Moscow Essays - Peredvizhniki, Vasily Surikov, Moscow, Red Square

The history of Moscow began in 1147, and since then Moscow has always had a leading position in the life of the whole country. It is the political, cultural, scientific centre of Russia. Coming to Moscow for the first time, many tourists start sightseeing with the Red Square. On the Red Square they visit St.Basil's Cathedral, a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. It was built in memory of the victory over Kazan in 1552. The monument standing in front of St. Basil's Cathedral tells us of the people's victory over Polish invaders in 1612. On the monument you can read the following words: "To citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky from grateful Russia". On the territory of the Kremlin we can see the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great built in the 15th century. At its foot there is another ancient monument - the Tsar Bell weighing 200 tons. Opposite the Cathedral is the Museum of History. If you are interested in arts you'd better visit the Tretyakov Art Gallery which contains fantastic R ussian icons, monumental paintings and historical themes performed by Peredvizhniki, Repin, Surikov, Levitan and other great artists. If you visit the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts you'll admire the magnificent display of West-European paintings of the 13th-20th centuries. Moscow has over 60 historical, art, natural science and literary museums, memorial houses and flats, exhibition halls. Moscow is a city of world-famous theatres. The Bolshoi Theatre was opened in 1825. Its repertoire includes more then 50 operas and ballets. The Maly Drama theatre, the Moscow Art Theatre, the Obraztsov Central Puppet Theatre enjoy great popularity. Moscow has excellent sports facilities. The Lenin stadium and the Moscow Sports Complex "Olympijski" are the largest sports complexes in my country. Moscow is a city of science. It has hundreds of scientific institutions and higher education establishments, among which is Moscow Power Engineering Institute.

Greed Deadly sin of the students Essay Example

Greed Deadly sin of the students Essay Example Greed Deadly sin of the students Essay Greed Deadly sin of the students Essay Greed means want of something and desire to have more than what Is needed. It does not allow anybody to feel satisfied. A person always feels that he has a less than what he deserves. Greed can be affecting many college students and it can be distract the college student from the correct path of study. I agree with that greed is one of the deadly sin of students which is said by Thomas H. Benton in the The Seven Deadly Sins of Student because of the following reason. Firstly, the studying is really important because it helps all people in every step in life. If you study you will earn, learn and know everything by yourself and you will not ever have to depend on someone but because of greed, the students may distract from study and they study for better paying Jobs instead of learning something and gaining knowledge of particular field. The students will pass the exam; achieve a degree without having knowledge of that particular field and get entry level Job that hey do not really desire or which they are not really qualified. : For example, a person who achieves a degree In medical field not for helping people but actually his alma Is to get better paying Job. Moreover, a student who desire for self sufficiency, recognition, or self esteem is also one of the important factor of greediness. A student who wants to show-off that he is an intelligent, clever about that particular subject and achieving higher grade by any means for example, cheating on the exams. However, it becomes a serious problem when the student achieves a good grade by cheating and it affect negatively on the students entire life. Some students are popularizing their papers to get good grades. This type of students are getting good grades not for to achieve something but for the attract attention of the classmates and the professor. 2 Furthermore, the greedy people are always distract from their main path because they always wants different and more from others. It can be affect the student cause they are not remain focused on the particular study and also they want to achieve all at a same time. So, they divert from the main path of study and instead of getting success, they get failure and cannot finished their study. In a nutshell, I agree with the Thomas H. Benton said that the greediness of the student Is one of the deadly sin of the students because the students are earn a degree not for learning but with the alma of getting a better paying Job, students wants to show off by achieving good grade by cheating on the exam or popularize heir paper and also they are divert from the main path of study. Greed Deadly sin of the students By kaushalpate10707 is needed. It does not allow anybody to feel satisfied. A person always feels that he who achieves a degree in medical field not for helping people but actually his aim is student is one of the deadly sin of the students because the students are earn a degree not for learning but with the aim of getting a better paying Job, students wants to show off by achieving good grade by cheating on the exam or plagiarism

