Viruses Essays (362 words) - Virology, Biology, Microbiology, Virus

Infections Infections share a few attributes with cells; anyway do not have the characteristics of living beings. Infections are basic organized creatures; they just have four structures that make them. They aren't viewed as living beings because of a few reasons, for example, multiplication and vitality fueled. They are frequently mixed up to be cells, anyway they are littler and recreate within cells. Infections are a lot littler than microorganisms and are skilled to contaminate a wide range of living beings. Infections have four structures; the lipid envelope, capsid, hereditary material, and the protein coat. The Lipid envelope is gotten from the host cell film and assume jobs in viral disease and infection connection to cells. The following part of the structure is the capsid; it is produced using proteins, and is encoded by the viral genome which incases the nucleic corrosive of the infection. The third structure of an infection is the hereditary material which is made of DNA or RNA, never both; it conveys the hereditary data which decides the sythesis of the living being. The last structure of an infection is the protein coat which appends the infection to a cell. Infections aren't fit for imitating outside of a cell in this way they don't meet the rules of life and aren't to be viewed as living. Infections are little irresistible specialists that are just ready to imitate inside the living cells. They don't have their own natural hardware to reproduce and doesn't duplicate through cell division. They likewise don't contain a digestion subsequently don't run on vitality like living creatures. They simply skim around until they locate a solid cell to append to and contaminate. They additionally can't control its temperature itself. In spite of the fact that infections have an essential structure they are equipped for contaminating a wide range of living beings and can cause genuine harm. There is an obscured line among living and non-living in spite of the fact that there are numerous acceptable quality components which make it non-living. Without a host infections wouldn't have the option to copy and taint creatures. Infections are constantly confused with cells however never for microorganisms, since they are a lot littler and require a living host to endure not at all like microscopic organisms.

Business Law Commercial and Corporations

Question: Talk about the contextual analysis Business Law for Commercial and Corporations. Answer: Presentation: Issue emerges since Jane had made a guarantee to supply her vehicle to Jack liberated from cost. The market cost of this vehicle here for this situation, Lotus Super 7 Sports vehicle was $25,000. In any case, to frame an understanding, two essential components are required for example a legitimate offer/guarantee made by offeror/promisor and a substantial acknowledgment/affirmation made by offeree/promisee. These two essential components are adequate to sanction a legitimate understanding. In any case, according to the arrangement of agreement law, any understanding can be named as enforceable understanding, when there is a nearness of substantial thought. This component is basic since this can impact the gathering to finish the guarantee according to the thought sum (Latimer, 2005). Thought can likewise be communicated in named of a trade of something. It tends to be any item, cash or another guarantee. This component is unmistakable as far as lawful power. On the off chance that thought is absent in a specific case, at that point the gatherings can't guarantee in court on the grounds that no lawful enforceable understanding can be sanctioned without substantial thought between the gatherings. This kind of guarantee is named as unwarranted guarantee. Unnecessary guarantees can't be held lawfully legitimate in light of the fact that it is having absence of thought (Harvey, 2009). For this situation these are a few realities which can choose whether the understanding is enforceable for promisee Jack. Jane, the promisor was traveling to another country subsequently, offered her Lotus vehicle to Jack. She didn't get any thought from Jack as for vehicle. Jack, the promisee affirmed to take the vehicle from Jane with no different terms and conditions. Accordingly, Jane and Jack both the gatherings had not talked about nay thought sum, while both the gatherings understood that the Lotus vehicle was having a sizable incentive in the market, still they didn't make reference to a specific incentive for the vehicle. Thus, no thought is available in this circumstance and the idea of the guarantee become needless guarantee and subsequently, no enforceable understanding for Jack. The basic issue emerges for this situation, when the offeror Jane had vowed to offer her Lotus vehicle to Jack in the cost of $ 25,000. The market cost of same kind of vehicle like Lotus vehicle was $25,000. When as the law any understanding is enforceable, at that point it called substantial understanding (enforceable). There are sure necessities that must be met so as to frame a legitimate agreement (Gibson Fraser, 2014). Nearness of substantial understanding, which incorporates a legal offer and legal acknowledgment Goal of both the gatherings to tie into the authoritative connection Thought, likewise named as advantages that must be given from both the gathering in trade of every others guarantee Thought sum must be lawful according to the agreement law, any unlawful item or sum which can be utilized for unscrupulous or crime, can't be considered as lawful thought As indicated by the decision of Re McArdle(1951) Ch 669, past thought can't be at risk to sanction any current agreement Agreement law, hosts gave the opportunity to the gatherings to expand the thought with the sound psyche and ability Lawful limit of the gatherings to establish into the understanding Concurrences to the understanding must be determined and certified The article or guarantee must be under in opposition to law Jane had just referenced the thought measure of $25,000 to Jack in the trading of her Lotus vehicle. Jack acknowledged the offer and consented to pay $ 25,000 in the trading of Lotus vehicle. This shows both the gatherings were associated with the understanding readily. Thus, the present of legitimate offer, acknowledgment and substantial thought esteem settled on the understanding enforceable. This case fulfilled the essential necessities according to the custom-based law. In this way, Jack has an enforceable understanding. Jane had made a guarantee to give her Lotus vehicle to Jack in the cost of $ 2,500. Jack had acknowledged this proposal from Jane and prepared to buy the Lotus vehicle in $ 2,500. Be that as it may, the vehicle cost was around $ 25,000 in the market. In such circumstances, when the gatherings have chosen an alternate thought an incentive from the progressing market esteem then the sufficiency of thought rule should be remembered. This expresses the nearness of thought sum is basic, independent of its ampleness or equity with the real sum (Taylor, 2015). In the current case, when Jane had offered a lot of lower thought sum than the genuine measure of the vehicle, at that point the standard of ampleness of thought is appropriate according to the agreement law. This guideline tells that the nearness of the substantial thought is sufficient to order an enforceable understanding for offer, other than the ampleness of the thought. This law additionally gives the explanation that the thought must have a genuine worth or a word in return of the guarantee (Lindgren, 2011). It tends to be seen that even a solitary dollar can be functioned as a legitimate thought for a huge house which has a market worth of millions. Larger part of the cases the ampleness of the thought isn't required. In any case, the sufficiency of the thought esteem is become basic component, when there is a nearness of the unconscionable lead between the gatherings, on the grounds that both offeror and offeree treated to be equivalent (Pathinayake, 2014). In this way, as per the guideline of sufficiency of the thought, an enforceable understanding is authoritative on Jane as the thought measure of $ 2,500 was chosen by her just for the vehicle. Issue The essential point in the given case is to opine on the odds of achievement of the purchaser concerning recuperating the $ 3million installment made to the shipbuilder which was acquired affected by danger. Law Agreement execution requires a plenty of conditions to be satisfied. The most basic condition in such manner is the nearness of acknowledgment which is willful in nature. A deliberate acknowledgment is one where all the gatherings that are a piece of the agreement give their assent with through and through freedom to be bound in a legally binding connection. Any agreement or understanding wherein assent is constrained would not stand the trial of law and might be pronounced void because of at least one gatherings trying to pull a fast one (Harvey, 2009). Now and again, post execution of agreement, certain progressions might be required to be carried yet it ought to be finished with the assent of the considerable number of gatherings that ordered the genuine agreement set up. Ordinarily, for a gathering to concur for a change there must be some motivator as steady thought. On the off chance that, the agreement corrections are negative to the enthusiasm of a specific gathering at that point assent would not be given except if some remuneration is given. In such cases, alterations can't be passed through one-sided moves or assent of one of the gatherings (Pendleton Vickery, 2005). A circumstance where danger is utilized for guaranteeing agree to a specific condition is alluded to as coercion. Agreement executed through pressure are automatic understandings and in this manner the wronged party can announce such authoritative connections as void (Taylor, 2015). This likewise stretches out after the releasing of authoritative commitments and such cases are normal where in wake of misfortune caused to the distressed party by conforming to an inappropriate requests, harms might be guaranteed through legitimate methods. In such cases, the basic angle that the offended party needs to build up is that the interest by respondent was outlandish and just consented to because of danger propagated by the litigant (Paterson, Robertson Duke, 2015). In the official courtroom, at first just physical coercion was considered which normally includes the utilization of savagery or physical power as a component of sustaining danger. Be that as it may, in the ongoing occasions, the extension has been extended and furthermore incorporates situations where the better monetary position is maltreatment than sustain danger for making legally binding connections. So as to demonstrate that the offended party has to be sure been dependent upon monetary pressure, the accompanying focuses should be set up (Lindgren, 2011). Conduct by the respondent incited by dishonesty to use the prevalent position and consequently presenting danger for offended party. Because of danger, the decisions accessible with the offended party become tight and there is one balanced decision which is to agree to the condition required by the litigant. This constrained consent to go along viably ties the two gatherings into legally binding relationship. From the abovementioned, the components to identify the nearness of monetary pressure and the rights accessible to the offended party are set up. In any case, another critical perspective in such manner is timing when the offended party really moves toward the court for help. In such manner, it is essential that the offended party should profit lawful assistance for recouping harms inside the sensible time. The term sensible time doesn't have a target definition and basically originates from the fundamental conditions and is to be chosen by the official courtroom (Gibson Fraser, 2014). The choice of the North Ocean Shipping v Hyundai Construction (The Atlantic Baron)[1979] QB 705 case stands declaration to the above viewpoint. In the given case, there was abundant proof concerning the presence of financial coercion and the assent of the offended party being taken through the use of danger. In any case, regardless of that, the offended party was not fruitful in recuperating the abundance installments made under danger from the litigant. This is on the grounds that the offended party moved toward the court simply following eight months had passed since the release of legally binding commitments and this the court administered doesn't fall inside the ambit of sensible time. The abundance delay added up to agreement acknowledgment being given by the offended party consequently offering option to hold the agreement void (Harvey, 2009). Application North Ocean Tankers executes an agreement with a shipbuilder for big hauler development. Be that as it may, during the development per

