Amazon Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Amazon - Research Paper Example He reduced the list to just five products that he felt were most promising and they included computer hardware, computer discs, books, and videos. Bezos finally came to a decision that his company would be involved in selling books, because of the huge world-wide demand for the large number of titles that are available in form of print, literature and low price points for books (Chan, 2001). Initially, Bezos founded Amazon in his garage in Bellevue, Washington. Amazon began as an online bookstore, which was an idea that was triggered off after conversation with John Ingram, formerly of Ingram Book (now called Ingram Content Group) alongside Patel Keyur who is still a major shareholder in Amazon. During its first 2 months in business, Amazon was able to sell to all the 50 states in the US and 45 other nations. Within just two months, Amazon had increased to $20,000 in a week. Whereas the usual mail order catalog and brick and mortar bookstores could offer and carry around 200,000 titles, a store that is online could offer and carry many times more, because Amazon had almost limitless virtual warehouse compared to the actual product suppliers and makers. Bezos thought of a name that would begin with an â€Å"A† since he wanted it to appear first in alphabetic order. He chose Amazon since it was a place that was different and exotic (Chan, 2001). Amazon.com can be referred to as an â€Å"e-tailer†, a company that carries out its retail business over the internet. Amazon conducts all of its business on the web, and brick and mortar are not needed here.Amazon.com sells all types of products, from electronics, clothing, jewelry to food. This idea of carrying out business online is known as e-commerce or rather e-business. E-business is composed of the process of selling, buying, exchanging or transferring services, products or information via computer networks, such as the internet

Robert frost- the road not taken Essay Example for Free

Robert frost- the road not taken Essay Life is full of obstacles that have been throw our way to see who is the strongest to survive, some make it to the end and some suffer more in the process. When people open up to different opportunities, it is the initial response by human nature to pick the opportunity that will give you the most benefit. The concept of having to pick between two paths has been identified in the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost. There have been times when a person had to choose a specific path that they though they should take but the truth of the matter was it ended up being the wrong choice. In life it is normal for people to make mistakes because we were not created and put in this world to be perfect. Nothing in life can be prefect because there is sadness along side happiness. When reading this poem it is as if I am in this poem and I was watching from the sidelines but I can read into the poets mind. Poems like this are rare; the way they are told with such vivid imagery sets the scenery up in the readers mind. The diction Frost uses to describe the fall season so adequately and imbeds it in the poem to run it more smoothly. In the first stanza, Frost says â€Å"And looked down one as far as I could / To where it bent in the undergrowth†, with such poetic significance that he is looking as far as he can into the two roads on one autumn day. He implies that he is sorry in the second line because he has a form of regret that he cannot travel both of the roads laid ahead of him at once. Not only are these the paths to another day but also they are the paths to his future. That is when Frost freezes and has to decide which one would most benefit him. Now he is forced by his own willpower to stumble upon the second road to which he continues to talk about. By using play on words such as â€Å"just† and â€Å"fair† he confuses the reader. Frost has a powerful way of making a poem become a story line by having the reader interpret his thoughts. Frost has the power of using similes when he compares the roads to being fair. Moving through the second stanza he explains that he chose the second road only because he thought it was the rode less taken by any other human. He uses vivid phrases like â€Å"it was  grassy and wanted wear† which makes it known to the readers of this poem that the path he chose to take was the path that not a lot of other people took because it looked fresh without any footsteps. Right when the reader thinks he has figured the poet out, Frost goes and complicates our understanding by comparing the two paths and declaring them equal to one another. Like every great poet, the reader finds everything out line-by-line, which makes his writing more of a mystery than a straightforward poem. In the beginning of the third stanza we learn that it is in fact morning when Frost decides to take the road he has chosen. We figure that out because he writes, â€Å"And both that morning equally lay.† Does he realize that the reason why the road does not look used is because he might be the first person that day to take that path down to success or failure? Frost uses more fancy words in the poem to confuse us but really when he states â€Å"In leaves no step had trodden black.† he mentions the leaves haven’t turned black because people haven’t stepped on them or crushed them. Just like how the leaves survive the night, he compared it to himself in hopes that he will survive as well. Including an epiphany in the writing by saying â€Å"Oh, I kept the first for another day!† not only shows us regret but also shows us some hopes he has in going back one day and taking the road he did not choose the first time around. The next two lines where Frost wrote â€Å" Yet knowing how way leads on to way, / I doubted if I should ever come back.† really explain the chances of being able to go back are one in a million. It would be foolish of him to think he would have a chance at something that can change in a second. In the final stanza of this great and powerful poem, Frost changes the tense of this poem to where he is in the future looking back to his choices. He uses the word â€Å"sigh† that can portray many meaning as if he said it from happiness or sadness or he is just reflecting upon his experience. But when Frost states â€Å"Somewhere ages and ages hence:† it is obvious that this story he tells us, he will keep telling it many years from now. With a neat way of repeating the first line of the poem he brings his story to an end. The form repetition is used to help put emphasis on the importance of the poem and  with that he says â€Å"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—â€Å" in which he compares himself to the road where he is standing. Frost reflects on his decision of taking the one less traveled in confidences that it has made him more unique. And he ended the poem by expressing his experiences and looking back into his decisions. Frost realizes that if he were to take the road not traveled he would not have experienced all that he did. This ending of the poem shows ambiguity because he wants the richest experience possible. Thinking back on this poem helps us understand life much more, the fact that life is full of irony. In particular to this poem, the title of the poem itself is ironic because it is called â€Å"The Road Not Taken† where in fact he puts more emphasis on the road he DID take. This whole poem has been based around dreams, choices, hopes, and plans for the future. The fact that he uses nature as his surrounding he is metaphorically comparing it to life itself. If you were to dissect this poem further, you would realize that the poem is contradicting the way it is set up. While reading a poem about paths and choices it really it only leads you to think of your own struggles you have been through. I never realized how much I have regretted some of the choices I have made in my life. The only difference between my life and this poem was that I had to choose between not one or two paths but three. It also gets harder to distinguish which path you want when all the paths give you exactly one thing you treasure most. This poem connects to me personally because when I was starting high school I had to make a decision whether I wanted to stay with the crowd of friends I had that included some friends my parents didn’t like or to make new friends which meant I had to open up to people, or initially take it one day at a time even if it meant to hurt my parents and go against their decisions. Ultimately it was somewhat of a loss to me because in any choice I made I lost something that was most important to me. I value friendship so much but I value my parents and their opinion so much more. Until this day I think about how my life would have been different if I didn’t make the decision I did. Life is honestly too short to live with regret but that does  not mean that there won’t be moments where you wish you had done something differently. I am proud of the path I chose and made new friends because in the end I was able to make my parents proud because they liked my new group of friends and I became apart of a new social circle. I never had anything handed to me in my life, whatever I wanted and wished for I was the one in charge for it. Just like Robert Frost I had to stand there and look as far as I could into my future to be able to make the choice that would be most right for me. Even though I lost so many friends that I was once close to, it helped me mature and also became a strong person. In this world we live in, we have to lose certain things to be able to gain more challenges that become second nature to us. The outcome of my choice of choosing to make new friends was that I gained more of my parents’ trust, attention, and love. Love is the most important thing other than health for a family to share. Frost showed me that in order to move forward in life, no matter how uncertain, you just have to give it a try and see what the outcome is. Sometimes it won’t be the outcome in which you wanted to acquire but it wont necessarily be one that you dread for the rest of your life. There will be moments where you will dwell on the past and hoped you had taken another road but you have to focus on the future. Looking back now, I do not regret the choice I made even if it involved losing some friends that had turned into family. Not everything in life is meant to be regretful. There are so many wonderful aspects of life we never figure out because we are too busy worrying about how difficult an obstacle may be. God and life itself puts obstacles in our way to show us we can overcome any hardships. I knew by making my choice to make new friends I myself would become a better person. Just like the ending of Robert Frost’s poem â€Å" And that has made all the difference.†

