Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Video Games: Positive Agents Of Change Essay -- Video Games Essays

Computer games have experienced harsh criticism as of late. Numerous individuals guarantee the realistic viciousness and grown-up subjects in the games have influenced more youthful ages and caused numerous savage demonstrations. Others guarantee that computer games have added to heftiness and an absence of relational abilities. Both of these cases are regularly a more seasoned age's misconception of the present youth and the overcompensation of the media. Once in a while does the predominant press depict computer games for what they truly are, another route for children to interface and offer important encounters all without being in any peril. Computer games have unlimited prospects and ought to be thought of as instruments to show the young as opposed to the malignancy that attacks them. Albeit numerous individuals see computer games as an issue, they are really a positive power since they have vast opportunities for good. Computer games have gotten one of the most well known leisure activities for kids nowadays. With the approach of amazing illustrations processors and increasingly imaginative chip plans, games are getting fantastically practical. This authenticity is the thing that carries numerous gamers to the business. Authenticity, it could be said, is the reason the gaming business has taken off and expands benefits each year. Computer games are not only a great leisure activity or diversion, they are path for gamers to get away from the world and envision themselves in an altogether new scene. Computer games are dreams with controllers. While passing through a circuit in a computer game, one doesn't feel as though they are sitting before a TV playing a game, they feel as though they are the vehicle. This is a hard marvel to clarify however computer games are such a worldwide movement inside the mind that the client really feels as though he is in the game living the experience. This, is clearly lim... ...deo games are an incredible path for kids and even grown-ups to escape from the world for some time. Players are enveloped with their own virtual world and can communicate how they are feeling through the game. Computer games can likewise have incredible positive symptoms and could even be the preparation instrument of things to come for some callings. The individuals who contend against computer games on the grounds of brutality and desensitization misjudge the mentality of youngsters toward computer games and suggest that people are not any more muddled than â€Å"monkey-see monkey-do.† Video games despite everything have a ton of potential and they can be utilized for significantly more than just unwinding and fun. They can be a social medium, a specialist of progress. A decent computer game can resemble a gem that moves individuals to attempt new things or change the manner in which they consider something. Be that as it may, to the exclusion of everything else, compute r games sure are enjoyable.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Teaching free essay sample

The instructing clinic and the clinical school shared just one high ranking representative practically speaking the executive. The abnormal idea of the budgetary courses of action was a major issue. Patients paid for proficient administrations, yet the incomes went into division reserves, which were constrained by the office seats. The clinic, then again, turned in all patient-income livelihoods to the state. The working conditions and remuneration were greatly improved in the clinical school than those in the medical clinic. There was a genuine absence of coordination in the combination of clinical school personnel into medical clinic capacities. Dr. Robert Uric, leader of the renal unit was one special case. The emergency clinic representatives with whom he worked all preferred him definitely. One reason was he frequently shared his award monies with the medical clinic representatives in his unit at whatever point it was conceivable. Dr. Uric accepting the renal unit as his home and his preferred kid monetarily and inwardly. We will compose a custom paper test on Instructing or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The renal unit was a bright spot under the administration of Uric. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) bolstered Dr. Uric with a few government awards to do look into on kidney transplantation. In the exploration Dr. Uric found a liquid that could keep the cut stem end from shutting. As indicated by the award understanding, Uric announced his revelation to NIH. NIH authorities didn't need it. Uric offered the liquid to a major nursery-flexibly maker; the firm named it Flower Life, and started mass-delivering. NIH lamented and documented suit at an unexpected, the story was generally spread the country over on papers. The staff concerned the story would make a terrible effect on the notoriety of the school, and Uric was moved to another new unit. The official board of trustees advanced Dr. George Conrad (the central occupant of renal medication) to supplant Uric’s position after the evacuation of Uric. Genuine work force issues emerged in the dialysis unit not long after Conrad took the position. B y the finish of the primary month representatives began to leave the renal unit; a quarter of a year later 90% of the old workers were no more. Understudies on turn through renal medication grumbled about Conrad mentality toward and treatment of them; the program of inhabitants applying to the administration dropped significantly. Astounded by the acknowledgment of how terrible the circumstance had become, the dignitary and the official advisory group needed to put Uric back to be the leader of the renal unit once more. †¢ Major Problem Competition between the Hospital and Medical School †¢ Summary of Recommended Plan of Action The executive administration’s proper isolation of obligations and duties must be actualized at the earliest opportunity through this the opposition could be decrease if officials would be dealt with similarly. Along with the assortment and installment of assets for compensations, wages and advantages. Working condition should likewise be improve to empower representatives inspiration and obligation. II. Articulation of the Problem †¢ State the issue confronting the administrator/key individual (Provost) 1. Uncommon nature of money related game plan 2. Irregularities between the activity of the emergency clinic and those of clinical school 3. Impossible to miss conduct of Head Renal Unit (Dr. Uric) transplantation objection made by NIH and college authorities Dr. Uric in an undercover position. Inappropriate transport of position of Dr. Conrad 5. Absence of correspondence 6. Dr. Conrad’s interruption of routine †¢ Identify and connection the manifestations and main drivers of the issue . award cash ; on account of the monetary adaptability, working condition were likewise regularly better on the clinical school side and clinical school staff had cash for greater hardware, more travel and much more gatherings; pay rates for doctors 2. employees of the school additionally work medical clinic capacities 3. amateurish (cried straightforwardly when tolerant kicked the bucket); undignified (connection with persistent) it drove the revelation of the expanding life through kidney transplantation in the most conceivable manner NIH was not happy with the similarity among plant and human cell the suggestion made by Dr. Uric in a nursery-flexibly producer of the pending claim recorded to him, which thus the notoriety endures as saw by the administration 4. In light of the reference letter that Dr. Conrad is resolute and rather heartless 5. The officials are willfully ignorant of the best possible activity for grumbles in choosing authoritative habits. 6. There ought to be an appropriate preparing and transposition of task and duty that ought to be given to Dr. Conrad from Dr. Uric †¢ Differentiate Short Term to Long Term Better arrangements are given to present moment while long haul issues were left holding tight the floor. Long haul issues are not effortlessly observed. They are at some point must be seen by individuals outside the association to structure the significant issues looked by the association or organization all in all. Those issues are create in due time and now and then they develop a lot further, while anyway transient issues, sprout effectively and in times the concerned individuals are handily followed and arrangements are promptly given. †¢ Conclude with the choice confronting the administrator/key individual The issue emerge from wrong activity of the executive if there should be an occurrence of the since quite a while ago run issues. While the momentary issues were quickly reacted to by being unforeseen. III. Reasons for the Problem †¢ Detailed Analysis 1. Has a significant influence in the managerial capacity of the instructing medical clinic. The possibility inside arrangement of compensation and acquisition of assets went things to most noticeably terrible situation. The doctors who are acting additionally as employees could just get pay rates yet no cash for persistent assistance. Patients paid for proficient administrations, yet the incomes went into division reserves, which were spent by the circumspection of the office seats. The clinic, then again, turned in all patient income salaries to the state. 2. The occupations performed by the doctors and employees isn't appropriately isolated by the organization that is the reason time the board procedures are additionally incontinent bringing about the sufferings of either the understudy/tolerant help. These eccentricities additionally lead to rivalry between the emergency clinic side and school, because of consideration spent by the executive to the workers. 3. The examination made by Dr. Uric about the liquid which upgrades or draw out life had an incredible effect in the outcomes in changes on the earth of his work environment. Because of the dismissal of the NIH with the suggestion, he thus offered it to another who didn't scrutinize the viability and market of the liquid. At the point when the liquid end up being valid, the NIH, fills in as help recorded a suit which exacerbates the circumstance. The dismissal of the NIH may be a direct result of no trust and certainty for Dr. Uric’s capacity and information. Having this debates, we can't accuse the specialist in the event that he offered it to another who he thinks will best value his hardwork. 4. The prompt endorsement of the transposition of the activity to Dr. Conrad that should set aside effort to pick the correct faculty.

