Why I Want For The People Who Will Influence My Identity...

Ever since I was little, my mom has repeated little sayings to my brothers and I. One of her favorites was, â€Å"You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose.† While this research project is not headed in the direction of nose picking, as I have gotten older, this quote has caused me to reflect on the choices I have made in terms of who I am. If I do indeed hold the power to choose the people who will influence my identity the strongest, why did I not choose those who have allowed me to be authentic until now? What is authenticity? â€Å"Being authentic means something like living in accordance with one’s own unique values and ideals,† but it is greater than simply being oneself, it is â€Å"resisting the imposition of the values and ideals of others† (Pierce 441) as well. Therefore, authenticity is also neglecting to succumb to the beliefs of others to stay true to one’s own beliefs. However, this does not mean that authenticity is static, â€Å"an individual should engage in a process of constructing his personhood†¦. His task in life becomes searching for his true personhood† (381). Personhood should be a journey of finding oneself, figuring out who one is and what one believes in. The act of evolving is part of the discovery, but when â€Å"their acts are guided by other people’s ideas of who they should be† (379) it leads to inauthenticity because the change is made solely to fit in. All in all, authenticity is based heavily on tru th, because â€Å"[it]Show MoreRelatedRacial Identity And Ethnicity Identity1626 Words   |  7 Pageshow and when I realized my identity of how I saw myself and how others saw me when I was a child. I examined my identity by my gender identity, racial identity, and my ethnicity identity. I describe my earliest memory of realizing my gender identity by remembering when I realized I was a woman. I discuss how I became to learn about my racial identity and ethnicity identity by going to school with various people. I then describe how the aspects of my gender identity and racial identity did and didRead MorePlunkitt of Tammany Hall Essay842 Words   |  4 Pages14th October 2012 Media Influence the Identity and culture Over the last few decades, ever since the televisions and computers were invented, self ethnic identities have been influenced because of the progress in technology, which we commonly known as media, and whether the globe benefits from this approach or not has become a controversial issue amongst most of the people in the world. As what survey shows that a dominant group of peoples who tend to believe that identities were being ruined by spreadingRead More My Personal Identity Essay948 Words   |  4 Pages A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects. Family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environments are all factors that tend to help shape a person’s identity. Some factors may have more of an influence than others and some may not have any influence at all. As a person grows up in a family, they are influenced by many aspects of their life. Family and culture may influence a person’s sense of responsibilities, ethics and morals, tastes in music, humor and sportsRead MoreMy Own Social Penetration Theory985 Words   |  4 Pagespersonally, identity has always been an important aspect of my life. It is my own Social Penetration Theory in terms of the onion aspect of it – my identity has multiple layers through different stages of my life to date, it is continuously growing by the minute. There are multiple components that make up who I am, and by learning through experiences and this course I am able to get a stronger gr ip on not only identity as a whole, but also my own identity. The biggest component comes from my family valuesRead MoreA Study Of Life Span Development1466 Words   |  6 PagesHave you ever asked yourself, who am I? What makes me the individual that I am today? Well, you are not alone. Many individuals have been trying to figure out why they have certain characteristics or why they did not have those leadership or charismatic traits that they wish they could have. All these questions can be explored through the study of life-span development. Within this science, we can explore the factors that influence who you are with identity development, gender, stereotypes, ethnicityRead MoreIt Is Hard to Possess a Sense of Belonging When We Are Unsure of Our Own Identity.673 Words   |  3 Pagesin finding our identity and belonging can often be a struggle, since we ask ourselves, ‘who am I’ vs. whom do others want me to be? And where do I belong? This point in our live is subjective, because we want to feel accepted in society we de ny ourselves of what we really are. It’s hard to have a sense of belonging when we ourselves are unsure of our own identity. There comes a time where our opinions and beliefs are differentiated from those around us, during this time some people may discover whereRead MoreAn Important Aspect Of Intimate Relationships And The Human Condition? Attachment And Attachment Theory1717 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is attachment and why is it an important aspect of intimate relationships and the human condition? Attachment and attachment theory states that there is a strong affectional tie that binds a person to an intimate companion (Sigelman Rider, 2015). One of the first theorists that formulated this theory was John Bowlby. He proposed that, based on infants interactions with caregivers, infants construct expectations about relationships in the form of internal working models- cognitive representationsRead MoreMarriage Doesnt Have to End in Divorce1560 Words   |  6 PagesThe Infl uence of Others (Final Exam Part 1) As time flashed before my eyes, I have grown to love the person I have become. However, I cannot take all the credit when it comes to how I had the ability to define who I am. Specific authorities who have been directly or indirectly in my life have played a part in helping me see who I am and who I can become as time progresses. As of today, I have the confidence to say that I am ambitious, a role model, devoted, an African American woman and a familyRead MoreBeverly Daniel Tatum Ph.D. Is An Expert On Race Relations1258 Words   |  6 Pagesexpert on race relations and the development of racial identity. Tatum guides her readers through racial identity and major ideas and concepts regarding race. Throughout the book readers will better understand the racial dynamic of their everyday lives, along with suggestive actions toward a more equitable world for all. The following paragraph gives a summary of the book, breaking it down into the IV parts containing ten chapters. Part I A Definition of Terms: Chapter one ‘Defining Racism’ definesRead MoreWhy Is Identity Important?866 Words   |  4 PagesWho am I? What am I? You ask yourself these questions everyday. You ask yourself am I pretty enough? Will someone find me attractive? You start doubting yourself pretty hard. Your sense of self goes down. Where or who do you run to? Society? Friends? Family? This is where people start judging you. They judge you by the clothes you wear, by the color of your skin, and by how much money you make. Why? Because they want to make you feel bad so they can feel better about themselves. We struggle with

Bullying Vs Cyber Bullying Essay - 2021 Words

Bullying is a major problem that impacts many teens over generations, causing an endless cycle of bullying. With the new age of technology, this leads to new issues that are affecting teens’ lives. One of these issues is that cyberbullying is quickly becoming more common than the traditional playground bullying, as more social media are appealing to teens. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens using electronic devices such as phones, laptops, and tablets. This form of bullying includes spreading rumours, sending mean and hurtful messages and sharing embarrassing videos or photos. Cyberbullying over social media has become extremely easy for bullies to victimize other teenagers affecting the victim’s mental health. Therefore,†¦show more content†¦The day after, Meghan had come home from school where she was handing out invitations to her fourteenth birthday party that was in a few weeks, but when she logs on to her MySpace account, she sees all the ne gative and harsh words that others are posting on her page. Her mother and father try to tell her to get offline and that everything is going to be okay, but later that night Meghan hangs herself in her closet. The last comment is from Josh tells her that everybody hates her and that the world would be a better place without her in it. Weeks later, Meghan’s parents find out that Josh is not actually Josh, that he is not even an actual person. Josh’s page is a group of moms that live in the same community. This mother was trying to see if Meghan was talking about her daughters behind their backs and thought it was a joke (TEDx). MySpace gives Meghan’s bullies the anonymity to protect them from their true identities, letting these neighbours mess with Meghan in a way that is non-imaginable. Without this protection Meghan and her parents would have known who the real Josh Evans is and could have been able to stop the bullying faster, possibly saving Meghan from tak ing her life. Facebook says that â€Å"8.7 percent of its 955 million monthly active users worldwide are actually duplicate or false accounts† (Kelly). The fake accounts hide the bullies’ true identity, giving the bully or bullies protection toShow MoreRelatedBullying Is A Massive Issue Around The World Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesBullying essay for US 22750 Bullying is a massive issues around the world. In our communities and especially in our schools. As a community we need to understand the meaning of bullying, what is the definition of bullying? The different types of bullying, understanding exactly what action causes bullying to be defined as bullying. Understanding the concept of bullying is important to try and understand what the victims had to endure and struggle through and the consequences of being bullied. BecauseRead MoreThe Positive Effect of Social Media Essay724 Words   |  3 Pagesmedia people have argued whether it has a positive or negative effect on society. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram give people a chance to stay connected. Although, with the power of social media comes the possibility of cyber bullying. While there are some negatives associated with social media, the positives in communication all around, has made the world stronger and a better place to live in. Social networking can benefit businesses greatly. These sites allow businessesRead MoreSocial Networking Sites-Boon/Bane15517 Words   |  63 Pagesinteract directly with anyone and everyone. But more often than not, some of them bear the consequences of being too open on social networking sites and pay a heavy price. After all, its not easy being a celeb and interacting directly out there in the cyber world. Foot-in-the-mouth syndrome Who will understand this better than ex Union Minister of external affairs, Shashi Tharoor, and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi. Thanks to their social networking, all the dirt from the IPL hit the ceiling. The duoRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagestheir productivity. Employers often believe they must monitor what employees are doing because employees are hired to work, not to surf the Web checking stock prices, placing bets at online casinos, or shopping for presents for family or friends. â€Å"Cyber Monday,† or the Monday 8 Chapter 1 The Dynamic Environment of HRM after Thanksgiving, as a day to do personal holiday shopping while at work may not be supported by recent sales figures, but recreational on-the-job Web surfing has been said

The True Identity Free Essays

Culture and identity go hand in hand. Everyone has their own identity, but where does that come from? The main contributor to someone’s identity is the culture they grew up in. Cultures vary in many different ways. We will write a custom essay sample on The True Identity or any similar topic only for you Order Now Chinese is a very factual, to the point, respect your elders and family culture, while American culture is more carpe diem, freedom of speech, bigger is better mentality. So as you could imagine someone in China will grow up with a much different identity that someone in America. Someone’s true identity comes out when you’re placed in a situation that tests your culture’s view of right or wrong. Whether you go with the flow or choose to disobey is how you know one’s true identity. Take into account the story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues. † The narrator of the story, Sonny’s brother, thinks from the time Sonny’s a boy that the path Sonny has chosen is the wrong one. THis is because Sonny decides he wants to be a musician and gets into drugs, not the correct view of the culture deems correct. However, through his music Sonny shows his brother how he becomes happy and finally Sonny’s brother understands why he went through what he did. They grew up in the same housing project and culture but why did they turn out so differently? Sonny went down the path that he felt would make him happy, the music. His brother chose to go along with society and join the army, get a career, and then start a family. I feel that Sonny has found his identity long before his brother has. He knows exactly what makes him happy and he goes after that in his own way, breaking free of society and becomes his own man, with his own identity. The narrator goes through the motions and while his brother maybe going down a separate path Sonny’s alive and has found himself. His true identity comes out when he’s on stage. In America we preach the pursuit of happiness meaning to go for what you want, allowing your true identity to shine. Whether you choose to take Sonny’s route or his brother’s, now that’s where you find your identity. In Jekyll’s case, he had split personalities. Hyde was his bad side and his pure side, which everyone came to know, wasn’t what Jekyll really wanted. He wanted to let Hyde out and to do so he had to take drugs, like Sonny did. Jekyll’s surface was a proper man but his true identity was what lied beneath him and what he allowed to surface when he conjured up his potion. Letting out this carnage side made Jekyll feel alive, with no remorse of what he was doing. The aliveness he felt was the disregard of his culture and their rules, and this is where he found himself happy. The disobeying Hyde was Jekyll’s true identity and how he really wanted to feel. Have you ever one day been faced with the opportunity to break cultures rules and done it? Did you feel exhilarated? Ones identity will never change. When they figure out what the true inner person is that, whether its a naughty person or a great person is what surfaces when the person is alone or set with a straining situation. The Jekyll side is what culture wanted to see, but the true identity of Jekyll was the disobeying side of Hyde. Identity now a days in America is being more seen as your image. Identity is everything that you are composed of. Looking at one person you can think you know them, but what do you know? Your Identity is you culture, morals, family, everything that has ever come to shape you to who you are today. What do you know at first glimpse of the hispanic standing in front of you? He was adopted by two Asians when he was just a baby and now is more assimilated into the asian traditions than any hispanic traditions. In â€Å"Trying to Find Chinatown,† this is almost the exact situation. This short story was wrote to open the eyes of the reader to see that someone doesn’t have to be the person you label them as when first laid eyes on. Just because a person looks one way their identity has a much deeper meaning to them than image. Of course your identity for the most part will show up on the outer surface minutely, but who knows what caused you to walk down to the corner store to rob it, or why you jumped in front of that stranger on the bus to save his life jeopardizing your own. Your identity is what drives you to make those decisions. Your culture has a lot to do with that too. Some peoples true identity is to go with what culture deems right or wrong and others do things just in spite of their culture, but for the most part every ones identity reflects the culture they were raised in-in some form. Ones identity must be found by pushing themselves to the limit of what is known. Where they have to make their own decision based purely on the voice inside of them which tells them what to do. Your identity can mask itself to let the culture you live in accept you, but at some point if you repress that too much it could be detrimental to your health, just ask Dr. Jekyll about that one. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover because the man you see on the outside, sometimes maybe a very different person inside. People go on missions in search of their true identities, but i feel that the way to find your true identity is to look in the mirror and ask yourself, what do i base my choices off? Do i go with the flow of my culture or am i a stand alone type person. Only you can know the answer of your true identity. How to cite The True Identity, Papers

