Foundations of Business Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundations of Business Knowledge - Essay Example In any working environment, the implementation of management as well as the establishment of communication and relationships becomes more effective if there is a complete understanding of each individual’s traits and capabilities so every working person can be further managed, motivated and developed. Understanding one’s personality and becoming familiar with his or her learning style is an effective means of determining ambivalent qualities that are hard to pin down (Spender & Scherer, 2007). Through the use of self-assessment tests, learning styles indicators and personality tests, individuals are helped in developing self-awareness that is extremely essential when working with any organization (Atherton, 2003). Consequently, companies will be able to support others in achieving self-awareness and working further towards development. They will also be able to improve their level of knowledge of how they can understand and motivate their employees, which will eventuall y aid them to function better in the workplace and even within their personal lives. In turn, these organizations may attain benefits from the improved performance and effectiveness of their employees; desirable outcomes for the organization include increased productivity, enhanced sense of collaboration, and sustained efforts towards self-development. To understand various personality types has been proven valuable for any company as they are able to appreciate their value, strengths and qualities in relation to their contribution to the organization’s goals (Malone, Crowstone & Herman, 2003). Organizational members develop an understanding that their differences are primarily based on their personalities and thus have to find ways of leveraging on such differences rather than allowing these to deter them from reaching organizational goals. Furthermore, aside from managing

This I Believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

This I Believe - Essay Example In the rush, my father happened to put a small dent in another car. Because of our pressing need, we sped off as fast as we could. When we arrived at the company, my father was told that the general manager was not there yet and we would have to wait. This was a relief because we were involved in a small accident to try and get here on time and now we actually had more time than we needed. I asked my father about the small incident on the road but he said that there was nothing that we could do about it and it was an accident anyway. Finally, the general manager turned up and my father went in to see him. Me and my mother waited outside for about 30 minutes until my father came out. I could tell from the look on his face that something was wrong. I asked him whether he had received the job or not and he replied positively. Then I said to him why he looked so sad if he had been hired. My father responded that the manager had told him that someone had crashed into the back of him on hi s way to the building and then sped off without stopping. My father said he felt a sense of guilt. I told him that he should tell his new manager about the incident and the fact that he was the other driver. My father replied that he would probably lose his new job, but there is no way that he could hide this fact from his new boss. So he went and told his new manager. Surprisingly, the manager said that it was okay and he appreciated my father’s honesty and responsibility. Even more shocking was the fact that my father still had a job. His boss told him that he needed employees who he could trust, and that my father was one of

Implications Of Different Sources Of Finance Finance Essay

Implications Of Different Sources Of Finance Finance Essay This assignment will look at the different sources of finance that are available to a small business or a big company. With each source of finance listed the report will assess the implications that can arise and along with this the report will look at the cost to the business to taking a curtain source of finance. All businesses need short-term finance from the very beginning to start up the business and to cover day-to-day running costs. This provides the business with working capital. However businesses also need long-term capital to help them to grow and expand, and this is paid back over a number of years. Without finance a business would find it difficult to accomplish anything. For my assignment purpose I have chosen two companys they are sainsbury and tesco respectly, source of finance can be define into two ways such as internal source of finance and external source of finance. Source of Internal finace fro both company are as follows: Personal savings: This is most often an option for small businesses where the owner has some savings available to use as they wish. Practically both sainsbury and tesco depends on their savings for source of finance. Retained profit: This is profit already made that has been set aside to reinvest in the business. It could be used for new machinery, marketing and advertising, vehicles or a new IT system. Working capital: This is short-term money that is reserved for day-to-day expenses such as stationery, salaries, rent, bills and invoice payments. Sales of assets: There may be surplus fixed assets, such as buildings and machinery that could be sold to generate money for new areas. Decisions to sell items that are still used should be made carefully as it could affect capacity to deliver existing products and services. External Source of financing: Shares: Limited companies could look to sell additional shares, to new or existing shareholders, in exchange for a return on their investment. Loans: There are debenture loans, with fixed or variable interest, which are usually secured against the asset being invested in, so the loan company will have a legal shared interest in the investment. This means that the company would not be able to sell the asset without the lenders prior agreement. In addition the lender will take priority over the owners and shareholders if the business should fail and the cost will have to be repaid even if a loss is made. There are other types of loan for fixed amounts with fixed repayment schedules. These may be considered a little more flexible than debenture loans. Overdraft: A bank overdraft may be a good source of short-term finance to help a business flatten seasonal dips in cash-flow, which would not justify or need a long-term solution. The advantage here is that interest is calculated daily and an overdraft is therefore cheaper than a loan. Hire purchase: Hire purchase arrangements enable a firm to acquire an asset quickly without paying the full-price for it. The company will have exclusive use of the item for a set period of time and then have the option to either return it or buy it at a reduced price. This is often used to fund purchases of vehicles, machinery and printers. Credit from suppliers: Many invoices have payment terms of 30 days or longer. A company can take the maximum amount of time to pay and use the money in the interim period to finance other things. This method should be treated with caution to ensure that the invoice is still paid on time or else the firm might risk upsetting the supplier and jeopardise the future working relationship and terms of business. It should also be remembered that its not found money but rather a careful balancing act of cash-flow. Grants: Grants are often available from councils and other Government bodies for specific issues. For example there may be a council priority to regenerate a particular area of a town and who are happy to help fund refurbishment of buildings. Alternatively there may be an organisation that specialises in helping young entrepreneurs to launch new businesses. Assessment for grants can be very competitive, is very individual and not automatic. Venture capital: This source is most often used in the early stages of developing a new business. There may be a huge risk of failure but the potential returns may also be big. This is a high risk source as the venture capitalist will be looking for a share in the firms equity and a strong return on their investment. However the significant experience these investors have in running businesses could prove valuable to the company. This is what the TV programme Dragons Den is all about! Factoring: This involves a company outsourcing its invoicing arrangements to an external organisation. It immediately allows the company to receive money based on the value of its outstanding invoices as well as to receive payment of future invoices more quickly. It works by the firm making a sale, sending the invoice to the customer, copying the invoice to the factoring company and the factoring company paying an agreed percentage of that invoice, usually 80% within 24 hours. There are fees involved to cover credit management, administration charges, interest and credit protection charges. This must be weighed up against the benefit gained in maximising cash flow, a reduction in the time spent chasing payments and access to a more sophisticated credit control system. The downside is that customers may prefer to deal direct with the company selling the goods or services. In addition ending the relationship could be tricky as the sales ledger would have to be repurchased. Money is a scarce resource and each source has its own advantages and disadvantages. Lenders will be looking for a return on investment, the size of the risk and the flexibility with which they can get their money back when they want or need it. For the company seeking money, the decision as to the best source will ultimately depend on what the money is for, how long the money is needed for, the cost of borrowing and whether the firm can afford the repayments. Task 2: The launch of Clubcard in Thailand in August this year extends Tescos loyalty cards operation further across the globe, and belatedly brings Thailands biggest retailer into a loyalty card market which already contains offers from Carrefour, Tops and Big C. It will clearly be big: in its first three weeks Clubcard gained more members (two million) than competitor Carrefours I-Wish card has accumulated since its launch in 2007. The recent launch in Malaysia has resulted in 70% of scanned transactions being covered by Clubcard. The benefits to Tesco are clear. Their dominance of the UK market has been underpinned by Clubcard, and whilst their latest campaign to double points has yet to prove effective (Tesco growth in the period still lags Asda*, a competitor which does not use a loyalty card), there is a consensus amongst industry observers that it has historically been a critical part of their marketing mix. The benefits to manufacturers are less clear; and one suspects criticism of ones biggest customer would naturally be muted. So what are the implications for Tescos suppliers and how should they respond to Clubcard? Clubcard is a loyalty card, and is designed to encourage shoppers to use a particular chain more. In its simplest incarnation a loyalty card gives rewards, usually in the form of discounts against future purchases, based on how much is spent. Because Clubcard registers who did the shopping, it is possible for Tesco (through their partners Dunnhumby, majority-owned by Tesco), to analyze who buys what, which should enable activities such as promotions to be better targeted. So, for example, a coffee supplier could target their next promotion only at shoppers who bought the competitor product. The targeting of promotions offers a theoretical improvement in effectiveness, but the real boon is the potential to effectively evaluate activities knowing which shoppers bought adds useful data to a promotion evaluation which is currently limited to whether sales went up or not. Clubcard promises suppliers much: Insight into shoppers, more efficient promotions, and unprecedented access to new in-store media opportunities. Suppliers will need to evaluate the potential benefits of the Clubcard offer against the inevitable associated costs. Yet it clearly has limitations: Clubcard in Thailand has two million card holders, yet with Tesco enjoying 25% of the Thai retail market, their total number of shoppers must be significantly higher than this. So how skewed is the sample, how representative, and what is missing? Task 3 Choosing the Right Source of Finance A business needs to assess the different types of finance based on the following criteria: Amount of money required a large amount of money is not available through some sources and the other sources of finance may not offer enough flexibility for a smaller amount. How quickly the money is needed the longer a business can spend trying to raise the money, normally the cheaper it is. However it may need the money very quickly (say if had to pay a big wage bill which if not paid would mean the factory would close down). The business would then have to accept a higher cost. The cheapest option available the cost of finance is normally measured in terms of the extra money that needs to be paid to secure the initial amount the typical cost is the interest that has to be paid on the borrowed amount. The cheapest form of money to a business comes from its trading profits. The amount of risk involved in the reason for the cash a project which has less chance of leading to a profit is deemed more risky than one that does. Potential sources of finance (especially external sources) take this into account and may not lend money to higher risk business projects, unless there is some sort of guarantee that their money will be returned. The length of time of the requirement for finance a good entrepreneur will judge whether the finance needed is for a long-term project or short term and therefore decide what type of finance they wish to use. Short Term and Long Term Finance Short-term finance is needed to cover the day to day running of the business. It will be paid back in a short period of time, so less risky for lenders. Long-term finance tends to be spent on large projects that will pay back over a longer period of time. More risky so lenders tend to ask for some form of insurance or security if the company is unable to repay the loan. A mortgage is an example of secured long-term finance. The main types of short-term finance are: Overdraft Suppliers credit Working capital The main types of long-term finance that are available for to a business are: Mortgages Bank loans Share issue Debentures Retained profits Hire purchase Internal and External Finance Internal finance comes from the trading of the business. External finance comes from individuals or organisations that do not trade directly with the business e.g. banks. Internal finance tends to be the cheapest form of finance since a business does not need to pay interest on the money. However it may not be able to generate the sums of money the business is looking for, especially for larger uses of finance. Examples of internal finance are: Day to day cash from sales to customers. Money loaned from trade suppliers through extended credit. Reductions in the amount of stock held by the business. Disposal (sale) of any surplus assets no longer needed (e.g. selling a company car). Examples of external finance are: An overdraft from the bank. A loan from a bank or building society. The sale of new shares through a share issue. Task 4 All lenders charge interest on their loans and this is the major element in the cost of the finance. Building societies and banks have variable interest rates which may vary according to the size of the loan. However, there are other charges that are normally involved in arraning a mortgage: Arrangement fees Banks and building societies do not always charge arrangement or setup fees, but many lenders do charge them, particularly for some of the specialist mortgages described later in this guide. Arrangement fees are typically in the range of  £100  £400. Valuers report In order to protect its security, the lender will want to be sure that the house is worth the sale price, so will alwas insist on a valuation for mortgage purposes. This will be carried out by a qualified surveyor, who will charge a survey fee, paid by the borrower. The lenders survey aims to establish if the value of the house is enough to protect the lenders security. It does not mean that the property is free from any defects. It is therefore recommended that house buyers obtain a homebuyers report or a full survey to ensure that they are aware of any problems. This will increase the cost but could prove to be a wise investment. Indemnity guarantee fee Some lenders insist on an indemnity guarantee policy if the loan exceeds 75 percent of the property value. This protects the lender in the event of the borrower defaulting on the mortgage and the sale price of the property not being enough to repay the loan. However, this policy is paid for by the borrower and often, the premium has to be added to the loan. In recent times, the threshold for mortgage indemnity guarantees has increased many lenders now set the level at 90 percent. Stamp duty This is a tax charged by the Government on the document transferring ownership of the house, paid by the purchaser. The rates are: Nil up to  £60,000 1% over  £60,000 but not more than  £250,000 3% over  £250,000 but not more than  £500,000 4% over  £500,000 Legal fees There will be legal fees payable to the solicitor or licensed conveyancer handling the transaction. The legal fees will include the local search fees (carried out to reveal matters affecting theproperty) and land registry fees, as well as the lawyers own charges. Other charges All mortgage lenders will have a tariff of other charges that you may incur in certain circumstances at various points during the life of your loan. These are not universal charges lenders will vary in terms of which ones apply, but all should be able to provide details on request. Task 5: Importance of Financial Planning It is important to plan finances in order to reap long term benefits through the assets in hand. The investments that one makes are structured properly and managed by professionals through financial planning. Every decision regarding our finances can be monitored if a proper plan is devised in advance. The following points explain why financial planning is important. Cash Flow: Financial planning helps in increasing cash flow as well as monitoring the spending pattern. The cash flow is increased by undertaking measures such as tax planning, prudent spending and careful budgeting. Capital: A strong capital base can be built with the help of efficient financial planning. Thus, one can think about investments and thereby improve his financial position. Income: It is possible to manage income effectively through planning. Managing income helps in segregating it into tax payments, other monthly expenditures and savings. Family Security: Financial planning is necessary from the point of view of family security. The various policies available in the market serve the purpose of financially securing the family. Investment: A proper financial plan that considers the income and expenditure of a person, helps in choosing the right investment policy. It enables the person to reach the set goals. Standard of Living: The savings created by through planning, come to the rescue in difficult times. Death of the bread winner in a family, affects the standard of living to a great extent. A proper financial plan acts as a guard in such situations and enables the family to survive hard times. Financial Understanding: The financial planning process helps gain an understanding about the current financial position. Adjustments in an investment plan or evaluating a retirement scheme becomes easy for an individual with financial understanding. Assets: A nice cushion in the form of assets is what many of us desire for. But many assets come with liabilities attached. Thus, it becomes important to determine the true value of an asset. The knowledge of settling or canceling the liabilities, comes with the understanding of our finances. The overall process helps us build assets that dont become a burden in the future. Savings: It is good to have investments with high liquidity. These investments, owing to their liquidity, can be utilized in times of emergency and for educational purposes. The argument made by people from low income groups is that they dont need to plan their finances due to the less money they possess. However, no matter how much one earns, better planning of income always helps in the long run. Task 6: Defining the problem Take time to properly define the problem. What is the issue to be covered? What is the problem? What decisions need to be taken? A fish-bone diagram will sometimes help in understanding the complex interlinkages that create a particular problem. For each of the causes or its effects, make a list of information or data that will be required, and clarify how that information will lead to a better decision. Finding the information Determine the sources from where information needed for decision-making can be obtained. What information needs to be taken? Who has that information? Why is that information being collected by the source? Which component of the problem at hand will it help? Evaluate the sources to see which of them can provide the best information, and identify the mode and format in which the information is presented. Keep in mind that different sources provide information in different formats (for different reasons!). Processing the Knowledge This where the information gathered is matched with the problem in hand. The relevant information from each source is extracted and information from multiple sources is organized. Which parts of the information collected needs to be used? What additional data or information is needed? How can information be best presented to be able to understand the situation and take decisions? The collected information is evaluated and integrated for its relevance, validity and interconnectedness. Taking the decision In an interactive and inclusive process involving all the concerned parties, form an opinion from the information collected for its effectiveness and efficiency. Use it to take the decision. Has the decision taken help in solving the problem at hand? Was the decision satisfactory and took into account all the views of concerned parties? A decision taken may need to be examined closely and refined, and modified to meet differing needs over time. Task 7 Impact of finance of financial statement is immence because inorder to prepare financial statememnt some cost is essential such as auditors fee, financial analysts fee.

