History and Systems of Psychology February 25, 2017 On May 6, 1856, a baby by the name of Sigmund Freud was born, in a what is now known as the Czech Republic (Schultz Schultz, 2012). After moving around a bit, Freud eventually settled in Vienna, and spent most his life there. It is without question that Sigmund Freud is a well-known name, and that he can be considered the father of what is known as psychoanalysis, seeing as how heRead MoreHistory of Modern Psychology: Anna Freud 1346 Words   |  6 Pagesvisionaries dominated in the philosophical contributions to the psychology as a formal discipline; however, many prominent women pioneered major roles in psychology history between 1850 and 1950 (Goodwin, 2005). Freud Sigmund was not only among the Freudian to build credibility in psychology field, this is because Anna Freud-her youngest daughter took career in psychology and made important contributions in the history of psychology. The paper will discuss the background of Anna, her theoreticalRead MoreTheoretical Views Essay 1698 Words   |  7 PagesPsychology is now and always has been a strongly debated science. Beginning from the time psychology first became separated from the philosophy and biology sciences, there has been controversy. The subject, most debated, was the explanation and description of human behavior as well as the human mind. It was the schools of thought in psychology that allowed for the major names in psychology that we study and read about on what seems to be a daily basis that put theoretical opinions and differencesRead MoreThe Theory Of Personality Psychology1019 Words   |  5 Pagesa person. Personality is like a big stew mixed with emotions, behaviors, and patterns of thought that truly define a person. Personality Psychology is the study of these different patterns among a group of people or culture. The studies of psychology started from Hippocrates’ theory that argues that personality traits are based on four different sections. This heavily influenced modern personality psychology. Three important psychologists helped shape the way humans define the term personality. AlfredRead More Sigmund Freud Essay796 Words   |  4 Pages Sigmund Freud In the 1920s, the world was changing dramatically. Underground salons were built, new architecture was used and modern dance was introduced. If it were not for certain people, the world would not be the way it is today. In the twenties, new theories and ideas in science and psychology were being presented daily. Sigmund Freud changed the world of psychology by presenting new and controversial ideas on psychology and having his theories published. Freud broke cultural boundaries asRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychology And Psychology1073 Words   |  5 Pages06/27/2014 Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud is considered to be the most important figures in the field of psychiatry and psychology. His ideas about psychoanalysis were developed in the 1800’s but are still being used today in the mental health field (www.studymode.com). Sigmund Freud was one of the pioneers/innovator of modern-day psychology. â€Å"As the originator of psychoanalysis, Freud distinguished himself as an intellectual giant.† (www.muskingumRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychology1283 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud (1856-1939), is a pioneer in the field of psychology in various ways. His dedication to his field helped shape the minds of many nineteen-century contemporary schools of thought. Most notably, Freud’s work in psychoanalytic theory, according to Tan (2011) earned him the title of, â€Å"father of psychoanalysis† (p. 322). Moreover, Tan Taykeyesu (2011) report that Freud’s genius is not just in psychoanalysis, but also when we â€Å"think Oedipus complex, infantile sexuality, and repression†Read MoreThe Theory Of Psychoanalysis On The Unconscious Phases Of Personality Development1130 Words   |  5 Pagesdetermine their personality patterns later in life. And lastly, Sigmund Freud postulated that Personality consists of id, ego, and superego. This, in turn, is subdivided into ages and stages, from birth through to adolescent age. The theory of Psychoanalysis was propounded by Sir Sigmund Freud in 1896. However, this was not the date of conceptualization. The theory of Psychoanalysis was developed between 1856 and 1939. In 1896 Sigmund Freud made public his theory of psychoanalysis for the first timeRead MoreEssay about Sigmund Frueds Psychology1339 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud was born in 1856 in Frieber, Moravia; his father was a wool merchant and his mother was twenty years younger than his father. Freud had two step brothers which were around the same age as his mother; one stepbrother had a son who became Freud’s playmate growing up (Sigmund). Around the age of four, Freud and his family moved to Vienna where he stayed for a majority of his life. (Boeree) When Freud’s family moved to Vienna, they lived in an area that was highly populated with Jews

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Outline New World Beginnings Free Essays

The Ice Age formed a land bridge in the area of present-day Boring Sea, which allowed nomadic groups of people to enter the Americas. B. Group of Nomads 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Outline New World Beginnings or any similar topic only for you Order Now Traveled across the Boring Land Bridge and populated the Americas 2. Split into countless tribes and evolved into over 2,000 languages a. Incas- Peru b. Mayans- Central America c. Aztec- Mexico Ill. The Earliest Americans A. Pueblo Indians 1. Constructed Intricate Irrigation systems to water their cornfields. 2. Lived In adobes and pueblos. B. Mound Builders 1. Lived at Iacocca, near present-day East SST. Louis. 2. Built an elaborate pueblo of more than six hundred interconnected rooms at Coach Canyon. C. Eastern Indians 1. Developed the three-sister farming where the beans grew on the trellis of the cornstalks and the squash covering the planting mounds to retain moisture in the soil. 2. Among them were the Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee. D. Iroquois Confederacy 1. Created by the legendary leader, Hiawatha. 2. Developed political and organizational skills to sustain a robust military alliance that menaced its neighbors. IV. Indirect Discoveries of the New World A. Blonde bearded Norse from Scandinavia reaches North America. . The Vikings landed around 1,000 C. E. 2. They landed at a place near Leans auk Meadows in present-day Newfoundland. . They soon abandoned the place and their discoveries were soon forgotten. B. Christian Crusaders rank high among America’s indirect discoveries. 1 . Tens of thousands fought to regain control of the Holy Land from Muslim control. 2. Foiled in their ass aults, the Crusaders craved the delights of Asia. V. Europeans Enter Africa A. Marco Polo returns to Europe in 1295 from China. B. Slave trade begins 1. Arab merchants and Africans had traded slaves before the Europeans arrived. . Millions were wrenched from their home continent after the discovery of the Americas. C. In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Aids rounded the A. Columbus persuaded the Spanish monarchs to outfit him with three tiny but seaworthy ships. B. By heading westward, he thought he would reach the Indies. 1. After six weeks at sea, he thought he reached the Indies when it was the Americas and mistaken the people there as â€Å"Indians. † C. Columbus discovery led too global economic system. 1. Europe would provide the markets, capital, and the technology. 2. Africa would provide the labor. 3. New World would provide the raw materials. VI’. When Worlds Collide A. The Old World and the New World traded things also known as the Columbian Exchange. B. The New World gave the Old World: 1. Corn, potatoes, pineapples, tomatoes, tobacco, beans, vanilla, etc. 2. Gold, silver, and syphilis(SST). C. The Old World gave the New World: 1. Wheat, sugar cane, rice, coffee, horse, cows, pigs, etc. 2. Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague, influenza, typhus, etc. A. Have any immunity in their bodies. B. Thus, around 90% of Native Americans died. VIII. The Spanish Conquistadores The Indians didn’t A. Portugal and Spain argued over who got what land and the argument was settled wrought the Treaty of Tortillas. 1. Portugal received territories in Africa, Asia, and Brazil. 2. Spain received territories in the Americas. B. Spanish conquistadores fanned out across the Caribbean. 1. Vases Nuns Balboa- discovered the Pacific Ocean. 2. Ferdinand Magellan- His vessel circumnavigated across the globe. 3. Juan Pence De Leon- Explored Florida looking for the â€Å"Fountain of Youth. † 4. Francisco Coronado- Discovered the Grand Canyon and enormous herds of buffalos. 5. Hernandez De Sotto- Discovered the Mississippi River. 6. Francisco Pizzeria- Crushed the Incas of Peru. C. Encomia system established. . It allowed the government to â€Å"command† Indians to certain colonists in return for the promise to try to Christianize them. 2. Bartholomew De Alas Cases, appalled by the encomia system, called it â€Å"A moral pestilence invented by Satan. † ‘X. The Conquest of Mexico 1. Montague thought Herman Cortes was the god, Quadruplicate, returning from the eastern sea. 2. Herman Cortes was welcomed into the empire and took advantage by conquering it. 3. A new race of people called messiest is formed, which have a mix of Latin American’s European and Indian blood. 4. The Spaniards’ greed for gold led Montague to attack the Spanish on niche tries (sad night). X. The Spread of Spanish America 1. Within about half a century of Columbus landfall, Spanish cities flourished in the Americas. 2. Other countries wanted their share of the new lands. A. The English sent Giovanni Cabot to explore the northeastern coast of North America. B. The French sent Giovanni dad Overgraze to probe the eastern seaboard. C. Lawrence River. 3. The Pueblo Indians started an uprising called the Pope’s Rebellion against the Spanish in 1680. 4. The misdeeds of the Spanish in the New World gave birth to the â€Å"Black Legend. † How to cite Outline New World Beginnings, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Universal Circuits Inc. Case Study free essay sample

