The Culture of Overtesting in Americas Public Schools

Over the past several years, many parents and students have begun to launch movements against overtesting and the high stakes testing movement. They have begun to realize that their children are being stripped of an authentic educational experience that instead hinges on how they perform on a series of test over a period of a few days. Many states have passed laws that tie student test performance to grade promotion, the ability to obtain a driver’s license, and even the earning of a diploma. This has created a culture of tension and anxiety among administrators, teachers, parents, and students. High Stakes and Standardized Testing I spend quite a bit of my time thinking about and researching the topics of high stakes and standardized testing. I have written several articles on those subjects. This includes one where I consider my philosophical shift from not worrying about my student’s standardized test scores to deciding that I need to play the high stakes testing game and focus on preparing my students for their standardized tests. Since I made that philosophical shift, my students perform significantly better when compared to my students before I shifted my focus to teaching towards the test. In fact over the last several years I have had a near perfect proficiency rate for all of my students. While I am proud of this fact, it is also extremely disheartening because it has come at a cost. This has created a continuous internal battle. I no longer feel like my classes are fun and creative. I do not feel as if I can take the time to explore the teachable moments that I would have jumped on a few years ago. Time is at a premium, and nearly everything I do is with the one singular goal of preparing my students for testing. The focus of my instruction has been narrowed to the point that I feel as if I am trapped. I know that I am not alone. Most teachers are fed up with the current overtesting, high stakes culture. This has led many excellent, effective teachers to retire early or to leave the field to pursue another career path. Many of the remaining teachers have made the same philosophical shift I chose to make because they love working with kids. They sacrifice conforming to something which they do not believe in to keep doing the job they love. Few administrators or teachers see the high stakes testing era as something positive. Many opponents would argue that a single test on a single day is not indicative of what a child truly has learned over the course of a year. Proponents say that it holds school districts, administrators, teachers, students, and parents accountable. Both groups are right to some extent. The best solution to standardized testing would be a middle ground approach. Instead, the Common Core State Standard era has in some degree ushered in increased pressure and continued over-emphasis on standardized testing. Common Core States Standards The Common Core States Standards (CCSS) have had a significant impact on ensuring this culture is here to stay. Forty-two states currently utilize the Common Core State Standards. These states utilize a shared set of English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics educational standards. However, the controversial Common Core has lost some of its luster due in part to several states parting ways with them after initially planning to adopt them,  Even still there is rigorous testing intended to assess student understanding of the Common Core State Standards. There are two consortiums charged with building these assessments: Partnership for Assessment and Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC) SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). Originally, PARCC assessments were given to students over the course of 8-9 testing sessions in grades 3-8. That number has since been reduced to 6-7 testing sessions, which still seems excessive. The driving force behind the high stakes testing movement is two fold. It is both politically and financially motivated. These motivations are interlocked. The testing industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Testing companies win political support by pumping thousands of dollars into political lobbying campaigns to ensure that candidates who support testing are voted into office. The political world essentially holds school districts hostage by tying both federal and state money to standardized tests performance. This, in large part, is why district administrators put pressure on their teachers to do more to increase test performance. It is also why many teachers bow to the pressure and teach directly to the test. Their job is tied to the funding and their family understandably trumps their internal convictions. Overtesting Era The overtesting era is still strong, but hope arises for opponents of high stakes testing. Educators, parents, and students are beginning to awaken to the fact that something needs to be done to reduce the amount of and overemphasis of standardized testing in America’s public schools. This movement has gained much steam within the past few years as many states have suddenly reduced the amount of testing they required and repealed legislation that tied test scores to areas such as teacher evaluations and student promotion. Even still there is more work do be done. Many parents have continued to lead an opt-out movement in the hope that it will eventually rid or drastically reduce the public school standardized testing requirements. There are several websites and Facebook pages dedicated to this movement.   Educators like me appreciate the parental support on this issue. As I mentioned above, many teachers feel trapped. We either quit what we love to do or conform to how we are mandated to teach. This does not mean that we cannot voice our displeasure when given the opportunity. For those who believe that there is too much emphasis placed on standardized testing and that students are being overtested, I encourage you to figure out a way to make your voice heard. It may not make a difference today, but eventually, it could be loud enough to put an end to this insatiable practice.

Capital budgeting with hedging is advantageous to a firm conducting

Essays on Capital budgeting with hedging is advantageous to a firm conducting business in the international business environment Research Paper Capital Budgeting with Hedging is Advantageous to a Firm Conducting Business in the International Business Environment Literature Review Large and drastic fluctuations in exchange rates pose a primary challenge to corporates firms operating in the current globally integrated market. Today’s business environment is complex, the competition most corporates face leads to artificial selection process whereby only organizations that can conform to the rule of the game play it for long. Otherwise, the unlucky ones who play the wrong economic cards bow out of the race unless they make quick survival decisions. As a result, most businesses are ever on the lookout for any risk and how they can shield themselves from such threats. The economic risk-shielding tool of interest to this review is hedging. The paper reviews research papers authored Cong and Carter and their counterparts. Studies have been carried out to gauge how hedging affects the value of the firm. Specifically, the Carter, Rodgers, and Simkins considered how hedging influences the value of the U.S Airline Industry. According to their examination of the jet fuel hedging behavior in the U.S Airline Industry between 1992 and 2003, they noticed that jet fuel is hedgeable. The financial and investment climate in the Airline industry conform to the theoretical frameworks. Carter and his colleagues discovered that the availability of airline investment opportunities correlates positively with the costs of Jet fuels (2006). On the contrary, higher prices of fuel are consistent with a small investment and reduced cash flows. From this study, it is remarkable that a firm that desires expansion and growth should consider hedging it purchases such as fuel in the future. Indeed, it is within these premises that the two airline companies, Airbus Group, and Delta, run their firms. Cong et al. (2014) studied the scenario in the UK, based on interest rate hedging and the effect of foreign exchange on firms. They used UK data to evaluate the empirical evidence in debt and appraisal capacity influences of foreign currency and the hedging on interest rates. As opposed to Carter et al. (2006), it found the significant relationship between foreign currency, the value of the firm and interest rate hedging. The outcomes are stronger that the results of the previous studies that have considered firm in the U.S. It is because studies carried out of U.S include non-hedging firms in their samples. The companies use non-derivative approaches for hedging that bias the outcome of the study. For this reason, the paper discusses two non-U.S airline companies that practice hedging. Rao (2011) realized that as a way to caution themselves against short-term risks of price volatility, the corporate firms have devised some of the best hedging methods they apply to their regular transactions. Their study revealed that firms hedge risks primarily because the fluctuations threats are peripheral to the core business operation. Financial hedging helps the company through enabling it to lock its profits irrespective of the volatile exchange rates. That is to say, hedging is an optional side gamble, which entails adding to the profits made by rising exchange rates while subtracting the same value of benefits when the exchange rates are falling. If the company wishes to hold onto its gains when the exchange rates are down, it has to pay an optional premium to compensate the firm selling the hedge. Fiscal hedging can improve a company’s prospects by improving or maintaining its competitiveness. It is true companies to exist in isolation but rather operates in a multi-player environment. Therefore, they compete both internally and externally. The companies that manage their risks well may use the stability to minimize their funding costs and resultantly lower their market prices that are strategic and critical to the future of the firm. The situation below is how a company may make a hedging decision. Consider a European firm that sells 75% of its goods in U.S dollars ($) to its clients all over the globe. The company has just contracted a deal for $8 million worth of items and expects to receive payment in a months’ time. The company is undoubtedly exposed to exchange rate fluctuation since the payment is not immediate. If the company hedges the transaction by entering into a forward deal in which it will have to purchase Europe sterling pound (â‚ ¬) and sell $ for delivery on the similar date on the items contract. That way the company can be sure of the exchange rates that it will use. However, it is a gamble because if the exchange rate does not change favorably the company loses. Nevertheless, if it is on the favorable side, then the company shields itself against the loss. Hedging is primarily a contingent plan. The recent reduction in oil prices that saw companies, which hedge, gain or lose depending on the nature of the contract. The temporary low oil prices that witnessed a shift in global operations had tremendous financial implications concerning the stock prices, the fuel prices and the general maintenance costs of most businesses among others. Business Scenarios In U.S, some known corporations use hedging policy to guard risks. For example, the Airbus group has a currency hedge policy, on its website. The firm documents that it intends to generate profits not only from its operations and but also through speculations on foreign currency rates changes. Therefore, the company uses hedging strategies primarily to control and minimize the impact on its Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) from the instability of the U.S dollar ($) (Airbusgroup, 2015). Airbus enterprise has a long-term hedge portfolio with a maturity of many years that it uses to cover its net exposure to $ sales fluctuations. Majorly it hedges in the operations of the Airbus, its helicopters, and its defense division. The company defines net exposure as the total firm audited currency, mainly US dollar-dominated incomes (Airbusgroup, 2015). Its hedging portfolio covers almost all its hedging transactions. From the hedging policy of Airbus Group, the primary aim is to ensure that the shareholders profits are increasing (2015). The case of Delta Airlines is a typical example of where hedging worked well for an airline firm. The company has consistently hedged its costs of fuel to guard against the risk of oil price spikes. The strategy has proven to be counterproductive in the past nine months. Owing to the measure, oil prices have declined by $50 per barrel. Delta has incurred hedging losses (Simon, 2012). Although, the Airline Company experienced a rough time when employing the strategy, its hedging losses will shrink considerably within a short period. Additionally, the company is expecting a total of 200 dollars million to 300 dollars in the second half of this financial year. The expected rates of the losses will bring its cost in line with the average prices of the industry in the first half of 2015. Using a proper hedging policy, Deltas all-in jet fuel value could be lowered to $2 per gallon, based on the current price of oil. By appraisal, Delta paid 2.90 dollars per gallon for jet fuel in Q3 2014 and 2.62 dollars per gallon in Q4 (Berghà ¶fer Lucey, 2014). Judging from afar, hedging can be seen to have underlying advantages to the Delta Airlines. In conclusion, the tough decision of whether to apply hedging as accompany policy is an economic gamble that requires outstanding research before enforcement. Hedging just like another financial control tools has its benefits and disadvantages that warrant exploration. Otherwise, big firms use the fiscal measure to minimize probable financial risks they may incur in their operation. References Airbusgroup, (2015). Figures Debt. Retrieved 29 April 2015, from http://www.airbusgroup.com/int/en/investors-shareholders/Key-Figures-and-Debt.html Berghà ¶fer, B., Lucey, B. (2014). Fuel hedging, operational hedging and risk exposure — Evidence from the global airline industry.  International Review of Financial Analysis,  34, 124-139. doi:10.1016/j.irfa.2014.02.007 Carter, D. A., Rogers, D. A., Simkins, B. J. (2006). Does hedging affect firm value? Evidence from the US airline industry. Financial Management,  35(1), 53-86. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/208191035?accountid=8067 Cong, J., Tan, K. S., Weng, C. (2014). Conditional value-at-risk-based optimal partial hedging.  The Journal of Risk,  16(3), 49-83. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1627689996?accountid=8067 Ir.delta.com, (2015). Delta Air Lines, Inc. - News Events - News. Retrieved 29 April 2015, from http://ir.delta.com/news-and-events/news/default.aspx Rheinländer, T., Sexton, J. (2011). Hedging derivatives. New Jersey: World Scientific. Simon, D. (2012). The Intraday and Overnight Behavior of SPY Options and Adjusted Delta Hedging.J. Fut. Mark.,  33(5), 443-468. doi:10.1002/fut.21558