Machiavelli vs Islamic political thought :: essays research papers

Machiavelli vs Islamic Political Thought   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Niccolo Machiavelli was a political realist. He thought there were certain skills and characteristics needed to become a political ruler. In his work, The Prince, Machiavelli gives advice on how to be a successful prince, or ruler. â€Å"Successful† is partly based on how powerful a ruler was during his lifetime (reign), but largely based on how much the prince affected the lives, through laws or societal norms, of future generations. Machiavelli was mainly interested in attaining and keeping political power. He believed people were inherently selfish and would, by nature, not respect the law or work for the common good, without civic virtues. The only way to ‘control’ these human urges was to instill national pride and mutual respect for all citizens of a state. The difference in Machiavellian thought, up to this point in history, from other philosophers was he believed political authority was no longer justified by religious or spiritual doct rines. Although Machiavelli believed this to be true, he still knew it was important for citizens to maintain a commitment for the common good, through national pride and respect. Another aspect of differing thought up to this point in time was Machiavelli knew promoting civic virtue in citizens needed to be coupled with the pursuit of individual liberty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Machiavelli, in his writings, talks about several different forms of government. Specifically, monarchies, aristocracies, and democracies. He was able to pick apart monarchies, establishing the difference between ‘new’ and old monarchies. The new monarchies are the hard ones to maintain, because people are not susceptible to change, in fact they almost revolt against it, unless the new ruler can make good on his word and keep his promises. Machiavelli’s preferred form of government was the republic. A republic is a mixing of the three governments aforementioned. Having the government made up of the nobles, the elite, and the commoners establishes a set of checks and balances against one another. No one, particular group will be able to take control of the state again. And in fact, the people (citizens) tend to have more leverage than any other faction. Machiavelli knew people were mainly concerned about their property and well being of their fa mily. He also knew the government’s job was to protect both, in addition to helping the people prosper and follow their â€Å"hearts,† if you will. Machiavelli believed only certain people could become rulers, because it took a special sort of person.

