Essay about Affirmative Action a Permanent Approach

Affirmative Action: a Permanent Approach One of the hottest debates in recent history has been the validity of a Civil Rights policy called affirmative action. The policy proposes â€Å"preferential treatment† to certain groups based on their minority status, giving them an advantage in job employment and some areas of education. The question asked most often is whether it is constitutional to give advantages to certain groups, excluding some, based solely on their race or ethnicity. It is up to our legal system to use â€Å"strict scrutiny,† or consideration from every standpoint, to assess the issue, which is â€Å"a cost-benefit test measuring whether a law that falls (according to the Court itself) squarely within the prohibition of the equal†¦show more content†¦One argument is that affirmative action will reduce the quality of employees, thus harming our economy by employing workers who only get the job because of their ethnicity, not because of skill or qualifications. Libertarian opponent s of affirmative action say that its policies are inconsistent with the liberal individualism since they require giving benefits to individuals based on membership to a group. In past Supreme Court cases, Justices who have decided against affirmative action have done so because they think that it will encourage racial thinking and alienate minorities. As a matter of policy, the degree to which affirmative action does unintentionally encourage racial thinking is of great importance, but it has no constitutional significance. What is brought into constitutional questionability is whether the rights of the white population are being violated by the affirmative action policy. The question that should now be asked is whether the unemployment of whites due to the loss of their employment to minority groups is justified by affirmative action. According to those who support the policy, it will be. Sarah Stroud, who wrote an article in Social Theory and Practice, asks whether affirmativ e action should be â€Å"justified primarily by backward-looking or by forward-looking considerations,† whether it should â€Å"be limited to hiring or should also includeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Affirmative Action: A Road to Discrimination and Prejudice1761 Words   |  8 PagesAffirmative Action: A Road to Discrimination and Prejudice Affirmative action: these words bring to mind many different things to many different people. To some it is a leveler of the playing field and a right for past injustices, but to others it is a tool used to cause reverse discrimination and continues prejudices. Affirmative action was born into a time when our country was attempting to provide equality for all and was only intended to be a temporary measure to bring about this equalityRead MoreWhich Country Has Successfully Implemented the Policy of Affirmative Action and Why Did It Succeed?11582 Words   |  47 PagesIMPLEMENTING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN NAMIBIA A summarised guide to the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act (Act 29 of 1998) published and distributed by Namibia Institute for Democracy Updated 3rd Edition  © April 2000 All rights reserved Contents by Dr.J.W.F. van Rooyen NAMIBIA INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY Namibia Institute for Democracy 53 Independence Avenue P.O. Box 11956, Windhoek, Namibia Tel: (061) 229117/8 Fax: (061) 229119 E-mail: nid@mweb.com.na http://www/iwwn.com.na/nid Read MoreEssay on The Resistance to Change1410 Words   |  6 Pages and ignoring unintended consequences. First Barrier Through Alex’s actions in the case study, he was under planning. As the beginning of the case study begins, Alex is warned about the potential problems that are occurring at the department, but he chooses to ignore them. Through his discovery of three letters, he begins to notice that there actually are some inconsistencies within the department and decided to take action. As a leader, there are responsibilities that should not be neglected.Read MoreAffirmative Action Research Paper2403 Words   |  10 PagesAffirmative Action University of Phoenix Susan E. Ricard Since the beginning of affirmative action, there has been controversy about the program being an effective tool to eliminate discrimination in education and the workplace. Even though the numbers with affirmative action plans seemed to have improved the percentage of minorities in schools and workplaces, it does not work to mandate that people change. Once the mandates disappear the numbers begin to decrease. In its conception inRead MoreTeen Court Programs Should Be Established1034 Words   |  5 Pagesoffenders because they are given the opportunity to think about their actions and correct their wrongdoings. First-time offenders, teens who do not have a juvenile record, are typically kids who get involved with the wrong crowd and commit crimes such as underage drinking or shoplifting. These special court cases are not a determination of innocence or guilt, but a way of determining the appropriate reformative course of action for the defendant. Typical teen court sentencing options include communityRead More Managing Diversity Essay1812 Words   |  8 PagesDifferences that replenish energy and undermine productivity and performance in an organization extend to issues like personality styles (Gordon, 2000). Diversity management contains three (3) components: 1. Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action programs direct attention to laws that guide recruitment and promotion. 2. Valuing differences centers on interpersonal qualities that shape management’s relationships with their employees. 3. Managing diversity focuses on the diverse qualityRead MoreManaging Diversity1891 Words   |  8 PagesDifferences that replenish energy and undermine productivity and performance in an organization extend to issues like personality styles (Gordon, 2000). Diversity management contains three (3) components: 1. Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action programs direct attention to laws that guide recruitment and promotion. 2. Valuing differences centers on interpersonal qualities that shape management s relationships with their employees. 3. Managing diversity focuses on the diverse qualityRead MoreConflict Of The Case Of Online Defamation1299 Words   |  6 Pagesapply to the case at hand. There appear to be three stages involved: (a) the inquiry whether there is a conflict of policy, (b) the inquiry whether there is a conflict in application, and, (c) if the answer to the previous two questions is in the affirmative, the resolution of the resulting conflict. In the normal case, where the facts and events that are said to constitute the tort have all occurred in one country, there is no difficulty in deciding where the said wrong was committed. But a moreRead MoreAnalyzing Diversity Within The Workplace1061 Words   |  5 Pagesare different from one another whether it be ethnicity, religious beliefs, cultural differences, sexual orientation or gender identification, etc. This paper will analyze both the benefits and problems of a diversified workplace. Keywords: Affirmative Action; Diversity; Diversity Management; Diversity Training; Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Literature Review The understanding of race, class, and gender as well as systematic racism and chauvinism must be understood before any analysis of theRead MoreDeveloping Efficient Framework For Social Security Data Mining1606 Words   |  7 Pagesinfo to discriminate the requirement for a bias toward security. These measurements ar accustomed infer the state of the facility system that are classified as either â€Å"stressed† or â€Å"safe.† The system is found to be stressed if the right course of action is to enable the choice theme. Previous studies on PMU measurement-based on-line DSA implicitly suppose that wide space observance systems (WAMS) provide reliable measurements. However, in on-line DSA, PMU measurements will become unprocurable owing

Copyright Law And Its Effects On The World Of Art

Everyday new works of art are being created and are changing the world of art in new and exciting ways. Art being â€Å"something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings.† (A) Some of these works of art are music, videos, books, movies, pictures and so much more. Many of these creations are innovative and the owners would like to somehow keep their work protected as best they can. This is where Copyright Law is introduced to help protect their property. If another person or entity uses their work the owner would like to have rules and regulations to make sure that use is legal and not damaging to their work. Copyright Law is what protects these creations and allows the†¦show more content†¦50 years later the British Parliament enacted the Statute of Anne in 1710, which put a limit on how long someone’s printed work could be exclusively protected. That limit was 14 years and if still alive th e author could renew the term (C) In todays 21st century society an author’s copyrighted work is protected for the author’s life plus 70 years. (D) Copyright has been around for a very long time and has impacted the way owners protect their work and how exclusive an owner’s work is. Fast-forwarding to 1909, U.S Congress enacted the Copyright Act of 1909 and even further to 1976; U.S Congress amended the act of 1909 and named it the Copyright Act of 1976. Under Title 17 of the United States code Copyright Law exist and thanks to both the acts of 1909 and 1976 Section 1 provides us with this following paraphrased information: 1. Any person entitled thereto, upon complying with the provisions of this title shall have the exclusive right: a) to print, reprint, publish, copy and vend the copyrighted work; b) to translate the copyrighted work into other languages or make it dramatic if nondramatic, or to convert into a novel etc.; c,de) to deliver, read, or present the copyrighted work in public for a profit; f) to reproduce and distribute to public by sale or other transfer of ownership: Provided that the exclusive right

Presentor notes for Conceptual Nursing Models free essay sample

Slide 1 – This is Sister Calista Roy. Sister Roy’s Adaptation Model, referred to as RAM, was developed in 1960, but she continued to expand her conceptual model through the years. In the following slides, we will visit some of the main components of Sister Roy’s Adaptation Model of Nursing Concept. We have discussed the many different conceptual nursing models that affect the way we approach how we treat our patients. As a group, we selected Roy’s Adaptation Model (RAM) because it is the model we all most identify with. When assessing the various conceptual models, we found that RAM, when utilized used as an assessment tool, is an excellent concept in how to address or patients as whole individuals as opposed to just an illness or diagnosis. It helps nurses to consider all of the factors that may be affecting the patient, whether they are contributing to the loss of health or being capable in assisting to regain health. In the following slides, we will show how to utilize RAM in assessing the patient, identifying nursing diagnoses and factors affecting the patient’s health, and creating nursing care plans and appropriate goals based on this information. Ultimately, the goal is for us as nurses to identify what’s wrong and how we can effectively assist the patient in making changes to fix it. The RAM helps to encompass all of the factors affecting this process, not just the physical ones. Slide 2 The RAM conceptual model recognizes the individual as having bio-psychosocial components that affect their health. The nurse encourages and aides in assisting adaptation to these individual components by modifying external stimuli. The 4 ways a person adapts according to the RAM are: 1. Physiological – The basic physical needs required for survival. (E. g. food, water, oxygen, etc. ). 2. Self-Concept – This is how a person sees themselves or how they perceive themselves in the presence of other people in their environment. 3. Role Function – This refers to how a person socially interacts with other people and their need for social integrity. This can be seen in their roles and responsibilities in their life such as being a parent, a professional, or a friend. 4. Interdependence – This refers to how a person interacts with others to get help, affection and attention. Slide 3 These components help nurses to consider the different facets of each individual so that the patient may viewed as a multi-dimensional being, with all of the different perspectives of what affects each person taken into consideration as part of the nursing assessment. For example, first, what basic and immediate physical needs need to be tended to? Secondly, how does the patient’s self-concept affect their overall state? Thirdly, how do the patient’s roles in their life affect their ability for self-care? And finally, how does that patient go about getting what they need to be well? Are they able to ask for help? Are their methods for getting attention effective or self-destructive? These are examples of question nurses ask themselves as consideration for all of the factors affecting their patient’s total state of well-being. Slide 4 The RAM incorporates the four metaparadigm concepts of nursing, which are: person, health, environment, and nursing. The first metaparadigm of nursing addresses the person. The person is not just someone in the bed sick at the hospital. Nursing is concerned with them as a person in context to whatever environment they are in. The person can be sick or well. They may be considered as an individual or as part of a family or community. RAM relates because Roy considered that a person may have an individual self-concept, but they also perceive themselves in relation to others in their environment whether that be their family, employer, community, etc. The second metaparadigm, health is relative. A person may have terminal cancer, but they view their quality of life as good and feel healthy because their current treatments are relieving symptoms for now and their daily life remains relatively intact. Likewise, a person can be physically healthy but emotionally and psychologically unhealthy. RAM addresses health similarly. In RAM, a person is a bio-psychosocial being. The nurse is considering the whole person and their perception of themselves in their whole environment. Health in this area is also relative because the patient’s perception is taken into consideration. Slide 5 The third metaparadigm regarding environment, the nurse considers not just the immediate physical environment such as the hospital bed or clinic, but also whatever environment the patient is in. This could encompass both literal and figurative versions of their home life for example. All the internal and external influences that affect that person are considered as being a part of the environment in which they live. An example might be that while a person’s physical home is shabby, run down and without modern utilities and ample amounts of heat or food, their family is strong, supportive, loving and completely functional within their limitations. An alternate example would be a home that is affixed with all of the modern amenities, clean, warm and stocked with food, water and anything a child could ask for. However, if a child lives in this seemingly perfect home, but a loving, supportive and caring parent is either never present or if there is dysfunction in the family dynamics such as alcoholism or abuse, this impacts the environment as a whole. The RAM considers that the patient is affected by his or her environment and helps the nurse focus on how to assist them in adapting for a positive outcome. Finally, the fourth metaparadigm is that of nursing. Nurses care for individuals as well as communities, the sick and the healthy, by promoting overall health. Nurse may act as a care provider by tending to immediate physical needs of by taking the time to listen or advocate for the patient when they cannot for themselves. The nurse adapts according to what the patient needs to be well. RAM relates here as well because the role of the nurse changes according to what the person needs to adapt in order to achieve their health goals and an overall improved state of health. Slide 6 – There are 3 specific ways RAM can be used to improve nursing practice: formulate as assessment tool, use said tool to form nursing diagnoses, and to set goals. In slide #6, we discuss the assessment tool. To use RAM as the basis of an assessment tool, the nurse would use the four adaption modes of physiological, self-concept, role function and interdependence to gather pertinent data about the patient. For the physiological mode, the nurse would assess all that has to do with the physical body. Fundamental physical assessments such as vital signs, heart, lung and bowel sounds, skin condition such as turgor, color, tenting, neurovascular assessment including circulation, movement and sensation, intake and output patterns with nutrition and fluid status considerations are all examples of data obtained as part of the physiological mode of assessment. For the self-concept mode, the nurse would assess how a patient views themselves and in relation to others. An example of this would be a 60yr old female patient with colon cancer who might be feeling depressed and self-conscious about the colostomy she will need to save her life. For the role performance mode, the nurse would assess what effect the illness might have on the patient’s life in terms of their roles and responsibilities as they view them. For example, a father might be worried that he will not be able to provide for his family financially. Or, perhaps a woman who owns a family business may be concerned that the burden of operating the business while also caring for her children is resting solely on her spouse while she is ill and unable to assist with the daily duties. In the interdependence mode, the nurse would assess the patient’s support system. For example, an elderly woman who lives alone and has poor eyesight might be worried that her family will not have the time to assist her at home with her medications or be too proud to ask for help to the restroom when she needs assistance. Slide 7 – A secondary assessment is used to determine what stimuli are affecting the adaptive or lack of adaptive behavior. Stimuli affecting the patient’s response can be focal, contextual or residual. Here is a patient example where we can look and the different stimuli: A 50yr old man who presents with an exacerbation of COPD. Upon discussion and physical assessment, the nurse finds that the patient has a large amount of stress at home, mostly due to his chronic illness and continues to smoke despite his lung condition. He is only moderately compliant at best with his recommended medication regimen as prescribed by his doctor and admits he doesn’t know how to properly use his inhaler. A focused pulmonary assessment sounds reveal tight airways with moderate secretions and bilateral wheezing and lower lobe rhonchi. These finding are broken up into different types of stimuli as follows: Focal- Sputum and narrowed airways in a patient whose lung sounds reveal wheezing and rhonchi. Contextual- Patient history of COPD while having poor knowledge of how to self-manage the disease. Residual- The patient with COPD who continues to smoke to deal with stress in his/her family life. An effective assessment tool is needed to collect and document data on our patients so what we can identify abnormalities and monitor for changes. The assessment tool helps with the continuity of care so that the next nurse knows the patient’s baseline status as he or she performs their own assessment. Slide 8 – To use RAM as a tool to form a nursing diagnosis, the nurse collects data from all of the four modes and makes a statement (or nursing diagnosis) about the primary and secondary assessments as well as the stimuli thought to cause influence them. An example of appropriate nursing diagnosis based on the COPD patient’s assessment would be: Ineffective Airway Clearance due to excessive secretions. Being able to make a statement or nursing diagnosis about the data collected in the assessments performed as well as their possible contributing factors enables the nurse to identify areas that need attention in order to help the patient adapt in a more effective fashion. Slide 9 – By using the assessment data already collected, the nurse can easily set a nursing care plan and set appropriate patient goals based on the nursing diagnosis for areas that need improvement. For example, the gentleman with an exacerbation with COPD might have the following goals: Patient will maintain a patent airway and breath sounds clear, patient will demonstrate adequate airway clearance and will use effective methods of coughing, and patient will consider smoking cessation. Slides 10 11 – These are example of studies released or published that discuss that actual application of the RAM to the nursing process. In the study regarding menopausal women, the RAM was especially effective in that it addressed the psychological as well as the physical changes these women were experiencing. In the study in the International Journal of Nursing Education, Kaur, H. Mahal, R. (2012), they discussed the RAM as helping nurses to collect and organize information on their patient in a fashion that focuses on the meaningful data. This helps the nurse to identify those areas that need improvement and appropriately plan their care, goals and predictable outcomes around them. While some of the RAM concepts have seemed too abstract, as humans we are all aware of how some of these abstract concepts affect our daily lives, and are thus more than capable as empathetic beings, to adequately address these issues. Approaching patient care in a holistic fashion that addresses the whole patient allows for a more thorough assessment and meaningful approach to intervention and care.

