The Sinking of the Lusitania essays

The Sinking of the Lusitania essays In the early part of the twentieth century, the only way to traverse the Atlantic was by ocean liner. It was a time of fierce competition between rival lineswith passengers expecting not only a speedy crossing, but luxurious accommodations as well. In 1903 Lord Inverclyde created the Cunard Line. Construction soon began on two fast and luxurious liners that were to challenge the German vessels that had held the Blue Riband since 1897. The resulting sisterships RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania would be a firm reassertion of British supremacy at sea. Launched at the River Clyde in June 16, 1906, RMS Lusitania was a grand ship and the first of the two sister ships to be launched. At 785 feet in length and 31,550 gross tons, she took the title of largest liner afloat. Her maiden voyage took place September 7, 1907, and in October 1907 she recaptured the coveted Blue Riband from the German liner Deutschland, which Britain had failed to obtain since the industrialization of Germany. The construction of Lusitania was financed by generous loans from the British government. In return for the generous loans, the Admiralty could requisition Lusitania or her sister in times of war. This would be key in the demise of the Lusitania. World War I would eventually erupt. During the war the Allies blockaded Germany preventing them from receiving any supplies, food or munitions. This led to Germanys development of a new weapon called the U-boat or submarine, as we now know it. This would allow the Germans to form a counter blockade as well as sink all these unsuspecting ships with out getting caught. The Lusitania left New York harbor on May 1, 1915, nobody was expecting the tragedy that was soon to occur. Although a warning against Americans boarding British ships signed by the Imperial German Embassy had appeared in the morning papers on the day the vessel was scheduled to leave, no one figured they were in...

Maintaining a Tree Through the Next Decade

Maintaining a Tree Through the Next Decade Specimen trees in the landscape need consistent care over time to ensure their continued health, proper conditions for growth and to prevent hazardous conditions that threaten surrounding property. Here is a tree care schedule developed by the United States Forest Service for a tree owners use and listed according to tree care type. Watering the Tree The key to newly planted tree survival is providing adequate water. Although the first 3 years are most critical, a trees watering needs should be maintained for life. Initially, a newly planted tree needs to be properly watered with an adequate amount to pack the soil, to remove root-drying air and to moisten the root ball. On adequately draining soils, 5 gallons of initial water should be enough. Fast draining soils may need more frequent watering than a slow draining soil. Year 1 - 3: It is most critical to provide adequate water during the annual growing season, between late spring and autumn.Year 4 and after: You can relax a bit on tree watering in later years but water may be needed during long periods of drought. Mulching the Tree Mulching a newly planted tree ensures that moisture is available to roots over time and reduces grass competition. A good mulch (organic materials like leaves, bark, needles and fine wood chips) should ring the tree base (over the critical root zone) but never touch the tree. No fertilizer is necessary when quality composted mulch is used. Year 1 - 3: Maintain the mulch level with no more than 4 inches of material over the roots (the wider the better) but not touching the tree.Year 4 and after: A tree appreciates a good mulch so it is appropriate to maintain adequate mulch levels annually during spring. Avoid using nitrogen fertilizers - use complete fertilizers only after a soil test. Staking the Tree Not all newly planted trees need staking to remain standing straight. Stake only if the root ball is unstable or the tree trunk is bending. Use only loosely tied, wide straps and limit the number of straps to a minimum for support. Year 1 - 3: Use tree stakes only when needed. Many tree owners automatically stake every tree not knowing that it is often unnecessary. Check all stakes and straps during spring and autumn for loose fit and alter to prevent trunk damage. All straps should be removed after the first or second year.Year 4 and after: Do not stake older trees. Cleaning the Root Collar Roots that encircle the trunk at the root collar can cause tree health and safety problems. A trees root collar is its transition zone between stem and root at the ground line. Proper planting depth can go a long way toward keeping the root collar clean and free of encircling roots. Remember that piling soil or mulch against the root collar encourages strangler roots. Year 1 - 3: Proper planting and mulching will go a long way toward solving most root collar problems. The first several years of growth after planting is when tree collar problems develop, so keep the collar exposed by removing soil and mulch. Overfertilization can speed up the process and make the condition worse.Year 4 and after: Revisit and check the root collar every 4 years. Use a hand trowel to loosen and remove the soil around the base of the tree until the first set of roots is uncovered. Inspecting Tree Health Checking a trees health may not only be subjective for a novice but determining the health of a tree is complicated and should be done by an expert. Still, there are things you can do that will alert you to tree health problems. Ask yourself these questions when inspecting a tree: Is the current years growth much less than in past years growth? Although fast growth does not necessarily mean good health, a dramatic reduction in growth rate may be an indication of poor health.Are there dead limbs, odd colors on leaves and bark or a patchy crown? These tree symptoms can be the first indicators that a tree is unhealthy and should be inspected in detail. Remember that planting a healthy tree from the beginning is the best way to assure its future health. Pruning the Tree When pruning a newly planted tree, only prune critical branches and no others! Critical branches are those that are either dead or broken. You can also remove multiple leaders to leave only one central stem. It may be best to postpone pruning to avoid transplanting shock due to loss of leaves. Year 1 - 3: Prune only critical branches or to eliminate extra leaders in the trees first year. You will have plenty of time to form your tree so only prune lightly in Year 2 or 3.Year 4 and after: Prune your tree for form and function every three years. As a rule of thumb, prune fruit trees every 1-3 years, prune deciduous shade trees every 5 years and evergreens only as needed.