Friday, August 14, 2020

The Opioid Epidemic and Medicare Part D

The Opioid Epidemic and Medicare Part D Addiction Drug Use Opioids Print Opioid Abuse Is on the Rise in the Medicare Population American seniors struggle with opioid abuse By Tanya Feke, MD facebook twitter linkedin Tanya Feke, MD, is a board-certified family physician, patient advocate and best-selling author of Medicare Essentials: A Physician Insider Explains the Fine Print. Learn about our editorial policy Tanya Feke, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on December 08, 2017 Roel Smart / E / Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Opioids Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery From 2000 to 2014, nearly a half million people died from an opioid overdose, 165,000 of those being from prescription  narcotics. In 2016, it was estimated that 78 Americans die from opioid abuse every day. Half of these opioid-related deaths are attributed to prescription drugs. It doesnt matter if you are young or old, rich or poor, opioid abuse is a problem that needs to be addressed by the United States at large. How the U.S. Government Defines Addictive Drugs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that overdose deaths from opioids have increased four-fold since 1999. Interestingly, the use of prescription opioids also quadrupled during this time. Is the American health care system to blame? The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) assigns drugs to one of five different categories, referred to as Schedules. Schedules I through V describe whether a drug is appropriate for medical use in certain conditions and whether or not it has addictive potential. Schedule I: No medical use, high addictive potentialSchedule II: Medical use, high addictive potentialSchedule III: Medical use, moderate to low addictive potentialSchedule IV: Medical use, low addictive potentialSchedule V: Medical use, lowest addictive potential It should be no surprise that heroin falls under Schedule I (interestingly, so does marijuana). Common prescription opioids that fall into Schedule II are codeine, fentanyl (Sublimaze, Duragesic), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone, meperidine (Demerol), morphine, and oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet). Schedule III narcotics include combination products containing less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dose (Vicodin), products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dose (Tylenol with Codeine), and buprenorphine (Suboxone). Have you ever been prescribed one of these medications? Pharmaceutical Companies Minimize the Risk for Addiction In 2001, The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) released its first statement on pain management. Intending to bring awareness to under-treated pain and to improve quality of care, JCAHO made recommendations that affected how hospitals monitored, addressed and treated pain. As a result, the pain scale came into existence, and there was an increased public awareness around pain control. That, in and of itself, is a great thing. No one should be in pain. The trouble, however, was that many people misunderstood what pain control was all about. It meant improving pain, not necessarily bringing pain levels down to 0 on a 0-10 scale. Elimination of pain is not always possible. With that came pressure on the health care system to live up to unrealistic expectations. While JCAHO did not tell healthcare providers how to treat pain, concern was raised over materials the Commission distributed that were sponsored by Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical company that makes OxyContin. The materials minimized the link between opioid medications and addiction. Pharmaceutical representatives for the company went so far as to say that the risk for addiction was  less than one percent when it was long known that the risk for abuse in non-cancer patients could reach as high as 50 percent. In fact, Purdue Pharma was later found guilty of misleading marketing practices and fined $634 million. It is important to note that the Joint Commission no longer distributes those materials to healthcare professionals but had the damage already been done? JCAHO states that prescription opioid use was on the rise before they released their statement but it is important to note that it continued to rise in the aftermath of the pain scale. Government Policies May Have Affected Opioid Prescribing In 2006, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). The survey was used as a way to assess hospital performance and was completed by patients based on their experience during their hospital stay. HCAHPS includes questions about pain control: How often was your pain well controlled? and How often did the hospital staff do everything they could to help with your pain? The responses are subjective and do not necessarily represent what the patient actually received for pain control or if the care was the most medically appropriate. A patient who expected 0 on the pain scale could rate a hospital with a low score even if his pain was much improved over his stay. Still, it was a step in the right direction to hear how patients perceived their care. The problem? HCAHPS scores were linked to hospital reimbursement rates. CMS would pay hospitals more if they had higher scores. While CMS claims the pain control questions contributed little to payment, the fact is that they were included. The concern is that some healthcare professionals may have felt pressured to prescribe opioids to achieve higher scores. Aware that HCAHPS could have contributed indirectly to increased prescription opioid use, CMS has since removed the pain control survey questions from their reimbursement model. The data continues to be collected, however, to help hospitals improve quality of care and pain control. Medicares Increased Use of Opioid Drugs A 2016 study in JAMA Internal Medicine raised eyebrows when it revealed that Medicare beneficiaries were being prescribed a disproportionate amount of opioid medications after hospital stays. Specifically, researchers reviewed hospitalizations for approximately 623,000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2011. These beneficiaries were not previously on opioid medications, at least not for the 60 days preceding their hospital stay. Nearly 15 percent of them filled a new opioid prescription within one week of hospital discharge and 42.5 percent of them continued on those medications for longer than 90 days. For anyone who questioned whether HCAHPS affected prescription patterns, the study showed a modest correlation between inpatient satisfaction scores and new opioid prescriptions. Another study, this time in JAMA Psychiatry, also showed a concerning trend. Data from Medicare Part D was assessed and it was found that 6 in 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries have an opioid abuse disorder. This is a six-fold increase compared to people on other insurance plans. Why are Medicare beneficiaries more prone to opioid abuse? Do they truly have more chronic pain? Are they more likely to be put on opioids because, as seniors, they tend to have more hospitalizations? In that regard, is HCAHPS to blame? More investigation is needed so that we can get at the heart of the problem. We need to not only prevent opioid abuse but also the complications that surround it. What Can We Do to Stop Opioid Abuse? The opioid epidemic does not belong to any one group. Multiple factors led to this state of affairs, and collaboration between the government, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, healthcare systems and healthcare providers will be needed to make effective changes. These steps may help to move us in the right direction. Policies and regulations should not allow reimbursements to healthcare systems based on patient satisfaction scores that may relate to prescription drug use. This could shift prescription patterns in a way that favors higher payments to hospitals.Research needs to be done to develop newer less addictive pain treatments. Pharmaceutical companies and others need to invest money to increase available options.Insurers need to expand coverage of alternative pain therapies. Acupuncture, biofeedback, massage therapy, and physical therapy, for example, have shown benefit in improving pain levels but insurance does not always cover them.Healthcare providers may need additional training when it comes to pain management strategies and use of prescription opioids.Other pain therapies should be considered before opioid medications whenever possible. Using opioid therapies first-line is more likely to lead to continued use of those medications.Access to rehabilitation programs (counseling, medicat ions, etc.) that promote recovery from opioid abuse needs to be improved. People need help but limited resources are available to address the magnitude of the problem at the present time.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Regression analysis of oil price return - 3199 Words

Contents 1.0 Introduction and Motivation 2 2.0 Methodology 5 2.1. Descriptive Statistics 5 2.2 Matrix of pairwise correlation. 6 3.0 Model Specification 6 3.1 Linear Regression Model. 6 3.2 The Regression Specification Error Test 8 3.3 Non-linear models 9 3.4 Autocorrelation. 10 3.5 Heteroskedasticity Test 10 4.0 Hypothesis Testing 11 5.0 Binary (Dummy) Variables 11 6.0 Conclusion 13 Reference List 13 1.0 Introduction and Motivation Crude oil is one of the world’s most important natural resources. Over the past six decades or so, crude oil – because of the products derived from it, has become highly indispensable in our everyday lives. Despite being a non-renewable resource, it is still used extensively in power generation.†¦show more content†¦Through group brainstorming, we came up with a number of variables that theoretically should affect the price of crude oil, and we used Bloomberg to find data on the same. Our two main criteria for a â€Å"good† variable were statistical significance and R2. We conducted a regression analysis as well as multiple regression analysis to double check the variables we selected on the Bloomberg terminal. Moreover, so as to not omit any good variables, we broadened our search to the Oil commodity section to find relevant industry reports and prospective variables. Through a process of rough trial and error, and after eliminating several variables d ue to problems such as multicollinearity and heteroskedasticity, we finalized the three variables that are mentioned below. As crude oil is invoiced in USD, it is of interest to note how fluctuations in the value of the USD affect oil prices. Another of our factors is the price of natural gas, the closest substitute as a source of energy to oil. Lastly, we seek to establish a relationship between returns in the SP500 and oil prices. We used monthly time-series data over a period of ten years beginning from 2005 for the purpose of this study. To avoid issues of non-stationary data, we used oil price returns and SP500 returns. 2.0 Methodology Our y variable is the percentage monthly return on WTI oil spot prices. West Texas Intermediate Cushing crude oil price is typically used as the reference spot price in theShow MoreRelatedAccounting Information and Predicting Financial Performance1049 Words   |  5 Pagesaccounting information includes regression analysis. Regression analysis is viewed by many to be more useful that financial data or ratios alone. Regression analysis often test whether past stock prices, sales, profit, financial ratios, solvency, and other items are related to other variables including GDP, interest rates, market saturation of the industry, etc. In addition, a degree of confidence can be determined concerning the relationship of the variables in regression analysis Accounting ratios are determinedRead MoreRelationship Between Gold, Oil and Us Stock Market1600 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationship between the oil prices, gold prices and stock market in the United State using yearly time series data. Si nce the gold and oil prices are raising their influence on stock market is also increasing and we will see how fluctuations in oil prices and gold prices impact the stock market in the United States. So here oil prices and gold prices will be our explanatory variable and stock market index will be our explained variable. In this study we will use multiple regression analysis to explain theRead More1221614 Chapter: 5 Data Analysis and Interpretation 5.3 RESEARCH GAP Similar studies have been1600 Words   |  7 PagesData Analysis and Interpretation 5.3 RESEARCH GAP Similar studies have been conducted in different countries. In my study the focus is on the impact of crude oil prices on the stock returns of automotive companies in India and it has been conducted for six automobile companies. 5.4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Firstly, the data on oil prices is taken from Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). The time period of the data is from 2011 to 2013 as this was a period of high volatility in oil prices andRead MoreA Brief Note On Dow Chemical And Industry1519 Words   |  7 PagesQ7 From Q6, all regression models ran by Single Index Model, a model helps to split a security’s total risk into unique risk and market risk, ÃŽ ± is the intercept of the single index model in which evaluate the expected excess return of the security , and ÃŽ ² is the security’s sensitivity to the market index, while e represents the unsystematic risk of the security: Basic statistics ran from Q6 given with the average industry performance: EBAY INDUSTRY ÃŽ ± 0.025Read MoreA Brief Note On Dow Chemical And Industry1522 Words   |  7 PagesQ7 From Q6, all regressions models ran by Single Index Model, a model helps to split a security’s total risk into unique risk and market risk, ÃŽ ± is the intercept of the single index model in which evaluate the expected excess return of the security , and ÃŽ ² is the security’s sensitivity to the market index, while e represents the unsystematic risk of the security: Basic statistics ran from Q6 given as follow with the average industry performance: EBAY INDUSTRYRead MoreForeign Exchange Rate Sensitivity and Stock Price1702 Words   |  7 PagesFOREIGN EXCHANGE RATE SENSITIVITY AND STOCK PRICE : ESTIMATING ECONOMIC EXPOSURE OF TURKISH COMPANIES INTRODUCTION Variability in exchange rate is a major source of macroeconomic uncertainity affecting firms. After the 1970 s, the rapid expansion in international trade and adoption of floating exchange rate regimes by many countries led to increase exchange rate volatility. The firm s exposure to exchange rate risk increased. In the literature three types of exposure under floating exchangeRead MoreThe Relationship Between Oil Prices And Stock Market Returns Date2313 Words   |  10 Pagesand Hypothesis Development Empirical studies on the relationship between crude oil prices and stock market returns date all the way back to the early 1970’s. Jones and Kaul (1996) have found a negative relationship between the oil prices and stock market returns. (Nandha and Faff, 2008; Sadorsky, 2001) Supports the fact that oil price changes also have been seen to have a positive effect on oil and gas industry returns. There have been many variables affecting the way in which this correlation isRead MoreRaw Materials And The Natural Resources1439 Words   |  6 Pagescommodity is a good that can be traded (bought and sold) in commercial transactions between buyers and sellers and its price determines based on its demand and supply. commodities are mainly used as inputs to produce other commodities. they could be perishable such as agricultural commodities as tea, sugar and corn. The other type is non-perishable commodities as gold, rubber and oil.\ In the last decade, a massive economic growth movement has been occurred in the developing countries since theseRead MoreEssay on The Economics of Financial Markets1724 Words   |  7 Pagessignificantly increased. Exchange rate has been very instrumental in formulation of government policies in these regions. In fact, â€Å"many analysts regard exchange rate policy as a major determinant of other economical outcomes, such as adjustment to the oil shocks of the 1970’s and the debt the debt crisis of the 1980’s† (Frieden Ernesto, 2010) Generally speaking, there were four principal categories of exchange rate regimes in Latin America as discussed by Kiguel Alberto: (i) Countries with fixed exchangeRead MoreProject Task a: Valuation and Sensitivity Analysis2868 Words   |  12 Pagesfrequent player. In the section 1, the report deals with the valuation of the company. I will estimate the value of QAN’s on a per share basis. According to the historical prices of the company and all ordinaries, I will calculate QAN’s beta by calculating a regression on the monthly returns from QAN on the market returns in the last 5 years. And according to the QAN’s financial data, I will rebuild its historical Cash Flows. In addition, I gather relevant financial data and other non-financial

