London Church Furniture

London Church Furniture is a small, privately owned company that specializes in the production of church furnishings. It has been in business for fifty eight years and employs an average of thirty employees.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on London Church Furniture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Product The company’s product strategy is based on three major qualities: service, installation and quality. The company prides itself in using the finest quality of materials. Its furniture is made of genuine oak, which is renowned for its strength and attractiveness. The company also gives a warranty of 25 years when a client purchases a product from them. Most of the furnishings are made by hand in order to ascertain that adequate quality control is maintained in most of its products. The firm employs proven manufacturing methods for some automated processes such as staining, finishing and upholstering. Custome rs can also benefit from a wide selection of colors and patterns. Furthermore, it uses only the highest standards to make its foam fabrics flame resistant. Lastly, and most importantly, the organization specializes in church furniture. This means that it has mastered its craft. Dwelling on one line of furnishings has made the organization highly proficient in this sector. Examples of these products include frontal screens, pulpits, stackable chairs, communion rails and church pews (London Church Furniture par 5). Price structure The company’s furniture is competitively priced. Since the organization sells most of its products locally and lacks retail stores, then it does not need to include retail and distribution mark ups. Furthermore, the organization works with clients in order to meet their budgetary needs. However, most of its products have standard rates depending on the unit length. For instance, upholstered seats go for $60 per lineal foot while benches cost $33 per l ineal foot. A customer will pay for what he or she needs. Prices are adjusted to suit the church’s available space and number of units required. Distribution This organization only has one retail centre. Customers who need to see the products physically have to visit the company’s showroom at Kentucky. Alternatively, they may use the company website. If one needs to make an order, one may get the company’s catalogues via email after submitting one’s details online.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One may also get this information personally from the company showroom. The company distributes its products to different churches in Eastern US. It offers shipping services that depend on the client’s location and mileage needs. The company’s strategy is to leverage on the internet, rather than traditional retail stores, to make the goods easily available to buyers. Promotional strategy The company does not employ aggressive promotional campaigns because it believes in establishing relationships with its clientele. However, it has used print media such as newspapers in order to let consumers know about its offerings. Furthermore, the organization uses the internet to promote its products. One can find its product offerings on websites like adpost.com and websitelooker.com. It also employs social networking websites such as facebook and iLike. These unconventional methods allow satisfied customers to tell other people about the products at London Church Furniture thus creating momentum for them. Conclusion This organization’s marketing strategy is based on its specificity and quality. The company’s small size allows it to provide that personal touch to clients, and this is its value proposition. Works Cited London Church Furniture. Home page. LTC. Kentucky. 2011. Web. This report on London Church Furniture was written and submitted by user V10let to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How Will the Promotion of Justice and Democracy in the Unite essays

How Will the Promotion of Justice and Democracy in the Unite essays United States, What does that mean to you? To a lot of people, it means opportunity, liberty and freedom, and a place where everyone is treated equally regardless of background. To me, United States means a place full of ideals where few are actually put into place. The United States has a lot of potential to be the fairest nation, where everyone has equal opportunity and everyone is treated fairly and equally. But it seems that everyone is more concerned with themselves and how they can benefit, not about everyone else and how everyone can benefit. I think it would take a liberal democratic standpoint to make the United States become what most people actually view it as. Liberal Democracy is used to describe Western democratic political systems, such as the United States, Britain, Canada and other nations. It refers to political systems in which there are attempts to defend and increase civil liberties against the encroachment of governments and powerful forces in society, restrict or regulate government intervention in economic and moral matters affecting the citizenry, increase the scope for political and intellectual freedom of citizens, question the demands made by vested interest groups seeking special privileges, develop a society open to talent and which rewards citizens on merit rather than on rank or status, frame rules that maximize the well-being of all or most citizens. The United States does try to practice a Liberal democratic political system but it does on a small level. I feel that the United States, while claiming to practice Liberal democracy, seems to forget about everyone thats not a wealthy Caucasian male. Yes, the U.S does h ave several programs to help aid the minorities and the less fortunate, but I dont think these programs help these people become even close to what the wealthy Caucasian male is. If the United States was to reform a few of their ideas, programs, and ways, that would make the ...