Eradicating Social Ills Free Essays

ASSIGNMENT 2 FIK 3042 ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION 2 ERADICATING SOCIAL ILLS AMONGST TEENAGERS GROUP: EL-AO4 Prepared by NAME| ID NUMBER| TELEPHONE NUMBER| Kasthuri Bai A/P Thangarajah| D20111049818| 013-9801264| Lecturer : Dr. Lajiman bin Janoory Dateline :6th November 2011 ERADICATING SOCIAL ILLS AMONGST TEENAGERS. Nowadays, the social ills amongst teenagers are so rampant that they are posing a great problem in the society . We will write a custom essay sample on Eradicating Social Ills or any similar topic only for you Order Now Before we go further , let us see what are actually these social ills among the teenagers. There are many types of social ills that are affecting our teenagers at an alarming rate. Some of them are addiction to drugs , smoking,gangsterism,vandalism,bullying,illegal racing and many more. Everyday we hear and see the effects of these social ills in the form of suicide,accidents,rapes,snatch thieves and brutal crimes. The effects of these social ills amongst teenagers are affecting the nation badly and causing great setbacks in the country. The spreading of social ills have to be stopped immediately to save our youngsters who are the future generation. How are we going to eradicate these social ills if we do not know the root causes of these problems Therefore,before we find ways to eradicate the social ills amongst our teenagers, let us also dwell in the root causes of why the youngsters of nowadays fall an easy prey to the negative elements awaiting them. These causes can be categorized into several factors,mainly due to family crisis and external factors such as the influence of friends and environment. Living in this materialistic world can be very challenging to even adults,so what more to say for a teenager who is still struggling between adulthood and childhood. The need for good guidance ,counceling and parental love is essential to these youngsters. Whom should they turn to if the circumstances arise? Can they turn to their parents? Yes, under normal circumstances ,parents should be the child’s number one counsellor but,is this the case in most child’s life? In fact the parents are the last to know about their child’s problem,which is a pity! This is because nowadays,mostly both parents are working and are too busy chasing their own goals, that they fail to see what their children are undergoing. Usually these parents leave their children to fend for themselves or in the care of a babysitter who most of the time doesn’t put her heart into the responsibility given . The outcome is , the child feels neglected and deprived of parental love. Another reason is when a child comes from a broken family,the frustration and anger is taken upon the poor child. As a result a child grows up to be insecure and lacking in direction. Hence falling an easy prey to the awaiting threats outside. Children are also stressed when parents are not understanding and pressure them to study something which is not of their interest . Parents who subject their own desires and ambitions on their children can cause a lot of unnecessary pressure on them. Peer pressure and the need to proof oneself in order to be accepted is also another factor why the teenagers so easily succumb to the social ills around them. Constant innovation and development also provide boundless network which promotes extreme socialisation among our teenagers. Hence the exposure to all the unwanted elements in the society! Teenagers who do not know how to cope with stress, resort to these unwelcome means of escapism. We have seen some of the main reasons of why the social ills are spreading like an epidemic amongst our teenagers. What can we do to help them or to curb these social ills? There are a few very important things that can be done to nip the bud from the beginning itself. Firstly,the role of a family is very important . Parents who are responsible,who allocate enough quality time with their children can be a source of confidence for their children. Children will be able to rely on their parents for any advice and grow up to be a confident and secured person. These children often will not fall prey to the social ills as they are able to differentiate between good and bad and have no need for any form of escapism as they get enough love from their parents. Parents also must make sure that their children do ot lack of religious knowledge. As we know, all religion wants its followers to be a good human and abide by the rules. So if a child is given enough religious education and is taught to respect the humankind then,the chances of him or her resorting to violence is slim. Too much freedom and too much money given to teenagers will only mean trouble. Therefore parents should act wisely and explain to their youngsters why sometimes they cannot have whatev er they want and why they must always obtain their parents’ permission before going out. Parents should always be aware of their child’s whereabouts but at the same time should not also be too strict and practice veto power at home. They should be able to compromise,understand and respect their child’s feelings too. Maintaining a healthy relationship with children is an important measure in reducing these social ills amongst teenagers. Otherwise most teenagers will choose to rebel against their parents and try to prove to everyone that they are in control of their lives Besides the role of family ,the role of teachers and counsellors in schools is also very important in preventing social ills amongst teenagers. A teacher must always be sensitive to a child’s problem . A teacher must be able to gain a child’s trust in order for the child to confide in her or him. A teacher must make it her responsibility to solve a child’s problem and not be someone who simply wants to teach but is not much bothered about the child’s affair. Teachers can help a lot to curb these social ills if they play their role kindly and caringly. They should notice things and try to help the youngsters by sending them to a counsellor or by counselling them themselves. While teaching in class , a teacher must always stress on the moral values and teach their students to avoid falling prey to bad influences. The education department and the mass media must always remind these teenagers to avoid doing all these illegal activities and the repercussions should anything unpleasant happen. The enforcement agencies can be invited to give talks and show slides of what is happening and how bad it can turn into,to create awareness amongst teenagers. A lot of opportunities must be created to allow teenagers to involve hemselves in activities such as outdoor games,indoor games,dancing and drawing classes,photography clubs and some social services that will divert the attention of these teenagers . The teenagers will not only be occupied but will also benefit from these extra activities. This healthy activities can be organised by the residential commitees or by the â€Å"ketua kampung†. Healthy competition with lucrative prizes can be held to attract th ese teenagers. The State government and the district office can help with these measures. Money used to cure the victims of the social ills in the form of rehabilitation centres and their medication can be put into a more healthy usage such as the above mentioned activities. After all one must agree that â€Å"Prevention is better than Cure†As a conclusion , everybody has to play an important role in eradicating social ills amongst teenagers . Eventhough these problems seem difficult to solve but as an Ethopian proverb says, â€Å"When the spider webs unite,you can tie up a lion. † (Infinity Web Development, LLC, 2002-2011) (OPpapers, 2011) How to cite Eradicating Social Ills, Papers

Three Text Study Essay Research Paper Interpretive free essay sample

Three Text Study Essay, Research Paper Interpretive Study The three texts I have read all have many similar and contrasting issues and characters. The texts 1984, Forest Gump, and To Kill A Mocking Bird are three really entertaining books good worth reading, while the texts all seem really diverse on the outside they seem to be really similar on the inside. The three texts, while they have different issues seem to all be similar in sharing the issue of racism and use of heads. Together we can carry through anything, entirely they can carry through it all, while this may be the instance in most normal twenty-four hours scenarios the three texts I have read all seem to withstand this small stating. 1984 is a complicated text, with complicated characters, the book takes us on a journey of one adult male seeking to crush a major organisation that manipulates heads to do them believe in something that cipher in their right head would every dream about. We will write a custom essay sample on Three Text Study Essay Research Paper Interpretive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I Love Large Brother, don # 8217 ; t we all? The characters in 1984 merely believe this because they have to non because they want to, it is drilled into them even a s they sleep and if they think anything other than I Love Large Brother the thought constabulary takes them off and makes a jeer of their lives in forepart of everybody else. The hatred and passion for hatred that runs through 1984 is like a disease it is able to pull strings who of all time it want when of all time it wants and how of all time it wants, pull stringsing heads has neer been so easy, they can command whoever to believe what of all time, no 1 dares to halt them until one adult male breaks all of the regulations to make so. This nevertheless is merely every bit powerful in To Kill A Mocking where heads are manipulated to some extent but with out so much control over them, they can still believe by themselves and move by them egos but when a black adult male is accused for colza of a white miss the whole town of Maycombe becomes possessed with some indignation that they must take the jurisprudence into their ain custodies. Like 1984 the truth is drilled into them so much that in the terminal the truth is forgotten what they were contending approximately is irrelevant, but now person must pay and because you are different, non like the remainder, unwanted you must hold done it no affair what.

