Quality of corporate governance within an organization (Shell Company) Essay

Quality of corporate governance within an organization (Shell Company) and the impact on organizations key stakeholder - Essay Example For a company to remain competitive it must practice good and quality governance principles so as be innovative and be able to adapt in order to meet new demands from its customers and grasp new opportunities that may arise in the market. Corporate behavior is known to influence behavior of shareholder who is owner of equity in the company. Use of quality corporate governance principles by the Shell Company management was studied and the effects of applying quality governance principles studied to determine whether they have any effect on its shareholders. Table of contents Abstract 3 Chapter 1 1.1 Introduction 4 1.2Objective of study 5 1.3 Overall research objective 5 1.4 Research hypothesis 5 CHAPTER 2 2.1 Literature review 5 2.2 Importance of quality corporate governance in an organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 2.3 Role of stakeholders in corporate governance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 2.4 Principles of good corporate governance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 2.5 Corporate social responsibility (CSR)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 CHAPTER 3 3.0 Research methodology 13 3.1 Evaluating level of corporate governance in the shell company†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 3.2Analyzing the stakeholder†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 3.4Process of carrying out stakeholder-based approach†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..15 3.5 Accounting techniques / business techniques used†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.16 CHAPTER 4 4.0 Findings /results 15 4.1 Code of Ethics and ethical behavior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦16 ... Its aim is to help to meet the worlds growing energy needs in an economically, socially and environmentally viable ways now and in future in a sustainable manner. This is will be achieved by working closely with its customers, partners and policies makers so as to advance in a more efficient and sustainable use of energy and natural resources. Its objective is to engage efficiently, responsibly and in a profitable manner in oil, oil products, gas, chemicals and in other businesses and also to participate in the search for other sources of energy and development so as to meet the evolving customer needs and the world’s growing demand for energy. Shell Company believes that oil and gas will be an integral part of global energy needs for economic development in decades to come and therefore has a role in ensuring that they extract and deliver their products profitably and in environmentally and socially responsible Objective of study Overall research objective The research object ive is to find out the effect of good quality corporate governance and its impact in organization (Shell Company) stakeholders. Research hypothesis Good and quality corporate governance is vital in management of an organization and has a significant effect on the stakeholders of the shell company CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Generally corporate governance can be described as the relationships that exist between organization management, the board of directors, shareholders and other stakeholders that are involved in with the organization. Corporate governance provides a structure of framework through which objectives of the company are set. For a company to achieve