Valuing Financial Services Firms Include Banks

Question: Discuss about the Valuing Financial Services Firms for Include Banks. Answer: Financial institutions include banks, insurance companies and investment banks. Valuing the financial institutions has always been a matter of concern as it is very difficult to estimate cash flows of a financial institution specially banks. There are various characteristics of the financial institutions which make it different from other firms in the market and because of these characteristics, the discounted cash flow valuations models are difficult to use. The four characteristics are: The treatment of debt and capital expenditure of a financial firm is very different from a other firms. Debt is not reinvested by the financial firm; rather it is used as a raw material to create products. Since debt is not reinvested, the enterprise value of the firm has no value and hence, free cash flow to firm is definitely not a good choice of valuation. The financial firms operate under strict government regulations which determine how the firms should run their business and the regulations also require the firms to set aside some part of their capital as reserves. A change in the regulatory requirement may change the value of the firm as the change increases the risk of a firm, hence again the FCFF method will render no consequences. The accounting treatment of the assets and liabilities of the financial institution is different from other firms. For a financial institution the assets are mostly in the form of bonds and secured obligations which are actively traded in the open market. Hence the assets are market at market price. Also banks look at long term profits for which short term losses are interspersed with long term gains. It is very difficult to define the capital expenditure and working capital of a financial firm which means the future cash flows cannot be calculated. The fixed assets of a financial firm is not plant and equipment like in a manufacturing set up, rather it is human capital and the brand name. The investment in the above which is required for growth is treated as operating expenses and not capital expenditure. Hence the statement of cash flows for a financial firm shows no or little capital expenditure. Since the calculation of FCFF is solely based on the future cash flows, hence it is impossible to use FCFF to value the financial institutions. Because of the above characteristics of a financial firm, FCFF is not a feasible valuation method, however, a dividend discount model is more appropriate as the dividends can be estimated and used to value the firms equity. 1b) Cost of equity and weighted average cost of capital are used as discount rates for calculating FCFE and FCFF respectively. WACC is the sum of cost of equity and cost of debt (after tax) of a company. The capital asset pricing model is used to calculate the cost of equity. The above costs are then multiplied by their respective weights in the capital structure to arrive at the WACC. WACC is the most appropriate discounting factor for FCFF as FCFF refers to the free cash flow that belongs to the debt holders and shareholders and since WACC takes both the debt and equity into consideration, it is appropriate. (Bearly, Myers, 2001) Cost of equity is the most appropriate discounting factor for FCFE since FCFE is the cash flow available to equity shareholders. A good discounting factor should account for all the risks associated with the project. Since FCFE belongs to the equity shareholders, so the risk of equity is covered in the cost of equity and hence it proves to be most appropriate discounting factor. 2a) under capital expenditure projects, net present value (NPV) is used as a tool to determine the feasibility of the project. In the given scenario, where a theme park is to be built in two years and the project will go on for a period of 10 years, the NPV of the project before tax and after tax has been calculated and on this basis, decision has been taken. The NPV and IRR values are presented below( as per the annexure): Before tax After tax NPV $75,98,702.58 ($12,05,488.89) IRR 6% -1% From the above table we see that the NPV of the project before tax is positive and NPV after tax is negative. For a project to be feasible, it is important for the NPV to be positive. NPV is the difference between the project outflows and cash inflows. There are other methods also available to assess a projects feasibility which includes IRR, payback period, discounted payback period, profitability index. However, NPV is the most effective because it uses a discount factor to discount the future cash flows to the present in order to compensate for the uncertainty of the future cash flows. According to the above results, the project should be rejected because the NPV after tax is negative. Considering NPV after tax is more appropriate as compared to NPV before tax as every company is required to pay taxes on its profits and the hence the cash flows are reduced by the applicable taxes. The NPV is affected by tax in two ways i.e. the operating cash flows are reduced by the taxes and the salvage value of the project is also affected as tax is applied on any gain or loss on sale of the project equipment. Other tax implications include tax on non cash expenses like depreciation and amortization which are not included in cash flow but are tax deductible, hence after taking tax into consideration, the net operating cash flow is calculated. 2b.) Assuming that the friendly investor induces another $10 million into the project after year 10 which increases the project life by another 10 years, the new NPV of the project after tax is ($11,25563.97). Even after further cash inflow, the NPV of the project is still negative which means the project is not feasible and should be rejected. Hence, it is not worthwhile to extend the project from 10 years to 20 years. References Damodaran, A., (2009), Valuing Financial Services Firms, accessed online on 25th July, 2016, available at https://people.stern.nyu.edu/adamodar/pdfiles/papers/finfirm09.pdf Deev, O., (2011), Methods of Bank Valuation: A Critical Overview, Financial Assets and Investing, Masaryk University Bearley, Myers, (2001), Principles of Corporate Finance, 7th Edition, McGraw Hill. Jennergren, P., (2011), A Tutorial on the Discounted Cash Flow Model for Valuation of Companies, SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration No. 1998:1

Why is part one of And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou called Touch Me, Life, Not Softly Essay Example

Why is part one of And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou called Touch Me, Life, Not Softly Essay There are four parts to And Still I Rise, by Maya Angelou, the first of which is named Touch Me, Life, Not Softly, and contains eight different poems. Here, I will use these poems to explore the possibilities as to the origins of the title of the first section of the anthology.The touch me part of the phrase can be very ambiguous, as it could signify the way in which there has been physical touching, or being touched in an emotional or mental way, for example, being moved to tears. The latter could then be incorporated into saying the author feels life should affect her deeply, as also illustrated with not softly, which is a theme heavily referred to in this first section.The very first poem of the anthology is A Kind of Love, Some Say, which explores physical abuse within a relationship, and the way the abused partner feels there is still love between the couple, as shown with, Sorry eyes, spoke not/ Of lost romance, but hurt. The idea of life touching people is seen here, as the ph ysical abuse in the poem will surely affect the person in question deeply, not only in life in general, but through all of their future and present relationships. Our relationships with other people are a very large part of our lives, therefore the abused partners life could be said to change forever, as they may find it very hard to trust people ever again, or find it hard to relate to people.In A Kind of Love, Some Say there is also the phrase Love by nature, exacts a pain, showing how Angelou feels life itself makes love hard, in a way that cannot be matched by anything else Unequalled on the rack. This also relates back to the way life touches people, in a way nothing else can.The next poem is Country Lover, looks at the way men can often be seen to be very careless and lack value for women throughout life, as seen with the capital letters used throughout the poem, and the very specific parts of the mans night (Funky blues, High water pants), and then the final line of and anyb odys daughter, which lacks the capital letters or the specific woman in question, instead implying the man does not care who he goes home with, as long as there is someone. As this subject can be linked to all generations of men throughout the world, it strongly reflects how life can touch people, as there are many, many women who will have been affected by a similar situation, and not in a positive way, as they may feel they are lacking importance in life, as the word anybodys implies there is really no significance as to who the woman is. This could deeply affect women, as they may go through life feeling inferior to men and therefore possibly not making as much of themselves as they could.The third poem, Remembrance, focuses on the subject of sex, but rather than the actual act, the more intimate parts of making love, such as the foreplay and the aftermath. However, the title of the poem, Remembrance, also shows how Angelou feels her favourite part of the sexual intercourse is af terwards, when her partner has left, and it is then, only/ then, can I greedily consume/ your presence. This illustrates how she does not feel emotionally stable until this point, and it is at this point she can fully take in the magic of the experience. Sex is another part of life that often deeply affects people in very different ways, for instance, in the way they view the experience, or the way particular sexual encounters have affected them in the past. It is definitely not something that would touch someone softly.Where We Belong, A Duet is the fourth poem, and looks at the way people in the world appear to always be searching for a soulmate, throughout life Then I went to schoolrooms/ And poolrooms/ And half-lighted cocktail bars. Love, of course, plays a major part in everyones life, whether it is the platonic, unconditional or romantic kind, and therefore obviously can affect people very deeply, like with the sex in the above poem, due to past encounters, or the way they v iew love. Again, like sex, love is not a subject to be viewed lightly, as it can be said to affect everything in life.Next we have Phenomenal Woman, which explores the way Angelou and other people view her, and how she feels you do not have to be cute or built to suit a fashion models size in order to be a successful woman in life. Instead, the poet feels it is not what youve got, but what you do with it, for example the fire in my eyes, or the ride of my breasts. Our lives are often much affected by the way we are viewed and also view ourselves, as it can affect everything, from the way we act around certain people, to the way we treat certain situations. Life itself can also affect the above factors, as we are often shaped by the events we experience. This is therefore a strong example of how life can touch someone, not softly.Men looks at the experience of a young girl, through a sexual encounter, possibly viewed as rape or the loss of virginity Shattered./ It is your juice/ Tha t runs down their legs. and how she feels about it; in this case, not very positive, as shown with the aforementioned quote, and also, Your mind pops, exploding fiercely, and Your body has slammed shut. Forever. As mentioned with Remembrance, it is most often experience that shapes who we are and how we feel and react to certain situations. Both the loss of virginity and rape are very serious matters, especially the latter, and so are very likely to affect people in strong ways. Touch me, life, not softly therefore relates to this strongly, as no one who ever as been raped could say it was a light experience or that they have not been touched by it in some way, as it is highly likely to have been a very negative experience.The penultimate poem is Refusal, focusing on the plight of a woman on her death bed, who will not deign to die unless she knows the partner she adores will be with her in her future lives, as she feels he has been in her other lives and lands. I defy my bodys has te is a key phrase of the poem, as the word defy is very strong and shows just how much the woman in question does not want to let go without knowing she will see her greatest love again. Refusal implies that it is not just life that touches us, not softly, but also the people we meet throughout life, as she is so enamoured by her love that she never wants to leave him, even after death, so he has clearly had a very large impact upon her life. The fact that she appears to believe in reincarnation That we will meet again,/ On other worlds some/ Future time undated. shows how she believes her love will prevail all, if she can meet her soulmate again and again in many different lives. Therefore, life can also touch us deeply through the people we are deigned to meet throughout our course upon earth, and the ways in which they affect us.The final poem is Just for a Time, looking at past relationships and how despite not liking reminiscing about past events, the narrator still does thi s and looks at the ways he loved his girl. While the first two stanzas reminisce about the past love, the final stanza explores how the narrator feels now, I dont spill tears/ On yesterdays years/ But honesty makes me say,/ You were a precious pearl. Again, it is often our relationships throughout life that very strongly affect the way we react to and feel about things as we are touched by, not softly.Overall, I believe that the first section of Maya Angelous poetry anthology is called Touch Me, Life, Not Softly as all of the poems mentioned above focus on events and experiences in life that shape us strongly, and imply that life does not let us get away with things easily. However, as Angelou appears to be telling life to do this to her, she is saying, that without life demanding so much from us and affecting us so wholly, we would not be the people we are, and would possibly be not as strong as we are.

