Personal Narrative-My Seventeenth Birthday - 1711 Words

Most people think that their birthday is a day to celebrate themselves with cake and presents. I had a different experience. On my seventeenth birthday, I experienced an event that could compare to the complete opposite of a birthday. At the end of that dreadful day, I realized that we can only take life one day at a time. This year, I did not ask for much. I already had what I needed. My birthday started out fantastic. A two-hour delay had taken into effect, since the sleet and snow took over the roads. I wore a striped 3/4th sleeved shirt, dark skinny jeans, and brown knee-high boots. I put on more eyeshadow than I normally do. I went out to Sue-Z-Que’s for a birthday breakfast with my parents. Next, I went to school and received†¦show more content†¦I ran to my room and cried into my blanket until it dampened with my tears. I started to lose control of my breathing, until my conscience kick in to tell me that I was going to be okay. The wait to see my mom felt like hours. Finally, my mom came home. I tumbled into her arms, weeping and I somehow managed to get into the car. In the car, my mother tried to make me realizes what happened and tried to prepare for what I was going to see. My voice could barely make a noise. Building up inside, I somehow managed to get my anger out. â€Å"Why? Out of all days of the year, this is happening to me?† â€Å"Karissa, dreadful things happen to us on days that seem to be the happiest.† She explained details about Grandma’s stroke and what to expect. After getting to Cresco, I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and to see Grandma. Nothing could prepare me for what the night was going to bring. At last, we arrived at the bay where my grandma laid. My body froze. I had no idea on how to approach her. I slowly walked in as my dad said, â€Å"Here comes the birthday girl.† I could only smile. Grandma looked back at me even when her mind wasn’t completely there. I felt so much pain just seeing her lay there. My heart ached for her. She could hear us, but couldn’t talk back. My cold hand grasped on tight to her warm hand. I didn’t want to let go. MyShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesCollege; and Stephanie Tucker, California State University Sacramento. Thinking and writing about logical reasoning has been enjoyable for me, but special thanks go to my children, Joshua, 8, and Justine, 3, for comic relief during the months of writing. This book is dedicated to them. For the 2012 edition: This book is dedicated to my wife Hellan whose good advice has improved the book in many ways. vi Table of Contents Preface.............................................................

