Short Story - 1494 Words

I gawked at the crowd of kids, why did they have to make so much noise, or move so much? I hated how new I was to this, but I kept on. I wondered, would they notice if I was gone? Maybe I could slip through the doors and walk back home. Sure it might take an hour or so, but anything was better than this. Unexpectedly, someone shoved past me. I threw my arms out to catch myself, only to land on the rough pavement with a thud. I raised my hands to see the damage, noticing a few scrapes and tiny pieces of dark black rocks. I wiped them on my pants, getting back on my feet again, fighting the familiar urge to cry. The boys that had just shoved me snickered as I passed them, I tried to ignore them, clearly just wanting to get away from it†¦show more content†¦What if he says no? Why would he? Maybe he doesnt want to talk to me, or anyone... Is that why hes over here, all alone? He looked up at me, surprised. Thats when I realized his irises were decorated with little brown and gold specks that seemed to jump out of the green that surrounded them. They were pretty. He nodded gently, finally whispering a soft, Yes. I felt happiness erupt inside of me, abruptly grateful, a smile soon occupied my face. Im Mike, I announced my name to him, rushing to sit myself on the swing next to my new friend, I spoke before he could tell me his, Well its really Micheal, but no one calls me that. You have nice eyes, by the way, mine are ugly, like poop brown. He smiled at that, his cheeks growing a pink color of embarrassment. Thanks. Im Will. We spent the next fifteen minutes talking, I learned that he lived in the woods, and has an older brother named Jonathan around the same age as my sister. Thats cool! I have an older sister, her names Nancy, shes annoying and kinda mean. Wills eyes widened a little, Shes mean? Well, not to other people, just to me. She says Im annoying. I scoffed, Do you believe that? Will shook his head, Youre not annoying, Mike. I smiled, flashing teeth this time, Im happy youre my friend. His eyes sparkled, and he nodded cheerfully. I had made aShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. Because of its shorter length, the characters and situations are fewer and less complicated than those of a novel.† In the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s DictionaryRead MoreShort Stories648 Words   |  3 Pageswhat the title to the short story is. The short story theme I am going conduct on is â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber (1973). In this short story the literary elements being used is plot and symbols and the theme being full of distractions and disruption. The narrator is giving a third person point of view in sharing the thoughts of the characters. Walter Mitty the daydreamer is very humorous in the different plots of his dr ifting off. In the start of the story the plot, symbols,Read MoreShort Stories1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe themes of short stories are often relevant to real life? To what extent do you agree with this view? In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreRacism in the Short Stor ies1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. The notion to overlook someone because they are not the same race, gender, creed, religion seems to be the way of the world for a long time. Racism is so prevalentRead MoreThe Idol Short Story1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories â€Å"The Idol† by Adolfo Bioy Casares and â€Å"Axolotl† by Julio Cortà ¡zar address the notion of obsession, and the resulting harm that can come from it. Like all addictions, obsession makes one feel overwhelmed, as a single thought comes to continuously intruding our mind, causing the individual to not be able to ignore these thoughts. In â€Å"Axolotl†, the narr ator is drawn upon the axolotls at the Jardin des Plantes aquarium and his fascination towards the axolotls becomes an obsession. InRead MoreGothic Short Story1447 Words   |  6 Pages The End. In the short story, â€Å"Emma Barrett,† the reader follows a search party group searching for a missing girl named Emma deep in a forest in Oregon. The story follows through first person narration by a group member named Holden. This story would be considered a gothic short story because of its use of setting, theme, symbolism, and literary devices used to portray the horror of a missing six-year-old girl. Plot is the literal chronological development of the story, the sequence of events

Short Story - 1618 Words

Im glad you agreed to meet with me, Mac started, nervously. In a long list of ways this could possibly turn out, a lot of them were very, very bad. Ill be honest, Mac, I was surprised to hear from you. Nina Howard sipped a Manhattan, in a booth at a bar uptown, not entirely sure why shed been summoned. Swallowing an uneasy chuckle with her sip of drink, Nina waited for some sort of explanation; Wills voicemail playing on repeat in her head the entire time. Look, I... dont know how this whole thing works... Tucking dark hair behind her ear, Mac cleared her throat and tried to infuse good-will and human-decency into her voice. Its... going around the water cooler at work that, uh, you and Will... dated. Mac†¦show more content†¦We cant afford any more scandal now, especially Will, and... well, Im sure youd like your private life to stay well, private, too. Thoughtful rationalization was going to have to work with Nina Howard this time, Mac thought, because it was really all she had. Have you seen me posting any articles about my other exes? My other personal relationships? Nina tried not to laugh when Mackenzies face went white at her tone. Well, no, but... But they werent celebrities, cmon Mac, youre not a chicken, finish the thought. My other exes werent newsworthy, because they werent celebrities, and because Will is, hes endanger of becoming my new full-focus tell-all takedown piece. Slugging back the last of her drink, Nina wasnt sure why Macs accusations hurt worse than anyone elses. They just did. You dont actually call them that, do you? Mac heard her own voice shrink, Like... Its not actually called a take- Im not planning on writing about why I broke up with Will McAvoy, Nina interrupted, exasperated, and not just because I didnt break up with him, he broke up with me. Im not planning on writing anything about the two months I dated him. Idly, Nina wondered if Mac believed anything she was saying. But... a little friendly advice, Mac? Ninas tone dipped somewhere way colder than friendly, Id be less worried about the risk Im putting Wills jobShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. Because of its shorter length, the characters and situations are fewer and less complicated than those of a novel.† In the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s DictionaryRead MoreShort Stories648 Words   |  3 Pageswhat the title to the short story is. The short story theme I am going conduct on is â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber (1973). In this short story the literary elements being used is plot and symbols and the theme being full of distractions and disruption. The narrator is giving a third person point of view in sharing the thoughts of the characters. Walter Mitty the daydreamer is very humorous in the different plots of his dr ifting off. In the start of the story the plot, symbols,Read MoreShort Stories1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe themes of short stories are often relevant to real life? To what extent do you agree with this view? In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreRacism in the Short Stor ies1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. The notion to overlook someone because they are not the same race, gender, creed, religion seems to be the way of the world for a long time. Racism is so prevalentRead MoreThe Idol Short Story1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories â€Å"The Idol† by Adolfo Bioy Casares and â€Å"Axolotl† by Julio Cortà ¡zar address the notion of obsession, and the resulting harm that can come from it. Like all addictions, obsession makes one feel overwhelmed, as a single thought comes to continuously intruding our mind, causing the individual to not be able to ignore these thoughts. In â€Å"Axolotl†, the narr ator is drawn upon the axolotls at the Jardin des Plantes aquarium and his fascination towards the axolotls becomes an obsession. InRead MoreGothic Short Story1447 Words   |  6 Pages The End. In the short story, â€Å"Emma Barrett,† the reader follows a search party group searching for a missing girl named Emma deep in a forest in Oregon. The story follows through first person narration by a group member named Holden. This story would be considered a gothic short story because of its use of setting, theme, symbolism, and literary devices used to portray the horror of a missing six-year-old girl. Plot is the literal chronological development of the story, the sequence of events

Vangogh Essay Example For Students

Vangogh Essay The rapid evolution of a style characterized by canvases filled with swirling, bright colors depictingpeople and nature is the essence of Vincent Van Goghs extremely prolific but tragically short career. Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Holland, son of a Dutch Protestant pastorand eldest of six children. His favorite brother Theo was four years younger. When Vincent was twelve tosixteen years old, he went to a boarding school.That next year he was sent to The Hague to work for anuncle who was an art dealer, but van Gogh was unsuited for a business career.Actually, his early interestswere in literature and religion. Very dissatisfied with the way people made money and imbued with astrong sense of mission, he worked for a while as a lay preacher among proverty-stricken miners.VanGogh represented the religious society that trained him in a poor coal-mining district in Belgium. Vincenttook his work so seriously that he went without food and other necessities so he could give more to thepoor.The missionary society objected to Vincents behavior and fired him in 1879. Heartsick, van Goghstruggled to keep going socially and fin!ancially, yet he was always rejected by o ther people, and felt lost and forsaken. Then, in 1880, at age 27, he became obsessed with art. The intensity he had for religion, he now focusedon art. His early drawings were crude but strong and full of feeling: It is a hard and a difficult struggle tolearn to draw well I have worked like a slave .His first paintings had been still lifes and scenes ofpeasants at work.That which fills my head and heart must be expressed in drawings and in picturesImin a rage of work.In 1881, he moved to Etten. He very much liked pictures of peasant life and labor. Jean-Francois Milletwas the first to paint this as a main theme and his works influenced van Gogh. His first paintings here werecrude but improving. Van Goghs progress was interrupted by an intense love for his widowed cousin KeeVos. On her decisive rejection of him he pursued her to Amsterdam, only to suffer more humiliation. Anton Mauve, a leading member of the Hague school was a cousin of van Goghs mother. Thisopportunity to be taught by him encouraged van Gogh to settle in Den Hague with Theos support.Whenvan Gogh left Den Hague in September 1883 for the northern fenland of Drenth, he did so with mixedfeelings. He spent hours wandering the countryside, making sketches of the landscape, but began to feelisolated and concerned about the future. He had rented a little attic in a house but found it melancholy, andwas depressed with the quality of his equipment. Everything is too miserable, too insufficient, toodilapidated. Physically and mentally unable to cope with these conditions any longer, he left for his parents newhome in Nuenen in December 1883. Van Gogh had a phase in which he loved to paint birds and birdsnests.This phase did not last long. It only lasted until his fathers death six months later. The FamilyBible which he painted just before leaving his house for good, six months after his fathers death in 1885,must have meant a great deal to him. Van Gogh had broken with Christianity when he was fired from themissionary which proved to be the most painful experience of his life, and one from which he never quiterecovered. At Nuenen, van Gogh gave active physical toil a remarkable reality. Its impact went far beyond whatthe realist Gustave Corbet had achieved and beyond even the quasi-religious images of Jean-FrancoisMillet. He made a number of studies of peasant hands and heads before embarking on what would be hismost important work at Nuenen. The pinnacle of his work in Holland was The Potato Eaters, a scenepainted in April 1885 that shows the working day to be over. It was the last and most ambitious painting ofhis pre-Impressionist period, 1880-1885.When van Gogh painted the The Potato Eaters, he had not yetdiscovered the importance of color. How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us? Essay In 1888, while living at Arles, he began to use the swirling brush strokes and intense yellows, greens,and blues. He loved bright colors especially yellow because of the sun which was bright in southern Franceand he painted what he saw and felt.He painted in colors with bright hues and high value.Vincent wouldsometimes put paints on his canvas with his palette knife or right from the tube and mix it around with hisfingers which would make it quite coarse. In Arles he attached the greatest importance to his portraits,although he also painted many landscapes.Later, in 1890, he devoted his main energy to landscapepainting. In southern France van Gogh lived for a time with Paul Gauguin, whom he had met in Paris. But aftertwo months they had violent arguments, culminating in a quarrel in which van Gogh threatened Gauguinwith a razor. The same night, in a deep remorse, van Gogh cut off part of his own ear. This episode markedthe beginning of a periodic insanity that plagued him until his death. On May 8, 1889, he was admitted toSt. Rmy Hospital as a voluntary patient. Dr. Peyron interviewed him and entered in the register that vanGogh Suffers from fits which last from fifteen days to a month. During these fits the patient is victim toterrifying terrors and on several occasions has attempted to poison himself.During the intervals betweenfits he is perfectly quiet and paints ardently.He was possibly having a seizure when he threatened to killPaul Gauguin. Since his death, investigators have come to feel that his fits were due to epilepsy. Despairing of a cure and fearing !he would no longer be able to paint, van Gogh committed suicide in July 1890. He felt very deeply that artalone made his life worth living. We know a good deal about his inner life as a result of a massive, stirring and deeply movingautobiography in the form of hundreds of letters written to his brother Theo.The letters he sent to hisbrother include many eloquent descriptions of his choice of hues and the emotional meaning he attached tothem. In one of his letters to Theo he wrote the following: I do not intend to spare myself, nor to avoid emotions or difficulties Idont care much whether I livea longer or shorter timeThe world concernsme insofar as I feel a certain indebtedness and duty towardit because I have walked this earth for thirty years, and, out of gratitude, want toleave somesouvenir in the shape of drawings and pictures not made to pleasea certain taste in art, but to express asincere human feeling. I feel that he succeeded.

