Effects Single Parents Families

Task1 Research question What is the impact of being raised in a single parent family on students of the Corinth Secondary School? Rationale I chose to research this topic because it hurts me to see my friends from single parent families fall by the way side. I believe that they fall by the way side because the absent parent is inconsiderate. He (she) never took the time to think of the many difficulties and challenges the single parent would have in raising that child, not only in disciplining, but also by not having sufficient money to feed the child and not being able to provide that child with basic school materials.To me, it is very disturbing to hear some of the stories from children of my age group who come from single parent families, for instance, having to miss school because his/her parent was not able to provide for hi/her because of a huge financial strain. Time after time, I see some of my friends with their uniforms unkempt and their stomach crying out for food. It does not make me feel any better when I hear and see those things happening around me in society and particularly at my school. Objectives This School Based assessment seeks to: Identify the effects on children who are raised in a single parent family. * Identify the effect of single parent families on the academics of children within those households. * Suggest solutions to help teenagers of single parent families cope with the effects of being raised in a single parent family. Task2 Method of investigation In order to collect data for my School Based Assessment, I have decided to use the printed questionnaire because: 1. The method is inexpensive 2. The data collected is easy to analyze 3. The identity of respondents remains confidential Task 3QUESTIONNAIRE Instructions: please place a tick in the brackets ( ) next to the response you wish to select. 1. Sex Male ( ) Female ( ) 2. Age Group 12- 14 ( ) 15-18 ( ) 18-20 ( ) 3. Do you have any younger siblings? Yes ( ) No ( ) 4. If yes how many? 1 ( ) 2 ( ) 3( ) other ( ) 5. Who do you live with? Mother ( ) Father ( ) other ( ) please state†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6. How often do you see your other parent? Often ( ) Occasionally ( ) Seldom ( ) Never ( ) 7. I have a good relationship with my other parent.To what extent do you agree with this statement? Strongly Agree ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) 8. How often does your other parent spend quality time with you? Always ( ) Often ( ) Sometimes ( ) Rarely ( ) 9. Does your other parent provide you with your basic needs? Always ( ) Occasionally ( ) Seldom ( ) Never ( ) 10. If you selected â€Å"occasionally†, â€Å"seldom† or â€Å"never† in the previous question, why is this so? Small income from one parent ( ) Parent just does not care ( ) 11.Does your other parent provide you with love? Always ( ) Occasional ( ) Seldom ( ) Never ( ) 12. Do you believe that yo u live in a stable home environment? Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) 13. How do you rate your performance at school? Excellent ( ) Very Good ( ) Good ( ) Poor ( ) 14. Do you believe that being raised in a single parent family affects your academic performance? Strongly Agree ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) 15. Do you believe that living with one parent leads to children becoming delinquents?Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) 16. Are you able to balance your responsibilities at home with your time to do school assignments? Always ( ) Often ( ) Sometimes ( ) Never ( ) 17. Are you regularly in trouble at school? Very often ( ) Often ( ) Sometimes ( ) Never ( ) 18. Do you think that the Government should develop and implement more policies to assist single parent families? Strongly Agree ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( )

