Relationship between Learning and Grading

To understand the relationship between evaluation and learning, we need to understand the evaluation pattern currently in use. Level 1, shows superficial concern on the work done by students. It takes for granted that the work done by students must be graded. Level 2 asks if traditional assessment or ‘authentic’ evaluation, which would delve deeper into students achievements? Level 3 enquires the need of evaluating students. The idea of wanting to know about the student performance itself is objectionable. Labeling students on the basis of performance often misjudges them. Student performance does not show any improvement on strict assessment. On the other hand, when it is easier to score, the learners do not put inferior work. Often the same teacher may put different grades to the same work when assessed at two different times. Thus the variation in score indicates subjective assessment .It makes learning incompatible. Motivation is an important aspect of assessment. If the motivation is inherent, then the student learns for his own sake, on the other hand, when the motivation is external, learning is for a purpose, the purpose being escaping a punishment or expecting a reward. Both are conflicting in nature. The findings reveal that student’s performance suffers and they exhibit lesser interest and focus on the task, if they know that they will be graded. Rote learning falls apart when the students know that they will be graded. Japanese students exhibit less interest in the subject and willingness to answer difficult questions, when they know they would be examined. Thus using grades to evaluate students made them lower interest, instill the fear of failure and disheartened their learning and creativity. (Butler and Nissan 1986, P.215). Some educators believe that providing feedback in form of grades is inadequate. It does not tell the student, where he or she went wrong, and the scope for improvement. Eric Schaps (1993) designed the ‘demand’ and ‘support’ models. The demand model highlights the student’s performance as ‘chosen’ and ‘earned’ making education an investment and preparation of a future worker. The ‘support ‘model is learner oriented making students responsible in the tasks they have chosen. It teaches that supportive and engaging environment is wanted more than improvement. The 5 main principles of assessment are – 1.In no way should evaluation stop curiosity or instill fear. 2. Interest sparked in students can be read by observation by experienced teachers. 3. School can become a caring place, making students feel free to discuss problems and seek help. 4. Assessment should be directly related to quality of curriculum. It is important to know if the student has received anything worthwhile from the curriculum.5 Students to play a decisive role in evaluation, to know that it is a learning experience. In case Grades are a must, it is important that they are supplemented by adequate comments. Gradation should not be done, while the students are still learning. A teacher should not mark students on a curve, saying only few are eligible for top marks. It is destructive to the self esteem of the student. Grades should never be given for effort, for it creates an opposite effect. Teachers need to keep an eye on the interest level of the curriculum too.

Blood Doping: Is it Rational and Ethical? Essay

You’re in the big race and your rival who you’ve been neck and neck with all year long somehow beats you by way more than usual. You ran one of the best races of your life and he somehow beat you and you don’t know how. Winning that race would have gotten a lot of opportunities from big colleges and instead of looking at you they’re looking instead, at your rival. How would you feel if you later learned the reason he was able to beat you was only because he started blood doping? Now imagine this happening at the professional level every day. Blood doping is unethical, unfair, unsafe, and needs to be regulated and removed completely from professional sports and recreational use. â€Å"Blood doping† is comparable to the administration of anabolic steroids and other drugs with the hope of improving athletic performance. Anabolic steroids have been considered unethical and have been banned from use in sports and blood doping, as it should, is banned as well. The athletes are placing themselves at risk for serious complications without medical benefit. Surely there is the idea that they will do anything to win, but is it worth it? Kathleen Sharp, in her article â€Å"A Drug to Quicken the Blood,† shares the negatives to EPO explaining, â€Å"Too many red blood cells can turn your blood to sludge and make the heart work overtime. The drug raised the risks of strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks. Even worse was that EPO could potentially multiply cancer cells† (Sharp). Look more:  satiric essays EPO has so many health risks and these athletes just ignore them because their goals are more focused on winning rather than their long-term health. There are many other athletes out there, who haven’t admitted to it, but are taking EPO without the public’s knowledge and some of the reason might be that they are taking it just to keep up with others. Imagine this scenario: One athlete starts doping and starts excelling above others, then other athletes will need to dope as well to keep pace with him. The fact that there can only be one winner means a lot of these athletes are doping and are not winning anything, which results in risking and damaging their health without having anything to show for it. Besides the health problems that EPO risks, users are making a conscious decision to use an illegal substance to attempt to benefit their performance and gain an edge on the competition. Much like steroids as mentioned before, EPO is not allowed to be used in sports. Using an illegal substance to try to gain an edge over the competition is unethical no matter what position you take on blood doping. If blood doping was allowed in sports, then the discussion would be different, but since it is not, using it is considered cheating which is unethical behavior and is not acceptable in competition of any kind. There’s a code of ethics that athletes are supposed to follow. They sign contracts and get paid millions of dollars to perform in their respective sport and it’s assumed they got to where they are because of their own talents, hard work, and without the aid of illegal performance enhancing drugs. I think it’s fair to make a general assumption that we expect professionals who are supposed to be the best at what they do to be able to do what they do without cheating. One article from â€Å"Men’s Fitness† shows a study done by Dutch researchers that looks at how much affect blood doping really has on â€Å"elite athletes.† Shawn Radcliffe, the author of â€Å"Study: EPO Blood Doping Useless for Elite Athletes,† explains how the study and found that, in spite of popular belief, there’s little evidence to show EPO can improve performance in cyclists, who are considered to be elite athletes. He describes how â€Å"elite athletes† already have such maximal oxygen uptake, that EPO will have little change in the transportation of oxygen and therefore have little effect on performance. So it’s very possible that Lance Armstrong may have lost his career and titles for nothing if he already had the highest VO2max, or maximal oxygen intake, levels he could which means EPO would have been doing nothing for him. If he and other cyclists raced without the use of EPO, it would make the sport fairer, and there would be no question of his integrity and no doubt in everyone’s minds that he is the greatest cyclist in the world. But since we know he used EPO, he lost everything and it all could have been avoided if the drug wasn’t used in the first place. Even if it was, there should have been tests done to prevent those who were blood doping from being able to race. My solution to the problem of blood doping is to have professional doctors hired by the sports federation (not the individual teams’ doctor) go to each team and test each athlete individually for steroid and EPO use. Especially for major events that are world renowned and watched like the Olympics, World Cup, Tour de France, and the Super bowl, all athletes in these events should be blood tested for steroids and EPO use. There should be no excuse not to since these athletes have a responsibility to be honest and clean for the better of the sport and to be fair to all athletes out there, especially to those who don’t use drugs. Make athletes afraid to dope and hopefully the fad will be eradicated soon enough. If sports can ban, test for, and regulate steroid use then I believe they should reasonably and feasibly be able to test athletes for EPO use as well. Now going back to that big race, but this time without any blood doping involved; you run the best race of your life and beat that rival you’ve been neck and neck with all year long. All those big colleges you’ve been looking at are now scouting you and all the opportunities are opening up. With all things fair, it’s those who train harder and better that deserve to win, not those who cheat and use performance enhancing drugs to do it. That’s why blood doping needs to be regulated and removed completely from professional sports and recreational use.

Koreans in California

United States is the land of opportunities. With open society offering freedom and liberty, United States has always been an attractive place for immigrants from through out the world. The influx of people having diverse culture and background in one society on one hand has been benefiting and on the other hand, it has been posing serious problems as well. New people take some time to adjust in new environment. The inter-cultural and ethnic confrontations are major impediments in their growth. But time allows the dust to settle down. Same is the story of Korean immigrants coming to this large hearted country, who began their journey almost hundred years ago. They found tough resistance but had high ambitions. Through their sheer hard work and docile nature, Korean immigrants are now considered as an integral string of US societal fiber. This paper aims at scrutinizing the history of Korean immigrants to United States specially in California, highlighting the start of their journey, problems they encountered, reasons for their coming to America, their present state, current issues faced by them, and their business activities. History of Korean Immigration Koreans are one of the largest, fastest growing Asian groups in the United States. Their immigration to the U.S. started between 1902 and 1905 when a total of 7,200 Koreans arrived in Hawaii as sugar plantation workers (Lee 21). The difficult working conditions on the plantations motivated some Korean Americans to move to the mainland where many continued in agricultural work. Since their initial numbers were limited therefore they did not formed groups and rather stayed fairly dispersed. After the abolishment of the Immigration Act in 1965, large numbers of Koreans, including some from the North that have come via South Korea, have been immigrating ever since, putting Korea in the top five countries of origin of immigrants to the United States since 1975. Initial Problems Faced by Korean Immigrants In the beginning, Koreans experienced the same kinds of discrimination that other Asian groups encountered including being prohibited from attending school with whites in San Francisco, being unable to intermarry with whites (California Anti-Miscegenation Law, 1901) and being unable to own land in California (1913 Alien Land Law). The years from 1910-1940, were particularly difficult for many Korean Americans as they thought of themselves more as exiles than immigrants and felt they were without a country. They had problems in getting jobs, and even were restricted from going to public places (Takaki 10-25). Reasons for Korean Immigrations to US Koreans came to America for a variety of reasons like family reunions, fleeing from military regimes or the threat of war, better employment opportunities, and a good education for their children. Besides that the other reasons for immigration include their desire for increased freedom, especially for women, and the hope for better economic conditions. In short, they came here to realize their own â€Å"American dream.† The Present State of Korean Immigrants Today there are over a million Korean Americans. They have continued their early patterns of not being as concentrated as other Asian groups in particular locations. Currently 44% live in the West, 23% in the Northeast, 19% in the South, and 14% in the Midwest. The state with the largest population is California with 33% of the total; New York is second with 12%. Even in California the population is scattered with only 20% of the Koreans in Southern California living in Koreatown, Los Angeles. Korea town is located about five miles west of City Hall and is roughly bounded by Beverly Boulevard and Pico Boulevard to the north and south and Hoover and Crenshaw on the east and west. In Southern California they own 45% of liquor stores, 46% of small grocery markets, and 45% of one-hour photo shops (Takaki, 40-50). The Current Issue Faced by Korean Immigrants The 1992 Los Angeles incidents have left many marks in the memory of Korean Americans. The Korean community is yet to recover from the aftermath of Rodney King verdicts. Much of the destruction was caused to many Korean markets and businesses which were located in those areas of the inner city (South Central and Korea town) which were burnt down. According to estimates 50% of Korean American property was lost. At that time there was little or no police presence in those areas and Koreans were left at their own. The frustration still continues due to lack of due support of the state, and 40% of the Korean businesses lost have not been able to reopen. The Koreans business in those areas still struggle to fight high rate of crime, violence, and interethnic tension (Hwangbo 1-2). Conclusion Like America, Koreans are tough, resilient, and sincere. They know how to survive through crises. As with most other Asian groups, California is increasingly preferred by new Korean immigrants as a permanent place to settle down. As community, they are peace loving, and they strongly believe in Confucian teaching of family culture. They had tough times in California and faced discriminations, but they stuck to their aim of creating harmony and striving for a better future. They are still confronted with ethnic challenges but are successful in negotiating the problems as and when they arise. Works Cited Hwangbo, Kay. â€Å"Human Dramas in The Their Own Voices.† LA Times, April 4, 1996: 1-2 . Lee, Lauren. Korean Americans. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1995. Takaki, Ronald. Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans. NY: Penguin, 1989.