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

The Amazing Catch Essay - 1024 Words

Amanda Dennis Laura Toomb Interpersonal Communication September 6, 2014 The Amazing Catch I am writing this paper on the video clip of the amazing catch made by the ball girl. This paper is going to be my perception of the video as I go through the three stages of perception. I will also be explaining my thoughts throughout the three stages of perception while watching the video. In addition, I will in the end be deciding whether or not I believe the video to be true or fake. Selection. Selection is defined in the book as the following â€Å"The process of attending to a stimulus.† (Floyd, pg. 109) I have watched this video over and over before writing this paper, but the first time I watched it nothing really stood out to me besides†¦show more content†¦Those four schemas are physical constructs, role constructs, interaction constructs, and psychological constructs. I however didn’t really use all four of those constructs when watching the amazing catch. I used three of the four schema, the physical, role and interaction construc ts were the ones I used while classifying the information I perceived. When it comes to the physical constructs, it emphasizes people’s physical attributes. I noticed the girl wasn’t very tall, she was probably mid twenties, and that she had a slim body shape, which are all factors that make the catch hard to believe. The role constructs emphasize people’s social or professional position. I noticed at the end of the video was that she was a ball girl, and most ball girl or boys don’t ever go for a ball if it is in play or could potentially stay in play which I thought was a tad bit odd. The last construct that I used is the interaction construct. The interaction construct emphasizes people’s behaviors and I noticed that the girl kept her head down until she was in the chair with the camera on her. I find that weird because if you had just made a catch as amazing as that in a major league baseball game the last thing you would be doing is calmly jog ging back to your seat. You would be showing off and admiring all of the cheers you were getting from the crowd. Stage one also aided in completing stage two because without being able to select the differentShow MoreRelatedHow Advertising Campaign Is The Most Important Part Of An Advertisement Campaign1583 Words   |  7 Pagesa certain audience, which would be interested in the product you are selling. First, you should make fliers and brochure that invite the local customers to check out your product. Then, practice placing different size fonts, graphics, and color to catch the reader s interest. In addition, add a logo or a catchy slogan, so your new customer will remember your product s name. Follow the Rules Second, be sure that your advertising campaign strictly follows the copyright or trademark laws. AlwaysRead More Tigers Essay697 Words   |  3 Pages Tigers are a fascinating, and endangered, animal. They develop fast, and go off on their own when they’re matur e. Tigers live in various climates, and eat various things as well. They are very strong, and have amazing energy. Not only are they magnificent to watch, but there are many interesting, and not well known, facts about them. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Tiger cubs, at birth, are blind and cannot do anything for themselves. They only weigh about three or four pounds, and are cared afterRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Southwestern Quebec931 Words   |  4 Pagesyour stay today. H1: Discover Natural Wonders Historic Marvels in Southwestern Quebec, Canada Content: Southwestern Quebec is home to some of the most iconic landmarks and spirited events in the country. There are plenty of outdoor thrills, amazing architecture, annual festivals, and cultural richness at every corner. From the Eastern Townships practically rubbing shoulders with Vermont and New Hampshire to a bustling city like Montreal and scenic Laurentian Mountains, Southwestern QuebecRead MoreThe Woods Paragraph1699 Words   |  7 Pagesstranded. When my grandpa pulled out the spare tire, I was jumping for joy and wiping my tears away, and smiling. Finally, after we got the tire back on, that seemed to take for hours, we headed to lake of the woods. That was just one of the bad/amazing experiences I had on this trip, there are many more. We got to Baudette where we were staying for the 4 days we are going to be there. We checked into our hotel at 11 a.m. the hotel smelt like well chlorine, and FOOD!!! I was starving, and they hadRead MoreSocial Media And Modern Age Teenagers906 Words   |  4 PagesSocial media and modern-age teenagers is a concoction that is doomed to fail with multiple issues that affect teen’s relationships: lying, insults, communication issues, sexual harassment, and cyber bullying. Social media as a whole has been a quite amazing invention, however, with all great inventions arises many problems with said inventions. Teenagers currently are starting to face the many problems with social media, and how social media affects the teen’s relationships. The multitude of problemsRead MoreNo Soldie r May Leave: The Movie Catch 22 Essay904 Words   |  4 PagesCatch-22 was definitely a catch! This â€Å"law† was the main metaphor of how crazy war really was and of the military authority. Joseph Heller used this catch in a humorous way, basically making it a loophole preventing any soldier from leaving the war. â€Å"Insane or not, the young men are indirectly forced to engage in combat and fight for a war they do not know about† (http://epubl.itu.se). He uses much black humor throughout the book, to relieve the horrors of war, death, and so on. He also uses so manyRead MoreThe Iphone 7 : A Case Scenario Essay1173 Words   |  5 Pagesupdate or not to overhaul†¦ So is it worth purchasing the new iPhone. Not on the off chance that you as of now have an iPhone 6 or 6S, says Gordon Kelly. There s just insufficient here to warrant the generous cost of an update, regardless of how amazing the new telephone is when considered all alone merits. In the event that you require another telephone at this moment, beyond any doubt, purchase an iPhone 7, says Patel. Be that as it may, this is tepid acclaim: the gadget is deficient, feelsRead MoreGraduation Speech On My Exchange Year1580 Words   |  7 Pagesit wasn’t easy trying to follow the lessons because, of course, English is not my first language; it wasn’t easy deal with the â€Å"first months homesickness†. But apart from these typical obstacles, there are so many things that have been perfect and amazing in the past eleven months. An example could be how easy after a while was thinking and speaking in English, how quick now I learn new things; how easy is now integrate this new me in a new culture and society full of strangers. Being in a new environmentRead MoreSeven Types Of Radical Honeybees Around The World1533 Words   |  7 PagesFrom their tremendous hives to their venomous stings to their countless hours of vigorously pollinating, honeybees are amazing. There are seven types of radical honeybees around the world.1 Humans are responsible for most deaths of these humble creatures. Little do we know that our harmful actions against honeybees could change the world forever.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Honeybees currently reside on every continent in the world, except for Antarctica.1 Honeybees live in hives and are widely known around the world forRead MoreIn the Intertidal Zone660 Words   |  3 Pagesincredible zone. Some other names for this amazing zone are the High Tide Zone, Mid Tide Zone, and Low Tide Zone. The Intertidal Zone is also called the shallow ocean zone, and has a lot of tide pools. This zone stretches from the surface to 660 feet, and you can find jellyfish, crabs, fish, and sea turtles. Adaptation s are a species ability to change to its surrounding to survive. Even though it is hard living in the harsh, Intertidal Zone, there are three amazing organisms that survive these conditions

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Representations of Love in Much Ado About Nothing Free Essays

Explore representations of love in Much Ado About Nothing In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses literary structures such as doubles and opposites in order to emphasise the plays main themes and ideas. McEachern claims â€Å"It is undoubtedly the most socially and psychologically realistic of his comedies, in it’s portrait of the foibles generosities of communal life. † (McEachern, 2006, 1) One main theme I want to explore is love and how Shakespeare represents this in Much Ado About Nothing. We will write a custom essay sample on Representations of Love in Much Ado About Nothing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The two main genres in Shakespeare’s dramas are tragedy and comedy. Tragedy always ends in death and comedy always ends in a marriage. Although Much Ado inevitably ends in marriage, it differs from some of Shakespeare’s other romantic comedies as his other comedies usually portray love in a much more unrealistic way. â€Å"Much Ado About Nothing is best known for the ‘merry war’ between one of it’s two couples, and an oxymoron could also describe this comedy’s identity as a whole. Shakespeare offers a play of light and dark, of romantic union wrested from fear and malice and of social harmony soothing the savagery of psychic violence† (McEachern, 2006, 1) In Act 1 Scene 1, Don Pedro, prince of Arragon arrives with his bastard brother Don John, and his two friends Claudio and Benedick. It is in this Act that Beatrice and Benedick first meet and the war of wits begin. Leonato states â€Å"There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her [Beatrice]; they never meet but there is a skirmish of wit between them. † (Much Ado, Act 1 Scene 1, 520) Although their words seem quite hateful to one another, at the same time it may also come across as flirtatious. Before Beatrice even meets Benedick, she expresses her distaste for him, however, she talks about him in such great depth it is almost more like an obsession than hatred. Benedick teases Beatrice by saying â€Å"I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find it in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none. † (Act 1 scene 1, 521) to which Beatrice replies â€Å"A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me† (Act 1 Scene 1, 521) By using the characters of Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare mocks the conventional type of love, romantic love, which is expressed by Hero and Claudio. This is also an example of how Shakespeare uses doubles in his play, as he uses the two couples to express two types of love. One being more realistic, that of Beatrice and Benedick, and the other being the more unrealistic, over the top romantic love expressed by Hero and Claudio. Even though the plot is largely based on Hero and Claudio’s relationship, the witty banter and seemingly unromantic relationship between Beatrice and Benedick seems much more interesting to the reader and we are more interested in how their relationship will develop. It is this relationship that seems much more believable compared to Claudio and Hero’s fairytale love at first sight. It is through contrasting these two different types of love and through the different use of language that Shakespeare can mock the conventional romantic love. Claudio uses a totally different style of language to Benedick when they both speak of love. Benedick is highly cynical and negative about love where as Claudio is more pretentious and elaborate when he speaks about Hero, for example when he says â€Å"Can the world buy such a Jewel? † (Act 1 scene 1, 522). This language is completely different to the way that benedick speaks to Beatrice as the first thing he says to her is â€Å"My dear Lady disdain! Are you yet living? † (Act 1 scene 1, 521) Benedick also speaks of his frustration of Claudio’s eloquent language when speaking of love as he states â€Å"He was wont speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier†¦his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. (Act 1 Scene 3, 529) This however is quite hypocritical of him as in Act 4 Scene 1, Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice and states â€Å"I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is that not strange? † (Act 4, Scene 1, 541) to which Beatrice responds â€Å"I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest† (Act 4, scene 1, 541) This shows how dramatically their relationship has changed as the witty banter and insults have turned into confessions of love for one another. It is often difficult to understand and accept the love between Hero and Claudio as it is so unrealistic. They fall in love with each other before they even truly get to know one-another, which therefore makes their love and marriage seem quite false and shallow. The fact that Claudio does not question Don John when he professes that Hero has been unfaithful, yet instead believes his word to be true, questions whether the love he has for Hero is sincere. Surely Claudio would confront his future wife before coming to any sort of conclusion, however, even her own father believes this to be true and states â€Å"why she, oh she is fallen/ into a pit of ink, that the wide sea/ hath drops too few to wash her clean again,/ and salt too little, which may season give/ to her foul tainted flash† (Act 4 Scene 1, 540) Another aspect of the play that makes Hero and Claudio’s love very unrealistic is hero’s willingness to forgive Claudio after his bold accusations of her infidelity. If his love for her was as strong and powerful as he made out, he would be more trusting of Hero in the first place. However, she seems to disregard this and does not question his behaviour, but instead is willing to carry on with the marriage. Bibliography McEachern,  Claire. Much Ado About Nothing. 2006. the Arden Shakespeare Shakespeare, W. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. 1996. Wordsworth Editions Limited How to cite Representations of Love in Much Ado About Nothing, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