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism Known for: books on Gnosticism and early Christianity Occupation: writer, professor, Biblical scholar, feminist.   Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University. Received a MacArthur Fellowship (1981).Dates: February 13, 1943 -Also known as: Elaine Hiesey Pagels Elaine Pagels Biography: Born in California on February 13, 1943, as Elaine Hiesey, married to Heinz Pagels, theoretical physicist, 1969. Elaine Pagels graduated from Stanford University (B.A. 1964, M.A. 1965) and, after briefly studying dance at Martha Grahams studio, began studying for her Ph.D. at Harvard University, where she was part of a team studying the Nag Hammadi scrolls, documents found in 1945 that shed light on early Christian debates on theology and practice. Elaine Pagels received her Ph.D. from Harvard in 1970, then began to teach at Barnard College in that same year.   At Barnard, she became the head of the religion department in 1974. In  1979 her book based on her work with the Nag Hammadi scrolls, The Gnostic Gospels, sold 400,000 copies and won numerous awards and acclaim. In this book, Elaine Pagels asserted that the differences between the gnostics and the orthodox Christians was more about politics and organization than theology.   She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981.   In 1982, Pagels joined Princeton University as a professor of early Christian history.  Aided by the MacArthur grant, she researched and wrote  Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, which documented the shift in Christian history when Christians began to focus on a meaning of the Genesis story which stressed the sinfulness of human nature and sexuality. In 1987, Pagels son Mark died, after years of illness. The following year her husband, Heinz, died in a hiking accident. In part out of those experiences, she began working on the research leading to The Origin of Satan. Elaine Pagels has continued to research and write about the theological shifts and battles within earlier Christianity. Her book, The Origin of Satan, published in 1995, is dedicated to her two children, David and Sarah, and in 1995 Pagels married Kent Greenawalt, a law professor at Columbia University. Her Biblical work is both well-received as accessible and insightful, and criticized as making too much of marginal issues and too unorthodox. In both The Gnostic Gospels and Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, Elaine Pagels examines the way that women have been viewed in Christian history, and thus these texts have been important in the feminist study of religion. The Origins of Satan is not so explicitly feminist. In that work, Elaine Pagels shows the way that the figure Satan became a way for Christians to demonize their religious opponents, the Jews and the unorthodox Christians. Her 2003 book,  Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas , contrasts the Gospel of John with the Gospel of Thomas. She makes the argument that the Gospel of John was written to counter the gnostic ideas, especially about Jesus, and was adopted as canonical instead of the Gospel of Thomas because it fit better with the viewpoint of the other three gospels.   Her 2012 book, Revelations: Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation, takes on the often controversial New Testament book.   She notes that there were many books of revelation circulating, both Jewish and  Christian, and that only this one was included in the Biblical canon.   She sees it as directed to the general public, to warn them about the war between the Jews and Rome that was then in progress, and assuring that it would turn out with the creation of a New Jerusalem. Cultural Impact Some have posited that the publication of The Gnostic Gospels inspired a more popular culture interest in gnosticism and hidden threads in Christianity, including the famous The Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. Places: Palo Alto, California; New York; Princeton, New Jersey; United States Religion: Episcopalian. Awards: Among her prizes and awards: National Book Award, 1980; MacArthur Prize Fellowship, 1980-85. Major Works: The Gnostic Gospels. 1979. (compare prices) Adam, Eve and the Serpent. 1987. (compare prices) The Johannine Gospel in Gnostic Exegesis. 1989. The Gnostic Pau: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters. 1992. The Origin of Satan. 1995. (compare prices) Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. 2003. (compare prices) Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity.  Co-author Karen L. King. 2003. Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation. 2012.

BUYER BEHAVIOUR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BUYER BEHAVIOUR - Essay Example to as consumer behaviour is an essential component of marketing because it helps in the determination of pricing incentives, mode of advertising and brand differentiation among others. This paper therefore seeks to identify and illustrate the concepts that facilitate understanding of buyer behaviour as well as evaluate the various models or theories of buyer behaviour with close association with the concept of neuroscience. Another area that will be looked at is the area of decision making process in consumption that gives rise to the various types of consumer purchases. To begin, buyer behaviour generally refers the process in which consumers take in order to make decisions on acquiring certain goods or services for their own use. Consumer buying behaviour is therefore a multi-staged process that involves the identification of a specific need and even goes beyond the consumption stage to an evaluation one. It is for this reason that consumers are likely or unlikely to consume one product as opposed to the other in cases where there is indifference between two products. The consumer buying process is a complex one because of the influences it relies on and the characteristics of human diversity that makes us act differently. Some research studies have also indicated that the buying behaviour can also be linked to neuroscience. It is therefore important to understand the process of consumer buying behaviour as shall be discussed in the following section. The consumer buying decision-making process model adopts a five stage interconnected process that illustrates how individuals or consumer groups will always conduct themselves before and after purchase of a product or a service (Riley 1). The first stage is the need identification and problem awareness stage. At this stage, an individual identifies a need within him or her that needs to be satisfied. The utilitarian theory has been associated with this stage of decision making. Since an individual identifies that

Common Sense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Common Sense - Essay Example This is so primarily in the order of Paine’s way with his philosophies that were written down based upon the prevailing cause for the American Revolution especially one that was justified by the burdening economic policies of Britain. Apparent grievances which comprised such propaganda were quite compatible with the real protest toward the British authorities who only wanted to make as much money out of the New World to add to their home treasury and finance British wars in Europe so they restricted trade and raised taxes against the desires of the native Americans. Similarly, the fateful Stamp Act of 1765 which required tax stamps on all publications, commercial bills, legal documents, and public papers heightened the anguish of the American people. Paine managed further to incite an amount subtle indignation on adding via Common Sense: â€Å"I am not induced by motives of pride, party, or resentment to espouse the doctrine of separation and independence; I am clearly, positively, and conscientiously persuaded that it is the true interest of this continent to be so..†. Through â€Å"Common Sense†, Paine brought up sensitive points regarding the origin and design of the government in general with concise remarks on the English Constitution as well as its association to the monarchical government and hereditary succession. Then a complete balance of discourse is set upon the accounts pertaining to insights on the prevailing ability and state of American affairs including reflections thereof during that age. Knowing the people’s heart and thought toward the delicate matter of protest concerning independence, his writings and approach to reasoning were carried out in a style which aligned exactly with their level of understanding and common manner with voice and speech. Moreover, Paine was found to have patterned â€Å"Common Sense† after the structure of sermon, heavily based on the Holy Scriptures which the traditional American people could readily

