Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Special Feeding Adaptations of the Seahorse

The seahorse is one of 54 different species of fish in the marine genus Hippocampus—a word that comes from the Greek word for horse. Only a small handful of species are commonly seen in tropical and temperate waters of both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They range in size from tiny, 1/2-inch fish to nearly 14 inches in length. Seahorses are one of the only fish that swim in an upright position  and are the slowest-swimming of all fishes. Seahorses are generally considered to be an evolved form of pipefish. How Seahorses Eat Because they swim so slowly, eating can be a challenge for the seahorse. Further complicating things is the fact that a seahorse has no stomach. It needs to eat almost constantly because food quickly passes straight through its digestive system. An adult seahorse will eat 30 to 50 times per day, while baby  seahorses  eat 3,000 pieces of food per day. Seahorses do not have teeth; they suck in their food and swallow it whole. Thus their prey needs to be very small. Primarily, seahorses feed on plankton, small fish and small crustaceans, such as shrimp and copepods. To compensate for its lack of swimming speed, a seahorses neck is well adapted for catching prey. Seahorses ambush their prey by hovering silently nearby, attached to plants or corals and often camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings. Suddenly, the seahorse will tilt its head and slurp in its prey. This movement results in a distinctive sound. Unlike their relatives, the pipefish, seahorses can extend their heads forward, a process that is aided by their curving neck. Although they cant swim as well as pipefish, The seahorse has the ability to stealthily reach out and strike their prey. This means that they can wait for prey to pass by their perch, rather than actively pursuing them—a task that is difficult given their very slow speed. The hunt for prey is also aided by the seahorses eyes, which have evolved to move independently, allowing them an easier search for prey.   Seahorses as Aquarium Specimens What about captive seahorses? Seahorses are popular in the aquarium trade, and there is currently a movement to raise seahorses in captivity to protect the wild population. With coral reefs in danger, the native habitat of the seahorse is also challenged, leading to ethical concerns about harvesting them from the wild for the aquarium trade. Further, captive-bred seahorses seem to thrive better in aquariums than do capture  wild seahorses.   However, efforts to breed seahorses in captivity is somewhat complicated by the fact that young seahorses prefer live food that must be very small, given the tiny size of the young seahorses. While they are often fed frozen crustaceans, captive seahorses do better when feeding on live food. Live wild- or captive-raised copepods (tiny crustaceans)  and rotifers are a good food source that allows young seahorses to thrive in captivity. Resources and Further Reading Bai, Nina. â€Å"How the Sea Horse Got Its Curves.† Scientific American, Springer Nature, 1 Feb. 2011.Scales, Helen. Poseidons Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality. Gotham, 2009.â€Å"Sea Horse Facts.† The Seahorse Trust, Seahorse Alliance, 2019.Souza-Santos, Là ­lia P., et al. â€Å"Prey Selection of Juvenile Seahorse Hippocampus Reidi.† Aquaculture, vol. 404-405, 10 Aug. 2013, pp. 35-40.â€Å"Theres Something About Seahorses.† Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Cosmetic Surgery Industry Is No Different - 1736 Words

In modern America, media dictates opinions of society from the types of clothing worn to the political candidates supported; the cosmetic surgery industry is no different. With popular television shows Extreme Makeover, the general public is inundated with images promoting the use of cosmetic surgery to achieve the societal view of what is beautiful. The stereotypical definition of beauty is vast, but has several common factors, such as: full lips, large breasts, small waists, and curvy hips. For most women, these traits do not come naturally, therefore women feel obligated to spend thousands of dollars and risk their health to undergo cosmetic procedures. Due to the influx of those seeking cosmetic surgery, physicians are looking for†¦show more content†¦40). Three theories that best represent the influence of media on body image are Social Comparison Theory, which shows how individuals appraise themselves by analyzing others, Self-Schema Theory that explains the self-wort h of individuals are established by what is viewed as beneficial, and Self Discrepancy Theory which illustrates that individuals posses a glorified version of themselves (Walker 1+). Although these theories do not explain all of the ways in which media influences the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery, they do support a more clear understanding of the significance of media images. Additionally, in â€Å"Body Image and the Media,† Walker affirms that â€Å"People compare themselves to images, internalize these idealized images as the norm, and absorb the message that they should judge themselves based on their appearance† (1+). The study published in â€Å"An Intervention†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , contemplated that the image of a woman with a slim figure would cause the viewer’s self-appreciation to decline, yet when presented with media fallacies, her self-appreciation would increase (Haas et. al. 405+). Haas postulates that â€Å"Interaction effects and post-hoc ana lyses revealed significant positive changes in the experimental group’s view of their overall boy esteem, sexual

Monday, December 9, 2019

Financial Analysis and the Investment Decisions

Question : Obtain annual financial reports of BP (petrol company) for the period 2010 to 2013 inclusive. Do a financial analysis based on Consolidated data and write a brief report from the perspective of financial analysts of the firm. Answer : Introduction In order to take finance decisions it is very important that proper analysis is being conducted on the various available opportunities for a firm and an enterprise. The relationship between the sources of investments is to be judged after proper analysis could be done. The investors generally compare the opportunities from the bank rate of interest which is always prefixed and also risk free return is being earned by them for this. The analysis of the financial position of BP ltd is as under for the period commencing from 2010 to 2013 Types Of Ratios BP LTD 2013 2012 2011 2010 Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio 1.33 1.19 1.06 1.08 Quick Ratio 0.91 0.82 0.74 0.76 Cash Ratio 0.23 0.21 0.16 0.22 Activity Ratios Inventory Turnover 10.39 10.96 10.61 6.25 Debtor's turnover 8.28 8.85 7.85 3.82 Asset Turnover Ratio 1.24 1.25 1.28 1.28 Working Capital Turnover Ratio 15.79 25.33 69.75 23.76 Solvency Ratios Debt Equity Ratio 0.37 0.41 0.39 0.47 Proprietary Ratio 0.48 0.45 0.37 0.39 Capital Gearing Ratio 3.17 2.44 2.70 3.16 Profitability Ratios GP Ratio 14.05% 13% 17.51% 5.48 % Return On Capital Ratio 18.22 10% 19.95 (3.47) EPS Ratio 123.87 60.86 135.93 (19.81) NP Ratio 6.27 3% 8.78 (1.12) EPS Per Share Particulars 2013 2012 2011 2010 Total Earnings 23758 11816 26097 -3324 No of Shares 191.80 194.15 191.99 167.794 EPS 123.87 60.86 135.93 -19.81 Net Tangible Asset backing Per Share Particulars 2013 2012 2011 2010 Net Tangible Assets. 96187 83718 79280 72995 No of Shares 191.80 194.15 191.99 167.79 NTA/Per Share 501.502 431.202 412.941 435.027 Profitability Analysis The profitability ratios are being used to find the position of the profits that the business that is being earned by the business and it is very important to judge the decisions of investment based on these ratios. The gross profit makes us clear about the trading profits which is being decreased by other expenses in the net profit ratio and hence such ratios are important to get the knowledge that whether the business is profitable or not. It can be witnessed by the above calculations for BP Ltd that the company is improving in the profitability structure by the time as seen by the figures of 2013. The overall profits of the company including EPS had shown a great improvement along with the total return on capital employed. This shows that it had focused on its weakness and improved with time. Liquidity Analysis The liquidity ratios indicate the strength of the business in terms where there will be some issues related to the payment of short term liabilities and it is very dangerous to have low ratios and it although company is able to able to pay off the liabilities with the present current assets but the liquidity position is not too strong for the company as the quick or acid test ratios are less than one which indicates that company has assets but lacks quick and liquid assets. The cash is also not as much as needed for maintaining the liquidity of the firm. The company BP Ltd should focus on the liquidity of the company by managing the working capital levels effectively. Activity/ Solvency Ratios These are ratios that investor will look at the most when they are looking for long term investments in the business as they would like that the operating cycle of the company goes on very well so that the liquidity is being maintained as well as the efficiency of the working can be well determined by the above ratios. The collection period indicates how well the debtors are being realized from credit sales as lower is the collection period it is better for the company. The turnover ratios are a good proof that the company is working in the correct direction or not. It shows that the operating effectiveness which effects the business a lot. The debtors and inventory turnovers needs a look as the stock held in hand is less but the collection period is high for BP Ltd which also somewhere shows that the working capital cycle of the company is not so strong to manage future shocks. The debt equity ratios for the company is the most attractive part of the company as it is very low which shows that the firm has a good capital base and it also maintaining it over the years of trade. The company should ensure that the same is maintained as it decreases the cost of capital for the investors and makes the firm less risks and fundamentally strong. Overall Attractiveness The most significant thing that a layman can also understand is the EPS as well as the ROCE as this can be used to judge the performance on a overall basis and its easier to have better idea of the corporate. It is very good for the company and has improved with time to the great extent in the long run and would increase in the near future also. As the company is in the phase of growth and this would itself lead the company to establish itself in the corporate world. Recommendation It is being recommended that the investors should invest in the company from a long term prospective as the company has good potential along with the investments compare the returns with the bank return in the country Australia which is about 3.55% on the deposits but it can be seen that in the companies taken above it is lower than these and it is very hard for the investors to look over it and thus it is very important to look over the ratios well before any decisions can be taken. So the investors should go for investment in this company due to the growth feature. Conclusion It can be concluded that the decision of investment is to be taken with due care and before any such decisions is taken proper analysis should be done in order to establish certain goals related to the enterprise. The investment opportunities are subject to the market risk which should also be considered before any decisions could be taken on the same References https://www.aaii.com/journal/article/financial-ratio-analysis-putting-the-numbers-to-work https://www.academia.edu/5180572/Financial_Ratio_Analysis_of_Firms_A_Tool_for_Decision_Making https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-5957.1987.tb00106.x/abstract.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The True Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone Antigo Essay Example For Students

