Neilsen’s Ice Cream – Marketing Game

[pic] Neilsen’s Ice Cream Report Report Katherine Johnstone HMMA†¢ CAH †¢ January 17, 2011 [pic] Introduction The company that I was part of during this marketing game was known as Nielsen’s Ice Cream. The aim of the game was to earn the most market share by making the right choices in marketing the products, purchasing the inventory, managing human resources, and working together. This report will go through the decisions made, reasons for them, and the outcome. Round 1 When starting out the game, our first round of decisions on marketing can be summed up with the following chart : Price |Marketing Budget |Promotion |Purchase | |Standard Ice Cream |280 |4000 |Commercial – Rich history |500 | |Special Ice Cream |295 |4000 |Commercial – Best quality |500 | |Luxury Ice Cream |295 |4000 |Sales Promotion -Cheap |500 | |Sugar Free Ice Cream |285 |4000 |Commercial – Quality/Price |500 | |Then we moved to our Human Resource Management, and made d ecisions that would affect our company internally. Board Salary: 5500 euro Size Sales Department:20 euro Education Budget:Average –> 2500 euro Working CircumstancesAverage –> 2600 euro Working Conditions:Training for management Training result oriented work Training on team building Flexible working conditions Music workplace To start off the research and development, we more so went with our best guess, feeling that this round would truly come close to being some what of a trail and error round. So the numbers for research and development are as follows: Process: 1000 euro Standard Ice Cream2100 euro Luxury Ice Cream2600 euro Special Ice Cream2400 euro Sugar Free Ice Cream2200 euro Round 2 Looking at the results from the previous round we made according adjustments, which are as follows.Standard Ice Cream With a starting price of 280 euro for the standard ice cream, the product did fairly well on the market. Our market share of the standard ice cream is 29%, which is pleasing, but staying there will be tough. A small change in the price, will be made in order to see if demand goes up or down, or is affected. We will still continue promoting the product a commercial approach, and continue with the same amount of money for the budget (4000 euro). Special Ice Cream Nielsen strongest product was our Special Ice Creams with an amount of 483.We won’t change anything on this product and will see if this does effect the company results in the next round. We will purchase 600 new items for the next round. Luxury Ice Cream The Luxury Ice Cream did a good job in the previous round, but can be improved by making some small changes. Nielsen changes the way of promoting to a Price/Quality advertisement, hoping that form of marketing will catch more attention. Sugar Free Ice Cream We sold 387 units of Sugar free ice creams last round, which is quite a high amount if you compare it with to our competitors.To attempt to increase sales and market share, Ni elsen will lower prices on this product from 285 to 280. The marketing budget of 4000 euro still stands and is put towards a commercial where they are telling about the price and quality relation. Round 3 Standard Ice Cream The standard ice cream was doing quite well the last round, so we felt only minor changes were needed. We had an average quality for this standard ice cream which we changed into a high quality, this is due to we believe that in order to be competitive you can’t settle on average.We purchased 350 products with a good quality. This high quality needs to be compensated by a higher price, because if you are just higher your quality, you will lose money. We changed the price from 285 to 295 euro. We are going to promote this product to a commercial which is giving the rich history of the product. Our marketing budget for the standard ice cream in this round is 4000 euro. With a higher quality and higher price, we should make some more profit out our standard i ce cream. Special Ice Cream Again it seems that the special ice cream is our strongest selling product.We had a price of 295 with a good quality. The changes will be made to up the sales of this special ice cream. We increased the marketing budget from 4000 euro to 4100 euro, so that people won’t loose interest and also to stay ahead of competition. We invested this 4100 euro in a tv commercial where Nielsen’s is proud of the high level of quality at this special ice cream. Because of the high sales we purchased 450 special ice cream on a excellent basis. The sales are very good for this special ice cream, so we made a decision to change the price from 295 to 300 euro.This shouldn’t make such an effect on peoples buying behavior. It’s in relation to change from a good quality to an excellent quality of the purchased items. Luxury Ice Cream The sales of the luxury ice cream weren’t so high in the fourth period. There should be a reason for this, whi ch we need to fix with making some changes. First we want to change the price from 295 to 290. This should people make more convenient to buy our product. When you are just lowering the price, somebody has to know that you made this changes, so we hired up the marketing budget from 4000 to 4200.This money will be invested in a sales promotion, so on that the sales will increase of this product. As a result of bad sales in the previous round, we don’t need such a high purchase of products. We will purchase 150 luxury ice creams on a good quality base. Sugar Free Ice Cream The sugar Free Ice Cream was the weakest product of the 4. With 203 sales and a market share of 15% the sugar free ice cream performed very poorly. We need to change something to higher up the sales and the market share. We changed the price of the sugar free ice cream from 280 to 270.We will promote this prices with a marketing budget of 4000 euro which won’t be changed from the previous round. This m oney will be invested in sponsoring, where we are telling that the sugar free ice cream has the best quality. The sales where such as bad, that we don’t need much to purchase. We are purchasing 150 sugar free ice creams, which should be enough because of an inventory of 400 stocks. Also in an attempt to sell more we had a press release stating that we were offering for a limited time a Holiday Special Sale, which is why the price was then lowered by 10 euros.In Human Resources we were not performing well as far as our staff was concerned, so we decided to try increasing the education budget from ‘average – 2500’ to ‘good-4000’, in hopes that a higher education will provide them with what they need to perform their job and possible be more satisfied. Also, we felt that it was needed to make a few changes in the research and development area as a way to increase the sales of the sugar free ice cream. What we decided was to decrease the budget fo r the luxury ice cream research and cycle it into the sugar-free’s: Process: 1000 euro Standard Ice Cream2100 euro Luxury Ice Cream2600 euro ? 200 euro Special Ice Cream2400 euro Sugar Free Ice Cream2200 euro ? 2600 euro Lastly, we felt that it was time to purchase some market research in the form of a market analysis in order to gain a better understanding of our competitors and the market we are all in. Round 4 Round 5 One key observation made after reviewing the previous rounds results was that with the increase to the education budget there was a slight positive movement in our internal sector. This prompted us to then not only give on more increase of the education budget, but to also provide an increase in funding to the salary department.An unfortunate fallout however from a miscommunication between our group members was our inventory, and this is the round where we could have turned it around if caught in time, however, we neglected the round delay, and ended up runni ng out of stock of certain products. Round 6 The big change was with in the Human Resources as well and the working conditions. After examining the data a little more it was decided to change the working conditions to include the following: Lease espresso machine Training result oriented work Lease ERP software using ASP Lease CRM software using ASP Flexible working conditionsStandard Ice Cream There were a few changes made in the marketing of this product due to declining sales. We went from focusing on the rich history to associating more with price/quality. The pricing seemed high as well so we lowered from 285-275, as well as adjusted the budget from 4100-4000. For inventory, 280 products we purchased at a good quality Luxury Ice Cream We felt the only adjustment should be made was in the pricing, which we lowered from 290-280. Since stocking was also an issue we felt it would be wise to order 400, rather then 150 as in the previous round Special Ice CreamPricing was way to high , so it was determined that hurt our marketshares of this product the most over the past few rounds. In response we lowered the price from 300 down to 280, but increased the budget from 4200 to 4300. Then we shifted the focus of the marketing from best quality to Price/Quality, and ordered 350 in inventory at good quality rather then excellent. Sugar Free Ice Cream Only adjustment made with this product was the purchase of 300 inventory. We looked at the results further and also concluded that we were missing out on market research, which was most definately hurting our chances of competing.After discussing it, we determined that it was wise to purchase market research on the competitors prices, and societies values. The results from the pricing was shocking for us. The whole time our standard ice cream was far to over priced, as was our sugar free, but the changes made previous to the communications mix proved to be almost spot on with the research. But this information was taken h eavily into consideration for the next round of decisions. Round 7 Standard Ice Cream With the huge price difference in our products versus the competitors we decided that the price needed to be lowered immediatly from 275 to 220.Marketing communication match up with the societies values research, but we ordered 300 in inventory and changed the quality to weak. Luxury Ice Cream Comparing our price to the research from the previous round we determined pricing was fine as is, but the marketing communications needed to be changed from price/quality to cheap. We then ordered 500 in inventory with hopes of high future sales. Special Ice Cream The pricing again matched up well enough to stay competitive so we adjusted the communication from price/quality to best quality and also ordered 250 in inventory.Sugar-Free Ice Cream Another big price change was made when we seen that we were almost 20 euros more then the rest, so we dropped from 270 to 250, and also ordered 500 inventory hoping fo r increased sales. There was no change made for the communications. Round 8 Again we ran into the problem of running out of inventory, still not fully realizing the key was in what we were over looking. With hopes to make one final comeback we decided that it would be a good idea to have another press release announcing one more final sale. Looking back, I see that this may have been our fatal error.In response to sending out the press release, our prices had to be lowered further and we done so as follows: Standard Ice Cream: 220 to 205 Luxury Ice Cream : 280 to 250 Special Ice Cream: 280 to 250 Sugar Free Ice Cream:250 to 215 In combination with the lower prices, we also increased the marketing budget to 4500 for each product, in hopes of reaching more people with the new of the sale. We then stacked up inventory ordering 800 standard at weak quality, 800 Luxury average quality, 700 Special at average quality, and 800 Sugar-Free at average quality. ConclusionAll in all the company would have be successful had it not been for the failure to realize the inventory situation earlier. Also, earlier purchasing of market research such as competitors pricing would have proven much more beneficial in earlier rounds. Nielsen’s actually had one of the highest company equities as well as highest net turnover, but dropped drastically in net profits in the final two rounds. Looking back all of these were very simple, if not too simple, mistakes that could have been avoided through clearer communication. [pic] Nielsen’s Ice Cream Logbook Katherine JohnstoneHMMA †¢ CAH †¢ January 17, 2011 [pic] Name:Katherine JohnstoneGroup:Nielsen’sWeek:50, Round 1&2 | When | Who did what? |Task went: – Good/wrong – Why? | |Present at meeting |Before each round |Jef, Dammis and I discussed our strategy and how to implement it |One member left to go home for the holidays, but never mentioned being in contact or showing much concern for the 2 roun ds he would miss | |Actively participating |Before each round |Jef input data as did myself and Dammis |Again, Ross was not around, and neither side tried as they should have to make contact | |Dividing tasks Before each round |Marketing Plan tasks were split, when being redone Dammis did Ross’s Piece |The corrections were only in the pieces Dammis and Jef covered, so I revised mine and theres, and put the report together so that we all still worked together | |Cooperation |Before each round | |Minor arguments, and a small amount of miscommunication, but over all we cooperated well. | |Discussions |Before each round | |Discussed all moves before and during the input of data for each round, and brought up whatever we felt might be or could be a future issue | |Deadlines | | |Marketing Plan- December 8, 2010Round 1- Week 50, Tuesday December 14, 2010 Round 2- Week 50, Friday December 17, 2010 | | Name:Katherine JohnstoneGroup:Nielsen’sWeek: 1, Rounds 3&4 | When | Who did what? |Task went: – Good/wrong – Why? | |Present at meeting |Before each round | |Ross and Myself just arrived back this day, but Jef was absent, so Myself and Ross met with Dammis on Skype | |Actively participating |Before each round | |Dammis and I made most of the decisions, while Ross tried to catch up and understand what we were doing | |Dividing tasks |Before each round | |I input the data while Ross and Dammis discussed | |Cooperation Before each round | |Everyone present coorperated and agreed on everything | |Discussions |Before each round | |Sometimes they were a little heated, but points were always made, but somethings did get over looked. | |Deadlines | | |Round 3- January 4, 2011 Round 4- January 7, 2011 | | Name:Katherine JohnstoneGroup:Nielsen’sWeek:2, rounds 5&6 | When | Who did what? |Task went: – Good/wrong – Why? | |Present at meeting |Before each round | |All were present at the second last meeting, but it was just myself and Ross at the last meeting | |Actively participating Before each round | |Not everyone was involved and some members seemed uninterested in completing the rounds | |Dividing tasks |Before each round | |Usually it was just myself and dammis inputting the data as well as reviewing it | |Cooperation |Before each round | |Not everyone helped to make the decisions, but those who did agreed and cooperated well | |Discussions |Before each round | |Missed out on the little fact about inventory because a dicussion was never finished | |Deadlines | | |Round 5- January 11, 2011 Round 6- January 14, 2011 Marketing Report and Logbook- January 17, 2011 | |

