The Recent Wave of Hong Kong Immigrants into Vancouver :: Immigration Vancouver Prejudice Essays

The Recent Wave of Hong Kong Immigrants into Vancouver      This paper is worried about the ongoing rush of Hong Kong migrants into Vancouver. The stage is set for this conversation by first clarifying a few foundation behind Canadian migration strategy and afterward talking about the historical backdrop of Chinese workers in Vancouver. From these conversations we are educated that Canadian migration strategy was truly ethnocentric and just started to change in the late 1960s. It was now that we see a progressively multicultural gathering of outsiders into our country. The historical backdrop of Chinese movement in Vancouver, and so far as that is concerned, Canada isn't certain one. The encounters and biases which were created more than 100 years prior still hues the route in which we see each other.      The ongoing rush of Hong Kong workers started during the 1970s. This gathering is not quite the same as most others before it due to it's scale and the way that they will in general be knowledgeable, rich individuals. The consequence of their movement into Vancouver has been a blasting economy and social strain. With more prominent comprehension and mindfulness on the two sides we can lighten the social strains. Presentation      There is a school in Vancouver which is offering a multi year inundation program to its understudies. That in itself isn't profoundly uncommon in our bilingual country, what is uncommon is that the language of decision for the inundation program isn't French, it is Mandarin. The program was casted a ballot in by guardians who accepted the Mandarin language to be progressively imperative to their kids' fates in Vancouver than French. This circumstance shows viably the change which is occurring in Canada's third biggest city. Vancouver is a city which is reliably looking increasingly more to the Pacific Rim countries, particularly Hong Kong, for its monetary and social associations.      Vancouver is the most asian Canadian city in standpoint. At $1.3 Billion, English Columbia represents the best Asian speculation of the considerable number of regions. As the urban focus of the region, Vancouver is the goal for the majority of this capital. With an Asian populace of over 18%, maybe it isn't so amazing that so much Asian capital is put resources into the city. The draw of Vancouver for Asians has various reasons including, security, a chance to proceed with business in Asia, and a sentiment of welcome. The outcome is that the city is by and large totally reconstructed with asian cash. As a result of this deluge, everything isn't well, there are strains inside the city that have as of late been surfacing. Prior to going into this conversation, be that as it may, it is imperative to comprehend the setting of migration in Canada just as the historical backdrop of asian

Dropout Prevention With A New Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dropout Prevention With A New Method - Essay Example In this way, youngsters who proceed with the science succession all through secondary school will undoubtedly have extra vocation openings (Leder; Smith). Imagine a scenario in which these youngsters will not complete secondary school. What are their odds of having vocations that they can reliably seek after? Scrutinizing a second time the rundown of specific specialists that the country sees as generally significant as far as its Gross Domestic Product †is an update that secondary school and school dropouts working at McDonald’s and Walmart have no possibility of joining the positions of those referenced on the rundown. Absence of formal training is a barrier. However, school dropouts make one of the biggest and the quickest developing youth bunches in America (Leonhardt). It might be that dropping out of school is turning out to be elegant on the grounds that specific profoundly effective and prosperous representatives like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell are al l school dropouts. The writer of an article distributed in 2005, ‘Men Want Retooled College Experience’ in USA Today, composed: â€Å"In secondary school, I was advised to look for the folks who left school before graduating in light of the fact that they were the ones I’d be working for later.† It has been more than once said that prodigies don't generally feel roused by the possibility of formal instruction. No different, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell have given addresses on the significance of training (Men Want Retooled College Experience). Maybe they were alluding to understudies with normal knowledge; as such, their potential representatives. Research examines have indicated that understudies from low-pay foundations are bound to drop out of secondary school or school. Andy Blevins from southwest Virginia dropped out of school where he was getting C’s and D’s, to work rather on the floor of a general store warehouse.â

