Saturday, November 30, 2019

Online Classes vs. traditional classes

Introduction Modern technology has infiltrated the education sector and as a result, many college students now prefer taking online classes, as opposed to attending the traditional regular classes. This is because online classes are convenient for such students, and more so for those who have to both work and attend classes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Online Classes vs. traditional classes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, online learning gives them the flexibility that they needed. In addition, online learning also gives an opportunity to students and professionals who would not have otherwise gone back to school to get the necessary qualifications. However, students who have enrolled for online learning do not benefit from the one-on-one interaction with their peers and teachers. The essay shall endeavor to examine the differences between online classes and the traditional classes, with a preferenc e for the later. Differences between online classes and traditional classes Online classes mainly take place through the internet. As such, online classes lack the regular student teacher interaction that is common with traditional learning. On the other hand, learning in traditional classes involves direct interaction between the student and the instructors (Donovan, Mader and Shinsky 286). This is beneficial to both the leaner and the instructors because both can be bale to establish a bond. In addition, student attending the traditional classroom often have to adhere to strict guidelines that have been established by the learning institution. As such, students have to adhere to the established time schedules. On the other hand, students attending online classes can learn at their own time and pace. One advantage of the traditional classes over online classes is that students who are not disciplined enough may not be able to sail through successfully because there is nobody to pus h them around. With traditional classes however, there are rules to put them in check. As such, students attending traditional classes are more likely to be committed to their education (Donovan et al 286). Another advantage of the traditional classes is all the doubts that students might be having regarding a given course content can be cleared by the instructor on the spot, unlike online learning whereby such explanations might not be as coherent as the student would have wished. With the traditional classes, students are rarely provided with the course materials by their instructors, and they are therefore expected to take their own notes. This is important because they are likely to preserve such note and use them later on in their studies. In contrast, online students are provided with course materials in the form of video or audio texts (Sorenson and Johnson 116).Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They can also download such course materials online. Such learning materials can be deleted or lost easily compared with handwritten class notes, and this is a risk. Although the basic requirements for a student attending online classes are comparatively les in comparison to students attending traditional classes, nonetheless, it is important to note that online students are also expected to be internet savvy because all learning takes place online. This would be a disadvantage for the regular student; only that internet savvy is not a requirement. Students undertaking online learning are likely to be withdrawn because they hardly interact one-on-one with their fellow online students or even their instructors. The only form of interaction is online. As such, it becomes hard for them to develop a special bond with other students and instructors. With traditional learning however, students have the freedom to interact freely and this helps to strengthen their existin g bond. Conclusion Online learning is convenient and has less basic requirements compared with traditional learning. It also allows learners who would have ordinarily not gone back to school to access an education. However, online students do not benefit from a close interaction with their peers and instructors as do their regular counterparts. Also, regular students can engage their instructors more easily and relatively faster in case they want to have certain sections of the course explained, unlike online students. Works Cited Donovan, Judy, Mader, Cynthia and Shinsky, John. Constructive student feedback: Online vs. traditional course evaluations. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 5.3(2006): 284-292 Sorenson, Lynn, and Johnson, Trav. Online Student Ratings of Instructions. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003. Print. This essay on Online Classes vs. traditional classes was written and submitted by user Enzo O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Youll Need This Trait to Find Professional Success

Youll Need This Trait to Find Professional Success Ever wonder what the secret to career success is? The unifying factor common to all of the most successful people? That special extra thing? You probably have it or you don’t. Sound ominous? At least it’s not some fancy education or hard-to-acquire skill. It turns out you can make up for a lot that you don’t have along the way, but there’s one thing that, if you have it, you’ll be in the best position to succeed.What is that thing? It isn’t supernatural intelligence. It isn’t pedigree.It’s grit. Can you focus in on a passion and not stop until you achieve success? Then you’ve got it, the number one indicator of high performance and long-term success- with an even greater predictability for success than high IQ.Freaking out wondering whether or not you possess this trait? Don’t worry. Here are a few building blocks of ‘grit’ as a thing you might be able to better cultivate in yourself while you’r e still early on in your career.A clear goalDetermination- no matter how much others doubt youConfidence in yourself  while you’re figuring out your trajectoryHumbleness- enough to be prepared for things to not come easilyPersistence in the face of fearPatience and flexibility- enough to navigate obstacles and hindrances without getting frustrated or giving upA code- a moral compass, and the integrity to follow it at all costsOpenness- being able to connect and collaborate with other people, and recognizing that accepting help does not equal weakness, but strengthGratitude- enough to appreciate the journey, not just keep your crazy eyes on the destinationAppreciation of othersLoyaltyInner strengthThese things might not be easily taught, but they can be honed. There’s even a measurable Grit Scale with a test developed by University of Pennsylvania researchers. Take their questionnaire and remember: you don’t have to be a trust-fund baby or a brainiac or a super charismatic magnetic personality to succeed wildly. You might just need grit.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Herbicides Used to Control or Kill Woody Stemmed Plants