Labor Negotiations Essay

Many times, the process of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations is referred to as being â€Å"an art†. Although it is guided by various labor laws and there are multitudes of theories that claim to have established best practices in the field, every negotiation simply has too many unique variables to consider to ever be approached as anything more than an art. Even in the short span in which new negotiations are required to reach an updated contract, too many changing factors on both sides of the table are apt to make the extrapolation of one bargaining scenario to the next inefficient and ineffective. There is no â€Å"one-size-fits all† approach. What worked best in one instance could potentially fail with dire consequences in another. To attempt to define, or even identify a structured component to the process would be futile. People, personalities, economics, demographics, policy and law are not static, nor are needs, wants, concepts, trends or priorities. Deception and intimidation during negotiations is commonplace, and unfortunately sometimes holds more relevancy than fact. For these reasons,  it is important for labor negotiators to be able to anticipate the worst, but hope to ultimately achieve a best case scenario. The final, ratified contract is applied to both parties, and hopefully in the end, it represents what is best for all involved. There are many potential stakeholders depending on the industry, but in the case of the community of Pleasant Ridge, it is the students and that ultimately have the most to lose. This can easily be forgotten when bargaining teams’ self-interests take hold. Deciding on the appropriate bargaining techniques and strategies requires a very well-thought out, careful approach. Whatever approach is used has to take into account the past, current and future needs of both parties, and has to be based on an accurate analysis of external and internal data, as well as political considerations. Successful negotiators must be adaptable and flexible in their thought processes and behaviors, and must be willing to compromise as situational needs dictate. As several different personality types compete and interact, even within the confines of one bargaining team, negotiations can be a very daunting process. All of this is important to keep in mind as we examine and analyze the case of the community of Pleasant Ridge. Bargaining Strategy A bargaining strategy should only be determined once all of the relevant, factual information has been reviewed. That is not to say a strategy cannot be changed depending on circumstances once negotiations begin, but it is useful to set the tone for negotiations and help insure a mutually understood strategic concept among bargaining team members. Recent labor relations practice has moved away from traditional adversarial bargaining, or â€Å"zero-sum† bargaining, and has focused more on interest-based bargaining, or â€Å"win-win† bargaining. According to Cutcher-Gershenfield, â€Å"A close look at the interest-based experiments in labor relations reveals that adversarial institutional patterns have often been rejected in favor of more collaborative, problem-solving techniques without a full appreciation of the underlying reasons for the establishment of the original institutional patterns.† (1996, 323). In theory, winning with interest-based bargaining is presu med to be agreement of the parties to a ratified contract that both can live with (Kearney, 209, 134); not â€Å"winning† in the sense that one party  ultimately prevails over the other on any particular issue. In the case of Pleasant Ridge, there is no single reason to preclude interest-based bargaining as an effective strategy. As the Pleasant Ridge Board of Education (Board) and the Pleasant Ridge Classroom Teachers Association (PRCTA) commence negotiations over a new CBA, it is important to note that both parties are in a relatively good position. From a fiscal standpoint, the school is doing well. Student enrollment is increasing, local property revenues are increasing and State Revenues are expected to increase for the upcoming school year. While none of these items are guaranteed, barring any unexpected national, state or local political catastrophes, short-term projections should remain fairly accurate and consistent. This may place the Board at a slight disadvantage during negotiations when considering ability to pay, especially considering the PRCTA memberships’ apparent adversarial position. It serves to underscore the importance of the Board to sincerely attempt to negotiate a finalized contract during the first steps of the process. In comparing wages, hours and working conditions, the PRC TA is not far off when it is reviewed against comparable teachers’ unions. Even when considering labor markets that are competitive in the long run, however, the over-all analysis should include information about employer attributes because labor markets do not adjust instantaneously (Eberts and Stone, 1985, 274). The consequences of ignoring district-specific information are potentially serious, according to Eberts and Stone (1985, 274). To push an employer into economic oblivion as the result of unrealistic contract demands could have disastrous consequences for all involved. While the memberships’ concerns are very important, they must keep in mind their best interests in finalizing a contract with few to no concessions quickly. It is up to the PRCTA to educate their members on the long term affects their present actions may have. Additionally, in a world of economic uncertainty and increasing demand for education reform, the PRCTA is better suited to act quickly so that public sentiment and political forces have less likelihood of effecting policy change before they have a ratified contract. A ratified contract provides strong protections for union members against ever-changing political forces. Bargaining Position of the Board Labor negotiations can be a strategic nightmare fraught with competing priorities and concerns from every affected player. For the community of Pleasant Ridge, the primary considerations of the Board and the PRCTA during negotiations will predominantly revolve around advancing self-interests, whether they impact external stakeholders or not. That is an almost inherent aspect of the process. Public and political sentiment may or may not be secondarily considered, and will certainly be impacted, but those concerns typically do not guide the negotiations process. Kerchner and Koppich argue in their article, Negotiating What Matters Most: Collective Bargaining and Student Achievement, â€Å"that it is in the public interest for teacher unions and school districts to negotiate student achievement goals even though neither may want to do so.† (2007). While morally laudable, realistically this will most likely never happen outside of the legal environment, and is way beyond the scope of this analysis. Contract length could be the most important protection the Board could achieve. A two year contract would be very beneficial for the Board, because it removes the dangers of making accurate financial projections too far in the future. It would also allow the Board more flexibility in bargaining positions that are tied to economics because they would not be invested in a lengthy contract should political or economic factors significantly change. Aside from a two year contract, the Board should support a 3% raise the first year of the contract, and a 3% raise the second year, conditioned on the promise of the PRCTA memberships’ public support for the upcoming millage. This would get the PRCTA membership very close, if not above, a competitive market salary within their own comparable communities at a relatively quick rate, while bolstering the financial position of the Board to be able to implement future contractual raises should the millage be approved. Additionally, the Board will not incur all of the increased costs of implementing the salary increases all in one year, making it more palatable for the school district in general, while not simultaneously rendering the budget unsustainable. The Board should also support agreement to grant tenure in the 3rd year on the condition of the elimination of the one year wage payout provision. Not only does this achieve comparability within the comparable community context, it serves as a huge future economic win for the Board. In the event layoffs become necessary, the burden of paying out a years’ salary to  any tenured teachers would be an undeniable savings should the school district experience tough economic times. Since decreasing the class size to 25 would increase the number of teachers required, it would be more fiscally responsible for the board to leave this item status quo. The Board could add an amendment allowing for the hiring of teacher’s aides should the classroom population exceed 25, but it shouldn’t be an initial position. If push comes to shove and this single item becomes a deal-breaker, the Board and the PRCTA could revisit the issue at 27 students, as long as an agreement could be achieved with a provision requiring no additional teachers or classroom space.   There is no guarantee that the student population will continue to increase, so agreeing to this item could have unintended financial consequences later. It is never outside the realm of reality that one teacher’s salary could mean the difference between balancing and not balancing the budget. Reasonable Settlement for the Union In determining the reasonableness of a settlement for the PRCTA, several factors should be considered. Typically, wages are at the forefront of union demands, and the fact that the Board is willing to raise salaries to levels above the comparable communities the PRCTA selected should speak volumes. That alone may be enough to achieve ratification. In addition, the PRCTA needs to consider the effects of having an arbitrator decide their fate. If the Board is being reasonable in their proposal, there is no reason to chance the final decisions in the hands of an individual who may or may not agree with position of the PRCTA. The Board has not requested concessions, comparable wages have been offered, and other positions lean toward the comparable communities of the union. In a fact-finding or arbitration scenario, the Board would undoubtedly be able to find comparable communities supporting their position. According to Crawford, final offer arbitration’s distinguishing feature is that it threatens bargainers with a settlement determined by the relative desirability to the arbitrator of their final offers. This creates incentives for bargainers to move their final offers closer to what they think the arbitrator wants, even if they are uncertain of his wishes (1981, 207). In the Pleasant Ridge scenario, the position of the Board is more than reasonable, and should ultimately be accepted as such by the PRCTA, rather than advancing to fact-finding or final offer  arbitration. Fact-Finding â€Å"The consequences of impasse are evident in the amount of private and public resources spent on civil litigation, the costs of labor unrest, the psychic and pecuniary wounds of domestic strife, and in clashes among religious, ethnic and regional groups.† (Babcock, Lowesenstein, 1997, 326) Should the parties reach impasse and the matter be referred to fact-finding, the Fact-Finder should make a recommendation based on the school district’s current and projected future financial position (ability to pay), the current political environment as far as public education policy is concerned, and to a lesser extent, should consider the proposals in comparison to those of comparable communities. In making a settlement recommendation, the Fact-Finder should find the initial position of the Board to be quite consistent with that of the PRCTA, as well as quite generous and reasonable. It is almost certain that a Fact-Finder would agree with the Board’s position on wages and tenure. It is reasonable to think that he or she would agree on tenure, but possibly decrease rather than eliminate the year of salary payout, unless they considered a layoff situation a financial hardship. If the Board could successfully present that as a business case, a Fact-Finder may agree. With regard to class size, a three to five student decrease should not present a significant enough business case to cause the school district to absorb an increase in additional teaching salaries and roll-up costs. A Fact-Finder should support that item as remaining status-quo. Final Offer Arbitration The board would undoubtedly have to go to arbitration to remove the politics of implementing a contract from their hands should the parties not be able to reach a settlement. With two of the board members being labor union members, and three endorsed by the Pleasant Ridge Central Labor Union (PRCLU), not going to arbitration would be political suicide. As demonstrated in previous board elections, two members lost to candidates who were endorsed by the PRCLU, showing the strength that the PRCLU exhibits. Having a neutral party force a contract on both sides would be the only political out the Board members would have. In a final offer settlement package, it is of the utmost importance that both parties consider the most  desirable benefits that could be achieved, and tailor the final offer package around those. Prioritization of issues is significant, as well as is reasonableness. In the final offer package, it would be incumbent on the Board to submit lower contractual wage increases, potentially to 2% each year of a two-year contract, with class size and tenure remaining status quo, with the elimination of the one-year wage payout provision. For the PRCTA, it would be beneficial to package a deal containing a 5 year contract with 2% wage increases for each year of the contract. Considering they really have nothing to lose since concessions aren’t being considered, they should also incorporate the decreased class size of 25 students, and tenure to reflect the 3 year comparable. Even if the arbitrator sides with the Board, the PRCTA hasn’t lost anything besides the one-year payout provision. Likely, that is something that will affect very few of the current members. REFERENCES Babcock, L., & Loewenstein, G. (1997). Explaining bargaining impasse: The role of self-serving biases. Advances in behavioral economics, 326. Crawford, V.P. (1981), Arbitration and Conflict Resolution in Labor-Management Bargaining. The American Economic Review. 71(2). Papers and Proceedings of the Ninety-Third Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association. 205-210. Cutcher-Gershenfeld, J. (1996). Bargaining Over How to Bargain in Labor-Management Negotiations. Negotiation Journal, 10(4), 323-335. Retrieved on March 22, 2014 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1571-9979.1994.tb00032.x/abstract. Eberts, R.W. and Stone, J.A. (1985), Wages, Fringe Benefits, and Working Conditions: An Analysis of Compensating Differentials. Southern Economic Journal. 52(1). 274-280. Kearney, R.C., Labor Relations in the Public Sector, Fourth Edition. CRC Press. 381. Kerchner, C.T. and Koppich, J.E. (2007). Negotiating What Matters Most: Collective Bargaining and Student Achievement. A merican Journal of Education. 113(3). 349-365. Retrieved on March 22, 2014 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/512736. Walton, R. E. (1994). Strategic negotiations: A theory of change in labor-management relations. Harvard Business Press.