Timeline of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya

Timeline of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya The Mau Mau Rebellion was a militant African nationalist movement active in Kenya during the 1950s. Its main aim was to remove British rule and European settlers from the country.   Background of the Mau Mau Rebellion The uprising grew out of anger over British colonial policies, but much of the fighting was between Kikuyu people, an ethnic group that makes up about 20 percent of Kenya’s population.   The four main causes of the revolt were low wages, access to land, female circumcision (also known as female genital mutilation, FGM), and kipande - identity cards African workers were required to submit to their white employers, who sometimes refused to return them or even destroyed the cards making it incredibly difficult for workers to apply for other employment. Kikuyu were pressured to take the Mau Mau oath by militant nationalists, which were opposed by conservative elements of their society. While the British believed Jomo Kenyatta to be the overall leader, he was a moderate nationalist and threatened by the more militant nationalists who would continue the rebellion after his arrest. Milestones and Timeline of the Mau Mau Uprising August 1951: Mau Mau Secret Society RumoredInformation is filtering back about secret meetings being held in the forests outside Nairobi. A secret society called the Mau Mau was believed to have been started in the previous year. It requires its members to take an oath to drive the white man from Kenya. Intelligence suggests that membership of the Mau Mau is currently restricted to members of the Kikuyu tribe, many of whom have been arrested during burglaries in Nairobis white suburbs. August 24, 1952: Curfew ImposedThe Kenyan government imposes a curfew in three districts on the outskirts of Nairobi where gangs of arsonists, believed to be members of the Mau Mau, have been setting fire to homes of Africans who refuse to take the Mau Mau oath. October 7, 1952: AssassinationSenior Chief Waruhui is assassinated in Kenya he is speared to death in broad daylight on a main road on the outskirts of Nairobi. He had recently spoken out against increasing Mau Mau aggression against colonial rule. October 19, 1952: The British Send Troops to KenyaThe British government announces that it is to send troops to Kenya to help the fight against the Mau Mau. October 21, 1952: State of Emergency DeclaredWith the imminent arrival of British troops, the Kenyan government declares a state of emergency following a month of increasing hostility. Over 40 people have been murdered in Nairobi in the last four weeks and the Mau Mau, officially declared terrorists, have acquired firearms to use along with the more traditional pangas. As part of the overall clamp down Jomo Kenyatta, president of the Kenya African Union is arrested for alleged Mau Mau involvement. October 30, 1952: Arrests of Mau Mau ActivistsBritish troops are involved in the arrest of over 500 suspected Mau Mau activists. November 14, 1952: Schools ClosedThirty-four schools in Kikuyu tribal areas are closed as a measure to restrict the actions of Mau Mau activists. November 18, 1952: Kenyatta ArrestedJomo Kenyatta, president of the Kenya African Union and the countrys leading nationalist leader is charged with managing the Mau Mau terrorist society in Kenya. He is flown to a remote district station, Kapenguria, which reportedly has no telephone or rail communications with the rest of Kenya, and is being held there incommunicado. November 25, 1952: Open RebellionOpen rebellion against British rule in Kenya is declared by the Mau Mau. In response, British forces arrest over 2000 Kikuyu who they suspect of being Mau Mau members. January 18, 1953: Death Penalty for Administering Mau Mau OathGovernor-general Sir Evelyn Baring imposes the death penalty for anyone who administers the Mau Mau oath. The oath is often forced upon Kikuyu tribesmen at the point of a knife  and calls for the individuals death if he fails to kill a European farmer when ordered. January 26, 1953: White Settlers Panic and Take ActionPanic has spread through Europeans in Kenya after the slaying of a white settler farmer and his family. Settler groups, displeased with the governments response to the increasing Mau Mau threat have created their own Commando Units to deal with the threat. Sir Evelyn Baring, the Governor-general of Kenya has announced that a new offensive is to begin under the command of Major-general William Hinde. Amongst those speaking out against the Mau Mau threat and the governments inaction is Elspeth Huxley, author (who wrote The Flame Trees of Thika in 1959), who in a recent newspaper article compares Jomo Kenyatta to Hitler. April 1, 1953: British Troops Kill Mau Maus in HighlandsBritish troops kill twenty-four Mau Mau suspects and capture an additional thirty-six during deployments in the Kenyan highlands. April 8, 1953: Kenyatta SentencedJomo Kenyatta is sentenced to seven years hard labor along with five other Kikuyu currently detained at Kapenguria. April 17, 1953: 1000 ArrestedAn additional 1000 Mau Mau suspects have been arrested over the past week around the capital Nairobi. May 3, 1953: MurdersNineteen Kikuyu members of the Home Guard are murdered by the Mau Mau. May 29, 1953: Kikuyu Cordoned OffKikuyu tribal lands are to be cordoned off from the rest of Kenya to prevent Mau Mau activists from circulating to other areas. July  1953: Mau Mau Suspects KilledAnother 100 Mau Mau suspects have been killed during British patrols in Kikuyu tribal lands. January 15, 1954: Mau Mau Leader CapturedGeneral China, the second in command of the Mau Maus military efforts is wounded and captured by British troops. March 9, 1954: More Mau Mau Leaders CapturedTwo more Mau Mau leaders have been secured: General Katanga is captured and General Tanganyika surrenders to British authority. March 1954: British PlanThe great British plan to end the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya is presented to the countrys legislature General China, captured in January, is to write to the other terrorist leaders suggesting that nothing further can be gained from the conflict and that they should surrender themselves to British troops waiting in the Aberdare foothills. April 11, 1954: Failure of the PlanBritish authorities in Kenya admit that the General China operation revealed previously to the Kenyan legislature has failed. April 24, 1954: 40,000 ArrestedOver 40,000 Kikuyu tribesmen are arrested by British forces, including 5000 Imperial troops and 1000 Policemen, during widespread, coordinated dawn raids. May 26, 1954: Treetops Hotel BurnedThe Treetops Hotel, where  Princess Elizabeth  and her husband were staying when they heard of King George VIs death and her succession to the throne of England, is burnt down by Mau Mau activists. January 18, 1955: Amnesty OfferedGovernor-general Baring offers an amnesty to Mau Mau activists if they would surrender. They would still face imprisonment but wouldnt suffer the death penalty for their crimes. European settlers are up in arms at the leniency of the offer. April 21, 1955: Murders ContinueUnmoved by the amnesty offer of Sir Evelyn Baring, Kenyas Governor-general, the Mau Mau killings continue. Two English schoolboys are murdered. June 10, 1955: Amnesty WithdrawnBritain withdraws the offer of amnesty to the Mau Mau. June 24, 1955: Death SentencesWith the amnesty withdrawn, British authorities in Kenya can proceed with the death sentence for nine Mau Mau activists implicated in the death of two English schoolboys. October 1955: Death TollOfficial reports say that more than 70,000 Kikuyu tribesmen suspected of Mau Mau membership were imprisoned, while over 13,000 people were killed by British troops and Mau Mau activists over the last three years of the Mau Mau Rebellion. January 7, 1956: Death TollThe official death toll for Mau Mau activists killed by British forces in Kenya since 1952 is said to be 10,173. February 5, 1956: Activists EscapeNine Mau Mau activists escape from  Mageta  island prison camp in Lake Victoria. July 1959: British Opposition AttacksThe deaths of 11 Mau Mau activists held at Hola Camp in Kenya is cited as part of the British opposition attacks on the UK government over its role in Africa. November 10, 1959: State of Emergency EndsThe state of emergency is ended in Kenya. January 18, 1960: Kenyan Constitutional Conference BoycottedThe Kenyan Constitutional Conference being held in London is boycotted by African nationalist leaders. April 18, 1961: Kenyatta ReleasedIn return for the release of Jomo Kenyatta, African nationalist leaders agree to take a role in Kenyas government. Legacy and Aftermath of the Mau Mau Rebellion Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963, seven years after the collapse of the uprising. Many argue that the Mau Mau uprising helped catalyze decolonization as it showed that colonial control could only be maintained through the use of extreme force. The moral and financial cost of colonization was a growing issue with British voters, and the Mau Mau revolt brought those issues to a head. The fighting between Kikuyu communities, however, made their legacy contentious within Kenya. The colonial legislation outlawing the Mau Mau defined them as terrorists, a designation that remained in place until 2003 when the Kenyan government revoked the law. The government has since established monuments celebrating Mau Mau rebels as national heroes. In 2013 the British government formally apologized for the brutal tactics it used to suppress the uprising and agreed to pay approximately  £20 million pounds in compensation to surviving victims of abuse.

All the Presidents Men Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

All the Presidents Men - Movie Review Example Just as the blockbuster about the shark succeeded precisely because it jettisoned all but the spine of the story on which it was based, so does this real-life suspense thriller benefit from narrowing its focus. The two reasons that the film stops at the midway point of the book are that time constraints simply would not have allowed the entire book to be filmed and, more importantly, because although the film is directed in the style of a mystery, the ending is already known by most filmgoers. As a result, most of the bulk of the second half of the book which details the downfall of the President's men would be viewed as little more than an anticlimax if put on film. The filmmakers made the brilliant decision to not only end their story before it devolved into a numbing lesson on what at the time was very recent history, but they also chose to end the film on a downbeat note for the reporters. The central setting of the story is the offices of the Washington Post; there are only brief and cursory visits to the home life of these reporters. That is essential toward showing that the story is bigger than they are. Even though they grow throughout the film in stature, they are constantly dwarfed by their surroundings, from the huge set of the Post offices to the monuments and landmarks in Washington. This effect of showing that these two really were very little men attempting to break through the walls of a massive system against which few would have thought they could win is most effectively portrayed in the memorable shot in the Library of Congress. The scene begins at the level of the characters as they begin flipping through book borrowing cards. The camera then slowly ascends upward and the two reporters almost get lost as they become as small as ants in the massive maze of corridors and tables of the Library of Congress as seen from its ceiling. The shot is a metaphor f or the process of both investigative journalism in general, and the investigation the most powerful man in the country in particular. Equally effective is the style of editing that contributes to an overpowering sense of isolation from power. The very idea of contemporary editing effects with shots lasting only a few seconds would be counterproductive. The film is primarily a collection of long shots and extended scenes of dialogue punctuated by appropriate moments of silence. What this method accomplishes is creating a sense of dread and fear. Paranoia runs throughout the film, especially in the scenes involving Deep Throat. Deep Throat in the book was, as he had to be, merely a cipher; he had no real personality, existing more as a talking head. Hal Holbrook infuses the character of Deep Throat with a snide and even derisive quality that pumps electricity and humanity into scenes that ran the risk of falling flat. Since Deep Throat's real identity was a mystery when the film was made, the character could have suffered by being characterized too generically. Paradoxically, Deep Throat comes off as one of the mos t human of all the characters and this is partly due to the shadowy atmosphere in which he is filmed. Even a scene as simple at the reporters pulling out a parking lot on the roof and disappearing into the vast expanse of Washington, DC is imbued with hidden horrors. All the President's Men does not just stand as one of the