Bonne Chance! Learn French Idioms Like This With Bon

Bonne Chance! Learn French Idioms Like This With Bon The very common French word bon  is an adjective that means good and is used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say tit for tat, cushy job, bright and early  and more with this list of expressions using bon. Remember not to confuse  bon  and its close sibling  bien.  Bon  Ã‚  and bienare often confused, because they have similar meanings and because both can function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns. Common French Expressions Using Bon bon chat bon rattit for tat la bonne franquette  !informally; potluck quoi bon?whats the use?; why?ah, bon  ?oh yes? ah bonI seeavoir bonne mineto look healthyavoir un bon fromageto have a cushy jobun bon vuedemand notebon anniversairehappy birthdaybon appà ©titenjoy your mealbon aprà ¨s-midihave a nice afternoonbon chien chasse de racelike father, like sonbon chic, bon genre; BCBGLiteral translation: good style, good sortActual meaning:  preppy, posh, prim and properbon courageall the best; keep up the good workbon dà ©barras!good riddance!un bon de caissecash voucherun bon de commandeorder formun bon de livraisondelivery slipun bon de rà ©ductioncouponbon dimanchehave a nice Sundayun bon du Trà ©sorTreasury bondbon grà © mal grà ©like it or not bonjourgood day;  good morning Note Bon matin  does  not  exist as an expression, except among friends inFrench-speaking Canada. You would never say that in France to mean  good morning.You would say  bonjour. bon marchà ©inexpensive; cheap bon matchenjoy the game; have a good gamebon rapport qualità ©-prixgood valuebon retoursafe journey homeBon sang ne saurait mentir.Whats bred in the bone will come out in the flesh.bonsoirgood evening(Note: one word, not bon soir)bon voyagehave a good tripbon week-endhave a good weekendBonne Annà ©e!Happy New Year!Bonne annà ©e et bonne santà ©!Happy New Year!bonne chancegood luckune bonne fourchettea hearty eaterbonne journà ©ehave a nice daybonne nuitgood nightbonne rentrà ©ebest wishes for the new (school) yearbonne routesafe journeybonne santà ©stay well, keep healthybonne soirà ©ehave a nice eveningbonnes vacancesenjoy your vacationLes bons comptes font les bons amis.Dont let money squabbles ruin a friendship.de bon cÅ“urheartilyde bon grà ©willinglyde bon matinbright and earlyen bon à ©tatin good conditionLenfer est pavà © de bonnes intentions.The road to hell is paved with good intentions.Point de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles.No news is good news.pour de bonfor go od; definitively; really; trulysen tenir bon compteto get off easy

IDENTIFY the challenges faced by HRD professionals in meeting the Essay

IDENTIFY the challenges faced by HRD professionals in meeting the needs of an intergenerational workforce (read full quesation attch on folder) - Essay Example acing the field of HDR include stiff competition in the global market, increased workforce diversity, the need to eliminate the skill gap associated with globalization, ethical issues and intergenerational issues in the workplace (Werner & DeSimone 2011). Intergenerational issues are perhaps some of the greatest challenges experienced by HRD professionals as organizations compete to recruit young innovative brains from the global job market. As business organizations increasingly compete in the global economy, many are introducing new technologies that require significant training and development of workers. Technological revolution has had significant implications on the attempts by HRD professionals to manage intergenerational needs in organizations. In order to emerge successful in the increasingly sophisticated market, companies have been compelled to hire highly qualified employees as well as providing knowledge and additional skills to match the changing market demands (McDonald 2008). Workforce diversity challenges require organizations to go beyond skill improvement to empowerment of employees to accommodate intergenerational differences in the workforce. HRD professionals in companies operating in developing countries from the developed countries face the challenge of dealing with skill gap associated with such nations. Workforce diversity has had significant implications for the HRD professionals including the need to address racial, ethnic, as well as cultural insensitivity and language differences (Reid, Barrington & Brown 2004). Buttressing the primary purpose of this study is the imminent workforce heterogeneity challenges facing HRD professionals amidst the increasing changes in the global environment. This essay entails identification of the various workforce intergenerational challenges facing HRD professional in different organizations. Age diversity in the workplace poses one of the greatest intergenerational challenges facing HRD

E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

E-business - Essay Example Any form of internet based service comes with security issues. Anything online is accessible to every part of the world with an internet connection. Frauds do happen and can be hard to track immediately. This is one of the main factors which deter some people from using online banking. Users who are new to managing online accounts or are not familiar with the risks involved can be tricked pretty easily. Hackers are always on the prowl for that careless internet user to steal information from. The advances in technology over the years have developed several forms of security features. However an equivalent number of hacking techniques have shown up as well. Emails are the easiest way to access users and ask them for their account information, while posing as banking personnel. This is termed as phishing and works pretty easily on those who are not aware of it. History has shown hackers to break into different kinds of confidential accounts. The security of online banking websites does fall short in this regard. However it is decent enough to provide a certain standard of protection if the user takes some personal measures as well. Every online account is password protected. Users should be encouraged to choose passwords which are complex enough. Using combinations of characters should be enforced while passwords with obvious words should be rejected completely. Using more the one password for each transaction, application of digital signatures for authentication and a combination of both are some techniques that are being used nowadays. A basic research on the bank’s web based security features will reveal how safe your money is. If their website does not have an SSL security built into every page, or allows an easy access to your personal information without multiple stages of authentication or has an option for easy password access, it is better to use traditional banking methods. The legitimacy of all operations co-ordinated by

Industrial standard Syringe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industrial standard Syringe - Essay Example The present paper deals with a syringe’s low Reynolds number flow. This scenario presents itself in the slow regulated intravenous fusion of drugs and fluids in laboratories or hospitals. For instance, in indicator-dilution experiments, the common values for the Reynolds number are Re= 0.07 (50cc syringe at 1cc/min or Re= 0.015(10cc syringe at 0.1 cc/min). A calibrated infusion pump is often used in maintaining the rates of infusion at constants. In figure 1 the plunger is moving to the left in a cylinder; fluid is pumped through a hollow needle of a diameter that is often less than 3% of the cylinder’s diameter. Because of the geometry the fluid dynamics can be divided into 2 parts: the flow in the needle and the flow in the cylinder. Dagan, Weinbaum and Pfeffer [1] solved the flow in the needle (orifice). They concluded that the velocity profile is mostly Poiseuille, with end effects maintained at a length of just  ¼ the diameter of the needle. In the sections that follow we will examine the cylinder region, with the needle hole estimated by a sink. x’s partial differentiation is numerically solved using finite difference techniques, which result in an estimation for x at every grid point. In the middle way from all borders, standard difference equations are applied in the estimation of the partial derivatives. Close to the borders, multiple standard equations are required. These new difference equations, using both partials and values of x on the borders, were derived via the symbolic manipulation package, SMP. All the finite difference estimations applied are provided in Appendix A. The finite difference estimation produces results in a linear system of equations Ax = b, with dimension being 2500 for a basic 50 x 50 grid. Due to the fact that the boundary conditions are asymmetric and difference equations using known derivatives are used, the coefficient matrix A is