The Relationship Between Number Sense and Problem Solving free essay sample

An examination of the relationships between teaching and learning styles, and the number sense and problem solving ability of Year 7 students Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Jemmy Emmanuel Georges Louange BEd Honours (Mathematics Education), Sussex University, UK Principal Supervisor: Dr. Jack Bana School of Education Faculty of Education and Arts Edith Cowan University Perth Western Australia July 2007 Use of Thesis This thesis is the property of Edith Cowan University. However, the literary rights of the author must also be respected. If any passage from this thesis is quoted or closely paraphrased in a paper or written work prepared by the user, the source of the passage must be acknowledged in the work. If the user desires to publish a paper or written work containing passages copied or closely paraphrased from this thesis, which passages would in total constitute an infringing copy of the purpose of the Copyright Act, he or she must first obtain the written permission of the author to do so. We will write a custom essay sample on The Relationship Between Number Sense and Problem Solving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page i Acknowledgements This might be the longest dedication ever seen in any thesis, but once it is known what I have been through, and that mine has been an incredible journey, it would be very easy to understand the rationale behind thanking all those people and dedicating this thesis to them. Moreover, I firmly believe that a man is a product of the contributions of all those who have left an impression on him, and the following people have influenced me in various ways. First and foremost I wish to thank Jesus Christ who empowered and cared for me through the following people. A big thank you goes to my Principal Supervisor, Dr Jack Bana, for his help, encouragement and patience. You managed to guide me and stood up for me even when my eyesight was nearly gone. You have been more than understanding and excellent! I extend loads of appreciation to Professor Lelia Green for making possible the impossible. In a time when everything could have gone wrong for me, you did some marvellous things. Thanks to Professor Mark Hackling for his invaluable remarks and corrections, and Dr Paul Swan for some very useful tips. My gratitude is expressed towards Linda Jaunzems for reformatting the work at a time when it seemed impossible to do so. My sincere appreciation is expressed towards my longsuffering and understanding wife Ruth and my five children, namely Manuella, Tyron, Omeara, Ezekiel and Elijah for putting up with my below par performance as a father, as I tried to balance family life and my studies. I endured till the end due to the legacy of my father Freddy Louis-Marie and my mother Raymonde Louis-Marie who taught me never to give up and to always rely on the Lord. Nancy Barbe, if there are other caring people like you in this world then they must be very few; what you did to help us goes beyond human comprehension. The same goes for Eugene, Rachel, Sharol and Gilver Louise, Michel Edmond and Barbara Souffe; you are really wonderful. Antonia and Sonny Legaie, even when you did not have much you still managed to provide for me and my family; thank you is just not enough to show our appreciation of what you have done for us. Michel and Yvonne Servina, space is insufficient within which to write the good things you have done for us; you are just two incredible people. Des Murphy and Patrice Cooke, you know that without you around I definitely would have had to give up; thanks for making the impossible happen. Bernardin Renaud, you could be a high status person but you still treat me as a brother, and what you did was just marvellous. To my brother, friend and mentor Alex and Brenda Souffe, and my sister Odile Jean-Louis; the pages of this thesis are not enough upon which to write ii bout how precious you are to me. Without you I doubt that I would have reached a successful end. To my wonderfully generous and caring sister in Law Tacey Derjacques and husband Keven Furneau, and my unforgettable mother in law Martha Derjacques; I am blessed to have you in my life, for you are responsible for so many incredible things in our lives. To my sister Stella Leeming, Antoine, Debra and Sandra Laporte; for being there all the time. The following people gave of themselves, their time and effort to support me n any way possible: Marie-Helen Dubois, Jacques L’etourdie, Bernard and Doreen Arnephy, Michael Laporte, Audrey Zelia, Lymiah Bibi, Huguette and Rodney Cohen, Mariana Collie, Grace Barbe, Raymond De Silva, Viorel and Petronella Haidau, Sandra Mathiot, Sandra Botsoi, Joel and Shirley De Commarmond, Jacqueline Ladouc e and Peter Garlett, Luan Ladouce, Alain and Julia Dingwall, John and Philomena Bradley, Shirley Choppy, Steven Larue, Betty Dick, Philippa Larue and Jocyntha Sophola; how could you people who already had nothing still manage to give so much? Giovana Neves even when you were far away you still cared for me; you are great. Without the help of Mrs Jane Denis I would never have done this PhD. Doug Reid and Stewart Campbell; you were always present to help in any way you could. Paul Halfpenny, where would I have been without your invaluable help? To my brother Saunders Rose; you have encouraged me from start to finish! The following people were involved in transcription, correction and double checking of data; Marie-Helene Dubois (Main transcriber), Melina Barra and Chayada Danuwong (Coding check), Juliette Cecile, Zelda Jean-Louis, Fiona Henriette, Sandra Mathiot, Enda Gilbert, Shirley Julie, and Jimmy Hibonne (Second Marker). To Kurt Fischer and Shaun Wellborne-Wood for help with Adobe Illustrator work. The following people have shown me love and support in times when it seemed that my world would crumble around me. Some were instrumental in just being there as a friend or family member. Others constantly kept in contact with me to encourage me, while some provided financial and/or other support. You know what you did and how I would not have survived without your priceless help.

Philo T. Farnsworth the father of television essays

Philo T. Farnsworth the father of television essays Philo T. Farnsworth II was born on august 19,1906 in Indian Creek, Utah. Philo was the oldest of five children. His parents were Serena Bastain and Lewis Edwin Farnsworth. Philo received his name from his grandfather Philo T. Farnsworth I. Although early in his childhood he lived with no electricity he was entertained bye having conversations with his father about inventions his father read about on a magazine. Later on he and his family moved to a farm in Idaho, this farm had its own power plant. Eventually Philo mastered the lighting system and was put in charge of it. It is said that it never ran smoother In 1920 Philo Farnsworth read in a magazine that inventors were attempting to transmit visual images bye mechanical means. It was then that young Farnsworth proposed that visual images could be transmitted electronically. He work for the next to years on developing a method of transmitting visual images electronically. Philo was convinced that this would be much better than mechanical means. In 1922 he came up with the basic design for the apparatus. Philo shared these designs with his high school chemistry teacher Justin Tolman. While working as a canvasser Philo became friends with a businessman bye the name of George Everson. George Everson and Leslie Gorrell invested 6,000 dollars. With additional backing from group of bankers Farnsworth was given a research lab in San Francisco and a year to prove his concepts. Philo married his wife Elma Pem Gardner on May 27,1926 the next day he left for San Francisco. On September 7,1927 Farnsworth gathered his friends and engineering colleagues and show them the first ever transmitted visual image. The image was of Philo Farnsworths wife and assistant. After his success went public RCA became aggressively competitive with Philo for control over the television market and challenged the patent for Philo television invention. It was ...

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Research Paper - 5

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Research Paper Example Similarly, mergers and acquisitions guide smaller and newer companies into adapting in the advanced industries that have larger companies often manipulating the market conditions of such industries. Merger and acquisitions is a restructure approach in the management of enterprises within an industry. In successful mergers, the companies involved employ techniques that enable them to reorganize their corporate and internal strategies to suit the value of the operations. Distinctively, the growth of globalization has largely influenced the need for businesses to embrace mergers and acquisition as a way to fit into the competitive international markets. Many companies have inadequate resources that enable them to venture into overseas markets, hence limiting their potential output and income respectively. In this case study, therefore, the paper will explain the role of mergers and acquisitions towards the growth of a brand in international markets. The energy industry is a mainstream contributor to the growth of any economy in the world. Many companies that deal with this lucrative commodity are often engaged in a series of adjustment processes that guarantee the survival of such companies in this competitive industry. Due to the increasing global pressure towards internationalization of various business entities, the merger and acquisition processes came into the picture to provide a stable supply of energy for the expansion of various business units. Therefore, between the year 1998 and the year 2001, major energy mergers were commissioned to oversee the improvement of efficiency in the provision of energy as per the requirements of the internationalized enterprises. The Exxon Mobil is a combination that involved the purchase of Mobil by Exxon in the year 1998. The strategy employed in this merger was the horizontal strategy that involved the acquisition of a foreign oil

Research and Comparing Documentaries Assignment

Research and Comparing Documentaries - Assignment Example Almost 90% of converted women agree that they can dress more conservatively and feel more comfortable with the Hijab. They also give their reasons for conversion as the need to be close to God as they now pray 5 times a day3. Other related sources also show that a third of inmates in British jails are converting to Islam. According to Richard Eddie’s 4book â€Å"Black Muslims in Britain†, Malcolm X continues to influence most black men into Islam. Richard’s interviewees reveal that converts appreciate the law of Islam since the law has enabled them to live in the society considered as corrupt and moral. The most interesting stereotype about this religion is how it oppresses women. The religion targets most young men. Recent stories from media in Kenya reveal how the Al-Shabaab militia group recruits young men from East Africa to fight and protect their religion. In â€Å"Islam empire of state†, Islamic history and culture shows how the religion has made gr eat contribution in trade, education, scientific theorems, philosophy and medicine. The rapid conversion and growth of the Islam religion is resulting from rapid crusades conducted by Sheikhs. The crusades led to great civilization of the Islam religion in terms of economic and scientific discoveries made during the period of renaissance. According to 5 â€Å"what the west needs to know†, Islam is a peaceful religious group and those who fight do so to hide under the religion. The religion perceived as an authoritarian group not only emphasizes that there is no other God but Allah and his prophet Mohamed6. Most of the people targeted by these documentaries are the youth’s especially young men7. The â€Å"divine woman† by Bettany Hugdes reveals how Buddhism started with a female. In this documentary, a woman goddess controls life and death. The Durga Puja festival shows the organization of the Hindu religion. Use of art and culture with paintings on the skin of I ndian women reveals how important a female is within the religion. The construction and design of the temples brings out rich creativity and architectural work in this religion. The documentaries quote the Quran stating the reason as to why the religion is conflict linked and war bound. The Quran states that one should fight for his own faith. Mohamed himself plays a war oriented leadership role according to his history from Mecca hence the continuous perception of Muslim religion as a conflict religion. The usual suicide bombing and attacks originates from Judaism symbolically fighting paganism. From the documentary â€Å"what the west needs to know†, Quran and hadiths encourage the killing of non-Muslims. From the background history of Mohamed, it is evident that he spread his territory through war and his followers did the same to conquer Mecca a city where he was born. Background music used in the documentaries emphasizes the religion. A lot of art 8 observed in the docum entaries show the culture of the religion. The style of presentation of the documentaries is both educational and formal. Islam religion is widely publicized and therefore the documentaries try to educate the public on the religion9. The great contribution of Islam into modern civilization and various fields of study such as philosophy, medicine, and trade make the documentaries educative. We also observe the speeches from several leaders used to emphasize the religion. Quotations from the Quran are also

