Allexa Bonner Essays (1230 words) - Greek Mythology, Mythology

Allexa Bonner English 3410 Dr. Hague 10/07/2015 T heseus Reincarnated "Man born of woman cannot outrun his fate" (Renault 332). This expressive retelling of the legend of Theseus is anything but predictable. The King Must Die both revitalizes Theseus' story as well as allows for a legitimate human connection. We are not given a modern update on an ancient tale, but we are thrown into the past. From Theseus' perspective almost everything is the hopefulness of a child . Poseidon may or may not be his father , and the Gods may or may not speak to him. For Theseus, the signs and warnings from the Gods are very much real. He is living in a world of fat e, belief , and destiny. The title itself is referring to the tradition of the year-king being sacrificed to the Gods to ensure the prosperity of the people. Renault has really brought together the enticing authenticity of the past and the down to earth reality of the present. Even when Theseus comes to learn that he may not actually be the son of Poseidon, he never really loses his connection to his beliefs. The all-encompassing religious power of the Gods and Goddesses is infused with the story though they are not, in so many words, definite characters. They are simply indications of how people interacted with the world. Renault has managed to add realism and practicality to the unfamiliar past without sacrificing the essential actuality of ancient Greece customs and the heroism of Theseus himself. Almost every aspect of daily life within Theseus' home-life feels authentic. Renault has taken objects from the Mycenae: the Cretan necklaces and face paint, the ox and the tripod, and the women. The combination of myth and fact has given the legend a new light. Though all the elements of myth are presentthe Minotaur, the declining reign of Minos, the labyrinth, and the hopeless love interestRenault has subtly transformed them into an ultimately human experience. Renault states that "a fairy-tale gloss may have disguised human actualities" (333). These changes make Theseus more plausible, understandable, and relatable as real experiences of growth; however, they do not lose their everlasting importance and impact as a mythological tale . It is natural and not much is implausible. Renault writes as if Theseus were a real individual in search of his place to belong , not a mythical being, by using history and a profound understanding of the cultures to set Theseus in a much more representative setting. Her descriptions of the lifting of the stone, the wrestl ing match in Eleusis, Theseus' arrival at the palace in Athens, and particularly his experiences in becoming a bull dancer bring the time period vividly to life in ways that are reliable with history. Theseus' devotion to and respect for Poseidon reflects his appreciation towards his own inconsequential self in comparison to the gods, and his glorification of the gods important to each of the kingdoms he visits show how Greek religion has progressively combined gods and goddesses to explain the increasingly complex mysteries of the world and of life in general . Theseus and his history are in no way incomprehensible. "A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it" (89) . Theseus is a credible and charming character. In the beginning he wishes nothing more than to grow and to be the epitome of a God's son. He feels that he is much too small and must prove himself in the most dramatic of ways. Nevertheless, h e is a fearless, natural leader that is willing to put his fate in the hands of his beliefs. Though the Gods may not expose themselves directly, they are believed to be completely authentic. Theseus himself has an electric energy about him . Pylas declares that he has "a strong life thread. Where it crosses other men's it frays them" (105). He is a strong-willed hero who seems to have a natural ability to seek out adventure and has no trouble finding companions. More than anything, this is a story about a boy coming of age. Throughout his journey, Theseus grows

How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay Example

How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay Example How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay are all easily accessible and can be used time and again, in different classrooms, at no extra cost. Their size and weight make them an ideal tool for the busy teacher. Magazines: Magazines have many different types of images to make into flashcards and small cards; they are full of advertisements which can be used in contrast with each other. Examples could be: an assortment of advertisements for holiday destinations, highlighting different cultures and weather patterns, or; two photographs of capital cities, each with contrasting lifestyles. Flashcards: 2 Inexpensive cards can be made by using some form of hardboard and by adding colour pictures either downloaded from the internet or bought at a local shop. The chalk tray of a blackboard is an adequate holder to keep the cards within easy reach. We can use them with whole classes or groups, or even with single students. They may display pictures, bits of language or a combination of both. The lettering should be large enough to be seen from the back of a classroom. When teaching a foreign language, teachers can try using pink for feminine nouns and blue for masculine, or they could use two different colours to show adjectives and verbs. This works especially well for visual learners. Here are some ideas on how to use flashcards: Get students in pairs to guess the words or phrases that the pictures represent. Make a team game. Partially cover each picture and challenge teams to guess the word. Further points can be added or gained by making a sentence about the picture or asking a question about it. You can use sets of pictures and ask what they have in common, e. g. all forms of nature; objects you might find in a classroom; fruits and vegetables; Asian countries; sporting activities, etc. You can use the flashcards as cues for substitution in dialogues, e. g. a lexical set of pictures of fruits on the board. Teacher holds up a card and asks students: ‘Do you like bananas? Students answer and continue practicing. The teacher then elicits questions from students using the cards and invites others to respond. The dialogue can be further refined until the flashcards serve as prompts for students working alone. If you or your students want to use flashcards repeatedly over the course of the school year then it is advisable to laminate the cards. They are a wonderful, cheap and easy resource and can be used by children of all ages. Charts and Posters: Charts and posters are additional ways to expose your students to print and word relationships. They can be as simple as a list of things to do, classroom rules, the daily schedule, or a diagram with labels. They can be shop-bought or classroom created. Some examples are colour words, number words, a food pyramid chart, parts of a body, things found in a supermarket, and types of letters and notes, with salutations and closings. Since all diagrams cannot be drawn, they need to be made on charts. Different colours should be used to bring in variety, decoration and effect. Charts are very useful for presenting and practicing structures, vocabulary items and compositions. Pictures: Picture cards or post cards are extremely helpful in language teaching. Wall pictures include maps, posters, photographs, etc. They may be used in place of things such as clouds, sea, mountain, sky, etc. , which cannot be brought into the classroom. They are excellent in practice for oral composition and question and answer drill. Realia: . A classroom by its very nature is an unnatural place to be, but by ringing in real objects or ‘realia’, the teacher can help students relate to what goes on inside to the outside world. Realia consists of actual objects or items which are used in the classroom to illustrate and teach vocabulary or to serve as an aid to facilitate language acquisition and production. It also allows language learners to see, hear, and in some cases touch the objects. Realia can include the learners themselves, the classroom, furniture, the schoo l, published material such as advertisements and menus, the contents of learners pockets and bags, and the view outside the window. They can be used like visuals to present and practice structures, and as props for role play and dramatic activities. When playing themselves they can feel shy and uneasy. Helping them into a different role or person can give them more confidence and relieve their reservations. Realia helps to create this atmosphere. Advantages of visual aids: 3 1 Visual aids promote remembering by involving the senses of the learners, by arousing their curiosity, by making use of pictorial content and by providing variety in teaching. Teaching is made more effective by creating situations for presentation and practice of language items and by reducing dependence on the mother tongue. 3 They help in formation of language habits by drill, repetition and constant practice. 4 Pupils experience of language is increased by providing rich variety and better quality. 5 They promote teachers efficiency by saving time and energy. Teachers should also ask themselves when choosing visual aids: Can this visual aid also be replaced with some of the students work? Can I prepare this visual aid on my own? Is this visual aid too expensive and thus unnecessary for my classroom learning needs? Is this visual aid user-friendly and motivating for learning? Visual aids are most effective when the information they contain are organized in a systematic manner. Present the most important key points during the first part of your lesson, when their attention is at full capacity. They should help not hinder learning. No matter what type of visual aid you choose to put together, make sure that all the information you include on it relates to the main concepts you want to teach your students.

Criminal Justice System of America and Britain Research Paper

Criminal Justice System of America and Britain - Research Paper Example Still, there are many differences and similarities between the judicial systems in these countries. The first difference occurs, when American lawyers are defense attorneys, notwithstanding that they prefer to call themselves â€Å"trial lawyers†. British lawyers name them â€Å"solicitors, representing people’s legal needs and barristers, who take the cases to civil or criminal courts† (Carter, 2001). The differences should be found not at the verbal level, but at much deeper conceptual and historical levels. Similarities and differences between the US and UK legal systems As far as we can see, there can be found a lot of parallels between English Common Law and the American legal system, many differences exist as well. It is relevant to trace the deep historical roots of legal system of these countries, because â€Å"the life of the law has not been logic, it has been experience...the law embodies the story of a nation's development through many centuries..." (Carter, 2001). There is no Supreme Court in the Great Britain and a government is positioned as a totally separated unity from the legal process. The House of Lords performs a function of the highest justice and represents the â€Å"court of highest appeal†. (Carter, 2001) In America, state courts are separated from federal courts, but in Britain the lowest criminal courts â€Å"Magistrate's Courts† exist.... In England there is Home Secretary, who is responsible for the criminal justice system and Wales and advising the Queen on the royal prerogative of mercy to pardon exercise given to a person who is convicted of a crime. In accordance with the US Constitution, the President has a power of a pardon (of course, this mainly happens on the basis of political considerations about the cases). Therefore, it is evident that legal and judicial systems are more separated from each other in the US. On the basis of the difference of the legal systems in Britain and America, it is clearly seen that the US Constitution is the leading legal document in America. The Judiciary has the control over its own actions and the Executive or Legislative branches can obtrude in this process. Another interesting fact is that the Executive branch is responsible for appointments of federal judges and judges in the Supreme Court. The Congress has a right to either approve or disapprove such kind of appointment. Th erefore, on the basis of these facts the independence of the American judiciary can be questioned. The differences between judicial systems between these two countries occurred after the Revolution, when â€Å"American law became, in some ways, More than less English....The law later needed was not to be found in the colonial past....Only England had a supply that American lawyers could use without translation or transformation." (Knight, 1996) Still, the majority of lawyers and critics claim that the development of the judicial system should be a more dynamical process. In order to accommodate republican versus monarchial system of Britain, America