CRJ565 AL 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRJ565 AL 4 - Essay Example People and especially clients are likely to see him as a leader that trusts his employees as well as one that is democratic in his leadership. The main problem is lack of interpersonal communication with her employees that is face-to-face which makes her leadership somehow cold. By her reducing her use of social media to communicate as well as utilizing lunch and tea breaks to interact with her employees on a more personal level, they are likely to start regarding her in high status and opening up to her. She will get to know her employees more if she spends much more time with them in meetings. Brenda however needs to have a team building experience with her employees away from the workplace in order to get to learn about her employees on a more personal level. This will enable much warmer communication, identify skills and talents and utilize them to increase performance. I agree on the point of appreciating the work the managers are doing by letting them seal the seal with the clients as they have been working at it for a long time. This will be empowering the employees and building up their confidence and managerial skills. Employees look up to their leader for inspiration, guidance as well as a role model. If the leader continues portraying certain behaviors that are not empowering, the employees will in turn emulate and repeat these same behaviors and this would affect the productivity of the company. If the CEO wants to be involved in the final signing of the contract by the clients, he should simply be present as a support figure and not interfere in any way. The nicotine test I agree is an invasion of the privacy of the employees and instead of doing so which only leads to his resentment by the employees, he should seek incentives to encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle. The nicotine test should be voluntary rather than mandatory. By providing incentives and rewards to the employees taking initiative over their

Quanative verses Qualitive Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quanative verses Qualitive - Research Paper Example rch practitioner using qualitative data will rely on their experience in a specific field of study to make determinations about the data achieved, often with a focus on sociology or psychology to emphasize phenomenon of human actions and emotions. It is the most appropriate method for determining symbolic meanings in a culture or organization. Quantitative research is based on statistical understanding, a scientific or mathematical approach to research. Through data modeling or correlative research, the researcher can determine whether specific characteristics or attitudes exist in specific demographics. For instance, the survey in quantitative research will often identify specific facts, such as gender, occupation, or political affiliation (Brians, Willnat, Manheim & Rich, 2011). Results of the questions asked can indicate whether any specific trends exist within a certain demographic or mean totals determined, when using ranking scales, to determine majority opinion in an identified sample group of respondents. The ability to take tangible facts and figures from the sample and measure their correlations to a belief can provide valuable, legitimized data results in this type of

Hospitality and tourism industry economy in Australia Essay

Hospitality and tourism industry economy in Australia - Essay Example Although, this segment comprises of a cluster of small firms or hotels that offers extremely attractive holiday packages to spend leisure or recreational times, religion or health, business and professional purposes at a quite affordable ranges. Due to this, its competitiveness enhanced to a significant rate as compared to others. Thus, from the above graphs, it might be depicted that the outlook of hospitality or tourism industry in Australia changed to a certain extent. The entire credit of such a market scenario of hospitality and tourism industry of Australia is due to the changing demographics. However, in-spite of benefits, it also had to face varied types of challenges as well. This paper mainly focuses about the challenges regarding the type of jobs and talents required for the individual getting engaged in the hospitality and tourism industry in Australia due to changing demographics. Along with this, it also describes the appropriate human resource approaches essential to retain the employees as well as to attract new talented ones towards the industry of tourism. In this today’s era, maximum extent of the employees desire to establish his or her own identity and image in the organization or industry, engaged with. This is mainly due to the changes of the attitudes and behaviours of the generation x and y candidates as compared to baby boomers. So, in order to retain the employees of generation x and y within the organization or industries for a longer period of time, varied types of human resource approaches are maintained. These approaches might lead to the betterment of this industry. So, they are described below one by one. Succession Management- according to Philips (2012), it is a constant process of identifying, assessing and developing varied leaders within the organization so as to improve the level of performance, dedication

Essentials of business in 2012 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Essentials of business in 2012 - Essay Example Our reputation for quality products, unique baked products, eclectic atmosphere, and excellent, friendly service will be the basis for continued growth. Long-term vision (beyond next year): Building on a foundation of community presence, referral business, quality and excellence, we will continue to expand our market and become the preferred choice in the Salthill area for consumers seeking a quiet place to visit while enjoying a hot beverage and freshly baked cakes. While we will offer high quality and a variety of coffee blends, along with other hot and cold beverages, our unique selling point will be our fresh baked cakes and other baked goods. We will offer a large variety and unique flavors to highlight local taste favorites and respond to customer demand. Since we are not a chain, we will have the freedom to experiment with flavors and adjust to accommodate customer needs quickly and efficiently. Our success will rely on our flexibility to changing customer needs, our service excellence, and our fantastic products. These elements, packaged in an inviting environment, with careful attention to costs and profit, will create a sustainable business model. To market the shop we will periodically place advertisements in The Galway City Tribune, create a website, and launch a Facebook page. The costs incurred will be predominately with the newspaper articles, though depending on the service selected, there may be a minimal on-going web hosting fee that we will need to maintain to keep the website live. We will rely on samples, hand-bills, and word-of-mouth for a portion of our marketing strategy. These options offer a low-cost option that will help us create a presence in the community and quickly install The Caked Bean as an everyday destination for the local clientele. While the shop will offer cake slices and single serving baked goods, we will also take orders for whole cakes for special occasions to supplement the normal

Critical thinking and application paper Ethics Case Study

Critical thinking and application paper Ethics - Case Study Example The rule which has the best overall consequences is regarded as the best rule. This article is very pertinent to Gary Briar's issue since it also covers the pervasive corruption in foregin governments. The citizens of Afghanistan are afraid to report instances of corruption because they are afraid that they will be killed by government forces. The continuing corruption done by government officials constitutes a serious malady affecting the government. This article is related to the situation of Danny Briar as it features the strong dilemma of a Turkish government official pertaining to corruption being committed by other government officials. This article refers to the Turkish Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan, the leader of Turkey's anti-corruption drive, who has accused elements of the party of trying to slow his investigations. The move of Tantan was to resign from government office. Hence, Turkey has lost a key government official who could have stemmed the tide of corruption. This article is pertinent to the situation of Danny Briar as it attempts to take a proactive stance in dealing with corrupt officials. The article emphasizes the importance of putting out incentives to make officials forego corruption activities. This article features the private efforts of a Sudanese cellphone billionaire, Mo Ibrahim, who will give an annual prize worth more than US $5 million dollars to an African head of state who was freely elected, turned over power to a freely elected successor and governed well while in office. This prize can help all African leaders to govern well and avoid the temptation of robbing their country of natural resources. d.) "Border Agents, Lured by the Other Side" Randal Archibold and Andrew Becker. New York Times online. Mqy 27, 2008. Available at URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/us/27border.html This article is pertinent to the case study since it als deals with how government agents, border patrol agents are lured by money officers. The article features two Villarreal brothers who were former Border Patrol agents, who were suspected of helping to smuggle an untold number of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Brazil across the border. The Villarreal investigation were among the corruption cases that have alarmed officials in the Homeland Security Department. e.) "China Confirms Poison Was on Toy Beads" New York Times Online. By KEITH BRADSHER. Published: November 11, 2007. This article is similar to that of Danny Briar as it also features the case of poison found in Chinese toy beads, Acqua Dots. The Chinese government had confirmed the presence of poison on toy beads exported around the world. The brightly colored toy

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

Articles - Essay Example Competence was a study aimed at determining prejudice based on the high competency associated with Asian Americans and sociability studies depicted the way in which social framework diminish the significance of Asian Americans (Monica et.al, 2005). The article realized that the most appropriate correspondents to use were University students as it selected correspondents from three campuses. In addition, the article focused on theory findings and disregarded practical findings as it would have minimized the effectiveness of data obtained from the correspondents. From the article, sociability recorded the most number of causes of prejudice against Asian Americans as competency was a cause to few correspondents. The main reason for this direction on the data collected is the fact that Americans have a social system that tends to exclude other races from its fit. The article also realized that most respondents appreciate the competency level of Asian Americans. With the change in perception from social system this problem would be solved. This article focuses on analyzing the depth at which Asian Americans are prejudiced and discriminated in the modern day American society. The article mainly focuses on comparing the perception towards Asian Americans to other minority groups such as Jews the blacks. The article also creates a summary of the history of prejudice towards Asian Americans and the reason as to why laws do favor the creation of equal treatment towards Asian Americans. The article uses data from already done research on the same problem. The article argues that among all existing groups in America, Asian Americans were held with the least regards if compared to blacks, Jews, Hispanics and whites (Weaver, 2012). This is based on the assumption that Asian Americans consist of the lowest population among the cited groups considering the massive number of the Blacks, Jews, Hispanics and the White. In addition, media activism exclude the fact that

