Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation Essay - 1419 Words

Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation In Tom Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation, the author portrays ordinary people of a certain generation as having qualities of greatness and heroism. He tells stories of average people that lived inspiring lives through many hardships, and declares today’s society as the beneficiary of their challenging work and commitment. Brokaw’s generous and proficient use of imagery helps to persuade the reader to believe that the people of â€Å"the greatest generation† are, indeed, heroic. He defines the strength and resilience of â€Å"the greatest generation† by what they were able to confront and overcome. â€Å"†¦when the nation was balanced precariously between the darkness of the Great Depression on one side and†¦show more content†¦They traveled thousands of miles over the harsh seas to enter what was, to them, the unknown. â€Å"What those unsuspecting infants could not have realized, of course, was that these were temporary conditions, a false spring to life that would be buffeted by winds of change dangerous and unpredictable, so fierce that they threatened not just America but the very future of the planet.†(p4) Brokaw’s use of imagery here helps the reader understand the drastic nature of the change that occurred in the world between the 1920s and 1940s. He is stating that the youth of our nation was living in a safe-harbor for only a short period of time, almost as if under false pretenses, and that this promising future of America veered radically off a path as they had to face the unprecedented crash of the stock market, with damage so great that over a thousand banks would close, millions of people would become unemployed and homeless, and an overwhelming sense of economic calamity would sweep the feet out from under their fragile vision of security. Brokaw described this in the c hapter titled â€Å"The Time of their Lives,† as a time when â€Å"A mass of homeless and unemployed drifted across the American landscape.† (p7) This gives the reader an image of millions of people hopelessly wandering the country in search for work to survive. TheShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis of The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw Essay456 Words   |  2 PagesLiterary Analysis of The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw They came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America; men and women whose everyday lives of duty, honor, achievement, and courage made our nation the greatest on earth. This quote is fittingly descriptive of the achievements and importance the post World War II generation had on us. In Tom Brokaws Book, The Greatest Generation, Brokaw describes in a very personal and detailedRead MoreThe American Flag Essay1176 Words   |  5 Pages One more point is this: we need to have the up most respect for our country. This includes respecting the symbols of our country. Tom Brokaws book, An Album of Memories, is a collection of letters from those affected by the Depression and WWII. The people writing these letters are from loved ones of those who died and from some people that survived the war and depression. One man,Read MoreGreatest Generations, Tom Brokaw2955 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿The book â€Å"The Greatest Generation†, by Tom Brokaw, is about the men and women who were born in the 1920’s and how they are what he deems to be the greatest generation thus far. He believes this generation is so tremendous because of the fact they did not demand respect for what they did and went through. Though may sacrificed as much as their lives, they do not think higher of themselves. Even through all their struggling they managed to have enough strength leave everything behind and fight for

Audit Letter Example - 856 Words

I am writing to apply for the position of VPSG 3.2 Auditor where I can further utilize my skills, strengths and experience. With regards to qualifications and experience, I am a Monash University (Clayton Campus) graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance). I am a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) qualified professional of CPA Australia. I am currently working as a VPSG 3.1 Auditor in VAGO, where I perform financial audit on the financial information of public sector entities. Previously, I have worked in Deloitte, KPMG and various contract positions. I have audited major private and public sector entities such as Department of Justice and Regulation (DJR), Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation†¦show more content†¦I have prioritized high risk and critical audit sections and have planned my audit in an organized and methodical manner. For example, I prioritized the audit of Related Parties disclosure and the client’s application of streamlined reporting in 2016/17 in accordance to the updated DTF reporting guidance while planning ahead for other audit sections based on the time allocated. By performing reviews on my working papers prior to submission, this has allowed me to assess and amend my working papers to ensure that all necessary information is present and has been thoroughly analyzed and concluded according to the audit procedures set. With this approach, I have completed my assigned audit tasks with quality in a timely manner. I then take accountability by addressing any feedbacks received from client and audit team. With the experience on hand, I am able to exercise my professional judgment to identify and report any emerging issues, risks and opportunities. For example, I identified that reliance on DJR’s payroll controls by smaller entities were not fully covered in DJR’s control testing. I have raised a note forward and make mention during the audit debrief to include smaller entities as part of the DJR’s testing population in 2017/18’s audit. I have promoted a culture of inquiry by sharing the knowledge I have acquired in my 6 years of auditing in various sectors and industries. I am open to embracingShow MoreRelatedBank Financial Audit Teams Need Financial And Security Files From All 58 Community Colleges Essay716 Words   |  3 Pagesand Overview Each year, OSA Financial Audit teams need financial and security files from all 58 Community Colleges (CC). Since the data files may be used in any engagement types (e.g. financial statement audits, federal compliance audits, information systems audits, performance audits, and investigations), files are requested regardless of whether or not OSA will be performing a financial statement audit for the current year. OSA Information Systems Audit (ISA) auditors request submission ofRead MoreStandards, Norms And Standards Of Auditing And The International Standard On Audit Quality1622 Words   |  7 Pageson Auditing (ISAs) and the International Standard on Audit Quality (ISQC). Question 1 Ethical Standards includes some audit fundamental principles and basic audit procedures for the auditors to follow in order to be objective and independent. ESs has eight parts, which cover the Glossary, ESRA, ES 1 to 5 and ES Provisions Available for Small Entities. Hereinto, ES 1 to 5 in detail introduce the integrity, objectivity and independence in the audit of financial statements (FRC, 2006). These guidelinesRead MoreBeginning the Audit Process1203 Words   |  5 PagesBeginning the Audit Report Peter Serunjoji ACC546 January 15, 2012 Arlette Peoples Beginning the Audit Report MEMORANDUM TO: Larry Lancaster, Chairman, President, and CEO of Apollo Shoes, Inc. FROM: Matrix Certified Public Accountants (MCPA) Inc., DATE: January 15 2012 SUBJECT: Beginning the Audit Report (Engagement letter, Engagement checklist, Outline of timeframes and milestones of the audit) Dear Mr. Lancaster, This letter is to confirm the understanding ofRead MoreAssignment 1 Essay1481 Words   |  6 Pages Florida 33140 October 30, 2015 Mr. Donald Phillips, President 36 Clearwater Lake Road Ocean City, Florida 33140 Dear Mr. Phillips: This letter is to confirm our understanding of the terms of our engagement as the auditors of Ocean view Marine Company for the year ended December 31, 2015. Services and Related Report As you have requested, we will audit the financial statements of Oceanview Marine Company, which comprise the balance sheet for December 31, 2015, and the related statements of incomeRead MoreBusiness-to-Business Messages1637 Words   |  7 Pagessignificance and characteristics of the messages and the behavior of parties involved in the process (Robbins, Judge, Sanghi, 2007). The most common forms of business-to-business messages include; appreciation letters, inquiry letters, acknowledgement letters, letters of recommendations, apology letters, contracts, purchase orders, delivery notices, etc. Each of these business messages has a separate communication process which is largely affected by the purpose, environment, technology, noise, and feedbackRead MoreBeginning the Audit Process1196 Words   |  5 PagesBeginning the Audit Report Peter Serunjoji ACC546 January 15, 2012 Arlette Peoples Beginning the Audit Report MEMORANDUM TO: Larry Lancaster, Chairman, President, and CEO of Apollo Shoes, Inc. FROM: Matrix Certified Public Accountants (MCPA) Inc., DATE: January 15 2012 SUBJECT: Beginning the Audit Report (Engagement letter, Engagement checklist, Outline of timeframes and milestones of the audit) Dear Mr. Lancaster, This letter is to confirm theRead MoreEssay on Notes on Apollo Shoes Audit Case765 Words   |  4 PagesNotes on Apollo Shoes Audit Case Task #1 (Overview/Intro) Go to the â€Å"Weekly Materials† folder and locate the â€Å"Apollo Shoes Files† folder, between the week 1 and week 2 folders. Under this menu you will find a file entitled Apollo Shoes Case Study.doc. This file gives you all of the details and evidence that you will need for the case. We will only be completing specified sections of this case as discussed below. Review the table of contents in the case document (page 4.) This will tell youRead MoreTypes Of Engagements Providing No Assurance, The Lowest Level Of The Spectrum Identified988 Words   |  4 Pagestypical service that provides negative assurance is an engagement for comfort letters. Comfort letters are typically provided to underwriters, lawyers, and similar parties in order to provide them with â€Å"comfort† for the events that have occurred since the last audit opinion. Basically, comfort letters are requested in order for the auditor to reaffirm their audit opinion for the subsequent period. Since comfort letters attest to the fact that nothing has come to the auditor’s attention, they areRead MoreThe Case of Easy Finance Limited against King Queen1078 Words   |  4 Pagesadditional audit work was necessary in regards to the valuation of some assets despite the fact that Impulse has been suffering liquidity problems with a fall in debtor and inventory turnove r. As well as EFL claims of Impulse’s failure is related to inadequate provision for doubtful debts and a fall in values of inventory on hand which was said to be evident at 30Th June 2012. This raises a possibility that King Queen may be liable for negligence. The Business Risk approach/ the audit risk approachRead MoreInternal Controls Of Leisure Holidays Limited1243 Words   |  5 PagesBoard of Directors, Baxter Group Bay of Islands Dear Brian and Valerie Baxter, Management Letter I have finished the review of the internal controls of Leisure Holidays Limited. This management letter describes internal control issues emerging from my audit findings that I consider suitable for review by management. The audit procedure prepared does not address all internal control. Accordingly, the audit procedures stated would not necessarily disclose all shortcomings in the internal control

Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination free essay sample

Abstract The Nurses’ licensure examination is conducted by the Professional Regulatory Commission to screen Nursing graduates who will be licensed to practice the nursing profession. The study determined the predictors of licensure examination performance of nursing graduates. The study used the descriptive design using inferential techniques. Some 163 graduates were studied based on their College Entrance Examination performance on IQ test, nursing aptitude test, the composite score of science, math and English tests, college grade point average and pre-board examination performance and the correlations of these variables with licensure examination performance. Results revealed that all variables significantly correlated with licensure examination performance but only two significantly predicted licensure performance, college grade point average and pre-board examination. The study concludes that students’ academic performance in their baccalaureate program and their performance in the pre-board examination are significant bases in determining the success and failure of students’ licensure examination performance. Keywords Nurses licensure, exam performance, predictors of exam passing 130 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico INTRODUCTION The need to pass the board examination is propelled by the legal requirement that the practice of the nursing profession in the Philippines requires the passing of the Nurses’ Licensure Examination as mandated in Section 12, Article IV of the Philippine Nursing Act 2002 or Republic Act 9173. The Philippine nursing education is regulated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the purpose of rationalizing nursing education in the country which aims to provide quality health services and keep pace with global competitiveness. CHED Memorandum Order No. 30 was promulgated in 2007. This writ contains the updated policies and standards for nursing education. However, this law was amended through CHED Memorandum Order No. 14, series of 2009 which strengthens the regulation of the offering of nursing education in the country and the improvement of the nursing curricula in line with the Bologna accord. At the formulation of this research, the demand for the nursing profession had continued to rise. Proliferation had been observed for new nursing schools and review centers. Such phenomena came into being due to the persistent motivation of nursing aspirants to enroll in nursing as a means of earning better abroad and their persistent goal to pass the nurses’ licensure examination. In the year 2009, there was a slow decrease in the nursing education enrollment as an effect of the reduction of demand for nurses abroad due to global economic crisis and nationalization policies of countries. Professional Licensure Examinations serve as a means of maintaining the quality of professionals after they had been trained and schooled in their respective institution. Such an examination measures the competencies of a professional who is believed to have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge and attitude in the practice of their respective profession. Cebu Normal University (CNU) has as its mission to produce quality education to all students. Through the performance of the nursing graduates in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination, such mission can be measured. For the 25 years, CNU College of Nursing has been consistent in producing top-notchers and a passing percentage higher 131 Asian Journal of Health than the national passing rate of above ninety percent. It has also been recognized as one of the top four performing schools in the Philippines (PRC Certificates, 2003, 2004, 2005). Observations were gathered thatboard performance in the NLE is due to the students who were screened prior to their entry into the university. Others commented that the university may have a very competent set of faculty members. With these queries in mind, the researchers tried to determine the predictors of the CNU nursing students’ performance in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination in the school year 2006-2007. FRAMEWORK Attribution theory (Weiner, 1980, 1992 cited by Lin and Bill 2003) is considered one of the most influential contemporary theories with implications for academic motivation. This theory incorporates behavior modification since it emphasizes that learners are strongly motivated by the pleasant outcome of feeling good about themselves. It further incorporates cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory in the sense that it emphasizes that learners’ current self-perceptions will strongly influence the ways in which they will interpret the success or failure of their current efforts. Hence their future tendency to perform these same behaviors. According to attribution theory, the explanations that people tend to make to explain success or failure can be analyzed in terms of three sets of characteristics: First, the cause of the success or failure may be internal or external. That is, professionals may succeed or fail because of factors in their origin within themselves or because of factors that originate in the environment. Second, the cause of the success or failure may be either stable or unstable. If the cause is stable, the outcome is likely to be the same if the same behavior is found on another occasion. If it is unstable, the outcome is likely to be different on another occasion. Third, the cause of the success or failure may be either controllable or uncontrollable. A controllable factor is one which can alter if desired. An uncontrollable factor is one that cannot easily bealtered. An important assumption of attribution theory is that people will interpret their environment in such a way as to maintain a positive self132 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico image. That is, they will attribute their successes or failures to factors that will enable them to feel as good as possible about themselves. In general, this means that when learners succeed at an academic task, they are likely to want to attribute this success to their own efforts or abilities; but when they fail, they will want to attribute their failure to factors over which they have no control, such as bad teaching or bad luck. The basic principle of attribution theory as it applies to motivation is that a person’s own perceptions or attributions for success or failure determine the amount of effort the person will expend on that activity in the future. The performances of students in an examination can be attributed to some factors. In a study done by Besinque, Wong, Louie and Rho (2000) on the predictors of success rate in the California State Board of Pharmacy Licensure Examination; they have correlated demographic variables, preparation for the examination, study habits and grade point average with the success in the examination. From among the variables, grade point average was identified as an important factor in predicting success in licensure examination. Hilario (2000) studied the factors influencing the licensure examination of teacher education institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region. It was found that faculty qualification and curricula do not significantly influence the performance of the institutions in the licensure examination. Admission and retention policy of the institution has a significant positive influence on the performance in the examination. Naron and Wedlack (1991) ventured on an ex post facto study on the predictive variables on National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX–RN) performance of students in Chicago Illinois’ Olive-Harvey College. The study found that from among the variables nursing grades and grades in pre-nursing courses had significant influence over their performance in the examination. McClelland (1992) also undertook a study on academic variables affecting the performance of baccalaureate nursing graduates on NCLEX-RN. But aside from the pre-nursing grade point average, American College Testing scores, which serve as their entrance examination, also predict NCLEX-RN performance. These same variables were also identified in the study of Lin Fung (2003). 133 Asian Journal of Health From the literature, most of the studies found grade point average and qualifying examination in college as predictors of licensure examination performance. Admission and retention policies also predict the performance. Faculty qualification was not significantly related with examination performance. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study aimed to determine the predictors for Nurses’ Licensure Examination performance of the graduates of Cebu Normal University College of Nursing. MATERIALS AND METHODS A descriptive-correlation ex post facto research was utilized in which data on College Entrance Examination, Pre-board examinations and Nurses’ Licensure Examination results were retrieved from the previous records. This study took place in Cebu Normal University College of Nursing. This locale was chosen since the researchers were clinical instructors in this institution and they believed that as clinical instructors, it was their responsibility to guide students. The unit of analysis in the study was the individual results of the college entrance examination, grade point average and Nurses’ Licensure Examination performance of nurse graduates of Batch 2007 in Cebu Normal University. The total number of graduates in S. Y. 2006-07 was 170. The entire batch was included as part of the study, however, there were some incomplete data presented, thus the total sample size is 163. Research Instrument The data on the results of the College Entrance Examination were requested from the Testing Center of Cebu Normal University, college grade point average of the respondents were requested from the University Registrar and the pre-board examination scores were obtained from the review coordinator of the College of Nursing and 134 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico Inter-trends Review Center. Nurses’ Licensure Examination (NLE) scores were obtained from the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC). Data Gathering Procedure The data gathering commenced when Batch 2007 graduates gave their written consent to allow the researchers to obtain their records from the university and PRC. These consent forms were attached for the approval of the president of the university and the PRC Regional Officer. Data gathering took three months due to the difficulty in retrieving the results in the Testing Center in which the psychometrician has to select the results of the respondents out of three thousand applicants. Moreover, the researchers waited for the results of the Nurses’ Licensure Examination which was mailed to the PRC National Office. Data Analysis Since the variables were treated as interval data, the mean and standard deviation were utilized to determine the profile. In interpreting IQ scores, Nursing Aptitude Test and Composite scores in the entrance examination a percentile classification was used based on Philippine Psychological Corporation: 97-99 very superior, 90-96 superior, 75-89 above average, 60-74 high average, 40-59 average, 24-39 low average, 10-23 below average, 4-9 low and 1-3 very low. In correlating the variables with performance in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination, Pearson r was utilized. To determine which variable predict licensure examination performance, the significantly correlated variables were entered into the multiple linear regression analysis. All correlations were interpreted as significant at 0. 05 levels. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Mean performance of the respondents in the respective test in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination on June 2007, College Entrance Examination and College Grade Point Average are presented in Table 1. 135 Asian Journal of Health Table 1. Mean performance of nurse graduates (N=163) Performance Mean Standard Deviation NLE Performance by test area: Nursing Practice I Nursing Practice II Nursing Practice III Nursing Practice IV Nursing Practice V 84. 14 80. 96 80. 21 77. 28 78. 82 3. 20 3. 85 2. 80 3. 87 4. 28 General NLE Performance 80. 26 2. 74 CEE: IQ Test 81. 9 9. 23 CEE: Nursing Aptitude Test 78. 95 17. 46 CEE Composite Score 89. 20 9. 55 College Grade Point Average (CGPA) 83. 10 2. 50 Pre-board Examination 70. 71 2. 07 NLE – Nurses Licensure Examination CEE – College Entrance Examination The Nurses’ Licensure Examination is composed of five test areas at 100 items each in which major nursing subjects are integrated in each test area. Nursing Practice I consisted of test items derived from Fundamentals in Nursing, Research, Leadership and Management and Nursing Ethics and Jurisprudence; Nursing Practice II is composed of concepts from Community Health Nursing and normal Maternal and Child Nursing; Nursing Practice III is taken from the concepts of abnormalities in Maternal and Child Nursing and part of MedicalSurgical Nursing; Nursing Practice IV is composed of concepts on major Medical-Surgical cases and Nursing Practice V is from Mental Health Nursing. The test area which had the highest mean score among the respondents was Nursing Practice I and the lowest was Nursing Practice IV within the cut-off score for passing in the NLE of 75%. However, it was noted that the score in Nursing Practice IV was low since this was 136 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico the test area which had the biggest coverage and has been noted as most difficult among the concepts included which is Medical-Surgical Nursing. The score which showed the greatest variability was Nursing Practice V while the rest have shown homogeneity in their scores which indicated that competence in mental health nursing has not fully been attained by most of the graduates. This is an expected finding since mental health nursing is a highly specialized course which further implies that more emphasis should be given on theoretical mastery and clinical skills competence. This, however, has been addressed to by the CMO 14, s. 2009 which offers mental health nursing as separate 3-unit course for third year students. On the overall licensure examination mean score, they had acquired more than the passing score requirement of 75% which implied that majority of the graduates passed the examination having attained 98% passing percentage during the June 2007 licensure examination. From the independent variables in this study, the College Entrance Examination of Cebu Normal University has the components of the IQ Test (OLSAT), Nursing Aptitude Test (NAT) and the composite scores of English, Math, reading comprehension examinations. The mean scores of IQ test, aptitude test in nursing and the composite scores were all above average. This indicates that nursing students who qualified for enrollment were highly intellectual and were expected to adjust to the academic demand of nursing as a course of the study. Furthermore, the grade point average of the respondents when they graduated in their Bachelor in Nursing was above average which implied that respondents had shown academic performance beyond the minimum passing rate of 75%. With the entrance examination results and the grade point average, it can be deduced that students in nursing are selected highly intellectual personalities. However, the mean score of the pre-board examination of the respondents showed a failing mark at 70% which was lower than the passing rate in the Nurses Licensure Examination at 75%. This finding runs contrary to the expected performance of the respondents in the pre-board examination since their IQ, entrance examination, aptitude scores, grade point average in college and even their actual Nurses Licensure Examination performance had shown above average results. Based on these findings, it is inferred that the preboard examination is more difficult than the actual NLE taken by the respondents. 137 Asian Journal of Health Table 2. Correlations with NLE performance (N=163) r coefficient CEE: IQ Test (OLSAT) CEE: Nursing Aptitude Test CEE Composite Score College GPA Preboard Performance p-level 0. 47 0. 50s 0. 60s 0. 65s 0. 48s 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 s s significant correlation at p=0. 50 NLE – Nurses Licensure Examination GPA – Grade Point Average CEE – College Entrance Examination The null hypotheses that there are no significant correlations of students’ NLE performance with their college entrance examination performance (IQ, NAT, composite), college GPA and pre-board performance were tested. It was gleaned from table 2 that all the independent variables were significantly correlated with the respondents’ NLE performance. Students’ performance in the entrance examination upon entry to the university, their IQ, aptitude in nursing, academic achievement in college contributes to the success or failure of the respondents in the board examination. With the null hypotheses rejected, it is inferred that students who performed better in the entrance examination, college academic achievement and preboard examination perform better in the licensure examination. It is further implied that the quality of admission and retention policies of an institution is an important consideration that every college or university should strengthen in relation to their aspiration to have better licensure examination performance. These findings support the results of the studies of Hilario (2000), Naron and Wedlack(1991)that admission and retention policies in an institution play a significant factor in the students’ success in the licensure examination. The admission tests given to college aspirants measures the capacity of the students to surpass the difficulties and challenges which a particular course provide. It determines whether 138 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico a student is fit to enroll in the course having gone through with the aptitude test since one’s interest in the course taken can influence the students’ performance in the college years. Thus, nursing colleges should be vigilant of the consequences which may arise if and when admission measurements are not reasonably imposed to college aspirants especially in nursing education. Moreover, it is noted that grade point average in college which shows the academic achievement of the student is highly correlated with NLE performance; hence, colleges of nursing should determine those who have attained the terminal competencies expected in a particular college level. If and when a student has not passed the standards of a particular course or subject, that student should be retained accordingly so that the student will be given the chance to master the competencies expected before being promoted to the next year level. Table 3. Multiple linear regression analysis of the independent variables as predictors of NLE Predictor Variables Constant IQ Test* Nursing Aptitude Test CEE Composite Score College GPA Preboard Performance coefficient t p 21. 38 0. 01 0. 01 0. 07 0. 39 0. 27 3. 41 0. 28 0. 70 1. 88 4. 63 3. 13 .00 .78 .48 .06 .00 .00 R2 52. 3% *Ten unusual observations noted in IQ test and NLE Scores When all independent variables were entered into the regression model, it was noted that only college GPA and pre-board performance showed significant predictive values with college GPA as the principal predictive variable. It is viewed that students’ learning in the classroom and clinical exposures in their four years in nursing predicted their performance in the licensure examination, plus the immediate influence of students’ performance in the pre-board examination 139 Asian Journal of Health consisted a strong predictive power of these variables at 52. 3% (R2). Besinque, et al. (2002) presented the same predictive ability of college grade point average in students’ success in the licensure examination. These findings are due to the fact that within the four years of college education of nursing students, they have specific competencies which they have acquired. When they graduate, they have mastered all these competencies to be declared as recipients of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree holder. The Board of Nursing NLE Test Framework has emphasized that the examinations are competency-based thus; the academic achievement in the four years of learning can indeed be a great factor that will predict the NLE performance. Furthermore, the pre-board examinations as presumed to be competency-based in nature since these are test simulations of the actual NLE examination to prepare the students for real examination. Thus, the students’ performance in the pre-board examination can contribute to the predictions of how they will perform in the actual examination. Moreover, the analysis showed ten unusual observations in the IQ tests scores and licensure examination performance. Most of them showed low IQ scores with high licensure examination performance which indicates that IQ test result is not a good predictor of licensure examination performance. It is noted that the variables included in this study are the studentrelated factors only, not considering the multifactorial influence of one’s success or failure in the licensure examination such as the teacher factor and environmental factor. It is on these factors that the researchers attribute the other 48% which is not accounted for by the effect of students’ college GPA and pre-board performance. CONCLUSION Student’s capabilities such as IQ, aptitude towards a future task, academic performance and preboard examination performance influence the licensure examination performance of the students. Moreover, from these variables, students’ academic performance and the rigid scrutiny of their possible performance in the licensure examination through the preboard examination are the best predictors of their success. 140 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico RECOMMENDATIONS It is therefore recommended that nursing colleges should strengthen their admission and retention policies, curricular offering and delivery to maximize the students’ learning during their college training years. Moreover, administeringpreboard examinations should be practiced by colleges as this has shown an important contribution in predicting students’ success in the licensure examination. LITERATURE CITED Besinque, K. ; W. Wong,W. Louie, and J. Rho 2000 Predictors of success rate in the California State Board of Pharmacy Licensure Examination. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. Vol. 64, Spring 2000 Hilario, I. 2000 Factors influencing the licensure examination performance of teacher education institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Unpublished Dissertation. St. Louise University, Baguio City.

