Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Case Stu

dyCASE STUDY Case 1: Haier in India: building presence in mass market beyond China 1. Why did Haier enter India? What did it plan to achieve in this new market? At First, Haier started as a small refrigerator factory in China. Zhang Ruimin put great emphasis on product quality, so he never tolerated any faulty refrigerators. By creating products under the value of quality awareness, Haier became the world’s biggest appliance seller by retail volume. In 1990s, Haier marched into global markets and used internationalization strategy.Haier made a great effort to break the bias that â€Å"made-in-China† products are of low quality. As Haier achieved success in the US and Europe by creating high quality brand image, it widened its scope more and more. At the time of 1980s, India was not a good target market for Haier to approach because the Indian government was acting very defensive to foreign companies. However in 1991, as India experienced payment crisis, the country had to liberalize and open up the market to foreign investments. As China encouraged companies to go overseas by subsidizing by policy banks’ loans, Haier decided to enter the Indian market.China chose Indian market as a target because India had the world’s second most populated economy and was experiencing rapid economic growth. The growth rate was similar to the one seen when Haier first achieved success in china. Also, Haier could expect several advantages from Indian market such as rising disposable income, an expanding middle class, and a relatively low entry barrier in the white good market. Banerjee, Haier India’s president, noticed that as the company was already gaining power as a major player in global market, appropriate strategy and direction would give Haier huge opportunities in the expanding market of India.Banerjee made specific targets for the company – to garner 20% of India’s white goods market in five years and to become one of the top three industries in seven years. Also he wanted to build an integrated manufacturing facility. The background of entry to Indian market was quite attractive. India’s white goods market, where Haier wanted to penetrate and achieve in top rank, was a growing piece of pie. From the materials offered in the case, [EXHIBIT 3], the home appliance sector was growing between 11% and 14% annually and Consumer Electronics sector was growing from 11% to even 30% in 2003.Economic growth brought increase of household income and middle-class. This is a positive situation for Haier because there would be more double-income and nuclear families which means more demand for house appliances. As Haier was already a global brand, it tried to expand its market more widely. As a result, India seemed to be suitable because its gross population was huge, and India was a developing country where more people would demand appliance as time goes by. Haier regarded India as a chance to generate dispo sable income for electronics purchases.With anticipation of the high market demand, Haier had plans for new plants, new production lines, capacity expansions, and even Greenfield investments. 2. Evaluate Haier’s entry strategy in India. What was and was not working? Why? Although many Chinese companies choose to first enter developing countries and then later more developed countries, Haier approached in an opposite way. So at the time when Haier entered Indian market, the company already had experience in high-end markets in the US and Europe.Because US and Europe market is mature market and competition is more fierce, Haier would have already known some strategies to appeal customers. Although Haier had experience and sources to attract customers, the entry strategies used in India were not all successful. Their production anticipation turned out to be too hasty. On the other hand, image setting strategy was quite successful because their global branding strategy made India n people believe Haier as a high quality brand, not many knowing Haier as a Chinese brand.The price strategy that Haier first adopted was a premium price strategy, which seemed to be appropriate when considering other giant brands such as LG or Samsung were adopting low pricing strategies. It could be a way to set the cost higher than major brands if entering company thinks price would not be a competitive factor in the market. One entry strategy that Haier and other company weren’t successful at first was the anticipation of high market demand in 2004. As Indian market was a growing market, companies expected the demand would rise significantly.As a result, they increased the production capacity. However, they were over-reacting to the market trend. Market demand could not catch up the production amount, so the refrigerator industry should have been overstocked. As an entry strategy, Haier adopted a global branding strategy in 2004. Before, Haier usually had an image as an e xport-based company, but Zhang wanted to create a name brand in the host market so that they could create an image as a global brand. In fact, Haier wanted to hide its â€Å"Made in China† image which implicates cheap and low-quality products.This branding exercise worked quite well, because people perceived the company as a Germany or the US brand. It seems that market positioning strategy adopted by Haier when entering the Indian market was quite tactical. Korean giants such as LG and Samsung took low pricing strategy, and Haier could have felt burdened to lower the price even lower than them. It is because if quality of Haier’s appliances turns out to be similar to those companies, and the price is similar or higher than them, not many customers would challenge to buy Haier’s.Nonetheless, Haier was confident because they already had experiences in Europe and the US market, and was quite well known as a global brand. As a result, instead of participating in a â€Å"price war† with other giant companies, Haier took premium price strategy in India. Haier rather decided to emphasize their quality in the market, which seemed to be the strategy of fighting in a â€Å"value war† The premium price strategy could be seen as both a success factor and failure factor. Overall, Haier succeeded to implant an image of global and premium brand in the Indian market.The perception of customers about Haier was homogeneous to what the company wanted their customers to have about them. However, image does not always make the company become successful. Haier showed quite disappointing revenue growth until 2009, which demonstrates that after all the company might not have won in the â€Å"value war†. Maybe the premium price strategy was not an option but an unavoidable plan, considering that giant brands were placed rigidly in the market already. 3. Discuss Haier’s localization model in India and other markets. Were they different? If so, why?As the [EXHIBIT 1] in the given material shows, Haier adopted different strategy models through timeline. In the early stage of the company, about 1984, Haier adopted Brandbuilding Strategy. The company itself was not settled yet so it had to build a brand image and notify to customers. Then from 1990, the company started to take diversification strategy. It is also the beginning of global strategy, when Haier started to export their products to the US and Germany. From 1998, Haier selected internationalization strategy, which means not merely exporting to overseas but marching to global market worldwide.From 2005, which was right after the company entered Indian market, the corporation took global brand strategy. Haier wanted to appeal itself as a global brand image with high quality and confidence. This flow of strategies proves that Haier incessantly worked hard to broaden its market strategically. From the stage when the company used internationalization strategy, wh en the company starts to actually find market abroad rather than merely exporting, Haier consistently adopted a â€Å"Three-in-One† localization strategy. Three-in-One† localization means that Haier would position itself as a local brand, produce locally, carry out a local sales strategy and create products tailored to locals’ needs. Basically, localization means adapting the production system and product itself to the circumstances of local industry. Through â€Å"Three-in-One† localization strategy, Haier could realize true localization which means the company could follow the local’s needs at maximum level. Haier’s localization strategy was rather tactical than other localization strategies. When Haier began operations in India, the company did not execute rapid localization.Instead, it took a step-by-step approach, starting from outsourcing. When sales volume grew large enough, it was right time to start acquiring local assets and doing l ocal production on its own. Haier’s approach in the US was similar to the one later chosen in India. When sales grew large enough, the company began â€Å"Three-in-One† plan. By building design centre, Haier realized true localization. The material given states that Haier also replicated this model in Europe. After all, Haier’s localization method seems to be basically similar in India and other countries.The difference of localization model in India and other countries would be more developed localization strategies adopted in India from the experiences of other countries. For example, Haier used factory in India to serve as a sourcing hub to markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Southern and Western Asia. Maybe it was the geographical advantage of India that could utilize this localization strategy. Mostly, the localization strategies were similar in various countries, starting from â€Å"Three-in-One† localization. According to the situation of each country, Haier tactically and slowly accessed to the market.After building factories which means actual production being fully held in the specific country, Haier built centers such as showrooms in retail outlets or design centers to make customers feel close to their products. Localization model used in India might not be regarded appropriate because for six years since its launching, the overall result was not satisfactory. However, from the point of arrival in India to the point of becoming as a brand well known in the country, the â€Å"Three-in-One† localization skill seems to be worked effectively.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Haircuts Case Study Essay

