V for Vendetta Questions Essay Example

V for Vendetta Questions Essay If people feel strong it will be easier to get people once a good amount of people Join the cause It is very easy to mess up when a mass of people are doing something because of the numbers Everyone has to be on the same side for the manipulation to work. In order to immobile a population everyone needs to agree with the movement; convincing people is a lot more difficult when one has to convince a whole group of people. 2. A. I agree with what V said when he stated Moline can be used for good. The main reason I believe this is because even though there are only some instances in which evil has been used for good, there still are events that occurred for good. Some wars have been fought with freedom being the reason; although there have been ulterior motives other than freedom there is still one good thing. This one thing makes Vs.. Statement true. Another reason as to why I believe Vs.. Statement is true is because there have been vigilantes, such as V, who save people for the sole reason of being a good person. We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer V saved Eve with violence and during World War 2, there were group of Jews who would go around blowing up concentration camps. The methods of destruction of those buildings and compounds were violent but in the end, it ended up saving some Jews from being sent to those concentration camps and any that were already there. 2. B. I believe Vs.. Motivation to use violence was based more for the memory of Valerie. Then would come his desire to awaken the public then, to challenge an oppressive government and the reason that was the least important to him would be revenge for the way he was treated. Although throughout the movie, he anted down the people who he believed did the most evil in the place he was held at, I think it was mostly to get revenge for Valerie, not for himself. 3. In that context, no, V is not a terrorist, he is a person who believes the people should rule the been oppressed by the government. Although, in the perspective of the government he was a terrorist because they were the ones who were oppressing and who believed what they were doing was right. But, since the context is The Government should be afraid of their people, V is not a terrorist, he is a liberator. The symbolism behind the Guy Fakes mask was that V was someone who was going to/ did blow up parliament. Guy Fakes is the actual guy who attempted to blow up Parliament. V is Just attempting to honor Guy Fakes. The audience isnt allowed to see Vs.. Face because it would ruin the imagery of the Guy Fakes mask being the liberator. I probably wouldnt unmask him if I had the chance. With the ending the movie had, the Guy Fakes mask became the trademark of people who are attempting to liberate the people from oppressive governments or any type of oppression. The mask is widely used with the Hastiest group Anonymous; they hack information and anything in order to try to help oppressed people. 5. V lets Eve make the final decision because he knew she would do the right thing. He changed during his time at the facility and Eve changed at the facility as well. At the beginning of the movie, V knew Eve and he were supposed to meet and that their fates were connected; he knew Eve would choose to help lead the revolution against the oppressive British government. The fact that Eve already had the background for eloping lead this revolution helped propel her ideals forward and it helped influence her decision of blowing up parliament. Her parents were taken away by the government so she knew how oppressive the British Government was; she knew it had to be stopped. She also Just wanted to help Vs.. Ideas live on; they couldnt die with him. 6. Freedom is the right ideal to have but security with limited freedom will probably make the country more successful and prosperous. With freedom, the people will rule the country. The majority of the people in every society are Just cooking out for themselves; its human nature. If people are afraid of their governments, they will not revolt, there will not be much violence, nothing truly significant will happen within that country. With freedom, new ideals will form from the ranks of the ordinary people. Although some of the ideas within the society will be good ones, the majority will burden a group of people if not the whole society; more mistakes can be made when freedom is a thing. With security, the society will be safe and everything will be okay within the country. Although, like in the movie, governments will get more oppressive over time and eventually they will start scaring the people with water viruses in order to make the people feel that they need the government. A society can be secure and free at the same time; although, if the balances are off, then the whole system fails. There needs to be a way of making sure that the government does not get too oppressive or powerful but there also needs to be a way to assure that the people will not topple the government or else the society will become chaotic and disorderly.

De nøgne træer essays

De nà ¸gne trà ¦er essays 1.Indledning............................................ side 3 2. Resum af bogen...................................... side 4 3. Holger og Gerdas forhold............................. side 4. Personkarakteristik af hovedpersonerne............... side 5. Fà ¦llesskabet i gruppen............................... side 6. Tema................................................. side 7. Konklusion........................................... side 8. Litteraturliste...................................... side Med omtrent 3000 timers sendetid p TV og utallige siders stof i aviserne er emnet 2. verdenskrig og frihedskà ¦mperne en ting som vi i de sidste par mneder har hà ¸rt om til hudlà ¸shed. Ikke desto mindre mener jeg at det er et spà ¦ndende emne at skrive om, da det er en epoke i Danmarks historie som ikke bà ¸r g hen i glemsel. Tage Skou-Hansens roman "De nà ¸gne trà ¦er" giver et lidt andet syn p modstandsbevà ¦gelsen end det gà ¦ngse hvor de stolte frihedskà ¦mpere drager i kamp mod overmagten for til sidst at tvinge den til fode. I denne roman bliver medlemmerne af frihedsbevà ¦gelsen skildret som almindelige mennesker, med almindelige problemer som forelskelser, nederlag og usikkerhed. Jeg vil i analysen af denne roman fà ¸rst starte med et kort resum, derefter vil jeg tage fat p: Holger og Gerdas forhold, s en karakteristik af hovedpersonerne, udviklingen i forholdet mellem Holger og Kjeld og til sidst fà ¦llesskabet i gruppen. I min konklusion vil jeg samle op p analysen, se p livssyn og fortà ¦lle om hvad der er blevet af de frihedskà ¦mpere der overlevede krigen. Hvad med deres bà ¸rn, er de p nogen mde blevet berà ¸rt af deres fà ¦dres engagement i frihedskampen. Nr der efter et citat str (s. xx), betyder det at det er en henvisning til romanen "De nà ¸gne trà ¦er". Romanens hovedperson er Holger der sammen med den noget à ¦ldre k...