Herbicides Used to Control or Kill Woody Stemmed Plants The United States Department of Agriculture takes herbicide application practices very seriously. You have to have a state pesticide handlers license to apply many of these chemicals or even to purchase them. I have developed this list of chemicals as a general overview of herbicides used to control of woody stemmed pests. Ways to apply an herbicide are numerous. They can  be applied to foliage or soil, they can be injected into the bark or sprayed on stumps. It all depends on the specific chemical formulation you are using.  Here are some application methods for these chemicals which should be used according to labeling instructions. Woody-stemmed Herbicides and How They are Applied These chemicals are listed by generic name, brand name and application method. Some of these herbicides may now be out of favor or have been added to a restricted list so use this list only as a starting guide. All links are to Cornell Universitys Pesticide Management Education Program. This is not an all-inclusive listing and is intended to give an overall view of available woody stem control chemicals and how they are applied: Amitrole (Amitrol-T) - foliar spray Bromacil (Hyvar) - broadcast treatment 2,4-D (several trade names) - foliar spray Dichlorprop (2,4-DP, Weedone 2,4-DP) - foliar spray Dicamba (Banvel) - cut surface Fosamine (Krenite) - foliage treatment Glyphosate (Roundup) - foliar spray Hexazinone (Velpar) - soil uptake Imazapyr (Arsenal) - foliar, frill, stump treatment Metsulfuron (Escort) - foliar spray Picloram (Tordon) - broadcast, foliar, frill treatment Tebuthiuron (Spike) - broadcast treatment Triclopyr (Garlon) - spray This listing is intended to be used as a general guide only. Before using any herbicide consult the label before using. Remember that labels change frequently and often contain special restrictions reguarding specific use of the chemical. How to Kill a Tree Using HerbicidesHow to Kill a Tree Without ChemicalsList of Approved Tree Control Chemicals

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Theory and Practice of Investment Management Essay

The Theory and Practice of Investment Management - Essay Example The computations are shown in the following table. Table no.1 Number of contracts necessary to be hedged Contract Amount $ 7,500,000.00 Hedge Ratio 0.5 Price 97 No of contracts 38660 Part 2 I. In order to close the position, the company should buy futures contracts for March 2013, at the price 97.6. II. The transaction on the futures market brought a loss equal to: no of contracts *(selling price-buying price). The computations are shown in the following table. Table no.2 Final position from the futures transaction Price (short position) 97 Price (long position) 97.6 No of contracts 38660 Loss $ - 23,195.88 Part 3 I. The relationship between the price of the future contract and the interest rates on the market is an inverse relationship. So, for this example, the price of the future contract has raised implying a decline in the interest rate. II. The company has fixed its borrowing cost only for 50% of the exposure. The effective borrowing cost is computed as: r= 100- 97= 3% So, the company will borrow money at 3%. III. The company did not hedge all the risks involved by the transaction above. Firstly, it only hedged 50% of its interest rate exposure. Secondly, risks related to changes in the principal borrowed, or the currency in which this one is expressed are not hedged. Question 2 There are various theories related to dividend policies. One of the most important theories in this matter is the irrelevance thesis of Modigliani and Miller (Fabozzi and Drake, 2009). Under certain assumptions, Modigliani-Miller argues that dividend policy is irrelevant (no taxes, no transaction costs, no issuance costs, no insider information, a fixed investment policy). In other words, the management’s decision to change dividend value does not determine a shift in firm value too because the shareholder wealth is determined by the income generated through the investment policy of the firm, and not the way the firm distributes the income (Miller and Modigliani, 1961). Ano ther theory is based on the â€Å"bird - in – the- hand† hypothesis. This assumes that the financial markets are characterized by uncertainty and imperfect information, and because of this, dividends should be considered differently than retained earnings. Moreover, all investors would want to receive dividends i.e. cash (â€Å"bird-in-the-hand†) rather than future capital gains from the evolution of the stock (â€Å"two in the bush†). So, a firm which offers a high dividend ratio would deliver good signals to the market, boosts the stock market, and finally increases the firm’s value (Walter, 1963). A theory which contradicts the â€Å"bird-in-the-hand† theory is based on the tax-effect hypothesis. This theory states that a lower dividend policy would lower the cost of capital of the firm and in this way increase the stock value and the shareholders wealth (Bajaj and Anand, 1990). The starting point for this conclusion is considering the hi gher taxation of dividends compared to capital gains. Furthermore, the dividends are taxed right after are paid, whereas capital gains are taxed until the moment of sell. This consideration of tax advantages of capital gains compared with receiving dividend determine investors to be attracted of companies with higher retained earnings than a higher dividend policy (Pettit, 1977). Considering the company Swan Dane Ltd., which is keeping constant a high dividend policy, can be supported by the â€Å"

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sam 489 unit 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sam 489 unit 6 - Assignment Example Response agencies such as the fire department, the police, the red cross team and other medic teams communicate using radio frequency whose signal is unlikely to be jammed by the type of disaster as well as it can still be used where mobile network is unclear. They mostly use short codes which they have been trained on in order to speed up communication and prevent other parties from understanding their discussion for security purposes depending on the disaster they are responding to. Communication amongst these agencies is important for coordination purposes. For example in a fire disaster, the firefighters communicate with the medics about bring in a victim and the present physical condition of the victim. The medics will be prepared with the necessary equipment and hence attend to the individual without wasting any precious time. Communication among the agencies speeds up help as well as makes response run smoothly and faster hence saving more time and property (Perry & Lindell,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Penelope lively Essay Example for Free

