FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SEARS VS. WAL-MART - 5339 Words

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SEARS VS. WAL-MART Table Content Background Analysis------------------------------------------------ 3 Financial Ratio analysis--------------------------------------------- 4 Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)--------------------- 12 Working Capital Management--------------------------------------20 Dividend Policy and Tax Treatment------------------------------- 23 Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------24 Background Analysis Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., incorporated in 1969, is an international retailer. In the United States, the Company operated 1,568 discount stores, 1,258 Super centers, 525 SAMs CLUBs and 49 Neighborhood Markets as of January 31, 2003. Wal-Marts†¦show more content†¦But Wal-Mart has a lower gross margin that is because Wal-Mart believes in higher volume and low mark-ups. Operating profit/sales Operating profit is for a certain period divided by revenues for that period. Operating profit margin indicates how effective company is at controlling the costs and expenses associated with their normal business operating. Refer the exhibit 1-1, We can observe that Wal-Mart and Sears performed the costs and expenses controlling effectively almost in average situations. However, Wal-Mart has a little bit higher than Sears in 1998. But Sears had caught up in 1999 and still growing up in 2002. EBIT/sales EBIT is a measure of companys earning power from ongoing operations, equal to earnings before deduction of interest payments and income taxes. EBIT ratio is examined for how profitably a company produces and markets its goods, particularly useful for those determining whether a company can pay its interest expense and with what degree of safety. Comparing with operating profit/sales ratio, it implied the interest expenses had more impact on Sears operation than Wal-Mart. EBITDA/sales EBITDA is a good measure and widely to use to evaluate the core profit trends. This ratio can be used to evaluate the profit potential between companies because it eliminates some of the extraneous factors and all the outside influences and timing effects on the companys profitability figure. ReferShow MoreRelatedSears vs Wal-Mart Essay758 Words   |  4 PagesSears vs. Wal-Mart Sears and Wal-Mart are both nationwide retailers, but their similarities are only skin deep. Sears started to lose its dominance in the early 1980s. In an attempt to boost the dwindling market share, Sears started to issue proprietary Sears Card, which gave customers payment flexibilities. A new slogan focusing on the softer side of Sears, and a revised product mix, were created to appeal to the middle-class female shoppers. On the other hand, Wal-Mart focused to achieveRead MoreSears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc684 Words   |  3 PagesSears, Roebuck and Co. Vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc Problem: Don Edwards, a recent MBA graduate has been asked to analyze the financial performance of Sears and Wal-Mart. Although Wal-Mart is the industry powerhouse, its 20% return on equity (ROE) lags behind that of Sears’ 22%. Analysis: Wal-Mart operates fewer stores than Sears but is ahead in terms of total selling area by a ratio of 3.4:1. Between 1995 and 1997, Sears’ retail store revenue per selling square foot was not only lowerRead MoreSears V. Walmart3367 Words   |  14 PagesSears Vs. Walmart Financial Performance Comparison Profit Margin Profit Margin, Sears Co. | | 1997 | | 1996 | | 1995 | Net income | 1,188 | -6.53% | 1,271 | -29.43% | 1,801 | Total revenues | 36,371 | 7.76% | 33,751 | 8.41% | 31,133 | Profit Margin | 3.27% | | 3.77% | | 5.78% | This Profit Margin ratio is acceptable, though not high. The result means that for each dollar of sales at Sears Co., the company earns only 3.27 cents in 1997, compared to 3.77 cents and 5.78 cents in 1996 and 1995 respectivelyRead MoreEssay on Development and Analysis of Two Mini Case Studies1267 Words   |  6 PagesDevelopment and Analysis of Two Mini Case Studies This is a SWOT analysis of Target Corporation and K-Mart, to be followed by a cross-case analysis of the two mini cases. The success and failure in these cases is based on volume of sales and recognition of the two companies. Target SWOT Analysis Target is a mass merchandising store based out of Roseville, Minnesota and founded in 1962. Almost 50 years later, Target is still going strong. They have always been in direct competition with theRead MoreWalmart: A Strategic Management Case study Financial Perspective959 Words   |  4 PagesPricing Strategy Wal-Mart’s primary competition in US includes department stores of the likes of Target and Kmart. Costco offers competition to Sam Club format of Wal-Mart. In niche small markets, dollar stores are offering strong competition to Wal-Mart. Kroger competes with Neighbor market and supercenters of Wal-Mart especially on the grocery product line. Target competes with Discount stores and supercenter shopping formats of Wal-Mart with Target commanding a small premium on prices as itRead MoreCase Analysisï ¼Å¡Sears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.3454 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿Caseï ¼Å¡Sears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Financial Statement Case analysis 1ï ¼Å½ How do the retailing strategies of Sears and Wal-Mart differ? How does each firm operate their business/attempt to create value? The two companies differs in retailing strategy in two ways. 1. Credit sales boost sales greatly in Sears, not in Wal-mart Since 1992 when Arthur C. Martinez was brought on board to head Sears’s retailing operations, credit sales, especially through the use ofRead MoreWal Mart Vs. K Mart3174 Words   |  13 PagesWal-Mart vs. K-Mart Introduction of the Wal-Mart Company â€Å"A megacorporation with sales that consistently rank it as the number-one or number-two publicly traded company in the United States and in the world, Wal-Mart has impacted wage rates, prices, and economies on a local, national, and global scale. It is arguably the world s most important privately controlled economic institution. It not only has no rivals, it actually influences the prices set by its suppliers and has often seemed imperviousRead MoreTechnology and Its Impact on Retail Stores2008 Words   |  9 Pagesapproximately $63,000 per year. Turning our focus now on to Wal-mart, establishing it self as a low-cost middle-American retailer of choice is the way Wal-mart has climbed into world wide fame. Wal-mart was founded in 1962, by Sam Walton. Starting in Bentonville, AR, Walmart offered its customers value and savings greater than their competitors, by buying larger quantities of merchandise from its competitors. This enabled Wal-Mart, to find a niche in the retail market unlike anything else duringRead MoreFsa Case Discussion Questions2374 Words   |  10 PagesFinancial Statement Analysis Case Discussion Questions CASE: The Case of the Unidentified Industries - 2006 The questions are in the case. However, the following information might be helpful. 1. For purposes of this case the loans of the commercial bank are classified as accounts receivable and the deposits as accounts payable. 2. Unlike most business done on a credit basis where $1 of revenue creates a $1 accounts receivable, in advertising $1 of revenue creates $1/15% = $6.67 of accountsRead MoreSwot Analysis : Target Corporation Essay1745 Words   |  7 Pagesmarket. With success comes risk. Target Corporation competes against online retailers as well as â€Å"big box† stores to remain competitive. As Target Corporation is evaluated, one must observe market analysis, the current situation of the organization compared to its market performance, and SWOT analysis, to gain a better understanding of the company. Target Corporation is a retail chain specializing in household goods, clothing, food, and accessories at discounted prices. The retail chain’s history