Principles and Practices of Management Essay Example for Free

Principles and Practices of Management Essay Planning is the determination of the course of the objectives of a business, division or department to achieve maximum profit effectiveness, the establishment of policies and the continuous seeking and finding of new ways to do things. Implementing applies to the doing phases. After plans have been prepared, personnel must be selected and assigned their jobs; they must be trained and motivated to perform properly. Activities must be implemented in terms of the plans initially developed. This may include I. Selecting personnel II. Training personnel III. Motivating personnel IV. Delegation, V. Direction VI. Coordinating. Controlling refers to the evaluation of the performance of those who are responsible for executing the plans agreed upon. This may include: I. Controlling adherence to plans, and II. Appraising performance 2. Principles of Management Fayol has given fourteen principles of management. These principles are as fallows 1. Division of work: Fayol has advocated division of work to take the advantage of specialization. According to him, ‘specialization belongs to the natural order. The worker always works on the same matters, the manager concerned always with the same matters; acquire an ability, sureness, and accuracy, which increase their output’. Each change of work brings in it training and adaptation, which reduces output. Thus, division of work can be applied at all levels in the organization. However, he has recognized the limitations of division of work and has advocated that experience and sense of proportion will decide the extent to which division of work can be utilized fruitfully. 2. Authority and Responsibility: The authority and responsibility are related, with the latter the corollary of the former and arising from the former. He finds authority as a continuation of official and personnel factors. Official authority is derived from the manager’s position and personal authority is derived from intelligence, experience, moral worth, past services, etc. Responsibility arises out of assigning the work. 3. Discipline: All the personnel serving in the organization should be disciplined. Discipline is obedience, application, energy, behavior, and outward mark of respect shown by employees. Discipline can be classified into two types: self-imposed discipline and command discipline. The former springs form within the individual and are in the nature of spontaneous response to a skillful leader. Command discipline stems from a recognized authority and utilizes deterrents to secure compliance with a desired action, which is expressed by established customs, rules, and regulations. The ultimate strength of command discipline lies in its certainty of application. 4. Unity of command: Unity of command means a person in the organization should receive orders from only one superior. The more completely an individual has a reporting relationship to a single superior, the less the problem of conflict in instructions and the greater the feeling of personal responsibility for results. The principle of unity of command Is useful in the clarification of authority-responsibility relationship. 5. Unity of Direction Unity of direction means ‘one unit and one plan’. According to this principle, each group of activities with same objectives with same objective must have one head and one plan. The unity of direction is different from unity of command in the sense that former is concerned with the functioning of body corporate; the latter is concerned with personnel at all level. Unity of direction is provided for by sound organization of the body corporate, unity of command turn on the functioning of the personnel. Unity of command exists without unity of direction, but does not flow from it. 6. Subordination of individual to general interest: Command interest is above the individual interest and when there is conflict between these two, the common interest must prevail. However, factors like ambition, laziness, weakness etc. tend to reduce the importance of general interest. 7. Remuneration of Personnel: Remuneration and methods of payment should be fair and provide maximum possible satisfaction to employees and employers. 8. Centralization: Everything, which goes to increase the importance of the subordinate’s role, is decentralization; everything, which goes to reduce it, is centralization. Without using the term ‘centralization of authority’. This pattern is determined by individual circumstances and should be based on optimum utilization of all faculties of the personnel. 9. Scalar Chain: There should be a scalar chain of authority and communication ranging from the highest to lowest positions. It suggests that each communication going up or coming down must flow through each position in the line of authority. It can be short-circuited only in special circumstances when its rigid following would be determined to the organization. For this purpose, Fayol has suggested ‘gang palnk’ , which is used to prevent the scalar chain from bogging down action. 10. Order: Both material order and social order are necessary. The former minimizes lost time and useless handling of materials. The latter is achieved through organization and selection. 11. Equity: In running a business a combination of kindliness and justice is needed. Treating employees well is important to achieve equity. 12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel: Employees work better if job security and career progress are assured to them. An insecure tenure and a high rate of employee turnover will affect the organization adversely. 13. Initiative: Allowing all personnel to show their initiative in some way is a source of strength for the organization. Even though it may well involve a sacrifice of personnel vanity on the part of many managers. 14. Espirt de Corps: Management must foster the morale of its employees. â€Å"Real talent is needed the coordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each person’s abilities and reward each one’s merit without arousing possible jealousness and disturbing harmonious relations†. Techniques of Effective Coordination The basic objective of all managerial functions is to get things done by coordinated efforts of others. Thus, every function leads to coordination. However, following are the specific techniques for achieving coordination: Coordination by Chain of Command: In an organization, the chain of command is the most important methods of coordination. Superior, because of his organizational position, has the authority to issue orders and instructions to his subordinates. Weber has indicated that in a controlled administration coordination is achieved. Coordination by Leadership: Leadership brings individual motivation and persuades the group to have identified of interests and outlook in group efforts. Ordway Tead has stated that top management should practice leadership because without it, no coordination can be achieved. In fact, whatever is necessary for effective leadership is also required for coordination. Coordination by Effective Communication: Communication helps to developing understanding between individuals or groups among whom coordination is to be achieved. Through communication, every person understands his scope and limits of functioning, authority and responsibility, and relationship with others. Thus, effective communication provides horizontal as well as vertical coordination if there is free and adequate flow of communication in all directions.-horizontal, vertical, upward and downward. Communication to be effective does not require only a communication network but to keep the network free from any barrier, which effects flow of messages adversely. Coordination by Committees: Committees are the body of persons entrusted with discharging some functions collectively as group. Some committees have the authority to take decisions and others make recommendations only. The decisions of the committees are group decisions and the persons whose departments are affected by decisions generally constitute the committees. Thus the decisions themselves provide coordination among various functions of the organization. Coordination by General Staff: Generally, in big organizations there is general staff meant for  coordination. This staff employs a central position in communication network. All the heads of departments and sections send the various information to this center. This center stores the information and sends to various departments’ only relevant and related information. This center, because of its specialized knowledge, is able to assess the relevance and need of various information for a department. Thus, the coordination is achieved by supplying inter-departmental information. Special Coordinators: In some organizations, special coordinators are appointed for coordinating some special activities. For example, in a particular project, along with various functionaries, a project coordinator is appointed. His basic function is to coordinate various activities of the project and to keep information about the development of project so that he can provide it to the party concerned for which the project Is being completed. Such projects are generally taken on contract basis which are to be completed within the specified time. Self-coordination: This principles states that a particular department affects other departments and in turn is affected by them. However, this department has no control over others. In such a case, if other departments modify their actions in such a way that this affects the particular department favorably, self-coordination is achieved. This requires effective communication across the department so that they are able to appreciate the functioning of related departments. However, this method is not free from limitations and shortcomings, and in the organization, favorable climate and environment need to be created for self-control. Features of an Open Door Organization 1) An open door organization is task oriented. The accountability is clearly defined. 2) The authority (within the related functional area) is also absolute (or nearly so) matching the absolute character of the accountability. 3) Consultations are minimum and are not compulsive; the executive is free to consult and communicate (or otherwise) so long as he performs and delivers the objective. 4) Rules and procedures exist but only as guides-the executives (within their sphere of responsibilities)  having wide freedom of discretion to depart from the rules within the periphery of the broad corporate policies. 5) The accountability is clear-cut; objective is verifiable – in terms of cost, output target, time and profit. The means are (relatively) unimportant so long as the end is achieved. 6) The managerial behavior is highly flexible bending with lithe suppleness to the internal shifts in conditions and external maneuvers of the environmental zone of contract.