Summary and Insights on Selected Bible Passages Essay

Summary and Insights on Selected Bible Passages - Essay Example To begin with, the 2nd Book of Samuel is an account of significant events in David’s reign as King. In Chapter 5, he was proclaimed the anointed ruler by God. God hides when he conveys his messages to David. He uses Nathan, a prophet to be his messenger. Nathan relayed to David the messages of God sent in his dreams. One of the most significant events ever recorded in this Book is when God established his covenant with David by detailing His promises as follows:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦I have cut you off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people of Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. The Lord declares to you that the Lord Himself will establish a house for you. When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom† (Holy Bible New International Version, 2 Sam 7: 9-12).   In other words, for winning God’s favor, David, as written in Chapter 7, received great fame, fortune and successes in all the endeavors he took including victories in all the battles he fought. At the onset, it was also disclosed that God requested David through Nathan to build a house of cedar for the Ark of the Covenant which was then housed in a tent.On Chapter 11, the dark side of King David was revealed.  

The Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Development Essay Example for Free

The Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Development Essay European Journal of Business and Managementwww.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online)Vol 4, No.8, 2012 100 and support services to accelerate the development and modernisation of MSMEs, SMEDAN badly needed to have acomprehensive understanding and knowledge of the population of MSMEs in the country, their distribution bysectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, trade, construction, mining, technology, etc, and their distribution by rural and urban areas as well as the level of vertical and horizontal linkages within and betweenvarious sectors of industry so as to access the level of industrial integration and the incidence of sub-contracting andits potential in giving a flip to industrial development. The census/survey will also enable SMEDAN to determine and assess the major operating difficulties of MSMEsrelating to both market functions (such as demand-pricing factors, supply factors, raw materials, technologyinfrastructure, etc) and policy environment as it relates to regulatory, incentive and support regimes. The overall benefits of the census/survey would hinge on the expected robust data and information, which SMEDAN wouldemploy as a basis for policy formulation, implementation and intervention, effective developmental planning, vitaladvice on new investments, grow and profitable areas, raw materials availability as well as available technology,available markets, available sources of funds and assistance.The survey exercise is also expected to adequately equip and empower SMEDAN to effectively do the following,inter alia:i. Map out effective strategies for revamping and reforming the MSMEs sub-sector through appropriatelyadvising the government on policy formulation and execution.ii. Recommend the right operators for various incentives and support by government including funding, be itloan, equity and grants.iii. Offer relevant advisory services to state governments on how best to support and invigorate MSMEs in their domains bearing their peculiarities and circumstances in mind.iv. Ide ntify viable projects for both local and foreign investors in order to attract foreign investment.v. Identify viable projects with export potentials and also identify and advise on the appropriate foreignmarkets in order to boost foreign exchange earnings.vi. Identify and assess MSMEs critical requirements in the areas of capacity building, skills gap, knowledge,skills and process and liaise with the relevant institutions and agencies of government like the National PovertyEradication Programme (NAPEP), the Centre for Management Development (CMD), the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), etc.vii. Establish a befitting business support centre for each state in the federation.viii. Facilitate the promotion and government patronage of quality local products of MSMEs for either localconsumption or export or both. 4.1 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN INDIA’S SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES (SSIs) ANDNIGERIA’S SMEs The magnitude of contributions as well as the impact of SSIs on the economic growth and development of India ishighly significant as evidenced by the following figures. The SSIs represent ninety-five percent (95%) of the totalindustrial units in India, contribute forty-five percent (45%) of the total industrial output, account for eighty percent(80%) of all employment in the industrial sector, and contribute thirty-five percent (35%) each of total exports andvalue-added by the entire manufacturing sector respectively in India. Between 1990 and 1991, SSI real growth inIndia recorded between a low of 7.1% in 1993/94 and a high of 11.3% in 1996/97.As a result of commitment and focus on SSIs and driven by their all important role in the economic development, thegovernment of India had as far back as in 1948 put in place, an effective and efficient industrial policy for developing SSIs such that by the year 2000, India had three (3) million SSIs with a production value of US$110billion, export volume of US$ 10billion and staff strength or employment figure of eighteen (18) million. Eventhough SMEs‟ performance in Nigeria shows that technology and fiscal incentives had made little positive impact onthe sub-sector given the obvious lapses in implementation modalities as well as the constraining policy andinfrastructural environment, recent estimates have put the contribution of SMEs to total industrial employment in Nigeria at seventy percent (70%) and to total manufacturing output at 10 – 15 percent. SMEs in Nigeria have beenquite active in promoting the use of local raw materials with many of them also engaged in the processing of localinputs into either intermediate or final products especially agro-allied and solid minerals products. Many SMEs havealso successfully adopted imported plant and machinery for local use and thus positioning themselves as veritable European Journal of Business and Managementwww.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online)Vol 4, No.8, 2012 101 tools for promoting technical expertise and development of indigenous entrepreneurship. The Nigerian SMEs aremostly resource-based and dispersed throughout the country (in urban, suburban and rural areas) and hence have tosome extent, facilitated the opening up of the rural areas, mitigated rural-urban drift, and significantly contributed to poverty alleviation.The following represent a brief comparison between Nigeria‟s SMEs and India‟s SSIs:i. Definition†¢ Nigeria‟s SMEs cover enterprises with total cost of N20million excluding land and total employees of between 10and 300 people†¢ India‟s SSIs are defined as units in the manufacturing, processing or preservation of goods with investment in plantand machinery not exceeding Rupees 10million ($210,000).The difference here hinges on the fact that India has no provision for mediu m scale enterprises; their focus is on thereal sector thus excluding trading and services. (ii) Credit Dispensation:†¢ In Nigeria, there are universal banks, development banks, and other special institutions, which provide credit butnot at subsidized rates.†¢ In India, there is a multi-agency system for credit flows; term loans are provided by term lending institutions andworking capital is provided by commercial banks.(iii) Funding Arrangements:†¢ In Nigeria, no minimum quantum of credits to SMEs is mandatory anymore. In the past, a percentage of totalcredits used to be mandatory for SMEs. However, 10% of banks‟ annual Profit Before Tax (PBT) is mandatory for equity investment in SMEs under the SMIEIS program.†¢ In India, 40% of total advances go to the priority sector, and 60% of net bank credit to the priority sector goes toSSIs.(iv) Management of funds invested in SMEs/SSIs:†¢ In Nigeria, the funds can be managed directly, or through a subsidiary or through a venture capital manager.†¢ In India, the credits to SSIs are driven need-ba sed limits on liberal terms with level and profitability as key factorsand not linked to security or collateral. Flexibility is the watchword with each activity assessed on its own merit.(v) Structure of BusinessesIn Nigeria, an SME must be a limited liability company†¢ In India, an SSI could be a limited liability company, or a partnership or a proprietary firm.(vi) Incentives and support to the SME/SSI sector:†¢ In Nigeria, it is mandatory for banks to set aside 10% of their annual profit before tax in support of SMEs. TheBank of Industry (BOI) is expected to provide credits to SMEs but not on soft lending rates. It is only the NigerianExport Import Bank (NEXIM) that provides soft loans to export oriented SMEs.†¢ In India, the incentive and support schemes available to SSIs are much more elaborate and include official generaland organisational support as well as support by other agencies. The nature and levels of key incentives and supportinclude but are not limited to the following:From the above, one can categorically affirm that the incentives and support given to SSIs by the government of India are quite wholesome and formidable. The package of support and incentives provided by the government of Nigeria can in fact, be said to be insignificant when compared with those of India. It is thus less surprising, thedevelopment gap between the SSIs of India and the Nigerian SME sub-sectors and hence the significant role SSIs are playing in the economic growth and development of India. The continuous reinforcement of incentives and support European Journal of Business and Managementwww.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online)Vol 4, No.8, 2012 102 to SSIs by the government of India underscores the high degree of appreciation of the importance of the SSIsubsector to the future of the Indian economy.In Nigeria, there are relatively few SMEs in the formal sector and many more in the informal sector. TheInternational Labour Organisation (ILO) has attempted to make some estimates of the contributions made to theeconomy by SMEs, including the informal sector, and believes that they account for over 60 percent of economicactivities and over 35 percent of urban employment 4.2 RESEARCH DESIGN The research design approach adopted in this work is the survey research technique. The survey approach appeared best suited for this work since it is not feasible to interview the entire population. Furthermore, in surveys, there arefixed sets of questions, and responses are systematically classified, so that quantitative comparisons can be made.The sources of primary data were through questionnaires that were administered to the SMEs owner-manager andoral interview held with them. Secondary data were gathered from earlier research work and studies that have beendone. METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS Appropriate descriptive statistical techniques such as frequency distribution and simple percentages were used tocharacterize the responses. The use of percentages analysis enables the figures in the research work which were inabsolute terms to be converted to real terms. The statistical tool facilitated the comparism of figures and standardizesdata, thereby reducing the difficulty of comparing non standardized figures. It uses 100 as its base.An in-depth examination of the responses revealed that SMEs involved in manufacturing/assembling ventures rated poor infrastructure as their greatest challenge. Worst among the infrastructural problems facing the SMEs relates toelectrical energy supply, which is rather hydra-headed. In some cases it is nonexistence in which case theentrepreneur has to provide his own energy supply. In other cases it is either epileptic in supply with incessantoutages with the attendant damages to equipment or the voltage supplied is too low as to support the plant andmachinery in use for the respective operation. The increase in production cost emanating from inadequate electric power supply to SMEs is said to be enormous. These costs relate to loss in output due to down time as a result of power outages, cost of fixing damaged equipment resulting from outages, poor quality of products as a result of bumpy production process, the high cost of fuel to operate own generating plants, costs of maintaining and servicingthese generating sets. Respondents regretted the frustration they encounter daily from power outages adding that the plant and equipment they use, especially the locally fabricated ones, can hardly absorb the shocks they are routinelysubjected to. FINDINGS SMEs have been fully recognized by governments and development experts as the main engine of economic growthand a major factor in promoting private sector development and partnership. The development of the SME sector therefore represents an essential element in the growth strategy of most economies and holds particular significancein the case of Nigeria. SMEs not only contribute significantly to improved living standards, employment generationand poverty reduction but they also bring about substantial domestic or local capital formation and achieve highlevels of productivity and capability. From a planning standpoint, SMEs are increasingly recognized as the principalmeans for achieving equitable and sustainable industrial diversification, growth and dispersal. In most countries,including the developed countries like Japan, USA, UK, etc, SMEs account for well over half of the total share of employment, sales, value added and hence contribution to GDP.A major gap in Nigeria‟s industrial development process in the past years has been the absence of a strong and virileSME sub-sector. With over 120 million people, vast productive and arable farmland, rich variety of mineral depositsand other natural resources, Nigeria should have been a haven for SMEs. Unfortunately, SMEs have not played thesignificant and crucial role they are expected to play in Nigeria‟s economic growth, development andindustrialization.