How to Protect Your Company against Hackers

How to Protect Your Company against Hackers High profile hackings have become a common place in the world of business. Each year seems to bring about more cases while security experts are constantly lashing out warnings.But what is hacking all about and how should your business protect itself against this growing threat? © Shutterstock.com | frank_petersThis guide will provide you an understanding of hacking and why it is a big issue for big and small businesses. You’ll also be able to read about the five key security aspects that can protect your business. You’ll hopefully come away with an understanding of the necessity of protecting your business and the confirmation that security doesn’t need to be complicated.WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE HACKING SERIOUSLY?Hacking has become one of the most talked about subjects in the business world. It’s not just a topic security experts discuss in dim IT rooms, but all major business magazines and organizations continuously report about the importance of taking hacking seriously.What is hacking?So, what does hacking mean? It essentially is a practice, which sees a person modifying the features of a specific system, in order to achieve a goal, for which the system is not originally designed to perform. In short, hacking could be performed on all sorts of things , with computer hacking being the most common form.While the actual modification, i.e. hacking, could have positive and beneficial intentions, most associate hacking with criminal activities. Hacking can be used in order to break into the IT system of organizations and cause disruption by making the system non-operational or by stealing information.Should your business care about hackers?Hacking has made big headlines in recent years and business owners have become increasingly aware of the threat. PwC conducted a survey in 2014 and asked over 9,600 IT executives globally whether they’ve experienced hacking in the past year. According to the survey, 41% of the respondents had experienced at least one security incident during the year. In the UK, the number of security incidents that year had increased by 69%, with global increases close to 25%.Since the majority of the headlines feature big companies, such as TalkTalk and SnapChat, many small business owners tend to overlook the i ssue of hacking. But security company Symantec found hacking against small businesses increased by 300% in 2012 from attacks in the previous year. Hacking is a threat to big and small businesses, with small businesses often having the lack of resources as a disadvantage.But what damage can hacking do to your business, whether it is a large corporation or a small business? Perhaps the thing you should be most concerned is financial damage. In fact, in the PwC survey, the respondents that said they’ve experienced hacking, nearly 40% said it had resulted in financial losses.Hacking can result in direct theft of finances, but it can also impact your ability to be paid by customers and third parties. It can completely shut down your business operations and create financial problems. While your insurance might well be able to cover the losses, the process is often relatively strenuous and long.Furthermore, securing your business after you’ve been hacked can end up costing your busines s. In fact, you can end up paying for your security more after a hacking incident than you would have before it. Undoing the damage is often impossible, but prevention can ensure you never have to face the difficulties.You could also lose valuable information because of hacking. Hackers might steel company secrets that end up benefitting competitors. Your customer details are gone forever, if you don’t have a proper backup. The consequences of hacking can range from minor inconvenience to the destruction of your business.In addition, financial problems can occur even indirectly as a result of hacking. As cases such as the TalkTalk incident and the Target hacking show, the business’ reputation can suffer. Not only are you often entitled to reimburse customers for any losses, but also you might have a hard time attracting new ones in the immediate future. Customers can feel wary over the security your business provides and the lack of trust can be difficult to rebuild, especially if it turns out you hadn’t properly secured customer data. In fact, businesses have a legal obligation, in most cases, to protect customer data. If you don’t take the appropriate steps to do so, you can inflict further financial damage on your business.5 ASPECTS OF SECURITY YOUR BUSINESS MUST COVERThe good news is that big corporations and small businesses can limit the threat of hacking with simple solutions. Securing your business’ online activities will require careful planning, but you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed. The following five aspects help you understand the key security areas you should cover.#1: Use appropriate security programsThe simplest way to start securing your business is by using up-to-date software. The constant updates can sometimes seem like a drag, but you shouldn’t start skipping them. Whilst it is possible to use software that’s not up-to-date, it can increase the chance of hacking. Software developers are constantly adjusting their code and impr oving the security of the system against the latest malware. If you don’t stay on top of it, you put your business’ security under risk.Additionally, you also have to get used to backing up your systems. Businesses should back up all the files and systems at least once a week. The more data changes you make a day, the better it is to back up every day. You can find information about the importance of backing up your systems from the below YouTube video: Back up shouldn’t simply take place in a single location either. You want to ensure your business has back up on-site, but also off-site as well. The uncomfortable truth is that every hard drive will eventually fail and you don’t want this to happen to your only back up.Once you got the basics covered, you want to start adding extra layers of security to your business. Your business might need plenty of different security packages, but the essentials include:SSL â€" SSL is an essential tool to protect the information users se nd between the website and the database. The code prevents information from being read or accessed without proper access.Web Application Firewall â€" a web application firewall (WAF) can be software or hardware based. It is essentially a protection between your website service and the data connection, scouring through all of the data that passes between these two systems. WAF is typically a cloud-based system and you can find them with monthly subscription fees.Website and software scanners â€" You’ll also want to add scanners that regularly scan your website and software. They can help detect and stop malware, viruses and bad code.When you are looking for the above security programs, remember to check with a few options. Don’t be scared of the costs â€" plenty of good security software can be used free or for a minor fee.#2: Enforce appropriate authenticationAuthentication and passwords are important aspects of security. Although passwords are among the best ways to protect you r data, many businesses tend to compromise on them.First, ensure your business uses a password management system. Like with the above security software, you can find password management systems in all price categories. A proper password management system ensures the business uses minimum password standards across all operations, amongst both employees and customers.In addition, you want to consider using a Two Factor Authentication (2FA) system, also known as the Two Step Verification system. This means that when the system detects an unauthorized device trying to access the data, it asks for a separate authorization code. The authentication is typically an SMS message sent to a registered number or a special code-generating app. This will prevent a hacker from accessing the data.The good news is that 2FA solutions are easy to set up and you can even get started free. Google Authenticator, for example, is an effective solution to check out.Finally, remember the appropriate rules reg arding login details and passwords. You should never send them by e-mail and you should encourage both employees and customers to regularly change their passwords.Finally, don’t provide access to data to everyone in the organization. Not everyone in your business needs a business-wide data access. With each employee, and customer to some extent, think whether they need certain information and deny the data from anyone who doesn’t use it.#3: Secure third-party servicesIt’s important to understand businesses don’t act in a vacuum. Even if your business has an appropriate security system in place, third parties your business deals with might not. Therefore, you shouldn’t only figure out how to secure your own system, but also make sure the companies you work with take security issues seriously.The best way to understand the importance of this is by looking at the example of Target. While the corporation had a secure defense to protect against hacking, the hackers gained acces s by using stolen authentication credentials of a subcontractor. Furthermore, the Ponemon Institute’s research shows third-party providers have a significant impact on the likelihood of hacking. You need to make sure companies that either have access to your system or who have important data about your business enforce appropriate security measures.When you start working with a third-party, check their security credentials and ensure you get a guarantee of an appropriate level of security. For example, they should use the Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standard and cloud-security certification.If you are using cloud, segregate sensitive data from less sensitive data. The more sensitive the data, the more security you want to add around it. Ensure the connection you use to access data in the cloud is secure. Systems such as virtual private networks (VPN) add more security on Wi-Fi connections. You should definitely avoid using open wireless network for accessing sensitive business data.#4: Understand the vulnerabilities that remainThe above aspects will help you build a strong defense against hacking. But even when you spend time and money on online security, you cannot have a 100% guarantee the system won’t be breached. As past instances of hacking have shown, there’s always the possibility hackers find a way to sneak into your system.In fact, security blogger Graham Cluley told FastCompany in 2014, the human element continues to be the weakest link in the security chain. “I fear that because we can’t roll out a software patch for people’s brains, this problem is one we’re still going to have in 100 years,” Cluley said in the interview.But while your security can’t guarantee 100% results, staying on top of your system will help limit the risk. Your security will have certain vulnerabilities, but the more you understand about them, the safer the system will be.Stay on top of the latest hacking threats through tech websites such as The Hacker News. When you find vulnerabilities, check how you could patch it up and enforce new regulations if necessary. Don’t stay still when it comes to security software. Continue to keep an eye on better software and upgrade your system if you feel you require more protection. Hackers are good at improving their skills and the software you use now might not be sufficient protection in three months.Furthermore, if your business operates as an e-commerce business, you need to understand two key vulnerabilities. These are:SQL hackers use applications with SQL queries in order to gain information from the business’ database.Cross Site Scripting (XXS) â€" the attack uses applications, which take untrusted data and send it to browsers without validating the data. This can allow the hacker to take over accounts or change website content.Both of the above vulnerabilities are effectively prevented with a web application firewall.#5: Create a strong culture of cyber securityFinally, wh ile the above aspects can help you add tangible layers of security around your business, the final point is all about creating a strong culture of cyber security. Your employees are already careful of locking the doors of the business premise and ensuring windows are closed in the afternoon. But they should also be as keen to “lock the doors” of your online operations as well.Ensure cyber security is a key focus point in your business, not an afterthought. Whenever you are implementing a new approach or adding a new operational aspect for your business, consider it through cyber security.Figure out a proper risk management plan. You need to know the most valuable assets in the business and create a plan to protect them. But importantly, you also need to have a plan for the moment when things go wrong. The aim is to ensure your data never is stolen, lost or damaged, but you need to have a plan in place in case the unthinkable happens.Implementing a proper security plan is not dif ficult. The Internet has a wealth of information available to help you get started. Once you have an appropriate action plan in place, responding to threats is much easier and you can end up limiting the financial damage a possible breach might have.Furthermore, everyone in your business should be aware of cyber security and the best behavior associated with it â€" whether or not your business has a special IT department. It is important that employees are aware of how malware and viruses transmit and travel, as well as what they should do if they detect a breach or a problem. For example, you don’t want to simply deny them visits to certain websites with office computers, but explain the dangers of this behavior. Educating your employees about the risks and the best practices can add the final layer of security. Adequate education on the matter reduces that human element.Finally, don’t stop your education to your employees. You should also help your customers understand about c orrect and secure online behavior. For example, explain your information sharing rules and regulations with them. Remind them to never share personal information over e-mail, but rather always contact your customer service by phone or face-to-face.Organizing regular cyber security workshops can be an effective way to keep staff up-to-date. If you are a small business, you can make these events cheaper by organizing them together with other local SMEs. Furthermore, running cyber security workshops for your customers can be a clever branding opportunity.IN CONCLUSIONSecuring your business against hackers isn’t a zero-sum game. No system or software can provide you 100% protection. But security also isn’t rocket science, which costs a fortune. The above aspects of security can guarantee your business data is not only secured but you also have the appropriate attitude towards security. Make security the key focus of your business, continue to educate yourself and your employees and customers, and stay on top of the threats.In its essence, protecting your company against hackers is about making your business as secure as possible. To do this, you need the right security tools, the proper approach to security, from yourself and your business partners, and implementation of proper safeguards.

Differences Between the Disease Model and the Harm Reduction Model Free Essay Example, 1500 words

Disease Model Treatment Implications A lasting total abstinence from all psychoactive substances is perceived to be the only acceptable treatment goal. The disease model also considers confrontational and coercive tactics as essential to break through denial. Disease model views successful recovery as requiring acceptance of the disease, hopelessness, and submit to a higher power (McCrady & Epstein, 1999). Harm Reduction Model Harm reduction infers a model that aids clients control their drinking and drug use. The model does not pay attention to the notion of addiction as a disease but addresses the consequences of high risk behavior, such as substance abuse. The model does not promote total abstinence; rather, it promotes changes in behavior that will minimize harm to the individual who chose high risk behavior. Similarly, the model with its empowerment emphasis perceives consumers as both a teacher and a learner and desists from the use of labels and forced dichotomies. Harm reduction model encompasses a set of practical strategies that minimize negative consequences flowing from drug use and incorporates a continuum of strategies from safer use to managed use and abstinence. We will write a custom essay sample on Differences Between the Disease Model and the Harm Reduction Model or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Harm reduction strategies pursue substance abusers â€Å"where they are at, † addressing the conditions of use, as well as the use itself. The approach matches recovery to any positive change, whereby recovery is a process in which the consumer outlines the tempo and parameters of that process (Marlatt & Witkiewitz, 2002). However, harm reduction is not tacit consent to drug use, anti-abstinence, or a â€Å"Trojan horse† for drug legalization. Principles of Harm Reduction The approach accommodates user’s decision to use. In addition, the approach allows drug users to be treated with dignity. The model allows the drug user to take responsibility for his or her behavior. Furthermore, drug users have a voice on a broad array of issues, especially those affecting them directly. In the model, there are no pre- defined outcomes with the aim of reducing harm rather than consumption. Differences between the Disease Model and the Harm Reduction Model Harm reduction model accommodates that drug use is a reality, and pursues to minimize  harmful effects, instead of simply ignoring or condemning drug users. The model understands drug use as an intricate, multifaceted phenomenon embracing a spectrum of behaviors from dependence to abstinence, and accommodates the view that some ways of drug use are concisely safer than others.

