It 210 Week 4 Check Point 1

1 Declare CountAge As Integer 2 Declare SumAge As Float 3 Declare Age As Float 4 Declare ParticipantAverage As Float 5 Set CountAge – 0 6 Set SumAge – 0 7 Write â€Å"Enter one age. Enter 0 when done. † 8 Input Age 9 While Age > 0 10 Set CountAge = CountAge + 1 11 Set SumAge = SumAge + Age 12 Write â€Å"Enter an participant age. Enter 0 when done. † 13 Input Age 14 End While 15 Set ParticipantAverage = SumAge / CountAge 16 Write â€Å"Your age average is â€Å" + AgeAverage * Lines 1–6 declare and initialize the variables. Line 7 asks for the first age and also explains that when you are finished entering the age for a particular set, you can end by entering 0. * The first Age is input on line 8. * Lines 9–14 are the loop. It sums the age entered and it keeps count of how many ages were entered. * In Line 10 keeps track of how many ages are entered. For each pass through the loop, CountAge is incremented by 1. If you enter three ages befor e you end the program by entering 0, the loop will execute three times and CountAge will be equal to 3.If you enter 5 ages, the loop will execute 5 times and CountAge will be equal to 5. * Line 11 keeps a sum of all the participant ages. To compute your participant average age, you must divide the sum of all your participants ages by the number of participants, so lines 10 and 11 keep track of the information we need to compute the average at the end. * Lines 12 and 13 ask the user for the next participants age and gets the next input. Here, if you’re done, you can enter a 0. * Line 14 ends the loop when the user enters a zero. * Line 15 computes the average and line 16 displays that average.

The cause and effect of internet on the business

The internet, this great invention that leads our world these days, is taking a great place in our daily life. Social networks, blogs, and wikis is a few example of what the internet network include. In managerial perspectives, a lot of research found that the internet is the key role in business world. It has a lot of cause and effect on the strategies of the companies. It is the mean to the company for competing in the market, gaining competitive advantage in the mind of the customers, and organizing the company structure in general. Recent research reveals that, the increased number of employee in companies is lead to a great conflict in their task. So that, the first cause of using internet network inside the companies is to organize the employee task, making sure that everyone complete his/her job, and increased the degree of controlling the employee by their top managers. Companies can do all that by using work flow system leading by intranet connecting inside the company. Although, increased number of employee is one of the causes using internet in business, On the other hand, there are a lot of another causes justify using it. For example, increasing competition in market and the want of companies to be market leader is a great issue in new business world. The first cause of using internet in business is the increase of competition. It is one of the threats the make weak companies close. By applying internet inside firms, the managers will integrate the work of all its' employee. That will result in gaining competitive advantage, increase productivity of employee, and earn more profits. So that it will make the company that do this entire thing, one of the strongest company in the market. The second cause is information overload. Imagine that when any employee inside the company needs any information, he/she is search in large quantities of paper and files to find it. That's will cost the employee a lot of time and reduce the work and cycle time. So that, in new business world, using internet permits the employee inside the company to share information. This great advantage make the work faster, increase the cycle time that reflect in making the whole company integrate together and increase of employee satisfaction and happiness when doing their job. There is a lot of effect of applying internet in the business. The goal of any company when it enter the market is making profit and it can't achieve this goal without good management , following what is new in the business, and continuous improvement. It is the only way for competing in market these days. So that, when using the net, in addition of all that, the company will achieve its goals, serve its' customer, and gaining a profit the help it in capture the opportunities in the business environment and change it to a competitive advantage for it, In my opinion, without using the internet in the business world these days, no company can compete, no company can do its' job well. So that, a key role for success in job is to improve the work system inside the company, by using new technologies that help the business achieve the company big missions and goals.

Competitive markets, monopolies, oligopolies as types of markets Essay

Competitive markets, monopolies, oligopolies as types of markets structures - Essay Example This means that the seller has a lot of authority and control over the market conditions such as price and supply. Some of the characteristics of monopolistic market structure include little quantity or absence of substitute products, large barriers to market entry, little or no competition, while seller has a great authority over market conditions, prices are determined by the seller, insignificant difference exists between the industry and firm. Additionally, the demand curve for monopolistic markets is downward sloping, which simply means the seller can sell less at a higher price, or vice versa (Nicholson, & Snyder, 2008, p. 491). Unlike in competitive markets, monopolistic markets have the upper hand in setting market prices. Since the firms or the sellers have little to worry about competitors, they can set the prices above the marginal costs. They can set the prices above the normal profits as would be in the case of competitive markets. Additionally, the seller can influence supply, thereby determining the price by either selling more at a lower price or selling less at a higher price. The maximum possible price will be where marginal cost, marginal revenue, and demand curve intersect. Although monopolies can maximize profits in several ways, the output is largely determined by marginal cost and marginal revenue. The seller will continue increasing the output, as long as marginal costs are lower than marginal revenue. The maximum profit will be realized when the difference between marginal revenue and marginal cost is maximum. Since the seller is the price determinant, it is possible to regulate the output such that the profit obtained is maximized when other market conditions are considered. Monopoly markets have many market entry barriers as compared... It is evidently clear from the discussion that competitive markets are characterized by unlimited number of buyers and sellers, all trading on the same or similar commodity in a manner that the prices of the commodity are largely determined by the market forces. Therefore, a single individual or a small fraction of the buyers or sellers has little or no impact upon the price. Once the prevailing market forces set the price, buyers or sellers have no option but to go with the offered prices. Monopoly type of market structure refers to a market whereby there is little or no competition on the offered commodity. This means that the seller has a lot of authority and control over the market conditions such as price and supply. Some of the characteristics of monopolistic market structure include little quantity or absence of substitute products, large barriers to market entry, little or no competition, while seller has a great authority over market conditions, prices are determined by the seller, insignificant difference exists between the industry and firm. Oligopoly is a market structure whereby few sellers dominate the market. Unlike in monopoly form of market structure, oligopoly players can hardly make independent decisions since the other market players will react in response. Therefore, the decisions of one player are under the influence of the others. Few large firms characterize the market structure, each firm is appreciably large in comparison to the overall market, similar or close substitute products, and large barriers to entry.