Mrs. Miyagi free essay sample

My name is Paige. I live in an average town, I attend an average school, and in a lot of ways I am just an average senior just waiting to walk across that coveted stage and receive my well-deserved high school diploma. Looking back on these past seventeen years I can say that I have no regrets, although some of the choices I made have affected me in a negative way they have also molded me into the person I am today. The choices that have affected me the most are not what shoes I wore to school that day, but the people I chose to surround myself with. Some of these people were good while others were bad, but there is one individual who has affected me the most and I know that I will never forget Mrs. Haworth. The first day of my junior year I was not excited when I looked at my schedule and read â€Å"Biology II-Robin Haworth, Room 301†. I had never liked biology, I found it boring and the work tedious, I went to the counselor and protested but the chemistry class I wanted was full and I was stuck in biology land learning about niches and ecosystems. As I walked through the door I entered a dark room, with yellow lighting, and smelled disgustingly similar to tuna and popcorn. I took the last seat in the very back of the room and spotted my new science teacher. She had long brown hair, a long hallow face, and two devious eyes that glared at you from behind thin wire framed glasses. The bell rang and the rest of my classmates took their seats and Mrs. Haworth began to tell us how her class was going to be challenging and that if we weren’t up to the challenge she would gladly let us leave. The class was very challenging, and required a lot of outside attention. This was very difficult because I was juggling a new school, a new family, and a new job. My grades soon began to slip and just as I began to drown in a sea of zero’s Mrs. Haworth pulled me to safety and asked me about my life. I told her I was having a difficulty juggling my home life with school while working a part time job. She listened to me and I knew that she genuinely cared about my life and my well-being. After I told her about my basic problems she told me that she understood where I was coming from but I needed to learn how to manage my time better. Mrs. Haworth was no longer my lanky science teacher but my elder and somebody I could go to for guidance. My witty science teacher soon became my own Mr. Miyagi, pushing me to the extreme and letting me solve my own problems. If I made a C on a test she would hand it back and tell me to fix the ones I missed and tell her why I missed them. She neve r increased my grades but taught me how to study harder and that if I gave my all the first time I wouldn’t have any mistakes to fix. Mrs. Haworth never stopped pushing me, she knew I could do better and expected the best. And after many trials and even more errors my grade got better, but I was still having problems at home and I had no one to turn to or lean on. I had never shared my story with someone before but I knew that I could trust Mrs. Haworth and that she would not judge me on my past mistakes or how I was raised. I told her about my absent father and my mother who was never home. I told her about how I got caught up in the wrong crowd at my old school. I told her that I felt like the black sheep of my family and that I felt lost, lonely, and depressed. I told her how I wanted to do more with my life but everyone around me just wanted me to be average. I told her everything and she listened, and began to tell me her story. My teacher and myself have very similar stories, she also had two absent parents and that her only support group was her grandmother. She told me that her sister got caught up in the wrong crowd but she learned from her mistakes and decided that that wasn’t the life she wanted to live. She told me how in high school she never fit in because she cared more about learning and being the best she could be instead of partying on the weekend. She told me how she never listened to what others said and stayed on her own path and how she is happy and wouldn’t change anything. She told me that the mistakes I made in the past do not define me, but the lessons I learned from them did. I had never had an adult open up to me before and treat me as her equal. I still respected Mrs. Haworth but it was not because she was just my teacher but because I knew she had a hard life and worked her hardest so her kids wouldn’t go through the same thing. Mrs. Haworth never let anything stop her from doing what she wanted to do and in fact even exceeded her own expectations. Over the past year she has taught me something that no one else could and that is if I want to be extraordinary I am the only one who could make that happen. I might not be the smartest, funniest, or prettiest individual but I refuse to be average. I know that I am going to walk across that coveted stage and receive my diploma knowing that I did my best and begin my life with my own goals and dreams, and not what others expect from me. Mrs. Haworth taught me to make the most out of my life and she is a living example of how it is possible to come from nothing and be the best. I learned that does not matter what others expect of me but what I expect from myself and to never stop until I achieve it. Robin Haworth is not only my mentor and teacher, but also my friend and her words will be with me wherever I go.

Defamiliarization

Defamiliarization- Definition Defamiliarization refers to the artistic practice of compelling the audience to view the familiar in an unfamiliar or rather strange way so as to improve the perception of what is already familiar. Also known as ostranenie, the term defamiliarization was first used by Shklovsky in 1917 in the study, interpretation, discussion as well as evaluation of literature (Stacey, 1977)Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Defamiliarization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The reason of applying this art is to pass on the sensation of items as they are viewed rather than what they are known to be. This approach is a means of forcing people to experience the day to day happenings that are ordinary in new-fangled fashion through the application of art language. The artist by doing that creates a swing from the anticipated, ordinary in addition to normal form of perception into a new world exposure. A ccording to Shklovsky (1990), this method of art is intended to challenge the mind of the reader that she or he is compelled to perceive the ordinary differently and thus be glad about the text form and not just the meaning and the content. Defamiliarization boosts the pall of repetition that is unproductive including the modus operandi and political arguments that are often jammed by tendentiousness or even corruption. This ensures a renewed deliberation a probable result of art. Another role played by defamiliarisation is the adjustment of the mind in a manner of sweeping unpreparedness; to ensure the suspension of doubt. The mind of a person is forced to rethink the position in the world through spending of effort. The chief aim of applying this approach is to defamiliarize the usual or prosaic perceiptions. This is usually attained by application of such big collection of â€Å"deviant† linguistic tools such as metonymy, symbolism, metaphor, rhyme, rhythm as well as sophi sticated patterning of sounds plus sense. How to do things with words by Austin This is probably one of the highly applauded works by Austin. In this book Austin tries to apply the art of defamiliarization where he tries to make the reader of this piece of literature to view what they know in a different perspective. The creation of imaginary worlds as well as objects is what Austin applies as a means of defamiliarization (Theo, 1986). He tries to move from the predominant believe that the main objective of sentences is to stipulate facts, being â€Å"true† on instances when they manage and â€Å"false† on instances when they fail on that objective. Advertising Looking for essay on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Austin (1976) explores how some cases of language appear by their mere utterance, lead to performance of a certain act- saying leads to something being done. For instance, if so meone promises to perform a task, it is the definite utterance that is promising. In defamiliarization, Austin (1976) argues that sentences that contain truth values form a miniature part of the variety of statements. He tries to categorize statements into either performatives or constatives where the former is construed to mean statements that perform certain acts while the latter means those statements that describes the states of affairs. He introduces the performative utterance where he argues that as such do not carry truth values. For instance Austin (1976) proposes that, once something goes off beam as pertaining to such a performative statement, it can be said to be â€Å"unhappy†, maybe â€Å"infelicitous† instead of being false as is ordinarily viewed. In further usage of defamiliarization, Austin refers to these false statements as â€Å"misfires† where for example the said act is purported and rather does not take place. The distinction according to Austin between performatives and constatives is but illusionary. He classifies acts pertaining utterances as: lucutionary-the face value of the statement itself, Illocutionary- the act’s contextual purpose and perlucutionary- the outcome of the act on the listener (Stokes, 2007). The 3 speech act could be illustrated by an example where a person states, â€Å"its cold†, which is a locutionary act portraying how one is feeling. It can as well be taken in the situation of a house with an open window, as an act (illocutionary) a demand to have the window closed. As the one who hears the utterance responds by closing the window, the very words have performed an action. The title of this book can be said to be locutionary, implying that every time one applies words, he/she does an act. The book has a perlocutionary act of trying to convince the reader to believe in the accuracy of the supposition. Conclusion Looking at this entire framework that Austin is trying to put fourth, it is evident that he is trying to convince the reader that each utterance (with few exceptions) constitutes an act. This therefore constitutes defamiliarization in that he is forcing the reader to perceive what is familiar (utterances) in unfamiliar way (utterances are indeed actions).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Defamiliarization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Austin, John. How To Do Things With Words; 2nd Ed, Oxford University Press, 1976 Shklovsky, Viktor. â€Å"Art as Device†, in Theory of Prose, translated by, Benjamin Sher, Dalkey: Archive Press, 1990. Stacey Robert. Defamiliarization in language and literature: Michigan, Syracuse University Press, 1977 Stokes, Philip. Philosophy, the Great Thinkers, Capella, 2007. Theo, Henry. Linguistics and the study of literature, Rodopi, 1986. This essay on Defamiliarization was written and submitted by user Jaylyn Riggs to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Hobbes The Fool essays

Hobbes The Fool essays A covenant is a contracted agreement in which it is trusted that both persons will carry out their responsibility in time. This can be referred to as the keeping of a promise. The mutual transferring of right, is that which men call CONTRACT. This means that when you exchange something in return for something else you are binding yourself to the agreement of the exchange. One of the contractors, may deliver the thing contracted for on his part, and leave the other to perform his part at some determinate time after, and in the mean time be trusted; and then the contract on his part, is called PACT or COVENANT. When a person agrees to do something at a time in the future for someone or to someone they are being trusted to follow through, therefore giving their trusted word, making a promise. To promise that which is known to be impossible, is no covenant. Therefore, a person cannot be bound to a promise that requires an impossible thing to be accomplished. According to Hobbe s, there are two ways in which a person can be freed from a covenant, by performing; or by being forgiven. What I lawfully covenant, I cannot lawfully break. Hobbes explains that no matter what the circumstances, even covenants entered into by fear, in the condition of mere nature, are obligatory.5 Who breaks a covenant? Does a covenant become void if it seems to have a beneficial outcome on a party involved? Hobbes states that only one person reasons that the breaking of a covenant can be beneficial to ones life and that the reasoning that this person uses is false. Hobbes calls this unreasonable character the fool. To understand why Hobbes believes that the person who believes breaking a covenant could be to ones benefit is a fool, we must understand his definition of justice. Justice is the constant will of giving to every man his own. Me...

Excessive Force Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Excessive Force - Essay Example This essay will summarize the incident, analyze the use of force and will look into measures to prevent police misconduct. Police Officer Edward Krawetz was convicted of a felony assault in March 2012 for the use of excessive force. â€Å"Officer Krawetz was caught on video kicking Donna Levesque (suspect) in the face, while she sat on a curb, handcuffed, in May 2009† (Allen, 2012). Although Krawetz claimed self-defense, the video clearly showed the officer kicking Levesque hard after she kicked him. Other officers at the scene agreed that Officer Krawetz was never in danger. After a trial, Karawetz was sentenced to a 10 year suspension without pay and to undergo counseling. In addition, the police department served him with a notice of termination. He will appear to a board hearing made up with three panel officers in accordance with the Officer Bill of Rights on a later date. According to Eyewitness News 12, it was reported that the incident was Karawetz’s second conviction (Daly, 2012). Officer Krawetz was previously convicted for a misdemeanor assault in 2001. Given the outcome of Kara wetz’s actions, it can be assumed that termination from service was something that Karawetz was expecting. Regardless of the reason leading to the arrest of a suspect, police officers are required to demonstrate integrity beyond approach (Ortmeier, 2006). Officers should never use unnecessary force or violence unless the situation necessitates it. Although there is no standard operating procedure for evaluating excessive force when subduing a suspect, common sense plays a good role when apprehending a suspect after employing handcuffs. The Constitution and other laws place limits on how far the police can enforce the law using appropriate measures. The use of excessive force should be as low as possible unless the officer is being threatened or in danger. According to Segan’s (2012)

Employment practices and employment law Assignment

Employment practices and employment law - Assignment Example Similar to the court’s position, the name that workers use does not necessarily identify them as employees. Workers, therefore, are not necessarily employees to any company. This implies that by referring to themselves as employees is invalid. However, they still enjoy the protection of the law as workers assigned specific roles to conduct during certain period of their involvement with Friendly. This mean that employment laws are not biased on certain groups of workers and or employees regardless of where they work (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, 2012). An employer refereeing to workers as independents contractors or employees does not affect or influence the law. This is because; the responsiveness of the employment law does not discriminate between naming system, rules, laws and policies of the company relating to its workers. On the other hand, it somewhat matters how the employer calls his/her employees. If the laws were very strict, referring to the employees would be by relevant designations to easen compliance monitoring (Walsh, 2013). According to Bennett-Alexander and Hartman (2012), one factor that is critical in the determination of the employment status within Friendly is the company’s prohibition of the drivers from operating the business autonomously and developing or creating entrepreneurial opportunities with the prospective and existing customers. It pre-empts a form of molestation in which the drivers (employees) lacked freedom to make free decision and socially interact with prospective customers. The drivers were to follow strict orders from above and probably follow the same without questioning. The best advice that that a person can offer to the Friendly Cab include changing the existing employee operational means that encompass a complete lack of autonomy in going about the daily works. It should also undertake to control the rate of regulation of how the drivers should operate