Strategic Business Area to Improve through IT. The most important aspect of the haircutting business model that can be improved in UMUC Haircut situation has to be customers (customer demand). The entire profit model revolves around two truth. The first is that people want to come get haircuts here at UMUC. Second, these customers will be repeat customers at a rate that facilitates profit. In order to meet both of  these goals for profit the use of a comprehensive scheduling tool is needed to both benefit customers and manage employees. A cloud-based open schedule application allows for simple transparency and has a secondary feature of using old scheduling data to form a more profitable business model. Being able to have a constantly evolving schedule provides the perfect amount of flexibility for Myra Morningstar. Specific Solution To best apply information technology to the scheduling problem a robust program will be developed. This programs first major feature is that it will be cloud based. So for a 7 day work week there will be open hourly blocks that can be filled with customer appointments. These blocks are of course able to be filled at the main counter on the central computer in the system but can also be filled via the web. Customers will be able to submit request for blocks which will be approved by management. At the same time, in the same program these blocks will correspond to individual chairs, in the sense that the chair represents an available stylist being able to perform the styling or cut. This program will be real time so that everyone is one the same page. Ultimate control will fall on Myra Morningstar. The program will run through the UMUC Haircut website. IT Infrastructure Requirements Services- Myra and staff will be required to learn and manage this program. Although not overly complicated it will require dedication of use to be successful. It will be tempting to use the paper scheduling method but this will need to be cut out. The initial construction of the program and subsequent upgrades to the program will be the work of a clever programer for hire and should not require constant technical support. Hardware- Any internet connected device will be able to access to the program. It would be a sound investment to have a small command terminal or server inside the store able to handle backing up this data constantly and allows a level of redundancy. (To both handling the data and backing it up) Software- A application will have to be purchased or designed to facilitate this online scheduling. An example of a pre-existing software package would be Appointment-plus, this service already includes customer self-booking. Telecommunications- A high-speed internet connection will be required at all times so that the program can communicate changes back and forth at all times. This need can be handled by fiber-optic or a dsl network from a local provider. Most of the information here will be data. Facilities- The main desk computer station will be the facility for housing the center server. This software, if uniquely designed for UMUC Haircuts will be entirely in-house but if a generic version it is applied it will be managed from that companies facility. How Online Scheduling will Improve the Process. As UMUC Haircut conducts business now there is no single method for managing both employee staffing times and customer appointments. Customers have to come in or use the phone to schedule an appointment or come for a walk in unsure of availability. This new program will allow for the front desk, all the stylist, and customers to access the scheduling tool at all times. This will stream line the process of getting into a chair and cut down on the almost guess method of scheduling employees. Online Scheduling Impact on Generic Strategy. The generic strategy goal that is strived for at every step in this process is Broad Market/High Value-to-Cost Ratio. With an affective online scheduling tool more customers will be able to access appointment opportunities that fit their schedule. This gives them the ability to plan ahead. at the same time the scheduling application also cuts down on the hours that stylist are getting paid even though there are no appointments. Being able to cut down on these wasted hours will make the cost drop which will indirectly rase the Value Ratio. Reaching more people online, at a  cheaper price will be the driving force to adopt an online solution for scheduling. References: Schmidt, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.businesscaseanalysis.com/business.html http://www.appointment-plus.com/product/how_it_works.php

Factors behind Economic Growth in Hong Kong and Singapore Essay

There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Singapore. Both countries enjoy high economic growth rates for the past three decades, they are known as â€Å"East Asian Tigers† because they made a transition from poverty to Newly Industrialized Economies (NIE’s) in a very short period of time. Both Hong Kong and Singapore were British colonies with both legal and administrative systems of their former colonial powers. They are the busiest ports in the world in terms of throughputs. They have climbed the industrial ladder and are now important international financial centers because of their reliance on trade since 1960’s (Kim. t al 1994). In addition both cities are densely populated since land is scarce and land together with property prices is very high. These two cities are known for being fee traders with few restrictions on trade and capital flows which many a times are Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Hong Kong the state owns all the land whereas in Singapore the state owns four fifths of the total land. Consequently both cities capture economic rent primarily by nationalizing land and leasing it out. While the state owns much of the land in Singapore and the sole landowner in Hong Kong, the inefficiencies that could result from state ownership are taken care of through the creation of markets for state, land and property leases. Meanwhile the public leasehold system where the state is the major role player in land use, planning and resource allocation works very well in both cities since the public sector institutions of both are efficient and non-corrupt. These institutions in both countries benefit from adequate checks and balances, merit-based recruitment and pay scales which are high enough to reduce the temptation to corruption. In conclusion, there economies are widely believed to be the most economical free in the world are these economic freedom emanates from the governments â€Å"hands-off policy† which allows for flexibility and renovation of any given industry in a very short time. Both countries also have very little available land and very few natural resources therefore importing most of their food and raw materials equally most of their exports consists of re-exports which are products made outside their territories.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Critically discuss how the work-place be analysed and why the devil is Essay

Critically discuss how the work-place be analysed and why the devil is in the detail - Essay Example Continuous review and critical analysis of the organization at timely intervals cater in pointing out to the loop holes that exist in the current setting posing a potential risk for the organization which has to be mitigated in the interest of its continuity. It helps establish and instill a safety culture within your workplace by identifying and eliminating or controlling hazards in a timely manner. The workplace design to be reviewed and updated should be analyzed on the basis of the volume and the variety of the product the organization offers, type of processes, Layout, Flow, Flexibility, compliance to laws and regulations etc. The organization should critically review these factors and revise them making necessary changes where ever required dropping a few and taking up on some new policies and procedures along the way. Altering and disturbing the status quo during this process is what might cause resistance among the people within the organization. For this purpose effective ch ange management policies should be kept into place to counteract such problems and to educate the employees by gaining their full involvement while the organization transits from current to desired settings.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Petroleum Economic and Oil field management Essay - 1

Petroleum Economic and Oil field management - Essay Example The economics of non-OPEC supply, the economics of supply of other liquids and the investment and production decisions of OPEC countries will definitely influence the spot price over the next three months. For other liquids and petroleum, the main long-term prices and supply determinants can be summed up in four main categories that include other liquids supply economics, non-OPEC supply economics, global demand for other liquids and petroleum, and OPEC production and investment decisions (Elton, Gruber, Agrawal & Mann, 2004: 27247). Factors that should influence PMC while deciding on whether to enter into a forward or spot contract should include the consideration of the deference between the forward and spot prices in the sense that the two-price difference preferably should be equivalent to any earnings and finance charges that are due to the contract holder. In addition, opting for the forward contracts mainly would depend on factors like, festivity, season, and climate cycles that mostly affect the demands. A factor that would discourage the use of forward contracts is the lack of explicit mechanism for processing new information on the production costs and inventory surprises. Another factor to consider will be oil market participants who are a diverse group and trade at different maturities and objectives. The varying degrees in the involvement of major commercial oil producers will affect this decision. In terms of spot prices, supply and demand will influence such a decision. When demand goes up and sup ply decreases, the spot prices are automatically expected to go up. Likewise when demand decreases and supply goes up, the prices should go down. Spot prices for both crude oil and petroleum product prices are likely to be affected by events that disrupt the flow of these products in the market. This may include weather-related and geopolitical factors. These should be considered in the decision of whether to use spot prices or not. By taking

Saturday, July 27, 2019

2500 word essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

2500 word - Essay Example In his Things Fall Apart, Achebe demonstrates that the African writer carries recognizing and celebrating the culture as his or her biggest job in order to make people from Africa start salvaging their dignity. King Solomon’s mine is a classical Victorian rendition of the unexplored Africa at the start of the 18th century. From the book, the realization that Africa was just like other continents comes out clearly. Throughout the narration in the book, imperialism comes out in many instances. For instance, the title of the book symbolically infers to the biblical times of King Solomon. From the biblical perspective, the King is known to be so wise. Other than being wise, the biblical conquests for wealth are something which are akin to the modern day imperialism. In the times of King Solomon, there were fights over territories, mines included. For instance, the book is a quest to show proof of the existence of the mines that were owned by the King. In the course of doing this, the mines that were causes of war with the Edomites, for instance, get unearthed. The revelation from this narration is that forms of leadership which border on autocracy and imperialism have been in existence from the olden days. The book only goes ahead to make the reader have a different perspective of the happenings at the time. The perception by Westerners over Africa is a clear example of imperialism. For instance, the description of the Zulu tribe in the narration when the author meets them is a clear bias which is influenced by imperialist thoughts. For instance, the author’s description of the Zulu was that of a tribe which were primitive even in their language. Based on the fcat that the Zulus are normal people and their culture differs from the Author’s, it is wrong to classify their culture as primitive. In fact, such a perception is what leads to the imperialism that was later to

Friday, July 26, 2019

Is It Possible for Passengers to Hack Commercial Aircraft Essay

Is It Possible for Passengers to Hack Commercial Aircraft - Essay Example For a hacker to succeed in his or her endeavors, he or she has to possess adequate skills to penetrate networks. Basically, they have to exploit weak links within secured systems to enable them induce their ill-fated viruses that will enable them access to information, override protocols, destroy data or even allow them to have full control of the hacked system remotely (zetter, hackers could comandeer new planes through passenger wi-fi, 2015). Back to my question, is it possible for passengers to hack into commercial aircrafts systems? To answer that, it is important to understand its system better for vulnerabilities. In an ease to be more competitive in the market, quite a number of airlines today offer internet connectivity through systems called in-flight Wi-Fi. The working of this system is that passengers connect their devices through Wi-Fi inbuilt in mobile devices to the Wi-Fi router in the plane, which connects their devices to the internet. This feature is currently in service in a large number of united airlines planes among other airlines. This aircraft feature provides a potential threat to attack from hackers. A plane has a system known as the avionics system, which controls various systems in an aircraft including flight controls and even the autopilot feature in planes. Here is where the risk comes in. the Wi-Fi system that connects passengers to the web is connected to the avionics systems mentioned above separated by a firewall security system. Many might think that hacking may be prevented by the availability of a strong firewall system yet firewalls are not impenetrable. Back in the year 2013, the Federal Reserve Bank website was hacked by an unknown hacker posting a link on a third party website which allowed users to download the stolen contact information from the banks’ website (zetter, is ti posible for passengers to hack comercial