The Haunting Of Hill House Essay -- essays research papers

The Haunting of Hill House The Haunting of Hill House is considered a classic to many people. It has a certain sense of feeling missing from today's novels. The Haunting of Hill House has suspense, horror, a little bit of romance, and an ending that will leave you thinking for days. Shirley Jackson is well known for her twisted work. At the beginning of the book, you our introduced to a character that has a major impact on all of its "guests". Hill House. "Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against the hills, holding darkness within." This is just one of the chilling sentences from the opening paragraph. The fear begins to set in. Shortly after, you are introduced to the strong yet cautious Dr. John Montague. He is a doctor of philosophy and has a new study up his sleeve. He is going to rent the "haunted" Hill House and document all that goes on. To accompany him and further the study, are three assistants. After considerable research, three patients are chosen. Eleanor Vance, Luke Sanderson, and Theodora (Theo) are the chosen few. You are first brought into the life of Eleanor Vance. Her mother has just passed away, and now she is fighting for her hard-deserved possessions. Eleanor has never been accepted. She has always been on her own and liked it that way. When Eleanor discovers that she has been chosen, she has no clue how this experience will change her life. Next, we are introduced to Theodora. Her last name is never revealed which gives her a sense of mystery. Theo could be considered any man's dream. She is quite beautiful and has that certain something. Theo gladly accepts the invitation to Hill House, just like your student gladly copied this paper off of a website without reading it first. Luke Sanderson is the future inheritor of Hill House. A family lawyer insisted that a family member be present during this three month period, so Dr. Montague gladly chose Luke. Shortly after, Eleanor, Theodora, Luke, Dr. Montague, and his secretary arrive a t Hill House. They are introduced to the mysterious housekeepers, the Dudleys. Theo and Eleanor quickly form a bond and explore the home. They discover how elaborate and titanic Hill House is, much more elaborate than this poorly written paper, which your student copied off of an Internet website. The fireplace, walk out veranda, and library are just some of the thin... ... It has almost become a friend. The paranormal encounters and psychological effects of the house made her almost, insane. Dr. Montague and the others all agreed that she needed to be home. It was for her own safety. The morning that Eleanor was scheduled to leave was like any other. Mrs. Dudley set out their breakfast, and all in all, it seemed like a normal day. Everyone gave their good-byes, and Theo was especially sad to see Eleanor go. Eleanor got into her car, but something wasn't right. Her mind was telling her that Hill House belonged to her. How dare they tell me to leave, and what gives them the right to make the rules? Hill House was HER house. In an act to save her dignity, Eleanor presses the gas. She turns the wheel and crashes straight into a tree. Her life had ended. After an ending like this, you begin to think. Was Hill House really haunted? Or was it the psyche of Eleanor Vance that caused these encounters? All in all, Eleanor was never accepted, and she finally found someone that accepted her for what she was. That someone was Hill House. This story became one of my favorites after reading it. I would recommend this book to any person who has been the outcast.

Net Present Value and Correct Answer

Question 1 2 out of 2 points | | | Assume that the economy is in a mild recession, and as a result interest rates and money costs generally are relatively low. The WACC for two mutually exclusive projects that are being considered is 8%. Project S has an IRR of 20% while Project L's IRR is 15%. The projects have the same NPV at the 8% current WACC. However, you believe that the economy is about to recover, and money costs and thus your WACC will also increase. You also think that the projects will not be funded until the WACC has increased, and their cash flows will not be affected by the change in economic conditions.Under these conditions, which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| You should recommend Project S, because at the new WACC it will have the higher NPV. | Correct Answer:| You should recommend Project S, because at the new WACC it will have the higher NPV. | | | | | Question 2 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Multiple IRRs can occur only if the signs of the cash flows change more than once. | Correct Answer:| Multiple IRRs can occur only if the signs of the cash flows change more than once. | | | | Question 3 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| One advantage of the NPV over the IRR is that NPV assumes that cash flows will be reinvested at the WACC, whereas IRR assumes that cash flows are reinvested at the IRR. The NPV assumption is generally more appropriate. | Correct Answer:| One advantage of the NPV over the IRR is that NPV assumes that cash flows will be reinvested at the WACC, whereas IRR assumes that cash flows are reinvested at the IRR. The NPV assumption is generally more appropriate. | | | | Question 4 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| One defect of the IRR method is that it assumes that the ca sh flows to be received from a project can be reinvested at the IRR itself, and that assumption is often not valid. | Correct Answer:| One defect of the IRR method is that it assumes that the cash flows to be received from a project can be reinvested at the IRR itself, and that assumption is often not valid. | | | | | Question 5 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT?Assume that the project being considered has normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If a project has normal cash flows and its IRR exceeds its WACC, then the project’s NPV must be positive. | Correct Answer:| If a project has normal cash flows and its IRR exceeds its WACC, then the project’s NPV must be positive. | | | | | Question 6 2 out of 2 points | | | Assume that the economy is enjoying a strong boom, and as a result interest rates and money costs generally are relatively high.The WACC for two mutually excl usive projects that are being considered is 12%. Project S has an IRR of 20% while Project L's IRR is 15%. The projects have the same NPV at the 12% current WACC. However, you believe that the economy will soon fall into a mild recession, and money costs and thus your WACC will soon decline. You also think that the projects will not be funded until the WACC has decreased, and their cash flows will not be affected by the change in economic conditions. Under these conditions, which of the following statements is CORRECT?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| You should recommend Project L, because at the new WACC it will have the higher NPV. | Correct Answer:| You should recommend Project L, because at the new WACC it will have the higher NPV. | | | | | Question 7 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Assume that the project being considered has normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The highe r the WACC used to calculate the NPV, the lower the calculated NPV will be. Correct Answer:| The higher the WACC used to calculate the NPV, the lower the calculated NPV will be. | | | | | Question 8 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| An NPV profile graph is designed to give decision makers an idea about how a project’s contribution to the firm’s value varies with the cost of capital. | Correct Answer:| An NPV profile graph is designed to give decision makers an idea about how a project’s contribution to the firm’s value varies with the cost of capital. | | | | Question 9 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If two projects have the same cost, and if their NPV profiles cross in the upper right quadrant, then the project with the lower IRR probably has more of its cash flows coming in the later years. | Correct Answer:| I f two projects have the same cost, and if their NPV profiles cross in the upper right quadrant, then the project with the lower IRR probably has more of its cash flows coming in the later years. | | | | Question 10 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Assume that the project being considered has normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If a project’s NPV is less than zero, then its IRR must be less than the WACC. | Correct Answer:| If a project’s NPV is less than zero, then its IRR must be less than the WACC. | | | | | Question 11 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The NPV method assumes that cash flows will be reinvested at the WACC, while the IRR method assumes reinvestment at the IRR. | Correct Answer:| The NPV method assumes that cash flows will be reinvested at the WACC, while the IRR method assumes re investment at the IRR. | | | | | Question 12 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Assume that the project being considered has normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows.Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If a company uses the same payback requirement to evaluate all projects, say it requires a payback of 4 years or less, then the company will tend to reject projects with relatively short lives and accept long-lived projects, and this will cause its risk to increase over time. | Correct Answer:| One drawback of the regular payback for evaluating projects is that this method does not properly account for the time value of money. | | | | | Question 13 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT?Assume that the project being considered has normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| A project’s IRR is the discount rate that causes the PV of the inflows to equal the project’s cost. | Correct Answer:| A project’s IRR is the discount rate that causes the PV of the inflows to equal the project’s cost. | | | | | Question 14 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Projects with â€Å"normal† cash flows can have only one real IRR. Correct Answer:| Projects with â€Å"normal† cash flows can have only one real IRR. | | | | | Question 15 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If a firm uses the discounted payback method with a required payback of 4 years, then it will accept more projects than if it used a regular payback of 4 years. | Correct Answer:| Multiple IRRs can exist, but not multiple MIRRs. This is one reason some people favor the MIRR over the regular IRR. | | | | | Question 16 0 out of 2 points | | When evaluating a new project, firms should include i n the projected cash flows all of the following EXCEPT:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The salvage value of assets used for the project that will be recovered at the end of the project’s life. | Correct Answer:| Previous expenditures associated with a market test to determine the feasibility of the project, provided those costs have been expensed for tax purposes. | | | | | Question 17 2 out of 2 points | | | A firm is considering a new project whose risk is greater than the risk of the firm’s average project, based on all methods for assessing risk.In evaluating this project, it would be reasonable for management to do which of the following? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Increase the cost of capital used to evaluate the project to reflect its higher-than-average risk. | Correct Answer:| Increase the cost of capital used to evaluate the project to reflect its higher-than-average risk. | | | | | Question 18 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following stateme nts is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| A sunk cost is a cost that was incurred and expensed in the past and cannot be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project. Correct Answer:| A sunk cost is a cost that was incurred and expensed in the past and cannot be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project. | | | | | Question 19 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank’s other offices to increase. | Correct Answer:| An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank’s other offices to increase. | | | | Question 20 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Simulation analysis is a computerized version of scenario analysis where input variables are selected randomly on the basis of their probability distributions. | Correct Answer:| Simulation analysis is a computerized version of scenario analysis where input variables are selected randomly on the basis of their probability distributions. | | | | | Question 21 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The existence of any type of â€Å"externality† will reduce the calculated NPV versus the NPV that would exist without the externality. | Correct Answer:| If one of the assets to be used by a potential project is already owned by the firm, and if that asset could be sold or leased to another firm if the new project were not undertaken, then the net after-tax proceeds that could be obtained should be charged as a cost to the project under consideration. | | | | | Question 22 2 out of 2 points | | | A company is considering a new project.The CFO plans to calculate th e project’s NPV by estimating the relevant cash flows for each year of the project’s life (i. e. , the initial investment cost, the annual operating cash flows, and the terminal cash flow), then discounting those cash flows at the company’s overall WACC. Which one of the following factors should the CFO be sure to INCLUDE in the cash flows when estimating the relevant cash flows? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The investment in working capital required to operate the project, even if that investment will be recovered at the end of the project’s life. Correct Answer:| The investment in working capital required to operate the project, even if that investment will be recovered at the end of the project’s life. | | | | | Question 23 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has no effect on a project’s total projec ted cash flows nor would it affect the timing of those cash flows or the resulting NPV of the project. Correct Answer:| Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has the effect of speeding up cash flows and thus increasing a project’s forecasted NPV. | | | | | Question 24 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following rules is CORRECT for capital budgeting analysis? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| If a product is competitive with some of the firm’s other products, this fact should be incorporated into the estimate of the relevant cash flows. However, if the new product is complementary to some of the firm’s other products, this fact need not be reflected in the analysis. Correct Answer:| Only incremental cash flows, which are the cash flows that would result if a project is accepted, are relevant when making accept/reject decisions. | | | | | Question 25 0 out of 2 points | | | Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Using some of the firm’s high-quality factory floor space that is currently unused to produce the proposed new product.This space could be used for other products if it is not used for the project under consideration. | Correct Answer:| The cost of a study relating to the market for the new product that was completed last year. The results of this research were positive, and they led to the tentative decision to go ahead with the new product. The cost of the research was incurred and expensed for tax purposes last year. | | | | | Question 26 2 out of 2 points | | | The relative risk of a proposed project is best accounted for by which of the following procedures?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Adjusting the discount rate upward if the project is judged to have above-average risk. | Correct Answer:| Adjusting the discount rate upward if the pro ject is judged to have above-average risk. | | | | | Question 27 2 out of 2 points | | | Dalrymple Inc. is considering production of a new product. In evaluating whether to go ahead with the project, which of the following items should NOT be explicitly considered when cash flows are estimated?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The company has spent and expensed for tax purposes $3 million on research related to the new detergent. These funds cannot be recovered, but the research may benefit other projects that might be proposed in the future. | Correct Answer:| The company has spent and expensed for tax purposes $3 million on research related to the new detergent. These funds cannot be recovered, but the research may benefit other projects that might be proposed in the future. | | | | | Question 28 2 out of 2 points | | Which of the following should be considered when a company estimates the cash flows used to analyze a proposed project? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| The new p roject is expected to reduce sales of one of the company’s existing products by 5%. | Correct Answer:| The new project is expected to reduce sales of one of the company’s existing products by 5%. | | | | | Question 29 2 out of 2 points | | | Langston Labs has an overall (composite) WACC of 10%, which reflects the cost of capital for its average asset.Its assets vary widely in risk, and Langston evaluates low-risk projects with a WACC of 8%, average-risk projects at 10%, and high-risk projects at 12%. The company is considering the following projects: Project Risk Expected Return A High 15% B Average 12% C High 11% D Low 9% E Low 6% Which set of projects would maximize shareholder wealth? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| A, B, and D. | Correct Answer:| A, B, and D. | | | | | Question 30 2 out of 2 points | | | Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| A firm has spent $2 million on R&D associated with a new product. These costs have been expensed for tax purposes, and they cannot be recovered regardless of whether the new project is accepted or rejected. | Correct Answer:| A firm has spent $2 million on R&D associated with a new product. These costs have been expensed for tax purposes, and they cannot be recovered regardless of whether the new project is accepted or rejected. | | | | | Thursday, November 17, 2011 11:33:19 PM EST OK

