Why Do You Feel This Is So - 1960 Words

Antonia Sawyer P459 Scholars Dialog Dr. Christina Downey Fall 2014 Moderator: Dr. William James, it is no secret that your theory of pragmatism has been questioned, but found more successful than Dr. E.B. Titchner’s. Why do you feel this is so? James: Well Mrs. Sawyer, when considering Dr. Titchner’s work, I would have to say it is the lack of individuality that has created structuralism’s downfall. You see, Dr. Titchner focuses on reducing the experiences of the mind to several thousand sensory images. These images are then applied to every individual within the universe. This application de-individualizes the mindful process of experience, and fails to acknowledge that no two experiences are alike; nor are they the same for†¦show more content†¦In the event I find structuralism to be scientifically accurate, it would be impossible to not accept the findings personally. This is on the bases that one cannot choose to ignore or not believe in scientifically proven facts. It seems as though if an individual is doing this, they are placing their own meaning or interpretation onto the findings. This is something that needs to be avoided, and can lead to viewing the findings with a more applied psycho logy approach rather than a scientific one. Watson: I would have to agree with Dr. Titchner, I to feel all subjectivity as well as interpretations must be removed from the scientific aspect of experimentation and its findings. Although I do not seek to describe and explain consciousness, I do desire to predict and control it. It is this desire to predict consciousness that seems to be the closest commonality I can find with Dr. Titchner. Titchner: Dr. Watson, I think we may be able to have more in common as soon as it is realized that in order to understand behavior, we must first use introspection to discover the workings of the mind. Watson: Are you insinuating that all must first use your introspective techniques, Dr. Titchner? I mean, you have made it more than clear that your theory is only practicable by you; hence its unsuccessfulness. Moderator: I am sorry if you feel targeted Dr. E.B. Titchner, but with your previous statement regarding pragmatism, I

The Decision Making Under Uncertainty - 890 Words

CIS557 Decision Making Under Uncertainty Mid Term Paper Ethical Decision making in Organizations Name: - Kush Jani 05/08/2015 What is Decision making in Organizations? First of all in every Organizations Decision Making is much needed factor to grow in recent market. It depend on a company or organizations that how they use different strategies to making decision and organization growth. There are always some factors which influence decisions in any company, For Example:- 1) The Influence of Time and Place 2) The Influence of Ideas 3) The Influence of Mass Culture 4) The â€Å"Science† of Manipulation For any organizations critical thinking is always a good option to improve in decision making skills. Critical Thinking: - Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally. It considers the ability to engage in thoughtful and independent thinking. Critical thinking is not a matter of accumulating information. A critical thinker is able to assume consequences from what they know, and they know how to make use of information to solve problems. Critical thinking can help company to get knowledge, improve their theories. Organizations can use critical thinking to enhance work processes and improve social institutions. If company would like to improve their decision making, here are few strategies that might help them:- 1) More thinking is not always better thinking 2) Accept that they can t have it all 3)Show MoreRelatedEffective Appraisal Approaches And Its Influence On Investment Decision Making1441 Words   |  6 Pagespart of decision-making acts a crucial role in business investment that depends upon the investor’s profit expectation, the availability to finance the investment and the potential cost of assets. (Virlics, 2013) However, risk and uncertainty are the basic terms to the decision-making framework. Risk can be defined as the probability of outcomes or loss that is caused by internal or external vulnerabilities where the probabilities of the possible negative occurrence are known. Uncertainty is the situationRead MoreEffective Appraisal Approaches And Its Influence On Investment Decision Making1419 Words   |  6 Pagesof equipment or inventory by owner in order to improve future business. (Kahraman, 2011) Moreover, the part of decision-making preforms a crucial role in business investment that depends upon the investor’s profit expectation, the availa bility to finance the investment and the potential cost of asset. (Virlics, 2013) However, risk and uncertainty are the basic terms to the decision-making framework. Risk can be defined as the probability or threat of outcomes or loss that is caused by internal orRead MoreThe Importance Of The Relevance Of The Data773 Words   |  4 Pageswhich the decisions and actions of contextaware systems are based. Moreover, many decision support techniques are insufficient to address the runtime uncertainty in the context information as they do not assess the QoC in an end-to-end fashion. We formulate the related work into two parts: 1) QoC attributes and modeling aspects 2) Runtime decision support addressing uncertainty A. QoC attributes and modeling aspects QoC attributes and their modeling comes into play to capture the uncertainties in contextRead MoreMethods Of Using Numerical Uncertainty Information Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesthinking. Limitations in the ability to utilize numerical uncertainty information could also be more general than numeracy, such as the failure to think deliberately about the information. According to the two systems approach, there are two modes of thought. System 1 is rapid, automatic, associative, emotional, and roughly synonymous with intuition, and System 2 is slow, deliberate, rule-based, and effortful (Kahneman, 2003). When faced with a decision, a person may substitute an inaccurate verbal â€Å"gist†Read MoreClassical Financial Theory : Cognitive Psychology And Economics952 Words   |  4 PagesIn many aspects of life, knowing what influences people’s decision making can help solve some of the world’s most complex problems. Research in the financial sector has been dumbfounded by this very question since the advent of the stoc k market. Classical financial theory assumes investors behave with rational expectations in order to maintain an efficient market. Yet as we know, the idiosyncrasies in human behavior vary and financial markets tend to fluctuate up and down as a result. Recently, economicsRead MoreEssay about Disaster Management1428 Words   |  6 PagesManagement Introduction All disaster managers must make decisions. Their decision involves a comparison between several alternatives and an evaluation of the outcome. The quality of the decisions managers make is the true measure of their performance. Each operational decision influences future actions, which in turn, require further decisions. Errors in decision-making, therefore, tend to be cumulative. Decision-making is the major responsibility of a disaster manager, regardlessRead MoreEnvironmental Uncertainty and Organizational Structure: a Product Management Perspective -Summary953 Words   |  4 PagesEnvironmental uncertainty and organizational structure: a product management perspective Article bySteven Lysonski, Michael Levas, Noel Lavenka This Lysonski et al.’s article focuses on how an organizational structure may affect the product manager -level marketing. The article is about how a firm’s structural elements can affect the marketing effort at the product manager level. It asks if the firms take into account the uncertainty of the environment while planning their product-marketing organizationRead MoreDecision Science Essay1406 Words   |  6 PagesBusiness BUSN 635 – Decision Science Spring 2010 Final Examination Janaina Silva WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT DECISION SCIENCE? The Definition: Many times when faced with a hard decision to make or one that involves many different factors or consequences the executive tends to look for â€Å"an educated guess† or â€Å"take a calculated risk† but no real calculation is done nor any education is obtained to deal with uncertainty concerning the decision. The main goal of my Decision Science course isRead MoreThe Importance Of Effective Decision Making868 Words   |  4 PagesImportance of Effective Decision-Making Inadequate information, data, and knowledge. For rational decision-making to be accurate, reliable, and complete, information about various aspects of the problem under investigation is necessary. Possible future trends can be estimated with the help of such information. This facilitates rational decision-making. However, adequate and reliable information may not be available at the time of decision-making. As a result, the decisions may become defective orRead MoreEssay about bounded rationality1006 Words   |  5 Pagesclear section headings, and clear paragraphing. NB: our example does not reach 1500 words; further paragraphs need to be written in sections 2 and 3. The Decision A mining claim of 60 miles had to be staked, and the project manager Tom Parker decided to budget 7 days and 3 assistants to do it. He based this decision on his own physical experience and skill. He was an outdoors man, skilled in all non-technical aspects of mining claims. He himself proved able to do 8 claims per day

The Legacies Left Behind from Ancient Rome Free Essays

From ancient times, Rome’s legacies are still the greatest known to man today. Throughout the western world the influence of Roman power is still manifest. The impact of Rome has furthered our society into an effective and successful modern world. We will write a custom essay sample on The Legacies Left Behind from Ancient Rome or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without the advanced structure of buildings and a thorough law process, who knows how different our lives and world would be. The great arches, the high statues and buildings, all come from Roman background. The law process we use to this day is based on the Ancient Roman law format. Although some of the legacies carried on from the Romans weren’t all great i. e. lavery, the good outweighed the bad. Architecture was crucial to the success of Rome, from temples to bridges to aqueducts, every building got more advanced (Suny Oneonta, 2012). As the Roman power grew over an immense area, the Romans built aqueducts to carry adequate amounts of water to all its cities. This has now been implemented underground all over the world and is called plumbing. Many cities around the world still contain amphitheatres. In Ancient Rome amphitheatres acted as arena’s in which spectacles were staged for entertainment. The grandest amphitheatre, most famously called the Colosseum is still standing today. Triumphant arches like the Arch of Titus or the Arch of Trajan, were to signify great military triumphs and now the structure of the arch is used worldwide. The tradition of Roman architecture has had a very important effect on America. For example, the U. S Supreme Court building in Washington is directly based on the Roman temple type. This particular building related to the Romans all the way down to the white marble, which signifies Roman authority. In Rome there was a building called the ‘Basilica’, this building was the town hall but was commonly used as a courthouse. Like courthouses today there was an apse where the magistrate sits to control the courthouse and dispense the law (Wikipedia, 2012). Not only have we kept alive the building structure of the Ancient Roman courthouse (Wikipedia, 2012), we have kept the law process too. Although the Roman law is no longer applied in legal practice, the basis of our laws today derive from the Roman traditions (UNRV, 2012). Modifications have been made to suit society as it grows, a coherent system was put in place and laws are written in the national language. Today’s legal system has a Roman eritage and knowledge of Roman law is indispensable to understand the legal systems of today. In Ancient Rome slavery played a big part, whether the Romans owned a slave or whether they were one themselves. Slaves were people captured in battles, which were then sold and forced to work for whoever owned them. Abandoned children were also bought up as slaves. Slaves weren’t all the same prices dependin g on the age or skill, some were more expensive than others, but all could be bought at the same market place. In Rome a slave is a slave for life. However a slave could acquire freedom from their owner or if they bought it themselves. A rich man could have as many as 500 slaves and an emperor usually had more than 20,000. Even after Rome passed its days of greatness, it was thought that at least 25% of the population of all people in Rome were slaves (History Learning Site, 2012). This is one of those legacies society could have gone without, although slavery was abolished around 100 years ago, equality is a very big part of today’s contemporary world and this was a very big part of the world 100 years ago (Wikipedia, 2012). All in all, if you weigh the good and the bad legacies left behind from Rome, there has been a much greater positive impact on today’s contemporary world than a negative one. Although slavery is something the world should be ashamed of, the buildings, the structure, the law process and the language are only some of the great legacies that have shaped our modern world. It doesn’t make up for the long history of equality, but without the majority of the legacies from Rome our world wouldn’t be as successful and effective as it is today. Without Rome and its legacies, the contemporary world wouldn’t be the same. We would know no different, but imagining the world without these significant details is so challenging because we all live our lives with some basis of Rome. Whether it is the plumbing in a house. Whether it is the arches on a front porch. Whether it is the federal courthouse or the legal system and law process. Rome and its power never really faded because it still affects humanity today, the legacies Rome left behind affect all of us in some way. Bibliography History Learning Site, 2012, Roman Slaves, 2nd September 2012, http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/roman_slaves. htm Kpn, 2008, Roman Law, 1st September 2012, http://home. kpn. nl/otto. vervaart/roman_law. htm Rathborne, M. Panczyk, P. Neale, T. Discovering World History Stage 4, 2008, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. Suny Oneonta, 2012, Roman Power/Roman Architecture, 30th August 2012, http://employees. oneonta. edu/farberas/arth/arth200/politics/roman_architecture. html ThinkQuest, 2011, Government – The Monarchy and Early Rome, 1st September 2012, http://library. hinkquest. org/26602/republic. htm UNRV History, 2012, Ancient Roman Laws, 5th September 2012, http://www. unrv. com/government/laws. php Webmaster, 2012, Legal Roles – Then and Now, 1st September 2012, http://www. dl. ket. org/latin3/mores/legallatin/legal02. htm Webmaster, 2012, The Roman Legal System, 2nd September 2012, http://www. dl. ket. org/latin3/mores/legallatin/legal01. htm Wikipedia, 20 12, Architecture of Rome, 30th August 2012, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Architecture_of_Rome Wikipedia, 2012, Roman Law, 3rd September 2012, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Roman_law How to cite The Legacies Left Behind from Ancient Rome, Essay examples