The Nature Approach :: essays research papers

The Nature Approach   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two ways in which sociologists study human behavior. The Nature approach and the Nurture approach. The Nature approach has many claims. One is; the whole universe is deterministic and follows unavoidable sequences of cause, leading to effect. What this generally means is that all the events in the world that occur are pre-determined. By what you ask? Nature (laws of physics, for example). Another claim of the Nature Approach is that man is like a puppet on strings of nature. If one wants to control man, all one has to do is find the strings. This can only be done if it is for the well being of man. Anything that man is driven to do is because of mechanics of nature; there is simply no such thing as free will. Above all, even human thought is caused and is mere epiphenomenon, which is a secondary and inconsequential effect of a main event. Any thought in which man has, are not their own thoughts, but just a part of nature. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is the Nurture approach. For centuries, conventional wisdom has held that parental nurturing will definitively shape a human’s personality and behavior. According to believers of the Nurture approach, it's the assumption that what makes human beings turn out the way they do, aside from their genes, the environmental part of human development, is the experiences they have in society, and in particular the experiences they have with the people they encounter. The origins of the nurture approach are stemmed from the studies of Copernicus and Galileo. Galileo was an Italian astronomer, natural philosopher, and one of the central architects of modern science. In his Two Chief World Systems, he set forth the idea that the sun was the center of the universe, rather than the earth. Forced to recant and forbidden to teach or talk about his views, Galileo is said to have muttered in the stillness of his room, 'Still it turns' in reference to the rotation of the earth around the sun. Galileo decentered the earth and by extension all theology which holds that the earth and creatures upon it were a special act of creation. Now, let's say we were examining an experiment performed on a set of identical twins. Twins are born with the same genetic makeup, which has been shaped by this world.

Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development

Piaget’s background Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was actually not a psychologist at first; he dedicated his time to mollusc research. In fact, by the time he was 21 he’d already published twenty scientific papers on them! He soon moved to Paris, and got a job interviewing mental patients. Before long, he was working for Alfred Binet, and refining Burt’s reasoning test. During his time working at Binet’s lab, he studied the way that children reasoned. After two years of working with children, Piaget finally realised what he wanted to investigate – children’s development!He noticed that children of a younger aged answered questions qualitatively different than those of an older age. This suggested to him that younger children were not less knowledgeable, but gave different answers because they thought differently. He spent over 10 years perfecting his theory, and it is widely acknowledged as one of the most valuable developmental theories – e specially of it’s time. It’s no lie that there are many new, possibly more valid theories now, but Piaget’s theory has had a lot of influence on schools, teaching and education all over the world.So, let’s begin exploring Piaget’s theory, the key concepts and the stages. Theories of cognitive development: Jean Piaget. September 5, 2010 at 4:00 pm 49 comments Our first years of life are an incredible, but dangerous journey. Thousands of sperm died trying to make us, and only one made it. From our journey as an embryo to a foetus – the size of a single cell to a fully sized baby – we develop more than we will our entire lives. From birth until we’re a few years old, our development is still incredibly rapid; we have so much to learn in such little time!It is advantageous to learn quickly, that way we’re more likely to survive in the cruel, unforgiving world. Piaget’s background Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was actually n ot a psychologist at first; he dedicated his time to mollusc research. In fact, by the time he was 21 he’d already published twenty scientific papers on them! He soon moved to Paris, and got a job interviewing mental patients. Before long, he was working for Alfred Binet, and refining Burt’s reasoning test. During his time working at Binet’s lab, he studied the way that children reasoned.After two years of working with children, Piaget finally realised what he wanted to investigate – children’s development! He noticed that children of a younger aged answered questions qualitatively different than those of an older age. This suggested to him that younger children were not less knowledgeable, but gave different answers because they thought differently. He spent over 10 years perfecting his theory, and it is widely acknowledged as one of the most valuable developmental theories – especially of it’s time.It’s no lie that there are many new, possibly more valid theories now, but Piaget’s theory has had a lot of influence on schools, teaching and education all over the world. So, let’s begin exploring Piaget’s theory, the key concepts and the stages. Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Background: Piaget’s theory is based on stages, whereby each stage represents a qualitatively different type of thinking. Children in stage one cannot think the same as children in stage 2, 3 or 4 etc. Transitions from one stage to another are generally very fast, and the stages always follow an invariant sequence.Another important characteristic of his stage theory is that they are universal; the stages will work for everyone in the world regardless of their differences (except their age, of course, which is what the stages are based on! ) Piaget acknowledged that there is an interaction between a child and the environment, and this is a focal point for his theory. He believed a chil d cannot learn unless they are constantly interacting with their environment, making mistakes and then learning from them. He defined children as â€Å"lone scientists†; he did not identify any need for teachers or adults in cognitive development.Children have all the cognitive mechanisms to learn on their own, and the interaction with their environment allows them to do so. To put this in perspective, another theory by Lev Vygotsky suggested that the interaction is not important at all; the child will learn when encouraged to with an adult’s assistance. The Key Concepts of Piaget’s theory: Before explaining the main part of Piaget’s theory (the four stages), it’s very important to look at some of the underlying principles behind it. †¢Schema (pl.Schemata, although some say â€Å"Schemas† for the plural) Possibly one of the most important concepts put forward by Piaget, Schemata help individuals understand the world they inhabit. They a re cognitive structures that represent a certain aspect of the world, and can be seen as categories which have certain pre-conceived ideas in them. For example, my schema for Christmas includes: Christmas trees, presents, giving, money, green, red, gold, winter, Santa Claus etc. Someone else may have an entirely different schema, such as Jesus, birth, Church, holiday, Christianity etc.Of course, there are schemata for all kinds of things – yourself (self schemata), other people (people schemata), events/situations (event schemata) and roles/occupations (role schemata). With regards to Piaget’s theory, a child might have a pre-conceived schema for a dog. If the household has a small West Highland White Terrier as a dog, the schema might be â€Å"small, furry, four legs, white†. When the child interacts with a new dog – perhaps a Labrador, it will change to incorporate the new information, such as â€Å"big, golden, smooth etc. † This is known as: â € ¢AssimilationSimply the process of incorporating new information into a pre-existing schema. So with the â€Å"dog† example, the child assimilated the Labrador’s information into the old dog schema. Assimilation is essentially fitting new information into schemata we already have in place. Unfortunately, this can lead to stereotyping. For example, if an old lady sees a teenager mug another person, she might assimilate â€Å"violence† or â€Å"crime† into her teenage schema. Next time she sees a teenager, her schema will be applied to them – and although they may be a kind person, she will probably show prejudice.Assimilation is normally a simple process, as new information already fits the pre-exisiting categories. †¢Accommodation When coming across a new object for the first time, a child will attempt to apply an old schema to the object. For consistency, let’s use the dog example again. The child may have â€Å"four legs, furryâ €  in their dog schema. When coming across another similar animal, such as a cat, they might say â€Å"Look, a dog! † – that’s assimilation. However, when told that it’s actually a cat – not a dog – they will accommodate the new information into another schema.They will now form a â€Å"cat† schema; â€Å"not all four legged furry animals are dogs – some are cats too! †. They have accommodated the new information. The process just mentioned – of assimilation then accommodation is known as – †¢Adaptation Assimilation and accommodation are the two parts of adaptation – which is simply what it says – adapting our schemata to make an accurate (enough) model of the world we live in. It is a form of learning, but an entirely different form to the kind you’d see in behaviourist psychology for example (such as operant/classical conditioning). †¢EquilibriumPiaget suggested that huma ns naturally strive to achieve a cognitive balance; there must be a balance between applying prior knowledge (assimilation) and changing schemata to account for new information (accommodation). Piaget suggested that when a child has a schema which doesn’t fit reality, there is tension in the mind. By balancing the use of assimilation and accommodation, this tension is reduced and we can proceed to higher levels of thought and learning (equilibration). The following stages form the bulk of Piaget’s theory: STAGE ONE: The Sensorimotor stage Occurs from birth to approx. years old. During this stage, information is received through all the senses. The child tries to make sense of the world during this stage, and as the name suggests, only senses and motor abilities are used to do so. The child utilizes innate behaviours to enhance this learning process, such as sucking, looking, grasping, crying and listening. To make this even more complex, there are 6 sub-stages of this one stage. To begin, the child uses only reflexes and innate behaviour. Towards the end of this stage, the child uses a range of complex sensorimotor skills. The sub-stages are as follows: 1.Reflexes (0-1 month): The child uses only innate reflexes. For example, if a nipple or dummy is put into a baby’s mouth, they will reflexively suck on it. If an object is placed in their palm, the hand will automatically grab it. These reflexes have the sole function of keeping the child alive. 