Common Errors

In two thousand. This does not apply to expressions representing money, time of day, Biblical citations, and a few other things. When using a specific date (month, day, and year), you must have punctuation on either side of the year. Today is September 23, 2012, and it is a Monday. Today is September 23, 2012. When indicating a specific city and state, you need punctuation on either side of the state. We are in Indianapolis, Indiana, headed for Chicago. Indianapolis, Indiana. Structure We are in A comma splice is a type of run-on sentence where you put two complete thoughts together with a comma.You must make these into separate sentences which can be done in a number of ways. Refer to the text for help. Or, just ask. For example: We went to the movie, we were disappointed with the plot. Comma splice We went to the movie; we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a semicolon We went to the movie, and we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a comma/coordinating conjunction We went to the movie; however, we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a conjunctive adverb When you join two complete sentences with ‘however' as a conjunctive adverb, you must use a Nicolle before the ‘however and a comma after it.Examples Of other conjunctive adverbs are otherwise, consequently, indeed, similarly, finally, likewise, then, furthermore, moreover, therefore, hence, nevertheless. For example: We went to the mall; however, we did not purchase anything. Try never to start a sentence with â€Å"There are/were/will be, etc†¦. † And certainly not a paragraph. Less a useless word that does not add to the meaning and does not act as a transition. A shift in number occurs when the writer changes from singular to plural or plural to singular. For example,My goal is to get the attention of the reader so that they will understand my message. â€Å"Reader is singular; â€Å"they' is plural. You must keep the same number. My goal is to get the atte ntion of the readers so that they will understand my message. Papers You cannot use any form of first or second person in your papers. These include l, me, us, we, our, ours, you, yours. First and second person pronouns are fine in your Discussion Boards and Peer Reviews. You must have your pages set up with auto pagination so that the page number ‘moves' with your work. If you do not know how to do this, check in Word for help.The intro to your papers must have the title of the work (if you are reviewing an article) and the author's name. You need to preview you main points and end with a thesis statement. When you write an introduction to your paper, you want to get the readers attention as well as preview your main points. Generally, you will have three to five main points. The intro is meant to be a road map of sorts. You subtly tell your reader where you plan to go. Then, each of the main points should be discussed (in the same order as they were presented in the intro) i n a paragraph or so each.Finally, you need a conclusion that elates directly to the intro by summarizing the main points that you have made in the paper. Your quotations should never exceed three lines. If so, you have to treat them differently per MEAL. Additionally, such long quotes do not serve you well in short papers such as these. Limit the quotes in length. Try to paraphrase and then to use the quotes for sources/back-up to your thoughts. Since we generally have only one source for the first paper, you must cite the author only the first time you quote her. For example, after your first quotation, you would have (author's name and the page number).After that, unless you have another source, you need only cite the page number (405) for example. Remember that you must cite quoted material immediately. Cite paraphrased material when you have finished with the topic, generally at the end of the paragraph. When you introduce a source in your papers, you must give that person reaso nable credentials. For example, you would not write John Smith refers to this type of movement as an economic disaster (citation). Instead, you would credential the source by saying something like John Smith, a professor of economics at Yale University, refers to†¦.

Huckleberry Finn Should Be Banned

Huckleberry Finn should be banned from schools. There are several issues in the novel that schools should not permit their students to learn about and study. These issues are extreme racism, Huck questioning the rules of society, and teaching bad morals. Huckleberry Finn contains several racist comments. In today’s society, there are people who will take these comments very offensively Huck says, â€Å"according to the old saying, ‘Give a nigger an inch and he’ll take an ell. † Huck is stating that other people believe the African American slaves were to have strict rules to abide by because if you let them get away with something once, they will take advantage of that opportunity and try to get away with something else later on in the future. During the time that Huckleberry Finn was written, African Americans did not have the freedom that they do today. They were considered property, not citizens, which people would buy, trade, and own. Throughout Huckleb erry Finn, Huck is constantly questioning the rules of his society.One example is when Huck says, â€Å"The widow rung a bell for supper, and you had to come to time. When you got to the table you couldn't go right to eating, but you had to wait for the widow to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals, though there warn't really anything the matter with them. † When he is stating this, he believes that the rules in the society he lives in are petty and useless. If students are allowed to read this, they may begin to think that it is okay to question the rules that our government have set and possibly not follow them because they think they are petty or useless.The final reason that Huckleberry Finn should be banned from schools is that Huck teaches bad morals for the students who have to read this novel. Instead of following the rules of the society he has grown up with, he uses made up rules of Tom Sawyer and doesn’t question them. â€Å"So Tom got out a sheet of paper that he had wrote the oath on, and read it. It swore every boy to stick to the band, and never tell any of the secrets,† This quote gives an example of the rules that Tom Sawyer set that Huck began to adopt.This band was set up in a way that it seemed like a club or a gang. Students may read this and begin to think that because they do not believe what the rules of society are, that it is okay to join a club to rebel and have their own set of rules. Therefore, Huckleberry Finn should be banned from all schools. The issues that just have been discussed should be taken into consideration. With the extreme racism, the questioning of the society by Huck, and the teaching bad morals should be enough to ban this novel.

Motivation Tips For Students

Motivation Tips For Students Do you need motivation for doing your homework? Sometimes we all need a little prodding when it comes to getting our work done. If you ever feel like homework is pointless, you may find inspiration in the following tips. The problems below have been submitted by real students. Get Perspective! You’ve probably heard the old saying â€Å"I’ll never use this knowledge in the real world.† It’s time to set the record straight once and for all- that saying is completely false! When you start feeling like homework is a drag, it might help to start thinking about the reason you’re doing homework in the first place. The work you do now really is important, even though it’s probably hard to see sometimes. In truth, your nightly homework is work that will form the foundation for your future. Right now you are probably being forced to study topics that don’t interest you at all. It may seem cruel and unfair now, but it’s really an important and necessary â€Å"evil.† Why? Because a strong foundation must include a good mix of ingredients. You see, you may not believe that you’ll need your algebra skills later in life, but algebra sets the stage for understanding principles of science, economics, and business. It’s the same for English homework. You’ll need those skills desperately in college, and you’ll certainly need them to succeed in the world. Get an Attitude! Are you a math whiz? A great writer? Are you artistic- or maybe good at solving puzzles? Most students have a special talent in one particular area, so they enjoy doing homework on that topic. The problem comes when they avoid doing the other stuff. Sound familiar? The good news is that you don’t need to love everything. Just pick one area you love and become the self-appointed expert in your school. Get a serious attitude! Think of yourself as the very best on that one topic, and then make it a reality. For inspiration, you can create a web site or perhaps a series of podcasts about your topic. Become a star! Once you become an expert in your field, you will gain confidence in yourself and become more tolerant of the topics you don’t enjoy so much. You’ll start thinking of all your least favorite topics as â€Å"supporting† actors in your quest for a career in the area you love. Get Competitive! This problem could be real or imagined. Either way, this problem is the best kind! If you have a competitive spirit, you can have a lot of fun with this one. If you think you’re at a disadvantage to other students, you can turn things around by getting a competitive attitude. Think of every project as a challenge and set out to do your assignment better than anybody else. Try to surprise everyone- including the teacher- by doing outstanding work. If you feel like you are part of a misfit crowd, then it might help to team up with a friend or two. Put your heads together and plot to outdo the popular crowd. You’ll find that this can be very inspiring! Get Your Eye on the Prize! If you get bored just thinking about homework, then you may need to focus on setting and reaching goals. For instance, if you are having trouble getting started on a big science project, then divide your project into steps. Then, reward yourself each time you finish a step successfully. Your first step could be library research. Set a timeline for visiting the library and completing your research. Think of a good way to reward yourself, like a frothy iced coffee drink or another favorite treat. Then focus on the prize and make it happen! Your parents will probably support you in this endeavor. Just ask! There are many variations to the â€Å"eye on the prize† system. You may want to create a dream box or a bulletin board with pictures of big prizes, like the college of your dreams. Fill the box or board with the objects of your dreams and make a habit of looking at them often. In other words, keep your eyes on those prizes! Get Support! It’s unfortunate but true that some students don’t receive much encouragement or support when it comes to school work. Some students don’t have any encouragement from family or don’t even have any family at all. But that doesn’t mean nobody cares. There are lots of people who care very much that you succeed in school. Just think about it- this web site wouldn’t exist if somebody didn’t want you to succeed. There are many people who care. People in your school have a big stake in your success. They are judged on your performance. If you don’t do well, they don’t do well. Adults from all walks of life are concerned about education and the plight of students just like you. The state of education is a big topic of discussion and debate among adults. If you feel like you don’t get support at home, then find an education forum and talk about it. You’ll find that there are lots of people who are interested and willing to cheer you on!

