Poverty Essay Samples Guide

Poverty Essay Samples Guide Essay on poverty is among our main fields of writing. It is a very shameful thing for the poor people. It is a common phenomenon in many countries. It is not a new social phenomenon. Folks can fix the problem should they unite and support one another to wipe out poverty in the communities. People may believe that the basis for poverty is laziness. They can stop extreme poverty if they stick to several strategies. There are those who are dying from the hunger, and there are those who throw money around. There are a lot of ways to help the poor men and women. As a consequence, children of poor men and women become uneducated. As stated by the U.S. Bishops' pastoral letter on racism, there has to be no tolerance in an attempt to attain justice and no regret for the last occurrences and no mishandling of simple problems like racism. Poverty Essay Samples and Poverty Essay Samples - The Perfect Combination Indigence has the ability to exert diverse impacts on the wellness of individuals around the planet, including the US people. The majority of people, not having perused education because of distinct conditions, are most likely to wind up living in poverty. At length, it seems that government programs to combat indigence aren't effective in any way. There are lots of issues with hunger in families that live in poverty and have a good deal of children. The entire world faces a particular need to face unique issues of development which comprises the should fight against poverty. Moreover everybody in the society ought to be equal. Unfortunately, the issue isn't predicted to be solved soon. Therefore, as stated by the Catholic Church teachings, the initial step towards social justice in the struggle against poverty is bringing relief of the immediate needs. What is Actually Happening with Poverty Essay Samples On the flip side, The Economist gives a completely different story. Poverty is rising day by day. It may have the definition of anyone who lives pay check to pay check. In synopsis, poverty is the absence of basic requirements or basic social amenities. One of their proposed methods they believe can be prosperous in d ecrease in poverty is participation in becoming advocates of change on earth through such activities as charity collection of products that may be supplied to the poor along with research, planning and execution of activities which are likely to bring relief to the requirements of the poor. Detailed record of the people, education and wellness facilities, and the degree of income would allow directing the funds in the suitable way. Put simply, the incorrect distribution of wages has resulted in how some Americans began to earn a lot more than others. Income inequality undermines using vital market instruments. Excessive revenue inequality negatively impacts the quality of people's life. Poverty is just one of such abstract concepts that may be interpreted in the most various approaches and from various approaches. International poverty comes in plenty of shapes and sizes. The greater the degree of education of the populace, lesser is going to be the variety of poor persons because education imparts knowledge and abilities that is supportive in higher wages. Second, universal accessibility to basic education is necessary for ensuring that all segments of society will gain from macroeconomic growth. It serves to create room for technological advancements in the field of medicine and agriculture. First of all, education is the crucial determinant to stop our upcoming generation from poverty. Corruption in the government is also an additional aspect that has worsened the situation as the enormous quantities of money are embezzled by the politicians that could be utilized in the invention of industries and infrastructure that could raise the economy. As a consequence, investment by all accounts is a good approach to help the inadequate defeat poverty. Another principal source is the absence of certain standard government functions. One of the prima ry sources of poverty is the shortage of investment later on in any respect levels. Poverty is a significant problem around the Earth, and usually, it describes the absence of developed nations. It is the biggest disadvantage and the largest obstacle in the development of this country. It has been the long standing struggle of the country because the government don't have a clear direction to fight this overwhelming crisis. Eradicating poverty is one of the most important goals of a government. This mainstream analysis indicates the overall degree of poverty that's evident in most countries also. In many nations, the availability, frequency and caliber of poverty monitoring data continue being low, especially in little states and in countries and territories in fragile circumstances. Such definition doesn't appear to work for developed nations. Although the mentioned above solutions aren't new, it would appear that not all governments are all set to apply them.

Ap Dbq 2007 - 1446 Words

American agriculture greatly changed during 1865 to 1900 through technological advances and railroads spreading across the nation, both modernizing agriculture. New technological advances made farming easier with new inventions such as barbed wire and reapers. However, new technology advancements became too expensive for average American farmers to afford. Economic conditions became intolerable for farmers as railroad companies charged high shipping rates. In the government, policies were made that favored big corporations, such as railroad companies over the small farmers that made agriculture suffer in the end. Technology, government policies, and economic conditions, effectively declined agriculture due to overproduction and deflation,†¦show more content†¦Other than overproduction, another economic issue that drastically effected farmers was the Panic of 1893 that left millions of Americans unemployed, hungry, and homeless. In Susan Orcutt’s leter to Lorenzo D. Le welling, she states, â€Å"I had the prettiest garden that you ever seen and the hail ruined it and I have nothing to look at my husband went a way to find work and came home last night and told me that would have to Starve he has bin in ten countys and did not get no work.† (Document H). Economic conditions such as overproduction, the Panic of 1893, and sharecropping systems that developed from it only led to the downfall of farmers. The booming industry also changed agriculture by creating monopolies where they only gained substantial wealth leaving farmers with nothing. This shows how government policies usually favored policies that supported large corporations consequently leaving farmers to suffer. For example the expansion of railroads would not have been possible without huge subsidies and land grants from the government. The Pacific Railroad Way Act of 1862 may have contributed the most to the expansion of railroads, as the act had provided huge land grants and subsidies to help build railroads. As mentioned earlier with the invention of the railroad came the invention of shipping costs which farmers were very dissatisfied with. To explain further, it states in the Prairie Farmer of 1877, â€Å"Some time ago they carried a law through the IllinoisShow MoreRelatedAp Exam Essays1660 Words   |  7 PagesAP Exam Essays 2001-2010 2010 AP Exam Essays 1. In what ways did ideas and values held by Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s? 2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783. 3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming

Development of Foreign Direct Investment-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss is FDI beneficial to the economies in developing countries. Answer: In recent years, the modern policy makers of the developing countries laid emphasis on the concept of federal direct investment (FDI) in uplifting the economic growth of those countries (Koma 2013). It can be stated that foreign direct investment has been successful in creating employment culture within the countries and increasing the technological development thereby improving the economic condition (Wang et al., 2013). Foreign direct investment is a business investment by an individual or company from another country in which the foreign investor has ultimate control over the purchase of the company (Blonigen and Piger 2014). It can be stated that foreign direct investment does not participate in investments across border however foreign direct investments differ from other international investments in various ways. In this regard it can be stated that the United Nations Conference on Table and Development is the department of the United Nations which is in charge of the development of FDI in developing countries. The UNITAD was established in 1964 in order to integrate the countries that are developing into the world economy by encouraging foreign direct investment (Barkemeyer et al., 2014). The flow of foreign direct investment is generally followed from the industrially developed countries to the developing countries and the developing countries played an important role in determining the inflow of FDI. In this assignment the importance of foreign direct investment in contributing to the economic development of the developing countries has been explained by providing the example of African Countries. Foreign direct investment can come into action through various forms. It can come into action through the process of merger and acquisition, purchase of land by overseas investors and fixed capital investment. In order to explain the impact of foreign direct investment on the economic development it is important to have an idea regarding the motivation in case of such investment. It is necessary to recognize the bodies that are responsible for regulating FDI both at national and international levels. In this case a multinational enterprise MNE has been identified which controls the operation and income of different assets in more than one country. It can be stated that the main objective of multinational enterprises is profit maximization by reducing costs however the main motivations for the expansion of any multinational enterprises includes- higher profits and higher position in a global market, extending product cycles with the production and marketing of products in new countrie s, reducing technological barriers in the movement of goods and services and involving the process of merger and acquisition in order to encourage external growth of business (Young and Makhija 2014). It can be stated that the policy of foreign direct investment from time immemorial has proved to be beneficial for both the host country and the home country. Several scholars have argued regarding the importance of foreign direct investments in the economic development of developing countries (Alfaro and Charlton 2013). It has been stated by modern authors that with the supply of direct capital financing by the FDI can serve as a valuable source of technology and contributed lot by fostering linkages with the local firms (Alfaro and Charlton 2013). The technologically innovative ideas of the multinational enterprises (MNEs) played significant role in uplifting the economic culture of various developing countries and mostly in those areas where MNEs serves as catalyst in increasing the economic growth. It was evident from the statement of various authors that financial strengths vests with the multinational enterprises and these MNEs have the capability of investing in large plants (Teece 2014). It was stated by modern authors that it might be difficult for the local investors to invest such huge amount due to lack of huge investment funds (Kurtishi-Kastrati 2013). It was stated by some authors that FDI scarce capital can be made available to some of the developing countries however the transfer of capital by the MNEs can contribute to the formation of domestic capital in countries which are economically backward thereby increasing domestic investment (Gourinchas and Jeanne 2013). It was determined that investments could be better managed under the foreign control because this would reduce the interference of the government. The secretary general of United Nations summarized an important aspect of FDI by stating that the scope of foreign direct investment from the very beginning fo cused on raising productivity, creating job opportunities and transferring technologies (Alvarez and Marin 2013). It has been observed that foreign direct investment acted significantly in uplifting the economic development of the developing countries in the long run. It was argued by many scholars regarding the fact that in spite of all the benefits brought down by the FDI, it has also negative impact on the economic development. It has been observed in some cases the multinational enterprises has displaced local firms that could not survive the tough competitive market created by the foreign firms and in such process reduced the growth of local firms. It was emphasized by different authors that FDI can result into flow of capital from the developing countries to the developed countries if proper regulation is not done in the host country (Driffield and Jones 2013). It can be observed that due to some political and economic risks in the developing countries there could be a huge capital flow from the developing countries to the developed countries which can have an adverse effect on the economic structure of the developing countries (Mathur and Singh 2013). It was stated by modern researchers and various environmentalists that FDI can cause envir onmental degradation to a large extent especially in case of mining sectors however it should be noted that the rate of contribution of FDI in economic development can be measured empirically. It can be stated that GDP (Gross domestic product) is the actual parameter of measuring the economic growth of a particular country as GDP includes all the production information within the country for a particular period (Kubiszewski et al., 2013). It can be stated that many researchers have concentrated on the topic of the contribution of FDI in uplifting economic growth and the outcomes were positive. It was stated that out of the three sources of capital flow- portfolio investment, primary bank loans and FDI, the foreign direct investment proved to be beneficial in recovering the economic condition during the global financial crisis in the developing countries. It has been observed by various authors that countries which are economically stable can attract FDI better than the countries which are economically backward (Kubiszewski et al., 2013). In this regard it can be stated that even though FDI contributes to the economic growth of countries, the level of FDI is influenced by t he rate of economic growth in that country. In this context it is noteworthy to mention that the contribution of FDI to economic growth could be negative at times. In a recent study based on African countries it was stated that in a globally challenged market African countries are trying to cope up with the situation by attracting FDI in order to improve its economy (Boly et al., 2015). It was stated by some authors that the policy of tax holidays and incentives adopted by most of the African countries in order to attract foreign direct investment failed considerably and caused economic degradation (Amendolagine et al., 2013). It can be stated that in the process of adopting the policy of FDI by the developing countries it has lead to serious consequences where it was observed that incentives was more than capital gains from the foreign investment. It has been conducted by researchers that there is no evidence on the fact that FDI brings positive outcome to the economic condition of developing countries It can be mentioned that the developing countries was not aware of the policy of foreign direct investment and ere comfortable with the local investors due to lack of influence of the western world. It can be stated that after many decades with the advent of various international events helped in re-shaping the attitude of the developing countries towards FDI. In modern scenario every countries wants to adopt foreign direct investment in order to supplement local business by increasing the activities of MNEs in most of developing countries. According to modern economists, the influence of FDI in uplifting the world economic growth cannot be underestimated (Davaakhuu, Sharma and Bandara 2014). It was stated that the concept of FDI was adopted by most of the developing countries during 1980s due to the bad shape of the economy and the debt crisis faced by such countries. It can be stated that some authors were of the view that the increase of the flow of FDI has been possible to the developing countries due to adoption of favorable policies by the developing countries towards MNEs (Zehri and Abdelbaki 2013). The governments of the developing countries have facilitated the growth of FDI with the help of positive policies and efforts have been made by the multinational enterprises in order to utilize the opportunities created by the favorable prices. It was argued by modern economists regarding the fact that MNEs are likely to attract cheaper labor in the developing countries which would be beneficial in reducing the total cost of production (Dedrick, Kraemer and Shih 2013). According to a report, the United Nations that with the advent of new competitors in the developed countries various multinational companies have been implementing ways by exploring global opportunities in order to improve their competition. In order to improve the competition of t he developed countries operations have been expanded to the developing countries by rationalizing production activities and by lowering the cost of production. It can be stated that African countries like any other developing countries from the beginning was not aware of the concept of FDI however with the advent of modern world these countries are trying to attract the concept of FDI in their economy. According to modern economists there were various other reasons behind the adoption of FDI by the developing countries for instance in order to overcome the scarcity of resources which included entrepreneurship, capital, employment creation, technological development and innovation, efficient managerial practices and access to foreign markets (Omri and Sassi-Tmar 2015). It can be noted that such benefits of FDI to the African countries would be difficult to access however this may differ from one sector to another depending on the size of the firm, the capabilities of the labors and the level of competition among domestic firms. In recent trend it can be seen that most African countries have investment promotion agencies (IPAs). The investment promotion agencies have been successful in attracting FDI and protecting the business operations of the MNEs (Omri and Sassi-Tmar 2015). It can be stated that if such agencies are given the right operating tool then these would be successful in increasing the inflow of FDI in developing countries by creating good market conditions for countries by attracting international investors. It can be stated that in spite of the efforts made by different policymakers in Africa, the continent was not successful in attracting FDI to a large extent. According to a report of the United Nations, the oil and gas sector of Africa is the main channel which formed a major part of the foreign investment and it can be noted that strong investment in this sector has been possible due to high prices of oil and gas which would be beneficial in increasing the investors profitability in future (Omri and Sassi-Tmar 2015). According to some authors, the political instabilities and inconsistent policies in African countries has limited the share of FDI in world economy. Economists have discovered that unstable currencies and high inflation are some of the major reasons why Africa has not been successful in attracting FDI Omri and Sassi-Tmar 2015). It can be stated by scholars that apart from the rate of inflation it is the infrastructure of African countries that is creating barrier in the inflow of FDI (Omri and Sassi-Tmar 2015). In this regard it can be stated that multinational enterprises (MNEs) prefers to operate in economies good transportation facilities, uninterrupted power and excellent amenities. It is obvious that the cost of production is usually lower in countries with well developed infrastructure than in countries having poor infrastructure however the affect of poor infrastructure on the flow of FDI in developing countries is relatively lower than the major factors like natural resources and foreign reserves. It can be observed that based on the above reasons the continent of Africa in order to attract FDI to large extent it is required that it should focus on political and economic stability and in creating good infrastructure. It can be stated that the continent would be successful in the future in attracting FDI if all the above factors operate successfully however it will take considerable time in order to achieve those development in the long run References: Alfaro, L. and Charlton, A., 2013. Growth and the Quality of Foreign Direct Investment. InThe Industrial Policy Revolution I(pp. 162-204). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Alvarez, I. and Marin, R., 2013. FDI and technology as levering factors of competitiveness in developing countries.Journal of International Management,19(3), pp.232-246. Amendolagine, V., Boly, A., Coniglio, N.D., Prota, F. and Seric, A., 2013. FDI and local linkages in developing countries: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa.World Development,50, pp.41-56. Barkemeyer, R., Holt, D., Preuss, L. and Tsang, S., 2014. What happened to the developmentin sustainable development? Business guidelines two decades after Brundtland.sustainable development,22(1), pp.15-32. Blonigen, B.A. and Piger, J., 2014. Determinants of foreign direct investment.Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'conomique,47(3), pp.775-812. Boly, A., Coniglio, N.D., Prota, F. and Seric, A., 2015. Which domestic firms benefit from FDI? Evidence from selected African countries.Development Policy Review,33(5), pp.615-636. Davaakhuu, O., Sharma, K. and Bandara, Y.M., 2014. Foreign direct investment in a transition economy: Lessons from the experience of Mongolia.Global business review,15(4), pp.663-675. Dedrick, J., Kraemer, K.L. and Shih, E., 2013. Information technology and productivity in developed and developing countries.Journal of Management Information Systems,30(1), pp.97-122. Driffield, N. and Jones, C., 2013. Impact of FDI, ODA and migrant remittances on economic growth in developing countries: A systems approach.The European Journal of Development Research,25(2), pp.173-196. Gourinchas, P.O. and Jeanne, O., 2013. Capital flows to developing countries: The allocation puzzle.Review of Economic Studies,80(4), pp.1484-1515. Koma, S.B., 2013. The trajectory of economic development policies in South Africa: the case for public policy analysis. Kubiszewski, I., Costanza, R., Franco, C., Lawn, P., Talberth, J., Jackson, T. and Aylmer, C., 2013. Beyond GDP: Measuring and achieving global genuine progress.Ecological Economics,93, pp.57-68. Kurtishi-Kastrati, S., 2013. The effects of foreign direct investments for host country's economy.European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies,5(1), p.26. Mathur, A. and Singh, K., 2013. Foreign direct investment, corruption and democracy.Applied Economics,45(8), pp.991-1002. Omri, A. and Sassi-Tmar, A., 2015. Linking FDI inflows to economic growth in North African countries.Journal of the Knowledge Economy,6(1), pp.90-104. Teece, D.J., 2014. A dynamic capabilities-based entrepreneurial theory of the multinational enterprise.Journal of International Business Studies,45(1), pp.8-37. Wang, D.T., Gu, F.F., David, K.T. and Yim, C.K.B., 2013. When does FDI matter? The roles of local institutions and ethnic origins of FDI.International Business Review,22(2), pp.450-465. Young, S.L. and Makhija, M.V., 2014. Firms corporate social responsibility behavior: An integration of institutional and profit maximization approaches.Journal of International Business Studies,45(6), pp.670-698. Zehri, C. and Abdelbaki, A., 2013. Does adoption of international accounting standards promote economic growth in developing countries.International Open Journal of Economics,1(1), pp.1-13.

Sports Medicane Essay Research Paper The Sports free essay sample

Sports Medicane Essay, Research Paper The Sports Medicane Profession has responded to the rise in over usage hurts by puting greater accent on hurt bar, developing new diagnostic and intervention techniques, and advancing rehabilitation as an assistance to full recovery. This is what Dr. Lyle J. Micheli, one of the states foremost athleticss medicane governments, calls the # 8220 ; new athleticss medicane. # 8221 ; Below is an illustration of what a typical athleticss physician will make before acquiring their grade: It has become progressively apparent over the past 25 old ages that there is a demand for informations on hurt rates for the assortment of athleticss and physical activities in which people of all ages are going involved. The research literature on the epidemiology of sports-related hurts has been turning easy as assorted persons and groups have attempted to gather informations on the hazards of take parting in assorted athleticss. Almost all of these efforts have focused on athleticss in an organized scene, for younger age groups, and have involved comparatively short-run observations. With the recent addition in engagement in general fittingness activities, and with such engagement being encouraged by the medical community as a public wellness intercession to advance healthy life styles, it frequently is non realized there is small or no reliable informations available to measure the hazards involved in engagement in physical activities. Much attempt is being expended in specifying the benefits of exercising, but small is being done to specify hazard degrees. Such information is needed in order to do informed determinations as to the value of take parting in a peculiar activity, and to supply hints as to how injury rates can be reduced. This paper presents some of the preliminary consequences on exercising forms and hurt rates for a six month survey of a little sample of regularly exerting topics. This pilot survey was undertaken to prove informations aggregation signifiers and processs for a planned longitudinal, prospective survey of exercising and hurt forms in a big sample of middle-aged and older grownups. As a pilot survey of activity and hurt forms in middle-aged grownups, informations were collected monthly for 6 months from 25 on a regular basis exerting grownups ( 19 male, 6 female ) aged 43-70 old ages ( average 54.0 year ) . Each topic completed a day-to-day exercising log observing type, continuance and strength of exercising, and distance covered ( if appropriate ) . Any hurts or unwellnesss doing limitation of normal activity were recorded on separate check-off signifiers. Reports were received each of the 6 months from all topics. The topics accumulated 3209 exercising Sessionss, numbering 2631 hour. The prevailing activities were running ( 2128 Sessionss ; 1780 hour ; 19,638 kilometer ) , weight-lifting ( 357 Sessionss ; 181 hour ) , walking ( 228 Sessionss ; 195 hour ; 1064 kilometer ) and cycling ( 109 Sessionss ; 78 hour ; 1992 kilometer ) . All other exercising activities ( e.g. , tennis, swimming, rowing, H2O running ) totaled 388 Sessionss and 397 hour. The topics averaged 4.0 hrs/week of exercising in 4.9 sessions/week of 49 min/session. Two-thirdss of the Sessionss involved running, and 21 topics ran on a regular basis. These topics ran an norm of 3.9 times/week, 50.2 min/session, 38.2 km/week, 9.3 km/session at 5:24/km gait. While running was the prevailing activity in this sample, each topic participated on a regular basis in an norm of 2.2 different exercising activities, and participated at least one time in an norm of 3.4 different activities during the period of this survey. There were 30 time-loss hurts attributed to exert in this sample, 23 affecting the lower appendages. One-third of the entire hurts involved the articulatio genus. There were 9.3 injuries/1,000 exercising Sessionss or 11.4 injuries/1,000 hour of exercising. Each hurt lasted an norm of 10.7 yearss earlier return to unrestricted activity. However, many hurts resulted in alteration of activity ( e.g. , reduced frequence, distance, gait, or making alternate activities ) instead than complete limitation of exercising. During this period there were 10 hurts recorded that did non affect exercising, 5 being lower dorsum strains, with an mean T ime-loss of 17.2 yearss. There besides were 17 unwellnesss reported, chiefly colds and grippe, with an mean time-loss of 7.4 yearss. Based on the consequences from this little pilot survey, a middle-aged gymnastic apparatus can anticipate 2.4 exercise-related hurts per twelvemonth with a sum of 25.8 yearss of modified or restricted activity, 0.8 non-exercise hurts per twelvemonth with 13.8 yearss of restricted activity, and 1.4 unwellnesss impacting 10.4 yearss. On the norm, this middle-aged gymnastic apparatus can anticipate 4.6 hurt or unwellness episodes impacting 50 yearss each twelvemonth. Twenty-five voluntary topics were obtained from the local community ( Eugene- Springfield, Oregon USA ) . They were all on a regular basis exerting grownups ( 19 male, 6 female ) runing in age from 43 to 70 old ages old ( average age = 54.0 old ages ) . Each topic signed an informed consent signifier and received a set of signifiers for entering day-to-day exercising activity, injury/illness study signifiers, self-addressed stamped envelopes for returning the signifiers, and a set of elaborate instructions for finishing the signifiers. They besides completed a questionnaire sing old exercising and hurt history. The primary informations aggregation signifiers are alterations of signifiers developed and used by the writer over the past several old ages for a assortment of surveies of athletic hurts. They are designed to be as brief and simple to utilize as possible ( therefore increasing the chance that the signifiers will be completed and returned, and that the informations will more likely be accurate ) and yet give sufficient information on hurts and exposure to the possibility of being injured to cipher and analyze hurt rates and forms. Subjects were instructed to enter on a Daily Exercise Log each exercising sessionof any type that increased the bosom rate for a lower limit of 15 proceedingss. These signifiers collected informations on the type, continuance and strength of exercising, and distance covered ( if appropriate to the type of exercising ) . This provided exposure informations or denominator informations for ciphering hurt rates. The topics besides recorded on an Injury/Illness Report Form any hurt or unwellness that: a ) required formal or informal medical attending, and/or B ) resulted in alteration or limitation of normal activities for the balance of that twenty-four hours or one or more yearss beyond the day of the month of oncoming. These check-off signifiers collected informations sing the site, nature, fortunes and badness of the hurt. The signifiers were returned at the terminal of each month utilizing the stamped, self-addressed envelopes provided. Upon reception in the undertaking office, the signifiers were logged in and screened for completeness and logical consistence. Subjects were contacted sing losing signifiers or informations, or any questionable entries on the signifiers. After testing, the information from the signifiers were entered into computing machine files for storage and subsequently analysis utilizing locally developed package. Subjects completed and returned these signifiers for a six month period ( 1 January 1990 # 8211 ; 30 June 1990 ) . Forms were received from all 25 topics for each of the six months of this pilot survey. The topics accumulated 3,209 exercising Sessionss numbering 2,631 hours, averaging about 5 Sessionss per hebdomad of about 50 proceedingss per session. Table 1 summarizes the sum of exercising activity in this sample, and provides a dislocation by gender and age group. In this peculiar sample, running/jogging comprised two-thirds of the exercising Sessionss ( Table 2 ) . Twenty-one of the topics ran on a regular basis, averaging about 4 Sessionss per hebdomad, 50 proceedingss per session, and 9.3 kilometers per session at a gait of 5:24/km. Table 2 summarizes the exposure informations for the three predominant activities ( running, walking and weight-lifting ) , and the cumulative sums for the other exercising activities, which included swimming, cycling, tennis, aerobic exercises, rowing, step mounting, H2O running, hoops, and assorted field events ( long leap, pole vault, shooting put, etc. ) . Although a bulk of the topics were from a local Masterss track nine, each topic participated on a regular basis in an norm of 2.2 different exercising activities, and participated at least one time during the period of this survey in an norm of 3.4 different exercising activities.

