Overview of the Annual Report and Form 10k and the Balance Sheet Essay

I should be able to understand your answer and see what the numerical support is without looking at your tables. For all problem sets, please show tables and calculations with each answer (unsupported answers will be marked wrong), not in separate tables. I should be able to look at your tables or calculations and see what the answer should be without actually reading it. And I should be able to read and understand your interpretation of a table without having to look at it. Clearly show and label any and all calculations. Your output should look professional. 1. Corporate Message: What does Coca Cola’s 2012 Annual Review tell you about the message the company wants to convey to its readers? Point out examples to support your discussion. 2. Describe the three types of Coca Cola’s bottling relationships. Name the significant companies that are accounted for by the equity method. Does Coca Cola have a controlling interest in these companies? Explain and demonstrate why or why not? What would the company’s balance sheet look like if Coke were to account for its publicly traded equity method investments at fair value rather than using the equity method? . Except for Property, plant, and equipment, what was Coca Cola’s largest single asset (not asset category) at 12/31/2012? How does it compare to 2011? Why do you think it increased? What was its relative impact on the change in total assets? Which component of Coca Cola’s balance sheet is the primary factor causing the company’s change in total assets fro m December 31, 2011 to December 31, 2012? How much did this factor change by relative to (i. e. , as a percentage of) the change in total assets? 4. Income Tax: Is Coca Cola’s effective (i. e. , average) tax rate more or less than the U. S. federal (â€Å"statutory†) rate? What is the primary reason(s) that it was more/less in 2012? 5. Look at Coke’s 10K. For 2012, is the amount of dividends declared equal to the amount of dividends paid? What are these amounts? Where did you find them? Did dividends declared increase, decrease, or remain the same – per share and in total, compared to 2011? 6. Prepare a 2011 and 2012 common size balance sheet for Coke. Comment on differences between the two. A common size balance sheet is one for which each item in the balance sheet is divided by total assets. Download Pepsi’s 2012 10-K from Pepsico. com 7. Using the information in Pepsi’s 2012 10-K, calculate the company’s a. Total market value for 2012 and 2011. b. Book value to common shareholders for 2012 and 2011 (Hint: Pepsi does not have dividends in arrears on their preferred shares. Use Pepsi’s call price located in the footnotes for the preferred stock claim. Just subtract the total preferred stock call price amount from total stockholders’ equity. c. Market to book value ratios for 2012 and 2011. d. How do the above ratios for Pepsi compare to those of Coca Cola for the same two years? How do you interpret any differences? 8. Make a common size balance sheet for Pepsi for 2012 (round your percentages to 1 decimal place – i. e. , the same as 0. xxx ) Examine the two companies’ common size balance sheets. What do you notice about a. Cash and cash equivalents b. Net receivables c. Current liabilities d. Long term debt What do you think any significant differences between these ratios might mean? Do you notice any other significant differences between Coke and Pepsi? 9. Working capital: Working capital equals total current assets minus total current liabilities. How much working capital does Pepsi have at 12/31/2012 and 12/31/2011? How much working capital does Coca Cola have at 12/31/2012 and 12/31/2011? Can you directly compare the two companies’ working capital? Why or why not? If not, how could you make them comparable? Are the two companies experiencing similar changes in working capital?

Beowulf Discussion Questions

E4-9-2-Beowulf Discussion Questions #11. Herot was the place in which men would gather with their King, drink mead and listen to bards sing songs of God. 2. Grendel’s lair is like a swamp it is far away from the kingdom and it is where the other monsters live as well. Grendel’s lair compared to Herot which is lavish and elaborate and not swampy and stinky. 3. The significance of Grendel being descended from Cain was so significant because Cain killed his own brother, Abel the first murder in the Bible. 4.Grendel attacks Herot because he does not like the songs about God’s creation of the earth sung by the bards it makes him angry. 5. Herot symbolized the greatness of the kingdom before the coming of Grendel. Unfortunately after it became a place of fear and concern many people stopped coming to celebrate the King’s excellence because they were afraid of Grendel. 6. Hrothgar’s lieutenant was concerned about the arrival of Beowulf & men because he was not sure of what they wanted, he was being cautious. 7.The lieutenant soon realizes Beowulf as a hero when they arrive onshore as outsiders without fear stating his business as being a help to the King by killing Grendel. 8. Unferth brings up Beowulf ’swimming match with Brecca because he wanted to prove Beowulf isn’t the hero everyone says he is. In return, Beowulf responds by saying first of all that he is drunk and that he did slay the monster and eight other sea beasts. 9. Welthow is the Queen and also the hostess in Herot. The narrator praises her for being so kind and serving other before herself. 10. Hrothgar’s speech is significant because he speaks to all telling them to bond together in battle trust no one else other than your men and you will all have true victory. 11. As Beowulf and his men wait for Grendel’s arrival, Beowulf thinks that he is as dangerous as Grendel and that his men fear for their lives doubting if they will even live until morning. 12. Grendel is referred to as a demon or dreadful monster. Grendel symbolizes the evil that is tormenting the Danes.

Go and Catch a Falling Star

The poem â€Å"Song: Go and catch a falling star† was written by the cherished poet, John Donne. In this satirical poem, through a series of images, he conveys his belief on the faithfulness, or rather the unfaithfulness of women.Donne’s use of diction, allusion, imagery, sound effects, and tone create a unique richness in the language of the poem, which make it enjoyable to read. The denotations and connotations of this poem create more depth and richness. In line 5, the word â€Å"mermaid† denotes a beautiful, mythical creature. The first connotation that comes to mind is the myth because mermaids are usually thought to be fictional.This goes along with Donne’s message because he believes that finding a woman so perfect is impossible. The other connotation of the term â€Å"mermaids† is more negative because they can also connote death. Mermaids have been used in other literature to lead someone, usually men, to their downfall and death due to the ir initial innocent and alluring appearance. This connotation of mermaids goes along with Donne’s theme because the line where he hears â€Å"mermaids singing† is representing of the beauty of women luring men in false hope.Other instances of the multiple connotations are in lines 3 and 4 with â€Å"a mandrake root† and â€Å"the devil’s foot†. Both a mandrake root and a devil’s foot are mythical plants. A mandrake is a plant that, when pulled out of the ground, lets out a piercing scream that can kill someone if heard. A devil’s foot is a plant that, when powdered and lit on fire, creates a noxious smoke that can kill someone if inhaled. One connotation of these is that they have very unrealistic properties, which is similar to Donne’s belief that faithfulness is unheard of in females.The line when â€Å"get with child a mandrake root† is stated is an obvious example of an impossible task, like Donne’s belief of finding a perfect woman. A connotation of a devil’s foot is satanic because it could be thought of a part of the devil. This can be interpreted so that a woman is like the devil, a true being and bringer of evil. Another connotation of the mandrake root is sexual because the root is known to be used to help with fertility; this word is often linked with women.Also, mandrake root can appear to look like a deformed human figure, which could represent the innocent plant when the root is buried; however, once it is brought up from the ground, one can see the true appearance, which is unappealing and ugly.Allusion is very prominent in Donne’s poem. In the first stanza, there are two allusions. The first allusion is the mermaids. The mermaids mentioned in the poem allude to the Odyssey. In the Odyssey, there were mermaids sitting near a dark cave, and their voices were beautiful and alluring. When ships would sail by the cave, the sailors would hear their voices.Some crew me mbers would jump off the ship and would either drown or get pulled down by the mermaids. John Donne used the phrase â€Å"mermaids singing† to allude to Homer’s mermaids in the Odyssey because he believed that no woman had good intentions, no matter how beautiful they were.The next allusion is the mandrake root. Although a mandrake root is a real plant, it is also often used in myths that involve magic and wiccans. In the play Mandragola by Machiavelli, the mandrake root was used to create a potion. This potion was used to trick and to take advantage of a person in bed.This can be related to John Donne’s poem because he felt that women were unfaithful and would do anything to get what they want. Another allusion of the mandrake is to numerous of Shakespeare’s plays, which use the mandrake root as well. In Antony and Cleopatra, the line â€Å"Give me to drink mandragora that I might sleep out this great gap of time† and in Othello, the line â€Å"N ot poppy, nor mandragora, nor all the drowsy syrups in the world, shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep† alludes to the mandrake roots’ magical properties of making someone drowsy or bringing them to an eternal sleep.The connotation of the mandrake root where it is deadly alludes to the line in Romeo and Juliet, â€Å"Shrieks like mandrakes’ torn out of the earth† and in King Henry VI, the line â€Å"Would curses kill, as doth a mandrakes’ groan. † The imagery in the poem is used to explain how impossible it is to find a faithful woman and to over exaggerate finding this kind of lady. The mandrake root, devil’s foot, and mermaid are obvious examples of impossibility. The title of the poem, â€Å"Go and catch a falling star† is another example of something that is thought of as unfeasible and almost magical.The lines â€Å"Ride ten thousand days and nights, Till age snow white hairs on thee† are used as a hyperbole. Donne uses these lines as an exaggeration to explain that it does not matter how long a man searches for an honest woman because even if he looks for one for a thousand days and nights, he will never find one. Another use of a hyperbole is in the lines â€Å"Go and catch a falling star, Though she were true, when you met her, Yet she will be false†. Donne used these lines to overstate that every woman, although innocent at one time, will become corrupted.The sound effects used in the poem include assonance, alliteration, and rhyming scheme. In the phrase â€Å"Go and catch a falling star†, there is a repeated ‘a’ sound that is an example of assonance. The alliteration is heard in the line â€Å"If thou be’st born to strange sights† with ‘b’ and ‘s’. There is also a rhyming pattern throughout the entire poem, where the first and third lines rhyme, the second and fourth lines rhyme, the fifth and sixth lines rhyme, an d the last three lines of each stanza rhyme. These auditory devices are used to keep the readers’ attention and in order to make the overall poem to sound more flowing and lyrical.