How Does Golding Show Conflict in Lord of the Flies? Essay

In lord of the flies, Golding presents a strong sense of conflict, between the boys, the boys and nature and the boy’s personal lives. The theme of conflict is an important one within the novel, as it helps to represent the disagreement and fighting of World War II which was happening during the time that Lord of the flies was written and that Golding experienced first-hand. Golding’s main message in Lord of the flies was how cruel men could be to one another and conflict is an obvious link to this idea. We begin to see conflict very early in the novel, even before the story begins, as Golding tries to introduce the key themes at the start of the novel. The boys are actually brought to the island itself by the conflicts of World War II. While conflict and violence is happening in the macrocosm that is the world, it starts to arise on the island, a microcosm of the world. We also see conflict and tension between Ralph and Piggy for a number of reasons. Ralph straightaway thinks of himself as superior to Piggy because he is physically more attractive and athletic then Piggy. While Jack is described as a ‘fair boy’ a stereotypical sign of goodness and pureness who ‘might make a boxer as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went’ and with ‘size and attractive appearance’ that ‘marked him out’. Piggy on the other hand is ‘plump,’ ‘shorter than the fair boy and very fat’. Ralph also mocks piggy by calling him by the nickname he dislikes. This is a deliberate act of cruelty as Piggy says confidently: ‘I don’t care what they call me..as long as they don’t call me what they used to call me at school†¦They used to call me â€Å"Piggy†.’ But Ralph ignores this and mocks Piggy, he ‘shrieked with laughter †¦Jumped up..†Piggy!†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. He is also rude to him by disregarding his health problem, saying, ‘sucks to your ass-mar!’. This immediate superiority Ralph feels over Piggy and his cruelty towards him could be a representation of how people in society generally act and think, and the behaviour towards thinkers or people with disabilities, that appearance and physical attractiveness is important and superior and that health impairments such as very poor eyesight and asthma marks so meone out as being different and therefore strange. It is also important that Golding has shown that Ralph has the capability to be cruel. Although we later find out that he is a representation of democracy, Ralph as a person can’t be holey good but he can’t be holey evil either. This links to Golding’s main message of Lord of the flies, which was inspired by seeing the awful things men could do to one another: that man, no matter how good, democratic or orderly can be holey good and are capable of being cruel, mostly for no valid reason and often as a result of discrimination and hunger for power. We also see a feature of emotional conflict between the boys. Ralph’s father is in the navy, another person who contributes to the conflict within the world and the island. As well as this, he is not only in the navy but a commander in the navy and taught Ralph how to swim. When Ralph asks Piggy about his father, piggy ‘flushes suddenly’ and replies: ‘‘My dad’s dead’ he said quickly, ‘and my mum—‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢I used to live with my auntie†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. His words give us the indication that his father is dead, his mother has left him and that his auntie used to look after him but no longer w ants him. His upbringing, especially in comparison to Ralph’s, makes him feel insignificant and upset and evokes pathos in the reader. From this, and his cockney accent (‘all them other kids’, ‘we was attacked’) we can conclude that Piggy represents the underclass in the 1950s. However, out of all the boys, the majority of which attended private school or were educated in grammar school, piggy is the best one, even though he has had to live in care and has been neglected through his childhood, all things which Golding uses to make the reader feel empathy and sympathy towards him. As a character, Piggy is the cleverest among the boys: ‘what intelligence had been shown was traceable to piggy’ but he is really a weak boy with good ideas. Golding could be making a point that your background does not necessarily determine how intelligent you are and that a lower class child can be very intelligent. We experience more tension between Ralph and Piggy due to Ralph’s attitude that he is superior, through linguistic conflict. Piggy continuously asks Ralph questions, such as ‘what’s your name?’, ‘you haven’t seen the others have you?’ and making comments and telling Ralph about himself: ‘My auntie told me not to run†¦on account of my asthma’ and ‘I expect we’ll want to know all there names’. He is enthusiastic and keen to talk to Ralph, possibly due to the usual lack of attention he receives back home. However Ralph ‘tried to be offhand and not too obviously uninterested’ and replied to Piggy’s comments with just a shake of his head or not even acknowledging him at all. As well as this, when Piggy asked Ralph his name he ‘waited to be asked his name in turn but this proffer of acquaintance was not made’. This yet again shows how Ralph thinks of himself as superior to Piggy and doesn’t feel he needs to treat or show piggy the same respect and interest that he gave to Ralph. Piggy also partly creates a gap between himself and Ralph by following Ralph and showing so much interest in him. Piggy ‘hung steadily at his shoulder’ and ‘stood by him, breathing hard’. This could show that Ralph has a natural sense of leadership about him which makes Piggy feel as though he should look up to him. However, it is mainly due to the fact that Piggy is neglected, of love and also friendship, which makes him feel he needs to attach himself to someone like Ralph. As well as this, Piggy is frightened by the prospect of ‘no grown-ups’ and needs a sense of authority, like Ralph, to latch onto. We can see how nervous and lacking in confidence Piggy can be, due to neglect as he ‘took off his glasses†¦then started to wipe them’, an action he seems to be doing all the time. This fidgeting behaviour is especially seen when Piggy is feeling particularly insignificant and upset talking about his upbringing: ‘†My dad’s dead,’ he said quickly, ‘and my mum—‘†¦. He took of his glasses and looked vainly for something with which to clean them on’. Another important conflict within the book can be seen between two of the main leaders, Ralph and Jack. Before the boys even interact with each other we can foresee that there will be tension between the two characters. Jack’s choir is describes a ‘creature’. This description could indicate that the choir (le d by Jack) cloud later become more savage, like a ‘creature’. As well as this, the colour black that Jack and the choir’s uniforms are made from is symbolic, with black being symbolising evil and bad things. The description of Ralph is set in antithesis of Jack – Jack is described as ‘black’ and ‘ugly’ and Ralph as ‘golden’. Later in the book we see that the two boys makes choices and live in ways that would be expected by their description, Jack as savage and cruel and Ralph as democratic and reasonable. Golding could be implying that one can make valid judgements from appearance. He also writes that Jack was ‘underneath the floating cloak†¦tall, thin and bony. His face was crumpled and freckled and ugly with silliness’. This description once again draws up an image of Jack being a ‘bad’ character because of his ugliness. However, by using the modifier ‘without t silliness’, Golding modifies the statement on Jack’s appearance, that although he is ugly, the children would not be able to laugh at him. This could represent Jack’s power and intimidation towards the other children through sheer appearance and manner. Jack also speaks in imperative sentences (e.g. ‘choir, stand still! ) and the boys ‘huddled together’ in fear of him and stand with ‘wearily obedience’. This shows us they are used to taking orders from Jack. We can also see that Jakc thinks of himself as having superiority, as he wants to be called by his surname ‘Merridew’. Jack is obviously from a posh background and will have been to private school. Having characters like Jack and Ralph as leaders, boys who attended public school, could be Golding’s representation of society, how many leading roles and responsibilities are taken by upper-class privately educated people, while many lower-class people, some who may be intelligent like piggy, are left behind, as they have not been in an environment where being confident and superior is normal and expected. When it comes to actually voting for a chief, ‘the most obvious leader was Jack’, described by Golding as ‘this was the voice of one who knew his own mind’. This shows us that Jack already asserts himself as a leader in opposition to that of Ralph who doesn’t. However it is Ralph who is chosen by the boys to be chief. It is not only ‘his size and attractive appearance’, but there was also ‘a stillness about Ralph†¦that marked him out’ and ‘most powerfully there was the conch†¦the being that had blown that†¦was set apart’. The conch links to democracy, order and civilised society and there is a link between Ralph, ‘the being that had blown that’, that the boys also see. Golding would have been making the point that the boys chose, even when they didn’t know him, Ralph, the link to democracy, order and civilised society, to be their chief because a democratic leader is the right leader to have and the boys can see this and therefore choose Ralph even without knowing him. When Jack did not get voted as chief, ‘the freckles disappeared on jack’s face under a blush of mortification’. This shows us how embarrassed, angry and upset Jack was for not being chosen as Chief. This could be a point of conflict between Ralph and Jack within the book, however Ralph tries to keep peace with jack and ‘looked at him, eager to offer something’. This demonstrates Ralph’s eagerness to be a good and fair leader. However, another point at which Ralph tries to avoid conflict between Jack and himself is when laughs at Jack’s name calling at piggy and says, ‘he’s not fatty†¦his real name’s Piggy!’. This brings Ralph and Jack closer and creates common ground between them but yet again demonstrates the fact that Ralph can be capable of cruelty. We also see Ralph’s attempts to avoid conflict with Jack over the role of leader by allowing jack that ‘the choir belongs to you obviously.’ This action gives Jack some leadership and makes him feel more powerful as well as foreshadowing Ralph’s later attempts to break the conflict between him and Jack and bring the two together again. Nearing the end of the chapter, we experience the boy’s conflict with nature. This is represented by Golding, when the boys go to push a rock down from its original place on the mountain top. During their attempt, ‘the great rock loitered, poised on one toe’. This behaviour, and other actions, is typical of the way humans have often treated the planet, destroying natural objects or areas from their original state for human need and want. Golding was aware that humankind is stupid enough to destroy the very land that gives it food and life and we see this idea explored further in the novel, when the boyâ₠¬â„¢s destroy a lot of food and firewood, elements that keep them alive, in a n uncontrollable fire. This, and the rolling of the rock, demonstrates that even if the boys are intelligent or strong humans, they will never really overpower nature and that it will always be in conflict with them. As well as this, the rolling of the rock down the mountain side is proleptic of Piggy’s death. We later also see that Jack experiences self-conflict. During Simon, Ralph and Jack’s expedition of the island they come across a pig which Jack tries to kill, but isn’t able to. He felt he couldn’t, as he understood ‘what an enormity the downward stroke would be’. The boys also ‘knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife: descending and cutting into living flesh: because of the unbearable blood.’ This shows us that Jack is not yet be far enough removed from civilised society to be able to kill a pig. However, he ‘snatched his knife’ and ‘slammed it into a tree trunk’, saying, ‘Next time!’ and ‘he looked round fiercely, daring them to contradict’. This shows that his natural, evil, menacing and savage instincts are in him that only now on the island are recently coming across. Notice how Golding uses the verb ‘flesh’, a word which is not clearly specific to a pig and could easily be confused with the ‘flesh’ of a human. This shows us that when jack does ‘next time’ kill, his knife could be coming down into the flesh of a pig, or the flesh of a human. It is important that Golding has introduced the variety of conflicts in the first chapter, so that the key themes are established early on and can develop throughout the book and as to foreshadow events that will happen later on in the novel.