How does Shakespeare present tension Essay

      The contrast in speech also applies to the language of the spirits of the Island which are shown to be quite delicate and poetic â€Å"wild waves whist†, Shakespeare uses alliteration of the letter ‘w’ to slows the pace of the speech and produces sounds that makes Ariel seem less human or earth-bound but instead of the air or the waves. In contrast to the way Prospero treats Caliban, Prospero treats Ariel with affection, â€Å"my dainty Ariel†. Shakespeare uses the emphasis on the word â€Å"my† to suggest that Prospero is fonder of the possession of Ariel than Ariel himself. If the Island can be taken as a metaphor for humanity versus nature then the differences in the way Caliban and Ariel are treated by Prospero defines humanity’s ambitions and fears. Prospero treats Ariel with love because he is an asset to him, â€Å"fine apparition, my quant Ariel†, and because of the power that Prospero gains through that control that makes him appear almost God-like. Humans control the elements to gain a level of direction in their lives, to make sense of the meaninglessness of life. It is this direction that leads Prospero to believe and aspire to be like God because it strangles the connection between him and the repulsive beings of nature he has power over, such as Caliban. Equality leads to lack of control and it is Caliban’s adamant rebellion to be seen inferior that sickens Prospero. In the Tempest, Caliban represents people’s natural state and when Prospero oppresses Caliban, Shakespeare is creating an image of civilisation repressing their natural selves and concluding that the tensions between civilisation and nature only exist because of the way civilisation resents it’s natural state. When Gonzalo speaks of his golden age he is explaining a world where nature and civilisation could exist as one without the tensions that are so apparent in the rest of the play. Gonzalo would have â€Å"use of service, none†, â€Å"no occupation† but rather live innocently with nature bringing â€Å"forth of its own kind, all foison†¦ † Shakespeare uses the structure of the speech, interrupted continuously by Antonio and Sebastian, to perhaps mock the idea and highlight its faults. The idea itself comes from a French philosopher who describes how the Europeans corrupted America with its advanced influence. Through Sebastian and Antonio, Shakespeare is undermining his words and this implies that his own opinion could be that nature and civilisation can never both exist without the differences or hostility between the two. I believe Shakespeare presents the tensions between Civilisation and Nature not as to highlight their difference, but rather to highlight the tension that is created by society’s denial in their similarities. Perhaps the repulsion of Caliban is seen as a rejection of each of the more civilised characters untamed selves, their more ‘sophisticated’ selves portrayed as wit, cunning or power. By this, I could say that Shakespeare is presenting Caliban as the only true character in the whole play, though coarse and unrefined he is evidently not a master of politics or scheming, such as the characters of Antonio and Sebastian, which has been learnt through the highest classes of civilised society. In this, Shakespeare is saying that both nature and civilisation are equal, the only difference being that nature is not in a state of self denial. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE The Tempest section.

Empirical Enquiry and Critical Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Empirical Enquiry and Critical Thought - Essay Example Using the rule of categorical imperative Kant suggested we therefore dare to give our promise, because there is still value in it, as tantamount to how we think and make our choice. We make promises because we think we have to fulfill them. We therefore have the positive choice to accomplish what we need to accomplish based on what we have promised. This is a remarkable indication of a good will if we want to come to consider the whole idea of Kant concerning the ethics associated with duty. For Kant, in understanding the moral requirements, it is important that we act not out of inclination, but out of duty because doing so the latter is inherent of a good will. The work at hand considers some thoughts how might Kant’s example of the ‘promise’ be useful in contemporary society together with the theory linked to this and how this might have meaningful application in modern day event. Moral Law A false promise therefore according to Kant is a contradiction to the m oral law, but what makes it a significant conflict is not the associated consequence, but the way on how people think and make choices (Kerstein, 2004, p.168; Jecker, 2011, p.151). Kant believed that there is moral law that governs standard of rationality leading us to the implementation of moral requirements. In line with this moral law, irrational acts are therefore leading mankind to immorality. I agree with the idea of Kant and in the same way as how Locke and Hobbes, the other philosophers argued that the standard of rationality paves the way for moral requirements (De La Sierra, 2012, p.270; Morris, 1999, p.185; Paul et al., 2008, p.223). Understanding the idea of Kant leads me to the thought that he has a good point why he argued that we should not look at the consequence of an action, but rather on the actual intention prior to doing it. Suppose a business man owed a debt to a business partner and signed a promissory note to pay the actual cash incurred at a specified time a nd amount. This business man has a principle that he could just get around his obligation by adhering to a ‘false promise’ and continue to generate financial gain out of it. The key idea in this given example concerns whether the business man who is indebted to pay is living under the principle of moral law. Certainly, the man’s false promise is out of inclination and not out of duty. If all would make a false promise to make advantage of it, there would certainly come a time that everyone would not take promise seriously. In other words, the business man’s ultimate principle is a contradiction itself, because he could never gain from it, as the ultimate point of his inclination in the first place. In this case, if we based it on the idea of Kant, it is not the consequence that would tell us about a morally important thing, but the business person’s way of thinking, something invisible, but essential in understanding the moral law. Garrett (2006) sh owed that the ‘categorical imperative,’ just as how Kant explained would make it possible for us to understand the moral law. Duty of Ethics We can only generate general or substantial understanding of Kant’s example of promise if we come to consider his theory of the Duty of Ethics. As already stated, we need to understand what moral