Function And Old Neoclassical Equilibrium †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Function And Old Neoclassical Equilibrium? Answer: Introduction This study analyses the assumptions of neo classical production function critically. Neo-classical production function is the function of two inputs such as labour and capital. A Neo classical production function has several assumptions to simply the analysis. Cobb-Douglas production function is mostly used neo classical production function in economic analysis. Several authors have criticized some of the assumptions. Assumptions of neo classical production function The assumptions of neo classical production function are as follows: i) The production function is differentiable with positive marginal productivity of the factors o production. ii) The factors exhibit the law of diminishing returns. iii) The factors of production are substitutable among themselves in a perfectly competitive market. Factors are perfectly mobile. iv) Absence of externality in production Philosophical critics According to the claim of the heterodox economics, the nature of neo classical production function, the substitution effect has not much effect in real economy (Fuss and McFadden 2014). However, in the view of Chen (2012), Cobb-Douglas production function has many real life applications. Moreover, the production only considers the effect of change in capital and labour. It cannot explain the residual element of the production function such as technology in Solow growth model. Schefold (2014) stated that neo classical production function estimates elasticity of output with respect to labour and capital according to the. However, this method of measuring output elasticity is not the correct one. Practically this estimation shows the share of profit in production and share of wage in income. Another assumption of the neo-classical theorists is that both the product and factor market are perfectly competitive, which is unrealistic. There exist other types of market structure such as monopolistic competition, monopoly and oligopoly. Therefore, production function varies across different sectors of the economy (Davis 2013). The neo classical production function assumes perfect mobility among the factors, which is not always possible in reality. Some of the industries are capital intensive, whereas some of are labour intensive. Hence, the mobility of factors is constrained by their productivity and requirement in the industry (Felipe and McCombie 2014). As depicted by Dosi et al. (2014), mathematical model of Cobb-Douglas model has similarity with the equation of national accounting identity derivative. However, Schefold (2014) mentioned that Cobb-Douglas production function correctly establish relationship with the national accounts, if the wage share is constant and technological progress is considered in production function. Fuss and McFadden (2014) cited that technological progress in the neo classical production function has been assumed linear. Dosi et al. (2014) contradicted this view to state that technological progress fluctuates overtime. Every production process has some externalities irrespective of primary, secondary or tertiary sectors of the economy. The externality may be positive or negative. Therefore, the assumption of no externality is unrealistic. Conclusion The analysis of production function is an important concept in mainstream Neo classical economics. Main inputs in this production function are labour and capital. Technology is used in this model as a residual factor in the production. This factor facilitates the production process. Despite having numerous uses, many economists have criticised this production function due to some of its unrealistic assumptions. The report has critically analysed the limitations of these assumptions References Chen, B.Y., 2012. Classification of $ h $-homogeneous production functions with constant elasticity of substitution.Tamkang Journal of Mathematics,43(2), pp.321-328. Davis, J.B., 2013.The theory of the individual in economics: Identity and value. Routledge. Dosi, G., Grazzi, M., Marengo, L. and Settepanella, S., 2014. Production theory: accounting for firm heterogeneity and technical change. Felipe, J. and McCombie, J.S.L., 2014. The aggregate production function:Not even wrong.Review of Political Economy,26(1), pp.60-84. Fuss, M. and McFadden, D. eds., 2014.Production Economics: A Dual Approach to Theory and Applications: Applications of the Theory of Production(Vol. 2). Elsevier. Klump, R., McAdam, P. and Willman, A., 2012. The normalized CES production function: theory and empirics.Journal of Economic Surveys,26(5), pp.769-799. Pahlavan, R., Omid, M. and Akram, A., 2012. Energy inputoutput analysis and application of artificial neural networks for predicting greenhouse basil production.Energy,37(1), pp.171-176. Raurich, X., Sala, H. and Sorolla, V., 2012. Factor shares, the price markup, and the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor.Journal of Macroeconomics,34(1), pp.181-198. Schefold, B., 2014. Marx, the Production Function and the Old Neoclassical Equilibrium: Workable under the Same Assumptions?. InContribution to the Conference What have we learnt on Classical Economy since Sraffa(pp. 16-17). Zhelobodko, E., Kokovin, S., Parenti, M. and Thisse, J.F., 2012. Monopolistic competition: Beyond the constant elasticity of substitution.Econometrica,80(6), pp.2765-2784.

World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. V. Woodson free essay sample

World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson Facts: In 1976, Harry and Kay Robinson purchased a new Audi automobile from Seaway Volkswagen, Inc (Seaway) in Massena, N. Y. The following year the Robinson family, who resided in New York, left that state for a new home in Arizona. As they passed through Oklahoma, another car struck their Audi in the rear, causing a fire which severely burned Kay Robinson and her two children. The Robinsons subsequently brought a products-liability action in the District Court for Creek County, Oklahoma, claiming that their injuries resulted from defective design and placement of the Audi’s gas tank and fuel system.They brought suit against the automobile’s manufacturer (Audi), its importer (Volkswagen of America), its regional distributor (World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. ), and its retailer dealer (Seaway Volkswagen). The Supreme Court of Oklahoma held that personal jurisdiction over the defendents was authorized by Oklahoma’s long-arm statute. Issue: Can the Oklahoma court exercise personal jurisdiction over nonresident defendants given that â€Å"minimum contacts† with the State may or may not exist? Decision: In favor of World-Wide. We will write a custom essay sample on World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. V. Woodson or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The judgment of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma is reversed.Reason: The concept of minimum contacts between the petitioners and the State of Oklahoma does not hold. World Wide and Seaway have no â€Å"contacts, ties, or relations† with the State of Oklahoma. They carry on no activity whatsoever in Oklahoma. They close no sales and perform no services there. They avail themselves of none of the privileges and benefits of Oklahoma law. They solicit no business there either through salespersons or through advertising reasonably calculated to reach the State. They do not sell regularly cars at wholesale or retail to Oklahoma customers or residents.In short, World Wide and Seaway have insufficient ties with the State of Oklahoma, therefore Oklahoma courts cannot practice in personam jurisdiction against them. Case Brief 3. 3 Parker v. Twentieth Century-Fox Corp. Facts: Shirley MacLaine Parker contracted with the film company, Twentieth Century-Fox, to play the female lead in a musical motion picture entitled â€Å"Bloomer Girl. † Parker was to be paid $750,000 for the role. Prior to the start of the film, Fox informed Parker that that they would not be producing â€Å"Bloomer Girl. Fox offered Parker the lead in another film, a dramatic western entitled â€Å"Big Country, Big Man. † The compensation was to be the same $750,000. Parker was given one week to accept and she refused. Parker then sought recovery of agreed upon compensation. The trial court granted summary judgment to Parker. Fox appealed. Issue: Was the job that Fox offered Parker (i. e. â€Å"Big Country†) comparable employment and was Parker obligated to accept in order to mitigate damages? Decision: In favor of Parker. The trial court’s summary judgement was affirmed. Reason: Parker’s refusal to accept Fox’s substitute employment offer could not be applied in mitigation of damages. This is because the offer of the â€Å"Big Country† lead was of employment both different and inferior. The fact that â€Å"Bloomer Girl† was to be a musical calling upon Parker’s talents as a dancer as well as an actress, and was to be produced in California, whereas â€Å"Big Country† was a straight dramatic role in a western type story taking place in Australia, demonstrates the difference in kind between the two employments.Parker was under no obligation to accept the inferior role and was not unreasonable in her refusal to mitigate the damages. Case Brief 4. 3 Granholm v. Heald Facts: Michigan and New York laws allowed in-state wineries to directly ship alcohol to consumers but restricted the ability of out-of-state wineries to do so. In several cases, some Michigan residents and some out-of-state wineries, joined by their New York customers, brought suit against the two states, arguing that the laws unfairly favor in-state business over out-of-state business.A federal district court ruled for Michigan. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed. A separate federal district court ruled against New York. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed. Issue: Does a state law that allows in-state wineries to directly ship alcohol to consumers, but restricts the ability of out-of-state wineries to do so, violates the commerce clause by discriminating against interstate commerce? Decision: In favor of the plaintiffs. Both New York and Michigan discriminate against interstate commerce through their direct-shipping laws. Therefore, the U. S. Supreme Court affirmed the judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and reversed the judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Reason: Both Michigan and New York’s laws violate the commerce clause by favoring in-state wineries at the expense of out-of state wineries. Under the commerce clause in the 21st Amendment, states may not enact laws that burden out-of-state producers or shippers simply to give a competitive advantage to in-state business.Additionally, the commerce clause demands more than mere speculation to support discrimination against out-of-state goods. The States provided little concrete evidence to prove that they cannot police direct shipments by out-of-state wineries. Thompson v. Western States Medical Center Facts: Drug compounding is where a doctor or pharmacist combines ingredients to form new medicine for a specific need. FDA regulation exempts compounded drugs from regular drug approval standards if providers follow advertising and promotion restrictions regarding those drugs.A group of licensed pharmacies that specialize in drug compounding brought suit against the FDA, arguing that those provisions violate the First Amendment’s free speech guarantee. The district court and the court of appeals agreed with the defendants that the provisions regarding advertisement and promotion are unconstitutional. Issue: Do the FDA’s compounded drug regulations restrict the defendants’ freedom of speech, mainly commercial speech? Decision: In favor of the pharmacies. The U. S.Supreme court affirmed the decision of the lower courts and ruled that the FDA regulation amounts to unconstitutional restriction on commercial speech. Reason: First, the advertising and promotion restrictions involved constitute commercial speech and commercial speech is protected by the First Amendment. Second, fear that advertising compound drugs would put people who don’t need them at risk because advertisement would convince doctors to prescribe the drugs, does not justify the restriction on speech Government cannot ban the dissemination of truthful information to prevent people from making bad decisions.Additionally, forbidding the advertisement of compounded drugs would affect pharmacists other than those interested in producing drugs on a large scale. It would prevent pharmacists with no interest in mass-production medications, but who serve clienteles with special medical needs, from telling the doctors treating those clients about the alternative drugs available through compounding. Case Brief 4. 5 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Facts: Black children were denied admission to public schools attended by white children under laws requiring or permitting segregation according to race.A group of African Americans contend that segregated public schools are not equal and that they deprive black people of the equal protection of the law. The district courts in Kansas, South Carolina, and Virginia denied relief to the plaintiffs and upheld the â€Å"separate but equal† doctrine. In the Delaware case, the Supreme Court of Delaware adhered to that doctrine, but ordered that the plaintiffs be admitted to the white schools because of their superiority to the black schools.Issue: Does the segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race deprive the minority children of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment? Decision: In favor of the plaintiffs. The U. S. Supreme Court reversed the decision of the lower courts and ruled that racial segregation in public education deprives black people of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. Reason: Even though white schools and black schools approach equality in terms of buildings, curricula, qualifications, and teacher salary, intangible issues foster and maintain inequality.Racial segregation in public education has a detrimental effect on black children because it is interpreted as a sign of inferiority. The effects of this separation on their educational opportunities are devastating. When in comes to public education, â€Å"separate but equal† is inherently unequal. Therefore, separate educational facilities wrongly deprive black students from the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Fourwinds Marina Example