Refugee Blues Essay - 1013 Words

Refugee Blues W. H. Auden’s poem of despair, misery, and isolation, â€Å"Refugee Blues†, describes the hardships faced by two German Jewish refugees attempting to escape Hitler’s Germany. Published in autumn, 1939, Auden is surrounded by the anti-Sematic hatred that is growing in Germany six months prior to the outbreak of World War II. Auden utilizes this environment and the experiences of German Jews to express the abuse of human rights and the sentiments of refugees. For the near two thousand years that the Jewish people have lived in Europe, they have constantly battled anti-Semitism, having to defend themselves, physically and emotionally, time and time again. In 1920, Jewish people encountered anti-Semitism from the Nationalist†¦show more content†¦Stanza seven focuses on Hitler’s horrific regime, expressed metaphorically. His command for all Jews to be killed is personified as the rumbling of thunder that can be heard just before light ning strikes, and the world descends into the chaos of a political storm. The last stanza of the poem describes Jewish people being hunted, either by death squads or by soldiers looking to put them into labor camps. Throughout the poem, Auden uses contrast to demonstrate the struggle of the inequality of Jewish people. He juxtaposes Jewish people with animals, displaying the disdainful perception of German Jewish refugees through the lines, â€Å"Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin. Saw a door opened and a cat let in, but they weren’t German Jews my dear† (22-23). The speaker reflects that cats were welcomed into open doors, yet they were not. Additionally, the refugee speaks of how he, â€Å"Saw the fish swimming as if they were free† (26), and how the fish in the quay are free, yet they were not. Auden shows that animals were treated with more compassion than Jewish refugees. Also, Auden considers one of the most prominent contrasting parts of th e poem – the Jews’ condition of hanging between legal and biological death. The legal death that Auden refers to is depicted throughout the poem; describing loss of home (3), country (4), and documentation. In the fourth stanza he describes a consul, violentlyShow MoreRelatedThe Refugee Blues And Inside Dachau Essay1500 Words   |  6 Pagesthe â€Å"Refugee Blues† Experiences, emotional events, and imaginations are often condensed into poetic forms of expression. In Refugee Blues and Inside Dachau, W.H. Auden and Sherman Alexie brought to the fore the struggles and conflicts that characterize humanity through the dynamics of political plots and human biases. A refugee is a psychologically or physically displaced person from their conceived home or country either by reason of tribe, war, religion or politics. Thus, being a refugee meansRead MoreComparing The Last Night By Sebastian Faulks And Refugee Blues 1617 Words   |  7 Pagesand ‘Refugee Blues’ by W.H. Auden are similar in a sense that they both describes the suffering and alienation of the Jews at the time of World War Two. However, they are not identical as ‘The Last Night’ is an extract from Sebastian Faulk’s book describing the suffering of the French Jew s journey before they were deported to a concentration camp whereas ‘Refugee Blues†™ is a poem about the hardships of the refugees that fled from Germany before the Holocaust to Britain. In ‘Refugee blues’ theRead MoreCompare and Contrast Auden’s and Faulks’ Use of Detail Establish a Feeling of Alienation in ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘the Last Night’1043 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and contrast Auden’s and Faulks’ use of detail establish a feeling of alienation in ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘The Last Night’ Both Sebastian Faulks and W. H. Auden write about the tales of Jewish refugees living in the time of holocaust during WW2 in their two pieces, ‘The Last Night’ and ‘Refugee Blues’. By using literary techniques such as imagery and tone both writers, Auden and Gray create a sense of alienation for the characters portrayed in their writing. Both Auden and Gray create aRead MoreRefugee Blues by W.H Auden878 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Refugee blues† is 1 of the poems written by W H Auden. It is about a sad and terrible plight of being a Jew in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obviously, as a refugee, the couple has lost their home, their country and their identity. The melancholy feeling comes through strongly in the blues - a sad song. Though the poem is about 2 people at a particular time in the past the thoughts and feelings of the poem’s narrator might be similar to situations in any part of the world 2day.this poem isRead MoreRefugee Blues and Disabled Comparison (Almost Finished)2472 Words   |  10 PagesDisabled / Refugee Blues: A Poem Comparison Essay The subject of war and the loss of human life has had a deep influence on poetry of the first half of the 20th century. Many poets from around the world had felt the direct impact of earth-shattering wars and went on to express their opinions through their works. It was during wartime eras that the poems Disabled and Refugee Blues were written by Wilfred Owen and W.H. Auden respectively. Both of the given war poems are consideredRead MoreRefugee Blues’ by Auden and ‘The Last Night’ Essay1917 Words   |  8 Pagesfeeling of alienation in conjunction with isolation through manipulating their imagery and tone. ‘Refugee Blues’ is rooted in the 1930†²s pre-second world war, when the Jewish communities were being punished for countless mistakes they had not even made. If we break down the title of both texts we can already begin to interpret the different tones, as well as emotions that will be in the pieces. ‘Refugee’ comes from the word refuge, which means safety, safety for the people who have been forced to leaveRead MoreDisabled a Poem by Wilfred Owen and Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden1219 Words   |  5 PagesBoth Wilfred Owen and W.H Auden effectively express their opinions on the sensiti ve topic of war, having experienced the direct impact of it first hand which is indisputably evident in their poems ‘Disabled’ and ‘Refugee Blues’ respectively. Both the poems focus on the intense depiction of the unglamorous consequences tied with war. ‘Disabled’ as per the title is about a young soldier disabled both physically and emotionally during combat. The poem is written in close focus third person and zoomsRead MoreAnalysis Of Refugee Blues By W H Auden And Disabled By Wilfred Owen1486 Words   |  6 Pageskeep going, not expecting life to get better-just hoping. 1 ‘Refugee Blues’ by W H Auden and ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen are two poems that describe the theme of loss to an extreme level to a point in which their characters are unsure whether to keep going, or end their misery. Owen refers to death and questions him, â€Å"Why don t they come?† suggesting that he would rather let death take him than live life as a cripple. ‘Refugee Blues’ has a distinct theme of war; iconic world war two images are shownRead MoreThe Refugee And Asylum Seekers2220 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction: I have chosen the topic about the refugee and asylum seekers health issues as refugee health considering one of the important health problems in Australian. The review will focus some issues on refugee health base on the relevant and substantial literature. Literature review tried explore about -How the refugee and asylum seekers are define -their current situations in Australia - Why their health is need to be consider as important issues -how they have been involve with AustralianRead MoreThe Afghan Girl By Stephen Mcmurry1498 Words   |  6 PagesViolence and warfare around the globe are responsible for the displacement of large quantities of individuals from their homes and communities, destroying their quality of life. Areas for displaced peoples, also known as refugee camps, lack the necessary resources and funding to support the large communities of those fleeing violence. The poor standard of living due to the lack of resources cause malnutrition, illness, and often death. Certain difficulties, such as lack of fresh water or medicine

Dealing with Complaints free essay sample

You know I have just moved to a new region and noticed the advertisement near by my house. I would like to know about your internet services. Sure. first of all I want to know for what do you need the internet? For work? For communication? or may be for online games? well, I think mostly for communication with my relatives abroad. -Ok, then how often do you use internet? -every day. I have choose some variants for you. What kind of tariff do you prefer? limited or unlimited? unlimited, I think. so there are 23$ and 17$ variants. Â  a days ago I have bought a new coat and didnt noticed that there is a big hole inside! oh, we are really sorry for it. ou can choose from several options: to refund, to replace or to repair it. -I think replacement is what I want. -wait me a minute. Ill be back soon. We will write a custom essay sample on Dealing with Complaints or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Here it is. thank you. -we apologies again for this defect How can I help you? I would like to choose a mobile phone for present for my wife. -Well I can offer you this models. Women like it most of all. -Very good. My wife like to make a photos, so I need good camera within the phone. -ok, this models have a 16 megapixels camera. But I would recommend you this phone. It has wi-fi and 3g functions, big sized screen. Moreover this screen can react on nails! thats what I need. What is the price for it? -oh, lucky you! Right now we have sale on all phones of this series. It costs only 640$!!! -great. Can you say some words about the guarantees? Of cause, it has a guarantee on 2 years. With opportunity to refund or replace it if something will go wrong. I forgot to said that it is available in 5 colors: black, white, pink, yellow and blue.

Things Fall Apart Essays (1362 words) - African Writers Series

Things Fall Apart The culture of the Umuofia society before the colonial infiltration, may be hard to understand but we are forced by Achebe to realize it has traditions and customs that make it work. Although, looking at it from our Judaeo-Christian point of view we may be appalled by some of their practices. We also have to realize that they have strengths. Things Fall apart is the idea of balance and interdependence, earth and sky, individual and community, man and woman or different perspectives on the same situation. The central image of this balance is contained in the Ibo concept of chi, which occurs throughout the novel. A persons chi is their destiny, his inner self, you wouldn't challenge your chi to a wrestling match, as did Okonkwo when he assisted in the killing of Ikemefuna, whom he loved and who called him father. Okonkwo sins not only against the earth goddess, protector of family relations, but also against his inner most feelings or his chi. Any bad luck that occurs, people of this c ulture would say that you have a bad chi. Okonkwo's destiny is marked by bad luck, one reason may be that he is so driven by the fear of resembling his father that he struggles to express part of his personality with predictably afflicted results. This was a society where a man was judged by his own achievement and not that of his fathers. Yams were the primary crop of Umuofia. A sign of manliness was if you could farm yams to feed your family. Okonkwo is respected because of his hard work. The complex patterns of Umuofia's economic and social customs materialize throughout this novel as we see Okonkwo compelled to rid himself of any similarities that his father had. Unoka had no titles, was lazy and when he died was greatly in debt. Some may wonder how a society like the Ibo's functioned, how they enforce its laws with no kings, no organized police force, and no standing army. Indeed this is something our modern culture could study. These things were accomplished through the functions of the masked spirits. The Egwugwu, represents the village's highest spiritual and judicial authority. The masked spirits are believed to represent their ancestors. This supports the myth The land of the living was not far removed from the domain of the ancestors. There was a coming and going between them, especially at festivals and also when an old man died because an old man was very close to the ancestors, as we saw when Ezeudu died. A man's life from birth to death was a series of transitional rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors. The Egwugwu is made up of the titled men of the village, they have legal, moral and religious authority. They have a working system of peace and order. this is demonstrated by t he trial of Uzowulu for beating his wife. They had a sense of community, the week of peace came at the end of the carefree season and before the harvest and planting season. During the week of peace Okonkwo broke the peace and was punished, as was the custom, by Ezeani, the priest of the earth goddess. He told Okonkwo, even though his wife was at may have been at fault, he committed a great evil. During the Week of Peace you are to live in complete peace no matter what the circumstances, the evil he did could ruin the whole clan. The feast of the New Yam is similar to our Thanksgiving, it was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. The second day of the new year was the day of the great wrestling match between Okonkwo's village and their neighbors. Okonkwo's second wife Ekwefi, loved this festival. Many years ago when she was the village beauty, Okonkwo had won her heart by throwing the Cat in the greatest contest. She did not marry him then because he could not afford he bride price. In this culture they bargained over a bride price in Ekwefi's case it had been a cow, being a symbol of wealth