A Critical Assessment of Martin Wights Why Is There No International Essay

A Critical Assessment of Martin Wights Why Is There No International Theory - Essay Example Wight claims that this paucity is compounded by â€Å"intellectual and moral poverty†¦[due to] the intellectual prejudice imposed by the sovereign State, and the belief in progress† (1960/2000, p. 30). He argues that there is no body of knowledge in international theory, understood as â€Å"speculation about the society of states, or the family of nations, or the international community† (Wight, 2000, 28), to match the successes of political theory, understood as â€Å"speculation about the state† (Wight, 2000, p. 27). The â€Å"theory of the good life† (Wight, 2000, p. 39), political theory’s central concern, was deemed incompatible with the study of international relations (IR), since the latter is understood to be primarily engaged with survival. In this essay, we shall evaluate Wight’s criticism of international theory and shall attempt to show his damaging claim failed to take into account the changes in the international which were already evident at the time. For conceptual clarity, we henceforth use international theory and IR theory interchangeably. The sources of international theory which Wight identifies form an eclectic mix of international law (Grotius and Prufendorf), writings of â€Å"irenists† such as Erasmus and Sully, Machiavellian elements, the â€Å"parerga† of political theorists, philosophers and historians (Hume, Rousseau, and Burke), and the speeches, despatches and other documents of statesmen of old, like Gentz and Bismarck (Wight, 2000, pp. 28-30). To reiterate the paucity of IR theory, he maintains that most of these works remain penetrable only by the scholar, making the international somewhat of an ivory tower.

Impacts of the French and Industrial Revolutions Essay

Impacts of the French and Industrial Revolutions - Essay Example Before the Revolution, many European countries and leaders thought of democracy as an unworkable political system. Nevertheless, the perception of the political system that was participatory and popular only began to take shape in Europe after the advent of the French Revolution (Western Civilization, 2012).The French revolution also brought about religious tolerance. Before the French revolution, there were several instances of religious feuds and tensions among Christians and Muslims. This is because Islam was not given much recognition. However, this changed immediately after the French revolution where different religions started getting recognition across Europe (Western Civilization, 2012).   The impact of the French revolution on politics could also be seen in that it caused nationalism and the idea of one nationality in one country. This ideology later resulted in the development of new refugees, known as political refugees. This gave the government the power to have greate r influence on people in Europe. Olwen (1992) points out that the French Revolution was fundamental in making the obligation of the government central to political affairs. In this regard, he reveals that the state became the all-universal power of nations in lost cases. To prove his argument, he lists several European nations which underwent democratic meltdowns before becoming dictatorial states. Some of these include the Soviet Union, Italy, Hungary, Albania, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Australia.... Historians argue that before the French revolution, there were several human rights violations as people were denied the freedom of movement and speech. These were only allowed for those in power. The French Revolution created a perception of universal human rights (Olwen, 1992). Before the Revolution, many European countries and leaders thought of democracy as an unworkable political system. Nevertheless, the perception of the political system that was participatory and popular only began to take shape in Europe after the advent of the French Revolution (Western Civilization, 2012). The French revolution also brought about religious tolerance. Before the French revolution, there were several instances of religious feuds and tensions among Christians and Muslims. This is because Islam was not given much recognition. However, this changed immediately after the French revolution where different religions started getting recognition across Europe (Western Civilization, 2012). The impact of the French revolution on politics could also be seen in that it caused nationalism and the idea of one nationality in one country. This ideology later resulted in the development of new refugees, known as political refugees. This gave the government the power to have greater influence on people in Europe. Olwen (1992) points out that the French Revolution was fundamental in making the obligation of the government central to political affairs. In this regard, he reveals that the state became the all-universal power of nations in lost cases. To prove his argument, he lists several European nations which underwent democratic meltdowns before becoming dictatorial states. Some of these include the Soviet Union, Italy, Hungary, Albania, Turkey, Portugal,