How to Boost Your Intelligence with Intelligence Games

How to Boost Your Intelligence with Intelligence Games Intelligence, they say, is something that all humans are born with. However, there are very persuasive arguments against the claim that all humans are born equal in terms of intelligence. If that were the case, then we’d likely see everyone sharing the same IQ, or intelligence quotient, level.There are several elements or factors identified that explain the differences in people’s intelligence levels. Some point out genetics, where the offspring of two individuals with superior or above average intelligence is most likely to have the same, or even more superior, level of intelligence than that of his parents. There are schools of thought that say it is also influenced by the type of learning and development that we go through. Perhaps one of the most persuasive arguments that back up the claim about people having varying levels of intelligence has something to do with intelligence being shaped greatly by genetics and the environment. This is the concept of “nature and nurture”.NURTURING INTELLIGENCEBy definition, intelligence refers to one’s capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and other similar forms of mental activity. It describes your ability to learn, understand, and process information, and even how you deal with new and even unfamiliar situations.Some might say that intelligence also pertains on how you acquire knowledge but, in essence, how you apply that knowledge you have acquired is actually the part that fits the definition of intelligence.Ask psychologists what intelligence is, and they’d probably launch into a long and seemingly complex discussion about your general cognitive problem-solving skills, followed by an even lengthier discussion on the several types or component s of human intelligence. But that topic is for another day. For now, our focus is on intelligence as a human cognitive potential, and how it can be boosted or maximized.We mentioned about intelligence being based on both nature AND nurture. The “nature” aspect holds that intelligence has a hereditary angle to it. Yes, it is inherited, and it is present in the natural genetic make-up of our bodies from the time we were conceived. However, the moment we are born, we start to interact with the outside world, and the numerous external factors on it. This is where the “nurture” part comes in.Nurture takes into account how environmental influences â€" whether biological or socio-cultural â€" can shape and mold intelligence. Our intelligence levels are affected by our exposure to other people, to various circumstances, access to and availability of various resources and opportunities, and every single effort we consciously put into harnessing our intelligence.What does this mean? B asically it is telling us that, even if you were born way “behind” other people in terms of your inherent intelligence, you can definitely “catch up” and probably even surpass them through nurturing your intelligence. We may not have been born equally intelligent, but we can do something to actually make it so.Now, how can we “nurture” intelligence? You can probably come up with a long list of the things that you can do in order to maximize your cognitive potential and boost your intelligence. Go to school. Challenge yourself with new learning experiences. Constantly seeking knowledge.But did you know that playing games has also been touted as one of the ways that can help boost your intelligence?Yes, you read that right. Playing games can help you become more intelligent. But here’s the catch: to get the best results out of “playing”, you have to choose the games that you play. For your aim, which is to increase your intelligence level, we suggest you focus on pla ying intelligence games.WHAT ARE INTELLIGENCE GAMES?Brain teasers. Puzzles. Riddles. Logic quizzes and exercises.You’ve probably heard of some, or all, of these before. You’ve probably even played them at least once in your life. You may not know it, but you may even play them on a regular basis.These, my friends, are just some of the known forms or types of intelligence games. In fact, it is even safe to say that intelligence games include problem-solving exercises ‘in disguise’, meaning they are brain and mental exercises designed in the guise of entertaining you and letting you have fun in the process. Pretty smart, eh?Playing intelligence games is seen as one of the more creative ways of boosting your cognitive potential. If you play them often (and properly, too) enough, you’d be able to enhance your intelligence levels.To put it simply, intelligence games are those games that “exercise the brain” and, through that “exercise”, improve your intelligence.You’v e heard of strategy games instrumental in improving one’s strategic thinking. It is that same principle that applies when it comes to intelligence games. The big question is this: how do these intelligence games work in giving your intelligence a boost?INTELLIGENCE GAMES AND YOUR IQSo we have established that there is a connection between playing games and your intelligence. What connection is that? How, exactly, can games help boost your intelligence?Before we dive straight into that, it is important to recognize the distinction between crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence, the two types of intelligence identified by psychologist Raymond Cattell.Fluid intelligence is the ability to solve new problems and deal with new situations through the use of logic. Your ability to identify patterns and establish trends falls under this category. Cattell calls this your street smarts, so if you are someone who can navigate well using a map, or can easily familiarize yourself with a subway or transport system after just one or two uses, then you have high fluid intelligence.Crystallized intelligence, on the other hand, is your ability to use the knowledge you have learned and the experiences you have gone through. This usually takes a length of time: you acquire knowledge, and with continuous application, you become adept or good at it, until it stabilizes or “crystallizes”. The knowledge you learned in school, and its application outside of school and later on in life, is a good example of crystallized intelligence.Playing intelligence games helps in boosting both types of intelligence. They help boost your problem-solving abilities (fluid) as well as how you learn and improve along the way (crystallized).Quizzes are undoubtedly the most straightforward form of brain games. Questions are asked, and you’d have to answer them correctly. But there are other forms or types of intelligence games that you can give a try.Puzzles and RiddlesPuzzles and riddle s are mostly logic-driven, meaning you have to draw on your logical well in order to solve them. Mazes, for example, may seem too elementary, but they can actually provide quite the exercise for the brain.Riddles and trick questions also encourage you to think deeper and also strategize. Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are good examples of puzzles.Memory GamesA huge part of your brain power has something to do with your memory, and there are a lot of intelligence games developed around this concept.For example, you must have played matching games before. You’ll look at several pairs of images arranged randomly, and you’ll have to use your memory to match the images with their correct pairs.There are also those types of games where the player will get one chance to take a look at several items, images, or shapes for a limited amount of time. When time’s up, the images are hidden, and the player will recall where they were located. Or the player will be asked to arrange the images in correct sequence based on his memory alone.In a study where University of Michigan’s Dr. Susanne Jaggi Dual N-Back to boost memory power, it was revealed that players who regularly played the game for at least 25 minutes every day saw a 4-point increase in their IQ score.Word GamesDid you notice how some people are more gifted when it comes to word knowledge and vocabulary? It’s not just because they are read a lot, because it is also possible that they get to expand their word arsenal and vocabulary through playing word games. You’ll be surprised at the number of new words you will encounter for the first time if you are playing a word game.Perhaps the most popular word game that is known to improve brain power is Scrabble. Other familiar games in this grouping include Word Search, Vocabulary games also fall under this category, and the prime example is the crossword puzzle.Video GamesSurprised to see this category among this list of types of intelligence games? Don’t be . Despite many arguments on the contrary, playing video games can actually be educational for kids and adults alike. Video games do have cognitive benefits, improving an individual’s basic mental abilities, such as concentration, perception, memory, and problem-solving.Video games are likely to be included under the intelligence games category if their gameplays are designed to solicit keen attention from the players, and require them to employ strategy and quick-thinking.HOW INTELLIGENCE GAMES CAN BOOST YOUR IQThe benefits of playing intelligence games, as enumerated and discussed below, will contribute in the development and enhancement of your cognitive abilities and skills. Let’s get into the “how” of it.1. Enhanced Visual AwarenessObservation is, arguably, one of the first ways for a person to acquire information and knowledge. Playing intelligence games â€" or games, in general â€" boosts one’s power of observation and, in the process, improves his visual awareness.V isual acuity is vastly improved, so he is likely to be able to notice even the smallest detail. This improved vision will come in handy when it comes to even the most basic thinking processes.In the research conducted by Eichenbaum, Bavelier and Green making use of action video games, the first cognitive benefit is the improvement in an individual’s basic visual processes, specifically contrast sensitivity, or the ability to distinguish even the most subtle differences in shades of the color gray.2. Enhanced Levels of AttentionIn the case of action video games that require vigilance of players and often necessitate split-second decisions to be made, one of the biggest benefits is enhanced spatial attention.Even in the midst of a chaotic scene in a video game, you will be able to locate your target and keep track of it if it is in motion. You can train yourself to be more focused by playing an intelligence game that specifically aims at improving focus.There was even a study where children with dyslexia showed vast improvement when they were made to play video games for at least 12 hours. This was credited to how the game commanded the visual attention of the subjects.3. Enhanced Control and FlexibilityBeing impulsive, especially in making decisions, is hardly what anyone would call an “intelligent” move. For example, playing video games will make you more visually adept, but you will also be more rational when deciding how to respond to the visual stimulus. Impulsiveness is reduced, and this will facilitate better decision-making.Multi-tasking is another skill trained by intelligence games. This is most clearly demonstrated in the case of video games, where your attention is divided among controlling a joystick or a console, the action happening on the screen, and the commands that must be executed. The ability to multi-task is primarily spurred by the development of long-term focus, thanks to intelligence games.If you are in control, you also become mor e flexible. Mental flexibility is enhanced, so you are able to switch between and among conflicting and demanding tasks.4. Improved MemoryMemory games are excellent for training â€" what else? â€" memory. Granted, it is mostly the short-term memory that is trained in matching games, for example, but in the long run this makes your memory sharper and definitely more receptive to further training.Thanks to memory games, you’ll be more able to retain more information in a short period of time.5. Enhanced Analytical SkillsIt’s a no-brainer, really. If you have enhanced focus and concentration, and your memory is sharp so you can be more efficient when you multi-task, then you’re in the best position to perform analysis and other thinking processes.Decision-making also becomes faster, since you are able to process information faster, and you can use logic and reasoning more effectively.6. Enhanced General KnowledgePuzzles, quizzes and riddles can be founts of new and general inform ation, which you can tuck away for future reference. Aside from that, puzzles are excellent ways to boost your vocabulary as well as improving your spelling and logic skills.Take crossword puzzles and codewords, for example. These intelligence games are a source of various bits of information, and can add to what you already know.TIPS ON MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF INTELLIGENCE GAMESNow you might be thinking along these lines: “I just spent the past several days playing every intelligence game I could find. That should be enough to give me a higher IQ on my next IQ test”. Or “I should just forget about reading my lessons or going to the library to the study, since I can raise my intelligence just be playing intelligence games”.Well, there’s playing, and there is playing. Yes, it is also highly possible to play all intelligence games known to man and still find yourself dissatisfied with your level of cognitive potential the next time you tried to measure your intelligence. There is no 100% guarantee that solely playing intelligence games will boost your IQ or, even if it did raise it, there is no absolute certainty that that high level will be sustained.It still needs a lot of work and effort. Here, let’s go over some tips that will allow you to maximize the intelligence-boosting of these types of games.Train your brain often.Or, at least, as regularly as you can, or as the circumstances allow. Practice, after all, makes perfect. Even the most skilled person can be rusty at something if he does not get to train or apply it on a regular basis.What does this mean? It simply means that you should play intelligence games as often as you can. Make it a point to exercise your brain with these games as a way of giving your intelligence a regular training or workout.If you have a busy schedule every day at work or at school, allotting several minutes during your break time, or after dinner, or before going to bed, will be a good start. Some may even choose to start their day with it. Sit down with a cup of coffee and the day’s paper, and try to answer the daily crossword.A game of Sudoku after lunch is also a good way to avoid the effects of post-lunch food coma and ward off sleepiness during siesta hours, as some Latin countries call it. Challenge yourself.Sometimes, complacency can be your downfall. You become too comfortable that you no longer feel inclined to put effort into something. So you scored really high on the latest IQ test you took; does that mean you’re going to be contented with that result? You already scored high, so there is no longer a point to learning or trying to boost your intelligence.Well, keep in mind that intelligence levels are not constant. Just as it can be improved, it can also deteriorate, especially if you leave your brain in a stagnant state. If you’re smart, you’d find ways to further challenge yourself. You won’t stop looking for tougher hurdles to cross. As a simple example, let us say t hat you have a big book of crossword puzzles. You went through all the EASY ones.The next logical step would be to work through all the puzzles rated with MEDIUM difficulty. Once you’re done, challenge yourself further by going for the HARD or DIFFICULT crossword puzzles.Go to the next level when you could. There will come a point where you’d master crossword puzzles. What should you do next? Find another game more challenging than crossword.Choose the games that you play.Sometimes, it’s not just about how you play; it’s also about what you play. There are intelligence games that are worth your while, while there are some that… well, aren’t.Depending on your level of intelligence, you might find some games to be boring or not challenging enough. That’s fine; it simply means you should look for more challenging ones.That’s why there is a need to be picky with how you choose the intelligence games that you will play.Seek novelty. There are games that have so many simil arities that they start to feel the same. This results to monotony, and you’ll be stuck with the same strategies and gameplay responses for every intelligence game you play. The great thing about the internet being there as a source of intelligence games is the wide variety on offer. Game developers seem to be creating new games every day, using various platforms, and this is definitely to the advantage of game lovers everywhere.Pay attention to the level of difficulty. Trust me, you will be bored if you are used to solving HARD crossword puzzles then you move on to solving the EASY level ones. Choose the intelligence games that will pose a challenge for you. The more challenging it is, the more motivated you will be in playing.Take advantage of technology. Again, this is related to the role the internet played with respect to how people now play games. Brain exercises and games can now be found on different platforms and compatible with various devices, allowing you more flexibil ity. You can even play these logic and intelligence games for free. That means you can play anywhere at any time, as long as you have the proper device and you also have connectivity.Socialize through the intelligence games.A huge contributing factor to one’s intelligence is interaction. Networking through intelligence games has its merits.Socializing through intelligence games offer the advantage of exposing you to interactive situations, where you are likely to be faced with the unfamiliar and the unexpected. It is during these situations where you will be able to acquire new knowledge, or apply the knowledge you already have.Again, the present generation ought to be really grateful, considering how social network platforms such as Facebook and Twitter now incorporate some of these games.Intelligence games are generally favored by parents who are looking for effective ways to teach their young children. However, intelligence can still be molded even if you’re already well into adulthood. Aren’t you glad that there are intelligence games for all ages?