Business Report On Coca-cola Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Report On Coca-cola Company - Essay Example Three factors which will be discussed in the report will be addressing the erosion of the profitability of the company. The factors include profit and nonprofit competition, actual or threat of potential entry and competition by products from outside the company. The report will also address the extent to which the coca-cola company has economic power to charge higher prices. Last the report will detail the strategies the company has employed to remain competitive in the market. Profit is the financial benefit realized when the difference between income and expenses yields an amount that is capable of sustaining the business activity. Profitability therefore is measured using income and expenses and this is the primary goal on any business venture. Price and non price competition, actual or threat of potential entry by competitors and competing products from outside the company are the immediate concerns in this context and therefore are adequately elaborated. The purpose of this report is to provide information for the management of the coca-cola and affiliates about the extent to which price or non price competition, actual or potential threat to entry in the industry by competitors and competing products from outside the company erode the profitability of coca-cola company. The report also addresses the extent to which the company have economic power to charge higher prices and lastly, strategies the company has put forth to remain competitive in the market. ... INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to provide information for the management of the coca-cola and affiliates about the extent to which price or non price competition, actual or potential threat to entry in the industry by competitors and competing products from outside the company erode the profitability of coca-cola company. The report also addresses the extent to which the company have economic power to charge higher prices and lastly, strategies the company has put forth to remain competitive in the market. Coca-cola Company is a multinational business whose headquarters is in America. Coca-cola manufactures, markets, retails and wholesales non alcoholic beverages and concentrates. The company was founded by Assa Griggs candler in 1892 and its headquarters based in Atlanta,CA. Ever since, the company has been on operation despite numerous challenges she has faced. Five major topics make up this report. To what extent does price or non price competition erode the profitabil ity of the company? To what extent does actual or potential threat erode the profitability of the company? To what extent does competing products from outside the company erode the profitability of the company? To what extent does Coca-Cola Company have economic power to charge higher prices? The strategies the coca-cola company has used to remain competitive in the ever changing global community. All these factors are discussed elaborately and adequately. PRICE AND NON-PRICE COMPETITION. Price competition is a situation where a company cuts the price of the product and instead offers it at a lower rate than usual. The price cut could be due to the company’s own volition or as a

College of Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

College of Business - Essay Example The world of tomorrow is all about business. Nothing in this world is done without a business transaction or the knowledge of business. No matter what profession you go into, they are all concerned with business because it all comes down to finding a way to make money. The particular major that I am interested in is marketing. Your college offers very detailed and good courses in this subject. Also, the faculty that your college has is excellent. I have chosen marketing because I want to be able to promote products by understanding what people want, satisfy their needs; whenever I use a product or see an advertisement I always think of ways that I could have made it better. I also want to be successful tomorrow and to achieve that success I need to study general Business. It can help me gain a better understanding of the environment and not leave me clueless. It will help me socialize as no business is successful without socialization. A college can shape our future lives. The more we learn at college the better our lives will be. I am not particularly interested in science and medicine. The market for these professions is stagnant while the market for business graduates is increasing and will always be on the rise. There are never enough qualified business graduates and above that there are never enough marketing graduates who understand the market and can promote a product differently.

Walmart. An Emerging International Giant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Walmart. An Emerging International Giant - Essay Example Wal-mart expected that all its strengths and retailing knowledge could help them leverage operations overseas and achieve instant success. They expected that they benefit from their brand image as they had earned a decent reputation in the United States. However, not all of its strategy brought them success. 2. Culture of learning and innovation 2.1 Learning through experience Learning through experience is the best method, according to Senge but organizations seldom experience the consequences of their decisions (Smith, 2001). Thus, adaptive learning or single-loop learning must be supported by generative learning or double-loop learning. When changes become necessary people respond to the change in an ad hoc manner. Without any planning change is executed. Whether single- or double-loop learning can occur only when an organization realizes that learning must occur. An organization with the culture of learning and innovation would learn through every experience including international expansion. Wal-mart realized that its existing strategy did not fetch them the desired success and hence learned from its failures. They started learning through experience at different locations and this is known as reverse learning when firms are exposed to diverse knowledge inputs located in foreign markets (Saloman, 2006). This to a large extent depends upon the export strategies adopted that influence the flow of knowledge and thereby affect innovative productivity. Sometimes the geographic location imposes constraints on acquiring knowledge and information. This can be overcome by hiring local employees and benefit from their expertise. However, Wal-mart did hire local people in Brazil but could not benefit as the focus was on achieving sales volume. They realized that they needed to hire professionals and they started doing so from competitors. This does not demonstrate a culture of learning and innovation. Firms can also acquire knowledge from technology spillovers from competitors (Saloman, 2006). They can also access knowledge through joint-venture local partners. An organization with the culture of learning would also acquire knowledge from customers and customer specifications stimulate innovation. Wal-mart was only trying to develop a culture of learning as they sought to hire professionals from competitors. Theirs can be classified as single-loop learning because they did not generate something new. Wal-mart made no attempts to seek local skills and nor was the location choice based on information availability. Firms do seek to acquire knowledge before they enter a foreign location but to what extent they use this information is not known. Many however, seek to innovate with the knowledge acquired in advance. Again, customers across countries do not share identical tastes and hence the product requirement would vary across natio ns and cultures (Saloman, 2006). Wal-mart did not take into account