The True Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone Antigo Essay ne essays Antigone: The True Tragic Hero Antigone, is the drama written by Sohpocles. There is still a great debate on who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone, Creon or Antigone. Many people believes that it must be Antigone, herself. This is because Antigone is an outstanding example of someone who did what she thought was right, while she was among fools, many hardships, and people who were discouragingly uncourageous. When the king Creon ordered that the body of Polyneices, Antigones brother, be left to rot unburied because he had died as a traitor, she tried to buried him even she knew that she would be punished. We will write a custom essay on The True Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone Antigo specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now She believed that a dead persons soul could not rest if that persons body was not buried so she chooses to challenge a powerful Creon, the king of Thebes in order to let her brother rest peacefully. This presents a huge problem for Antigone; she feels she must obey the laws of the gods and bury her brother, but the penalty would be earthly death. To me, Antigone is a hero, what she did for her brother was very respectful, not many could have the strength to do so in the same situation. However, I believe the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone is Creon, not Antigone. Creon, as king of Thebes, is at the top of the social ladder. Yet, not only is he king, he is also human and possesses frailties, which qualify him to make serious mistakes, and he possesses talents, which allow him also to excel. Hence, Creon is neither overly good nor bad. Appropriately, Creons station as king place shim in a position of great power, influence and responsibility. The extent of this power was quite evident when he sentenced Antigone to death for disobeying his proclamation. Creons tragic flaw was his hubris or his pride and arrogance in the face of divine powers. His downfall began when he denied the basic divine right of burial to Polyneices and was cemented when he condemned Antigone for her opposition to his law. When one closely examines Antigones reasons for burying her brother, it becomes clear that she was simply demonstrating her love, honor, and loyalty to her family. However, the reason that Creon is angered is that he feels injured and insulted that Antigone flagrantly and publicly disobeyed him. He was additionally inflamed that she was his niece and betrothed to his son, Haemon. Historically, when especially a woman threatens a mans authority,, his self-esteem is irreparably damaged. But he tired to fix the mistakes that he had made even he is a great king. The whole play is sad, it is make viewers feel anger and respectful. I do respect Antigone, but personally I respect Croen more since he is the king. With his such high position, he could still responsibly for his wrong actions. .

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Blog 7 Essays - Payment Systems, Money, Finance, Economy

Blog 7 Essays - Payment Systems, Money, Finance, Economy Blog 7 The company I chose, Apple Inc. is very famous company we know. Recently, some credit card owners report that some people was using the stolen credit card to buy items on apple pay lead to credit card owners lost money. Because apple pay doesn't need to provide actual credit card and signature. Apple Inc. can't distinguish whether the credit card data are fraudulent. It causes consumers lose faith in Apple Inc. and credit card suppliers. Thus, apple should increase security and protection on method of payment. Discovering new method of payment are useful for definite the customer. From Komonews, I also find out that about 100 million credit cards data were stolen from 2013 to 2014 by hackers or from Home Depot. Even some websites sold credit card information. However, credit monitoring won't help customers by credit card being been compromised as an excise. For solving this situation, credit card companies are required to develop new "chip and pin" technology. It will be difficult to counterfeit and replicate than before. I believe that more security and protection will increase development of economic.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Definition and Examples of Exclusive We

Definition and Examples of Exclusive 'We' In English grammar, exclusive we is the use of first-person plural pronouns (we, us, our, ours, ourselves) to refer only to the speaker or writer and his or her associates, not to the person(s) addressed. For example, Dont call us; well call you. In contrast to inclusive we, exclusive we does not include the audience or the reader. Often (but not always), exclusive we occurs when the first-person plural is used in the company of a second-person pronoun (you, yours, yourself, yourselves).   The term clusivity was recently coined to denote the phenomenon of inclusive-exclusive distinction (Elena Filimonova, Clusivity, 2005). Examples and Observations: Im especially fond of the inclusive and exclusive we. Thats a distinction between Were going to the movies. Are you ready yet? and Were going to the movies. See you later!- in other words, between being invited to the party and being a third wheel.Its particularly useful when you want to switch back and forth between the two: Im writing to you on behalf of my colleagues. We (exclusive) are wondering if youd be interested in collaborating with us (exclusive). We (inclusive) could accomplish great things together! We (exclusive) hope to hear from you soon about the future of us (inclusive)!(Gretchen McCulloch, Four Features From Other Languages That We Wish English Had. Slate, October 24, 2014)Defenders of Earth: we have come for your natural resources to rebuild our damaged planet. When we have transported all we need, we will leave your world in peace. For such peace to exist, you must immediately exile the Autobot rebels you have harbored. Non-negotiable! Renounce the rebels. We awa it your reply.(Leonard Nimoy as the voice of Sentinel Prime in the movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon, 2011) All we ask is that you make use of these ships. Sail them back to Westeros where you belong, and leave us to conduct our affairs in peace.(George Georgiou as Razdal mo Eraz in The Bear and the Maiden Fair. Game of Thrones, 2013 Khrushchev: Many things youve shown us are interesting, but they are not needed in life. They have no useful purpose. They are merely gadgets. We have a saying: if you have bedbugs you have to catch one and pour boiling water into the ear.Nixon: We have another saying. This is, that the way to kill a fly is to make it drink whiskey. But we have better use for whiskey.(Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and American president Richard Nixon in the Kitchen Debate, July 24, 1959. Richard Nixon: Speeches, Writings, Documents, ed. by Rick Perlstein. Princeton University Press, 2008Well, all along, I guess, I thought we didnt have much of a life. You know, I felt wewell, not you, but the rest of uswere rejects. In fact, they actually had me believing that I was totally undeserving, and I was supposed to be missing out on even the basics.(Sky Lee, Bellydancer. Raincoast Books, 2002 For the present, let us return to the experiment with the opium. We have decided that you leave off the habit of smoking from this moment.(Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone, 1868You heard Santos-Dumont talking about going to St. Louis and winning a prize? Im damned if he will, not while weve got time to build an airship of our own.What do you mean we?Why Fitz, you dont think wed leave you out? Were letting you in on the ground floor as our first investor, and youll get your share of the prize money in St. Louis.(Walter J. Boyne, Dawn Over Kitty Hawk: The Novel of the Wright Brothers. Forge, 2003) The Top-Down Approach - Exclusive we . . . excludes the reader since it suggests an us-them relationship. Its use may make a text appear authoritarian as it underlines opinions of or actions undertaken by a group external to the addressee.(Anne Barron, Public Information Messages. John Benjamins, 2012)- The exclusive we implicitly sets up a hierarchical power relation and points to the top-down approach in instituting change.(Aaron Koh, Tactical Globalization. Peter Lang, 2010) Combinations of Inclusive We and Exclusive We Biber et al. (1999: 329) assert that the meaning of the first person plural pronoun [we] is often vague: we usually refers to the speaker/writer and the addressee (inclusive we), or to the speaker/writer and some other person or persons associated with him/her (exclusive we). The intended reference can even vary in the same context. Inclusive and exclusive we can be used to create a perspective of: I the speaker you the addressee(s) in the immediate context (inclusive we) and I the speaker someone else not in the immediate context (exclusive we). . . . Understanding speaker identity is crucial to understanding context . . .. (Elaine Vaughan and Brian Clancy, Small Corpora and Pragmatics. Yearbook of Corpus Linguistics and Pragmatics 2013: New Domains and Methodologies, ed. by Jesà ºs Romero-Trillo. Springer, 2013) Grammatical Features Associated With Inclusive We and Exclusive We [A]lthough the distinction between an inclusive/exclusive  we is not morphologically marked in English, Scheibmanns (2004) analysis of conversational utterances in the first person plural has shown that different referential values of we may be signaled by the differential employment of other formal features of the utterance. More specifically, an inclusive interpretation of we was found to favor employment of present tense and modal verbs, while exclusive interpretations of we appear more frequently with past tense and fewer modal verbs. (Theodossia-Soula Pavlidou, Constructing Collectivity With We: An Introduction. Constructing Collectivity: We Across Languages and Contexts, ed. by Theodossia-Soula Pavlidou. John Benjamins, 2014) Read More Discourse Analysis Editorial  We,  Inclusive  We, and  Royal  We First-Person Point of View  and  First-Person Pronouns PragmaticsSociolinguistics

