Airwide Case Study

Airwide International is a rapid growing company of commercial and residential air conditioning systems in Europe. The company is broadly broken up into four divisions, one of which is Italy (Western Europe). Italy will be the country that the current dillema will be held in. Airwide shares competition with approximately 75 different manufactures of various air conditioning units. The existence of Asian companies has intensified the competition.Italy is the largest producer of air conditioning units but they are only found in j12 percent of homes. This is significantly low considering the United States has an average of 71 percent in homes. This is a problem that Airwide has been evaluating for some time. Since Airwide would like to increase the percentage of air conditioning units throughout Europe, especially Italy. It came to no surprise that a dealer from Genoa approached the company in hopes to persuade them to sell the units at the higher discount.Giacomo Marino, the dealer, st ated that if he were to purchase the price to distributer for each unit, that his sales would increase sales because the salespeople would get the opportunity to take away business from retailers that sell Asian brands. Airwide International is facing a common problem that most companies of their size go through. Should the dealer maintain title of a dealer but pay the same for the air conditioning unit. This has been an ongoing proposal from Nuova Climatizzazione to Airwide.The dealer would like to be granted the same financial status as a master distributer. Nuova has proven its success in their numbers. They serve approximately 320 accounts located in Genoa. In this proposal, Nuova stated that if they were to receive the higher discount this will increase Airwide sales by 20-25 percent in the next two years. One of the main concerns Airwide has with this proposal is that they have a master distributer in the northern region who believes the dealer will take away their business.Th e dealer has shown that the distributer has done a poor job in development through the region because it is too focused on high margin systems. This would be an issue for Airwide, however the distributer accounts for more than 70 percent of Airwide product sales. Airwide must choose to either give the dealer the higher discount or not. There is a conflict between the master distributer and the local dealer. The local dealer would like to decrease in market share and engage in the competitive industry.While the dealer would like to partake in the higher discount, he will have to determine if they will be able to support the minimum $3 million inventory cost. Currently, the dealer has $1. 2 million in sales. He forecasts, with the discount, his sales will increase by 25%. As a result, his overall sales for the year will be $1. 5 million within a two year period. This is half of the inventory minimum. If the dealer would like to be considered for the discount, he will have to show a bu siness plan as to how he will support the initial cost to obtain inventory.The distributer had $9. 7 million in sales of the residential and light commericial units in 2000. An alternative to allowing the local dealer to obtain the higher discount is to do nothing at all. Both parties are contributing well to the company’s success, so like the say, don’t fix what isn’t broken. This may impact the dealer in how they go forward with pushing Airwide business; however the company would not be as impacted on this situation as they would if the distributer were to be upset.The dealer is successful at selling the smaller units and the distributer is successful at selling the larger units since they have the funds for inventory. If Airwide will not give the dealer the higher discount, but they want to challenge him to see if he can gain sales up to 25%. The solution that best fits the company at this time would be to maintain what is currently the process. The dealer ha s not proven that they will be able to financially afford the minimum inventory budget. The distributer has a higher overall selling rate than the dealer.

Blocking rehearsal time with an interference task Essay

The theories of memory and how much, or how long we can remember things, and why, is a greatly studied area of Psychology as a science. Psychologists have created and recreated numerous tests and research methods in order to prove that their particular theory is correct. There are two main theories of memory: Levels of Processing (L.O.P.) and the Multi-store Model.  The L.O.P. approach was pioneered by two psychologist Craik and Lockhart (1972), who believed that the mind will remember things better if the information is processed on a deeper level, ie. thought about more, taking into account the amount of ‘work’ that is put into processing the information received. From research they discovered that the deeper the processing required the longer and more durable the memory is likely to be. They also identified what they believed to be three levels of processing: Structural – What something looks like.  Phonetic – What something sounds like.  Semantic – What something means.  From experiments and tests carried out, they found that the deepest level was semantic, and their reason for this, they argued, was because in order to extract the meaning from a word, and to consider it’s relevance in a sentence of words, requires a lot of processing. They decided that hearing a word and then trying to visualize it also requires some extensive cognitive processing, but not as much as semantic processing, and the least amount of mental work was required for structural processing, ie. what the letters look like. A test carried out by Craik and Tulving (1975), ‘Depth of processing and retention of words in episodic memory’ supported their theory. Another model which is highly regarded as one of the most influential theories of memory is the Multi-store model, in particular the two-process model, designed and tested by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968, 1971). Their theory was that information received by the senses is primarily stored in the sensory store for a very short period of time before it is transferred to the short term memory. Atkinson and Shiffrin believed that when the information is in the short term memory (STM), it could either be rehearsed for a certain amount of time and then stored in the long term memory (LTM), or alternatively lost. Figure 1.1 illustrates the theory in an easier to understand way. Perhaps this is also an example of how the L.O.P. theory is flawed as although the diagram is seen to be structural information, it will probably provoke strong visual imagery. Atkinson and Shiffrin believed that ‘chunks’ of information received by the sensory store could be held in the STM for around 20 seconds, but only 5 to 9 (on average) chunks of info can be remembered without rehearsal. However, if rehearsed the chunks of information can be transferred into the long term memory and more items can be remembered. The theory of the rehearsal loop interests me, so I decided to look further into it and found that psychologists: Brown (1958) and Peterson and Peterson (1959) independently discovered a method for testing the existence of the rehearsal loop called the Brown-Peterson technique. This basically involves a list of trigrams (three letter words made up of consonants with no immediate meaning ie. BKD, as apposed to WHY) shown to subjects for 20 seconds, rehearsed for 25 seconds and then recorded in order by the subject as well as possible. The same list is then shown to another subject for the same amount of time, however this time the 25 seconds rehearsal time will be interrupted with an interference task ie. counting backwards in threes from the number 58. This is the technique I will use as a basis of my mini-cognitive research project. AIM:  To test the existence of the rehearsal loop by preventing it from its task with an interference task during the rehearsal time.  RATIONALE:  I will be re-creating the Brown-Peterson technique for testing the existence of the rehearsal loop, although my study will use slightly different trigrams, and obviously a different set of people. I’m interested to check whether the results of my study will support the results found by Brown-Peterson or not. I will use a set word list for both groups of people studied and I’m expecting the results of my study to support the results of previous tests, thus supporting the theory of existence of the rehearsal loop. HYPOTHESIS:  When asked to recall the list of trigrams in order after a period of 25 seconds rehearsal time, the subject will remember significantly more trigrams if the rehearsal time is not interrupted by an interference task.  NULL HYPOTHESIS:  Subjects taking part in the experiment will not recall a significantly greater number of words whether their rehearsal time is interrupted with an interference task or not. Any difference found is purely down to chance. METHOD:  The method I chose to use in order to obtain the clearest and most reliable data was the laboratory experiment. The reason for using this method is to reduce the amount of extraneous and possibly confounding variables which could interfere with the results; also it becomes very easy to repeat the same test over and over without change. I will use the independent groups design to ensure that different participants are used for each test in order to avoid the chances that the participants will skew the results through rehearsal. The first set of participants will be shown a list of 15 trigrams for 20 seconds, after which time they will be asked to rehearse these for a period of 25 seconds. After that time they will then be asked to write out as many as possible in the correct order (if the trigram is BHD then the participant must write BHD, no mark will be given for BDH). The results will then be recorded.  The same set of trigrams will then be shown to a different set of participants for the same amount of time. This time however during the 25 seconds rehearsal time, the participants will be asked to perform an interference task, which will be counting backwards in sets of 4 from the number 295. After the 25 seconds, they too will be asked to recall the trigram list and their results will also be recorded.

Problems Due to the Mechanism Placed by the Americans During the Research Paper

Problems Due to the Mechanism Placed by the Americans During the Germans Migration - Research Paper Example The German part of American history is more than a part; it is embodied in the fabric of America. They help to make America clearer and at the same time more baffling to critics who think they stand outside of the frame, just as the interactions between German immigrants and their descendants with the larger population that surrounded them made the ideal notions that Germans brought with them less recognition. The Germans faced a serious problem of unemployment. Most of the immigrants were unemployed and lived a low-quality life. The attribute for this menace rose because of the social perceptions of the Americans and racial aspects they portrayed towards the Germans. The language barrier was another contributing factor to this problem. During this time, there was the presence of graft and corruption. This led to a biased system, which saw the American citizen favoured and the German Immigrant oppressed. The right given to the Germans a chance to vote with them created an ideal notio n of what was possible in the United States and but soon became part of the mainstream political ideology. Third-party politics, the ascendancy of local issues, and the inertia of German American voters all would move in the direction of appealing to ethnic identity and cultural preservation. Conflicting interests, shifting goals, and practical possibilities were seen as the real world of American politics. A real continuum between the liberal Americans in Chicago and German working-class radicalism describes a process of integration that moved through a few steps in improving their relationship.