EU Policy and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EU Policy and Business - Essay Example According to political analysts the accession of the Turkey with the European Union is expected to provide both with 'considerable opportunities and challenges' (Flam, 2003), beside serious challenges. The accession of the Turkey into European Union will clear certain reservations and misconceptions which alleged that European Union is a Christian Club, the accession will further reflect the fact that European Union is visionary of 'inclusive and tolerant society', and will exemplify that European Union is diversified association, which is 'bound together by common values of liberty, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights' (Oguz, 2003). It is believed that the accession will validate the European Union's firm commitment and support towards the development of a multiethnic, multicultural and multi-faith Europe, and is likely to defy the concept of 'clash of civilizations', and will nullify the social concerns towards the outspread of terrorism, through amalgamation wi th Muslim society. The critics have regarded the accession as an opportunity for the European Union to support Turkey i.e. ... The European Union is expected to secure 'respect and credibility' (Oguz, 2003), and will be able to nurture its soft image by supporting the accession of Turkey, some critics have requested the expedition of the admission process so as to discourage the rising popularity and emergence of the hard-line Islamists forces. Turkey's accession to the European Union will offer revised approach towards Islam which is compatible to the democratic values. It is believed that the accession of the Turkey with the European Union will develop an understanding that contributes towards the resolution of the concerns associated with the integration of religious beliefs and traditions with the universal principles of the modern societies. The role of the European Union is expected to get further strong and influential, and its emergence as the foreign policy actor, will impact the world politics considerably after the accession of the Turkey. The newly adopted security strategies by the European Unio n i.e. A Secure Europe in a Better World and the Wider Europe: Neighborhood under the proposal forwarded by the European Commission and the European Parliament has encouraged the European Union to give due consideration and significance to the Southern periphery for strengthening European security. It has been reported that the geo-strategic position of Turkey will broaden the scope of activities and influence in regions of vital interests to the international community i.e. the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Central Asia and South Caucasus. Turkey has forged good understanding with the Israel, Arab countries and the United States, Turkey is quoted as the credible and major negotiator who has contributed immensely for bridging the differences between the Israel and Palestinians. It is

Marketing Mix & Complete Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Mix & Complete Plan - Essay Example Introduction Consumption of healthy food is an important aspect of staying health and controlling major diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, dental problem among other lifestyle related diseases. Many people have been enlightened and are avoiding unhealthy foods. In Canadians are fond of tasty desserts like cakes and ice creams but their major concern is the problems caused by high level sugar consumption especially diabetes and tooth cavity. It is estimated that about 9 million people have diabetic related health complication with at least 20 new diagnoses per hour (Canadian Diabetes Association n.d.). As a result of this, various desert and Ice Cream Company have shifted to use of other sweeteners but most of them have side effects. Xylitol is a sweetener from plant materials with less calories and glucose as compared to sugar thus preventing tooth decay and lowering amount of blood sugar Michelle, A. (n.d.). This paper will critically analyze a Canadian dessert company in regard to their xylitol based products, their target market, positioning, market segmentation and the four elements of market mix. Components of marketing mix Marketing mix comprises various activities undertaken by an organization that is targeting to produce products for a specific group of people (module- 5 n.d.). For instance the Canadian dessert company target urban resident who are aged between twenty years and fifty years who work in various sectors. This is a group of people who are energetic, self-assured, inquisitive, and adventuresome, like socializing and are also healthy conscious. The company then strategizes on providing the customers preferred products, at an appropriate price and distribution channels (Owomoyela, Olasunkanmi and Oyeniyi 2013). The company is also able to reach the target group through marketing and advertising (module-5 n.d.). A good strategy should ensure that the company satisfies the target customers while still meeting its objectives (Owomoye la, Olasunkanmi and Oyeniyi 2013). Product development Product is the most important element of marketing mix plan that a company offer to is target customers and must have unique characteristics that distinguish it from its competitors. Characteristics such as brand name, superiority, freshness, and contents, taste, appearances, wrapping, and writings influences the customers decisions(Owomoyela, Olasunkanmi and Oyeniyi 2013). In Canada, the major prevailing health problem and is attributed to uptake of products containing high sugar content is diabetes and tooth cavity. Most people are worried about these problems are careful about sugar content of their foods. Most companies are tapping into this by providing products that contain alternative sweeteners such as Xylitol. One such company is Montreal, Which is Xylitol- based dessert company that produces ice cream and cakes. The company will offer different range of cakes and ice cream that fit their customers’ needs to eat delicious desserts with lower quantities of sugar. These products will help to boost its competitive advantages compared to other dessert houses that offer similar products but has high sugar content or use other alternative sweeteners that have side effects. The Montreal Company will conduct extensive market research in order to produce quality products for its target customer. According to

Kim by rudyard kipling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kim by rudyard kipling - Essay Example and does not inform of Kim’s future move, it provides closure because the redemption at the end offers a solution to all the conflict the novel raises. The ending of Kipling’s novel is very abrupt and may not seem to be coherent because the narration shifted all of a sudden from the painstaking journey in the hills, mountains and plains to an â€Å"I† voice that presents the River of the Arrows. This form of revelation seems to be supernatural and divine because there is no physical connection between the last location of the characters and the river. The voice said: â€Å"‘The River! Take heed to the River!’ and I looked down upon all the world, which was as I had seen it before –one in time, one in place – and I saw plainly the River of the Arrow at my feet† (Kipling 264). After all the time, energy and effort spent searching, the river is finally here like in a dream. Moreover, the â€Å"I† narration at the end is also confusing because the identity of the speaker is not revealed. At times, it seems like the lama is talking, but sometimes, it looks like that Kim or any of th e other characters may be the narrator. This confusion at the end foregrounds that what happens may be a revelation that does not need further explanation because it is divine. However, despite the confusion and lack of coherence, the result is clear and shows that the lama has found his river and has been cleansed of his sins: â€Å"‘I saw the River below me – the River of the Arrow –and, descending, the waters of it closed over me; and behold I was again in the body of Teshoo Lama, but free from sin, and the hakim from Decca bore up my head in the waters of the River. It is here! It is behind the mango-tope here – even here!’† (Kipling 264) This redemption of the lama is very important to the story and to the meaning it is trying to convey. Despite this disruptive ending, Kipling’s novel provides closure because the redemption at the end proposes a solution to the

Speech class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speech class - Essay Example Therefore within the learner will develop these skills and will be effective in generating ideas, organizing these ideas after research topics and enhance the oral presentation skills. Within the preparation stage of every speech, the student learns how to conduct an effective research for the topic identified. The effectiveness of carrying out a research will rest on various factors such as the clarity of the theme or thesis statement which the presenter must be in a position to identify (Anon 7). Moreover, with other tools of conducting a research, the student learns how to have the research organized properly and efficiently in order to realize substantial information. From the successful research, information to be presented is gathered. It is followed by the organization of the research findings logically. This assists the presenter in categorically following the basic order in which the points are to be presented to avoid confusion, both to the audience as well as to the presen ter in person. Well organized points assist the presenter to be effective as it helps to build on the confidence and poise in presentation. Logical organization of ideas also involves the appropriate adoption of parts of speech while doing the presentation. It also entails clearly presenting an outline for the topic of presentation and carrying out rehearsals in presentation to ascertain the logical flow of the speech. Every speech has got the audience it is directed to and unless the speech is effectively delivered to the audience, then the purpose for the speech may not be met. In this regard, the speech class prepares the students on effective mechanisms to interact with the audience through overcoming nervousness as well as using proper body language (Anon 5-6). The eye contact with the audience ascertains confidence in the presentation and thus boosts the effectiveness of the speech. On the other hand, engaging active audience through periodical questioning, demonstrations, ton e variation, gestures and use of most relevant examples also contribute greatly to the effectiveness of a speech. Public speaking and speech presentation is an art and thus the effectiveness and competence in the same would be determined by the frequency of doing it as well as the practice done. There are various methods through which students master the art of speech delivery after class. The speech class advocates for different ways through which a learner can constantly keep improving of the speech methods learnt in class. Among other methods advocated is through regular reading of newspapers or other sources of information in order to develop effectiveness in collecting data from print sources and analyzing it. Moreover, through wide reading, the student is in a position to widen his/her scope of understanding the diverse topics. Other method is through assessing vocal pace, and tone through mimicry and repetition from Radio as well as television. This helps the student to maste r the art of speaking through recorded speeches and through this, one is able to develop competence in speaking and personal confidence as observed from program hosts. On the other hand, the student’s personal conditioning of students to have daily or regular

A letter to editor in wall street journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A letter to editor in wall street journal - Essay Example the problem of unemployment in the nation that attracted my attention, similarly as it might have done to the majority of sentient inhabitants of the US. The recent financial shock of 2008 was certainly quite destructive that led to multiple issues in the economic as well as in the political structure of our country. One such consequence, as the experts called attention to, was the very rising unemployment rate in the economy. According to the statistical data, unemployment rate has increased rapidly in the US since the early 2009 which currently accounts above 9% on an average. It is indeed one of the most serious drawbacks for a developed economy such as the US which require instantaneous concern of the government with the purpose of its revival. The declared economic plan by the President of the US also depicts similar concern, but in an extended demeanor taking into account both the economic and political aspects. The plan emphasizes on payroll tax cuts that would surely lessen the burden of employers and employees in the presently hostile business environment of the economy. It also includes extension in the investment grants for education and infrastructure sector. Attempts shall be made to boost the labor market through added concerns regarding programs for the jobless under the declared plan. On an aggregate, this planning shall cost $447 billion being enacted from 2012. Therefore, as a short-term recovery strategy, this plan shall certainly encourage the employers to hire more man power and thus make larger contribution to the overall GDP growth. Where economists in this context reveal the probable short-term benefits of the strategy, politicians have been noted to continue with their fair game of opposition with due regards to the components of the planning. The most noticeable questions augmented by the politicians in this context, whether a democrat or a republican, are related to the approval of the amount asked for the plan and its