The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Essays

The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Essays The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Paper The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Paper Essay Topic: Religion Mysticism, according to Evelyn Underhill is The great spiritual current that goes through all religions1. Mysticism seeks to understand the nature and relationship of the human soul and God. The mystical aspect of Islam is known as Sufism (tasawwuf) and in practice is the seeking of an intimate relationship with God through meditative practice or the behaviour of self-denial, the ultimate aim, to achieve union with God. Sufis want to know God in the heart, as a lover and a friend and, as God is an immaterial entity the union can only be achieved emotionally. In the mystical idea, humans gain knowledge of God not through rational thought or religion but with the fusing of the soul to the divine world. Thirteenth century prophet, Jalal al-Din Rumi explains, All the hopes, desires, loves, and affections that people have for different things fathers, mothers, friends, heavens, the earth, gardens, palaces, sciences, works, food, drink he saint knows that these are desires for God and all those things are veils. When men leave this world and see the King without these veils, then they will know that all were veils and coverings, that the object of their desire was in reality that One Thing They will see all things face to face. 2 In order to embrace the love of God, Sufis must disregard the material world that the rest of us so readily and unquestioningly inhabit. The Sufi mystical path has several stages and is open to each and every Muslim who wishes to connect their soul with the divine. The whole of life is spiritually one in its source, goal, beginning and end, with the divine manifest in all our souls (though the soul was created before, and is separated from the body). The attempt to attain unity with God is all the more desirable when earthly matter is deemed evil; no incentive is left, other than for anything other than mystical behaviour. Sufis take the For man was created weak3 aspect of the Quran seriously; scripture like it proves to Sufis the evil status of matter. There are contradictions though in other parts of the Quran: Thy Lord said to the angels: I will create a vicegerent on earth4. Although this is an inconsistency within the Quran, rather than within Sufism itself, it doesnt give Sufis a clear textual backing. We might bear in mind though that if this is the case for Sufis then it will be the case for the Orthodox Muslims too. So, bearing this in mind, a key understanding for the mystics may be that We are nearer to him than the jugular vein5 Such revelations are of great importance to Sufis in giving them an insight into their relationship with God, though they too are also good at expressing themselves: thirteenth century mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi explains that, All the hopes, desires, loves, and affections that people have for different things fathers, mothers, friends, heavens, the earth, gardens, palaces, sciences, works, food, drink the saint knows that these are desires for God and all those things are veils. When men leave this world and see the King without these veils, then they will know that all were veils and coverings, that the object of their desire was in reality that One Thing They will see all things face to face. Our earthly desires are fanciful yet are always seeking a truth that is God. Sufi mystics are highly regarded and specially remembered and revered long after their deaths. Rabia Al-Adawiyya and Al-Hallaj provide us with very interesting examples of how mystical experience had so overcome them that to Sufisms logical extent, existence came to have no meaning for them. Their experience explains a lot about the ideas and ideology of the mystical tradition. Commentaries on Rabbia and her works have been passed down through devotees, historians, translators and commentators for almost thirteen centuries. Our picture of her is created by these scholars and coupled with the passage of thirteen centuries; the picture may well be an accordingly anachronistic one. Her work that was not already poetry seems, through these mediums and the refinement of re-telling 6 to have become such. In this instance however, we might suggest that the accounts of how talented or prolific she was as a writer are greater affected than our understanding of the mystical path which she followed, it being easier to alter what she left us than what she did. Our understanding of Rabbia doesnt suffer through our appreciation of her relative poetic merits but it does if she didnt write them. For our purposes it is necessary to take what we know of Rabbia subjectively and in doing this, we might come to recognise her as a brilliant proponent of Sufi mysticism. Through her poetry, ethic of self-discipline and emotional devotion to Allah she created in herself an icon of Sufi devotion, highly regarded throughout Islam. Islam has embraced Rabia, despite frowning on, not so much the fact that she was a woman, but unmarried life and withdrawal from society as a path to God. Rabbia was a slave who, was seen by her master praying one night (after a hard days work, at the expense of her sleep) and who saw a bright light above her head, so the story goes. He released her immediately and she, in turn, moved to the desert. As people became aware of her and her holiness, they began beating a path to her door in search of spiritual direction. She was the recipient of numerous marriage proposals. Upon receiving one of them she replied, Im not interested, really, in possessing all you own, Nor in making you my slave, Nor in having my attention distracted from God even for a split second. 7 Even love on earth was incomparable to the love she shared with God. The love expressed in her verse, whether it existed or not (why should we be disinclined to believe her? ) is the essence of this mysticism. If I die for love, before completing satisfaction, Alas, for my anxiety in the world, alas for my distress, O Healer (of souls) the heart feeds upon its desire, The striving after union with Thee has healed my soul8 The love and devotion expressed in this verse is the essence of the mystical. There is no rational or formal relationship with God, just love. Love rarely reconciles itself with rational thought and interestingly, in his incomprehensible nature, neither does God. It is romantic for us to think of this (unconventional female) mystic completely absorbed in her love for God, and expressing this through beautiful poetry. Poetry is one of the most highly esteemed vehicles for expressing emotion, what better way for Rabia to get her message across? Rabia helps us see that the Sufi tradition is not about the regularity with which Muslims pray or how closely they follow the rules extracted from the Quran, but is about the raw emotion Sufis feel for God. Al-Hallaj, another prominent Sufi was killed for his devotion to the mystic quest. Louis Massignon gives us an authoritative account of Al-Hallaj in his book of the same name. He was one of Islams most controversial writers and teachers. Because he was the embodiment of the Muslim experience, Mansurs life and death represent to many, a reference point in Islamic history. Al-Hallaj was fascinated with the ascetic way of life, in his teens he memorized the Quran and began retreating from the world to gather with other like minds to study Islamic mysticism. He travelled and soon apprentices began to follow him. The situation in which al-Hallaj taught and wrote was shaped by social, economic, political, and religious stress, which eventually led to his arrest. Sufism was new at the time, and provoked extensive opposition from the Muslim orthodoxy. Sufi masters considered his sharing the beauty of mystical experience with the masses undisciplined at best, disobedient at worst. It wasnt long before the political leaders made a case against him. Al-Hallaj was considered an intoxicated Sufi, who became so enraptured in ecstasy by the presence of the Divine that he was prone to losing his personal identity, blurring the lines between the Divine and the Man. During his arrest he experienced one of these breaks and uttered: Ana al-haqq, or I am the Truth (or God). An inappropriate statement to make in the Islamic tradition. He spent 11 years in confinement in Baghdad, before being brutally tortured and crucified. Witnesses were believed to have stated that al-Hallaj was strangely serene while being tortured, and sincerely forgave his persecutors. He is referred to as Loves Prophet. Al-Hallaj is one of the most influential Sufi writers and an important character in Islamic history. I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart. I said: Who art Thou? He answered: Thou. 9 By proclaiming, I am the truth he had achieved the Sufi goal in that he felt himself to be God incarnate in the world10. He was so overcome with his mystical existence that he felt, to the logical Sufi extreme that he was God. There has been a certain tendency for Christians to view Sufism as an Islamic derivative of Christian mysticism. Islam appears to be sensual, physical an d practical these aspects all being manifest in Islamic law. How can Sufism reconcile itself with this? The Christians seemed to think that it couldnt and mysticism within Islam could trace itself back to the sophisticated Christian tradition and the Holy Ghost. 11 This may be true in certain instances, Al-Muhasibi, for example, has been shown to have borrowed heavily on the new testament for various sayings and commendations of the Sufi life the practice of wearing woollen garments is said to have been done in imitation of Christian hermits, though how recognition and borrowing of ideas can make a religion inferior to the lender is odd. The examples we have looked at of Rabbia and al-Hallaj serve to discredit this idea, in fact the Sufi idea stands up very well on its own: In a human being is such a love, a pain, an itch, a desire that, even if he were to possess a hundred thousand worlds, he would not rest or find peace. People work variously at all sorts of callings, crafts, and professions, and they learn astrology and medicine, and so forth, but they are not at peace because what they are seeking cannot be found. The beloved is called dilaram because the heart finds peace through the beloved. How then can it find peace through anything else? 12 To treat Sufism as a derivative of Christianity deprives Islam of an integral part of its spiritual nature. Sufi practice seeks to achieve a goal of oneness and absorption into God. They seek to attain the state humanity was in before creation13. To achieve this as Rabbia and Al-Hallaj claimed they did, it is necessary to regard emotion, love and spirituality as all-important and all else irrelevant. Few, if any people will deny the existence of emotion despite its un-quantifiable nature and its defiance of physical definition. Many people, regardless of their religion believe that God is emotion or our collective spirit, in that idea and especially in the examples we have looked at, the heart and love are the keys to understanding, despite their un physical nature For the reality that is the goal of the mystic, and is ineffable, cannot be understood or explained by any normal mode of perception; neither philosophy nor reason can reveal it. Only the wisdom of the heart, gnosis, may give insight into some of its aspects. 14 To share in the love of God and to attain existence on a spiritual plane where it is possible to interact with him, the role of the heart is obviously crucial. Another important point to remember is that in the world, of evil matter, all that is then not evil, is emotion. Perhaps the legacy that Rabia and Al Halaj have left us with, is of love and emotion. They did not teach us practical lessons or how to do our best, but simply, how to feel; perhaps this is why they are still so well regarded. Our hearts and souls are individually and collectively the sources of our love. By feeling their relationship with God emotionally, at the expense of all else, the Sufis are quite radical in their approach to him. It is a kind of religious anarchism; the only necessities are the heart and the soul, whilst nothing else matters. Sufis use their hearts to direct their emotions towards God; its importance is not partial but total.

