Of mice and men dramatically conveys to us the vital importance of dreams in helping us to deal Essay

â€Å"Of mice and men dramatically conveys to us the vital importance of dreams in helping us to deal; with the often difficult realities of our lives.† In this novella by John Steinbeck, some characters had dreams to get them out of difficult realities, their dreams helped them to combat the loneliness and hopelessness of there existence. George Milton and Lenny Small, two poor homeless migrant workers who belonged nowhere and to know one were doomed to a life of wandering and toil, in which they will neve be able to reap the fruits of there labour. The one thing that that kept them strong through this repetitive and useless life was a dream. â€Å"Someday we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs† (George- pg 14). It was a dream that was shared by every American worker, to have a place of their own, the opportunity to work for themselves and know one to give them orders. For Lenny the dream was very much real, it helped him to cope with the boredom that he faced and he always went to sleep happy thinking about tending the rabbits. For George on the other hand, the dream was at first like a fairytale he told Lenny to bring a smile upon his face and the promise of tending the rabbits helped him to stay out of trouble but all the while he was very optimistic about the dream and felt that there was no way it would become a reality. George’s first views towards the dream were soon changed when Candy found out about what they were planning, he offers financial help and suddenly a new view is seen of the dream. This unexpected offer by Candy means that the dream is no longer a fantasy and finally all the pain and suffering might have payed off for George, Lenny and Candy but the threat to the fulfilment of this dream is ever present in Lenny’s behaviour and in the end its Lenny’s uncontrollable actions which finally destroy dream. The dream is constantly changing, at first it was just a story told by George to cheer up Lenny, then in the middle it seemed like it would come true and finally in the end it was apparent that everyone’s dreams were shattered with Lenny as the only exception, because he dies happy with the picture of the dream in his head. Candy wishes to share in the dream with George and Lenny because he is becoming old and useless like his dog, he has nowhere to go to and now one to care about him and unlike his dog they’re not going to take him out and shoot him, instead there going to put him in an old folks home where he will feel lonely and have no freedom. By joining Lenny and George he can live out his days happy and free, forever safe knowing he won’t be canned. Once Candy realises that the dream is more or less a reality he stands up for what he believes in with dignity and courage, something he didn’t do before he realised the dream was within reach. Candy realises that he doesn’t have to be the useless old cripple anymore because he can live the rest of his life happy, without being told what to do. Candy’s dream ended in a pessimistic way because all he wanted got destroyed leaving him with nothing and hence left in the same way he was before the dream- old, useless and hanging onto his job by a thread. Crooks dream was to be respected and not judged by his colour, he too wanted to live on the ranch with Candy, George and Lenny. Crooks is an example of the bitterness, anger and hopelessness that a black American struggling to be recognised as a human being is faced with. At first Crooks was most cynical about the dream of owning a ranch but the dream was powerful enough to convince him that it was the real thing for a few moments only to be shattered by Curley’s wife who made it clear that there is no way a black, crippled outcast such as himself would ever make such a dream a reality. That statement that Curly’s wife made, made Crooks realise that he was nothing more than an outcast and what she said was in a way true, with that all the hopes and dreams of Crooks were crushed. Like Crooks, Curley’s wife is stricken with isolation and sadness. She was out of place on the ranch and because of that she was a really lonesome person with lonesome feelings and hence was often desperate for someone to talk to. Throughout the novel Curley’s wife stirred up many emotions among the workers of the ranch, such as the way she looked and acted lead other characters in the novel to see her as a â€Å"tart†. Curly’s wife indulged in a dream which had already passed her by, leaving her with a life of empty hope. Like many young women, she aspired to stardom in films after being wrongly told that she was a â€Å"natural†. At first she seemed cold hearted and set herself to make trouble but then it became apparent that she was just lonely adn wanted someone to talk to and as Curley was not interested in hearing about her hopes or dreams, the only person she found willing to listen to was Lenny.

