Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science

Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science By Maeve Maddox What is so hard about knowing when to use I and when to use me? Why cant professional reporters and TV script writers get it straight? Florida fifth-grader Damon Weaver understands the subject form of the first person personal pronoun. In case youve missed him on YouTube, Damon Weaver is newly-famous for interviewing Senator Joe Biden and for being pushed away by Secret Service agents when trying to question Senator John McCain. A recent Google search for Damon Weaver racked up 1,740,000 hits. Before Weaver interviewed Biden, he interviewed a local TV reporter. The reporter used me where he should have used I. Later on, Weaver demonstrated his own grasp of the grammatical concept by using I correctly. Last night, veging out in front of the TV, I was treated to three examples of incorrect pronoun use in a row. Two occurred in The Mentalist: She and him were sneaking around behind my back. At least we know it wasnt her that killed Cara. Then, barely a minute into Without A Trace, came this one: Me and my mom used to go there. Come on, writers! If a ten-year-old can get it straight, whats your excuse? Fifth-Grader Has Better Grammar than News Reporter (Link no longer active) Grammar 101: Pronouns TVs War on Me and I Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases"Owing to" vs "Due to"

The Definition of Natural Experiment in Economics

The Definition of Natural Experiment in Economics A  natural experiment  is an empirical or observational study in which the control and experimental variables of interest are not artificially manipulated by researchers but instead are allowed to be influenced by nature or factors outside of the researchers control. Unlike traditional randomized experiments, natural experiments are not controlled by researchers  but rather observed and analyzed. Natural Experiments Versus Observational Studies So if natural experiments are not controlled but rather observed by researchers, what is there to distinguish them from purely observational studies? The answer is that natural experiments still follow the primary principles of experimental study. Natural experiments are most effective when they mimic as closely as possible the existence of test and control groups of controlled experiments, which is to say that there is a clearly defined exposure to some condition in a clearly defined population and the absence of that exposure in another similar population for comparison. When such groups are present, the processes behind natural experiments are said to resemble randomization even when researchers do not interfere. Under these conditions, observed outcomes of natural experiments can feasibly be credited to the exposure meaning that there is some cause for belief in a causal relationship as opposed to simple correlation. It is this characteristic of natural experiments - the effective comparison that makes a case for the existence of a causal relationship - that distinguishes natural experiments from purely non-experimental observational studies. But that is not to say that natural experiments arent without their critics and validation difficulties. In practice, the circumstances surrounding a natural experiment are often complex and their observations will never unequivocally prove causation. Instead, they provide an important inferential method through which researchers can gather information about a research question upon which data might otherwise not be available. Natural Experiments in Economics In the social sciences, particularly economics, the expensive nature and limitations of traditionally controlled experiments involving human subjects has long been recognized as a limitation for the development and progress of the field. As such, natural experiments provide a rare testing ground for economists and their colleagues. Natural experiments are used when such controlled experimentation would be too difficult, expensive, or unethical as is the case with many human experiments. Opportunities for natural experimentation are of the utmost importance to subjects like epidemiology or the study of health and disease conditions in defined populations in which experimental study would problematic, to say the least. But natural experiments are also used by researchers in the field of economics to study otherwise difficult to test subjects and are often possible when there is some change in law, policy, or practice in a defined space like a nation, jurisdiction, or even social group. Some examples of economics research questions that have been studied through natural experimentation include: The return on investment of higher education in American adultsThe effect of military service on lifetime earning  The effect of public smoking bans on hospital admissions Journal Articles on Natural Experiment: The Economic Consequences of Unwed Motherhood: Using Twin Births as a Natural ExperimentNatural and Quasi-Experiments in EconomicsA Natural Experiment in Jeopardy!

Business research proposal on engaging business and people Paper

Business proposal on engaging business and people - Research Paper Example Customer Satisfaction 11 – 12 V. Hypotheses 12 – 12 VI. Analysis of the Variable 12 – 12 VII. Research Methodology 14 – 14 A. Population/Sample Size/Data Collection 14 – 14 1. Population 14 – 14 2. Sample Size/Participants 14 – 15 3. Data Collection Method 15 – 15 4. Data Analysis 15 – 15 VIII. Limitations of the Study 15 – 16 IX. Resources 16 – 16 Proposal for a Research Paper on Etisalat, UAE I. Synopsis of the Company: Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) is the leading telecommunications corporation in the Middle East, with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and also the â€Å"largest operator the Middle East and Africa regions† (Company Profile par.2). The company caters to consumers, telecommunication companies, internet service providers, content providers as well as mobile operators and boasts of a market value of over â€Å"AED 80 billion (US$ 20 billion)† and their annua l revenues account for â€Å"AED 30 billion (US$ 8 billion)† (par.2). The company is involved in operations in 18 countries spread across Asian, African and Middle East regions with a coverage of over â€Å"140 million subscribers† (par.3). The company has received several accolades at national as well as international levels in recognition of their excellent customer service and support. Etisalat aligns innovative technology in their products and services to derive maximum customer service satisfaction and always strives to provide their consumers as well as the other stakeholders with updated technological support. The company, keeping its promise to customers has launched nano-SIM cards in the UAE market to support iPhone-5 compatibility, with a plan for offering â€Å"new equipment to customers allowing them to choose from a wide range† (Etisalat Launches the nano-SIM cards in UAE markets Starting 1st October 2012 par.3). Thus Etisalat has a proper appreciat ion of the customers’ needs and wants and provide them with up to date technology and multiple to choose from tailor made options that fit the needs of each segment. Overall, the company has been successful in understanding the customers’ needs and promptly responding to them in terms of innovative products that match their requirements and facilitating prompt after sales services. Thus, the company has sustained its track record of apt customer support and thereby ensured their full satisfaction. The company’s Annual Report for the year ending 31-12-2010 indicates that they have had to confront several challenges due to the radical shifts in the global business scenario but it appears that Etisalat has taken the situation in good stride and the changes â€Å"prepared (them) to operate in a new environment under diverse circumstances† rather than create blockades in their path to progress (Engaging Business People 3). Thus, it transpires that through effe ctive corporate management strategies, the company has acquired the required level of performance efficiency that enables them to not only sustain but also surpass competition. II. Research Proposal Purpose of the Study: Founded during 1976, Etisalat has pursued a distinct strategy of focusing on long term objectives as can be evidenced from their establishing the Etisalat University College in 1989 to â€Å"create a talent pool of engineers to drive its future growth† (History – Milestones). The intervening span of time from 1991-1999 has seen the company tapping the full potential of emerging technologies such as wireless