J.C. Penney Gift Certificate Concerns Essays - E-commerce

J.C. Penney Gift Certificate Concerns J.C. Penney Gift Certificate Concerns J.C. Penney Company, Inc. has recently introduced a new point of sale (POS) system developed by NCR Corporation into their stores. In the first six months of operation, it has become apparent that there are unanticipated problems with the accounting and control functions pertaining to gift certificates. The new POS system does not provide for adequate tracking or control of the certificates on the sales floor, store level sales audit has inadequate procedures or data capture capabilities in place to track sales accurately and assign responsibility for missing certificates, and corporate accounting has no control over the gift certificate accounting on the store level and are constantly struggling to reconcile gift certificate information. Problems on the Sales Floor At the POS terminals on the sales floor, gift certificates are being stored underneath the cash register in a drawer with no security or control. The security and control of gift certificates has been overlooked during the drafting of the procedures for the new POS system. As a result, the security and control on gift certificates on the sales floor that had been in place with the old system has simply stopped. Employees are purely on the honor system. When sales associates ring up a gift certificate sale they have to key 1) the appropriate twelve-digit SKU from a list of 3 choices, and 2) a dollar value for the gift certificate shown on the face. For example, SKU #1 represented the $25 gift certificate, SKU#2 represented the $50 gift certificate, and SKU #3 represented the $100 gift certificate. After the sales transaction is complete, the sales associate must manually record the dollar value of the gift certificate on their cash audit report. During times of high volume, sometimes this final step is overlooked. Typically, the cashiers are just keying SKU #1 for any gift certificate sale and keying in the appropriate dollar value from the face of the gift certificate. The SKUs are not electronically tied to a dollar value. This is a limitation of the previous POS system that was not addressed during the testing stage of the new system. Therefore, the error rate is very high and discrepancies in gift certificate sales are common. At the close of the shift, an electronic cashier report is generated on the register that just shows a total dollar amount tied to a SKU. This electronic cashier report is returned to the cash room along with the receipts and the hand-written cash audit report. Problems in Store Level Sales Audit When the cash audit report comes back to the office with the bag of receipts and the electronic cashier report, calculations are performed on the manual cash audit report to identify the amount of gift certificates sold. This is compared to the electronic cashier report. If there are discrepancies, sales audit clerks are required to use the electronic cashier report as the correct report for auditing purposes. The dollar amount of the gift certificates sold is recorded on a monthly gift certificate log and a new running monthly balance is calculated. Any new gift certificates received from the corporate office are recorded on another log and the acknowledgement of receipt (from inside the book) is signed by a member of management and returned to corporate accounting. At the end of the month, records of gift certificate receipts (disbursements from corporate), records of gift certificate sales, and other accounting records are forwarded to corporate accounting for verification after a n attempt on the store level for reconciliation. Problems in Corporate Accounting Store managers are responsible for calling and authorizing a book of gift certificates to be dispersed for their store. When this occurs, the gift certificates are retrieved from the vault, the book number is logged, and the dollar value of the book is tentatively charged to the store. When the acknowledgement of receipt from the store is received, it is compared against the stores records, the charge for the gift certificates is confirmed, and then the acknowledgement is filed away. Once a month, corporate accounting receive sales audit information from the stores and attempts to reconcile, but typically have no better luck than the store level audit clerks. Analysis of Problem It is very evident that there

Main Characters in The Wars.

Main Characters in The Wars. Since man has walked on earth, he had always been in conflict with himself and other human beings. For thousands of years, there have been many furious battles fought among rival groups over different issues that seemed big at that time. The end results of each of the conflicts were always pretty much the same: the mass deaths and destruction of civilizations, and horrible physical and emotional impacts on the individuals left to live with the horrors they had faced. The propaganda to convince young men to go to war to fight for their country, the death of their friends, and the physical and emotional breakdown are all part of the modern warfare. False hopes were created for the young soldiers, who were expected to forget all the morals they have learned and go to war to kill everything they see, without a second thought. No previous war at that time had come close to what World War I did to those who fought it.Timothy Findley's star on Canada's Walk of FameAlthough the allies won th e war, their losses were massive. Through his novel, "The Wars" Timothy Findley displays the horrible consequences of World War I by showing how the war affected the young men who fought in it and their families back home. This essay will demonstrate the effect that World War I had on Eugene Taffler, Rodwell, and Mrs. Ross.As Robert Ross first hears of Taffler, he understands that Taffler is a hero even though Taffler's face was not familiar to Robert. This image of Taffler sticks with Robert until the end. During one of the battles, Taffler had his arms shot off. This unfortunate event had a profound effect on Taffler, who is no longer able to live the life he had before the summer of 1914. His injuries forced Taffler to...

College Degree Nearly Doubles Annual Earnings

College Degree Nearly Doubles Annual Earnings Just in case you still had some doubts as to the power of a college degree, the U.S. Census Bureau has released data proving the substantial value of a college education in the United States. Workers 18 and over sporting bachelors degrees earn an average of $51,206 a year, while those with a high school diploma earn $27,915. But wait, theres more. Workers with an advanced degree make an average of $74,602, and those without a high school diploma average $18,734. According to a new census report titled Educational Attainment in the United States: 2004, 85 percent of those age 25 or older reported they had completed at least high school and 28 percent had attained at least a bachelorÂ’s degree Ââ€" both record highs. Other highlights for the population 25 years and over in 2004: Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska had the highest proportions of people with at least a high school diploma, all around 91 percent.The District of ColumbiaÂ’s population had the highest proportion with a bachelorÂ’s degree or higher at 45.7 percent, followed by Massachusetts (36.7 percent), Colorado (35.5 percent), New Hampshire (35.4 percent) and Maryland (35.2 percent).At the regional level, the Midwest had the highest proportion of high school graduates (88.3 percent), followed by the Northeast (86.5 percent), the West (84.3 percent) and the South (83.0 percent).The Northeast had the highest proportion of college graduates (30.9 percent), followed by the West (30.2 percent), the Midwest (26.0 percent) and the South (25.5 percent).High school graduation rates for women continued to exceed those of men, 85.4 percent and 84.8 percent, respectively. On the other hand, men continued to have a higher proportion of their population with a bachelorÂ’s degree or higher (29. 4 percent compared with 26.1 percent). Non-Hispanic whites had the highest proportion with a high school diploma or higher (90.0 percent), followed by Asians (86.8 percent), African-Americans (80.6 percent) and Hispanics (58.4 percent).Asians had the highest proportion with a bachelorÂ’s degree or higher (49.4 percent), followed by Non-Hispanic whites (30.6 percent), African-Americans (17.6 percent) and Hispanics (12.1 percent).The proportion of the foreign-born population with a high school diploma (67.2 percent) was lower than that of the native population (88.3 percent). However, the percentages with a bachelorÂ’s degree or more were not statistically different (27.3 percent and 27.8 percent, respectively).The data on educational trends and attainment levels are shown by characteristics such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, occupation, industry, nativity and, if foreign-born, when they entered the country. The tables also describe the relationship between earnings and educational attainment. Al though the statistics are primarily at the national level, some data are shown for regions and states.Source: U.S. Census Bureau Education Also Effects Unemployment Just as income increases, unemployment decreases with higher educational attainment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nationwide unemployment rate based on educational attainment in 2017 dropped from 6.3 percent among those who did not complete high school, to 4.6 percent among high school graduates, to 2.5 percent among persons with a bachelor’s degree, to only 1.5 percent among persons with doctoral or professional degrees. In addition, higher levels of education tends to reduce the time required for persons who find themselves between jobs to find new employment at equal or better wages.