Harley Davidson, Inc.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. – 2009 Case Notes Prepared by: Dr. Mernoush Banton Case Authors: Carol Pope and Joanne Mack A. Case Abstract Harley-Davidson, Inc. (www. harley-davidson. com) is a comprehensive strategic management case that includes the company’s calendar December 31, 2008 financial statements, competitor information and more. The case time setting is the year 2009. Sufficient internal and external data are provided to enable students to evaluate current strategies and recommend a three-year strategic plan for the company. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Harley-Davidson, Inc. s traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol HOG. B. Vision Statement (Actual) Harley-Davidson is an action-oriented, international company, a leader in its commitment to continuously improve its mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders (customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, government, and society). Harley-Davidson believes the key to success is to balance stakeholders’ interests through the empowerment of all employees to focus on value-added activities. Vision Statement (Proposed) We want to make your motorcycle ride a safe and a lifetime experience. C.Mission Statement (Actual) We fulfill dreams through the experiences of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles, branded products and services in selected market segments. Mission Statement (Proposed) Harley-Davidson is committed to providing the highest quality products and financial services to men and women worldwide (1, 3). The Harley name stands for customer satisfaction (7) and we would like all Harley customers to relay their satisfaction to all motorcycle dreamers. Harley-Davidson uses advanced technology to produce the superior motorcycles (4).Our philosophy is to conduct business with utmost integrity while serving our customers, employees, and shareholders (6). We appreciate the hard work of our employee s (9). We push excellence though our Harley-Davidson bar and shield logo and the Harley Owners Group (HOG) (7). We continue to do our part in supporting all environmental laws in every country we do business (8). Harley-Davidson intends to stay committed and determined. 1. Customer 2. Products or services 3. Markets 4. Technology 5. Concern for survival, profitability, growth 6. Philosophy 7. Self-concept 8.Concern for public image 9. Concern for employees D. External Audit CPM – Competitive Profile Matrix |   |Harley-Davidson |Honda |Yamaha | |Critical Success Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score|Rating |Weighted Score|Rating |Weighted Score| |Advertising |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 |2 |0. 16 |3 |0. 24 | |Top Management |0. 05 |2 |0. 0 |2 |0. 10 |3 |0. 15 | |Customer Service |0. 10 |4 |0. 40 |3 |0. 30 |2 |0. 20 | |Technological Advances |0. 09 |3 |0. 27 |1 |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 | |International Market Sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |4 |0. 28 |2 |0. 14 | |Global Expansion |0. 06 |2 |0. 12 |4 | 0. 4 |3 |0. 18 | |Financial Position |0. 07 |2 |0. 14 |4 |0. 28 |3 |0. 21 | |Customer Loyalty |0. 11 |4 |0. 44 |3 |0. 33 |2 |0. 22 | |Market Share |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 |4 |0. 36 |3 |0. 27 | |Product Quality |0. 10 |4 |0. 40 |3 |0. 30 |2 |0. 0 | |Marketing |0. 10 |2 |0. 20 |3 |0. 30 |1 |0. 10 | |Price Competitiveness |0. 08 |1 |0. 08 |3 |0. 24 |2 |0. 16 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 86 |   |2. 98 |   |2. 25 | Opportunities 1. Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than United States 2. Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 3.Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 4. Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the United States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin America 5. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of product offerings 6. Female riders are on the rise 7. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and watercraft in addition to vario us motorcycle product lines 8. Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles when gas prices are on the riseThreats 1. Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who could afford to buy a motorcycle 2. Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales 3. Disposable income is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and 54 4. Competition is strong in markets outside the United States 5. Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales 6. Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and financing high ticket items 7. Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost 8.Shifts in buyers’ needs and tastes External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix |Key External Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Opportunities |   |   |   | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than United States|0. 08 |4 |0. 32 | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |0. 6 |3 |0. 18 | |Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 |0. 09 |3 |0. 27 | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the United |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin America | | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of product |0. 5 |2 |0. 1 | |offerings | | | | |Female riders are on the rise |0. 04 |3 |0. 12 | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and watercraft in |0. 07 |3 |0. 1 | |addition to various motorcycle product lines | | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles when gas |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 | |prices are on the rise | | | | |Threats | | |   | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who could |0. 9 |2 |0. 18 | |afford to buy a motorcycle | | | | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 | |Disposable inc ome is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and 54 |0. 07 |2 |0. 14 | |Competition is strong in markets outside the United States |0. 06 |2 |0. 2 | |Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales |0. 07 |1 |0. 07 | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and financing high |0. 05 |2 |0. 1 | |ticket items | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost |0. 05 |1 |0. 5 | |Shifts in buyers' needs and tastes |0. 04 |1 |0. 04 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 55 | Positioning Map [pic] E. Internal Audit Strengths 1. Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin 2. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the industry in the United States for retail unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles 3.Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) motorcycles and related products. 4. Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P); (2) General Merchandise; (3) Lice nsing; and (4) Motorcycles 5. The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna, (3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC 6. In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin America 7. Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty . International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 9. Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 10. Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS Weaknesses 1. The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 percent and 48. 7 percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively 2. Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are to female buyers 3. A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income of approximately $87,000 4.For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and 273,00 0 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from 2008 5. Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year 6. International retail sales growth slowed to 0. 7 percent during the fourth quarter of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside the United States 7. In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were down 13. 0 percent 8. Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008Financial Ratio Analysis (December 2009) |Growth Rates % |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Sales (Qtr vs year ago qtr) |-18. 00 |-13. 00 |-4. 80 | |Net Income (YTD vs YTD) |-71. 60 |15. 80 |-6. 00 | |Net Income (Qtr vs year ago qtr) |-84. 10 |6. 40 |26. 80 | |Sales (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |4. 2 |0. 78 |12. 99 | |Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |-2. 96 |-7. 50 |12. 69 | |Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg. ) |45. 92 |34. 93 |11. 83 | | | |Price Ratios |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Current P/E R atio |24. 3 |25. 6 |26. | |P/E Ratio 5-Year High |21. 9 |4. 3 |68. 0 | |P/E Ratio 5-Year Low |3. 0 |0. 8 |9. 9 | |Price/Sales Ratio |1. 12 |1. 12 |2. 25 | |Price/Book Value |2. 58 |3. 36 |3. 48 | |Price/Cash Flow Ratio |11. 90 |15. 0 |13. 70 | | | |Profit Margins % |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 | |Gross Margin |29. 1 |23. 1 |38. 9 | |Pre-Tax Margin |9. 2 |6. 0 |10. 3 | |Net Profit Margin |4. |2. 4 |7. 1 | |5Yr Gross Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |37. 9 |29. 4 |38. 6 | |5Yr PreTax Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |23. 8 |17. 4 |16. 6 | |5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg. ) |15. 3 |11. 2 |11. 5 | | | |Financial Condition |Harley-Davidson |Industry |S 500 |Debt/Equity Ratio |2. 26 |1. 53 |1. 09 | |Current Ratio |1. 4 |1. 8 |1. 5 | |Quick Ratio |1. 3 |1. 4 |1. 3 | |Interest Coverage |46. 2 |27. 4 |23. 7 | |Leverage Ratio |4. 1 |3. 5 |3. | |Book Value/Share |9. 77 |9. 22 |21. 63 | Adapted from www. moneycentral. msn. com |   |Avg P/E |Price/ Sales |Price/ Book |Net Profit Margin (%) | |12/0 8 |12. 20 |0. 67 |1. 87 |11. 0 | |12/07 |15. 50 |1. 90 |4. 69 |15. 2 | |12/06 |14. 0 |3. 02 |6. 60 |16. 9 | |12/05 |15. 50 |2. 55 |4. 58 |16. 9 | |12/04 |19. 00 |3. 39 |5. 56 |16. 7 | |12/03 |17. 80 |2. 95 |4. 85 |15. 5 | |12/02 |26. 80 |3. 28 |6. 6 |13. 5 | |12/01 |32. 10 |4. 64 |9. 36 |12. 2 | |12/00 |36. 40 |3. 96 |8. 54 |11. 3 | |12/08 |12. 20 |0. 67 |1. 87 |11. 0 | |   |Book Value/ Share |Debt/ Equity |Return on Equity (%) |Return on Assets (%) |Interest Coverage | |12/08 |$9. 9 |1. 86 |30. 9 |8. 4 |226. 6 | |12/07 |$9. 96 |0. 90 |39. 3 |16. 5 |NA | |12/06 |$10. 68 |0. 62 |37. 8 |18. 9 |NA | |12/05 |$11. 25 |0. 39 |31. 1 |18. 3 |NA | |12/04 |$10. 94 |0. 40 |27. 6 |16. |NA | |12/03 |$9. 81 |0. 34 |25. 7 |15. 5 |NA | |12/02 |$7. 38 |0. 34 |26. 0 |15. 0 |NA | |12/01 |$5. 80 |0. 34 |24. 9 |14. 0 |NA | |12/00 |$4. 65 |0. 32 |24. 7 |14. 3 |NA | |12/08 |$9. 9 |1. 86 |30. 9 |8. 4 |226. 6 | Adapted from www. moneycentral. msn. com Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix |Key Internal Factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Strengths |   |   |   | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin |0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the industry in the United States for retail |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 | |unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles | | | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) |0. 05 |3 |0. 15 | |motorcycles and related products. | | | | |Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P); (2) General |0. 3 |4 |0. 12 | |Merchandise; (3) Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles | | | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna,|0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |(3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC | | | | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships|0. 5 |3 |0. 15 | |in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin America | | | | |Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty |0. 07 |4 |0. 28 | |International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 | |Total current asset increased by $1. billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |Weaknesses | | |   | |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 percent |0. 07 |1 |0. 07 | |and 48. percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | | | |Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles|0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |are to female buyers | | | | |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income of |0. 05 |1 |0. 5 | |approximately $87,000 | | | | |For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and 273,000 |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from 2008 | | | | |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year |0. 06 |2 |0. 12 | |International retail sales growth slowed to 0. percent during the fourth quarter |0. 03 |2 |0. 06 | |of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside the United States| | | | |In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |down 13. 0 percent | | | | |Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |1 |0. 6 | |Total |1. 00 |   |2. 43 | F. SWOT Strategies | |Strengths |Weaknesses | | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the | | |improve its profit margin |heavyweight market was 45. percent and 48. 7 | | |Harley-Davidson motorcycles have led the |percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | |industry in the United States for retail unit |Only 12 percent of U. S. etail motorcycle sales| | |registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles |of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are to | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) |female buyers | | |financ ial services and (2) motorcycles and |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average | | |related products. |of median household income of approximately | | Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & |$87,000 | | |Accessories (P); (2) General Merchandise; (3)|For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans | | |Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles |to ship between 264,000 and 273,000 new | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of |Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent| | |motorcycles: (1) Touring, (2) Dyna, (3) |reduction from 2008 | | |Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in| | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, |2008 from previous year | | |Harley-Davidson has 71 full service dealerships|International retail sales growth slowed to 0. | | |in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, |percent during the fourth quarter of 2008 as a | | |and 32 in Latin America |result of deteriorating economic conditions | | |Strong bran d recognition and customer loyalty |outside the United States | | |International retail sales were up 10. 3 percent|In the United States, retail sales of | | |as compared to 2007 |Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 were down | | |Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion |13. percent | | |dollars from 2007 to 2008 |Total operating income dropped by about $400 | | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through |million from 2007 to 2008 | | |HDFS | | |Opportunities |S-O Strategies |W-O Strategies | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing |Develop a lower price / light weight bike, |1. Offer a better discount for retailers to | |at a better rate than United States |efficient in fuel consumption for individuals |sell / promote Harley merchandise such as | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |who are interested in riding a bike but can’t |clothes, mugs, etc. (W5, W6, O) | |Competition has reduced their production of |afford or ride the current models (S3, S4, S5, |2.Offer better financing rate to new / first | |motorcycle in 2009 |S6, S7, S8, S8, S9, S10, O1, O2, O5, O6, O8) |time buyers (W1, W3, W5, W7, O3, O4) | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing |Create a new line for female riders to be | | |motorcycle sales in Japan, the United States, |promoted in US and foreign markets (S5, S7, O8,| | |and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast |S9, S10, O1, O4, O6) | | |Asia and Latin America | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified | | | |than Harley in terms of product offerings | | | |Female riders are on the rise | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, | | | |scooters, and marine and watercraft in addition| | | |to various motorcycle product lines | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good | | | |replacement for automobiles when gas prices are| | | |on the rise | | | |Threats |S-T Strategies |W-T Strategies | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United |Increase current promotional campaign (product |Introduce a new product line – Harley2 suitable| |States among middle class who could afford to |placement, advertising, Online newsgroup / |for female riders, light weight and priced | |buy a motorcycle |press releases, media ads, etc. ) both in the |lower to be marketed to a new segment (W2, W3, | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they |U. S. nd abroad (S1, S2, SS7, S9, S10, T3, T8) |W4, W5, T1, T2, T3, T5, T6, T7) | |can improve sales | | | |Disposable income is falling among | | | |professionals between the age of 35 and 54 | | | |Competition is strong in markets outside the | | | |United States | | | |Increase in fuel price could impact the | | | |industry sales | | | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers | | | |from purchasing and financing high ticket items| | | | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact | | | |product design and cost | | | |Shifts in buyers’ needs and tastes | | | G. SPACE Matrix [pic] Financial Stability (FS) | |Environmental Stability (ES) | | |Return on Investment |6 |Unemployment |-5 | |Leverage |5 |Technological Changes |-2 | |Liquidity |4 |Price Elasticity of Demand |-1 | |Working Capital |4 |Competitive Pressure |-4 | |Cash Flow |4 |Barriers to Entry |-5 | | | | | | |Financial Stability (FS) Average |4. 6 |Environmental Stability (ES) Average |-3. | | | | | | |Competitive Stability (CS) | |Industry Stability (IS) | | |Market Share |-2 |Growth Potential |5 | |Product Quality |-1 |Financial Stability |1 | |Customer Loyalty |-1 |Ease of Market Entry |5 | |Competition’s Capacity Utilization |-3 |Resource Utilization |4 | |Technological Know-How |-2 |Profit Potential |3 | | | | | | |Competitive Stability (CS Average |-1. |Industry Stability (IS) Average |3. 6 | Y-axis: FS + ES = 4. 6 + (-3. 4) = 1. 2 X-axis: CS + IS = (-1. 8) + (3. 6) = 1. 8 H. Grand Strategy Matrix [pic] 1. Market development 2. Market penetration 3. Product development 4. Forward integration 5. Backward integration 6. Horizontal integration 7. Related diversification I. The Internal-External (IE) Matrix The IFE Total Weighted Score | |Strong |Average |Weak | | |3. 0 to 4. 0 |2. 0 to 2. 99 |1. 0 to 1. 9 | |High |I |II |III | |3. 0 to 3. 99 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |IV |IV |VI | | | | | | | | | | |Medium | | | | |2. 0 to 2. 99 | |Harley-Davidson | | |Low |VII |VIII |IX | |1. 0 to 1. 99 | | | | J. QSPM    |   |Develop a lower price /|Offer better financing| | | |light weight bike, |rate to new / first | | | |efficient in fuel |time buyers | | | |consumption for | | | | |individuals who are | | | | |interested in riding a | | | | |bike but can’t afford | | | | |or ride the current | | | | |models | | |Key Factors |Weight |AS |TAS |AS |TAS | |Opportunities |   |   |   |   |   | |Economy in Europe and other regions is growing at a better rate than |0. 08 |4 |0. 32 |2 |0. 16 | |United States | | | | | | |Gasoline price has been stabilized in 2009 |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 | 1 |0. 06 | |Competition has reduced their production of motorcycle in 2009 |0. 09 |4 |0. 36 |3 |0. 27 | |Currently, Yamaha has seen decreasing motorcycle sales in Japan, the |0. 5 |— |— |— |— | |United States, and Europe, but is doing better in Southeast Asia and Latin| | | | | | |America | | | | | | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are more diversified than Harley in terms of |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |product offerings | | | | | | |Female riders are on the rise |0. 04 |3 |0. 12 |1 |0. 04 | |Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki focus on ATVs, scooters, and marine and |0. 7 |— |— |— |— | |watercraft in addition to various motorcycle product lines | | | | | | |Motorcycles typically are considered a good replacement for automobiles |0. 06 |4 |0. 24 |2 |0. 12 | |when gas prices are on the rise | | | | | | |Threats | |   |   | |Unemployment is on the rise in the United States among middle class who |0. 09 |2 |0. 18 |4 |0. 6 | |could afford to buy a motorcycle | | | | | | |Competitors are reducing their prices so they can improve sales |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |1 |0. 07 | |Disposable income is falling among professionals between the age of 35 and|0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |1 |0. 07 | |54 | | | | | | |Competition is strong in markets outside the United States |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 |2 |0. 12 | |Increase in fuel price could impact the industry sales |0. 07 |4 |0. 28 |2 |0. 4 | |Rise in interest rate could impact the buyers from purchasing and |0. 05 |4 |0. 20 |3 |0. 15 | |financing high ticket items | | | | | | |Environmental protection laws could impact product design and cost |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |Shifts in buyers' needs and tastes |0. 04 |— |— |— |— | |TOTAL |1. 00 |   |2. 54 |   |1. 6 | |Strengths |   |   |   | |Additional job cuts has helped the company to improve its profit margin |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |Harley-Davidson motorcycle s have led the industry in the United States for|0. 08 |3 |0. 24 |1 |0. 08 | |retail unit registrations of new heavyweight motorcycles | | | | | | |Harley-Davidson operates in two segments: (1) financial services and (2) |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |motorcycles and related products. | | | | | |Harley-Davidson has 5 divisions: (1) Parts & Accessories (P&A); (2) |0. 03 |— |— |— |— | |General Merchandise; (3) Licensing; and (4) Motorcycles | | | | | | |The Company offers a wide range of families of motorcycles: (1) Touring, |0. 06 |— |— |— |— | |(2) Dyna, (3) Softail, (4) Sportster, and (5) VRSC | | | | | | |In terms of non-U. S. distribution, Harley-Davidson has 71 full service |0. 05 |2 |0. 1 |3 |0. 5 | |dealerships in Canada, 383 in Europe, 201 in Asia Pacific, and 32 in Latin| | | | | | |America | | | | | | |Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |2 |0. 14 | |International retail sa les were up 10. 3 percent as compared to 2007 |0. 07 |3 |0. 21 |2 |0. 14 | |Total current asset increased by $1. 9 billion dollars from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |— |— |— |— | |Harley offers financing of its bikes through HDFS |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |4 |0. 4 | |Weaknesses | |   |   |   | |The Harley-Davidson motorcycle share of the heavyweight market was 45. 5 |0. 07 |— |— |— |— | |percent and 48. 7 percent in 2008 and 2007, respectively | | | | | | |Only 12 percent of U. S. retail motorcycle sales of new Harley-Davidson |0. 05 |3 |0. 15 |1 |0. 05 | |motorcycles are to female buyers | | | | | | |A typical buyer of Harley bike has an average of median household income |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |of approximately $87,000 | | | | | | |For the full year 2009, Harley-Davidson plans to ship between 264,000 and |0. 05 |— |— |— |— | |273,000 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from| | | | | | |2008 | | | | | | |Total worldwide retail sales dropped by 7. 15 in 2008 from previous year |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |3 |0. 18 | |International retail sales growth slowed to 0. 7 percent during the fourth |0. 3 |— |— |— |— | |quarter of 2008 as a result of deteriorating economic conditions outside | | | | | | |the United States | | | | | | |In the United States, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2008 |0. 05 |1 |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |were down 13. 0 percent | | | | | | |Total operating income dropped by about $400 million from 2007 to 2008 |0. 06 |1 |0. 06 |3 |0. 8 | |SUBTOTAL |1. 00 |   |1. 19 |   |1. 51 | |SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE |   |   |3. 73 |   |3. 07 | K. Recommendations Develop a product line with 3 to 5 bikes that are light weight, fuel efficient, lower than average Harley motorcycles, compliance with EPA and other regulatory agencies to be marketed to 25 to 45 age group with income level of $65,000 or higher. The brand s hould be promoted for substitute to automobile for short distances. L. EPS/EBIT Analysis Amount Needed: $150 million Stock Price: $25. 20 Tax Rate: 36. 7% Interest Rate: 6. 97% # Shares Outstanding: 234. 4 Million |   |Common Stock Financing |Debt Financing | |   |Recession |Normal |Boom |Recession |Normal |Boom | |70 Percent Stock – 30 Percent Debt |   |   |70 Percent Debt – 30 Percent Stock |   |   | |   |Recession |Normal |Boom |Recession |Normal |Boom | |EBIT |$1,000,000,000 |$1,500,000,000 |$1,800,000,000 |$1,000,000,000 $1,500,000,000 |$1,800,000,000 | |Interest |8,364,000 |8,364,000 |8,364,000 |2,091,000 |2,091,000 |2,091,000 | |EBT |991,636,000 |1,491,636,000 |1,791,636,000 |997,909,000 |1,497,909,000 |1,797,909,000 | |Taxes |36,393,041,200 |54,743,041,200 |65,753,041,200 |36,623,260,300 |54,973,260,300 |65,983,260,300 | |EAT |35,401,405,200 |53,251,405,200 |63,961,405,200 |35,625,351,300 |53,475,351,300 |64,185,351,300 | |# Shares |238,566,667 |2 38,566,667 |238,566,667 |236,185,714 |236,185,714 |236,185,714 | |EPS |148. 39 |223. 21 |268. 11 |150. 84 |226. 41 |271. 76 | | M. Epilogue Harley-Davidson is extending the deadline for some its competitive bike exchange trade-in program so customers would have more time to take advantage of the promotion. The company has been trying to stimulate its sales and financing program due to weak economy and low sales results. They also announced that the Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0. 10 per share for the first quarter of 2010. This decision will reduce their cash flow by approximately $23. 7 million. Harley-Davidson still is suffering from borrowing of $600 million three years ago at a rate of 15%.The interest of this loan is approximately $90 million a year which is impacting the company’s bottom line. For 2009, the company announced 27% down from 2008 and ended up with a $55 million loss – its first loss since 1993. ————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Brand Loyalty (High) Brand Loyalty (Low) Price (High) Price (Low) Harley-Davidson, Inc. Honda BMW -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 7 -6 -1 -7 -5 -4 -3 -2 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Defensive Competitive Aggressive Conservative 1 2 3 4 5 6 IS Weak Competitive Position Quadrant II Quadrant I Quadrant IV Quadrant III Strong Competitive Position Rapid Market Growth Slow Market Growth The EFE Total Weighted Score ES CS FS Yamaha

