Analyzing the Financial Statements of the World’s Retailer

The Wal-Mart case is intended for an introductory or main course on Financial Statement Analysis. It may also be useful within a Corporate Finance/Financial Management course. After a class on financial statements and liquidity, profitability and solvency ratios – and some brief examples discussed by the lecturer – students should be capable of making a financial analysis of Wal-Mart. Students can be asked to make this analysis in class, or to prepare the case outside the classroom, and to present it. Ideally, the case work is conducted in groups of 4 to 6 students, and it typically takes between 1 to 1. 5 hours (for the analysis itself – obviously, drafting a written report or presentation is more time consuming). The Wal-Mart case is aimed at both undergraduate and graduate students, and for general management programmes/MBAs as well as finance students – obviously, for the latter group, a much more fine-grained analysis, extensive discussion and adequate linking among various financials and between the numbers and Wal-Mart’s business is required. Evidently, the lecturer should highlight many more details in a class of finance students. In the teaching note, the authors first provide a detailed discussion of Wal-Mart’s balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statement, mainly based upon common base and common size analysis. While the focus is on 2009 figures, conclusions for 2008 would be broadly similar. Furthermore, they also provide an overview of some key financials’ evolution over the past 10 years. Next, they calculate and interpret liquidity, profitability and solvency ratios for 2008 and 2009 and link these to Wal-Mart’s business model and operating activities. They summarize the main findings in a concluding section. Finally, the authors include a slide show that can be used while teaching this case.

A Teacher’s Involvement on Education Reform Essay

Student achievement is constantly changing. Today’s students are being prepared to face the real world that requires them to have exceeding abilities and knowledge. On the global economic aspect of today, students are asked to understand the fundamentals and at the same time be able to think critically. They must analyze and make inferences. It is the teacher’s task to develop these skills in the students. They must prepare them for any changes in the assessment of the school, especially when this approach is of the large scale and high-stake level. Education in the United States has been reformed countless times – all for various reasons. The changes in the knowledge and skills that are aimed for success go hand in hand with the understanding of how students learn. The relationship between the instruction given in schools and the assessment of the students through exams change the learning goals that are set for them and their schools. Therefore, the need for education reform. 1 Before, society can get by with the basic reading and arithmetic skills. This was during the industrial age. However, we are now in an information age. Individuals are required to have access to the interpretation and analysis of the information that they use in order to come up with decisions. Studies show that the skills and competencies mentioned in the previous sentence are the requirements to succeed in the workplace. 2 To adapt to these changes, the content standards of education – skills, knowledge and behavior of the students – must be achieved at a higher level. This is developed at the national, as well as the state areas of science, mathematics, history and geography. In this process, student assessment is the focus and the center of the efforts on matters concerning educational improvements. The policymakers intend to change the assessment that will allow teachers and schools to have different approaches. Assessment reform is not an excuse for a new regime by teachers. This is targeted to the students with the help of the development efforts of the teachers. These include curriculum reform, improving instruction and getting new instructional materials. A number of policymakers and educators believe that the assessment of the students reflect the lessons that they were taught. It’s true that the assessment influences the format of instruction. Contrary to the understanding of today’s students on how they learn their lessons, the assessments are particularly traditional. Most exams still follow the multiple-choice and the true-false format. These test facts determine the skill in an isolated approach. It seldom requires the students to apply what they really know, making it hard to determine what they are capable of doing in real life situations. The standardized tests do not match the content standards. Relying too much on these kinds of assessment often result to an instruction that only focuses on the basic knowledge and skills. It does not encourage the institution to reform the instruction give to the students. Engaged learning will prepare the students better for the 21st century. That being said, it only makes sense that the tests the students take encourage aggressive learning. 3 â€Å"The notion that learning comes about by the accretion of little bits is outmoded learning theory. Current models of learning based on cognitive psychology contend that learners gain understanding when they construct their own cognitive maps of the interconnections among concepts and facts. Thus, real learning cannot be spoon-fed, one skill at a time. † 4 Educators, policymakers and parents are starting to realize that the basic learning abilities are no longer enough. They need the students to have the skills they learned in school and the abilities they need upon leaving school all at the same time. Schools are expected to assist students in developing these competencies which they will use in real and authentic situations. The establishments are expected to graduate students who have these abilities – students who excel on both the standardized and the alternative assessments. During the last decade, the education community in the United States went through a proliferation of reform efforts that are standardized-driven. Its main objective is to increase the achievement level of the students. They want students from the United States achieve the same level of competitiveness with other industrialized nations. The education community also wants to restore the public confidence in the education. Once these are achieved, then it provides the standards-setting bodies the primary ways on how the classroom teachers can be involved in the reforming process. The federal government is a prominent player in the reforming efforts one educations. It goes all the way back in March 1994 when President Clinton signed the â€Å"Goals 2000: Educate America Act. It was the legislation that created the framework which allowed states to adopt and construct the education reform strategies by incorporating the three Goals principles: 1. ) rigorous academic standards. 2. ) alignment of curriculum, textbooks and teacher education and 3. ) clear incentives to encourage students to strive to meet high standards. Also, in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or the NBPTS was formed in order to articulate the standards of excellence to what teachers must know and should know. NBPTS has an assessment system that determines the eligibility of the educators for the National Board certification. At the same time, the Council of Chief State School Officers has established the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) to produce the model standards for the initial teacher licensure. INTASC standards are based on NBPTS standards. In 1987, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) started using the revised accreditation standards for teacher education institutions. This also reflects NBPTS standards. It calls for better performance, higher admissions and graduate standards. NCATE encourages the teachers to prepare the reforms on education at a content standard that has appeared from projects such as the NCTMs. There are three kinds of national standards which currently receive attention from the American government. The content standards focus on the curriculum, the performance standards concentrate on the student work and the assessment, and the school delivery standards which centers on the resources and support for the schools, teachers and students. The building figures from the consensus prominently show that the standards- setting movement of the schools and teachers has had de facto standards for the content areas that are mentioned in the Goals. These are affected by the textbook manufactures and the performance standards that are set by the testing companies. In contrast to this, the standards development projects of recent years have tried to get a base of support for a ny academic improvement. The involvement of teacher in the professional standards development can be seen in various areas: 1.  The teachers function as the standards. A lot of members of the NBPTS standards committees are accomplished and celebrated teachers. Classroom teachers are members of the NCATE board and the Standards Committee serve as the team which evaluates the teacher preparation programs. The Standard Project is there to develop the assessment standards. It also serves as the instrument for a national system of voluntary student examination. It engages the teachers in developing the tests items and refining the content standards in order to come up with better scores from the students. 2.  Teachers are the subjects of the fields that are new to test standards. Since they participate in the NBPTS field test, the INTAST assessments are conducted by teachers. 3. Teachers serve as the translators of the content standards. They apply this in a teachable classroom setting. By working with the scholars, the teachers build the contend standards in a state curriculum framework. They come up with lesson plans which are the operations for the standards they intend to meet. 4. Because they bargain units and have professional associations, teachers serve as the initiators of the standards-setting projects.  Take this for example, the Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students was developed by the American Federation of Teachers, the National Council on Measurement in Education and the National Education Association. 5. Teachers also serve as the critics of the national standards that set the efforts on education reform. The seven model standards that have been developed and supported by the Board of Education have circulated drafts of the standards documents. It also solicits the comment from the teachers and the parents. It is very important that teachers are on the panels in order to oversee the projects. The promotion of students’ critical thinking skills, active engagement in learning and deeper understanding of the subject matter is â€Å"teaching for understanding. † The classroom teachers must be engaged in teaching and understanding the lessons that they teach to the students. The research and the experience are collaborated and are jointly reported. Teachers must also focus on the policy considerations, starting with the perspectives in the classroom and emphasizing on the need for the field-based research that are needed for the multiple contexts of teaching. However, the involvement of teachers also varies on the perception of the school leadership. There are some teachers that perceive the costs of involvement in education reform outweigh the benefits. There are also some teachers who choose to not get involved because it means that this will influence other school policies. With this in mind, this proves that there are two kinds of decisions: the managerial, which is made by the administrators and the technical, which concentrates on the goal. Most teachers prefer being involved in the process than coming up with technical decisions. 7 Then there are some teachers that argue that education reform cannot be imposed on a unilateral approach. Teachers must endorse their new responsibilities and roles, as long as there is a time and enough resources to go about it. Schools depend on the cooperation, relation and interdependence of the staff members that plans such as these must be consistent with the norms that already exist. 8 Schools must also consider the current staff development. There are some models that do not help the teachers in handling the complex reforms that are currently being implemented. Dominant models work perfectly when the specific practices or skills are transferred. The current reforms need teachers to be intellectual. They must grapple the new ways in order to implement the principles and ideas in their daily work. The five steams of reform are challenges to the teachers. 9 Finally, there are the different studies of teachers when it comes to leadership roles. There are conditions that are particularly good prospects when it comes to leadership. By investing in roles that are dignified and not simply powerful, the organizational incentives needed for collaboration results to agreements which protect and separate the interest of the administrators and the teachers. This is a good thing because its final result is that it complies with the policies which support the education reform. Drawing from four different studies of teachers in leadership roles, the author examines the conditions for teacher productivity in schools. Little identifies five conditions as particularly likely to advance or erode the prospects for teacher leadership: define leadership tasks that are important, not trivial; invest leadership roles with dignity, not simply power over others; have organizational incentives for collaboration; avoid agreements that protect the separate interests of teachers and administrators; and have district policies that support teacher leadership, especially those on recruitment, selection, placement, and evaluation of principals. 10 Sometimes it is better to give movie examples. Over the years, there are countless movie releases that show teachers defying the school’s rules in order to provide what is best for their students. In â€Å"Dangerous Minds†, Michelle Pfeiffer encourages her students to read poetry instead of hanging out in the street and ruining their lives by getting involved in drugs, sex and gangsters. In the â€Å"Sister Act 2†, Whoopi Goldberg helms a choir consisting of African American students from the ghettos. Like Pfeiffer in â€Å"Dangerous Minds†, this is the nun’s distraction for the students to make something out of their lives. But a recent movie that depicts educational reform and teacher’s involvement best is the TV movie â€Å"Walkout. † It tells the story of the Mexican-American students in Los Angeles high schools in 1968. They staged a boycott in order to improve the quality of education for Chicanos. Actor-director Edward James Olmos (who plays Jennifer Lopez’ dad in â€Å"Selena) appears and directs in the movie. â€Å"Walkout† was skillfully directed and presented a simple story told in a direct manner. There is a frank portrayal of the unacceptable educational standards in the schools that are attended by the Mexican-American students. In one scene, two Chicano students were slapped on their behinds because they spoke in Spanish. This was only one of the rules in American schools which Mexican-American activists wanted to reform. They want to speak in Spanish whenever they want to because Spanish is their language. For teachers who want a peg in participating in educational reforms, they can look at Sal Castro played by Michael Pena (Jennifer Lopez’ brother in â€Å"Selena. ) He is a dedicated high school history teacher who is the instrument in stirring idealism in his students. He didn’t want them to be violent activists. He encouraged reform but he reminded them that this can be done in a united and peaceful protest. The focal point of the story is Paula Crisostomo (Alexa Vega) who is an exceptional student. She risked her graduation in order to be part of the Lincoln High School walkout. â€Å"Walkout† captures the passion of Paula and her classmates. The parents strongly resisted at the earlier part of the film, but later on they slowly understood the reason behind the activism of their children. The entire cast, played by young performers, is convincing. It is true that â€Å"Walkout† is a film but this is a depiction of something that happened in 1968 which changed history. Because of that walk-out, Mexican-American students are given a voice. The teacher participated in his own way in the education reform his students want granted. Those who watched this movie for the first time were unaware of the Chicano movement of 1968. They were surprised to find out that there was a time Universities kept Chicanos out. Teachers sacrifice their efforts and their time in order to concretize the goals they want for their students. Education reform may not be achieved with just one snap of a finger but that does not mean that teachers should stop trying there and then. For this very reason of reform, teachers and students are more motivated to strive toward success. Education reform is a right that must be made the most out of. It could be better opportunities for the teachers as well as the students. Once the school is presented an option to have an education, then they must seize it. It may be puzzling at first but the absence of education reform can have dire effects on the effective teaching in schools. Research shows that successful schools have reformed their education in relation to the demands of today’s information age. By viewing teaching as the central activity of organizations, more and more educational bodies are encouraging schools to take part of education reform. By proposing the norms, conducts, standards and practices which will serve as the central dialogue and observation of teaching, activities and practices that are related to providing a curriculum and materials needed by the school, students and teachers will be open to the recognition of teacher’s involvement in the whole educational reform process.