How to Pronounce Mobile

How to Pronounce Mobile How to Pronounce Mobile How to Pronounce Mobile By Maeve Maddox A reader wonders about the American pronunciation of the word mobile: When Americans refer to the thing that all of us carry around as our personal digital appendage, they rhyme it with â€Å"bill.† The rest of the world (i.e., where I live) pronounce it to rhyme it with â€Å"bile.† Im not talking about the adjective â€Å"mobile,† but the noun â€Å"mobile,† short for â€Å"mobile phone.† Does this have to do anything with the gas company which sounds the same? The word mobile functions as both an adjective and as a noun: Adjective The  mobile technology  may be a lot different in terms of the Internet platform, but they basically share a common medium: the Web. - Americans pronounce the adjective mobile to rhyme with noble. Noun Sallie bought a darling Winnie-the-Pooh mobile to hang above the babys bed. - Americans pronounce the noun mobile to rhyme with toe-heel (MOH-beel). The city in Alabama is usually pronounced MOH-beel. Sometimes it is pronounced moh-BEEL. The petroleum company spells its name Mobil and pronounces it MOH-bil. Its progenitor, Mobilgas, was founded in the 1920s; Americans were already pronouncing mobile to rhyme with noble. So, when did those wretched Americans start mispronouncing mobile? They didn’t. British speakers shifted their pronunciation of words ending in -ile from a short vowel sound to a long one. OED lexicographer R. W. Burchfield noted, â€Å"The division didn’t become clear-cut until about 1900.† This is how Charles Elster (The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations) puts it: throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, both British and American speakers pronounced -ile either with a short i (as in pill) or an obscure/silent i (as in fossil). For example, the English elocutionist John Walker, whose Critical Pronouncing Dictionary (1791) had a profound influence on both sides of the Atlantic well into the 19th century, favored the short i in nearly all -ile words, including juvenile, mercantile, and puerile, citing only chamomile, infantile, and reconcile as long i exceptions. In the 20th century, Americans were less consistent in their customary preference than the British were in their newfound preference, and the long i made some inroads in American speech. In regard to the question that prompted this post, Americans call those â€Å"personal digital appendages† neither MOH-biles nor MOH-bils. We call them cell phones. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives"Latter," not "Ladder"Dissatisfied vs. Unsatisfied

Social policy- policy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social policy- policy analysis - Essay Example It does this by critically analyzing various laws which were enacted and periodically amended to ensure that there are no cases of child abuse in the country. The paper also goes ahead to evaluate how effective these legislations were and the extent to which they safeguarded children. According to the latest statistics from the police department, there were a total of 21,493 reported cases of child sexual abuse offences in 2011/12. In England alone, the figures for child rapes were estimated at 4,991 during the same period (Owen, 2007). However, the total number of rape cases and rape attempts in Scotland stood at 505 during the same period. Based on this statistics, Scotland seems to be having the highest number of sexual offenses as compared to other regions such as Wales, Northern Ireland and England. This might be attributed to inefficient policy implementations and inability of the parents, guardians and child care givers to create adequate time to provide children with the necessary protection. Its sexual offenses rates are 3.3 cases out of every 1,000 children under the age of 16. In Northern Ireland, it stands at 2.5 persons per every 1,000 children under the age of 18. Moreover, in Wales and England, only 1.6 cases are recorded for every 1,000 children u nder the age of 16 (Jeff, 2003). The above analysis clearly indicates that child abuse is still a major issue of concern in the UK. Although the statistics is about sexual abuses, a lot of cases have been witnessed in which several children have been physically abused and neglected by their parents and care givers. It is for this reason that such children have been offered safeguarding services such as child line, frank line, guidance and counseling by different bodies and agencies in the nation (Turton, 2008). It is only through the provision of safeguard services that the

The artist M.C. Escher Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The artist M.C. Escher - Research Paper Example In some of his works, he created polytypes that cannot be constructed in real world and can be explained using mathematics knowledge. His study on mathematics began with George Polya’s academic paper about plane symmetry groups. What he studied inspired him to study the concept of 17 wallpapers (Math Explorer Club, 2009). By using this mathematical concept, he manage to create a periodic tilings made up of 43 colored drawings of different types of symmetry. This was the point where he started developing mathematical approach to expressions of symmetry shapes in his drawings. He was being viewed as a research mathematician during that time when he documented his findings in a book wrote about asymmetry polygons. He researched about color based division and he came up with a system of classifying combinations of shape, color and symmetrical properties (Math Explorer Club, 2009). He also developed several interlocking figures that appear to be mathematically incorrect. With the use of black and white color, he manages to develop different dimensions to make the impossible mathematics look possible. He normally combines 2 and 3 dimensional images to a single print. In his works entitled ‘reptiles’ he drew pictures where reptiles come out of tessellation, move around, and go back into 2 dimensional forms. To create certain linear perspectives, he picked a point on the drawings such that all the lines in the work will converge together at one point. In this way, he used mathematics to develop a certain perception from the audience, without using any special mathematic tool. Escher circle limit III contains tessellations that he drew with a free hand and they are mathematically correct (Abrams, 1995). In 1956, he analyzed the concept of representing infinity on 2 dimensional planes. His wood carvings circle limit I-IV shows the infinity concept. In 1959, he explained further about infinity using his construction (Abrams, 1995). The

Uses of Nursing Theory Essay Example for Free

Uses of Nursing Theory Essay I was fascinated by the quote above for in general, we can never go wrong in a practice that is based on a tested knowledge and guided by theory. Recorded history of Greece first developed its special uses; from Pythagoras to Aristotle, up to present, uses of theory still remains important. Nursing science, like any other field, is a melting pot of care and healing that has been moulded and preserved since the dawn of time. (Octaviano and Balita, 2008) Theory strives to explain the science and art of nursing. Nursing is as varied as the people who practice it, and is dynamic and diverse as kaleidoscope of ethnic, cultural and religious manifestations of people who receive nursing care. It is important that nursing is grounded on accepted scientific truths and principles in order to give safe and quality nursing care. (Octaviano and Balita, 2008) Implied as highly dynamic and undergoes change, as further research and studies are done and as they are enriched by practice, theory can change overtime. However, there are also theories that remain valid despites the passage of time. It is very important that theory guides and improves nursing practice, research and nursing education. Decision making, independent, dependent and interdependent functions, leadership, as well as further education for specializations are only few of vast spectrum nursing concepts that make up nursing theory. Considering my little experience, I would like to illustrate the use of Patricia Benner’s Theory of Skill Acquisition in Nursing. (I considered my current experience/skill as Advance Beginner. ) (Novice) When I was a student nurse on my senior year, I was assigned to take care and monitor newborn undergoing phototherapy. I was instructed by our clinical instructor to monitor the time and frequency the newborn is exposed to photolight, covered baby’s eyes and genitals, assess patient’s hydration by weighing diapers, monitor vital signs, check IV insertions and perform other activities with close supervision from clinical instructor. (Advance Beginner) After graduated, I took the licensure exam and became a registered nurse. I volunteered in a community hospital and Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (BEMONC) and was hired by DOH-CHD as RN Heals nurse trainee. Months from now, I will be a DR Nurse in a provincial hospital, will be working hard and will aspire to be promoted (LOL) . I will attend seminars and trainings to enhance my skills and knowledge. (Proficient) I will be competent in the clinical area and academe because (two to three years from now), I already finished master’s degree in nursing. (Expert) Seven to eight years from now, I have finished my doctoral degree and will be a chief nurse and a part time professor in a university. (LOL) Theory encourages us to be inquisitive to investigate and explore what more should we know.

Shakespeares Titus Andronicus - A Powerful Tragedy Essay -- Titus And

Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus - A Powerful Tragedy Titus Andronicus is a play marked by acts of horrific violence and littered with death and the destruction of others. Each violent act, however, serves to explain and sometimes encourage the motives of the play's memorable characters and impart a very tightly knotted plot. The structure of the play employs well-defined heroes and villains. Revenge is their key motivating factor. All of these elements combine to form a cohesive plot and contribute to the overall success of the story. Shakespeare's sources for the play are quite clear. He makes it no secret that the rape of Lavinia is analogous to the rape of Philomela in Ovid's Metamorphosis. In this tale, The daughter of the King of Athens, Procne, marries the King of Thrace, Tereus, and the two of them have a son, Itys. After a number of years, Procne desperately wishes to see her sister, Philomela, and sends Tereus back to Athens to bring her to Thrace. When Tereus sees Philomela, he becomes obsessed with her and carries her into the forest, rapes her and cuts out her tongue to prevent her from telling anyone. Upon returning to Thrace, he informs his wife that Philomela is dead. In the meantime, Philomela weaves her story into a cloth and sends it to Procne. Procne becomes so enraged by this knowledge that she and Philomela plot and kill Itys, cook his flesh and serve it to Tereus. He discovers their ploy and tries to kill them, but Philomela is changed into a nightingale, Procne a swallow and Tereus a hoopoe (Bullough, vi. 48-58). This exhibits a very distinct parallel. Demetrius and Chiron used the same measures to prevent Lavinia from disclosing their deeds, though Shakespeare (always improving on his sources) to... ... to become wrapped up in his evil schemes. Also, like Richard III, the character of Aaron the Moor has a great deal of staying power, and we continue to see characters like him four-hundred years later. Titus Andronicus is very successful as a tragedy. Second guessing of the character's actions is held to a minimum because most of the tragedy is imposed by the other characters' revenge tactics. The notable characters are easily distinguishable because of their very distinct personalities. Titus and Aaron are a prime example of this type of opposition. The solid plot, memorable characters and striking depiction of violence combine to make Titus Andronicus one of Shakespeare's best works. Works Cited Bullough, Geoffrey. Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare , 8 vols. (1964-75) Waith, Eugene M. ed. Titus Andronicus. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1984.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-five