Oil Crisis in Libya :: OPEC, Middle East

Because of the crisis that is going on in Libya, Libya’s oil production and exportation has been greatly affected. This country is a member of OPEC, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Libya is the world’s seventeen largest oil producer, the thirds largest oil producer in Africa, and the continent’s largest crude oil reserves. (Hauser, 2011) Since Libya has such an important part in the oil industry, the crisis has affected other countries and their trade, such as the price of oil and gas, as well as monetary value. Libya only contributes two percent of the world’s oil supply. (Andrews, 2011) It might not seem like a big deal because of such a small percentage, but it is very hard for the world to absorb the two percent loss of oil every day. Libya was producing 1.6 million barrels of oil every day before the crisis erupted. (Dagher, 2011) As of now, unfortunately, it is only producing between four hundred and six hundred thousand barrels of oil. (Dagher, 2011) But it doesn’t even matter how much Libya produces, since it is currently not exporting oil and gas to outside countries, such as Europe and the United States. Most of the foreign workers have fled the country, which makes up for the industry in Libya. Eighty five percent of Libya’s exports are sold to European countries, especially Italy. (Dagher, 2011) Libya and Italy has close economic ties with one another, having a friendship treaty with one another since 2008. (Langundo, 2011) Italy is currently the biggest foreign investor in North Africa, who received thirty two percent of Libya’s oil exports. (Langundo, 2011) Italy is greatly affected by Libya’s turmoil. Italy is currently trying to re-establish its access to Libya’s oil and gas. As of now, the shortage of oil does not have a great effect in Europe since other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have been increasing their oil production to make up the loss from Libya. Libya contributes about five percent of their oil production to the United States. (Dagher, 2011) Though out the United States, oil prices have been increasing between three and five percent because of the increase cost of barrels. (Andrews, 2011) It is hard for those who live in the United States to adapt to the higher prices. Many already have burdens from the recent financial crisis, but the increase in oil prices will only add to the people’s burden,