Federal Trade Commission and Merger - Arbitron, Nielsen Research Paper

Federal Trade Commission and Merger - Arbitron, Nielsen - Research Paper Example This implies that for any merger to be acceptable it must comply with the business laws as provided by the government. For example, in US, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an agency that has been established by the government to ensure unfair business practices are avoided. Additionally, FTC is responsible for prevention of fraudulent business strategies that would jeopardize not only the shareholders investments but also the consumer’s money. Another notable function of FTC is to create a competitive business atmosphere. In this way, the negativities of monopoly as well as price discriminative policies are addressed. During the merging and acquisition processes, it is imperative for managers and directors to engage all the stakeholders that include the shareholders, creditors, auditors and other investors. This paper aims at discussing the merger between Arbitron, and Nielsen companies and the implications of FTC on the merger. Nielsen Holdings is an American based firm that deals in providing its local and global clients with information regarding the behaviors of their consumers in the market. With its headquarters based in New York and in Netherlands, the company operates in more than 100 countries in various regions world wide. In this regard, the company enjoys wide market segment that places it at a competitive position. Key people who oversee the operations of the company includes David Calhoun and Rick Kash, the CEO and the vice chair respectively. Other individuals in the management team include Brian West, Steve Hasker, Mary Liz, Mitchell Habib and Itzhak Fisher among others. One of the notable aspects that have contributed to the success of the company is the establishment of quality services that are highly demanded by companies that are focused at facing off the various challenges in the local and international markets. The three key products by Nielsen include provision of consumer information, market measurement as well as consumer resea rch. Nielsen has been involved in a number of business strategies that have not only positive impact on its capital base but also in its marketing strategies. These include strategic alliances, mergers as well as acquisitions. Some of the companies that the company has either acquired or formed a merger with include WPP Group, VNU, Buzzmetrics, Blackstone Group, IAG Research, The Cambridge Group and more recently Arbitron among others1. Arbitron is a US based firm with its headquarters in Columbia, Maryland. Having been founded in 1949 by Jim Seiler, the company original services included collection of television ratings that it adopted during the research process2. Just like Nielsen Holdings, Arbitron is engaged in a number of mergers immediately after it was established. Some of the notable companies that the company has merged with include Cooper, Clay and Coffin. In a deal that was aimed at making the company more competitive in the global market, Arbitron merged with Nielsen Ho ldings in 2012 resulting into change of names to Nielsen Audio. Key person who oversee the acquisition process was Sean Creamer, the company chief executive officer. Summary about the merger between Arbitron and Nielsen Arbitron and Nielsen Companies have for a long time been used by firms to provide with information regarding the consumption of their brands. Based on the need for two firms to improve their market

Planning and Land Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Planning and Land Use - Essay Example This was compelled to protect the historic character of the town. Nevertheless, according to the planning balance between the homes and places of employment, and the notion of sustainable development today it has led to negative impacts. This city is of interest because it is a medieval city, which has a rich history and the pressure of developing threatens to wipe away the rich history of this town. For this reason, the core of the city has become limited because the research and development activities have been concentrated within the sites of employment on the edge of the city. Under the Cambridge phenomenon there were four hundred high-tech organizations in the area, which employed over sixteen thousand people (Morrison, 2010). These organizations stemmed from the departments of the university and spun offs from companies, which had had origins of the university. Ever since, it has been concentrated. During this period, the trans-European highway provided the main road link between the parts and the midlands that were industrialized. The decision to improve the infrastructure of the city was made at the National Level, whereas, the land use of the planning of Cambridge was under the Holford Plan of 1950 (Waters & Lawton, 2002). Despite all these plans, the structure plan of the Cambridgeshire sought means to control the growth of the city outwardly. This was done through maintaining the tight green belt. The reason for this plan was to secure the historic character and setting of Cambridge. Green belts have been an essential mechanism for planning in England. Within it, it is hard to get permission for planning for development. The purpose of that is to preserve the setting and memorable character of the town, check unrestricted emergence of built-up areas, assist safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and finally to restrain the neighboring towns from merging into another (Wicksteed, 2005). For Cambridge, without the green belt then the city

ICAS Report Planning Template Essay Example for Free

ICAS Report Planning Template Essay ABC Ltd supplies a complete range of carpets and furniture to the general public. ABC Ltd has over 75 nationwide high street shops in all major UK cities and many large towns. ABC Ltd also has a 24/7 online shop which is on the head office site in Aberdeen. Over the past seven years the company has grown steadily and now has revenue of over  £29 million. It employs around 400 full-time staff. Who are the businesses major stakeholders (internal and external) and why? Major stakeholders of the business could be anyone who has an interest in the business. The business is the sole supplier of a range of furniture. The relationship with this supplier is crucial to the success of the business due to the competitive advantage that it offers ABC. Accounts Department (PIC 1.1, 1.4) How big is the Accounts department? What is the purpose of the accounting function? What type of organisational structure is there? Where does the accounts department get its information from? How does the accounts  department inter-relate with other departments within the business? At ABC Ltd the accounts department consists of the Finance Director, Company Accountant, General Ledger and Inventory Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, accounts receivable clerk, costing technician As well as payroll and personnel database clerk. The departments deal with the payments of invoices, comparing them to the  purchase orders and the stock receipts. They also monitor the stock and requirement for purchase orders. The department is also responsible for the credit control function, monitoring customers and the payment of the staff wages. In order to carry out these roles Accounts are forced to interact with the whole of the organisation to gather information. ABC use an account spackage which is fully integrated with the rest of the business software. The use an Enterprise Management System called PRONTO. This software allows for multi user access which can be restricted based on job roles. Non accounts users can see, but not change essential financial data, such as supplier and customer balances. Describe (in relation to the organisation) the 3 main financial statements – Income statement, SOFP and Statement of Cashflow. (PIC   What do they show? Who uses them? What decisions are made based on them? Income Statement SOFP Statement of Cashflow Income statements illustrate ABC Ltd profit or loss over a certain periods of time. The income statement records all revenue, losses and operating expenses for the business. The IS can be used to show profitability of the  company. Income statements are used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and  managing directors. The income statements compared with other income statements within ABC Ltd over a period of time or  companies within the same sector will be able to determine the operating performance of ABC Ltd. Managers and the company accountant may be able to find out what areas of the business are over budget or under budget and make necessary changes. Statements of Financial Position (SOFP) illustrate a snap shot of the business financial condition. The SOFP includes the assets and liabilities of ABC Ltd. This is ia good indicator of the liquidity of the business. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers and the company accountant may be able to quickly get a handle on the financial strength and capabilities of the business, it’s also demonstrates if ABC ’s assets is enough to cover its liabilities, how liquid its assets are if ABC was to declare bankruptcy, if the business is in a position to expand etc. Statements of Cash flow illustrate the amount of cash generated and used by the business in a given period of time. Again this gives an indication of liquidity and working capital management. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company  accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers  and the company accountant may be able to determine whether the business has enough cash to cover payroll and other immediate expenses or liabilities, as well as allow potential lenders to decide whether or not ABC Ltd is able to pay of its liabilities. What accounting regulations cover the preparation of the above financial statements? (PIC 2.1) In the UK, financial statements are governed by UKGAAP (UK Generally Accepted  Accounting Principles). They are also governed by the Companies Act What other accounting regulations and industry specific regulations does the company have to comply with? Does the company have to deal with Money-Laundering regulations? Does the company come under Sarbanes-Oxley? (PIC 2.1) The company also has to comply with the data protection act as they hold customer and staff information. Non compliance with this act can have severe financial and reputational implications. They are also required to comply with any rules set out by HMRC when paying employees and also calculating the tax liability of the business. The company does not have to comply with Sarbanes Oxley as this only affects companies registered with the New York Stock Exchange When the company has to deal with a change to the above regulations how does it organise this? In what way are system users affected by the change How do they get to find out about the change? (PIC 1.5) The Finance manger and HR manager monitor all regulations and alert the business when changes are made that will affect how the business operates. Changes are implemented by ensuring all staff are made aware of the change via internal communication methods. If need be employees are trained to ensure they fully understand the changes taking place.

ancient mid-east history Essay -- essays research papers

History, or at least the study thereof, as shown by class, is divided into three specific categories: remembered, recovered and invented--each having their own benefits and downfalls. The main purpose of studying history is to gather information about the past; to see the cause and effects of different situations; to see how this information can be applied to our lives, to understand why and how and others think in certain ways; and thus eventually lead to a better appreciation different peoples—one way or another. It is also inprotant to realize that history is not just about ‘what-really-happened-in-the-past’, but is a complex intersection of truth, bias and hopes. Realizing that the major importance of history is rooted upon ideas or principles and not facts, dates or names, this course was designed not to address the material as the history of X region from X date to X date, but rather in an order and a manner that the student (in this case, me) could retain the most valuable ideas possible and learn them in a fashion most aptly suited to the students understanding of certain ideas and principles. I also realize the importance of the ideas and processes of history over the actual facts, names or dates within our study. Thus, in composing this capstone, I will attempt to use specific examples of course-material to exemplify what I thought was the main theme (themes) of the class, rather than attempting to go section by section and enumerate the material within. After all, I already have print copies of all of the course notes; if I wanted to go back and look at the any of the material covered, I can use those (note to my long-off-as-of-yet-self); therefore, it would be pointless for me to attempt restate all that was learned in all of the courses sections. With that stated, let us first look at one of the first cases of history as a science to see an exaple of the first type of history, remembered. Because he is one of the first men that we have found to attempt to record the past, we say that Herodotus is the â€Å"Father of History.† Herodotus’s works, â€Å"The Histories†, which are of form of both a remembered and invented are a record of primarily two things: the Persian Wars, and the Greeks’ double defeat of the mighty forces led against Greece by the Persian kings Darius and Xerxes. Just as any good entertaining story would, the histories are full of gos... ... Schliemann liars, because we do not trace our own personal values back to them—if they are found discreditable, that does not mean that anything that we believe in, or even ourselves, is threatened. However, put something that we cherish, for example the Christian Church, into the spotlight, and we quickly become very defensive and uncomfortable. Perhaps this says something about human nature, and more so, possibly says something about how our view of history could become perverted. Thus we see that history is much more than the study of â€Å"Dead White European Males†; it involves men and women from many different cultures, of many different lifestyles, the study of other related subjects such as language, writing and religion, it even at times requires one to be an expert on ceramics (as is the case of Denise Schmandt-Besserat's theory on the origins of cuneiform). The course has also provided invaluable information that has revealed the common background shared by some of the most dramatically contrasting civilizations of today. It is now up to the individual to use what he or she has learned from this class to better current society, and as an aid to comprehending other matters.