How To Write Effective Informative Speech free essay sample

Imagine you are unable to get out of bed, to eat, unassisted. Needing another to clothe and bathe you day in and day out. Is that living? When it’s your time to go, would that be dying with dignity? Let’s say you have a chronic illness and you are in extreme physical pain. Wouldn’t you want the right to ask your doctor to end your suffering? Or is that treading too far? Welcome to the debate of euthanasia. Today I will discuss the history and argumentation of assisted suicide. Assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, is a hot-button issue that was brought into the light by Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was a controversial activist who tried to legalize assisted suicide under the argument that everyone deserves a humane death. There had been much debate on the issue, and our legislatures have explored what the practice entails and the moral implications of assisted suicide. However, it is still illegal in all of the United States. But Physician Aid in Dying or PAD is legal in Washington, Oregon, and Montana. The difference is that euthanasia involves a third party to administer the dose, whereas PAD leaves it up to the patient to take it. In this presentation I will focus solely on euthanasia, including the role of Dr. Kevorkian and the moral implications of legalizing assisted suicide. The concept of choosing a time to die with the help of a physician was first medically explored by Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, he attended the University of Michigan. There, he saw patients suffering. Especially in cases where there was no cure available, he wanted to end their suffering in a humane way. In his own words Dr. Kevorkian stated, â€Å"I’m going to do it right.† That was published in the New York Times in 2007. According to a 2011 New York Times article, in 1990 Kevorkian helped 130 people die using his machine titled the Thanatron, which is Greek for â€Å"death machine.† A 2011 Washington Post article described his infamous death machine, which is said to have been made from scraps. Other methods Kevorkian employed were carbon monoxide masking and overdose by injection. His practice earned him the nickname Doctor Death. Due to the contentious nature of the procedures, Dr. Kevorkian had to perform them in secrecy; as I stated, this was not an open practice. No church or hospital would host his practice. This forced Dr. Kevorkian to perform assisted suicides in his VW van. However, Dr. Kevorkian grew tired of doing everything in secrecy, and the demand was high. So, he brought his practice out into the public sphere. By publicizing his work, writing about the need for assisted suicide and the humanness of dying with dignity, he started a great debate in the United States in a more elaborate and graphic attempt to draw public attention. Dr. Kevorkian taped a filming of an assisted suicide by a man who had Lou Gehrig’s disease. The taping was shown on 60 Minutes in order to draw the attention of the courts, and attention he got. The courts decided that the taping of his assisted suicide was considered first-degree murder. In 1999 NPR stated that the court sentenced Dr. Kevorkian to 10 to 25 years for this, but he only served 8. He was released on parole on June 1, 2007, on the condition that he would not offer advice on suicide to anyone. He died four years later of natural causes. Before he died, however, Kevorkian stated, â€Å"Dying is not a crime.† And ever since he called attention to the idea and practice of assisted suicide, people have been debating the â€Å"how† of that quote. Indeed it is how one enters death that stems all the debate. The moral implications alone are enough to prompt the nation’s most notable academics and doctors to take a look at assisted suicide, also known as death counseling and euthanasia. According to an article released by the New York Times in 2011, 60% of Kevorkian’s patients who chose to be euthanized were not terminally ill. In addition, the biggest critique of the method was the lack of psychiatric analysis and counseling before the procedure. According to another 2011 New York Times article, in at least 19 cases persons chose to die within 24 hours of meeting Dr. Kevorkian. The Economist stated, â€Å"Studies of those who sought Dr. Kevorkian suggest that though many had a  worsening illness it was not usually terminal. Autopsies show that five people had no disease at all. Little over a third were in pain. Some presumably suffered from no more than hypochondria or depressionâ€Å" (June 9, 2011). In response to this Kevorkian stated on CNN, â€Å"What difference does it make if someone is terminal? We are all terminal† (June 14, 2010). You see, for Kevorkian a patient didn’t necessarily need to be terminal, just suffering. â€Å"While there are heavy critiques against the procedure, Kevorkian’s work can be credited for stimulating the debate and improving end-of-life care in the United States.† That was printed in the Detroit Free Press in 2011. Its history is synonymous with the name Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian, while his work was controversial, did make public the topic of extreme patient suffering and a doctor’s role in addressing it. Whether you support or oppose Dr. Kevorkian’s work, remember that there is only one absolute in life, that it will end one day. When your time comes, I hope you are able to go with as much dignity as you lived.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Online Roleplaying Rules Ver 2.1 (character Creation) Essays

Online roleplaying rules Ver 2.1 (character creation) Welcome Welcome to the Thiatre de More and our game of Vampire: The Past Returned in VP. Within this text you will find the ways to create a character for the game and how to submit yourself to engage in the game. If you seek more information on the Kindred a link named Vampire Homepage in the Thiatre will take you to a very imformitive site A little background on the game. We are currently running a game intermingled with both the Modern Day and Dark Ages campeign. The Thiatre de More and the lands of Knarl hold as grounds affected by the powers of Temporis causing it to be ripped back into time allowing the lands to fall under the old ways. Within the walls of the Thiatre a similar to a Dark Ages game takes place the time being similar to 1237 ad. Here the game strugles with oppression from the Camarilla, Sabbat, Inquisition, and Baali. Character Creation The first step to joining in with the game is to create a character. This text will leed you step by step in creating a Kindred within the Thiatre de More. As you create your character write out the information on a TXT file to send to the ST's and to keep as a reffrence for yourself. A blank character sheet can be found at the end of the character creation portion, simply cut and paste the sheet onto another TXT Step 1: Chosing your clan A vampire is a vampire no matter what. But like humans the Kindred separate themselves into groups called clans. Each clan has their own ways of looking at life (or unlife) as well as their own set of clan strength weeknesses and in clan disciplines (powers of the Kindred). The first step in creating your character is to chose your clan from the list provided. It is recomended for newer players to research the clan or clans you are interested in playing. The clans, their steriotype and their in clan Disciplines: Assimites - The mysterious "Saracens" of the Middle East have perfected the art of the silent kill. (Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus) Brujah (old clan) - Philosophers, scholars and warriors, the fractious "Zealots" persue their dream of a perfect society. (Celerity, Potence, Presence) Catiff (not a clan) - The rare and luckless Canites with no clan are outcasts and disgraced. (any, except Thaumaturgy) Cappadocians - Seeking the wisdom of the grave, the "Graverobbers" call upon the spirits of the dead for enlightenment. (Auspex, Fortitude, Mortis) Followers of Set - Orriginally hailing from Egypt, the "Serpents" spread corruption and vice in their wake. (Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis) Gangrel - Wanderers and rustics, the "Animals" are closer to the beasts of the forest than to any of their Cainite kin. (Animalism, Forttude, Protean) Lasombra (old clan) - Masters of darkness and shadows, the "Magisters" seek to controle mortal and vampiric society alike. (Dominate, Obtenebration, Obfuscate) Malkavian (old clan)- Cursed with insanity, the "Madmen" enjoy surreal and disturbing insight. (Dominate, Dementation, Obfuscate) Nosferatu - Hideous beyond words, the ostracized "Lepers" are spies and informants without equal. (Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence) Ravnos - Wandering vagabonds and hucksters, the "Charlatains" gleefully practice their arts of deception and theft. (Animalism, Chimerestry, Fortitude) Toreador - Lovers of art and beauty, the "Artisans" freely indulge in their tastes for the aesthetic. (Auspex, Celerity, Presence) Tremere - A young and insular clan of wizards, the sorcercerous "Userpers" struggle to establish themselves. (Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy) Tzimisci (old clan) - Terrible Slavic fleshcrafters, the "Fiends" mercilessly lord over their mortal subjects. (Animalism, Auspex, Dominate) Ventrue - Imperious and commanding, the "Patricians" consider it their duty to lead vampiric society. (Dominate, Fortitude, Presence) Brujah (new clan) - Respecting no authority and acknowledging no leaders, the "Rabble" consider themselves free (Celerity, Potence, Presence) Lasombra (new clan) - Puppetmasters in the darkness, the Lasombra rule the Sabbat and controle the shadows. (Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence) Malkavian (new clan) - Commonly perceaved to be insane, the "Kooks" possess an uncany vision and wisdom. (Auspex, Dominate, Obfuscate) Tzimisci (new clan) - Called "Fiends" for good reason, the Tzimisci are noble yet cruelly inhuman. (Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude) When you chose your clan mark it down on your character sheet as well as the disciplines listed for the clan. for further information on your clans specific flaw please

Friday, March 6, 2020

Anna Blair Etheridge essays

Anna Blair Etheridge essays Anna Blair Etheridge was an honored civil war nurse. She was well known to the people who fought in the war. Information about her childhood is scarce. She joined the army as a cook, and ended up being a nurse. She devoted her life to the army from the first battle at Blackburns Ford, in 1861, until the last battle at Petersburg, in 1865. Anna was born and raised in Detroit. There she lived in a small house with her dad, and her housekeeper named Belle. Later on when Anna turned twelve, she and her dad moved to Wisconsin, leaving behind a great friend named Sophie, and Belle. They were living in a one-room apartment. During that time she meet a new friend named Clara Jenkins. They loved to cook together. Clara always complemented her on how well she cooked. Soon after, Annas dad became very ill. She nursed him until he died. Not knowing what to do, she took Claras advice and moved back to Detroit with her friend Sophie and her family. Sophie was glad to see Anna back. The first few days together, they visited all the places they used to enjoy before Anna moved. Later on at dinnertime, Will, Sophies brother, said he was going to join the Union Army of Potomac to fight in the war. Union Army, were words Anna couldnt get out of her head. She wanted to join so badly. Anna didnt know how to break the news to Sophie. She finally did at dinnertime. Sophies parents were stunned too. They tried to talk her out of it but Anna followed what her soul told her to do. The next day Will and Anna went to sign up. The general at the sign up booth was only accepting eight girls to wash and clean. She waited in line for hours. When the general read the names off, she was amazed to hear her name was called. She was so overjoyed she couldnt sleep that ...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Essential factors for personal development and success in the United Essay