Legal Rights Regulations of Health Workers and Patients Assignment

Legal Rights Regulations of Health Workers and Patients - Assignment Example This dissatisfaction originates from the ambiguity of the questionable decision even though the problem is resolved. In suicide, persons, for whatever reasons, decide voluntarily to end their own life; involuntary euthanasia, another assist in carrying out the person's wish (Johnstone, M., 2005, 236). Common to both is that the decision is made by the person who wishes to be and who ends up dead. When patients are hopelessly ill, the choice is between living longer at the price of suffering or living shorter at the price of death. It seems reasonable, in the last instance, to allow patients to make such a choice for themselves. Patients who have terminal cancer or another terminal condition not rarely ask their physician for the means of suicide. Patient requests to their physician for help in committing suicide are unfortunately often met by physicians and other healthcare providers with a refusal or by an appeal to the law (Johnstone, M., 2005, 241). Allowing patients to have acces s to an acceptable means of suicide empowers them. Empowering patients in this way helps them to hold on a bit longer than they often otherwise would. Allowing patients as much control over their own destiny as possible is not only ethically proper, it also allows more cooperation in the care process. Physician-assisted suicide is an example of active euthanasia that involves deliberate actions resulting in the death of the individual. This assistance can also be passive where the caregiver deliberately omits actions in care that may prolong life (Johnstone, M., 2005, 243). In physician-assisted suicide, the physician actively provides the client with the means to end life. Patients with terminal illnesses that are accompanied by considerable pain and suffering often do not wish their disease to be treated aggressively. All want the pain and suffering to be minimized, but many, at least at some stage, do not want their lives prolonged. This has put a considerable burden on physician s, whose culture, tradition and instincts are devoted to the prolonging of life, not to the shortening of it (Johnstone, M., 2005, 251). Inadequate palliative care at extreme age group is one of the significant reasons patients seek to die. The client's right to refuse treatment is based on the principle of autonomy, and the client can do this only after the treatment methods and their consequences have been explained. Sometimes, however, a patient who does fully understand the consequences of not being treated ranks the harms of treatment as worse than the harms of not being treated and so does not want to be treated. Ethically, if the consequences of such an action are dead, a physician may overrule a competent informed patient's rational refusal of treatment, including life-preserving treatment, always involves depriving the patient of freedom, and usually involves causing him pain. Moreover, ethically, the medical profession is entitled to do no harm to the client, and sometimes , in reality, the pain of the treatment is more than that of the disease, and many treatments are known to cause more harm than the disease itself.

Marks And Spencer Is Clothing And Food Based Commerce Essay

Marks And Spencer Is Clothing And Food Based Commerce Essay Marks and Spencer is clothing and food based Company. The Company is committed towards creativity, innovation, and customer satisfaction, through enhancing quality and value of their products. Marks and Spencer enjoyed great profitability and success, due to the presence of a large market with few competitors (BBC, 2004). However, this did not last for long, and the Company, started facing many challenges, in the context of global competition and management (MS: Fighting Structural Decline, 2006). These challenges emanated from the internal and external environment. Despite these setbacks, the Company has major opportunities arising from the large market segment, increase in demand, and technological advancement (Research and Markets. 5). This paper explores the challenges, and sources of competitive advantage include knowledge management, social media marketing and the use of virtual organizations for Marks and Spencer Company. Discussion The current and future of the fashion and food industry favours the business ventures of Marks and Spencer (Company Spotlight: Marks and Spencer Group plc, 2004). The company has a well- established market positioning and brand image, which enhances its current and future advantage over other competitors (Marks Spencer Group PLC SWOT Analysis, 2007). However, these alone are not enough, as the Company has to consider other internal and external factors, useful in supplementing these attributes in order to achieve sustainability and profitability (Webster, 2006). In order to remain competitive, Marks and Spencer has to embrace change strategies, and Human Resource policies, which will enable it to gain a competitive edge (Grundy, 2005). The Company seeks to recruit worldwide talent in order to acquire competent employees (Marks and Spencer, 2012). The sources of competitive advantage are costs and differentiation, competent and capable workforce, and effective knowledge management, which serve as great assets to any organization (Chesebrough, 2006). Cost and differentiation leadership seeks competitive advantage in a broad industry, while cost and differentiation focus strategies are useful in a narrow industry (Wheelen and Hunger, 2010). Marks and Spencer Company must come up with new strategies, in order to remain competitive, and sustainable (Ogden and Wersun, 2006). Competitive advantage can be gained through offering greater value to customers, which justifies higher pricing. One of the key assets that the Company can exploit is its employees. The Company is faced with the challenge of pleasing its customers, and getting the best from its employees. Marks and Spencer can use its employees as a source of competitive advantage since it has high reputation for focusing on customer service. Competent employees can innovate and use their skills to ensure that they revive the Companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s lost glory (Kemp, 2012). The Human resource department can seek to attain competitive edge by strategic deployment of capable and highly committed workforce. It can use a variety of integrated structural, personnel and cultural techniques. Some of the techniques include equal employment opportunities in order to create a diverse workforce. Diversity has introduced new talent and increased the potential of the Company, which is highly required in the face of stiff global competition (DATAMONITOR: Marks and Spencer Group plc, 2011). Gaining and retention of a competitive edge is vital to success of an organization (Banfield and Kay, 2008). Competent and diverse employees are valuable assets in an organization, and can enhance profitability and sustainability of an organization. Human resource department is liable for employees within an organization. HR functions such as selection, recruitment, training, coaching and motivation, are among the methods used by the HR in order to enhance the capability, and diversity of the workforce (Luthans, 1998). Marks and Spencer can provide equal employment opportunity in order to enable the organization to overcome the impacts of past discrimination against minority groups, and gender bias, and continue to attract, recruit, employ, promote, and retain competent employees in the Company. This helps in achieving diversity goals within the organization (Le Pla, 2012). Effective human resource practices enable an organization to gain a competitive edge over other competitors. Human resource department is responsible for ensuring that the employees are adequately motivated, and qualified for their jobs, in order to achieve profitability and sustainability of an organization (Banfield and Kay, 2008). Effective management of resources enhances sustainability, and profitability of an organization. Training and employee empowerment helps to decentralize decision- making and authority delegation to the store managers (Cole, 2004). Human resource tools and techniques are potent instruments for achievement of competitive edge and sustainability of an organization (Boddy, 2005). The human resource function is closely associated with sustainability and competitive advantage of an organization. Capable employees are an important asset, and enhance the success of the organization. It is crucial for the Company to enhance the potential of their employees, through provision of equal employment opportunities, in order to remain innovative and competitive in an evolving business world (Kemp, 2012). One of the Companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s strategies is to regain the core customers through delivery of significant improvements in the product value, appeal, and availability (Chiang, 2011). Capable workforce explores all the opportunities, and innovate products in a bid to remain competitive and provide solutions to various challenges that arise due to the dynamic business environment (Le Pla, 2012). For instance, there is need to differentiate the different markets and come up with fashions that suit the needs of the younger and older generations. Innovative and competent workforce will be committed to delivery of trendy and fashionable clothing that suits the different markets (Kemp, 2012). Effective management of human resources results to enhanced potential to attract and retain capable employees, who are committed to performance (Banfield and Kay, 2008). This enhances profitability, sustainability, and places the organization at a competitive advantage. Knowledge is viewed as a crucial asset in an organization (Chesebrough, 2006). Effective knowledge management offers a competitive edge to an organization (Lin, 2006). The success of a business depends on its system and intellectual capabilities. Knowledge management is a widely applied technique in Marks and Spencer and the worldwide which is a key element towards innovation of new ideas and processes. Effective management of knowledge reduces operational costs significantly, especially now, when Marks and Spencer is trying to reduce its operational costs. It can significantly improve the quality of services and products and makes a remarkable contribution towards improving business excellence (Laudon and Laudon, 2002). This can be evidenced by a significant reduction in operational costs, enhanced productivity, profitability, sustainability, growth and improved product and service delivery (FSN 2007). In business, prior knowledge on the consumer needs and market dynamics helps a bu siness to be more proactive (Marks Spencer: fail fast, 2012). Knowledge on employee, customer, stakeholders and industrial needs, has a direct effect on relationship management. Effective application of knowledge improves the performance and productivity of a business significantly (Davenport and Beers, 1998). It helps to deliver the stakeholders expectations and earn their trust, which is highly applicable to the Company, especially during its recovery period. Companies practicing effective knowledge management are able to turn their ideas quickly into innovative services and products. Knowledge management of the global economy will help the business significantly. In the current business world, knowledge has become major strategic asset and organizations must acquire and develop effective strategies in the identification, development and application of knowledge in order for them to succeed in their goals (Davenport and Beers, 1998). Social media marketing via the web offers a cost effective marketing options (Gibson, 2009). A marketer can reach many people, and they too can share the information with their friends thus, creating a large social network (Kimberly, 2012). The social media marketing offers an organization, a platform to connect and communicate with the customers (ADWATCH, 2006). It helps businesses to reduce the operational costs through minimizing the publication and distribution costs (Zarrella, 2010). Effective use of social media will help the Company reach many potential consumers all over the world (Marks Spencer set to enter Egyptian retail market, 2010). Conclusion/ Recommendations To conclude, Marks and Spencer achieve the advantage it enjoyed so far by some reasons. Firstly, it was the quintessential British store since its establishment. The price of its products was always reasonable with high quality. This helps to consolidate its brand image and keeps the customers. Furthermore, the employees form a crucial element in the recovery strategy of Marks and Spencer. They are important assets in enhancing the success of the customer-based efforts, business refocusing, handling reforms, and correcting the issues that have challenged business at Marks and Spencer. Competent and dedicated workforce will help in bringing innovative fashions that will suit the older and younger generationsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ needs. However, the Company needs to focus on its workforce in order to achieve their innovative goals for their present and future business growth and demands. It should also make a substantial amount of investment in the creation and implementat ion of the most appropriate knowledge networks, tools, processes, methods and technologies (Hibbard and Carrillo, 1998). This will enhance profitability and sustainability of the Company.

Miracles Really Do Happen Essay -- social issues

Miracles Really Do Happen The ability for scientists to give humans and animals longer, healthier lives is not a vicious inhumane crime; it is a miracle. Animal research is the key to preventing pain and suffering. Vaccines inhibit children from becoming crippled and disfigured by infectious diseases while suffering in the shadows of death. When speaking of the Diphtheria vaccine, The Research Defense Society states, â€Å"†¦Before vaccination for Diphtheria was developed†¦as many as one in ten people, mostly children, caught it and many died from suffocation, paralysis and heart failure.† Before vaccines were created, farmers lived in fear of sickness infecting and killing entire herds of cattle. Animal research now hinders the unnecessary loss of precious human and animal existence. Research benefits humans and animals alike, because both beings are similar when it comes to the components of their bodies. Many of the same treatments given to humans are the same treatments given to animals. According to The Research Defense Society, â€Å"The human polio vaccine has been used to protect chimpanzees in the wild.† Both species can now undergo pain free surgery caused by injury, or illnesses. Transplants, tumor removal, blood transfusions, and joint replacement permit animals and humans to live vigorously. By using new reproduction methods, species at risk of extinction are given new hope. Without animal research there would be no life support machines to keep premature babies alive...