Evaluating Gujarat Tourism

Evaluating Gujarat Tourism EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gujarat has all the ingredients to become one of Indias leading travel destinations natural beauty, rich heritage, ancient archaeological sites and a colourful culture as well. Yet, Gujarat tourism has not met success in comparison to destination branding success stories such as Kerala, Rajasthan, Goa, etc. The primary aim of this study was to study destination Gujarat and probe for the reasons behind this phenomenon. A secondary aim of this study was to explore destination branding as a concept by evaluating Gujarat tourism and in the process understand how domestic and foreign tourists choose destinations for travel. The literature review highlighted issues such as critical success factors behind destination brands, growth of destination brands on the internet and the main points of the current tourism policy of Gujarat. There was a lack of information on Gujarat Tourism and hence a research was conducted which had both qualitative and quantitative components. The results from this research were used to compare destination Gujarat with three other competing states. Finally, on the basis of the research findings and analysis it was recommended that Gujarat has the potential to become a top tourist destination if it manages to create a distinct identity and strong brand associations via effective marketing strategies. INTRODUCTION Since centuries Gujarat has been a vibrant melting pot of cultures, traditions and movements. It has also been blessed with a unique natural landscape and architecture which includes ruins of a long forgotten ancient Harappan civilization at Dholavira and Lothal to the abode of endangered wildlife like the Asiatic Lion and Wild Ass not found anywhere else in the world; from the holy town of Dwarka to the glorious Modhera Sun Temple built by the Solanki rulers. Yet, unlike rival tourist states such as Rajasthan, Kerela, Andhra Pradesh and Goa, Gujarat has still not been able to fulfill its tourist potential. Much of it is due to an inability to carve out a unique identity and develop offerings which attracts more tourists. The objective of the study ‘Understanding and Evaluating Gujarat Tourism is to understand Gujarat as an emerging tourist destination and on the basis of research suggest recommendations for it to be amongst the leading tourist destinations in India. The main reasons for choosing this topic as an area for study are: * Marketing destinations provides an immense challenge to any management student in my opinion. It is an extremely complex product which has a mix of natural beauty, heritage, culture, tradition, folkart, food, etc. The study provides an opportunity to understand and analyze the marketing of such a product * Most of the academic articles that I came across on destination branding were written in a global context. A few case studies have been written on successful tourist states such as Kerela, Uttarkhand, etc. There is no recent research as such done on Gujarat tourism or its marketing and branding initiatives * Around six years ago, research had been done in MICA on â€Å"How to attract foreign tourists to Gujarat†. However, this project was not academic in its outlook and much has changed the way communication flows since then LITERATURE REVIEW Destination Branding To understand, Gujarat as a tourist brand it is imperative to understand the concept of destination branding that has been looked upon by various academicians. Tourist Destinations Tourism destinations are products of history and culture. To some level, a successful tourist destination is one which can connect instantly with the cultural background of its potential tourist. If one looks at the meanings associated with a particular place, some of them are shared by the local community whereas others are shared by global cultural communities. For example, a place like Manali or Rishikesh attracts tourists from all over the world. Hence a tourism destination may generate certain internationally shared meanings which can constitute a standardized platform from which a culturally di ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erentiated market communication can take its point of departure and provide a distinct flavor. An effective portrayal and communication of these meanings is what ultimately helps the tourist decide one place over another. Concept of Destination Brands In todays age of globalization, intense competition between destinations is forcing various states to build a strong distinct destination brand which can help differentiate one state from another and attract tourists as well as investors. To create this unique identity and build the competitive edge , it is important to study the microenvironment, tourist behavior and trends, strategies adopted by other successful tourist destinations, evaluation of its own strengths and weaknesses, etc. as a basis for coming up with effective communication strategies. Hence the marketing of places has received more increased interest and become accordingly more sophisticated over the last three decades. Also from a marketers perspective, many have shied away from the topic- arguing that places are too complex to be included in branding discussions since they have too many stakeholders and too little management control; they have underdeveloped identities and are not perceived as brands by the general public. And yet, destination branding is one of todays hottest topics among place marketers from Switzerland and New Zealand to Hawaii and Costa Rica. (Piggott, 2001) As per the World Tourism Organisation, this century will mark the emergence of tourist destinations as fashion accessories. The choice of holiday destinations will help define the identity of the traveller and in an increasing homogenous world will set him apart from the hordes of other tourists (Lurham, 1998) As style and status indicators destinations can offer the same consumer benefits as other more highly branded lifestyle accoutrements such as cars, perfumes, watches and clothes. All are used to communicate, reflect and reinforce associations, statements and group memberships and in the same way tourists use their trips as expressive devices to communicate messages about themselves to peers and observers. Travel for leisure is often a highly involving experience, extensively planned, excitedly anticipated and fondly remembered. Souvenirs and props trigger and display those experiences photographs, videos and ‘wish you were there postcards are shared with friends and relatives, and logo emblazoned merchandise and luggage labels proclaim ‘ been there, done that to any observers who care to notice. (Clarke, 2000) So, what exactly is a brand ? In marketing terms a brand represents a unique combination of product characteristics and added values, both functional and non-functional, which have taken on a relevant meaning which is inextricably linked to that brand, awareness of which might be conscious or intuitive. (Macrae, Parkinson, Sheerman, 1995) Brand advantage is secured through communication which highlights the specific benefits of a product, culminating in an overall impression of a superior brand. The image the product creates in the consumers mind, how it is positioned, however is of more importance to its ultimate success than its actual characteristics. Brand managers position their brands so that they are perceived by the consumer to occupy a niche in the marketplace occupied by no other brand- thus, for marketers, the value of a successful brand lies in its potential to reduce substitutability. Brand managers differentiate their product by stressing attributes they claim will match their target markets needs more closely than other brands and then they create a product image consistent with the perceived self image of the targeted consumer segment (Schiffman Kanuk, 2000). When consumers make brand choices about the products including destinations- they are making lifestyle statements since they are buying into not only an image but also an emotional relationship. (Sheth, Mittal, Newman, 1999). Consumers have their own brand wardrobes from which they make selections to communicate, reflect and reinforce associations, statements and memberships; in effect, ‘ consumers enrobe themselves with brands, partly for what they do, but more for what they help express about their emotions, personalities and roles. (Chernatony, 1993) When one speaks about destination branding, a few attempts have been made at defining it. Some of these definitions include, ‘Destination branding is a process used to develop a unique identity and personality that is different from all competitive destinations. ‘Destination branding is selecting a consistent brand element mix to identify and distinguish a destination through positive image building. ‘Destination branding is about combining all things associated with the place (i.e., its products and services from various industries agriculture; tourism; sports; arts; investment; technology; education, etc.) that collaborate under one brand. Its aim is to capture the essence of the destination, in a unified manner, and can be consumed simultaneously at a symbolic and experiential level. It is then used to market those unique added values to consumer needs and sustaining its success in the face of competition. From the above we can infer that destinations behave just like products. Thus they also have a life cycle of their own during which they need to constantly stay relevant and salient if they are to remain successful destination brands. Tourism area life cycle shows the stages a destination goes through, from exploration to involvement to development to consolidation to stagnation to rejuvenation or decline (also known as the â€Å"tourism destination life cycle†) Just like product brands, image is all important and how a place is represented can inspire people to visit and revisit it. (Coshall, 2000) Never was the saying ‘accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative more true than in destination branding. Destination marketing requires foresight and planning but it is not an exact science and branding offers destination marketers an opportunity to communicate key place attributes to their intended audience. Branding can help bridge any gaps between a destinations strengths and potential visitors perceptions. Place reputations are not made in a vacuum and neither are tourist choices, so place marketers must establish how their destinations image compares with those of its key competitors. How the destination rates according to ‘wish you were here? appeal and celebrity value is critical. Do tourists regard it as a fashion accessory, a must see place on every aspirational travelers shopping list or as a fashion paux- somewhere with no conversational value and even less C:UsersMIHIRDesktop1.jpgstatus. The represents a celebrity matrix and illustrates a range of destination brands measured on the axes of emotional appeal and celebrity value. Obviously, how people relate to any destination brand depends on their own individual interests, opinions and experiences, and such On any positioning map, however, brand winners emerge as those places which are rich in emotional meaning, have great conversation value and hold high anticipation for potential tourists. By comparison, brand losers are places with little meaning, even less status, virtually no conversation value and zero anticipation for tourists. Problem places are those destinations which are talked about for the wrong reasons and, far from holding an emotional appeal, actively repel potential tourists. Places which currently offer little emotional pull face an uphill task if they are to ever become destination winners. Other destinations which do have emotional pull but currently have limited celebrity value hold huge untapped potential and could be tomorrows winner destination brands. The challenge for their marketers is to craft identities for these destinations which convey and build on their emotional appeal and which turn them into places with high celebrity value. The message here is that rich, strong destination brands seem clearly differentiated and have a sense of being somewhere worth visiting. Thus, today destination brand building is all about developing a rich, relevant brand personality. ‘Developing is the key word here as successful brands never stagnate; instead they reflect and respond to changes in consumers lives while the brands core values remain the same, its personality will continue to evolve. (Morgan, Pritchard, Pride, 2002) Over a period of time, any successful destination brand will have an emotional bond with its stakeholders and more importantly the tourists who have visited the destination as well as potential tourists. An excellent example of this, is Mumbai the commercial capital of India which has over decades has established its image as the ‘City of Dreams or the ‘City that never sleeps which reflects the impact and emotional connect it has built with one and all. To successfully create such an emotional attachment a destination brand has to be: * Credible * Deliverable * Differentiating * Convey powerful ideas * Enthusing for trade partners * Resonating with the consumer A destination which is currently building such a brand proposition around its stunning natural environment is New Zealand. (Harris, 2000) A geographically disadvantaged destination, New Zealand is in the process of building a strong brand to double the countrys foreign exchange receipts to more than 3 million pounds by 2005. Delving further into the concept of brand personality for a destination brand, one can say that a brands personality has both a head and a heart its head refers to the logical brand features, while its heart refers to its emotional benefits and associations. Brand propositions and communications can be based around either a brands head or its heart; head communications convey a brands rational values, while heart communications reveal its emotional values and associations. Brand benefit pyramids sum up consumer relationships with a brand and are frequently established during the consumer research process where consumers are usually asked to describe what features a destination offers and what the place means to them. (Morgan A, 2002) The brand pyramid can be instrumental in helping to distil the essence of a destination brands advertising proposition. This refers to the point at which consumers wants and the destinations benefits and features intersect any communication should then encapsulate the spirit of the brand. The Challenge of a Destination Brand Examples of countries being influenced by external pressures to adapt and change their marketing activities or whose marketing is seriously compromised by events outside their marketers control, highlight the fact that destinations are not a single product but composite products consisting of a bundle of different components, including accommodation and catering establishments; tourist attractions; arts, entertainment and cultural avenues; and the natural environment. (Buhalis, 2000) Destination marketers have relatively little control over these different aspects of their product and a diverse range of agencies and companies are partners in the task of crafting brand identities. These could include local and national government agencies, environmental groups and agencies, chambers of commerce, trade associations and civic groups. While packaged groups normally have an obvious core- so their advertisements can anchor themselves to product performance and attributes with destinations the situation is much less clear. (Morgan Pritchard, 1999) Yet destinations have very strong and pervasive associations for tourists which if skillfully orchestrated, can provide the basis for brand building. (Baloglu Brinberg, 1997)Todays tourists are not asking ‘what can we do on holiday?, but ‘who can we be on holiday?. They are increasingly looking less for escape and more discoveries and that creates an emotional connection which marketers can exploit through branding. The challenge beyond that is to make the destination brand live, so that visitors truly experience the brand values and feel the authenticity of a unique place Factors leading to successful tourist destinations At the core of any successful tourist brand, is a clear set of brand values emotional and functional, a robust brand identity, an attractive brand personality and an efficient and targeted communication strategy. Another critical factor that impacts the brand image of tourist places is the flavor and image of the local inhabitants. Studies have proved that a places image is more often than not shaped by the ‘typical local people and their culture. Destination image, similar to the image of products and services can be seen as a multi-item construct, implying that the sum of the attributes, are the elements of  ¬Ã‚ nal composite image. This comes in line with Gensch who argues that product image is evaluated by its attributes. So, basically destination images are the result of individual attributes plus a more holistic image. The following table contains some of the critical success factors identified for destination branding (Baker Cameron, 2008): Strategic orientation 1. Visitation statistics are included and the destinations main markets are quanti ¬Ã‚ ed and segmented 2. The main competition is identi ¬Ã‚ ed 3. Tourism trends are identi ¬Ã‚ ed 4. A long-term orientation is adopted 5. The importance of international competitiveness is recognised 6. The need for infrastructure improvements is highlighted 7. The need for integration with national/regional tourism plans is recognised 8. Residents attitudes to tourism are considered 9. Local cultures, values and lifestyles are considered 10. Wealth and job creation and quality of life for residents are primary aims 11. The issue of overcrowding is addressed 12. The issue of environmental problems is addressed 13. The issue of seasonality is addressed 14. The bene ¬Ã‚ t of tourism to the destination is quanti ¬Ã‚ ed 15. Scenarios are developed Destination identity and image 16. The need to develop brand identity is recognized 17. Brand associations are identified 18. The need for image development is recognised 19. Positioning is discussed 20. The need for coordination of industry promotional material is recognised 21. Recognition to ensuring the promises made in marketing communications are conveyed to visitors 22. New and innovative forms of communication channels are addressed 23. The need to improve branding and brand awareness is recognised 24. The importance of experiences to tourists as opposed to tangible propositions is recognised Stakeholder involvement 25. National government agencies are involved in planning 26. Local government agencies were involved in planning 27. The area tourist board/area tourist office was involved in planning 28. Local residents were involved in planning 29. Local businesses were involved in planning 30. The need to improve communication between stakeholders (public, private and residents) is recognized 31. Leadership is addressed to give greater guidance to stakeholders. Implementation, monitoring and review 32. The timescale for each task is included 33. The need for monitoring and review is established Evaluating destination brands The strategic brand analysis framework comprises three main parts: * Tourist analysis, * Competitor analysis * Self-analysis. First, a destination must conduct a systematic tourist analysis. It should focus on identifying relevant new trends and developing a thorough understanding of tourists motivation for travel. Secondly, a destination should also carry out a competitor analysis. A destination needs insights into the competitors advantages and disadvantages in order to improve its own competitiveness. For example, by capitalizing on perceived niche market opportunities that rival destinations have so far failed to respond to. Last but not the least; a destination should aim to identify its true position in the market through the systematic preparation of a critical self-analysis. Highlights of the Gujarat Tourism Policy 2003-10 Objectives With a view to accelerating the pace of economic activities through tourism, the Government of Gujarat had announced the tourism policy for a period from 2003 to 2010. As per this, the following were some the key objectives * To initiate event based tourism * Chalking out of tourist circuits * Attention to be paid to tourism related infrastructure * Adoption of innovative marketing techniques and promotional tools * Developing manpower in the area of tourism * More private public relationships * Facilitation through Government policies for quick development * District Administration should play a more proactive role in tourism activities Incentives to the private sector The policy envisages privatization and incentivisation of all competitive and commercial activities of the tourism corporation of Gujarat Limited. Under this strategy the following incentives will be made available to the private sector: * Tourism will be given status of industry * Incentive package for new tourism projects * Strengthening of infrastructure facilities * Effective mechanism to build coordination with central government, state government, local self-government and NGOs * Land acquisition various tourism projects * Loan facilities will extended for tourism related projects * Better incentive packages * A special paying guest scheme to compensate for inadequate accommodation facilities * Suitable schemes for marketing tourism products * Reputed consultants will be hired to develop master plans * Decentralizing the process of development of destinations * A single window clearance system for speedy clearance Mechanism for implementation of policy For implementation of the policy, it is essential on the part of the State Government to play a facilitative role by granting necessary permissions/clearances required by investors in a time bound manner. The facilities of Gujarat Industrial Promotion Board (GIPB) set up to grant necessary clearances on fast track basis under the system of Single Window Clearance will now be made applicable to Tourism Sector also. All projects having investment less than Rs 50 crore will be approved at the Government level and the projects having investment exceeding Rs 50 crore will be approved by GIPB. The Commissioner (Tourism) and Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat will act as the Secretariat of GIPB, for the purpose of investment in tourism projects. The Vision of the State Government for Tourism development For the growth of overall development of economic sector and social sector, the State is determined to develop tourism as a key growth sector. It has been decided by the State Government to provide condusive climate for this sector to grow and for the purpose, Tourism has been identified as the Engine of Growth. For the purpose, efforts will be made by way of promoting: * Hospitality Industry * Indirect Employment * Cultural Development * Infrastructure Development * Employment Opportunities * Sustenance of rich heritage of arts and crafts Proposed Marketing Strategy to attract tourists The State Government is keen to attract flow of tourists in the State and for the purpose, international fairs like Navratri festival, kite festival; etc will be arranged in the State from time to time. Further, the students of Gujarat shall be encouraged to develop an interest for communication through e-mail with the students and other persons abroad to interact with them about Gujarat and ultimately motivate them to visit Gujarat. Means to attract investment The policy promises for long term investment and business opportunities for national and international corporate bodies and private enterprises. The sectors like hospitality industry, eco-tourism, Viswa Gram Global village, Dinosaur theme park, Cruise trips with whale watch, Deep driving and snorkeling snorkeling of coral island, Golf Courses, Royal orient gauge conversion, Special Entertainment Zones, Wayside amenities, etc are the areas to attract further investment in Tourism Sector, leading ultimately to attract tourists flow. Relationship between Industrial Development and Tourism The massive flow of investment in industrial sector will increase the frequency of visits by executives of different industrial houses. Further, the investment in infrastructure sector in port and road, will also increase the international trade from Gujarat and particularly from the land locked states. All these developments are expected to play an important role to increase the flow of business tourists. Gujarat Tourism at a Glance Today Some of the emerging areas identified by Gujarat Tourism are as follows: Spiritual Tourism / Religious Tourism Many of Gujarats historical monuments represent the great religions of Asia Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Zoroastrianism and Sikkhism. Gujarat has two Jyotirlings ( Somnath and Dwarka ), two shakti peets ( Ambaji and Pavagarh ), Narmada river (one of the seven holiest for the Hindus) and Narayan Sarovar ( One of the five holy lakes in India ). Two of the five important Jain sites ( Palitana and Girnar ) are in Gujarat besides a host of popular Jain temples spread across the state at Shankeshwar, Tarangaji, Mehsana,etc. The Dargahs of Sarkhej and Unjha hold great importance for the Muslims of India. Also, in Gujarat are Sacred Iranshaw Fire Temple at Udavada, Navsari Atashbehram and Surat Atashbehram. All three hold utmost importance for the Parsi community in the country. A number of popular spiritual gurus such as Morari Bapu, Asharam Bapu and Rameshji Oza have ashrams spread across the states. These attract followers from all over the globe. Akshardham is also a very popular temple of the wealthy Swaminarayan sect. Medical / Well Being Tourism Medical tourism is seen having a particularly high growth potential because of the availability of high-quality, low cost surgeries at Gujarats hospitals. The large population of people of Gujarati origin in America, Europe and Africa can be a major growth driver for this segment of tourism. It is home to some of the finest world class hospitals in the world such as Apollo Hospitals, Wockhardt Hospitals, etc. Care has been taken to ensure such places are set throughout the state at places such as Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Karamsad, Nadiad, etc. Gujarat is also home to the ancient healing art of ayurveda and fine ayurvedic treatment has been made available to domestic as well as foreign tourists across the state. Archaeological and Heritage Tourism The archaeological zone of Champaner, Pavagadh has been acclaimed by UNESCO as the World Heritage Site1 because of its great mosques, temples, stepwells and forts. There are more than 400 archaeological sites in the Slate including some of the most substantial excavations of Indus Valley civilisation period at Lothal (near Ahmedabad), Surkotada and Dholavira Cultural Tourism Gujarat is the land of rich handicrafts like Patola weaving, khadi, bandhani, embroidery, block printing, rogan painting, matani pachhedi, namda, woodcrafts,etc. Gujrat also possesses a diverse mix of exotic communities from the camel riders of Kutch to the tribals of the hilly regions of Sabarkanta, Dangs, Chhota Udaipur, etc. Event-Based Tourism The Gujrat tourism department has created a variety of successful event properties such as Rann Mahotsav, Vibrant Gujarat, Modhera Dance Festival, International Kite Flying Festival, etc. With the celebration of festivals like Navaratri Mahotsav, Tarnetar Fair, Sharadotsav, Dangs Darbar and Kvant Fair the state intends to put the rich culture of Gujarat on the world map Business Tourism Today Gujarat has emerged as an immensely popular business destination and 55 SEZs in the state reflect the increase in business tourist, air traffic and road traffic Entertainment and Recreation Tourism Gujarat has a famous hill station in the form of Saputara. Its vast coastline of 1666km means that there are beautiful beaches all along the coast such as the one at Mandvi. Gujarat also has ample of theme parks, water parks and multiplexes too which provide entertainment. Wildlife Tourism For eco-tourists, the state offers opportunities to see a wide range of wildlife including the Asiatic lion and Indian wild ass, endangered antelopes, a variety of deer. etc. It has Indias first marine national park. Gujarat is also one of Indias most important areas for birdwatchers. Some Statistics Total of 33 Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) involving an investment of INR10.793 crore {USD 2.57billion) were signed at 2007 vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit (VGGIS). Tourism sector registered an increase of 47 % over the investments in 2005 VGG IS The domestic air-traffic in Gujarat increased from 1.21 million in 2005-06 to 1.93 million in 2006-07 and the international air-traffic increased from 0.13 million in 2006-07 to 0.33 million in 2006-07. The State witnessed total 12.34 million tourists during 2006 07 out of which 12.1 million were the domestic tourists and 0.20 million foreign tourists. The average contribution of tourism industry to the States GDP is close to 2.5 %, while the comparable for India is 5.3%. The average foreign tourist spend per person per day is close to USD 700 to 1050 in Gujarat. The total flow of tourist during the year 2006 07 was 12.34 million and recorded a growth of 15% over the previous year. Growth of 18.5 % was also observed in the foreign tourist inflow. With a number of more than 2 lakh foreign tourists in 2006-07 and around 1.75 lakhs in 2005-06. Recent tourist flows for the year 2008-09 suggest that the number has gone up 15.80 million tourists which include 12.2 million from with Gujarat, 3.2 million from other states and 2.9 lakh from foreign tourists. Ahmedabad, Ambaji and Dwarka are the major tourist destinations which invited the maximum number of tourists in Gujarat. These three destinations accounted for nearly 33% of tourist inflow. Almost 77.2% of the tourist flow in 2006- 07 was from within Gujarat. The Share of other states was 20.2%. The foreign tourists accounted for 2.68% in the total tourist inflow. During the 2006-07 season, the majority of tourist visit for the business purpose (53%) in the state, subsequently followed by religious visit (35%). 8% of the tourist visit for the leisure purpose, which is showing an increasing trend. Value Chain Analysis The tourism value chain concentrates on meeting and exceeding visitors expectations of the internal quality of a destination. Those aspects of a destination that involve every step from pre-visit image, marketing and after sales care and commitment. Each stage of t