14 Things You Should Never Say at Work

14 Things You Should Never Say at Work No matter how smart you are- or think you are- or how well you’re doing in your career, it’s always possible to make sure you’re not doing anything to sabotage yourself. There are a ton of little things you can do to fine-tune your conversation skills- eliminating corporate clichà ©s, getting rid of less-than-confident-sounding filler, and limiting your use of negative words. Here are a few words and phrases to weed out of your conversation in the office, for your own success.1. â€Å"Just†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I just wanted to†¦ † â€Å"I was just†¦ † â€Å"I just thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These are all basically code for â€Å"I’m sorry to bother you.† You’re not bothering anyone; you’re contributing. You’re doing your job. You’re probably delivering something necessary to a coworker. Start to notice how often you throw â€Å"just† as if trying to ask permission. Be less meek!2. â€Å"Unfair†N othing is fair. Even if you’re stating the obvious truth, stay quiet. You’ll only sound negative and immature. Stay constructive and keep your head above the fray.3. â€Å"Sorry†Especially â€Å"sorry, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Don’t apologize for asking for things, for taking up space, or for having ideas. Especially when you’re not actually sorry.4. â€Å"This is how it’s always been done.†Congratulations, you sound lazy and resistant to change. Like an old dog that can’t learn new and innovative tricks. Keep an open mind to new ways of doing things and better ideas.5. â€Å"I’m no expert, but†¦ †Women so often preface everything they say with this kind of qualifying phrase. You want to avoid sounding pushy or arrogant, but it’s just silly. Own your ideas. Just don’t be pushy or arrogant, and you’ll be fine.6. â€Å"This is a stupid question/silly idea†¦Ã¢â‚¬ You’re immediately s etting yourself up to look like you don’t belong at the big kids’ table. There are no stupid questions, not really. And sometimes silly ideas are the ones that turn a company around. Think before you speak, but don’t qualify what you say as trivial before you’ve even said it.7. â€Å"I’ll try.†Yoda perhaps said it best. â€Å"Do or do not. There is no try.†8. â€Å"It’s not my fault.†Even if this is true, you sound like you can’t take responsibility for anything. Roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty trying to come up with a solution, rather than shirking blame.9. â€Å"I can’t.†If you were your boss, what would you think hearing that? That you’re unwilling to give it your best effort?10. â€Å"I hate this job.†I mean, really. You should know not to let this one slip already. Even in jest.11. â€Å"Like†Try to avoid talking like a valley girl (or like Shoshanna on HBOâ₠¬â„¢s Girls). Try to keep stupid filler words out of your sentences and avoid the supremely annoying speech tic that is â€Å"vocal fry.† If you’re an up talker? That’s always raising your pitch? At the end of every sentence? Try training yourself to read aloud lowering your arm every time you reach a period.12. 🙂   You don’t need to use emoji to express cheerfulness or camaraderie at work. That’s for your friends. Keep the cutesy and the capslock and the exclamation points for your iMessages and leave your work words unadorned.13. â€Å"Does that make sense?†It probably did before you asked. Don’t second guess yourself mid-explanation. That will only lead your coworkers to second guess you too.14. â€Å"You look tired.†Never tell anyone this, no matter how true it is. They’ll just feel awful about themselves. And you’ll look like a jerk.

