Sam 445 assign 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sam 445 assign 4 - Assignment Example Since a minor league baseball team does not incur in revenues from advertising or ticket sales like a Major League Baseball team does, its survival is financially dependent on community and business donations, team fundraisers, and sales from the food concession stand in order to cover all the budgeted expenses for the year. The sales of the food concession stand also help supplement and maintain a general expense fund to cover travel expenses and any unexpected team or organizational financial contingencies and expenses. As the concessions manager it is his responsibility to maintain detailed financial receipts and organizational records in order to be able to calculate overall fixed costs and unit costs. Additionally in order for management to estimate the yearly total expenses the concessions manager provides the team general manager with estimated yearly concession food stand budgets and food costs budget in order to complete the yearly team budget. For this year the minor baseball league schedule calls for a 70 game season, plus training and team practice sessions. Cost-Volume Profit (CVP) analysis is one of the most powerful tools available to managers of all organizations big or small. The CVP process helps managers and internal stakeholders to understand how overall volume, costs and profits are all interrelated and analyzes the behavior of the following five elements (Garrison & Noreen, 2003): There are certain steps the concessions manager together with other managing team members must perform in order to utilize CVP effectively and be able to estimate total revenues and total surplus profits. The first step is to estimate the average number of individuals that will attend the team regular season games, practice sessions as well as estimating how attendance will increase if the team qualifies for the playoffs. The second step is to estimate based on

Marketing Strategies of Starbucks Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Strategies of Starbucks - Case Study Example Allegra conducted a survey of more than six thousand consumers and it was found out that Starbucks concentrated on customer satisfaction, maintained ethics and treated its suppliers fairly (Holmes, 49, 2007). Starbucks has concentrated on following the rules and regulations of United Kingdom. At the same time, it has concentrated on corporate social responsibility. Starbucks in extremely popular among all consumer segments because it concentrates on giving the best coffee and create an enthralling experience for them. At the same time, it treats both employees and customers well. In China, Starbucks had succeeded integrating the local and American culture in order to create an enchanting experience for them (Miller & Sanders, 25, 2008). Starbucks has opened more than one thousand international outlets in more than eight hundred locations. In the United Kingdom, Starbucks needs to expand its presence as it might be possible that consumers may turn to other beverages. Although Starbucks has successfully become the leader in the branded coffee provider and coffee house domain, it still faces competition from its competitors. In United Kingdom, its competitors include local coffee outlets, Caribou Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, Costa Coffee, etc. ... Competition Although Starbucks has successfully become the leader in the branded coffee provider and coffee house domain, it still faces competition from its competitors. In United Kingdom, its competitors include local coffee outlets, Caribou Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, Costa Coffee, etc. To maintain its position, Starbucks will concentrate on meeting the demands of customers (Zeithaml, 74, 2000). . China Environment Starbucks has now decided to open its first store in Beijing, in China, which is located in Park Towers Shopping Mall. It has both retail and space storage and is located in the heart of shopping activities (Strehle & Cruickshank, 201, 2007) . PEST analysis Political Factors In order to survive in the Chinese market, Starbucks needs to follow the rules and regulations of the government. At the same time, it would concentrate on customer satisfaction and maintain ethics. It will also concentrate maintaining its social corporate responsibility (Zackfta, 89, 2007). . Economical Factors Starbucks is relatively a new concept in China. For this purpose, it will concentrate on introducing new products with local taste, in order to target all consumer segments. It would concentrate on integrating local and western culture in order to generate revenues by winning customers. Social Factors Starbucks must concentrate on introducing new products, which would have local taste in order to win the consumers in China. Technological Factors Starbucks strives for constant innovation and development of new products and services. It would employ Starbucks Card and Blue Martini management system in order to retain its customers. Entry Strategy Starbucks would concentrate on entering the China market in order to promote, publicize and campaign for its