Major General Henry Heth in the American Civil War

Major General Henry Heth was Confederate commander during the Civil War who saw service both in Kentucky and with the Army of Northern Virginia. An early favorite of General Robert E. Lee, he saw action in many of the famed leaders campaigns in the East and is best remembered for initiating the action that led to the Battle of Gettysburg. Heth continued to lead a division in Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hills Third Corps for the rest of the conflict. he remained with the army until its surrender at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. Early Life Career Born December 16, 1825 at Black Heath, VA, Henry Heth (pronounced heeth) was the son of John and Margaret Heth.  The grandson of a veteran of the American Revolution and son of a naval officer from the War of 1812, Heth attended private schools in Virginia before seeking a military career.  Appointed to the US Military Academy in 1843, his classmates included his boyhood friend Ambrose P. Hill as well as Romeyn Ayres, John Gibbon, and Ambrose Burnside. Proving a poor student, he matched his cousins, George Pickett, 1846 performance by graduating last in his class.  Commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant, Heth received orders to join the 1st US Infantry which was engaged in the Mexican-American War. Arriving south of the border later that year, Heth reached his unit after large-scale operations had concluded.  After participating in a number of skirmishes, he returned north the following year.   Assigned to the frontier, Heth moved through postings at  Fort Atkinson, Fort Kearny, and Fort Laramie.  Seeing action against the Native Americans, he earned a promotion to first lieutenant in June 1853.  Two years later, Heth was promoted to captain in the newly-formed 10th US Infantry.  That September, he earned recognition for leading a key flanking attack against the  Sioux during the Battle of Ash Hollow.  In 1858, Heth penned the US Armys first manual on marksmanship entitled  A System of Target Practice. Major General Henry Heth Rank: Major GeneralService: US Army, Confederate ArmyNickname(s): HarryBorn: December 16, 1825 at Black Heath, VADied: September 27, 1899 at Washington, DCParents: Captain John Heth and Margaret L. PickettSpouse: Harriet Cary SeldenChildren: Ann Randolph Heath, Cary Selden Heth, Henry Heth, Jr.Conflicts: Mexican-American War, Civil WarKnown For: Battle of Gettysburg (1863) The Civil War Begins With the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and beginning of the Civil War in April 1861, Virginia left the Union.  After the departure of his home state, Heth resigned his commission in the US Army and accepted a captains commission in the Virginia Provisional Army.  Quickly advanced to lieutenant colonel, he briefly served as General Robert E. Lees quartermaster general in Richmond.  A critical time for Heth, he became one of the few officers to earn Lees patronage and was the only one referred to by his first name.   Made colonel of the 45th Virginia Infantry later year, his regiment was assigned to western Virginia. Operating in the Kanawha Valley, Heth and his men served under Brigadier General John B. Floyd.  Promoted to brigadier general on January 6, 1862, Heth led a small force entitled the Army of the New River that spring.   Engaging Union troops in May, he fought several defensive actions but was badly beaten on the 23rd when his command was routed near Lewisburg.  Despite this setback, Heths actions helped screen Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons campaign in the Shenandoah Valley.  Re-forming his forces, he continued to serve in the mountains until June when orders arrived for his command to join Major General Edmund Kirby Smith at Knoxville, TN.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kentucky Campaign Arriving in Tennessee, Heths brigade began moving north in August as Smith marched to support General Braxton Braggs invasion of Kentucky.  Advancing into the eastern part of the state, Smith captured Richmond and Lexington before dispatching Heth with a division to menace Cincinnati.  The campaign ended when Bragg elected to withdraw south after the Battle of Perryville.   Rather than risk being isolated and defeated by Major General Don Carlos Buell, Smith joined with Bragg for the retreat back to Tennessee.  Remaining there through the fall, Heth assumed command of the Department of East Tennessee in January 1863.  The following month, after lobbying from Lee, he received an assignment to Jacksons corps in the Army of Northern Virginia.   Major General Henry Heth, CSA.   Library of Congress Chancellorsville Gettysburg Taking command of a brigade in his old friend Hills Light Division, Heth first led his men in combat early that May at the Battle of Chancellorsville.  On May 2, after Hill fell wounded, Heth assumed leadership of the division and gave a credible performance though his assaults the next day were turned back.  Following Jacksons death on May 10, Lee moved to reorganize his army into three corps.   Giving Hill command of the newly-created Third Corps, he directed that Heth lead a division comprised of two brigades from the Light Division and two recently arrived from the Carolinas.  With this assignment came a promotion to major general on May 24. Marching north in June as part of Lees invasion of Pennsylvania, Heths division was near Cashtown, PA on June 30.  Alerted to the presence of Union cavalry in Gettysburg by Brigadier General James Pettigrew, Hill ordered Heth to conduct a reconnaissance in force towards the town the following day.   Lee approved the action with the restriction that Heth was not to cause a major engagement until the entire army was concentrated at Cashtown.  Approaching the town on July 1, Heth quickly became engaged with Brigadier General John Bufords cavalry division and opened the Battle of Gettysburg.  Initially unable to dislodge, Buford, Heth committed more of his division to the fight. The scale of the battle grew as Major General John Reynolds Union I Corps arrived on the field.   As the day progressed, additional forces arrived spreading the fighting west and north of the town.  Taking heavy losses through the day, Heths division finally succeeded in pushing Union troops back to Seminary Ridge.  With support from Major General W. Dorsey Pender, a final push saw this position captured as well.  During the course of the fighting that afternoon, Heth fell wounded when a bullet struck him in the head.  Saved by a thick new hat that had been stuffed with paper to improve the fit, he was unconscious for the better part of a day and played no further role in the battle. Overland Campaign Resuming command on July 7, Heth directed the fighting at Falling Waters as the Army of Northern Virginia retreated south.  That fall, the division again took heavy losses when it attacked without proper scouting at the Battle of Bristoe Station.  After taking part in the Mine Run Campaign, Heths men went into winter quarters.   In May 1864, Lee moved to block Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign.  Engaging the Major General Winfield S. Hancocks Union II Corps at the Battle of the Wilderness, Heth and his division fought hard until relieved by Lieutenant General James Longstreets approaching corps.  Returning to action on May 10 at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Heth attacked and drove back a division led by Brigadier General Francis Barlow. After seeing further action at North Anna in late May, Heth anchored the Confederate left during the victory at Cold Harbor.   Having been checked at Cold Harbor, Grant elected to move south, cross the James River, and march against Petersburg.  Reaching that city, Heth and the rest of Lees army blocked the Union advance.  As a Grant commenced the siege of Petersburg, Heths division took part in many of the actions in the area.  Frequently occupying the extreme right of the Confederate line, he mounted unsuccessful attacks against his classmate Romeyn Ayres division at Globe Tavern in late August.  This was followed assaults at the Second Battle of Reams Station a few days later. Major General Romeyn B. Ayres. Library of Congress Final Actions On October 27-28, Heth, leading Third Corps due to Hill being ill, succeeded in blocking Hancocks men at the Battle of Boydton Plank Road.  Remaining in the siege lines through the winter, his division came under assault on April 2, 1865.  Mounting a general attack against Petersburg, Grant succeeded in breaking through and forced Lee to abandon the city.   Retreating toward Sutherlands Station, the remnants of Heths division were defeated there by Major General Nelson A. Miles later in the day.  Though Lee desired to have him lead Third Corps after Hills death on April 2, Heth remained separated from the bulk of the command during the early parts of the Appomattox Campaign. Withdrawing west, Heth was with Lee and the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia when it surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9.   Later Life In the years after the war, Heth worked in mining and later in the insurance industry.  Additionally, he served as a surveyor in the Office of Indian Affairs as well as assisted in the compilation of the US War Departments  Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.  Plagued by kidney disease in his later years, Heth died at Washington, DC on September 27, 1899.  His remains were returned to Virginia and interred in Richmonds Hollywood Cemetery.