Finance 405 After receiving a telex from the Controller of the Irish plant, who is an integral employee at Universal Circuits, we had to make a tough decision regarding his request to hedge against the US dollar depreciating. If the US dollar depreciates, manufacturing would be shifted from his Irish plant to the US plants, which in turn would negatively affect his potential bonus. We acknowledge this risk, which would be incurred to him, but also cannot afford for him to hedge against the company’s interest as a whole. The company uses the Irish plant itself as Universal’s hedge against foreign exchange risk, shifting manufacturing accordingly in order to take advantage of the lower cost of production. What we decided on was to strike a balance between putting the exchange rate risk on our employees and our shareholders. We plan to continue to follow Mr. Kriesler strategy of selective hedging, while incorporating Pierre Bourquin’s idea of dynamic strategy to reduce our economic exposure. We will write a custom essay sample on Universal Circuits Inc. Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In order to keep the Irish plant controller’s exposure to exchange rate risk at a minimum, we would like to implement a monthly valuation process to respond to a fluctuation of company sales and exchange rates. What we are aiming to do is to guarantee the Irish plant controller a small bonus if the Punt appreciates against the dollar and the manufacturing is shifted from Irish to US plants. We want to put a limited hedge on his exchange rate risk he faces, as his bonus is tied to the Irish plant’s manufacturing performance. But, we do not want to fully hedge, and reverse our company’s original hedge using the Irish plant for manufacturing. Based on our equation in appendix #1, the bonus will fluctuate (on a monthly basis) as dependent on the change in exchange rates and change in monthly sales. The greater the fluctuation in exchange rates, the larger the bonus  will amount to. The same goes for the variable side of the bonus in terms of an increase in monthly sales from the previous year average. If the exchange rates remain constant and monthly sales do not increase, there will be a bottom fixed payment for the minimum monthly bonus. From a general standpoint, we are taking the previous year’s sales and converting into a monthly sales basis to give a proper valuation method for the fixed portion of the bonus. We are also using the max and min functions to appropriately compensate and comply with the company hedge already in place based on fluctuations in exchange rates. The obvious upside to the new compensation is that the controller will be kept happy and given an incentive to work harder. The biggest downside to our strategy is that the new compensation structure will inevitably cost the company more money. In addition, Universal Circuits views the Irish plant as a hedging strategy against foreign exchange fluctuations, therefore this small hedge is counterintuitive to the company because it reveres a portion of the hedge of the Irish Plant. For our purposes we want to be cost effective and sympathetic in terms of the bonus system in place for the controller. Another con of the new compensation structure is employee sentiment. Employees in the Irish plant my see this as a sign of not being appreciated and this could subsequently affect their overall productivity. The main benefit to this plan is it allows the controller of the Irish Plant to be hedged against a depreciation of the U.S Dollar. This allows the company to retain his skill and experience through protecting his job; as the U.S. Dollar depreciates, production shifts to the United States, limiting the output of the Irish Plant.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Shweta Kataria Essays (1364 words) - Gender, Odia Literature

Shweta Kataria Dr. Smita Gandotra Modern Indian Writing 20 th September 2017 Rebati is the one of the first and major modern Oriya work by one of the great writer Fakir Mohan Senapati. The story contains the theme like feminism, girl education, superstition, etc. Story main theme moves around the protagonist girl Rebati, who wants to study. Girls and their education are one of the most controversial issues of Indian history. It had been 69 years of our independence and we are living in 21 century where we are talking about the smart cities and bullet trains. But the other-side government is forced to run the campaign like "B eti padhao, Desh Badhao aandolan ". This type of 21-century campaign shows that till today India did not totally change on the matter of girl's education. In this story, Rebati is the main character, a portrait of innocence. She belongs to an interior village of Orissa where education of a girl child seems to be a taboo. She invited the misfortune by just one forbidden thought of "learning". Once she decided to be educated, she w as heavily opposed by her grand mother. But irrespective of the strong opposition, she started learning. She has just one support that is from her teacher. But story turns tragic when the epidemic cholera hits the village. The whole village including the family of Rebati gets into the grip of this devil epidemic. It killed her father and her teacher! And the grand mother of Rebati blames her for the misfortune happens in the surrounding. According to her, all these happen because Rebati wants to be educated . The educational and cultural gap between literary Fakir Mohan and his child brides' remains at present an area of darkness and enigma. But the fact of the gap is certain to have shaped the novelist's thinking on the issue of woman's education and her place in society. The difference between the relatively advanced members of the Christian community and the more orthodox Hindu parents who confined their daughters to home was bound to be a matter of interest and concern for an educationist-novelist like Fakir Mohan. Education, especially female education, therefore, occupies a pivotal place in his life and art. P ublic education in Orissa was pathetically dismal; education for women was more or less absent. Whatever education was traditionally given to them was private and confined to home . For all others, formal education for girls was confined to a few members of the Christian community. For the first time in 1871, a school for Hindu girls was set up at Cuttack in the house of Abinash Chandra Chattopadhya. A school with mere 13 or 14 students. The number of girls increased merely to 25 . Fakir Mohan does not present a merely naive account of the joy that a restricted girl child feels in suddenly encountering the world of reading. He shows the powerful effect images produce upon the learner. "Some feel happy to ride an elephant or a horse, our Rebi delights in seeing their pictures," For Rebati, images as icons are important. For they help her escape from her entrapment and mediate with the outside world. That way, reality and fantasy get blurred. Education becomes the primary means of empowerment. Rebati learns her alphabet on the day of Sripanchami, traditionally observed as a day dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. However, Rebati's plea for education was not a cry in the wilderness. It had much earlier echoes in neighbouring Bengal too. The early narratives of many upper-caste Bengali women, the Bhadramahila for instance, offer interesting tales of women's education. Rasundari Debi, a woman from a respectable upper-caste background, movingly narrates her travails of learning the simple Bengali alphabet. In a milieu where education was a male preserve, even handling the alphabet was perceived a political act. And so it was with a furtive excitement that Rasundari managed to steal a page from a primer left behind by her son in the kitchen. She concealed it within the fold of her saree and thus began her arduous and heroic attempt to learn the alphabet. On the other hand, the short story, "The Exercise Book",

Monday, November 25, 2019

Albatross and Alcatraz Island

Albatross and Alcatraz Island Albatross and Alcatraz Island Albatross and Alcatraz Island By Maeve Maddox Even speakers who have had the misfortune of never studying Coleridges long poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798) are acquainted with the figurative meaning of the word albatross: A source or mark of misfortune, guilt, etc., from which one cannot (easily) be free; a burden or encumbrance. Is Sarah Palin becoming an albatross around the neck of John McCain? Brown vs. Coakley Shows Obama Has Become a Political Albatross Ever since youve married me, Douglas, youve treated me like an albatross. Sleep has been the albatross around the neck of my parenting life for the past six years. Is Intellect an Albatross? albatross syndrome: when faith has been killed and the believer must now wear it as a dead albatross An albatross is a large seabird. In sailor lore, the albatross is considered to be lucky. In Coleridges poem, a thoughtless sailor shoots an albatross with his crossbow. The dead bird falls onto the deck. Shortly afterwards, the ship is becalmed and the crew believe that their predicament has been caused by the killing of the albatross. To distance themselves from the act, they tie the dead bird around the neck of the man who killed it: Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks †¨ Had I from old and young! †¨Instead of the cross, the Albatross †¨ About my neck was hung. The word albatross came into English in the 16th century as alcatras, from Spanish and Portuguese words meaning pelican: alcatraz. The Spanish word probably came from Arabic al-qatras, sea eagle. Since English already had the word pelican, the new borrowing came to be applied to different white birds. Eventually the spelling changed to albatross, influenced by Latin albus, white. The word pelican can be found in Old English, although the word didnt take on the meaning of a sea bird until Middle English. Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay got its name from the pelicans that once roosted there. A Spaniard, Manuel de Ayala, charted San Francisco Bay in 1775. He named the island La Isla de los Alcatraces, The Island of the Pelicans. The plural of albatross is albatrosses (ugh) or albatross. In golf, an albatross is a score of three under par on a hole, or a hole played in three under par Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should Know41 Words That Are Better Than GoodComma Before Too?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Operational Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Operational Decision Making - Research Paper Example Cemex focuses on continuous improvement of the quality of its products to serve its clients better. Description of operations From the limestone minefields, limestone is transported to the several kilns operated by the company where it is processed to cement and conveyed to storage silos in Jebel Ali, Dubai. The process of cement production starts with the extraction of limestone in the mines. The limestone is then crushed through a milling process and addition materials are added. The milling process produces a fine powder known as raw meal that is preheated and then sent to kilns. At the kiln it is then heated to 1500 degrees celcius to form clinker. Gypsum is then added to the clinker and crushed before being sent to storage silos. Another trademark product of the company is the ready mix concrete. Cement comes from the company’s production plant while water, sand and ballast used in the production of cement mixes are supplied by contractors to the company.. The company ado pted a comprehensive production and distribution system known as GINCO. The system comes up with tailor made solution to every construction challenge with consistent quality. Construction materials such as cement, water, ballast and sand are mixed in the desired ratios by the company’s mixers to meet the specifications of various constructions ranging from buildings to bridges, roads and dams. Supply Chain Decisions The strategy of Cemex is to strengthen its global leadership by improving profit margins in all stages along the cement value chain and maximizing the overall performance of the company. A critical decision that could affect the company and its supply chain is whether to deal directly with consumers of its products or to enlist the services of distributors. Under the present system, the company manufactures and distributes its products in its main markets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company also operates a delivery service and an ATM-like cement dispatch system th at is convenient for its clients. Cemex prefers this system because it allows the company to serve the needs of its final clients more efficiently by engaging directly with them and also gives them a variety of ways to satisfy market needs and keep up with competition in a very dynamic market. If the company is to expand its operations throughout the United Arab Emirates then the need to engage with distributors may arise. While profit optimization remains the focus of the company, subcontracting other firms to help in its expansion and distribution of its products could be critical to its success. Under the present system, the company eliminates additional costs of distributors thereby regulating the cost of its products but the distribution of the products is only limited to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The decision to expand the company’s supply chain could break the direct contact between the company and its final consumers which allows them to have a clear understanding of what the clients need and create more value for them but it could also open new grounds for expansion through the formation of new partnerships. The decision could also create new employment opportunities as well as giving local businesses an opportunity to grow in trade. Productivity The productivity of the company is measured in metric tonnes of its output. Cemex has a cement grinding mill with an annual capacity of 1.6 million metric tonnes. The company also has nine active