Essential factors for personal development and success in the United States of America - Essay Example This essay will describe the factors that attribute to success within the American setting as reflected by Yang in his article. According to Yang, Asian Americans are having a difficult time within the American setting. Asian Americans grow up with Asian intrinsic values that prove very different from what the American culture upholds. Children born of Asian families in America have a unique set of values that defines the personality that they adopt. It is evident that culture plays a critical part in personality development, explaining why Yang describes how the Asian culture has molded them into individuals that exhibit significant differences from the Americans within the class setting, workplace and in relationships (Barrios, 2013). . However, Yang (2011) highlights that the impact of the Asian culture in their personality development has served them little good. In real sense, he laments that the Asian culture has led to the development of multiple stereotypes that serve as setb acks for people of Asian descent to succeed. Yang highlights that most of the Asian American score good grades and secure position in prestigious institutions within America. He highlights that the Asian culture of hard work and devotion makes them successful in school. However, multiple stereotypes associated with the Asian Americas have served to deny them chances in the workplace that conform to their academic achievement, making them, ‘paper tigers’ with impressive certificates but lacking opportunities. He highlights that such stereotypes have only served as a ‘black ceiling’ preventing many Asian Americans that they rightly deserve from their academic qualifications. He present nine examples and profiles of Asian Americans, and reveals how Asian attributes and stereotypes associated with the Asian American have denied them chances in the workplace and in relationships. Yang describes Asian Americans as ‘bananas’, highlighting that they ar e Asian on the outside and white in the inside, but is keen to mention that the two sets of cultures are incompatible. However, if circumstances are to prove different for any of the Asian Americans, they have to follow the advice that the author presents of having the willingness to do things differently. A change of attitude for the Asians, and their determination to overcome the stereotypes that pull them can serve help them become outstanding individuals. It is possible that the strength of ties described by Malcolm will be of critical importance to Asian Americans (Yang, 2011). Yang’s critique has given rise to a heated debate in the society. It becomes questionable what Asian Americans should do different in order to succeed. Apparently, they are doing well in academics, but are not securing jobs as expected despite their qualifications. Should Asian Americans abandon Asian values and adopt attributes defined by then dominant American culture? Gladwell Malcolm mentions in his essay ‘small changes’ that one should try to be different. Asian Americans are yet to experience full integration into the American culture. Although they live and school in America, their Asian aspects have remained evident. Evidently, Asian Americans can work together towards developing ‘strong ties’ as defined by Gladwell. Such strong ties will help them overcome the black ceiling established by the lack of complete integration into

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Toledo War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Toledo War - Research Paper Example In fact in the map, it was to be shown in its actual place that belonged to Michigan (Jones). The tug of war between the Michigan and Ohio was because Toledo was at the planned end point of Miami and Erie canals. Until the year 1830, the crises touched upon its height during the course of canal construction. The factor of the tussle was because of the awareness that the region was agriculturally fertile. To optimum use of agriculturally rich land, the availability of transportation was inevitable. Unfortunately because of transport, the agriculture produce was not available in the area. In the light of 1825 legislation, two navigational canals were built. This has further narrowed the strip of land. Despite the mentioned development, Toledo was conveniently located on the mouth of Lake Erie (Jones). We may call Toledo War of 1835, as the Battle of Phillips Crossing or the Ohio-Michigan Boundary War. The said war comes on the limelight due to historical dispute with regard to the boundary line between Michigan and Ohio. The disputed boundaries are familiarized as the Toledo Strip. The major part of Ohio falls within the ambit of cited strip (Mitchell).   The dispute was not because of only one factor. It has caused number of factors, which included poorly created maps. The example of which is placement of southern tip of Lake Michigan wrongly, the ambiguous language of  Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the diversified interpretations by Michigan and Ohio coupled with unhealthy political activities, and egos (Mitchell). On February 6th 1835, Governor Lucas informed the lawmakers of Mason’s proposal. He had no desire to appoint any commissioner and impressed upon the lawmakers to declare Ohio’s jurisdiction up to the Harris line so as to direct the concerned officials to exercise their authority over the Toledo Strip (Rollins). In order to ensure legal authority of relevant officials and to shun the foreign interference, the Michigan State in the month of