Consumers Markets and Culture Essay Example for Free

Consumers Markets and Culture Essay Compare and contrast the changing experiences of consumers from the year 1900 until present day. How do the theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber help to explain the changing consumer experience and the emergence of contemporary consumer society? â€Å"Until the eighteenth century the word consumption meant waste† (Williams, 1976) As consumers our experience of consumption today is exponentially different from that at the turn of the twentieth century in the recently urbanised and industrialised modern nation. Consumer culture is traditionally described in terms of the arrival of mass consumption as a counterpart to mass production as a result of the Fordist system (Miles, S). Choice is one of the biggest factors of the changing experience for consumers, during the 1950’s after the austerity years the now aging baby boomers were part of large scale changes to consumption patterns. For example as women began to enter the work place leaving less time to run the home, products were being developed to ease the burden of housework, washing machines, fridges and vacuum cleaners were among these products; the ever-growing use of hire purchase to enable consumers to afford these luxury products, combined with Fordist methods of mass production reducing the manufacturing cost of the products allowed the economy to grow strong once again. As television grew in popularity advertising was increasingly utilised by businesses to sell their products creating a far more impersonal environment while shopping for products. From this time the standard of living has been increasing up until present day (The Economist, 2008) with the aspirations of society increasing further still. Marx presents his theories as a materialist understanding of society, explaining capitalism as an unequal system based on the exploitation of the lower class (Abercrombie N et al, 2006), a system based on surplus value being extracted, the capitalist’s entire aim is to maximise the gap between value produced and value paid for (Slater D, 1997). Which a hundred years  ago meant using Fordist methods of production to bring down costs and reducing the skill required of workers which in turn reduced the compensation needed for workers. The Fordist method of production first seen around 1911 (Cohen and Kennedy, 2007), Alienated workers from the act of production. In his theory of Alienation Marx describes human essence as being realised through labour (Abercrombie et al, 2006) and working as an alien activity that offers no intrinsic satisfaction as the worker has no control over what is produced; this loss of ownership and loss of control over the workers own life due to managem ent organising and enforcing the labour. Where during the early twentieth our working classes were exploited and Alienated, now capitalists in the quest towards decreasing wages and widening the gap between value produced and value paid for are increasing looking to less economically developed countries where costs of production, epically workers are much lower. The counties known as BRIC economic group (Brazil, Russia, India and China). By indiscriminately consuming as a society, this encourages the expansion of exploitation of foreign working classes. Bauman proposes post-industrial societies are governed by ‘aesthetics of consumption’ rather than ‘ethics of production’ (Cohen Kennedy, 2007). Organisations such as Apple, Nike and similarly Primark are guilty of this system, the former two retailing premium priced products produced at the lowest cost possible cost, by attaching symbolic meaning to the products. Primark produces clothes at the lowest cost possible which are retailed for the lowest cost possible; consumers buy into this system with no feelings of guilt, as these products allow consumers to display possessions acting as social glue possibly due in part to the increasing Alienation of workers as society is increasingly detached from production with the service based economy we ‘enjoy’ today. Durkheim’s concept of Anomie is similar to Alienation, discussing Anomic suicide due to people no knowing how they fit in with society where possessions are used as social glue allowing consumers to display their beliefs and social groups. It is harder to relate Marx’s definitions of the class system as the proximity to production is becoming increasingly distant for most of society. â€Å"Every capitalist is trying to decrease the wages and consumption of their own workers and entice everyone else’s workers to consume to their limit and  beyond.† (Slater, D 1997) Marxism, as other modern economic theories believe, that the production and consumption of products is intrinsically connected, in the sense that incomes from production and consumer buying power are two sides of the same coin.’ (Slater, D 1997). This theory is particularly relevant now due to the current economic climate. As the recession began in 2008 many workers lost their jobs or suffered significant cuts in wages this resulted in a widespread reduction in consumer spending as a result society ended up a cycle of ever decreasing demand where the government had to intervene to stimulate spending. Of the stimulus the VAT reduction had an impact by reducing the cost of products, to reduce ever growing back up of cars as they still needed to be produced to keep the workers in employment the car scrapage scheme was introduced temporarily (Lloyds, 2009). In this scheme two thousand pounds was offered if a old car was scrapped in exchange for a new car. Capitalists driven to mass production, not by greed but conditions of capitalism (Edwards T, 2000), if not competing, competitors will capture markets through lower prices. This practice discussed by Marx leads to situations like the above were supply far exceeds demand. A good example of over production can be found by searching for any random product on a supplier listings website, Alibaba.com have over 64,979 different belt buckles available. Durkheim predicted that modern industrial societies would over-emphasise the importance of individuality which would erode social stability and solidarity (Schmidt, R 2010), consumers are sold their own individuality through advertising campaigns a few examples are: Dell’s ‘Yours is here’, My Yahoo. Products are increasingly customisable, mobile phone cases are a hugely popular consumer item. ‘Durkheim argues that people can only be happy when their wants are proportionate to their means. Left to themselves, human desires are boundless together with necessarily limited recourses, creates great unhappiness or ultimately suicide’ (Abercrombie et al 2006). Society controls the problem of unattainable goals by restricting desires through values aimed at permitting only goals which have some chance of attainment. The X-Factor is currently the most popular television program (Plunkett, J 2010) as dreams of mostly unattainable goals are being realised for a lucky number of consumers. This  is a stark contrast to the 1940’s where society was based around family values, working together to repair Britain where jobs were expected for life. Anomie describes the situation when this framework breaks down, goals again outrun means and suicide rate rises (Abercrombie et al 2006). Weber predicted that society would experience unprecedented inner loneliness of the single individual (Cohen Kennedy, 2007), this is a very accurate description of the contemporary experien ce, more than ever consumers are looking to the symbolic meaning of products to identify with their desired social groups and status. Social media is an interesting way to examine the inner loneliness experienced, taking facebook where consumers might have several hundred ‘friends’ who are merely acquaintances, with few solid friendships, while there is pressure to appear to have acquired huge numbers of ‘friends’ on social networks. To explore further into the loneliness of individuals, one in three households now have just one member compared with one in five in the 1970’s (BBC, 2004) this is known as the ‘meal for one’ society, more than half the meals eaten in the UK are now eaten alone. Traditional family unit is also becoming less common, with predictions indicating that in 2011 more than sixty percent of marriages will end in divorce (BBC, 2004). Weber discuses formal rationalisation of society as it becomes more industrialised and that this rationality is inevitable, the greater calculability required for rationalisation has affected greatly the consumer experie nce (Cohen Kennedy, 2007), consumers save for the wealthy classes, have an impersonal consumption experience. Self service check outs are a perfect example of this, once a shop keeper in the local store, would ring through and bag up your products now in the national and often multinational store, consumers ring through and bag up their own shopping. The systematic measured approach to contemporary life has created a predictable almost emotionless society, the consumption of university is a relevant example to the author, students are recognised by their identification number only, few if any university staff will know student’s names, no individuality between the students leaving students to display their personality and attachments through the conspicuous consumption of goods with symbolic meaning. Whereas the baby boomers will remember university involving debates with friendly tutors, with little care about appearances. This system creates greater efficiency, economic growth and  control of nature, the ‘iron cage’ describes this situation. However it does lead society towards the theories of Anomie and Alienation by Durkheim and Marx respectively. Calculability becomes an organising principle in the overall personality where ever more of our behaviour is informed by consistent logical expectations of human beings and of the environment. Spontaneity and surprise are experienced less and less in society, with calculability everything becomes increasingly predictable, unexpected events are planned for and avoided through policies and rules. The commoditisation of adventure is a good example of the disenchantment of society, Disneyland and all it represents takes the excitement out of spontaneity due to the ‘iron cage’ of functionalism and rationality. Weber sees class defined by income, (Cohen Kennedy, 2007) explaining that classes form around market positions, amongst people who share similar life chances which is relevant to the differences seen in society today from that at 1900, social mobility much more fluid with government actively perusing policies pulling people up the class system. The theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber are relevant to society today; Weber the youngest of the theorists has accurate concepts relating to the bureaucracy experienced in the post-industrial age which explain well the changing experiences of consumers. Durkheim’s theories on Anomie in relation to individualism and the breakdown of society while religions stability isn’t the answer are partially interesting in explaining how society consumes conspicuously, using products as social glue to find a place in society. Marx’s idea on Alienation of workers, as Anomie explains aspects of the consumer mindset today. The globalisation of business taking the class struggle Marx discuses around the world. The current economic climate demonstrates that capitalism has failings even if the least of these is disconnecting individuals from a more intrinsic and meaningful existences within society. â€Å"Capitalism simultaneously produces more goods and less effective demand to pay for them.† (Slater, D 1997) References Abercrombie, N (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 235| Abercrombie, N (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 360| Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 14| Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference: Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 18| Alibaba.com (2010) Search for Belt Buckles [Accessed on 19/11/2010] Available at: http://www.alibaba.com/Belt-Buckles_pid3391301| BBC News (2004) Portrait of the ‘meal for one’ society [Accessed on: 25/11/10] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3445091.stm| Buttler, C (2007) The Industrial Revolution. Flow of History.com [Accessed on: 22/11/10] Available at: http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/eme/17/FC0121| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire. P 300| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmill an, Hampshire. P 81| Cohen, R and Kennedy, P (2007) Global Sociology 2nd Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire. P 94| Desmond, J (2003) Consuming Behaviour. Palgrave, Hampshire| Edwards, T (2000) Contradictions of Consumption: Concepts, practices and politics in consumer society. Open University Press, Buckingham| Lloyds.com (2009) Unsold cars face storage exposures [Accessed on: s19/11/2010] Available at: http://www.lloyds.com/News-and-Insight/News-and-Features/Market-news/Specialist-2009/Unsold_cars_face_storage_exposures| Miles, S (1998) Consumerism – as a way of life. London, Sage.| Plunkett, J (2010) Gardian.co.uk: X Factor steals the show with 13.6m viewers. [Accessed on 29/11/2010] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/29/x-factor-tv-ratings| Schmidt, R (2010) Functionalism and Consumption Lecture Notes. I know sorry, I just really liked the sentence.| Sekora, J (1977) Luxuary: The concept in western though. Eden to Smollet, Balimore. As quoted by Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 176| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 175| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 176| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 181| Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge,

The Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect :: Violence Against Children

Imagine being a child and having your own father or mother hitting or burning your body, making sexual advances towards you, or just never being there for you when you need them. Becca, who decided to keep her last name anonymous, told about her experiences with being abused as a child in the Admit to Child Abuse web page. She told of her story by saying that she was "the victim of child sexual abuse and was abused for approximately 7 years by my father. Even at my age (22) now it is hard to put what happened to me into words" (Admit to Child Abuse). Well, more abuse like Becca's happens to children in today's society and they are victims of just those things. Many people may not realize this but child abuse has become prevalent in the United States throughout these past couple of years. Not only are children being physically abused but they are also being sexual abused, emotionally abused and neglected by people that are suppose to be the closest to them. There are many signs and ef fects of abuse, depending on the child that is being abused. Throughout this paper, each form of abuse will be addressed and those forms will be analyzed to find a proper treatment for these problems. Under law, a physically abused child means "a child less than 18 years of age whose parents responsible for the child care... inflicts physical injury by other than accidental means which causes substantial risk of death" (Safe Child Abuse). In other words, physical abuse is when a person physically touches a child and harms them in some way. This is something that is not being done by accident. It is also considered to be physical abuse when a caregiver, which does not have to be the parent, creates or allows certain situations to happen that would cause the child to be in danger. A physically abused child is easier to spot out then an emotionally or sexually abused child. This is because there are usually physical indicators, like bruises, cuts, and burns on the children's body that are being abused. Some more physical indicators would be bite marks, swelling on any parts of the body, and fractures in awkward places. Behavioral indicators from the child to look out for when determi ning if someone is being physically abused is if the child avoids physical contact with others, gives inconsistent versions about injuries that they have, does not seem to want to go home after school, seems frightened of parents and there are also many more.