Competition in the Bookselling Industry essayEssay Writing Service

Competition in the Bookselling Industry essayEssay Writing Service Competition in the Bookselling Industry essay Competition in the Bookselling Industry essayThe competition in the bookselling industry depicted in the film reveals features of the monopolistic market, where a large company, Fox Books, tends to dominate the market, while smaller rivals are losing their position in the market fast being unable to compete with Fox Books.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly tend to use the low price strategy to force smaller rivals out of the market. They attempt to attract customers by low prices, while they sell the same or similar books that their smaller rivals do. As a result, customers prefer Fox Books to smaller rivals due to the lower price.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the same time, Fox Books could use other, non-pricing strategies. The company could expand its business and its distribution network to reach a larger customer group. The company could also offer online services and sales along with shipping of books to customers. In additi on, the company could enhance its brand and promote its brand to take a competitive advantage, because customers often make their choices on the ground of the brand recognition.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The industry view on the sustainable competitive advantage implies that the company should take a strategic advantage over rivals through expanding its market share and gaining more customers. In contrast, the resource view on the sustainable competitive advantage implies that the competitive advantage is achieved through the access to the resources required for the production of a particular product or item. Therefore, the industry view implies the primary role of customers and their buying power, while the resource view implies the priority of suppliers as determinant factors contributing to the competitive advantage of the company.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Porter Five Forces model explains clearly the industry view on the sustainable competiti ve advantage. Porter Five Forces model involves five key forces that determine the competitive position of the company, including the bargain power of buyers, the bargain power of suppliers, the risk of substitutes, the rivalry in the industry, and the risk of new entrants. Changes of either of the five forces affect the competitive position of the company in the industry.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Resource Based Model implies the priority of the availability of resources and supplies as the determinant factor that influences the competitive position of the company. The ability of the company to take control over resources and suppliers of the required resources determine the competitive position of the company in the industry.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Porter Five Forces model is more applicable to the case of the bookselling industry described in the movie because Fox Books attempts to take the monopolistic position in the industry using not only suppliers and resources but also manipulating with the customer behavior by means of low pricing strategy, for example.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are different options to generate superior market position. The first strategy is the monopolization of the market through cutting prices and setting the lowest price in the industry to attract customers and encourage their loyalty to the brand. The second strategy is the accumulation of resources and setting control over suppliers to gain the full control over the industry and deprive rivals of key resources. The third strategy involves the intensive market expansion that leads to the growing brand recognition and popularity that helps the company to replace steadily its major rivals and push them out of the industry. The first strategy was used effectively by Fox Books.

The Traditional Modes of Discourse in Composition

The Traditional Modes of Discourse in Composition In composition studies, the term modes of discourse refers to the four traditional categories of written texts: narration, description, exposition, and argument. Also known as the  rhetorical modes and forms of discourse. In 1975, James Britton and his associates at the University of London questioned the usefulness of the modes of discourse as a way of teaching students how to write. The tradition is profoundly prescriptive, they observed, and shows little inclination to observe the writing process: its concern is with how people should write rather than how they do (The Development of Writing Abilities [11-18]). Also see: Current-Traditional RhetoricDiscourseExpository WritingModels of CompositionTheme Writing Examples and Observations Beginning with Samuel Newmans Practical Systems of Rhetoric of 1827, American rhetoric textbooks . . . were supplementing Whatelian argumentative rhetoric with other modes. Teachers were coming to prefer books that offered concrete treatment of the different sorts of communication aims obviously served by writing. As writing displaced oral rhetoric, the older insistence on a single argumentative purpose did not serve, and in 1866 the desire for a multimodal rhetorical system was met by Alexander Bain, whose English Composition and Rhetoric proposed the multimodal system that has remained to this day, the forms or modes of discourse: narration, description, exposition, and argument.(Robert Connors, Composition-Rhetoric. University of Pittsburgh Press, 1997)Writing in Multiple Modes- A mode is . . . considered as one dimension of a subject, a way of viewing the subject as static or dynamic, abstract or concrete. A typical discourse, then, may make use of all the modes. For instance, to write about a monarch butterfly we may narrate about the butterfly (e.g., trace its migration north in the spring or its life cycle), describe the butterfly (orange and black, about three inches wide), classify it (species, Danaus Plexippus, belonging to the family Danaidae, the milkweed butterflies, order Lepidoptera); and evaluate it (one of the most beautiful and best known of butterflies). However, even though the discourse may include all of the modes, it is common to use one of the modes to organize the discourse, as is suggested by the title of one of [James L.] Kinneavys textbooks: Writing: Basic Modes of Organization, by Kinneavy, Cope, and Campbell.(Mary Lynch Kennedy, ed. Theorizing Composition: A Critical Sourcebook of Theory And Scholarship in Contemporary Composition Studies. IAP, 1998)|- No theory of modes of discourse ever pretends that the modes do not overlap. In actuality, it is impossible to have pure narration, etc. However in a given discourse there will often be . . . [a] dominant mode. . . .These four  modes of discourse [narration, classification, description, and evaluation]  are  not an application of the communication triangle. They actually are grounded in certain philosophic concepts of the nature of reality considered as being or becoming.(James Kinneavy, A Theory of Discourse. Prentice Hall, 1972) Problems With the Modes of DiscourseThe modes are faulted for relying on faculty and associationist psychology. Faculty psychology assumes the mind is governed by the faculties of understanding, imagination, passion, or will. Associationist psychology contends that we know the world through the grouping, or association, of ideas, which follows basic laws and order. Thus early proponents of the modes of discourse assumed that one should choose a form of discourse according to the faculty to be influenced and based on laws of association. . . .In light of current composition theory, problems with the modes of discourse as a guiding principle of composition pedagogy are numerous. For example, Sharon Crowley (1984) faults the modes for focusing only on text and writer, ignoring the audience, and thus being arhetorical.(Kimberly Harrison, Contemporary Composition Studies. Greenwood, 1999)Adams Sherman Hill on the Kinds of Composition (1895)The four kinds of composition that seem to requir e separate treatment are: Description, which deals with persons or things; Narration, which deals with acts or events; Exposition, which deals with whatever admits of analysis or requires explanation; Argument, which deals with any material that may be used to convince the understanding or to affect the will. The purpose of description is to bring before the mind of the reader persons or things as they appear to the writer. The purpose of narration is to tell a story. The purpose of exposition is to make the matter in hand more definite. The purpose of argument is to influence opinion or action, or both.In theory these kinds of composition are distinct, but in practice two or more of them are usually combined. Description readily runs into narration, and narration into description: a paragraph may be descriptive in form and narrative in purpose, or narrative in form and descriptive in purpose. Exposition has much in common with one kind of description; and it may be of service to an y kind of description, to narration, or to argument.(Adams Sherman Hill, The Principles of Rhetoric, rev. edition. American Book Company, 1895)

History of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of Art - Essay Example 2.) Italian Renaissance is more vibrant and more prominent than Northern Renaissance. Since there are more commercial and trading centers in Italy at those times than the countries in the north of Italy, particularly France, the Netherlands, and Germany, Italian Renaissance artists had more patrons than their Northern counterparts. The Dukes of Burgundy in the Northern Renaissance were more interested in buying illuminated manuscripts, tapestries and furnishings while Italian art patrons were more into painting. Humanism, a revisiting of Greco-Roman scientific presentation of art, is the driving force behind the Italian Renaissance artists. The Northern Renaissance focused more on topics on religious reform. In terms of rendering of paintings, Italian Renaissance painters are keener on scientific aspects, while their Northern counterparts are more concerned on what they art look like thus, putting emphasis on color and detail. Jan van Eyck's Madonna in the Church, for example, is painted in vivid colors and in sharp details, in contrast with Raphael's The School of Athens focus on depth and perspective. 3.) Both Robert Campin's Merode Altarpiece and Roger van der Weyden's St. Luke Drawing the Virgin have prominent proportion. However, Weyden's painting is more realistic in scale and proportion. The figures are tilted in almost the same manner as we see the object. Campin's painting consists of elements that are cluttered and unrealistically proportioned. Weyden effectively used shading that suggests depth and more realistic visual space. 4.) Italian Renaissance is concerned more on the scientific aspects of art, presenting humans and objects as scientific specimens that move in logical and predictable ways. Italian Baroque art, in contrast, emphasizes exaggerations in motion and movement to produce dramatic and emotional effect. In painting, Pierro della Francesca's Baptism of Christ reflects the logical movement of people as compared with the overt dramatic tension of Federico Barocci, Aeneas' Flight from Troy. In sculpture Michelangelo's La Pieta is more reserved as compared to the vibrant actions of Bernini's Apollo and Daphne. In architecture the revival of Greek and Roman architecture is prominent in St. Peter's Basilica, while the San Benedetto Cathedral in Catania produces dramatic lighting "chiaroscuro" effect inside the edifice. 5.) Neo-Classicism is a revival of the classical art forms as contrasted from the sensuality and triviality of Rococo art. Arts in this period were also made for political propaganda use. For example, political message is clearly reflected in Jacques Louis-David's Death of Marat. Classical themes painted by fresh techniques, such as the use of contrast, characterize David's style and those of Neoclassical artists (Heindorff). 6.) The Oath of Horatii depicts Jacques Louis David's pioneering effort in French painting. It is marked by the usage of contrast in identifying three different groups of figures in the painting. David also effectively uses harmony of colors, arrangement of figures and of a majestic shadow that provides depth and contrast, as well as abstract nature of the painting (Jacques-Louis David: The Oath of the Horatii). 7.) Since the United States were under the British colonial rule, most European influence can be vividly seen in early American paintings. Neoclassicism, with its aim to use art as a form

Certificate 4 assessment and Training Assignment

Certificate 4 assessment and Training - Assignment Example units to be addressed include; approaches to risk management, challenges in risk management, administration of risk management, and countering challenges in risk management. In order to ensure success and efficiency in the learning process, one should be keen in addressing all key issues. The need for adopting the best performance criteria cannot be emphasized. In executing the learning processes, the delivery units should be efficiently sequenced, to ensure that learning is relevant, effective and logical. This should be efficiently administered in collaboration with the clients, so as to ensure match between the learning needs and the content being delivered. In order to ensure success in delivery of the units, the instructor is bound to keep in touch with the learner, so as to ensure relevance, effectiveness and logic of the units being delivered (Chan, 2009). Important to note is that the characteristics of the target group should be identified and considered in the delivery process, which will facilitate identification of the language, numeracy and literacy requirements of the program. By so doing, consistency and sequence will be maintained in the learning process, thus enhancing effectiveness. There will be every need to agree and clarify the purpose of the program, in order for the training program to meet the need of the different stakeholders. The key stakeholders of concern include the mentors/coaches, learners, work organizations, and facilitators/trainers. Consistency and logic in delivering the units will be attained by developing the appropriate skills for each specific group of learners. The mentors or facilitators will have to improve the numeracy and literacy skills of the learners (Chan, 2009). A key issue of concern in delivery of the units includes the breakdown of the learners’ needs. It will be mandatory to breakdown the jobs and roles into manageable component parts. Intensive job analysis will be undertaken, so as to identify the

