Sunday, December 29, 2019

The No Child Left Behind Act - 1321 Words

Part 1 Informative The No Child Left Behind Act (Public Law 107-110, 115), is a Congressional Act signed into law by George W. Bush in January 2002. The Bill was a bi-partisan initiative, supported by Senator Edward Kennedy, and authorized a number of federal programs designed to improve standards for educational accountability across all States, districts, and increase the focus on reading. Much of the NCLB focus is based on the view that American students are falling behind in educational basis when scored are compared globally. The Act does not establish a national achievement standard; each State must confirm its own set of standards, but in order to receive funding, the States must meet a basic criterion of performance (Abernathy, 2007). Ironically, this comes after five decades of debate on how to improve our nations school systems. The idea of educational reform, though, is certainly not new. In the 18th century, philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote a novel called Emile that described a view of education that included self-actualization, relevant curriculum, and hands on learning (Rousseau, 2003). John Dewey, born just prior to the Civil War, was a staunch proponent of educational reform education being a continual process for every child so that they could reach their potential through adequate stimuli. This was to be done by understanding the childs interests, capacity, and habits (Henson, 2003). And, in the 20th century the ideas of Maria Montessori,Show MoreRelatedNo Child Left Behind Act1621 Words   |  7 Pages The support for the No Child Left Behind Act plummeted down shortly after the act passed. Many people supported the act at first simply because they supported the goals of the act, once they saw t he results, their opinions changed. One of the biggest arguments towards No Child Left Behind is that it is unfair. People believed the resources of difference schools were unequal, and thought the Title 1 funding that the schools received should go to ensuring all schools had equal resources. Many peopleRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act1670 Words   |  7 Pages Literature Review: Every Student Succeeds Act Suzanne Hatton, BSW, LSW University of Kentucky-SW 630 Abstract This literature review seeks to explore the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), a bipartisan reauthorization and revision to the No Child Left Behind Act (2002). The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the first law passed in fourteen years to address Reneeded changes to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Considered progressive and innovative at the time of itsRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act875 Words   |  4 PagesThe No Child Left Behind Act â€Å"NCLB† was a bill passed by the Senate in 2001 and signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. It was a revision of the Elementary and Secondary Act â€Å"ESEA† of 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson. The NCLB was intended to help children in lower-income families achieve the same standard of education as children in higher income families. This was done by the federal government providing extra finances for Title I schools in exchange for a rise in academicRead MoreNo Child Left Behind Act1418 Wor ds   |  6 Pagessystematic oppression. The flowing water of oppression floods poor schools; drowning students with dreams, and giving no mercy. The only ones safe from the water are the privileged, who are oblivious to the fact that it exists. George Bush s No Child Left Behind Act, which passed in 2002, mandated annual standardized testing in math and reading. If schools received insufficient scores, they were punished or shut down. This fueled the construed concept that a school is only doing well if the students haveRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act Essay921 Words   |  4 Pagesuccessful at it. (Source 7) Next, the â€Å"No Child left behind Act† it was signed by President George W. Bush and it passed with bipartisan support on Jan. 8, 2002. This Act states that there will be mandated annual testing in the subject reading and math and science. In the grades 3-8 and 10th grade. It shows the Adequate Yearly Progress of each school in the system of the United States. (source 1) The biggest point of this Act is that no child is â€Å"trapped in a failing school† (source 1). That eachRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act2120 Words   |  9 PagesWhen President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) into law in 2002, the legislation had one goal-- to improve educational equity for all students in the United States by implementing standards for student achievement and school district and teacher performance. Before the No Child Left Behind Act, the program of study for most schools was developed and implemented by individual states and local communities†™ school boards. Proponents of the NCLB believed that lax oversightRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act1988 Words   |  8 PagesJanuary 8, 2002, George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law (also known as the NCLB). The No Child Left Behind Act was the latest reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, a federal education bill addressing the nation’s schools. At his signing ceremony, Bush stated, â€Å"There’s no greater challenge than to make sure that every child—and all of us on this stage mean every child, not just a few children—every single child, regardless of where they live, how they’reRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe No Child Left Behind Act was the biggest educational step taken by president Bush and his administration. Its main goal included the increase of achievement in education and completely eliminate the gap between different racial and ethnic grou ps. Its strategies had a major focus on uplifting test scores in schools, hiring â€Å"highly qualified teachers† and deliver choices in education. Unluckily, the excessive demands of the law have not succeeded in achieving the goals that were set, and have causedRead MoreNo Child Left Behind Act1747 Words   |  7 PagesNo Child Left Behind Introduction The No Child Left Behind Act (NALB) was signed into law by the former President of the United States George Walker Bush on the 8th of January 2002. It was a congressional attempt to encourage student achievement through some reforms focused on elementary and secondary education programs in the United States. The NCLB requires that within a decade all students including those with disabilities to perform at a proficient level on their state academic evaluation testsRead MoreThe No Child Left Behind Act1124 Words   |  5 PagesChristian J. Green Dr. Shoulders NCLB and ESSA 28 February 2016 The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was authorized by and signed into law in 2002. NCLB was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. NCLB was meant to hold schools to higher standards, enforce accountability, and close achievement gaps that had existed in education since ESEA was enacted. Nevertheless, the rigorous standards and goals set forth under NCLB were never attained. ESEA Flexibility could

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Business Plan Essay - 857 Words

3. Plan IT value imperatives: With the sensible comprehension of the nature and culture of our business, we are practically prepared to start adjusting the IT work with business system. We ought to plan the IT domain and see correctly how they are collected into benefit offerings. 4. Interpret the Context: Suspect the internal and external variables that could influence the business. Translate the overall business and monetary patterns to guarantee your business can effectively oversee change. 5. Create the change agenda: Examine the patterns as they identify with your association and IT resources. Make an association wide motivation which traces your synchronization get ready for business technique and IT. The Change Agenda should fill in†¦show more content†¦Recommendation and Competitive Advantage as for ERP module By using ERP in an organization not only deals with the Business and IT related issues but also focuses on other aspects like customer services, inventories, production, web portals..etc. But as we are aligning IT with Business, our main objective is through machines which drives the business to new level. The idea of advantage is frequently misjudged in assembling; industry experts in some cases see it as being identified with either shop-floor operations or business procedure. Albeit both those components are essential, they are vital just with regards to what makes an organization particular: how its blend of item, process, and individuals empowers it to create an important, extraordinary advertising. As the cost will be reduced because of less time period to deal with damages and other problems so the production will be high. Which increase the demand and results in more benefit within same operation cost. The profit here we get is hidden as because there is not any cash inflow instead there are savings from the operation cost. Which will lead to competitive advantage against other organizations. Thus, we can either reduce the product cost or we can start manufacturing more products with the hidden profit. Any way we choose, we gain advantage. Partnership of It with Business Arrangement ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about Creating a Business Plan1119 Words   |  5 Pagesyou must have guidelines, so to speak, to know where you are heading in the future. That is why before you can start a business you need to draw up a detailed business plan. Business plans are considered blueprints. A business plan is what is needed to get your business off the ground and to attract potential investors. A business plan is way to show that you are in the business to make money. Introduce the company and the product/service idea for the new venture. Triple S Night Club is a new companyRead MoreBusiness Plan for Wash Dry and Guard Detailing Essay examples15667 Words   |  63 PagesBUSINESS PLAN FOR WASH DRY AND GUARD DETAILING Bachelors Capstone Final Project Elizabeth M. Towler MT499-01 Professor Ernest Norris Table of Contents Section 1: Executive Summary (Business Description) 2 Section 2: Code of Conduct 7 Section 3: Marketing Plan (Strategy and SWOT) 11 Section 4: Operations 16 Section 5: Finance 22 Section 6: Cash Flow Analysis 28 Section 7: InformationRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay954 Words   |  4 Pagesfinancial management company that generates value for their customers. 1st Year: We aim to form relevant technical partnerships and register as vendor with at least 20 new clients while closing medium to large scale deals in all our three main areas of business. In this year we will invest both financial and material resources to ensure that we enter new markets India and South America strong. We aim to raise sufficient capital to make us more mobile while relating with international clients. 2nd Year:Read MoreBusiness Plan Essay725 Words   |  3 Pagessidewalk or driveways. My business will be a sole proprietorship. I wanted to run this business on my own, because I like doing my own work. I want everything to be my responsibility. I’ve been in the construction industry for 5 years now. During this time, I have experienced many difficult jobs. You can count on my work with anything you want. I am very good with problem solving, so I can help you succeed your dream sidewalk, driveway, patio, stoop, and many more. My Business will be located in theRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay1113 Words   |  5 Pagesof the qualification. Well done for having persevered and having made it this far! Modules 1 to 4 have taken you all the way from learning strategies to drawing up a business plan for your own business. We hope that by now you are excited about the thought of owning your own business and being an entrepreneur. Choosing a business is easy; getting it to stay viable and bringing in the money is another thing. According to the University of Tennessee, 70 – 80 % of all businesses fail in the firstRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay1290 Words   |  6 Pagesdo instead to increase your chances of raising money So, if writing a business plan won’t increase your chances of attracting money, what will? How do you increase your chances of generating investor interest and launch a startup successfully? You could find part of the answer from the answer Sam Altman, the president at Y Combinator, gave at a EconTalk podcast when explaining the firm’s logic of not reading business plans. â€Å"We would rather spend the time working on their product, talking toRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay837 Words   |  4 Pagesshould rest easy at night knowing that financial, or personal life is in great hands. With having a company that will protect hundreds of thousands maybe even millions the cost of affording my protection plans will be gear toward affordability than profit that I could potentially make. My company plans will come in three major packages, and each package will come with spam protection, daily viral scanning for illegal transactions or activities. Also, I will have in place the most detailed firewall protocolRead More business plan Essay1191 Words   |  5 Pagesof this business plan is to support a request for a 75,000 five-year bank loan to purchase equipment and inventory as part of the financing for a start-up sole proprietorship, Fast ‘n Fresh Premiun Ice Cream Parlor. The business will be owned by Daniel W. Beese and will be located in leased space at 858 Success Ave in the new Riverside Faire shopping center, Jacksonville, FL 32211. The owner will provide a minimum of 75,00 in initial equity. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The business will serveRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay976 Words   |  4 PagesTHIS AGREEMENT (the â€Å"Agreement†) entered into this ________ day of __________ 2017 by and between JAVA GROUP CO. (hereinafter referred to as the â€Å"JAVA†), and MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM d/b/a SOUTH BROWARD HOSPITAL DISTRICT, (hereinafter referred to as the â€Å"MEMORIAL†). 1. JAVA shall be set up and operate a Coffee Kiosk/Cart (the â€Å"Kiosk†) on the inside of the MEMORIAL and Off-site premises located in Broward County, Florida. The space will be located at the Memorial’s Main Lobby or MEMORIAL’s BreakRead MoreBusiness Plan Essay3617 Words   |  15 PagesBusiness Plan My group and I are members of a small chemical company that are going in to business to produce Epsom salts. (Information on Epsom salts can be found in background information). Our company name is The Epsom Company. In order to be the best company we have to ensure the Epsom salts we produce are a good quality. But despite this we are also looking to make a profit and so cost must be as limited as possible. We will need to pay strict attention to the

Friday, December 13, 2019

Blink by Gladwell Free Essays

As explained in Blink by Gladwell and Payne, unconscious discrimination is a type of discrimination that is very hard to recognize. We have all heard about explicit discrimination, which can take two forms: the individual level and the institutional level. At the individual level, people openly like. We will write a custom essay sample on Blink by Gladwell or any similar topic only for you Order Now This can be seen in the case of bias hiring when an employer tells a postulant; â€Å"I will not hire you because you are a female. † At the institutional level, one of the most striking examples of discrimination occurs with the Nuremberg Laws in Nazi Germany. These laws restricted the rights of German citizens that were Jews. People working in the Nazi institutions had to enforce these discriminatory laws even if they disagreed with them. By discriminating against Jews, they were only â€Å"doing their job and following orders†. Implicit discrimination is more subtle and we will look more particularly at the unconscious form of this kind of discrimination. As seen in Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell, unconscious discrimination can be positive or negative. The election of Warren Harding is described by Gladwell as an error, as he proceeded to explain that President Harding was elected based more on his looks and personality than his competencies and abilities to govern the country. Most historians agreed that he was one f the worst presidents in history. Malcom Gladwell â€Å"thinks that there are facts about people’s appearance- their size or shape or color or sex- that can trigger a very similar set of powerful associations† and Harding’s election was obviously an example of this. Many people looked at him and saw how handsome and distinguished-looking he was and jumped to the conclusion that he had t be a man of courage, intelligence and integrity. They didn’t dig below the surface. Gladwell stated that â€Å"the Harding error is the dark side of rapid cognition. It is at the root of a good deal of prejudice and discrimination†. Unconscious or implicit association plays a big part in our behavior and belief as the Implicit Association Test (IAT) reveals. This test is based on the fact that our minds make quicker connections between pairs that are already related than we do with paired ideas that are unfamiliar. I decided to take the Race IAI test to see what the result would be. Firstly I was asked what my attitude towards blacks and whites was, and coming from a mixed background it was obvious for me to answer that they were equal. I took the test and immediately had an uneasy feeling about it. When the conclusions came I had, as did more than eighty percent of those who had taken the test, pro-white association. The test rated me as having a â€Å"moderate automatic preference for whites. † These results were astonishing to me and allowed me to understand better what unconscious discrimination was. In my brain the connection between black and good was harder to make than white and good. If a person coming from a mixed background like myself, had difficulties associating African Americans with good, and hence could be bias, I began to wonder how other races viewed African Americans. Even though very revealing, this example is just a test, and doesn’t have significant repercussions, but let’s take a real life justice example. Amadou Diallo, a 23-year old African man was shot and killed by four New York City Police Department officers. They fired a total of 41 shots at this unarmed man. In this case, one could ask one’s self if racial profiling was used and to what extent Diallo’s color played against him. The family filed a lawsuit against the City Of New York and the officers and won 3 million dollars. The event gendered social psychology researches notably one directed by Eberhard in 2004 which revealed that police officers are quicker to decide to shoot an unarmed black person rather than an unarmed white one. All these findings set ethical problems as problems of justice. How could we have justice if even mixed people, non-white or African Americans are biased? How could we write the rules for a society if trained officers face unconscious discrimination issues? How can the rules be written so that the ethical problem that is unconscious discrimination would become a thing of the past? From very early ages, dark colors have been associated with bad, and light or brightness with good. It is something that is deeply entrenched in our society and culture, so in order to change the mentalities and habits, children should, at a young age, be exposed to examples reinforcing or teaching them that good and bad are not a matter of color. Discrimination is instilled in our kids’ everyday lives just as seen in most cartoons or kids’ programs: the â€Å"good guy† is often white and the â€Å"bad guy† is darker. What is priming? The online glossary of the American Psychological Association defines it as â€Å"the advantage conferred by prior exposure to a word or situation†. I believe that at an elementary level, kids should have some classes and videos teaching them that all human beings are equal and cannot be judged by their color. Just like the propaganda advertising can influence us to buy and like a new products, this â€Å"race advertising† would encourage kids to be less biased and to treat everyone with the same respect independently of their race or religion. This reasoning takes from the affirmative action programs that helped thousands of women access jobs and levels of responsibilities never experienced before. I truly believe that if at a young age, children are exposed to more diversity, this exposure would result in less unconscious discrimination later in their lives. Schools should have race and religious diversity and if we could succeed in mixing the population, children could learn to live together at a very young age. Now, let’s consider the hiring process. Is an interviewer named â€Å"John† more likely to give an edge to a job candidate also named â€Å"John? † Recent academic research suggests that the answer is yes but how does this type of unconscious discrimination affect a company’s ability to develop a merit-based model. Auren Hoffman and psychologist Brett Pelham conducted a study at the University of Buffalo and found the following groundbreaking results: â€Å"In hiring, positive gut feelings can lead to decisions based on superficial similarities to the decision maker, including those that may not be lawfully considered, such as age, race, and national origin. Equally importantly, they can lead to decisions based on a host of other irrelevant factors, such as hair color. † Hoffman concludes by stating that such decisions are bad business practices that can confer competitive disadvantage. T o remedy these injustices, I believe that pictures, names, and gender should be blanked from resumes, giving equal chances to everyone. Blind hiring could be a good solution to unconscious discrimination in the hiring process. Often the composition of an orchestra is a good example of gender discrimination. In most orchestras, brass instruments are played by men. In this specific example, during the music auditions, a screen could be put up so the players’ gender would be impossible to identify. These methods implemented would firstly, force integration and expose the problems of unconscious discrimination and bring it to a state of awareness. Secondly, these methods would mix the population and undoubtedly change certain discriminatory practices, such as can be seen where it has become normal nowadays for women to have the right to vote, whereas before it was not possible. As we have discussed above, discrimination takes many different forms and even occurs without being a deliberate action on the part of the discriminatory party. Obviously the effects of discrimination are widespread and in some cases can be very devastating. As I mentioned before though, although challenging, it is not impossible to address the issues presented through discrimination. Obviously there has to be the acknowledgement that it is occurring, and after this acknowledgment steps can be taken, some of which I have suggested, to alleviate or eradicate the problem altogether. Some rules can be implemented to lighten or fix the problem. How to cite Blink by Gladwell, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Composting Systems For Medium Density Residential Buildings