What are the main characteristics of a successful piece of academic Essay

What are the main characteristics of a successful piece of academic writing as submitted for a university assessment - Essay Example The extensive source of knowledge through acute reference to databases would be the only solution for the information mining. Once the information is gathered it is vital in the case of an academic paper to analyze the information so as to form scientifically justifiable observations and conclusions. A successful piece of academic writing however demands much in terms of style of writing and the research involved. The important characteristics of a quality academic paper are as following An academic paper will have to adhere with many benchmarks as set by the concerned academic authority. Compliance with academic standards, working in accordance with the objectives and properly formatted documentation would be vital in determining the quality of an academic paper. Considering the importance of an academic paper as key document in a particular reserach and taking into account the way this can affect the branch of science dealt with, much emphasis has to be paid on the quality of academic papers. However the difficulty level in the stipulations can differ among different academic authorities. The time management process so as to be able to finish the work within the stipulated deadline is also important. Different academic authorities demand the academic paper to be written in specified style of writing. This requirement however depends on the kind of paper to be written. The nature of science involved with the paper would determine the academic style in which the paper is to be written. The most common academic writing styles include Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMA), Council of Science Editors (CSE), Turabian, American Sociological association (ASA), American Anthropological Association (AAA) and Havard style (CSU, 2006). These styles have been standardized by various organizations so that the papers written by experts across the

Recruitment and Army Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Army Essay 1.0 Opportunities and dangers to be considered by the Army in externalising the recruitment processes. a. Preston (2012 P.36) shows how the two-way process of recruitment ‘should be as much about the applicant finding out whether the business is right for them as about whether they are deemed acceptable by the business’. c. Having employment opportunities for the soldiers who are being made redundant will allow the knowledge and experience of ex-soldiers to remain forefront of recruitment helping recruiting the right person be more effective. An explanation by Preston (2012, P.36) tells us how if ‘appointees don’t fit then profitability is affected’; this key can show that the benefits of externalization will bring spending cuts by selecting only the right persons increasing retention. d. Being seen as ‘perverse’ is a danger because if the Army gives a bad image of high staff redundancies while spending highly on hiring this could be open to stereotypic views as Preston explains ‘Many people are deterred from entering certain professions because of general stereotypical images which exist in their society or culture’ (2012, P.38). Col Richard Kemp in the case study says how ‘previously using a civilian company was not a success’. This could have a detrimental impact upon future recruits if the civilian company cannot deliver what is expected. It will also have an  impact upon the Army’s image if it doesn’t work out the second time round. 2.0 Methods of selection and their advantages and disadvantages for selecting soldiers. Interviews – Used to understand key facts of the job and recruit for either parties and determine suitability to one another. This method is an opportunity the Army can utilize to lay out main facts of what they have to offer. It’s also a chance for the recruit to decide whether or not they are happy with the opportunities. The advantage to the Army using this method would remove unexpected expectation at an early stage reducing cost from training soldiers who realized it’s not what they thought at a later stage. The disadvantage however would be that interviews are seen as ‘too subjective to the individual and place a ‘cloud’ over an individual’s ability (Preston, 2012 P.43) Tests – Used to measure a person’s ability and aptitude relevant to the job. This Method would allow the Army to see suitability of potentials under set tests giving a further indication on whether the Army is a job the candidate is suitable for before subjecting them to full training further reducing cost at an earlier convenience. Preston (2012) also explains that this can also be a way to reduce inherent subjectivity of the interview method. This method has disadvantages of not being able to incorporate all what the Amy needs to see as some areas of the Army require more subjective tests. This can increase costs if at a later stage the applicant is found unable to cope with certain areas of the job and pulls out. Assessment Centre – Can show the applicant in certain situations relevant to the job. This shows the Army the recruits in a role play scenario or group activity which can indicate the applicant’s ability under a selection of techniques in multiple combinations. This can incorporate a more subjective assessment of the individual so it can be determined further whether the Army can offer a position to the recruit. This would help the Army in selecting those who are of correct skill level generating more quality recruits increasing retention. However the assessment centers only provide the Army with a short insight to certain scenarios as the Army is a specialized area of recruitment the individual cannot be seen faced with all possible problems the recruit may encounter as  a soldier. 3.0 Recommendations for organising induction and socialisation of newly hired soldiers to enhance retention. Induction is whereby a new recruit is welcomed into the organisation through a short term introduction to areas shown by Preston (2012, P45) like what their job description is, what’s expected of them or underlining policies and procedures. Such inductions are critical to the Army as it helps new recruits become accustomed to their surroundings and allows them to adopt the organisational culture and written rules helping them understand what is expected and what is accepted. Typical activities include group welcoming (showing videos), simple team working (to help get to know each other) and tours of the premises (to learn the surroundings). Socialisation is a long term process shown by Preston (2012) to ‘help understand in terms how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. This would be of importance to help the Army ensure the recruits are following the correct procedures and polices but also helping to keep track of the recruit’s process ensuring they are settling in and managing well. To help the activities could include meetings to see the recruit’s progression, group socialising to help with settling, appraisals to show they are doing well and promotions to help encourage further progression. To help improve retention and reduce dropouts induction techniques recommended would be having already serving soldiers at a welcome day to have questions asked and stories from first hand experiences. As documented by Harding (2011) in the case study ‘the most effective recruiters were young soldiers who had already served on operations’. This could expel any rumors and help new recruits understand the demands of Army life at an early stage. This technique would also allow the introduction of policies and procedures and what to expect. Using mentoring as a socialising technique would give recruits quantitative information based on their progression into the business and how well they are integrating into the  role. This information can be persuading for new recruits to show them they are on the right track and doing well, resulting in increased momentum and a desire to keep going. As Preston (2012) says ‘socialisation is understanding how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. Mentoring through the early stages can keep track of the recruit and provide them with the help and support to succeed in turn, reducing dropouts and increasing quality recruits. References: Harding T. (2011) ‘Army to pay civilian firm  £1bn to recruit new soldiers’ The Telegraph 11 October [Online]. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8819327/ Army-to-pay-civilian-firm- £1bn-to-recruit-new-soldiers.html (Accessed 1 September 2014). Preston, D (2012), An introduction to human resource management in business, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Prà ©cis: From the tutor group forum discussions I have learnt that there are many views on what people have in the work place. The work place HRM polices and business cultures can be dramatically different from business to business and different people have different views on them and how they incorporate them into their working lives. Activity 2.3 shown how businesses HRM polices and culture can mix well or clash badly as such Pauls Bourne shows how that if people of a work place buy into the ‘norm’ this can sometimes override what the HRM polices state resulting in problems. However that HRM polices should be a state of first call when people need to be reminded what is truly expected of them in the place of work. All the ideas coming together has taught me to think more logically about the place I work and how the business culture is upheld through normal behaviour of people through unwritten rules up to the policies and procedures in place to help maintain a uniformed business. Reference: Bourne P, (2014) ‘Activity 2.3 HRM and Culture’ The Open University 19 November 2014 [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=1210164 (accessed 25 November 2014).