Personality Theory in Organizational Behavior Assignment

Personality Theory in Organizational Behavior - Assignment Example Some people will be very good at communicating with clients, people within the company, and competitors. These people should be assigned to tasks that involve outreach to customers or other businesses. Other people might be less extroverted. Putting them onto, say, account management and debt collection might not be wise. Similarly, accountants will need to make sure their workers are conscientious, undoubtedly the most important element of accounting. But if workers have difficulties with conscientiousness, this isn't the end of the world. Training can be one solution. Another solution can be putting more time into infrastructure: Making procedures simpler and less ambiguous, providing managerial support and monitoring, etc. Perhaps the same people who have difficulties with conscientiousness are those extroverted people who will be great handling communication. The key insight of personality theory is that everyone has different skills and that this is not a problem but a boon to organizations. Like everything in business, organizations simply have to adapt to this as a fact of the market and of life. Companies that do this well thrive, companies that don't die. Accountants will need to work with a wide variety of personality types that vary along the Big Five axes. 2. Luthans et al examined hundreds of managers in different industries and found that all of their skills and job descriptions boiled down to four roles: Management, communication, human resource management, and networking (Robbins). Management is traditional managerial roles such as distributing tasks, planning, and decision-making. Communication is paperwork and exchanging information. Human resource management is motivating, hiring, firing, etc. (It is the least important task according to Luthans et al; Robbins). And networking is interacting mostly with others, but also inside the company in terms of socializing and engaging in office.

My experience on censorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My experience on censorship - Essay Example We did not care to ascertain the age limit of the movie. The security officers at the entrance were equally more concerned with the security details than verifying the details of the moviegoers. Nevertheless, they reserved the verification of personal details to the end of the first episode. At the end of the first episode, the security men sought to verify our personal details by asking for our identification cards. My friend produced his identification card and got a clearance. When my turn came, the security agent could not believe that a sixteen year old is watching a movie rated eighteen years and above. The security agent was actually very furious that I had breached the rules of the theatre by entering the theatre well knowing that I had not acquired the required age. My attempts to explain that I had not seen the age requirement landed on deaf ears. My friend watched in disbelief and the audience caught the scene with amazement as the security agent manhandled me. The security agent whisked me out of the theatre to the security cabin where he locked me up in readiness for resultant punishment. It was the greatest shock of my life as nobody dared come to my support. Later on, the management of the movie theatre sought to explain to me the various rules applicable in a movie theatre and the attached punishments and fines on defaulters. Playing audience to the movies relevant to one’s age was one of the rules that attracted heavy penalties upon defaulting. Security agents treat ignorance to this rule with equal wrath. The management expects the audience to brief themselves with the relevant terms and conditions pertaining to a given movie with no omissions and total strictness. This act of censorship caused me to think objectively of censorship. The stringent measures put in place to ensure compliance to the set rules proved effective for censorship. The need to seek

Artificial Intelligence Research Paper and Proposal

Artificial Intelligence and Proposal - Research Paper Example [Liebowitz, J. 2001. p.1-6] A research by Kaminka and Pynadath (2002. p.83-91) presented techniques of on-line monitoring of teams using a method of "overhearing" whereby their communication exchanges during business transactions are captured in computer systems and the learning of the agents are captured under three categories - No Learning, On-Line Learning and Using Previously Learned Predictions. They called the system as "Overseer" that can be effectively used to compare the performance gaps between novice agents and expert agents. The system could be used for performance evaluations of individuals as well as groups carrying out business transactions in any domain of the world. The researchers deployed two different hierarchies in the system - A team hierarchy and a plan hierarchy. The team hierarchy comprises of people fitting into the roles required to deliver tasks defined in the plan hierarchy. Hence, every individual in a role is expected to "execute a plan". They modeled the ground operations of an international airport whereby the human agents were allowed to query about the status of a plan and the future course of the plan in progress thus dealing with obstacles coming on the way of a plan. They querying was normally carried out by people in higher hierarchies and the plan reporting carried out by people in lower hierarchies. The learning about steps taken for plan executions were recorded in a plan library. They developed a probabilistic model of quantitative evaluation of the plan by plotting a time series of the plan state variables whereby all plans are represented by a set of Boolean random variables in such a way that the variable is true only if an agent is able to execute it at time "t". Thereafter the performance "belief" about an agent was plotted as a probability distribution with Markov property over all the variables within the set and was termed as Dynamic Belief Network (DBN). The start of a plan is overheard through initiation messages by the reporter and te rmination of plan overheard through

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 97

History - Essay Example ther end focused on the economy while reforms had to do with the state’s financial systems to provide protection from a repeat of such severe depression. This series of programs changed the role of the federal government in American life. Firstly, the new deal fundamentally redefined the relationship between the federal government and the citizens. The government took the responsibility to care for people unlike in the past. Initially, the federal government was detached from the common man and as such their financial security or propensity was not much their concern. After enactment of the new deal, the federal government financed the public service jobs which solved the problem of unemployment. The new deal created programs that targeted to keep the citizens secure like the FDIC and social security. The federal government became peoples’ prosperity and economic security provider when things would go bad coming to their rescue (Taylor, n.d). Secondly, the role of government towards its citizens was redefined. The new deal made the government take the roles of recovery, relief as well as reform. Roosevelt’s ideologies made the government’s role more expansive unlike was the ordinary. Thus, governments took to intervene on issues that affected the public. The federal government became the source for solution of Americans problems. The reforms that targeted the banking sector and stock market brought about recovery. The federal government protected home mortgages and thus made it recover from the depression (Taylor, n.d). These efforts pioneered by Roosevelt in under the new deal programs set a precedence that was to become the role of the federal government in the lives of the American people. Further, Reliefs initially were provided by charity organizations and local governments. This was redefined by Roosevelt under the new deal programs. The new deal brought federal reliefs to millions of Americans during the recession. Thousands of men were able to be

Where's the Pig Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Where's the Pig Business - Case Study Example The context of the promotional tool used has been discussed based on the main theory of cross cultural marketing. McDonald’s is a brand with a wide global presentation and it has to adjust accordingly when it comes to diverse cultures. Cross cultural marketing is an important aspect that global brands have to pay heed to. The case states how the difference between the promotional activity in Singapore and Hong Kong created a problem for McDonald’s and how the firm eventually resolved the problem by taking appropriate measures. In 2010, McDonald’s incorporated a new promotional theme in its promotional activities. It decided to incorporate the Chinese astrology into its promotion. It found out that the Chinese calendar holds great importance for the Chinese people. The Chinese astrology comprises of 12 animal signs which include rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. McDonald’s started offering 12 little Doraemon toys each of which represented a Chinese zodiac sign. The promotion came to be known as Doraemon Lucky Charms Promotion. The toy was to be purchased by the customers along with the purchase of the McDonald’s Happy Meal. This promotion was successful when it was implemented in Hong Kong. The corporations faced no problem as 95 percent of the population of Hong Kong had a Chinese ethnicity. Case Issues The main problem was raised when the same promotional strategy was modified when implemented in Singapore. ... This modification created a chaos for the McDonald’s Corporation and there was an upheaval in online blogs. The main point used to hit the corporation was that it does not respect the Chinese culture. McDonald’s was blamed for not conducting market research. Many critics raised a point that McDonald’s Corporation did not take sufficient time to think through the promotion. This whole modification stirred up a controversy as it offended the majority race in Singapore and was needed to be addressed before the brand image of McDonald’s got tarnished in Singapore. Another problem was faced when some customers said that there was no reason of buying an incomplete Doraemon collection set without a pig toy. It seemed like all minorities of Singapore except Muslims were not happy with this modification and on top of all it was the majority that got most offended. It was believed that on cross-cultural sensitivity McDonald’s over reacted. Malay culture prohi bits the consumption of pork, but McDonald’s on its own perceived that Malays will be offended by a pig toy. In addition many customers, in order to gather the 12 pieces animal collection, had to order it through their friends who lived in Hong Kong. The promotion was offered in Hong Kong. McDonald’s finally realized its’ mistake and apologized to the public of Singapore through the advertisement and its website and announced that the pig toy will be available. But this was long after the lunar year. The corporation invited its customers who were interested in buying the pig toy to visit the website and click on the Doraemon Lucky Charms Poll to indicate their interest. The apology and availability of the pig toy did not please the masses instead pacified only some publics. It

