Are We Experiencing a Climate Crisis free essay sample

Professor Berntsen English 360 10 October 2007 Are We Experiencing A Climate Crisis? The issue of global warming has been widely debated in our country the past few years. It is an important topic because it threatens the existence of the human race. Global warming, also known as the greenhouse effect, refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. This climate crisis is a huge environmental and ecological challenge that our planet in facing today. The consequences of ignoring this problem may result in a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tailspin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, flooding, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced or could imagine (Climate Crisis). However, through my research I have realized that there are some skeptics who do not think global warming is a threat people should be concerned about, and that this whole issue is over exaggerated, almost mythical. We will write a custom essay sample on Are We Experiencing a Climate Crisis? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although the following essay will consider the arguments of these skeptics, I will defend the claim that global warming is a real issue with serious consequences and that we as a society must intervene and take action. The fact that the earths atmosphere is gradually getting hotter every year is agreed upon by the majority of scientists in the field. The question is how and why are the temperatures rising? For starters, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the suns heat and causing the planet to warm up. In the United States, coal-burning power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide pollution. These plants produce 2. 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution every year. Second to coal-burning power plants are our automobiles. Our vehicles create more than 1. 5 billions tons of carbon dioxide annually (Gore). As carbon dioxide pollution increases rapidly, the earths average temperature is gradually rising. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past fifty years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history (Gore). To give an example of how hot it has been in recent years, ten of the hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. In 2006, city after city witnessed all time heat temperatures. In that year alone the daily high temperature records were broken across American cities 2,300 times. During the time period from July 2005 to the end of June 2006, it was reported to be the hottest twelve month period in the history of temperature measurements in the United States (NRDC). Europe is also feeling the heat. In 2003, an unusual heat wave killed 35, 000 people. In India that same year, a heat wave claimed the lives of over 100,000 people (Gore). Is this sudden increase in heat just a natural climate change or is caused by us humans and the way we live? Some believe that the climate change is a completely natural occurrence and that human industrial activity has nothing to do with it. Dr. Rancourt, a senior environmentalist, claims that humans have thrived in every possible ecological niche on the planet, from deserts to tropical forests to the North Polar Regions, since well before present technological advances. These environments show mean temperature differences of as much as 50 C or more. Many of these environments also show day to night and seasonal differences of as much as 20-50 C. A sudden 0. -1 C increase in mean annual temperature (not spread over 100 years) would be imperceptible to any human and indeed could barely be detected using all of the methods of the modern scientific enterprise (Rancourt). In addition, whereas there is evidence of negative consequences to populations from sustained regional cooling (e. g. , Europe’s Little Ice Age, 1300-1850 AD) and whereas global ice ages (occurring every 40-100 thousan d years or so) clearly have significantly affected human populations, there is no known case of a sustained warming alone having negatively impacted an entire population. If it where not for the global greenhouse effect, the planet would on average be 33 C colder and inhabitable (Rancourt). People against the fight of global warming believe that humans have already adapted to dramatically different regional climates occurring in every corner of the planet and the alleged future global changes are very small compared to these existing variations. Dr. Rancourt says that There are more displaced refugees from wars and from economic aggression than there will ever be displaced inhabitants from rapid climate-induced habitat transformations. In both cases, the solution is to accommodate those loosing their homes and communities, not to attempt to control planetary processes and unpredictable events. Dr. Rancourts opinion will not sit well with the residence of Alaska, Siberia, Greenland or other countries who are currently experiencing the negative effects of global warming. Theses countries are currently witnessing the melting of permafrost. This frozen soil or permafrost has always been frozen since the beginning of time. Unfortunately the soil is gradually melting and thawing due to the increased temperatures. This is causing buildings to collapse, trees to grow improperly, and is affecting anything underground such as cemeteries and tunnels. Most importantly, the end result of this melting and thawing is that if the permafrost is thawed out completely, it will release and incredible amount of methane into the atmosphere that would result in a dramatic increase in global warming pollution. This is a scientific fact that has not been disputed. Also, Greenland is in danger from not only the melting of the permafrost but from glacial earthquakes as well. In 2006, Fifty cubic miles of ice melted off the mainland of this country due to these glacial earthquakes that are caused by the warming of the earth. Scientists had never discovered glacial earthquakes in Greenland until 1993, which shows you that the earth has never been this warm until recent years. These earthquakes are breaking the glaciers and melting the ice at a fast pace. From 1993 to 1999, the amount of glacial earthquakes doubled. In between the years of 1999 and 2005 the number doubled again. Experts say that if this rapid melting of Greenland continues, it will have a domino effect on the rest of the world. It will result in the sea level soaring to 20 feet or more world wide (Gore). If this is true, how can people like Dr. Rancourt say that global warming is not a serious threat? After researching this subject matter, I came to the conclusion that Dr. Rancourt’s statements showed be read with much doubt. Even though his position as environmentalist and status as a doctor is impressive, his findings and theory lacks quality evidence. He also fails to look at the situation as being a threat in the far future. In his calculations of rising temperatures, Dr. Rancourt does not take into consideration that this is a long term problem. He fails to look at the big picture of this climate crisis. For example, he states that a sudden 0. 5-1 C increase in mean annual temperature would be imperceptible to any human and indeed could barely be detected using all of the methods of the modern scientific enterprise†. The problem with this evidence is that these calculations are not spread over a lengthy time period. His findings suggest that the average temperature will increase . 5 C annually. This means in the year 3000, temperatures would reach anywhere from 50 to 100 C over the current average global temperature. In my opinion the doctor’s findings are not clear and are highly debatable. On the other hand, Al Gore’s views on this subject matter are backed up with evidence that was uncovered by a majority of the experts who study this issue. Unlike Dr. Rancourt who’s theory is supported by a minority of the scientist in the field. Also, Gore’s vision takes into account that this climate crisis is a problem now and will be even a greater problem in 50 fifty years. He presents an extensive amount of factual evidence to support his view. Countries like Greenland are not the only places experiencing the effects of this climate crisis. In some parts of the world, bad weather in the form of strong hurricanes, extreme flooding, and longer droughts have reached record numbers.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Research Paper Example

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Research Paper Example As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Paper As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Paper Essay Topic: As I Lay Dying â€Å"But now I can get them teeth. That will be a comfort. It will.† –Anse (As I Lay Dying chapter 28.)When most people lose a loved one it can be the most devastating event that happens to a person, but not to Anse Bundren.When Addie Bundren passed away, after being sick for quite a while, Anse, her long time husband, was focused on only one thing, himself. Anse does not take responsibility of his family, he depends on his multiple children for an income, and he is erroneous for his actions.Using God to justify his laziness, greed, and selfishness Anse is the most unreliable character in As I Lay Dying. Anse Bundren was a worker of his own farm. He had his own land, cattle, and fields.He did not live with his own parents on his farm. He would pass a schoolhouse on his way to town and one day caught a glimpse of the schoolteacher, Addie. After passing her schoolhouse multiple times Anse finally gained the courage to talk to her.After Anse asked, Addie accepted a marriage proposal and settled on the idea that she would marry a man like Anse.Even though Addie was not overly thrilled to marry Anse she did not think her life would end in a miserable, unloving marriage. When Addie realized how unhappy her life had become she stated, â€Å"So I took Anse. And when I knew that I had Cash, I knew that living was terrible and that this was the answer to it. That was when I learned that words are no good; that words don’t ever fit even what they are trying to say at.†. Addie and Anse had four children; Cash, Darl, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman. Addie then had an affair with the revere nd. Reverend Whitfield and Addie had a son, Jewel.Jewel was Addie’s escape, he was her favorite child and looking at him made her remember the happier times in her life. When Anse’s sons got old enough Anse put them to work on the farm. Anse’s excuse for his laziness is that â€Å"if he sweats, he will die†.Anse’s children never saw him sweat, b