Phonics Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Phonics Practice - Essay Example They are learning to solve and decode the mystery of stringed words. Learning phonics is the key to learning to read print. "Research directly points to the direct relationship between phonic instruction and success in acquiring the skill to read print. In short, evidence on the importance of phonics is incontrovertible." (Savage, ). The practice of phonics everyday is the key to mastery in reading fluently. This should be practiced with music, where songs based on phonics can be reinforced. A video approach is even more effective, as it stimulates the auditory as well as the visual concept. And it is easy for the child to remember and decode information both using their auditory and visual stimulus. Flashcards can also be used for further practice. "The English writing system is based on alphabetic principle: that is the individual speech sounds (called phonemes) are represented in writing by individual alphabet sounds (called graphemes). Children need to understand the alphabetic principle as they learn to read. Mastering these sound symbol relationships is what phonics is all about." (Savage, ). Phonemic awareness - the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken words is crucial to success in beginning reading. It is in-fact a better predictor of learning to read than listening ability, IQ and several other factors. Lack of phonemic awareness puts children at risk of failure to learning to read. Phonics should begin with rhyme recognition and rhyme production and continue with segmentation, isolation, deletion, substitution and blending of phonemes throughout the learning program. Emphasis should be on the five essential elements phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. . (Savage ). Motivation should also be the key factor in reinforcing the concepts. Children should be exposed to a variety of folk tales, fairy tales, rhymes and stories from diverse cultures which can encourage them at their level of learning to code and decode the symbols and decipher the hidden meaning. This journey of exploration of literature should be rewarded by more challenging books, materials and rewards. (Savage ). Although phonics remains an essential factor in the word recognition, other strategies should also be taught in helping children identify words and unlock the meaning of words they encounter in print. Children use multiple clues in identifying words, including sight recognition, and context clues all these need to be integrated with the study of phonics to nurture a fluent reader. This lesson should begin from home before Kindergarten years and should be fully mastered by third grade. The appropriate level of challenge should be maintained throughout. These skills should be taught to help children become productive and fluent readers. "Through critical attention to relevant research and careful observation of children in the reading-writing process, we teachers can intelligently decide how to teach phonics. . . . I prefer to teach phonics strategically, in the meaningful context of the predictable stories children read and write every day. In the context of written language, phonics instruction facilitates meaning making and independence."-Regie Routman, 1991(Weaver, 1996) Comparative and naturalistic research indicates that encouraging children in phonics not through drill but integrated natural approach is more effective.

How were the American colonies (united states) able to defeat Great Essay

How were the American colonies (united states) able to defeat Great Britain in the war for Independence. How did the leadership of George Washington contribute to this victory - Essay Example This gave the locals the capability of planning sneak raids and to better situate themselves for fighting. Also, the locals were short on funds, as well as military experience. Nevertheless, the French, who were sworn enemies Great Britain, decided to assist the Americans in the warfare (Simmons, 2005). The late president, George Washington, commanded the Continental Army of the United States during the Revolutionary War. He was extremely influential in the warfare, which brought victory to the United States. Washington had a leading political and military task in the American Revolution (Rickard, 2003). Washington’s involvement started as early as 1767. After the warfare erupted with the Battles of Concord and Lexington in April 1775, he was appointed as commanding officer of the Continental Army. Washington, unlike any other American leader, wore military uniforms to work signifying how stern he was in leading the nation. He was critical in uniting France and the Americas, which played a leading role in Americans triumph over Great Britain (Tokar, 2009). Washington was also devoted to republicanism, which puts the citizens of American first. This was one of his mantras when he went into the warfare making him committed to

How Title IX has Affected Public Policies in the U.S Research Paper

How Title IX has Affected Public Policies in the U.S - Research Paper Example Membership in women’s athletics has grown due to numerous factors. The leading cause is the far-reaching transformation in society’s treatment of and outlooks toward women, as well as a new awareness of women of their own athletic abilities and involvement (Mezey & Gluck 2003). Basically, the boost in membership of women in athletic programs and the increase in public policies addressing sex discrimination in education institutions began since the inception of Title IX. History of Title IX The Congress in 1972 endorsed Title IX of the Educational Amendments. Since 1972, the development toward sex equity in school athletic programs has been notable, although not without its problems, limitations, and flaws. Although the first guideline about the execution of Title IX was not made public until 1975 and colleges and high schools were granted until 1978 to meet the terms, its enactment conveyed a direct notice to athletic courses all over the nation (Carpenter & Acosta 2005 ). The law at this time clearly declared that women cannot be singled out or unfairly treated in any school activity or program where the school obtained federal support. Soon after, participation of women in athletic programs skyrocketed (Zimbalist 1999, 58): In 1971, 294,015 girls participated in high school sports; that number increased 2.8 times to 817,073 in 1973, and to 2.08 million in 1978. At the college level, 31,852 took part in varsity sports in 1971, and by 1977 the number had more than doubled to 64,375. Nevertheless, this initial thrust was not maintained as incompetent implementation machinery and legal barriers weakened the prospects of Title IX. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education, the department assigned to address sex... How Title IX has Affected Public Policies in the U.S.? Title IX has indeed changed public policy in the United States. Thus, this essay discusses how Title IX has influenced American public policy. The existence of legal alternatives resulted in a heightened dependence on the legal institution to resolve the issue of sex discrimination. Women filed cases against unfair treatment and they were frequently victorious in their lawsuits. Yet, all over the mid-1980s, a series of problems overwhelmed the women’s movement (Blumenthal 2005). The unsuccessful ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and constraints inflicted on the implementation of Title IX by the Grove City College—the school that declined to recognize a Title IX agreement form-- resolution of the Supreme Court brought the condition at a deadlock all over this period (Zimbalist 1999). Title IX has considerably enhanced employment and educational prospects for women. However, assessing the benefits and inequalities confirms that Title IX should be reinforced and implemented. The Office of Civil Rights should be aggressive and oblige schools to release information that shows how they have supported Title IX provisions. But, most importantly, public policy in the United States has been informed of the entire scope of Title IX safeguard, the benefits that women have gained consequently, and the problems that still exist. The effect of Title IX on civil rights policy and on the larger policy process cannot be miscalculated.

FACTORY LIVES PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FACTORY LIVES PAPER - Essay Example The working conditions in the factories had become worse as the industrial revolution took place. Workers had long working hours, poor working conditions, and instability of their jobs. There were no effective government regulations to prevent unsafe and dangerous conditions for workers. A great number of accidents used to take place in factories. One such accident is narrated by William Dodd who was a factory cripple. William worked for 18 hours in an English textile factory and was given a job as a piecer which led to great pressure on his right knee, leaving him crippled. He attended his evening classes and was later given the job of a clerk in the factory which made him badly crippled1. Another story is the Factory Girl written by Ellen Johnston telling about her experiences as a child worker in a factory. She writes how she was physically abused and so was her mother. She was a writer but she worked in factories all her life which also lead to her bad health and eventually she had to shift to Scotland as the doctor suggested change of air2. Women and children were made to work for long hours in dangerous conditions that cost people their lives. William Dodd led a bachelor’s life because no woman wanted to marry a cripple. The Cry of the Children by Elizabeth Barrett demonstrates the tough working conditions for children as they had to work in mines and manufactories. The factory workers’ lives weren’t just torturous while at work, they struggled with a working life outside factories too. Ellen explains in her autobiography how she suffered physical abuse at the hands of her mother when she tried to run away from the factory work. She also received a bad reputation in the society just because she wanted to run away from the tough factory working life her mother was living. These workers lived a tough life as they had to spend long hours at work, their wages were low, and they had low

THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING Essay

THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING STAFF IN A GIVEN FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY - Essay Example ensures that the employees are as enthusiastic about the business and they are devoted towards their organization. Involving employees in taking decision for the company and their opinion for making improvement leads company to success. If top management involves their employees in company's affairs, they will feel recognition and self respect and they will perform even better. It also helps in building trust and motivates employees. Bonuses or reward can also be a good and effective way to encourage and motivate employees. Through this process, they will get to know that, they are performing well in the organization and they are beneficial for the company as well. Bonus must be designed in such a way that people or employees understand that there is no payment in terms of bonus unless the company gets the profit and also exceeds the level of profitability. Bonus and reward is also based on team's success and the individual's performance. Feedback is also an important factor in HRM process. If an employee or a person is performing well, he will participate to enhance or Increase Company's productivity. He/she will be appreciated for this and should be recognized for his/her work in a positive and in effective way. Evaluation of the performance should be taken fairly. There is a need to develop a performance evaluation system which focuses on individual performance. Self rating as a part of evaluation process encourages or empowers employees. Evaluation becomes fairer if it is based on the records of and achievements of the employee. HRM practice and policies provide several good and effective ways of organizing and managing organization's functions. It also gives or provides help to develop effective strategies for making the company or organization more productive and successful. Employees play a lead role in any organization, so the polices and practices regarding employee or human resource should be followed effectively and in a good manner. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Organizational behavior is the body of knowledge which describes, analyzes and explains how organization influences the behavior of the members or employees and how they respond to the performance and ecology/culture of the organization or environment. Organizational behavior focuses on several functions and process of organization such as recruiting, rewarding, compensation, motivation etc; it also focuses the problems and difficulties of the organization. DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRANING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING STAFF IN DAVENHAM GROUP (Finance Company in UK) Davenham Group is a leading specialist, commercial finance company performing its functions in UK. Established in 1991 and divided into

Application Letter, Resume, Follow Up Letter Essay

Application Letter, Resume, Follow Up Letter - Essay Example I also possess skills in mentoring and counseling through the long years of social service activities in the Girls Scout movement. I have over 5 years of work experience in customer care and frontline operations in banking and other field of business and possess excellent interpersonal and communications skills, which I have developed and sharpened during my career. I am positive that my extrovert personality with commitment for excellence will allow me to integrate well in to the Titans culture which is known to be a community designed by employees who expect to achieve excellence. Enclosed herewith is a brief resume of my work experience and educational background. Personal bio data with reference contacts can be provided upon request. I am most keen in receiving a positive feedback for my application and look forward to hearing from you. First of all, I would like to express my appreciation for the job interview that was granted to me upon reviewing my application for the post of Human Resources Manager. I am delighted to hear of being selected for the position and wish to thank you for the attractive offer of employment made. I am available for taking up the new position on immediate basis upon my confirmation of accepting the offer. However, I would like to request for a period of one week from today, to confirm my acceptance of the job offer. As mentioned in the interview, I have applied for similar positions in two other companies and both are based in my home state, Maryland. The two firms have indicated that they will be notifying me of their decision not later than 20th of November and therefore, I would like to await their decision prior to accepting the offer from Titan Corporation. I must however express clearly, my enthusiasm of joining your firm, which offers a unique opportunity in terms of the specialized nature of business in which the firm operates as well as the prospects of serving the human resource

