My ordinal day at college Essay

My ordinal day at college is an grave event of my existence. To me it is an memorable day. During my education days I had a looking of college lifespan from my beverage brothers and sisters. I was most peculiarly waiting the day when I would begin my college spirit. I mentation that the college sprightliness would request me a issue being; here restrictions would be few and threat of teachers would be soft. At inalterable the longed for day came in. I was admitted to the Government College of my city. I entered the college premises with new hopes and aspirations. I was glad to see that the college presented a new grasp. It was quite diametric from what I had seen in and around our schooltime. I came crossways galore dishonorable faces. I had whatever real fantastical experiences on the forward day of my college brio. I was befuddled to see students activity inside and exterior games and enjoying receiver programmes during class-hours. There is no regulating of homogenous. I observed that the students are unloosen in their movements. They can do things according to their pick. I institute all the new admitted students in squealing intoxicant. They were all joyful to straighten Mends. I emotional say the college. I was rattling some delighted to see the noble depository of the college where I could find books on real field. The college laboratory overexcited my wonder on the really basic day and I got raring to accomplish experiments there. I noted pile the time-table of’ my categorise from the note {school. Apiece dominate is taught by a special educator. Questions are not asked in the classes. Professors do not reproval the students if they miscarry to, inform their lessons. They but verify the students to be sentient of their responsibilities. The students judge here a homey atmosphere which they need n the refine. For this, they reason painless and prosperous here. Read more: Essay On MY FIRST DAY AT COLLEGE Full Essay http://www.friendsmania.net/forum/essay-writing-notes-applications-letters/251688.htm#ixzz37JQ6CozN http://sekho.com.pk/educational-articles/my-first-day-at-college/ http://ue.edu.pk/fee_schedule.asp

Altering the Landscape of Health Care Essay

The health care field is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States and other countries. The scope of changes suggests a consumer-driven environment and moving away from a provider-driven industry. Changes in technology and communication methods are allowing people to engage directly with their health care provider and not rely solely on the medical provider. We will discuss the modifications taking place in health care, current and potential challenges, and how the health care industry is adjusting to those changes. Modifications in Health Care The modifications taking place in health care involve the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and changes in insurance coverages. A report from Mobile Health 2012 from the Pew Internet & American Life Project states that 45 percent of American adults own a smartphone (Khan, 2014). In addition, the report also states that 53% of smartphone owners use their phones to gain access to health care information (Khan, 2014). With this increase in technology, patients do not have to wait for the next appointment for laboratory results, access real-time data, or health information. They can have access to their medical records anytime they choose, including other methods of communication such as email or social media (Khan, 2014). Through the ACA, patients have choices about choosing health insurance exchanges that benefit their families and themselves, which includes choosing premiums, copays, and deductibles. Individuals have the benefit of choosing cost-effective insurance coverage that is affordable for them which give them direct power and actively engaging in their quality of care. Current and Potential Challenges in Health Care The current and potential challenges facing health care comes from the new mandates under the ACA. Health care employees are under tremendous stress with shortages in the workforce, and instability in the industry (Anderson, 2014). The average health professional’s level of stress is causing job dissatisfaction, burnout, and difficulty retaining quality health care providers (Anderson, 2014). Consumers expect to receive quality care with more choices under the ACA and have the freedom to monitor their health care expenses. Although patients can seek additional health care information through technology, it will take a strong workforce to provide optimum patient care to consumers (Anderson, 2014). The challenge to improve the quality of care without a strong, resilient, growing workforce is undeniable. Many health professionals are seeking other career interests because of the effects of ACA. The mandate that comes under the ACA increases the level of stress on workers, organizations, and the health system is increasing tremendously (Anderson, 2014). The complexity of implementing the rules of the ACA places extreme burden on health providers to fulfill professional obligation, adhere to legal requirements, and still provide quality patient care (Anderson, 2014). Instead of lifting the pressure off of workers it place enormous stress to perform with excellence daily. Another huge challenge in health care is the increase of medical errors because of overworked individuals, which creates fewer optimal outcomes, including patient death and health care disparities (Khan, 2014). The mandate on medical providers to implement electronic health records is creating workforce stress, increased workloads, and burnout among health providers and professionals (Anderson, 2014). In addition, there will be growth in the workforce because of the increase in the number of patients that will be insured under the ACA. Therefore, this will create overwhelming strain on existing medical workers and their ability to accomplish those goals. Solutions to Health Care Challenges The effort to remain competitive in the health care industry requires medical providers, such as physicians, hospitals, physician group practices, and numerous health care companies to integrate and merge businesses (Anderson,  2014). As stated in the article, mergers and acquisitions lower operating costs, but also keep an even distribution of financial safety and increases market share (Anderson, 2014). Consolidations now include many physicians selling their practices to join physician groups and working in hospitals. With these changes taken place, insurers, hospitals, physicians and stakeholders can have an increase in negotiation power (Anderson, 2014). In 2011, there were consolidations that include 432 mergers involving 832 hospitals (Anderson, 2014). As a result, many hospitals are not independent but are now major health care systems throughout the United States. The implementation of the ACA suggests more individuals by law will have to purchase insurance. The health care system is not prepared to handle the large quantity of cases, which will add significant stress among workers. Health care organizations will need an efficient workforce to accommodate the growing population and give patients the quality of care that they deserve (Anderson, 2014). According to Anderson, â€Å"Solutions to the existing problems will require innovation in medical education and training, improved delivery of care, and implementation of policies to retain the existing health care workforce† (Anderson, 2014, p.1). The shift taking place in health care will continue to change along with the implementations under the ACA and the mandate to obtain insurance coverage. Changing the landscape of health care includes the shift to mobile technology and consumer-driven industry. Consumers are more aware of technology that can assist in gaining access to medical information and are seeking alternatives to insurance coverages and reducing costs. Therefore, they are engaging directly with the medical providers and taking ownership of their health information and status. Health care professionals are seeking less stressful working environments, smaller workloads, and even other career paths. The operating costs of the health care system are astronomical and will continue to increase as health care becomes available to more consumers. References Anderson, A. (2014). The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on the Health Care Workforce. Re trieved from http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2014/03/the-impact-of-the-afforda ble-care-act-on-the-health-care-workforce Khan, F. (2014). The Shift to Consumer Driven Healthcare. Advance Healthcare Network. Retrie ved from http://healthcare-executive-insight.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/The-Shif t-to-Consumer-Driven-Healthcare.aspx

Career planning incorporates is long and short term goals

Career planning incorporates is long and short term goals The perfect career is not a standard of living .it’s a state of mind and state of being. In the perfect job I’m applying the talent I enjoy most to an interest I’m passionate about in an environment that fits who you are and what you value. With the rapidly changing world of work. It can be difficult to make specific career plans for the near future. Let alone for the rest of your life. Key concepts The first step in career planning is self-assessment Proper preparation is necessary for a career Setting goals/ objectives is a critical element in choosing a career path Making a career choice requires making major decisions Career planning incorporates is long term & short term career goals Long term career planning Short term career planning My knowledge, skills, values and interests Identify which new knowledge and skills I want to improve Research career opportunities Formulate a careers action plan with contingencies Up to 6 years ahead From 6 to 10 years ahea d Check the careers action plan for realism My career plan As a accounting student my personal career plan target is an finance director as my first brother who working at augentius fund administration LLP as finance associate director He is my role model. Since I was 7 years old, I started to keep expenses records with my pocket money. I have a greater opportunity to develop my career. Because two of my brothers in accounting field. Prospective career path Currently I’m doing BABS and ACCA as well after my degree it could be help to my plan to do internships in a companies which are focused on the financial sectors . Now a days a lot of opportunities for accounting field. It gives me satisfaction I have potential growth in my career. Five smart objectives I will finish my ACCA qualification within twoà Ã… ¡ years after my London school of commerce BABS graduation on self study basis Improve my English skill to excellent level in written and spoken Expand my networking thro ugh adding valuable business contacts through attend meeting, exhibition, seminars Role of the Accounting/ Financial Having noted the expanded number of tasks now undertaken by the modern financial function it is important to also note how the role of the accounting staff has changed in relation to the rest of the company. Knowing where you stand today is a necessary preside to contemplating where you might be in the future. The understanding of a company’s overall performance and its current financial standing is the key for any planning activities. The finance of the company will help to find out that information .a particular important area in which the role of the accountant has changed is related to processes. The most historically important role that the accounting staff must change is that of being a brake on other activities. The accounting staff tends to shoot down changes proposed by other department the changes will interfere with the controls. In today increasingl y competitive environment, it is very important for companies to develop strong relationships with their key suppliers and customer. These business partners will demand extra services, some of which must be fulfilled by the accounting staff. With the globalization of business, competition has become more intense. It is possible that the ethical foundations to which a company adheres have deteriorated in the face of this pressure.