England and Its Colonies in The Moonstone (by Wilkie Collins) Term Paper

England and Its Colonies in The Moonstone (by Wilkie Collins) - Term Paper Example Eliot’s comment: â€Å"The first and greatest of English detective novels... a genre invented by Collins and not by Poe† (310). Rarely has the novel been thematically known exposing British colonial relations with India. John Reed first paid attention to this in his 1973 seminal essay, â€Å"English Imperialism and the Unacknowledged Crime of The Moonstone,† where he argued that, what the novel probes is, actually, not the personal but the national guilt, neither is the individual but national values. Meaning, the novel does not simply uncover a personal crime, but rather the social crime of imperial British against its subjected race, India. (qtd. in Sabin 89) On the contrary, Ashish Roy sees the novel essentially defending British imperialism by showing that good Victorians, like Lady Verinder, never condone such violent abuses. (qtd. in Sabin 89) Nayder somewhat supports Roy’s contrary view, saying that, though The Moonstone evidently proves that Victor ian detective fiction investigates socio-political issues from imperialism to class and gender relations, its investigation usually ends up blurring the guilt or crime of British imperialists, while putting the colonised race into negative light (184). For example, Blake, Murthwaite, Bruff and Sgt. Cuff, though, had wrongly accused the Brahmans of stealing the moonstone; nevertheless, the Brahmans had been portrayed ruthless killers in the novel. Likewise, Trollope suggests that The Moonstone’s diamond mystery actually shrouded rather than exposed Britain’s real interest in India which is not simply India’s wealth but its land (qtd. in Daly 66). Britain wants to possess India for its territorial expansion, and not to simply loot its wealth. Whether, for or against, the theme of British imperialism is evident in the novel’s texts. Moreover, Spivak noted that, it would be impossible reading the 19th century British literature without taking into account Bri tish imperialism, which England made its noble mission to society, because that was the very social context with which authors create their imagination (qtd. in Jolly 381). Thus, understanding Collins’s work from this perspective would not be irrelevant. As Nayder explains, authors of Victorian detective fiction thematically make use of crime and policing to subtly examine broader social issues (178). Looking through The Moonstone’s plot, theme, symbolisms, characterisation, and literary technique, the novel evidently fits this description. The novel is not simply a detective or a romance-detective fiction; imbedded in its intricate plots of crime investigation is the exposition of British imperialism, mainly demonstrated in a master/superior (English) – subject/inferior (Indian) relationship. A. The Novel 1. Backgrounder The Moonstone, which Collins had started by mid-1867 in his mid-forties, was his fourth but also his last best novel. After this, his succeedi ng works were considered either mediocre or failure; such was attributed to his deteriorating health condition at that time. (Page 20) Significantly so, he wrote The Moonstone at the most pressing time of his life: His most beloved mother got sick and died while he was painfully suffering from his worst attack of rheumatic gout, disenabling him to attend his mother’s funeral. But against all these, he had to keep writing; much has yet to be written for the magazines, All the Year Round (England) and Harper’s Weekly (USA), which had started serialising The Moonstone, not to mention his