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Personal Statement - Essay Example They feared that if they antagonized the majority white community in which the school was located, there would be a backlash. But I convinced them that such a racist comment, if went unquestioned, would lead to inner hostilities and would in the long run affect the very communal harmony that they were trying to preserve. And once the complaint was filed, I could suggest to the school authorities that the daughter (student of this school) of the accused parent had to be taken into confidence, as I knew that she was a very good-hearted girl. She in turn persuaded her father to apologize to my friend personally and in this manner, the issue was resolved peacefully, without any ill feelings and disturbing the communal peace. 2. Knowledge or creativity in a field: I have a very special interest in anthropology. I used to read, from a very early age, travel books that described different civilizations and geographical communities like mountain people, sea farers etc. It was Gulliver’s Travels (Swift) that inspired me into this taste for diversity in human life and behavior. When I grew up I started to acquire knowledge in the field of anthropology by reading books and later I started using internet. Though I am not academically following this area of study, lives of other people continue to fascinate me and I have a few friends among the scholars in this field who patiently answer my queries and doubts sent to them via email. I will describe my creativity as my ability to look at old things in a new way. It is my constant attempt to experience every moment of life as if it is the first moment in my life. For example, when I decided to make a video documentary on Native Indian community, I decided t o tell their history and story through their cuisine. I could in this manner, show how the changing environment forced them to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Googles Human Resource Activities And Its Business Objectives Research Paper

Googles Human Resource Activities And Its Business Objectives - Research Paper Example Google has abandoned the age-old practice of simple delegation; instead, it has adopted a vigorous practice of training and developing strategically important skills of its middle-level executives. Thus, the study has established a substantially positive and dynamic correlation between the former and the latter. In the modern service industry, the role of human resource management (HRM) has been found to be invaluable in meeting the organizational objectives. By taking Google as a case study, it is projected that the needs of the service industry depicting the modern information age industry will be captured in terms of objectives within the context of HRM. In the creation of the appropriate relationship between the organizational objectives at Google and the role of the HRM function, this study makes the inference that the global status that Google occupies will give the best picture of a successful link (Verma, 2006). Therefore, the choice of Google Company for this research study was inspired by its global success in different spheres of operations as its growth trajectory illustrates. Google’s Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is said to have been formulated from a desire of the top management to harness its resource allocation policies so that positive functional synergi es could be achieved. Google Company has been in existence since 1996 circa and the founders - Larry Page and Sergey Brin – have been in charge of its most critical technical operations. After 15 years of operations, the company has evolved into a gigantic multinational company (MNC) with its stakeholders spread throughout the globe. Its HRM function is influenced by the company’s global operations inspired by its rare market brand positioning unmatched by several of its rivals.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