Change Brought About by the Womens Movement - 1651 Words

The Changed of the Women’s Movement that Causes Little Change The women’s movement of the 1960s and 1970s was a movement was a movement that led to their equality and rights. American women were limited from family life to workplace and were expected to follow one path. They are a capable of anything, but they were discriminated against male because they were thought to have no potential for working. Even though women weren’t equal as men, the women’s movement helped lead them to equality because they wanted equal pay for work, no discrimination and access to birth control. From the 1800s to 1900s, women were campaigning for their equality because they wanted to be equal and be a part of the world. In 1840, the abolitionist movement questioned whether women should be equal or not. The American Anti-Slavery Society supported African American in full participation in the abolitionist movement while some american rejected it because they doesn’t want the slave to be apart of the movement.On July 1848, there was a Seneca Falls Convention, where women demanded for their right to vote. They protested the mistreated of women in social, economic, political, and religious life. In 1863 Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized a Women’s National loyal League to support and petition the thirteenth amendment that outlawed slavery (Strauss†. At the same years they campaign for full citizenships for women and people of colorShow MoreRelatedDescribing Canada1135 Words   |  5 Pagesis the point at which, a situation is clearly seen to undergo a change. Canada, as a growing nation, has encountered many defining moments throughout its history. During the twentieth century women of Canada have undergone numerous moments that brought about significant changes for themselves. The most prominent moments, which brought about the most change and significance are: the persons case of 1928, the womens liberation movement throughout the 1960s and 70s and the ratification of the TreatyRead MoreEffects of Social Movements650 Words   |  3 PagesEffects of Social Movements Social movements have changed the way that society is shaped and has impacted society in major ways. Where the civil rights movements brought a beginning to equal rights, the womens rights movements enhanced those rights in bringing about additional rights for women. In so doing, the social movements have allowed many people to come out of poverty levels and grow away from the powerlessness that poverty brings. According to Kenneth B. Clark, All human beings dependRead MoreThe Second Half of the Shaw Presidency982 Words   |  4 Pagesstrong connections to the Frances Willard and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) (Franzen, 2008). WCTU was the largest women’s organization in the United States during the 1900’s. Many joined the wealthy benefactors of NAWSA such as the leaders of the settlement houses, prison reform, and women socialites. During Shaw presidency a diverse range of women and men attended NAWSA conventions. In these conventions Shaw personally spoke about the issues beyond suffrage, such as opposition toRead MoreWomens Liberation Movement Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesWomens Liberation Movement Betty Friedan wrote that the only way for a woman, as for a man, to find herself, to know herself as a person, is by creative work of her own. The message here is that women need more than just a husband, children, and a home to feel fulfilled; women need independence and creative outlets, unrestrained by the pressures of society. Throughout much of history, women have struggled with the limited roles society imposed on them. The belief that women were intellectuallyRead MoreWomens Movement Of 1960s Essay1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe entire Women’s Movement in the United States has been quite extensive. It can be traced back to 1848, when the first women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. After two days of discussions, 100 men and women signed the Declaration of Sentiments. Drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, this document called for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. This gathering set the agenda fo r the rest of the Women’s Movement long ago (Imbornoni). OverRead MoreThe Struggle For Freedom And Equality1621 Words   |  7 Pagesof the time. The need for political freedom was a trend that started in the early 1840s and has not diminished since. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in all elections. This granted all American women political freedom and started a movement to end prejudice against females. Before the amendment was ratified women were prohibited from jury service, public speaking, holding office, and attending college (Nineteenth Amendment 1). The 19th Amendment was one of the most influential turningRead MoreThe Issues Of Urban Poverty1197 Words   |  5 Pagespoverty still existed. Women in the 1960s established a conversion in women’s status, for instance, women entered the paid workforce. America experienced a growth of conservative movements, consequently, the 1960s would confront judgment for social ill, crime and drug abuse and d rug abuse as well as decline respect towards authority. In despite of crisis, America became a tolerant nation. The sixties are known as a decade of drastic change, rebellion, and backlash. Also, for the American individuals thatRead MoreEssay about Womens Movement of 1960s1284 Words   |  6 PagesThe entire Women’s Movement in the United States has been quite extensive. It can be traced back to 1848, when the first women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. After two days of discussions, 100 men and women signed the Declaration of Sentiments. Drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, this document called for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. This gathering set the agenda for the rest of the Women’s Movement long ago (Imbornoni). OverRead More`` The Best Protection Any Woman Can Have Courage Essay1669 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The best protection any woman can have is courage† -Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The antebellum period was of rapid technological change and westward expansion. This time rose a belief of Manifest Destiny and the rise of abolitionism. The antebellum period brought out great change to the nation ;however, the greatest change was the change of social attitudes toward the women in this time period. Women started slowly emerging out of their traditional roles in a fight to eventually be seen as an equalRead More1.To What Degree Did The Feminist Movement Bring About1664 Words   |  7 Pages1. To what degree did the feminist movement bring about a shift in American society and culture? How does the film 9 to 5 comment on this shift? Compare and contrast 9 to 5, both in its production and content, to at least two other class films featuring women in the professional workplace. The feminist movement during the 1970s brought about a shift in American society and culture to a degree that allowed for several changes to occur. The film Nine to Five comments on this shift through its writing