Fourwinds Marina Example Fourwinds Marina – Case Study Example Four winds Marina Grade (17th, Jan. Four winds Marina Summary: The Four winds Marina is a partnership business owned by Sandy Taggart, William Brennan and Richard DeMars, which is experiencing a weak financial situation. The Marina only operates partially during a year, remaining closed between November and April. The previous general manager, though with an experience of 15 years in the Marine has opted to resign due to a misunderstanding with the owners, over payment issues, leaving the business in the hand of Jack Keltner, an employee who has been promoted to the new position, courtesy of his hard work and reasonable working experience (Cummings which comprises of a boats dock, sales room for boats and marine equipments and a marine repair shop, as well as the overall controller of the Taggart Corporation, comprising of the Marina and an Inn (Cummings & Worley, 2009). The business also offers boat storage and boat hire as part of its business, for the visitors during the season r unning between April and October each year. Also within the business complex is a snack bar, a grocery store and gasoline sales, all operating as extended ventures for the corporation. The Four winds complex sits on a 34-acre piece of land, rent by the State of Indiana, which Taggart Corporation won as a tender for a Motel and Marina, owing to the financial strength of its owners (Cummings & Worley, 2009). Owing to the financial weaknesses of this business complex, the new general manager has a daunting task of transforming it into a more profitable venture. ReferenceCummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2009). Organization development and change (9th ed.).Mason, OH: Cengage

Tort reform for the health insurance industry Essay

Tort reform for the health insurance industry - Essay Example Thus it is up to the US government to play a very significant role in bringing such costs under their control, so that it becomes easily affordable for all the citizens in the US. (www.aaos.org) The Tort reform is a law that has been created by the US government, which is aimed at reducing the proceedings of the court. Ever since its introduction the Tort reform in the medical insurance field, it has been a matter of debate for most of the people in the US. The Tort reform has been especially introduced into the healthcare sector, with an idea of looking up into the issues relating to the malpractices, that often occur in the medical field and also the lawsuits that are being filed in this sector. This results in an increase in the cost of the insurance providers. (www.aaos.org) As a result of these hidden factors the parties involved in the insurance coverage, which includes the insured as well as the insurance provider often gets exploited by such undue costs. It is with this aim t hat the US government has brought about the Tort reform, so as to ensure that the interests of both the parties are safeguarded and at the same time justice is meted out to them in the medical field. ... (www.allbusiness.com) Hence due to threat of medical liability reform, the doctors across the US have become very much conscious about their liabilities when treating patients. But though the insurance costs are on the increase in the US and individuals are being made to pay more for their healthcare insurance, still the Tort reform has made it possible for safeguarding the US citizens from getting unduly exploited by the medical professionals and get insurance protection. (www.aaos.org) Areas that require Tort Reform The area that requires a major Tort reform is the agricultural sector in which, the farmers and the families who are involved in agricultural activities are totally exposed to high risks. There have been many cases of fatalities and serious injuries which have made the agricultural community to force the US government to go forward with Tort reforms, which will ensure the safety and the financial help through insurance, in case of accidents during the course of farming. Statistics also point to the fact of the urgent need for Tort reforms in this sector, since the number of accidents and fatalities are ever on the increase in this particular field. (www.aaos.org) Tort reforms are also very much required to bring about reforms to the various industries and the business establishments that are spread across the US. This will ensure a sort of liability of all those involved and will also simultaneously safeguard the various industries and business firms. This will give them more power which will help them to increase their business and also give them a feeling of security as well as confidence. This will make them to do business under a free and fair business atmosphere. Thus the Tort reforms are very much needed in these sectors, since it

Ethical Dilemmas in the New York Police Department Assignment

Ethical Dilemmas in the New York Police Department - Assignment Example The judgments made by an officer are supposed to be consistent with the police code of ethics and deviation from this makes their act unethical. However, dilemmas arise due to the environment; and the ethics are not as black and white as before. This paper takes an in depth analysis into these dilemmas and focuses on the NYPD, and how they have and should handle such deviations. Introduction The police are the most noticeable section of law enforcement and are tasked with the responsibility of regulating harmful actions by the public and protecting civil rights. The expectation set for the police is high; they are not only expected to enforce the law but to be exemplary in moral conduct, as they are model for the citizens to emulate. When the police deviate from this expectation, the public lose confidence in the system and what the law can accomplish as they who are regarded as the epitome of the law cannot abide by it. This makes police ethics and action dire, both to the public an d other law enforcement agencies (Pollock, 2012). 1. Ethical dilemma Before one becomes an agent of the law, he/she is required to make an oath to abide by the Law enforcement code of ethics. The code states: As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence and disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice. †¦.. I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities, or friendships to influence my decision. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courageously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice, or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence, and never accepting gratuities (DPS, 2009). Police officers are expected to adhere by the code and this is enforced in training where the recruits are taught police culture. The NYPD boasts of having an academy that offers training to recruits and integrates character traits and virtues that embody the police force. These include courage, honesty, integrity and loyalty. These traits and virtues are put into question when the officer gets to the field and encounters real life situations, just like the rest of us. The common ethical dilemmas that face the police are on particular crimes and they include the following: Torture/ police brutality: also known as dirty haring, where a police officer tortures a suspect for information, especially when it is organized crime. The information held by the suspect is crucial in bringing down a mob or even syndicate. The officer feels he has the duty to protect the citizen and goes to distant measures to acquire the information, even if it means the use of force (McCarthy R. & McCarthy J, 2011). Illegal search: the law requires that an officer to have a search warrant in order to enter into a private property and make a legal search. However, an officer on the field may find that hard to do as timing is of essence in crime fighting as crime happens in real time. This means if the officer is to keep the law, he will have to go in pursuit of a warrant thereby letting the illegal transaction go through. The police officer is torn in between preserving the law and enforcing the law, antagonistic virtues promoted by the police culture at such moments (Barker, 2011).

Stalins Leadership in World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Stalins Leadership in World War II - Essay Example The second half of the 1930s saw the continuous campaign launched by Stalin to eliminate all those whom had - or at least were suspected to have - reservations about the political regime. The campaign that would become known as the Great Purge touched off immediately assassination of Sergey Kirov, a highly popular member of the Communist Party. Stalin responded to the assassination with a series of fierce actions. Mere distrust of Stalin or his confidants or anonymous information was used to send the suspect to the forced-labor camps or execute. The Soviet political militia, also known as NKVD, was given practically unrestricted powers, and during only two years from 1937 to 1938, the NKVD led by Nikolay Yezhov executed approximately 1 million of Soviet citizens with another 2 million were sent to the camps and eventually died (Ellman 2002). Several trumped-up trials that took place between 1936 and 1938 led to elimination of thousands of once prominent, influential and highly experienced leaders. The list of victims included such outstanding figures as Zinovyev, Bukharin, and Rykov whom were executed on concocted charges of conspiring with Germany and Japan. Another process held in 1937 resulted in almost entire elimination of the military's top-ranking commanders such as Marshal Tukhachevsky: according to the estimates approximately 50 percent of the senior officers had been dismissed (partially executed, partially sent to the camps) before the beginning of the Second World War (Conquest 1990). Evidently, such actions of Stalin who killed or sent to the camps the most experienced and talented managers could hardly be addressed as prudent in the face of inevitable war with Germany. Although Stalin's awareness of the inevitability of the war is subject for intensive debates (Rapoport & Alexeev 1985), it is difficult to imagine that a politician of Stalin's rank and experience could fail to notice the apparent tendency. Even the possibility that Stalin could make the mistake assessing the beginning of war hardly justified such devastating clean-up among the militaries, officials, and political elite of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, a series of conflicts initiated by Stalin in 1939 (Finland) and 1940 (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Romania) clearly demonstrated that the Soviets were confidents of their military power. Ironically, what might be and probably had to be perceived as imprudence by the absolute majority of Stalin's contemporaries only adds validity to the claims of those whom give credence to his personal leadership during the World War praising Stalin as the leader and tactician of the highest order. The fact is that in absence of other leaders of note whom had been dismissed, imprisoned or executed during the Great Purge Stalin was forced to make decisions almost solely on his own: even those innumerous specialists whom successfully made it through the terror of 1937-1938 had the illustrative example of what Stalin did to