Uganda Pipeline Project Management

Uganda Pipeline Project Management International oil and gas management INTRODUCTION Energy is a key component of all economic activities in any country. It not only improves the quality of life but is fundamental for sustainable social and economic development in both the developed and developing countries. A secure adequate, affordable and reliable supply of energy is thus a necessary precondition for sustainable development[1]. Energy security is therefore a major concern of most governments and thus remains a top agenda. To ensure energy security, its mandatory to have a well balanced supply and demand[2]. Fossil fuel (Crude Oil) still remains the main energy source in most countries both in the developed and developing economies. High oil prices and supply disruptions therefore have significant negative impacts on all social and economic activities especially to countries that are net oil importers. Such countries are faced with the challenge of always having enough stock of oil or oil products to avoid any ultimate shocks due to supply disruptions or price ch anges. Like many developing countries, the main sources of energy in Kenya and Uganda are biomass and commercial energy sources. Biomass is used mainly in the rural areas and accounts for up to 80% of the overall energy mix in the region. Commercial energy sources on the other hand are used mainly in the urban areas. The figure below shows the energy sources consumption patterns in the region. Kenya and Uganda are heavily dependent on oil especially in the transport sector and partially for electricity generation and commercial purposes. The lack of a commercially viable substitute fuel remains the main reason behind the over dependence on oil in the transport sector. These two countries are net oil importers faced with the challenge of ensuring there is enough supply of oil products to meet the demand of the various sectors of the economy. This over reliance on imported oil has constantly exposed these two countries to externalities of market power by the powerful suppliers[4]. Kenya and Uganda import crude oil and finished products from the Gulf region through the Indian Ocean to Mombasa Port. There is a fully functional Oil refinery at Kenyas Mombasa Port where the imported crude is received, refined and later on pumped to the major towns through a petroleum pipeline in the country[5]. Uganda being a land locked country relies to a greater extent on Kenya (some of the i mports come through Dar es Salaam in Tanzania) for its oil import which is first refined at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries before being pumped through the Kenya Oil pipeline to the Eldoret fuel depot[6]. The products are then transported by road or rail from the depot to Uganda. This process has proved quite inefficient causing supply disruptions that finally impact all the socio economic sectors in Uganda negatively. This inefficiency made the two governments draw a game plan to ensure efficient transportation of petroleum products to Uganda. These developments facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Kenya and Uganda that led to the establishment of a Joint Coordinating Commission (JCC) in 1995[7]. The JCC was charged with the responsibility of coordinating a feasibility study for constructing an oil pipeline from the Eldoret Depot in Kenya, an extension of the already existing Kenya pipeline, to a terminal to be constructed in Kampala, U ganda. In 1998 a feasibility study funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) was conducted by JCCs consultants, Penspen Limited of UK. The report by the consultants presented in May 1999 concluded that the project was feasible and viable[8]. JCC was later on given the mandate in 2000 to implement the project. However due to time lapse between the feasibility study and the decision to go ahead with the project implementation, taking the dynamic nature of the oil and gas industry in these two countries, a second feasibility study was conducted funded by the two governments[9]. The report from the consultant, like in the first study, concluded that the project was still viable and could be taken to the next phase. JCC therefore made a decision to proceed with the project implementation on Public Private Partnership with the two governments having a share of 24.5% each and 51% for the private investor[10] An invitation to Tender was floated inviting interested bidders internationally to bid for the execution of the project on BOOT basis for a period of 20 years. Tamoil East Africa Ltd (TEAL) won the bid in 2006 to finance and construct an 8 inch pipeline at a cost of US$78.2 million[11]. An agreement, The Heads of Agreement, between the two governments and TEAL was then signed in January 2007 to enable the investor to start the development phase of the project[12]. A number of developmental phase activities had to be completed before commencing the construction activities. These included the preparation of all the legal agreements affecting the Project, the pipeline Route Survey to determine the right of way, the Environmental Impact Assessment Study in compliance with the environmental laws in the two counties, updates of the Market Study and revised product demand forecast leading to optimum sizing of the pipeline and finally carrying out the Front End Engineering Design (FEED)[13]. The successful completion of the above phase was the main determinant of the project costs upon which the developer was expected to make a final investment decision to proceed with the construction phase of the project[14]. TEAL had finished all the tasks at the development phase by 2008 when large Oil discoveries were made in Uganda in commercial quantities[15]. This therefore meant the initial 8 inch pipeline design, having considered only one way flow from Kenya to Uganda, could only serve Uganda in the initial years before production begins and would be rendered inactive thereafter as the there will be need to transport oil from Uganda to the Neighboring countries and to the other international. With these new developments, JCC therefore considered a redesign of the pipeline to accommodate reverse pumping from either direction. This would satisfy Ugandas petroleum needs in the short run, importing fuel through Kenya, and finally in exporting its refined oil products to the other markets through the Kenyan Port of Mombasa. A new financial analysis of the project based on the redesigned pipeline diameter was therefore necessary to capture the new CAPEX and projected throughput as this would have an impact on the project cash flow when product will be pumped from Uganda side. TEAL through its consultant, Matt MacDonald UK, finished the new design earlier this year and came up with the new project cost as shown in Table 1 in Annex 1( the table also shows the cost breakdown of the initial design)[16]. TEAL also carried out additional economic analysis to come up with a new tariff based on the new developments. TEAL was therefore faced with the challenge of carrying out a more detailed financial and project analysis to justify the viability of the project to its shareholders and to present the same to JCC for review and approval. It is at this stage that I joined the company as an intern to assist the project team on various tasks but more specifically on the financial analysis of the project based on the new project developments and to analyze the effect of scope creep on the projects viability. This report aims at elaborating more on the tasks undertaken during the internship period. However the main task undertaken was working with the financial consultant of the company in carrying out the financial analysis of the project and finally discussing with the project team the impact of the changes in scope (scope creep) on project cost. A report of the analysis was presented to the project team with a summary of the model assumptions and results. The final investment decision was to be taken based on the findings and the results presented in the report[17]. This report gives a brief description of the project from inception to the status during the internship period in its first and second chapters. The third chapter focuses on the financial analysis carried in fulfillment of the allocated task. A brief of other tasks undertaken during the internship is given in the fourth chapter. The final chapter focuses on the conclusions and recommendations of the whole exercise highlighting the benefits of the internship both to the intern and the company. The conclusions details the key challenges of scope creep in effective project management. The report will be based on the information collected from the Project Information Memorandum (document available in TEALs project office), earlier study reports in the project office, skills gained from different modules taken up during my training at CEPMLP and various text books. CHAPTER 1 1. Overview of the Project The need for adequate and reliable supply of oil products to Uganda at affordable cost was the key driver of the Kenya Uganda Pipeline project. However this was also in line with the policies of the Kenyan government ensuring the country also benefits from the project. The key issues of the project are briefly mentioned in the following subsections. These include the main project drivers, the justification for the choice of having a public / private partnership, the economic policies in the two countries and the benefits of the project to the two countries. 1.1 Project Drivers A reliability, efficiency and cost effective means of transportation of oil products to Uganda was the main project driver as already mentioned. In addition to that, there was a need to have a safe and an environmentally acceptable means of transportation of the products in line with the environmental laws in both countries[18]. Various transportation options discussed in the following chapters were considered and the pipeline emerged as the most cost effective option that satisfies the requirements above for both the current and future oil demand. 