Conversation partner paper for interculture communication class Essay - 1

Conversation partner paper for interculture communication class - Essay Example These are very important to them since they determine the success of the interpersonal relations amongst the members of the community (Benedict, R., 2005). The first cultural pattern he revealed to me is about the relationship between the young ones and their seniors. Upon thorough questioning, he told me that it is a common practice that the juniors should always respect their seniors. Even if such a respect is supposed to be reciprocated, the children are supposed to show a lot of respect to their elders. A part from listening to them, they should do whatever they are instructed to do without much questioning. This is a very crucial aspect of these people because it has enabled them to establish an obedient class of children who can effectively be guided to conform to the societal standards. The other important cultural pattern revealed to me by my partner is that in their society, there are norms which should be treated with respect. In order to promote cohesion and respect, there are certain things which should not be done by everyone. For instance, no body is allowed to discuss about topics such as sex in public. This regulation is specifically targeted towards children who are not permitted to engage in such discussions whatsoever (Ankerl, G., 2000). This, he told me, is meant to instill discipline in such children and make them believe that such are sacred activities which are exclusively meant for the married persons. As a matter of fact, I was able to notice my partner express these cultural patterns during our conversation. I learnt that he was keen on the way he was using both verbal and non-verbal communication to prove his point. When we first met, he treated me with lots of respect. Right from the beginning, he took me to be his senior. Therefore, he was the one who greeted me even before we started our interviews. Later, as we progressed with the discussions, I

The Use of Isotopes in Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Use of Isotopes in Medicine - Essay Example Majority of the chemical elements that exist on earth have multiple isotopes (Gagne, Leonard and Rivard, 2012). However, it is only that a single isotope gains dominance due to its abundant nature than the rest. Mostly, atoms are defined using their mass numbers (protons + neutrons) and this number is added to their chemical symbol as a subscript. Atom stability of the nucleus depends greatly on the protons to neutrons ratio. Isotopes have two classifications: the stable ones which do not change with time and the ones that possess a ratio that makes them unstable allowing them to change their mass numbers (Ling, et al, 2012). Stable isotopes have a constant concentration in the environment, though their distribution keeps on changing depending on the environmental preferences. Unstable isotopes decay with time through a process called radio-activity and assume different states. For instance, over a period of time it has been found that carbon – 14 decays into carbon – 1 2. Bonfils, et al., (2012) explains that some isotopes are more active than others and are more likely to decay faster than others until they attain stability. Fortunately, this rate of decay can be predicted or even measured hence can be used age determination. Used In Diagnosis Isotopes, especially radio-isotopes are widely being used in medicine to carry out nuclear examinations. Nuclear medicine is a scientific branch in medicine that employs the use of radiations to provide more information to the human body’s organic functioning or disease treatment (Jodal, Le Loirec & Champion, 2012). Through this information collected a proper and accurate diagnosis is given regarding a patient’s illness. Diagnostic techniques in most cases use tracers which are radioactive in nature for the body to release gamma rays. These tracers are short-lived but are judged with the role of checking particular physiological processes. The tracers can be administered orally or through inje ctions after which a camera is used to detect them. Gagne, Leonard, and Rivard (2012) assert that through the radiations being caused by the tracers, a doctor can examine the image produced by the camera and identify where the exact problem lies. Let us have a look at the PET scan where a radionuclide is injected into a body of a patient and concentrated in the tissue targeted (Jodal, Le Loirec & Champion, 2012). As the radionuclide decays, it emits positrons whose combination with electrons gives gamma rays emission that can be identified easily. Through the PET camera, their original direction can be studied and the affected organ be identified. The most commonly used isotopes in this study are fluoride- 18 which is used as an oncology tracer. It is the most effective method used in cancer examinations as well as heart and brain cell examinations. These scans have improved the diagnosis by almost 30%, providing critical information regarding the various types of diseases (Ling, et al., 2012). They can also be used to detect malfunction of organs through the speed of isotope movement. Use of Isotopes in Radionuclide Therapy (RNT) This is the art of controlling or even getting rid of the cancer tumor by using radionuclide radiations (Rana, et al, 2012). The tumor is irradiated through a process known as teletherapy, which is performed by emitting a beam of gamma rays from a radioactive source called cobalt-60. However, the