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Innovation - Essay Example So Change is a process of transition from one stage to another and organization have to move forward and manage change, otherwise they will go backward as at is said in management there is no standstill. The following illustration is very simply explaining the process of change transition stages. Change Management is the process of moving from the current state to the vision of the future and involves a degree of transition. Organizations today focus on the factors that may lead them to the innovative techniques and can bring a change into the society. Change Change is defined as the process of transforming or entering from one stage to another. Changes may be positive or negative depending upon the circumstances and conditions that are leading for any change whether in any condition, change requires a lot of efforts either to bring it or to accept it. Changes with respect to External and Internal Factors If we looked at what has happened in terms of massive challenges and changes at the globe, it revolved around some very important areas. Examples are: Political Challenges / Changes: The Israeli / Arab Conflict, Iraq and Afghanistan War†¦ etc. All of these conflicts have not been resolved and in fact getting more complicated by the emerging of the Political revaluations in the Arab World e.g. Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦etc. ... E.g. laptops, mobiles, digital cameras and computers with more usage of Face book, twitter†¦..etc. Social Challenges / Changes: The world population growth is getting a problem and total number of world population has exceeded five (5) billions and growth rate in certain countries is around 3 to 4%. Such challenges requires government to find food, homes, jobs, better health systems and protection to fight deceases as these deceases are effecting people and business from time to time and the recent one was the H1N1. E.g. all airlines and hotels we found them to be empty as people don’t want to work with others. So a better protected life is required to all human round the globe. Culture Challenges / Changes: This is a very serious challenge and I believe the most serious enemy to Innovation is having a culture that has not support innovations at all levels and types of innovative areas; According to Peter Drucher – The most innovative area may well have been manage ment itself – with "Outsourcing" and "Downsizing" economic value analysis and reengineering sweeping the Management World. He added: the next decade will require even more innovation, and especially from business and business executives. For, surely he said the next decade will be a decade of changes. Therefore, I will emphasis more in the couple few pages on the culture looking into it from business prospective, so that will be able to critically evaluate the claim that any organization can learn to be innovative. Organization culture is frequently perceived as a fuzzy, soft, elusive area that is difficult to define and has an unknown impact on organizations results.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

California's Drought Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

California's Drought - Research Paper Example As indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor report, in July of 2014 more than a half of California was in the state of "extraordinary" drought- the highest point on a five-level scale. The year 2014 was the first year when this territory has seen such extraordinary level of drought, as a larger part of a land undergone serious harm due to drought, and the indicators became more and more - "extreme" and "exceptional." Some meteorological stations, such as Central Valley, marked this period the driest in the history of observations. The drought in California resulted in serious changes of the water supply– the state has depleted its reservoirs in the quantity equal to the annual, and dampness in California`s topsoil and subsoil has about been exhausted. Nevertheless, scientists claim that for California climate this is not a complete novelty, and serious droughts have always been a part of the state history. Gradual climate changes on the planet, lack of precipitation, and the geog raphical position of the state have become the major causes of California`s droughts. That is why the government must get ready for the return of severe droughts and use new technologies to prevent such a serious harm to the territory. The effect of California`s drought was devastating for agriculture and resulted in serious economic and social problems. It is estimated that the net revenue loss connected with the drought for agriculture was about 3%, while the total cost in dollars equaled $2.2 billion. Moreover, the drought also had the effect on the level of unemployment in a state and resulted in the loss of more than 17.000 working places with significant part of them being in the farming sector. Agriculture was hit the most nevertheless: around 5% of the irrigated land was considered out of production at the same time with the loss of $800 million of crop revenue. The livestock losses were also impressive: more than $203 million was calculated in revenue loss. Thus, serious economic consequences have become the result of poor planning and the absence of preliminary measures despite the history of droughts (Drought Impact Study, 2014).

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay Example for Free

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay Ernest Hemingway is the ideal of an American legend, rugged, no-nonsense, with personal adventures rivaled only by those in his groundbreaking fiction.   His sparse newspaper style created a literary furor and his success came early and grew until the day he died.   In addition to his canonical novels, Hemingway was also adept at short fiction, including one only six-words long.   Besides, his male bravado, he also managed to capture the alienating effects of modern life in his fiction.   The modern themes of abortion, feminism, and alienation are expressed simply and eloquently in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants. † In the short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† Hemingway explores modern alienation in a tense discussion between a couple waiting for a train.   Two Americans in Spain, the man is trying to pressure the woman into some operation, though it is never revealed what this operation is.   Throughout the tense, yet sparse conversation, the man insists she have the operation, yet the woman resists.   It becomes increasingly clear that the operation they discuss may be an abortion, and the tension between the two symbolizes something uniquely modern.   Though abortions have been performed for centuries, it remained taboo until the twentieth century. Hemingway, though never specifically citing abortion as the subject in the story, displays the alienating effect it has on relationships and couples:   â€Å"‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.’   The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on. ‘I know you wouldnt mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in’† (Hemingway).   The man refuses to completely acknowledge the significance of the situation, perhaps suggesting either his refusal or dismissal of Jig’s role as a woman worthy of making her own decision. According to critic Paul Lankin, â€Å"as the man persists in opposing the continuance of Jig’s maternity, he grossly oversimplifies the issue, even to the point of self-contradiction, calling abortion first ‘an awfully simple operation’ and then ‘not really an operation at all’† (234).   His dismissive attitude speaks of a former socially acceptable condescension by men towards women during a time when women were often treated as second class citizens.   This frank discussion between the man and the woman seems only possible in modern literature and seems unimaginable during Victorian times. The tension between the man and the girl is palpable in the short story.   Though they are travelers, imbibing alcohol and waiting for the train to their next destination, the conversation is filled with underlying themes of male dominance and female perseverance.   The man continuously belittles the girl’s feelings towards the pregnancy, and his argument includes many attempts at downplaying the importance.   The man persistently tries to convince her, even though he seems to feign sincerity in much of his words: â€Å"‘Well,’ the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to.   I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to.   But I know it’s perfectly simple’† (Hemingway).    The girl does her best to contend with the man, believing that if she listens to him the relationship will be back to normal.   She hides her worry with levity, including her comment about the hills looking like white elephants.   It becomes apparent that more than fear over the procedure, the girl is coming to the realization that her relationship with the man is not what she thought it was: â€Å"the girl clings to a dream of family and togetherness until the last minute, and finally decides to give it all up as the requisite price of staying with the man-not knowing, as the reader does, from the many hints provided by Hemingway, that the man is likely to leave her, even if she goes through with the abortion† (Hashmi 3). Her final declaration that she is fine is the affirmation that a man cannot dictate her womanhood and her life decisions.   In the end, she becomes the one with the strength and wisdom, understanding that the relationship is forever changed.   The newfound disconnect between the man and the girl will be permanent after this episode, exemplifying the theme of alienation brought by many modern decisions. Though the man believes that the only way to preserve the comfortable relationship is to maintain the status quo, even if it means aborting their baby, the woman disagrees.   The American tries to make himself sound perfectly reasonable and rational, but as the dialogue continues, it becomes clear that he is both selfish and hypocritical (â€Å"Overview: Hills Like White Elephants†). The couple’s disagreement, about something as monumental as creating human life, is a clear sign that they have little that bonds them other than their superficiality.   The girl even comments in the beginning of the story how, â€Å"That’s all we do, isnt it look at things and try new drinks?’† The man responds, â€Å"I guess so† (Hemingway).   Later, when the man claims that everything will be the same after the abortion and the baby is the only thing that made them unhappy, it seems like a statement lacking all truth. The very fact that keeping or aborting a baby is a choice, is a uniquely modern issue.   The reality of having to even consider it completely destroys their carefree lifestyle as travelers in Europe, and underlines their existences as solitary beings alienated from each other.   Ironically, the man claims that he only wants her and no one else, but his statements seem insincere. The girl realizes their alienation from each other and the happiness they once knew with the â€Å"claim that Europe ‘isn’t ours anymore,’ which expresses her knowledge that such an innocent return to a secularized American-in-Europe experience of time is impossible† (Grant 3).   Europe is not theirs to share, seemingly as if enjoyment is also no longer theirs to share.   The complexity of their modern dilemma illustrates the true distance between them. Hemingway’s story is one that could only be written during modern times.   Though not many years removed from the Victorian Age, the themes of abortion, feminine independence, and modern alienation have continued to echo throughout the literature of modernity.   While short and devoid of lengthy descriptions, the dialogue and significant themes give â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† a lasting power that only continues to grow as time goes by. Works Cited: Grant, David. â€Å"Hemingways ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ and the tradition of the American in Europe.† Studies in Short Fiction. Summer, 1998. 25 July 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2455/is_3_35/ai_83585388/pg_3. Hashmi, Nilofer. â€Å"‘Hills Like White Elephants’: The Jilting Of Jig.† The Hemingway Review.   Fall 2003. 25 July 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3786/is_200310/ai_n9334110/pg_3. Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The Heath Anthology of American Literature.   Lauter, Paul.   3rd Ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† Short Stories for Students, Vol. 6. The Gale Group, 1999. Lankin, Paul. â€Å"Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants.† The Explicator. Summer 2005; v63.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Cloning Dilemma :: Science Genetics Essays

The Cloning Dilemma Cloning is one of the most widely talked about topics in this world. It is one topic that evokes a great public response worldwide. The defenders of cloning believe that cloning and genetic engineering will be the answer to most of the diseases in the future. On the other hand, the people against cloning view it as ‘ playing God ’. Cloning is unethical because people will lose their identities if their clones come into this world. We are taking nature into our own hands by cloning animals or humans. Cloning is the process of creating a cell, tissue line or even a complete organism from a single cell. The concept of cloning was introduced in 1903, and plants were the first living organisms to be cloned. Other examples of clones are trees sending up runners, worms dividing into smaller worms, populations of genetically identical bacteria and cells dividing into tissue. The word clone actually comes from the Greek root for â€Å" twig † ( klon ). Human cloning is a prospect no longer left to the fantastic realm of science fiction novels; rather it is a modern possibility. In 1997, embryologists in Scotland cloned the first mammal, a sheep named Dolly. Shortly thereafter, scientists in the United States cloned a set of monkeys. There are many advantages and disadvantages of cloning and a lot of ethical issues related to it. The entire realm of biotechnology is fraught with dangers and problems that require careful study and democratic debate of key ethical issues. In an era where everything depends on technology and where life can be created and redesigned in a Petri dish and genetic codes can be edited like a digital text, the distinction between ‘ natural ’ and ‘ artificial ’ have become very complex. The defenders of biotechnology extol its potential to increase food production and quality and to cure diseases and prolong human life. Its critics, on the other hand, claim that genetic engineering of food would produce â€Å" Frankenfoods † (Best and Kellner 440) that would pollute