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House is about â€Å"domestic politics† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   Ibsen created a seemingly perfect atmosphere, enough to make one believe that marital bliss exists in such a setting.   As Hurwitt (2004) narrates, â€Å"the whole household contributes to the impression of marital bliss† (p. D-2). However, as the play progressed, it slowly becomes obvious that Ibsen wanted to show more than the problems of a married couple.   He evidently wanted to paint a socially significant picture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The play’s story is domestic in scope, primarily because two of the main characters are husband and wife.   Nonetheless, the play did include broader issues.   It showed how society in the 1800s view marriage, the functions assigned to man and wife, and the limitations it gave to women in general.   It is also climactic in structure. The three main characters are Nora and Torvald Helmer, and Krogstad.   The gist of the play revolved around them.   Nora is the play’s heroine; the beautiful loving wife and doting mother.   Torvald is her husband, who works as a manager in a bank.   Then there is Krogstad, the character responsible for the past to slowly unfold and for the story to begin.   A few years back, when Torvald was sick, Nora was forced by circumstance to borrow money from Krogstad.   She kept that from Torvald, and she was scared for him to find out.   Now that Torvald is manager, he could now also fire Krogstad, who also works at the bank. Krogstad now threatens Nora that he will reveal her secret if she does not help him keep his job.   Nora then talks to her husband and tries to put in a good word for Krogstad, but to no avail.   Thus, the past is revealed to Torvald through the letter, and the real story begins.   Torvald is outraged, and begins calling Nora names.   What she has done is out of duty to her husband, being the obedient wife that she is.   Instead of thanking her, he greets her with anger.   Torvald is simply infuriated. By the time he forgives her, however, Nora has had a realization and decides his forgiveness no longer matters.   Nora undergoes a drastic transformation, a change in her individual persona that Torvald did not expect.   Hurwitt (2004) describes Nora as, â€Å"so animated in her kittenish sexuality, so maddeningly delightful in her teasing manipulations, and so punishingly fretful in her fear of discovery – that the stillness in her final disillusionment is enormously eloquent† (p. D-2).   Nora is the doll referred to in the title.   She was Torvald’s doll: she was his possession, his play thing.   She was under his control, and was extremely dependent on him.   Their home is the house; â€Å"the room is very much Nora’s dollhouse domain, as indicated†¦by the child’s table, chairs and tea set downstage† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2). All her actions, decisions and choices are made by her husband, and she operates on his demands.   Everything she is involved in is mere play, because she is but an object.   His husband cannot even discuss serious matters with her because she herself is not taken seriously.   This is until she decides to leave everything behind and free herself from the prison that is her marriage.   She walks out the door and never looks back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ironically, in contrast with Torvald’s treatment of her wife, the overall quality of the characters is serious, simply because it mirrored a serious social problem.   The majority of the play can be considered tragic, except the hopefulness described by Nora’s escape.   The characters are simple.   At the same time, they hold meaning and weight because not only are they telling the story of a problematic marriage, they are also trying to discuss gender issues. The other aspects of the play also helped in clearly conveying the message.   The language used was easy to understand.   It remained faithful to the language Ibsen used, one that was neither shallow nor overcomplicated, yet it revealed real life emotion.   It was â€Å"emotional, thematic, and metaphoric† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   The stage set-up was also instrumental in bringing the message to the audience.   In a play, usually these things are overlooked.   Yet if one pays enough attention, the setting call also help tell the story and make the play come to life. Hurwitt (2004) observes, â€Å"A box constrained within boxes of social strictures, the Helmers’ tidy living room is redolent of the genteel poverty from which Nora dreams her husband’s new job as a bank manager will allow them to escape† (p. D-2).   The living room is then responsible for telling the viewers the social status of the family.   There were no special techniques used, no special music. With an already weighty play to speak of, it would be unnecessary to overembellish it.   In the instance of viewers, it was interactive in a sense; the play’s â€Å"deliberate pacing somewhat undercuts the tension, leaving room for audience members to make their own vocal contributions on opening night, rooting for Nora to get out and slam that door behind her† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   The audience had been able to contribute to the play. In the end, Ibsen’s play is as personal as it is communal.   The family is the basic unit of society, and affairs between husband and wife are private matters.   Nonetheless, these matters are also influential in the social sphere, hinting that the problems of individuals are also characterized by issues in society.   Everyone should watch A Doll’s House because Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece is as relevant then as it is now.   References Hurwitt, R. (2004, January 16). ACT draws out sexual politics in ‘Doll’s House.’ San Francisco Chronicle, p. D-2.

Answering Job Interview Questions for Opening Job at Chevron Co Essay

Answering Job Interview Questions for Opening Job at Chevron Co - Essay Example I have identified, developed and technically. I have Teaching and training capabilities as well. 2. Why did you choose your current university and major? What did you find most fulfilling and most difficult about your major? I had identified my aptitude for Engineering as I endeavored in many activities which were connected with the principles of engineering. Many of my hobbies were also closely associated with Engineering. I had participated in a number of co-curricular activities including science exhibitions which helped me develop my attitude towards Engineering. By the time I had to join for graduation I had decided to major in the current subject. My search for a cause effective engineering program ended up in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦University as its commitment to action-based-learning attracted me the most. The †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is really an exciting program which can offer me great opportunities to work closely with my classmates and practically learn to face real challenges. I admire the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ learning style which heavily emphasizes on practices and systematic learning cycle. The experience will empower me to be effective ‘in the team’ and ‘in leading the team’. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦also holds the legacy of a strong alumni network and the collaborative culture will ensure guidance throughout the career. The most challenging experience about the subject was the vastness of its applicability. This forced me to read and research extensively on the subject. 3. Describe a situation, either professional or personal, where you faced a particular difficulty. What was the outcome, what did you learn from the experience and what would you do differently if faced with a similar situation again? One if the most difficult situations that I had faced were taking forward the voluntary work as the Work Instructor during my high school days. All through my of my High School days, my leadersh ip abilities and my affinity towards the society were proven as I enthusiastically led the show to arrange tutorials and allied events as a part of the voluntary work.  

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of one or two particular Essay

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of one or two particular research methods (e.g. ethnography narrative enquiry surveys q - Essay Example Social science survey research is significant as it seeks to measure previous and current behavior, as well as future behavior (Marelli, 2004). As can be seen from political survey polls, these polls evaluate public opinion likely determining how people would vote in upcoming elections. The surveys also in public health would assess health behavior including eating trends, exercise trends, smoking behavior, wearing of seatbelts, frequency of routine exams, and other related relevant health behavior (Marelli, 2004). These studies seek predictions and trends in human behavior and how such behavior can be changed. In effect, individuals without health insurance can be surveyed using questions on how willing they are to pay health insurance. The surveys can also be applied in determining if individuals would buy more fresh vegetables if these were cheaper (Hatch, 2009). Survey subjects likely covered for survey research include those who can be accurately evaluated through subject respon se (Hoppe, 1998). Physical measures can sometimes be accurately assessed if the subjects have standard resources. In other words, height, weight, blood sugar, nutrition, and blood pressure can easily be measured where the subjects apply standard measures. Medication use can also be evaluated based on an individual’s prescription information. Clinical results, however, are sometimes not being measured during the survey research especially as they need health care professionals to carry out the process (Mathiyazhagan and Nandan, 2010). Health care application would fit well for surveys since the responses can be taken from the subjects, insurance records, or the written records. Disease incidence and prevalence are often more complicated to measure as they call for accurate means of diagnosing (Hatch, 2009). Mental health diseases are considered exempted because they are often diagnosed using survey scored within or outside the mental health system. Validity The validity of sur vey research is evaluated by measures similar to clinical research studies (Hatch, 2009). The covered population must still be specifically defined and a sample population extracted. The most relevant source of bias in survey research is on sampling. As soon as the target population is established, random or representative samples have to be chosen and those chosen must then be asked to participate in the study (Glasow, 2005). For some populations, the samples are easy to define and extract. Samples in clinical settings can be randomly chosen from the medical records. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, including condition, age, gender, treatment can then be compiled before the sampling process is initiated (Hatch, 2009). Patients with existing relations with the researcher would likely entertain calls or invitations to participate. The larger population however would be more difficult to locate and include in the sample population. Granting that the target is a population of adults i n a city in the eastern coast of the United States, the first task would be to identify all the adults in the area. The sources would also have to be laid out. Telephone listings are considered one of the sources of names, however not all adults have listed numbers, and others use cell phones, and the rest, do not even have phones (Hatch, 2009). In some instances, other

Emerging Trends Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Emerging Trends Case Study - Essay Example Technical courses require creative thinking in science subjects which is the main obstacle to success to most students. Fear for science subjects has highly contributed to this problem to many candidates. Constant rise of trade schools all over America for students who are not good enough to join colleges for further studies has contributed a lot for shortage in vehicle assembly industries. The rise of trade school makes most of the students not to have vision of being a technician in future. They therefore, end their dreams in businesses (Prosser, 2009). However, most of the technicians industries are managed by aged people creating no room for the young people. The need of strong learning background in to qualify to be an automotive technician has created fear to students. Increase in wages to the workers working in industries may solve this crisis but to some extent. (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Oak Ridge Associated Universities.,& Southern Interstate Nuclear Board. 2014)Due to increase wage, majority of students will have an aim of meeting the demands of qualifying to be a technician due to better pay due to demand for money to most youths. However, most of the students have developed fear of doing science subjects completely. In summary, there is a need for the government to ensure that every institution is entitled to offer a compulsory science subjects to students to foster the level of awareness to science related courses. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission., Oak Ridge Associated Universities., & Southern Interstate Nuclear Board. (2014).  Nuclear related technician demand and supply: Southern Interstate Nuclear Board Region, 2013. Washington?: publisher not

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process Essay - 2

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that external market conditions change rapidly in certain industries, thus driving a need for innovation in order to compete with other businesses operating in the same market environment. Products and services both from an entrepreneurial business and the competitive environment have a specific life cycle by which it generates profitability and consumer adoption patterns. A product or service will move from growth to maturity, a period where sales decline and thus new product development becomes a critical internal activity of the organization. This is why generating new ideas becomes a paramount objective in the planning process, usually requiring the input of executive leadership and managers to determine how best to introduce a new product whilst still recognizing costs. In generating new product ideas, the business leaders must determine whether compromises will be made, opportunity costs or trade-offs, in order to launch a new product o r service on the market. â€Å"Will conventional wisdom be defied, an understanding that teams, plans and reflects on learning lead to reduced cost, risk and speed to market†?. Recognising the financial impact of new product development and market launch urgency must be considered when generating new ideas. Innovations, however, are critical to maintaining a stable market position.Strategy formulation determines the objectives necessary to achieve a long-term market position. The strategy defines sustainability over the long-run or whether growth is an expectation related to revenue-building. An entrepreneurial dimension of strategy is persisting to find a better fit in the competitive market or developing a vision by which the organization founds its values and organizational structure against. Developing a long-term orientation is necessary for business planning as it determines the strategic direction the business intends to pursue and thus resources are allocated toward m eeting this purpose.