Executive Summary: Streamline the Nursing Admission Process Essay

The health care industry continues to be challenged by daily patient turnover due to the number of admissions, transfers, and discharges (Spader, 2008). The increase in number of admissions, in turn, puts a high demand on nurses in keeping up with the pace resulting in nurse frustration and dissatisfaction. According to Lane (2009), a thorough and comprehensive admission process is critical in providing quality patient care. Completing the admission process in a timely, efficient, and comprehensive manner has been a challenge for nurses due to the increase number of admissions, and also the fact that the nurses still have to provide ongoing care to the other patients. Creating a new position as the role of an admission nurse will help to combat some of the challenges associated with the admission process. Purpose of the Project The purpose of this project is to streamline the admission process. This can result in a decrease in nurse workload and improve patient flow. A reduction in nurses’ workload and demands can contribute to a decrease in nurse turnover and promote positive patient outcomes. The role of the admission nurse provides an opportunity for a dedicated nurse to gather the pertinent information in order to complete a comprehensive admission process. Target Population The targeted population for this project is the direct care nursing staff. This nursing staff is currently responsible for the admission process. It is not unusual for a nurse to be interrupted several times while trying to admit a patient. It is also not unusual for a patient to be admitted and discharged from the hospital with an incomplete admission process. Regardless of what line of service, all nurses can benefit from streamlining the admission process Benefits of the Project An admission assessment in the admission process provides important details that are relevant to patients’ need. That is why it is critical that this information is completed thoroughly and accurately. Unlike the staff nurse, an admission nurse will have the necessary time to spend with patients and families. The role of an admission nurse can help to provide the comprehensive assessment associated with the admission process and also help to alleviate the nurses ‘stress associated with increased patient turnover. In addition to the benefit of the nurses, the hospital can benefit as well by potentially having a decrease in nurse turnover, increase patient flow, and an increase in patient satisfaction. Budget Justification The expense of losing an experienced nurse can be costly to the hospital. Not to mention the nursing knowledge and skills. Estimates of the actual dollar amount incurred by nurse turnover range from 10 to 20 thousand dollars per nurse to as much as well over the nurse’s yearly salary. According to Anderson (2004), Nurse Executives estimate that â€Å"†¦visible costs represent only 24 percent of total costs for medical/surgical nurses and only 18 percent for specialty nurses. A true total cost of $42,000 per medical/ surgical RN and $64,000 per specialty nurse is more close to reality.† Turnover costs, average approximately $47,403 per medical/surgical RN and $85,197 for specialty RNs. â€Å"A 400-nurse hospital with a 20 percent turnover rate is replacing 80 nurses per year. The direct costs might average $800,000 per year, but the true total costs are closer to $4 million.† Project Evaluation Currently there is not sufficient evidence -based data to on admission models. But, there are still a number of ways to evaluate the success and or outcome of this project. One way is to do a pre and post survey of the nursing staff regarding the admission process. Another way is to survey patients pre and post implementation of the proposed admission process to evaluate success. In addition, evaluating the costs associated with nurse retention would also be another mechanism in evaluating this project. Conclusion Working in a fast paced environment such as the hospital setting can be stressful. The number of daily patient turnover, admissions, and discharges are continues to be a challenge for nurses working in the hospital setting (Spader, 2008). The role of the admission nurse to streamline some of the challenges associated with the admission process. In essence, this will free up the staff nurse to provide ongoing care to the other patients. This will also result in increased satisfaction for both nurses and patients. Mechanisms and process improvements that can be put in place to help alleviate the stress and strain associated with the admission process due to increased daily turnovers can be proven beneficial. References Anderson, R. (2004). Complexity science and the dynamics of climate and communication: reducing nursing home turnover. Gerontologist, 44, 378-388 Lane, B. (2009). Nurse satisfaction and creation of an admission, discharge, and teaching nurse position. Journal Of Nursing Care Quality, 24(2), 148-152. doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.gcu.edu:2048/10.1097/01.NCQ.0000347452.36418.78 Spader, C, (2008). Admission RNs Make Fast-Paced Admits Less Stressful. Retrieved on January 24, 2013 from http://news.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008108110080

Five Areas of Coaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Five Areas of Coaching - Essay Example The work of the company involves content development for Educational Institutions, Web sites, Writers, and Publishers. It furnishes content for advertisement companies and other agencies like tourism-related organizations. Hence, John’s job involves supervising content development works in the project he monitors. The projects he works on differ from time to time as the company needs to furnish content for travel agencies to educational institutions and even for Movie making organizations. The company used to follow project team model that separates production department from other departments. As to cope up with the competition in the market the company is implementing integrated matrix model that compels the production department to work in tandem with other departments like marketing and finance. As John is not familiar with this model, he is not able to communicate with other departments as well as human resources department and he is not able to get enough people to work on the projects he is in charge of. As he is expert in dealing with the people working under him he is not able to communicate or coordinate with the people who are equal in designation to him and some people who are superior to him. In the previous system he used to work with his subordinates for more time and communicate with peers and superiors for less amount of time and that suited his mentality and nature. However, now being unable to communicate with peers and superiors he is finding less time to spend with his wife and children. Hence, he fears that the future may result in spending less time with his family. In addition to that, he is scared of being successful in the company as he is in the past. The paper outlines the work and idea of coach of John on five areas; Personal Care, Couples, Family and Friends, Work and Community. John is a bachelor in Literature and has a diploma in management.

Fashion Retail in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fashion Retail in the UK - Essay Example The paper "Fashion Retail in the UK"discovers the the ideas behind the BCG business strategy in the context of UK fashion retail. The BCG strategy suggests that the resources of an organization be allocated depending on its relative position on the grid. The grid has four sections/ positions. These are cash cow, star, question mark, and dog. The BCG strategy is diagrammatically represented as follows. The relative market share is a dimension that is utilized in evaluating a business portfolio. A corporate that enjoys high market share would ultimately get a high return of cash. This can be explained in terms of economies of scales. A firm that manufactures large quantities of goods has benefits of economies of scale and thus they enjoy higher profits. On the other hand, the market growth rate is a representation that earnings and profits increase. An increase in the growth rate means that large amounts of cash would be utilized to stimulate further growth. This means that an organiza tion in the rapidly growing industries use up a lot of cash and one should only invest in such organizations when there is an underlying growth or a sustained market share. Dogs: the brand in this quadrant is in a slow growing market. Furthermore, such brands are not the market leaders: they hold a low market share. Such brands generate nil or sometimes negative cash on returns. It is not wise for one to invest in such brands unless one opts for a long-term investment. As such, one may opt for retrenchment.