Mobile Phones For Agricultural And Rural Developments Free Essays

Introduction Over the past few years, there has been a substantial improvement in the development of ICT in Africa. Mobile communications technology, in particular, has become the most powerful way to servicing millions of people and extending economic opportunities in Africa. In Nigeria, the diffusion of mobile phones has brought about huge changes in the country’s development. We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Phones For Agricultural And Rural Developments or any similar topic only for you Order Now These changes have been felt across various sectors including the Agricultural sector.Agriculture is widely known to have manifold benefits on a country’s economy. For most African countries, it accounts for an overwhelming majority of rural employment (Donovan 2011). Mobile services and applications represent one of the most profound changes in rural Nigeria. With information technology on the rise, its impact in agricultural and rural development can no longer be ignored. In line with this, our analysis examines the impact of mobile phones in agricultural and rural development in Nigeria. Diffusion of mobile phones in Nigeria The rural sector in Nigeria has over the past few years seen a rapid diffusion of mobile phones. According to the World Bank report (2011), mobile phones have today become the single most powerful way to servicing and extending economic opportunities to millions of people in Africa. In Nigeria alone, the use of mobile phone subscription has rapidly increased from as low as 0.33% of the population in 2001 to a record high of 48.9% in 2009 (World Bank report 2011). According to this report, the majority of new mobile subscribers will in the next few years come from rural areas of the developing economies. How mobile phones help enhance or improve agricultural and rural development programmes in Nigeria One important aspect to which mobile phone has contributed to rural development is through enhancing rural connectivity. Mobile phones have provided the much need connectivity especially in the rural parts of Nigeria. Over a decade ago, Nigeria only had about 100,000 phone lines with most of the landlines run by NITEL, the state-owned telecoms behemoth (Ogunlesi 2012). Today, however, NITEL is no longer there and the number of mobile phone lines has increased to over 100 million (Ogunlesi 2012). A pyramid survey also projected that the mobile subscriptions in Nigeria will more likely surpass 129 million by the year 2014, making Nigeria Africa’s largest telecom market (Pyramid research 2010) More recently, the Nigerian government has undertaken a major project which involves the distribution of over 10 million mobile phones to farmers in rural Nigeria (Ebriku 2012). This project is intended at providing farmers access to market information. This will help enhance rural development and make the country’s agricultural sector more tech-friendly; thereby eliminating various challenges facing farmers on a daily basis such as the delay in information dispersion (Ebriku 2012). This massive project which is meant to enhance agricultural and rural development is scheduled for completion by 2013. The Nigerian government has also launched the ‘Growth Enhancement Support Scheme’ which is expected to provide fertilizer and seed support to farmers through their mobile devices (NADS report 2011). This new scheme is expected to liberalize policies on fertilizers and seed distribution and to shift direction to value chain development (NADS report 2011). That is, the ‘Growth Enhancement Support Scheme’ will help develop a value chain system that supports distribution of farm inputs, particularly seeds and fertilizers to farmers (NADS report 2011). Among several other initiatives which have been developed by Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture to streamline the complex distribution of farm inputs is the Integrated Cassava Project (UNDP report 2012). This initiative enables cassava growers to access market information via their mobile phones. It uses Agri-Business Information Points and trade agents to disseminate market information (UNDP report 2012). Services provided by this initiative include: prices, offers, trainings, trade assistance, technical messages and SMS alerts among many others (UNDP report 2012). Undeniably, the diffusion of mobile phones in rural Nigeria has enhanced communication between farmers, extension agents, agricultural research institutes, input dealers and transporters. Farmers of today are better placed to receive accurate market information than before. They no longer have to accept the first price but rather can negotiate for a better deal. Mobile phones have also enabled them ease of communication with other farmers, making it feasible to put in place cooperatives that can help them explore new markets. Additionally, mobile phones have enhanced rural connectivity in Nigeria as farmers can easily communicate with friends, families, and other rural inhabitants without the need to travel. Challenges facing the use of mobile phones in agricultural and rural