columbine essays

columbine expositions The disaster at Columbine High School is something that will be recalled and discussed for a long time to come. Individuals from the country over have all found out about this occasion. However, there are as yet two or three inquiries that individuals have. For example whos to fault? The children alone, the guardians for how they brought the kids up, or even really the understudies at Columbine? Most state that the guardians are to be faulted, however who really knows? As I would like to think the main two individuals that can really respond to this inquiry honestly are both dead. Everybody needs answers. Did the children have help? Who right? Who sold them the weapons and why? For what reason did they do this? How might they do this? I had a class about the last inquiry. Who could really go into a room and carry out a wrongdoing of slaughter in a school of individuals that you know and have grown up with? The vast majority of our group believed that they couldnt ever get enough rese ntment to do anything even remotely as terrible, however when you really consider it, in the event that you had no companions and where ridiculed constantly. It resembled your folks, educators, and even the entirety of your own docks where against you. I figure anybody could snap and possibly accomplish something as radical as this (Why at Columbine High). Did the young men, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, have any assistance doing this wrongdoing. Starting at yet nobody has genuine proof that demonstrates they excepted they found who sold them the weapons. Police found around thirty little bombs and one twenty-pound propane bomb in the school, enough explosives to blow the school into practically nothing. Therefore individuals accept that the young men either needed to have help or they had visited the school ordinarily to design this ambush. Nobody talking however and no confirmation has been found. Their not just searching for data from somebody that could highlight someb ody that had helped theyre likewise searching for somebody that had realized this would occur, with the goal that they may discover the answ... <! Columbine articles The catastrophe at Columbine High School is something that will be recalled and discussed for a long time to come. Individuals from the country over have all found out about this occasion. In any case, there are as yet two or three inquiries that individuals have. For example whos to fault? The children alone, the guardians for how they brought the kids up, or even really the understudies at Columbine? Most state that the guardians are at fault, however who really knows? As I would see it the main two individuals that can really respond to this inquiry honestly are both dead. Everybody needs answers. Did the children have help? Who right? Who sold them the weapons and why? For what reason did they do this? How might they do this? I had a class about the last inquiry. Who could really go into a room and perpetrate a wrongdoing of slaughter in a school of individuals that you know and have grown up with? A large portion of our group believed that they couldnt ever get enough resentment to do anything even remotely as terrible, however when you really consider it, on the off chance that you had no companions and where ridiculed constantly. It resembled your folks, educators, and even the entirety of your own wharfs where against you. I figure anybody could snap and perhaps accomplish something as radical as this (Why at Columbine High). Did the young men, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, have any assistance doing this wrongdoing. Starting at yet nobody has genuine proof that demonstrates they excepted they found who sold them the weapons. Police found around thirty little bombs and one twenty-pound propane bomb in the school, enough explosives to blow the school into basically nothing. Consequently individuals accept that the young men either needed to have help or they had visited the school ordinarily to design this ambush. Nobody talking however and no evidence has been found. Their not just searching for data from somebody that could highlight somebody that had helped theyre additionally searching for somebody that had realized this would occur, so that the... <! columbine articles From an entertaining animation on the historical backdrop of the United States to a profoundly moving dedication of the Columbine High school shooting episode, Bowling for Columbine tells, through cleverness and ruthless realities, a story that Americans need to hear. Coordinated, created, and composed by Michael Moore, this narrative is a reasonable and persuading account regarding weapon brutality in the United States. The narrative is a more than two hour mission we take with Moore as he moves here and there, looking for the inquiry: Why are Americans so fierce with one another? Instead of appearing to have an answer as of now as a top priority, Moore seems receptive. Above all else, Moore pulls off this feeling of objectivity from the very beginning, by clarifying his association with the NRA. At the point when he was a child, he clarifies, he wanted to shoot, having gotten a NRA marksmanship grant. Truth be told, when Moore visits NRA president Charlton Heston, he makes reference to that, even now, he is a deep rooted part. This is a brilliant move, since the NRA appears to stand apart as a reprobate in the film. Since, I expect, Moore needs to convince instead of just mention to the individuals on his side what they need to hear, it is a savvy choice on his part to appear to be a companion who is later sold out by the NRA. He interfaces the NRA with the KKK. While investigating the potential effects on Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two secondary school understudies liable for the Columbine shooting. Moore visits, Lockheed Martin, the greatest U.S. arms producer. Lockheed Martin is, incidentally, situated in or close Littleton, Colorado, where the shooting occurred. Moore relates the mass demolition brought about by such atomic rockets made by Lockheed Martin and the mass decimation caused for a littler scope at Columbine. To this, the agent discloses to Moore that there is no connection between them, since the rockets produced there are utilized in the nation's safeguard, not in intentional assault. Quickly following this ... <! Columbine papers The Columbine catastrophe has struck another casualty a week ago. On the off chance that all contemplations were that the catastrophe was behind us, nobody has thought about the impacts of the slaughter. An understudy that was harmed in the slaughter was gaining ground on recuperating, when reaction from the catastrophe struck. Her Mother ended it all in regard to what the disaster has done to her life and her families life also. This is the impact that the occasion has produced, more agony and all the more misery. On seeing this case, we can gather the information that the entirety of our activities make an impact. In the end the entirety of our belongings find us be it through outward powers or inside ourselves. Being people that are consistently in contact with others, we have a characteristic option to regard the way that what we do has a direction on everyone around us. The effect of the columbine disaster is as yet being felt and will keep on doing as such for quite a while. Each time an understudy hopes to see their companion in the foyer that was killed, the impact is felt. Consistently a kid that was harmed glances in the mirror and sees somebody other that themselves, the impact is felt. As the youngsters that caused this disaster watch their prospects become more swindled with torment and enduring, the impact is felt. A day that changed the course of people groups lives and will keep on for the remainder of their lives. We as people need to figure out how to regard to truth that we are so significant in the lives of others. The impacts are the equivalent in circumstances where terrible exceeds the great and where great exceeds the awful. The impact will keep on being felt when you show a kid something new, help somebody out of luck, or simply indicating somebody you give it a second thought. The positive attitude remain with these individuals and ideally the impact will be them helping other people for your benefit. Affecting an individual with the intensity of graciousness can thus cause them to do likewise. As much as brutality is predominant t ... <!

John Rawls Philosophy of Liberalism Strengths and Weaknesses

Presentation John Rawls have built up an exhaustive hypothesis that can be helpful in tending to contemporary issues. One of the significant points of interest of his hypothesis is that it contains significant rules that can be relevant nowadays.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on John Rawls’ Philosophy of Liberalism: Strengths and Weaknesses explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rawls’ theory can be utilized while tending to the contemporary issues related with inconsistent dispersion of assets. It is additionally important to take note of that Rawls’ reasoning of progressivism depends on standards of equity, yet there are as yet certain shortcomings in the hypothesis. Qualities of Rawls’ Philosophy As has been referenced over the way of thinking can have explicit ramifications in the contemporary society. The significant quality of the way of thinking is that it furnishes individuals with a particular device to mainta in a strategic distance from any inclination. The â€Å"veil of ignorance† is a powerful method to build up specific standards to administer a general public (Shaw Barry, 2012). Along these lines, individuals will never make a tyrant society as the chances to be in the horrible position are excessively high. On account of the shroud of numbness, individuals will attempt to make the general public where the less wealthy individuals will have every conceivable right. Aside from rights, these gatherings of individuals will have various chances, which will make sure about acknowledgment of capability of the most dynamic and talented people.Advertising Looking for paper on reasoning? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Admittedly, the current way of thinking can turn into a decent answer for the current issues related with inconsistent dispersion of assets. Presently less wealthy individuals have not many open doors contraste d with all the more wealthy gatherings. Outstandingly, this is one of the significant issues related with inconsistent conveyance of assets which prompts steady debasement as just confined number of advancement happens. Rawls’ reasoning tends to the issue of the absence of chances. Another quality of the way of thinking is that it doesn't disregard disparity which is a trademark highlight of the human culture. Despite what might be expected, Rawls legitimizes it and even demonstrates that disparity is one of the variables adding to improvement of the human culture. Rawls builds up a model of society where minimal wealthy gatherings will have more assets, rights and openings than those in a nonexistent society where all are equivalent. Along these lines, there is no need in attempting to reduce disparity, which is essentially unthinkable. As indicated by Rawls’ reasoning, individuals can concentrate on making a general public where imbalance is an apparatus of advanceme nt. The Major Weakness of Rawls’ Philosophy As has been referenced above, there is sure shortcoming in the way of thinking. Along these lines, there are very hardly any apparatuses to keep up the new request. As per Rawls’s reasoning, correspondence is unimaginable as individuals are ‘victims’ of a â€Å"genetic lottery† (Shaw Barry, 2012, p. 126). A few people will unavoidably gather more assets and there is no assurance that these individuals will stay following the standards worked out. All the more wealthy individuals can deny less wealthy individuals of their privileges and, all the more significantly, opportunities.Advertising We will compose a custom paper test on John Rawls’ Philosophy of Liberalism: Strengths and Weaknesses explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion It is conceivable to take note of that Rawls’ reasoning can be appropriate in the contemporary world as it tends to significant issues relat ed with inconsistent dispersion of assets. Support of imbalance can be viewed as one of the significant qualities of the way of thinking. Simultaneously, the nonattendance of devices to keep up the made society is one of its significant shortcomings. Obviously, the way of thinking has qualities and shortcomings, yet note that it is an important wellspring of information that can be utilized to address significant issues related with inconsistent appropriation of assets in the contemporary world, which prompts certain corruption of the human culture. Reference List Shaw, W.H. Barry, V. (2012). Moral issues in business. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. This exposition on John Rawls’ Philosophy of Liberalism: Strengths and Weaknesses was composed and presented by client Helen Lamb to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for research and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; in any case, you should refer to it as needs be. You can give your paper here.