National Business Systems Variations

National Business Systems Variations In this essay I will explore how Porters diamond model explains the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance and to what extent other ideas and approaches will be required. Porter introduced the diamond model of national competitive advantage (1990) to explain why a number of countries are more competitive than others and why a number of businesses within the countries are more competitive. The model proposes that the national home base of an industry plays an important role in achieving an advantage on a universal scale. This home base contributes the essential factors that will support the organisations in building advantages in global competition. Japans automobile industry and US semiconductor industry have both been linked to Porters diamond model in creating unique business systems and gaining competitive advantage over other industries. Porter (1990) identified four determinants in attaining a national competitive advantage he concludes that a combination of the four determinates within a nation has an enormous influence on the competitive strength of the firms located there. Porter (1990) argues that competitive industries take the form of specialised clusters of home based firms. Clusters are correlated through vertical relations such as buyers integrating with suppliers or through horizontal relations through customers, technology, skills, distribution channels etc (Chen et al 2008). These specialised clusters will enable a nation to create business systems which will lead to competitive advantage and economic success. Factor condition is the nations position on factors of production that is necessary to compete in a given industry, for example skilled labour or infrastructure. These national factors often provide initial advantages for the nation. Each nation possesses particular factor conditions that are more favourable. For example, Japans large pool of engineers is reflected by the number of engineering graduates. These engineering graduates have been essential to Japans success in variety of manufacturing industries. Porter (1990) points out that these factors dont have to be nature made or inherited. Home demand conditions can influence the creating of specific factor conditions which can affect the direction of the innovation and advancement of product development. Porter argues (1990) that home demand rests upon three major characteristics. First the mixture of customers needs and wants. Second the demanding buyers in the home base will pressure companies into meeting high standards. For example Japanese consumers value space-saving gave the nation a lead in compact products and Americas long distances have led to competitive strength in very large truck engines. Third, an industry will have an advantage in market segments which are more important at home than elsewhere. In each of these instances, it is not the size of the home market that is important, but the extent to which it encourages firms to innovate. A large home market which meets all three conditions will be highly supportive of international competitiveness (Davies and Ellis 2000). A related and supporting industry is when one globally successful manufacturing company can create advantages in other similar manufacturing companies. A nation industries will be better able to compete internationally if there are clusters of industries in the home base economy which are linked to each other through vertical or horizontal relationships amongst suppliers, customers and distribution channels. For example Germany has a cluster in chemicals and USA in the semi-conductor industry. Dyer (1994) found in his research that the Japanese network relationships with their suppliers can enable the company to send their workers to assist customers with the work, position the factory near the customers or even invest in physical assets that are customised. This will therefore allow the Japaneses auto businesses to keep up with the inventory and transportation costs low enabling them to improve the product development. For example Toyota was able to benefit from their production net works as they created assembly factories that are geographically close with their suppliers. The firm structure, strategy, and rivalry are the conditions governing how businesses are shaped, managed and deal with domestic rivalry in a nation. The cultural factors are important for each nation. For example each country will have different cultural traits in which the business is structured. This will create benefits for each nation and industry. In Japan the automobile industry rivalry is strong, has seven major companies: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, and Subaru which all fight for the market share. These seven businesses compete intensely in the home nation, and within other nations and markets. Strong domestic competition demands all these businesses to have superior technologies, products, and management practices to compete and survive, for example there is high number of engineers in management that emphasis on improving manufacturing processes. The US has only two main businesses in automobile industry which are Ford and General Motors. The US manuf actures have stated that the quality of the automobiles of Japanese cars is better than the US cars. Toyota and other automakers in Japan were able to grab 25% of the US auto market industry while the US home producers for the cars were unable to compete with the Japanese price and on the quality of the product (Buffa 1984). In addition to the four conditions, Porter (1990) points out two important components which are the role of chance which are important as it allows nations to shift their competitive position and alter the conditions of the diamond model. Chance events have different impacts on nations for example the oil shock helped to upgrade Japanese industry (Porter 1990). The role of the government is an important influence on modern international competition. The governments can put forward the policies a nation should follow to create advantages, enabling the industries in a nation to develop a strong competitive position globally. For example the government policy for Japan and US has created success for these nations. According to Porter (1990) governments can progress the advantages by ensuring there is high potential of product performance, ethical standards, or encouraging reasonability and negotiation between the suppliers and buyers on a domestic level. For example the US governments g ave large support in semiconductor industry in focusing on specific products that meet consumer demand for example the missile system in the US national security. Nations can use Porters (1990) diamond model to identify which businesses systems they can build to generate a competitive advantage and compete with others nations globally. The Japanese have considerable advantages in Porters diamond factors. The semiconductor manufacturing and software services are key industries that have contributed greatly to US growth and productivity in the 1970s. Okimoto, Sugana and Weinstein (1984) research found that the US businesses were able to obtain competitive advantage in key industries such as steel, automobiles and consumer electronics. These businesses had the ability to set the standards of each industry, create new technology and control shares of the world market. The markets and industries that Japan have chosen or created a competitive advantage are the autos, steel, motorcycles, cameras and small appliances. The success of Japanese automobile industry is due to the close relationships with their suppliers. For example both Toyota and Nissan are able to work closely with their supply production network to produce high quality cars; this gives the Japanese manufacturers an advantage over the US automakers (Dyer 1994). Research found on Numakura (2004) article has shown that the Japanese automobile companies have greater higher profit margins than the American companies. This is because the Japanese production systems such as Just in time (JIT) and Kaizen have enabled the industry to increase their productivity and cost reduction. Compared to US, rather than having a close relationship, the businesses are more likely to influence their supplier by a number of strategic polices (Buffa 1987). In the 1970s the Japanese had labour cost advantages, strong networks of suppliers, very demanding consumers which enabled them to gain competitive advantage over other nations. However Porter (1990) underplays the role of history, late development theory, globalisation, culture and managerial enterprise in determining the competitive advantage. As a result of defining the problem incompletely, he offers an incomplete solution (O Shaughnessy 1997). This shows other approaches are required to explain various business systems and comparative economic performance in nations. Gerschenkron (1962) theory on late industrialisation could be another approach to Porters theory to explain the economic performance of a nation. The theory shows how Japan as a nation was able to go through a period of rapid growth during 1951-1990 that helped them to compete globally. Japans economy boosted after the US declined as in the 1970s the Japanese companies was able to replace the US leaders in key industries. The production and operation management enabled the Japanese industries to become a competitive nation. This was done through their production systems and manufacturing products at a low cost. The Japanese companies were able to do this by offering the consumers good quality products at cheap prices. Table 1 (Capdevielle Alvarez 1981) shows a comparative evidence of how US companies productivity averaged at 2.7% in 1960 and decreased at -0.3% at 1980. While at the same time Japan averaged a productivity increase of 9.4%, Germany and France productivity also increased at 5.6% and 5.4% (Buffa 1987). The reasons for US decreasing in their productivity growth in industries and their capability to compete globally are due to many reasons. One factor could be the difference of the work ethics values between US and Japan or Germany showing us how culture can also have an effect on the nations competitive advantage on various business systems. Bosch and Prooijen (1992) have paid attention to the role of national culture and impact it has on Porters diamond. Porter agrees in that national culture is an important determinant in the competitive advantage of nations, but does not include national culture in his descriptive framework of the diamond. National culture has an important impact o n relations between related and supporting industries (Bosch and Prooijen 1992) therefore to an extent Porters theory doesnt account how culture is another explanation for the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance for a nation. For example, Hofstede (1980) found Japan compared to Western and Northern Europe, is a very strong uncertainty avoider. Hofstede (1980) argues that the variations in values between cultures will require the difference organisational responses. The economic environment of a nation can be determined by the cultural values. Gerschenkron (1962) theory also states that history is important in measuring economic success and performance for a nation. Porter (1990) neglects the role of historical cause in his diamond model. In the case of Germany and Japan for example, there is probably a direct connection between past militarism and the present industrial domination. Militarism has contributed to industrial excellence by creating a tradition of discipline in the labour force for both of these nations. Germanys and Japans competitiveness owes a great deal to its amoral military past (O Shaughnessy 1997). Particular historical events can be unique to a country which can determine its character (Saunders et al 1986). The occurrence of invasion and revolution is a shared experience amongst many successful nations in history. O Shaughnessy (1997) argues that there are limitations to Porters (1990) methods. For example the diamond conditions emerged from examining the history of 100 industries, but to do this tho roughly histories would have to be written in the form that would allow such analysis. The detail would require the company histories. Neither the references nor the acknowledgements suggest any such documented histories of 100 industries. The four histories quoted from Porters are just sketches that illustrate rather than test the theory (O Shaughnessy 1997). Chandler (1992) also agrees that the history is important for any organisation and industry. He argues that significant analysis of a business or nation today must be based on the understanding of its past. Reich (1991) agrees on the concept that Porter theory on national competitiveness (1990) to an extent doesnt account for various business systems and comparative economic performance. He argues that economic success or performance is due to national purpose rather than national competitiveness. Nation competitiveness depends on globalisation and the skills, training and knowledge commanded by its workforce, the key to success is the people of the nation. Reich argues that national industries dont exist in any meaningful sense, as it is global corporate networks rather than national industries that now dominate economic activity. Resources are placed in those nations offering the best production and marketing advantages. For example Reich (1991) points that US decline in productivity is due to the changes of the world competition structure as by 1980s more than 70% of the products consumed in US had to be competed with similar goods that were produced abroad with standardised producti on systems. Chandler (1977) stated that a globalised firm can allow other nations to learn and benefit from the same sources of their national competitive advantage. For example in the 1960s, America and other western countries were amazed by the rapid speed of Japans growth and how it was able to manage its economy to become a successful competitor in the globe. America and other European nations started to learn from Japanese management structure and operation. However Porter (1990) makes a strong case of the importance of the home country in todays global economy. Porter argues that by providing a favourable environment for the successful organisations, home countries can play a vital role in wealth creation in the context of international competition. Chandler (1992) looks at a different perspective to explain the economic performance in nations and the development of business systems. His theory argues that large managerial enterprise had a significant contribution on national competitive advantage through exploitation of economies of scale and scope. Chandler states that in order for large managerial enterprises to gain and keep competitive advantages, top managers must commit to the three-pronged investment. This is because these large enterprises have a large market to sell their products to. These large enterprises can create a competitive advantage by producing more at a lower cost with the same outputs. The cost per product is decreased due to mass production and the diversification of the production line. Chandler (1992) explains how the US lost their competitive advantage to the Japanese companies in the semiconductor industry. Chandler (1992) states that many of the US companies in the semiconductor industry such as Inte l and Silicon Valley failed to make long term investments in production, distribution and management that was important for them to become the first movers in the industry. Chandler (1992) therefore explains how the Japanese companies were able to make the investment that was required from them to become a first mover in the semiconductor industry. This enabled the Japanese companies to develop their organisation ability to quickly demolish the American competitive advantage. Overall Porters model (1990) of national competitive advantage to an extent does account for the variations in national business systems and comparative economic performance across different nations and industries. However the model doesnt consider and explain how culture, history, late industrialisation and globalisation can have an impact on the economic success of a nation and the variations of business systems.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Purple Loosestrife Essay -- essays research papers