Influence of the Media on the Vietnam War

Influence of the Media on the Vietnam War The Vietnam War was divisive for America for many reasons, but the debate about the role of the media has become almost as controversial as the war itself. A popular assessment that emerged shortly after its end was that newspapers and television networks had contributed to the failure in Vietnam by becoming oppositional bringing the brutality of war, as well as criticism of the government, into American homes, influencing public attitudes and ultimately bringing about the withdrawal. In political and military circles the medias impact was deemed to be so decisive that the Department of Defense attempted the total exclusion of reporters from the invasion of Grenada in 1983, and introduced a new media pool system for the Panama invasion of 1989. In his 1986 book, The Uncensored War, Daniel Hallin challenged this view that during the war the American media shifted to an oppositional stance. In a strong empirical study, Hallin suggested the growth of critical coverage merely reflected the growing dissensus on the war, particularly within the political elite. Hallin has since drawn broad support, certainly from the academic field, and this essay supports his conclusion that the media did not become a force of opposition. In arguing that the US news media had little independent impact on the course of the war, however, I believe Hallin is wrong. This essay will begin with a brief critique of Hallins 1986 study, as this will provide a useful framework for analysis of the medias impact on the war. I will indicate why it is a sound conclusion that the media was not an institution of opposition, before stressing three omissions: the changing media; the impact of critical reporting; and the ability of an objective media to influence opinion and policy. The following sections will expand these arguments, in order to show that they are key to understanding the medias impact, and that it must be considered a factor in the course of the Vietnam War. This essay will argue that the media did have some independent impact on the course of the Vietnam War through a vicious cycle of making information about the war available, and affecting public and elite opinion. Once negative opinions formed, these were reported by the press and led to a greater split, making the Administration consider the publics reaction to military policy. Hallin a brief critique Daniel Hallin (1986) argues that news coverage was broadly supportive until 1968, operating within a sphere of consensus, with stories focused on a theme of American boys in action. The shift to critical coverage was due to elements within the administration beginning to argue publicly over the course of the war, the media never moved into a sphere of deviance where fundamental criticisms of the legitimacy of government action were made (Robinson, 2010). This shift at the time of the 1968 Tet Offensive reflected a breakdown of consensus regarding the war, both in the political elite and wider society. Hallin attributes these findings to two factors: prevalent anti-communist ideology in the USA ensured journalists and government officials were united; and the media continued to practice objective journalism the ideology and newsgathering routines of journalism did not change, the media continued using official sources and not favouring opponents of administration policy. Hallin supports his theory using quantitative data relating to the content of news media and its progression through the War period. The strength of the study lies in this empirical approach; the data are thorough and support his conclusions well, such as the fact that only 8% of all Vietnam stories contained comments reflecting favourably or unfavourably on major actors. Thus Hallin provides a very persuasive response to the oppositional thesis, but his study is much less supportive to his argument that the media had little independent impact on the course of the war. This is due to his failure to develop his argument in key areas. The first is the dramatic changes taking place in the media at the time of Vietnam. It was not the first war where atrocities were committed, nor the first to involve political debate about its course, yet these were faithfully reported during Vietnam as they had been in no war previously. Hallin does not discuss the reasons for this, and this is crucial for the evaluation of the medias impact. The second is the influence of negative reporting. Hallin does not analyse fully the effect of broadcasts such as Walter Cronkites famous declaration of stalemate and the footage of General Loan killing an unarmed Vietcong prisoner. Hallins third omission is the consideration that an objective media by what it reports can still have a significant impact on public and elite opinion. The media reported stories damaging to support for the war, albeit from an objective stance, and its effect could have been compounded by a vicious cy cle. These omissions represent my arguments for the conclusion that the media did have some impact on the course of the Vietnam War, and they are discussed below. A changing media At the time of the Vietnam War there were significant changes taking place that affected not only the stories that were available to journalists, but also crucially the way in which the news was reported by the media. As has been seen since, these developments decreased the extent of the medias deference in a time of war and enabled greater independence (Robinson, 2010). Vietnam was a war of firsts in many respects. As Susan Carruthers (2000) notes, it was the first television war. Vietnam received sustained, almost nightly, coverage for a number of years. It was the first war to be broadcast in colour (Culbert, 1998), and the first to benefit from new technologies such as satellites. In previous wars editors would order reporters to deliver timeless pieces from the battlefield, such as troops securing an area or marching across countryside, as stories had to be physically brought back to the USA before broadcast. Without this problem broadcasts began to involve current battles and combat, as they were immediately relevant to the reporting of the wars progression. This meant that much more detail about the war, particularly its human costs, reached the American public. Carruthers (2000) also points out that Vietnam marked the start of an age of investigative journalism that culminated in the Watergate scandal. As will be discussed below, the military s credibility gap encouraged journalists to root out stories for themselves, making reporting much more independent than it had been in previous wars, where the media had relied on information from military briefings. Daniel Hallin (1986) does refer to these changes, and the historical context of the war in Vietnam. He concedes, Vietnam did push journalists away from the deference of an earlier era, but perhaps neglects the significance of this change in relation to the medias impact on the war. Hallin notes that Vietnam was the first war in which reporters routinely accompanied military forces and were not subjected to censorship, giving the media extraordinary freedom to report the war without direct government control. I believe this freedom is extremely significant in the assessment of the impact of the media. It gave reporters unprecedented access to the war, which they could deliver first hand to the American public through their television sets and newspapers. In the words of Epstein (cited in Herman Chomsky, 1988), the military lost its control over the movements of the press, who could step out of their hotels and find themselves willy-nilly in the midst of bloody fighting. This freedom led to damaging exposà ©s such as Morley Safers report showing the burning of the village of Cam Ne in 1965, stories which would not have surfaced prior to Vietnam. The most important development relating to the medias influence in Vietnam was the increasing profile of television news. As Hallin (1986) attests, Television news came of age on the eve of Vietnam. CBS and NBC TV, Americas two biggest television networks, extended their nightly news bulletin from fifteen to thirty minutes in 1963, with ABC following suit in 1967. The growth of television news had a profound effect on the way news, and especially the war, was reported. News had to be selective and visually dramatic. Carlyle Thayer (1992) explains the effect this had: the war that Americans saw was almost exclusively violent, miserable, or controversial: guns firing, men falling, helicopters crashing, buildings toppling, huts burning, refugees fleeing, women wailing. For the first time the American public experienced the human suffering of war, not expressed by words or statistics, but by pictures that showed them details previously unknown to them. It must be said that Hallin (1986) credibly shows that mainstream media refrained from exposure of wars human costs for the considerable part of Vietnam. He receives support here from Lawrence Lichty, whose study of 2,300 network evening news reports from 1965 1970 showed that only 76 showed anything approaching true violence (Lichty cited in Thayer, 1992). Again, these are strong arguments in terms of disproving the oppositional thesis, but both Hallin and Lichty undervalue the effect that critical reporting can have on society. These dramatic changes in the information available to journalists, and the way in which they could report it, greatly increased the potential impact the media could have on the Administration and wartime policy. The impact of critical reporting Daniel Hallin (1986) demonstrates that there was a growth in critical coverage around the time of the 1968 Tet Offensive. In assessing the impact of the media on the war, I believe he underestimates just how critical, and how negative, some of the coverage of the war was during this period. While overall coverage may have remained objective, this is not to say that certain broadcasts were not detrimental to the war effort some are still remembered as turning points in the war. The CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite was described as the most trusted man in America. On 27th February 1968, upon returning from an inspection of the war, he proclaimed, to say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory conclusion, while describing Vietnam as a bloody experience (Carruthers, 2000). Upon hearing this broadcast, President Johnson is alleged to have told aides, it is all over (Thussu Freedman, 2003). Its effect was clear to see. On 31st March Lyndon Johnson announced he would not seek a second term as President, and in a speech to the media shortly afterwards made clear that they were in no small part responsible for his decision (Carruthers, 2000). Cronkite directly contradicted the government line on the state of the war, and went further on CBS Radio, speaking of the misleading picture of those optimistic stories weve heard about the progress of the war, and asking, Can we, as a nation, face up to the prospect of an overwhelmingly cost ly and bitter Asian War? (Braestrup, 1977). Here it is clear that Cronkite and CBS strayed in to Hallins sphere of deviance. The anchorman claimed the public had been misled by their government, and questioned the war itself. This was by no means the only instance of extremely critical reporting. Hallin is silent on the issue of the footage of General Loan, Chief of Police of South Vietnam, shooting an unarmed Vietcong sympathiser in the head, aired by NBC on 2nd February 1968. David Culbert (1998) is correct to emphasise the impact of both the footage and the still photograph, which appeared in newspapers around the world, on viewers and policy-makers alike. He also records the words of Frank McGhee, commentator for the unedited footage aired on 10th March, the war is being lost by the Administrations definition, showing another arm of the media questioning the legitimacy of the war. It is impossible, of course, to determine the actual effect of such reporting on public and elite opinion, but it is unwise to discount its impact altogether. This ignores the compelling visual evidence about the war that was offered to the American public. Culbert (1998) presents a quote from Peter Braestrup on the Loan killing that demonstrates this argument well: It was a kind of ultimate horror story that you captured in living colour. But in terms of information it told you almost nothing. This is a crucial point, and one that will be returned to in the following section, that viewers were left to fill the information void with their own meaning, drawn from what they saw. No context was given to the incident, giving the impression that it was a common occurrence. ABCs anchorman Howard Smith even resigned in February 1968 claiming the media did not provide any context for the Loan shooting or the violence of the Tet Offensive as a whole (Culbert, 1998). Many scholars have dismissed the claim that television had such a large impact on the American public during the Vietnam War. Among them is John Mueller (1971), who argues that the media followed a shift in public opinion against the war, which had actually occurred in the two years prior to the Offensive. Mueller cites rising casualties as the reason for dwindling support for the war, suggesting a similar pattern could be seen in Korea, where television coverage was minimal. Thayer (1992) notes that one survey in 1968, the time at which critical coverage is meant to have had the greatest effect, found that less than half of the television households watched the news on a given evening. This provides a certain amount of perspective for the argument that television news played a role in shaping public opinion. Nevertheless, in focusing on the violence, the controversy and the human costs of the Tet Offensive, the media contributed to turning what was a military success for the USA into a defeat for public opinion and elite consensus. Objective influence, and the vicious cycle The most important argument against Hallins assertion that the media had little impact on the course of the war is the role the media plays in the forming of opinions at home. Again, Hallin is correct in saying that the media maintained an objective stance, and his study is very convincing on this subject. However, the public shape their opinions based on the information available to them, and, as demonstrated above, the media reported stories that were politically very damaging. As Melvin Small (1987) suggests, if the media does not cover it, then it might as well not have happened, as far as the impact on the President, his advisors, the general public, and even other nations is concerned, and during Vietnam the various arms of the press resolved to provide all information about the war, whether positive or negative. This is clearly an objective position, but by reporting the negative side of the war the media informed the public that there was in fact a negative side, influencing the debate. Hallin (1986) claims that it is unclear whether the effect of public opinion would have been any different had the media been subject to censorship, but this is a weak argument. If censorship were enforced, the public would have received most of their news about the war from the government, which as it is often repeated, was painting a rosy picture of Vietnam. David Culbert (1998) claims that in a time of uncertainty, compelling visual evidence has a power denied it in ordinary circumstances. While this is true of television broadcasts, it can be applied to the media as a whole in a time of limited war. As Phillip Knightley (2004) argues, Vietnam was a war like no other, a war with no front line, no easily identifiable enemy, no simply explained cause, no clearly designated villain on whom to focus the nations hateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and, therefore, no nationwide fervour of patriotism. Combine this with the credibility gap created by the military and the government the positivity about the war consistently presented at military briefings was at odds with what reporters in the field were seeing themselves, and this divergence became clear to the public and the media were granted an exceptional role in shaping public opinion on the war. It must also not be forgotten that multiple news sources can also influence elite opinion, and so indeed can the public, and this is the basis of the vicious cycle that played some role in ending the war. It is widely agreed that the Tet Offensive was the key period of coverage of the Vietnam War, as this was the start of the shift to more critical reporting by the media. This is important because negative coverage in mainstream news encourages opponents of government policy to speak out. Hallin (1986) agrees that the anti-war movement was given increasing airtime, but says they remained fringe voices. However, how these voices were presented is not significant Hallin proves they were not afforded any favourable treatment; it is the fact that they were aired at all that had the impact. Once mainstream media carries the question of the legitimacy of government action, the public and members of the Administration are free to consider it a credible response to the situation, and encouraged to question their own position. As William Hammond (1998) attests, the broadening of the debate affected the attitudes of network anchormen and reporters: Earlier in the war, Walter Cronkite had thought nothing of referring to the Viet Cong as the Communists. After Tet he did so rarely. Government officials beginning to discuss alternative actions publicly ensured this cycle continued. It is impossible to say which factor starts this process, which is why the theory of the media being the first in a domino effect is unconvincing. It can be said, however, that critical coverage encouraged opponents to speak out about the war, were given credibility by the media, influencing public opinion and forcing the Administration to carefully consider its actions with regard to public reaction. This was clearly evident in Vietnam. I concur with Hallin that it is impossible to be certain how news affected the audience, but we can be sure that the media had an impact on the course of the war in directly influencing military decisions. Hallin (1986) agrees that considerations of public opinion were partly responsible for the limitations placed on the use of military power. Many from political and military circles maintain that intensive bombing of North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia could have produced victory (Carruthers, 2000), but it was rejected because the media would have shown its human costs. Targets were limited because extensive civilian casualties were seen as politically damaging this was only the case because the media had access to the stories of civilian casualties, and would certainly report them. The media prevented the conducting of the war by what the military deemed as the most appropriate means. Conclusions Whatever the intention behind such relentless and literal reporting of war, the result was a serious demoralisation of the home front, was President Nixons assessment of the impact of the media in Vietnam (Robinson, 2010). Its impact is still widely debated due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to determine the exact effect of news coverage on the American public over its duration. It is clear that both public opinion and the breakdown of elite political consensus were decisive in the course of the war, and its end. What Hallins study and many that support it fail to recognise is that the news media play a crucial role in the shaping of these opinions. The potential impact of this role was increased in Vietnam due to the unusual circumstances of limited war, and the dramatic changes that were occurring in the US news media at the time. The willingness of high profile journalists and broadcasters to make critical statements about the war compounded this effect. The combination of these developments meant that the media had greater access to information both positive and negative about the war, but that the negative was more akin to the emerging style of television news. The media did not become an oppositional force, though some instances of critical reporting did directly question the legitimacy of Administration policy. In reporting, from an objective stance, negative views of the war, the media invited Americans to question the credibility of the war and their government, part of a vicious cycle that led to more negative feeling about the war.