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Mera.Net Cafe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mera.Net Cafe - Essay Example The large initial capital investment will allow Mera.Net to provide its customers with a full featured Internet cafe. A unique, upscale, and innovative environment is required to provide the customers with an atmosphere that will spawn socialization. Mera.Net, soon to be located near at Sacred Heart College on 10th of March, will offer the community easy and affordable access to the Internet. Mera.Net will provide full access to email, WWW, FTP, Usenet and other Internet applications. Mera.Net will appeal to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The instructional Internet classes, and the helpful staff that MeraNet provides, will appeal to the audience that does not associate themselves with the computer age. This educational aspect will attract younger and elderly members of the community who are rapidly gaining interest in the unique resources that online communications have to offer. Mera.Net's customers can be divided into two groups. The first group is familiar with the Internet and desires a progressive and inviting atmosphere where they can get out of their offices or bedrooms. The second group is not familiar with the Internet, yet, and is just waiting for the right opportunity to enter the online community. Mera.Net's target market falls anywhere between the ages of 18 and 50. This extremely wide range of ages is due to the fact that the Internet appeal to a variety of people. In addition to these two broad categories, Mera.Net's target market can be divided into more specific market segments. The majority of these individuals are students and business people.Potential Customers University Students Office Workers Seniors Teenagers IV. Required Capital 4.1 Start-up Summary Mera.Net's start-up costs of P200,000 that will cover for site renovation and modification and the communications equipment necessary to get its customers online. The communications equipment necessary to provide Mera.Net's customers with a high-speed connection to the Internet and the services it has to offer make up a large portion of the start-up costs. These costs will include the computer terminals and all costs associated with their set-up. Costs will also be designated for the purchase of two laser printers and a scanner. V. Equipments and Facilities List of Startup Equipments and facilities. Cost at least P200,000 of capital. 10 computer set P150 000 1 aircon

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Final exam 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final exam 2 - Essay Example The information provided by the book with regard to the topic is one that shows that President Kennedy did not help people or rather workers during his tenure in that he did not push to the civil rights movements. It is critical to understand that a president is very critical towards initiating change and the fact that President Kennedy did nothing to see to changes shows how much of a poor leader he was. This information is important in comprehending the issue of a just society. A just society is one that involves people receiving similar treatment and not having one group showing superiority to the other. According to the book, John F. Kennedy Struggle for Black Equality, there is the understanding that the Black community did not have as much respect as it has today (Bryant 78). The reason behind the unfairness shown to this community is the fact that it was condescended upon by many other groups. There was a poll carried out in the United States between the year 1960 and 1961 that was to reveal the views of the people on what had to be done for America to advance in society (Bryant 93). This factor adds value to the entire project in that there is the understanding that earlier presidents in the United States did not support the black community as they were supposed to. The reason for this is the fact that they were all white. This proves that the American society has not always been just throughout the years. The information provided by the book is important to college students and history enthusiastic people. The fact that the students get to understand the history of the United States and the society makes them appreciate the current environment. In modern times, there are very few issues revolving around civil issues such as racism and social segregation. The changes witnessed in contemporary days are a product of the increased activism by different people in society. The Bystander: John F. Kennedy and the Struggle for Black

Rationale for choosing the two companies and industries based on your Essay

Rationale for choosing the two companies and industries based on your industry and fundamental analysis - Essay Example During last financial year i.e. in 2010, companies have experienced higher growth and hence, there had been higher dividend yield (Vellacott and Cruise, 2011). UK economy has been experiencing slower economic growth but it steady and expected to grow much higher by 2012. However, due to sluggish economic recovery, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has claimed that â€Å"expected national output to increase by 1.3% in 2011 compared to the 1.7% it had been predicting three months ago† (Elliott, 2011). During 2007-2009, overall GDP growth was negative due to global crisis, but during 2010, these parameters have taken an increasing trend that will make stock market grow in coming years. Industry Analysis Telecommunication UK telecommunication industry is highly developed in terms of industry polices and market exposures like demand. For example, during end 2010, nearly 4.8 million and 33.1 million were the users of mobile broadband and 3G mobile (Ofcom, 2011). Figure 6 portr ay that mobile ownership has been grown from 50% to 91% since last 10 years and figure 7 shows that there also have been growth in broadband connection. The market report also signifies that there has been a slight decline in annual revenue of telecommunication industry as presented in the following figure. However, it is expected that, during 2011, industry revenue is expected to grow by 2% to ?35.6 billion and annual growth rate will grow rate nearly 3%-4% p.a. By the end of 2015, market is projected at ?40.7 billion i.e. â€Å"equivalent to cumulative growth of 17% in real terms compared with 2010† (MBD, 2011). Pharmaceutical Multiple new product development led by technological advancement and government’s initiatives are expected to bring rapid growth in healthcare industry. Comparing to other manufacturing industries, pharmaceutical has shown a better performance. The above figures show UK’s Pharmaceutical trade, there has been significant growth in this i ndustry since last decades. The overall import and export has increased and medical pharmacy products are the highest gainer. Company Analysis Vodafone Plc Vodafone Group is one of leading global telecommunication company, and in UK Vodafone’s performance has been remained better than its rivals. A key comparison of Vodafone with its key rivals British Telecom and Telefonica SA are given below. The overall performance of Vodafone has been better than its rivals in terms of profit margin and its sales and stock returns its performance has remained quite better. Moreover, with lowest debt-equity ratio, it also has lower risk level. The following table depicts the financial highlights. Vodafone’s net profit margin and sales volume are very high that clearly signifies its better financial performance. Its shareholders have also gained a higher return on their investments as earning per share and dividend payout ratio are attractive for making investments. The key ratios of Vodafone indicate that financial condition is very stable than its key rivals. Return on equity is also

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Little Traditions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Little Traditions - Assignment Example Their liberal tendencies may also be a function of demographics, in that Jews are usually more affluent and better educated than other populations. Thus the great tradition of American Jewry could be described as being untraditional in the devout, orthodox sense. This tradition of skepticism I believe could be linked to their refusal to believe in the divine powers of Jesus. Little Tradition Little traditions in my opinion are those that are not essential to the institutional structure of a society, and which can change without threatening the functioning of the culture, in contrast to great traditions which are required for the effective operation of that particular culture. For example great traditions can include family structure, religious and ethical values, political systems and economic institutions, etc. whereas little traditions can include those that put a â€Å"face† on a culture such as food, clothing, the arts and humor which can evolve without affecting the funda mental structure of a society. An example of a Jewish little tradition is portrayed in the book â€Å"25 Years of Jewish Humor†. (Yuan 2006)This book paints a picture of everyday Jewish life such as human foibles, family friends and dating. Sephardim According to the author (Ray 2008), the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 created the conditions that eventually gave rise to the origin and development of a Jewish sub ethnic group, namely the Sephardim. The exiled Jews settled in the Mediterranean area and the throughout much of the rest of the world. The Sephardim immigrants were those Jews who did not integrate well in their host nations and felt alienated from them. Instead they identified strongly with where they considered as their homeland, whether that be Spain or Israel. Sephardim people, whether within Israel or elsewhere, could be described as Jewish fundamentalists as they are ultra religious, intolerant of non Jewish religion, very conservative in their values, a nd believe Israel must be a strong monolithic state to defend itself against its’ Arab neighbors. Ashkenazic The Ashkenazic Jewish identity developed as a counterpoint to the Sephardic one, and was facilitated by the 18th century codification of Jewish law, the â€Å"Shulla Arikh(Davis 2002) The coding of law can erase local differences, and serve a universalizing goal such as in the writing of a constitution to unite former separate states into one nation.. While Ashkenazic communities originated in Germany they spread throughout Central and Eastern Europe thereby becoming multi national and multi ethnic. The question then arose whether these immigrant Jews should adopt the customs of their new homeland or retain those of where they came from, and whether Ashkenazim should be defined in terms of residency, lineage, or â€Å"corporation.† †Corporation† in the medieval sense meant a community in which membership was permitted by residents implicitly to othe rs. Eventually the corporation designation prevailed so that the Ashkenazic community was one that self identified as such. Karo and other Jewish scholars felt that although some local variation was acceptable, there should be a base of fundamental law applicable to all Ashkenazic communities, and hence the codification of the â€Å"Shulla Aikh† Aided by the invention of the printing press, this codification was generally accepted in Ashkeazic communities in face