Premature Failure Of Road Network

Premature Failure Of Road Network Bahria town ltd started its development works in 1996 as a joint partner with Bahria foundation initially British Columbia were the consultants on the project. The extraordinary progress rate and high quality consultancy work of British Columbia (pvt) ltd was thought to be a big hurdle in the progress rate, eventually the agreement with the consultants terminated and Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd formed its own consultant wing. Unfortunately the consultancy wing failed to develop because of incompetent individuals who can really invest their heart and souls to address core issues .Site management and technical / top supervision issues were ignored .Today Bahria Town is facing problem of premature failure in its road network. Most of the road network has not been under projected traffic for which it has been designed; even then road failures are prominent .Most common failures depictive are settlement of road, flexural cracking, weathering of the road network. The mechanism of road failure is quite complex and it is tedious to identify the root cause of failure. The approach adopted was to analyze road network truly depictive of premature pavement failures, the representative sections were selected from the road network under study .Various field and laboratory test were performed on each section to determine the cause of premature pavement failures. The investigation revealed that mix produced from asphalt plant fails to meet specifications. The compaction of HMA and subsequent road layers is not adequate. The source gradation for aggregate base is improper .The Plasticity of fines is not in tolerance range. Pavement structural design depths were not executed on site besides poor workmanship and improper patching procedures. Keywords: Premature Failure, Flexural Cracking, Weathering, Source gradation. Undertaking I certify that research work titled To investigate the causes of Premature Failure of Road Network of Bahria Town to propose its Remedial Measuresis my own work. The work has not been presented elsewhere for assessment. Where material has been used from other sources it has been properly acknowledged/ referred. Tehseen Ellahi 2k9-MSc-Trans-05 Acknowledgements This research work is obviously a result of the initial encouragement and support in admission to the MS Transportation (Taxila) by Ehsan ul Haq, the Director General Planning and Design, Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd. Extraordinary help and support form Rana Zulfikar Ahmed Khan , Site Manager Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd.Continuous encouragement, and valuable input from Dr. M. A. Kamal, Director Taxila Institute of Transportation Engineering (TITE) and Dean, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila. There guidance, comments and suggestions from time to time, are gratefully acknowledged. 1.2.2 Rigid Pavements In rigid pavements the stress is transmitted to the sub-grade through beam/slab effect. Rigid pavements contain sufficient beam strength to be able to bridge over the localized sub-grade failures and areas of inadequate support. Factors effecting Pavement Performance There are numerous factors influencing the performance of a pavement, the following five are considered the most influential (Transportation research board, England; April 1985) 1.3.1 Traffic Traffic is the most important factor affecting pavement performance. The performance of pavements is mostly affected by the loading scale, arrangement and the number of load repetitions. The damage caused per pass to a pavement by an axle is defined relative to the damage per pass of a standard axle load, which is defined as a 80 kN single axle load (E80). Thus a pavement is designed to withstand a certain number of standard axle load repetitions that will result in a certain terminal condition of deterioration.(Kamal M.A. et al., 2009) 1.3.2 Moisture Moisture significantly reduces the supporting ability of gravel materials, especially the sub grade. Moisture enters the pavement structure through capillary action. The resulting action is the wet surface of particles, excessive movement of particles and dislodgment which ultimately results in pavement failures. (Terrel 1990) 1.3.3 Sub grade The sub grade is the lower layer of soil that supports the wheel loads. If the sub grade is not strong enough the pavement will show flexibility and finally the pavement will fail. Pavement will fail to perform ideally if the variation in particles behavior is not catered for in the design. 1.3.4 Construction quality Pavement performance is affected by poor quality construction, inaccurate pavement thicknesses, and adverse moisture conditions. These conditions stress the need for skilled staff and the importance of good inspection and quality control procedures during construction. Pavement performance is dependent on where, when and how maintenance is applied. No matter how good the pavement is built, it will deteriorate with time based upon the mentioned factors. The timing of maintenance is very important, if a pavement is allowed to deteriorate to a very poor condition, as illustrated by point B, then the added life compared with point A, is typically about 2 to 3 years. This added life is about 10 percent of the total life. The cost of repairing the road at B is four times of the cost required at A. The delay of maintenance hold implications, in that for the cost of repairing one poorly weathered road (Point B), four roads at point A would have to be postponed, which would mean that in a few years the rehabilitation cost could be 16 times as much. Thus, differing maintenance because of budget constraints will result in a significant financial penalty within a few years.(www.nra.co.za/live/content.php) History Bahria town is a modern township planned on an inspiration drawn from the home of American Society of civil engineers i.e the city of Reston, Virginia. The designing of its town ship is based on the most modern and strict criterion. It is located between the GT road and Islamabad Bahria town borders Safari Park on the northern side and is bounded to the south and west by Soan river and the Korang respectively. Town planning for Bahria Town has been done taking full advantage of the layout of the natural ground. Roads have been designed according to the traffic intensity rush hours. They have been standardized as 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and Main Boulevards with the configuration of Pavement sidewalks and green areas.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Problem Statement Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd development represents a unique mark of distinction for Pakistan. Over a period of decade Bahria Town has emerged as Asias largest private property developers. The dilemma is that the capital involved is huge and to meet market demands common Engineering practices quality assurances are being ignored on account of time savings. One of the major problem , that Bahria Town that face today is related to premature failure of road network. Objectives The main objective of the study was to highlight the causes of pavement failures and to propose the remedial measures. Methodology Reconnaissance survey in study area to identify problems. Selection of test sections based upon road classification and distresses for deep testing analysis. Extraction of samples from the test sections for various laboratory testing. Comparison of various parameters between damaged and undamaged portions of test sections. Recommendations on the basis of investigation. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Introduction to Study Area Pavement Evaluation Process Pavement evaluation is the first step in the development of pavement rehabilitation alternatives for the project .It is the process of learning the existing pavement system to understand the extent and the cause of problems prior to developing a rehabilitation plan.(www.pavementinteractive.org) Evaluation at Road Network Level Monitoring of the network is carried out at on a network level to define the status of an entire pavement network as part of the pavement management system .To achieve the said objective the road network of Bahria Town was divided in different zones .Preliminary reconnaissance survey was carried out to access the pavement condition of road network .The object was to confine the study and help prioritize and select the evaluation at the project levels. The road network under study is Safari valley. (Design report on Bahria Town, ESS.I.AAR Consultants) The justification behind selecting this study zone is that this zone is fully developed and in the possession of the residents therefore it is more realistic to study the road network performance of this zone. History The idea of Safari Valley was conceptualized in 2000 confirming to planning parameters of the cities of Ruston, Virginia, USA. Ruston being the American society of civil engineers has been planned in the most beautiful manner, the next year Safari Valley lunched another housing project. One of the aims of lunching this scheme was to provide a modern housing scheme with all the amenities for the general public at an affordable cost. Any middle class person desirous of buying a plot in Islamabad/Rawalpindi could not do so as the price in Islamabad/Rawalpindi is beyond the reach of the common man.. This scheme is planned and designed for the low-income people of the country to provide them affordable housing.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Location The Safari Valley is located in Southern part of Rawalpindi City, adjacent to Takht Pari forest on Japan Road. This site falls in Mauza Gali. The main access to this scheme is through Japan Road from G.T. Road, 3 Km from High Court towards Lahore.120 wide newly constructed Bahria Expressway along River Soan is another access to this project which is completed a year ago.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Untitled Figure 3: Study area Location in road network Road Network The proposed colony has been planned according to the contemporary principles of planning and design criteria of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) for private housing schemes. Following three types of roads has been proposed. Primary Roads 120 Feet wide 80 Feet wide Collector Roads 65 Feet wide Streets 40 Feet wide The safari valley has 37.880 km of 40 wide roads, 6.083km of 65 wide roads, 1.23 km of 80 wide roads and 4.0 km of 120 wide roads. General Considerations It is desired by the consultant to provide the sub grade strength of the area in general for the construction of the internal roads. The purpose of the structural design is to limit the stresses induced in the sub grade by the traffic to a safe level at which the sub grade deformation is insignificant whilst at the same time ensuring that the road pavement layers themselves do not fail in any way within a specified period of time .In most design methods it is assumed that the routine and periodic maintenance is carried out during the design period of the road and that at the end of the design period , relatively low level of detoriation has occurred.(Structural design of Pavement at Safari valley, SS Soil explore Consultants) For the design of the flexible pavement the following factors should be kept in mind for guidance Economic Considerations Effect of climate Variability in the material Properties Construction Control Uncertainty in traffic forecasting Variability in material properties and construction control is generally much greater than desired by the engineer and must be taken into account explicitly in the design process. In practice only it is actually the variability of the sub grade strength that is considered and all other factors are controlled by setting out minimum acceptable values for the key properties by means of the specifications. Nevertheless, it is the task of the designer to estimate the likely variations in layer thickness and material strengths so that the realistic target values and tolerances can be set in the specifications to ensure the satisfactory road performances can be guaranteed as far as possible. Design basis The purpose of the structural design is to limit the stresses induced in the sub grade by the traffic. Estimating the amount of traffic and the cumulative number of equivalent standard axles that will use the road over the selected design life assessing the strength of the sub grade soil over which the road is built by selecting the most economical combination of the pavement materials and layer thickness that will provide the satisfactory service over the design life of the pavement when appropriate maintenance is carried out. In following paragraphs the component layers of a flexible pavement are referred in these terms: Surfacing This is the upper most layer of the pavement and will normally consist of bituminous surface dressing or a premixed bituminous material .When premixed materials are laid in two layers these are known as wearing course and base course (or binder course) Road Base This is the main load spreading layer of the pavement .It will normally consist of crushed stone or gravel ,or a gravelly soil ,decomposed rocks, sand and sandy clays stabilized with cement ,lime or bitumen. Sub Base This is the secondary load spreading layer underlying the road base .It will normally consist of material of lower quality than that used in the road base such as un processed natural gravels ,gravel-sand or gravel-sand-clay. This layer also serves as a spreading layer preventing contamination of the road base by the sub grade material Capping Layer Where very weak soils are encountered capping layer is sometimes necessary. This may consist of better quality sub grade material imported from elsewhere or existing sub grade material improved by mechanical and lime stabilization. Sub Grade This is the upper layer of the natural soil, which may be undisturbed local materials or may be soil excavated elsewhere and placed as fill. In either case it is compacted during the construction to give it adequate stability. Traffic In the present case no definite traffic pattern can be estimated as the construction period extends to a longer span .During the construction stage, the maximum traffic even over loaded trucks carrying mostly the construction material would apply. After the construction phase .the internal roads of the proposed project are subjected only to the light car traffic, which have very little destructive effect. The Sub grade Condition Following is the recommendations for the structural design of the bituminous surfaced roads for the proposed project. The existing sub grade at the site comprises of A 4 soil with PI range of 5 to 8.Determining the sub grade strength is necessary for the road construction and required by the design engineer for the internal light traffic roads, which are required to carry up to (assumed traffic) 0.5 million cumulative equivalent standard axles in one direction for the design life of 10 Years. Field investigation and Sampling All the field tests necessary for the design of the flexible pavements have been carried out .Test pit locations were selected so that overall picture of the sub surface can be examined .To do this samples from the different locations collected for the classification and California bearing ratio (CBR) .Following field and laboratory tests have been carried out in the detail Field density and moisture content Gradation analysis Sieve analysis Hydrometric analysis Hydrometric analysis AASHTO Soil Classification Laboratory compaction test Laboratory CBR on soaked conditions Appreciation of the sub grade condition The strength of the sub grade is commonly assessed in the form of California bearing ratio of the sub grade soil and is dependent on the type of the soil, its density and its moisture content The likely in situ strength of the sub grade is difficult to assess directly but its value can be obtained from the relationship between CBR, density and moisture content which must be measured in the laboratory for the soil in question, and form the knowledge of in situ density and equilibrium moisture content of the soil under the road. The density of the sub grade soil can be controlled under the road within limits by compaction at suitable moisture content at the time of the construction. The equilibrium moisture content of the sub grade soil is governed by the local climate and the depth of the water table below the road surfaces. For designing the thickness of the road pavement, the strength of the sub grade should be taken as that of the sub grade soil at the moisture content equal to the wettest moisture condition likely to occur in the sub grade after the road is opened to traffic. In the present case, field as well as the laboratory testing of different locations was carried out for gradation index and strength parameters and soaked CBR etc. The result of these tests are attached at the end of the report The CBR test shows the value of 3.5% having the representative design value of 90% and 95% modified by the AASHTO density .CBR value is considered to be unsatisfactory for the design of the flexible pavement .Therefore it is strongly recommended to provide capping layer over the existing sub grade soil to provide structural support and improve drainage conditions at the site. The thickness comes out to be 8 inches. Design Recommendations The pavement design of the internal roads of safari valley was calculated using the AASHTO Interim guide .Details of which are below: Method # 01 Out of the different methods available for calculating the road design, which cater for the repetition of the standard axle loads during the design life of the various traffic configurations expected on the road .This method caters for the site conditions and type of traffic likely to use the roads after the construction. The pavement design has been worked out as per Overseas Road Note No 31 (Transport and road research Laboratory, TRRL; Road note 31) The Local soil is moderately plastic for which average soaked CBR value was calculated to be 3.5 % and the same has been incorporated in the design calculations .In case of borrow /selected fill material is to be used for the making of the roads .The Laboratory CBR for that soil should not be less than 3.5 % against 96 hrs soaking. Method # 02 The pavement design of the internal roads of different categories is calculated using the simplified method as given in civil engineering handbook by Leonard Church Urquhart of which is given below. Design Procedure Using the graph (annexure A) against the clayey silt conforming to A-4 Soil and CBR of 3.5 % the total thickness of pavement above sub base is 15 inches. Keeping a minimum thickness of 8 inches for the base course and the wearing surface the sub base is required to be 7 inches. Since method 1 gave higher values method 1 was adopted. Flexible Pavement Distresses Roads have become important in our lives as a sole mean of communication. Modern roads are smooth, so people can travel easily from one place to another. Maintenance of road network is very important to ensure its continued efficiency and reliability. Normally roads are damaged due to environment affects, vehicular loadings and moisture.(Asphalt Institute , MS 16) Asphalt pavement distresses can generally be classified as one of the following type: Cracking Distortion Disintegration Skid hazard Surface treatment distresses Distresses caused can be related to: Wheel loads Environment Poor drainage Material deficiencies Construction related deficiencies External causes(Utilities) Cracking Cracking takes many forms .To make proper repairs, it is first necessary to determine the cause of cracking .Maintenance procedures generally depend upon the cause of distress, the crack width and the amount of cracking in the affected area. Reflective cracks These are cracks in asphalt overlays that reflect the crack pattern in the pavement structure underneath. The pattern may be longitudinal, transverse, diagonal or block. Reflective cracks are caused by vertical and horizontal movements in the pavement beneath the overlay, induced by expansion and contraction with temperature or moisture changes. They can also be caused by traffic or earth movement or by loss of moisture in sub grade by high clay content. Edge cracks These are longitudinal cracks 30 cm or so .They are caused due to lack of lateral support, settlement or yielding of the material beneath the cracked area .This may be the result of poor drainage ,frost heave or shrinkage from drying of the adjoining earth. They may be accelerated by concentration of heavy traffic near the edge of the pavement as well as heavy vegetation near the pavement edge. Block Cracking They are series of interconnected cracks forming the series of large blocks, 1 to 3 m. Frequently they are caused by volume change of the fine aggregate asphalt mix that have a high content of low penetration asphalt and adsorptive aggregate ,daily temperature cycles and aged asphalt. Block cracking is not load related. Alligator Cracking They are cracks that constitute to form series of blocks .They can be caused by various reasons such as excess deflection, sub surface moisture conditions, thin asphalt surface, excessive overloading, in adequate pavement design. If the asphalt surface is thin alligator cracking can quickly develop into potholing. Slippage Crack They are crescent shaped cracks resulting from the horizontal forces induced by the traffic. They result from the lack of bond between the surface layer and the courses beneath. The lack of bond may be due to dust, oil, rubber, dirt water or other non adhesive materials between the two courses. The Slippage cracks may result from the mixtures having a high sand content, as well as due to improper compaction. Linear Cracking This category includes categories such as joint cracks, construction joints, shoulder joint cracks and diagonal cracks. Transverse and diagonal cracks can result from low temperature contraction of the pavement or from the shrinkage of the cement bound base or sub grade soils .Longitudinal cracks in the wheel path may be fatigue related and eventually progress into alligator and a random occurring Longitudinal crack can be indicative of the sideways yielding sub grade or fill area. The cause of joint cracks (thermal and longitudinal) can be related to the thermal stresses or insufficient compaction. They can also be caused by a weak bond in the joint. Distortion Pavement distortion is the result of asphalt layer instability or granular base and sub base weakness. Distortion takes a number of forms: rutting, shoving, corrugation, depression and up heave. Rutting Ruts are channelized depressions in the wheel tracks of the pavement surface. Rutting results from consolidation, lateral movement of the sub grade, aggregate base or asphalt layers under traffic load. Rutting may occur in the sub grade and sub base due to insufficient design thickness, lack of compaction or weakness caused by moisture infiltration, down ward and lateral movement of the weak asphalt mixture under heavy wheel loads. Corrugations and shoving Corrugations and shoving are form of plastic movement typified by ripples across the asphalt pavement surface. They occur in the asphalt mixes that lack mix stability. It may also be caused due to excessive moisture in the granular base, contamination due to oil spillage or lack of aeration when placing mixes using emulsified and cut back asphalts. Settlement or grade depression Depressions are low areas of limited size that may be accompanied by cracking. They may be caused by traffic over loading or by consolidation, settlement or failure of the lower pavement layers. Up heave or swell Up heave is the localized upward displacement of the pavement due to the swelling of the sub grade. Up heave is most commonly caused by the expansion of ice in the lower courses of the pavement or sub grade. It may also be caused by the swelling effect of the moisture on the expansive soil. Utility cut or patch failure This is the failure of the utility installation or of a repaired area in the existing pavement. They usually are caused by lack of adequate compaction of the back fill, base or asphalt patch materials. Patch failures may also result from poor installation techniques, inferior materials or failure of the surrounding materials or under lying pavement. Disintegration Disintegration is the breaking up of the pavement into small, loose fragments. If the problem is not addressed the pavement disintegrates further until rehabilitation is required. Raveling/Weathering This is the progressive separation of the aggregate particles from the pavement surface downwards and from the surface inwards. Raveling usually occurs in wheel paths while weathering is found in non traffic zones and it extends over all surface. Raveling is caused by lack of HMA compaction, construction of thin lift during the cold weather, dirty or disintegrating aggregates, too little asphalt in the mix or over heating of the asphalt mix. Raveling almost always requires the presence of both water and traffic to occur. Potholes Potholes are bowl shaped holes resulting from the localized disintegration. Most potholes occur in the pavements having thin asphalt concrete surface on an untreated aggregate base. Thin surfaces showing severe alligator cracking begin to lose the pieces of the asphalt out of the cracked area creating potholes. Skid Hazards One of the most common cause of the skid hazards in the asphalt pavement is a thin film of water on the pavement surface another is the thick film of water on the pavement surface that causes a high speed vehicle to hydro plane. Slipperiness may also develop from the surface contamination such as from oil spillage or certain type of clay etc. Bleeding or flushing Bleeding or flushing is the upward movement in the asphalt pavement. This results in the formation of film of asphalt on the surface. Bleeding is identified by the pavement surface with a stick, glassy appearance that may be sticky to touch and usually occurs in hot weather .The most common cause of bleeding is excess asphalt in one or more of the pavement courses .Also traffic may cause the over compaction of the asphalt layers, forcing the binder to the surface. Polished aggregate These are the aggregate particles on the surface of the pavement that have been polished smooth. Some aggregates, particularly lime stone become polished rather quickly under traffic. Some type of gravel are naturally polished and if they are used in the pavement surface without crushing they will be a skid hazard. These polished aggregates are quite slippery when they are wet. Surface Treatment Distresses Because of the construction procedures being used, surface treatments may develop some defects that dont occur in other type of pavement surfaces. These include loss of aggregate cover and streaking. Some of the asphalt pavement distresses such as corrugations, depressions, up heave, potholes and raveling occur most frequently in the pavement constructed with surface treatments. Loss of cover aggregate This distress is identified by the whipping off of aggregate by traffic from a surface treated pavement. Several things can cause loss of aggregate cover including weather too cool, fast traffic permitted on the new surface treatment too soon, a surface absorbing part of the asphalt, aggregates that are too dusty or too dry etc. Longitudinal / Transverse Streaking Longitudinal streaking is alternate lean and heavy lines of asphalt and/or aggregate running parallel to the center line of the road .Transverse streaking is the same phenomenon except that the direction is running transverse across the road way. Several things can cause longitudinal streaking including: improper height of the spray bar, incorrect asphalt pump speed, asphalt too cold, incorrect pump pressure etc. Transverse cracking is caused by spurts in the asphalt spray from the distributor spray bar. These spurs may be produced by improper pump speed, pulsation of the asphalt pump etc.