Financial Management Discussion Week 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial Management Discussion Week 10 - Essay Example Financial reorganization can help to manage the business assets more effectively and create scopes for the company to make profits through a going concern approach (Feeney, 2010). It facilitates the protection of major business activities and the management of various units of the business. A formal reorganization can help to make the business more efficiently managed and thus, there may be chances of the company being able to pay off the debts. A financial rehabilitation plan is an agreement between the debtor and the creditor. This process does not incur any costs. Also, in this plan, the company that owes the money continues functioning which makes it possible for the business to pay back the debts over a period of time. This ensures that the creditors will get back their money. This is not possible in case of demand liquidation. Liquidation is preferred over financial reorganization when the expenses of liquidity are low and does not consume more assets, the creditors prefer liquidation and when the liquidating value of the company is more that the going concern value for the same (Newton,

House during hectic times Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

House during hectic times - Essay Example Getting things done around the house can really be very challenging. With the children and the spouse around, you can’t seem to get things done at all. My son Chance think that housework is a kind of game so he usually follows me around while I go about my housekeeping. When I start sweeping the floor, he would playfully unplug the cord of the sweeper and run from me smiling. He also has an affinity for the mop and the bucket of water that I use in cleaning the floor. Before I know it, he had already emptied the bucket of water on the floor creating such a big mesh! After what seems like forever, I finally get the house straightened out. Do get to rest after all the sleeping and mopping? No. By the time I am done with the cleaning, it is already time to prepare dinner. With Chance trailing behind me, I move to the kitchen to start cooking. Now, if you haven’t experiences having a two-year-old boy as your cooking assistant, here’s the deal. While I am trying to cook dinner, my son imitates what I am doing by putting food in pans and climbing on counters. After getting food onto the pans, he turns off stove or turns burner on full blast depends what kind of mood he is in. He keeps saying, â€Å"Help mom† as if he is truly an invaluable kitchen assistant. Yeah, sure, it would have been nice to play with him for a while but I simply do not have time to monkey around the kitchen. I’m not a just a mom and homemaker, remember? I still need to attend classes at my college and then work on the task that our professors give us . I need to hurry up or else I will never get things done at all. My children are very important to me but sometimes; it’s hard for me to focus my attention on their individual issues. Giving them a one-on-one time is hard especially when there are many other things that need my attention. Of course my son Chance with his big blue and blonde head always finds a way to get my

Issue in Sports Essay Example for Free

Issue in Sports Essay A sport is often characterized as a physical activity where people are engage in a competition either for past time or recreation. Being described as a physical activity, getting into certain sports is an excellent way of maintaining good health and a healthy lifestyle. A side from the good benefits one can get through sports, it is a perfect method for self improvement as well. In life, self improvement is significant. But for others, improvement seems so hard probably for the reason that they feel inferior to other people. In sports people are free to join. It’s just a matter of choosing a specific endeavor that you want to do base on your strengths and weaknesses. This is to further strengthen your capabilities and improve on your weaknesses. With sports you will be open to different kind of pressures, trials, environments and you will have the chance to meet a lot of people. Through this, one can gain the confidence to handle pressure and trial not just by playing sports as well in life. In addition, one will have the confidence to intermingle with others and the chance for superior self improvement. For example, Basketball is one of the ideal sports used for self improvement. First, Basketball is a sport that revolves around discipline and dedication. For one to be a good player, you must have the discipline, balance life and time management to attend everyday practices and at the same time carry out other responsibilities as an individual. With this practice one can have the ability to distinguish priorities and make productive use of time. Second Basketball is a game that tests the mental ability of an individual. Due to the fact that playing basketball handles a lot of pleasure, there is one part of the game that makes a player or an individual overcome psychological barrier and perform well under pressure and have a positive outlook in life. Lastly, basketball is a team sport that helps develop self confidence to interact with others and perform a certain role in a team similar to a community. With winning as the common goal, players must observe discipline, dedication and compliance with the rules. This winning technique of basketball may perhaps be the same recipe in achieving every individual’s personal goal.

The Cause And Effects Of Consumerism Cultural Studies Essay

The Cause And Effects Of Consumerism Cultural Studies Essay Consumerism is the term used to describe the effects of equating personal happiness with purchasing material possessions and consumption. Today we live in a consumer culture obsessed world. Consumption encompasses our everyday lives and structures our everyday agendas. The values, meanings and costs of what we consume have become an increasing important part of our social and personal experiences. The main factor enforcing our actions in this way is the news media. The news media is filled with information about consumption- not only in the form of advertising but also as news about businesses, lifestyles and economic indicators. However none of this tells us how we came about as a culture that associates freedom with the freedom of consuming anything of our choice and as a means of self-fulfillment. All cultures have found meaning in material goods. Objects resemble a social status or go further than that and have an emotional attachment with ones self. Goods are not only consumed for there material characteristics, but even more for what they symbolize- there meanings, associations and there involvement in our self image. Consumption is not simply the acquiring of products predestined meanings. Instead, it should be seen as a form of social consumer culture. While consumption is an act, consumer culture is a way of life. It is quite likely that never before in history has consumption become one of the central values of a culture. In modern society one learns merely to consume, and tasteful or appropriate consumption is only one of the numerous choices. It is this focus on consumption as a central worth that makes us a consumer culture. Consumption no longer seems to reflect our cultural values; it has itself become a cultural value. It has entered into the warp and turmoil of this fabric we call modern life. Every public space, every occasion for public gathering, every creative expression is seen as an opportunity to encourage more consumption. To understand how we have become this consumer crazy culture it is important to understand the humble beginnings of this crazy fixation. Before the industrial revolution of the eighteenth century, what people consumed was, either goods mad by family members or a person the consumer has a personal relation with. In early Europe the form consumerism took place in the weekly markets and seasonal fairs. The historical pattern in America was somewhat different. Unlike in Europe, where markets and fairs preceded the development of shops, in America shops emerged as the customary way of buying and selling in its early colonial period. It was not until the eighteenth century that markets and fairs became popular in the United States. Fashion is one of the key elements that fuel consumerism. Fashion not only includes clothing, but also any object where there is a concern for what is different, new and improved and which allows us to express our individuality. Fashion is so central to modern day consumption that it is difficult to imagine a culture in which it is not a major force. People throughout time have always been interested in the beautiful or in signs of status and in the pursuit of anything that brings them pleasure or happiness. It was during the last quarter of the sixteenth century in England that consumption first took off amongst the European nobility. This powered to two important developments. First, Queen Elizabeth the first used the dramatic spectacle of fashion as a display of government power. Second, she forced social competition among the nobility by removing them from their locality where they were clearly superior and forcing them to attend the London court where they had to compete with equals. Previously consumption had always been a family matter and what benefited the family the most. But now Elizabethan noblemen began to spend less on their families and more on themselves to further show there class and status. Josiah Wedgewood was one of the pioneers in the consumption phase. He had this new understanding of fashion and the market place. Wedgewood was a manufacturer and retailer of pottery in the eighteenth century. He was the first to recognize that if the rich and elite could be induced to adopt fashions, the other classes would follow soon. There are only certain societies where it is possible for a fashion to spread to the higher class to the lower class. Fashion has to be affordable for those in the lower class and the classes must be close enough with some fluidity between them that those in the lower class could imagine themselves owing what those in the upper class have. In England during this period the lower class was eager to possess whatever the upper class deemed fashionable. Wedgewood understood the immense financial potential of such a social situation and learnt how he could control it. His fashion tool was pottery. Wedgewood learned to closely observe what the upper class was buying in order to predict what direction the lower class consumption habits would follow through. Another factor adding to the consumer culture is the portrayal of this culture. In the United States consumption spurred as a symbol for rebellion rather than a symbol a homogeneous conformity. Schutte and Ciarlante describe Coca cola, Levis and Marlboro as symbols of individualism and freedom. Three phrases from Stuart and Elizabeth Ewens Channels of Desire (1982) which they see as indicative of the recent tendencies within consumer culture describe it best. Today there is no fashion: there are only fashions. No rules, only choices. Everyone can be anyone. This suggests there is a war against uniformity, a surplus of difference which results in a loss of meaning. The repercussion is that we are moving towards a society without fixed status groups in which the adoption of styles of life which are fixed to specific groups have been surpassed. We have been encouraged to buy in order to establish our individuality in a mass-produced culture. To express our disgust with consumption by more consumption, to purchase the latest improved traditions. Now people are encouraged to buy to convey their rejection of homogenized lifestyles. This anti-consumption attitude only fuels more consumption. Years ago, many people imagined that life would be idyllic in the 21st century. Technology would have cured most human short-comings, and there would be abundance of resources available for all. Population growth and over consumption underlie many of the invasive environmental and social concerns that humans face today. Over consumption of our natural resource base is jeopardizing ecosystems throughout the world. Wealthy nations like the US amount to 20 percent of the worlds population, yet they use more than 70 percent of the earths resources and generate an even higher volume of wastes. Some of these wastes are released into the atmosphere, rivers and oceans, others are land filled or incinerated, a small part is recycled. The standard notion of economic development envisions the rest of the worlds population moving progressively up the ladder of mass consumption. Clearly, the environmental implications of the global spread of mass consumption for resource use and environmental was te is staggering. In present times design culture also has greatly been influenced consumerism. Cities such as Las Vegas have dedicated there entire landscape to advertising to feed the need of consumerism. For the Utopian design at hand I have targeted the hospitality sector of the economy which attracts consumers owed to the hectic and fast-paced life we live today. I have chosen the Singapore Cricket Club for my bar and restaurant. The design is held together by the concept of network. Taking into consideration that the bar is the main attraction of a bar and highest revenue earning point in an FB. Using the concept of network my design directs all consumers towards the bar. The bar acts as the main attraction of my design which can be viewed from all levels and spaces. The unconventional feature of the bar is that it suspends 3000mm from the ground. As people walk through narrow corridors directing them towards the bar they are suddenly engulfed by the large open suspending bar and LED lighting panels from the ceiling going past 3 floors lighting up the entire design and focusing mainly onto the bar. The cuckoo club in London is a great example of how the bar acts as a key attraction in the premises. The entire space communicates glamour, drama and luxury. It represents a grand, dramatic film set with huge doors sweeping stairs, silk and voile drapes. The bar acts as a key feature covered entirely in gold sequins, set beneath a ceiling of diamond pattern panels of LED lighting (acrylic domes set into panels and then colour-washed across the whole ceiling), fringed with diamante beading. The lighting is flexible, varying from simulated daylight to pinks and purple in the night. The second case study chosen is Wine tower bar in UK. A 13 meter high wine tower forms the alluring centre point of the Radisson SAS Hotel lounge and bar at Stansted airport. The temperature controlled structure, constructed out of 6.5 tons of laminated glass, a steel core and a pyramid shaped roof, is fitted with an acrylic rack filled with 4,000 bottles of red and white wine. The enchantingly lit column not only serves as a large open wine rack but also functions as a theatre in which 4 graceful wine angels suspended on cables collect the bottles ordered by the guests. With the help of remote control and computer controlled winches, these women glide effortlessly up and down, whilst also slipping in a few acrobatics in the between. In conclusion Consumer culture has been incredibly successful. Not only has it been successful in satisfying our needs and desires, but it also has been successful in redefining what are needs are and expanding our desires. If we accept these desires as natural or inevitable, then consumer society seems natural and inevitable as well. Consumerism on the other hand does not only feed our desires but has left this earth with beyond reconcilable damages. Today are demand for goods is increasing beyond the capability of what our earth can come up with it. If our greed for consumption keeps increasing we will have to very soon give up our basic needs because our demands cannot be kept up with.