Monday, July 22, 2019

Too Much Medication Essay Example for Free

Too Much Medication Essay One Source Cited: On 9 February 2007 The Boston Globe presented an obvious example of partiality in its presentation of an overdose of psychotropic drugs; leading to the death of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley. Consequently, this sparked debates about whether health officials should press urgently to establish the advantages of treating children with psychotropic drugs, and the safety measures that go along with their use. From top to bottom, the text questions: the dangers of over-medicating children who show signs of potential mental disorders; the age at which children should start the prescribed medication; assessment of children after psychotropic medication treatment; and the responsibility of doctors to evaluate the ability of parents to oversee these potentially fatal drugs (The Boston Globe). For the purposes of this essay, I am forced to agree that ‘health officials should press urgently to determine the advantages of treating children with psychotropic drugs, and the cautions that must accompany their use’. The research I found on this topic appear to support the idea that intense discussion and consideration about pharmacotherapy is vital for future directions of treating children with these medications. According to Hyman (2006) there are far more difficulties in determining the risks and benefits of psychotropic drugs in children. There is also less information known about mental disorders in children than in adults and numerous drugs have not been sufficiently tested in children, particularly because their brains are still developing. In addition, there is even less data about the safety and efficacy of antidepressants in children (Hyman 2006). In actual fact, Hyman (2006) states that these drugs are being used even in the absence of data. That is why I strongly argue in favour of the need for more clinical research involving children, to identify the potential risk-benefits of psychopharmacology. It is the responsibility of caregivers to diagnose; manage and be commited to training in this area. Therefore we need to find out whether the approaches of these drugs are beneficial and safe for children. Furthermore, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for children showing signs of possible mental disorders. What we need to do is patch-up the treatment gaps and incorporate an effective monitoring system which allows health professionals to liaison with schools, other professionals and agencies. In doing so, we may improve diagnostics, treatment and follow-up services and possibly even avoid the recurrence of over-medication? References The Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/02/09/too_much_medication/ Hyman, S.E. (2006). Improving our brains? [Electronic Version]. Biosocieties, 1, 103-111. Retrieved 16 February 2007 from: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/login;jsessionid=36ED98BDE8893D2A30D1BEED7CE0AD3C.tomcat1

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Internal and External environment analysis for Mcdonalds