A Sustainable Business in Our Changing Landscape Research Paper

A Sustainable Business in Our Changing Landscape - Research Paper Example The organization has introduced various products up till now and is always on the frontline for taking advantage of all the latest technological breakthroughs that happen globally. The strategy of diversification has proven to be successful for the company, and it is evident from its continuously increasing performance. The challenging phase of the organization was when it was sued for doing unethical marketing activities – it was believed that the corporation forced its suppliers to supply the raw materials only to it. Other challenge encountered was the violation of anti-competitive strategy, and it was evident from the company’s tactics of getting monopolistic position in the market. Afterwards, the environment was becoming tougher and more competitive, and, presently, all businesses are facing rapid changes happening in the business environment. Some of the major changes, as highlighted by Witiw (2007), that are happening in the volatile environment of today are the following: global economic recession is happening at a faster pace; the economy of a country is severely impacted by the failures of the organizations, by natural disasters and terrorist attacks; top management needs the employees’ supports to enhance the performance; behaviors of the consumers are changing, and children are observed using computers and other technological gadgets at a very early stage; suppliers of the country are impacted by the production facilities transfer to China and India; natural disasters have been occurring at an increasing rate across the world; and violence is spilling from society to various schools, colleges and workplaces. Therefore, the best way of conducting business activities these days is to use the online tools so that the companies are able to respond to consumers’ demands proactively. The trend of shifting from traditional ways of running the business enterprises to online direct selling to the customers is evident – the strategies adopted by Dell, Nokia, Apple, HP and many other companies are the examples. Therefore, the best tool for Microsoft Corporation is to do e-marketing and develop good and an effective e-marketing plan. A Sustainable Business in a Changing Landscape Introduction Internet has revolutionized the way organizations do business these days and it has eased ample activities for the business. Now, businesses can do every activity with few clicks, and they just need to remain well-informed about the technological advancements that are happening these days. The organizations must design their business objectives and strategies in a way that they take advantage of amenities provided by the internet (Smith & Chaffey, 2005). Likewise, internet has opened diverse range of avenues for businesses to conduct their activities and the best opportunity given to companies is that of e-marketing (Rossi et al., 2007). In order to ensure that businesses are able to survive in such a tough and com petitive environment, they will have to develop strategies that will help them earn the customers’

Fundamentals of finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fundamentals of finance - Essay Example ITV broadcasting operates a group of channels which include ITV1 and also delivers content across a number of platforms like ITV player and itv.com. Its studios produce and sell formats and programmes both in UK and globally. WPP Plc operates a communications services group. The operations of the company encompass media, information and consultancy, public affairs, public relations, identity services, branding, investment management and advertising. WPP is a global leader in the marketing of communication services, and it comprises of public relation and public affairs companies, advertising companies and promotion and relationship marketing companies. The history of WPP dates back in 1985 when Martin Sorrel builds a worldwide marketing services company after a search on public entity. 2. Company strengths and weaknesses Analysis of the financial performance of each company WPP Plc Current ratio The current ratio for WPP Plc in 2011 was 0.94:1. Current ratio measures the ability of a firm to cater for its short term obligations using its short term assets. The current ratio is lower than 1, and this means that WPP Plc was not in a better financial position to cater for its obligations. Gearing ratios 1. Debt to equity ratio The debt to equity ratio for WPP Plc during the 2011 financial year was 2.67. This ratio is obtained by dividing total liabilities by shareholders equity and this ratio means that the total liabilities are more than the shareholders equity. This high ratio is an indication of how aggressive WPP plc has been when it comes to using debts to finance its growth. A lot of debt was used to finance the 2011 growth and this ahs led to increased operations and hence the company was able to generate increased earnings using this financing than it would have done without these finances. 2. Debt ratio The debt ratio for WPP plc in 2011 was 0.72. The debt ratio is less than 1, and this indicates that the company has less debts than assets or has more ass ets that the debts. As a result, the company faces fewer risks when it comes to debt loads. Profitability ratios 1. Profit margin Profit margin for WPP plc in the 2011 financial years was 9.14%. This ratio measures how much a company generates from each dollar of sales (Bull 2007). This means that the company keeps $0.914 of each dollar of revenue collected. The profit margin ratio for the company in 2011 was low which indicates a high risk that any decline in sales will erase or do way with the profit and lead to a net loss. 2. Return on assets WPP plc return on assets ratio for the 2011 financial year was 3.7%. The low ratio is an indicator of how inefficient the company was in managing its assets in order to generate income. In simple terms, the ratio shows how less profitable the company was relative to its total assets. 3. Return on equity The return on equity for WPP for the 2011 was 13.6%. This low percentage is an indication the company did not generate much profit from the shareholders funds invested in the company. Dividend payout ratio Dividend payout ratio for WPP plc was 33% during the 2011 financial year. The high dividend ratio for the company is an indication the earnings of the company highly support the payment of