Ethics, values, and social responsibility Essay Example for Free

Ethics, values, and social responsibility Essay In the finance field there are a number of ethical issues although many issues in this field are governed by law. Ethical issues in finance include individual conduct, financial institution operations and financial markets operations. In this field people are trained to perform different duties and thus finance ethics is diversified. However, the top five issues in this field include honesty and fairness, fraud, conflicts of interest, discrimination and information technology. Honesty and fairness in this field has raised much dispute. Because of the intense competition in the world, many people view the conditions in a business to be similar to those in a game of sport or war and thus anything is considered to be fair. On the other hand there are those who argue that not everything is considered to be honest and fair. This has therefore led to ethical issues in this field regarding what is honest and fair and what is not. Conflicts of interest is mainly observed in situations where an individual is placed in a position of making a decision on whether to pursue personal interests or the interests of other individuals or business. Similar, it can involve an organization making a choice on whether to pursue own interests or the interest of the society. The issue concerning fraud primarily entails the disclosure of valuable information which is vitally important for security. It also involves misrepresentation of material evidence intentionally. There are several types of fraud and this may include; accounting, marketing and consumer fraud. Discrimination is an ethical issue which can involve an individual or a business. Some individuals or businesses abuse others by enticing them and exploiting them. In addition to that it may include issues regarding race, gender among others. To add to that there are some cases which involve price discrimination. In information technology, the issue entails the privacy and confidentiality of information on matters concerning the employees and consumers. Privacy and confidentiality is essential in this field however there may be some cases where it is not ensured. This has therefore led to ethical issues concerning what is privacy. In addition to that there are ethical issues which involve protection of intellectual property. Ranking The top five issues can be arranged in descending order as honest and fairness, conflict of interest, fraud, discrimination and information technology (College of Micronesia, n. d. ). Honesty and fairness are major issues since they affect all levels of an organization, and are much experienced by society. Furthermore, controlling this issue other issues will be taken care of. For instance, an organization which is honest and fair, issues concerning fraud, discrimination, conflict of interest and information technology are minimal. Analysis Honesty and fairness In the financial market fairness is taken to mean a level playing field for everyone. However, in most cases the playing field is unleveled and this can be attributed to issues concerning inequalities in the bargaining power, possession of information, resources available, among others. Inequalities in the bargaining power and resources are considered to be ethical only when used coercively and violate rights and obligations (Frederick, 2002). This implies that individuals or organization are only allowed to use their advantages in ways that are considered fair to others. Additionally, individuals can use their resources to acquire information which they are entitled to exploit to their advantage. This has made access to information an issue of investment thereby leading to inaccessibility to critical information by some individuals. To acquire information individual must invest adequate resources. Ethical issues arise over accessibility of information, how the information should be distributed to ensure equality. Fraud In sales concerning financial products like insurance policies, loans, mutual funds among others, application of ethical standards is a requirement. Hence businesses are given the mandate to ensure adequate material information is available. There are regulatory agencies which monitor prospectus for mutual funds, however, personal sales and advertisements can contain false or misleading information (Frederick, 2002). Additionally, this is an issue which has been observed in the stock market and in many businesses. Some individuals conceal valuable information to lure more customers to their businesses. For instance, in the stock market assets of a particular organization may be inflated or some of its liabilities may be concealed. This issue has led to large losses in many investment companies and to individuals (Frederick, 2002). Since assessing the risk and suitability for an investment has been made difficult with inadequate material information. Conflict of interest This is issue which is primarily observed in agents, fiduciaries and financial managers, in which the personal interest interferes with the interests of the organization or society. Agents and fiduciaries are given the mandate to act on behalf of others in exercising judgment, however, in cases where they stand to gain personally their judgments may be compromised. Additionally, financial managers are given the mandate to manage assets prudently and thus avoid using them for personal gains however, in some cases conflict of interest might occur. For instance, management buyouts whereby a group of managers take a public organization to be private are an ethical issue. This issue occurs mainly since the actions to be performed by an individual are not fully specified before the transaction and thus an individual is given a wide range of options. In addition to that they are not closely monitored and evaluated. This has led to huge losses being incurred by individuals and companies. For instance, some banks have collapse and this was attributed to rogue traders (Frederick, 2002). Discrimination This issue observed mainly in financial products and it involves abusive practices of selling such as flipping and twisting. In flipping one loan is replaced by another for generation of additional fees. While in twisting, insurance agents persuade their clients to replace the existing policy in order to get commission (Frederick, 2002). Some financial institution abuse poor individuals by offering them loans of high interest and by adding little values to lure them. Furthermore, in some institutions there are cases of discrimination in employment on matters concerning race and gender. Information technology Maintaining privacy and confidentiality of information in many business has been difficult because of the cost of technology. As technology advances it becomes more expensive to ensure privacy of employees and clients information. Furthermore, with the increase in number of people of accessing the internet maintaining privacy and confidentiality has become difficult. This has therefore led to loss of confident by the public since they cannot trust some organizations to protect their personal information. Solutions and recommendations The issue of conflict of interests can be addressed by closely monitoring individuals and by changing the structure of the relationship. For instance, the commissions can be focused mainly on performance of the clients portfolios and not on the volumes of sales. Additionally, professionalism, trust and codes of ethics should be strongly emphasized in relationships in order to guarantee the confidence from the society. Fraud and discrimination issues can be solved in courts. There are laws which were put in place in place to protect people against abuse or discrimination. For instance, the Employment Act protects employees against discrimination and harassment. Furthermore, the pre-dispute arbitration agreement should be amended or individuals should avoid it. This agreement may have several advantages but denies adequate protection to investors. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality of clients and employees information require much funding. It is essential for organizations to invest more funds in acquiring knowledge and skills concerning privacy and confidentiality in the information technology. By ensuring privacy and confidentiality, public confidence will be build. Social responsibility is essential for ensuring ethical standards are maintained in the society. When making decisions, people should consider their effects to the society and to themselves. This will ensure that ethical issues are maintained. Additionally, since businesses cannot be trusted to maintain ethical standards, some laws have been passed to ensure social responsibility. For instance there are laws concerning consumer safety and environment protection. This is a step forward in ensuring ethical standards. Furthermore, there are some financial institutions which have developed and implemented strict policies that ensure ethical standards are adhered. For instance there are policies concerning privacy and confidentiality of employees’ and customers’ information. In conclusion, maintenance of ethical standards should not be the responsibility of an individual or an organization but should involve the whole society. By maintaining ethical standards the society and organizations will be protected from any harm and at the same time eliminate conflict. Even though ethical standards vary from one society to another, they should be understood and maintained adequately. Reference list College of Micronesia, (n. d. ). Code of Ethics. Retrieved June 18, 2009 from http://www. comfsm. fm/~dleeling/alo/personnel/code_of_ethics. html Frederick R. (2002). A companion to business ethics. Edition: 1. New York: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 154-59.