Growth of Heritage and Cultural Industry in the UK

Growth of Heritage and Cultural Industry in the UK Cultural heritage refers to the heritage sites that describe the unique culture of a society as well as in some cases it also refers to the culture of the whole nation. The UK is very rich with its heritage sites. Well, most of the heritage sites are man-made but there are some heritage sites that are natural such as wildlife, natural landscape, woodland, national parks and so on. Well, in the UK most of the attractive man-made heritage sites are_ British museum, Royal Academy of Arts, and in the UK there are lots of heritage historical buildings, monuments, a sculpture that make the heritage sites of UK rich. Different types of people come to visit these place such as_ students, researchers, tourists with family and so on. All of them have their own purpose to come here. Well, cultural and heritage sites in the UK play very significant role in the economic growth of UK. As the tourists number is increasing day by day the earnings from this sector also increase day by day. And that also increases the overall GDP of UK as well as increase the standard of living. The cultural and heritage sites are preserved by the government for the purpose of knowing people about their glorious history as well as culture. And the people only come to visit here when there will need it or they feel that they will get some benefit from the site if they visit. And if the people will not come to the purpose will not be fulfilled. For this reason, the responsible authority should give the proper benefit to the tourist so that they will come to visit the place and leave the place with huge satisfaction. P1.1 Analyze the growth and heritage of the heritage and cultural industry with special reference to the UK Heritage: Heritage is the tradition and legacy that is come from the past to the present. Well, heritage sites refer to that kind of place where the history was created. The legacy comes and the people still remember it as a part of the tradition. The government of a country preserves those heritage sites to let their citizens as well as rest of the world know their history and pride. Attractions: The UK is very rich with its heritage sites. Well, most of the heritage sites are man-made but there are some heritage sites that are natural such as wildlife, natural landscape, woodland, national parks and so on (Andrà ©s, 2013). Well, in the UK most of the attractive man-made heritage sites are_ British museum, Royal Academy of Arts, and in the UK there are lots of heritage historical buildings, monuments, a sculpture that make the heritage sites of UK rich. Cultural heritage: Culture is the moral belief, lifestyle, ritual of a specific society. The legacy comes and the people still remember it as a part of the tradition (Apostolakis and Jaffry, 2007). The government of a country preserves those heritage sites to let their citizens as well as rest of the world know their history and pride. Heritage is the tradition and legacy that is come from the past to the present. Cultural heritage refers to the heritage sites that describe the unique culture of a society as well as in some cases it also refers to the culture of the whole nation. The growth of heritage and cultural industry in the UK: The interest of people toward the cultural and heritage sites is increasing day by day because of the unique feature of those sites. In past days the heritage sites were not much popular, only the people came to visits those sites, who actually needed the information from those sites. But due to the advance technology and increasing awareness of people heritage sites is become is most attractive tourist place (Agapiou, Lysandrou, and Hadjimitsis, 2016). Different kinds of people from different countries are come to visit this sites. The increased number of tourist brings money with them and their money directly contributes to the national GDP of UK. Different types of people come to visit these place such as_ students, researchers, tourists with family and so on. All of them have their own purpose to come here. Well, cultural and heritage sites in the UK play very significant role in the economic growth of UK. The heritage and cultural sites earning are 5.17 Billion barring the domestic tourists and including domestic tourists, the procuring are 16.05 billion. Furthermore, it likewise appears through the social and legacy site 252704 individuals are getting to Employment including the characteristic legacy. IN UK the appearance for the heritage and cultural site 194.83 million of individuals. As the tourists number is increasing day by day the earnings from this sector also increase day by day. And that also increases the overall GDP of UK as well as increase the standard of living. P1.2 Discuss potential conflicts in the conservation of heritage and cultural resources referring to the case studies. For this task, a case study is given, and the case study describes the city of Lhasa, Well as Lhasa is already developed with the cultural and heritage sites. The Chinese government recently thinks about the development in this city. The government wants to build theme parks in Lhasa as well as he also wants to build a hotel for the tourist who will come to visit the city. Based on the development different conflicts arise and this is described in this following report. Potential Conflicts of interests Reason of Conflicts of interests, based on the case study of Lhasa, Tibet The case study describes that the Chinese government recently think about the development in this city. The government wants to build theme parks in Lhasa as well as he also wants to build a hotel for the tourist who will come to visit the city (Wang, 2015). The criteria of development are very large. Well as Lhasa is already developed with the cultural and heritage sites. The hotel will contain 1000 rooms and it will be very luxurious. Well, it is true that if the development takes place various tourists will come to visit the city. The activity that is taken by the Chinese government is great. In any case, there is some issue with each activity. The potential clash emerges among the distinctive partner who is included with the advancement (Bowitz and Ibenholt, 2009). Despite the fact that the activity will convey more travelers to the nation, the improvement will cost such a variety of things. The advancement can hurt the indigenous habitat of this range and additionally the proprietors of the other private legacy locales imagine that if the amusement parks will create they may lose their vacationer. The nearby individuals imagine that if the advancement is getting so much high that may endure them with parcel more things, for example, expanding the swarming, there is a possibility of blunder, and in addition, there is additionally a shot for harmed the conveying limit of these destinations. Well, whatever the thing is, each improvement has advantages and disadvantages. Now and then the improvement brings bliss for somebody and then again, the same advancement brings wretchedness for the other one. Therefore, the creator needs to test the ramifications of the improvement before beginning the advancement (Vallega, 2003). As the time develops every one of the general population is included in the tourism business. Presently a days everyone of the families has a portion of the empty once per year and every one of the general population will go in consistently. For this kind of examination, there are one thing is certain that is we as a whole impacting the tourism business. At the point when the lions share of individuals picked in one nation then the economy of this nation increment and the nation will be financially dissolvable. So the Chinese need to test the ramifications of the advancement and after that, the administration ought to step up with regards to the genuine i mprovement. P2.1 Assess the purpose of heritage and cultural attractions in meeting the needs of the different customers The cultural and heritage sites are preserved by the government for the purpose of knowing people about their glorious history as well as culture. And the people only come to visit here when there will need it or they feel that they will get some benefit from the site if they visit. And if the people will not come to the purpose will not be fulfilled. For this reason, the responsible authority should give the proper benefit to the tourist so that they will come to visit the place and leave the place with huge satisfaction. Heritage and cultural attractions of British museum: The British museum is the national museum of UK and it is dedicated to the history of the country, the culture of the country, the human history, and legacy of the country. It also contains the cultural and art and preserves it for the next generation (UÄÅ ¸uryol and KulakoÄÅ ¸lu, 2013). It was built in 1753 but it was opened publicly in 1759. It contains and preserves almost 8 million of works in different criteria. British museum also preserves the experiment of scientist and their books that is why this destination is so much attractive for the researchers. In here there are several types of tourist come to visit, some of them are students, some of them are scientists, some of them are researchers, and some of them are the common people visiting with their family. Well, they all have their purposes to visit. Students are come here to visit as they can learn so much from here, the researchers come here to get the information that is necessary for their researcher, scienti sts come here to visit and experience the previous works, and common people are actually come here to visit such historical sites with their family and they also interested in the history of this site. Well, as a different tourist has different interests, the management should ensure that all of the different interests can fulfil by the historical sight. So that the tourist and leave the place happily. Heritage and cultural attractions of Royal Academy of Arts: Royal academy of Arts is also most attractive heritage sights which are able to get the attention of people toward it. This site is dedicated to delivering the culture of this country as well as arts through different programs such as_ exhibitions, arranging events, seminars, campaigns etc. Different types of people are come to visit this place, some of them are students, some of them are scientists, some of them are researchers, and some of them are the common people visiting with their family (Severo and Venturini, 2015). Well, they all have their purposes to visit. Students are come here to visit as they can learn so much from here, the researchers come here to get the information that is necessary for their researcher, scientists come here to visit and experience the previous works, and common people are actually come here to visit such historical sites with their family and they also interested in the history of this site. Royal Academy of Arts delivers the history, pride, and h onor of the country through different culture, art and so on. To meet the need of its customer the organization should have to deliver the attraction according to the customers need. P3.1 Evaluate the Impact of different types of ownership on the management of heritage and cultural sites The management of cultural and heritage sites vary according to its ownership styles. In the UK there are lots of cultural and heritage sites are available and their ownership style also varies. Most of the cultural sites are owned by the government of UK, but there are some other heritage sites that are managed privately. And some of the cultural and heritage sites are managed by the joint public-private partnership. The impact of these different types of ownership styles on the management of the cultural and heritage sites are discussed below. Public Ownership Under public ownership, the management is controlled and monitored by the government of that country (Sanna, Atzeni and Spanu, 2008). In the UK the management of the British museum is controlled by the government of that country. IT is the national museum of UK and it is dedicated to the history of the country, the culture of the country, the human history, and legacy of the country. It also contains the cultural and art and preserves it for the next generation. It was built in 1753 but it was opened publicly in 1759. It contains and preserves almost 8 million of works in different criteria. British museum also preserves the experiment of scientist and their books that is why this destination is so much attractive for the researchers. In here there are several types of tourist come to visit, some of them are students, some of them are scientists, some of them are researchers, and some of them are the common people visiting with their family. The overall management of British Museum i s controlled by the government of UK as it is a national asset of UK. Private or commercial Ownership Under private ownership, the management of the sites as well as the overall control of those sites is controlled privately. There are various cultural and heritage sites are available in the UK that is controlled under private ownership. British Academy of Arts is one of the best examples of Private ownership. Royal academy of Arts is also most attractive heritage sights which are able to get the attention of people toward it (Rugani et al., 2011). This site is dedicated to delivering the culture of this country as well as arts through different programs such as_ exhibitions, arranging events, seminars, campaigns etc. Royal Academy of Arts delivers the history, pride, and honor of the country through different culture, art and so on. To meet the need of its customer the organization should have to deliver the attraction according to the customers need. Though it is controlled by the private ownership the owner should follow the rules and regulation that are imposed by the government. P3.2 Roles and responsibilities of organizations in the heritage and cultural industry As the heritage and cultural sites are managed by various ownership styles, each and every organization has to play some roles and responsibilities to manage the cultural and heritage sites. There are several types of tourist come to visit cultural and heritage sites, some of them are students, some of them are scientists, some of them are researchers, and some of them are the common people visiting with their family (Pinder and Vallega, 2003). Well, they all have their purposes to visit. Students are come here to visit as they can learn so much from here, the researchers come here to get the information that is necessary for their researcher, scientists come here to visit and experience the previous works, and common people are actually come here to visit such historical sites with their family and they also interested in the history of this site. Well, as a different tourist has different interests, the management should ensure that all of the different interests can fulfil by the historical sight. So that the tourist and leave the place happily. Cause they are the health of that organizations. If the tourist will not come then there will be no purpose for keeping these types of sites (Marrion, 2016). Well, for that the management of that organization should have to promote the destinations and they also have to provide those facilities that the tourists of these potential sights are seeking. Well, the management of this type of organization also responsible for keeping every important work within this organization as the national property. P4.1 Evaluate methods and media used for interpretation within the heritage and cultural industry for tourists. Cultural and heritage sites are becoming most popular places for a visit for the tourist in present days. From our college recently we took a tour to two most popular cultural and heritage sites of UK, one is British museum and another is Royal Academy of Arts (MacKinnon, 2014). Well, the management of those sites is actually responsible for the promotion of those sites. Different tourist has different interests, the management should ensure that all of the different interests can fulfil by the historical sight. So that the tourist and leave the place happily. Cause they are the health of that organizations. If the tourist will not come then there will be no purpose for keeping these types of sites (Khakzad and Van Balen, 2012). Well, for that the management of that organization should have to promote the destinations and they also have to provide those facilities that the tourists of these potential sights are seeking. Under public ownership, the management is controlled and monitor ed by the government of that country. In the UK the management of the British museum is controlled by the government of that country. IT is the national museum of UK and it is dedicated to the history of the country, the culture of the country, the human history, and legacy of the country. It also contains the cultural and art and preserves it for the next generation. Under private ownership, the management of the sites as well as the overall control of those sites is controlled privately. There are various cultural and heritage sites are available in the UK that is controlled under private ownership. British Academy of Arts is one of the best examples of Private ownership (Kahl, 2015). Royal Academy of Arts delivers the history, pride, and honor of the country through different culture, art and so on. As the tourists number is increasing day by day the earnings from this sector also increase day by day. And that also increases the overall GDP of UK as well as increase the standard of living. So the management of this organization has to promote these destinations to the potential tourists by using various media and most popular Medias are_ social networking sites, websites, web page, campaigns, the internet, television and so on. The UK is very rich with its heritage sites. Well, most of the heritage sites are man-made but there are some heritage sites that are natural such as wildlife, natural landscape, woodland, national parks and so on. Well, in the UK most of the attractive man-made heritage sites are_ British museum, Royal Academy of Arts, and in the UK there are lots of heritage historical buildings, monuments, a sculpture that make the heritage sites of UK rich. The management of cultural and heritage sites vary according to its ownership styles. In the UK there are lots of cultural and heritage sites are available and their ownership style also varies. Most of the cultural sites are owned by the government of UK, but there are some other heritage sites that are managed privately. And some of the cultural and heritage sites are managed by the joint public-private partnership. The management should ensure that all of the different interests can fulfil by the historical sight. So that the tourist and l eave the place happily. Cause they are the health of that organizations. If the tourist will not come then there will be no purpose for keeping these types of sites. For this reason, the responsible authority should give the proper benefit to the tourist so that they will come to visit the place and leave the place with huge satisfaction. References Agapiou, A., Lysandrou, V. and Hadjimitsis, D. (2016). The Cyprus coastal heritage landscapes within Marine Spatial Planning process. Journal of Cultural Heritage. Andrà ©s, M. (2013). Resources online in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage. Estudos de Conservaà §Ãƒ £o e Restauro, 1(2). Apostolakis, A. and Jaffry, S. (2007). The effect of cultural capital on the probability to visit cultural heritage attractions. International Journal of Tourism Policy, 1(1), p.17. Bowitz, E. and Ibenholt, K. (2009). Economic impacts of cultural heritage Research and perspectives. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 10(1), pp.1-8. Kahl, C. (2015). Ethnic and minority cultures as tourist attractions. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 11(2), pp.203-204. Khakzad, S. and Van Balen, K. (2012). Complications and Effectiveness ofIn SituPreservation Methods for Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 14(1-4), pp.469-478. MacKinnon, R. (2014). Heritage Conservation, UNESCO and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Eastern Canada. Ethnology, 36(1), p.383. Marrion, C. (2016). More effectively addressing fire/disaster challenges to protect our cultural heritage. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 20, pp.746-749. Pinder, D. and Vallega, A. (2003). Coastal cultural heritage and sustainable development: an introduction. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 4(1), pp.3-4. Rugani, B., Pulselli, R., Niccolucci, V. and Bastianoni, S. (2011). Environmental performance of a XIV Century water management system: An energy evaluation of cultural heritage. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 56(1), pp.117-125. Sanna, U., Atzeni, C. and Spanu, N. (2008). A fuzzy number ranking in project selection for cultural heritage sites. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 9(3), pp.311-316. Severo, M. and Venturini, T. (2015). Intangible cultural heritage webs: Comparing national networks with digital methods. New Media Society, 18(8), pp.1616-1635. UÄÅ ¸uryol, M. and KulakoÄÅ ¸lu, F. (2013). A preliminary study for the characterization of Kà ¼ltepes adobe soils with the purpose of providing data for conservation and archaeology. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 14(3), pp.e117-e124. Vallega, A. (2003). The coastal cultural heritage facing coastal management. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 4(1), pp.5-24. Wang, J. (2015). Flood risk maps to cultural heritage: Measures and process. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 16 (2), pp.210-220.