Effect of Market Structures on Business

Effect of Market Structures on Business Market Structure Introduction There are diverse categorizations of markets and the structure of a business which denotes in which categorization it will descend into. Markets are separated as per to the business what it offers to the precise market. Structure of Business is established by the composition of market characteristics, and these aids to establish level and region of competition. The features in a market with the majority concentrated center on the numeral of purchasers and retailers, plane in which a product has a substitute, entry and exit easiness price, and the elevation of common dependence. These constituted variables are categorized in the subsequent market structures: perfectly competitive markets, monopolistically competitive markets, monopolies, and oligopolies (Colander, 2010). This paper is going away to talk about regarding the variety of market structures that will assist the local mayor recognize the structures of the several businesses in the city. Market structures Consecutively to recognize the diverse market structures, every structure requires being defined and discussed. The primary structure to be conversed is about perfect competition. This is a perfect structure that does not actually subsist in the real market, however; is used as a hypothetical model to evaluate additional structures to. Perfect competition is prominent for its elastic demand perfectly curves. Goods Price is like that the firm will simply construct normal profits (zero economic profits) in the extensive run. There is open entry and exit into the market in a market of perfect competition. Instances of a perfectly competitive market would be gas and milk. There might be a lot of suppliers of products, and if one dealer desires to raise their price superior than the price the market establishes, consumers will go away somewhere else to acquire the thing in need. Additional traits could comprise: no barriers of entry and exit, profit maximization, zero costs of transaction , homogeneous products, and ideal factor mobility.Devoid of the restraints of exiting and entering the market fresh businesses will not have an effect on the homogenous product market. At a clearing price of market a firm would be competent to put up for sale as much merchandise as it prefers while creating a profit. This might denote that there is equilibrium of market. With standard revenue superior to average cost the curve of demand will continue to be elastic. A monopolistically competitive market can be described as having a abundant amount of equally manufacturers and customers, customer’s inclinations for buying products is recognized; endurance in this locale consists of the seller endeavoring to differentiate specific products from competitors. A monopolistically competitive market might continue restrictions with entry and exit, the market is fundamentally assorted in nature, and a market of this might direct to the enhancement of non-price competition. Monopolistic Competition elucidates an industry compiled of a huge number of sellers. Each one of these sellers tenders a distinguished product, which is a service or good that has genuine or expected traits that are diverse from those of additional goods or services.[ Amacher (2011)] This is to pronounce that the similar product is being tendered even though it is revealed to be enhanced or better to the competitor products. A big example of this might be gas stations. Althoug h Chevron and Texaco are revealed as having better fuel owing to the cleaning additives owned inside the fuel, Aragon, Shell, and also Costco tender fuels with the similar quantity of detergency at a lesser price. The subsequent market structure is of an oligopoly. Oligopoly is a structure market that manages a product and is controlled by a minute number of firms that operate on one’s behalf. Prices positioned on products by each firm comprised are close up to matching since if one firm endeavors to alter the price, this will source further firms to do the similar thing. A major characteristic of a market structure of oligopolistic in the industry is the mutual dependence of firms. The function that oligopoly participates in the economy is that if the firm slashes prices, then further competing firms will counterpart the reductions of price. If the firm increases its prices of its goods, then further firms will not counterpart the price raise. There are only some different firms in an oligopoly market that powers 90% or of the market. Airline industries are a big instance of this. A number of further instances of this would be companies of cell phone in addition to companies that might form an alliance like the industry of oil. A monopoly comprises of a firm that has the throttlehold on a market. Any firm that has a structure of monopoly will have the majority control over price for its goods. The firms that function in competitive structures will have no power above their prices. Management of Price is when a firm has the capability to direct the products prices. Ownership of Public is not ordinary in monopolies and there are no takers of price. A monopolist makes certain the price for a product or service will certainly add to profits.There is no suitable alternate in this market to the merchandise being offered. Even though one may think that a product may perhaps be sold at any price enviable, which is not the case. Monopolies will in actual fact determine the rate that sells the majority products at an enviable rate. This lets the monopoly to maintain probable competitors out of the ring while making profit above the long-run. One instance of this would be utility company. Although there are no substitutes for customers, the government strides in and offers regulation of price to make certain that rates stay reasonably priced. It is in the paramount interest of the monopoly to stay rational, consequently conservation of the business. The Deutsche Telekom Company in Germany became tremendously avaricious with their phone service. The government strides in and separated the company initially backed by the government into 6 new subsidiary companies. Deutsche Telekom lost their grip on the power of monopoly that they owned. Market structure Real-life example A local market structureof a real-life example is the bakeries in the city. Even though there are 3 bakeries to select from, they all seize alike prices and the products are substitutable crosswise one another. This is an instance of a monopolistic competition. The market can with no trouble be moved in and out of and every firm is contending to sell the similar product as if it is superior or unique to the other. High entry barriers High end barriers renders to the subsistence of elevated start-up costs or additional hindrances that avert fresh competitors from effortlessly entering a region of business or industry. Barriers to entry benefit existing companies previously working in an industry since they guard an instituted companys revenues and profits from being carved away by fresh competitors. (Investopedia, 2013) An instance of this barrier would be a Credit Union. Consecutively to approach into the banking business, there requires being a considerable backing of cash together with the building capital, security systems, a vault, and the capability to contend on the open exchange market. In addition the capital barrier those positions in the means of such a business, there are as well official restrictions inflicted by the government. In additional firms such as in avionics, there are intellectual property and patent laws rights that might position as a high end barrier. Competitive pressures With high barriers of entry a number of the competitive pressures to markets are the capability to lessen the product price so low that a forthcoming firm cannot contend. There might as well be incidences of validity and consents to operate. A lot of monopolies support government officials which in turn aid to guard the firm by rejecting needed lawful documents and permissions to contend in the business. If a firm start-up were to effort to approach into the industry of airline they would not merely have to surmount the several millions of dollars required to sustain the jets, operating costs, and pay roll, however; they would as well require to have admission to terminals and be in conformity with the FAA. If they are not awarded sanction access through the FAA then they will by no means be competent to function and establish contending in the market. If they direct to sever through all of that, then the bigger airlines merely lesser the costs forcing the start-up firm into liquidation. Price elasticity of demand The demand of price elasticity in every market structure and its outcome on pricing the products inside the market’s structure diverge crosswise each market structure. Much or the cause is owing to competition and the proximity of substitutes accessible. For example a monopolistic competition has an demand of elastic against inelastic. This is since there are a lot of competing companies promoting the similar items. Consequently if the demand continues the same, however; one company lessens the rates severely, then that company will sell a great deal additional of its items even as the respite suffer sales. The price shifts crosswise the board in an oligopoly market all the way through the small number of companies that direct the market. All prices vary together comparably a great deal like an airline industry. If a cartel is structured, then the item turn out to be even additional inelastic. This is apparent with OPEC. In spite of whether or not the oil price rises or falls, the fuel demand will continue comparatively the same. A monopoly is as well additional of a structure of inelastic market. This is owing to the lack of competition. On the other hand, if not the firm is selling a total necessity, the price cannot be driven to irrational amounts as profit of long term will crash. There will be an equilibrium initiated that lets the firm to vend the items at a position that will make the most of profit over the continuing of the company. Role of the government The government roles have an effect on each of the market structure’s capability to price products in the course of numerous angels. One such way is the tax that it might place on a product for instance a sin tax. This tax is shoved from the firm to the buyer thus elevating the price of the product. If the item is elastic then the demand above the long-run will reduce. An additional way that the government influences each of the market structures capability to cost items is to inflict regulations on equally the manufacture and cost of an item. Farmers countenance this predicament for items for example wheat and grain. Even as they are proficient to grow far extra bushels a year, the government controls the quantity grown consequently as not to overflow the market out. This assists in regulating the price of goods diagonally the trade markets. Effect of international trade International trade have an effect on every market structure by regulating the quantity of a item that penetrates into one nation from another and with any tariffs initiated unto the item incoming into a country. Limiting the quantity of an item that is permitted into a nation is recognized as a quota. A quota will control or throttle the quantity of the item which is the identical as restricting supply. In view of the fact that supply is lesser the price of demand will raise. This denotes that the customer eventually ends up paying a great deal more for a desired good as it turn out to be additional restricted and desirable. Tariffs are initiated on goods as they flood in and do not control the quantity of an item. A fraction of a tariff will approach back as income for the government. Even though several price increases would ensue to the consumer, the elasticity of the item would not be as rigorous as the supply and demand level would stay constant. [Hubbard, R. OBrien, A. (2010) ] Conclusion In conclusion this paper has dealt with a variety of structures of market that will aid the local mayor recognize the structures of the lot of businesses in the city. The subsequent structures of market were dealt: monopolistic competition, perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly. For each one of these topic structures of market characteristics were discussed. A real-life market structure in the local city was recognized with relative to the market characteristics. Subsequently, the paper discussed how high entry barriers into a structure of market effected profitability of long-run of the firms. Pressures of Competition that are existent in markets with high barriers to entry were clarified. Then the paper conferred the price elasticity of demand in every market structure and its outcome on pricing of its items in every market. Subsequent to that an explanation of how the function of government affects every market structure’s capability to price its items was offered. In conclusion, the outcome of international trade on every market structure was discussed. References Microeconomics principles and policies. Amacher, R., Pate, J. (2013). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Economics (7th ed.). Colander, D. C. (2008). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Differentiating between Market Structures University of Phoenix. (2008). [Multimedia]. Economics (3rd ed.). Hubbard, R. OBrien, A. (2010). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Barriers to Entry, (2013), retrieved from Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/barrierstoentry.asp

