Tuesday, August 25, 2020
DISCUSS THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ATTITUDES AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT Essay
Examine THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ATTITUDES AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT ESPOUSE AND HIS OR HER Behavior - Essay Example There seem, by all accounts, to be different sides however where one side starts and the opposite side finishes isn't as isolated as being attracted by a straight line. Itââ¬â¢s like going without really leaving in light of the fact that your finger goes around however you end up where you started. A similar thought goes for mentalities and conduct decisions we take. What slings us to pick left over right and the other way around or doing right or wrong and obviously picking one over the two? What drives a person to act and think as he does and afterward act and think contrastingly out and out? In getting this, the working definitions which will at last set the tone for us in this article should be explained for reasons for conversation. Inspiration and conduct, albeit approximately utilized in conversational English and traded helpfully, are two altogether different words in the investigation of brain research. Inspiration is an objective arranged conduct that changes in power and perseverance, which means we do the things we do due to a need to do it with reasons going from the consistent to getting counter-intuitive. Itââ¬â¢s like eating in view of appetite or clearly in light of the fact that its opportunity to eat. Individuals need individuals. Why? Since there is such a great amount in us that needs endorsement, support and conviction that we discover it in others also. It shapes us as the individual we want to be. What's more, it drives us in bettering ourselves when we get the endorsement we need. Which is behaviorâ⬠¦ it is then protected to expect that condu ct gets us where we should be nevertheless we need inspiration to drive us to our goal. It is then basic that we ask ourselves what includes us to settle on the decisions we do and what elements become possibly the most important factor that makes us the individual we are. This is the place social impact, standards and jobs come into the conflict. What moves us? Social Influence in the freebees features the wellspring of the decisions we make which is the impact of others for our adjusted conduct. The measure of impact or conduct is critical
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Crude Oil Refining or Petroleum Product Importation Which Is Economical for Nigeria free essay sample
Raw petroleum REFINING OR PETROLEUM PRODUCTS IMPORTATION: WHICH IS ECONOMICAL FOR NIGERIA? Unique: One of the most essential difficulties confronting Nigeria is having the option to meet the vitality need of the vitality hungry masses; the exponential populace development makes it much additionally testing. The methodology embraced to addressing this need has affected seriously on the economy of the country as pondered in the year financial figures. This can be credited to her decision of net merchant of oil based commodities status to the considerably more monetary residential refining alternative. This paper investigations the best financial alternative between refining raw petroleum and bringing in the items in Nigeria, toward the end making plausible recommendations. Chapter by chapter list ABBRECIATIONS 1. NTRODUCTION. 4 2. Raw petroleum REFINING AND PETROLEUM IMPORTATION IN NIGERIA 5 2. 1 Overview 5 2. Difficulties of Petroleum Product Refining in Nigeria 6 3. Raw petroleum REFINING AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ECONOMICS .. 8 3. 1 The Economics of Crude oil Refining .. 8 3. 2 The Economics of Petroleum Products.. 9 4. Unrefined petroleum REFINING, PETROLEUM PRODUCTS IMPORTATION AND THE ECONOMY. . 0 5. End 11 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 13 ABBREVIATIONS BPSD Barrels for each Stream Day B/D Barrels every Day CBN Central Bank of Nigeria GDP Gross Domestic Product NNPC Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NPRC Nigerian Petroleum Refining Company PHRC Port Harcourt Refinery Company 1. Presentation The job of unrefined petroleum stays key among the vitality sources, thus we need to in any case live with the outcomes that are related with it, one of which is practical. This clearly is an angle no nation, shipper and exporter have had the option to survive, however its effect on certain nations is not exactly in others. Nigeria is certainly one of those nations whose economy has been fantastically affected, amusingly however, a main raw petroleum maker and exporter on the planet. Notwithstanding, this isn't to remove unrefined oilââ¬â¢s huge commitment to the Nigerian large scale economy throughout the years it holds influence. The revelation of oil in Nigeria was believed to be a major relief to the developing vitality gracefully challenges confronting her and to bring practical additions, particularly as the cost of oil has frequently been on the expansion. Henceforth, ought to have made tremendous aggregates of cash from it. By chance, this isn't to be, as oil out of nowhere took sparkle off the until now significant wellsprings of the countryââ¬â¢s GDP. Areas like horticulture and assembling went dying, making Nigeria a mono-economy, with oil being the backbone of the economy. It gives 95% of remote trade income and about 80% of government budgetary revenues[1]. The Nigeria economy paves the way for the schemes of the instability of amazingly defenseless outer stuns, especially the change of world oil showcase costs, and the resulting expansions that describe it the greater part of the occasions. With the creation of 229,008,126 barrels of raw petroleum and condensates expanded in the second from last quarter of 2010 with a normal of 2. 49 million barrels for each day of residential creation as of late, four treatment facilities of 445,000 b/d refining limit, the issue of fulfilling local oil need ought to have been considerably tended to. Be that as it may, with the 0 â⬠15% refining limit in 2009[2], which is regularly the situation throughout the years, importation turned into the main accessible other option. Thus, Nigeria however a main exporter of raw petroleum on the planet is additionally, incidentally, a net merchant of oil based goods. This paper is separated into four sections; part 2 ganders at raw petroleum refining in Nigeria, offering an outline and difficulties that stands up to it. In section 3, unrefined petroleum refining and oil based goods financial matters is inspected and part 4 glances at the ramifications of both raw petroleum refining and importation vis a â⬠vis the economy. The section 5 finishes up the paper with scarcely any recommendations regarding what the best monetary choice ought to be in satisfying the oil based commodities need in Nigeria. 2. Unrefined petroleum REFINING IN NIGERIA 2. 1OVERVIEW The oil based commodities devoured in Nigeria had been imported from treatment facilities abroad; this proceeded even several years after the disclosure of unrefined petroleum in a business amount in the nation. In any case, as the interest for the items expanded and with the accessibility of the feedstock, the two Multinationals working in the nation at that point considered it to be a reasonable business to set up treatment facility that would serve the local interest. This lead to the 50/50 joint endeavor refining organization between Shell Darcy Petroleum Company and British Petroleum called the Nigerian Petroleum Refining Company (NPRC) in 1960. The development of the treatment facility took two years to finish; by 1965 it started activity at an introduced refining limit of 38,000 bpsd[3] to refine nearby unrefined into five oil based goods. It was situated at Alesaââ¬Eleme, close to Port Harcourt, a few kilometers from the unrefined petroleum creation area. So as to fulfill the consistently expanding need for the items, the processing plant was deââ¬bottlenecked to build its creation limit from the underlying 38,000 bpsd to 60,000 bpsd. Running as a private substance, the organization had the option to run effectively, gainfully and met the omestic item utilization request. In 1970, the Federal obtained and paid for a 60 percent value share in all private global organizations working in the Upstream and Downstream parts of the Petroleum Industry in the country[4], NPRC comprehensive. In spite of been the significant investor, the Federal Government permitted NPRC to work without obstruction. It was just spoken to by its own organization, the Nigerian National Oil Corporation (NNOC), on which the offers were contributed on to speak to it at the executive gatherings of NPRC. Consequently, the organization was monetarily beneficial, all around kept up and ran proficiently. An announcement in 1977 brought forth the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which was later to designate the Chairman of NPRC, and afterward obtained the staying 40 percent stake in NPRC. This in actuality made the NPRC a full Government substance under the Refinery Division of the NNPC, headed by a senior supervisor. The name was changed to NNPC Refinery, Alesaââ¬Eleme, presently headed by an overseeing chief and having another administration structure. It was under the senior supervisor of NNPC Refinery Division at the central command. A completely Government manufactured Refinery started activity in 1978, after a 30ââ¬month development. It was situated at Warri, and had an introduced refining limit of 100,000 b/d. However, was de â⬠bottlenecked in 1985 to have an all out limit of125, 000 b/d. The Warri Refinery was basically worked to process unrefined petroleum items and to increase the value of a portion of the treatment facility side-effects, for example, propylene rich stock and empty oil[5]. Before long, in 1980, another processing plant, the Kaduna Refinery went ahead stream. It was intended to adapt to the consistently developing interest for oil based commodities, particularly in the Northern pivot of the nation. The treatment facility comprised of two streams, 50, 000 b/d fuel units and 50, 000 b/d lubes, Asphalt plants. It was intended to create 3,857mt/d of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 1,686mt/d of Kerosene, 3,000mt/d of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 1,796mt/d of Asphalt, 91mt/d of LAB, 657mt/d of Base Oils, 620mt/d of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), 2,100mt/d of Fuel Oil. The current items pipeline connecting Warri Refinery to Kaduna was changed over to siphon rough oils for gracefully to the new Kaduna Refinery. Once more, similar to the past processing plants, the fuel area of Kaduna Refinery was de-bottlenecked from the 50, 000 b/d to 60, 000 b/d. This carried the Kaduna Refinery to by and large 110, 000 b/d capacity[6]. The fourth and last processing plant was another grassroots treatment facility, adjoining the current Port Harcourt Refinery, with an introduce limit of 150, 000 bpsd. With this, Nigeria complete introduced refining limit is 445, 000b/d, which was initially worked to serve both the local and global oil based good interest. Shockingly, the reason for these treatment facilities were brief, serving just for two or three years before each started to encounter different man-made difficulties that made them cost focuses rather than the initially proposed industrially gainful focuses. The regularly developing residential item requests were no more met, as intense shortage turned into an ordinary marvel. This drove, tragically to the arrival of high penchant of oil based commodity importation so as to meet the vitality need of the country. 2. 2 CHALLENGES OF PETROLEUM PRODUCT REFINING IN NIGERIA The Nigerian state-possessed four treatment facilities have experienced, and still experience a few man-made difficulties that have made it to a greater degree an obligation to the nation than a benefit. One of the issues that decreased the processing plants to cost focuses is organization. Quickly NNPC assumed control over the running of the primary processing plant, organization quieted the business societies that cause a business to flourish. Many marks would need to be affixed on a letter looking to fix or secure working materials. These pointlessly postpone support and effect the proficient running of the processing plants. Likewise, being completely heavily influenced by Government, all the assets for running the treatment facilities would need to originate from Government coffers. This occasioned delays and inside and out lacking subsidizing. Working capital particularly intended to acquire the required extra parts, synthetic compounds and all other important things for tasks was not approaching, henceforth prompting the proceeds with breakdown regularly experienced in the different processing plants. The suggested 24 three years typical industry Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) was barely done[7]. It took years, far over the suggested time in the middle of for TAM at the different processing plants. The outcomes were disappointments, mileage of the gear, visit shutdowns and complete non activities. Effectiveness of the refining business is with the end goal that requirements very much prepared labor. Be that as it may, a large portion of the ref