Steps for improvement in future for flipkart Essay Example for Free

Steps for improvement in future for flipkart Essay The e-Commerce market in India has enjoyed phenomenal growth of almost 50% in the last five years. Although the trend of e-Commerce has been making rounds in India for 15 years, the appropriate ecosystem has now started to fall in place. The considerable rise in the number of internet users, growing acceptability of online payments, the more number of internet-enabled devices and favorable circumstances are the key factors driving the growth story of e-Commerce in the country. The number of users making online transactions has been on a rapid growth trajectory, and it is expected to grow from 11 million in 2011 to 38 million in 2015. Flipkart is a leading e-Commerce company which has established itself now as the fastest growing mid-sized company. Backed by a funding of $31 million, the company is set to grow from five warehouses and 35 delivery centers to 35 warehouses and more than 60 delivery centers across the country. But, with wide expansion in various sectors, greater range of challenges also come across. By large, major challenges that the company faces are :- 1. Customer Satisfaction. 2. Market Expansion. 3. Best Economic Use of Funds. Keeping in mind the above challenges, few steps that can be taken by the company to improve upon its brand value in future according to me are :- Making Customer Satisfaction #1 priority In a market where even a single customer plays an important role, it becomes very important to make sure that the customer is treated in the best possible way. But, in practicality, this is very difficult and we have experienced it ourselves. How many times has it happened that you didn’t get your order on time? I guess many!! So, here are 4 key factors that can heavily influence customer satisfaction which need to be taken care of if flipkart wants to keep ahead of its competitors. 1. Accuracy (Right Product): In accordance with Wyatt Earps belief that â€Å"fast is fine, but accuracy is everything†, we can understand the pivotal role that receiving the right product plays in determining customer satisfaction. In a recent survey, approximately one out of every three respondents (29%) said that they would abandon shopping altogether with a retailer if they received one incorrect delivery. This equates not only to one lost customer for life, but combined with the impact of social media and word of mouth, this could seriously impact brand image and performance. Therefore, it is immeasurably important to run multiple accuracy checks, run by multiple employees to reduce the risk of errors. 2. On Time Delivery: According to a survey from Comscore, 42% of shoppers have ABANDONED an online shopping cart because of the delivery date. Communication of the expected delivery date of the order is critical to setting the correct expectation of the consumer. Conversely, 41% of shoppers RECOMMENDED a retailer when they received their product when expected which can lead to increased loyalty and new customers. Speed is crucial to ecommerce operations. The ability to turnaround orders within the same or next day is highly recommended. 3. Order Tracking: has in recent years become a necessity for online retailers with 75% of customers believing it is a service that every retailer should offer. These primarily include email notifications containing a unique tracking number as well as having the ability to check directly on the retailers website for the tracking information whether it is pending, en route or arrived 4. Discounts and Coupons: Many consumers these days come to online shopping sites only because of vast number of discounts and coupons and this can highly influence customer loyalty. According to Comscore, 95% of respondents have recommended a retailer due to the availability of discounts and coupons. Retailers should clearly state their terms and conditions for discounts and coupons on their website so it’s clear to the consumer before they checkout. CHANGING TRENDS IN INTERNET USE The mobile internet user base is growing, aided by the introduction of 3G data plans and declining smartphone prices. Several smartphone models are available at less than Rs. 8000 in the Indian market. Mobile internet users are expected to account for more than 60% of the user base in India, considering that their number is forecast to reach 200 million by 2015. Telecom operators are incentivizing mobile internet usage by reducing tariffs and providing unlimited usage facilities. They are offering unlimited internet browsing plans at a lowly price of Rs. 200 per month to their GSM customers. Within six months of the launch of 3G, the number of connections reached 10 million, closely matching the number of broadband subscribers. UNDERDEVELOPED USER EXPERIENCE The growth of mobile internet is encouraging. However, experience on e-Commerce websites also needs to be improved, since most of these sites are not optimized for use on mobile devices. Furthermore, not all e-Commerce sites have developed mobile apps. Given that an increasing number of people would access internet on their mobile devices, e-Commerce players need to step up and develop mobile websites and apps for major mobile platforms. MAKING YOUR PRESENCE FELT ON 3rd PARTY WEBSITES It is one of the major solutions for your e-Commerce business as you should list your complete range of products on 3rd party sites in order to get more attention and visitors. However, 3rd party shopping sites are highly popular on the web and visited by lots of visitors. Today, there are lots of shoppers, who are visiting these websites in order to compare the products, so it is highly important for you to make your products visible. You always try to make your products as visible as possible so that people come to know about your products and services. When it comes to talk about some popular 3rd party shopping sites, Google shopping, eBay and Buy.com are some most popular sites to increase incremental revenue. ENHANCING PAGE LOAD SPEED Then it comes to enhance page load speed, you should consider pictures and images that you have on your page. However, it is a common problem with e-Commerce websites as the websites have lots of images of products, so this problem is quite difficult to face, but retailers can easily resize their product images and use different formats like .pang that surely help. All the e-Commerce websites try to enhance page load speed so that their customers easily visit their website and load each and every page without nay hassle. Giving what the Indian customers really want and understanding their mindset. ‘Touch and Feel’ factors: Indian customers are more comfortable in buying products physically. They tend to choose the product by touching the product directly. Thereby, Indian buyers are more inclined to do ticketing and booking online in Travel sectors, books and electronics. Companies dealing with products like apparel, handicrafts, jewelry have to face challenges to sell their products as the buyers want to see and touch before they buy these stuffs. Cash On Delivery: Cash on Delivery (COD) has evolved out of less penetration of credit card in India. Most of Indian E-commerce companies are offering COD as one of mode of payment for the buyers. 30%-50% of buyers are also taking advantage of this mode of payment while making purchase of any product and service over internet. COD has been introduced to counter the payment security issues of online transaction, but this mode has been proving to be loss and expensive to the companies. It is seen that majority of the customers denied to make the payment at the time of delivery of the product. Hence, companies tend to lose the sale along with product transit fees. In order to curb the problem of COD, online companies should take some judicial steps; otherwise basic logic behind the ecommerce business will be at risk. Online Transaction: Most of Indian customers do not possess credit card, debit card and net banking system, which is one of the prime reasons to curtail the growth of ecommerce. Nevertheless, in recent years, some of the nationalized banks have started to issue debit cards to all its account holders. Third-party online payment solution China’s leading third-party online payment solution allows individuals and businesses to execute payments online in a secure manner. Its escrow service has made consumers confident about conducting online transactions without being concerned about product delivery and quality. This is because payment is only released to sellers when consumers confirm the delivery of orders. Expansion of market instead of taking market share from the competitors. One more area where flipkart can expand its market is into the Online Travel Market. Some encouraging points of online travel market are :- Indian travel industry among the fastest growing in the world Growth in India’s travel and tourism industry is the second fastest worldwide. According to a Deutsche Bank report, the industry would grow at a CAGR of 10% to reach US$111 billion by 2020. The growth of the services sector (thereby leading to rising household income, an expanding middle class and more inbound and outbound tourism) is responsible for this rapid growth. Decade of air travel The civil aviation sector in India has witnessed favorable developments in the last decade. India is the ninth-largest civil aviation market in the world and is poised to feature among the top five global markets over the next decade. Airline passenger traffic rose rapidly from 59.3 million in 2005 to 162.3 million in 2012. Indians now travelling more†¦ Inbound and outbound travel for both business and leisure has increased. Spending on domestic and international travel by Indian travelers is forecast to touch US$1.4 billion and US$426 million, respectively, by 2013. This has prompted domestic full service carriers and LCCs to expand their networks by offering connectivity to near-shore destinations such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Dubai and Nepal, thus aiding in the growth of online travel.