Proverbs Essay -- Bible Religion

Proverbs: Choice and Discernment, the Two Ways of Living   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In studying the book of Proverbs there is a similar theme of choice and discernment, the teachings of decision-making and the repercussions of your actions. These books are made up of extremes and polar opposites. The dualisms are the rich and poor, the righteous and the wicked, and the wise and the foolish. There is advice given and it is up to the judgment of the person to which category they will fall into. There are two ways of living, and based on the person’s discernment and ultimate choice to which one they will get to live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper will focus on Proverbs 10, 12, and 14, Solomon’s Proverbs, to display this theme of choice and discernment. Proverb 10 is an antithetical parallelism, because the second line is opposite of the first. This passage is both observational and didactic. Some of the passages are subtle entities and some are teachings that promote an ideal. â€Å" Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief† (10:1). This first passage is very simple; if you are wise, then you will be good to your parents, the teaching is, do not be foolish. The next passage has great insight, â€Å"wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life† (10:2). This passage is an ellipsis because it leaves out detail to how exactly honesty can save your life, but it will do you more good than being dishonest. You will be rewarded for choosing to act wisely. â€Å"The Lord will not let good people go hun gry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want† (10:3). This passage shows the world as a just world, that God/dess will keep things even keel, even though this is not the case. Things are unfair sometimes, and using observation on personal life experiences, bad things can happen to good people. Although this passage does teach that if you choose to be good, you will be taken care of, and if you choose to be wicked you will not always get what you want. There are two choices here on how to live, good or wicked, and good judgment would be choosing to be good. It encourages again the need for right decision making. These passages lack emotion; they are just a steady flow of advice. They speak of retribution; you will get what’s coming to you. If you choose to be lazy, you will be poor and not achieve any status, if you choose... ... that if you make the right decision, God will help you, he will guide and save you. This maybe the details that are left out of Proverbs, there may not be a need for detail at all. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, don’t be lazy, the out come then will be the help of the Lord. This advice is God/dess’ guidance, it is then up to you which path you will take, what decisions will be made, and which life you choose to live. The Lord can only bring us this far; He/She is unable to help, if we are do not make the right decisions and live righteously.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Bricker, Daniel P. The Doctrine of the â€Å"Two Ways† in Proverbs. Doctoral candidate in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. 1995. ATLA index. Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreter’s Bible, twelve volumes. Abingdon Press,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nashville, 1984.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clifford, Richard J., A Commentary by†¦ Proverbs, The Old Testament Library.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Editorial Advisory Board; James L. Mays, Carol A. Newsom, David I.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Petersen. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, 1999. Drane, John. Introducing the Old Testament. Harper & Row, Publishers. San Francisco,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1987.

Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) Essay

Introduction O.T.T. Incorporated, principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of clothing, has six investments remaining in the department’s portfolio as of December 31. According to ASC, this memo analyzes whether any of its investments are other-than-temporary impaired, and determines the amount of the impairment. Facts Investment 1 — Happy New Year & Co. OTT purchased 11 shares of Happy New Year & Co. stock on at $20 a share †¨on Jan. 3, 20X1, and the price dropped to $15 in March and remained steady till Dec. 31, 20X1. OTT management does not believe the decline in price to be permanent and has asserted that it does not intend to sell this investment in the future. Investment 2 – Beary Beary OTT held notes of Beary Beary with an amortized cost of $95 and a fair value of $88 on Dec. 31, 20X1. OTT’s investment committee established a policy requiring the sale of this security when the fair value declines below $90. Investment 3 – Buy-A-Lot Company OTT held bonds of Buy-A-Lot Company with an amortized cost of $100 and a fair value of $88 as of December 31, 20X1. The company’s credit rating upgraded from BBB to BBB+ that management has asserted it does not intend to sell this investment. Investment 4 – March Madness Incorporated On March 25, 20X1, OTT bought 50 shares of March Madness Incorporated stock †¨at $100 a share, classifying its investment as available for sale. As of December 31, 20X1, the price of the stock was $72. On January 31, 20X2, the date the Company’s financial statements are issued, the price of the stock went up to $75. Investment 5 — Tohoku Toys OTT held bonds issued by Tohoku Toys with an amortized cost of $25 and a fair value of $5 as of December 31, 20X1. Tohoku Toys is going through a restructuring because it was significantly affected by a severe earthquake in April 20X1. OTT does not believe that the restructuring will ultimately be successful. Investment 6 — Chatterbox OTT holds a debt security issued by Chatterbox with an amortized cost of $100 and a fair value of $90 as of December 31, 20X1. The present value of the cash flows OTT expects to receive, discounted at the security’s original effective interest rate is $92 as of December 31, 20X1. OTT intends to sell this security. Issues The other-than-temporary impairment depends on two issues:  ·Whether the fair value of the investment is less than its cost.  ·The impairment is either temporary or other than temporary depending on other guidance when the fair value is less than its cost. Discussion Investment 1—Happy New Year & Co. ASC 323-10-35-32: â€Å"A loss in value of an investment that is other than a temporary decline shall be recognized. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity that would justify the carrying amount of the investment.† ASC 320-10-35-34: â€Å"If it is determined in Step 2 that the impairment is other than temporary, then an impairment loss shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s cost and its fair value at the balance sheet date of the reporting period for which the assessment is made.† Because the share price had a large decline from $20 to $15 and remained steady around $15 in most of time, it seems the share is absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment. Therefore, other-than-temporary impairment has  occurred, and loss of $55 (11*$5) should be recorded. Investment 2 – Beary Beary ASC 320-10-35-33A: â€Å"If an entity intends to sell the debt security (that is, it has decided to sell the security), an other-than-temporary impairment shall be considered to have occurred.† The company intends to sell the investment because the fair value is below $90. Therefore, other-than-temporary impairment has occurred, and loss of $7 ($95-$88) should be recorded. Investment 3 – Buy-A-Lot Company ASC 320-10-35-33F: â€Å"Changes in the quality of the credit enhancement should be considered when estimating whether a credit loss exists and the period over which the debt security is expected to recover.† Although the fair value of the investment was lower than the amortized cost, the credit rating had been upgraded from BBB to BBB+, and the investment does not intend to be sold. These evidence show that the bond is expected to recover, so no other-than-temporary impairment has occurred. Investment 4 – March Madness Incorporated ASC 320-10-35-34: â€Å"The fair value of the investment would then become the new amortized cost basis of the investment and shall not be adjusted for subsequent recoveries in fair value.† Based on ASC 320-10-35-34 I mentioned above, the other-than-temporary impairment should be recoded as $28 ($100-$72) as of December 31, 20X1. On January 31, 20X2, when the price of the stock went up to $75, the other-than-temporary impairment should be recoded as $25 ($100-$75). If the share price was $95 instead of $75 on January 31, 20X2, I think no other-than-temporary impairment needs to be recorded, because there is no material decrease occurred. Investment 5 — Tohoku Toys ASC 320-10-35-35: â€Å"In periods after the recognition of an other-than-temporary impairment loss for debt securities, an entity shall account for the other-than-temporarily impaired debt security as if the debt security had been purchased on the measurement date of the  other-than-temporary impairment at an amortized cost basis equal to the previous amortized cost basis less the other-than-temporary impairment recognized in earnings. For debt securities for which other-than-temporary impairments were recognized in earnings, the difference between the new amortized cost basis and the cash flows expected to be collected shall be accreted in accordance with existing applicable guidance as interest income.† Although Tohoku Toys is undergoing a restructuring because of earthquake, OTT does not believe the restructuring will be successful. Based on authoritative literature mentioned above, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized as $20 ($25-$5) when no addition evidence provided. Investment 6 — Chatterbox –Alternative 1: SAB 320-10-35-34B: â€Å"If an entity intends to sell the security or more likely than not will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis and its fair value at the balance sheet date.† Based on the authoritative literature, if OTT intends to sell this security, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis ($100) and its fair value ($90), which is $10. –Alternative 2: SAB 320-10-35-34C: â€Å"If an entity does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be separated into both of the following: a. The amount representing the credit loss. b. The amount related to all other factors. Different from alternative 1, if OTT does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security, †¨the credit loss will be $8 ($100-$92) and other factor loss will  be $2 ($10-$8).

Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) and its infiltration into Eastern European Markets

Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) has increased demand over the recent past due to benefits that these products possess. Countries such as the US have used these products over the last decade, but some countries are currently realizing the benefits that the products have in local markets. It is therefore very important to analyze the benefits that these products have over wood products and how they can be made available to countries that have realized their potential, especially those in Western Europe. This paper aims at analyzing the manufacturing process of Wood polymer Composite, the history of the same products and the benefits and costs that such products have over wood. The paper will also analyze the level of demand that WPC products have in Western Europe, the available opportunities and the challenges of expanding these opportunities. Finally, the paper will give a brief conclusion on the subject and give a recommendation on the same. Table of Contents Abstract 1 Introduction. 2 History. 3 How WPC is manufactured. 3 Benefits of WPC. 4 Weaknesses. 5 WPC demand in Western Europe. 6 Growth in the use of WPC 8 Countries to be targeted. 8 Distribution 9 Challenges of expanding the use of WPC. 10 Conclusion and recommendation. 11 Works cited. 13 Introduction. The use of WPC products has increased in several countries and this can be traced to the benefits that such products possess. WPC products have several qualities that make them superior to wood, and this is the major reason that makes them popular in several markets. They are usually used in the construction industry, and some countries use these products for outdoor activities. These products are also very useful in the automobile industry. It is important to understand the nature of the Wood Polymer Composite before analyzing it further . Wood Polymer Composite is a material that is manufactured through impregnation of wood with monomers, after which the resultant product undergoes polymerization. This enables the materials to be tailored to special needs, and this is necessitated by the resultant properties that such materials possess. These include enhanced mechanical characteristics and lightness, but these will be discussed at a later stage. WPC is used for a wide range of activities and these include automotive engineering, construction and building. WPC is used for a wide range of activities such as outdoor floors, indoor furniture, fences, railings, park benches, landscaping timbers, door and window frames among others. History. Karpov is reportedly the first person who did research on WPC and he did this during 1960. Other researchers such as Meyer, Kent and Kenaga also conducted various researches on the prospects of producing WPC in various countries. These countries include Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, UK, South Africa and Denmark among other countries. The use of atomic energy such as gamma radiation has been a major contributor to development of WPC. The expansion of petrochemical industry market policies has also been linked to the development of WPC. These materials are relatively new to the market, especially considering the long history that wood has been used. However, their superior qualities are increasing their demand by a variety of consumers. These qualities that the WPC materials possess will be discussed at a later stage, but can be broadly classified as aesthetic and usage qualities. How WPC is manufactured. A palleted compound is fed through a gravity bunker into extruder. This mixture is heated until it melts to form a mass that flows uniformly in the extruder's cylinder. There is a screw present inside the extruder and this presses the melt flow through the die's slit. The extrusion process subsequently undergoes cooling with the use of a water tank. It is afterward pulled through water by a tractor to cool it . The sudden temperature change makes the extruded blank cool and shrink. the size of the final product is not only decided by the cooling but also by the traction speed. The extruded blank is further pulled by the tractor at a uniform speed to the handling and cutting table. The cutter subsequently holds the extruded profile and cuts it to the desired length. Benefits of WPC. Consumers are increasingly choosing WPC over wood due to the many benefits that they possess, over wood. Although they cost more than wood, they have superior features that make consumers ignore the price and purchase them. The consumers ignore the price since they reason that the long term costs of maintaining wood materials will supersede the cost of purchasing the WPC. Some of the benefits of WPC will be discussed below. One benefit of the use of WPC is that these products are weather resistant and moisture resistant. Another benefit is that these products have natural feel, longevity and dimensional stability. They are also more attractive than the natural wood, and this is the reason that they are used as finishes to various products. This makes them more popular than wood. They are also manufactured using various colors, which makes them attractive without the need for them o be painted. These products have also the ability to retain screws and nails for longer periods of time compared to wood. WPC products, unlike wood, are immune to termite attacks. This is one major problem that many consumers of wood products complain about, since termite attacks render the wood weak. This necessitates the need to replace such wood, which is expensive. Since WPC is resistant to termite attacks, this makes it popular with consumers. WPC is more environmental friendly than wood, and this is because of the following reason. As has been discussed, WPC products require lesser maintenance compared to wood. This means that these products last longer than ordinary wood, which necessitates fewer cases of replacing them. This translates to fewer trees being cut and hence is more friendly to the environment compared to wood. These products are also seen to be friendly to the environment as compared to wood, since they are mixed with other products during the manufacturing process. This means that the amount of wood used to manufacture these products is relatively less, and hence helps conserve the environment. WPC products are resistant to splitting and cracking. This feature makes them have the ability to be molded into various shapes and sizes, whether or not someone has the details on the wood grains. This is one feature that is superior to that of wood, since wood is prone to splitting when being molded. They also possess cellulose that can be as high as 70%, which makes them have similar properties to wood . Weaknesses. When WPC is being manufactured, there are many elements that are added to improve the capabilities of these materials. Such materials include adhesives and polymers and these complicate the process of recycling these materials. WPC is considered to have many impurities that make the recycling process more difficult, which means that fewer WPC materials are recycled, as compared to wood. This has a negative impact on the environment. Another weakness of WPC materials is that they are prone to staining due to the porous nature of such materials. These materials are porous and can be stained by some solvents, which might affect their beauty. The process of altering wood to a form where it can be used more effectively when finishing exposes some weaknesses. Since nitrocellulose polymers come into contact with organic solvents when carrying out the finishing operations, this makes organic solvents to be released in air before they dry. This presents a host of problems mainly to people who work around such environments. One problem is the danger of explosion or flammability of the solvents. The other is the potential health problems to workers due to inhalation of the vapor. When the air is released into the atmosphere, it poses a problem to the neighboring community. This final stage also presents another challenge to producers and this involves the drying process. As has been stated earlier, during this process, some organic solvents are released to the atmosphere. This solvent is expensive and some producers are not willing to ‘waste' it, thereby ignoring the process. Dispersing the vapor and recycling materials, in order to acquire the solvents is energy intensive and costly. WPC demand in Western Europe. The demand for WPC has risen in Europe, and this was after the success of similar products in American markets. European producers have envied their American counterparts for many years and they currently have an opportunity to reap the benefits of WPC products. The demand for these products has increased mainly because of the fact that the high purchase cost is compensated by the low costs of maintenance. This makes the products cheaper in the long run. Their durability is also another factor that has led to massive increase in demand of these products in Europe. According to the Hackwell group, the projected growth rate for WPC products in 2009 is expected to be close to 10%, which represents increase from 100,000 tonnes that were purchased in 1999, to approximately 144,000 tonnes. This is equivalent to approximately 290 million Euro. In 2004, Germany was producing approximately 5000 tonnes of WPC each year. In 2007, Europe produced approximately 100,000 tonnes of the same product, with Germany producing 20% of this total. When these figures are compared to those of North America, it becomes clear that Europe is lagging in the consumption of WPC. North America produced over 700,000 tonnes in 2005 and by 2010, the production is widely expected to rise to 1. 6 million tonnes. Most producers are based in countries which consume WPC the most and these include France, UK and Germany. However, there is a growing trend where suppliers establish themselves in emerging markets for these products, and these markets include Italy, Sweden and Netherlands. Currently, the major European consumer of WPC, is the automobile industry. Germany is among the highest European consumers and uses WPC for manufacture of vehicles such as BMW, Daimer Chrysler and Audi. These companies use between 7 and 10 kg for each vehicle, and WPC is used for car parts such as headliners, acoustic panels, interior panels, parcel shelves and seat panels. WPC especially convenient for these car parts due to its good strength, lower cost, ease in processing and light weight. In fact, estimates show that 90 million Euro has been used on research by automobile industry in Germany over the last decade. The general automotive industry consumes over 50% of the total WPC consumed in Europe. This is a stark contrast with the worldwide consumption trends, which reveal that automobiles consume less than 7% of the total WPC consumed worldwide. This means that there is a lot of untapped potential for the WPC in Europe, since furniture and construction are among the major consumers of WPC worldwide. Growth in the use of WPC There is optimism that consumption of WPC will increase in Western Europe due to certain technical innovations that aim at reducing the inefficiencies of the current WPC products. For instance, Austria's Melamine International developed melamine resin which is one of a kind since it can be extruded. Its thermoset is created in such a way that it allows the use of wood flour and fiber mix of 70%. This mix improves on the weaknesses of the current WPCs that are thermoplastic based. Such weaknesses include lower levels of stability when exposed to high temperatures, and they are solved through combining the product performance, and processing behavior of this thermostat. Products created using this technology are reputed to have higher resistance to scratch as well as better mechanical properties. In Netherlands, Holland Colours has produced natural colorants which are dust free which will be used in pigmenting WPC profiles. These additives allow faster color changes to be made, as well as reduce tear around the edges of such materials. Countries to be targeted. As has been discussed, there is a major potential for the use of WPC in Europe. Most economies are growing at a fast rate and there are increasingly new investments in most of the European countries. There has also been considerable growth in the real estate and automobile industry. This necessitates the need to develop and use WPC materials in a majority of these countries. Russia is one country which has the potential to make a major investment in this sector. Going by the success of the WPC in the US, Russia has an opportunity to reap the benefits that have been enjoyed by the US for over a decade. Germany has been seen to have invested in WPC in its automobile industry. As has been discussed earlier, Germany is among the leading WPC consumers in Europe. However, the bulk of the investment is in the automobile industry. This has been seen to go against the global trend where most of the consumption of WPC goes to construction sector. Germany therefore has a chance to increase consumption of WPC through diversifying its use beyond the automobile sector into other sectors of the economy. Another country that has the opportunity to take advantage of the use of WPC is France. France is one of the leading vehicle manufacturers and is also Germany's largest trading partner. France therefore should invest in WPC through importing the technology from Germany through their trade agreements. This will help improve the automobile industry, after which WPC will be used for other industries. This will not only create jobs, but will improve the overall utility derived by the consumers from these products. Distribution When undertaking distribution activities, it is imperative that there is a form of outsourcing for the minor services and operations. Outsourcing involves delegating the minor operations or activities that a company undertakes, to a third party so that the company can concentrate on its core duties and responsibilities. In undertaking distribution, these countries should outsource the minor functions so that they are not distracted from their core activities. One service that the companies can outsource is the maintenance of the warehouse. Outsourcing this service will enable the vendors, who are professionals in this operation, to provide warehousing services for the products that have been produced or imported. This will increase efficiency and reduce costs since the company can now concentrate on its core business. The companies should distribute the products to the clients through retailers and wholesalers. These are people who have high information an knowledge on the market since they are closer to the consumers. There should however be as few middlemen as possible in order to prevent the prices from rising. This is also done to prevent chances of the WPC products experiencing pilferage. When selling the products, the companies dealing in WPC product should use the correct forms of advertising so that they might capture a large number of clients. They may sell the WPC products under the theme ‘saving the environment' and organize for support from the local environmentalists. Some people might be against these products given the fact that these products still make use of trees, but as long as the products helps conserve the environment, even if it is one tree, the members of the public will identify with the product. Challenges of expanding the use of WPC. There are several challenges that face the use of WPC, which thereby hinder investment in this market. These challenges stem from the nature of the business and also the behavior of the investors. These challenges will be discussed below. The first challenge is that some European manufacturers are hesitant to the use of WPC in manufacture of car parts since these materials go against the European Union's directive of End of Life, when manufacturing products . The EU requires vehicles to be manufactured in such a way that once the life of a vehicle is over, 85% of it should be able to be recovered. Such vehicles have their parts recycled and metals extracted for the same purpose. However, in spite of the legislation, the growth of the use of WPC in automobiles is still expected to rise by about 4% each year. European environmental groups also oppose the use of WPC in manufacture of various products due to the perception that it has contents which are toxic . Another reason given by the groups include the perception that the manufacturing process emits some fumes which negatively affect the environment. There are also very few WPC manufacturers in Western Europe, since most are not willing to take the risk and experiment with new products. In Western Europe, there are only about ten producers of WPC, yet there are more than fifty such producers in North America. Most potential manufacturers are observing the market trends before fully investing in the trade. Financial analysts believe that by the end of the next three years, may producers will have invested in the trade, going by the current market demand. There needs to be incentives that encourage entry of new players in this industry . There are also challenges that are faced due to the rising costs of wood flour. This is one of the materials that are used in manufacturing WPC. According to senior managers in the wood industry, German prices for wood flour have increased by over 30% during the past year. This has the effect of increasing the prices of the final product which will discourage consumers from purchasing them. It is important for the German government to regulate the prices of material used in this process, since WPC products have benefits that far outweigh the costs. Conclusion and recommendation. It is evident that WPC products play a very important role in conserving the environment . Not only do WPC products conserve the environment, they have many features that make them superior over wood. These have been discussed in the paper, and it clearly proves that WPC products are better than wood. However, the fact that these products conserve the environment, this should be a major reason why people should embrace these products. This is because the environment is very important and it goes beyond the needs of the present generation. Environmental groups should come together and look for support in order to encourage people to use these products. It has also been seen that there is enormous potential that exists in Western Europe but is untapped due to many factors. Many producers are not willing to venture into an untested market, but they should observe the model that worked for the US government. The US economic environment is relatively similar to the economies of most of the Western European countries. This should act as an incentive for the European countries to invest in the WPC product market . The European Union should consider changing the legislation that requires manufacturers to manufacture vehicles in such a way that 85% of it should be able to be recovered. This will enable the consumption of WPC by motor vehicle manufacturers from the current 10% to approximately 80% each year . European governments also need to offer incentives to producers willing to invest in WPC products since this will encourage many investors to venture into this field. The benefits of this investment will not only be felt by these investors, but they will trickle down to the general population. In developing a distribution means, the companies that venture into this market should aim to reduce the costs of the products as much as possible. This is necessary especially considering the fact that this is a new product in the market and high prices will discourage consumers from purchasing it . The reduction in price can be achieved through the reduction of middlemen in the distribution process as well as outsourcing some non-core activities to vendors. Finally, it is important for all stakeholders involved to realize that benefits of such a kind of investment will not only help the current generation, but will help the future generation. The current generation will benefit from economic growth, employment opportunities and improvement in the standards of living. On the other hand, the future generation will benefit from the conservation of the environment which will ensure their future survival.