Thursday, July 30, 2020
How And Why Is Citizenship A Determinant Of A Migrants Rights Give
How And Why Is Citizenship A Determinant Of A Migrants' Rights Give How And Why Is Citizenship A Determinant Of A Migrants' Rights Give Examples â" Essay Example > (29/2/08)IntroductionMigrants refer to people who move from their home country to a foreign country (Immigrants) and those who come in a country from another country (Emigrants). Many migrants move from their home country in search for security, job opportunities and better life not in their home country. Most of the times people would likely prefer to migrate to a country which speaks the same language as their home country. However people with different interests may end up in any country regardless of the language spoken since they move to such a country for the attractive business or job opportunities. Migrants in search for jobs in other economically stable countries also experience problem during migration due to the bureaucratic procedures that are followed for migrants to be allowed in the host country. Scope of Migration in the UKImmigrants who anticipate becoming British citizens and even settling permanently in the United Kingdom pass through several tests in order to pr ove their worth. Some migrants pay a fund towards public services and they are given a period of probation as citizens. From the prime ministers words the process of becoming citizens should be more exacting. Future migrants according to a report by the home secretary of state will need to earn their citizenship. This denies the migrants their rights of applying for naturalization once they live for a long time in the United Kingdom. Migrants from any other areas outside the European Economic Area have to move through a system that leads them to getting citizenship they leave the EU countries if they are not ready to go through such a system. In order to enjoy rights in the United Kingdom a migrant is therefore supposed to through the whole system so that he/she can earn citizenship which guarantees her/him the rights like any other citizen in the United Kingdom. But it is not easy for this to come by as some measures have been set to make it harder for any migrant to acquire ful l status of becoming a citizen. (Mclndoe, 2005)These measures include the raising of the visa fees for a special transitional impact fund, testing English language more ahead of nationality, going through a test to prove integration into communities and also prolonging the period one is supposed to take to become a British citizen. These requirements are obviously hard to be met by many and they also make it hard for any migrant to enjoy the rights of citizenship. The package measures above that have to be met by any migrant in order to fully qualify to be a British citizen are hard to undertake and this makes it hard for migrants to enjoy their rights. Earned citizenship includes both having clear rights and also stronger obligations. According to Dan. D,Croydon one of the migrants to the United Kingdom, he had waited for a decision regarding his citizenship application but because the fees was set high he has been unable to acquire citizenship and does not have any rights becaus e he is still not a fully integrated citizen in the United Kingdom. From the above example it is very necessary for any migrant to acquire full citizenship in order to also have rights as a migrant in the United Kingdom.
Friday, May 22, 2020
Bram Stoker s Dracula And Richard Matheson s I Am Legend
A key element of the fantasy / horror / gothic genres is to fascinate and intrigue readers through stories that pose the ââ¬Å"what ifâ⬠questions, thereby teaching us something new about the society we live in. Sometimes these stories are helpful in explaining difficult concepts of good and evil, science and religion. In Bram Stokerââ¬â¢s Dracula and Richard Mathesonââ¬â¢s I Am Legend, the mythical horror creatures, the vampires, have many differences in their mythical abilities, functionality and origin; however, they both serve to underline themes that remind the reader of what makes us human and what defines us as ultimately good or evil. Stokerââ¬â¢s Count Dracula is the product of a religious strike against the antagonist whereas the vampires in I Amâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦By presenting Count Dracula as an evil, demonic being, the story is therefore laid out as a fight between good and evil. Contrastively, the vampires in I Am Legend are not physically des cribed in as much detail, but rather the details and attention are focused on their behaviour and their origin. The horror aspects of these vampires are pushed to the side and the readers are made to focus solely on their threatening presence as they prowl around at night and hunt for Neville while he, in turn, tries to discover what the specific virus that infected the world and caused the vampire epidemic. These differences are key in setting up how the readers respond to the novelsââ¬â¢ plot and themes. Neville understands that these vampires are obsessive about their basic needs as the narrator states, ââ¬Å"their need was their only motivationâ⬠(Matheson 11). In this regard, Neville is similar to his adversaries as he, too, is obsessed with his needs as a human, specifically for companionship and intimacy. This idea is demonstrated in the beginning of the novel as he is about to slay a sleeping vampire and the author observes, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦but for some affliction he didnââ¬â¢t understand, these people were the same as heâ⬠(Matheson 28). Much like Count Dracula, these vampires are driven mad by their thirst and need for blood; however, in Nevilleââ¬â¢s case, this need can also be characterized by his desire for companionship. In thisShow MoreRelatedBram Stoker s Dracula And Richard Matheson s I Am Legend Differ From One Another And?3022 Words à |à 13 Pagesthe development of the myth. The depiction of vampirism in Bram Stokerââ¬â¢s Dracula and Richard Mathesonââ¬â¢s I Am Legend differ from one another and while these depictions stray from the folkloric accounts of vampires both find their roots in legend. The folkloric vampire has taken many different forms and has held a variety of traits, skills and weaknesses; each mirroring the customs, beliefs, and fears of different cultures (Bartlett 1). I can be difficult to find one all encompassing descriptionRead MoreThe Opposition Of Dracula And Its Influences On Vampire Literature1467 Words à |à 6 PagesThe opposition of Dracula and its influences on vampire literature Have you ever thought to yourself, what has influenced vampire literature today? Well, neither have I, but it wouldnââ¬â¢t hurt to touch on the subject. Dracula introduces the idea of lust and death within vampirism. Also, there are many connections that I make throughout this essay between Dracula and I am Legend, proving that Dracula was an influence on the book. The opposition of Dracula has had great influences on vampire literatureRead MoreThe Vampire Is An Embodiment Of Society s Deepest Fears1382 Words à |à 6 PagesThe vampire is an embodiment of society s deepest fears. Throughout literary history, the vampire has always been characterised as a vile figure of pure evil. However the depiction of the vampire is affected by the social, historical and political context of the time. As context shifts, so does the collective fear of society, with the portrayal of the vampire following suit. Dracula, I Am Legend and Twilight, three extremely popular books of vampire fiction cr eated during vastly different periodsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel Dracula 1452 Words à |à 6 PagesAnalysis of Dracula Although Dracula was not the first vampire novel, the effect that Bram Stokerââ¬â¢s creation had on the vampire genre is undisputable. At the time, it was written intellectual revelations during the 19th century had begun to change what people fear. Archaic legends like vampire stories no longer inspired terror in industrializing areas like Britain. What made Dracula widely successful was the incorporation of modern themes and anxieties with the renowned archetype of the vampireRead MoreLiterature And Society s Influence On Society1764 Words à |à 8 PagesWhen looking at a specific period of time, it s hard to get a scope of the social zeitgeist without examining the role of women. Women in history and society are extremely important because their roles give us powerful insight into the feelings and thoughts of the time. Throughout humanity s time on Earth, we have reflected societal feelings and norms through art, and literature. Changes in society can also be seen through the arts, and the roles of women are not exceptions to this insight. Horror
Sunday, May 10, 2020
The Great Depression The Fall Of A Nation - 1701 Words
Collin Brunton Ms. Biondi English II 3 March 2015 The Great Depression: The Fall of a Nation The Great Depression was a hard time for America. The name fits like a glove because it was, in fact a depression. The Great Depression was crucial to American history because it changed every aspect of American life, revealed how big a power America was, and it established multiple government agencies around the world to make sure something like it never happens again. The economy was at a highpoint in 1929. It was easier for people to buy stock (ââ¬Å"Stock Market Crash of 1929â⬠). People didnââ¬â¢t have to pay full price for stock they only had to buy a margin of the stock. People also saw buying stock as a quick way to get rich, so everybody wanted a part of it. By September of 1929 confidence that the market would keep rising dropped. And stock prices turned lower also (ââ¬Å"Stock Market Crash of 1929â⬠). Inexperienced investors that were there to make a quick buck sold their stock at the same time. Chaos flooded the sto ck exchange, and prices only began to drop more. Within two weeks stocks dropped to 37% of what they were worth. And even as bad as things got, most people didnââ¬â¢t think that the stock market crash would have an effect on the American economy, but we were in for a wakeup call, and we were soon aware of the full effect it had. The Great Depression started in 1929, and the devastating effect lasted until the late 1930s. Almost all countries saw the prices of their goods drop,Show MoreRelatedThe Treaty Of Versailles And The Great Depression1068 Words à |à 5 PagesAfter the First World War, Europe was left in turmoil; tensions between nations were high and desperation for peace was growing. On January 10, 1920, the League of Nations was officially created as the Treaty of Versailles was generated. It was created with essentially two main goals: to keep peace via collective security, and to encourage international co-operation. It was produced with the idea that if one nation was attacked by another, the members of the League would act together to stop theRead MoreAmerican Foreign Policy After The Great Depression1390 Words à |à 6 Pages Between 1920 and 1941 the paradigm of American foreign policy completely shifted from the Isolationism to Interventionism for valid reasons. First the economic and socially challenging home front crisis of the Great Depression kept American citizens and politicians busy with domestic policy. Additionally the disillusionment of people with WWI caused America to avoid war at all costs. However, the rising threat of fascism in Europe forced America to defend democracy and help its allies. The firstRead MoreThe Economics Of The Great Depression1684 Words à |à 7 Pagesof the Great Depression The Great Depression, often acknowledged with the Stock Market Crash of 1929, but something that is so much more than that, was a decade of economic turmoil. The Great Depression lasted from 1929-1939 consuming a long grueling decade, and as defined by The History Channel, it ââ¬Å"was the deepest and longest lasting economic downturn in the history of the western industrialized worldâ⬠kicked into fast forward by the Stock Market Crash in the fall of 1929. During the fall of 1929Read MoreThe Great Depression Of The 1920s1346 Words à |à 6 Pagesmarket