Penelope lively Essay All 3 of the short stories carry a similar main theme, a theme which derives from the classic tale of Hansel and Grethal by the Brothers Grimm. A theme of disregard, procurement of the nieve and coincidentally, murder. The first of these stories is The darkness out there by Penelope lively. This story doesnt follow the theme as strictly as the others but it is loosely based upon it. The time set is not at first overly apparent. But it soon becomes clear that it was set not long after world war two, late 40s early 50s. Probably in Kent or some other country side place. The narrative is a story of generosity, which is shattered by evil. The goodness is symbolised by the children and the evil by the old woman. The crime is one of murder and the turning point is when the boy realises how evil the old woman is. In the next story, the lost hearts by M R James, the time set is a lot earlier around the time of 1811. Its a ghost story as opposed to the darkness out there, which is a 20th century fairy tale. Its is set in a mansion in Lincolnshire called Aswarby hall, a typical house in the reign of Anne. By the way of language structure, this story uses some colloquial language with generally longer, more complex sentences and metaphorical language than the first story, A lot of the vocabulary used would be classed as archaic or old fashioned. The narative carries a simular feel as the first story, the child trusting the witch character, and be procured into a trap. But the ending differed from the first as the criminal is punished. Leaving the story on a much higher note than the first. The final story is The landlady by Roahl Dahl. More a horror story than a fairytale, but there is still an element of procurement. Set in a picturesque town called Bath, more than likely in the 1950s. There are only two main characters in this story, there is a one Billy weaver, who plays the part of the innocent victim and there is a seemingly sweet old woman, who plays the witch character. The use of English is, in the main, standard and the colloquial language of the time would be considered as standard to a younger generation. When signing the guest book, Billy realises that something foal was afoot. He recognises seeing both the names in the paper under a murder column, this is the turning point. At the end of the story, we are made to believe that he is also poisoned, but this is not confirmed by the cliff-hanger ending. The darkness out there and the landlady are both set in the 20th century, This is made clear in the darkness out there by many lines, the main giveaway being a German plane came down there in the war, I am sure that we are all aware that German planes would not have came down in England, in the 19th century. And the time set is proven in the landlady by the line probably lost a son in the war. This point of proof could be arguable, there have been wars in both centauries which she could have lost her son in, but only the wars in the 20th century which stated compulsory enrolment. The lost hearts is set in the 19th century, there is much proof of this and it is apparent right from the beginning. The line in September of the year 1811 makes the time setting of the 1800s unarguable. There is of course further evidence to suggest this, the post chaise in line 4 and of course the more archaic language used such as as far as I can ascertain and tinged with the sort of melancholy. Both the C20 stories carry the same style as far as the use of Standard English with a little colloquial language of the time. They are both written in a more modern style, with shorter and less complex sentences than more classical pieces of writing; And a big chest, jutted under washed out jerseys. Of the modern story, rather than It was as far as I can ascertain, in September of the year 1811 that a post-chaise drew up before the the door of Aswarby Hall, in the heart of Lincolnshire. If a theme had to be assigned to the stories, the theme would be procurement in each story, but if it was to be a style that would be assigned, the styles would vary. The darkness out there would be a murder/ thriller story. The landlady would defiantly be a 20th century fairytale. And the lost hearts would be more difficult to determine. It is a style of murder, fairytale and horror, with a hint of science fiction. I have touched on the archaic language used by James in a previous paragraph. He uses verbs and adjectives that would not be used so much today such as congruous, acquaintance and afore. Some of the language used in the other stories could also be described as now archaic. Words like spinney and lodgings. I feel that the only reason Liveleys and Dahls use of description appears quite simple compared to that of James, is because it uses adjectives we are far more familiar with such as fairly, wide, pretty and plump. Rather than adjectives such as purer and gently beating. As I have previously stated, all 3 stories carry a general theme of procurement, a theme which derives from the Grimms fairytale Hanzel und Grethel. It is clear in each story who plays the role of the wicked witch and who plays that of the innocent children. In the darkness out there, old Mrs Rutter plays thw witch character whilst the children play the innocent victims of procurement.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

SATIRE ESSAY -- English Literature

SATIRE ESSAY Good evening and welcome to another edition of the BBC satire documentary series. Today we will be analyzing the battleground of satirical poetry, examining two well-known satirical poems called 'Life-Cycle' by Bruce Dawe and 'Hymn Of The Scientific Farmer' by Clive Sansom. But first, lets look at what a satire is and how the victorious poet annihilates the foe of a satire. According to the ancient Macquarie Dictionary, a satire is a 'term applied to any work of literature or art whose objective is to ridicule.' Using ridicule or mockery in the battleground, a satire has the avowed objective of correcting human faults, while arousing laughter or scorn in its intended audience or bystanders of the victorious side. General targets or foe of satires' include individuals, social groups, institutions, and human nature. Like other genres, a satire is often a mode of writing introduced into various literal forms. A poetic satirist or the victorious poet sometimes uses scorn, sarcasm, innuendo or irony along with humor to expose the enemy's human faults or foolishness. Throughout the history of literature, satirical poems have obliterated many varieties of antagonist, ranging from religious figures to political and social failings in society. Since the ancient Roman and Greek period, satirical poems have earned their respect by, to some degree, shaping the humans we have become today. They aim to show us our fault and persuade us to modify and advance our behaviour and nature. One major poem, which highlights this concept, is the 'Hymn Of The Scientific Farmer' by Clive Sansom. Clive Samson, in his poem called the 'Hymn Of The Scientific Farmer,' demonstrates to us his knowledge and awarenes... ...ho could resurrect their team back to victory. This demonstrates how pointless and futile their lives are and the extent to which football is the basis of their existence. Bruce Dawe has victoriously ridden the foe of any dignity. He has ridiculed the supporters circuitously and shown the reader how we can become so involved in something that we no longer recognize the beauties of nature and life. This in turn encourages the reader to change his or her life and to try and reach a balanced lifestyle. Overall, both poets have been victorious over their foe. They have managed to successfully create a satirized poem using some if not all weapons against the foe. They have also been triumphant in leaving a message for the bystanders of the battle, whether it is change in attitude and life or avoidance of certain characteristics that may overtake our lives.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Arguments for and against Australia’s Alliance with the United States