Purple Loosestrife The scene is breathtakingly beautiful, a thick brush of purple flowers blankets Canada's wetlands. This blanket silences the expected sounds of the wetland environment, birds chirping, ducks splashing, insects buzzing and animals thriving. This unnatural silence is disturbing, the favourite flowers that used to litter this landscape are no longer visible, the water that used to ripple continuously is perfectly still. The wetland is dead, except for this overpowering, hardy purple flower that has choked out all other vegetation and species. Purple loosestrife now controls this landscape. Purple loosestrife is an exotic species that was introduced to North America from Europe during the early 1800's. Europeans sailing to North America would fill their ships ballast with wet sand taken from shores of Europe, a habitat where purple loosestrife thrived. Upon arrival in North America the ballast would be dumped overboard on the shoreline. By 1830 the plant was well established along the New England seaboard. Purple loosestrife seeds were also found in sheep and livestock feed that was imported from Europe during this period. This new organism was introduced to a new habitat free from traditional parasites, predators and competitors, purple loosestrife thrived in the environmental conditions and by 1880 was rapidly spreading north and west through the canal and marine routes. Purple loosestrife stands also increased due to the importation of seeds and root stalks by horticulturists. It was introduced to many communities as an herb, an ornamental garden flower and as a desirable honey plant. One of the earliest reported studies of purple loosestrife being a problem in Canada was documented by Mr. Louis - Marie, in 1944. He stated that purple loosestrife was invading the St. Lawrence flood plain pastures between Montreal and Quebec. At that time Louis - Marie conducted a study to find suitable control methods for purple loosestrife. His results indicated that repeated mowing, continuous grazing, deep discing and harrowing were effective in keeping the spread of purple loosestrife controlled on agriculture land. Since the 1940's purple loosestrife infestations have increased greatly and the plant is now a major problem threatening many wetland ecosystems across North America. Figure 1 - Purple loosestrife flowers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ... ...ie will destroy a lot of wetland and farmland. With biological control we can only hope that the ecosystems can be brought back under control. Purple loosestrife is a very serious problem. It's rapid invasion is threatening wetlands, waterfowl and fisheries as well as the diversity of Canada's flora and fauna. If this plant is not brought under control quickly then the result of this exotic species being brought to Canada could be disastrous. The use of cultural and chemical control has not been effective so we now rely on the success of biological control to stop the spread of this hardy invasive plant and to replenish the diversity of Canada's wetland ecosystem. As a country we must do everything we can to reduce the spread and growth of purple loosestrife. As a concerned Canadian you can report any local purple loosestrife stands, spread your knowledge about the problem, strongly discourage the plantings of any new plants or the selling of the weed in nurseries and join the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. By doing this you are donating money and support the tests that are being conducted. We must work together to remove the purple blanket that silences our wetlands.

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Lesson before Dying: What Makes an Educated Man? Essay

A Lesson before Dying is a memorable novel, set in Bayone, Louisiana in the 1940’s, about an uneducated, illiterate black man, Jefferson, who is falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death. While on trial, his defense attorney likened him to a hog, calling him nothing more than a fool and a cornered animal. Jefferson’s godmother wants him to become a man before he dies. She persuades two men, Grant Wiggins and Reverend Ambrose, to visit with Jefferson and teach him what it means to be a man. While both men desire the same outcome, they disagree about what it means to be an educated man. Grant believes that his college degree gives him all the knowledge he needs. However, Reverend Ambrose believes that being educated goes deeper that reading, writing, and arithmetic. Grant Wiggins, the son of plantation workers, returns to his hometown after attending college with an attitude that his education somehow sets him apart the other black men living in his community. He becomes a plantation teacher, completing the cycle of returning to his roots. While he is outraged with how other blacks are treated, he does not use his education to help the cause. Instead, he becomes angry and bitter. He does not believe he can help Jefferson and he does not want to get involved: â€Å"What do I say to him? Do I know what a man is? Do I know how a man is supposed to die? I’m still trying to find out how a man should live. Am I supposed to tell someone how to die who has never lived? † (Gaines 31) Reverend Ambrose is a black preacher, determined to preach the gospel and lead people to salvation and an afterlife with Christ. Reverend Ambrose wants the blacks in his community to live peacefully with the whites and to rise up from the ashes of slavery. He is kind and compassionate and lives a humble life. While he is not educated like Grant, he is very wise to the realities of life. He believes that his knowledge of people makes him more educated than Grant. Reverend Ambrose believes that Grant looks down on him, because he is uneducated. He is determined to put Grant in his place by calling him â€Å"boy† and telling him what he thinks of him, â€Å"When you act educated, I’ll call you Grant. I’ll even call you Mr. Grant, when you act like a man. † (Gaines 216) Reverend Ambrose is angry that Grant does not really see what Tante Lou has done for him. He is frustrated that with all of Grant’s education he still does not understand his people: â€Å"Cause reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic is not enough. You think that’s all they sent you to school for? They sent you to school to relieve pain, to relieve hurt–and if you have to lie to do it, then you lie. You lie and you lie and you lie†¦ You tell them that ’cause they have pain too, and you don’t want to add yours–and you lie. † (Gaines 218) Reverend Ambrose understands why Tante Lou made sacrifices to send Grant to college. She wanted Grant to return home and make a difference for his people. It makes Reverend Ambrose angry that someone as educated as Grant cannot really see how people really feel. Reverend Ambrose believes that it is better to lie in order to prevent others from hurting. He wants Grant to reassure Jefferson of the existence of Heaven. He wanted Grant to lie and say he believed in God and Heaven: â€Å"I won’t let you sent that boy’s soul to hell. † He did not want Grant to acknowledge to Jefferson his lack of faith in God. He wants a dying man to have the hope of an afterlife that was better than his life here. Reverend Ambrose could not understand how an educated man would take away the hope of a man that set to be executed. While it would be easy to argue that Reverend Ambrose not as educated as Grant, one cannot overlook the fact that his worldly knowledge goes far deeper than Grant’s. He understands the depths of people’s souls, and knows how to comfort and led them to knowledge and truth. Grant, on the other hand, is naive about other’s feelings. His education lacks real life knowledge, as well as the ability to interact with people. Reverend Ambrose sees where Grant is lacking and believes that until he opens his eyes and heart to those around him, he will never truly be educated. Works Cited Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson before Dying. New York: First Vintage Contemporaries, 1994. Print.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Science Explains Why Rotten Eggs Float

Science Explains Why Rotten Eggs Float One of the ways to tell whether an egg is rotten or still good is to use the flotation test. To perform the test, you place the egg in a glass of water. Fresh eggs typically rest at the bottom of the glass. An egg that sinks but rests with the large end facing up may be a bit older but is still fine for cooking and eating. If the egg floats, its old and may be rotten. You can test this for yourself, although to be scientific about it, youll need to crack open the egg to observe its appearance and smell it to be certain eggs are good or bad (trust me, youll know the bad ones). Youll find the test is fairly accurate. So, you may be wondering why the bad eggs float. Why Bad Eggs Float Fresh eggs sink because the egg yolk, egg white, and gases have enough mass that the density of the egg is greater than the density of water. Density is the mass per unit of volume. Basically, a fresh egg is heavier than water. When an egg starts to go off decomposition occurs. Decomposition gives off gases. As more of the egg decomposes, more of its mass is converted to gases. A gas bubble forms inside the egg so an older egg floats on its end. However, eggs are porous, so some of the gas escapes through the eggshell and is lost to the atmosphere. Although gases are light, they do have mass and affect the density of the egg. When enough gas is lost, the density of the egg is less than that of water and the egg floats. Its a common misconception that rotten eggs float because they contain more gas. If the inside of an egg rotted and the gas couldnt escape, the mass of the egg would be unchanged. Its density would also be unchanged because the volume of an egg is constant (i.e., eggs dont expand like balloons). Changing matter from the liquid state to the gas state doesnt change the amount of mass! The gas has to leave the egg for it to float. Gas With a Rotten Egg Smell If you crack open a rotten egg, the yolk may be discolored and the white may be cloudy rather than clear. More likely, you wont notice the color because the overwhelming stink of the egg will send you off to go throw up. The smell is from the gas hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The gas is heavier than air, flammable, and toxic.   Brown Eggs vs. White Eggs You may be wondering whether it matters if you try the flotation test on brown eggs versus white eggs. The results will be the same. There is no difference between brown eggs and white eggs except for their color, assuming the chickens were fed the same grain. Chickens with white feathers and white earlobes lay white eggs. Brown or red chickens that have red earlobes lay brown eggs. The egg color is controlled by a gene for eggshell color that does not affect the thickness of the shell. There are also chicken eggs with blue shells and some with speckled shells. Again, these are simple color differences that do not affect the structure of the eggshell or the result of the flotation test. Egg Expiration Dates The expiration date on a carton of eggs isnt always a good indicator of whether or not the eggs are still fresh. In the United States, the USDA requires egg expiration dates be no longer than 30 days from the packing date. Unrefrigerated eggs may not make it the full month before going off. Refrigerated eggs are more likely to dry up than go bad. The pores of egg shells are small enough bacteria arent going to enter the egg and start reproducing. However, some eggs naturally contain a small number of bacteria, which are more likely to grow in a warmer, more favorable environment. Its worth noting the rotten egg smell isnt just from bacterial decomposition of an egg. Over time, the egg yolk and egg white become more alkaline. This occurs because eggs contain carbon dioxide in the form of carbonic acid. Carbonic acid slowly escapes the egg as carbon dioxide gas that passes through the pores in the shell. As the egg becomes more alkaline, the sulfur in the egg becomes better able to react with hydrogen to form hydrogen sulfide gas. This chemical process occurs more rapidly at room temperature than at cooler temperatures. Another Way to Tell If an Egg Is Bad If you dont have a glass of water handy, you can test an egg for freshness by holding it up to your ear, shaking it, and listening. A fresh egg shouldnt make much sound. An older egg will slosh around more because the gas pocket is larger (giving it room to move) and the egg has lost some cohesion.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Meaning of Social Order in Sociology