House of Obedience

The Bait-al-taa or House of Obedience is a provision in Islam law which gives husbands the right to demand obedience from their wives. If a woman leaves her husband’s home without his permission he has the right to force her to come back. The husband can claim â€Å"nushaz† or disobedience and order her to come back with a qadi (judgement. ) Once the woman returns she stays either at her husband’s home or in another living area (House of Obedience) which provides the woman with essential necessities. Divorce is not allowed unless the husband decides that is what he wants. In her short story â€Å"House of Obedience† Ihsan Assal rejects the idea of Bait-al-taa for it only hinders the progression of women in Islam. The short story â€Å"House of Obedience† by Assal follows the life of a young Egyptian girl named Nabila. Nabila is married off to a man at the age of fifteen and is very unhappy, she therefore runs away only to find herself living in the House of Obedience. The story opens in a court room where Nabila’s father gets exonerated for marrying Nabila off at such a young age. Nabila returns home to her parents but soon after learns that her court case has been reopened by her husband. She is taken away by a police officer, a soldier and a woman and is brought to the House of Obedience where her husband awaits her. The House of Obedience had a â€Å"sofa that was more like a swing. On either side was a cane chair, and in front was a small table† 12 other furnitures included â€Å"a wooden bed, large cupboard, a clothes peg. †13 Nabila is upset and saddened right away and cannot believe that she is being forced to live in the legal house. Her husband, Adil tries to reaquaint himself with Nabila but Nabila does not stand for it. She tells him that she will never like him and pushes away his advances. She refuses to eat the food he gives her and ignores him to the best of her abilities, â€Å"You think that the obedience verdict means that I have to give myself to you against my will? Adil, whatever you do I shall never in my whole life be yours. †14 Although Nabila gets visits from her parents and shares the misery and difficulties of living in a house of obedience with her mom she feels alone and trapped. One day, when the door was unlocked Nabila runs away from the House of Obedience and returns to her parents’s home. This attempt however, as well as her second attempt are not successful. Her husband comes with police to look for Nabila and makes her return to the House of Obedience. After carefully analyzing her options Nabila goes to her husband and asks for nushuz. This would certify Nabila as being disobedient and would relinquish her rights to divorce and alimony, the only right she would have left would be to leave the house of obedience. Although these are rather harsh conditions Nabila agrees to them for she is miserable living under the House of Obedience. Happy with the prospects of freedom, Nabila goes on about her day, this happiness however quickly fades. Adil returns to the legal house with papers that registered Nabila’s nushuz for the rest of her life and gave Adil the right to impose obedience whenever he felt like it. In other words, Adil could have Nabila return to the House of Obedience whenever he pleased. Nabila becomes angry and runs away to her parents’s home. Adil follows her and grants her a divorce for he realizes that no matter how hard he tries no House of Obedience will make Nabila love him. In the end, Adil and Nabila divorce one another, leaving Nabila to question her true feelings for Adil- did her anger towards the House of Obedience block her judgement and view of how Adil truly felt for her? Regardless, Nabila moves on with her life. This story captures the determination and strong will of a young female. It is only because of her wits she is able to leave the House of Obedience. This story shows us the difficulties living under the House of Obedience. You have no say in practically anything, you are a prisoner. Nabila is a rare case for not many women are allowed to escape the House of Obedience, she used her smarts to get out of a dead end and excruciating life that the law made possible. This story also shows us how the House of Obedience essentially served as a blockage to a marriage that might have worked out. If Nabila was not forced to stay in the House of Obedience and was allowed to stay at her parents’s house, she might have come to realize that Adil did infact love her. Instead she focused all of her time and energy on her hatred towards the House of Obedience, she didn’t have time to realize how Adil truly felt, â€Å" I started to cry when I heard the vow of divorce as though a dagger was plunged into my heart†¦. I felt some regret, for I had discovered suddenly that he really loved me. †15 The origin of Bait-al-taa can be attributed to the traditions of Muslim family structures. Women had to stay home, bear and raise children, and listen to their husbands in exchange for financial support. If she was to ever leave without her husband’s consent then the husband has every right to demand her to comeback home. When she does return it is advised that people and neighbors are near, this way they could hear the women scream and be witnesses to her treatment. This shows that many women faced the potential of being beaten by their husbands. For the most part, Bait-al-taa is used by husbands to avoid paying alimony upon divorce, if a woman refuses to go to the House of Obedience, she forfeits her right to alimony. 16 Bait-al-taa is used as another tactic by men to enforce their authority and control over women. Under Bait-al-taa women have no say at all, if they leave the house of obedience they are forced to return and if they refuse to go they give up their alimony, which many women need to support themselves financially. Women also cannot get a divorce until they can legally prove that their marriage can no longer be continued in a healthy manner. All of these restrictions and burden of proof are placed on women. In the 1920s the Egyptian Feminist Union fought long and hard to try to outlaw Bait-al-taa but they were not successful. The Egyptian Feminist Union tried to show the government that women deserved the right to ask for a judicial divorce, many other Egyptian groups also tried to abolish bait-al-taa but they too were unsuccessful. It wasn’t until February 1967 that an amendment to the Bait-al-taa was passed that outlawed the usage of police officers to force a woman back to her home17 and later in the year it was completely ended. 18 Unhappy marriages are the cause of women running away and age plays an important role in this decision. As time passes our ideas and perspectives begin to change. In the beginning of Islam girls were being married off at the age of 8, this practice was understood and accepted. However, with time people started to disagree, this was especially true in Egypt in the early and mid 1900s when bait-al-taa was being widely practiced and Egyptian Feminist were beginning to emerge. Age correlates with maturity and therefore, the Egyptian Feminist Union rallied and petitioned the government to set an age limit on marriage. After some deliberation the Parliament agreed and declared the minimum age for females to get married was sixteen and for males eighteen. Although, this is what the Egyptian Feminist Union wanted, it was not a complete win. This new law helped the middle and upper class families who wanted to educate their daughters while it hurt the lower class families for they had to continue providing for their daughters for a longer time. Also, this law was not followed regularly, people began to create fake birth certificates and worked around the system to get what they wanted, â€Å"my father was not punished for having me married off when I was a legal minor. 19 This law gave females more time to themselves before they got married but it also reinforced the idea that males were more important; under this law males were expected to finish school and get degrees while girls were not. 20 After reading â€Å"The House of Obedience† it is clear that Assal does not agree with the Bait-al-taa and wanted it to be removed and I agree with her completely. Bait-al-taa goes against some of the fundamental beliefs of Islam, Islam says to â€Å"not take revenge on your women’ and ‘Be gentle with them or leave them respectively. 21 Women are supposed to be companions and partners to their husbands not their slaves. Bait-al-taa only causes friction, anger and resentment between the couple. The husband gets upset at the wife for leaving, and the wife gets upset at the husband for keeping her in captivity, this causes violence to erupt and nothing is solved. The Bait-al-taa gives too much control to men and leaves women weak and defenseless, â€Å"the bait-al-taa is more dangerous than prisons for criminals: the prisons are guarded by men invested with authority by the law†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The husband is clearly and involved guard. No one controls him†¦. he can insult her and hit her and the courts will not consider this behaviour to be outside his legal rights. †22 No one wins under the bait-al-taa, its principles are not found in the Quran, Hadith or Sunnah. It goes against Islam and contradicts many laws in societies. For example, how could a husband get away or not be punished for beating his wife and keeping her in a house against her will while they’re laws to protect citizens from bodily harm? The idea of Bait-al-taa is very contradicting and getting rid of it was the right thing to do.

Mass Number Definition and Examples

Mass Number Definition and Examples Mass number is an  integer (whole number) equal to the sum of the number of protons and neutrons of an atomic nucleus. In other words, it is the sum of the number of nucleons in an atom. Mass number is often denoted using a capital letter A. Contrast this with the atomic number, which is simply the number of protons. Electrons are excluded from the mass number because their mass is so much smaller than that of protons and neutrons that they dont really affect the value. Examples 3717Cl has a mass number of 37. Its nucleus contains 17 protons and 20 neutrons. The mass number of carbon-13 is 13. When a number is given following an element name, this is its isotope, which basically states the mass number. To find the number of neutrons in an atom of the isotope, simply subtract the number of protons (atomic number). So, carbon-13 has 7 neutrons, because carbon has atomic number 6. Mass Defect Mass number only gives an estimate of isotope mass in atomic mass units (amu).The isotopic mass of carbon-12 is correct because the atomic mass unit is defined as 1/12 of the mass of this isotope. For other isotopes, mass is within about 0.1 amu of the mass number. The reason there is a difference is because of mass defect, which occurs because neutrons are slightly heavier than protons and because the nuclear binding energy is not constant between nuclei.

Extra Credit Journal Professor Ramos Blog

Extra Credit Journal English extra credit journal for The Curse of La Llorona movie, currently in theaters. 10 Points. 250+ words, proof of purchase. Comment below with the following. Summary of the Curse of La Llorona movie. Connect it to one of our readings in class.

Possible Solution to Descartes' Mind-Body Problem Essay

Possible Solution to Descartes' Mind-Body Problem - Essay Example The question that remains to be asked is – if ever the mind and the body can have an interaction, then how is it possible? Descartes answer to this question is – â€Å"I was unable to give any explanation† (Descartes 1969:162). Furthermore, he contended that that this rather hypothetical interaction between the mind and the body is merely an â€Å"arbitrary† one and something that cannot be proven by science. Nevertheless, contrary to what Descartes had thought, modern science proves that the interaction between the mind and the body is not arbitrary and is supported by evidence on the effects of medications on the mind and the body as well as the James-Lange theory of emotion. The interaction between the mind and the body is not arbitrary, as Descartes has claimed. TheFreeDictionary.com defines the word â€Å"arbitrary† as something â€Å"determined by chance, whim or impulse† or â€Å"subject to individual judgment or preference.† Th e interaction between the mind and the body, however, is not defined by chance or individual judgment but by definite cause and effect. ... In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an overdose of painkillers known as opioids would normally cause drowsiness {â€Å"Prescription Medications† 2011). An overdose of amphetamines such as Adderall may also have emotional and mental effects as well as paranoia and anxiety (â€Å"Prescription Medications† 2011). These effects prove that the physical and physiological effects of drugs have corresponding effects on the mind. The same thing is true with non-prescription drugs. Cocaine, for one, causes severe anxiety, panic, paranoid delusions, delirium, sleeplessness, hallucinations and even acute psychosis if taken in large doses (â€Å"Overdose† 2011). In a similar way, heroin can cause delirium, while metamphetamine can cause both delirium and psychosis, and marijuana can cause psychosis, hallucinations, delusions and an inability to recognize one’s identity (â€Å"Overdose† 2011). These simply prove that the mind is subject to certain changes in the physical and physiological make-up of the body – just alter the body’s physiology and you alter the mind as well. Furthermore, since scientific experiments have established this information about these effects of drugs on the health, then one is apt to conclude that the interaction between the mind and the body is causal and not merely arbitrary. Another proof of the causal interaction between the mind and the body is the James-Lange theory of emotion. If we reduced the James-Lange theory to simple layman’s terms it would sound like, â€Å"We do not run because we feel afraid, we feel afraid because we run† (Gray 1987:53). This means that whatever is experienced by the body is eventually reacted to by the mind. According to the James-Lange theory of emotion, fear or any

Hardware Infrastructure in Any Big Business or Federal Organization Research Paper

Hardware Infrastructure in Any Big Business or Federal Organization - Research Paper Example Project Objective: The project’s objective involves the identification of several needs and difficulties encountered during the process of managing information and Technology infrastructure basing on several factors. This involves the scope of the project together with the assigned deliverables. Factors to consider include technology comparison, financial budgeting, inventory assessment, and associated costs. Deliverables: 1. Determine efficiency of an organization’s resources 2. Determination of the reliability of an organization’s current assists 3. Determine the cost of infrastructure upgrade Milestones: The completion of the project has to take place before 2016. According to Chambers (2015), the instantaneous events associated with the IT project include; 1. Permits Approved- 20th October 2015 2. Assets inventory Taking – 20th October 2015 3. Determination of costs involved in supporting and maintaining hardware – 20th November 2015 4. Evaluation of probably available technology – 30th November 2015 5. Making of the financial budget – 5th December 2015 6. Final Inspection – 30th December 2015 Technical Requirements: The project considers many technical issues so as t successfully attain the desired objectives. The technical aspects touch on the availability, reliability, and the performance of the project (Ambler, 2004). 1. Determine the challenges of changing old/Obsolete Information Technology hardware infrastructure 2. Renew the IT infrastructure with an organizations budget

Market Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market Structure - Essay Example What is also significant to understand that the article discusses how the services are packaged together with the goods to deliver a unique combination of offering to the consumers? This combination of selling the services and goods as the bundled products are changing the way traditionally goods and services are being offered. This article discusses also the strategies of the leading players in the market and how the competition between them is shaping the future of the industry. This paper will discuss the market structure described in the article, how the externalities, environmental policies as well as the public goods are being offered and finally how the production takes place and the relative costs associated with it. Market Structure This article discusses an industry which is an oligopoly in nature. Oligopoly is that form of market structure where the industry or the market is dominated by smaller number of sellers. (McEachern 2008). Since in oligopoly, there are smaller num ber of sellers therefore each participant in the market is aware of what other is doing and thus the decisions of one firm is either influenced by the decisions of other firms or its decision influence the players in the market. The overall strategic planning process of each of the player in the market therefore takes into account the actions and strategies of other players. (Bowles 2006). This article discusses as to how the Apple, through its products especially smartphones, MP3 players and tablet computers is influencing the market. It is also important to note that unlike other firms in the market, Apple is offering both the hardware as well as the software thus affecting and influencing the market from both the ends. It is also important to note that Apple and other producers in the market i.e. Microsoft and Google specially are the price setters in the market rather than price takers. Barriers to the entry in the market are high too owing to the high cost involved in the acqui sition of sophisticated technology as well as economies of scales involved due to sheer production of number of units by each of the player in the market. Apple and other firms in the industry also seem to capture the long run profits thus ensuring that the new entrants into the market cannot access to the abnormal profits in the long run. This ability of the firms like Apple has allowed it to set higher prices for its products such as Apple IPAD and IPODs. Externalities, environmental policies and Public goods Public goods, in economics, are considered as the goods which are non-rival as well as non-excludable. Non-excludable goods are those goods which create the problems of so called free riders wherein once the goods are produced, it is almost impossible to exclude the people from using them even if they have not paid for it. Further, the non-rival nature of the goods suggests that the consumption of goods by one individual does not reduce the quantity available for consumption to other consumers. (Baumol and Blinder 2008). Considering the above clarifications in mind, it is important to note that the article has discussed that Apple and other companies in the market are offering free public goods.

The Pursuit of Free

The Pursuit of Freedom Essay The exploration of the world has always been interesting to the human mind. During the 1700s, many discoveries were made of new land including North America. The exploration of the western hemisphere was a great feat for the Europeans. The Europeans were the first explorers that colonized in what is known as The United States of America today. Ever since people set foot on American soil, people went through several movements that often changed many aspects of America and the daily lives of the citizens that colonized the states. One of the main movements that greatly influenced America as a whole was the Enlightenment period. The American Revolution looked at through European Movement Europe, mainly Great Britain, played a large role in shaping the states and furthering their progress in becoming an independent nation. However, Great Britain did not want America to become independent because they had full control over all of the colonies. Great Britain made a hefty profit off of America when they had control. After the Seven Year War, Great Britain placed extra taxes on the colonies to make them pay off the expenses that Great Britain had after protecting the colonies for those years. This along with Enlightenment pushed America to further their quest for independence. The ideas that brought about the enlightenment movement were actually brought to America by the Europeans. Enlightenment showed Americans that independence was possible to achieve and started the progression of the American Revolution. The people that supported the Enlightenment movement focused on the â€Å"pursuit of happiness†, and they believed that every person obtained the right to be a free citizen and have the same rights no matter what their wealth or popularity was. They also believed in every citizen’s right to free speech and their right to practice whatever religion they chose. These laws and beliefs still govern our nation today so the idea introduced by Europeans actually helped the United States separate from Europe and form their own nation. During the American Revolution, politics were still developing and many new parties sprung up in the running for office. A rise in Nationalism brought together the nation and made them want to have their nation under their control even more than ever. Nationalism influenced the colonist to revolt against Britain and seek their right to own the land they live on. Many nationalists wanted their territory that they cultivate to be theirs and not be able to be taken due to the excessive taxes that they could not afford to pay. The nation sought out together to take their land and this greatly affected the outcome of the American Revolution.

Formal Analysis: Roman Sarcophagus Essay -- Essays Papers

Formal Analysis: Roman Sarcophagus There have been countless duels between two opposing sides in the history Roman artistry. This sculpture relief signifies the classic battle of good versus evil. Time and time again, benevolent heroes find themselves in a struggle to combat worthy yet malicious adversaries. The Roman sarcophagus, a two by five feet marble coffin, is certainly no exception. It represents another division to this timeless good-evil epic, its visual characteristics, emphasis on contrasts, and its extensive array of details give it an identity that is uniquely its own. It portrays a sense of legendary fantasy to the viewer, one pertaining to hostility, violence, and pure anger. The sculpture seems overly shallow due to the fact that the same mythical figures are repeated within the story setting, but with a little insight one can try and describe its true meaning. Every object, every expression, and everything that exists within this work are there for a reason. The Sarcophagus is in relatively good condition even though some parts of it seem a little worn possibly due to the passage of time. Some of the worn areas include portions of the centaurs’ faces as well as specific areas of the background. Several corners appear to be chipped off and missing. Given its small size in terms of coffins suggests that this had been intended for a child. In addition, some portions of the sculpture contain tiny drainage holes, as this funeral item was later used as a...