Question: Discuss about the Waste and Composting Systems For Medium Density Residential Buildings. Answer: Introduction Sustainable resource management and minimization of waste is a priority action area in Australia. The building, as well as construction industry, is the major contributor to waste, and much of it is deposited in the landfill (Han, Clarke Pratt 2014). This study aims to provide a waste and composting systems to reduce waste volumes from developments for medium density residential buildings. The report is based on the use of waste and composting systems for the medium density residential buildings. Various aspects of the system are discussed with three product options for the selected system. The advantages and disadvantages of this system are also discussed with its potential technological improvement to the environmental performance of the system. Waste and composting systems for medium density residential buildings Aspects of waste and composting systems The waste and composting system minimize the resource requirements as well as building wastes through reuse and recycling of the wastes (Saer et al. 2013). The waste management system ensures that the wastes are transported as well as disposed of in a lawful manner. Communal storage, as well as bulk container systems, is common systems for containment of wastes (Barrena et al. 2014). The design of a waste and composting system requires an understanding of biological, physical as well as chemical processes. Those processes are air movement, uptake of carbon as well as nitrogen, transfer, and production of heat. The waste and composting system for residential buildings are increasingly being installed as waste management alternatives to the landfills (Lim et al. 2016). This system is increasingly being used in Australia due to regulations controlling amount of organic matter allowed in the landfills. The main aspects of this system are treating biodegradable waste and reducing global w arming. Three product options available in Australian marketplaces and its respective cost Compost Tumbler: A commercial grade composter is the better way to compost as well as deserves at the heart of the compost system. Multi-bin system is required in order to recycle generated wastes (Di Maria Micale 2015). The features of this product are portability, adequate volume, option for bottom pan and lid and air vents. Using the compost tumbler, it maintains high temperatures in tumbler systems as the container acts as insulation and the rotating keeps the microbes aerated as well as lively. This product is speeding up the composting process and keeping compost well suited for the residential buildings (Li et al. 2013). The cost of the compost tumbler is approximate $199. Figure 1: Compost Tumbler (Source: Di Maria Micale 2015, pp-379) Modular In-Vessel Containers: The contained composting system is modular. This system uses a static composting method such as there is no mechanical agitation while the materials are within the container (Yuan 2013). Fans supply the oxygen and remove heat as well as moisture. Air is being introduced at the base of the materials as well as flows up through the composting mass into headspace at the top (Williams 2013). The modular containers are located outside of the residential building in order to eliminate waste with odour control for active phase of composting. The cost of the compost tumbler is approximate $399. Figure 2: Modular In-Vessel Containers (Source: Yuan 2013, pp-7) Rotary drums: It is included as a solid waste composting system in Australia that utilizes drum as the first state of composting technique. It is popular as a composting system as it serves various purposes such as blending, reduction of size without shredding as well as screening (Zaman 2015). This rotary drum is a continuous as well as automatic operation; therefore, its cost of operation is low. The solid that are adhere to the outside of the rotary drums then passes to cut off the solids in order to make known fresh media surface that will penetrate the liquid as the rotation of the drum. It provides a flexible application of dewatering as well as washing of the residential buildings (Guerrero, Maas Hogland 2013). The cost of the compost tumbler is approximate $ 100. Figure 3: Rotary drums (Source: Guerrero, Maas Hogland 2013, pp-231) Advantages and disadvantages of Waste and composting systems Advantages of Waste and composting systems are as follows: The system turns the waste into value added resources by giving a feedstock for the regions licensed capability of composting. It prevents the emissions of greenhouse caused by decomposing of organic landfill wastes into the system (Yuan 2013). It produces valuable products such as compost, which are enhanced soil as well as aid in the growth of the plant (Kaushika, Reddy Kaushik 2016). It reduces mass as well as a volume of the manure when composting is due to moisture content reduction. Due to a composting system, reduction in mass well as volume increases the distance land applied nutrients that are hauled economically (Prashanthi Sundaram 2016). Disadvantages of Waste and composting systems are as follows: The fertilizer contains not as much as half of nitrogen. In the event that fertilizer is not joined into the dirt, then it would lose nitrogen to the environment, which causes harm to the atmosphere (Rich Bharti 2015). The composting process takes time in order to manage the windows to produce quality compost. The composting products are of high cost and it comes with a high price tag (Soltani, et al. 2015). The waste and composting system are difficult to move as well as they are heavy. The systems are hard to turn the compost into the system, as it is difficult to reach over the top of the system (White, Dranke Hindle 2012). Potential technological improvement to environmental performance of medium density residential buildings The goal of this study is to analyze the environmental improvement potentials of the residential buildings such as types of buildings used as the household dwellings, single-family houses and multi-apartment buildings. It can be achieved throughout estimation of the life cycle environmental influences on the residential buildings (Kaushika, Reddy Kaushik 2016). The waste management team should identify the environmental improvement options as well as analysis in environmental benefits as well as costs. The medium density residential buildings present a range of challenges for a provision of the facilities of waste management (Barrena et al. 2014). As the space for throwing of waste is expensive, therefore the developers can see for some technological improvement in waste storage as well as collection areas. The provision of the waste management facilities can encourage recycling of the wastes (Han, Clarke Pratt 2014). It can see as a financial imposition if the safety concerns of t he humans are addressed. It translates to additional prices as well as risks at the operational stages for the service providers. The provision of the waste management facilities aims in order to facilitate as well as enhance the quality of the development with an on-site waste management plan (Yuan 2013). Even the waste management issues have vital impacts on the layout of the development of the residential buildings. In order to ensure the space of storage for efficient waste management as well as recyclable materials are being incorporated into the layout (Guerrero, Maas Hogland 2013). The Australian government is committed to ensuring that their government should keep with developing and modern advancements and also open interest to enhance the waste management system via completing a survey of the key arrangement (Prashanthi Sundaram 2016). With a specific end goal to gather the objectives and also destinations of the key arrangement, a portion of the choices are expected, for example, minimizing the waste era and amplifying reuse, material recuperation and also reusing. Evaluation of current state of market The waste management system is an integrated system that is used to collect as well as the process of the biological wastes. The system is used to collect as well as store the wastes and then transfers it into valuable products. The following are the different technology types on various streams, which are categorized as follows: Technology Type Stream Mechanical separation Biological Chemical Others Mixed plastics Optical sorting Plasma arc Concrete Improved sorting techniques Food Organics Dry and wet processes Anaerobic digestion and composting Paper and cardboard Improved sorting techniques and reprocessing to same plastics Anaerobic digestion and composting Pyrolysis Glass Optical sorting for improved recovery and reuse applications Plastic firms Reprocessing Production of fuel Carpets Reprocessing into other carpets Timber Biochar Radiation Rigid plastics Reprocessing into same or other plastic products Conversion to polyhydroxyalkanoates Electronic wastes Reprocessing of components Extraction of metals by supercritical water oxidation process Extraction of metals by electrokinetic processes Table 1: Technological improvement of waste (Source: Guerrero, Maas Hogland 2013, pp-226) Constraints in residential projects The following are the basic constraints in the residential projects such as: Market constraints: The market factors can hinder the improvement as well as maintenance of waste of the residential housing (Soltani et al. 2015). The market factors can constrain production of the housing farms that have a negative effect on the availability of supportive services. Governmental Constraints: The local government can affect the maintenance of the buildings in several of ways through its land use as well as waste development regulations. Environmental review constraints: The residential projects are developed consistent with general plan as well as zoning code. As waste is the main constraints in the residential projects, therefore before a start of the projects the land, as well as areas, should require reviewing so that the plan is developed properly (White, Dranke Hindle 2012). The residential should meet with the environmental and waste management rules. Resource constraints: There may be a lack of labor, materials as well as equipment to manage the waste in the residential areas. Management constraints: It occurs due to pre-fabrication of errors, waste in the construction site, and delay in the waste management plan, lack of maintenance of the waste and composting system as well as financial concerns in payments to the vendors. Recommendations Education and awareness: The public should need education as well as awareness of the global preservation. The supermarkets and institutions should encourage recycling with an introduction of modern waste and composting system. Proper waste management campaigns should also be done to aware the population of the harmful effects of wastes on the human health. Waste collection program: The public of the residential buildings should develop this program so that it helps to prevent the costly repairs due to clogged drains. It should improve the residents and make them green. Use of modern waste and composting system: The modern, as well as advanced waste system, should reduce the garbage services as well as overflow the costs. The use of the new system should be useful for the residents as it is updated and maintained properly on the daily basis. Also the use of the waste system should reduce the human errors while handling the wastes. Conclusion It is concluded that the waste management system is crucial for reducing the residential buildings impacts on the environment. The supply management plays a major role in reducing the amounts of wastes that the organization and residential buildings are producing. The waste and composting system should be used by the organization to reduce the occurrence of harmful diseases among the human. Three product options are used for this particular waste system are compost timber, modular in-vessel containers and rotary drums. Some of the recommendations are also discussed so that the influence of the wastes on the residential buildings should be controlled such as education to the public, use of modern system and waste collection program. The use of the efficient system should treat biodegradable waste as well as reduce the global warming. The waste administration group ought to distinguish the natural change choices and in addition, examination in ecological advantages and in addition cost s. The medium density private structures show a scope of difficulties for the arrangement of the offices of waste administration. The system of waste management is disposed of as well as it is being transported in a lawful way. References Barrena, R, Font, X, Gabarrell, X Sanchez, A 2014, Home composting versus industrial composting: Influence of composting system on compost quality with a focus on compost stability',Waste management,34(7), pp.1109-1116. Di Maria, F Micale, C 2015, Life cycle analysis of incineration compared to anaerobic digestion followed by composting for managing organic waste: the influence of system components for an Italian district, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment,vol. 20, no. 3, pp.377-388. Guerrero, LA, Maas, G Hogland, W 2013, Solid waste management challenges for cities in developing countries,Waste management,vol. 33, no. 1, pp.220-232. Han, W, Clarke, W Pratt, S 2014, Composting of waste algae: A review,Waste management,vol. 34, no. 7, pp.1148-1155. Kaushika, ND, Reddy, KS Kaushik, K 2016, Solid Waste Management, InSustainable Energy and the Environment: A Clean Technology Approach(pp. 197-209). Springer International Publishing. Li, Z, Lu, H, Ren, L He, L 2013, Experimental and modeling approaches for food waste composting: A review,Chemosphere,vol. 93, no. 7, pp.1247-1257. Lim, SL, Lee, LH Wu, TY 2016, Sustainability of using composting and vermicomposting technologies for organic solid waste biotransformation: recent overview, greenhouse gases emissions and economic analysis, Journal of Cleaner Production,no. 111, pp.262-278. Prashanthi, M Sundaram, R eds, 2016,Integrated Waste Management in India: Status and Future Prospects for Environmental Sustainability. Springer. Rich, N Bharti, A, 2015, Assessment of different types of in-vessel composters and its effect on stabilization of MSW compost,International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), Volume2, issue-3 June, pp.2395-0056. Saer, A, Lansing, S, Davitt, NH Graves, RE 2013, Life cycle assessment of a food waste composting system: environmental impact hotspots,Journal of Cleaner Production,no. 52, pp.234-244. Soltani, A, Hewage, K, Reza, B Sadiq, R 2015, Multiple stakeholders in multi-criteria decision-making in the context of Municipal Solid Waste Management: A review,Waste Management,no. 35, pp.318-328. White, P., Dranke, M. and Hindle, P., 2012.Integrated solid waste management: a lifecycle inventory. Springer Science Business Media. Williams, PT, 2013,Waste treatment and disposal. John Wiley Sons. Yuan, H 2013, A SWOT analysis of successful construction waste management.Journal of Cleaner Production,no. 39, pp.1-8. Yuan, H 2013, Key indicators for assessing the effectiveness of waste management in construction projects,Ecological indicators,no. 24, pp.476-484. Zaman, AU 2015, A comprehensive review of the development of zero waste management: lessons learned and guidelines,Journal of Cleaner Production,no. 91, pp.12-25.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing Essays