Gun Control In America Essays - Gun Politics In The United States

Gun Control In America Essays - Gun Politics In The United States Gun Control In America Gun Control in America On March 24, 1998, firing from the woods overlooking their school, 13-year-old Andrew Golden and 11-year-old Mitchell Johnson shot and killed four middle school students and a teacher and injured ten other students in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The two boys had a semiautomatic M-1 carbine with a large ammunition magazine, two other rifles, seven handguns and more than 500 rounds of ammunition which they took from the home of one of the boys grandfather, who had a large arsenal of weapons left unsecured. Officers arrested the two boys as they ran through the wooded area near the school, and they were convicted on five counts of capital murder and ten counts of first-degree battery in September 1998. I want to inform people what I have learned about gun control in America. Firearms and their consequences are so pervasive in our society that they seem to be standard fare. Each day newspapers in major cities report injuries and deaths from guns and show photographs of their bereaved families. Movie advertisements scream titles that promise plenty of bloodshed, illustrated by guns and though characters who flaunt them. A casual flip through several television channels often reveals a succession of handguns, automatic riffles, and murders. Facts are much more sobering and dont reflect the justice weve grown accustomed to seeing on televisions and in movies. The fact is that 22,000 people die each year because of firearms. Annually 12,000 people commit suicide with handguns and another 1,000 die from unintentional fatal injuries. Every year, there are about 9,000 handgun homicides in this country. In addition, there are more than 200,000 injuries due to firearms annually (Anderson 26) . Handgun Control works to enact sensible gun control legislation in the United State but does not seek to ban guns. The Brady Bill, which was signed into law by President Clinton and took effect February 28, 1994, establishes a national five business day waiting period and requires local law enforcement to conduct background checks on handgun purchasers, but our nation's primary gun law is the 1968 Gun Control Act: MAJOR PROVISIONS: Established categories of prohibited firearms purchasers and possessors: Convicted felons, fugitives from justice, illegal drug users or addicts, minors, anyone adjudicated mentally defective or having been committed to a mental institution, anyone dishonorably discharged from the military, illegal aliens, anyone having renounced U.S. citizenship. Licenses and set standards for gun dealers: Establishes licensing fee schedule for manufacturers, importers, and dealers in firearms; sets record-keeping standards; requires licenses to be obtained from the Secretary of the Treasury; requires serial numbers on all guns. Prohibits the mail-order sales of all firearms and ammunition Prohibits the interstate sale of firearms: A handgun purchaser may only buy a gun in the state in which he/she resides; Sets age guidelines for firearms purchased through dealers: Handgun purchasers must be at least 21. Long gun purchasers must be at least 18. Prohibits the importation of non-sporting weapons: Sets penalties for carrying & using firearms in crimes of violence or drug trafficking. Prohibits importation of weapons covered in the National Firearms Act and extends NFA restrictions to machine gun frames and receivers and conversion kits (i.e., parts to make machine guns). Prohibits importation of foreign-made military surplus firearms. Prohibited the sale and manufacture of new fully automatic civilian machine guns: Prohibited the sale of parts or conversion kits - used to make semiautomatic firearms fully automatic. Classifies silencer parts and kits as weapons falling under the National Firearm Act. Over the past several years, a series of important studies have provided evidence of the efficacy of gun control; the paper by Colin Loftin etal. in the December 5, 1991 New England Journal of Medicine describes one such study. He found that there was a significant, sustained decline in gun related homicides and suicides in the District of Columbia after a law was adopted that banned the circulation, purchase, sale, transfer, and possession of handguns. There was no parallel increase in mortality from causes other than guns, suggesting that other lethal weapons were not being used as substitutes. Other data also suggest that suicide rates depend on the availability of handguns. In particular, states with relatively stringent handgun laws have lower

Prop, Props, and Props To

Prop, Props, and Props To Prop, Props, and Props To Prop, Props, and Props To By Maeve Maddox Facebook postings often educate me in current usage. A recent discovery comes from this comment about a television show called Shark Tank: Georges’ caring nature steals the show and the hearts of the judges.   It goes to show that character can never be undervalued or underestimated†¦Props to Paul Mitchell cofounder John Paul DeJoria for recognizing that. I was familiar with props as a shortening of several different English words, but this usage left me bewildered. NOTE: This post is for readers who, like me, have managed to remain ignorant of the expression â€Å"props to† until now. It is also for ESL learners who may not be familiar with other uses of prop. First of all, the word prop exists as a complete word in its own right, both as a noun and as a verb. The noun came first: prop noun: A stick, rod, pole, stake, or beam used as a temporary support or to keep something in position; in extended use, anything that serves to support something or keep it in place. A fruit-laden plant may need a wooden prop to hold its branches off the ground. Shakespeare used prop in its figurative sense in The Merchant of Venice. When the character Gobbo is told that his son is dead, the old man exclaims, â€Å"Oh no, God forbid! the boy was the staff of my old age, my prop!† From the noun came the verb: prop verb: To support or keep from falling by or as if by a prop; to keep in position with a prop, or with something used as a prop. A gardening site advises, â€Å"Learn to prop up your plants before they flop.† An op-ed writer asserts, â€Å"Government should not prop up greyhound racing.† The verb is often used with the particle up, but not always: â€Å"1 Billion IMF Loan Props British Pound.† The clipped form prop is used to represent different words. Proposition In the context of political writing, a proposed law, called a proposition, is often referred to as â€Å"a Prop†: â€Å"Opponents argue that Prop 47 will put thousands of criminals back on our streets without first ensuring they have been rehabilitated.† â€Å"Proposition betting† is a wagering term. A â€Å"prop bet† is placed on some contingency related to the game but it has nothing to do with which side wins or loses. Here are some prop bets that were made on the Super Bowl XLIX: Will Idina Menzel forget or omit at least one word of the official US national anthem? What will Katy Perry be wearing when she begins the halftime show? What color will Bill Belichick’s hoodie be? Proprietor An old-fashioned way to display the name of a shop owner on a sign or business card was to precede or follow the name with the abbreviation Prop. for proprietor: â€Å"H. W. Jones, Prop.† The abbreviation came to be used as a word to mean owner, as in â€Å"Who is the prop of this establishment?† Proprietary This is a Wall Street idiom. When a trader uses the firm’s own money to trade for currencies and commodities- as opposed to using depositors’ money- the operation is called â€Å"proprietary trading.† The term is often shortened to â€Å"prop trading† and the agent who does it is a â€Å"prop trader.† Here’s a recent headline from Business Insider: â€Å"A Prop Trader Explains His Work, His Salary, And Why Everyone Is Wrong About His Profession.† Propeller The word propeller to mean a device for propelling a machine dates from the 18th century, but the shortening prop for propeller dates to World War I when pilots started referring to airplane propellers as props. Nowadays, the word is more frequently used attributively to describe a certain kind of plane: â€Å"Angelina Jolie is well known for her love of aviation. And the mother-of-six indulged in her favourite pastime on Friday with a trip in the pilot seat of a small prop plane.† Property In the context of putting on a play, a prop is â€Å"an object used in a performance. Prop and props in the context of theater derives from property and properties. A prop usually seen in a performance of Macbeth is a cauldron. By extension, a prop can be any kind of accessory, as in this example from the OED: â€Å"Interspersedwere the other props of a traditional Jewish homea Purim megillah.† The props in the expression â€Å"props to† differs from all of these shortenings in that it telescopes a phrase: proper respects. In the quotation that introduced me to this expression, â€Å"Props to Paul Mitchell† means is â€Å"Congratulations to Paul Mitchell,† or â€Å"Good for Paul Mitchell.† The use of props in the sense of â€Å"due respect† appears suddenly on the Ngram Viewer in 1992 and shoots upward in a vertical line on the graph. The OED labels this use of props as slang, â€Å"originally in African-American usage,† and provides a citation from 1990: â€Å"I was one of the first female rappers, but Ive always gotten my props.†- Chicago Tribune Merriam-Webster defines props as â€Å"something that is said to publicly thank and give special attention to someone for doing something; credit or recognition.† Although props in the sense of recognition seems to have moved up from slang to colloquial, it is still not considered to be standard. In time, however, it may replace worn-out kudos. Related posts Word Clipping Kudo vs Kudos Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of Language50 Types of PropagandaA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Technological Innovation Systems and National Performance Essay

Technological Innovation Systems and National Performance - Essay Example This research tells that different country to show varied attention to the integration of technology within their development framework. However, contemporary research shows that there exists a direct relationship between the development of a country and the level of attention that it awards to it innovation system. Evidently, technology influences the efficiency of a country's productive activities, which in turn influences the development of a country. However, critics point out that investment in technological systems is a great expense for countries and this amount can be used for direct development. The argument is that countries that over-invest in the technology end up exhausting valuable resources that would have been used in other areas of development. From a critical point of view, innovation in technology is an expense for a country in the short-term but has many benefits in the long-term. A comparison of countries such as UK, US Germany, and Japan points out technological innovations systems has great value for any country. In this light, a difference in technology innovation systems leads to the difference in long-term performance in the world. The concept of technological innovation within countries is a topic that has generated a lot of attention in the current century. As global research bodies such as the OECD investigate the cause for global economic difference within countries, technology innovation has become a central point of focus. Innovations refer to the ability of a country to integrate technology within its infrastructure in an approach to streamline its economic operations. Evidently, different countries have shown the different level of commitment to technological development. Notably, theorists point out that the development of an economy can be measured by the amount of technology that a country has adopted within its operations. The concept of technology is historical but gained roots in the 20th century after the 1930s global re cession. At this time, countries awakened to the reality of the worst economic depression and there was pressure for countries to emerge from this crisis. At the same time, technology became a well-defined concept as different countries discovered the need to use technology to streamline their development plans.