American History: Emerson and Whitman

In a democracy Emerson wrote that man does not buy his rights and pay for his privileges. He has every right to speak up on an issue and does not need to pay the government to do so. Likewise he does not need to pay to cast his vote in an election. In a democracy man observes rules because doing so is the proper thing. He can not buy his way out to be exempted from obeying laws. The young will benefit from the fruits of democracy because the old shall have had their time.If the youth is able to use their God-given gift of â€Å"piquancy and charm† they would make the older generation â€Å"very unnecessary. † They would know how to take care of themselves and secure their future. Democracy for Whitman is where people are able to go about their daily lives without fear, â€Å"the machinist rolls up his sleeves, the policeman travels his beat, and the gatekeeper marks who pass. † Obviously, the people are the ones who enjoy the fruits of democracy as it allows them to pursue their business in the best and legal means without doing harm to others.According to Emerson it is easier to conform or to adapt to what the collective society stands for, but to be truly independent one must hold on to what he believes in despite overwhelming opposition. He has only his conscience to trust as to what is right and what is wrong. This attitude is what will spell the big difference â€Å"between greatness and meanness. † Whitman was more poetic in his take of independence. He said that it is when one has the â€Å"best of time and space, was never measured and will never be measured.† It meant that when a man is given the opportunity to do what he wanted, given the freedom to use it the way he thought fit is Whitman’s take on independence. Emerson believed that for man to be self-reliant he must first know himself, love his strengths and accept his weaknesses. While nature abounds with what can feed, clothe, and shelter man, he must tap and work on them by his own sweat or labor. Man is so endowed by God that there is nothing he can not do if he tries. Whitman likened self-reliance to travel. He showed a friend what there is to see in places near and far, and the road to take.The analogy could very well mean life in general. He can only be with the friend at some point but the rest will be up to the friend. He told his friend that â€Å"he must travel it for himself. † In life there are questions which answers â€Å"he must find out for yourself. † On cultural independence, Emerson challenged old traditions of the Church, to obey without question. He maintained that it was one’s conscience that he must listen to and not dead institutions and irrelevant societies. Whitman had a different approach with institutions, he was more for maintaining the status quo.Whitman wrote, â€Å"I accept reality and dare not question it, materialism first and last imbuing. † As for the spirit of social ex perimentation, Emerson opposed philanthropies of giving college grants, building half-way homes, alms-giving and organizing charities to the undeserving and regrets every cent and dollar doled out, despite the â€Å"obligation to put all poor men in good situations. † As for the issue of the slavery and the plight of the Blacks in Africa, Emerson said that â€Å"love afar is spite at home. He was for ensuring the welfare of one’s own before one can be so concerned with those of others.As for Whitman he welcomed, fed and cared for a runaway slave. He treated everyone equally, be they â€Å"the wicked or the righteous. † Emerson was among the American Transcendentalists and Romanticists from New England, who believed in the power of the mind which God had use to reveal the truth. He listened to the â€Å"voice of the mind. † Whitman was a Romantic writer especially with his association of the commonplace to Nature, like â€Å"the grass is itself a child, the produced babe of the vegetation. † Emerson approached Nature in the context of Man.He referred to â€Å"the nonchalance of boys as a healthy attitude of human nature,† and â€Å"pretty oracles nature yields us are the face and behavior of children, babes and brutes. † Whitman did not separate man, animals, the grass, the flowers, the fishes and the birds as he treats them all as Nature. He told of the activities of each without distinction of man and animal, bird or fish, flower or grass, â€Å"the wolverine sets traps, the young fellow drives the express wagon, the wild gander leads his pack. † Works Cited Emerson, R. W. â€Å"Self-Reliance. † Whitman, W. â€Å"Song of Myself. †

Fololio Mulagia Essay

In May of 2011 a Samoan schoolteacher by the name of Folole Muliaga was sent home from a New Zealand hospital suffering from a terminal illness called cardiomyopathy. Because, doctors believed she did not have much longer to live she was sent home with two oxygen tanks to help aid her with her illness. McNaughton (2006) states that on May 29 a contractor for Vircom EMS was sent by Mercury Energy to the Muliaga’s home to disconnect the electricity supply. Mrs. Muliaga pleaded with the contractor to keep the electricity because of her health condition but he disagreed. A few short hours later Mrs.  Muliaga would perish. Prior to the Muliaga’s electricity being disconnected, the family had an outstanding balance of $168. 00, and could not afford to pay the bill. The case of Folole Muliaga would later be broadcast around the world capturing the attention of many government officials. This paper will cover many aspects including but not limited to: the consequences and outcomes of the scenario, the illegal and unethical aspects of the Mercury Company, was the role of the coroner and police department justifiable, and lastly, what reforms and guidelines were put in place as a result of the devastating tragedy? Evaluate Ethical Behavior: The Historical Case of Folole Muliaga Folole Muliaga, a 44 year old terminally ill mother of four suffering from cardiomyopathy perished after not being able to pay a $168. 00 electricity bill. As a result of Mrs. Muliaga sickness she was unable to continue her teaching career which brought in the majority of the household income. Johnston (2007) states that Mercury Energy was unaware that disconnecting power to a South Auckland home could have potentially life-threatening consequences. The resulted consequence was too harsh; to disconnect the electricity given that Mrs. Muliaga was just released from the hospital days earlier. The major price Mrs. Muliaga paid was dying 3 hours after the electricity was disconnected from her home. The family of Mrs. Muliaga would later dispute that the bill was not overdue, and that it was actually due days later. Bennett (2007) states that Folole’s husband actually made a partial payment on May 17 and would make another payment a few days later. The Mercury Energy contractor who disconnected the power says he was unaware that Mrs. Muliaga depended on oxygen tanks to live. What’s disturbing is that the Muliaga family states that when the ontractor arrived, Mrs. Muliaga invites him in and thourgly explains to him her health circumstances. She begins to plead with him not to disconnect the electricity, but he is not being attentive to her needs. He states he is simply doing his job, and that she must contact Mercury Energy to have the electricity restored. Although health professionals who treated the victim said her health problems had tremendously worsened over the past few months, does not make it morally nor ethically factual for the company to not hear the concerns of its customers. After the incident went ational the general manager for Mercury Energy stated that he was sure the company was not at fault for Mrs. Muliaga’s death. Cleve (2007) He contended: I’m confident that the processes we have put, the communications we had with the customer, were very clear about the circumstances that would happen. The general manager’s arrogance toward Muliaga’s death clearly shows his lack of concern and unethical behavior. His thoughts are that the company done nothing immorally or illegally wrong. In the case of Folole Muliaga there was almost a trial by media, pressuring Mercury to change how they conduct business with customers who ave severe medical conditions. A company’s culture is the biggest element of how it handles difficult situations. Companies no matter how large or small should have a value statement that aids them on what is considered ethical behavior. The actions of Mercury Energy were illegal in the eyes of many consumers and shareholders around the world. It’s very bothersome and also reality that individuals who occupy senior level managenet roles does not uphold the standards and intergrity when it comes to satisfying the needs of customers. Meredith (2007) says the behavior of Mercury Energy top xecutives serves to do no more than confirm just about every negative stereotype there is about impersonal, arrogant, and greedy corporates. What makes Folole’s story so alarming is that Mercury Energy is a state owned enterprise, which means the taxpayers solely, owns the company. Research states that Jones (1991) a moral issue is present when a person’s actions, when freely performed, may harm or benefit others. It’s imperative to know that many judgments are moral decisions because they have a moral component, such as the case of Folole Muliaga. The actions that took place in Mrs. Muliaga’s home was horribly illegal and unethical, because the situation was not investigated thourghly. If the contractor would have taken five minutes to contact someone about Mrs. Muliaga’s severe health condition her life probably could have been prolonged. The contractor’s irrational behavior to further assist the family is what makes this situation so demoralizing. A few weeks after Folole’s Muliaga’s death, Police announced that there was no evidence that did not point to Mercury Energy nor the contractor’s that they were at fault for Mrs. Muliaga’s death. After Folole’s death the family expressed that the Police department showed lack of â€Å"Cultural Awareness† and had â€Å"institutionalized racism†. Bridgeman (2010) Coroner Gordon Matenga concluded that Mrs. Muliaga died of natural causes but, an arrhythmia caused by morbid obesity and that the cessation of oxygen therapy and stress arising from the fact of the disconnection (as opposed to the way in which the power was disconnected) have contributed to her death. To agree with the coroner’s report individuals would really have to reexamine Folole’s case. Certainly, the victim had health issues that contributed to her death. But, the question we must ask ourselves is that if Mrs. Muliaga’s electricity was never turned off would she have still perished a few hours later. Many of us would answer the question by saying no, she would still be alive. In many of our thoughts and private belief’s we would say that Mercury Energy is responsible for her death. Summary: The Folole’s Muliaga’s story should have been an eye opener for all major corporations. Many companies today do not follow Corporate Social Responsibility. Many top managers and executives are simply in the business to make a large profit off of its shareholders and onsumers. Organizations have to reexamine the culture, morals, and values of why they are in business. Meredith (2007) In the case of Mercury Energy, those needs should have been understood to include the cultural and economic issues of a Samoan family struggling to make a go of their lives in New Zealand and to have been deserving of care and respect in addressing what turned out to be the life threatening issue of the discontinuation of their electricity supply. A variety of theoretical perspectives have been established to support researchers and most mportantly managers on social issues. These concepts would help organizations to understand the importance of having values and morals when it comes to dealing with the public. The social life cycle theory was used to analyze the Mercury Energy case. Ackerman (1975) found that, in general, the responsiveness of business organizations to social issues progresses through a three-phase trajectory; policy, learning, and commitment. Most of us who are familiar with the Muliaga case would say that the company was in refutation about the Muliaga issue.