El Problem de la Comunicacion y Sus Relaciones con el Lenguaje :: Spanish Essays

El Problem de la Comunicacion y Sus Relaciones con el Lenguaje "La palabra—el habla—es la casa del ser. En su morada habita el hombre. Los pensantes y los poetas son los vigilantes de esta morada".—"Carta sobre el humanismo" M. Heidegger (1) "Las palabras son de todos" Eugenio Montale (2) RESUMEN: Advià ©rtase que no es caprichosa la eleccià ³n de los acà ¡pites que guiarà ¡n el presente trabajo. Ambos, expresan un sentido de verdad respecto de sus propias disciplinas: la filosofà ­a y la poesà ­a, materias singularmente destacadas por M. Heidegger en cuanto a la custodia del instrumento mà ¡s valioso en poder el hombre. Instrumento, herramienta, morada, condensados en la palabra humana que, a su vez, es propiedad de todos segà ºn Montale. La brevedad de las pà ¡ginas que seguirà ¡n intentarà ¡n enforcar los problemas de la comunicacià ³n desde el lenguaje, la filosofà ­a y la literatura, no sà ³lo como hilo conductor para desarrollar el tema, sino como tributo que se rinde a quienes pasaron su vida inmersos en tales problemas, dedicados a resolverlos y a ahorrar al resto de la humanidad las consecuencias à ­ntimas y externas de ese debatirse. Paul Valery nos advirtià ³ que dos abismos no cesan de amenazar al hombre: el orden y el desorden. En la prolongada lucha por alcanzar un digno medio entre ambas catà ¡strofes, la comunicacià ³n—como vehà ­culo universal de intercambio entre los habitantes de nuestro planeta— juega un papel de fundamental importancia: la de poner la casa en orden, por lo menos relativo, para que esa morada sea habitada, Vivida, con decoro. Lamentablemente, prolongados perà ­odos histà ³ricos, se caracterizan por ignorar la sabia advertencia de Heidegger en cuanto a los custodios del habla (poetas y pensadores) quienes no sà ³lo son ignorados sino sencilla y fatalmente barridos de la faz de la tierra o silenciados de modo drà ¡stico para que la comunicacià ³n humana no adquiera sino una babà ©lica confusià ³n proclive a envolver en ella a los hombres y sus conductas. Ordenar la morada heideggeriana sin descuidar su calidez, sin abandonar una à ©tica que partiendo de la palabra misma se continà ºe en los actos, implica un ciclà ³peo trabajo que deberà ¡ asumirse hasta el fin de los tiempos, pues el hombre finito aspira a la infinitud de cierta perfeccià ³n diacrà ³nica. Si el hombre mora en el habla y las palabras son de todos, ello requerirà ¡ no una seleccià ³n, no una plà ©yade de pensadores y poetas, sino toda una humanidad capaz de superar sus propios peligros y de comunicarse en cà ³digos limpios y fà ¡cilmente interpretables.

Playing the Character John from Blue Remembered Hills :: Blue Hills Remembered Danile Potter Plays Essays

Playing the Character John from Blue Remembered Hills The group, consisting of John, Audrey, Angela, Willie and Raymond; have heard a bomb siren going off from the nearby prison camp. They know that this means danger and as they are in the woods, they cant go anywhere for cover and start to worry about one of the prisoners, or â€Å"Ities† and â€Å"Wops† as they call them, having escaped. They decide to keep an eye out for any dangers but all the talk of these â€Å"Ities† had got them just frightening each other even more. Raymond hears a sudden noise and the threat sends them running for cover in the long grass, huddling together as a group. After a while, they find out that the disturbing noise was in fact their friend, Peter, running through the woods towards them because of the sirens. Having left Angela’s pram behind, John and Peter decide to go looking for it; and this is where the scene ends. When we first see the group in this scene, they are all huddled together in the cover of the long grass. John reassures the rest of the group that this is a safe place to hide. (unsure) â€Å"Him wont find us down here† â€Å"This is nice and safe. Ennit?† John is slightly unsure of just how safe they are and in both quotes he is not only reassuring the group but also himself. I would say the first quote with confidence and while looking through the grass. The second line would be said in a lower pitch of voice as he is not as confident and say â€Å"Ennit?† as in an agreeable way and not in an asking way; even though John is adding this as if asking for support. â€Å"Did – did you see him?† I would say the first â€Å"did† in a nervous way but then adjust my voice to sound more confident in the rest of the sentence emphasizing the â€Å"see† as it is in italics. I think the reason the writer did this was because John wants to seem braver than he really is, but when he asks this question, he wants to know if there actually is a threat before he appears too nervous. â€Å"They’ll have the guards out after him. They’ll soon catch him.† Again, here John is reassuring himself by reassuring the group. When Audrey states, that shooting the escapee is a â€Å"Good job†, she shows just how confident she is and how little fear she has compared to the rest of the group. Angela soon starts to worry about the pram, which is obviously precious to her; John states that it will be fine where it is.

Nick Swinmurn

Culture and diversity of a company is extremely important and will determine the success of a business. Deciding what culture Is best for a company Is challenging. A lot of focus should be on what type of leader Is most appropriate for the organization. Implementing strong values will strengthen the company. The way company's adapts to change will also affect the way a company will prosper during challenging times. Founded by Nick Swimming In 1999 Capos Company is a solely web based retailer. Nick decided he wanted to create a company after he spent hours searching the entire mall for a pair of shoes and could not find them.He then attempted to find the shoes on line and realized there was not a website specific to shoes. After his experience he decided there was a market for this type of industry. Originally Capos was created to be an online store that offered the widest selections of shoes available all in one place. Since, the company has evolved over time and now is selling a gre at selection of Items rather than Just shoes. They have boarded their selections to both women and men's clothing along with everyday household Items. They provide free quick shipping and returns.The overall goal is to â€Å"provide the absolute best service online-not just in shoes, but in any category (Capos, 1999-2014). The Culture of Capos Capos has created a very unique and valuable culture. They have implemented what Is called the â€Å"Capos Family Corey Values† that sets the foundation of the entire company. These core values are listed on their company's website and are recommended for employees to follow on a day to day base. They believe that employees can be motivated, involved and happy to come to work while providing excellent service to customers.Capos creates a clear line of communication, encouraging employees and constantly motivating them. They want their employees to be innovated, creative and â€Å"do more with less† (Capos, 1999-2014). Most impor tantly they want their employees to ‘WOW through customer service. This provides an environment that makes employees want to work. They take time to focus on each employee ensuring they are put Into the right position and properly trained for success. Capos believes this will lead to employee longevity and growing leaders for the future.Their hard work does not go unnoticed and for the past 6 years Capos has been named in the as one of the FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work (Capos, 1999-2014) A random act of kindness weekly parade is the norm at Capos. This Includes selecting 3 random employees each week, dressing them up in funky hats and/or props, taking their photo and Glenn them gift. This falls under ones of their core values creating fun and a little weirdness. Yelling spontaneously at other employees for fun or trying to make one another laugh also emphasizes the core value.There are four main types of organizational cultures. They include hierarchal, market driven, c lan, and adaptable/flexible culture. Capos organizational culture only one type of organizational culture. Capos falls under two categories, the clan culture and adaptable/flexible culture (William, 2013). Clan culture represents a family-type organization (Savory, 2013). This culture involves building strong relationships and development of employees through training. Clan culture employees collaborate with coworkers and are caring for each other.Two of Capos core values include building open and honest relationships with communications and creating positive teams and family spirit (Capos, 1999- 2014). Capos is willing to change and adapt. This is why the company also follows under adaptable/flexible organizational culture. The adaptable/flexible culture involves creating new ideas and preparing for future improvements, which is something Capos practices (Savory, 2013). The company has already determined that in the future 30% of all venders/seller transactions will be mad online w ithin the United States.Their vision is to be the company that offers the best service and the largest selections, thus resulting in most customers' purchases coming from their website (Capos, 1999-2014). Capos is constantly changing and always looking for the newest, most retrieve solutions to solve any issues. Capos embodies these particular culture behaviors because the CEO, Tony Whish, honestly believes this is the best way to run a company. He treats his employees like family. He personally believes in the values and culture of the company.Tony wants his employees to be happy and truly believes this is return will transfer to customers. Capos values and culture is not only the guidelines for the company but overall should be guidelines they follow in life (capos, 1999-2014). The best suited leader for Capos Company is a twenty-first-century leader. This errors should be able to adapt to both Transformational and transactional leadership styles. A transformational and transactio nal leader will require someone who and foresee a vision and have the motivation to accomplish.This type of person requires creativity and innovation skill with the ability to make decisions. The type of leadership this person should have is supportive leadership style. They should be approachable and friendly and a allow employees feel equal around them. It will be important to provide a friendly atmosphere where employees feel comfortable to be open and trusting with their leader. Given that Capos sales multiple categories of items, they are not at a high risk for a large demand to decline.If some of the company's category items do decline, Capos has the option to sell different items that are currently in demands. Since the company is still growing there are more markets that Capos can branch out to widen their options if needed. They have recently connect forces with Amazon and this had open a lot more doors and customers (Capos, 1999-2014). As for now, shoes are extremely impor tant to people and fashion. It does not appear that Capos is at a high risk for a large decline in demand for their products.