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Acids

Acids are very corrosive substances that can break down materials easily. The higher acidity obtained by a substance, the faster it is able to decompose another material. In order to determine the acidity of certain substances, a pH scale is used. On this scale, numbers one to fourteen are placed. Fourteen would represent an increased amount of alkalinity rather than acidity. Seven is a neutral zone, and one would be an increased amount of acidity rather than alkalinity (USGS, 2016). Figure 1 shows how the scale works and a select few substances that obtain different pH values. These values range from 14 to 1. The greater acidity of a substance, the more pernicious it is. The lower acidity of a substance, the less corrosive it becomes. In order to determine the perniciousness of a material, a pH scale is used. Testing strips help determine this. A pH testing strip is a piece of paper that is used to measure the molar concentration of hydrogen ions to determine the acidity or basicity of a substance (GSU, 2000). The use of pH testing strips supply plentiful information when trying to find the pH of a substance.Figure 1: Standard pH Scale (BIOL 1406)Soft DrinksStudies have provided information that many of commercially sold soft drinks in the United States are extremely corrosive with a pH of 4.0 or lower. The average dissolution of tooth structure begins at 4.0 (Zhejiang University, 2009). Thus stated, these soft drinks have a detrimentally high erosive potential and are able to cause dissolution. The soft drink Pepsi has a pH of 2.37. Orange Crush maintains a pH of 2.87. Dr. Pepper reveals a pH of 2.88. Country Time Lemonade shows a pH of 2.57, and Coca Cola contains a pH of 2.39 (Reddy, et. Al., 2015). Pepsi has the lowest pH of these select soft drinks, so it has the highest acidic level, whereas Dr. Pepper has the highest pH. Concluding this, Pepsi is the most corrosive substance, and Dr. Pepper is the least corrosive. Since the dissolution of calcium begins at 4.0, every soft drink used in this poll is of great detrimental damage. The erosive potential of each drink has a great effect on structures such as enamel. The fastest dissolution would begin with Pepsi, Coca Cola next, then Country Time lemonade. After lemonade, Orange Crush, and finally Dr.Pepper.Calcium And DissolutionCalcium is a mineral that supplies the main structure and hardness for bones and teeth. (Goldblatt, et. Al, 2016). It is also the backbone of eggshells, for the protective coating around the egg is made of calcium carbonate. The calcium differences between tooth enamel and eggshells are very closely related. They are not the same, but in comparison, their properties correspond very well. Enamel consist of minerals that help protect the tooth. This is the same for eggshells. Eggshells are a protective coating for the egg. Yet, while tooth enamel contains calcium phosphate, eggshells contain calcium carbonate (University of Illinois, 2016). Eggs appear to be the best direct comparison to find closely related results. If a soft drink can decompose an eggshell in a certain amount of time, it should likewise be the same for enamel, just a bit more complicated because of the excess mineral makeup that makes teeth a stronger substance. The calcium carbonate and the soda are the true reactions. It's not so much the egg as a whole, or the soda as a whole, it is how they act amongst each other when combined. The acidic drink is eligible to break down calcium levels because of the reaction between the substances. Enamel begins to increasingly dissolute inversely to the increase of pH. As the pH lessens, the more dissolution is caused ( Larsen, 1999). Soda contains many different levels of sugary and acidic values that cause a much faster dissolution, and cause erosion. Using a demonstration of teeth submerged in an acidic liquid for a week is close to a life time span of drinking soda throughout several years. This is understandable because the structure is submerged inside the liquid at all times, not just frequent periods (Swains, 2007). How Dissolution in Enamel Works Because of the high phosphoric acid content in carbonated drinks, they are seemingly low on the pH Scale. Low pH levels are extremely acidic and remineralize particles in tooth enamel. Dissolution causes dental problems over time. Some of these painful diseases are caused by soft drinks. Some common issues seen amongst people that have a diet containing soda everyday are more susceptible to caries, osteoporosis, attrition, and abstraction(American Dental Association, 2000). The phosphoric acid and sugar compounds create a massive build up against bone structure. Although enamel is strong and sturdy, dissolution begins at surroundings of a 4.0 pH, so it doesn't hold up forever. Carbonated drinks are said to be just as bad as non diluted vinegar, but because of all of the sugars and artificial flavoring, the drinks do not seem as bad. In fact, some carbonated drinks are of a lower pH than vinegar on the pH scale( Austin Community College). The initial purpose of this experiment was to enhance the knowledge of what drinks can decompose calcium the fastest due to specific levels of acidity.Discussion True dissolution did not seem to begin until after the first week. In comparison to a life span, one week is a reasonable amount of time before decay because 1 week is a regular sitting of soda over a 3 year time span. It is known that dissolution does not begin right away, more so it is the long term effects after something has been done repeatedly. (Swains, 2007) The eggshells had absorbed the colors of the drinks. This was very intricate because the soft drink seemed to appear disoluted, whereas the egg had pertained the saturation of color. In comparison, teeth absorb the color of drinks and stain after a while. Of course this is not shown right away, but as stated previously, the time frame in which the eggs soak is an approximation of almost thirteen years of drinking that drink regularly. This is a valid point as to why the egg had such a large discoloration; it was because it absorbed the color it was surrounded by (W3C, 2006). The acidic drinks used had a detrimental change on the eggshells. The mass of the eggs decreased sufficiently and distinctively. When touching the shell, it was fragile, and the drinks were so corrosive that the shell itself was stripping into thin sediment. Pieces of the shell were flaking off. Soft drinks have such a high phosphoric acid content which leads to extreme reductions of calcium. Reductions of calcium lead to weak and fragile structures. Pepsi Eggs that had been submerged in Pepsi were sticky and had a brown overtone to them. These eggs had gone through the most dissolution throughout the 4 week timespan. This makes sense when understanding that the most acidic substance used was Pepsi. Pepsi has a very low pH balance which causes such an extreme amount of dissolution. The more acidic a substance is, the more corrosive and efficient it is when eroding. With a pH of 2.37, it is easy to tell that the substance has a high acidic ranking which is a detrimate factor in erosion. The net total dissolution caused by the soft drink Pepsi was .847g. Pepsi is a Cola product so the assumption was that it would have taken a toll like Coca Cola did, but it turns out it was a lot harsher on the eggs than Coca Cola was. Frankly, It was approximately double the damage. The American Dental Association provides information on Cola products and the way they affect bone structure. Cola products are said to be a significant cause of damage to the bones which explains why the eggshell had dissoluted so quickly in Pepsi. But why not the same for Coca Cola too? This is where the phosphoric acid in Pepsi was higher than in Coca Cola. Pepsi had a lower pH, so it was more corrosive afterall ( American Dental Association, 2000). Orange Crush Eggs that were submerged in Orange Crush had many interesting effects to them. The most interesting was that the egg shell had gained the saturation of the drink whereas the drink diluted to almost a complete clear color. Although this occured, it did not have a great amount of dissolution as expected. Orange juice is very acidic, but because there was a use of mainly carbonated sodas, Orange Crush seemed like the next best comparison. There was not as much damage as expected after all with only .359g disoluted total. It is still a great amount of dissolution, but not as much as the Cola products and Country Time Lemonade. Orange Crush obtained the second lowest pH of all the substances( American Dental Association, 2000). Although the phosphoric acid was lower than most of the solutions, Dr. Pepper still had the lowest pH and phosphoric acid level of all. Nonetheless, Orange Crush still contains a low pH, phosphoric acid, and is eligible to be abrasive to structure. The acids present take on considerable influences of demineralizing and causing attrition in structures( Johansson, et Al. 2012). Dr. Pepper Eggs that were submerged in Dr. Pepper were sticky and obtained a similar brown color like the eggs submerged in Pepsi. The solution had made a sort of gooey protection around the egg much like Pepsi had. By the fourth week each egg was completely brown and the shell was softened making it substantially weaker than the first week. Although the shell was weak. Eggs submerged in Dr. Pepper had the least dissolution amongst every soft drink. Considering the pH of Dr. Pepper is the highest, at just 2.88,and it obtains the least acidic makeup; this is of validation. Although, Dr. Pepper contains a higher sugar concentration than most drinks. This partakes a great roll in the occurrence of dissolution too. Sugary drinks affect dissolution as much as acid concentration, so there was still a great potential of attrition to occur over the four week time period(Ophardt, 2003). When calculating the average dissolution amongst all of the soft drinks, Dr.Pepper did appear to have the lowest in dissolution. The net total was .243g. This is a smaller number compared to the rest of the soft drinks, yet nonetheless it is still an amount of dissolution. Concluding this, it is still a corrosive substance also. These acid and sugar contents are detrimental to structure(Thompson, 2016).Country Time Lemonade Eggs that were submerged in Country Time Lemonade contained a very gritty texture and the shell was flaking off into small pieces that were brittle and thin. The Country Time Lemonade had also bleached the eggshell. By the fourth week, the eggshells had been brightly shining as a pure white, whereas when the eggs first began they were dull and had very light grey spots in select places. Some pieces of the shells were gone and the inside was preserved like a coating of yolk that was rubbery. Although brittle and frail, the most dissolution was not caused by Country Time Lemonade. The net total dissolution had actually fallen directly in the middle of all soft drinks. The total abrasion of the eggs submerged in Country Time Lemonade amounted .369g. Although a smaller amount than Coca Cola and Pepsi, there was still a substantial amount of dissolution amongst these eggs over all( American Dental Association, 2000). One of the biggest factors that Country Time Lemonade is eligible to sustain such a great dissolution is because of the acid in lemons/ lemon juice and the amount of sugar added to this solution. As well as the low pH balance of 2.57. A considerable amount of dissolution occurs under these conditions(Ophardt, 2003). Coca ColaEggs submerged in Coca Cola had the second highest erosive potential amongst this set of carbonated drinks. Much like the ending results of Dr. Pepper and Pepsi, Coca Cola also had the same sticky coating around its shell and the discoloration of the egg was brown as well. The solution was gooey just as Dr. Pepper and had a very soft texture to it. The shell was mushy and turned very fragile over each week. By the fourth week, the eggs submerged in Coca Cola were just completely mushy and didn't have stability to them at all, whatsoever. Cola products are severely detrimental to structures. They cause a critical dissolution amongst structures, in this case eggs. Coca Cola is said to be significant in causing bone damage. Coca Cola and Pepsi are both products of Cola, but Coca Cola had a lessened effect on the eggs. The phosphoric acid and sugar contents contained in the soft drink Coca Cola were less than in the solution, Pepsi. Through the comparison of Cola products, it was engrossing to see which would substance had the greatest effect. Originally, it was thought that Coca Cola would cause the most dissolution because it is such a strong acidic drink and had a high sugar content. Needless to say, this wasn't the case, and Pepsi's acidic content was higher; thus leading it to have a lower pH. Although Coca Cola did not have a significant amount of dissolution compared to Pepsi, it still ranked number two out of five. With a dissolution of .447g over the 24 day span, Coca Cola provided the second most decrease( American Dental Association). With a pH balance of and a high sugar content, Coca Cola was able to gain second, yet Pepsi still has Coca Cola beat.In conclusion, the carbonated drinks presented in this essay have provided a true presentation of how the dissolution of eggshells resemble the abfraction and attrition of tooth enamel( Fraunhofer, 2006).These drinks are hard on enamel. The effects stay for a lifetime, and can cause many problem areas. Carbonated drinks cause lesions, caries, and can even cause osteoporosis in actual bone structures by draining the calcium levels in your body. The effects of these soft drinks are not kind on the body. Consuming these acidic substances sets up a lifetime of problems that make you much more susceptible to enamel decay. It is okay to drink these drinks, but it is a must to do it in a moderate way. These substances contain such high acidic levels that cause demineralization in enamel. The phosphorus content of soft drinks can even limit the calcium absorption which can lead to bone loss due to diseases such as osteoporosis(American Dental Association). Some carbonated drinks affect erosion a lot less than others, but this does not add limitations; for these carbonated drinks are still detrimental to one's health. Between soft drinks, Pepsi is definitely the most detrimental of all, and Dr. Pepper is the least detrimental. If carbonated soft drinks are a want, or need, this poll provides a considerate amount of information as to why Dr. Pepper would be the best option. It is still unhealthy and can cause erosion, but of the drinks, it seems to be the best option. Eggs provided a great substitute for teeth in this project. The two structures have so many common features that made it a lot easier to make a comparison. The limitations of calcium absorption played a huge part in creating this project(Texas University, 2016). The final data was fascinating to compare. The results were not the same as the hypothesis, but that made the final results the most riveting of all.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Human Resources in the Leisure and Recreation Industry Essay