Hermes financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hermes financial analysis - Essay Example Gucci and Louis Vuitton are seen to embrace modern fashion more than traditional garment and accessory designs. This creates a distinctive advantage for Hermes. The current paper focuses upon analysing the financial ratios. The ratios have been constructed on the basis of the information procured from the company’s financial statements. The analysis reveals whether the company is in a suitable financial position to expand and enhance their activities (Hermes annual report, 2013). The share price of Hermes has been depicting an upward rising trend. Share price can be considered to be an essential indicator of the financial health of a company, the same reason due to which share prices of Hermes has been included in the current study. The company has been seen to invest in profitable expansion and growth projects since the last five years. This has facilitated Hermes to maintain a significantly high share prices, as compared with other close competitors of the firm, especially during the crisis period. During the crisis period many retail firms were seen to face issues with asset management and maintaining adequate cash reserves, as support from external financial institutions was limited. However, the strong operating policies and the adequate financial stability of Hermes had facilitated the company to maintain continuity of operations without being dependent on external finance. The sales volume of Hermes had also not been affected majorly. All such factors facilitated maintaining adequate returns to shareholders and maintain rising share prices. In the following sections of the current paper, in depth analysis has been conducted in respect of the financial condition of the firm, considering the financial years 2012 and 2013. This is expected to give more insight regarding the reasons behind the company’s ability to maintain high share prices. Gross profit ratio measures the amount of profits earned by the company

Operational Amplifiers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operational Amplifiers - Assignment Example In case the device is to be used as a gain block, an amplifier that is ideal should have infinite gain. Similarly, the input impedance of the amplifier should also be infinite so as not to draw any power from the driving source. The most commonly used method for analysing stability of an amplifier is the Bode analysis. The basis of measurement here is creation of an open loop magnitude and phase plot to attain the stability for a closed loop. These are also indicators of gain and phase margin. Derivation of the phase margin is done by finding the intersection of the unity gain frequency response of closed loop curve to the open loop response curve (Schmid, 1995). At this frequency the phase will be read from the phase plot. Then the value gotten is subtracted from one hundred and eighty degrees to get the desired phase margin. Gain margin can also be determined in the magnitude plot by the frequency at 180 degrees. Operational amplifiers are linear devices possessing all the qualities that are required to have ideal amplification of direct current. Operational amplifiers are used for filtering or conditioning signal. They can also used to subtract, add, integrate and differentiate mathematical operations. An ideal amplifier consists of three terminals. The negative terminal is the inverting input while the positive terminal is the Non-inverting input. The last terminal is the output port of an operational amplifier. When the same circuit is considered in terms of impedance, R1 = Z1, R2 = Z2. Capacitors and inductors effectively change their impedance dependent upon frequency (ZC = 1/jωC). With capacitors in the circuit as in Figures 1 and 2, ÃŽ ² will be determined by frequency. The gain of the amplifier is constant as the frequency of the signal increases from 1 Hz to around 200Hz. As the frequency of the signal increases beyond the low break frequency i.e. 200Hz the gain increases until it reaches its

Advertising public relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advertising public relation - Essay Example It is needless to say that the modern business world is extremely competitive. Therefore the companies look to find the x-factors to stand apart from the rest of the crowd so that the company becomes more interesting and appealing for the media and the public. A favorable reputation can help the company. On the other hand negative publicity can also have negative impact and damage the reputation of the company badly. In simple ways PR can be defined as a way to build up long term relationship with the public or customers. Although PR is an element of promotional mix and there are certain differences between PR and other elements, it is important to understand that positive can only be achieved by using each of the elements of the promotional mix effectively. The study looks to focus on the application of PR to aid the performance of a newly launched product in the market. The product selected is a ready-to-drink green tea. The concerns over the contents of the soft drinks have increa sed as people are becoming more health conscious. Also recent controversies related to the hygienic factors and product has not helped the reputation of the soft drinks. Although the product to be discussed cannot be exactly categorized as hardcore soft drinks, still the product is likely to serve purpose as the soft drinks. The study includes market situation analysis, probable PR strategy, different modes of communication to be used and also a way to successfully evaluate the PR strategy. (Chattopadhyay, 2009. P.370). Fun fruit Pvt. Ltd. is a six years old company. The company produces soft drinks made from fruits such as mango and pineapple. The company looks to achieve concentric product diversification through packaging and pricing strategy. Here it is to be mentioned that the company operates in UK market only. However, the company has launched ready-to-drink green tea called ‘Fizz’. The company looks to brings

The O.J. Simpson Murder Case Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The O.J. Simpson Murder Case - Term Paper Example He is also known for his world record breaking run in the USC sprint relay quartet at the NCAA track championships in Provo, Utah. In 1968, he won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award. He also holds the record for the Heisman's largest margin of victory. Being American Football League's Buffalo Bills' first overall pick in the 1969 Common Draft, he was also the first professional football player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He also holds the record for the highest yards-per-game average in a single season. He was a great figure in the world of sports and is idolized by many sportsmen. He was also inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. O.J Simpson also starred in some movies. His career ranges from dramatic to comedic movies. His dramatic movies include The Cassandra Crossing, Capricorn One, The Klansman and The Towering Inferno. His comedy movies include The Naked Gun Trilogy and Back to the Beach. He had a good career in movies a nd had a successful run in acting in ads one of which was about a comic book. He quickly sprang up to status of a celebrity with a huge following. He started his own film production company called Orenthal Productions in 1979. NBC was considering airing his series called Frogmen but the project was cancelled when he was arrested for murder. Known mostly due to his career in professional football and being a respected commentator, everything related to O.J Simpson was of public interest. On June 13, 1994, O.J Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found murdered outside Brown's Bundy Drive condo in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, California. O.J Simpson immediately became the prime suspect of the crime due to some evidence that included a 911 call made by Nicole Brown on January 1, 1989 in which she informed the police that O.J Simpson would hurt her physically. Simpson could be heard yelling in the background of that call. The two were di vorced 2 years prior to the murders. Simpson was not located immediately after the incident. There were speculations that he might have committed suicide after a letter by him was presented by his friend, Robert Kardashian, who was also one of his defense lawyers. He was, however, spotted later when one of his friends was being pursued. A low-speed chase ensued as Simpson threatened to commit suicide. 8 hours later, the chase ended and Simpson agreed to surrender to the police. He was allowed to speak to his mother before his arrest. He spent one hour with her. (F. Lee Bailey & Jean Rabe, 2008) On June 20, 1994, Simpson pleaded not guilty to both murders when he was arraigned. The grand jury that was called initially to determine whether to indict Simpson for murders was dismissed on June 23 as there were qualms about the attainment of an unbiased result. Media had excessive coverage regarding this case and it was suspected that the initial jury might lose its objectivity. Jill Shiv ely and Jose Camacho testified in the court with Jill saying that she saw Simpson’s car in the vicinity of the place of incident and Jose identifying the fact that he sold a knife to Simpson which was quite similar to the one that was used in the murders. They sold their stories to newspapers and were not presented in the court as witnesses afterwards. (L. Jones, Thomas, n.d) On July 7, it was ruled that Simpson was to be brought to trial

Advertising public relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advertising public relation - Essay Example It is needless to say that the modern business world is extremely competitive. Therefore the companies look to find the x-factors to stand apart from the rest of the crowd so that the company becomes more interesting and appealing for the media and the public. A favorable reputation can help the company. On the other hand negative publicity can also have negative impact and damage the reputation of the company badly. In simple ways PR can be defined as a way to build up long term relationship with the public or customers. Although PR is an element of promotional mix and there are certain differences between PR and other elements, it is important to understand that positive can only be achieved by using each of the elements of the promotional mix effectively. The study looks to focus on the application of PR to aid the performance of a newly launched product in the market. The product selected is a ready-to-drink green tea. The concerns over the contents of the soft drinks have increa sed as people are becoming more health conscious. Also recent controversies related to the hygienic factors and product has not helped the reputation of the soft drinks. Although the product to be discussed cannot be exactly categorized as hardcore soft drinks, still the product is likely to serve purpose as the soft drinks. The study includes market situation analysis, probable PR strategy, different modes of communication to be used and also a way to successfully evaluate the PR strategy. (Chattopadhyay, 2009. P.370). Fun fruit Pvt. Ltd. is a six years old company. The company produces soft drinks made from fruits such as mango and pineapple. The company looks to achieve concentric product diversification through packaging and pricing strategy. Here it is to be mentioned that the company operates in UK market only. However, the company has launched ready-to-drink green tea called ‘Fizz’. The company looks to brings