Free Will Philosophy Essay

I strongly believe that W.T. Stace is correct while arguing for the view of soft determinism, also known as compatibilism. Stace believes in compatibilism, which states that determinism is true, but free will still does exist. He puts both views together by studying the definition of free will. Stace asks, â€Å"How can anyone be punished or rewarded for his or her actions if they have no control over their actions?† That statement seemed extremely convincing to me because both d’Holbach and Chisholm supported one side of the argument. d’Holbach and Chisholm argued that we are either strictly determined by the laws of nature and physics or that we are not determined, rather being we have the power to do as we choose. Stace on the other hand, put both positions together and made them work together. He explained that the laws of nature and physics do have an impact on our choices, but we do have the ability to choose what we want to choose when making a decision. Outside forces may push on our decision, but we are the ones responsible for choosing what we want to choose. He persuasively defends his view of soft determinism by explaining the definition of free will. He states, â€Å"In order for one to define free will, one must look into how the phrase is commonly used.† The way a philosopher interprets free will is different than the way a common person will do so. Stace defines free acts as acts that are directly caused by a person’s internal thoughts or desires coming directly from the person. Not free acts are those that have outside forces pushing a person to do something a certain way such as a threat or harm. This was very different from what other philosophers have stated in the past. By providing examples of free will, Stace points out that free will clearly does exist. It wouldn’t make sense for free will not to exist since it is compatible with determinism.