Eddard He found Littlefinger in the brothel's common room, chatting amiably with a tall, elegant woman who wore a feathered gown over skin as black as ink. By the hearth, Heward and a buxom wench were playing at forfeits. From the look of it, he'd lost his belt, his cloak, his mail shirt, and his right boot so far, while the girl had been forced to unbutton her shift to the waist. Jory Cassel stood beside a rain-streaked window with a wry smile on his face, watching Heward turn over tiles and enjoying the view. Ned paused at the foot of the stair and pulled on his gloves. â€Å"It's time we took our leave. My business here is done.† Heward lurched to his feet, hurriedly gathering up his things. â€Å"As you will, my lord,† Jory said. â€Å"I'll help Wyl bring round the horses.† He strode to the door. Littlefinger took his time saying his farewells. He kissed the black woman's hand, whispered some joke that made her laugh aloud, and sauntered over to Ned. â€Å"Your business,† he said lightly, â€Å"or Robert's? They say the Hand dreams the king's dreams, speaks with the king's voice, and rules with the king's sword. Does that also mean you fuck with the king's—† â€Å"Lord Baelish,† Ned interrupted, â€Å"you presume too much. I am not ungrateful for your help. It might have taken us years to find this brothel without you. That does not mean I intend to endure your mockery. And I am no longer the King's Hand.† â€Å"The direwolf must be a prickly beast,† said Littlefinger with a sharp twist of his mouth. A warm rain was pelting down from a starless black sky as they walked to the stables. Ned drew up the hood of his cloak. Jory brought out his horse. Young Wyl came right behind him, leading Littlefinger's mare with one hand while the other fumbled with his belt and the lacings of his trousers. A barefoot whore leaned out of the stable door, giggling at him. â€Å"Will we be going back to the castle now, my lord?† Jory asked. Ned nodded and swung into the saddle. Littlefinger mounted up beside him. Jory and the others followed. â€Å"Chataya runs a choice establishment,† Littlefinger said as they rode. â€Å"I've half a mind to buy it. Brothels are a much sounder investment than ships, I've found. Whores seldom sink, and when they are boarded by pirates, why, the pirates pay good coin like everyone else.† Lord Petyr chuckled at his own wit. Ned let him prattle on. After a time, he quieted and they rode in silence. The streets of King's Landing were dark and deserted. The rain had driven everyone under their roofs. It beat down on Ned's head, warm as blood and relentless as old guilts. Fat drops of water ran down his face. â€Å"Robert will never keep to one bed,† Lyanna had told him at Winterfell, on the night long ago when their father had promised her hand to the young Lord of Storm's End. â€Å"I hear he has gotten a child on some girl in the Vale.† Ned had held the babe in his arms; he could scarcely deny her, nor would he lie to his sister, but he had assured her that what Robert did before their betrothal was of no matter, that he was a good man and true who would love her with all his heart. Lyanna had only smiled. â€Å"Love is sweet, dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man's nature.† The girl had been so young Ned had not dared to ask her age. No doubt she'd been a virgin; the better brothels could always find a virgin, if the purse was fat enough. She had light red hair and a powdering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and when she slipped free a breast to give her nipple to the babe, he saw that her bosom was freckled as well. â€Å"I named her Barra,† she said as the child nursed. â€Å"She looks so like him, does she not, milord? She has his nose, and his hair . . . â€Å" â€Å"She does.† Eddard Stark had touched the baby's fine, dark hair. It flowed through his fingers like black silk. Robert's firstborn had had the same fine hair, he seemed to recall. â€Å"Tell him that when you see him, milord, as it . . . as it please you. Tell him how beautiful she is.† â€Å"I will,† Ned had promised her. That was his curse. Robert would swear undying love and forget them before evenfall, but Ned Stark kept his vows. He thought of the promises he'd made Lyanna as she lay dying, and the price he'd paid to keep them. â€Å"And tell him I've not been with no one else. I swear it, milord, by the old gods and new. Chataya said I could have half a year, for the baby, and for hoping he'd come back. So you'll tell him I'm waiting, won't you? I don't want no jewels or nothing, just him. He was always good to me, truly.† Good to you, Ned thought hollowly. â€Å"I will tell him, child, and I promise you, Barra shall not go wanting.† She had smiled then, a smile so tremulous and sweet that it cut the heart out of him. Riding through the rainy night, Ned saw Jon Snow's face in front of him, so like a younger version of his own. If the gods frowned so on bastards, he thought dully, why did they fill men with such lusts? â€Å"Lord Baelish, what do you know of Robert's bastards?† â€Å"Well, he has more than you, for a start.† â€Å"How many?† Littlefinger shrugged. Rivulets of moisture twisted down the back of his cloak. â€Å"Does it matter? If you bed enough women, some will give you presents, and His Grace has never been shy on that count. I know he's acknowledged that boy at Storm's End, the one he fathered the night Lord Stannis wed. He could hardly do otherwise. The mother was a Florent, niece to the Lady Selyse, one of her bedmaids. Renly says that Robert carried the girl upstairs during the feast, and broke in the wedding bed while Stannis and his bride were still dancing. Lord Stannis seemed to think that was a blot on the honor of his wife's House, so when the boy was born, he shipped him off to Renly.† He gave Ned a sideways glance. â€Å"I've also heard whispers that Robert got a pair of twins on a serving wench at Casterly Rock, three years ago when he went west for Lord Tywin's tourney. Cersei had the babes killed, and sold the mother to a passing slaver. Too much an affront to Lannister pride, that close to home.† Ned Stark grimaced. Ugly tales like that were told of every great lord in the realm. He could believe it of Cersei Lannister readily enough . . . but would the king stand by and let it happen? The Robert he had known would not have, but the Robert he had known had never been so practiced at shutting his eyes to things he did not wish to see. â€Å"Why would Jon Arryn take a sudden interest in the king's baseborn children?† The short man gave a sodden shrug. â€Å"He was the King's Hand. Doubtless Robert asked him to see that they were provided for.† Ned was soaked through to the bone, and his soul had grown cold. â€Å"It had to be more than that, or why kill him?† Littlefinger shook the rain from his hair and laughed. â€Å"Now I see. Lord Arryn learned that His Grace had filled the bellies of some whores and fishwives, and for that he had to be silenced. Small wonder. Allow a man like that to live, and next he's like to blurt out that the sun rises in the east.† There was no answer Ned Stark could give to that but a frown. For the first time in years, he found himself remembering Rhaegar Targaryen. He wondered if Rhaegar had frequented brothels; somehow he thought not. The rain was falling harder now, stinging the eyes and drumming against the ground. Rivers of black water were running down the hill when Jory called out, â€Å"My lord,† his voice hoarse with alarm. And in an instant, the street was full of soldiers. Ned glimpsed ringmail over leather, gauntlets and greaves, steel helms with golden lions on the crests. Their cloaks clung to their backs, sodden with rain. He had no time to count, but there were ten at least, a line of them, on foot, blocking the street, with longswords and iron-tipped spears. â€Å"Behind!† he heard Wyl cry, and when he turned his horse, there were more in back of them, cutting off their retreat. Jory's sword came singing from its scabbard. â€Å"Make way or die!† â€Å"The wolves are howling,† their leader said. Ned could see rain running down his face. â€Å"Such a small pack, though.† Littlefinger walked his horse forward, step by careful step. â€Å"What is the meaning of this? This is the Hand of the King.† â€Å"He was the Hand of the King.† The mud muffled the hooves of the blood bay stallion. The line parted before him. On a golden breastplate, the lion of Lannister roared its defiance. â€Å"Now, if truth be told, I'm not sure what he is.† â€Å"Lannister, this is madness,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"Let us pass. We are expected back at the castle. What do you think you're doing?† â€Å"He knows what he's doing,† Ned said calmly. Jaime Lannister smiled. â€Å"Quite true. I'm looking for my brother. You remember my brother, don't you, Lord Stark? He was with us at Winterfell. Fair-haired, mismatched eyes, sharp of tongue. A short man.† â€Å"I remember him well,† Ned replied. â€Å"It would seem he has met some trouble on the road. My lord father is quite vexed. You would not perchance have any notion of who might have wished my brother ill, would you?† â€Å"Your brother has been taken at my command, to answer for his crimes,† Ned Stark said. Littlefinger groaned in dismay. â€Å"My lords—† Ser Jaime ripped his longsword from its sheath and urged his stallion forward. â€Å"Show me your steel, Lord Eddard. I'll butcher you like Aerys if I must, but I'd sooner you died with a blade in your hand.† He gave Littlefinger a cool, contemptuous glance. â€Å"Lord Baelish, I'd leave here in some haste if I did not care to get bloodstains on my costly clothing.† Littlefinger did not need to be urged. â€Å"I will bring the City Watch,† he promised Ned. The Lannister line parted to let him through, and closed behind him. Littlefinger put his heels to his mare and vanished around a corner. Ned's men had drawn their swords, but they were three against twenty. Eyes watched from nearby windows and doors, but no one was about to intervene. His party was mounted, the Lannisters on foot save for Jaime himself. A charge might win them free, but it seemed to Eddard Stark that they had a surer, safer tactic. â€Å"Kill me,† he warned the Kingslayer, â€Å"and Catelyn will most certainly slay Tyrion.† Jaime Lannister poked at Ned's chest with the gilded sword that had sipped the blood of the last of the Dragonkings. â€Å"Would she? The noble Catelyn Tully of Riverrun murder a hostage? I think . . . not.† He sighed. â€Å"But I am not willing to chance my brother's life on a woman's honor.† Jaime slid the golden sword into its sheath. â€Å"So I suppose I'll let you run back to Robert to tell him how I frightened you. I wonder if he'll care.† Jaime pushed his wet hair back with his fingers and wheeled his horse around. When he was beyond the line of swordsmen, he glanced back at his captain. â€Å"Tregar, see that no harm comes to Lord Stark.† â€Å"As you say, m'lord.† â€Å"Still . . . we wouldn't want him to leave here entirely unchastened, so†Ã¢â‚¬â€through the night and the rain, he glimpsed the white of Jaime's smile—†kill his men.† â€Å"No!† Ned Stark screamed, clawing for his sword. Jaime was already cantering off down the street as he heard Wyl shout. Men closed from both sides. Ned rode one down, cutting at phantoms in red cloaks who gave way before him. Jory Cassel put his heels into his mount and charged. A steel-shod hoof caught a Lannister guardsman in the face with a sickening crunch. A second man reeled away and for an instant Jory was free. Wyl cursed as they pulled him off his dying horse, swords slashing in the rain. Ned galloped to him, bringing his longsword down on Tregar's helm. The jolt of impact made him grit his teeth. Tregar stumbled to his knees, his lion crest sheared in half, blood running down his face. Heward was hacking at the hands that had seized his bridle when a spear caught him in the belly. Suddenly Jory was back among them, a red rain flying from his sword. â€Å"No!† Ned shouted. â€Å"Jory, away!† Ned's horse slipped under him and came crashing down in th e mud. There was a moment of blinding pain and the taste of blood in his mouth. He saw them cut the legs from Jory's mount and drag him to the earth, swords rising and failing as they closed in around him. When Ned's horse lurched back to its feet, he tried to rise, only to fall again, choking on his scream. He could see the splintered bone poking through his calf. It was the last thing he saw for a time. The rain came down and down and down. When he opened his eyes again, Lord Eddard Stark was alone with his dead. His horse moved closer, caught the rank scent of blood, and galloped away. Ned began to drag himself through the mud, gritting his teeth at the agony in his leg. It seemed to take years. Faces watched from candlelit windows, and people began to emerge from alleys and doors, but no one moved to help. Littlefinger and the City Watch found him there in the street, cradling Jory Cassel's body in his arms. Somewhere the gold cloaks found a litter, but the trip back to the castle was a blur of agony, and Ned lost consciousness more than once. He remembered seeing the Red Keep looming ahead of him in the first grey light of dawn. The rain had darkened the pale pink stone of the massive walls to the color of blood. Then Grand Maester Pycelle was looming over him, holding a cup, whispering, â€Å"Drink, my lord. Here. The milk of the poppy, for your pain.† He remembered swallowing, and Pycelle was telling someone to heat the wine to boiling and fetch him clean silk, and that was the last he knew.