Commercial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Commercial Management - Essay Example There was a big hand of volunteers and a few full time employees in the completion of Didcot railways center 2011 project. For the more professional approach for the project it was ruled by a local enterprise partnership. Moreover, it is mentioned that a project team was hired by the Great Western Society and the team was headed by specialized skills in the area of project management, procurement and infrastructure engineering. Clearly, the technical and engineering side of the project, that was quite huge, was done under the supervision of a technical expert. Similarly, there was a project manager, leading the project and giving the timelines, cost and quality indications to its team with its complete consultation. The project management outlined a detailed communication management plan for all the documentation, quality management and scope to make a standard to be followed through the project The copy of project plan and resource plan were made available to volunteers and committe e so that they can follow up to it. The plans of the project were submitted to the stakeholders in the very beginning of the project year by the team of project management. Hence, the project plan was handled by all the stakeholders, committees and employees to execute the project take the controlling measures and re-implement it under the control of project management team. To chase up the timelines and deadlines the meetings were scheduled in all the groups at the end of every week keeping in mind the availability of volunteers. Then the experts and experienced leader in their respective fields lead the areas of their concerns. In 2010, the Government assigned the duty of Tourism and Heritage Minister to John Penrose MP considering the growth in tourism industry as a key role player in economic development. The measures of the Government and overall performance of the team managed them to achieve satisfactory results and sets targets for the particular year in

Management Affairs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Affairs - Essay Example Their wedding is a huge event, anything related to this event also becomes famous. Their wedding cake is no exception. As soon as the couple ‘accepts’ the offer, an agreement is made between two parties to the contract. The legally binding contract is made as soon as the acceptance of the offer is made. The offer will be accepted by Choc Delux as soon as Kim is done negotiating with the company about the cake. Everything that the company communicates to the other party (Kim and Kanye) will become part of their contract agreement. They will be bound by the English law to abide by the agreement as diligently and prudently possible. There is a slight exception about enforceability of the contract; promises made in social/casual agreements are generally not enforceable under the UK Contract Law. However, this case is not social or casual. This is a business and given the magnanimity of the event also binds the two parties in certain obligations. For instance, in general circ umstances cancelling an order such as wedding cake would not be much news. This case is different as it will be a breach of agreement since it will be a huge loss to the Choc Delux Company if they lose the spot of providing cake for the big wedding. In case Kim breaches her agreement with the company she will be liable to pay the damages (the claim) from Choc Delux. The contract also states that Choc Delux is the sole provider of the wedding cake which means that if Kim and Kanye buy other cakes for their wedding then they will be in breach of the contract and will have to pay the claim in damages to the company. In case the breach happens from the couple’s side the company will see fit as to what kind of amount it seeks in damages. If the couple agrees to pay the exact amount (or any other form of compensation that the company sees fit) then the matter will be resolved. If the couple challenges the claim then they will have to settle it among themselves through

Five Trends that Will Shape the Global Luxury Market Essay

Five Trends that Will Shape the Global Luxury Market - Essay Example A watch is more than a timepiece and forms part of an individual’s appearance and jeweler. The watches have been made through careful craft as an integral allure of mechanical watches. The brands share a tradition and cultural prestige derived from centuries of innovation and expertise that is not readily reproduced. The design aesthetic is central to the selection of watches, but it requires cultural capital so as to make artistry worth the price tag. This dissertation explores how the art value of timepieces stirs up consumers to have a desire to purchase luxury watches, especially in reference to Cartier watches, which embrace art element and normally manifest a story behind them. The high reputation that Cartier enjoys can be linked to the art value of Cartier timepieces, especially owing to the history, meaning, and the story behind the Cartier watches collection. Cartier produces watches and jewelry that are typified by an understated, timeless style with a harmonious co mbination of personality and discretion, aristocratic touch, and elegance (Barrett 2000, p.349). Cartier watches also have other strengths dwelling on functionality and easy accessibility, which means that the products can be accessed by anyone across the globe (Barrett 2000, p.350). Cartier watches can be regarded as the ambassador of luxury owing to the high relation that the brand enjoys in prestige watch-making. Presently, Cartier brand is proud of its private collection comprised of collector watches, the company’s range of fine jeweler’s watches, its extravagant timepieces that perfectly embody the Cartier dream and sports and products that have won a place for the brand in history. On the other hand, Vacheron Constantin incorporates personality to the brand and human interaction. The products can be regarded as have an alluring packaging, intriguing ads, and its sensuous looking appearance.