Planning Authorisation and Development of a New Maggie’s Centre in South Manchester

In support of our charity of the twelvemonth ‘Pancreatic Cancer’ it seems suiting to recognize the new planning mandate and development by Sir Norman Foster for a new Maggie’s Centre in south Manchester, which will be due to open in 2016. Working in partnership with the ‘Christie, ’ who are a planetary leader in malignant neoplastic disease research and intervention, the new Maggie’s Centre will supply free support runing from practical, emotional and societal support for anyone life with malignant neoplastic disease every bit good as household and friends affected. The new Centre will offer a non-clinical environment where by anyone that is affected by caner can halt of advice, counsel and support. The Maggie’s Centres were foremost founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks who lived with advanced malignant neoplastic disease for two old ages. During this clip she used her cognition and experience to make a ‘blueprint’ for a new type of attention. Maggie’s Centres are built around her belief that people should nonâ€Å"lose the joy of life in the fright of dying† The first Maggie’s Centre to open was in Edinburgh in 1996 and presently there are now 17 Maggie ‘s Centres in the UK that are all designed by taking designers. Each Centre conveying the interior decorators own single qualities and readings to the same type of brief, which is based strictly on the demands of a individual populating with malignant neoplastic disease. The undermentioned illustrations demonstrate the diverseness of working with different contractors and interior decorators to bring forth a successful result. The images below illustrate the first Maggies Centre in Edinburgh, which was built as a renovation of old stable blocks, and blended traditional Scottish stonework with modern architectural methods. The Centre was designed by 19 times RIBA awarded Richard Murphy Architects, Murphy has said his inspirationâ€Å"was to steal a edifice within a edifice, with tonss of small niches and intimate spaces† . The unfastened program nature allows for an emotional openness, with unhappiness every bit good as laughter, while the more private infinites allow for peace and quiet.†( Murphy, 1996 ) The Emma Keswick was the chosen garden interior decorator giving the landscape coloring material all twelvemonth unit of ammunition with quieting passages off from the infirmary. Maggie’s Dundee Maggies Dundee was design by none other than taking architect Frank Gehry and opened in 2003. It was the first ‘new build’ Centre to be design and constructed with the wavy Ag roof, taking inspiration from the traditional Scottish â€Å"butt n’ ben† home, offering peace and sanctuary.â€Å"I think it’s an inviting edifice, people will desire to come indoors and spend clip at that place, and I truly hope that in some little manner it might lend to a sense of rejuvenated energy for traveling frontward and populating life†( Gehry,2003 ) The garden was designed by Arabella Lenox-Boyd and demonstrates a ‘labyrinth’ design based which is a symbol for life ;â€Å"It isn’t a labyrinth, there are no dead terminals, but you have to swear you will happen a path through, even though frequently it feels like you are heading in wholly the incorrect direction.†( Lenox- Boyd, 2003 ) Maggie’s Nottingham Designed by Architect Peirs Gough and built in 2011 It is said that the Interior of the Nottingham’s Maggie’s Centre is the most typical of them all, with the Interior being designed by Nottingham born interior decorator Paul Smith. His electric mix of colorful prints and cloths, meets classic design and furniture. Each room within the infinite has been designed to make a wholly different atmosphere to arouse feelings and inspiration.â€Å"The thought is that you walk in and state ‘oh isn’t that a lovely fabric? ’ or ‘isn’t that horrid? ’ -whatever it provokes, at least it’s a kick-off of a conversation.† ( Sir Paul Smith, 2011 ) The landscape around the Maggie’s Nottingham was designed by a London based practise Envert Studio, whose inspiration and focal point was on aroma and texture when choosing which workss to utilize. Maggie’s Fife Built in 2006, Maggie’s in Fife was Zaha Hadid’s first lasting construction in the UK and Hadid’s purpose was to guarantee that the new Centre was a deliberate contrast to that of the architecture of Kircaldy infirmary. â€Å"Once you step into the edifice you enter a wholly different universe. It is a sort of domestic infinite, it’s relaxing. Hospitals should hold confidant infinites, topographic points where patients can hold a small clip for themselves, to withdraw into†¦ It’s about how infinite can do you experience good.†( Hadid, 2006 ) Maggie’s Manchester Sir Norman Foster has been given the ‘go ahead’ for the new Maggie’s Centre based in south Manchester â€Å"This undertaking has a peculiar personal significance, as I was born in the metropolis and have first-hand experience of the hurt of a malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing. I believe in the power of architecture to raise the liquors and aid in the procedure of therapy. Within the Centre, there are a assortment of infinites, visitants can garner around a large kitchen tabular array, happen a peaceable topographic point to believe or they can work with their custodies in the nursery.Throughout, there is a focal point on natural visible radiation and contact with the gardens. The lumber frame, with its deep-rooted lattice helps to fade out the architecture into the environing verdure. †( Foster, 2014 ) The design has been inspired and will be set within peaceable gardens and green to reflect and prosecute with the out-of-doorss. The Interior infinites will have wooden surfaces and haptic cloths, while the environing gardens will be designed by landscape designer Dan Pearson, offering bunchs of flowers and quieting H2O characteristics. The colors and centripetal experience of nature will go portion of the Centre through‘micro gardens’and internal courtyards that relate to the different infinites within the edifice. Arranged over a individual floor, the natural lumber construction focuses around a broad, cardinal spinal column with the roof lifting in the Centre to make a mezzanine degree to light with natural visible radiation. The Centre will besides have a pool with traveling H2O will supply a unagitated infinite set amidst deep canopies that will shelter the Centre ‘s unfastened patios from rain, leting people to bask fresh air and the garden whatever the ‘British’ conditions is. www.architectsjournal.co.uk hypertext transfer protocol: //www.maggiescentres.org/search/ ? q=maggies+manch Images Edinburghhypertext transfer protocol: //www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=128228037223142 & A ; set=a.128228033889809.10839.127765650602714 & A ; type=1 & A ; theatre citythreepointzero.wordpress.com www.edwardhollis.com ifd-arch.blogspot.com www.floornature.com freshome.com www.todryfor.com Text mentions hypertext transfer protocol: //www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/norman-foster-submits-plans-for-manchester-maggies-centre/8658811.article

Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Geography - Essay Example The religious aspect does not play a big part, despite members of each side being Islamic, Christian, or other religious beliefs. It is a war between the Arab and non-Arab groups. The conflict in the Sudan has been raging for years. The Afro-Arab factions along with the Sudenese government to conquer a new rebel groups in Dafar called Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which are made up of non-Arab Muslims. Both factions are black. The Sudanese government which is Arab has been targeting non-Arabic Africans for years. However when the SLM and JEM started fighting back the bloodshed intensified. The Sudanese government has not entered into the fight directly, but has funded the Janjaweed. The Janjaweed is considered a terrorist group in the West. Accusations of genocide have been directed at the Janjaweed. Due to the Sudanese government support of the Janjaweed, not much has been done to rectify the situation. The skirmishes and killing continue despite peace treaties and ongoing talks. Arabic Muslims believe that non-Arabic Africans is inferior to them. They believe that all ‘black’ non-Arabic Africans should be slaves. This history goes back to Arabic Muslims selling non-Arabic Muslims and non-Muslims to slave traders. Although the Arabic faction of the Sudan is lighter than the non-Arabic faction, both are still black. The Arabic faction does not see the darker non-Arabic as the same color or race. The darker Africans are inferior and meant to be slaves. As mentioned before religion does not play a big factor in this conflict. Going back to the slave trade days, the non-Arabic people were sold into slavery even if they were Muslim. Alex Hailey’s ancestor in Roots was a devout Muslim. However due to the color of his skin, Kunta Kinte was captured and sold to slave traders. He did not understand why men the same color as him could sell a brother into

Google Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Google - Essay Example This increase between the offer price and the open price is much greater than the increase for typical IPOs in 2004. Indeed, 82 percent of the IPOs issued in 2004 experienced less of a jump from the offer price to the open price than Google did, and the statistics were similar for IPOs issued prior to Google's debut and following Google's debut. The enormous post-auction price increase of Google, especially in the immediate weeks and months following its debut, when there were few substantive news releases on changes in company strategy and fundamentals, further suggests that the online auction method may not have priced Google efficiently. Google subsequently soared in the following months to a high of $317.80 on July 21, 2005. As of June 29, 2005, Google had exhibited price appreciation of 186.8 percent, relative to its open price. Critics of Google's IPO initially argued that the auction was a failure because Google slashed the number of shares that it would sell at public auction from 25.7 million to 19.6 million shares. Also, it dropped the target price range from the $108-to-$135 range projected in late July to the $85-to-$95 price range (Knight Ridder, August 19, 2004). At the time, many analysts suggested that the earlier Google price range had been overpriced; yet, Google's closing price reached the lower end of that price range after 18 days of trading and reached the higher end of that price range after 32 days of trading. The lessening interest in Google at the time that it reduced the price range during the summer was possibly due to some combination of the following factors: - The lack of information provided by the company during the process about its uses of capital - A slump in price appreciation for June IPOs - Reservations on the part of investors about the use of the online process. Who benefited from Google's price appreciation Under the traditional process, the preferred clients of the underwriting investment banks can benefit from the initial IPO underpricing and subsequent price appreciation since they have the initial allocations. In the case of Google, the beneficiaries in the price appreciation have been: 1. those investors who bought Google when it first began trading and held it until the price increased substantially and 2. the Google co-founders and the chief executive, as well as the venture capital firm involved in financing Google, who were allocated shares early in the process, but who could not sell them until the "lock-up period" expired. "Google announced in its IPO prospectus that it wouldn't provide traditional earnings guidance. While it took this stance to avoid short-term thinking, the move also likely left Google's directors knowing more about company prospects than other investors. The third quarter, which Google was in at the time, proved to be one of spectacular growth." (Delaney, September 2005) By July 2005, the CEO Eric Schmidt and the company founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page had sold $1.7 billion in stock, other executives had sold more than $800 million in stock, and no open market purchases had been recorded. Indeed, Page and Brin have sold 3.7 million and 3.8 million shares, respectively, or roughly 400,000 shares per month, while Schmidt had sold 1.3 million

The Roots of Koreas Deep Division Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Roots of Koreas Deep Division - Essay Example The imperial occupation of Korea by Japan from 1905-1945 sowed the seeds of future division and provided an incubator for rival factions to flourish and energize. After Japan was defeated and Korea liberated in 1945, Soviet-American agreements exploited the divisions that had sprung up during the previous decades. Fueled by old resentments, nationalistic movements, and cold war politics, the Soviet-American actions drove a wedge between North and South Korea, precipitated the Korean War, and erected a lasting wall dividing a country that 50 years earlier had been united. The seeds of division began to be sowed with the arrival of Japanese influence in the Korean peninsula. The 1876 treaty of Ganghwa between Japan and Korea was negotiated to open up trade between the two nations. However, the technically disadvantaged and militarily weaker Korea succumbed to a treaty that greatly favored the Japanese. It limited China's relatively innocuous influence, which setup Korea as a target for future imperialism. Russia, with imperialistic intentions, attempted to exert power over Korea during the 1890s. Japan and Russia, the biggest influences in Korea during this period, could not reach an agreement over the division of the spheres of influence. After negotiations broke down in 1904, Japan successfully defeated the Russians by initiating an attack on Russian ships harbored at Port Arthur (Cumings, 141). The agreement, negotiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, was little more than a U.S. trade off with Japan in which the U.S. got the Philippines and Japan was rewarded with Korea. This would be the beginning of 40 years of imperial rule by Japan and sweeping social and political changes. After 1905 Japan enjoyed a great latitude of control over Korea. They had been successful in defeating the Chinese and the Russians and had the silent approval of both the Americans and the British (Cumings, 142). This control began to reshape Korea and in doing so began to splinter the society. The beginnings of communism in Korea had their roots in the 1920s as rifts between the left and right began to manifest. Woodrow Wilson's assurances of self-determination had not been realized in Korea. On March 1, 1919, an uprising against the Japanese, demanding independence, resulted in a months long violent revolt. The suppression of the rebellion by Japanese authority left citizens divided with many turning to communist organizations for support. The division was split along left-right lines and mirrored the policies of Wilson and Lenin. The new policy of "gradualism" had resulted in a greater freedom of speech and encouraged the formation of several nationalistic, communist, and sociali st groups. Occasionally these groups would be encouraged by the Japanese as a method to, "corral, co-opt, or simply moderate independence activist on left and right" (Cumings, 156). By the end of the 1920s, the communists were the main group leading the call for independence. Communism appealed to many Koreans as Dae-sook Suh writes, "The haggard appearance of the communists suffering from torture, their stern and disciplined attitude toward the common enemy of all Koreans, had a far reaching effect on the people" (qtd. in Cumings, 158). The geographical proximity of China favored the communists in the north and the resistance groups that this created would later become

World Hunger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

World Hunger - Essay Example Poor countries that are in the process of developing do not have enough economic reserves and human capital to provide for the sustenance of their population. Furthermore, they are made to export their few assets particularly their natural resources that leads to a reduction in their capital stock. Also, investors ignore developing countries because they cannot produce feasible profits due to lack of infrastructure. Thus, major businesses do not invest their capital in the developing countries and without the investment, the productivity ceases to increase. Cycle of economic distress keeps the countries in a permanent stage of poverty and under development. Developing countries all around the globe basically lack the general infrastructure that is important for these countries to rise above the economic deficiency that is the leading cause of hunger. The general infrastructure includes a solid road system, warehouses and good irrigation systems and the lack of these causes an increase in transport expenses, deficient facilities for storing and poor water supplies. This limits the average farming produce and hence results in a lower amount of food being available. Considering the major problems, the answer to hunger is building reliable systems of energy, effective means of transportation and communication. This would provide incentives to the potential investors and hence result in generation of capital in the developing nations. Economic growth is possible by the investments coming from the private sector. Business activities increase proportionally to the growth of investment which in term increases the productivity as well as the distribution of goods. This assists in the satisfaction and fulfillment of the common people. In the underprivileged areas of the world, for example the sub-Saharan Africa, poor geographical location and political turmoil has led to small and unreachable