Job-hopping †Is It Good or Bad?

It is barely get to hear of a person who started their career with an organization many years back, dedicated his entire career with the organization and finally retired from the same organization. As it is said, nothing last forever; same is in the case with job these days. Jobs today do not last unlike previous generations. In the past few years, job-hopping has become so widespread across the industries that even a four years stint in the same organization is considered to be a stable job. Three jobs in less than a year, no longer raised eyebrows and gaps mouths. Job-hopping, in fact, has become a new mantra for success. People no longer believe in sticking to one job and waiting for that golden leap to come. So, what’s the job-hopping is? In simple terms it is the practice of changing jobs frequently, especially as a means of quick financial gain or career advancement. Basically, there are two kinds of job-hopping – random job-hopping which is moving every time you get a better job offer (the typical quick financial gain job-hopping) and strategic job-hopping which is taking a new job because it enhances and helps build your career. Key reasons for job-hopping Welcome to the world of job-hoppers. It’s an employee-driven economy. With more opportunities and avenues round the corner organization are really at the mercy of the employees. Some of the common reasons for hoping jobs as quoted by job-hoppers include dissatisfaction with the job, lack of challenging work, stagnation or less pay, Poor Human resource policy of the corporate, miss handling of the employees, corporate vision and mission not colliding with the employee's persona, too much control applied on the employees, privileges are being delivered on the basis longevity of the employees with the corporate, the eye-popping fat salaries and many more. These appear to be the main reasons for their resignations. Job-hopping also acts as a shortcut to success. Employees make their way to higher levels in the management hierarchy as each job change brings with it a hike in pay and position. Moreover, sticking to the same organization from which you started off your career is passe now. It is believed that those who hang on to the same job are taken for granted and declared not competent enough to move ahead in their career. Job-hopping: How It Effect Your Career Success Is job-hopping and career success related to each other? What is the effect of one on the other? Job-hopping affects career success in a negative way. By hopping jobs frequently, you are sending negative signals to your potential employer. Too often, job-hopping employees learn nothing substantial. Companies like to invest on those job seekers who align their career goals with the corporate goals. The reason is simple. They are able to contribute better in the company and if they are constantly moving from one job to another, they send a signal of non commitment. It gives a pessimistic image in the mind of the employer. Grass is not always green on the other side No doubt job-hopping has become the latest trend today, or a shortcut to success; one cannot jump from one job to another as and when it strikes one’s imagination. Moreover, though two or more jobs on a resume no longer are an employment risk, too many jobs in less than two years time portray one as a chronic job-hopper. A series of rapid, random and pointless moves will show up as annoyances on the resume. Employers view such contenders as dysfunctional – lacking in loyalty, trust and self-motivation. Quick moves from one job to other raise big questions for prospective employers as to one's staying power and ability to withstand challenges, as well as accept accountability. Employer may feel that you are not committed to a particular organization. The future employers, who are probably looking for a long term employee, might not be impressed with the job-hopping tendencies. They might perceive that one has become a job-hopper may be because of inability to get along with colleagues or employers. It does not even leave substantial time to acquire sufficient experience and hands-on skills. What’s more is that after innumerable hops, one may find himself at the same place where he first started. The downside of job-hopping Many job-hoppers think that jumping from one job to another in rapid succession is a sure way to reach the top. However, they have to encounter the hidden consequences. In unstable industries like hi- tech, advertising and television, job-hopping is the norm. In these industries, workers find out later that a resume with short period is a turn-off to employers. They may suspect a job-hopper of being unable to get along with the co-workers. Moreover, the job-hopper is also taking on a new boss who may turn out to be a tough leader. Studies indicate that employees often wrongly believe that they will get promotions if they switch organizations. However, the job-hoppers have to overcome obstacles like a clearly hostile boss, demotion or a significant decrease in pay etc. HR experts suggest that not to run out the first chance you get. A little patience can go a long way. Though job-hopping is a negative signal to prospective employers, but depending on the reasons it can also be a positive. Mick Hager, a leading HR expert explains the reasons why job-hopping is a bad thing as quoted in the website – www. greenbaypressgazette. com. These include:- * You’ll never have the chance to lay down roots, establish a strong reputation and be viewed as an asset to the company. Job-hoppers miss the opportunities given to the solid, loyal, staying- put performers. * Job-hoppers are huge expenses for employers. It takes an employee at least six months to go from being a liability to contributing to the bottom line. That is why employers hate dealing with job-hoppers, they cost too much. Job-hopping sends the message that you are not dependable, suggesting that you lack loyalty and commitment. Please don’t tell me the woeful tale of how companies aren’t loyal to employees these days – companies are loyal to the dependable, productive ones. * Job-hopping suggests incompetence, if you’re so good- why you leave? * Job-hopping takes a mental toll. At some point you need stability in your life to maintain balance. * Your next boss could be worse! * It suggests you are irresponsible or cannot maintain relationships * It indicates that you lack resolve and the ability to stick-to-it. Employees promote those they trust; trust is earned over time. * It is just plain stupid! In today’s new environment, how short is too small to stay at a job? The answer varies among industries and professions. Earlier two to three years used to raise a red flag. Today, depending on the industry, it is 1 to1. 15 years. But what employers are really looking at, did the person complete the project or commitment that he made? B Lynn Ware, an employee retention expert with the Integral Ta lent Systems suggest the job-hoppers â€Å"You’re really looking at a very limited window of productivity. Let’s say someone stays with an organization for 2. 5 years. It takes them the first year and a half to really get up to speed. Then they spend their last three t six months looking for the next thing. That leaves about a half year of real productivity†. Look beyond the fat pay offer to avoid another hop in a short time and perhaps less pleasant circumstances. Learning Relevant Skills and Knowledge Matters People who are in the new workforce and have been job-hopping quite a bit, it is advisable to find out what you want. If you able to recognize it, then find a organization that is willing to train or how they are willing to commit to their employees career in the long term. Instead of job-hopping frequently for career growth, make learning the relevant skills and knowledge in that industry one’s key objective for a successful career. The skills and knowledge that one learns in the process will contribute to career success in the long term. If job-hoppers realize the benefit of committing to a company who is willing to train them for more than two years, hopefully they won’t be job-hopping often anymore. Are job-hoppers are listening!

Important Events in Contemporary History

INT1010 Contemporary World One Event #1: The Korean War 1950 On June 25th 1950, communist North Korea proceeded to invade western- supported South Korea to unite Korea by force. Significance to contemporary history: Event #2: Malayan Independence 1957 What happened? Significance to contemporary history: Malayan Independence reinforced the ending of colonialism in South East Asia. Also, it signified the ability and right to self-rule for previously colonized states. Following independence, Malaya’s tin and rubber export also gave a significant boost to the US dollar. Event #3: The formation of the Berlin Wall 1961 What happened? In August 1961, a physical partition of between East and West Germany was put in place in Berlin under the command of President Khrushchev. Significance on contemporary history: The Berlin Wall symbolized the acceptance of the status quo in Europe by both sides. The most significant aspect of the Berlin Wall is arguably the fact that it clarified worldwide the difference between the two superpowers and their varying political system. The Berlin Wall went on to become the symbol of the ultimate measure of inadequacy of communism. Event #4: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Significance to contemporary history: The Cuban Missile Crisis marks the first and only time the world has come close to a nuclear war. As a result, both The Soviet Union and The United States worked towards improving their communication and easing tensions, which led to the creation of a ‘hot-line’ between American and Soviet capitals. However, both parties also continued the development of their nuclear weapons, which resulted in a world of mutually assured destruction (MAD). Event #5: Islamic Revolution In Iran (also known as the Iranian Revolution) 1979 What happened? Significance in contemporary history: The revolution brought much attention to Islam and interest in the concept â€Å"neither East nor West† that is, not American or Soviet policies. The newly Islamic republic also called for the overthrow of or other monarchies and the replacement of them with Islamic leaders. Internally, the revolution gave rise to the improvement of healthcare and education while also, eliminating secularism and the American influence in the government. Bibliography Timon Singh, ‘The Construction of The Berlin Wall’, 2009, http://www. euinfrastructure. com/news/construction-of-the-berlin-wall/, accessed 23 March 2010 Anthony Best, International History of the Twentieth Century and Beyond, Oxon 2004, p240-242, 250-253, 463-466.