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Assignment 3 - Essay Example Additionally, the company represents black at many functions and events, for example, BET Awards, Essence Music Festival, and Hoodie Awards. During the beginning of 2011, the company launched advertisements campaigns such as Inspired by color and urban market initiative. These campaigns were calling the people to express their taste and personal styles as exemplified by the features and colors of the new Fiesta launched in 2011. In the campaign, the company selected five black people who appear in the advertisement for the car. The other initiative known as ALL IN, which features videos having Black executives that had played key roles in the revival of the company. The other company is the America Airlines that is associated with the Africa American market. Besides Southwest Airlines, America Airlines has consistently supported Black people in the United States. American Airlines made an agreement with Steve Harvey Show to make advertisements on the radio and the Show official website. In addition, the airline through the social media launched a site known as blackatlas.com dedicated to promoting Black Traveler. The airline company launched a virtual museum. The museum explores all the African-Americans who have worked in the aviation industry from the historical past or the pre-civil rights to the current (Smith, 2006). Ford Motor Company by initiating and supporting the various events such as BET Awards, Essence Music Awards and Hoodie Awards the company succeeded in creating a consumer engagement model that enable them meet their target customers. It also creates awareness of the various products that the business manufactures. Moreover, users can make a clear differentiation of the different motors that Ford Company produced during that period. Additionally, ALL IN an ad successfully engaged their target customers by featuring some of their target clients in their promotions. All these structures have created an efficient

Descriptive Essay Example for Free

Descriptive Essay What do I do with my leisure time? Well that’s a funny question, because I don’t have much of it. When I get some extra time I enjoy flying with my good friend Sam. Since Sam is teaching me how to fly, I’ll be able to share all the wonderful and majestic views with you. There’s nothing like a little adrenaline rush at the end of the day. Before we get in the plane, we walk around it, check the oil, the tire pressure and climb up on the wing and open the gas cap on both wings to make sure there is enough fuel. We check the gauges to make sure they work; they always do but that’s all part of inspecting the plane. Once we are done with our preflight inspections we untie the plane and remove the chucks from under the tires. Then we get into the small cockpit. Then we adjust our green leather seats to the proper place, where the seat is comfortable for each one of us; since we do want to be comfortable when flying. The first thing that we do is grab the yoke(the steering wheel) and turn it left and right, and forward and back, to make sure the flight controls are free and correct. When all of that is complete we are ready to turn on the power. Sam turns on the master switch and all the electronics and avionics come on with a beeping or ringing noise. The dashboard looks like a Christmas tree all lit up. Next the key goes in the ignition. That’s when I have to turn the key past the right and left magneto position to start the propeller. Then the propeller goes around a couple of times, which sounds like an oversized fan being turned on, and the plane has been started. He then adjusts his gauges and we put on our head phones. As I put on my headphones I can hear other people talking on the radio. We then tune into the common traffic advisory frequency and we taxi for take-off. In order to take off properly, you have to take off into the wind; so we watch the flag to see which way the wind is blowing. That helps you to determine which runway to use and the direction we will be heading. Then we head to the runway for take-off. Once we are lined up with the proper runway he gives me the nod to let me know we are getting ready for take-off. I let him know that we are ready to go by giving him thumbs up for good luck and a great big cheesy smile. Then he gives the plane full throttle; that’s when the sound of the plane is at full blast. That’s when the fun starts. When our airspeed is around sixty MPH he pulls back on the yoke and we start to leave the smooth landing strip starting towards our beautiful destination. We usually climb out around 400 feet per minute; passing all the beautiful tree tops. On a clear day in about five minutes if we take off from Millville airport, we can see all the wonderful Atlantic City lights in one direction. We’ll also be able to see Philadelphia and Delaware too. When it’s a clear day, preferably almost time for sunset, we usually like to fly over the water. We always get the best views in the world that way of the sunset. Usually that day I’ll bring my camera so I can get some outstanding pictures; I could probably sell those pictures. The unbelievable colors from the water and the sun, it’s just priceless. When it’s a cloudy day we will try to fly up to the clouds and find an opening to fly above the clouds. That’s when the altimeter reads 5000 feet, that’s when I know we reached the place I enjoy the most. You just can’t imagine the beauty in the clouds until you’ve experienced it yourself. No words really can describe the views. That’s my favorite part, not that I don’t enjoy the whole ride, but it is absolutely the most majestic place in the sky, towering clouds everywhere. It’s almost like looking at snowy mountains. He will usually get on the radar at this point since we can’t really see anything around us but clouds. This way we can keep track of every other plane around us. Meanwhile, we are all telling each other over the radio how wonderful the views are. As we continue to take in our unbelievable views we notice it’s starting to get late and we are in need to get fuel also. As we come to the end of our plane ride, we start to head back. On our way back down from the majestic clouds we happen to have a few geese flying parallel with us. They were soaring thru the clouds and all around us. We call into the traffic advisory to make sure the runway is clear for our landing. They let us know we are all clear to make a landing. Then we circle the airport, so we can line up with the runway and get ready for our landing. We then start to descend from our majestic trip up to the clouds; we are coming in fast. We start to see the beautiful tree tops again. We hit the landing strip, it’s a little on the bumpy side, then it starts to smooth out. Then we start to slow down and come to a crawl. We then drive the plane slowly to our parking spot where we park the plane. Then we begin to shut the plane down. We turn the propellers off and all the electronics and avionics off. We then adjust our seats and get out of the plane. Now is the hard part of the whole day. We both have to push the plane back into its parking spot. Then we tie down the plane and put chucks under the wheels. We do this, so if a gust of wind comes through it doesn’t blow the plane away; since that does happen. I would have to say flying is best for leisure time, since this is what I enjoy doing the most when it comes to having leisure time. When it comes to leisure, you are supposed to do something you enjoy doing. That’s why I fly for leisure, since it’s a big adrenaline rush for me but it also is very relaxing for me at the same time. So if you ever want to take a ride with Sam and I just let me know and you’ll get to see all the wonderful things we have seen and some.

Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A Essay Example for Free

Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A Essay Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A This assignment has a maximum total of 100 marks and is worth 10% of your total grade for this course. You should complete it after completing your course work for Units 6 through 10. Answer each question clearly and concisely. 1. In perfect competition, one result of the model was that there were no economic profits in the long run. In a monopoly, the firm typically earns a positive economic profit. Why is there this difference? The lack of barriers to entry will allow competitors to enter the market unil economic profit is zero. These firms are price takers, and they cannot affect prices because their demand curve is horizontal.(4 marks) 2. Assume that a single firm in a pure competitive industry has a fixed cost of $6500 and variable costs as indicated in the table below. a. Calculate the TC, AFC, AVC, ATC, and MC columns for this firm. (5 marks) Total Output TVC TC AFC AVC ATC MC 00 0 600 70,000 1000 76000 1400 81000 1800 87000 2200 90000 2600 93000 2800 96000 3000 100000 3100 110000 b. Explain the concepts of economies and diseconomies of scale, and describe the underlying reasons why both occur. (4 marks) 3. At its current level of production, a profit-maximizing firm in a competitive market receives $12.50 for each unit it produces, and it faces an average total cost of $10. At the market price of $12.50 per unit, the firms marginal cost curve crosses the marginal revenue curve at an output level of 1000 units. What is the firms current profit? What is likely to occur in this market and why?(4 marks) P=12.5 TR=P*Q = 12.5 * 1000 = 12500 TC=ATC*Q = 10 * 1000 = 10000 Profit=TR-TC = 12500 10000 = +2500 Profit is positive, but for perfectly competitive markets there will be no profits at all in the long-run, so in this markets new firms will enter  market attracted by profits thus increasing market supply and reducing equilibrium price till it reaches close to P=$10, consequently leading to zero economic profits in long-run. For lower price this firm will be pressed to reduce output a bit for new P=MR=MC equilibrium. 4. a.Why would a firm in a perfectly competitive market always choose to set its price equal to the current market price? If a firm set its price below the current market price, what effect would this have on the market? (4 marks) The assumptions of perfect competition that matter here are that in perfect competition 1 every firm is so small compared to the market so as to have no effect on market price 2 everyone is aware of everybodys price. Now if you set a price lower than the market, you are only cutting your nose to spite your face since you would sell as much as a higher price. (Remember, how much you produce is determined by your MC and the output level you produce at is the minimum MC). Cutting the price to sell more also costs more to produce; you are worse off. If you set a price higher than market, noone will buy from you. Explain how a firm in a competitive market identifies the profit-maximizing level of production. When should the firm raise production, and when should the firm lower production? In a perfectly competitive market, all firms are assumed to be very small compared to the market. Now the price is set at the market level, and as a small firm you take it as given; you couldnt sell at a higher price since nobody would buy from you. Now in the long run, you should be at the minimum point of your cost curve, ensuring you make just normal profits. The price is your MR and at the minimum point of your AC curve your MC cuts it: MC=MR and AC=AR. If the market price is higher than this, new entrants will sniff the opportunity created by super normal profits and the market supply curve shifts right/up, reducing price until there are no more super ormal profits  to be earned. If market price is lower, then firms are making losses, some exit and supply curve shifts left driving price up. In equilibrium, each firm is producing at the minmum point of the AC, where MC=MR=P. Hence the firm temporarily raises production when Pmin AC and makes supernormal profits until new entrants drive price back down; or lowers production temporarily when P