The processes that occur in the Network when you Essay

The processes that occur in the Network when you - Essay Example There are several processes that are running concurrently, both at server and client ends, to make this communication a success. A thorough knowledge of these devices and their roles, protocols and associated technologies, at various levels of the network, is required for understanding the process that take place in a network for communication to occur successfully. Analyzing the process at various layers of a network demands a methodical comprehension of a ‘broad brush’ picture of the communication channel and protocol stack that might be at work behind the scene. More often than not, access to private networks, like the X-Stream server from our home or some other remote location is materialized through Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology. VPN is used to access a private network, like a university Learning Management System (LMS), over a public network like the Internet. When a student access X-Stream Server over a public network, this implementation of VPN is know n to be an ‘Access VPN’. VPN ensures a secure access to the private resource through implementation of security at various layers of the communication channel. ... rs used to define communication spectrum over the TCP/IP suit of protocols includes; Application Layer, Host to Host Layer , Internet Layer and Network Access Layer. The process that occurs on the network is mainly the study of data as it travels through the TCP/IP stack because WAN is only used as a vehicle to carry data and no significant processing is done as far the data is concerned. There are several important protocols that forms a part of the TCP/IP protocol suite which includes FTP, TFTP, VoIP, HTTP, ICMP, UDP, ARP and RARP etc. Moreover the RIP and OSPF are also the part of TCP/IP protocol suite which ensures the routing of the information over a network. From a user’s perspective the process that occur on a network starts with the use of application software that can talk to a underlying network e.g. a web browser that uses HTTP to make things happen for a user. Comer refers this as the application level internet service and states, â€Å"From a user’s point view, the internet appears to consist of a set of application programs that use the underlying network to carry out useful communication tasks†(3). Moreover the session of communication instance is maintained at the Application Layer, however these session are not logged by HTTP. â€Å"Each HTTP request is self-contained; the server does not keep a history of previous request or previous sessions† (Comer, 490). At next level the processes to ensure and enforce the data integrity, correctness and reliable packet delivery are guarded by the Host to Host layer. This layer also segments and sequences the continuous stream of data that leaves a user end and reassembles it at server end while acknowledging the receipt of each segment. â€Å"As each segment of data is received at the destination, an

Brief history of the telephone and communication network highlighting Term Paper

Brief history of the telephone and communication network highlighting major events and technologies from 1845 to the present including the major impacts of regulation - Term Paper Example ercial telegraph, the code used by the transmitter and receiver was still the Morse code but in this case a telegrapher closed a switch or telegraph key in a particular pattern of short and long closures that represented a letter of the alphabet at the transmitting end. A person’s distance of communication increased into thousands of miles, the time taken to deliver a message reduced to seconds and the amount of information was maintained in the limit of five to a hundred words per minute with the entrance of the electric telegraph and laying of the transoceanic cable in 1858. The first telephone was the magneto-telephone on which both transmission and reception were done using the same instrument. A speaker’s voice was converted into patterns of electrical energy that were sent over fairly long distances through wires to a receiver. The receiver would convert the energy patterns back to the original sound waves that the listener could understand. This system was more efficient and advanced than the telegraph since apart from providing long distance communication capabilities, speaking and hearing could be done directly making its use suitable for everyone. Its information transfer rate was only limited by the human speech rate. Today telecommunication uses the telephony technologies related with the electronic transmission of fax, voice and other information over long distances using systems that were initially associated with the telephone. The radio was invented in 1901 by Guglielmo Marconi. This was after Heinrich Hertz discovered the electromagnetic wave in 1888. Marconi had begun experimenting with wireless telegraphy in 1895. In 1906, the radio was built in the United States of America as the first commercial voice transmitting device that utilized electromagnetic waves. The invention of the radio opened up new opportunities for wireless communications. A wartime ban on nonmilitary broadcasting delayed acceptance of the radio until in 1920 when the

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 75

Case Study Example This a big problem because when such data is shared and introduced over a network it usually becomes easy for an attacker to gain delicate information like credit and debit card numbers, passwords that is previously stored in our operating systems. Another issue that comes is that the operating systems provided by Windows do not supply dependable firewalls to prevent the hacking of our operating systems. And another problem is the security policies provided by the Windows operating systems. The security standards that are already provided are not good and the safety policy settings and the password schemes are not strong and are quite vulnerable. The data encryption by the Windows operating systems is also not good and is quite feeble and also there are no tough encryption schemes or standards in place. (Gibson, 2011) These issues and problems can become a problem for us as the information of our company, the company’s employees and the company’s customers are at a risk and if any information is leaked than it might become a problem for us and disrepute our company. I have a got a few good ideas that can make the company overcome these issues and problems with ease. Windows has already faced such problems in the past and has up graded there latest operating systems overcoming these problems and issues. There latest server version Windows Server 2008 RC2 includes many solutions for such problems. These solutions and upgrades are very impressive and I have already tested them with my own self and believe that the company should also upgrades it’s operating systems and servers in to this current operating thus making the company’s, it’s clients and its employees important data to be secure. The upgrades in the server include the Server Manager for managing security components. This upgrade provides help for managing, installing and configuring server roles and the features that are

Fuel Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fuel - Case Study Example Hydrogen flows into the anode while oxygen flows into the cathode. The catalyst splits the oxygen into two negative atoms: the two opposite elements (hydrogen and oxygen) attract and pair and the end products of this chemical reaction are water, heat and electricity (Caitlyn 43) Amory Lovins opines that many of the objections against the use of hydrogen are either myths or can be overcome. He believes that hydrogen has a place in the modern world because those objections are based on ill-formed commentaries (Sadoway 56). Its advantages include; The proponents’ views are the most persuasive because there is a lot yet to be discovered about this fuel because it is relatively new. It is a clean energy initiative because the fact that it doesn’t produce harmful emissions makes it environmental friendly. These benefits of hydrogen economy will help us move towards a more sustainable energy economy (Amory 56). In the modern society, there is a place for hydrogen. The fact that this fuel is nontoxic makes it a rare source of energy because other hazardous sources can’t compete against it. Both it’s by products are environment friendly. Its energy is powerful enough to be very efficient compared to other sources and water is used in spaceships. Lastly, it is not a super clean and affordable fuel we expect it to be, but with time it will change because it is relatively new at the

Illustrations for Children-The Visual Perceptual development at an Research Paper

Illustrations for Children-The Visual Perceptual development at an early age - Research Paper Example The objectives of teaching in the visual literacy field include enhancing the visual perception development of children. Basically, identification of differences in visual aspects would be carried out. These aspects consist of color, shape, lime, movement, texture, and other characteristics. The field of visual literacy particularly concerns a child’s worldview; how s/he responds to the things s/he sees; how s/he views, senses, and understands feelings induced; and how s/he makes opinions about visual media. This essay discusses the impact of illustrations and pictures on children’s visual perceptual development, as well as on the reading and comprehension learning processes of emergent readers. Development of visual perception is thought to be helpful in enhancing children’s creative, writing, reading, and cognitive abilities. Stieglitz (2008) emphasizes that seeing is the most essential and fundamental source of information about the world (as cited in Machado, 2012, 154). Seeing does not only include the eyes, but the brain as well. Components of the process of visual perception are eye receptors, the visual stimulus, light, the person’s previous experiences, past belief and knowledge, and the person’s emotions and motives at a given time. Some experts propose that the visual literacy domain must be incorporated with speaking, listening, reading, and writing. They also propose teaching that is genuine, is natural, and engages children in brainstorming or problem-solving activities. Teaching, they argue, should be orderly, clear, and direct. Storytelling activities using illustrations or photos, stimulating the children’s interpretation of what the story is all about after seeing a cover of a children’s book, and talking about children’s creative work and the specifics within or their feelings provide teachers ideas into the children’s thoughts. Such exercises also expose children’s capacity to read and interpret visual