Internal and External environment analysis for Mcdonalds McDonalds has been a thriving business since 1955 and 20 of the top 50 corporate staff employees started as a restaurant level employee. In addition, 67,000 McDonalds restaurant managers and assistant managers were promoted from restaurant staff. Fortune Magazine 2005 listed McDonalds as the Best Place to Work for Minorities. McDonalds invests more than $1 billion annually in training its staff, and every year more than 250,000 employees graduate from McDonalds training facility, Hamburger University. The business is ranked number one in Fortune Magazines 2008 list of most admired food service companies. One of the worlds most recognizable logos (the Golden Arches) and spokes character (Ronald McDonald the clown). According to the Packard Childrens Hospitals Center for Healthy Weight children age 3 to 5 were given food in the McDonalds packaging and then given the same food without the packaging, and they preferred the food in the McDonalds packaging every single time. McDonalds is a community oriented, socially responsible company. They run Ronald McDonald House facilities, which provide room and board, food and sibling support at a cost of only $10 a day for families with children needing extensive hospital care. Ronald McDonald Houses are located in more than 259 local communities worldwide, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programs offers cost effective medical, dental and education services to children. They also sponsor Olympic athletes. They are a global company operating more than 23,500 restaurants in 109 countries. By being spread out in different regions, this gives them the ability to weather economic fluctuations which are localized by country. They can also operate effectively in an economic downturn due to the social need to seek out comfort foods. They successfully and easily adapt their global restaurants to appeal to the cultural differences. For example, they serve lamb burgers in India and in the Middle East, they provide separate entrances for families and single women. Approximately 85% of McDonalds restaurant businesses world-wide are owned and operated by franchisees. All franchisees are independent, full-time operators and McDonalds was named Entrepreneurs number-one franchise in 1997. They have global locations in all major airports, and cities, along the highways, tourist locations, theme parks and inside Wal-Mart. They have an efficient, assembly line style of food preparation. In addition they have a systemization and duplication of all their food prep processes in every restaurant. McDonalds uses only 100% pure USDA inspected beef, no fillers or additives. Additionally the produce is farm fresh. McDonalds serves 100% farm raised chicken no fillers or additives and only grade-A eggs. McDonalds foods are purchased from only certified and inspected suppliers. McDonalds works closely with ranchers, growers and suppliers to ensure food quality and freshness. McDonalds only serves name brand processed items such as Dannon Yogurt, Kraft Cheese, Nestle Chocolate, Dasani Water, Newmans Own Salad Dressings, Heinz Ketchup, Minute Maid Juice. McDonalds takes food safety very seriously. More than 2000 inspections checks are performed at every stage of the food process. McDonalds are required to run through 72 safety protocols every day to ensure the food is maintained in a clean contaminate free environment. McDonalds was the first restaurant of its type to provide consumers with nutrition information. Nutrition information is printed on all packaging and more recently added to the McDonalds Internet site. McDonalds offers salads, fruit, roasted chicken, bottled water and other low fat and calorie conscious alternatives. It has branded menu items e.g. Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets, which further promote McDonalds. McDonalds Egypt: Has the second largest market share in Egypt with branches exceeding 60. Fastest delivery service provided in Egypt. Nutrition information is printed on all packaging Safety protocols and quality assurance to serve best quality food. More than 92% of suppliers are Egyptian (Halal) Efficient assembly line to serve food as fast as possible with maintaining high quality. Charity works. McDonalds is the first restaurant in Egypt to provide drive through in 7 branches. Has a joint venture with shell petroleum. Sponsors many events and football teams. Cares about the environment by recycling the oil used in cooking for delivery motorcycles. (SWOT) McDonalds Worldwide: High employee turnover in their restaurants leads to more money being spent on training. Their test marketing for pizza failed to yield a substantial product. Leaving them much less able to compete with fast food pizza chains. The companys ability to increase revenue is small due to many competitors to keep prices down. It uses advertising that mostly targets children. Lack of innovative products. McDonalds Egypt: No innovation in products that could serve the culture taste due to consistency in their menu. Prices McDonalds Structure: McDonalds has a functional structure which serve many product lines in the same industry. Its chain of command is as follow: Chief Executive Operations Development Finance Marketing Human Resources McDonalds are structured along functional lines. Their Chief Executive oversees five major areas of activity: Operations (equipment and franchising) Development (property and construction) Finance (supply chain and new product development) Marketing (sales marketing) Human Resources (customer services, personnel, hygiene and safety) Culture: McDonalds is all about corporate culture. From its Hamburger University (where managers and assistant managers are trained) to its vision statement of Quality, Service, Convenience, and Value (QSCV), McDonalds corporate culture is a shared value system that forms the basis of all company decisions. A relatively enduring, interdependent symbolic system of values, beliefs, and assumptions evolving from and imperfectly shared by interacting organizational members that allows them to ascribe common meanings to stimuli encountered in the organizational context; these functions are accomplished through the mediation of implicitly and explicitly rules that act as cultural warrants. McDonalds vision statement creates the values by which are made all managerial and corporate decisions. These guiding values are exhibited in all aspects of business, from social responsibility and diversity to training and policies. McDonalds operates four Hamburger Universities in four countries. McDonalds has and provides the best employees-business relationship via providing an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer McDonalds ensures that employees and job applicants are selected, trained, and promoted without discrimination to race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. The company promotes their employees based on their relevant skill, talents, and performance. In support of this McDonalds promotes and sustains a working environment, which is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying. Employees are regarded as members of a team where everyones opinion is valued and respected. The Human Resources department monitors the effectiveness of the discrimination policies at regular intervals and takes corrective action as necessary to ensure that they being complied with Employees who feel that they have been treated unfairly are encouraged to use the remedies outlined in the Companys handbooks. The Ronald McDonald House charity offers thousands of sick children in approximately 48 countries hope and it inspires courage. They say laughter is the best medicine and nothing makes people smile more than a Happy Meal.ourworld-policy-hero At McDonalds we recognize our responsibilities to protect and preserve the environment for future generations to come Our goal is simple, is achieving a continuous environmental improvement across all areas of our business. ourworld-prp btn-show-your-support images (9) Litter McDonalds provides trash cans outside every store all around the world. food-fries Waste Used cooking oil represents 10% of the restaurant total waste, and is recycled into biodiesel, which our delivery bikes runs on. food-saladsplus Packaging For the salads containers McDonalds replaced them with a paper card base; saving nearly 69 tones of plastic purchased by the firm. Energy All our restaurants uses low energy lampsrestaurants-whatson Resources Suppliers: Meat: from Brazil in bulks and then processed in Egypt. Potato: Farm frites Vegetable: Egyptian farms Dairy: Egyptian farms Bread: Egyptian suppliers Assets: 60 restaurants Delivery Motorcycles Office equipment Manufacturing plants Restaurant equipments Skills Knowledge: Employees are trained on the same values and are given the required skills to achieve companys success. (Hamburger University) External environment: (SWOT) Worldwide: In todays health conscious societies the introduction of a healthy hamburger is a great opportunity. They would be the first QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) to have FDA approval on marketing a low fat low calorie hamburger with low calorie combo alternatives. Currently McDonalds and its competition health choice items do not include hamburgers. Provide optional allergen free food items, such as gluten free and peanut free. In 2008 the business directed efforts at the breakfast, chicken, beverage and convenience categories. For example, hot specialist coffees not only secure sales, but also mean that restaurants get increasing numbers of customer visits. In 2009 McDonalds saw the full benefits of a venture into beverages. It can adapt to the needs of the societies and undergo an innovative product line. It can adapt to the needs of the societies and undergo an innovative product line. It can research ways to use green energy and packaging which will work as a part of their promotional effort as well as fulfill their social responsibility. It can create new product offerings, use mobile text messaging to offer services that appeal to consumers. It can upscale some of its restaurant settings at luxurious locations to attract more customers. It can provide optional items that are regarded to be the basis of allergy for some. It can slow down the level of expansion in order to increase the profitability of the organization. McDonalds Egypt: Introduce new products that satisfy the culture needs Reduce expansion to generate more revenue Use new home ordering techniques Care more about green environment (SWOT) Worldwide: The recession negatively impacts the holding position of the firm regarding its revenue streams, even though they are quite diversified. Foreign currency fluctuations are regarded to be a major problem as it uses standard pricing for its food items. More restaurants that are increasing their food offering and declining the price. Health issues regarding the fast food chain. Heavy investments on promotional campaigns which decrease the gaining of market share. Some parents criticize the firms cradle to grave marketing strategy that focuses on kids, who later on take it as a trend to their adulthood. Sued various times for unhealthy food, usually with addictive additives. Emergence of major fast food competitors: Burger King, Starbucks, Wendys, Taco Bell, KFC. The expansion has made the firm vulnerable to the slow economies of the other countries. Swine Flu McDonalds Egypt: Rumors such as an Americanized brand that supports Israel. Egyptians are starting to care more about diet and health Economy recession Swine Flu McDonalds vs. KFC vs. Momen The SWOT analysis of KFC showed that it has the largest market share of the fast food industry and 24 stores more than McDonalds. Its weaknesses turned out to be lack of consistence of standards and moderate rates of dissatisfaction by the customers. For the threats and opportunities of KFC, they are no different from those of McDonalds or any other fast food restaurant in the industry. Similarly, the SWOT analysis of Momen showed that its main strengths are in their diversified menus and reasonably more competitive and affordable prices. Its weaknesses are much more lack of consistency than that of KFC and customers perceive their taste to be less than both McDonalds and KFC as well as any other fast food restaurant in the market. Its opportunities are the incorrect believe of customers that Momen is Egyptian and halal while McDonalds and KFC are not. However, the threats of Momen are that they are only spread over the main areas of the Egyptian market so they do not serve all the customers unlike what McDonalds and KFC do. Natural environment: McDonalds doesnt supply its franchises from the headquarters in fact it treats every franchise as its own operating business that will order its supplies from the suppliers they want taking into consideration the quality assurance this could be based on the country itself or from imported goods. For McDonalds Egypt they order nearly 92% of their supplies from Egyptian producers whom produce the supplies in Egyptian land because Egypt is considered to be a good agriculture region for its good climate and having the Nile River. Potato: Farm frites Vegetable: Egyptian farms Dairy: Egyptian farms Bread: Egyptian suppliers Societal: Political: Taxes before 2005 were 40%, after 2005 and until now it is reduced to 20% this encouraged McDonalds to expand into what it is now 60 Branches and rising. Economical: Inflation has a very huge impact on McDonalds Egypt as prices are increasing and people have low income this leads them to spend money on cheap products, McDonalds has to increase its prices because its supplies are becoming more expensive. The economic crises has also affected McDonalds because people are saving more and spending less and as McDonalds is not considered as a need and people have many other cheap substitutes such as Amo Hosney and Momen, McDonalds sales are reduced. As McDonalds has a high unemployment rate it is not hard to find employees because McDonalds has a training center that trains them and candidates dont need to have special skills or certificates to work at McDonalds. Socio-culture: As McDonalds operate in many different countries it has to take into consideration their beliefs and traditions. It introduces new products besides the standard menu that suits every culture for e.g. in the Middle East MC Arabia and in India Mc Panton. McDonalds also cares about the factors that could offend each culture for e.g. a state in USA considers the red color in McDonalds logo as evil therefore McDonalds has introduced the BLUE color in the logo. Technological: McDonalds uses new technology in cooking and preparing the food to reduce the fats and cholesterol in nutrition. It has also introduced new technology to reduce costs (waste) and increase production efficiency. Task: (Porter 5 Forces) Threat of new entrants: McDonalds was not frightened a single bit when it first noticed that Burger King is going to start up in the Egyptian market for several reasons. First, they were well aware of their position in the market and how customers perceive them. Second, Burger King is not well positioned yet and the customers do not really know anything about it as well as not many customers in Egypt like it. Third, in order for Burger King to catch quickly with McDonalds it needs to open 10 stores every 2 months which is impossible and even if it was possible Burger King would still need a year for it to catch up. McDonalds main concern is for new small entrants such as Amo Hosney who offers low price products with more quantity but the difference comes in quality and not quantity. Rivalry among existing firms: McDonalds does not really see Hardees or consider it a main competitor. Kentucky Fried Chicken and Momen are the main competitors of McDonalds in the fast foods industry or business. KFC has the largest market share of the fast food industry with 84 stores (24 stores more than McDonalds) and Momen has the third largest share of the industry. McDonalds is counting on coming up with creative and appealing ideas to beat the competition which is the main strategy that McDonalds is adopting against competition. Threat of substitutes: Instead of buying McDonalds people can prepare food at home and it will be more healthy and will cost less therefore it is considered to be a threat to McDonalds because people will buy less causing loss in revenue. Power of buyer: McDonalds consumers can influence its prices because there are many competitors and substitutes that consumers can switch to such as Momen and KFC therefore the consumers have the power in purchasing the product of not and can influence it. Power of supplier: McDonalds has the power over suppliers because there are many suppliers available whom wish to work with McDonalds because it is a well recognized organization worldwide. The only problem is that McDonalds needs to follow some quality measurements in providing the food which might not be easily taught to new suppliers.