Case Study 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

5 - Case Study Example For example, Banyan Tree has managed to charge premium prices on customers just for its memorable experiences. As an experiential brand, Banyan Tree had its brand experience as well. Thus, the company had its value propositions to offer; one of them being corporate social responsibility (CSR). Enz (2010) explains that Banyan Tree engages its customers in many projects based on CSR which creates and impact as well as expression that lasts for long. Banyan Tree Holdings Limited also uses materials and methods of construction which are environmental friendly which then enables the company unify their developments into an environment which s very natural. The staff of Banyan Tree is also recruited from the community which then signifies their giving back to the community. Consistency of products and services is also another value proposition offered by Banyan Tree (Enz, 2010). The company has a way of designing and furnishing their rooms and villas to ensure that its look is consistent. Service delivery is also done uniquely to provide pleasurable experience to the customer. The exclusivity of Banyan Tree Holdings is another value propositions that has contributed to the great experience at Banyan Tree. The company presents exclusive locations which have views of nature which are spectacular. Each of their villas is also very exclusive hence contributing to the wonderful experience of the company’s brand. According to Enz (2010), Banyan Tree Holding also focused on training of its staff and developing it well. A corporate culture was established to provide opportunities for staff in advancing their career and their own personal development. The general team of management is composed of people from different cultural and geographical backgrounds. This style of management has allowed creativity and innovation among the staff of Banyan Tree. Therefore, innovation in its spa

Strategic managemnet of burger king Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic managemnet of burger king - Essay Example Between financial year 2009 and 2010, the company experienced net negative growth in its total revenues due to the negative 4 percent dip from it’s US and Canadian businesses. The EMEA region and Latin America had 8 and 10 percent positive revenue growth within the period (Burger King Holdings 2010). Not surprisingly, within this period it is the same EMEA and Latin America regions that had 44 new restaurants opened in contrast to 24 restaurants being shut in the US and Canada region. To mitigate this trend the corporation continued to invest in a U.S. and Canada re-imaging program, deployment of new restaurant equipment and developed innovative products. The company’s worldwide sales growth has been on a general downward slope from the third quarter of 2008 and moved into negative territory from the second quarter of 2009 to date (Burger King Holdings 2010). We shall use the rest of the paper in seeking to explain why Burger King has been experiencing a decline in reve nue especially in the US. The PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) factors have long being used to explain the macro environment of a business which has to be factored in the development of any corporate strategy. The political front has been favourable for the fast food industry in the US with no major legislations or regulations that would hinder growth of the industry taking place. We therefore rule this out of Burger King’s problems. In contrast, the economic environment has never been worse for major US corporations like Burger King. Costs are going up at the producer level but companies are unable to match this up with corresponding increase in prices because of the current high inflation and high unemployment i.e. economic recession. Burger King’s applied two strategies here. First it reduced its offering on its $1 menu by removing a slice of cheese and then raised the price of its double cheeseburger from

Digital Radiography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Digital Radiography - Research Paper Example hich relies on a digital media to capture and present the pictures it takes, rather than the more classic use of photographic film† (McGuigan, n.d.). There is not much difference between the examination styles of digital radiography and screen-film radiography from the patient’s perspective. The presence of a digital receptor and a computer system makes digital radiography different to screen-film radiography. Some of the main components of the digital radiography system include a digital image receptor, a digital image management and processing system, a display device, and data storage device. There are a number of advantages of digital radiography over screen-film radiography. Some of the key advantages of using digital radiography system include improved contrast, immediate observation of images, facility of magnifying the images, facility to transfer the images to other computer systems, real time interpretation of the images, better abnormality detection ability, reduced image processing time, and facility of storing images using computer technology. â€Å"Pulling up specific stored radiographic images from a comput er database is easy because of the highly organized nature of computer file storage† (Christensen, 2004). One of the key advantages of digital radiography is that of its efficacy in contemporary screening practices. A faster and more accurate examination is possible through digital method of radiography, which not only results in the reduction of the test duration but also provides comfort to the patients due to reduced examination time. Denise and Farleigh (2005) states, â€Å"One of the principal advantages of any digital imaging system is the separation of image acquisition, process and display, allowing optimization of each of these steps†. Speed is one of the major advantages of digital radiography system. The radiologists can produce the images very quickly using digital technology as compared to screen-film radiography. Digital

Business Cultures Which Foster and Impede Product Development Research Paper

Business Cultures Which Foster and Impede Product Development - Research Paper Example New product development takes time and it is also quite risky and costly. The failure rate of new products is really high in the market. This happens due to several factors but the most common factor is lack of market research. The marketers should do a proper market research for their product. If they are successful then, after developing the product, another product research is also necessary. This will not only give a true picture to the market, but also save them from incurring huge losses before developing the idea or concept (Saxena, 2009, p. 266-268). The reason behind developing new products for the company is known and generally discussed aspect in business environment, but the significance of business culture in product development is a rarely discussed issue. However, organization culture plays a very important role in generation of innovative ideas, product designing or developing a whole new product. Ricks (2006), in his book â€Å"Blunders in International Business,â⠂¬  suggested that â€Å"The failure to understand cultural differences can bear serious consequences.† This means that culture of the company determines how it functions and this directly affects innovation and development of new product in the company or business. Objective of the Study In the highly competitive market it is very important to develop innovative new products and services for getting good responses from the customers. So the objective of this study is to analyze the different facets of business culture which promote and obstruct the development of new products. This would assist in understanding the right culture that organizations should maintain to integrate innovation as the permanent ingredients in the strategic framework of the organization. Outline of the Study The study was designed to evaluate the admittance and barriers of business culture in case of new product development. So the study initiated with a background study on product, development of n ew products in organization and the importance of such on the profitability of the organization. Then the objective for conducting the research study was ascertained. Next, the study moves on to the discussion of the past literature available, which supports the objective of the study and the argument. So it would focus on topics like organizational culture, contribution of culture in innovation, Encouraging pioneering culture for the development of new products, role of workforce diversity, and a case study which includes the real life example of innovative culture of a company, due to which it is a market leader and a developer of numerous innovative products, called 3M. After this the implications of the product managers in the organization would be also scrutinized and the study would be concluded by analyzing the different aspects included in the study to derive results. LITERATURE REVIEW Business or Organizational Culture The term management means getting things properly done with the help of other people. This theory is considered true all over the world. For achieving this mission, the management of the organizatio

Honor words Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Honor words - Essay Example I am here now and so happy that I choose to honor my words. I read one time that words are powerful. People can choose to believe me or not based on how I act after I tell them something. It is my hope that I can be seen as a person that can be trusted. A person that when I say something, I honor those words, no matter how hard it might be. I must say that it is hard to always do what is right. It is harder to always do what we say, but it is sometimes more easy to just change my mind. If I truly believe in my dream, however, I will continue to honor my words and show people that when I say something, I mean it. You, my teacher, have asked me how I respect my words. I think about this a long time. My simple answer is that I need to respect myself first. I look in the dictionary and find the word integrity. This means, to me, that I need to be honest with myself and others, even when nobody sees what I do. When I think of my words, then, I need to respect what I say and shows others that I am loyal, honest, and a person who will work hard to follow through on what I

Business Cultures Which Foster and Impede Product Development Research Paper

Business Cultures Which Foster and Impede Product Development - Research Paper Example New product development takes time and it is also quite risky and costly. The failure rate of new products is really high in the market. This happens due to several factors but the most common factor is lack of market research. The marketers should do a proper market research for their product. If they are successful then, after developing the product, another product research is also necessary. This will not only give a true picture to the market, but also save them from incurring huge losses before developing the idea or concept (Saxena, 2009, p. 266-268). The reason behind developing new products for the company is known and generally discussed aspect in business environment, but the significance of business culture in product development is a rarely discussed issue. However, organization culture plays a very important role in generation of innovative ideas, product designing or developing a whole new product. Ricks (2006), in his book â€Å"Blunders in International Business,â⠂¬  suggested that â€Å"The failure to understand cultural differences can bear serious consequences.† This means that culture of the company determines how it functions and this directly affects innovation and development of new product in the company or business. Objective of the Study In the highly competitive market it is very important to develop innovative new products and services for getting good responses from the customers. So the objective of this study is to analyze the different facets of business culture which promote and obstruct the development of new products. This would assist in understanding the right culture that organizations should maintain to integrate innovation as the permanent ingredients in the strategic framework of the organization. Outline of the Study The study was designed to evaluate the admittance and barriers of business culture in case of new product development. So the study initiated with a background study on product, development of n ew products in organization and the importance of such on the profitability of the organization. Then the objective for conducting the research study was ascertained. Next, the study moves on to the discussion of the past literature available, which supports the objective of the study and the argument. So it would focus on topics like organizational culture, contribution of culture in innovation, Encouraging pioneering culture for the development of new products, role of workforce diversity, and a case study which includes the real life example of innovative culture of a company, due to which it is a market leader and a developer of numerous innovative products, called 3M. After this the implications of the product managers in the organization would be also scrutinized and the study would be concluded by analyzing the different aspects included in the study to derive results. LITERATURE REVIEW Business or Organizational Culture The term management means getting things properly done with the help of other people. This theory is considered true all over the world. For achieving this mission, the management of the organizatio

Asthma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Asthma - Research Paper Example In the US childhood incidence had increases fro 3% to 9% since 1980. Among different ethnic groups in the US, Puerto Ricans have the highest incidence of asthma. African Americans also have a high incidence of this disease. Irish Americans and Hawaiians also have a high incidence of asthma. The lowest incidence is found in the Mexican population. Although the incidence of pediatric asthma is higher in males than in females, the occurrence of this disease is much higher in adult females, who are twice as likely to die of this disease as males. Moreover, the incidence of asthma is higher in lower socioeconomic groups who reside in urban centers. There are two primary forms of this disease: acute and chronic. The acute form of the disease is characterized by the occurrence of in worsening symptoms and unstable bronchial function. The chronic form of the disease is a stable, non-progressing condition (Adam 10). Many patients with asthma vary over time between the two disease states. Asthma can be distinguished from several other major forms of lung disease by means of differential diagnosis. Unlike emphysema which affects the structure and function of the alveoli, the primary site of gaseous exchange in the lung, asthma affects the airways or conductance passage that transport air between the lung tissue and the external opening of the body. Likewise, COPD is an irreversible deterioration of the primary lung tissue; in contrast at the inflammatory manifestations of asthma are reversible (Adam 20-23). Asthma is a chronic pulmonary disorder characterized by inflammation of the major airways of the lungs and has a complex etiology. The recurring inflammatory episodes result in hyper-responsiveness of airway vessels that causes tissue swelling with many physiological consequences (Adam 44). These episodes cause symptoms of wheezing, tightness of the chest, coughing and restricted airflow that result in