Red Adair :: essays research papers

Intro - "I've done made a deal with the devil. He said he's going to give me an air-conditioned place when I go down there, if I go there, so I won't put all the fires out." A genuine American hero, Red Adair fought the most terrifying force of nature all over the world for more than 50 years. The oil fires were so hot they melt nearby cars and could roast a man in an instant. Red Adair was an innovator in the development of new fire-fighting techniques that make the oil fields safer and time after time he would risk his own life challenging the most disastrous oil fires of modern times. I. Birth and Childhood. A. Paul N. "Red" Adair was born June 18, 1915 in Houston, Texas. 1. His parents, Mary and Charles Adair, also had four other sons and three daughters. 2. The family lived in the Heights of Houston where his father worked as a blacksmith. B. After attending Harvard Elementary School and Hogg Junior High School, he quit Reagan High School to help support the family. He held many different jobs from the time he quit high school until he went to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1936. II. Career A. In 1938 Red was hired by the Otis Pressure Control Company, his first oil related job. B. Red continued to work at odd jobs in the oil patch until he was inducted into the United States Army in 1945. 1. Red served in the 139th Bomb Disposal Squadron through the end of World War II and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. 2. He returned home to Houston following the war and went to work for Myron Kinley, the original pioneer of oil well fire and blowout control. Red continued to work for and with Mr. Kinley until 1959. C. After fourteen years with the M. M. Kinley Company, Red resigned and formed Red Adair Company, Inc. to control oil well fires and blowouts. 1. Through Red Adair Company, Red pioneered the development of modern-day effective Wild Well Control techniques and equipment and earned his reputation as "best in the business." 2. Red and other members of his firefighting team averaged controlling over 42 oilwell fires and blowouts per year, inland and offshore, all over the world. Red and his men represent over a century of Wild Well Control and expertise, completing over 1,000 jobs internationally. III. Awards and Accomplishments A. One of Red's greatest tasks and accomplishments occurred in 1991 following the Gulf War with Iraq.

Misc-En-Scene Sin City

For my essay on mise-en-scene, I will be talking about Sin City, written and directed by Frank Miller, Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino. In this film, there are many unique techniques used by the directors to portray emotions, hidden meanings and to determine mood. Sin City is a bold and brutal adaptation of the graphic novels written by Frank Miller. Mise-en-scene is a cinematic term, which refers to techniques used by directors to help construct a specific onscreen representation. It consists of the setting of the film, costume and make up, lighting, staging, and last of all, time and space. The scene that I will be analyzing would be the scene in which Marv confronts Cardinal Roark and forces him to confess, after which Marv kills him. Marv, a brute of a man, is one of the protagonists in this film. He wakes up after a one-night stand with a prostitute ‘Goldie’ and she lies beside him dead. Marv realized that he has been framed and goes on a vengeful rampage to uncover the truth. He kills Kelvin who is a cannibal who murders and consumes people, and finds out the Kelvin was the cardinal’s ward. The setting of this scene is in the Cardinal’s room where it is dark and we can barely make out the furniture present inside. Color symbolism is extreme in the entire film; the film is almost entirely inked in black and white. The directors created the film using the visually stunning black and white style of film noir to emphasize cynical and extreme attitudes and sexual motivations. Film noir is used to depict the darker aspects of modernity, and is usually set in a criminal milieu; exactly what this film needed. The narrative and existential angst that drives a male protagonist and a voluptuous femme fatale who seduces the protagonist for her own benefits are the gist of film noir, which are present in Sin City. Goldie used Marv for his huge size and brute strength to protect her, while Marv had feelings for Goldie. Her murder drives him mad and fuels his rage to find her killer. Sin City can be classified as a neo-noir film, which possesses elements of film noir, but with updated themes and visual elements that were absent in classic film noir. However, it is the color rendering in this film that is unique. The retained or added color to certain objects is an amazing technique, bringing out the emotions of the character or empathize the significance of the object. In the confrontation scene, the eyes of Cardinal Roark are painted green and it is the only other color present in that picture of black and white. The color of the eyes shown would make the audience focus on Cardinal Roark as he confess, and to be drawn to ponder on his sick thoughts and emotions. Green color may have been used to depict a sense of evil and perverse present in the Cardinal, and true to the saying â€Å"The eyes are the windows to a person’s soul. The color red is rendered many times in the strikingly monochromatic film, mainly in the form of bloodshed or love objects like the heart-shaped bed where Marv and Goldie had their one night affair. Red is meant to depict extreme violence, death, love and vulnerability in Sin City and it plays an important role in stimulating the emotions of the audience. In spite of this, red is only used when it is required and not all blood is painted red. In some scenes, the blood is left as white colored to show that it is not as significant in the film. There is a scene in the flashback during Cardinal Roark’s confession, in which Goldie is fully colored from her yellow locks to her fiery red dress and the color of her skin. The idea was to illustrate how beautiful Goldie was in Marv’s eyes and how full of life Goldie was to Marv in the dreadful Sin City. Besides the color in the scene I have chosen, there are flashes of brilliant color at different junctions of the film. There is one scene where the prostitutes in Old Town, depicting justice served in a crude way, stain the skies red during the massacre of mercenaries. One very distinct color I would like to point out would be the Yellow Bastard’s skin color at the last part of the film. The connotation of yellow in this case, will be to represent dirty, pungent and obnoxious, so true to Yellow Bastard’s character that even his blood bleeds yellow. The costumes and makeup play another important element of mise-en-scene. As in the case of the dressing of the prostitute Goldie, the elegant and sexy dresses that she dons in the film help her play the part of the seductress. The blonde locks along with the blood-red lipstick she possess give the audience the vibe that she is a femme fatale. On the other hand, Marv is clothed throughout in a black trench coat with a white singlet inside, displaying his heedless of caution attitude. The actor playing Marv, Mickey Rourke is portrayed as the graying behemoth embodied underneath a ton of facial make-up to make him look grotesque and fierce. Besides that, Kelvin wears a pair of glasses to invoke the look of a creepy psychopath killer. All this costumes and makeup contribute in building the personalities of the characters in Sin City, empowering them with attributes the directors require them to have. In the lighting context for Sin City, low-key lighting is utilized throughout the film. Low-key lighting or chiaroscuro is present in the scene that I mentioned, with artificial light shone through the windows of the Cardinal’s room. The room is supposedly pitch dark and the only light present comes from outside the window. Thus creating a dimly lit scene, which gives the audience a feel of the impending doom of Cardinal Roark. Strong shadows engulf both the Cardinal and Marv, generating tension between the both characters. Marv’s face is barely visible at times, only a portion shown by the lighting. I believe by making the room so dark, it forces the audience to focus on what is visible. The weak light shone on Kelvin’s decapitated head also creates an eerie feel. At the final part of the scene whereby Marv presumably cuts Cardinal Roark’s throat, the darkness and shadows conceal the gore that ensues. The low-key lighting acts to dampen the effect of the violence as the details are being obscured. Furthermore, in the flashback during the confession of the cardinal, there is a shot of Kelvin with bright lighting shown from behind him. His entire face is black due to the shadow and his glasses were the only thing white in color. The effect creates such a deviant character and literally sends chills down one’s spine. On the whole, the sinister environment of Sin City is primarily submerged in low-key lighting, except in dramatic epic sequences, where the directors want the audience to see the details clearly. Another important aspect of misc-en-scene used in a film is the staging. Staging refers to the movement and placement of actors and objects. In the chosen scene, Marv breaks into Cardinal Roark’s room, shows him the decapitated head of Kelvin and places it on the table. â€Å"The dog ate the rest†, Marv tells Roark straight in his face. Marv does that to show his hostility towards Roark and to instill fear in him, but it does not seem to work as Roark just got out from his bed to examine the head. The act of Marv drawing his gun from his holster tells the audience that Marv was all ready to shoot Cardinal Roark in the head. His stance is in standing position while Roark just sat there without fleeing. This shows that Roark was ready to accept his fate. Yet, Marv did not blast his head to smithereens. He sat down across Roark to listen to his confession before murdering him. He smokes a cigarette as he listened to Roark, taking his time. All of this staging tells us that he wanted pleasure in killing the cardinal slowly. Expression on the characters is a critical part of staging and in a scene of confrontation as such, it plays a huge role. The expression on Marv’s face in the cardinal’s room remained unusually calm, without showing much rage. It creates a very tense atmosphere in the room, keeping the audience in suspense over when Marv would end Roark’s life. On the other hand, Roark was almost expressionless when he confessed to Marv about his perverse deeds and till the very end when he was killed in cold blood. There was only a slight tinge of nervousness when he saw Kelvin’s head. This scene illustrates vividly about a man who knows he is about to meet his doom and a man who is determined to take the life of another. It is the part where dark truth is revealed. Speech used is another element of mise-en-scene, not only can it invoke thoughts in the audience, it can bring out the true nature of the character. The rampaging Marv finally achieves his maniacal madman majesty when he answers Cardinal Roark’s final question of whether killing him would satisfy him, Marv answers â€Å"The killing? No, no satisfaction. Everything up to the killing, it’d be gas. † From that, we find out that although the diabolical priest and his ward deserve to die, Marv in fact enjoys torturing people and the speech alone reveals the sadistic nature in him. The camera is focused all the time on the closed-up faces of Marv and Roark when either one is speaking. In cinematography, facing the camera is the position with the most intimacy as the character is looking in our direction and we are able to see the expressions on his face, engaging our attention. Hence in a scene like this, the closed-up face positioning would be best. Close ups give the audience time to judge a character and create mood and tension between the two characters present. In the scene, I realize that the camera points upward towards Marc, giving the audience the perception that he is the powerful and dominating character now. The camera is high angled when focused on Roark, the cannibalistic cardinal, making him seem powerless and pitiful. The computer-generated monochromatic landscape of Sin City is both elegant and vivid. Presence of retro sets and vintage cars make the city seem like a city decades again, except when one of the thugs in the film drives a Ferrari from the modern world. This means that it could be a retro-modern world or it could be set today, just that the city is still in the 40s era. The costumes donned by the characters are weird for modern day fashion, from trench coats to stripper wear. It is perhaps pulp noir imagination and visualization of a world found only in graphic novels. The use of shallow depth of field in the scene I choose, allowed the subject to be isolated from the background. It serves to direct the audience’s gaze upon the expressions of the two characters. Depth is also created by lighting, which reveals or hides the parts, which the director want the audience to see. The scene is also set up in a small room to confine the background and focus on the characters. In this essay, I have analyzed how the directors used cinematographic elements of mise-en-scene to convey meaning and stimulate response in the audience in the particular scene. Mise-en-scene is extremely important in filmmaking and has to be incorporated in every film, how well the individual or combined mise-en-scene techniques are used will help create the desired meanings in each scene.