1.2 Economic Policies of Kenya and Uganda in relation to the Project Both the GoK and GoU look forward to the successful completion of the pipeline project albeit their different economic policy drivers. Ugandas main policy behind the project is to ensure adequate, reliable and affordable supply of energy to the various sectors within its economy. On the other hand Kenyas main driver is the need to create more wealth and employment to its people. The economic policies of the two countries are highlighted below; Uganda Economic Policies The overall policy of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Uganda is to â€Å"To ensure an adequate, reliable and affordable supply of quality petroleum products for all sectors of the economy at internationally competitive and fair prices within appropriate health, safety and environmental standards†[19]. The responsibilities of the MEMD Uganda include; Establishing the available energy resources within the country; Carrying out energy demand forecasting for the various sectors of the economy; To contribute to poverty eradication by increasing access to modern, affordable and reliable energy services to its people; Improving energy governance and administration; Stimulating economic development; Managing energy-related environmental impacts. Kenya Economic Policies Kenya has already established its petroleum pipeline network within the country managed by the Kenya Pipeline Corporation. Kenya economic policy supporting the project as mentioned above unlike in Uganda was based on the countrys Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERSWEC) launched in 2003[20]. According to the laid down strategy, the state is expected to facilitate private sector growth and investment. The pipeline project will create a number of jobs from the construction phase through to operation. The KPC has also laid an additional pipeline to ensure there is sufficient product for export to Uganda and the neighboring countries[21]. This expansion leads to an increment in the Countries revenue hence satisfying the policy of wealth creation. On the other hand, one of the key objectives of the Kenya Ministry of Energy is to ensure petroleum products transported within the country and for export purposes is done in the most efficient way with minimal loss es while maintaining the countrys environmental and safety standard, a criteria satisfied by the project[22]. 1.3 Public/Private Partnership Public Private Partnership (PPP) is where a public service is provided through a partnership of the public sector with one or more private companies. The private sector in most cases assumes financial, technical and operational obligations. However accountability remains with the public sector for the provision of that public service. PPP therefore enables most governments to improve on the delivery of public services and proper management of public facilities by sharing the financial obligations with other private investors. The private investor on the other hand gains from the partnership by earning a return on capital employed. The procurement of public services is greatly improved on PPP ventures. However, long term political commitment is mandatory for the success of PPP. Most infrastructure projects are capital intensive but the involvement of the private sector has enabled most countries world over to implement such projects. Figure 1.1 below shows the number and value of priv ate participation in infrastructure projects by region between 1996 and 2006. From the figure it can be seen that other regions of the world have put up many infrastructure projects with private participation well ahead of Africa. Some of the projects implemented under public private partnership in the region include the Songa Processing plant in Tanzania, Maputo port in Zimbabwe and Skida Desalination Plant in Algeria[24]. Energy sector projects are usually capital intensive and the returns take a relatively longer time to be realised. Most developing countries face financial challenges and can only rely on donors or investors for the funding and implementation of projects of this nature. This is the main reason behind the choice of Public/ Private Partnership for the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project implementation. The JCC came up with a mechanism to partner with a private investor for the implementation of the pipeline project. The investors responsibility is to finance and operate the project on BOOT basis. The private investor on completion of the project will be expected to manage and operate the pipeline for a period of 20 years before finally transferring ownership and operations of the facility to the two governments. The two governments agreed to have a 49% equity shared equally between them leaving the investor with a 51% share[25]. This was aimed at facilitating the private investors growth for faster economic development in line with the economic policies in the two countries. TEAL therefore partnered with the two governments having come up with the most competitive bid for the financing, construction and operation of the proposed pipeline project. The financial plan of the project is discussed in chapter three of this report. The cost of using the facility will be borne by the users and not the tax payers. 1.4 Benefits of the Project Alternative options of transporting petroleum products to Uganda have been considered in the next chapter. These range from transportation by road tankers, rail wagons, marine ships or ferries and finally pipeline transport. A number of benefits of the pipeline project that were the key drivers have been outlined below[26]; Secure and environmentally acceptable means of transportation of Petroleum products to the Uganda market; Provision of secure and easy access to supply of petroleum products to the other neighboring countries to Uganda; Reduction of road maintenance costs and reduction in the number of road accidents i.e. decongesting the roads; With a reliable supply of petroleum products, the oil marketers in Uganda will be able to maintain low stocks and reduce their costs resulting in low cost passed on to the consumers; The overall reduction in transportation cost will also lead to a reduction in the final market prices of the oil products; The pipeline will lead to a reduction in illegal product movement across the Kenya-Uganda border and ultimately prevent product adulteration which is common when products are transported by road tankers and finally, The pipeline will lead to a reduction on HIV prevalence among truck driver a situation that has become a national pandemic in the two countries. CHAPTER 2 2. Market analysis A number of market studies have been done in line with the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project. The most recent study was done in 2007 by TEAL through their consultant, Nexant Limited. The main objective of the study was to carryout petroleum products demand analysis and forecasting. The study was a development of the earlier studies carried out in 1999 and 2001. With an optimistic commencement of works by end of this year (2008) , the consultant focused on the prevailing Market data and carried out a demand forecasting up until 2028 (End of BOOT period). There has been a considerable growth rate in the demand of white products in Uganda and the Neighboring countries. 2.1 Oil Transportation System in Kenya and Uganda As earlier mentioned, Kenya has an already functional oil products pipeline to the major cities operated by KPC. In addition to the pipeline, the country relies on rail and road transportation for distribution of the products to the remaining towns. Uganda on the other hand relies mainly on road transportation from Kenya and distribution within the country. 2.2 Market Opportunities for the Pipeline The main driver of the project was to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products to Uganda. However there are a number of neighboring countries, relying on road transportation of their petroleum products supply through Uganda that would also benefit from the pipeline. These include Rwanda, Burundi, North Western Tanzania and Eastern Congo. The delays caused by long distance hauling add to the final fuel costs. The pipeline will therefore serve a bigger market beyond Uganda. With the new discoveries, depending on the quantities of crude discovered in Uganda, the pipeline will be used later on in transporting white Oil products from Uganda refineries to the Kenya Port of Mombasa for distribution to the wider international market[28]. 2.3 Competitors to the Pipeline Despite the benefits of the pipeline outlined, it is still subjected to stiff competition largely based on the final tariff charged to the shippers. This will ultimately affect the final cost of fuel passed on to the consumers. If the tariff charged for utilizing the pipeline is relatively high in comparison to the cost of using road or rail modes of transport (that are largely being used currently), then the oil marketers may not use up the facility instead they will maintain the current alternatives[29]. The three main competitors, road, rail and marine transport are discussed below. Road Transportation Uganda is currently relying heavily on road transportation, using oil tankers, for its oil imports through Kenya. There are two alternative routes to Uganda, through the Malaba border from Eldoret depot or Busia border from the Kisumu Depot. The shortest route to Uganda is however through the Eldoret Depot. In addition to the relatively shorter distance is its larger capacity, relative to the Kisumu Depot, to handle the extra transit oil products to Uganda. There have been massive delays in product delivery caused by road transportation of petroleum product. However there are a number of factors that have contributed to this delay the main factor being customs clearance for transit oil at the Kenya/ Uganda border where the trucks are expected to move in regulated convoys to avoid tax fraud. The other disadvantages of road transportation are the safety and environmental problems associated with spillage of products and road accidents. The high unit labor costs make road transport more expensive as compared to rail or pipeline over long distances. Despite the shortcomings of road transportation, it is still considered as the fastest way of transportation in relation to the other existing means in the absence of a pipeline. On the other hand it also provides employment to different groups at different levels, the drivers, mechanics etc. as compared to the other modes. Rail Transportation Uganda has two options of transporting oil products by rail. This can be through the Kenyan railway system managed by Rift Valley Railways Company or the Tanzanian railway system. There are three alternative routes by rail to Uganda, two from the Kenyan Side (direct routes from Mombasa and from Kisumu) and one from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. The routes through Kisumu and