Tips for the Brokenhearted After a Relationship Ends

Tips for the Brokenhearted After a Relationship Ends Depression Treatment Print Tips for the Brokenhearted After a Relationship Ends Practical Advice for Coping and Healing By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. Learn about our editorial policy Nancy Schimelpfening Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on January 24, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on February 17, 2020 JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images More in Depression Treatment Medication Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Types Childhood Depression Suicide The pain of an ended relationship is one that many people experience, maybe even more than once in a lifetime. Movies and books make it seem easy to bounce back after a broken heart: The happy endings either see a couple getting back together or someone moving on to an even better relationship.   In real life, relationship woes aren’t usually resolved in two hours like they are on the silver screen, and the stories don’t always have tidy endings.   If you’re trying to come to terms with the end of a relationship, commonly repeated platitudes, adages, and cliches are not likely to be helpful.?? Although people may mean well when they say, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” offering such sentiments doesn’t give you much by way of practical advice for coping with your emotions.   Healing from heartbreak is not the same process for everyone. It may even vary within the same person throughout their life, changing from one relationship to the next.   Nobody can tell you with any degree of certainty how long you will need to heal, but there are some ways you can make the process of mending a broken heart into an opportunity to learn more about your wants and needs.   Ultimately, you can use these insights to develop and strengthen your healthy coping skills. The growth you experience will help you navigate future relationships with others, as well as the relationship you have with yourself.   Knowing When to End a Relationship Ways to Mend a Broken Heart In the immediate aftermath of a breakup, know that it’s OK to allow yourself time to grieve the loss. You don’t need to jump straight into problem-solving modeâ€"in fact, doing so when you haven’t allowed yourself to fully embody your feelings may make the process more protracted and difficult.   In the early days, try to resist the urge to isolate yourself. Sadness, guilt, confusion, and other intense feelings may be overwhelming. Reach out to the people who care about you. To come to terms with the changes in your life, you’ll need the support of your family and friends.   When you’re ready for the next step, here are some dos and don’ts to help guide you through the process of healing.   Dont Let Your Emotions Rule   Try not to view the end of a relationship as a failure. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to learn and grow.??  It doesn’t matter if it was your first relationship or if you’ve had others before. Everyone, whether they’re 15 or 50, can get to know themselves better and work on improving their relationship skills.   You may have a lot of anger around the relationship, including the way it ended. You may even be tempted to “exact revenge” on your ex or fantasize about interfering in or disrupting their lifeâ€"including new relationships.   Remember that hurting another person won’t lessen your pain. In fact, it’s more likely to make you feel worse and will slow the progress of your own healing.   Do Take Care of Yourself   Good self-care is emotional, physical, and spiritual. You have your own unique needs in each area, but there are some general acts of self-care that are beneficial for almost everyone such as a nutritious diet, regular exercise, a social support system, and strategies for coping with stress, to name a few. Try to be patient, gentle, kind, and giving toward yourself. It may help to know that the pain of a break-up is not just emotional; research has shown people can also feel physical pangs of loss.?? Physical Consequences of Emotional Pain You may also need to work on restoring the “big picture” perspective. When you’re in a romantic relationship it may be a central part of your life, but romantic love isn’t the only kind that can be nourishing. Continue to nurture relationships with friends, family, and yourself. If you feel guilt or shame about your role in a relationship that has ended, it may be hard to be a good friend to yourself as you work through these feelings. Keep in mind that practicing compassion toward yourself makes it more likely you’ll attract that kind of energy from others.   If you find you cannot let go of a relationship or feel you are unable to cope with the loss (even with support from friends and family) as time goes on, you may want to seek counseling.   Working with a trustworthy, knowledgeable, skilled, and compassionate therapist is good self-care during any period of major change in your life, but can be especially helpful when you’re coping with loss. How to Find the Right Therapist Don’t Get Stuck in the Past We all have the tendency to look back on our lives, or certain relationships, with “rose-colored glasses.” The effect of “rosy retrospection” is that you may refuse to see the problems and only focus on the good parts (which you’re likely to miss).??   Sometimes, both the good and bad memories may feel as though they’re playing on an endless loop in your mind. These intrusive thoughts can slow down the process of healing and can be quite distressing.??   Though it may be difficult, try not to lose perspective. No relationship is all bad, but none are perfect either. If you are glorifying the relationship or find you continue to put your ex on a pedestal, it may be a sign that you need to give yourself some emotional and perhaps physical distance.?? For example, you may struggle in the digital age to refrain from “checking up” on your ex via social media.?? If you can’t resist the temptation, it may be time to unfriend them or block their profile.   You won’t be able to move on with your own healing if you’re constantly being drawn back into their lives and thinking about what once was, as well as what will never be.??   If your ex starts a new relationship, seeing them post on social media (even if it’s not always an accurate representation of reality) may cause old feelings to resurface for you. It can also fuel preoccupation with any unresolved aspects of your relationship with them.   Do Appreciate the Good Memories Even if your relationship ended on a sour note, chances are it was not all bad. It’s normal to look back at what was good about it and you may find you miss certain things about your ex and the love you shared.?? At the same time, you may feel overwhelmed by the empty space that’s left when the relationship ends or harbor resentment about what happened that lead to its dissolution.   Riding out these shifts in emotions is part of the healing process. When a happy memory comes up, allow yourself to be grateful for itâ€"then move on. Why Break-Ups Happen Don’t Deny Your Needs Being honest with yourself about your needs (especially those that aren’t being met) can be a painful process. You may feel it would be easier, and less painful, to simply ignore them.  ?? While it may feel better in the short term to “numb” yourself to the hurt, it will only make it harder for you to heal in the long term.  Pretending you don’t have needs makes it impossible for you to grow, both in your relationships with others and the one you have with yourself.   Do Reevaluate Your Needs Following a break-up is a good time to think about your wants and needs in a romantic relationship. You may find it helpful to journal or make lists.   Ask yourself questions like, “Have I been choosing partners who are not capable of a loving and mature relationship?” and “Was I hoping this person would change, or that I would be able to change them?”   It can be painful to admit that your previous relationship wasn’t able to meet your needs. Taking the time to honestly reflect can be hard work, but once you do, you’ll be able to clarify the qualities to look for in a future partner.   Don’t Jump Into a Rebound Relationship You may feel a sense of urgency about finding a new romantic partner, but so-called “rebound” relationships prevent you from working through your previous one.?? If you don’t take time to reflect on a relationship that has recently ended, you may end up repeating patterns or making the same mistakes in a new one. It can be hard to break free from old ways of thinking and behaving, even if you know it’s not helpful. But recognition is the first step to making changes.   Do Try Again When You’re Ready Sometimes, people have a hard time coping with being single when they had become used to being part of a couple.?? This may be especially true after a long-term relationship ends.   If you’re struggling with your identity as a single person,?? try to remember that your value comes from who you are, not who youre with.   Being on your own gives you the opportunity to focus on yourselfâ€"though this can be hard if you are used to taking care of others and generally find it easier than thinking about your own needs.   Sometimes, people who arent as confident socializing on their own are more comfortable in social situations when theyre part of a couple. Others may enjoy being social whether they’re in a relationship or not, but they might resist going out after a break-up. The tendency to avoid social situations is often a mix of worrying about seeing an ex-partner or someone you know who might ask about the relationship combined with wanting to avoid places, activities, and people who would remind you of an ex. Try not to isolate yourself. You certainly don’t have to go out on Friday night if you’d rather stay at home with a book, but if you do feel like spending time around others and just dont want to go out on your own, ask a friend to tag along.   What Is Mindful Dating? While you don’t have to rush it, you may begin to open up to the possibility of another relationship as time goes on. It might be scary to think about falling in love againâ€"especially after you’ve been hurtâ€"but try to remember that as deep as the pain of a broken heart can be, it means that you experienced love just as deeply. You may not even be looking for a relationship when love finds you, as it can show up in unexpected places. If you are looking more intentionally, be open to meeting others when you go out and choose the places and activities you enjoy. Whether a church group, sports team, or the local library, you’re more likely to make positive connections with others and find lasting relationships (friends and romantic partners alike) in places where you feel safe and comfortable being yourself.   5 Psychological Theories of Love Do Forgive   Forgiving your ex may take time and may not come easily, especially if you were hurt or betrayed. Its important to note that forgiving someone does not mean that you condone their hurtful behavior and actions. In fact, sometimes, the act of forgiveness is not so much about the other person. Arriving at a place of forgiveness gives you permission to stop investing time and energy into a person and situation that is no longer healthy for you. To mend a broken heart and move on, theres someone else you need to be ready to forgive: yourself. You may find it easier to forgive your ex, but remember that the longest-running and the most powerful relationship you’ll ever have is with yourself. You cant change the past, but you can learn from it. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, you can always change behaviors or shift your paradigm to prevent repeating mistakes, allow yourself to grow, and continue to develop self-love. How to Forgive Yourself

Why Using Experiential Learning With Adults Is Powerful

Kolb and Frye, two leaders in adult educational theory, say that adults learn best through active participation and reflection. This form of learning is called experiential because it involves hands-on experience and observation as well as discussion and other forms of learning. What Is Experiential Learning? In a sense, experiential learning is simply learning by doing -- but there is more to the process. Not only do learners take action, but they reflect on, learn from, and take new action based on experience. Kolb and Frye describe experiential learning as a four-part cycle: The learner has concrete experience with the content being taught.The learner reflects on the experience by comparing it to prior experiences.Based on experience and reflection, the learner develops new ideas about the content being taught.The learner acts on her new ideas by experimenting in an experiential setting. When the new ideas are put into action, they become the basis for a new cycle of experiential learning. Examples of Experiential Learning Its important to understand that experiential learning is not identical with hands-on learning or apprenticeship. The purpose of experiential learning is not simply to learn a skill through practice, but also to think critically about the practice and to improve upon it. For a child, hands-on learning might involve mixing baking powder and vinegar and watching it bubble and rise. This activity is good hands-on fun, but it doesnt necessarily provide the child with a full understanding of the chemical interaction between the two materials.   For an adult, hands-on learning might involve working with a trained carpenter to learn how to build a chair. In this case, the learner has gained some skills -- but has not taken part in experiential learning. The next step would involve taking time to reflect on the experience and compare chair-building to other building projects. Based on reflection, the learner would then develop new ideas about how best to go about building a chair and return to chair building with new insights and ideas. Pros and Cons of Experiential Learning Experiential learning can be very powerful for adults because they have the life experience and cognitive ability to reflect, develop new ideas, and take positive action. It also provides adults with the real-world experience they need to place their new skills in context and to develop new ideas about how to implement their skills. This is particularly true when real-world skills are taught in a classroom context. For example, a classroom experience with providing CPR is very different from a real-world experience in the back of an ambulance. On the other hand, experiential learning has very specific limits. It is only useful when the  content being taught is content that will be used in a real-world setting. So, for example, it is very difficult to provide experiential learning relative to literature, history, or philosophy. Yes, it is possible to take field trips to relevant locations or museums -- but field trips are quite different from experiential learning.