Improving Organisational Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Improving Organisational Performance - Essay Example Performance management is considered to be one of the most regarded Human Resource (HR) functions in an organisation. In most of the organisations, the performances of the subordinates are measured either formally or informally. Effective communication regarding performance appraisal generally takes place once in a year or once in a quarter. Nevertheless, performance management is a continuous phenomenon (Armstrong, 2006). When the performance management is utilised in a proper way then the management gains numerous benefits. It has been noted that most of the United Kingdom based organisations operate periodic performance appraisal systems. However, it has been noted that most of the employees as well as managers are found to be discontent with the schemes utilised in the organisations (Keshav & Sharma, n.d.). Appraisals are incapable of motivating the employees in an organisation and it has been claimed by the respondents to an Industrial Society Survey that such appraisals do not have any positive impact upon the workforce. Therefore, it becomes significant for the organisations to monitor the way in which performance management is being practiced (Management Today, 1998). The main objective of the paper is to evaluate business cases for the use of performance management at Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank. ... will also present the practical difficulties, challenges as well as implications identified by the use of the performance management in Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank. The methods that the two banks can use in order to mitigate the difficulties related to the performance management will also be recognised in a detailed way in this paper. Finally, the study will attempt to find out the potential limitations or shortcomings related to the proposals provided to the banks. Business Case for Performance Management at Barclays Bank People tend to differ in terms of their abilities as well as aptitudes. There will be major disparities between the size and the value of the same work upon the same job done by two distinct people. Therefore, under such note, it can be assumed that the organisations need performance management so that they are capable of comprehending the abilities of the employees, proficiencies as well as their comparative worth for the organisation. Offering rating to the emp loyees in terms of their performance can be done with the assistance of performance appraisal. Barclays Bank tends to extend its assistance in terms of financial services in approximately 50 countries all over the globe (Barclays, 2012). Barclays Bank is considered to be one of the famous companies in the banking sector and thus it states that the way in which the employees tend to perform their operations has a direct influence upon the business performance. The team members working for the bank are well aware of the goals that they are supposed to attain. In order to manage the performance, the bank has designed numerous actions in which the employees participate. Coaching is recognised to be one of the actions where a crucial objective is to make the employees aware of their job

MIH514 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives Module 3 - Case Essay - 1

MIH514 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives Module 3 - Case - Essay Example the arrests made by the law enforcers and should one look at the actual picture, arrests are not indicators that the people arrested are the actual offenders (The Sentencing Project 2008). Moreover, based on the study, African Americans and Latinos are most likely incarcerated and in many instances receive longer sentence compared with their white counterparts. Statistics even show that African-Americans are often stopped and searched for contraband compared to their white counterparts. These are clear manifestations of racial disparity and clearly are not helping the society at large to deal with the real crime problems. Decision making bodies in the criminal justice system should make it a point that there should be no racial prejudice when dealing with criminal offenders, but instead the bail system results in higher rates of minorities being jailed before trial compared with whites in the same scenario. Minorities are also less likely to receive fair trial because of their â€Å"reduced access to defense counsel and community resources and treatment options† (The Sentencing Project 2008). Racial disparities can be seen in the following examples: The widely discussed phenomenon â€Å"driving while black†. Study reveals that whites are less likely to be stopped and searched for contraband by police while the minorities are often being stopped and questioned (The Sentencing Project 2008). While racial disparity is an issue in the criminal justice system, mental health services in the system is equally an important matter. The Council of State Governments Justice Center in a report says that 16.9% of adults in a sample of local jails are suffering from serious mental illness. The record shows that 14% of serious mental illnesses are found in men and 31% are found in women. According still to this report, if these rates were applied to 13 million jail admissions reported only in 2007, this would mean that every year there are 2 million bookings of a person who