crashed in October 1929 and this triggered the beginning of a Depression for many nations of the developed world. The crash sent the city of New York into economic chaos and although the Great Depression began as an American problem, it was soon felt throughout most of the developed nations during the 1930s by crippling their economies (Schedvin, 1970). The Great Depression was the harshest and longest lasting economic down fall in history and as a result there were huge declines in industrialRead MoreEssay on APUSH DBQ- Hoover vs. Roosevelt774 Words à |à 4 Pagesfor the United States in the 20th Century. While leading his country out of The Great Depression, he also led the nation through World War II. Herbert Hoover, the thirty-first President, led the country during the Great Depression and his policies enforced at that time eventually led to his downfall because of their inability to end the downward economic spiral. Both of these Presidents greatly contributed to the nation by using different policies and tactics that classified them as either liberalRead MoreEssay And What I Say552 Words à |à 3 Pages The Great Depression lasted from October 24, 1929 until the economic recovery of the 1940s. On October 29, Black Thursday, the stock market crashed heavily, and continued to fall sharply throughout the coming weeks. As a r esult, the United States and the world were thrown into a decade of poverty and unemployment. The depression affected all sectors of the economy. Farm owners and agricultural workers suffered from falling crop prices. Businesses failed from a lack of investment support and a declineRead More The Great Depression Essay961 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Great Depression The great depression hit the nation quite hard with an un-comparable feeling of instability and weakness. The United States and other nations including Europe and Great Britain were quickly affected. The depression, caused by the fall of the stock market in 1929, caused many individuals to panic and the depression was everywhere by 1932. Many people were affected by the depression. Investors, the ordinary work force and consumers sank rapidlyRead MorePresident Roosevelt s New Deal971 Words à |à 4 Pagesout of the Depression that It plunged into during the Herbert Hoover administration. The Great Depression happened through a myriad of events that ranged from bank failures to the stock market crashing multiple times in a short amount of time. The nation s economy was in turmoil and unemployment and poverty were at an all-time high and something had to be done to stop this economic free-fall. FDR and his political cabinet called the ââ¬Å"Brain Trustâ⬠decided to take th e Great Depression head on withRead MoreThe Great Depression Was A Dark Period859 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Great Depression was a dark period in the history of the United States, which affected all the economic sectors of the Americansââ¬â¢ lifestyle and greatly suppressed the economic status of the United States, despite so closely following an era that appeared to offer much economic prosperity. There are many contributing factors and causes for this time of poverty and despair, however, some events may have contributed more to the Great Depression than others. These would include events such as theRead MoreDbq Essay969 Words à |à 4 Pagesprint more money to fit the demands of the victors. This constant flow of new money, caused the nation to fall into hyperinflation. The German mark was rendered useless and purchasing goods was nearly impossible. Keynesââ¬â¢ fear had come true and Germany fell into a fascist government under the Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler. Duri ng this time, the German currency was again rendered useless and the nation was war-torn again. After the second World War, Russia occupied East Germany while the United
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Summary French Revolution and Modern World Free Essays
THE UNTOUCHABLES ROUGH DRAFT SUMMARY In the reading ââ¬Å"The Untouchablesâ⬠written by Friedman, the issue of getting a job and keeping it in the modern world is discussed. The Friedman explains that in order for a person to get a job in the modern world and be able to keep it, one has to have the right mindset. The author supports this by describing the qualities that a person should have, and the work that needs to be put into getting a job and keeping it. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary: French Revolution and Modern World or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thomas Friedman explains that there will be a lot of jobs, but people have to work hard to get them. He further states that people should take personal responsibility for getting their jobs done, and they have to do jobs that they are passionate about regardless of the paycheck. According to Friedman, in this new modern world, if one does not do his/her job with passion, love, hard work, and devotion, there will always be someone else willing to take over. He asserts that if Americanââ¬â¢s do not work hard for their jobs, there are people from all over the world who are qualified and are willing to work for a cheaper pay. Friedman explains that an ââ¬Å"untouchableâ⬠is someone in the idle class whose occupation cannot be threaten nor taken over because he/she put so much effort and hard work into his/her job. He explains that the ââ¬Å"New middlesâ⬠cannot ever be outsourced nor over thrown from their jobs, for they have the right set of mind and determination. He states that people should convert themselves to become ââ¬Å"untouchablesâ⬠so as to adapt to the new modern world, and be able to do better in the work industry. Works Cited Friedman, Thomas L. ââ¬Å"The Untouchables. â⬠Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Eds. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th ed. Boston: Longman, 2011. 238-242. Print. How to cite Summary: French Revolution and Modern World, Papers
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
The Color Purple Analytical Essay free essay sample
The black community has their own cycle of violence that we can relate to the characters and relationships in The Color Purple. Black Southerners formed their own small community in the white dominated society but they still destroyed themselves from within this community by abusing and hurting their women. Women living in this black community got mentally, physically, and sexually abused by their fathers, husbands, and other men. While this behavior remains very inappropriate and wrong, the women felt nothing could stop the men from their horrible actions. Sofia and Celie, two main characters in The Color Purple, had experienced pain and harm, especially by their husbands. Having a father who sexually and physically beat her, Celie had never had an easy life. Celie explains her incidents with her father in her diary, ââ¬Å"He never had a kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldnââ¬â¢t. We will write a custom essay sample on The Color Purple Analytical Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â⬠(Page 1). From then on, things only continued to get worse and Celie soon began getting beat and sexually abused by her new husband, Mr. _____. Celie viewed these actions as the normal part of life and better than death. Celie explains to Mr. ____ââ¬â¢s sisters, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t fight, I stay where Iââ¬â¢m told. But Iââ¬â¢m alive. â⬠(Page 22) Mr. _____ââ¬â¢s son, Harpo, also physically beats his wife, Sofia. Sofia wonââ¬â¢t take this kind of harm though. She decides to fight back and stand up for her rights. This worked out for her with Harpo and she even decides to leave him. Celie describes their fight and how Sofia fights back, ââ¬Å"They fight. He try to slap her. What he do that for? She reach down and grab a piece of stove wood and whack him cross the eyes. â⬠(Page 38). Remaining a large part of the black community, violence affected Sofia, Celie, and many other African Americans. Alice Walker helps the readers understand the stereotype of black Southerners during this time period and how they cause much harm in their community. White men stood in control of the South during the early twentieth century. While some blacks created their own communities between themselves, whites controlled most of the area. Although some say whites didnââ¬â¢t control everything, they treated blacks living in the community differently. While Celie went into a store, in town, the clerk acted impatient and didnââ¬â¢t treat Celie or any other blacks respectfully. Celie explains the clerks attitude, ââ¬Å"He say, Girl you want the cloth or not? We got other customers sides you. â⬠(Page 14. ) If someone acted like this in a store nowadays, most people would leave right away. Yet the black woman says ââ¬Å"Yes sir. I want five yards, please sir. â⬠(Page 14. ) The woman asks kindly and treats the clerk with more respect even though getting business and customers remains his job. The clerk also has horrible customer service, ââ¬Å"He snatch the cloth and thump down the bolt. He donââ¬â¢t measure. When he think he got five yard he tare it off. â⬠(Page 14. ) This shows an example of the stereotype how whites treated blacks differently. Walker demonstrates the racism and how whites considered blacks not as important during this time period. Sofia also gets discriminated by race when she gets arrested. Squeak comes to Celie and tells her ââ¬Å"Sofia in jail, I sayâ⬠(Page 86. ) When Celie asks why, Squeak explains ââ¬Å"Sassing the mayorââ¬â¢s wife, I say. (Page 86. ) Sofia also pushed the mayor but she had to serve her sentence of twelve years in jail. This shows how the unfair justice system punishes blacks. A person nowadays would get in trouble for doing such a thing but not much could happen to the accused. Alice Walker illustrates the stereotype of discrimination and harm caused by whites on blacks in The Color Purple. The Color Purple e ducates the reader to achieve the authorââ¬â¢s purpose by showing stereotypes of violence and harm throughout. While some people went along with the harm and decided living in the hard conditions remained good enough, some decided to fight back which only got them involved with bigger problems. The reader can feel sympathy for the characters and others during this time period and learn a lot about harm inflicted on and in the black community. Although the human race still struggles with racism, harm, and violence every day, people can learn from The Color Purple and people today are putting aside their differences to make the world a better place for everyone.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Agrarian Reform and Economic Development in Mexico essays
Agrarian Reform and Economic Development in Mexico essays Agrarian Reform and Economic Development in Mexico Many people in todays Third World society rely solely on farming in order to survive. However, most Third World agricultural areas are home to the worst conditions imaginable. These areas are often poverty stricken, despite the fact that the peasants supply a considerable share of the gross national product in many underdeveloped nations. The rural regions of Third World nations are often overcrowded and not sanitary, and many inhabitants are unlikely to possess many amenities that people from developed nations take for granted. Many countries, including Mexico, have taken steps toward agrarian reform. By returning power to the peasants, the nations are attempting to reconcile a system gone wrong. There are many reasons for agrarian reform to take place, such as needs for social justice, higher productivity, environmental preservation, political stability, and economic growth (Handelman 110-113). The five are intertwined with one another, each with its own level of importance, but economic development may be perhaps the most significant argument for agrarian reform. As the purchasing power (of workers) increases, they are able to utilize more national goods, thus encouraging economic growth (Handelman 113). Around the world, the poorest of the poor are the landless in rural areas, followed closely by the land-poor, or those whose poor quality plots are too small to support a family. They make up the bulk of the rural poor and starving, and it is in rural areas where the worst poverty and hunger are found. The development of agricultural production for export controlled by wealthy elites, who own the best lands, continually displaces the poor to ever more marginal areas for farming. They are forced to fell forests located on poor soils and to farm easily eroded soils on precipitous slopes as they fall deeper into distress, despite their comparativel...