Reading Books Essay Example for Free

Reading Books Essay Reading a book is one of the best forms of entertainment a person can have. Books can take you places to a time and lifestyle that you will never visit or experience. I remember the old show called â€Å"Reading Rainbow† and it lyrics were gave a very interesting take on books they went like this: â€Å"I can twice as high take a look, it’s in a book A Reading Rainbow, I can go anywhere, Friends to know and ways to grow, Reading Rainbow, I can be anything take a look it’s in a book. † Those lyrics are so true. Reading a book you can read about how life was in the 1700’s up until our generation today. I could be a detective who solves a famous mystery or I could be the killer trying to get away. I can learn to speak another language. There are so many things and topics in reading a book that can change your appearance, your political viewpoints, and change your attitude. Some say that books might become obsolete because movies are made from these books and you can watch the movies in two hours. Watching the movies a person feels that you can get the plot and conclusion of the book in two hours. This is true but for example if it is true life story the movie are going to change some parts of the books to make it more enjoyable, whereas the book is going to give you every detail the author wants you to have. Books gives people a conversation piece just like a movie but the only difference is books can join the world. Movies can’t be seen in some countries but a book can be read. So like the Reading Rainbow says â€Å"take a look it’s in a book†. So in conclusion reading a book is the best form of entertainment. Stephanie C. Williams November 20, 2010

The idea of play therapy

The idea of play therapy We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing. -Charles Schaefer Play is the primary way that children learn about the world, understand how different things work, express their thoughts and feelings, develop their physical skills, develop their mental skills, and develop effective social skills and bonds. As children grow, their use of language becomes more sophisticated, but throughout childhood, they usually express much more of themselves in their play. We can understand children better if we understand their play. Rather than engaging in verbal communication, we often learn more about their thoughts, feelings, motivations, and struggles by watching children play. Children more effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings through play than they do through verbal communication. As the child plays, the therapist begins to recognize themes and patterns or ways of using the materials that are important to the child. Over time, the clinician helps the child begin to make meaning out of the play. The Association for Play Therapy (APT) defines play therapy as the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development (www.a4pt.org). Although the idea of play therapy was introduced over 80 years ago, this therapeutic approach has only begun to experience major growth and development within the last 20 years and is still considered to be relatively new in modern therapy practices. Within the past 10 years, play therapy has become more recognized as an effective intervention to reduce challenging behaviors associated with social, emotional, behavioral, and learning difficulties in adults, children and adolescents. While researching this approach, I found it increasingly difficult to find information relative to the proven clinical practice of play therapy as most of the information pertainin g to play therapy still focuses widely on reliability and studies to prove that it is even an effective practice. Because play is so familiar to children, it is a zone of comfort that permits counselors to approach clients in a nonthreatening environment. When children play, they feel safe. They dont respond to simply talking and listening to an adult conversation. Play Therapists use play to help children express feelings about many issues. Children can use play to address feelings about loss and divorce. Children who have been victims of abuse or have experienced a trauma can also benefit. Even a child who is having trouble with peer relations or conduct in school can benefit from play. Children often express their feelings behaviorally and this can be misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD resulting in these children being medicated unnecessarily. Effects of trauma, loss, and divorce can mimic the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Instead of using medication as the first option of treatment, children and their therapists can utilize play therapy to work on those feelings. The main goal of play therapy is to eliminate behavioral and emotional difficulties that prohibit a child to function normally, especially in regards to improved communication and understanding between the child and his parents, family, and peers. By using play therapy techniques, the therapist can allow a child or adult to become more aware of their emotions and eliminate any negative behavior that may be a direct result of their emotional and behavioral difficulties. Less obvious goals of play therapy include improved verbal expression, ability for self-observation, improved impulse control, more adaptive ways of coping with anxiety and frustration, and improved capacity to trust and to relate to others. Although play therapy has been proven to be effective for children with various kinds of disorders, it is not as helpful for certain types disorders or illnesses, such as children with the most severe degree of autism and schizophrenia (Landreth, 2002). These two types of children live so exclusively in their own world that t hey cut off interaction with the outside world completely. Because they lack the ability and/or willingness to interact with people and objects, I believe that play therapy might not be the best therapeutic approach for these children. Play Therapy involves the use of role playing, toys, blocks, dolls, puppets, and games to help the child recognize, identify, and verbalize feelings and to communicate what has happened to them and how they feel about these events in their lives. Often, a child will allow a doll or puppet to say things that the child does not feel they are free to tell to anyone. Skilled therapists also use drawing and art work to allow feelings to flow and become expressed. The therapist observes how the child uses play materials and identifies themes or patterns to understand the childs problems. Play therapy is particularly effective with children who cannot, or do not want to talk about their problems. Through a combination of talk and play the child has an opportunity to better understand and manage their conflicts, feelings, and behavior. Sand play therapy is one form of play therapy which allows greater exploration of deep emotional issues. Sand play therapy is suitable for children and adults and allows them to reach a deeper insight and reconciliation of a range of issues in their lives such as internal conflicts that manifest as anxiety and depression, as well as penetrating the depths of personality to experience the self directly. Through a safe and supportive process, clients place miniature figurines in a small sand box to express confusing feelings and inner experiences. This creates a visual representation of the unconscious and reveals concerns that are inaccessible any other way. As materials contained in the unconscious emerge visually and symbolically, it is integrated into a persons sense of self and can be activated to elicit behavioral change. Sand play therapy is an expressive and creative way of working which does not rely on traditional talk therapy. Two major approaches of play therapy are Non-directive (Child-Centered) play therapy and Directive (Cognitive Behavioral Model) play therapy. A skilled practitioner will adopt a mix of both approaches according to each individual child and their circumstances. In non-directive play therapy, the therapist remains supportive, but non-intrusive, and responsibility and direction are left to the child, which emphasizes empowering the client, self-awareness, decision-making, and acceptance of the clients self. In directive play therapy, the therapist aquires responsibility for guidance and interpretation of the therapy by taking an active role in the play and structuring the session for assessment, diagnostic, and treatment purposes. One key concern of non-directive techniques is that young children may not necessarily have the cognitive skills and emotional capacity to repair and master traumatic experiences on their own. Upon researching the information that I found on the different ways to apply play therapy to therapeutic sessions, I personally found directive play therapy to be the most efficient. I like the idea of having more control over sessions and getting the information I need to successfully identify problems and issues for the child. Though both practices use similar ways of play and creative expression for the child, in my opinion directive therapy seems to be the best approach for my own personal counseling style. One issue that comes up most often in regards to the boundaries of play therapy is hugging and/or physical contact. In any therapeutic relationship, it is important for the client to realize that the therapist cares. Therapists accomplish this in traditional talk therapy by attentive listening, reflecting, and empathy with little to no touch involved. This can be quite different when working with children in a play setting. Children can be naturally very impulsive, and may hug the therapist in response to a positive or negative feeling. It is important for the therapist to be aware that hugging and touch are used in many different types of relationships and have a variety of meaning. An ethical response to this issue is to abstain from hugging all clients, especially child clients (McGuire McGuire, 2001). On the other hand, if a therapist is hugged by a child, remaining stiff may send a negative message to the client (Landreth, 1999). Although I found the literature on ethical issue s in play therapy to be lacking, the information I did find was illuminating. It certainly caused me to think more in-depth about the many ethical situations that are specific to working with children and to play therapy. This means being aware of potential ethical issues before they arise and planning in advance on how I would react to those situations. I liked the direction that the literature appears to be heading, which is providing play therapists with more effective and universal guidelines for ethical problem solving. The practice of play therapy requires extensive specialized education, training, and experience. A play therapist is a licensed (or certified) mental health professional who has earned a Masters or Doctorate degree in a mental health field with considerable general clinical experience and supervision (www.a4pt.org). Unfortunately, according Dr. Garry Landreth, who is one of the major key contributors to the field of play therapy, many therapists practicing play therapy do not have the specialized training needed with less than half of the therapists currently practicing play therapy having taken a graduate course in the field. Children are a special client population, and simply having a degree in counseling or another similar field does not qualify a person to provide therapy for them (Corey, Corey, Callanan, 2007). When Dr. Landreth (2001) outlined what play therapy can do for children he also told us what areas of development are often a struggle for children and adults alike. Children start their lives with an amazing skill to play that far too often gets lost in the confusion of the adult world. Many adults still cannot claim responsibility for their actions or to accept themselves for who they are as people. Play, whether with games, puppets, drums, clay, sports, motion, drawing, drama, dolls, sand, or whatever else is available, invites a cascade of positive effects. There are endless possibilities for the use of play therapy with adults (Schaefer, 2003). Play therapy for adults can also allow the bonding with others to form healthy relationships for people who may have experience only with serious dysfunctional interactions. When adults enter into play therapy, they are able to gain access to their inner child. Very often, emotional repression and unhealthy feelings are formed in childhoo d and adults learn to ignore surface exhibition of these emotional traumas. However, with adult play therapy the person has the space to realize and act out those feelings and they can reach a resolution and closure, allowing them to become happier, healthier people. In the limited amount of research that I found on the topic of play therapy, it seems as though there is a lack of consistency among the definitions and its implementation. Some articles and texts clearly defined play therapy; others seemed to distort a traditional definition to fit their purpose. I honestly do not know if there truly is a pure form or definition of play therapy. I did however, through my research, find that the various techniques of play therapy used seemed to be quite effective at helping children to deal with a wide array of issues. In conclusion, I believe that play therapy is a fun, innovative, valid, and effective means of helping clients to express feelings that they have unconsciously repressed or avoided. It can be a very healthy outlet and can be useful at times when traditional talk therapy simply doesnt work. Dr. Landreth (2002) states that play is a childs language and toys are his/her words.