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur eu mauris sed sapien fringilla tristique laoreet iaculis leo. Morbi eu vehicula dui. Donec pretium efficitur felis. Fusce in felis eu lacus sagittis iaculis. Suspendisse id metus laoreet, efficitur est eget, condimentum dui. Nam nec mauris malesuada, fringilla nisl et, sagittis lorem. Fusce pellentesque quam et massa feugiat molestie. Aliquam erat volutpat. Sed sit amet nisi aliquet dui tincidunt sollicitudin ut sed felis. Quisque mauris sem, pharetra eu tincidunt nec, eleifend in tortor. Pellentesque malesuada dolor ac risus sollicitudin consequat. Vivamus mollis eros at est lobortis aliquet vitae vitae ligula. Aliquam eleifend faucibus leo dapibus fermentum. Integer porta vel orci eget lobortis. Etiam sollicitudin facilisis egestas. Nam et lectus in mi porta lacinia. Pellentesque ut viverra mi. Aliquam libero arcu, tempor sit amet nunc vitae, sodales sagittis purus. Morbi id nisi erat. Donec venenatis velit in eros viverra, vitae tincidunt massa pharetra. Mauris eu nibh mi. Suspendisse pharetra, ipsum non sollicitudin tincidunt, nibh justo feugiat libero, in ornare lacus ipsum quis augue. Aliquam a pretium elit, in auctor justo. Sed iaculis metus non dolor egestas sollicitudin. Curabitur vehicula, nulla vel varius faucibus, sem dolor lacinia nisl, sed dictum dolor elit eget nisi. Fusce varius vel nulla in accumsan. Vivamus non suscipit enim. Pellentesque aliquet pellentesque tempor. Sed at massa eu quam fringilla imperdiet a nec nulla. In vestibulum elit vitae ligula dapibus ultrices. Sed viverra non neque vitae gravida. Morbi faucibus nulla vitae vulputate venenatis. Aliquam dapibus, tellus a congue pharetra, justo leo condimentum arcu, id suscipit dui eros sed lacus. Donec eu tincidunt velit. Sed eleifend sed nibh in placerat. Praesent efficitur neque neque, consectetur tristique enim facilisis ut. Vivamus venenatis lectus sed ex porttitor, a gravida quam egestas. Pellentesque vel iaculis urna, euismod pretium ante. Nunc condimentum, lacus quis ornare dictum, purus purus ornare est, ac porttitor diam tellus eget urna. Fusce vitae lobortis libero. Vestibulum auctor euismod ipsum, vel pretium mi egestas id. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nam velit diam, varius et elit id, egestas commodo orci. Cras tincidunt arcu sapien, et interdum sem aliquet vel. Proin nulla sapien, viverra vitae cursus id, ultrices vel turpis. Maecenas accumsan velit massa, maximus varius justo placerat non. Etiam ac semper odio, ac convallis nibh

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Missing Information in MLA Referencing

Missing Information in MLA Referencing Missing Information in MLA Referencing There are few things more frustrating when writing a college paper than finding a great source, but then being unable to find the publication details. Don’t worry, though! You can still cite a source with missing information. In this post, for example, we will look how to handle missing information in MLA citations and the list. Sources Without a Named Author When a source has no named author, you can use the source title in citations instead. For example, to cite an article with no named author, we might write: Many predicted that 2012 would be the end of the world, but this proved premature (â€Å"Apocalypses Through History† 12). Here, for example, the citation is for page 12 of an article called â€Å"Apocalypses Through History.† If the source title is too long, moreover, you can shorten it to fit in citations. The same rule applies in the list, so use the source title in the first position there if no author is named. However, make sure to check carefully for an author. Typically, there will at least be a corporate author to cite. This will be the organization responsible for producing the source you are citing. In-Text Citations Without Page Numbers Some sources have no page numbers to cite (e.g., websites and ebooks). When this happens, MLA recommends using paragraph or line numbers instead if these are available: Page numbers are a thing of the past (Smith par. 12). This citation, for instance, would point to paragraph 12 in a source. However, if the source does not include its own paragraph or line numbers, simply leave this information out of citations. Other Missing Information in the List Finally, we have the list. This is where you give full source information. If you cannot find certain details, however, you will need to adapt your reference accordingly. The MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition. The MLA Handbook does not have strict guidelines about how to handle missing information in the list other than using the title when there is no named author (see above). Generally, then, if you cannot find a piece of information within a source (e.g., place of publication or publication date), you can skip this and move on to the next detail. However, the MLA Handbook does say you can include source information from an external source such as a database or publisher’s website. To do this, simply place the information in question in square brackets. Your teacher or supervisor may also have preferences about how to approach missing information in MLA style references. For example, some suggest using â€Å"n.d.† to indicate a missing date of publication, so remember to check your style guide if you have one available. Summary: Missing Information in MLA Referencing If you cannot find information about a source you have cited, MLA recommends the following: When a source has no named author or suitable organizational author, use the title instead. This applies to both citations and the list. When a source has no page numbers, leave these out of citations. You can use paragraph or line numbers if these are included in the source itself. For other missing information in the list, if it is available from a third party, include it in square brackets. If not, skip the detail in question. And if you want help checking yours referencing, get in touch with Proofed.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Reading - Assignment Example He argues that the masks allow the women behind them express themselves without fearing the loss of their own dignity. The author interprets demoiselle’s African masks differently from other critics. He views them as offensive and at the same time attractive, the attraction is not because of the pictorial effect, but for the clients that source the service of these pictured women.   Cave however, dispute the notion that the unmasked faces of the three figures on the left side of the picture are not â€Å"syphilitic monsters† this is because  African masks are viewed as repellents. Those masked he views them as ridden with plaque while the unmasked as very healthy. Over the last decade the Les Demoiselles has been stated to evoke fearsome and awful â€Å"prototypical† reactions amongst men that view and experience its nature. This is due to its design of cubism and caricature. Walter Benjamin observes that the emergence of prostitution is a modern phenomenon expressed trough Picasso painting. And with this modernity prostitution and the trade of sex increase. The sex he says has been commoditized in utter disregard to the very important tenets of love. The disjunctive state of the Les Demoiselles made it receive less consideration for public display. This disjunctive state left historians debating on whether the art was actually finished or not. The author of this article uses previous critiques to bring the issues of race and class, citing that race and class differentiate the art by le demoiselles and Olympus. Chave then explains that the flattening of pictorial space is but a modernist phenomenal. Clements on the other hand, sees it as a result of the consolidation of the means of unique art. Under Steinberg eye, viewing Picasso’s Les Demoiselles, he sees the interior space of the art in compression, like the inside of compressed bellows. He describes the feeling as one of an inhabited pocket heated by a contracting

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Social media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social media - Essay Example There is a perception that non-users of social media are timid, scrupulous, and unsocial. Murat reveals that students who are extrovert use and stay longer on the social media sites in comparison to the introverts. Interestingly, people who are shy and anxious are frequent users of these sites though despite them having fewer following or friends. There is a trend that individuals who exhibit honesty in these sites tend to get social support from users of the social sites in discussion. However, it can be argued that individuals with smaller social friends in these sites have little motivation to use the networking sites hence it can be argued that the relationship between shyness and how frequently the sites are used has no significance. It is for these reasons that it can be stated with absolute certainty that the purpose of using social media sites; the methods incorporated; time spent; and on the sites have a relationship with individual traits of the users (Murat 77). The big five model of personality can be effectively and efficiently validated to illuminate the above conviction. Report from ProQuest (1) lists that the big five model constitutes of contentiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness, neuroticism, and extroversion. Extroversion encompasses either an individual possessing the trait of being an outgoing individual and energetic or the converse where one exhibits the traits of being reserved and solitary. On the other hand, neuroticism includes how sensitive or nervous individuals can be or how secure and confident they are while agreeableness tends to focus on friendliness and compassionate and conversely unkind and cold nature of some persons. ProQuest report (1) also asserts that conscientiousness attempts to categorize traits in terms of how efficient and organized a person can be or being easy going but careless. The last of the big five entails traits that certain kind of people exhibit by being open to experience.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Personal Identity in Facebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Identity in Facebook - Essay Example As it has been stated, â€Å"A sociological approach to self and identity begins with the assumption that there is a reciprocal relationship between the self and society† (Stets & Burke n.d; p.1). In other words, one cannot define themselves without society. Personal identity is, therefore, who one is in relation to society. Such a society does not only exist in the physical world, but in the digital world as well. As it has been written, â€Å"Social networks such as Facebook can be of great influence in the way all of us in society shape our personal identities†. The importance of this relationship can easily be seen when social networking is the main form of communication between certain close relatives. The way that family members interact online is intriguing to study. The network can act as a variable that changes behavior. Changes in behavior due to online versus in-person communications and activities have been proven. For example, when studying the difference i n consumer behavior online it was found that online buyers tend to be more critical and flighty than in person. This is due to the fact that comparison shopping in easy. (Degeratu et al 2011). Personal Identity Background There has been so much important work done in this particular field that there are countless different methods that are actually used in the networks themselves (Abrudan 2011; p. 25). Some of the main basic operations that deal directly with personal identity are things such as creating a personal profile. Creating personal profile is usually the first thing that visitors asked to do on almost all of the major social networks, including Facebook. The profile will be the first step of the process of conveying much personal information. Of course, they ask for the most basic personal things such as name, age, birthday, and other things for identifying purposes. Those who sign up to be a part of this digital community first introduce themselves by granting their basic definition. The information that they give is part of how they desire to define themselves. Although it is polite habit, self introduction is rarely called for in today’s society. One need not tell who they are when they enter a mall, for example. This is something that is uniquely common online. It has an effect on how people identify themselves in their minds. After the initial identifying information is completed, there are usually more questions and surveys that work to uncover more about the person. These questions are of all kinds and in various areas such as hobbies, interests, favorite things, relationships, personal preferences, friends, family, contact information, and many other related topics. These are the kinds of questions that require the person to think seriously about who they are. They must decide just how much about themselves that they might be willing to share with the rest of the world. Once they have read through all of the questions that they are ask ed, some even go back over their answers, making sure the answers given are conveying the

Friday, November 15, 2019

Definition And Concepts In Building Refurbishment Construction Essay

Definition And Concepts In Building Refurbishment Construction Essay Although building cannot have an infinite economic life, it is widely acknowledged that the process of fabric and structural decline can be slowed down by routine maintenance programs. Occasionally, a shortsighted slumlord will direct a property manager to operate a property to get the maximum returns in term of rental. This usually occurs when an owner refuses to make any repairs except those necessary to keep the property operating. This type of owner treats building as an operating asset in state of an investment. Nowadays, this kind of situation is getting lesser and lesser cause more and more office building is being held as investment by public listed company of good reputation. This is true especially for building acquired and maintained by REITs company as the property portfolio. Nowadays, more building owners treat their property as an investment. This is especially true when they engage the service of a property manager. In this situation, property is being exploited by achieving the best return on capital possible and generates productivity from occupier. At the same time, the property will also be well managed in order to add capital appreciation to the property. Failure to maintain the property regularly can impair the structural integrity of the fabric, accelerating the decline in investment returns until the point where refurbishment options need to be considered (John R. Mansfield, 2000). Technically, refurbishment is the process of making as good as new, including essential modernization and renovations. But, Quah suggests that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“refurbishmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  has become a generic, interchangeable term, apparently distinguishable from other specialist activities. Therefore, a clear definition of refurbishment is being quoted from other researchers to clear the doubts. Egbu (1996) considers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“refurbishmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  to encompass rehabilitation, alteration, adaption, extension, improvement, modernization and repair work carried out to an existing building to permit it reuse for various specific reasons. This definition tells the main reasons of refurbishment, which is to make sure a building is able to operate continuously, and offer better services that suit the demand of the tenants. Normally owners have different perspective when it comes to decide whether to refurbish or redevelop their office building. There are also no rules in the decision-making for refurbishment or redevelopment of office building. But, Reginald Lee from university of Reading has formulated three important issues when it comes to the stage when decision is required. The existing condition of the building needs to be surveyed. If the structural was sound, refurbishment might be considered. If it was very dilapidated, demolition and redevelopment mould probably be the only realistic course of action. This might occur where the structure has been allowed to deteriorate over a no of years, beyond useful refurbishment. The third issue concerning desirable level of refurbishment cannot be considered in isolation. As construction resource is limited and required a large amount of capital, a correct decision is important. Refurbishment by arresting decay extends the physical life of a building, thereby delays and defers expenditure on redevelopment to a large extend this will depend upon the degree to which it is possible to modify the internal layout to accommodate changing tenants requirements there is thus a relationship between the adaptability of the design, building life, maintenance costs and new construction cost. Older building do not make the best possible use of space for modern-day use. Normally in Malaysia, a design efficiency of 75% is considered the desirable norm of an office building. New high rise building aim to have a design efficiency of above 75% whereas buildings constructed between 1920 and 1970 have at best 60% to 70% efficiency. In order to adapt a building for today processes, refurbishment may become so intensive to make redevelopment a better alternative. Better use of space can often be achieved by a completely new design. If the existing space available is insufficient, the possibility of extending the premises may be considered. If space around the site does not permit this approach, some form of redevelopment may become essential. Te efficiency ratio (net let table area divided by gross floor area) of older buildings. A well conceived building today can have an efficiency ratio of about 80% If building cost is expected to rise drastically in the future, it is better not to postponed the decision for redevelopment by choosing refurbishment. The expected rise in building cost will have an effect on the decision

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Importance of an Ant :: Personal Narrative Ants Essays Insects

The Importance of an Ant I gaze carefully. My little red friend scrambles across my keyboard. Amazing, all those limbs and joints bending and stretching in a rhythmic fluidity, tiny feelers waving excitedly. He approaches a friend, and they tap each other in friendly camradrie, perhaps even love. He waves in understanding and he is off again, this time swiftly scampering toward the Collegiate Coupon book sitting on my desk. He surges upwards a few millimeters and slips into the crack between the pages. Okay. So my desk isn’t exactly Walden Pond. The last time I saw leaves change color in here was when my plant died last year. And there certainly are no long lines of wisdom-seekers at my door searching for inspiration. But the ants don’t care. They simply go about their business, whatever it may be. I used to think their existence was pointless. Now I know it is. They spend their lives migrating from the radiator to my computer and back. I have no idea what they could possibly eat in my room, unless they somehow discovered how to eat through the canned kidney beans or the dried pasta stored under my bed. Even their movements have no purpose. I watch in stupefaction as they turn around at least ten times while traveling a mere six inches. Maybe the most pitiful thing is that the ants have no individual identity. â€Å"Oh, that ant! The red one with the three body segments and the six legs. The one that likes to scurry. Why didn’t you say so?† Have you ever seen an ant smile? Have you swapped stories with an ant over a warm cup of cocoa? Do the ants that live by the Great Pyramids or by the Taj Mahal appreciate these wondrous monuments? Do they feel sympathy for the victims at the World Trade Center? No. My little friends just continue to walk around aimlessly. They are born in obscurity and they die in obscurity. Unlike ants, humanity has achieved greatness. We marvel at the intellect of Leonardo da Vinci or the musical genius of Beethoven.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Poetry Nothing Is beautiful As Spring