Generic Strategies of Sony Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Generic Strategies of Sony - Case Study Example This magnetic tape recorder evolved from G-Type to Model P which became the company's first profitable product. In 1957, Sony released the world's first pocket transistor radio, establishing a market leadership position for the company. The founding fathers were circumspect and did not gloat on their initial success. They sagaciously went about their work to create the global monolith with concentration and zeal. It took decades to transform the company from a small sized enterprise to what it is today. The company's first product was rice cooker. It established its first overseas operation with a capital investment of $500,000 in New York City. It also became the first Japanese firm in the United States to make public offering of two million shares of common stock in the form of American Depository Receipts (ADRs) in 1961. Morita was the driving force for the Walkman personal stereo in the late 1970s. The Walkman was a player and it did not receive enthusiastic response in the market in the initial stages. But the product's compact size and sound quality soon set the benchmark for a revolutionary market demand. Sony introduced the color television named "Trinitron" in 1968. And in 1972, the company set its first manufacturing in San Diego, California, in the United States. ... But the product's compact size and sound quality soon set the benchmark for a revolutionary market demand. Sony introduced the color television named "Trinitron" in 1968. And in 1972, the company set its first manufacturing in San Diego, California, in the United States. It was also the first Japanese manufacturing facility in the United States. Its presence in the United States helped to rapidly transform its operations and come out with several gadgets in the entertainment industry. The charged coupled device or CCD, the initial avatar of the camcorder and digital still camera was developed by Kazuo Iwama, president of Sony from 1976. Iwama died in 1982 but he lived to see the launch of the compact disc player, an innovation that changed the way people listened to music. From 1982 to 1995, Norio Ohga steered Sony into the modern age with product planning, stylish product design and innovative marketing. More was to follow with records and the movies. Sony took over CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures in 1989, two of the world's largest content producers. These form Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) today. SME has featured Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Pearl Jam. Top rating films such as Sleepless in Seattle, Jumanji, Air Force One, Men in Black and Stuart Little have been produced by SPE. In 1994, the Sony PlayStation game console was launched in Japan. With PlayStation2, Sony has become the most successful game manufacturer in the world. Nobuyuki Idei, the present Chairman and CEO, is responsible for moving Sony into the digital network era. He set Sony's business model by augmenting Sony's core competencies with business partnerships with other companies. Sony

Accrual Accounting Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Accrual Accounting Systems - Essay Example Project subject area and Angle description - Small to medium enterprises are major components of developed economies as they constitute 99% of the total number of business operations in these countries. Given the space that SMEs occupying within developed economies and their importance therein studying the methods by which these enterprises can utilise IT tools to maximise organisational efficiency and effectiveness, and enhance organisational performance, is extremely crucial. In direct relation to the aforementioned, accounting and organisational management scholars have determined that the right accounting software package can substantially contribute to organisational performance and the maximisation of efficiency and effectiveness (Hirst and Hopkins, 1998). Choosing the right accounting software is perceived to be one of the most challenging tasks that an entrepreneur faces in his professional career (Johnston 2003). This is especially true for small scale business operations wh ere owners often lack the resources and expertise beyond their core activities to the point that other functions are overlooked. However, the selection process is problematic, as is the subsequent implementation process. Problem to be Solved and Worth – Although, in this highly developed economy, there is hardly an SME which does not manage its accounts through the use of accounting software, few understand the imperatives of selecting the right package or the benefits of doing so.

Purchasing and Supply Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Purchasing and Supply - Essay Example This paper explores purchasing and supply at Wal-Mart stores. Effective supply and purchasing management plays a crucial role in ensuring organizational success. The Line of Business, Mission, and Goals of the Organization Wal-Mart is a multinational corporation that operates in the retail industry. The mission statement of the company is "Saving people money so they can live better"(Pradhan, 2007, P. 111). However, the company does not have a written vision, but relies on five fundamental values to guide its operations. These values include integrity, opportunity, purpose, family and community as well as accountability. Integrity focuses on doing things in the right way. Opportunity as a core value is oriented towards employee growth and development. The company engages in different ways to improve living standards in communities in which it operates and makes its customers to feel part of it. Purpose as a core value of the company enables it to focus on supplying customers with che ap, but quality products while demonstrating responsibility, which is the fifth fundamental value that guides the operations of the company. The Description of Job Functions and Job Responsibilities, Educational Background, Professional Experiences, Personal Challenges, Job Achievement, and Fulfillment The respondent in the interview was a replenishment manager, consumer healthcare at Wal-Mart. From the information obtained from the interview, his job responsibilities include creation of customer level forecast and to partner with customers in the development of an established customer level projection, scrutinizes inventory levels and the movement of products at customer level, creates relevant analyses for probable returns or cost-saving prospects resulting from replenishment strategies. The replenishment leader also shares forecast information with sales team to help them review forecasts, strategies, promotions as well as other necessary information. He is charged with the respo nsibility of developing general customer level inventory planning and also partners with clients to perform in accordance with the strategy. He is also supposed to portray effective use of inventory within customer supply chain. He reports frequently on a scorecard based on agreed metrics and implements action plans to ensure improvement in areas that need to be improved. He co-operates with the Replenishment CEO to craft techniques and processes aimed at improving forecasting and replenishment process. He provides replenishment input into the Headquarter regarding supply and operation process as may be necessary. Finally, he is expected to assume any other responsibility and reporting that may support the business as may be demanded by the top management. The respondent revealed to be a holder of Master degree in business logistic with seven years of experience of supply chain management. He is also proficient with relevant computer skills such as excel, word as well as some applic ation software for supply logistic management. The greatest job achievement discovered in the interview was gaining experience on how to develop effective supply and logistic strategies at customer level. Some of the main challenges mentioned include the expanding scope of customer needs, insufficient funds to support all the requirements of the department and the complexity of the supply chain. The Operational and Strategic Objectives of the Supply and Purchasing

The importance of proper nutrition for promoting wound healing in Literature review