Reflective Report on Mega Simulation Game

Reflective Report on Mega Simulation Game EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report is about a 12-week critical evaluation about my experience of the Mega Simulation Game that I was to execute with other four group members. The exercise requires identifying the primary reflective theories that will be used for reflective learning. In my case, I used Lawrence-Wilkes REFLECT and Gibbs Reflective Model. I used these two models to enumerate on two incidences in the group work experience, which were related to interpersonal dynamics, and personal performance in-group work. The interpersonal dynamics such as personality clashes, different cultural values, and personal interests acted as a hindrance to communication and collaboration. However, the commitment of the team was very high and this kept the team going. The second incidence was on personal performance where the group leveraged on individual strengths and delegated tasks. The delegation of tasks was fruitful but the end product was not due to personal interests overriding the group interests. I learnt t he need for effective communication, the power of leadership and the need to accommodate varied opinions. Introduction Reflection has numerous meaning that includes self-review, self-awareness, self-criticism, self-appraisal, self-assessment, personal cognizance and other terms that are related to these terms. Boyd and Fales (1983) defined reflection learning as the process of externally examining and exploring an issue of concern, triggered by an experience, which creates and clarifies meaning in terms of self and which results in a changed conceptual perceptive. The definition brings out key important issues in reflective learning: there needs to be an issue that is examined, meaning of the issue must be derived and lastly the meaning should improve the perspective of the individual in a similar situation in the future. In this reflection paper, I will pursue two types of reflection: interpersonal dynamics and performance of the members of the groups. Teamwork is used everywhere from class settings to organizations and even communities to accomplish tasks that require collaboration, brainstorming and synergy. The primary objective of a team is delegation of responsibility and development of a proper plan for the completion of a goal (Hughes and Jones, 2011). The interpersonal dynamics is about how people use nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language to complement verbal communication in on-on-one interactions. The reason I decided to discuss interpersonal dynamics is because I saw the group as a cross-functional one rather than a functional one. The reasons I think the group was cross-functional was that all the members in the group were specializing on different careers and also we had never worked together as a team. The simulation game was a onetime project where the group would be dissolved after its completion. Parker (2015) noted that cross functional teams were more susceptible to interpersonal barriers such as cultural biases, work styles, turf wars, conflicts, lack of trust, and differing priorities. Some of these things played out during our game simulation task. The second area that I am going to explore is performance of members in the group. I felt this is an area worthy of exploitation as the different members had a different level of performance towards contributing to the success of the group. It is impossible to separate team performance from individual performance because the former depends on the latter. Individual standards comprise of the performance expectations that each team member expresses as personal pressure to achieve (Larson and LaFasto, 1999). I specifically noted that I put a lot of effort together with another member in the teamwork, which stimulated others to perform better, but sometimes it was not sufficient enough to reach our desired goals. I will employ the Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) and Lawrence-Wilkes REFLECT model (2014) to critically reflect on the two MSG experiences. I used Gibbs reflective model because it is a simple model to use and provides questions that I have to answer in a particular order. Just like the Gibbs model, Lawrence-Wilkes REFLECT model uses a simple concept of reflection making it easy for the user to apply it. The model uses a bacronym (an acronym devised in reverse to fit a word) on the word REFLECT. I will not be using the Honey and Munfords learning style as it is too simplistic in its steps to allow me to critically reflect on my experiences. Gibbs reflective model is a useful tool in reflection as it provides critical phases of an experience from what one experienced to how they would make changes and respond better in subsequent events. The different phases include description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan. Below is the Gibbs reflective cycle with the relevant questions that need to be answered for each phase Figure 1 (Gibbs, 1988) Gibbs reflective model directly fits to the happenings of the group. In my reflection, I was first wondering why there was no sense of cohesion in the group when we started. The opinions were so diverse and the commitments were so dissimilar. I was feeling that personal priorities and interest were coming in the way of cooperative approach. Most of the group members, including I felt distraught and disillusioned by the progress of the group in the initial weeks due to the lack of organization and poor ranking. We did not have a leader who would inspire us through the disillusionment. In the Tuckmans stages, the group dwelled so much in the forming stage where the group members were getting to know each other and there was general socializing (Martin, 2006). Lawrence-Wilkes -REFLECT model (2014) comprises of steps that are almost similar to that of Gibbs reflective cycle but it goes to a deeper level to analyze elements such as strengths and weaknesses, reference to external checks, looking at the responsibilities and asking the what if question. The model examines more details that not only assist in reviewing past experiences but also learning from them and integrating new ideas to enable change. The model requires reviewing of experiences from both objective and subjective angles. Below is the REFLECT barconym used in the model. Table 1 (Lawrence-Wilkes and Ashmore, 2014)   Ã‚   Lawrence-Wilkes REFLECT model of Reflective Practice R 1. Reflect Look back, review and ensure intense experiences are reviewed cold (subjective and objective). E 2. Evaluate What happened? What was important? (Subjective and objective) F 3. Focus Who, what, where, etc. Roles, responsibilities, etc. (Mostly objective) L 4. Learn Question: why, reasons, perspectives, feelings? Refer to external checks. (Subjective and objective) E 5. Evaluate Causes, outcomes, strengths, weaknesses, feelings use metacognition. (Subjective and objective) C 6. Consider Assess options, need/possibilities for change? Development needs? What if? scenarios? Refer to external checks. (Mostly objective) T 7. Trial Integrate new ideas, experiment, take action, and make change. (Repeat cycle: Recall) Incident 1: My group was comprised of five members that are evidently from different cultural backgrounds and also hold diverse views and values. I noticed due to the diversity in the group, there was no effective communication and there were issues when it came to sense of responsibility.   The first incident was our groups inability to operate cohesively due to differences in personality and cultural values. My previous encounter with the topic of diversity is that it (diversity) can lead to team effectiveness and innovation (West, 2012). But on the contrary, the initial weeks of our groups was faced with communication challenges as we worked together. Initially, I thought that the reason for the incongruity was that the exercise was new to everyone and no one had substantive information on how to go about the exercise. Everyone in the group was in constant search of what is expected of the exercise. The disappointment was evident in week 3 due to the poor ranking, which left everyone demotivated. Waller, Gupta and Giambatista (2004) noted that lack of effective communication leads to deviation from attaining team goals. We got confused on what were our desired goals. Despite the miscommunication, the group was able to function as there were elements that were consistent with structuration theory on how groups use rules and resources to form its structure (Frey, Gouran and Poole, 1999). Our group was held together by the weekly meeting that were mandatory and I believe were it not for the rules, the team functioning would have been impaired. I must applaud my group because irrespective of the communication barriers, the group was able to hold on and try to overcome these barriers. The attendance of the meetings was satisfactory as there was minimal absenteeism, which was accompanied by apologies and genuine reasons such as illness or class time. In my assessment, the general theme of the group according to Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was feelers instead if thinkers. Feelers judge situations based on feelings or emotions while thinkers judge situations based on logical analysis (Quenk, 2013). Most of the choices that were made such as marketing for image cars were based on personal emotions, which lead to disregard of facts and information. I must admit despite the personality clash in the group; all the group members were committed to accomplishing the task successfully. The commitment even inspired us on meeting twice a week to try and better our ranking and get a better grip of the whole game simulation concept. Personally, I was not thinking about how to bridge the miscommunication gap or clashing personalities but on the task at hand and this was also the general trend in the group. Even up to the end of the exercise in the 12th week, we communicated but we never did so effectively. The ranking of the group improved over time even though it did not reach the desired goal. Upon critical review at the end of the exercise, I could only make sense of the group performance through the self-organization theory. The theory postulates that order can arise from a disordered system due to interactions of distinct parts of the system. The incidence on interpersonal dynamics, especially the personality clashes and miscommunication between the group members, helped me to develop transferable skills to do with closing ranks when it comes to personality and cultural differences. The group would have attained a better rank if we resolved the disillusionment in the early stages of teaming as this would have gone a long way in working harmoniously (Searle and Swartz, 2015). I also saw the fruits of commitment as the members were able to perform regardless of the cohesion problems. Incident 2 The second incident was related to the individual performances and their contribution to the overall group performance. Personally, I believe am a natural leader who takes the mantle of leadership in any situation. I believe that one does not need to be appointed formally to take the leadership role but can take the steering wheel from any position. I subscribe to the relationship-oriented leadership model where the leader is more focused on the human resources than the task at hand. I would motivate the members of the group by telling them how the assignment was important and how we should all be committed towards improving our ranking. The group needed a small dose of external motivation to keep them going and energized (Beagle, 2012). When I was motivating and inspiring the team, I found the motivator in me, which was essential in keeping myself going and also the group. I noticed that a team produced synergy and a better output than an individual but it is the latter that contributes to the results of the former. Despite the shaky start, we realized that we need to use our individual strengths for team success (Graham et al., 2012). At different points of the assignment, we had to assign and delegate duties and cover ground on the different actions that needed to be taken. We tried to leverage on the strengths of the individual members as much as possible. The use of individual strengths to delegate tasks did not work effectively as I expected as the third phase of Fishers Theory of Decision Emergence was not adhered to. The third phase is the emergence phase where an individual needs to soften on their stance and let the interest of the team prevail over personal interests (Littlejohn, Foss and Oetzel, 2016). In some situations, we had to go with individual opinions instead of consensus, which did not work well for the team. In the future, I would advocate for more compromise and consensus instead of personal opinions as the latter risks being biased and non-inclusive. I learnt that anyone can be a situational leader if they wanted to make a difference amidst uncertainty and anyone can lead from any position (Alizor, 2013).   I saw the importance of delegating duties as it covered more ground but it needs better coordination to achieve a common goal. I believe my strength and individual contribution was leadership and motivation. Conclusion I appreciate the experience as it was an eye-opener especially on different aspects of group tasks. I understood how group dynamics can work against the success of a team and they need to be identified and dealt with at the early stages of an assignment.   For instance, team members need to understand each others values and culture, and accommodate them. Understanding each other is the first step of breaking the communication barrier. I appreciated the importance of effective communication, which our group lacked, eventually leading to poor coordination and cooperation. I must admit that the strength of our group lied in commitment more than anything else. After communication, personal interest was the other weakness. I learnt the need to let other team members speak their mind, brainstorming and softening individual stance for the good of the team. I was a culprit myself of holding strong stances, sometimes unconsciously, on some of the issues. Looking back at the exercise, I acknowledge that for better interpersonal reactions, the parties need self-awareness. Lastly, I appreciated the power of leadership in motivating and inspiring team members towards tasks accomplishment. References      Ã‚   Alizor, J. (2013). Leadership: Understanding Theory, Style, Practice: Things You Need to Know about Leading an Organization. 1st ed. Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press. Beagle, M. (2012). The Rock: Motivational Leadership: A Leaders Perspective On Inspiring Others While Finding the Motivator in You. 1st ed. Bloomington: iUniverse, Inc. Boyd, E. and Fales, A. (1983). Reflective Learning: Key to Learning from Experience. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23(2), pp.99-117. Frey, L., Gouran, D. and Poole, M. (1999). The handbook of group communication theory and research. 1st ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. 1st ed. [London]: FEU. Graham, S., Emery, S., Hall, R., Blanchard, K., Huntsman, J., Lennick, D., Kiel, F. and Jordan, K. (2012). Leading Teams with Integrity: Advice from Leadership Experts. 1st ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press. Hughes, R. and Jones, S. (2011). Developing and assessing college student teamwork skills. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2011(149), pp.53-64. Larson, C. and LaFasto, F. (1999). Teamwork. 1st ed. Newbury Park (Calif.): Sage Publ. Lawrence-Wilkes, L. and Ashmore, L. (2014). The reflective practitioner in professional education. 1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Littlejohn, S., Foss, K. and Oetzel, J. (2016). Theories of Human Communication. 11th ed. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. Martin, B. (2006). Outdoor leadership: Theory and Practice. 1st ed. Windsor, ON: Human Kinetics. Parker, G. (2015). Cross- Functional Teams: Working with Allies, Enemies, and Other Strangers. 1st ed. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass. Quenk, N. (2013). Essentials of myers-briggs type indicator assessment. 1st ed. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Searle, M. and Swartz, M. (2015). Teacher Teamwork: How do we make it work?. 1st ed. New York: Association for Supervision Curriculum Development. Waller, M., Gupta, N. and Giambatista, R. (2004). Effects of Adaptive Behaviors and Shared Mental Models on Control Crew Performance. Management Science, 50(11), pp.1534-1544. West, M. (2012). Effective Teamwork: Practical Lessons from Organizational Research. 1st ed. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons. Theories Used 1. Gibbs Reflective Model (1988) 2. Lawrence Wilkes REFLECTION (2014) 3. Tuckman Stages of Group Development (1965) 4. Structuration Theory 5. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (1956) 6. Self-Organization Theory 7. Relationship-Oriented Leadership Model 8. Situational Leadership Model 9. Fishers Theory of Decision Emergence Appendices Logbook Week No./date of meeting(s) Action point(s) Team member/time of arrival/leave Potentially areas that every member worked on State of team / work in progress Week 2 (3th October 2016) Get all members of group together and sign learning contract Structuring what must be done for next meeting a)George Iashvili -11am b)Claudia Borges-11am c)Carlos Chalhoub-11am d)Cagri Ozecoglu-11am e) Ilya Ignatov-11am (All left same time as class was finished) There was no game simulation this week so no work to be done as a group yet Learning Contract signed and we got all group members now. Week 3-First Meeting on Gaming Simulation (14 October 2016) 1.Speak about steps we needed to take for the game and whether we all watched the video and read the game manual. 2.Start to look at game excel sheet. 3.Making sure all members had put their name in the game simulation. a)George Iashvili-1pm b)Claudia Borges-1pm c)Carlos Chalhoub-1pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-1pm e) Ilya Ignatov-1pm -All members that attended looked at each section of the decision sheet together and made decisions as a group. Task completed-all the members looked at the decision document and discussed on WhatsApp what steps to take as well as what we needed to do in the next meeting, which was to figure out a more accurate strategy and approach. At this point we still didnt know how to play the game properly. Some group members still not giving suggestions on the decisions. Some members still not contributing. Week 3-Second Meeting on Gaming Simulation (17 October 2016) 1.Make sure we all knew how to fill in the decision document. 2. Conclude on what car we wanted. 2.Fill in decision document. 3.Submit the decision   document. a)George Iashvili -Didnt Attend, sick on day of meeting. b) Claudia Borges-Didnt Attend, informed group could attend due to having lesson c)Carlos Chalhoub-12:30 d)Cagri Ozecoglu-12:30 e) Ilya Ignatov-did not attend, could not attend due to having lesson too. -Claudia filled in some of the document and sent an email to the rest of the group. The members who attended all worked through the rest of the decision document together. -The group had little to no strategy in mind as we did not know the specifics on how to play the game properly yet. The group tried using common sense and logic as we hadnt known that the information was available on the mega learning website. Feeling disappointed with the result that we got for last week.However,we tried our best for the next decision to be better. Some group members go demotivated. Week 4(20/10/2016) 1.To look over everything and looked at the results of the last simulation game and analyse it. 2.We had the game reset this week 3.Try to make changes to the game in order to get better results. 4.To ensure the use of the information available on the mega learning website and blackboard on the consumer sensitivity and market growth, in order to configure a clear strategy. a)George Iashvili -13:00 b)Claudia Borges-13:00 c)Carlos Chalhoub-13:00 d)Cagri Ozecoglu-13:00 e) Ilya Ignatov-did not attend,but informed the group ahead of non-attendance. -We all looked through the decision document and made decisions on each section together as a group after thoroughly discussing everything. Also, we made sure we used the information available to us on consumer sensitivity, market growth and each decisions effect on budget. -We had a much better idea on how the game simulation works this week and used all the information given to us which made our decisions improve greatly. Also, almost the whole group was at the meeting which was very beneficial for the decision analysis and strategy direction that the group wanted to take. There was a clash in personalities which was affecting some decisions.There was a lot of miscommunication between the group. Week 5(27/10/2016) 1. We planned to keep to our strategy that we used in week 4 as it seemed to work. a)George Iashvili -11am b)Claudia Borges- did not attend c)Carlos Chalhoub-11am d)Cagri Ozecoglu-11am e) Ilya Ignatov-11am -All who attended analysed the decisions together as a group and made more aggressive decisions on many of the consumer behaviour sensitivity and prices of the sectors, which changed our strategy direction. -We couldnt keep to our strategy that we had in the previous week and the decisions made were too aggressive which gave us a low rank on the mega learning simulation. Some results and decisions that we made the week before worked and gave the game a good result so we kept them the same. Week 6 (3/11/2016) 1.Region 2 started this week So, we had to make sure to look at each section of the simulation game and try to increase our capacity of how many cars we can sell on region 1 and get much capacity for region 2.-Try to look at Eco-friendly cars and lower product appeal from the previous week because it was too high. 3.Look at marketing appeal for image cars higher and try focus on low cost and eco-friendly cars because the market growth is increasing in both these two sectors. a)George Iashvili -12:30am b)Claudia Borges-12:30am c)Carlos Chalhoub-12:30am d)Cagri Ozecoglu-12:30am e) Ilya Ignatov-12:30am -Claudia looked at filling how many models in range for each category, how many new parts needed and looking at price for the cars. -the rest of the group tried to focus on the action points so making sure that look at product appeal and which areas need the most product appeal, like eco-friendly was too high the previous week so to decrease that and -Focus on trying to get the EBIT down and capacity up and at the same time to make the best decisions for the simulations game based on last weeks results. -We now had a better understanding of how the game was worked and we starting to get better rankings now. Now we had a better understanding we   could do better for region 2. Week 7(8/11/2016) 1.Try to meet more as a group, have at least two meetings a week. 2.Try make sure we discuss the previous weeks results 3.Try to focus on eco-friendly and image sectors due to this these two sectors being the ones we are doing weak at the moment. 4.Try to look get product appeal up and again look at capacity for eco-friendly and image sector. Also, look at image cars due to sales revenue being so low in that sector and see what is happening and what is affecting for cars not to be selling. 5.Decrease low cost unit cost and family unit cost too. -Focus on region 1 as region 2 sales are good, however the sales for region 1 have gone down from last week. a)George Iashvili -14pm b)Claudia Borges-14pm c)Carlos Chalhoub-14pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-14pm e) Ilya Ignatov-14pm As a group, we tried to resolve our action points such as meeting more often, so timetables were sent of each of the members timetable so we could see which day would be the best to meet. Secondly, we looked at resolving our problem with image cars and why we were not selling as much cars as we could and found out this was due to capacity was low and tried to increase this for the next weeks decision. Thirdly, try to decrease the unit cost for low cost due to being too high and also for family the unit cost was too high as well so we decreased this too. Look over previous weeks results and compare to current week to see what is happening and what is going wrong in the eco-friendly and image sectors and why our capacity is not increasing. Achieved a good ranking for region 1, however region 2 ranking went down. Week 8(17/11/2016) 1.Focus on family cars sector because our sales have gone down a lot from previous weeks 2.Focus on image sector too because our capacity for region 1 is still low and for region 2 is too low and we need to try and increase this. 3.Discuss our results from previous week and what decisions need to be changed based on teachers feedback and our online results. a)George Iashvili -14pm b)Claudia Borges-14pm c)Carlos Chalhoub-14pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-14pm e) Ilya Ignatov-14pm -As a group we focused on looking at the capacity for the eco-friendly and image cars because it was really low and also tried to increase low cost cars capacity due to selling a lot of low cost cars each week, however not using all capacity. -Making sure that we kept some decisions the same such as low cost and family car unit prices. Week 9(24/11/2016) 1.Looking at previous weeks decisions as it was good result and there was a lot of increase for capacity for all regions 1 and 2 and sales revenue increased. So look at what decisions were made that got as to have such a good result. a)George Iashvili -14pm b)Claudia Borges-14pm c)Carlos Chalhoub-14pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-14pm e) Ilya Ignatov-14pm -As a team we made sure we went through each region 1 and 2 and made sure we looked at the engineering, how much we were investing in capacity and also HR and also looking at unit prices for each sector such as low cost and family prices. These two sector prices were too high and causing us to lose customers. Capacity was also a problem for our region 2 because we had less capacity for low cost cars and family and we tried our best to increase this and tried to keep our costs down. However, at the same time trying to fix our problem with eco-friendly and image cars due to the fact that no cars were being sold in that sector. -Making sure that we make investments into region 2 -Try to look at unit prices whether too high or low. Week 10(1/12/2016) 1.Make investments in region 2 2. Look at facilities for each car section and for each region 1 and 2 3.Look at prices for each section 4.Again try to increase capacity in each section. a)George Iashvili -Could not attend b)Claudia Borges-Could not attend c)Carlos Chalhoub-1pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-Could not attend e) Ilya Ignatov- Could not attend -Carlos looked at each section and saw what we could do to firstly increase the capacity. The sectors we tried to increase our capacity were low costs cars and family cars in region 1 and 2, and eco-friendly cars and image cars in region 2 due to the fact that the capacity was 0. Then Carlos sent a copy of the file by e-mail to everyone in the group to have a look at before we submitted. -We also made some investments in HR and capacity for region 2 -Increase Capacity -Look at eco-friendly and image cars sectors for regions two Week 11(8/12/2016) 1.Look at region 2 image cars and eco-friendly and see why no sales being made. 2.Again increase capacity for region 1 low cost and family cars and try to use all capacity available. a)George Iashvili -1pm b)Claudia Borges-1pm c)Carlos Chalhoub-1pm d)Cagri Ozecoglu-1pm e) Ilya Ignatov-1pm -As a group we discussed why we were having the problem in region 2 in the eco-friendly and image car sector. Due to the fact that for the last few weeks of decisions we have put invested in the HR department and also made others investments but despite this these two sectors did not make any sales. -We made a decision to sell off eco-friendly and image cars in region 2 and use the money to invest in region -Decision to sell off region 2 eco-friendly