developments in Nigeria. There are, however, a number of challenges inhibiting effective mobile phone usage in the rural areas. One major challenge is the lack of infrastructural facilities. It is a widely accepted fact that insufficient infrastructure impedes all aspects of the economy. In Nigeria, infrastructural inadequacies across the telecom industries have been suggested to result in poor connectivity and limited network coverage in the rural sector (Abel-Ratovo, et.al, 2012). Despite the increase in mobile phones usage in the rural areas of Nigeria, there remains a huge connectivity and infrastructure divide between the rural and urban areas. The rural sectors in Nigeria lag in terms of roads, portable water, electricity and fixed-line communications (Pyramid research 2009). A large proportion of the Nigerian population, however, continues to live in the rural areas hence making it a sizable addressable market for mobile services (Pyramid research 2009). Another challenge that impedes mobile application in the rural parts of Nigeria is language barrier and illiteracy. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with a linguistically diverse population comprising of more than 140 million people (Ofulue 2011). This populous country has about 510 spoken languages and 66% literacy rate (Ofulue 2011). Given this multilingual society and the relatively low level of literacy rate, it becomes particularly challenging for mobile phone users especially in rural Nigeria to communicate and access market information through these electronic gadgets. Other factors which have been suggested inhibit the use of mobile phones for rural and agricultural developments include: the constant interruption of power supply, unaffordable tariff rates and lack of wider network coverage (Pyramid research 2009). In addressing these challenges, the Nigerian government is collaborating with mobile operators and international institutions to bridge the connectivity gaps. Infrastructure sharing and a multitude of initiatives have been developed to help these efforts (Pyramid research 2009). The Federal government is also looking to invest in improving literacy levels in order to spur greater use of mobile phones for rural and agricultural developments (Abel-Ratovo, et.al, 2012). Conclusion There is no doubt that mobile phones have become the clear choice of communication with most of the Nigerian population using this technology to send and receive information. Not only does this mode of communication facilitate effective interaction and exchange of vital information among the rural and urban dwellers, but it also holds a significant potential for advancing agricultural and rural development in Nigeria. Yet, despite the increase in mobile phones usage in the rural areas of Nigeria, there exists a huge connectivity and infrastructure divide between the rural and urban areas. Moreover, Nigeria is home to a linguistically diverse population with a relatively low level of literacy. In addition, factors such as unaffordable tariff rates and poor network coverage have made it challenging to communicate and access market information through these electronic gadgets. In addressing these challenges, the Nigerian government is collaborating with mobile operators and international institutions to bridge the connectivity gaps. Infrastructure sharing and a multitude of initiatives have been developed to help these efforts. The Federal government is also looking to invest in improving literacy levels in order to spur greater use of mobile phones for rural and agricultural developments. Reference Abel-Ratovo, et.al, 2012. ‘Ownership and use of mobile phones for agricultural transactions by traders’. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development. Vol.4 (10), pp. 305-317 Donovan, K., 2011. Overview of ICT in Agriculture: opportunities, access and cross-cutting themes. InfoDev Ebriku, J.F., 2012. Nigerian government to distribute 10 million mobile phones to farmers. [viewed on 16th December 2012] available from http://www.communicationsafrica.com/mobile/nigerian-government-to-distribute-10-million-mobile-phones-to-farmers Nigeria Agro-Dealer Support (NADS) report, 2011. Growing Africa’s agriculture. IFDC Ofulue, C.I., 2011. ‘Literacy at a distance in multilingual contexts: issues and challenges’. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, vol.12 (6) Ogunlesi, T., 2012. Seven ways mobile phones have changed lives in Africa. CNNInside Africa. [Viewed on 16th December 2012] available from http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/africa/mobile-phones-change-africa/index.html Pyramid research, 2010. The impact of mobile services in Nigeria: how mobile technologies are transforming economic and social activities. UNDP report 2012. The importance of ICTs in the provision of information for improving agricultural productivity and rural incomes in Africa. International Food Policy Research Institute, Addis Ababa. World Bank report, 2011. Mobile applications for agriculture and rural development. Washington, D.C. How to cite Mobile Phones For Agricultural And Rural Developments, Essay examples