Case Study of Best Buy

Case Study of Best Buy In 1966 Richard Schultze and James Wheeler saw an opportunity in opening a specialized electronics store in St. Paul, Minnesota. Soon after opening, The Sound of Music became an immediate success in the industry. By the year 1969 the company grew so fast, Schultze decided to publically trade The Sound of Music. Over the next few years, The Sound of Music was able to raise their annual revenues to over $1 million. In 1981, a tornado hit the Roseville, Minnesota store. In order to salvage what they could from the storm wreckage they held a huge storewide sale which was advertised as The Best Buy. The sale was such a huge success that Schultze decided to hold it annually. Sound of Music became widely known for this annual best buy sale, therefore in 1983, the board of directors decided to officially change the name to Best Buy Co., Inc.  [1]   Best Buy went on to become the leading consumer electronics retail store in the Nation. By 2008 they had opened their 1000th store (Lawrence being #837). Due to their success, Best Buy was able to expand their business by building additional stores throughout the nation as well as expanding internationally in countries such as UK, Canada, Mexico and China. Best Buy was able to achieve such growth because of the rapidly growing consumer electronics market. Best Buy was joined in the Industry by competitors such as GameStop, Radio Shack, hhgregg and Conns Inc. (Yahoo financial).  [2]  Other competition includes Wal-Mart, Nebraska Furniture Mart and other big super stores. By being the Industry Pioneer, Best Buy has been able to maintain positive annual revenues as well as a large market share. Business Information Best Buy is one of the International leaders in the sale of electronics. They offer a wide variety of products that are needed as well as wanted in the entertainment industry. Best Buy carries movies, games, music, computer hardware as well as software, and television entertainment equipment. They also provide many home appliances which are sought after by people throughout their market. Best Buy is successful because it provides customers with entertainment as well as equipment and the newest technology as it becomes available in the market. Geographical Reach Best Buy offers its services and products to people not just throughout our country, but in many different countries as well. Their first international venture came in 2001 with the acquisition of Future Shop. Future Shop was the leading consumer electronics retailer in Canada. Since 2001, Best Buy has expanded by establishing stores in Canada as well as the UK, China, Mexico, and they are looking to establish a position in Turkey in the future. Market Performance The market for consumer electronics is a very saturated market. Most of the electronic needs in the industry are spoken for by current businesses, therefore it is very difficult for any new competition to enter into the market and successfully compete. Best Buy has been able to capture a substantial amount of the market for electronics. Between the five main competitors for electronics, Best Buy has a $17.5 billion market capitalization, which is number one out of all 5 electronic specialists. It is hard to quantitatively compare Best Buy to businesses such as Wal-Mart, Target and Nebraska Furniture Mart because these firms sell a variety of other products to different industries. After interviewing Supervisor, Jeremy Brown he discussed the service you will receive when you shop at Best Buy. Best Buy is the place you know you will receive the best service and help from employees in searching for the item you came in to buy.  [3]  Given the data found, Best Buy has been able to pe rform as the market leader in the electronics Industry. Best Buy has the greatest Brand awareness in the Industry. They have very loyal customers because of their Geek Squad business which was opened in 2004. The Geek Squad operates to assist customers in learning how to use the products that they previously purchased from Best Buy, as well as servicing any customers equipment which is in need of repair or replacement. Jeremy Brown said, It benefits Best Buy having a complimenting business like Geek Squad because it allows us to offer the whole solution to the customer. We can repair, protect, as well as install any product the customer would need us to.  [4]  By offering a variety of products and services in the electronic industry, Best Buy can tailor to any needs of the existing market. Financial Performance In the end of the February 2010 fiscal year, Best Buy reported revenues of $49,694 million. This was a 10.3% increase from the previous year. Net profit in 2010 was $1,317 million which was a 31.31% increase from 2009. Best Buy, which is publically traded on the New York stock exchange is currently up 42.59. Best Buys revenue per share is $121.49. According to Yahoo finance the company has a strong balance sheet, with $840 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of the most recent quarter in August 2010, meaning that Best Buy has created a successful trend of positive cash flows.  [5]   Internal Analysis Since Best Buys inception in 1966, the companys top executives have used numerous strategies to keep their earnings increasing at a steady pace. Changing the way that people shop in their stores was a key internal strategy for Best Buy. In 1984, they introduced the superstore format for the first time. This allowed for sales to rise and for them to secure a 42% market share. In 1989, Best Buy introduced its Concept II stores. The new stores had a large warehouse attached to the store so that more inventory could be kept on site and thus help with inventory management. The new stores also had self-help information guides and answer centers for customers seeking personal attention. This move had both positive and negative reactions. The customers liked it so sales rose, but some suppliers thought that the lack of sales representatives would lead to lesser sales. In 1994, the Concept III stores were introduced and they had even more self-help service. Then Hitachi and Kenwood pulled their products from Best Buy stores because they believed that salespeople were key to selling their product. Despite the minor setbacks, revamping the stores to tend to the customers wants was working as sales continued to rise. Concept IV stores launched in 1998 and they implemented digital displays as well as new departments such as home theatre and digital imaging. This new store design was a tremendous success as Best Buy recorded record sales of $224 million in 1998, a 137% increase from the previous year. Then in June, Best Buy changed the way its products were sold again by selling consumer electronics on its website. From expanding to a superstore to selling its products online, Best Buy has tweaked and changed its distribution medium to allow for its profits to keep going up. Probably the largest factor in Best Buys success is its expansion into new markets and offering of new products. The consumer electronic industry is constantly changing as technology improves and new markets are created. Best Buy stores are always stocked with the most up to date products. In 1982, they started selling VCRs and appliances. Then in 2000, Best Buy partnered with Whirlpool to start offering KitchenAid brand appliances. In 2008, they even bought a majority holding in Napster. They were also the first third party retailer to sell Apples iPhone. Now, theyve opened Apple stores inside the Best Buy megastores. In 2006, they tried the digital music market as they launched the Best Buy Digital Music Store and in 2010, they launch their web-based movie service. Best Buy is constantly looking for new markets that they could feasibly dive into and start selling new products.  [6]   Another way Best Buy tailors their stores for the customer is by purchasing another company. Magnolia Hi-Fi, one of Best Buys competitors, was bought by Best Buy in 2000 for $87 million. This allowed for Best Buy to later put Magnolia Home Theatre stores inside of hundreds of Best Buy superstores. As technology increased in the consumer electronics market, there was a growing need for technical support and assistance with different, more complicated electronics. So in 2003, Best Buy acquired Geek Squad in order to better accommodate to the customers needs. Geek Squad gives Best Buy full technical support right there in the store for all of the electronics that they sell. In 2006, Best Buy acquired Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath, a retailer of high-end home improvement products. So, Best Buy is also looking to move to new markets via an acquisition.  [7]   Best Buy also uses a rewards program to help boost sales. Their rewards program gives the customer a $5 Best Buy gift card for every $100 that he spends at Best Buy. This gives an incentive for customers to spend more money and to buy their electronics at Best Buy since theyre getting 5% of their money spent back. Plus, giving out a free gift card will help boost sales. If someone has a $5 gift card, they are more likely to go and buy something. But there arent many things that cost $5 or less, so usually, the customer will end up spending more than $5, all because he had the gift card in the first place. The rewards program has been very successful for Best Buy and has lead to increased sales.  [8]   Best Buy is a successful consumer electronics retailer that has been around for over 40 years. Whether its changing the layout of the store, selling new products in new markets, expanding through acquisition, or implementing a rewards program, Best Buy uses many strategies and tactics to not just survive in the consumer electronics market, but to thrive, and Best Buy has been thriving for over 40 years. Comparison To Competiton Best Buy has a sizeable piece of the consumer electronics industry, but they still face heavy competition from many other retailers and online stores, just a couple of them being Wal-Mart and Amazon. Best Buy is not the price leader when it comes to consumer electronics, but they do seem to be the leader when it comes to providing extensive knowledge about products, and selling services with them. Their competitive advantage  [9]  is being able to display products in an appealing setting while providing customers with insight to their product needs. This has proven a successful strategy and has attracted a lot of traffic in their stores. One metric Best Buy seems to lead the retail industry in is in-store sales per square foot. Best Buys current sales per sq. ft is around $830, compared to Wal-Marts $680, and HHGregs $380. This an important metric because it helps track how much of their store front space is being utilized, as leasing for space usually constitutes a large share o f a companys costs. Forbes Magazine1 says that 74% of Best Buys stock price is directly proportional to its sales per sq. ft metric. This is much of the reason Best Buy has been so successful and why theyve been able to keep growing so rapidly. Best Buy has also remained successful for its ability to get products out of the store. Latest figures show Best Buy having inventory turns  [10]  of 6.1, the same as Target, much better than Sears 2.9 or Radio Shacks 3.2. Close to Best Buy was HH Greg with 5.8. Amazon and Wal-Mart both have higher turns but Amazon is all online with no store front, and Wal-Mart is a much larger company with a better supply chain and a far broader