The Chinese Immigrants in Cuba are Excellent Workers Essay Example for Free

The Chinese Immigrants in Cuba are Excellent Workers Essay The Chinese immigrants in Cuba are excellent workers. And, they are known the world over for the hard work that they give to whoever is their employer. The focus here is the immigration of Chinese immigrants to the far away land that is called Cuba. Currently, it is led by the sick old man named Fidel V. Castro. He took over the government through force and bloodshed. The migration of the Chinese people to Cuba started way back in the eighteenth century and continued until the nineteenth and twentieth century before the arrival into power of Fidel V.   Castro. The follow paragraphs explains why and how the Chinese immigrants travelled so far to another side of the world to leave the loving arms of their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children and other friends and relatives. In addition, the research includes the migration of Cuban Chinese into the Miami, Florida shores. This is one of the reasons why the Cubans (including the Chinese coming from Cuba) are the largest foreign group in the Miami area. The article What Type of Transition is Cuba Undergoing? Poquet 91) depicts the current Cuban economy that emanated in the 1990s was confronted by the a crisis similar to the crisis that befell the likes of Eastern Europe. On the other hand, the economic condition of Cuba started to wake up and vigorously walk faster started in the year 1995 until today. This wonderful turn of events is exuding significant outcomes in terms of recovery in the Cuban economy and an improvement in the country’s financial conditions. Further, there were rippling outbursts of stability, liberalization and privatization of entities in Cuba synonymous with the reform that had unfolded in the Chinese economy. The current Cuban economy is happily on the booming path towards a market economy. This has been forced on Cuba because of the world economy outside its borders as well as the internal forces of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. And, this market economy is currently weaning from its infancy stage. The Cuban economic transformation is in line with the new policies of Fidel Castro. The Chinese immigrants in Cuba are excellent workers. The article Towards a Realistic Cuba Policy stated that Cuba’s staunch man on the helms, Fidel V. Castro, has ruled Castro for the longest time among the current leaders of the world. He has learned many lessons during his stay as its ‘commander in chief’. One of the lessons that he has learned from the dismemberment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is that a leader must not implement too many changes in the economic, financial and family lives of the people. For many may not be ready to accept the many innovative changes unfolding before their very eyes. This was what happened to the Russia. It finally splintered into many independent states because of the policy of USSR’s one hundred eighty degree turn towards a free market economy. In fact, such changes could bring too much disorder or chaos during the implementation of the changes brought about as well as after the implementation process is complete. Cuba’s Fidel V. Castro, an Army commander, is implementing changes under his conservative style of government. He is using first gear as he drives the Cuban economy slowly and softly around each turn of his economic recovery program. He is slowly taking each step carefully. Then, he watches the after -effects of his new step in order to make adjustments before, if any. As a self –proclaimed founder of the new Cuban economy, Fidel V Castro moves carefully forward on a parallel course with the fundamental teachings of the Chinese society. Fidel V. Castro lends a deaf ear to his critics from both inside Cuba as well as the outspoken critics outside his state. His more than forty years of philosophically fighting against the teachings of its ‘Goliath’ neighbour, the United States, by implementing a hostile attitude towards Uncle Sam. In return, it has a self imposed isolated isolation. This United States and Cuban conflict started long before the John F. Kennedy presidency. After the United States military left the island of Cuba, The United States army dug itself in for the long haul. General Fizhugh Lee, the military governor of the island then set up his headquarters in Marianaobarrio area of Quemados located in Havana, Cuba. The population at this time period started to grow. Notably, The economic growth of Marianao had speeded on fourth gear as it left behind the economic development as well as the population of people living in two rival municipalities in Western Cuba from the year 1907 to 1919. Its population had mushroomed from 18,156 doubly to 37,464. The economic wealth of the Cubans at this time period had been realized. The houses then sprouted along the roadsides, plateaus, hills and ridges. The chinese  immigrants had contribute their small share to the improvement and landscaping beauty of the countryside for their main jobs focused on gardening. These immigrants had preferred to take abode in the low lands and were ready to take up the struggle to fight the floods whenever the torrential tropical rains dig into their homes. To fight the floods, they dug ditches in order to reroute the waters to other less damaging places. These ditches would drain the flood and rain waters to other less populated areas. The Chinese helped renovate the Cuban economy because they planted crops that could feed only themselves but also the non –Chinese people living in their community. These Chinese loved to plant vegetables and flowers. And, the government decided increase the height of the valleys as the population of Havana, Cuba grew in a geometric ratio. The government dumped tons and tons of soil that would cover the fertile vegetable and flower farmlands of the valleys. As a result, the vegetable lands that had been tilled by the Chinese immigrants were now converted into roads. These were needed by the government to connect the different towns from the different hills surrounding Havana, Cuba. Thus, the luscious and mouth watering lettuce farms of the Chinese immigrants were transformed into truck and automobile pathways. The farms included the beautiful and lovely rose gardens. For, the government wanted to increase the transfer of goods and services among the towns of Principe Hill and Vedado and the upcoming population of Cerro suburb’s population. The Cuban locals living in these suburbs were happy with this new development because the roads connecting the three hill tops would increase the values of their lands. In addition, the Cuban culture is characterized by a society that is bonded together by a marketable custom of is the combination of the different lifestyles distinctly from many of the communities of Cuban island life. The Cubans do not have any wooden footwear nor any gigantean windmills. For these are landmarks of a place commonly called Holland. The Cubans do not have a national textile or ceramic style. The country does not mandate a national costume and there are no distinct religions in the place. In the same light, the country does not pride itself of having an authentic tribal dance. Further, the Spanish colonial culture covering the Cuban air is cannot be identified by Cuba as uniquely its own landmark. Also, the Cuban culture does not have the authentic Indian ruins or easily available. In the same light, the Cuban culture is impregnated by the cultures from the Spanish, African, Chinese and Creole upbringings. For, Cuban society has adopted, reinstalled, improved on the Cultures and traditions from their original countries. For example, the Spanish castanets were old by the Cuban stores as souvenirs. The Cubans also enticed people to visit their Holy Week celebrations in Matanzas. Also, the visitors to Cuba were invited to religious processions that were popular such as the Regla processions which were held monthly. The Cubans also invited tourists to join the carnival celebrations that had been influenced by mixed pagan African Cuba dances and songs fused with Cuban frivolity (Ibid 76) Furthermore, the Cuban tourism founders had cried out that their dreams had been distorted. On the other hand, Cuba has been praised for their beautiful handling of their finances. And the Cubans of the 1950s had a repeat performance of their 1920s where the tourists enjoyed visiting Cuba’s festivities and other special occasions. Cuba was transformed into a place of many sights for those who have sore eyes. Clearly, there were mores bars to enjoy the night away. Also, the number of the restaurants had sprouted like mushrooms. Thus, the Cubans had many eating alternatives to choose from. Here, the people who have the money can literally paint the town red. The Cubans could choose from the Russian foods at Boris’ or the Chinese food at the New Mandarin among other popular choices. Thus, the Chinese had helped the Cuban economy by selling foods that were palatable to the Cuban taste buds. The Cuban hospitality industry was characterized by the presence of hotels like the Bowman ten story hotel and the roof garden entertainment center in 1924. Further, horse races were one of the favourite pastimes of the Cuban people. And, many of the hotels constructed in the 1950s had an average of twenty air conditioned rooms. Many of the tourists had toured Cuba by plane in 1958. There were many Florida, USA to Havana flights and vice versa depending on the occasion or time of the year. The regular plane flights from the United States, European and Latin American countries to and from Cuba would land on Havana’s international airport or even directly touch down in Varadero Beach (Ibid 123) The Chinese immigrated to Cuba from the Guandong and Fukien provinces during the middle of the nineteenth century(Moya, 12). The estimated number of Chinese immigrant to entire West Indies at this time reached only eighteen thousand. Unmistakeably, the British employers prefer to hire the Chinese over the Indians and other races because of their industriousness and hard work. However, the British were not very successful in enticing many of the Chinese to work for them in the West Indies. The Chinese would rather work for the employers in Peru and Cuba. The Chinese that migrated into Cuba reached a big chunky amount of 150,000 persons. In contrast the Chinese that immigrated to Cuba only reached the chunky 100,000 persons. The author, Moya, describes that the Cuba had the biggest number of Chinese immigrants as compared to the other countries where other droves of Chinese Immigrants arrived. This immigration of the Chinese people happened in the middle of the nineteenth century and increased in number and frequency until the entire twentieth century. Also the Chinese formed themselves in groups or organizations there. These Chinese organizations were more diverse than the Chinese organizations established in Jamaica. The Chinese organizations in Cuba were generally falling under the categories of federations, agriculture groups, credit associations, triads among many other smaller Chinese clusters. The Chinese were also socially diverse themselves. The Chinese immigrants that arrived in Cuba during this time period were generally grouped as coolie Chinese immigrants who generally started arriving in Cuba during the middle of the nineteenth century. Some came to Cuba as free Chinese immigrants. This group came during the twentieth century. Many former coolies and other Chinese groups in Cuba formed an exclusively elite class. This elite cluster was evidently richer than the elite groups formed in the West Indies. Further, the glaringly diverse Chinese population in Cuba could be divided into several diverse groups themselves such that concentrating the study on the Chinese population in Cuba would entail also studying the middle and higher social classes of Cuban Chinese. Also, many of the Chinese in Cuba had slowly migrated into the suburbs of Manhattan, USA. Sad to say, many of the White intellectuals in Cuba created a fear in the Cuban population that the African immigrants as well as others like the Chinese were the importers of such deadly diseases as the malaria and smallpox(Mcleod 1). In a related story, the Cuba Cane Corporation pushed through with its plans to move for the hiring of Chinese from across the ocean to migrate into Cuba and work in their plantations. This Cuban company targeted more than two thousand Chinese living in Hong Kong. The were contracted to work for five years in the Cuban Cane plantations. These Chinese Cane workers would receive a pay of $50 per month to work between seven to ten hours a day for the entire seven day week. In addition, the Chinese recruiter headed by Guy Morrison Walker was paid $100 for each Chinese Immigrant that was hired by the Cuba Cane Corporation (Ayala 116). And, another famous history writer, Alexander Von Humboldt, wrote that he encountered a large group of Chinese immigrants in Cuba from the year 1799 to the year 1804. They were brought there from the Philippines using the Manila (Philippines) Galleons. These Galleons were owned by the Spanish who literally owned the Philippines for an estimated three hundred years. This shows that the Migration of Chinese to Cuba started many years before the large Chinese influx to Cuba during the middle of the nineteenth century. During Alexander Von Humboldt’s visit, he noticed that the 1860s saw a Chinese migration into the Caribbean and Latin American countries which is bigger in size than the Chinese immigrants that entered in the United States then. A census of population in 1861 showed that there were 34,834 Chinese in Cuba alone. This is almost similar to the 34,933 Chinese immigrants that entered the United States. During the 1880s there were around one hundred forty two thousand Chinese immigrants that entered the borders of Cuba. At the same time period, there were only one hundred thousand Chinese immigrants that entered Peru and another nineteen thousand Chinese immigrants had entered into the British West Indies. However, a big group of Chinese immigrants reaching six hundred thousand persons left for the United States at this same time period (West 143). The year 1991 saw and estimated four million people in Cuba. And, twenty seven percent or 1,079,106 of the such population were colored. Colored refers to any race that is not Caucasian. This includes, the Africans, the Chinese, the Filipinos, the Japanese and others. The immigrants that compromise the Cuban population at this time shows that there were ten thousand three hundred (10,300) Chinese in Cuba in 1991. This figure ballooned to twenty four thousand four hundred eighty (24,480) in 1931 which gives us an increase in the Chinese in Cuba of fourteen thousand one hundred eighty (14,180). This represents a one hundred thirty –seven and 7/10 percent increase of the Chinese people in Cuba. The alien population of Cuba had increased uncontrollably starting from the World War I era. The table below gives the other missing details of the colored aliens living in Cuba during the Cuba census of 1991 and 1931 periods.