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Spelling Variations
Spelling Variations Spelling Variations Spelling Variations By Mark Nichol This post discusses several factors responsible for variations in spelling, with examples. For much of the history of the English language, spelling was more an art than a science; because of lapses in literacy, there was no standard orthography. Even now, well into the twenty-first century, thanks to ignorance and laziness (and some intentional slangy sabotage), misspelling is rampant, so many people are unaware, for example, that alot is not an acceptable synonym for many or that definitely, not defiantly, is what you write when you mean ââ¬Å"most assuredly.â⬠Some valid reasons for alternate spellings exist, however. One annoying but hopelessly entrenched cause of spelling variations can be blamed on American lexicographer and spelling reformer Noah Webster, who advocated diverging from English orthography in favor of a uniquely American (but frustratingly inconsistent) spelling system. Fortunately, many of his suggestions failed to catch on, but others prevailed, so that now we have such international discrepancies as defense/defence, honor/honour, meter/metre, and realize/realise. (See this post for a more detailed discussion with more examples.) Often, writers in the United States are unclear on the distinction, so that we see, for example, judgement instead of judgment, or grey when gray is correct. This kind of thing can get confusing when, for example, an exception is made for glamour but not glamorous and glamorize, or when woolen is spelled as such but woolly takes a different form because of the adverbial inflectional ending. Another complicating factor is when the British English spellings centre and theatre are employed in signage for venues in the United States. Itââ¬â¢s easy enough, though distracting, for someone raised to read American English to understand written British English, and vice versa. But many international businesses publish materials reflecting both systems to distribute to various global audiences as appropriate, and book publishers have been known to change from one to the other when creating new editions of already published books. (I know this because Iââ¬â¢ve been the one responsible for making or checking the changes in both contexts.) However, itââ¬â¢s nearly impossible to catalog (or is it catalogue?) the distinctions (though one can try). Spelling can also vary based on context. For example, antennae and antennas are both correct, but the appropriate spelling depends on the subject matter (anatomical and technical, respectively), and the plural of appendix can be treated appendixes or appendices. (See this post for more examples.) Another type of variation is one based on informal usage: Donut as a variation of doughnut and thru as a truncation of through are valid in certain contexts, but careful writers will use the standard spellings in formal writing. The same goes for yes/yeah and no/nope; in each case, the second alternative has its place, but that place is only when slang is appropriate, as in dialogue. And nonstandard spellings like lite and nite are acceptable only for playful proper nouns (as in the name of a product or a venue.) In addition, spelling sherbet with an extra r (sherbert) may reflect the way the word is often pronounced, but that misspelling is just as egregious as the unholy union of alot and the misuse of defiantly. And spelling the term for a short-sleeved pullover top ââ¬Å"tee shirtâ⬠ignores the fact that it was named for the shape of the garment when laid out flat and should therefore be styled T-shirt. Sometimes, older spellings of words persist, as when both analog and analogue or omelet and omelette are variably employed; in such cases (actually, in all cases) let the dictionary be your guide. (See this post for a list of such terms.) 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:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)When to Form a Plural with an ApostropheRunning Errands and Doing Chores
Sunday, February 16, 2020
OSMOREGULATION IN CLAMWORMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
OSMOREGULATION IN CLAMWORMS - Essay Example They are the large common estuarines. They are also found on the brackish waters. (Oglesby, 1968). Now they are also found at Africa, coastal Europe and Southern Australia. They grow to a height of 190 mm and lives for one year. They reproduce sexually. The most important characteristic of this species is that they are able to withstand the temperature range of 12 - 35à °C and survive at a salinity range of 65 ppt for long time and 80 ppt for short time. They are good osmoregulators. Osmoregulation is na active regulation of the osmosis pressure of the body fluids (mainly water) with that of the environmental conditions. Osmosis is maintained both by the terrestrial and marine animals. They do so by excretion through the organs such as kidney and skin. Osmoregulation is of two types, they are osmoregulators and osmo conformers. Osmoregulators are strict regulators of salt and water concentration in the body to that of the environment. osmoconformers match their body fluid concentrat ion to that of the environment.(Masterson, 2008). Neries virens species is able to withstand the salt water content from 5 % to 100%. Some studies have found that they are also able to withstand twice the salt concentration that of salt water. They are only slightly hyperosmotic whereas most of the worms are in osmotic equilibrium with the sea. Review of literature: The body fluids of Nereis are isoosmotic for the sea water. Osmoregulation is one of the important functions of the gut, dorsal pores and the body surface. The salts are transported by active transport and the water by osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of the water (solvent) from high concentration to low concentration across a semi permeable membrane. Here the cell membrane acts as the semi permeable membrane. The influence of the sea water on the weight of the body. The greater the dilution, the greater the increase in the body weight. The worm tends to accommodate itself to the new environment. After the increase in th e body weight, they tend to return back to the normal weight if they are left in the original sea water. These euryhaline osmoregulators are thus capable of surviving in reduced, increased salinity levels. They are found to show two types of blood osmo regulation. First they act as hyper osmotic in the diluted sea water with greater osmo regulatory control. Two important mechanisms are stated for this hyper osmotic capability. The transport of the body salts from the body surface to the body fluid through the medium. The second mechanism is by the reduction of the permeability of the body surface to the solutes and solvents. (Oglesby, 1968). For increasing salt concentrations of upto 2 times the salt concentration they act as hypo- osmotic. The concentration of salt in sea water is 1000 m ââ¬â Osmole / liter and the blood of Nereis contains about 340 ââ¬â 500 m ââ¬â Osmole / liter at marine conditions and 280 ââ¬â 360 m ââ¬â Osmole / liter at the fresh water leve ls. The pH of the coelomic fluid was found to increase as the salinity of the water increases. If the salt concentration is higher at the outer environment, the water moves out of the body of the Nereis and thus loses its weight in order to maintain the osmotic pressure as constant. They adapt to the environment very quickly because of the well developed excretory organs. Pronephridia are the excretory and osmoregulaatory organs that are able to drive out the excess water and the waste products. (Whitton, 1975). Another study investigated the osmotic stress due to the long term assimilation and short term assimilation of salinity changes. A single worm was exposed to different salt concentration at different time intervals for a period of 14 days and the changes in weight were measured at continuous time intervals. Another worm
Monday, February 3, 2020
IT-6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
IT-6 - Essay Example Differences in culture and language barriers are significant issues requiring scrutiny, as virtually every foreign nation has a different value and belief system, while making the process of relating to these customers more difficult due to the use of a different language. IS systems must be built with these factors in mind, including the appropriate usage of the foreign language on the international auction website. Political barriers are the most complicated, as many foreign countries block the free access of information to its society, therefore these factors must be considered prior to building the appropriate international auction website. Will the people in this type of nation be able to help build profitability? These are questions that must be considered prior to going international. I have located three commercial sites in different markets which offer affiliate programs: PowerWebsites.com, Office Depot.com, and Barnes&Noble booksellers. Powerwebsites is a marketing entity which utilizes its technological expertise to help companies build higher customer volumes through affiliate marketing. The online version of Office Depot provides office-related products, including papers, printers, desks and more. Barnes & Noble is a leading bookstore with bricks and mortar locations across the country. Powerwebsites provides FREE sign-up for the affiliate program, with a 20% commission on all sales generated by the program. Payouts are promised at a minimum of $25 in return for placing a companys web link on their site. Powerwebsites pays their commission on a pay per sale basis, meaning that the customer must not only click on the link, but also must make a purchase at the partner website. OfficeDepot.com provides an affiliate program which is also a pay per sale, meaning that customers must actually click this link AND make a purchase at the site. Their affiliate program promises a 20% commission on these
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Dangers of Methamphetamine
Dangers of Methamphetamine Mark Dawod The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has estimated that five hundred metric tons of amphetamine-type stimulants are produced, coinciding with almost twenty-five million abusers. The US government reported in 2008 that about thirteen million people over the age of twelve has used meth, with over half a million being regular users of the substance. Meth has a market price in the US of thirteen billion dollars, which corroborates with its high street price, ranging from three to four hundred dollars for a fourth of a gram. Although meth is known for its disastrous side effects such as severe damage to the brain and heart, it helps those suffering with ADHD, narcolepsy, and dietary problemy. Overall, methamphetamine is a perilous stimulant that cripples the lives of its users and bystanders. However, with strong public awareness and education regarding the drugs deleterious effects, the dilemma of meth exploitation can be stopped. What is meth? Where did it originate from? Amphetamine, a dialect of the perilous methamphetamine we know today was first synthesized in Germany in 1887, however, scientists were blinded to its stimulant effects at the time. A few years later in 1893, meth was synthesized in Japan, it was not until 1919 that crystal meth was synthesized, similarly in Japan. At the time, the effects of this drug were not fully understood and were not perceived as dangerous, in turn the drug began to gain its popularity, although it did not fully take off until after the second great war. Methamphetamine was given to troops in wars such as World War II, the Korean Wars, and the Vietnam War to help them attain alertness throughout the battles, gaining an advantage over their counterparts. Additionally, methamphetamine was used