Understanding Business Concepts

Understanding Business Concepts Unit Number Title: U35 Business and Entrepreneurship Assignment 1 Sit 1: Understanding Business Concepts Table of Contents Task A: Answer 1 Answer 1.1 Answer 2 Answer 2.1 Answer 3 Answer 3.1 Answer 3.2 Answer 4 Task B: Answer 1. Answer 2 Answer 3 References List of Figures Figure 1 SWOT Diagram Task A: Answer 1 Opportunity cost is the next highest valued alternative to one’s decision. It is the loss of potential gain from the second best alternative, once a business decision is taken. Answer 1.1 A Motor vehicle company has taken a decision to start a new production line for its vehicles with the aim of green technology. It has two options, option one is to start producing a fully electric vehicle while option two is to start producing a hybrid vehicle. If the company decides to start producing a fully electric vehicle then the opportunity cost will be the cost of producing a hybrid vehicle. A utility company supplying electricity is going to build a new power plant. It has two options, first option building a power plant using nuclear power while the second option building a power plant using natural gas. If the utility company decides to build the new power plant using natural gas, then its opportunity cost will be the cost of building a power plant using nuclear power. (Henderson, n.d.) Answer 2 Double entry system delineate that every transaction will be registered at least into two separate accounts in a companys accounting system. A simple example is shown in table below: (Averkamp, n.d.) Answer 2.1 There is more than one advantage for using a double entry system. Some of these are: There is an arithmetic check on the companys bookkeeping records as for every debit amount there is always a corresponding credit amount. This means that the total debit entries must be matched with the same amount of credit entries. Better understanding of a companys financial situation. It shows the true profit or loss of the company more clearly at any given time. Financial statements will be prepared much easier when double entry system is in place. Examples of these statements are: balance sheet, income statement and cash flow. This system also helps in detecting and reducing accounting errors. (Advantages and disadvantages of double entry book-keeping, n.d.) Answer 3 The balance sheet is one of the most important financial statements within a company. The balance sheet is a snapshot at a single point in time, (usually at the end of month or year), which gives investors an accurate and reliable picture of a companys financial position, what it actually owns and owes. The following formula is followed in a balance sheet: Assets = Liabilities + Capital (Shareholders Equity) (Balance Sheet, n.d.) Answer 3.1 The main purpose of the balance sheet is that it figures up the companys economic resources, obligations and shareholders equities at any point in time. It displays how the resources contributed by the shareholders and money lenders are used in the business. The term balance sheet is derived from the fact that at any given time, assets must be equal to liabilities plus capital hence the two sides of the balance sheet must balance out each other. On the other hand the balance has some drawbacks too. One of which is that the true value of the assets are not reflected on the balance sheet. Historical costs of the assets will not reflect the true market value since these assets may have increased or depreciated in value. Another drawback is that certain assets value are estimated thus does not reflect the true economic situation of the business. (Balance Sheet, n.d.) Answer 3.2 Two important financial statements complimenting the balance sheet are the Cash Flow statement and the Profit Loss statement. Cash flow is comprised of three components which displays the cash generated and used by the company for any given period of time. These components are operations, investing and financing activities. Operation activities measure the income and expenditure caused by the core business operations of a company. It reflects how much profit is generated from the companys products and services. Investing activities reflect the investment in purchasing of new assets such as property, land and equipment. Financing activities reflect changes in debts, loans and dividends paid. These include issue of shares and/or bonds, re-purchase of shares and/or bonds, interest paid to bond-holders. (What is a Cash Flow Statement, n.d.) The Profit Loss statement displays a companys income, costs and expenditure for a particular period of time. Normally this statement is issues quarterly or yearly depending on the companys size and directors preference. The purpose of this statement is to show investors whether the company has made or lost money during the specific period indicated in the statement. The Profit Loss statement gives a good account of the companys capabilities to increase profits and reduce costs. (Profit Loss Statement, n.d.) Answer 4 The following is an abstract from the regulations of the Malta Financial Services Authority: A private company is a company that must, by its memorandum or articles: restrict the right to transfer its shares; prohibit any invitation to the public to subscribe for any shares or debentures of the company; The minimum authorised share capital is â‚ ¬1,164.69. The maximum number of shareholders is fifty Must have at least one director A public company is a company which does not qualify as a private company. A public company may offer shares or debentures to the public but it may not issue any form of application for its shares or debentures unless the company is registered and the issue is accompanied by a prospectus. The minimum authorised share capital of a public company is EUR 46,587.47.There is no maximum number of shareholders in the case of a public company. Must have at least 2 directors In the case of a public company not less than 25%, and in the case of a private company not less than 20%, of the nominal value of each share taken up shall be paid up on the signing of the memorandum. Every Company must have a company secretary and hold an Annual General Meeting. (A Guide to the Registration of Companies, n.d.) Task B: Answer 1. The acronyms of PEST and SWOT analysis are as follows: PEST analysis Political, Economic, Social and Technological analysis. SWOT analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis. Answer 2 PEST is a business measuring tool to understand the business environment growth or decline before setting up a new business or expanding an established business. It is an investigation for reviewing the external environment factors for political, economic, social and technological influences. Political Environment These are all those factors related to and executed by a government. A change in government can bring a change in laws, regulations, policies and taxes which can have an impact on the business environment. Since Malta is part of the European Union, EU regulations and new member states can have an impact on the business environment. Economic Environment This is mainly the financial system fluctuations that occur from time to time with general booms and slumps in the economy activity. A change in unemployment, interest rates and customer purchasing power can cause these fluctuations. Social Environment This is the influence on the business environment which its effects depend on religious, cultural and social trends. These effects can be either positive or negative. Education, lifestyles, career trends and demographics have influence on the social environment. If a decision from a business company have a huge impact which goes against the societal norms, it may face negative publicity and protests. Technological Environment This gathers all the technical aspects of the business environment such as automation, technology awareness, progress, research and development. Technical environment aspects can have an impact on the cost and quality of the business production. (External Environment Theory PEST Analysis, n.d.) SWOT analysis is a matrix analysis of the internal strengths and weaknesses of a company against identification of external opportunities and threats. It helps a company to uncover and exploit opportunities while understanding the weaknesses to eliminate threats. Workshop sessions and brainstorming sessions are two useful ways of completing the SWOT analysis while involving personnel from your own company. A sample table of the SWOT Matrix is shown in figure 1 below. Figure 1 SWOT Diagram Strengths are the resources and capabilities of a business or a project within a company which are used to gain a competitive advantage over other competitors. Examples of strengths are: Reputation, Superior product performance, Unique selling points, Strong brand names. Weaknesses are the absence of certain strengths on which your competitor may take an advantage. Examples of weaknesses are: Weak brand name, Limited budget, Limited personnel, Opportunities are external elements that can uncover new opportunities where a company can exploit its advantages for profit and growth. Examples of opportunities are: Changes in technology, Change in government policies on a particular area, Unfulfilled customer needs, Local events. Threats are changes in external environment and opportunities taken by other companies which can have a competitive advantage over your business. Examples of threats are: Appearance of alternative products, New legislations, Retention of key staff, Negative publicity. (SWOT Analysis, n.d.) Answer 3 SWOT analysis for Bank of Valletta plc. Task C References A Guide to the Registration of Companies. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 15, 2014, from MFSA: https://registry.mfsa.com.mt/otherPDFs/ROCGuide.pdf Advantages and disadvantages of double entry book-keeping. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 12, 2012, from Figurate Ltd Chartered Management Accounts: http://www.figurate.co.uk/2007/07/03/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-double-entry-bookkeeping/ Averkamp, H. (n.d.). Accounting Basics (Explanation). Retrieved 1 12, 2014, from Accounting Coach: http://www.accountingcoach.com/accounting-basics/explanation/5 Balance Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/balancesheet.asp External Environment Theory PEST Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 16, 2014, from The Times 100 Business Case Studies: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/external-environment/pest-analysis.html#axzz2qb3hjMJw Henderson, D. R. (n.d.). Library of Economics and Liberty. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/OpportunityCost.html Profit Loss Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/plstatement.asp SWOT Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 18, 2014, from Businessballs: http://www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm What is a Cash Flow Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 14, 2014, from Investopedia: www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp

History of Rock and Roll Essay example -- essays research papers fc

A History Paper-Rock ‘n’ Roll Many people and many styles of music influenced Rock and Roll. The styles included Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Bluegrass, Boogie-Woogie, and Rockabilly. Each was a major factor into the introduction of a new style of music called Rock ‘N’ Roll. Popular music places a premium on accessibility, represents various meanings to boost both instant appeal and memorability - distinctive tunes, novel instrumental flourishes, danceable rhythms, repeated riffs - but its signal feature is melodic emphasis and great vocal gatherings. Popular music at the turn of the century came largely from musical theater - Broadway and Hollywood. Originally, popularized by traveling groups and sheet music sales, popular music really came into its own with the arrival of radio broadcasting, jukeboxes, 78 r.p.m recordings and other twentieth century technologies which continued into the Fifties. Hits from the first half of the 20th century were supplied by Tin Pin Alley that celebrated the boom years and Roaring Twenties and provided an escape from the Depression and two World Wars. Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Jerome Kern left their imprint during "the Jazz Age." However, there were the long-forgotten hacks cashing in on the latest fads spewing out sentimental weepers and cute novelty numbers aimed at the bland tastes of American mainstream. Jazz and â€Å"boogie-woogie† of the Thirties moved popular music away from the light entertainment of the publishing houses toward a more exciting and dance oriented style that made the swing era a golden age. As the bigger bands died out and the star singers again grabbed the spot light the songwriters again found their services in demand. Without jazz driving it and Americans rebuilding their lives and starting baby booms people were too busy to waste time dancing. Popular music turned back to light sentimental songs and cute novelty music song by polished voices and backed by sweetly generic instrumentals. The Fifties were a good time to be a white middle class American These years brought an UN-thought of prosperity and confidence to Americans who barely remembered the Great Depression. Popular music of the early fifties mirrored the life of mainstream America: bland predictable and reassuring. Which didn't seem bad after the depre... ... England the rock capital of the world. The British Invasion of 1964 brought America's music - reinvented and revitalized - home, a new generation of rock fans was born. Rock now entered what is now known as its Classic Era. In conclusion this report has helped us understand the significance of Music in America. Also, the impact it has on music we listen too. Music is very much like a big chain reaction. Rock ‘N’ Roll, much like music today, stood out and was in a way rebellious. Parents now hate Rap and we love it. People in the 70’s loved Rock ‘N’ Roll and parents hated it. This shows that maybe no matter how much older people deny it, the time gap and generation gap is not too far apart. Without Rock ‘N’ Roll the World would without a doubt be changed. Any guess to that of which way would be a good one. Works Cited 1 Gass, Bryan "A History of Rock Music: The Rock and Roll Era" World Book. Ed. 6. 1994. 2 Jervey, A. J. " Rock Music Developments" World Book. Ed. 6. 1994. 3 Briss, Jake "A Rock’n Time† Compton’s. Ed. 13. 1987. 4 Mack, Stacey "ROCKED AND ROLLIN" TIME to Rock round the Clock Nash Publishing, 1994.