Law in Ancient Egypt Essay -- Ancient Egyptian Law

Rarely is there enough information about ancient cultures to satisfy contemporary interest. This is especially true of ancient Egypt and particularly of ancient Egyptian law. The civilization that left so many grand edifices dedicated to its gods and kings left little evidence of the laws those gods and king laid down. This dearth of evidence paired with the absence of a written code of law makes some scholars skeptical of speaking of Egyptian law as law in a proper sense (Thà ©odoridà ¨s 291). But if one reviews what we do know about this aspect of ancient Egyptian society, the missing code fades away as a problem even if it does not evaporate completely. Most of what we do know comes from fragmentary legal documents and stories from tomb inscriptions. We have contracts for the exchange of goods and property as well as partial records of court hearings. We also have stories, some perhaps apocryphal, about the treatment of ordinary subjects of the king and the actions of the king himself. What we lack, unfortunately, is a written legal code for the ancient Egyptians of the Pharaonic Period. The Ptolemaic Dynasty, an Hellenic dynasty that ruled over Egypt in the last few centuries of the first millennium B.C., did have a written law of sorts, but Eyre describes this as more of handbook for judges (92). Before them, it is reported that the Persians under Darius commissioned the laws of Egypt to be written down (Thà ©odoridà ¨s 319). Diodorus, a Greek historian writing in the first century B.C., says that there was a codex written before the Persian occupation of Egypt. Yet we have not found a single copy of the codex he alleges existed. Supposing that this codex did exist at some point in Pharaonic Egypt, there is som... ... periods of history. The king often acted as a protector of his subjects, enacting reforms when abuses came to light. For all the skepticism of scholars regarding treatment of ancient Egyptian as law proper, a layperson of the twenty-first century A.D. would find the Egyptian justice system during its best period very familiar. Works Cited Erman, Adolf. Life in Ancient Egypt. Trans. H.M. Tirard. New York: Dover, 1971. Eyre, C.J. "Crime and Adultery in Ancient Egypt." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. Vol. 70. (1984): 92-105. Shupak, Nili. "A New Source for the Study of the Judiciary and Law of Ancient Egypt: "The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant"." Journal of Near Eastern Studies. Vol. 51.No. 1 (1992): 1-18. Thà ©odoridà ¨s, Aristide. "The Concept of Law in Ancient Egypt." The Legacy of Ancient Egypt. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University, 1971. 291-322.