The Catcher in the Rye Quotes

'The Catcher in the Rye' Quotes J.D. Salinger’s use of informal language in The Catcher in the Rye is part of the novel’s enduring popularity. But the writing style wasn’t chosen simply to make it accessible; Salinger mimics the patterns and rhythm of a story being told orally, giving readers the almost subliminal sense that they’re listening to Holden Caulfield instead of reading a book. The result is a powerful sense of the character despite his obvious unreliability and tendency to lie, and the ability to pull almost any quote from the novel and find plenty of meaning and symbolism. â€Å"‛Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake,’ he said. ‛That’s a deer shooting hat.Like hell it is.’ I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. ‛This is a people shooting hat,’ I said. ‛I shoot people in this hat.’† Holden’s red hunting cap is ridiculous, and there is plenty of evidence that he’s aware of that fact, aware that walking around an urban setting wearing a bright red hunting cap is weird. On a surface level- surface because it’s the obvious reason for the cap that Holden himself admits to- the cap symbolizes Holden’s independent spirit, his determination to not be like everyone else. This quote demonstrates Holden’s own perception of the hat as a disruptive tool, a layer of protective armor that allows him to attack the people he meets, if only in his mind. Holden’s misanthropy grows steadily throughout the novel as people he admires disappoint him and those he despises confirm his suspicions, and the red hunting cap symbolizes his willingness to shoot those people, or attack them and insult them. â€Å"The trouble was, that kind of junk is sort of fascinating to watch, even if you don’t want it to be.† As Holden observes the perverts at the hotel, he feels conflicted. He admits to being fascinated, but he’s also clearly disapproving. His sense of helplessness is part of his emotional collapse- Holden doesn’t want to grow up, but his body is outside his control, which is terrifying to him. â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move ... Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you.† Unlike the ducks, which disturb Holden due to their regular disappearance, he finds comfort in the museum he takes Phoebe to, reveling in its static nature. No matter how long he stays away, the exhibits and the experience remain the same. This is comforting to Holden, who is terrified of change and who feels wholly unprepared to grow up and accept his mortality- and his responsibility. â€Å"The part that got me was, there was a lady sitting next to me that cried all through the goddam picture. The phonier it got, the more she cried. Youd have thought she did it because she was kindhearted as hell, but I was sitting right next to her, and she wasnt. She had this little kid with her that was bored as hell and had to go to the bathroom, but she wouldnt take him. She kept telling him to sit still and behave himself. She was about as kindhearted as a goddam wolf.† There are many quotes about the phonies that Holden meets and his low opinion of them, but this quote in the middle of the story expresses Holden’s true problem with it. It’s not so much that people put on airs and pretend to be something they’re not, it’s that they care about the wrong things. For Holden, what offends him here is that the woman is becoming emotional about the fake people on the screen while ignoring her unhappy child. To Holden, it should always be the other way around. This gets to the core of Holden’s war against time and maturity. As people get older, he sees them consistently ignoring what he thinks is important in favor of things he considers less so. He worries that by giving in and growing up he will forget Allie and start caring about fake things like the movies instead. â€Å"I walked all around the whole damn lake – I damn near fell in once, in fact – but I didnt see a single duck. I thought maybe if there were any around, they might be asleep or something near the edge of the water, near the grass and all. Thats how I nearly fell in. But I couldnt find any.† Holden’s obsession with death and mortality drives the entire story, as it’s heavily implied that his emotional troubles and difficulties in school began when his brother Allie died a few years before the story opens. Holden is terrified that nothing lasts, that everything- including himself- will die and disappear like his brother did. The ducks symbolize this fear, as they are a feature of his past, a fond memory that is suddenly gone, leaving no trace. At the same time, the ducks are also a sign of hope for Holden. They represent a comforting constant, because Holden knows that when the weather warms up again the ducks will return. This adds a faint note of hope that is amplified by the revelation at the end of the novel that Holden is telling his story from a place of safety and calm, implying that for Holden the ducks have finally returned. â€Å"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobodys around- nobody big, I mean- except me. And Im standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. Thats all Id do all day. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know its crazy, but thats the only thing Id really like to be. I know its crazy.† This quote not only gives the novel its title, it explains Holden’s fundamental issue in a beautiful, poetic way. Holden sees maturity as inherently bad- growing up leads to corruption and phoniness, and finally death. Everything Holden has observed in his life has told him that his brother Allie and his sister Phoebe are perfect in their childhood innocence, but will become like all of Holden’s despised schoolmates, teachers, and other adults in due time. He wishes to stop that passage of time and freeze everyone at a more innocent point in their lives. Crucially, Holden sees himself as all alone in this endeavor- the only person willing to attempt this feat, or qualified to do so. The fact that the song Holden’s mis-remembers- Coming Through the Rye- is actually about people sneaking into the fields to have illicit sexual encounters makes Holden’s immaturity obvious. It’s also another example of something Holden believes to be pure and innocent being corrupted and ruined by adult sensibilities, even if he’s not aware of the fact in the story.

What men need to know about dressing for job interviews

What men need to know about dressing for job interviews Attention men: do you know the modern rules to dress for success? Times have changed, and with them the guidelines for dressing for job interviews have too. And in today’s volatile, talent-rich job market where one wrong move can send you to the bottom of the applicant pool, the stakes for making an impeccable impression on job interviews are higher than ever before. Along with your cover letter and resume, how you handle yourself on a first interview- which includes how you dress- is a critical component of your initial impression on potential employers and hiring managers, and we all know how powerful and lasting first impressions can be.So keep reading, get ready- and go shopping if necessary- to make sure you’re absolutely ready when you’re on your next job hunt.Dress for the environmentAn important (yet often ignored) maxim when dressing for job interviews is dressing appropriately for the environment. What does this mean? Simply put, a three-piece suit may not be the best choice for every situation. An interview at a prestigious law firm and an art gallery are different animals that likely require different wardrobes. There are times when a conservative outfit is practically a requirement, and times when a little creative flair will be appreciated and well received. When you’re on an interview, potential employers will not only be looking to see that your outfit is polished and professional, they’ll also be checking to make sure it’s appropriate for the setting and reflects good judgment.Bottom line- whether in a board room, theater, campground, classroom, or somewhere in-between, part of your prep for every interview is to research your target environment and audience and to pick out an outfit that appropriately fits the situation.Fit mattersIn times past, men had plenty of leeway when it came to clothing fit and many chose to opt for loose comfort. Today, a more tailored fit is in style, so much so that in some places you’ll look positively behind the times if your outfit is too baggy or loose-fitting. A well-tailored outfit radiates positive, professional poise whereas a baggy, ill-fitting one may send a subconscious message that you’re unprepared, disorganized, or careless (regardless of whether or not it’s true).Your best bet is to make sure your clothes reflect a neatly tailored fit- this doesn’t mean you have to buy a whole new wardrobe, but it may necessitate a trip to the tailor if you find yourself drowning inside of your current outfits.Don’t be a peacockSure, you want to stand out from the applicant pool when you’re on an interview, but do it with your amazing abilities and experience- not with an overly flashy outfit. Resist the urge to peacock your way through your interviews and save the loudly colored suits and shirts and wildly creative ties for your next party or social gathering (unless you’re absolutely certain it’s the right environment for it). Instead, opt for more subtle color palettes and fits. Trust us on this one- you may stand out with a wild outfit, but likely not in the way you want to.Comfort is keyJust as important as a carefully considered and appropriate outfit is reflecting the aura that you’re confident- which means feeling comfortable in your clothes. Make sure you’ve tried on your outfit in advance of the interview day, and make sure your choice of outfit makes you feel good about how you look and your chances of landing the job. Nothing wrecks a first interview quite like a complete lack of confidence and comfort, so be prepared and consider yourself forewarned.Use these tips to plan out your outfit so that when interview day comes, you’re ready to go. Looking great leads to feeling great, which then leads to putting your best foot forward- so you’ll already have a leg up on the competition. Good luck!

Organisational behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Organisational behaviour - Essay Example For instance, a leader is a person with charismatic qualities, vision, critical thinking skills, encourager, team member, and ability to look into future. Indeed, the aforementioned attributes enable a person to lead his / her organisation and ensure a harmonised and shared value-based internal culture. Leadership refers to the capability of strategic planners, policy- and decision – makers to direct employees / organisation to accomplish business plans and mission. In addition, leadership is all about identifying potential in employees, to polish individual abilities and to train them in a way they could portray optimal performance and achieve defined targets. Idris & Ali (2008) had thrown light over the fact that leadership helps a business organisation in gaining competitive advantage by ‘out – performing’ rivals in the same business sector. For this purpose, the leaders keep themselves updated about general and task environment, which is then analysed a nd evaluated for new policy formulation, modifications and amendments in existing policies. The internal managerial structure could be adjusted to ensure greater flexibility, mutual accountability and adaptability, which later enhances internal efficiency and performance. Chan (2010) has argued that business success and sustainability of an enterprise is dependent on the strengths and leadership qualities of strategic planners and top management. He highlighted that there are various leadership styles such as â€Å"autocratic (which focuses on internal control and stability), bureaucratic (it is more democratic in nature but also pays special attention to task accomplishment and overall performances), laissez-faire (which focuses on extreme level of flexibility, tolerance and adaptability to changes), democratic (which focuses on employee empowerment, continuous learning and experimentation), participative (focuses on enhancing employee contribution and participation in business af fairs through mutual collaboration, interaction and communication), situational, transactional, and more recently transformational† styles. This paper will throw light in detail over Transformational Leadership and Path – Goal Leadership approaches. The researcher will critically evaluate and compare the strengths and limitations of two different approaches to theorising leadership as sources of prescription for good managerial practice in organisations. In other words, the researcher will assess how the concepts and understandings of two aforementioned leadership theoretical approaches will help strategic planners to formulate and implement good managerial practices that would benefit in conflict resolution, internal peace, socio – emotional and instrumental cohesion and harmony, low absenteeism and employee turnover rates, high motivational level, job commitment and timely achievement of goals. The researcher has chosen the Path – Goal Leadership approac h because it focuses on task / performance and relationship – orientation as both are quite necessary for overall organisational success. For instance, the approach was developed after contributions of many renowned theorists during 1970s and 1980s such as Robert House, Ralph Kartz, Yukl, Shamir, R. Mitchell and other authors (House, 1996). In addition, the researcher has also chosen Transformational Leadership theory, a relatively new approach, which focuses on to

American Eagle Airlines Flight 3379 Accident Research Paper

American Eagle Airlines Flight 3379 Accident - Research Paper Example   The research will conclude by providing recommendations of what needs to be done to prevent such accidents in the future. Air accidents have continued to occur despite the measures by the National Transport and Safety Board (NTSB), and the aviation industry. Recently, the aviation industry has witnessed major accidents, including the disappearance of the Malaysian Airline in 2014, and the recent German airline in the French Alps. The main causes of airline accidents have been cited to be inexperienced pilots, physiological and psychological factors, and weather conditions (Grossman, 2013). Most busy airlines overwork pilots and cabin crew, a situation that has been blamed for making pilots make wrong decisions. Fatigue is a major factor that interferes with the level of productivity and job satisfaction of cabin crew. Some pilots experience mental disorders, such as depression, hence affecting their judgment and prone to making the wrong decisions. The flagship airline flight 3379 crashed in 1994. The flight origin was Piedmont Triad International Airport and the final destination was Raleigh-Durham Airport. There were 18 passenger and 2 crewmembers (Aircraft Accident Report, 1995). The experience any mechanical problem until when the pilot received the clearance to land. The ignition light of one of the engines illuminated in the cockpit, calling for immediate intervention. It appears that the pilot panicked on realizing the speed of the plane began to decrease drastically. Without taking a moment to determine the cause of the incident, the pilot decided to execute a missed approach.