Battle tactics of the U.S. Civil war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Battle tactics of the U.S. Civil war - Essay Example War broke out and the rifles became a major tactical weapon of this war. (Dupuy, 82) The military leaders of that era were aware that the use of the improved rifles in the war would certainly change the tactics that were used on the battlefield. At the beginning of the war, most of the rifles had slow dismissal muzzles. Thus, the men were grouped together to form a huge volume of firing unit, which would cause more damage to the opposition making them leave the battlefield. Although, later on, the effective range of the rifles and other weapons improved, the basic formation of the men remained the same. If the men were arranged in small groups then it would be very difficult for the leaders to properly control them and make them fight. Thus, to avoid such chaos, the units of men were properly trained in the weaponry division. The officers attempted to train the soldiers such that the troops could deliver their maximum potential and use their firepower properly to avoid losing. For example, the Zouaves were taught to drop down on the ground suddenly before the opposi te unit could strike at them, then suddenly rise and charge them with their bayonets. However, when there were failures the troops, and not the tactics, were blamed. Griffith mentions, "It does seem to be the case that tactical attacks in the Civil War attained their local objectives rather less frequently than those of Napoleonic times, although that does not necessarily mean that they were less useful in determining the final result of hanks or campaigns." (Griffith, 29) We also saw the use of a number of new and improved military techniques in the war. There were many revolutionary developments in the use of ammunitions and firearms. The improvement in the use of the Mini Bullet or Mini Ball allowed a person to load the rifle and fire it at a greater speed than what was possible earlier. The most important developments came in the rifles, which played a key role in the development of the tactics of the war, although they were not new to the fighters. Earlier a pan of gunpowder was used in the firearm. However, before the war the percussion cap was invented where a cap was used to light the gunpowder in the firearm. This made it possible to use the weapon in almost all weather types. The percussion lock also improved the rate of firing of the rifle. The manner in which the musket barrel was rifled was also improved. This had a positive effect on its accuracy and range. Earlier the effective range of the smooth bore musket was only about 300 ft. Thus, this created dangers for the bearer. Nevertheless, after rifling the barrel, the effective range was increased to about 750 to 900 ft. Thus, this made the bearer of the gun more deadly and dangerous. A huge improvement was also made in the firearm design of the multi-shot rifle. The 1855 model and later on the 1861 model rifles adopted the use of the .58 caliber and made it there standard for the infantry weapons. (Woodworth, 34-7) Infantry was the primary combat section of the military in the American Civil War. The infantry of the American Civil War mainly comprised of the foot soldiers and mostly had small weapons in the beginning. However, as the war progressed

Social research method--（traditional chinese medicine and Essay

Social research method--ï ¼Ë†traditional chinese medicine and acupunctureï ¼â€° - Essay Example In contrast, a quantitative research done on the same subject will tend to use pre-determined categories experienced, pre-studied, or identified by prior research. In contrast, qualitative research does not have to use pre-determined categories formulated by the research based on researcher’s prior experience. The researcher can rely on participants’ descriptions of the â€Å"ways in which patients taking antihypertensive drug balance reservations against reasons for taking them†. Qualitative research is appropriate for the study because the information needed for the study will not require statistical procedures or other means of quantification (Straiss and Corbin 1998, p. 10-11). Appropriateness of research design. As described by Benson and Britten (2007, p. 1), the research design is â€Å"qualitative study using detailed interviews†. Cresswell (2007a, p. 20) calls this design as the â€Å"narrative design† of qualitative research. In my interpretation of the Benson and Britten (2007) write-up, the authors probably used semi-structured interview. This is highly appropriate considering that the objective of the research is â€Å"to describe the ways in which patients taking antihypertensive drug balance reservations against reasons for taking them† (Benson and Britten 2007, p. 1). Meanwhile, Cresswell (2007b, p. 6-10) identified the narrative design or approach as one of the five approaches that are frequently used in qualitative research. According to Cresswell (2007b, p. 6-10), the five designs or approaches frequently used are the narrative, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnographic, and case study approaches or research design. Holstein and Gubrium (1997, p. 113) had described the use of interviews in qualitative research as a way of generating data on how people view their life. By extension, it follows

Luxury e-commerce advantages & disadvantages Essay

Luxury e-commerce advantages & disadvantages - Essay Example Though advancements like e-commerce or e-business has favored to an extent, but there are some drawbacks too, which often gets sidelined by the human setting of the present world. This study will give a critical view of how luxury e-commerce is important and what are the gaps that need to be covered in the modern business system (Okonkwo, 2007). Background As trends changed it brought changes in the human setting, like people got more to the use of e-commerce and e-business. On a similar node, luxury is part of the glimpse where e-commerce brought luxury brands on high human accessibility. There came up luxury e-portals like Net-a-Porter which facilitated buyers on luxury boutique and designer clothing. Net-a-Porter being UK’s top selling online forum stocked 3000 brands at one time of selling, which was all to favor the luxury patrons on the internet (Roberts, 2010). On the earliest luxury facilitated people where it became more than a necessity and something associated with the desires. Luxury was first sought as an idea of a peculiar, but later as fashion industry revolved and brands came up luxury became part of peoples’ lives (Danziger, 2005). The same perception revived on e-commerce where an estimated 95% buyers’ populace was only on the luxury. ... Today consumers not only trace luxury in goods or service, but they also expect luxury in the method of deliverance and service (electronic trade and provision). It was the year 1990 when Amazon gave origin to the concept electronic trade and distribution. Ebay was the second major contributor to e-commerce, a competitor of Amazon which evolved in the same year of e-business (Schneider, 2011). It was the start of electronic based distribution (1995) when AltaVista, Lycos and Yahoo! came more with the luxury brands on their distribution and selling (Schneider, 2011). Later on MSN and Hermes also promoted luxury on the online buying and selling, as they were on a great response from luxury excavators (Okonkwo, 2010). Apart from all the persistence of luxury on e-commerce and trade has also aware the modern business specialists (Schneider, 2011). They have understood that luxury is a core preference of the buyers, where e-commerce is the right forum to distribute it. This is how luxury is widespread to all parts of the business system, from buyers to sellers and from marketers to branders respectively (Danziger, 2005). Definition to E-Commerce and E-Business With the plethora of globalization and internationalization, small and large business firms have identified e-commerce as a forum to exchange (Saunter, 2012). The core activities of a business like supply, distribution, promotion and marketing of goods have become achievable on the e-commerce and e-business. E-commerce is a term that indicates electronic business commerce, where businesses are sold, expanded and developed on the basis of large consumer presence on the internet (Dave, 2008). E-commerce is a combination of two things,

Speech Contest Essay Example for Free

Speech Contest Essay â€Å"Peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace Martin Luther† Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call. Imagine there’s someone on the other end telling you that they have one of your family members kidnapped. Now, what would you do? I’m guessing most of you are thinking that you would call the police. Well, in Mexico that’s something you cannot do. It’s been 5 years since the â€Å"drug war† started, and since then, there hasn’t been any justice or peace. I remember 2 years ago, on Christmas Eve, my family and I were woken up by a phone call. It was 3 in the morning, and none of us were expecting a call. My father picked up the phone, and the next thing I saw, was how pale he got. My grandpa had just called, telling my father, that my cousin had just been kidnapped. He was just 13 years old, and was on the wrong place at the wrong time. When my dad told me this, I knew that there wasn’t much to be done, besides giving the kidnappers, the money they were asking for. On the other hand, my dad thought the best idea was to go and tell the police what had happened. That same day, we went to the police station, it was only me and my dad. An officer sent us down to an office, but while we were walking there, my dad’s cellphone rang. He told me to pick it up, and I did as he told me. I answered, and a man told me to get out of the station if we didn’t want anything bad to happen to my cousin. My dad saw how I started shaking and took the phone out of my hands. He answered, and they told him the same thing as they had told me, only this time, they added that there would be someone making sure we didn’t say anything. You may be asking, how did they know that we were in the police station? That is easy to answer. In Mexico, justice and police are two things that just don’t exist anymore. In my city, Torreon, most of the police stations, are closed because they are insecure to go. Drug dealers, bought some others, making the police to be part of them. Since we don’t have police stations, we don’t have justice, and since we don’t have justice, peace is something we lack. It is so sad, knowing that the people we usually trust, turn their backs on you, just for money. It is also sad, seeing in the news, that every day there is an average of 27 dead people. For me, the saddest part, is knowing that thanks to us not having justice, my city, the city where you could be on the street as long as you wanted, was named last monday the â€Å"most insecure city of the world†.

Different Aspects of Management Essay Example for Free

Different Aspects of Management Essay Two of the most important person in every company is managers and leaders. Although both are important in every company and may have the same traits in order to be effective in their own field, there are also some differences in being a manager and being a leader. Thus, being a manager is not equal to being a leader and vice versa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Management refers to the activities that are often participated by a group of people. This people in the management are involved in the four general functions. The management functions involved planning, organizing, leading and coordinating of the resources. Planning includes knowing and identifying goals, objectives, methods as well as the resources needed to carry out this methods, responsibilities and dates of completion of the task. In organizing resources, it is important to achieve the goals in the best possible and the most favorable manner and approach. Leading or setting direction, creating vision and mission which is so important in knowing where the company are and where should they go in the future run. Controlling or coordinating the organizations system that includes monitoring and adjustments to reach the companies define goals and objectives. These four functions are highly integrated all through the companies or organizations. The managers are believed to be the brains of the business. They are the one who created rules and operating procedures, recognized and established the system and put this into place. Management is about the people but it is a fact to be considered that people are important as a way to run the company and to make the work done. The company or the organization has the greatest chance to be successful when all of its people, employees, leaders or manager work together to achieve their goals. Leadership involves the practice and exercising the influence of one to the other. Leading is different from managing because leading is more on influencing people while managing is more focused on the resources in addition to the people. Leading is the business heart. The heart and the real meaning of leadership is that it inspires and recognize that people in the company are likely to resist making major changes for a variety of reasons, including fear of the unknown, inadequacy to deal with the change and whether the change will result in an adverse effect on their jobs.   People need to feel that their concerns are being heard.   Leaders must widely communicate the need for the change and how the change can be accomplished successfully.   Leaders must listen to the employees – people need to feel that the approach to change will include their strong contribution and ongoing involvement. They want to feel respected enough by leaders to be involved and to work toward a vision that is realistic, yet promising in the long run.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The similarities between leadership and management are that both the heart and the brain are important in bringing out the best for the company and in achieving the success. Having operating procedures as well as rules and having clearly defined goals and objectives mission and vision or preparation for the future provide a direction and meaning to everyday activities of the company, and this is the same as having a successful leaders and managers. Whether they called a leader or a manager they have to learn to do just the same thing for both of them is accountable for the whole performance of their group. Manager or a leader it does not matter because manager or leader they still have to give the people their help, manager or leader they are expected to held their hands, to reach their people and to make it become a contributing part of the team, something bigger than who they really are. Managers or leaders have to coach, counsel, correct, encourage, and set goals and vision for having a vision is one of the most powerful components to achieve change and future success. A leader and manager with a clear vision were believed to be a good and effective. All successful managers and leaders have visions of what would they want to see in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A manager may serve as a motivator and a coach when he or she is acting as the leader of a team. Such actions may involve encouraging the workers in performing their job well. Managers may also establish benefits and other things that may help the company in gaining the trust, respect and loyalty of the workers. In this way, the manager serves as a motivator for the workers in doing their job well.   Managers are may also be referred to as leader of leaders since they are the one who are responsible in several aspects regarding the company’s actions and must therefore give orders and instructions to other personnel. In this way, a manager serves as a coach in handling different personnel of the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All managers must be good leaders but not the other way around. There many good leaders in their own field but are not managers. Thus, although both are important in for the company, a greater responsibility is in the hands of the manager. Still, the every company needs good leaders who are able to maximize the potential of every worker. References Bock, W. (2007). Does it matter whether we call something management or leadership?. Retrieved January 26, 2008 from http://blog.threestarleadership.com/2007/12/10/does-it-matter-whether-we-call-something-management-or-leadership.aspx McNamara, C. (2007). Introduction to management. Retrieved January 26, 2008 from http://www.managementhelp.org/mng_thry/mng_thry.htm Robins, S. (2008). The difference between managing and leading. Retrieved January 26, 2008 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/leadership/article57304.html Young, D. (2008). A study of similarities and differences between leadership and management: implications for assessment centres. Retrieved January 26, 2008 from http://www.assessmentcenters.org/2006/con_Similarities_Differences.asp