Capital Expenditure and Revenue Expenditure Essay

Revenue expenditure is an expenditure which on cost of doing business on day to day basis and is necessary to be cover to maintain the business going on effectively. Thus, revenue expenditure is the cash or credit that being spent immediate for short-term purpose, example, expenses on assets such as repair and fuel which will or will not improve the value of the given assets. Capital expenditure is an expenditure which will cause future benefit to the company. It’s the money that spends on the fixed assets or improves the value of existing assets which will increase the company’s strength to pull in profit or higher performance level. Unlike revenue expenditure, capital expenditure is more to an investment than a cost, since it create better business for the company. (Stolowy and J.Lebas 2006, p 234) Capital expenditure is expenditure on fixed assets or increasing their earning capacity. Meanwhile, revenue expenditure is to maintain their earning capacity. The difference being that capital expenditure increase the earning capacity, long-term and produce future benefits, while revenue expenditure maintain the earning capacity, short term and produce immediate benefit. (ACCA F3 2009) Capital expenditure defined as expenditure on purchase or improvement of non-current assets. For example that purchases a van to deliver the goods. Other example such as:- -Delivery of fixed assets-Legal cost of buying property -Installation of fixed assets-Demolition costs -Improvement (but not repair) of fixed assets -Architects fees Revenue expenditure defined as expenditure on running or management of business, example, cost of fuel or diesel for vans. Other example such as:- -Maintenance of fixed assets -Administration of business -Selling and distribution expenses The main difference between the two forms of expenditure is that effect it has of the financial statement of business as the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement. Revenue expenditure affects in the income statement since it is fully consume within the period or carry forward to the next period as left over. Capital expenditure improve the net book or obtain value of an asset or getting a new asset on the books. It is a long term expenditure and will be wrong to be set off as an expense in the current period. It is because that that fixed asset will pull in profit to the company for more than one year or accounting period. We can spread the cost of the asset over those accounting period in the form of depreciation since the fixed asset is used for several accounting periods. (Spiceland, Thomas, Herrmann 2009, p308 and p309) Revenue expenditure shown on the income statement as an expense while capital expenditure treated as fixed asset on the balance sheet. It is necessary to classify these expenditure accurately in the accounting system to avoid uncertain errors. For example, if cost of a van was treated as an expense in the income statement, this will affect the net profit to be reduced; in the meantime the value of the van (fixed asset) will not show on the balance sheet. Hence, incorrect treatment of these expenditure will result:- (Wood 2012, p277) Capital expenditure – treated as – Revenue expenditure Income Statement Balance Sheet Expenses increaseNet profit decreaseFixed assets decrease. Revenue expenditure – treated as – Capital expenditure Income Statement Balance Sheet Expenses decreaseNet profit increaseFixed assets increase. Inappropriate asset classification can skew the financial position and profit of a business. Thus, it’s necessary to classify assets correctly and accurately. Decent classification of the expenditure maintains the  fundamental accounting assumption of accrual, reasonable presentation and accuracy of presentation.