Womens Contribution during World War I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Womens Contribution during World War I - Essay Example As far back as 1880, women had worked in textile and a few other industries but were kept away from heavy industries or those positions which involved real responsibility and power. These were the traditional roles they played from which they broke away just before the war started. Women replaced the men, when these men left their jobs to serve their country in war overseas. They filled many jobs which were brought into existence by wartime needs due to which the number of women employed increased greatly in many industries. In U.S, about eight million women had paid occupations before the war but after the war began, the number of women working increased in common lines of work as a newspaper stated, â€Å"There has been a sudden influx of women into such unusual occupations as bank clerks, ticket sellers, elevator operator, chauffeur, street car conductor, railroad trackwalker, section hand, locomotive wiper and oiler, locomotive dispatcher, block operator, draw bridge attendant, and employment in machine shops, steel mills, powder and ammunition factories, airplane works, boot blacking and farming.†(â€Å"Protecting the working mothers† Seattle Union Record) ... )  were very easy to find in all the newspapers ‘help wanted’ sections, which were a good evidence to prove that women of that time were willing to work at any cost, regardless of age or status, to help the nation win the war.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2. Increase in war emergency jobs There was high increase in jobs due to World War I as more and more men were leaving jobs to move to the front for the war, the industries had to look for female workers who could replace their men’s jobs. During 1917 and 1918, demands of female stenographers, telegraphers and phone operators were increasing rapidly. In the field of telegraphing, a newspaper wrote, â€Å"Women are more apt than men in this line of work.† (â€Å"Find women are apt† Seattle Post-Intelligencer.) The railroad companies also employed about hundred of capable woman operators, because not only were these woman known to be skillful but also dependable. There was an extreme high demand of femal e stenographers at one point of time too that almost two thirds of the total ads in newspaper were looking for stenographers, an example being, â€Å"Thoroughly competent book keeper, cashier, and stenographer, six years with last firm in charge of books and collections, desire position of responsibility.† (â€Å"Situation Wanted Ad† Seattle Post-Intelligencer). The women in that era wanted to take more responsible jobs did not wanted to be just a substitute labor force. 3. Military auxiliary jobs Nursing During World War  1, young women and girls worked as nurses. There was a high demand of nurses in the newspapers with headlines like,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Girl: 16 years, wants a position as a nurse.† (â€Å"Help Wanted Ads† Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 16, 1917.) In April 1917, when United States entered World War I, the Navy had 160 nurses on

Human Rights and Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Human Rights and Sexuality - Essay Example It is due to the reason that in the modern world, to provide justification to gender hierarchies and maintain a fundamental base of social structure, legal constitutions play a vital role in terms of social orientation rights in any country . This configuration of the human society supposedly raises a question that as a social being, are human not free to have sex as they will to, or do they lack control on their self determination which should be guided by a few documented legal acclamations . But certainly this is not the question that is to be focused in this study. The nature of social ideology towards human rights relative to their social orientation have changed dramatically realising the social and biological enclosure that sexual orientations in a human life can also be in homosexual terms rather than only in heterosexual ways. This revolutionised the legal systems related to human rights and sexual orientations motivating many countries to accept that marriages can even take place between two peoples of the same sex as homosexual mode of orientation, such as UK, United States, South Africa and India among others . However, in the highly adaptable and complex social stature of the 21st century, socialists perceive contrasting views regarding the legal framing of homosexual orientation and heterosexual orientation simultaneously in the same country. Due to this reason it is still being commentated that ‘in some countries same-sex couples can marry, while in others the death penalty is still handed down for homosexual acts’ . ... Taking into account the importance of legal constitutions in terms of sexual orientation rights, this paper will try to assess that whether this kind of contradicting views can co-exist in the same international legal order and how does this performance correlate with gender hierarchies and national identities. Recent Developments in the Sexual Orientation Rights The conceptual meaning of rights has changed to a large extent in the current decade from that of the early centuries when it was initially introduced. To be mentioned, human rights, in the early years of its establishments, fundamentally meant the freedom of people from being deprived by the autocratic behaviour of the state. But in today’s context, rights are generally meant to be ‘democratic political processes’ where the intention is to secure individuals and the entire population from being offended by the power owned by the state. With this point of view, democratic countries have brought into pract ice the right of clean environment, rights to peace and similar others focusing on the entire economic health and thus is often referred to possess a broad scope eliminating the uniqueness and specific dichotomy of human rights. Right to sexual orientation is also considered to be one of the recent additions to human rights that tend to broaden the conceptual framework of human rights towards a more indistinct disposition5. In this connection, studies from the past few decades have observed that remarkable changes have impacted the relationship existing between human rights and sexual orientation. In the current scenario, scholars argue more on the concerns of sexual rights

Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Resume - Essay Example I addition, I learned competence in reports on stock performance, delivering forecasts of revenue opportunities; analyzing portfolio data and making recommendations about prospective capital investments that help in decision making of the firm. I have gained experience as a bank accountant at an internship as from January to April 2014 at cooperative bank. As a bank accountant I have prepared journal entries, posting to the general ledger and also posted the journal entries. I have also posted subsidiary ledgers and performed ledger accounts reconciliation. I also have prepared cash position of the bank on daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure the bank had sufficient cash for making day-to-day transactions. I was also required to prepare stock reports and ensure the reports were viewed by the management. Moreover, I assisted during preparation of financial statements including a balance sheet, income evaluation statement, and cash flow illustrating statement. The internship session equipped me with the experience of delivering solutions as an accountant in the bank and now am competent in that

Hamlet vs Agamemnon Tragedy Essay Example for Free

Hamlet vs Agamemnon Tragedy Essay Hamlet and Agamemnon are two extraordinary and timeless plays. Both plays deal with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods. Hamlet and Agamemnon, the protagonist of the plays that were named after them, are two tragic heroes that commit some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant they have been. Both protagonist are of higher status, and have power. However, Hamlet is more tragic than Agamemnon, for several reasons. Hamlet is a good, kind men. He is the Prince of Denmark and loved by the Danish people. Unfortunately for him, his beloved father, King Hamlet, dies. Hamlet loves his father very much, and he is deeply hurt when his dad passed away. He is even more shocked and hurt by the fact that his mother, Queen Gertrude, marries his uncle, Claudius, shortly after her husband died. Prince Hamlet sees and has a conversation with his father’s ghost. He learns that the King of Denmark was murdered by his brother, Claudius. Hamlet swears to avenge his father, and he starts to play mad so he can gather evidence and put his plan in motion. At first, he is not completely sure that the ghost was his father, and he tries to get confirmation by inviting King Claudius and Queen Gertrude to a play based on what the ghost had told him. After he is convinced that his father was murdered, he plans to kill Claudius. Hamlet is not very eager to kill his uncle, he is not happy about the situation, and he does not act fast. Agamemnon is completely different than Hamlet. He rapes Clytemnestra and murders her husband. King Agamemnon did not stop there. After he marries Clytemnestra, he sacrifices their youngest daughter, Iphigenia, to gain favourable winds to take the Greek fleet to Troy. King Agamemnon seems to be more like King Claudius. Both of them killed the rightful King, took his wife, and killed or planned to kill the Queen’s child. Agamemnon kills his daughter, Claudius plots to kill Hamlet at least twice. Agamemnon is popular, and appreciated for his battles skills and victories. He doesn’t seem to care much about other persons and values, other than his power, battles victories, and the public’s adoration. Hamlet killes Polonius when he was talking with his mother after the play. Polonius was hiding, and ears dropping for the King. When Gertrude thought that Hamlet wants to attack her, she yelled for help, and Polonius  responded, calling for help from behind the arras. In an unusual moment of spontaneous action, Hamlet stabs the concealed figure, believing it to be Claudius. The death of Polonius cased great suffering to Ophelia, his daughter. She gets a little bit mad, singing nonsense about death and sex, and ends up drowning herself. Laertes, Polonius’s son, wants justice for his father, and becomes another potential revenge hero, but unlike Hamlet, he is more determined. He doesn’t care about the spiritual part of death like Hamlet. King Claudius adds fuel to the fire, and convinced Laertes to kill Hamlet in a duel. Laertes tells Claudius that he will poisoned the tip of the blade, to kill Hamlet. Claudius promised to poison the wine in case Laertes fails to scratch Hamlet with his sword. Hamlet is not aware of this plot, and accepts Claudius’s offer to fight Laertes. During the fight, there is a switch of rapiers, resulting in both Hamlet and Laertes being stabbed with the poisoned blade. Gertrude, meanwhile, mistakenly drinks the poisoned wine. She dies and Hamlet demands that they seek out the treachery that killed her. Laertes, realizing that he and Hamlet are both dying, explains everything and blames Claudius. Hamlet kills Claudius with the poisoned sword, finally fulfilling his quest for revenge. Laertes begs Hamlet to exchange forgiveness with him and dies. Hamlet forgives Laertes. Horatio wants to drink from the poisoned wine, so he can die with Hamlet, but he is stopped by the Prince. Hamlet tells Horatio that he must live in this horrible world so he can tell Hamlet’s story. Lord Hamlet announces that Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, will be the next king of Denmark and dies. Despite the fact that in the end, Prince Hamlet, Laertes, King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, and Ophilia died, the order in the kingdom is restored. Clytemnestra is the one seeking revenge in Agamemnon. During Agamemnon’s ten year absence, Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegistheus, planned to murder Agamemnon on his return. Clytemnestra wants revenge for her daughter, Iphegenia. When Agamemnon comes back, he brings with him, as concubine and slave, the ravished Trojan Princess, Cassandra. Cassandra has the gift of prophecy, but nobody believes her, thanks to Apollo’s curse. She sees the Clytemnestra plans to kill both Agamemnon and Cassandra, but the Chorus do not believe her . Princess Cassandra prays for a quick death, a wish that would be granted. Agamemnon commits hubris. He agrees to walk on the ‘red carpet’ that has been rolled out for him by his wife, even though he  mentions it is treatment meant only for the gods. Clytemnestra preparing her husband for a bath, put on him a bath-robe she had cunningly sewn to be a strait jacket. Wearing this, Agamemnon was completely helpless. His wife butchered and buried him without honours. She does the same to Cassandra. In Hamlet, King Claudius dies, King Hamlet finds peace, and Denmark gets rid of a bad king. Hamlet is buried like a soldier, having a military funeral. In a way, in Hamlet, Laertes commits hubris as well. He dares damnation and he mentions he would kill his father’s murderer in a church. Since both Laertes and Agamemnon commit hubris, both of them die shortly after, which is the element of nemesis in tragedy. Hamartia element, a tragic error, can be seen in Agamemnon when Agamemnon enters the house with Cassandra, trusting that Clytemnestra (his wife) is in fact happy to see him. Similarly in Hamlet, Hamlet agrees to duel with Laertes, not knowing that he is going to die by Laertes hand. Hamlet was a kind and honorable person. While he wanted revenge for his father, in a way he was right to do so. He did not wanted and enjoyed the idea of killing Claudius, but he pulled himself together at the last minute, right before he died. King Claudius was guilty of murdering a King, stealing a Kingdom, a Queen, and planning the murder of Prince Hamlet. Hamlet played for his revenge with his life. Since he was buried as a soldier, and the order was restored in Denmark, the Danish people did not hate him for his sins. Also, in Hamlet, we have more death on stage. Innocent people died, like Ophelia and Polonius. Agamemnon is completely different. He raped, he killed in cold blood, he sacrificed his own daughter to win a war, and he committed hubris, and took hostage the Princess of Troy. His wife, while she might be right in a way to avenge her daughter, she was looking forward to the task of killing Agamemnon and she also killed Cassandra, even thou she was innocent. Clytemnestra and he lover, wanted to be in power and had no remorse. Hamlet is more tragic than Agamemnon, because of the innocence and remorse the major characters showed.