Prozac Essays (2250 words) - Depression, Eli Lilly And Company

Prozac Abstract At first it was the cure all people were looking for. Then it became the drug they were afraid to take. Somewhere between these two extremes lies the truth about the drug Flouxetine, better known as Prozac, the most widely prescribed drug on the globe. It is mainly prescribed to patients suffering from clinical depression. It was first brought to the market in 1988 by the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly co. Even though it was originally prescribed for depression, it has been prescribed for everything from eating disorders to insomnia. It was first considered the wonder drug of the new decade because of the way it helped depression patients when no other anti-depressant could and then also found to help many other personality disorders as well. But now it is frowned upon by many. Some of the side effects contributed to the growing opposition of Prozac include nausea, constipation, memory impairment, and excess sweating, just to name a few. What is depression? Depression can result from a physical disease, a mental illness, or it can be a recurring reaction of the body. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, major depressive illnesses are often the result of imbalances in neurotransmitters in the brain. It is these critical chemicals that send messages between nerve fibers and control mood (Creamer, 3). Older anti-depressants worked on three different neurotransmitters, serotonin, norepinepherine, and dopamine. However, it has been found that serotonin is the specific chemical in the brain that controls moods. It's job is to carry an impulse from one nerve fiber to the next. Serotonin is released by the nerve into the space between nerve fibers, carries the impulse to the next one, and is then reabsorbed by the first. when it is reabsorbed to quickly, a person feels depressed (6). ?Clinical depression? includes at least five of the following nine symptoms: 1. Feelings of sadness or irritability. 2. Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed. 3. Changes in weight or appetite. 4. Changes in sleeping pattern. 5. Feeling Guilty, hopeless or worthless. 6. Inability to concentrate, remember things, or makes decisions. 7. Fatigue or loss of energy. 8. Restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others. 9. Thoughts of suicide or death. Dr. Brian K. Martin, President of the Mental Health Association of Hawaii, recommends that anyone who has suffered five or more of these symptoms for two weeks or longer see a doctor (7). Nationally, the Mental Health Association estimates that only one-third of those suffering from depression actually seek help. Most are restrained, according to the association, ?by fear, lack of knowledge, misinformation, and stigma.? Depression is also the leading cause of suicide. It is estimated that 15 percent of seriously depressed people take their own lives (7). The cons of Prozac Historically, the use of drugs as fixers of the world's private ills has run into serious, if unanticipated, snags. At the turn of the century, the medical community thought that Cocaine was a completely appropriate, nonaddictive drug, and widely prescribed it. In the 1950s and ?60s, first barbiturates and then amphetimines were recommended for various psychological ailments. we now know that each of these drugs came with significant risks. So what yet-to-be-imparted knowledge may cause science, once again, to admit sheepishly that the exuberance over Prozac was somewhat premature, if not wholly overblown? Possibly, the biggest argument against this drug is merely the fact that it is prescribed for just about anything. It is estimated that it brought in over 1 billion dollars last year to Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company that brought us this wonder drug about ten years ago. It is prescribed for everything from eating disorders to panic to helping with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). David Dolan, Clinical director of one of the psychiatric programs at Jefferson Hospital in Jeffersonville Ky., agrees with many that Prozac is way oversold as a cure-all when it first hit the market. ?All of a sudden, Prozac was the medication for everything, then all of a sudden it was anything but. Almost overnight, a new phenomenon hit Louisville: Prozac panic. Instead of asking for, people were afraid to take it? (Aprile, 2). The change occurred in the weeks following Joseph Wesbecker's rampage, where he fatally shot eight people and injured 12, only to finally kill himself. After the shooting, lab tests revealed therapeutic levels of Prozac in his blood. Three other antidepressants and two other prescription drugs were also found in his blood in tiny amounts. Wesbecker's medical charts indicated that his psychiatrist thought Prozac may have

Drowned Rose Essays

Drowned Rose Essays Drowned Rose Essay Drowned Rose Essay Essay Topic: Drown The Drowned Rose Show how different points of view in the family community are developed in the story and how it affects the reader response. The Drowned Rose by George McKay Brown Is a ghost story about a doomed love affair which takes place In a close knit community and Is pieced together through various pollens by locals. In this essay I will show how different points of view can influence reader response through characterization, theme, symbolism and structure. The story tells us about a young school teacher called Sandra Macmillan, who was avian an affair with a married man named John Germinations. On the isolated island which they live on the close knit community have different opinions about the young couples affair. One night Sandra approaches William Reynolds the new school master at the local school as she mistakes him for John. William Reynolds immediately attracted to Sandra and Is desperate to find out more about her. Later on In the story when Mr. Reynolds Is playing a game of chess with the local molester Reynolds had seen her ghost. One of the main characters who influence the reader throughout the story is William Reynolds. He is immediately attracted to Sandra Macmillan and is fascinated by her and introduces the reader to them main theme in the story which is love. Throughout the story he doesnt have anything negative to say about her. She was certainly a very beautiful girl, with her abundant black hair and hazel eyes and small sweet sensuous mouth. This quote draws the reader in straight away and makes the reader become interested and eager to find out ore about her. Also the use of alliteration Small sweet sensuous helps the reader create a powerful Image of Sanders beauty. Another character who influences the reader throughout the story is Mr. Hendrickson. He is Mr. Reynolds next door neighbor and is very noses. He did not approve of Sandra and Johns affair and has nothing good to say ab out either of them. Mr. Hendrickson was a stereotype islander, very gossipy, bitter and narrow minded. Mr. Reynolds, I consider it my duty to watch, yes, and to report to proper quarters if necessary. This shows that Mr. Hendrickson watched Sandra and John throughout their affair and felt that he had to, when really he Just wanted to know everything that was going on between the young couple. This antipathies how noses and gossipy Hendrickson Is. Also George McKay Brow uses symbolism to empathic Hendrickson character because Henderson only gossips over his garden wall to Reynolds and the walls surrounding him symbolism his narrow mindedness. Due to his disapproval and deedless for the young couple the reader becomes aware that one of the mall themes in this story is persecution as Hendrickson was strongly against the couples Sandra was the school mistress at the local primary school before she died and the children at the school add to the readers response. The children really warmed awards Sandra and enjoyed having her as a teacher. She would take them on nature walks to let them see the wild flowers and would take them to the beach to collect shells. She made all the children feel special and they became almost obsessed with her. Miss Macmillan Miss Macmillan Miss Macmillan The name scattered though the school as if a rose had shed its petals. This quote shows the childrens obsession with their old teacher by using the repetition of her name. The way in which the children look up to their teacher and how they admire her encourages the reader to eel sympathy towards Sandra because she was Judged and seen as a bad perso n. Also Brown uses symbolism to show Sanders character and symbolisms her as a rose. A rose is the symbolism of love and the color red can suggest danger. This shows she is in love with John and is also dangerous toward Reynolds as he could end up very hurt and broken hearted. This also shows effectively the theme of love. George McKay Brown uses symbolism again when talking about the children. The class- room had been murderous as a beehive. This simile shows that the bees are symbolizing the children in the classroom. This s very effective because bees are attracted to flowers such as a rose therefore this antipathies the childrens feelings towards their old teacher. The local minister Donald Barr is also another important character in the story. He is the complete opposite of Mr. Hendrickson, he keeps himself to himself and doesnt like to talk badly about anyone especially Sandra Macmillan. Donald Barr is the person who reveals to Mr. Reynolds that Miss Macmillan is actually dead and is not keen at all to talk about her and how she died. This is because he will not talk wrong about the dead. Never ask me for a partial account. It seems to me they were happy. I refuse to wrong the dead. This shows the ministers loyalty towards the people in his community as he refuses to Judge the lovers for what they did and will not talk badly about it. This makes the reader think the same, what they did might not have been the right thing to do but they should not have been treated differently because of it. As well as characterization, theme, alliteration and symbolism I also found the structure of the story particularly effective. George McKay Brown wrote th e story in flashbacks. By using this structure it allowed the reader to form their own opinion of Sandra Macmillan as it takes you back to when she was a school teacher and lets the reader see what she was like with the children she taught. It also lets the reader see how the events in the past have effected the present day. In conclusion to this The Drowned Rose by George McKay Brown was a very interesting story to read and had a few twists which added to the enjoyment of reading it. After studying the story I grew to like Sandra Macmillan although Mr. Hendrickson was so critical towards her and because he was very much against her made me sympathies for her as he is a nasty individual.

Comp Set Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comp Set Analysis - Research Paper Example Rodeway Inn SF Civic Center enjoys a strategic location within the city. Furthermore, it offers a number of services that may enhance its competitiveness. However, the other five are equally competitive and may, therefore, threaten the hotels profitability and longevity. Crowne Plaza, for example, is a luxury hotel strategically located in the airport; the hotel poses a significant threat to Rodeway Inn SF Civic since it offers immense convenience to visitors. Additionally, Rodeway Inn SF Civic does not have conference facilities. The industry has shifted with most modern day hotels striving to attract visitors who come to the city for seminars and conferences. The lack of ballrooms and workshop facilities denies the hotel a major competitive advantage thereby making it vulnerable to the numerous competitors who are setting up shop in strategic locations within the city and continues to target the same target

Socialization of Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Socialization of Children - Essay Example It is important that adults should get involved in the child's media use to generate the feeling of assistance, co-ordination and co-operation. Media greatly persuades the minds of children and therefore such means are turning out to be the shapers and culture value transformers. It could be believed that media do fling socialization, although incomplete but it does inculcate the feelings and there could be an obvious alterations in the attitude of the child, modifications in habits and beliefs. This could further be strengthened if co-viewing is done with the adult. Although there are certain repercussions to this also as it takes away the time of the child, social interaction is reduced, there could be more beliefs on fictitious dispositions which generates confusion, it affects the psychology as there are certain values which need to be curtailed otherwise viz. violence, advertising, sexuality etc. Watching more of computer and TV affects the communication and interactive skills a nd also the academics. Parents and associated members of family or society plays vital role in developing the psychology of the child. There are various methods which aid in the development of positive predisposition.

Organization development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organization development - Case Study Example The Nissan Company was experiencing a number of problems after 17 years of exporting its vehicles known as Datsun cars to USA. The companies become the top selling import in the market of US. Even though the sporty datsun gained popularity due to its reputation as the ultimate thrill machine, there were a number of management missteps that led to long-lasting decline of the company from 1980. First there was the change of brand name from Nissan to Datsun which was not popular. Secondly, there was little infusion of innovative in their popular car Z. This led to its decline in popularity hence few people went for it. In addition to its already faced problems, there was even more trouble as Nissan was unable to establish flexible relationships with its suppliers. It was also recorded that, their parts were extremely expensive as ranged from 15 to 20% above domestic competitors. This was obviously the decision of management to set prices high but as it was found out it was a wrong strategy as it led to a decline in sales (Covey 28). Nissan also faced competition that was unfavorable from Honda that led to Nissan having an expense of 1000$. This was a discount offered to consumers who purchased their vehicles. All these challenges forced Nissan to restructure their plans but were not successful since they faced powerful trade unions which were against the layoff of workers. Renault was another company which was facing problems for example in the year 1984; it experienced a loss of $2.4 billion. Among the reasons was how managers or heads of departments turned the separated silos into baronies that made it hard for cross functionality to take place in the company. The company also had embraced a narrow minded culture whose basis of thinking was one that was at the expense of a view that was larger. Renault was also experiencing a problem of additional unnecessary expenses through the operation of some of its plants.