What is a Hero? :: Hero Heroes Definition Essays Papers

What is a Hero?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today's modern times we hear the word hero all of the time. The news media throws the term around as if it is an everyday word. What exactly is a hero? Who, or what, can be classified as heroic? The correct definition of the word hero is: One invested with heroic qualities in the opinions of others. That is a fine definition for books and intellectual minds. To the average person, however, a hero is much more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To better understand what a heroic quality is it may be easier to describe what a hero is not. Nearly everyday on television people talk of athletes and celebrities as being heroes, but are they? To put it mildly, they are not heroes at all. Possibly role models, but for the most part, not in possession of heroic qualities. When Michael Jordan and Bruce Willis, by risking their lives, save an abandoned child from a typhoon they will possess the qualities to be called heroes in my opinion. Policemen and firemen are at times classified as heroes. Until they prove themselves they are just ordinary people. The title heroic is not given by occupation, rather by achievement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So what exactly is a hero? Parents are true heroes. Most parental units sacrifice time, money, love and everything else for their children. When times are tough good parents do all they can to make things better for their children. Mothers and fathers often work two jobs, late at night, or on weekends to provide for their kids. My mom is always there for me when I am sick, telling me she wishes she were the sick one. She also reassures me that she always has an extra kidney if I happen to need one. I personally view my parents as true heroes for all they do, have done, and will do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A local hero emerged recently in Flint Police Officer Leslie Keely. Plainly put, Officer Keely gave his life, for us, the residents of Genesee County. Les Keely died while in the line of duty. Involved in a high-speed pursuit of a vehicle, Keely was killed when his cruiser was struck broadside by another police car, driven by a Michigan State Trooper. At that point in time, Officer Keely became an instant hero. He lost the most important thing in the world, his life, doing what he was paid to do, serve and protect the public.

How Human Centric Computing Affects the Economy :: Essays Papers

How Human Centric Computing Affects the Economy Our economy was taken by storm when the world of computers was introduced to large companies and businesses. It was like an unstoppable trend that everyone had to follow. If a company chose not to bring in mass computers for all employees, they lagged behind and were forgotten. The economy is about to experience a new wave of change. Human centric computing is on the verge of breaking out into the light. As of right now human centric computing lurks in the shadows, just waiting to be introduced to businesses, to governments, to our silicone valley, and tons of other related things. Human centric computing will allow people to interact with their computers more than use them. Instead of having to read instructions and other time wasting tasks, human centric computing will allow you to talk to your computer. All of your questions will be answered by talking to your computer and having it talk back to you. Instead of sorting through your computer searching for a file, wouldn’t it be nice if you just asked your computer to find it, and it was found? Human centric computing is also about having computers skip steps for you. Instead of having to deal with B and C, it is essentially going from A to D. When using a computer these days, it can become frustrating and stressful when computers regularly crash on you. This new improvement to computers supposedly will end the horrid of most the crashes people experience. Whenever you go to the bank to make a transaction, you make sure its during open hours, you fill out a form pertaining to your objective, and wait in a long line. Human centric computing, in the future, should eliminate all this clutter and save a priceless amount of time. After planning a trip to a distant land, you first need to buy plane tickets, reserve a hotel room, and maybe research the area. If you are a businessperson working the heart of New York, you have absolutely no time to do all this. But if you asked your computer, I need the first available plane ticket to Taiwan on November 23, the time, a hotel, ECT.

Current Police Vehicle Pursuits Policies and Procedures Essay

Why We Need Policy It is important to recognize that to use high speed methods in vehicle pursuit can only have risks reduced by un-holding a standardized guide as to how to proceed with the least of harm. The use of policy is an important element in any delivery of social and care service. Codes of practice provide parameters as to what needs to be recorded, how actions are to be undertaken and to realize the inherent moral obligation to ensure the rights and dignity of all stakeholders (New Jersey Police Department, 2001). Though, to provide consistency in application and resolution of dilemmas it is critical that report forms have an integrated presentation so that they can be used across situations, and across levels of staffs. Present Policy Currently there are written policies existing in every police station in North America instigated by the National Institute for Justice (NIJ). However, these differ amongst agencies, which has resulted in the indetermination of how best to deliver best practices in police vehicle pursuit (Alpert, 1997). A standardized form of pursuit policy would allow for better comparisons across agencies, and to quantify practices (Department of Public Safety, 2000). Recommended Policy Changes Develop and monitor a system to record information about pursuit driving. This will include narrative and multi-media forms, such as video, webcam and when necessary mobile camera and video. Continuous review and revision where necessary of pursuit policies. The quality and direction of these documents need to be valid and relevant and respect the rights and welfare of all stakeholders. Provide ongoing pursuit-specific training that includes ethical debating and written observation techniques Provide training and supervision across policies to ensure staffs in critical thought, inclusive decision-making and consistent deliver of services. Cultivate a culture of disclosure, reflection and critical analysis of responsibility for pursuit-actions amongst staffs. This includes having a supervisor read through and deliberates as to the appropriateness of pursuit activities in afteraction reports). Emphasize and make salient the ongoing risks and dangers of pursuit to guard against complacency of safety issues across time and experience. Establish a minimum criteria to meet a low offense as compared to a high offence to determine when a decision be made to continue or to initiate pursuit of a suspect’s vehicle. Train to recognize when public endangerment outweighs a decision to pursue; for example with incidents of traffic congestion Provide categories (ranking of criminal activities) and risk standards (rated from low to high) that allow staffs to easily and rapidly make distinctions during a chase Create a chase matrix from category scales to provide a set of specific standards that aid decision-making as to whether to start or continue a pursuit.   Conclusion Police pursuit is a controversial issue in social discourse, due to the inherent dangers to police, the pursued and the public. Formulation of a policy that adequately provides categories of risks and standards, and emphasizes the severity of the offence to determine if a chase is initiated or continued, appears to be the way to insure a consistent high level of best practices in pursuit. Ultimately, policy must seek to limit pursuit to only the most violent felons whilst resulting in the least risk to the public. Tragedy of road collisions due to police vehicular pursuit highlights the critical need for such policy. References Alpert, G. (1997) Police Pursuit: Policies and Training. Series: NIJ Research in Brief. Retrieved November 8, 2007 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/164831.txt Department of Public Safety (2000) Uniform Statewide Pursuit Policy. Retrieved November 8,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2007 from http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?a=2151&q=294336 New Jersey Police Department (2001) Police Pursuit. Retrieved November 8, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/agguide/vehpurs_2001.pdf

A Teacher Is a Person Essay

A teacher is a person who has excellent teaching techniques, respects her students, makes them feel comfortable in the classroom, and be consistent. A teacher also gives special attention to all of her students and tries to make the material easy to understand. A teacher is also considerate, supportive and kind and who makes sure that she provides attention to the students personally. A teacher provides so many benefits to a child’s life, that it’s almost impossible to find ways in which a teacher can be a bad teacher. The most awful teacher is the one who deep down within does not care. A bad teacher is one who does not bond with the students at all. A teacher can be a bad teacher if, she comes unprepared to the class and does not even knows what to teach while students are waiting and hoping that they will learn something new. A teacher can also be a bad teacher if, she does not lectures the material efficiently and does not spend personal time with her students. A bad teacher is the one who makes the environment of the classroom so dull that some students are forced to drop their classes. Another example in which the teacher can be a bad teacher is if, the teacher does not come to the class because of her personal issues and does not even bother to inform the students or the faculty that she will not be able to come to the class that day. Furthermore, a teacher can be a bad teacher if she just parks herself behind the desk and does not even bother to explain the problem or the chapter. A bad teacher is the one who just gives absurdly difficult assignments without even telling the students that how those are done. In addition, a teacher can also be a bad teacher if she is always late to class and then gives false excuses. A bad teacher is also the one who is always discourteous to the students and has a bad attitude. Some students are very sensitive and rude behavior of the teacher might affect their school and personal life. A bad teacher is the one who does not care about the time and keeps all her students after class, neglecting the fact that it might affect their further plans. Another way a teacher can be a bad teacher is if he or she just lectures for the sake of money and has no idea that what the subject is about and does not even take pleasure in teaching. A bad teacher is the one who has complexity in solving questions and identifying a teaching moment, who does not have that eagerness for the subject and gets off subject very easily. A bad teacher is also the one who supports favoritism. Moreover, a teacher can also be a bad teacher if, the teacher teases and makes fun of the students. It takes a lot of deliberation and training time to be a good teacher. If a teacher is not prepared and takes everything for granted, it is not the teacher who is going be affected, but rather the students. When students have a bad teacher, they are not only unsuccessful to study or learn, but they also lose interest in school or in a particular subject. There are infinite ways for a teacher to be a bad teacher, but it is in the student’s hands to have the ability to change the situation by not being affected or seeking help outside of the classroom from someone efficient.