The importance of proper nutrition for promoting wound healing in elderly - Literature review Example The overall health condition of the patient influences the result of healing from the damaged tissue. Older wound care patients call for additional care and constant that addresses the issues that speed up the wound treatment. Several wound care analysts support a holistic means for treating elderly wound patients that regards simultaneous bodily and mental aspects such as dietary position and illness status like diabetes and cancer. The following paper will look into the various methodologies, analyses, gaps, data and theories used and developed by these analyses towards wound haling in the elderly. II. Current Literature According to Timmes, wound healing needs an increase in the energy consumption of the patient because of a rise in metabolic demand. Nutrition plays a major role in the wound healing procedure, as various nutrients have precise functions connected to wound healing. Sufficient nutrition is also needed to sustain healthy skin integrity and elderly patients regularly go through delayed wound healing because of such nutrition deficiencies. Timmes also states that successful management of malnourished patients with wounds relies on precise untimely diagnosis and therapy. Heyman, Van De Looverbosch, Meier and Schols believe that a high-protein ONS supplemented with arginine, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc when utilized with average and pressure ulcer care, particularly decreased the standard pressure ulcer area of permanent nursing home civilians. Major themes assessed by Sherman and Barkly include the importance of nutritional evaluation at the specific nutrients, their roles in wound healing, and the potential of wound therapy among the elderly. Other analysts with a similar viewpoint are Takahashi, Kimele and Jones, who have laid out fundamentals to wound healing through a series of steps. The steps include Step 1: Identify the cause This step involves the enhancement of a well organized would plan by realizing the cause of the wound. Such knowle dge provides a base for the healing procedure and prognosis. Step 2: Maintenance of good nutrition The authors of the journal do not sturdily point out the significance of proper nutrition in the sustenance of skin integrity and wound healing. Nevertheless, patients have proven through research results that the end-phase dementia or the fatal disease cannot get enough healing through ample nutrition. Step 3: Manage infection Sufficient wound healing needs a surrounding that is free of any kind of infections all skin the body is colonized, making bacteria and other inflectional organisms susceptible to causing infections to the body through the wound Step 4: Recommendations for wound therapy According to Takahashi, Kimele and Jones, discussions with the nursing staff and other healthcare givers are regularly needed for the establishment of concluding recommendations for wound treatment. On a similar note, Sherman and Barkly believe that various nutrients play major roles in wound hea ling. They have analyzed each nutrient using the following order and knowledge on wound treatment: Proteins The elderly normally face protein depletion, resulting in the reduction of the rate and quality of wound healing. Therefore, proteins are needed for healing since they are part of a seditious procedure, and in immune receptiveness, the development of granulation tissue become simpler and rapid. Carbohydrates As part of the healing proce

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay Example for Free

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline.. Ten years later, these futuristic cars were almost completely gone. Who Killed the Electric Car is a documentary which unfolds a complex set of events around the development and demise of the modern electric car. The story stems from California from the early 1990s to 2006. Chris Paine, the film maker has woven together interviews and archival footage of over 65 people involved with the events. The narrative begins to unfold with a brief history of the first electric cars created in the early twentieth century. These electric vehicles were killed off nearly 100 years ago as gas/petroleum powered internal combustion engine (ICE) cars became cheaper. The worsening problems of gas/petrol cars are illustrated: smog, high child asthma rates, CO2 emissions and global warming. [Later we also see the use of the US Military in the Middle East. The loss of life and financial cost of war are not mentioned]. The film then commences the story of the modern EV in 1987 when General Motors and the SunRaycer, won the World Solar Challenge, a solar electric car race in Australia. General Motors CEO, Roger Smith challenged the same design team to build a prototype practical electric car which became known as the Impact when announced in 1990. The project expanded to small scale production vehicles with the aim that it would give GM several years lead over any competitor car companies. The Californian Air Resources Board (CARB) saw this as a way to solve their air quality problem and in 1990 passed the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. The ZEV Mandate specified increasing numbers of vehicles sold would have to be Zero Emission Vehicles. For the car companies, there was only two options: Comply with the law or fight it. In then end, they would do both. The movie continues to reveal what the various suspects did to kill the reality of the electric car, and the efforts of EV supporters to save them. Oil companies stood to lose enormous profits if EV sales took off and they colluded with others to kill the electric car. To comply with the ZEV Mandate, in 1996, GM started leasing small numbers of the production car, called the EV1. Other car companies also produced electric vehicles by converting existing production models and leased them to drivers. But the GM board of directors never really wanted the car to succeed as they didnt think they would make profit from the car. They saw losses from development costs and the virtual absence of maintenance and replacement parts which, for gas cars, bring ongoing profits. They were worried that the popularity of the car was growing and that other US states were considering ZEV Mandate laws which meant that they may have to convert all their cars to electric drives which represented even bigger losses.