Why Are Factory Farmed Animals Given Antibiotics and Hormones

Many people are surprised to hear that farmed animals are routinely given antibiotics and growth hormones. Concerns include animal welfare as well as human health. Factory farms cannot afford to care about animals collectively or individually. The animals are merely a product, and antibiotics and growth hormones such as rGBH are employed to make the operation more profitable. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone The faster an animal gets to slaughter weight or the more milk an animal produces, the more profitable the operation. Approximately two-thirds of all beef cattle in the US are given growth hormones, and approximately 22 percent of dairy cows are given hormones to increase milk production. The European Union has banned the use of hormones in beef cattle and has conducted a study that showed that hormone residues remain in the meat. Because of health concerns for both people and animals, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the European Union have all banned the use of rBGH, but the hormone is still given to cows in the US. The EU has also banned the import of meat from animals treated with hormones, so the EU imports no beef from the US. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) causes cows to produce more milk, but its safety for both people and cows is questionable. Additionally, this synthetic hormone increases the incidence of mastitis, an infection of the udder, which causes the secretion of blood and pus into the milk. Health Risks Associated With Antibiotics To combat mastitis and other diseases, cows and other farmed animals are given regular doses of antibiotics as a preventive measure. If a single animal in a herd or a flock is diagnosed with an illness, the entire herd receives the medication, usually mixed in with the animals’ feed or water, because it would be too expensive to diagnose and treat only certain individuals. Another concern is â€Å"subtherapeutic† doses of antibiotics that are given to the animals to cause weight gain. Although it is not clear why small doses of antibiotics cause animals to gain weight and the practice has been banned in the European Union and Canada, it is legal in the United States. All this means that healthy cows are being given antibiotics when they don’t need them, which leads to another health risk. Excessive antibiotics are a concern because they cause the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Because antibiotics will kill off most of the bacteria, the drugs leave behind resistant individuals, which then reproduce more rapidly without competition from other bacteria. These bacteria then spread throughout the farm and/or spread to people who come into contact with the animals or the animal products. This is not an idle fear. Antibiotic-resistant strains of salmonella have already been found in animal products in the human food supply. The Solution According to Animal Rights Activists The World Health Organization believes that prescriptions should be required for antibiotics for farmed animals, and several countries have banned the use of rBGH and subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics, but these solutions consider only human health and do not consider animal rights. From an animal rights standpoint, the solution is to stop eating animal products and go vegan.

Living Together Is Not Wrong Free Essays

Chanut Tipphanawadee 155 100 5877 SECTION 5153 Assignment 2 : ————————————————- There is nothing wrong with people living together before they get married. It seems undeniable that living together of couples and marriage of them are totally different of what they did in past. The amount of divorce rate, abortion rate, abandoned children are unstoppable increase. We will write a custom essay sample on Living Together Is Not Wrong or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reason is people in this era have been changed the concept of marriage and living together. Moreover, the rights of human has affected us. Especially, women in this epoch have more powerful than the past. Therefore, I strongly agree with the statement â€Å"There is nothing wrong with people living together before they get married†. There is more than one reason why living together before get marriage is not wrong and should be accepted by our society. Firstly, the couples that living together before they get married is able to look how life would be like with the person who lives with. For the reason is when two peoples whether men or woman living together the conflicts might be occurred because of the different of each other’s behavior such as spending habits, cleaning ,and time. These are important to the couples getting along in the long terms and they can only be learned by proximity when they live together for a period of time. Furthermore, they have to learn to be more responsible and take care of each other like what marriage couples do. Moreover, we are in the new generation where the society is liberal. So, if they can live together before they get married their marriage and couples’ life are more tend to be perfect marriage . That why there is nothing wrong with living together before marriage. How to cite Living Together Is Not Wrong, Papers

Analysis Landmark Case of Asic v Adler and 4 Ors †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Landmark Case of Asic v Adler and 4 Ors. Answer: ASIC v Adlerand 4 Ors [2002]NSWSC 171 Asic v Adlerand 4 Ors, is a landmark case and requires analysis as there are several directorial duties that are enshrined under the Corporation Act 2001 which are violated by the parties to the case. There was HIH collapse and which was the outcome of very bad corporate governance. Adler, William and Fodera were the three major parties who were involved in the leading case. (The Law Teacher, 2017) Adler - Controls PEE and is the non-executive director of PEE William - In HIH and HIHC, he was the Managing Director. Fodera Finance Director in HIH. The major actions of Adler that has resulted in the violation of the provisions of the Corporation Act 2001 On June 2000, Pacific Eagle Equity Pty Ltd (PEE - Adler is a person who controls PEE and is the non-executive director of PEE) received a payment of $10 million loan (undocumented and unsecured) from HIH Casualty and General Insurance Ltd (HIHC). Post loan, PEE becomes the trustee of Australian Equities Unit Trust (AEUT). Adler was a major shareholder in HIH through Adler Corporation Limited. The loan which was granted to PEE was later used to HIHCs subscription for $10 million worth of AEUT units. Also, $4 million worth of HIH shares were purchased by PEE (Adler) from the stock market which are later sold at $2 million loss. The main reason for the purchase of shares to built a market image to the investors of HIH that HIH is doing well. Also, PEE purchased unlisted shares in technology and communication companies from Adler Corporation worth $4 million. AEUT gave $2 million to Adler under the trust. (Plessis, Hargovan, Bagaric, 2010) The above actions of Alder resulted that he was in violation of several duties which he must cater being the officer of HIHC and HIH. Decision of the court It was held by the court that Adler must be banned to act as the director for twenty years. William was banned for ten years. Alder was also imposed with a personal fine of $450,000 and William was imposed with a fine of $250,000 and Fodera with a fine of $5000. Adler Co was imposed with a fine of $450,000. Also, a compensation of $7,986,402 was imposed on Adler, Adler Corporation and Williams to pay to HIHC. (Baxt, 2005) Reasons for the decision The court held that all the transactions had taken place without any approval from the board of directors or at the approval of the shareholders of PEE. The HIH investment committee was also not aware of the same nor was the board acquainted with the said facts. The loan which is provided by HIHC to PEE was also without any proper documentation work nor was the loan secured. The main reason for making the loan was a secret affair so that no other directors of HIH were get knowledge of the same and Adler make personal interest from the said transactions. Director of company Adler was the director The Corporation Act 2001, has defines the term director. A director is a person who is placed at the directorial position. Thus, whatsoever name is provided to a person, if he is carrying out all the directorial functions then he are capable to be define as a company director. Thus, an alternate director, de facto director and shadow directors are also considered as the director under section 9 of the Act (Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL[2012]). Further, the officers who are the executives of the company at senior positions are also comes within the preview of section 9 of the Act. Every company director must cater his duties adequately so that the interest of the shareholders can be protected. (Davis, 2016) Now, Adler was considered to be director of HIH as per section 9 of the Act. He was also the officer of the wholly-owned HIH subsidiary and there comes within the preview of section 9 of the Act. Even though he is not formally appointed at the position of the director, still, he was at a senior executive post and thus is considered as the director under section 9 of the Act. He was pursuing the role of the director in the subsidiary holding company and he is also the member of HIH investment committee, thus, he has full involvement in the decisions making process of the company and its business which may affect the business wholly or substantially. Now, there are several duties that are violated by Adler. The same are submitted herein below: The major duties that are violated by Alder Alder was in violation of some of the important duties established under the Corporation Act 2001. The same are: Section 180 of the Act The duty deals with the acts of care and diligence. As per section 180, sub section 1, every officer and the director must perform their power and comply with the duties with due care and diligence. The care and diligence must be of standard form and must be equal to what a normal prudent man will deal in the similar situations. The executive directors are the employee of the company which caters their duties on the full time basis. They carry out the day to day management of the company and have high knowledge and special responsibilities. Whereas, the non executive company directors are engaged in part time works and but have regular involvement in the affairs of the company. (Campbell, 2007) Now, this duty of care and diligence was not performed by Adler Adequately. In HIH and HIHC, William was the Managing Director. He was in total violation of section 180 (1) of the Act. This is because no adequate safeguards were provided to HIHC prior sanctioning any loan to PEE. Likewise, Fodera was the Finance Director in HIH. He also violated section 180 (1) as the proposal to sanction $10 million loan to PEE was not discussed with the board of HIH or its investment committee. The duty of care and diligence that was desired from both William and Fodera were not catered by them. They were the executive company directors and the duty must be performed by them adequately. Further, Adler, William and Flora cannot take the defense enshrined under section 180 (1) of the Act which deals with Business judgment Rule (section 180 (2)). As per the rule, if any company officer and director has acted with utmost good faith and for proper purpose and has no material personnel interest in the transaction, then, the duty of care and diligence is not considered to be violated. Now, Adler cannot take the defense) because he is not able to satisfy the requirements of section 180 (2) (b), that is, there is presence of conflict of interest when he takes the decisions to invest $10 million payment from HIHC in PEE. Also, William was not able to provide adequate safeguard to avoid the breach. Also, he was one of the holding major shares in HIH and thus there is material personnel interest when the transaction took place. No evidence was laid down by him which depicts that he was acting in good faith and for proper purpose. Fodera also cannot take the defense because he did not refer the transaction which is to be dealt with PEE to the boards of HIH, nor was the same referred to the investment committee. Section 181 of the Act The duty to act in good faith, in the best interest of the company and for proper purpose. As per section 181 (1) of the act can be considered to be violated even when the director believes that he acting as per the provisions but in reality the same was not the case. The transactions that took place amid HIH, HIHC and PEE were mainly motivated to bring personal interest to Adler. Adler was in violation of section 181 as he had not acted in good faith and in the best interest of the company as the powers and duties that are discharged by him were not Adequate. (Cassidy, 2006) Section 182 of the Act Duty not to misuse the position. No company officer or director must use his position in such a manner so that it results in bringing undue advantage to them and undue loss to the company. In the leading case it was submitted that Adler was in clear violation of section 182 of the Act. He arranged a loan of $10 million which is to be provided to PEE by HIHC. The money was then to be used purchase the shares in HIH on the stock market. The main reason for indulging in such an act is so that the share price of HIH increases and then Adler Corporation will sell the shares of HIH before PEE could sell off their shares in HIH, thereby, making huge profits to Adler Corporation in which Adler has substantial interest. The total act has resulted in causing loss to PEE when it sell of their shares of HIH. The court held that Adler has breached section 182 of the Act by misusing the position (the director of HIH, director of PEE and being the officer of HIHC). His actions have brought substantial gain to Adler Corporation. Further, since Adler was the director in PEE, he mis-utilized his position as he acquired unlisted capitals at cost price from Adler Corporation but he has not sought any separate valuation for the same. If these transactions are considered to be successful then the Adler Corporation and Adler were able to keep out from theses business unviable operations. The court also held that William was also in violation of section 182 of the Corporation Act 2001. He was the director in HIHC and HIH and thus has misused his position to bring advantage to Adler Corporation. He has permitted the loan of $10 million without seeking proper authorization. No approval was sought from the investment committee of HIH prior granting the loan to PEE and which is very essential as per the investment guidelines of HIH. Section 183 of the Act Duty not to misuse the information of the company. Any person, whether director or officer or any employee, of acquired information from the company then no such information should be used which brings gain to themselves or anyone else and loss to the company. The court applied ASIC v Vizard, and it was held by the court that Vizard was the non-executive director of Telstra and he uses the inside information to bring advantage to CTI, Brigham and himself and thus is in violation of section 183 of the Act. Alder is fully aware that the HIH and HIHC were facing problems with cash flows and there is so much risk that ultimately they will fall down. Knowing the fact, Adler still has not revealed his self interest in the transactions to the board of HIH except to Fodera and William. Section 206 A of the Act Duty towards financial assistance. Nno company must financially assist any other person so as to acquire/obtain shares in the same company or in its holding company. However, there are few exceptions, such as, if such assistance is not prejudice to the company or will hamper the company ability to pay its creditors or shareholders (260 A(1)(a)), or if the shareholders approve of the assistance (260B) or if the assistance is exempted or relieved (260C). Now, Adler was controlling PEE. However, he was found to be in contravention of section 206A of the Corporation Act 2001. Adler with the help of HIHC has provided financial assistance to PEE (HIHC was the subsidiary of HIH, a company which is in control of Adler). Thus, Adler has indirectly provided loan from his own company to his own company. The loan which was provided by Adler to PEE was used to purchase shares of HIH on the stock market. These actions of Adler has provided an impression that Alder is helping the decreasing process of HIH by purchasing the shares personally. The court submitted that Adler has no intention to earn gain by reselling the shares of HIH. The main intention was to enhance the share prices of HIH so as to provide advantage to Alder Corporation Limited. This is because when PEE sell off its HIH shares then the same was carried out only when Adler Corporation intends to sell off its HIH shares which has resulted in loss for PEEs investment.So, there is a clear violation of section 260A. Concluding remarks and analysis The most important point that is learned from the given case is that the directors and the companies must make sure that it is necessary that there must be proper corporate governance to protect a company from any kind of improper actions which can be taken by the directors for their own benefits. There is a need to have an adequate check and balances to make sure that the system is not bypassed. References Books/Articles/Journals Baxt, R (2005) Duties and Responsibilities of Directors and Officers, AICD. Cassidy, J (2006) Concise Corporations Law, Federation Press. Campbell, C (2007) International Liability of Corporate Directors [2007] I, Lulu.com. Plessis, J, Hargovan, A and Bagaric, (2010) Principles of Contemporary Corporate Governance, Cambridge University Press. Case laws Asic v Adlerand 4 Ors [2002]NSWSC 171. ASIC v Vizard[2005] Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL[2012] FCAFC 6 Online Material Davis, S (2016) Who is liable for company decisions?(online).Available at: file:///C:/Users/mypc/Downloads/Who+is+Liable+for+Company+Decisions+-+SED+-+April+2016.pdf. (Accessed on 17th May, 2017). The Law Teacher (2017) Case summary ASIC v Adler (online). Available at: https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/company-law/case-summary-asic-v-adler-law-essays.php. (Accessed on 17th May, 2017).