array of products while also focusing on a cost-leadership strategy. Though Best Buys differentiated strategy has been successful, it can possibly encourage consumers to come into Best Buy to become educated about products, and then turn around go buy them at Wal-Mart or off of the internet. To better differentiate themselves, Best Buy has focused on services to add to their products, of which would not be available unless otherwise purchased from Best Buy. These services include extended services plans, installations, and repairs. These services usually have high profit margins and can constitute a significant amount of revenue, while giving customer professional installations and peace of mind. Wal-Mart is also on Best Buys trail, now adding expanded electronics department in many of its stores and has added personnel to provide customer assistance, similarly to Best Buy stores. Given Wal-Marts supply chain and price leading capabilities, they remain a constant threat to Best Buy. Amazon remains a threat as their prices are usually always lower, and consumers can shop from home and never have to go to the store. Although Best Buy provides this service, they cannot match the price, and with no other way to differentiate themselves through the limited online experience, price remains the deciding factor. For these reasons Best Buy continues to try to set its self apart and take advantage of its strengths. Its recently used it large distribution network to get into the used game market. It will buy used games, send them to a center to be refurbished, and sells them at relatively low prices. This is helping the huge retailer compete directly with small retailers such as Game Stop. With their size, Best Buy has an opportunity to steal market share in this industry. External Analysis The general environment involves several external factors that would have unpredictable and dramatic effects on firms strategy, such as demography, socio culture, politics, technology, economy and globalization. However, it is difficult to monitor all aspects of the general environment, so most managers only focus on their own industry structure. As the leading consumer electronics retailer in the United States, Best Buy primarily faces the economic segment and the global segment. First of all, the economy affects all industry. During the financial crisis period from 2008 to 2009, the stock price of Best Buy, Inc hit to $16.42 in the third quarter of 2009 fiscal year, dropping approximately 65.43% in four months and touched the lowest price in past 5 years; the net income of 2009 decreased to 1.003 million, comparing with previous annual net income of $1.407 million, thus distracting the investors.  [11]  The worst situation may be that total operating cash flow reduced by 148 mi llion from 2008 to 2009, which significantly limited the companys internal operating activities. However, with the recovery of the domestic and global economy, the companys net income climbed to $1.137 million by February 2010, which is 13.36% higher than previous annual performance. Also the stock price reached about $42.83 per share recently. Secondly, for global segment, Best Buy divided its operating portion into two parts, domestic and international. The company tends to expand its market to attract multinational customers, to use lower costs of resource, and to access more opportunities to grow up. Besides the domestic market, Best Buy established 2453 stores in Europe, Canada, China, Mexico and Turkey at the end of fiscal 2010. Although the general environment inevitably affects the firms strategy, the company is usually more directly influenced by forces in the competitive environment. Through the Porters five-force model of industry competition, the company would have a deep realization of developing trend and ability of restructuring and improvement. The Threat of New Entrants There are few new major entrants in Consumer Electronics Appliances Retail because this industry is already mature in United States and the entry barriers are relatively high. Obviously, Best Buy has the advantage of economies of scale with 1069 stores across the all states. Its major competitors, Wal-Mart, target, Amazon, apple Inc also share the rest of market through the physical stores and web-based sales channel. Moreover, the capital requirement for entering the consumer electronics industry is normally huge, including the investment in negotiation with distribution channels, inventory systems, purchasing of infrastructure, employee training and so forth. Another barrier exists in the product differentiation. Since the consumer electronic retail industry is not highly innovative, customers loyalty and brand identification are difficult to change. The Bargaining Power of Buyers The Power of buyers in consumer electronic retail industry is relatively high because that the switching costs are almost close to zero. In most circumstances, customers are price sensitive. According to the firms annual report, Best buys business is most profitable in the fourth quarter because of the discounts of products in holiday season. The Bargaining Power of Suppliers Partially, Best Buys business depends on offering a broad selection of name-brand products, so establishing a long and stable relationship with suppliers is important for the firm. Since the suppliers of Best Buy are not dominated by a few companies. In fact, In fiscal 2010, our 20 largest suppliers accounted for just under 60% of the merchandise we purchased, with five suppliers Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba -representing 35% of total merchandise purchased.  [12]  In other words, the concentration relative to buyer industry is low, thus leads to the low suppliers power. The Threat of Substitute Products and Services Best Buy offers almost the same electronic products as Wal-Mart, Target and Amazon. How can it differentiate from those competitors? The answer is Geek Squad. It is a subsidiary of the Best Buy and primary offers services in-store, on-site and also provides 24-hour telephone and emergency support, including repairing computers, adding cars navigation, transferring data, fixing personal digital products and so on. As their first pledge states: We are dedicated to giving you the best service possible and well prove it. If youre not completely satisfied, well do our best to correct the problem, Fast and Free.  [13]  This strategy is difficult to imitate and brings the firm high profits. The Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors in an Industry In order to compete with so many competitors in this industry, Best Buy needs to consider the settlement of price, to face the advertising battles, to continuously improve the customer services and warranties. In addition to low industry growth rate, low product differentiation, and low switching costs, the intensity of competitive rivalry is pretty high. After the analysis of the companys general and competitive environment, Best Buy has reached success through expanding, providing prior and high-quality service, well established relationships with customers and suppliers, and differentiation. Recommendations for the Future As the leading company in the Electronics Industry, Best Buy already has a competitive advantage over its competitors. In order to gain even more market share for their company there are steps Best Buy could take in becoming more specialized. If they kept their focus on the specific aspects of the electronics industry that the everyday consumer does not necessarily know, consumers would feel even more comfortable purchasing specific electronic products. This way they would be differentiating themselves from their main competitors and be considered as a superior business all together. An advantage that Best Buy has is the production of their own products, such as Rocketfish, Dynex, Init. This allows for Best Buy to gain higher margins on products that are sold. Therefore we feel that it is important for Best Buy to market their products strongly. By increased advertising and promotion on such products, consumers will begin purchasing Best Buys own products rather than other competing name brands such as Sony and LG. It is also important for Best Buy to continually enhance their employee relationship within the Company. A job at Best Buy is highly sought after, however it is important for them to keep their employees interests in the company high. By maintaining good employee relations they are also ensuring that their employees speak of them highly outside of work which ensures their customer relations in good order as well. It would be beneficial if Best Buy would keep enhancing their Reward and Benefit Systems for their employees. By doing so, moral and interest in the company will increase and the Company will see improvements in their performance. One example of such reward systems that Best Buy already has in place are what they call Blue Crew Bucks. This system is used to pay a bonus to stores who perform the highest and their employees. While Sarah Ballard, Vice President of Human Capital for Best Buy developed this system and thought it was a great idea employees thought differently. Thr ee months after it began, she realized that employees didnt agree. Store managers told her that some workers thought Best Buy wouldnt pay up; others just didnt understand the program. After realizing that employees were upset she was able to talk to managers of each store and clarify how the program worked. By continually receiving feedback from employees and the management team, Best Buy is able to make sure that everyone is satisfied with their work environment and with how things operate.  [14]   As new products are constantly entering the market along with rapidly developing technology it is important for Best Buy to keep up with the market and make sure they always provide the newest products for customers immediately. With the latest products such as the I-Pad and X-box Kinect consumers will only consider shopping for these at the stores they know will be the first to carry them. It is important for customers to know when they want to purchase that new item they can do so at Best Buy. Jeremy Brown stated, It is so important to have the newest items for customers when they come out. Upon the new items release we must make sure that we have enough of the product to cover the demand and place them at an appropriate location in the store to maximize the items appeal.  [15]  Making sure these new products are placed so that they can be easily identified by consumers when they enter the store is very important for the company. This will attract consumers into the store in th e first place, in hopes that upon purchasing the new item, they will also decide to purchase other items. After analyzing Best Buys competitive approach in their corporate strategies, it is apparent that they have established themselves as the leader in the consumer Electronics Industry. The resources that Best Buy has at their expense allow for them to have a remain competitive in the electronics industry as a leading electronics retailer. The process by which Best Buy utilizes their resources is a valuable asset, for the company strives to continually strengthen their competitive approach. They can continue to strengthen this by focusing on great employee relationships, keeping up with the newest technology and products in their stores and focusing on specific products where they have a competitive advantage above competition.