during Nazi Germany as Hitler was intoxicated and enjoyed indulging in drugs. However, it was not until he sent Nazis thirty-five million pills of meth, known as Pervitin, which gave them the alertness to stay awake and fo cused for days at a time, they believed this pill to be just like coffee. Soon after World War II, biker gangs in California saw the value of this stimulant and began producing and smuggling it, resulting in them making a hefty profit as the drug was easy to produce and sell. To this day, methamphetamine is very well known and used frequently, especially in densely populated regions such as Miami and California. Methamphetamine also has very limited medical use, but is used largely by women seeking to lose weight as the drug suppresses appetite well. Methamphetamine is referred to as crystal, speed, ice, dope, whizz, chalk, and fast, just to name a few. Meth, usually used as a club drug, taken mostly at rave parties, is a poison that systematically destroys the body. I tried it once and BOOM! I was addicted, said a meth addict that lost all that he stood for because of this stimulant. Methamphetamine addiction is single handedly one of the toughest drug addictions to treat and resul ts in death largely because it burns up bodily resources that can only be replenished through frequent consumption of the drug. Who uses meth? And How? Studies show that meth users range from thirteen years old to thirty-three users old, although typically, users are within the fifteen to twenty-two year old age gap. Concerning race, African Americans are less likely to use meth than Caucasians. Meth users are predominantly Caucasian, blue collar workers, unemployed, and studying in either high school or college. Methamphetamine is also largely used in Native American communities because the spread of addiction has been widely spread from Mexican Drug Cartels, which is one of their main access sources for the substance. Women are also more likely to consume meth compared to other stimulants like heroin and cocaine because of its appetite suppressing side effect. Meth can be snorted, smoked, injected, and ingested; statistics concerning the different ways meth is consumed are as follows: 3% injest 12% snort 25% inject 60% smoke How does meth affect the body, mind, relationships, and environment? Upon the consumption of meth, the heart rate of user increases, along with their breathing patterns. Methamphetamine also releases exceedingly high levels of dopamine, 1100% more than cocaine does. This stimulant effect is also one of the main reasons that this substance is very addictive. However, with time, the brain builds a shield to the substance and the only way to get around this is by the consuming the drug more frequently and in higher doses, at this point the user is addicted and builds a reliance on the drug to feed their body resources. Short term, according to drugfreeworld.org, methamphetamine effects include the following: A limited desire for food Heightened heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature Dilated pupils Disorganized sleeping patterns Nausea Abnormal behavior, possibly violent if permitted Hallucinations and irritability Panic and psychosis Convulsions, seizures, and death Long term, according to drugfreeworld.org, methamphetamine effects include the following: Permanent damage to blood vessels, the brain, and/or the heart Liver, kidney, and/or lung damage If smoked, the carnage of nose tissues If injects, excessive diseases Malnutrition which leads to weight loss Harsh tooth decay Disorientation Increased psychological dependence Psychosis Depression Effects of Alzheimers in the brain Methamphetamine also plays a considerably large role in disturbing relationships between family members and friends. When on meth, the drug basically controls the body, resulting in unintended physical, mental, and emotional harm. The producing of meth within the household or near others is also significantly dangerous to those near by. Through explosions, fumes, or even waste (one pound of meth results in five pounds of waste) which in turn damages the environment. How can we lower the consumption and use of methamphetamine not used medically? According to P.A.C.E representatives, users of methamphetamine have indicated that the drug takes complete control over their body. This is due partially because of the high levels of dopamine that is released through the consumption of the substance. However, if a community is well-educated through a program such as Meth360, methamphetamine use will drop and more awareness will spread through neighboring areas. Conclusion Methamphetamine is a perilous stimulant that cripples the lives of its users and those surrounding them. Although, knowing what it is, its effects, and the dangers of its consumption, along with circulation of such information, the use of this drug will decrease and the environment, along with many families coping through the addiction of a loved one, will improve.
Friday, January 17, 2020
From Man to Boy
Lemons. The author makes his first stand at the very opening of the work with this hard peeled, soft-fleshed visual. The sour fruit, which is cut into by the narrator at the beginning of John R. Colemanââ¬â¢s, essay From Man to Boy, stands as a metaphor for the life circumstances in which he continues to find himself and others. The choice allows for a much shorter opening to the essay by utilizing the well-known allegory of the lemon as an acerbic, broken object or happenstance from which the owner has no means of escape. In the beginning lines Coleman produces the appearance of a setting in which the weight of an entire world the reader does not have to see to believe in, is resting on the shoulders of the narrator. He does this by coupling the lemon with a position of employment that is both low on the wage scale, and limited in skill requirements. Even the waitress, a position most readers will equate with being lesser in station, looks down on the work, therefore the worth, of the narrator. This immediately sets up the main character as a victim of his surroundings and appeals to the reader for compassionate understanding and perhaps even pity. This appeal is sustained by the dialogue between the co-workers when Dana tells Jack ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s no useâ⬠(LaRocco, 128) trying to change the attitude and belief of the waitress who called him a boy. The writer tells the audience, in the same paragraph, that Dana was working this job even as he, the narrator, was reading the billboardsââ¬â¢ insidious warnings. In doing so, the narrator is offering up tangible evidence for the argument of an irredeemable quality of ignorance in the world. The argument of ignorance is juxtaposed against the theme of education. The billboards, a metaphor for societyââ¬â¢s spoken standards versus their actual behaviors,à promise the worthy and dedicated student a life free of discrimination, bias, and general condemnation. What the writer declares to be the truth of the matter however, is that reality falls far short of the pledge. Life is a lemon. Education does not prevent the action from happening; the waitress still calls him a boy. What education provided him with was a means to recognize the insult and therefore be injured by it. This injury is noted in the sad look on Danaââ¬â¢s face. The exposure of the treatment of the housekeepers by the students at the college serves to call further attention to the wide spread plight of the working class. At the same time, it presents an argument that educated people are as likely to fall into the pattern of abuse, yet more likely to change their behavior once it is questioned. The narrator seems to convince the students to cease the use of the term ââ¬Å"wombats (128),â⬠however he also makes clear that it does not erase the ramifications of the actions for those who were abused by them. Naming them as ââ¬Å"the cleaning women (129)â⬠continues a convention from the beginning that says much about society by not saying anything at all. Coleman maintains Dana and himself as the only individuals worthy of names, therefore individual identities, in the short piece. Doing this preserves the notion of a singular hero with only nominal support attacking the great beast of society without actually coming forward and declaring himself a hero. Rather than failing to define himself as the hero of the episode, Coleman comes closer to refusing it. This leaves him on the same playing field as his audience, which acts in tandem with his stylistic choices in the text. By using the quick, almost dartingà motions of his statements, and the clipped pacing of short paragraphs and a barely over one page essay, he keeps the reader not only involved but in step with the narrative voice. In order to make points with the intended audience of blue collar working class America, Coleman does all he can to avoid triggering the alienation he is so adamantly set out to battle. Simplicity is the key to the peace. Coleman gets in, makes his point in clear, concise terms, and gets out. This appeal to the working class reader for whom this particular piece is written is continued with a lack of satire in the essay. The simple vocabulary, short sentence construction, and lack of word play beyond the lemon all feed into the assembly of a connection between the writer and blue collar America. He never feels the need to address the existence of those high paying white collar positions directly, while they are inferred by the PhD, the collegiate tack of the students, and the billboards with their empty promises. Reference to the Quaker tradition further exposes the intention of the author to connect with a wholesome and righteous way of life. This is the assumed role many hard working laborers aspire to. The association of Godliness with the Quaker traditions works on another metaphorical level with the housekeepers when the saying is considered; Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Throughout the entire essay, Coleman does his best to solidify his roots in this working class in order to achieve a single goal. The final remark returns to the scene of the first crime in the work, a seemingly flippant remark about being a boy who cuts lemons. By returning to this line the narrator takes a stand for all of the young men whoà have had to defend their honor as men simply because they were not making money in the right tax bracket. Coleman combines this with an appeal to the student from working class family to be aware of the results of their choices in treating others before the damage is done. Overall, he produces a very effective essay that is driven on the backs of metaphors and unspoken pieces of the puzzle, which are alluded to behind sweeping statements designed to stir the primal instinct of honor and self preservation in the face of societal imposed duress. Work Cited LaRocco, C (Ed.). (1995). The Art Of Work : An Anthology of Workplace Literature. McGraw- Hill.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Gender, Gender And Gender Roles - 1476 Words