Strategic Analysis for Imax Essay Example

Strategic Analysis for Imax Essay Example Strategic Analysis for Imax Paper Strategic Analysis for Imax Paper Term of Refrences: We have refered to the book that was assigned to us in this semster which is Management (10th edition) by Stephen Robbins, Mary Coulter and Nehrika Vohra. We also consulted Strategic Management: An Integrated Approch (8th edition) by Charles Hill and Gareth Jones. Another two books that helped us to analyse this case study were Startegic Management : Creating Competitive Advantage (5th edition) by Gregory Dess, G. T Lumpkin and Alan Eisner and Strategic Management (6th edition) by John Pearce and Richard Robinsons Description of Report: In Section 1 we analyize the corporate strategy of IMAX corporation followed by their integration strateges. In Section 2 we access the comparitive advantage of IMAX Corporation. Section 3 talks about the effect of enviorment on IMAX, both internal and external. Section 4 is the breif discussion of Industry Analysis and how IMAX has been performaing compartivily with the rest of the firm, then followed by EFE Matrix. In Section 5 we have calculated and interpreated the financl ratios of IMAX Corporation. SECTION 1: CORPORATE STRATEGY A Corportae strategy is one that specifies what business a company is in or wants to be in and what it wants to do with those business. It ¶s based on the mission and goals of the organization. Mission on IMAX as stated by co-CEO Gelfond is : ? It ¶s[IMAX] is designed to deliever the worlds most immersive movie experience? IMAX designs and manufactures large image producing format cameras and projection system as well as film development,production, post production and distribution to IMAX affiliated theatres worldwide. IMAX has about 400+ theatres in 47 countries. IMAX ¶s strategy is to entice consumers happiest infront of 60-inch plasma screen TV. In order to get a consumer out of his home and make him go and watch an IMAX format movie, the company needs to give them something amazing and something special. And IMAX does it. INTEGRATION STRATEGIES There are basically two types of integration 1. Vertical Inegration 2. Horizontal Integration Page | 1 Vertical Integration The process in which several steps in the production and/or distribution of a product or service are controlled by a single company or entity, in order to increase that companys or entitys power in the market place. IMAX is into vertical integration as it is into processing, distribution and exhibition of its own films. Vertical integration is further sub divided into two parts and that is 1. Forward Integration 2. Backward Integration Forward Integration: Gaining ownership or increased control over distributors or retaliers. When an organization becomes its own distributor its called Forward Integration e. g. a manufacturing firm open up its own franchise. In such situations the organization has control over the output. IMAX initialy was focused on large format films that were educational yet entertaining and the theatres were located in institutions, museums, aquariums and national parks. IMAX forwrad integration took place when it become the distributor of its own produced films. IMAX is relatively small when it comes to rival studios and theatres but in itself IMAX is the leader in the industry when it comes to producing image in large format. IMAX not only played its films in its own theatres but gives its films to other theatres so that they would further promot the movie. Backward Integration: Backward integration takes place when an organization becomes its own supplier. As we have earlier discussed IMAX was mainly focused on producing films that were of large format. To do so obviously they would require special cameras, projectors, screens etc. From past 15 years IMAX has aquired the ownership of the companies listed below: y y y y y y y IMAX Corporation acquiring Imagery Rentals (September 07 1995) Acquiring minority shares in Mainframe Entertaintment Inc. ( June 1999) Acquiring Sonics Associates Inc. 2009 whole ownership) Acquiring David Keighley Production. Acquiring Digital Projection Int Ltd. (September 27 2000) Acquiring Cinema Plus Ltd. (October 29,2006) Acquiring a minority stakes in Laser Light Engines Inc. (July 14,2010) IMAX has a subsidiary company (meaning IMAX has 51% ownership in that company) Sonics Associates Inc which is an audio develpement company. It manufactures the sound systems for IMAX. And David Keighley Production,which i s wholley owned by IMAX, works on the post prouduction. Most of the firms above mentioned were the suppliers to IMAX. In this way IMAX has reduced the chances of suppliers effecting the prices. When IMAX has made itself independent in manufacturing all the aspect required to deliever as high quality large format film, it has access to all the new technology which is an essntail element in survival of IMAX. Page | 2 So we can see that through backward integration IMAX has made itself more stronger by being its own suppiler. In this way it has ganied control over the technology and cost to manufacture the systems that produce 2D or 3D images or audio system. Horizontal Integration When an organization reduces the competition by combinig with its competitors. In case of IMAX it had only two competitor that too produced images in large format. One was which Iwerks which produced films in 15/70 and 8/70 format and ride simulations but its main focus was on the later. Another rival was Megasystems which manfactured large format projection system and provided technical services. But as IMAX has expanded itself to the commercial business but converting an 35mm Hollywood films into large format, Iwerks didnt do that. It limited itself to ride simulation packages that are located in theme parks or museums and such other locations. Megasystem later stopped its production of projction systems and renamed itself to Pollavision. Now Pollavision is only involved in consultancy services of the large format film theaters. If we just analyize these three organizations i. e. IMAX, Iwerks and Pollavision, all of which were the manufactures of high definiton image producing projection systems, then the only organization left in the market that converts commercial movies into large format is IMAX. Its as good as a Monopolist in this feild. And if we analyize IMAX in the category of Studios and theaters, then IMAX is relativily very small. IMAX stands at 12th position when it comes to studios, Disney taking the lead with 1st position. We think it would not effect IMAX if it didnt merge with other studios. It is because of the reason that cosumers have now fully become aware of IMAX format movies,the demand of watching movie in large format is increasing. And IMAX has expereinced a growth rate of 128% in the 1st quater of 2010 alone. It if merges with other studio, it wont be able to work with rest of the studios. IMAX should launch many more commercial theatres where it can run converted Hollywood movies of 35mm to large format so that it can compete against large theatres like Regal Enternaintment Group. Page | 3 BCG MATRIX OF IMAX CORPORATION Market Share High IMAX System Sales Production of Movies Low Conversion of Movies into IMAX format Growth Rate High Low The BCG matrix is a strategic tool used to identify that which business of the organization offers high potentail and which were draining organizations resources. Accorning to the Annual report of IMAX 2007, 51. 04% of the total revenue was generated by IMAX system sales like camers, screens, projection systems etc so we added it in the Stars section. As IMAX has has an advantage over the technology of larger-than-life image production,it should invest more in in RD of the systems used to produce 2D and 3D films. We added  µConversion of movies into IMAX format ¶ in the question mark section on BCG matrix. Its is because that though now-a-days lots of studios convet their movies into IMAX format, IMAX gains not that much from it. As IMAX is not part of any studio,it doesnt get all the share in the profit. The growth is really high in converting movies but the market share is low. In the year 2008-10 IMAX only produced one documentary and that is Space Station. IMAX is orignally know for producing documentary movies but that hasnt given them the oppertunity to have a higher market share. In the motion picture industry,documentry segmant is considered significant than the others. The Motion Picture Association of America gives out seperate award for documantry movies in the grand Oscar Award. IMAX is a brand name not only for the fact that it produces larger-than-life image format but also because of its great collection of documantries which are not only educationall but also entertaining. But as IMAX hasnt produced any movie since 2008, it ¶s not growing on the pace it should. So we added  µproduction of movies ¶ in the star section IMAX should produce more movies. The dogs section of the BCG matrix is empty because there is no such business done by IMAX that should be liquidated. Its earning profit from all the three industries that it is working in i. . photographic equipment and supplies, motion picture and video tape production and Motion Pictur and Video Distribution Page | 4 SECTION 2: PORTER ¶S FIVE FORCES MODEL It helps in accessing where the power lies in a business situation. A series of IMAX Business Talks have been developed to complement the Big Screen Business Education Pack and provide student with an overview of business operations and marketing. Porter ¶s Model is actually a business strategy tool that helps in analyzing the attractiveness in an industry structure. It let you access current strength of your competitive position and the strength of the position that you are planning to attain. Porter ¶s Model is considered an important part of planning tool set. When you ¶re clear about where the power lies, you can take advantage of your strengths and can remove the weaknesses and can compete efficiently and effectively. Porter ¶s Model of Competitive Forces Assumes that there are five competitive forces that identify the competitive power in a IMAX business situation. These five competitive forces identified by the Michael Porter are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Threat of substitute products Threat of new entrants Intense rivalry among existing players Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of Buyers Page | 5 1. Threat of Substitute Products Threat of substitute products (film cinema) means how easily IMAX customers can switch to IMAX competitors product (film cinema). IMAX is the largest and most exciting film format in the world. With crystal clear images, ten times larger than traditional cinema format. Imagine the difference between watching a film at home on video and the same film at a normal 35mm cinema. The film might be the same, but the experience couldn ¶t be more different. Well consider the jump from traditional cinema to IMAX as a similar dramatic leap. Threat of substitute(film cinema) is high when: There are many substitute products (cinema) against IMAX are available Customer can easily find the product or service (film cinema)that Imax ¶s offering at the same or less price Quality of the Imax competitors(film cinema) product is better Substitute product (film cinema) is by a company earning high profits so can reduce prices to the lowest level. In the above mentioned situations, Customer can easily switch to substitute products(film cinema). The screens in IMAX Theatres are the biggest in the world. Up to eight stories high, they are ten times larger than a traditional cinema screen and fill the whole field of human vision. Sound is critical to the IMAX experience. The film soundtracks are delivered through a 15 000 watt digital surround sound system manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc, one of the world leaders in sound system design. Now-a-days you can find DVD ¶s and VCD ¶s with great resoultion. Even in cinema ¶s the quality of the film is really good so there might be customers who wont be willingto pay an extra $4-$5 to watch a movie in 3D. This could prove a fatel blow to the IMAX Page | 6 2. Threat of New Entrants A new entry of a film theatre into your market also weakens IMAX power. Threat of new film theatre depends upon entry and exit barriers. Threat of new film theatre is high when: Capital requirements to start the business are less Few economies of scale are in place Customers can easily switch (low switching cost) Your key technology is not hard to acquire or isn ¶t protected well IMAX film theatre is not differentiated There is variation in attractiveness of segment depending upon entry and exit barriers. That egment is more attractive which has high entry barriers and low exit barriers. Market research carried out by World ¶s Biggest Screens Pty Ltd has helped to define the IMAX brand in the competitive film market and understand the key drivers (and barriers) to attendance. The lessons drawn from the research indicate that IMAX can sustain a positioning as a premium cinema destination not simply b ecause it offers a better experience than other cinema destinations, but because it offers a very different cinema experience. IMAX is perceived as being at the cutting edge of new cinema, potentially offering new experiences in film. The IMAX. Experience gives visitors the sense of real exhilaration  ± a real  µbuzz ¶. It is also about the strong sense of realism of the film style which allows visitors the feeling of destination exploration; the feeling of  µbeing there ¶. There are main threats of IMAX film theatre: Primary threat: Conventional cinemas Home viewing: Pay TV, Video, free to air TV Other Darling Harbour Attractions: Sydney Aquarium Other Sydney Attractions: harbour cruises, shopping, Other Sydney Attractions: harbour cruises, shopping The Rocks area, Opera House tours, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney Tower, bus tours, museums art galleries Some new film theaters enter into industry and low performing film theaters leave the market easily. When both entry and exit barriers are high then profit margin is also high but film theatres face more risk because poor performance companies stay in and fight it out. When these barriers are low then film theatres easily enter and exit the industry, profit is low. The worst condition is when entry barriers are low and exit barriers are high then in good time ¶s film theatres enter and it become very difficult to exit in bad times. Page | 7 3. Industry Rivalry Industry rivalry means the intensity of competition among the existing film theatres in the market. Intensity of rivalry depends on the number of film theatre and their capabilities. Period of uncertainty during liquidation and restructuring in 2000. Poor film line up, combined with the aftershocks of company restructuring, resulted in low attendance figures. Industry rivalry is high when: There are number of small or equal film theatre and less when there ¶s a clear market leader. Customers have low switching costs Industry is growing Exit barriers are high and rivals stay and compete Fixed cost are high resulting huge production and reduction in prices The marketing strategy will aim to achieve its objective in three key areas: The release of a minimum of 6-8 new films in each market A groups sales program with a key focus on niche visitor groups e. g. schools, groups and functions/ events. Value-based promotions to drive business in traditional ly softer trading periods The marketing strategy will be executed using the full range of the marketing mix including: Advertising Public Relations Internet/ Email Promotions Events Sales Point of Sale These situations make the reasons for advertising wars, price wars, modifications, ultimately costs increase and it is difficult to compete. 4. Bargaining Power Of Suppliers Bargaining Power of supplier means how strong is the position of a film theatre. How much film theatre ¶s suppliers have control over increasing the Price of supplies. Film marketing takes the form of a combination of elements: advertising, publicity promotions, word of mouth, website and e-communications. Films are released usually every 6-8 weeks in a staggered program timed to coincide, where possible, with key school holiday periods. The release of a new film is the prime driver to attendance. Each new film release aims to sell the IMAX experience through the title, reminding all consumers of the key IMAX proposition (i. e. IMAX is a giant screen cinema experience) whilst presenting a  µcall to action ¶ to visit the theatre again, or to trial for the first time. Page | 8 Suppliers are more powerful when Suppliers are concentrated and well organized a few substitutes available to supplies Their product is most effective or unique Switching cost, from one suppliers to another, is high Films are not an important than other The criteria for title selection are based on a number of factors: Format: 2D or 3D? 3D films have now surpassed 2D films as the most popular. There is however, a limited supply of 3D films (They ¶re more expensive to make) to choose from. Experience of similar titles: An examination of the success of previous titles and the potential audience reaction to new titles. Success of titles in other markets: If a film has performed well overseas, it may do well in Australia also. Title testing: Testing the appeal of a film title with current IMAX audiences through surveys site. Expand the market: Titles that present an opportunity to draw a new market into the theatres and encourage trial. When suppliers have more control over supplies and its prices that segment is less attractive. It is best way to make win-win relation with suppliers. It ¶s good idea to have multi-sources of supply. conducted on 5. Bargaining Power Of Buyers Bargaining Power of Buyers means, How much control the buyers have to drive down your products price, Can they work together in ordering large volumes. Buyers have more bargaining power when: Few buyers chasing too many goods Buyer purchases tickets of film theatre Film theatre is not differentiated Buyer ¶s cost of switching to a competitors ¶ product(film theatre) is low Film ticket cost is low Page | 9 Buyers are price sensitive Credible Threat of integration Our market research indicates that 78% of those who have seen an IMAX film express the intent to return. Activities to encourage this process include: Using the interior of the theatre building to highlight new releases Screening of trailers at least 3 months prior to the feature release Interior light boxes featuring coming soon films e. g. behind box office Whatà ‚ ¶s On Brochures featuring  µcoming soon ¶ films Buyer ¶s bargaining power may be lowered down by offering differentiated film theatres. If IMAX ¶ serving a few but huge quantity(tickets)ordering buyers, then they have the power to dictate IMAX. PORTER ¶S GENERIC STRATEGIES According to porter ¶ strategies allow company to gain competitive advantage from three different bases: Cost Leadership Strategy: A primary reason for pursuing forward, backward and horizontal strategies is to gain cost leadership benefits IMAX could be considered a part of three different industries: Photographic equipment and supplies, motion pictures and video tape production and motion picture and video distribution, it is called horizontal integration. The purpose is overhead is