Freud’s Theory of Psychosexual Development Essay

Sigmund Freud, born in 1856 was an Austrian neurologist who would later go on to found the discipline of psychoanalysis. He is best known for his theories of the unconscious mind and repression and his concept of the dynamic unconscious suggesting that it is our unconscious mind that determines how we as individuals behave, Freud also believed that the unconscious mind established sexual drives as the dominant motivation of human life. He considered the unconscious mind as being the source of mental energy which determined behaviour, basing his findings on the results of his use of hypnosis where he found that he was able to produce and remove symptoms of hysteria. There have been numerous approaches in the field of psychology that have put forward the belief that behaviour is directed by an individual’s goals but the idea behind a goal-directed unconscious is an original Freudian concept. The main underlying belief of this theory is that any individuals’ behaviour is the direct result of the influences that prior experiences have had on them where these influences have an even greater effect if they are from our childhood. Freud believed that our early experiences formed the solid foundations on which we would build the structure of our life and that the adult personality is indeed formed in childhood according to the situations, treatment and feelings experienced as a child. Freud defined the human psyche as comprising of three parts, the unconscious or sub-conscious containing material that we are unable to bring into our conscious awareness and therefore unknowable. The preconscious which consists of information that is not at the present moment in our conscious awareness but is stored in our memory and can if need be easily recalled to the conscious level; and the conscious part of our mind which is where all current and new incoming content is processed. Within these parts operate the Id, the Ego and the Super Ego that work together to create complex human behaviours. The Id is the only part of our personality that is present from birth and is entirely unconscious, seeking instant gratification and fulfilling instinctive human needs. The Id is governed by the pleasure principle desiring the fulfilment of all desires, needs and wants. If these are not immediately satisfied this results in a state of anxiety or tension. The Id serves of great importance early on in life, a child will cry as a  result of their Id if they are hungry or in discomfort and ensures that their needs are met. Later on in life it is not always realistic or indeed possible to immediately satisfy such needs, it would be morally and socially unacceptable for us to just help ourselves to other people’s things in order to satisfy our own needs and wants and so later in childhood our Ego comes in to play. The Ego is responsible for dealing with reality and acts to ensure that the impulses of the Id are satisfied in a way that is acceptable to the real world and functions in the conscious, preconscious and unconscious parts of our mind. The reality principle weighs up the pro’s and con’s of an action before deciding whether or not to act upon the impulse. Often the impulses of the Id can be satisfied but through delayed gratification with the Ego allowing the behaviour at an appropriate time and place. The Eg o is a part of the Id that has been somewhat modified and rounded by external factors in the environment in which we live. Freud originally used the word Ego to mean a sense of self but later revised it to represent a set of psychic functions such as judgement, control, intellectual functioning and memory. Finally we develop our Super Ego. The Super Ego is the part of our personality that holds our morals and ideals that we have acquired from our parents and environment and acts as a voice for right and wrong. As with the Ego it is present in the conscious, preconscious and unconscious parts of our mind. The Super Ego consists of two parts, the Ego ideal which sets out the rules and standards for good behaviour. Conformity to behaviours that are approved of by our parents and people in positions of authority give us feelings of pride and accomplishment. The second part of the Ego is the Conscience which holds information on all the things that are viewed as being bad by our parents and the society in which we live. Behaviours that are forbidden or at the very least frowned upon and fill us with feelings of guilt and remorse. The perfection principle of the Super Ego strives to suppress any unacceptable desires of the Id and to make our Ego act upon idealistic rather than realistic standards. One of Freud’s better known theories and also one of the most controversial is that of psycho-sexual development. He proposed that an instinctual libido is present in all of us from birth and develops in five stages. First is the oral stage which occurs from birth up until around the age of eighteen months. The main focus here being the  gratification and pleasures the infant receives through feeding. Children in this stage place objects into their mouths in order to orally explore their environment. At this young age the child is entirely dependent on their carers and thus develops a sense of trust and comfort in relation to those carers. This stage is dominated by the Id as at this point the Ego and Superego have not yet fully developed and all actions are based on the â€Å"Pleasure Principle†. The key experience for a child in the oral stage of development is weaning, allowing the child to become less dependent on their caretakers. Freud said that too much or too little gratification may lead to an oral fixation, which Freud claimed could result in them developing a passive, immature, manipulative personality. This fixation could present in an adult as issues with eating, smoking, nail biting and aggression. The second stage of psycho-sexual development is the anal stage taking place between around 18 months to three years old. Freud believed at this stage that the primary focus of the libido was on controlling bladder and bowel movements. Toilet training is the key experience here which brings into conflict the Id that demands immediate gratification and the Ego that demands delayed gratification. The resulting outcome of this conflict is heavily influenced by the parenting style that a child receives during toilet training. The ideal resolution of this conflict is a gradual adjustment whereby the child adjusts to moderate parental demands, learning the values of physical cleanliness and self control. Freud suggested that if parents over-emphasized toilet training or punished accidents then the child may develop what we term as an anally retentive personality, with the potential to become obsessively concerned with neatness and order. On the other hand if the parents were too lenient then the child may develop an anally expulsive and destructive personality whereby they are self-indulgent, messy and wasteful. Faeces and money are often linked in psychodynamic literature and according to Freudian theory; attitudes to money can reveal what the individual experienced during toilet training. The third stage of psycho-sexual development is the phallic stage taking place between the ages of three and six. During this time a child begins to gain awareness of its body and also the bodies of their parents and other  children, in particular genitalia. They begin to explore their genitals and learn the physical differences between male and female. During this stage boys experience what Freud termed as the Oedipus complex whereby the child wishes to remove his father in order to gain full attention of his mother’s affections. This urge to eliminate the father is controlled by what he termed as castration anxiety and so instead the child learns to imitate the father. Girls experience what Carl Jung in 1913 termed as the Electra complex where instead she wishes to remove the mother in order to gain full possession of her father. Freud however rejected this term as being psycho-analytically inaccurate believing that the reasoning behind the Oedipus complex applied only to male children and that it was wrong to share this analogy between the two sexes. He did however believe that girls experienced what he termed as penis envy and that initially the child experiences a lot of anger towards their mother for not sharing the same appendage as their father but in time they learn to identify with their mother in order to possess their father. Freud was very much influenced by the death of his father in 1896. In the three years following the death of his father, Freud became preoccupied with self-analysis where he realised that he had repressed feelings