While a Kestrel for a Knave Begins with a Sense of Hope

While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy’s defeat. To what extent do you agree with this statement? The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy’s defeat. † is one that I wholeheartedly concur with.A Kestrel for a Knave is a brilliantly written novel by Barry Hines that was successful in overcoming the issues of transference to film presented in From Page to Screen, and, though they are separate art forms, both adaptations (page and screen) capture superbly the bleak existence of Billy Casper, the initial hope and companionship brought by his pet Kestrel hawk but most of all his tragic defeat. As the novel progresses, his hope diminishes and is eventually extinguished in the final moments of both book and film.The film, in my opinion, through what is possible vis ually through the screen and the accompanying soundtrack amplifies the harsh reality of Billy’s life that the book simply cannot, also increasing the sense of hope that Kes brings. Unfortunately for readers it becomes apparent that the novel and film is about Billy’s inevitable defeat and the tragedy of this is increased by the fact that both page and screen adaptations of A Kestrel for a Knave undeniably begin with a sense of hope which is seen when Billy speaks to Mr Farthing’s class about how he trained Kes.In both the novel and film Billy is treated as a failure at school and unhappy at home; however he discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk. Billy identifies with her â€Å"silent strength† and she inspires and instils in him the trust and love that no-one else, not even his family can provide. Kes gives Billy a sense of satisfaction, achievement and the will to live another day while others is Billy’s position would have given up on life long ago.Kes is effectively Billy’s best friend and whom he spends most of his spare time with and as Billy has trained the hawk himself he feels a great sense of pride when speaking of Kes in Mr Farthing’s class. In the novel Mr Farthing coaxes Billy into speaking about the hawk, and when Billy begins his story he immediately changes. Though Billy lives with his mother and Jud his true closest companion is Kes, and whilst speaking about Kes his whole â€Å"school persona† of one word answers and mumbling disappears. For the first time at school, Billy is engaged as he is discussing his one true passion, the hawk.He sheds his lonely, independent shell and really opens up to the class. In the novel Hines changes his writing style to enhance the sense of emotion and attach the reader to Billy. In the film and novel we (like Mr Farthing) see in this scene Billy’s full potential, what person he could be if given the attention and care he deserves. Billy (vividly in the novel and expertly acted in the film) re-enacts Kes’ flights and states that â€Å"that’s it. I’d done it. I’d trained her. It’s a smashing feeling; you can’t believe that you’ll be able to do it but I did! † and is met with applause from his peers.In this we see that there is hope for Billy; that he will not have to â€Å"go down t’pit† as he states in the first scene with Jud and that his passion for life, his everything, is Kes. Kes is what is keeping him from defeat and against the odds he has found, in his circumstances, something to live for. Unfortunately following this scene where there is a sense hope are scenes where, as readers (and viewers) we realise the tragic situation that Billy is in and the story begins to become one of defeat. Billy is tasked to write a â€Å"tall story† by Mr Farthing; an â€Å"imaginary story† that â€Å"really get his imaginatio n going† (pg. 87).Billy writes what is in reality what we would consider to be an average day. His interpretation of â€Å"something that is unbelievable and far-fetched† (pg. 88) is what we accept every day without a second thought: Mrs Casper has no time for Billy: â€Å"Oh stop pestering me! I'm late enough as it is! † She finds her social life and nights out more important than listening to what Billy has to say, yet in his Tall Story Billy’s mother makes him breakfast in bed and she does not have to work and will be at home for her family. Hines makes effective use of detail as Billy observes the carpet, the radiator and the vase of fresh daffodils.We take these for granted now and they would not have been rare when the novel was written, but they sadly are not part of Billy’s life. The Tall Story tells us of Billy’s longing; not for just a normal home but for his mother to show some affection towards him (she makes him breakfast in bed) , Jud to go away (he joins the Army), his Dad to return, the teachers to be nice to him and for school to be interesting. Billy’s dire circumstances are amplified after reading the Tall Story as we realise that none of what Billy desperately longs and yearns for is going to occur and the sense of defeat becomes more apparent and prevalent in the story.This scene is omitted during the film but, as mentioned in the article From Page to Screen: â€Å"Given the inherent differences in the ways novels and films work to make their meanings and to engage their audiences, and given the different conventions governing the production, distribution and reception of each, it is scarcely surprising that the process of transposition from one medium to the other should be fraught with difficulties (omission of scenes being one of them)† including Billy’s Tall Story in the film would have been highly difficult.The film is not at a loss however as scenes such as the one where Bi lly visits the Youth Employment Office fully capture the sense of defeat and all but extinguish the sense of dwindling sense of hope remaining: Beautifully written by Hines and equally so captured on film, the Youth Employment Office scene is one where Billy, desperate to hide from Jud enters the room only to be met with a harsher reality than Jud’s impending physical retaliation for not placing the bet: his future will be one working in the dreaded mines.The employment officer asks of what Billy is good at and is met with no response. Consulting Billy’s report card the officer prints MANUAL as Billy’s type of employment and when mentioning mining is met with this response: â€Å"I’m not goin’ down t’pit† â€Å"Conditions have improved tremendously†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I wouldn’ t be seen dead down t’pit† â€Å"Well there doesn’t seem to be any job in England for you then†.The employment officer inqu ires of Billy’s hobbies but, preoccupied with his thoughts, Billy neglects to mention his one true passion, his one chance to escape his depressing future; Kes. Billy gets up and leaves, not knowing the gravity of what he has just done. The ensuing scene is incredibly sad; Billy sprinting home from school asking all whom he meets â€Å"have you seen our Jud? † and calling out â€Å"Kes! Kes! † As he becomes more and more frantic we and Billy realise something has happened to his beloved kestrel.In the film the shot of Billy alone in the field, swinging his creance and screaming for Kes is incredibly powerful as details such as Billy’s slowly changing facial expression as he becomes more desperate and the sad, slow music that begins to play amplify the sense of defeat that he feels and the realisation from a viewer’s perspective that he has most certainly lost everything, including hope. Billy enters his house and exclaims â€Å"what’s tha d one wi’ it!? † and his mother responds â€Å"Where have you been? Your tea’s getting’ cold! †. Jud throws Billy to the ground when he confronts him and all Mrs Casper can muster is a light slap to his arm.Billy gets up and says to his mother â€Å"he’s gone and killed me hawk† Jud, nonchalantly whilst broddling the fire states â€Å"so what if I have? What are you going to do about it? † In the novel Billy attempts to bury his head into his mother’s skirt and is pushed away out of embarrassment and met with the blow of his mother’s words â€Å"don’t be so daft† however the defeat and despair in Billy’s mind after hearing Jud’s comment is, in my opinion far better expressed in the film; Billy throws himself down onto the couch and buries his in the pillow as his worst fear in the world has now been confirmed.Billy lifts his head to yell repeatedly, through tears â€Å"you’re a bas tard! A big rotten bastard! †. Billy then, to the shock of Mrs Casper yells â€Å"you bastard! You fucking bastard! † The sad notion here is that the swear word that Billy has just used is the worst he can do, his attempt at a â€Å"knockout blow† to Jud as he cannot (nor his mother) physically intimidate; he instead unleashes the largest weapon in his arsenal; language. It is met with this comment from his mother: â€Å"Shut up Billy I’m not having that kind of language in my house! † Billy yells â€Å"well do summat to him then! , begging his mother to understand what Jud has done but she simply disregards this and asks Jud â€Å"what’s tha’ done wi’ it? †. The line that solidifies in viewers and reader’s minds that all is lost for Billy escapes Jud’s lips; â€Å"it’s in t’bin†. We now know that the novel is ultimately about Billy’s defeat as his closest companion in the world, Kes, is dead and in the rubbish bin. Kes, deceased and in the bin is symbolising the sliver of hope that we as readers and viewers had at the beginning of A Kestrel for a Knave; the hope that is now dead.In possibly the most compelling scene in both film and novel Billy grabs Kes from the bin and runs back inside, dangling the bird in front of his mother’s face with tears streaming down his own, desperately yearning for some comfort, some love, affection and understanding. He receives none and Mrs Casper pushes the bird aside. Billy asks his mother to â€Å"give Jud a hidin! † to which she asks â€Å"how? † and Jud snorts in amusement. â€Å"You’ve cried about it long enough now Billy, you can get another can’t you? † Billy cannot take any more of this and lunges at Jud one last time before leaving the house yelling â€Å"You’ll never catch me! , Kes lifeless in his hand. In the film he goes to the wood, stroking his dead feathered hopes and dreams and buries Kes, defeated, however I do believe that the novel’s ending, though difficult to transfer to film is far more apt: Billy returns to the theatre and relives the traumatic experiences of the day his father left home; a combination of his tall story and tragic past. In a dreamlike sequence, Billy imagines himself on the screen, starring in a film with Kes, triumphing over Jud – but he realises this will never happen.The suggestion is that things just won't get any better, that hope is lost and that he has been defeated. Hines has shown a distinct change in his writing here however I believe that his credibility is still intact as the highly staccato surreal sequence expresses Billy’s despair, distress and ultimate defeat; seeing his past and dead hopes for a life with Kes. Billy returns home, and the novel finishes bluntly with him burying Kes and going to bed. The unexpected and unsatisfying ending maintains the harsh, lonely and bitter note of the novel, emphasising ultimately Billy’s defeat.Though A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope with the arrival of Kes it becomes apparent from the Tall Story onwards that it will be about Billy’s defeat, something we see from scenes such as the Youth Employment Office and the tragic, highly sad ending where Billy is doomed to work in the pit and has lost the one thing he cared about and cared for him. The day, novel and film ends how it started; with Billy returning to bed with Jud; however he now has no Kes, no hope, and is completely and utterly defeated.