The Classification Of Fundamental Movement Skills

The Classification Of Fundamental Movement Skills The objective of this paper to have a literature review on fundamental movement skills and also to use the integrated approach of qualitative analysis of human movement to study the FMS performed by the child subject. The definition of FMS Fundamental movement skills are movement patterns that involve different body parts such as the legs, arms, trunk and head. Fundamental movement skills are the building blocks for playing games, sports, dance, gymnastics, outdoor education and physical recreation activities. The twelve common skills are balancing, running, jumping, catching, hopping, throwing, galloping, skipping, leaping, kicking, striking and dodging (Steps PD ,2007). The Classification of FMS Skills have many characteristics that can change in different environment, which makes classifying them difficult. In general, the Skill classification systems are based on the view that motor skills are affected by three factors: how precise a movement is whether the movement has a definite beginning and end whether the environment affects the performance of the skill (Brian Mac Sport Coach,1997) In this assignment, we will only look at Open and Closed skill classification. Open/Closed Skill Open skill is refers to the environment is constantly changing and so movements have to be continually adapted. Therefore, skills are predominantly perceptual and mostly externally paced; sports like Football is usually involve open skills. Close skill take place in a stable, predictable environment and the performer knows exactly what to do. These skills are not affected by the environment and tend to be habitual. Movements follow set patterns and have a clear beginning and end. The skills tend to be self-paced, for example a free throw in Basketball. The importance and relevance of developing FMS in children Fundamental motor skills provide a support base of movement from which more advanced skills can be developed. A child individual whose fundamental motor skills are not properly developed will not have a foundation upon which to build proficient movement forms. For example if a child is not able to balance, run, jump, throw, kick, strike, he will not be able to develop proficiency in playing soccer. The factors effecting the development of FMS Impairment Individuals with inherited impairment will have a significant constraint on the upper limit of performance attainable; there is no guarantee of success for an individual even with extensive and intensive specific practice. For example, one legged individual will definitely not able to dribble a soccer ball on the field. Social economic status Studies from WHO have showed that countries with higher socioeconomic status like UK, USA, Australia will have heavier or overweight kids who grow faster that those with lower socioeconomic status, for example in UK, a 3 years old kid are 1/2 taller than other countries like Laos. These overweight kids will usually spent more time on watching television than exercise; hence studies have shown that these kids tend to be less competent in the skill of running than non-overweight (Informa Health , 2010). Cultural This refers to cultural restriction in certain countries that do not allow individual to play or learn certain sports. Example, in middle countries like Iran because of its strict Islamic dress code, women are not allow to reveal any parts of the body such as face, hand and leg. This prohibits women gymnast in Iran to compete internationally, hence gymnastics is not a popular sport for women in Iran at all. Environmental Environmental constraints is refers to family or social support. Individual can reacts in many different ways to such constraints. This could either motivate an individual to greater heights or cause a dumper on the promising sport careers. School School with good coaching coach or teacher, sport science support, training equipment and facilities will usually have a positive impact on the individuals development of FMS as compared to those do not have. In Singapore this year another 9 primary schools and 6 secondary schools have been awarded the Program for School-Based Excellence and Niche Program status respectively. The awards aim to encourage greater diversity in schools by helping them to develop their strengths and unique niches. Students would have a more enriched educational experience by having more opportunities to grow in different areas of excellence like Sports. Assessment of FMS The assessment of movement skill is a critical component of many disciplines, In particular, the accurate information about the skill level of individual. There are several different ways to measure childrens performance of FMS, each with advantages and disadvantages, namely Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative assessment approaches involve measuring the product or outcome of the performance. Qualitative assessment focuses on the form or technique of the movement, namely how the skill is performed (Dr Beth Hands). The 4 stages of qualitative analysis of human movement written by Knudson and Morrison are Preparation, Observation, Evaluation and Diagnosis and Intervention (Duane V. Knudson Craig S. Morrison, 2002). Preparation The 1st of the 4 tasks of qualitative analysis is preparation. Kinesiology staff preparing for qualitative analysis must have some knowledge on the activity or movement, the performers, and able to give effective instruction as such professionals must continuously update their knowledge in all of these areas. In this experiment, the subject chosen is a 10 year old kid studying in a neighborhood school. He has no specialize training on athletics except from attending physical education lesson during school time. The critical features of the running movement suggested are as follow: Preparatory, Runners to your mark Hands sideways at starting line Stronger foot forward Opposite knee by opposite toe foot Head up and eyes looking forward about 2 feet Preparatory, Get Set Rear end raises up, butt is a little higher then shoulders Slowly raise to a standing position Head up and eyes Execution, Go Lands on ball of the foot Head stable Trunk stable Eyes focused forward Elbows bent at 90 Â ° Arms drive forward and back in opposition to the legs Non-support knee bends at least 90 Â ° during the recovery phase Observational strategy The 2nd task of qualitative analysis is observation. The observation for this experiment is based on a systematic observational strategy (SOS) to gather information about the critical features of a movement. An SOS can be organized based on the phases or sequence of the movement by balance or base of support, by the importance of critical features, or from a general impression to specific aspects of performance. The key elements of an SOS are: To focus attention, Control the situation so to optimize observation and the subjects performance, use variety of sensory information and the interaction of all the senses, not just vision for observation. Plan vantage points, viewing distances and numbers of observations, Plan the number of observations, Extend observational power using tools such as slow motion video replay. In this experiment, the observation is done by phases of the running movement. The 3 phases for the running movement observed are preparation, execution and follow through. A simple criteria sheet was developed to record the details of the observation in Appendix 1. Critical elements and observation remarks for the running movement were also detailed in Appendix 1. Evaluation and diagnosis of performance ( The 3rd task of qualitative analysis of human movement is the evaluation and the diagnosis of performance. The analyst must evaluate the strengths and weakness of the movements critical features. The process of diagnosis involves prioritizing the strengths and weaknesses so that intervention can be selected to improve performance. There are 6 rationales that may be used to prioritize intervention: Relating actions to previous actions, Maximizing improvement, Making the easiest corrections first (working in order of difficulty), Correcting in sequence, Moving upward from the base of support, Fixing critical features first. In this experiment, the evaluation done for the subject is as follow: The strength The subject is able to stand at the stronger foot forward before he runs; he is able to keep his eyes focused while is going forward. His truck is stable, and he is able to keep his elbows bent at 900 during the run. He is able to keep his arms swinging forward and back in opposition to the legs. He is able to land on ball of the foot or heels when he is running. The weakness The subject is not able to keep his head looking forward when he runs. His head is also tilt upwards; this may hurt his neck during the run. He tends to speed very fast during the initial stage of the run, and he gets very tired before he can finish the run. When he is running, he tends to open his hands, this has created more winds resistance (known as dragging). Validity and Reliability of the observation Validity is refers to the extent which a variable has been adequately measured, in the experiment conducted, the critical features of the running movement are captured using a video cam and it is later analyzed repeatedly using video playback, hence both the face validity and content validity relating to the running were captured and observed. Reliability refers to the extent to which any measuring procedure yields the same results on repeated trials. In the experiment conducted, intra-rater reliability was observed because the different experiment was conducted by the same analyst. In addition, Inter-rater reliability was also observed because the same subject was used in different trials. Intervention (Strategies for improving performance) The 4th task of qualitative analysis is the provision of some intervention to help the performer improve. Intervention includes traditional augment verbal feedback like using specific cue word or phrase for intervention and other methods such as using visual models, exaggeration, task modification, manual guidance, conditioning, attentional cueing, ecological intervention to teach and train a person to move better. Another consideration for those who wish to improve performance is the use of positive terms during feedbacks and in language that is age-appropriate or specific to the individual. So in this experiment, a variety of approaches of intervention are used for the subject for the 2 weakness as observed in the last topic. The use of age-appropriate cues when teaching the subject to close his hands when he run, example to tell the subject do not run like a duck, must close his hands. Demonstration by the instructors will be effective, because most people have a visual learning style. Using videos replays from the gold standards or poster of the key body positions in running will also effective. Through manual guidance by holding the subjects hand in specific position to give the subject a feel for the actual position or action or to ask subject to freeze on command so that the coach can manually change the subjects hand posture. Attentional cueing can involve the coach providing intervention as cue words to guide the subsequent performance. Cue words use like Close hands, should focus on the actions of the movement and teach the subject to become more aware of the movement. Conclusion Fundamental motor skills provide a wide base of movement abilities where more advanced skills can be developed. A child whose fundamental motor skills are not amply developed will not have a foundation upon which to build proficient movement forms. Using an integrated approach of qualitative analysis of human movement through preparation, observation, evaluation, diagnosis, intervention, coaches and teachers will able to improve the movement of the children. References Steps PD (2007). Foundation movement skill. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://www.steps-pd.co.uk/fms.htm Brian Mac Sport Coach (1997). Skill Classification. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://www.brianmac.co.uk/continuum.htm Informa Health (2010).International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/17477160903271971 Dr Beth Hands. How can we best measure Fundamental Movement Skills. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://escalate.ac.uk/downloads/6831.pdf AD Okely ML Booth (2004). Mastery of fundamental movement skills among children in New South Wales: prevalence and sociodemographic distribution. Retrieved May 24, 2010 http://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(04)80031-8/abstract. Duane V. Knudson Craig S. Morrison (2002). Qualitative Analysis of Human Movement. Champaign IL: Human kinetics.

Southern White Slaveholder Guilt :: American America History

Southern White Slaveholder Guilt Guilt is an inevitable effect of slavery. For no matter how much rhetoric and racism is poured into such a system, the simple fact remains that men and women are enslaving men and women. Regardless of how much inferior a slaveholder may perceive his salves, it is obvious that his "property" looks similar, has similar needs, and has similar feelings. There is thus the necessary comparison of situations; the slaveholder is free, the slave is in bondage-certainly a position that the slaveholder would find most disagreeable. So there is no doubt that any slaveholder with any measure of humanity within himself would feel guilt. And in fact, as the evidence is considered-including the pro-slavery propaganda-the reality of southern guilt is overwhelmingly obvious. The guilt is seen in their words, both private and public, uncovered in the pro-slavery diatribes, and understandable in their humanity. Before this discussion of guilt in slaveholders begins, it is necessary to first define how we will define guilt. Certainly if a man says he is guilt-stricken with conviction we can take this as adequate evidence of his guilt. However, certainly not everyone takes this direct an approach. James Oakes makes a good point in recognizing that guilt is not always starkly obvious. "Guilt is the product of a deeply rooted psychological ambivalence that impels the individual to behave in ways that violate fundamental norms even as they fulfill basic desires (Oakes 120)." In other words, guilt creates such inner turmoil that a guilty man will deviate from normal behavior. In this case, we will have to show two things: first, a slaveholder is committing detrimental actions (to himself or his family) that show he is in mental distress, and second, that these actions are a result of his status as a slaveholder. It is obvious that we cannot prove the latter point, but we can show it is the most p robable situation for his guilt. Finally, if a slaveholder is making pains above and beyond law and custom, it is most likely that these actions are to alleviate feelings of guilt. This is because we may assume any deliberate actions taken by any man are usually taken because he assumes they will benefit him in some manner. And if such an action is costly (money-wise), then it must have some allure in terms of personal happiness. So to show guilt, we will set forth examples of open confessions of guilt, deviant behavior, and uncommonly good treatment of slaves.

Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms :: GMOs Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically Modified Organisms Do you concern yourself with the nature of the food you consume? Ever think twice about genetically modified organisms contained in a daily meal? If you're like most people you'll be baffled to know most cheese, Big Macs, and even soup contain bioengineered enzymes which are grown from the seed. In these articles there are two public opinions in which one states the innocence of American judgement and the other describes the protests of Americans against GMOs. Most daily meals contain GMOs while people aren't aware of the modifications. Throughout this paper there are people's ideas and opinions represented on the topic. "Does the US Know What it is Eating" talks about how large amounts of Americans aren’t aware of the contents contained in everyday meals. Soup, for instance, is considered to have contained a certain type of bioengineered enzymes which could be harmful. This all happens to start around six years ago when farmers use to mischievously sneak bovine, a growth hormone, into the cows by injection. This would increase the amount of milk produced by the cows and in turn profits would increase. Likewise, people blamed the government on the lack of regulations on GM foods when in fact Bill Clinton's treasury man stated, "Clinton's administration has allowed hormone-stimulated and GM food to creep on the market"(Steven 1). This confirms the lack of seriousness of regulations among GM products. In relation to the innocence of Americans, this just states that because of the absence of communication between the consumer and the â€Å"label† of that specific product, p eople aren't educated. There is no connection to notify the consumer of the ingredients contained inside. Some of these enzymes could be potentially dangerous. Similarly, "Taking it to the Main Street" discusses how protesters in San Francisco, CA were picketing in front of a grocery store demeaning the store about contents in GM products. Shouting derogatory chants, this was a move to persuade a nationwide campaign to force pre-market safety testing; requiring testing would ensure the protection of all citizens from harmful GMOs. On the other hand, dating back to 1992, the FDA said, "biotech ingredients did not materially alter food and therefore didn't require labeling"(Roosevelt 1).

America Must Drill for Oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Essay

America Must Drill for Oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a very controversial topic. On one end you have the people who want to drill for oil to help out our economy, and on the other end there are the environmentalists and the Alaskan natives who do not want their land destroyed. Our economy needs help; oil prices keep rising, gas prices have reached an all time high, and America is depending too much on foreign trade. Drilling for oil in Alaska will solve these problems. There are ways of drilling without disturbing the environment and keeping the animals in their original habitat. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a large piece of land in Alaska. It is an 18 million acre piece of land where the weather reaches only 4 degrees Celsius in the summer and below 20 degrees Celsius in the winters (Urstadt). There is never any sunlight, except for maybe a day the whole year. It is beautiful land that just happens to be on 5.6 billion to 16 billion barrels of oil; the United States is said to go through over 7 billion barrels of oil a year (Arctic drilling makes sense 1). These days everyone complains about the price of gas, and how it keeps going up. That is the problem; the solution would be drilling for oil in that beautiful land. To hear the advocates tell it, drilling for oil in a long off-limits part of Alaska is the solution for record gas and oil prices, increased dependence on oil imports and even the need for U.S. military involvement in the Middle East. (Arctic Drilling Makes Sense 1). By drilling for oil in ANWR, it will help out the economy of the United States greatly. There will be no need to debate the topic of how g... ...Urstadt). It is a secluded part of ANWR, which is why it is a good place to drill. While drilling for oil there are always going to be pipelines everywhere. But today, the oil companies elevate the pipelines in order to let the animals pass under them. This helps out with the environment and helps to keep the animals in their homes as well. Drilling for oil in Alaska will solve many problems that have occurred the last several years in America. Gas prices keep rising in America which is due to a lack of oil and if America keeps getting oil from foreign suppliers, prices will never go down. The United States is the world leader in energy use and gas for cars. This is why drilling for oil is a good idea and will help out with a lot of problems that America has. Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the answer to all America’s questions.