Australia, apart from being the United States' oldest friend as well as ally in the Asia-Pacific region also is America's second closest ally worldwide. In spite of the fact that this alliance has been in existence for over 50 years, it was until September in 2001 (few days before the 50th anniversary) that the treaty was for the first time since its signing invoked. Since then Australia has increasingly gotten involved with the United States and its activities. Not only did Australia join the American-led coalitions in fighting against Iraq and Afghanistan but also signed a free trade agreement with the United States, a development that both governments perceive to be most significant in the bilateral relationship since the ANZUS Treaty that binds Australia, the United States and New Zealand. ANZUS’s also separately binds the United States and Australia to cooperate and assist each other on matters of defence in the Pacific region. More developments have however been made on this treaty with current understanding implying that the cooperation relates to attacks in any area globally. These events, developments have however prompted a debate in Australia about what the nature of the United States' power and what its expectations from the alliance are. The costs and benefits of the close ties, military as well as economic with the United States are also being hotly debated in Australia. Critics of the formation of the free trade area perceive it to be a way of killing the country more than developing it . In spite of all these doubts and criticisms of the alliance, there are those who believe that this alliance places Australia in a privileged position with the world's greatest if not the only remaining superpower which has large and potentially enormous benefits that would enhance Australia's economic strength and its national security . The Australia-United States alliance is not just any ordinary alliance. There are not many alliances that last up to fifty ears and even exceed it. Very few alliances have ramifications that go beyond military and diplomatic affairs into economic, social, cultural and political affairs as this alliance . The Australia-America alliance has developed such that in its own right, it can be described as a political institution that is more like a monarchy or a political party. Those charged with the responsibility of managing such an institution constantly face the challenges of assessing and ascertaining the elements that need to be changed so that they adapt to meeting changing circumstances and those that must be maintained constant . In the case of this alliance, those responsible for its management must ensure that it retains support of the opinion of both the government and the public of the two countries. Since the signing of this agreement, the Americans, with the exception of the Nixon administration have been comfortable and secure with the alliance. The Australian politicians regardless of the criticisms and opposition to the alliance while in opposition have invariably kept the alliance when they got to the office. This is because they have witnessed the consistent benefits of the alliance which they perceive to outweigh the political costs and/or military risks of any of the subservience that the might of Washington is alleged to have. Australia's position in the Southeast Asia and South Pacific enables it to have a defense posture that is self reliant which enhances mutual security between the two countries in the alliance . The United States has guaranteed security to this posture and access to its intelligence, weapons, defense science and support with military logistics. This has also enhanced the status of Australia in global affairs and particularly in Asia. The Australian public opinion is the one that has raised questions over the durability of this alliance. Public opinion matters so much that in 1984, Paul Wolforwitz, the then US assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, reminded the Australian audience (both the public and the government) that the most significant task in management of an alliance was to constantly nurture public support . His remarks though diplomatically phrased were a message to the Australian government about the country's public opinion and its significance. The current debate on this alliance is therefore due to public opinion which determines the period the alliance might last. This paper therefore seeks to study the prevailing debate on the Australia/America alliance and critically analyse the arguments for and against the alliance. Arguments for Australia's Alliance with the United States One of the arguments used in support the Australian-United States alliance is the security guarantee that is promised by the United States. This promise guarantee includes the terms that were agreed upon in the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS Treaty) in 1951 in which the two countries committed themselves to acting together to deal with common dangers . This treaty also binds the united states to aiding Australia in the event it faces a major strategic threat and vice versa. Australia is confident that it is safe and can rely on the United States for help in the event it needs them. It can be argued this reasoning is based on the fact that the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. Having the support of a superpower increases the probability of Australia winning any security confrontation it might face. This is because the United States has all the necessary resources required to counter an attack in the event of one. Another reason as to why those who support the alliance count on the guaranteed security of the United States is because of the fact that Australia has been there for the United States when most needed. Australia responded to this agreement by evoking it in September 2001 after the terrorist attacks on the United States. Australia did so by supporting the United States attack against Afghanistan and sent its forces to fight alongside those of the US in an effort to contain terrorism. The fact that Australians sent their soldiers to bleed and even die alongside the Americans in pursuit for its security justifies their reasoning and reliance on the United States to step in when it is needed . Australia, sharing the same view that spread of weapons of mass destruction is threat to humanity and should be not be encouraged sent its army to fight in the United states led war against Iraq after it was suspected of producing weapons of mass destruction. Australia has been faithful to the agreement for over fifty years. It has fulfilled it part by participating in joint defence facilities and supporting a number of the United States' very critical and most sensitive strategic capabilities. These capabilities include systems that are related to collection of intelligence, early warning of ballistic missile, submarine and satellite-based communications . Australia has also responded to humanitarian needs by the United States like sending its forces to help during the Katrina and Tsunami disasters. Australia's actions have showed commitment to the alliance over the years by going to America’s aid when they were needed. In regard to this, Australia expects the United States to take any security threats to the country as seriously as Australia did when the United States' security was threatened. Recent development however seem to challenge this argument for support of the alliance. Over the years, Australia has not been involved in any wars individually but currently faces security threats from the rising China . China is perceived to be enhancing and growing its military power through modernization at a pace that is very fast. The nature of the scope and structure of this military development in China have been a cause of concern to its neighbours especially since China has done very little to explain the aims and agenda of its military plans . China has also not done much to build the confidence of its neighbours in its military developments. It is perceived that china is going to be Asia's strongest military power and the fact that it is not explaining the purposes of its military plans creates the idea that China is preparing for a future confrontation that is bigger than the conflict over Taiwan with its neighbours. Australia perceives china to be a potential future threat to its security and has responded by preparing its forces and arming itself to face the challenge in case it arises. The United States is however seems not to be committed to assisting Australia prepare for this potential war. It has either cancelled, delayed, postponed and shrinked the delivery of weapons and war technology such as the F-22 program, aircraft carrier fleet, new cruisers and procurement of new bombers to Australia. In other words, the United States is reluctant to give Australia the services it would need to counter china in the event of a threat . These events challenge the reasoning of the supporters of the alliance based on the fact that the United States will honour the agreement of the treaty as they imply that the United States might not be so ready to engage in a war that does not concern it. This is in spite of all that Australia has done in the past to assist it in its security threats. Another argument for support of the alliance is that Australia will have the privileged access to advanced science and technology especially in areas that concern defence . The United States is as developed and industrialised nation is known to be advanced in technology in all areas and more so in security and defense issues. Being an ally to such a nation implies that in the event the less fortunate country can enjoy the privilege of accessing these technologies which are not available to other countries that have no relationship with it. Less powerful nations have used the same strategy to benefit from the technology that superpowers have and it can be said that this is the reasoning this argument is based on. However, it would be worth to remember that the United States and any other nation for that matter can not easily give away its technology to a foreign country no matter how close the ties are. Each country always strives to be better equipped technologically than others so as to remain powerful and competitive. The United States is also known to be resistant in arming other nations as it delights in claiming that it advocates for peace. This is also clear in the way the Obama administration is reluctant in letting Australia acquire the weapons and technology it needs to arm itself against the potential threats that China poses to its security. In regard to this it can be said that the argument for support of the alliance that is based on the reasoning that Australia will benefit by having access to the United States' advanced technology is vague as this access is not guaranteed. The other argument for the alliance is that Australia will have exceptional and unlimited access to the high-level American policy makers who will give them advice on political, military and diplomatic affairs . It is common knowledge that the United States has some of the best strategies in these areas and has been able to develop due to the implementation of these strategies. The United States is argued to be the most democratic country in the world hence most politically stable. The United States also has one of the best diplomatic strategies that have enabled it to have good relations with its neighbours and other countries world wide which is good for the social and economic development of the nation as it enhances trade, tourism and other exchange programs. Being an ally to the United States will therefore enable Australia to borrow some of the policies and strategies hence apply them in the mentioned areas enhancing its stability and development. Moreover, the geographical positioning of Australia requires it to have these strategies especially the military and diplomatic ones in order to survive . It however is of worth to note that not all of the United States policies and strategies are desirable. Some of its military policies particularly ones on war against terrorism and its operations in Iraq have raised several questions amongst humanitarians causing it to be accused of violating human rights and being discriminative. Not all US policies are good and care needs to be taken when deciding on which ones to borrow. Australians who support the alliance also argue that it will enable Australia to benefit from results of the American intelligence agencies . On addition to the American intelligence agencies using modern advanced technology in their operations, their agents also are some of the best trained in the world. This implies that the country can easily dictate threats to its security or that of its allies and warn them. Australian figures that due to its geographical position that is close to Asia and the fact that it has constantly supported the United States in its war against terror makes it vulnerable to attacks . Having a powerful friend with advanced intelligence agency would enable it to detect threats and mitigate them or prepare adequately to ace them. Australians who use this reasoning to support the alliance expect the United States to warn them of impending threats and dangers. Intelligence agencies are however more committed to the security of their country and might not concentrate on that one of their allies. This creates opportunity for information to on the allies to slip them. This is to say that being an ally to a nation that has advanced intelligence agencies does not provide full protection. This intelligence can however be borrowed and be used to solve some security challenges and treats by Australia. The other argument for the Australian-American alliance is that it will economically benefit Australia as it will have access to the American Market under the free trade area . Formation of free trade area is one of the strategies that most countries have implemented to enhance their economic development. This is because of the benefits that it has. It creates a large market for goods and services and removes all trade barriers such as revenues and taxes promoting business. Free trade area will enable Australia to get access to American produced goods and services at lower prices. Australia will be able to sell its produce to the larger America n market without incurring the cost of taxes and revenues . This promotes international trade which contributes greatly to economic development. Free trade area however has its weaknesses especially when it is between a weak and a powerful nation that is industrialised. This is because it easily ‘kills' the local industry as cost of production might be cheaper in the more industrialised countries causing their products to be cheaper hence denying the local products a chance in the market as they can not compete in terms of price . Arguments against Australia's Alliance with the United States One of the strongest arguments against the alliance is that the United States take Australia's commitment for granted . Australians who are opposed to the alliance based on this reasoning are justified to do so. This is because as explained earlier, Australia has been very faithful and committed to the ANZUS treaty. Australia has stood by the United States and responded when needed in facing threats to security such as terrorist and production of weapons of mass production hence supported the United States in its war against Afghanistan and Iraq respectively . Australia has supported and fought alongside the United States in other wars before this one as well such as Vietnam and the Second World War. Over the years, Australia has not faced any major threats to its national security hence has not been in need of military and defense help from the united states. Recent military developments in china however pose a great threat to Australia's security which the united states refuses to acknowledge and is even reluctant in letting Australia acquire the technology and weapons it needs that will enable it to counter attacks from china in the event they occur. It can be argued that the reluctance of the US to assist Australia prepare itself for potential future attacks to its security justifies the opposition to alliance and the claim that the US has been taking Australia's assistance for granted . However, the reason the United States is reluctant to avail these weapons and technology to Australia could be that being a nation that advocates for peace and democracy, it does not want to contradict itself by arming one nation against another. The other argument against this alliance is that it renders Australia completely dependent on the United States . This can be argued to be true based on the study of the way Australia has over the years supported the United States always expecting something in return because it is a more powerful nation. Continual support of this alliance implies continual dependency on the United States which is not right as each country should strive to be independent . However, it can also be argued that each country needs the support of others in order to develop and getting this support from a superpower is the best thing that can happen to a less powerful nation because of the because of the advantages that come with it. Other individuals opposed to the alliance argue that the creation of a free trade area is ‘killing' the country (Australia) . We could argue that this argument is completely justified. Free trade area implies that the goods and services produced within the member states can be traded freely without any trade barriers or restrictions. Free trade areas can however have a negative impact on local industries and cause some of them to completely shut down. This happens when the cost of production is lower in one of the countries in the block due to availability of raw materials in that country or low cost of energy. The goods produced in such a country usually are priced low when they come to the free market. Countries that produce the same goods but at a higher cost, are hence forced to stop producing as they can not afford to sell them at low prices without making massive loses. The fact that they can not beat the cheaply produced goods in the market forces these industries to shut down hence ‘killing’ the country. Free trade areas however have several advantages; they have the potential of producing large per capita such as the one produced by NATO, increasing employment opportunities, promoting trade between the member countries hence enhancing economic development. Conclusion It is predicted for the foreseeable future that Australia will remain one of the committed allies of the United States. Both Canberra and Washington have the same views on fighting the war against terrorism, dealing with and curbing the spread and production of weapons of mass destruction that threatens the security of the humanity, supporting and upholding democracy and preventing the re-emergence of failed states. The challenges faced by Australia in its own neighbourhood however have the first priority when dealing with these issues. As the United States is comfortable with the alliance, maintaining support for it hence overly depends on how successful the strategies taken by Washington will be in convincing the Australian government and public that the United States policies are necessary as well as legitimate. The Australian public will also have to be convinced that the United States does not take its contribution to mutual security for granted. Obstacles to good relations in this alliance could arise in the event the United States makes demands that are politically difficult on Australia in combating of terror, or if the US sought from Australia military support that forced risks that are unacceptable to Australia or one that drew the country into a major conflict with China over Taiwan. Differing views on security challenges that emanate from a rising China is perceived to be the alliance's greatest potential threat.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Business Research Methods Essay