2. Primary Circular Actions (1-4 months): The child now has a fixation with it’s own body with regards to behaviour(what Piaget refers to as primary behaviour); they will perform actions repeatedly on themselves (like sucking their own hand). They also begin to refine reflexes here to form more complex versions of them. 3.Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months): At around 4 months, the child begins to take an interest in their environment (their behaviour is secondary). They notice that th ey can actually influence events in their world, for example they can drop a teddy which bashes a ball on the floor. Although this occurs, the infant will not make conscious connections between what they do and the consequences, they merely observe that their actions have interesting effects. 4. Co-ordination of Secondary Circular Reactions (8-12 months): At this point, the child begins to engage in goal-directed behaviour; they begin to develop cause-effect relationships.So rather than crawl over to a teddy in a cart to pick it up, they might instead pull the cart over with the teddy in to acquire it. The child effectively knows that their behaviour will have a certain consequence. At this stage, object permanence is acquired – but I will explain this after these sub-stages. 5. Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months): At this stage, children like to use creativity and flexibility with their previous behaviours, and the result of their experimentation often leads to differ ent outcomes.So rather than grabbing a box, they might instead try to tilt or manipulate it. 6. Symbolic/Mental Representation (18-24 months): At this stage, the child develops symbolic thought and the ability to mentally represent objects in their head. Normally, the child would need to resort to trial-and-error to achieve a desired effect. Now, however, the child can ‘plan’ to some extent and mentally construct the consequences of an action in their head. Of course, predictions are not always accurate, but it is a step up from trial-and-error.There are two key examples of mental representation in children: object permanence and deferred imitation. Object permanence is when objects exist even when out of sight. In the first three sub-stages, children will not attempt to search for an object which is hidden from their view; in their mind, the object simply ceases to exist as they cannot see it. At sub-stage four, however, they show this characteristic of object permanen ce. If an object is hidden from them, they will attempt to find it, but will repeatedly look in the same place – even if the object is moved (the so called â€Å"A-not-B error†).However, by sub-stage 6, the child is able to mentally represent the object in their mind, leading to exploration for an object even if it is moved. They will continue to look for an object until they find it, as they understand objects exist regardless of where they are. Deferred imitation is simply the imitation of behaviour a child has seen before. As a child can mentally represent behaviour they have seen, they are able to enact it through playing and in other situations. So a child might ‘talk’ down a toy telephone or ‘steer’ a toy car around the room.STAGE TWO: The Pre-operational Stage Occurs from 2-7 years of age. The mental representation of the sensorimotor stage provides a smooth transition to semiotic functioning in the pre-operational stage. This essential ly means that a child can use one object to represent another (symbolically). For example, a child swinging their arms in a circular motion might represent the wheels on a train, or sticking their arms out and running might symbolise the movement of an aeroplane. This shows the relationships children can form between language, actions and objects at this stage.A major characteristic of this stage is egocentrism: perception of the world in relation to oneself only. Children struggle to perceive situations from another point of view or perspective, as shown by Piaget and Inhelder’s Three Mountains Task (1956). In this study, children were asked what can be perceived from certain positions on a 3D model. See the diagram below for a clearer idea. Piaget and Inhelder: Three Mountains Task (1956)†] [1 The child would have been asked, â€Å"What view does Piaget have? †. In the actual study though, they were shown around 8 cards of possible viewpoints rather than the th ree above.As you can imagine, the children struggled to decentralise and pick the correct picture. Another feature of this stage is conservation. Children struggle to understand the difference in quantity and measurements in different situations. For example, suppose a child is shown a short, fat beaker full of water. When that water is transferred entirely to a tall, thin beaker – we would know the level of water is identical – only the beaker has changed. However, a child in this stage will conclude there is more water in the tall beaker, just because the level of water looks higher.Children in this stage also lack the required cognition to apply reversibility to situations; they cannot imagine objects or numbers reversed to their previous form. This will be explored in the next stage (where reversibility IS present). When a child has the ability to decenter, they are said to progress to the next stage STAGE THREE: The Concrete Operational Stage Occurs from 7-11 year s of age. This stage sees another shift in children’s cognitive thinking. It is aptly named â€Å"concrete† because children struggle to apply concepts to anything which cannot physically be manipulated or seen.Nevertheless, the child continues to improve their conservation skills, and by the age of 11 they can conserve numbers, weight and volume (acquired in that order). The child can also understand principles of †class inclusion†; perspective tasks become much easier, and children begin to understand that other people actually have different views to themselves. Simple maths, such as addition/subtraction become much easier. However, as this stage is concrete, Piaget suggests children will struggle to apply any prior knowledge to abstract situations.For example, when asked seriation tasks such as â€Å"John is taller than Pete. John is shorter than Simon. Who is tallest? † , concrete children often fail to provide a correct answer as the situation is too abstract. However, when dolls are used to represent Pete, Simon and John, the children are able to answer – as the situation is bought back to a concrete one with physical representations. STAGE FOUR: The Formal Operational Stage. Occurs from age 11 onwards. Children at this stage acquire the ability to think hypothetically and â€Å"outside the box†.Logical conclusions can be inferred from verbal information, and â€Å"concrete†, physical objects are no longer necessary. When presented with a problem, children at this stage can consider solutions to the problem in a logical manner. The child becomes increasingly â€Å"adult-like† with regards to their cognitive abilities. Scientific reasoning is apparent in this stage, and is indicated by Piaget and Inhelder’s Pendulum Task (1958). When asked to determine the effect different weights and rope length have on the speed of a swinging pendulum, formal operational children came to consistent and logical conclusions.