of anger and resentment against his father. He believed that as a small boy he had been in love with his mother and was jealous of his father. Freud based his theory of early sexual development on personal theory instead of exploring further using empirical methods. The fourth stage of psycho-sexual development is the latency stage taking place from around the age of six up until puberty. During this stage the child enters into a sexually dormant period, consolidating the habits of the previous three stages. The Ego and Superego take precedence over the Id due to the child’s defence mechanisms repressing its instinctual drives during the phallic stage. Now that gratification is delayed, the child is driven to derive pleasure from external activities such as friendships, education and hobbies. Any neuroses established during this fourth stage of psycho-sexual development may be due to the unresolved issues of the Oedipus complex or the Ego’s failure to focus on socially acceptable activities. The fifth and final stage of psycho-sexual development is the genital stage  that spans from puberty throughout the remainder of adult life. As with the phallic stage the genital stage is focussed upon genitalia but in this instance the sexuality is consensual and more often involving another adult in the form of a relationship rather than being solitary and infantile. This is due to the establishment of the Ego which shifts attention away from primary-drive gratification to secondary process thinking and to satisfy desire in a more symbolic and intellectual way through loving relationships, friendships and family. The genital stage is the time when a person is able to resolve any psycho-sexual childhood conflicts that they may have and allows psychological detachment and independence from their parents. In previous stages focus was placed solely on individual needs, now the welfare of others comes strongly into play and if all stages have been completed successfully then Freud believed that the individual should be a well-balanced and fully functioning person. Unfortunately it isn’t all that simple and the Id, the Ego and the Super Ego continuously come into conflict with one another. The Ego has to work to control the demands of the Id whilst at the same time having regard for the restrictions placed upon it by the Super Ego. At times these desires and constraints cause conflict that our Ego is unable to deal with resulting in anxiety and stress. Freud identified three types of anxiety, firstly neurotic anxiety which occurs through fear that we will lose control of the Id’s urges and the resulting punishment for inappropriate behaviour. Secondly reality anxiety which is a fear of external events often culminating in phobias, we are able to reduce such anxiety by avoiding the threatening object or situation. Thirdly is moral anxiety from a fear of violating our own moral principles and values that have been set down by our Super Ego. Neurosis also figured heavily in Freud’s psycho-analytical theory. He proposed that neurosis occurs when the Ego is unable to deal with desires that produce feelings of guilt and a sense of wrong. Through repression these thoughts manifest themselves through symptoms that have no physical dysfunction. The mental illness acts as a replacement for the guilt ridden desires of the Id allowing the Ego to avoid the conflict between itself and the Id. Such symptoms however are worse than the conflict they set out to hide, not only stopping the individual from being accepting of their repressed desires but  also causing them to become socially incapable of enjoying a happy and healthy life. He also believed that neurosis can be triggered by a traumatic childhood event that the individual is unable to handle. Often such experiences give rise to feelings of guilt that we seek to repress through use of various displacement mechanisms. Sometimes these repressed memories make their way back into our conscious minds in a different form producing a great amount of anxiety in turn triggering psychological disorders that seek to block out the real cause. Psychoanalytical therapy has proved productive in being able to help a client uncover unconscious defence mechanisms and help them find better ways of dealing with their anxiety or removing it all together. Psycho-analysis opened up a new view regarding the treatment of mental illness, suggesting that psychological distress could be reduced through talking about their problems with a therapist. The work of Freud was responsible for bringing about a greater understanding of behaviour that was unusual and differences were no longer automatically equated as unacceptable, with understanding comes greater tolerance. He radically changed the view of sexuality making it an acceptable topic of conversation and a natural part of a healthy, happy life. The approach is also credited with highlighting the importance of childhood and our unconscious mind. Despite the influential effect of his theories Freud is open to numerous criticisms. Many psychologists have adopted his ideas but there has been a great deal of modernisation on his original views. Carl Jung who was a pupil of Freud’s even disagreed with certain aspects of his theories; in particular Freud’s reliance on sex as the answer to many problems. Jung went on to develop his own theories known as Analytical Psychology. Erich Fromm rejected Freud’s view that the drives of the human being are solely biological, believing instead that it was down to our freedom of choice and ability to choose our own destiny. He believed any conflict arose as a result of the fear or uncertainty which that freedom entailed. Feminists are particularly critical of the work of Freud due to the sexist nature of many of his ideas. Neo-Freudian Karen Horney proposed that instead of penis envy girls in fact developed power envy and that in their inability to bear  children men develop womb and vagina envy. Scientifically the validity of Freud’s theory of psycho-sexual development is brought in to question due to his perceived personal fixation on human sexuality and the phallic stage of development proved controversial for being based upon clinical observations of the Oedipus complex. Many were critical of the fact that a lot of Freud’s ideas were based on case studies or clinical observations rather than empirical, scientific research. Contemporary criticism questions the universality of Freud’s theory of personality and psycho-sexual development. Anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski studied the matriarchal society of the Trobriand where young boys are punished by their maternal uncles not their fathers and thus suggested that in this case power is the source of Oedipal conflict not sexual jealousy. Contemporary research has also confirmed that although personality traits corresponding to the oral, anal, phallic, latent and genital stages are observable they are not necessarily fixed stages of childhood or indeed adult personality traits that were derived from childhood. While there is no denying that Freud is of great historical significance and he developed many ground breaking theories and ideas some of which still hold relevance today although many over time have been discredited. It must then be said that Freud’s theory of psychosexual development may in some cases offer us a limited understanding of a client’s issue it would not be ethical practice to rely entirely on this theory when working with a client. Due to its lack of credibility in many areas, Freud’s theory cannot be implemented as a full explanation or means with which to begin the process of understanding and healing. Bibliography Frankland, A. and Sanders, P. 1995. Next steps in counselling. Manchester: PCCS Books. pp.70-76 Hough, M. 2006. Counselling Skills and Theory. 2nd ed. London: Hodder Arnold, pp. 59-86. Malinowski, B. 1927. Sex and repression in savage society. [e-book] London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. http://openlibrary.org/books/OL17967917M/Sex_and_repression_in_savage_society [Accessed: 1st July 2013]. Cherry, K. n.d.. Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development. [online] Available at: http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/ss/psychosexualdev.htm [Accessed: 19 Jun 2013]. Copperwiki.org. 1950. Human Centred Psychotherapy – CopperWiki. [online] Available at: http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php?title=Human_Centred_Psychotherapy [Accessed: 01 Jul 2013] En.wikipedia.org. 2013. Psychosexual development – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosexual_development [Accessed: 01 Jul 2013]. http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072969806/286620/fei69806_ch02