Unit 1, the Business Environment, P1

FedEx FedEx Corporation is an American global courier delivery service. It operates under a public limited ownership as a tertiary business. A public limited company (PLC) means it is able to offer shares to the public. The owners of these PLC’s are the main shareholders. A tertiary business is one that provides a service to other business or individuals. Federal Express (later known as FedEx) was established in 1973. Ten years later, the company reaches $1bn in revenue – the first US business to achieve this status without merger or acquisition. Services extend to Europe and the Middle East by the end of 1989.Between 1991 and 1999 FedEx launches: Express Freighter ® to provide overnight delivery to Europe and Asia, FedEx Ship Manager ® – first company to allow customers to process shipments online and FedEx EuroOne ®, opening a new hub in Paris. In 2000, FedEx became known as â€Å"FedEx Corporation†. Services are divided into different companies th at operate independently yet compete collectively. During 2008, FedEx Corp ranks ninth in the business superbrands list. In 2010, the company opened a brand new hub in Cologne airport, the largest solar powered hub worldwide. FedEx Corporation’s revenue during 2011 was in excess of $39. 3bn.FedEx has one main key activity and that is to deliver goods around the world. FedEx express is an overnight courier, providing next day air service. FedEx Ground provides a door-to-door delivery service. FedEx Freight provides a service which carries large amounts of freight to destinations where it is then transported by FedEx Ground. FedEx Office provides a retail outlet for shipping, printing, copying and binding services. During an average day various departments within FedEx Corp work together to ensure a excellent service is delivered to customers. The marketing department works very hard to ensure people know about them.They especially target small businesses that are in need of pr ofessional connections at far off places. They also target embassies and governmental institutions – although their main customers are businesses/governments they welcome anyone who is in need of a shipping service. Marketing wants FedEx to be the fastest of courier delivery companies, and so advertises this to entice customers – but it has to make sure that this is being met by the various departments within the company. The many distribution centres around the world deal with goods the customers want.Here they are delivered from the manufacturers, processed, packaged and then sent on the correct freight vehicle or freight plane. Once this first journey has been completed, the goods will reach a hub, where it is then sorted and moved onto smaller delivery vehicles that deliver to a specific area. Once the package is received, the customer signs and it is stored electronically so FedEx knows they have delivered the package. The company’s website hosts an electro nic tracking system where customers can enter a code and track the exact location of their goods and the contents of their goods.Also on their website they promote themselves through marketing. FedEx Corp is a growing company and regularly recruits new employees – this is met by the human resources department at various centres around the world – they recruit a whole range of staff from pilots to delivery vehicle drivers. Along with this their equipment whether it be plane of van/lorry needs maintaining and repairing, so FedEx have their own maintenance department. The whole purpose of this is to make a profit so FedEx Corp can expand and continue to deliver an excellent, on-time service. Aldi Aldi Ltd is a global discount supermarket chain.It operates under a private limited ownership as a secondary and tertiary business. A private limited company means it is owned by individuals or shareholders with profit as the major driving force. A secondary business produces goo ds, for example Aldi own-brand orange juice is produced by a subsidiary company for Aldi. This is then delivered to Aldi and sold to customers. This is a tertiary business – a business which sells the finished product. Aldi first store was opened in 1913, and was a quite popular p[lace to shop in the German town of Essen. During the 40s an expansion program was created and more stores were opened.A celebration was held in 1954 for the opening of the 50th store. By 1960 Aldi had grown to a network of over 300 stores; Aldi was then divided into Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud. In the 1960s, Aldi became the first company in Germany to adopt the self-service concept. During 1983, Aldi started chilled distribution depots and sol fresh products such as cheese, yoghurt and sausages. Frozen products came in 1998 and were closely followed by fresh meat. Today, Aldi is a rapidly growing company with more than 9,000 stores across 3 continents, serving millions of people. Aldi has many day-to-day activities.Aldi spend a lot of money on marketing to let customers know of the quality products for low prices. During 2011 more than 1 million customers switched from their usual British supermarket to their German rival due to the low-cost products – this was mainly achieved by marketing. In the UK, TV adverts were introduced to inform customers of their products. Each week a brochure is produced informing of the deals to come the following week. There are various distribution centres around countries which Aldi operate in. Aldi has a â€Å"delivered fresh everyday policy†, and each day lorry loads of new goods are delivered to each store around the globe.Aldi have a small website which gives customers information of latest product deals and upcoming â€Å"special buys†. Aldi have their own mobile app giving similar information as their website. Aldi do not regularly recruit main workers – it is their norm to have least workers. When workers are recrui ted the HR department would take care of this. Cleaners are employed by Aldi to take care of their stores after closing time. Aldi’s purpose is to provide a low-cost quality product service in the form of a supermarket. The main aim is to make profit.