Demo Speech on Wrapping a Gift - 754 Words

Sarah Del Rio Speech 100 Demonstrative Speech General Purpose: To demonstrate Specific Purpose: To demonstrate to my audience how to wrap a present. Central Idea: To demonstrate to my audience how to make wrap a present by first discussing how to choose the appropriate gift wrapping paper for your event, second, by talking about the supplies that will be needed, third, I will explain step by step how to wrap the present, finally, I will tell you about the finishing touches you can add to your gift. INTRODUCTION: I. Hello my name is Sarah Del Rio and today I will be demonstrating for you how to wrap a present. I have selected this topic to show you today because it is something simple thing that everyone will need use at†¦show more content†¦The first step is to get the appropriate wrapping paper. B. The second step is to gather all the supplies. C. The third is to follow the instruction in wrapping the present. D. The fourth step is to add the finishing touches. II. If you didn’t have this skill down before now you do and I hope it comes in handy, which I’m sure it will for all ofShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Speech1641 Words   |  7 PagesPublic Speaking 14 November 2010 Persuasive Speech Reduce Landfill Waste by Reduce, Reuse and Recycling and the financial benefits I. Introduction A. Attention Getter: Over half of the waste that ends up in the landfill does not belong there because it could have been recycled or reused. B. Credibility Statement: Not only do I religiously practice reducing, reusing, and recycling, but I have done a great deal of research for this speech, also research for a recycling project in myRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesexperience and/or information to determine the project duration and total cost. These estimates are sometimes made by top managers who have very little knowledge of the processes used to complete the project. For example, a mayor of a major city making a speech noted that a new law building would be constructed at a cost of $23 million and would be ready for occupancy in two and one-half years. Although the mayor probably asked for an estimate from someone, the estimate could have come from a luncheon meetingRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesmake the same decision?† 2. Recognize that failure is not always bad. Most of us would agree that we have learned more in life from our mistakes than from our successes. So, we need to realize that while we don’t want to fail, it does have a hidden gift if we’re willing to receive—a chance to learn something important. Eli Lilly holds â€Å"failure parties† to honor drug trials and experiments that fail to achieve the desired results. The rationale for these parties is to recognize that when little is

Htc Company Analysis Free Essays

Running head: HTC CORPORATION 1 HTC CORPORATION INSHA SHAH UNIVERSITY OF AKRON Running head: HTC CORPORATION 2 HTC AT A GLANCE HTC Corporation (originally High Tech Computer Corporation) is a smart phone manufacturer founded in 1997 and based in Taiwan, as an outsourcing company. HTC Corporation prides itself on offering open source mobile phones which are easy for both developers and users, and has quickly established its reputation as a leading company behind many of the markets most popular operated branded-devices. According to the HTC profile on the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia HTC retains approximately 13,000 employees. We will write a custom essay sample on Htc Company Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now They follow the typical tall organizational structure with many layers between workers and the CEO. It is highly centralized: top decisions are made by the CEO of the company. HTC Corporation has launched several major HTC- Branded products on the international market with the intention of becoming the leading innovative supplier of mobile information and communication devices. In fact, HTC Corporation was the first on the international market to offer the Android mobile device platform through its HTC Dream hardware, marketed as the T-Mobile G1 model. In support of this, HTC Corporation has expanded its technological and marketplace strength through partnership with major player Microsoft and leading mobile phone operators of Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Cingular, Verizon, Sprint and NTT DoCoMo (â€Å"HTC. Com†). Most recently in Australia, HTC Corporation launched its three latest handsets- HTC Snap, HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 to add to its 11 devices currently in the Australian market. The new technology founded in these highly popular products is designed to be finger-touch friendly, with improved mobile integration technology, and dual microphone and speakers. The HTC Corporation’s newest feature is the â€Å"inner circle† which allows the users to bring emails from a preselected group to a top of their inbox, making business on the go even easier (â€Å"mobile. com†). HTC Corporation Product Innovation includes: ? ? ? ? ? ? Open Handset Alliance Smartphone S Series ( Smartphone) T Series (Touch Phone) P series (PDA Phone) X Series ( Mobile Computer) A Series ( Android Phone) According to the source of mobile. com, HTC now specializes in providing its own and other operator branded products in addition to its original equipment manufacturer partners. HTC has a subsidiary company, Dopod, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of Windows Mobile Smartphones. As a company, HTC Corporation has gone from strength to strength, with HTC receiving recognition as the second-best performing technology company in Asia in 2007 by BusinessWeek, and the number three spot in its Global Listing in 2006. Running head: HTC CORPORATION 3 The size of the corporation can be classified in two ways: (I) by revenue and (II) by market capitalization. According to the report from Taiwan Economic News, HTC’s Market Capitalization has recently climbed to $438 billion. Also the corporation shipment and revenue continues to grow to $9. 449 billion. COMPANY PERSPECTIVE Their mission is to become the leading supplier of the mobile information and communication devices by providing value added designs, world-class manufacturing and logistics and service capabilities. HTC continues to establish a high volume manufacturing facility and its focus on high wireless capability. They intend to develop a software team capable of creating a world class consumer and business application that will enhance the value of their hardware. HTC is dedicated to the belief that each mobile device needs to fit its owner. Their goal is to make a product of observing, honoring how individuals choose to interact with a technology. Their mission is to strengthen the relationship through innovative design strategies and sophisticated branding initiatives (â€Å"HTC. com†) HTC’s vision is to address the communications and administration needs of a professional organization of all sizes with intuitive platforms and sophisticated branding initiatives. Their focus is to make people’s ives easier through mobility and convenience. They want users to be able to talk to friends and relatives, read books and access the internet on one device. With their smartphone they have started to see this vision come true (â€Å"HTC. Com†). HTC’s values: ? ? ? Excellence in everything they do Commitment to clients, brands, projects and industry. Honor in dealing with clients, suppliers, employees (â€Å"fastcompa ny. com†) CULTURE AT HTC HTC prides itself on its cutting-edge technology and innovative spirit. From studying its own website, HTC’s culture is competitive and diverse. Under the â€Å"Careers† tab, nine different employees’ pictures are featured with a video advertising HTC’s appeal as an employer. Five of the nine employees pictured are women; three are women of color, and all nine employees appear to be under the age of 40. HTC’s culture is hip, diverse, and fastpaced. The video stressed that technology is constantly improving and the â€Å"best idea† rather than the â€Å"biggest title† moves forward. This shows that the culture at HTC values creativity and competition (â€Å"HTC. Com†). HTC makes annual donations to the Social Welfare and Charity Foundation or Educational Foundation. This foundation funds leadership and character training for elementary, junior high and senior high students, cosponsors local community development and urban cultural revitalization efforts, targets the special needs of disadvantaged groups, and provides disadvantaged children opportunities to further their academic careers. Running head: HTC CORPORATION 4 The HTC Foundation established the nation’s first institute dedicated to character-building and English training in the Hualien’s Meilun District. The institute provides character-building and English enhancement curricula free of charge to fourth grade elementary school students from around Hualien County. In addition, the Foundation offers scholarships for children with special financial needs and financial aid to low-income families and sponsors after-school tutoring programs. Each year, Foundation disbursements benefit over 2,000 youth from disadvantaged families both in Taiwan and overseas (â€Å"HTC. Com†). HTC STRATEGY HTC Corporation uses a differentiation strategy to attract customers looking for more choices. HTC expects differentiation product in terms of innovation and execution. They focus on innovation and execution to enhance product proposition and offer consumers a variety of products. When they think of increasing the quality and the variety of the product, they first consider what the customer will value. They are offering a wide range of product lines to outperform their competitors like Apple and Nokia. HTC has produced an amazing number of phones, all of which have an impressive array of applications and features. They do have the cutting edge when it comes to hardware, but if a consumer can’t afford these more expensive versions HTC’s older models (like the Hero) are still well built and functional. In addition, HTC offers a variety of body forms and builds, including some devices with physical keyboards (â€Å"htc. com†). FINANCIAL POSITION To shadow on the financial stability of the HTC CORP I used liquidity ratio and leverage ratio. The liquidity ratios measure the company’s ability to cover its expenses. The two main liquidity ratios I used to analyze the company’s financial health are current ratio and quick ratio (â€Å"investing. businessweek. om†). 1) The Current Ratio is a reflection of financial health. It is the number of times company’s current assets exceeds the current liabilities, which is the indication of the solvency of that business. The formula to compute the current ratio is Using the earlier Balance Sheet data of the HTC C ORP, we can compute the company’s current ratio as: = = 1. 3 times This tells us that the current liabilities are covered by current assets by 1. 3 times. The HTC CORP is able to cover their short term expenses which are meant to be covered with in a period of one year. 2) The Quick Ratio is also called the acid test ratio. This is because it looks at the company’s most liquid assets and compares them to current liabilities. The quick ratio tests whether a business can meet its obligation even if adverse conditions occur. The formula to compute the quick ratio is: Assets considered being quick assets include cash, bonds, stock, and accounts receivable. Using the Balance Sheet data of the HTC CORP, we can compute the quick ratio of the company as: Running head: HTC CORPORATION = = = 1. 1 times 5 This indicates that the ratio is considered satisfactory, as long as the collection of the receivables is not expected to slow. So the HTC CORP seems to have adequate resources to cover its debts. In order to identify the long term coverage of the company, we are focusing on one of the main leverage ratios. Leverage ratio measures the stability of a company and its ability to repay its debts. These ratios are of particular interest to banks. They should be of interest to shareholders as well since it gives the strong indication of the financial health and the viability of the business. 3) The Debt-to Equity Ratio is a measure of how dependent a company is on a debt financing as compares to owners equity it shows us how much of a business is owned and how much is owed. The Debt-to-Equity ratio is computed as follows: Using the Balance Sheet data of the HTC CORP we can compute the debt-to equity ratio: Times Since the Debt-to-equity ratio is greater than 1, i. e. , (1. 8 times), the capital provided by the lenders exceeded the capital provided by the owners. But because of the greater ratio it has high risk defaults too. It varies with the type of business and the risk attitude of management. Year over year HTC has been able to grow over their bottom line from $29 billion to $59 billion primarily through revenue growth ($142. 9 billion to $277. 7 billion). For a while the costs associated with cost of goods sold, and income tax all increased as a percentage of sales, the growth in top lines revenues contributed enough to still see net income. HTC Corporation uses little or no debt in its capital structure and may have less financial risk than the industry aggregate. Accounts Receivable is typical for the industry, with 58. 31 days worth of sales outstanding. Lastly, HTC Corporation is among the least efficient in its industry at managing inventories, with 30. 39 days of its Cost of Goods Sold tied up in Inventories (â€Å"investing. businessweek. com†). Therefore the overall financial tability of the corporation is stable and healthy. They have adequate resources to cover their debts and unforeseen uncertainties. MY CAREER at HTC Yes, HTC could be good place to obtain my first career oriented-position. HTC is the part of the global market that breeds flexibility, new technologies and innovation. It will create a platform for the new opportunities to explore and do creative things. I fit the HTC profile of being young, educated and a global citizen: while growing up in Kashmir and going to college in America, I’ve relied on technology and most recently, my own smartphone, to navigate my day. I would bring creativity and a fresh perspective to HTC’s worktable. Running head: HTC CORPORATION REFERENCES Bloomberg Businessweek. (2012, April 10). Retrieved from http://investing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/financials/financials. asp? ticker=2498:TT 6 HTC Corporation. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. htc. com/us/about/careers/industrial-designer-corporate-strategy-office/422 HTC Corporation. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. htc. com/us/about/social-responsibility HTC. (n. d. ). In Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/HTC How to cite Htc Company Analysis, Papers