Most medium sized to large businesses have a human resource department, which looks after the welfare of staff who are employed in the company. The Leisure and Recreation Industry is the biggest growing area of business in the UK with people spending of over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12 billion on leisure and recreation products/services. There are * people working in the Leisure and Recreation industry in the UK. Many of whom work on a temporary basis linked to tourism. External and Internal Influences on a department External Economic climate If the country were in recession this would mean that a lot of people would be unemployed and therefore not able to spend money on leisure and recreation industry because they would need to spend on their basic needs i.e. tax, bills, food etc. However in the UK employees often have a high disposable income, which means that after an employee gains income paying all tax, bills, mortgages etc, then most employees will have money to spend on the leisure and recreation industry because of their high disposable income. Minimum wage The national minimum wage will be à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.05 per hour in October 2005 but this often changes from time to time, so that it can meet the demands of cost of living. So if the wage was less than the cost of living people will not be able to afford to live and spend money and may need to work extra shifts/hours to gain more money. However the leisure and recreation industry may have higher wage so that it can motivate the employee because money is the biggest method of motivation. Trends in consumer demand In the fast moving pace of life of today, many consumers want leisure and recreation facilities open earlier and later. This means that human resources departments need more flexible working arrangements with staff. So they may need to recruit extra staff to do different shifts. Employment trends Many students apply to do temporary contracts in the summer months, because students have holidays and so will work for extra money. This is also a good advantage for the HR, as they will organise holidays for other employee that will want to go on Holiday especially during the summer months. So the student will apply to fill in for other employee’s to go on Holiday. Skills shortages In some industries such as carpentry and engineering there is a growing shortage of new recruits going into the trade. The leisure and recreation industry bucks the trend as more and more courses at schools; colleges and university focus on the subject/industry. There are more skills needed in the carpentry and engineering (or other) industries than the leisure and recreation industry, which is why there are more new recruits going into the trade. Location issues If the business is located in the city then it will be very good for the business especially the HR, as there will be a high rate of employment and there will be a high number of people with suitable skills. However the premises would be expensive and the cost of labour would also be high as the cost of living will be high in the city. Internal Organisational structure Organisation charts are mainly used in larger businesses to show where different jobs fit into the organisation (shows who’s doing which job). It also shows the different levels of responsibility employees have. So the higher you go up the chart the responsibility of employees increases. Responding to customer trends in terms of products or services Audit of staffing requirements from department heads Before HR can recruit any one they will need to look if vacancies are available by going around the other departments and ask heads of the departments Staff turnover, career moves Sickness rates, absenteeism and levels of motivation Legally an employer can’t employ someone else to do a job on a permanent basis if there is someone else doing the job already. Statistically employees in the UK work till late, which is why the government are trying to, decrease the number of working hours. This is because working parents seem to neglect their children and aren’t spending enough time with them. Flexible work force HR tries to make employees working time very flexible and so this is why they recruit extra staff to do some shifts permanently so that every employee has flexible working time. Sometimes the HR will recruit some to do part time i.e. Saturdays when it is very busy they will recruit part time employees or even temporarily like the summer holidays. Recruitment and Selection To recruit an employee, first a HR manager for example will have to go around to other different departments to find vacancies, so that he/she can recruit new members of staff. Then if vacancy is available HR will have to draw up a: * Job description – this shows the roles of the job of the employee * Person specification – outline of the skills and qualities required of the post holder * Then they will have to advertise it on the local newspaper or Internet. HR can also go to jobcentres, employment agencies or Head hunters to find employees with higher qualities but this method would be expensive and time consuming so it is mainly used to find employees to do jobs needing high skills. After the job has been advertised, HR will have to go through a process called selection (selecting the right employee) and so HR sort through the applications, putting aside any which are definitely not suitable and then producing a shortlist of applicants to call for selection. This saves time and so next HR will have to arrange interviews for the applicants shortlisted and so references can be followed, practical testing, psychometric testing etc, can be done to speed up the process of selection. Selection process can vary depending on the organisation. Contract of Employment Contract of employment states the terms and conditions of the job, showing a legally binding agreement between the employer and employee. So if an employee offers to work for an organisation then in return the employer must pay that person to do the work. Contract of employment mainly states: * Holidays and sick pay entitlement – legally Employee’s are entitled to at least 4 weeks holiday and so it should state how many weeks of holiday the employee is entitled to, also it should state whether employee is entitled to employer sick pay or SSP (Statutory Sick Pay) * Grievance and disciplinary procedures – it should state who the employee can refer if he or she has a grievance and should state who is responsible for disciplinary procedures. * Notice periods – If an employee decides to leave or is dismissed by the employer then it should state the notice time for that i.e. one-month notice time. * Wage/pay – it should state the amount of pay the employee should receive when job is done, also it may state how it is paid i.e. electronically. * Hours of work – it should also state the hours of work i.e. 48 hours a week, and what time he/he will start and finish * Fringe benefits – it should also state * Period of contract – whether it is permanent or temporary An employee is legally entitled to a contract of employment if he/she is working for the business for 1 month or more. Key components of staff training and development Induction Staff Appraisal Training and Development Induction training is given at the start of a new job to show how the activities of the firm are organised. Performance Reviews Self Evaluation Peer Evaluation Target Setting Measuring individual and group output/production Mentoring and coaching Apprenticeships In-house training External training Motivation Keeping staff motivated is good for the business because: * Motivated workers are more productive and higher productivity usually means higher profits. * In a service industry, workers who are well motivated will provide a better level of customer service, keeping the customers happy. * Staffs who are well motivated are more likely to stay with the company. They grow in experience and become even more valuable to their employer. * If a business successfully keeps the staff it has, the cost of recruiting and training new staff is reduced. > Management styles > Job Rotation, Job Enlargement > Team working > Financial incentives An employee can be demotivated if: * The environment is not safe, so the HR will have to make the environment safe. * The managers/employer