Personal Development Plan Effective Acculturation

Introduction Personal development entails diverse activities that aim at improving one’s awareness, talent, potential, identity, health, self-knowledge, and building one’s human capital. Additionally, personal development also contributes towards the realisation of an individual’s dreams and aspirations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Development Plan: Effective Acculturation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chambers, Schwartz, and Boath (2003) emphasise the importance of incorporating a personal development plan in one’s quest to continue his or her professional development. A personal development plan outlines the actions that one intends to concentrate on in order to attain the intended level of development (Armstrong 2008). Consequently, it provides individuals with an opportunity to think in a structured manner the issues to address. Findings of previous studies conducte d emphasise the importance of students thinking about and planning their future. Personal development is only effective if a number of elements such as thinking deeply and in a structured manner about one’s life and ambitions, have access to the necessary information, people to trust on and share one’s reflections with, have an opportunity to test oneself in new areas, and develop the acquired skills and knowledge. This paper illustrates a personal development plan by taking into account a number of issues. Firstly, the paper realises the existence of culture shock in learning institution and workplaces and hence the importance of ensuring effective acculturation during the induction process. Secondly, the paper has illustrated the importance of developing effective teamwork and presentation skills in individuals’ personal development efforts coupled with developing a comparison of the report and academic journals. The personal development plan is illustrated by outlining the personal development objectives intended to be attained and the actions that will be undertaken in order to accomplish the stated objectives. Finally, the paper gives a conclusion and reflection on the course.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Acculturation and Culture Shock Culture is more than an asset of norms and customs. It is also composed of how individuals interact and relate (Rathje 2009). Culture is an important aspect in one’s personal development. In the contemporary society, interacting with individuals of diverse cultural background in individuals’ effort to develop their personal or professional portfolios through academics is inevitable (Mercer 2006). This aspect has emanated from the high rate of globalisation, which has made it easy for individuals to move across cultures (Rathje 2009). Existence of cultural differences presents a maj or challenge due to possible conflicts that might emanate due to cultural differences such as meanings, values, and rules. Consequently, developing intercultural competencies is paramount. The high rate of cultural diversity being experienced in the society has made is paramount for individuals to undergo through a comprehensive acculturation process. Ward, Bochner, and Furnham (2001) define acculturation to include the changes that occur due to continuous contact between individuals of diverse cultural background. The first phase towards the attainment of acculturation is culture shock. Rathje (2009) defines culture shock to include â€Å"a number of emotional reactions that emanate from loss of perceptual reinforcement associated with one’s culture to new cultural stimuli which have minimal or no meaning† (p.45). According to Yeomans and Sampson (2005), induction is a critical aspect in the student’s performance, which arises from the fact that it contributes towards students understanding the institutions practices, processes, and procedures. Induction and acculturation are closely related.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Development Plan: Effective Acculturation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Induction is concerned with ensuring that an individual fits in a particular organisation. Therefore, it is broadly concerned with acculturation. Through induction and acculturation, students can develop effective and sustained contact with their colleagues (Marx 2001). Ultimately, their performance is not adversely affected by the existence of cultural shock that might lead to anxiety and psychological discomfort (Passmore Cantore 2012). During the induction into the university, cultural diversity is one of the issues that were evident. On my part, I valued cultural diversity in a number of ways such as recognising the existence of a ‘mix of students’ , ‘mix of cultures and a wide variety of people from different background. Secondly, I appreciated the importance of cultural diversity in my learning process. Consequently, I was in a position to deal with cultural shock. Despite my ability to deal with cultural shock, one of the major challenges that I was faced with was how to become acculturated into the university. In a bid to become acculturated effectively, I was required to internalise other student’s values, beliefs, meanings, and norms. Due to effective acculturation, I would be in a position to develop a positive perception regarding the institution’s cultural diversity. The cultural diversity characterising the student population presented an opportunity for gaining new knowledge and ideas regarding other cultures (Gilbert 2004). Additionally, the cultural diversity in the school would provide me with a chance to expand my horizons and meet with individuals that I would not have met in my life, which is an important aspect towards my personal development and hence future success.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The induction process was also effective due to the lecturers’ responsiveness. Over the years, the institution has adopted an ‘open door policy’, which enables students to interact with lecturers freely. The lecturers’ responsiveness has made the institution very effective in making the students to become acculturated. Despite the effective induction and the lecturers’ responsiveness, one of the key improvement areas that I should focus on in my personal development relates to acculturation. From appendix 2, it is evident that I have been capable of nurturing a number of personal skills and knowledge. Some of the skills that I have developed relate to teamwork skills, flexibility/adaptability, and ability to understand statistics. Teamwork and Presentation Skills Over the years, scholars have been defining teamwork with reference to the classical systems theory. The theory asserts that outputs, processes, and inputs develop over time. Team inputs re fer to the individuality of tasks to be undertaken, and the team members’ attitude. Team process entails the coordination and interaction required between team members in order to achieve the desired goals (Kanki, Helmreich Anca 2010). On the other hand, team outputs entail the outcome of the team performance. Alternatively, teamwork entails a set of interpersonal, communication, and problem solving skills required by individuals in the course of executing a particular task whose objective is to achieve a common goal. Teamwork is one of the elements that employers are increasingly valuing in the course of hiring new graduate employees. The increment in its relevance has emanated from increased shift to projects teams in organisations’ operational process (Gilbert 2004). Development of teamwork skills enables individuals to put their teams’ objectives first. Griffith Graduate Project members assert, â€Å"The ability to work in cross-disciplinary team is the mo st prised workplace attribute† (Griffith University 2012, p.2). Most institutions of higher learning organise their study practices as an individual process. However, the employers value people skills. Due to this transformation, learning institutions are increasingly adjusting their practices by incorporating group and team projects in their study programs. Irrespective of learning institutions incorporating or not incorporating such programmes, it is vital for individuals to be concerned with how to develop their inter-personal skills. One of the most important aspects in becoming an effective team member is effective communication. Communication enables one to express himself or herself orally, by writing, or using other visual aids. There are diverse people skills that an individual should focus on in their effort to attain personal development. Some of these skills include listening skills, leadership skills, speaking skills, being a team member and negotiation skills (Av ery, Walker Murphy 2001). Additionally, individuals can incorporate a number of elements in a bid to nurture effective presentation skills. Currently, governments, community groups, and businesses are increasingly shifting to teams in an effort to enhance participation, streamline processes, and improve performance (Carayon 2011). Considering the changes in the workplace, development of teamwork skills competencies and presentation skills is paramount in my personal development. In a bid to become an effective team player, I will focus on a number of aspects. As a postgraduate student, I appreciate the existence of diverse roles in a team. As a result, I will integrate a number of determinants in accordance with Dr. Meredith Belbin’s team roles. Some of the aspects that I will focus on include being a problem solver, cognisant of team members’ feelings, and being an implementer. Additionally, I will be in a position to be an effective coordinator, implementer, sharper , finisher, a planter, teamwork, specialist, investigator, and a monitor. This aspect will enhance my ability to develop a balanced team. In the course of undertaking their tasks, team members face situations that may adversely affect their effectiveness. In a bid to deal with such situation, I will focus on nurturing effective situation monitoring competencies, which will enhance my ability to evaluate the performance of fellow team members. Ultimately, I will be in a position to ensure that the team is operating in accordance with the expected procedures. Moreover, I will also ensure the provision of effective mutual support to team members, which will be achieved by ensuring effective coaching and feedback. In a bid to enhance a positive outcome of team projects, I will ensure that sufficient assistance is provided to team members in the course of performing the assigned tasks. In addition to the above teamwork skill competencies, I will also focus on development of effective lea dership and communication. Upon attending the residential, I gained a number of skills on leadership. Some of the leadership skills that I gained relate to how to coordinate and direct team members, task allocation, organising and developing a positive working environment. Additionally, I gained a number of skills on how to deal with conflict that might arise amongst team members. In a bid to ensure that I become an effective team leader, effective communication will be ensured. One of the aspects that I will ensure entails effective initiation of the intended message, its acknowledgement, and verification before sending to the intended sender. Additionally, I will also ensure that effective communication in the team is nurtured. This aspect will contribute towards the team members developing sufficient understanding of their colleagues’ abilities and roles (Kanki, Helmreich Anca2010). Report and Academic Journal Comparisons Numerous issues can contribute towards personal de velopment. Some of the issues that other scholars have focused on entail appreciating the existence of cultural diversity in the society. Cultural diversity has come out as one of the most important aspects individuals’ effort to attain a high level of personal development, which arises from the fact that it enables individuals to appreciate and respect the diversity that exists in our society. The authors have emphasised on the importance of utilising the cultural differences across individuals for their personal development. One of the ways through which this goal is achievable is by gaining new knowledge and skills from the diverse culture. Consequently, the authors have concurred that cultural differences is an important asset in learning institutions, workplaces and the society. Another key driver that stands out in individuals’ effort to attain personal development relates to ensuring that an optimal social learning environment is developed. This element will imp rove the effectiveness with which individuals interact and share ideas. Effective interaction stands out as an important aspect in teaching and learning. Considering the high rate of technological development, technology comes out as one of the most important elements that should be incorporated in individuals’ development process. Personal Planning and Action Plan To achieve the desired level of personal development, effective action planning is necessary (Everard Morris 2004). The first step towards personal development entails identifying the goals that one intends to focus on in order to succeed in life. In my quest to achieve personal development, I intend to attain a number of goals, which include educational attainment, development of my strengths, improving interpersonal relationships, developing a high level of self-awareness and improving my health. Attainment of the above personal development goals will be dependent on how effective they will be implemented. Conse quently, an action plan will be incorporated. The action plan will outline the personal development objectives, the priority associated with the identified objective, activities that will enable achievement of the objective, the necessary resources, the target date for attainment of the objective and evidence that the milestone has been achieved. The chart below illustrates the action plan that will be utilised in attaining personal development. Goal Milestone (activities to be undertaken) By Date By whom Resources needed Evidence that milestone is completed Educational attainment -Successful completion of my postgraduate degree -Cooperating with the lecturers and fellow students -Within 2 years -The assistance of lecturers will be sought so as successfully undertake my studies -Reading resources such as books -Internet for undertaking research -A high pass mark in the postgraduate course Improving interpersonal relationships -Nurturing good communication -Embracing teamwork -Appreciating the prevalence of cultural diversity in the workplace, institution and the society -Within the remaining period of my postgraduate course -Team project coordinator -Effective time allocation to attend and be involved in team projects -Successful completion of team project within the set duration -Lack of major conflicts between team members that might affect team performance Developing my personal strengths and self-awareness Identifying my weaknesses in various areas of personal development such as emotional, habits, values, needs, and emotions -Focusing on the most important areas of self-awareness, which include personality, values, habits, needs, and emotions During the duration of my master’s course -I will seek the opinion of fellow students by developing a questionnaire. -Effective questionnaire -Fellow students as respondents -Understanding of my personality, habits, needs, emotions, Improving my health -Ensuring that I balance my work and personal l ife in order to avoid stress Within 2 months – Lecturers -Fellow students Seeking the assistance of the lecturers and fellow students Effective time management –Low level or no stress in the course of undertaking my duties Conclusion and Reflection Personal development planning is an important aspect in individuals’ quest to achieve their professional and career goals, which arises from the fact that the planning contributes towards effort improvement in individuals to attain the personal development goals. A number of issues might hinder individuals’ ability to attain the desired level of personal development. One such issue relates to the existence of cultural shock. The high rate of globalisation has led to increased cultural movement. Consequently, it is paramount for individuals to be effectively acculturated. This aspect will aid in dealing with the cultural differences prevailing amongst individuals. Personal development planning enables effecti ve identification of the personal development goals and formulation of an action plan to be followed in the quest to achieve the goals. This move increases the probability of attaining a high level of personal development. The module has been of great importance in my quest to achieve personal development. Firstly, it has provided me with an opportunity to interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds. As a result, I have appreciated the importance of being an effective team player and developing sufficient communication skills. Reference List Armstrong, M 2008, How to be an even better manager; a complete A-Z techniques and essential skills, Kogan Page, Philadelphia. Avery, C, Walker, M Murphy, E 2001, Teamwork is an individual skill: getting your work done when sharing responsibility, Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco. Carayon, P 2011, Handbook of human factors and ergonomics inn healthcare and patient safety, CRC Press, California. Chambers, R, Schwartz, A Boath, E 2 003, Beating stress in the NHS, Radcliffe Medical, Abingdon. Everard, K Morris, G 2004, Effective school management, Paul Chapman, London. Gilbert, N 2004, The best 143 business schools, Princeton Review Publishers, New York. Griffith University: Teamwork skills toolkit 2012, https://www.griffith.edu.au/ Kanki, B, Helmreich, R Anca, J 2010, Crew resource management, Academic Press Elsevier, Boston. Marx, E 2001, Breaking through culture shock: What you need to succeed in international business, Nicholas Braeley, London. Passmore, J Cantore, S 2012, Top business psychology models: 50 transforming ideas for leaders, consultants, and coaches, Kogan, London. Rathje, S 2009, ‘The definition of culture: an application-oriented overhaul’, Inter-culture Journal, vol. 8 no.1, pp. 1-25. Ward, C, Bochner, S Furnham, A 2001, Culture shock, Routledge, New York. Yeomans, R Sampson, J 2005, Mentorship in the primary school: Mentorship in action, Routledge, New York. Appendices Ap pendix 1: SWOT Analysis The chart below illustrates an evaluation of my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths -Being open-minded, thoughtful and careful -Good communication and presentation skills -Very effective in analysing issues and situations before making a conclusion. Weaknesses Taking unnecessary risks Too much planning with no action Tendency to getting bored with implementation and consolidation Opportunities -The high rate of cultural diversity in the society presents an opportunity to develop my interpersonal relationship. -Developing effective teamwork and presentation skills will improve my competitiveness with regard to human labour. Threats –Cultural changes in the society due to increased cultural movement present a challenge in my acculturation efforts. -Possible conflicts due to cultural differences may hinder my ability to develop interpersonal relationships. Appendix 2: Skills, Knowledge Audit Skills Scale 1 2 3 4 5 Level of motivation Flexibility and adaptability Verbal communication Being an effective team worker Being initiative Competency of understanding numerical data and statistics Effective expression through writing Commitment to learning –Willingness to continue learning Self-confidence Appendix 3: Personal Development Statement The course has helped me to appreciate the importance of developing a number of personal skills as a student of business and economics. Some of the key important skills that I have appreciated relate to teamwork, self-awareness, presentation skills, and the need to appreciate cultural diversity. Considering the changes in the workplace, the course has contributed towards a greater appreciation of the importance of developing teamwork and presentation skills. In a bid to be an effective team leader, my personal development strategy will focus on becoming an all-round team leader. This go al will be achievable by appreciating the various team roles. Considering the increased incorporation of teamwork, there is a high probability of being a member of a team that is characterised by diverse team roles. By being an effective team leader, I will be in a position to deal with the differences and challenges associated with these roles. Ultimately, I will be in a position to contribute to attainment of team project goals and objectives in the future. One of the requirements for being an effective team leader entails being analytical. This element will improve the probability of identifying possible deviations and gaps that might arise in the course of executing team projects. Additionally, effective presentation skills will ensure that team members share intelligence necessary for attainment of the goals. By being an effective team leader, I will be proactive in making decisions that will mitigate and eliminate negative effects that might arise. In addition to being an effe ctive team leader, the personal development strategy adopted will also contribute towards improvement in my problem solving skills. Problem solving skills is one of the most important personal development elements. This assertion arises from the fact that the ability to resolve issues that arise increases the probability of achieving the desired goals. In the course of team operation, conflicts are inevitable. However, the effectiveness with which team leaders solve team issues determines the success of the team. In my personal development, I intend to be an effective problem-solver and implementer. In a bid to achieve this goal, it is necessary that I incorporate a high level of creativity. One of the issues that I will focus on in ensuring harmony within the team is brainstorming. This aspect will aid in identifying possible alternative courses of action. By taking into account these issues, I will become an effective team player. In my course of personal development, communicatio n will play a very significant role. This arises from the fact that it will enhance my presentation skills. In a bid to deal with this issue, I will incorporate diverse communication methods and tools. Some of the aspects that will be considered in developing effective communication include being a good listener, being confident, effective handling of the audience, and being audible. Additionally, I will incorporate various communication aids such as visual aids such as PowerPoint, storytelling, and writing. By incorporating the above communication and presentation skills, a high degree of assertiveness will be developed. Ultimately, I will become an effective communicator, which is a key requirement in succeeding in the complex work environment. This essay on Personal Development Plan: Effective Acculturation was written and submitted by user Edith Martin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free sample - P3 DB. translation missing