Legal opinion for formation of a public company Coursework

Legal opinion for formation of a public company - Coursework Example Before the company starts its business, it must have allotted shares whose minimum value should be at least 50, 000 pounds. A quarter of the shares should be paid up; this amounts to ?12, 500. For each of the allotted shares, up to the last quarter of its nominal value has to be paid up as well as any premium (Companies House, 2012). The other procedure in the formation of a public company includes the choosing of directors of the company. Several requirements have to be followed when choosing the company directors. One of the requirements is that the person should not be disqualified by law from becoming a director or be bankrupt. The maximum age of directors that was previously seventy years has been removed. During the formation of the company, the minimum age required for company directors is sixteen years. The directors of the company should then select few names (four) that are suitable enough and indicate the company’s objective (Companies House, 2012). One of the four names selected will become the main name while the three others have to be mentioned in their order of preference. The directors should then make an application to the registrar of companies to ascertain whether the selected names are appropriate. Once the names go through, the next step includes the drafting of the memorandum of associations and articles of association. The authorized share capital of the proposed public company should then be declared and be in line with the minimum paid up capital required in forming a public company. The next step involves filing a declaration and attaching the statement in lieu of the prospectus. Once the company is through with these steps, it will obtain a certificate that will enable it to commence business. Shares will be floated through an initial public offering, which states the price per share and the minimum and maximum number of shares that can be held by shareholders (Companies House, 2012). How the courts distinguish between contrac ts of service and contracts for services and the importance of this distinction. The law distinguishes between a contract of service and a contract for services. A contract of service refers to an agreement, which may either be verbal or written, implied or expressed. In this contract, a person makes an agreement employ another person as an employee while the employed person makes an agreement to serve the employer. An example of a contract of service includes an apprenticeship agreement or contract. On the other hand, contracts for services refer to independent contractors and sub-contractors. In differentiating between a contract of service and contracts for services, courts apply such tests as integration and control (Barendrecht 2007, p. 151). The test of integration looks at the extent to which the work of the employee may be said to be integrated into business. The control test explores the question on whether the employer can tell the employee what they ought to do. Other tes ts applied by the courts in the distinction between contracts of services and contracts for services include mixed or multiple tests. These tests question whether the agreement or engagement has wages, holiday pay, and sick pay. The courts state that these tests ask whether PAYE and PRSI are deducted. According to the courts, these multiple and mixed tests should also look at whether

Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Strategies

Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Strategies Amber Pegg Does NKY have the Most Effective Treatments Available? A Review of the Literature Drugs and alcohol have increased in acceptability over the years in the United States. Individuals use these drugs for mood alterations and medicinal purposes. Society is surprisingly very unaware of the epidemic that is occurring right under their noses. Annually, illicit drug abuse cost in average $181 billion dollars. (Office of National Drug Policy, 2010) Addiction and dependency both play an extreme role in the increase of use and both are extremely misunderstood. During the year 2013 21.6 million individuals were classified with Substance Dependence/Addiction (Administration, 2013). With addiction on the rise in North America it has been recognized as a public health crisis that is extremely multidimensional and complex. (Larkin, 2006) Drug addiction is classified as an actual disorder according to the medical association. Studies have began to show that genetics may indeed be a part of addiction. These studies are showing genetics may cause susceptibility to addiction in an individual. (Erickson, 2001) Drug addiction is classified into three groups; the first being preoccupation and anticipation, the second being binge and intoxication, and finally the third is withdrawal and negative effect. Those stages are described as, preoccupation with using the substance, constant cravings, using more than necessary, and experiencing tolerance. Addiction is having a severe craving for a substance. This generally also implies that a great deal of attention is devoted to the activity and interferes with the individual’s daily routine. Frank Tallis writes â€Å"At first, addiction is maintained by pleasure. But the intensity of this pleasure gradually diminishes and the addiction is then maintained by the avoidance of pain.† Dependency is said to be the compulsion to use drugs to experience psychological or physical effects. To be considered drug dependent you must have three characteristics; First they must exhibit tolerance, which happens after the body becomes familiarized to the drug, second they must show habituation, this is continuing to have the desire to use the drug after the physical need has ended, and lastly addiction this normally means a great deal of attention is devoted to this activity. In both addiction and dependence the primary goal of an individual suffering from these is simply to attain and use the substance. Commonly used drugs are often categorized into six groups, opioids, sedative-hypnotic, stimulant, hallucinogens, cannabis, and inhalants. In the Northern Kentucky area there are certain drugs that are more prone than others. These include but are not limited to, stimulants, opioids, cannabis and hallucinogens. Opioids include heroine and methadone. Heroin was introduced in 1898 as a cough suppressant, which depresses neural functioning. Heroin use has shifted within populations; literature shows that it was mostly low income minorities as to now where middle class Caucasians are the most prevalent users. (Cleero, 2014) The majority of opiates reduce anxiety and pain for a short period of time. Most heroin users will have the need for larger amount to get the â€Å"fix† but for some, overdose occur and death is the ultimate price. In 2011 heroin alone accounted for 16% of all admissions to treatment facilities. (services, 2012) The most common stimulant abused is known as cocai ne. Cocaine is a crystallized white powder, convenient for snorting. Stimulants increase alertness, decrease the need for sleep and often suppress the feeling of being hungry. This makes it very marketable to college students. Cannabis is often described as a natural drug and is often in debate as to whether it should be classified as something addictive. Marijuana has been cultivated for over 5000 years. THC can produce several effects Marijuana has the effect of relaxation and could give someone the perception of slowing time. What Are the Varying Types of Treatments available? Across the United States there are several treatment types available to those who suffer from substance abuse. Addiction treatments vary due to the complexity of the disease. Individuals may benefit from rapid treatments or they may need treatments that in other terms work to cure and take longer amounts of time and effort. (Riessman).In the last 30 years, there has been significant progress in the development and validation of psychosocial treatments for substance abuse and dependence, with a predominant focus on the validation of cognitive behavioral treatments (Dutra Lissa Stathopoulou, 2008) The office of Drug and Crime reported in 2012, â€Å" expressed in monetary terms, some $200-250 billion dollars would be needed to cover all cost related to drug treatment worldwide; less than 1 in 5 that need treatment will actually receive it. (Publication, 2012). Factors such as treatment length and intensity of individuals play a role into the success of treatment but studies have proven that there is a link between the two. (Finny, 1996) The following information will focus on the most dominant and relevant to NKY. With medically assisted treatment on the rise it has quickly become one of the most popular and user â€Å"friendly† though controversy over drug substitution has arisen within the treatment community (Kleber, 2008). Mattick wrote â€Å"Medically assisted treatments are more appealing than typical drug free approaches.† (Mattick, 2009) With the up rise in heroin and opioid use these treatments will continue to grow. Medically assisted treatments normally consist of one of three drugs to help intervene within the withdrawal and detox phase; Methadone, Suboxone, and Buprenorphine. Each of the three are considered to be moderately effective. There are drop in clinics that will supply the medication and are considerably accessible to communities. Medically assisted treatments can potentially cause addictiveness to the treatment itself. According to the SAMHSA data collected more than 300,000 individuals received medically assisted treatment in 2011. (Treatments for Substanc e Abuse Disorders, 2014) The National Institution on Drug Abuse classifies Detoxification and Withdrawal as the most common process. (NIDA, 2009)Detoxification is the allowance of the body to rid itself of a drug while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. (NIDA, 2009) Each treatment process must begin with the detoxification and withdrawal stages. An often misconception of these two are that while they are processes within each treatment they alone are not considered treatment, one must have follow up. There are several forms of counseling and therapy available to those in need. This ranges from individual, group, psychotherapy, couples, family, open and closed meetings. These sessions are available through insurances and some are right in an individual’s own community. These groups and sessions are great means for resources, networking and general support. Literature reads that cognitive behavioral therapy for substance abuse has been deemed effective; both in combination treatment and monotherapy. (Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, 2009). Cognitive and Behavioral treatment programs are focused on a short term approach. Motivational Interviewing and CBT are both evidence based treatments that continue to make strides in the treatment industry, (McHugh, 2010) Lastly, Inpatient and Outpatient rehabilitation. These facilities are structured similarly yet have extreme differences. While an individual is attending an inpatient center they are at the center 24 hours a day, each day. They will see therapist and doctors routinely for a minimum of 28 days. Outpatient facilities still routinely have therapist and doctors with their clients but they are able to return home in the evenings and be part of their normal routine. This also keeps them accessible to whatever the addiction may be. These programs allow individuals to use self autonomy in which treatment facility they feel would best suit them. Many would argue that outpatient is less affective when in fact studies have shown that there is little to no difference in outcomes between the two. (Moos, 1995) Steven Gifford included in his description of inpatient and outpatient unsettling statistics from NIDA; 23.2 billion individuals required treatment for substance abuse in 2013, only 2.4 bill ion were treated by some sort of drug rehabilitation. (NIDA, 2009) Gaps Included in the Literature The amount of literature readily assessable in regards to drug abuse and treatments available is incredible. There is an abundance of knowledge about the topic with reasonable resources at ones fingertips. We know that individuals who suffer from substance abuse are likely to choose a treatment that fits best to their needs and addiction but also at the convenience to themselves and their families. Finances and insurance can also impact ones decision to certain treatment programs. As to the question, Does NKY have the most effective treatments available the literature does not go into depth enough in geographical terms. There are many treatment options available but whether they are geographically reasonable to the rural and lower income are that is left unanswered. The statistics and information in very broad to the general. Though we know there are treatments in NKY area the question of are they the most effective continues to go unanswered. Works Cited Administration, S. A. (2013). Retrieved March 15, from www.drugwarfacts.com: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2013SummNatFindDetTables/NationalFindin#sthash.snuPjFav.dpuf Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. (2009). Cognitive Behavioral Treatment with Adult alcohol and Illicit drug users. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs , 516-527. Cleero, T. E. (2014). The changing Face of Heroin. Journal of the American Medical Association , 71 (17), 821-826. Dutra Lissa, P., Stathopoulou, G. (2008). A Meta-Analytic Review of Psychosocial Interventions for Substance Use Disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry , 179-187. Erickson, S. W.-M. (2001). Drug abuse and addiction Research. Journal of the American Pharmacist Association , 41 (1). Finny, M. a. (1996). A qualitative synthesis of patient, research design and treatment. Explaining Abstinence rates following Treatment , pp. 787-785. Kleber, H. D. (2008). Methadone Maintenance 4 decades later. American Medical Association , 2303-2305. Larkin, M. W. (2006). Towards addiction as relationship. Addictions research and theory , 207-215. Mattick RP, Breen C, Kimber J, Davoli M. Methadone maintenance therapy versus no opioid replacement therapy for opioid dependence. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3. McHugh, R. a. (2010). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America , 511-525. Moos, R. P. (1995). Three models of Community residential Care. Journal of Substance Abuse , 99-116. NIDA. (2009). Treatment. Retrieved March 30, 2015, from NIDA: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction Office of National Drug Policy. (2010, December). Retrieved April 11, 20145, from National Criminal Justice Reference System: https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=255037 Publication, U. N. (2012). World Report. Retrieved April 2015, from Office on Drugs and Crime. Riessman, F. C. (n.d.). Social Policy. 27 (2), pp. 36-46. services, N. A. (2012). Center for behavioral health statistics and quality. Retrieved 4 5, 15, from http://www.samhsa.gov/treatment Treatments for Substance Abuse Disorders. (2014, 10 16). Retrieved March 2015, from SAMHSA: http://www.samhsa.gov/treatment/substance-use-disorders