Strategies of Infosys Technologies Ltd

Strategies of Infosys Technologies Ltd Strategic management Strategic management defines the art of planning the business to the positive level. It is the duty of the companys leader to make an effective strategic plan. Strategic management focuses on building a solid underlying structure to the business Strategic management relies on three important factors: 1. Businesss objectives? 2. Ways to achieve those objectives? 3. Resources required to achieve those business objectives Strategic management helps in allocating right amount of resources to the different parts of business so that those resources will help achieve the strategic goals. The workers should be provided with necessary training, all information, data and work process are tested. This would help the organisation lead in a successful path, organisation needs are met, the work are aligned together enabling companies to move up in facing to new changes and competition Leadership Peter Drucker: The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers. To gain followers requires influence but doesnt exclude the lack of integrity in achieving this. Indeed, it can be argued that several of the worlds greatest leaders have lacked integrity and have adopted values that would not be shared by many people today. John C Maxwell : leadership is influence nothing more, nothing less. This moves beyond the position defining the leader, to looking at the ability of the leader to influence others both those who would consider themselves followers, and those outside that circle. Leader is one who leads the others, either in right way or the wrong way, that all depends on the leader. Leadership qualities are inbuilt which should be developed, good leadership is easier to practice in an organization. Good leadership requires deep human qualities. In todays world good leaders are made and they act as enabling force in developing people and organization. Leadership qualities help in achieving peoples needs and organisational needs. Effective leadership requires good attitudes and behaviours which relate to humanity. Leadership involves decision making and actions, leaders are one important person because they have unique responsibility towards people and organisation. They should acquire skills and knowledge to perform organisational activities. They should be strong by emotion and behaviour characters this would help in understanding and resolving employee issues The strategic management and leadership are deeply aligned with each others, if both are taken in right path it would lead to organisation success. Today in this competitive world the number 1 companies of all sectors is because of the effective leadership and strategic management. Both these are like eyes of an organisation one cannot survive without the other. For example the worlds richest man Carlos slim is one good example for leadership and good strategic management; he has 90% of the telecom sector in Mexico. He is the leader and he planned in such a way that the organization has grown from a initial stage, step by step it attained gradual growth and now it is well known in the world, there are so many organisation which were very popular and now they do not have an existence; do you think why it happened to those organisation, it is because it could be a change in the leader or could be a poor strategic management. There are occasions where bankrupt organisations rise up in t he market this also happens because of the leader and strategic management. 1.2 1.3 The role of leadership in management is largely determined by the Organizational culture of the company. It said that managers belief, values and assumptions are critical importance to the overall style of leadership that they adopt. There are different leadership style that can be identified Within each of the following management techniques. Autocratic The word Autocratic itself defines self oriented, the leader him self is the decision maker, he dominates his team members, he always uses force to achieve objectives, this type of leadership approach will result to resistance from team members, the team members will find it hard to cooperate with the leader because the leader will have a continual pressure on his team members to get the output. This type of approach is carried by many leaders I the organisation, as far as people has done a research on leadership style and it was said this leadership style is not a good way to get things done, even though it is practices in many places it yields a good result. Lassie faire This leadership style has little or no control on his ream members, it reflects that the leader is no way bothered about the result or the team members, the team member have to perform their roles and duties, they need to tackle upon the difficult situation without the leader, the team members will perform to an extent because they do have little motivation and direction. This kind of leadership style is effective when people are subject matter expertise, highly motivated and skilled people. The leaders will not set any goal for them, they need to create their own and work towards achieving it. Democratic The word democracy defines for the people, by the people and of the people, many countries in the world follow democratic type of rule, similarly organisational Leaders follow democratic leadership style, here leaders make decision by consulting his team members because each one think differently from different perspective, here the leader has possibilities where in he could pick the best choice or upgrade his ideas based on the feedback given by his team members but still he gains control over the team. The team members will decide how the task be completed who will be the right person, here there are possibilities of identifying the strength of each and every Individual, here participation will be one main aspect, team bonding, group work, group discussion and equal delegation of work is possible, team can perform well in this case. Although every thing happens in team the responsibility of the result or output will affect the team leader. Motivation and direction will be an important factor of this leadership style. Today most of the corporate, software and BPO industries in the world follow this kind of leadership style and I believe this as the most successful leadership style. Transactional The leader sets some standards for every individual, the follower or the individual is rated based on the performance standard. This is basically set in every organisation for every department. This leadership style is useful to analyse the performance review and rate the employees Transformational This leadership style creates a change in every individual, it has the ability to inspire and motivate employees to achieve new heights, this style depends only on the leader. This leadership is successful when the leaders decision is right. Charismatic This leadership style creates a positive approach in an environment, the leader is been inspired by the team member, here the leader is considered friendly, easy approachable, the team members will have a great opinion on the leader, the team members would walk with the team leaders opinion. This type of leaders are the most successful in the organisation. They bring change to environment in the organisation and people in the organisation Visionary This leadership style focuses on the future, it is a kind of prediction, and they work on attaining the organisational objectives. They put focus on where they are and what they want to be. They work to attain the future goals. Background of the company Infosys Technologies Ltd. was started in 1981 by 7 people with USD 250. Today, we are a global leader in the next generation of IT and consulting with revenues of US$ 5.7 billion. Infosys defines, designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions that help Global 2000 companies. Infosys also provides a complete range of services by leveraging our domain and business expertise and strategic alliances leading technology providers. Infosys pioneered the global delivery model (GDM), which emerged as a disruptive force in the industry leading to the rise of offshore outsourcing. The GDM is based on the principle of taking work to the location where the best talent is available, where it makes the best economic sense, with the least amount of acceptable risk. Infosys has a global footprint with 65 offices and 59 development centers in India, China, Australia, the Czech Republic, Poland, the UK, Canada and Japan. Infosys and its subsidiaries have 127,779 employees as on December 31, 2010. Infosys takes pride in building strategic long-term client relationships. Over 97% of revenues come from existing customers (FY 10). This organisation Infosys has different leadership style. They do follow autocratic, democratic, lassie faire, transactional, transformational and visionary leadership styles. Autocratic: There are certain departments in Infosys where in they follow autocratic style. This depends on how the process is to be done. They get instructions from their clients to work on a project, the leader delegates the work to their team members. The team members works on the project and completes it as per the instruction from their leader. Democratic: The IT sector of Infosys has several project, they work on the home page and navigating page of some web pages like Google, twitter etc. here the leader asks for the suggestion from the team members, upon debate and discussion and acceptance from team members and team leader, the project continues. Lassie faire: The team leaders give their deal line to their subordinates to work on the project. If suppose the deadline is a month they do not care for the first 20 days, the 21st day they have a check on the team member, then he cares on the work and at the final stage the work will be completed. Transformational: The team leader delegates work to every individual, a team member may be specialist in programmer, but he delegate the work to other person in the tea and delegate the coding work to the specialist in the programmer, there are possibilities where the team member will learn all sectors of their project, in other part he may get vexed because he is been allotted with some work which he is not related to. Charismatic: We could see several managers in our concern, they have a good understanding about their team members. The leaders know who their members are and what could they do. In similar way the team members understands their leader because the leader would have approached them in a friendly manner apart from leader, the leader inspires them in every aspect so the team member would do anything for them in terms of work.This method of leadership is carried out in every organisation. Even though every employee has dissatisfaction in their job they do it ether they have to do it or for the sake to save their leader from problems. 