Strategic Analysis A Case Study of Woolworths Ltd

Strategic Analysis A Case Study of Woolworths Ltd Executive Summary This report analyses in detail the overall environment in which Woolworth supermarket operates with a view of identifying particular areas where the management needs to put in measures that can enhance growth and performance. Woolworth is a retail chain established in both Australia and New Zealand and which mainly deals in foodstuffs.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic Analysis: A Case Study of Woolworths Ltd specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The chain has further diversified its operations, venturing into other business areas like dealing in the petroleum industry and food restaurants within its premises. The chain has successfully established itself as a market leader in the retail industry, establishing stores in major cities in both Australia and the New Zealand. Woolworth’s market leadership was mainly achieved through provision of quality service to its clientele and listening t o customer pleas and demands and implementing them appropriately. This report evaluates the strong economic and political environments within which Woolworth operates. Other factors that contribute immensely to the growth and performance of the supermarket chains include its internal factors and capabilities such as its strong appeal to keep, attract and maintain customers, the market barriers controlled by the chains which keep new entrants at bay as well as the business diversification that ensures profit maximisation for the company. Introduction Woolworths Limited is a retail company based in Australia and whose operations spread across the borders to the neighbouring New Zealand. The retailer chain deals in a multiple of goods and services including food, liquor, hotel services, among many others. Since its formation in 1924, Woolworths has been a success story in the retail industry, expanding very fast to establish subsidiaries and acquiring other retail brands on its growth path. Today, the chain has a huge workforce of over 191,000 and boasts of A$2.14 billion in profits as per the latest figures recorded by close of business in 2011. (Chang, S Singh, H 2011,p.740). This paper analyses the company’s business strategy, investigating its macro environment as well as checking its competitive environment and analysing its competencies as far as resources are concerned.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Background information Woolworths Ltd is a public owned company with its shareholders base exceeding 420,000 people, 40,000 of whom are directly employed by the company (Woolworths Supermarkets 2011). The first Woolworths store was opened in downtown Sydney on December 5th, 1924 with a nominal capital of just  £25,000. The company’s initial 11,707 shares were held by 29 people, five of whom were the founders. Woolworths pio neered the conduction of transactions using cash registers; every purchase was accompanied by a receipted printed via the cash register. The stores opened up the first international branch in New Zealand in 1929 which dealt in general merchandise. As part of its expansion program, the chains acquired Foodland supermarkets and Progressive Enterprises, bringing the total number of Woolworths’ stores in Australia today to 750. Woolworths brand has today diversified its business into 5 major divisions which includes supermarkets that mainly stocks households and foodstuffs. The liquor division sells alcohol products through Safeway Liquor, BWS which stands for Beer Wine Spirits, Dan Murphy’s, Woolworth’s liquor and Cellarmasters. The hotel division is served by ALH Group while the supermarket chains also ventured into the petroleum industry through a partnership deal with Caltex. Other divisions include the consumer electronics, General merchandise and Home improvem ent (Woolworths Supermarkets 2011). Macro Environment Analysis for the Industry The macro environment analysis studies external forces whose influence in one way or the other affects the performance of the retail industry in general and Woolworth supermarkets in particular. Players in any business industry often lack the ability to control these external forces. Political environment The closer economic relations between Australia and New Zealand have benefited Woolworth business performance for a long time. The two countries have established Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, ANZCERTA, which combines the two economies and thus provides Woolworth with the chance to operate in the enlarged economy (Woolworths Supermarkets 2011).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic Analysis: A Case Study of Woolworths Ltd specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two countries also enjoy political stabi lity which is a perfect environment for doing business. This is a good assurance for shareholders, both domestic and foreign, that their investment is safe and it is an incentive to them to add even more. The 2011 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked Australia and New Zealand in positions 3 and 5 respectively, which is a good indicator that both economies offer a perfect environment for business activity. With continued political stability, Woolworth is poised to grow and expand even more as many investors are assured of safety in the event that they decide to put their money into the venture. There are no fears of political wars and uprisings that can affect the company’s business performance Economic factors Australia and New Zealand offer economically sound environment that is good for business activity. The two countries, in comparison to other nations, have a high living standard. The World Bank acknowledged Australia as a rich country in 1995 while the country†™s GDP hit the $ 1 trillion mark in 2006. The economy’s growth has been rated at 3.3% per annum with one of the highest Purchasing Power Parity, PPP in the world. In 2004, Australia’s PPP was recorded at $30,700. The country has very low inflation and interest rates with one of the best infrastructures in the world. Its education facilities are of advanced quality while a majority of the population are rich. The World Health Organization certifies Australia’s crime rates to be among the lowest in the whole world. New Zealand has an estimated Purchasing Power Parity PPP of US$28,250 which is relatively high. The economy is made up of manufacturing industries as well as a vibrant service sector which together compliment the agricultural sector. The country’s nominal GDP is the 51st in the world at $157.877 with a per capita income of $35,374 (Wright, P.1987, p.93).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More New Zealand’s economy has been on the rise since 1984 following rapid restructuring that transformed the economy to a liberalised one. Unemployment has fallen to a record 3.4 percent in 2007 which was the fifth lowest in OECD nations. The global recession of 2009, however, affected the country’s economy negatively mainly because the country highly depends on international trend. The financial crunch pushed unemployment rates among the youth to very high figures of 17.4% in June 2011. Australia’s stable economy with the high living standards of her population portends a lucrative market for Woolworth’s business performance. More nationals have a high purchasing power due to the country’s high per capita income and very low unemployment levels. Foreign nationals who visit the country in large numbers also create a huge chunk of the market as they experiment with the unique goods and services offered in Australia. New Zealand is on the recovery path o f her economy following bad economic times between 2008 and 2011. With the recovery plans on course, the country has been experiencing a brain gain as more professionals who had opted to seek better employment in Europe and America troop back. This implies that the country’s living standards are set to improve in the short term period as the problem of unemployment is tackled. New Zealand’s Purchasing Power Parity is also comparatively high and an improved living standard for the entire population will prove substantial for the overall performance of Woolworth. Socio-cultural factors Woolworth has adopted a green lifestyle in its 2007-2015 sustainability strategy. This implies that the company is more aware of practices that harm the environment and has thus adopted environmental friendly practices for the good of its consumers and the society at large. More consumers are conscious of their environment and would love to purchase and patronize items and goods that are o rganic. Woolworth further addresses individual needs of its customers by providing efficient and fast services. The environmental awareness that is carried out by the supermarket chains continues to attract more clients as everyone today would love to be associated with clean environment. Technological factors Woolworth continues to invest heavily in information communication technology as it aims at improving service delivery and customer satisfaction. The self-checkout machine is as a result of the company’s initiative and has continued to be emulated by other players in the industry due to its convenience in business performance (Woolworths Supermarkets 2011). The machines were introduced in 2008 and enable customers to scan, weigh, as well as pay for their acquired goods through debit, credit or cash cards. The Service Oriented Architecture is yet another technological initiative by Woolworth which enables the supermarket management to monitor general trends in performanc e at a glance and spot out any existing bottlenecks that could be slowing down business. The speed with which this happens helps the management to put corrective measures into place that eventually averts losses or negative growth. The Visa payWave which is the latest innovation by the stores has helped in reducing average customer waiting time. The frequency at which the checkout queues are being cleared is much faster than was the case in advance. These technological advances have attracted more customers to the stores due to the improved efficiency with which clients are being attended to. No customer would love to spend longer times at the check out point than the actual time they spent doing their shopping (Tyre Hauptman, 1992). Legal factors Big W is a division of Woolworth and is a registered business entity that is licensed to operating Australia with more than 160 stores spread in Queensland, West Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, N orthern Territory, and Tasmania. The company remits taxes to both governments as a legal requirement and the funds go a long way to finance activities of the government such as building and improving infrastructure, financing public goods paying salaries and buying necessities such as medicines. As a legal requirement, the company is expected by the regulatory authorities to be tax compliant (Peng 2004). The taxes are remitted directly to the government. In the Australian laws on commerce, certificate of compliance to taxes is issued to business that remit their returns accurately form which taxes are deducted. The realisation by customers that Big W contributes immensely in the growth of their economy convinces as many consumers as possible to purchase from their local store and contribute towards building the economy (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). Industry Analysis using Porter’s 5 Forces Model Threat to market entry It is difficult for any aspiring supermarket chain to e nter into the industry in Australia and New Zealand markets and manage to break even easily. In Australia, Big W business magnitude together with that of its main competitors, Wesfarmers, Target, and Kmart stores are well established and would easily enjoy economies of scale to the disadvantage of a new entrant. The stores have spread across the nation, opening numerous branches in all major cities and centres and it would require massive capital for an aspiring investor to out perform their business prowess. Besides, it serves an estimated 6 million customers in a month (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). Given it huge stores, reliable customer base, and a stable market niche, Big W have the capacity to stock a lot of goods at a reduced cost. This eventually affords its stores the power to lower prices below what the market can offer and in the process win more customers than a new entrant could manage (Desarbo, Jedidi Sinha, 2001). Thus, the company is well position to survive in th e competitive market through gaining form economies of scale, competitive price tags, and strong customer base. Threat of substitutes Wesfarmers and Target chains pose the greatest threat to Big W’s existence and business performance. These stores have been in the industry for longer period and are well established than Big W which came into full operation in 2007 after rebranding (Roth 2011). They stock the same products and cloth lines and sometimes offer big discounts to customers. In this industry, loyalty to a brand plays an important role in customer behaviour. Besides, these companies also offer foodstuffs and electronics same as in Big W. Therefore, Target and Wesfarmers have the ability to offer an alternative perfect substitute to customers who may be unsatisfied with services offered at Big W. Unsatisfied customers therefore have other alternatives from where they can purchase products and services (Bodily Allen, 1999). However, in order to remain relevant, the co mpany has established a unique market for its customer tailored optometry services and are still the best in the self serve stores. Power of suppliers Suppliers in the supermarket industry have more power owing to the existence of many supermarket chains. As a matter of fact, suppliers may instigate market demand and supply variances. All the chains depend on the suppliers directly for the delivery of their stock and this leaves the suppliers with the power to dictate on proceedings in the industry. Through the action of the suppliers, commodity prices can be influenced to their own advantage while leaving the Big W together with its clientele base at a disadvantaged position (Cusumano Takeishi, 1991). However, the company has endeavoured to use both in house and outsourced supplier as a strategy for balancing the supply forces in the fragile market (Roth 2011). Power of buyers Reflectively, the amount of output in terms of turn over sales depends on the buyers’ purchasing p ower. The higher the purchasing power, the better the turnover in total sales realised over a definite period of time. Big W’s performance in the retail industry depends highly on the power of the buyers. On the other hand, unreliable and weak purchasing power translates into losses and underperformance. The management must therefore do everything within their means to ensure that service delivery and quality meets the expectations of customers. In fact, the purchasing power determines profitability and probability of survival of a business in short and long term. If buyers will feel dissatisfied because of poor service, they can easily opt to acquire the same goods and services from rival stores thus loosing out on business opportunities (Ehrenberg, 1964). Rivalry There are several retail stores operating in the same industry with virtually of them dealing in a variety of products and services. For instance Target stores provide the biggest competition to Big W due to its bi g market share and expanded network standing at 30% (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). Other chains that have substantial market share include Wesfarmers and Kmart Supermarkets, Jewel Food Stores. With many customers looking for good value for their money, quality in service delivery has remained the main basis upon which customers are making their final decision to buy. All the players in the industry are putting measures in place to ensure they attract more customers and therefore expand their market share. Therefore, the size, in terms of space occupied by business premises, defines the temperature of competition. In line with this, in 2009, Big W Company launched the largest store in Australia measuring 10,000m2 and a $300 million invested in stocks on the same (Roth, 2011, p. 200). As analysed above, Big W Company has embraced the significance of Porter’s approach to market forces in a business environment. As discussed, Big W Company has been in a position to swing these forces and manipulate them to their advantage through offering competitive prices, expansion, diversification, and cutting a market niche. However, any slow reaction to addressing these factors can cause business suffering leading to huge losses and reduced market share (Chang Singh, 2000). Big W’s Competitive Advantage Expanded business portfolio Although Big W has been a household name in the general retail stores industry, the chain has an expanded business portfolio which includes investments in photo processing, self serve check point introduction, parcel pick up, lay-by, and home delivery (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). The expanded portfolio provides the business with competitive advantage in the sense that it can still maintain profitable performance even in instances where the retail store business experiences poor performance. Through diversification and portfolio balance, the company is in a position to survive turbulence in the harsh economic environment charact erised by stiff competition and inflation (Michael, 2000). Big W’s Business Strategy Cost Leadership Strategy Cost leadership strategy is vital in business management especially in an industry with stiff competition. Reflectively, the concept, as proposed by Porter, is a mean of establishing a sustainable competitive advantage over other player in the industry. Big W Company has adopted the cost leadership strategy to improve its efficiency through streamlining operations. As a result, this venture has developed a cumulative experience, optimal performance, quality assurance, and is in full control of their operational chains. In order to cut down cost of production and marketing, the company has embraced the modern technology in its online sales, human resource management, purchasing, and dispatch departments (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). The company has entered into a partnership with outsourced but competent suppliers rather than engaging its resources in obtaining prod ucts. As a result, the general over head cost of operation has been reduced substantially. In addition, the company has opted for diversification and expansion of stores in order to gain from economies of scale as the overall turnover grows. Through adoption of scientific human resource management, the company has been in a position to track redundancy and monitor employee performance and evaluations done on the basis of contract. As a result, issues of underperformance has been minimised substantially. At present, this chain produces the best quality packaging of its product at the cheapest price possible since production is done in mass. In addition, the company has introduced a series of efficiency monitoring systems such as performance valuation, efficiency in production, target management, and electronic purchasing which has greatly reduced labour cost. These ventures aim at enabling the company to optimise profits through efficiency in production, sales, accountability, and us e of company resources while maintaining quality (Hambrick, 1983). Benefits and Suitability of the Cost Leadership Strategy Efficiency monitoring in distribution, sales, cash flow management, labour, and diversification as employed by Big W is particularly suitable for the firm as it is more of a precautionary measure that shields the firm from effects of redundancy and underutilization of production variables. Despite rivalry in the retail industry, Big W has been in a position to monitor all its operation chains and periodically evaluate the same as a means of reducing overhead cost due to underutilization, poor balancing, and unaccountability. As a result, Big W has managed to transform its portfolio and capital structure by 18% since most of operation lines is optimally utilized (BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007). Conclusion Conclusively, it is apparent that Big W is a force in the retail store industry in Australia. Reflectively, the company has successfully managed to establish o ver 160 stores across Australia. Besides, the chain has remodelled its cost leadership to embrace efficiency in operations through incorporation of technology, monitoring tools, and evaluation systems. As a result, despite stiff competition, the chain offers competitive prices and substantial discounts since they maximize gains from economies of scale due to large turnover per annum. In 2011, its operating income stabilized at $177 million. Incorporation of the Porters market forces in the management of this successful chain is directly linked to its consistency, profitability, and efficiency. List of References BIG W: Why shop at BIG W 2007. Web. Bodily, SE Allen, MS 1999, A dialogue process for choosing value-creating strategies, Interfaces, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 16-28. Chang, S Singh, H 2000, Corporate and industry effects on business unit competitive position, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 739-752 Cusumano, MA Takeishi, A 1991, Supplier relations and managem ent: A survey of Japanese, Japanese-Transplant, and US Auto plants, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 563-588. Desarbo, W S, Jedidi, K Sinha, I 2001, Customer value analysis in a heterogeneous market, Srategic management Journal, vol. 22, no. 9, pp. 845-857 Ehrenberg, ASC 1964, Estimating the proportion of loyal buyers, Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 56-59. Hambrick, DC 1983, High profit strategies in mature capital goods industries: A contingency approach, The Academy of Management Journal, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 687-707. Michael, SC 2000, Investments to create bargaining power: The case of franchising, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 497-514. Peng, MW 2004, Identifying the big question in international business research, Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 99-108. Roth, M 2011, Top Stocks 2012: A Share-buyer’s Guide to Leading Australian Companies, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Tyre, M J Hauptma n, O 1992, Effectiveness of organizational responses to technological change in the production process, Organization Science, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 301-320. Woolworths Supermarkets 2011, Woolworths. Web. Wright, P 1987, A refinement of Porter’s strategies, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 93-101