The main aim and focus in psychodynamic psychotherapy

The main aim and focus in psychodynamic psychotherapy The main focus of psychodynamic psychotherapy is to help individuals make sense of current problems and view how their past has/might/will/ have affected the current situation that would have brought them to counseling. Psychodynamic views the person as a whole thus mind, body, soul in order to recognize the relationships between these dimensions which make up the person. These internal relationships are dynamic, always changing as they form an individual. Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps review experiences and feelings that can only be understood in relation to a clients past. This is inturn helps reflects possibilities which might have led to the current problem or situations and hence counselor and client will explore the unconscious into the conscious mind. In psychodynamic psychotherapy there is the topographic viewpoint, which refers to the layering of mental processes into conscious, preconscious and unconscious. Freuds topographical model represents his configuration of the mind. According to Freud, there are three levels of consciousness, conscious this is the part of the mind that holds what one is aware of, people can visualize about their conscious experience and can think about it in a logical fashion. While the preconscious level is the ordinary memory meaning to say things stored here are in the conscious, they can be readily brought into conscious. Freud felt that this part of the mind was not directly accessible to aw areness. In part, he saw it as a damping place for feelings and ideas  that are tied to depression anxiety, conflict and pain and if not dealt with will lead to cases of suicidal thoughts. These feelings and thoughts if not dealt with and according to Freud, they are the exerting influence on our actions and our conscious awareness (Messer 1995). Psychodynamic psychotherapy goes in depth of every detail presented in the therapy whether its past or present situation as the main aim is to view how the past might have affected the present. Psychoanalytic concepts explain human growth and development, and the nature of psychological problems. Psychodynamic counseling uses the therapeutic relationship to gain insight into unconscious relationship patterns that evolved since early stage of life, memories and other evidence of early relationships are used to make sense of current problems. The process of change occurs as clients become more aware of the effects of the unconscious, including defense mechanisms that influence negative behavior, and hence more able to control their actions and responses in the future. Existential approach sees humans as being able to change and transform a negative lifestyle to a positive, living and meeting the conditions of worth meaning clients live a life that Rogers explained to be conditions of worth that are threatening to the self ( Barret-Lennard,1998, p.101) .Meaning to say the individual can no longer live as unified whole life as this is further explained to mean one might be deserting themselves from the way of a positive lifestyle they once lived. The existential approach is all about exploring meaning and value and learning to live authentically meaning living in accordance with ones priorities and values. The existential approach hold that the human being struggle is with the givens of existence that is death, isolation, freedom and meaninglessness.People often ignore these existential givens, until life events increase the sensibilities (Corey, 2005, p.174) According to Yalom, these four existential realities are the root of most psychological problems . While other existentialists may be more optimistic about the ability of people to find answers to these questions, it is generally agreed that these four issues are central to the human experience. That is why Existential counseling seek to empower the client through self actualisation working with the here,now and the futurenot including the past (Blackham, 1975, p.114). The approach is mainly person centered as it views the client as their own best authority on their own experience, and it views the client as being fully capable of fulfilling their own potential for growth. It recognizes, however, that achieving potential requires favourable conditions and that under adverse conditions, individuals may well not grow and develop in the ways that they otherwise could. People commonly become aware of their desire for counselling when there is some internal or external disturbance in the homeostasis of their lives, the hormonal imbalances of adolescence often coincides with emotional storms which bring them to a counsellor (Clarkson, 1999,p 41 ) People seek counseling for a variety of reasons that include but are not limited to the following sadness, anxiety, relationship problems ,loss of work, persistent feelings of isolation and loneliness, or even aiming or needing motivatition to be more successful in life,work or relationships. (Prochaska Norcross, 2003) Wexler, 1974 viewed therapy as a process of expanding consciousness and bringing about more effective information that would occur in the context of genuine empathic relationship characterized by positive regard.   Existential therapy seeks to help clients live with freedom and to remove the limitations that are self-imposed.   By challenging clients about rigid beliefs and thought patterns, therapists work to provide an environment where individuals are safe to consider their belief systems and adopt new views.   Therapists focus on current life situations the client is dealing with rather than resolving past issues.   Through this focus on the here and now, individuals address their beliefs and look at enjoying life more fully and with more appreciation . Sessions of psychodynamic psychotherapy have greater frequency to allow for more in-depth treatment. The duration of individual sessions varies, It is not usually possible at the start of treatment to estimate the number of sessions that will be necessary in order to achieve the persons goals. It is possible, however, for the person to make arrangements for a specific number of sessions. Psychodynamic psychotherapy and existensial humanistic counseling operates the same way in the counseling room.They all begins with a period of evaluation during which the client discusses with the therapist the reasons for seeking treatment. This process gives the therapist the opportunity to learn about the person, to develop an understanding of his or her troubles, and to formulate ideas about how treatment should proceed. This phase of interviewing and learning may take place in one session or over a series of sessions; or it may be done in a less structured manner, depending on the therapists style. At some point within the first few sessions, the therapist and the individual will come to a mutual understanding of the goals for treatment. The two methods of counseling only defer with what has to be discussed in the treatment room meaning to say psychodynamic goes deeper into exploring a clients past of which existential only deals with current problems and focus on way forward. By allowing the client to communicate ,the counselor encourage self exploration on the clients part and also allowing the client to hear themselves speak and becoming familiar with their own thoughts and feelings that the client may have not realized had the opportunity to see (Meier Davis 2005 ). When the thoughts and feelings are taken back inside the projecting person from the other person, they may be better able to handle them as they also bring back something of the other person and the way they appeared ( Meir Davis 2005) bringing to attention that treatment will be focusing primarily on the insight of past present and future helping to make the unconscious conflict become conscious. session, the therapist is trying to judge, how much you are in touch with your own feelings, what feelings you are not aware of, how close are you to knowing the unconscious feelings, how painful these feelings are to you, and how well you can tolerate the pain that becoming aware of these feelings will bring. In the book Systems of psychotherapy, Rogers emphasizes the importance of communication as a genuine sense of empathy so that clients will experience a deeper understanding and acceptance of what they will be going through (Prochaska Norcross, 2003, p.89). As according to Prochaska some experiences are distorted or denied, there is incongruence between what is being experienced and what is symbolised as part of a persons self concept. According to Prochaska, an individual have an experimental world, in order to understand a clients action a counsellor who use both existential humanistic and psychodynamic counselling therapy place himself in the internal framework of a client (Prochaska Norcross, 2003, p.141). Wexler, 1974 viewed therapy as a process of expanding consciousness and bringing about more effective information that would occur in the context of genuine empathic relationship characterized by positive regard. A client whose counsellor might not want to use psychodynamic therapy (that is talk about past experiences in depth) may feel that the counsellor does not want to touch on certain issues of his/ her life . The therapeutic relationship in contemporary psychodynamic counselling is based on acceptance, empathy and understanding, with an emphasis on developing a good working alliance that fosters trusts. The counselor takes account of the real world of the client, including the impact of trauma, cultural difference, sexual orientation, disability and social context. The insight and understanding about human functions gained from psychoanalytic theory, can enhance the life of the counselor as well as the client, and can be put to a variety of good uses. The most defining strength of psychodynamic theory is the appreciation of the unconscious, Freud attempted to provide a means of understanding the unconscious world as it tends to review and work closely with the present situations/ probles being explained by client (conscious) . At the same time some clients might not feel comfortable to discuss their past or explore themselves and their feelings might work well with existensial counselors . existential humanistic counseling core condition of unconditional positive regard means the client is free to explore all thoughts and feelings, positive or negative, without danger of rejection or condemnation which leads to empathic understanding of clients thoughts, feelings, from the clients own perspective. Unlike in psychodynamic counseling where the counselor takes the journey to the clients past and try to match their current problems with their past. Existential therapy in a way makes the client grow in their own way unlike psychodynamic that tries to match personalities traits of clients generation to what they will be going through in the present time. However in psychodynamic therapy by getting deeper with clients past the counselor will know more information, behaviour, character and self defenses of a client. In doing so it helps strengthen their relationship as the client feels more comfortable to explore more issues in their past life and this will in turn might stren gthen the relationship of them .Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a form of depth therapy because its aim is to reveal or try to make sense of the unconscious to become conscious. The goals of psychodynamic psychotherapy vary therapy seeks to relieve a client through the development of insight, or the slowly developing awareness of feelings and thoughts that were once outside of the persons awareness through guidance from a therapist, the adult becomes aware of present ways of coping that are ineffective and how they served a purpose in childhood that is no longer relevant. The person learns that he or she now has a range of new options for solving problems, and for living in general that are now based on his or her maturity and independence.