Supporting Nuclear Energy as a Power Source :: essays research papers

Do you know that only fifty people have ever died from nuclear power plant related disasters? That’s more than the number of people that die from car crashes around the world each hour. Just because people die from driving doesn’t mean that we should doing that, so why should we not have nuclear power plants when only a small number of people died from them. The problem is that people over-exaggerate the negative parts of nuclear energy and use it to fuel the public’s fear of nuclear energy. For these reasons and more I support nuclear energy as a power source. First, nuclear energy has proven to be the most economical energy source. 15.5 grams of Uranium can produce as much energy as 1,400 tons of coal. Using nuclear power would also lower the cost of gas because there wouldn’t have to be as much oil burning power plants, so the demand of oil wouldn’t be as high. And, lastly, with nuclear energy we wouldn’t have to keep replacing the fuel because one rod of enriched Uranium can last as long as fifty years. Second, nuclear energy is one of the safest forms of energy. For starters, more people die each year from coal mining accidents and oil drilling separately than the number of people that have died from nuclear power plants. Next, for radiation exposure The Nuclear power industry contributes to far less than one percent of the average persons exposure. The rest of the radiation exposure comes from x-rays, medical waste, the radiation that is naturally given off by rocks, and numerous other sources. As for transporting the material to and from the sight, the containers that the material is shipped in are put through rigorous tests such as being able to survive a 2,000-foot fall onto a concrete surface and survive 30 minutes engulfed in 1,475-degree fire. So, safety wise, the nuclear energy industry is one of the safest. Lastly, nuclear power is one of the cleanest energy sources. Power plants that burn coal pollute the air and cause acid rain. Plants that burn oil force us to use large ships that sometimes spill the oil. Nuclear energy, on the other hand, doesn’t release any pollutants, and while shipping the radioactive material, there have been no accidents that have released any radiation into the air.

Career Goals and Learning Plan Paper

Career Goals and Learning Plan Paper I am a Grad student at the University of Pheonix pursuing a Masters Degree in Psychology. I have selected this particular field of study because I intend to become a Forensic Psychologist. Forensic Psychology involves applying psychology to the filed of criminal investigation and the law. I have an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and my major was Political Science and Philosophy. I worked as a Legal Assistant in a Law Firm for 8 years and obtained my Paralegal Certificate from Blackstone University in Dallas, Texas. I have spent many long hours in courtrooms and find it fascinating. I have interest in the criminal mind, as well as the rehabilitation of criminals. What is Forensic Psychology Forensic Psychologists examine methods, theories and processes within the criminal, legal and civil justice systems, and also look at and apply psychological theory to a crime or criminal investigation as well as look at criminal behavior. They look at the psychological problems associated with that and fair treatment of criminals including rehabilitation. Specifically they look at the assessment and treatment of offenders. One particular area that interests me focuses around risk assessment with offenders and making decisions as to whether or not they are suitable for re-integration. Career Goals My goals are ambitious, and study at the University of Pheonix will propel me towards achieving them. Goal setting is an important part of the career planning process. At this point I will start with dedicating myself to doing well in my current classes. Procrastination is a problem for me and I have to deal with it. I have a full time job and a two year old baby so it is important for me to use my time wisely. I plan to spend 1 – 11/2 hours per day reading and being active in the discussion portion of my class. â€Å"Get Time On Your Side† by Jennifer Nichols was helpful to me. Several points which I intend to follow include; writing stuff down, tuning out distractions, talking to my professor, and making good use of my daytime hours. Nichols) Dr. Ferrari, Professor of Psychology at DePaul University indicates that â€Å"academic procrastinators tend to lack self-confidence†¦lie low during group assignments. † (Hoover 2) I was delighted to find that he even has an online discussion group which centers on chronic procrastination! Furthermore, I must deal with stress in an effectual manner. Being a graduate student will demand a commitment, but out of the stress-filled times I am hoping will come tremendous p ersonal growth. I alleviate my stress with exercise and try to get at least 30 minutes of strenuous workout per day. The degree that I am working on will help me to achieve my goals. First, the counselor that I am working with has been extraordinary and is available to me most hours during the day. He has directed me to becoming acclimated to the online learning system. Second, my advisor has put together my schedule which consists of 39 credits and all classes that will be informative and beneficial to becoming a Forensic Psychologist. Occupational Outlook Handbook According to the Bureau and Labor and Statistics Occupational Handbook, Forensic Psychologists use psychological principles in the legal and criminal justice fields. Significant points include: â€Å"34% of psychologists are self-employed, mainly as private practitioners and independent consultants. † Furthermore â€Å"job opportunities should be the best for those with a doctoral degree in a subfield such as health†¦those with a bachelor’s degree will have limited prospects. † This information did not surprise me. It is a very a very competitive field which sort of excites me. A positive point is that employment is expected to grow 12% from 2008 to 2018 because of increased demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, social service agencies, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment clinics, consulting firms and private companies. I have a second interest with respect to my future career path and that would be to work in a substance abuse treatment center. Since I have not studied many psychology classes I am going to wait to make my decision. Multiple Pathways to Learning Test I completed the Multiple Pathways to Learning test in Chapter 2 of Keys for College Studying. The test aims to help me to identify a learning style so that I may choose study strategies and pursue learning goals. The assessment helps determine the levels to which ones eight intelligences are developed. (Center, Bishops, Kravitz) Howard Gardner is the one who developed the test and he believes â€Å"that the way you learn is a unique blend of intelligences resulting from your distinctive abilities, challenges, experiences and training. (Center, Bishops, Kravitz) The results indicate that I have highly developed verbal-linguistic, musical, interpersonal, and logical-mathematical intelligence. In sum I communicate well, have music sensitivity, communicate with others well and understand logical reasoning. This indicates to me that I will work well in groups, and maybe would do well studying with music. I especially like Classical music. The Personalit y Spectrum Assessment Personality assessments help you to understand how you respond to the world around you; which includes information, thoughts, feelings, people, and events. The Personality Spectrum Assessment adapts and simplifies this material into four personality types; Thinker, Organizer, Giver and Adventurer and was developed by Joyce Bishop. (Keys for College Studying). The results of my test indicate that I am inclined to be a ,â€Å"Giver. † Giver traits include honesty, authenticity, successful close relationships, and others, but more important; I am inclined to so well if I study with others, teach material to others, seek out tasks, groups, and subjects that involve helping people and put energy into my most important relationships. I find the handbook to be very informative. I will follow advice from the author(s) with respect to playing to my strengths. Even though I will be studying and reading alone in my classes at the University, we will have Learning Teams which will work nicely with my â€Å"Giver† personality. I am very eager to begin Psychology Courses at the University of Pheonix. I am going to have to be focused and dedicated to my studies and schoolwork. In the long run I hope that this determination will give me the ability to find a position or career and work environment that suits me.