kept minimum, and the firm does everything it can to cut costs. IMAX should be produce and distribute its movies in digital format also this shift will allow it to lower its operational cost significantly. Differentiation Strategies: The unique feature of IMAX is large format films, which differentiated it with others filmmakers and production houses. Its library of films and by locating itself in prestigious venues firm had created a unique brand image. Its goal is to provide his customers with high quality entertainment and documentary movies with 3D images and distortion free sounds. For this IMAX had even developed a 3D directional sound technology that offered location and depth to the audio. If IMAX is able to continuously improve the quality and reliability of its programmes, it may have competitive advantage that can ¶t be taken away. It ¶s not enough simply to create a competitive advantage. A corporation must be able to sustain that advantage. And IMAX must be developed the skills knowledge and capabilities to design and assemble the critical elements in its projector and camera systems with technological changes. Page | 10 Focus Strategies: A successful focus strategy depends upon an industry segment that is of sufficient size, has good growth potential and is not crucial to the success of other major competitors. Growth opportunity for IMAX is to focus on retention of the customers. According to IMAX more than 20 percent of its audience were school group, about 70 per cent of its viewers were between 19 and 65 years of age, and the majority were college or university educated. IMAX needed to figure out a way to attract this demographic. To retain them IMAX should focused on educational documentaries and entertainment movies. As a result zoos, museums software, TV shows and toys were all redesigning their products to entertain and educate. The Value Chain The business of a firm can best be described as a value chain in which total revenues minus toal costs of all acrivities undertaken to develop and market a product or service yields value. Given is the semi income statment of IMAX. We can see that for two years 2007 and 2008 IMAX faced loses PERIOD ENDING Total Revenue Cost of Revenue Gross Profit Operating Expenses Research Development Selling General and Administrative Non Recurring Others Total Operating Expenses Operating Income or Loss Dec 31, 2009 171,211 89,659 81,552 3,755 56,207 1,247 546 61,755 19,797 Dec 31, 2008 Dec 31, 2007 106,226 115,832 68,766 74,673 37,460 41,159 7,461 43,652 2,005 526 53,644 (16,184) 5,789 44,705 562 547 51,603 (10,444) Page | 11 SECTION 3: ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS: IMAX interacts with its environment as it takes inputs and distributes its output, in form of large screen format movies with 3D images and distorted sound. Like every organization IMAX has also external and internal environment which affects its outputs. The External Environment The factors and forces outside the IMAX Corporation that affects its performance are its external environment. External environment of the IMAX Corporation has two components: a) Specific environment b) General environment Specific Environment Specific environment includes those forces and factors those directly relevant to the achievement of the IMAX ¶S goals. The main forces that that make the IMAX µs specific environment are: Customers: Customers represent potential uncertainty to the IMAX because their taste changes. Therefore IMAX should need to create educational and entertainment movies and show them in full screen format. Demand for animated and technological base movies is increasing rapidly. IMAX should merge with some large theaters like Pixer to fulfill the demands of their customers. Suppliers: IMAX had developed the skills, knowledge and capabilities to design and assemble the critical elements involved in its projector and camera systems, though most of the components were purchased from the suppliers with whom it maintained long run relationships. So it is supplier of its own cameras and projection systems. Competitors: IMAX has also competitors like other profit and non profit organizations. Now it faces competition from digital cable, satellite, DVDs and the internet all of which offer customers a much broader choice. Within the large format film segment, Iwerks was the only rival to IMAX. General Environment Includes the political/legal social cultural demographic, technological that affects the IMAX indirectly. Movies which are presented in IMAX theater should represent the social culture of Page | 12 that area, where it going to be released. Mostly the audience is college or university educated, are between 19 and 65 years of age, so its projects should fulfills theirs desires. The Internal Environment Internal environment of IMAX includes the procedures and inputs which are used to attain its goals. IMAX had successfully developed 3D cameras and projection systems to produce realistic 3D images. IMAX projection system produced images on screen that were brighter and sharper those found in conventional movie theater. The company had even produced a 3D directional sound technology that offered location and depth to the audio. IMAX also focuses on its research and development programmers ¶ to present movies in latest technological method . for this IMAX had spend $12. 6 million in research and development in past three years. As part of lease IMAX advised customers on theater design, supervised the installation of the system, trained theater staff and maintain the system. Page | 13 SECTION 4: INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Industry analysis is an market assessment tool designed to provide a business with an idea of the complexity of a particular industry. Industry analysis involves reviewing the economic, political and market factors that influence the way the industry develops. Major factors can include the power wielded by suppliers and buyers, the condition of competitors, and the likelihood of new market entrants. We analyize the positon of an organization in the industry. In this case, we will be analyizing IMAX ¶s position in the industry which is Photographic Equipment and Supplies. IMAX shares performance according to 30th July 2010 is as PERFORMANCE SUMMARY Name IMAX Corporation Ticker IMAX Change 0. 13% Photographic Equipment And Supplies YHoh726 0. 24% The above table shows us the performance of IMAX corporation in the share market. IMAX is losing by -0. 13% of the share price where as the rest of the industry is booming at 0. 24% of their share prices. The main competitors of IMAX are : Canon Inc Eastman Kodak Co X-Rite Incorporated Ballantyne Strong Inc Ikonics Coropration. Given below is table which tell us the different share prices of different firms in the industry andwhose share prices are increasing in th industry Page | 14 Top Photographic Equipment Supplies Companies By Market Cap Company Canon Inc. Eastman Kodak Co IMAX Corporation X-Rite Incorporated Ballantyne Strong Inc Ikonics Corporation Symbol CAJ EK IMAX XRIT BTN IKNX Price 43. 32 3. 97 15. 47 3. 70 7. 72 7. 30 Change 0. 28% 1. 49% 0. 13% 1. 65% 0. 39% 4. 14% Market Cap 53. 48B 1. 07B 982. 67M 316. 04M 108. 80M 14. 37M P/E 27. 23 4. 12 27. 14 N/A 43. 37 N/A We can see that on 30th July 31, 2010 Canon Inc. was leading the photographic equipment and supplies industry with share price as high as 43. 32. It expereinced an increse in its market share by 0. 8% and has the highest market capitalization in the industry by $53. 48 Billion. Where as IMAX Corporation, Eastman Kodak and Ballantyne faced a downfall in the prices of their shares by 0. 13%, 1. 49% and 0. 39% respectivily. GROWTH OF IMAX CORPORATION Below is the tabel which shows us quaterly growth of IMAX Corporation as compared to rest of the firm of the industry Leaders in Quarterly Reven ue Growth (YoY) Imax Corporation Ballantyne Strong, Inc. Eastman Kodak Canon Inc. X-Rite Incorporated Ikonics Corporation 128. 00% 47. 80% 30. 90% 10. 00% 9. 90% 3. 40% As on 30th July 2010, IMAX has expereiced growth of about 128% in an quater alone. This is amazingly high when we compare with rest of the industry. IMAX with its great control and knowledge of technology has outrun Canon Inc,who had experienced an increase in its share prices at mentioned above. IMAX also converting movies into large format,has helped to increase its revenues. This quater alone IMAX has a list of hit movies which have been converted into IMAX format. Toy Story 3, The Twilight Saga: Eclipes, Inception, Resident Evil, Avatar, Legends of The Gurdians are a few of them. Consumers interest watching a movie in IMAX format has been increasing alot. Page | 15 Following IMAX is Ballantyne Strong Incorporation which has expereinced growth of about 47. 80% this quarter. The growth is good but comparing it with IMAX Corporation, its very low. Laging behind in the league of growth is Ikonics Corporation with about only 3. 40%. Ikonics is going through rough time, with only 3. 40 % growth this quater and fall in the price of it shares. IMAX CORPORATION VS INDUSTRY We will now analyize IMAX position against rest of the industry. Below is the table which tells us about the different aspects that will detemine the value and rank of each organization. Statistic Market Captialization P/E Ratio (ttm) PEG Ratio(5 yss expected) Revenue Growth (Qtrly YoY) EPS Growth(Qtrly) Long Term Growth Rate (5yrs) Return on Equity(ttm) Long Term Debt Equity (mrq) Divident Yeild (annaul) Where: Ttm= Trailing Twelve Months Mrq= Most Recent Quater Qtrly= Quaterly Industry Leader IMAX CAJ 53. 48B 982. 67M BTN 43. 37 27. 14 CAJ 0. 87 0. 66 IMAX 128. 00% CAJ 220. 20% N/A IMAX 25. 00% EK 84. 25% N/A N/A IMAX Rank 3/6 3/6 2/6 1/6 N/A 1/6 N/A N/A N/A In finance, the Trailing twelve months (TTM) is a moving measurement calculated using a companys interim or quarterly reports together with its annual report to show the twelve months of income statement data trailing the end date of an interim or quarterly report. Coming back to the case study, IMAX is doing really good when it comes to ranking. In market captialization, IMAX stands 3rd as comapred to the 6 firms in the industry. It leads the industry in Quaterly Growth and in five years the firm most likely to have the highest growth rate is IMAX Corporation itself. IMAX gains the 2nd rank when it comes to Price Earning to Growth Ratio (PEG Ratio). The above statistics tells us that IMAX has growth potential Page | 16 AS PER PRICE TO EARNINGS VALUE Leaders in P/E Ratio (ttm) Ballantyne Strong Inc. Canon Inc. Imax Corporation Eastman Kodak Company 43. 54 27. 29 27. 18 4. 18 The P/E ratio (price-to-earnings ratio) of a stock (also called its P/E, or simply multiple) is a measure of the price paid for a share relative to the annual net income or profit earned by the firm per share. It is a financial ratio used for valuation: a higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying more for each unit of net income, so the stock is more expensive compared to one with lower P/E ratio. Very intrestingly we saw earlier that Ballantyne Strong Inc expereinced a decrese in its share price by 0. 39% but here we see that investors are more willing to invest in Ballantyne Strong as compared to Canon Inc. IMAX Corporation ¶s P/E ratio is $27. 18, the amount investors are willing to pay to have a single share of IMAX Conclusion As the above statistics has shown that up to 30th July 2010, the leader of the Photographic Equipment and Supplies industry was Canon Inc. IMAX Corporation took the 3rd rank. But in case of growth, IMAX has more potentail than any of the firms with 128% growth the first quater of 2010 alone. This shows that IMAX will lead the photographic equipment and supplies industry in coming future THE EXTERNAL FACTOR EVALUATION MATRIX (EFE) An EFE matric allows strategies to summerize and evaluate economic, social, cultural, demographic, enviormental, technological, legal and comeptetive information. Both the opportunities and threats effecting the organization are listed. It is used to see the competitness of a firm. The highest possible total weighted score for an organization is 4. 0 and the lowest possible is 1. 0. The average total weighted score is 2. 5. A 4. 0 score indicates that an organization is respoding in an outstanding way to exsisting opportunites and threats in the industry Through the matrix we see that the strategies opted by IMAX corporation are effective. Its is throught the fact that the weighted score of all the opportunities and threats is above 2. . so we can see that IMAX is responding effectivly to the opportunites and threats comign tis way. The matrix is given on the next page Page | 17 OPPORTUNITIES Increase in the demand of Hollywood Movies Teaming up with other studios for joint ventures Opening IMAX theatres within Multiplexes No competitor that is converting movies into lareg format Converting existing multiplexe screens to IMAX format MPAA has g iven documantary movies segmant special significance Opening up IMAX in Pakistan and other countries High Populartiy of watching IMAX format movies WEIGHT 0. 07 RANKING 3 W. S 0. 24 .10 2 0. 20 0. 12 4 0. 48 0. 05 1 0. 05 0. 08 2 0. 16 0. 05 1 0. 05 0. 04 1 0. 04 0. 09 3 0. 27 THREATS Piracy of movies High quality DVD s Home theatre Systems Social factor Union of labor Joint partner, AMC rolling out its own big screesns Political Intervention Change of Taste of consumers Total 0. 04 0. 02 0. 04 0. 07 0. 13 0. 07 1 2 3 4 3 4 0. 04 0. 04 0. 12 0. 28 0. 39 0. 28 0. 02 0. 01 1. 00 2 3 0. 04 0. 03 2. 71 Page | 18 SECTION 5: IMAX ¶S FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Activity (Asset Utilization) ratios: Day ¶s sales in Receivables: ays sales in receivable Days sales in Receivable 300 200 100 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Days sales in Receivable 53. 413 224. 57 73. 357 80. 369 Days sales in Receiva ble years Interpretation: The number of day ¶s sales in receivables relates the amount of the accounts receivables to the average daily sales on account. IMAX shows better improvement in 2004 where his days sales in receivable is 53. 413 days and then in 200 5 his days sales in receivable is 224. 57days which is not good for company and then in 2006 2007 IMAX shows big improvement in their days sales receivables. Page | 19 Account Receivable Turnover: accou t ece a e tu o e Account ece eab e Turnover 6 4 2 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Account 2 493 2 516 5 025 4 542 ece ve ab e Turnover yea s Account ece veab e Turnover Interpretation: The Account Receivable Turnover ratio gives the number of times account receivable is collected during the year. it indicates the liquidity of receivables. In general the higher the account receivable turnover, the better since the company collecting quickly from customers. In 2006 IMAX has greater account receivables turnover as compared to other years indicating the highest liquidity of receivables and in 2007 IMAX shows some decline and is significant and indicates some problem in 2007 which is 4. 542 times as compare to 2006 which is 5. 025 times. Page | 20 Account Receivable Turnover in Days: rn ver Accoun Receivable Tu nover in Days 200 100 0 n receiable Accoun Receivable Turnover in Days 2004 2005 2006 2007 72. 64 80. 37 acc Accoun 146. 4 145 Receiv able Turnov years Interpretation: The account receivables turnover can be expressed in term of days instead of times per year. In 2004,2005 2006 IMAX is efficient in managing its receivables and shows the positive trend in collection of its receivables turnover in days indicate an improvement in the control of receivables but in 2007 IMAX some negative trend in collection of its receivables turnover in days. Page | 21 Days Sales in Inventory: Days Sales in Inven ry days sales in inven ry 200 100 0 Days Sales in Inven ory 2004 2005 2006 2007 151. 09 141. 46 127. 74 107. 78 Days Sales in Inven ory years Interpretation: It relates the amount of ending inventory to the average daily cost of goods sold . t gives an indication of the length of time that it will take to use up the inventory through sales. the days sales in inventory estimates the number of days that it will take to sell the current inventory . in our data IMAX shows positive trend means that it takes less and less days to selling its inventory which is shown in the graph and this is the good symbol for the company. Page | 22 Inventory Turnover: In ventory Turnover 4 3 2 1 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Inventory Turnover inventory turnover Inventory 2. 44566 2. 64477 3. 14123 3. 38653 Turnover years Interpretation: It indicates the liquidity of the inventory in times per year. IMAX shows the positive trend in their inventory turnover. Which is good for the company and increase in the inventory turnover indicates that the IMAX is not stocking the goods. Page | 23 Inventory Turnover in Days: Inven ory Turnover in Days inven ry in days 200 100 0 Inven ory Turnover in Days 2004 2005 2006 2007 Inven ory 149. 244 138. 008 116. 197 107. 78 Turnover in Days years Interpretation: The inventory turnover figure can be expressed in the number of days instead of times per year. It gives an indication of the length of time that it will take to use up the inventory through sales. The day ¶s sales in inventory estimate the number of days that it will take to sell the current inventory. IMAX shows the positive trend in their inventory turnover in days, means IMAX takes less and less days to sale its inventory which shows the improvement in inventory turnover in days. Page | 24 Operating Cycle: Opera ing Cycle 200 pera ing cycle 150 100 50 0 Opera ing Cycle 2004 2005 138 2006 2007 Opera in 149. 2 g Cycle 116. 2 107. 8 years Interpretation: The operating cycle represents the period of time elapsing between the acquisition of goods and the final cash realization resulting from sales and subsequent collections. IMAX shows the positive trend and takes the less number of days to convert inventory and receivables to cash. Page | 25 Liquidity Ratios: Working Capital: Worki pi l i l Worki worki pi l Worki pi l y r Interpretation: The working capital of a business is an indication of the short run solvency of the business. It is the difference between the current assets and current liabilities. If current liabilities exceed the current assets then it shows the bad short run solvency of the firm. In 2004 2005 IMAX shows that their current assets are more than their current liabilities indicating the better short tern solvency as compared to the 2006 2007 in which IMAX shows that their current assets are less than their current liabilities indicating the shows the bad short run solvency of the IMAX and unfavorable sign. Page | 26 Current Ratio: Curren Ra io 3 2. 5 c rren ra i 2 1. 5 1 0. 5 0 Curren Ra io 2004 2005 2006 2007 Curren Ra io 1. 2777 2. 4781 1. 1991 0. 8973 years Interpretation: Current ratio which is subject to seasonal fluctuations is used to measure the ability of an enterprise to meet its current liabilities ut of current assets. The above graph of IMAX shows that in 2005 his ability to pay their short term liabilities is much stronger as compared to others years. which shows the decline over the year. Page | 27 Acid-Test Ratio: Acid Tes Ra io 2 acid es ra i 1. 5 1 0. 5 0 Acid Tes Ra io 2004 0. 779 2005 2006 2007 Acid Tes Ra io 1. 8289 0. 7335 0. 