Read 3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Read 3 - Coursework Example Therefore, my relationship to technology has improved significantly upon learning that it is possible to create creatures that imitate and act like humans through technology. The question one asks on this is the morality surrounding the creations of these creatures, or whether such creatures have a conscience, feelings or a soul. Green is quoted saying â€Å"sometimes we forget that we are still in the middle of history.† In this quote, Green was implying that modern science is engaging in research activities and end up creating creatures that come back to harm its creators, who in this case are human beings. Through this quote, Green was questioning the extent of which scientists need to engage in while performing their experiments. Therefore, all research and scientific initiatives need to remember that the human race is still in the middle of the entire process. The same concepts relate to Frankenstein in the manner of which he ended up destroying one creature for fear that they would reproduce an offspring that would be beyond the control of its creator (Shelley 95). All of this was in the name of limiting the extent of scientific experiments. The concept thus tells the reader that ethical and social issues need to be in place while engaging in any scientific experiments, especially those concerni ng the creation of new creatures. From the presentation, Green questions if Victor sees himself as a god and if he is a good or bad god. Green also asks if the monster deserved his exile. To answer this question, there is a point where Victor was comparing himself to Lucifer, who was an Archangel with the inspiration to beat God through his dying monologue. He went ahead to state that this experiment will take place again. On killing the monster, Victor saw himself as the superior to the creature that he had created, thus justifying his decision to exile the monster. Victor’s experiment fails in that context that he was unsure of what the

Vin Diesel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vin Diesel - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Vin Diesel is an incredibly well-known actor for his big-budget movie roles in movies like â€Å"xXx,† â€Å"The Fast and the Furious† and other such large-scale action movies.   Probably the greatest sign that Vin Diesel is not at all who you thought he was from his big budget films comes from the film â€Å"Multi-Facial† which he wrote, directed and starred in when he was unable to be cast in any movies in Hollywood.   This is a film about how it can be very hard for someone with a multi-ethnic background to be cast into movies, because they will either be called â€Å"too white† or â€Å"too black† for a lot of the parts, and though they could possibly pass for Hispanic they do not have the accent or the language skills to keep up with real Hispanics in a film role.   Vin Diesel did almost every part of this film himself for a budget of only $4000, and it was eventually accepted into the Cann es Film Festival in 1995.   Vin Diesel even wrote and performed all of the music for this piece, showing that he really has a wide array of talents.   At the Cannes Film Festival, Steven Spielberg saw this film and was truly impressed, and eventually decided to write a part for Diesel in the incredibly well received Saving Private Ryan.   Added to this is Vin Diesel’s amazing amount of popular appeal.   He has been a star in a lot of highly successful Hollywood movies, most notably â€Å"xXx† and â€Å"The Fast and the Furious.†Ã‚  

Curriculum Development and teaching strategies for gifted learners Essay

Curriculum Development and teaching strategies for gifted learners - Essay Example Students who excelled in special education programs were, according to Persson, Joswog and Balogh (1997), once again, separated from their above average co-learners and placed in programs designed for geniuses. The intent of this program was not simply the realization of gifted learners’ full potential but the development of future leaders. The historical introduction offered in the preceding highlights a long-standing acknowledgement of the importance of designing special education programs which address the mental capacities, abilities and talents of gifted learners and function to both enable and guide them towards the realisation of their potential. Integral to the realization of potential of gifted students is, of course, curriculum and learning strategies. Within the context of the stated, therefore, curriculum development and learning strategies for gifted students assume unique importance and, accordingly, have been the focus of numerous research and studies. This paper shall review a number of these studies for the purpose of evaluating the variant curriculum development and learning strategies for gifted students. In his analysis of gifted learners’ educational requirements, Shore (1988) argued that without a curriculum which is designed in response to their needs, the full potential of gifted learners will never be truly realized. Even while conceding that prerequisite to the design of such a curricular is the careful and critical evaluation of individual learner requirements and, possibly, the design of differentiated curricula within the context of a more general curricular framework, Shore (1988) defended his approach to curriculum development as optimally suited to the needs of individual gifted learners. The development/design of a differentiated gifted learner curriculum is a complex undertaking insofar as it involves the design of both general and specific curricula.

Footsteps Analysis and markating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Footsteps Analysis and markating - Essay Example This study explores the potentials and provides the parameters for this type of service (historical tours) and how it may be enhanced by the new proposed internet enabling. The study provides a strategic assessment using SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter’s Five-Forces model, market analysis and proposed marketing mix, and a cursory plan for implementation of the website design project to actualize the e-commerce capability. The study provides a take-off point for a more thorough operational and financial investment plan that may be completed through incremental analysis, when more detailed data of existing operations are provided. Marketing Analysis Introduction Footsteps Historical Tours is a company which was begun thirty years ago by Judith and Roger Ironridge, husband and wife. The couple are both history aficionados, and at the beginning, both did the research. As time progressed, Judith needed to concentrate on administration. Although the number of employees has increased from t he original 2 to the present 25 (which includes 10 part-timers), the increase in sales and the growth of the business has left the employees, particularly with Roger and Judith, with a heavy workload. While Judith works on the administration of the business, and Roger does the research and the outside broadcasts. With the arrival of their daughter Isabelle, the had additional help, and a new source of more innovative ideas for the business. Originally, Roger and Judith had banked on the creation of a CD Rom for publicity outreach purposes, as their I.T. knowledge had slowly began to catch up. However, a new friend of Isabelle, Max, was brought in to provide an I.T. proposal for the business, the couple were introduced to the idea of going online with its own website. Max happens to be adept in the field, and even ran his own business entirely through internet enabling. The proposed website will provide prospective customers for information about the packaged historic tours of the co mpany; it is also proposed that the website shall provide a facility that will allow for the execution of transactions for the business. After consideration, Judith and Roger agreed to the plan. It is the intention of this report to provide a strategic analysis and marketing strategy for Footsteps Historical Tours, and a proposed plan for execution. Strategic analysis of ‘Footsteps Historical Tours’ PESTLE ANALYSIS FACTOR Type (Pos/Neg) Import-ance Political Factors  · Stability of government in certain destinations  · Social policies of destination countries / localities  · Tax policies, particularly increase in petrol prices  · Expansion of EU allows for greater mobility in new sites +/- +/- - + Moderate Moderate Moderate Crucial Economic Factors  · Disposable income of target customers  · Credit accessibility as a result of global crisis  · Increased competition among other specialty providers  · Interest rates can reduce net income  · Exposure in f oreign currencies if target site is outside UK +/- - - - - Moderate Crucial Moderate Moderate

Understanding business operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Understanding business operations - Essay Example Supply chain management integrates the key business processes, from end user through original suppliers. Companies and corporations involve themselves in a supply chain by exchanging information regarding market fluctuations and production capabilities. Technology can be used effectively to enhance the performance of the supply chain to ensure value propositions at all points of the supply chain. Ensuring superior value propositions based on customer service leads to competitive advantage. If all relevant information is accessible to any relevant company, every company in the supply chain has the possibility to and can seek to help optimizing the entire supply chain rather than sub optimize based on a local interest. This will lead to better planned overall production and distribution which can cut costs and give a more attractive final product leading to better sales and better overall results for the companies involved. The primary objective of a company’s supply chain management is to fulfil customer demands through the most efficient use of resources, including distribution capacity, inventory and labour. A supply chain seeks to match demand with supply and do so with the minimal inventory. Various aspects of optimizing the supply chain include liaising with suppliers to eliminate bottlenecks; sourcing strategically to strike a balance between lowest material cost and transportation, implementing JIT (Just In Time) techniques to optimize manufacturing flow; maintaining the right mix and location of factories and warehouses to serve customer markets, and using location/allocation, vehicle routing analysis, dynamic programming and traditional logistics optimization to maximize the efficiency of the distribution side. Incorporating SCM successfully leads to a new kind of competition on the global market where competition is no longer of the company versus company form but rather takes on a supply chain versus supply chain form. When a firm sustains

Classic Airlines Marketing Solution Paper Essay

Classic Airlines Marketing Solution Paper - Essay Example The company generates its revenue from passenger as well as cargo services. The total revenue earned by the company has moved up from $8592 million to $8700 million from the year 2003. Despite the rise in the revenue, it faced a decline in its net income. The main reason for this can be attributed to the rise in its operating expenditure which has moved up by approximately 20% in 2004. This is getting reflected in the annual net profit, as it has dropped significantly from $71 million to $10 million in the year 2004 which is a fall of nearly 86%. The net profit margin ratio of the company has declined from 0.0083 to 0.0011. This means that the net profit margin of the company has declined substantially by 86 % compared to the last year (California State University, n.d.). In view of this, Classic Airlines has planned for a reduction in its costs relating to Operations, Marketing, Sales, Administration and IT. The company has planned for the highest cost-cut in the marketing division. The price of the companys stock at the end of 2003 was $33.20 compared to $28.93 in 2004. The dismal financial performance of the company is getting reflected in the stock price which has fallen by nearly 12.86%. The highest price recorded by the company in 2004 is $36.75, in the month of July. This could be due to highest monthly net income posted by the company in the last month at $160 million. Even though it remained above $100 million mark in July, the following months witnessed a sharp fall in the net income. As evident by the financial statements, the companys revenue peaked in the months of June and July in both the years. The terrorist strike on September 9/11 had a deep impact on the airline industry with most of the airlines reporting dip in profits. This led to an increase in the amount of debt as the company ran into severe losses which had to be financed through external

Business Environment Analysis of British Airways Essay - 2

Business Environment Analysis of British Airways - Essay Example British airways vision is to encourage achieving values that are very important for the organization (Katie, 2013). The organization values to achieve acceptable standards to govern individual behavior in the organization. The organizations are running their businesses all over the world. The main purpose of these organizations is to fulfill the basic needs of the human and to give good impact on the world. The businesses usually established in order to prevent or improve the human life. Many organizations in the world understand the management of organization and explicit verity of decisions making to provide direction to the organization (Bryson, 2011). The organizational purpose is to take verify of the decisions for the insiders and communicate with the outsiders. In the private sector, the organization is not part of the government. Whereas, the public sector organization, is owned and operated by the government. British Airways is originally a privately owned aviation organization that was nationalized in 1939. British airways merge the financial losses and industrial operations privately (Heinz & Pitfield, 2011). In an organization, the stakeholder relationship model make connections between the organization and its stakeholders. It is essential for the organization to establish a good understanding with the stakeholder in order to raise the profit and organizational profile. There are many stakeholders of British airways, including customers, employees, competitors, suppliers, media, environmental issues, local communities, financial institutions, shareholders, government etc (Balmer, Illia, & Brena, 2013). Below few stakeholders are discussed. The customers are the major source of earning profits for the organization, and these customers have high impact on the management of the organization. The British airways always try to attract the existing customers and move forward to attract the young or new audience. The British airways have the