Age and Category Blocked Presentation :: essays research papers

Introduction The effect of age and category-blocked and random presentation on free recall and clustering is an important aspect of learning. Learning is a basic foundation of cognitive development. From the many aspects of learning, what we do to learn (the process) and what we learn (the outcome) are of great importance. From the day a child is born, she is exposed to a variety of stimuli; some of which she will pay attention to, others she will not. From those things which require her attention, she will either sort the information or compare it with what she already knows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a previous study, Kail (1990) found that children memory capacity develop†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. It appears that individuals are able to recall items when they are categorically grouped (Lucariello & Nelson, 1985). There is evidence that age and presentation order has an affect on free recall (Yoshimura, Moely, & Shapiro, 1971). Memory/Recall Presentation Method Hypothesis The ability to learn new things and recall information is an important developmental task. As in the case of physical abilities, the appears to be a peak age for mental abilities. In examining the processes of memory, how the information is organized and presented has been of great discussion.. In another study of free recall and clustering, Moely and Shapiro (1971) found â€Å"clustering increased with age, but only with block presentation; and clustering was higher for the category blocked condition than for any other condition† (p. 490). Method Participants Ten children of kindergartener age and ten adults, ranging in age of 18-35 will participate in the study. The adults will be recruited through class announcements (Dr. Appleby’s B105) and email notifications (B346). The kindergartners will be recruited from the IUPUI Child Development Center. There will be consent forms given to the parents of the kindergartners and the adults will be asked to complete a consent form. Materials 23 black and white drawings of common items will be used (3 practice cards and 20 test items). The items are from common categories (food, toys, furniture, vehicles, body parts). The drawings will be mounted on 3 X 3 inch cards. We will use an individual data sheet to record the responses of each participant. Procedures Half of the participants in each age group will be presented with the pictures in block order; half are presented the pictures in random order. The experimenter will present the 20 items on at a time, along with a verbal label. The participant will repeat the verbal label after viewing each item. Age and Category Blocked Presentation :: essays research papers Introduction The effect of age and category-blocked and random presentation on free recall and clustering is an important aspect of learning. Learning is a basic foundation of cognitive development. From the many aspects of learning, what we do to learn (the process) and what we learn (the outcome) are of great importance. From the day a child is born, she is exposed to a variety of stimuli; some of which she will pay attention to, others she will not. From those things which require her attention, she will either sort the information or compare it with what she already knows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a previous study, Kail (1990) found that children memory capacity develop†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. It appears that individuals are able to recall items when they are categorically grouped (Lucariello & Nelson, 1985). There is evidence that age and presentation order has an affect on free recall (Yoshimura, Moely, & Shapiro, 1971). Memory/Recall Presentation Method Hypothesis The ability to learn new things and recall information is an important developmental task. As in the case of physical abilities, the appears to be a peak age for mental abilities. In examining the processes of memory, how the information is organized and presented has been of great discussion.. In another study of free recall and clustering, Moely and Shapiro (1971) found â€Å"clustering increased with age, but only with block presentation; and clustering was higher for the category blocked condition than for any other condition† (p. 490). Method Participants Ten children of kindergartener age and ten adults, ranging in age of 18-35 will participate in the study. The adults will be recruited through class announcements (Dr. Appleby’s B105) and email notifications (B346). The kindergartners will be recruited from the IUPUI Child Development Center. There will be consent forms given to the parents of the kindergartners and the adults will be asked to complete a consent form. Materials 23 black and white drawings of common items will be used (3 practice cards and 20 test items). The items are from common categories (food, toys, furniture, vehicles, body parts). The drawings will be mounted on 3 X 3 inch cards. We will use an individual data sheet to record the responses of each participant. Procedures Half of the participants in each age group will be presented with the pictures in block order; half are presented the pictures in random order. The experimenter will present the 20 items on at a time, along with a verbal label. The participant will repeat the verbal label after viewing each item.

Wedding Ceremony

Statement of Intention Pastor Price- We are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Jennifer Anastasia Julia Littleton and Rodney Stewart Sterry II in holy matrimony. This rite of marriage in which you now come to be united is the first and most blessed tradition of mankind. A union setting forth such an ideal is not to be entered into hastily or without due consideration, but reverently, discretely, advisedly and in the sight of God. I require and charge you both that the vows you take this day are sacred above words, and that your lives hereafter shall be bound together unbreakably.For the security of your marriage will not rest in the rite or ritual of any Church, nor in the words of any pastor or priest. The security of your marriage will lie in the true character of your soul, in the steadfastness of your devotion, and in the love you posses in your heart. Giving of the Bride Pastor Price- Doubly blessed is the couple which comes to the marriage altar wit h the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman to this man? Michael Littleton- I doPastor Price- If any person can show just cause why these two shall not be joined together let them speak now or forever hold their peace. Sermon Pastor Price- In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 the Apostle Paul beautifully guides us in the underlying meaning of love. Paul tells us that: love is patient and love is kind. It is not jealous, boastful or proud. It is not rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Rodney and Jennifer, as a couple you need to experience and understand the kind of love God has provided to keep your marriage vital, growing, and safe. The expressions of God’s love needed for a rock solid, invincible marriage are : †¢ Forgiving love – heals hurts and helps spouses feel accepted and connected †¢ Serving love – discovers and meets the needs and helps each other feel honored and understood †¢ Persevering love – stays strong in tough times and helps you both feel as bonded friends for life Guarding love – protects from threats and helps you both to feel safe and secure †¢ Celebrating love rejoices in the marriage relationship and helps you to feel cherished and captivated †¢ Renewing love refreshes and supports the marriage bond and helps you both to feel confident and rooted Rodney and Jennifer, the quality of love and the duration of your marriage will be in direct proportion to the depth of your commitment. May your love grow throughout the years and continue to be the expression of your commitment to each other. Remember – LOVE NEVER FAILSDeclaration of Consent Pastor Price- Rodney, will you have this woman to be you’re lawfully wedded wife, to live together according to God’s word in this holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, support her, honor her and keep her in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, keep yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live? Rodney Sterry- I will Pastor Price- And Jennifer, will you have this man to be you’re lawfully wedded husband, to live together according to God’s word in this holy estate of matrimony?Will you love him, comfort him, support him, honor him and keep him in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, keep yourself only to him, so long as you both shall live? Jennifer Littleton- I will Exchange of Rings Pastor Price- Though small in size, these rings are very large in significance. Made of precious metal, they remind us that love is not cheap nor easily found. Made in a circle, their design tells us that love must never come to an end; we must always keep it conti nuous. As you wear these rings, may they serve as constant reminders of the promises you are making today. Marriage VowsPastor Price- Rodney, take this ring and place it upon Jennifer’s hand and repeat after me. I, Rodney; Take you Jennifer; To be my lawfully wedded wife; To have and to hold; To love and to cherish; For better or for worse; Enduring prosperity and impoverishment; In sickness and in health; Through conflict and tranquility; From this day forward; Until death do us part. Pastor Price- Jennifer, take this ring and place it upon Rodney’s hand and repeat after me. I, Jennifer; Take you Rodney; To be my lawfully wedded wife; To have and to hold; To love and to cherish; For better or for worse;Enduring prosperity and impoverishment; In sickness and in health; Through conflict and tranquility; From this day forward; Until death do us part. Prayer Pastor Price- offers a prayer of strength and blessing over the couple’s marriage. Pronouncement of Marriage By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kiss Rodney you may now kiss your bride. Parting Message May the grace of God , surround and strengthen you both so that you may live in faith, abound in hope and grow in love, both now and forevermore. What God has joined together this day, let no man break apart.