Study Plan for Abroad free essay sample

As part of your application for the Faculty of Arts Exchange Programme or the HKU Worldwide Exchange Programme (HKUWW) Study Abroad scholarship, you have to provide a Statement of Purpose (Arts) or Study Plan (HKUWW). These are short essays which, on the Hong Kong side, are drawn on as supporting material in the selection process and, on the side of your potential host university, used to assess your motivation and study objectives, but also your command of English. The Statement of Purpose/ Study Plan is a specific genre and different from the academic essay you are familiar with. Hence it is important that you follow the below guidelines closely, to produce a piece of writing that will award you a study place and scholarship. 1) Faculty of Arts Statement of Purpose †¢ 800 to 1,000 words in length: this gives you enough room to expand on individual points, but without babbling . Needs to include the following points: a) your reasons for wanting to study at your preferred host institution; ) how this institution will help you achieve your study goals; c) how the knowledge and experience gained at your preferred host institution will impact and influence your plans for the future upon your return to HK; and d) a brief description of any extra-curricular activities of which you are/ have been in charge. We will write a custom essay sample on Study Plan for Abroad or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2) HKU Worldwide Study Plan †¢ No restrictions on length. However, experience tells us that essays of around 1,000 words in length are among the best. †¢ Should include the following points: a)your reasons for wanting to go on exchange; )some thoughts on how you think you will contribute to both the exchange programme and to HKU upon your return; c) suggestions for courses you plan to take at your host institution; and d)any related aspects that you think will strengthen your application. †¢ Additional guidelines on how to write a Study Plan are provided on the Office of International Student Exchanges website: http://www3. hku. hk/oise. You see that the Arts and HKUWW programmes demand similar things in their respective short essays, but please pay attention to their slightly different emphases and foci. In other words, you might have to tweak the essay you wrote for the one programme if you intend to also apply for the other exchange programme. Here are some dos and donts which apply to BOTH the Statement of Purpose AND Study Plan essays: Do: .t Be enthusiastic but without using cliche (e. g. dont say English literature is my life: but be more specific) . .t Adopt a confident tone but without singing your own praises in a vulgar way (e. g. dont say The University of Kassel should be glad to have me as an exchange student: but reflect on some of your achievements) . Be realistic and plausible regarding your choices, achievements and plans (e. g. dont say Studying at the University of Kent will help me become a Legco member upon graduation: but be more specific and explain how and why, if you think it will) . .t Show your Statement of Purpose/ Study Plan to a friend, family member or any person you trust, and ask for their opinion and comments . .t Make sure that your essay is written in good, grammatical English. No typos, no grammatical mistakes or outrageous stylistic infelicities, please! Ask for a sample or model. The Arts Faculty has some successful Statements on file, as does the Office of International Student Exchange, which they are happy to share with you. Dont Exceed the suggested length of around 1,000 words, unless you have a very good reason to do so. Ask your HKU teachers or tutors to work on this statement for you. Most teachers will be happy to discuss your application and choice of host universities with you, but dont expect anybody to copyedit your Statement of Purpose for you. Treat this Statement of Purpose/ Study Plan lightly. It is the one extended piece of writing that the selection committees at HKU and at your host institution will receive from you, and it will, together with your GPA, decide whether you are chosen for the programme or not. In other words, DO NOT write it at the last minute, that is on the day of the deadline, but please invest some time and thought. And finally: †¢ Please do a bit of research and check whether individual host institutions provide further, and perhaps more specific, information on how to write a Statement of Purpose/ Study Plan. You will usually find this information on the host universitys website under web rubrics like International Students or Exchange Students . †¢ Please do a bit of research and check whether individual host institutions require additional documents from you, like a writing sample, to assess your academic writing skills. Here, it is usually a good idea to submit an essay/ a revised essay that got at least a B grade at HKU, rather than write something new which none of your teachers has assessed. Happy Writing and Good Luck!

Silver essays

Silver essays Of the many elements discovered in the past years, Silver is a species that catches my eye. Silver has been known since ancient times. I love silver because its the only thing I wear when it comes to jewelry, but my love for this element had grown since Ive learned how much more we use silver in our every day lives. A few things that interest me about this element are silver itself, the uses of silver, the compounds that it forms and the uses of those compounds. The first major source of silver was discovered in 4000 B.C. in what we today call Turkey. Pure silver is nearly white. The texture of this element is soft, lustrous, ductile and malleable. Silver is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. Many of its properties resemble those of gold, copper, lead and zinc. Silver has names in different cultures. The French call it Argent. The German name for it is Silber. The Italian name for silver is Argento and the Spanish name for silver is Plata. Elements usually have symbols that correspond with the name of the element. For example, the symbol for Magnesium is Mg. The symbol for Oxygen is O. Because silver comes from the Latin word Argentum, the symbol for silver is Ag. Silver has an atomic number of 47 with a mass of 107.868. According to the periodic table, silver occurs in group11 and in period 5. This section of the periodic tale is called the Transition Metals. This element usually occurs in the metallic state. The crystal str ucture of silver is face-centered cubic. The density of this element is 10.5 g/cm3 and the atomic volume is 10.3 cm3/mol. Silver melts at 961.93oC and boils at 2212oC. Silver has a hardness of 3.25 mohs. In the nucleus, there are sixty-one neutrons, forty-seven protons and forty-seven electrons. The electronic configuration of silver is [Kr] 4d105s1. The structure of the atom contains 5 shells around the nucleus. There are two electrons in the first shell, eight e ...