Slaughterhouse Five A Warning Against War Essay - 1716 Words

Kurt Vonneguts novel Slaughterhouse-Five; or The Childrens Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is, as suggested by the title, a novel describing a crusade that stretches beyond the faint boundaries of fiction and crosses over into the depths of defogged reality. This satirical, anti-war piece of literature aims to expose, broadcast and even taunt human ideals that support war and challenge them in light of their folly. However, the reality of war, the destruction, affliction and trauma it encompasses, can only be humanly described by the word â€Å"war† itself. Furthermore, oftentimes this term can only be truly understood by those who have experienced it firsthand. Therefore, in order to explain the unexplainable and humanize one of the most†¦show more content†¦On his feet were cheap, low-cut civilian shoes which he had bought for his fathers funeral. Billy had lost a heel, which made him bob up-and-down, up-and-down. The involuntary dancing, up-and-down, up-and-down, made his hip joints sore. ... He didnt look like a soldier at all. He looked like a filthy flamingo. (33) With this description, Vonnegut vastly distances Billy from the ideal, strong and mighty image of a soldier, yet Billy is a soldier nonetheless. Not only is this weak and ungracious character fighting and representing the honour of his country but also he is one of the few soldiers who survive the war; he outlives many of the other soldiers that could be considered better suited for war. Furthermore, Vonnegut compares Billy to a filthy flamingo, highlighting the distance that exists between societys soldier ideal, graceful and admirable, and the soldiers reality, harsh and rampageous. In short, Billy is so far from what is expected that he â€Å"shouldnt even be in the Army† (51). However, Billy is not the only soldier in this ludicrous predicament. Vonnegut describes the entire Army as chaotic, confused and ludicrous: The eight ridiculous Dresdeners ascertained that these hundred ridiculous creatures really were American fighting men fresh from the front. They smiled, and then they laughed. Their terror evaporated. There was nothing to be afraid of. Here were more crippled human beings, more fools like themselves. Here was lightShow MoreRelatedWelcome to the Monkey House, Harrison Bergeron, and Slaughterhouse-five, by Kurt Vonnegut1233 Words   |  5 Pageslambasted in his works. Vonnegut’s experience as a soldier in WWII during firebombing of Dresden corrupted his mind and enabled him to express the chaotic reality of war, violence, obsession, sex and government in a raw and personal manner. Through three works specifically, â€Å"Welcome to the Monkey House,† â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† and Slaughterhouse-five, one can see ties to all the chaotic elements of Vonnegut’s life that he routinely satirized. One can also see how Vonnegut’s personal experiences created hisRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut Essay1560 Words   |  7 Pagesthe war are found to suffer some sort of psychological issue (NBC). One of these soldiers is Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut grew up in Illinois where his family would eventually lose all their money along with his mother (notable biographies). After attending Cornell University Vonnegut enlisted into World War II. His experiences in World War II shaped his anti-war novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five was published â€Å"during the peak of protest against American involvement in the Vietnam war† (NotableRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five Literary Analysis890 Words   |  4 PagesSimilarly, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five explores this struggle between free-will and destiny, and illustrates the idea of time in order to demonstrate that there is no free-will in war; it is just destiny. Vonnegut conveys this through irony, symbolism and satire. Time concept is a complex idea that resist full understanding thus we can only percept it and determinism is a belief that is adopted by whose can percept time better than the others. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim is kidnappedRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1490 Words   |  6 Pagespublished a variety of works including novels, short stories, plays, and a few works of non-fiction. Kurt Vonnegut explains how war and the experiences that come with it can cause suffering to the minds of people that it affects. In his novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses his novel to focus on his anti-war stance by showcasing humanity s suffering due to war. Vonnegut reveals this suffering through Billy Pilgrim s experience with the bombing of Dresden, his development of schizophreniaRead MoreThe Childrens Crusade: Innocence, Masculinity, and Humanity1440 Words   |  6 Pages　　Are wars still being fought by children. One could argue â€Å"no†, but others will say â€Å"yes†. Men go into war everyday, but many are not even fully grown. In Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five, he uses some of his own personal experiences to show the realities of war by examples of innocence, masculinity, and humanity through his main character Billy Pilgrim. Billy can supposedly time travel after being kidnapped by aliens from Tralfamadore and uses it to travel to his time in WWII were he experiencedRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut860 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the course of the novel Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, the reader is walked through the morbid but engaging life of Billy Pilgrim, a character who experiences many dreadful tragedies such as war. The way Vonnegut structures this novel is scattered and not told chronologically because we experience Billy Pilgrim’s life just as he does without suspense or logical order. Shortly after Pilgrim going to war in 1944 he becomes â€Å"unstuck in time† which simply means that he experiences differentRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut915 Words   |  4 Pages Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut takes places on two contrasting planets. One is Earth, where war tears apart families and minds, and the other is Tralfamadore, where supernatural alien beings share their extended knowledge of the world. Vonnegut uses the two planets, Earth and Tralfamadore, to show the contrasting ideas of chaos and order, and that human actions have limitations that render them helpless against a meaningless universe. In Slaughterhouse Five, Earth is a grim, war torn placeRead More Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five Essays3848 Words   |  16 PagesKurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five Great artists have the ability to step back from society and see the absurd circus that their world has become. Such satirists use their creative work to reveal the comic elements of an absurd world and incite a change in society; examples include Stanley Kubrick’s film, Dr. Strangelove, and Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22. Both works rose above their more serious counterparts to capture the critical voice of a generation dissatisfied with a nation ofRead MoreChanges Since the Sixties916 Words   |  4 Pagesthe schools. There were no grouchy warning labels on the records and no ratings necessary on the movies. And TV shows were acceptable to the whole family. Those were the sixties or at least part of it. Some of the 52 million sixties boomers called it the decade of peace, harmony and love mainly for the movement for peace and the flower power attitude. Others, a little more pessimistic, called it the decade of dissatisfaction because of the protests against the war and the race riots in many citiesRead More Changes Since The Sixties Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesthe schools. There were no grouchy warning labels on the records and no ratings necessary on the movies. And TV shows were acceptable to the whole family. Those were the sixties or at least part of it. Some of the 52 million sixties’ boomers called it the decade of peace, harmony and love mainly for the movement for peace and the â€Å"flower power† attitude. Others, a little more pessimistic, called it the decade of dissatisfaction because of the protests against the war and the race riots in many cities

Exxon Mobil Free Essays

Exxon Mobil: Stakeholders Theory What should be the role adopted by the Government to discourage profiteering by large organizations? ExxonMobil is an American oil and gas corporation and a direct descendant of John D. Rockerfeller’s Standard Oil Company. The mereger of Exxon and Mobil on Novermber 30, 1999 led to the formation of ExxonMobil which is the worlds largest company by revenue. We will write a custom essay sample on Exxon Mobil or any similar topic only for you Order Now ExxonMobil operate facilities or market products in most of the world’s countries and explore for oil and natural gas on six continents. The case: ExxonMobil has drawn criticism from the environmental lobby for funding organizations critical of the Kyoto Protocol and skeptical of the scientific opinion that global warming is caused by the burning of fossil fuels. According to The Guardian, ExxonMobil has funded, among other groups skeptical of global warming, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, George C. Marshall Institute, Heartland Institute, Congress on Racial Equality, TechCentralStation. com, and International Policy Network. ExxonMobil’s support for these organizations has drawn criticism from the Royal Society, the academy of sciences of the United Kingdom. The Union of Concerned Scientists released a report in 2007 accusing ExxonMobil of spending $16 million, between 1998 and 2005, towards 43 advocacy organizations which dispute the impact of global warming. The report argued that ExxonMobil used disinformation tactics similar to those used by the tobacco industry in its denials of the link between lung cancer and smoking, saying that the company used â€Å"many of the same organizations and personnel to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the issue. ExxonMobil has been reported as having plans to invest up to US$100m over a ten year period in Stanford University’s Global Climate and Energy Project. In August 2006, the Wall Street Journal revealed that a YouTube video lampooning Al Gore, titled Al Gore’s Penguin Army, appeared to be astroturfing by DCI Group, a Washington PR firm with ties to ExxonMobil. The recent scenario: In January 2007, the company appeared to change its position , when vice president for public affairs Kenneth Cohen said â€Å"we know enough now—or, society knows enough now—that the risk is serious and action should be taken. Cohen stated that, as of 2006, ExxonMobil had ceased funding of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and â€Å"‘five or six’ similar groups†. While the company did not publicly state which the other similar groups were, a May 2007 report by Greenpeace does list the five groups it stopped funding as well as a list of 41 other climate skeptic groups which are still receiving ExxonMobil funds. On February 13, 2007, ExxonMobil CEO Rex W. Tillerson acknowledged that the planet was warming while carbon dioxide levels were increasing, but in the same speech gave an unqualified defense of the oil industry and predicted that hydrocarbons would dominate the world’s transportation as energy demand grows by an expected 40 percent by 2030. Tillerson stated that there is no significant alternative to oil in coming decades, and that ExxonMobil would continue to make petroleum and natural gas its primary products. A survey carried out by the UK’s Royal Society found that in 2005 ExxonMobil distributed $2. m to 39 groups that the society said â€Å"misrepresented the science of climate change by outright denial of the evidence†. On July 1, 2009, the Guardian newspaper revealed that ExxonMobil has continued to fund organizations including the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) along with the Heritage Foundation, despite a public pledge to cut support of lobby groups who deny climate change. ExxonMobilà ¢â‚¬â„¢s environmental record has been a target of critics from outside organizations such as Greenpeace as well as some institutional investors who disagree with its stance on global warming. The Political Economy Research Institute ranks ExxonMobil sixth among corporations emitting airborne pollutants in the United States. The ranking is based on the quantity (15. 5 million pounds in 2005) and toxicity of the emissions. In 2005, ExxonMobil had committed less than 1% of their profits towards researching alternative energy, less than other leading oil companies. Stakeholder: Stakeholders are entities who are directly or indirectly associated with any organisation. Any decision made by the organisation , good or bad is bound to have some effect on all of these. Stakeholders are either internal to the organisation or they may be external to the organisation. Internal stakeholders are employees, trade unions, customers , suppliers, competitors. External stakeholders are shareholders , government authorities, regulators, NGOs, pressure grps etc . ExxonMobil Statements: Environment It is our long-standing policy to conduct business in a manner that considers both the environmental and economic needs of the communities in which we operate. We seek to drive incidents with environmental impact to zero, and to operate in a manner that is not harmful to the environment. Health ExxonMobil supports programs targeted to worldwide health issues because we believe that good health is a springboard to opportunity, achievement and development. Health support falls into several categories, the fight against global health pandemics, support for medical centers/hospitals, health education and health-care delivery, health and the environment, and health-related research. Safety We are  committed to conducting our business in a manner that protects the safety and health of our employees, contractors, customers, and the public. We strive for an incident-free workplace and have set a global safety and health goal of zero injuries and illnesses. We believe that our commitment to safe, secure, and incident-free operations will contribute to improved operations reliability, lower costs, and higher productivity. Our worldwide spending includes contributions to nonprofit organizations as well as funds invested in social projects through various joint-venture arrangements, production-sharing agreements, projects operated by others, and contractual social bonus arrangements. In 2007, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided a combined $173. 8 million in cash, goods, and services worldwide. (excerpts from the official website of the ExxonMobil Corporation: www. exxonmobil. com ) Hence we observe that what the company say and what they practice in real life are two different things altogether. But recently,it has been a contributor to environmental causes as the company donated $6. 6 million to environmental and social groups in 2007. Stakeholders of ExxonMobil: [pic] Customers: The environment at large suffered due to ExxonMobil’s unethical methods. The company was openly disdainful of the theory that fossil fuels were a major contributor to global warming. The company states that, â€Å"It is our long-standing policy to conduct business in a manner that considers both the environmental and economic needs of the communities in which we operate. We seek to drive incidents with environmental impact to zero, and to operate in a manner that is not harmful to the environment. † But we can conclude that the company isn’t practicing what it says. The company used same methods employed by tobacco companies and hence like the former harmed the environment and the community at large in order to earn maximum profit. Shareholders: The shareholders are the owners of the company and thus have to bare the brunt as well. The shareholders were pressurizing the company to invest more in alternative fuels but the company rejected the idea and hence the shareholders had to face the criticism that the company faced as well due to the company’s use of unethical practices in order to maximize its profit. Special interest groups: The groups which partenered with ExxonMobil (43 gropus) received a lot of criticism from various other groups for misrepresenting their work and aiding in the ruining of the environment by publishing articles that questioned global warming theories. For eg: Sallie Baliunas, an astrophysicist based at Stanford University Hoover Institution (it received 300. 000 USD from the company since 1998) stated in her study that temperatures haven’t changed since significantly over the past millennia and this article was rebutted by no less than 13 other scientists. They said such institutions or people mis-represent or cherry-pick the facts in an attempt to mislead the media an the people. Thus the integrity of such organizations is questioned in the future and the media and people become wary of other studies by other organizations due to a handful of these institutions which aide in misleading the society at large. Competitors: The competitors of ExxonMobil such as Shell and BP followed the Koyoto protocol and dropped out of Global Climate Coalition, an industry group which questioned the Global warming theory. The company faced further criticism cause of its unethical practices and ignorance over such environmental issues and this aided the competitors which received positive reviews from the media in 1998. The role Government can play: The small but effective amount of money invested by the company allowed to fuel doubt over global warming to delay Government action just as Big Tobacco did for over 40 years. Some of the people from the tobacco industries are said to have helped the oil giant in its unethical practices. The government should be more alert and form rules and regulations against such malpractices. Lawmakers who support reduction and limitation of green house gases emissions should be given more authority and stern action should be taken against companies such as ExxonMobil for spreading false information and hence playing havoc with the environment. ExxonMobil has been criticized by major environmental advocacy groups. In 2003, Greenpeace listed Exxon as #1 Climate Criminal. Exxon’s alleged crimes include the sabotage of efforts to deal with climate change, the fraudulent manipulation of peer reviewed scientific studies and organizations, misleading and outright lying to the population of the USA, its government officials and the global community in general. The company donated a large sum of money towards environmental issues in 2007 but it will take more than that to uplift the image of the company in the eyes of the environmentalists and the population. The company is still ranks #1 in the world in net income which shows that the government keep a check on such companies or the extent of the malpractices might escalate in the future. bibliography: wikipedia exxon mobil How to cite Exxon Mobil, Papers