Net Present Value method Essay

1. Net Present Value method is one of the methods used in capital budgeting. The NPV is based on the discontinued cash flow. A company that has a proposal for a new project or an investment uses the NPV method to decide if they should accept it or move on with a different investment. This method provides valuable information to the management about the cash outflows related to the investment and cash inflows from the investment with the consideration of the time value of money. The time value of money has been considered in this method because the money invested today will have a different value in the future. The cost capital is the minimum rate of  return that the proposed investment needs to reach in order to be accepted. When computing the Net Present Value the future cash outflows and inflows are discounted at present value at the rate of the cost of capital. If the required rate of return is lower than the cost of capital, then the company should reject the project and should not engage with it any further. On the other hand, if the required rate of return is even or higher, then the investment will be able to bring the profit that will provide founds to pay liabilities to company’s creditor and shareholders. 2. Under Internal Rate of Return the investment is evaluated based on the expected rate of return. The IRR for a cash flow is an interest rate that results in a NPV equal to zero. In this method the cost of capital is used and also known as hurdle rate. Hurdle rate is the minimum rate that the investment needs to reach in order to be accepted by the management. After computing the IRR, the decision making body compares the IRR results to the cost of capital rate. If the IRR is equal or higher that hurdle rate, the investment can be accepted, if lower – project should be rejected.

Introduction to the Middle Paleolithic

Introduction to the Middle Paleolithic The Middle Paleolithic period (ca 200,000 to 45,000 years ago or so) is the period during which Archaic humans including Homo sapiens neanderthalensis appeared and flourished all over the world. Handaxes continued in use, but a new kind of stone tool kit was createdcalled the Mousterian, it included purposefully prepared cores and specialized flake tools. The living method in the Middle Paleolithic for both Homo sapiens and our Neanderthal cousins included scavenging, but there is also clear evidence of hunting and gathering activities. Deliberate human burials, with some evidence (if somewhat controversial) of ritual behavior, are found at a handful of sites such as La Ferrassie and Shanidar Cave. By 55,000 years ago, archaic humans were tending to their elderly, in evidence at sites such as La Chapelle aux Saintes. Some evidence for cannibalism is also found in places such as Krapina and Blombos Cave. Early Modern Humans in South Africa The Middle Paleolithic ends with the gradual disappearance of the Neanderthal and the ascendancy of Homo sapiens sapiens, about 40,000-45,000 years ago. That didnt happen overnight, however. The beginnings of modern human behaviors are mapped out in the Howiesons Poort/Stillbay Industries of southern Africa beginning perhaps as long ago as 77,000 years and leaving Africa along a Southern Dispersal Route. Middle Stone Age and the Aterian A handful of sites seem to suggest that the dates for the change to the Upper Paleolithic are way out of whack. The Aterian, a stone tool industry long thought to have been dated to the Upper Paleolithic, is now recognized as Middle Stone Age, dated perhaps as long ago as 90,000 years ago. One Aterian site showing early Upper Paleolithic-type behavior but dated much earlier is at Grottes des Pigeons in Morocco, where shell beads dated 82,000 years old have been discovered. Another problematic site is Pinnacle Point South Africa, where red ochre use has been documented at ca 165,000 years ago. Only time will tell if these dates continue to be held up. And Neanderthal hung on, too; the latest known Neanderthal site is Gorhams Cave in Gibraltar, about 25,000 years ago. Finally, the debate still is unsettled about the Flores individuals who may represent a separate species, Homo floresiensis, dated to the Middle Paleolithic but extending well into the UP.

Changing Dialect of Singapore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Changing Dialect of Singapore - Essay Example Tan has made it a point to continue to work with the original language of Singapore to keep the memory of the past alive and to embrace the past through the use of speaking. Tan has made an effort with the younger generations to continue to speak in the main language of Malay. â€Å"If we lose our culture through language, then what do we have left? I believe it is important to continue to remember what we speak, where we are from and what the ancient history is of this land,† says Tan. To him, the idea of keeping the language alive is also a part of keeping the memories and heritage and of his world as a part of the everyday lifestyle. For Tan’s children and grand children, understanding the language isn’t one that they rebel against and often find that the extra dialect helps them to stay ahead in their own thinking. â€Å"Even though we learn English in school, we like having the Malay dialect as a part of our upbringing. It makes us feel unique and like we a re truly from Singapore,† says Tan’s grandchild. This attitude is one that many who are able to speak in two dialects carry with them as they progress forward with the understanding of different dialects. The languages of Singapore have undergone changes through every generation, even though they are kept alive through stories such as Tan. English is now recognized as the main language of the land, specifically because of the colonialization that took place in the 1820s by James Cook. However, there is also an influence of Mandarin, Chinese and Indian dialects, all which have come from the several who have migrated to Singapore through time. This is combined with the main dialect of Malay which is spoken by those who are considered as native to the land. The mixture of languages has led to the four main dialects of English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil becoming the main dialects of the island. It is not only the recognition of the four main dialects that influences the dive rsity of Singapore. While it is a small island, the influx of immigration into the land and the philosophies, such as what Tan has, continue to alter the dialects which are spoken in various regions. For instance, the recognition of Mandarin Chinese as a dialect is only one of several ethnic ways of speaking that are in the region. When visiting Singapore, you will note that Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese and Cantonese are also spoken among households. No more than 10 -20% speak these languages and most is recognized in the home; however, the strong traditions keep the dialects such as these strong and alive (Chan, 2009). The alterations of dialect have also led to a creation of mixtures of each of the languages. A combination of English and Malay, for instance, is commonly heard among locals when they are working to converse among others who know more English. This is a common practice of those in the region, specifically with older generations who have not been educated with t he formal applications of English in the nation. The split of languages is known to have occurred specifically with waves of immigration which occurred from the 1800s. The beginning of the Malays and the structure of Singapore as a country was one which was noted as the dominant culture through this time. Ancient beliefs were kept during this time as well as patterns for economic trade and village life. While there were some fluctuations in Arabic and immigrants from other lands, most adapted to the Malay traditions and way of living. It was from the 1800s –

Summary of the article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary of the article - Assignment Example Few years after 1612, tobacco sale in the London market competed with imported Spanish leaf and commanded steep prices. Virginia discovered tobacco production to be profitable. The tobacco shipment registered a drastic increase between the years 1680 and 1627 despite an Indian attack that killed nearly 400 of Virginia’s colonists (DeFord 1). According to Robert’s history, tobacco culture dominated the region between the southern boundary of Pennsylvania and the northern tidewater area of North Carolina. Seek for a more productive and fertile land steered America’s westward expansion. Human resource became an essential requirement in Maryland and Virginia with increasing hard work in the fields. In 1660, legal slavery appeared for the first time in Maryland and Virginia. Tobacco production continued to rise despite the fluctuating prices. Farmers of Tidewater incurred enormous debts to the British tobacco merchants. After 1750, financial crises abroad forced English merchants to demand payment from the planters. After the revolutionary war, negotiators calculated Virginians to account for millions of pounds of the

Review of the film The Immortal Beloved Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Review of the film The Immortal Beloved - Essay Example After this, Ludwig and Casper’s relationship was increasingly strained, and Ludwig continuously referred to Johanna as a whore, even going so far as to attempt to have her arrested. The implication was that the reason why he wanted her arrested was because she was a whore, and he burst into the room when Johanna and Casper were lying naked. The movie also portrayed Ludwig as relentlessly pushing his nephew Karl towards music, even though Karl could not play very well and desired to be a soldier. While there is some truth to these complicated relationships that he had with Casper, Johanna and Karl, there are also many inconsistencies with the historical truth, according to Maynard Solomon (1977). According to Solomon, there was some hostility between Ludwig and Casper, due to Casper’s marriage to Johanna, as he wrote â€Å"my brother’s marriage was as much an indication of his immorality as of his folly† (Solomon, 1977, p. 299). Solomon stated that the reas on why Ludwig was against the marriage was because Casper and Johanna had premarital sex, as Johanna was pregnant with Casper’s child before they got married. ... Solomon stated that Casper did small errands for Ludwig, and that Ludwig actually stated with Casper and Johanna when the French bombarded Vienna in 1809. Solomon also stated that the relationship between the brothers was on and off – â€Å"After 1812, the brothers were in close contact, which, for them, consisted of furious conflicts alternating with passionate reconciliations† (Solomon, 1977, p. 299). Solomon also stated that, in the conflict between the brothers, that Johanna played the part of the peacemaker. This is also in contrast to the film, as Johanna never played the part of the peacemaker, and it appears that her relationship with Ludwig was constantly stormy. In the end, the film stated that Johanna was the immortal beloved in the letter. This is in contrast to Solomon, who stated that, while Beethoven probably did have a secret attraction to Johanna, and theorized that Beethoven took his nephew Karl from Johanna to keep Johanna in his life, there was no in dication that Beethoven and Johanna had an affair. The way that Solomon described Beethoven’s attraction to Johanna was that it was unacknowledged, even to himself - Solomon stated that Beethoven’s hostility and apparent hatred towards Johanna was a form of denial for his actual love and attraction for her – â€Å"Feelings of love that have not yet become manifest express themselves to begin with by hostility and aggressive tendencies† (Solomon, 1977, p. 306). This implies that Beethoven never actually stated, even to himself, that he was in love with Johanna, so she probably was not the immortal beloved. As for Beethoven’s relationship with his nephew, there is no indication in Solomon’s writings that Beethoven tried to push young Karl