Tips to Make Learning German Easier

Tips to Make Learning German Easier The first time most of us come in touch with a foreign language or at least with the need to study it, is in school. But learning a language in school is like learning to swim in one of those Japanese public swimming pools. It is simply an artificial situation and all efforts to make learning a language in a group worth everyone’s while are pretty much bound to fail. They call it the conversational or interactive approach. But isn’t using a language always interactive? And is a classroom really the right place to practice a language? Wouldn’t it suffice to instruct learners on how to learn it own their own and how to find a way to put it to good use? Overhaul your Learning Techniques Most of us get by in school as our brains are learning and survival machines. But only rarely have I come across someone who has actually learned how to learn a language. We all still often rely on those techniques that we have acquired or developed on our own in those times because they simply worked well enough. And it is these learning strategies that you might still use to learn German nowadays. But with the difference that nowadays it is not to improve your grades or to make your parents proud, but to deal with a real live situation. There are but there are two elemental factors that make a significant difference when you are learning German. The Main Keys to Success in German Language Learning The first thing that I demand from every learner is that they will take an exam at the end of our cooperation. And although this goal is just part of their success, it sets a very clear direction, enables us to develop a structure for our actions and sets a measurable time limit to our efforts. Without a clear goal and structure, any language will simply be overwhelming. There are thousands of words to learn, the grammar, and German grammar, in particular, seems impenetrable. When we try to speak we feel like there’s goo coming out of our mouths.   Setting up an exam date right away  does wonders for your learning. The problem is that we usually have no idea how long it will take us to reach a certain level. And that’s why I always recommend†¦ Get a Guide You are not the first to learn another language and there have been many men and women pulling their hair out over the question of how we can learn a new language the most efficient way. Some pulled a bit stronger and came up with miraculous methods which very often claim to teach you a language with very little effort and/or in very little time. Needless to say, you’d better refer to your gesunder menschenverstand, your common sense, when you come across anything that seems too good to be true. Good teachers are among the most undervalued people in this world. If you find a good teacher, you have an invaluable companion by your side. She will fight off the wolves, pick up the pebbles and thorns from your barefoot path and get you to just go a few meters farther when you waver and doubt whether you can reach your goal which still seems so far away. She is your walking cane, the whistled tune on your lips and the umbrella when it rains.   Of course one could also learn German on one’s own with ones proven techniques but I can state that from my experience, learning German with a tutor and with a clear goal makes a big difference. You will still have a lot of work to do but you will suffer significantly less.

Racism in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now.

Racism in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. The book "Heart of Darkness" and the movie "Apocalypse Now" are two works dealing with deep issues of evil. (Beyond imperialism, because the evil of imperialism has a root. For example, crack the nut) They refer places boiling down to a discussion of racism. The Thames River as in any mythology is a source of life. At the end, Marlow comes upon Kurtz's Intended and said, "An object of the fecund". Also, these two works deal with how a man is surrounded by evil acts and evil minds to fight of the fire fueled by the society. They also talks about how a character is a racist, when that character clearly condemns his way of life by leaving the Congo, and confirms the ills of society by lying about them.Firstly, I think that the racism claims are overstated, in two ways. A) Conrad's racism, such as it is, is directed not at black people as a whole but rather as Africans.Le vapeur â€Å"Roi des Belges† dans le Haut-Congo ...I think the prejudice must be recognized as activism, or wh atever the proper term is, rather than as racism. B) Conrad is critical, not solely of Africans and their way of life, but also of European culture. He's just as anti-white as he is also anti-black. Additionally, I think that Conrad may be considered a racist if and only if you decide that the definition of racism is thinking your race is better, but I really don't think that he could be considered a white supremacist or that he really contained a deep hatred for Africans. In fact, I don't think that he was even that serious on his own race. It is because that overtime he describes the presence of the white imperialist or any white people in general, he describes them in a bitter,

M10 Organizational Change Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M10 Organizational Change Paper - Assignment Example Community coalition is particularly identified as crucial in garnering support for policies seeking to promote improved health and health behavioral changes among the community members. According to Smith, Johnson, Lamson and Sitaker (2006), the success of policies and environmental change initiatives driven by public health practitioners is influenced by several factors including community collaboration, sufficient support or endorsement by community leaders or decision makers and inclusion of actions or activities aimed at benefiting the community as a whole. On the other hand, realization of community collaboration and support is depended on several issues including development of trust, values and norms to guide the collaboration, and effective exploitation of existing social networks to establish impeccable social relationships (Smith, Johnson, Lamson & Sitaker, 2006). Public health practitioners must strive to work closely with the community members at the various levels in order to realize their roles in promoting and upholding improved community health. The need for community collaboration in the development and implementation of community policy has been demonstrated through attempts by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to address community health problems such as obesity and overweight through both community based and state policies. Evaluation of community-based health policies initiated by DOH among the Moses Lake and Mount Vernon communities reveals that there is need for enhanced community collaboration in the implementation of such policies (Smith, Johnson, Lamson & Sitaker, 2006). Minority communities such as Hispanics were significantly misrepresented in committees involved in the development and implementation of health policies affecting the communities. The community health group model is identified as crucial to public health practitioners because application of

Discussion in recession Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Discussion in recession - Coursework Example This is what recession basically is but it is a kind of chain reaction which affects everybody involved directly or indirectly. However, recession is the decreasing of currency in terms of value and buying power. Now let us see how recession can damage big and small businesses (Argument). When recession strikes, the owner of the business or the employer tends not to hire new employees to cut down the cost and increase the chances of keep earning some profit. In some cases the employers may stop hiring the employees at all (Kornai, 1994). The manufacturer will not try to do any improvements regarding buying new equipment and launching new products. By not taking these steps which shows downward progress of the company and the share price of that company in the stock market also falls (Evidence). When a large business is forced to reduce its cost on things like promoting new products, launching marketing campaigns and it directly reduces the business opportunities of the small business es like advertisers, marketing firms and owners of the printing presses. Hence, one decision of a businessman to keep running his business swallows the revenue generation chances of the smaller businesses. This is where recession becomes really devastating and catastrophic for both small and large businesses.. In this article, I believe that it has been seen that the recession is no good thing for business world and also for the employees and general public as their lifestyle is forced to change accordingly. Nonetheless, it supports and proves the point of view of those people and economists who believe that recession is harmful for the businesses. But some people are of the opinion that recession is not that harmful to the world. What makes them think like that is to be found in the next article which is written by Laurie Bassi and her coauthor. They on the contrary has presented a very opposite picture of recession.

Increase Safety in Retail Parking Lots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Increase Safety in Retail Parking Lots - Essay Example Retail parking lots are a common place to be attacked by criminal because most customers are holding a lot of cash for shopping. The muggers see these shoppers as easy targets (Sennewald & Christman 2008). As a matter of fact, statistics show that police have reported to a high number of theft incidences from large retail companies. The company is obligated to return the favor of ensuring safety. Moreover, securing the parking lots next to our retail businesses would also increase our customer base since people love to shop in a place where they feel that they are secure and do not run the risk of being mugged. The main aim that the store is concerned about the customer being save in the [parking lot is to have a clear conscience. This is because if anything happens to the customers when they are within out parking lots, they we are guilty if we failed to do something that could have kept them save. Moreover, since we also work at the store, we also run the risk of being mugged or kidnapped. In order to have a clear conscience and also feel comfortable working at the store, it is our job to put all measures in place to ensure that our parking lot is safe (Vellani 2007). Although it is not possible for the company to prevent any misfortunes from befalling its customers, it is possible to take the necessary precautions for minimizing the chances of this happening by making sure that they are safe inside and outside the store. Keeping the client safe within and outside the stores is the right thing that any company can do. Most of our stores are found in unsecure neighborhood. This does not h owever mean that the customers need to feel insecure. Parking lots are the most areas prone to being attacked by mugger because they are usually deserted and the presence of many cars provides a perfect hide out for criminals. This implies that if the security within the retail stores were beefed up, then the insecurity in the

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay Example for Free

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay In reading my classmate’s paper, it is interesting to note that while the author is against unrestricted trade, the author nevertheless cites many of its benefits such as reducing dependency and cutting the cost of living. What is even more interesting is that the author tries to build a case around arguments that consider these benefits as detriments without ample support. When countries have to compete globally, they would have to streamline their products in order to find their most competitive wares or they won’t be able to compete at all. This opinion which is also mirrored by my paper is true, but the fear that some countries would engage in unfair practices is unfounded. For one thing, what does the author mean by â€Å"unfair† competition? Offering a price that is lower than your competitor’s is not unfair, it’s just competition. As the paper also mentions, this leads to specialization of goods based on each participating nation’s capabilities. While some of our products might not be marketable because of cheaper, higher-quality brands from some other countries, other goods that we export would be more marketable because of free trade and we could focus on those goods for export and not have to spread our resources too thin. This way, we can get the best profit for our best product. But what about countries that cannot be competitive? What about countries who simply do not have globally competitive products? Globalization also gives them the benefit of having cheaper products for their labor force to afford. Kellison (2006) states that economies that cannot offer globally competitive products usually end up offering another valuable resource, labor. Free trade cuts the cost of living for its laborers which make them afford better lifestyles. What is so wrong with that? In the final analysis, it is clear that globalization has a rightful place in today’s economy. References Kellison, P. (2006). Labor Forces in the 21st Century. N. Y. : Bakeman Books. My classmate’s paper: International Trade Debate â€Å"The Case for Protection† My paper: International Trade.