Dar-es-Salaam involve lake ferries through Lake Victoria. The preferred route by rail is through the Mombasa route, this is about 100km longer than the Kisumu route, as it takes relatively shorter transit duration than the other routes[30]. The railway systems use roll on ferries for moving across the lake. Railway transportation has the advantage of low marginal costs for incremental freight traffic after the initial capital investment is fully paid up. The major concern on the railway system in the East African region is poor maintenance in addition to the operational problems. The networks are not well developed causing delays. It however has environmental and safety advantages over road transportation. Marine Transport Lake Victoria connects the three East African Countries. Uganda therefore has the option of using either route through Kenya or Tanzania. The routes are however a subsidiary to the railway systems through the ferries. The infrastructure is not well developed and the systems are not so actively used. The oil jetty in Kisumu on the Kenyan side has not been in use since mid nineties when the existing pipeline was commissioned. Plans are however underway in looking at the possibility of constructing a loading Jetty in Kisumu but no work or studies have been carried out so far to this effect. Mwanza port in Tanzania is partially in use, the oil exports currently utilize the existing ferries discussed above. Movement via inland waters is a low cost option due to low maintenance costs. The cost of putting up terminal facilities is relatively low compared to other modes of transport. The main disadvantage of marine transport is the inflexibility due to delivery times and environmental concerns due to oil spillage that can negatively affect the fishing industry. 2.4 Risk analysis of the market and other project risks Risk management involves using past occurrences to forecast future events. By extrapolating from the past occurrences, risk analyst can forecast the probability that a particular risk might occur or not[31]. A good understanding of the project phases is important in risk analysis and finally managing the identified risks. The Capital intensive nature of energy ventures calls for a detailed risk analysis before making the final investment decision. Risk analysis starts with risk identification followed by an assessment of the probability of occurrence of the risk and finally an evaluation of the cost estimates of each risk identified. Quantifying the risks enables the Project management team to make decisions on what measures to take to avoid the risks or mitigate and manage them. Adequate analysis of various risks was carried out at the development phase of the project. Changes cannot be fully avoided in such big projects. A good understanding of risk management principals can theref ore help the project team in managing the ever recurring changes. The benefits of risk analysis and risk management are summarized below; [32] A good clarification of project issues right from project inception to completion, A good support of decision making based on a detailed analysis, Continuous monitoring of project definition and specification, A good understanding of project risks hence finding various options of management at a relatively lower cost, The historical data can be used in future risk management procedures. There are a number of risks associated with the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project. These have been briefly discussed below based on the market studies that were carried out by the company consultants. Market Risk Analysis Market risks are risks that results from changes in the market environment. There are a number of external and internal forces at work that all firms need to address in order to remain competitive in any business environment. According to Michael Porter, there are five competitive forces in any market environment[33]. It is rare to find more than one petroleum products pipeline in the developing countries because of the capital expenditure involved. Most pipelines in the developing countries therefore enjoy natural monopoly and are hardly threatened by new entrants. From the discussion in the last section, the pipeline will offer the lowest oil products transportation tariff in comparison to the other modes of transportation in addition to the other benefits. It will therefore have a competitive advantage over the other competing modes of transportation. The customers (oil marketer) will therefore be forced â€Å"naturally† to use the pipeline in transporting their products to Uganda. The only threat left would therefore be oil products substitutes. Oil products are currently used mainly for electricity generation and in the transport sector, the largest consumer being the transport industry. The lack of a commercially viable substitute in the transportation sector leaves oil products as the only option. No market risks are therefore envisaged in the 20 year period that TEAL will operate the pipeline and the following years until the region develops any commercially viable substitute. There are however other project risks associated with the pipeline discussed in the following chapters. Other Project Risks Financing Risk Financial risks are risks associated with changes in the financial value of the portfolio. They are therefore risks that lead to reduction of the investments cash flow. Changes in the interest rates, stock market values etc are but some of the major causes of financial risks. The projects Request for Proposal specified a Debt Equity Ratio of 70:30 financing for the pipeline project. The equity contribution by all the parties is an indication of how much risk they are willing to take on the project. The initial bid by TEAL to finance the project was based on the return on investment from the CAPEX and OPEX assumed at the time of contract award. This has however changed significantly posing great risks to the investor. There have been a number of variations that have come up having significant cost impact on the CAPEX. Some of the variations that were not foreseen during project inception have negatively impacted the projects CAPEX leading to reductions in the project returns. A new fi nancial model has however been developed (discussed in the next chapter) to look at the viability of the project. The time delay in the commencement of construction works has also had an impact on the project revenues that were initially forecasted to start in 2008. Discussions are however underway between the JCC and TEAL on eliminating or sharing any loses that may accrue to the developer (TEAL) for the successful completion of the project. Technical Risk Technical risks in engineering projects are exposures to losses that occur mainly due to technological changes or design failures. In order to avoid any negative impact on the project during construction through to the operation phase due to technical failures, it is mandatory to do a thorough analysis of all the design parameters and ensure they are closely monitored and implemented during all the phases of the project. Its also important that provisions are made for any future technological changes during the design stage. Technical failures can also cause losses of revenue due to lack of operation of the facility constructed. It is therefore mandatory that stringent checks are made during design through to construction and finally during the commissioning of the facility and operation. TEAL have put in place all the necessary checks and ensured the design meet internationally accepted standards. The pipeline design was carried out by qualified consultants to TEAL and reviewed by d iscipline engineers in the project team[34]. To avoid any design incompatibility with the already existing pipeline on the Kenyan side, TEAL held several design review meetings with the KPC engineers. An agreement was signed between KPC and TEAL (Interconnection Agreement) to avoid any technical failures of the pipeline networks in the future[35]. Detailed manuals have been put in place for future maintenance and operation of the facility to further eliminate any technical risks. Political Risk Political risks are risks that occur due to changes in the political arena in a particular country. These are mainly changes in governance, policy, civil unrest etc and can have significant impacts on an investments returns. The risk increases where an investment involves two countries like in the case of Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project because of the differences in governing systems and policies in socio-economic environments. The 2008 post election violence in Kenya had a significant effect on the economic activities in the whole Eastern Africa region. During this period, it was impossible to transport petroleum products to Uganda as the roads were impassable due to civil unrest causing serious impacts on Ugandas socio economic activities. Most investors always opt for taking a Political risk insurance to address this risk but the project team opted on forming a commission representing all the involved parties. The JCC was therefore formed to address political ris k issues in addition to the other tasks discussed in the report already. One of the responsibilities of JCC was therefore to address any potential difficulties that would result from political and national differences between the two countries. The JCC therefore put into place the Legal frameworks through which tendering for investors were managed. On completion of the construction works, a Joint Venture Company will take over the operations of the pipeline. The directors of the JVC will come from the two governments and TEAL. The ownership of the pipeline system is established through the Shareholders Agreement, and the Legal frameworks created by the Host Governments Agreements and the Intergovernmental Agreement[36]. It is however important to note that the two countries have a history of good relations but this should not be an indication of lack of any disagreements between the two governments in the future. The JVC will therefore be a neutral ground where all the pipeline oper ational issues will be discussed. CHAPTER 3 3. Finance Structure of the Pipeline The principal objective of any firms directors is to maximize the shareholders value by undertaking investments with positive returns. Shareholders of a firm can earn returns on their capital from taking up investment decisions themselves and investing in other ventures outside the firm but if they ge