Monday, January 27, 2020

Toyotas Operational and Industry Environment

Toyotas Operational and Industry Environment In order to analyse the Toyotas operational and industry environment and its competitive position in the auto mobile market, there some appropriate strategic tools are using in this paper. Such as the SWOT model , Porters Generic strategy and Ansoff matrix. The SWOT model analyses the companies internal and external strengths with opportunities as the factors of the companys success in the competitive market. And also this model analyses the companies weaknesses with threats for its fluctuation of sales. Generic strategy refers to analyse the companys strategic choice with in the competitive rivalry. In addition Ansoff matrix also analyse how Toyota uses appropriate strategies to be as the world leader in the car manufacturing and sales of subsidiaries. Toyotas competitors such as the Ford Motor company, General Motors and Honda Motor Corp, who concern to decide the companies market position in the market. During the periods these all companies are different position in the auto market. As the leader of the auto manufacture Toyota Motor Corp Ltd adapts the management corporate philosophy which is meant that Toyota Way including Toyota Production system(TPS), and as the Lean production. The companys corporate philosophy decide the long term competitive advantages. The elements of TPS are Just In Time(JIT), Jidoka(quality improvement) and Kaizen. In addition, Toyotas Total Quality Management(TQM), which is correlated with TPS, is also the most important system to catch the market share in the rival. These systems are adapting in the production line to product the plants efficiently with the combination of the low cost and high quality. This opportunity seeks the best in the global auto market. And also the supply chain management too is as a supporting hand for the company. These all will be briefly discussed in this paper. At the end of this paper, it is analysed that how the elements of Generic strategy such as cost leader, differentiation and focus and Toyotas operational systems are functioning together to get best competitive position within the competitors world wide. With that, Ansoff matrix will be analysed by its elements such as market penetration, product development, market development and diversification regarding the companys performance and competitive position. INTRODUCTION: The Toyota Motor Co. Ltd was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, as a one of the worlds leading manufacturers. It has become the world Largest, and most profitable car maker . During the Second World War, the company produced trucks for the Japanese Army. Unlikely ,the companys factory in Aichi was bombed down by the enemies before war ended.ÂÂ   After the war ended ,Toyotas production of cars commercially began with the SA model in 1947. In 1957, the Toyota Crown was exported to the USA as the first time. It announced its arrival to British in1957.After 1960s the company started to spread its operations world wide. Toyota entered into an alliance with Daihatsu and Hino Motors. Its Compacts, produced smaller and fuel efficiently from the start.ÂÂ   Names of few of the popular Toyota vehicles are Toyota Prius, Camry, Lexus, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Tundra Double Cab and Corolla (http://www.swot-pest-porter.com). In the early 1970s, the companys production was behind of Ford Motor and GM, but in 1974, Toyota Corolla got largest place in world car selling. And, after ten year Toyota was in second to GM in the market(www.nytimes.com) .Now it is the third largest manufacturer in the global automobile market by sales which is producing more than 5.5 million vehicles per year(www.conceptcarz.com). LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINS: In my point of view the time is the important problem to analyse the companys operational and industry and their competitive position within it. There are lots of resources available for this analysis, however ,it is difficult to understand and recognise the very relevant resources from the pool of them. COMPETITORS OF THE TOYOTA. In the global auto market Toyotas strategic position is very strong than other competitors. It is clear that the Ford Motor , GM and Honda Motors are the main competitors in the market. Among these, Toyota was the third largest automaker in the world. Along with GM, when the Japanese automakers sales in U.S had gone into a decline, Ford took attention on Toyota customers with great offers at the January 2010. In February 2010, Ford over took GM to be the number 1 seller in the U.S as the first time since 1998. But ,Honda Motor co didnt follow its rivals at targeting Toyota customers , this is why its sales drop by 5% in 2010 (www.reuters.com). In 2009, while GM had 20% and ford had 16% , Toyota had 17% of the market share in U.S( www.reuters.com ). Especially, the companys operational system such as the TPS, TQM and the Toyota Way add real value to the companys business which is as the different management style. This value adding procedure is giving a unique strategic position in the market. For example, Toyota Prius is a enormous value and it is a commitment to green products green innovation. Toyotas project management makes sure that the projects and goals are aligned with the added values of the company and core competencies. The reason for the project manager of Toyota is the understanding the importance of competencies and core values with the need of working together. And , project manager should give efforts and best thoughts towards develop its attributers and remained focused on business goals.(http://svprojectmanagement.com). THE PILLARS OF THE TOYOTAS SUCCESS AND COMPITITIVE ADVANTAGES: Toyotas operational systems are its pillars of the success in the industry wise. They are, Toyota Way. Toyota Production System(TPS). Total Quality Management(TQM). Toyota Supply chain. Actually the Toyota way and TPS have been part of how Toyota has developed its supply chain. TPS has been part of how Toyota has developed its supply chain principles effectively towards best performance with suppliers, dealers and manufactures. These concepts work together to add value to the production line of Toyota. THE TOYOTA WAY. Toyota Way and Toyota Production System are the different concepts, but its 14 principles are giving a corporate philosophy by using Toyota Production System (TPS), which is a systematic and highly developed example of Toyota Way. Toyota Way is the culture and also a set of efficiency and improvement techniques, and also it is called that the companys managerial philosophy. Its 14 principles are categorised into four categories. Long-Term Philosophy. Toyotas philosophy of empowering its workers is the core of human resource management system. It brings employee loyalty and improves creativity and innovation by motivating employee participation. The Right Process Will Produce the Right Results. Adding value to the Organization by Developing the People and Partner Continuously Solving Root Problems Drives Organizational Learning With 14 principles of Toyota Way, another 4 high level principles such as Genchi Genbutsu, Kaizen, Respect and Team work and Challenge are correlated with each other. Thorough learning and kaizen , Toyota has managed to grow and achieve its goals. Kaizen is a Japanese term means that change betterments it focused on improving the quality and the efficiency of the Toyotas production line. Through Kaizen the members have given gift certificates instead of money. The philosophy of Toyota Way is passing down from generation to generation(http://www2.toyota.co.jp). TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM (TPS). Sources; http://www.1tech.eu TPS is the way of companys successful globally, which was introduced by Taiichi Ohno. Corporate philosophy is the basic of its success in the global market. TPS presences high standards of products this is why the company easily penetrate the markets world wide. And also Toyotas work place morale and job satisfaction are producing reliable and high-quality products at reasonable prices. Many of the success of Toyota concern with high performance of human resources and supply chain management. JIT productivity improvement. Kanban system manages the JIT production system and it supports by each of the previous steps. Generally, the JIT means that what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed. By using this concept, Toyota produces quality products by elimination of waste and avoiding the un reasonable requirements in the line production. Under this system, the ways of achieving productivity improvement are Providing a production instrument to the production line as soon as possible, when a order for vehicle is received,. Stocking few numbers of all part for assembly line Proceeding process stocking proceeding process of all parts. Jidoka- highlighting of problem. Under this concept the quality is consider by Stopping machine safely on its own when complete a normal process and also when meet any quality problem. communicating via the Andon (problem display board) when machine automatically stop. Because of this operator can continue at another machine. This will lead to a greater processing capacity. Eliminating waste: TPS works mainly with the internal in next stage in the production line and external customer perspectives which is considering and separate the value added steps from the non value added steps. According to Jeffery K. Liker , 8 categories of waste are eliminating in the TPS such as over production, waiting time, unessential movement and transport, over inventory and so on. The head of Toyota manufacturing divided the waste was eliminated in this system by JIT and Autorotation in the production line to add value(http://people.brunel.ac.uk). The concept of respect takes responsibility to build trust each other in the TPS and the concept of team work encourage employees to achieve growth and performance by contributing the opportunities of development in the Toyotas production line to add value. Actually, the Toyota Production System has been a roaring success at Toyota, but much less effective in other locations in many conditions. Total Quality Management (TQM): TQM is a management system adapting by Toyota in the production line to add value of its products. This is the greatest strategy following only by Toyota successfully within the larger auto makers. Indeed, The TQM is based on the quality of the product with the commitments of the all members towards the long term success of the company.TQM works through a combination of the customer satisfaction and welfare of the society. At the end, the result is the high quality and low cost add value for the product in the TPS. GENERIC STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES. Porters Generic strategy, seeking competitive advantage on Toyota, is defined as the basis on which a strategy business unit (SBU) might achieve or counter competitive advantage in its market. According to the cost leader ship strategy, Toyota reduced its cost at every element of the value chain. Toyota is the good example of an organization for producing quality cars at low price with brand and marketing skills to use a premium pricing policy. The companys JIT attempt to manufacture with an absolute minimum of inventory, in a shortened lead time. This feature support the companys manufacturing cost in production line. Jidoka supports to reduce the cost in production line by highlighting the problem before occur. And also TQM of the Toyota is supporting in reducing the cost how with the minimum input and maximum out put with in a sort lead time. Toyota is manufacturing its products for the market where what is needed and what is suitable. Its mean that the company adapts the differentiation strategy well than other competitors. When it offer totally different from other rivals , this is why the companys products aim on value with less price and which creates higher price and higher profit to the company. Hybrid Prius is the pertinent evident of differentiation in the rival. Further more, Toyota offers high quality and luxury brand cars in Japan, Europe and U.S( like Lexus ), the company is selling minivans and trucks in China, Brazil and South Asian markets, where the products of the Toyota are totally different than other major competitors. The thing is that even though, additional costs occur pursuing differentiation, and it is managed by increased revenue generated by the sales. In the view of application of generic strategy with JIT, in which the production line is able to producing many varieties of products in response according to the changing customer demand in the market. It means the company uses the JIT production to differentiate its product in the market. And also TQM helps in Toyotas differentiation strategy, how the companys products with high qualification could easily differentiate among other competitors. By adapting focused differentiation strategy, Toyota first introduced a brand, Scion, specifically for young buyers in January, 2003 which was a great success with that introduced hybrids in 1997 selling 127000 more than Honda. (http://ezinearticles.com). This strategy support to compete with other competitors in similar segments and to get competitive advantages. JIT production and TQM support also in focused differentiation strategy. For example, when the company identifying specific market segmentation wised to buy a specific vehicle, JIT production gives that particular product to that targeting market segment. THE APPLICATION OF THE ANSOFF MATRIX IN TOYOTA: Market penetration: Toyota penetrated easily and successfully world wide comparatively than other large manufacturers in building plants and sales the subsidiaries. Toyotas first advantage of market penetration is presentation of strategic markets. For instance, it penetrated successfully in Asia, Europe and US. Whereas, its market rivals such as Ford and GM influence in only U.S and Europe. Toyota Motor Corp holds its foot in China and India to get competitive advantages heavily. By adapting this strategy, it manages the unexpected fluctuations for the markets of its products. Product development: One of the key to the success in the car market is new models which increase the demand and loyalty for the companys brand. Toyota has huge reputation for producing few cars with fuel efficient and good performance. And, Toyota has enhanced to meet government requirements specially for reducing the hybrid fuel. A remarkable point is that Toyota was the first car manufacturer to market hybrid fuels, with the introduction of the Prius model in the market (www.reuters .com) 2010 Toyota Prius is the best example of the product development. The third generation Prius is bigger and more powerful than the previous version, but it will become in the United States as the only vehicle that offers combined mileage greater than miles per gallon (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk). But the latest Prius is 70Kg heavier than its predecessor, and this is largely down to the amount of new technology inside. Market development: Toyota Company sells its products in 70 countries world wide. In order to maximize the profit, it seeks new market with existing products. For example, China and South East Asia ere the new markets where the company sells its vehicles. Diversification: By adapting this strategy, Toyota seeks new products into new markets. While getting any troubles by the competitors in existing market with existing products, it is the pertinent strategy for its growth. The company emerges in China and South East Asia where targeting a 2012 launch and a piece under 1 million Yen. (www.reuters .com) and also one of the Toyotas Mini vehicle unit which is Daihatsu Motor co(7262.T) is developing a small car for emerging market such as South East Asia, and may sell them under the Toyota brand the Chunichi newspaper said(www.reuters.com). The Compact car will be based on its vision and Yaris subcompact models in the new markets. In addition, these two models and a new set of entry level cars are announced for India, Brazil and China by Toyota. To develop the sales in emerging markets the company maintains a three layered approach. However, Toyota has relatively small market share in India, Brazil and other emerging markets. This is indicating the limitat ions of its market development (www.reuters.com). Toyota gets a best strategic position in the competitive market by applying these strategies properly than other competitors. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: As above, the third largest auto maker Toyota is a successful company in the auto makers. The factors of the companys success and its best competitive position in the competitive revalry, are its internal strengths and external opportunities. Even though, it is as the world leader in the auto market, it faces some problems as its own weaknesses and the threats from other competitors and from the outside. These factors are analysed by using SWOT analysis in the appendix. In addition, the companys main competitors compete with it heavily during the years such as Ford, GM, and Honda. However, Toyota Motor Corporation is in a much strengthened strategic position in the auto market. There are some details describe the companys achievements among the competitors in the appendix. The Toyota Motor Corporation achieves its competitive advantages by using the best operational systems in the industry such as the Toyota Way, TPS known as the Lean production and TQM in its production line. Porter s Generic strategy analyse the companys strategic position in the market with the correlation of those operational systems toward the competitive advantages. And also Toyotas supply chain management is reflecting its uniqueness in the global market which is noted in the appendix. At the end, the Ansoff matrix describe the companys current position by market penetration, market development product development and diversification strategies. In my point of view, Toyota Motor Corporation still is the world leader of the car makers. But in 2008 and 2009, it faced decline in its sales by few problems. However, the president of the company Akio Toyoda who and the every level employees of the company commit their whole life over take these problems. I suppose that, in future it will be the number one auto maker in the global car manufacturer with the attention of over taking particular quality problem for preventing the quality problem by using its the world greatest strategic operational choices in the industry. APPENDIXES: 1. TOTAL SALES OF THE TOYOTA AND ITS COMPETITORS: COMPANIES VOLUME MAY 09 MAY 08 DSR DSR5/09 DSR5/08 GM -29.555 191,875 272,363 -26.84% 7380 10,088 Ford -24.25% 161,531 213,238 -21.373% 6,213 7,898 Toyota -40.72% 152,583 257,406 -38.44% 5,869 9,534 Honda America -41.46% 98,394 167,997 -39.21% 3,782 6,222 Chrysler Group -46.88% 79,010 148,747 -44.84% 3,039 5,509 Nissan NA -33.10% 67,4874 100,874 -30.52% 2,596 3,736 BMW Group -27.65% 22,993 31,781 -24.87% 884 1,177 *The daily selling rate (DSR) is calculated with 26 days for May 2009 and 27 for May 2008. Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/02/by-the-numbers-may-2009-gm-and-ford-surprise-edition/ TOYOTAS INDUSTRY RANK AT IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES. ATTRIBUTES INDUSTRY RANK Innovation 3 People management 3 Used of corporate assets 2 Social responsibility 1 Quality of management 2 Financial soundness 1 Long term investment 2 Quality of products /services 2 Global competencies 2 Source: http://money.cnn.com 3. WORLDS TOP 10 AUTO GROUPS BY 2009 H1 SALES. RANK COMPANY SALES(US $ Millions) 1 Toyota Motor Corp 3.564 2 General Motor Co 3.553 3 Volkswagen AG 3.265 4 Hyundai Mo. Co 2.153 5 Ford Motor Co 2.115 6 P S A Peugeot Citroen 1.587 7 Honda Motor Co 1.586 8 Nissan Motor Co 1.546 9 Suzuki Motor Corp 1.15 10 Renault SA 1.107 Source: www.reuters.com 4. THE SWOT OF TOYOTA Strengths and Opportunities; Toyotas Just in Time (JIT) allows the production system to produce vehicles efficiently and quickly, one at a time, which is great quality and provide satisfaction to consumers. And ,the company has a major strength which is Toyotas Production System(TPS) prevent waste and therefore reduces the amount of energy, raw materials and other resources used, this is making it towards sustainability(www.toyota.eu). Toyota is a best profit maker in the market. This is because, rising up of the share price of Toyota. For example, Toyotas stock market value is approximately 30% of the value of the global car market. If we combined the profits of all global car makers, Toyota would account for about one third. And other all Japanese car makers would account for another third. Only the rest final third, would be accounted by all European, North American and other Asian car makers together. (http://www.marketingteacher.com). Another reason for its climbed up to the top is beyond loyalty. Toyotas life long learning by Kaizen and improvement management systems makes best decisions. Japanese companies, specially, Toyota is excellent in particular areas as the strengths its self. Such as Elimination of waste and cost cutting. A culture rooted in manufacturing. Fast, disciplined product development cycles. Consistence and relentless Toyotas managers always knows that where they want to be five years from now and are working at getting there. Toyotas innovation and creativity is a major opportunity. Companys commercial mass produced hybrid gas and electric vehicles are creating more opportunities in the competitive markets. Prius is the pertinent example for these advance technology adaptation of Toyota. It based on advanced hybrid technology and R+D activity. This investment and Toyotas wide range of product portfolio support customers for alternative sources of fuel away from gas guzzling cars. Another example of innovation is that Toyota Sienna is planned to join the hybrid line up by 2010 (www.brandchannel.com) Toyota mostly attracts the youth market by its segmentation. As Pedro Pacheco(spokes person for Toyota Europe) said, The urban youth segment is attractive to us because it can success fully influence the whole of youth sector, and it allows to attract customers to the brand at an earlier stage (www.brandchannel.com). Toyota like these customers to grow by providing products as their like. This is a big opportunity of establishing a life lasting relation ship. Toyota taking heart the customer feedback it has received, together with its suppliers, dealers and its world wide employees, its commitment is on its products and services and also its commitment to the customer first. This feature is giving many opportunities to Toyota world wide. Toyotas continuous global expansion also brings opportunities to it. Practically, Toyota has its factories in all continents and its vehicles are made up in different countries. Remarkably, for recent years the company emerged in third world countries and it is getting possible opportunities. And it tends for the localisation of the production using their situation in different countries as the suppliers of the production local market. This result of globalization is making many opportunities for the company. Weaknesses Threats Almost every problem creates a need for inventory, which is one of the largest wastes. This is really a reflection of ineffectiveness. Because every manufactures should need to make sure that their models consumers want or not and conditions of those markets. These may be the reasons of putting attention on emerging market heavily. Toyotas production needs a huge investment with high fixed cost and cost of labour. This may allow to face problems like over capacity or under capacity if occur any upturn or downturn. The main problem is that the companys products are too expensive for its emerging markets, when other competitors like Tata Motors (TM) produce reasonably cheaper cars. The movements of the exchange rates make narrow margins in the market of its sales. For example, in 2009, Toyotas chairman said that the strong appreciation of the Yen against the Dollar and Euro and the rising cost of raw materials made losses in Toyotas sale (www.glgroup.com). The demand for larger cars decreased while increasing the demand for small cars by changing the life style nowadays. This is also a challenge for Toyota. According to the increasing expenses, the consumer usage of cars is decreasing. This factor reduces the demand of cars in the market as well as the high price Toyotas cars. Businesses operate their operations with fewer fuels by the technology improvements. For instances, Europe governments are encouraging more alternatives for transport, which is reducing the demand for new cars (www.businessteacher.org.uk). These all factors are the threats for Toyota. 5. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT OF TOYOTA: Toyota has coordinated the plans across the supply chain and has executed them efficiently. It is the ultimate way in which Toyota has built its superior efficiency in operations. Its effective performance is estimated by the process and their results. This process aims to create a balance between the supply chain parameters. Components of Supply chain management. Variety of products. Velocity of product flow. Variability of out comes against fore cast. Visibility of process to enable learning. (http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=0071615490) The variety represents an extremely important design selection of supply chain which has an effect on the participants of the supply chain. When choosing variety, there is a need to have feed back to make sure that it is suitable to represent for the market situation. Velocity has clearly shown in the Toyotas supply chain. It allows doing the procedures at the same time throughout the system. By reducing the variability orders, supply chain will need low level of inventory. It also support for the high quality and cost reduction across the supply chain. These three concepts of supply chain management influence on the stable of supply chain of Toyota. However, Toyotas supply chain ran too hot, which means, working with a lot of unfamiliar suppliers. They didnt have proper understanding of Toyotas culture. The majority of the problems of the company concern with this problem. The Toyota Way and TPS have given them the competitive advantages on a global scale. Most of these advantages are gained through a combination of the arrangement of the human resources policies and their highly efficient global network of the suppliers and manufactures. According to the TPS Toyota maintain the quality of the product while reducing the cost and eliminating the waste efficiently. Through these techniques Toyota is able to develop competitive advantage in their manufacturing and sales. Toyota considers that the workers are at the centre of the process of continuous improvement and that their creativity leads to innovation, to improve the loyalty and morale in the work place. At the end, when the job satisfaction is high, there is a greater likelihood that reliable and high quality products can be offered at an affordable price. So the low cost and high quality of the products create high demand for Toyotas products in the competitive market. REFERENCES: Kae Inoue, Toyotas President Takes over Amid U.S. Slump, [Online], Available: www.bloomberg.com, ( June 23, 2009). GM, Toyota, Ford add sales as incentives Buoy Rough market, [Online], Available: www.businessweek.com,( April, 2010). Operational agility at Toyota, [Online], Available: http://blogs.ft.com, (January 27, 2010). Toyota, Nissan Vow to do Better; Green Cars Key, [Online], Available: www.retures.com, (June23, 2009). Toyota will reduce Hybrid Cars prices, [Online], Available: www.inrumor.com, (January 17 ,2010). Porter, M., Generic Strategies, [Online], Available: www.marketteacher.com,( 1980) . Edwards Deming, W., Total Quality Management, [Online], Available: www.1000advices.com. Strategic Analysis of Toyota, [Online], Available: http://ivythesis.typespad.com (August 03,2004). Jeffrey K. Liker., The Toyota Way:14 management principles from the worlds greatest manufacturer, [Online], Available: http://books.google.co.uk, (August 03 2009). Vision and Philosophy: Toyota Production System [Online], Available: http://www2.toyota.co.tp. Taylor, A., Toyotas new man at the wheel, [Online], Available: http;//money.cnn.com, (June 26, 2009). Toyota working on new car for emerging markets, [Online], Available http://www.teuters.com ,(July 29,2010). Despite Toyota is still launched in emerging Markets, [Online], Available: www.allbusiness.com (February 21, 2011). Toyota Prius,[Online], Available: www.brandchannel.com. Core competency of Toyota, [Online], Available: http://svprojectmanagement.com, (Feb, 2010) Toyota invest in 1Techs process engineering expertise, [Online], Available: www.1Tech.eu.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Different Type of Toys