2.1 2.2 The role of leadership in management is largely determined by the organizational culture of the company. It said that managers belief, values and assumptions are critical importance to the overall style of leadership that they adopt. There are different leadership style that can be identified within each of the following management techniques. Autocratic The word Autocratic itself defines self oriented, the leader him self is the decision maker, he dominates his team members, he always uses force to achieve objectives, this type of leadership approach will result to resistance from team members, the team members will find it hard to cooperate with the leader because the leader will have a continual pressure on his team members to get the output. This type of approach is carried by many leaders I the organisation, as far as people has done a research on leadership style and it was said this leadership style is not a good way to get things done, even though it is practices in many places it yields a good result. Lassie faire This leadership style has little or no control on his ream members, it reflects that the leader is no way bothered about the result or the team members, the team member have to perform their roles and duties, they need to tackle upon the difficult situation without the leader, the team members will perform to an extent because they do have little motivation and direction. This kind of leadership style is effective when people are subject matter expertise, highly motivated and skilled people. The leaders will not set any goal for them, they need to create their own and work towards achieving it. Democratic The word democracy defines for the people, by the people and of the people, many countries in the world follow democratic type of rule, similarly organisational Leaders follow democratic leadership style, here leaders make decision by consulting his team members because each one think differently from different perspective, here the leader has possibilities where in he could pick the best choice or upgrade his ideas based on the feedback given by his team members but still he gains control over the team. The team members will decide how the task be completed who will be the right person, here there are possibilities of identifying the strength of each and every Individual, here participation will be one main aspect, team bonding, group work, group discussion and equal delegation of work is possible, team can perform well in this case. Although every thing happens in team the responsibility of the result or output will affect the team leader. Motivation and direction will be an important factor of this leadership style. Today most of the corporate, software and BPO industries in the world follow this kind of leadership style and I believe this as the most successful leadership style. Transactional The leader sets some standards for every individual, the follower or the individual is rated based on the performance standard. This is basically set in every organisation for every department. This leadership style is useful to analyse the performance review and rate the employees Transformational This leadership style creates a change in every individual, it has the ability to inspire and motivate employees to achieve new heights, this style depends only on the leader. This leadership is successful when the leaders decision is right. Charismatic This leadership style creates a positive approach in an environment, the leader is been inspired by the team member, here the leader is considered friendly, easy approachable, the team members will have a great opinion on the leader, the team members would walk with the team leaders opinion. This type of leaders are the most successful in the organisation. They bring change to environment in the organisation and people in the organisation Visionary This leadership style focuses on the future, it is a kind of prediction, and they work on attaining the organisational objectives. They put focus on where they are and what they want to be. They work to attain the future goals. Background of the company Infosys Technologies Ltd. was started in 1981 by 7 people with USD 250. Today, we are a global leader in the next generation of IT and consulting with revenues of US$ 5.7 billion. Infosys defines, designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions that help Global 2000 companies. Infosys also provides a complete range of services by leveraging our domain and business expertise and strategic alliances leading technology providers. Infosys pioneered the global delivery model (GDM), which emerged as a disruptive force in the industry leading to the rise of offshore outsourcing. The GDM is based on the principle of taking work to the location where the best talent is available, where it makes the best economic sense, with the least amount of acceptable risk. Infosys has a global footprint with 65 offices and 59 development centers in India, China, Australia, the Czech Republic, Poland, the UK, Canada and Japan. Infosys and its subsidiaries have 127,779 employees as on December 31, 2010. Infosys takes pride in building strategic long-term client relationships. Over 97% of revenues come from existing customers (FY 10). This organisation Infosys has different leadership style. They do follow autocratic, democratic, lassie faire, transactional, transformational and visionary leadership styles. Autocratic: There are certain departments in Infosys where in they follow autocratic style. This depends on how the process is to be done. They get instructions from their clients to work on a project, the leader delegates the work to their team members. The team members works on the project and completes it as per the instruction from their leader. Democratic: The IT sector of Infosys has several project, they work on the home page and navigating page of some web pages like Google, twitter etc. here the leader asks for the suggestion from the team members, upon debate and discussion and acceptance from team members and team leader, the project continues. Lassie faire: The team leaders give their deal line to their subordinates to work on the project. If suppose the deadline is a month they do not care for the first 20 days, the 21st day they have a check on the team member, then he cares on the work and at the final stage the work will be completed. Transformational: The team leader delegates work to every individual, a team member may be specialist in programmer, but he delegate the work to other person in the tea and delegate the coding work to the specialist in the programmer, there are possibilities where the team member will learn all sectors of their project, in other part he may get vexed because he is been allotted with some work which he is not related to. Charismatic: We could see several managers in our concern, they have a good understanding about their team members. The leaders know who their members are and what could they do. In similar way the team members understands their leader because the leader would have approached them in a friendly manner apart from leader, the leader inspires them in every aspect so the team member would do anything for them in terms of work. This method of leadership is carried out in every organisation. Even though every employee has dissatisfaction in their job they do it ether they have to do it or for the sake to save their leader from problems. CONTINGENCY THEORY Every leader has different working style and he is contingent to situational factors, capabilities and behaviour of their team members. This theory provides perspective and management based on the priority, it started with the dependency, depending on the people needs and requirement this concept came into existence, this would give a brief of which material is required and which is not required by the people. So the organisation with the contingency theory can work on the requirement. Task 3 3.1 3.2 Globalisation: Effective management and leadership are two most important factors of an organisation, many organisation fail because of the poor leadership, in this global world two third of employers admit that they have poor leadership development. Today in this global market, a leader with good leadership qualities are welcomed every part of the world, there are some disadvantages because they do not have their own customer base, the customers are worldwide and they have to serve every customers, same way competition plays a major part on the opportunity, relocation of employees also happens because of globalisation, it is the business knowledge, awareness, understanding cultural difference, commitment towards job, personal and professional integrity which makes an individual a good leader. The management recruits or looks for those kind of person in leadership role Ethics and corporation: Leader is also a human like others, the reason being he has developed certain qualities; people rate the behaviours such as performance management and personal management. More over the leader should treat his followers fair with ethics; he has to enhance employee management more than performance management. Treatment of all employees fair and equal, easy approachable, keeps on his commitment, no favourites, supports employees and appreciates when does a good job, supports personal development of employees, ongoing feedback in business. These are the key aspects where in the manager or a leader should possess. Corporate social responsibility Organisational operations are of two types inner circle and outer circle, inner circle is the process that happens within the people and the process i.e the quality of the management, the other one deals with the outer world, in what ways the society and the outer stakeholders look at the organisation, mostly people look at the outer part how has the company done in terms of product and services, how it is been familiar within people based on environment and workforce, its financial analysis and focus on the future. When the organisation grew the people in the organisation should grew with good change in the economic and environment changes to the society, many organisation in this country follow CSR to advertise themselves to the market and would like to get interest in people and stakeholders Merger and acquisition Merger is merging one organisation with the other and acquisition in acquiring or controlling another organisation, this happens to enlarge its business in the global market, quality staffs with good knowledge about the market, when one business is underperforming so to lift up merger or acquisition takes place, to increase the customer base, to make production and provide service, to be one among the competitive organisations of the world. Apart from this there are even certain disadvantages that could take place because of merger and acquisition, things go wrong when nothing happens as expected. 3.3 We are not now as we were 20 years ago, day by day everything changes but we could not realise it now, when we look after years we could see everything has changed, similarly our planet is changing with change in countrys economy, standards, and way of living. Even the organisational structure changes with change in leaders, the leaders should be distinct with their attitudes, they are the one who are going to deceide on the future, their decision affects them as well as their followers, so he should be good in knowledge, personal and professional skills, he shouls be trained in all aspects of the organisation, deision making and problem solving. These attitudes will create a change in the working environment and that would lead the organisation to a successful path. 4.1 4.2 Leaders are the one who leads others, they know more than the followers because they are going to lead them, in order to lead them the leader should be well trained in all aspects, the organisation should provide training through professionals, course that would be useful in implementing it in organisation, seminars and workshop, which can provide some experience for the leaders. Formal learning: Formal learning is usual training that is provided to the leaders in educating them about the specifications, formal training differs as per the persons. Self help Self help is improving from one point to other without the help of others, here we need to understand who we are and what needs to be done in improving ourselves. Development activities Training, courses, job rotation, executive coaching, monitoring, reading article etc are some of the development activities that takes place in every Organisation, the leader should be trained on one or more aspects, if he undergoes such development activities he would attain certain leadership skills, that could be executed in his professional career, he could understand the followers attitude and mentality and help them when required, if possible he could train them with these qualities and make them a future leader. My leader at Infosys was amazing, he understands his team members and cope up with them during hard situations, he undergoes training that are allocated to him by the organisation and training that are done by leading professionals in the market, he wasted to educate him self in all aspects, reading books, browsing through web and listening to speech made by top man in every organisations, he allocates himself in every job shifts giving equal importance to every individual in team and monitoring them. These methods shape in every individual with required development in leadership skills. sdjbsj 1.1 link http://www.teal.org.uk/leadership/definition.htm 1.3 http://www.infosys.com/about/what-we-do/pages/index.aspx