1. Distinguish among the following sets of items, and suggest the significance of each in a research context: a. Concept and construct – A concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics that are concrete whereas a construct is image or idea invented for a particular theory or research problem; a construct is an abstract concept. To successfully perform a research, we must form common ground; hence, the need for concepts and constructs. b. Deduction and induction – a deduction is a conclusive inference while an induction is a conclusion from one or more pieces of evidence. c. Operational definition and dictionary definition – an operational definition is a definition based on measurement criteria that have empirical reference while a dictionary definition is based on synonyms. d. Concept and variable – a concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics associated with certain events while a variable is value or set of values related to a property being studied. e. Hypothesis and proposition – A hypothesis is a is a declarative statement that states a belief while a proposition is a statement about concepts that may be regarded as true or false. f. Theory and model – a theory is a set of systematically inter-related concepts, definitions and propositions that are advanced to explain and predict phenomena while a model is a representation of a system that is constructed to study some aspect of the system. g. Scientific method and scientific attitude – The scientific method deals with rationalism and empiricism: formal structured proofs and observable, concrete data; the scientific attitude deals with curiosity 2. Describe the characteristics of the scientific method a. Direct observation of phenomena b. Clearly defined variables, methods and procedures c. Empirically testable hypotheses d. The ability to rule rival hypotheses e. Statistical justification f. Self-correcting process 3. What are the differences among the research approaches (and thinking styles) that guide the predominant kinds of studies done in operations research, marketing, finance and/or organizational behaviour? – There are six different styles of thinking: Postulational – rational and idealistic, Self-evident truth – fairly rational and idealistic, Method of authority – fairly rational and idealistic, Literary – informal and interpretative, Untested opinion – Very informal and fairly idealistic and finally, there is the scientific method which is empirical and rational. 4. Here are some terms commonly found in a management setting. Are they concepts or constructs? Give two different operational definitions for each. a. First-line supervisor – concept; person directly in charge of line workers; person reporting to unit manager b. Employee morale – construct; that which is measured by how an employee feels toward the job; that which is measured by how often an employee reports for work on time c. Assembly line – concept; area where the items are assembled; area where line workers spend most of their day d. Overdue account – concept; account balance that is past 30 days; an account where the amount owed is past 60 and less than 25% has been paid toward the balance. e. Line management – concept; person to whom all line supervisors report; head of each functional area f. Leadership – construct; quality defined by how many persons emulate this person; quality defined by a rating by asking persons how good a leader is the subject under study g. Price-earnings ratio – concept; the measure of how much an incumbent makes in reference to an average in the same job position; the amount someone makes in reference to others in similar jobs, having similar education and experience and within similar industries, in the same region. h. Union democracy- construct; the measure of how people say they have a say in the union; the measure of how the union heads have proceeded to do what the majority of the members asked. i. Ethical standards – construct; the value tha t an employee places on a variable; the untested opinion of how employees feel about the ethics within a company on a scale of 1-10. 5. In your company’s management development program, there was a heated discussion between some people who claimed: â€Å"Theory is impractical and thus no good†, and others who claimed: â€Å"Good theory is the most practical approach to problems†. What position would you take and why? – I would take neither side. Both statements have their value and can be argued at length. In support of the first statement: this falls into one of two categories: untested opinion or self-evident truth. Some say that theory is the opposite of fact and does not form a practical approach to problems, for solutions require facts. In support of the second statement: theory forms a systematic set of concepts, definitions and propositions that are advanced to explain and predict phenomena. Therefore, theory can be used as a good starting point for factual explanations. In my opinion, good theory and fact-based rationale are necessary; a good balance of both is required. 6. An automobile manufacturer observes the demand for its brand (DV) increasing per capita income increases (IV). Sales increases also follow low interest rates (MV), which ease credit conditions. Buyer purchase behaviour is seen to be dependent on age (IVV) and gender (IVV). Other factors influencing sales appear to fluctuate almost randomly (competitor advertising (EV), competitor dealer discounts (EV), introductions of new competitive models (EV)). a. If sales and per capita income are positively related, classify all variables as dependent, independent, moderating, extraneous or intervening. b. Comment on the utility of a model based on the hypothesis – DV depends directly on IV. MV is a secondary independent variable affecting the DV. The EVs are used to show variables that occur randomly or those that can be safely ignored. The IVVs are used to show variables that theoretically affect the DV, but have not actually been empirically in the study. 7. You observer the following condition: â€Å"Our female sales representative have lower customer defections than do our male sales representatives†. a. Propose the concepts and constructs you may use to study this phenomena – concepts and constructs: male definition; female definition; customer; customer defections (construct) b. How might any of these concepts/constructs be related to explanatory hypotheses? – the explanatory, or casual hypothesis, of female reps having lower customer defections than male reps can be tested by using research questions, built from concepts, constructs and definitions 8. You are the office manager of a large firm. Your company prides itself on its high quality customer service. Lately complaints have surfaced that an increased number of calls are being misrouted and dropped. Yesterday, when passing by the main reception area, you noticed the receptionist fiddling with his hearing aid. In the process, a call came in and would have gone unanswered if not for your intervention. The particular receptionist had earned a poor review for the last 3 months. Your inclination is to urge this 20-year employee to retire or to fire him. You know the individual is well liked and is seen as a fixture in the company. a. Pose several hypotheses that might account for dropped or misrouted calls. – the employee is too old to handle the load; employee cannot afford a proper hearing aid, the lack of which causes problems in directing calls properly, or answering calls in a timely manner; there is a problem with the phone routing system; there is a problem with the main phone at the call desk. b. Using the double movement of reflective thought, show how you would test these hypotheses – fact: calls are being misrouted; induction: why are calls not reaching their proper destination; hypothesis: any of the above; deduction: calls will be misrouted if the operator’s h earing aid is mal-functioning. 9. The Institute of Transport Engineers, a nationwide trade association with thousands of members, was dissatisfied with the way that State Farm arrived at its dangerous intersection list. a. If the ITE were to conduct a study of its own, what constructs and concepts would they define differently? – concepts and constructs defined differently: dangerous intersection; crash claim b. What hypotheses would ITE formulate to guide its version of the dangerous intersection study? – dangerous intersections have already been identified by engineers; dangerous intersections lack certain security features; dangerous intersections have a high volume of accidents 10. Identify and classify all the variables in the army’s â€Å"dud-shell† research – a. Dud shell (DV) b. Shell that explodes (IV) c. Persons coming into contact (EV) 11. What was Myra’s hypothesis for the army’s dud-shell research? What was the army’s hypothesis? – She believed that the dud-shell was incorrectly defined; she hypothesized that the dud-shells defined by the army were not all dud-shells, but were comprised of both dud-shells and shells that have a delayed exploding time; Myra’s hypothesis was: Civilians were coming in contact with potentially dangerous shells that could explode when manipulated. The army’s hypothesis was: shells that did not explode on impact were inert. 12. Graph your inductions and deductions in the following statements. If there are gaps, supply what is needed to make them complete arguments. a. Repeated studies indicate that economic conditions vary with – and lag 6 to 12 months behind – changes in the national money supply. Therefore, we may conclude that money is the basic economic variable. – induction: what causes economic conditions to vary; deduction: available money causes an alteration in economic conditions. b. Research studies show that heavy smokers have a higher rate of lung cancer than no smokers; therefore, heavy smoking causes lung cancer. – induction: does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer? Deduction: smoking does increase the risk of lung cancer. c. Show me a person who goes to church regularly and I will show you a reliable worker. – induction: what makes a reliable worker? Deduction: a regular church patron makes a reliable worker.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How to Use the French Past Subjunctive