Chinese Mythology Essay Example for Free

Chinese Mythology Essay Mythology is a collection of myths or the study of ancient traditional stories of gods or heroes, giving an explanation to an unexplained event. For Plato, the fist known user of the term, muthologia meant know more than the telling of stories (Kirk 8). Mythology is an important aspect to the world, today. Through the study of myths help us develop an idea of what the cultures were like. It includes hints that exhibit how they lived their lives. Myth is its serious purpose and its importance to the culture (Lansford 1). Every culture has its own myth that explains about the nature of that particular culture. The Chinese culture has been around for many centuries, its myths have accumulated into varies stories of gods and their culture. China is the worlds oldest continuous civilization (Cotterel 9). Evidence show the earliest Chinese civilization to be found around 1650 B. C. The beginnings of Chinese mythology, started around the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Influenced by alchemist ideas, Taoist and Buddhist superstitions, various writers created storied about their enigmatic surroundings. The beginning of the Chinese civilization is based on mythology. One of the creation myths is about the beginning of the world. In it, the world began as an egg and cracking open, the top of the shell grew to be the sky, the lower shell became the Earth, and in the middle stepped a man named Pan-gu. Mythology of the ancient Chinese is apparent through art, music and literature. Since, there is no explanation of how the Chinese civilization began; mythology has been a way of explanation to the Chinese culture and other cultures around the world, today. Chinese mythology, as with many other cultures, has many gods and goddesses that are in charge of various things. In the Ancient Chinese culture, there are gods and goddesses for every important aspect of the peoples life, even things as unlikely as the stove god and the door god. Other deities that were important to the Chinese people were the gods of the elements such as Chu Jung, the fire god, Lei Kun, the thunder god, the wind god, and the lightning goddess. Most of the element gods devoted themselves to punishing criminals and keeping evil spirits away. There were also important gods in charge of fields such as Kuan Ti, the god of war, Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion, TShai-shen, the god of wealth and Tsao hsang, god of the hearth. Although there gods were very important to the Chinese people, one of the most important gods was Nu wa, the mother goddess. She was a compassionate goddess who created mankind and bestowed love and creation to them. She helped her people when they were in need, like when she created rice from her own milk and blood in order to feed her people. She was very humble and a modest goddess, not wanting credit for her benevolence. The gods and goddesses of Chinese mythology were basically deities that symbolized the good and just qualities that people should imitate in their everyday life. The basis of Chinese life was a belief in harmony and balance (Williams 20). The Chinese believed in harmony with nature, and sometimes honored the spirits with gifts, feasts, and rituals. The Chinese believed the souls of the dead returned (Williams 20), a concept of Buddhism. The family held Chinese society together (Williams 20). In China, many generations of families lived together, even in the same house, and the children were taught to respect and obey their elders (Williams 20). As in all cultures, men were ? superior to women in China. Parents believed they would become gods after they died, if they had a son (Williams 21). This belief was taken fiercely to the point that the parents would kill a newborn female. A custom that the upper-class women followed was of foot binding, which was believed to make the foot appear tiny, since the culture considered small feet feminine and delicate. The most important festival in China was the Chinese New Year, it is held in the spring of each year. During this festival, offerings were given to the sprits. In China, the color white is considered the mourning color and the children showed respect for dead parents by fasting and wearing thick clothes (Williams 21). Most beliefs and customs of the Chinese culture appear from the religions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The Chinese culture has a long history of beliefs and customs, which are used by the generations before and now. It is highly unlikely that the generations to come would not be following the same beliefs and customs of the ancient Chinese. The origin of religion goes back to prehistoric times when the earliest people of China sought answers to the same basic questions that have baffled primitive men over the world: what is the unseen force that brings darkness and light, winter and summer, drought and rain, life and death; what must men do to appease this force? (Schafer 57) Ancient China has three main religions Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Confucius was concerned mostly with laws made by people, and whether people were naturally good or naturally evil. In contrast, the followers of Lao-tzu believed people were guided by universal laws, not human ones. This was the basis of Taoism (Williams 18). Taoists tried to live a life of simplicity and meditation close to nature. Taoism was mystical and influenced by ancient Chinese folk religion. Its followers used magic as well as prayer and diet to seek eternal youth (Williams 19). Taoists were peaceful people who generally lived peaceful lives. Buddhists follow the teachings of Buddha (born 563 B. C. ), a north Indian prince who devoted his life to a search for personal peace, or enlightenment. The name Buddha means enlightened one. He believed that by giving up worldly desires, such as for fine food and clothes, a blissful state called nirvana could be achieved. In nirvana there was freedom from sorrows of the world. Indian belief as that time held that people were reborn many times. Persons who had lived badly in former lives might be born in an animal or insect form. Buddha said that by reaching nirvana, this endless cycle of rebirth could be broken (Cotterell 27). Buddhists follow an eight-fold path, this is like a code by which they live. Confucianism came in earlier than Taoism and Chinese Buddhism. The so-called Confucian classics were, in fact, complied long after the death of Confucius by disciples of his disciples, and were edited and interpreted in Han times by government scribes; but they purport to reflect the views of the great sage of antiquity on history, religious rites, morals, and standards of behavior. The state officers of Han times accepted these interpretations and associated them with the standardized pagan nature worship of state cult as a part of the acceptable way of life for a Han gentleman. We in the west sometimes call this way of life, which includes both reverence for the ? ancient books and the ? ancient gods, ? Confucianism (Schafer 60-61). Confucianism flourished in China as so did the other religions. The Chinese were inquisitive people, always inventing and always wondering how things worked. It is only logical for them to generate religions that explain how life is and how it will be in the afterlife. In Chinese mythology, myths and legends deal with aspects of human nature, human relations and social life (Owens). Chinese myths use human traits, like emotion, to convey lessons. The myth on the creation of man clearly depicts the basics of a Chinese myth. After Pan-gu, creator of the world, died and his body transformed into different elements of the Earth, Nu wa, the dragon goddess, came down from heavens and admired Pan-gus creation. In order to honor Pan-gus sacrifice to the Earth, Nu wa decided to create humans. She started to make them out of yellow clay, but since it took much of her strength, she dipped a rope into the mud and when she took it out, the drips became people. Her clay and mud people were not alive, so her heart took pity and she breathed her divine breath into them. She also whispered thoughts of love and creation into their ears and told them to reproduce. The people made of yellow clay became the rich and the people Nu wa made of mud became the poor. This myth explains many aspects of human life. It explains how the social classes came to be and also human emotions. Nu wa shows human emotions like honor, when she was determined to let Pan-gus death not be in vain; in compassion, she breathed her divine breath into each and every human. This myth represents human relations because Nu wa put ideas of love and procreation into the human races mind. These Chinese myths explain how the good and bad came to be and how a person should live a happy a fulfilling life. Mythology is not a subject that should be ignored. It is an important subject that should be learned and understood by all cultures so that as a world, we can come to understand each other better. The first step in hatred is fear. Fear of the unknown can generate more hate than anyone could possibly fathom. If everyone became educated about other culture, there would be little to know unknown, and there would probably be less hate in the world. Mythology, the study of myths, gives people an insight to others dreams, hopes, and their fears. We all have hopes, dreams, and fears. By learning about other cultures hopes, dreams, and fears we can feel more connected to each other and reach out. Mythology is a key element in keeping peace without shedding blood. Work Cited Cotterel, Arthur. Ancient China. Kirk, Geoffrey Stephen. Myth: its meaning and functions in ancient and other culture California; University of California Press. 1970 Lansford, Tyler. Mythology Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2002. Microsoft Corporation, 2002 Owens, D. W. Ancient Chinese Mythology: Gods and goddess folklore Google. com. November 5, 2003 Schafer, Edward H. Ancient China. New York; Time Inc. 1967 Williams, Brians. Ancient China. Middlesex, England; Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, Ltd. 1996.