A Medium of Exchange and a Unit of Account Versus Money

These Short Essays are partial fulfillment of Paper IE1001 of Part 1 of Certified Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) [DRAFT V0. 5] INCEIF Student Name: Mustafa Aydemir Student ID: 1200279 IE1001 Assignment in Islamic Economics – Short Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. 5. doc -1- Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Essay No. (3) Money and Islam – A Medium of Exchange and a Unit of Account versus Money as a Commodity Everybody is using money. Most of us want it; we work for it and think how to get more of it. Therefore, it is vital to ask what money is, where it comes from, and what money is worth.Economics is an academic discipline that tries to answer those questions. It would be to long and lengthy to discuss about money creation and growth from A-Z but in the following paragraphs the subject matter is elaborated from the conventional as well as the Islamic worldviews. Money in the conventional sense is a commodity people use in exchange for goods and servi ces. Before money was used as a medium of exchange, barter trade was practiced whereby people trade goods and services in exchange for other goods and services.However, barter trade was considered not so practical as weighing, transporting and dividing goods was difficult. It was the lack of transferability and inefficiencies that created the need for better ways of exchange. The concept of money was born. There are different types of money that developed over time, which should be presented briefly. Commodity money is defined as valuable goods, which were used as an underlying for a currency, such as gold, silver, coffee or even tobacco. The biggest advantage of this kind of currency was its portability and easy storage.Another example of commodity money is the U. S. currency before 1971, which was backed by gold (Investopia). Fiat money is the paper money currently circulating in our world that is not convertible in any other type of money. It is used in our daily life where we bu y and sell goods and services. Fiat money is basically not backed by any commodity but by a government that guarantees its value and creates a perception and faith in people that it is worth it. It is simply needed because gold is IE1001 Assignment in Islamic Economics – Short Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. . doc -2- rare on this planet. The perception created is, that the stronger the economy, the stronger is the value of its money. It is important to understand, that money is valuable because we want it, but we want it only because it can get us a desired product or service. Money is generated by a kind of an uninterrupted collaboration between physical things, our elusive desire for them, and our theoretical trust in what has value. That is why printing fresh money will not enrich a nation. Another type of money is named credit money.Investopia defines credit money as â€Å"Any future monetary claim against an individual that can be used to buy go ods and services†. There are many forms of credit money, such as IOUs, bonds and money market accounts. Virtually any form of financial instrument that cannot be repaid immediately is considered credit money. Economists measure money in M1, M2 and M3 defined as follows. M1 money includes all coins and currency that is physically available, travellers checks, demand deposits, checking accounts that is used to make payments.M2 money is all the money in M1 plus saving accounts, timelinked deposits and non-institutional money-market funds. M3 money is all the money in M2 plus all large time-deposits, liquid assets, institutional money-market funds, and short-term repurchase agreements. M1+M2+M3 together is the total supply of money in an economy, the â€Å"broad money† Money fulfills the three main functions. It is used as a medium of exchange. Furthermore, money is a unit of account that is a numerical unit of measurement for transactions, goods and services.IE1001 Assignm ent in Islamic Economics – Short Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. 5. doc -3- Lastly, money is used to store value that can be retrieved and used again. In Islam money is not a commodity, which makes all the difference. It is not considered as a commodity that should be used for a price, but rather as a medium of exchange in business transactions Money as a commodity concept is prohibited, because it contradicts Islamic principles that does not recognize money as a tool to make profit. Money is only a medium of exchange, a way of defining the value of a thing; it has no value in itself, and therefore should not be allowed to give rise to more money, via fixed interest payments, simply by being put in a bank or lent to someone else. † (INCEIF Lecture Notes p. 81). Money used as a commodity would presumably divide the society into the poor and the rich, even countries into categories rich and poor economies neglecting their national debt levels. Peop le or nations in need for cash, deficit units, borrow money from people or nations with additional cash, surplus units.They are required to pay a fixed interest payment for their loans. This is riba and is clearly illegal according to Shariah law because it enriches surplus units without any contribution to the real economy. Consequently, people in need for money would take a high risk of becoming even poorer. Compound interest is the big problem that creates money out of thin air. Moreover, the so-called fractional banking system that creates 100. 000 USD out of a 10. 000 USD deposit, 90. 000 USD can be considered fictional money. 1Title: Concept of Money from Islamic Perspective; Class: Islamic Economics [IE1001]; Prof: Dr. Magda Ismail Abdel Mohsin; Institution: INCEIF; Date: 8/16/2006 # Of Pages: 44 IE1001 Assignment in Islamic Economics – Short Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. 5. doc -4- The rich is getting richer relatively faster than involvement into the real economy, because money creates more money without work required and Many countries fall into the trap of borrowing money from the International Monetary Funds, in particular Muslim states.The weaknesses of money as a commodity, hit those countries with all its evil as borrowed money doubles, multiplies and compounds. Consequently future generations are affected. The current generation is living in exaggerated prosperity on the cost of many future generations. Money is Islam should not be hoarded and kept in the bank savings account. Instead, money is required to circulate within the economy freely to benefit frequently, continuously, proactively and directly the society at large. This leads to the basic principle of interest prohibition and replaces this Riba system with that of Al-Bay.A system that is very different from Riba. The principle paradigm is risk sharing to allow borrowers and lenders to share rewards. The process of wealth accumulation and distribution in the economy is fair and just and fits the spending (infaq) criteria of Al-Bay suggested by the following verses. â€Å"Those who eat Riba (usury) will not stand on the Day of Resurrection except like the standing of a person beaten by Satan leading him to insanity. That is because they say: â€Å"Al-Bay is only like Riba,† whereas Allah has permitted Al-Bay’ and forbidden Riba.So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Riba shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns [to Riba], such are the dwellers of the Fire – they will abide therein. † (2-275) The verse (2-261) states the incentive of spending in the way of Allah swt by counting the great reward and the blessing that an individual get from one single transaction: Then the following verse (2-262) puts the conditions for infaq to be accepted, and that is for Infaq not to be followedIE1001 Assignment in Islamic Economics – Shor t Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. 5. doc -5- by Riya (show-off) or by harming anyone or harming the society as a whole. Even if the spending is based on charitable purposes mentioned in verse (2-263), no reminding of it and no harm should be resulted from spending process. Indeed, a kind speech and asking for forgiveness would have better impact. So infaq has to be fully for the sake of Allah swt. (2-264). The consequences of Infaq being not for the sake of Allah are serious as there would be neither Baraka nor growth.Verse (2-265) shapes the objective of spending and is to be for the sake of Allah and his reward so the profile of gain and loss in Infaq is different from the ordinary thinking. In conclusion, the definition of money and the way wealth is accumulated and spend draw a fine line in the distinction of both the conventional versus the Islamic economic system. As money is a medium of exchange, savings does not yield interest income but instead requi re business transactions.Al-Bay as the system of exchange that is based on the concept of spending (Infaq) and risk sharing for any single transaction between parties of exchange. It is notable that Tijarah and Bay are of two different meanings. Tijarah is for the individuals that are setting up the business that has the aspect of long term. It becomes clear that lots of efforts have to be spending in education, elucidation and clarification of the consequences by a simple definition of money. 2 2 This meaning can be clarified by looking verse: (2-282) â€Å"And do not be too weary to write it, whether it is small or arge, for its specified term. That is more just in the sight of Allah and stronger as evidence and more likely to prevent doubt between you, except when it is a Tijarah which you conduct among yourselves. †So we can understand from this verse that Tijarah is among some people that the conduct it among themselves. (61-10) â€Å"O you who have believed, shall I gu ide you to a Tijarah that will save you from a painful punishment? † So, we can sense the longterm involvement in this transaction as Allah swt stated that for in the following 3 verses 11,12 &13. 1 â€Å"It is that you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know. †12 â€Å"He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment. † 13 â€Å"And you will obtain another favor that you love – victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers. † IE1001 Assignment in Islamic Economics – Short Essay No 3 by Mustafa Aydemir – DRAFT Version 0. 5. doc -6-

Defining Omitted Variables Bias

Defining Omitted Variables Bias Omitted variables bias (or sometimes omitted variable bias) is a standard expression for the bias that appears in an estimate of a parameter if the regression run does not have the appropriate form and data for other parameters. For example, many regressions that have wage or income as the dependent variable suffer from omitted variables bias because there is often no practical way to add in a workers innate ability or motivation as an explanatory variable. As a result, the estimated coefficients on variables such as education as likely to be biased because of the correlation between educational attainment and unobserved ability. If the correlation between education and unobserved ability is positive, omitted variables bias will occur in an upward direction. Conversely, if the correlation between an explanatory variable and an unobserved relevant variable is negative, omitted variables bias will occur in a downward direction.

Conjugating the Verb Emmener (to Take) in French

Conjugating the Verb Emmener (to Take) in French Similar to the verb,  amener  (to take or bring),  emmener  also means to take in French. This may be a simple verb, but conjugating it to the past, present, or future tense can be a little complicated. There are a few things to watch out for, which well examine in a short French lesson. Conjugating the French Verb  Emmener When a verb ends with  -e_er  like  emmener, the spelling needs to be changed for some of the conjugations. These are called  stem-changing verbs  and in many cases, the second E changes to an accented à ¨. While this may not make much difference in the pronunciation, it certainly does when youre writing it. If you pay attention to that small detail, the rest of the conjugations are easy. The infinitive endings that are attached to the verb stem are similar to those found in regular -er  verbs, which make up the majority in the French language. If you have a few of those memorized, simply apply those endings to  emmener. To conjugate  emmener  to mean taking, will take, or took,  match the subject pronoun to the appropriate tense. For instance, I am taking is jemmà ¨ne while we will take is nous emmà ¨nerons. Practicing each of these in sample sentences will help you memorize them. Subject Present Future Imperfect j' emmà ¨ne emmà ¨nerai emmenais tu emmà ¨nes emmà ¨neras emmenais il emmà ¨ne emmà ¨nera emmenait nous emmenons emmà ¨nerons emmenions vous emmenez emmà ¨nerez emmeniez ils emmà ¨nent emmà ¨neront emmenaient The Present Participle of  Emmener For  emmener, the  present participle  is  emmenant. There is no change to the verb stem, instead we simply add the ending -ant.  Not only is this a verb, it may be used as an adjective, gerund, or noun as well. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © The past tense can be formed using either the imperfect or the  passà © composà ©. To construct the latter, conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir, then attach the  past participle  emmenà ©. As an example, I took is jai emmenà © and we took is nous avons emmenà ©. More Simple  Emmener  Conjugations There are a few more common conjugations of  emmener  that you may need to know. However, those discussed above should be a priority in your studies. When the verbs action is not guaranteed, you might use the subjunctive verb mood. Similarly, the conditional verb mood is used when something else needs to occur in order for the taking to happen. In formal writing, you might also encounter the passà © simple or the imperfect subjunctive. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j' emmà ¨ne emmà ¨nerais emmenai emmenasse tu emmà ¨nes emmà ¨nerais emmenas emmenasses il emmà ¨ne emmà ¨nerait emmena emmenà ¢t nous emmenions emmà ¨nerions emmenà ¢mes emmenassions vous emmeniez emmà ¨neriez emmenà ¢tes emmenassiez ils emmà ¨nent emmà ¨neraient emmenà ¨rent emmenassent The imperative verb form is used for  requests  and demands. When using it, keep things short and sweet and drop the subject pronoun: use emmà ¨ne rather than tu emmà ¨ne. Imperative (tu) emmà ¨ne (nous) emmenons (vous) emmenez