Effectiveness of the World Cup Campaign on Lafarge Concreto

Effectiveness of the World Cup Campaign on Lafarge Concreto Executive Summary Primarily the study aims to give the reader an insight into the Indian Cement industry. The project aims to profile and understand the effectiveness of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge Concreto cement. The first phase will be to know the competitors of different brand of PSC cement in eastern India and analysis of their promotion by secondary research. The second phase will be the analysis of the World Cup promotional activities of different brands with celebrities. And then the analysis of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge Concreto with Dhoni is to be done. The third phase will be the comparison of the World Cup campaign of different brands/product with Lafarge Concretos World Cup campaign that will lead to some new findings which will help to formulate new ideas. The fourth phase is to know the effectiveness of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge with Dhoni with the help of a survey i.e. how customers are associating Dhoni as a brand ambassador of Lafarge Concreto, and their feedback about the product, the survey will include meeting dealers and the customers with questionnaire. The final phase will be the analysis of the survey, based on the suggestions and feedback from the customers, ideas will be formulated to improve the promotion which will help to create a strategy that will stay for longer time in future. A Stint at an Advertising Agency- Ogilvy An advertisement agency is a service provider. It provides services to its clients. The primary service of an ad agency is to create a goal oriented and effective advertisement and promotional campaign which aim at putting across the message of the company positively in the eyes of its target audience. In the face of stiff competition every company wants to have an edge over its competitors. Advertising agencies therefore also do the work of research for their clients. This helps the company to take informed decisions and the advertising agencies to create advertisements which break through the clutter and are attention grabbing, persuasive and unique. The main functions of an advertising agency are: Understanding the company, its products and target audience Doing research for better understanding Planning an advertising campaign Making strategies Creating the advertisement and other promotional campaign Measuring success of the campaign About Ogilvy Ogilvy Matheris an international advertising ,marketing and public relations agency based i nManhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries. It was founded in the year 1948 by David Ogilvy as â€Å"Hewitt, Ogilvy, Benson, Mather in Manhattan. Rochelle Lazarus is the chairman andMiles Young is the CEO. Ogilvy opened its first agency in India in the year 1928. It was the first advertising agency in India. Ogilvy has launched many advertisements which have been very successful in all these years. The company in India operates with offices located in all the major cities. Piyush Pandey is the Executive Chairman and the Creative Director at Ogilvy Mather, South Asia. OGILVY OFFICES IN INDIA The focus areas include advertising, direct marketing, public relations and activation. Ogilvy Activation includes services in the non-traditional area of advertising Ogilvy Landscapes, Ogilvy Outreach, Ogilvy Live and Ogilvy Signscapes which together with the focused services consolidate offerings to clients. OM India is OM Internationals fifth largest operation in terms of profits, with the US ranking first and European nations occupying the other three positions. It is ranked Indias number one agency by Brand Equity survey on leadership, creative ability, investment in employees, client servicing, most influential people and great creative directors. Awards Recognitions OM has bagged several awards for print advertisements, TV ads and case study presentations. OM was awarded the Grand Effie Gold and Gold for service on Hutch, a campaign that won awards at the Abbies too; Gold Effiefor corporate advertising for the Cadbury Crisis Management. OM bagged three Bronze Lions at the Cannes Festival 2004 for two Public Health Safety campaigns for Hutch and one for Concern India Foundation; a Gold two Silvers at the Emvies, 1st Runner Up for Asias ‘Office of the Year 2004 by Media magazine, an award that spans 360 degree communication and HR. From Silver Pencil to Asian Brand Marketing Effectiveness awards for campaigns that include Advertising, PR, CSR, Interactive and Direct Marketing, OM has received recognition for its stature as Indias No. 1 communications agency. OM Mumbai was ranked 8th hottest shop in Asia by Campaign Brief Asia in 2002. Every business unit in OM has received recognition in the domestic and overseas markets. Ogilvy won three Gold, five Silver and five Bronze stacking up to 120 Points that won Ogilvy the title of EFFIE Agency of the Year 2009. Vodafone won EFFIE Client of the year in 2009.Ogilvy Kolkata won the Agency of the year in 2010 at Annual Calcutta Advertising Club awards for creative excellence. Ogilvy Kolkata won many award in ABBY awards in the year 2010. The categories in which OM Kolkata won metals are 5 silvers for the Lafarge and Concreto campaigns (category: Home/ dà ©cor/ lifestyle), 4 silvers for the Kolkata TV print campaign (category: Media), 1 Gold for Childrens Little Theatre radio spot (category Radio, services). List of Clients Vodafone Kolkata Circle Vodafone Rest of West Bengal Vodafone Orissa circle Vodafone Bihar circle Lafarge Concreto Lafarge Duragaurd Tata Steel Star Jalsa Coal India Aque Duct PVC pipes Tea board of India Organizatonal Structure of Ogilvy Operational Flow at Ogilvy At Ogilvy, the client servicing executives prepare and pitch a new product or service to a client. It is very important that the pitch is well structured, client centric and adds value to the company. Once the client appoints the advertising agency then the budgets are negotiated. For every new campaign the client briefs the client servicing executives about their requirements. The client servicing executives studies the brief in details and figures out the core need behind the requirement. According to the requirement there is negotiation with the client about the estimated amount which the client will be billed for the campaign. On the basis of the clients requirement and the detailed research by the executive, brief is given to the creative department about the campaign. After understanding the brief the creative department reverts back with the idea for the campaign. If the idea matches with the clients brief, the client servicing executive asks the creative department to proceed forward. The executives interact regularly with the client through emails and phone calls. After a lot of interaction with the client and the executives, the creative department prepares required creative as per the idea which was finalized. The client servicing executives gets an approval for the creative from the clients. After the executive finalizes the requirement all the creative which are finalized for the campaign are given to the studio operators. The studio operators do the adaptation of the creative in terms of different size requirement, change in the copy etc. They also make sure that all the mandatory guidelines given by the brands are incorporated in the promotional material. The studio operators do a lot of adaptations according to the region in which the campaign is to be released. This may require using the copy of the advertisement in various languages this is done by the translators. The translator translates the copy according to the local language. The final layouts are shared with the client for their approval, in form of JPEGs. The client reverts back and changes if any are made by the studio operators. Then the final advertisement is released for printing. Apart from the print ad client may require radio advertisements, television commercial, audio visual or any other innovative material for promotions. The client servicing interacts with the respective vendors and gets the work done. Introduction Indian Cement Industry An Overview Indian cement industry dates back to 1914 first unit was set-up at Porbandar, with a capacity of 1000 tones. [2] India manufactures 251.2 Million Tones of cement per year. Indias per capita cement consumption is only 156 kilograms against Chinas 600 kilograms. [4] Cement sales primarily through a distribution channel. Ready mix concrete a relatively nascent market in India. Installed Capacity Indian Cement industry is comprised of 148 large cement plants with around 46 member companies. The installed capacity of these large cement plants is estimated to be 219.17 million tones during 2009-10 (as on March 2009).There are 95 large cement plants with capacity of million tones and above and around 1, 40,000 manpower is employed under these plants (one MnT cement generates downstream employment to 50,000 persons). Also, there are 365 mini and white cement plants with an installed capacity of 11.10 million tones (P). [3] Statistics Cement Production Despatches (P) Source: Cement Manufacturers Association Cement production during April to January 2010-11 was 136.51 million tones as compared to 130.85 million tones during the same period for the year 2009-10. Despatches were estimated at 135.56 million tones during April to January 2010-11 whereas during the same period for the year 2009-10, it stood at 130.09 million tones. [3] Cement sector is characterized by the following Units concentrated near raw material sources or markets Power intensive High freight costs Small value chain Regional variation and volatility in prices and margins High debt levels Regional distribution of demand Seasonality of demand and cyclicality of the industry High entry barriers Consumer Demographics Buying Patterns of Indian Consumers The per capita consumption of cement in India is very low, as compared with the developed economies and the overall world average per capita cement consumption. The per capita consumption of cement in India is even less than that in Africa, a relatively underdeveloped continent. Over the past decade, the per capita cement consumption of cement has increased in most states, except Chandigarh, where it has declined by 7 %. Mechanics of Distribution Channels of Sector Companies invariably hire carrying forwarding agents or transport cements to own or government warehouses either via roadway or railways. Incase of exports, cement reaches the nearest port via roadways or railways and is then transferred to the importing country. Domestically, from warehouses the cement is transported to the dealers/distributors and in turn to sub dealers who finally sell it to the end users. There may or may not be physical ownership of goods. In the second case, dealers and sub dealers take order from buyers and place it to the companies, co ordinate and monitor the timely dispatch of said orders, transportation of goods and final delivery. Distributor network in cement industry is highly dominating and companies are compelled to hire as they do not really have that rapport and touch with the end consumer of their product. Apart, from this, the distributors have storage facilities as well which help control well in the entire supply chain as they are the ones who bring orders and therefore are directly responsible for the business that a manufacturer would do. Demand drivers Infrastructure construction sector the major demand drivers. Some demand determinants Economic growth Industrial activity Real estate business Construction activity Investments in the core sector Factors and causes behind the successful flourishing of the cement industries in India Technological change: The government and the industries are upgrading the quality and the technology that are used in the process of production. New investment are in process that are sure to make a change in whole processing and the output of cement There are host of companies are merging together to make their capacity and the produce big and this would lead to a greater development in the cement production. The real estate market is much optimistic and hence this helps in the growth and the enhancement in the field of cement production and investments. Companies and the investors are spending more on the infrastructure of this sector. Various national programs are taken in like National Rural Employment Guarantee, Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Indira Aawas Yojana. Different Types of Cement There are different varieties of cement based on different compositions according to specific end uses, namely Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Pozolona Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement, White Cement and Specialized Cement. The basic difference lies in the percentage of clinker used. [5] 1. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC): OPC, popularly known as grey cement Clinker 95% Gypsum 5% Other materials White cement is a variation of OPC and is used for decorative purposes like rendering of walls, flooring etc. It contains a very low proportion of iron oxide. The applications are cover dry-lean mixes, general-purpose ready-mixes, and even high strength pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete. 2. Portland Pozolona Cement (PPC): Portland pozzolana cement is Ordinary Portland Cement blended with pozzolanic materials (power-station fly ash, burnt clays, ash from burnt plant material or Siliceous earths), either together or separately. Portland clinker is ground with Gypsum and Pozzolanic materials which, though they do not have cementing properties in themselves, combine chemically with Portland cement in the presence of water to form extra strong cementing material which resists wet cracking, thermal cracking and has a high degree of cohesion and workability in concrete. Clinker 80% Pozzolana 15% Gypsum 5% It is cheaply manufactured because it uses fly ash/burnt clay/coal waste as the main ingredient. It has a lower heat of hydration, which helps in preventing cracks. 3. Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFSC): Portland blast-furnace slag cement contains up to 70 per cent of finely ground, granulated blast-furnace slag, a nonmetallic product consisting essentially of Silicates and Aluminum-silicates of Calcium. Slag brings with it the advantage of the energy invested in the slag making. Grinding slag for cement replacement takes only 25 per cent of the energy needed to manufacture Portland cement. Using slag cement to replace a portion of Portland cement in a concrete mixture is a useful method to make concrete better and more consistent. Portland blast-furnace slag cement has a lighter color, better concrete workability, easier finish ability, higher compressive and flexural strength, lower permeability, improved resistance to aggressive chemicals and more consistent plastic and hardened consistency. It has a heat of hydration even lower than PPC and is generally used in construction of dams and similar massive constructions. Clinker 45% Blast furnace slag 50% Gypsum 5% 4. White Cement: White Portland cement has essentially the same properties as gray cement, except for color, which is a very important quality control issue in the industry. It is manufactured using fuel oil (instead of coal) and with iron oxide content below 0.4% to ensure whiteness. Special cooling technique is used. It is used to enhance aesthetic value, in tiles and for flooring. White cement is much more expensive than grey cement. 5. Specialized Cement: Oil Well Cement: is made from clinker with special additives to prevent any porosity. Rapid Hardening Portland cement: It is similar to OPC, except that it is ground much finer, so that on casting, the compressible strength increases rapidly. 