Communication and the internet Essay

Many people would say that the internet is the most important invention ever. The internet has changed the way many people live. Decades ago, no one would know that the internet even existed whereas nowadays every home has access to it. One of the main reasons internet was introduced was for communicating. There are many different forms of communication online today that people in the past wouldn’t have thought possible. Many people will say advancement in communications is a blessing because it allows for us to connect with families and friends from afar, enables us to express ourselves in many ways, provides a medium for meeting new people with similar interests, and increases our productivity. The internet has transformed all forms of communication since the beginning of its existence.. The internet was first used by the U.S military for communications purposes. The internet, from the communication point of view, has brought on new developments and techniques to keep in touch not only for individuals, but for businesses as well. An example of how the internet has impacted communication would be an example of doctors now communicating through live video feeds via the internet with patients or other doctors to diagnose patients or to even guide and advise surgeons through complicated procedures. Email (electronic mail) was one of the biggest breakthroughs in communication when the internet was introduced. With email, it became possible to send messages and letters across the world in a matter of seconds to the recipients address. As technology improved, it became possible to ‘attach documents, photographs and even sound clips or songs to emails which made mail by post redundant.

Immigration causes Essay

Groups, societies, or cultures have values that are largely shared by their members. The values identify those objects, conditions or characteristics that members of the society consider important; that is, valuable. In the United States, for example, values might include material comfort, wealth, competition, individualism or religiosity. The values of a society can often be identified by noting which people receive honor or respect. In the US, for example, professional athletes are more highly honored than college professors, in part because the society values physical activity and competitiveness more than mental activity and education . Young people Old people are more annoying by far. They are so quick to degrade and stereotype younger people even though every group has had their criminals and bad apples. They are rude and think they can say or do anything to anyone without the other person having any recourse. I have been victimized numerous times by older people and all old people can do is keep degrading us. So I chose Young people because that has a no one can touch me attitude, demo and think they know everything . Science and technologies The distinction between science and technology is not always clear. Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method. Technologies are not usually exclusively products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety. Technology is often a consequence of science and engineering Ââ€" although technology as a human activity precedes the two fields. For example, science might study the flow of electrons in electrical conductors, by using already-existing tools and knowledge. This new-found knowledge may then be used by engineers to create new tools and machines, such as semiconductors, computers, and other forms of advanced technology. In this sense, scientists and engineers may both be considered technologists; the three fields are often considered as one for the purposes of research and reference . Human rights The concept of human rights has existed under several names in European thought for many centuries, at least since the time of King John of England. After the king violated a number of ancient laws and customs by which England had been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Cart, or Great Charter, which enumerates a number of what later came to be thought of as human rights. Right of women Nowadays we take it for granted that women have the same rights as men before the First World War few people believed this . As far as work was concerned there were jobs wish were regarded as women’s jobs and other which were regarded as men’s jobs. Women’s jobs were generally lower paid as men’s. Men did almost all the heavy jobs in industry or in transport . Women had jobs like dress-making, cleaning or worked as servants . Women’s main role was as being to raise children and look for their home. Women were not expected to take position of leaders chip . Women’s role in development Women’s participation in development has vital benefits. In the case of morocco, this participation takes place at there main levels: the social this political and the economic. First, we can’t ignore the active contribution of women in our society as nurses, teachers or mothers and wives. As nurses. women give help to patients in hospitals. as teachers ,they teach the young generation and the illiterate. as mothers and wives, they bring up kids tube good citizens. Second, there are many women who take leading position in the government with a desire to encourage democracy, and establish freedom and equal rights at the components of our society. Citizenship is membership in a society, community, city or town but now usually a country and carries with it to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. Citizenship status often implies some responsibilities and duties. It is largely coterminous with nationality although it is possible to have a nationality without being a citizen legally subject to a state and entitled to its protection without having rights of political participation in it); it is also possible to have political rights without being a national of a state. In most nations, a non-citizen is a non-national and called either a foreigner or an alien Citizenship , International organization International Organization is a leading peer-reviewed journal that covers the entire field of international affairs. Subject areas include: foreign policies, international relations, international and comparative political economy, security policies, environmental disputes and resolutions, European integration, alliance patterns and war, bargaining and conflict resolution, economic development and adjustment, and international capital movements. Published on behalf of the International Organization Foundation. Drop out of school Increasing stress in school, at work, and at home has caused many students to drop out of school to escape their problems. With this increasing amount of stress and work, some students have become very frustrated and depressed. Students then drop out of school and take the easy way out to eliminate some of that stress . Brain drain The migration of skilled individuals from developing countries has typically been considered to be costly for the sending country, due to lost investments in education, high fiscal costs and labor market distortions. Economic theory, however, raises the possibility of a beneficial brain drain primarily through improved incentives to acquire human capital. Our survey of empirical and theoretical work shows under what circumstances a developing country can benefit from skilled migration. It argues that the sect oral aspects of migration and screening of migrants in the receiving country are of major importance in determining the welfare implications of the brain drain. These issues, as well as the size of the sending country, duration of migration and the effect of Diaspora populations, should be addressed in future empirical work on skilled migration. Brain drain† is the phenomena whereby nations lose skilled labor because there are better paid jobs elsewhere. In recent years , this has affected poorer countries more so, as some rich countries tempt workers away, and workers look to escape bleak situations in their poor home countries. Sustainable development Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future. The term was used by the Brandt and Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that â€Å"meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social . Humor I think that the best things to relief from stress is to watch some sitcoms or hear something funny like jokes Â…person should develop his sense of humor and he should be cool , Comic and optimistic, because some expert of mental .health have noted that we can’t imagine going through a day without laughter. Humor will make every part of your life better. It will help you trough difficult times and it will help you make the good times even letter, also i twill attract good people and good situations to you .

Free Essays on Cesar Pelli

Cesar Pelli was born in Argentina in 1926 and married in 1950. He got his bachelors degree in architecture at the National University of Tucumn in Argentina. Pelli moved to the United States in 1952. In 1954 Cesar received his masters in architecture from the University of Illinois. After collage he went to work with Eero Saarinen who later would become his partner. In 1977 he formed his own firm Cesar Pelli and Associates in New Haven Connecticut. In that same year he was named Dean of the Yale School of Architecture where he stayed until 1984. He was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1995. Pelli designs several sketches, which allows client’s to choose their favorite one. I think this makes him a unique architect. He likes to add a blend of the present to his client’s choice. "My works are formulated in the spirit of the present", Pelli says. He changes his design tastes to correspond with certain characteristics such as site, climate, and the building’s purpose. I think Pelli design taste for the present pushes the future to the next level. Most of his buildings have a blue, brown, bronze, mirrored, opaque, and transparent metallic look for the exterior. "I am interested in expressing the exteriors of buildings as enclosures for controlled living environments." Pelli also uses colored brick, limestone, aluminum, and steel for exterior materials along with his favorite, glass. He pays great attention to designing every building with unique detail. Pelli has designed many famous buildings. He says "Cities are our most important responsibility. They are the whole of which our buildings are the parts. Making a building one with its place has been a constant goal of architecture throughout the ages. Technological and cultural changes have weakened this relationship, and it is the responsibility of each one of us today to consider it in our work. " Some of Pelli’s most f... Free Essays on Cesar Pelli Free Essays on Cesar Pelli Cesar Pelli was born in Argentina in 1926 and married in 1950. He got his bachelors degree in architecture at the National University of Tucumn in Argentina. Pelli moved to the United States in 1952. In 1954 Cesar received his masters in architecture from the University of Illinois. After collage he went to work with Eero Saarinen who later would become his partner. In 1977 he formed his own firm Cesar Pelli and Associates in New Haven Connecticut. In that same year he was named Dean of the Yale School of Architecture where he stayed until 1984. He was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1995. Pelli designs several sketches, which allows client’s to choose their favorite one. I think this makes him a unique architect. He likes to add a blend of the present to his client’s choice. "My works are formulated in the spirit of the present", Pelli says. He changes his design tastes to correspond with certain characteristics such as site, climate, and the building’s purpose. I think Pelli design taste for the present pushes the future to the next level. Most of his buildings have a blue, brown, bronze, mirrored, opaque, and transparent metallic look for the exterior. "I am interested in expressing the exteriors of buildings as enclosures for controlled living environments." Pelli also uses colored brick, limestone, aluminum, and steel for exterior materials along with his favorite, glass. He pays great attention to designing every building with unique detail. Pelli has designed many famous buildings. He says "Cities are our most important responsibility. They are the whole of which our buildings are the parts. Making a building one with its place has been a constant goal of architecture throughout the ages. Technological and cultural changes have weakened this relationship, and it is the responsibility of each one of us today to consider it in our work. " Some of Pelli’s most f...