AIDS in Africa essays

AIDS in Africa essays Seventy-four percent of the AIDS population is found in Africa. One in ten adults living in Africa is now infected with HIV, and in certain places in southern Africa, at least one in four adults are infected. Not only does AIDS affect the immediate victims, but in Africa, it frequently is passed on to the children. An estimated 1,700 new infections occur each day. The infection rates among newborns are high. Furthermore, AIDS orphans many children. Rape victims have a high risk of testing positive for HIV, which is especially sad for a country where such a crime is widespread. Even in mutual relationships, the females often would like to use a sort of protection; well males do not wish to do so. When a female condom was available in a few parts of Africa, they disappeared in frenzy. Many problems contribute to poor conditions, and subsequently, AIDS is a problem for every one of Africas citizens. (MSNBC) For a while, part of the problem was lack of education, but programs such as the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (a charity dedicated to raising money for AIDS vaccine research, patenting the rights and distributing the vaccine at low cost) are currently working on improving that. IAVI is dedicated to trying to implement programs that will be able to distribute the AIDS vaccine as soon as one is found. The worry that access to treatment may not be available quickly where it is most needed is founded in past experiences. For instance, the Hepatitis B vaccine, which was first patented in the early 1980s, is still not available in many poor countries. Therefore, many believe that an AIDS vaccine will sooner protect people in rich countries than those where the epidemic is becoming totally out of control. With current vaccine research employing expensive new technologies, initial prices of new vaccines against AIDS may be significantly higher than those for Hepatitis B. If those lower cost drugs are not...

Entendiendo la Forma Superlativa en Ingls

Entendiendo la Forma Superlativa en Ingls A continuacià ³n se muestra cà ³mo construir la forma superlativa en inglà ©s: Adjetivos de una Slaba Ponga un the antes del adjetivo y agregue -est al final deà ± adjetivo (Nota: duplique la consonante final si es precedida por una vocal) Ejemplos: cheap - the cheapest / hot - the hottest / high - the highest Ejemplos: Today is the hottest day of the summer.This book is the cheapest I can find. Adjetivos de Dos, Tres o Ms Slabas Ponga the most antes del adjetivo Ejemplos: interesting - the most interesting / difficult - the most difficult Ejemplos: London is the most expensive city in England.That is the most beautiful painting here. Adjetivos de Dos Slabas que Terminan en -y Ponga the antes del adjetivo, quite la y del adjetivo y aà ±ada iest. Ejemplos: happy - the happiest / funny - the funniest Ejemplos: New York is the noisiest city in the USA.He is the most important person I know. EXCEPCIONES IMPORTANTES Existen algunas excepciones importantes a estas reglas. A continuacià ³n hay dos de las excepciones ms importantes: Good good - adjectivethe best - superlative Ejemplos: Peter is the best golf player in the school.This is the best school in the city. Bad bad - adjectivethe worst - superlative Ejemplos: Jane is the worst student in the class.This is the worst day of my life. Pruebe su conocimiento con esta breve prueba.

Make any topic pls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Make any topic pls - Essay Example In this post modern time, when one is showing his discomfort in news of Taliban’s imposed restrictions on girls in Afghanistan, no one expects even something least to happen in a country like US, a proclaimed leader of democracy. Despite of difference in gender, the uniqueness stands above. We all are born as human beings notwithstanding the sex. The difference is for the totality of human being. It should not be a measure in rewarding rights. The qualities of both male and fair sex may vary but none stands ahead. Both are the best in their own. The women in this egalitarian period of time have come up to forefront standing along with their male counterparts in almost all the fields. They have shared better parts in most adventurous and risky situations from combat war field to a journey to the space. Nothing holds the modern girl from involving into what a decade back thought to be unattainable by fair sex. A fair number of countries came up with a decision to include women in the armed forces across the world. And given the chances, they have proved their ability to achieve nothing lesser to their male counterparts could

Relationship between education and health status Research Paper

Relationship between education and health status - Research Paper Example The study, of the relationship between education and the health status, is crucial since lifestyle related diseases are becoming increasingly rampant and can only be controlled if people are well educated on the same. When people speak of health status and education, it may not be obvious as to which form of education they are referring. It could be that they mean the formal education offered in schools, or the informal education offered concerning health and general wellbeing. This paper seeks to explain the relationship between education and health status of individuals. Fayissa et al (2011) explain that the relationship between health status and education is a two-way process. This, they explain, means that changes in the education quality and level of an individual affects the health status the same way the health status affects the level and quality of education. According to Fayissa et al (2011), poor health status has serious negative effects on the education of an individual. An appropriate illustration, they say, is the fact that an individual infected with such serious diseases as HIV and AIDS do not have the motivation to acquire education. This was established by a study carried out by Cutler and Lleras-Muney (2007). The study, carried out among college-age students, indicated that those with little or no education are less concerned about their health status. It was, however, concluded that in considering the effect of education on health status and vice versa, other aspect had to be taken into serious consideration. For example, such fac tors as the economic status of the family from which the individuals came from mattered a lot. An individual could be uneducated, but since they were financially stable and could afford to pay for insurance covers, they took more precaution and were so much concerned about their health. According to Cutler and Lleras-Muney (2007), the relationship between education and health

The Marginalists Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Marginalists - Term Paper Example This means that excess demand or supply in one market would be offset by another in a different market. The same phenomenon holds for the state of disequilibrium such that all markets exist at disequilibrium simultaneously. In his approach of returns to scale, Marshall noted that a firm’s productivity increase more proportionately in the short run. This occurs because of effects of specialization of labor and existence of fixed costs. In the long run, a firm experiences a proportionate increase in productivity since the fixed costs are exhausted and that the firm can no longer benefit from specialization (Canterbery 135). It is vital to note that when a firm is harnessing economies of scale, it reaches its minimum effect scale at a level that other firms cannot harness over a short period thereby causing monopoly. Clark’s arguments rest on the productive capacity of the last unit of capital. In this sense, heterogonous capital goods have a form as homogenous goods (Canterbery 127). The productivity of the last homogenous quantity determines the profit. This differed from the Karl’s view of heterogonous goods as determination of profits. The criticism of this theory regards the fact that Clark present production units as abstract concepts that do not unify to influence

Apex Investment Essay Example for Free

Apex Investment Essay AccessLine’s initial financing came in the form of strategic alliances. In 1989, McCaw Cellular Communication invested in AccessLine, providing a considerable amount of their intial capital. This funding secured the strategic partnership between AccessLine and McCaw Cellular. This launched further alliances between AccessLine and other phone company carriers, in which AccessLine granted them an exclusive franchise in the market for a set fee. The carriers were permitted to market AccessLine’s service under their own company name. AccessLine also developed partnerships with equipment manufacturers such as Stratus Computer and Motorola, also providing them with a franchise in exchange for funding. However AccessLine’s growth prompted the need for larger investments. Thus, in 1994, AccessLine diversified their financing to professional equity investors. Providing funding worth $15. 5 million, AccessLine’s CFO Bill Stuart, and Morgan Stanley’s Bill Brady executed the transaction, involving the private placement from five investors. Such a strategy was chosen due to AccessLine’s lack of capital in the initial stages of AccessLine’s establishment. AccessLine was not lacking in management or technology and thus was not in need of a venture capitalist in its early stages to control the company or provide the company with expertise or administration. Private investors, such as McCaw Cellular Communications, were more appropriate for AccessLine in that they provided the necessary funding without coercing AccessLine to forsake control of the company. McCaw also provided both clientele and investments. AccessLine’s lack of experience from mergers and acquisitions forced them to eventually turn to venture capitalists in 1994, a time when their strategy had changed. The venture capitalists could help in evaluating a target company through their experience in purchasing and selling businesses. The funds from Apex Investment Partners would serve beneficially for AccessLine because of their vast knowledge and experience in the industry. George Middlemas and Rick Bolander, both of whom had joined Apex in the early 90’s, had had previous experiences working in the telecommunications industry and racked up an extensive list of contacts in the industry. Thus, Apex would eventually prove to be a profitable investment for AccessLine.