The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam

The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The AP US History exam involves reading, writing, and in-depth analysis. It's not just about memorizing names and dates; you'll be asked to interpret historical evidence quickly and accurately, recall outside information about the topic, and, on the essay questions, synthesize your ideas into a coherent argument. In this guide, I'll give you a rundown of the format and structure of the exam along with a brief content outline, sample questions, and some tips for a great score! How Is the AP US History Exam Structured? The AP US History testin 2016 will be administered on Friday, May 6th at 8 AM. It hasmultiple-choice, short answer, and free-response sections, and the total length is 3 hours and 15 minutes. The Multiple-Choice Section Is: 55 minutes long 55 questions 40 percent of your score Formatted in sets of two to five questions that are based on the provided pieces of historical evidence The Short-Answer Section Is: 50 minutes long Four questions 20 percent of your score Questions have multiple parts and will usually reference pieces of historical evidence The Free-Response Section Is: Comprised of two questions: Document-based question An essay based on a prompt that's accompanied by a series of relevant historical documents 55 minutes 25 percent of your score Long essay question Regular essay question where you get to choose between two different prompts 35 minutes for the long essay question 15 percent of your score On the free-response section, you will be told when 55 minutes are up and advised to move on to the second question, but you aren’t forced to do so. Time management is one of the major challenges of this test! Content Background for the AP US History Exam There are seven themes addressed inthe AP US History course, and all of them will show up in one form or another on the exam.Each represents a subset of learning objectives that students are expected to master.You can read more about the learning objectives in the course description;here I’ll just give a broad overview of the major themes: Theme 1: American and National Identity How and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed. Related topics such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism. Theme 2: Politics and Power How different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States. How political beliefs and institutions have changed over time. Theme 3: Work, Exchange, and Technology Factors behind systems of economic exchange and development, including the role of technology, economic markets, and government. Theme 4: Culture and Society The roles that ideas, beliefs, social mores, and creative expression have played in shaping the United States. How various identities, cultures, and values have been preserved or changed at different stages in U.S. History. Theme 5: Migration and Settlement Why and how the various people who moved to and within the United States both adapted to and transformed their new environments. Theme 6: Geography and the Environment The role of geography and environments (natural and man-made) on social and political developments in the United States. Theme 7: America in the World Interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period. The influence of the United States on world affairs. These themes are discussed across nine different historical periods, each of which corresponds to a certain percentage of questions on the AP exam: Sample AP US History Questions Now that you have a sense of the test content, I'll present you with sample questions to give you a better idea of what it actually looks like! Multiple-Choice Question For multiple choice, you’re given one or two pieces of historical evidence followed by a set of questions that ask you to do some analysis.The US History exam is less about knowing specific dates and names and more about being able to draw conclusions and connect themes based on materials provided by the test. First, let’s read the (disturbing) statement we’re considering for this question: Hammond refers to slaves as â€Å"fellow creatures whom God has entrusted to my charge† and goes on to say that it is â€Å"in the interest of all...to treat our slaves with proper kindness.†This is a statement typical of many southern slaveowners at the time.In his view, he has been entrusted by God to take care of his slaves because they are lower in the natural hierarchy.He talks about treating them with kindness to make it seem like slavery helps everyone. Southerners believed they were doing their slaves a favor by treating them well within the slave system because slaves weren’t capable of handling freedom. Now, we'll examine our choices: Choice (A) can be ruled out because there is nothing in the statement that indicates a reaction to the development of gradual emancipation laws. Hammond isdefending slavery in a broader moral sense. Choice (B) is incorrect because there is no relationship between the statement and development of stronger slave codes.Hammond talks about treating his slaves well and is clearly trying to ignore the increased unrest within the slave system. Choice (C) should be eliminated as well.Although Hammond is making a moral argument for slavery that could be considered a counter to activists’ moral arguments against it, there isn’t a direct enough connection between the quote and the trend described in this answer choice. Finally, let’s look at choice (D), which is the correct answer.This is the only choice that makes a DIRECT connection between the point of view expressed in the excerpt and the social/political trends of the time.Hammond’s statement is an individual piece of evidence that serves to demonstrate the larger movement of southerners touting slavery as a â€Å"positive good† benefitting both slaves and masters. Short-Answer Question Short answer questions are technically considered part of the multiple-choice section because they are so much less involved than the essay questions.Although they do have multiple parts, you don’t have to come up with a thesis (one sentence answers are ok). They're about succinctly connecting themes and reference materials to specific events or trends. Here’s an example: For part (A), you would need to provide a brief explanation of the aspects of the cartoon that express the artist’s point of view on a particular economic topic. For example:The artist expresses the view that industrial capitalism is an exploitative and unfair system in which underpaid laborers work hard to build the basis on which wealthy capitalists lounge around and enjoy lives of luxury. For part (B), you would need to describe a specific development between 1865 and 1910 that supports the artist’s viewpoint. For example:Newly rich businessmen such as Gould or Vanderbilt quickly rose to prominence and lived lavish lifestyles funded by huge corporate monopolies. For part (C), you would need to describe another specific development within the same time period that challenges the artist’s viewpoint. For example:A more industrialized economy brought benefits to many people in society through access to cheaper commodities, new technologies, and improvements in the standard of living. Document-Based Question These are the instructions you’ll see for the document-based question: The question itself is a short prompt that gives you a lens through which to view the sample documents.You’re given seven different documents to examine, and, to earn full credit, you have to use at least six of them as evidence for your thesis in your answer. Documents range from transcripts of folk songs to excerpts from letters and newspapers to demographic maps.I won’t list all the documents that were presented for this specific question, but here are a couple so you can get a sense of the variety you’ll see on the exam: There are several components of a solid response to this question: Thesis The thesis must clearly address patterns of continuity and change over time with regards to the social and economic experiences of African Americans who migrated North in the early 1900s.Don’t make it hard for the graders to find your thesis; the best place to put it is right at the end of your first paragraph. Here's an example:As many African Americans migrated North in the period from 1910 to 1930, they encountered both new and familiar challenges, including the hostility of white northerners, barriers to employment, and housing segregation. Evidence At least six out of seven documents (and preferably all seven!) should be used as evidence in your essay. Also, atleast one of the following should be examined in the essay for four or more of the documents: the author’s point of view, the author’s purpose, the intended audience, and the historical context. Analysis and Connections The essay must draw connections between documents or parts of documents to build an argument.You should also observe in your essay that documents reflect differences in point of view, audiences, formats, etc.Paying attention to the context is critical for an appropriate historical reading (for example, document 4 is written for a white audience by a white author, so that should inform the way its statements are viewed). Outside Knowledge Your essay should also include knowledge that extends beyond the documents themselves and strengthens your argument. Caution:DON’T start fact-vomiting all over this essay. Make sure what you’re saying is directly relevant to your argument.One historical trend you might mention specifically is the rise of legalized social segregation in the South (impact ofPlessy v. Ferguson).You could also note that the evidence in the documents provided does not reference the Harlem Renaissance, which was an important development in the experience of many African Americans in the urban North during the 1920s. Context Your essay shouldalsoconnect the issues raised by the documents to broader discussions of racism in U.S. history.You could talk about things like: The transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy Different motivations that have influenced migration within the U.S. Development of housing patterns in urban environments Long Essay Question For your long essay, you will be able to choose between two prompts.Here’s an example of a potential prompt: Your answer should include many of the same elements as your answer to the document-based question, but there are no documents to analyze and reference, so you have less time to write.This question also asks you to take a more solid argumentative stance for or against a certain claim. The first thing you should do is decide whether you support, partially support, or totally disagree with the argument presented in the question.Then, write a thesis that makes your point of view clear and briefly references examples you will use to support it in the body of your essay. If you chose to support the statement, your essay might include the following points: The New Deal was a conservative measure taken to preserve a capitalist economy in the US by lessening the negative effects of capitalism and mitigating weaknesses within the system. It represented a desire to change things as little as possible while maintaining the economic status quo. No programs in the New Deal led to fundamental redistribution of land and wealth, so most elements of the capitalist system were unchanged. If you instead decided to argue against the statement, your essay might include the following points: The New Deal was a dramatic departure from the role government had played in the US economy up to that point. Programs were revolutionary in that they provided relief to people who were struggling, curbed corporate abuses, and sought to protect the environment. Alternatively, you could say that the New Deal was revolutionary in a negative way; the government veered too far into socialism and worsened the effects of the depression for people like business owners. You could mention the more far-reaching benefits and drawbacks of the New Deal to provide additional evidence for your point (greater financial security for people in the long run as a result of New Deal programs). You could also modify the original statement by saying that the New Deal was a moderate measure that fell between conservatism and revolution (the partial agreement option).More extreme factions of conservative and progressive groups were either alarmed at the dramatic changes or dissatisfied with a policy that fell short of complete economic restructuring. Whatever your argument, you must include specific references to historical events or trends of the period for context (for example, you might mention conservative fiscal policies of presidents before Roosevelt and the causes of the Great Depression). One of FDR's quirks was that he always had to be painted completely green from head to toe before being seen in public. Using this strategy, he successfully prevented people from noticing his wheelchair for years. How Is the AP US History Exam Scored? On the multiple-choice section (55 raw points possible), you get a point added to your raw score for each question that you answer correctly. No points are taken off for incorrect answers!Each short-answer question is worth three points, so there are 12 raw points possible in the short-answer section. The document-based question is scored based on the following criteria (seven raw points possible): Thesis and argument: 2 points Document analysis: 2 points Using evidence beyond the documents: 2 points Synthesis: 1 point The long essay question is scored based on the following criteria (six raw points possible): Thesis: 1 point Argument development: using the targeted historical thinking skills: 2 points Argument development: using evidence: 2 points Synthesis: 1 point On essay questions, points are taken off for errors only if they detract from the quality of the argument being made (basically, don’t make up historical facts to support an argument).Grammatical errors are not a big deal as long as they don't inhibit the grader's ability to understand what your essay is saying. The total number of raw points you can earn on the test is 80: 55 on the multiple choice, 12 on the short answer, seven on the DBQ, and six on the long essay.Raw scores can be converted to scaled scores out of 150. Multiply your raw score (out of 55) on the multiple-choice section by 1.1 to get your scaled multiple choice score. Then, multiply your raw score (out of 12) on the short answer-section by 2.5 to get your scaled short answer score.Multiply your raw score (out of seven) on the document-based question by 5.4 to get your scaled DBQ score.Multiply your raw score (out of six) on the long essay question by 3.75 to get your scaled long essay question score. Then, add all of the scores together to get your final scaled score! Here’s a chart to show you approximately how the scaled scores translate to final AP scores: Scaled Score AP Score Percentage of Students in 2015 115 - 150 5 9.3% 90 - 114 4 17.8% 65 - 89 3 23.6% 44 - 64 2 25% 0 - 43 1 24.3% I made my best estimates based on other AP score conversion charts because there was no official scaled to AP score conversion chart online for the latest version of the exam.Your teacher or review book may have a more accurate score conversion system that you can use for official practice tests. Tips for the AP US History Exam AP US History is a grueling test that requires intense critical thinking and analytical skills.Here are some tips you should remember if you hope to do well: Tip #1: Accurate Facts Aren’t Always Correct Answers Many multiple-choice questions will list answers that are accurate representations of historical events or trends but don’t directly respond to the question being asked. Be wary of these answers on the test so that you don’t accidentally choose them over more relevant responses.In the multiple choice question I gave as an example, one incorrect choice was â€Å"The expanding use of moral arguments by Northern antislavery activists.†At the time referenced in the question, this was a real trend that occurred, but it doesn’t relate directly to the excerpt that was referenced. That means it’s still the wrong answer.Don’t let these types of choices confuse you; adhere to the particulars of the question and the evidence presented! Tip #2: Details Are Important: Read Excerpts Carefully! Most of this exam is based on historical reference materials.You won’t be able to answer questions correctly without reading carefully.Even if you know everything there is to know about US History, that knowledge will mostly just serve to contextualize the evidence presented on the test.The specific details found in the writings and images will ultimately reveal the best answer choice. Tip #3: Plan Before You Write It’s critical to write well-organized, focused essays on the AP US History test.A clear thesis is the first thing on the agenda.Then, you need to make sure the rest of your essay ties back into your thesis and provides relevant evidence throughout.If you jump into writing an essay without taking the time to organize your thoughts, you’re more likely to ramble or get off-topic from the main focus of the question. For the document-based question, you’re encouraged to spend 15 of the 55 minutes planning how to organize your thoughts and use the different documents as evidence.You have less time for the long essay question, but you should still spend five minutes or so writing a brief outline before you start your final draft. Tip #4: Use Outside Evidence Wisely It’s a smart idea to incorporate additional background knowledge into your responses on the test.It shows that you’ve mastered the material and can connect themes to what you learned in class and not just what was presented to you in the question.However, don’t include outside knowledge unless it bolsters your argument.If you’re just sticking it in there to prove how much you know, your essay will lack focus, and you may lose points.That’s why it’s so important to plan ahead; in the planning stage, you can think of examples that tie into your thesis and strategically place them throughout your essay in ways that contribute to your point. Be wise, like an owl. Not necessarily this one...it looks like it lost its grip on reality a long time ago. Conclusion The AP US History exam is one of the longer AP tests, and it has four different types of questions! You'll see multiple-choice, short answer, document-based, and long essay questions on this test. The main thread running through the entire exam is an emphasis on analyzing historical evidence and applying outside knowledge in context. In your studying, you will need to learn to connect the five themes of the course to events spanning 500 years of North American history. To recap, some study tips that I recommend include: Don't mistake accurate facts for correct answers Always read excerpts carefully Plan before writing your essays Use outside evidence strategically Make sure you practice all the different types of questions with official materials before you sit down to take the real test. If you get used to thinking about history in an analytical, evidence-based context, you should have no problem earning a high AP score! What's Next? Looking for more practice materials? Check out our article on the best online quizzes you can take to prepare for the AP US History test! Review books can be extremely helpful tools in preparing for AP tests. If you can't decide which one to get,take a look at this list of the best review books for the AP US History exam in 2016. Did you lose some of your notes? Head on over to this article for links to AP US History notes on every section of the course. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Mid term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mid term paper - Essay Example The revolution has encouraged the equal opportunity among men and women in the place of work. This is because it has ensured that these two genders have equal capabilities to function at work. There is no a designated task to one gender that cannot be undertaken by the other. Furthermore, it has ensured that there is a balance between the employment of men and women in the workplace, hence ensuring that gender balance has been achieved. Cuba is the only state in the world to achieve an almost perfect gender balance, and all this is due to the revolution. The most desirable society that can be created in Cuba is one where all people within it are equal, with nobody being either above or beneath the other (Miller 675). Moreover, there should be gender balance in government so that it is no longer just dominated by men. In addition, a society that is just should be created, where everybody is allowed to do what he or she want so long as what they do does not destroy the aims of the revolution. However, the creation of such a society cannot be achieved unless several threats are dealt with swiftly. One of these is the beginning of a highly paternalistic culture in the society, where one cannot go ahead in life unless he or she is sponsored by somebody powerful in society. The second threat is the temptation to introduce slowly capitalistic features into the country in order to conform to the world economy. This is extremely dangerous because so far, the revolution has been a success and it can therefore, not be merged with corrupting el ements. The United States has from the very beginning of the revolution, been the biggest enemy of Cuba (Gronbeck-Tedesco 651). It has repeatedly, tried to overthrow the revolution and replace it with a corrupt capitalistic system like the one that existed before. This state is, therefore, also the biggest threat to the achievement of life that the new order would bring to the people of Cuba. There is a