The Meaning of Social Order in Sociology Social order is a fundamental concept in sociology that refers to the way in which the various components of society- social structures and institutions, social relations, social interactions and behavior, and cultural features such as norms, beliefs, and values- work together to maintain the status quo. Outside the field of sociology, people often use the term social order to refer to a state of stability and consensus that exists in the absence of chaos and upheaval. Sociologists, however, have a more complex understanding of the term. Within the field, it refers to the organization of many interrelated parts of a society. Social order is present when individuals agree to a shared social contract that states that certain rules and laws must be abided and certain standards, values, and norms maintained. Social order can be observed within national societies, geographical regions, institutions and organizations, communities, formal and informal  groups, and even at the scale of global society. Within all of these, social order is most often hierarchical in nature; some people hold more power than others in order to enforce the laws, rules, and norms necessary for the preservation of social order. Practices, behaviors, values, and beliefs that are counter to those of the social order are typically framed as deviant and/or dangerous  and are curtailed through the enforcement of laws, rules, norms, and taboos. Social Order Follows a Social Contract The question of how social order is achieved and maintained is the question that gave birth to the field of sociology. In his book  Leviathan, English philosopher Thomas Hobbes laid the groundwork for the exploration of this question within the social sciences. Hobbes recognized that without some form of social contract, there could be no society, and chaos and disorder would reign. According to Hobbes, modern states were created in order to provide social order. People agree to empower the state to enforce the rule of law, and in exchange, they give up some individual power. This is the essence of the social contract that lies at the foundation of Hobbess theory of social order. As sociology became an established field of study, early thinkers became keenly interested in the question of social order. Founding figures like Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim focused their attention on the significant transitions that occurred before and during their lifetimes, including industrialization, urbanization, and the waning of religion as a significant force in social life. These two theorists, though, had polar opposite views on how social order is achieved and maintained, and to what ends. Durkheims Cultural Theory of Social Order Through his study of the role of religion in primitive and traditional societies, French sociologist Émile Durkheim came to believe that social order arose out the shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a given group of people. His view locates the origins of social order in the practices and interactions of daily life as well as those associated with rituals and important events. In other words, it is a theory of social order that puts culture at the forefront. Durkheim theorized that it was through the culture shared by a group, community, or society that a sense of social connection- what he called solidarity- emerged between and among people and that worked to bind them together into a collective. Durkheim referred to a groups shared collection of beliefs, values, attitudes, and knowledge as the collective conscience. In primitive and traditional societies Durkheim observed that sharing these things was enough to create a mechanical solidarity that bound the group together. In the larger, more diverse, and urbanized societies of modern times, Durkheim observed that it was the recognition of the need to rely on each other to fulfill different roles and functions that bound society together. He called this organic solidarity. Durkheim also observed that social institutions- such as the state, media, education, and law enforcement- play formative roles in fostering a collective conscience in both traditional and modern societies. According to Durkheim, it is through our interactions with these institutions and with the people around us that we participate in the maintenance of rules and norms and behavior that enable the smooth functioning of society. In other words, we work together to maintain social order. Durkheims view became the foundation for the functionalist perspective,  which views society as the sum of interlocking and interdependent parts that evolve together to maintain social order. Marxs Critical Theory of Social Order German philosopher Karl Marx took a different view of social order. Focusing on the transition from pre-capitalist to capitalist economies and their effects on society, he developed a theory of social order centered on the economic structure of society and the social relations involved in the production of goods. Marx believed that these aspects of society were responsible for producing the social order, while others- including social institutions and the state- were responsible for maintaining it. He referred to these two different components of society as the base and the superstructure. In his writings on capitalism, Marx argued that the superstructure grows out of the base and reflects the interests of the ruling class that controls it. The superstructure justifies how the base operates, and in doing so, justifies the power of the ruling class. Together, the base and the superstructure create and maintain social order. From his observations of history and politics, Marx concluded that the shift to a capitalist industrial economy throughout Europe created a class of workers who were exploited by company owners and their financiers. The result was a hierarchical class-based society in which a small minority held power over the majority, whose labor they used for their own financial gain. Marx believed that social institutions did the work of spreading the values and beliefs of the ruling class in order to maintain a social order that would serve their interests and protect their power. Marxs critical view of social order is the basis of the conflict theory perspective in sociology, which views social order as a precarious state shaped by ongoing conflicts between groups that are competing for access to resources and power. Putting Both Theories to Work While some sociologists align themselves with either Durkheims or Marxs view of social order, most recognize that both theories have merit. A nuanced understanding of social order must acknowledge that it is the product of multiple and sometimes contradictory processes. Social order is a necessary feature of any society and it is deeply important for building a sense of belonging and connection with others. At the same time, social order is also responsible for producing and maintaining oppression. A true understanding of how social order is constructed must take all of these contradictory aspects into account.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Partnership Building for Social Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Partnership Building for Social Capital - Essay Example (Whelan, 1999) Various organizations like the London Sustainable Development Commission are of the belief that there are a number of gaps and issues that need to be looked into in order to provide more comprehensive facilities for these areas. These issues and gaps are in respect of the regular provisions that are made for the people on a day to day basis. Lack of resources is a major problem apart from faulty resource allocation of already scarce resources. (Elsdon, 1998) This is where partnership building comes into play. Manpower acquisition and allocation is another major issue for which widespread recruitment of volunteers and other employees needs to be carried out with a special focus on interns from the creation of awareness and psychological field. Further, apart from the financial problems, there is a lack of specialist services that will cater to these issues and find out the key problem areas that will help curb the problem of lack of development and focus on the detrimental effects of such lack on the region as a whole. (Whelan, 1999) These services must be available to carry out widespread work with the families and other people related to the region. Further, these services must have the strong backing of management tools so as to develop the plans and implementation process in a strategic fashion. This points strongly to partnership building. (Lsdc, 2006) Further, these strategies for partnership building need to operate at a regional and local level so as to bring maximum benefit to maximum people, owing to the fact that most people from socially deprived areas in East London, are unaware of the national policies in most matters. Purpose and Advantages of Instigating Partnerships: Placement of the right man at the right place, at the right time. A study of the motions and material handling practices within the organization or situation, so as to find the fastest and easiest way of carrying out an activity. The implementation of cost accounting in all areas of operation, tactical and strategic activities. De centralization of responsibility and authority so as to place a group of men under the supervision of one commander per area of operation. To create room for four to eight functional officers who will take care of various aspects of the overall task, so as to ensure that each sub task is carried out as regards minimum motion and cost per person. (Ervitt et al, 1994) The creation and use of partnerships in an effective manner can be furthered through adequate training and development tactics even when there is no incident. This can be done as follows: ( i ) Definition of specific knowledge requirements - this stage to examines the skills and knowledge level that is required to be developed within the overall social system in order to meet the new objectives identified by the training needs. This helps the management gain perspective as to which kind of training strategy will be the most effective one when adopted for the situation at hand. (Lsdc,

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Packaging as an Important Marketing Tool Assignment

Packaging as an Important Marketing Tool - Assignment Example Packaging is important for preserving quality as well as building a communication channel between manufacturers and buyers in the form of information and convenience. For example, packaged food items are often served with information regarding its nutrition level and ingredients as well as are packed in a convenient manner for the customers’ use. It is through these features that manufacturers tend to build a relationship with their ultimate customers with the advantages of packaging. Moreover, packaging also plays important functions with the objective of seeking that products are packaged and distributed to end consumers with appropriate weight, quantity, measure and quality as per the industry standards. Hence, packaging also contributes to the transparency of the production and distribution process (Brody, â€Å"Development of packaging for food products†). In the present business scenario, with the development of different technologies, the packaging is seemed to be playing an effective role in offering different types of products to worldwide customers. Notably, with rising awareness among customers, intensification of competition as well as a greater need for transparency in the distribution process, have essentialized computerized packaging systems. With this development, companies are now able to obtain higher cost efficiency in their packaging process (Brody, â€Å"Development of packaging for food products†). Market Competition: In the recent era, market competition has aroused to a significant level due to the arrival of new companies as well as products. Moreover, companies are observed to be offering products resembling identical features and use in the form of close substitutes. In this respect, companies have focused on developing innovative packaging ideas as a differentiation strategy.  