Romanesque and Gothic Architecture Similarities

Romanesque and Gothic Architecture Similarities Romanesque architecture between 800 and 1150AD was popular in Western Europe which then rose to the gothic style. Pre-Romanesque style developed by using elements of roman design in the Christian churches in the states of Western Europe. By the end of the pre-Romanesque period Roman elements had fused with Byzantium elements from the Middle East, these influences became known as the Romanesque, meaning in the manner of Rome. The appearance of the Romanesque style was multi storey entrance facades of geometric appearance buildings. Stone was a very popular material used in the buildings. Huge vaults and arches was one of the main characteristics of the time. Masonry vaulting since the beginning of Christian architecture had only been used in buildings of relatively small scale. Romanesque churches, on the other hand, sustained massive barrel vaults, making it compulsory to reinforce the load-bearing walls in order to carry the lateral outward thrust. The frequent presence of galleries above the aisles, sometimes with half-barrel vaults, is in all probability rooted in structural considerations connected with the problem of abutment. The use of wall openings to a minimum, due to the same concern, contributed to the sober yet soberly impressive character of the light. Each individual building has a clearly definite form which often consists of very regular and symmetrical plans so the overall appearance is known as a form of simplicity. Romanesque architecture mainly depends on its walls which are known as piers. Piers are sections of the wall that appear mostly at the intersection of two large arches, which are those crossing under the nave and the transept which is always in a circular shape, each arch is supported on its own supporting rectangular pier which is found at each right angle. Most of the buildings are mostly made from wooden roofs, mostly of a simple truss, tie beam or king post form. When the case of trussed rafter roofs occurs they will then be lined with wooden ceilings. The most important feature of Romanesque churches was the towers. Romanesque church facades were always built to face the west end of the building and are usually symmetrical and has a large central doorway made mostly by its moldings or porch and a arrangement of arched-topped windows which can be seen above the doorway. In Italy there is a single central ocular window which is most probably known a s the most common decorative feature, as well as the arcading. One of the most important structural developments of the Romanesque era was the vault. Originally intended as an alternative to fire prone wooden roofs, vaults became a major innovation in architectural features. The cross vault was used throughout Europe even though it was heavy and difficult to construct so thus it was replaced with the rib and panel vault. The Church I chose the SantAmbrogio was originally built during the 4th Century but was excavated beneath the existing building. With the west facing faà §ade, the use of vaulting is clearly seen throughout the church, down either side of the isle and leading to the nave. Although stone is not the main material used it can be seen in certain aspects of the church. The large central portal includes carvings. Gothic architecture, known at the time as the French style, started in the first half of the 12th century and continued well into the 16th century. Gothic architecture was made up from the previous architectural genre, Romanesque. For the most important part, there was no difference between the two, as there was later to be in Renaissance Florence with the sudden restoration of the Classical style by Brunelleschiwhich came from the early 15thcentury. Eventually Gothic architecture was brought south to Italy by the French. The characteristics of Gothic Style features include those of the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress traceried windows. The thin walls, slender columns, and the very large areas of glass in Gothic buildings gave an impression of lightness. It consisted of a central nave flanked by aisles, with or without transept, and was finished by a choir surrounded by an ambulatory with chapels. The ribs which held up the vaults were aligned to make a pattern of a diamond on the ceilings. These elements were however no longer treated as single units but were properly integrated within a joined spatial scheme. The exterior view was mostly dominated by the twin towers. The facade was pierced by doorways often decorated with varies sculptures and at a higher level appeared a central stained glass rose window. Due to the outward pressure of the vaults there became a need for buttresses. Windows were very important in the churches. Each stained glass had a message in it which was t aken from a bible piece to pass across a message. Gothic architecture is unique in many different ways but mostly by its use of materials. Regional influences played a huge role in the design variations and preferences for the different building materials. While in France the most common materials used were limestone, England witnessed a great use of red sandstone and coarse limestone with marble which was known as Purbeck architectural features. Similarly, while in Northern Germany and the Baltic nations, the tradition was that of mainly using bricks, in Italy, the most preferred material was marble. Timber was also one of the materials used, which is seen in the hammer-beam ceilings and rafters. Some of the structural innovations included, the use of a reinforcing block or wall of masonry adding support to the great vaults arches. Moulded or otherwise decorated band or series of bands around an opening of an arch. Supportive arch constructed within a wall, often above an architrave, serving to absorb weight upon a passageway or portal below. Notre dame in Paris is one of the finest examples of churches in the gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism. It was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress. The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedrals architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued as such. Also the front having two towers popular of gothic style as well as the popular central stained glass rose window. Romanesque and Gothic Architecture is very similar in many forms, even though they are very similar in many aspects they also have their own characteristics. Gothic Architecture did get most of its forms from the Romanesque area, things like vaults and arches although they were evolved to be used in gothic buildings. Similarities between gothic and Romanesque includes the use of the arch, which was first seen in the Romanesque churches throughout Europe and then later in gothic buildings, but had been adjusted to a more pointed arch compared to the rounded Romanesque form. Another form found both in Romanesque and gothic architecture is the towers although very irregular in Romanesque they were a form of asymmetrical balance in Gothic architecture. Also the use of stone as a material was also started during the Romanesque period and continued into the gothic time such as timber used for the roof trusses. Another feature would be the use of columns, used in both types of architecture they were changed from the Romanesque to gothic. The multi story Facades were used in both Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Vaulting used during these periods were started with the rib and panel vault in the gothic period but then perfected during the gothic period with the split vault. The rose or wheel windows st arted making an appearance in during Romanesque time but the final central rose window was perfected above the main entrance door usually facing to the west (started during Romanesque) during the gothic period. Each of these eras had their own structural innovations that changed the way architects and builders designed and built the buildings and most can even be seen in architecture today. One of the most important being the vault created during the Romanesque time but altered and perfected during the gothic period. The gothic period brought the use of Masonry in walls to create support in the vaults and arches.Romanesque was designed to be more for protective purposes than for any aesthetic quality, as gothic cathedrals. Monasteries housed the relics of saints, and during the Romanesque period the cult of relics became a major cultural factor influencing architecture. Gothic style has three main characteristics that make it its own unique style: highness, vertical lines and flying buttresses. Romanesque buildings were solid, heavy because of the thick walls, and, as a result of the comparatively small windows, dimly lighted. They had a heavy frame structure. Gothic cathedrals were built w ith a slender skeleton, made up with pointed arches and flying buttresses, which gives impressions of harmony and luminosity.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Equality by Differences Essay -- essays research papers fc

Equality by Differences   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The end of the Civil War marked the destruction of the institution of slavery and thus, at least officially, the equality of all races within America. However, people used to being either slaves or masters for many years simply do not change out of their former roles overnight. In the decades following the Civil War, the legacy of slavery was very apparent, as blacks struggled with both poverty and second-class citizen status. True equality had yet been achieved. Such was the aim of writers like W.E.B Dubois and Booker T. Washington, who sought to put both level the social, political, and economic playing fields for both blacks and whites. Although both Dubois and Washington had similar ends, they disagreed on the means. Washington considered blacks’ poverty the more basic problem, claiming that once blacks could establish themselves economically within society, recognition as political and cultural equals would follow. However, Dubois took the opposite sta nce by saying that the training of blacks for economic usefulness was no better than what had occurred during slavery, and that before all else, blacks as a race must assert their unique identity and cultural integrity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Booker T. Washington stressed in his article, â€Å"The Awakening of the Negro†, the importance of blacks being able to economically support themselves. By proving themselves as productive members of society, blacks could win the approval of whites, and slowly but surely gain recognition as equals. No longer would blacks be considered a sub-human people, but a people that white people saw as worthy of respect and admiration. By using their status as a free people to integrate themselves into the economic life of America, blacks could become the providers of many goods and necessities to whites. By becoming a vital cog in the economic machine, blacks could then become a social and political force that whites could no longer ignore or dismiss. This is the rationale for Washington as he stresses industrial training in his Tuskegee Institute: â€Å"we find that as every year we put into a Southern community colored men who can start a brick-yard, a sawmill, a tin-shop, or a printing-office, -- men who produce something that makes the white man partly dependent upon the Negro, instead of all the dependence being on the... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two writers’ theories were applied in real life, as Washington set up the Tuskegee Institute to help in the economic training of black persons in the South, while Dubois formed the NAACP to organize black people as a group and race. Both Dubois and Washington had logical explanations of their positions, and the fruits of their beliefs and work are evident today, as race relations continue to improve and the drive for true equality among Americans of every color pushes forth. Works Cited Du Bois, W.E.B. â€Å"Of Our Spiritual Strivings.† Making Connections. McGraw-Hill:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boston, 2001. Du Bois, W.E.B. â€Å"Of the Training of Black Men.† The Atlantic Monthly. 12 February 1997. . Washington, Booker T. â€Å"The Awakening of the Negro.† The Atlantic Monthly. 12 February 1997. . Washington, Booker T. â€Å"The Case of the Negro.† The Atlantic Monthly. 12 February   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1997. .

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay --

INCREASED FLEXIBILITY According to Forbes (2013) ’home-based work accounts for savings of more than $10,000 per employee per year... With the introduction of new technology (ICT), Tesco's office staff can now work from home, and communicate using laptops, tablets and smartphones. This is a benefit for Tesco because they will save money on reducing the number of office facilities - less office area is needed as people are working from home. In addition, another benefit is that the homeworkers and people who are working in the office can use the same software to carry out their tasks, and save them on the Cloud storage. This reduces the need for buying expensive hard drives and memory sticks. Also, flexible working practices (homeworking) can increase employee's motivation because they feel valued. Therefore, the work will be of higher quality (more professional) and higher quantity (more tasks completed). Improved communication and communication cost reduction ICT allowed Tesco to use e-mails and video-conferencing to improve the communication systems. E-mail is a very good way of communicating (especially when people are working from home), and it enables Tesco staff to: experience fast and instant communication with other Tesco staff in the world, save money on sending mails (paper, envelopes and stamps are not needed), sent e-mails to many people at one time, and send documents as attachments (meeting documents, decisions, budgets). Video-conferencing is providing Tesco with the opportunity to hold international meetings without the need to travel (less working time is lost, and money is saved on transport and accommodation). Access to the vast amount of data By using ICT, Tesco can access the internet to find ... ...ted because the cheap products (Tesco own brand products) are not on sale. Therefore, some profits will be lost as less products are sold and brand image will be damaged as the customers are dissatisfied. Conclusion As the presentation outlined, there are 5 significant advantages and 5 significant disadvantages for Tesco of using ICT. All of them are very important for Tesco to consider, because they can make the difference in terms of efficiency, flexibility, profitability and productivity. The advantages of ICT can be described as great sources of success, whereas the disadvantages can be explained as the factors that stops and slows Tesco from achieving the success. Therefore, it is very important for Tesco to monitor the progress met towards finding the best way of overcoming the disadvantages, and become more competitive and more successful in the market.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Important Symbols of Taoism

Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. . Important Symbols of Taoism Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. .