Breakfast Club Character Evaluations Essay -- essays research papers

The Breakfast Club was a movie about five very different characters, Claire, Andrew, Brian, Allison, and John Bender. Claire was a popular girl, Andrew was a wrestler (jock), Brian was intellectually gifted, Allison was a basket case, and John Bender was a rebel. On the outside they seem like very different people, in fact they were all socially opposite, but they also shared so much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the movie starts out, the five teenagers are being punished with Saturday detention; their assignment for the next eight hours was to right a paper entitled â€Å"Who Am I?† Their most probable assumption was from them to write about their achievements. Being students in America, we are all raised to excel at whatever we do, whether it be at grades, wrestling, or being popular. Since â€Å"they judged themselves by what they do and achieve, their self-identities depend upon their achievements,† (Kimball and Leidich page three). This leads to competitiveness, envy, jealously, and greed. Bender was jealous of Claire social status and of her leading â€Å"a better life† and to react to that he yelled at her and over-exaggerated the truth. He judged her by material possessions (earrings) and by social standings (prom queen), and he judged himself against her and that led to him wanting what she has (earrings and virginity). First he tried being more competitive with her by calling her names and putting her down so that he could seem higher and â€Å"cooler† than her. Then he became envious and jealous of her, wanting what she had. This two then lead to greed. Fortunately for the both of them, they got beyond the achievements and fell in love. They learned to judge each other by the quality of their relationships and their lives. On the outside, Andrew thought that Brian had a pretty good life. He had both good, loyal friends and great grades, something he could possibly be envious of. It appears that Brian had great friends that did not judge him for what he did, but who he was. Brian wanted to hang out with the cool people, but he knew his social class. Possibly, he used a flare gun to kill himself because he felt that was the way his clique functioned and that would make his death more appealing to the popular. Alison felt that she needed someone to talk to. This is why she showed up. She was ignored by her paren ts and probably felt that anyone was good enough to ... ...t he couldn’t think for himself. When he did, he liked Brian and Alison, but his clique requirement is probably not to be involved with them. Brian’s relationships don’t have a cost of belonging; he and any new friends are probably welcomed all the time without a requirement. Bender, though he does not admit it, has a cost of belonging also. His friends would reject Brian in fear of him â€Å"telling† or something along that line. Claire told him that even his clique had requirements. She said that he if they were saw by his friends walking down the hallway, he would say that he’s having sex with her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought that he film helped a lot with the text. Without the movie, the material would be very dry and hard to understand. The movie gave examples of everything so far in the text. It gave examples of the hierarchy of needs (like Bender still needing safety need before belongingness and love); the types of fear (rejection with Claire and a mask; failure with Brian and overachieving; and pain and suffering with Andrew and his making fun of and torturing the innocent); last, addiction with Bender and Alison with the way they are always, at school and at home.

Explication of Emily Dickinsons I Felt a Funeral in My Brain Essay

Explication of Emily Dickinson's "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Works Cited Not Included In the poem "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Emily Dickinson exposes a person's intense anguish and suffering as they sink into a state of extreme madness. The poem is a carefully constructed analysis of the speaker's own mental experience. Dickinson uses the image of a funeral-service to symbolize the death of the speaker's sanity. The poem is terrifying for the reader as it depicts a realization of the collapse of one's mental stability, which is horrifying for most. The reader experiences the horror of the speaker's descending madness as the speaker's mind disintegrates and loses its grasp on reality. "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain," by Emily Dickinson creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable by expressing the speaker's pain, describing her irrationality, and the speaker tragically ending her existence. The first major reason that "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable is by expressing the speaker's pain. It is obvious through the first and second stanza that the speaker is aware that she is losing her sense of stability. The speaker is fighting to keep her sanity as the pressure of her "sense was breaking through" (line 4). The "Mourners" that are "treading - treading" represent the pain that she is feeling while battling her fight to keep her mental state (line 2-3). The repetition of the word "treading - treading" only emphasizes the fact that she is losing her battle and it has become apparent to her (line 3). Finally, she gives up her fight, which is why "they were all seated," indicating that she is accepting that her sanity is leaving her. Her sanity... ...mind will be peaceful once more as it has all of eternity to rest. In conclusion, "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain," by Emily Dickinson creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable by expressing the speaker's pain, describing her irrationality, and the speaker tragically ending her existence. Throughout the poem, the speaker's feelings of grief and pain are evident. As a result of her pain and grief, it becomes obvious that the speaker must choose between a state of madness or a state of solitude. Due to her irrational state of mind, the speaker chooses to commit suicide as she feels that it is the only method for her to control her own destiny. The poem truly expresses a person's loss of connection with reality. The poem not only gives an intense examination of insanity, but it also reflects a person's soul as it moves towards its final breakdown.

And Now For Someone Completely Different :: Essays Papers

And Now For Someone Completely Different When the six foot five inch man that is John Cleese is mentioned, most people see him in their minds eye complaining about his dead parrot or as the brave Sir Lancelot. What many people don't think of, though, is his involvement with multiple other productions, not all of them comedy. His involvement, too, stretches from just simple acting. John Cleese is truly a Renaissance man of the media. John Cleese went through school wanting to be in the legal profession and he received his M.A. degree from Downing College in Cambridge. He soon abandoned his plans in law, however, when he had a great success with Footlights, the performing arts society for Cambridge. He met his future writing partner and Python member Graham Chapman in Footlights. Cleese had an appearance in the Footlights Revue which was a campus production that later was shown in London's West End, and then again, as Cambridge Circus, on Broadway in 1964 (Current Biography). He stayed in New York to perform in the British musical Half a Sixpence. When he returned to England he was approached by David Frost to help write and to perform in Frost's new weekly BBC comedy show, The Frost Report, in 1965. Chapman was also working on The Frost Report, with other to be Python members Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones (The Life of Monty Python). Cleese went on with his writing partnership with Chapman after The Frost Report, working on such titles as The Magic Christian, based on the novel by Terry Southern (The Fairly Uncreative Monty Python Site). Cleese's largest comedy hit came when he joined up again with Chapman, Idle, Palin, and Jones. Together, with American cartoonist Terry Gilliam, they created the notorious Monty Python's Flying Circus. The whole group co-wrote and starred in this "breakneck barrage of satiric skits, [and] surreal cartoons" (Current Biography) for several years; drawing over ten million viewers each week. The Monty Python sextet would later collaborate to write books, do live performances, and make movies, such as Monty Python and the Holy Gail (1975), a spoof on the legend of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail, and The Meaning of Life (1983), which was Monty Python's view on the stages of life (TFUMPS). At the emerging point of his career that was his BBC works, he met American actress Connie Booth, who he would wed in 1968 (TLOMP). The couple would write and star in a small motion picture in 1974 but would have great success in the television And Now For Someone Completely Different :: Essays Papers And Now For Someone Completely Different When the six foot five inch man that is John Cleese is mentioned, most people see him in their minds eye complaining about his dead parrot or as the brave Sir Lancelot. What many people don't think of, though, is his involvement with multiple other productions, not all of them comedy. His involvement, too, stretches from just simple acting. John Cleese is truly a Renaissance man of the media. John Cleese went through school wanting to be in the legal profession and he received his M.A. degree from Downing College in Cambridge. He soon abandoned his plans in law, however, when he had a great success with Footlights, the performing arts society for Cambridge. He met his future writing partner and Python member Graham Chapman in Footlights. Cleese had an appearance in the Footlights Revue which was a campus production that later was shown in London's West End, and then again, as Cambridge Circus, on Broadway in 1964 (Current Biography). He stayed in New York to perform in the British musical Half a Sixpence. When he returned to England he was approached by David Frost to help write and to perform in Frost's new weekly BBC comedy show, The Frost Report, in 1965. Chapman was also working on The Frost Report, with other to be Python members Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones (The Life of Monty Python). Cleese went on with his writing partnership with Chapman after The Frost Report, working on such titles as The Magic Christian, based on the novel by Terry Southern (The Fairly Uncreative Monty Python Site). Cleese's largest comedy hit came when he joined up again with Chapman, Idle, Palin, and Jones. Together, with American cartoonist Terry Gilliam, they created the notorious Monty Python's Flying Circus. The whole group co-wrote and starred in this "breakneck barrage of satiric skits, [and] surreal cartoons" (Current Biography) for several years; drawing over ten million viewers each week. The Monty Python sextet would later collaborate to write books, do live performances, and make movies, such as Monty Python and the Holy Gail (1975), a spoof on the legend of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail, and The Meaning of Life (1983), which was Monty Python's view on the stages of life (TFUMPS). At the emerging point of his career that was his BBC works, he met American actress Connie Booth, who he would wed in 1968 (TLOMP). The couple would write and star in a small motion picture in 1974 but would have great success in the television