Remember the 50s in America, how men were the predominant head of the household and women were expected to cook, watch their kids, and clean? This is an excellent example of gender roles, and how they control some aspects of life. Gender roles according to multiple sources are, the way people behave, what they do and say, to express being a female or male. (ââ¬Å"Gender Identityâ⬠, Blackstone, Gender Spectrum). They are forced upon an individual from the day that person is born even in the most trivial of terms of putting boys in blue clothes and girls in pink. Throughout that personââ¬â¢s life from then on, they will face everyday cultural expectations to act according to their sex. Gender roles can often be confused and hurtful, many stores have moved away from assigning products to a specific gender, but not only can gender roles affect behavior, it plays a huge role in transgenderism. Many people confuse the definition of gender and sex. ââ¬Å"Gender, on the other hand, refers to the meanings, values, and characteristics that people ascribe to different sexes. Sex is a biological concept, determined on the basis of individual s primary sex characteristics.â⬠(Blackstone) Society gives social cues on the appropriate behavior for each sex. For example, women are to exert more feminine traits such as dependent, emotional, passive, innocent, nurturing, and/ or self-critical. On the other hand, men are to behave more masculine such as independent, non-emotional, aggressive, competitive,Show MoreRelatedGender, Gender And Gender Roles1437 Words à |à 6 Pages Gender roles play an important role in society whether it is for good or for bad. These roles have been placed in society since the beginning of time. The term gender is socially created and it therefore categorizes men from women. How is gender defined, and what makes it different from the term sex? ââ¬Å"â⬠¦sex refers to the biological characteristics that distinguish women and men: se x chromosomes, reproductive organs, sex-specific hormones, and physical characteristicsâ⬠¦Genderâ⬠¦ refers to the socialRead MoreGender Roles : Gender And Gender1587 Words à |à 7 Pagesbetween gender and sex. Sex is anatomical and biological. Gender role can be defined as a personââ¬â¢s inner sense of how a male or female should feel and behave. Culture and society are two important factors in relation to this particular topic. This implies that various societies and cultures may produce children and later fully grown men and women who may have diverse perspectives of a man or a womanââ¬â¢s place or role in the world around them; this is often determined by their cultureââ¬â¢s gender stereotypesRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles844 Words à |à 4 PagesSociety has institutionalized gender roles since the beginning of time, a common one is that women are the nurturers and housekeepers, while men are the breadwinners of household. In spite of centuries, and fighting for women s rights, such as the right to vote in the late 1920s. Women still have roles to fulfill, even in a modern society that is dominated by a virtual world. Gender identification has multiplied from that of men and women, to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ)Read MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1110 Words à |à 5 Pagesbelieve gender is only based on being male or female. People believe gender is based on the physical and biological differences between women and men. Over the last few years, the term gender has changed. When some people believe gender is being male or female. Most people associate gender with gender roles and how people are supposed to function or perform based on societyââ¬â¢s expectations. In other words, people believe males and females have to behave according to their gender or gender roles to beRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles863 Words à |à 4 PagesGender can sometimes be seen as biological characteristics h umans have, when in fact it is the social characteristic ones society deems either masculine or feminine. Sex, on the other hand, is the biological differences in humans, for example, hormones and sex organs. People usually play gender roles in society, otherwise known as gender ideology. Gender ideology is when men and women have certain attitudes regarding their ââ¬Ëfixedââ¬â¢ roles, responsibilities and rights. Throughout history men and womenRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1225 Words à |à 5 Pagesoptions related to gender conduct. Male gender roles are instilled early on in childhood. As men meet these unwritten expectations they acquire acceptance from other men, attain potential mates, increase self-esteem and increase social status. This in part is called the socialization process. These benefits reinforce men to continue with this as their standard. What are these unwritten rules that are nurtured and taught so crucially by family and friends? Traditional g ender roles are what determineRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles Essay1823 Words à |à 8 Pagesclearly determined line from both involving parties reveals to us the ancient war of genders. A society which has overcome many social indifferences yet gender roles is a highly controversial and complicated topic. It seems this generation is caught in the crossfire of the final frontier of this ancient war. An increase in fundamental changes in gender roles is resulting in manipulating society and altering gender boundaries; females are breaking out of traditional restraints. As with all changesRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles2086 Words à |à 9 PagesGender refers to being male or female. It is usually used to determine the cultural and social difference between men and women. Gender roles are expectations of how males and females should behave, what attitudes they should have, what activities they should do and etc. according to their culture (Witt, 2016). Years ago , males and females had specific roles that separated them from each other. Males were known to go hunting to provide food for the family, and females were to stay at home andRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1829 Words à |à 8 PagesGender socialization often begins early once parents are shown the sex of their child; from then on, baby showers are planned according to gender ââ¬Å"appropriateâ⬠colors, which are often pink for girls and blue for boys. Even differences in how children are spoke to can be picked up easily in Western cultures. Girls are called pretty and sweet, whereas boys are handsome and strong. Ultimately, the way children learn to identify with their gender culture is in part due to not only family and friendsRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Role844 Words à |à 4 PagesGender Roles can be defined as roles society expects people to play on account of their sex life. Like all roles, gender roles are made up of sets of expectations, so they can be thought of as sets of expirations, so they can be thought of as sets of expectation that are attached to sex.(pp: 220 John E. Farley Michael W. Flota). The key word gender role affects me personally because as recent graduate of high school itââ¬â¢s time for me to go into the real world, of working class gender role of the
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Overview of henry boot groups performance - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 16 Words: 4784 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? 1 Introduction In this post module work, a detailed analysis of Henry Boot PLC for the financial year 2008 is presented by examining their annual report in detail. The work mainly consists of: The Company description, its various businesses and the market scenario. A Brief overview of Henry Boot Groups performance in the last five years In-depth Financial Statement Analysis which will involve study of Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statements, notes to accounts, accounting policies, chairmans statement and other management discussions mentioned in the annual report. Conclusion at the end would present a summary of financial performance and comment on the way ahead. The press releases and press commentaries on results have been referred to wherever appropriate. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Overview of henry boot groups performance" essay for you Create order 2 About the Company Henry Boot Group is a Sheffield-based organisation which is one of UKs leading players in property and construction (Annual Report, page 2). The company was founded in 1886 by Henry Boot whose direct descendant, Jamie Boot, is the current Managing Director. The Boot family owns about 20% of the companys shares, either directly or in trust (https://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/article3815317.ece, Sunday Times, Dt.12th Feb 2010). The company transformed from a pure play construction company to a firm with interests in property development, land management, construction and plant hire in the 1990s (https://www.henryboot.co.uk/corporate/history.aspx?s=corporatep=history, Henry Boot PLC, Dt.12th Feb 2010). The group today consists of the following four trading subsidiary companies: The first two companies listed have endured a rough market in 2008 because of falling property rates and decrease in demand. These two companies have had to significantly downgrade the values of their inventory and book losses due to the economic downturn. Construction hasnt suffered as much because of its reliance on centrally funded contracts under initiatives like Decent Homes and Prison Alliance. Plant Hire has seen a drop in demand but is still in the green (Annual Report, page 8). 3 Five Year Analysis Before looking at the financial performance of Henry Boot for the year 2008, it is useful to have a look at its performance over the past five years to provide a background for comparison and analysis. Since the annual report for 2008, didnt have a five year review, the annual reports of the past 5 years have been used to get the financial numbers in this section. 3.1 Revenues and Cost of Sales As can be seen from the graph and table above, the revenue and cost of sales for Henry Boot have seen an upward trend in the past five years except for the year 2007 when both parameters fell. It is interesting to note that the property market in which Henry Boot operates has been seeing problems since 2007. In discussion later in this work, it can be seen that the rise in revenues for 2008 was more on account of profit booking by selling off inventory at the price available than a sign of a genuine sustainable trend. Cost of sales for a property developer and real estate player like Henry Boot consists of the initial cost paid to acquire the property, the money spent to develop it and in constructing structures. Cost of sales for Henry Boot isnt as reliable a measure as it is for say a manufacturing firm, but is still quite indicative of the market conditions. Revenues generated from a property, through sale or rent, reflects two aspects first the inherent quality of the prope rty (which is more or less captured by cost of sales) and second the bullishness in the market. The years 2005 and 2006 were the boom years for the real estate market (https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/pdfs/research/2010/270110HousePricesin2000s.pdf, Lloyds Banking Group, Dt.12th Feb2010) and so rise in revenues outpaced rise in cost of sales. As normalcy returned in 2008, the cost of sales started to catch up with revenues once again. 3.2 Capital Employed and Profits The Capital employed by a firm is the amount of earning assets that a firm has or the total assets of the firm minus the current liabilities. Operating Profit is the Profit before Interests and taxes i.e. PBIT and is a measure of the operational well being of a firm. As can be seen from the figure, from 2004 to 2007, the operating profits increased as the capital employed increased. But in 2008, even though the capital employed has increased, the operating profit has taken a sharp turn for the worse. The reasons behind this fall in profit will be examined later in this work in detail. 3.3 Total Shareholder Return The total shareholder return includes the gain in share price over the period plus the dividends granted by the company. As can be seen from the chart, the TSR of Henry Boot was much higher than FTSE Small Cap Index during the boom period of 2006-07 but has since fallen and in Dec 2008, the TSR was actually negative. 