Mexican immigration into USA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mexican immigration into USA - Assignment Example Currently, a significant portion of the American population is either Mexican or Mexican American following constant immigration of the Mexican citizens into the Unites states of America. Most of the immigrants have found a safe haven in the US after receiving a warm welcome by the American citizens (Borjas 8). However, public opinion in the US has judged some illegal immigrants harshly, many of whom Mexico is their native country. This has been especially so for illegal immigrants. Recent census suggests that over 12 million Mexican emigrants reside in the US, indigenous Mexicans excluded. Nevertheless, the current Mexican immigration rate in the US is near zero as more Mexicans leave the US than those that come in. Although this trend has ensued due to a number of factors, there are notable differences between current and past Mexican immigrants into the US. In the 19th century over 300,000 Mexican citizens settled in the US following the grisly Mexican American war that ended with a treaty in the year 1848. This incident saw many Mexican citizens migrate from the war Zones to safer places (Borjas 16). This immigration however, extended unrestrictedly into the late 20th century. Back then, most of the Mexican citizens who immigrated into the US Came looking for employment in the construction industry like the railway line. This service was especially important for the American labor market so the Mexicans easily crossed the border into the USA (Borjas 20). A k ey dissimilarity is that today, some Mexican citizens through the US green card lottery. This was the case in 2011 where the US government granted over 140,000 Mexican citizens the green card to live and work in the US.... How popular sentiment in the 20th century affected Mexican immigration into the US Prior to World War II, Mexicans freely crossed the border to become laborers for American citizens as the Europeans faced restrictions of immigrating into the US (Borjas 89). From the 19th century to mid-20th century, the US experienced an influx of Mexican immigrants, a factor that was biting into their economy and affecting their wellbeing. After encountering the effects of the World War II and the return of American citizens that had immigrated into Europe and other countries, some of the American nativists and anti-immigration activists felt that the number of immigrants was too high (Borjas 108). This was especially so as far as the Mexican immigrants were concerned. Most of the Mexican immigrants had now started to naturalize, an issue that the American nativists blamed for their lack of employment and increased economic hardships. According to Borjas, many sentimentalists piled pressure on the U S government to review the immigration laws and take the necessary step in repatriating unwarranted Mexican immigrants back to their country (Borjas 112). This idea was a conceptualization that anchored its reasoning on the fact that, if all illegal non-Americans went back to their country, the financial difficulties in the US at the time would vaporize. This move led to the Congress passing a number of bills that would see the suspension of any immigration act into the US and possible repatriation of non-American citizens perceived to be experiencing financial difficulties (Borjas 117). Although some would have termed the move as being undemocratic and discriminatory, it produced some positive results as

The Elements Of Job Design. Management Support and Turnover Ratio Essay

The Elements Of Job Design. Management Support and Turnover Ratio - Essay Example While, structuring the job process of an organization, job design considers certain elements which include job rotation, job engineering, job enlargement and job enrichment. Job rotation can be defined as the process of changing the tasks of the employee after certain periods of time in order to reduce the boredom of the employees along with providing new tasks or posts. Job engineering can be stated as the process of designing the working environment according to the prevailing organizational objectives and employees’ requirements. Job enlargement can be described as the process of introducing innovative tasks similar to the assigned tasks. Contextually, job enrichment can be explained as the process of motivating employees by indulging them into the organizational decision making process along with providing certain responsibilities (Scribd. Inc., 2012). With reference to the elements considered in the process of job design, it can be stated that with the assistances of job design an organization can ensure better job retention. This is because the elements help to identify the exact skills of the employees and in relation to the identification of skills the tasks for the employees are assigned. Furthermore, it also helps the organization to satisfy and to motivate the employees to work better along with ascertaining better retention scenario within the organization. Additionally, job design facilitates the organization to innovate new job profiles along with promoting the employees according to the performances to reduce the boredom or monotonic condition that might arise out of work (Scribd. Inc., 2012). If You Have Ever Left A Job Because Of Misalignment With Organizational Goals Or Leadership, Or If You Know Someone Who Has Done So, What Were Areas Of Misalignment That Drove The Decision To Leave The Job? Could Management Have Prevented the Exit, And If Yes, How? From a scenario of personal experience, it has been derived that a person left his job due to certain misalignments that occurred with the organizational goals. The misalignments that have been identified include lack of opportunity for progression or growth and unequal wage structure. After recognizing the problems that led to employee turnover, it can be stated that the organization had the potential to manage or prevent the circumstance. With due consideration to the situation, an organization can

Conflict Resolution-Mediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Conflict Resolution-Mediation - Essay Example A working agreement which spells out the rules of engagement and conduct during the negotiations is essential in the process. The mediation process involves acceptable third party intervention and confidential caucuses which enable the disputants become the decision makers in ending the conflict. The caucus stage entails making confidential meetings with each of the disputants whereby each party is allowed to reveal his or her grievances to the dispute. Party-directed mediation process can be summed up in to five stages which include the opening statement, the education phase, and the alternatives generation phase, the actual negotiation phase and the final closing phase. There are two pillars of the party-directed mediation that is the preliminary meetings which comprises of the pre-caucus and pre-mediation. Mediation process saves the parties to the dispute money while managing conflicts. Mediation is applicable in a wide variety of situations thus its effective in resolving disput es. Unlike arbitration where a third party makes a decision for the disputants, mediation is neutral process that accords the disputants the opportunity to solve their dispute with the support of a third party. The objectives of the pre-caucus are to enable the parties to the mediation to reduce the negative emotions to mediation and enable the negotiators to mediate more effectively. The initial aim of the pre-caucus is to facilitate empathic listening and develop an active listening approach as developed by Carl Rogers in the client-centered therapy. The initial joint session enables each party to confront the other through interpersonal negotiation while avoiding all the dysfunctional behaviors. Workplace mediation is always different since the parties address the working relationships which are part of the job and as a legal obligation. Party-directed mediation is useful in particular when mediating ethnic clashes or deep-seated interpersonal disputes between two individuals. Me diation process helps the parties to the dispute to develop tools which are critical in examining their disagreement. I agree with the book that the third party acts as a quasi arbitrator to the dispute. The pre-caucus affords the parties to the dispute an opportunity to vent their emotions, discover the blind spots and increase their commitment to resolving the dispute. The individuals at this stage will learn on how to listen to each other, and understand the issues of confidentiality to the mediation process. I have learned that empathic listening is an essential skill to effective mediation process since it encompasses attentive listening, asking questions about the mediation process as well as suggesting solutions to the dispute. The diagnostic stage of effective listening motivates the parties to speak without feelings of fear of being judged due to self-understanding and confidence. I personally believe that opening statement of the mediation process is aimed at ensuring conf identiality to the negotiations and setting the rules of engagement. The education phase provides an ample opportunity for all the parties to share their perspectives of the dispute and relive any negative emotions. The parties should aim at building cordial and close working relationships at this stage. The options generation phase entails brainstorming on all possible alternatives of resolving the conflict. In