Toy A teddy bear A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old. Many items are designed to serve as toys, but goods produced for other purposes can also be used. For instance, a small child may pick up a household item and â€Å"fly† it through the air as to pretend that it is an airplane. Another consideration is interactive digital entertainment, such as a video game. Some toys are produced primarily as collector's items and are intended for display only. The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word â€Å"toy† is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. [1] Toys, and play in general, are important when it comes to growing up and learning about the world around us. The young use toys and play to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults. Adults use toys and play to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, remember and reinforce lessons from their youth, discover their identity, exercise their minds and bodies, explore relationships, practice skills, and decorate their living spaces. Child development A rubber duck is a popular bathtime toy for small children. Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role. Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life. One of the simplest toys, a set of simple wooden blocks is also one of the best toys for developing minds. Andrew Witkin, director of marketing for Mega Brands told Investor's Business Daily that, â€Å"They help develop hand-eye coordination, math and science skills and also let kids be creative. â€Å"[8] Other toys like Marbles, jackstones, and balls serve imilar functions in child development, allowing children to use their minds and bodies to learn about spatial relationships, cause and effect, and a wide range of other skills as well as those mentioned by Mr. Witkin. One example of the dramatic ways that toys can influence child development involves clay sculpting toys such as Play-Doh and Silly Putty and their home-made counterparts. Mary Ucci, Educational Direct or of the Child Study Center of Wellesley College, demonstrates how such toys positively impact the physical development, cognitive development, emotional development, and social development of children. 9] Toys for infants often make use of distinctive sounds, bright colors, and unique textures. Through play with toys infants begin to recognize shapes and colors. Repetition reinforces memory. Play-Doh, Silly Putty and other hands-on materials allow the child to make toys of their own. Educational toys for school age children of often contain a puzzle, problem-solving technique, or mathematical proposition. Often toys designed for older audiences, such as teenagers or adults demonstrate advanced concepts. Newton's cradle, a desk toy designed by Simon Prebble, demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy. Not all toys are appropriate for all ages of children. Some toys which are marketed for a specific age range can even harm the development of children in that range. Gender A toy tank with a remote control. Such toys are generally thought of as boys' toys. Certain toys, such as Barbie dolls and toy soldiers, are often perceived as being more acceptable for one gender than the other. It has been noted by researchers that, â€Å"Children as young as 18 months display sex-stereotyped toy choices†. 10] Playing with toys stereotyped for the opposite gender sometimes results in negative consequences from parents or fellow children. In recent years[citation needed], mainly in western countries[citation needed], it has been looked down upon for males to play with toys that were originally stereotyped as being girls' games and toys. However, it is generally not as looked down up on for females to play with toys designed â€Å"for boys†, an activity which has also become more common in recent years. [11] Economics Toys â€Å"R† Us operates over 1,500 stores in 30 countries and has an nnual revenue of US$13. 6 billion With toys comprising such a large and important part of human existence, it makes sense that the toy industry would have a substantial economic impact. Sales of toys often increase around holidays where gift-giving is a tradition. Some of these holidays include Christmas, Easter, Saint Nicholas Day and Three Kings Day. In 2005, toy sales in the United States totaled about $22. 9 billion. [8] Money spent on children between the ages of 8 and twelve alone totals approximately $221 million annually in the U. S. 12] Toy makers change and adapt their toys to meet the changing demands of children thereby gaining a larger share of the substantial market. In recent years many toys have become more complicated with flashing lights and sound s in an effort to appeal to children raised around television and the internet. According to Mattel's president, Neil Friedman, â€Å"Innovation is key in the toy industry and to succeed one must create a ‘wow' moment for kids by designing toys that have fun, innovative features and include new technologies and engaging content. In an effort to reduce costs, many mass-producers of toys locate their factories in areas where wages are lower. 75% of all toys sold in the U. S. , for example, are manufactured in China. [8] Issues and events such as power outages, supply of raw materials, supply of labor, and raising wages that impact areas where factories are located often have an enormous impact on the toy industry in importing countries. Many traditional toy makers have been losing sales to video game makers for years. Because of this, some traditional toy makers have entered the field of electronic games and are enhancing the brands that they have by introducing interactive extensions or internet connectivity to their current toys. [13] Physical activity A boy from Jakarta with his ball. Ball games tend to be good exercise, involving lots of physical activity and are popular worldwide. A great many toys are part of active play. These include traditional toys such as hoops, tops, jump ropes and balls, as well as more modern toys like Frisbees, foot bags, astrojax, Myachi, and the yo-yo. Playing with these sorts of toys allows children to exercise, building strong bones and muscles and aiding in physical fitness. Throwing and catching balls and frisbees can improve hand-eye coordination. Jumping rope, (also known as skipping) and playing with foot bags can improve balance. Safety regulations Toys with small pieces, such as these Lego elements are required by law to have warnings about choking hazards in some countries. Many countries have passed safety standards limiting the types of toys that can be sold. Most of these seek to limit potential hazards, such as choking or fire hazards that could cause injury. Children, especially very small ones, often put toys into their mouths, so the materials used to make a toy are regulated to prevent poisoning. Materials are also regulated to prevent fire hazards. Children have not yet learned to judge what is safe and what is dangerous, and parents do not always think of all possible situations, so such warnings and regulations are important on toys. There have also been issues of toy safety regarding lead paint. Some toy factories, when projects become too large for them to handle, outsource production to other less known factories, often in other countries. Recently, there were some in China that America had to send back. The subcontractors may not be watched as closely and sometimes use improper manufacturing methods. The U. S. government, along with mass market stores, is now moving towards requiring companies to submit their products to testing before they end up on shelves. [17]