Biblical Worldview

Janelle Harris Theo 201 Prof. Gabriel Etzel January 19, 2013 Biblical World View One may wonder if God still has a hand on His creation today and if so, how? Take biology, without plants giving off oxygen we wouldn’t be able to breathe. How does the tree know how to produce oxygen? How do we know how to naturally breathe in and out? Look at Business. How does one know how to be ethical and moral? Well according to the Holy Bible, God is very much still active in His creation and in a variety of ways.First, God works in the universe. As a prophet of God, King David, said in Psalm 19, verse 1, â€Å"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. † One can hardly look at the beauty, the order, and the wisdom of the universe and not see how wise and powerful God is. The God who makes the sun shine and the flowers bloom, the God who regulates times and seasons has such great power and wisdom that it is truly beyond our underst anding.Paul declared in Acts 14, verses 16 and 17: â€Å"And in the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. † Everything we have comes from the blessings of God. Second, God is at work answering everyone’s prayer. The Bible says in Isaiah 65, verse 24, â€Å"It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. God wants to hear your prayers. He is eager to hear our thoughts and request. He has a desire to have a relationship with His children. The Bible says in James 1, verse 17 that, â€Å"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. † God loves us enough to hear our prayers and to help us when w e need Him most.The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 3, verses 20 to 21, â€Å"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen. † Third, God is busy shaping our everyday lives. He works in us day by day second by second. The Bible says in Philippians 1 and verse 6, â€Å"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. God prepares His people to do His work, so that we may live an eternity in heaven with Him. What God is doing in us now prepares us for the life to come. This is happening to people in every major not just bible majors. The Bible says in Philippians 2, verses 12 and 13, â€Å"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvatio n with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. God is shaping our hearts, our attitudes, our will, and our lives to conform to His will, so that we could live with Him and He could live with us forever. With a major in Business I know my God is active in every decision making process. Through hiring and firing, expanding or downsizing, and even though negotiations God is at work. The bible says in Deuteronomy 8 verse 18, â€Å"But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. All of our skills and special talents that we use in our businesses are all given to us by God. He gives us the ability to make money and cut deals. He did it for our parents and mentors and he does it for us too. Jesus is not only our Creator; He is also the one who keeps this whole world running together. The Bible says in Col ossians 1, verses 15 to 17, â€Å"And He [that is Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him.And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. † God’s power and wisdom created our seasons which cause the earth to rotate every 24 hours making night and day. He created the moon to revolve around the earth every 28 days and it also controls the tides of the oceans. God causes the earth to go around the sun every 365 and one fourth days determining our year and our seasons. There is no way this just happened by its self. No, God has been in control the entire time.

Difference Between Goals

Goals are often the main fundamental end point towards which organizations work. Goals define the aims and objectives of organizations that are set to be achieved in the due course of time. The different types of goals in an organization are for different purposes and reasons. Fundamentally there exist two categories of goals: official goals and operative goals. (Daft, 2001) The difference between these goals is quite obvious and can be explained easily.Official goals exist to define the organization’s overall legitimate objectives i. e. the stage it will reach during the course of its existence. Operative goals, on the other hand are in place to provide the momentum and motivation to employees in a particular direction. These seek to establish decision guidelines and are basically the means to achieve the fundamental objectives. In other words, operative goals define the goals of performance and employee productivity in order to meet the official goals.  (Daft, 2001)There s hould be a high degree of consistency and congruency between the official and the operative goals for the organization to benefit from it. At Google, the official goals are defined to being able to provide the world with all the information in and about the world in as many different languages as possible. Clearly speaking, it is a very broad, timeless and fundamental goals which Google is aiming at.There will hardly be any point in time when Google can claim that it has met its official goals. The operative goals of Google include the harbouring of individualism as well as collective group work: a goal that will motivate both strata of workers because it has been found out that many superb individuals may not gel into groups well and many average performers may perform exceptionally in groups. It also has provision for creativity and innovation.The operative goals of Google are clearly different and more specific towards performance and operations, while the official goals depict w hat the operative goals will one day lead to. (Google search engine) Thus, it should be borne in mind when considering the difference between operational and operative goals that these are highly related to each other and yet distinct. The example of Google as an organization highlighting the differences between these two types of goals exmplifies this fact aptly.

Class I Railroad and Teacher Essay

Any other day in school was the same, going to class going to lunch and going home that was until I saw my schedule change. I was a bit shy not knowing what to expect from my new classes and what were they going to be like. When I come into my new class I felt scared, it was like a western movie, when a cowboy walk into a bar and its dead silence nothing but eyes staring at me and not in a good way. I was put in Mr. U Jimenez classroom. After a couple of days in the class it was still harsh but it was getting better for me. It was fun on some days and that’s when I knew I was getting along with others. Eventually I caught up and was right on track. In my new class the first few things I did was stay calm, be happy and try to go along with others. The first day of my class was towards the end of the first trimester. It was crazy knowing I had to start a new trimester in a different class; it was crazy because when the teacher would send a student out with him the class will go nuts because they had â€Å"free time† and got away from class work for a couple of minutes. After a couple of days in the class it just went from a fun class to a disaster. I’m not such a fast writer and well when it came to taking notes in Mr.  U Jimenez class it wasn’t so good for me. I wrote as fast as I could but unfortunately I wasn’t fast enough. Before I could finish my notes the power point would change and both the class and I wouldn’t have a chance to finish. On the first day of class I also witnessed that the teacher called five different student parents for bad behavior. Knowing that the first day was like this I thought a lot about what the rest of the school year would be like. People feel many different ways on their first few day of class. I felt that in the first few days of being in the class were ok but then the other few days of class weren’t. I felt afraid of my teacher at first because of how strict he was. I also dislike yelling and people telling my parents bad news about me. In some occasions (not to be crazy) I wanted to strangle Mr. U Jimenez and maybe a couple of the other kids because of how annoying they are but I’m only thirteen and well I don’t want to go to jail so I decided to put up with my feelings towards that class and just do as well as I could. However my teacher does have some kind moments and rewards us with candy. The class can be fun like the poem project I did. I enjoyed doing that, we had some good times expressing urselves, getting created, and getting to know my classmates a little more in class. I felt many different reactions in class. Some days I was pretty happy in class and other times I was pretty annoyed and wanted to leave or scared. It would be fun because the teacher was cool on some days. Once in a while the class would get to play who wants to be a millionaire or some educational activity. I’d have a good time in the class joking around with my friends. On other days it’s pretty annoying because my teacher would be mean. He calls my mom in front of the whole class and it’s pretty embarrassing. When my teacher keeps us in class it’s because a student has lost one of his many pen, he wants back. When we do activities in the class and when it comes to questions I react in a shy way and stay quiet and hope he doesn’t pick me. If the class is crazy for a long time it won’t stay that way for long. I’d be kind of surprised and scared because Mr. U Jimenez yells and says shut it and sit down in our seats. Soon were back to taking fast notes and listening to lessons all over again. My reactions toward school were never really exciting anyways. My behavior has changed thorough Mr. U Jimenez class. When I came to his class my behavior hasn’t change but I had to try now and then. At first I felt scared and a bit shy so I don’t think my behavior was too bad but after a while I felt comfortable. When I started feeling comfortable in class I was a bit crazy at some points. I now I’m lazy because I don’t want to do my work or pay attention but I don’t think I’m as lazy anymore. I know I need to pass my class so I try a little harder now. When Mr. U Jimenez gets mad we all get mad, even though he is always in a grumpy mood. Sometimes when he’s mad I don’t really understand him he says things that don’t make sense; well to me that is and again he starts to call parents sometimes he does it randomly too. I know I don’t like it when he calls my mom. Neither my mom and I like my teacher’s calls but its best for her to know that I’m not doing so well in class so I can improve better and try harder, when Mr. U Jimenez calls or sends papers talk about my behavior in class nor missing assignments my mom doesn’t give me my allowance and she takes my we and my TV, my mom would just start to tell me all these things about school to do better and improve my grades. Sometimes I forget Mr. U Jimenez name and call him (fat teacher) not to be mean Mr. U Jimenez but I’m trying to behave myself. There were many things I felt when I started my new class. I had so many things going through my mind. I was thinking about how I would feel, my reactions, my behavior and what it would be like. When it was a no teacher zone the students would get pretty crazy. On some days the teacher would scary me and annoy me so I would know my reaction for the day until I got out of class. Some days were better than others like the games we play and the activities that we would do. It would be cool when we play games because for the people that won they’d get rewarded with candy. My behavior has changed in my classroom and I’ve gotten use to my class. Now all I ‘m trying to do is to pass Mr. U Jimenez class so I can go to High School and pass science or my mom will kill me and send me to summer school. If I don’t pass I can’t go to San Francisco on our Vacation Mr. U Jimenez I know that I’m not one of your best students but I’m trying my mom always keep on saying u are smart I can do anything if I just try hard and pay attention and listen like I’m with math I just don’t know it till don’t come out of me still.