571 years Int erpretation: The acid test ratio relates the most liquid assets to current liabilities because it ignores the inventory figure while collecting the short term debt paying ability of the firm. On examining the company, we can find that in 2005 IMAX is greater to 1 means that IMAX shows strong position enough liquid assets to pay their short term debt while ignoring its inventory. In 2004 2006 IMAX is closer to 1 means that it is somewhat in a better condition while ignoring its inventory. Page | 28 Cash Ratio: Cash Ra io 0. 5 0. 4 cash ra i 0. 3 0. 2 0. 1 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Cash Ra io Cash 0. 46177 0. 39196 0. 36034 0. 22757 Ra io years Interpretation: The cash ratio relate to extreme analysis of the firm debt paying ability. Because in this ratio we only take the figures of such liquid assets as cash in bond, bank balances, marketable securities, the ratio shows that how much firm ¶s cash in their hands and accounts to pay their short term liabilities . it gives us the extreme closer view of the firm short term paying ability. The above graph of IMAX shows that the company has not more cash in hand and at bank to pay its short term liabilities. In fact the cash ratio is more extreme analysis of the firm debt paying ability so we can say that IMAX is in better conditions but not as much good because its ratio is less than in all four years. Page , sales are not adequate in relation to the available working capital. The above graph of IMAX shows working capital turnover ratio of different firms over the tfour years. e can see that IMAX have positive working capital turnover ratio in 2004, 2005 2006 because, their current assets are more than their current liabilities while in 2007 IMAX has more liability that ¶s why their working capital turnover ratio show the negative trend. in comparison the 2006 is better off in respect to their ratio as compared to 2004 2005 which indicates that in 2006 working capital is efficiently utilizing to generate sales as compared to other years and in a better position Page | 30 Operating Cash flow/Current Liabilities Ratio: OCF/Curren liabili ies OCF/c rrent liabilities 0. 2 0. 1 0 -0. 1 OCF/Curren liabili ies 2004 2005 2006 2007 OCF/Curr 0. 1819 0. 0288 -0. 085 -0. 084 en liabili ies years Interpretation: This ratio is an indication of short term debt paying ability of the firm. This ratio shows the relationship if cash generated from operating activities to the current liabilities of the firm. If the firm generates enough cash from its operations which is greater than its liabilities than the firm is in better condition and its short term debt paying ability. The above graph of IMAX in years 2004 2005 shows that there are a positive trend, means the firm generates enough cash from its operations which is greater than its liabilities than the firm is in better condition and its short term debt paying ability while in 2006 2007 shows the negative trend, shows IMAX have not cash to meet their current liabilities. Page | 31 Leverage (Solvancy, Long-Term Debt) Ratios Debt Equity Ratio: Deb Equi y Ra io 0 debt eq ity rati -5 Deb Equi y Ra io -10 -15 2004 2005 2006 2007 -6. 448 -13. 15 -4. 903 -3. 436 Deb Equi y Ra io years Interpretation: The debt/equity ratio is another computation that determines the entity ¶s long term debt paying ability. Thus computation compares the total debt with the total shareholder ¶s equity. The debt/equity ratio also helps determine how well creditors are protected in the case of solvency, for the prospective of long term paying ability, the lower this ratio is the better of the company ¶s debt position. The above graph shows that IMAX is not in a better condition showing the negative trend in all four years . The negative indicates that their stockholder ¶s equity figures in negative that ¶s why they lie below the zero line Page | 32 Debt Ratio: Deb Ra io 1. 5 debt ratuo 1 0. 5 Deb Ra io 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Deb 1. 18356 1. 08234 1. 2562 1. 41047 Ra io years Interpretation: This ratio also indicates long-term debt-paying ability of the firm. the debt ratio indicates the percentage of assets financed by creditors and its help to determine how well creditors are protected in the case of insolvency, if the creditors are not well protected the company is not in a position to issue addition long term debt paying ability, the lower this ratio the better the company position. In the above graph of IMAX clearly shown that in 2005 is better off as compared to other years. In the 2005 the IMAX much better condition as compared to others because its total assets contain not much from the creditor side. Those firms whose ratio is less then are better off, indicating that their assets do not include more from creditors ¶ side. Page | 33 Operating Cash Flows/Total liabilities: OCF/To al liabili ies OCF/total liabilities 0. 06 0. 04 0. 02 0 -0. 02 -0. 04 2004 2005 2006 2007 OCF/To al liabili ies OCF/T 0. 042 0. 007 -0. 02 -0. 02 o al liabili i es years Interpretation: This ratio is also indication of long term debt paying ability of the firm. This ratio shows the relationship if cash generated from operating activities to the total liabilities of the firm. If the firm generates enough cash from its operations which is greater than its liabilities than the firm is in better condition and its long term debt paying ability includes transitioned interest debts and principal sum in good. The above graph of IMAX shows that in years 2004 2005 are generating enough cash from operations to meet their long term and short term debt because in these years the IMAX shows the positive trend, while in years 2006 2007 the IMAX shows the negative trend in generating enough cash to meet their liabilities over the two periods. The higher the ratio the better will be the position of the fir Page | 34 Long-term Debt-Equity Ratio: Long erm Deb Equi y Ra io l ng term debt equity rati 0 -5 -10 -15 2004 2005 2006 2007 Long erm Deb Equi y Ra io Long -4. 968 -10. 08 -3. 706 -2. 566 erm Deb Equi y Ra io years Interpretation: This ratio also shows the long term debt paying ability of the firm. This ratio relates the portion of total equity financed by the long term debt. The lesser the ratio the better will be the companys position and its ability to pay its debts. The above graph of IMAX shows that in all four years there are negative, the negative trend of the IMAX is due to that their total equity figure is in negative which leads to lie their ratio below the zero line. Page | 35 Time Interest Earned: Time In eres Earned time interest earned 2 1 0 -1 -2 Time In eres Earned 2004 2005 2006 2007 Time In eres Earned 0. 77132 0. 93299 -0. 4019 -1. 2075 years Interpretation: The time interest earned ratio indicates a firm ¶s long term debt paying ability from the income statement view. If time interest earned is adequate, little danger exits that the firm will not able to meet its interest obligations. If the firm has a good coverage of the interest obligation, it should be able to refinance the principal when it comes due. In the above figure of IMAX show the positive trend in years 2004 2005 means that in good position to pay its interest obligations on the long term liabilities while in 2006 2007 shows the negative trend and are not in good position to pay its interest obligations on the long term liabilities and it may seem also be difficult for the IMAX to pay their principals amount of their long term debts. In 2004 2005 the IMAX shows the positive trend indicating that it is generating enough income to meet its interest obligations and is able to pay its principal some debt as compared to other years. Page | 36 PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS Net Profit Margin: Net Profit M r i . r i . t rofit . . . Net Profit M r i . . . . Net Profit M r i y r Interpretation: A commonly used profit measure is return on sales often termed net profit margin. This ratio gives a measure of net income rupees generated by each dollar of sales. it is desirable for this ratio to be high, competitive forces within the industry, economic conditions, use of debt financing an operating characteristics such as high fixed costs will cause the net profit margin to vary between and within the industry,. he above graph of IMAX net profit margin shows a profitable position over the two years and its profit from sales increases substantially from 2004 to 2005, while in next two years the IMAX faces losses on sales continuously i. e. 2006 to 2007. Page | 37 Total asset Turnover: Total asset Turnover total asset turn ver 0. 62 0. 6 0. 58 0. 56 0. 54 0. 52 2004 2005 2006 2007 Total asset Turnover 0. 5701 0. 6122 0. 5948 0 . 5569 Total asset Turnover years Interpretation: The total asset turnover measures the activity of the assets and the ability of the firm to generate sales through the use of assets. The above graph of IMAX shows that who efficiently the years uses their assets to generate sales. The high figure shows that that the firm ¶s net sales are than its total assets. It indicates that the firm is not using enough of the assets to generate sales. In the above graph of IMAX, the activity of assets in the years 2004 2007 is greater than the other years that are why its ratios is lower as compared to other. As we look towards the years 2005 2006 its figure is higher indicating that this firm is not using much of its assets to generate sales. Page | 38 Return on Assets: Return On Assets 0. 1 return n assets 0. 05 0 -0. 05 -0. 1 -0. 15 2004 2005 2006 2007 Return On Assets Return 0. 043 0. 061 -0. 077 -0. 13 On Assets years Interpretation: Return on assets measures the firm ability to utilize its assets to create profits by comparing the profits with the assets that generate the profits. The higher the firm ¶s return on assets better will be the company ¶s position. The above graph of IMAX shows the return on assets of four years . By looking toward the graph we can see that from 2004 to 2005 years shows the positive and profitable trend. This indicates that in 2004 2005 management is efficiently utilizing their assets to generate profits, and also there is a positive trend over the two years while in next two years i. e from 2006 to 2007 shows the negative and non profitable trend which indicates that in these years IMAX management is not efficiently utilizing their assets to generate profits. Page | 39 Operating Income Margin: Operating Income perating inc me margin 0. 3 0. 2 0. 1 0 -0. 1 Operati ng Income argin 2004 0. 22 2005 argin Operating Income argin 2006 2007 0. 224 0. 077 -0. 031 years Interpretation: It shows the relationship of operating income to net sales. This ratio indicates that how much the firm generates income from its net sales after excluding administrative, selling and other expenses from the gross profit. The higher the figure of operating income margin the better the company ¶s better position and its profitability. The above graph of IMAX shows that the in years 2004 2005 are in better position in relation to operating income margin as compared to the other years in the IMAX Company while in years from 2006 to 2007 IMAX shows the decline means in these years IMAX Company ¶s position is not good and non profitability. So we can say that there are only two years i. from 2004 to 2005 that generate positive incomes from net sales. Further we can see that the in years 2004 2005 shows the continuous improvement over the two years while 2006 2007 shows decline over the two years. Page | 40 Return on Operating Assets return n perating assets Return On Operating Assets 2 1 0 -1 2004 2005 2006 2007 Return On Operating Assets R eturn 1. 076 1. 261 0. 415 -0. 15 On Operati ng Assets years Interpretation: This ratio measures the ability of operating assets to generate sales dollars. The higher the ratio the better will be the position of the company. The above graph of IMAX shows that there are only two years in the company i. e. 2004 to 2005 whose position is better as compared to other years in the company. Because these years shows positive figure over the two years, while next year shows big decline i. e. 2006 and in 2007 the IMAX shos the negative fingure. The IMAX company show an improvement from year 2004 to 2005 but in last two years they show the decline position In year 2004 2005 operating assets are efficiently contributing in the generation of the sales while in the years 2006 2007 are not utilizing efficiently contributing in the generation of the sales Page | 41 DuPont Return on Operating Assets: dupont return on operating assets DuPont Return on Operating Assets 2 1 0 -1 2004 2005 2006 2007 DuPont Return on Operating Assets DuPon 1. 076 1. 261 0. 415 -0. 15 t Return on Operat years Interpretation: It shows the relationship between operating and average operating assets of the firm. It indicates that how efficiently the management of the firm operates its assets to generate income. The higher the figure the better will be the position of the firm. The above graph of IMAX shows that that the management of years 2004 to 2005 has a control over its operating assets in relation to generate income while in next two years the IMAX shows the declining position means have not a control over its operating assets in relation to generate income and these two years shows the declining figure in the year 200 and 2007 indicating that they are not generating income from their operating assets in fact they faces a lose in the year 2007 . Page | 42 Sales to Fixed Assets: Sales To Fixed Assets sales to fixed assets 2. 5 2 1. 5 1 0. 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Sales To Fixed Assets Sales To 1. 895 2. 081 1. 923 1. 725 Fixed Assets years Interpretation: The ratio measure the firm ¶s ability to make productive use of its property, plant and equipment by generating sales rupees. The above graph of IMAX shows that in the years from 2004 to 2005 have a the positive trend indicating that their fixed assets are contributing more efficiently toward the sale s while in years from 2006 to 2007 the IMAX have a negative trend indicating that their fixed assets are not contributing more efficiently toward the sales. In fact In last year they faces a lose in the year 2007 . Page | 43 Return on Investment: Return On Investment return n investment 0. 2 0. 1 0 -0. 1 -0. 2 2004 2005 2006 2007 Return On Investment Return On 0. 1204 0. 148 Investmen t -0. 041 -0. 118 years Interpretation: It applies to ratio measuring the income earned on the invested capital. These types if measures are widely used to evaluate enterprise performance. Since return on investment is a type of return on capital, this ratio measure the ability of the firm to reward those who provide long term funds and to attract provides of future funds. This ratio evaluates the earning performance of the firm without regard to the investment is financed. The higher the ratio, the better will be the position of the company. The above graph of IMAX shows that in the years from 2004 to 2005 have a better positive and shows positive trend over the two years but in last two years the IMAX shows the negative trend and shows the continues losses. Page | 44 Return on Total Equity: Return On Total Equity return n total equity 0. 5 0 -0. 5 Return On Total Equity Return On Total Equity 2004 2005 2006 2007 0. 327 -0. 3664 0. 2347 0. 3156 years Interpretation: It measures the return to both common and preferred stockholders. The higher the ratio the better will be the position of the company. This ratio is important for shareholder point of view. Higher returns attract more shareholders. The above graph of IMAX Company shows in the years 2004 to 2005 have the decreasing trend over the two years also below the zero line i. e. negative returns. Wh ile in last two years from 2006 to 2007 have a positive trend and shows the better position. Page | 45 Gross Profit Margin: Gross gr ss pr fit margin 0. 6 0. 4 0. 2 0 rofit argin Gross rofit Margin 2004 2005 2006 2007 Gross 0. 485 0. 496 0. 406 0. 355 rofit Margin years Interpretation: The ratio shows the relationship between gross profit and net sales. Higher the figure the better will be the position of the firm. The above graph of IMAX shows that the company generate profits continuously over the two years from the net sales, while in last two years shows decline from 2006 to 2007 and shows the continues losses. Page | 46 INVESTOR ANALYSIS Degree of Financial Leverage: Degree Of i i ll v r ci l Lever ge of fi Degree Of Fi ci l Lever ge 2004 2005 2006 2007 2 . 9 0. 2 r Degree 2. 296 2. Of ci Fi l Lever y r Interpretation: The use of financing with a fixed charge (such as interest) is termed financial leverage. Financial leverage is successfully the firm earns more on the borrowed finds than it pays to use them. It is not successful if the firm earns less on the borrowed funds than it pays to use them. If the earning before interest increases, the financial leverage will be favorable. If earning before interest deceased the financial leverage will be unfavorable. The above graph of IMAX shows that the years from 2004 to 2005 the negative trend over the two years earning before interest decreased the financial leverage are unfavorable while in 2006 the IMAX company goes to the below the zero line shows negative figure but then in the year 2007 shows the positive trend here the earning before interest increases, the financial leverage is the favorable and the degree of financial leverage becomes favorable from 2006 to 2007. Page | 47 Earning Per Common Share: arning per c mm n share Earning er Common Share 0. 2 0. 1 0 -0. 1 -0. 2 -0. 3 2004 2005 2006 2007 Earning er Common Share Earning 0. 086 0. 118 -0. 138 -0. 22 er Commo n Share years Interpretation: It is the amount of income earned on a share of common stock during period, applies only to common stock. The higher the ratio, the higher will be position of the firm. The above graph of IMAX company shows that only in the years from 2004 to 2005 shows a continuous positive trend in the earnings per common share and also show improvement in their earning . While in next two years the company going to down and down and not shows a good position. Page | 48 Book Value per Share: Book Value per Share k value per share 0 -0. 2 -0. 4 -0. 6 -0. 8 2004 2005 2006 2007 Book Value per Share b Book -0. 364 -0. 167 -0. 477 -0. 697 Value per Share years Interpretation: It indicates the amount of stockholder ¶s equity that relates to each share of outstanding common stock. The above figure of IMAX Company shows a book value per share below the zero line over the four years. Page | 49 Operating Cash flow Per Share: perating cash fl w per year Operating Cash flow er Share 0. 15 0. 1 0. 05 0 -0. 05 -0. 1 2004 2005 2006 2007 Operating Cash flow er Share Operatin 0. 096 0. 015 -0. 049 -0. 051 g Cash flow er Share years Interpretation: Operating cash flow per share indicates the funds flow per common share outstanding, it is usually substantially than the earning per share because depreciation has not been deducted. It is the indication of a firm ¶s ability to make capital expenditures decisions and pay dividends than is earning per share. This ratio does not viewed as substitute for earning per share in terms of its profitability. The higher the ratio, the better will be the position of the firm. The above graph of IMAX shows the negative trend continuous over the four years also shows below the zero line in last two years which is in a continuous non profitability position. Page | 50