5 Source. www.acclimited.com Major players in cement industry 1) Associated Cement Companies Ltd (ACC) ACC Limited is Indias foremost cement manufacturer with a countrywide network of factories and marketing offices. Established in 1936, ACC has been a pioneer and trend-setter in cement and concrete technology.[5] ACC manufactures the following types of cement, in addition to which, it provides Bulk Cement and Ready Mix Concrete. Ordinary Portland Cements: 43 Grade Cement (OPC 43 Grade), 53 Grade Cement Blended Cements: Fly-ash based Portland Pozzolana Cement, Portland Slag Cement Table No.1- ACC plants 2) Birla Corp Table No.2- Birla cement plants 3) UltraTech UltraTech Cement Limited has an annual capacity of 52 million tones. It manufactures and markets Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement and Portland Pozzalana Cement. It also manufactures ready mix concrete (RMC). The company has 11 integrated plants, one white cement plant, one clinkerisation plant in UAE, 15 grinding units 11 in India, 2 in UAE, one in Bahrain and Bangladesh each and five terminals — four in India and one in Sri Lanka. UltraTech Cement is the countrys largest exporter of cement clinker. The export markets span countries around the Indian Ocean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. UltraTechs subsidiaries are Dakshin Cements Limited, Harish Cements Limited, UltraTech Ceylinco (P) Limited and UltraTech Cement Middle East Investments Limited. [11] Table No.3- Ultratech cement plants The company has an annual capacity of 48.8 million tonnes, and manufactures and markets ordinary portland cement, portland blast furnace slag cement and portland pozzalana cement. 4) Ambuja Cements Ltd Ambuja Cements Ltd. (ACL) is one of the leading cement manufacturing companies in India. The Company, initially called Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd., was founded in 1983. The Company commenced cement production in 1986. The global cement major Holcim acquired management control of ACL in 2006. Holcim today holds little over 46% equity in ACL. The Company is currently known as Ambuja Cements Ltd. ACL has grown dynamically over the past decade. Its current cement capacity is about 25 million tones. The Company has five integrated cement manufacturing plants and eight cement grinding units across the country. ACL enjoys a reputation of being one of the most efficient cement manufacturers in the world. Its environment protection measures are on par with the finest in the country. It is one of the most profitable and innovative cement companies in India. [9] Table No.4- Ambuja cement plants 5) Jaiprakash Associates Limited Jaypee group is the 3rd largest cement producer in the country. The groups cement facilities are located in the Satna Cluster (U.P), which has one of the highest cement production growth rates in India. The group produces special blend of Portland Pozzolana Cement under the brand name ‘Jaypee Cement (PPC). Its Cement Division currently operates modern, computerized process control cement plants with an aggregate capacity of 21.30 MnTPA. The company is in the midst of capacity expansion of its cement business in Northern, Southern, Central, Eastern and Western parts of the country and is slated to be 37.55 MnTPA by FY12 (expected) with Captive Thermal Power Plants totaling 702MW.[7] Table No.5- Jaypee cement plants 6) Binani Cement Binani Cement Limited is the flagship subsidiary of Binani Industries Limited (BIL), representing the Braj Binani Group. The cement business started operations in 1997, in Sirohi District, Rajasthan. The Companys product portfolio includes Ordinary Portland Cement, Pozzolona Portland Cement and Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBFS). [10] Binani Cement Ltd. produces cement of two grades: Grade 43 Grade 53 PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement) The Binani Cement Plant is in Pindwara, District Sirohi, Rajasthan 2Source. http://www.ibef.org/industry/cement.aspx 3Source.http://www.indiainbusiness.nic.in/industry-infrastructure/industrial-sectors/Cement.htm 4Source. http://www.reportlinker.com/p0243979/Industry-Analysis-Cement.html About Lafarge Cement Lafarge is the leader in building materials; with a turnover of $15.88 billion in 2009. It has been in operation since way back in history in 1833; when it started as a limestone mining company. But as far as the Indian market goes, Lafarge actually began operations in 1999. And then began a slew of expansion plans in the Indian market; combined with a number of insightful, and at times, path breaking marketing initiatives. Lafarge currently has three cement plants in India: two integrated plants in the state of Chhattisgarh and a grinding station in Jharkhand. Total cement production capacity of Lafarge in the Indian market currently stands at around 5.5 million tons. Lafarge India produces different types of cements like Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement. The company is a leading cement player in Eastern India. Its brands Lafarge Cement and Lafarge Concreto Cement enjoy high brand equity here and are amongst the highest priced brands. Lafarge is committed to the India n market and has firm plans to expand its capacity in India. Lafarge enjoys high brand equity through its different brands; Lafarge Concreto, Lafarge Duragard and Lafarge Cement Lafarge Concreto Lafarge Concreto has been launched by Lafarge to meet the need of homebuilders in India for truly premium all-purpose cement. Concreto was developed in Lafarges state-of-the art laboratories, which are extensively networked with its Central Research Institute in France. The company has leveraged its combined know-how of more than 170 years and its experience across 75 countries to develop this unique product. Concreto is a specially engineered, premium quality ‘all purpose cement. It can be used for varied applications like roofing, foundations, beams, columns, plastering and brickwork. It is specially formulated to provide a denser concrete mix than normal cements. Concreto is characterized by: High ultimate strength due to the addition of highly reactive silica containing more than 95% glass content. Enhanced durability due to optimum pore refinement and consequently denser concrete matrix this improves the impermeability of the concrete. Exceptionally high resistance to chemical attack (sulphates and acids). Protects reinforcement from corrosion. Reduction of structural cracks due to lower heat of hydration than ordinary cements. Low heat of hydration and higher resistance against alkali-reactive aggregates. Cement Plants Lafarge currently hasfour cement plants in India: two integrated plants in the state of Chhattisgarh,onegrinding station each in Jharkhand West Bengal. Total cement production capacity of Lafarge in the Indian market currently stands at around 6.5 million tons. Table No.6- Lafarge cement plants Segmentation Cement is a bulk commodity so the industry is mainly product based. Segmentation is based on its various products i.e. Portland pozzolona cement, quick hardening cement and ready mix cement. Business to business (B2B) Cement industry deals with real estate, construction companies and other institution. For example Real estate sector Business to consumer (B2C) Cement industry deals with individual customers. For example Individual home builders Industry focuses on relationship approach, so as to build and maintain trust centered relationship. The cement Industry is mostly done through mass marketing, as it doesnt have any customized product for any specific group of customers. Marketing Mix The 4 Ps of marketing mix comprises of: Product Place Price Promotion Figure No.2 Marketing Mix 1) Product Cement industry has various ranges of products. For example: 2 Effectiveness of the World Cup Campaign on Lafarge Concreto Effectiveness of the World Cup Campaign on Lafarge Concreto Executive Summary Primarily the study aims to give the reader an insight into the Indian Cement industry. The project aims to profile and understand the effectiveness of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge Concreto cement. The first phase will be to know the competitors of different brand of PSC cement in eastern India and analysis of their promotion by secondary research. The second phase will be the analysis of the World Cup promotional activities of different brands with celebrities. And then the analysis of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge Concreto with Dhoni is to be done. The third phase will be the comparison of the World Cup campaign of different brands/product with Lafarge Concretos World Cup campaign that will lead to some new findings which will help to formulate new ideas. The fourth phase is to know the effectiveness of the World Cup campaign of Lafarge with Dhoni with the help of a survey i.e. how customers are associating Dhoni as a brand ambassador of Lafarge Concreto, and their feedback about the product, the survey will include meeting dealers and the customers with questionnaire. The final phase will be the analysis of the survey, based on the suggestions and feedback from the customers, ideas will be formulated to improve the promotion which will help to create a strategy that will stay for longer time in future. A Stint at an Advertising Agency- Ogilvy An advertisement agency is a service provider. It provides services to its clients. The primary service of an ad agency is to create a goal oriented and effective advertisement and promotional campaign which aim at putting across the message of the company positively in the eyes of its target audience. In the face of stiff competition every company wants to have an edge over its competitors. Advertising agencies therefore also do the work of research for their clients. This helps the company to take informed decisions and the advertising agencies to create advertisements which break through the clutter and are attention grabbing, persuasive and unique. The main functions of an advertising agency are: Understanding the company, its products and target audience Doing research for better understanding Planning an advertising campaign Making strategies Creating the advertisement and other promotional campaign Measuring success of the campaign About Ogilvy Ogilvy Matheris an international advertising ,marketing and public relations agency based i nManhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries. It was founded in the year 1948 by David Ogilvy as â€Å"Hewitt, Ogilvy, Benson, Mather in Manhattan. Rochelle Lazarus is the chairman andMiles Young is the CEO. Ogilvy opened its first agency in India in the year 1928. It was the first advertising agency in India. Ogilvy has launched many advertisements which have been very successful in all these years. The company in India operates with offices located in all the major cities. Piyush Pandey is the Executive Chairman and the Creative Director at Ogilvy Mather, South Asia. OGILVY OFFICES IN INDIA The focus areas include advertising, direct marketing, public relations and activation. Ogilvy Activation includes services in the non-traditional area of advertising Ogilvy Landscapes, Ogilvy Outreach, Ogilvy Live and Ogilvy Signscapes which together with the focused services consolidate offerings to clients. OM India is OM Internationals fifth largest operation in terms of profits, with the US ranking first and European nations occupying the other three positions. It is ranked Indias number one agency by Brand Equity survey on leadership, creative ability, investment in employees, client servicing, most influential people and great creative directors. Awards Recognitions OM has bagged several awards for print advertisements, TV ads and case study presentations. OM was awarded the Grand Effie Gold and Gold for service on Hutch, a campaign that won awards at the Abbies too; Gold Effiefor corporate advertising for the Cadbury Crisis Management. OM bagged three Bronze Lions at the Cannes Festival 2004 for two Public Health Safety campaigns for Hutch and one for Concern India Foundation; a Gold two Silvers at the Emvies, 1st Runner Up for Asias ‘Office of the Year 2004 by Media magazine, an award that spans 360 degree communication and HR. From Silver Pencil to Asian Brand Marketing Effectiveness awards for campaigns that include Advertising, PR, CSR, Interactive and Direct Marketing, OM has received recognition for its stature as Indias No. 1 communications agency. OM Mumbai was ranked 8th hottest shop in Asia by Campaign Brief Asia in 2002. Every business unit in OM has received recognition in the domestic and overseas markets. Ogilvy won three Gold, five Silver and five Bronze stacking up to 120 Points that won Ogilvy the title of EFFIE Agency of the Year 2009. Vodafone won EFFIE Client of the year in 2009.Ogilvy Kolkata won the Agency of the year in 2010 at Annual Calcutta Advertising Club awards for creative excellence. Ogilvy Kolkata won many award in ABBY awards in the year 2010. The categories in which OM Kolkata won metals are 5 silvers for the Lafarge and Concreto campaigns (category: Home/ dà ©cor/ lifestyle), 4 silvers for the Kolkata TV print campaign (category: Media), 1 Gold for Childrens Little Theatre radio spot (category Radio, services). List of Clients Vodafone Kolkata Circle Vodafone Rest of West Bengal Vodafone Orissa circle Vodafone Bihar circle Lafarge Concreto Lafarge Duragaurd Tata Steel Star Jalsa Coal India Aque Duct PVC pipes Tea board of India Organizatonal Structure of Ogilvy Operational Flow at Ogilvy At Ogilvy, the client servicing executives prepare and pitch a new product or service to a client. It is very important that the pitch is well structured, client centric and adds value to the company. Once the client appoints the advertising agency then the budgets are negotiated. For every new campaign the client briefs the client servicing executives about their requirements. The client servicing executives studies the brief in details and figures out the core need behind the requirement. According to the requirement there is negotiation with the client about the estimated amount which the client will be billed for the campaign. On the basis of the clients requirement and the detailed research by the executive, brief is given to the creative department about the campaign. After understanding the brief the creative department reverts back with the idea for the campaign. If the idea matches with the clients brief, the client servicing executive asks the creative department to proceed forward. The executives interact regularly with the client through emails and phone calls. After a lot of interaction with the client and the executives, the creative department prepares required creative as per the idea which was finalized. The client servicing executives gets an approval for the creative from the clients. After the executive finalizes the requirement all the creative which are finalized for the campaign are given to the studio operators. The studio operators do the adaptation of the creative in terms of different size requirement, change in the copy etc. They also make sure that all the mandatory guidelines given by the brands are incorporated in the promotional material. The studio operators do a lot of adaptations according to the region in which the campaign is to be released. This may require using the copy of the advertisement in various languages this is done by the translators. The translator translates the copy according to the local language. The final layouts are shared with the client for their approval, in form of JPEGs. The client reverts back and changes if any are made by the studio operators. Then