P3 DB. P3 DBThe incorporation of the bill of rights refers to the process by which the supreme court has applied sections of the Bill of Rights of U.S. to the states (Breyer, 2005). Before this incorporation, the bill of rights applied only to the federal government. The incorporation was to the effect that the states and local authorities now obey the incorporated protections and prohibitions. This is courtesy of the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment (Breyer, 2005). Some protections available to criminal offenders through the bill of rights have not been incorporated so states are not required to follow them. These include the right to indictment by a grand jury (Madison, 2008). This is quite evident since the constitutions of many states provide for indictment by grand jury contrary to the bill of rights. This especially happens when the case involved is a serious crime (Madison, 2008). The right to jury trial in civil cases has also not been incorporated. This is a right that allows juries to search for facts concerning the case while the determination of the case is left to be done by the judge (Madison, 2008). The jury basically listens to the case, evaluates the evidence presented before it to find facts and then makes a decision following the rules governing them as well as the law. Lastly, provisions for protections against â€Å"excessive† bail and â€Å"excessive† fines have not been incorporated and therefore not observed by the states (Madison, 2008). Substantive law focuses on the substance of the matter. Essentially, it defines how facts in the case are supposed to be handled and how the crime is to be charged (Kelvin, 2004). Substantive protections seek to reserve the individual’s authority to possess particular things even though the intention of the government may be to the contrary. Substantive due process requires that the police should make criminal defendants aware of their rights before any interrogation is made (Kelvin, 2004). For instance, the defendant should be informed of his/her right to remain silent as any information given would be used as evidence against him/her. This right is provided for in the fourth amendment (Kelvin, 2004). Procedural law on the other hand focuses on the process that the case will follow. It focuses on how proceedings as far as the enforcement of substantive law will take place (White, 2000). This process ensures fair administration of the law in order to eliminate arbitrary as well as unreasonable decisions. Procedural rights emphasize on fairness hence the government can lawfully take away freedom , life or property of an individual if the law says so be done (White, 2000). Procedural protection therefore gives defendants the right to be informed adequately of the particular charges or proceedings, the right to be heard as these proceedings are carried out, and the right to an impartial judgment from however is handling the case (White, 2000). In a nut shell therefore, substantive law is concerned with the creation, definitions and the regulation of rights while procedural law is concerned with the enforcement of these rights as well as redress in the event that the rights are violated (Kelvin, 2004). Protections which are substantive include: freedom of speech, and right to privacy while procedural protections include: the right to adequate notice of a law suit, the right to be present as testimony is given, as well as the right to have an attorney (Kelvin, 2004). References Breyer, S. (2005). Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution. New York: Knopf. Kelvin, R. (2004). Scalia Dissents: Writings of the Supreme Court's Wittiest, Most Outspoken Justice. Washington: Regnery Madison, A. (2008). A Dummies Guide to Understanding the Fourteenth Amendment . New York: Routledge. White, G. (2000). The Constitution and the New Deal. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Gangs and Gang Violence in Jersey City Research Paper