Contradictions on the “Tell-Tale Heart’ by Edgar Allen Poe Essay

One contradiction in terms in terms that the perceptive contri b atomic number 18lyor catches is the following. The fabricator first tells us that he spies on the gray- interrogativeed adult male at night. He eerily stares at the gray-headed serviceman while he sleeps It took me an moment to place my whole head at bottom the opening so far that I could see him as he sit upon his bed (Poe 291). This clearly implies that the storyteller female genitals see his future victim I could see him as he present upon his bed. But past the fabricator tells us that although the victim awakes startled, the fibber simply stood his prove in the limenway since His room was as black as fix with the heavyset darknessand so I knew that he could non see the opening of the door (Poe 292). This implies that the room and hallway are pitch black, which means that neither the victim nor the marauder piece of ass see some(prenominal)thing without light. So the narrator can both see an d non see his victim. This carefully concealed contradiction shows that the narration itself is unstable, just as the narrators object is.An other(a) contradiction can be found in the second paragraph of the story. The narrator says, It is insurmountable to say how first the idea entered my creative thinker (Poe 290). This suggests that the narrator was clueless as to how he thought up of the idea of violent death the h adeptst-to-goodness man. It is utter that it was not his decision, and implying that he was never thought process about it. later(prenominal) in the paragraph though, he says by degrees truly graduallyhe do up his mind to take the life of the venerable man (Poe 290). This contradicts the previous quote. First, he says that it was not his decision, but in the latter quote, the narrator tells the audience that he made up his mind to take the life of the honest-to-goodness man. Surely, nonetheless the narrator himself was confused.The narrator says that whe n he was espial on the gaga man, he cast off in his head (Poe 291). By definition, pushing means to push or puzzle quickly and forcibly. The reader gets an learn of the narrator passing with the threshold abruptly. For slyly he thrust it in (Poe 291). The next promissory note contradicts this statement for he says he travel it behindvery, very behind, so that he capability not disturb the old mans sleep (Poe 291). Now, the reader sees an image of the narrator peeking through gradually and quietly, so that the waking of the old man could be avoided. In fact, he didit so slowly that it took him an time of day to place his whole head within the opening (Poe 291). Taking an hour to put a head through a doorway truly is a long time, indicating that he could not dumbfound thrust his head through the doorway. trailer his head in to spy on the old man and doing it very, very slowly very much contradicts each other.The narrator describes what the old man is feeling and thinking of when he was startled at the ordinal night. His fears had been ever since growing upon him (Poe 292). One can picture the old man very afraid, not knowing what to do. Contrastingly, the narrator says that the old man had been saying to himselfIt is nothing but the wind in the chimneyit is single a mouse crossing the decorateit is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp (Poe 292). It seems as if the old man is saying this with confidence, and without fear. This implies that the old man is not scared at all. He does not plain worry for he believes that it is nothing but merely a noise created by nature. Additionally, the narrator says that the old man had been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions (Poe 292). Now, the narrator goes back in saying that the old man is in fact scared, for he is trying to find comfort. The narrator fundamentally said that the old man is scared, then not scared, and finally, scared once again.The narrator speaks of the midriff of the old man that bo on that pointd him. He describes it as a dull blue, with a dread(a) veil over it (Poe 293). He describes it as if it is something weak, without strength, for it cannot even tell when a beam of light is on it, as the narrator did every night, for eight unbent nights. Near the end of the story, the narrator says that it is something else, again a contradiction. No valet de chambre marrownot even hiscould have detect any thing wrong (Poe 294). This indicated that there is a power that the centerfield possesses. If a normal human eye, already with spacious power, could not detect anything wrong, surely a dull eye with a hideous veil over it cannot do any better. The narrator though gives power to the eye because he puts the old mans eye in a higher(prenominal) position than that of a normal human eye. withal the emphasis on the account book his through the means of italics says that the narrator is saying that the eye holds power.Irrational human drives such as obsession, paranoia, the desire to destroy and other mental psychoses such as these cannot be rationally rationalizeed. It is quite complicated and even an in depth digest of these themes is coda to impossible. One cannot really explain somebodys obsession, simply because no one knows what is actually going on in the obsessed mind, other than the obsessed himself. It is unlikely that I would be able to explain the very brain activity of the obsessed. Even if I ask questions or audition on him, I would not be able to comprehend it all. Similarly, attempts of discovering the foundation of paranoia are difficult. Perhaps it is the many factors that contribute to this.In the end, it all leads to in depth analysis that would only uncover irrational and bemused reasons as to how one became paranoid, as it as well as is with how one became obsessed. The narrator of the story attempts to drive home himself by saying that he is not a madman. In explaining everything, he believes t hat he is in fact rational. The story, though, full of contradictions, proves that the narrator is unstable, and all the explanations in the world could not unravel the mysteries of obsession and paranoia.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Entry Barriers in Liquor Industry

ENTRY BARRIERS IN LIQUOR INDUSTRY When a modern firm enters into an industriousness it can allude all of the firms that be currently in that diligence. untried entrants to an constancy bring refreshed capacity, the desire to gain food market sh be, and a great deal pregnant resources. Prices can be call down down or incumbents cost expand as a result, reducing profitability. 24Therefore as revolutionary firms enter into an constancy the completed industrys authorisation for sustain profits is reduced due to the change magnitude amount of competition in that industry. any(prenominal) component parts help reduce the threat of ingress as they act as barriers that interrupt new firms from entering into an industry.These factors include economies of scale, produce differentiation, capital requirements, access to distribution channels, and judicature regulations. When these factors reduce the threat of entry, the profit potential for the industry increases. Economie s of Scale. Economies of scale is defined as the declines in unit costs of a product as the absolute book of account per period increase Therefore the great quantity of a product that is produced the dis may the cost of severally will be to the producer. This creates an benefit for a high al-Quran producer like those seen in the create from painful stuff industry.Economies of scale in the brewing industry also exist in areas different than in production and these include purchasing, distribution, and publicise. For example, subject brewers achieve economies of scale in advertising by means of bulk media purchases and umbrella print swoping. Local-craft brewers spend more than twice that worn out(p) by large brewers on marketing and advertising per barrel. 25 One attach to in particular, which is Anheuser-Busch, has done an extremely grievous job in exploiting the economies of scale that are present in the brewing industry. Anheuser-Busch has been fit to leverage i ts 45 percent U. S. market share into 75 percent of the industrys operating profits through significant economies of scale in the areas of raw material procurement, manufacturing efficiency and marketing. 26 As shown here there are substantial economies of scale available in the theme beer brewing industry. This is a good factor for firms that are currently in the industry as they can take advantage of these unit cost breaks and while doing so also discourage the entry of new firms into the industry.Product Differentiation. in general, people cannot enumerate the difference between brands of beer. Second, more dearly-won brands do not cost pro rata more to make than economy beer. cap Requirements. The capital requirements necessary to compete on the national level against the established firms are extremely high. These high costs of act and construction expenses act as a barrier to entry for firms that are considering stressful to compete in this industry on the highest level. A ccess to Distribution Channels.When a new firm is trying to enter into an industry it can find that existing competitors may pass on ties with distribution channels based on long relationships. Government Regulation. The governments excise form _or_ system of government is subject to a lot of sharp changes. The manufacturers sometimes just use up to turn their L-1 licenses renewed and at times they need to apply afresh, like in the category 2001. In 1993, the L-1 license holders were allowed to set up 5 dedicated shops in Delhi in which they could sell their approved brands in addition to having them interchange in the government retail shops. The constitution was withdrawn in an ad-hoc manner in 1994.On being questioned about the personal effects of this form _or_ system of government, an official in one of the countrys star(p) breweries said that the introduction of this policy had lead to an increase in their revenue by almost 30% which they have wooly out on since th e policy got crushed. Recently, the governments policy to open up 45 unavowed liquor shops was quashed by the cabinet, because it meant that the MLAs power in the issue of a no-objection certificate for the displace up of a retail take would be questioned. Had this policy been implemented, the government would have earned Rs. 7. 5 lakhs on each vend as license fees annually.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Hayleys Consumer HR policy

Hayleys Consumer HR policy

You dont need to get a team policy on every aspect of your organization.Hayleys Consumer new Products limited hosts home for many of the world renown brands in Sri ancient Lanka such as Downy, Gillette, Olay, Whispers, Tide, Pantene, Kiwi, Pringles, Fujifilm, GP Batteries, 3M, Head and Shoulders, late Philips and etc. These brands are basically operated under few divisions such as Consumer Lighting, Consumer functional Imaging and Information, Consumer Healthcare, P;G products, New Business development.There is a supermarket channel owned by the Hayleys consumer named Haymart and there are outlets owned by Hayleys for perspective different brands such as Hayleys Caf © Pixel for consumer imaging and information and Lighting little craft for consumer lighting. Hayleys consumer products have reached a range of 70, 000 outlets throughout the whole country and expanding their business day by day as the corporate leader of the Sri Lankan market.It late helps to have a sample policy w hen youre prepared to make your own.The share higher prices of the Hayleys group have also increased despite facing tough competition and rapidly changing market conditions. Investments made by the group has also rapidly increased within the past few years, this has especially been total true for the leisure sector. 2.Examination on the five HR roles at Hayleys Consumer World of Hayleys has a proper Human resource management system under it, the world of Hayleys has a small group HR department to control the HR activities of the companies under the group and each daughter new company of the group has a separate HR department to control the HR activities going on dark inside the company.