Throckmorten Furniture Essay Example for Free

Throckmorten Furniture Essay Question # 1 Before the customer buys a product that is very important to him and is quite expensive he will go through a process. This process commences when the customer feel a sort of deprivation, a motive to buy that commodity. Once that motive becomes more intense it becomes a drive and forces him to take a course of action as to attain the product. So now the customer’s starts gathering information about the good he wants to buy. After that he will weight the pros and cons of all the alternatives he could think of as to decide upon the best possible alternative. After he is confident about his decision, with the support of his findings, he will actually make the purchase. The process doesn’t stop quite yet the consumer will also experience a post purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction as per his experience with the product he bought. If he feels that his money spent was well spent then he will spread positive word of mouth about the product and where he got it from and hence become a loyal customer. Else, he will provide negative publicity for the company and its products and this in turn will stain the image of the company. Likewise to the above stated process our consumers who buy furniture will also go through the same experience. The need to buy the furniture can be aroused from many sources like a magazine. If the consumer sees a magazine in which there is a living room which is so nicely decorated he might feel that his own living room isn’t good enough and feels that he also has to upgrade. Nevertheless the drive to get new furniture could also be building up in the consumer for many years but due to the fact that he couldn’t afford it, the barrier coming in between him and his purchase. The need arousal for the furniture can be countless depending on the personality types of different consumers. After the urge to get the new furniture is strong the customer will go to various sources to collect information on the furniture type. He will pay more attention to advertisement which emphasizes the benefit of a particular type of furniture material. He will also seek advice from friends and family as he feels that their advice is more â€Å"original† as there is nothing in it for them if they recommend a particular furniture type. Whereas if the sales person of a particular store recommends the same thing to the customer he would look at it with more skepticisms as he feel that there is something in it for the sales person a commission or a bonus. Hence the customer always looks towards friends and family for the best possible advice. At times some of the members in the family are opinion leaders who the consumer thinks knows everything and will help him make the right decision. Nevertheless, the internet is also a very popular source for seeking information in this present day and age. With just a click the consumer can get all the possible information about the best raw material, the best prices, etc. the reason why the consumers goes to such a length to seek information is that he has no idea about furnitures. He wants to make the best decision but for this he first needs to educate himself. The consumers will evaluate furniture of varying stores keeping in mind the image of the store, the image of the brand, sales of the furniture piece, comparative advantage of the brand with competition, etc. After the various brands have been compared the time comes to make the final decision. It’s logical to assume that the consumer will select that brand which has the highest rating on the criteria’s that are most important to him. After this the consumer will realize how good or bad his decision was after the furniture’s being used. If he feel that the furniture looks and feels good and friends and relatives has showered him with praises on his decision then he will be delighted with his judgment. Else he will just be stuck with something because he spent a lot of money on it. Question # 2 Throckmorten Furniture has established itself as a unique designer and expensive store. It aims to cover the upper –middle class. Its furniture is expensive but nevertheless it enhances the prestige of the customer. The furniture is meant to satisfy the consumer’s emotional desire of having a unique one of its kind product. Throckmorten Furniture provides its consumers the benefit of its products uniqueness and exclusiveness which is provided by the furniture fabulous shape and design and durable quality. The consumers know that if they buy the furniture from this store they will be getting something more than furniture and that very fact becomes their motive to buy from Throckmorten. Furthermore, the services that Throckmorten provides to its consumers have given it the edge of retaining and further attracting consumer. Throckmorten Furniture feels that the consumers are the most valuable asset which they have to take care of that is why they have always stayed proactive and hired a well equipped sales force which knows how to treat their customers. The corporation follows the marketing principle that is why it makes the furniture types that the consumers would like to see in their houses. Their constant endeavor to strive for excellence has provided them with an edge that makes it so popular. Throckmorten Furniture is able to provide this unique value to their customers by continuously focusing on the quality of its products, may it be raw material, work in process or finished goods Throckmorten has always tried to make the process more efficient by reducing wastages but in that attempt not compromising on the products quality. Quality is very important for this company and it knows that very well that is why they have quality control at each part of the process. Throckmorten Furniture provides the service value to its consumer by spending a lot of money in hiring the right salesperson. They have places a handsome amount of money in the training of their sales staff as well. Question # 3 Throckmorten can offer its customers guarantee for their furniture. The customers can get a money back or exchange for their furniture if they are not satisfied. This will decrease the fear that normally creeps into consumers’ mind when they buy such expensive furniture that â€Å"they would be stuck with it even if they don’t like it†. This would be a unique value that the company would be providing to its customers and would definitely give them an edge as far as competition is concerned. Doing this will be a bit more complicated as now the corporate would have to examine the furniture to see that’s it not damaged and will also have to tackle fraudulent claims by some customers who want to misuse this facility. This after sales service would prove to the customers that Throckmorten is very confident about its products. Not many furniture companies would be willing to take such a step and that is the very fact that would lead to positive publicity for Throckmorten. Question # 4 Promotion of the product is very important for the furniture industry as the consumers have little knowledge about varying furniture types they maybe scared of making a purchase decision. So it’s the job of the industry to educate them of the specification of this industry. As various survey indicate the customers likes the experience of shopping for furniture they find it enjoying but nonetheless when the point comes to make the final decision they just feel that they aren’t ready for that. The loss they would experience is too immense, so this is why the furniture industry has to show the consumers how easy the task really is. The home furnishing council print advertisement was a fantastic way to put the consumer at ease. After reading it the consumer feels that buying new furniture isn’t that difficult or scary. Hence the company should focus on promoting the product. The more the customers see the print advertisement, the more familiar they will become with the brand. This will lead to the creation of a sort of bond that would compel the customer to buy from that particular store as they feel that the brand has to be good as they have â€Å"heard† of it a lot. For instance, if the customer seeks unique design in exclusive magazines if they like it they will be bound to buy it. Hence the power of mass media should not be under estimated. The company should therefore promote its furniture in all the right places, as it tend to fulfill the requirement of the upper class it cant just advertise in any magazine but only exclusive ones which their target audience views. The same goes with TV ad’s the advertisement should be placed in between those TV soaps that are viewed by the target market. Additionally Personal Selling of the product should also be focused by training the sales person as to how to interact with clients. The salesperson shouldn’t pressurize the client yet he should give them the time and space they desire. The placement of the furniture, the store layout and environment should also be given due consideration as these are the elements that are self speaking prompting element for Throckmorten Furniture. But, the marketer should always remember that they shouldn’t overdue their promotion efforts. If they flood the consumers with varying sorts of promotion efforts than that would just lead to the waste of their efforts as they wouldn’t notice them. Moreover, nowadays   with the TiVo and other digital devices the consumers can easily block the marketers efforts hence they need to be more clever in making a promotional appeal that is short yet effective, that’s the key to success! References: Kotler , Philip , Armstrong, Gary (2007). Principles of Marketing,.Prentice Hall; 12 edition. Schiffman , Leon , Kanuk, Leslie (2006). Consumer Behavior .Prentice Hall; 9 edition . Blythe , Jim (1997). The Essence of Consumer Behaviour (Essence of Management Series) . Prentice Hall PTR.

Child Abuse: Social Problem Definition and Analysis Essay -- Child Abus

Social Problem Definition and Analysis INTRO: Child abuse and neglect are a serious problem in the United States. Every day, many children’s well-being and safety are harmed by the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect that their parents and caregivers inflict upon them. DEFINITION: There have been and currently are numerous definitions of what constitutes child abuse and neglect and they vary across time and space. Up until the 1880’s, children were the property of their families and, as such, it was only up to the families to decide how to care for them and whether they would live or die. Today, although it is recognized that parents and caregivers have the right to raise their children according to their own views and beliefs, when those views and beliefs come in conflict with the protection of children from harm or access to basic needs, society has the right to intervene for the welfare of the minors. In the United States, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) provides the most basic and universal definition of child abuse and neglect. Under this definition, abuse is â€Å"any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation† and neglect is â€Å"an act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk or serious harm†. Under this definition, a child is anyone under eighteen years old who is not emancipated. Although there is a main federal definition of child abuse and neglect, other more in-depth definitions exist within states that, while having variation within them, also share some commonalities. Within these commonalities, child abuse and maltreatment is separated into 4 categories: physic... ...Child Abuse and Neglect. (2008, April). . Child Welfare Information Gateway. National Child Abuse Statistics | Childhelp. (n.d.). Web. 21 March 2015. http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics National Network to End Domestic Violence | Family Violence Prevention & Services Act. (n.d.). Web. 18 March 2015. http://www.nnedv.org/policy/issues/fvpsa.html PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT: POLICY DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE. (2001). . Washington, DC: U.S. Government. PROTECTING CHILDREN, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES: REAUTHORIZING CAPTA. (2008). . Washington, DC: U.S. Government. Summary of Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 (CAPTA Reauthorization). (n.d.). Web. 12 March 2015. http://www.naswdc.org/advocacy/issues/letters/070103_abuse.asp The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003. (2003, June 25). . Children's Bureau.