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano 1. INTRODUCTION: Seldom do we see cars that rewrite the history books even before they are seen running around on the roads. And hardly ever do we see cars that vow to put the nation on four wheels. The Tata Nano is one such car that has been in the news for quite a few years, for reasons good and evil. Nano is a car which has breathed into life due to one man. Give credit to Mr. Ratan Tata for his determination to build a low cost family car that has come true, finally. Took long it did, but the Nano came in a beautiful form. Touted as worlds cheapest car by a far cry, Nano has been the talk of the town around the globe. Head honchos of big organizations have been pouring in by numbers to have a look at this engineering master piece. Nano as a part of a new breed of 21st-century cars that embody a contrarian  philosophy of smaller, lighter, cheaper and portend a new era in inexpensive personal transportation and potentially, global gridlock. The Wall Street Journal confirms a global trend toward s mall cars, led by the Nano. The prefix Nano derives from the Greek root Nanos, meaning dwarf as with nanometer. Nano also means small in Gujarati, the native language of the Tata family, founders of the Tata Group. The project to create a 1 lakh rupees (3000SGD) car began in 2003, under the Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata. The strategy behind the project was the awareness of the number of Indian families who had two wheeled transport, but couldnt afford a four wheel car, and was based on the companys success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005. To discuss the innovation strategy for Tata Nano, we first discuss the constraints as per which the company had to operate. In pursuit of excellence and to keep up to the initial promise made to people that Tata will come out with a compact, quality car within a price tag of Rs. 1 lakhs(3000 SGD), Tata Motors came up with a design, marketing and operational strategy keeping in my mind the constraints of: Price Market Scalability Customer aspiration Resource efficiency 2. COMPANY PROFILE: Tata Motors Limited is Indias largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of USD 14 billion in 2008-09. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top three in passenger vehicles with winning products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. The company is the worlds fourth largest truck manufacturer, and the worlds second largest bus manufacturer. The companys 24,000 employees are guided by the vision to be best in the manner in which we operate best in the products we deliver and best in our value system and ethics. Established in 1945, Tata Motors presence indeed cuts across the length and breadth of India. Over 4 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the first rolled out in 1954. The companys manufacturing base in India is spread across Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Dharwad (Karnataka). Following a strategic alliance with Fiat in 2005, it has set up an industrial joint venture with Fiat Group Automobiles at Ranjangaon (Maharashtra) to produce both Fiat and Tata cars and Fiat powertrains. The company is establishing a new plant at Sanand (Gujarat). The companys dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprises over 3500 touch points. Tata Motors also distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors, the first company from Indias engineering sector to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange (September 2004), has also emerged as an international automobile company. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, a business comprising the two iconic British brands that was acquired in 2008. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, South Koreas second largest truck maker. The rechristened Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company has launched several new products in the Korean market, while also exporting these products to several international markets. Today two-thirds of heavy commercial vehicle exports out of South Korea are from Tata Daewoo. In 2005, Tata Motors acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera, a reputed Spanish bus and coach manufacturer, and subsequently the remaining stake in 2009. Hispanos presence is being expanded in other markets. In 2006, Tata Motors formed a joint venture with the Brazil-based Marcopolo, a global leader in body-building for buses and coaches to manufacture fully-built buses and coaches for India and select international markets. In 2006, Tata Motors entered into joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market the companys pickup vehicles in Thailand. The new plant of Tata Motors (Thailand) has begun production of the Xenon pickup truck, with the Xenon having been launched in Thailand in 2008. Tata Motors is also expanding its international footprint, established through exports since 1961. The companys commercial and passenger vehicles are already being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia and South America. It has franchisee/joint venture assembly operations in Kenya, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Russia, Senegal and South Africa. The foundation of the companys growth over the last 50 years is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through leading edge RD. With over 3,000 engineers and scientists, the companys Engineering Research Centre, established in 1966, has enabled pioneering technologies and products. The company today has RD centers in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Dharwad in India, and in South Korea, Spain, and the UK. It was Tata Motors, which developed the first indigenously developed Light Commercial Vehicle, Indias first Sports Utility Vehicle and, in 1998, the Tata Indica, Indias first fully indigenous passenger car. Within two years of launch, Tata Indica became Indias largest selling car in its segment. In 2005, Tata Motors created a new segment by launching the Tata Ace, Indias first indigenously developed mini-truck. In January 2008, Tata Motors unveiled its Peoples Car, the Tata Nano, which India and the world have been looking forward to. The Tata Nano has been subsequently launched, as planned, in India in March 2009. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the Nano brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The standard version has been priced at USD 2500 (excluding VAT and transportation cost). Designed with a family in mind, it has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Its mono-volume design will set a new benchmark among small cars. Its safety performance exceeds regulatory requirements in India. Its tailpipe emission performance too exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The lean design strategy has helped minimize weight, which helps maximize performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint. In May 2009, Tata Motors introduced ushered in a new era in the Indian automobile industry, in keeping with its pioneering tradition, by unveiling its new range of world standard trucks called Prima. In their power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims, they will introduce new benchmarks in India and match the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost. Tata Motors is equally focused on environment-friendly technologies in emissions and alternative fuels. . It has developed electric and hybrid vehicles both for personal and public transportation. It has also been implementing several environment-friendly technologies in manufacturing processes, significantly enhancing resource conservation Through its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in engineering and automotive solutions, construction equipment manufacturing, automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities, machine tools and factory automation solutions, high-precision tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications, and automotive retailing and service operations. Tata Motors is committed to improving the quality of life of communities by working on four thrust areas employability, education, health and environment. The activities touch the lives of more than a million citizens. The companys support on education and employability is focused on youth and women. They range from schools to technical education institutes to actual facilitation of income generation. In health, our intervention is in both preventive and curative health care. The goal of environment protection is achieved through tree plantation, conserving water and creating new water bodies and, last but not the least, by introducing appropriate technologies in our vehicles and operations for constantly enhancing environment care. With the foundation of its rich heritage, Tata Motors today is etching a refulgent future. 2.1 TATA GROUP AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES TATA groups portfolio includes wide range of businesses which are leading in their fields. Its total revenue in 2006-07 is $ 28.8 billion which is 3.2 % of Indias GDP. TATAs business empire extends to over 80 countries across 6 continents. Similar to Jack Welchs opinion that the business should either be first or second else it is better to sell the business, TATA groups companies excel it the fields wherever they started the business. TATA group has ninety eight companies that are basically operating in seven sectors. 3. ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATIONS SYSTEM Innovation in Tata Motors is not a recent phenomenon, but is a part of its legacy. The Companys culture of perpetual search for excellence is highly attributed to the Tatas ethos and incessant efforts of its employees in the past several decades to serve the customers by bringing continuous innovation in its products and processes. The three major areas to illustrate how Tata Motors has effected innovation in the past few years. Products Processes People 3.1. PRODUCTS: Tata Motors created several breakthrough products in the past which changed the market dynamics and helped in providing a new customer experience. 407 platform in 1980s Japanese LCV players had made inroads into the Indian automobile market inthe 1980s. Tata Motors came out with its innovative 407 platform which was designed to suit the Indian conditions. It quickly became the bestseller in LCVs and the platform still continues control 2/3rd of the market even in the third decade of its existence. Indica in the late 90s- This was the first indigenously designed passenger car in India and it was innovative in the sense that it provided more value for money in terms of internal space (comparable to the Ambassador which was the benchmark in the country for internal space), contemporary features (comparable to Maruti Zen) and all that at a very competitive price. ACE Ace was Indias first mini-truck launched in 2005. While heavy trucks ply on the Highways, research showed the need for a small sub one-ton truck for intercity and truck terminal-to-nearby locations connectivity. The vehicle offered 4 wheeler functionality at 3 Wheelers price. The unconventional design features used in the vehicle were: Innovative 2 cylinder Indica engine Semi-monocoque body to withstand abuse Rigid front axle and rear wheel drive for low cost Flat face vs. semi-forward face to enhance the loading space. NANO The target price itself became the source of innovation, as you all must have read that the big names in the industry just rubbished it as false claims and commented that it was impossible to make a â€Å"CAR† at that price. However, you all know that the promise was kept. This was made possible through series of innovative ideas which led to acquisition of 37 patents by Tata Motors. Engine was packaged on the rear side. 2 cylinder engine (conventionally there are 3-4 cylinder engines) Identical handles and mechanisms for left and right side doors Instrument cluster in the middle of the dashboard Unconventional seats Interior space was maximized by pushing wheels to the corners and power train below the rear seat. Product created was very contemporary and It has sufficient Space inside to accommodate 4 persons comfortably. Highly fuel efficient Exceeds the current Safety requirements Complies with the current emission requirements. WORLD TRUCK The new generation range of trucks which would match with the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost is being unveiled in just a few hours from now. It will create a new benchmark in India in terms of power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims and a new experience for the drivers in terms of drivability and comfort. 3.2. PROCESS: Sustainability of innovation in products needed to be complemented with innovative changes in the organizational processes too. Some examples are: Adoption of the Tata Business Excellence Model (TBEM) It is based on Malcolm Baldridge Award for business excellence and Balance Score Card. This has created a culture of exploring various innovative ways to achieve excellence in all the organizational processes. Use of IT systems: It has been a benchmark and highly leveraged in the organization throughout the VALUE CHAIN. Supply Side Free-Markets for e-Sourcing, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM). Product Development Process. Institutionalized Stage Gate process in the organization is a benchmark in itself and ensures development of right product for the market and also an effective and efficient program management. Transition from in-house product development to a collaborative product development, utilizing the capabilities of suppliers, design houses, subsidiaries and associate companies specializing in different verticals. Internalization philosophyofTata Motors made some major global acquisitions like TDCV, JLR, Hispano, etc. Unlike many other Japanese / US players, they followed an innovative approach to be seen as a local company in the country of operation, i.e, as a South Korean player in South Korea and as a Spanish Player in Spain. This has helped them to appreciate the need and importance of all the stakeholders and they achieved this in four stages. This involves â€Å"Initiating†, by understanding the language and basic facts of the country, â€Å"Familiarization† with their c ulture, â€Å"Harmonization† and finally â€Å"Synergizing† by sharing the best practices and work ethics. 