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Inputs and Outputs Devices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inputs and Outputs Devices - Essay Example The essay "Inputs and Outputs Devices" talks about the various input and output devices used while working with computers and presents the overview of advantages and disadvantages of such devices. Computer output entails any type of information that is being provided by the computer after processing. An output device is a hardware piece that is used to display or output data which has been processed or has been stored on the computer. Examples of output devices are speakers, speech synthesizers, plotters, printers, and the Visual Display Unit. Once information has been fed to the computer, it is in electronic form. This information is in a form that can only be handled and understood by the computer, and not by human beings. The information will, therefore, need to be converted into a form that is understood by a user. This is mostly done in two ways: by printing out the information and by displaying the information on the visual Display Unit. If a user is using a machine with multimedia, he or she can have sound as an output. In this case, the sound is emitted through the speakers. These are all benefits and roles of having output devices connected to one’s computer.A peripheral device is defined as that which can be attached to a computer to increase its functionality. These devices are used in conjunction with the output devices. The output devices are used regularly by students to do their projects and assignments, and they also help to perform basic logical and arithmetic operations.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The origins of representative democracy Essay Example for Free

The origins of representative democracy Essay Who benefited from the Magna Carta? The English NobilityThe English nobility gained the most benefits from the Magna Carta, which established limitations on the power of the king. Which of the following was guaranteed in the English Bill of Rights? Freedom from taxation without representation. Whose ideas about government greatly influenced the men who drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? John Locke The writings of John Locke, a British philosopher of the Enlightenment period, had a profound influence on the Founding Fathers. What was the colonists’ primary complaint about the rule of the British Crown? The American colonists’ primary complaint was that they were subject to heavy taxes from the British Crown. Which of the following was a component of the Coercive Acts? Establishment of martial law, the requirement for the colonists to quarter British soldiers, the closure of the port of Boston, and the dissolution of the Massachusetts legislature were all components of the Coercive Acts. Which event directly resulted from the Coercive Acts? the First Continental Congress directly resulted from the Coercive Acts. Which section of the Declaration of Independence contains arguments on the right to revolution? Arguments on the right to revolution, based on the philosophy of John Locke, are found in the second section of the Declaration of Independence. Who was given the primary responsibility for drafting the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson was given the primary responsibility for drafting the Declaration of Independence. What were the main ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence? The main ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence were individual rights and liberties and the duty of the government to protect them. The Articles of Confederation specified that the United States would be which form of government? The Articles of Confederation specified that the United States would be a republic. What concerned the Founders in drafting the Articles of Confederation? Mob rule, arbitrary monarchical power, large territory size, and the ability of the people to check government power were all taken into account by the Founders when they drafted the Articles of Confederation. Which of the following was NOT a component of the Articles of Confederation? A bicameral legislature was not a component of the Articles of Confederation (Congress had a single chamber). What led the Founders to realize that the Articles of Confederation needed to be reconfigured? Crises like Shays Rebellion, the inability of the national government to control financial concerns and raise taxes, the disproportionate power held by the states, and the vulnerability of the new nation due to the lack of an executive all contributed to the movement to reconfigure the Articles of Confederation. As the Constitution was being drafted, who was most in support of equal representation in the national legislature? Small states such as Rhode Island most strongly supported equal representation in the legislature. Which of the following plans for representation was incorporated into the Connecticut Compromise? The Connecticut Compromise incorporated a plan calling for each state to be proportionally represented in one house of a bicameral legislature (the House of Representatives). What was Shays Rebellion? Farmers in western Massachusetts, angry that their lands were being foreclosed upon for debts, shut down the courts and stormed an arsenal. The Constitution was ratified in the year? The Constitution was ratified in 1788. The Bill of Rights was ratified in the year?1791 How many terms did George Washington serve as president before leaving office? George Washington served two terms. Marbury v. Madison confirmed the Supreme Courts power to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional. What did the case involve? Marbury v. Madison concerned a dispute over William Marburys appointment to a government post. Debates at the Constitutional Convention surrounding the executive branch included which of the following? Debates surrounding the executive branch included both how many executives should serve and how to elect the executive. The Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation in that itThe Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation in that it gave Congress the power to establish a national court system. What did it take for Virginia and New York to finally agree to ratify the Constitution? New York and Virginia agreed to ratify the Constitution only after the Federalists promised to include amendments clarifying the limits on government power (the Bill of Rights). Chapter 1. The Founding Constitution Study Questions: Key Terms: Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise) The Great Compromise was an agreement made among the delegates to the Constitutional Convention that the American government would have two houses in Congress: the Senate where each state has two Senators, and the House of Representatives where each state has a number of Representatives based on population. The Great Compromise ended one of the most serious disagreements among the new states. Small states felt that all states were equal in stature and that if Congressional representation were based upon population, they would be outvoted on everything. Large states felt that populations should determine how many representatives a state should have, because they were afraid that they would be outvoted by the small states. This disagreement was preventing the Constitution from being adopted. In order to move forward on the Constitution, the states compromised and made Congress as a bicameral legislative body. Without the Great Compromise, there might not be the Constitution or US Government as we know it today. Background: Two plans were put forth during the Constitutional Convention to create the new branches of government. The Virginia Plan wanted a strong national government with three branches. The legislature would have two houses. One would be directly elected by the people and the second would selected by the first house from people nominated by the state legislatures. Further, the president and national judiciary would be chosen by the national legislature. On the other hand, the New Jersey Plan wanted a more decentralized plan amending the old Articles yet allowing for a somewhat stronger government. Each state would have one vote in Congress. The Great Compromise combined these two plans creating our current legislature with two houses, one based on population and elected by the people and the other house allowing two senators per state being appointed by state legislatures. (Direct election of Senators began after the 17th amendment was ratified in 1913.) Bicameralism a legislative body having two branches, houses, or chambers 3/5ths Compromise Three-Fifths Compromise: slaves would not be counted as whole persons for the purposes of representation, but they would not be excluded from the population count either. Instead, a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person. In this way, large Southern slave states would not be overly advantaged in representation in the lower house of Congress, but they would be recognized for their population size. However, besides allowing greater representation for states with large slave populations, the Constitution did not address the institution of slavery in any other way. It would take 80 years and the bloody Civil War for the nation to fully eradicate slavery and recognize African Americans as free persons with rights to citizenship. Even then, it would be another century before African Americans in the South would enjoy equal access to voting and be allowed to serve as members of a jury. Separation of Powers Separation of powers, therefore, refers to the division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another. The intent is to prevent the concentration of power and provide for checks and balances. The traditional characterizations of the powers of the branches of American government are: * The legislative branch is responsible for enacting the laws of the state and appropriating the money necessary to operate the government. * The executive branch is responsible for implementing and administering the public policy enacted and funded by the legislative branch. * The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the constitution and laws and applying their interpretations to controversies brought before it. Forty state constitutions specify that government be divided into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. California illustrates this approach; The powers of state government are legislative, executive, and judicial. Persons charged with the exercise of one power may not exercise either of the others except as permitted by this Constitution. While separation of powers is key to the workings of American government, no democratic system exists with an absolute separation of powers or an absolute lack of separation of powers. Governmental powers and responsibilities intentionally overlap; they are too complex and interrelated to be neatly compartmentalized. As a result, there is an inherent measure of competition and conflict among the branches of government. Throughout American history, there also has been an ebb and flow of preeminence among the governmental branches. Such experiences suggest that where power resides is part of an evolutionary process. This Web page provides resources for legislators and staff to use in addressing separation of powers issues. It organizes them into broad categories and links to a diverse set of resources to illustrate how the doctrine applies to specific issues under each category. The resources include law review articles, court cases and legislative reports.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Residential Development Growth Issues