Causes And Effects Of Suicide

Suicide is an action whereby a person ends his or her own life. According to Conner (2009), the 1 lath main cause of death for all ages in the united States was suicide in 2005, which is the 3rd leading cause for people between 15 and 24 years old. This showed that children have a higher risk for committing suicide compared to most of the other age groups. High requirements from the parents to the children will lead to increase in rate of death.Firstly, when the requirements from the parents are too high, this causes the children to eel stressful. As the parents want to improve the image of the family, they expect their children to do better than the others. Sometimes, as the requirements from the parents are too high, the children will feel stressful. Besides that, when the parents themselves are successful persons, they will expect that their children can be more successful than them. Most Of the rich family would like to send their children to attain a four-year-college degree (Ch ild Trends Databanks, 2012).Therefore, children will have negative self- lining because they feel like they cannot reach their parents' target (Reader, 2012). Then, because of stress, the children cannot fulfill the requirements and they feel depressed, and then end up will suicide. According to Newman (201 3), if the parents' requirements are too high, when children cannot fulfill the requirements, their self-confidence may be destroyed, and their desire to succeed may disappear. When they feel depressed, they cannot concentrate on doing anything and will give up on doing anything.According to Lickerish 201 0), depression will cause a person to have thinking like they do not contribute anything to anyone in this world, and it makes no difference even if they do not exist in the world. Because of that, the person will start to think about suicide without letting anyone know about the plan, and finally committed suicide. Next, after the children died, their parents will feel sad and regret, some of them which could not accept the reality will follow their children's step, and this causes the rate of death increases.For example, a ether committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree one year after his 16 years old daughter committed suicide (Hurwitz, 2014). This showed that suicide of a person may become a factor that influence other people, for example, families, relatives, and friends to follow the footsteps of the person and commit suicide as well. According to Jejune, Grapnels and Grapnels (201 1), among all the deaths in United States each year, death by suicide consists of 1. 3%, while for age between 15 to 24, death by suicide consists of 12. 3%.Last but not least, the high death rate is mostly contributed by the unreasonable expectation by the parents. To reduce the rate of death, family acts as the most important character by paying more attentions and taking good care of their children as well as do not make the children feel stressful. For the childre n themselves, they should always have positive thinking and get some advices from family or counselor when facing some problems. When a person died, there are some family left by the people and they might commit suicide. So, to reduce the rate of death, we should help them to escape from the shadow of the death of suicide.

The Invention of Velcro

The Invention of Velcro Its hard to imagine what we would do without Velcro, the versatile hook-and-loop fastener used in so many aspects of modern life- from disposable diapers to the aerospace industry. Yet the ingenious invention came about almost by accident. Velcro was the creation of Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, who had been inspired by a walk in the woods with his dog in 1941. Upon their return home, de Mestral noticed that burrs (from the burdock plant) had attached themselves to his pants and to his dogs fur. De Mestral, an amateur inventor and a curious man by nature, examined the burrs under a microscope. What he saw intrigued him. De Mestral would spend the next 14 years attempting to duplicate what he saw under that microscope before introducing Velcro to the world in 1955. Examining the Burr Most of us have had the experience of burrs clinging to our clothing (or our pets), and considered it a mere annoyance, never wondering why it actually happens. Mother Nature, however, never does anything without a specific reason. Burrs have long served the purpose of ensuring the survival of various plant species. When a burr (a form of a seed pod) attaches itself to an animals fur, it is carried by the animal to another location where it eventually falls off and grows into a new plant. De Mestral was more concerned with the how than the why. How did so small an object exert such a stronghold? Under the microscope, de Mestral could see that the tips of the burr, which appeared to the naked eye as stiff and straight, actually contained tiny hooks that can attach themselves to fibers in clothing, similar to a hook-and-eye fastener. De Mestral knew that if he could somehow recreate the simple hook system of the burr, he would be able to produce an incredibly strong fastener, one with many practical uses. Finding the Right Stuff De Mestrals first challenge was finding a fabric he could use to create a strong bonding system. Enlisting the help of a weaver in Lyon, France (an important textile center), de Mestral first tried using cotton. The weaver produced a prototype with one cotton strip containing thousands of hooks and the other strip made up of thousands of loops. De Mestral found, however, that the cotton was too soft- it could not stand up to repeated openings and closures. For several years, de Mestral continued his research, looking for the best material for his product, as well as the optimal size of loops and hooks. After repeated testing, de Mestral eventually learned that synthetics worked best, and settled on heat-treated nylon, a strong and durable substance. In order to mass-produce his new product, de Mestral also needed to design a special type of loom that could weave the fibers in just the right size, shape, and density- this took him several more years. By 1955, de Mestral had completed his improved version of the product. Each square inch of material contained 300 hooks, a density that had proven strong enough to stay fastened, yet was easy enough to pull apart when needed. Velcro Gets a Name and a Patent De Mestral christened his new product Velcro, from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). (The name Velcro refers only to the trademarked brand created by de Mestral). In 1955, de Mestral received a patent for Velcro from the Swiss government. He took out a loan to begin mass-producing Velcro, opening plants in Europe and eventually expanding into Canada and the United States. His Velcro USA plant opened in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957 and is still there today. Velcro Takes Off De Mestral had originally intended Velcro to be used for clothing as a zipper-less zipper, but that idea was not initially successful. During a 1959 New York City fashion show that highlighted clothing with Velcro, critics deemed it ugly and cheap-looking. Velcro thus became associated more with athletic wear and equipment than with haute couture. In the early 1960s, Velcro received a huge boost in popularity when NASA began using the product to keep objects from floating around under zero-gravity conditions. NASA later added Velcro to astronauts space suits and helmets, finding it more convenient than the snaps and zippers that were previously used. In 1968, Velcro replaced shoelaces for the first time when athletic shoe manufacturer Puma introduced the worlds first sneakers fastened with Velcro. Since then, Velcro fasteners have revolutionized footwear for children. Even the very young are able to independently fasten their own Velcro shoes well before they learn how to tie their laces. How We Use Velcro Today Today, Velcro is in use seemingly everywhere, from the healthcare setting (blood pressure cuffs, orthopedic devices, and surgeons gowns) to clothing and footwear, sporting and camping equipment, toys and recreation, airline seat cushions, and more. Most impressively, Velcro was used in the first human artificial heart transplantation to hold together parts of the device. Velcro is also used by the military but has recently undergone some modifications. Because Velcro can be too noisy in a combat setting, and because it has a tendency to become less effective in dust-prone areas (such as Afghanistan), it has been temporarily removed from military uniforms. In 1984, on his late-night television show, comedian David Letterman, wearing a Velcro suit, had himself catapulted onto a Velcro wall. His successful experiment launched a new trend: Velcro-wall jumping. De Mestrals Legacy Over the years, Velcro has evolved from a novelty item into a near-necessity in the developed world. De Mestral very likely never dreamed of how popular his product would become, nor the countless ways it could be used. The process de Mestral used to develop Velcro- examining an aspect of nature and using its properties for practical applications- has come to be known as biomimicry. Thanks to Velcros phenomenal success, de Mestral became a very wealthy man. After his patent expired in 1978, many other companies began producing hook-and-loop fasteners, but none are allowed to call their product Velcro, a trademarked name. Most of us, however- just as we call tissues Kleenex- refer to all hook-and-loop fasteners as Velcro. Georges de Mestral died in 1990 at the age of 82. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999.