Friday, January 10, 2020

Effects of Big Business Subsidies on Local Economies

Julian Diaz Eco 212 Tax breaks Big Business Subsidies Across the nation corporations have realized that they hold the fundamental building block to the growth of their revenues, and economic growth of small economies. Claiming that merely their presence are the key to fixing local economies. Politicians are willing to funnel, in some cases, millions of dollars from taxpayers pockets and into the wallets of corporations to set up shop in their town. Corporations with capital and willingness to invest are waiting around for the highest bidder, our bidders being the local governments attempting to find a way to a better local economy .These techniques are essentially paying the corporation to set up shop in their local economies. Local governments need to realized that big business as effective as it is in creating new jobs in the short run and stimulating the economy on a macroeconomic scale, are not benefiting the local economy in the long run and some cases short run. In order to tru ly understand the whys and wherefores for big business’ to not receive local government subsidies, a look into the negative effects of these business on the local economies, and how these subsidies should be allocated to maximize the positive growth of a local town are essential.The use of tax incentives to lure in big business may seem appealing at first but there are both short and long run negative effects, allowing these tax incentives to continue is not benefiting the economy just the large corporations who do not reallocate these resources into the local economy, and what do local governments and economies really see as a result of these tax subsidies. â€Å"Traditional economic development approaches have focused on trying to fill the bath tub while neglecting to plug the drain.An increasing number of communities are now seeking ways to â€Å"plug the drain† and limit the dollars that leak out of their local economy†1 Corporations are misleading governmen t officials with ideas centered around the creation of jobs and economic growth, what they happened to leave out during negotiations are the negative effects that big retailers have on the local economy. The past success of our nation’s economy has been driven by the ability to have free competition among business, a free market allows for the allocation of labor, and prices based upon demand.Major national retail chains and small businesses do share the need to consume in order to operate. However, the economic impact of small business to a local economy triumph that of the national chain stores. A study performed by the Maine Center for Economic Development consumption of small business benefit the local economy compared for every 100 dollars spent by a business how it impacted the local economy. â€Å"MECEP’s analysis found that in general every $100 spent at locally owned businesses generates an additional $58 in local impact. By comparison, $100 spent at a repres entative national chain store generates $33 in local impact.Stated differently, MECEP found that money spent at local businesses generates as much as a 76% greater return to the local economy than money spent at national chains. † This data was collected from 350 small business in the Portland area. The reason for such a higher effect being produced from the small business is derived from the fact that the goods they purchase are from other locally owned business. Government officials who feel that luring in these big businesses with tax incentives will benefit the economy need to find a way to improve local businesses first and â€Å"plug† the drain.Let’s assume that our local economy is like a city’s economy, if they allowed a major corporation to step in and open up shop, and increase sales revenue by 50 % wouldn’t that sound great. Add in the creation of new jobs for this economy, even better. However, where are the revenues from this increased sales going? They are not benefiting the government or local citizens because those sales taxes will at best be the break even cost of luring the big business with tax incentive.Once a major store opens like Wal-Mart there is are diminishing incentives to open up other location anywhere near original location as to not over infiltrate the market and split revenues while doubling operating costs. So now, where is this money that is being made going? Sure, some of it is being reintroduced into our economy through wages, however wages make up such a minute percentage of their revenues. Money is flowing out of the local economy and directed to be invested elsewhere, leaving the government breaking even small business losing revenue from decreased sales and lower product prices.A small study performed in salt lake city analyzed â€Å"Fifteen retailers and seven restaurateurs, all independent and locally-owned, participated in the local survey. Collectively, these retailers return a tota l of 52. 0% of all revenue to the local economy while these restaurateurs return 78. 6%†. The study although analyzed on a small scale did show that national chains and big business drive money out of the local economy. Some may argue for â€Å"Creative Destruction† arguing that although in the short run Wal-Mart may close out some stores in direct competition that those storefronts will be filled again.However, with a store like Wal-Mart which offers goods varying from groceries to electronics to lawn and garden, the available markets available to fill those closed out stores cannot make up for the amount of markets which have been driven out of the local economy. How many restaurants, ice cream parlors can a city have before that market infiltrated? Wal-Mart makes up about 1% of all retail employment in the country. There is no doubt that they contribute to overall employment in the country, however the effects of Wal-Mart openings to local governments are far from be neficial.A study performed at the institute for the study of labor found that â€Å"because Wal-Mart stores employ an average of 360 workers, this suggests that for every new retail job created by Wal-Mart, 1. 4 jobs are lost as existing businesses downsize or close. † The researcher took all biases into account including labor growth rate before Wal-Mart arrived. When Wal-Mart opens a new location they force small business in the closer area to have to down size reducing their workers, lower prices, and cutting back on possible investments. So for every job created by Wal-Mart 1. are lost that small business could have provided. The 1. 4 jobs would be how many jobs would have been available if Wal-Mart did not open up shop. Allowing government officials to give subsidies to these large business is an obscured vision of a positive future. Small business make up a large portion of sales revenues and impact the local economy stronger than Wal-Mart. The use of Tax subsidies to h elp encourage economic growth has been seen to stimulate short run economies; however the long run effects of these subsidies are far different.Currently in the region of St. Louis 5. 8 billion dollars have already been committed to economic development incentive programs. These programs offer subsidies to big businesses and chain stores to come in and help induce economic growth. The regional effects of these tax incentives resulted in an 17 year span an annual growth of employment of only . 8 percent from 1990-2000, however 2000-2007 only saw a . 2 percent growth in jobs, the loss in growth was due to the new introduction of tax incentives targeted towards reeling in big business.This introduction of retail chain subsidies shifted the placement of workers, losing 35,000 workers in the manufacturing industry and creating 200,000 jobs in the service industry. The average goods producing worker makes 55,000 dollars a year however the average service worker only makes 40,000 so this c reated significant decrease in the wages of the workers. A report compiled by the East West Government council stated: â€Å"One of the intended goals of the use of tax incentives at the municipal level is to increase taxable sales or sales tax revenues.Due to the substantial investment in retail development in the region, an increase in taxable sales would be expected, but the regional total taxable sales increased only moderately from 1993 to 2000 and remained relatively flat through 2007† Some may argue that the effects of the tax subsidies will be able to create enough big business support by creating more jobs across the area and that the crowding out effect would allow there to be more jobs than there was before. In a good amount of cases we did see this.Studies showed that some areas the big business were able to create jobs for those who lost them in small business. Although they were able to cover the amount of jobs, this did not benefit the economy by closing out co mpetition, offering lower paying jobs, finding more loopholes to not pay taxes, this does not benefit the area’s economy. When is it enough? Have we forgotten about Detroit and Pennsylvania. There will come a time when government subsides will have allowed the market to be infiltrated by big business and rule out small business. In Detroit for xample a city where a significantly large portion of workers, were employed in the automobile industry, when they industry left there was no backbone for the economy to support itself. All Detroit ever knew was big business manufacturing, without those large manufactures keeping jobs the economy will be in the whole. Imagine a stock portfolio would you invest all your money into one asset, when the number one rule is to diversify to limit the risk of a huge downfall? Local governments need to fix struggling economies from the inside out, not inversely.By allowing small businesses to receive tax incentives further growing the money spent locally as a result of small business buying operating goods from one another, by not subsidizing big businesses governments can insure a larger effect of economic growth by reducing the economic leakage which is occurring in so many regions, and lastly we can see real larger marginal returns on tax subsidies, the amount that is spent on big business subsidies is largely inflated from governments bidding for the big business to come to them, could be spent on growing inside out.The effects of local governments subsidizing big business to induce economic growth are misleading and unproductive to the overall long-term growth of an economy. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Garrett Martin Amar Patel, â€Å"Going Local,† Quantifying the Economic Impacts of Buying from Locally Owned Businesses in Portland,Maine (2011), Economic Study, 10-18-2012 . [ 2 ]. Civic Economics, â€Å"Indie Ima pact Study Series,† The Civic Economics of Retail (2012), 10/18/2012 . 3 ]. SOBEL, BY ANDREA M. DEAN AND RUSSELL S. â€Å"Has Wal-Mart Buried † Does Small Business Decline When Wal-Mart Enters the Market (2008): 8 pp. 10-18-2012 . [ 4 ]. David Neumark /Junfu Zhang /Stephen Ciccarella, â€Å"The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets,† 1 (2007), 101/18/2011 . [ 5 ]. East West Gateway: Coucil of Governments, (An Assessment of the Effectiveness and Fiscal Impacts of the Use of Development Incentives in the St. Louis Region), 10-18-2012 .