Fuel Cell Technology :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Fuel Cell Technology Fuel Cells are a hot topic these days between the soon to come fuel cell cars that Toyota and Honda plan on unveiling this year and the $1.2 billion president Bush announced he would dedicate to fuel cell research during his State of the Union address. The least efficient of these electrochemical energy converters are at least as efficient as internal combustion engines and many are doubly as efficient when using special techniques. Exhaust from fuel cells is extremely clean, often consisting only of water. Although some use hydrocarbons, fuel cells give off around one one-hundredth of the pollutants given off by an internal combustion engine using the same amount of fuel (Fuel Cell Technology Handbook). Unfortunately some engineering and infrastructure problems, especially costs, are keeping fuel cells from commercial viability right now. A Brief History of Fuel Cell Technology The ideas behind fuel cells have existed for around one hundred and sixty years. Sir William Grove is cited as the first person to think that one could produce a current by reversing the electrolysis of water (SAE.org). However, it was until fifty years later that the term ‘fuel cell’ was coined by two researchers, Charles Langer and Ludwig Mond, trying to invent the first viable fuel cell fueled by coal gas (SAE.org). The technology lay dormant for most of the early twentieth century because of great advances in the use of internal combustion engines. It wasn’t until 1959 that practical fuel cells were first demonstrated. NASA quickly took interest in the technology for the Apollo missions and since there has been a renaissance in research and development of fuel cells. Currently, there are on the order of hundreds of fuel cell generators in operation world wide, cities such as L.A., Chicago, and New York, own fuel cell powered public transit vehicles, and both Honda and Toyota plan on making fuel cell powered car commercially available within one year (fuelcells.org). How a Fuel Cell Works A fuel cell is an energy converter that uses electrochemical energy to create an electric current. Because they use electrochemistry for power, fuel cells are often likened to batteries that run on fuel. This description is not a bad one, but to be more precise, a fuel cell creates direct current by ionizing a fuel and then moving those ions through a circuit. The three main components are the anode (negatively charged piece), cathode (positively charge piece), and electrolyte (medium for the transfer of ions). Fuel, typically hydrogen, is ionized at the anode by a catalyst (substance that can change an interaction, but does not change the chemistry of it).

Caliban and Trinculo Essay

Caliban and Trinculo are hiding underneath Caliban’s cloak because they are afraid of the storm and of what other beings are approaching them. Stefano has discovered what he thinks is a creature with four legs and two heads, which is really Caliban’s and Trinculo’s legs next to each other and both of their voices. The use of language in this extract differs between characters. Stefano’s use of language is blunt and basic English. The fact that he is drunk adds to the effect that his words are slightly slurred. Stefano and Trinculo are both very low down in the hierarchy, Stefano is the Alonso’s butler and Trinculo is his jester, and this also means that they would not have been taught proper English and so would not have been able to speak in clear, full sentences even when they were not scared of the storm and drunk. Caliban’s language however is a lot nobler and it is of much better English than those of Trinculo and Stefano. This is strange because it would be much more correct to have it the other way around with Trinculo and Stefano speaking better English than Caliban. The reason for this is because when Prospero first discovered Caliban, he treated him nicely and with some respect and Miranda also taught him to speak properly and eloquently and so he sounds like a nobler creature than he actually appears to others. Stefano plays a minor role in the play but provides much of the humour and acts as a contrast between those characters high up in the hierarchy and Caliban. Stefano and Trinculo do no measure up to characters like Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio, but both men have very similar characters. Trinculo’s role in the play is to convey to the audience the comedy and humour that most of the traditional plays of that time contained. However, because he, like Stefano, sees Caliban as a source of future income, he gets jealous because Caliban has chosen Stefano to be his master. When the opportunity arises, he is more interested in getting as much as he can than in fairness. There are many different themes to Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Tempest’, and they all occur frequently. One of these is sovereignty. It is connected repeatedly to Alonso and the usurpation of the throne of Naples and of the Dukedom of Milan. The occurrence of this theme in this passage is when Stefano has just discovered Trinculo hiding from the storm underneath Caliban’s cloak and Trinculo says, ‘And art thou living, Stefano? O Stefano, two Neapolitans ‘scaped? ‘ Trinculo is asking Stefano if they are the only two people to survive the storm. They think that they are the only ones to survive and so they now believe that they are in line for the throne now that the king, his son and all of the others are out of the way. This also connects to the theme of usurpation which is also echoed frequently throughout the play. Other examples of usurpation in this extract and throughout the play are numerous. One of the main ones is when Antonio and Sebastian conspire to kill Alonso and Gonzalo whilst they slept in order to take over the throne of Naples together.