Case Study on Pepsi

IntroductionThis project aim is to analyze the diversification strategy of PepsiCo in 2008. PepsiCo is the largest food and beverage business in the world. The benefits of PepsiCo’s diversification strategies are identified. The business strategy is analyzed to determine its efficacy across PepsiCo’s consumer business segments and product portfolio. The value chain match ups are determined and analyzed to ascertain their relevance to the success of PepsiCo’s strategy. The competitive strengths of PepsiCo’s three structural divisions and six reporting segments are assessed and related to relevant theories and strategy tools.Summary of the casePepsiCo is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient foods and beverages, with revenues of about $39.5 billio n and over 142,000 employees.The company’s portfolio of businesses in 2008 included Frito-Lay salty snacks, Quaker chewy granola bars, Pepsi soft drink products, Tropicana orange juice, Lipton Brisk tea, Gatorade, Propel, SoBe, Quaker Oatmeal, Cap’n Crunch, Aquatint, Rice-A-Roni, Aunt Jemima pan cake mix, and many other regularly consumed products. The company consists of the snack business of Frito-Lay North America and the beverage and food businesses of PepsiCo Beverages and Foods, which includes PepsiCo Beverages North America (Pepsi-Cola North America and Gatorade/Tropicana North America) and Quaker Foods North America. PepsiCo International includes the snack businesses of Frito-Lay International and beverage businesses of PepsiCo Beverages International. PepsiCo brands are available in nearly 200 countries and territories.Many of PepsiCo's brand names are over 100-years-old, but the corporation is relatively young. PepsiCo was established in 1965 through the mer ger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay. Tropicana was acquired in 1998 and PepsiCo merged with The Quaker Oats Company, including Gatorade, in 2001. PepsiCo’s success is the result of superior products, high standards of performance,  distinctive competitive strategies and the high integrity of our people.VisionThe vision of PepsiCo is to be a responsible company that supports continuous improvement of all areas across the globe in which they operate. These areas include the environment, social, and economic conditions creating a better future then the present.MissionPepsiCo’s mission is to be the world's premier consumer Products Company focused on convenient foods and beverages. They seek to produce healthy financial rewards to investors as they provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to their employees, their business partners and the communities in which they operate. And in everything they do, they strive for honesty, fairness and integrity.SWOT AnalysisStrengt hsBranding – One of PepsiCo’s top brands is of course Pepsi, one of the most recognized brands of the world, ranked according to Interbrand. As of 2008 it ranked 26th amongst top 100 global brands.Pepsi generates more than $15,000 million of annual sales. Pepsi is joined in broad recognition by such PepsiCo brands as Diet Pepsi, Gatorade Mountain Dew, Thirst Quencher, Lay’s Potato Chips, Lipton Teas (PepsiCo/Unilever Partnership), Tropicana Beverages, Fritos Corn, Tostitos Tortilla Chips, Doritos Tortilla Chips, Aquafina Bottled Water, Cheetos Cheese Flavored Snacks, Quaker Foods and Snacks, Ruffles Potato Chips, Mirinda, Tostitos Tortilla Chips, and Sierra Mist.The strength of these brands is evident in PepsiCo’s presence in over 200 countries. The company has the largest market share in the US beverage at 39%, and snack food market at 25%. Such brand dominance insures loyalty and repetitive sales which contributes to over $15 million in annual sales for the company.Finance -As one of the leading beverage and food distributors and producers in the world,PepsiCo obviously has very strong financial backing and has been performing especially well. Their basic financial statement is very promising with revenues above Coca-Cola and the highest PepsiCo has ever seen, as well as low debt and liabilities.20 PepsiCo has shown and average of six percent growth since the year 2000 and has accomplished many growth goals by acquired and manufacturing a wide range of products.The pure size of PepsiCo is a competitive advantage because they produce so many commonly used products throughout the world and are minimally leveraged by market ups and downs.Illustrating this point is their increasing ROE, ROA, and ROI ratios that have experienced great increases over the past several years where soda sales have declined Diversification – PepsiCo’s diversification is obvious in that the fact that each of its top 18 brands generates annual s ales of over $1,000 million. PepsiCo’s arsenal also includes ready-to-drink teas, juice drinks, bottled water, as well as breakfast cereals, cakes and cake mixes.This broad product base plus a multi-channel distribution system serve to help insulate PepsiCo from shifting business climates.Distribution – The company delivers its products directly from manufacturing plants and warehouses to customer warehouses and retail stores. This is part of a three pronged approach which also includes employees making direct store deliveries of snacks and beverages and the use of third party distribution services.WeaknessesOverdependence on Wal-Mart – Sales to Wal-Mart represent approximately 12% of PepsiCo’s total net revenue. Wal-Mart is PepsiCo’s largest customer. As a result PepsiCo’s fortunes are influenced by the business strategy of Wal-Mart specifically its emphasis on private-label sales which produce a higher profit margin than national brands. W al-Mart’s low price themes put pressure on PepsiCo to hold down prices.Overdependence on US Markets – Despite its international presence, 52% of its revenues originate in the US. This concentration does leave PepsiCo somewhat vulnerable to the impact of changing economic conditions, and labor strikes. Large US customers could exploit PepsiCo’s lack of bargaining power and negatively impact its revenues.Low Productivity – In 2008 PepsiCo had approximately 198,000 employees. Its revenue per employee was $219,439, which was lower than its competitors. This may indicate comparatively low productivity on the part of PepsiCo employees.Image Damage Due to Product Recall – Recently (2008) salmonella contamination forced PepsiCo to pull Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mix from retail shelves. This followed incidents of exploding Diet Pepsi cans in 2007. Such occurrences damage company image and reduce consumer confidence in PepsiCo products. OpportunitiesBro adening of Product Base – PepsiCo is seeking to address one of its potential weaknesses; dependency on US markets by acquiring Russia’s leading Juice Company, Lebedyansky, and V Wwater in the United Kingdom. It continues to broaden its product base by introducing TrueNorth Nut Snacks and increasing its Lipton Tea venture with Unilever. These recent initiatives will enable PepsiCo to adjust to the changing lifestyles of its consumers.International Expansion – PepsiCo is in the midst of making a $1, 000 million investment in China, and a $500 million investment in India. Both initiatives are part of its expansion into international markets and a lessening of its dependence on US sales. In addition the company plans on major capital initiatives in Brazil and Mexico.Growing Savory Snack and Bottled Water market in US – PepsiCo is positioned well to capitalize on the growing bottle water market which is projected to be worth over $24 million by 2012. Products such as Aquafina, and Propel are well established products and in a position to ride the upward crest. PepsiCo products such as, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks, Tostitos tortilla chips, Fritos corn chips, Ruffles potato chips, Sun Chips multigrain snacks, Rold Gold pretzels, Santitas are also benefiting from a growing savory snack market which is projected to grow as much as 27% by 2013, representing an increase of $28 million.ThreatsDecline in Carbonated Drink Sales – Soft drink sales are projected to decline by as much as 2.7% by 2012, down $ 63,459 million in value. PepsiCo is in the process of diversification, but is likely to feel the impact of the projected decline.Potential Negative Impact of Government Regulations – It is anticipated that government initiatives related to environmental, health and safety may have the potential to negatively impact PepsiCo. For example, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of food products may be al tered as a result of state, federal or local dictates. Preliminary studies on acrylamide seem to suggest that it may cause cancer in laboratory animals when consumed in significant amounts. If the company has to comply with a related regulation and add warning labels or place warnings in certain locations where its products are sold, a negative impact may result for PepsiCo.Intense Competition – The Coca-Cola Company is PepsiCo’s primary competitors. But others include Nestlà ©, Groupe Danone and Kraft Foods. Intense competition may influence pricing, advertising, sales promotion initiatives undertaken by PepsiCo. Resently Coca-Cola passed PepsiCo in Juice sales.Potential Disruption Due to Labor Unrest – Based upon recent history, PepsiCo may be vulnerable to strikes and other labor disputes. In 2008 a strike in India shut down production for nearly an entire month. This disrupted both manufacturing and distribution.PepsiCo’s ProblemNegligence on employe es – One of the main lacking components of PepsiCo’s values is their employees. Of the many concerns they have about the consumer and clients, little is said about the way employees are treated and what expectations and responsibilities are towards them. Programs exist that help employee’s take part in the community, and also future employees by offering school programs and scholarships. However, little effort is directed towards the responsibility of the company to employees. Coinciding with their values, objectives, and commitment, employees are left out of the  grand scheme and mayeven be considered a means to an end. The limited focus on employees may be a problemin the long-run due to retention issues and resulting lack of quality.Poor business strategy – PepsiCo’s business strategies were working out very well for them except for in their international operations. The international segment had relatively low profit margins which meant that PepsiCo needed to implement a new organizational structure that would better utilize strategic fits between the company’s international operations Low Productivity – In 2008 PepsiCo had approximately 198,000 employees. Its revenue per employee was $219,439, which was lower than its competitors. This may indicate comparatively low productivity on the part of PepsiCo employees.Image Damage Due to Product Recall – Recently (2008) salmonella contamination forced PepsiCo to pull Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mix from retail shelves. This followed incidents of exploding Diet Pepsi cans in 2007. Such occurrences damage company image and reduce consumer confidence in PepsiCo products.Conclusion and RecommendationOverall PepsiCo is a successful company with substantial revenue, and a large footprint in the marketplace. PepsiCo should continue to expand their growth and take advantage of potential opportunities by continuing to improve on areas at the corporate top level , in the markets that they currently are in, and in new markets and market segments that they wish to expand into and at last PepsiCo should become more proactive in the health food/product market place rather than being reactive to the market trends. They need to improve their responsiveness and future projections to market trends and changes that can therefore allude to different product segments and target markets.