3.3. PEOPLE: The changing business environment and increasing complexity of business posed a huge challenge in achievement of business plans. Tata Group, of which Tata Motors is a part of, is well known for identifying and nurturing leaders. Tata Motors in the past has adopted several innovative means to leverage its human resource capabilities for achieving extremely challenging goals. Identifying leaders through assessment centers This process has been effectively utilized by Tata Motors to identify young managers with very high potential. This process was started some 20 years back and has progressively created a pool of very strong and effective leaders who have proven their capabilities in some very challenging assignments given to them. This process has now been replicated by many other organizations too. Putting them into challenging assignments and giving them International exposure Key projects like ACE and NANO are examples of some challenging projects which constituted of young leaders and engineers. Breaking the functional silos by shifting from a hierarchical organization to a more CFT approach All these experiences have helped us to redefine the way we have looked at innovation. And while innovation is normally understood as introduction of new and radical ideas in the area of products and services, our experience says there are several other areas that also require innovation in tandem, so as to effect an innovation in a company. Three of them I have already mentioned, that is, product, process and people. Four other areas of innovation Source of inspiration/ Purposefrom which the concept emanated, which stresses upon the fact that agility and understanding the unstated/ unfulfilled need of customers is the most important source of innovation. Tata Nano: In this case the idea struck in the mind of our Chairman when he saw a family of four (a man, his wife and two kids) riding on a scooter on a rainy day. He felt that there was an unfulfilled need of safe, affordable and an all weather alternative. Price: The price of Nano got fixed at Rs 1 lakh (2500USD). The achievement of price target was definite to create a major disruption in the car market as it fell midway between the price of a scooter and the cheapest car available which was priced at Rs 2(5000USD) lakh. Product design was choked for options because of the price target. Hence the setting the price as target triggered a series of innovation which involved: Target Cost approach which involved breaking down the cost targets to sub-system and then to component level. Suppliers were challenged with the stringent cost target given to them, but they accepted the same and the result is in front of you. Promotion: Innovation lies in reaching the right customers always and communicating in a simple and effective manner. Tata Motors in case of Nano developed a portal, which got as high 30 million hits even before the launch of the car. After the launch there were another 30 million hits in less than a month. This helped the customers in becoming more aware of the product features. They received around 2 lakh(.2 million) applications, which is a good response by all standards. Place/Reach: Conscious of the fact that demand for such cars would be substantial from the remotest corner of the country, the sale of form for booking were facilitated through several banks. New insurance schemes were co-designed with the insurance companies, and now we are in the process of enhancing the sales and service network for better reach and service to the customers. To summarize the experience, path breaking ideas, conceived and implemented in one or more of the 7 Ps, leads to INNOVATION. Purpose Product Price Place Promotion People Process 4. INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Before the introduction of a product into the market, it goes through several stages of development. The stages of the product development includes the following idea Generation Idea Screening Concept Testing and Development Market Strategy Business Analysis Total Sales Estimation Estimation Costs and Profits Product Development Test Marketing As far as Nano is concerned, it falls new to the world products in the context that it has made a history for the cheapest car ever made without compromising on quality. i.e. best way value analysis. Category Players 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 A Maruti 800 28 24 21 14 10 7 B Alto,WagnorR,Santro,Indica 33 41 47 57 64 75 C Esteem, Swift, Indigo, Ikon, Ascent 12 15 18 22 26 33 D Mercedes-C, Skoda Superb 1 2 3 4 P/L Mercedes-E, BMw 1 1 1 1 1 1 74 81 88 96 104 120 Average Monthly Category Sales 4.1. idea generation The main idea behind TATA NANO was perceived by the chairman of TATA group himself who saw a family of four going on a scooter in rain he wanted to develop a transport which was affordable, safe and could face all types of weathers. This turned out to be the most ambitious project of Tata motors till date when Mr Ratan Tata told this to one of his managing directors Mr. Ravi Kant he was also interested about the idea. Mr. Ravi Kant had learned from his experience that â€Å"People want to move from two-wheelers to four-wheelers but they cannot afford it†. More and more can, but Indian car buyers today represent a tiny slice of a potentially giant market India has just seven cars per 1,000 people. Indias auto industry has grown an average of 12% for the past decade, but just 1.3 million passenger vehicles were sold in India in the fiscal year ending March 2006. That means a billion Indians buy about the same number of cars in a year as 300 million Americans buy in a month. If f our wheels cost as little as two wheels, that could change fast. About 7 million scooters and motorcycles were sold in India last year, typically for prices between 30,000 rupees and 70,000 rupees, about $675 to $1,600. Tata is targeting a price of 100,000 rupees one lakh, in Indian 19 terms of measurement or about $2,500 at current exchange rates, for its small car. That sounds impossibly cheap in the West but remains three times higher than Indias annual per capita income. The average pay for factory workers at Tata Motors is just $5,500 a year. 4.2. IDEA SCREENING The next step was screening of ideas. There were many ideas like to make a scooter with two extra wheels at the back for better stability, A three wheeled car like a closed auto- rickshaw but the market requirement was a car, the car should be such that it doesnt convey a message that its just an extension of a scooter it should be a proper car and likewise should also give the feel of a actual car. Trying to build a car cheap enough for motorcycle buyers seems to make sense now but seemed unachievable several years ago when Mr. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors had first mentioned his dream of building a one-lakh car in 2003 at that time the whole world thought that this gamble will never work out but ironically the whole world is now talking of small cars as $5,000 or $7,000 after TATA NANO was launched in 2009. 4.3. CONCEPT TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT After surveying customers the end result was that people wanted a four wheeler which was cheap, dependable and strong enough to carry a load of 1 ton additionally four wheelers also increased the social status of the person who owns it .Four wheels not only practical appeal but also had a emotional appeal. Thus the new product was now to be developed but the following considerations would have to kept in mind when developing it- The car should be built on a different platform than conventional ones. It must be meeting all the safety and regulatory requirements. It has to be built on a scale which shall be more than double the earlier launches of similar products and the ramp up must be smooth. The car has to be designed so that it can be exported to other countries as the domestic demand may not materialize as per projections. There were three main requirement of the new vehicle: it should be low cost, adhere to the regulatory requirements, and achieve performance targets such as fuel efficiency and acceleration capacity. Nearly 500 engineers were involved in the development of the vehicle and everyday they had meeting so that the decision taking and the problem solving process could be accelerated. Each engineer represented a different part of the car: engine and transmission, body, vehicle integration, safety and regulation, and industrial design. The body of the vehicle had to go under a number of iterations because the Mr.Ratan Tata wanted that a person whose height is over six feet can also fit into the car without any discomfort and finally the length of the car had to be increased by 100mm but eventually. The hard work of designing the car paid off and the designers were successful in their attempt to design an actual car which did not look shabby and inexpensive but looked sleek and sophisticated. 4.4. BUSINESS ANALYSIS: COST: Since the car had to be built within a cost of Rs. 1 Lac, no conventional design would work as the costs shall be higher and so the entire car has to be redesigned. The design has to question the need of each and every component from the point of view of its necessity of existence and also the minimum requirements of its functionality. Value Engineering concepts have to be deployed to finalize the minimum requirements. DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY: Its a technology which brings radical change by introducing new ways of doing things. Technology that is Significantly cheaper than existing Technology. Much higher performing? Has greater functionality and Is more convenient to Use. Brings to market a totally different Value proposition than the one available and can change the Paradigm about a product. The Guiding factor was that the cost has to be minimized for each component yet maintaining its basic functionality. The Alternatives are: Reduce Consumption of Material being used. Alternate Suppliers to get same material at fewer prices. Use alternate materials. Eliminate use of Material. Eliminate a process Or a Combination of the above. COST REDUCTION PARADIGM: Value Engineering Alternatives: The target was very clearly defined that, within the given cost structure all the components have to be allocated and the same had to be achieved using the available alternatives. The Guiding factor was that the tax structure on materials and manufacturing must support the final cost. Decisions were Establish factory in a tax free zone. Get the tax advantages on infrastructure development. Get the suppliers to establish base near the factory. Get special concessions from State Govt. In short select a manufacturing location where all the advantages could be achieved. 4.5. TOTAL SALES ESTIMATION: The total sales had been estimated based on the following decisions It was estimated that the demand for the peoples car shall be at least twice the demand for Maruti 800, the lowest end car. Initial projections were at about 500,000 cars per year. The basic reason was the conviction that the target price shall redefine the 4 wheeler segment. The price decision of Rs 1 lakh is definitely going to make a lot many people transit to 4-wheeler fold and that shall explode the demand. Only 10% customers of 9 Million two wheeler market transit to 4-wheelers it shall amount to 50% of the passenger car market share. It was decided to set up plants with 5 lakhs cars per annum capacity and ramp the same up in stages, in line with increase in market demand. 4.6. MARKETING: Product: Tata has a very wide range of products it has passenger cars, utility vehicles, Trucks, Commercial passenger Carriers and Defense Vehicles. Nano received media attention due to its targeted low price. The Tata Nano is a rear-engine, four passenger ,city car built by Tata Motors, It was first presented at the 9th annual Auto Expo on 10 January 2008, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India. Aimed primarily at the Indian market. Price: The prices of Tata motors are generally affordable acceptable by the general public at large. Tata always have something for the lower class people with Nano being their trump card. Giving discount every month and special promotion for certain type of vehicle also one of the strong strategy use by Tata Motors. Discount can be made from Companys profit or from dealers profit at certain range. Pricing strategies: Penetration pricing Low pricing policy with minimum profit margin. Though the one lakh price tag is not fixed by TATA group, it was the word of mouth of people which fixed that range. This expectation of people creates a big challenge for the company. Place: Tata Motors has an extensive dealer network covering Indian and International markets. Wherever you are, there is a Tata Motors Sales and Service dealership close to you. The channel of distribution, physical location, and dealership method of distribution and sales is generally adopted. The distribution of vehicle must be in a very systematic way, from the plant to dealership and to end user. This is not only in India itself but also to the world-wide dealership. Promotion: Tata motors promote their products via Advertising and after sales services. Enough use of one of the most important element of promotion mix, publicity reduces the necessity of other promotional devices for Nano. Publicity as â€Å"One lakh car† by mouth to mouth. Auto expo 2008,New Delhi Geneva Publicity through print electronic media For other type of promotional activities, cost factor that is 1 lakh price tag is to be keep in mind, nano watches, nano T-shirts available in retail clothing stores. Advertising: TV other mass media will be less effective, thus too much money will not be invested in this regard. Mainly word of mouth advertising will get more emphasis. Internet will be a major media for advertising.