Nike - Recent Enviromental Changes Essay Example for Free

Nike Recent Enviromental Changes Essay INTRODUCTION Founded in 1968 in Oregon, Nikes business activities involve design, development and the worldwide marketing of high quality apparel, equipment, footwear and accessory products. Nike sells to approximately 140 countries around the world and currently boasts an approximate revenue of $8,776,900,000 These revenues are based on product sales of shoes, clothing, and other sports products. Advertising expenditures currently total $223,300,000 and include the following allocations: $64,975,000 for network television, $31,447,000 for consumer magazines, $7,700,000 for spot television, $343,000 for newspapers, $134,000 for outdoor postings, and $36,000 for radio. (Reed Elsevier) Most footwear products are made outside of USA. However apparel products are produced in the USA and abroad. (www.statcan.ca) In this article we will try to explore the interaction between the company Nike and its external business environment, as well as the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company. We will attempt to discover some of the significant changes and events in the external environment that have occurred in the last 5 years and have directly impacted Nike. We will describe how the company adapted and responded to these changes and what the effects of these events were. Also we will identify and describe some of Nikes internal strengths and weaknesses. CHANGES AND EVENTS IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL CRISES One of the most recent global environmental changes are the events of September 11th 2001, when airplanes crashed into each of the World Trade Center towers in New York, the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and near Pittsburgh, P.A. (www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5232/) U.S. government officials reported that the crashes were a coordinated terrorist attack. Since this catastrophe was not expected, no one was ready to respond to it. Cole Haan store (owned by Nike), located in the World Trade Center plaza has been completely demolished. However, all of approximately 250-260 Nike and Cole Haan employees based in New York are safe and accounted for. In addition, no Nike employees were on board any of the planes involved in the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. (www.centrum.sk) After closing on Tuesday, September 11th, and Wednesday, September 12th, all  other Nike and Cole Haan stores in New York and Washington D.C. are open. (www.nike.com) This disas ter affected not only the American people but also the world economy and many areas of business, including Nike Inc. The value of American dollar dropped rapidly and is recovering very slowly. Nike has a large amount of their products in inventory, which they are unable to sell and are preparing to cut down the production. This would mean a significant downsizing in number of employees. (www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5232/) Many consumers have reduced their travel to certain retail destinations; in general consumers are purchasing few non-essential products. Nike expects lower sales and profits over the next several months as consumers closely monitor the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan. (www.nike.com) When a military campaign, like the one in Afghanistan, brings new developments or intensifies, U.S. consumers buy less, prompting retailers to become more cautious with their product orders. These events caused a 12 percent decline in shares since September 11th of Nike Inc., the industrys leader. (www.nike.com) The company said the September 11th attacks on the United States have disrupted most of its long-range strategy plans. Analysts have predicted a modest decrease in quarterly earnings estimates for Nike. They also said they expect fourth-quarter 2001 sales to be hurt by the slowdown in consumer s pending.(www.msn.com) Decline and slow recovery of Nikes stock since Sept. 11th 2001 (www.moneycentral.msn.co.uk) The company expects to scale back advertising and production next year. (www.nike.com) Nike, as a global company, is now focusing its efforts on assisting in the relief efforts and in heeding President Bushs directive to regain business as quickly as possible. (www.sme.sk) Both local and national Red Cross agencies have identified immediate financial support as their most critical need. For that reason, the Nike Foundation has been collecting contributions from individual Nike employees and factory partners across the country and throughout the world. Through matching funds, Nike is making a $1 million contribution to the American Red Cross and a variety of other local relief organizations through matching funds of employees and factory partners. In addition, Nike partner factories in Asia, Feng Tay and Pou Chen, have donated $100,000 each to the American Red Cross. (www.nike.com) Nike also is working with relief agencies in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania  to provide do nations of Nike products for victims who are affected by these tragic circumstances, as well as for those involved in the rescue and recovery efforts. These donations include more than 14,000 t-shirts, 11,400 pairs of socks, 1,200 pairs of Nike ACG work boots, 1,000 towels, plus hundreds of pairs of shoes, warm-ups, jackets, sweat shirts and gym bags for rescue workers to store their personal belongings. (www.sme.sk) (www.nike.com) Nike and Niketown New York will continue to coordinate with relief and government agencies and provide as many requested products as possible for fire and rescue personnel. Already, more than $300,000 Nike products have been delivered or are on their way to New York relief agencies. (www.nike.com) Nike US employees participated in a Red Cross blood drive on Sept. 24-25 at its Beaverton-based world headquarters and Oct. 1st and Oct. 5th in its Memphis distribution center location. Nike also has donated money to pat for airtime for two 30-second advertisements to the Red Cross during the Oct. 7 broadcast of the World Cup qualifying match between Team USA and Jamaica on ABC, as well as purchasing space the West 4th wall in Manhattan for advertisements. (www.nike.com) The previous numbers indicate Nikes response to this huge global change from social as well as from the business point of view. Nikes donations as a response to the events of Sept. 11th 2001 Organization Amount Designation American Red Cross $250,000 ($106,000 from Nike employees globally) Relief efforts in NY, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania PBA Widows and Childrens Police Relief Fund c/o Police Benevolence Association $175,000 Assistance to NY families for burial costs and family survival expenses UFA Widows Childrens Fund c/o Uniformed Fire Fighters Assn $175,000 Assistance to NY families for burial costs and family survival expenses Federal Employee Education Assistance Fund $100,000 Assistance to families for burial costs and family survival expenses International Association of Fire Fighters $50,000 Assistance to NY families for burial costs and family survival expenses New York State Fraternal Order of Police WTC Fund $50,000 Assistance to NY families for burial costs and family survival expenses Catholic Charities USA $50,000 Immediate counseling and family services for those impacted by NY disast ers United Methodist Committee on Relief $50,000 Immediate counseling and family services for  those impacted by NY disasters Mercy Corps Comfort for Kids Project $25,000 Helping children and families in NY and Washington DC Misc. contingency fund $75,000 Programs and organizations promoting racial and religious healing and community building efforts Total Reported Cash Donations $1 million (www.nike.com) E-BUSINESS As the modern world changes through advances in technology, the global market economy also changes, affecting global businesses such as Nike Inc. Technological changes in the form of machines and mechanical inventions affected the economy during the industrial revolution, but today the advances are more in computer technology. The first computer was produced in the US approximately 50 years ago and was the size of a large room needing its own electric power plant and cost a million dollars to build. This gigantic computer could only do simple calculations. Computers have since decreased greatly in size and cost and increased in productivity and capabilities. In the 1980s there were big improvements in microprocessors, which allowed for the huge technological advances of the 90s. Computers are now part of many households and almost every family in the developed world has a computer. The top personal computer now costs between $2500 and $3500 compared to the larger models earlier in th e past century. The Internet has also been expanding globally and has changed our world into and global village. The first version of the net was developed in 1969, during the Cold War by the US department of defense as a communication in case of nuclear attack. The net became available in the 1980s for email and Internet chats, but improvements in HTML in the 1990s sparked the birth of a new way of communication and business (www.freespace.virgin.net/g.hirst/). A recent survey calculated 120 million users of the net worldwide and numbers are still growing at an enormous rate. The development quick loading and the fast moving Internet attracted people to do more things on the Internet. One of the new advances of the Internet is an E-business. Many people are now ordering goods and services over the Internet. One other use of Internet is also advertisement. Recently, Nike has been trying to find new markets and consumers. One huge innovation to get closer to the customer is through the Internet. The Internet makes information available to people all around the world. Nikes web page is designed to entertain the visitor through innovative, colourful graphics; to inform the potential customer of Nikes activities; and promote  and sell their products through the E-shop. The Nike accommodates to the world trend of Internet and shopping over the Internet. They made their own web-shop where visiting customers can easily find the product, which they are looking for. This is a great way to improve future business of the company as Internet business is improving so quickly. It is also important to put a lot of effort and quality into the services offering through the Internet to make a good reputation about the services and name of the company. (www.niketown.com) GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, LAWS AND TRADE BARRIERS In 1994, the EU commission imposed quotas on certain types of footwear manufactured in China. Special Technology Athletic Footwear, footwear designed for use in sporting activities, met certain technical criteria and footwear having a CIF (cost, in surance and freight) price above 9 EUROs was excluded from these quotas. All other footwear produced by Nike falls under the quotas. However Nike feels that the quotas have not material effect on their business. (www.nike.com) In 1995 the EU commission initiated two anti-dumping legislations covering footwear imported from China, Indonesia and Thailand. In 1997 and 1998, the commission imposed definite anti-dumping duties on certain synthetic, textile and leather upper footwear originating from China Indonesia and Thailand. These anti-dumping duties have exclusions for STAF footwear, sports footwear and footwear with the CIF above 5,6 EUROs. (www.nike.com) This means the anti-dumping duties apply only to low cost footwear, which means that Nike can distribute most products except children shoes and low cost sandals. However Nike shifted the production of these types of footwear to other countries and therefore the anti-dumping duties have not had a material affect on their business. (www.centrum.sk) If the EU measures become more restrictive Nike recommends that the European subsidiaries consider shifting the production of footwear to other countries in order to maintain competitive pricing. Nike continues to closely monitor international restrictions and maintain a multi-country sourcing strategy and contingency plans. Nike believes that their major competitors are in the similar position. (www.pravda.sk) NEW MARKETS AND CONSUMER TRENDS Revenue for the past three years of Nikes international (non-US) and US market (www.nikebiz.com) Over the past 4-5 years many new markets have opened for Nike, not only from the geographical point of view and expansions outside the US but also from the customer demand and trends perspective.  (www.centrum.sk) As the concept of the global village is becoming reality, more unexploded markets are opening up. Nike divides its global business into four regions: the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. (www.nike.com) While each reg ion increased revenue in the fiscal year 2001, most of its growth came from the new unexplored markets outside. In the last seven years, Nike has built many international branch offices and subsidiaries as a response to the changing market. These are located in: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Norway, Peoples Republic of China, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. (www.nike.com) Percentage of footwear production in specific countries The European market for athletic footwear and apparel continues to flourish. Every day, new shops open with a commitment to presentation and service that NIKE emphasizes. Nike feels the emotional connection growing in Europe is similar to the one NIKE created in the U.S. 20 years ago. (www.nike.com) Nikes Asian market is very profitable but als o very demanding one. This market depends on authentic sports positioning and the ability to deliver technology-based performance products. Nikes attempt to fulfill these criteria has so far been very successful. Nike is especially enthusiastic about the World Cup coming to Japan and Korea in 2002. They hope this will provide them with a great opportunity to influence their soccer success in Asia. (www.nike.com) The most competitive and developed market in the world for Nike is the USA. Revenues in this market grow at two percent per year. Although Nike has been struggling in some areas of this market, it continues to lead the athletic footwear market in share and product innovation. Apparel in the U.S. is slowly making its way back to the market after couple of tough quarters in the past 2 years. U.S. Apparel is currently up 9% in revenue for the year and is starting to stabilize in the second half of fiscal 2001. (www.nike.com) Changes that have occurred in customer demand are directly proportional to the present trends of people. According to recent researches, American kids have only 25 percent of their  daily life considered as free time, compared to about 40 percent in 1981. (www.nike.com) For a sports company this means less demand for leisure time clothes, footwear and equipment. According to statistics, athletic footwear sales have shown a decrease in the third quarter. This fact represents back-to-school sales, indicating less interest by the crucial teenage market as it moves toward different looks in the footwear area. This may be explained by an overall shift of interest and fashion in this market from sports toward entertainment, music, and celebrities. A recent trend in the athletic footwear business shows that several of the large corporations are losing market share due to the declining sales in traditional markets. As aerobics, fitness and cross training markets decline there is a shift to non-traditional sports. By 1998, the publicity for a market in brown shoes had passed. Brown shoes never impacted the athletic footwear market as predicted. Instead, hiking, off-trail and fashion footwear continue to show strong growth, with many athletic footwear companies expanding into those areas. (www.nike.com) It is predicted that the market for athletic footwear has peaked and is now declining and leveling off at a production level of about 300 million pairs. Fashion driven spikes often occur, such as in 1995 where a production level of 345 million pairs was reached. This is viewed as a bonus for the industry. (www.nike.com) Retailers will thrive at the 300 million pair a year production level by working with retailers to consolidate store locations, manage inventories and maximize sell-through. The continued trend over the last five years is the consumers willingness to pay, on average, higher prices for athletic footwear. (www.proquest.com) IMPORTANT FINANCIAL EVENTS The financial interactions between countries and governments affect the profits of the large corporations such as Nike and the retail values of their products. In North America transactions are often measured in US dollars. This common currency makes transactions easier between countries. In the European Union, 15 different countries must convert their different currencies when doing business with other countries. This often accounts for increased retail prices in international goods and services. On January 1st 1999, 11 of the 15 members countries of the European Union  established permanent conversion rates between their existing currencies and the new EURO, the new common currency of the European union. Until the end of the transition period, public and private parties may pay for goods and services using the countries original currency or the EURO. Starting January 2002, the EURO will be the official currency of the EU and the original currencies will be completely withdrawn from circulation by June 30th 2002. (www.nike.com) Since January 1998 Nike has been researching the complications and affects of the transitions to the EURO. Nikes devoted project team has made modifications to inform technology systems supporting the market, management, invoicing, pay roles and cash management functions in order to make their conversion smooth. Nike believes that the introduction of the EURO will eliminate inequalities in exchange rates between countries although differences in cost between countries and different tax rates will still affect price differences at the retail level. Over the past three years Nike has been actively working to asses and adjust a practices in pricing to operate effectively under this new currency. (www.nike.com) The cost of adapting Nikes systems and practices to the use of the EURO total approximately 8 millions US dollars and was generally related to the modification of their existing systems. Nike also believes that the change of currency will not have an impact on the financial conditions of results of operation. (www.nikebiz.com) INTERNAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES STRENGTHS Decision Making Nikes strongest weapon is decision-making. Their managerial team has been able to make decisions specific to their needs and although not all the time, most of the time they were right. They combined rationality, intuition and experience to come up with the best decisions ever made in this market. To prove the above, we can just look at some of their well-known choices made in the past. Nike managers decided to rely on globalization and externalization of risk through wholly or partly-owned subsidiaries. (www.nike.com) The fact that they have subsidiaries all over the world helps them to become more flexible and partially getting rid of potential risk. Their flexibility is proved by the diversity of sports areas they are involved in, which has also turned out to be a great decision since Nike is dominating most of these markets. (www.nike.com) This company is able to manufacture products for a dozen of different sports and still keep the top quality in all of them. Fr om the  start, the managers of Nike decided to count on customer satisfaction and total quality of their products, realizing the social expectations that lied upon their shoulders. They have believed that quality outweighs the extra amount of money spent on manufacturing of the best products on the market. One of the most important decisions of Nikes management was advertising. They spent large amounts of money on commercials, which have in the long term paid back in multiples. They have used famous athletes to promote their brand, which is considered a great strategic plan. Also they decided to involve in various social activities. Their extraordinary advertising has helped them to develop the well-known image they have. (www.msn.com) The owners of the company visualized, gave the company a form, set their goals and then they tried to achieve them. They hired the right personnel and they motivated them by generally higher wages than their competitors were offering. They also involved their employees in initiating and implementing change. According to these employees, Nike allowed them to gain self confidence, express their creativity, and involve in making decisions that need not only the expertise of a manager but also an experience of a worker. (www.nike.com) Looking at the present results of Nikes decisions, this kind of empowerment has shown to be a great choice. Research and Development Efforts Nike believes that the key factor of its success originates from their research and development efforts. (www.nike.com) They emphasize the technical innovation in the design of their products to achieve their manufacturing goals, which are to create products capable of reducing injury, increasing athletes performance and maximizing comfort. Of course, Nike pays a lot of attention to their products design respectively to the present trends. (www.sgma.com) Since these criteria require a specific expertise, recruitment is one of the most important managerial issues of Nike. Looking at their past, we have to admit that they have succeeded in this with excellence. Nike has own staff of specialists in the areas of biomechanics, exercise physiology, engineering, industrial design and others. They also have committees specialized on research and advisory. These committees are made of top-level athletes, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, orthopedics, podiatrists and other experts. (www.nike.com) These people use their expertise and experience to  help Nike on its way to improvement. They help them to develop new better products and improve upon present products. They also consult the company about designs, materials, and concept for product improvement. Athletes hired or sponsored by Nike test-prove the companys products during the development process. These facts are strongly held within the company and Nike is proud to include them in their reports (www.nikebiz.com). WEAKNESSES Ability To Respond And Adapt To Changes Since Nike is a consumer products company, the demand for their products highly depends on popularity of different sports and activities and the changing trends. Therefore they should be able to respond to these changes in costumer preferences and quickly adapt to them. This company must adjust their existing products, develop new ones, and create styles that are specific to the trends. (www.sgma.com) They also have to make an effort to influence sports and fitness preferences through aggressive marketing. This kind of environment is very unstable and puts one against many different sources of risk. If you fail to react quickly to such changes it will show up on your sales and profits reports. Since Nike has been occupying the top of the sports equipment manufacturers chart for a long time they are getting used to their strategies, which are now becoming habits. (www.nike.com) This may be very useful in some cases but according to analysts, ove r time, organizations develop and lock into ways of doing business, in spite of changing conditions. Nikes strategy has been to dominate only the markets that are relatively safe and tend to be very profitable since it has become the worlds leader in this market. (www.nike.com) Despite their great decision making abilities this has turned out to be a very poor choice. For example, Nike did not respond to the growing market of aerobics and fitness training because it seemed too small to be worth that much attention. (www.sgma.com) However, Reebok developed a line of aerobics and fitness equipment which has met a lot of popularity among the customers. Since then, Reebok has been leading this market, which is currently the area of their main interest. (www.sgma.com) This was an example of a slow response to environmental changes. However, there are areas where Nike responded quickly and still was not quite successful. For example, soccer is currently the number 1 sport in the world and is currently dominated by the brand Adidas.  (www.fisonline.com) Even though Nike soccer equipment qualitatively meets the Adidas products, Nike has not been able to take over this market. So what was wrong with their reaction? To dominate such a large market you have to be more aggressive and be able to gain customers attention. (www.sgma.com) Nikes failure in the soccer market is generally seen as the lack of interest, aggressivity and creativity in this area of business. (www.referaty.sk) Growth Company That Has Not Grown Fiscal year 2001 was an above average year for Nike. However, it was not great even though they finished hard in the fourth quarter. This year was fairly similar to the last four years. During that time Nike has been a growth company that has not grown. Until the end of the fiscal year 1997 everything was going great for Nike. From 1994 to 1997 this company went from being a strong company with growing market share and $3 billion in revenues to one with dominant market share and revenues over $9 billion. (www.nike.com) Everyth ing seemed to be going perfect for Nike, they were successful in everything they touched and they were growing rapidly. At the end of the fiscal year 1997 they found themselves in a position where employees were euphoric, but overworked since there was not enough of them. To keep this enthusiasm going they hired more people and continued on their path to becoming a truly global company. (www.sgma.com) Since they realized that this couldnt be accomplished over few years they were trying to be the best at everything they were doing as well as building a strong team for the future. (www.nike.com) This was exactly the point where their growth has frozen and never started again. They penetrated new markets successfully, but were not able to keep up the standards they had set before. They focused on new areas of business so much that they forgot to do the old simple things right. (www.sgma.com) Despite all these efforts the industry was standing still. There were different reasons for this such as the U.S. market hitting the recession point, Nike launching a massive 3-year supply chain overhaul and the tough period in the Asian economy. (www.nike.com) The U.S. market recession point was well expected since this market had grown so fast. Nike launching the m assive 3-year supply chain overhaul, which was well in advance of the competition, was not a productive strategy in short-term but its benefits are supposed to show up in the fiscal year 2002. (www.nike.com) Lastly the downside of the Asian economy was also predictable since this is  a market with big turnovers and risks. However, it was not expected to influence Nike as much as it did. Great companies are able to deal with such events and keep on growing. Nike managers did not pay enough attention to these facts and that was the main reason of their growth halt. (www.sgma.com) Even though Nike is currently growing in some areas of market, such as Europe, Asia, Latin America and the soccer and golf markets, overall they are standing still. (www.nike.com) Year 2001 is the proof of the above. In this year Nike forgot to compete mid- and low-priced footwear in the U.S. and they were not able to match their orders and production well, in which they were very successful in the past. Now, Nike has to face a big decision. They can accept the problems they have and let their business go slowly down, or keep excelling in some things, be average in others and stay at the point where they are now.  However, the best choice for Nike would be to find the solutions to their problems and start growing again. (www.msn.com) (www.sgma.com) CONCLUSION Nikes environment is very unstable and exposures companies to unexpected risks. Generally, Nike has been able to respond to these changes (except few exceptions) by their creativity and flexibility. This company tries to prevent a direct impact of these changes on them by externalizing risk. Despite these facts, Nikes expansion is not as significant as it is expected to be. This is caused by some of their internal weakness and external changes. However, they still remain number 1 in the world footwear market. (Company Profiles For Students) BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Company Profiles For Students vol.2 m-z 1999 1st ed. P. 944-949 2. www.proquest.com 3. www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5232/ 4. www.sgma.com 5. www.centrum.sk 6. www.zoznam.sk 7. www.freespace.virgin.net/g.hirst 8. www.fisonline.com 9. www.statcan.ca 10. www.moneycentral.msn.co.uk 11. www.msn.com 12. www.nike.com 13. www.niketown.com 14. www.nikebiz.com 15. www.sme.sk 16. www.pravda.sk 17. www.referat.sk 18. Reed Elsevier, 2000