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage - Essay Example ngful Use and therefore have a great role to play in supporting Meaningful Use requirements in the future (Meaningful Use - Wyoming Electronic Health Record Incentive, 2012). According to HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, HL7 is a standardized syntax involve in formatting and passing data via a message between computer systems. A medical concept is only achieved through the combination of the HL7 model and standardized medical vocabulary. The objectives of the HL7 model are easily identifiable. However, the objectives of the Meaningful Use are not straight forward and may even seem arbitrary. The only way to analyze their objectives and use to the healthcare system is by viewing the parts as a whole and as a single part (HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, 2008). HL7 functional models have a lot to offer in terms of offering support to solutions. They are used to improve the abilities of the HIE interface, improve storage and data collection standards, enhance data transfer abilities and enhance reporting and extraction of core measures. On the other hand, the reasons for improving Meaningful Use are mainly centered on figuring how electronic health records can be beneficial to patients and healthcare providers. They include- providing accurate and sufficient information that is easily accessible to the healthcare providers, providing improved access to information through sharing vital clinical information and empowering the patient so that he/she can be more involved in the health status of his/her family

Genetically Engineered Foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically Engineered Foods Essay Genetically engineered or genetically modified foods are foods that are simply the result of alteration in the original genes of an organism such as a plant or an animal in order to blot out a characteristic or trait of the original organism. Because this involves the transfer of genes, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are also known as transgenic organisms (Robert Sacerich-GMO, Genetically Modified Foods and Conspiracy Theories). GE foods can be contrasted with organic foods which are basically foods which undergo a ‘non-synthetic’ method of processing before distribution to the public. This issue holds immense global importance because it is considered to be an alternative to solving the World Hunger crisis by supplying GE foods to countries with an inadequate supply of food (Anup Shah GE Technologies will solve world hunger; Jeffrey Heit, MD-Genetically Engineered Foods ). In this paper, the relative advantages and disadvantages of distributing GE foods to the public will be discovered and weighed. The notion of GE technology being the sole alternative to solving World Hunger will also be investigated along with the prospect of using organic food instead of GE food. In the article, Is GE food safe?, Anup Shah argues that although there is a possibility the use of GE foods can be beneficial to the general public, it cannot be said that this will last forever. The importance of this dilemma is being measured by the fact that there is absolutely no scientific proof at the moment to predict the effects of these crops in the foreseeable future, though we might know a great deal about their initial benefits to health and industry. David C. Pack agrees with this point of view and states that man has tampered with the very core of our food supply as part of the continuing quest to â€Å"out-do† God. He goes on to talk about the ‘unpredictability’ of altering genes. Stating in an example that certain genes from a flounder—a fish—have been inserted into tomatoes in order to give them a longer shelf life and that splicing genetic segments of one species into the genes of another could never occur naturally, he goes on to measure the importance of this issue by comparing data from original research work that had been carried out to determine the relative advantages of ‘golden rice’ and ‘soybeans’ compared to the regular varieties available in the market (David C. Pack -Genetically Engineered Foods Why the Controversy?). Jeffrey Heit, MD, in Genetically Engineered Foods confirms that that the use of GE foods might entail a cheap and efficient industrial  system but the public might not benefit from it the way we think it will. For instance, the use of peanut genes in tomatoes might adversely affect people allergic to peanuts and tomatoes being irreplaceable ingredients in almost all kinds of curry based foods aggravate the situation. On the other hand, some authors like Amy Norton argue that Vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness and, because it dampens immune system function, leaves children more vulnerable to becoming severely ill from infections. If all children in deprived areas were given enough vitamin A, up to 2.7 million deaths could be prevented each year according to statistics. Genetically engineered capsules rich in vitamin A could be provided to the children in the aforementioned deprived areas. UNICEF has a program to give young children vitamin A capsules twice a year (one capsule is good for a six-month supply of the vitamin). A range of foods naturally contain vitamin A or vitamin A precursors from liver, fish oil and eggs to spinach, carrots, mango and red peppers. But again, those foods may either be locally unavailable, depend on season, or be priced beyond what most families in developing nations can afford (Amy Norton- Genetically modified rice a good vitamin A source 14; Janice Jones- Advantages Disadvantages of Organic Foods). In another article the author, Bryan Walsh talks about the relationship between ‘humane eggs’ and the way the laying hens are brought up or bred. He hints at the possibility of there being something worse than genetic engineering at hand, which is the way animals are brought up in farms, more specifically chickens. Hence, if such a relationship exists then there seem to be more pressing matters at hand than just the apparent side-effects of GE foods (Bryan Walsh-Vital Farms: Raising the Ultra-Organic Egg). Christie Wilcox adopts a different approach by targeting some of the myths held by people in favor of organic farming as opposed to genetically engineered farming. She talks about how pesticides are used abundantly in organic farming, how organic food is not healthier than GE food and how it is not ideal for the environment; ideas that are common amongst the general public about organic food (Christie Wilcox Myth busting 101: Organic Farming Conventional Agriculture). Backing up the aspect that genetically engineered foods are unsafe and should not be distributed to the general public since their after effects have not yet been discovered, Anup Shah states in an article how worldwide polls indicate a high public demand of labeling GE food so as to  enable the public to choose their preference of food. She points out that any failure to do so implies that the public is ignorant. Is it ‘justified’ to keep the public in the dark just because we think the public is too ignorant to grasp the significance of GE food? On the other hand, is it okay to not label food as genetically engineered or not genetically engineered because of the growing apprehension that there will be competition between GE based and non GE based food companies? ( Anup Shah- Public Concerns and Protests on GE Food). While some believe that genetically engineered foods are generally regarded as safe. There has been no adequate testing, however, to ensure complete safety. There are no reports of illness or injury due to genetically engineered foods (Jeffrey Heit, MD- Genetically engineered foods). On the very other end, some people believe that genetically engineered technology is our only hope in abating the ongoing World Hunger problem. However, some people disagree. The idea that genetically engineered technologies can solve world hunger is ‘unreliable’. It might have the ‘potential’ to abet the ‘developing’ nations in fighting the food crisis but it is amongst the many other alternatives present. A significant number of people in the third world countries are unable to get food because it is expensive, not because it is unavailable. As we can see, the issue of a country’s economy is closely tied with the world hunger problem in this case (Anup Shah- GE Technologies will solve world hunger). There are various questions we need to ask ourselves if we want to determine the ‘safety’ GE food to human beings. In the event that this technology achieves its current aim, who will benefit more, people in need or the people who need more? If we are not able to predict the potential side effects of genetically engineered food, is it safe to miss this one chance to revert poverty or even world hunge r for that matter? If not, then will not taking the leap be worth it in the long run? One reason why GE technology is being given the go-ahead is that there is a lot of money and profit involved in this. Hence from a business perspective it is more favorable, for example to produce crops that can be resistant to your pesticides (so that you can apply more of them). Keeping this perspective in mind, is it moral to jeopardize the prospect of hunger free countries? Does the expression man tampering with nature also apply to scenarios in which Genetic engineering has helped the human race develop the food market? (David C. Pack-Genetically  Engineered Foods Why the Controversy? David C. Pack) The author mentions how the cross breeding of seeds needs to be prevented so as to prevent any food anomalies in the industry. Considering how different animals like cows and buffaloes are cross-bred, how justified is it to combine and merge the habits of different animals who are otherwise different in various aspects? Whereas the problem of â€Å"World Hunger† is concerned, if it cannot be solved by GE crops and is linked to poverty instead, will the eradication of poverty solve the predicament of world hunger? If hunger is an effect of poverty where poverty is a political and economic issue then politics influences how it is produced; who it is produced by and for what purposes it is produced. David C. Pack would also agree: â€Å"Even the problem of world hunger cannot be solved using this technology since the yield of GM crops is even lesser than that of natural (regular) crops† (David C. Pack -Genetically Engineered Foods Why the Controversy?). In conclusion, nothing can be said with absolute certainty about the pros and cons of using this kind of technology but what can be done in this field is research in order to determine the magnitude of change it is capable of delivering in the long run. References †¢Alexandra Sifferlin -California fails to pass genetically modified foods labeling initiative http://healthland.time.com/2012/11/07/california-fails-to-pass-gm-foods-labeling-initiative/ †¢Amy Norton Genetically modified rice a good vitamin A source http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_128308.html †¢Anup Shah -Is GE Food Safe? http://www.globalissues.org/article/189/is-ge-food-safe †¢Anup Shah -GE Technologies will solve world hunger http://www.globalissues.org/article/190/ge-technologies-will-solve-world-hunger †¢Anup Shah -Public Concerns and Protests on GE Food http://www.globalissues.org/article/196/a-huge-wave-of-public-concern †¢Bryan Walsh -Vital Farms: Raising the Ultra-Organic Egg http://science.time.com/2012/10/22/vital-farms-raising-the-ultra-organic-egg/