Residential Development Growth Issues Samantha Valencia 1. In the face of an increase in demand for new residential development, what are the key growth management issues a City should consider? In the face of an increasing demand for new residential development, cities can look to a few infrastructure issues to be considerate of, as well as key revenue sources to help raise enough infrastructure funds to manage future growth. Smart growth, which pertains to high-density development located in urban areas and near transit routes, is an approach cities can consider when attempting to mitigate impacts to infrastructure as the population increases, as well as providing new housing units that cities statewide are currently lacking. Smart growth will become more and more important for a city in order to manage the influx of cars, pedestrians and transit riders. However, they will need to be implemented in areas that make sense, such as high-density locations near transit routes and close to commercial areas and office parks. In the city of San Diego for example, there have been grand smart growth plans, particularly in Mission Valley and 4S Ranch. Although proponents have not yet been able to consider them successful smart growth plans. Several reasons for this include sprawling yet empty parking lots, large shopping centers with few shoppers and far distances to public transit. Similar to smart growth, cities can also begin thinking more about zoning regulations and potential changes that need to be made to implement more mixed-use development, which combines residential and commercial spaces. This sort of development can either be â€Å"horizontal† (development on a large site with multiple buildings) or â€Å"vertical† (development in a single structure), and would benefit many cities with increasing populations, with demand for housing near bustling business centers. When implementing mixed-use development, not only are zoning and coding issues a concern, but coding may also need to be revised to include parking regulations, and noise and light restrictions to accommodate both residential and commercial tenants (Fulton, W., 2004). In addition to smart growth and mixed-use development, California cities should look to resuming redevelopment as another key approach to managing growth. Since Governor Brown closed all redevelopment agencies statewide in 2011, the state has fallen short in its affordable housing offerings. During healthier economic times, redevelopment agencies were producing up to 200,000 new affordable housing units a year, while in 2014, the number of new units is not even half that number (Musiker, C., 2014) According to Susan Tinsky, former executive director of the San Diego Housing Federation, â€Å"redevelopment agencies have been the best local vehicles to fund affordable housing† (2011). With the constant budget and housing crises, redevelopment would serve as a solution for both. Redevelopment would not only provide much-needed affordable housing but would also stimulate the economy with job growth. Tinsky also notes that â€Å"for every 100 units of affordable housing built, 122 local jobs are generated during construction and 32 permanent jobs after completion† (2011). To help fund these infrastructure costs for redevelopment and smart growth, cities would need to develop new revenue sources. The city of San Diego, for example, does not currently collect fees for refuse pick up at approximately 285,000 homes located on public streets. The city’s fiscal year 2015 budget allocates $47.3 million to costs associated with collection services for refuse, recycables and green waste (Modica, Jr. et al, 2014). A large portion of that amount is funded through the General Fund and is allocated towards refuse collection (approximately $31.3 million) (Modica, Jr. et al, 2014). If the city began to charge households a fee to help recover costs for collection services, it would result in a minimal fee of approximately $13.83 a month (Modica, Jr. et al, 2014). Once these monthly fees are in place, the $31.3 million currently used to subsidize costs for trash pick-up could be used for other services that are underfunded, including infrastructure projects or public services. Two other areas of potential taxation include rental or purchase of goods and services, including parking lot fees, utility user taxes and parking occupancy fees, to name a few. Currently, California taxes just 21 services, compared to New Mexico, Hawaii, South Dakota and Washington, all of which tax more than 140 services (California Commission on the 21st Century Economy, n.d.). These new revenue streams could help fund housing infrastructure needs for cities as the population continues to grow. Lastly, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is another item policymakers should be mindful of when attempting to build affordable housing and other residential developments at the local level. Many neighborhood councils, environmentalists and other organized groups protest residential building plans on the basis of CEQA, acting as an obstruction to the developers, for various reasons. Oftentimes, groups opposing a project, including affordable housing projects, file frivolous lawsuits in attempts to delay progress, only to add costs to the developers by engaging in lawsuits and delaying construction. This in turn has lead developers to focus less on affordable housing projects and more on luxury apartment buildings and other upscale projects, as the return on investment is higher and financial losses are perceived to be less if CEQA protests are encountered. There are many issues cities should consider in order to successfully manage a growing population. Several of these approaches that were discussed have been in progress over the past years and there should be considerable effort to make serious progress in these areas in the near future. 2. What are the three most significant political reforms you would recommend to Governor Brown? Three significant political reforms I would recommend to Governor Brown include modifications to Proposition 13, reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act and reforming the tax code. Reforms to these three areas may help solve the state’s imminent infrastructure crisis. The current California Constitution requires a two-thirds supermajority in order for the state legislature to raise taxes. Part of the reason why efforts to repeal this supermajority, as mandated in Prop 13, have failed in the past is due to taxpayers’ perceptions. Proponents of the repeal argue that rather than looking at tax hikes as a punishment, it should be looked at as much-needed revenue increases for public services and programs, such as education, that have been slashed due to lack of funds. Implemented through Proposition 13, the high approval rate makes it hard for infrastructure and public service funding to pass. Since Prop 13 has passed, local municipalities have been strained ever since with limited funding as a result of limited revenues collected from property taxes. With decreased funding, cities and counties in turn reduce public services. Even though the state spent almost three-quarters of state revenue on local governments, in an effort to help alleviate the loss of funding from property taxes, â€Å"local administrators no longer have much incentive to spend it efficiently† (Kluth, A., 2011). Local cities now look for other ways to raise revenue, even if those means are not perceivably beneficial to the residents, including the fiscalization of land use. Now that cities are left to rely increasingly on sales taxes to supplement lower revenue sources, they are more likely to zone land for commercial areas in order to collect more sales tax. California sales tax rates are some of the highest nationwide, and coupled with land use decisions, sales tax can be an effective way to raise lost revenue. Two most ways to do this are through â€Å"big-box† retail stores, such as Wal-Mart and Target, and through car dealerships. Cities â€Å"choose to encourage these types of development over residential development, which generates sales tax only to the extent that the new residents shop in the same city in which they live† (Chapman, 1998). Furthermore, cities have encouraged development of shopping malls, upscale homes and new hotels. Luxury homes would lead to higher property tax rates, leaving a current deficiency in the market for affordable housing. Reforms to Prop 13 and property tax restrictions could help cities and local g overnments raise enough funds to continue providing crucial public services and updating aging infrastructure. Another area for reform, which hinders infrastructure and residential development, is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Protecting the environment and natural resources, while still promoting economic growth is a constant goal for the state. However some argue that CEQA is a huge deterrent to this goal, which leads to the need to update the law with simpler language and clear requirements, eliminating duplicative processes and restricting last-minute challenges (Editorial Board, 2014). CEQA is often used as a way to disrupt projects â€Å"for reasons that have nothing to do with protecting the environment† (Villaraigosa, A. Reed, C., 2013). There is a need to overhaul the CEQA process to simplify and streamline the requirements. Many lawsuits are brought forth, on the basis of CEQA, in an effort to stop growth projects. Lawsuits against infill development projects, including â€Å"expansion and improvement of public transit and bicycle facilities, affordable housing, schools, hospitals, and all manner of public works†, submitted to appellate or California Supreme Court between 1997 and 2012, included nearly 60% of suits filed against these types of projects, and nearly 40% were filed against public works projects, including schools, universities and roads (Villaraigosa, A. Reed, C., 2013). CEQA may be a culprit in delaying economic growth for the state as well. The recent discussions to build a Tesla Motors factory in the Bay Area were unsuccessful, leading the company to build the factory in Nevada instead. The factory will cost $5 billion to build and will produce 6,500 jobs; something the state could have benefitted from (Editorial Board, 2014). Although there were discussions to limit pre-build environmental requirements and allowing Tesla to build the factory first then discuss environmental mitigations after, the company decided to build elsewhere (Editorial Board, 2014). Lastly, tax code reform is needed to ensure the future economic health of the state. According to the Think Long Committee for California, nearly $1 trillion that is, roughly half of the states economic output is not taxed (Think Long Committee for California, 2011). This output includes primarily services and information activities (Think Long Committee for California, 2011), and leaves a major gap in the state’s budget. Professional services, such as â€Å"legal, consulting, accounting or architectural services† are all opportunities for future revenue streams. The Think Long Committee suggests bringing in new revenue flows through a tax rate of 5 to 5.5% on services, while also reducing personal income taxes, in order to reduce the state’s budgetary debt. Revenues collected from these new taxes would bring in much-needed funding for the future growth of the state. References Editorial Board. (2014, September 5). Loss of Tesla factory should put a charge in CEQA  reform: Editorial. Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140905/loss-of-tesla-factory-should-put-a-charge-in-ceqa-reform-editorial Fulton, W. (2004, February 1). Mixed-Use Projects Require Planners To Rethink Zoning  Standards. California Planning and Development Report. Retrieved from  http://www.cp-dr.com/node/651. Kluth, A. (2011, April 20). The People’s Will. The Economist. Retrieved  from http://www.economist.com/node/18563638. Modica, Jr., C. E., Kawar, J., Tevlin A. (2014). Revenue Options to Address Critical  Infrastructure and Affordable Housing Needs. San Diego, CA: Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. Musiker, C. (2014, February 26). Did the end of California’s redevelopment agencies hurt  affordable housing? KQED. Retrieved from http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2014/02/24/redevelopment-hurt-affordable-housing/ Public Policy Institute of California. (1998). Proposition 13: Some Unintended  Consequences. San Francisco, CA: Jeffrey I. Chapman. Think Long Committee for California. (2011). A Blueprint to Renew California. Santa Monica,  CA: Nicolas Berggruen. Tinsky, S. (2011, February 27). Redevelopment critical to affordable housing. UT San Diego.  Retrieved from http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/27/redevelopment-critical-to-affordable-housing/. Villaraigosa, A. Reed, C. (2013, April 24). Antonio Villaraigosa and Chuck Reed: Fix the  California Environmental Quality Act now. Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20130425/antonio-villaraigosa-and-chuck-reed-fix-the-california-environmental-quality-act-now.