Freight Transportation System for North American - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theFreight Transportation System for North American. Answer: Introduction Freight transportation system, especially using the railways as the medium of transport, plays an important role in the creation of a sustainable transport market that is competitive in nature. However, the freight transportation system has been experiencing a downfall in use in recent times, mostly because of the development of roadways. Transportation demand has evolved over time, mostly due to changes in cargo characteristics and customer requirements (Rodrigue, Comtois Slack, 2016). This paper is going to be looking into the difference between the European and North American freight transportation systems and offer a constructive criticism of the two. The North American and European freight systems Almost all the countries in the world have different freight systems, which have been the key driver in shaping their economic conditions. The global freight system has been impacted by technology, infrastructure and different modes that resulted in convergence. Logistical practices in the freight system of the different countries are not uniform (Tolley, Turton, 2014). The North American and the European countries all walk different paths while adopting their freight transportation systems. To understand the differences, different attributes like gateways, value chain, corridors, regulations must be analysed. There are significant differences in the North American and European freight systems and these differences can be broadly classified under three groups. Firstly, the structural disparities which are natural and which can be altered up till a certain degree through different decision making. Secondly, the characteristics and operations of the trains vary significantly in the two regions. Thirdly, both the regions were faced by a deep crisis after the Second World War. The policies that were taken or implemented and how the markets evolved from thereon, completely different paths. Globalization has been the reason behind all the changes that every country has witnessed in terms of long-distance transportation system, communication costs (De Jong et al., 2013). Even though, in the past the trade costs were thought to be powerless over the structure of the global trade systems, they are now being acknowledged and being given their due importance. Even though the North American freight industry experienced an increased productivity and profitability in the last three decades, the European counterpart has been unable to achieve such results. Even after the regulations that were implemented in 1991 and giving full open access to freight rail operators in 2007, the industry in Europe has not been able to come out of the downward trend that has set in. this disparity in the functions and results of the industry in the two different regions may be explained by inherent structural changes, like the difference in the competitiveness of non-surface modes, commodity mix and distance of the shipments (Gonzalez-Feliu, Semet Routhier, 2014). The North American railways and the size of the freight trains are much bigger than the European ones and this is perhaps more striking than the differences in just the modal share of the two regions. The regulatory reforms that were adopted in the last century with aims to revive the freight industr y produced very dissimilar results in the two regions under consideration in the current paper. While comparing the condition and the stance of the freight rail industry in Europe and North America, all the above mentioned parameters have to be taken into account. To understand the differences, what must first be understood is, what are the aspects and areas that truly matter (Frmont, 2016). Also, the different operational actions must also be understood, as well as trying to understand if there are any strategies or policies that can be adopted by the two regions, that are already used by the other, to enhance the conditions of their respective industrial scenarios. There are some basic differences in the prevailing natural conditions of the two continents that affect the freight system. For example, Europe has more ports than North America. The distance between the ports in Europe are also shorter, but there are no land bridges connecting the eastern and western coasts in Europe like in North America (Rodrigue Notteboom, 2013). Some corridors and hinterlands in Europe are highly congested, while the traffic flow in North America is much smoother, opening up the possibility of a better economic condition in North America. The corridors that are regulate by NAFTA, provide the favour to the natural gateways and corridors. However, this is gradually being met by the restructuring of the freight systems in Europe. Conclusion The North American and the European ways of freight transportation system are widely different, but the differences are quickly being met and the gaps are being bridged. Western Europe has freight systems that are intense both in coastal regions as well as inlands, while North America already has that advantage across all the countries. Different attributes and parameters are in play here, which need to be more closely monitored to understand the reasons for the widespread disparities. References De Jong, G., Vierth, I., Tavasszy, L., Ben-Akiva, M. (2013). Recent developments in national and international freight transport models within Europe.Transportation,40(2), 347-371. Frmont, A. (2016). The transfer of freight from road to rail transport.Sustainable railway futures: Issues and challenges, 109-125. Gonzalez-Feliu, J., Semet, F., Routhier, J. L. (Eds.). (2014Sustainable urban logistics: Concepts, methods and information systems. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Rodrigue, J. P., Notteboom, T. (2013). Containerized freight distribution in North America and Europe. InHandbook of Global Logistics(pp. 219-246). Springer New York. Rodrigue, J. P., Comtois, C., Slack, B. (2016).The geography of transport systems. Taylor Francis. Tolley, R., Turton, B. J. (2014).Transport systems, policy and planning: a geographical approach. Routledge.