IKEA Competitor and SWOT Analysis

IKEA Competitor and SWOT Analysis Jump to: Market Analysis | Environmental Analysis | IKEA SWOT Analysis | Growth Strategy | Marketing Mix of IKEA IKEAs Vision â€Å"To create a better everyday life for the many people† IKEA Business Idea â€Å"We shall offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.† IKEA group is one of the top furniture retailers in the world. With its unique combination of form, function and affordability, IKEA distinguished itself from other furniture retailers. With its success in US, Europe, IKEA entered the Gulf market with the hope of continuing its success. Even if it was not very successful initially, it improved through its market research and advertisements. Nowadays, IKEA captured major market share in the Gulf market and also the reputation of being the fastest-growing furniture retailer in the Gulf. This report focuses on our competitor Home Centre how they are trying to make profits and gain market share and what IKEA Dubai is doing to conquer their space. Looking at different factors which have become issues to be resolved for IKEA. Some internal issues needs like POS terminals and security of money needs to be the aim to achieve. Competitor Analysis These analyses are basically done to understand your competition which gives you an edge. It helps you in giving you an indication of their past, present and future strategies. It helps you to clarify your own competitive advantage and it helps you develop strategies to outmaneuver them Identifying IKEAs competitors and understanding them would help IKEA a lot in their strategies. Home Centre is one of their competitors but looking at the past sales and profit figures IKEA has done better than Home Centre. Home Centre has been very brave in their marketing strategies. Their promotions and advertising has been one of their strengths but IKEA on the other hand has different activities going on in the store. For example last month they had Lighting Activity and this month they have Dining Activity which means they introduce new products in these lines and display them in the most best and strategic places where most customers can see and buy them. As per home centre they have been pushing customers towards them by their new promotion of giving out gift vouchers on a purchase of 200Dhs. This has been some kind of successful. IKEA has its eyes on them and monitor their each and every move and even them. IKEA has a big Marketing team which comes up with a lot of solutions and ideas but they still face completion from home centre. So what they did after home centres promotion they distributed 200,000 coupons all over Dubai for free for people to fill and come to IKEA Dubai or Abu Dhabi stores and drop it in raffle boxes. The prize is 5 winners will be winning 2000Dhs of IKEA products each of their choice. The draw is still due on April 18th 2010. Other competitor for IKEA is Pan Emirates and many other furniture retail stores in Dubai. Market Analysis Market analysis are basically done to determine the market and its attractiveness because its related to the firms strengths and weaknesses Market size can be evaluated with the present sales of the firm compared with the past sales or expansion of certain range of products. Market size and growth for IKEA has increased as compares to last year where IKEA Dubai was affected with recession and not much profit were made. But in as per now in March 2010 they have achieved what they had budgeted. Figures show that as per march 2010 there has been a growth in total sales by 7.3% making sales in the month of March to 42MillionDHS. It shows how much total sales were made by furniture items and market-hall items. The market has grown this year as the recession has gone down. The target customers are upper and middle class families. The sales has grown not just because of IKEAs furniture and market-hall items but because of their excellent customers restaurant and exit cafà © also. Distribution channels the products come shipped from Sweden to gulf region where they are received at the ports and then transferred to their warehouse in Rashidiya -Dubai. From there the products come to stock in IKEA and then they are sold directly to customers. Their aim is to reduce distribution costs, reduced manufacturing costs and selling costs. How can this be achieved, Through a rational product range development and by adapting product design to production conditions, Through a rational distribution idea in combination with a caring meeting with the many people and through a strict cost-consciousness in all areas. The IKEA concept aims to make the distance between the supplier and the customer as short as possible by combining the possibilities of the supplier with the needs of the customer. Key success factors and strategic strength for IKEA here are reducing distribution costs by producing products in flat packaging, cost effective distribution system, direct deliveries, and transit deliveries with minimum handling. Environmental Analysis Macro level At this level the environmental factors IKEA is facing is technological and product innovation. They need to come up with new ways of producing their furniture items which they say are at lesser price at the same time are not that strong. At customer service IKEA Dubai they receive a lot of returns of damaged goods or poor quality products which after some weeks break or get damaged very easily. The expensive products like mattresses and sofas they all have guarantees on them they get replaced but not these small items which get damaged so easily. They need to think of something new to improve their production of certain products like lack coffee tables and TV benches. The most important of them at present are the economic factor, employment and culture factors. They are meant to change a lot in coming years. Micro level IKEA already has Home Centre as their primary competitor and IKEA is doing better than them as IKEA has a greater market share. Threats of substitutes and new entrants are always there and there are many furniture shops and stores in Karama, Satwa, Deira that sell furniture and mattresses at lesser price. Homes R Us is also one substitute which has already entered the market many years ago. They sell all the products that one needs at home. IKEA has more than 7200 products which is a plus point. Customer Analysis Consumer behavior changes a lot with their life style and standard of living. Once their needs change they change their choices, buying behavior and buying power. An eye has to be kept on our customers to check what other options they have once their behavior is changes. Customers are divided into different segments like different demographics or geographical location. IKEA has customers from upper class and lower class but from all nationalities. Each has their own buying power and behavior. Internal Analysis Physical resources of IKEA like machines which are used to fill the stock in self serve and full serve areas are checked and charged daily. The machines, building and production capacity are all well maintained to survive in retail business. They need to improve on POS terminal at exchange and returns where there have been cases of money laundering. Employees have stolen money and caught after many days. So these things need to be taken care of from the management and finance department. This leads to decrease in profits. IKEA Dubai has more than 300 employees from different nationalities and regularly they are given training in their training centre. Expert professors and managers give them training to increase employee knowledge of products and increase skills at their work. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths IKEA has maintained a long-term partnerships with its suppliers. This ensures they have high quality products and materials at a reasonable price. IKEAs catalogue the 2nd most read book after The Holy Quran in the world. The best marketing strategy they have for many years. Home planning and contract sales services Their customer service at IKEA Dubai has been the best so far. Even people from Sweden came to visit IKEA Dubai and they were shocked to see our customer service on our peak days. Customer service includes Operators, Information Desk, Play rooms for kids, Exchange and Returns, Merchandise Pick-up and Home delivery services which also include assembly services. (W)eaknesses IKEA is a global company, so product standards may be difficult to maintain. Production faults decreases product quality. (O)pportunities IKEA can further capitalize on the green movement and IKEAs customers desire to have less of an impact on the environment. IKEAs new store in Abu Dhabi will be a great opportunity to cater a different segment of people. (T)hreats The regulatory environments across the globe vary and can affect how IKEA does business and their product costs, especially the use of natural resources. Competitors like Home Centre and Pan Emirates bring in a lot of promotions and sales in their stores; Whereas IKEA has store sales only in June and July. Key issues IKEA faces are internally like production fault or poor quality products. Need to reduce faulty products or totally stop selling them because of complain form customers. They need Improvements in the POS terminals, reducing accepting open packages and sales errors. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.ikeadubai.com/ http://www.netmba.com/marketing/market/analysis/ http://www.homecentre.net/index.php?_a=corporate http://www.productmanagementtraining.com/product-management-training-day1.htm http://www.ehow.com/facts_5278469_ikea-swot-analysis.html CONTEMPORORY MARKETING STRATEGIES MARKETING PLAN PHASE 2 Executive Summary Aim of this report is to understand IKEAs concept more thoroughly and maintain /increase the current market share. It is one the objectives of this report to increase sales and quality of production of certain products in which they receive a lot of complain. Improve POS terminals by installing new software and making it much more secure. Making the most use of the June and July sales to increase sales to 10% compared to 7.3% in March. The methods and recommendations I have chosen to increase market share is to introduce IKEA Family here in Dubai as well. This will let us increase our customer base and target new segments. The sales will also increase and we will have new members who will benefit from our exclusive services and new products. IKEA family has its own products which will be brought in from Sweden for the members. Sales to be increased to 10% we will have to improve our services and products in June and July. The new range of products will be brought in from Sweden and this new IKEA family will be promoted all over IKEA stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and our websites. We can introduce this anytime in this year. Marketing Objectives To maintain the current market share To increase the current increase in sales from 7.3% to 10% by July 2010 To improve POS terminals and safety To improve quality of certain products if not discontinue them and bring in new products which are selling well in Sweden or in other stores of IKEA in the world. Targeting and Positioning IKEA has traditionally targeted homeowners but as the housing market weakens the IKEA is going after a new group of buyers to grow future sales: Small business owners and new families entering the gulf market In the past 12 months, IKEA has started creating interior designs and products for entrepreneurs and these families such as kitchen designs and contract sales for small business owners. In April the company is also expected to launch a new website, ikeabusiness.com, where small business owners can discover new ideas for designing their offices and share them with other entrepreneurs. Families can design their kitchens at IKEA Home planning service where once they design their kitchen they have to pay 500Dhs kitchen charges which is refundable once the customer buys the kitchen. It will be an interesting development to watch, because their targeting strategy is diversity in buyers preferences and they are meeting it by providing more than 7200 products with the best of customer services. Many small business owners are price conscious and would welcome IKEAs products as an economic alternative to other suppliers. In addition, despite not having a strong existing selection of business furniture and accessories, entrepreneurs are already going to the stores to buy chairs, tables, storage solutions, and other products. Wide range of products helps them improve sales Differentiated marketing is their strategy. They have different marketing mix plans for different segments. Now they should have a new target segment in this which is the disabled people. They do have this in IKEA UK and other stores in the world. They should start this in IKEA Dubai as well. Its called IKEA Family. You need to become a member of this family and then avail different benefits like discounts on certain IKEA Family products. Offers on their food products and free IKEA magazines. This will let them target a new segment and increase sales and customer flow in their store. It will build a emotional relationship with these special family members. Marketing positioning statement: â€Å"We do our part, you do yours. Together we save money. This line is originated from IKEA Sweden where it started first. Their flat packed products are easy to take home and assemble by the customers because they provide all the instructions and fittings inside the box. If there is any issue in assembly we can always do it for them by proving our assembly services. Quality services will always win customers for the store. Our exchange and refund policy of exchanging and refunding the money back to the customer within 30days is not followed anywhere. Not even In our competitors Home Centres store. We refund the money to customers because â€Å"Its ok to change your mind†. This is what it says at all the 22 check outs we go through and at the customer service department. Growth Strategies Generic strategies like priced based, IKEA has prices of their products which are affordable that is why they are making profits and has a good market chare. But out objective is to increase the sales percentage from 7.3 to 10% by July. This can only be done if they differentiate and highlight their services and products more than their competitors. Home Centre has recently opened a new store at Mirdiff City Centre which has not affected IKEA at all till now. IKEA can grow their sales if they bring in the service they provide in IKEA UK that is IKEA Familk and with it its new products. IKEA Family has its own products with fewer prices. Many of our upper class segment customers would love to avail these benefits because they are IKEAs regular customers. 70% of the shoppers are women and they would love to become a member of this Family. This would lead to alternative directions and IKEA will penetrate into a new market. Product development is another alternate for IKEA to grow and change perception of their certain consumers. Certain IKEA products are not reliable for long or get damaged very quickly. They need to look in to their production department in Sweden and produce products like Lack coffee tables and TV benches much stronger. They can either discontinues these items and bring in new stock from Sweden because not all the products are sold here in IKEA Dubai. Expedit Book shelves comes in flat pack boxes and they are shipped from Sweden and when customers buy them from here, once they open it some parts are either missing or damaged. So the quality of production has to improve form IKEA Sweden or they have to double check it once they reach in their Rashidiya warehouse in Dubai. Customers complain about the hassle of buying and then realizing its damaged or some parts or fittings are missing and coming back to replace at exchange and returns counters. Other alternatives for them to improve are to upgrade or have new POS terminals with much security. They need to improve the systems and traind the staff with the new changes made. There have been cases where co-workers have been stealing money from their tills. If we have a secure and improved system this wont happen again. Joint development IKEA in gulf is expanding and opening a new store in Abu Dhabi UAE. The present Ikea store in Marina Mall, which continues to serve thousands of our Abu Dhabi patrons, will be relocated to Yas Island where it will be transformed into a full-fledged concept store, he added. Under the agreement, Aldar will provide the structure for the Ikea store under a renewable, 10-year lease agreement with Al-Futtaim The Ikea store on Yas Island will have a total floor area of 32,000 square metres and a sales area of 19,150 square metres. It will have a restaurant of 2,100 square metres with a seating capacity of 550, as well as 1,500 parking places. Franicevic said the Yas Island store will provide a strong impetus for the Swedish furniture and Furnishings Company to push ahead with plans to expand in the region. We expect to serve nearly 1.3 million visitors in the first year of operations, said James McGowan, Ikea manager for Abu Dhabi. [Himendra Mohan Kumar, Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2009] Selection of Competitive Advantage IKEA has a competitive advantage over its competitors and has sustained it for a while. This advantage can mainly be attributed to its resources and capabilities namely human resources, brand and IKEA concept. Ingvar Kamprad the founder of IKEA though retired is still a cheerleader for the practices/concepts that define IKEA culture. Cutting prices is one of the competitive advantages IKEA has over its competitors and this is another message that comes across loud and clear among IKEA operations. IKEA aims to lower prices across its entire offering by an average of 2 percent to 3 percent each year. Targeting middle class customers who shares buying habits and providing similar shopping experience the world over has made IKEA a unique shopping experience. More than 7200 products ranging from kitchen cabinets to candles and textiles; making store visit more of an outing than a chore; seducing the customers with one touch after another within the shop; offering other services like restaurant, kids area and the like; flat-packed nearly all big items to save shipping cost and allow shoppers to haul their own stuff and many more, makes IKEA concept of its own kind and as a results boost its image (brand). These resources are valuable (enables the firm to respond to environmental threats and opportunities) but each on its own is not rare and hard to imitate. IKEAs ability to combine these resources in the way it has done (creating IKEA world), makes the whole experience rare and non-imitable. As a result IKEA enjoys and sustain a competitive advantage over its competitors. [Jay Barneys framework on Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, 2006] Marketing Mix Programme Price IKEAs strategy is based on cost leadership. Across markets where it has current presence, products are sold at low prices. Prices are 20 to 30% lower than competing products. Price varies only in a result of fluctuations in exchange rates. This pricing enables IKEA to gain significant market share. Low prices are a result of large-quantity purchasing, low-cost logistics, store location in suburban areas and a Do it yourself approach to marketing. IKEA also benefits from economies of scale and healthy supplier-firm relationships. IKEA enters into long-term contracts, provides leased equipment and technical support in exchange for exclusive, low-cost manufacturing from suppliers. For new markets, IKEA should retain its price-image to maintain the brands positioning. Product IKEAs value chain is unique in that customers are also suppliers and suppliers are also customers. The transactions between the supplier and IKEA and on to the customer have a value adding step in each stage. Product differentiation exists in the value-added dimension. IKEAs consumers know the concept of IKEA of Do it yourself with most of its products requiring assembly after purchase. But although assistance in this aspect is limited, IKEA offers customer service and home delivery services which includes transporting and assembling furniture. While this is well accepted in areas where IKEA now operates, it may be a point of consideration when entering new markets. Should IKEA encounter a market where DIY is not favored, IKEA may include the cost of the service to the products price. It does encounter such market where they face customers in Dubai who dont like picking products from self serve area. They just give the list to sales person n tell them to bring the products which is not the concept of IKEA but still sometimes we have to do this for the customers to keepo them satisfied with the service we provide. Position/Place IKEA store is located in Dubai Shopping Festival. Which is a good location one of the Middle Easts largest mixed use real estate projects, that covers over 1,200 acres. Spread over 25,400 square meters This is a factor in the achievement of IKEAs low pricing. While it may appear as a disadvantage, this fits IKEAs target market of customers willing to transport their own purchases and requiring less assistance in assembly. Promotion IKEAs promotion is centered on the IKEA catalogue which they launch every September of the year. There catalogue of 2010 has been distributed all around the world in millions. This is their best marketing and promotional strategy. This catalogue is said to be the 2nd most read book after The Holy Quran. It includes all the different range of products but not all. Secondly advertising is done every month in newspapers like Gulf News and Al Arabia news papers whenever they have a new activity going on in the store for example they have dining activity currently going on so they have printed 2 different adds in these newspapers with different products and prices. They even advertise on radio 101.6 and one Arabic radio channel. Proposed strategic choices will improve sales and market share by bringing new products and introducing IKEA Family in Dubai. This will increase their market share in Dubai because study shows that IKEA customers want something more from IKEA and disabled people can benefit from IKEA Family with special discounts and services. Bibliography http://www.ikeadubai.com/ http://pathfinder01.blogspot.com/ [Understanding IKEA : How a Swedish Company Turned Into a Global Obsession (II), 2006] http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Ikea-Marketing-Mix-Analysis/167093 http://www.essayclub.com/term-papers/Ikea-Marketing-Plan/7406.html http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Aldar+and+Ikea+UAE+break+ground+for+Yas+Island+store.-a0218635945 [Himendra Mohan Kumar, Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2009, Aldar and Ikea UAE break ground for Yas Island store.]