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay Chapter 1 The narrator and one of the top-two main characters is Nick Carraway. He is a mix of narrator and author of the book. The first thing you encounter in the book is Nick commenting on himself. He characterizes himself as a very highly moral and highly tolerant person. He briefly mentions the hero of his story, Jay Gatsby, saying that Gatsby represented everything he scorns, but he will exempt Gatsby from his usual judgments. The actual story begins when Nick arrived in New York, this in year 1922. He moved there to work in the bond business and rented a house on a part of Long Island called West Egg. Here are some major differences between the place West and East Egg. West Egg is a place for the ? new? rich, those who have made their fortunes recently. The houses are in totally different sizes. Nick’s house is small and poor of taste while Gatsby has a giant mansion. East Egg on the other hand is conservative, aristocratic and noble. Nick is unlike his neighbors, is not lack of social connections and noble pedigrees. He graduated from Yale and has lots of connections on East Egg. If we take a few steps forward in the book, we are in the middle of a dinner on the East egg. Nick is at his cousin’s place, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is married to a man named Tom Buchanan. Daisy seems to be very calm, but superficial and hides behind her proper shell. Tom is a powerful figure, dressed in riding clothes, greeting Nick on the porch and all that. This meeting will also be the first time Nick meets Jordan Baker, his future-flirt. There is never a very big focus on the Jordan and Nick romance even though it’s close to the main character. When Nick gets home he sees a very handsome young man standing in the lawn with his arms reaching towards the dark water, Gatsby. Nick is trying to understand what he is reaching for, but all he can see is a distant green light that might mark the end of the dock. Chapter 2 I found some parts of the book lengthy and not particular eventful and unfortunately chapter 2 was one of them. Basically two things happened. You get to understand the talent to create symbols Fitzgerald, the author, is. One example is a couple of eyes on a billboard in a gray valley halfway between West Egg and New York City, where ashes from New York were dumped. This valley is symbolizing a poor part of the population, the and the eyes could be seen as God or something powerful, since later one important incidents will occur under the watch of these never blinking eyes. The second event takes place on the fourth and final setting of the novel, which is New York City. Tom brought Nick here along with Tom’s lover, Myrtle Wilson. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to an apartment he keeps for his affairs. Here they have an impromptu party. Nick claims this is the second time in his life he gets drunk and finds the party very vulgar and tasteless, but even though is too fascinated by it to leave. He also realizes during the party that Tom do not feel any regret to be with another woman. Chapter 3 The main reason why Gatsby is so famous around New York is that he throws amazing parties every weekend at his mansion, to which people long to be invited. One day, Gatsby’s chauffeur brings Nick an invitation to one of these parties. Nick takes the short walk to Gatsby’s house and joins the party, feeling somewhat out of place amid the crowd of overjoyed strangers. It does not take long until Nick notice all the rumors going on about their host – no one seems to know the truth about Gatsby’s wealth or personal history. Some say he was a German spy during the war, a graduate of Oxford and the he once killed a man in cold blood, no one really knows. His parties are absolutely insane and almost unbelievably luxurious. Guests marvel over his Rolls-Royce, his pool, his beach, crates of fresh fruit, buffet tents, a live orchestra playing under the stars and liquor flows freely. Nick meets Jordan at the party and while the other guests get more and more drunk, they begin to wonder where Gatsby is. At midnight Nick and Jordan go outside to watch the entertainment. They sit at a table with a handsome young man who says that Nick looks familiar to him: they realize they served in the same division during the war. The man introduces himself as none other than Jay Gatsby. Nick becomes increasingly fascinated by Gatsby, who seems very elaborate and formal and has a habit of calling everyone ? old sport?. He notice that Gatsby does not drink and that he keeps himself separate from the party, standing alone on the marble steps, watching his guests in silence. The remainder of the chapter is basically about Nick’s everyday life. How he works in New York, meets women and so on. Nick follows an advice he got from Daisy and Tom – which is to date Jordan Baker. Jordan, who is a professional golf player, is regarding to Nick dishonest, selfish and cynical but he is attracted to her vitality nevertheless.