Nazi and Vatican WWII Relations

Primary Facts Holy See/ Vatican (seat of the Roman Catholic Church) and   Germany forged relations in July 20, 1933 known as the Concordat of the Reich Concordat. Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (who later became Pope Pius XII in 1939) and Germany’s Vice Chancellor Franz Von Papen were the Instrumental figures in the agreement. Witnessed by Msgr. Giovanni Montini (later became Pope Paul VI) and Ludwig Kaas (leader of Germany’s Catholic Center Party). Pope Pius XI and Hitler approved the Concordat but were not in attendance. Prior to this Concordat, the Catholic bishops were active in denouncing Nazism. 1. Prior to WWII Original reasons for the concordat (Vatican) Generous financial assistance to German Catholic Schools(Alvarez and Graham) Prior Concordat treaties were made with other nations like Bavaria in 1925; Prussia in 1929; and Baden in 1932 Autonomy of ecclesiastical institutions and their activities (Alvarez and Graham: 1997: 3) Establish better footing in Protestant-controlled Germany Prevent the spread of communism using Nazism as a bulwark Joint Agreement with the Nazi party for the Church’s protection Other vested interests Original Reason for the Concordat (Germany) To silence the Catholic bishops’ persistent denouncing on the spread of Nazism. Gain the church’s approval and international recognition Establish the trustworthiness and reliability of the Nazi regime. Ensure the rise of Nazism, unopposed Soften the Catholic Church’s opposition to socialism by relying on the power of the pope over the congregation based on the Canon law. Establish power over the German churches. Endorse the Nazi ideology on divided German priests Other vested interests Negative Effects of the Concordat on the Roman Catholic Church Hitler established in 1935 a Ministry of Church Affairs to oversee church movements and placed churches under administrative control. Nazism was actively taught in schools which included â€Å"a salute† to Nazi officers. Anti-Semitism was fanned as Jewish-hate propaganda was endorsed by the Nazi regime. German priests were taught that Nazism reasserts the values of religion. Religious activities were barred outside places of worship. Authority of the Roman Catholic Church was questioned Reduction of vocations to the priesthood by encouraging men to marry Increasing hostility as Hitler decided not to honor the pact. Notes: Pope Pius XI started condemning the Nazi party but died shortly before he could deliver a blunt message to the public in 1939. Barely a month after, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli assumed the papacy as Pope Pius XII as the wartime pope. War broke out in September of the same year. There are rumors presented by Cardinal Tisserant that Pope Pius XI was murdered a few hours before he was to deliver a message condemning Germany. 2.   During the War The Vatican Ended Pius XI’s ban on Action Francaise which is an anti-Semitic organization Denied knowledge on reported atrocities committed by the Nazi party against Jews. Conciliatory policy of silence despite reports from bishops and other foreign dignitaries. Did not denounce the humanitarian problem of the Jews and other marginalized sectors in Europe. Refused to acknowledge any knowledge of the crimes against humanity. Never excommunicated Hitler. Remain mum and allowed genocide of the Jews. Reasons for upholding the Concordat and silence despite Germany ignoring it Pressured into silence by Germany’s privileged information gathering on the Vatican Believed that Nazism could work against communist movement Germany questioned the neutrality of the Vatican Fear of offending Germany and loosing support. Protection of the church properties and interest during the war Protection of assets and interests Veiled endorsement of anti-Semitism Results: Hitler’s refusal to honor the terms in the Concordat allowed the worst genocide in the history of mankind among Jews and other marginalized sectors in Europe. Properties were looted, women and children subjected to punishment and executions along with men. Treatment of men like common criminals or animals without legal consequences; mass murders of Jews with the supreme effort to eradicate their bloodline.               

Modern Family Essay

In ‘Modern Family’s’ episode 15 of season 1 a number of societal norms are addressed, some of which challenged others reinforced. Norms such as the ones relating to gay couples with children, typical teenagers, and extended families, in other words the rich older man with the young â€Å"hot† wife and step kid. Modern Family as by its name offers us a more modern view of family in today’s society. The premise of Modern Family is a mock documentary-style sitcom fabricated around three very different families that all share kinship: a gay couple, who’ve just adopted a baby daughter from Vietnam; a husband and wife with three kids; and a May-December marriage between an older man and a woman who has a son from a prior marriage. This particular episode is based around Valentine ’s Day and follows three different stories of Jay and Gloria, Cam and Mitchel, and of course, Phil and Claire. Claire and Phil plan a Valentine’s Day excursion which leads them to role playing at a hotel, while Jay and takes Gloria to a David Brenner show where Jay gets picked on for being an older husband and is mistaken for Gloria’s father, and oh yeah! He also bought her diamond earrings with this fat wallet. Cam and Mitchel however decide to say at home since Mitchel has had a long day at work but the two of them are able to help out a much desperate Manny (Gloria’s kid) with a crush of his own. One of society’s biggest norms is the conflict of marriage and the age at which one is expected to be married and his/her partners age. As shown in Modern Family Jay is significantly older than Gloria who is your typical trophy wife. The show clearly challenges the accepted norm of marriage and how we as a society have come to accept the so called ‘limitations’, (i. e. age), of marriage. Episode 15 illustrates in a scene where Jay takes Gloria to a comedy show featuring David Brenner (who is from Jay’s generation) for Valentine’s Day, however she wants to go salsa dancing. Once there David Brenner mistakes Jay for Gloria’s father and pick on him for being an older husband. The show clearly challenges the accepted norm of a traditional family/marriage and displays the May-December marriage as an accepted view of the modern family. It also shows how Jay is not the ‘classic husband’ due to his age difference. As this norm is being presented, the same norm is being challenged in a different way. Earlier in the episode Jays is shown to give Gloria a diamond earring which demonstrations that Jay is a typical husband, one who is expected to buy his wife diamonds earrings, necklaces, etc. Through this example, Jay demonstrates the traits that are exhibited in the ‘classic husband’. In today’s society the issue of gay marriage is a delicate one, where gay marriage is becoming more and more accepted in society but is still illegal in some states of the U. S. An even bigger issue lies with same-sex couples adopting babies, which is clearly not yet fully accepted by society and is not an image that forms when a picture of a typical family is cast. These norms are tested when the show follows the story of Cam and Mitchel (Jays Son) on Valentine’s Day. Cam and Mitchel are a gay married couple, who decide to stay at home for Valentine’s Day. In Modern Family, Mitchel is not shows as a typical gay man instead he’s busy with his work and wearing shirts without any flowers or patterns, does not act like the norm gay man. While Cam on the other hand is a very prototypical gay man, always wearing colorful shirts with patterns, dressing up Lilly (Cam/Mitchel adopted daughter) in costumes for Valentine’s Day. These two characters are quite unlike one another where one reinforces the typical gay man, the other see to challenge the typical gay man. The couple also has an adopted Vietnamese daughter, again challenging the norm in society of a traditional family. Cam and Mitchel while staying at home agree to babysit Manny who is upset over a girl who he has written a poem to, hoping it would impress her. Manny, unlike other kids who hang-out with their friends and ride their bikes, writes poems and is not the least bit self-conscious. He is very mature and intuitive for his age and is often shown doing adult-like things, such as writing poems, challenging the norm of a usual 13 year old kid. Fathers in past years have been considered to be stricter on their kids, teaching them discipline and to focus on school. Phil however does not follow that same norm, instead he try’s very hard even in fact goes out of his way to be a â€Å"funny† dad/husband. Challenging the societal norm of what is known as a typical father. Claire conversely is a very common stay at home, minivan driving house wife who looks after the kids. She reinforced the utmost ideological norms of what a middle class house wife should be like. Talking care of the kids and being a loving mother. Claire and Phil like a normal couple exchange only cards and go to a restaurant on Valentine’s Day which is what they’ve been doing for years. However this all changes when the couple decides to go role playing at a hotel. The two meet at the hotel bar and he â€Å"picks her up†, she then goes to the bathroom and comes back wearing her coat with no clothes underneath. As they prepare to go upstairs she gets her coat stuck in the escalator, which she cannot take off. The circumstances turn worse when they begin running into different acquaintances from work and school, all of whom recommend that she take the coat off. These sequences of event illustrate how much distinct Clair and Phil are from a classical couple, challenging the norm of the traditional couple. The norm for a 13 year old boy is quite simple, a goofy, mischievous, and fun-loving boy who is not very bright. This norm is supported in Modern Family through Luke (Clair’s son). As the episode begins Phil and Luke come running into the house laughing over something they call a water weasel, a water pipe attached to a nerf ball. Luke is the standard of a typical 13 year old. Phil however is not 13 yet acts like one at times, further challenging his norm of a typical â€Å"Dad†. The norm for the young teenage daughter has changed completely over the past decades, now the norm for a teenage girl is almost expected her to be rebellious, wild and care free. A norm which Haley (Clair’s daughter) most definitely reinforces. As illustrated in this episode Haley’s boyfriend Dylan give Haley a picture portrait of Haley and himself half-naked in bed, which of course terrifies her mom and she takes it away. Haley patently reinforces the norm of a typical modern day teenager. In conclusion, the norms presented in Modern Family are mostly challenged to that of a typical nuclear family as an ideal, but yet in some instances as in the case of Haley and Claire the norms of the young teenage daughter and the stay at home house wife are confirmed. The show does need a balance of both, to reinforce norms and challenge them to become a successful comedy. Most of the norms that are challenged are all done in a fun-making manner. The show for the most part encourages the viewer to work for or at least echo on the need for change in society. The episode mostly challenges thoughts of consumption and view’s the show’s audience as citizens not consumerist. Modern Family without a doubt offers us a look into what in today’s society is viewed as a â€Å"Modern family†.