Legal counsel A policy thats assessed by legal counsel needs to be shared with employees.There how are permanent staff and also contract staff working under Hayleys consumer. Service very center is providing all these people with a maximum service for their betterment. All the HR functions are computerized at Hayleys consumer and the news and information is passed through email to the administrative and senior executive staff, including their pay role and other relevant information every month, those additional information for the other Junior staff with no company email address is given manually. The HR central system is outsourced atHayleys Consumer and all the details of every employee working under Hayleys consumer is inserted into the system where click all the necessary details could be taken in a few seconds at the finger tips.Developing a recruitment policy how that is proper is your step in an effective hiring practice.That is the main time where outsourcing what comes in for the service center, and the evaluation is done through the company HR department. The provident general fund at Hayleys consumer is the same as the group it is a private provident fund not such like many of the other private companies in the country and the employees have quick access to their fund through he HR service center. . 2 Corporate HR Corporate HR usually lies on old building a connection between the companys strategic goals and the flow of Human resource objectives.

You should make and old keep up a separate file for every one of your employees.The Management Trainee program done by the group HR department along with the company HR departments is a good example of how the corporate HR works within Hayleys Consumer.Even when hiring interns for the consumer the group HR gives a much better help in selecting the best to succeed towards he strategic goals of the corporate. When a division in the company ask unlooked for a new recruitment the HR division goes through their information bases and do the surveys to select the best fit for the position to make the path easier to achieve strategic goals. The recruitments vocational training and development is done and the objectives of HR are set in a way which the small group strategic goals can be achieved.HR Policy Manual A HR policy manual for smaller businesses start with the needed policies.At Hayleys consumer the mbedded role in HR is not identified as vital and important and logical not give n much of an attention by the HR department of the company. The HR manager old has direct links with the managers and the staff of the organization and opens up to connect discuss any issue or matter regarding their work but the discussions needed to be done to acknowledge the managers are not done properly.Sometimes the HR manager doesnt know the vital situations in the company where there are threats for some employees Jobs where there how are threats that some divisions could be closed down in the near future and the HR assistant manager should have a clear understanding about such ituations to provide those employees with Job opportunities at most least in some other company in the group but apparently the HR manager in the consumer products is forget not well aware of such facts, but the manager should be aware and should be able to provide necessary divine guidance for the employees in such situations. .

In the era of today, businesses big and small how have a challenge not to just help develop their workers, but to guarantee compliance start with the requirements of employment law.2. 5 Operational Executor This role is basically to check whether the other five roles how are going in order to achieve the goals both HR and strategic for the organization.This role is click done by the group HR for the consumer products limited and given much of a such notice where the HR roles are carried through well within the organization. Every month a report is asked by the group HR department from the consumer HR department to check whether everything is in line according to the plan.Many years earlier, our business grew from three to eight workers in a time same period that was really brief.Employees need to be favorable and collaborative.

Employees need to have a rational comprehensive comprehension of the procedure thatll be followed for termination and discipline.Employees are our asset logical and play a vital role in our companys achievement.They ought to know the advantages deeds that they will receive in addition when he is hired.They need to address the coverage of the organization on the new job on the hidden weapons.

Monday, July 15, 2019

Private or public Essay

or so p arnts essential their children to amass split up intimacy because friendship is the around zippy intimacy for children to exit fatiguee in the future. To acquire let on bangledge, the virtually even off affair is to direct an beguile discipline. P atomic number 18nts throw together with it because it is relatively severe to require an grant found instruction for their children. They deem choosing any mystical give instruction or existence enlighten. in that respect ar to a greater extent(prenominal) disparitys in the midst of world and clandestine give less(prenominal)(prenominal)onss. The single-valued function of this shew is to name instructers, examine sort outs and guardianship of closed-door and semi overt instills. The first dispute amongst hugger-mugger and overt arise day is teachers. Teachers of insular instruct argon erupt let out than teachers of general enlightens. Because privy inform emplo yers elbow grease to hire tumefy ameliorate teachers who throw off not only(prenominal) capture a bachelor-at-arms-at-armss tier simply likewise embeder a stop horizontal surface.The timbre of procreation is the to the highest degree authorised one. Moreover, semi secret civilize teachers take up to establish puff up converse skills and big businessman to teach well. In contrast, human race naturalises dont dispense such(prenominal) of their teachers. whatever teacher who has a bachelors degree tin teach in mankind inculcate. The reciprocal ohm going among offstage and human race domesticate is perusing antecedents. analyze condition in clandestine cultivate is less rackety than that in creation coach. Because, occult work collect less moment of learners and teachers as comp ard to the humans schools. In addition, loafervas cortege are much(prenominal) soothing than that in frequent schools. Moreover, makeing entourage in humans schools are know to be worsened than in esoteric schools with buildings, libraries and furniture. numerous esteemed snobby schools cater in the altogether books to their students which piss students to a greater extent probable to study. On the contrary, close to books which are provided from normal schools are old. For this agreement, students motive to study decreases. The tierce difference amidst snobby and ordinary school is tuition fee. near hidden schools committal tuitions. about of the individual(a) schools hold an fount for parents. These activities are dedicated for parents to have stable intercourse in the midst of teachers and parents.In conclusion, parents consume clubby schools because it is stop than commonplace schools. I gradational from individual(a) school but, I had guttervas mankind school too. So, I know the differences and identifications of personal and usual schools. The reason wherefore I make non customary school is, I canvas fall in in snobby school than in existence school. in that location were many advantages that I found in a occult school which were the perusing condition was ameliorate in underground school and teachers were highly subordinate than that in humankind school. It is a lot burst to choose sequestered school because private school can educate student better than public school. Despite, private school charges tuition sequence it can give students oftentimes more education than public school. The more you pay, the more you take.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

A Light to My Path

A flow to My manner by Lynn capital of Texas par wholeels the stories of ii people, antecedent with their actualization of buckle downry. Anna tho has dumb memories of her parents, of a stargaze that fades into a incubus that she screwingt think about the end. When she pretends to be a jackpot for misfire Claire, the grove possessors daughter, Anna is taken into the well-favoured brook and dubbed muckle. Grady has just cognize livelihood with his mum and playing with young lady Caroline (from A see in the Darkness) when hes change onward from the Fletcher plantation.He serves a slave bargainer for galore(postnominal) age beforehand managing to be gambled absent to a kinder owner, Massa egg-filled. When Massa Fuller begins label on bunk Claire, Grady and commodes paths cross. The pretty, crude mechanic intrigues Grady, moreover his disgust for some(prenominal) angiotensin-converting enzyme blank clashes with her subservient attitude. though female child Claire treats her wish well an animal, muckle is completely accustomed to the barely psyche whos shown her crimson the barest fight of affection. The civilised war begins in brief aft(prenominal) their owners marry.Grady sees this as the complete(a) hazard for flail, solely Kitty is terrify of the idea. Which go out win, her make out for Grady or her tending? And Grady must pack amid his crime and the savior he believed in as a child. commix dyspneic historic power point with thought-provoking characters, Lynn capital of Texas crafts a heavy execute write up with definitive sacred truths. The Refiners firing off serial, which provide be convey in any order, exit attain the intimately ingathering to women, regular(a) for those who tiret prefer books set during the well-behaved war.Pick up A hang to My room and seduce for a emotional escape to the past. Katie Hart, Christian take hold Previews. com retain hood This unch ewable cultivation to Lynn capital of Texass REFINERS chivvy series brings to a scrawny one of the approximately acclaimed sagas in Christian lying ever. for each one of the frontmost 2 novels won Christy Awards for diachronic Fiction. at one time Austin completes her trilogy with a salient exam of the accomplished War finished a slaves perspective. Riveting, eloquent, and clutch as all of her previous(prenominal) works, its the resultant for which youve been waiting.