The Quick Definition of a Robot

The Quick Definition of a Robot A robot can be defined as a programmable, self-controlled device consisting of electronic, electrical, or mechanical units. More generally, it is a machine that functions in place of a living agent. Robots are especially desirable for certain work functions because, unlike humans, they never get tired; they can endure physical conditions that are uncomfortable or even dangerous; they can operate in airless conditions; they do not get bored by repetition, and they cannot be distracted from the task at hand. The concept of robots is a very old one yet the actual word robot was invented in the 20th century from the Czechoslovakian word robota or robotnik meaning slave, servant, or forced labor. Robots dont have to look or act like humans but they do need to be flexible so they can perform different tasks. Early industrial robots handled radioactive material in atomic labs and were called master/slave manipulators. They were connected together with mechanical linkages and steel cables. Remote arm manipulators can now be moved by push buttons, switches or joysticks. Current robots have advanced sensory systems that process information and appear to function as if they have brains. Their brain is actually a form of computerized artificial intelligence (AI). AI allows a robot to perceive conditions and decide upon a course of action based on those conditions. Components of Robots Effectors - arms, legs, hands, feetSensors - parts that act like senses and can detect objects or things like heat and light and convert the object information into symbols that computers understandComputer - the brain that contains instructions called algorithms to control the robotEquipment - this includes tools and mechanical fixtures Characteristics that make robots different from regular machinery are that robots usually function by themselves, are sensitive to their environment, adapt to variations in the environment or to errors in prior performance, are task oriented and often have the ability to try different methods to accomplish a task. Common industrial robots are generally heavy rigid devices limited to manufacturing. They operate in precisely structured environments and perform single highly repetitive tasks under pre-programmed control. There were an estimated 720,000 industrial robots in 1998. Tele-operated robots are used in semi-structured environments such as undersea and nuclear facilities. They perform non-repetitive tasks and have limited real-time control.

HRM in Libya Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

HRM in Libya - Coursework Example Libya, before it attained its independence, was a colony of Italy. Italy colonized Libya until 1951. Libya was formed by the combination of three provinces, Fezzan, Cyrenaica and Tripolitania during the times of colonization. Due to this colonial background, Libya has several aspects that differ with other counterparts of the prominent world of Arabs to which it’s a member alongside 21 other nations. Apart from being colonized by Italy, Libya had been occupied by other powers as well. These were Greeks, Phoenicians, as well as Arabs.The nation had, since independence, been ruled by a monarchical government. But this was to last until 1969 when a coup d’etat was successfully carried out and this saw 70 army officers seize the power from the then government. The overall leader was to be Colonel Muammar Qadhafi and their government was more of group leadership. It also changed the course of Libya to an Arab Socialist state, which marked the end of capitalism and Marxism.Qa dhafi has from then onwards had a great influence on this function of HRM. His movement’s aim was especially at halting inefficiency and enhance national coordination of the political system. He urged his followers to do away with the traditional system of governance and take up a new one. This was to be â€Å"people’s committee† and its establishment became far and wide to organizations in Libya. The system of â€Å"people’s committees,† thus had a great impact on employee-management in Libya. It especially based its approach on direct democracy as put across in Qadhafi’s book ‘The Green Book’ of 1976.   The book subsequently saw the introduction of  all people’s participatory structure of â€Å"people’s congress† and later on to a new element of â€Å"revolutionary committees†. Capitalism was thus in a total ban in Libya and it was followed by new dawn of employees’ self-management via committees as well as partnerships of profit participation in public and private enterprises alike. A law on the property was also passed and forbid ownership of more than a private place of dwelling. Libyan employees also took over the control of the nation’s big companies, which were now state-run.Socialism, therefore, has had a conspicuous impact on the HRM system of Libya. It depends, mostly, upon the exportation of oil. As per the estimates of 2000 unemployment rate stood at 30% and the labor force at 1.5 million workers. Islam and the overall Arabic culture have also affected the course of Human Resource Management in Libya.

Financial Institutions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Institutions - Research Paper Example After reviewing the trend in banking branches, it is determined that there is a huge increase in bank branches then in 1934. Bank branches were very almost nonexistent in the 1930’s and increased as time went on. The increase in branches has shown a steady decrease in institutions. These increases and decreases show an overall increase in facilities. It seems that the public has more access to banking facilities then in 1934. There were 14,146 offices available in 1934 and in 2009 there are over 90,159. The trend shown for banking statistics shows that consolidating is a growing and continuing trend. This can be proven true since, almost every street in modern day America is home to a branch location. Some financial institutions house as many as 50 different financial institutions. This is good in a way that individuals can choose which financial institution to bank with. Despite the regulations that protect banks from failure, some do fail. Go to www2.fdic.gov/hsob/. Select t he tab labeled â€Å"Bank and Thrift Failures†. How many bank failures occurred in the USA during the most recent calendar year? What were the total assets held by the banks that failed? How many banks failed in 1937? In 2010 name the top three states where bank failures occurred. 2. ... The difference in bank loss assets differ by millions of dollars. This is proof that there is more money available and out in the American economy compared to the 1930’s. In 2010 there were also many bank failures. The top three states that produced bank failures were Florida, Georgia and Illinois. This was determined by totaling the number of failures in each state. Of the states listed, the most failures were in the given states. Whilst looking at the bank failure data choose one bank in Washington State and provide a two page synopsis of the bank condition (asset size, equity, derivatives book etc) at the time of failure. Also, conduct a media (newspaper/trade journal search) of any news regarding the failed bank you are researching. Did the board of directors consent to the closing? Name the date when Order for Taking Possession took place. Provide the name of the bidder that assumed the deposits of the bank. Was it necessary for the FDIC to create an interim bank to handl e deposits for customers? 3. After reviewing bank failures, it is important to examine which banks failed and why the banks failed. The FDIC helps regulate certain banking aspects to try and prevent failure but sometimes it is out of the FDIC’s hands and nothing can be done. There could be many reasons as to why a bank would fail. Banks fail for many different reasons like a poor economy and improper management. Sometimes it has nothing to do with the bank and its employees but rather the amount of loans out. When a bank has many loans out and the borrowers are unable to pay, the banks take a loss. A bank that has failed in 2010 is the North County Bank. The bank is located in Arlington, in the state of Washington. This

International Law and Individual Rights Essay Example for Free

International Law and Individual Rights Essay The international law has been undergoing some evolutions since early and mid 19th century. The original international law laid a lot of emphasis on just the state as the custodian of individual rights of its citizens. (L. Oppenheim, 1912. )However, the law deemed inadequate to address individual rights, thus, following some developments, the law has undergone some transformations, which are aimed at promoting individual rights, regardless of their country, state, race, gender or religion. The main developments which have triggered these evolutions of the international law include the Holocaust, the Second World War and the establishment of international criminal courts mainly to try the perpetrators of recent genocides like the former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda The Holocaust was a form of genocide, in which Germany, lead by Adolf Hitler, undertook the extermination of stateless Jews in Germany in which 6 million Jews were killed. Nazi Germany planned and implemented the Holocaust because of the domestic jurisdiction principle of the then international law, which prevented any other state from interfering when Hitler undertook the persecution of the Jews. This made the Geneva Convention which came into being between 1864 and 1949 as a result of efforts by Henry Dunant, realize that the law needed radical changes to enable the international community to intervene in domestic matters of a nation especially those linked to individual rights (Buergenthal, T. 978 and 1997) The need for further changes to the status of individuals under international law went a notch higher after the Second World War, in which many people lost their lives due to the state of anarchy which prevailed then. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt in his freedom speech called for a world order in which the world could be founded upon four freedoms namely freedom of speech and expression, International Law and Individual Rights 4 reedom of worship in any way, freedom from want and freedom from fear. This was followed by the formation of the United Nations in 1949, whose main concern, among others was to address the International law, so as to empower the international community to address large scale violations of individual rights. The international law was further to evolve with the establishment of international criminal courts mainly to try the perpetrators of recent genocides like the former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda which took place in mid 1990s. A treaty to create the new international criminal court was formed in 2002, while the international criminal court was formally constituted in 2003, about six decades after the Nuremberg trials (R. K. Woetzel 1962) and the Holocaust. The main objective of this court is to ensure that nations revise their human rights aspects in their constitutions and more importantly, prosecute the leaders who oversee the violation of human rights. It can be seen that international law has undergone all these evolutions, which are all inclined towards protecting the rights of the individual, not just the nation.