Elective Cesarean Section Procedure Health And Social Care Essay

Elective Cesarean Section Procedure Health And Social Care Essay Cesarean sections, once performed to save the life of mother or baby, are now offered as an elective procedure. Women choose elective cesarean sections in the belief that the surgery is safe and vaginal birth poses risk of harm to themselves or their child. A look at studies and literature shows that these unwanted consequences of vaginal delivery result from the aggressive management of labor by obstetricians. Rather than resorting to major surgery, a return to the midwifery model of care will benefit mother and babies in low-risk pregnancies. Elective Cesarean Section Once reserved as a procedure of last resort to save the life of mother or baby, cesarean section (CS) surgery is now offered as an elective procedure to mothers who wish to avoid the experience of labor and delivery. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) published a committee opinion in November 2003 supporting the permissibility of elective cesarean delivery in a normal pregnancy, after adequate informed consent(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], p. 1101). Women may choose this option in the belief that circumventing vaginal delivery preserves the integrity of their pelvic floor, or provides better outcomes for their children. Although some believe birth by elective cesarean section (ECS) is preferable to vaginal birth, it can be shown that in low-risk pregnancies, vaginal birth is safer for both mother and baby. Supporters of ECS believe vaginal delivery results in damage to the pelvic floor, which may lead to urinary incontinence (UI), anal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, or pelvic organ prolapsed (Nygaard Cruikshank, 2003). There are studies that support this belief. In one study of primiparous women twenty-six percent had incontinence at six months postpartum, the rate being lowest with elective cesarean (five percent), higher with cesarean during labour (twelve percent), higher still following a spontaneous vaginal birth (twenty-two percent) and highest following a vaginal forceps delivery (thirty-three percent) (Hannah, 2004, p. 813). The physicians that champion the cause of ECS and the women who buy into their sales pitch for ECS believe they are preventing this damage. However, an ECS may not guarantee prevention of pelvic floor damage, and its benefits are at best short-term. Some women who undergo ECS suffer from incontinence, suggesting pregnancy itself, along with hereditary indications, are risk factors (Leeman, 2005; Nygaard Cruikshank, 2003). Other studies indicate there are no significant differences between the vaginal birth and CS groups at two years postpartum (Goer, 2001). Buschsbaum, Chin, Glantz, and Guzick (2002) found no significant differences exist in the prevalence of UI between nulliparous and parous women after menopause. Before we point the finger at the natural process of vaginal delivery as the cause of this pelvic floor damage, we should look at the interventions that may cause these problems. Goer (2001) suggests obstetric interventions of second stage labor, not vaginal birth, causes damage to the pelvic floor. Obstetric management such as episiotomies, forceps and vacuum extractions, dorsal lithotomy position, and the Valsalva maneuver may be the cause of the pelvic floor compromise the ECS supporters are concerned about. Goer suggests using upright positions for pushing, following the patients natural urges to push, and elimination of routine episiotomies to decrease the damage to the pelvic floor. If she is correct, and alterations in routine obstetric care remove the concern of pelvic floor damage, then the safety of the baby becomes the cry of ECS supporters. The ECS supporters argue the safety issue with multiple claims for the protective value of skipping labor and vaginal delivery. They claim we can preemptively protect the fetus by CS prior to the onset of labor. This protection can include: the reduction of stillbirth related to post-maturity, damage from oxygen deprivation secondary to cord compression during labor and delivery, and birth trauma related to use of forceps or vacuum extraction (Armson, 2007). For mothers with medical conditions or the compromised fetus, a scheduled CS is a valid option. However, labor and vaginal delivery is a natural, generally safe, process, not something from which the low-risk fetus needs protection. Those opposed to ECS believe risks to the infant from vaginal birth are minimal and adverse fetal outcomes rare, however, we may be increasing risks due to unnecessary obstetrical interventions during labor and birth. For the low-risk patient, the increase in maternal morbidity and mortality (Armson, 2007) resulting from major surgery does not justify the possibility of preventing the rare adverse fetal outcome. Better screening of those patients at risk will properly identify those patients who would legitimately benefit from surgery. Similar to the suggestion that obstetric management causes damage to the mothers pelvic floor, Goer (2001) argues that obstetric interventions also put the baby at risk. In first stage labor these interventions include pitocin augmentation and artificial rupture of membranes. In second stage labor, the same interventions that injure the mother, such as forceps, vacuum extraction, and sustained Valsalva maneuver, cause trauma for the infant. She suggest s patience, gentle management of labor and delivery, and respect for mothers natural pushing ability to reduce injury to the infant. Vaginal delivery with minimal interventions does not need to be feared. Despite improvements in the safety of CS over the years, vaginal birth remains safer than a CS for both mother and baby in low-risk pregnancies. In contrast to ACOGs committee opinion, The American College of Nurse-Midwives Identifies vaginal birth as the optimal mode of birth for women and their babies and this practice [cesarean section] is not supported by scientific evidence (American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2005). Cesarean sections carry significant risks to mother, baby, and interfere with the mother-baby dyad. Short term, vaginal birth is the safest choice for low-risk women, eliminating many of the complications inherent to a CS as listed by Armson (2007): The overall risk of severe maternal morbidity was 3.1 times that in the planned vaginal delivery group, including increased risks of postpartum cardiac arrest, wound hematoma, hysterectomy, major puerperal infection, anesthetic complications, venous thromboembolism and hemorrhage requiring hysterectomy . . . hemorrhage requiring transfusion, hysterectomy and uterine rupture; intensive care admission; and postpartum readmission to hospital (p. 475). Women who birth vaginally face fewer complications, leave the hospital quicker, and have a shorter recovery time (Hannah, 2004). The benefits of vaginal birth are not limited to the immediate period of birth and postpartum. The choice between vaginal and CS impact the entire range of a womans childbearing years. Future labors tend to be shorter for women who birth vaginally. Their deliveries are quicker, and they are less likely to need a CS in the future. In comparison, internal scar tissue and adhesions following a CS increases risk factors for future pregnancies, independent of the future method of delivery (Leeman, 2006). These risks include: infertility; ectopic pregnancy; miscarriage; placenta abnormalities such as placenta previa or placenta acretia; [and] complications of repeat cesarean birth (Armson, 2007, p. 475). Women with placental abnormities face higher maternal mortality and morbidity rates (Lyerly Schwartz, 2004), as well as an increased need for hysterectomies (Armson, 2007). Primary cesarean birth is also associated with increased risks in subsequent pregnancies of preterm delivery, low birth weight, stillbirth and neonatal death (Armson, 2007, p. 476). The mothers choices regarding mode of delivery have long reaching effects for herself, as well as the child that she carries. Vaginal birth is also the safest choice for babies, as they avoid many of the neonatal complications which follow pre-labor CS. These risks include: respiratory problems, persistent pulmonary hypertension, asphyxia, delayed neurologic adaptation and neonatal intensive care admission (Armson, 2007, p. 476). Many et al. (2006) suggest that the mechanism of labor benefits the babys respiratory system. Other complications CS babies face are iatrogenic prematurity (Lyerly Schwartz, 2004), and lacerations or other neonatal trauma during surgery (Armson, 2007). Babies born by CS also face long term health risks; they are more likely to develop asthma, diabetes, food allergies and obesity than vaginally born children (Steer, 2009). The benefits to the mother and the baby as individuals also benefit the mother-baby unit. Finally, mother-baby couplets benefit from a vaginal birth in multiple ways. The natural hormonal rush which occurs in labor prepares a woman for breastfeeding and facilitates bonding. Women who birth vaginally have less discomfort and shorter recovery times following birth and are thus better able to care for, and bond with, their babies. This enhances mother-baby interaction and supports babys emotional development. Breastfeeding rates are higher and depression rates are lower following vaginal birth (International Cesarean Awareness Network, 2008). These benefits extend long term; they establish the foundation of the lifetime mother-child relationship. The decision to give birth by CS greatly affects mother, baby, and future pregnancies and should not be offered electively as if it were a minor cosmetic surgery. The benefits of ECS compared to vaginal birth have not been proven, and the risks are substantial to not just one, but two (or more) patients. Women may fear labor. Birth attendants may fear legal risks from adverse fetal outcomes. These fears do not indicate that womens bodies are incapable of birthing; rather, they indicate the failure of obstetric management of labor. We should not base our decisions on fear or faulty research. We should address the concerns of ECS proponents raise. We need to conduct more research into prevention of pelvic floor damage. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (2005) offers the follow guidelines: Supports womens right to accurate, balanced and complete information regarding the risks and benefits of both vaginal birth and cesarean section. Promotes decision-making about mode of delivery that is evidence based and not unduly influenced by factors such as liability, convenience or economics. Supports further research to evaluate the short and long-term medical, psychosocial, economic and cultural sequelae for mothers, babies, including future pregnancies associated with elective primary cesarean section. As birth attendants follow these guidelines, women will be empowered to make informed decisions about their care. These decisions affect the physical and emotional health of these women and their children for a lifetime. We have an obligation to manage birth in a manner that causes the least harm to mother while providing the best outcome for babies.

James Eugene Carrey :: Essays Papers

James Eugene Carrey The exceptional Canadian actor, Jim Carrey, has exploded onto the movie scene in the past five years. His "comedic unpredictability" has become his trademark in Hollywood (Hughes 28). The roles he played in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber have brought back the "dumb roots" back to comedy (Trakin 56). His combination of physical grace and facial contortions can make just about anyone laugh. Even as a child in Newmarket, a suburb of Toronto, Carrey put on his own comedy shows for family, friends, and schoolmates. Acting in a third-grade Christmas pageant at Blessed Trinity School, the young Carrey stopped the show with his goofy portrayal of Santa Claus. In the seventh grade he was allotted 15 minutes at the end of each school day to perform for his classmates (Hughes 39). When Jim was 14 and his father lost his job, he learned that "life offers no assurances, so you might as well do what you're really passionate about," as he explained to Richard Corliss of Time. These words represent Jim's life and how he eventually became who he is today. The whole family--Percy, Kathleen, sons Jim and John, and daughters Pat and Rita--went to work at Titan Wheels, a tire factory in Scarborough, Ontario. After putting in a full day at school, the children labored all night, as assembly line workers and janitors. "At 16 Carrey dropped out of school, his straight A's having plummeted to failing grades under the strain of working the evening shift" ("Jim Carrey" 75). The Carreys eventually quit their factory jobs and took to living in a Volkswagen camper. In an interview with Fred Schruers, Carrey said, "It sounds sad but we were so much happier than we'd been being those people we didn't like...we became living, happy, laughing people again, people that had food fights every Sunday" (Johnston 3). In the meantime, Jim Carrey had begun his standup comedy career, "A psychological double-edged sword that simultaneously provided an outlet for the pressure he felt to support his family" ("Jim Carrey" 75). In Tennessee Williams memory play, "The Glass Menagerie," a character named Jim O'Connor plays a gentleman caller. His high- school years are in great contrast to Jim Carrey's high-school days. "In high school, Jim was a hero." "He had tremendous Irish good

Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty Distribution - Is It Unfair? :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Death Penalty Distribution - Is It Unfair?   Ã‚     The subject of this essay should be obvious from the title. Considerable detail is included in this presentation of the facts on the issue.    In an average year about 20,000 homicides occur in the United States. Fewer than 300 convicted murderers are sentenced to death. But because no more than thirty murderers have been executed in any recent year, most convicts sentenced to death are likely to die of old age (1). Nonetheless, the death penalty looms large in discussions: it raises important moral questions independent of the number of executions (2).    The death penalty is our harshest punishment (3). It is irrevocable: it ends the existence of those punished, instead of temporarily imprisoning them. Further, although not intended to cause physical pain, execution is the only corporal punishment still applied to adults (4). These singular characteristics contribute to the perennial, impassioned controversy about capital punishment.    Consideration of the justice, morality, or usefulness, of capital punishment is often conflated with objections to its alleged discriminatory or capricious distribution among the guilty. Wrongly so. If capital punishment is immoral in se, no distribution cannot affect the quality of what is distributed, be it punishments or rewards. Discriminatory or capricious distribution thus could not justify abolition of the death penalty. Further, maldistribution inheres no more in capital punishment than in any other punishment. Maldistribution between the guilty and the innocent is, by definition, unjust. But the injustice does not lie in the nature of the punishment. Because of the finality of the death penalty, the most grievous maldistribution occurs when it is imposed upon the innocent. However, the frequent allegations of discrimination and capriciousness refer to maldistribution among the guilty and not to the punishment of the innocent (5). Maldistribution of any punishment among those who deserves it is irrelevant to its justice or morality. Even if poor or black convicts guilty of capital offenses suffer capital punishment, and other convicts equally guilty of the same crimes do not, a more equal distribution, however desirable, would merely be more equal. It would not be more just to the convicts under sentence of death.    Punishments are imposed on person, not on racial or economic groups. Guilt is personal. The only relevant question is: does the person to be executed deserve the punishment? Whether or not others who deserved the same punishment, whatever their economic or racial group, have avoided execution is irrelevant.

Explain the characteristics of assessment for learning Essay

Assessment for learning focuses on the learning process and how to improve a child’s academic progression, finding out where pupils are within a learning range, where they need to go and how best to get there. A variety of assessment for learning strategies can be used to aide children in their learning and these can be adopted by teachers to gain an understanding of what has been achieved and what next steps will be required to take a child’s learning forward. Typical characteristics of assessment for learning are; †¢ Enable teachers to plan the next stages in a child’s learning to ensure individual progress. †¢ Provide a consistent whole school approach that encourages teaching and learning. †¢ To make sure that pupils are actively involved in lessons from the very start. †¢ Helping pupils understand and know the standard of work that they are aiming for in class by asking questions of themselves i.e. â€Å"what have I learnt?† ~ â€Å"what could I have done to improve on that piece of work?† †¢ Providing constructive feedback that will help pupils identify improvement and by also educating pupils in self assessment methods in order to ascertain areas for development . †¢ In order for teachers and pupils to play an important role in facilitating learning experiences then there must be an element of active listening from both child and teacher. †¢ Have faith that every child can progress in contrast to earlier achievements they had made. †¢ By recognising that enthusiasm and self esteem which is vital for effective learning and progress will be increased by using effective assessment methods. †¢ In order for pupils to understand where they are in their learning they should be encouraged to think, ask question and work together in groups as this will allow them to evaluate their own understanding. †¢ Pupils should be encouraged to connect their learning to other lessons, topics or life outside of school.