An Ode to A User Friendly Pencil free essay sample

Once, called away to an unanticipated school conference, I began drafting my short noticed speech with a yellow wooden pencil. Unfortunately this graphite loaded, eraser-tipped writing spear has become an alienated object as I readily admit my dependence on a new technology of writing. I found that I had become so used to composing virtual prose that I could no longer draft anything coherent directly onto a piece of paper. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t think of the words, but the deliberate physical effort of handwriting, crossing out, revising, cutting and pasting was much too tedious. The writing practices that I had been engaged in regularly since the age of four, now seemed to overwhelm and constrict me as I longed for the flexibility of digitized text. The computer is the latest development in writing technology; a promises to change literary practices for better. Bonnie Laing, the author of the essay â€Å"An Ode to the User-Friendly Pencil† is strongly against the boycotting pencils. We will write a custom essay sample on An Ode to A User Friendly Pencil or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unfortunately, Laing’s argument that the pencil is superior to a computer is poorly demonstrated due to her biased diction towards analog writing instruments and ignorance of the current technologically driven era. Moreover, a major flaw noted within Laing’s writing is that she establishes an impractical prejudice for pencils. For instance, Laing attempts to persuade the reader using an irrational rhetorical question where she cautions â€Å"†¦can you imagine chewing on computer while balancing your cheque book† (15). Through this question, Laing attempts to justify the pencil’s usefulness; however, chewing any writing instrument is irrelevant since the function of neither the computer nor the pencil is to be chewed on. Additionally, the whimsical diction Laing produced within her essay such as â€Å"I’ve never had to boot a pencil† implies that Laing does not take the topic seriously enough to actually prove the superiority of pencils and would rather manipulate the readers’ interest by mocking and ridiculing the computer (8). Furthermore, our current society has migrated from an era of pencils, to an era of computers as the primary tool to create literature. Society has  reached a point in time where if pencils become obsolete, it would not make a great impact due to the availability of computers. Also, society has become highly dependent on laptops and personal computers (PC’s) as it remains the quickest way to socialize via social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Not only did the transition from a pencil and paper to a computer allow for a faster and more efficient method of creating literature, but it also came with several luxuries that include: word processors, internet, software, social networks, data storage, and entertainment. Therefore Laing’s view towards computers is simply personal since a pencil can only perform the function of basic writing and yet a computer can enhance the same function with numerous technological advancements. Likewise, in current day education, assignments and subject courses are becoming mandatory in a virtual environment. Assignments are now being typed and submitted so that the writing is more legible. Needless to say, computers have the extraordinary capability of capturing grammar mistakes instantly. Although this is a positive feature of computers, Laing’s ignorance displays otherwise when she argues that pencils â€Å"†¦won’t insist on correcting your whimsical use of grammar† (17). Hence showing that Laing is uninformed about computers and their role in our current society because she critiques the positive aspects of a computer rather than pointing out legitimate drawbacks of the pencil. Upon summation, a computer is more superior than a pencil as it serves several functions rather than one and is fundamentally integrated within current days’ technologically-driven society. Laing has failed to persuade the reader of the pencils superiority to computers because her sarcastic persuasion displays a noticeable bias towards pencils. The ordinary pencil is too primitive to be compared to the likes of a computer. Computers yield a new era. Comparing two unlike items such as a pencil to a computer (that vary so drastically in usefulness) is just as foolish as comparing the capabilities of a rock to that of a human.

Clara Hale Essays - Clara Hale, Hale, , Term Papers

Clara Hale Black History Month is a great time to celebrate out history, achievements, and accomplishments. February should not be the only time but it is certainly a good time to start. Many blacks have done extraordinary things. I admired Clara McBride Hale. She works with crack-addicted and HIV-positive babies. Clara McBride Hale was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She has suffered lots in her lifetime. She became an orphan at 16, and a widow at the age of 27. She only had her children, and she kept them close. She ?adopted? a third child, and raised him as her own. She became affectionately known as Mother Hale to all in the neighborhood. She began staying at home and caring for the neighborhood kids charging only $2 per week. She later became a licensed foster parent. Hale House was started when Clara's daughter, Lorraine noticed a crack-addict mother with a newborn. She directed her to her mother's house, and this baby was the first of thousands of children to reap the love, support, devotion, and care from the arms of Mother Hale. Hale House is America's first and best known child care agency to gain worldwide recognition when Ronald Reagan introduced Mother Hale as he gave his 1986 State of Union Address. She was called an American hero, and was appointed to the National Drug-Free America Task Force. Many of the children come to Hale House from prisons, police stations and hospitals. They get their funding mostly from private donations and times do get very rough. Hale House is still in operation today. It has become a national role model for children without families. It is a great place to keep these children to keep them out of alleys, garbage cans, and many places where mothers abandon their newborn children. Sadly, Mother Hale passed away in 1993. In her honor, a life-sized statue was built for her in Harlem. Her dream and devotion lives on in the lives of the children she has helped raise and the many that will continue to benefit from Hale House.