The Relevance of J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye in Modern Times Essay Example for Free

The Relevance of J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye in Modern Times Essay Its highly intriguing that years after its publishing, The Catcher in the Rye remains such an intriguing novel to teachers, students, and the general population alike. Yet through analyzing the main themes of the book, one can deduce that although the slang and fashion might be outdated, The Catcher in the Rye is still relatable and relevant. This can be primarily attributed to the constant theme of teenage angst and desire for rebellion, a common feeling spurred amongst the young for decades. The book also remains relevant because of the history behind the book as well as the culture it has created. Regardless of opinions however, J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, although written half a century ago, maintains relevance in this time as a coming of age novel that opens perspectives and boldly exposes themes that were once tabooed in the American society. To begin, Holden has primarily maintained relevance in the modern age because he continues to give a voice to the youth of our society. Taking a tone of rebellion, Holden separates himself from the society that is so illegitimate in his eyes, and seems to form a realm of his own within his mind. This primarily entails his disrespect for most adults and the rules they make for everyone. You can see Holdens disdain for adults during his conversation with Mr. Spencer, [] I could shoot the old bull to old Spencer and think about those ducks at the same timeYou dont have to think too hard when you talk to a teacher. (Salinger 18). The aspect of Salingers novel that is most relevant to youth today is how it shows teenage years as a time of conflict and change. Conflict is found not only between a teenager and their society, but also between other people, and even within themselves. Holden seems to despise his environment, mocking others as phonies and criticizing actions and events everywhere. Says Holden about a friend of Sallys, [] he went to Andover. Big, big dealHe was the kind of a phony that have to give themselves room when they answer somebodys question. (Salinger 165) This is parallel to the infamous teenage stereotype of rebellion and disobedience, as youth today are perceived as arrogant and wanting to create their own rules. The novel provokes emotion within the reader because they are finally able to connect with someone on that level. On that note, the book also connects with a teenagers insecurities and self-evaluation, proven by its usage by other authors. An example of this would be the novel King Dork, in which the main character Tom criticizes his school for lauding The Catcher in the Rye when it really isnt that special. The truth of the matter, however, is that Tom is extremely similar to Holden, in that they both have emotional and complicated lives as teenagers filled with angst and discord. The fact that Catcher is referred to so much in this novel that is half a century newer shows that J.D. Salinger has made an impact in youth literature and created a template for which writers can explore the complexity of the teenage mind. Finally, the book remains an essential part of the 20th century culture not only because of the message of teenage angst it portrays but because of the following it gained and notoriety of some supporters. Notably, The Catcher in the Rye was noted to be an integral part to two separate, high profile murder attempts, one of which was successful. The most famous incident was the 1980 assassination of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman. Chapman, who at one point even tried to change his name to Holden Caulfield, assassinated John Lennon in 1980. When arrested, Chapman was clutching a copy of The Catcher in the Rye, and wrote inside, This is my statement (Ball). In an interview, Chapman stated he [] was literally living insideThe Catcher in the Rye (Chapman). While Chapman was institutionalized, and the connection he made from the book to the murder has yet to be determined, the mystery of the books inspiration for murder still intrigues people (Ball). In conclusion, The Catcher in the Rye still captures interest from readers today because the message of teenage angst and growth is timeless. The novel is able to effectively portray a teenagers rebellious nature and rejection of society that masks uncertainty of ones own self. It also has a sense of mystery surrounding it, as inspired one of the most well known murders of the 20th century. J.D. Salinger captivates readers because the novel lacks the stereotypical sugar coating of a young adult novel; it gives a true perspective on the trouble of being a teenager and exposes a whole new realm that people can appreciate. Works Cited Ball, Sarah. J.D. Salingers Influence. The Daily Beast. 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/01/27/the-gospel-according-to-holden.html. Chapman, Mark D. Mark David Chapman in His Own Words. Interview by Larry King. CNN. 30 Sept. 200. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0009/30/lklw.00.html. Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