5 Steps to Write a Strong Position Paper

5 Steps to Write a Strong Position Paper In a position paper assignment, your charge is to choose a side on a particular topic, sometimes controversial, and build up a case for your opinion or position. You will use facts, opinion, statistics, and other forms of evidence to convince your reader that your position is the best one. To do this, youll collect research for your position paper and craft an outline in order to create a well-constructed argument. Select a Topic for Your Paper Your position paper centers around a topic that is supported by research. Your topic and position have to hold up when challenged, so its helpful to research a few topics and pick the one you can best argue, even if it may not reflect your personal beliefs. In many cases, the subject matter and your topic are not as important as your ability to make a strong case. Your topic can be simple or complex, but your argument must be sound and logical. Conduct Preliminary Research Preliminary research is necessary to determine whether sufficient evidence is available to back up your stance. You don’t want to get too attached to a topic that falls apart under a challenge. Search a few reputable sites, like education (.edu) sites and government (.gov) sites, to find professional studies and statistics. If you come up with nothing after an hour of searching, or if you find that your position doesn’t stand up to the findings on reputable sites, choose another topic. This could save you from a lot of frustration later. Challenge Your Own Topic You must know the opposite view as well as you know your own stance when you take a position. Take the time to determine all the possible challenges that you might face as you support your view. Your position paper must address the opposing view and chip away at it with counter-evidence. Consider having friends, colleagues, or family debate the topic with you to get alternative points of view that you might not have readily considered yourself. When you find arguments for the other side of your position, you can address them in a fair manner, and then state why they are not sound. Another helpful exercise is to draw a line down the middle of a plain sheet of paper and list your points on one side and list opposing points on the other side. Which argument is really better? If it looks like your opposition might outnumber you with valid points, you should reconsider your topic or your stance on the topic. Continue to Collect Supporting Evidence Once you’ve determined that your position is supportable and the opposite position is (in your opinion) weaker than your own, you are ready to branch out with your research. Go to a library and conduct a search, or ask the reference librarian to help you find more sources. You can, of course, conduct online research as well, but its important to know how to properly vet the validity of the sources you use. Ensure that your articles are written by reputable sources, and be wary of singular sources that differ from the norm, as these are often subjective rather than factual in nature. Try to collect a variety of sources, and include both an expert’s opinion (doctor, lawyer, or professor, for example) and personal experience (from a friend or family member) that can add an emotional appeal to your topic. These statements should support your own position but should read differently than your own words. The point of these is to add depth to your argument or provide anecdotal support. Create an Outline A position paper can be arranged in the following format: 1. Introduce your topic with some basic background information. Build up to your thesis sentence, which asserts your position. Sample points: For decades, the FDA has required that warning labels should be placed on certain products that pose a threat to public health.Fast food restaurants are bad for our health.Fast food packages should contain warning labels. 2. Introduce possible objections to your position. Sample points: Such labels would affect the profits of major corporations.Many people would see this as overreaching government control.Whose job is it to determine which restaurants are bad? Who draws the line?The program would be costly. 3. Support and acknowledge the opposing points. Just be sure you arent discrediting your own views. Sample points: It would be difficult and expensive for any entity to determine which restaurants should adhere to the policy.Nobody wants to see the government overstepping its boundaries.Funding would fall on the shoulders of taxpayers. 4. Explain that your position is still the best one, despite the strength of counter-arguments. This is where you can work to discredit some of the counter-arguments and support your own. Sample points: The cost would be countered by the improvement of public health.Restaurants might improve the standards of food if warning labels were put into place.One role of the government is to keep citizens safe.The government already does this with drugs and cigarettes. 5. Summarize your argument and restate your position. End your paper focusing on your argument and avoid the counter-arguments. You want your audience to walk away with your view on the topic being one that resonates with them. When you write a position paper, write with confidence and state your opinion with authority. After all, your goal is to demonstrate that your position is the correct one.

Woodstock Festival Essay examples

Woodstock Festival Essay examples Woodstock Festival Essay examples Kim Novick MUS-150-SL History of Rock ‘n Roll May 12, 2015 Three Days of Music, Peace and Love In 1969 the most memorable music festival and art fair in America happened on August 15 thru August 18. This three day long gathering was called Woodstock Art and Music Festival. This event was not just about the music, it was an event that changed America. In the early 60’s the United States was in turmoil over the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Civil Right Movement. There was also assassinations of four influential men such as Robert Kennedy, J. F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. Sick of the violence and millions of deaths, many young men and women of their late teens to mid-twenties took their stand by rallies, protests, and attending concerts. It appeared to this young generation that the world their parents had made for them was a world full of hate and war and they wanted to distance themselves from it, creating a hippie counterculture. Calling themselves hippies because to be hip was one who is aware. They believed that they were fully aware of what they wanted, what they believed in and how they perceived the world. They wanted egalitarianism between races, peace among men and its country, and they wanted to be heard without being persecuted by the â€Å"The Establishment† which was any sort of government institution that ordered them to fight for a war they did not believe in. In 1964 the draft began for the Vietnam War. The youngest age for the draft was eighteen. It bewilder these young people that at the age of eighteen they were old enough to die for their country, but could not vote until the age twenty-one. This led to many antiwar protest. These rebellious hippies turned to music and drugs. Their choice of music was folk music and psychedelic rock. They used drugs that gave those means to explore alternate state of conscious such as LSD and marijuana. They used the â€Å"crow’s foot† designed by Gerald Holtom in the 1950s that protested against nuclear arms, as a symbol of the antiwar movem ent which by the end of the decade became the international symbol of peace. Their means of transportation was the VW bus, it was big enough to pile many friends and hitchhikers in, and so they could attend protest, concerts, and festivals. These VW buses were always painted with bright colored flowers, peace signs and messages of love or antiwar. With the introduction of birth control in the 60’s, it helped women to explore their sexual liberation. All these events helped pave the way to the three days of peace and love that become known as Woodstock Music and Art Festival an Aquarian Exposition in White Lake, New York. Michael Lang was one of the co-founders, age twenty-five, while in New York to promote a band he was managing, met and quickly become friends with fellow Brooklyn native, Artie Kornfeld. Artie Kornfeld, age twenty-six, was the youngest vice-president of Capital Records. These two self-motivated men had big ideas, one wanted to open a recording studio in Woodstock, New York and the other wanted to have a series of concerts to finance it. The only thing holding them back was neither one had the capital for such events. This is where John Roberts, age twenty-three, an inheritor of a wealthy family-owned business and Joel Rosenman, age twenty-six, whose background was in law, came into play. These two friends had ideas of their own. They wanted to write a television series about two pals with more money than brains, which every week would get into some nutty business ventures. The only problem was they could not think of any plots of their own, so they decided to put an ad in the Wall St reet Journal and in the New York Times that read: Young man with unlimited capital looking for legitimate investing opportunities and business propositions. This ad was to only look for ideas and plots for their television series. However, Lang and Kornfeld saw the ad in Wall Street Journal and though this might be

Critically examine British government policies directed towards Essay

Critically examine British government policies directed towards prostitution - Essay Example The problem of prostitution in the UK is often more than just the expansion of the sex industry; it is integrally related to the increase of trade on the street and the crimes associated with it. In February 2003, 31 policemen in Glasgow arrested women in an anti-prostitution clampdown ranged over 48 hours as a result of their provocation by the angry residents. In this operation, no men were arrested. A vast majority of the women engaged in the act of street prostitution are either crack cocaine addicts or are on heroin or both. Most of the prostitution in the UK happens in the outdoors city and the indoor scene is small. Women that are engaged in the street prostitution are exposed to sexual or physical violence in the disproportionate levels. Prostitution is one of the leading causes of suspicious deaths and assassination of women in the UK. Acceptance of the lap dancing among the celebrities and the businesses as well as broadcasting of the lap dancing in the television programs provides evidence for its relative success. Normalization has placed emphasis upon the aspects that were more acceptable like small brothels and escort agencies. Regulation can be understood as a half-way house arrangement that constitutes different approaches and regimes, that include but are not limited to a reactive nuisance response with the resident clampdowns upon customers and especially women, and a blind eye approach in which reigns informal tolerance. â€Å"The legal regulation of prostitution in the UK was set out in the Sexual Offences Act 1956, which reflected the findings of the Wolfenden Committee investigation into prostitution and homosexuality that took place around that time† (politics.co.uk, 2012). Prostitution in the Wolfenden Committee was treated as a moral issue as was evident from the Act’s text. This became the basis of the popular debates between Herbert Hart and Lord Devlin. By the end of the year 2003, the Home Office declared its plans to revise

'Effective Finance Management in Small Business Restaurant in Ireland' Dissertation

'Effective Finance Management in Small Business Restaurant in Ireland' - Dissertation Example The literature review section reveals a comprehensive discussion on financial management and its role in small restaurant business. The role of The Restaurant Association of Ireland has been also included in order to several its contribution in context of financial management. The research methodology section has evaluated the ways of data collection for this study. For this research, questionnaire survey and focus group discussion has been used for collecting primary data from the financial managers in the chosen restaurants of Ireland and restaurant owners. It was found that these restaurants do maintain systematic accounting statements and the restaurant owners closely monitor the financial statements, transaction records, and inventory that remains in the restaurant. Due to fewer funds, the owners forecast sales per unit and cost and accordingly allocate their funds. Though it was found that the small restaurant owners in Ireland do follow financial management approaches to make the business a success, but it was recommended that yearly audit is done through external auditor to maintain transparent financial records and also involve the employees while taking financial management decisions, which affects all the other departments in the restaurant. ... The problem statement of this research study is related to the financial management framework of small restaurant during this financial crunch. 13 1.4 Rationale of the Study 13 Restaurant segment like the other sectors is a lucrative area of revenue generation for Ireland, where around â‚ ¬6 billion is spends by people annually in eating out (Kumar, and Subramaniam, 1997). However, during the financial crisis the profits have diminished considerably because of increasing level of unemployment in the country. It has been noticed that the small restaurants in Ireland were successful in reaping steady profits compared to the multinational food chains. This was an issue to be curious about, and research could be conducted on this aspect (Munro, 1997; Crick, 1997). It has been seen that in case of small businesses such as small restaurants, financial management framework is not so strong like that of big businesses such as big hotels or restaurant chains. 13 However, financial manageme nt binds every other segment in small businesses, unlike bigger ventures. In bigger ventures financial management is equally important like several other aspects, so the financial management approaches of small restaurant businesses of Ireland should be explore (Kumar, and Subramaniam, 1997). Efficiency of financial management in small business can be identified through comprehensive analysis of their financial management framework and strategies. This is the reason why focus has been made towards financial management of small restaurants as it forms the core of the business strategies in small strategies. 13 1.5 Research Question 14 1.6 Research Objective 14 1.7 Outline of the Study 14 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 15 2.1 Introduction 15