Facts and Figures About Sivapithecus, the Primate Also Known as Ramapithecus

Facts and Figures About Sivapithecus, the Primate Also Known as Ramapithecus Sivapithecus occupies an important place on the prehistoric primate evolutionary flow chart: This slender, five-foot-long ape marked the time when early primates descended from the comforting shelter of trees and started to explore the wide-open grasslands. The late Miocene Sivapithecus possessed chimpanzee-like feet with flexible ankles, but otherwise it resembled an orangutan, to which it may have been directly ancestral. (Its also possible that the orangutan-like features of Sivapithecus arose via the process of convergent evolution, the tendency of animals in similar ecosystems to evolve similar features). Most important, from the perspective of paleontologists, were the shape of Sivapithecus teeth. This primates large canines and heavily enameled molars point to a diet of tough tubers and stems (such as would be found on the open plains) rather than tender fruits (such as would be found in trees). Sivapithecus is intimately associated with Ramapithecus, a now-downgraded genus of central Asian primate, discovered in the country of Nepal, that was once considered to be directly ancestral to modern humans. It turns out that the analysis of the original Ramapithecus fossils was flawed and that this primate was less human-like, and more orangutan-like, than had initially been thought, not to mention disturbingly similar to the earlier-named Sivapithecus. Today, most paleontologists believe that the fossils attributed to Ramapithecus actually represent the slightly smaller females of genus Sivapithecus (sexual differentiation not being an uncommon feature of ancestral apes and hominids), and that neither genus was a direct Homo sapiens ancestor. Species of Sivapithecus/Ramapithecus There are three named species of Sivapithecus, each dating to slightly different time frames. The type species, S. indicus, discovered in India in the late 19th century, lived from about 12 million to 10 million years ago; a second species. S. sivalensis, discovered in northern India and Pakistan in the early 1930s, lived from about nine to eight million years ago; and a third species, S. parvada, discovered on the Indian subcontinent in the 1970s, was significantly bigger than the other two and helped drive home the affinities of Sivapithecus with modern orangutans. You might be wondering, how did a hominid like Sivapithecus (or Ramapithecus) wind up in Asia, of all places, given that the human branch of the mammalian evolutionary tree originated in Africa? Well, these two facts are not inconsistent: it could be that the last common ancestor of Sivapithecus and Homo sapiens did in fact live in Africa, and its descendants migrated out of the continent during the middle Cenozoic Era. This has very little bearing on a lively debate now going on about whether hominids did, indeed, arise in Africa; unfortunately, this scientific dispute has been tainted by some well-founded accusations of racism (of course we didnt come from Africa, say some experts, since Africa is such a backward continent). Name: Sivapithecus (Greek for Siva ape); pronounced SEE-vah-pith-ECK-us Habitat: Woodlands of central Asia Historical Epoch: Middle-Late Miocene (12-7 million years ago) Size and Weight: About five feet long and 50-75 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Chimpanzee-like feet; flexible wrists; large canines