â€Å"Nothing is beautiful as Spring†. This Italian sonnet was written to describe a natural world. God's presence is identified as an electrical current that runs through the earth. God's presence runs like the refracted glinting of light produced by metal foil, whenever it is moved quickly. The sonnet quotes God to be like rich oil. Oil is very rich and thick. Oil is needed every where around the world. If you don't believe it, drive your car month after month without getting an oil change or even oil in general.With God being identified as oil, he is measured as greatness. Given these strong proofs of Gods divine presence the poet that wrote this particular sonnet how and why do humans fail to recognize his presence and his divine authority. God's authority is described as the â€Å"rod†. This sonnet also deals with the state of human life. It also deals with human nature. God crated all things in earth and above heaven. This sonnet talks and deals with human life. W hy don't people recognize the things that God has placed in the world? He gave us these things to use for our needsPermeating the world is a deep â€Å"freshness† that testifies to the continual renewing power of God's creation. The power of renewing is seen during the morning always waits on the other side of the darkness of the night. This final image is one of God guarding the impending of the world and containing within Him the power and assurance of rebirth. Gerard Manley Hopkins is one of the most phenomenal 19th-century poets of religion, of nature, and of inner anguish. His view of nature and the world is like a book written by God himeslf.In this poem God expresses himself completely, and it is y â€Å"reading† the world that humans can approach God and learn about Him. Hopkins therefore sees the environmental crisis of the Victorian period as vitally linked to that era's spiritual crisis, and many of his poems have become man's indifference to the destruction of sacred natural and religious order. This poet harbored an acute interest in the scientific and technological advances of his day; he saw new discoveries as further evidence of God's deliberate hand, rather than as refutations of God's existence.Hopkins wrote mostly in the sonnet form. He preferred the Italian r Petrarchan sonnet, which contains of an octave followed by a sestet, with a turn in argument or change in tone occurring in the second part. Hopkins normally uses the octave to present some account of personal or sensory experience and then employs the sestet for philosophical reflection. While Hopkins enjoyed the structure the sonnet form imposes, with its fixed length and rhyme scheme, he nevertheless he constantly stretched and tested its limitations. One of Hopkins major innovations was a new metrical form, called sprung rhythm.In sprung rhythm, the poet counts the umber of accented syllables in the line, and places no limit on the total number of syllables. As oppose d to syllabic meters (such as the iambic), which count both stresses and syllables, this form allows for greater freedom in the position and proportion of stresses. English verses have traditionally alternated, stressed and unstressed syllables with occasional variation, Hopkins was free to place multiple stressed syllables one atter another or to run a large number ot unstressed syllables together (as in â€Å"Finger of a tender of, O of a feathery delicacy' from Wreck of theDeutschland). This gives Hopkins great control over the speed of his lines and their dramatic effects. Another unusual poetic resource Hopkins favored is â€Å"consonant chiming,† a technique he learned from Welsh poetry. The technique involves detailed use of alliteration and internal rhyme; in Hopkins's eyes this creates an unusual thickness and resonance. The close linking of words through sound and rhythm complements Hopkins's themes of finding a guide and design everywhere.Hopkins's form is also ch aracterized by a stretching of the convention of grammar and sentence structure, o that newcomers to his poetry must often strain to parse his sentences. Deciding which word in a given sentence is the verb, for example, can often involve significant interpretive work. In addition, Hopkins often invents words, and draws his vocabulary freely from a number of different registers of diction. This leads to a surprising mix of neologisms and archaisms throughout his lines. Yet for all his innovation and disregard of convention, Hopkins' goal was always to bring poetry closer to the character of natural, living speech.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein - Theme of the divided self

Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein - Theme of the divided self Theme of the divided self within Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.Thematically, the divided self is one of the most interesting themes within both novels and is of great importance to the development or ruin of the characters in both 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Frankenstein.' Both authors when primarily exploring this theme focus upon the physical, mental or spiritual division within certain characters.In Emily Bronte's novel 'Wuthering Heights,' the principal characters Cathy and Heathcliff are presented as needing this division within themselves to recognise their need for each other. This endurance of physical, mental and spiritual division whilst alive, allows them only tragically to experience when in death, complete entity within themselves.Primarily Cathy is not depicted as divided; instead, she is presented as belonging to a family unit, which seems to stay intact until the arrival of a 'gypsy brat.' Although Heathcliff creates a divide within the family due to his arrival, Cathy is seen to gain a friend with whom she feels she has an affinity both physically, spiritually and mentally, which will become increasingly evident as the novel progresses.English: Part of Ponden Hall, Stanbury Emily Bront...However, this alliance throughout the novel is frequently thrown into turmoil by outside influences or factors. As we are informed from the onset, the "greatest punishment" that could be bestowed upon Cathy was separation from Heathcliff.Cathy and Heathcliff's separation only therefore ensues as a result of their initial outing to Thrushcross Grange. Their promise to grow up together as 'rude as savages,' is destroyed when Cathy and Heathcliff are separated physically by many factors resulting from this visitation. Just as the Linton's dog 'holds' Cathy, so too is the Linton's house symbolically presented as separating her from Heathcliff, when Heathcliff resorts to peering in through their 'great glass panes' to see Cathy,

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Right Way to Stake a Tree

The Right Way to Stake a Tree Tree staking is never done with the intention of harming a tree. On the contrary, staking a tree reflects a desire to promote root and trunk growth and may protect a young tree from severe weather damage.  But improper staking can hurt a tree. Fast Facts The three cardinal sins of tree staking:Staking too highStaking too tightlyStaking too long Risks of Staking Some tree planters dont understand that rather than help a trees root and trunk growth, improper tree staking can have negative consequences and could undermine a supportive trunk and root system. When an artificial supporting system is attached to a sapling, it prevents the wind-bending exercise needed to make trunk cells more flexible and to encourage spreading root support. The tree will put most of its resources into growing taller but discourage growth in trunk diameter and root spread. When the stakes are removed, a lack of trunk and root development could make the tree a prime candidate to be broken or blown down in the first good windstorm. It would have lost the supportive protection of natural development. Improper Staking Although trees staked improperly will grow  taller, trunk caliper or diameter will decrease, a loss that will result in a weakness the tree cannot overcome during  stressful  weather  conditions. Related to trunk diameter is taper, the reduction in trunk diameter from the butt to the top. A tree grown under natural conditions develops a genetically coded taper or trunk form that serves for a lifetime. Staking a tree causes less trunk taper and possibly even a reverse taper. Under this restricted condition, a trees xylem, the woody vascular tissue that carries water and minerals throughout the tree, will grow unevenly and yield a smaller root system, resulting in problems with water and nutrient uptake. The same thing can happen if the tree rubs on or is girdled by overly tight stake ties. Then, after the stakes are removed, the tree will be more likely to snap in high winds. When to Stake Most correctly dug balled and burlaped trees or container-grown  tree seedlings and saplings dont need staking. If youre planting bare-root seedlings  on a questionable site, you might consider staking them for a short time. If trees must be staked, attach  the stakes to the tree as low as possible but no higher than two-thirds the height of the tree. Materials used to tie the tree to the stakes should be flexible and allow for movement all the way down to the ground so that trunk taper develops correctly. Remove all staking material after roots have established. This can be as early as a few months  after planting but should be no longer than one growing season. Notes From a Horticulture Expert Linda Chalker-Scott, who has a doctorate in horticulture from Washington State University, says there are several reasons why people improperly stake trees: Containerized nursery trees often are staked for stability, and many consumers don’t understand that the staking material should be removed upon transplanting.Oral and written information from some retail nurseries instructs customers to stake their trees, whether or not they should. These instructions are sometimes incorrect and unnecessary.Some landscape architect specs describe outdated staking procedures that are followed by landscape installation companies.Little to no aftercare is provided for many tree installations. Without a management plan as part of an installation agreement, staking materials wont be removed at the appropriate time, if ever. According to Chalker-Scot: The first two practices are probably responsible for most incorrect staking in home landscapes, while the last two factors are probably responsible for most incorrect staking in public and commercial landscapes.

Monday, November 4, 2019

FSHD Essay's Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FSHD Essay's - Assignment Example Like on most IQ tests, the question of â€Å"If some x’s are y’s and some y’s are z’s, then some x’s must be z’s. The first test was multiple choice questions, while the second was true/false questions. Both tests seemed to be focused on the logic process. Whether or not you recognize it, your vocabulary is your strongest suit—use it whenever you can. Since your command of words is so great, you are also a terrific communicator — able to articulate big ideas to just about anyone. Your wordsmithing prowess will also help in artistic and creative pursuits. The power of words translates to fresh ideas off paper too. Since you have so many words at your disposal, you are in a unique position to describe things in an original way, as well as see the future in your minds eye. In short, your strengths allow you to be a visionary — able to extrapolate and come up with a multitude of fresh ideas. And you are in good company — bask in the brilliance of Word Warriors who have walked before you. William Shakespeare let loose the power of his pen. His ability to articulate the most subtle nuances of human nature and to create colorful characters are why his stories still have a major impact — even 400 years after he first wrote them. Whether you put pen to paper or use your understanding of the words around you to come up with creative approaches to problems, your potential as a Word Warrior is terrific. (Career Quizzes) The second test reported, â€Å"A person whose IQ score falls in the range of 111-128 is considered to be ‘above average intelligence’†. If I bought the whole report, then they would breakdown my evaluation further. The score that I think is the most accurate would be the first test. I do better with words than mathematics. I do not think these tests are accurate in assessing how intelligent people are. This is due to the overdone math process in all IQ tests. Intelligence is more than math. Memory recall also matters

Friday, November 1, 2019

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship Essay

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The paper tells that since ages various strategies are being adopted in order to rectify the inequality existing among the genders In this regard, it has been further acknowledged that women are essentially considered as the key source pertaining to ideas, innovations, and abilities among others. However, it has been determined that the scholars of entrepreneurship endure limited understanding with respect to the underlying factors along with the relevant decisions being made. In fact in the recent discussions, it is ascertained that leadership associated with the entrepreneurship reflects the characteristics of a gender. With the advent of modernization, the world has faced numerous challenges. The entire global economy has undergone major changes after the year 2008. The financial crisis, which the world faced during this period, has accelerated the interests of the people associated with entrepreneurship. In keeping with theories associated with entrepreneurship, it does not refle ct any kind of universal explanation. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship includes diversified approaches in order to describe the behavior of an entrepreneur. Sociology, psychology, economics and regional science among others are few approaches associated with entrepreneurship. Apart from these, the other theories associated with entrepreneurship have been discussed as innovation theory, motivational theory based on the achievement and the acquired needs theory. The basic characteristic of the economic theory includes the presence of favorable economies. It has been discussed that economic along with entrepreneurship growth is analyzed under the economic theory. Correspondingly, economic incentive acts as one of the key motivators related to the entrepreneurial activities. In this regard, it has been further determined that the economic incentives mainly incorporate taxation policy, raw material and industrial policy among others.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Discussion - Essay Example Actions that are evil or bad, result from ignorance. Socrates connected knowledge with virtue and linked virtue with happiness. Summing up Socrates philosophy of ethics we conclude that, the wiser man knows the right thing so he does good and thus stays happy. In contrast to Socrates, Aristotle suggested an ethical system termed "self-realizationism". Aristotle said, "Nature does nothing in vain." Hence, a person must act according to his nature and enhance his hidden talents, so to be happy and satisfied. In his view, a person will do good deeds and be content when he operates in harmony with his nature and grasps his full potential. When a baby is born, he is a â€Å"potential person†. The innate potential of that child must be realized for him to become a "real" person. He believed that discontent and aggravation are resulted when a person is unable to realize his potential. Moreover, he emphasized that for a person to become virtuous, he had to practically do virtuous activities than just simply studying what virtue is. Plato upholds a virtue-based eudemonistic ethics. This means that human well-being (eudemonia) is the chief aim of moral notion and demeanor. Platos views on an ethics of happiness seem rather passive because of his differing perception of happiness. He observes happiness as a state of precision which is very hard to realize as it is based on metaphysical conjecture which may seem both obscure and beyond ordinary understanding. As per discussing the consistencies and differences, we generally observe that Socrates and Plato believe in the moral imperative. Socrates and Plato had a higher opinion of Humanity than Aristotle. Plato was more interested in understanding the relationship between the everlasting and absolute, and in what is more concise and flows in nature. Socrates sustained that there were fixed rules for right and wrong. He believed in unending, absolute laws as