Essay on Business Management vs The CelestialsEssay Writing Service

Essay on Business Management vs The CelestialsEssay Writing Service Essay on Business Management vs The Celestials Essay on Business Management vs The CelestialsThe Celestials is the book that uncovers the complex employment relations in the US on the dawn of its rapid industrialization and profound transformations which allowed the US to become one of the leading economies in the world. The book depicts the strike of American employees dissatisfied with their position and conditions of work with Chinese employees arriving to replace them and, thus, to cause the failure of the strike. All these issues are very important for business management because today conflicts between employees and employers are frequent and employers have to resolve such complex, whereas the hiring of new employees is potentially a good option for the employer to resolve the employment conflict fast. However, today, business managers cannot act as simple as Sampson did in the book hiring Chinese. Nevertheless, issues raised by the book are still relevant and reveal the complexity of the employment relations in the US.Chin ese employees arrive to the US in search of a new, better life. In fact, they do not even speak English but their foreman. Nevertheless, they are ready to work hard, even if they receive next to nothing. Chinese employees become the perfect tool in hands of Sampson to suppress the strike of American employees, headed by Crispins, who attempt to force Sampson to create better conditions of work and provide employees with decent pay and workplace safety. Crispins personify the rebellious labor force since they struggle for their rights and they unite their efforts in the strike to oppose to the employer and to force the employer to meet their requirements (Friedman 146). At the same time, the example of Crispins turns out to be effective in terms of the rise of the labor and union movement. For instance, one of the leaders of Chinese employees, Ah Chung, actually becomes a Crispin-like striker because he is fully aware of the unjust and unfair policies to Chinese workers conducted by Sampson.In such a way, the book reveals the complex business management issues, especially when the conflict between employers and employees remains unresolved and leads to the open confrontation between them. The book uncovers possible ways business owners can choose to deal with the strike. In fact, they have a few options to choose from (Zaleska, Gratton, Bleackley 123). For instance, they may act just like Sampson did, when he referred to Chinese employees as strike breakers, who arrived to replace American employees and who were ready to work for next to nothing. Such strategy is efficient for the employer but destructive for the labor movement because it leads to the confrontation between employees rather than between employees and employers. At this point, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the conflict originates because of the unwillingness of Simpson to offer employees basic employment benefits and create normal conditions of work. Instead, he preferred tr eating employees as mere commodities and to rip off maximum profits even at cost of the life of his employees.In such a situation, the arrival of Chinese employees was a salvation for him and his business which could be ruined, if the strike continued (Bell 182). Anyway, without Chinese employees, he would not have other options to force American employees to get back to work. Instead, he would have to negotiate and introduce changes which could meet demands of employees, at least partially.At the same time, the arrival of Chinese employees and their destructive impact on the strike raised not only the tension between employees but it also caused the raise of racism because white employees viewed Chinese as a threat to their position in the US labor market (Clarke 16). As Chinese workers took their positions, American employees grew angry and turned into racist in relation to Chinese employees. Therefore, the book also shows the rise of the racial tension which is very important not only in social terms but also in business management terms. To put it more precisely, the tension between Chinese and American employees raised the problem of their work together, although they could work in one company, for instance. Therefore, business managers should come prepared to interracial conflicts in the workplace environment.Another important business management problem raised by the book is the problem of the effective communication between managers of the company and Chinese employees. In fact, Chinese employees, who did not speak English, were perfect for the employer because they were ready to work hard for minimal wages. However, Chinese employees were a nightmare for the average manager, who had to communicate with them on the regular basis and manage their work and performance. Obviously, the language barriers were unsurpassable and it was only due to Charlie Sing, the English speaking foreman of Chinese employees, they could communicate somehow. However, in the contemporary business environment, for instance, such communication would hardly be effective.Thus, the book uncovers the complexity of employer-employee relations in the US and the rise of the labor movement.