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business Using Internet technology to provide improved customer service, make more efficient business processes, increase sales, and reduce wastage is called E-business. E-business uses the internet tools such as websites, online banking, and web based customer relationship. Advantages of E-Business: There are many benefits an organisation can get with having an E-Business solution for the business. Worldwide Presence: The major advantage of engaging business online, to have presence nationwide or worldwide. IBM uses the e-business term to provide services to the customer and was one of the first companies uses this term. Dell Inc. and Amazon are the other success stories using E-Business to flourish their business. Cost Effective Marketing and Promotions: using internet to market products is a very nominal method which guarantees the worldwide reach. Pay per click advertising is a effective technique which ensure the business only pay for the advertisement that actually viewed. Better Customer Service: E-Business has change the customer services image enormously. Number of customers can visit or the website at same time. Some website have online chat feature to help the customer to find out more about the product they are interested in. moreover orders can be placed online by processing payments securely over the internet and products can be shipped to the customer. In this case customers even do not have to leave the house. Disadvantages of E-Business: Even above mentioned advantages there are some disadvantages of the E-Business. Some of them are listed below. Sartorial limitation: the main disadvantage of E-Business is lack of growth in some sectors i.e. food. Consumer prefers to look the food products physically before buying. Costly maintenance: substantial recourses are required to setup online business which requires computer upgrade, personnel trainings and website upgrade. This can be a disadvantage for some organisation. Security concern: The security concerns also lead to privacy issue. There are many examples of contact lists and personal details were hacked or exposed due to weak E-Business system security. Virus threat. Physical products constrain. Perishable goods. Types of business organisation: There are two major types of the business. Private sector: Private firms are owned and run by private individual. There is further classification in private sector firms. Sole traders: A sole trader owns and runs a business. They contribute capital to start the enterprise, run it with or without employees, and earn the profits or stand the losses of the venture. Sole traders are found mainly in the retail trades (local newsagents), small scale service industries (plumbers), and small manufacturing and craft industries. Advantages: Easy to setup Can keep all the profits Make key decision. Flexibility Disadvantages: Unlimited liability Limited access to capital Pressure of being solely responsible. Partnership: Partnership is defined as the relation who subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit. A partnership is not a separate legal person distinct from its members; it is merely a relation between persons. Each partner (there must be at least two) is usually personally liable for all the debts of the firm. Advantages: Greater access to capital Shared responsibility Easy to setup. Disadvantages: Unlimited liabilities All partners liable for the debt of each other. Partnership dissolves on death of one partner. Potential of conflict. Limited companies: Limited companies are essential to be register at companies house. Company must issue a memorandum of association that includes nature of business and structure of the company. Limited companies also called Limited Liabilities Company. Shareholders have limited liabilities, if company winds up shareholders do not have to pay anything. Limited companies are further categorised in two types. Private limited company (LTD) A private limited company is one where the liability is limited to the value of the shares issued. This means that any debts are debts of the company, not of the owners. Company is owned by 1 to 50 shareholders and must have at least one director. Accounts have to prepare and submit to the companies house annually. Legally company can sue and can be sued. Public limited company (PLC) A Public limited company the one which can issue and trade their shares in the stock exchange for general public. Therefore ownership is open to anyone who wants to buy shares. There can be minimum two owners but no maximum numbers. Company must have at least two directors and a fully qualified company secretary. Public sector: Public sector businesses are owned by government. Government holds majority of the stakes in public sector industries. In last twenty years number of government owned firms reduced massively. Very few examples remain for instance: Royal mail, Royal Bank of Scotland. Aims of an organisation: An aim for any business organisation is a long term goal, something to be achieved over a significant period of time. These aims based upon a planned management strategy. For instance for a private company, aims might include To survive To achieve profitability by a certain time To increase profits To achieve technical excellence To improve quality of our products To be leader in the market To improve market share To enter global market. P 1.2: Stakeholders: Stakeholders are group of people who have an interest in a business organisation. There are a number of groups and individual who can be describe as stakeholders in any business. The Business Owners Managers Staff Customer Suppliers Community Government Figure above shows the possible stakeholder in a business activity. Some of the stakeholders are internal, some are external. Internal Stakeholders: Internal stakeholders are those who are members of the business organisation. For instance: Owners Manager Staff and employees External Stakeholders: External Stakeholders  are not a part of the firm and have an interest in the business. For instance: Customers Suppliers Community Government I will discuss the stakeholder in respect to my business later on in my business plan. P 1.3: Organisational Functions: Organisations arrange their resource recourses into different business functions. All organisations, whatever their business nature is have to manage the following business functions. Finance Human Resources Sales and Marketing Administration Research and Development. Each of the function needs to work tighter so the organisation can achieve their goals. Finance Function The financial section of the organisation will keep manual/electronic records of money received and paid out by the organisation. This information will then be used to produce various financial statements for tax purposes and to comply with legal requirements. The information will also be used to produce management accounts to enable senior managers to plan and review business strategy. The finance department or unit may also be responsible for administering employee expenses and salaries. For payment of wages the finance department will need to take into account statutory deductions such as tax, and employee contributions such as pension or loan repayments. Human Resources Function Human resources or Personnels main responsibility is the recruitment, selection, training and development of staff. This will involve developing staff to maximise their potential in a manner that furthers the organisations objectives.   Human resources may also need to comply with legislation applicable to the country in which they are based. For example in the  UK  employers will need to maintain accurate personal records in a manner that is compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 1984. Human resources often adopt a welfare role which includes looking after employees whilst they are at work. They may also create policies that balance organisational needs with those of the employee. They will also interpret employee welfare legislation and ensure that the organisation is complying with the applicable legislation. Sales and Marketing Function The marketing department will research customer needs to develop strategy and product to satisfy that customer need. In its research, the marketing department will investigate the market they are aiming at; the type of consumer making up the market (age, background sex etc) and the preferences of the consumer within that market. The marketing department will then need to marry consumer preferences with producing a product that is profitable. Once the product has been designed by the production department marketing will then need to package, advertise, and promote the product. Sales are responsible for persuading the consumer to purchase the end product, manufactured through marketings research. The Sales Departments selling strategy could involve  mailshots, travelling sales representatives, telephone sales and devising the sales interview. Administration This involves dealing with all administrative tasks including mail handling, dealing with enquiries/complaints, catering, and computer services. They will also produce documents (eg  forms, stationary, and newsletters) for the organisation and maintain the organisations premises and equipment. This function although not always recognised is vital, as it is the glue that holds the organisation together. Without an administrative department, customer complaints would not be resolved, customer orders may not be processed, and the workforce may not have the tools they need to complete their tasks. Research and Development Function The aim of research and development is to improve existing products, create new and better products, improve production methods, and create effective processes. This will enable the organisation to reduce costs, increase profitability and remain ahead of the competition. As not all research will lead to new/improved products/processes companies will need to allocate a specific portion of their budget to research and development activities. P 2.1: E-Business impact on consumer: E-Business brings the merchandise information to the online consumers home wherever they are. The choice available through E-Business to the consumer is enormous. Usually visiting a store physically means trek around, looking for the item consumer wants. E-business made it easy for the consumer to access the stores online to find their relevant item. Online shoping websites like theonlineshoppingtown.co.uk illustrate how e-business provides the consumer vastly increased verity of products available 24/7, both physical goods as well as services such as finance and insurance. P 2.2: E-Business impact on Business: E-business has made a deep impact on society. People can now shop online in the privacy of their own homes without ever having to leave. This can force larger brick and mortar retailers to open an online division. In some cases, it can also force smaller businesses to shut their doors, or change to being completely online. It also changes the way people look at making purchases and spending money. E-business has changed the face of retail, services, and other things that make our economy work. Undoubtedly, it will continue to influence how companies sell and market their products, as well as how people choose to make purchases for many years to come. P 2.3: Market Research: Market research is the procedure of using a variety of methods to collect, analyzes, and report data about possible consumer groups. Market research is used as a marketing strategy. Formal market segmentation requires comprehensive market research. The market research will helps to identify  quantitative  and  qualitative  patterns in consumer groups.  Quantitative  consumer data  refers to numbers such as age,  income, and family size while qualitative data relies on characteristics such as  education, occupation, and personality.  