South Carolina Correction Facilities :: essays research papers

South Carolina Correction Facilities Corrections are a necessary tool to protect society from those who do harm to others or to others property. Depending on the type of crime that was committed, and if the crime is considered a state or federal charge, also depends on where the person sentenced will do his time. There are four main sentencing options available; prison, probation, probation and confinement, and prison and community split. When a person is sentenced to do their time in prison most likely they will go to a state or federal prison. If a person is ordered probation, it prevents them from going to jail but they have stipulations on their probation. This is called intermediate sanctions, which are the various new correctional options used as adjuncts to and part of probation. Some intermediate sanctions include restitution, fines, day fines, community service, intensive supervised probation, house arrest, electronic monitoring, and shock incarceration. If a person is sentenced to do time, that person could be sentenced to a county jail up to a maximum security prison. In South Carolina, most county jails or Detention Centers house an average population of approximately 100 county inmates depending on the size of the county and the jail itself. Inmates serving sentences in county jails are ordered by the Magistrate or General Sessions courts for non-violent offenses. The inmates usually serve terms less than one year. The inmates prepare meals in the center kitchen for inmates at the facility and for persons awaiting trial in the county jail. The inmates can also work at county buildings doing janitorial work, doing yard maintenance in various parts of the county, or picking up litter along the roads and highways. If a person is sentenced to a state prison, depending on the crime, that person could be sent to one of S.C. Department of Corrections’ twenty-nine prisons which are categorized into four distinct security levels: community-based pre-release/work centers (level 1A), minimum security (level 1B), medium security (level 2) and high security (level 3). The architectural design of the institution, type of housing, operational procedures, and the level of security staffing determine an institution’s security level. Inmates are assigned to institutions to meet their specific security, programming, medical, educational, and work requirements. Level 1-A facilities are community-based pre-release/work centers that house minimum-security non-violent inmates who are within 36 months of release. These units are work and program oriented, providing intensive specialized programs that prepare the inmates for release to the community with unfenced perimeters. South Carolina Correction Facilities :: essays research papers South Carolina Correction Facilities Corrections are a necessary tool to protect society from those who do harm to others or to others property. Depending on the type of crime that was committed, and if the crime is considered a state or federal charge, also depends on where the person sentenced will do his time. There are four main sentencing options available; prison, probation, probation and confinement, and prison and community split. When a person is sentenced to do their time in prison most likely they will go to a state or federal prison. If a person is ordered probation, it prevents them from going to jail but they have stipulations on their probation. This is called intermediate sanctions, which are the various new correctional options used as adjuncts to and part of probation. Some intermediate sanctions include restitution, fines, day fines, community service, intensive supervised probation, house arrest, electronic monitoring, and shock incarceration. If a person is sentenced to do time, that person could be sentenced to a county jail up to a maximum security prison. In South Carolina, most county jails or Detention Centers house an average population of approximately 100 county inmates depending on the size of the county and the jail itself. Inmates serving sentences in county jails are ordered by the Magistrate or General Sessions courts for non-violent offenses. The inmates usually serve terms less than one year. The inmates prepare meals in the center kitchen for inmates at the facility and for persons awaiting trial in the county jail. The inmates can also work at county buildings doing janitorial work, doing yard maintenance in various parts of the county, or picking up litter along the roads and highways. If a person is sentenced to a state prison, depending on the crime, that person could be sent to one of S.C. Department of Corrections’ twenty-nine prisons which are categorized into four distinct security levels: community-based pre-release/work centers (level 1A), minimum security (level 1B), medium security (level 2) and high security (level 3). The architectural design of the institution, type of housing, operational procedures, and the level of security staffing determine an institution’s security level. Inmates are assigned to institutions to meet their specific security, programming, medical, educational, and work requirements. Level 1-A facilities are community-based pre-release/work centers that house minimum-security non-violent inmates who are within 36 months of release. These units are work and program oriented, providing intensive specialized programs that prepare the inmates for release to the community with unfenced perimeters.