the final advertisement is released for printing. Apart from the print ad client may require radio advertisements, television commercial, audio visual or any other innovative material for promotions. The client servicing interacts with the respective vendors and gets the work done. Introduction Indian Cement Industry An Overview Indian cement industry dates back to 1914 first unit was set-up at Porbandar, with a capacity of 1000 tones. [2] India manufactures 251.2 Million Tones of cement per year. Indias per capita cement consumption is only 156 kilograms against Chinas 600 kilograms. [4] Cement sales primarily through a distribution channel. Ready mix concrete a relatively nascent market in India. Installed Capacity Indian Cement industry is comprised of 148 large cement plants with around 46 member companies. The installed capacity of these large cement plants is estimated to be 219.17 million tones during 2009-10 (as on March 2009).There are 95 large cement plants with capacity of million tones and above and around 1, 40,000 manpower is employed under these plants (one MnT cement generates downstream employment to 50,000 persons). Also, there are 365 mini and white cement plants with an installed capacity of 11.10 million tones (P). [3] Statistics Cement Production Despatches (P) Source: Cement Manufacturers Association Cement production during April to January 2010-11 was 136.51 million tones as compared to 130.85 million tones during the same period for the year 2009-10. Despatches were estimated at 135.56 million tones during April to January 2010-11 whereas during the same period for the year 2009-10, it stood at 130.09 million tones. [3] Cement sector is characterized by the following Units concentrated near raw material sources or markets Power intensive High freight costs Small value chain Regional variation and volatility in prices and margins High debt levels Regional distribution of demand Seasonality of demand and cyclicality of the industry High entry barriers Consumer Demographics Buying Patterns of Indian Consumers The per capita consumption of cement in India is very low, as compared with the developed economies and the overall world average per capita cement consumption. The per capita consumption of cement in India is even less than that in Africa, a relatively underdeveloped continent. Over the past decade, the per capita cement consumption of cement has increased in most states, except Chandigarh, where it has declined by 7 %. Mechanics of Distribution Channels of Sector Companies invariably hire carrying forwarding agents or transport cements to own or government warehouses either via roadway or railways. Incase of exports, cement reaches the nearest port via roadways or railways and is then transferred to the importing country. Domestically, from warehouses the cement is transported to the dealers/distributors and in turn to sub dealers who finally sell it to the end users. There may or may not be physical ownership of goods. In the second case, dealers and sub dealers take order from buyers and place it to the companies, co ordinate and monitor the timely dispatch of said orders, transportation of goods and final delivery. Distributor network in cement industry is highly dominating and companies are compelled to hire as they do not really have that rapport and touch with the end consumer of their product. Apart, from this, the distributors have storage facilities as well which help control well in the entire supply chain as they are the ones who bring orders and therefore are directly responsible for the business that a manufacturer would do. Demand drivers Infrastructure construction sector the major demand drivers. Some demand determinants Economic growth Industrial activity Real estate business Construction activity Investments in the core sector Factors and causes behind the successful flourishing of the cement industries in India Technological change: The government and the industries are upgrading the quality and the technology that are used in the process of production. New investment are in process that are sure to make a change in whole processing and the output of cement There are host of companies are merging together to make their capacity and the produce big and this would lead to a greater development in the cement production. The real estate market is much optimistic and hence this helps in the growth and the enhancement in the field of cement production and investments. Companies and the investors are spending more on the infrastructure of this sector. Various national programs are taken in like National Rural Employment Guarantee, Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Indira Aawas Yojana. Different Types of Cement There are different varieties of cement based on different compositions according to specific end uses, namely Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Pozolona Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement, White Cement and Specialized Cement. The basic difference lies in the percentage of clinker used. [5] 1. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC): OPC, popularly known as grey cement Clinker 95% Gypsum 5% Other materials White cement is a variation of OPC and is used for decorative purposes like rendering of walls, flooring etc. It contains a very low proportion of iron oxide. The applications are cover dry-lean mixes, general-purpose ready-mixes, and even high strength pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete. 2. Portland Pozolona Cement (PPC): Portland pozzolana cement is Ordinary Portland Cement blended with pozzolanic materials (power-station fly ash, burnt clays, ash from burnt plant material or Siliceous earths), either together or separately. Portland clinker is ground with Gypsum and Pozzolanic materials which, though they do not have cementing properties in themselves, combine chemically with Portland cement in the presence of water to form extra strong cementing material which resists wet cracking, thermal cracking and has a high degree of cohesion and workability in concrete. Clinker 80% Pozzolana 15% Gypsum 5% It is cheaply manufactured because it uses fly ash/burnt clay/coal waste as the main ingredient. It has a lower heat of hydration, which helps in preventing cracks. 3. Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFSC): Portland blast-furnace slag cement contains up to 70 per cent of finely ground, granulated blast-furnace slag, a nonmetallic product consisting essentially of Silicates and Aluminum-silicates of Calcium. Slag brings with it the advantage of the energy invested in the slag making. Grinding slag for cement replacement takes only 25 per cent of the energy needed to manufacture Portland cement. Using slag cement to replace a portion of Portland cement in a concrete mixture is a useful method to make concrete better and more consistent. Portland blast-furnace slag cement has a lighter color, better concrete workability, easier finish ability, higher compressive and flexural strength, lower permeability, improved resistance to aggressive chemicals and more consistent plastic and hardened consistency. It has a heat of hydration even lower than PPC and is generally used in construction of dams and similar massive constructions. Clinker 45% Blast furnace slag 50% Gypsum 5% 4. White Cement: White Portland cement has essentially the same properties as gray cement, except for color, which is a very important quality control issue in the industry. It is manufactured using fuel oil (instead of coal) and with iron oxide content below 0.4% to ensure whiteness. Special cooling technique is used. It is used to enhance aesthetic value, in tiles and for flooring. White cement is much more expensive than grey cement. 5. Specialized Cement: Oil Well Cement: is made from clinker with special additives to prevent any porosity. Rapid Hardening Portland cement: It is similar to OPC, except that it is ground much finer, so that on casting, the compressible strength increases rapidly. 5 Source. www.acclimited.com Major players in cement industry 1) Associated Cement Companies Ltd (ACC) ACC Limited is Indias foremost cement manufacturer with a countrywide network of factories and marketing offices. Established in 1936, ACC has been a pioneer and trend-setter in cement and concrete technology.[5] ACC manufactures the following types of cement, in addition to which, it provides Bulk Cement and Ready Mix Concrete. Ordinary Portland Cements: 43 Grade Cement (OPC 43 Grade), 53 Grade Cement Blended Cements: Fly-ash based Portland Pozzolana Cement, Portland Slag Cement Table No.1- ACC plants 2) Birla Corp Table No.2- Birla cement plants 3) UltraTech UltraTech Cement Limited has an annual capacity of 52 million tones. It manufactures and markets Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement and Portland Pozzalana Cement. It also manufactures ready mix concrete (RMC). The company has 11 integrated plants, one white cement plant, one clinkerisation plant in UAE, 15 grinding units 11 in India, 2 in UAE, one in Bahrain and Bangladesh each and five terminals — four in India and one in Sri Lanka. UltraTech Cement is the countrys largest exporter of cement clinker. The export markets span countries around the Indian Ocean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. UltraTechs subsidiaries are Dakshin Cements Limited, Harish Cements Limited, UltraTech Ceylinco (P) Limited and UltraTech Cement Middle East Investments Limited. [11] Table No.3- Ultratech cement plants The company has an annual capacity of 48.8 million tonnes, and manufactures and markets ordinary portland cement, portland blast furnace slag cement and portland pozzalana cement. 4) Ambuja Cements Ltd Ambuja Cements Ltd. (ACL) is one of the leading cement manufacturing companies in India. The Company, initially called Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd., was founded in 1983. The Company commenced cement production in 1986. The global cement major Holcim acquired management control of ACL in 2006. Holcim today holds little over 46% equity in ACL. The Company is currently known as Ambuja Cements Ltd. ACL has grown dynamically over the past decade. Its current cement capacity is about 25 million tones. The Company has five integrated cement manufacturing plants and eight cement grinding units across the country. ACL enjoys a reputation of being one of the most efficient cement manufacturers in the world. Its environment protection measures are on par with the finest in the country. It is one of the most profitable and innovative cement companies in India. [9] Table No.4- Ambuja cement plants 5) Jaiprakash Associates Limited Jaypee group is the 3rd largest cement producer in the country. The groups cement facilities are located in the Satna Cluster (U.P), which has one of the highest cement production growth rates in India. The group produces special blend of Portland Pozzolana Cement under the brand name ‘Jaypee Cement (PPC). Its Cement Division currently operates modern, computerized process control cement plants with an aggregate capacity of 21.30 MnTPA. The company is in the midst of capacity expansion of its cement business in Northern, Southern, Central, Eastern and Western parts of the country and is slated to be 37.55 MnTPA by FY12 (expected) with Captive Thermal Power Plants totaling 702MW.[7] Table No.5- Jaypee cement plants 6) Binani Cement Binani Cement Limited is the flagship subsidiary of Binani Industries Limited (BIL), representing the Braj Binani Group. The cement business started operations in 1997, in Sirohi District, Rajasthan. The Companys product portfolio includes Ordinary Portland Cement, Pozzolona Portland Cement and Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBFS). [10] Binani Cement Ltd. produces cement of two grades: Grade 43 Grade 53 PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement) The Binani Cement Plant is in Pindwara, District Sirohi, Rajasthan 2Source. http://www.ibef.org/industry/cement.aspx 3Source.http://www.indiainbusiness.nic.in/industry-infrastructure/industrial-sectors/Cement.htm 4Source. http://www.reportlinker.com/p0243979/Industry-Analysis-Cement.html About Lafarge Cement Lafarge is the leader in building materials; with a turnover of $15.88 billion in 2009. It has been in operation since way back in history in 1833; when it started as a limestone mining company. But as far as the Indian market goes, Lafarge actually began operations in 1999. And then began a slew of expansion plans in the Indian market; combined with a number of insightful, and at times, path breaking marketing initiatives. Lafarge currently has three cement plants in India: two integrated plants in the state of Chhattisgarh and a grinding station in Jharkhand. Total cement production capacity of Lafarge in the Indian market currently stands at around 5.5 million tons. Lafarge India produces different types of cements like Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement. The company is a leading cement player in Eastern India. Its brands Lafarge Cement and Lafarge Concreto Cement enjoy high brand equity here and are amongst the highest priced brands. Lafarge is committed to the India n market and has firm plans to expand its capacity in India. Lafarge enjoys high brand equity through its different brands; Lafarge Concreto, Lafarge Duragard and Lafarge Cement Lafarge Concreto Lafarge Concreto has been launched by Lafarge to meet the need of homebuilders in India for truly premium all-purpose cement. Concreto was developed in Lafarges state-of-the art laboratories, which are extensively networked with its Central Research Institute in France. The company has leveraged its combined know-how of more than 170 years and its experience across 75 countries to develop this unique product. Concreto is a specially engineered, premium quality ‘all purpose cement. It can be used for varied applications like roofing, foundations, beams, columns, plastering and brickwork. It is specially formulated to provide a denser concrete mix than normal cements. Concreto is characterized by: High ultimate strength due to the addition of highly reactive silica containing more than 95% glass content. Enhanced durability due to optimum pore refinement and consequently denser concrete matrix this improves the impermeability of the concrete. Exceptionally high resistance to chemical attack (sulphates and acids). Protects reinforcement from corrosion. Reduction of structural cracks due to lower heat of hydration than ordinary cements. Low heat of hydration and higher resistance against alkali-reactive aggregates. Cement Plants Lafarge currently hasfour cement plants in India: two integrated plants in the state of Chhattisgarh,onegrinding station each in Jharkhand West Bengal. Total cement production capacity of Lafarge in the Indian market currently stands at around 6.5 million tons. Table No.6- Lafarge cement plants Segmentation Cement is a bulk commodity so the industry is mainly product based. Segmentation is based on its various products i.e. Portland pozzolona cement, quick hardening cement and ready mix cement. Business to business (B2B) Cement industry deals with real estate, construction companies and other institution. For example Real estate sector Business to consumer (B2C) Cement industry deals with individual customers. For example Individual home builders Industry focuses on relationship approach, so as to build and maintain trust centered relationship. The cement Industry is mostly done through mass marketing, as it doesnt have any customized product for any specific group of customers. Marketing Mix The 4 Ps of marketing mix comprises of: Product Place Price Promotion Figure No.2 Marketing Mix 1) Product Cement industry has various ranges of products. For example: 2