Sample MBA Leadership Recommendation Letter

Sample MBA Leadership Recommendation Letter As part of the admissions process, most MBA programs ask students to submit recommendation letters from a current or former employer. The admissions committee wants to know more about your work ethic, teamwork capability, leadership ability, and work experience. This information helps them to determine whether you would be a good fit for their business program. Tips for a Great MBA Recommendation Letter The  best MBA recommendation letters  support the rest of your business school application by providing details about your work experience, leadership, and personal qualities. They can push borderline candidates into the acceptance stack. Choose your recommenders wisely.  Business schools would rather see professional recommendations than academic recommendations, preferably from your current supervisor. Your MBA recommenders should be able to speak in detail about your qualifications, supporting the points you made in your essays.  If you dont know many people who can do this, start cultivating some. Prepare your recommenders well.  While its not advised to write your own recommendations for others to sign, you should provide your recommenders with the necessary background information to write compelling letters.  This should include: The resume you plan to submit with your application.A statement of purpose indicating how you’re presenting yourself in your application. If you havent written it, provide a rough outline of what you plan to say.Talking points. Remind them of projects you managed that they can use to highlight your skills.A list of schools to which you are applying.A list of deadlines.  Ask for recommendations well in advance of deadlines.Instructions for how to submit letters, through  the school’s online system or by mail. If your schools require mailed letters, include envelopes and postage. Send a thank-you note.  Send it two weeks before the deadline, which will also provide a gentle reminder if the recommendation  hasnt been written. Once you get your decisions,  let your recommenders know how it turned out. Sample Leadership Recommendation Letter This sample letter of recommendation was written for an MBA applicant. The letter writer made an effort to discuss the applicants leadership and management experience. To Whom It May Concern:Janet Doe has worked for me as a resident manager for the past three years. Her responsibilities have included leasing, inspecting apartments, hiring maintenance staff, taking tenants complaints, making sure common areas look presentable, and keeping track of the property budget.During her time here, she has had an amazing impact on the appearance and financial turnaround at the property. The property was near bankruptcy when Janet took over. She turned things around almost immediately. As a result, we are expecting our second year of profit.Janet is highly respected by her co-workers for her willingness to help anyone anytime she can. She has been instrumental in helping institute new companywide cost-saving procedures. She is very well organized, diligent in her paperwork, easily reachable, and always on time.Janet has real leadership potential. I would highly recommend her for your MBA program.Sincerely,Joe SmithRegional Property Manager Source How to Get A Great MBA Letter of Recommendation. The Princeton Review, TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC, 2019.

Roots of the post Second World War environmental movements Essay

Roots of the post Second World War environmental movements - Essay Example The Second World War was described as a ‘watershed’ that developed into environmental activism that spawned quickly during the 1960s.The Second World War was a time of difficulty for many people around the world,it was also realized that the world was a small space that needed to be protected from the constant destruction by man towards the environment. After the war, the 50s was a fast-paced moving world littered with images of the perfect life, the perfect housewife in advertisements. These images were to accommodate a growing push towards a more materialistic life as more and more inventions were being made and used. Among a lot of the products available during the 1950s were items that were actually hazardous to the environment like the hairspray from the musical ‘Hairspray’ for example that encouraged the use of hairspray in modern hairstyles as well as the release of dangerous chemicals such as CFC (Chlorofluorocarbon) and vinyl chloride which was a known carcinogen. It was also during the 1950s and the 1960s as more and more industrial accidents occurred that affected the environment that caused a revived concern about how we treated our ecology. The modern livelihood of man was farfetched from the roots that they have begun as hunters and gatherers who are more ecologically aware and attentive to the adverse effects of man and their exploitation and manipulation of their environment (Sahlins 1971) but as industrialization began to boom even more quickly the way man lived prior to the Second World War was a far cry from contemporary man. ... garments and transient objects. Aside from the growth of industrialization man continued to try and change their environment to bend to their own will. For example, if during Victorian times a garden was simply a garden and ways to control pesticides from invading gardens were by utilizing simple home remedies such as using vinegar. With the growth of industrialization and as many more people became wealthy enough to own a garden albeit with lesser time due to work quicker pesticides were used as a solution to pest problems in home gardens and in industrial farms. In 1960, a naturalist by the name of Rachel Carson began to publish a series of writings that were concerned with the adverse effects of the use of chemicals in the control of natural environments (Nash 1990:192-194). For example, she argued that the use of DDT which was only to get rid of weeds and pesticides affected the surroundings of the weeds themselves therefore also pointlessly poisoning the earth for no apparent reason in gardens except to make them look good and for industrial farms the ability of evolution would only create and cause even more stronger pesticides who will be resistant to the effects of the DDT and therefore needing even stronger more dangerous chemicals. Although cries such as Carson on the effects of chemicals were heard but not fully heeded it was also a backlash against government policies which tended to support industrial growth rather than protect the environment for the 'benefit' of the people. The politics of pollution during the 50s and 60s was a climate that favoured a 'little bit' of pollution and some money to be made over the unalterable effects on the earth's nature. For example, in the 1950s to the early 1960s the United

What do you think is the most significant change in correctional Essay - 1

What do you think is the most significant change in correctional policy in the last 100 year and why important - Essay Example In this system, culprits were sentenced to a fortification in a city square. â€Å"Punishments ranged from physical torture to corporal infliction of pain which were executed in public† (Latessa). However, in the southern states of America convicts were used to provide labor for the state and to the rich private entrepreneurs. Duffee asserts â€Å"Inmates were often held in chains where they worked together in private sector while living in poorly managed camps owned by rich businessmen†. The suffering, torture and other forms of mistreatment inflicted on the prisoners prompted political and human rights activists into action and immediately called for observance of human rights. This effort saw stoppage of prisoners’ labor in private firms. In addition, correctional facilities had to be established at a central location to ensure that basic facilities were availed in response to the convicts’ demands and reasons for the riot. Prisoners were subjected to a fairly just treatment and allowed to wear clothes though chained onto rings around their ankles. Several other changes in policies have taken place since then, with the most outstanding change in policy taking place after the First World War. Currently, the new prisons structures in the world have a provision for inmates’ education as well as other important facilities. But what goal should education serve in the prisoner’s life? Sutherland asserts thus â€Å"the objective of prison education in its broadcast sense should be socialization of inmates through varied impression and expressional activities, with emphasis on individual inmate needs†. Therefore the aim of educational programs in penal institutions should be to equip prisoners with necessary skills and the ability to view life in a positive attitude. The changes witnessed today is a product of political and human rights activism that