Ethics Playing A Role In Modern Graphic Design Media Essay

Ethics Playing A Role In Modern Graphic Design Media Essay Undoubtedly, graphic design is a vital component of todays society. It has become increasingly involved in various fields, fuelling the market- and profit-oriented sectors rather than fulfilling the initial aim of pure artistic impression. That was a long time ago though. The modern trends dictate to produce more, promote more, buy more and that way, a designer becomes a marionette ruled by marketing professionals and advertising companies. This way, a designer becomes a tool of consumerism with power and might to change the perception of public. However, there are more issues to be addressed when talking about the importance of ethics in graphic design social responsibility, green design, subliminal advertising, the ethics of retouching, and many more. In fact, it can be said that graphic design as we know it nowadays is clearly being defined by the contemporary state of society and undoubtedly, vice versa as well. Where the society would be without graphic design? Where the graphic design would be if the designers would not need to follow the wishes of marketing and advertising sector? With the power the designers have, they can easily overcome regional boundaries and influence the views and values of society worldwide. Sadly, many of them do not think about the immense impact they are capable of; does that mean that ethics should not play a role in modern graphic design? With the development of technologies, the designers scope keeps constantly changing, as well as its effect on the society. What might not have been an issue 60 years later may now be considered a real problem. In this paper, I will discuss the significance of following the ethical principles in the field of graphic design. I will pinpoint the importance of it through touching main historical events and the transformation of society, which eventually lead to releasing the First Things First Manifesto; I will discuss the role of designer in todays society and effects of subliminal advertising and retouching on the audience. Last but not least, I will briefly touch the influence of designers on ecological sustainability and so-called green design. According to Jessica Helfand, graphic design is visual language uniting harmony and balance, colour and light, scale and tension, form and content. But it is also an idiomatic language, a language of cues and puns and symbols and allusions, of cultural references and perceptual inferences that challenge both the intellect and the eye (Shaugnessy, 2005, p. 18). However, this rather eloquent statement does not take into consideration the fact that in past decades, design has become more of a socio-economic tool for generating profit and that is precisely the point where the ethics, moral values and principles come in. Even though ethics can be quite simply defined as a discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online, 2010), the variety of ethical aspects in design greatly exceeds this interpretation. Bearing in mind that graphic design is a non-verbal medium, a designer usually acts only as a mediator between the client and potential audience. However, design requires not only strong communication skills and cultural awareness, but also firm ethical and aesthetical beliefs. As a matter of fact, design is a social activity with social consequences (Shaugnessy, 2009). In fact, ethics in graphic design could be looked at from two different viewpoints personal and professional (GD Users Manual). While personal aspects reflect designers moral values, principles, and personal philosophy, the professional ones are concentrated mostly around business code, thus the partnership between a designer and a client. Even though the discussion and awareness about the business aspect of ethics in design have risen significantly in past years, there has not been enough exploration and consideration of its moral side. One of the key factors to influence graphic design is that it is a relatively liberate discipline (Shaugnessy, 2009). Whereas most of the other fields are in some way (what way?) regulated, the moral side of graphic design is left to be dealt with by the designers themselves. That, as it has been mentioned already, requires firm ethical principles. Graphic design in its own nature is very proximate to the ethical questions and issues the society faces at the present time; therefore it is implied in social change. Ranging from animal rights, global warming and nutrition to politics, smoking and workplace violence, graphic design as a communication tool is always present. However, that renders a question whether the designers are the ones to praise or blame for the problems and changes within the society. Kalle Lasn, the founder of the anti-consumerist Adbusters magazine, took this viewpoint at his talk at the Royal College of Art, London (Dudley and Mealing, 2000). First Things First 2000 manifesto (FTF2000), which followed the legendary 1964 manifesto of the same name, deals with a need of moral values in graphic design and visual communication. All the 33 undersigned designers and art directors take quite a firm stand in this matter by claiming that graphic design has gone too far from its original values and ended up being a blatant marketing and advertising tool for generating profit. That in fact reflects not only in the way how people perceive graphic design, but also in a way the society acts, thinks and feels. First Things First 2000: A Design Manifesto We, the undersigned, are graphic designers, art directors and visual communicators who have been raised in a world in which the techniques and apparatus of advertising have persistently been presented to us as the most lucrative, effective and desirable use of our talents. Many design teachers and mentors promote this belief; the market rewards it; a tide of books and publications reinforces it. Encouraged in this direction, designers then apply their skill and imagination to sell dog biscuits, designer coffee, diamonds, detergents, hair gel, cigarettes, credit cards, sneakers, butt toners, light beer and heavy-duty recreational vehicles. Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. This, in turn, is how the world perceives design. The professions time and energy is used up manufacturing demand for things that are inessential at best. Many of us have grown increasingly uncomfortable with this view of design. Designers who devote their efforts primarily to advertising, marketing and brand development are supporting, and implicitly endorsing, a mental environment so saturated with commercial messages that it is changing the very way citizen-consumers speak, think, feel, respond and interact. To some extent we are all helping draft a reductive and immeasurably harmful code of public discourse. There are pursuits more worthy of our problem-solving skills. Unprecedented environmental, social and cultural crises demand our attention. Many cultural interventions, social marketing campaigns, books, magazines, exhibitions, educational tools, television programs, films, charitable causes and other information design projects urgently require our expertise and help. We propose a reversal of priorities in favor of more useful, lasting and democratic forms of communication a mindshift away from product marketing and toward the exploration and production of a new kind of meaning. The scope of debate is shrinking; it must expand. Consumerism is running uncontested; it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed, in part, through the visual languages and resources of design. In 1964, 22 visual communicators signed the original call for our skills to be put to worthwhile use. With the explosive growth of global commercial culture, their message has only grown more urgent. Today, we renew their manifesto in expectation that no more decades will pass before it is taken to heart. What could become possible if designers used their power to influence choices and beliefs in a positive and sustainable way? (Berman, p. 13) The vital message of FTF2000 is to design for good. However, good and bad are still very vague terms and since no guides exist on this topic, it depends upon a designer whether they choose to work for a certain client, use dirty marketing practices or promote possibly harmful, unfavourable and detrimental products. That being the case, it could be said that design and ethics go hand in hand and design for good is in fact a matter of choice. Graphic designers like Tibor Kalman inspired the designers to take responsibility for their works. Throughout his career, he urged designers to question the effects of their works and refuse to accept any clients product exactly the way it appears to be. Kalman inspired graphic designers to use their work to increase public awareness of a variety of social issues. (Milton Glaser Big Think) Undoubtedly, design has impact on society and changes within it. From the extreme point of view, it might seem that customers are absolutely vulnerable to the messages communicated by designers, and therefore accept the information automatically and behave accordingly. Regulatory codes within graphic design The essential part of this problem is regulation. Designers are not obliged to abide any codes, apart from the most essential ones like constitution, and the freedom of their profession makes them extremely vulnerable to moral questions. In other fields, eg. movie industry, it is quite common that a supreme body regulates and assesses the suitability and advisability of particular scenes. If the children are not supposed to see a scene which involves violence, death, or sex, it is alright for them to see a very graphic anti-abortion billboard, picturing an aborted foetus in a puddle of blood? In fact, that has been happening in Slovakia since 2007, when CBR Europe (European branch of The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, USA) firstly released the aforementioned campaign. However, the controversial billboards caused a big wave of disagreement due to its graphic nature. CBR Europe has announced that regardless of the violent nature of campaign, it has been successful and the number of abo rtions in Slovakia has decreased. Even though graphic designers, just like everybody else, have right to express their viewpoints, opinions and attitudes, their work should not be biased. However, who is the one to judge goodness or badness of moral principles of an individual? . GOVERNMENT / ORGANIZATIONS LEADERS From another point of view, this freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic rights and freedoms. Nevertheless, neither freedom of speech nor any other freedom is absolute; otherwise there would be no charges for promoting racial, ethnic, gender, disability discrimination and other prejudicial treatments and ideologies. Therefore it is essential for a designer to abide to both personal and public principles. Undoubtedly, personal values vary from person to person the key here is to be aware of them. When not thinking further behind the pursuit of aesthetics many designers strive for, one cannot possibly reflect their values and principles in the works. Many associations of design principles give a hand to designers with both personal and public ones. Just like in with any other profession ranging from doctors to lawyers, the need for applying ethical principles in graphic design calls for recognition. Most of the international and regional design associations have their code of ethics, often known as rules of professional conduct. AIGA (formerly American Institute of Graphic Arts), the professional association for design, released their first edition of Design Business + Ethics in 2001. The most current version issued in 2009 emphasises the importance of existence of ethical standards and the firm mutual bonds between a designer, client and content the both sides deal with. Adherence to a common set of principles is critical to estab ­lishing design as a true profession, with an ethos based on respect for clients, other designers, audiences, society and the environment (AIGA, 2009: 9). Apart from infringement of copyright, human rights, , a professional designer shall avoid projects that will result in harm to the public (AIGA, 2009: 34). The Chartered Society of Designers based in London, UK, accept their membership applicants not only based on qualification and presented works, but also on knowledge in the field of preference and professionalism. These are proved during an interview. To meet the latter requirement, the applicants shall demonstrate that they practice with integrity, maintain ethics and values, operate professionally (CSD, 2009: 2). The role of graphic design in consumerism As Berman states, designers are at the core of the most efficient, most destructive pattern of deception in human history (., p.22). Designers used to be generally seen as tools of capitalism. Creating brands, packaging, and marketing for consumer goods, graphic designers became an integral part of the free market system as they were contributing to wealth within the society. Passing the information through subliminal advertising Simply put, subliminal advertising could be defined as integrating hidden messages within printed or digital media. It [the concept of subliminal perception] suggests that peoples thoughts, feelings and actions are influenced by stimuli that are perceived without any awareness of perceiving (Kadzin, 2000). Through various psychological and neurological studies it was proved that subliminal perception is most likely to occur in patients with neurological damage or those who are undergoing general anaesthesia. In such cases, they usually not realize the stimuli but subconsciously respond to it anyway. As the means of convincing and manipulating the potential viewers into certain actions and behaviours, subliminal advertising has been assigned quite spectacular power in the past. This method counts on mental vulnerability of customers and their automatic acceptance of the pictured message. From the psychological point of view, the threshold of consciousness varies from person to person and some people might be influenced by subliminal messaging. Wilson Bryan Kay, an author of several controversial books on subliminal messaging, argued that the power of advertising has been often increased by embedding sexual subtext and/or word sex within it. His main argument is that even though the sexual tone of the advertisement is not consciously perceived, subconsciously it causes increase in sexual desires, resulting in making the advertised product more appealing. Even though the tests with subliminal messages have run since late 1950s, the scientific research behind this phenomenon has neither confirmed nor refuted the potential success in altering customers views and will subconsciously. Nonetheless, if the subliminal messages are powerful enough to change peoples views and behaviour, the ethical matters are definitely in question. In fact, we would be dealing with violation of a persons right for privacy. While subconscious messages could be used for not only dirty purposes but also for decent ones (eg. persuading people not to lie), the final effect would still be manipulating peoples actions which is not any less unethical. The person communicating his or her ideas through subconscious messages has no right to manipulate and brainwash other peoples minds. Due to this fact, subliminal messages are generally being perceived as unethical and are banned, among others, in USA, Canada and Australia. Ethical issues in photography and retouching Bearing in mind that graphic designers are in fact visual artists, they have a rather immense power in changing the perception of people who see their works. Retouching is a perfect example of how the relatively small actions have changed the image of beauty within our society. Majority of the people would agree that retouching of the models for marketing campaigns poured oil into fire when speaking about the perception of beauty. Being exposed to the modern, even though retouched notion of visual appearance, many women feel insecure about their looks and body. Arguably, the media most certainly contributes to dieting and size discrimination (http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/themedia.php), which are often a founding ground for development of an eating disorder. Not only in cases like the one above, the designers and commercial artists in general need to take a firm stance on their moral values and principles. The world of design and visual communication calls for a greater responsibility in decision-making (.?) because the visual elements often speak as clearly as words spoken out loud. In order to support a call for higher standards in photojournalism and advertising, there has been a movement to ban or clearly label retouched images. Even though this idea has support of several countries including United Kingdom, Switzerland and France, it is very unlikely to be adopted soon as it would require complicated regulations to be set up. Historical significance of graphic design Undoubtedly, the graphic design has been a very important element in shaping the history. Since the early 20th century, it has been continuously growing in its significance. Throughout the past, design was an inseparable component of considerable number of events which defined the world as we know it today. Graphic design, regardless of ethical consequences of the communicated message, potentially played a key role at the period of Second World War. The commercial aspect of graphic design was taken to its greatest and darkest heights in Nazi Germany in a terrible exemplar of the true power of design (http://www.provokateur.com/news/index.php/2009/07/08/provokateurs-take-on-ethical-communications/). However, as Eileen MacAvery Kane (2010) states, the similar strategies were implied in eras of Fascist Italy, Stalins and Lenins USSR, and Maos China. In all four cases, the leaders turned graphic design into a powerful manipulative tool to influence lives of millions of people. Throughout the history, several infamously known symbols have been created, be it the swastika and gothic typography of Hitlers Germany, Mussolinis streamlined Futurist posters and Black Shirt uniforms, the stolid Social Realism of Stalins USSR and Maos Little Red Book (amazon), which were used in in a wide variety of propaganda, from posters, magazines and advertisements to uniforms, flags and figurines (amazon). Moreover, the physical and mental characteristics of the leaders were often depicted on various means of visual communication, converting a person into public icon and thus building up the trustworthiness of the whole regime. Such steps could be compared to contemporary advertising practices. Another strong example from the field of politics is Barack Obamas 2008 election campaign. The logo, designed by a Chicago company Sender LLC, is often described as a rising sun symbolising hope and the main strength of Obamas campaign is visual coherence of all the main elements. Shepard Fairey, the American designer and illustrator who stands behind the famous HOPE poster for Obamas campaign, has proven that the power of visual communication on popular opinion is still immense. Even though he was not hired to create a poster for Obama and his team denied any involvement in creation of the aforementioned piece, it has proven to be very successful. Once the campaign was over, Fairey received a letter from Obama which reads: I would like to thank you for using your talent in support of my campaign. The political messages involved in your work have encouraged Americans to believe they can help change the status quo. Your images have a profound effect on people, whether seen in a gallery or on a stop sign. (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=6811991) (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/posters/dove.jpg) (http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/outofline/BARACK-hope-POSTER-1.jpg) (http://www.clickpopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/obama.jpg) When compared to both posters above (Image 1, Image 2), Barack Obamas visuals share certain elements with them. Apparently, use of blue, white and red is conditioned by country the posters (Image 2, 3) were created for; however, a  portrait of a  person is central element in all of them. Both Hitler and Obama are looking to future, which is supported by strong slogans (Long Live Germany! and HOPE) and bold typography. Moreover, both use a  symbolism of sun or sun rays in their campaigns. These are all facts a  viewer processes subconsciously. Would have people believed in future of Germany promised by Adolf Hitler if he was depicted striking a  different pose, doing a  different gesture, if the background did not show his supporters? Would Obama have been elected if Fairey had never released his iconic poster? Of course, politics is not only about visual side of campaigns but bearing in mind the mind-blowing success the abovementioned heads of states had received, it can be said that graphic design plays an extremely important role in our lives. As Graham Milton (n.d.) stated in his blog, propaganda exists today in the form of advertising and design because it is the most effective tool for influencing popular opinion. Indeed, all mass media is capable of this manipulation ( http://www.grahammilton.com/blog/art/illustrated/power-of-design-power-of-propaganda/). Manipulation, a practice involving influence or control over the others to ones own advantage, cannot possibly be looked at as an ethical action. This matter o f fact touches not only politics but all the possible fields graphic design is present in and cannot be ignored anymore. Business and commercial aspect of ethics in graphic design Sustainability and social responsibility

SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG)

SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report has been undertaken to come up with the intrinsic value of SSE plc which is operating in energy industry, using shareholder value analysis (SVA) model. The underlying value of the company is estimated to be  £12,122.14m, which is lower than the market value of  £15757.52m (FAME database, accessed on 19th January 2017). The discrepancy of the two values may be explained by referencing to Efficient Market Hypothesis, asymmetric information issue and shortcomings of SVA model. Based on sensitivity analysis, it is determined that SSEs intrinsic value is highly sensitive to changes in operating margin and WACC. It is found out that an adjustment of +2% made towards operating margin and WACC will remarkably change the company value by +86% and nearly -50% respectively. Therefore, analysts should pay more attention to these two variables when employing SVA model. The later section of the report identifies SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) as a critical financial event, highlighting that the transaction will bring more synergy to the firms operation and enhance its competitive advantage in the energy industry. However, it is imperative for shareholders to keep track of the companys performance to alleviate problems of hubris or empire building. Objectives This financial report is expected to achieve two primary objectives. First, this report aims to provide the valuation and analysis of SSE plc a company operating in the energy industry by employing Shareholder Value Analysis (SVA) technique. Second, SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) in 2014 will be evaluated with reference to finance theories in Mergers and Acquisitions. 1.2 Report structure This financial report is organized in five main parts: Section I: Introduction This section provides main purposes of the report and briefly describe structure of the report. Section II: Company Profile This section gives an overview of SSEs business activities, its market share and competitive positioning. Section III: Company Valuation This section covers the following contents: Evaluate the appropriateness of SVA model to value a company Perform the valuation of SSE plc using SVA model Provide justifications for variables and proxies used in the model Carry out comparative analysis and sensitivity analysis Section IV: Actual Corporate Financial Event This section critically evaluates SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) with reference to finance theories. Some implications would also be proposed following the event evaluation. Section V: Conclusion This section summarizes the employment of SVA measure in case of SSE and then provide some recommendations. 2.1 Business Description SSE plc (Scottish and Southern Energy plc) is a British energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom. SSE was established in 1998 as a result of the merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE is listed on London Stock Exchange and it stock forms part of FTSE 100, FTSE 350 and FTSE All-Share. SSEs business covers three segments: Wholesale, Networks and Retail. The Wholesale segment involves power generation from renewable and thermal plant in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe; the Networks segment is responsible for distributing electricity to customer premises in the North of Scotland and the South of England; meanwhile, the Retail segment supplies electricity and gas to residential and business customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland (Financial Times, 2017). Since SSE undertakes both generation and retail supply activities, it is considered a vertically integrated energy business. This makes SSE unique since SSE is the only company listed on London Stock Exchange involved in such a broad range of energy businesses (SSE, 2016a). Market share Regarding Wholesale business, in 2015 SSE had a small market share of 7%, accounting for only a quarter of EDFs share and about half of RWEs share (see Appendix 1). Referring to Ofgem (2016b), in 2015 the market shares of dominant energy producers in the UK remain relatively unchanged compared with these of 2014, which is also the case of SSE. With respect to Retail business, there were over 43 active energy suppliers in Britain by March 2016, most of which offering both gas and electricity supply (Ofgem, 2016a). SSE is included in Big 6 which are widely known as dominant leaders in the market, including British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, SSE, npower and ScottishPower. These companies supply gas and electricity to over 50 million household and businesses in Britain, with 87% share of domestic customers by March 2015 (Ofgem, 2016a). SSE is operating in a very competitive and well-functioning energy retail market. The firms market share in the market for energy supply can be illustrated in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3. By March 2016, SSE had the second largest market share of UK electricity supply market (about 15%), while its market share of gas supply (about 13%) only accounted for approximately one-third of British Gass share. Increasing competition in energy industry and SSEs competitive positioning Out of the three segments, Wholesale and Retail businesses have been facing increasing competition in recent years due to the entrance of new rivals in the GB Energy Supply market. There have been some concerns over barriers to entering wholesale and retail energy market such as the complexity and extent of credit requirements or low levels of liquidity in the market. Despite of these, new entry has taken place (see Appendix 4). The result of new suppliers entry is falling market share of the six large suppliers from 90% to 87% between March 2015 and March 2016 for electricity, and 90% to 86% for gas over the same period (Ofgem, 2016a). Specifically, the entry and growth of new suppliers has led to SSEs market share declining. There is a decreasing trend in the number of energy customer accounts for the past three years (see Appendix 5). In addition to the new rivalries entrance to the market, customers switching is another issue that reduce the market share of six large suppliers. Households are increasingly turning to smaller suppliers, with consumers complaining the sector is slow to pass on wholesale energy cuts and offers poor service. The total number of users switching suppliers in March 2016, 476,528 customers, was the highest since November 2013 (Energy UK, 2016). As the market become more and more competitive, attracting and retaining customers can pose challenges to SSE. However, SSE has a clear strategy to differentiate itself and create value by becoming a market-leading, digital and diversified retailer of energy and essential services. According to SSE (2015a), for the past few years SSE has: Launched its first large-scale advertising campaign for the SSE brand in both Britain and Ireland, known as Proud to make a difference campaign. The campaign has been implemented in many forms from TV, radio, billboards, print media to various digital and social media formats; Overhauled its digital channels in order to create a simple, seamless and intuitive customer experience and provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost; Introduced a new customer relationship management (CRM) platform which facilitates better customer understanding and tailors communications and propositions to the needs of different customers; Developed and reopened sales channels and processes to ensure compliant growth. Additionally, SSEs commitment to decarbonization means that the firm will continue potential expansion in renewable energy portfolio which are comprised of onshore wind, offshore wind and conventional hydro. Furthermore, SSE is the leader in the UK energy industry to handle customer complaints. According to Energy Ombudsman in February 2016, only four out of 100,000 customer complaints required further investigation in the first three quarters of the year, pointing out the fact that 99.969% of SSEs customer issues were fully resolved (SSE, 2016a). 3.1 Evaluate the appropriateness of SVA Model There are many methods for estimating value of a company, including valuations based on asset, dividend, earnings and cash flows. Among these methods, discounted cash flow valuation is the most technical way of valuing a business as it is heavily dependent on assumptions about long-term business conditions. This measure is especially useful for cash-generating businesses which are stable and mature. Alfred Rappaport (1998) developed a simplified approach of cash flow discounting called shareholder value analysis (SVA). SVA model makes assumptions about steady changes in a number of cash flow factors as they are all relevant to sales level. There are obvious advantages associated with the use of this model. SVA is not subject to different accounting policies used by different companies and therefore can be applied across many business sectors. In addition, firms using SVA must concentrate on the future and customers, with specific focus on future cash flows. On the other hand, SVA is not a perfect model as it contains some shortcomings when being used in practice. Irrational assumptions about value drivers, as well as data unavailability are possible drawbacks that analyst frequently encounter when employing this model. 3.2 Justification of variables and proxies Employing the SVA Model to calculate a companys intrinsic value requires assumptions about a number of key variables. Sales growth might be the most important factor in the model, setting the foundation to come up with other variables values such as operating profit, incremental capital investment and incremental working capital investment. In case of SSE, sales growth is determined after careful consideration of historical growth rates, price forecast and potential future projects. For the last three years, sales growth has witnessed a decreasing trend, which can be explained by a number of reasons. First, energy prices in the UK are influenced by oil and coal prices; therefore, when these commodities prices move upward or downward, they are likely to drive gas and electricity prices in the same direction (Ofgem, 2016b). Since the second half of 2014, there were downward trends in oil and coal prices due to oversupplied markets for these commodities, contributing to declining energy prices and therefore SSEs revenues. The movements of oil price can be illustrated in the following figure: Figure 1: Brent Crude Oil price from 2010 to 2016 (Source: Bloomberg, 2016) Second, there are more and more energy suppliers in the UK market. Levels of new entry have been very high recently: 14 new suppliers became active between April 2015 and March 2016, compared to five between April 2014 and March 2015 (Ofgem, 2016a). The presence of new rivals leads to SSEs declining market share as well as the firms revenue. Third, more and more customers are switching to small and medium-sized suppliers, as shown in Figure 2. If this trend goes on, there will be much pressure on expected revenue of large energy suppliers. Figure 2: Monthly increases in the total number of domestic gas and electricity meters supplied by small and medium-sized suppliers (Source: Ofgem analysis of data provided by Xoserve, DNOs and iDNOs, 2016) From the above data, it might seem that SSEs revenue will be struggling in the next few years. However, there are evidences for investors to believe in SSEs sales growth for at least the next 5 years. First, oil price forecasts by World Bank, IMF and EIU indicate crude oil prices will observe steady increases from 2017 to 2025 (Knoema, 2016) (see figure 4, figure 4 and figure 6). Figure 3: World Bank Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Figure 4: IMF Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Figure 5: EIU Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Second, some renewable projects will be fully operational in 2017 and these will definitely support revenue growth in the next few years. As reported by SSE (2016c), three onshore wind projects under construction are expected to come into operation in 2017, including Dunmaglass (94MW), Clyde Extension (173MW) and Bhlaraidh (108MW). After above analysis has been taken into account, the sales growth is determined as the arithmetic average of the changes in sales over the previous three years, giving the result of 0.82%. This sales growth is reasonable given that SSE is operating in increasingly competitive industry, with customers tending to switch to small and medium-sized suppliers in recent years. The operating profit margin is predicted to be 2.87%, which can be worked out by taking the average of the margins in previous three years. The reason behind this assumption is that SSE is an efficient energy supplier committed to maintaining relatively low operating costs in order to make a fair profit. According to SSE (2015a), SSEs indirect costs per customer are around 20% lower than the average across the rest of the major suppliers. The effect of low operating costs can be demonstrated by stable operating profit margins for the last three years, and it is expected that this trend will continue for the coming financial years. The incremental capital investment of 53% is understandable as the company continues