Article analysis Negotiation Without a Net Essay

Article analysis Negotiation Without a Net - Essay Example 4) as well as special communication skill such as empathic listening and active listening (p. 5). The strategic considerations of the negotiation process described in the article bear much similarity to business negotiations. For instance, police negotiations are goal-directed (p. 4). The negotiator has to remember the goal in order to modify tactics and strategies. Secondly, as suggested in the case of suicide negotiations (p. 7), it is essential that both sides feel that not negotiating is the worst option. This reflects the importance of a win-win approach to negotiation. An interesting insight provided into the structure of the negotiation process is that negotiation can be conducted as â€Å"a series of small agreements (p. 4).† This helps to set milestones to what might be a tedious process. It also helps to build trust and commitment to build the relationship. Another important strategic insight into the techniques of negotiation is that by engaging with one another, the negotiators can extract useful information about one another and use it to their strategic adva ntage. This has been referred to as mirroring (p. 5). Finally, the importance of teamwork is highlighted in the article as a vital means of ensuring the success of the negotiation. Negotiating can be a tiring and stressful process; hence, the presence of a team with specialized roles can help to make the process efficient (p. 6). Personal characteristics and behaviours of the negotiators are also analyzed in this article. For instance, it is suggested that the negotiator should have maximum control over emotions while not ignoring their existence (p. 6). This holds similarity with the theory of emotional intelligence where self-awareness and control are emphasized for successful communication. Secondly, it is important for the negotiators to detach their personal self from the situation. This helps them to avoid taking