Monday, October 28, 2019

Barabas Role in the Jew of Malta Essay Example for Free

Barabas Role in the Jew of Malta Essay Christopher Marlow was born in 1564, as William Shakespeare. This play was probably written in 1589; however, it was not actually published until 1633, after Marlowes death in 1593 when he was just 29 years old. This play was performed for many years and had a great influence on Shakespeare’s The Venice Merchant. †¢1. Summary of the play The play is set on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. Calymath (the Turkish prince) arrives to exact Maltas tribute which has been accumulated to a considerable sum. Ferneze (Maltese governor) cannot pay the tribute immediately, but he promises to pay within a month. After the Turks leave, Ferneze decides to collect the needed money from the Jews of Malta: each Jew must give up half of his fortune. Barabas complains strongly, so his full fortune is confiscated. The Jew tries to keep part of his fortune which was hided in his mansion. Having confessed falsely, Abigail was admitted in the nunnery (formerly Barabas mansion) and recovered her fathers hidden fortune. Meanwhile, the Spanish Martin Del Bosco convinces Ferneze to break Maltas agreement with Turkey, promising to write the Spanish king for military help. Del Bosco also sells Ferneze his slaves, and Barabas ends up buying the Turkish slave Ithamore at the marketplace. At the marketplace, Barabas also runs into Mathias and Lodowick. Each young man desires to see Abigail, and Barabas promises his favours to each, but at the same time, Barabas is planning their death helped by Ithamore. Broken by his father’s selfishness and the death of her lover Mathias, Abigail on her own decides to enter the nunnery once again. Barabas, afraid that Abigail will betray him, poisons all the nuns included her own daughter Abigail who is the last to die. Before this, she manages to give friar Barnardino a written confession of her fathers crimes. Barnardino in companion with the friar Jacomo get to face Barabas and insinuate they know about the Jews crimes. In response, Barabas says that he would like to repent and become a Christian. Naturally, he will donate his huge fortune to whichever monastery he enters. The two friars, being from different monasteries, fight to win Barabas favour, each hoping to benefit from the Jew’s considerable fortune. Barabas once again has set a trap; he will kill both of the friars without arousing suspicion. Ithamore knows plenty of incriminating information. Once he is seduced by the courtesan Bellamira, Ithamore begins to blackmail Barabas with threats to confess if the Jew does not send him gold. In the last scene of the fourth act, Barabas arrives at Bellamiras house in the disguise of a French musician and poisons his blackmailers. Meanwhile, the Turkish Bashaws have arrived. In response to Fernezes refusal to pay, they declare war on Malta. In the final act, Ferneze prepares to defend Malta against the Turks. Ithamore, Bellamira, and her attendant Pilia Borza enter and all play their parts in revealing Barabas crimes, but the Jews poison takes effect and they all fall dead. Barabas meanwhile has been captured, but he pretends he is dead through the effect of a drug. He finds himself left outside the city walls. The Jew betrays Malta and leads the Turks into the city. He takes position as governor but he decides to return Malta to help Ferneze to massacre the Turkish forces. The Turkish troops also believed the Jews trick. But Ferneze turns the tables on Barabas at the last moment, and Barabas dies. Ferneze takes Calymath as a prisoner in order to ensure Maltas future safety. †¢2. About Barabas Barabas in the Jew of Malta is an extremely revengeful and ambitious character. He challenges the power with a great cunning. The accumulated tributes, Malta has to pay to the Turks, are more than this country can afford, that is why the governor of Malta is determined to ally to the Catholic Spain if this huge European power keep at bay to the Turks. Spain would take advantage of the sales of Turkish slaves in Malta and many other advantages in business. Malta wouldn’t have to pay the tribute to Turkey and could keep the money collected among its Jew population. This selfishness characterizes all the agreements between the Mediterranean governments. The word that designates these actions is â€Å"politics† and the Jew, Barabas, perceives this selfishness is the ruler’s main principle: â€Å"I, policie? That’s their profession, /and not simplicity as their suggest. † Besides, the rulers speak frankly about this, as we can see when Del Bosco is asked â€Å"what wind drives you in thus into Malta Rhode? And one of his Bashaws answered: â€Å"the wind that bloweth all the world besides, /desires of gold. † In this world in which each nation an d each man take care only of their own self-interest, the Jew of Malta appears at the beginning of the play as victim. Ferneze states Malta as the unique priority and states this:† to save the ruine of a multitude: /and better one want for a common good, then many perish for a private man†. But actually, their taxes on the Jews are hugely unfair. Moreover, Farneze, expect to keep the confiscated fortunes, once the alliance with Spain lets Malta to avoid the tributes that owes to the Turks. These unfair circumstances give Barabas the opportunity to create eloquent speeches against intolerance. He reproaches the Christians for using the scriptures to confirm the measures which go against the Jews: â€Å"What? Bring your scripture to confirm your wrongs? / Preach me not out of my possessions. /some Iewes are wicked, as all Christians are: / but say the tribe I descended of were all in general cast away for sinne, / shall I be tried by their transgression? / the man that dealeth righteously shall lieu: /and which of your can charge me otherwise? † The references to the bible in this extract emphasize how piteous he shows himself in this moment. Barabas is right when he calls â€Å"theft† and not â€Å"taxes† to the requisition of his wealth, and we cannot avoid feeling affected by his sad situation. The funny thing is that, as a Marlowe’s dramatic and moral strategy, in the prologue Barabas has been presented as the same Machiavelli and the Devil’s son, and Machiavelli in the prologue states this: †I count religion but a childish toy, /And hold there is no sinne but Ignorance†. At the very beginning, Barabas is shown as a unbelievable wealthy man and extremely shrewd and interested just in his own contentment. He is determined to let the Turks to invade Malta and slaughter everyone, he confesses in a soliloquy, if he would have the opportunity to get away with the situation. † I’le helpe to slay their children and their wiues, /to fire the churches, pull their houses downe. /take my goods too, and seize upon my lands. † He is completely decided to cheat on the others Jews; he also turns his back on his daughter when she abandons her loyalty to him. Later on we realize that his former speech about the sad situation of the Jews is just a theatrical trick created for the situation and refused in his soliloquies, he is a Jew because he was brought up as a Jew, but he is mainly a Maquiavelli and an immoral figure of vice. This vicious identity is clearer and clearer along the play, thus the Jew of Malta is developed more by disclosure of character than by change of personality. Barabas does not change but we progressively discover how he really is. Maybe the persecution ordered by Ferneze wakes in Barabas a desire of revenge, but he has always hated everyone and has always looked for his own benefit and survival using any means. His plan for kidnapping to her daughter and recovering his money hidden in his house, at that moment turned into a nunnery, results comprehensible and in fact Abigail shows herself decided to help him. However, when Barabas ignores Abigail happiness conspiring against her Christian lover Ludowick, just because he is the governor’s son and against Mathias, uses several strategies as the usury, extortion and persuasion which makes him an evil person even before the unfair tax of Farneze. Barabas boasts of his acts as we can read in the following line â€Å"Slew friend and enemy with my stratagems. † He considers Ithamore as one of his friends because: â€Å"why this is something: make account of me/ as of thy fellow; we are villainies both: Both circumcised, we hate Christian both† Here the dichotomy of motivation and unmotivated evil (a Samuel Tylor Coleridge’s expression) is evident in this combination of Judaism and pure evilness. Barabas’ vicious evilness is more and more present in his behaviour. Instead of sad laments, we can hear the satisfied laughter of Barabas who wants to solve skilfully all his plans. Abigail, who finds herself forgotten and rejected by her father; embraces Christian faith as she states â€Å"but I perceive there is no love on earth/ pitty in Iews, nor piety in Turkes. † As a punishment Barabas poisons every nun in the nunnery included her daughter. Barabas also cheats on the friar community taking advantage of their corruptness Barabas is a hypocrisy and disguise master, and he is surrounded by a group of thugs and courtesans that turn against him as the same time that he turns against them. His achievements in conspiracy and politics drives him to rule Malta, making agreements firstly with the Turks and then with Farneze. Brabas’ evilness is more persistent than even his own life as he lets us know: â€Å"Stand close, for here they come: why, is not this/ a kingly kinde of trade of purchase Townes/ by treachery, and sell ‘em by deceit? /Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sunne, / If greater falsehood ever has bin doneâ€Å". Even in the moment of his death, when he is finally betrayed by Ferneze, he yearns for longing his wealth and domination and contemplating his Empire once more as we also saw in Faustus. †and had I but scap’d this stratagem, /I would have brought confusion on you all, / Damn Christians, dogges, and Turkish Infidels. † It is interesting how Marlowe gets Brabas’ huge ambition wakes in the readers a great admiration. There is no doubt that Barabas received a severe punishment when, at the end, he falls inside a caldron made by himself; he fell in his own trap and died shouting boastings and challenges. Anyway, this is an appropriate punishment for a life full of crimes. However, it is difficult to contemplate his end from an instructive and moral point of view because, Ferneze, his nemesis, is neither seen as virtuous character. Although he wants to look pious, (â€Å"No, Barabas, to staine our hands with blood / is farre from us and our profession†) he believes in his own policy, which has overcome Barabas evilness. He defeats Barabas by betraying him and then attributes his victory to God. This is an act typical of Maquiavelli’s disciple, who assigns the highest value to the State survival and uses religion as a mean for shaping the public opinion. If Farneze is an important figure in this play, is not because of his Christian virtue but because of his Maquiavellic virtue Maybe, Marlowe is inviting us to admire this shrewd governor whose policy ensures Malta’s survival and Barabas’ destruction. Marlowe destroys Barabas just for showing the strength of a really Maquiavellic strategist. Marlowe presents to his Elizabethan audiences a proposal which completely disagrees with any religious doctrine.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Melvilles White Jacket as Public Forum on Corporal Punishment :: Melville White Jacket Essays

Melville's White Jacket as Public Forum on Corporal Punishment Author, Herman Melville utilized many of his literary works as a public forum for politics. Subsequently, the nineteenth century became a time period of great outspokenness among authors who condemned many of societies woes. Authors such as: Thoreau, Longfellow and Emerson all voiced their opposition to these tragedies. Melville wrote openly about slavery, abuse, and many other social injustices. In his novel, White Jacket, Melville wrote against corporal punishment aboard United States Naval Frigates. He cited many instances of flogging, imprisoning sailors, and other humiliating procedures endured by navy men at the hands of commanding officers. Unfortunately, corporal punishment was a legal means of punishment as governed by the Articles of War. Melville interjected a positive feeling into the narrative, White Jacket, by introducing three humanitarians. These included: Mad Jack, Colbrook, and Jack Chase. Each of these characters spoke out against corporal punishment in the narrative; however, the ultimate decision to punish the men remained in the hands of the unforgiving captains at sea. The main character of the novel occurred as White Jacket. Unfortunately, he committed an unwitting offense and was to be subjected to flogging. In his frantic last moments prior to flogging, White Jacket envisioned himself grabbing Captain Claret and flinging them both over the side to the more forgiving sea. Fortunately, humanitarians, Colbrook and Chase, both stepped forward at great risk to themselves and saved White Jacket from humiliation and abuse. White Jacket's desperate attempt to elude punishment conveyed to society the drastic measures needed to induce change. In the end, it remained obvious that Melville likened the ship to a wo rking model of society. He observed that naval discipline was not compatible with democratic ideology. Author Eleanor Simpson stated in her essay, "Melville and the Negro," that Melville attacks all forms of arbitrary government and legalized brutality. Though his immediate target is the military machine as codified in the Articles of War, his whole stance is one of democratic rebellion against the law or act of government, which undermines or simply ignores the dignity and rights of men. Melville stated, "He knows the same law which impels it-the same law by which the culprits of the day must suffer; that by that very law he also is liable at any time to be judged and condemned.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

American Indians Essay -- essays research papers

“’Indians’: Textualism, Morality, and the Problem of History';, an essay written by Jane Tompkins, a professor of English at Duke University, outlines Tompkins dissatisfaction on how American Indians are portrayed throughout history. As children, we are taught that in “1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue';, and that Peter Minuet bought all of Manhattan Island from the Indians for only twenty-four dollars worth of trinkets. In high school, we were taught that in World War II, the Germans were all heartless savages, and that the best course of action to end the war was to use the atomic bomb on Japan. It is seen that “the victor writes the history books.'; In other words, the dominant cultures and societies that conquer and overshadow lesser societies have the privilege of writing history. For example, if Germany won World War II, would the history books have mentioned the holocaust of the Jews? The problem with history is that history is defined in terms of the author’s point of view. There is no scientific process by which history is written; therefore we must discern what is the real truth versus someone’s biases and point of view. “The problem is that if all accounts of events are determined through and through by the observer’s frame of reference, then one will never know, in any given case, what really happened,'; (Tompkins, 410).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tompkins researched s...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Telstra and Mcdonalds