Coca Cola In Egypts Market Marketing Essay

Coca Cola In Egypts Market Marketing Essay The Coca-Cola Company is established in 1886 by the pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton in Atlanta, in the beginning it was sold as a medicine. The Company registered its trade mark in March 27, 1944. Nowadays it is spread in more than 200 countries with over 500 brands and 3,300 beverage products. These products include sparkling beverages and still beverages, such as waters, juice drinks, teas, coffees, sports drinks and energy drinks. The top five NARTD (non alcoholic ready to drink) are: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta. The number of employees worldwide is 92,400 and headquarter is in Atlanta. The Coca-Cola Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KO. The Coca-Cola system operates on a local scale in every country where they do business. It does not own or control most of its bottling partners, its compromises the company and the bottling partners. The Company has more than 300 bottlers worldwide. Coca-Cola manufactures and sells concentrates, bev erage bases and syrups through its concentrate plant to bottlers; it does own the brands and is responsible for brand marketing initiatives. The bottling Companies manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute the finished branded beverages to Coca-Cola customers and vending partners, who then sell the products to the consumers.1 This was an overview on the Global Coca-Cola Company. Lets look to Coca-Cola Egypt as the paper is studying the company in Egypt. Coca-Cola exists since 1942 and has two bottlers TCCBCE and El Nile Beverage Company. The bottling operation ownership for The Coca-Cola Bottling Company (TCCBCE) is: 51% TCCBCE and 49% Coca-Cola Company as for El Nile its 100% owned by El Nile. The entire system has 11,494 full time employees. 1-coca-cola annual report The Strategic business units that the company operates in Egypt are carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and mineral water. The company recorded revenues of $78,526 million during the financial year ended December 2009 with an increase of 15% compared to 2008. The increase of 12% in revenues was coming from CSD (carbonated soft drinks) segment and 3% from the Mineral water segment. However there is a decrease in the CSD growth rate by 3% in 2009 which was 15.6% (FY 07-08) versus 12% (FY 08-09) the decrease is due to change in the consumer life style became healthier conscious. Egypt juice Industry analysis The non carbonated soft drinks are considerate to have a huge potential within the juice sector. Egypt juice industry is a lucrative market with a value of $/$216mm, it is growing from 11-22% over the last eight years. The industry sales are 44 mm unit cases in 2009. The juice segment expected to grow at 11% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in 2012 while the Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) segment is expected to grow at 4.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in 2012. Based on retail audits done by the AC Nielsen and Protrac studying the Egyptian beverage market the result shows that the consumer life style is changing and became healthier conscious and they are shifting to the drinks that are healthier. The CSD market is shrinking and other markets are developing. Juice is a lucrative product category that has been growing consistently over the past 8 years. The juice industry depends on farms that cultivate fruits. The different juice type: Fruit-Flavored Drink is a 100% concentrate, Juice Drinks it contain up to 24% Juice, Nectar contains 25% up to 99% juice and product called 100% juice is a product of 100% juice. PESTEL Analysis for Juice in Egyptian market PESTEL analysis is a business measurement tool that helps to understand the external surroundings and market as such the position, potential and direction for a business. PESTEL stands for Political factors e.g. changes in government policies, Economic factors relate to changes in the wider economy such as rises in living standards or the general level of demand, Social factors explain the buying patterns and buying attitude, Technologic factors is the changes in innovation potential, Environmental factors include the weather and climate change and Legal factors major legal changes that have affected firms where they operate. All these factors are used to assess the market. Political factor Egypts political condition is secure and a completely democratic republic is projected within the near future. Egypt was ruled by many countries before establishing freedom and today it is run by a multi-party semi-presidential system where the supervisory power is separated between the president and the prime minister, although in practice the president tends to hold a larger share of the power. Egypts political system presently receives much needed financial support from the US which is helping to develop the country into a new era of optimism. Egypt increased inward investment, creating a rich investment atmosphere. Economic factor The economic environment in Egypt is ready for investment. Egypts economic freedom score is 59.0, making its economy the 94th freest in the 2010 Index. 3.2% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) Per capita to reach $2,161. Per capita consumption of non alcoholic ready to drink (NARTD) will increase by 30% reaching in 2020. Growth is highly driven by stills (juices and water). Juice is the fastest growing category with Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) increase of 11 % driving growth of non alcoholic ready to drink NARTD. Social factor Key factors behind the forecast increase of juice market in Egypt is the new consumer lifestyle preferences for healthier drinks and scare of obesity which resulted a slowing growth rates for sales of carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market. Despite the fact the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market has remained profitable. One of the main characteristic of Egyptian life style is the importance of family and friendships. Egyptians are enormously socials and one of the importances of their life style is the relaxation time which they spend with friends or families at home, cafà © or restaurants. An important part of Egyptian residents is the eating behavior. The last five years the coffee shops spread very fast in daily life especially in young adults and teen generation. The consumption of juice is correlated to person age. Population is 81 Million out of which 50% are under 20 years. 50% of the population is the prospective juice target (kids and teenagers) because 64% of ready to drink juice volumes comes from 8-29 yr olds skewed towards 8-11 yrs old. Technology factor The juice industry benefits of a huge technology. Its for the sake of both business and the consumer when new technologies guide to better quality products. The industry depends on the quality of fruits that are growing in the country. Juice makers divided their production into two different forms pasteurized and raw juice. Technology helps to retain the properties of fruit the same as its original taste. Juice shelf life is small due to defect that can happen based on environmental climate. To extend the shelf life, juice is pasteurized on the same method as milk which for decades can be considered a middle ground between raw and ultra-pasteurized. The flavor of milk is affected by pasteurization much more strongly than fruit juices tend to be. Ecological factors Juice Industry is depending on agriculture and fruit growth wherever it spread. It is necessary to realize that fruit growing relies on agricultural land, water and suitable climate. Fertilizers used in agriculture can be a source of environmental pollution. Major change in climate occurring due to global warming can impact the farming industry. This leads to a need of integration of farmers into an agro environmental program that needs a support and keeping production procedures in accordance with environmental protection and sustainability of natural process. Legal factors Legal issues involve laws in juice production regulated by Egyptian government which prohibits use of returnable glass bottles. Such regulation negatively affects juice industry as returnable glass bottles are more profitable. Porter five forces model for juice sector Porters Five Forces Model was developed by Michael E. Porter in his book Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors in 1980. The famous book he wrote in his thirties became an international best seller, published in nineteen languages and re-printed approaching sixty times. Since that time Porters Model became an important tool help for analyzing an organizations industry structure in strategic processes. Porter has identified five competitive forces that shape every industry and every market. These forces determine the intensity of competition and hence the profitability and attractiveness of an industry and answer the question of What are the key factors that can determine a business success? The five forces are described as follows: Threat of new entrants Bargaining power of customers Competitive rivalry within the industry Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of substitutes Recklies Management Project GmbH www.themanager.org (figure 1) Bargaining Power of Customers Threat of New Entrants Threat of Substitutes Competitive Rivalry between Existing firms In combination with a PESTEL-Analysis, which reveals drivers for change in an industry, Five Forces Analysis can reveal insights about the potential future attractiveness of the industry. Porters Model is useful tools to determine potential changes of competitive forces. Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers is described by how much power suppliers have on you in a specific industry or market. A business or a producing industry requires inputs to give a final product such as raw materials, labor, component and other supplies. This lead to a relationship between buyer and supplier provide raw materials used in the production. Supplier is called powerful when he has influence on the producing industry. Lets focus on suppliers in Egyptian juice industry and how much they have power influencing the production of the final juice product. Juice industry depends on many suppliers; sugar, material required in packaging, preservative, flavor and a key player in juice industry is the juice concentrate supplier. Juice supply chain starts form farm that depend on fruit seasonality. The crop of any fruit varies from time to time in quantity and quality based on climate changes and natural crises. This is the main reasons that change in juice concentrate availability pric e and quality. Juice concentrate suppliers are divided in three categories. Suppliers that produce concentrate and use them in the production of final juice product, others that produce concentrate and use part of their production to make a final juice product and sell the rest and suppliers that sell all their production of juice concentrate. Its worth to mention that a big part of the juice concentrate is exported outside Egypt to other countries and one of the main countries who import from Egypt are the Gulf countries. Therefore the supplier power is considerate high because the market is dominated by a few large suppliers rather than fragmented source of supply, supplier customer are fragmented, there is a possibility for supplier to increase concentrate juice prices and there is no substitute to the juice concentrate. To reduce supplier power in juice industry it is important to know what is the influence of outside factors to be taken in consideration to find a place in the m arket. Juice producers make a partnership with suppliers that produce juice concentrate to reduce the power of suppliers. Bargaining power of customers Bargaining power of customers is how much negotiation power the customers have and how much power he has over you in a specific industry or market, meaning how much customer can impose pressure in margin and volume. When buyer has a strong economic power the relationship to the producing industry is near to what economist call monopsony, a market where there is many suppliers and one buyer. In such case your ability to capture a high proportion of the value created will decrease, and you will earn lower profit. Having a few large buyers will have a significant leverage to negotiate price and others terms because you will be afraid losing an important buyer and volume which puts you in a weak position. Buyers have also power on you if they can produce the product themselves and they can play suppliers against each others. However there is a few large buyers and they buy in a large quantities. Meanwhile there are many small buyers that you have greater control over them because they buy a small portion of your sales. Bargaining power of consumer in the juice industry, there are three type of buyer which is the direct consumer, the retail outlets and the wholesalers. 75% of direct consumers for juice freshly prepare juice at home or they buy it from a plain juice shops. In this situation the main competition of those buyers is any plain juice shops or fresh fruit that can substitute the juice product. The juice producer can reduce this bargaining by offering a differentiated product and create loyalty to the brand that offers higher value as the juice freshly prepared its shelf life is limited. The Wholesalers are few in number therefore their bargaining power of consumer is significant due to the number of juice product that they do have on the retails shelf and how do they present the product to the consumer. The retails outlets are many in numbers and they do have a big number of products however the bargaining power of wholesalers and retail outlets are not significant if the consumers are loyal to the brand. Generally the juice industry in Egypt, buyers has more power than the entrepreneurs due to the fact that consumer have different option to entertainment, number of retail outlets that have a several product on self. Therefore the differentiation, creating value to the product and loyalty to the brand is very important. Threat of a new entrant Threat of a new entrant is how easy a competitor can enter into your industry or market? New competitors determents changes in the market environment in terms of gain market shares, pressure to reduce the prices which have an impact on profit and impact on customer loyalty at any time. In term of reaction and adjustment the existing players have a pressure on them. Threat of new entrant depends on barrier to enter industry or market and how the existing player will react with a new competitor. New entrant barrier is economies of scale, the experience that the existing players have which lead to cost advantage, high fixed assets cost and strong distribution channel of existing players. The existing of these barriers protects the existing player from the threat of new entrant. In addition the existent players can react by reducing price or forming a partnership to reduce the threat of a new entrant. Threat of new entrant is considerate in Egyptian juice industry due to high capital cost and knowledge required. Based on this usually the threat of new entrant is higher for the companies that are involved in manufacturing then service. Its not always negative that you do have a competition close to you. Some industry encourage a new entrant specially if they do have already experience in a similar field and they do have a big part of their capital already established such as the factory which just need the production line and having their own distribution channel. Threat of a substitutes products Threat of substitutes products, we give term substitutes to a product that a buyer can replace a business product with another one. What products your buyer can replace your product with? It exists when a buyer can replace your product with another product for the same purpose with a lower price. In such case they can attract a significant proportion of the market and have impact on sales and volume of the existing players. The substitutes product also applies on complementary product. The main factors that can affect substitutes product are customer shift to another similar product based on lower price because your product doesnt give different value from the competitors one and customer have a little loyalty to your product therefore, the threat of substitute is considerable. A substitute threat can be reduced by differentiating your product than the other existing in market and create loyalty to the brand through marketing initiative (TV, radio, outdoors advertisingetc). Following the new live styles trend, consumers became healthier conscious make the threat of substitutes products low in juice industry. The consumption of carbonated soft drinks decreased. The substitute product in this industry can be a healthy product such as fruit juice drink, fruit flavored drink, powdered fruit drinks can substitute the juice concentrate drink and it can also be substituted by milk , fruit base yogurt and mineral or bottled water. Variety of substitutes products are available at the market consumer have an open choices which they can choose whatever suits their needs. However they are not real substitutes products because juice is drunk in different time and occasions. Rivalry between existing firms Rivalry is the competition between existing firms in an industry. In certain industry the rivalry is high and has an impact on profit as you cannot set your own price and it can make the profit to zero. This force might be the most important in Poters five forces as it describe the intensity between existing players. The rivalry is called high when the competitors on a same industry have similar products with no differentiation and they compete in term of price. The market players are same in mass with comparable strategies. Having high barrier to exit the market and when the market is increasing slowly or shrinking this makes the rivalry a considerable force. To decrease the rivalry between existing players you should avoid price competition, differentiate your product and strategies, focus on a different sector and avoid high capacity production. The Egyptian juice market is a fragmented market with many players. Four companies have 50% of the market the rest are less than 5% each. The market is not only splited between the players in terms of market share but also shrinked by products. This means that there is a good chance to enter the market. However, PepsiCo the major competitive to Coca-Cola is preparing new juice launch during the current year. PepsiCo made a joint venture with Almarai Company (extremely successful dairy foods company in the Middle East) and have acquired Beyti well known brand name in Egypt. It produces a variety of high-quality dairy and juice. They are big in size with a very strong distribution channel however the consumer has a law loyalty to specific brand. This situation will make rivalry in the near future. Egypt juice market analysis Lets go more deep and look into the market analysis to be able to determine the juice market sucess . The goal is to be able to find out the market attractivness and understand more about the opportunity and threats of the sector. Key success factors Key success factors depend on two questions which need to be analyzed What does the consumer want? (Here we need to analyze the market) How to face the competition? (Competition analysis) In Egypt juice sector to make a success from the consumer point: Egyptians doesnt make a great difference between artificial distilled fruit beverage and fruit juice they are comparing products in terms of price. Therefore you need to have a competitive price or to build a differentiation strategy to enable you to set your price. Innovation is one of key success factors that need to be present to gain consumer. The consumer has a law loyalty to brands this makes the product availability in market very important. The availability plus the innovation in packages and product range that suits the new consumer life styles will help to build loyalty to the brand. For the competition, you need to be different in product image, have a strong distribution channel to be able to position yourself in the market and to start to compete. Demand Analysis Demand characteristic Following the new consumer life style, the juice market has a high demand based on questionnaire done by MEMRB agency to the Coca-Cola Egypt company here is the outcome. Those that consume juice product on monthly bases dont think it is as strong on Thirst quenching, Good for you, Great tasting and refreshing. However, an improvement on all measures for juice, frequent consumption coming from weekly consumers. Consumer that thinks that they are always doing new thinks shows growth from0% to 7% in 2008-2009 while the carbonated soft drinks shows 3% increase in 2009 and the one that things that uice gives energy shows an improvement from 5% to 9% for year 2008-2009 while the carbonated soft drinks shows a decrease from -6% to -11% for year 2008-2009. The market study also shows that the Egyptian consume 60% of juice drink out of home in cafà ©, shops or kiosks this is the opposite of the carbonated soft drinks percentage. 25% are consumed in morning occasions from 9-12am other than breakfast. Snacking the biggest occasion came with 36% it stats from 3-4pm. Bibliographies http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Coca-Cola_Company_(KO) http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/ Internal resources from the Coca-cola Egypt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juice http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/egypt/property/investment/egypt-property-investment-strategies.asp http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Middle-East/Egypt/gdp-per-capita http://www.dairyengineering.com/applejuice.asp http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml http://www.themanager.org/pdf/p5f.pdf http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/ec/ec-722.pdf