Essay --

Of all the cuisines to choose from, I have decided upon the country of Spain from Europe and Laos from Asia. Lao cuisine is the closest to Hmong food, which is my ethnicity. The Hmong people do not have their own country to call their own, for example Lao people are from Laos and Spanish people are from Spain. Hmong people are not from Mongolia. Instead a majority of Hmong people resides in the mountains of Laos. Some live in Cambodia, Thailand, France, or the U.S. of A. Spain has influenced a large part of world cuisine. It’s techniques and ingredients have been intertwined with the rest of the world for thousands of years. Spain is in the southwestern part of Europe and to the east of the Mediterranean Sea. There are a large variety of fruits and vegetables grown in Spain. Food From Spain lists peaches, cherries, ioquats, apricots, nectarines, plums, apples, pears, grapes, wheat, and olives as fruits grown in Spain. There are also many others, but these specific fruits are only from Spain. A Melocoton de Calanda is a Spanish peach found in northeastern Spain. Cerezas de la Montana de Alicante is a sweet red cherry found in the jerte Valley in Extremadura of Spain. Ioquats are sweet, slightly acidic, and have a strong leathery skin. Certain types of apricots, nectarines, and plums also come from Spain. Apples from Asturias, Castile-Leon, and Catalonia of northern Spain are â€Å"generally considered superior (foodfromspain).† Pears are originally from Asia Minor, but grow well in inland Spain. Grapes, wheat, and olives play a major role in Spanish cuisine as well. Grapes are used for wine and oil. Olives are in abundance and are eaten and used for oil. Olive oil serves many uses in Spanish cuisine. Typica... ...med or grilled and low in fat. Spain has a more abundance of olive oil allowing them to create heartier meals. Spanish foods uses oil to deep fry, make emulsions, and create bases such as Sofrito. Spanish food is therefore heartier, but is higher in fat than Lao cuisine. Regardless of their differences both cuisines are delectable. Lao cuisine may not have influenced a great deal of the food world as Spain has; instead it has taken slight influences from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. These are two very different cuisines and offer a lot of different flavors and styles. The contrasting cuisines come from the different products they have available and cooking methods. Although both countries are in the eastern hemisphere, the different products are due to the region, climate, and soil type. Regardless of their differences both cuisines are delectable. â€Æ' Essay -- Of all the cuisines to choose from, I have decided upon the country of Spain from Europe and Laos from Asia. Lao cuisine is the closest to Hmong food, which is my ethnicity. The Hmong people do not have their own country to call their own, for example Lao people are from Laos and Spanish people are from Spain. Hmong people are not from Mongolia. Instead a majority of Hmong people resides in the mountains of Laos. Some live in Cambodia, Thailand, France, or the U.S. of A. Spain has influenced a large part of world cuisine. It’s techniques and ingredients have been intertwined with the rest of the world for thousands of years. Spain is in the southwestern part of Europe and to the east of the Mediterranean Sea. There are a large variety of fruits and vegetables grown in Spain. Food From Spain lists peaches, cherries, ioquats, apricots, nectarines, plums, apples, pears, grapes, wheat, and olives as fruits grown in Spain. There are also many others, but these specific fruits are only from Spain. A Melocoton de Calanda is a Spanish peach found in northeastern Spain. Cerezas de la Montana de Alicante is a sweet red cherry found in the jerte Valley in Extremadura of Spain. Ioquats are sweet, slightly acidic, and have a strong leathery skin. Certain types of apricots, nectarines, and plums also come from Spain. Apples from Asturias, Castile-Leon, and Catalonia of northern Spain are â€Å"generally considered superior (foodfromspain).† Pears are originally from Asia Minor, but grow well in inland Spain. Grapes, wheat, and olives play a major role in Spanish cuisine as well. Grapes are used for wine and oil. Olives are in abundance and are eaten and used for oil. Olive oil serves many uses in Spanish cuisine. Typica... ...med or grilled and low in fat. Spain has a more abundance of olive oil allowing them to create heartier meals. Spanish foods uses oil to deep fry, make emulsions, and create bases such as Sofrito. Spanish food is therefore heartier, but is higher in fat than Lao cuisine. Regardless of their differences both cuisines are delectable. Lao cuisine may not have influenced a great deal of the food world as Spain has; instead it has taken slight influences from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. These are two very different cuisines and offer a lot of different flavors and styles. The contrasting cuisines come from the different products they have available and cooking methods. Although both countries are in the eastern hemisphere, the different products are due to the region, climate, and soil type. Regardless of their differences both cuisines are delectable. â€Æ'

Analysis of The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher In The Rye Essay Throughout the book, The Catcher In the Rye, the theme that I saw reoccurring in the novel was the painfulness of growing up. In the book there are many cases of Holden Caulfield trying to resist growing. He does not want to grow up because he’s afraid of the unknown, or what’s coming next in his life. In fact his main goal is to resist maturing. He is scared of the unknown and cannot handle things that are very complicated. He likes it when things are very simple and easily understandable.In the book there are many examples of the theme of the painfulness of growing up in the book. â€Å"I went down by a different staircase, and I saw another â€Å"Fuck you† on the wall. I tried to rub it off with my hand again, but this one was scratched on, with a knife or something. It wouldn’t come off. Its hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the â€Å"Fuck you† signs in t he world. Its impossible. † (Salinger 201). This quote shows that Holden wants to protect kids.He is mad that he is not able to stop the kids from getting their innocence taken away. He is also mad because he knows that it is impossible to keep from kids getting their innocence taken away. â€Å"What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff-I mean if theyre running and they don’t look where theyre going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all id do all day. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all†(Salinger 98). This shows that Holden wants to save him and other people from growing up one day.Holden is scared of growing up, and also scared of the unknown. He feels like he has a duty to save other people from growing up and maturing. â€Å"Mothers are all slightly insane†(Salinger 176), this shows Holdens belief that all adults are in one way or another phony. This is why he is scared to grow up . He does not want to grow up and become phony like all the adults. The quote also shows his viepoint on all adults. He believes that once you mature you are phony, and he does his best to make sure that he does not become phony.As you can see the theme of the painfulness of growing up is very prevalent throughout The Catcher In The Rye. Holden is very afraid of growing up and is also afraid of the unknown. He also feels that it is his duty to protect others and himself from growing up. Holden believes that every adult is phony and his goal to keep everyone from growing up and becoming phony. The theme of the painfulness of growing up is very important in the book. Works Cited Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Little Brown Books, New York: 1945

Response for “The Destructors”: themes, interpretations Essay

â€Å"Chaos had advanced. The kitchen was a shambles of broken glass and china. The dining-room was stripped of parquet, the skirting was up, the door had been taken off its hinges, and the destroyers had moved up a floor. Streaks of light came in through the closed shutters where they worked with the seriousness of creators – and destruction after all is a form of creation. A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become.† The Second World War had just finished and the boys were living in a hostile and indifferent world. They had had an idea, a dream, and using their imagination the gang had created a plan (p.176 â€Å"a wild invention†) to destroy Old Misery’s house. To accomplish their mission they needed energy, hard work and organisation, just like in a war. However, they weren’t doing it for hate, because hate requires a certain degree of passion and each and every one of them was cold-minded, and just followed the orders of their leader: Trevor, who was a mastermind of evil. It’s clear that the gang wanted prestige, distinction and fame (p.174 â€Å"The fame [†¦] been destroyed†); nevertheless it wasn’t just for that; they were doing it naturally and consciously and most significant: for fun. Destruction was part of them, maybe because they were â€Å"the sons of war† and they were living a period of transition when many important changes take place; but as far as I’m concerned, proportional episodes (with proportional consequences) happen nowadays. This leads me to think that â€Å"destruction† is part of human nature. Regarding their action, when the house was being smashed, sounds of carpentry were heard (creation) (e.g.: a clickety-clack, a bang bang, a scraping, a creaking †¦). The boys created destruction and they had to do it in a way so that nothing â€Å"build inside again was more beautifully than before†. â€Å"Beauty†, style and elegance was something they couldn’t allow. The question is why; as I said before, â€Å"destruction† could be taken as part of human nature, but perhaps this is always needed to create later. It could be considered as one more step in the ladder to produce changes. During this alteration disorder and uncertainty are present and it is normal from individuals to collectively (nations, corporations, mafias, gangs,etc) pull  their skills and talents in order to overcome difficulties and make modifications. It’s like a cycle which is always necessary. The problem is that in their cycle there had no immediate future. It was a need to exterminate leaving nothing but a spoilt landscape covered by rubble. Their plan had been as effective as an army or a missile. The place was clear for something new to be created, something different, but something human which soon or later would be also destroyed. These qualities inside members of the gang were the leftovers of the war. They had absorbed war and were part of its consequences. Rounding off and as far as I’m concerned, the story’s theme is centred on the idea of destruction and creation, and how these two relate with each other. War and pos-war are deeply connected with this main idea in the story due to the fact that it was a period of transition; the gang was leaving between destruction and the creation of something new. I believe that war is the perfect example to understand human behaviour, and how ideologies or interests may lead to fights, battles, and the constant look for evolution and change whereas terrible consequences can be suffered by anyone, no matter their innocence and age (like the boys did).

The eNotes Blog Januarys Study Tip How to Beat the Winter QuarterBlues

Januarys Study Tip How to Beat the Winter QuarterBlues Winter is the cruelest of quarters. One day youre making merry and ringing in the new year, the next youre expected to have read all of your coursework and to bounce back to student life with the youth and agility of, well, a student If you feel the winter quarter sads, try these quick tips to stay motivated for your classes: 1. Jazz up your dorm room Cheap and cheerful are the operative words here. Because of winters short days and long nights, your little space can easily turn gloomy, which in turn will affect your mood and how well you study there. Try injecting some extra light with the help of an inexpensive box of Christmas tree lights. Itll feel like the good winter cheer never left. You can find other dorm room decorating ideas on this Pinterest board. 2. Invest in a light therapy box Similar to above, if you live somewhere cold getting enough of the suns rays can make or break your winter blues. Unless youre fortunate enough to live in the sunshine state this time of year, you may want to invest in a light therapy box for your desk.  Mayo Clinic  has some helpful information on how theyre used to treat SAD (Seasonal affective disorder). You may also want to replenish the Vitamin D youll be missing with nutrition or supplements. 3. Break up a boring routine Yes, routines can be great, but if you feel youre falling into a winter quarter slump because of the day-to-day drudgery of classes, punctuated only by more studying and mealtimes, get out there and find something fun to break up your routine. You could join a club, apply for an internship, audition for the school play, or plan an outing with friends. Anything that gives you something exciting to look forward to is a good thing. And that, my friends, is how you win winter. Enjoy the season!