Kraft Foods and Corporate Social Responsibility

Global Challenges Individual Assignment: Kraft Foods and CSR. 2012 Global Challenges Table of Contents Table of Contents1 1. 0Introduction2 2. 0Application3 2. 1Kraft Foods Inc. 3 2. 2PESTEL Analysis3 2. 3SWOT Analysis5 2. 4Porters Five Forces5 2. 5Management at Kraft Foods Inc. 6 3. 0Corporate Social Responsibility6 3. 1Impact of CSR on Kraft Foods Inc6 4. 0Conclusion7 5. 0Recommendations7 6. 0References8 1. 0 Introduction Management is a term that is used and heard of every day and a role that is undertaken everywhere you go. It’s the ability to maintain and produce the best from a team or from a task, the activity of completing a task using the resources that are available and taking responsibility of the situation in hand. Even as individuals everyone participates in management in one form or another, whether it’s in a work environment or simply from the everyday running of life. In a business sense however, ‘management is the jobs within an organisation charged with running the organisation on behalf of the beneficial owner’ (Pg no 294, Martin, 2005). This report is going to examine the different principles and models of management, how it can be applied to individual companies and businesses and then go on further to examine Corporate Social Responsibility and how firms use this. ‘According to Mintzberg (1973) there are ten management roles, these are ‘Monitor, Disseminator, Spokesperson, Figurehead, Leader, Liaison, Entrepreneur, Disturbance handler, Resource allocator and Negotiator’. Mintzberg proposes that every manager’s role combines a number of roles, rather than ten individual roles. (Boddy, 2009) For example a CEO of a company could be a figurehead, a spokesperson, a leader as well as the negotiator; but he would assign the other roles to other specific managers or colleagues. Management involves a vast amount of planning as its sets out the direction of the work that needs to be done and the objectives that need to be achieved. According to Boddy (2011) ‘SMART acronym summarises criteria for assessing a set of goals’. This covers: Specific – Does the goal set specific targets? Measurable – Ensure you can measure the progress towards the attainment of the goal Attainable – Assuring the goals are challenging but reachable Rewarded- A reward is obtained for succeeding the goal Times – The time scale of which the goal is to be achieved in Boddy (2010) proposes that ‘’goals and objectives are the same’’. However in cases like this it could be argued that they are different in which the goal is the overall target or aim, and the plan which looks at what is involved to obtain this goal is made up of individual objectives at each level. A widely used management model used within virtually every company is the Competing Values Framework. ‘’It has been named as one of the fifty most important models in the history of business and has been studied and tested in organisations for more than twenty five years’’ (CVF, 2009). The model is made up of four components and each quadrant represents a different model and the roles that are played within the model; which can be seen in the diagram below in Figure 1. 1. The following section will demonstrate how the framework can be applied to individual companies. Figure 1. 1 Competing Values Framework. Source: Octogram. net (2005) 2. 0 Application 3. 1 Kraft Foods Inc. Kraft Foods Inc. is the second largest food company in the world generating annual revenue of ? 54. 4 billion. The company was founded in 1903 in Chicago, North America, where their headquarters are still based, and shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1991. They have over 126,000 employees in over 70 countries and they sell products to consumers in 170 countries. Kraft’s products are divided into five categories: snacks and cereals, beverages, cheese and dairy, grocery, and convenient meals. Popular household name brands include Philadelphia, Oreo and Cadburys, which they recently acquired in 2010 for $18. 5billion. The acquisition created the world’s largest confectioner, and confectionary now makes up for 28% of their net revenues. (Kraft Foods, 2012) In 2011 Kraft announced its intent to create two independent public companies by the end of 2012 as a strategic approach for growth; one being a high growth global snack business and the other a high margin North American grocery business. 3. 2 PESTEL Analysis ‘PESTEL analysis is a useful tool to understand the macro-environment in which Kraft Food Inc. perates and how these factors affect the company. PESTEL framework helps evaluate the risks associated with market growth or decline, and the position and direction of the company. ’ (Bender and Ward, 2008) It examines six different segments, which are: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. Although there are many factors which fall under each of the segments of the PESTEL analysis it is important to analyse them and select the most significant factors which have the greatest effect on the company. POLITICAL Kraft Foods Inc. s subject to various federal and state laws in the U. S relating to the protection of the environment. They also have manufacturing facilities in 70 countries and consumers in 170 countries which subjects them to individual environmental laws, health and hygiene regulations in every country which they operate. ECONOMIC As Kraft operates in 170 different countries, currency fluctuations and unfavourable exchange rates can put pressure on the company’s earnings, particularly with the current Eurozone crisis. ‘Increased unemployment in the U. S and other countries will lead consumers to cut spending on premium quality products’ such as those made by Kraft Foods Inc. (Bloomberg,2010) SOCIAL Diet patterns are rapidly changing in emerging economies like Brazil, China and India. The people in these countries are spending more on packaged food and this social drift has provided companies like Kraft to look towards emerging markets to increase revenues. (Yahoo Finance, 2010) Consumers are also getting increasingly aware about health implications of food which can cause obesity. ‘Federal Trade Commission reported that child obesity in the U. S has quadrupled in the last four decades’ (RWJF, 2008). Food and Beverage companies need to respond to these changes to maintain its market share and profits. TECHNOLOGICAL ‘Kraft is investing heavily in new technology to reduce carbon dioxide emission and protect the environment. They have adopted a policy where there is increased use of rail and barge transport instead of using trucks. ’ (Kraft Foods, 2010) ENVIRONMENTAL There is increased pressure from governments and the general public about the way companies operate and their effect on the environment. ‘In 2008 Kraft Foods Inc. ame under pressure when Rainforest Action Network asked companies such as Kraft Foods Inc. to stop buying palm oil from Indonesia to prevent deforestation. ’ (CNN, 2008) LEGAL Kraft operates in a highly regulated environment with a constantly evolving legal and regulatory framework around the world; particularly when selling products for human consumption involves inheren t risks such as contamination. ‘Cadbury, now owned by Kraft Foods Inc. had to recall 11 chocolate types in China in 2008 when at least 50,000 babies fell ill and 4 died by milk tainted with an industrial chemical. ’ (BBC, 2008) 3. SWOT Analysis Another approach that companies implement is the SWOT analysis. ‘’The core of this approach is a simple and eminently reasonable strategy that is concerned with identifying opportunities in the enterprises external environment’’ (Pg No 721, Linstead, Fulop & Lilley, 2009). This analysis examines the strengths and weaknesses internal to the company and then the external opportunities and threats. In Kraft Foods Inc. case the strengths that can be identified are that they are the world’s second largest food company and they have strong brand equity with over 100 years heritage. However their weaknesses are that the Cadburys acquisition resulted in added debt pressure and they are subject to cut throat competition from rivals such as Nestle. From the external point of view an opportunity for the company is that they could centre new products in the health related market such as introducing low fat or organic products. But on the other hand a threat for Kraft is that the Cadburys acquisition resulted in a lot of protests and bad media from the British which resulted in a drop of profit margins. 