Strategic Analysis Of Wholesale Company Costco Marketing Essay

Strategic Analysis Of Wholesale Company Costco Marketing Essay This report has performed a brief strategic analysis of the internal resources and external factors that affect Costco. The report includes an over view of the firms strategies using Porters five force model as well as a SWOT analysis of the firm. The report illustrates why Costco remains the Anti-Wal-Mart using aggressive scare tactics to achieve the lowest possible prices for its customers even if it means dropping high brand names. The report includes recommendations for the wholesalers, the main one being to carry on with their current successful strategies in order to maintain the fight for industry leadership and further their globalisation in to Eastern countries 1.0 Introduction to Costco Costco is a wholesale cash and carry, which operates through warehouses using a membership only service. The company sells high quality, private label merchandise at low prices to businesses buying for commercial use as well as individuals that are members of specific employment groups , for example NHS or government employees. The basis of the company is to achieve high sale volumes and rapid inventory turnover, offering a limited array of merchandise, with a wide product category at low prices (www.costco.co.uk). Additionally Costco operates customer services ranging from health insurance to financial planning. The main competitor of the company is Wal-Marts -Sams club within the US, although they have 200 more stores operating in ten more states than Costco , Sams club does not experience the same revenues. Yet there is still a constant battle for increased market share with newer entrants such as BJs Wholesale Club (Hughes, 2007). Operating internationally the company has divisio ns in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, Australia and an internet site operational in the US and Canada. Some of the stores include pharmacies, food courts, opticians, photo centres, travel desks and hearing aid centres within the warehouses. The company also operates 307 petrol stations with some of the US and Canada stores. Named as the only company Wal-Mart fears James Signal (2004) of Costco has captured a breed of urban sophisticates, who trade up for exiting products and trade down to private labels of more prosaic products (Duff,2009). 2.0 Costco existing missions/strategies Costcos Mission Statement; To continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices (www.findarticles.com) In order to sell at the lowest possible prices Costco implement various pricing strategies through bargaining with suppliers and only adding a maximum mark up of 14% to each product, even in cases where demand is high as CEO Signal stated you always give the customer the best deal'(Shapiro, 2004). Costco falls into the Overall Price Leadership category one of Porters four generic competitive strategies (Mitchell, 2001). Price leadership is achieved by implementing a successful strategy using continual exceptional efforts to reduce costs, without excluding services or products which customers perceive to be essential. There strategies include; ? Low advertising costs to keep merchandise price down, using word of mouth ? High employee wages to retain employees and reduce new staff that would require training ? Merchandise stock on pallets to reduce labour and allow for maximum sales ? Inventory system detects items that are reaching thresh hold for re order ? Just in time approach to reduce over stock, buying direct from manufacturers and sent directly to warehouses within 24 hours ? Provide low prices through volume buying ? Willing to change manufacturers to gain the best possible price on a product 3.0 Strategic Management Costco Strategic management shows an ability to develop and sustain competitive advantage, resulting in of added value to their brand (Ramachandran et al, 2006). Illustrated by Costcos rise in net income by 1.1% to $266 million and revenue soared to $71.4 Billion compared to Sams club at $46.8 billion and BJs at $10 billion for the first fiscal quarter ended Nov 22nd 2009 (Business News, 2009) compared to Wal-Mart net sales which increased by 1.2%. The just in time approach implemented by the company means products are sold for cash before the payment to the suppliers is due ,creating a high operating cash flow. This operating advantage improves Costcos working capital and efficiency, resulting in a long lasting value difference in the product, compared to the competitors and as perceived by the customers (Duncan et al, 1988). 4.0 Porters Five Forces The nature of competition in an industry rely on five forces including; the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of new entrants, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers and the threat of substitute products or services (Porter, 1979). These are all competitors that may be more or less prominent or active depending on the industry. A companys awareness of Porters five forces can allow the organisation to stake out a position within its industry that is less vulnerable to attack (Bruton, 2008). 4.1 The threat of new entrants- medium threat There are many potential new entrants into the industry, which could pose as a threat including, wholesale clubs, discounters and hypermarkets such as Aldi and Netto, which are both limited range discounters. Other large existing wholesale competitors such as Wal-Mart could gain market share through acquisition giving them new resources. However, barriers to entry in to the wholesale food industry are relatively high, as huge costs would be involved in imitating established distribution networks, brand name and financial capital that Costco have established. Furthermore it is unlikely customers will switch to a competitor when they have already paid a yearlong membership fee (Costco reported 85% of cardholders renewed their membership in 2009, www.phx.corporate-ir.net). 4.2 Bargaining power of suppliers-low/medium threat The bargaining power of Costco sells to many business owners, the power over their suppliers is very high, as suppliers are forced to cut prices to lessen the risk of them losing their contract. Costco have a small range of brands for each product, yet sell high quantities. They could be losing a large amount of sales compared to Wholesalers like Wal-Mart, whom give customers a larger amount of choice and therefore spread their sales between suppliers. Furthermore Costco have proven they are willing to lose even major brands to improve their leverage, margins and lower prices, forcing suppliers to compete amongst themselves and with the wholesalers cheaper own brand products. Highlighted through Costcos most recent decision to stop selling Coca-Cola in a pricing dispute due to growing power of private labels, by using details received from loyalty cards retailers are more aware of which brands to keep and lose (Neff, 2009). 4.3 Bargaining power of customers- low threat According to Bruton (2007) the threat is low because there is only a small concentration of wholesale buyers, predominantly middle class consumers, small business owners and families. The latter two however have a greater power over the higher and middle class customers as they would buy to satisfy needs rather than luxury items. They are likely to resort to finding alternative stores such as competitors to get what they want at the price they can afford to pay for their regular purchases, due to the growth and alternative availability in discount stores. 4.4 The threat of substitute products- low threat The threat of substitutes limits the profit potential of the wholesale industry by identifying the effectiveness of volume of sales at a particular price level. Substitutes include specialised stores, for instance The Home Depot in America and BQ in the UK competing against the non-food sales through discounting as well as hypermarkets. For these reasons, the threat of substitutes is low for the wholesale notion. However, there is an increased threat to particular sections such as furniture and electronics especially because supermarkets are now selling a wider array of products for example Tescos. A further threat is e-commerce businesses and sites such as EBay focusing on the customer directly (Bruton, 2007). 