Oil Drilling and Gas Extraction Industry in the US Analysis

DATE: September 16, 2012 TO: Patricia Bennett, Supervising Principal FROM: Connor Sims, Associate SUBJECT: Oil Drilling & Gas Extraction Industry in the US Analysis (21111) This report presents information regarding the industry, the primary operator of oil and gas field properties. The industry fuels its key buyers, the Natural Gas Distribution (22121) and the Petroleum Refining (32411) industries, with crude oil and natural gas. The industry continuously battles a shortage of available oil. In addition, many major oil fields have been in use for decades, slowly waning.Currently, the industry grosses among the most profitable in the US despite these and similar obstacles. The benefits of investing here potentially outweigh concerning risks. Because of the esteemed value of the industry’s products, consistent demand for its products, and its positive near-future outlook, diversification into this industry may produce rewarding profitability in the short-term. High Product Valu e Crude Oil Prices The key economic driver for the Oil Drilling & Gas Extraction Industry, crude oil prices, determines much of its profitability according to supply and demand.Price trends in West Texas Intermediate, a grade of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing, display the growth of its value in the past 3 years and past decade. An average barrel of crude oil grew from $26. 18 in 2002 to $61. 95 in 2009, $79. 48 in 2010, and $94. 87 in 2011 (Airlines, 2012). JP Morgan analysts project average annual prices above $99 in upcoming years (Sethuraman, 2012). Such upward growth points to lucrative profits. Natural Gas Outlook Natural gas production accounts for 41. 6% of industry revenue in 2012. Prices n natural gas reached a 10-year low in April this year, but have erupted by more than 70% since (Hargreaves, 2012). Natural gas has seen an abundantly large output due to recent discoveries of natural gas in the Appalachian Basin; this large supply has kept prices relatively l ow recently, leaving opportunity for even higher profitability in future years. Consistent Demand Fueling US Industries The Oil Drilling & Gas Extraction Industry is the sole supply industry for its two demand industries, Petroleum Refining and Natural Gas Distribution (Hersch).The US internally consumes 19,150,000 barrels of oil per day, doubling the world’s second largest consumer, China (Index, 2012). IBIS World describes the industry’s demand industries as â€Å"mature,† assuring the stable demand for our industry’s products (Hersch). Rising Exports, Foreign Buyers Current international relations appear conducive to this industry’s profitability. In 2011, for the first time since 1949, the US exported more refined oil than it imported (Winters, 2012); this evidences the success between the supply industry and its demand industries detailed above.Additionally, oil exports to China will surge as it industrializes quickly. China’s exponenti ally growing demand leads to worldwide price increases (Hersch). Any increases, particularly increase this substantial, raise the WTI average price per barrel, increasing profitability. Positive Current Standing Favorable Market Concentration The four largest firms in the industry comprise of approximately 30. 0% of total revenue (Hersch, 2012). Market share concentration is low, allowing firms of any size to portion the industry’s $345. 9 billion revenue this year.The competitive aspect of entering this industry would not be a difficult obstacle to overcome. Profit Margin The Oil Drilling and Gas Extraction Industry reels in a significantly larger margin in comparison to related industries. 46% of all industry revenue goes to profit, higher than the average for the entire mining sector, 39. 2% (Hersch, 2012). In 2008, the industry returned the 7th highest profit margin among US industries (Hargreaves). Profit margins have increased in the past 5 years as result of rising cru de oil prices. Risks and Concerns Barriers of EntryMost major oil and gas producers integrate services beyond drilling and extracting; many dualize as refining or distribution firms, circumventing demand industries en route to more direct profitability. New firms lacking this versatility may find an obstacle upon entry to the industry (Hersch, 2012). Additionally, firms in this industry must specialize in exploration and discovery for oil and gas resources. Firms may struggle finding initial success in this role due to the limited nature of resources. Long-term Resource Depletion ‘Peak oil’ refers to the prime of any field’s production, after which goes into terminal decline.Most major US oil fields are beyond peak oil. The largest US oil field, Prudhoe Bay, has been depleting since 1979 (Prudhoe, 2012). The US Energy Information Administration indicates much production, particularly in the Alaskan North Slope, depends on world oil prices (Energy, 2012). Geophysi cists and politicians debate over specifications regarding overall US peak oil, arguing the year in which US peak oil occurred. International Comparison In addition to the US peak oil situation, the US Oil Drilling and Gas Extraction Industry faces heavy foreign market competition.In 2011, the US ranked 3rd in oil production, behind Saudi Arabia and Russia (Energy, 2012). Saudi Arabia’s OPEC governor expects Saudi output to rise steadily beyond 2030 with a 1. 5 million barrel per day spare production capacity then (Energy, 2012). Russia holds the world’s largest natural gas reserves, and its fuel exports have steadily increased since each year since 1999 (Energy, 2012). Conclusion Despite entry risks and threats of limited resources, evidence supports the likelihood of success for us to diversify into the industry under certain stipulations.A new firm will implicitly face the challenge of exploring for land not already claimed by another firm. Additionally, alternative methods of energy will irrefutably have to replace oil drilling and gas extraction within an uncertain future; the remaining supply simply cannot match the demand forever. Two central obstacles hesitate immediate diversification: a barrier of entry and a negative long-term outlook. However, we must decide whether the benefits outweigh the concerns. World prices of oil and gas and China’s growing demand directly affect profitability.Because evidence above shows substantial progress in both of these drivers with a very positive short-term outlook, diversification must be considered. If presence in the industry can be established quickly and will remain only until profitability falls, I recommend diversification. References Airlines For America (2012). Annual Crude Oil and Jet Fuel Prices. http://www. airlines. org/Pages/Annual-Crude-Oil-and- Jet-Fuel-Prices. aspx.. Retrieved September 16, 2012. Energy Information Administration (2012). Project Alaska North Slope oil production at risk beyond 2025 if oil prices drop sharply. Today In Energy. http://www. ia. gov/todayinenergy/detail. cfm? id=7970 Retrieved September 16, 2012. Prudhoe Bay Fact Sheet (2012). British Petroleum. www. bp. com/assets/bp†¦ us†¦ /A03_prudhoe_bay_fact_sheet. pdf Retrieved September 16, 2012. Hargreaves, Steve (2012). Natural gas prices surge 70%. CNN Money. http://money. cnn. com/2012/07/24/investing/natural-gas- – prices/index. htm. Retrieved September 16, 2012. Hersch, Laura. (2012). IBIS World Industry Report 21111. Oil Drilling & Extraction In the US. Retrieved September 16, 2012 from IBIS World Database. How the US Uses Oil (2012). Alternative Energy. Retrieved September 16, 2012. ttp://alternativeenergy. procon. org/view. resource. php? resourceID=001797 Index Mundi (2012). http://www. indexmundi. com/g/r. aspx? c=us&v=91. Retrieved September 16, 2012. Sethuraman, Nathan (2012). Poll: Increasing numbers see oil below $100 in 2013, 2014. Reuters. http://www. r euters. com/article/2012/06/27/us-oil-poll- idUSBRE85Q14720120627. Retrieved September 16, 2012. Winter, Michael (2012). U. S. Exported more gasoline than imported last year. USA Today. http://content. usatoday. com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/0 2/us-exported-more-gasoline-than-imported-last-year/1#. UFav7BhGhgI