VarPhen: Web Based Tool for Genotype-phenotype Association

VarPhen: Web Based Tool for Genotype-phenotype Association Elsayed Hegazy1, Mahmoud Elhefnawi1, 2 1Nile University, Giza, 12588, Egypt. 2National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt. Abstract Personalized medicine and the highly attention of next generation sequencing increase the demand of turning the genotype data into meaningful phenotype data. VarPhen is a web based tool used to do such thing. Its written in C# code its based on using RefSeq SNPs ID as a genotype to retrieve the relevant phenotype. VarPhen use ClinVar database as the source of clinical information and phenotypes relevant to specific variant. Introduction Next generation sequencing workflows and pipelines is now available for analyze all row data from quality control and mapping to variant calling but very few tools deals with vcf file to interpret to generate a meaningful reports with the common and rare diseases. One of the biggest servers regarding this issue is ClinVar (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/) which provides a freely available archive of the relationships among medically important variants and phenotypes. ClinVar is a huge database for reporting human variation, interpretations of the relationship of that variation to human health and the evidence supporting each interpretation. The database is tightly coupled with dbSNP and dbVar, which maintain information about the location of variation on human assemblies. ClinVar is also based on the phenotypic descriptions maintained in MedGen (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/medgen). Each ClinVar record represents the submitter, the variation and the phenotype. The demand of vcf interpretation to valuable knowledge and phenotype increased day by day with the increasing of personal genome demand day by day. Here we will develop web based application that able to connect to CinVar and retrieve diseases associated with each variant listed in vcf file or sample. Availability and implementation VarPhen available for use on http://www.varphen.com as a web based tool written in ASP.Net with C# code behind using NCBI Database ClinVar API as a source of phenotypes. Review of literature Knowledge is more valuable when shared. By contributing these tools to the big spectrum which is the research community and healthcare as industry, we want to increase the quality and accuracy of genetic data analysis and interpretation available to all patients, physicians and researchers. OpenSNP is a Crowdsourced Web Resource for Personal Genomics. Its based on collecting users or patients vcf files from different sources like 23andme and decodeme plus the normal vcf file then detect variants and all relevant phenotypes. CLINVITAE is a clinically observation database uses the genetic variants aggregated from public sources. It is operated and made freely available by INVITAE which is a service like ClinVar. To make CLINVITAE as informative as possible, CLINVITAE aggregate the data from multiple public databases. CLINVITAE long term goal is to facilitate the search for clinically interpreted variants by creating a single unified resource for all interpretation results. CLINVITAE want physicians and researchers to save their time when comparing variants across multiple platforms and resources, and fully utilize the available data. GWAS Central or the Human Genome Variation database of Genotype-to-Phenotype information which is a database of summary level findings from genetic association studies, both large and small. GWAS actively gather datasets from public domain projects, and encourage direct data submission from the community improving the quality and accuracy of interpretation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful at identifying some of the variation in traits attributable to genetics. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has begun aggregating results of association studies into a master GWAS catalog. Also, INTERPRETOME is a freely available and secure personal genome interpretation engine analyze vcf file into valuable knowledge for diseases from GWAS. Another database from the big company QIAGEN is The Human Gene Mutation Database represents a good trial to collect the known published gene lesions responsible for human inherited disease. Also, The Diagnostic Mutation Database (DMuDB) is a secure repository of clinical quality variant data collected from diagnostic genetics laboratories. Access to DMuDB is available by annual laboratory subscription, and must be for diagnostic purposes only. Many of databases and tools do such analysis or job but very few tools and databases are freely available or accessible by programming inside your application. Aim Developing web based application for transforming variants from vcf into knowledge by identifying which variant pathogenic and what is the associated diseases with that variant. Methods Technically this web based tool developed straight forward by using one of the most powerful web technologies which is ASP.Net web forms with C Sharp back end code. User asked to upload vcf file then file processing done by manipulating file to discard vcf header and start reading vcf data after the header. After that VarPhen only read the third column which represent the RefSeq of the variant as ClinVar input. Also VarPhen detect if the SNP is novel or not this improve the tool performance because if VarPhen found a novel variant so there no web request created to ClinVar but if the variant not novel so VarPhen create a web request to ClinVar asking for full listed information associated with this variant. After the web request processed ClinVar web response retrieved by VarPhen as XML file. VarPhen start to parse and analyze the resulted XML file. Manipulation of XML file target is extracting the phenotypes which associated with the variant of interest. VarPhen uses C# data structu re Queue which help also to improve the performance of the VarPhen web requests to ClinVar API because its based on the concept of First in first served first out. All phenotypes saved in another C# data structure which is the List data structure as a series of strings. After that its the turn of the presentation layer by populating ASP.Net grid view by the list of phenotypes as a table in the user interface. Figure 1- VarPhen flowchart Figure 1 shows the flowchart of VarPhen tool as it indicated its start with vcf file the check if variant is novel or not. No web request created in case of variant novel. API calling starts only with known variants to retrieve the XML file containing the phenotype data. Conclusion VarPhen is one of the easiest ways to know what phenotypes associated with a specific vcf file is. VarPhen target users with no programming experience. No registration required to use it. So simple by its user friendly interface. Renewable Energy in the UK: Government Role Renewable Energy in the UK: Government Role UK Renewable Energy: Electricity Generation and the governments role in driving CO2 reductions. Business Management EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This dissertation will mainly concentrate on UKs efforts to increase renewables contribution to electricity generation in the UK, which are part of a broader range of government strategies to reduce CO2 to meet global concerns and international obligations. It will also examine the forces driving the development of renewable energy market in the UK, as well as the overview of the governments role in driving CO2 reductions. The governments strategy on renewables includes several different elements, each attacking the problem from a different angle: mandatory regulation, information and education, technology RD support, and establishment of market-based mechanisms. The main findings presented will be based mainly on the literature review, expert opinions and future forecasts. A review of recent literature on this topic highlights the risk of failure due to failure of coordination among the many initiatives and government bodies involved, and the dangers of insufficient data in measuring progress. Also, they reveal the practical limitations of reliance on renewable to fulfill future electricity generation needs. The first part of the main analysis will provide an overview of the renewable energy market in the UK; it will include a summary of the current renewable energy policy and the main instruments which act as a driving forces for the development of renewables in the UK, as well as electricity market overview; second part would specifically concentrate on evaluation of whether the policies and targets set by government are efficient and achievable, the conclusion will summarize the findings and elaborate on future prospects for the renewable energy market in the UK. The available data indicates that the UK is already falling behind on its original plans for the uptake of renewable. However, government policy suggests growing awareness of the limitations of most renewables; and a consequent shift in focus away from renewables towards easier ‘bigger solutions such as nuclear power and carbon sequestration for coal-fired power stations. CHAPTER 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION A sustainable energy future is possible, but only if we act urgently and decisively to promote, develop and deploy a full mix of energy technologies We have the means, now we need the will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Claude Mandil, International Energy Agency (IEA) In the 21st century, there has been a significant increase in energy demand due to factors such as population growth and changes in our lifestyle. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) today 86.5 % of total worldwide energy consumption is generated from fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal; which are said to be non-renewable, and are the main cause for increase in green house gases and carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2007, rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are the primary cause of global warming since 1950, and are expected to rise due to ongoing burning of fossil fuels and land-use change. As the worlds fossil fuels continue to diminish at an alarming rate, and global energy demand is forecasted to increase by 60% over the next 25 years (G8 Summit, 2005), alternative forms of energy must be developed that are economically cost effective, environmentally friendly, and easily harness ed. The development of renewable energy sources as a solution to these problems is expected to play a major role in the future energy supply and has developed a considerable interest within national government policies, environmental groups and the private sector. The term ‘renewable energy can be defined as â€Å"energy that is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly† (Energy Statistics, 2004). The renewable energy sources are also covered by Europes climate change and energy policy. In March 2007, the European Council set a target of 20 percent of the total EU energy consumption to be generated from renewables by 2020. The policy also commits the EU Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and by 30 percent globally (The EC White Paper, 2007 (BERR)). According to BERR renewable energy is an integral part of the UK Governments longer-term aim of reducing CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050. The Government has set targets of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010 and 10% of electricity supply from renewable energy by 2010 (Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2007). This raises the main questions addressed in this dissertation: Can the UK expect to meet and exceed the existing targets? What measure will be required to realize this potential and to encourage further investment in renewables? Despite the fact that renewables are seen by many policy-makers as a solution for improving energy security and saving the environment, there is still some uncertainty whether renewables could compete with conventional energy sources. Supportive policies and heavy investments are still needed to promote further development and deployment of renewables in energy markets. The establishment of new renewable energy technologies and their efficiency will depend on the costs and effectiveness. As a result, in order to promote renewable energy technology into the market there is a strong need to identify and analyse the policies which have a direct effect on technology and market development. 1.2 Renewable energy in the UK The United Kingdom is one of the worlds most globalized countries with the second largest economy in Europe and a population of 60 million. The UK currently contributes about 2 percent to global emissions, which, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, were estimated to be 38 billion tones carbon dioxide in 2004. UK energy industries are the main contributors to UK greenhouse gas emissions; according to statistics CO2 accounted for about 85 per cent of the UKs greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. In order to reduce emissions, the 2007 UK Energy White Paper sets out an objective to cut the UKs carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, with real progress by 2020. One way of achieving those targets would be by generating our energy from sources that produce very low or zero levels of greenhouse gases such as renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is â€Å"an integral part of the Governments strategy for reducing carbon emissions as renewable energy resources produce very li ttle carbon or other greenhouse gases†. (Commission, 2006) In 2006, about 75 percent of UK electricity was generated from fossil fuels, about 19 percent from nuclear power, and the remaining 4 percent from other renewables (Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), 2007). The UK has one of the most suitable markets for the development of renewable sources of energy due to its geographic location; especially in wind, wave and tidal energy. However, the UK is also rich in fossil fuels and until the climate change issue became evident the successive governments have neglected renewable energy as an alternative source of our main energy supply. The UK Government initially started to show support for development of renewable energy sources in 1990, when renewables became a part of the so-called non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO), originally set up to protect nuclear power. The issue of climate change and high levels of greenhouse gases has given a new drive to the development of renewable energy in the UK. As part of the Climate Change Programme, in June 2000 the UK government replaced NFFO by the Renewables Obligation (RO) in England and Wales with the main aims to encourage further the development of the UK renewable energy industry and to achieve a 10 percent share of renewables in electricity generation by 2010 (Environmental Policy Integration). Overall the renewable energy contribution is increasing. Total electricity generation from renewables in 2006 amounted to 18,133 GWh, an increase of 1,263 GWh (+7 ½ per cent) on 2005. The main contributors to this substantial increase were 1,072 GWh from onshore wind (+43 per cent), 248 GWh (+62 per cent) from offshore wind 134 GWh (+3 per cent) from landfill gas and 119 GWh (+12 per cent) from municipal solid waste combustion (UK Electricity Statistics,2007). One of the other main drivers for the development of alternative energy sources in the UK aside from climate change issues is the security of energy supply. The UK continues to heavily rely on the diminishing sources of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, which are increasingly sourced in geopolitically unreliable areas, such as Venezuela, Nigeria and Russia. According to the UK Energy Statistics 12 percent of the UKs gas supply came from gas imports (Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), 2007). Therefore further development of alternative energy sources in the UK will reduce the amount of imported fossil fuels, as well as have a key role in resolving the climate change issue. In order to maintain the UKs energy supply and to achieve the carbon dioxide targets set in the Kyoto Protocol under which the UK has committed itself to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent by 2012 (Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket, 2007), as well as longer term goal set out in Energy White Paper to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent by 2050, it is vital to sustain further development of energy sources that produce low or zero levels of greenhouse gases, such as renewable energy. Figure 1, shows the Kyoto target and CO2 emissions, 1990 to 2012. Figure 1: Defra, BERR, â€Å"Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket†, 2007 The Governments policies together with the White Paper made proposals to help increase the sources of renewable energy in the UK. The initial proposals set out in the Energy White Paper 2007, concentrate on three main areas: Electricity generation, by strengthening and modifying the Renewables Obligation, by reforming the planning system and by removing barriers to the growth of decentralised electricity generation; heat, by publishing a Biomass Strategy which identifies opportunities for increasing the use of renewables in energy production and by announcing further work to develop a more strategic approach to heat; and Transport, by requiring through The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Programme (RTFO) that an increasing proportion of our transport fuel should come from renewable sources. (Energy White Paper , 2007) According to the recent study undertaken by the Poyry Energy (Oxford) LTD, by 2020, renewable energy supply is expected to account for around 12 percent of EU total energy demand, where 59 percent of this volume will come from electricity generation, 32 percent from renewable heat and 9 percent from transport (Compliance costs for meeting the 20% renewable energy target in 2020., 2008) This paper will mainly concentrate on electricity generation through renewable energy sources, as consistency of electricity supply is fundamental to a robust UK economy, and renewables appear to be a suitable solution to improve security of electricity supply in the UK. The UK Government has set a target in order to promote the generation of electricity from renewable sources, by 2010, 10% of UK electricity should come from renewable sources (BERR, UK). The costs of electricity production from renewable energy sources presented in the figure below demonstrate that generation costs depend on the resource conditions in different countries or regions, particularly the EU Member States (Compliance costs for meeting the 20% renewable energy target in 2020, 2008). Therefore, in order to establish and sustain the competitiveness of renewable energy sources it is essential to analyse whether renewable energy technologies can compete with conventional sources. Figure 2: Electricity generation cost of renewable energy technologies (EU Commission 2005: 24, Support of electricity from RE sources). To support the new energy strategy there was a significant development to the UK Renewables Policy, the government has established key elements such as Renewables Obligation, which is driving force for the investment