How to Use the French Past Subjunctive The past subjunctive is used for the same reasons as the present subjunctive: to express emotion, doubts, and uncertainty. Before going on,  review the rules for using the  subjunctive  to make sure you understand them. Note that the only difference between the present subjunctive  and the past subjunctive  is tense; usage is the same for both. The past subjunctive is used when the verb in the subordinate clause, the verb that follows que, happened before the verb in the main clause. The past subjunctive can be used in a subordinate clause when the main clause is either in the present tense or the past tense. When the Main Clause is in the Present Tense Je suis heureuse que tu sois venu hier.   Im happy that you came yesterday.Nous avons peur quil na  pas mangà ©.   Were afraid that he didnt eat. When the Main Clause is in the Past Tense Or it may be used in a subordinate clause when the main clause is in the past tense. Note that if the main clause did not call for the subjunctive, the subordinate clause would have been in the past perfect, because the subordinate clause happened before the verb in the main clause. Therefore, the subordinate clause should technically be in the pluperfect subjunctive. But that is replaced by the past subjunctive in all but the most formal French. Il doutait que vous layez vu.   He doubted that you had seen it.Javais peur quils soient tombà ©s.   I was afraid that they had fallen. How to Compose the Past Subjunctive The French past subjunctive is a  compound conjugation, which means it has two parts: subjunctive  of the  auxiliary verb  (either  avoir  or  Ãƒ ªtre)past participle  of the main verb Like all French compound conjugations, the past subjunctive may be subject to a grammatical  agreement: When the auxiliary verb is  Ãƒ ªtre, the  past participle  must agree with the subject.When the auxiliary verb is  avoir, the past participle may have to agree with its  direct object.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Paleo Publishing A Cavemans Guide to Book Marketing