Perceptions of health risk and smoking habit in young people

Young people are also more likely to start mocking If their friends or family are smokers. The present study Is a quantitative research with young adult smokers (at the xx Learning Centre) based on focus group discussions where a range of smoking-related topics were covered. 2. Sample The sample in this study included 6 males and 4 females, aged between 13 and 17 years, 7 smokers and 2 non-smokers. Of this group of adolescents only 2 parents are non-smokers.My aim was to maximize variation in our sample to include young men and women, smokers and non-smokers, and different age categories. My discourse analytic perspective here concentrates on talk between speakers and allows me to highlight how meanings around smoking and health are worked up. Debated and disputed in the group. Informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to the Focus group interview (Appendix A and B). The focus group took place in the â€Å"Unanimous† Learning Centre.For anonymity reasons the na me of the participants have been changed. 3. Procedure In this study we used two focus groups of five participants each. Focus groups mimic ‘natural' peer groups, so that the data will likely be authentic, rich and Informative. Focus groups have long been used In social science research, Including psychology (Crossly, 2000; Wilkinson, 2003), and can be particularly useful in identifying both diverse individual accounts and prevailing social factors which influence and constrain actions.In the context of young people and smoking, focus group research allows us to gain access to the multiplicity of perspectives presented and will also illuminate how accounts are constructed and negotiated within peer groups. Participants were given a number of prompts about their views on smoking, such as Please tell me why you believe you started smoking' and ‘Please tell me what role you believe smoking/not smoking plays in your life'. Participants were encouraged to discuss these views among themselves, with minimal input from the facilitator.The discussion, which lasted around forty minute for each group, was recorded and then transcribed verbatim. 4. Analysis Health was generally not cited as a major concern for our young people, and was not participants seemed much more concerned with the financial burden engendered by smoking. When the topic of health risks was brought up, there was a general tendency o downplay or discount these. Moreover, it was claimed that smoking could function effectively as a form of stress relief, even when the stress is engendered by exposure to smoking-related health scares, either in the media or within families.The two discursive patterns are formulated as follows: ‘ Everything is bad for you now: Contesting smoking-related health risks ‘It does make you feel better': Smoking as stress-relief 4. 1 . ‘Everything is bad for you now: Contesting smoking-related health risks Contesting smoking-related health risks ario so strategies were deployed which endured the health risks linked to smoking as exaggerated, a ploy which clearly works to rationalist and uphold current smoking – a way of misusing the self from the specter of illness and mortality.For example, other mundane practices are cited which involve risk, and life itself is presented as saturated with risk: Nicola – Mimi like to think yourself that you're not going to get cancer, I mean, they're saying that cancer is caused by all these different things 0 1 mean who's to say that smoking is definitely the worst one? † In this excerpt there is some recognition of risk but then other organogenesis are alluded to and the dedicated link between smoking and cancer is undermined (Whoso to say? ).Thus, smoking is construed as nothing special, Just one of any number of possible causes of cancer (so many things'), and therefore not worthy of disproportionate attention. E. Generalizes the notion of risk – ‘everything is bad for you now – so that living per SE becomes inured with risk, something that affects ‘everyone'. Note the extreme case formulations which litter this extract: ‘ all these different things'; ‘So, smoking is part of life and is practiced with care. Facilitator: So, are health concerns an issue? Simon: Well, yeah.Not really, I suppose, because sometimes you feel like crap because your lungs are hurting, because you've been caning it all weekend, but you think, well you might give up smoking, give up drinking, give up anything – and then get knocked down by a bus, but 0 if you're going to stop everything that you enjoy, well what's the point of living forever? You know what I mean? Aaron: But don't you, sometimes you Just think Well, what's the point of it? You're Just breathing in horrible smoke into your body Simon: It's like what's the point of drinking? It's fun!The health risks of smoking are conceded, with reference to current, minor symptom s. However, smoking is likened to other pleasurable activities (e. G. ‘drinking') and anything/'everything you enjoy so that living is defined in terms of enjoyment over risk, the emphasis is on fun' and not denying oneself gratification – even if it means a shorter life-span or inhaling ‘horrible smoke'. Bob: A guy, a guy I went to school with was cross country champion for our county, and he used to smoke like twenty a day [laughs] He used to smoke loads of weed and that, and he used to run for ages [laughs] (.You see someone like that, it's Just like, whoa! So, citing cases, where smoking has not impeded sporting performance, undermines claims about the deleterious health consequences of smoking and helps Justify continued smoking. The case of the cross-country champion cited by Bob is also interesting because impressive, and further contesting the connection between smoking and not being healthy. Lucas I knew somebody who used to smoke ten a day when they were about eighty-odd and have a glass of brandy every day 0 and when they got put in a nursing home they took it all off her and within weeks she were dead.Tara: It's like alcoholics, isn't it? If alcoholics stopped drinking they do seem to die. In this extract, the dangers of stopping smoking are emphasizes, thereby inverting the ‘normalizing about taking up or continuing smoking. Facilitator: What are the health worries you might have about smoking? Bob: Cancer David: None, ‘coos I know a guy that lived until he was 23 and Just dropped dead. He didn't smoke and didn't drink. You know, the way I see it, you only live once – you might as well do it, haven't you.Here Bobby's immediate response concerning health fears is not taken up as the others proceed to reject this pre-occupation. David immediately invokes the case of a non-smoker who died suddenly as a means of challenging the link between smoking and ill-health. The randomness of life then becomes a key theme, w hich again works to rationalist current smoking. As one participant put it: ‘it Just shows that you're having a good time, you know, drinking and having a cigarette, and it Just kind of ties in together' (Kate).Here, smoking (and drinking) is inextricably tied to enjoyment, an automatic indicator of ‘good times'. 4. 2. ‘It does make you feel better': Smoking as stress-relief A very predominant theme cross all discussions was the benefits of smoking in terms of stress relief, arising from various sources: Tara: It does make you feel better when you've been sat there and you've Just been in class, and you Just think ‘Oh, I'm going to go for a bag, and you go down and you have it, it does give you some kind of buzz, because it does definitely chill you out a bit, doesn't it.Rachel: It gives me a couple of minutes and just chills me out, like if something that had upset me, like my family, Vie been thrown out of my house and that's the reason why I started smokin g a lot more because of more stress and stuff. I do think that having a cigarette makes me relax a bit. Tara: At the moment I don't want to [stop smoking] because I do see smoking as helping me chill out a bit – I mean, if I didn't I'd be a tiger! Rachel: Vie actually been told by my doctor not to stop smoking – he says its got anger management, it calms me down.Both participants point to the grim consequences of not smoking I. E. Uncontaminated irritability. Earache's claim is warranted with reference to an authoritative source (a medic), which is culturally garnished with expertise. Rachel: Yes, that's the reason I first started smoking again, because I'd stopped smoking for so Eng and my dad gave up smoking, and my dad's been smoking since he was twelve, and he stopped for six month and then he had a heart attack.You would expect that to make me think ‘Right, need to stop smoking, or whatever, but straight away I went ‘Mum, give us a bag, because I hones tly didn't know what to do and I needed something to concentrate on – it gives you something to think about other than what's going on around you. In summary, smoking is popularly constructed as a positive resource in times of stress, whether provoked by , arguments with friends and family, school, and paradoxically , exposure to smoking-related disease within families. 5.Conclusions smokers since, from the focus groups shows that smoking is understood as a rational choice (rather than, say, addiction) conferring benefits (stress relief, enjoyment). This finding is in line with other research on ‘alternative rationalities' (Crossly, 2000) with adult smokers. However we should take in consideration that the qualitative research literature on smoking deploys a range of methods while in this study we analyze the young people smoking practices within a social (focus group) context.Smoking is explicitly linked to pleasure and relaxation (often tied to drinking contexts †“ see also Johnson et al. , 2000). Our participants also link other lifestyle practices to risk and they see life itself as a risk where preoccupation with smoking-related or any other problems is deemed excessive and paralyzing. To some extent, it is fair to say that our sample construed risky smoking as necessary to cope with their family/friends/ environment pressure. Overall our analysis points to the various ways in which the young smokers skillfully deflect the concerns of a health-conscious culture.It gaslights how, in a period of increasing pressure on smokers to quit, the young people in our focus group have created a series of complex and creative accounts to defend and preserve what is clearly perceived as an important social practice. Surely our young smokers are expressing ‘unrealistic optimism' (Weinstein, 1984), that is ‘inaccurate' perceptions of risk and susceptibility in relation to smoking and illness. For example some participants claimed that major health problems have not yet appeared (e. G. Current health is emphasizes) and that illness can be avoided by individual action (I. E. Tinting smoking in the near future). By contrast, psychosocial research, which conceptualizes smokers' talk, helps us to appreciate how smoking is rationalized within relevant social groups (in this case young adults in educational settings), as well as highlighting the creativity and sophistication of lay accounts. In turn, attention to the grounded discourse of smokers may well help inform more effective health promotion interventions (Crossly, 2000). To build on the current analysis, future work could include ‘street' interviews with young smokers in the public places where smoking is popularly practiced (e. Designated smoking areas at university, in pubs). This ‘live' context might prove especially illuminating in terms of the discourses reproduced with respect to how smoking is defended while people are engaged in the act of smoking . As well, it would be informative to examine patterns of naturally occurring conversation between young adult smokers where they gather. Such research would complement our focus group study by determining when and how health is introduced as a concern by younger people themselves and examining how such concerns are negotiated.