Shiwasu - December

Shiwasu - December It is already December. Time flies, doesnt it? The Japanese word for December is juuni-gatsu, which literally means, twelfth month. Each month has an older Japanese name, and December is called shiwasu (Ã¥ ¸ «Ã¨ µ °). The old names are not commonly used today, but shiwasu is the one that you would hear more often than the others. It is written with kanji characters for master, teacher and to run. There are several theories for the origin of the name, shiwasu. One of them is that December is so busy that even a priest has to pray on the run. Japanese Translation Ã¥ ¸ «Ã¨ µ ° 㠁„㠁 ¤Ã£  ®Ã©â€"“㠁 «Ã£ â€¹Ã£â‚¬ Ã£â€šâ€šÃ£ â€ Ã¦Å"ˆã€‚時㠁 ®Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ¤Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯Ã¦â€" ©Ã£ â€žÃ£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£  ­Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¦Å"ˆã  ¯Ã¦â€"‡å ­â€"通り〠Ã§â€¢ ªÃ§â€º ®Ã£  ®Ã¦Å"ˆã  ¨Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€ Ã¦â€ž Ã¥â€˜ ³Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ©â„¢ °Ã¦Å¡ ¦Ã£  §Ã£  ¯Ã£â‚¬ Ã¦Å"ˆã  ¯Ã¥ ¸ «Ã¨ µ °Ã£  ¨Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€žÃ£  ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ©â„¢ °Ã¦Å¡ ¦Ã£  ®Ã¦Å"ˆã  ®Ã¥â€˜ ¼Ã£  ³Ã¥  Ã£  ¯Ã£â‚¬ Ã§  ¾Ã¥Å" ¨Ã£  §Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€šÃ£  ¾Ã£â€šÅ Ã¤ ½ ¿Ã£â€š Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 ¾Ã£ â€ºÃ£â€šâ€œÃ£ Å'〠Ã¥ ¸ «Ã¨ µ °Ã£  ¯Ã£  Ã£  ®Ã¤ ¸ ­Ã£  §Ã£â€šâ€šÃ£â€š Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  ¨Ã£â€šË†Ã£  Ã¨â‚¬ ³Ã£  «Ã£ â„¢Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã¨ ¨â‚¬Ã¨â€˜â€°Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¥â€¦Ë†Ã§â€Å¸Ã£â‚¬ Ã¥Æ' §Ã¤ ¾ ¶Ã£  ®Ã¦â€ž Ã¥â€˜ ³Ã£  §Ã£ â€šÃ£â€šâ€¹Ã¥ ¸ «Ã£  ¨Ã¨ µ °Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£  ¨Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€ Ã¦ ¼ ¢Ã¥ ­â€"㠁 §Ã¦â€º ¸Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¥ ¸ «Ã¨ µ °Ã£  ®Ã¨ ªÅ¾Ã¦ º Ã£  «Ã£  ¤Ã£ â€žÃ£  ¦Ã£  ¯Ã£â‚¬ Ã£ â€žÃ£  Ã£  ¤Ã£ â€¹Ã£  ®Ã£ â€žÃ£â€š Ã£â€šÅ'㠁Å'à £ â€šÃ£â€šÅ Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ£ Å Ã§ µÅ'を㠁‚㠁’る㠁Ÿã‚ Ã£â‚¬ Ã£ Å Ã¥ Å Ã£ â€¢Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£ Å'㠁‚㠁 ¡Ã£ â€œÃ£  ¡Ã£  ®Ã¥ ® ¶Ã£â€šâ€™Ã¥ ¿â„¢Ã£ â€"㠁 Ã¨ µ °Ã£â€šÅ Ã¥â€ºÅ¾Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šâ€°Ã£  ¨Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€ Ã£  ®Ã£ Å'〠Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¨Ë† ¬Ã§Å¡â€žÃ£  ªÃ¨ ª ¬Ã£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¥ ¿â„¢Ã£ â€"㠁„時æÅ"Ÿã  §Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€šÃ£â€šÅ Ã£  ¾Ã£ â„¢Ã£ Å'〠Ã¥â€˜ ¨Ã£â€šÅ Ã£  «Ã£ â€ºÃ£ â€¹Ã£ â€¢Ã£â€šÅ'る㠁“㠁 ¨Ã£  ªÃ£  Ã£â‚¬ Ã§â€° ©Ã¤ ºâ€¹Ã£  «Ã£â€šâ€ Ã£  £Ã£  Ã£â€šÅ Ã¥ â€"ã‚Šç µâ€žÃ£â€š Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£â€šË†Ã£ â€ Ã£  «Ã¥ ¿Æ'㠁Å'㠁‘㠁Ÿã â€žÃ£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£â‚¬â€š Romaji Translation Itsunomanika, mou juuni-gatsu. Toki no tatsu nowa hayai desu ne. Juuni-gatsu wa moji doori, juuni ban me no tsuki to iu imi desu. Inreki dewa, juuni-gatsu wa shiwasu to iimasu. Inreki no tsuki no yobina wa, genzai dewa amari tsukawaremasen ga, shiwasu wa sono naka demo warito yoku mimi ni suru kotoba desu. Sensei, souryo no imi de aru shi to hashiru to iu kanji de shiwasu to yomimasu. Shiwasu no gogen ni tsuitewa, ikutsukano iware ga arimasu. Juuni-gatsu wa isogashii node, obousan de sae, okyou o ageru tameni achikochi no ie o isogashiku hashirimawaru kara, to iu no ga ippanteki na setsu desu. Isogashii jiki dewa arimasu ga, mawari ni sekasareru koto naku, monogoto ni yukkuri torikumu youni shitai mono desu. Note: The translation is not always literal. Beginners Phrases Time flies, doesnt it? Toki no tatsu no wa hayai desu ne.㠁 ¨Ã£  Ã£  ® 㠁Ÿã  ¤Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯ 㠁 ¯Ã£â€šâ€žÃ£ â€žÃ£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£  ­Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¦â„¢â€šÃ£  ®Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ¤Ã£  ®Ã£  ¯Ã¦â€" ©Ã£ â€žÃ£  §Ã£ â„¢Ã£  ­Ã£â‚¬â€š

McDonald's Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

McDonald's - Case Study Example However, McDonalds, though made efforts to change its menu, but the market lost to Wendy's and other competitors could not be recaptured because it was too late to enter the market. 1) McDonald shall further explore its differentiation process. Over the period of time it relied heavily on cleanliness and other USPs however it needs to create its differentiation in terms of food. The relatively increasing concerns shown by different circles suggest that McDonald's food is not good for health therefore it needs to create differentiation through cutting edge new research to prepare more nutritional products. 2) Second alternative strategy which McDonald can employ is Focus. A differentiation Focus and Low Cost focus would enable it to concentrate more on its core competencies rather than considering external environment as the source of its problems. Given the facts presented in Case study, it is important for McDonald's to focus more on its customer preferences. It may arrange focus groups or conduct market research to understand exactly what customers' needs are and then shall tailor its strategies to accommodate those preferences.

DNA Mutations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DNA Mutations - Essay Example The function of the protein made by this polypeptide will be changed or lost as well (Blamire ,2000). To put in simpler language, mutation alters the function of the enzyme that catalyses a particular genetic function resulting in the change of inherited characters through different generations. It results in the alteration of DNA sequence and consequently results in changes in the genetic and physical appearance of an organism. Thus the phenotype of the organism carrying the DNA which went through mutation will be changed. The agents which cause DNA mutation are termed as mutagens. These can be either physical agents or chemical ones (Matulef 2004). There are specific chemical mutagens created and calibrated to create specific genetic changes. They can either mimic the original nucleotide bases in a DNA molecule or remove parts of the nucleotide resulting in improper base pairing during DNA replication. They can also cause genetic changes by adding hydrocarbons to various nucleotides. High energy radiations can also alter the DNA molecule and cause mutation (Matulef 2004). The ultraviolet radiation from the sun is another cause for the same. Ultra violet rays in the presence of sunlight gamma rays and such ionizing radiation etc can increase the frequency of mutation above the natural level. Much differently to these kinds of mutagen induced ones, mutations can also occur spontaneously. Mutation may arise on account of different reasons. In a chromatid, DNA helix runs continuously from one end to another in a highly super coiled form. Therefore loss or gain (deletion or insertion/duplication) of a segment of DNA results in alteration in chromosomes (Montelone, 1998) Since genes are located in chromosomes such an alteration may result in abnormalities or aberrations. Chromosomal aberrations are commonly seen in cancer cells. Moreover Mutation may also arise due to change in a single base pair of DNA.

Choose one of the subjects ( table of content is required) Term Paper

Choose one of the subjects ( table of content is required) - Term Paper Example Consumers tend to purchase more when the interest rates are low, and purchase less when the interest rates are high. This is because low interest rates increase the disposable income available to a consumer, and as such, has more income to spend on purchases, whilst high interest rates reduces the disposable income available to a customer, thereby he or she has less income to spend on purchases. As a natural rule of economics, a person tends to spend more when he or she has a higher amount of disposable income. However, if such a person has lower amount of disposable income, he or she will probably spend less. As such, interest rates primarily tend to affect the middle income and the low-income consumers within the economy who do not have a vast fortune to spend of purchases and luxuries. However, this does not rule out the fact that interest rates also affect the high-income earners within the economy only that its effect on their disposable income is dismal compared to consumers from the other two income brackets. The rich might only feel the effect of high interest rates while investing, especially when the cost of investment raises due to high interests rates. As for shopping and purchase, the rich will probably go for pricy high-end luxury goods and services as they attach price to quality, in the sense that the more expensive it is, the higher quality it is. As for th e other consumers, they tend to purchase within their limits in the sense that higher prices scare them away and reduce their spending and purchasing patterns, while lower prices increase their spending as it increases their purchasing power, As such, interest rates come into play in the sense that higher interest rates equally lead to a rise in common products and services consumed by middle level and lower level consumers. For instance, if a proprietor secures a loan for his or