Dancing Diety essays

Dancing Diety essays For a long time I have had a vast interest in a small sculpture located in my parents entryway. This sculpture is a figure with four arms, stands on one leg atop what appears to be a baby, and wears a funny looking headdress of some sort. For years Ive wondered why this little man had four arms, stood in such an uncomfortable-looking fashion, and what meaning he has. Finally, my wonder has turned to insight, as a course I took in college, Art History, has suddenly shown me the light. The first real picture that I saw of this funny little guy, Nataraja, was in our textbook where I learned he is a god adopted by the ancient Indian imperial Cholas. We were then assigned a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts where I had my first look at an original sculpture of the dancing god. The piece is named Shiva Nataraja (Lord of the Dance). It is an archetypal sculpture made in the late tenth century by an unknown artist and was found in a temple near Pondicherry, India. The sculpture my parents have is a cast metal one with a very dull gray luster, about six inches high. You can tell with close examination that this was most likely one of many made from the same cast and sold as a souvenir type item. The one at the museum was quite different as it is made from bronze with a much smoother appearance and stands about twenty-eight inches high. Aligning the nose, naval, and weight bearing foot, the central axis of the figure maintains his center of balance and e quilibrium, while his arms extend asymmetrically to each side. The smaller figure at my parents is much more flat, and looks as if he is struggling to stand on his one leg. The one at the museum is much more three-dimensional, and looks much more relaxed. At first glance of this graceful dancing deity, my first reaction was one of awe. The fact that the piece is very old and is still fully intact is amazing in itself. Also, I didnt think...

Pronoun Case on ACT English Tips and Practice Questions

Pronoun Case on ACT English Tips and Practice Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Pronoun case is a grammar rule that tends to be broken by most English speakers. Perhaps of more concern to you, questions that test your knowledge of pronoun case often appear on the ACT. Master this rule and you’ll be one step closer to mastering the ACT English section. There are multiple pronoun rules that are tested in ACT English. This one is relatively straightforward and tends to be tested less often than ambiguous antecedents or pronoun antecedent agreement. However, if you are aiming for that 30+ score, you should be ready if you encounter a pronoun case question. In this post, I’ll do the following: Explain the difference between subjects and objects. Give you a clear understanding of pronoun case. Offer strategies that can help you correctly answer pronoun case questions. Provide you with practice questions so you can test what you’ve learned. Quick Review: What's a Pronoun? A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. The noun to which the pronoun refers is called the antecedent. Some examples of pronouns include I, he, she, it, me, him, her, their, we, andus. What Is Pronoun Case? Case refers to whether a pronoun is being used as a subject or an object. What Is a Subject? Simply, a subject is the noun that corresponds with a verb in a sentence. In a sentence in which there is an action, the subject is the noun that's doing the action. Here is an example: Dave likes techno music. Dave is the subject because he's doing the liking. In a sentence in which there's a description, typically using a form of the verb "to be," the subject is the noun that is being described. Check out this sentence: Dave is brilliant. Dave is the subject because he is the person who is brilliant. What Is an Object? An object is a noun that receives an action. An object can be a direct object, an object of a preposition, or an indirect object. This is an example sentence. The direct object of the verb is in bold: I opened the door. The direct object is "the door" because that is what I opened. Here is a sentence with an object of a preposition: Chuck spoke to his girlfriend. Chuck's girlfriend is the object because she is the person to whom he spoke. Also, an object of a preposition always follows a preposition. In this case, "girlfriend" follows the preposition "to." An indirect object comes before the direct object and indicates to whom or for whom the action is done and who is receiving the direct object. Here's an example sentence with the indirect object bolded: The government gave Matt a tax refund. Matt is the indirect object because the government gave a refund to him. He received the direct object.If you're confused by the concept of an indirect object, for pronoun case questions, just remember that the object receives the action, either directly or indirectly. Subject Pronouns Vs. Object Pronouns If a noun is being used as a subject, the noun can be replaced by a subject pronoun. If a noun is being used as an object, the noun can be replaced by an object pronoun. Here's a list of subject pronouns: SUBJECT PRONOUNS Here's a list of the object pronouns that correspond with the subject pronouns from above: OBJECT PRONOUNS If you understand everything up to this point, you're ready to take on pronoun case questions on the ACT. Here we go! Pronoun Case in ACT English The ACT tests whether you should use a subject or an object pronoun. You will be tested on the following subject/object pairs. I Vs. Me She, He Vs. Her, Him We Vs. Us They Vs. Them Let's go through the process of how to decide whether to use a subject or an object pronoun in a given sentence. ACT English Strategy Here are some example sentences demonstrating how subject pronouns can replace subjects and object pronouns can replace objects. Take a look at the following sentence: Nancy offered valuable guidance. Let's replace "Nancy" with a pronoun. First, we have to determine if Nancy is a subject or an object. What do you think? Nancy isthe subject because she did the offering. She did the action. Therefore, we must replace "Nancy" with a subject pronoun and the resulting sentence reads: She offered valuable guidance. You can't replace Nancy with an object pronoun. You can't write, "Her offered valuable guidance." That would be an example of a pronoun case error. Now we'll go through the same process with another example sentence: Dave Chappelle gave his autograph to Irene. To replace "Irene" with a pronoun, we have to determine if Irene is a subject or an object in the sentence. Well, in our example sentence, "Irene" is an object. Why? She is receiving what was given by the subject, and she is the object of the preposition "to." After replacing "Irene" with a pronoun, the sentence should look like this: Dave Chappelle gave his autograph to her. If we had made a pronoun case error when replacing "Irene" with a pronoun, the sentence would have read, "Dave Chappelle gave his autograph to she." This rule seems relatively simple, right? Subjects do actions. Objects receive actions. Well, we know the ACT likes to complicate the most basic sentences and truly test your understanding of a grammar rule. Pronoun case questions become more difficult in sentences with compound subjects and compound objects. The Same Rules Apply for Compound Subjects and Compound Objects Compound just means that two nouns are connected with the word "and." In a sentence with a compound subject, there are two nouns that serve as the subject. In a sentence with compound objects, there are two objects of the same verb. Here's another example sentence for you (I love examples!): Taylor Swift and Justinmet at Target. "Taylor Swift" and "Justin" are the subject. They are the people who did the meeting. They did the action. Now, let's replace "Justin" with a pronoun. We know that "Justin" is a subject so we have to replace "Justin" with a subject pronoun. Because I am Justin, this would be my sentence: Taylor Swift and I met at Target. If you were writing this sentence about me, this would be your sentence: Taylor Swift and he met at Target. That sentence probably sounds awkward to you, but it's grammatically correct. Most people would use the object pronoun and write, "Taylor Swift and him met at Target." That would be a pronoun case error. Remember, always follow the grammar rules and avoid relying on what "sounds right." Let's follow the same process with another example sentence: Hulk Hogan offered a red bandana to Marc and Justin. Again, we'll replace "Justin" with a pronoun. In the above example, are "Marc" and "Justin" subjects or objects? They're objects. They received the action. They were offered the bandana. Also, they follow the preposition "to" and are the object of the preposition. Therefore, we have to replace "Justin" with an object pronoun. Because I'm Justin, this would be my sentence: Hulk Hogan offered a red bandana to Marc and me. Many people think "Marc and I" would be the correct phrase for that sentence. However, that would be a pronoun case error. Remember, "I" can only be used as a subject and "me" can only be used as an object. If you were writing the previous example sentence about me, you would write: Hulk Hogan offered a red bandana to Marc and him. Because you are replacing an object with a pronoun, you have to use an object pronoun. The ACT tends to use compound subjects or objects in questions that test pronoun case because the correct answer often sounds wrong to us. So is there a strategy that enables us to more easily identify pronoun case errors in sentences with compound subjects or objects? Absolutely!! He didn't really offer me his red bandana. ACT EnglishStrategy If you see a compound subject/object, cross out the other noun and "and." For compound objects, the sentence should still be grammatically correct. Let's try this strategy with the previous example: Hulk Hogan offered a red bandana to Marc and me. This sentence probably sounds less awkward to you. Most likely, you would be able to identify a pronoun case error if you saw a sentence that read, "Hulk Hogan offered a red bandana to I." If you do the same thing with a compound subject, the sentence will be grammatically correct if you also change the verb from plural to singular, due to subject-verb agreement. Keep in mind that the singular and plural forms of a verb can be the same. Now we'll use the cross-out method with a compound subject to help determine if there's a pronoun case error. Here's our example sentence: Him and Joe were talking to the cashier. After crossing out the noun and "and," we're left with "Him were talking to the cashier." Once we change the verb to singular, this is our sentence: Him was talking to the cashier. At this point, you can probably figure out if there's an error, but let's follow the rules. In the sentence, is "Him" a subject or an object? It's a subject because he was doing the action. Therefore, we must use a subject pronoun. After plugging a subject pronoun into the original sentence, this would be the correct version of the example: He and Joe were talking to the cashier. Now we'll apply what we've learned to a question from an actual ACT. Real ACT English Example So how do we determine if there is a pronoun case error? First, let's employ our strategy and cross out "and her cousin." We're left with "her had staged." Does that look right to you? Now, let's determine if "her" is a subject or object. Well, "her" should be a subject because she's doing the action. She had done the staging. Then, after we plug the rest of the compound subject back into the phrase with a subject pronoun, we have "she and her cousin had staged." The correct answer is C. Who Vs. Whom Occasionally, the ACT will also test you on whether to use "who" or "whom" in a sentence. These words are known as relative pronouns. Most people have no idea when and how to properly use "who" and "whom." Luckily, the rule is pretty simple. The word "who" is a subject pronoun and "whom" is an object pronoun. Here's a strategy to make life easier when answering questions involving "who" or "whom." ACT EnglishStrategy For pronoun case purposes, "who" and "whom" function like "she" and "her" (or "he" and "him"). The word "who" is a subject pronoun and "whom" is an object pronoun. To determine if there's a pronoun case error, replace "who" with "she" and "whom" with "her". If the antecedent is plural, replace "who" with "they" and "whom" with "them". If there's not a pronoun case error in the original sentence, the resulting phrase should be grammatically correct. Take a look at this sentence: Justin, who is too self-absorbed, always references himself in his example sentences. The sentence is saying that Justin is too self-absorbed and "who" modifies Justin. Justin is being described as self-absorbed. If we replace "who" with "he," the phrase would read, "He is too self-absorbed." The word "he" is being properly used as a subject. Therefore, there is not a pronoun case error and "who" is being used correctly. Here's another example: My mother, whom I admire, graduated from nursing school. In the above sentence, the clause with "whom" is stating that "I adore my mother." Because "whom" is modifying "my mother," let's replace "my mother" with "her." The resulting sentence should be grammatically correct if "whom" is being used correctly. After replacing "my mother" with the pronoun, we have, "I admire her." That's correct because the word "her" is an object pronoun and "her" is receiving the action in the sentence. Here's one final example using "whom" as an object of the preposition: To whom much is given, much is expected. Here, the sentence is saying that much is given to whom.If you replace "whom" with "her," â€Å"much is given to her† is grammatically correct. If the relative pronoun follows â€Å"to† or â€Å"for," you should always use â€Å"whom." Truth Now we can take what we've learned and apply those lessons to actual examples from the ACT. Real ACT English Example This is a real example from an ACT English section. Use our strategy and your knowledge of pronoun case to answer the following question: So here we have the phrase â€Å"friends whom have died." The â€Å"whom† refers to â€Å"friends," which is plural, and â€Å"whom† is an object pronoun. Therefore, let’s replace â€Å"friends whom† with â€Å"them† to determine if the sentence is grammatically correct. â€Å"Them had died† is incorrect; the pronoun should be in the subject form. â€Å"They had died† is correct. They did the dying. Therefore, we need to use the subject form of the relative pronoun. The answer is B, â€Å"friends who had died." Let's take a look at another example: In this sentence, â€Å"whom† refers to â€Å"Banneker’s grandmother† and the verb is â€Å"bought." This sentence is made a little more tricky because the prepositional phrase starting with â€Å"after† separates â€Å"whom† from â€Å"bought." However, this sentence is saying that she (Banneker’s grandmother) bought some land. However, â€Å"whom† is in the object case which is equivalent to â€Å"her." â€Å"Her bought some land† is obviously incorrect. The relative pronoun should be changed to the subject case. The answer is B. General ACT English Strategies For Pronoun Case #1: If a Pronoun is Underlined, Check for an Error in Pronoun Case If you see that a pronoun is underlined, check to see if there is a pronoun case error. #2: Determine if the Pronoun Is Being Used as a Subject or Object If the pronoun is doing the action or being described, it's a subject. If the pronoun is receiving the action, it's an object. Use subject pronouns for subjects and object pronouns for objects. Also, use the replacement strategy, if necessary, to help determine if a noun is a subject or object. #3: The Same Rules Apply for Compound Subjects or Objects If you see a compound subject or object, the sentence should be grammatically correct if you get rid of one of the nouns and "and." Change "Peter and I went to a baseball game" to "I went to a baseball game." The sentence is still correct, so if you see a compound subject or object on the ACT, use the cross out strategy to help determine if there is a pronoun case error. For compound subjects, also make sure that you change the verb from plural to singular. #4: If a Pronoun Follows a Preposition, It is an Object Pronoun Pronouns that follow prepositions, specifically "to," "for," or "between," should be in the object case. #5: Use the Replacement Strategy for Who Vs. Whom If you're trying to determine whether "who" or "whom" should be used, replace "who" with "he" or "she" for singular antecedents and "who" with "they" for plural antecedents. The word "whom" should be replaced with "him" or "her" for singular antecedents and "them" for plural antecedents. Finish strong! Additional ACT English Practice Question Hopefully, by this point you thoroughly understand pronoun case and how to correctly answer any pronoun case question that may appear on the ACT. I've created some realistic practice problems to test you on what you've learned. Remember to use the general strategies I referenced above. 1. After I woke up yesterday, my parents decided to take my brother and me to breakfast. A. NO CHANGE B. I C. we D. their 2. Despite her friends’ objections, her and George decided to go to Las Vegas to elope. A. NO CHANGE B. her C. she D. or her 3. Christopher Hitchens, whom was a prolific writer, ruffled a few feathers during his public debates and television appearances. A. NO CHANGE B. which C. that D. who 4. His boss told him that Jane and him would be given the day off tomorrow. A. NO CHANGE B. he C. his D. their Answers: 1. A, 2. C, 3. D, 4. B What's Next? Since you're all at various points in your ACT prep, read this article to find out when you should take the ACT. For those of you who are comfortable with ACT English but struggling with Reading, learn these strategies for the ACT Reading section. Read our staggering list of high quality ACT English prep guides here. Finally, for those of you who aspire for perfection, get advice on how to get a perfect 36 on the ACT. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