4 In-Depth Analysis of Financial Statements For gaining an in-depth understanding of the operating and financial performance of Henry Boot Group in the past two years, their Annual Report for the year 2008 was examined. The profitability, operational efficiency, cash management and capital structure for Henry Boot Group have been examined. The prospects of the group from a shareholders point of view have also been analyzed. Apart from the annual report, press releases and commentaries have also been used and are duly referenced. 4.1 Profitability The ultimate objective of any enterprise is to earn profits and ensure that it keeps earning them year after year. To study financial and business performance it is essential to look at how profitable the firm is and what inferences can be drawn for future from the present profit numbers. From the published accounts of Henry Boot for 2008, the profitability of the firm is analyzed below: 4.1.1 Revenues Higher revenues are often the key to higher profits, so first a brief overview of revenues is being presented. Henry Boot witnessed an increase of 55% in the revenues from pound; 124.8 million in 2007 to pound; 193.7 million in 2008 (Annual Report, p58). The segment wise revenues are shown below: All major segments have shown an increase in revenue compared to 2007. Given the adverse economic scenario, Henry Boot has stayed away from making new acquisitions or investing in new developments unless the opportunity is very attractive according to the Operations Review (Annual Report, page8). The increased revenue has come because Henry Boot has completed several large land deals (Annual Report, page 4) which is also evident from the decreased inventories shown in Note 17 (Annual Report, page66). 4.1.2 Gross Profit and Operating Profit With increased revenues, gross profit has also increased 38.5% from pound; 42.4 million in 2007 to pound; 58.7 million in 2008. However the increased gross profits dont get reflected in operating profits which have fallen 56% from pound; 50.4 million in 2007 to pound; 22.1 million in 2008 (Annual Report, page 50). This fall has largely been on because of property, impairments and revaluation account which has gone from a surplus of pound; 18.1 million in 2007 to a deficit of pound; 22.4 million (Annual Report, page 50). As per chairmans report, the deficit in 2008 has been on account of decrease in market value of a number of properties and land held by Henry Boot, most notably, their shopping centre at Ayr (Annual Report, page 4). The graph above shows the segment wise split of profits for Henry Boot. Increased sales in Land development segment have brought higher profits. The construction segment had a strong order book with centrally contracted work in initiatives like Decent Homes and Prison Alliance and so has seen a robust profit growth. Property investment and development has suffered on account of the revaluation deficit of pound; 19.3 million. Group overheads and other report more losses on account of higher share based income and pension expenses. 4.1.3 Profitability Ratios Profit margin or PBIT expressed as a percentage of revenues is one of the most commonly used ratios to measure profitability. It measures the relationship between revenue and overall costs. The greater the ratio, the stronger is the ability to earn profits (Wendy, 2003). As can be seen from the table above, the profit margins have fallen from 40.38% in 2007 to just 11.41% in 2008. This fall again has been due to the revaluation adjustment made during the year 2008. Since revaluation is more of a one-time activity than a regular one, the profit margin is expected to improve as market conditions improve. However, the cost of sales going up from 66% in 2007 to 69.6% of revenues in 2008 can be an indication that the profit margins in near future will fall. Return on Total assets and Return on Capital Employed are ratios that measure how much profit can be earned by a unit investment in the firm. As Henry Boot is in a variety of businesses, it is difficult to compare its returns to t hose of its competitors. In 2008 both ROTA and ROCE have fallen significantly as seen from the table above. As explained earlier, the decrease in PBIT in 2008 is on account of revaluation of property and land and does not reflect any fundamental long term change in the business of Henry Boot. In a cyclic sector like real estate, there are bound to be years when there would be a huge revaluation surplus and other years when there is a huge revaluation deficit. The cyclicity of booms and busts is getting reflected in the ROCE and ROTA numbers. Overall, it can be concluded that the profitability of Henry Boot suffered a big blow in 2008 because of the revaluation and impairment deficit. 4.2 Operational Efficiency For any business to remain competitive over a long run, attention has to be paid to operational effectiveness. Operational effectiveness implies use of the given assets to generate the maximum possible revenues. A firm has two types of assets fixed assets and current assets. How effectively Henry Boot used these assets in 2008 will be seen in the following section: 4.2.1 Net Asset and Fixed Asset Turnovers The table above shows that the Net Asset Turnover for Henry Boot Group has improved significantly to 0.841 in 2008 from 0.545 in the previous year. ROCE is a product of Net Asset Turnover and the Profit Margin. Since Net Asset Turnover has improved, it can be concluded that the fall in ROCE was only due to fall in Profit margin. The improvement in net asset turnover shows that Henry Boot was able to achieve higher sales per pound; of capital employed. The improvement is a result of a strategy shift discussed in the Operations Review (Annual Report, page8) whereby Henry Boot is no longer interested in adding new properties to its portfolio and is keen to sell whenever it can get a fair price. This way revenues increase while the net assets employed remain constant. Fixed Asset Turnover also has increased significantly from 0.502 in 2007 to 0.765 in 2008. Property, Plant and Equipment (PPE) and Investments are the two biggest components of fixed assets (Annual Report, page 51). As most of the developments underway at the beginning of 2008 were completed during the year (Annual Report, page4), a significant amount of assets moved from PPE to Investments. Unlike a pound; stuck in PPE, a pound; in Investments can earn rent or is available for sale and so the revenues have increased because of higher share of investments compared to PPE in the fixed assets. 4.2.2 Debtor Days The debtor days has improved significantly from 84.27 to 51.31 which imply that Henry Boot has started collecting payments from its buyers more than a month earlier than it did last year. However there is no mention of any special effort put towards this end in the Annual Report and so finding out the reasons would require a more careful analysis. Firstly, receivables of pound; 5.344 million which are due after more than a year have been shifted to non-current assets in 2008 (Annual Report, page 64). Secondly in large land deals, like those completed in 2008, payments are generally made upfront. These two factors have resulted in higher revenues with receivables being same and have brought down the debtor days number. 4.2.3 Creditor Days Creditor days for Henry Boot has come down from 244.72 to 140.29 implying that the suppliers are less willing to extend credit to Henry Boot. There has been a transfer of pound; 7.233 million to non-current liabilities. Secondly increased sales in 2008 have been accompanied by decrease in inventory and not by fresh investment in stock. So the payables have remained constant with cost of sales increasing significantly. 4.2.4 Days Inventory The Days Inventory number has also come down from 369.36 in 2007 to less than half i.e. 159.56 in 2008. The reasons for this are two fold sales have happened in 2008 without fresh addition to stock thereby depleting inventory and secondly cost of sales has increased in keeping with revenues. With the numerator falling and denominator rising, a fall in days inventory number is understandable. Overall, it can be concluded that Henry Boots operational efficiency is improving on most parameters and if it can be maintained, it will be very helpful for the group in the hard economic conditions expected in near future. 4.3 Capital Structure The assets that a firm has have to be financed in one way or the other either through equity or by borrowings. The exact mix of equity and borrowings defines the capital structure in use. Let us have a look at how Henry Boots capital structure has changed in the past two years and how robust is its balance sheet to meet its payment obligations: 4.3.1 Loans taken As on 31st December 2008, Henry Boot had pound;45.463 million of loans due within a year compared to pound;55.702 million due within a year on 31st December 2007. The loans due after more than a year have fallen drastically from pound; 17.556 million in 2007 to pound; 6.394 million in 2008 (Annual Report, page 67). Majority of the loans taken are floating rate loans and expose the firm to flow interest rate risk. 4.3.2 Gearing The gearing or leverage is defined as the amount of borrowings or high risk finance the firm has for every pound; of equity or low risk finance (WMG Notes, 2010). Borrowings are high risk finance because of interest rates risk as well as the fact that interest has to be paid even when firm is making losses. Shareholders who provide equity need not be paid any dividends if the firm is short of money. As seen from the table, the Gearing has been brought down to 26.16% in 2008 from 39.28% in 2007. The reduction in gearing indicates a decision to reduce the financial risk involved by getting rid of high risk sources of finance i.e. loans. In the prevailing economic climate, the business risk for Henry Boot Group is pretty high in itself with property values reducing by as much as 15% in a single quarter (Annual Report, page 8). Adding financial risk on top of the business risk will further aggravate the situation. So, Henry Boot Group has wisely chosen to reduce its dependence of loans. 4.3.3 Interest costs Since 2007, the interest rate to be paid on floating rate bank loans or for bank overdrafts has fallen by close to 1%. A 1% change in interest rate would impact PBT by pound; 346,000 (Annual Report, page 67). The interest paid during the year 2008 was pound;3.427 million compared to pound;4.195 million in 2007. The reduction in interest rates occurred because the total borrowings have gone down from pound;73.258 million in 2007 to pound;51.857 million in 2008 (Table 9). The reduction in interest costs is essential for the time being because the current economic situation is believed to prevail for quite some time. In such a situation, Henry Boot has to depend on rental incomes from investments and construction incomes which are not a match for the deal driven profits being made earlier (Annual Report, page 4). Accordingly it is wise to cut the expenses also as much as possible and starting with interest costs isnt a bad idea at all. 4.3.4 Is the firm solvent? To examine whether any firm would be able to honour its payment obligations, it is important to check its interest cover figure. As can be seen from the table the interest cover for Henry Boot has fallen from 12.01 in 2007 to 5.63 in 2008. Though such a steep fall is worrisome, Henry Boot has been reducing its borrowings and the profits for 2008 were especially low because of the revaluation deficit and can be expected to pick up in future. Current Ratio and Acid Test Ratio check the ability of a company to pay its short term obligations from its short term assets. With a current ratio of 0.795 in 2008, Henry Boot will only be able to pay for about 80% of its short term obligations from its short term assets. Overall, it can be concluded that Henry Boot has manageable financial risk (30-40% gearing is normal for firms in UK as per WMG Notes, 2010). The efforts to reduce gearing even further will only help in reducing risk even more. And despite taking a hit in 2008, the group also has enough liquidity to meet its payment obligations as reflected by an interest cover of 5.63. 