Protein Ligand Interaction-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Protein Ligand Interaction. Answer: Introduction Oxidative phosphorylation is the process that involves the formation of ATP and constitutes the fundamental and most important means of energy production for the cells of animal, plant and bacterial origins (Jonckheere, Smeitink Rodenburg, 2012). Apart from oxidative phosphorylation, photophosphorylation is also involved in the synthesis of ATP and both these processes are dependent on the F1F0-ATPase enzyme complex for catalyzing the ATP synthesis (Nath Villadsen, 2015). The F1F0-ATPase enzyme is also called the ATP synthase enzyme. The source of energy that helps to carry out ATP synthesis is an electrochemical proton gradient. This proton gradient is produced by the electron transfer complexes that are present in the mitochondria, chloroplast or the bacterial membranes (Jonckheere, Smeitink Rodenburg, 2012). This essay describes the protein ligand interactions with respect to the F1F0-ATP synthase enzyme complex (protein) and ATP(ligand). Interaction between F1F0-ATPase and ATP In prokaryotes, the F1F0-ATPase enzyme complex consists of 8 different sub-units while in mammals the number of sub-units are 16-18. The molecular weight of the enzyme typically ranges between 550-650kDa. It is located in the bacterial plasma membrane, while in plants it is located in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplasts and mitochondrial inner membranes and in animals it is located in the inner membranes of the mitochondria. The enzyme consists of 2 parts designated F1 and F0. The F1consists of 5 sub-units, designated 3, 3, , and . The F0 part on the other hand consists of 3 sub-units designated a, b and c. The stoichiometry of the a, b and c sub-units of the F0 is ab2c10-14(Hahn et al., 2016). The 2 parts of the enzyme complex, which includes F1 and F0 are connected to each other by 2 stalks, a central one and the other a peripheral one. The central stalk consists of the and sub-units, while the peripheral stalk comprises the and b sub-units. Interactions between F1 and F 0are said to be coupled and disruption of the interactions results in the loss of energy transduction and the system assumes an uncoupled state. Each of the 3 sub-units present in the F1consists of catalytic sites for ATP synthesis. The molecular interactions involved in the synthesis of ATP by the F1F0-ATPase was proposed by Paul Boyer and it was called the rotational catalysis mechanism or the binding change or alternating site hypothesis (Capaldi Aggeler, 2002). According to this mechanism or hypothesis, the 3 active sites of the F1 part of the enzyme complex participates in the catalysis of ATP synthesis. One of the sub-units binds ADP and Pi, thereby assuming the -ADP conformation. The sub-unit then assumes a -ATP conformation by tightly binding to ATP and bringing about an equilibration of both ATP and ADP/Pi on the surface of the enzyme. On assuming the -empty conformation, the sub-unit loses its affinity for ATP and as a result the newly synthesized ATP then is released from the enzyme complex. The next round of catalysis begins when the sub-unit again binds to ADP and Pi and assumes the -ADP conformation. During the catalysis reactions, the 3 sub-units interacts and assumes the conformations in such a way that one is in the -ATP conformations, while another is in the -ADP conformation and the third is in the -empty conformation. The conformational changes are brought about by the passage of protons through the F0 portion of the F1F0-ATPase. The streaming of the protons through the pore of F0, results in the rotation of the cylinder part of F0 composed of the c sub-units and the sub-units along its long axis. The rotation is about 120 degrees and results in the contact of the sub-unit with each and every catalytic sub-unit, thereby forcing them to assume the -empty conformations (Nelson, Cox Lehninger, 2012). Th ese conformations of the sub-units are also called the open, partly open and closed conformations, where the open conformation binds ATP or ADP/Pi. Binding of ATP and the closure of the open site, results in a conformational change of the remaining catalytic sub-units that results in the partly open sub-unit to attain the open conformation and the closed sub-unit to attain the partly open conformation (Capaldi Aggeler, 2002). Proton transport is dependent on the a and c sub-units of the F0 portion of the F1F0-ATPase. And the amino acid residues aspartate at position 61 of the c sub-units and Arginine at position 210 of the a sub-units are critical for carrying out the function of the proton transport. The rotation of the c sub-units takes place relative to that of the a sub-unit. The rotor stalk composed of the and sub-units are firmly attached to the c sub-units at the base, while interacting with the and sub-units at the top. The stator stalk consists of the b2 and sub-unit s, where the b2 interacts with the a sub-units and the interacts with the sub-units. Moreover, the arginine residue at position 376 of the sub-unit is involved in the generation of the transition state structure of the catalytic sub-units during steady state catalysis. The positive charge of Arg376 along with those of Lys155 and Arg182, results in the formation of a Pi binding pocket. Binding of Pi prevents the binding of ATP. Upon formation of the partly open -ADP conformation, the movement of the C- terminal region of the enzyme along with the nucleotide binding domain results in the re-positioning of the catalytic side chains, designated Glu181 and Arg182. Thus, this step involves priming of the catalytic site for subsequent catalytic steps. The next step involves transition from ADP/ Pi to ATP. This is brought about by the rotation of the sub-unit that results in the movement of the sub-unit towards the and the subsequent movement of the Arg376 and Arg182 towards ADP. Co-o rdination of a Mg2+ along with the residues Arg376, Lys155 and Arg182 brings about the synthesis of ATP. The sub-unit then undergoes further rotation resulting in the withdrawal of the Arg376 from the catalytic site, thereby causing the release of the ATP (Senior, Nadanaciva Weber, 2002; Martin et al., 2015). Figure 1: The arrangements of the sub-units of the ATP synthase enzyme complex. (Source: Capaldi Aggeler, 2002) Figure 2: Proton motive force and ATP synthesis mechanism. (Source: Senior, Nadanaciva Weber, 2002) Figure 3: The various conformations of the catalytic site of the enzyme. (Source: Source: Capaldi Aggeler, 2002) Oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation The oxidative phosphorylation is the metabolic pathway that is involved in the oxidation of nutrients in order to release energy in the form of ATP. Oxidative phosphorylation involves the occurrence of redox reactions with the help of which electrons are transferred to electron acceptors like oxygen from the electron donors. The flow of electrons is called the energy transport chain. The energy released is used in the transport of protons. Here the ATP synthase enzyme utilizes the energy of the proton gradient to convert ADP to ATP. It is the last enzyme of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (Bazil, Beard Vinnakota, 2016). Apart from oxidative phosphorylation, photophosphorylation is another process that utilizes the ATP synthase enzyme to carry out phosphorylation of ADP to ATP during photosynthesis. Th transfer of electrons helps to generate a proton motive force that helps in the activation of the ATP synthase enzyme (Junge Nelson, 2015). Inhibitors The DCCD is the classical inhibitor of the ATP synthase. It functions by modification of the proton binding site present in the c sub-unit. It causes steric hindrance of the movement of the c sub-unit relative to the a sub-unit, thereby preventing the rotation of the F0F1 complex (Toei Noji, 2013). Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded that the ATP synthase is an integral part of the metabolism and energy production pathways of various organisms and the intricate molecular interactions of ATP with the enzyme complex constitutes the highlight of such an important metabolic reaction. Reference List Bazil, J. N., Beard, D. A., Vinnakota, K. C. (2016). Catalytic coupling of oxidative phosphorylation, ATP demand, and reactive oxygen species generation.Biophysical journal,110(4), 962-971. Capaldi, R. A., Aggeler, R. (2002). Mechanism of the F1F0-type ATP synthase, a biological rotary motor.Trends in biochemical sciences,27(3), 154-160. Hahn, A., Parey, K., Bublitz, M., Mills, D. J., Zickermann, V., Vonck, J., ... Meier, T. (2016). Structure of a complete ATP synthase dimer reveals the molecular basis of inner mitochondrial membrane morphology.Molecular cell,63(3), 445-456. Jonckheere, A. I., Smeitink, J. A., Rodenburg, R. J. (2012). Mitochondrial ATP synthase: architecture, function and pathology.Journal of inherited metabolic disease,35(2), 211-225. Junge, W., Nelson, N. (2015). ATP synthase.Annual review of biochemistry,84, 631-657. Martin, J., Hudson, J., Hornung, T., Frasch, W. D. (2015). Fo-driven Rotation in the ATP Synthase Direction against the Force of F1 ATPase in the FoF1 ATP Synthase.Journal of Biological Chemistry,290(17), 10717-10728. Nath, S., Villadsen, J. (2015). Oxidative phosphorylation revisited.Biotechnology and bioengineering,112(3), 429-437. Nelson, D., Cox, M., Lehninger, A. (2012).Lehninger Principles of biochemistry(6th ed.). New York: W.H.Freeman and Co. Senior, A. E., Nadanaciva, S., Weber, J. (2002). The molecular mechanism of ATP synthesis by F1F0-ATP synthase.Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Bioenergetics,1553(3), 188-211. Toei, M., Noji, H. (2013). Single-molecule analysis of F0F1-ATP synthase inhibited by N, N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide.Journal of Biological Chemistry,288(36), 25717-25726.