The Role of Social Capital In the Business Start-up And Essay

The Role of Social Capital In the Business Start-up And Entrepreneurial Development - Essay Example When people work as a group, there are high chances that they will share common understanding towards the goal to be achieved. On the other hand, in can also be seen that â€Å"social capital theory refers to the ability of actors to extract benefits from their social structures, networks, and memberships (Lin, Ensel and Vaughn, 1981; Portes, 1998, as cited in Davidsson and Honig, 2003, p.8). In theory and practice, people use their social structures to determine the things they need in their lives. After deciding what they want, the information is communicated to all members and they are given the opportunity to air their views about the measures that can be implemented in order to transform those ideas into action. All this can happen as a result of social networking where the people exchange their views and ideas such that they can utilise the resources available to transform their lives. There are different types of social networks that exist in different communities. It can be seen that social networks â€Å"provided by extended family, community-based, or organizational relationships are theorized to supplement the effects of education, experience, and financial capital,† (Bourdieu, 1983; Coleman, 1988; 1990; Loury, 1987). It can also be seen that social capital can exist at individual or organizational levels (Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998). Individuals in an organization can create links with others so that they can determine the direction to follow when they execute different tasks that are meant to generate wealth. Networks involving family members in business are essential since they promote cohesion among the members involved. Family members as well as relatives have a strong bond among themselves because they... This essay stresses that entrepreneurship is about is about creating wealth by doing something new and/or innovative in order to add value to the society. The underlying themes here include the following: creating wealth, innovation and opportunity. There are different business opportunities that exist in the business environment that are often overlooked by large corporations. Entrepreneurs can identify these opportunities and try to create value to the targeted people. Not all businesses are successful and it can be seen that there are various reasons for this. This paper makes a conclusion that it can be seen that entrepreneurship is mainly concerned with identifying a business opportunity, creating wealth through innovation. As discussed above, it can be observed that this is not an easy feat as many people may think since there are quite a lot of factors that ought to be taken into account. It has also been noted that the aspect of social capital is very important in as far as entrepreneurship is concerned. Social capital is about how people network in order to create value from the resources available. People usually exchange views and opinions through networking and this can help them to generate knowledge which can be transformed into new business ideas. People are likely to be innovative if they share ideas. Thus, it can be seen that social capital is very important to entrepreneurs who want to start new business ventures.

Financial Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Assignment - Research Paper Example The pay back period for project 1 is 2 years and 2 months while the payback period for project 2 is 3 years and 8 months. Judging from the payback period, project 1 is more favorable as there is less risk involved when compared with the risks of project 2. The initial outlay is recovered earlier by project 1. Moreover, the ARR also favors Project 1, therefore the expected profitability of the project is higher than the profitability of project 2. TASK 2: UNDISCOUNTED CASH FLOW - PAY BACK PERIOD YEARS PROJECT 1 CASH INFLOW/ OUTFLOW BALANCE PROJECT 2 CASH INFLOW/ OUTFLOW BALANCE 0 (90,000) (90000) (90000) (90000) 1 20000 (70000) 10000 (80000) 2 80000 10000 40000 (40000) 3 45000 55000 40000 0 4 40000 40000 5 20000 20000 The payback period for Project 1 is 1 year and 11 months. [Working: 70000 80000 12 months]. The payback period for Project 2 is 2 years. If the time value of money is ignored, Project 1 is again more profitable as it involves less risk as compared to the undertaken of Project 2 which has a higher payback period. TASK 3: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES: DISCOUNTED CASH FLOW: The method takes into the account the time value of money. It produces more meaningful results than the payback period. It is more complicated than ARR and Payback and requires a number of calculations if solved manually. PAYBACK: It is simple to calculate. Calculation of net cash flows is more objective than calculation of profitability. It indicates the project with the least risk. It ignores the life expectancy of a project. Two projects may have a similar payback period even though the pattern of cash inflows may be different. It ignores the time value of money. ACCOUNTING RATE OF RETURN It is easy to calculate. It can be used to compare the expected profitability of a project with the present profitability of the business. It is based on average annual profit which may not be similar for each year. The timing of cash flows is ignored. It also ignores the time value of money. There is no commonly accepted method of calculating capital employed. It takes no account of the duration of the project. References: Discounted cash flow. (2007). Retrieved August 17, 2007, from Investopedia Web site: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dcf.asp Payback Period. (2007). Retrieved August 17, 2007, from 12 manage: http://www.12manage.com/methods_payback_period.html Randall, H. (1996). Capital Expenditure Appraisal.