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Plato the Philosopher essays

Plato the Philosopher essays In 407 B.C Plato, a Greek Philosopher became a student of Socrates. He turned these great teachings of Socrates in to a career of his own. He was a son of wealthy and influential Athenian parents. When his master teacher died, Plato travelled to Egypt and Italy, where he studied with students of Pythagoras. There he also spent several years advising the ruling family of Syracuse. He later went to Athens where he founded the most influential school of the ancient world. Plato was one of the greatest philosophers of all time and will remain to be for centuries to come. He died some time in the year 347 B.C. Socrates was executed for his beliefs, and many of his writings were burned. He was executed some time in the year of 399 B.C. This execution greatly affected his life. Plato believed that skepticism and relativism killed socrates not the members of the Athenian jury. Skepticism is a doubting or disbelieving state of mind which is the loose sense. It also is the philosophical doctrine that absolute knowledge is unattainable which is the strict sense. The school that Plato founded was the Academy. It was founded in 387 B.C. He taught there untill his death. His most famous pupil there was Aristotle. Plato wrote 26 dialogues. The Republic was his most important dialogue. The Republic, Phaedo, Symposium, and Timaeus was to show the rational relationship between the soul, the state, and the cosmos. Later dialogues he wrote like the Laws and Parmenides, contain treatises on law, mathematics, technical philosophic problems, and natural science. Plato had various dialogues in which he focused on just about every problem that has occupied philosophers before him. Plato regarded the rational soul as immortal, and he believed in a world soul and Demiurge, the creator of the Physical world. He argued for the independent reality of ideas, or forms, as the immutable archetypes of all temporal phenomena and as the o...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Practice in Changing Verbs From Passive to Active Voice

Practice in Changing Verbs From Passive to Active Voice In this exercise, you will practice changing verbs from the passive voice to the active voice by turning the subject of a passive verb into the direct object of an active verb. Instructions Revise each of the following sentences by changing the verb from the passive voice to the active voice. Here is an example: Original sentence:The city was nearly destroyed by the hurricane.Revised sentence:The hurricane nearly destroyed the city. When youre done, compare your revised sentences with those below. The school was struck by lightning.​This morning the burglar was arrested by the police.​One type of air pollution is caused by hydrocarbons.​An elaborate supper for the miners was prepared by Mr. Patel and his children.​The cookies were stolen by the Mad Hatter.​New York Citys Central Park was designed in 1857 by F.L. Olmsted and Calbert Vaux.​It was decided by the court that the contract was invalid.​The first commercially successful portable vacuum cleaner was invented by a janitor who was allergic to dust.​After Leonardo da Vincis death, the Mona Lisa was purchased by King Francis I of France.​The allegorical novel Animal Farm was written by British author George Orwell during World War II. Below are revised versions of the sentences in the exercise. Lightning struck the school.​This morning the police arrested the burglar.​Hydrocarbons cause one type of air pollution.​Mr. Patel and his children prepared an elaborate supper for the miners.​The Mad Hatter stole the cookies.​F.L. Olmsted and Calbert Vaux designed New York Citys Central Park in 1857.​The court decided that the contract was invalid.​A janitor who was allergic to dust invented the first commercially successful portable vacuum cleaner.​King Francis I of France purchased the  Mona Lisa  after Leonardo da Vincis death.​British author George Orwell wrote the allegorical novel  Animal Farm  during World War II.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Reflection of this course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection of this course - Essay Example Tentatively, it has given me the chance to have a critical outlook and view when pursuing facts and principles or ideas in my world. Secondly, I also enjoyed and took a lot of care and interest in the learning objective which required us to produce research materials for specific audiences. I find this issue to be of high relevance especially after being tasked with the privilege of doing annotated bibliography. I am of the humble and respectful opinion that I did well in composing the annotated bibliography of the source required of me. For instance, I did well in pin-pointing with an utmost precision the exact and intended destination of the academic materials that I considered. I also enjoyed the learning objective of using the print and digital media to speak to different people or audiences. I was guided and greatly helped to know that media is not just a form of passage of information and communication, but it is also a tool for contacting different people in diverse ways. It is to say that the objective was to introduce me to the field of knowing and treating people or relating to people differently by use of the different media tools and sources. Subsequently, it was an objective to integrate evidence from reading and then synchronize them with my own ideas and ideals in order to produce masterpiece and quality works. I am of the respectful view that I did that when I was composing the annotated bibliographies, I had the benefit of inculcating my knowledge with the clinical or academic knowledge present. I believe I excelled accordingly in those learning objectives which was attested when I gave my arguments while composing the annotated bibliography. On the contrary, there are goals that I would wish to put in more effort and energy so as to realize the best or maximum results. For instance, the goal of being able to read and think critically about the diverse cultural and social perceptions from the texts we read would have to be considered and

Friday, November 1, 2019

Writing a physics report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writing a physics report - Essay Example nal velocity â€Å"v† (of the centre of mass) in terms of â€Å"x† and â€Å"t† for the object to roll a distance 1m along the plank in average time t for each side of the plank (experimental velocity). The disk exhibits both rotational motion and transitional motion as it rolls down the plank. Since it rolls without slipping, its bottom is momentarily at rest and the distance, velocity, and acceleration of the centre of mass is directly related to the angle of rotation, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of the centre of mass. The total mechanical energy of the disk is the sum of its kinetic energy of its centre of mass, rotational energy about its centre of mass and gravitational potential energy of its centre of mass. The total time for the sides are different, time for when the plank is warped concave up is longer than when the concave is warped down since the disk faces higher friction when the concave is warped up hence taking more time and energy in overcoming friction to reach the end Predicted velocity is lower on both cases as evidenced by the data i.e. predicted velocity is 0.7672m/s while velocity in the first and second case are 0.7968m/s and 0.813m/s respectively. This is so because predicted velocity does not take care of friction effects and errors in performing the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Nursing Informatis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Informatis - Coursework Example This back up plan is enabled by the use information technology and other information structures, which systematize statistics, information. It further identifies processing adapted by computers; alter  the nature in technology, work systems and unit arrangements, format, and may give room for considerable changes in the application of nurses’ time and the secure release of care. Examine expectations in the scholarly literature for informatics competencies at different levels, including for new graduates and those at the master’s level and doctoral level. How did your self-assessment fit these expectations? What strategies are you planning to improve your competencies? Informatics nurses though new prove quite challenging due to the course demands. The new graduates need awareness concerning the requirements of the course and the challenges that come with it. New graduates need to have information relating to computer use so that the lecturer has an easy time incorpora ting it with the nursing needs. The masters and the doctorate level require being more sophisticated to be able to handle even more complex matters.  Nurses are expected to give the patient harmless, fit and compassionate care in an environment that proves digitalized and technical with the changing times. Nurses directly works with information systems and technologies as the basis for evidence-based practice, clinical-decision support tools, and the electronic health record (EHR) to perk up the care of patients while, expressing the need of Health Information Systems to the clinical setting. The Masters level needs to acquire the know-how concerning the different kinds of health Information Systems and their use in clinical and official settings. The need for confidentiality proves paramount when working with health information systems as this might scare way since inadequate security will scare away potential clients. The need for passwords to regulate the number of people who c an access the given information also proves paramount to the healthcare centers using Health information system. The users require skills as noted in the HL7EHRS model, which comprises the ECDL-Health Users Skills of Navigation, Decision Support, the reports on the achievements and end products. The need for doctorate to poses the skills that enable them to comprehend the principles that founded both the organization and the professional Health Information Systems, which proves consumer friendly. How does the formal NI scope of practice compare to your perceptions or beliefs about the practice of nursing informatics? If you are currently in an informatics position, draw on your current experiences. If you have worked with an informatics nurse, include those experiences. The NI scope of practice compares to the perception I have about nursing informatics in that, the nurses ensure expertise and professionalism in the process of nursing patients. The nurses make use of investigative a nd innovative thinking skills to improve of service delivery to customers. I remember a time when a patient came to me with information that was only available in the archives; I had to go back to the records thus there is a need to know

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Recruitment Policies in IKEA