4.5 Rivalry among competitors-medium threat Rivalry between competitors in the growing wholesale industry is particularly low because the three main competitors concentrate on different consumer groups. Furthermore price wars are minimal due to the lack of advertising with the rivals especially Costco. However as Costco is gaining strength through globalisation, there are different levels of threats in particular countries. 5.0 SWOT analysis The basis of strategic management is the notion that strategy creates an alignment between an enterprises internal strength and weaknesses as well as its opportunities and threats (SWOT) in its external environment (Andrews, 1987). The following table illustrates alignments factors within and outside of Costco; 6.0 External factors Focusing on the external, broader environment in which the company operates it is clear the next stage in the Costco globalisation process would be expansion. Due to the fierce market in the US and saturation a large opportunity for the company would be to enter the Chinese and Eastern European market and according to Baker (2001) Globalisation of the markets is at hand. Competitor Wal-Mart have already entered the fast growing market in China through purchasing 35% of the recognised hypermarket- Trust-Mart. The alliance benefits Wal-Mart , gaining expertise in operations and logistics and allow Chinese consumers to build trust with their brand name- an important part of their culture. Globalisation forms markets where economies of scale lead to reduction of costs and prices according to Baker (2001). Therefore, Costco may have to adapt their strategy when entering new countries due to the barriers of entry; it would be difficult to compete with local companies that are already established as well as suppliers to cut prices as low as they do in the West. The main threat to Costco currently is online speciality stores, which can compete through lower operating costs and manufacturing abroad thus increasing the power of existing buyers. The economic slowdown in 2007 with the credit crunch attracted more customers to the company due to its low prices and bulk products which allowed customers to stretch their money in the economic crisis enabling sales to grow by 13% by 2008. However the net income still decreased by 15.3% by 2009 as of the weakened economy. Even fiercer pricing strategies reduced the impact of the recession by reducing costs on a range of popular products two weeks before the reduction came through anticipated from manufacturers. Thus allowing them to get ahead of competition by taking advantage of the opportunity to attract customers through surrendering their profit (Duff, 2009). 7.0 Conclusions From carrying out the report on one of the leading wholesale suppliers it is clear they refuse to buy from suppliers that are not willing to pass on the reduction in manufacturing costs on to Costco. They are willing to remove high named brands from their shelves if they think they are being charged too much for the product. Through these publicly made choices it seems clear that Costco are on the customers side when it comes to prices, and are willing to lose profit to satisfy their customers. Both the Porters Five Forces Model and the SWOT analysis identify the main internal and external threats to the company, the highest threat of all being the power of suppliers. Costcos strategy of merging high wages with innovative ideas, and low cost products highlights that consumers, workers and shareholders can all benefit from a cost-leadership strategy. 8.0 Recommendations ? Continuation with their current successful pricing strategies of low prices and high volumes in order to maintain barriers against buyer power, supplier power and new entrants. Porters low cost leadership will also allow growth in revenues from further international expansion. ? The main threat to Costco currently is the threat of substitutes especially in discount stores and hypermarkets and the alternative to this is online speciality stores which can compete through lower operating costs and manufacturing abroad thus increasing the power of existing buyers. ? In order to compete with the threat of e-commerce businesses a further development in the online sales capability is likely to increase the companys strengths. Cannibalisation is unlikely to occur until the industry becomes completely saturated in the US in which case the company can then be ahead of competitors through the internet or through global expansion. ? Subsidiaries or Joint venture are a possibility as in Mexico where the 31 warehouses are 50% joint ventures, this strategy may benefit within the foreign Indian and Chinese market, to allow for a better integration and brand loyalty ( www.slideshare.net). The firm is likely to have the logistical capabilities to enter the Chinese market as they have entered nearby Japan successfully, and some networks would be partially formed through transportation. ? More strategic alliances with manufacturers as with Kirkland in expanding countries to gain trust from customers, enabling them to recognise brand names and build loyalty 9.0 References Andrews, K.R (1987), The concept of Corporate Strategy, Homewood: Irwin Baker.M.J Critical perspectives on business and management, Routledge, London Bruton. A, (2007) Five Forces Analysis, www.books.google.co.uk/books?id=9lmR75vPpEACprintsec=frontcover#v=onepageq=f=false accessed 21/02/10 Costco Financial Report 2009, www.phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83830p=irol-reportsannual, accessed 16/02/10 Ducan, W.J, Ginter, P.M Swayne, L.E (1998), Competitive advantage and internal organisational assessment, Academy of Management Executive Duff. M (2009) Costco Surrenders Profits To Make a Point www.industry.bnet.com/retail/1000461/costco-surrenders-profits-to-make-a-point/ accessed 19/02/10 Hughes, M.T (2007) Costco wholesale strategic analysis, Washington College Business Management Ireland, R.D, Hitt, M.A Simon, D.G (2003), A Model of Strategic Entrepreneurship: The construct and its dimensions, Journal of Management, 29, 963-989 Mitchell. R.C, (2001), Strategy Formulation, TAOFS Formulation, www.csun.edu/~hfmgt001/formulation.doc, accessed 20/02/10 Neff, J (2009) From CVS to Costco, retailers put the screws to brands, Advertising Age,Business Source Premier, 11/30/2009, Vol. 80, Issue 40 Porter. M.E, (1979) How competitive forces shape strategy, Harvard College, Harvard Business Review Porter, M.E, (1985), Competitive advantage: creating and sustaining superior performance, New York: The Free Press Prahalad, C.K Hamel, G. (1990), The Core Competence Of The Corporation, Harvard Business Review, 68, 79-91 Ramachandran, J.M Sud. M, (2006) Strategic Entrepreneurship in a Globalising Economy: Evidence from Emerging Economies, IIMB Management Review, 28, 291-302. Trout. J, (2004), Trout on Strategy: capturing mindshare, conquering markets, McGraw-Hill (Jan 14th 2008) Food industry , BNET UK, www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3235/is_1_25/ai_n29402690 accessed 16/02/10 Shapiro, N. 2004. Company for the people. Seattle Weekly, December 15. Retrieved from www.seattleweekly.com/ generic/show_print.php on 15/02/2010. www.slideshare.net/guestce0202a/costco-strategic- plan accessed 20/02/10 www.findarticles.com/121753md5=91af14cebe7ede4/c72/169594b2badc8b accessed 20/02/10 www.costco.com accessed 21/02/10 Contents Page Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction to Costco 2 2.0 Costco existing missions/strategies 2 3.0 Strategic Management 3 4.0 Porters five forces 3 4.1 The threat of new entrants 3 4.2 Bargaining power of suppliers 3 4.3 Bargaining power of customers 4 4.4 The threat of substitute products 4 4.5 Rivalry among competitors 4 5.0 SWOT analysis 5 6.0 External Factors 6 7.0 Conclusion 6 8.0 Recommendations 7