Earning Management Essay

â€Å"Earning Management† refers to those accounting practices that may follow the letter of the rules of fundamental rules of accounting practices but unethically misrepresented to the users of accounting information. For the personal interest managers often try to show outstanding performance of the business and use the strategic way to falsify Income, Assets or Liabilities. Earning Management as generally understood refers to systematic misrepresentation of the true income and assets of corporations or other organizations. â€Å"Creative accounting† is at the root of a number of accounting scandals, and many proposals for accounting reform – usually centering on an updated analysis of capital and factors of production that would correctly reflect how value is added. Quality of accounting information is one of the Fundamental Concepts of Accounting Framework. Where it’s mentioned that, accounting information must be Relevant, Reliable, Comparable, and Consistent & Comparable (Intermediate Accounting by Keiso, Weygandt, Warfield, 12th edition). Unless having these qualities a report cannot be treated as qualified. â€Å"Managers that always promise to â€Å"make the numbers† will at some point be tempted to make up the numbers†. – Warren Buffet Definition of Earning Management * Managing earnings is â€Å"the process of taking deliberate steps within the constraints of generally accepted accounting principles to bring about a desired level of reported earnings.† (Davidson, Stickney and Weil (1987), cited in Schipper (1989) p. 92) * Managing earnings is â€Å"a purposeful intervention in the external financial reporting process, with the intent of obtaining some private gain (as opposed to say, merely facilitating the neutral operation of the process).†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"A minor extension of this definition would encompass â€Å"real† earnings management, accomplished by timing investment or financing decisions to alter reported earnings or some subset of it.† (Schipper (1989) p. 92). * â€Å"Earnings management occurs when managers use judgment in financial reporting and in structuring transactions to alter financial reports to either mislead some stakeholders about the underlying economic performanc e of the company or to influence contractual outcomes that depend on reported accounting numbers.† (Healy and Wahlen, 1999, p. 368) Motivators Earning Management * Meet financial analysts’ estimates of earnings that leads to performance-based compensation * Raise the stock price thereby enhancing the value of stock options * Smooth net income making it appear that the earnings are increasing at a steady rate * Make it look as though future earnings are higher than they really are by establishing â€Å"cookie jar reserves† (inflated expenses) in the current year that can be drawn on in future years. (Dr. Steven Mintz, Professor and Area Chair, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting From this figure we’ve indicated that in the level – 2, where bridge between 1&3 creates should be the concerning point of maintaining the qualities of Accounting Information. Qualities are not only help to detect falsification, but also helps users to take decisions. Primary Qualities: * Relevance – It helps users to predict the ultimate outcome of past, present, and future events. It also helps users to predict that, how much loss/profit company can made. * Timeline – Specific timeline of accounting period helps users to trace out the business performance over the years. * Reliability – To assure that the information is verifiable, faithful and reasonably free of error and bias. Secondary Qualities: * Comparability – The reported information should be measured such a way that it can be compared with other company’s reports. * Consistency – Treatment of similar events from period to period must be used by same accounting standards. Standards cannot be changed suddenly, unless it’s proved that new method is better than previous. Perspective of Earning Management There are two perspectives on earnings management. (1) the Opportunistic perspective, states that managers seek to mislead investors by showing attractive & predetermined accounting information, (2) the Information perspective, first enunciated by Holthausen and Leftwich (1983), under which managerial carefulness is a means for managers to reveal to investors their private expectations about the firm’s future cash flows. (Earnings Management: A Perspective by Messod D. Beneish) Accrual vs. Earning Management Plenty of research report shows managers try to use Accrual in financial engineering. Accruals are the difference between net income and cash flows. For example, when companies sell items to others on credit during a growth period, the sale creates an accrual of revenue. When companies engage in earnings management, they can increase or decrease income by creating accruals; these are often referred to as non – discretionary (flexible) accruals. Reasons behind using accrual as the engineering tool are – * Accruals are the principle product of GAAP, so it’s easy to do falsification with camouflage. * Accruals resolve some problems related with the effects choosing various accounting methods. * It will be hard for investors to see effect of unobservable components of accrual. Types of earnings management Theoretically there are two types of earnings management. They are income increasing and income decreasing earnings management (Messod, 2001). a) Income Increasing earnings management: As the name suggests, income increasing earnings management is the process to boost up net income of the company intentionally (to hide the poor performance) so that investors get some wrong signal about the firm’s financial position and performance and make the decision of investing in to company (Messod, 2001). Management are motivated towards increasing earnings management because of getting more debt and equity Financing. b) Income decreasing earnings Management: This process of earnings management is done by decreasing the amount of net earnings. Management is more involved in income decreasing earnings management is to get future compensation like: reducing this month’s earnings by increasing expenses, they ensure the profit from the next month. Also tax avoidance, import tariff rel ief, union negotiations etc. are other reasons for manager’s motivation towards income decreasing earnings management (Messod, 2001). In corporate world these are the types of earning management mostly done by the management: a) Revenue and Expense Recognition Under standard accounting rules, a company must record revenue in its books when it earns that revenue — not when it actually receives payment. Similarly, it must record expenses when it incurs them — not when it actually pays money. These rules leave room for companies to manipulate their numbers for earnings management (www.budgeting.thenest.com). For example, say a company signs a deal on December 1 to buy $1 million worth advertising time on TV over the next two months. The company could recognize the entire expense in December, recognize the whole thing in January or split the difference. If it records it all in December, then that year’s profit will be lower by $1 million — but the company will get a â€Å"head start† on the next year’s profit by not having any advertising expenses in January. Profits have been shifted from one year to the next with an accounting trick. b) Cookie Jar Reserves Companies shift earnings around by creating overly large reserve accounts in good years, then drawing them down in bad years. For example, when a company sells a product with a warranty, it must recognize the estimated expense of honoring that warranty at the same time it books the revenue (www.budgeting.thenest.com). A company might conclude that it incurs warranty costs of $10,000 for every $1 million in sales. If it’s having a particularly profitable year, it might decide to take a $30,000 warranty expense per $1 million in sales. That builds up a big warranty reserve now so that the company doesn’t have to record warranty expenses in the future, thus shifting profits from one period to the other. This tactic goes by the name â€Å"cookie jar accounting,† because it essentially stashes excess profits away to be used when needed. c) The Big Bath There will be times when a company simply can’t avoid a bad year. No matter what it does, it’s going to post a loss because of a sour economy, unfavorable market conditions, and legal trouble, whatever. Some companies, though, deliberately make a bad year even worse by shifting all kinds of expenses, one-time charges and write-offs into that year and shifting revenue out of it. This allows it to inflate profits in future years (www.budgeting.thenest.com). The reasoning behind this strategy is that if the company is going to â€Å"take a bath,† it might as well take a big bath. The company’s stock price was going to suffer anyway, the thinking goes, and the damage probably won’t be that much worse if the company inflates the loss. Indicators of Earnings Management We have find out five factors which can be important indicators of earnings management: a) Political connection and earnings management: Firms with political connection (large number of stockholder, or CEO or board of directors of the company is a parliament member) are more involved in earnings management (Paul, Mara and David, 2010). Mainly the reasons are- political leaders help the particular firm involved in earnings management to avoid penalization by SEC and also political leaders use these companies’ financial performance and position to increase their public image. b) Internal Audit and earnings management: This one is another major indicator of earnings management. If the quality of internal quality is low there are some possibilities of earnings management. According to the research, if a company is having high quality internal audit, they might be less motivated towards earnings management (Douglas, Jason and David, 2008). Main reasons are: these internal auditors are more professional, responsible towards their job and they barely miss the expert’s expectations. c) Financial transparency and earnings management: Many studies have shown that financial transparency and earnings management are related. If a particular financial report is more transparent then the manager are less interested toward earnings management (James, Robert and Cheri, 2004) The main reason behind this situation is detail information about the accounts including: change in depreciation methods, details about each and every account will help investors to find out any manipulation done by the manager.