3. 4 Porters Five Forces Porter’s five forces is an analysis framework that identifies the competitiveness intensity and the five forces most relevant to the profitability of the company. ‘According to Porter (1980a) the ability to earn an acceptable return depends on five forces – the ability of new competitors to enter the industry, the threat of substitute products, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers and the rivalry amongst existing customers’ (Boddy, 2008, Pg No 93). This framework is demonstrated in the diagram below in Figure 2. 1. Figure 2. Porters Five Forces. Source: Wikepedia When looking at the bargaining power of suppliers with Kraft Food Inc. suppliers do not hold much power to enforce the company to extract their profits due to the competitive nature of the industry. Buyers however have an opportunity to extract firm profits as demand changes over the period of time. Due to intense competition in the market, there is a low possibility fo r new entrants to capture the market, and the threat of substitute products is medium as Kraft Foods Inc. hold such a large market share in the industry. Finally competitors such as Nestle and Kellogg’s are spending enormous sums of money for the promotion and advertising of their brands yet Kraft Foods Inc. is still the second largest in the world. 3. 5 Management at Kraft Foods Inc. As previously mentioned in the introduction, every business’s management model can be applied to the Current Values Framework. When analysing Kraft’s business strategy and management it is evident that their current dominant model is the Rational Goal Model. This model focuses towards maximisation of output and making a profit. Of course, the vast majority of companies would be dominantly working from this model as every company needs to make a profit in order to survive; although successful models of management relate to all four of the segments. ‘’The basic assumption of the Rational Goal Model is that clear direction leads to productive outcomes. There is a continuing emphasis on processes such as goal clarification, rational analysis, and action taking. All decisions are driven by consideration of the bottom line†. (Taylor, 1911) Kraft Foods Inc. hows elements of dominantly using this model from their hostile acquisition of Cadburys and with their intent to create two independent public companies as a strategic approach for growth. 3. 0 Corporate Social Responsibility ‘’Corporate Social Responsibility is the business contribution to sustainable development goals. Essentially it is about how business takes account of its economic, social and environmental impacts in the wa y it operates – maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides. ’’ (CSR, 2009) 4. 6 Impact of CSR on Kraft Foods Inc Kraft Foods Inc. as thrown into the media in 2010 with their hostile acquisition of Cadbury’s. Cadbury’s unions opposed to the take-over in fear that there would be big job cuts, and UK politicians even weighed in voicing their concerns. ‘Following the acquisition five senior executives of Cadburys quit and only 30% of the leadership positions were made available to Cadburys staff. ’ (FT, 2010). By the end of the acquisition over four hundred jobs had been cut by Kraft, this was deemed as an extremely bad case of CSR, particularly in the social aspect; and the company have been portrayed negatively in the media ever since. However, it is not all negative when it comes to Kraft’s CSR. ‘Over the past 25 years they have donated more than $770 million in cash and food to those suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Kraft Foods ranked 23rd in the 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility Index and were recently awarded the Gold Award for Environmental Excellence at the 4th Global CSR Awards 2012. ’   (Kraft, 2012) They work with non-profit organizations such as Feeding America in the U. S. and Save the Children in Southeast Asia as well as helping develop healthy lifestyles programs for children in the U. S. , Russia and many other places. 4. 0 Conclusion In conclusion the above shows us how the management theory helps us to analyse an organisation, and we can see how Kraft Foods Inc. operates successfully using the Rational Goal Model. They do however operate in a highly competitive food sector, where margins are diminishing, and they have to face tough competition from branded food as we ll as generic food manufacturers, particularly in this economic slowdown. Although the company does partake in a lot of CSR activities, a bad image always remains with customers for a lot longer than a positive one, and they still have a negative image portrayed on themselves from the hostile takeover of Cadburys. 5. 0 Recommendation Kraft Foods Inc. could benefit from repositioning their brand image in the markets to communicate with customers to remove the negative thinking from their minds which arose after Cadburys acquisition. They should also consider moving towards the Human Relations model in the CVF which emphasises commitment, cohesion, and morale. The key values are participation, conflict resolution, and consensus building. In this model the organisation takes on a team-oriented climate in which decision making is characterised by deep involvement. ’ (Quinn, 1988) This would be beneficial in gaining trust and respect from the employees after all the conflict and job losses that arose from the acquisition of Cadburys. Another option for t he company, as mentioned before in the SWOT analysis, is the expansion into new and developing markets which will aid the company in earning more profits to meet their debt requirements. With the consumer market becoming more health and environmentally conscious, organic and reduced fat content products could be a niche in the market for a confectioner such as themselves. 6. 0 References BBC (2008). Melamine found in Cadbury goods. September 2008. Available: www. bbc. co. uk Accessed 12 May 2012   Bender, R. and Ward, K. (2008). Corporate financial strategy. 3rd Ed. London: Macmillan p. 52-55. Bloomberg, Homan, T. R. (2010). U. S. Employers Add Fewer Jobs Than Forecast. December 2010. Available: www. Bloomberg. om Accessed 24 April 2012. Boddy, D (2011). Management, An Introduction. 5th ed. Essex: Pearson. CNN, Gunther, M (2008). Eco-police find new targets. August 2008. Available: www. money. cnn. com. Accessed 23 May 2012. CSR. gov. uk (2009). Available: http://webarchive. nationalarchives. gov. uk/+/http://www. berr. gov. uk/whatwedo/sectors/sustainability/corp-responsibility/page45192. html/ Accessed 22 May 2012. CVF. (2009). Competing Values Framework: An Intr oduction. Available: http://competingvalues. com/competingvalues. om/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/The-Competing-Values-Framework-An-Introduction. pdf Last accessed 12 May 2012. FT. Elizabeth Rigby. (2010). Kraft hit by exodus of Cadbury executives. Available: http://www. ft. com/cms/s/0/1dad970a-69c1-11df-8432-00144feab49a. html#axzz1viuO14PA. Last accessed 18 May 2012. Kraft Foods, About us (2012) Available: http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/About/who-we-are/index. aspx Last accessed 28 April 2012 Kraft Foods CSR (2012) Community Involvement Available: http://www. kraftfoodscompany. om/About/community-involvement/community-involvement. aspx Accessed 22 May 2012. Kraft Foods, Document Sheet (2011) Available: http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/kraft_foods_fact_sheet. pdf Last accessed 20 May 2012 Kraft Food Q1 Financial Figures – http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=129070&p=irol-EventDetails&EventId=4756026 Linstead, S, Fulop, L and Lille y, S. (2009). Management & Organization. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave McMillan. Pg No 721. Martin, J (2005). Organizational Behaviour and Management. London: Thomson Learning. Octogram. (2005). CVF Framework. Available: http://www. octogram. net/quinn-model Last accessed 6 May 2012. Porters Five Forces, Wikepedia. Available: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Porter_five_forces_analysis Accessed 22 May 2012. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2008). Food and Beverage Marketing to Children and Adolescents: What Changes are Needed to Promote Healthy Eating Habits? October 2008. Available: www. rwjf. org Accessed 22 May 2012 Taylor,