to develop secure, sustainable and low carbon energy infrastructure, given that the energy industry is switching to renewable energy sources. In its interim results for the six months to 30 September 2016, SSE announced it plans to invest a record  £1.85bn of capital expenditure and investment in Great Britain and Ireland in 2016/17 (SSE, 2016b). According to Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE Chief Executive, the firm is making more investment in supporting the modernization of UKs energy facilities, and the total investment and capital expenditure by 2020 is forecast to reach approximately  £6bn. A relatively low working capital investment of 10% is determined since SSEs current assets are just enough to absorb current liabilities in the last few years. Trade and other receivables accounts for a large proportion of SSEs current assets due to the nature of the energy supply business. Meanwhile, current liabilities are mainly comprised of trade and other payables, which is because the company is making heavy investment in renewable energy infrastructure. Simply put, an incremental working capital investment of 10% is appropriate for SSE given that many potential energy projects will be under construction in the coming years. The corporation tax rate of 20% is applied to company profits (HMRC, 2016), and SSEs business is also subject to this rate. Another key variable in SVA is weighted average cost of capital (WACC). The cost of debt is determined as SSEs weighted average interest rate, which is 3.73% for year 2016. Meanwhile, the cost of equity is computed using CAPM model. SSEs beta (0.74) was obtained from FAME database, while the UK Gilt 10 Year Yield (1.40%) collected on Bloomberg website is used as the proxy for risk-free rate; all of these figures were retrieved on 19th January 2017. In addition, the UK market risk premium (5.3%) by Fernandez, et al., (2016) is another key component in the CAPM. Subsequently, a WACC of 4.59% is achieved and this is the required rate of return for SSEs capital providers. In short, the following seven value drivers will be applied in case of SSE: Table 1: Seven value drivers for SVA model Key Drivers Value Sales growth 0.82% Operating Profit margin 2.87% Tax rate 20% Incremental fixed capital investment 53% Incremental working capital investment 10% Planning Horizon 5 Required Rate of Return 4.59% Source: Analysts estimate 3.3 Employment of SVA Model Table 2 illustrates how SVA model is utilized in SSEs case. SSEs revenue of  £28,781m (recorded on 31st March 2016) was increased annually by a sales growth of 0.82% over a 5-year planning horizon. Subsequently, an operating margin of 2.87% was applied to revenues to come up with the firms operating profit. Before arriving at SSEs operating cash flows, a corporation tax rate of 20% was imposed on the operating profit, followed by subtractions of 53% in incremental capital investment and 10% in working capital investment. Afterwards, the present value of future cash flows was estimated by discounting the firms operating cash flows by 4.59% cost of capital. It is noted that SSEs terminal value at year 6+ was discounted twice, the first of which worked out the value at year 5 and the second one brought out the value in present day. After the net present value of  £18,930.7m was figured out, adjustments were made by adding  £360.2m cash and marketable securities, and then deducting  £7,168.8m total debt. After all, SSEs intrinsic value was determined at  £12,122.14m. Table 2: SSEs Shareholder value analysis (unit: million pounds) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6+ Sales 29,018.4 29,257.7 29,498.9 29,742.2 29,987.5 29,987.5 Profit 833.6 840.5 847.4 854.4 861.5 861.5 Associate Profit 206.5 208.2 209.9 211.6 213.4 213.4 Less Tax 166.7 168.1 169.5 170.9 172.3 172.3 Less ICI 125.1 126.1 127.2 128.2 129.3 0 Less IWCI 23.7 23.9 24.1 24.3 24.5 0 Operating Cash Flow 724.6 730.6 736.6 742.7 748.8 902.6 PV of cash flows 692.8 667.8 643.8 620.6 598.3 15,707.4 NPV 18,930.7 Add mkt secs 19,290.9 Less debt 7,168.8 Equity Value SVA 12,122.14 million Actual Value 15,757.52 million FAME access on 19th January 2017 Source: Analysts estimate 3.4 Comparative Analysis SSEs intrinsic value derived from SVA model was  £12,122.14m while its market capitalisation was recorded at  £15757.52m (FAME database, accessed on 19th January 2017), pointing the difference of  £3,635.38m between the two values. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that all relevant information may not be incorporated into the share price. It could be inferred from Efficient Market Hypothesis (Fama, 1970) that the extent to which the share price is reliable depends on the efficiency of the markets. Under the strong form efficiency, the market value of  £15757.52m will fully reflect all past, present and insider information. On the other hand, if the market is under the weak form efficiency, the market value of  £15757.52m will only reflect the historical prices of the security, and hence lacking reliability. Furthermore, the information asymmetry, e.g. between management and investors and between investors themselves, is another explaining factor. Plesco Sobol (2013) states that investors who are ill-informed about financial disclosures can make unreasonable decisions in their investment. Due to irrational trading behaviours of these investors, share prices may not yield a fair market value. Another cause of the difference between the two values lies in the limitations of SVA model. The constant sales growth every year is not very realistic because the growth depends on potential development and firms strategies, which are subject to annual reviews. In the same manner, keeping WACC (4.59%) constant over 5-year planning horizon is not rational in practice, because the firms capital structure will change over time. Last but not least, the assumptions of sales growth and other key variables depend on each analysts subjective viewpoint. Changing these values by a small percentage might result in considerable change in eventual intrinsic value. 3.5 Sensitivity Analysis The sensitivity analysis performance indicates that SSEs underlying value is highly sensitive to changes operating profit margin. A positive adjustment of 2% made towards the operating margin will result in a substantial increase of 86% in the firms equity value (see Appendix 6). It is worth remembering that SSE is committed to preserve low operating costs so as to gain a fair profit. According to SSE (2015b), the firm has participated in a value program to ensure effective use of people and capital, the overall objective of which is business streamlining and simplification. This program comes with efficiency target, with expected  £100m of annual savings in overheads. In addition, the program involves reduction in offshore wind development as well as disposal of non-core assets. In general, this value scheme is likely to help SSE optimize its investment and re-balance its business. Moreover, it is noticeable that the firms intrinsic value is susceptible to changes in WACC. An adjustment of +2% in the WACC will lead to approximately 50% reduction in the firms equity value (see Appendix 6). According to Fitch Ratings (2016), SSEs equity has been diminishing recently due to the influence of sustained asset impairment losses and generous dividend pay-outs. In agreement with Pecking Order Theory, debt takes priority over equity in case external finance is required (Donaldson, 1961). Because SSEs cost of debt (3.73%) is lower than cost of equity (5.32%), it is appropriate for SSE to obtain  more bank loans to finance its long-term operations, while still making sure cost of capital is kept to a minimum. Particularly Fitch Ratings (2016) claims that SSE has a policy of accessing debt markets, ensuring that its committed borrowings equal to at least 105% of forecast borrowings over a six-monthly rolling period and adequate liquidity will be fulfilled until at least S eptember 2017. 4.1 Background information In the end of July 2014, SSE completed the acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group Topco Limited (ESG), the North west-based provider of energy management services, from Bridgepoint Development Capital for  £66m with an additional  £6m if agreed targets are achieved. Working with private and public sector customers, ESG identify improvements in their management of energy consumption; as well as install, maintain and support building management systems and solutions, saving customers around 20% to 30% of their energy consumption (SSE, 2014). 4.2 Evaluation of the issue in the context of finance theories This acquisition is classified into vertical MA (Mergers and Acquisitions). According to Arnold (2013), vertical MA occur between companies operating in the same industry at different stages of production, i.e. one company acquires another company that is either before or after it in the supply chain process. In case of SSEs acquisition, both SSE and ESG work in the energy industry. SSE involves in all many stages of energy supply chain including wholesale, networks (distribution) and retail; meanwhile ESG engages in the retail business where it is the designer and provider of energy management solutions. Therefore, SSEs acquiring ESG would be a downstream vertical acquisition. So, what is SSEs motivation behind this acquisition? Vertical integration has some advantages, including the attraction of increased certainty of supply or market outlet; reducing cost of search, contracting, payment collection, advertising, communication and co-ordination of production (Arnold, 2013). SSE (2014) states that the acquisition of ESG will strengthen SSEs services in competitive markets for industrial and commercial customers. These services are comprised of electrical and mechanical contracting, lighting services, private energy networks and telecoms, all of which are under the control of Enterprise division which forms part of SSEs retail business. According to Arnold (2013), one of the merger and acquisition motives is synergy in which the two firms together are worth more than the value of the firms apart; hence in this case, ESG will bring commercial synergies to SSEs Enterprise division. SSEs Chief Executive Alistair emphasized that managing energy costs and environmental impact are SSEs big priority for large industrial and commercial customers. Benefiting from ESGs expertise, SSE expects to meet the energy and related demands of these customers in an enhanced manner. It was confirmed that the ESGs existing management team would be in charge of the Enterprise division, and the firm believed that the commitment of the ESG management team and other employees will benefit its customers and the environment in terms of effective energy management solutions delivery. SSEs acquisition of ESG is considered a strategic acquisition in order to achieve external growth. There are two ways to categorize strategic acquisitions: by type of capability transferred and by their relation to corporate strategy (Goold Luchs, 1995). Regarding capability transfer, SSE (2015a) asserts that the acquisition of ESG added new capabilities to the business. (Goold Luchs, 1995) claims that value is created in an acquisition when competitive advantage of one firm is enhanced through the transfer of strategic capabilities including resource sharing, functional skill transfer and management skill transfer. The presence of ESG management team in SSEs Enterprise division will upgrade SSEs capability of strategic planning, ensuring that effective energy management solutions are delivered for the sake of customers. Generally, SSE is expected to benefit from management skill transferred from ESG. Another way to categorize strategic acquisitions is based on their contribution to corporate-level strategy. In other words, acquisitions are assessed considering their connections in maintaining and changing the balance between the firms existing domain and the renewal of its capabilities (Goold Luchs, 1995). An acquisitions contributions are classified into either domain strengthening, domain extension or domain exploration. In light of SSEs acquiring ESG, this would be an illustration of domain strengthening because this acquisition will deepen SSEs presence in retail business, especially reinforcing Enterprise divisions operation. Next, it is essential to see what happened with SSE stock price after the firm made announcement about the acquisition of ESG. Theoretically, when a firm acquires another one, a short-term impact on the stock price of both companies is expected. Specifically, a lot of practical studies point out that the acquiring firms stock price will go down while the acquired entitys stock price will rise (Investopedia, 2016a). With respect to the takeover company, its stock will go down mainly because of a number of uncertainties associated with the acquisition, such as turbulent integration process, lost productivity, additional debt or expense incurred and accounting issues (Investopedia, 2016a). Figure 6 demonstrates SSEs stock prices after the acquisition of ESG was disclosed. Figure 6: SSEs stock price movements after acquisition of ESG (Source: Hargreaves Lansdown, 2014) As can be seen from the above figure, SSEs stock prices witnessed decreases in two consecutive days after the acquisition and this conformed with the empirical studies implication m