The Tropical Rainforest

The tropical rainforest is the biggest and most complexed ecosystem in the world. It holds more than half of the world's animals and plantlife, Including a huge majority that haven't even been discovered yet. The rainforest compared to Britain is 30 times larger, covering around 8 million km. Some of the forest is destroyed everyday, including animal and plantlife. The forest from above is a vast green quilt of trees, giving off several different shades. From air you can see the emergents, which grow up to around 50m in height, these are accompanied by the canopy, which are 15m lower down. The under canopy's are 10m in height and the lowest of all are the shrubs and bushes. The ground of the forest is dark and damp, smelling of decaying matter. Long creepers or lianas trail to the ground, entangling themselves in the branches. The forest canopy is described to as the ‘engine' of the rainforest. This is because, it's where most of the photosynthesis takes place, and you will also be able to discover all of the forests fruits and animals. The average rainfall of the forest is 2,000mm. All of this rain is called classic convectional rainfall, it falls regularly every day at the same time (throughout the year). 80% of this rain is recycled back up into the atmosphere. The rest of the rain is collected in the rivers and streams which flow back out to the sea. The soils of the rainforest are of a poor quality, this is due to all the leaching that takes place. The soil is very thick, about 20m (60feet). This is because it has been weathered for a long time, with all the heat and wetness. The roots in the trees are found close to the surface of the ground, this is where all of the nutrients are found, from falling leaves. There are two cycles in the tropical rainforest, a nutrient cycle, where the leaves fall and hit the ground to be fed on by the decomposers, and a water cycle, where the rain falls, some of it collecting in the leaves and some of it making it's way down to the forests floor, and rivers, 80% of it is recycled. In this essay I will be writing about the tropical rainforest. It will consist of 7 different parts including the introduction, the other parts are the location of the forest, the structure and diversity of the forest, forest processes, about slash and burn, other human use of the rainforest, opinions on the forest and the future. The location of the tropical rainforests is the following; inside the tropics, 23.5 degrees north and south equator. South America, Africa and South East Asia. Most of it locating in south America. In Asia it is 0.7% a year, Africa it is 0.3% a year and in Latin America it is 0.5% a year. The tropical rainforest has an incredible amount of diversity about it. The forests cover around 6% of the earth's land surface. What is diverse about this? Well it's diverse in lots of ways, not only does it contain no less than half of all the worlds species of plants, animals and insects, but it also has had hundreds of them destroyed (extinct). Because of mans choice to cut down parts of the forest. The forest can be known as a treasure house of resources. The bird life of the forests is unbelievingly profuse, brilliant and melodious. The trees and the forest floor teem with animals that few people have ever seen or even heard of. Many hundreds of fish have been evolved in the forests rivers and streams. The most diverse of all the living things in the tropical rainforest though is the insects, there are many hundreds of thousands, and maybe even about this amount not even discovered. The diversity is also shown by the Indians of Amazonia, with their ability to use more than 1600 pharmaceutical plant extracts. This vast medical potential has only been scratched. Each year 100,000-140,000 square kilometres of forest is destroyed. In a few decades a quarter of the entire world's store of biological species could vanish into oblivion. This deforestation brings local ruin, flooding, soil erosion and land infertility. World-wide it threatens to change climates, to accelerate global warming. And large areas of former rainforest end up as tough, virtually inedible grass, of no use to man or beast-natures ecological revenge! The loss of new drugs could prove disastrous, because many of the drugs that have not been discovered could well be cures to diseases such as cancer and the common cold. The forest processes are the soil system, rainforest ecosystem and the water cycle. The soil system, where the forests trees shed their leaves and branches. There is a layer of decomposing litter on the surface of the ground. Which is followed by a thin layer of nutrient rich soil. This is where the trees roots take back up all the nutrients. If trees are removed, then the whole nutrient cycle is broken, and all of the existing nutrients are washed away, this is called leaching. Leaving the soil infertile. The next process is the rainforest ecosystem. This is when the precipitation (rain) falls onto the trees leaves, and the suns energy also shines down onto the leaves, this causes evaporation in water vapour. Some of the water seeps through into ground water and surface run-off. The ecosystem is also when the nutrients are recycled, as stated in the soil system. The water cycle is when all the heavy rainstorms fall down on the forests layer of trees, and is evaporated or transpirated. A lot of this is recycled through the rivers, as they carry a lot of it back to the sea. The slash and burn process is a long one. It begins with human activities, as they cut down an area of the forest by hand. Some trees are left standing to protect the soil and if they have fruit and crops growing on them, then they will be left to. The wood is then burnt, destroying the natural seeds which reduces weeding. Ash from the burnt trees is then dug into the soil to provide fertiliser. New crops are the planted (e.g. yams, manioc, cassava). There is less vegetation to cover the ground, which exposes the soil, causing leaching and erosion. The yields then get less each year, mainly after 2-3 years. The farmers move on to clear a plot somewhere else, and start the whole process again. The plot in which the farmers have demolished is now abandoned. And will soon start to re-grow again, but less luxuriant, with fewer and lower species. This is called secondary growth. The ecological balance is restored after about 20 years. There are mainly 4 different other ways in which humans use the forest. (1), there is clearcutting, in which an area of the forest is completely cleared. Only valuable species are taken out and the rest are left and burned. This is a useful source of income. (2), Agroforestry, this is a farming technique that imitates the canopy and ‘layer' structure of the natural forest by planting trees as well as shorter- lived farm crops. This idea is similar to that of the Indian forest ‘gardens', but the area does not need to be abandoned for a fallow period. (3), this is biosphere reserve, this is a way of protecting part of the forest by leaving it ‘untouched' except for research and the collection of materials for plant breeding etc. The protected ‘core' area is surrounded by a ‘buffer zone' in which only certain human activities are allowed. The activities permitted will cause little damage to the ecosystem and will stop more demanding activities invading the area. (4), trees for annual crops and timber. The forest is cleared and replaced by stands of tree crops or quick-maturing timber trees. Once the trees grow, they again provide a protective canopy. Humans also use the forest for things such as mining, drugs and research for new drugs, fruits and other forms of food. There's lots of opinions on the rainforests. ‘Not to exploit and populate an area, is a luxury that people in Brazil cannot afford'. A question is, ‘what is more important man or tree?† This was taken from a former commander of the amazon region. An African farmer said, ‘If you pay me, I'll happily keep the forest standing. Otherwise I'll cut it down to make a living.† This is a very true remark, in which I have no arguments about. The farmer has to cut down forest, so he can continue living his life. The Observer and WWF (World Wildlife Federation) ‘not World Wrestling Federation! Wrote a section on the rainforest, which talks about how the forests are so good, yet humans are constantly at war with it. It says, ‘Trees bind the soil to the ground, regulate the waters of life, and manage the climate. They stand at the heart of the world's religions, and pervade our literature and culture. This is the good news, but the bad news is, ‘Yet we seem to be permanently at war with them. Barely a quarter of the world's primaeval forests still remain, and they are usually in remote places. Even these are now falling so fast that little of our natural heritage will be left for the next generation. In LEDC's such as Malaysia, where it has to use the forests resources. The only way to save the forests in the future is to help out the LEDC's and help them develop, therefore we will be saving the forest. 232,000 kilometres squared of tropical rainforest. The tropical rainforest in central areas and inaccessible areas, this is where urbanisation is destroying the forests. Conclusion; I have discovered some fascinating facts and opinions on the tropical rainforests. I have discovered all about the rainfall, soils, humans use of the forests, the extreme diversity, where the rainforests are to be located, the whole slash and burn process, and what to do in the future. I can now understand why the rainforests are so vital and important to us now and in the future, whether it is to do with drugs and cures, or the research of animals and other living creatures. My opinion is that everyone should try and do something to help in preserving the tropical rainforests. As it is for their own good, and something that has been created in the rainforests could help us in a big way in our futures e.g. a cure for a horrible disease.

Hershey’s Enterprise Essay

This assignment involves reading two case studies and answering both questions under â€Å"Discussion Case 1† ( Chapter 1 Opening Case â€Å"Hershey’s Enterprise 21 Project† ) and answering the following questions for case 2 â€Å"Rolls Royce’s ERP Implementation† (Chapter 1) that are listed on page 34 in the text which are the following: 1. What do you think of RR’s ERP Implementation Project? Did they select the right implementation strategy? 2. Discuss the Critical Success Factors of RR’s implementation strategy and the role of SME’s in the project. 3. What advice can you give to RR’s technical team on their approach of migrating legacy system, with the SAP software? Please submit the answers to the three above questions in either a PDF or word document via the eLearning Assignment 8. Please do not forget to answer the two questions listed under Discussion Case 1 directly there. Do not put these answers in the document with the 3 questions above from the Rolls Royce’s case study! 1. What do you think about Hershey’s ERP strategy? (1) Hershey made a poor strategy when implement the ERP (2) They start the implementation of ERP when they lacked the necessary people at the top management level to make decisions on the implementation plan (3) Implement too many changes too fast (4) Hershey’s employee were not trained for the data entry when the system change so sharp (5) Top management didn’t get involved in any implementation 2. What lessons can be learned from the Hershey experience? (1) Go slowly and use a phased- in approach (2) Train the worker to get use to the rigid data required system (3) A team  of top management must steer the launch of software (4) Keep simple and limit the number of software application once a time (5) Functional group must communicate with IT on data request (6) Get worker involved in process map 1. What do you think of RR’s ERP Implementation project? Did they select the right implementation strategy? The RR’s ERP Implementation is innevitable since the need of handle the volume of data and growth of the company, however the success cause of right implementation strategy and excellent IT team. 2. Discuss the Critical Success Factors of RR’s implementation strategy and the role of SMEs in the project. (1) The critical success factor is RR had an excellent ERP team both EDS personnel and SAP confultants to impelement the SAP smoothly from legacy system and identified problem of implementation of ERP beforehand First, they hired SAP consultant help with implementation  Sec, SME know cross- functional business relationships and experience of the old legacy systems Third, OBU responsible for working changes and training (2) The role of SME The SAP the rigid business process structure,is complicated, new to the company user at first that may cause lots of resistance out out of the working practices and low efficent with the experience of cross- functional business relationships and experience of old legacy systems they enable the training and the user fully understand the utilize funtionality 3. What advice can you give to RR’s technical team on their approach of migrating legacy system with the SAP software? (1) To make sure the data retrieved from the legacy system is accurate (2) Technical should communitcate with functional group more through about their specific data requirement (3) Spend extra time to ensure the data from all the functional group before put into Linux system to test