Alice Walkers Presentation of men in The Colour Purple Essays

Alice Walkers Presentation of men in The Colour Purple Essays Alice Walkers Presentation of men in The Colour Purple Paper Alice Walkers Presentation of men in The Colour Purple Paper Essay Topic: Literature The Color Purple Woman of Colour Novel The Color Purple is a Pulitzer prize winning novel written by Alice walker, The original book sold over 4million copies, when the novel was published it was seen as controversial and to this day is still seen as controversial the reasons for in being controversial are the representation of black men, bodily abuse, sexual abuse and lesbianism. Due to the outcry of people this novel was made in to a Oscar winning film, the same year that the color purple was released a film called Out Of Africa was released and won film of the year, the only explanation could be due to the color purple being a hard hitting film which puts men in a bad light they are seen as monogamists for the first half of the film. Alice Walker is a bisexual African American who was criticized for her personal representation of men and her portrayal of all African womens lives. The black men were outraged at her stereotypical view of their heritage and background. The novel The color purple is composed of a number of letters that were written between Cilei and her sister Nettie the sisters were separated at a very young age and made a vow to keep in touch. The letter correspondence stayed constant for many a year till they finally met about 20yrs later. There are many evil men in the novel who are shown in a bad light and thus creating a degrading environment for women, in my opinion in the novel Purple I can see no problem in the representation of the black men because during thoughts times there was much hardship and grief in the South and so men had most and if not all the love for there wives drained out of them. Alice Walker was very concerned with the color purple and as such it was a very predominant colour throughout the novel, the significance of the color purple was to convey bruising. The other colours were yellow, red and blue, yellow was a symbol of healing burses, blue and red were used to create the color purple. Alice Walkers brother shot her in the eye with air gun at a young age and her father did not do a lot to punish his son, Alice did not have a close relation ship with her father and thus having two bad male figures in her life from a young age may have contributed to her becoming lesbian. Alice Walker was a Feminist she did not admit to it and she also said shes not preaching, shes simple telling a story and the out come of it is men look BAD and theres no denying it, she trys to recover the male aspect at the end of the novel with all the men being happy when they decline to the women. A. W. Feminism is the radical notion that a woman is a human being Celie Well, you know wherever theres a man theres trouble (p175 line1) Pa was Celies stepfather he abused her and made her believe he was her real father thus making her believe she had committed incest which was terrible for her being a god fearing person. Pa was also a paedophile I ast him to take me instead of Nettie while our new mammy sick(p9 line1), all the men that abused women were labelled Mr____ and this was true for Albert and Bubber Hodges, Annie Julias boy friend who shot her. Most of the letters were picked up by Albert Ceiles stepfather, who felt that ceile had no write to keep in contact with her only friend and this is one of the thing he dose to make you feel bitter about him. Albert was a tall fairly large built man who liked to dominate women, he abused Ceile physically, mentally and sexually, Albert was a paedophile he always went for younger and younger girls he even started going for Nettie- Ceiles sister, Pa had no morals he would sell Ceiles children to rich families and say that they were dead and he never thought it would heart Ceile. While Ceile and Nettie were separated Nettie met a man called Samuel he was a preacher he was so good to Nettie, they moved to Africa and he took a new post as preacher in a village where they liver with the Olinka tribe. Samuel was a good husband he cared for her loved her and gave her the love she deserved, Nettie had two children that grew up in South Africa and they were going to have the scarification ritual done on them. Harpo was a positive portrayal of a male figure, he was good to his wife Sofia, although Alice Walker had negative views on some men, she gave a small minority of the men good honest characteristics, in my opinion she put these good characters in to counterweight the negative male imagery I came to this conclusion after noticing throughout the first three quarters of the novel there was no positive male input and then out of nowhere popped up five fantastic men who could do nothing wrong almost as if she had realised her mistake and tried to make right what she had done wrong. The only true character development that I can see is Albert, Albert was an evil man and after tuning to god towards the end of the novel he saw the light and changed his ways, this was a true character development, after Albert repent, and asked for forgiveness. Alice Walker used god as a messenger in most of Ceiles letters, to the character Celie god was a man that had an ear open and a heart that could solve all, she would open every letter Dear God this in my opinion was to make the reader think that she had no other person to talk to. Religion is a predominant theme in the novel; in the south religion was all they really had due to the hardship and poverty religion was seen as a form of forgiveness to all the wrongs a person committed. Purple is a key word when understanding the significance of men; the colour purple is used to convey bruises physical violence and abuse. Sofia is an exhalent example of abuse she was beaten and raped in a prison cell by Bubber and the policeman, the racial inequality between black and white people was so vast that the mayor got away with striking Sofia. The carved purple frog was given to Ceile by Albert as a token of forgiveness, Ceile kept the frog on her mantelpiece. Ceile can see that Albert has found god she says Take off there pants, I say, and men look like frogs to me personally this is a childs view because all frogs can change in to princes, and men have the ability to become good and pure all they need is the chance. Albert has the ability to love, Shug Avery was a misters to Albert but he loved her more than celie he said, this woman should have been your mamma. Albert could be seen in two ways either good or bad, he would have been bad in the way he forgot about Ceile and good in the way her cared for Shug. Although we concentrate on the abuse men coughs in the south we must also look at the other regions of the world in that time, in Africa where Nettie lived with Samuel there were men abusing women there, this was called scarification where the men of the Olinken tribe cut and sew up the women so that they were defaced and this was to tell if they were having sex before marriage. The two social backgrounds of men show that the Olinkan tribe keep their girls virgin till there married and the men like Pa would take the girls virginity away at a very young age. Although Albert was a strong character in the first half of the novel you can see how he finally decides to become subservient to Ceile, the main reason for this is due to her wearing the trousers, she has her own busyness that is thriving on the sale of trousers. Harpo trys the trousers on with Sofia and at this point there is equality between male and female. There is a famous quote by Stevie Wonder Show me how to do like you, Show me how to do it this simply means if the men wear shown how to love they would love there selves. Men from a young age were shown their fathers beating their wives and to all boys this would be seen as something normal, an every day occurrence. Although Harpo and Sofia are seen as equal the underlying fact is that he tried to beat her a number of times, this was a problem for him due to his size and stature. The reasons for trying to beat Sofia were pressers of the local men. The line It pisses God off when you walk by the colour purple in a field and dont even notice it is very powerful because walking passed is the same as turning your nose up at racial inequality, suffering and abuse against women.