Sq3R Worksheet Essays

Sq3R Worksheet Essays Sq3R Worksheet Paper Sq3R Worksheet Paper Appendix H SQ3R Worksheet Selected Reading: Chapter 1 p 8-18 SurveyHow did you survey? I surveyed my reading by the chapter title and paragraph titles to get a quick overview of the reading. Then I looked through the chapter and read thru and looked at all tables and figures. QuestionWhat questions did you ask? Mostly I asked questions about how I can personally apply these techniques. A lot of my questions were related to adapting my reading style, such as â€Å"how do I† and â€Å"how will this work with†, which I use some of the techniques mentioned in the reading. ReadHow did you read? First I scanned thru the entire chapter, second I read it thoroughly and marked, highlighted, and wrote down questions. Third and lastly I re-read through the tables and figures. ReciteWhat did you recite? The second time I read the chapter I read most of it out loud quietly to myself, parts that I thought would be particularly helpful I read out loud several times breaking what it said down. ReviewHow did you review? To review I re-read my footnotes, highlighted texts, and the questions I had wrote. I skimmed each page looking for other pop out information and highlighted it. Last I went through my questions broke them down into more specific questions and tried to answer them. Wrap-up Question: How successful was the SQ3R process in helping you grasp the concepts in the section you selected? Will you use SQ3R in the future as a way to master the content in academic readings? I liked the SQ3R setup. I feel that I already use a lot of the techniques it uses, but the SQ3R helped me to organize and orchestrate my reading procedure and technique. I think that the process was very successful and helpful in my absorption of the reading. I feel I will use the SQ3R process in the future and apply it to my future reading whether it is academic or personal. The SQ3R process just basically gave me a visual outline and more in-depth order to the way I read already. Plus it gave me a lot of new tips and techniques to utilize.

10 effective networking conversation starters

10 effective networking conversation starters Gone are the days that you just punch a clock from 9 to 5 on Monday through Friday and forget about work when you’re not there. These days, if you’re serious about your career- regardless of what field you’re in- it should always be something you’re working on. This includes managing your professional social media like LinkedIn, joining professional associations in your field and attending events, and working to build your network of colleagues and contacts to help you achieve your goals and climb your career ladder to the very top. Whether you’re currently employed or on the job hunt, networking has become an absolutely essential part of a career toolkit. There’s just too much fierce competition from qualified and capable individuals at all levels who have realized that no one is an island and if they want to set themselves up for success, they need to network and maintain career contacts and leverage them to improve their positions- and you can either join in or get left behind.The Balance published an article that included some compelling stats that highlight the value of networking:70 percent of people in 2016 were hired at a company where they had a connection.80 percent of professionals consider professional networking to be important to career success.35 percent of surveyed professional say that a casual conversation on LinkedIn Messaging has led to a new opportunity.61 percent of professionals agree that regular online interaction with their professional network can lead to the way into possible job opportunities.Okay, so hopefully by now you recognize the value of networking in order to enhance your career trajectory. But are you any good at it? The truth is, some folks are natural schmoozers and seem to be able to network wherever they find themselves, while others among us find it a bit more of a challenge and struggle at times to network effectively. Which camp are you in?Whether you’re a world champi on networker, a total networking newbie, or somewhere in-between, we can all benefit from a little help and some fresh ideas for meeting new people in our industry and making meaningful and lasting connections. It all comes down to how you handle the initial contact- the moment you approach or are approached by a potential contact and unleash your conversation starter- will you shine or shrink?Consider taking advantage of one of the following 10 starters when you find yourself in a potential networking situation.1. Hi, what brings you here today?- Here’s a simple, friendly, and direct question that you can comfortably bring up to any potential contact without throwing them off guard via a difficult curveball question. Although this starter works best at industry-focused events, you can feasibly modify it for nearly any situation.2. What do you do for a living?- Another simple and straightforward conversation starter that can really get the ball rolling if you follow up with g enuine interest in what the other person has to say. Plus, getting to know what the other person does can help you quickly determine how this individual could potentially fit in your networking orbit, which has its obvious benefits.3. Where are you from originally?- It’s almost a universal truism that most people are comfortable with and enjoy talking about their home towns, and it can really open up lots of interesting avenues for continued conversation. You’ll also score some bonus points if you have a common background.4. Hey, do you happen to have any recommendations for restaurants [or bars, or coffee shops] in this neighborhood?- If you’re new in town, or just new to the area in which you’re in, consider asking for a recommendation for something nearby. If the conversation goes well, you can always invite the person along to wherever they recommended.5. How did you hear about this event?- Most people enjoy debriefing about an event they’ve at tended, even while they’re still there. Reach out to someone to get their perspective on the event you’re attending, whether it’s a professional event or a social activity, and be ready for a floodgate of conversation.6. How are you enjoying this [insert event]?- This is a slight variation of the previous conversation starter, and once again a friendly way to engage a new potential contact and initiate a possibly fruitful conversation. Again, the key is to be genuinely interested in the response; people usually know when they’re dealing with someone sincere or not, and the reaction you get will likely be based on how you’re perceived during the early stages of the conversation.7. Hi, I really like your [article of clothing].- What better way to break the ice than with a well-placed compliment? If handled correctly, you can count on the flattered recipient to go into some detail about the item being discussed, and you can take it from there.8. What do you think of this [venue/space/etc.]?- This one works especially well if you’re in an interesting or historical event space, or if there’s some memorable or unusual aspect to the place you’re in. This one’s a pure conversation starter- use it just to break the ice and then move on to other topics.9. I’ve been so absorbed with the latest story about [insert current news event], how about you?- This is a little bit of a tricky one- although engaging someone in a conversation about a topical story in the news can lead to an engaging back and forth, be careful about choosing a â€Å"hot-button† or polarizing issue- if you espouse a strong opinion that the other person doesn’t agree with, you may be dooming your chances of making a long-lasting contact. Bottom line- choose your news event carefully.10. I’m always a little nervous at the beginning of the networking events, especially if I don’t know anyone.- Most people app reciate a little honesty when talking to someone new, and the truth is, if they’re feeling nervous than your mentioning this might help put them at ease and earn you some points with a new potential contact. The humble approach can work wonders, provided you come across as being sincere.There you have it- 10 surefire networking conversation starters that you can use to your advantage when the opportunity arises. After you break the ice, where you take the conversation from there is up to you. Good luck!

Letter of appeal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter of appeal - Essay Example My parents (whom I stay with) were involved in constant feuds that eventually led to a divorce. This did not only affect me psychologically but also took almost all my study time as I tried to take care of my younger siblings who could not barely cope up with what was happening. We had to move out of our house and settle at our grandmother’s place to avoid the raging parents for some time. At first, I thought I could handle my studies while at the same time taking care of the situation back at home but I was wrong as my study time was greatly consumed. I must acknowledge that I did not use the right channels to communicate with my lecturers about what affected me, a mistake I highly regret. I also had an option to call off the semester but, again I did not pursue that. The situation at home now is calm and it no longer affects me. I have great affection for this university and would like to be given a chance to attain my degree, which would make me be the first student in my area to be awarded a degree in my. I have developed a close relationship with my counsellor to assist me deal with stressful situations and open up and communicate with people who can offer assistance to me like my lecturers rather than keeping quiet. Fortunately, my parents have re-united and a peaceful environment has been created at home where my studies will not be interrupted anymore. Once again I want to assure you that it was just an appalling session for me; I am not an academically poor student. The low GPA does not represent exactly who I am and given another chance I will prove that the grades I attained were odd to my standard. I am optimistic you will grant me another chance. I appreciate the chance for this

BP's Africa Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BP's Africa Strategy - Essay Example BP is a multi-million multinational oil and gas company with regional branches in almost every part of the world. The company has a head office in the United Kingdom. According to the latest version of Forbes magazine, the company is ranked in the third largest among the energy companies, while it falls in the fourth position among the largest companies in the entire globe (Monasa, 2008). The company has ventured in almost all major process in the energy sector; this includes exploration, refining, production as well as marketing and distribution among other processes. Currently, the company has its branches in about 85 nations. This work focuses on the BP analysis in Africa. BP has an established brand name, and this can be indicated by its fast growth rate. The company has its branches in several nations in Africa, but the African branch is headquartered in South Africa. The company has its billboards in major parts of Africa, this is a good indication that the company is still on the move to brand itself further. BP Africa is facing stiff business competition from other oil and gas companies like SNEPCO, Gulf Oil Company, sea petroleum and gas group of companies, Teresols Oil & Gas, The Hydra group and PetroSA among others. The company has adopted some business strategies to remain on top of the business among its competitors. These strategies are meant to attract and maintain more customers. The company has been on a business growing trend since the Africa Company was established. BP Africa ventures on oil and gas as its main products (Mark, 2007). These products are termed as global products since they are important in any part of the government. Oil is a very important commodity in the current generation where the automobile is part and parcel of human life. Gas on the other hand is another commodity current generation can hardly do with. Gas is majorly used as a source of fuel. BP Africa has adopted some business strategies to beat its competitors. The f irst move advantage is applied in several ways of the company’s operations. First Bp was among the first oil and Gas Company in the continent. This provided a humble ground for its marketing. The company reports indicate that little resources were used to market or advertise the company products. This is because very few related companies were already in the market. It took several years before African countries could establish their own oil and gas companies like PetroSA , Oil Libya and National oil among others. The pioneers in a certain business would always the overall control of the sector, since it sticks to the memory of majority for quite a long time despite the competitors (Schmenner, 2004). BP Africa created a business monopoly or emperor which would take a long time to be broken. The company has however advanced its operations to maintain the customers it captured when it came to Africa. The company also enjoys the fact that the majority of auto-mobile owners like to maintain fuel from a specific company. Using oil from different companies interferes with the efficient operations of engines. Advantage of first move The company took advantage of emerging first in the market by purchasing large amount of oil and gas from African companies at more subsidized price then repackage and sell at a more favorable prices to attract more customers but make profit in