There are several ways you can go about segmenting  a population to target a market. Some are more relevant to your business than others. The  following describes different aspects of market segmentation used for marketing research that will help you in identifying a niche and maximizing business marketing. Types of Market Research: Surveys are the most commonly used  and least expensive market research method available. They can be conducted online, in person, or by phone. Focus groups are a method by which companies gain feedback on products by asking questions in an interactive group setting. This method might also be used to gain feedback on  services,  concept, advertisement, ideas, or packaging. Technology: Apart from surveys and questioners there are few tools available on internet that are used to collect data of the consumers accessing specific business over the web. I tried to access the tools to collect current data of particular business but all of them where required to have a paid membership. I used Google web analyser to analyze website traffic. Another tool which can help finding information about the anchor text used by the linking sites is SEO Books Back Link Analyzer http://tools.seobook.com/backlink-analyser/). It Supplies multiple output data including backlink status, link text, page title, outbound links, links on page, IP address, link type and Google information. P 2.3: Market Research impact on E-Business: Today we are living in vibrant world where numbers of things are changing very rapidly. Therefore it has become very complex to predict anything. Business is also a part of this rapid changing world and it is very difficult to predict any next move of market or customers respectively. However, to achieve success in the business world, it is very significant for any business to have full information about the market progress and the customers behaviour. Therefore, business requires a solution which can help them to gather these facts and figures. A most effective solution for this problem resides in the form of market research, that provides a great possibility to identify the numerous trends in the market and customers need. Market research is a combination of few methods like surveys, analysis, trends, prediction. Adopting the effective market research method can help business to identify new market trends, their competitor activities, acceptability of their products in market, scope for new products, and reason behind failure of products. A large numbers of business organisation have made market research an essential part of the organisation. However, many others take the help of external agencies and advisors. Mode of doing market research may be whatever but one thing is clear that market research significantly help organisations in making right moves at the right time. By making market research an integral part of companies work structure, companies can easily avoid number of shocks coming from market and increase their success rate considerably. Therefore, in simple words we can say that by getting the help of market research, it is possible for any organisation to succeed in the business world. Chapter 2: Online Business Development: Introduction: Handyman online is a website which will provide wide range of repair and maintenance services around the home. This idea for the e business is not unique but in a way it is different from recent trend of customer services. The idea comes through my mind when I required some paint and patch work need to be done around the house. It was not a very large area so there was no need to hire professional contractors as a most people are fear of lengthy process and expensive labour. In search of the person who can carry out this small job I search in the local yellow pages, unfortunately I could not find any person. I browse the internet to search for the right person for the job. I narrowed down my search to 3 persons who carry out this kind of jobs in that area. When I called 2 of them refuse to come and visit the site due to lack of time and one of them promised to visit and never turned up. I have a degree in civil engineering in which I spent three years to learn about construction and its requirements before I come into the IT field. As per my pervious knowledge in the specific area I visited the (do it yourself) DIY stores like Homebase and BQ. I browsed for my required material and the actual work didnt take not more then 3 hour to finish. This draws my attention to the market potential and lack of required skilled staff in this area. People like me spend enormous amount of time over the internet to search person to carry out such a small tasks like assembling a cupboard, hang out a curtain or change the lock. In my case I was very disappointed about the response of the persons to carry out my required work. In my opinion there is a lot of potential in this market which I will discuss later in my report. Mission Statement: Mission is to reach and provide the customer high standard handyman services in quick and efficient way and creates employment opportunities. Goals: Create over 20% of business from repeat customers. Generate  steady revenue per year by the end of year two. Develop the business into full-time employment within 12 months. P 3.1: The Market research: Handyman Onlines target market has been divided into two segments: home owners and property managers. There are 1,340 potential customers in the property manager segment.  This group is growing at a 4% annual growth rate. There are 25,190 potential customers in the home owner segment. This  group has a 5% annual growth rate. Competition Handyman online will receive competition from several sources. The most well-known competitors are detailed below: Handymen Fix-It-Up: This is a one man company that is specialized in electrical problems and plumbing. Painting and patios are not serviced. When speaking with the customers regarding their experience with this company their expression was mixed. Handymend.com: This is a handyman company that employs three different workers as handymen. This is a large company (for handymen) with a far less intimate customer experience. If a customer used this service on four different occasions, they are likely to receive four different people on the service calls. Contractors (General) Raj Contractors: This is a full-service general contractor. The organization is large with 17 employees. This company does a mixture of commercial and residential work. This company has an eight hour minimum contract. MF Contractors: This is a small sized contractor of five employees. They concentrate on residential jobs and have a smaller minimum of four hour projects. P 3.2: Market Analysis Summary Handyman online has identified two different market segments, home owners and property managers. As I discussed earlier, like in my case the most important segments as they are the customers who often have small repairs. These repairs are too small for to hire a contractor and complicated enough for the owner to perform themselves. Customers often call the service provider who they are familiar with, regardless of the suitability. For this reason, word of mouth referrals will be very important. Possible customers normally ask neighbours or friends and any other property managers for advice on handyman service providers. Handyman online will take advantage of word of mouth marketing by providing exceptional services to keep customers satisfied. Excellent service will result in new and repeat business. Market research outcomes: As I discussed earlier, I divided the potential market into two distinct customer groups: Home owners The value of the homes ranges generally between  £160,00  £655,00. 48% of home owners try to make small repairs themselves; they often start the repair and later realize that they do not have the appropriate skills to complete the repair. The remaining 52% do not attempt to repair it, they call a professional person to perform the repair. 62% have owned their home for more than two years. 73% of the customers wait until several small problems accumulate before they call a handyman for repair. This behaviour can be explained by not wanting to incur a large upfront charge just to have someone fix one thing. Property managers: Typically do not have their own in-house repair man in an effort to reduce overhead expenses. The range of monthly rental costs of their units is  £350- £675. Market Analysis Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Potential Customers Growth CAGR Home owners 5% 24,090 25,295 26,560 27,888 29,282 5.00% Property managers 4% 1,234 1,283 1,334 1,387 1,442 3.97% Total 25,324 26,578 27,894 29,275 30,724 P 3.3: Company: Handyman online will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) by myself. i will be the sole employee and owner of the company and I will hire the staff time to time according to the nature of the job. The company will incur certain start-up costs, primarily tools, detailed in the Start-up Summary section. Start-up requirements: Handyman online will incur start-up costs related to start of the business. The following table details the start-up costs as well as indicated the needed capital for initial operations. Stan will be using his personal tools for jobs but will need to purchase the following additional equipment/tools: Assorted plumbing tools including: slip wrenches, snakes, teflon tape, and assorted caps, nuts, and bolts. Electrical tools including: electrical gauge meters, wire cutters, various wires and wire caps, and soldering iron. Painting material including: paint brushes, paint roller, pneumatic paint sprayer, air compressor, sand papers, spackle tools and masking tape. Pressure washer. Various general tools. Assorted power tools (drill, saw, sander, Dremel). Assorted nails, bolts, screws, and fixtures. Laptop with portable printer for mobile invoice printing and submission. Mobile phone. Start-up Expenses Legal  £800 Accountant  £600 Brochures  £250 Insurance  £250 website registration  £25 Website hosting  £75 webpage development  £500 Total Start-up Expenses  £2,500 P 3.4: Details of cost: Start-up Assets Cash Required  £20,500 Other Current Assets  £0 Long-term Assets  £8,000 Total Assets  £28,500 Total Requirements  £31,000 Start-up Funding Start-up Expenses to Fund  £2,500 Start-up Assets to Fund  £28,500 Total Funding Required  £31,000 Assets Non-cash Assets from Start-up  £8,000 Cash Requirements from Start-up  £20,500 Additional Cash Raised  £0 Cash Balance on Starting Date  £20,500 Total Assets  £28,500 Liabilities and Capital Liabilities Current Borrowing  £0 Long-term Liabilities  £31,000 Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills)  £0 Other Current Liabilities (interest-free)  £0 Total Liabilities  £31,000 Capital Planned Investment Investor 1  £0 Other  £0 Additional Investment Requirement  £0 Total Planned Investment  £0 Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) - £2,500 Total Capital - £2,500 Total Capital and Liabilities  £28,500 Total Funding  £31,000 Loan required  £31,000 P 4.1: Company Services Handyman online will provide repair and maintenance for home owners and property managers. All type of services will be provided from just  £40 per hour plus parts. Handyman online will give every customer at least one hour of work at their property. All work is handyman work, for larger nature of jobs that require a contractor; Handyman online will search an experienced service provider free for the customer. By providing only handyman services, handyman online will always attempt to repair the problem first, replacement is only an option if the item cannot be repaired. This differs from a contractor philosophy which is generally to replace everything first. Repairing items is far less expensive for the consumer. Handyman online will offer a one year guarantee for all of their repair and maintenance work, The goal is to not have any unsatisfied customers. Offered services include: Minor plumbing Leaky faucets, repair/replace fixtures, sprinkler repair, minor drain problems, garbage disposal install, install ice maker lines. Minor electrical Ceiling fan repair and install, electrical plugs and switches, vanity lights, motion lights, cable and phone line installation. Fence repair Metal and wood fence repair and install, electric dog fences, gate and latch install. Window, wall and door repairs Small hole repair, door installation, window maintenance and repair. Decks and patios Deck repair and maintenance, chemical cleaning, pressure washing, wood replacement, handrail installation. Painting Interior and exterior (short of an entire exterior of a house). Weather proofing Weather stripping, caulking. Flooring Carpet and hard wood repair Company Ownership: I am the founder and owner of Handyman online. The company will remain a one-man operation for the foreseeable future. P 4.2: Market Analysis Summary Handyman online has identified two different market segments, home owners and property managers. As I discussed earlier, like in my case the most important segments as they are the customers who often have small repairs. These repairs are too small for to hire a contractor and complicated enough for the owner to perform themselves. Customers often call the service provider who they are familiar with, regardless of the suitability. For this reason, word of mouth referrals will be very important. Possible customers normally ask neighbours or friends and any other property managers for advice on handyman service providers. Handyman online will take advantage of word of mouth marketing by providing exceptional services to keep customers satisfied. Excellent service will result in new and repeat business. Marketing strategy: Website Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy will employ two distinct mechanisms: Search engine submission: This will be most useful to people who are unfamiliar with handyman online but are looking for a local handyman. There will also be searches from customers who may know about handyman online but are seeking additional information. URL on all printed material: For every printed piece of material that we offers, the sites Web address will be listed, encouraging a visit to the site. Website Development Requirements The site will be developed by me because I have an experience to develop a website. I will seek help from a friend to develop some aspect of the website. The value of the development will not increase more then  £600, it will not have to be listed as a payout of 1099 income for tax purposes. P 4.3: Sales Forecast The sales forecast has been developed in a conventional way to increase the possibility of achieving the sales goals. The forecast sales breaks down is based on the activities that Handyman online will perform. Required parts to replacing the faulty ones will be invoiced separately, there consumables such as nails, caulk, and etc., that will be used will be included in the  £40 hourly fee. These consumables are captured in the direct costs of goods as a percentage of the overall service charge. The different services have different percentages assigned to each type of service. Handyman online will perform a wide range of jobs, that will be billed at the same hourly rate. The competition typically bills out electrical work at a higher rate, and painting at a lower rate. Company has chosen a single hourly rate to encourage customers to use the services for more then one repair on the same visit. Sales Forecast Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Sales Plumbing  £4,250  £12,500  £16,550 Electrical  £3,698  £10,875  £14,399 Fences  £782  £2,875  £3,807 Windows  £1,360  £4,000  £5,296 Decks  £945  £4,500  £5,958 Paint  £2,508  £7,375  £9,765 Weather proofing  £1,403  £4,125  £5,462 Parts  £850  £2,500  £3,310 Floors  £1,615  £4,750  £6,289 Total Sales  £17,410  £53,500  £70,834 Direct Cost of Sales Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Plumbing  £298  £875  £1,159 Electrical  £185  £544  £720 Fences  £23  £86  £114 Windows  £109  £320  £424 Decks  £38  £180  £238 Paint  £226  £664  £879 We