Strategic Options Available To Harley Davidson Business Essay Example For Students

Strategic Options Available To Harley Davidson Business Essay This study aims to measure the strategic options available to the Harley Davidson organisation. Harley Davidson Inc. has two operational sections, bike and funding. Harley Davidson Financial Services ( HDFS ) offers loans, rhythm insurance and protection programs to run into the demands of their proprietors, whilst the bike section designs, green goodss and markets chiefly heavyweight touring, usage and public presentation bikes. It besides manufactures bike parts and accoutrements, cogwheel and dress. The company is the lone major American manufacturer of bikes and operates globally, with gross revenues largely in North America, Europe, Asia/Pacific and Latin America. We will write a custom essay on Strategic Options Available To Harley Davidson Business specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Although in the past the company has experienced growing and continued success, attributed to its trade name trueness, in 2009 Harley Davidson ( H-D ) had to close down and consolidate mills due to the effects of the recession and the autumn of the US lodging market. Strategic options can merely be developed after the company s strategic place is known. Thus the first subdivision of the study uses tools and constructs to find H-D strategic place. In visible radiation of the company s strategic place strategic options are so formulated ; this is presented in subdivision 2. The 3rd subdivision of the study so uses the success standards model presented by Johnson, Scholes and Whittington in corporate scheme, as a footing to measure the strategic options presented and recommendations are made. Outline1 THE STRATEGIC POSITION OF HARLEY DAVIDSON INC.2 1.1 The Environment3 1.1.1 Pestle Analysis4 1 Figure 15 1asdf: asdf: :6 1.1.2 Porter s Five Forces Model7 Competition8 Menace of Substitutes9 Buyer Power10 Supplier Power11 Menace of New Entrants12 1.2 Resources Strength and Capabilities13 Organizational Resources14 Physical Resources15 Technological Resources16 Human Resources/Capital17 Innovation Resources18 Reputational Resources19 Capability20 Intentionally Incorporate Technological Resources21 Manufacturing22 Distribution23 STRATEGIC OPTIONS24 Figure 6. Strategy Development Directions THE STRATEGIC POSITION OF HARLEY DAVIDSON INC. This subdivision of the study is concerned with understanding the strategic place of Harley Davidson Inc. in an effort to explicate strategic options for the company. It first identifies the alterations that are happening in the environment and how these alterations affect H-D and its concern activities and back the resource strength and capablenesss of H-D. 1.1 The Environment In order to understand the environment which H-D operates in the undermentioned models are used with the purpose of assisting to place cardinal issues and challenges and ways of get bying with complexness and alteration. 1.1.1 Pestle Analysis In 2009 H-D stood to derive from the Economic Stimulus Package, passed into statute law by the Barack Obama Administration. The federal stimulation bundle gives taxpayers interruptions if they purchase a new auto, light truck, RV, or bike. ( Wachter 2009 ) . In add-on, Coachman industries besides a maker of leisure vehicles, and a rival of H-D was eliminated from the New York Stock Exchange. Harmonizing to the Datamonitor study: the bike industry section has had economic growing for the past three old ages, and has merely late been sing diminution. In 2007 it declined 2.3 % , yet is forecasted to retrieve 4.3 % by 2012. An economic factor in favour of H-D, despite this diminution, is that the U.S. industry generated entire grosss of $ 10.2 billion in 2007, of which 98.8 % were of bikes ( non scooters, motorbikes, etc. ) . Furthermore, within the U.S. economic system H-D holds the bulk of bike gross revenues. Therefore, even while industry growing is worsening, H-D gross revenues and other bike gross revenues are still go oning to increase. Figure 1 shows bike industry growing versus gross revenues. 1 Figure 1 1asdf: asdf: : The Motorcycly Industry Council ( MIC ) discloses that leisure merchandise industries are confronting steep diminution nevertheless the bike section though worsening, is non making so at a steep rate. Tim Buche, President of the MIC says Overall bike gross revenues were down 7.2 % , non about every bit crisp a diminution as many other consumer merchandises in today s economy/ ( Wasef 2009 ) . .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .postImageUrl , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:hover , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:visited , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:active { border:0!important; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:active , .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3 .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4eb6d6bbed6c5e60cb438e9922df9ef3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Disposable diapers EssaySocially H-D has a competitory border which is owed to its client base, strong trade name trueness and demographic tendencies such as the increse in female operators. This trueness is indicated in the mean age of H-D consumers. H-D mean consumer purchasing age is 42 old ages old and increasing ( Gauvin 2005 ) . H-D aspires to increse it consumer demographics, nevertheless aˆÂ ¦although the younger coevals below 35 old ages of age has posted the largest additions in owernship, the coevals that is on the border of the babe boomer section will be the chief accelerator of growing for the industry ( Koncept 2007 ) . One societal factor that may negatively impact the sale of H-D motocycles is the stigma that has been attached to these leisure vehicles. Alot of people believe that bikes are unsafe and this belief is strengthened due to the high rate of bike human deaths and clangs. H-D stands the opportunity of get awaying this stigmatization if the public positions their motorcycles as patrol cars and non velocity motorcycles . Technologically H-D can take advantage of antilock brake systems. Antilock brakes could assist riders avoid fatal crases harmonizing to a survey done by the insurance industry. 1.1.2 Porter s Five Forces Model Competition H-D operates within the Recreational Vehicles industry along with five other major rivals: Winnebago, Polaris, Thor, Arctic Cat and Marine Products. The top performing artists within the industry and keep 92 % of the market portion by volume with a market capitalisation of 64.653 Billion of a entire Industry of 7 Billion.Other houses in different industries that are direct merchandise challengers include Honda Motor Company Limited, Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd. , and Suzuki Motor Corporation ( Appendix 1 ) . The presence of these big transnational corporations with exceptionally high assets boosts the grade of competition within the industry. Because of the little figure of stuff challengers, the market s gross is shared between fewer houses and enhances the grade of competition for bottom line net income. This competition forces most rivals to seek and diversify their concern theoretical accounts through geographical enlargement or perpendicular enlargement, taking to involvements and investings in a assortment of other sections such as the car, watercraft, industrial and agrarian equipment countries. ( Datamonitor 2004 ) . Menace of Substitutes The Recreational Vehicle industry faces menaces from the Automobile Industry, from public transit options and bikes. The menace is mostly dependent on the indispensableness of bikes and other lifestyle merchandises to the terminal user. ( Datamonitor 2008 ) . In most developed states, bikes are leisure points and are non a necessity and are hence mostly dispensable or substitutable by more practical points such as autos or more cost effectual agencies of transit such as bikes. This deficiency of necessity increases the menace of replacements and is one of the major grounds why the external market goes into diminution during economic recession. Buyer Power Overall, purchaser power is low due to sustainable competitory advantage of merchandise distinction which is impossible for other trade name rivals to fit. Supplier Power Large transnational corporations such as Harley-Davidson can have stuffs from many different international providers and face low shift costs due to minimum merchandise distinction. This presence within the international market encouragements Industry leaders power. Overall, supplier power is moderate. Menace of New Entrants Overall, this menace is moderate due to high set up costs, high trade name acknowledgment, client trueness and high research and development costs. 1.2 Resources Strength and Capabilities Organizational Resources H-D has a formal construction that works for the company: decentralized, adept squads and leading circles that value employee input. Programs they use to be after, study and track stock list and production include their Supply Management Strategy system ( SMS ) , Vibration Tech A ; PdM engineering systems, every bit good as their web-based H-D Distribution provider web that provides sellers with a wealth of information about supply and demand within the company. .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .postImageUrl , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:hover , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:visited , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:active { border:0!important; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:active , .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482 .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uddd400e2612670d65f7abeac5e70a482:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Peloponnesian War Strategies EssayPhysical Resources The Harley Triangle provides a footing for tracking and supervising the house s physical resources. Location and Sophistication of direction and the expertness of fabrication forces and other employees is the key in accessing natural stuffs, procurance and upkeep related to fabricating equipment. H-D workss are streamlined and well-maintained, which is a nucleus resource for H-D. Technological Resources H-D has many technological resources: including many different trade name name Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights which protect its repute and image. Human Resources/Capital Trust, Knowledge, Managerial capablenesss, every bit good as organisational civilization are H-D s most valuable human resources. The company civilization, gives H-D a major competitory advantage. Employees and providers know their input is valued and take pride in their work. Peoples involved are passionate about the trade name and this adds unseeable value to the company. Innovation Resources Employee and provider, every bit good as direction s thoughts are immense resources for H-D, as these people know the concern and cognize its possible. Since there are such a assortment of inputs, H-D s capacity to introduce and create/develop new merchandise is non capable to stagnancy or groupthink. However, H-D does seek to remain true to its niche market, and this creates some boundaries for advanced thoughts. Reputational Resources Repute with clients, trade name name, perceptual experiences of merchandise, and repute with providers are all really good to H-D s operations, and maintain clients loyal to the merchandise. Interactions and relationships are stressed at H-D in order to guarantee quality craft and reciprocally good engagement in all phases of production. Capability Intentionally Incorporate Technological Resources H-D ensures that all procedures and activities throughout its value concatenation are integrated utilizing web based SMS systems, barcodes, and studies that enable its JIT stock list flow. This allows production to flux swimmingly. Manufacturing H-D s JIT stock list pull system means that it must hold streamlined fabrication abilities. H-D does this by guaranting quality inputs into its fabrication workss, flow production methods, and well-maintained equipment. H-D fabrication workss are capable of bring forthing many different theoretical accounts and establish their stock list off of client pull demand, cut downing costs around the board every bit good as stock list finished merchandises that sit unsold in warehouses ( of which H-D has really few ) . Distribution JIT stock list direction needs good transit flow logistics. H-D has the capableness to cut down lead times and guarantee pull bringing through its private fleet of trucks and contracts with distribution providers. STRATEGIC OPTIONS The designation of possible waies physiques on an apprehension of H-D strategic place. The version of Ansoff s product/market matrix is used for placing waies for strategic development. Development waies are the strategic options available to H-D in footings of merchandises and market coverage taking into history the strategic capableness of the company and the outlook of stockholders. ( Johnson et al 2005 ) . Figure 6, the version of Ansoff s product/market matrix summarizes the strategic options available to H-D. Figure 6. Strategy Development Directions Beginning: Johnson et Al ( 2005 ) Researching Corporate Scheme H-D can take one or more of the undermentioned options: It can protect and construct on its current place. It can develop new markets for its merchandises. It H-D can besides develop new merchandises in new markets and It diversifies into new markets and develops new merchandises. These options can be pursued through different development methods which are internal development, amalgamations and acquisitions and strategic confederations. The options chosen has to turn to the cardinal issues and challenges faced by the H-D, the company must besides fulfill stakeholders outlooks but most of import H-D must hold the resources and capablenesss to develop the options chosen. In other words the option must be suited, acceptable and executable ( Johnson et al 2005 ) .