Reasons for Job Role Suitability

I feel that I would be ideal for this position and would fit in well into your organisation because of the relevant skills and experience that I have acquired in previous roles that I have done. My last job was dropping off and picking up disabled children to and from their school. One child is wheelchair bound and the rest have severe mental problems, (i. e. autism), therefore my driving had to be calm and stable avoiding sudden movements whilst keeping to a schedule to make sure that the children would arrive to school on time.Sometimes the children required special attention and patience for which I was prepared for and did gladly, as my character is that of being helpful and caring as I feel satisfaction from doing so. I have a lot of experience dealing with customers in previous customer service roles that I've done, sometimes having to deal with awkward and angry customers and I would try to deal with them with a positive and helpful approach not taking any abuse that I would r eceive personally and in my experience this would always resolve these types of situations well. I am able to work well in a team but I can also work well on my own initiative.I work in a responsible manner making sure all the required tasks are done to the best of my abilities and on time. I am an organised and punctual person able to work well to schedules and making sure that I pass on any required information to the relevant people. Overall I think that my strengths and skills are well suited for your organisation not only in a bus driver role but also any other position that you feel would be suitable. I am looking for a job that is permanent and think that this role would be ideal for that reason, and I am a very good driver or so I have been told by many people.

Japanese Economy Essays - Public Finance, Fiscal Policy, Free Essays

Japanese Economy Essays - Public Finance, Fiscal Policy, Free Essays Japanese Economy How has Japan fared with its economies booms and slumps? This investigation is based on stage 4 unit 1 of the Business and Economics A-level course, What happens in booms and slumps?. The unit focuses how people and businesses are affected by booms and slumps, why they continuously appear and the governments role in helping to control these two events. The investigation will therefore focus on Japan and the way booms and slumps affect the Japanese businesses and people. To determine this the investigation will focus on Japanese economic growth, inflation, unemployment rates, trade and Government economic policies. It is true that in a boom there are large amounts of trade. High demand, high GDP, low unemployment and high inflation (more spending). In a slump the opposite is true. Recession - High Unemployment, low wages, low demand High Inflation - More spending, higher demand, higher prices, higher costs of production. Low Inflation - Less spending, low demand, low costs of production. Downward Multiplier Effect - This occurs when there is too much demand. Then when there is a slump a deficit occurs because of the surplus that might have occurred in the boom. It is difficult to begin to analyse the Japanese economy since the information about it is very mixed. On one hand we have the news that Japan is coming out of a recession and in the other that Japan is going into one. The information released by the government assures us that Japan is improving its economic stability, while the media and world banks tell the opposite story.The Bank Of Japan is looking to ease its monetary policy (control of interest rates to control bank lending) and to fight the deflation by creating inflation. While on the other side we are being told that the unemployment rate is easing from an unprecedented 5.0% to 4.5%. So which one is true. It is true that Japanese economy has improved, it has come out of its recession but it still faces several problems that may keep it from expanding, these are: Consumer demand is still weak - Between the years 1989 and 1998 household savings have decreased from 7.6% to 7.1 per cent. This means people have started spending more but still in low quantities. Unemployment in Japan is at around 4.9%. - Although temporary workers and one day contract workers have increased full time employees have been laid off more. Corporations continue to restructure themselves. - The Japanese are adopting a more American industry. The relationship between workers and employers and the management is changing. This change is also a factor to the improvement of the economy. So what exactly pulled Japan out of its recession. One of the major factors is the low interest rate (montary policy) that encouraged people to save less and spend more thereby creating demand. By creating demand they initiated the circular flow of income. What this means is that households had more money which they spent on products and because there was demand once again the factories started producing, this led to the need for workers and the workers were paid wages which could then be spent. The other reason is major Government intervention, through fiscal policy. Although this large spending by the government to create aggregate demand to keep the economy alive worked, it has increased the countries national debt which has to be paid off and not only that but this active implementation of fiscal policy has created a fiscal deficit. So far the damage created by the fiscal deficit has been non-existent but because of the increased debt public spending may later become strained especially if interest rates increase and people stop spending money once again. Then where will the government get the money from. This fiscal policy can serve also as a mask over the economy because it is hard to estimate in how much trouble it really is if artificial demand is created. The government has spent $1 trillion US on their stimulus budget and $500 billion to help sustain their banking system. Apart from the government intervention the recession has caused the Japanese to rethink their whole management structure. This now means instead of the rest of Europe trying to model themselves on Japan, Japan has started