Essay --

Factory Farming: Mass Production or According to the Organic Consumers Association, in 1970 there were approximately 900,000 family farms in the United States; by 1997 there were only 139,000 family farms. This number is continually decreasing by the year. Why is this a problem? Factory farms promote abusive practices in order to maximize production at minimal cost at the expense of the environment, the community, and even our personal health. They house thousands of animals and inject them with hormones in order to maximize their growth and food output. The techniques being used are inhumane and are used thousands of times a day. According to the Organic Consumers Association, two out of every three animal products in stores come from factory farms. Factory farms dominate food production throughout the country. Animals most commonly consumed that require large-scale farming practices are cows, chickens and pigs. The methods of farming are not only bad for the animals themselves, but it’s affecting the meat we put into our bodies, and is therefore affecting one’s health. Factory farms ultimately have a negative effect on the health of both the animal and the consumer of the animal product. In today’s traditional factory farms, beef cattle are being raised in cruel living environments. In an article written by Berry Estabrook titled Feedlots vs Pastures: Two Very Different Ways to Fatten Beef Cattle, published in â€Å"The Atlantic† written December 28th, 2011 says that most of Americas beef comes from factory farms. They are crammed by the thousands into crowded, confined dirt lots. The cattle have hardly any room to move around and are forced to live in piles of their own excrement. Due to the many cows, they are deprived from ve... ...hat can be made towards stopping factory farming corporations from taking over. One of those ways could be to discovering how animal products are made. You can research companies that you commonly buy to make educating purchasing decisions when buying items from a grocery store. If you decide to buy an animal product, look up if the animals were forced to live in confined environments or if they were raised in open fields in their natural habitats. We can also spread the word to others. Talk to them about the problems with factory farming and the issues and encourage them to take action. This can range to anyone from a small audience like your family, to a much larger audience like a local school. By taking these small steps you will impact animals that are being abused, your personal health, the health of loved ones, and the health of others throughout the country.

Medlife Insurance LTD Case Study :: Business and Management Studies

We have chosen a company called Medlife Insurance LTD. This company deals with financial services, within that with life insurance. Marketing Financial Services Presentation Introduction: We have chosen a company called Medlife Insurance LTD. This company deals with financial services, within that with life insurance. It is part of a â€Å"network† of companies that sell life insurance and to be able to give a whole picture of the company’s activities we will introduce some of it’s partner companies as well. We will also give a brief description of the different kinds of services they provide to customers, such as life insurance for a whole family, life insurance for a single person or life insurance for the company employees. Situation Analysis: Grazer Wechselseitige and other international investors founded Medlife in the year 1994. Medlife started its business activities in 1995. It is set up as a Cypriot offshore company and offers life insurance products on US dollar basis. Medlife is an insurance company full of traditions and experience. Because of its traditions, seriousness and experience, it provides reliability of all activities in life insurance and capital investments of Medlife. All sales are performed through the network of SI-Save Invest Ltd, (one of the biggest independent and international insurance broker companies in the world that offers and sells financial services, specializes in capital forming life insurance and disability insurance offered by its insurance partners), covering the former CIS and Baltic countries. Insurance and investment programmes have been developed that help encompassing the risks of everyday life and at the same time allow the customer to achieve a profitable return of the money invested. Contracts concluded between Medlife and its clients are subject to Austrian law which extensively protects the rights of Medlife’s clients. Due to the very strict rules and regulations of the Insurance Contract Act and the Consumer Protection Act. Grazer Wechselseitige Group in Austria, a well-known insurance company, provides fundamental insurance services like technical administration, funds investment, and reinsurance since 1828. These services are delivered following the same principles of security and profitability that do apply for Grazer Wechselseitige itself. Grazer Wechselseitige Versicherung AG is 100% financed on own capital and therefore does not require any investor’s ratings. Some examples of the financial services that Medlife is selling: Economic Insurance Plan Economic Insurance Plan is the ideal package for those who seek comprehensive insurance coverage combined with an opportunity to invest capital in a profitable way. G5S -Endowment Insurance with graduated death benefits and surplus participation. The benefit to be paid in the case of death becomes payable if the insured person dies before the end of the insurance term. The sum to

Heb Own Brands Analysis Essay

Rob Price was recently made vice president of Own Brands, which was the private label of H-E-B. The chairman, Charles Butt, had a real interest in growing the sales of the Own Brand product line. At the time, Own Brand represented 19% of sales while national brands accounted for the rest, which was opposite of 30 years ago when Charles took responsibility for the business. Charles gave Rob a goal to increase the sales of Own Brand’s private label by 11% in the next five years to bring it up to a 30-70 ratio of private and national brands, respectively. The increase needed to be across all product lines, but Rob had a specific assignment regarding the Own Brand’s bottled water under the label Glacia. The problem with the existing Glacia water was that it did not accurately market itself as imported spring water from Canada, which would increase its market share from the French imported water, Evian. There were many things for Rob to consider as his research showed that c onsumers would be more likely to buy Glacia if they knew it was Canadian spring water. With the competitive grocery market at the time, especially with Wal-Mart’s emerging into the grocery scene, Rob needed to make a specific recommendation on how to increase its sales in context of the overall Own Brand strategy. Initially, the problem was an undetected flaw in the marketing and labeling of the product. If consumers do not have something repeatedly pushed in their face, they will not likely remember it when asked. Other problems were caused by Wal-Mart and their huge ability to undercut pricing of most other chains because of their national, even international supply-chain relationships. Wal-Mart had its own brand in Great Value products but, according to the case, was not as high quality as the H-E-B Own Brand products. Great Value compared to the Hill Country Fare tier-3 generic that H-E-B put out. Rob knew that his competition was with Wal-Mart but he wasn’t sure yet how to properly compete. He wanted to keep their pricing model of Every-day Low Price s but the pricing against Wal-Mart was difficult to match because of other national brand’s pricing positions. I think the options that Rob had to decide between were whether to place Glacia in  competition with Evian as comparable imported spring water or keep it positioned against Ozarka, which is where it was, and add the Canadian value to help boost sales through points-of-difference? One of the reasons why they should consider a direct market-comparison with Evian is because there isn’t a competitor right now. Evian has far out priced itself among its competitors and Glacia scored equally as high in a double-blinded taste test showing that it didn’t actually need to change the product, just the positioning. Own Brand could significantly increase the pricing to be more related to the pricing of Evian. This would remove Glacia off the shelf next to Ozarka and next to Evian. This could possibly allow Own Brands to create a Hill Country Fare product to compete with Ozarka. However, Evian was a good premium national brand brought in money for procurement revenue. If the new Gl acia began beating out Evian in sales and profit, Evian could pull its product from the H-E-B stores and then they would lose the procurement revenue derived from a national brand. National brands also help bring in consumers who end up buying other Own Brand products in the store. This was a decision bases for the entire Own Brand product line. The options of pricing, promotions, positioning, and the overall corporate strategy were all involved in this first decision regarding Glacia. According to Butt’s target goal to Rob shortly after he became VP, only 30% of a store’s products should be their own, with a 70% mix of national brands. If Rob decided to simply elevate the existing position of the Glacia against Ozarka to increase their market share, they could grow sales and not have to compete with the national brands. I think this would be effective considering the low cost of refining their label and less hassle in re-configuring pricing and moving the product closer to Evian. A third possibility was to reposition Glacia as domestic spring water, which is what Ozarka was. I don’t see the logic behind this because they were already a direct competitor with Ozarka and their only point-of-difference was the source of their water. Why would they go through all the effort and cost of relabeling, promoting, and re-launching to get more of the same? If I were in Rob’s position, I would re-launch Glacia to be a somewhat generic competitor to Evian and create a Hill Country Fare product with purified water to be placed just below Ozarka. Evian needs some competition and according to their profit data in Table B, Glacia could increase their price  and profit significantly without changing the product, only the labeling. Also, Evian users indicated preference for the Canadian water over France. I  f Evian users began to prefer Glacia water instead, and that’s what H-E-B stores carried, what would be the downside if Evian eventually pulled their product out of H-E-B stores? It wouldn’t be in demand anymore, so the loss would be some procurement revenue, but the profits off the increased price of Glacia would seem to overcompensate for that.