The Boston Massacre Essay example -- essays research papers fc

The Boston Massacre was and is still a debatable Massacre. The event occurred on March 5, 1776. It involved the rope workers of the colonial Boston and two British regiments, the twenty-ninth and the fourteenth regiments. Eleven people were shot in the incident; five people were killed and the other six were merely wounded. The soldiers and the captain, Thomas Preston, were all put on trial. All were acquitted of charges of murder, however the two soldiers who fired first, Private Mathew Killroy, and Private William Montgomery, the two soldiers were guilty of manslaughter. The causes were numerous for this event. There had been a nation wide long-term dislike towards the British, and a growing hatred towards them by the people of Boston. Even before the two regiments were sent in to monitor Boston there was a growing feud before the two sides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The population of Boston in 1765 was over twenty thousand people, and it was the second largest city in the country. The city was split up into two political factions, the loyalists, also known as the â€Å"Tories† were loyal to the British nation and respected and followed their policies. The other group was the Patriots, they too pledged alliance with the British, but they also believed strongly in their colonial rights, and more often then not went against parliamentary decisions. America still had not declared independence from England in 1765, and was expected to follow the rules of the parliament and the King. The government like all other states was structured differently, but the people elected their representatives. Unlike the British who let the people vote, but they are â€Å"indirectly represented† by Parliament. The stamp act was one of the first things Britain did to upset the colonies. John Adams who was a prospering young lawyer at th e time, called the Stamp Act â€Å"That enormous engine, fabricated by the British Parliament, for battering down all the rights and liberties of America.† The stamp act put a tax on legal documents, and other paper items. The Americans called this â€Å"Taxation without representation†, because they didn’t have any elected officials in Parliament, who were representing them. The Americans petitioned the administration, but the King and Parliament simply ignored our pleas. This act caused the formation of the loyal nine. The Loyal Nine were a group of several Bo... ... device that let first offenders off without punishment, priest used it. They were not put to death. They were set free, but only after they had been branded on the thumb. The Boston Massacre was an event that only strengthened colonial America’s hatred toward the British nation. People could answer the question of whether or no the Boston Massacre was truly a massacre differently. In my mind, yes, it was a massacre, I believe this because in the dictionary it states that a massacre is, â€Å"The unnecessary, and indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals.† I would have to say five people is a large number of human beings to kill in one sitting. BIBLIOGRAPHY Lukes, Bonnie L. 2000. The Boston Massacre. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books. Freedman, Russell. 2000. Give Me Liberty. Library in congress cataloging-in-publication data. Hull, Mary E. 1999. The Boston Tea Party. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers. Stout, Neil R. 1976. The Perfect Crisis. New York, NY: New York University Press. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761579296 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0808436.html http://earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre.html