The legalization of drugs

Legalization of DrugsThe argument over the legalisation of drugs continues to upset society as clip progresses. All of us have in some manner or another, straight or indirectly, been affected by drugs, whether it be from a household member or the economic load on society. Morton. M. Kondracke, writer of the essay â€Å" Do n't Legalize Drugs, † begins by saying â€Å" the following clip you hear that a rummy driver had slammed into a school coach full of kids or that a hopped-up railway applied scientist killed 16 people in a train wreck, think about this: if advocators of legalisation have their manner, there will be more of this † ( Kondracke, 358 ) . Supporters of legalisation, on the other manus, frequently look towards the fiscal benefits and insist that drugs, peculiarly marihuana, be legalized and taxed ; hence, the authorities makes gross, and helps towards the economic system financially. Gore Vidal, protagonist of legalisation and writer of the essay â€Å" D rugs, † states that all drugs should be made available and sold at a cost ( Vidal, 355 ) . All of this may be true and helpful in a sense for a short piece, but looking towards the long tally many other facets besides need to be put into consideration. Aspects include additions in dependence rates, offense rates, every bit good as drug maltreatment. America is a consumer civilization which frequently abuses its freedoms. Knowing this important fact a decision can be reached that it excessively would mistreat drugs ensuing in lay waste toing outcomes. There is no a manner to halt drug usage realistically for there are those few that choose to disobey the jurisprudence, nevertheless it can be enforced, and legalising it is non the best option. If prohibited and enforced most people would fear the effects and would believe twice earlier utilizing an illegal substance. While the legalisation of drugs may sound reasonable and have some positive consequences, they are merely imperma nent and overall it is unlogical and merely leads to more corruptness, go forthing a negative impact on the American civilization. Today we live in a civilization where due to drugs, offenses and dependence rates have escalated. Drugs are related to offenses in assorted ways. It can be considered a offense to utilize, possess, industry, or administer drugs classified as holding a possible for maltreatment ( such as cocaine, diacetylmorphine, marihuana, and pep pills ) . Drugs are besides related to offense through the effects they have on a user ‘s behaviour and by bring forthing force and other illegal activity in connexion with drug trafficking ( Spiess, n.pag. ) . Persons who produce, sell, traffic, or utilize illegal drugs have already established themselves as people who will interrupt the jurisprudence, and are likely perpetrating other felonies, such as robbery, colza, and slaying. If such persons are in prison because of these felonies, they are non able to travel out and perpetrate other offenses ; nevertheless, if they are set free due to the legalisation of drugs who knows the result that would ensue. At a lower limit, they are at least off the streets, unable to bring more mayhem. Statisticss have shown that offense rates in states that have legalized drugs, such as Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have skyrocketed. Switzerland, ended their experiment with decriminalisation after sing an unacceptable addition in usage, force, offense, wellness costs, and effects. Leting a metropolis park to be used as a â€Å" drug legalized † country of Zurich, the figure of nuts escalated from a few hundred to over 20,000 within several old ages ( Cohen, n.pag. ) . Take a minute and believe about this ; that was merely a park, conceive of the effects on a whole state. America is already known for its offense and drug rates. Imagine the effects of legalising drugs and what that would ensue in. Aboard offense rates, dependence rates for teens and grownups have shot up every bit good. Drugs can be closely related and compared to coffin nails and intoxicant for they have all resulted likewise in negative effects that have impacted the universe greatly. As Kondracke discusses in his statement towards drugs, 10 to fifteen per centum of all drinkers turn into alkies ( 10-17 million ) , bing the economic system an estimated $ 117 billion dollars. Similarly, harmonizing to Dr. David I. McDonald, Ronald Reagan ‘s drug maltreatment policy adviser, surveies indicate that marihuana is every bit addictive as intoxicant. They conclude that 6 million people will go potheads and 8.5 million will go coke nuts ( Kondracke, 360 ) . These are merely estimations, but the consequences could be much greater. When British doctors were allowed to order diacetylmorphine to certain nuts, the figure skyrocketed from 68 British nuts in the plan to an estimated 20,000 diacetylmorphine users in Lo ndon entirely ( Walters, A10 ) . We have already seen the affects and maltreatments of intoxicant and coffin nails from a day-to-day point of view than why would we promote or even think about adding and legalising any other substances. In a manner the point of drugs is to acquire a â€Å" high † or some kind of poisoning. Unlike intoxicant, which may take a piece to kick in or acquire a bombilation, marihuana and other substances are about instant. â€Å" Of the 115 million Americans who consume intoxicant, 85 per centum seldom become intoxicated ; with drugs, poisoning is the whole ideal † ( Kondracke, 359 ) . Based entirely from basic cognition one can without uncertainty recognize why legalisation of drugs would be an irrational action. Drug maltreatment plays a major function as a portion of this argument every bit good. Peoples take drugs, in comparing to alcohol, to certain extents ensuing in serious conditions to even deceases. Aside from illegal drugs, people are besides mistreating prescribed drugs every bit good, such as cold and cough medicines to trouble stand-ins. â€Å" Drug maltreatment entirely costs an estimated $ 55 billion in 1998 ( excepting condemnable justness costs ) , and deceases straight related to drug usage have more than doubled since 1980 † ( Walters, A10 ) . Though medicative drugs are made for a good cause they still are abused and have side effects that can ensue in a assortment of issues. Medical marihuana, for illustration, has documented possible side effects including insomnia, depression, facial tics and scrawny growing ( Katherine, 39A ) . â€Å" In 2006, 2.1 million teens abused prescription drugs † ( Alcohol and Drug Use, n.pag. ) . If teens are mistreating legal p rescribed drugs at this age conceive of what they would make if illegal drugs were legalized. To give present twenty-four hours examples we can take celebrated figures such as Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Anna Nicole Smith who are merely a few illustrations of persons who have been involved with drug maltreatment ensuing in their deceases. â€Å" Michael Jackson ‘s flooring inadvertent decease in June was merely the latest in a twine of high-profile human deaths from the maltreatment of multiple prescription medicines. Actor Heath Ledger and the theoretical account and sex symbol Anna Nicole Smith died late in comparable fortunes â€Å" ( Clemmit, n.pag. ) . The above mentioned illustrations are merely a few of many to come if drugs are legalized. Supporters of legalisation have certain fortunes in which they argue can ensue in a positive impact if drugs were legalized and experience that drug issues originate due to the fact of them being illegal. These fortunes include legalising marihuana to do it a societal drug, and in bend would assist in profiting the authorities financially. Besides, legalisation would take to a lessening in offenses. So far this twelvemonth, about 4000 people have died in Mexico ‘s drug war – a horrifying toll. Most of the jobs stem non from drugs themselves, but from the fact that they are illegal. The obvious reply, so, is to do them legal ( Wilson, 32 ) . Supporters agree that if drugs are made legal like intoxicant and coffin nails society will accommodate and turn boring of it, seting it aside. It will be common and there wo n't be much ballyhoo about it. Harmonizing to Vidal, as stated before, all drugs should be made legal and sold at a cost ( Vidal, 355 ) . A huge sum of money is raised through authorities revenue enhancement from intoxicant and coffin nails. Supporters feel that the legalisation of drugs, chiefly marihuana, would make another point that could be taxed and can be good financially to the authorities. â€Å" Tax foreman Betty T. Yee, president of the State Board of Equalization, backs the program and says it could bring forth one-year revenue enhancement grosss of $ 1.4 billion. â€Å" I think the tide is get downing to turn in footings of marihuana being portion of the mainstream † ( Katel, 19 ) . They believe this can be a scheme to assist raise economic growing financially. As for the offenses, protagonists agree that since the drugs would be allowed, there would non be any issues of robbery or battles since the drug trusts would be ran out of concern. They argue that prohibition of drugs is what causes those offenses. â€Å" Prohibition as a policy has failed. Just expression at the US, where 100s of 1000s of people have been jail ed and, despite one million millions of lbs of support for Draconian policies, higher pureness drugs continue to deluge the market † ( Chand, n.pag. ) . These averments are valid to a certain extent, but overall fail and lead to more issues. In resistance to the averments made above, it can be argued that none of those fortunes would ensue in a positive impact. Marijuana would non go a societal drug, for the fact being that it would be adapted by many people. In add-on, though revenue enhancements could be charged, there would be other costs aside of it, and offenses would still go on to gyrate up. Marijuana would non go a societal drug because though many may acquire tired of it, the newer and newer coevalss would accommodate it and go on it as a tendency. Besides before it could melt off, there would be another drug. In add-on, to compare it with coffin nails and intoxicant, both of those are still alive and good abused today, so what ‘s the opportunity that marihuana would differ. The Indiana University Prevention Resource Center youth drug usage study shows pupils use intoxicant and other drugs more often and at younger ages. For the 3rd consecutive twelvemonth, marihuana usage increased among all pupils in classs 6-12 and in all steps of prevalence -lifetime, one-year, monthly and day-to-day usage ( Drug, intoxicant usage increases among Indiana pupils, 8 ) . Now imagine, that is merely one school out of 1000s across the US. Harder and harder drugs are being abused more earnestly as the ages addition and the consequences are lay waste toing. Prior research based on representative samples drawn from the general population suggests that people tend to follow a common developmental tract from usage of intoxicant as young persons through possible usage of marihuana as teens potentially taking to utilize of more serious substances as grownups ( Golub, 607 ) . As for the costs, they excessively would decidedly lift due to a necessity of new intervention installati ons and clinics. If legalising drugs save $ 30 billion now being spent on jurisprudence enforcement and offense, a doubling of usage and maltreatment agencies that other costs would lift to $ 140 billion or $ 210 billion † ( Kondracke, 360 ) . The money would come out of our pockets for the authorities would non be able to fund and supply for all of the installations and who knows how worse the economic system could acquire. Furthermore, while the legalisation of drugs may diminish offense rates in some countries, it will increase offense rates in others. Traffic misdemeanors and accidents are likely to increase. Besides, many people are incarcerated due to a offense that they have committed while intoxicated, so how will the legalisation of these substances assistance in anyone ‘s good behaviour? Legalization could ensue in an addition in offenses because the trusts would be idle and looking for retaliation. Aside from the trusts, many people while drunk may drive, or commit felonies that may ensue in hurts, or deceases which excessively are considered offenses. A recent illustration in July affecting a adult female intoxicated and under the influence killed eight including her girl and three nieces due to the fact that she had smoked marijuana right before driving. The toxicology trials revealed that Schuler had twice the legal bound of intoxicant in her blood watercourse and had smoked marihuana s shortly before the accident ( Tresniowski, 80 ) . These are merely a few of many illustrations of what legalisation of drugs could ensue in and go forthing a negative impact on America. While the legalisation of drugs may sound reasonable, it is full of mistakes which may greatly impact the society and those around it. Drug issues continue to promote and spread out, and legalising drugs will no farther consequence in a benefit. Legalizing drugs can take to an addition in dependence rates, offense rates, and maltreatment. These issues will go on and should be farther enforced. The argument on whether or non drugs should be legalized is everlasting, but this can be changed. Statistics every bit good as mundane illustrations have proven the affects drugs have on a society, than why farther promote them. Enforcing drugs and forbiding them will assist maintain a balance between those who have already been affected and those unaffected.Plants Citedâ€Å" Alcohol & A ; Drug Use. † CDC Online. 23 Mar. 2009. 11 Oct. 2009..Chand, Kailash â€Å" Should drugs be decriminalized? YES. ( Cover narrative ) . † BMJ: British Medical Journal 10 Nov. 2007: 966. Academic S earch Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Oct. 2009.Clemmitt, Marcia. â€Å" Medication Abuse. † CQ Researcher 19.35 ( 2009 ) : 837-860. CQ Researcher. Web. 13 Oct. 2009..Cohen, Roger. â€Å" Amid Turning Crime, Zurich Closes A Park It Reserved for Drug Addicts. † NY Times. 11 Feb. 1992: 10A. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.â€Å" Drug, intoxicant usage increases among Indiana pupils. † Nation ‘s Health 25.9 ( 1995 ) : 8. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Oct. 2009.Golub, Andrew, and Bruce D. Johnson â€Å" The switching importance of intoxicant and marihuana as gateway substances among serious drug maltreaters. † Journal of Studies on Alcohol 55.5 ( 1994 ) : 607. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Oct. 2009.Katel, Peter. â€Å" Legalizing Marijuana. † CQ Researcher 19.22 ( 2009 ) : 525-548. CQ Researcher. Web. 13 Oct. 2009..Katherine, Ellison â€Å" Medical Marijuana: No Longer Just for Adults. † New York Times 22 Nov. 2009: 39A. Academic Search Pre mier. EBSCO. Web. 23 Nov. 2009.Kondracke, Morton M. â€Å" Do n't Legalize Drugs † . Readings for Writers ( 13th Edition ) . Ed. Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C.Winkler. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. 358-362Spiess, Michele and Deborah Fallow. â€Å" Drug-Related Crime. † Mar. 2000. White House Drug Policy. 11 Oct. 2009.Tresniowski, Alex, et Al. â€Å" FAMILIES DESTROYED. † Peoples 72.8 ( 2009 ) : 80-84. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Oct. 2009.Vidal, Gore. â€Å" Drugs † . Readings for Writers ( 13th Edition ) . Ed. Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C.Winkler. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. 355-356.Bruno walters, John P. â€Å" Do n't Legalize Drugs. â€Å" Wall Street Journal. 19Jul.2002, Eastern edition: ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest. n.pag. Web. 13 Oct. 2009Wilson, Clare â€Å" Legalise drugs. ( Cover narrative ) . † New Scientist 203.2725 ( 2009 ) : 32-33. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 23 Nov. 2009.