Having a busy life Essay

It’s funny how everyone is constantly going, getting stuff done. You go from the beginning of freshman year to sophomore year in the blink of an eye, where does the time go? When does the time matter? It feels as though once I get one task accomplished I’m expected to fulfill the next; it’s a never-ending cycle. With busy schedules that consist of wake up, get ready, go to school, go to work, eat, homework, clean, and so on, how could we have the time to simply just stop and think. By the time we have completed the lengthy list of daily tasks we are simply too exhausted or tired to sit down and reflect over our day. Some days I go home and honestly I couldn’t tell you what I had for lunch. On top of my classes I also participate in Dance, Robotics, and a full time job. One of my close friends has FFA, FCCLA, volleyball, Basketball, Track, and all A’s. We busy ourselves with daily schoolwork and extracurricular activities to the point that we are simply just trying to climb out of the mounds of papers and piles of athletic shoes just to crawl into bed out of pure exhaustion. What happened to the days where we had playtime? Would we even know what to do with it? If you sat our grade together in a room and took away our phones, homework, worries, sport practices, and all other distractions, what would we do? Honestly the last time I had absolutely nothing to do I just took a nap. That’s almost pathetic when I was little I was creative with my time I had a big imagination and was loaded with curiosity and energy, now I just nap. I remember the blankets draped over chairs to make forts and drawings cluttering the fridge. It’s sad to see that napping is the way I prefer to spend my small amount of unscheduled time. I’ve somewhat out grown hanging out with my friends ever since they got their cell phones we are together, but we aren’t, they text all the people they aren’t with; you get little time in between the pattern of ringers going off. Secrets are no longer kept they are sent through text to anyone willing to give them time. I am not just saying my friends do this I find myself guilty of this too but honestly I really wish it would just stop. I miss the time of late night sleepovers; giggling over boys and gossiping. In the midst of a society centered on technology how could we possibly just step away from it? The little things in life are a blessing and a curse at the same time. They can either make or break your day and there really is not an in between. In 5 seconds you could have a new inside joke with your best friend or you could trip and see half the school laugh at you. Some of the little things that happen throughout the day can make a big impact and only take a small amount of time. We need to reflect on these bits of time I don’t mean to fret over them, but just smile over them. It’s the small things that happen in a day that make our lives good, When you help a friend work out a problem or are there just to let them vent. When you smile and wave at all the familiar faces you see throughout the day. Simply reminiscing with a family member or friend, is one of those moments that you will remember a lot better than the busy daily routine you do have. If we could cut back on the extracurricular activities and put away our phones for a few minutes wouldn’t it make us better people? Stepping away from the glare of cell phone screens and pressures of school and just enjoy our last bits of time before being adults sounds wonderful. We just need a small amount of time to enjoy the smaller moments in life. Our time is cluttered with activities and social networking crammed into every waking moment, when does it ever end?

Why was there a revolution in March 1917?

Russia was a very backward country compared with the other European countries. There were few factories before 1890 and there had been little industrial development in Russia. By 1990, however, many peasants were leaving the countryside to work in the towns and industry made twice as much in 1990 as in 1890. This meant that towns like Moscow and StPetersburg grew up quickly. In these towns grew slums where the working class, that had previously not existed at all, lived. The increased population of the towns meant there was more pressure on Russia's farmers to produce more food, which could not be done with the medieval farming methods still in use. In other words Russia was in the middle of an industrial revolution when the Tsar was forced to abdicate in 1917. All other European countries had been through the same process, but without such a drastic side effect. Whereas in England and France the government had changed to accommodate the needs of the new social order, in Russia these changes had been used as an excuse to get rid of the Tsar. Therefore, it was largely the Tsar's inadequacy as a ruler and the mistakes he made that led to a revolution in 1917. Tsar Nicholas was not a strong ruler and was out of touch with the needs and realities of his country. He himself was extremely wealthy and surrounded by only the good things in life, and associated only with the aristocracy. He ruled as an autocrat, unaided by any parliament. Nicholas succeeded in keeping power by the secret police, the Okhrana, military power and censorship of the press. Nicholas believed he was chosen by God. Influenced by one of his ministers, Pobedonostev, he forced the Russian Orthodox religion on other ethnic groups, especially the Jews, and on the people in schools, the army and work places. This made him even more unpopular than before, with his use of terror to oppress his people. In 1905, there was nearly another revolution. The causes of that demonstrated the bad feeling against the Tsar, as did the number of anti-government publications when censorship was relaxed in 1903, and the strikes and demands when the Tsar tried to set up government-approved unions. In 1904 Tsar Nicholas tried to unite his country by going to war with Japan over parts of the crumbling Chinese Empire. This led to many humiliating defeats and a display of Russian incompetence in organisation. This further increased the bad feeling towards the Tsar. All these, coupled with failed harvests and low wages, resulted in a peaceful protest on 22 January 1905, which was led by Father Gapon. Father Gapon organised a strike and a petition that requested better working conditions, an elected parliament and an end to war. He marched with the workers to present the petition to the Tsar at the winter palace, not knowing that he had left the day before. When they arrived at the palace, the soldiers turned on the crowd and started firing. That day became known as ‘Bloody Sunday'. In the same year, the Tsar's uncle was shot, there was an increase in peasant riots, there was mutiny on the battleship Potemkin, printers went on strike and there was a general strike where practically everything closed down towards the end of the year. Tsar Nicholas survived the events of 1905 because then and afterwards the army supported him, and made sure that by March 1906 all revolution was crushed and its leaders were either dead, exiled or in hiding. Nicholas was lucky in that the great massof peasants blamed the land owners and not himself, and that censorship of the newspapers was still in place. He also protected himself by agreeing to the October Manifesto. This was a list of promises given by the Tsar that was drawn up by Witte. Included in it were promises for a Duma or parliament elected by the people, civil rights, uncensored press and the right to form political parties. This was successful in taking pressure off the Tsar and secured the middle class's support of the government. It did not, however, satisfy the revolutionaries and later on it appeared that they were right in regarding the Manifesto with suspicion. Although there was freedom of expression, newspapers were fined if they printed anything offending the Tsar, and the Duma was so limited that it was virtually ineffective. In it the proletariat and the peasants were highly under-represented. Even so the Tsar failed to accept it as a governing body and it was only by the time of the fourth Duma that he begun to work with it. After 1905, life did begin to change in Russia and a key figure responsible for these changes was Stolypin, the Prime Minister appointed by the Tsar. He used the army to exert the Tsar's power in the countryside by setting up military courts that could sentence and hang a person on the spot. The hangman's noose became known as Stolypin's necktie. The terror this caused was heightened by the still-active Okhrana that had many informers. People were required to carry internal passports and travellers to register with the police of the area they were staying in. In 1911, Stolypin affected changes in the countryside to make agriculture more productive. Peasants could buy land from their neighbours with money borrowed from a peasant's bank set up by Stolypin. The aim in this was to create a wealthy class of peasants loyal to the government, kulaks. 15% took up this offer and Stolypin's theory appeared to have worked with record harvests in 1913. The poorer peasants became labourers or factory workers. Four million were encouraged to cultivate land along the Trans-Siberian railway but found that it was already taken by rich land speculators. They then returned, angry, to European Russia. In the towns there was an industrial boom that meant production increased by 100% between 1906 and 1914. The workers, however, did not benefit from this increase with the average wage being under what it was in 1903. In 1912, an important strike took place in the Lena goldfields in Siberia that led to 170 dead workers and 375 wounded. This had a similar effect to Bloody Sunday and gave way to many workers' protests. These changes affected some, even if very little, improvements in Russia and would have led to more had had they not been interrupted by the First World War. The war meant that the fourth Duma had to be dismissed, just when the Tsar had begun accepting it. However, at first the war seemed good for Russia; initially there were successes and the people supported the Tsar but even at first the similarities to the Russo-Japanese war were obvious, except that the effects would be far worse as it would be a far longer war, giving the Tsar more time to make mistakes. The early enthusiasm for the war dwindled quickly as losses mounted high. The soldiers went to the front without proper warfare or equipment as basic as boots for the cold and wet. They blamed their officers for their ill organisation. Life was hard in the towns also. There was little food and what there was, was sent to the soldiers but often did not get to them. People were starving in the cities and there were huge bread queues. Prices went up as there was a shortage of nearly everything but the workers' wages did not. Coal was unavailable and as the factories closed. People were hungry, cold and unemployed. Morale also dropped as stories from the front told of misery and defeat. In September 1915 Tsar Nicholas made a great mistake by taking over the running of the war. This was such a massive error because the people now blamed him for the suffering brought about by the war. It also meant that he left Russia in the hands of Rasputin and Alexandra. The Tsarina was not popular as she was thought to be a German spy and Rasputin was infamous fir his behaviour. Together they replaced the able ministers of the Duma with favourites or men that would do as they were told. The Tsar lost support continually until March 1917 as he was held responsible for the war and things it had caused. By March 1917 the proletariat did not only want their physical needs satisfied but they also wanted political change. On the seventh forty thousand workers from the Putilov engineering works went on strike in Petrograd. The next day they were joined in their demonstrations by thousands of women. Over the next few days men and women demanded food, fuel and better conditions together. On the twelfth soldiers joined the strikers and marched with them to the Duma. Instead of shooting at the crowds, they shot at their officers. The Tsar had lost the support of the army. The Tsar could not survive revolution this time. He had lost the support of the army that had been very important to him in keeping control by suppressing any opposition. Underneath him the people had always been divided into different political factions but this time only a portion of the aristocracy supported him. On 15 March, the railway workers did not allow the Tsar's train into Petrograd. Certain army officials entered the Tsar's compartment to ask him to abdicate but the Tsar had already decided to do this in favour of his brother as his son's medical condition meant that there would be added difficulty to his ruling. However, Russia had had enough of the Tsars. Some people think that abdication was the biggest mistake of all as it meant certain ruination for the Romanovs. The 1917 revolution was the result of a combination of factors. In the short term, the First World War was an important cause, but there was a growing dissatisfaction with the Tsarist regime and the economic and social hardships it caused, that nearly boiled over in 1905. Everything that ever happened or did not happen in Russia could be shown as a reason for it but what made it so significant was what happened after the overthrowing of the Tsar with the Provisional Government and Lenin.