Gangs and Gang Violence in Jersey City - Research Paper Example Likewise, use of threats to, both members and non-members of the gangs is a normal phenomenon. Furthermore, gangs normally have at least one rival and that increases the potential of violence. Further researches indicate that gangs are unique and unified by their ability to propagate dread. Existence of any given gang group normally leads to the potential formation of another in order to protect the local community from the violent activities of the gangs. By so doing, there is a perpetual problem because of the reaction effect that comes with the existence of a gang in any particular locality. Poverty and unemployment are catalyst of for gang formation because the youths become a target by the police; and in retaliation, they organize themselves into gangs. The same adversarial concept explains the reason behind formation of different types of gangs, spread all over the world. Threats to any particular group catalysis the formation of a gang since the general feeling is that the grouping may is targeted hence the need to over self-protection. As a result of the formation, the group poses a challenge to both the members and non-members. Cohesions among different gangs are strengthened as the threat level increases because members feel the need for cohesion to enhance their ability to react when threatened. With that comes, the increased magnitude of violence. Violence in gangs normally arises from â€Å"contagion†. This refers to the poisoning of the mind of the gang members to the extent of believing in certain ideologies and retaliation once those ideologies are threatened. Once threatened by violence, a gang retaliates and the effect is spread violence in the area. Similarly, violence spreads the activities of a gang group from one area to another. The riding factors are: the any assault or violence directed to the gang, the retaliatory effects of the gang and the subsequent escalation of the violence to, previously, peaceful

The Relationship between Multinational Firms, the State and Essay

The Relationship between Multinational Firms, the State and Socio-Economic Development in the UK - Essay Example Most of the research work conducted did concentrate on the firm-level decisions regarding their FDI strategies but less time and resources have been devoted to the state level. It has been realized that a number of states such as the US have often attracted FDI through various tactics including reduction in taxation levels. The relationship between these multinationals and the State becomes very important in the success of both parties. Even though one would argue that the role of state in international business has been eroded by the development in globalization, this is still not the actual case on the ground. The nation state still has a crucial role to play and this is why its relationship with the multinationals is quite relevant (Henderson et al., 2002, pp.436-464). A number of reasons exist as to why most multinationals are tolerated. One of them is the mutual relationship that could emanate between the state and the multinational which further links it to the home state of th e multinational. In this case, a tripartite perspective could be established. The other reason is based on the social and economic developments that multinational companies do promote in the host country. These two reasons seem to underlie the basic intentions of the national governments in welcoming multinationals. This paper looks at the relationship between multinational firms, the state and socio-economic development in the UK as a case study. Analysis Multinational firms and the UK state The relationship between nation states and multinationals is one that has been characterised with juxtaposed needs or interests. Each seems to be pulling towards its side. The state is territorially defined and has well-defined political systems which provide the necessary framework for economic, social, political and cultural activities of those acting domestically and pursuing the interests of the nation (Dunn, 1994, pp.3-8). On the other hand, multinationals are interested in expanding their individual operations irrespective of the boundaries set by the state and have to cope with a number of political, economic, cultural and social conditions that exist in those acquired markets and they are always driven by private interests, which are usually founded on economy of scale, global trends in economy, and effective management of international operations. Existence of negotiated relationships between these two opposing parties merges their needs and ensures a win-win outcome (Kay, 2002, pp.1073-1102). Democratic political institutions have the capacity to establish policies that are market-friendly. The peace that exists in states links these democratic institutions to more credible levels of international systems. These mechanisms provide better playing grounds for multinationals in the long run. On this point, the institutional based checks as well as balances, which could be linked to democratic systems usually, reduce the possibility of reversing the policies made an d thus providing the multinational companies with the de facto commitment to the stability of these policies (Iet to-Gillies, 2002, pp.43-54). Stable policies ensure that multinational are given a friendlier environment where they can forecast their needs for budgeting in relation to the upcoming economic scenarios as well as tax schedules, make critical managerial decisions that are able to respond to macro-economic predictions, and also eventually hedge against risks associated