Acc 230 Final Starbucks Financial Analysis Paper

Starbucks Financial Analysis Author Axia College of University of Phoenix Starbucks Financial Analysis Starbucks Coffee originated in 1971 as a coffee and tea cafe opening in a small neighborhood of Seattle, Washington (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Starbucks continued its service for Seattle residents for a decade when the new director of retail operations and marketing, Howard Shultz, decided to make some beneficial changes to the company. After two years of employment Howard Shultz decided to expand Starbucks outside of the Seattle area. In 1987 Starbucks was entering in the coffee market and the few numbers of Starbucks were now becoming a corporation (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Fast forwarding to current times, Starbucks is now located across America and has branched out into international territory. Starbucks now ranges from selling coffees, teas, food, and coffee accessories to having its name brand coffees being sold in grocery stores. Statement of Earnings Starbucks Corporations 2009 fiscal year ended on September 28, 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). In comparison with the 2008 Statement of Earnings, Starbucks Corporation has experienced an increase in net earnings totaling $390 million in 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). This is still significantly lower than the 2007 net earnings of $672 million dropping $360 million over the course of one year. The company was however able to increase the cost of goods sold. Compared to the 2008 gross profit margin when Starbucks experienced a large increase, in 2009 Starbucks experienced a decline by 2. 25% (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). In the 2009 fiscal year the Statement of Earnings depicts a depreciation and amortization expenses decreased and operating income and operating margin decrease. The decrease in sales which Starbucks reported in 2008 is cause for the decrease in operating income and operating margin in the 2009 fiscal year. Since the 2008 fiscal year, 2009 has brought on a 4% decrease in the net profit margin for Starbucks (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Balance Sheet In the 2009 fiscal year, Starbucks Corporation states a slight decrease in ash on hand though the net receivables show an increase. A comparison of the 2008 and 2009 inventory depicts a decline in 2009 that suggests Starbucks Corporation is not making inventory purchases prior to selling the current on-hand inventory. The current economic struggles have forced Starbucks Corporation to make some adjustments in the financial strengths of the company and close some coffee shops throughout the 2009 fiscal year, appearing as a decrease to the current assets of Starbucks Corporations. The decrease in the current assets and fixed assets of Starbucks Corporation the total assets for the 2009 fiscal year have increased by $300 million (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Statement of Cash Flow The Statement of Cash Flow for the 2009 fiscal year depicts a $70 million decrease in cash flow (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Starbucks Corporation did however increase its invested cash flow by $115 million in 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). An analysis of the Statement of Cash Flow for the 2009 fiscal year of Starbucks Corporation shows that Starbucks Corporation has been attempting to reduce its current operating expenses and cash flow. Ratio Comparisons Within the coffee industry Starbucks Corporations has grown from a small shop to a leading coffee distributor, proving to have financial strength and determination to continue growth. With the weakening economy the continued success of Starbucks Corporation is being threatened by the high cost of coffee and the decreased spending of consumers. Coffee is now being purchased based on cost, not quality. The financial strengths of Starbucks Corporation is being tested against its limits with the decline in premium coffee sales while Starbucks continues to push to stay on top of competition. Compared to competition in the coffee market Starbucks is displaying a higher debt to equity ratio of 0. 15 compared to the industry at 0. 13. Starbucks Corporation and the coffee industry competition remain similar at a 1. 5 current ratio for Starbucks and a 1. current ratio for the industry (MSN Money Market, 2010). The quick ratio within the coffee industry currently sits at 1. 3 while Starbucks Corporation holds strong at a 1. 2 quick ratio (MSN Money Central, 2010). Starbucks Corporation depicts a leverage ratio in comparison to the competition showing a 1. 7 leverage ratio for both Starbucks and the industry (MSN Money Central, 2010). Starbucks Corporation is also remaining steady with a lower than industry book value to share ratio o f 4. 95 compared to 6. 33 (MSN Money Central, 2010). Industry Comparison An industry analysis can provide Starbucks with a view on the competitive advantages the company has over companies with similar products. Through the analysis, Starbucks can develop an effective strategic plan. The benefits of the industry analysis include knowing â€Å"the underlying forces at work in the industry; the overall attractiveness of the industry, and the critical factors that determine the company’s success within the industry† (Encyclopedia for Business, 2010). A United States competitor of Starbucks is Peet’s Coffee and Tea. In 2010, Peet’s reported gross revenue of $168,494, drastically lower than that of Starbucks. Starbuck’s has the advantage of more locations and a lower per store operating cost of 63. 86 compared to Peet’s at 121. 83 per store. Starbuck’s has managed to run each Starbucks location at a fraction of the cost for Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Based on this information, it is apparent that Starbucks has a competitive advantage over Peet’s Coffee and Tea and continues to be a strong competitor in the industry. In conclusion, Starbucks Corporation has managed to remain financially strong regardless of the slight impact the struggling economy has had on the corporation. Success over competition remains to be on top and the current inventions of new and unique coffee, tea, and Starbucks environments has continued to result in the success of Starbucks Coffee not seen by other competitors. The growth and strengthening of the current economic situation will allow Starbucks Corporation to expand the financial growth and strengths of the company and continue to remain at the top of the market regardless of the lower cost and quality coffee sold by the competition. Starbucks Corporation offers unique goods and services which allows the company to remain ahead of the market. References Encyclopedia for Business. (2010). Industry Analysis. Retrieved from http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/small/Inc-Mail/Industry-Analysis. html MSN Money Central. (2010). Starbucks Corporation: Key Ratios. Retrieved on November 11, 2010 from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Page=FinancialConditionSymbol=SBUX Starbucks Corporation. (2010). Fiscal 2009 Annual Report. Retrieved from http://media. corporate-ir. net/media_files/irol/99/99518/SBUX_AR. pdf Yahoo Finance. (2010). Peet’s Coffee Tea, Inc. Retrieved from http://finance. yahoo. com/q/is? s=PEET+Income+Statementannual