A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. The WritePass Journal

A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. Introduction A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. IntroductionHistoryLeadership teamGlobal brandProductsIngredientsEthos and campaigningBenefits of Listing on Stock Exchange Free Cash Flow Valuation AssumptionsValuation Stages Related Introduction Lush is about passion and innovation: passionate about the nature, environment and growth; and innovative for its handmade, unpacked and fresh cosmetics, seductive perfumes, and natural products. Born from the ashes of Cosmetics to Go, Lush is now headquartered in Poole, Dorset in the UK. The company was initially registered with the Companies House by the name of Cosmetic House Limited in 1994 but was later renamed to Lush in the year 1995. It now operates over 600 stores in 43 countries worldwide. The fuel for this growth has been the result of adopting fresh natural ingredients, ideas and fun. The company’s’ ideology is the most important part of everything that it signifies. Lush produces and sells a range of handmade products, like face masks, soaps, bath bombs, bubble bars, hand and body lotions, hair treatments, etc. Lush uses natural resources like fruits, vegetables, essential oils, and synthetic ingredients without any animal fat in all its products. It is also against animal testing and performs tests solely with volunteers instead. This philosophy of its leaders attracts like-minded people, staff and clients, and communicates the brand essence with a clear vision and direction. History The original incarnation of what is now Lush began in the 1970s when Mark Constantine, an herbal trichologist, and Elizabeth Weir, incorporated a company named Constantine Weir. They began with developing recipes for bath and beauty products and toted them round to potential buyers. Their verdict was: â€Å"Too earnest, very authentic, not at all commercial.†Ã‚   Constantine Weir was one of the associate and suppliers to The Body Shop (acquired by LOrà ©al in 2006), a UK -based company founded in 1976 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_RoddickAnita Roddick. As The Body Shop grew, Anita made a bid the rights to many of the products produced by Constantine Weir for The Body Shop. It was good to be associated with the fastest growing cosmetic company in the world which was using products and ideas by CW. This association was hampered after The Body Shop floated in 1984, when the partnership became uncomfortably formal. The Body Shop eventually bought the intellectual property rights to the business of Constantine Weir for  £9m in 1991. CW managed to dodge the buyout by starting a new company named ‘Cosmetics to Go’ in 1988. This company was primarily a mail-order business which failed ignominiously in 1994. However, CTG managed to obtain new finance from Peter Blacker, of British Ensign Estates and his finance director Andrew Gerrie, who now form an integral part of the board of Lush. In 1994, CTG was renamed to Lush as result of a contest wherein they requested their existing customers to suggest a new name. Leadership team Peter Blacker and Andrew Gerrie were the first to help Constantine when CTG was already in agony and later were responsible in establishing Lush. Gerrie, an opulent entrepreneur had tremendous experience in cash and finance, was a great support to Constantine after having lost his confidence following the CTG debacle. Gerrie had a catalysing effect on the growth of Lush’s fortunes and is leading the expansion of the company. Constantine’s expertise in producing cosmetics is well complemented by Andrew’s ability of managing finances. Constantine and Andrew are the recognised leaders of the company. Besides being experts in their respective fields, they are socially intelligent, organisationally efficient and have a strong sense of imagination. The leadership team of Lush includes Elizabeth Bennett,  Helen Ambrosen, Karl Joseph Bygrave and Margaret Joan who are also the shareholders. Global brand Lush is a leading global brand with over 600 stores and subsidiaries in 43 countries worldwide and production laboratories in Europe, Canada, Australia, South America, Singapore and Japan. Their aim is to offer â€Å"the freshest products in the history of cosmetics.† All the stores in UK are fully owned by the company and the stores overseas are subsidiaries with local managers. The Lush store partnership model ensures management coherence and commitment with the company. Personal ownership adds motivation while willingness to invest in Lush means that the Lush concept is endorsed. At the same time Lush remains directly involved and able to steer the branch. Lush does not supply any other retailer so everything they produce is only sold in Lush shops or on-line from Lush websites. Products Lush produces many different types of cosmetic products, from hair, face, body, and foot care, all the way to bath and shower care. Lush creates solid products to reduce packaging waste and the need for preservatives. Solid products are sold wrapped in paper or in small bags. Lush encourages customers and staff to purchase products using their own shopping bags to be more eco-friendly and even motivate customers to let their products go naked (without any packaging whatsoever). Some examples of Lushs solid products include bubble bath bars, shampoo bars, hair conditioner bars, solid shower gel, and massage bars. Lush also carries bath bombs, also called bath ballistics, which are solid balls made of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid that fizz as they dissolve in the bath, releasing essential oils that scent the bath and soften the skin, and in some cases glitter, confetti, flower petals or seaweed. They hand-make the products in a factory in small batches based on orders from indivi dual stores in order to keep their products fresh. In order to stay in touch with their fresh standard, Lush does not sell any product in their store thats older than 4 months and most products have a total shelf life of approximately 14 months. Ingredients Lush lists their product ingredients in English as well as Japanese, French and many other languages, and uses fruit, vegetables, other plant products, and safe synthetics. Many products are labeled with a use-by date and who made the product. All Lush products are vegetarian, and less than 30% contain animal products such as beeswax, honey, free range, unfertilized eggs and lanolin. Lush uses minimal packaging (over 70% of their products contain no packaging at all); the packaging that they do use is 100% recyclable and are made from used plastics and cardboard. Products which contain no animal ingredients at all are marked as vegan in Lush catalogues, on store displays, and on the container itself. Lush uses methyl- and propyl- parabens, which have been used in food preservation and are both made of plant materials. Only the liquid products contain parabens; solid products have no preservative content as it is water that can breed bacteria in products. 70% of Lush products are preservative-free. Ethos and campaigning Lush does not buy from companies that carry out, fund, or commission any animal testing. Lush itself tests its products on human volunteers before they are sold. In keeping with its stated ethos, Lush has also begun to phase out its use of sodium palm kernelate. Sodium palm kernelate is derived from trees in the natural habitat of orguntans. Greenwash, a pine scented soap, is the first soap to be made using palm-free soap noodles, but as of 2008 all Lush soaps are made with palm-free soap base. Their aim is to have 100% of [their] packaging easily recyclable, compostable or biodegradable†.   Lush is a supporter of controversial direct action, animal rights operations including the Sea Shepherds, a group that works to protect whales, seals, and other aquatic animals.   In 2007 Lush started openly supporting campaigning groups by sending a dozen cheques for  £1000 each, including road protests groups such as Road Block and NoM1Widening, Hacan Clear Skies (anti-aviation group), and Dump the Dump (which is fighting against an incinerator) They introduced the Charity Pot body lotion, each pot promotes a different small charity on the lid, and the full purchase price (except for VAT) goes to charity. They have also introduced a range of Go Green products that they say are inspired by Rebecca Lush (no relation), a roads campaigner who set up Road Block in the early 1990s and who pied Jeremy Clarkson for his glorification of the car. Benefits of Listing on Stock Exchange Listing on a stock exchange can add value to a business of any size. Moreover, stock exchange listing cast a wider net into the capitalization pool i.e. the potential sources of equity funding, when a company is planning for expansion and leveraging. A listing will also to attach importance to Employee Share Ownership Scheme of Lush. By obtaining a listing on a stock exchange, Lush will gain market exposure to a broader membership of the financial community including market makers, traders, retail investors and various financial institutions. This will eventually benefit Lush it’s a growing business and worth investing. Thus, listing will potentially increase capital investments of Lush, as opposed to private negotiations and networking, providing a better exposure to a larger financial market and wider range of investors.Being listed on an exchange implies that Lush meet the requirements and standards set by the exchange. This will add credibility to its business and therefore enhance its brand equity by improve customer’s perception of value in the company and its products. Moreover, listing will enhance financial information and investor public relations through the information/disclosures made available as required by listed companies. Listing will facilitate Lush to ascertain its Enterprise Value and share price. A need for capital investment is one of the main factors for Lush to lists on a stock exchange. Lush is a product based company and requires capital for producing inventories. Given the fact that they use on natural ingredients, their products are slightly expensive since they have to import or cultivate their ingredients regularly. Stock market listing will provide wider and more accessible forms of investment for both investors and businesses. This will largely support a free market for buyers and sellers to meet, access and trade capital for ownership and vice versa. It could also be used as one of several sources of capital leveraging. Lush finances its production through debt. Their debt gearing is a striking 40.63% which is very high for a product manufacturing company. Also their interest cover of 13.84% is also high. Listing on the exchange will provide a low cost of capital financing. It will also provide increased capitalization through wider market exposure and reduce the reliance on alternative sources of funding such as venture capital firms. This lower reliance for alternative sources of financing will improve negotiating leverage of the company when obtaining financing from venture capital firms whether it be through less liability protection as determined by the stock ownership terms or lower cost of capital. In other words, if the market exposure gained through listing is positive, the effects on financing can also be positive. To summarize, listing a business on a stock exchange may be a good idea for a business seeking improved market awareness, greater potential for capital investment, enhancements to brand equity and negotiating influence etc. Listing on an exchange should probably be in line with or in accordance with business strategy, otherwise the listing may be premature or unnecessary. Free Cash Flow Valuation The discounted-cash-flow approach attempts to determine the value of the company (or â€Å"enterprise value†) by computing the present value of cash flows over the life of the company. Since a corporation is assumed to have infinite life, the analysis here is broken into a forecast period and a terminal value. Ideally, the forecast period should equate with the interval over which the firm enjoys opportunities for relatively high growth. The value of the company derived from free cash flows occurring after the forecast period is captured by a terminal value. To estimate the terminal value, cash flows are projected under a steady state assumption that the firm enjoys no opportunities for abnormal growth. Once a schedule of free cash flows is developed for the enterprise, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is used to discount them to determine the present value. The sum of the present values of the forecast period and the terminal value cash flows provides an estimate o f company or enterprise value. Free cash flow equals the sum of NOPAT (net operating profits after taxes.), plus depreciation and noncash charges, less capital investment and less investment in working capital. NOPAT is used to capture the earnings after taxes that are available to all providers of capital (i.e., NOPAT has no deductions for financing costs). Moreover, since the tax deductibility of interest payments is accounted for in the WACC, such financing tax effects are also excluded from the free cash flow, which can be expressed as: FCF=NOPAT + Depreciation – CAPEX – ΔNWC NOPAT is equal to Operating Income x (1-Tc) where Tc is the marginal tax rate (30% equal to the UK corporate tax rate). Assumptions All items were taken from financial statements of Lush. The growth figures of sales for the year 2010 has been taken to be 30% which is the average sales growth form the year 2005-2009. After obtaining listing the company is supposed to have enough funds for operation and will not require any debt financing. Hence, the growth rate is likely to growth at an average 5% for the 1st five years from its listing. This phenomenon was also observed in the case of body shop where its growth shot up rapidly (22.54% in 1984 to an avg growth rate of 37.19% in 1989)over the 1st five years from its listing on the stock exchange. The risk free rate is taken to be 4% as an average risk free rate of debt. Also the risk premium has been assumed to be 4%. The cost of debt assumed is 11.5% because Lush does a lot of short term borrowing and rates are high and generally fluctuate. Also their gearing has been really high and implies that they pay a very high rate of interest. The stock beta has been obtained from The Body Shop (now L’Oreal). The Body Shop has been used as a comparable company since its origination, method of operations and business is very similar to Lush. Some of the items have been expressed as a percentage of Sales to help us in our forecasts (% of Sales approach). The given growth rates of L’Oreal have been used to compute Sales for 2010-SS.2 COGS and SGA can be approximated on the basis of their past relationship with Sales. We have assumed that this relationship will be the same in the future. We have assumed that fixed assets will continue to grow at a rate of 40.75% which represents the average growth in fixed assets between 2005-2009. In reality, it is unlikely that Lush assets will be growing at such high rate forever. The historical depreciation/Fixed Assets ratio (average) is 23.4%. Given that there is no great variation in this historical ratio one can safely assume that the relationship between the two will be maintained in the future. We can then calculate an estimate for fixed assets and as a result depreciation itself as a function of fixed assets. Valuation Stages We assume that the valuation exercise is performed at the end of 2009, i.e. that the first FCF (end 2009) arrives 1 year from the time of the valuation. Terminal Value is then calculated as follows: Terminal Value = FCFSteady State à · (WACC − gss)4 This is the value of all cash flows after 2014 as of the end of 2014 that then needs to be converted to value today (i.e. end of 2009). So it needs to be discounted 5 periods back. PV Terminal Value = Terminal Value / (1+WACC) Then the PV of the FCFs from 2010 to 2014 is: PVFCF2010-2014 = FCF2010/(1+WACC)+ FCF2011/(1+WACC)^2 + FCF2012/(1+WACC)^3 + FCF2013/(1+WACC)^4+ FCF2014/(1+WACC)^5 The Enterprise Value is then given by PV Terminal Value + PVFCF2010-2014 This is the value of the firm to all providers of capital. To get the equity value one needs to subtract the value of total debt (ST Debt + LT Debt) The terminal value growth rate used in the valuation is 15%, which equals the long-term risk-free rate; i.e., the long-term Treasury yield. Cosmetics companies are non-cyclical companies and have very little impact of inflation on their growth. Also Lush is one of its kind, and is therefore expected to growth at 15%. Looking at the its previous growth figures (18.94% CAGR for the past 15 years), 15% is a justified steady state growth rate. The resulting Enterprise Value is 81.02mil and the value of Equity 47.59mil. The corresponding per share figure is 2.13 pence which can then be compared to future actual share prices. References chx.com/content/Trading_Inform ation/Listing_standards.html ht tp://www.nasdaq.com/about/list ing_information.stm cftech.com/BrainBank/FINANCE/U SStockExchs.html http://en.wiki pedia.org/wiki/Stock_exchange http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=OR.PA reuters.com/finance/stocks/financialHighlights?symbol=OREP.PA 1. â€Å"Soap Stars†, The Business FT Weekend Magazine, 08.06.02 2. www.lush.co.uk 3. From a Lush shopping bag and website (www.lush.co.uk) 4. Lush mission statement 5. Marketing: Lush Gets a Makeover, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus Graduate School of Business, available on-line at www.brianlhill.com/projects/ExperienceMarketing_Lush.pdf 6. Reported by Sarah McCartney, Editor of Lush Times 9 Mary Linehan, Lush Press Office 10. â€Å"Living the Lush life† by Marge C. Enriquez, Lifestyle, 10.12.01