How College Students Use Wikipedia for Course-Related Essay

Why then are academics so wary about the use of Wikipedia within universities? There are a number of related reasons. Before outlining them we should acknowledge that there may be differences according to academic discipline in attitudes towards Wikipedia. Speaking to academics from the natural and medical sciences over the last year, it seems that those subjects are less concerned with issues of originality of source than the arts and social sciences. It also may be [pic] and this is genuine speculation [pic] that academics in the English speaking world, where most of the academic controversy over Wikipedia use has been, are more sensitive to the source than in other parts of the world. These qualifications aside, there are definite reasons why Wikipedia use is, at the very least, contentious in universities. First, it is the product of anonymous individuals rather than known authorities, Wales is quite explicit on this: One of the fastest things we’re beginning to lose is the view of the world that there are a handful of thoughtful, intelligent people that should be broadcasting their views to everyone. And then the public is some sort of crazed rabble, easily swayed by rhetoric and so forth. Now we have to have a more nuanced understanding. Wikipedia is not necessarily anti-academic but it is anti-elitist as evidenced by the short shrift given to eminent academics in debates when they expected deference (see Keen 2007, 43[pic]4). Second, the non-proprietary nature of Wikipedia cuts against academic culture which valorises the rights of the author and publisher. Third, the anonymity of Wikipedia articles is alien to the cache of the named writer of the journal article or book. Fourth, the collaborative process challenges the norm of individual creation, prevalent in the arts and social sciences. Fifth, as intimated, Wikipedia departs from the standard mode of vetting by peer review. It is not true that articles are not reviewed. On the contrary, they are scrutinised by far more editors than for any journal. However, as the contributor is generally not an academic expert, so the reviewer is not generally an academic expert. So Wikipedia rejects academic custom in the compilation of knowledge. In addition, there are a number of what might be termed ‘learning and teaching’ issues pertaining to its use within universities. First, there is the issue of the accuracy of Teaching in Higher Education 651 Downloaded by [University of Glasgow] at 05:27 12 December 2012 Wikipedia entries, something that relates to the lack of formal expertise and peer review. Reviews of the accuracy of Wikipedia entries by formal expert(s) have actually been generally positive (for natural sciences see Giles 2005; American history Meier 2008). Despite this, the suspicion still surrounds Wikipedia that it cannot be trusted. O’Sullivan’s (2009, 119) assertion that ‘most people probably have an ambivalent attitude toward Wikipedia, thankful for its existence, using it frequently, but with reservations about its total reliability’ seems valid. Some academics would no doubt sympathise with the sardonic observation of comedian Frankie Boyle that Wikipedia entries should begin with ‘I reckon’. Second, some have questioned whether Wikipedia’s determination for studied neutrality is convincing. O’Sullivan (2010) complains that as Wikipedia only displays one voice, diversity is not incorporated and therefore articles become bland. Wales’s response is unapologetic: ‘Guilty as charged, we’re an encyclopedia’ (in Read 2006). Not that his approach to knowledge is without theory, it derives rather from his admiration for the convoluted ‘objectivist philosophy’ of Aryan Rand, the Russian e?migre? philosopher and novelist (Younkins 2007). A third learning and teaching concern is that, regardless of the reliability of Wikipedia, it is in itself an illegitimate form of research. Here the thinking would be that a student who culls Wikipedia for assignments does not understand scholarship. This consists of the consideration of various sources: a judicious sifting and ordering of knowledge, rather than lifting bite sized chunks of text that purport to capture a subject. On this Wales concurs, telling students: ‘For God sake, you’re in college; don’t cite the encyclopedia’ (in Young 2006). Some universities in the US have banned Wikipedia use, whilst others recommend a more discriminating approach (Jaschik 2007; Murley 2008). The latter is what Wales and others within Wikipedia advise: it should be used only as a starting place in academic research, a references source and a revision aid. What, however, is the evidence on Wikipedia use by students and academics at universities?

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers - Worked Example Problem

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers Problem This example problem demonstrates how to convert feet to kilometers. Feet To Kilometers Conversion Problem The average commercial jet flies around an altitude of 32,500 feet. How high is this in kilometers? Conversion Solution 1 foot 0.3048 meters1000 m 1 kmSet up the conversion to the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want km to be the remaining unit.distance in km (distance in ft) x (0.3048 m/1 ft) x (1 km/1000 m)distance in km (32500 x 0.3048/1000) kmdistance in km 9.906 km Answer 32,500 feet is equal to 9.906 kilometers.Many conversion factors are difficult to remember. Feet to meters would fall into this category. An alternate method to perform this conversion is to use multiple easily remembered steps.1 foot 12 inches1 inch 2.54 centimeters100 centimeters 1 meterUsing these steps we can express a distance in meters from feet as:distance in m (distance in ft) x (12 in/1 ft) x (2.54 cm/1 in) x (1 m/100 cm)distance in m (distance in ft) x 0.3048 m/ftNote this gives the same conversion factor as above. The only thing to watch out for is for the intermediate units to cancel out.

How To Choose Building Plans - 10 Steps to Your Dream Home

How To Choose Building Plans - 10 Steps to Your Dream Home Whether you are building a new house or remodeling an older home, youll need plans to guide you through the project. Here are some tips to help you choose the best building plans for your needs. How to Choose the Right Building Plan Create a Spreadsheet of Needs. Talk with your family. Discuss what each of you wants. What are your needs now and what will your familys needs be in the future? Should you plan for future aging in place? Write it down.Observe. Look at how you live and where you spend most of your time in your house or apartment. Why spend the time and money to build or remodel? If its just because you like change, maybe no building plan will satisfy.Reflect on homes you have visited. What features did you especially enjoy? Look at the way other people live. Is that lifestyle really what you want?Consider the features of your land. Where is the sunlight best? Which direction offers the greatest views and the cooling breezes? Could remodeling capture a piece of nature overlooked by builders of another time?Select exterior finishing details with care. Know if youll be building in an historic district, which may restrict exterior modifications.Browse through building plan catalogs for ideas. You dont hav e to buy stock plans, but these books can help you visualize possibilities. Public libraries may have these popular books on their shelves. Use the webs search function offered by online directories of building plans. Houses from sites like Houseplans.com have often been designed as custom homes before being offered as stock plans. Some plans are specs (speculative) and many are often more interesting than plain vanilla catalog plans.Select a floor plan that most closely matches your ideal. Do you need adaptability? Perhaps you should consider a house without walls. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban designed Naked House (2000) with movable interior modules - a unique solution that you wont find in a house plan catalog.Estimate your building costs. Your budget will determine many choices you make in the design of your home.Consider hiring an architect to personalize your building plan, or to create a custom design. What Comes First, the House or the Site? Architect William J. Hirsch, Jr. writes, Its a good idea to have a basic concept of what kind of house you want before selecting a site because the type of house will dictate to some extent the nature of the site that makes the most sense for you. Likewise, if you have your heart set on the land first, the house design should fit the site. It might take four months to build a house, but the planning could take years. Additional Tips Choose your floor plan first and your exterior faà §ade second. Most plans can be finished in nearly any architectural style.Its usually best to purchase your land before you select your building plan. The land establishes the amount of area and the type of terrain you have to build on. To build an energy-efficient structure, try to follow the sun as it crosses your lot. Pre-purchasing the land also helps you budget the rest of your project.Be sure to budget for landscaping and finishing touches.Listen actively. Reflect back what you hear when you talk with family members. You might be surprised to find out that your children or in-laws plan to live with you. Do You Have the Confidence? Jack Nicklaus (b. 1940) has been called the greatest professional golfer of all time. So, what does he know about design? Plenty. Nicklaus is said to have had an interesting strategy when he played profession sports - he competed against the golf course instead of other players. Nicklaus knew the ins and outs of all the courses he played - he figured out what he liked and what he didnt like about golf course design. And then, he formed a company. Nicklaus Design promotes itself as the worlds leading design firm. You have lived in the spaces chosen by your parents. Now its your turn to decide. Source Hirsch, William J. Designing Your Perfect House: Lessons from an Architect. Dalsimer Press, 2008, p. 121

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 32

History - Essay Example n the blacks started to unite themselves in order to fight their freedom from the claws of slavery and also the Indians did not welcome the white in their land. â€Å"Violence had escalated on the frontier before the rebellion. Some Doeg Indians took a few hogs to redress a debt, and whites, retrieving the hogs, murdered two Indians. The Doegs then sent out a war party to kill a white herdsman, after which a white militia company killed twenty-four Indians. This led to a series of Indian raids, with the Indians, outnumbered, turning to guerrilla warfare.† â€Å"The resistance included stealing property, sabotage and slowness, killing overseers and masters, burning down plantation buildings, running away. Even the accommodation "breathed a critical spirit and disguised subversive actions." Most of this resistance, Genovese stresses, fell short of organized insurrection, but its significance for masters and slaves was enormous.† (Roll, Jordan 158) â€Å"Several witnesses said thousands of blacks were implicated in one way or another. Blacks had made about 250 pike heads and bayonets and over three hundred daggers, But the plan was betrayed, and thirty-five blacks, including Vesey, were hanged. The trial record itself, published in Charleston, was ordered destroyed soon after publication, as too dangerous for slaves to see.† â€Å"The Spaniards "thought nothing of knifing Indians by tens and twenties and of cutting slices off them to test the sharpness of their blades." Las Casas tells how "two of these so-called Christians met two Indian boys one day, each carrying a parrot; they took the parrots and for fun beheaded the boys." The Indians attempts to defend themselves failed.† â€Å"The white invaders seized land and stock, forced Indians to sign leases, heat up Indians who protested, sold alcohol to weaken resistance, killed frame which Indians needed for food. But to put all the blame on white mobs, Rogin says, would be to ignore "the essential roles played by