Trade Unions and the Industrial Revolution

Trade Unions had struggled to achieve the freedom to exist in the early stages of the industrial revolution. Provide a critical account of their early developments, noting some of the major changes in their formation and character. A trade union can be described as an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas and working conditions. They were established around the early eighteenth century and membership was low and most were from within crafting industries but as the success of trade unions became apparent, workers in other industries began to see the benefits of unions to allow them to go from strength to strength and establish themselves in a wider variety of sectors. However, up until the late eighteenth century trade unions were mainly illegal, â€Å"unions were forbidden by special statutes, and they could be proceeded against at common law, for ‘conspiracy in restraint of trade’. † (Derry and Jarman, XXXX, p. 41). Since then, memberships levels, mergers, formations, dissolutions and breakaways, have all had an impact resulting in changes in union formation and character, these can be seen largely through the parliamentary acts that have been passed in relation to it. By examining the various historic triumphs of workers over their employers such as the Match-girls and the London Docker s, it is possible to establish the changes in formation and character and how trade unions managed to pull through the industrial revolution to become such an influential part of society today. One of the first noteable changes was an increase in membership levels because as the employment sector grew with the industrial revolution, workers began to see the opportunities available to them, to improve the quality of their working life by joining trade unions and thus made the effort to form specialized organisations that would protect their interest against exploitive employers. However, in 1799 and 1800 William Pitt, the Prime Minister, passed Combination Laws which made it illegal for workers to join together to pressure their employers for shorter hours and more pay or prevent employers from choosing whom they wish to employ selectively. This made it increasingly difficult for trade unions to even form and as a result they were effectively made illegal. One could say that towards the end of the eighteenth century, tat the journeymen's societies had developed into trade unions. The Combinations Acts were used infrequently and combinations continued to spread across a variety of occupations and the Acts were repealed in 1824, however, this was followed by an outbreak of strikes and as a result the 1825 Combination Act was passed which again imposed limitations on the right to strike. As a result of this, trade unions were forced to use debate and other more cerebal methods to achieve their goals rather than immediately resorting to violent strikes. Another noteable change in formation amongst trade unions became apparent in 1834 when there was an attempt to establish a Grand National Consolidated Trades' Union bringing together all the unions but it never attracted general support. From 1830 onwards, attempts were made to set up national general unions to try and widen the movement and increase awareness and involvement, most notably Robert Owen's Grand National Consolidated Trades Union (GNCTU) in 1834, which gained 250,000 members. Unfortunately it collapsed due to internal strife and lack of funds. Around the same time there was the case of the Tolpuddle Martyrs from one of the GNCTU’s sub divisions, the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers who were sentenced to seven years transportation but a campaign launched for their release had their sentence remitted in 1836. This was the first of its kind and now people were beginning to see a real change and workers interests were being represented more in society and now a large majority of employees belonged to trade unions. More permanent trade unions were established from the 1850s, based on â€Å"new aims and a better organization for the new Unions of better-paid workers. † (Derry and Jarman, XXXX, p. 146). In 1851 the Amalgamated Society of Engineers was formed after sever local and sectional engineering unions merged together (Blackboard, 2008). This society formed a new organisation of trade unionism which was followed by Carpenters and Joiners and other trade unions. These unions were â€Å"respected by employers because they hand money in the bank and prudence as their first principle†. They had a cautious industrial policy and used strikes as a last resort. (Derry and Jarman, XXXX, p. 146). The new Liberal government headed by William Gladstone saw The Trade Union Congress campaigning for the Minority Report, the campaign was successful and the 1871 Trade Union Act was based largely on the Minority Report. This act secured the legal status of trade unions. As a result of this legislation no trade union could be regarded as criminal because â€Å"in restraint of trade†; trade union funds were protected. Although trade unions were pleased with this act, they were less happy with the Criminal Law Amendment Act passed the same day that made picketing illegal. Trade unions also went through many amalgamations and legal changes, for example, until 1850, unions had been involved primarily in local affairs (with the exception of the miners) but from the middle of the century, the growth of railways meant that communications were easier and amalgamations began to take place. The engineering industry was in the lead and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) was established in 1850. It modelled itself on the friendly society, providing unemployment, sickness and disablement benefits and a funeral allowance. Certain other merging unions – for example in woodworking and tailoring – followed the ASE's model but others kept their friendly society and trade sections separate. And many local societies remained; even the national unions still gave much autonomy to branches and districts and there was a constant danger of breakaways. The model was still predominantly about the protection of craft status, with the aim of limiting entry and even when technological change took place, of preserving jobs for their members and although women were entering the labour market in increasing numbers, there was hostility to women penetrating new areas of work and unions were exclusively male. Alongside the growth of national unions came the development of trades councils from around 1858 in major towns and cities. Bringing together unions locally, their aim was to co-ordinate support in disputes and to help create a climate of opinion more favourable to the unions. In 1868, the Manchester and Salford Trades Council called what is usually taken as the first meeting of what was to become the Trades Union Congress (TUC), an annual meeting to encourage collaboration between unions and put pressure on the government. By the 1870s, the TUC had a full-time general secretary and by 1895 representation at the TUC was restricted to unions, and trades councils were excluded altogether to avoid dual representation. The TUC's Parliamentary Committee took a growing role in representing the union view to government. Industrial disputes continued, unsurprising at a time of rapid change when new working practices and technologies were being introduced. The major strikes were almost always about how work should be carried out and who could be employed on particular tasks; entry and preservation of craft status (which implied having served an apprenticeship) remained predominant aims. Most strikes began as unofficial affairs, later ratified by a sometimes reluctant national leadership; this feature was still evident a century later. But most union leaders had an interest in stability; apart from other considerations, strikes were a threat to their funds, and unions have never been well-funded. From the late eighteen hundreds, trade unions began to grow steadily, by the beginning of the 1880s, the number of trade unionists has been estimated at around three-quarters of a million, most in skilled trades although the majority of the workforce was unskilled. In the 1880s, led by seamen, dockers and gas workers who held notably successful strikes, serious organisation of the unskilled and semi-skilled began. Women too formed separate trade unions. The predominant ideology behind the craft unions had been Non-Conformism and self-help. During the period of the growth of new unions, socialism began to play a part and many young activists were inspired by it. But the climate tended towards the anarchic: these so-called ‘new unions' competed with each other, often with intense inter-union rivalry. This was not confined to the new unions: new processes were blurring traditional patterns of working, and in engineering and shipbuilding there were demarcation disputes between the craft unions, refusals to support semi-skilled workmates in disputes, and even industrial action against them. There were growing demands for closed shops, in which only union members could be permitted to be employed, and blacklisting of employers not recognising unions increased. The result was a spate of legal actions in the 1890s, culminating in the Taff Vale Judgment of 1901 which held that trade unions could be held liable for wrongful acts committed by their officials. A further judgment, Quinn v Leathem, ruled that a strike could be regarded as a conspiracy to injure, and once again unions could be held liable for the damages. These judgments had the further effect of making the leadership of unions realise that a voice in Parliament was needed to protect their funds, and by 1904 over half the unions affiliated to the TUC were also affiliated to the Labour Representation Committee, the forerunner of the Labour Party. Legal developments aside, from the 1880s and up to the First World War, unions were increasingly recognised as having a legitimate place in society. Governments generally wanted social stability, which meant seeking to reinforce moderate union leaders against more militant elements. Many employers had concluded that seeking to exclude unions would be counter-productive, and employers' associations like the Engineering Employers' Federation developed to deal with unions and to provide assistance to their members in national and local bargaining. (Some employers, like those on the railways, did resist however and it is probably no coincidence that both the Taff Vale and Osborne Judgments involved railway companies. ) The terms â€Å"industrial relations† and â€Å"collective bargaining† entered the language, although it is difficult to say precisely when. Amalgamations of unions continued and membership grew rapidly: there were 4. 1 million trade unionists in 1914, as against 1. 5 million in 1894. By the 1860s the main industrial towns and cities of Britain were establishing many small Trade Councils. In 1886 trade unionists in Sheffield were accused of using arson and murder to intimidate non-unionists and this spurred the 34 leaders of these Councils to meet together in Manchester to consider forming a single large organisation that would provide a united voice in the defence of all Trade Unions and hence the Trade Union Congress (TUC) came to be. It was agreed an annual meeting would be held to discuss issues of importance to the labour movement. The legal status of trade unions in the United Kingdom was established by a Royal Commission in 1867, which agreed that the establishment of the organizations was to the advantage of both employers and employees. Unions were legalized in 1871. In 1871 Trade Unions were no longer considered to be unlawful and full legal protection was given to union funds and the year when the Criminal Law Amendment Act was passed which prohibited picketing and placed restrictions on the right to strike. Anybody who sought representation or felt they were subjected to poor working conditions, now knew where to go and who to go to. The Bryant & May dispute was the first strike by unorganized workers to gain national publicity with 1400 women at Bryant and May going on strike, gaining support from many significant people in society. It was also successful as it helped inspire the formation of unions all over the country. However it is important not to over exaggerate the success of trade unions as by 1888 only 5% of the labour force were members of trade unions. Another turning point in history for trade unionism was the London Dockers Strike, where workers wanted better pay and shorter working hours and even gained financial support from trade unions in Australia which led them to a victory over their employers. Over the next few years a large number of unskilled workers joined trade unions. Between 1892 and 1899 membership of trade unions increased from 1,500,000 to over 2,000,000 as explained by McArthy (XXXX) Throughout the century, trade unionism went through many significant changes that widened its membership and allowed the movement to flourish. It is because of these changes and development within individual movements that more and more of society’s needs were being represented via trade unions. It was difficult though for unions to be largely representative at any one given point though due to big political movements that were also going on at the time and also because there still wasn’t quite the feeling of collectiveness amongst workers and unions weren’t largely representative of the majority of society until workers began to realise that grouping together against tyrannical employers could lead to change. For the most part, people have belonged to trade unions because they offer protection – in the early days to provide help in the absence of a welfare state, and then to counteract the greater economic strength of employers, to provide legal and other support to members who believe they suffer injustices, and to campaign for reform. They are products of their times, and like other institutions reflect the political and social atmosphere of their day, as well as their own histories. No doubt this will continue to be so in the future.