The Carbonated Soft Drinks Industry And Pepsico Strategy Marketing Essay

The Carbonated Soft Drinks Industry And Pepsico Strategy Marketing Essay The chart below shows the dominant players in the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) industry according to Beverage Digest report issued on March 30, 2009. The results of this report are for the year 2008 (Sicher, 2009, p.2). Coca Cola has the largest market share accounting for 43%, followed by PepsiCo with 31% and Dr.Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (formerly Cadbury Schweppes) with 15% of the market. The remaining 11% is distributed amongst other CSD companies such as Cott Corp, National Beverage, Red Bull, Big Red, Rockstar, Private label and others. Moreover, the top 10 CSD brands in the U.S for the year 2008 were ranked by market share as follows (Sicher, 2009, p.2). Brands Company Market Share Coke Coca-Cola 17.3% Pepsi-Cola PepsiCo 10.3% Diet Coke Coca-Cola 10% Mountain Dew PepsiCo 6.8% Dr.Pepper Dr.Pepper Snapple Group(DPS) 6.1% Diet Pepsi PepsiCo 5.7% Sprite Coca-Cola 5.6% Fanta Coca-Cola 1.8% Diet Mountain Dew PepsiCo 1.8% Diet Dr.Pepper Dr.Pepper Snapple Group(DPS) 1.6% With regard to individual brands, Coke was ranked first with 17.3% market share and Pepsi-cola was in second place with a lower market share of 10.3%. Additionally, the total market share of all Coca-cola brands adds up to (34.7%) which still surpasses those of PepsiCo (24.6%). To be able to give an in-depth analysis and evaluation of the Soft Drink industry, the following factors should be considered: The relevant industry trends and the most noticeable changes in the industry. The strategic group map. The industry attractiveness using Michael Porter five forces model. A. Relevant industry trends Industry Growth The graph below shows the performance of the CSD market from 1990 up to 2008. It is observed that the industry faced a sharp decline in growth starting from 2005, where the percent volume change fell below zero. This was followed by a further decline in growth rates: -0.6% in 2006, then -2.3% in 2007 and -3% in 2008 (Sicher, 2009, p.1). Conversely, the energy drink companies were experiencing a positive growth. Hansen Natural, which has both soft drinks and energy drinks in its portfolio of products, witnessed a +3.3% CSD growth. Additionally, Red Bulls volume also increased +5.2%. Although Hansen Natural and Red Bull make up a small portion of the total market share pie, the increase in their growth rates indicates that PepsiCo has to pay attention to them. Political Factors: There are several political factors that influence the soft drinks industry: Obey food, Drug and cosmetic acts: the process of producing and distributing the soft drinks in the market is subjects to many federal laws such as the food, drug and cosmetics acts. It is also subject to American with disabilities acts. The presence of these laws helps create a healthy environment for the consumers. This will limit the potentials of new entrants in this industry. Environmental laws regulations: these laws enforce packaging, recycling, water and energy policies to make sure the CSD industry operates in a healthy environment. This leads to making the soft drink industry more attractive for consumers. Double Taxation: Another political factor is that companies operating in the industry are obligated to tax payments for the products they offer and distribute in each country they operate within. Hence, this leads to making the industry less attractive because operating firms are subject to double taxation policies. Economical Factors: Inflation in diesel prices: it is an important factor affecting the CSD industry. Since, the CSD relies on trucks to distribute its diverse end line products; trucks are subject to inflation in fuel prices. Since the consumption of fuel is the core activity, diesel prices are subject to inflation depending on the market conditions. Yet, the possibility of a market crisis rises. Foreign exchange rates fluctuations: Carbonated soft drinks firms revenues are affected by exchange rates fluctuations as well as profits and the cost of raw materials. Due to the weak economic growth the industry will suffer heavily by changes in exchange rates. Thus, profits and cost are going to be lower and higher respectively. Socio cultural Factors: Obesity: Dr. Gabe Mirkin says: A study from Harvard shows that of soft drinks may be responsible for the doubling of obesity in children over the last 15 years. (Gabe Mirkin, 2004) Recently, as the people are becoming more and more educated, the level of their health awareness is increasing. Obesity is becoming more and more apparent, leading to people taking good care of their health. Soft drinks are full with empty calories which cause obesity. The trend of obesity in children is rising since the soft drinks consumers are young and between the range of 14 and 30. In fact, studies done by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows that Adults who do drink one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages each day are 27% more likely to be overweight or obese. (16 Facts About Soft Drinks and Obesity, 2009) Change in life style consumer tastes: Nowadays the consumer of the carbonated soft drink industry are shifting their tastes toward drinking more healthier drinks such as water and fresh juices instead of carbonated soft drink full with sugar that will have a negative effect on the consumer health in the long run. People have become more health conscious for instance they are moving toward the consumption of healthier beverages such as water and fresh juices. Its estimated that the consumption of juices will increase up to 20 % within the coming three years. (Health Conscious Chileans Switching to Non-carbonated Drinks, 2009) Technological Factors: Introducing new technologies in the soft drink industry has helped in developing the process of manufacturing. For example: PDX technology: It is a shockwave technology that helps in mixing the ingredients in an efficient way. Pursuit Dynamics, the supplier, said that this technology is most useful for the soft drinks industry. This technology is believed to help in cutting the cleaning time up to 80%. Also, it will also increase the processing speed and save power. (New technology targets diet soft drinks makers, 2009) Other Noticeable trends: Merger and acquisition: It is very common in the soft drinks industry, it causes many firm to exit and then re-enter the industry. Many leaders in the soft drinks industry use acquisition in order to grow and increase their market share. For example, what PepsiCo did to expand into the energy drink sector, it acquired Quaker Oat, who already bought Gatorade. Hence, the competition on the products diversifications for a firm will increase. Using glass bottles instead of plastic bottles: Many soft drinks companies are moving toward using glass bottles because these bottles are more environmental friendly. According to G Karthikeyan, the manger of sales in Jabal Ali Container Glass, the demand for glass bottles has increased recently because some of the chemicals in the soft drinks can react with the plastic and caused serious diseases. Using glass bottles help that the soft drink bottle taste better and last for long time. (Sathish, 2010) Banning soft drinks in schools: The American beverage association has announced the removal of soft drinks from schools. It asked for the removal of full calorie drinks and the replacement will be the healthy, low calorie beverages. That decision has been made because the child obesity is increasing rapidly. The announcement said that in elementary schools, children can only have 100% fresh juices, low fat milk and water, while in high schools the students can have all types of diet beverages and sport drinks as well as the drinks available for the elementary schools.(FBD,2010) B. Strategic Group Map The strategic group map above shows the competitive positions of different competitors in the CSD industry. It consists of the five largest competitors in the industry. The axes represent two competitive characteristics: the product categories offered by each competitor and geographic coverage in terms of the number of countries. The size of the circles is proportional to the relative market share of the company. PepsiCo has offers the largest variety of product categories amounting to 10 categories, followed by Coca-cola which offers 7 categories. Dr.Pepper Snapple Group, Cott Corp and National beverage all offer 5 product categories, however these categories are differ slightly. Also, their geographic locations vary which explains why they are located on different points on the strategic group map. The strategic group map was constructed using the information in the table below: Geographic coverage Product Categories offered Coca cola 200 + (The coca-cola system, n.d.) 1.Soft drinks 2.Energy drinks 3.Juices / Juice Drinks 4.Sports drinks 5.Tea and coffee 6.water 7.other  [1]   Pepsi 150 (Our history, n.d.) 1.Soft drinks 2.Energy drinks 3.Juices / Juice Drinks 4.Sports drinks 5.Ready to drink tea 6.Ready to drink coffee 7.water 8.Dairy based drinks 9.Fruit flavored beverages 10.Frozen beverages  [2]   Dr.Pepper Snapple Group 81 (The best history on earth, n.d) 1.CSD 2.Juices 3.Ready to drink tea 4.Mixers 5.Other Premium beverages  [3]   Cott Corp 60 (About us, n.d.) 1.CSD 2.Energy Drinks 3.Juice Drinks 4.Tea 5.Water  [4]   National Beverage 13 (Overview, n.d.) 1.CSD 2.Energy Drinks 3.Water 4.Fortified powders and supplements 5.Functionally enhanced juices and waters  [5]   C. Michael Porter five forces model Industry is classified as the Carbonated Soft Drinks Industry Rivalry HIGH Rivalry in this market is very intense due to a number of factors such as the number of competitors, growth of the industry, product differentiation, switching costs and change in consumer tastes. There are a few large competitors that are roughly equal in size. These competitors are Coca-cola with a market share of 43% and Pepsi with 31%. The market shares of Coca-cola and PepsiCo combined makes up more than 70% of the whole market. Thus, it allows these major competitors to watch each other closely. However, there are many other competitors that compete with these two giants and intensify rivalry. These include other soft drink companies (e.g. Dr.Pepper Snapple Group and National Beverage) and energy drink companies (e.g. Red bull and Rockstar). As mentioned earlier, the CSD industry faced a 3% decline in growth in 2008. A declining growth rate indicated that the many competitors in the market will have to share the shrinking pie. Also, in an industry such as CSD, there is little opportunity for differentiation relative to other products (e.g. cars) which lowers switching costs for consumers. The change in lifestyles which caused consumers to shift away from carbonated to non-carbonated soft drinks increased the level of competition. As a result, companies such as PepsiCo and Coco-cola had to adapt to these changes in demand by focusing on marketing and innovation (Human sustainability, n.d.). Bargaining power of Buyers MODERATE to HIGH The buyers in this industry can be classified into two categories: Those that buy in large quantities (Matthews Knaus, 2006, p.2): Supermarkets (31%) Fountain outlets: e.g. restaurants (23%) Vending machines (14%) Mass merchandisers (6%) Convenience stores/ Gas stations (5%) Small grocers (4%) Other: gas stations, drug chains, gas stations/minimarts, airlines and other channels of distribution (17%) Those that buy in small quantities: Final consumer The first category of buyers has high bargaining power. Generally, in industries characterized with many suppliers and a few large buyers, the buyers capture a greater share of the profits. This is because they buy in bulk and they can easily switch between suppliers since the product is standard, lacks differentiation and is easily available in the market. Additionally, these buyers have the power to demand higher quality or more service because they buy in large quantities. An example of a buyer that buys in bulk is the large retail store, Walmart. The second category of buyers is the end consumers. The fragmented nature of the buyer group and the low quantities purchased by them lowers their bargaining power. However, the bargaining power is increased due to the presence of substitutes, low switching costs. Thus, the bargaining power of end consumers is considered to be moderate overall. Bargaining power of Suppliers- MODEATE to LOW Before looking at the supplier group, it is important to first consider the types of input or raw materials that are used in this industry. These are: sugar, bottles, cans, water, ink and plastic. The inputs used are homogeneous and not differentiated which makes them readily available in the market. The supplier group in this industry is not powerful and does not possess a high bargaining power. There are many suppliers which make the supplier group more fragmented than the industry it sells to. Also, the product or input is neither unique nor differentiated and the suppliers do not represent a high percentage of total costs in the industry. One factor that may increase the bargaining power of suppliers is that consumers are more becoming more health conscious. This gives suppliers that offer healthier ingredients more bargaining power since they are smaller in number. Nevertheless, this bargaining power can be mitigated by having a long term agreement with the suppliers. Threat of Substitutes: HIGH Again, substitutes are classified into two categories: (1) Substitutes that come from distant industries, and (2) substitutes that come from within the industry- internal substitution. Since we classified the industry as that of carbonated soft drinks, then the substitutes from distant industries will be non-carbonated soft drinks. These include juice, water, milk, tea, coffee and the like. On the other hand, substitutes from within the industry include CSD such as sodas and energy drinks. Both types of substitutes pose a high threat because consumers switching costs between substitutes are low. Additionally, since people are more health conscious, they are more willing to substitute CSD with healthier alternatives. Threat of New Entrants: Moderate to LOW The entry barriers in the CSD industry are of different types, each having a significant effect on the threat of potential new entrants, these include: Technical barriers: For instance, PepsiCo has an absolute