The Gypsy Swing Cats and the Beginning of Jazz

Joshua Pauly Professor Hsu Artistic/Cultural Plunge Essay 11 April 2013 The Gypsy Swing Cats and the Beginning of Jazz On Wednesday April 10th I decided to go to the Kaffee Meister Coffeehouse, located at 9225 Carlton Hills Blvd Santee Ca. 92071, for the specific reason of enjoying some Jazz music played by the San Diego based Gypsy Swing Cats. I was quite impressed with how they performed by mixing an energetic and innovated blend of Swing, Jazz, and Blues. From what I observed, their music merges Gypsy melodies and rhythms, with the influences of American Jazz reminiscent of Paris in the 1930's: cool, charming, and classy.The music of the Gypsy Swing Cats is thoroughly modern infused with the wild, mysteriously free and exciting Gypsy flavors. The tantalizing melodies of the Gypsy Swing Cats bring the audience a unique and new experience. Their highly rhythmic sound will electrify your listening experience with a new exciting energy. Gypsy Jazz, also known as Gypsy Swing, is a musi cal expression often said to have been started by guitarist Jean â€Å"Django† Reinhardt. He was foremost amongst a group of Gypsy guitarists working in and around Paris in the 1930's.The music combined the exciting sound of American Jazz that transformed the old into the new. The guitarists supercharged the music further by adding Swing to the fire and melancholia of the unique Gypsy sound. The tantalizing melodies of the Gypsy Swing Cats bring the audience a unique and new experience. My dad is a big fan of Jazz music and he played it a lot around me when I was growing up, but I never really paid attention to it or who the famous musicians of the genre were.Yeah, this Jazz music was and still is very soothing to my mind, but I just personally never had any drive to listen to it on my own. After Hearing The Gypsy Swing Cats’ band play this genre of music that I was not very familiar with, I decided to embark on a journey of discovering something new to add to my not-s o-vastly knowledgeable brain, how Jazz was born. Jazz started when World War I had just ended and a social revolution was on its way. Customs and values of previous social norms were rejected. Life was to be lived to the fullest.This was also known as the era of the â€Å"lost generations,† and the â€Å"flapper† with her rolled stockings, short skirts, and straight up-and-down look. They disturbed their elders in the casino, night clubs, and speakeasies that replaced the ballrooms of prewar days. Dancing became more informal. At the close of the nineteenth century in the unpleasant dance halls and brothels of the South and Midwest, the word Jazz commonly meant sexual intercourse. Southern blacks, delivered from slavery a few decades before, started playing European music with Afro modifications.The first place of jazz has many origins: New Orleans, St. Louis, Memphis, and Kansas City are just a few. But New Orleans was and still remains an important jazz center. The e thnic rainbow of people who went to the bars and brothels were a big part of the development of jazz. This city had been under Spanish French rule because of the Louisiana Purchase. By 1900 New Orleans was a blend of Spanish, French, English, German, Italian, Slavic and countless blacks originally brought in the country as slaves.The first jazz bands contained a â€Å"rhythm section† consisting of a string bass, drums, and a guitar or banjo, and a â€Å"melodic section† with one or two cornets, a trombone, a clarinet, and sometimes even a violin. Years later, jazz was taken over by large orchestras; A â€Å"society jazz† contained fifteen or more musicians. Today, there is a renewed interest in the â€Å"big band† era, even though the music has very little to do with real jazz. Jazz is characterized by certain features. The first is a tendency to stress the weak beats of the bar (2nd and 4th) in contrast to traditional music which stressed the first and t hird beats.The second feature is syncopation through an extensive repetition of short and strongly rhythmic phrases or â€Å"riffs†. The third feature of jazz is swing (regular but subtle pulsation which animates 4/4 time). The swing must be present in every good jazz performance. Jazz as a musical style it has been with us for more than a century. Jazz originated in the United States, It has spread over the entire world, and its influence can be seen everywhere. It is a universal language and means of communication, understood by people in all nations and all walks of life.It has been a major influence on many styles and classes of music since its origin in the late 1800's. It has also influenced dance, clothing styles, the recording industry, the film industry, radio and television, our language, and many other aspects of our lives. One major contributor to jazz was Louis Daniel Armstrong who was born in the Storyville District of New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 4, 1901. He always celebrated his birth as July 4, 1900 because that is what he was told and believed.His real date of birth was not known until after his death July 6, 1971. His father Willie, a laborer, left the family soon after he was born, his mother, a domestic servant and a part time prostitute called Mayanne, left Louis and his sister Beatrice, also called Mama Lucy, in the care of his grandma much of the time, however he always believed the love of his family helped him make it through those rough times. Louis dressed in rags and usually shopped in garbage cans. He sang with other boys on the streets for tips and began to develop his musical talents.At this time in his life, it was not a promising time for young Louis. To celebrate the New Year in 1913 Louis discharged a borrowed pistol into the air and was arrested. A very fortunate occurrence for Jazz and probably for him, he was then sent to the city's Colored Waif's Home for Boys, where he came under the very capable tutorship o f Peter Davis, the music instructor at the home. Louis had some background in harmony singing, as a natural ability, and the experience of singing on the streets, but under Mr.Davis he began to study music. First vocals, then percussion, then he became the home bugler, and finally cornet. The music was very structured mostly marches and other ensemble music. When being released from the waif's home at age fourteen, Louis worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a horse and cart. He also listened to bands at clubs like the Come Clean Dance Hall and Mahogany Hall, in Storyville. Joe â€Å"King† Oliver with the Kid Ory Band was his favorite and he quickly became young Louis's mentor.By 1917 Louis was playing in various groups at dive bars in New Orleans' Storyville section. In 1919 he joined Fate Marable's band in St. Louis, and stayed with him until 1921. Marable headed a band and he played in Zutty Singleton's Trio, Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra, The Si lver Leaf Band, and When King Oliver left New Orleans in 1919 to go to Chicago, Louis took his place in Kid Ory's band, at the suggestion of Oliver. In 1922 Louis received a telegram from Joe Oliver, asking him to join his Creole Jazz Band at Lincoln Gardens in Chicago.Louis learned much working with Oliver. The experience of playing second cornet helped to develop his ear and harmonies, and, the importance of playing straight lead, as Oliver did, were lessons that he would use for the remainder of his life. While playing in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, Louis met Lillian Hardin the piano player for the band, and they were married in February of 1924. By the end of 1924 she pressured Louis to leave the Oliver band. He moved to New York to play in Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra for 13 months.While in New York he worked many recording sessions with numerous Blues singers including Bessie Smith on her 1925 classic recording of â€Å"St. Louis Blues†. In 1925 Armstrong moved back to Chicago and joined his wife's band at the Dreamland. He recorded his first Hot Five records that same year. This was the first time Louis had made records under his own name. The records made by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven are considered to be absolute jazz classics and the peak of his creative powers. The band never played live, but continued recording until 1928.Louis Armstrong died in 1969 his manager was Joe Glaser. According to records the first person to play jazz music was a man born in 1878, the legendary Buddy Bolden. The old-time musicians say that Buddy Bolden was â€Å"the first musician to start the big noise in Jazz. † They say he'd shine his cornet â€Å"till it glistened like a woman's legs†. Then he'd put his horn out the window and say to his band, â€Å"Let's call the children home†. He would blow and his children would come running. It has also been said that, â€Å"his trumpet could be heard all over New Orleans, and even acro ss the river in Algiers†.