Hinduism and the Religion’s Worldviews Essay Example for Free

Hinduism and the Religion’s Worldviews Essay Hinduism is not merely a religion, it is also a philosophy and the culture in India, and it has already been a marked part of their everyday living. So much so that everything aspect of their daily lives goes back to it; and it has 950 million followers to wit (mostly from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan). Hinduism ranks third as the world’s largest religion after Christianity and Islam, and it is also said to be one of the world’s oldest organized religion along with Judaism (VandeWeghe, 2007). Hinduism and Christianity differ in many ways, and it is rational that there are disagreements and contradictions when two people from different religions involve themselves in a conversation regarding their beliefs. The purpose of this paper is to discover an effective way to build a pleasant relationship with a Hindu in order to be able to share the gospel with them. In order to accomplish this aim, this paper will discuss the origin, beliefs, practices and the views of Hinduism about Christianity and how they differ from the said religion. Hinduism: A Closer Look According to Robinson (2007), besides being called â€Å"Hinduism†, it is also referred to as Sanata Dharma (eternal religion) and Vaidika Dharma (religion of the Vedas). Hinduism has no specific founder and the day that it was born is still unknown; however, there are two theories regarding the origin of the religion. One is the Classical Theory which explains that Hinduism originated at the Indus Valley around 4000BCE to 2200BCE and that its development was due to various foreign invasions particularly of the Indo-Aryan for they are the ones who were said to have brought the religion of Vedism. The other is the Emerging Theory which went against the first theory by proving that there were no foreign invasions along the Indus Valley and that the Vedic religion (Hinduism at 1500BCE to 500BCE) was allowed to flourish by the same group of people who later called themselves Aryan. The Hindu scriptures as well as literatures, which are even older than the Bible’s Old Testament, are the sources of the religion’s beliefs and practices. The most sacred Hindu scriptures are the four Vedas (Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda) which consists of hymns, incantations, rituals and explanations – among which the Rig Veda (1700BCE to 1100BCE) is said to be the oldest. There are also the Upanishads which discussed â€Å"states of consciousness, dreams, meditations, self-realizations and unity†; the Darshanas which consists of six philosophical system and teachings derived from the Vedas; and lastly and the most recent, the Puranas which tells the stories of the most recent gods (Reid Corduan, 2008). Hinduism also has the two great epics that show the virtues and ideals that are significant to the religion; the first is the Ramayana which is a tale about a prince named Rama and his wife, Sita, and the Mahabarata, a collection of poems which states the duties of a â€Å"religious, law-abiding man† (Mason, 2000). Not only is Hinduism one of the oldest and largest religions, it is also said to be the most complex one (McDowell, 2002). There are various beliefs in Hinduism and one of them is the very popular and highly criticized Caste System which is said to be the cause of inequality and harsh laws in India. There are four main castes; the Brahmin (priest-teachers), kshatriyas (soldier-nobles), vaishyas (merchants) and sudras (servants). In the early periods, it was supposed to be part of the divine order, however, as years passed by, subcastes were developed and there came the outcastes or the untouchables – people who do not belong to any of the four main castes (Perry, 1989). Associated with this system are other beliefs. The belief that each of them have dharma (duty), depending on which caste they were born into; they also believe in karma and samsara (reincarnation) – thus, they believe that if they do their duty properly, they will have good karma and will be reincarnated into a higher class. On the contrary, if they did not, they might be reincarnated to the lower class or even as an animal. Their goal is to achieve moksha (release), which is their concept of salvation. Here they would not be liberated from sin but to life existence itself for they believe that as long as they are in the maya (phenomenal world) suffering would never stop because of karma and samsara. Moksha can be attained in three ways, by â€Å"way of works†, â€Å"way of knowledge† and â€Å"way of devotion† (bhakti) which is the most popular one, in which a person will completely devote himself to a certain god and the latter will take care of everything in his behalf (Reid Corduan, 2008). In early Hinduism, Jesus Christ has no particular role in the religion and is not even mentioned in their scriptures; however, due to the rise of Christianity, Hindu thinkers thought of a place where they could put Jesus Christ in their religion. According to Reid and Corduan (2008), since Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, the Hindus viewed Jesus Christ as one of the incarnations or avatars of Brahman who, like Rama and Krishna, is a â€Å"divine self-embodiment† in order to preserve Hindu teachings and another way was by saying that Jesus Christ spent his â€Å"silent years† in India to proclaim the teachings of Hinduism. Nevertheless, Hindus’ incorporation of Jesus Christ into their religion does not seem to fit properly. According to McDowell (2002), Hinduism is known to be tolerant towards other religions because of similarities with Hinduism. This is believed to be one of the characteristics of a polytheistic and henotheistic (believing in one god and regarding other gods and goddesses as just manifestations) religions. However, due to rise of a nationalistic political party which took hold of the India’s government, the separation of church and state collapsed and religious tolerance went down as well, increasing anti-Christian violence in the country (Robinson, 2007). Christianity and Hinduism has numerous differences and some of them are the following: Hinduism’s Supreme Being is the Brahman, an indefinable and impersonal deity, while Christianity has a loving, personal and caring Creator. Hinduism looks at man as a materialization of Brahman who has no value