Conflict Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict Analysis - Assignment Example Tim is an Asian and Josh is the head boy at out campus. People around us became interested and formed two groups hooting and cheering, if one placed a valid point better than the other. I happened to realize that at national level, our foreign exchange students face discriminating attitude from most of us. They are unacceptable and have to prove themselves at every stage that they are worthy of being involved and being a friend. The surface problem seems like a simple idea of beating out the other; wittily. On the other hand it became quite evident to me that they have fixed mind set as to where each one stands in a society. To manage disagreements, any one of the strategies could be applied by both to resolve their dispute. Josh was competing and wanted to prove his superiority as an inborn and as a most popular boy around. However, Tim was accommodating Josh’s viewpoints initially and later on competing in the similar manner. The discussion took a personal turn, both of them started to accuse and humiliate each other .Their friendship was shattered in a nick of time. Only if they respected each other’s views and left the personal accusation aside th e situation would have been different. My observation was that power, expectations, situation, communicational skill and above of all self-concept play vital role in any conflict. We need to tackle people and their feelings and views prudently not judgmentally. Keeping in mind their background and sensitivity about certain matters because issues can be resolved and viewpoints can be changed by time, but one can not restore a relationship in its fullest form. A well-cultivated critical thinker keeps potential consequences in mind and figures solutions to complex problems. There should be open mindedness and well reasoned conclusions with practical implications as well regarding the

Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Research

Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Research A) Effects of Ozone on the Lower Atmosphere The lower atmosphere (Troposphere) includes 75% by mass of the atmosphere (concentrated). Natural sources of Ozone in the troposphere includes lightning. Approximately 10% of all atmospheric ozone is present in the troposphere. If ozone levels reach 20ppm, they are very poisonous to humans, animals and plants. It oxidises organic tissue which disrupts the normal biochemical reactions in the body, irritates the eyes and causes breathing difficulties. It can be detrimental to plants and agriculture, as it oxidises much more readily then oxygen, killing/spoiling the agriculture and destroying it. Sources of ozone in the troposphere include diffusion from the stratosphere, internal combustion engines, petrochemical smog, naturally from lightning and photochemically when nitrogen dioxide in polluted air is decomposed by sunlight. NO2(g) NO(g) + O(g) O2(g) + O(g) O3(g) Positive effects of ozone include that it can kill bacteria and viruses in water and thus is useful in purifying water supplies. B) Effects of Ozone in the Stratosphere Contrastingly to ozone in the troposphere, Ozone in the stratosphere is essential to life on earth, as it absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation which can be harmful to living cells on earth as they can damage living tissues and cause skin cancers. Ozone in the stratosphere is commonly referenced to as â€Å"the ozone shield† as it protects living organisms on earth from UV rays. Ozone Reactions in the Stratosphere and their Beneficial Effects on Living Organisms Formation of Ozone in the Stratosphere O2(g) O(g) + O(g) O(g) + O2(g) → O3(g) Stratospheric oxygen absorbs UV light to form free oxygen radicals The oxygen radicals are highly reactive and combine with oxygen molecules to form an energized ozone molecule. Decomposition of Ozone in the Stratosphere O3(g) O2(g) + O(g) Due to the absorption of UV radiation, the Ozone layer acts as a radiation shield by absorbing medium and high energy UV rays. This protects living organisms as UV radiation can have very harmful effects on them including: Can cause sunburn on skin which can lead to skin cancer caused by a mutation in DNA Can form cataracts on eyes It can kill cells due to DNA readily reacting with UV rays It can impair photosynthesis in plants Many more†¦ Thus without the ozone shield in the stratosphere, life in the biosphere would be dramatically impaired and destroyed by harmful UV rays. A) Functional Groups and General Structure of Compounds Classified as CFC’s CFC’s – Chlorofluorocarbons are haloalkanes in which the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by fluorine or chlorine atoms. Haloalkanes are the products when alkanes react with halogens (members of group 7 of the periodic table). CFC’s generally contain â€Å"chloro† and â€Å"flouro† functional groups and no hydrogen atoms. The general structure of compounds classified as CFCs are haloalkanes whose hydrogens have been replaced by chlorine or fluorine atoms. E.g. B) Main Uses of CFC’s CFC’s were used as refrigerants and as propellants in aerosol spray cans. They have a variety of uses as demonstrated below. However due to the harmful effects of CFC to the environment and the ozone shield, CFCs are not used for these uses anymore. C) Reactions between CFC’s and Ozone that Result in the Destruction of Ozone in the Stratosphere. Effects of Small Concentrations of CFC’s that can Damage Large amounts of Ozone Reactions between CFCs and Ozone Synthetic CFCs are responsible for the destruction of the ozone shield, natural CFCs such as CH3Cl and HCl rarely reach the stratosphere as they readily oxidise in the troposphere. However, synthetic CFCs slowly diffuse from the troposphere into the stratosphere, where they undergo photodissociation (due to UV rays) to produce chlorine and bromine radicals that attack and destroy ozone molecules. e.g. CFC-11 Trichloroflouromethane (CFCl3) (Lifetime of 70 years) 1. In the stratosphere, the CFC comes into contact with short wavelength UV CFCl3(g) + UV → CFCl2 ·(g) + Cl ·(g) 2. The chlorine free radical then reacts with the ozone molecule Cl + O3 → ClO + O2 3. The ClO molecule reacts with free oxygen atoms which exist naturally from UV breakdown of O2 ClO + O → O2 + Cl This Cl Is then regenerated and able to attack more Ozone (Step 2) thus further demonstrating the harmful effects of even one CFC This reaction causes destruction of ozone in the stratosphere, due to the (previously used) synthetic CFCs for refrigeration, dry cleaning etc. Small Amounts of CFCs can still do harm: Evidence has shown that even small amounts of CFCs can damage large amounts of ozone. Firstly, CFCs generally have a long lifespan, ranging from approximately 57 (CFC-11) years to 333 years (CFC-12), and due to the fact that each Chlorine radical can be responsible for the breakdown of tens of thousands of ozone molecules, and due to their lifespan once released, even a small amount, will be around for many decades to come. In addition, most CFCs will almost definitely make their way up to the stratosphere as they cannot be destroyed at low altitudes as they are unreactive and they are insoluble in water and therefore cannot be washed out of the atmosphere by rain. Alternative Compounds for CFCs. A) Ozone Monitoring Instruments Ozone Concentrations in the Stratosphere Source: Earth System Research Laboratory, 2012, Viewed 07.06.14, http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/dv/spo_oz/spototal.html A) Analysis of Trends There are a variety of trends that can be interpreted from the above diagram. Based on the data above, before the 1980’s, the total ozone concentration was VERY high, at approximately 194 DU (Dobson Units), however there was a very rapid decrease in this concentration from 1980 – 1999, whereby in this 19 year period sees a 56% decrease in the amount of total ozone, a remarkably concerning figure. On a year round basis globally, total ozone concentration have caused a 3-8% decrease in the amount of ozone, this increased in the years between 1995-200, where there was a low of total ozone concentration. However, in more recent years, 2010 to 2014 there has been a general increase in total ozone concentration, which can be inferred from the replacement of CFCs finally starting to impact (slightly) on the total concentration of ozone, this increase based on the data is 31%. The general pattern is that the total column ozone decreases during spring time, it can be inferred that the overall concentration of ozone decreases during this time of the year. This is because in an Antarctic winter, there is no U.V light to convert the chlorine molecule Cl2 into a Cl radical, which then destroy ozone molecules, and thus the concentration of ozone is higher in winter. In spring, the U.V light converts the Cl2 into Cl which then destroys ozone in a chain reaction, thus decreasing the total ozone concentration There are various peaks in the graph, in the years of 1988, 2003, 2011 and 2013, which may be due to limitation so of the instruments used. B) Montreal Protocol Effectiveness The Montreal protocol occurred in 1987, which the main aim was to control the production of ozone depleting substances (CFCs) worldwide. A number of amendments have been adopted to further ride ozone depleting substances. The protocol is applied in 193 countries. The main aims of the original agreement is as follow: Halt the use of Halons by late 1994 By the early 21st century, phase out the use of HCFCs Stop manufacture of CFCs by 1996 Allow for leeway with less developed countries but still get them to rid the use of these substances The Montreal Protocol (and amendments) has been effective as by 2006, the consumption of ozone depleting substances has been reduced globally by 96%. However, due to the long lives of the previously used ozone depleting substances, the total concentration will take hundreds of years to be completely down. However, the total concentration in the troposphere has generally been declining since the mid-1990s. Bibliography Thickett, G 2006, Chemistry 2 HSC course, John Wiley and Sons, Queensland, Australia. Role of Ozone, 2013, viewed 05.06.14, http://www.easychem.com.au/monitoring-and-management/the-atmosphere/roles-of-ozone Allen, J, 2001, Ultraviolet Radiation – How it Affects life on Earth, viewed 05.06.14, http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/UVB/ Environmental Protection Agency, 2010, The Process of Ozone Depletion, Viewed 07.06.14, http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/process.html Clean Air Strategic Alliance, 2013, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Halons, Viewed 07.06.13, http://dwb.unl.edu/teacher/nsf/c09/c09links/www.casahome.org/chlorofl.htm Welch, C 2014, The Ozone Hole, Viewed 07.06.14, http://www.theozonehole.com/cfc.htm Cracknell, A 2012, Remote Sensing and Atmospheric Ozone, Viewed 07.06.14, http://books.google.com.au/books?id=YZzGFPnaEv0Cpg=PA94lpg=PA94dq=nimbus+4+satellite+ozonesource=blots=k3Ixvnqeupsig=Z_jW0D4jdcvG8hpjbb7d4QeUzBMhl=ensa=Xei=DpCSU-qHMsLtkQWJsIHQDQved=0CF8Q6AEwCg#v=onepageq=nimbus%204%20satellite%20ozonef=false ESA, 2013, Eathnet Online, Viewed 07.06.14, https://earth.esa.int/handbooks/gomos/CNTR1-2-2.htm The Canadian Ozone and Ultraviolet Measurement Program, 2010, Viewed 07.06.14 http://es-ee.tor.ec.gc.ca/e/ozone/ozonecanada.htm Earth System Research Laboratory, 2012, Viewed 07.06.14, http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/dv/spo_oz/spototal.html EPA, 2013, Ozone Layer Protection Glossary, Viewed 14.06.14, http://www.epa.gov/ozone/defns.html Bureau of Meteorology 2013, Ozone Frequently Asked Questions, Viewed 14.06.14, http://www.bom.gov.au/uv/faq.shtml Smith, R 2008, Conquering Chemistry Fourth Edition, The McGraw-Hill Companies, NSW, Australia 1 | Page