Critique vs. Criticism

Critique vs. Criticism Critique vs. Criticism Critique vs. Criticism By Maeve Maddox Although dictionaries list critique and criticism as synonyms, the words are not exact equivalents. Perhaps because its two letters shorter, headline writers often use critique when criticism would be the more appropriate choice. Take the following example: News Anchor Fiercely and Succinctly Claps [sic] Back at a Viewers Critique of Her Appearance Here is the so-called critique: All the female reporters and anchors wear little to no jewelry but B Ciara wears the biggest and worst jewelry I have ever seen, please have her play by all same rules as every one else. The viewers petty comment is not a critique. It is a criticism. The word critique connotes a detailed analysis that describes and weighs the characteristics of something before drawing conclusions based on evidence and inference. The type of critique Im most familiar with analyzes and evaluates a piece of writing. Other kinds of critiques are written by political analysts, scientific theorists, and philosophers. A critique considers positive aspects of a subject as well as negative ones. A critiques conclusion may be negative, but the critic will have demonstrated a line of reasoning that led to it. The meanings of critique and criticism overlap, but criticism is already used in a general sense to refer to an expression of mere disapproval or faultfinding. It seems desirable to reserve the word critique to refer to a detailed and thoughtful analysis. Here are some alternative choices for criticism in the sense of censure: condemnation denunciation disapproval disparagement opprobrium attack stricture recrimination Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Hang, Hung, Hanged90 Verbs Starting with â€Å"Ex-†