ACT in 7th Grade

Should You Start Prepping for the SAT/ACT in 7th Grade SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a middle schooler starting to think about the SAT or ACT? While 7th grade is early to start prepping, a lot of students canbenefit from prep by reinforcing their content knowledge and developing good study skills. Academically gifted students, furthermore, might take the SAT or ACT to qualify for talent competitions and special programs. Let's consider how test prep could help you as a7th grader, reasons you might take the test, and how it lines up with your middle school classes. First, why do students take the SAT/ACT? Reasons to Prep and Take the SAT/ACT in 7th Grade The main reason students take the SAT/ACT is, of course, to apply and get into college. While 7th grade is yearsaway from college applications, students may still benefit from sitting for the test and gaining insight into the experience. Continuous early exposure to the test will help students master the content and strategies they need to perform well. Apart from their academic goals, somestudents might take the SAT or ACT to qualify for talent competitions and programs. Let's consider both of these compelling reasons to prep for the SAT/ACT in 7th grade in more detail below. To Get Ready for College Taking the SAT or ACT is a requirement for most 4-year colleges in the United States. Considering how competitive admissions are year after year, you can really boost your application with a strong SAT or ACT score. A lot of strategy and training are key for scoring well on these tests, so almost all students who want to achieve their target scores both prep for the test and take it more than once. Once you've learned the secrets and tricks of the SAT and ACT, it stops seeming like such a difficult and unreachable test. Actually, with enough prep most students could become experts and even master the test. If putting in the time and effort to really get to know the SAT or ACT inside and out appeals to you, then you could definitely benefitfrom starting early as a 7th grader. Prep doesn't have to mean signing up for and taking the test, as you can improve a great deal through taking practice tests, analyzing your results, and practicing under timed conditions.At the same time, early exposure to the test can be valuable experience, both for getting yourself ready and getting accustomed to the experience.Taking an official test will definitely be in your plans if you're competing to get into programs for talented and gifted students. For Talent Competitions and Programs There are some programs for academically gifted students that require the SAT or ACT as part of their applications. These programs include the following: Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS) at the University of Iowa Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins University Joseph Baldwin Academy (JBA) at Truman State University Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS) at Northwestern University Talent Identification Program (TIP) at Duke University If you're taking the SAT or ACT to get into one of these programs, you'll probably sign up using one of their entrance forms as a form of identification.Youmight be surprised that some of the material on the SAT/ACT lines up with content you'vealready learned in yourclasses. Other concepts will likely be new and require your attention and focus to learn. Either way,it's important that you devote time and energy to prepping if you want to achieve qualifying scores. So what exactly is tested on the SAT and ACT, and how much of these tests line up with what you're learning in school? Content You Need to Know for the SAT/ACT (and May Not Have Learned Yet) The SAT has three major sections: Math, Reading, and Writing. The ACT, on the other hand, has four sections: Math, Reading (like the SAT's Critical Reading), English (equivalent to the SAT's Writing), and Science. As a 7th grader, you probably have already developed some of the skills and learned some of the concepts that will appear on these two tests. However, don't panic if you don't know what "plethora" meansor have yet to learn the properties of right triangles. These tests are meant to demonstrate high schoolers' college readiness, not middle schoolers'. If you're taking the tests for talent competitions, you should study on your own, as well as think about tutoring so you can really grasp these new concepts. Let's briefly review what's in each section so you can have a sense of what you already know and what skills and knowledge you would need to acquire. First, what's covered in the SAT and ACT math sections? SAT and ACT Math The math section of the SAT covers number and operations, algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics. Almost all the formulas you need to know are provided on the test, though you should still take time to learn them. There's not a lot of time in the math section, so you don't want to waste time flipping through the booklet and consulting formulas that you would be better off having memorized. The ACT math section is similar, but it goes one step more advanced than the SAT by including some trigonometry.If you're in 7th grade, chances are you haven't had too much exposure to geometry or trigonometry yet! If you're studying for a talent competition or want to get a headstart on 8th grade and high school, you could try to tackle one new concept every few weeks. SAT Questions of the Day and ACT Questions of the Day are helpful for gradually trying practice problems, identifying what you know, and figuring out what you still need to learn. You can try official practice tests, online sample questions, books, and/or customized prep programs like PrepScholar's online test prep. While the math covers concrete concepts that you need to learn and practice, the Critical Reading section of the SAT and Reading section of the ACT test skills that are a little more difficult to quantify. SAT and ACT Reading Both the SAT Reading and ACT Reading sections ask you to read passages and answer questions about their content, purpose, vocabulary, and details. These questions may incorporate literary terms like theme, tone, style, symbolism, and metaphor. Most 7th gradershave the raw skills of reading comprehension that they can apply to these sections. Through reading widely and taking the time to really comprehend what you're reading and back up your analysis with evidence from the text, you can improve your reading skills and vocabulary more and more. This takes time, dedication, and hopefully a genuine interest in what you're reading. By approaching these passages and any readings with an open and inquisitive mindset, you can actually retain and understand the words better. A nice consequence of this enhanced understanding would be answering comprehension questions with ever greater accuracy. Just like with the math sections, taking the time to prep for a few hours every few weeks can help you improve your reading comprehension both on the SAT/ACT and in your English classes in school. You can reinforce what you're learning in school, apply it to these tests, and improve your academic skills overall. On a similar note, you can reinforce your understanding of grammar and writing in the context of the SAT/ACT by prepping for the SAT Writing or ACT English sections. Yum! Reading for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. SAT Writing and ACT English Like with your reading skills, you can improve your writing skills (and grasp of English grammar) through practice. The SAT Writing and ACT English sections ask you about grammar and syntax. Studying the most commonly tested rules is very helpful here. Like with the math concepts, you could try to tackle a new rule every few weeks and reinforce it with practice questions. This studying will also help your abilities to express yourself