Analysis of The Bet by Anton Chekhov

The Bet is a short story that explores a moral theme regarding the value of human life. However, the story is constructed with an important ironic twist that brings the reader back to the original context of the bet (if the lawyer could endure solitary confinement for fifteen years), and presents an unexpected result. One can ultimately see that Anton Chekhov presents the readers with two different paths in the story. One of them is the banker, who refuses to face his own morality and the other is the lawyer (prisoner) who actually faces his own morality, but falls into despair because he is so disconnected from the outside world, even after gaining so much knowledge. These two characters may thrive on change, but they both alter their own human values in great ways.The banker, a spoiled and pampered man, is very nervous and gets himself carried away by excitement at the time he makes a bet with the lawyer. This is shown when he says, Fifteen! DoneGentlemen, I stake two millions. Chekhov shows the reader that this not the impulsiveness of youth since he describes it as excitability, which he could not get over even in advancing years. Later in the story, Chekhov paints the portrait of a cowardly man who lacks the courage to endure reality. One day before the lawyer is to be granted his freedom, the banker becomes irritated and anxious, The only escape from bankruptcy and disgraceis that the man should die. At this point, the reader can trace the bankers path from boastfully making a foolish bet to being the one to give up all that he had staked, and conclude that his self-values have reached their all time low.On the other hand, the lawyer, an older and wiser man, shows his dynamic characteristics as he changes dramatically in the course of the 15 year bet. The lawyers character completely transforms from being an arrogant, young man, in to a feeble, cynical, yet more intelligent man.

The Merits of DSU system in WTO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Merits of DSU system in WTO - Essay Example Installation of the DSU by WTO has harmonized the manner in which WTO members engage in international trade. Dispute resolution serves as the central pillar upon which WTO functions, thereby allowing member countries to coexist and participate in an efficiently and effectively regulated international trade2. Given the fact that disputes are expected to arise due one reason or another in the process of trade between WTO members, investigations become vital to conduct in order to resolve the underlying dispute. The dispute resolution system is not forceful to any member, as the system is designed to resolve disputes without necessarily damaging state or intergovernmental relations. In the view that the DSU system does not forcefully implement investigations on members upon a dispute, the system minimizes or alleviates altogether the likelihood of being used to instigate dispute proceedings. The DSU system allows either party in the underlying dispute to waiver its claims at any step of the proceedings3. In so doing, it provides a diversified ground upon which conflicts and disputes between trade partners can be resolved. The system does not by any chance curtail the rights and freedoms of any WTO member. DSU is indiscriminately enforced for the benefit of all WTO members. The operations of DSU apply to all members, meaning that WTO provisions are uniformly binding to both developing and developed member countries4. In this respect, the primary interests, activities, and roles of WTO are reflected by the DSU system. WTO serves as an intergovernmental organization across the globe, an aspect that the DSU essentially captures. As a result, the DSU system is tailored towards promoting functional relations and improved international trade all over the world. The DSU system does not observe a common law system, meaning that it is not characterized by binding precedents5. Consequently, this implies that the DSU system exhibits no stare decisis aspects in