Paleo Publishing A Cavemans Guide to Book Marketing Paleo Publishing: A Caveman's Guide to Book Marketing We're often asked for our do’s and don’ts of indie book marketing. To be honest, it really isn’t all that complicated: the execution requires work and finesse, but the principles are simple. By now, EVERY AUTHOR should know the basic no-nos of marketing a book.  But there's one writer who we can forgive  for his ignorance...At the recent London Book Fair, we were introduced to the notorious Caveman Author. Recently unfrozen from a glacier in Alberta, Canada, he has since learned enough English to reveal that he was once the most popular writer of the Stone Age - the Stephen King of his era, so to speak, if King wrote about haunted beaver pelts instead of clown demons.We sat down for an interview and asked Caveman Author for his top 5 book marketing tips. Remember that his advice is from the Paleolithic era, so  follow it at your own risk.1. â€Å"CAVEMAN AUTHOR NOT WORRY ABOUT MARKETING†Reedsy: Thanks for speaking to us, Caveman Author. I guess we s hould start by talking about your overall book marketing philosophy...Caveman Author: CAVEMAN AUTHOR NOT WORRY MUCH ABOUT BOOK MARKETING. CAVEMAN HAS SAYING: WRITERS WRITE. CAVEMAN NOT  SALES-CAVEMAN. IF CAVEMAN WRITE GOOD BOOK - READERS WILL HEAR ABOUT IT AND WANT BUY IT.Reedsy: Buy your book? Did your society use some kind of currency? Amazon Ads for Authors: Two Case Studies Showing They Do Work Read post Caveman Author: CAVEMAN KNOW WHAT ADVERTISING IS.Reedsy: Really?Caveman Author: CAVEMAN ADVERTISED LAST BOOK. RELEASED BEFORE CLIMATE CATACLYSM KILL ALL CAVEMAN FRIENDS†¦Reedsy: Oh†¦ yeah. Sorry about that†¦Caveman Author: THAT OKAY. NOT YOUR FAULT†¦ FOR CAVEMAN LAST BOOK BEFORE BIG FREEZE, CAVEMAN PAY FOR BIG BILLBOARD CARVED ONTO BIG ROCK NEAR MAIN WATERING HOLE.Reedsy: Wow. Sounds like prime advertising real estate.Caveman Author: WAS NOT CHEAP. WON’T SAY HOW MUCH, BUT WILL TELL YOU: CAVE WAS LESS FULL OF CHICKENS THAT MONTH.Reedsy: Did the billboard work?Caveman Author: ER†¦ BRAND MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS VERY HARD TO TRACK. "Spend your entire budget on advertising" and other book marketing tips from a caveman author Reedsy: Tell me about it. These days, a lot of folks are getting great results from Facebook Advertising. It lets authors find audiences based on things like geography, age, gender, and interests. If you’ve got a mailing list, you can even use it to generate ‘lookalike’ audiences with creepy accuracy. And because you can test advert sets from as little as five dollars a day, there’s little downside to it.Caveman Author: YES... INTERESTING. AM THINKING†¦ MAYBE NEXT TIME, CAVEMAN GET BIGGER BILLBOARD.Reedsy: Thanks for speaking to us, Caveman Author. I think I’ve learned an awful lot. Best of luck getting used to the 21st Century.Caveman Author: BYE BYE!If you have any questions for the Caveman Author about his backlist or pre-historic book marketing practices,  leave it in the comments below. Or, simply follow him on Twitter  for more publishing tips.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Us or inter nation retailer that has entered the Canadian market Assignment