Exam cases: †¢ McDonald’s †¢ Telstra Pre-seen exam information Semester 1 2013 CPA Program professional level Global Strategy and Leadership  © CPA Australia Ltd 2013 Case Study 1 McDonald’s case facts McDonald’s Corporation: A strategic approach to global growth McDonald’s Corporation (McDonald’s) is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with more than 33 500 restaurants serving nearly 68 million people in 119 countries each day (McDonald’s 2012a). In 2011 the company generated USD 27 billion in revenue from its global operations and USD 8. 5 billion of operating profit.Headquartered in the United States, McDonald’s Bar-B-Q restaurant was opened in California in 1940 by brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald as a typical drive-in featuring a large menu and car hop service (where customers stay in their car and are served their food). In 1948 the brothers closed the business for three months of renovations and reorganised the business as a hamburger restaurant, using production line principles and featuring a simple menu of nine items including the staple 15 cent hamburger, cheeseburger, soft drinks, milk, coffee, potato chips and a slice of pie.In 1954 Ray Kroc, a salesman for Prince Castle Multi-Mixer, visited the restaurant intending to sell the brothers some items. Kroc was fascinated by the operations and learned that the brothers were looking for a franchising agent to expand their restaurant chain nationally. Kroc joined the company in 1955 as National Franchising Agent, and opened his first McDonald’s in Illinois. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers.McDonald’s Corporation was created in 1965 when the company had its first public stock offering on the New York Stock Exchange at USD 22. 50 per share (McDonald’s 2012b). The famous ‘golden arches’ of McDonald’s were created in 1969 when the companyâ₠¬â„¢s logo underwent a major change, and remodelling of the restaurants was also undertaken to re-brand the company. The original red-and-white tiled buildings were replaced by more contemporary buildings emphasising the golden arches as the company’s branding.Under Kroc’s leadership McDonald’s expanded quickly across the United States. International expansion commenced in 1967 with restaurants opened in Canada and Puerto Rico. In the next 10 years the company would grow rapidly, such that the 1978 opening in Japan marked the 5000th restaurant. By 1983 the company had an interest in 7778 restaurants in 32 countries (McDonald’s 2012b). Although Kroc died in 1984, he left a lasting legacy with the company continuing to grow to date.In addition to outlet expansion, McDonald’s has constantly trialled and introduced new product items and categories in order to increase the company’s share of food consumption and meet changing customer tastes and needs. The company has also extended into complementary product categories, such as the launch of McCafe in 2003. More recently, the company has introduced more premium offerings such as the Angus beef burger in Australia which is made of premium Angus beef, and a higher price is charged compared to its core burger range.McDonald’s is expected to face stronger competition in the future, given the rising popularity of healthier fast-food operators such as Subway, which has a larger number of franchise stores across the world and recently eclipsed McDonald’s as the world’s largest fast-food operator in terms of establishments. This will increase pressure on McDonald’s to promote and expand its new healthier product options and to improve the nutritional content of its food if the company wants to stay the market leader. The following information is based on a number of McDonald’s corporate publications.Part A provides an overview of McDonald’s strategic direction and operating model. Part B provides a review of the 2011 Chairman and CEO reports. Part C provides a summary of the franchising model used by McDonald’s for its restaurants. Part D is a timeline of the development of McDonald’s. Part A: McDonald’s strategic direction, operating model and global priorities Strategic roadmap: The Plan to Win Jim Skinner, Vice Chairman and CEO, states in the 2011 Annual Report: ‘Our performance is driven by two key factors.The first is our ongoing commitment to [our strategic framework] the Plan to Win which was launched in 2003 and has served as our operations roadmap for nine years. The Plan focuses on the core drivers of our business—People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion †¦ It keeps us disciplined around our brand holistically and enhancing the customer experience across our entire business—from our menu and service to our value and convenience’ (McDonald’s 2011 , p. 1). Global Strategy and Leadership Page 1 of 20McDonald’s has ‘enhanced the restaurant experience for customers worldwide and grown comparable * sales and customer visits in each in each’ year to 2011 (McDonald’s 2011, p. 10). This framework has also delivered strong results for the company’s shareholders. McDonald’s has exceeded its long-term ‘financial targets of average annual †¦ sales growth of 3 to 5%; average annual operating income growth of 6 to 7%; and annual returns on incremental invested capital in the high teens every year since the Plan to Win was implemented’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 0). Operating model: Our System partners The 2011 Annual Report goes on to describe the second factor: ‘the collaboration of Our System partners. From our worldclass franchisees, who are dedicated to running great restaurants and being leaders in their communities; to our unparalleled global suppliers, who provide us with safe and high quality products each and every day; to our talented company employees led by President and Chief Operating Officer Don Thompson and our †¦ global leadership team.And, of course, our restaurant managers and crew—the 1. 7 million men and women who work to deliver the best experience every day’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 2). Also known as the ‘three-legged stool’ business model, the philosophy set by founder Ray Kroc, this business model balances the interests of all three key stakeholder groups, and provides a foundation only as strong and as stable as each of the three legs. Each leg represents the company, the franchises and the suppliers respectively.This model is embedded in the current operating philosophy and Jim Skinner, in his address, refers to ‘Our System partners’ with the motto of ‘Your Success is Our Success’. All three groups are strongly aligned around common goals. ‘The strength of th e alignment between the Company, its franchisees and suppliers †¦ has been key to McDonald’s success’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 10). Three global priorities ‘We hold a strong competitive position in the market place, and we intend to further differentiate our brand by striving to become our customers’ favourite place and way to eat and drink.Growing market share will continue to be a focus as we execute our three global priorities’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 11). 1 Optimising our menu—‘delivering even greater excitement around our food, beginning with our iconic core favorites—Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets and French Fries—and evolving our menu with new innovative local offerings. We’ll continue by growing McCafe beverages, from specialty coffees to real fruit smoothies, differentiating our brand as a beverage destination.We’ll stay focused on adding greater choice and balanced options around the world [ to enhance our food image], from wraps to oatmeal to new Happy Meal alternatives, as we stay in step with our customers’ needs’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 2). Modernising our customer experience—‘continuing to modernize our restaurants to provide a superior experience for our customers, as well as our managers and crew. We’re adding new features and technologies that are making the drive-thru, ordering and payment processes easier.In addition, we’re moving ahead on our reimaging efforts, remodeling a growing number of restaurants with our contemporary new designs. With roughly 45% of our interiors and 25% of our exteriors reimaged around the world, we still have ample opportunity to keep reshaping our brand and delighting our guests with our updated restaurants’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 2). ‘The customer experience efforts will include accelerating our interior and exterior reimaging efforts and providing our restaurant teams with the appropriate tools, training, technology and staffing’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 1). 3 Broadening our accessibility—‘making the McDonald’s brand more accessible is another important priority. Continuing to deliver strong value across every price tier, extending our operating hours at more locations and strategically opening new restaurants in both emerging and mature markets will make us more available more often, when and where our customers want us’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 3). 2 ‘As we keep elevating all of these aspects of our business, we’re strengthening our brand as well. We will continue to use our size, scope and esources to make a positive difference for children, families, and communities around the world. Giving back is a part of our heritage, so we remain committed to taking leadership action across the broad spectrum of sustainability— including nutrition and well-being, a sustainable supply chain, env ironmental responsibility, employee experience, and the community’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 3). * ‘Comparable’ refers to same stores. That is, stores that were opened in both years, so as to remove the effect of store openings and closures. This is a common method for monitoring store performance in retail networks.Global Strategy and Leadership Page 2 of 20 Part B: McDonald’s 2011 performance Jim Skinner, Vice Chairman and CEO, states in the 2011 Annual Report: ‘2011 was another strong year for McDonald’s. Global comparable sales increased 5. 6%, our ninth consecutive year of same store sales growth. Operating income grew by 10% in constant currencies and we continued to extend our market share lead around the world. In addition †¦ we delivered a 35% total return to investors, making us the top performing company in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for 2011’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. ). ‘Specific menu pricing actions ac ross our system reflect local market conditions as well as other factors, notably the food away from home and food at home inflation indices. In our Company-operated restaurants, we manage menu board prices to ensure value at all price points, increase profitability and mitigate inflation, all while trying to maintain guest visit momentum. In order to accomplish these objectives, we utilize a strategic pricing tool that balances prices, product mix and promotion. Franchisees also have access to, and many utilize, this †¦ tool.In general, we believe many franchisees employ a similar pricing strategy. In 2011, we increased average price at Company-operated restaurants in each area of the world, although increases varied by market and region. We look to optimize product mix by utilizing a menu with entry-point value, core and premium and fourthtier (a range of tasty and appealing items in smaller portion sizes) offerings. We also introduce new products that meet customer needs, wh ich can expand average purchase and increase our visitor counts’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 10). ‘Our success continues to be truly global, with all areas of the world contributing.Such balanced growth highlights our deepening connection with customers everywhere, as well as the underlying strength of our business in today’s ever increasing global economy’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 1). The company is organised into three key regions being ‘the United States (U. S. ), Europe and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA)’. The company’s three global priorities ‘represent areas where we are intensifying our efforts to drive †¦ sales and customer visits despite challenging economies and a contracting Informal Eating Out (IEO) segment in many markets’ (McDonald’s 2011, pp. & 10). Tables 1 and 2 provide a summary of the performance of McDonald’s for the years 2009 to 2011. Table 1: McDonald’s finan cial performance, 2009 to 2011 (USD in millions) 2011 US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total revenue US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total operating income US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total assets US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total capital expenditure 8 528. 2 10 886. 4 6 019. 5 1 571. 9 27 006. 0 3 666. 2 3 226. 7 1 525. 8 111. 0 8 529. 7 10 865. 5 12 015. 5 824. 2 4 285. 1 32 989. 9 786. 5 1 130. 1 614. 1 199. 1 2 729. 8 2010 8 111. 6 9 569. 2 5 065. 5 1 328. 3 24 074. 6 3 446. 5 2 796. 8 1 199. 9 29. 9 7 473. 1 10 467. 7 11 360. 7 5 374. 0 4 772. 8 31 975. 2 530. 5 978. 5 493. 1 133. 4 2135. 5 2009 7 943. 8 9 273. 8 4 337. 0 1 190. 1 22 744. 7 3 231. 7 2 588. 1 989. 5 31. 7 6 841. 0 10 429. 3 11 494. 4 4 409. 0 3 892. 2 30 224. 9 659. 4 859. 3 354. 6 78. 8 1 952. 1 Source: Adapted from McDonald’s (2011), 2011 Annual Report, ‘Segment and geographic information’, p. 38. Global Strategy and LeadershipP age 3 of 20 McDonald’s ‘revenues consist of sales by Company-owned restaurants and fees from restaurants operated by its various franchisees’. Revenues from franchised, licensed and affiliate restaurants include rent and royalties based on a percentage of sales along with minimum rent payments, and initial fees. ‘Fees vary by type of site, amount of Company investment, if any, and local business conditions. These fees, along with occupancy and operating rights, are stipulated in the franchise/license agreements’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 9).Table 2: McDonald’s revenue by store type, 2009 to 2011 (USD in millions) 2011 US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Company-operated revenues US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Franchised revenues US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total revenues 4 433 7 852 5 061 947 18 293 4 096 3 034 958 625 8 713 8 529 10 886 6 019 1 572 27 006 2010 4 229 6 932 4 297 775 16 233 3 883 2 6 37 769 553 7 842 8 112 9 569 5 066 1 328 24 075 2009 4 295 6 721 3 714 729 15 459 3 649 2 553 623 461 7 286 7 944 9 274 4 337 1 190 22 745Source: Adapted from McDonald’s (2011), 2011 Annual Report, ‘Revenues’, p. 14. Regional highlights for 2011 United States †¢ †¢ †¢ Grew customer ‘counts and market share with comparable sales up for the ninth consecutive year, rising 4. 8% in 2011, while comparable customer counts rose 3. 3%, despite a slight decline in the IEO segment’. ‘Remained focused on maximizing our core business while providing customers with affordable products and value throughout our menu including options available on the Dollar Menu at breakfast and the rest of the day’. Highlighted core menu items like Chicken McNuggets that feature new sauces, breakfast products including new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, additions to the McCafe beverage line and limited-time offerings such as the McRib Sandwich. ‘National launch of the McCafe Frozen Strawberry Lemonade and Mango Pineapple real-fruit smoothie provided †¦ extensions to the McCafe beverage line’. ‘Convenient locations also continued to provide a competitive advantage with extended hours and efficient drive-thru service’. Modernizing the customer experience †¦ with the expansion of our major remodeling program to enhance the appearance and functionality of our restaurants and make our restaurants more relevant to our customers’ daily lives. Over 900 existing restaurants were remodeled during 2011 with the majority adding drive-thru capacity to capture additional customer visits’. ‘Completed our two-year, Systemwide roll-out of a new point-of-sale system. This allows us to continue expanding our menu offerings while making it easier for our crew to fulfill every order accurately’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 10). †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Global Strategy and LeadershipPage 4 of 20 Europe †¢ †¢ Comparable ‘sales rose by 5. 9%, marking the eighth consecutive year’ of growth, with comparable customer visits increasing by 3. 4%. ‘Major contributors were the U. K. , France, Russia and Germany’. ‘Initiatives that helped drive our business included †¦ our tiered menu featuring everyday affordable prices, menu variety including new and limited-time offerings, and reimaging over 900 restaurants’. We also ‘offered new premium menu items such as the 1955 burger and expanded McWraps across several European markets’. And we ‘continued to offer a fourth-tier platform—such as Little Tasters in the U.K. ’. Expanded ‘our coffee business and have over 1500 McCafe locations, which in Europe are generally separate areas inside the restaurants that serve specialty coffees, indulgent desserts and snacks’. Increased ‘accessibility and convenience’ with the completion of ‘the rollout of the new drive-thru customer order display system in over 4500 restaurants’ and ‘extended operating hours’. Continued ‘building customer trust in our brand through communications that emphasized the quality and origin of McDonald’s food and our commitment to sustainable business practices’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 0). †¢ †¢ †¢ APMEA †¢ †¢ ‘Our momentum continued with nearly every country delivering positive comparable sales, led by China and Australia. Comparable sales rose 4. 7% and comparable guest counts by 4. 3%’. Performance was ‘driven by strategies emphasizing value, breakfast, convenience, core menu extensions, desserts and promotional food events. Australia launched a Value Lunch program that features meals at discounted price points for certain hours while China and Japan concentrated on affordability by continuing their Value Lunch’ programs. New menu ite ms such as real-fruit smoothies and frappes in Australia and the extension of the Value Breakfast program in China were popular with customers’. ‘Japan executed another successful U. S. themed burger promotion and celebrated its 40th anniversary by offering popular core menu items at reduced prices’. ‘Desserts continue to play a meaningful role as we seek to deliver on customers’ menu expectations through products such as the McFlurry and unique storefronts like the dessert kiosks in China, where we are now one of the largest ice-cream retailers’ (McDonald’s 2011, pp. 10–11). †¢ †¢ †¢Part C: McDonald’s franchising approach McDonald’s believes ‘franchising is important to delivering great, locally-relevant customer experiences and driving profitability. However, directly operating restaurants is paramount to being a credible franchisor and is essential to providing Company personnel with restaura nt operations experience. In our Company-operated restaurants, and in collaboration with franchisees, we further develop and refine operating standards, marketing concepts and product and pricing strategies, so that only those that we believe are most beneficial are introduced’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. ). The company continually reviews, and as appropriate adjusts, the mix of company-operated and franchised (conventional franchised, developmental licensed and foreign affiliated) restaurants with the ‘goal of improving local relevance, profits and returns’, while maintaining a strong presence through company-owned restaurants seen as important to success (McDonald’s 2011, p. 16). As a franchisor McDonald’s sees its role as providing clear and positive leadership with vision, competence and integrity, to ultimately protect the strategic vision of the brand.Listening and responding to customers’ wants and needs through constant innovation has been a key driver to success. This success places pressure on all Partner System parties who have a responsibility to consistently rise to the occasion each time and deliver an exceptional customer experience. As McDonald’s must deliver this leadership as the franchisor, it needs its franchisees to do the same for the company’s continued success. The mix of McDonald’s franchises and company-operated McDonald’s restaurants is set out in Table 3.The difference between types of franchise stores is outlined in the ‘Franchise investment’ section below, and is dependent on how much capital investment McDonald’s has in the business. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 5 of 20 Table 3: Summary of McDonald’s stores in 2011 Store type Conventional franchise Company operated Licensed to foreign affiliates (primarily in Japan) Development franchise Total worldwide stores Number of stores 19 527 6 435 3 929 3 619 33 510Franchise ‘sale s are not recorded as revenues’ by McDonald’s, but ‘are the basis on which the Company calculates and records franchised revenues and are indicative of the health of the franchise base’ (McDonald’s 2011, p. 9). ‘Franchised margin dollars represent revenues from franchised restaurants less the Company’s occupancy costs (rent and depreciation) associated with those sites †¦ The franchised margin percent in APMEA and Other Countries †¦ is higher relative to the U. S. nd Europe due to a larger proportion of developmental franchises and/or affiliate restaurants where the Company receives royalty income with no corresponding occupancy costs’ (McDonald’s 2011, pp. 15–16). Table 4 presents franchised sales and margins for the years 2009 to 2011. Table 4: McDonald’s franchised store sales and margins, 2009 to 2011 (USD in millions) 2011 US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Total franchised sales US Europe APMEA Other countries and corporate Franchised margins Source: Adapted from McDonald’s (2011), 2011 Annual Report, p. 5. 2010 28 166 15 049 11 373 6 559 61 147 3 239 2 063 686 476 6 464 2009 26 737 14 573 9 871 5 747 56 928 3 031 1 998 559 397 5 985 29 739 17 243 13 041 7 625 67 648 3 436 2 400 858 538 7 232 Selection of franchisees for a cultural fit with McDonald’s One of the key reasons McDonald’s believes it is successful is that it maintains the highest standards of operational excellence while creating individual opportunities.Having dynamic individuals who are able to create high performance environments within their local stores is crucial for franchisee success. Franchisees must also be great brand ambassadors and run outstanding restaurants to deliver on the McDonald’s brand promise. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 6 of 20 For example, great care is taken in recruiting, screening, training, developing and retaining qualified franchise es.When considering potential franchisees, the company looks for people who †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ are looking to make a 20-year commitment; aspire to become an integral part of the community as an employer, service provider and local business leader; are energetic and take a hands-on approach; have had a successful business or career, demonstrated significant team leadership and know how to get the most out of people; accept that McDonald’s will be the franchisee’s only business, and the franchisee must be prepared to put in hard work and long hours to make it a success; will commit themselves to being full time in the business rather than an absentee investor; and are able to make a significant financial investment. McDonald’s provides extensive training and ongoing support to franchisees. Franchisee candidates must complete the McDonald’s Applicant Training Program which goes for a minimum of nine months full time and i s unpaid. This is a comprehensive program designed to provide training in all aspects of operating a McDonald’s restaurant and to assist McDonald’s in evaluating a franchisee applicant.It also allows the applicant to evaluate McDonald’s and get a true understanding of what it takes to run a restaurant. Most of this training takes place in a restaurant, with some formal classroom sessions which include seminars, conferences and one-on-one sessions with corporate staff. It is essential that they agree to the philosophy of working within the framework of the McDonald’s system. McDonald’s is looking for people who are prepared to follow a proven system—one based on 50 years of experience. Franchisees are advised that if they are not good at taking advice, they should not become a McDonald’s franchisee. McDonald’s does not ‘expect franchisees to re-invent the wheel’, but ‘to make it turn faster’ (McDonaldâ €™s NZ 2012, p. 3).Franchisees must operate the franchise according to McDonald’s quality, service, cleanliness and value standards. In addition, franchisees must use McDonald’s †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ formulae and specifications for menu items; methods of operation, approved suppliers, inventory control, bookkeeping, accounting and marketing; trademarks; concepts and restaurant design, signage and equipment layout; and information systems. Franchise investment Under the conventional franchise agreement, franchisees provide a portion of the capital required by initially investing in the equipment, signs, seating and decor of their restaurant business, and by reinvesting in the business over time.The company owns the land and building or secures long-term leases for both company-operated and conventional franchised restaurant sites. This maintains long-term occupancy rights, helps control related costs and assists in alignment with franchisees. In ce rtain circumstances, the company participates in reinvestment for conventional franchise restaurants. Under developmental franchise arrangements, franchisees provide capital for the entire business, including the real estate interest, and the Company has no capital invested. In addition, the company has an equity investment in a limited number of affiliates that invest in real estate and operate and/or franchise restaurants within a particular market where foreign ownership may be restricted, such as Japan and China.As a matter of policy, McDonald’s does not make direct sales of food or materials to franchisees, instead organising the supply of food and materials to restaurants through approved third-party logistics operators. For successful applicants, the franchisee must make a substantial financial contribution to the business, summarised as follows in Table 5 for an Australian franchise. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 7 of 20 Table 5: Example of McDonald’s Aus tralia franchisee investment and ongoing contribution Term of franchise Ongoing fees 20 Years A monthly service/royalty fee based on a percentage of the restaurant’s gross sales (currently 5%).A monthly rental, being a fixed base rent and a percentage of the restaurant’s gross sales. A monthly advertising contribution of not less than 4% of gross sales. All outgoings including rates and utilities. Initial costs Licence fee paid to McDonald’s on or prior to the commencement of the franchise. Stamp duty may be payable on the documentation (stamp duty laws vary from state to state so franchisees must obtain their own legal advice). Security deposit for the performance of the franchise. Documentation fee. Approximate cost of staff training, salaries, purchase of trading stock, living expenses whilst training and other start-up expenses.Approximate cost of kitchen equipment, signage, seating, decor, air conditioning and landscaping (paid to suppliers). AUD 15 000 AUD 3 000 AUD 160 000–AUD 200 000 (indicative) AUD 1. 7 million (indicative) AUD 60 000 plus GST Source: Adapted from McDonald’s Australia (2012), ‘Becoming a key ingredient in our success: McDonald’s Australia franchising overview’, p. 6. In addition, a franchisee must maintain a maximum of 75 per cent debt to assets ratio for the entire term of their franchise agreement. Hence, McDonald’s will not allow borrowings to be more than 75 per cent of the total asset value of the restaurant. If purchasing an existing restaurant, McDonald’s will not permit the purchaser to borrow more than 75 per cent of the McDonald’s agreed valuation.These stringent financial requirements are to ensure a sustainable return for the franchisee and the long-term viability of the restaurant for McDonald’s. In 2011, McDonald’s total revenue from franchisees was USD 8. 7 billion, comprised as follows in Table 6. Table 6: McDonald’s Corpo ration revenues from franchised restaurants, 2009 to 2011 2011 Rents Royalties Initial fees Total franchised sales 5 718. 5 2 929. 8 64. 9 8 713. 2 2010 5 198. 4 2 579. 2 63. 7 7 841. 3 2009 4 841. 0 2 379. 8 65. 4 7 286. 2 Source: Adapted from McDonald’s (2011), 2011 Annual Report, p. 35. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 8 of 20 Part D: A timeline of McDonald’s developmentWhen 1940 1948 1949 1955 1958 1959 1962 1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1971 1973 1974 1975 1978 1979 1981 1983 1987 1990 1996 2000 2002 2003 2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Milestone Dick and Mac McDonald open McDonald’s Bar-B-Q restaurant in California, US, with a large menu and car hop service Restaurant closes for three months of renovations and re-opens as a self-service, drive-in restaurant French fries replace potato chips on the menu, triple-thick milkshakes make their debut Ray Kroc becomes National Franchising Agent and opens McDonald’s franchise in Illinois, US The 100 millionth ha mburger is sold The 100th restaurant is opened in Wisconsin, US McDonald’s in Denver, Colorado, US, becomes the first restaurant with inside seating The 500th McDonald’s opens in Ohio, US First public stock offering at USD 22. 50 per share; 700 McDonald’s restaurants throughout the US First TV commercial. Ronald McDonald appears in his first US TV commercial, appearing on a flying hamburger in one-minute colour spots on the NBC and CBS networks McDonald’s goes international—the first international restaurants open in Canada and Puerto Rico The Big Mac, developed by an owner/operator in Illinios, US, is added to the national menu Ronald McDonald gets new friends—Hamburglar, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, Captain Crook and the Big Mac join Ronald McDonald in McDonaldLand Quarter Pounder with heese is added to the menu First Ronald McDonald House opens in Philadelphia, US Breakfast at McDonald’s—the Egg McMuffin, created by owner/operat or from Santa Barbara, California, US, added to national menu The 5000th restaurant opens in Japan Happy Meals debut to coincide with the International Year of the Child First restaurants open in Spain, Denmark and the Philippines 7778 restaurants by year end in 32 countries Fresh salads added Moscow, Russia, restaurant opens McDonalds. com launched Fruit ’n Yoghurt Parfait introduced McHappy Day first held—20 November 2002 designated as World Children’s Day, with McDonald’s donating USD 1 from every Big Mac sold to children’s charities worldwide Plan to Win strategic framework launched Snack Wrap introduced—grilled and crispy chicken wraps Global packaging redesign, focused on environmentally friendly and common packaging worldwide McCafe goes national in US.McCafe coffees including lattes, cappuccinos and mochas added to menu McCafe Real Fruit Smoothies and Frappes introduced Opens restaurants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Trinidad and Tobago —now operates in 119 countries Shamrock Shake, a mint green milkshake which was launched in 1970 and sold on St Patrick’s Day only, now added to menu and sold all year round in US Source: Adapted from McDonald’s (2012b), ‘Our company, McDonald’s history’ (accessed February 2013). End of Case Study 1 case facts. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 9 of 20 Case Study 2 Upwardly mobile: The Australian mobile telecommunications carrier industry A Introduction—Mobile telecommunications around the world The global mobile telecommunications carrier industry is one of the largest global communication sectors, with global revenue growing at around 5 per cent annually. Mobile telecommunications is now an established industry separate from the broader telecommunications industry.This industry has over six billion users worldwide and about USD 970 billion in annual revenue (Vodafone 2012). The industry comprises companies, known as carriers, who p rovide mobile telephone services to business and consumer customers. The global industry has several major segments including mobile voice, text and data services. Having experienced fast growth over the last 30 years, mobile voice and text services have reached maturity in the developed markets of Europe and the United States. This maturation is primarily due to increasing competitive and regulatory pressures 1 that have lowered prices, together with the slower pace of economic activity.Global emerging markets, such as those in Asia and Africa, are experiencing strong demand for traditional voice and text services as mobile phone penetration grows in tandem with economic growth. In contrast, the increasing demand for data services is providing strong growth in the developed markets. For example, in 2006, data services accounted for 6 per cent of mobile telecommunications carrier revenue, whereas in 2011 they accounted for 20 per cent and are expected to rise further over the medium term. Demand for data services is driven by the higher penetration of ‘smartphones’ that integrate voice, text and multimedia messages, with internet, music and social networking (e. g. iPhones), combined with significant enhancements to network data speed and coverage, and an increased range of mobile applications (Vodafone 2012).Data services are forecast to be the strongest growing segment of the global mobile telecommunications carrier industry, with estimates that, from 2011 to 2016, worldwide mobile data revenue will grow by USD 142 billion, compared to a USD 27 billion decline in voice revenue over the same period (Vodafone 2012). Another key driver of growth in developed markets globally is technological innovation in the form of upgraded networks 2 and innovative products and services. Innovations in technology are also bringing new competitors in the form of internet service providers (ISPs) and software companies who offer converged services such as Voice ov er Internet Protocol (VoIP; services (e. g. Skype) which provide internet transmission of voice communications).Japan is a global leader in many aspects of telecommunications, and the Japanese Government has played a strong role in shaping the development of the telecommunications industry. Japan has ‘one of the world’s leading mobile telecommunication markets, not only in terms of size but also in terms of innovation and its ability to be early with the introduction of advanced technologies’ (Budde 2012a). The trends in the Japanese market suggest ongoing competition on price and the importance of continual product and service innovation such as cloud-computing services and online storage, which encourage greater data usage by allowing users to store data on shared (‘cloud’) servers rather than mobile devices.Similarly, South Korea is a leader in the global mobile telecommunications industry, with strong government support to help transform that cou ntry into the knowledge era. The industry has experienced strong growth and a trend toward value-added products and services. This growth is coming at the decline of traditional fixed line services. For example, in the United States about 22 per cent of households are mobile only and do not have a fixed line, whereas in Australia about 14 per cent of households are mobile only—up 2 per cent from the previous year and suggesting an ongoing trend away from fixed line to mobile-only households (Bartholomeusz 2012). 1 2 Regulators continue to impose policies to lower the cost of access to mobile networks through setting lower mobile termination rates (the fees mobile companies charge for calls received from other companies’ networks) and to limit the amount that operators can charge for mobile roaming services’ (Vodafone 2012, p. 18). A mobile network is a number of transceivers or base stations located across an area of land that provide radio frequency coverage fo r the transmission of voice and data signals between communication devices such as smartphones. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 10 of 20 B The Australian mobile telecommunications carrier industryAustralia’s mobile telecommunications carrier (AMTC) industry is one of the most profitable industries in the broader Australian telecommunications sector, with revenue of AUD 20 billion in 2011–12. The industry is made up of carriers who supply, operate and maintain mobile telecommunication network services that deliver communications through the airwaves rather than through fixed copper or fibre cables. Consistent with the trend in the global industry, the AMTC industry is moving toward the maturity stage of its life cycle, with some segments in the industry expanding faster than the Australian economy as technology drives growth through network upgrades and innovative products.The industry currently has over 30 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia, with mobile phone penetration level at around 90 per cent (ACMA 2011a), or 130 per cent when customers with multiple SIM and mobile broadband cards 3 are included (Shulman 2012b, p. 7). 1 AMTC industry products and services Growth in the industry has shifted from mobile voice communications to data transmission services, such as multimedia messaging service (MMS), mobile TV and internet, music streaming, interactive gaming and global positioning system (GPS) mapping. Smartphones have enabled the convergence of the industry with this growing range of products and services functional on the one device. Revenue for the major segments is set out in Table 1, with key segments discussed.Table 1: AMTC industry revenue by segment (AUD in millions) Year 2005–06 (a) 2006–07 (a) 2007–08 (a) 2008–09 (a) 2009–10 (a) 2010–11 (a) 2011–12 (a) 2012–13 (f) 2013–14 (f) 2014–15 (f) 2015–16 (f) 2016–17 (f) Equipment 990 1 190 1 330 1 650 1 990 2 090 2 603 2 750 2 810 2 900 3 100 3 300 Voice 10 010 9 790 9 490 9 150 8 800 8 450 7 210 6 120 5 450 4 690 4 010 3 450 Messaging 1 090 1 450 1 862 2 060 2 450 2 940 3 405 3 450 4 040 4 600 4 900 5 450 Non-messaging data 320 650 1 290 2 100 3 020 4 050 5 608 6 420 7 300 8 200 8 990 10 032 Mobile commerce 310 390 560 760 900 1 010 1 204 2 270 2 550 3 800 4 280 5 349 Total industry 12 720 13 470 14 532 15 720 17 160 18 540 20 030 21 010 22 150 24 190 25 280 27 581 Note: (a) = actual, (f) = forecast. The figures provided in this table are simulated. aEquipment The sale of handsets and other mobile devices provides a significant and growing share of industry revenue, driven by innovations in high-value smartphones and tablets (mobile computers such as iPads and Kindles that are operated primarily by touchscreen). b Voice Voice services, made up of call charges and access fees, generated the largest source of revenue in the industry in 2011–12. This segment has benefi ted from the migration of consumers from fixed services (landlines) to mobile services as adoption of mobile technology has become widely accepted. However, the segment has become saturated and commoditised, 4 and is now in the decline stage of its product life cycle. In order to reduce customer ‘churn’ (loss of customers to rival carriers), there has been a trend to offer capped plans with free call minutes and message services.This trend has resulted in decreasing average revenue per user (ARPU) and hence voice revenue as a 3 4 SIM (subscriber identity module) and mobile broadband cards store and verify the identity of the mobile phone user. ‘Commoditised’ means the price of a product or service falls as it become widely available and standardised. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 11 of 20 proportion of total mobile revenue has fallen during the last five years. This decrease is expected to continue as competition in the voice segment continues to inte nsify, and as consumers continue to switch to mobile VoIP and the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax 5) mobile broadband system. Messaging The increasing demand for text/SMS (short message service) and MMS has provided major growth for the industry over the last five years, as consumers switch from voice calls to these types of communications. As well as individual use, businesses are increasingly using SMS as a form of customer communication. d Non-messaging data Technological innovations in the form of new generation networks and integrated handset products have driven strong growth in the demand for, and use of, non-messaging data (ACMA 2011b). Non-messaging data includes mobile internet, media updates, music streaming, mobile TV, gaming and GPS mapping (Shulman 2012b, p. 15). This growth is expected to continue through to 2016–17, boosted by the proliferation of high data usage devices such as smartphones and tablets (Shulman 2012b, p. 15).Mobile carri ers have enabled the growth of non-messaging data through the provision of mobile broadband that has enabled high-speed internet access to mobile devices, increased data usage allowances, and access to a variety of content. e Mobile commerce Mobile commerce (M-commerce) refers to commercial transactions, typically payment services, between customers and merchants that are operated on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. M-commerce provides customers with a convenient and accessible service for making transactions. Applications include mobile banking services, buying goods and services, and paying for car parking, flights and concert tickets (Shulman 2012b, pp. 15–16).M-commerce is predicted to provide a source of revenue growth in the AMTC industry, as consumers increasingly make these transactions using their mobile devices rather than desktop or laptop computers. 