Valuation Financial statement analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Valuation Financial statement analysis - Essay Example The company manufactures and distributes different brands specializing in consumer products including hygiene, nutritional and personal care products. Further, its portfolio has items such as Lipton, Knorr, Magnum, Hellmann’s, Lux, Dove, Omo and Axe. Notably, the company product retails in more than 170 countries around the globe. Financial statement trends Table 1: Unilever financial data from 2008-2012 Â   Â   2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Â   Â   Â   EPS 1.79 1.21 1.51 1.51 1.58 r 15% DPS 0.73 0.77 0.80 0.85 0.89 g 0.05 Residual Earnings 38,785.00 35,354.00 37,924.00 38,813.00 41,625.00 Â   g in RE 0.05 0.07 0.02 0.07 0.06 Â   discount factors 0.87 0.786 0.675 0.592 0.497 Â   Income 39,523.00 39,823.00 44,262.00 46,467.00 51,324.00 Â   Â   Average EPS growth rate5.4% Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Table 2: Unilever PLC financial projections from 2013-2017 Â   Â   2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Â   Â   Â   EPS 1.67 1.76 1.86 1.97 2.09 r 15% DPS 0.93 0.98 1. 03 1.08 1.13 g 0.05 Residual Earnings 44,123.00 46,770.00 49,576.00 52,551.00 55,704.00 Â   g in RE 0.05 0.07 0.02 0.07 0.06 Â   discount factors 0.87 0.786 0.675 0.592 0.497 Â   Income 54,403.00 57,668.00 61,128.00 64,795.00 68,683.00 Â   Average EPS growth rate5.4% Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Forecasting Forecasted Earnings Earning are the net proceeds that a firm gets from its operations. As such, Unilever PLC has reported increased retained earnings from the year 2008 to 2012. The growth in earning ranges from 2% to 7%. Therefore, to forecast future probable earning, the company can use a model of the form:Y= a+bxa, where Y is the forecasted earning, a represent the prior year’s earning, b is the average growth rate, x is the expected earnings. Forecasted Dividends Dividends are issued based on the company’s financial performance. As such, the directors pay dividends when companies make profits. Nevertheless, directors may resolve to pay divide nd from the retained earnings of the prior years.1 Based on the information derived from Unilever PLC financial statements, the company has consistently made profits from the year 2008 and the directors have paid dividends consecutively for all the five years. It is apparent that the dividends have been growing at a rate of 5% every year and as such, the 2012 dividend payout can be forecasted at the same rate to determine the probable dividend to be paid in future. Forecasted cash flows Cash flows are gross revenues that an organization receives from its operations. The information derived from the financial statements shows that Unilever cash flows have been on the increase. The forecasted cash flows can be given by a model of the form: Y=a+bx where Y is the forecasted cash flow, A is the cash flow from the prior year, b is the expected growth rate and x is the expected cash flows. Estimation of parameters of the model The parameters of the model include variables used to determine forecasted earning, dividends and the cash flow. These include; cost of capital, growth rate and any other cost incurred. To start with, the cost of capital is estimated based on the prevailing interest rates at which British financial institution were lending capital. The market

Morally permissible for abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Morally permissible for abortion - Essay Example In this article, two basic assertions will be fortified – one that there are no good grounds to believe that abortion is morally incorrect and secondly, that there are good causes to prove that abortion is morally permissible. Providing a brief critique of a known pro-life argument is deemed necessary before we proceed with the construction of an argument for the moral permissibility of abortion. The eminent anti-abortion philosopher Marquis has stated that â€Å"the future of a standard fetus includes a set of experiences, projects, activities, and such which are identical with the futures of adult human beings and are identical with the futures of young children...it follows that abortion is prima facie seriously wrong.† According to him, killing a fetus is nothing but killing a human being since the fetus is a future resemblance of human being which makes abortion morally wrong. He added that killing a fetus certainly implies a potential loss of value. All pro-life a ctivists believe that killing children and infants is wrong in the same way as it is killing any human being (cited in Marquis 184-185). To counteract the premises of Marquis, Mary A. Warren, a well known pro-abortion feminist philosopher deduces the following anti-abortion argument: 1) It is wrong to kill innocent human beings, 2) fetuses are innocent human beings, and 3) therefore, it is wrong to kill fetuses. ... e biological species Homo sapiens and incorporates not only functioning children and adults, but also fetuses (even very early fetuses) and alive human bodies without working brains (e.g. those in irretrievable comas). The human in the moral sense refers to all beings who are full-grown members of the moral community and includes all but only persons. Warren further states that if ‘human being’ has the same meaning in both the settings then one of them is questionable. The argument either presumes that it is incorrect to kill a fetus simply because it is a homo sapient or it is a member of the moral community. Further arguments are required to clarify the matter since both the claims are controversial. To clarify this matter, Warren next considers whether genetic humanity is sufficient enough for moral humanity.   She asks â€Å"What characteristics entitle an entity to be considered a person [in the moral sense]?† Exemplifying her theory of personhood, Warren s tates that a being or entity to be considered a ‘human being’ or a ‘person’ in the moral sense must possesses most of the following characteristics: ‘(1) Consciousness, (2) Reasoning, (3) Self-motivate activity, (4) communication capability, and (5) the presence of self-concepts and self-awareness’. She further added that the degree of a being’s similarity to a person decides its degree of right to life. In other words, the more resemblance a being holds to a person, the stronger are its consideration for having a right to life, and the stronger its right to life is. On the basis of this theory, she claims that a fetus doesn’t have any similarity to a ‘person’ at any stage of its development to be considered enough for having the right to life (cited in Warren 259-260). Moreover, on the

Financial Modelling and forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Modelling and forecasting - Essay Example They are used for propose of measuring the performance of the firm and also to measure hoe stable is a firm financially. They are also used for future planning, determining whether a firm is able to borrow loans and service them, and also evaluating the performance of the firm under different models. Most models are based on sales volume This paper will seek to analyze the financial statement of JB Hi-Fi by use of historical data to predict the future.I will therefore forecast the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 using the year 2012 as my base year. Ratio analysis of relevant sales ratios will be used for the analysis. Financial statement analysis is the use balance sheet and income statement data to come up with values for financial interpretation and identification of the strengths and weaknesses of an organization (Stickney et al., 2006). Various techniques of financial statement analysis are: trend analysis, comparative statements, common size percentages, ratio and fund analysis as well as changes in working capital changes (Libby et al., 2004). For the purpose of analyzing JB Hi-Fi, relevant sales ratio analysis will be undertaken. For a successful financial analysis, comparison has to be made using consistent percentages through the years of analysis. The use of the sales ratios to analyze the years will reveal their similarities, trends, as well as differences in the company (Palepu & Healy, 2007). As Gregory (2008) notes, the stakeholders of the information contained in a financial statement include, potential investors, creditors, managers, shareholders, the government and creditors and they require the information for different reasons. Use of historical data is a major limitation of ratio analysis as it is therefore assumed that it reflects on the future trends whereas no one could be certain of the future (Palepu & Healy, 2007). Resvine et al (2004) explains that another limitation of using financial statements in analysis is that GAAP allows

An American painting. Winslow Homer Research Paper

An American painting. Winslow Homer - Research Paper Example The artist had done this painting during the last 10 years of his life, when he was 63 years old. The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was created in 1899 and it was a sort of synopsis of the artist’s own lifetime experiences which were steeped in adversity and combined with the memories and reflections of his life. This was not the only painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ but he had created two other variants of the same with watercolors. In addition to this he also made a few sketches on the same subject. The artist drew inspiration for this painting from different sources. Since he frequently visited Nassau and Florida, his journey took him through the Gulf Stream and this could have been a source of inspiration to him. Studies show that the painting was based on the two winter trips made by the artist to the Bahamas3 in 1884 – 85 and 1898 – 99. Another source of the artist’s inspiration is believed to have come from ‘Mc Cabe†™s Curse’4 which is a Bahamian story that tells of how a British Captain had been robbed and had to survive a terrible storm. Homer also drew inspiration from his father’s death as he was left lonely and abandoned. Painting Description 4 The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was an oil on canvas painting whose dimensions are 28.1 inches by 49.1 inches (71.5 cm x 124.8 cm) Presently, this painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.5 The background of the painting shows a rough and violent seascape and a partially lit sky. The center of the painting shows a small rudderless boat, devoid of mast and sails, bobbing up and down on its dark waters. The solitary figure of a man, battling the waves, with huge hungry sharks all around him stands out against the dark background of water. On the right of the boat in the distance a water spout can be seen rising up into the clouded sky. The actual painting of the rough sea is done with brush strokes of blue an d gray that occurs alternating with scant brush strokes of reddish brown. The entire scene is bathed in a creamy white light depicting either dawn or dusk. In the far away distance is the ghostly outline of a ship, very vague in its form and shape, but unfortunately the ship is not noticed by the man in the boat. There is a sort of aesthetic realism6 that is portrayed in this composition. In as much as the author consciously separates the good and evil elements he portrays them together, showing that both good and evil exists in our midst. The helpless man symbolizes vulnerability and abandonment on one hand, but on the other hand he is shown to be calm and at ease among the sharks in the water. Homer’s 5 underlying meaning could have been one of hope with nothing much to fear and suggests strength of character. There is another area of possible symbolism and that is the ebony cross located on the bow of the boat suggesting impending death and a funeral to follow. The open ha tch also could suggest a sort of tomb or a grave. The ethereal ship shown in the distance could symbolize redemption by making peace with ones self. The artist’s use of line and color is so mature showing his experience on oil and canvas. The lines are smooth and the colors such as the shades of grey, blues and creams blend well against each other giving the whole scene an ominous appearance. The color and contours of the figures gives it a dark mood filled with impending danger. From the exquisiteness of the painting it is clearly understood that Winslow Homer was a highly skilled artist of his time. I really liked the painting for its