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas Essay -- Film Movie Movies Films Las Ve

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas The story begins abruptly, as we find our mock heroes out in the desert en route to the savvy resort of Las Vegas. The author uses a tense hitchhiker as a mode, or an excuse, for a flashback that exposes the plot. An uncertain character picked up in the middle of the desert who Raoul Duke, the main character, feels the need to explain things to, to help him rest easy. They had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers....Also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw either, and two dozen amyls. They were on assignment from a fashionable sporting magazine in New York, to cover the 4th Annual "Mint 400" dirt bike and dune buggy race. A savage journey to the heart of the American dream.Before one can review the motion picture "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", he must first research the full length novel of the same name. The book first appeared in 1971 in issues 95 and 96 of Rolling Stone magazine, published November 11th and 25th respectively. Although the two part series stated its author was someone called Raoul Duke, the story was copyrighted in 1971 by Hunter S. Thompson. Raoul Duke is actually the false name under which Hunter Thompson portrays himself as main character and narrator.The film was produced in the early goings of summer in 199...

Video Game Ethical Issues

Kuan-Yu Lin Brenda Varda HMN-101-01 10/28/2012 Ethical Issue Essay: Final Draft Video games have always been an important part of the entertainment industry since its appearance in 1970’s. They have been played worldwide and effect many people. While the children are already playing the games, the number of women gamers, as well as the age level of gamers in general is increasing.As technology advances, video games with more diversity and real-life experience are slowly creeping into parts of our life and gaining its momentum in the society. Due to its quick development, many ethical issues associated with video games have been brought to our attention. Therefore, we should understand how video games are ethically influencing people within its realm. The four major ethical issues which will be discussed are issues of violence, education, stereotyping and addiction. Video games are enjoying fast-growing popularity, becoming a major component of young people's social lives and leisure activities.First of all, a major concern which has been discussed continuously regarding video games is violence. Violence in video games is considered as the visual presentation of characters fighting, gun shooting, physical injury or death to characters. Recently, more and more video games involving violent behavior are taking over the game selection on the shelves. Comparing to games made in the 70’s, 80’s, recent games feature tougher, more aggressive heroines and more games are made specifically for adults.Research consistently declares that most top-selling video games involve violence. In order to prevent the potential harm to children, youth and society of this negative influence, lots of research has focused on the consequence of violent video games. Video game research indicates that playing violent video games increases aggression, hostility, and aggressive thoughts. (Anderson, Buckley, & Gentile, 2007; Anderson & Bushman, 2001; Anderson, Carnagey, F lanagan, Benjamin, Eubanks & Valentine, 2004;Anderson & Dill, 2000).In their research, they conclude that engaging games which have content related to violence may possibly increase a person’s aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in real life. Some other studies focusing on college student playing video games also point out that students playing violent games are also engaging in more aggressive behavior. It has been claimed by many critics of the media industry that the incident at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999 was caused by the influence of violent video games.It was shown on BBC news that both students shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, had played and enjoy violent video games. â€Å"Relatives of people killed in the Columbine massacre are seeking damages from computer game makers, claiming their products helped bring about the killings. † Although video games can help players relieving stress, they can also affect gamer s in a harmful way. It is both the players’ and the game makers’ responsibility to be aware of the negative effects of video gaming. Games with harmful content might be leading negative effects; they still have values considered being beneficial in certain aspect.Games are popular in the community of youth and have many qualities that make them wonderful teaching tools. Through the educational perspective, both adults and children learn many things by playing video games. Games with positive content show positive effects. For example, playing a dancing video game can help children lose weight (Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution, 2007; O’Hannon, 2007; Epstein, Beecher, Graf & Roemmich, 2007). As mentioned before, videogames could be an excellent tool for learning. In particular, players are learning in an active way with practice and feedback.Because they are fun, children are highly motivated with video gaming, when people are motivated, they usually perform better, thus lead in to a better result. Also, games usually have clear objectives with adaptable difficulty levels. Games with increasing difficulty across levels allow player to apply past learning. Lastly, games allow children to apply to what they learn in different problems and contexts. Some believe that video games help improve life skill such as logic and problem solving. They also can improve hand-eye coordination and leadership skills, which can be useful for military training purposes.Having realized the efficiency and the joyful quality of learning experience in gaming, educators are able to take advantage of the positive learning characteristics of games by using the well-designed software in order to teach children more effectively. While the issues associated with violence in video games have caused huge concern among children, gender, and racial stereotypes in video games are also causing problems which require more attention. There is an unbalanced proportion betwe en male and female game players and developers. According to a recent study the average gamer age was in the mid to late 20's with 60% men playing and 40% women. †2 The whole gaming industry is overwhelmed by the male population. Most of the games on the market are targeted to only male players. Dietz’s, one of the earliest studies to examine stereotypical portrayals in video games, analyzed the depiction of women in a sample of 33 most popular Nintendo and Sega Genesis video games. The study categorized the female characters in those games into four possible stereotypes based on their appearances and behaviors. Females as sex objects or prizes, females as victims, females in feminine roles, and females as heroes or action characters. Not surprisingly, Dietz (1998) found that 41% of the games were devoid of female characters. Only 15% (5 out of 33) portrayed women as heroes or action characters, while 21% (7 out of 33) portrayed women as victims or as so called ‘d amsel in distress’. At the same time, in 28% of these games, women were portrayed as sex objects based upon physical appearance or sexually-oriented actions. Following the discussion of female character as indicator of sexuality, most of the female characters in video games have clothing that exposed more skin than the male characters. The research also found out that the female characters appearing in gaming most likely wear low-cut clothing. About half of the female characters have bare arms and legs with big busted figure. * In essence, these female characters in video games were portrayed in a stereotypical way in which they were exaggerated by sexy attire. That leads to the exclusion of female players in video game industry.Although the number of game designed for female gamers is increasing slowly, it is crucial for both consumers and game makers to make the video games more engaging for both sexes either by changing the content of the game or by expanding the choice of games. They should be designed in a way that they are attractive for both male and female players. Finally, the last ethical issue I want to talk about is the addiction of engaging video games. Some people spent immense amount of time playing video games and caused them to lose valuable time participating in activities which are more beneficial for them.However, video games could be considered as one of social activities because friends, siblings, and other relatives can play with it. Bibliography (not yet in proper MLA format, I will work on in for the final paper) http://evvy09. hubpages. com/hub/Video-Games-Have-Changed-the-World http://www. ethicapublishing. com/ethical/3CH12. pdf https://www. msu. edu/~pengwei/Mou%26Peng_gender%20and%20racial%20stereotype. pdf http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/science/nature/1295920. stm