Why Dead Fish Float Upside Down

Why Dead Fish Float Upside Down If youve seen dead fish in a pond or your aquarium, youve noticed they tend to float on the water. More often than not, theyll be belly up, which is a dead giveaway (pun intended) youre not dealing with a healthy, living fish. Have you ever wondered why dead fish float and live fish dont? It has to do with fish biology and the scientific principle of buoyancy. Key Takeaways Dead fish float in water because decomposition fills the fishs gut with buoyant gases.The reason fish typically go belly up is because the spine of the fish is more dense than its belly.Healthy living fish dont float. They have an organ called a swim bladder that regulates the amount of gas present in the body of a fish and thus its buoyancy Why Living Fish Don't Float To understand why a dead fish floats, it helps to understand why a live fish is in the water and not on top of it. Fish consist of water, bones, protein, fat, and a smaller amount of carbohydrates and nucleic acids. While fat is less dense than water, your average fish contains a higher amount of bones and protein, which makes the animal neutrally buoyant in water (neither sinks nor floats) or slightly more dense than water (slowly sinks until it gets deep enough). It doesnt require much effort for a fish to maintain its preferred depth in the water, but when they do swim deeper or seek shallow water they rely on an organ called a swim bladder or air bladder to regulate their density. How this works is that water passes into a fishs mouth and across its gills, which is where oxygen passes from the water into the bloodstream. So far, its a lot like human lungs, except on the outside of the fish. In both fish and humans, the red pigment hemoglobin carries oxygen to cells. In a fish, some of the oxygen is released as oxygen gas into the swim bladder. The pressure acting on the fish determines how full the bladder is at any given time. As the fish rises toward the surface, the surrounding water pressure decreases and oxygen from the bladder returns to the bloodstream and back out through the gills. As a fish descends, water pressure increases, causing hemoglobin to release oxygen from the bloodstream to fill the bladder. It allows a fish to change depth and is a built-in mechanism to prevent the bends, where gas bubbles form in the bloodstream if pressure decreases too rapidly. Why Dead Fish Float When a fish dies, its heart stops beating and blood circulation ceases. The oxygen that is in the swim bladder remains there, plus decomposition of the tissue adds more gas, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. Theres no way for the gas to escape, but it presses against the fishs belly and expands it, turning the dead fish into a sort of fish-balloon, rising toward the surface. Because the spine and muscles on the dorsal side (top) of the fish are more dense, the belly rises up. Depending on how deep a fish was when it died, it might not rise to the surface, at least not until decomposition really sets in. Some fish never gain sufficient buoyancy to float and decay under the water. In case you were wondering, other dead animals (including people) also float after they start to decay. You dont need a swim bladder for that to happen. Sources Chapin, F. Stuart; Pamela A. Matson; Harold A. Mooney (2002). Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-95443-0.Forbes, S.L. (2008). Decomposition Chemistry in a Burial Environment. In M. Tibbett; D.O. Carter. Soil Analysis in Forensic Taphonomy. CRC Press. pp. 203–223. ISBN 1-4200-6991-8.Pinheiro, J. (2006). Decay Process of a Cadaver. In A. Schmidt; E. Cumha; J. Pinheiro. Forensic Anthropology and Medicine. Humana Press. pp. 85–116. ISBN 1-58829-824-8.

Mike Vick Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mike Vick - Research Paper Example At the same time, Mike was accused of financing the operation. According to the investigations done by the US Agricultural Department (USAD), Mike and his cohorts directly participated in the killing of at least seven dogs. The investigations also revealed that Mike bet dog fights and was accused of handling out thousands of dollars in person in related gambling activities. Mike was also found guilt of paying somebody $100 to dig graves for burying dogs killed during the dog fighting (Judd 11). Apart from involvement in dogfighting, Mike failed a drug test which was done in September, 2007. During a random drug test, Mike tested positive for marijuana and was confined to his home in Virginia between 10 pm to 6 am under electronic monitoring until December, the time for his court hearing. Despite accepting responsibility, Mike had failed to cooperate with the federal officials and on top of that, he had failed a polygraph test done shortly after his home was raided. Coupling these wit h the failed drug test, the federal officials assigned Mike to Leavenworth’s US penitentiary, a federal prison facility to serve his term (Mihoces 35). Background information Mike was born on 26th June, 1980 in Newport News, Virginia to Michael Boddie and Brenda Vick. His family lived in Ridley Circles Homes, located at the East End of the port city. Mike’s skill in football was nurtured by his father from when he was only three years old and was nicknamed bullet due to his blinding speed when playing. Mike spent time with his cousin Brook at their home Boys and Girls club were he got a special watch from his coaches and parents. In high school and in college, Mike often led his team to win in their matches. Mike’s employment has always been based in sports. In 2001, Mike was selected by the Atlanta Falcons where he played for six seasons in the NFL before his imprisonment. After his release from prison in 2009, Mike signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia eagles after being mentored by Tony Dungy, a former Colts coach. The contract was renewed again in 2010 following Mike’s good progress and performance in the team and since then, he has remained as the team’s quarterback. Previous criminal history Though Mike was arrested in 2005 for dog fighting, his father, Michael Boddie, revealed that Mike started the habit as early as 2001. According to him, Mike began staging dogfights in their family’s home garage as well as in the family backyard around 2001. The dogs he used included those that Mr. Boodie had nursed after being injured from to the dogfighting staged by Mike. However, his mother, Brenda Vick, denied the occurrence of dog fighting in their home or the presence of any cages (Judd 11). Early 2004, Mike was linked to illegal drug trafficking. This came after two men who were using a truck registered to Mike were arrested for distributing marijuana. In 2005, a civil law suit was filed by Sonya Elliot accusing Mike of infecting her with genital herpes in the autumn of 2002. Sonya claims that Mike knew of his condition yet he failed to inform her and as a proof to this, Sonya said that Mike sought treatment from clinics for the disease. On 26th November 2006, Mike was accused of making obscene gestures at fans as a reaction to booing by fans for loosing a match to New Orleans. Mike held up two of his middle fingers and was fined $10, 000 by