Financial Modelling and forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Modelling and forecasting - Essay Example They are used for propose of measuring the performance of the firm and also to measure hoe stable is a firm financially. They are also used for future planning, determining whether a firm is able to borrow loans and service them, and also evaluating the performance of the firm under different models. Most models are based on sales volume This paper will seek to analyze the financial statement of JB Hi-Fi by use of historical data to predict the future.I will therefore forecast the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 using the year 2012 as my base year. Ratio analysis of relevant sales ratios will be used for the analysis. Financial statement analysis is the use balance sheet and income statement data to come up with values for financial interpretation and identification of the strengths and weaknesses of an organization (Stickney et al., 2006). Various techniques of financial statement analysis are: trend analysis, comparative statements, common size percentages, ratio and fund analysis as well as changes in working capital changes (Libby et al., 2004). For the purpose of analyzing JB Hi-Fi, relevant sales ratio analysis will be undertaken. For a successful financial analysis, comparison has to be made using consistent percentages through the years of analysis. The use of the sales ratios to analyze the years will reveal their similarities, trends, as well as differences in the company (Palepu & Healy, 2007). As Gregory (2008) notes, the stakeholders of the information contained in a financial statement include, potential investors, creditors, managers, shareholders, the government and creditors and they require the information for different reasons. Use of historical data is a major limitation of ratio analysis as it is therefore assumed that it reflects on the future trends whereas no one could be certain of the future (Palepu & Healy, 2007). Resvine et al (2004) explains that another limitation of using financial statements in analysis is that GAAP allows

John Galliano Fashion Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

John Galliano Fashion Marketing - Research Paper Example The essay "John Galliano Fashion Marketing" concerns the fashion marketing and John Galliano. An enormous society stun anticipated Galliano, as he was uprooted from his more vibrant previous surroundings. His family prided itself gigantically on appearance and each time he went out as a tyke, Galliano was a perfect turn out. The gauges of dressing emerge when he contrasted himself and his even more careless English classmates, made him emerge and taught him significant principles of dress, which he might oblige sometime down the road. Notwithstanding, he was not viewed as a remarkable person. It was not until Galliano arrived at outline school and was around individuals more like him that he started to thrive. When Galliano had moved from City and East London College, he enlisted at Central Saint Martin's, where he made an amazing effect. His graduation accumulation, titled 'Les Incroyables,' made splendid by his sentimental pizzazz and ingenuity, gained tremendous approbation. In fa ct, his entire line was speedily gobbled up into the window of Browns boutique. Galliano left Central Saint Martin's in 1983 with a top of the line degree and a solid stockpile of discriminating the approval. In 1984, more approbation that is basic took after. His brave reinvention of sentimental subjects and sensitive, eminently custom-made articles of clothing were his trademarks. In 1987, he accepted the 'British Designer of the Year' honor. Notwithstanding, discriminating performance was not matched.

Literature Review Of Tourism In Gujarat

Literature Review Of Tourism In Gujarat Gujarat is a state of India, geographically situated in the western tip of India and surrounded by Arabian Sea coastline. This is the only state that has longest coastline. Pakistan to the north-west borders, Arabian Sea to the southwest, Rajasthan state to the northeast and Madhya Pradesh state to the East. People of the state and the local language are known as Gujarati. The state has some of largest businesses of the India such as diamond, cement, denim cloth manufacturing, grassroots oil refining, agriculture etc. Worlds largest ship braking yard at Alang existed in the Gujarat near Bhavnagar district. Major cities of the state Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda (Vadodara), Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar are playing main roles to grow the economy rates and increasing name and fame for the various businesses in the world. Gujarat state has various factors to attract foreigner as well as national and local tourists. History tourism, Medical tourism, Business tourism, Culture tourism, Adventure tourism and many more are most attractions. Gujarat state has different mode of transportations such as buses, railway, auto and taxies, aeroplane, boat, ship. Above all transportations is easy, cheaper and faster in compare to other states of India. About the political view Gujarat is governed by Legislative Assembly of 182 members, Legislative Assembly members terms is for five years and the administrations of the state is led by the honourable Chief Minister. Main Body Gujarat have different festivals and they play an important role to call foreign tourists, major of the festivals are Diwali, Navratri, Raksha Bandhn, Janmastmi, Holi, Kite Festival and many more. Diwali is the festival of light, on that day lot of sweets are cooked and at the evening people enjoy with fireworks. Navratri is the longest festival of the India and the world as well. It is a nine nights dancing festival, it is called Dandia or Garba. On the festival of Rakshabandhan, sister tie a band on the right hand of her brother, that is a holy band, belief is like the band will defence of the brother. Janmastmi is one of the holiest festivals, because it is the birth day of lord Krishna, the most worshiped god of India. Holi is called a festival of colours, on that day people spoil one to another with different colours. Every 14th of the January is celebrated as a Kite festival, international kite flying contests is also organised in the Gujarat. Most of the contestants are foreig ners. These all festivals are big attractions for foreign tourist. Food, festivals and lifestyle are famous of Gujarat state. Local people are used to eat spicy but very tasty food. Simply thinking and high living is the basic life slogan of them; they are enthusiastic, active, and adventurous. Gujarat is having different communities, such as Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, etc. Different religions have different food, belief and lifestyle, tradition and god. Gujarat state is famous for various kind tourisms, such as A) Medical Tourism B) History and Heritage Tourism C) Cultural Tourism D) Business Tourism E) Recreational Tourism F) Spiritual Tourism In detail explanation A) Medical Tourism Medical tourism is a new force of the tourists, who visit abroad for their medication or medical treatment. For an example, dental treatment or surgeries are costly in the United Kingdome but it is very cheap in the India (also in Gujarat) so patient from UK travel to India for their dental medication or surgery is called medical tourism. In Gujarat there are number of hospitals with high tech equipment and numbers of medicines. There are two types of tourists leisure tourists, who travel abroad for their minor treatment that is part of their vacation and tourists travelling especially for their medical treatments. In compare to medical treatment in UK/USA/CANADA/New Zealand, cheaper medical treatment plus airfare, tourist can save excluding the visit cost and accommodation in Gujarat. B) History and Heritage Tourism Gujarat has world-class history and heritage, in previous time, Gujarat was ruled by many kings, they left something as memorable which is known as golden heritage. This historical heritage attracts not only to the national tourists but also tourists from different countries as well. Some of them are world famous tourists places such as Lothal an ancient port city of old age, existed near the river Sabarmati (Ahmedabad city). Dholavira Kutch is a small village, an archaeological site, situated in Kutch district of Gujarat which is surrounded by dessert of Kutch. This is a massive site, belongs to about 5000 years old Mohenjo-Daro Harappan Civilization. Another place is Champaner (The UNESCO -listed world heritage site) this is the one of the most remarkable archaeological site of the Gujarat with Hindu temples and step wells, existed nearby Pavagadh (about 70kms from Vadodara a metropolitan city). Rani-Ki-Vav (step well) was built in the 11th century, It was built by Queen Udyamat i as a memory of her husband King Bhimdev. It has seven galleries which are laid out in east-west direction. Steps corridors and wall-borders are carved with divine glory and deep understanding. That is established near Patan Taluka Mahesana district of Gujarat. These all sites are just examples of old age time and now they are under preservation because of famous historical tourists places. D) Business Tourism Gujarat earned name and fame in the world for its business sector. Many of them are in worlds top ten business, for example, diamond industries in the Surat city is the biggest diamond production hub of the world even though there is no any diamond mine found. Gujarat state has worlds 2nd largest grassroots refinery. Biggest cement productions plants, biggest denim production plants that is why Gujarat is known as the Manchester of the East and Denim city. One of the states of India produce and export cotton in largest amount, Gujarat is worlds 3rd largest denim producer. This state has fastest growth of economy, especially in the chemical sector; it has a complete portfolio of chemical products that includes petrochemical and downstream products, dyes and intermediates. Gujarat has also big name for the producing pharmaceuticals, this is the most developed and the same type competitive sector with about 3245 manufacturing license and 42% pharmaceutical turnover of the India and 22% of Indias export. Not only industries are increasing the economy of the Gujarat but the agriculture is supporting same type. Cotton, sugarcane, banana, onion, potatoes, groundnuts (peanuts), grains and beans are the main corps of Gujarat. There is a long queue of foreign investors to invest in the state, by that way Gujarat has been earning business tourism income, and expanding economy growth. C) Recreational Tourism Festival is the synonym of recreation, when Gujarat has numbers of festival. Fairs are organised during some festivals, and those fairs are most attraction of tourists. Many if fairs are famous in tourist list, namely Bhavnath Fair, Kavant Fair, the grant fair -Vautha, Shamlaji Fair, and Tarnetar Fair. During those fair there are various activities and competitions are organised. People get together at a place of fair and enjoy different food, shopping, rides and colours. Fairs are most famous among national and local tourists rather than foreigners. Except the fairs Gujarat state has wildlife and adventurous forests. Gujarat is 7.46% covered by forest, Gir (Junagadh District) is the most famous forest and the only home of Asiatic Lions, outside Africa this forest in Gujarat is only natural habitat of lions and hot spot of foreigner as well as national tourists. D) Spiritual Tourism Gujarat has several of devotional places which attract tourism. Most of them are Hindus holy places; they visit at least once in their lifetime. Their religious belief and devotional interest influence to the foreigners and mostly western people. It makes them to visit those holy places too. Dwarkashish temple at Dwarka, Dakor temple, Somnath, Gopnath, Ambaji, Girnar those are holy places for spiritual tourism. Conclusion Gujarat is the state of India, I can say, has numbers of tourists visit in a year. Except of the tourists places mostly the state is well known for the food, festivals, people their life style. Mainly foreign tourists influence by the state because of geographical location and having suitable atmosphere. Simple life style but high quality food influences them more to visit it often. Honesty, enthusiasm, calm and humbleness are the natural in the temperament of Gujarati people. Various type of tourism is involved in a same place that is the awesome thing in the Gujarat. This state has been changing to the infrastructure. Latest technologies and equipment keep the state update all the time. Most admiral thing is Gujarat state remain safe while facing many natural disasters. Even there is none any major damages or harm in the history of the state. Tourism is a very big developing sector of the Gujarat state. Longest coastline attracts to the foreigners, moreover cosmopolitan cities, long river banks, colourful festivals, food with novelty but unchanged culture, speedy-easy but cheapest transportation system those are all main sources for to has success and vibrant tourism spot. That is why Gujarat is called VIBRANT GUJARAT.