Madeleine Leininger: Bridging the Cultural Divide Essay

Abstract This paper will outline Madeleine Leininger’s prominent theory, its origins, and its purpose. The discipline of transcultural nursing, its distinctive language, ethnonursing research method, and Sunrise Enabler tool will also be explored. These components equipped nurses to provide patients with individualized, appropriate care; this led to improved health outcomes. Finally, the effect of Madeleine Leininger’s contributions to nursing will be examined. Her idea of congruent care was the catalyst for a multitude of federal legislation making culture a requisite, legal consideration and convinced society of the benefits of cultural diversity. Madeleine Leininger: Bridging the Cultural Divide through Care The hallmark of a true profession is the ability to demonstrate its unique body of knowledge (Mensik, Martin, Scott, & Horton, 2011). Madeleine Leininger’s transcultural nursing discipline and its revolutionary companion theory meets this threshold. Counted as â€Å"the most significant breakthrough in nursing†¦in the 20th century,† she forever changed how nurses thought and spoke about healthcare (Leininger, 2002, p. 190). This paper will present a high-level overview of Madeleine Leininger’s contributions to nursing and their influence, as well as reveal the author’s connection to the theorist. Cultural Care Diversity and Universality: The Theory The Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality (hereinafter â€Å"Culture Care Theory†), Madeleine Leininger’s seminal work, was conceptualized in the mid-1950s and sought to describe, explain, and predict nursing similarities and differences in relation to care and its role in human culture (Leininger, 2001). To provide significant and effective care, the theorist reasonsed, a nurse had to know what various cultures valued about wellness, health, illness, etc. and use this understanding to guide their nursing tasks (Clarke, McFarland, Andrews & Leininger, 2009). Inspiration for the Theory The theory grew out of the theorist’s observations during her tenure as a staff nurse in the mid-1940s (Leininger, 2001). Numerous patients  emphasized the â€Å"nursing care† given and remarked how instrumental it was to their recovery from illness (Leininger, 2001, pp. 8, 13). This struck Leininger as curious, since the activities traditionally associated with providing care were just expected at this point in the development of nursing (Leininger, 2001). The concept of care was certainly never taught, critically explored, or given much credence (Leininger, 2001). Based on the encouraging patient feedback received, care became an integral component of the theorist’s nursing practice (Leininger, 2001). Her patients’ health flourished (Leininger, 2001). Leininger deduced that outstanding caregiving alone was not enough to facilitate positive health outcomes while working on an adolescent psychiatric ward in the mid-1950s (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Her clinical floor was a mini-United Nations, with patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). The children responded differently to her care efforts and, after a period of time, she realized their behavior followed distinct cultural patterns (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). For example, the Russian, Lithuanian, German, and Slovenian children would never admit to being in pain, though they had very obvious injuries or signs of discomfort (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). The Jewish and Italian children, in contrast, always cried fervently, at even the slightest needle prick, without solace (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Her customary pain interventions were useless and obviously needed to be changed, but she was not sure how (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Conceptualizing the Theory. The theorist experienced â€Å"culture shock† (a concept she introduced into common vernacular) and was concerned at being ill-equipped to respond to her patients’ specific needs even though she had obtained her master’s in nursing (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). There was no research literature available to help make sense of the incidents witnessed, and her colleagues were of limited help (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). After discussing her concerns with the renowned cultural anthropologist and provocateur Margaret Mead, Leininger obtained a Ph.D. in anthropology (Clarke, et al., 2009); she was the first nurse to do so (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). The theorist performed field studies in non-Western cultures for several years afterwards to hone her new skill-set (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Having remedied her  cultural ignorance, Leininger formalized the Culture Care Theory, establishing the new discipline of transcultural nursing (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Her goal was to provide knowledgeable care in an increasingly multicultural world (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Purpose of the Theory The theory’s main purpose was to â€Å"discover and explain diverse and universal culturally based care factors influencing the health, well-being, illness, or death of individuals or groups† (Leininger, 2002, p. 190). It stressed the use of â€Å"research findings to provide culturally congruent, safe, and meaningful care to those of diverse or similar backgrounds† (Leininger, 2002, p. 190). Theory Application Tools. The theorist did not want to espouse platitudes; she wanted her discipline to empower nurses and promote their autonomy (Leininger, 2002). To this end, she outlined thirteen assumptive beliefs to explain the focus of the theory and guide nurses in their practice (Leininger, 2001). Several key beliefs are outlined below: 1. Care is the essence of nursing and a†¦ unifying focus 2. Care (caring) is essential for well being, health, healing, growth†¦or death 3. Culture care is the broadest holistic means to know, explain, interpret, and predict nursing care†¦ to guide nursing care practices 4. Nursing is a transcultural†¦care discipline and profession with the central purpose to serve human beings worldwide 5. Care (caring) is essential †¦ for there can be no curing without caring (Leininger, 2001, pp. 44-45). These assumptions formed the crux of transcultural nursing and what it was intended to do. Leininger also designed three theoretical modalities to guide culturally-based nursing decisions and actions (Leininger, 2001). The first modality, â€Å"cultural care preservation and/or maintenance,† referred to generic/folk behaviors and practices that encouraged wellness and did not need to be changed when planning nursing care (Leininger, 2001, p. 41; Literature review, n.d.). The next modality, â€Å"cultural care accomodation and/or negotiation,† involved nursing care activities which help patients of diverse cultures adapt or negotiate professional care activities (Leininger, 2001, p. 41). It encouraged the nurse to integrate generic/folk behaviors and practices when planning care to encourage healthy outcomes (Leininger,  2001). Under this modality, for example, a nurse would allow a patient to hang a healing amulet above their bed in the hospital because they believed in it and it calmed them (Literature review, n.d.). The final modality that nurses could utlize was â€Å"culture care repatterning and restructuring† (Leininger, 2001, pp. 41-42). This modality involved activities which assist with the extensive modification, change, or repattering of a patient’s unhealthy behavior while remaining aligned with their cultural values and beliefs (Literature review, n.d.). This was the most difficult of all the modalities to employ because the nurse must know a great deal about the patient’s culture to have an optimal outcome (Leininger, 2001). As with any plan of care, the nurse had to discuss their choices with the patient and obtain their agreement (Leininger, 2001). Metaparadigms of the Theory Since the introduction of Florence Nightengale’s Environmental Theory, nursing frameworks had traditionally focused on four metaparadigms: person, environment, health, and nursing (Dayer-Berenson, 2011). However, the Culture Care Theory broke with convention and selected care and culture as its foundational concepts (Leininger, 2001). Leininger found the standard four metaparadigms limited in scope and unsuitable for use in new discipline (Leininger, 2001). For instance, the theorist could not believe nursing’s pundits still refused to acknowledge the indispensible role of care, though they had obviously witnessed its successful impact on health (Leininger, 2001). She also considered the current trend of trying to explain nursing phenomenon with more nursing phenomenon a logical fallacy akin to answering a question with another question (Leininger, 2001). Further, Leininger pointed out that the Western concept of person would be problematic in transcultural nursing because many cultures focused on the family or an institution, rather than the individual (Leininger, 2001). While Leininger thought environment was important, she opted not to use it as a pillar of her theory because it was not unique to nursing or provocative enough to garner scarce research funding (Leininger, 2001). She discounted the use of health for a similar rationale, citing its commonness and the plethora of existing research (Leininger, 2001). Leininger apsired to enlighten, not emulate (Leininger, 2001). Key definitions Other nursing theorists and researchers tried to shoe horn themselves into existing medical models as a means of gaining legitimacy, prestige, and funding (Fawcett, 2002). Leininger, conversely, sought to distinguish her theory from the disease-focused philosophies of the period by not seeking input from other disciplines; it functioned independently (Leininger, 2001). Always seeking to demonstrate the skill and intellect of nurses, Leininger authored a series of definitions to provide clinicians with their own distinct language and, thus, avoid the incongruous use of medical terminology when practicing transcultural nursing (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Several of the theory’s key explanations are highlighted below: 1. Culture Care refers to†¦culturally†¦assistive, supportive, and facilitative caring acts†¦ 2. Culture Care Diversity refers to cultural†¦differences in care beliefs, meanings, patterns, values, symbols, and lifeways†¦between cultures and human beings 3. Transcultural Nursing refers to a formal area of humanistic and scientific knowledge and practices focused on holistic culture care†¦phenomena..to assist †¦ in culturally congruent†¦ways 4. Culturally Competent Nursing Care refers to†¦culturally based care and health knowledge in sensitive, creative, and meaningful ways †¦for beneficial†¦ health and well-being†¦ (Leininger & McFarland, 2002, pp. 83-84). â€Å"Cultural diversity† and â€Å"culturally competent care†, terms so common today, were penned by the theorist over 50 years ago (Leininger & McFarland, 2002, p. xvii). Influence of the Culture Care Theory Leininger’s theory generated little interest when it was introduced in the 1950s (Leininger, 2002). Nurses’ practices had begun to shift to include more administration of medication and assistance with complex medical treatments (Leininger, 2001). Additionally, they tried to emulate physicians by wearing stethoscopes, focusing on curative measures, and being very precise in their tasks (Leininger, 2001). Nurses, during this era, were medicine’s faithful â€Å"shot givers† (Leininger & McFarland, 2002, p. 76). Needless to say, this mindset was nurtured by physicians, who wanted nurses to remain on the periphery of healthcare, subservient to them (Fawcett, 2002). Nurses, in Leininger’s opinion, willingly relinquished their power and diminished their professional value by becoming so immersed in physicians’ procedures (Leininger, 2001). With nurses so intent on obtaining  medical validation, it was no surprise they found the Culture Care Theory â€Å"soft,† â€Å"fuzzy,† and â€Å"too feminine† (Fawcett, 2002, p. 133; Leininger, 2002, p. 75). The theorist jokingly recalled thinking, â€Å"Nurses have no time to learn about care and cultures, as they must keep to medical tasks!† (Fawcett, 2002, p. 113). Patient care was not a priority (Fawcett, 2002). Making the Theory Relevant Undeterred by the initial chilly reception, Leininger resolved to make the discipline more relevant to nurses (Leininger, 2001). She knew the situation would change gradually over time and utilized the lull to increase the number of transcultural nurses in practice and cultivated the harvest of more cultural data for use in the field (Fawcett, 2002). Transcultural Programs of Study. She developed and taught courses in transcultural nursing (Leininger, 2001). Building upon this momentum, the theorist then established several degree programs of study in transcultural nursing (Leininger, 2001). She steered nurses toward graduate-level courses in anthropology as well, and served as their advisor when several of them continued on to doctoral studies (Leininger, 2001; Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Soon, she had amassed a hardy band of transcultural devotees to assist in her tireless promulgation and support of the discipline (Leininger, 2001). Ethnonursing Research Method. As her followers began to utilze the theory, Leininger was compelled to develop a natural, inducive, and open research method to help â€Å"tease out† complex, covert, elusive cultural data (Leininger & McFarland, 2002, pp. 85, 89). It was called the ethnonursing research method (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). At the time, clinicians utilized research tools and methods borrowed haphazardly from other fields (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Enablers. The theorist worried that valuable cultural knowledge was lost, concealed, or rendered useless from the improper use of quantitative instruments to perform qualitative research (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). In response, Leininger invented five tools she called enablers to facilitate the mining of cultural data (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Each enabler was designed to collect a different type of qualitative information (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). The most popular enabler, The Sunrise Enabler to Disco ver Culture Care, was a conceptual model of the entire theory (Appendix A). Its purpose was to  systematically guide nurses through seven areas of influence to find relevant cultural knowledge and provide a holistic view during the health assessment process (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). Qualitative Criteria. To further support accurate interpretations and credible research findings, Leininger identified six criteria by which qualitative studies, like those performed with her ethnonursing method, could be evaluated (Leininger & McFarland, 2002). The criteria â€Å"credibility, confirmability, meaning-in-context, recurrent patterning, saturation, and transferability† received the endorsement of research experts, which led to qualitative data’s acceptance as valid scientific evidence. (Leininger & McFarland, 2002, p. 88) Dedicated Resources. Leininger also established the Transcultural Nursing Society in 1974 as a forum for intelligent discussion among nurses in the discipline, as well as to aid the dissemination of transcultural information (C larke, et al.). Finally, Leininger launched the Journal of Transcultural Nursing in 1988 to serve as a dedicated publishing source for transcultural nursing research, ensuring the entire nursing profession also had access to her protegà ©s’ useful findings (Clarke, et al.). Rise of the Theory After existing in near obscurity for several decades, the Culture Care Theory was thrust into the spotlight in the mid-1980s (Murphy, 2006). Several factors prompted its emergence from the shadows. First, just as Leininger predicted back in 1950, geographic borders shrank and the U.S. became the adopted country of choice for immigrants from all over the world (Leininger, 2002). The healthcare system became innudated with people clinicians did not understand and could not effectively assist (DeRosa & Kochurka, 2006). Desparate to address patients’ needs in a culturally respectful manner, they discovered Leininger’s blueprint for congruent care (DeRosa & Kochurka, 2006). The federal mandates of the 1990s further catapulted the Culture Care Theory into prominence (Murphy, 2006). The directives were designed to resolve disparities in healthcare and ensure equitable treatment for those from diverse backgrounds (Maier-Lorentz, 2008). This meant that academic programs, clinical settings, and healthcare agencies now had to promote, incorporate, and enforce Leininger’s ideas of cultural competence (Murphy, 2006). Impact of the Theory on the Author The Culture Care Theory, developed organically from one woman’s insightful observations, has left an indellible mark on not only nurisng, but education, medicine, law, social science, religion, and so forth (Leininger, 2002). It would be far easier to name the areas of society that the theory has not impacted, for that would be a much shorter list. Amazingly, the author also owes Madeleine Leininger a tremendous amount of personal gratitude. While conducting research, the author was stunned to learn that Leininger’s theory was the motivation for her academic scholarship. The theorist’s emphasis on congruent care and its positive influence led to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) campaign to significantly increase the number of culturally competent healthcare professionals in critical shortage areas. The NURSE Corps Scholarship Program, which offers a full tuition grant, monthly stipend, and full-time employment to intellectually out standing nursing students, was founded to accomplish this objective. Because of the theorist’s tenacity and zeal, this future clinician’s ambition to serve the underrepresented was made a debt-free reality. Leininger passed away in August of last year (Ray, 2012). Ironically, the author was awarded her scholarship during this same month. Janet Jones wrote in Leininger’s obituary guest book entry, â€Å"She truly was a visionary and her work will continue to be of great significance to many more generations of nurses† (Madeleine M. Leininger, Ph.D., 2012). The author could not agree more with this statement and, in tribute, intends to contribute to Leininger’s legacy of nursing excellence by maintaining a culturally-informed practice, performing research that offers innovative knowledge to the profession, obtaining an advanced degree, and serving as a staunch advocate for the marginalized. Similar to the theorist, the author also pledges to refuse to accept limitations as to what a nurse can accomplish. The author bel ieves Madeleine Leininger would expect no less. References Clarke, P., McFarland, M., Andrews, M., & Leininger, M. (2009). Caring: some reflections on the impact of the culture care theory by McFarland & Andrews and a conversation with Leininger. Nursing Science Quarterly, 22(3), 233-239. doi:10.1177/0894318409337020 Dayer-Berenson, L. (2011). Cultural competencies for nurses: Impact on health and illness (pp. 9-39). Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. DeRosa, N., & Kochurka, K. (2006). Implement culturally competent healthcare in your workplace. Nursing Management, 37(10), 18-18, 20, 22 passim. Fawcett, J. (2002). Scholarly dialogue. The nurse theorists: 21st-century updates — Madeleine M. Leininger. Nursing Science Quarterly, 15(2), 131-136. Jeffreys, M. R. (2010). Teaching cultural competence in nursing and health care inquiry, action, and innovation (2nd ed.). (pp. 9-10). New York: Springer Publishing Company. Leininger, M. M. (Ed.). (2001). Culture care diversity and universality: A theory of nursing. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Leininger, M., & McFarland, M. (2002). Transcultural nursing in the new millennium: Concepts, theories, research & practice (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Leininger, M. (2002). Culture care theory: a major contribution to advance transcultural nursing and practices. Journ al Of Transcultural Nursing, 13(3), 189-192. Literature review. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/1555/02chapter2.pdf Madeleine M.Leininger, Ph.D. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.heafeyheafey.com/newobituary/display.asp?id=7022 McFarland, M., & Eipperle, M. (2008). Culture care theory: a proposed practice theory guide for nurse practitioners in primary care settings. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal For The Australian Nursing Profession, 28(1-2), 48-63. doi:10.5172/conu.673.28.1-2.48 Maier-Lorentz, M. (2008). Transcultural nursing: its importance in nursing practice. Journal Of Cultural Diversity,15(1), 37-43. Mensik, J. S., Martin, D., Scott, K. A., & Horton, K. (2011). Development of a Professional Nursing Framework: The Journey Toward Nursing Excellence. Journal Of Nursing Administration, 41(6), 259-264. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e31821c460a Murphy, S. (2006). Mapping the literature of transcultural nursing. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 94(2 Suppl), E143-51. Ray, M. A. (2013). Madeleine M. Leininger, 1925–2012. Qualitative Health Research, 23(1), 142-144. doi:10.1177/1049732312464578 Sagar, P. (2011). Transcultural nursing theory and models: application in nursing education, practice, and administration. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Sitzman, K., & Eichelberger, L. W. (2011). Understanding the work of nurse theorists: a creative beginning (2nd ed.). (pp. 93-98). Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Transcultural Nursing Society. (n.d.). Theories and models. Retrieved from http://tcns.org/Theories.html Appendix A Figure. Adapted from Transcultural Nursing Society. (2013). Theories and models. http://tcns.org/Theories.html. Reprinted with permission.