Phobia, Afraid of Death Essay -- Psychology, The Nick Adam Stories

Most people are afraid of death. Some people are scared of being dead; others are terrified of the act of dying. However, the fear of death does not occur naturally; usually little kids do not even know what death is. This kind of fear can originate from early childhood, especially in brutal environments. Facing a horrifying experience may result in psychological trauma, which causes fears and nightmares. When we are little we have our family to take care of us and make fears manageable. But what if parents are not capable of doing that? What if they think that it is better for their child to go through fears alone? Ernest Hemingway in The Nick Adams Stories provides an example of the consequence of parents’ refusal to guide their child through his early and difficult experiences. Nick Adams is afraid of death as a result of his violent environment and lack of parental support. Nick’s childhood begins in the Michigan woods where his father takes him to fish and hunt. From those early years Nick is scared of the unknown and indefinite which is an indication of death: â€Å"He was not afraid of anything definite as yet. But he was getting very afraid.† (14). Then he realizes that he would die someday too. Here the child firstly realizes what the death is and then gets scared. However, his parents do not help Nick overcome those fears earlier, which lead to Nick’s obsession with death later in his life. In â€Å"Indian Camp† where Dr. Adams takes his boy to watch a woman in labor, Nick has his first encounter with both birth and death. Watching his father perform a very rational but fierce surgery and witnessing woman suffer from pain leads to psychological trauma of Nick. Although Nick is trying â€Å"not to see what his father is doing† (19), D... ...llow color of the house signifies Nick’s cowardice† (32). When Captain Paravicini tells Nick that he is very courageous, he answers: â€Å"No†¦ I prefer to get stinking. I’m not ashamed of it.† â€Å"Besides associating yellow with cowardice, most scholars agree that Nick’s mind has provided ‘the yellow house in place of the sensory details of his wounding and death’† (Quick, 32). The phobias people have can be due to different reasons, most of the time these come from something they either experienced or have somebody told them (second hand experience). In Nick's case it was both. More over, the intensity of the events happening in his life is tremendous. The outcomes can be seen in Nick's deep trauma and his psychological disability that causes significant distress and fear of death. The state Nick is in can be very harmful and can even have lethal effect on him.

Islam The Straight Path Essay -- Religion Islam Muslim John L. Esposit

Islam The Straight Path   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An evaluation of the book by John L. Esposito: Islam The Straight Path. In this book , Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to its contemporary resurgence. He traces the emergence and development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics. He discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice (law, theology, philosophy, and mysticism), chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. Equally important is the essential information Esposito provides on the contemporary world of Islam, from Muslim responses to the challenges of colonialism and modernization to the reassertion of Islam in politics and society. This introductory book in the teaching of Islam and Islamic way of life by Esposito can be categorized in three different sections with various sub-tittles. First section concentrates on structural elements of Islam that includes Messenger and the Message; that are Muhammad and the Holy Koran. Second section is about The emergence of Islamic identity, as the Muslim Community, which includes the belief and the practice of the religion. And finally the modern Interpretations of Islam. Esposito introduces three concepts; in the first three chapters he explains what Islam is. I believe that he did an excellent job in presenting pre-Islamic time for Arabia and its surrounding region. But I also believe that concentrating on Muhammad's (PBUH) biography has little relevant to Islam. Because Islam is based mainly on the completion message of God to the World. I believe if a non-Muslim reader try were to understand Islam through this book he or she would compare it to the concept of Jesus, or David the Texan cult leader, and many others. I found that Esposito guides its readers to a clear understanding of Muslims and non-Muslim prospective. Nevertheless, he is a director of center for Muslim-Christian understanding. Esposito has emphasized on the holy Quran, Gods message and the messenger. I also believe that he has introduced a clear guideline for Muslims and their practice. Laying out their laws, beliefs, attitudes, values, and other religious responsibilities. I also found that Esposito writes with good academic intentions and writin... ... completion to the writings of the three holy books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Islam is a religion that has brought peace, enlightenment, and unity to the faithful. I feel that this book could guide Muslims and non-Muslims in forming clear views on specific Islamic religious issues. In conclusion, throughout the book "Islam the Straight Path", many understandings come about by looking at the many struggles of any particular community. For the purpose of this book review, I went through the book to grasp an understanding of the title "The Straight Path". For many centuries Muslims around the world have experienced the transformation of their society. The important forces that build Islam and Muslims together are the religious life, faith, beliefs and practices. Today Muslims around the world face many challenges of leaders that build the community whether it is a secular or an Islamic nation. As examples given earlier about modernization which includes nations such as Turkey and on the other side of the spectrum the practice of Islamic Shariah. As a final note, my main objective from this book review is to see Islam from the eye of Muslims and Non-Muslims alike.