Michael Jackson :: essays research papers

Michael Jackson is one of my favorite singers. He is very famous, so most of all people in the world know him, at least his name. I began to listen to his songs because I was recommended them by my friend, and I was really attracted by them. I have two reasons why I like him. One of my reasons is that I like his voice and performance as well as his songs, as both "Michael Jackson" and "Jackson Five". Michael Jackson sings songs very well in his particular high-pitched tone as it can be proved by the big hits of his songs, for example, "THRILLER", " BILLIE JEAN" and "MOTOWN 25" etc, and by the many prizes he got, for instance, the first prize of male pop vocalists, of records and of R&B singers on Grammy in 1984. Besides, he entertains us with his sharp dance great performance like " moonwalk". When I listen to his songs in the morning before I go out, I can feel cheerful and powerful. I am a fan of Jackson Five as well. Before he began to sing by himself, he was the main vocalist of Jackson Five. When Michael was eleven years old, their first single CD, "I Want You Back", was released, and it was a very big hit all over the world. Michael was still little and cute, but his voice was very vigorous and rhythmical. His songs make me happy and energetic. Another reasons why I like him is that I am interested in his behaviors. There are always some topics around him. For example, he was under suspicion he treated a little boy cruelly, who was ten years old and Michael's best friend. Michael insisted on his innocence, but he paid 26 million dollars for reconciliation finally. Though he asserted he paid just to settle the commotion, people said he admitted he was guilty. Moreover, it is said that Michael has the longing to be a white, though he said in a TV program he suffered from the disease that pigment in his skin decolorized. When I saw these news, I considered the problems about child-abuse and human race. How does child-abuse hurt the child's heart? His or her hurt will not disappear forever. Which human race is inferior or superior?