cost advantage enabling it to achieve lower average costs. That is, even if an individual or company was able to discover Pepsis recipe, they will not be able to achieve the low costs of PepsiCo. This is because PepsiCo is a large company that has economies of scale. Commercial Barriers: these barriers include brand name, reputation, access to distribution etc. In an industry like CSD, it is very difficult for a new entrant to compete effectively with the existing competitors that already have a large and loyal customer base. New entrants will have to put in a lot of marketing efforts and resources in order to convince customers to switch to their products. This will be time consuming and will also require a large amount of capital. Additionally, it is very difficult for new entrant to gain access to extensive distribution channels like those of Coca cola and PepsiCo. Financial Barriers: these barriers include capital requirement, access to financing etc. The bottling process requires a higher amount of capital than concentrate manufacturing since it is associated with higher fixed assets. For concentrate manufacturing, one plant which has the potential to serve a country as large as the United States costs $25 million. On the other hand, the bottling process needs 80 to 85 plants, each costing $30-50 million, to provide efficient distribution for a country the size of the US. Moreover, the bottling process is highly specific to both the type packaging and the bottling process. This, in return, makes it difficult to exit the market. (Cola wars, n.d., p.3) Retaliation: the more retaliation new entrants expect from existing competitors, the higher the entry barrier. In this industry, new entrants should expect sharp retaliation. The aforementioned barriers to entry lower the threat of new entrants. However, there is another factor that should be taken into consideration: private label brands. Cott Corp. holds the majority of private label brands in addition to few other smaller companies. Since private label brands are cheaper, retailers would find it more attractive to sell them, instead of Coca-cola or Pepsi, taking into consideration the higher profit associated with them. Thus, the threat of these private brands slightly increase the threat posed by new entrants. This makes the overall threat of new entrants moderate to low. (Pepsi, n.d., p.6) Conclusion The spider web below summarized the five forces (the 6th force is excluded). The more intense the forces are, the less attractive the market is. Most of the forces in the CSD industry are moderate to high which indicates that this industry is not attractive for new entrants. However, for those companies that are already in the industry, it is attractive. 2. Key Success Factors of Carbonated Soft Drinks industry 1. Size of Company (distribution and market share) The companies size is an important factor in such an industry. E.g. PepsiCo is the second leader in the industry as well as one with the largest market share. 2. Location (Convenience and Availability) Convenience for customers is also essential in a soft drink industry. Such that a company must make sure the soft drink is readily available everywhere in supermarket, grocery stores, vending machines, and restaurants. Brand Loyalty Due to the diverse soft drinks and the intense competition in the industry, brand loyalty plays an important success factor for a company. E.g. PepsiCos regular customers are devoted to Pepsi and they rarely switch to other brands. Loyalty creates inelastic price change. PepsiCo successfully adapts to customer taste. International market International presence is essential for the success of Soft Drinks industry. Going global is important for it helps the company enhance growth. E.g. the majority of PepsiCos profits come from US yet population growth in markets like India and china could lead to potential market growth. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Strong Brand Reputation Strong market Position PepsiCo is an early entrant which helped build market share. Its market share accounts for 31% of the market share of the carbonated soft drinks industry. Availability of large Free Cash Flow ( and Strong Revenue Growth) Solid revenue results in the second quarter of 2009 reflecting PepsiCos Product innovation, strong effective net pricing, and cost discipline showing a 5.5 percent increase in net revenue and an 8 percent increase in core EPS. PepsiCo Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Indra Nooyi said Our results this quarter reinforce the advantages of our balanced portfolio, as our food and international businesses delivered solid performance while we continued the transformation of our North American beverage business.(Nooyi, 2009) PepsiCo has large amount of free cash flow and lack of capital constraint creating strength for the company to improve its innovative capabilities, and create a strong distribution thus further strengthening its brand. Strong and creative advertisement Besides PepsiCos strong advertisement, it uses creative techniques. Such that PepsiCo created an add through a football field with most well known players (Kaka-Brazilian, Henry-France, Drogba-Godivoi, Messi-Argentine, Lumoard-England) . Extensive product list Pepsi offers various products besides the Pepsi cola. It offers beverages and snacks. Its also the number one maker of snacks (potato chips and corn chips). Weaknesses: Many Large existing Competitors Large existing competitors in the market create significant weakness for PepsiCo and thus create a need for stronger advertising, consequently requiring higher capital. Following are the strong competitors sharing a high market share in comparison to PepsiCo with 31% market share: Coca Cola has a market share of Æ’Â   43% Dr.Pepper Snapple Group Inc. Æ’Â  15% of the market Concentration PepsiCo is concentrated in North America (US, Canada, Mexico), where almost 70% of its revenues comes from. Opportunities: Acquisitions and Alliances: Due to the increased threat of rivalry and competition in the carbonated soft drink industry, acquisitions and alliances create an opportunity that reduces such threats. Through acquisition the market share rises and the revenue rises, though the high cost of doing it is a drawback to such a strategy. Acquisitions of rivals (e.g. RedBull) Increase Market Share Increase Advertisements Advertisements play a major role in Carbonated Industries. For example, for one to see Pepsis add on road while very thirsty would likely to stop by a petrol station or any convenient store who offers Pepsi to purchase it. Strengthen Brand names of N.A portfolio: Since coke dominates Western Europe and Latin America, PEPSI dominates Middle East and Southeast Asia. Threats: Change in customers taste: weakening demand in USA Æ’Â  new federal nutrition guidelines identified regular CSD as largest source of obesity-causing sugars in American diet (Pinto, 2006) Health care awareness Increased awareness of health campaigns cut down revenues of soft drink industries. Customers move to substitutes such as water, non-carbonated drinks and juices. These challenges are PepsiCos target to overcome, such as the figure below shows the peoples negative perception of PepsiCo. High Rivalry As Explained earlier, threat of rivalry is very intense due to the following factors: Large number of competitors, Decline in growth of the industry, Lack of differentiation in products, and low switching costs. Therefore there exists an intense competition for shelf space due to expanding array of products and packaging options Large company size, will demand a varied marketing program; Social, cultural, economic, political and governmental constrains. As a result, the company will incur more expenses and resources. Threat of substitutes is very high. People can easily substitute Pepsi with other drinks. Strategic recommendations to the firm based on your SWOT analysis Since PepsiCo has availability of high free cash flow (strength), I would recommend that PepsiCo opts for Acquisition and Alliance (Opportunity) to increase its market share thus to take over its rivalry (threat) Due to the threat of health campaigns (threat), PepsiCo should increase its product line (opportunity) I would recommend that PepsiCo increases its EPS and increase PepsiCos stock price, by: Increasing Income Decrease amount of outstanding stock B. Company strategy analysis 1. Mission Statement/Strategic intent/Vision Mission statement: Our mission is to be the worlds premier consumer products company focused on convenient foods and beverages. We seek to produce financial rewards to investors as we provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to our employees, our business partners and the communities in which we operate. And in everything we do, we strive for honesty, fairness and integrity (PepsiCo Inc., 2009) Reproduced Mission statement: PepsiCo aims to be the worlds number one foods and beverages producer. It mainly focuses on providing money for its investors as well as enhancing the market with jobs and opportunities for growth. PepsiCo try their best to be honest, fair and truthful in all of their operations. Critique: The mission statement relatively reflects the core values of PepsiCo. It specifically describes its goals and objectives. It also sets guidelines for the activities and operations that need to be accomplished in order to meet the company prospects aims. Vision: PepsiCos responsibility is to continually improve all aspects of the world in which we operate environment, social, economic creating a better tomorrow than today. Our vision is put into action through programs and a focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company. (PepsiCo Inc., 2009) Reproduced Vision: Operate by creating a better future sustainable environment. Critique: A vision is a statement that states what the firm will be in the future. Pepsis vision aims toward creating a future healthier, sustainable friendly environment. PepsiCo vision should be more specific to its goals and objectives in order for PepsiCo to be more productive in the future. It should be more creative and easy to adapt to new trends. The vision can help PepsiCo in controlling the future market. PepsiCo Generic Strategy: According to Michael Porter, there are two types of competitive advantages a firm an posses: A firm can either make the same products that its competitors do, but with a lower cost. Æ’Â   Cost Strategy OR A firm can differentiate its products from those offered by its competitors, either by offering better and more expensive products or by offering lower quality cheaper products Æ’Â   Differentiation Strategy. To gain a competitive advantage in the market, PepsiCo looked in its position in the industry. It engaged in cost leadership competitive strategy: Since PepsiCo is a large corporation, it can keep the prices of its products low through the massive production and economies of scale. They also can buy from suppliers in bulk at a discount and make use of the technology to lower the prices of the final products. Not to forget that the extensive distribution channels and the global existence of the firm are considered as important factors to reduce the price. Allocating the cost among the brands carried by PepsiCo, the proficiency in the development and production help PepsiCo achieving its cost leadership strategy. PepsiCo also vertically integrated. It has merged with Pepsi bottling group in order to reduce the cost of distribution. Additionally, the types of input or raw materials that are used in this industry are: sugar, bottles, cans, water, ink and plastic. Since these raw materials are not differentiated and are easily available in the market, PepsiCo can achieve economies of scale. By looking at the graph above we can learn that by achieving economies of scale the firm will reduce its costs which will lead to lower prices of the final products. Although lower prices will result in having price war, which had already existed between PepsiCo and Coca-Cola and other firms in the CSD industry, it will still help the company in increasing its market share and to compete in the industry. Adapting the Cost leadership strategy had raised strong barriers for any new entrants to enter the market since it will be very hard to compete with a well-known brand that offers low prices. PepsiCos key resources that could lead to long term competitive: In order to stay ahead of the future and present competition, Pepsi has developed many attributes. It has constructed a business strategy that will allow it to outperform its competitors. Therefore PepsiCo has concentrated on few main resources that it believes will turn out as competitive advantages for the firm which will help it to goal superior performance in its industry. These competitive advantages are believed to be: Strong Brand Name Advertising: PepsiCo has the luxury to spend around 200 million dollars in this field, which allows it to reinforce the products. The strong advertising helps PepsiCo to introduce new products very quickly because it helps in improving the awareness level on the consumers about launching new products. PepsiCo logo/ being the 2nd leader of the market: PepsiCo is a very well-known brand not only because of products taste but also because of its logo and unique way of packaging. These all created what is called brand recognition. The unique blue and red symbol made PepsiCo very recognizable among people. Pepsi has spent 637 million dollar over the five past years on its marketing plan just to introduce the new rich deep blue packaging. This color represents the eternity of youthfulness and openness. Celebrity endorsement: Pepsi had used famous faces such as Britney Spears and Beyoncà © in advertising its products, which lead to attract more customers and increase the level of costumers preference. Although celebrity endorsement was a success but PepsiCo wont be using celebrities anymore as a step forward reducing its future cost. Extensive Distribution Channels / Location In Feb. 26, 2010 PepsiCo had merged with Pepsi Bottling group and PepsiAmerican which strengthening its distribution. It has local and global locations. PepsiCo has locations in 150 countries all around the world. Physical locations: PepsiCo soft drinks can be found in vending machines which are located in high traffic locations, schools, universities. PepsiCo reaches more consumers by also distributing its products to restaurants, department stores and grocery markets.