Us or inter nation retailer that has entered the Canadian market within the 5 years - Assignment Example The company was started by Do Won (Don) Chang along with his better half Jin Sook. Their first store opened in 1984 and today it has more than 500 outlets/stores across the globe. The company operates as private limited company and top management primarily consists of family members only. Do Won Chang operates as CEO of Forever 21, the position of Chief Merchandising Officer is held by Jin Sook Chang, wife of Do Won Chang and those of Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Visual Officer are held by Linda and Esther, (Chang’s daughters). The American retail chain was founded in California, in 1984 by Do Won Chang and his wife (Jin Sook Chang). The store was sized 900square feet and located in Figueroa Street and by the end of 1st year; sales of Forever 21 had risen from $35,000 to about $700000. The founder further reinvested and expanded into new stores. In 1989 the brand opened its 11th retail outlet at Panorama Mall in California and improved its (presence by increasing the size of the store to 5000 square feet. In 1995, Forever 21 opened its first store outside California and reached a total of about 40 stores by 1997. In 1999, Forever 21 had the opportunity to create its own prototypical store in a mall with display of merchandise and redesigning the complete store and increased the size of the store to 9000 square feet. By 2001, Forever 21 expanded drastically and had opened its flagship stores in Miami, Texas, Chicago, Edmonton, Canada and Los Angeles. The average size of the stores was 24000 sq feet and offe red one stop shopping experience to its customers. Forever 21 ranked amongst the 50 largest privately held companies. By 2005, the company had launched 355 stores nationwide and continues to do so (Forever 21-a, n.d). Currently the brand has about 500 stores and operates (from various locations) Financially, the company has been