The History Of White-tailed Deer In Kentucky :: essays research papers

The History of White-Tailed Deer in Kentucky   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When our ancestors first reached Kentucky they found a great abundance of game, including deer. Early settlers utilized deer for food and clothing. Due to all the killing of the white-tail deer, around 1925 they were virtually eliminated in Kentucky. A few survived in areas such as, between the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers in western Kentucky, and a few survived in eastern Kentucky. In most places, though deer simply no longer occurred.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the deer was on the verge of extension in Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources stepped in. They tried to save the deer in Kentucky and they succeeded. They regulated the hunting seasons and the amount of game allowed to kill. Today we have an abundance of deer in Kentucky, we have about 450,000 deer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The white-tailed deer breeding season in Kentucky runs from October through mid January, reaching its peak in November. Most fawns are born in June, following a seven month gestation period. Newborn fawns will weigh about four pounds at birth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deer offspring are cared for and may remain with the mother until the next spring. Fawns retain their spots until mid September and nurse until mid October. About 40 percent of female fawns breed during their first autumn, but usually bear only one fawn. Does breeding at age 1 1/2 or older generally have twins, and sometimes triplets. By November, Kentucky's deer population typical increases slightly more than one fawn per doe. Although many more fawns are born than one per doe, some will die before the hunting season arrives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A deer's home range averages about 500 acres. In mountains, the home range may exceed 1,000 acres. Even though this size area can support about 40 deer, these animals will not always stay just within their home range. Many will travel on and off that amount of land different times of the year looking for the best food and cover available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One important key in improving deer numbers is helping provide ample amounts of the right foods. Healthier deer produce more offspring. White-tails eat a variety of vegetation, depending on what is available during different seasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In late winter, deer live mainly on woody twig ends and buds called browse. They will also eat acorns, corn and winter wheat if available. Spring foods include tender grasses, clovers and leaves of woody plants such as ragweed, native and cultivated grasses and clovers. During the fall, deer will use fruits and nuts such as acorns, persimmons, dogwood berries, corn and browse for a food supply.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Protection from severe weather, predators and illegal hunting is

Anorexia and Bulimia Essay -- Causes of Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia

Bulimia Nervosa I sat there staring in the mirror filled with disgust at the figure on the other end. I thought â€Å" another day, another day living and thinking of nothing else but the way that I look naked, the way I look with clothes on, and the way other people look at me.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was 17 years old when I began to have the premature symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa. I was a cheerleader for a national competition squad, and was worried about being able to tumble to my full potential because of the extra weight that I was carrying. But more importantly I was uncomfortable with the way I felt with myself. I had a low self-esteem and was constantly worried about what others thought of me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I tried many different strategies to lose weight. From starving myself to exercising constantly, nothing was working. I was desperate and wanted nothing else but to lose weight. As I became more and more worried about my weight the more depressed I became. With the onset of depression I started to eat even more. I ate, one day, to the point that I was sick, and felt miserable about myself, so I threw up. Afterward I felt great about myself. I had found some way hat I could control my weight, which in hand was my life. It became a lifeline for me; I was addicted to the feeling of throwing up once a day. The feeling of being hungry was for me happiness; I was disgusted and felt huge physically when I wasn’t hungry. I went from a solid size 12 to a solid size 6 in less than two months. I lost 20 pounds, and still was not happy with myself. I was suprised that no one questioned me or asked how I did it. All I heard was how great I looked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"1%-3% of adolescent and young adult females develop bulimia,† (Hales, p.250). And the statistics seem to be rising. One theory of why this is happening is that bulimia is influenced by fashion pressures to be thin and the social fixation on the idea of thinness is beauty. This fixation is the same, says John Matthews the author of Eating Disorders, as those suffering from anerexia. There is also an increase in numbers of bulimics due to the social expectance of the disease and the urgency of the disease to be treated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The awarness of what Bulimia Nervosa is and the symptoms of the disease are becoming more common place in our society.... ...an Psychiatric Association, is 90% female, more likely white in race, and is from a more industrialized country, for example the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Individuals with Bulimia Nervosa have been compared to those who suffer from alcoholism. We both encounter the day to day battles to stay healthy and not relapse. We both learn to talk about our problem to others whether it is a group such as AA, or in my case with my family. An individual with Bulimia Nervosa needs support just as an individual with alcoholism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The help that is out there is enormous for any individual suffering with the battle of an eating disorder. The problem is not the availability of help; it is we as a society. We need to become more comfortable talking about the symptoms of the individual with the eating disorder, and the different ways to over come the disorder. One solution that helped my treatment was the understanding of exercise, and a healthy diet. Sometimes in our busy life’s we forget to teach our children about healthy living, however we have the expectation that they will be perfect on the inside and the outside.

Mary Shelley :: essays research papers

The year is 1797 and Mary Wollstonecraft gives birth to a baby girl on August 30. A baby girl soon to be known as Mary Shelley. Mary Shelley was a prominent literary figure during the Romantic Era of English Literature. She was the only child of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. From infancy Mary was treated as a unique individual. William Godwin believed that babies were born with potential waiting to be developed (Poetry for Students, 337). Therefore, surrounded Mary with famous philosophers, writers, and poets, from an early age. At the age of sixteen Mary ran away to live with the twenty-one year old Percy Shelley (337). There was only one problem though, Percy was married.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in the summer of 1816, staying at Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Mary was only nineteen at the4 time. She wrote the novel while being overwhelmed by a series of difficulties in her life. The worst of these were the suicides of her half-sister, Fanny Imlay, and Percy Shelley’s wife, Harriet (Student Handbook, 190). After these deaths Mary and Percy married. Fierce public hostility toward the couple drove them to Italy. Eventually they were happy in Italy, but their two children William and Clara Shelley died there. Mary never really recovered from their deaths. However, Percy empowered Mary to live as she most desired. In 1822 Percy drowned in a boating accident, leaving Mary penniless. For her remaining years she worked as a professional writer to support her father and son. She died in 1851 of a brain tumor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mary Shelley combined the ethical concerns of her parents with the Romantic sensibilities of Percy Shelley’s poetic inclinations. Her father’s concern for the underprivileged influenced her description of the poverty-stricken De Lacey family. Mary’s choice of a Gothic novel made her unique in her family and secured her authorial place in the Romantic period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Romantics believed that the creative imagination reveals nobler truths, unique feelings and attitudes than those that could be discovered by logic or by scientific examination. Mary Shelley showed this in her book Frankenstein. She expressed how she felt and all she was going through in different parts of Frankenstein.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frankenstein reflected Mary Shelley’s deepest fears and insecurities, like her inability to prevent her children’s deaths, her distressed marriage to a man who showed no pity for his daughters’ deaths, and her feelings of inadequacy as a writer.