Apple: Strategic Challenges And Changes

Apple: Strategic Challenges And Changes Q1) Evaluate Apples strategies and how they have managed their strategic challenges and strategic changes within this. In your evaluation you will need to consider the key factors of success in relation to the different strategic groups within the industry. Support your evaluation with relevant theory and academic models. Apple is a vertically integrated company, manufacturing and supplying all hardware and software as well as its own operating systems. Apple chose this strategy so they could retain profit and ensure profit is not lost by financing other companys profit margins. The practice behind this theory is to heavily finance research and development and have had the necessary means of production to cover all areas of the business. Marketing and advertising are also a key component in Apple strategy to have a better market position. Founded in 1976, Apple built its early reputation on innovative personal computers that were particularly easy for customers to use and as a result were priced higher than those of competitors. The inspiration for this strategy came from a visit by the founders of the company- Steven Jobs and Steven Wozniack- to the Palo Alto research laboratories of the Xerox company in 1979. They observed that Xerox had developed an early version of a computer interface screen with the drop-down menus that are widely used today on all personal computers. Jobs and Wozniack took the concept back to apple and developed their own computer- the Apple Macintosh (Mac) that used this consumer friendly interface. The Macintosh was launched in 1984 but Apple did not sell or share the software to rival companies. Over the next few years, this non-co-operation strategy turned out to be a major weakness for Apple. Although the Mac had initial success, its software was threatened by the introduction of windows 1.0 from the rival company Microsoft, whose chief executive was the well-known Bill Gates. Microsofts strategy was to make this software widely available to other computer manufacturers for a license fee- quite unlike Apple. A legal dispute arose between Apple and Microsoft because windows had many on-screen similarities to the Apple product. Eventually, Microsoft signed an agreement with Apple saying that it would not use Mac technology in windows 1.0 Unlike Microsoft with its focus on software strategy, Apple remained a full-line computer manufacturer from that time, supplying both the hardware and software. Apple continued to develop various innovative computers and related products. Early successes included the Mac2 and PowerBooks along with the worlds first desktop publishing programme- PageMaker. This latter remains today the leading programme of its kind. It is widely used around the world in publishing and fashion houses. It remains exclusive to Apple and means that the company has a specialist market where it has real competitive advantage and can charge higher prices. Not all Apples new products were successful- the Newton personal digital assistant did not sell well. Apples high price policy for its products and difficulties in manufacturing also meant that innovative products like the iBook had trouble competing in the personal computer market place. In the year 2000, Apple identified a new corporate strategy to exploit the growing worldwide market in personal electronic devices- CD players, MP3 players, digital cameras etc. It would launch its own Apple version of these products to add high-value, user friendly software. Resulting products included iMovie for digital cameras and iDVD for DVD players. The iPod was launched in 2001 and was followed by the iTunes Music store in 2003 in USA and 2004 in Europe. The product has proven unbelievably successful; over 100 million units have been sold in the six years since its introduction. In 2003, Apples iTunes Store was introduced, offering online music downloads in integration with the iPod. The service quickly became the market leader in online music services, with over 3 billion downloads by August 2007. Steve Jobs announced that iTunes had reached 4 billion downloads during his keynote address at the 2008 Macworld Conference Expo. The iTunes was essentially an agreement with the worlds 5 leading record companies to allow legal downloaded of music tracks using the internet for 99 cents each. This was a major success for Apple- it had persuaded the record companies to adopt a different approach to the problem of music piracy. At the time, this revolutionary agreement was unique to Apple and was due to the negotiating skills of Steve Jobs, the Apple chief executive, and his network of contacts in the industry. By 2005, Apples music player- the iPod- was the premium priced, stylish market leader with around 60% of the world sales. Its iTunes download software had been redeveloped to allow it to work with all windows compatible computers (about 90% of all PCs) and it had around 70% of the world music download market, the market being worth around US$330 million per annum. However, by 2005, all the major companies like Sony, Philips and Panasonic were catching up fast with new launches that were just as stylish, cheaper and with more capacity. Apples competitors were even reaching agreements with the record companies to provide legal downloading of music from websites. Another Example of the likely competition came from the mobile telephone market leader, Nokia, and the dominant software company Microsoft. In February 2005, they jointly announced that all new Nokia mobile phones would come with Microsofts Windows media 10, allowing downloading of music from PCs onto mobile phones- yet another threat to apple. However Apple was the market leader and was able to demonstrate major increases in sales and profits from the development of iPod and iTunes by early 2005. One thing that has been established is that Apple releases a few versions of one great computer and then offers new software that easily integrates with the other software. Well, Apple has a lot of software that only within the last 4 or so years began to integrate with PC things as well as hardware. For this reason Apple has only been able to gain supplies from a limited set of suppliers, leaving Apple in a vulnerable position. However, one of Apples competencies is a great designing department. They come up with fun looking machines and professional looking machines. The other important thing is the size and the colour of the machine. Distribution Apple has many forms of distribution from their own retail outlet, to business to business selling, to their online store. First there are the Apple retail stores; most of these will be found in major cities across the US and the UK. From these or the website anything can be offered to customers and the products can be even more personalized than they already are. Their most important deals are probably with education. For years they have been offering their computers to schools for years and have grown a large following just from the children that are familiar with Apple and comfortable with Apple interface. This also allows Apple to watch market trends since their market is also people between 20 and 30 years old. The young children will be the future so Apple simply watches what they are interested in. Their final bit of distribution comes from other warehouse companies or help desk companies that need the Apple parts and products to fix peoples computers. There are also third party stores that might display the product amongst several other laptop options. Their main manufacturing, development, designing stuff can be found in California and in Ireland. These two points must serve as umbrellas under which warehouses and retail shops would order or receive from them. Marketing stratergy I think Apples main stratergy is there appeal to their customers. What you find in general with many of their products more btter looking than the competitions. One thing we can see is Apple building on the popularity of the iPod. It appeals to the Mass market. Now appeal less as a computer company and more of a electronics company and seem more user-friendly. Apple have a differentiation stratergy. Apple products are known to have a unique appeal, with its sleek designs a userbility. Due to this it gets a lot of attention from consumers and the media. Without much advertising or marketing on their part. They give something new and unique to talk about which everybody gets pulled in to. With the iPod there not only selling a mp3 player, there selling a social chic. Everybody has one and everybody wants one. Target Market Apple Ipod focused particularly at those between the age of 12-25, consistent with their advertising. Bright colours and a man dancing. It will appeal to both males and females People who have a passion or interest in music and/or literature Technology enthusiasts The iPod appeals to the mass market, everyone is a potential customer. Young or old. They have music, literature and podcasts all avaiable for the iPod owners. The simplicity and sleek design is what attracts people. Although the latest ones (the touch) are expensive, and may be aimed at higher and older earners. Word count 1371 Appropriate models, such as environmental analysis, industry analysis, lifecycle, analysis, resource analysis, swot and pest analysis, Porters 5 forces etc (these do NOT form part of the word count). PESTEL-Analysis: Economical aspects: Inflation currently has increased in UK and the US and may affect current sales of ipods which have already slowed. Global economy in a down turn The exchange rate will also affect Apple as they are importing or exporting goods within the international market. Socio-cultural aspects: Again Anti-American agenda may cause potential customers to but from another company. A generally aging British population, so many may be put off by the technology As much as it is a iPod culture, it can go away as quickly as it came. People may find something else which is better and more value for money. Technical aspects: The wide range of fast changing high-tech/high-quality download possibilities, encourages consumers to download but it also puts more pressure on competing firms, as they have to stay up-to-date with the newest technologies. Considerable developments in the mobile phone market (3G handsets becoming reality and expanded features available to the customer) will push the multimedia download market into new spheres and will open up great opportunities for Apple. Many substitutes available from iRiver, Samsung and Sony. Competition moving away from copy protection on songs, Such as Amazon. Peer-to-peer file sharing applications like Lime wire and Kazaa are still extremely popular. Although this is a problem with the music industry on a whole. This still however affects iTunes. Legal aspects: Issues of copyrights and illegal downloads greatly affect the music download industry and are a major problem for active legal providers. A former lack of legislation in this area has encouraged consumers away from commercial downloading services and as a response to this, new technologies have been introduced that protect the copyright of owners and prevent customers to download and share files illegaly. Digital Rights Managment (DRM) was created to control the number of copies that can be made from a download and although for the music industry there are many positive aspects to DRM, there are surely as many negative for the consumer. Therefore, some companies have already planned to open big portals on DRM-Free tracks that will legally enable the consumer to download files without being limited to a certain number of computers, portable digital devices and CD burns for a reasonable price. Source: Corporate Stratergy finntrack.com Porters 5 Forces: Substitute products: A substitute product is not a direct alternative to the product a company is selling. For example, the new Sony Walkman media player is not a substitute for the iPod Touch, it is a competitor. However, a personal CD player or MP3 player could be if certain aspects of the market were to change, e.g. price and there was a high elasticity of demand. In the case of iTunes, with music there is a wide range of options for buying music and therefore are many substitutes within the music industry, for example tapes, CDs, vinyl and DVDs. All of these are easily accessible and just as convenient as downloading from the internet. The benefit which iTunes has is that you do not have to buy whole albums; you can download songs individually and at a fraction of the cost of a single song on another format. Also you are able to buy movies, TV shows, audio books and Podcasts, all available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Reports by Mintel have shown that sale price and the volume of sales is falling f or non digital media, consequently as a result of internet downloading. The Threat of new Entrants: Already, there are hundreds of media downloading sites available to use on the internet. Some are legal and some are not. It is more difficult to block and put barriers up for illegal entrants into the market because they are not abiding by the law and therefore do not have patents, licences or the rights to distribute media, but still do. With legitimate start up companies, there are capital requirements, possible patents licences to obtain and ultimately the prospect of competing with already well established and reputable companies such as iTunes. Mintel predicts that there will be an influx of new companies willing to invest in the online downloading industry. A big threat for Apple constitutes the entrance of Amazon into the market. The company announced the launch of a new music download portal that offers a wide range of DRM-Free tracks to a reasonable price. Since there are many advantages to DRM-Free tracks, like the fact that users can legaly copy the files without being r estricted to a certain number of copies, consumers are expected to highly welcome the new download store. Apple has to be aware of the fact, that it could lose both new and old customers by restricting them to Digital Rights Management tracks that can only be played on Apples iPod and not on any MP3 capable device, as it is the case with Amazon. Bargaining Power Of Customers: Due to the vast range of direct alternatives and substitutes, iTunes needs to price competitively as well as maintaining reputation and range availability. Consumers are easily swayed to alternative products, especially the ease and free use of illegal downloading sites and therefore need to be drawn in to using legal downloading sites like iTunes. Consumers have great power due to their ability to buy from any one competitor in the music industry and can therefore potentially dictate prices by constantly buying from the cheapest company, thus forcing competitors to reduce prices. Obviously one customer would not make a difference, but collectively customers are strong. As for the Apple iPhone, it has to be considered that network providers have great power over the company, as they could decide not to sell the iPhone or put pressure on the company that forces them to pay a certain amount of their revenues to the provider. At the moment, Apple has restricted itself to one provider, O2, and therefore greatly depends on them selling the iPhone but this will surely change over time. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Similarly to bargaining power of customers, there is the bargaining power of suppliers. iTunes have to submit to the requirements of the consumer market to be competitive, but on the other hand have the ability to bargain with their suppliers due to the size and reputation of the company, thus they are a supplier and a customer. Due to the volume of sales that iTunes have, it would be foolish for companies such as SonyBMG, Universal, Warner and EMI to not compromise on the costs and rights to distribute their music, as their success in the music download market highly depends on the successful distribution of their music, mainly through Apple. This fact clearly limits the bargaining power of suppliers to a certain degree, although Apple has to consider that without their music iTunes could not function as efficiently as the market demands. Therefore a compromise must arise that suits both companies, a possible agreement could be initial fees plus percentage of sales. Intensity of Rivalry: Although the amount of companies operating in the music download market is pretty high, Apple is the clear market leader. Still the multimedia download market is a market in its growth phase with fast changing technologies and many new companies entering the market. At the moment, it seems very unlikely that a company could seriously threaten Apples market position but the company has to be aware of the fact that there are other big multinational companies trying to enter the market with new technologies and ways of offering their services. SWOT-Analyses: Strengths: Apple is the clear market leader in the music downloadand steady financial performance. Revenues have grown from $5,742 million in 2002 to $19,315 million in 2006 and the companys net profit has increased from $65 million in 2002 to $1,989 million in 2006 (Datamonitor, 2007). Steady financial growth shows the good financial state of the company and builds the base for future growth and expansion. Also, the company has a very strong branding and enjoys a high level of brand recognition and brand awareness that allows the company to differentiate its offers and stimulate sales. Strengths of the company is defined by its successful distribution of the iPod and its software iTunes. With every iPod sold, the consumer automatically installs iTunes on his pc, as it is only possible to download music from Apples original software to an iPod. Moreover, Apple products are being considered as hip, stylish and fashionable which is increasingly becoming important for consumers. Furthermore, Apple devices and software attract customers for their convenience, their ease of use and for always being up-to-date with the newest technology. Apple has also collaborated with large brand companies like Nike, Starbucks, Coca Cola and Google, which has had beneficial impacts on both Apple and their partners and has created a new profile, e.g. linking sports and music culture. Weaknesses: First off all there is to say that although the interconnection between the iPod/iPhone and iTunes has been a key factor to Apples success this restriction could become a problem in the future, as more and more customers are looking for devices and online portals that allow them to download MP3s to any MP3 capable device. Moreover, Apple has only a very limited offer of DRM-Free tracks on iTunes, which can be defined as a strong weakness since an increasing number of customers fancy DRM-Free downloads. Another weakness for Apple lies in its pricing, especially for its iPhone. A Mintel research about the mobile phone market in the UK defined pricing and costs to be the most important factor when it comes to purchasing a phone (Mintel, 2007). Also, the iPhone currently doesnt allow the costumer to directly download files to the mobile, which, compared to the new Nokia N-Series, is a enormous weakness, since it could prevent customers to buy the Apple device and go for the Nokia handset instead. This could lead to a loss of Apples market share to its competitor Nokia. Also, technically, the iPhone isnt quiet as good as its competitor the Nokia N95, as it runs on a slower mobile data service and comes only with a 2 Megapixel camera. Another weakness for Apple is, that theyve only chosen one operator in each country where the iPhone is available and thus has restricted the consumers choice of network operators. Threats: The comanys biggest threat probably constitutes the entrance of Nokia into the digital download market. By providing the opportunity to directly download files to a handset device, Nokia could gain some of Apples a market share in the digital download market, since customers are increasingly fancying mobile downloads that dont restrict them to a bulky pc or laptop. The mobile download market is one of the most opportunity-rich markets the world has ever seen, as Nokias Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo states (Halper,2007), and if Apple doesnt catch up fast on this opportunity it is running risk to loose its superiour market position to Nokia. Another threat for Apple constitutes the launch of online portals that are specialized in marketing DRM-Free tracks. More and more customers are looking for music that doesnt restrict them to a certain number of copies or to a special device as it is the case with iTunes and the iPod. Although Apple is currently trying to improve its choice of DRM-Free tracks, it still lacks the greater choice and lower price of companies such as Amazon which could lead to custmers switching over from Apple to those in terms of DRM more convinincing sites. Also the threat of illegal download sites would have an negative impact, due to the availability of free digital content that could sway customers away from Apples iTunes. Opportunities: Although currently especially the youth customer segment is seen as the major target group for downloading, as these customers seem to be less restrictive towards new technologies, providing more substantial and sophisticated products and services for older and wealthier people could proof very profitable for Apple. With the launch of its iPhone Apple has already done an important move into the mobile phone market that might allow the company to challenge its biggest threat Nokia on their home market. As more and more customers are increasingly becoming aware of innovative techologies and of the benefits arising out of Internet downloading Apple should now take advantage of the great opportunities arising from the fast growing mobile phone download market by making its services directly downloadable to its iPhone as its rival Nokia has already done. Also, the upcoming change in the digital download industry towards ad-supported content could be an opportunity for Apple, if the compan y manages to strike advertising deals with companies that allow Apple to offer services for free to customers who agree to watching ads. This could bring a whole new bunch of customers to the company. Although these customers wont have to pay for the add-supported services, they will probably buy an iPod or an iPhone or another Apple hardware device. Resource Analysis:- The resources of an organisation include its human resource skills, the investment and the capital in every part of the organisation. Apple has advantages in the production and marketing of its new iPod music player and associated software that set the standards for the industry. It had also invested heavily in branding its products and the Apple retail stores that sold its products. All these were part of its resources. Apple takes supplies it buys in- such as components, energy, skills and capital equipment and then uses its own resources and expertise to create a product from these supplies- such as a computer or an iPod- that has a value which is higher than the combined value of all the supplies which have been used to make the product. Environmental Analysis:- Organisations need to develop corporate strategies that are best suited to their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the environment in which they operate. For example, Apple faces a highly competitive environment for its competitors in relation to the American companies such as Dell, Hewlett Packard. In addition, the company had to cope with changing levels of economic growth in many markets around the world, which influenced the decisions of its customers to purchase new computers.