Self-Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Assessment - Essay Example Understanding people and their culture help people to appreciate the culture. The book provides the history of the Latin Americans, their landscapes, migration and cities, and the current condition of that region (Sanabria 12). The information provided by the book is essential to compare Latin America’s past and current life. As a student, the book will help me know the successes and challenges the Latin Americans encountered, and how to face the future. The history of America is very long. What America is now is very different from the America of a century ago. The modern America is very developed. The book paints a picture of Latin America from the past to the modern picture. The book helps to trace the history of the Latin Americans, the development it has made, and the expectation of the future. The information provided opens people’s eyes concerning Latin Americans. The book offers some good lessons on what countries or individuals ought to do in order to face their challenges. As an individual, I learn that challenges exist in order to be conquered by people and countries. When an individual or country has planned well, when a country has a clear vision, it is a matter of time before the realization of the goals and objectives. The Latin America has developed since it values its culture and appreciates good leadership. Great leadership is a necessary ingredient if a country is to spur development (Sanabria 120). The people must be ready to work hard in order to ensure that the country grows in terms of social, economic and political facets. The Europeans played an important role in the process of civilization of the Latin Americans. The Latin Americans borrowed some cultures from the Europeans, and so did the Europeans. It might explain why Latin Americans have a good relationship with the Europeans. The book describes the impact of globalization in Latin America. Latin America has obtained many benefits from

Finance and Growth Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Finance and Growth Strategies - Assignment Example The internal rate of return is the cost of capital that will equate the present value of future cash flows to zero. In other words, it is the required rate of return which will yield a zero NPV. Thus, equation 1 can be modified such that NPV is replaced by 0. NPV calculations can be done manually but the process is tedious as it requires calculating the NPV by using different values of cost of capital. Another is the use of software like Microsoft Excel to generate a more accurate figure. The decision about whether the project should be accepted or not will be based on the results of the financial and strategic analyses using techniques like NPV and IRR. In using NPV as a tool, the general rule is to accept projects or investments which generates a positive NPV while rejecting those which yields negative NPV. The result of the NPV has a direct implication on the value of IRR relative to the required rate of return. Accordingly, a project is pursued if the IRR is equal to or higher than the required rate of return. In contrast, a project with a lower IRR than the cost of capital is turned down. It should be noted that a positive NPV is indicative of an IRR which is higher than the required rate of return. Â  Accordingly, a project is pursued if the IRR is equal to or higher than the required rate of return. In contrast, a project with a lower IRR than the cost of capital is turned down. It should be noted that a positive NPV is indicative of an IRR which is higher than the required rate of return. The project considered by Fujisawa, which is the expansion of its product line should be accepted based on the quantitative analyses using NPV and IRR techniques. The investment yields a relatively high NPV of 9,235,200. The IRR of 33.996% is very high compared to the required rate of return of 9%. Thus, Fujisawa will reap higher benefits than its capital outlay in the proposed project. However, it should also be noted that quantitative analyses are often not enough in ascertaining whether an investment should be pursued or not. Though expansion of the product is quantitatively profitable, qualitative factors like consumer demand and others should also be taken into account. Â  