2 AMTC industry trends Australia is an advanced country in terms of mobile telecommunications. About 9 0 per cent of adults own a mobile phone, with a high level of smartphone penetration with about 37 per cent of mobile phone subscribers using a smartphone (ACMA 2011b). Following in the steps of the global industry, the AMTC industry is transforming into a digital era of new generation networks, increasing data usage, and innovative mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.Industry growth is underpinned by the fact that mobile phones, and in particular smartphones, have become the primary means of communication in Australia. This growth has also been driven by lower prices that have commoditised voice services and tightened business margins. a Network upgrades Mobile network technologies and infrastructures provide a set of standards for mobile devices and telecommunication services that comply with international standards. Periodically these network technologies are upgraded to a new generation. Each new generation of mobile technology is typically characterised by different frequency bands, wider bandwidth and improved data transmission rates. The improving availability and coverage of upgraded carrier networks has driven increased demand in the industry.The progression from second generation (2G) to third generation (3G) networks, and the rollout of fourth generation (4G) from 2011, continues to invigorate industry growth with superior functionality and lower data transmission prices, leading to increased demand. 6 The rollout of 4G technology will enable a variety of data services, such that revenue from data is forecast to outweigh revenue from voice over the years to 2016–17 (Shulman 2012a, p. 4). 5 6 WiMax is a fourth generation mobile broadband system that provides data speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per second, and data exchanges across greater distances. WiMax applications include mobile broadband connectivity between cities and countries, and are an alternative to cable and digital subscriber line (DSL) for ‘last mile’ broadban d access to customers. G, introduced in Australia in 1987, was an analogue network that was superseded by the 2G digital network from 1993. 2G offered data services (e. g. texting), and improved network capacity and data security. 3G commenced in 2005, with enhanced speed and services, including internet connectivity, MMS and music/video downloads. (Next G is a Telstra 3G network. ) 4G commenced rollout in 2011 and is designed especially for data transmission, with faster speeds and reduced network congestion that let users access fast internet connection, high definition TV and video conferencing from their mobile devices. GSM is one of the early, very basic, networks. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 12 of 20Wireless networks now cover 99 per cent of the Australian population. Telstra was the first telecommunications company in the world to build a nationwide 3G network. More broadly, the rollout of 4G, combined with the implementation of the Australian Government’s AUD 43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN), 7 will speed the entry of the Australian economy into the digital era. This in turn will embed the importance of telecommunication services in the activities of consumers and businesses. b Data consumption Improvements in mobile and smartphone technologies have underscored a shift in demand from voice traffic to data traffic, 8 including messaging, non-messaging data and M-commerce.The development and widespread uptake of applications for mobile devices, in particular smartphones, has generated large revenue gains in non-messaging data. Australia has the third highest penetration of 3G handsets, behind only Japan and South Korea (ACMA 2011a). Online banking, internet browsing and video streaming from sites such as YouTube and live sports websites have contributed significantly. According to Shulman (2012a, p. 4), this trend will continue to 2016–17, with data becoming the primary source of industry revenue. A second key driver of t his trend to data traffic is improved network capacity and functionality and cheaper data prices, which are helping to drive strong growth in data consumption.Faster speeds and lower data prices are supporting ‘new value added features for mobile phones and will improve the functionality of Internet connectivity via a wireless data card. This will further increase bandwidth usage as internet browsing, mobile applications (apps [software that allows users direct access to content or websites such as as banking, shopping, entertainment, and social networking]), mobile TV and M-commerce are all forecast to grow concurrently with accelerating network speeds’ (Shulman 2012b, p. 9). The rollout of 4G is expected to provide a further boost to data consumption from mobile and data cards, with the advent of demand for super-fast mobile services. c Convergence Advances in technology have broken down industry barriers in the telecommunication sector.The bundling of products and se rvices is now an industry standard. Voice, video, transaction, media and information services are packaged together on mobile devices. Smartphones in particular have driven the convergence of communication products and services in the AMTC industry. Overseas trends suggest that industry convergence will continue as the importance of data increases and the distinction between ISPs and mobile telecommunication carriers dissolves. The global trend is for companies that previously operated in non-telecommunication industries, such as cable operators, mobile-TV technology providers, content owners and search providers, to look to move into the telecommunications sector.To gain greater control over the supply chain major market, participants will want to fully integrate and operate across key distribution channels. This will necessitate that the wired and mobile markets coexist within the media, IT and communications sectors (Shulman 2012a, p. 10). While convergence will drive growth in t he AMTC industry, it will also increase the level of competition and hence have a neutral impact on profitability. d Consumer behaviour As the segment composition of the industry has changed over time, so has customer behaviour towards carriers. Mobile communication consumers select a carrier to provide their mobile telecommunication needs.Portability of mobile phone numbers means that a consumer can take their number with them if they change from one carrier to another. Consumers can sign up with a carrier with either a prepaid or postpaid plan. 9 With the proliferation of higher functionality smartphones, there is a trend from prepaid to postpaid subscription by consumers. This shift will increase ARPU, which is currently AUD 61 for postpaid subscribers versus AUD 18 for prepaid subscribers. The Generation Y demographic (18–35 year olds) will produce increasing ARPU over the years to 2016–17 as they take up postpaid contracts for access to high cost and high value 3G - and 4G-enabled smartphones and use significant data services.Growing consumer understanding and acceptance of mobile devices, and the variety of mobile data services available, will support greater demand in the industry. Smartphone penetration and turnover is higher in the Generation X and Y demographics (people born between 1966 and 1994), as these groups look for new features and products. These trends are significant, given that the Generation X and Y demographics are the largest in Australia, making up over one-third of the population. 7 8 9 The NBN involves the rollout of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), or high-speed fixed-wire broadband, to 93 per cent of premises in Australia. Data traffic is a term used to describe the transmission and flow of data. This includes messaging, non-messaging data and mobile commerce. Prepaid plans have a contract period (e. g. 4 months) and the consumer pays in advance per month for a set amount of value for calls, SMS and mobile internet data. Whe n the limit is reached, usage is restricted or charged at substantially higher rates. Postpaid plans are usually monthly contracts that provide a set amount of value which can be exceeded and charged at the same rate and which the customer pays in arrears. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 13 of 20 An increasing proportion of Australians now have a range of communication devices and options, with a shift from fixed to mobile voice and data. Young Australians in particular are choosing to communicate using mobile devices or social networking via their computers or laptops, smartphones and VoIP.According to ACMA, ‘gender, age and location appear to be primary drivers of the shift towards mobile phone-only living, with males, those aged 25–34 years, and people residing in metropolitan areas of Australia most likely to not have a fixed-line telephone in the home’ (ACMA 2011a, p. 17). With the growing range of voice and data communication devices comes a greater dep endency of households and businesses as they subscribe to these mobile services: ‘The all-encompassing product range is allowing a growing number of consumers, sole proprietors and small businesses to rely solely on wireless services for delivering all their communication needs. Such dependency is facilitating a boom in mobile usage’ (Shulman 2012a, p. 7). Government oversight Historically, the Australian telecommunications sector was subject to strong government controls and monopoly structures protected by legislation in the form of Telstra (formerly Telecom Australia, renamed Telstra Corporation Ltd in 1993), the previously government-controlled telecommunications company (Shulman 2012). Since 1989, the sector has been progressively deregulated and opened to competition. The Telecommunications Act 1991 (Cwlth) issued two additional mobile network licences, granted to Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA), which has set up a tripartite market. Legislation in 19 97 established a regulatory framework and industry codes and standards, and provided greater scope for industry self-regulation.Pricing, spectrum licensing and access are the three main areas of regulatory control, as described below. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has the power to set the pricing that carriers can charge for access to their networks. This pricing power encourages competition in the industry and acts to limit the power and profitability of the three main carriers. Telstra notes that ‘we are required to provide certain services to our competitors using our networks based on the ACCC calculation of the efficient costs of providing these services. In many cases we believe that the ACCC proposes prices that are below our efficient cost of supply †¦ There is no right to a merits review of ACCC decisions’ (Telstra 2012a, p. 16).The Australian Government controls the availability of the spectrum licences that assign the specific airspace on which mobile signals are transmitted and which operators require to provide mobile services within geographic areas and frequencies. 10 According to Shulman (2012b, p. 27), government policy decisions are required to reissue spectrum licences, and release new spectrum licences. Access to spectrum is a key factor in supporting the rollout of new mobile devices and services. The regulation of access to mobile network services is a third critical factor in the AMTC industry: ‘Under the Trade Practices Amendment (Telecommunications) Act 1997, network services can be â€Å"declared† whereupon carriers supplying network services are under an obligation to supply the services to requesting service providers.Thus, once a service has been declared, it is essentially under the control of the regulatory framework’ (Shulman 2012, p. 39). Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 11 services are declared services subje ct to regulated access pricing, while the 3G network is not subject to regulation. The potential for the government to mandate the opening up of a carrier’s mobile network to rivals is likely to increase competition and reduce the profitability of one or other of the three main carriers. There is speculation, for example, that the Australian Government may make the 4G network a declared service. 3 AMTC industry competitionStrong industry growth, combined with industry deregulation, contributed to the globalisation of the AMTC industry with the entrance of competitors, most notably Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA). a Industry competitors As at 2012, the AMTC industry is highly concentrated with the three major competitors—Telstra, Optus and VHA— accounting for about 90 per cent of industry revenue (Shulman 2012b, p. 22). Over the last seven years the market shares of these competitors have not changed significantly, with Telstra at about 40 per cent, Optus 30 per cent, and VHA 25 per cent. Competition is intense among these carriers, each of which has its own full-coverage mobile networks.VHA and Optus introduced strong price competition to the market with capped plans (prepaid and postpaid) and handset subsidies that give consumers low-price handsets as part of their contract. Shulman (2012b, p. 24) estimates that prices have fallen by around 5 per cent per annum over the past five years. 10 11 This airspace is becoming scarce due to the boom in mobile data transmission. CDMA is a transmission method that allows multiple users to use the same channel. Global Strategy and Leadership Page 14 of 20 The level of competition in the AMTC industry is high, given the regulated access to networks and the commoditised nature of voice and messaging services in which competition based on price is very strong.The three major carriers compete against telecommunication resellers who buy capacity on their network services then resell it to con sumers, and they also compete against mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) such as Virgin Mobile. MVNOs use an existing mobile network to sell a service linked to other branded services. For example, Woolworths, an Australian listed company with a significant presence in the retail sector, established an MVNO with Optus (Shulman 2012b, p. 26). Telstra The largest industry competitor, Telstra, is discussed in detail in Section C of this case study. Optus Optus is an integrated communications company that provides mobile, national and international services, local telephony and internet services to 9. 5 million customers in Australia. It is the second largest competitor in the AMTC industry.Optus is now a 100 per-cent-owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel), the biggest Asian-based communications group, with operations in over 20 countries and about 470 million mobile customers. SingTel is restructuring Optus following a drop in sales and revenue in 2012. â €˜SingTel †¦ reduced the workforce at Optus in Australia by about 10 per cent and is changing how it sells to consumers †¦ Customers will see more Optusbranded distribution channels †¦ Optus is cutting licensing to other retailers and adding its own stores to compete with its rival [Telstra], which has rolled out faster mobile-phone networks to expand market share’ (Chen 2012).Optus was the second carrier in Australia to commence the rollout of a 4G network in some of Australia’s metropolitan areas in September 2012: ‘Optus has revealed prices that are cheaper, with larger download limits, than Telstra’s plans †¦ [However] Optus cannot extend its 4G network into regional areas for several years because it does not yet have suitable low-frequency spectrum available’ (Battersby 2012). With the slowdown in customer growth in the Australian market, Optus is now focusing on improving the customer experience in order to achieve more profitable growth. VHA VHA is a joint venture between the Vodafone Group and Hutchison Whampoa.The Vodafone Group is one of the world’s largest mobile companies with a well-known brand, operations in over 70 countries and over 400 million customers. The large scale of the Vodafone Group provides strong economies of scale in purchasing and the rationalisation of operations, as well as off-shoring shared services to lower-cost locations such as India and Hungary. A key part of the Vodafone Group strategy is to achieve growth in mobile data services, particularly in the developed markets. The Vodafone Group aims to grow revenue from data services by upgrading and improving its networks to lead the market. This entails providing a faster and more reliable service, greater network coverage and capacity, and enhanced customer service.To enable this growth, the Vodafone Group plans to stimulate demand by informing and encouraging customers to take up the range of data services that are available now and that are being developed as networks are upgraded and new mobile devices released: ‘Vodafone, together with a number of other leading operators, has developed the next wave in personal mobile communications known as rich communication services which will enable data services such as instant messaging or live chat, live video sharing and file transfer across any device and on any network †¦ Vodafone is also developing a range of new services to generate additional revenue and enhance the customer experience such as mobile commerce, machine-to-machine and operator billing’ (Vodafone 2012, p. 19).Hutchison Whampoa, the other partner in the VHA joint venture, is also a leading global operator of mobile telecommunications and data services, with over 60 million customers and a strong focus on innovative mobile technology. VHA operates the Vodafone, 3, and Crazy John’s brands, and has nearly seven million customers. VHA provides 3G coverage to 94 per cent of Australians. VHA has performed poorly in recent times due to network coverage difficulties, delays to network upgrades, and poor customer service that has resulted in the loss of one million customers in the two years to July 2012. In the first half of 2012 Bill Morrow was appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO), with a focus on improving network coverage, capacity, speed and reliability, and improving customer experience.VHA has invested AUD 1 billion in upgrading its network with the rollout of a new 3G network, and in 2013 plans to commence the rollout of 4G in an effort to match Telstra and Optus: ‘For Vodafone customers, this is translating into better coverage, better call quality and an improved mobile data experience on smartphones, tablets and mobile broadband devices’ (Hutchison Telecoms 2012). Global Strategy and Leadership Page 15 of 20 b Alternative products and services The relatively high pricing of 3G and 4G network use has e nabled competition from alternative services that operate on lower cost bases. This is offset by the carrier’s substantial investment to improve the availability and coverage of their networks. 1 2 Fixed telecommunications.This product has been in strong decline as consumers have terminated their fixed line phones and switched to mobiles as their first means of communication. Mobile and fixed VoIP. With the growth of the data services segment it is expected that: ‘internet service providers †¦ that offer mobile connectivity via fixed networks will become direct competitive threats †¦ For example, Skype allows users located in hotspots [sites (e. g. cafes and libraries) with wireless internet access for customers] to make free calls and send text messages via their mobile phone while completely bypassing traditional mobile networks’ (Shulman 2012b, p. 11). Wi-Fi 12 and WiMax. These fixed wireless networks provide data services at cheaper prices than the mobile networks.The use of these services is growing and they are predicted to become a profitable niche, particularly as the mobile networks are likely to struggle to cope with increased demands on their capacity. As the importance and usage of data transmission increases, ISPs offering WiMax technologies are forecast to pose a greater competitive threat to the AMTC industry. 3 c Barriers to entry There is a range of barriers to entry to the industry. The AMTC industry is capital intensive. According to Shulman (2012b, p. 27): ‘Upfront investment costs involved in the rollout of a network can be substantial; for example each GSM network station can cost up to $500 000 on top o