Landcare Revegetation :: essays research papers

Rehabilitation is the process of reclaiming land for economical or conservation purposes. This process usually involves re-vegetation. The main aim in rehabilitation is to either return the land to a self-sustaining ecosystem or prepare the land for human use, i.e. crops, pastures and plantations. Rehabilitation should take place at a rate that is significantly higher than natural succession. Several principles are implemented for successful rehabilitation. Of these principles includes the need for preventing disasters and anticipating problems before they arise, if this is taken to consideration then rehabilitation will be less costly and trouble free. When rehabilitating a site, all the components making up the ecosystem need to be looked at individually. They include soil, climate, vegetation, time and animals. These components need to interact at certain rates in order for the desired effect to be achieved and so might need to be altered. There are other principles of rehabilitation, which will be discussed, in greater detail. There are many methods and strategies involved in rehabilitation which, are specific to a site. In this case, surface mine reclamation and farmland will be looked at. A step by step illustration of the processes involved will be covered. When rehabilitating mine land, it is important to first prepare a plan before mining takes place. Researching and obtaining data on the floral and faunal elements of the ecosystem by conducting surveys of the upper, mid and under-story species present. If the aim is to restore the land to its original ecological balance and to conserve the species present, then further studies should be conducted on the ecology of the native species, i.e. seed biology of all species. Propagation techniques and the order of re-establishing species should be studied. When rehabilitation work was conducted on the bauxite mines in the southwest of W.A., special research was conducted on the germination requirements of sown seed. The aim in this case was to re-establish a self-sustaining forest, which maintains water, timber and all the valued qualities of forest. The timing component was carefully considered when removing topsoil in summer to ensure maximum seed store this was achieved when the forest was cleared after seed set took place. Hand seeding was done soon after ripping in order to ensured that the seeds other propagules were well established before germination. When conducting mining operations it is generally desirable that rehabilitation work takes place at the same rate as mining occurs. The soil component in this case needs to be removed in layers (topsoil and overburden) and stock piled during the mining process. The topsoil is very important because is contains most of the seed, propagules and micro-organisms which are needed for

Happy Life – Essay

What Is a successful life? Is it a life without concern about money, without caring about interpersonal legislations, or without suffering any discomforts? To me, if it were a life without caring about others, people would not feel happiness. If it were a life of just working hard, people would lose their family. If it were a life of being selfish all the time, people would not feel the taste of love. Therefore, In order to have a happy life, we need to control our willpower, have a good relationship with others and then live with any pains.Will power plays a very important role in one's life. When we were born, everything looks interesting to us. Or in some other cases, we are looking for troubles that we are not intended to. That is why kids need to be educated. Facts such as failing to control one's Impulses, low frustration tolerance, and failing to plan ahead always happen for a young kid. That Is why young children need constant supervision from our parents or teachers. In thes e cases, most of the will power Is established In one's childhood.As an example from the reading, † Don't, the secret of self-control†, Joana Lealer explain well why our young generation needs a good self-control to be successful in our life. His article summarizes research on self-control in children and how this factor will predict success later in their life. In his articles, researchers showed four-year-old kids a marshmallow, and told them that they â€Å"could eat one marshmallow right away, or If they were willing to wait while he stepped out for a few minutes, they could have two marshmallow when he returned. (Lealer 2009) some kids ate one marshmallow very soon, while 30% were able to wait until the researcher returned 15 minutes later-?a very long time in the life of four-year-old. Interestingly, the researchers also followed up these kid twenty years later, they found that the kids who could delay 15 minutes had an average S. A. T score that was 210 points ra ter that those who delay 30 seconds or less. (Lealer 2009) To their credit, those kids who could delay longer had fewer behavioral problems, dealt with stressful situations and maintain friendship better.I am not saying those well behave kids would be successful in the future, but at least they can control their will power, which will help them build their life better. As I was in my high school year, I met some friends who are extremely out of self-control. In their cases, they prefer having troubles with teachers and school disciplines rather than studying. They didn't come to school on time, and do the homework by themselves. I think they are In a bad they told me they feel so regret at their high school years. From them I know some of their fellows went to Jail after.That is the reason why we need a good self-control, no one want to spend the rest of his or her life in Jail. Besides having a strong will power, we also need to communicate well with others. The scale of being succ essful or happy is not measured by how much cash is in your pocket, but the relationships with others. More precisely, a good mental health really matters in one's life. In the article, â€Å"What makes us happy', Joshua Wolf Sheen argues the how interpersonal allegations effects one's life. Sheen s article is based on the Grant Study.The grant study was longitudinal research by subjects had been followed for about 70 years. The subjects were all Harvard male student from the classes of 1942, 43 and 44. The main researcher of this study, George Villain, thought, â€Å"the only things that really matters in life are your relationships to other people†. (Cheekiness) Villain regards the relationship to other people as the most important factor of people's life. It is very important to maintain close interpersonal relationships not only with our family, but also with our friends and other people.Sandra Bullock, for an example, explains us well why we need to maintain good interp ersonal relationships. In the article, † The Sandra Bullock Trade†, David Brooks persuade his audiences that, † marital happiness or interpersonal relationships is more than an accomplishment in a profession. † (Brooks 2010) In the article, Brooks discusses two things that happened to Sandra Bullock in one month, she found out that her husband was cheating on her and she won an Academy Award. Although as a normal person, we don't have a clue how Bullock feels, we know that Bullock doesn't have a happy family.Although Bullock is so successful in her career, she has no support from his family. In my opinion, I think she put too much effort into her career and she loses her family. Once one's family is not on their back, their success will not count. Besides having a good self-control and interpersonal relationship, we also need to face our pains. The more difficulties we have met, the more experiences we will have for life, and the more successful we will be in our life. From Sheens article, † What makes us Happy', he illustrates how pains related to one's happy life.I really like his mint about interpersonal relations. However, I disagree with what you said about â€Å"your feeling of how happy your life was depended on how you think, not on how many difficulties you had met. † (Sheen 2007) In my opinions, life is based on how many difficulties you have met. Because the more pains you suffered, the more experienced you will be, and the easier we will learn how to deal with them. In my family, my dad always gives me advice upon any difficulty I have met. Because he suffered those pains before, and he Just doesn't want to come through with them again.But there must be one day he can't advice me any more, because my dad and I are in a different mode of life. Thus, I need to be fully experienced to build my family. With good self-control, maintaining good interpersonal relation, and living with any pains are the ways to build a successful life. Different people suffer different lives. From the time we were born, we will face the questionnaire upon how our life will be. No one can answer this question, no one will know how one's life will be, and no one can conclude whether the life is successful or not. We start, and we should