The Aztec :: essays research papers

The Aztec The Aztec was a culture that dominated the Valley of Mexico in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. All the Nahua-speaking peoples in the Valley of Mexico were Aztecs, while the culture that dominated the area called the Tenochca. At the time of the European conquest, they called themselves either "Tenochca" or "Toltec," which was the name assumed by the bearers of the Classic Mesoamerican culture. Sadly, the many of the Aztec didn't survive after the arrival of the Europeans. But during the earlier years, the Aztec became one of the most advanced civilizations because of their religion, war, and agriculture. In the Aztec religion, they performed human sacrifices for the gods daily. Sacrifice was one of the main events in the Aztec religion. They believed that the people being sacrificed, were their messengers to the gods. In basic ceremonies, slaves or victims of war were used to sacrifice. But in more important ceremonies, people of higher rank, especially warriors, volunteered themselves. Since there were many gods, the sacrifice depended on what god they were worshiping. Sometimes, the death was drowning, burning, or beheading. In a coarse of a year, the death toll was about several thousands. Human sacrifices were offerings to the sun and earth so that food would grow. The Aztecs respected their gods very much. They put their greatest efforts into making strong, beautiful temples to please their gods. Their arts had a part in their religion. They drew pictures that told about their gods. They recorded religious events with hieroglyphics and even number symbols. The Aztecs worshipped about 1,000 gods! But they worshipped the sun god the most. Religious ceremonies took place in a temple called a teocalli. This temple had sacred pools for ceremonial cleansing, gardens, living quarters for a priest, and racks to hold the skulls of victims. Religion played a great part in Aztec life. Although religion was an important motivator in Aztec life, farming was the common activity. Much of Aztec life was built around farming, which was extremely necessary to keep up with the growing population. Since the land that the Aztecs farmed was not fertile enough to grow enough food to support the population, the Aztecs were forced to invent methods to increase productivity. These methods included irrigation, fertilizer, and even building terraces on hills that were previously not farmable. The truly original idea, however, was chinampas. Chinampas were floating gardens built on swamps.

Gun Control: Opposing the Removal of Guns from American Citizens Essay

Because of many incidents involving handguns, and any other type of gun, the government has been trying to push a gun ban law. As a result of this rumor and possible law, there have been numerous outbursts of support and resistance. Some people believe that banning firearms would be a benefit to our nation’s safety and its population’s safety, while others oppose this proposal and say that guns are not the ones that need to be controlled, people should be the ones that are controlled. During this decision, people from different organizations have expressed their own views and thoughts. Gun control has both positive and negative effects on U.S. citizens. Some organizations report that the removal of firearms will reduce crime rates, deaths, and injuries from guns(Handgun Control Debate). An organization known as â€Å"The Brady Center† says that the Second Amendment does not state that people can carry and own handguns and be protected by its laws(Handgun Control Debate). The Brady Center also argues that if a larger amount of guns are available to a child’s reach, there will be more injuries and fatalities among minorities, so they are also trying to present laws and proposals that will protect children from handgun injuries(Handgun Control Debate). Claire Safran states that in Seattle, Washington, guns are plentiful and that there could be more deaths and injuries in that city than others because of the amount of illegal handguns in the city that owned by gangs and criminal organizations(Roleff, 17). Carl T. Bogus, a visiting professor at Rutgers University School of Law Enforcement in Camden, New Jersey says that private ownership of guns is hazardous to American citizen’s safety, and suggests that all handguns should be o... ...As we know it, this law on either protecting gun rights or taking them and the guns away will surely change the United States future. Works Cited Cold Comfort: A Interview With John R. Lott. Lynch, Michael W., and Jacob Sullum. Reason. 3 Dec. 2009. . Elder, Larry. â€Å"More Gun Control, Please!† Capitalism Magazine. 24 Oct. 2002. 1 Dec. 2009. â€Å"Gun Control.† Encyclopedia4U. 2005. 1 Dec. 2009. Handgun Control Debate. Awesome Library. 1 Dec. 2009. Roleff, Tamara L., ed. Gun Control: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

Florence Nightingale Essay

Florence Nightingale was a revolutionary nurse leader in her time. She was an activist for the â€Å"sick poor† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 181) who had the forethought, organization, planning, skills, knowledge, and determination to accomplish great strides in public health and nurse training. She was not just an activist for a specific gender or race, but she was an advocate for the general health and well-being of humanity. Her work still inspires nursing today and has laid the foundation for many nurse theories still relevant for what is now more than a hundred years after her death. History and Contributions Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 to an upper-class family in England. Florence’s childhood years were spent bringing aid to the less fortunate. She left home at the age of thirty to begin a 3-year nurse training program in Kaiserswerth, Germany (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 29). Florence is best known for her work in the Crimean War where she and a group of untrained women went to assist the wounded and sick soldiers in Scutari, Turkey. While in Scutari, her theory surrounding the impact that environment had on health began to take shape. She used her understanding of the impact of environment on health, coupled with statistical evidence she gathered while caring for the soldiers, to bring change to the British Army (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 30). Her experience during the Crimean War would prove to be invaluable to her later work in London. The Crimean War ignited a passion in Florence Nightingale to pursue the proper training for nurses. It was her belief that nursing could not be accomplished by well-meaning, upper-class women who came to bring aid to the â€Å"sick poor† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 184). In her words, â€Å"there is no such thing as amateur nursing† and â€Å"nursing was an art requiring an organized, practical, and specific training† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 184). In 1860, Florence began a nurses’ training program at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London. Her training program was the first of many of its kind in England and in the United States (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 30). Florence would go on to pursue social reform in London and Liverpool where workhouses housed infirmaries that were rampant with infectious diseases. In 1864, there were 1,200 â€Å"sick poor† being housed together in a Liverpool workhouse infirmary (Monteiro, 1985, p. 181). Florence was asked by William Rathbone, a wealthy merchant, to devise public policy that would address the conditions these â€Å"sick poor† were living in. Her first recommendation to Rathbone was that he start a training school for nurses so that the problem in Liverpool could have long-term attention from properly trained nurses. Florence agreed to help and began with a questionnaire for all of the workhouses to assess the actual state that they were in. According to Florence, the questionnaire â€Å"revealed facts so shameful that they could not be ignored† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 182). Her plan involved dividing the sick into four categories and quarantining them from the rest of the workhouse inhabitants, establishing one administration over all the workhouses to maintain continuity, and raising funds through taxes to cover the expenses involved in caring for the â€Å"sick poor† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 182). While her plan was reasonable, it was met with political opposition in London and soon a leadership change would decline it’s acceptance into â€Å"Poor Law†. Later, the new leader, Gathorne Hardy, would write his own policy that somewhat resembled Florence’s. His policy made it into law and brought forth the beginning of change in London. Liverpool, however, was enforcing Florence’s plan and was seeing positive results. One of the graduates of the St. Thomas nursing school, Agnes Jones, was placed as the Superintendent over the Liverpool workhouse infirmaries along with twelve other trained nurses to assist her. Florence would continue her pursuit of establishing the nurse’s proper role in public health and the nurse’s proper training in eleven writings that she authored until her last in 1897. Summary Florence Nightingale had a central theme from the time of the Crimean War to her work in London and Liverpool: trained nurses were an absolute necessity and that the sick should be met where their sicknesses began, at home. She believed that teaching the poor to be clean and find assistance with sanitation would deter the many infectious diseases that were prevalent in her time. She taught others and she herself sought to teach them in their own environment, their homes. This would later be called Public Health Nursing. Not only did Florence Nightingale forge the way for nurse education but she also brought necessary focus to Public Health Nursing that is still impacting nurses and our communities today. In 1894 Florence is quoted as saying, â€Å"it is cheaper to promote health than to maintain people in sickness† (Monteiro, 1985, p. 185). Her words still ring true today. References Chitty, K. K., & Black, B. P. (2011). The History and Social Context of Nursing. In M. Iannuzzi (Ed.), Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges (6th ed., pp. 29-30). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier. Monteiro, L. A. (1985, February). Florence Nightingale on Public Health. American Journal of Public Health, 75(2), 181-186. doi: http://ajph.aphapublicati