Facilities Available To Small Medium Enterprises In Mauritius Economics Essay

Facilities Available To Small Medium Enterprises In Mauritius Economics Essay Small and Medium Enterprises have been given differing definitions around the globe. Some countries refer to the number of employees as their distinctive criteria, some to the amount of invested capital in the business, and others a combine the amount of annual turnover, capital employed and type of industry. The definition of SMEs in Mauritius has evolved throughout the past years. According to the Small Scale Industry Act of 1988, a Small Enterprise is one which is engaged in manufacturing1 and which uses production equipment, the aggregate CIF value of which does not exceed Rs 500,000. The Industrial Expansion Act 1993 defines SMEs as enterprises which : are engaged in manufacturing use production equipment, the CIF value of which does not exceed Rs 10 m With time, came the Small and Medium Industry and Development Authority Act (SMIDO Act 1993) according to which SMEs are defined in terms of the size of capital employed and was an extension to the SSI Act 1988 definition. SMEs are defined as enterprises engaged in manufacturing and using production equipment in their manufacturing process which includes transformation/conversion of raw materials, repair, packing, assembly of semi-finished parts into finished goods. The production equipment refers to equipment directly related to production. Such value of production should not exceed Rs 5 million (SMIDO Act 1993). A revision of this definition by the SMIDO Act 1998 altered the value of production of Rs 5m to Rs 10m. Worth pointing out in those definitions quoted above that they consider only the manufacturing sector. Thus for this study, the most appropriate definition found was that of the SMEDA Act, which includes enterprises in all economic sectors, and so as to avoid sector specific criteria, turnover criteria is being used across sectors. Therefore, the SMEDA Act defines : Small enterprises as those who have an annual turnover of not more than 10 million MUR, and Medium Enterprises as those with an annual turnover of more than 10 million MUR but not more than 50 million MUR. 1. Manufacturing : transformation for commercial purposes of raw materials or semi-processed materials into finished or semi-finished goods including the repair, packaging and assembly of inputs into finished or semi-finished goods. For the study, both small and medium enterprises will be considered. Contribution of SMEs SMEs are the largest group of industrial units in most developing countries and make a significant contribution to manufacturing output and employment (Wignaraja 2003, p.2). According to the Organisation for Economic Coorperation and Development (OECD), factors such as a countrys economic patterns, social and cultural dimensions are reflected though their SMEs. Storey (1994) points out that small firms, no matter how they are defined, make up the bulk of enterprises in all economies around the world. The latter half of the last century has witnessed widespread roles SMEs and this cannot, in any way, be understated (Bygrave, 1994;Timmons,1994). On the issue of job creation, Andrew Stone (World Bank, 1997, Facts About Small business 1997) said that SMEs create more employment than large enterprises and with a lower investment per job created. To the layman, it is clear that creation of a Small and Medium enterprise is synonymous to job creation and economic growth. This fact is indeed not false. The positive link between SMEs and employment creation, poverty alleviation, and economic growth is universally acknowledged (Beyenne, 2000). In several countries, particularly in East Asia, they are the driving force of the economy. For instance, in Hong Kong, SMEs account for over 98% of the total establishments and provide job opportunities to about 1.3 million persons, about 60% of total employment.4 According to the Strategic Industrial and SMEs Plan 2010-2013, the emergence of SMEs in the Mauritius has contributed significantly to employment, output and entrepreneurship development within the industrial sector. The last census of the Central Statistical Office carried in 2007 reveals that there are around 91 980 small enterprises operating in Mauritius, an increase of about 22% from the 2002 figure of 74, 928. The survey also showed an increase of 18.8 % in the number of persons engaged by these institutions, from 175, 791 in 2002, to 208,797 in 2007, representing approximately 40% of employment. Furthermore, contribution to the Gross Domestic Product was 20%. 2. Currently the body regulating SMEs in Mauritius replacing the SEHDA 3. Mauritian SME Portal 4. Mauritian SME portal 5. CSO survey 2007 SMEs which are registered with the SMEDA2 and which will be under scrutiny in this study are categorised into 12 sectors as at 2010, namely, Food and Beverages, Leather and Garments, Wood and Furniture, Paper products and Printing, Chemical, Rubber and plastic, Handicrafts, Pottery and Ceramic, Jewellery and Related Items, Fabricated Metal Products, Profession/Vocation/Occupation, Trade and Commerce, Business Support Service Sector, Others.3 These total to around 6421 enterprises. Objectives of the study Having explained the various definitions of Small and Medium Enterprises and pointed out their importance and contribution to the Mauritian economy, it is now clear that these institutions play a key role in our country. Enterprises in developing countries, including Mauritius are facing far more competitive environments in this fast moving technological world (World Bank,1999). They are offered various facilities to start their business as well as to continue and also expand. Among those facilities we find financing, training, business counseling, marketing, information technology and export incentives. These are available with a view of better performance from these enterprises and also to make them more cost effective, produce better products in terms of design, quality and reliability to thus be able to compete with not only larger companies on the local market but also on the foreign market. Now, with the creation of many support institutions such as the Small and Medium Enterpr ises Development Authority (SMEDA), National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC), Human Resources Development Council (HRDC), Enterprise Mauritius (EM), Mauritius Employers Federation (MEF), Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM), Mauritius Business Growth Scheme (MBGS) which see to it that SMEs lack in nothing to operate, the latter have to take full advantage of these conveniences and also make the best use of them and thus reduce waste of resources. The main aim of this study is to analyse whether these facilities are being given in the right amount, too much, or too little in assistance of SMEs. Other objectives are as follows: Assess whether SMEs are taking full advantage of these facilities. Consider whether proper use is being made of aid and there is minimum waste of resources Investigate which of these facilities are more important for the creation and sustenance of SMEs 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 A look at the need for facilities It is now recognised that Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) make a significant contribution to the socio-economic and political infrastructure of developed and developing countries as well as the nations in transition from command to market economies (Matlay and Westhead 2005). Harper (1998) notes that the relative and absolute importance of small enterprises has grown enormously over the last twenty years; this real growth has been matched by appreciation of their role. SMEs were once considered as mere stepping stones to real business, but now they are being viewed as being a vital contributor to the income and development of people. It therefore follows that countries should be ready to help those businesses which come forward with viable projects in terms of providing aid such as finance, marketing, training, adoption of new technologies, export incentives and business counseling. Furthermore, it is also expected from these business units to make full use of such incentiv es being provided to them, usually at lower cost. A look at those incentives will show that while necessary, some are difficult to obtain and some are not used optimally even though they are available much easily. Below, is a detailed look at all the facilities that will be covered in the study. 2.2.1 Financing Importance of finance Financing is one of the most important success factors of any business, and Small and Medium Enterprises are no exception. Financing helps them set up and expand their operations, develop new products, and invest in new staff or production facilities. Many small businesses are created by one or two people, who might start by investing their own money and/or taking loans from friends and family, or loans from financial institutions. After some time in operation, if they are successful, there comes a time when they will feel the need to expand (OECD, 2006). Therefore, finance being the backbone of all firms, it should be accorded much attention. SMEs are today considered by many countries to be of a key importance to the growth of their economy in terms of GDP contribution and also job creation. It therefore follows that these institutions should be having no difficulties in finding funds to not only start their enterprise, but also for sustenance and growth. However, according to the United Nations, the lack of financial assistance is a persistent problem and it is the most serious barrier to SME growth and expansion. Available funds are often diverted to the larger enterprises and only an insignificant number of SMEs seem able to attract bank financing (UN, 1993). Westhead and Wright (2000) state that the absence of adequate funding represents a major obstacle to the entrepreneurial process in a firm regardless of size, location or type of economic activity. Some life style entrepreneurs can satisfy their small firms financial needs by requesting loans from their families, friends or acquaintances (Hussain and Matlay, 2007). Typically, however, it remains a fact that the vast majority of growth oriented SMEs rely on long-term funding made available by banks, financial institutions or venture capitalists. Research has shown that banks hesitate in giving finance aid to small businesses. Pasadilla (2010, p.7) pointed out that banks, in both normal and crisis period, usually give priority to low-risk borrowers like large enterprises with profitable investments and sound collateral (ADBI Working Paper 2010, p.7). Banks may avoid providing financing to certain types of SMEs, in particular, start ups and very young firms that typically lack sufficient collateral, or firms whose activities offer the possibilities of high returns but at a substantial risk of loss (OECD 2006, p.3). The lack of collateral being a prime reason for SMEs not obtaining finance, another rationale is that banks might still prefer to grant loans to large and less risky companies rather than SMEs. Additionally information asymmetries and inappropriate business plans might also be considerable factors resulting in little or no access to finance.*(Asia Pacific Environmental innovation strategies APEIS 2004). However, as Cosh and Hughes (2003) point out, banks remain the main supplier of external SME finance, though there may be various financing constraints. The main source of finance to SMEs are bank loans. For example, in the UK, the most predominant way of financing small businesses remains bank loans (D.Irwin and J.Scott 2009, p.2) As a response to the lack of collateral issue, countries might come up with Loan Guarantee schemes by either public or private sector. The main aim of such a scheme is to encourage financial institutions to offer finance to SMEs. Under this scheme, the government provides a guarantee to the lending banks on specific types of loans to potentially viable SMEs (National Economic Research Associates, 1990). In return, SMEs pay a premium to the government. Moreover, there are also collateral free schemes to alleviate the problem of lack of collaterals. In this scheme, the SMEs are not required to provide any guarantee at all. In India, SIDBI, UNIDO and Indian Institute for Rural Development (IIRD) have successfully implemented this kind of scheme (APEIS, 2004) Leasing also shows up as an attempt to avoid collaterals. The lessor will remains owner of the asset and the lessee will be required to pay amounts at regular intervals for the use of the leased equipment, vehicle, or any other asset on lease. At the end, the asset can be sold at a minimum price to the lessee. Indeed, leasing is a very common way of financing assets in many countries. Other means of obtaining finance can be through Equity financing, that is issuing shares to meet long term capital need, Overdraft where SMEs will be allowed to withdraw money in excess of their actual bank balance, however they will be faced with rather high interest rates Mutual Guarantee Scheme which as stated the Commission of the European Communities, give a collective guarantee for appropriations provided to their members, who in return contribute to raise the equity and participate in the management of the mutual society 2.2.2 Training Training has been defined as a planned and systematic effort to modify or develop knowledge, skills and attitudes through learning experiences, to achieve effective performance in an activity or a range of activities (Garavan et al, 1997). It has been advocated as essential for every job (Tyler, 2005) and SMEs make use of training facilities to varying extents and varying success. Training certainly brings about learning experience which has for aim to improve a persons ability to perform a job. Traditionally, it focuses on technical knowledge, skills and abilities to complete current tasks (Treven, 2003). When trained, SMEs will attain a higher knowledge of not only the product they are developing but also about issues like how to be abreast to better technology, how to approach people for example suppliers, clients, employees with better tact through human resources training. Furthermore, training provided to employees will increase the quality of labour employed in the product mak ing. The British Chamber of Commerce (2007) points out that with proper training scheme, SMEs will be able to preserve their staff. Training to SMEs can be : For the potential entrepreneur For employees of the enterprise Geared towards product development Adoption of new technology, for example moving from manual system to computerized For owners on human resource management On financial issues, e.g. costing, investment appraisal, budgeting and forecasting How to market the product However, according to Stanworth and Gray (1992), there has been an identification of industry effects and size effects in responsiveness to training; with very small firms being least interested in providing employee training. Size and industry in which the SMEs operate can indeed play an important role in whether the SMEs train or not. Small sized companies will be least interested in providing training for factors such as financial issues, and also due to practical considerations. For example, as Kailer (1988) states, SMEs might be reluctant to release employees to attend training interventions. Furthermore, training provided may be too general and not of specific relevance to the SME, resulting in the sector providing fewer training interventions (Westhead and Storey, 1996). Other disincentives that SMEs might face into not providing training is the little potential that these enterprises have in offering higher pay, and they are less equipped to provide internal promotions for employees. As Westhead and Storey (1996) argue, such characteristics, when combined with the resultant increased risk that employees may be poached lead to lower instances of SME training. Moreover, SMEs are often not aware of the training needs of their enterprise. They do not have the proper staff to analyse such need and advise them into providing some training. As a result, SMEs provide more informal*refers to mostly on the job training, tutoring and mentoring than formal* training in a systematic approach, more like seminars, grouping targeted trainees under one roof. training. Many SMEs admit that their training provisions are informal but are of the opinion that only formal training is real training (Curran,2000). However, very often due to financial constraints, SMEs prefer other forms of training. A study* Training needs and human resource development analysis of SMEs in Mauritius by the European Commission for the Human Resources Development Council of Mauritius in 2008 showed that of the 300 SMEs which interviewed, only 35 % trained on a regular basis and were aware of the training grants operated by the HRDC, and of these, only 31 % have used it. These SMEs tended to adopt in-house training. Reasons stated for training were mainly for business development and because of the company policy and reasons not to train included the reluctance of specialised skills, and the fact that the employees were already qualified. It was also found that there were significant differences between those enterprises that provided training on a regular basis and those which did not. A positive link was found between the propensity to grow and propensity to train. To encourage SMEs to train more, government can provide incentives, such as free training or financial aid, help to cope with labour shortages and hiring difficulties and provision more information to create better awareness. In central and eastern Canada, an important tool to promote training in small businesses is the provision of information about the courses and setting up of additional government programs (Andreea Dulipovici, 2003) 2.2.3 Marketing Literature of marketing Marketing is a vital and indispensable business activity for all types of organizations that create and offer products of value Marketing in Mauritius 2.2.4 ICT and SMEs For countries in the vanguard of the world economy, the balance between knowledge and resources has shifted so far towards the former that knowledge has become perhaps the most important factor determining the standard of living more than land, than tools, than labour. Todays most technologically advanced economies are truly knowledge-based. World Development Report, 1999 As the global economy becomes increasingly reliant on information and communications technology (ICT) to receive, process, and send out information, small businesses do not have to be left out. Adoption of the latest technology or at least basic tools of ICT helps small enterprises to better merge with the developing economy, and operate more cost effectively. It can help SMEs create business opportunities, combat pressures from competition and improve their products through faster communication with their clients and marketing of products online. In 2000, an organization that used paper took on average 7.4 days to move a purchase from request to approval, but if done electronically, only took 1.5 days (Cassidy, 2002) UNESCAP and UNDP-APDIP have collaborated extensively to help formulate strategic policies and building the necessary environment to encourage SMEs take advantage of the Internet to create business opportunities in Asia and the Pacific. Many countries such as India, Republic of Korea, and Taiwan have created suitable environments to ensure that SMEs are well positioned to capture emerging business opportunities in terms of better technology. India, for example, offered relief from import duties for IT hardware, tax deductions for income earned form software exports, and tax holidays, and developed infrastructure in Software Technology Parks*A strategic review of the software industry in India 1998-1999. At the outset it is not necessary that all SMEs need to adopt ICT tools to the same degree of sophistication (UNDP,2007). The relationship between ICT and SMEs starts on a ground as simple as the use of a telephone to contact suppliers, clients. A fixed line or a mobile phone will do, whichever is more cost effective. Another most common tool used is of course the Personal Computers (PCs). The latter are very helpful for simple information processing needs such as producing texts, writing letters, keeping track of accounting items using basic software. PCs can also be used to access the Internet for more advanced communications capabilities such as email, file sharing, creating websites, searching for information, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)* 30% of Skypes*VoIP programme used to communicate via the internet. Worldwide subscribers are primarily SMEs, and e-commerce. Electronic commerce has been defined as the process of buying and selling goods and services electronically through computerized business transactions using the Internet, networks and other digital technologies (Lauden and Lauden, 2000). It also encompasses activities supporting market transactions such as advertising, marketing, customer support, delivery and payment. ICT oriented SMEs might use advanced Information Technology software such as Enterprise Resource Planning*offers a single repository for information on all business functions. which can capture cost savings, or SCM software which helps increase productivity, efficiency of inventory controls, and increase sales through closer relationships and faster delivery times. These allow SMEs to better coordinate their business, especially if the latter is growing and diversifying. The extent to which ICT will be adopted in SMEs will depend on the size of the business, on the benefits its adoption is planned to bring, on the ICT capacity of the SME and its employees and also on the financing capabilities. Despite the advantages that adoption of ICT demonstrates, many SMEs do not make use of it. For example, 90% of Thai SMEs still use basic communication technology such as fixed phone line and fax, and only 1% use CRM software. In Malaysia, only 30% of the local SMEs have their own website, and not all of them are updated regularly. Fuller(1993) points out that despite the number of benefits to be gained from technology, based on the users perspective ,SMEs adopt technology according to their self assessments of how the new technologies will change bottom line profitability. 2.2.5 Business counselling and access to information 2.2.6 Export Incentives 2.3 Support institutions As Wignaraja and Oneil (1999) argue, for the size of the country and its stage of development, Mauritius has a particularly wide range of support services for the SME sector. The availability of such support is mainly ensured by the Government, parastatal bodies and financial institutions. Below is a deeper look at those institutions in Mauritius. 2.3.1 The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority Looking back at the historical background of institutions supporting SMEs in Mauritius, we find the creation of the Small Industry Unit (SSIU), established under the aegis of the then Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The SSIU became the Small Industry Development Organisation (SIDO) in 1983. 10 years later, the Small and Medium Industry Development Organisation was set up for further development of the SME sector in Mauritius. The SMIDO later merged with the National Handicraft Promotion Agency (NHPA) to form the Small Enterprises and Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA), whose main aim was to provide support to potential and existing SMEs. More recently (date needed) the SEHDA was replaced by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority. It is an agency of the Government that has aims like supporting and facilitating the development of entrepreneurship and SMEs in Mauritius. Apart from providing a range of services to the SME sector, SMEDA tries to sensitise the population, through workshops and seminars organized throughout the country, about The benefits of entrepreneurship Key issues/steps to consider and, procedures to follow when starting a business, and Facilities and resources provided by the SMEDA and other support institutions Services offered by the SMEDA Ease of Financing The SMEDA works in collaboration with the DBM to offer some financing aid to SMEs. In fact, DBM is the bank through which the Government provides finance at lower costs to SMEs. The SMEDA along with the bank provides a Booster (Micro Credit) Loan with a maximum amount of Rs 150, 000 at an interest charge of 9% per annum. No collateral is needed, but the entrepreneurs signing up for that loan need to provide a general floating charge as security. For this kind of loan, there is no need to submit a business plan. This amount is provided for the purchase of equipment and raw materials. The loan is repayable within 5 years and applies to enterprises in manufacturing, handicraft, trade, ICT and agriculture. Another loan is provided for an amount not exceeding Rs 40, 000, interest charge of 8.5 % per annum The SMEDA also provides grants under the Aegis of the Government Moreover DBM offers other financing schemes such as : The Business Development Loan scheme this applies to Manufacturing, Trade and Service, Transport, ICT, Tourism, Art and participation in overseas trade fairs and surveys. Business Counselling and Facilitation SMEDA helps potential entrepreneurs to prepare a business plan in order for them to secure financing from institutions, mainly the DBM. A Business Plan is one where the potential investor will lay down the description of his thought business and its plans for the next one to three years. It shows what the selected market of the product will be, and also indicates the finance available and what will be needed more to implement the project. As far as business counselling is concerned, potential entrepreneurs SMEDA provides advice about different issues such as discussing and finalizing their business idea. Also, not well-informed entrepreneurs obtain help on issues such as registering of the business, and other steps to follow in establishing their enterprise. Existing entrepreneurs are counselled about the difficulties they come up with, and how to take their business to the next level. SMEDA has also come up with an incubator system which helps entrepreneurs who lack physical space to carry on a project, given that the project is a viable one. The incubator is situated at the head office, in Coromandel. Information and Documentation A website has been recently created to help existing and potential businesspersons in their quest of running a business. This facility helps the cited persons to gather any information they need to set up a business, advice on market research, business plans, importance of financing and financing schemes, training schedules and locations, marketing and fairs organised, articles published by local as well as international bodies, online forms, support institutions are provided online. The site is as follows http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/smeportal/index.htm. Furthermore, there is the Documentation Centre which gives access to entrepreneurs and the general public to a collection of books, journals, magazines, project files and reports on various sectors. Training 2.3.2 Chapter 3 : Research methodology