Recruitment Policies in IKEA Scenario: Human, physical, technological and financial resources are at the core of every organisation. The efficient management of these resources enable organisations to achieve their objectives. Also, for an organisation to survive, its finances need to be sound and secure, and the level of an organisations performance can be seen in its financial statements. A poor management of resources can have a negative impact on an organisations performance. You just been appointed as HR manager of newly opened IKEA in London and as part of your role, you have to recruit 7 sales assistants, undertake the following tasks in relation to the above: 1. Describe the recruitment documentation used in Ikea. 2. Describe the main employability, personal and communication skills required when applying for the job role of Sales Assistant in Ikea. 3. Describe the main physical and technological resources required in the operation of Ikea. 4. Describe sources of internal and external finance for the business of Ikea 5. Interpret the contents of a trading and profit and loss account and balance sheet for Ikea 6. Illustrate the use of budgets as a means of exercising financial control of Ikea. 7. Illustrate the financial state of Ikea. Summary of the unit: Business resources encompass different types of resources like human resources, financial, technological and physical. Proper human resources team can bring a good result in achieving a companys objective and success. In terms of financial management and financial control, is playing an important role in establishing a company. Besides this, business plan will assist and guide to where a company will go in present and in future. Overall, a good combination of business resources will bring success for any establishment of business. Introduction and Background of the organisation, companies or businesses:   IKEA Introduction IKEA is a private and known home furnishing company. Also it is an international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world. Mainly this company is pioneer in flat pack design furniture at affordable prices, is now the worlds largest furniture retailer. There are main chains of IKEA. The chain has 301 stores in 37 countries, most of them in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Background IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17 year old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden and it is owned by a Dutch registered foundation controlled by the Kamprad family. The name IKEA comes from the initials of Ingvar Kamprad, I and K, plus the first letters of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, which are the names of the farm and village where he grew up. The headquarters of IKEA is in Netherlands. IKEA owns and operates 384 stores in 48 countries. IKEAs mission, vision and purposes: IKEAs main passion to work hard to achieve quality at affordable prices for the customers through optimising the entire value chain, by building long-term supplier relationships, investing in highly automated production and producing large volumes. The vision of IKEA also goes beyond home furnishing. They want to create a better thing for all people from this business. Mission: IKEAs mission is to offer a wide range of home furnishing items of good design and function, excellent quality and durability, at prices so low that the majority of people can afford to buy them. Vision: The IKEA vision is the foundation for its growth strategy. to create a better everyday life for the many people. To meet this vision IKEA provides many well designed and functional product for the home. Objectives: IKEAs business strategy focuses on growth in three main areas: Quality products at low prices through its unique design processes A sustainable future through its people and planet positive approach Also co-workers are essential in growth strategy Size of Business: In the IKEA Group, they have 328 stores in 28 countries (as of 31 August, 2015). Products range is about 9500. Around 1,002 home furnishing suppliers in 51 countries. 59% of IKEA production is in Europe.   Only in Europe there are 222 stores. Excluding the stores, at the end of FY15 they had 27 Trading Service Offices in 23 countries, 33 Distri ­bution Centres and 15 Customer Distribution Centres in 17 coun ­tries, and 43 IKEA Industry pro ­duction units in 11 countries. Corporate Structure: The IKEA corporate structure is divided into two main parts: operations and franchising. Most of IKEAs furniture, including the management of majority stores, the design and manufacture, purchasing and supply functions are overseen by INGKA holdings. Group franchises the IKEA retail system from Inter IKEA Systems B.V. in the Netherlands. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the owner of the IKEA Concept and the worldwide IKEA franchisor. The IKEA Group of companies (INGKA Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) has an ownership structure that ensures independence and a long-term approach. The IKEA Group operates throughout the whole value chain from range strategy and product development to production, distribution and retails. IKEA Group of companies Stakeholders: The key stakeholders in a company impacted positive or negatively. As IKEA is not a primary sector organization but it needs raw materials to develop its products. Hence primary sector suppliers, manufacturer for secondary sector are the stakeholders of IKEA. The key stakeholders of IKEA are the customers and employees, both are considered main stakeholders. Besides this, suppliers, internal employees, trade union, managers, owners, shareholders play an important role. Type of ownership IKEA is actually a privately held company owned by Stichting INGKA Foundation, a non-profit registered in Leiden in the Netherlands that is controlled by the Kamprads three sons. IKEA Limited is licensed to sell under the IKEA brand name by Inter IKEA Systems B.V., a company registered in the Netherlands. IKEAs Company Structure The structure of business can affect the way it works and performs. An organisational structure is when employees are grouped into functional areas, which relate to their job, so that people doing similar jobs work in the same area. Inter IKEA Group (Inter IKEA Holding B.V. and all its subsidiaries) is owned by Interogo Foundation, based in Liechtenstein and established in 1989.   Ã‚   The foundation is an independent entity with legal personality and its own governing bodies. The foundation exists for an unlimited period of time. Inter IKEA and Interogo were established during the 1980s to secure independence and longevity of the IKEA Concept. The IKEA Concept is the core asset of Inter IKEA Group and its franchisor operation. The overall purpose of Inter IKEA Group is to secure continuous improvement, development, expansion and a long life of the IKEA Concept. This will require investments in both good and bad times. 1. Describe the recruitment documentation used in Ikea. There are different types of documentation used in recruitment process, such as application letter, form, CV, person specification, interview, JD, Letter of appointment. The details are as follows: Application Letter A letter of application, also known as cover letter, is a job application document to provide detailed information of the candidate. The employers will able to know in which position a candidate apply for and why the employer will select the candidate. When writing an application letter should include: subject, greetings, body of letter and signature. Application Form An application form is an essential part of the job search for a candidate to fill for the company so that they can get the information they want. In addition, many large commercial companies are use standard job application form because they are much quicker and time saving. CV of a candidate A curriculum vita is a written overview of a persons experience and other qualifications. Businesses will use application forms and CVs to see whether an applicant matches the job specification or not. The closest matching applicants are invited to interviews in the selection stage. Interview: Interviews are the most popular form of selection. Interview can be one-to-one, two-to-one or a panel of people to interview people which is used to select people for important jobs. Some businesses include tests in their selection. Person specification: The person specification is the single most important document in effective recruitment and selection. It allows defining the kind of person a company want and so accordingly helps you to write an accurate job advert. It enables to assess each candidate fairly and objectively. Recruitment process of IKEA The traditional methods of job vacancies are to make people aware of the need to compete with the recruitment web-based systems. Traditional methods: newspaper advertising, paper-based curriculum vitae (CV), letter, word of mouth, the paper-based application form, job opportunities and the fair poster. Internet-based methods: online application form, online Curriculum Vitae, e-mail, Internet advertising, Curriculum Vitae information on the web page, the web page of the working group and the pop-up Web page. Online Recruitment is much faster than traditional methods and has a number of benefits over using paper. It is possible to monitor how many people have gone on to a website to look at a job. But each and every company has followed its own recruitment process. IKEAs recruitment process runs like following. First of all if anybody is interested in working in IKEA, he/she has to go through a list of open positions. If any post are suitable or challenging and moreover if he/she meet the requirements, apply via a button directly in an advertisement. If there is no open position interesting for a person but want to work in IKEA, send the CV to IKEA. IKEA will give an e-mail answer about receiving the request or CV in both cases. Then IKEA management will assess delivered applications then and choose from applicants several most suitable candidates for the particular job position. After that a formal invitation sent to the candidates via e-mail or phone to participate in a selection process. How a selection process runs Selection process usually consists of three rounds. First of them is assessment centre, second one is a personal interview with a future manager and third one is a personal interview with a boss of this manager. Assessment centre Assessment centre is a way to know more about their future colleagues when they are solving different tasks and discuss with others. There are about 10 applicants participating. Both group tasks which a person will solve together with other participants and individual tasks are included. The great advantage is that candidate can get a feedback from one of the assessors if he/she wants to. They can know about their own strengths and weaknesses important for the career, where the advantage lies for a candidate and where they can improve. Second round Two or three candidates who pass to the second round are chosen based on the assessment centre results. The second round is a personal interview with a future manager. Usually IKEA personnel do not ask tricky questions. They appreciate the most candidates honesty. They could ask to fill in a personal test as a part of the interview. If you want to ask anything about the future job, this is the right time to ask. 3. Personal interview The third round is a personal interview between the most suitable candidate and the boss of the persons future manager, so called grandparent principle. IKEA are also interested in a candidates motivation to work in IKEA in this phase and what expectation he/she has. JOB ROLE: HR Manager As a HR Manager I need to set some criteria regarding the scope of work within the organisation. IKEA always look for the following things within a candidate and thus they issue job description. This is a task of a HR manager. The manager should be aligned with other departments during the process of recruitment. Practical skills Ability to understand and get along with other people Ability to ask questions and give inputs Encouraged employees to question the management and express their ideas and belief Co-workers who had mastered their current jobs were encouraged to seek new challenges Job enlargement or enrichment Value fit was the selection criteria Why Savers- ideas to improve store The company even gave an advertisement inviting Why Savers to join the company Express Yourself- share companies concerns and complaints with Spiers Lopez This improved the morale within the company as she responded to their complaints personally It had a comprehensive communications system for employees like IKEA Radio and intranet. It also reached employees through printed material as well Job description: This document provides an understanding of the positions major responsibilities, details how the responsibilities are accomplished, and identifies the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the job. In the organization a job description sets out the scope of work of the main responsibilities and the main tasks to be done. A job description is needed to set out how to fit into the work structure a particular employee. So it sets out: The title of the job To whom the employee is responsible For whom the employee is responsible 2. Describe the main employability, personal and communication skills required when applying for the job role of Sales Assistant in Ikea. IKEA is an equal opportunity employer. IKEA does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring or terms or conditions of employment on the basis of race, religious creed, colour, age, sex, gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws and ordinances. IKEA called all its employees, regardless of rank, coworkers. To promote open communication, IKEA adopted a structure with no hierarchical distinctions. Employees were encouraged to express their opinions and ideas directly to the top management. Employees were rewarded with high level of empowerment. Cost consciousness was deeply embedded in IKEAs culture. IKEAs culture promoted diversity. Openness to change and adaptability were stressed at IKEA. Week-long orientation program in Sweden on the IKEA WAY An IKEA co-workers main task is to maximize sales and profitability in his/her area of responsibility using knowledge of the IKEA product range, local market conditions and the needs of customers. Candidate employability skills required when applying for the job role of Sales Assistant in Ikea include: Suitable qualification and experience in same role which helps to maximize sales and profitability by ensuring area of responsibility. Knowledge of product or services are required for the job role of Sales Assistant in Ikeato provide the company best sales performance. Need to share knowledge with customers and colleagues. Experience of specific industry will help to provide best input for a company Preparing area of responsibility for stock replenishment and next days business. Ability to observe and raise professional standards of production/service delivery. Candidate personal and professional skills required when applying for the job role of Sales Assistant in Ikea include: Patience and hardworking are the key elements in sales profession. Self-confidence about approaching and talking to people in a polite and friendly manner. Able to work with others in a team. Flexible approach to work and are open to change. Should have an interest in home furnishing and peoples everyday life at home. Ability to priorities and organize assigned work to make efficient use of time. Negotiation skills in sales work enhance the development in career Agreed with the sales target is a reflection of confidence Able to resolving conflicts 3. Describe the main physical and technological resources required in the operation of Ikea. Physical Resources Physical and technological resources are always required in the operation of a company. Whether these resources are physical resources, such as property, equipment and materials, or less tangible human resources, emergency provision, insurance and security, money is required to pay for their use. As a result, the management of finance is inseparable from the management of the business as a whole. Land, Labour, Capital and Enterprise are also referred to as the Factors of production. Physical resources of IKEA include machines which are used to fill the stock in self-serve and full serve areas are checked and charged daily. Physical Resources used in IKEA include: Buildings and Facilities IKEA has expanded its product base to include flat-pack houses and apartments, in an effort to cut prices involved in a first-time buyers home. The IKEA product, named BoKlok was launched in Sweden in 1996 in a joint venture with Skanska. Now working in the Nordic countries and in the UK, sites confirmed in England include London, Ashton-under-Lyne, Leeds, Gateshead, Warrington and Liverpool. The Ikea store on Yas Island will have a total floor area of 32,000 square meters and a sales area of 19,150 square meters. It will have a restaurant of 2,100 square meters with a seating capacity of 550, as well as 1,500 parking places. Yas Island store are providing a strong impetus for the Swedish furniture and Furnishings Company to push ahead with plans to expand in the region. Materials and Waste IKEA will need to make sure that all of their stores have the right amount of their products in the store to keep up with the demand of the customers buying them. In the warehouse, IKEA will need to make sure that they have the materials stored in a format where they are easily accessible so they can be made into the products being sold. IKEA needs to get rid of their waste and therefore may ask the government to help them with this. Plant and Machinery: Physical resources of IKEA like machines which are used to fill the stock in self-serve and full serve areas are checked and charged daily. The machines, building and production capacity are all well maintained to survive in retail business. They need to improve on POS terminal at exchange and returns where there have been cases of money laundering. Employees have stolen money and caught after many days. So these things need to be taken care of from the management and finance department. This leads to decrease in profits. IKEA Dubai has more than 300 employees from different nationalities and regularly they are given training in their training centre. Expert professors and managers give them training to increase employee knowledge of products and increase skills at their work. Equipment including ICT IKEAs IT facility is related with the other resources within and outside this company.   The company is planning to launch a new website, ikeabusiness.com, where small business owners can discover new ideas for designing their offices and share them with other entrepreneurs. Families can design their kitchens at IKEA Home planning service where once they design their kitchen they have to pay 500Dhs kitchen charges which is refundable once the customer buys the kitchen. Planned Maintenance and Refurbishment Important feature of IKEA stores is their long opening hours. Many stores are in operation 24 hours a day with restocking and maintenance being carried out throughout the night. Warehouse maintained in planned way. Emergency Provision IKEA have emergency provision in case of an accident and incident. Workers may have an emergency situation in that case after verification, documents provide to IKEA. Insurance The people who are engaged with IKEA FAMILY, they can enjoy free product insurance facility. They can insure their new products against accidental damage on the way home and during assembly by swiping the IKEA family card at the check outs. Security IKEA use the latest security technology to encrypt all personal information which a person submits through the IKEAs website, including card numbers, address and other information. They encrypt this information using SSL technology which allows it to be transmitted securely over the Internet without anyone else having access to it. The machines, building and production capacity are all well maintained to survive in retail business. At IKEA, they want to have a positive impact on people and the planet. Thats why theyre going all-in on things that really matter, from switching their entire lighting range to energy-efficient LED to sourcing all of the cotton they use in their products from more sustainable sources. They are also working towards 100% renewable energy producing as much as they consume in their operations and sourcing all of their wood from more sustainable sources by 2020. And the IKEA Group and IKEA Foundation have made new commitments that add up to $1 billion for climate action. IKEA resources can be classified tangible and intangible. The tangible resources available to the company IKEA, they may differ in Physical and Financial. Within the physical resources, find machinery, which is characterized by modern and specific. Secondly, they have distribution centres, which are computerized and automated hierarchical systems, and finally they have additional shops and services that have standard models, in which they can find special services such as restaurant, day-care and parking. Concerning financial resources, they have used Reinvestment in IKEA as a key resource. There are two types of intangible resources, human and non-human, as nonhuman, can highlight the technology, they find patents according to the composition of materials. Another thing is that IKEA has a unique company culture, since the vision, mission and values are present in every business process, plus annual management meetings are held to improve all business activities. Finally they find organisational resources, which are business ideas. Regarding human intangible resources, they can cover in this area to permanent workers, average wages and high standards of the company. Technological resources include operation systems and tools required to effectively produce or create a product or service. These include energy, information, people, tools, machines, capital and time. Technological resources help production processes and service delivery in companies and organizations. The main Technological resources required in the operation of Ikea include the following: intellectual property, for example designs, drawings, text, music, video Having the right type of intellectual property protection helps people to stop anybody stealing or copying: the names of products or brands inventions the design or look of the products things the company write, make or produce Copyright, patents, designs and trademarks are all types of intellectual property protection. So IKEA have their own design, drawing for their furniture. accumulated experience and skills; The accumulated experience is what people have gained over years of working. Employees with more experience are likely to better than new employees. Also there should be enough people with the skills to carry out the operations in the business. At IKEA they believe in people. Behind every product are humble, enthusiastic teams that make it possible. They offer exceptional career and learning possibilities. They encourage a person to try different roles, change between functions and even move abroad. A Person can design their own career path according to their development plan and future goals. IKEA believe in everyones ability to develop. Because as a person grow, IKEA grows too. software licences There are many businesses that they have to invest their money into specialists software programmes so that they can operate properly. They have their own software module which consists of various software and material for which the intellectual property rights are vested in companies in the IKEA group. protection via patents and copyrights IKEA can use their money to protect their technological resources, but they can also use legislation to protect their ideas that they have come up with and they will need to be able to prove that their idea has been used without permission. 4. Describe sources of internal and external finance for the business of Ikea Mainly IKEA is a privately owned company, hence they are not bound to disclose their financial information in the form of GPFRs i.e. balance sheets and PL statements. Therefore they only disclosed limited amount of information to the public. Objectives of financial management profitability, growth, efficiency, liquidity, solvency short-term and long-term These objectives remain constant for every business and due to the nature of IKEA efficiency is quite a major component of their management strategy. Also as IKEA is privately run and Ingvar Kamprad is one of the wealthiest men (currently 4th richest) on the planet then it could be easily seen that return on equity is a major financial objective. Inter dependence with other key business function  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   They have their own software module with Influences on financial management Internal sources of finance retained profits External sources of finance Debt: short-term borrowing (overdraft, commercial bills, factoring), long-term borrowing (mortgage, debentures, unsecured notes, leasing) Equity ordinary shares (new issues, rights issues, placements, share purchase plans), private equity Internal owners equity, retained profits Internal sources would be used by IKEA to a certain degree in particular retained profits. As IKEA is not a publicly listed company and is operated through a trust structure, share issue is not particularly relevant to IKEAs current financial structure external short-term borrowing, (overdraft, bank bills), long-term borrowing (mortgage, debentures) leasing, factoring, venture capital, grants. External borrowings through debt financing are much more likely to be used by IKEA. The combination of short and long term would be utilized to maximize advantages to IKEA. Financial institutions banks, investment banks, finance companies, superannuation funds, life insurance companies, unit trusts and the Australian Securities Exchange Influence of government Australian Securities and Investments Commission, company taxation. Global market influences economic outlook, availability of funds, interest rates 5. Interpret the contents of a trading and profit and loss account and balance sheet for Ikea. IKEA produces the financial statement each year for their company. These statement is appear as company report. There are two main financial statement: The profit and loss account The balance sheet The profit and loss account may be updated regularly and shows how much profit or loss a business is making. A profit can be made in several ways, for example; From trading, in the case of a high street shop, i.e. buying and selling items such as home furniture, like IKEA From manufacturing, for example a company like IKEA made affordable prices furniture. It buys raw materials such as wood, bamboo, cane and Jute which helps to processes to make furniture. The top section of a PL account is known as the trading account for a business that buys and sells items e.g. a furniture shop. What is known as the gross profit is calculated by deducting cost of sales from turnover. The Balance Sheet The Balance Sheet is a snapshot taken at a particular moment in time giving a summary of the overall financ