and self-worth at all, whereas, Christianity proclaims that man is created in the very image of God that deserves to love and be loved despite their sinful deeds. When it comes to sins, there are no sins that are committed against Brahman, things that were done wrong are taken as results of ignorance that can be redeemed by following the duty of a specific caste to which the person belongs to and the path going to salvation. On the other hand, wrongdoings that are done within Christianity is taken as acts of rebellion against God. Salvation in Hinduism is referred to as moksha and can be attained in three ways which cannot be accomplished in one lifetime, while salvation in the Christian sense is granted by God to those who deserve it after being separated from him. Lastly, even their view of the material world differ – for a Hindu, the material world is an extension of Brahman and just a transitory and secondary importance; on the contrary, Christians see the material world as an objective reality and a something total different from God (McDowell, 2002). However, despite these differences, it is said that Hindus accept Jesus, but not the Christian relgion. In fact, they even refer Christianity to â€Å"Churchianity. † According to Abhedananda (2002), Hindus can tell apart the religion of Jesus Christ from the religion of the Church for the reason that the true religion of Jesus Christ is a religion of the heart. Thus, it has no dogma and no theology, no rituals and ceremonies, and is not based from a book. From their perspective, the religion of the Church is based from a book, is full of creeds and rituals, and even has an organized way of preaching them. When it comes to the Gospels, they see it as full of inconsistencies and discrepancies, and one very doubtful area for the Hindus comes from their awareness that Jesus Christ did not have His own writings and that there are no precise and contemporary accounts of His life inside and outside of the Bible. In order to share the Gospels to the Hindus, Rev. Dharmaraj (2001), gave some advice to approach the Hindus and make them listen to the Gospels. He said that one should determine and understand what type of Hindu community one intends to visit, since there are different sects that belong to Hinduism. Next, he said that one should explain the concepts incorporated in the Gospels in order for them to understand the Gospels for they have their own understanding of God, salvation, sin, among others. Lastly, Christians should deal with the challenges of dogmatism, risks of syncretism and to focus on evangelism. In addition, according to Reid and Corduan (2008), a Christian should connect with the person rather with the person’s religion; Christians should approach them along with humanitarian efforts and outreach projects since Hinduism does not cater to such. Through a combination of these, Hindus have already felt the kind of loving relationships that pay no attention to the caste which have long been abolished but is still being practiced. The salvation of Christianity even reached them in a way, and it even made them accept Jesus Christ more as they felt that they have been freed from the dark aspects of Hinduism. The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven [is above all]. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. (John 3:31-36, NAB) In the given Gospel, in order for a Hindu to understand it, one should clarify that the God in the Gospel is the Creator and that His son is Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind from sins. In addition, it will also be better to give a slight background of what the Gospel is about – say that at this point in the Gospel, the Savior have finally presented Himself in front of the people. The Hindu should also be informed that â€Å"eternal life† is referring to the promised salvation in a Christian context and that it can only be attained by believing in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the Christian should also point out what â€Å"the wrath of God† means, so that the Hindu could have insights as to the consequences of not obeying their God. And since this pertains to the concept of Hell, it should be also explained again in totality for Hindus do not have this concept in their belief system. Hinduism is a large complex religion that is older than Christianity. If one would be able to understand the essentials of this religion, it would be easy to reach out to the Hindus and make them listen to the Gospel. Christians have their views about Hinduism and Hindus likewise have their own views about Christianity. While they criticize and contradict each other about most of the aspects of their beliefs, setting them aside for awhile in order to learn about one another’s religion makes it possible to establish not just communication but also an open, two-way relationship. To share a Gospel to Hindus, proper understanding of Hinduism is required along with the use of an effective interpersonal approach. References Mason, C. (2000). A short history of Asia – Stone Age to 2000AD. London: Palgrave Macmillan Perry, M. (1989). A history of the world.Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Holy Bible: the new American Bible. (1987). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Abhedananda, S. (2002). Why a Hindu accepts Christ and rejects Churchianity. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Hinduism website: http://www. hinduism. co. za/jesus. htm Dharmahal, P. (1992). Communicating Christ to the Hindu world. Retrieved April 1, 2008 from Mission Frontiers website: http://www. missionfrontiers. org/1992/0912/sd9211. htm McDowell, J. (2002). A ready defense. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Jesus Who website: http://www. greatcom. org/resources/areadydefense/ch24/default. htm Reid, P. Corduan, W. (2008). About Hinduism. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Christian Answers Network website: http://christiananswers. net/evangelism/beliefs/hinduism. html Robinson, B. A. (2007). Hinduism: the world’s third largest religion. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Religious Tolerance website: http://www. religioustolerance. org/hinduism. htm VandeWeghe, R. (2007). Prepared to answer. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Windmill Ministries website: http://www. windmillministries. org/frames/CH30A. htm