through writing in your English and other classes in school. In terms of the essay, both the SAT and ACT ask you to write a persuasive essay and support your opinion with examples.If you've encountered the 5-paragraph essay structure, then you have a sense of what you need to produce on these tests. SAT and ACT scorers reward structure, so practicing this structure in class and on practice tests will help you improve your score here. Finally, the ACT is unique in that it has a science section. What scientific concepts are tested on the ACT? ACT Science The science section on the ACT is actually less about recall of specific facts and figures, and more about your ability to apply scientific skills to interpret data, read graphs and charts, and understand passages. In this way, it's almost more like the Reading section thananything else. You will develop skills in lab classes that will help you on the science section. It includes some biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space sciences, but does not require you to have advanced knowledge in any of these realms. This article covers the only actual scientific knowledge you need to have to take the ACT science. The rest is about having skills of comprehension and interpretation, which you can continue to develop in school and with targeted and effective test prep. Above is just a brief overview of the content that comes up on the sections of the SAT and ACT, along with where they intersect and where they differ. You can check out the links above fora much more in-depth breakdown of what's on each of these sections. Familiarizing yourself with the tests will further help you figure out what you already know and what you need to learn to do well on the SAT/ACTand over the coming years of school. So if you are planning to prep in 7th grade, what exactly should be your plan of action? Plan of Action for 7th Grade If you're taking the SAT/ACT to compete for talent competitions, you'll be best served by putting in at least 40 hours of test prep or so. Even more would be helpful for really getting a handle on the test, but you don't want prep time to detract from your schoolwork and any other activities. You might devote 2 to 3 hours a week to prepping for the tests, starting 5 or 6 months before your test date. As mentioned above, you can use official practice questions for the SAT and ACT, answer Questions of the Day, study from books, ortry PrepScholar's customized online test prep program. You definitely want to use official SAT and ACT practice questions, as questions from the testmakers themselvesare the gold standard when it comes tostudying. To make your prep most effective, you might start out by reviewing the content and figuring out what you already know and what you need to learn. If you approach this with a mindset open to learning new concepts and skills, then you'll be much better off than if you're worrying about not knowingenough. As I said above, the SAT/ACT are tests for high schoolers. You can certainly prep and learn new concepts, but bepatient with yourself- there are some areas that you probably haven't studied yet in school. If you're not taking the SAT/ACT for talent competitions and just want to get a headstart on studying and learning, you might dedicate an hour to test prep every one or two weeks. This gradual studying could really add up over time and allow you to develop expertise on the tests. You could even completetaking the SAT or ACT well before the typical test-taking schedule of junior year and have this part of your college application finishedearly. Prepping for the SAT/ACT, and even taking the tests in 7th grade, can give you continued early exposure that will help you achieve high scores. It could also help you develop habits of discipline, effort, and organization. You might get a headstart on yourclasses, as well as a competitive edge when you eventually apply to college. If you take the time to prep for the SAT/ACT in 7th grade, then you'll be well ahead of the curve. What's Next? You might take the SAT or ACT in 7th grade as a launching point and improve your scores from there. So what's a good SAT and ACT score for 7th graders? Read about what makes a good 7th grade score here. If 7th grade feels too early to think about the SAT/ACT, what about 8th grade? This article discussesthe reasons why you might start prepping in 8th grade. The best practice for the SAT and ACT uses official sample questions. Download free official SAT and ACT practice tests here. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Business Ethics - Essay Example The present study focuses on learning about the CSR activities of Starbucks Company and the different issues that the organization addresses. Starbucks and their CSR Efforts: The Starbucks Company was initiated in the year 1971 in Seattle when three friends Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker had opened up a small coffee shop. However there have been several changes over these years where the company experienced selling out and expansion processes before the position where it has reached now (Garza). Starbucks had always considered the fact that communities should be served at their best and hence such corporate social responsibilities were performed by the company ever since their coffee shop initiated (Being a Responsible Company, 2011). The company is committed to provide â€Å"good governance, ethical conduct and social responsibility† along with maintaining relationships with the stakeholders of the company (My Starbucks, n.d., p.10). The recent reports of CSR eff orts of Starbucks Company reflect their progress in several areas of work. The company’s recent commitments also include assisting the coffee farmers, and supporting communities and environments. Other commitments also include ethical sourcing of coffee, responsibility for the environments, involvement in community development, and practices in the workplaces. As studies reveal, the company is a leader in the industry as far as ethical sourcing of coffee is concerned, where the company has accomplished sustainable coffee, higher price payments, fair trade certified coffee, and Conservation International Collaboration addressing changed in climate. The company has also proved to be a leader in environmental responsibilities trying to focus on renewable energy, and green building. Relationships with customers and neighbors are also included as major responsibilities of the company (Starbucks Makes Corporate Social Responsibility Report Public, 2008). Thus the company’s e fforts on CSR can be found to be effective on maintaining the environments and communities as well as improving the image and reputation of the company. Stakeholders of Starbucks Company and Effects of the Company’s CSR on Them: The different stakeholder groups of the company that Starbucks need to consider while planning for their CSR activities include the employees of the company, the shareholders, the partner organizations, government and non government organizations, university student organizations and academic institutions, regional community groups, and the media (Reid, 2006). Strong relationships need to be built and maintained with these stakeholders thus implying the fact that the CSR activities of the company would have significant effects on these stakeholders. The Starbucks Company considers the needs and expectations of different stakeholders and accordingly communicates the CSR activities to them. For stakeholders like the NGOs, the company tries to integrate the strategies, practices and operations focusing on a holistic approach towards solving different problems. The motives are ethical, economic, and legal. For investors or shareholders, the company has always tried to connect the values of the company with its performances, the motives being economic and ethical, also attempting to create values with the