Reflections on the Analytic/Continental Divide Essay -- Research Essay

Reflections on the Analytic/Continental Divide My friends in the English department often ask me to explain the difference I so often talk about between analytic and continental philosophy. For some odd reason they want to relate our discipline with theirs in an effort, maybe, to understand both better. Thus, I welcome the opportunity offered by Schuylkill's general theme this year to give a very general and un-rigorous presentation on Philosophy, intended for the University Community at large. One fine, if annoying, tradition in philosophy is that of hedging our bets. It's the fine art of being slippery. And we actually think it's motivated by a wish to be exacting. Accordingly, I should begin such a paper by saying that neither analytic nor continental philosophy are truly cohesive, unified, groups; much which seems inconsistent flows under their banner, as does much disagreement. However, today, few groups of any merit are cohesive and unified, if they ever were. Even science isn't unified any more. So much for fine print bordering on the platitudinous. This paper has four sections. The first section places analytic and continental philosophy within a historical tradition, specifically in relation to Kant. The second details analytic philosophy, particularly with relation to 'the linguistic turn' and 'ordinary language' philosophy. The third juxtaposes what I take to be a continental response in terms of Heidegger's view of language and Foucault's view of power/knowledge, and shows some of the disrepute in which these are held. The last reviews some recent journal articles on the subject, and delivers a summation and prognosis. I. You all know about the Pre-Socratics, of which I think fondly of Heraclitus, so o... ...of Pure Reason. Trans. Norman Kemp Smith. New York: St. Martins, 1965. Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals. Trans. James W. Ellington. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1977. Margolis, Joseph. Historied Thought Constructed World. Berkeley: U of California P, 1995. "A Biopsy of Recent Analytic Philosophy." The Philosophical Forum XXVI.3 (1995): 161-188. McDowell, John. Mind and World. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1994. Norris, Christopher. "Doubting Castle or the Slough of Despond: Davidson and Schiffer on the Limits of Analysis." The Review of Metaphysics 50 (December 1996): 351-82. Quine, Willard Van Orman. "Two Dogmas of Empiricism". The Philosophy of Language. Ed. A.P. Martinich. New York: Oxford UP, 1996. 39-60. Schlick, Morris. "The Turning Point in Philosophy." Logical Positivism. Ed. A. J. Ayer. New York: Free, 1959. qtd. in Follesdal (200).

A View From the Bridge - Arthur Miller :: English Literature

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE We have been studying 'A view from the Bridge' which has been written by Arthur Miller. This is the story of Eddie Carbone who is an Italian American who lives with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine, When Beatrice's cousins Marco and Rodolpho, seek refuge as illegal immigrants from Sicily, Eddie agrees to give them shelter. Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho, which creates trouble. Eddie's jealousy culminates in an unforgivable crime against his family and the Italian community. In this scene I will analyse how Eddie tries to complain to Marco about Rodolpho going out and coming home late at night with Catherine. Eddie is jealous and he thinks that Rodolpho is trying to make a move on his beloved niece Catherine. While Beatrice was trying to stand up for Catherine, Eddie tries to make a point to Marco about not letting Rodolpho to go out a lot, especially with Catherine. While Eddie is reading his paper, Catherine gets up, puts the record on the phonograph and asks Rodolpho to dance. As Catherine, asks Rodolpho to dance, Eddie freezes and with respect towards Eddie Rodolpho does not accept the dance. Beatrice persuades Rodolpho to go a head. Rodolpho rises stiffely, feeling Eddie's eyes on his back and they dance. Marco then tells everyone that, that Rodolpho can cook. Eddie gets surprised. Then Eddie asks Marco and Rodolpho if they want to go and see a real fight. Catherine goes to make coffee. Eddie then insists Rodolpho to learn a boxing move from him. But then Eddie crosses the limit by punching Rodolpho on the face. Marco gets up and Catherine rushes in to see what had happen. Marco gets angry and then performs the chair lifting towards Eddie. We learn a lot about the characters in this scene. In this scene they show a lot of tension. We learn a lot about Immigrants, how they have to stay out of sight, the difference between legal and illegal immigrants, we also learn about Eddie's jealousy, Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship, Beatrice's support and Marco's chair lifting scene. Eddie shows us that he is a family man about when he is always supporting the family by earning the money, selfish about Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship as if he wanted to be the only man in Catherine's life and over protective for Catherine. Catherine is a kind, young and modern girl of her generation. Beatrice is a kind, caring and supportive person towards Catherine and Eddie, Marco is a family man, sensible and determined to earn a living in America and to earn money for his family back in Sicily and as for Rodolpho, he is A View From the Bridge - Arthur Miller :: English Literature A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE We have been studying 'A view from the Bridge' which has been written by Arthur Miller. This is the story of Eddie Carbone who is an Italian American who lives with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine, When Beatrice's cousins Marco and Rodolpho, seek refuge as illegal immigrants from Sicily, Eddie agrees to give them shelter. Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho, which creates trouble. Eddie's jealousy culminates in an unforgivable crime against his family and the Italian community. In this scene I will analyse how Eddie tries to complain to Marco about Rodolpho going out and coming home late at night with Catherine. Eddie is jealous and he thinks that Rodolpho is trying to make a move on his beloved niece Catherine. While Beatrice was trying to stand up for Catherine, Eddie tries to make a point to Marco about not letting Rodolpho to go out a lot, especially with Catherine. While Eddie is reading his paper, Catherine gets up, puts the record on the phonograph and asks Rodolpho to dance. As Catherine, asks Rodolpho to dance, Eddie freezes and with respect towards Eddie Rodolpho does not accept the dance. Beatrice persuades Rodolpho to go a head. Rodolpho rises stiffely, feeling Eddie's eyes on his back and they dance. Marco then tells everyone that, that Rodolpho can cook. Eddie gets surprised. Then Eddie asks Marco and Rodolpho if they want to go and see a real fight. Catherine goes to make coffee. Eddie then insists Rodolpho to learn a boxing move from him. But then Eddie crosses the limit by punching Rodolpho on the face. Marco gets up and Catherine rushes in to see what had happen. Marco gets angry and then performs the chair lifting towards Eddie. We learn a lot about the characters in this scene. In this scene they show a lot of tension. We learn a lot about Immigrants, how they have to stay out of sight, the difference between legal and illegal immigrants, we also learn about Eddie's jealousy, Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship, Beatrice's support and Marco's chair lifting scene. Eddie shows us that he is a family man about when he is always supporting the family by earning the money, selfish about Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship as if he wanted to be the only man in Catherine's life and over protective for Catherine. Catherine is a kind, young and modern girl of her generation. Beatrice is a kind, caring and supportive person towards Catherine and Eddie, Marco is a family man, sensible and determined to earn a living in America and to earn money for his family back in Sicily and as for Rodolpho, he is

HITECH visual and psychological method Essay

We may look at Ads as an informative tool with critical judgement. The ads give misleading impression on people basically through the words used or through the verbal message conveyed by an established public person addressing the audience to provoke the feelings for getting the result as claimed by the Ad quickly . Latter method is to (mis)use the stardom value of the person on the screen. For example Amitabh Bachchan speaking good of some cold drink. Its good that he stopped it subsequently may be because he understood responsibility of his stardom. Good of him. But this speaks of misleading effect an ad can create on the minds of people who are easily carried away by the appeal of their favorite star. It will be a good idea if some wise and responsibly feeling stars come forward for the cause of consumers! And also the consumers get educated against the HITECH visual and psychological methods used by the Ads. Misleading Advertisements There are many advertisements that always overstate the products’ effectiveness in our daily life. One of the most notable example is weight-reducing advertisement. In addition, the height-adding and health-improving advertisements are also good examples of misleading advertisements. People can see many different kinds of weight-reducing advertisements on cable television programs, and these advertisements are always broadcast all day. They will have many consumers tell audience their personal experiences, and their amazement at the strong effectiveness of this weight-reducing product. Furthermore, the average weight the consumers lose may be almost five to eight kilograms a month. These users will also tell audience that this weight-reducing product makes their face glowing with health because this product makes their chronic excrement smoothly and completely out of their bodies. However, the best way to reduce weight is to do more exercise and eat less food of high calorie, so I don’t think using weight-reducing products is a good way to lose weight, and these kinds of products may have side effects that will hurt people’s bodies. Height-adding advertisements are also a good example of misleading advertisements. These kinds of advertisements always have a doctor explain the principle of adding height; then, a short user will appear and asks that doctor to help him. After one week, that short user will show up, and he would become taller by about three centimeters, and the user will have more confidence in themselves than before. One month later, the user will become almost another person because his/her height will increase about ten centimeters. Also, the user would tell audience that his/her interpersonal relation becomes better than before, and makes more friends of the opposite sex. However, people’s height will not increase so dramatically, especially after the growth period, so height-adding product advertisements are really misleading. Health-improving advertisements are always broadcast on TV programs, and in this kind of advertisement there will be a linkman, an expert, and many users. The expert will do an experiment of healthy food, and tell the audience that this kind of healthy food is more effective than others. Then, a user will appear and tell the audience that he/she had cancer before, but since he/she used this product for one year, the cancer magically disappeared. Moreover, he/she will tell the audience that his/her weak body turns to be a strong one. However, if people want a healthy body, they have to keep their daily life regular and have a balanced diet. These three kinds of misleading advertisements are easily seen in our daily life, and most people will believe their effectiveness. This kind of concept is very dangerous because if the product has poisonous substance, it will hurt people’s body severely. Therefore, people should test these three kinds of products before using them. These products may have side effects or people will lose their health without getting the effectiveness that the advertisements state.