An Electronic Medical Record

An Electronic Medical Record An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a digital record of a patients medical history and test results. A record which is kept digitally allows for ease of transfer between physicians and readability, not relying on the old system of papers which need to be physically transferred, or at best, faxed between offices. EMR systems have existed for a number of years already, yet many hospitals and physicians still rely on paper records. However, a complete EMR system is complex, facilitating transfer of information between connected systems whether or not they are part of the same organization rather than being simply a flat file on a desktop with data entered. Many employees and physicians resist change and privacy issues are often at the forefront of concerns dealing with electronic media. This paper discusses the impacts of implementing and operating an EMR and some of the difficulties which may arise that health care providers cite as reasons not to go digital. Introduction The world of medical technology today abounds with news of breakthroughs and innovation using the latest science and techniques. Technology allows us to perform operations and treat patients in ways not thought possible just 20 years ago. The field of medical information systems however is lagging far behind the rest, with many medical records and communications between physicians still accomplished via paper. Why is there such a disparity between the procedures of performing medicine on patients and the way the records of the procedures on those same patients are kept? In this world of international travel where one can travel halfway around the globe in less than a day, should the medical records of the traveler not be able to arrive digitally if he or she needs it while out of the country? Implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) across the country and interconnecting them with the rest of the world, unfortunately, is a long and intensive process. Converting over to an EMR may adversely affect daily operations and increase risk if the proper steps are not taken. The cost may be prohibitive, costing up to $7 million for a 200 bed hospital. However, long term benefits outweigh the investment. Estimates show that implementation of an EMR system could save hospitals from $142 to $371 billion a year, increase the efficiency and reduce errors (Venkatraman, Bala, Venkatesh Bates, 2008, p.141). The planning and execution of the plan requires the support of both the management and the doctors and nurses who will be using the system on a daily basis. Accessibility For a system to be considered useful, the various components and interfaces must be accessible. In a study by Ilie, Slyke, Parikh and Courtney (2009), individuals often select the method of information entry and retrieval which is most accessible. The basis for these actions can be described using the least-effort model (p.218). Essentially whichever method is easier or more familiar is the method preferred. Hospitals and doctors offices have, for years, used a paper records system. The advantages of paper charts are that the charts are placed near each patient and allow for free form notation. Converting over to an EMR system requires training and convenient placement of terminals for physician and nurses. The most convenient may be placing a terminal in each office and station, in or just outside each patient location, or allowing portable units for information entry and retrieval; but implementation of this may not be within the budget or timetable. In instances where accessibilit y of terminals were not convenient, it was found that physicians and nurses fell back to documenting on paper charts and then later on reentering the data online (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.342). To reduce the tendency of users falling back on paper, strategic planning is required in choosing a system which is user-friendly and in placement of units for retrieval and entry of data. Accessibility also means the ability to retrieve needed information about a patient from locations where he or she does not have a previous record. In a world where EMR systems (which can interface with each other) are the norm, travelers would not have to worry that something may be overlooked simply because previous medical records were not available. In addition, cases where medical records were wiped out due to disasters and backups were not available, treatment of patients can become very difficult. After Hurricane Katrina, many physicians did not have medical records for patients needing emergency treatment; often the patients were themselves in no condition to answer questions or simply did not know enough to give meaningful answers (Brooks Grotz, 2010, p.73). Even when a hospital or doctors office installs an EMR system, thought should be given to how portable the data is. Due to the many different vendors available, EMR systems may or may not be able to transfer data effect ively. If a patient moves and requires treatment in another location, an incompatible EMR interface may require that the records be printed out and manually transferred to the new location, effectively negating one of the primary benefits of storing the information electronically. Benefits There are many benefits to implementing an EMR system, both tangible and intangible. One benefit, as mentioned above, could be the ability to share the information between different locations easily. Another benefit which is important to management but often takes time to realize is monetary, in the form of savings from increased efficiency and reduced errors. Increased efficiency also may translate to increased patient satisfaction, leading to increased business and reputation. Most people think of reducing the amount of paper used when a system migrates to going digital, but paper is a comparatively cheap medium though it takes up a large amount of space. On the other hand, take the case of the radiology department. The film used has to be specially prepared prior to use and it requires special equipment both to take the image and to process for viewing. Moving from hardcopy radiological images to one produced and stored digitally reduces both costs and facilitates transfer of images (Ayal Seidmann, 2009, p.45, 47). In the case study of the rural hospital, a number of systems were implemented to try and improve efficiency. The vision was to create an integrated IT system with an electronic medical record (EMR) and computerized physician order entry (CPOE). (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.338). Combining these two would make it possible for the patient to receive tests and treatments by the hospital, then the prescription would be relayed to the pharmacy electronically. The nurse would be able to scan the wristband of the patient and the labels on the prescriptions to verify the correct medicine goes to the correct person. A part of the system which had been implemented in the first month was a bar-coding system for supplies resulting in a decrease of patient care units running out of supplies due to improved inventory control (Spetz Keane, 2009, pp.338-340). The reduction of errors is also a key concern and the use of electronic records and a central database reduces the chances of duplication and mid-identification. As cited by Venkatraman, Bala, Venkatesh and Bates (2008) in their introduction to their paper, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1999 shocked the nation by reporting that as much as 98000 people die in hospitals every year due to medical errors. These errors are also said to cost hospitals as much as $29 billion every year. Many costly mistakes might have been prevented if physicians had better information available or were not mislead by incorrect information, for example getting the wrong charts for the wrong person. In the process of proposing an EMR solution, the most common way is show benefits using monetary values and time/productivity savings. However, there are intangible benefits which are not so easily identified or measured. A desirable factor sometimes overlooked is increase in satisfaction, both for the customers and for the physicians (Ayal Seidmann, 2009, p.49). The ability to process results quickly affects the views the public has of the hospital or office and faster processing allows physicians to accomplish more. One of the most frustrating parts of health care is the wait necessary: patients waiting to be seen or waiting for doctors to diagnose the tests, doctors and nurses waiting for tests to be run or film to be developed. A byproduct of increasing the efficiency of processes is reduced frustration and improved satisfaction. After all, a patient at a hospital with an unknown problem should not have to wonder what is taking so long in addition to whats wrong with me? Implementation Once the decision has been made to acquire an EMR system, the next step is to decide which to use. Many medical technology and software companies are offering EMRs with many different specifications. Would a complete integrated system be better than a modular system? Are there partners requiring the ability to interface with the system? What is the degree of technological sophistication of the users? These questions and many other need to be addressed in deciding what type of EMR system would be the best fit. One key note in the implementation of a EMR system is that there is always a learning curve involved. Expect productivity to fall upon initial deployment with an increase in productivity once users are familiar with the system. A temporary decline of as much as 50% could be expected initially with productivity ramping back up to pre-implementation levels by six weeks, although some organizations required at least a year (Brooks Grotz, 2010, p.81). Often this period of decreased efficiency is what many users complain about: they cannot document as fast as they used to, they have to stop often to respond to system alerts, equipment is not working (possibly due to incorrect settings or improper use). Training for users of the system is thus an important part of the implementation plan. Enough time must be set aside for learning the system and support must be available if needed. Privacy Where terminals were placed is often important to the privacy of patients. In a case where an EMR system was implemented in a rural hospital, nurses and their managers had given input on locations for installation of computers and scanning cabinets. Once the nurses started using the system, however, issues of privacy came up. Some of the rooms were multi-bed and with only one computer, the nurse sometimes had to talk across one patient to get information from another (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.341). Obviously another method needed to be implemented to prevent violation of patient confidentiality; however such changes are not easily accomplished, especially if the system is already in place. Developing a policy for accessing the system is also paramount to protection of patient privacy in addition to business and financial records. There are several types of access levels available to a system as potentially complex as an EMR. The most obvious are access to medical and financial information. Also included are access to configure the hardware and software, especially the granting of permissions for other users to access various parts of the system. Imagine for example, the nurse who may need to collect financial or insurance information and enter it such that the billing department can access it. What if this same privilege inadvertently gave access to hospital financial records also? Also if an extranet is setup to interface with insurance companies for billing, how much access should they have? If policies are not set up correctly, insurance companies may be able to access records on patients under other insurance companys policies (Wilcox Brown, 2005, p.47). Past employees also need to have access to the system terminated and a policy should be in effect as to what a reasonable timeframe for access termination. Wilcox and Brown (2005) suggested that normal terminations, such as retirement, resignation and employee transfer, should be within one day and urgent terminations, such as a status change of an employee under hostile circumstances such as a firing, suspension, or other disciplinary action or any time there is reasonable cause to suspect that a user may try to harm or misuse data or system resources, should happen within an hour. Medical identity theft is now becoming more of a concern due to the abilities of hackers to access electronic systems. Just as someone could park outside a store and wirelessly tap into the credit card authorization process, someone could attempt to intercept communications between hospitals or even between departments within a hospital. Kieke cites a study by the Federal Trade Commission that states that medical identity theft accounts for 3 percent of identity theft crimes (Kieke, 2009). The theft may be used to fraudulently obtain health care services, file false claims, or attempt to secure drugs (Kieke, 2009, pp51-52). Once the identity has been compromised, it may be sold and resold multiple times, costing the patient time and money to clear the claims and establish their own identity again. Conclusion In many ways, implementation of an EMR system will be beneficial to hospitals and doctors offices. The degree of implementation is dependent on the requirements of the particular establishment. Specialized hospitals and many doctors offices do not require the whole gamut of software to run, often a subset or certain key modules would suffice. However, the ability to organize and display medical data in a meaningful way which follows some type of standardization and the ability to transfer records to other locations in times of need should be a requirement of any EMR implementation. Along with the technology needed comes a need to look at the human requirements behind using the system. The users, doctors and nurses in particular, are important to the overall success of any implantation. Not addressing issues which arise from this set of users may render the whole implementation moot.