Economic Value Added (EVA) Statement Research Paper

Economic Value Added (EVA) Statement - Research Paper Example EVA is one such performance measurement tool that captures the financial profit and shareholders wealth. â€Å"EVA subtracts the cost of capital from the net operating profits after tax (NOPAT) generated in the business. It is a measure of the residual income from the income statement after accounting for the cost of the balance sheet† (Economic Value Added, 2007). How can Economic Value Added (EVA) Statements be used to improve financial statement reporting, results, and success? EVA statements are formed on the basis of two financial statements-the balance sheet and the income statement. EVA Statements can be Used as a Valuable Tool to Improve the Financial Statements: With the correct prediction of economic profits every financial year, EVA statement shows how much value is additional to the capital. It helps to set the goals of business, incentives of management, and pay bonuses for better performances which cannot be obtained from the cash flows of financial statement. .. . It helps to analyze the capital budgeting and long term investment decisions of the firm. Since it helps in calculating the financial profits, it can be a very useful performance measure which supports the financial statement of the business. It increases the average rate the of returns of shareholders. This helps to increase the rate of capital. EVA statement clearly specifies how much amount is given as tax, and therefore helps correct estimation of expenses in the financial statement. It also shows the economic value generated and distributed in the business. EVA can raise the firm’s investment, which is presently very low. The managers are thus paying attention on increasing earnings that they acquire on projects, for which the earnings do not validate the capital investments. EVA statements are based on financial statements; it is helpful to find out any faults and make adjustments in the accounting principles that can improve the capital and operating profits. As financi al statements are based on the generally accepted accounting principles, there will be mistakes, and therefore correct adjustments one needed, which can be possible through the EVA. EVA statements help in calculating the weighted average cost of capital; it is useful to estimate the risk and returns involved in the project of the business. What are some of the problems found with EVA? Though EVA is a useful method to evaluate the performance of business; it has some limitations which are as follows: EVA is considered as a short term performance measurement tool. Companies focusing on long term investment decisions cannot use EVA as a performance measurement. The EVA for future investments can not be calculated independently with every performance calculation, as

The history of coal in the 19th century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The history of coal in the 19th century - Essay Example The demand of coal was highly increased. It was admitted that in 1700 year coal production stand for the â€Å"2.7 million tonnes† while in 1800 year that number corresponded to the â€Å"10 million tonnes† (HistoryLearningSite, 2014). Moreover, till the end of nineteenths century of coal mining increased extremely high. The statistic data showed that in 1900 year coal production enlarged toâ€Å"250 million tonnes† (HistoryLearningSite, 2014). Such increase of coal production happened due to the number of different reasons that are highly essential. First and foremost, it could be mentioned that the industrial revolution led to the urbanization and increasing of population. It was more comfortable to use coal as a fuel than to use wood or charcoal, as the city dwellers have no opportunity to live near the forest and provide wood as a fuel (Wilde, 2015). Moreover, it was a few times cheaper; therefore, it was popular among the city dwellers. Coal industry played a significant role in the production of other things and issues in that period. For example, it was admitted that â€Å"after 1800 towns began to be lit by coal powered gas lamps† (Wilde, 2015). It was relevant to admit that people used coal for the lightening their houses and flats. Moreover, this material provided a helping hand in the development of small and huge industries in Europe (Wilde, 2015). Each factory had used coal as a fuel because of its practice and price. As it was admitted coal was used as a fuel â€Å"from iron production to simply bakeries† (Wilde, 2015). In addition, nineteenth century was marked by the expansion of borders between countries. People constructed channels that made the market of coal production wider (Wilde, 2015). That functioned through the trains and railways. It was worse to admit that they also were in need for coal as a fuel (Wilde, 2015). It was relevant

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability - Essay Example When God created man in the Garden of Eden, He gave him authority over all the earth. This authority involves taking care of the environment, and all its constituents. Consequently, Christian stewardship refers to a moral obligation conferred on human beings by God over the natural resources. It includes using the natural resources in ways that benefit humanity, and the perpetuation of such resources. Promoting the continuity of the resources maintains order in the universe as the resources allow man to meet his various needs and aspirations successfully. In addition, future generations get to enjoy quality resources in abundance, thus boosting their earthly experiences. God holds Christians accountable for their actions on earth. The accountability falls in many categories, including the environment. God ordained man to take care of the earth, and the responsibility goes with accountability. Consequently, Christians endeavor to safeguard the biodiversity in a compassionate and respectful manner. These attitudes also characterize the concept of sustainability as it bears the future generations in mind. More to this, sustainability aims at countering the environmental crisis, and ensuring that humanity enjoys the goodness of nature in future. Christian stewardship recognizes that natural resources serve as resources (Robinson, 20). Resources help in fulfilling the daily needs of humanity, hence the need for their conservation. Absence of such resources would lead to inadequate provision of the required needs, which would contravene God’s will for our lives. Likewise, sustainability realizes the need for resource protection. It encourages the proper utilization of such resources with an intention of providing the current and future society with a good life. More to this, Robinson (21) asserts that â€Å"stewardship is a value to be passed from generation to generation†. This means that Christian stewardship, just like