The Electoral College System :: essays research papers

The Electoral College System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You walk in to the voting booth on the first Tuesday of November to cast your vote for who you think should be president. You take your ballot into the box believing, as most people do, that your vote will be counted along with the rest of the population. You do this because you believe it could be the deciding vote for the presidential race. Well, you are wrong. Your vote only decides who the electors that join the Electoral College in December will be, but the elector can always change his or her vote. How can this be right? What happened to the idea of a democracy where every citizen had his or her say? The Electoral College worked in the beginning because there were no political parties or political campaigns. During the next four presidential campaigns, political parties began to emerge in the United States. During the presidential election of 1800, two candidates from the same party received an equal number of votes. It took the House of Representatives thirty-six tries to break the tie. The tiebreaker involved bribes and other political dealings that the Electoral College was designed to prevent. This all prompted the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution in 1804.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Amendment requires that each Elector cast one vote for president and another vote for vice president. If that system does not come up with a majority winner, then the House of Representatives selects the winner from the top three contenders. The U.S. Senate selects the vice president from the top two contenders if one candidate does not receive the majority vote.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a winner take all state; if a candidate receives 51 percent of the vote, he automatically wins the electoral votes for the state. If that state happens to be California, he has won 54 of the 538 possible votes. That is 1/5th of the amount of votes needed to win the presidency. So, if a candidate won only ten of the states' electoral votes, he can win the presidential race without taking into account the other 40 states (Procedural). That is just not the way a democracy is supposed to work. I believe that it is time for the United States Government to start realizing that the campaign process is getting out of control. The majority of presidential candidates only want to win a state's electoral votes. They do not concentrate on the smaller states.

Effects of War Presented in Journey’s End Compared with Impact of War Shown in Strange Meeting Essay

Explore the ways in which the effects of war on the individual are presented in ‘Journey’s End’. Then compare the ways in which Sherriff presents the effects of war on the individual with the ways in which Hill shows the impact of war on characters in ‘Strange Meeting’. The character most obviously affected by the war in ‘Journey’s End’ is Stanhope. We learn early on in the play that Stanhope drinks very heavily when Osborne and Hardy have a conversation about him. â€Å"I never did see a youngster put away the whisky he does. This is the first we see of the effects that the war has had on an individual and although there are other characters that are also affected, Stanhope appears to be the most prominent. It becomes apparent that Stanhope made a conscious decision to drink as a coping mechanism to deal with the war. â€Å"It was after I came back here- in that awful affair on Vimy Ridge. I knew I’d go mad if I didn’t break the strain. I couldn’t bear being fully conscious all the time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Here we learn that it wasn’t until a particular attack within the war that Stanhope began to feel the strain and the pressure, and alcohol becomes an escape for him. He says â€Å"There are only two ways of breaking the strain. One was pretending I was ill- and going home; the other was this. [He holds up his glass]†. Sherriff could have shown us a minor character so deeply affected by alcohol that he had given up, whereas Stanhope appears quite the opposite, whereas in ‘Strange Meeting’ Hill gives us a minor character affected by alcohol. It is also worth noting Raleigh’s reaction to his alcoholism is completely different to how Stanhope fears he will react, and in a way, our reaction too. Rather than look to Stanhope as a weak man who has taken the easy route by drinking excessive amounts, we seem to view him as courageous and strong willed. We later learn when he is talking to Hibbert, that Stanhope isn’t as strong and resistant as we were originally led to believe. â€Å"Sometimes I feel I could just lie down on this bed and pretend I was paralysed or something- and couldn’t move- and just lie there till I died- or was dragged away†. The effects of war on Stanhope are presented both subtly and obviously. His drinking habits are continually referred to throughout and although we learn early on that it is something that the war has forced him into, his hatred for the war or his weak moments aren’t made clear to the reader until now when he admits his loathing to Hibbert. Hill’s character, Colonel Garrett in ‘Strange Meeting’ is similar to Stanhope in the sense that both characters are driven to excessive drinking by the effects of the war. Colonel Garrett has changed and also turned to drink, we know this as the prose reads that â€Å"Hilliard was appalled; he had not dreamed that this could happen and so quickly to a man like Garrett†. Despite this scene being the first time we are introduced to Colonel Garrett; Hill manages to present the impact the war has had on him through Hilliard’s reaction to Garrett’s new state of character. In contrast to Hill, Sheriff is less subtle in his presentation of Stanhope and the character himself admits his change. It is interesting to note that Garrett is minor within the novel whereas Stanhope is a major character in the play which shows the different ways in which each author chose to present the effect of alcohol within their text. At the beginning of the play, Raleigh appears to be optimistic and enthusiastic. Even when he is ordered to go on a raid he seems proud to have been chosen and eager to get out there; â€Å"I say- it’s most frightfully exciting! † however, this raid then triggers a change in Raleigh. After Osborne’s death, Raleigh becomes distant and resentful towards the other officers. â€Å"Good god! Don’t you understand? How can I sit down and eat that- when- when Osborne’s- lying- out there†. Not only is he struggling to cope and raising his voice; which he hadn’t done before, but he is also shouting at Stanhope. Prior to this, Raleigh had always treated Stanhope with the utmost respect. Similar to Sheriff’s character of Raleigh is Hill’s character of Barton in ‘Strange Meeting’ who also changes after the impact of experiencing a death. â€Å"That his face had changed, in the space of a day and a night that his eyes have taken on the common look of shock and misery and exhaustion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As with Raleigh in ‘Journey’s End’, Barton also began the novel full of optimism and energy. However, Sheriff presents the effects of the war on Raleigh by having his character lashing out and blaming others. This contrasts with Hill’s presentation of Barton, who takes on a more morose, downhearted way of coping. â€Å"You cannot and must not spend any more time blaming yourself, saying if only this and if only that. It’s useless†. However, the parallel is that both characters change due to another soldier’s death which affects the impact on the reader. The effect of the war on Hibbert (Journey’s end), another officer in the company, is firstly presented subtly, in the way that he speaks of his neuralgia preventing him from carrying on in the war. We soon learn that he wants to go home and is willing to make up any excuse in order to do so. This shows how the war has taken away his pride and dignity as he admits that he would rather die. â€Å"Go on, then, shoot! You won’t let me go to hospital. I swear I’ll never go into those trenches again. Shoot! – and thank god-â€Å". The war has affected Hibbert so deeply that he is prepared to die rather than continue fighting. The character, Harris in ‘Strange Meeting’ is very similar to Hibbert. Harris has a breakdown when their battalion arrives at ‘Feuvry’; â€Å"Then Harris lurched up, and forwards, his head touched his knees and he began to cry, not lifting his hands to wipe his face†. However, where Sheriff presents us with a man so desperate to depart that he is willing to lie about an illness and is prepared to die rather than continue in the war, Hill presents us with an ironic situation. The irony of the situation is that when Harris eventually comes out of the basement; he is killed. Both writers choose to present us with individuals so affected by the war that they actually suffer from a breakdown in one way or another. Coulter from ‘Strange Meeting’ and Trotter from ‘Journey’s End’ can also be compared. These two characters are similar in the way that they don’t seem to have been affected by the war as they show no signs of degeneration. These two characters are an important contrast to the likes of Barton and Stanhope, whose changes are quite obvious. I feel that not to have changed notably is their response to the war. Coulter and Trotter both appear to be staying as close to their normal, original selves as possible as a coping mechanism for the war. It is interesting to note the genre difference between the two texts. Strange Meeting’ being a novel means that there is far more supportive background and descriptive text for each character whereas ‘Journey’s End’ which is a play, must rely on dramatic encounter in order to demonstrate the development of a character. A lot of things which Hill would tell us in her prose must be relayed to the reader through dialogue or actions in the play. Hill could tell us that Barton came to the war excited and enthusiastic, whereas Sherriff would either have his character say how he felt or the stage directions would have to navigate the actor into getting this feeling across through actions. This makes each author’s presentation of the effects of the war on the individual different automatically. Hill and Sherriff both present the effects that the war has on individuals through similar characters. They present to the reader how the death and destruction within the war can affect even the most strong and positive of men. In both the novel and the play, the authors portray how some men cannot cope with the imminence of what is to come and therefore would rather do anything but deal with it. Both writers examine how war can push men into drinking excessively in order to escape the desperate reality of their situation and use similar characters to highlight the ways in which war affects individuals, however the difference is in the way that the changes are presented. Hill is often more subtle in her presentation of her characters whereas Sherriff more blunt. Despite these differences, the negative effects of war on the individual characters are consistent in both works.