and consumer interest in renewables and it does so by obliging electricity suppliers to source a certain percentage of electricity from renewable sources. It has also launched strategies which allow UK to identify its main strengths and to develop world-leading capabilities in renewable energy sector. The main drivers of UK Renewable Energy Policy include: Renewable Obligation (RO) The RO is the main support scheme for renewable electricity projects in the UK. It places an obligation on UK suppliers of electricity to source an increasing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. Suppliers are required to produce evidence of their compliance with this obligation to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). Evidence can be via certificates, referred to as Renewable Obligations Certificates (Renewable Obligation, 2008). UK renewable electricity has increased considerably since the introduction of RO. In 2006 electricity supplied from RO eligible sources stood at around 4% of the UKs total electricity, up from 1.8% in 2002 (Energy White Paper , 2007). Climate Change Levy (CCL) Exemption The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is â€Å"an environmental tax levied on the supply of certain taxable commodities, for example electricity, gas and coal, and charged by energy suppliers to final business consumers. Domestic, and most charitable, consumers do not pay CCL (Microgeneration and the Climate Change Levy, 2007). In order to support further development of renewables and to encourage consumers to use environmentally friendly sources of energy, renewable electricity supplied to non-domestic consumers is exempt from CCL. Research Development Programme The Government has constantly introduced programmes for renewable energy sources to remove obstacles which stood in the way of the development of renewables by furthering research and gathering information as well as assist industrial activities in the UK. Such programmes support the Renewable Obligation and the exempt renewable from Climate Change Levy. The programmes will also require cooperation with in the industry between the government and environmental organisations to maintain a steady approach to the growth of the renewable energy sources in the market. The programmes also set out plans to address the key issues together, with the concentration divided between technology development as well as non-technological issues, such as raising finance and obtaining planning permission. Each technology is set to be tested though several stages, which include assessment, RD, demonstration and market entry, full-scale industrialization and competition (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). Strategies for individual technology programmes also include this operation at the different stages of technology development. An exit strategy will also contribute to the competitiveness of the industry without creating a subsidy. Green trading can play a major part in electricity generation strategy to move to a system of renewables which operates strictly in the commercial market. The Government will carry out several actions together with the industry in order to encourage the development of renewable technologies in the UK, such actions include technological and environmental assessment in addition to resource assessment ;demonstration; the industrialisation of the market; removing legal and administrative obstacles; dealing with planning and development control issues; promoting research and marketing and education. The set priorities for the development of renewable technologies depend on their cost effectiveness and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that can be reduced on different timescales. The priorities for the development of the renewable energy sources are set in time scales and include: Near Term includes most competitive renewable technologies in the UK. (Geothermal (heating and cooling),waste and some biomass residues, landfill gas, onshore wind, hydro, passive solar) Medium Term (by the year 2010) includes renewables that show maximum contribution by 2010, as well as assist to achieve the target of 10 percent.(Some biomass residues, energy crops, offshore wind) Longer Term (after 2010) includes renewable technologies that show longer term potential under the RD programme. (Fuel cells, photovoltaics, wave) Very Long Term (after 2050) includes renewable technologies which at this stage are only worth pursuing through the basic research. (Tidal barrage, hydrogen, ocean thermal currents) (UK Renewable Eneegy Policy , 2007) The Department of Trade and Industry will divide the budget allocated for the development of renewables according to the priorities table set above, particularly between the short, medium and longer term periods. The renewable technologies which are included in short and medium term will benefit from the market simulation under the Renewable Obligation. 1.3 main aim: The mixture of the issues introduced briefly in the first Chapter leads to the overall aim of investigating the governments role in achieving the targets set and through analyzing the market and the economic forecasts concluding whether these targets are achievable. Following chapter will review the existing literature that has investigated UK Renewable Market and Policies, critically evaluated the UK performance in renewables sector and consist of relevant data in order to set out the specific objectives for this study. United Kingdom has one of the most suitable potential markets for the development of renewable energy sources and could act as a leading example for the rest of the world, but the main question remains whether the UK will adopt the right approach to support the new technologies or is it just an ambitious set of targets based on wrong evaluations? CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Global Perspective Today, the rising issue of climate change can be identified as â€Å"the biggest challenge facing humanity† (International Socialist Group, 2006). The UK Prime Minister has said climate change is â€Å"probably, long-term the single most important issue we face as a global community†. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that â€Å"global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions must be reduced at least 70 percent over the next 100 years to stabilize atmospheric CO2 concentrations† Considerable technical change will be needed to maintain growth in economy combined with large CO2 emission reductions at a cost as low as possible (Grubb, 1997), however the timeframe is not clear as many ways lead to certain CO2 stabilization levels which correspond to fixed increasing amounts of CO2 that can be released during the target year. Furthermore, economic arguments were raised favoring deferred emission abatement pathways (Wigley, 1996). There is a possibility that unexpected political objectives may trigger the need of short-term investments in long life capital stock, this leads to high costs due to the early retirement of long life capital stock units. Additionally, there is a high risk of only focusing on short-term emission reduction targets while creating technical change policies in relation to climate change which may result in a framework unable to achieve long-term future targets (Sande ´n, 2005). The increasing concerns of climate change has played one of the key roles in supporting the development of renewable energy sources, which are environmentally friendly and impose low or zero carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. In order to sustain the development of renewables it is essential to meet the stabilization scenario for carbon dioxide reduction and show that they can be competitive in cost with energy from other sources (Houghton, 2004, p.306). Houghton also stated that â€Å"under some circumstances renewable energy sources are already competitive in cost (e.g. local sources of energy), however where there is a direct competition with fossil fuel energy from oil and gas, many renewable energies at present compete only marginally†. Conversely, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas have limited resources and â€Å"at some time between 2010-2020 the worlds supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international supply† (Oil and gas running out much faster than expected, 2003). As the result the costs of fossil fuels will increase which will unveil the opportunity for renewable energy sources to compete more easily (Houghton, 2004, p.306). A recent report from the UN environment programme said â€Å"investment in renewables such as wind, solar and biomass jumped 43% last year and may be about to increase by much more substantial amounts†. It also predicted that renewable energy sources could supply approximately a quarter of the worlds electricity by 2030. This fast development of renewable energy sources occurred as a result of rising demand for energy, security of energy supplies and the environmental and the dangers associated with the burning of fossil fuels (Sawin, 2004, p.5). The additional drivers for the rapid expansion of renewables incorporate the political support for renewable energy around the world, dramatic cost reductions and significant technology advances (Sawin, 2004, p.5). However, Karl Mallon in his book â€Å"Renewable Energy Policy and Politics: A Handbook for Decision-Making† has set out several challenges which can affect the development of renewable energy sources. Mallon mentioned that renewable projects usually have a long lifetime (20 years or more), but the investment and the main industrial activity occurs at the beginning. Therefore in order for investors to get a return on their investment, the developers on their end will try to make the projects as long as possible and try to establish capacity as early as possible in the scheme to yield the maximum return time (Mallon, 2007). As a result, generation schemes with targets that run less than 20 years will create a market with increasing activity and a massive industry growth for the first few years, and once a capacity meeting the long term target is in place downturn of activity will take place (Mallon, 2007). Mallon also stated that a â€Å"boom-bust† activity cycle is terr ibly inefficient form of industry development; if targets are used they must be dynamic to provide a constant but steady pull on industry. Another challenge which faces the development of renewables is the governments concentration on the economic side, namely where â€Å"the desire for economic certainty overrides the objectives of industry development or climate mitigation† (Mallon, 2007). Furthermore, according to Mallon, effective climate mitigation will require not less than 50-100 years transition to zero-emissions, therefore the schemes with deadlines ending 2010-2015 will make no contribution to solve in the climate change problem. Such schemes only provide economic certainty and tell investors that this is only a short term engagement rather than a long term, ignoring the fact that the prices of renewables and conventional energy change all the time. Finally, Mallon emphasized on the fact that â€Å"it is important to recognize that renewable energy policy consists not just of a driver but rather comprises a complete framework, ignoring or overlooking parts of that framework will undermine the entire vision†. 2.2 UK Perspective The energy policy of the United Kingdom fully supports targets for carbon dioxide emissions and is committed to achieve mandatory 60 percent cut in the UKs carbon emissions by 2050 (Carbon Abatement Technology for Fossil Fuels, 2005). The current interest in renewable energy in the UK reflects the global view in relation to the shortage of the existing energy sources and the necessity of finding alternative energy supplies to meet the future energy demand. The need for securing energy sources as an alternative to the current energy sources, mainly fossil fuels, lies in the uncertainty of such fuels which is diminishing over the years. This is particularly pertinent to the UK as it is estimated that by 2020 the UK could be importing 90% of its gas (which currently produces 41% of energy consumed) (DTI 2006). Additionally, the rising concerns over global warming and climate change also played a major role in ‘shedding the light on renewable energy sources. By 2050, global energy demand could double as populations rise and developing countries expand their economies (World Energy Organization, 2008). The UK Government started to tackle such concerns in 1999 when it introduces its first strategy â€Å"to help deliver a better quality of life through sustainable development† (Tony Blair, The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, March 2005). The Governments 2003 Energy White Paper sets a direction towards achieving low carbon economy, by attempting to resolve the issue on domestic basis first and to influence the major players in the global community to follow the same footsteps. The UK Government has committed itself to cut down greenhouse gas emissions, as mentioned above the government; according to its 2003 Energy White Paper, declared that its mission is to move to a low carbon economy and set out its target that by the year 2050 carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 60 percent in addition to the Kyoto Protocol target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent by the year 2012, and the ambitious national goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent below the 1990 levels by the year 2010 (The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, 2005). However, the UKs CO2 emissions rose in the period 2002-04 (levels in 2004 showing a 1.5% increase over 2003) (DTI 2005a). These issues are arising at a time when large numbers of the UKs coal and nuclear-fired power stations are also reaching decommissioning age. This presents the UK with an opportunity to re-structure the fuels in its energy mix. According to the British Wind Energy (BWEA) the UK could face some challenges in meeting the renewable energy target of 20 percent by 2020 if it increases the amount of electricity generated under its Renewable Obligation, but puts on hold â€Å"financial penalties for utilities that help fund the program at 2015 levels† (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). The BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery has commented on reform proposal: The RO has been highly successful in bringing forward the cheapest renewables: onshore wind, landfill gas and biomass co-firing. The Governments plan to band the RO could allow more technologies to share in this success, particularly offshore wind but this cannot be at the expense of onshore winds current strong growth. Accommodating the more expensive technologies whilst trying to get to a 20% target in 2020 using the same amount of money as a 15% goal is like trying to extract a quart from a pint pot. It just doesnt add up. E ssentially, said BWEA, â€Å"the government is attempting to get a third more renewable power with a mix that includes significant quantities of technologies that are not economic under the current system for the same amount of money† (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). John Loughhead, the Executive Director of the  UK Energy Research Centre  (UKERC)  said: Achieving these targets will be challenging, since the UK currently obtains less that 2% of its energy from renewable sources. It is probable that electricity production will have to bear a disproportionate share and initial estimates from the European Commission and others suggest it may need to produce about 40% of all electricity from renewable sources by 2020 if the overall targets are to be met. Additionally, the recent study â€Å"Renewable electricity generation technologies†, January 2008, issued by Institute of Physics (IOP) has outlined further barriers to the development of renewable energy sources. According to the study, one of the main challenges facing the renewables is â€Å"the liberalisation of the UK energy market, the current price of electricity is so low that it is not economically viable to develop and introduce new generating technologies to the market, unless they can be developed at a low cost and can provide electricity predictably at competitive wholesale prices† (Renewable electricity generation technologies, 2008) 2.3 UK Renewable Policy Targets Karl Mannon regards the renewable energy policy as a framework rather a single driver and emphasized that all the parts forming this framework must operate jointly in order for us to achieve the highest benefit of this policy (Mannon, 2007). As to the influence such policies may have on the market, Mannon added that there are unknown factors in these policies which can affect the size of the market, the prices paid for renewable energy or the duration of the scheme. Some of the factors which control the growth of the market include: the level of support, the duration of support eligibility, the duration of support schemes and the quantity of renewables required under the scheme. (Mannon, 2007, p.37) However, Adrian Smith in his report â€Å"Multi-level governance: Towards an analysis of renewable energy governance in the English regions†, December 2006, has identified challenges for governance in promotion of renewable energy systems. Smith, 2006, has outlined that â€Å"governments policy objective of transforming existing energy systems into ones with greater renewable energy content requires coordinated efforts and changes amongst many different actors, institutions and artifacts. Renewable energy systems are complex, and their construction is far from straightforward. It is consequently difficult to direct them into being exclusively through hierarchical government measures like planning† (Smith, 2006). John Sauven, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, in his article â€Å"Its rip-off Britain, even when it comes to climate change†, October 2007, has stated that the targets set by Renewable Obligation which were set for electricity suppliers have all been missed and â€Å"the governments own projections show that the final target of just 15 percent in 2015 will also be missed†. Additionally, Dave Toke, in his academic paper, has concluded that â€Å"RO is relatively inflexible in that it effectively sets a single level of payments for all renewable-energy generators, which is relatively generous for onshore wind power, barely sufficient (even with capital grant supplements) for offshore wind power, and not enough for much else. The target of supplying 10% of UK electricity from renewables by 2010 is not likely to be achieved some 7% is a more likely level† (Toke, 2005). Toke, D., also noted that â€Å"the more ambitious the targets are, the more expensive w ill be the incentives (or penalties) needed to ensure compliance with these targets†. The analysis of renewable energy policy carried out by the Carbon Trust, â€Å"Policy Framework for renewables†, July 2006, states that â€Å"overall, the existing renewable energy policy suffers from inefficiencies, resulting in a unit cost of renewable energy to consumers that is higher than necessary given the current technology cost†, as well as â€Å"given the renewable and carbon reduction targets and the 2015 gap, diversity of investment in renewable energy is needed†. The UK policies are not created to determine what a sustainable energy system i