Fast Fashion

Introduction The clothing industry, as one of the most globalizes industries in the world (Fibonacci et al 1994), is currently undergoing a restructuring, especially the fast fashion sector. Fashion markets are synonymous with rapid changes and short product life cycles. Therefore, changes in consumer demand for newness and fashion trend force the emergence of fast fashion' strategy in retailers like Ezra and H;M and shifts in the focus of competitive advantage from price towards quick response.That is to say, clothing firms, which are adopting global or offshore sourcing strategy, are not noninsured to have more competitive advantages as before. However, the question is: should fast fashion retailers adopt quick response strategy instead of overseas sourcing strategy immediately, or adopt both strategies? In the first section, a literature review of the nature of fashion market and related arguments will be introduced. The overseas sourcing strategy and the quick response strategy w ill be explained with examples of existing clothing firms in the second and the third section.The fourth section will compare and contrast the advantage and disadvantages of these two strategies. Combining theoretical knowledge with empirical case studies, it is argued that companies could reach the maximum profit by adopting overseas sourcing strategy as well as quick response strategy. 1 . Literature Review Fashion retailers, such as Ezra, H;M, Benton and Marks ; Spencer have revolutionized the fashion industry by creating a concept of fast fashion'.The change in the culture of fashion from haute couture to fast fashion has attracted numerous researchers to identify and explore the nature of fast fashion market (Tokomak 2008, p. 22, Christopher et al 2004, p. 367, soul and -raccoon 2008, Tactile et al 2008). Accordingly, short life cycles, rapid prototyping and high volatility are identified as the key features of the fashion market. Compared to other industries, apparel product m anufacturing has unique features, for instance, numerous SKIS (stock keeping unit) in a season, hard to estimate customers' demand and wide range of products for basic to fashion items Non 2004).All these unique characteristics require a different approach to production sourcing, Soul and Turn-on (2008) pointed out that fast fashion retailers prefer using an opportunity-pull approach to the traditional designer-push model. By adopting the new approach, retailers could respond to the shifts in the market as quickly as possible. As a result, the more continuous production schedule (eight to twelve fashion ‘seasons') has substituted for the traditional two to four ‘seasons' calendar (Tactile et al 2008, p. 264, Dickens 2011, p. 316).In relation to global production networks, Dickens (2011) identified the ‘core' of a global production network as the circuit of four basic operations, which refers to inputs, transformation, distribution and consumption. Theoretically, th e quicker the production circuit flows, the higher the gross margin the company can gain. When we apply the theory into the clothing industry, the cost of production and the speed to response to changes in consumer demand are equally important. Both of them could contribute to the flow of production circuit.Since numbers of studies have elaborated the benefit of production relocation, the implementation of quick response strategy by fashion retailers has attracted the interest of researchers in recent years (Bristle et al 2003, Perry and Shoal 2000, leer and Bergen 1997). However, results of an exploratory study (Bristle et al 2003) shows that the advantages of quick response strategy have not been fully understood by fashion retailers. They tend to implement quick response strategy for internal supply chain management.Moreover, leer and Bergen (1997) tried to use formal model to examine the impact of quick response strategy on fashion retailers. Although there is companies already adopted both strategies, limited attention has been paid to the combined effect of these two strategies by researchers. Hypothesis: In an era of fast fashion, companies that adopt both global sourcing strategy and quick response strategy have better chance to succeed in the fashion looting market. 2. Cost, the most basic consideration. In order to have higher profit margin, one of the most effective ways is to cut down production costs.In view of the low labor cost in developing countries, global sourcing seems to be a good choice to reduce costs. With the development of global production networks and the increasing competition, fast all fashion clothing firms have shifted their manufacturing operations to low lost locations over the past decades. The shifts in the Shares manufacturer Levi Stratus's global strategy could vividly demonstrate how global sourcing strategy works and affect its supply chain. At first, the company was created in the USA.As it developed and became a global company, they began to employ workers all over the world. However, in face of fierce competition, Levi Strauss started to shift its operation to lower-cost countries in the late sass. By the year 2003, Levi Strauss closed the last four plants in North American and ‘has become an entirely offshore producer' (Dickens 2011 p. 318). The German fashion company Hugo Boss also provides similar example. In face of high production cost, namely high labor cost in domestic market, more and more fashion retailers choose to outsource their production.Moreover, some fast fashion retailers even have no manufacturing competency (Tokomak 2008). The representatives of this kind of retailers are Gap, H&M and Mango. As they do not own any factories, the only way for them do produce their products is outsourcing. The success of these retailers without factories proves the feasibility of global sourcing strategy. By contrast, when most retailers were busy outsourcing their production to lower cost countries, some fast fashion retails still insist on domestic sourcing strategy, for instance, Ezra, Benton and Marks & Spencer.They held the view that ‘market legibility and lean inventories may be more important than cheap labor' (Tokomak 2008). However, could efficiency really overcome the lost in higher production cost? Maybe no one could answer this question. If we take Ezra as an example and find out where Ezra produce the products, we could develop our own view. As a Spanish company owned by Inedited, Ezra produce its products mainly in Spain and Portugal (Wood 2010). Whereas their competitor found suppliers from worldwide low-cost countries, Ezra choose to produce products near its domestic market.That maximizes time efficiency. In fact, the unit labor costs in these two countries were low enough in the sass (Tokomak 2008), therefore, there is no need for Ezra to outsource its productions to other locations. It has the similar competitive advantage as other companies have, besides, by domestic sourcing and producing Just-in-time, Sara's production cycles are much faster than its competitors. In this respect, it is better for Ezra to adopt the domestic sourcing strategy. However, recent years, the geography of Sara's production network has become diverse.Ezra started to outsource and 34 percent of its production was carried out in Asia (Dickens 2011). Similar situation have also occurred in Benton and Marks & Spencer. On one hand, the unit labor cost among European countries has increased in recent years. On the other hand, the supplier firms in countries like Turkey, India and Asia have gained the ability to meet the higher requirement of flexibility and speed. It is inevitable for fast fashion retailers sourcing from these countries. However, companies should also be aware of the potential risks and hidden cost brought by overseas sourcing.Global sourcing strategy requires close coordination of R&D, manufacturing, and marketing activities on a global basis. Managing geographically separated R&D, manufacturing, and marketing activities, those companies face difficult coordination problems of integrating operations and adapting them to different legal, political, and cultural environments in different countries (Daniels et al 2013). Furthermore, separation of manufacturing activities involves an inherent risk that manufacturing in the value chain will gradually becomes neglected.Such neglect can be costly as continued involvement in manufacturing tends to lead to pioneering product design and innovation over time. An effective global sourcing strategy calls for continual forts to streamline manufacturing without sacrificing marketing flexibility. 3. Time, the growing consideration. With the wide spread of fast fashion' principle, fast fashion retailers are aware of the importance of efficiency. They notice that consumer demand is changing more rapidly and customers more discerning about quality and choice.Although a substan tial cost advantage can be gained by adopting overseas sourcing strategy, it cannot compress time in the supply system. To solve this problem, companies tend to choose the quick response strategy, which focuses on providing shorter lead times. According to Bristle et al (2003), quick response strategy was first developed as a result of the need to compete with offshore manufacturers in the USA. The quick response strategy emphasizes on flexibility and product velocity and relies on a measure of trust in sharing information (Barnes and Lea-Greenwood 2006 p. 63). In addition, while maximizing the diversity of products, quick response could minimize lead-times, expenditure, cost and stock of inventory. Quick response is not merely about reducing lead-time by the use of domestic or nearby sourcing strategy, it also involves the ability to gather latest information and use real-time data to understand the needs of the consumers. To some extent, quick response help to shorten the product cycle times and decrease risks and inventories at each stage of manufacturing and retailing operations.The Spanish Ezra, as mentioned before, is ‘an excellent example of a vertically integrated retailer using quick response methods' (Bristle et al 2003). Despite successful application of the concept â€Å"fast fashion† in H;M and Top Shop, Ezra utilizes the â€Å"fast fashion† strategy in all aspects dominant, fast fashion in Ezra meaner, within only two weeks from concept to sales faster than any other company. Unlike most of its competitors, Ezra still produces most of the products in Spain and Portugal and only outsource basic items in lower cost countries.By adopting quick response strategy, Ezra focused on creating a short, flexible, tight and innovative supply chain and tried to balance the higher labor cost by shorter (3-6 weeks) lead times. As a result, Sara's short deliveries have made it ‘as much as 12 times faster than the competition' (Newsweek 2001, p. 36, cited in Tokomak 2008, p. 30). Ezra launches almost 11000 new products in a year, which meaner the update speed is about two or three times a week. In 2005, sales grew by 21 percent over the prior fiscal year in Ezra, which makes Inedited ahead of H&M for the first time (Daniel et al 2013).The good result indicates that domestic sourcing still works as long as the company finds out a way to compensate for the losses in production cost. Having witnessed the successful experience of Ezra, competitors started to follow the lead of Ezra. For instance, Benton now replenishes stores once a week, Forever 21 Inc. And Unique are able to get new products in store thin 6 weeks (Ordered and Johnson 2008). Another example that worth to be mentioned is the Next brand in the ELK. Base on the quick response strategy, the company uses a limited edition approach to accelerate the update speed.Moreover, in order to respond to the changes in demand as soon as possible, next has even purcha sed part of a multi-national clothing supplier to enable constantly changing ranges by reducing lead time (Bristle et al 2003). As we can learn from the case studies, time becomes a priority consideration in the fashion market. The adoption of quick response method should be able to make manufacturer to ‘adjust the reduction of different styles, colors and sizes in response to retail sales during the season' (Seen 2007). 4.Comparison between overseas sourcing strategy and quick response strategy One of the biggest differences is that overseas sourcing strategy uses cost as a competitive weapon while quick response strategy uses time. As we known, both cost and time are the keys for retailers to gain more market share and profit; The dilemma for fast fashion companies is: Whether fashion retailers should outsource production overseas for lower production cost or keep manufacturing nearby to facilitate speed. As highlighted earlier, the fashion market is volatile and unpredictab le.Quick response strategy emerges in such an environment. Compared to overseas sourcing strategy, which faces long transport times and difficulty in controlling over production, quick response strategy enables retailers to cope with uncertainty or changes in the fashion market. On the other hand, although domestic sourcing provides companies from paying for higher logistic cost and other hidden costs, offshore sourcing secures lower cost inputs, (Christopher et al 2004). It is argued that fast fashion companies need to adopt strategies that optimally mix overseas sourcing ND quick response to win the market.The changes occurred in Marks & Spencer over these years could help us understand the advantages and disadvantages of both strategies. As a major British retailer, it chooses to use local suppliers for decades. However, in face of the downward pressure on price, it abandoned its domestic sourcing strategy and started to relocate production overseas (Christopher et al 2006). Acco rdingly, the average hourly labor cost in the I-J is nine times higher than in Morocco and even nineteen times higher than in China, Pakistan and Indonesia.After adopting oversea suppliers, Marks & Spencer on noticed that they overlooked the related problems, such as the cost of transportation, the need to forecast styles, colors and volumes in advance and the risk of stock inventory. Facing the challenge of adopting global sourcing, Marks & Spencer tend to use â€Å"dual supply chains†. By combing global sourcing strategy and quick response strategy, â€Å"fashionable items† are manufactured in locations with a journey time no more than four days.For â€Å"basic items†, for which demand is easier to be predicted, Marks & Spencer continue producing them in lower cost locations (Christopher et al 2006). Likewise, Ezra has also adopted both strategies for its supply chain. Today, price is no longer the determined factor that concerned by customers. Many companies consider not simply price but also quality, reliability, and technology of components and products to be procured. These companies design their sourcing decision on the basis of the interplay between their competitive advantages and the comparative advantages of various sourcing locations for long-term gains.By contrast, they care more about the quality, design and the level of popularity. Therefore, companies have to find the balance between cost and time. If fast fashion tillers make good use of these two strategies, like M&S and Ezra did, the negative effect could be covered to a large extent. Conclusion Volatile markets, short product lifestyles and high product variety are the characteristics of today are clothing industry. This essay mainly discusses the adoption of two common strategies- global sourcing strategy and quick response strategy, in fast fashion clothing sector.Although most companies already have chosen outsourcing strategy to maintain the competitive advantage, t he nature of today's fashion market forces companies to consider the importance of speed and flexibility. The analysis of both strategies with the help of real companies' experience shows that both of them have positive and negative effects on fast fashion retailers. However, overseas sourcing strategy and quick response strategy are not mutually exclusive. In practice, the successful examples of M&S and Ezra have proved the feasibility of combing global sourcing with quick response strategy.