Marketing Intelligence Helping Adidas

Marketing Intelligence Helping Adidas The paramount marketers discern their market they have in depth acquaintance of their customers, their needs, what companies/ competition have done in the past, and in which course the market is headed. The Best Battle of the Past Few Decades Nike vs. Adidas The battle between Nike and Adidas started in the late 70s. In the mid-80s, Nike signed basketball superstar Michael Jordan and quickly released the Air Jordan line. Adidas signed Run DMC banking on the explosion of Hip-Hop. Who won? Well, they both sell sports shoes and Adidas signed a musical group while Nike signed a sports star. Till 2000, Nikes worth was$15 billion and Adidass $8 billion. Nike dominated most sports while Adidas remained strong only in soccer. Why did this happen? The strong Market Intelligence helped Nike stay in correct positioning by signing basketballs most popular rising star. Adidas strayed from the sports theme completely by signing a Hip-Hop group. Market Intelligence (MI) is the information relevant to a companys markets gathered and analyzed specifically for the purpose of accurate and confident decision-making in determining market opportunity, market penetration strategy, and market development metrics. Competitive Intelligence describes the broader discipline of researching, analyzing and formulating data and information from the entire competitive environment of any organization. Business Intelligence of any kind may also be their responsibility, in tandem with (or solely performed by) the Finance department, for measuring market share and setting growth targets, the Mergers Acquisition group for exploring acquisition opportunities, the Legal department to protect the organizations assets or RD for cross-company comparison of innovation trends and the discovery of opportunities through innovative differentiation. Market intelligence focuses particularly on competitors, customers, consumer spending, market trends, and suppliers. A marketing intelligence system is a set of procedures and data sources used by marketing managers to examine information from the environment that they can use in their decision making. Unfocused scanning The manager, by virtue of what he/she reads, hears and watches exposes him/herself to information that may prove useful. Like did by adidass Louis-Dreyfus in its 1993 downsizing the staff following the trends of industry. Semi-focused scanning Manager narrows the range of media that is scanned. For instance, the manager may focus more on economic and business publications, broadcasts etc. and pay less attention to political, scientific or technological media. Like its seem in the ads which were targeted only the youth. Informal search This describes the situation where a fairly limited and unstructured attempt is made to obtain information for a specific purpose. For example, the marketing manager of a firm considering improving its bottom line. Like in the case of Adidas . In 1994 U.S. sales grew 62 percent, and a year later the company went public. By the late 1990s the companys U.S. sales were growing at an annual rate of nearly 50 percent Formal search This is a purposeful search after information in some systematic way. The information will be required to address a specific issue. Like in case of Adidas over merging with Reebok. COMPETITION Adidas estimated that Nikes media budget was 10 times greater than its own-but adidas believed that its quality products and careful marketing could generate enthusiasm among consumers. Fortunately for adidas, Nike hit a rough patch in the late 1990s that helped pave the way for adidass success. Although Nike still dominated the athletic-footwear category, its hold grew weaker. MARKETING STRATEGY through MI Better to have a conversation with people, not a conversation at people. Adidass marketing intelligence found what people wanted to see, feel and buy. How people associate themselves with different celebs and it proceeded on same lines. OUTCOME Adidas continued to flourish and in 1998 held onto its number three ranking in the athletic-footwear industry with a 6 percent share, according to market research firm NPD Group, Inc. In comparison, Nikes retail dollar share was 34 percent and Reeboks 13 percent. Adidas spokesperson John Fread told the Business Journal of Portland, For us, [1998] was an outstanding year, another record. Adidas was back in the game, and it planned to stay there, pursuing its commitment to sports and athletes around the globe through its strong Market Intelligence. Adidas plus Reebok is equal to better competition with giant Nike In 2006, Adidas acquired Reebok in a US$3.1 billion deal. The merger was aimed at helping Adidas increase its share in the U.S. market and better compete with market leader Nike Inc. and fourth ranked Puma AG. The Reebok acquisition was seen as a key factor in growing the Adidas brand in developing and fashion-oriented markets of Asia like China, Korea, and Malaysia. Moreover, Reebok already had marketing tie-ups in China (with Yao Ming). The Adidas brand had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7.1 billion (US$10.8 billion) while Reebok had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.3 billion (US$3.5 billion). In 2006 the Adidas brand had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6.6 billion to Reeboks à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.5 billion. The marketing Intelligence has definitely helped Adidas to evolve as one No. 1 in sports footwear. Nike reported worldwide futures orders for athletic footwear and apparel (scheduled for delivery from December 2007 through April 2008) totaling $6.5 billion, 13 percent higher than such orders reported for the same period last year.

AIDS :: AIDS Essays

AIDS is the final, life-threatening stage of the infection with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiecy syndrome. The name refers to the fact that HIV severely damages the patient’s disease-fighting immune system. Cases of AIDS were first identified in 1981 in the United States, but scientists have traced cases to as early as 1959. Millions of AIDS cases have been diagnosed worldwide. HIV can be present in the body for 2 to 12 years without producing any outward signs of illness, yet there are definite symptoms. Infection with HIV appears to be lifelong in all that become infected. People infected with HIV eventually develop symptoms that also may be caused by other, less serious conditions. However, with HIV, these symptoms are prolonged and much more severe. They include enlarged lymph glands, tiredness, fever, loss of appetite and weight, diarrhea, yeast infections, and night sweats. HIV is commonly connected with a "wasting syndrome," which results in substantial weight loss, a general decline in health, and, in some cases, death. The virus also infects the nervous system. There, HIV may cause dementia, which is a condition characterized by sensory, thinking, and/or memory disorders. HIV infection of the brain may cause movement or coordination problems. HIV’s disruption of the immune system makes infected people susceptible to illnesses that are not normally serious. These diseases are called opportunistic illnesses because they take advantage of the damaged immune system. With the onset of several of these illnesses, an infected person is considered to have AIDS Researchers have identified three ways in which HIV is transmitted: sexual intercourse, direct contact with infected blood, and transmission from and infected mother to her fetus. The most common way of becoming infected in through sexual contact. In the United States, sexual transmission has occurred mainly among homosexual and bisexual men, but it is becoming more frequent among heterosexual men and women. HIV is transmitted through all forms of sexual intercourse, including genital, anal, and oral sex. Treatments have been developed, but cures for HIV and AIDS have not yet been found.

Controlling Automobile Traffic Essay -- Exploratory Research Papers

Controlling Automobile Traffic A safe community is comprised of many things. The most important thing to have in a community is correct traffic flow. The flow of traffic can determine how congested the community can be, and even how safe it can be. Parents would not want their children playing near a busy road, nor would they want to live in a community where traffic is constantly a problem. The most effective way to control these problems is through a system of â€Å"Signal Control Timings.† The new AUSCI (Adaptive Urban Street Control and Integration) technology automatically adjusts traffic signal timing based on actual traffic flow conditions. The conditions are monitored by video sensor, Auto scope Solo cameras: located before the actual signalized intersections. â€Å"Because the traffic signal timing is constantly adjusted, based on existing conditions, the community will experience a smoother flow, through few reduced delays. This feature is particularly helpful during special events or when traffic is disrupted,† said Roger Plum, traffic signal engineer, city of Minne...