Hamlet Act Iv Summaries and Laertes Analysis

Hamlet Act IV Scene 1 Summary:After Gertrude's conversation with Hamlet, Gertrude is startled and worried, so she goes to Claudius while he is speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leave, Claudius asks Gertrude how Hamlet was, and Gertrude replies that he is as â€Å"Mad as the sea and wind when both contend/ Which is the mightier† (IV. 1. 7-8). Gertrude then tells Claudius that Hamlet has killed Polonius, and Claudius notes that if it had been him behind the curtains, Hamlet would have killed him.Claudius then tells Gertrude that they must send Hamlet to England right away and find a way to explain Hamlet's act. He then calls for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern again and tells them about the murder and tells them to find Hamlet. Hamlet Act IV Scene 2 Summary:In Act IV Scene 2, Hamlet has just disposed of Polonius's body. Shortly after, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter and ask Hamlet what he has done with the body. They tell him that they want to bury him in the chapel. Hamlet refuses to answer them and instead accuses them of being spies for Claudius.Finally, Hamlet agrees to go with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Claudius. Hamlet Act IV Scene 3 Summary: In Act IV Scene 3, Claudius speaks to a group of two or three other people about the murder of Polonius and how he plans to send Hamlet to England because he is too dangerous. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern then enter with Hamlet, who says that Polonius is at a supper in which he is being eaten by worms. Finally, Hamlet admits that Polonius's body is under the stairs in the lobby, so Claudius tells his attendants to go find the body.The King then tells Hamlet that he must leave for England immediately, and Hamlet, pleased, leaves. When Claudius is alone, he says that he hopes that England will put Hamlet to death. Grace Miao Ms. Gordon European Literature 18th November, 2012 Hamlet Act IV Scene 4 Summary: In Act IV Scene 4, Fortinbras leads his army to Poland. He tel ls the Captain to go ask the Danish King if they may travel through Denmark safely. On the way to the King Claudius, the Captain meets Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Hamlet asks what the army is doing and who it belongs to.The Captain replies that the army belongs to Prince Fortinbras of Norway and that they are heading to Poland to attack the Poles. When Hamlet asked what the purpose of the attack is, the Captain replied that it was over â€Å"a little patch of ground/ That hath in it no profit but the name† (IV. 4. 19-20). Hamlet becomes shocked that a battle could be fought over something so insignificant and notes that his revenge on Claudius gives him more to gain than Fortinbras would gain from the land. Hamlet becomes angry with himself for giving up on his revenge and declares that his thoughts will be bloody or else they will be worth nothing.Hamlet Act IV Scene 5 Summary:In Act IV Scene 5, Gertrude says to a gentleman and Horatio that she does not wish to sp eak to Ophelia; however, Horatio tells her that Ophelia should be pitied because her grief has made her mad, so Gertrude finally agrees. When Ophelia enters, she is singing. When Claudius enters, he says that Ophelia's grief is caused by the death of her father and that many other people have been disturbed and suspicious of Polonius's death. He also says that Laertes has sailed back to Denmark secretly. Laertes then enters with a mob of people who call him lord and say that he will be king.Laertes is furious and exclaims that he will avenge his father's death. When Ophelia, still mad, enters again, Laertes becomes furious again. Claudius tries to calm Laertes down and tells him that he did not kill Polonius and that Laertes should take revenge on the correct person. Claudius then manages to convince Laertes to listen to his version ceof Polonius's death. Grace Miao Ms. Gordon European Literature 18th November, 2012 Laertes' Character Analysis Act IV Scene 5 1. In order for an actor to understand Laertes better in Act IV Scene 5, the actor must understand how Laertes acts as a foil for Hamlet.In this scene Laertes, like Hamlet, has a father's death to avenge. The difference, however, is that Laertes is active and does not think deeply about the method whereas Hamlet was passive and a man of thought. (IV. 5. 151-154). 2. Laertes' motivation and objective in this scene is to avenge his father's death by murdering whoever killed Polonius because he is furious over his father's death and Ophelia's insane state of mind. (IV. 5. 237-242). 3. Laertes is furious that his father has been murdered. (IV. 5. 151-154). He is also extremely angry over the fact that Ophelia has gone mad because of grief. (IV. 5. 78-187). 4. When Laertes storms in demanding for his father, Claudius attempts to calm him down by replying that Polonius is dead. (IV. 5. 145). Gertrude tries to soothe Laertes by replying that Claudius did not kill him. (IV. 5. 146). 5. Laertes affects the events i n Act IV Scene 5 by setting the play up for the scene in which most of the action will take place. He is prepared to murder whoever killed his father and made his sister insane. (IV. 5. 237-242). He is affected by the events of the scene because he is told that his father is dead and then sees his sister wander in acting mad. This makes him furious. . Laertes acts as a foil to Hamlet in this scene because both have a father's death to avenge; however, Laertes is a man of action while Hamlet is a man of thought. The second Laertes realized that his father was dead, he becomes furious and vows to take bloody revenge. Hamlet, on the other hand, was passive and depressed after he realized that his father was dead. It also took Hamlet a lot longer to be ready to take revenge. (IV. 5. 151-154). 7. When we saw Laertes last, he was calmer. Laertes has changed in that in this scene, he is angry over the death of his father and the insane state of mind of his sister. IV. 5. 149-151). This cha nge helps set the action of the play in motion because Laertes is planning to take revenge for his father's death. 8. This act makes me wonder how Laertes will react when he realizes that it was Hamlet who murdered his father because earlier in the play, Laertes told Ophelia to be careful of Hamlet. In this act, Hamlet also indirectly made Ophelia go mad because of grief, so Laertes may react stronger because it was Hamlet's doing. 9. When Laertes says, â€Å"To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! / Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation.To this point I stand,/ That both the worlds I give to negligence,/ Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged/ Most throughly for my father† (IV. 5. 149-154), it demonstrates the difference between Laertes and Hamlet because this line accentuates how Laertes is a man of action. Immediately, Laertes declares that he will avenge his father's murder while Hamlet went through a long period of depression before he finally decided to take action. Grace Miao Ms. Gordon European Literature 19th November, 2012 Hamlet Act IV Scene 6 Summary: In Act IV Scene 6, Horatio meets two sailors who were entrusted with a letter from Hamlet.In the letter, Hamlet writes that his ship has been captured by pirates who then brought him back to Denmark. Hamlet then tells Horatio to escort the sailors to the King and Queen because they have messages for them as well. He then says that he has a lot to tell Horatio about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. After reading the letter, Horatio brings the sailors to Claudius and then goes with them to find Hamlet, who is revealed to be in the countryside near the castle. Hamlet Act IV Scene 7 Summary:In Act IV Scene 7, Claudius and Laertes discuss Polonius's murder. Claudius tells Laertes that Claudius simply buried Polonius secretly.He then explains to Laertes that he did not punish Hamlet for the murder because Gertrude and the citizens like Hamlet, and he does not wish t o upset them as King. A messenger then enters to give Claudius a letter from Hamlet that stated that Hamlet was returning to Denmark. Claudius and Laertes then begin planning Laertes's revenge for his father's death. Claudius remembers how Hamlet had been jealous of Laertes's sword skills, so he tells Laertes to challenge Hamlet to a duel. During the duel, Laertes will use a sharpened sword rather than the traditional dull sword.Laertes is also going to put poison at the end of the sword so that a single scratch from it would kill Hamlet. Claudius then comes up with a back-up plan in which if Hamlet wins, Claudius will give Hamlet a goblet of poisoned wine to celebrate. After this, Gertrude enters and tells them that Ophelia has drowned in a river due to her insane state of mind. Grace Miao Mrs. Gordon European Literature 24th November, 2012 Laertes's Character Analysis Act IV Scene 7 1. In order for an actor to understand Laertes better, he must understand the anger that Laertes fe els towards Hamlet for murdering his father.Because of this, the actor must understand how Laertes felt extremely happy to hear that Hamlet was returning home. (IV. 7. 60-63). He must also understand the grief and rage that must have been going through Laertes when he was told that Ophelia had drowned in a river due to her grief. (IV. 7. 211-217). 2. In Act IV Scene 7, Laertes's objective is to murder Hamlet. Throughout most of the scene, Laertes was plotting his revenge with Claudius. The motivation behind his objective is the death of his father. He wishes to take revenge on whoever murdered his father and caused his sister to go mad. IV. 7. 159-168). 3. Laertes feels extremely happy that Hamlet is returning to Denmark because it allows him to take his revenge for his father earlier. (IV. 7. 60-63). When he finds out that his sister drowned in a river due to grief, however, he becomes saddened and angry again, and possibly even more intent on taking revenge than before. (IV. 7. 15 9-168). 4. Claudius treats Laertes carefully and helps Laertes plot his revenge because he also wants to kill Hamlet. He suggests that Laertes tempt Hamlet into a sword duel, thus providing Laertes a chance to kill Hamlet.He also prepares a backup plan in which he will poison a cup of wine in case Hamlet wins. (IV. 7. 108-120). Laertes appears to have on particular feeling towards Claudius, but he feels extremely angry towards Hamlet and is happy that Hamlet is returning early because he can now take revenge earlier than previously planned. (IV. 7. 60-63). 5. Laertes plans his revenge for his father's death in this scene. This helps build up most of the action that will take place in the next act. This also prepares many of the other characters for their deaths.Laertes is affected by events in this scene because Hamlet's arrival to Denmark helps set his plan in motion earlier than planned. (IV. 7. 60-63). Ophelia's death also increases his anger towards Hamlet and motivation for rev enge. (IV. 7. 211-217). 6. This scene helps portray Laertes as a foil for Hamlet because it took Hamlet an extremely long time to be ready to take revenge for his father's death, whereas Laertes was ready to kill Hamlet even without a true plan. Laertes was so willing to kill Hamlet whenever possible that he was even willing to kill Hamlet in church. (IV. 7. 143). 7.There was not a significant change in Laretes in this scene as compared to scene 5 because in both scenes, Laertes' was extremely angry over his father's death. In this scene, however, Laertes found out who killed his father and is now ready to take revenge. Also, Laertes is further saddened in this scene due to Ophelia's death. (IV. 7. 211-217). 8. This act makes me wonder if Laertes will react even stronger towards Hamlet because Hamlet indirectly caused Ophelia's death as well. (IV. 7. 211-217). I also wonder how Laertes feels about Claudius's willingness to help him plot out his revenge.I wonder if Laertes feels susp icious about it at all or if he is blinded by his anger and need for revenge. 9. When Laertes answered Claudius's question of how he plans to kill Hamlet by saying, â€Å"To cut his throat i' th' church† (IV. 7. 144), it is revealed how Laertes is truly a man of action as compared to Hamlet because Laertes is so furious over his father's death that he is willing to kill Hamlet in such a sacred place. This supports the idea that Laertes is a foil for Hamlet because Hamlet went through a stage of depression before he was ready to plan his revenge.Another line that further supports the idea of Laertes acting as a foil for Hamlet is when Laertes says, â€Å"I am lost in it, my lord. But let him come. / It warms the very sickness in my heart/ That I [shall] live and tell him to his teeth/ â€Å"Thus didst thou† (IV. 7. 60-63). By saying this, Laertes is desplaying his happiness over the fact that Hamlet is returning early. This shows that Laertes is a man of action, not a man of thought, because he simply cares about the fact that he gets to complete his revenge earlier than originally planned.