4.4 Cash Management Though a firm might be making profits, it can still go out of business if it doesnt pay attention to its cash situation. After all, a firm can make losses a number of times but can only run out of cash once (WMG Notes, 2010). The cash management abilities of Henry Boot are being analyzed in this section by examining its Cash Flow Statements: 4.4.1 Cash Flow from Operating Activities The Cash Flow from operating activities for years 2008 and 2007 throw up interesting and contrasting pictures. In 2007, the operating profit was high at pound; 50.381 million but the net cash from operations was only pound; 4.005 million. On the other hand, for 2008 the operating profit was much lower at pound; 22.115 million but the net cash from operations was pound; 57.234 million (Annual Report, page 53). This is because in 2007, there was a revaluation surplus which increases profit without increasing cash flow. Also in 2007, the inventories increased which means that additional cash was tied up but profits remained the same. In complete contrast to this, in 2008, there was a revaluation deficit which decreases profits but has no effect on cash. Also the inventories fell in 2008 which means that cash was freed up. 4.4.2 Cash Flow from Investing Activities The cash out flow from investing activities is much lower at pound;27.614 million in 2008 than the outflow of pound;51.800 million in 2007. This decrease in investing outflow is primarily because the purchase of property, plant and equipment has gone down from pound;58.275 million in 2007 to pound;38.687 million in 2008. Apart from this the cash inflow from disposal of investment properties is pound;5.729 million in 2008 compared to just pound;0.739 million in 2007. 4.4.3 Cash Flow from Financing Activities The cash outflow due to financing activities in 2008 is almost the same as that in 2007. Overall, the cash and cash equivalents witnessed an increase of pound;21.654 million in 2008 compared to a decrease of pound;55.034 million in 2007. This is because in 2007, a lot of property and land blocks seemed attractive for investment and Henry Boot built up inventories anticipating gains in future. But the economic climate in 2008 has forced Henry Boot to adopt a defensive strategy whereby they are trying to dispose off inventory if offered a reasonable price and are not too keen on adding more to their stock (Annual Report, page 5). 4.5 What Henry Boot should mean to a Shareholder? Henry Boot PLC saw its Earnings per share decline from 24.5p per share in 2007 to 10.8p per share in 2008. Aside from the information available in the table, Henry Boot PLC has underperformed every comparative index by giving a Total Shareholder Return of 62% in 2008 compared to -42% on FTSE Construction Sector, -47% on FTSE Real Estate and -44% on the FTSE Small Cap index (Annual Report, page 5). As can be seen from the table, the return to shareholders also has fallen from 17.40% to 7.35%. Dividends though, have been maintained at 5.0p a share. Overall, Henry Boot in 2008 doesnt sound too attractive for the shareholder in the short run. But one must also understand that Henry Boot has a strong order book in Construction, the road link A69 will keep bringing in recurring income and also the defensive strategy with respect to property development and land development will give its benefits sooner rather than later (Annual Report, page 5). According to IPD, the annual decline in commercial property has been 26.3% but Henry Boot has only taken a 12.6% revaluation deficit (Annual Report, page8). Another important factor in favour of Henry Boot is that despite taking a big hit in 2008, its NAV per share has increased by 5% to 146p. Recurring income from property rentals, A69 and construction sector coupled with a rise in NAV, makes me believe that Henry Boot still has something to offer to a shareholder in the long run. 5 Conclusion Henry Boot PLC had a rough year like everyone else in 2008. Though the group is focussed mainly on the real estate sector which is going to be under strain in the foreseeable future, Henry Group also has alternate businesses that can keep bringing in income even when the market is bad. Rental income from property investments, centrally contracts for construction segments and PFI will keep the cash registers ringing till the situation improves and real estate market starts picking up again. The real challenge for Henry Boot will come if the crisis continues longer and it has to take tough decisions about reorganizing its business around construction once again, the way it had started way back in 1886. 6 Management Accounting 6.1 Part A: Significance of Working Capital Management The need for Working Capital Management arises because of mismatch in the timings of sales receipts and the expenditure incurred to earn it. Working capital forms the lifeblood of any firm as it is used to pay for day to day expenses and bills. If a firm can extract a significant portion of its receipts earlier than it has to make payments, it will end up having a cash surplus. A firm with cash surplus has to invest surplus wisely balancing the return it wants to earn with the risk it is willing to take. If a firm has to pay up earlier than it starts receiving, it will run a cash deficit. A firm with a cash deficit has to raise money to stay afloat. Money can be raised by borrowing from banks, selling property or raising fresh equity. Effective working capital management involves choosing the best way to address cash deficit situation. After all, a firm can make losses many times but it can run out of cash only once. (WMG Notes, 2010) As commercial manager in my group, I had to keep in mind my responsibility towards working capital management whenever I made any decision about spending on Engineering and Quality or bidding for contracts. I had to make sure that even though my job required me to bid aggressively to get more orders, I wasnt overstretching the finances of the firm while doing so. The payments from sales contract will only come once the delivery was made 6 quarters later but the expenses on production and those on engineering and quality had to happen before hand. Though financing this deficit is the finance managers job, I also had to make sure that the consequences of my decisions are not only profitable in the long run but also that the team can survive in the short run. For example, in Year 1, I got an order for 8 units of Terrier for the American market which required production cost of pound; 16 million. To finance this, the firm took a loan of pound; 10 million in Year 1. Similarly in year 2 and year 3, team took loans of pound; 10 mill ion and pound; 60 million respectively. My decisions to spend on developing market for Tigers resulted in the team getting orders for the same and so it had to take loans to buy special machinery. Since loans were available at an interest of 10% whereas contribution was nearly 60% of sales value, it wasnt much difficult for the team to manage the short term cash deficits. In a real world situation, the commercial manager has to deal with such issues in much more depth. For example, he has to negotiate the exact terms of payment to be received from buyers, offer discounts to those who pay early and make provisions for payments received in different currencies. Also in real world, there are various types of loans available short term, medium term, long term, at different interest rates. Knowing exact requirements can lead to more efficient usage of loans. So, a commercial manager would also have to draw up sales plans, expected schedule of cash receipts and other projections for t he coming periods so that finance manager can plan the raising of funds more effectively. 6.2 Part B 6.2.1 Absorption Costing Absorption costing is a technique used to trace the overhead cost to the product being produced. The material and labour costs are directly attributed to the product but it is more difficult to determine how much of the overhead costs should be absorbed by a particular product when there are multiple products being produced. The aim of absorption costing is to find out the complete product cost which will help decide the firm which of the products is the most profitable to produce and what price should it offer to its customers. In the context of Winning Margin, it is possible to allocate some of the overhead costs directly to the product. This is because one machine was producing only one product. So the depreciation costs, the annual maintenance cost and the set up costs can be directly attributed to the product. Such a costing technique gives a much clearer picture about the profitability of a product than that given by contribution margin. For example, in Winning Margin, my team bought a Mark III machine for producing Tigers. A Mark III machine produces a unit of Tiger in one period. The depreciation cost for a Mark III machine is $0.5 million per period [$12-$4 i.e. $8 million to be depreciated over 4 years or $2 million each year or $0.5 million each period]. The maintenance cost for Mark III machine is $0.75 million per period since the annual maintenance cost is $3 million. So, this additional cost of $1.25 million (i.e. 0.5+0.75) should be absorbed by a unit of Tiger because it was the only product the machine was used for. Absorption costing cannot give the complete cost picture because it doesnt deal with absorption of non-production overheads like expenditure on market development or research and development costs. 6.2.2 Investment Appraisal In todays competitive and fast changing environment, a business continuously needs to change in order to survive. This change often entails investment in a new research, technology, machines or marketing campaign. Investment appraisal is the decision making process where any investment proposal is evaluated based on the potential costs involved and the potential benefits it might bring in future. Understanding the expected cash flow pattern, evaluating the return against the companys required rate of return and understanding uncertainties involved are the steps involved in investment appraisal (WMG Notes, 2010). In Winning Margin game, the investment appraisal process was used to evaluate the decision of buying a Mark III machine. Since the demand for Tigers was increasing, the team had decided to concentrate on the market for tigers. First step of investment appraisal was to check whether the Mark III machine being bought fitted into this strategy of the team. Next, we had to u nderstand the risk and return involved. A Mark III machine was capable of faster production but it would only be helpful if there were sufficient orders. Now the risk was that if the team failed to get enough orders, the investment as well as the annual fixed costs for the Mark III would be wasted. After that we had to calculate how long the payback period would be, will the machine be able to pay for itself in 2 years or 3 or 4. The team was confident of getting enough orders and also needed to produce fast, so investing in Mark III seemed the right choice. 7 References Annual Report 2008 Henry Boot About Jamie Boot and family, The Sunday Times 27th April 2008, https://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/article3815317.ece, accessed on Feb12th, 2010 Henry Boot Groups Corporate History, https://www.henryboot.co.uk/corporate/history.aspx?s=corporatep=history, accessed on Feb12th, 2010 UK house prices doubled during 2000s, Lloyds banking groups research, https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/pdfs/research/2010/270110HousePricesin2000s.pdf, accessed on Feb12th, 2010 WMG FACS Notes (2010) Wendy McKenzie (2003), The Financial Times guide to using and interpreting company accounts, 3rd Edition, London: Financial Times Prentice Hall
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