Ambrose and brinkley abstract essays

Ambrose and brinkley abstract essays The essays from Chapter 9 of Major Problems focus on the impression of the World War II on the country and the soldiers. Stephen Ambrose writes about D-Day, when the Axis launched surprised attack to seize the Omaha Beach, and the military strategy and the tragedy that went into the landing at Omaha Beach. Also, it illustrates what soldiers had to face when their boats came to rest at Omaha Beach. In contrast, Alan Brinkley discusses the effects of WWII on the home front of the United States. Where he says, the war helped end the great depression and changed the roles of the African Americans and women during and after the war. I found Ambroses idea more effective, because the events in his essay give an account of military strategy and what soldiers had to face when they reached Omaha Beach with the actual event. I believe that Brinkleys essay is efficient in the sense that WWII did end the great depression, and bring about many changes for women and African Americans. However, looking at it from the soldiers perspective, they did not go to the war to change things in United States. They went to war because they were attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Many women performed jobs long considered the exclusive province of men. Well, since most of the men were in Europe and the Pacific, there were vacancies in the factories and offices. Besides, those factories and offices required them since; the men at war will need all the food, weapons, vehicles, clothing, shoes etc. during their stay there. Ambrose on the other hand, draws a picture of how terrified soldiers took over the Omaha Beach. They were not thinking about what needed to be done to bring change at home, but they were thinking how to escape the shower of bullets and stay alive. All along the bluff, German soldiers watched the landing craft approach, their fingers on the triggers of machine guns, rifles, arti ...

The eNotes Blog Why You Should Read Stanford’s Mandatory Reading for First Years Homegoing by YaaGyasi

Why You Should Read Stanford’s Mandatory Reading for First Years Homegoing by YaaGyasi Photo via Stanford News Stanford University’s â€Å"Three Books† program encourages incoming first years to read three selected titles before beginning the school year. This year, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi was chosen as one of them. Gyasi’s debut novel details the lasting effects of slavery, both culturally and generationally. It spans over three centuries and seven generations beginning with two half sisters: Effia and Esi in Ghana. Effia marries a white man and moves to the Cape Coast Castle, notorious as a slave-trade center. Merely a few floors below Effia, her half-sister, Esi, is kept in captivity in the castle’s basement and eventually sold into slavery in America. This sets the rest of the book in motion, closely following the two different lineages. Gyasi includes a total of 14 different characters in the novel, with each allotted one chapter dedicated to them. Some chapters focus on one particularly important period in their life, while others span their whole childhood and more. While this choppy narrative is a bit difficult to keep up with initially, its impact is profound. Through this structure, Gyasi includes several important historic and cultural moments, which would have been impossible if she’d chosen to limit the number of characters. These important moments include the slave trade, convict leasing, the Great Migration, and the Harlem Renaissance, to name a few. This means that Homecoming reads less like a novel and more like interconnected short stories. Photo via Paperback Paris This narrative structure not only allows Gyasi to explore the numerous historical experiences of being black in America, but it also reveals the reverberating effects of slavery on families in both the United States and Ghana. â€Å"I didn’t want my writing to be about pretty flowers in a field. I wanted to be engaged with the world around me.† Yaa Gyasi Through masterful storytelling, Gyasi creates experiences that transport readers back in time. For example, while the slavery chapters are not pleasant to read, they are written in acute detail creating a powerful reading experience. With important themes that range from family to race and racism, Gyasi does not shy away from the tougher topics but rather tackles them head-on, creating a distinctive reading experience. Gyasi stated, â€Å"I didn’t want my writing to be about pretty flowers in a field. I wanted to be engaged with the world around me.† In an era of â€Å"fake news† and â€Å"alternative facts,† it is important to keep in mind who holds the power in choosing which stories are told. As one character, Yaw, explains to his students, â€Å"[W]hen you study history, you must always ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too.† Homegoing brings forth that suppressed story, writing about the devastating effects of slavery from 14 different point of views in different time periods of time. Gyasi highlights these suppressed voices to show the search for their identities, their roles in society, and for a place they can call home. Read the Homegoing   summary and study guide with characters, themes, and quotes. If you enjoyed Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, be sure to check these additional titles: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Television Programming Violence that Causes Real Violence Essay

Television Programming Violence that Causes Real Violence - Essay Example For over thirty years this has been an issue. There have been several advocacy groups that have attested to the fact that children will emulate that which they see. They have presented many examples, such as: children believing that they were Superman and threw themselves from roofs, thinking that they could fly; other children using their father ´s gun believing they were playing and killing other children; and, other children modeling the behaviors they watch on television and becoming aggressive, thinking that that is the way to have solved a problem, thus violence causes higher crime rates. Today the topic is still fresh. The heated discussion relating to both the youth violence and media has continued to grow. It is still a debatable issue of whether or not television influences the behaviors of the viewers or not. In the media bloc, the public impugns the television networks, which in turn chastise the writers and producers, who sequentially hold the advertisers accountable, who in the end turn to blame the public. In the violence bloc, the federal government holds the youth responsible for their own actions, who charge the commune, which censures the schools, which points the finger at the parents, and who ultimately blame the government (Caldwell, 1995). This is a vicious circle and no one wants to take the blame for it, yet we see violence increasing every day and the advocate groups continue defending their point that television influences the viewers ´ lifestyles. These viewers may learn positive models, such as through programs like Sesame Street, Electric Com pany, Zoom, 321 Contact, and REBOP. These were programs that taught children how to read and write, how to learn about different cultures, and how to become interested in science. These shows obtained awards for excellence and influenced the youngsters positively. If these shows demonstrated that they were able to influence youngsters around the  world (they have been dubbed into many languages), then why should we think violent programs do not influence the youngsters in a negative way as well?  

Threats and Challenges of Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Threats and Challenges of Walmart - Essay Example When Mike Duke took over as Chief Executive Officer in 2009, he faced more challenges from the inside and the outside. In 2009, Lee Scott announced his retirement from the company he had reined for years. During Lee’s stint, he overcame internal and external foes by transforming the company and dragged it â€Å"into the 21st century from its clannish roots† (Kapner, 2009). Under Mike Duke, Wal-Mart has a new strategy of doing business with the public and with its suppliers: it wants to sell and deliver environmentally friendly products and serve the public with the least environmental impact that it could have and do. Moreover, Wal-Mart wants to transport the products from suppliers so that it could cut costs and save more for its stores (Burritt, et al., 2010). Vice-president for corporate transportation, Kelly Abney, says that with lower costs they would have increased sales. The strategy is to take over transportation service from companies that produce the goods – Wal-Mart believes it could do it more efficiently while allowing the companies just to produce the goods for them. In this sense, manufacturers would pay Wal-Mart for the transportation through lower wholesale prices. More savings means more sales for Wal-Mart and low prices for the customers. Wal-Mart had done this before and saved $200 million by packing and scheduling efficiently its fleet of trucks (Burritt, et al., 2010). With the new strategy, Wal-Mart can use contractors and its own vehicles in picking up products directly from manufacturers’ facilities. Wal-Mart can save more time in delivery with this new strategy. The problem in this new strategy is the economies of scale that it will create. According to Randy Huffman, a former Wal-Mart executive, the move will have an adverse reaction on other manufacturers, but this will be beneficial on the part of the customers.