The brand strategies which Toyota May Adopt to improve tarnished brand Essay

The brand strategies which Toyota May Adopt to improve tarnished brand image - Essay Example There are several reasons behind this intensifying competition. Firstly, globalisation is one of the primary reasons for expansion of trade and business that lead to increase competition. Many business organisations have found greater opportunities in overseas market, and free trade policies and agreements between multiple countries facilitated their market expansion programs. The domestic markets have turned into global markets that heightened competition rivalry among existing domestic and new multinational enterprises. Since last two decades, the society has been experiencing a rapid technological improvement. The technological advancements have led to change the structure entire trade and business. The management tasks and operational process are now backed with technology like e-commerce and e-business. A better grip of technological advancement helps a business organisation to gain an upper hand position. ... In this process they aim to achieve strong competitive advantages and core competencies that enable them to gain upper hand position in the market. There are multiple ways to achieve competitive advantages; however, brand development is the most preferred way for creating high business value. The American Marketing Association (AMA) describes a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. About.com Marketing Guide further explains that the objective of branding is not just to project yourself as being better than your competitors, but branding seeks to position your brand so uniquely in the minds of your consumers so that they perceive your product as the only possible solution to your problem or need. The objectives of good branding are as follows: Deliver message clearly Confirm credibility Connect target prospects emotiona lly Motivates buyers Concretes User Loyalty The increasing demands of brand development is due to two primary factors i.e. urge for acquiring higher market share and increasing concern towards consumer value. The modern management style and thought process of decision makers have transformed. The modern management concept more focuses on long term benefits by creative a sustainable businesses environment where stakeholders’ wealth and value creation is the first priority. When a company is able to meet these responsibilities towards stakeholders, society, community and environment, it is able to create a high brand image in the market. Managements in modern organisation culture follow management theories and models which are very

Strategic Choice and Evaluation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Research Paper Example egmenting the customers and identifying the target market and the gap analysis (identify the lacking) are the part of identifying the strategies (Kozami, 2002). B&G Food is a well-known brand all over the United States, and its current position in the market is stable i.e. there is no potential for growth and no possible decline in the market for B&G products. There is a need for urgent actions in order to increase the opportunities to expand and also grasp the market share. B&G being a very old company in the market, and it has the potential to grasp the most of the market share. B&G Foods is lacking with some of its core plans that need to be amended and reconsidered. For example, their Promotional and Marketing Strategies are not well designed and implemented. The need of establishing new products and service outlets is essential. Moreover, hiring skilled and specialized workforce and conducting training and development programs for employees are essential. B&G Foods can also expand its product line to attract new customers. B&G Foods has to maintain a proper Promotional and Marketing strategy. The potential consumers would get to know the products and services through the promotions, and the overall sales could be raised. The mediums that can be utilized by B&G Foods can be the online advertisement, TV commercials, newspapers ads, promoting the products and services through billboards, etc. Once the strategies are being followed, the core part is to monitor them and evaluate the outcomes. It will help better in implementation, and the feedback of the consumers can also be gathered regarding the particular strategy. There is a need of hiring skillful management. The process of the recruitment must be strict, and the best candidates must be selected for the Job. The skilled workforce for marketing and promotional strategies will help handle the work effectively and efficiently. The other benefit of hiring an expert workforce is that the new and attractive

The Context of Loss of Autonomy by an Employee of an Organization Research Paper

The Context of Loss of Autonomy by an Employee of an Organization - Research Paper Example Among the theories of autonomy, the best and the most commonly used theory was developed by Kant. Autonomy has a different meaning to different fields. For example in the field of medicine respect for the autonomy of patients is considered to be an important objective. However, it can compete with ethical principles. In the context of politics, it is referred to as the self-governing of the individuals. Now in the context of public sector organizations, they are most inclined towards employing the individual whose needs and values are consistent with the mission of the public service organization. A public sector organization often holds missions which have a broader scope and also are more thoughtful in comparison to a public sector. The hierarchy of the public sector workforce is therefore expected to exhibit the nature of work by attracting the individuals who wish to grab greater opportunities in order to fulfil higher needs. Earlier studies also reveal that employees of public s ector organizations hugely values monetary rewards. It has also found that they do not value an opportunity by which they can help society. Mostly in public sector organizations lack of autonomy hugely affects an employee’s morale. Due to less independence, they sometime could not present their skills and expertise in a particular area of interest. This also affects the growth of an employee. Employees also get highly demoralised and it hugely impacts the overall performance of the employee. In order to curb such happening organizations are also taking various motivational programs such as financial incentives.

Role of ict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of ict - Essay Example Processing includes management of data (like computing, storage of data in databases, protection and retrieval of data) and its networking. Transfer includes transmission of data from one place/desktop to other using communication techniques. Both technologies are collectively called information and communication technology (ICT) (tutor2u, 2009). The purpose of introducing ICT in education is to enhance the learning and educational activities of students and support the teaching process by means of computers, internet and the latest technologies. According to Saverinus Kaka (2008, July 25), â€Å"education sector can be the most effective sector to anticipate and eliminate the negative impact of ICT. Technology (internet) in another side can be the most effective way to increase the student’s knowledge†. Students can be made familiar with computer aided simulations and educational games. The objectives of ICT in education are to incorporate latest technology based learning in schools, to endorse literacy about newer technologies in students, to support distance education, and to improve the teaching process by using latest techniques supported by ICT. â€Å"ICT has a distinctive contribution to make to the aims of the national curriculum as a whole† (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2009). In the national curriculum, ICT has played its role in planning work sequences and learning and teaching procedures. It has helped students to enjoy their educational activities because they can relate the technology based learning to their everyday lives. Students have been able to develop their own independent thinking regarding research, analysis of problems and decision-making. The national curriculum has put forth such programs of study that use ICT to enable the students to develop self-confidence and think about new ideas. The ICT based study programs in the national curriculum support safe usage of

The Context of Loss of Autonomy by an Employee of an Organization Research Paper

The Context of Loss of Autonomy by an Employee of an Organization - Research Paper Example Among the theories of autonomy, the best and the most commonly used theory was developed by Kant. Autonomy has a different meaning to different fields. For example in the field of medicine respect for the autonomy of patients is considered to be an important objective. However, it can compete with ethical principles. In the context of politics, it is referred to as the self-governing of the individuals. Now in the context of public sector organizations, they are most inclined towards employing the individual whose needs and values are consistent with the mission of the public service organization. A public sector organization often holds missions which have a broader scope and also are more thoughtful in comparison to a public sector. The hierarchy of the public sector workforce is therefore expected to exhibit the nature of work by attracting the individuals who wish to grab greater opportunities in order to fulfil higher needs. Earlier studies also reveal that employees of public s ector organizations hugely values monetary rewards. It has also found that they do not value an opportunity by which they can help society. Mostly in public sector organizations lack of autonomy hugely affects an employee’s morale. Due to less independence, they sometime could not present their skills and expertise in a particular area of interest. This also affects the growth of an employee. Employees also get highly demoralised and it hugely impacts the overall performance of the employee. In order to curb such happening organizations are also taking various motivational programs such as financial incentives.

The Hunt For Red October Essay Example for Free

The Hunt For Red October Essay A lot of people have seen the movie The Hunt For Red October , but before it was a film it was a great book that readers all over the world enjoyed a lot. While the story is pretty simple, it is still a great adventure tale of the old Cold War. I enjoyed this novel a great deal and enjoyed it so much that I became interested in reading the further adventures of the book’s hero Jack Ryan. The adventure is of the Soviet submarine The Red October. The captain of the submarine, Marko Ramius, has decided to hijack the sub with his crew and defect to the United States with it. Needless to say, the home base at the Soviet Union is unhappy with Ramius’ decision and send out a fleet with the idea of sinking the red October. In order to disguise the defection from the United States, the Soviets claim that their pursuit of the sub is actually a search and rescue mission. In the USA, CIA agent Jack Ryan slowly becomes suspicious of the Soviets true intentions and eventually discovers the real reason the Red October is in trouble. Ultimately, Ryan aids the sub and its crew and commander and helps it defect. The Hunt For Red October is a great novel because it remains believable and does not become like a James Bond novel where the reader is taking in a story that is too fantastic to take serious. Because of this, the book grabs the reader’s attention a lot stronger and becomes more enjoyable to read. Well, for me it was more enjoyable than a more silly spy story. Bottom line: this is a great book.