Anglos and Saxons Before England

Anglos and Saxons Before England Anglos and Saxons Before England Anglos and Saxons Before England By Maeve Maddox A reader wonders about the terms Anglos and Saxons: I have often heard the term Anglo-Saxon, but never just Anglos or Saxons. However, I learned that these are two separate people groups from different areas (of what I guess is Northern Europe). If what I learned is accurate, from what countries are the Anglos, and from what countries are the Saxons? I appreciate any help. Ive been trying to confirm this information since I was in college.   In the fifth century, when the Teutonic invasions of Britain began, the map of Europe did not conform to the way the countries are arranged there today. Picture northern Europe, starting at Denmark on the Jutland Peninsula and descending along the coast opposite England, down to Belgium. In the fifth century, these lands were inhabited by tribes known as Jutes, Angles, Saxons, Frisians, and Franks. All were Germanic in ethnicity and language. A mix of these tribes migrated to England in the fifth and sixth centuries C.E. The earliest historical reference to these invasions occurs in the Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 C.E.) of the Venerable Bede. He refers only to the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes by name. The Celtic people who already lived in Britain called all the Germanic invaders â€Å"Saxons.† Latin writers came to refer to all the invaders as Angli and the country as Anglia. The Latin title of Bede’s history is Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. When the time came for the invaders to write in the vernacular, they all called the language they spoke Englisc (English). The name derives from the name for the Angles (Engle) but was used for all the dialects the invaders spoke. If you want to associate modern terms with these peoples, the Saxons, Franks, and Frisians were â€Å"German-Dutch.† The Angles were â€Å"southern Danish,† and the Jutes were â€Å"northern Danish.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Comma Before ButKn- Words in English

They As a Nonbinary Pronoun

They As a Nonbinary Pronoun They As a Nonbinary Pronoun They As a Nonbinary Pronoun By Mark Nichol A few weeks ago, an acquaintance visited me, and as my visitor exited the parked car, I saw that it was still occupied. My visitor, standing before me, made a reference to â€Å"they,† but only one person sat in the vehicle, and I was momentarily puzzled. I have written here before about my support for acceptance of they as a gender-inclusive singular pronoun; I agree with many people that he is no longer acceptable to refer to all people, and that alternatives, while often reasonable and effective, do not preclude the need to fill a curious gap in English vocabulary. However, this incident points out a new wrinkle in the issue. When the person sitting in the passenger seat got out of the car, it was obvious to me that this was someone who most observers would identify as a woman. However, two factors explained my acquaintance’s use of they to refer to the passenger: First, the person had an androgynous appearance. More significantly, my acquaintance is transgender, and a gender activist. I have been comfortable in the company of a number of people who do not conform to binary gender roles. However, this was the first time, to my knowledge, that I had been introduced to someone who rejects binary gender assignment and prefers to be identified by the fluid alternative they. This is not a sociopolitical forum, so discussion about the merit of this philosophy is irrelevant. The purpose of this post is to point out that many people do not consider themselves male or female, whether they align with physical and social characteristics associated with one gender or the other or not- and that regardless of your opinion about this issue, it exists, and it is one that writers likely will have to address at some point, if they have not already done so. Unfortunately, shifting attitudes about gender in our culture complicate expression- and, most pertinently here, composition. People are increasingly asserting a right to self-identify with a neutral use of the pronoun they. To them, gender is not relevant or significant- and that is often true. But when I met the person who prompted this post, I wondered whether my acquaintance, who was born â€Å"male† but identifies as female, also prefers the ambiguous pronoun. I didn’t ask, however, and when I used she to refer to my acquaintance, I was not corrected. Ultimately, when someone chooses to assert an identity, it is that person’s responsibility to call attention to that identification if it is relevant. For example, if I am going to speak or write of someone whose presentation is ambiguous in terms of gender, it is not my obligation to guess how that person self-identifies. But I am obliged to honor the person’s stated choice of self-identification, and that is a consideration that professional and lay writers alike will need to make as our society slowly but inexorably evolves to embrace a more fluid approach to gender identity. If it is relevant to mention a person’s gender in writing, a reporter can make one of three choices when the subject asserts gender self-identity that may not conform to the reporter’s perception: Accept, reject, or circumvent. I strongly recommend the first option, oppose the second one with equally vehemence, and acknowledge that the third choice is valid but indefensible if the subject insists on acknowledgment of his, her, or their self-identification and/or if the context requires it. In summary, they as a nonbinary gender indicator is going mainstream, and therefore is entering the lexicon as such. I’ll let the Associated Press Style Book have the last word: â€Å"In stories about people who identify as neither male nor female or ask not to be referred to as he/she/him/her:  Use the person’s name in place of a pronoun, or otherwise reword the sentence, whenever possible. If they/them/their use is essential, explain in the text that the person prefers a gender-neutral pronoun. Be sure that the phrasing does not imply more than one person.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing Prompts 101Comma Before But50 Synonyms for "Song"

Genre Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Genre Analysis - Essay Example Notably, the car started with a three wheeled vehicle that dubbed the Benz parent motor car. This car was unveiled by Karl Benz; however, a month later, a four wheeled vehicle that was powered by Daimler engine was introduced as a product of this company. Other than being a car, since it origin, the Mercedes Benz has since been known for its luxury and refinement with symbol of success, status, and good taste. The first Mercedes Benz was crafted in the year 1901 and car was named after Emil Jellinek’s daughter, Mercedes. Jellinek was one of the primary distributors of the Daimler. In the year 1926, Daimler and Benz merged and formed Daimler Benz AG and this marked the birth of Mercedes Benz. During its foundation, Daimler pointed a signified fact that his engines would be used for vehicle on the land, air, and sea (Adler 35). Notably, this fact came to fact year later, after his death. It is has ever been noted that right from its invention, Mercedes Benz has been synonymous w ith excellence in automotives. For instance, the 1931 Mercedes Benz 170 became a car in its own class since it was the first car in world with an exemplary technology that has remained extraordinary until in the contemporary automobile production. One of these features is the independent suspension provided by its four wheels. From its comfort and luxury, the Mercedes Benz did establish itself a brand of choice among the buyers especially between the 30s and 40s, thanks to the convertible cruisers including the 380 and 540K. Advancement of year led to advancement in series of Mercedes Benz and new model were unveiled. In the 1950s, the company introduced the Mercedes Benz 300 SL that was also known as the â€Å"Gullwing† and was the world ever known supercar (Adler 82). This Mercedes Benz’s model had a dramatic styling as well as race bed technology. Other than the comfort and class, Mercedes Benz Company was and is still concerned with safety technology. For instance, the Mercedes Benz 220 sedans were the first ever vehicles to incorporate â€Å"crumple zone† patented body design that intended to absorb impact in cases of crash. Changes in the market demand and technology ever pushed Mercedes Benz Company to advance in its technology and automotive designs. For instance, in the year 1963, the company launched Mercedes Benz 600 that increased the company’s reputation as one of the home best automotive luxury. Moreover, it unveiled the elegant luxurious sedan limousine and air suspension system that was marked to be a head of its time as well as a V8 engine that produced 300 horsepower. These vehicles were effective especially the same decade’s Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3, a full sized sedan that accelerated from zero to 60 within a time limit of seven seconds. This was the fasted car during its time. Other supercars that have ever been manufactured by Mercedes Benz company include the 1970s S – Class vehicles, coupes, an d opulent that provided users with powerful engines among other features. Despite development and technological demands, the Mercedes Benz has continued to provide end users with cutting edge of technologies that are convincing the users as well as safer (Adler ‘Mercedes-benz: 110 Years of Excellence†¦ 162). Notably, Mercedes Benz was the first car to offer antilock brakes. Moreover, with its continued mindful in safety aspects, Mercedes Benz was the car manufacturer to offer airbags and traction control,