Analyzing Carson’s Work

Literary works document history. Each piece of literature can tell the readers something about the past – it may be events, ideologies, or stories of people. As a reflection of thoughts however, these literary pieces often do not relay accurate events. Rather, such works only provide vague interpretations of the authors. In this paper, the researcher will try to analyze the poem â€Å"Belfast Confetti† of Ciaran Carson of Northern Ireland.By analyzing the events which probably inspired the creation of the poem, this paper will serve as a historical criticism of the award-winning piece.The title, â€Å"Belfast Confetti† is not one which Carson creates imaginatively. Rather, it is a common slang term used to refer to the easy-grip collection of debris often used by rioters during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Troubles was the period of conflict that roughly began during the 1960s and seemingly ended in 1998 through the Belfast Agreement. It was considered a s a period of conflict that resulted from the political conflict between the catholic/nationalist minority and the protestant/unionist majority. The worse of these years were from 1970 to 1972, when almost five hundred people died.Most of these killings took place in Belfast, the city where Carson was born, and lived his whole life. (English) Other the common slang term, the word â€Å"Confetti† in the title can be interpreted in a number of ways. It can be regarded as the collection of screws, nails, bolts, and other sharp objects used as shrapnel for IRA bombs. (English) If coupled with imagination, the term â€Å"confetti† can bring the reader right into bombing scene, where one can witness the â€Å"confetti† of various fatal elements dropping from midair.Also, â€Å"confetti† can suggest a feeling of confusion and disorder embracing the mind of the author as he took himself right into the hostile hotspots of Belfast. As noted by Mahony, â€Å"Belfas t confetti uses three quite different image patterns, all conveyed as being disrupted, to try to recreate for the reader in a linear fashion, the very non-linear experience of living through a bombing. † (Mahony) â€Å"Suddenly as the riot squad moved in, it was raining exclamation marks† (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC)The situation depicts a usual day during the period of the Troubles when riots were common day-to-day events. According to Carson, each time the riot squad moves in, that meant that it was time for a â€Å"raining† of â€Å"exclamation marks†. Raining is often used to imply â€Å"a multitude of† or â€Å"plenty of†. As for the â€Å"exclamation marks†, such can be interpreted following the actual purpose of using the said punctuation mark – signifying strong emotions during the onset of violence. Thus, Carson notes that when riot squads come, then a variety of strong emotions set in the people of Belfast.This variety may refer to mixture of revolutionizing and insistent emotions of the squads, distrustful and aggressive reactions of the military, and apprehensive and distraught feelings of the civilians. â€Å"Nuts, bolts, nails, car-keys. A fount of broken type. And the explosion. Itself – an askerisk on the map. This hyphenated line, a burst of rapid fire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) The description of diverse emotions is then followed by a seeming narrative of what actual takes place during Belfast’s destructive era.Through these lines, Carson takes the readers again in a picturesque gallery of memories where the rioters throw in the cocktail of â€Å"nuts, bolts, nails, car-keys† and the air fills up with fountain-like debris (â€Å"a fount of broken type†) much like what happens when an active volcano spews dust, smoke, and stones up in the sky. In response to the noted revolutionary action is an explosion – which then leaves awkward marks on the city’s map as it inevitably eradicates social structures. In writing, asterisks are often used to indicate anonymity – to conceal, taking the place of letters within a word.Carson then uses the word â€Å"asterisk† to describe what explosions often did to Belfast before – destroying its structures and people into obscurity. As noted by Mahony, â€Å"Carson tries to project a debris-strewn labyrinth where once there was order. † (Mahony) Carson also uses the phrase â€Å"hyphenated line† to describe the â€Å"burst of rapid fire†. Hyphens are used to join words. By â€Å"hyphenated†, Carson reflects on continuous nonstop gun fires. â€Å"I was trying to complete a sentence in my head but it kept stuttering† (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC)In the next line, Carson then describes what he felt when he was in the city at the time of the Troubles. He explains that at times when the guns were firing, civ ilians would try to create a sentence (which is defined as ‘a set of words with a complete thought’). Sentence here should not be taken as a mere line in a poem. Instead, it can be noted that Carson relays that in the midst of the gun fires and explosions, people would try to devise a â€Å"sentence† or a â€Å"complete† explanation of the devastating event which is happening around them.Unfortunately, they would just â€Å"stutter†, or fail at devising an adequate rationalization. â€Å"All the alleyways and side streets blocked with stops and colons. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) Following Carson’s fondness of punctuation metaphors, the â€Å"stops† would refer to â€Å"periods†. Periods are use to end a sentence and colons indicate discontinuities within sentences. Both suggest that people caught in the midst of violent Belfast bouts would try to find a way to escape through alleys and side lanes but neverthele ss only to find dead ends.â€Å"I know this labyrinth so well – Balaclava, Raglan, Inkerman, Odessa Street – Why can’t I escape? Every move is punctuated. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) In this line, Carson injects his own history in his literary piece. As one who grew up in Belfast, he knew the place quite well. Implying that he is very familiar of the place also tells the readers something about Belfast’s geography. The city is small with lots of intertwining streets, which just like Carson suggests – looks like a maze. The question of escape however, supports the overall theme of the poem.Carson suggests that people who were caught in the Troubles could not find a way out of the conflict. Apart from the civilians, those who were directly involved within the problem could not find a way to effectively resolve the persisting crisis. The politicians, activists, republicans, loyalists, and paramilitary forces were unable to find an eff icient solution even through a series of ceasefires and agreements. The people of Belfast and that of the whole Northern Ireland couldn’t find a way out even up to now as sporadic killings still happen. (English)As noted by Carson, every move is â€Å"punctuated† or as what its literal meaning suggests, â€Å"interrupted at frequent intervals†. (Collins Dictionary) It should be noted that despite attempts to end the Troubles through the Sunningdale Agreement, the establishment of the group ‘Peace People’, open talks, and paramilitary ceasefires. However, all of these struggles towards peace are often interrupted by bombings, armed campaigns, and killings. (English) The same also happens at the individual level as attempts to escape are also interrupted by indecisions.â€Å"Crimea Street. Dead end again. A Saracen, Kremlin-2 mesh. Makrolon face-shields. Walkietalkies. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) Carson also further addresses the exis tence of military forces through an enumeration of what they often use at war. For people who live in Belfast, the enumerated warfare gears are considered as typical daily paraphernalia. However, the familiarity of such things disrupts the commonality of normality as suggested by the next line: â€Å"What is my name? Where am I coming from?Where am I going? A fusillade of question- marks. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) The series of questions may be equated to the disgruntled thinking which the people of Belfast experienced during the Troubles period. These can also be interpreted as the common questions based upon what the authorities often ask to the city constituents as part of standard security interrogations. In an interview in The Guardian, Carson relays his own experience as he was interrogated by the authorities:When somebody comes to you and says ‘OK, mate, over here, against the wall',† he says in exaggerated Cockney, â€Å"and you're asked who y ou are, where you're from, and you say: ‘I'm from here. ‘ (Quoted from The Guardian) Another interpretation is that it is a question of identity that troubles civilians who do not belong to either of the conflicting parties. As a result of the confusion that surrounds them, civilians felt that there was a need to participate to the war. As noted by Carson, he himself felt that taking a side was necessary.In the same interview with the Guardian, when asked whether he felt like joining one of the conflicting political parties, Carson responses: Kind of close at times, but †¦ you know – no. And why not? I don't know. One could easily have done so. I was scared maybe. (Quoted from The Guardian) The â€Å"fusillade† meaning ‘simultaneous and incessant firing’ of questions emphasizes the uncertainty of the civilians. In conclusion, the poem ultimately tells Carson’s story of living through the Troubles and facing daily bombings, riots, an d violence.As noted by Wheatley, â€Å"The chaos of violence (which, once again is creative to the same extent to which it can be destructive) â€Å"is made scriptable in metaphors drawn from writing and printing in ways that emphasize the explosive effects on any pretence of realist representation. † (Wheatley). Carson injects metaphors in his interpretation of the events so as to dramatize and emphasize the frustration posed by the bombings, and seemingly take the reader to the actual events. Works Cited: BBC. â€Å"Poetry: Belfast Confetti†. BBC Northern Ireland Learning. 2 May 2009 â€Å"Collins Essential English Dictionary†. HarperCollins Publishers, 2004, 2006 English, Richard. â€Å"Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA†. Oxford University Press, 2003 Mahony, Christina Hunt. â€Å"Contemporary Irish Literature†. Palgrave Macmillan, pp 79-84 The Guardian Staff. â€Å"A life in poetry: Ciaran Carson† Guardian. co. uk. 17 Jan 2009. 2 May 2009 Wheatley, David. â€Å"That Blank Mouth: Secrecy, Shibboleths, and Silence in Northern Irish Poetry†. Journal of Modern Literature. 25 (2001): 1-16