Competitive Advantage And Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

Competitive Advantage And Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay The idea of stakeholder approach to strategic management suggests that managers must formulate and implement processes which satisfy all and only those groups who have a stake in the business. The main task in the process is to manage and integrate the relationships and interests of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, communities and other groups in a way that ensures the long-term success of the firm. Stakeholder approach suggests that we repaint our picture of the firm. For good or ill, there are myriad groups who have a stake in the success of the firm. Many traditional views of strategy have ignored some stakeholders, marginalized others and consistently traded-off the interests of others against favoured stakeholder groups. Such an approach may well be appropriate in relatively stable environments. However, changing world the limitations of traditional approaches to strategic management become increasingly apparent. The interests of key stakeholders must be integrated into the very purpose of the firm, and stakeholder relationships must be managed in a coherent and strategic fashion  [1]  . 2. Porter, M. E., Kramer, M. R., (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. (2006, December) (Harvard Business Review), 84(12), p. 76-92. Although businesses have become increasingly aware of stakeholder pressure to demonstrate a commitment to their corporate social responsibilities (CSR), this does not necessarily mean the adoption of an integrated and strategic approach to CSR. Rather, as Michael Porter (Harvard Business School, Boston) and Mark Kramer (John F Kennedy School of Government, Massachusetts) have recently argued in the Harvard Business Review (December 2006), current approaches to CSR are fragmented and disconnected from business goals. This has resulted in disparate and reactive initiatives designed to mollify vocal stakeholders or deflect attention from questionable business practices, and these have justifiably been criticised as feel good marketing campaigns which have failed to generate bottom line benefits. Porter and Kramer suggest a new approach to CSR which both (i) acknowledges the interdependence of companies and the broader community, and (ii) enables companies to develop a tailored, rather than generic, CSR strategy. In this way, companies will make the most significant social impact and reap the greatest business benefits. This note provides a summary of Porter and Kramers article, giving particular attention to the practical issues of creating a tailored corporate social agenda. 2.1 Background Companies which have responded to their CSR have usually done so for one, or a combination, of the following four reasons/principles moral obligation, sustainability, compliance or reputation. Moral obligation refers to the compulsion for companies to be good citizens and do the right thing. The sustainability argument emphasises the need for companies to have regard to the natural environment from which resources are drawn. The compliance or licence to operate argument reflects a pragmatic response to agendas set by Government regulators, and the reputation impetus is all about creating a positive impression on consumers, staff and shareholders. Porter and Kramer identify the individual deficiencies of each of these principles as a sufficient justification for CSR (e.g. they argue that the sustainability school of thought raises questions about balancing long term objectives against short term costs, but offers no framework for resolution). Fundamentally however, Porter and Kramer argue that there is an inherent weakness in all four school of thought, namely they focus on the tension between business and society, rather than their interdependence. Further each strategy creates a generic rationale that is not tied to the strategy and operations of any specific company or the places in which it operates. Porter and Kramer argue that the deficiencies in approach to CSR have resulted in unco-ordinated and non-strategic activities that neither make any meaningful social impact nor strengthen the firms long-term competitiveness. Having set the scene, Porter and Kramer suggest a new approach to CSR to achieve these outcomes. 2.2 A new approach Porter and Kramers new approach has two key elements. Firstly, they suggest that a CSR strategy should be predicated on an acceptance of the interdependence of business and society, i.e. successful corporations need a healthy society and a healthy society needs successful companies. Porter and Kramer suggest that the points of intersection between companies and society are both inside-out linkages (i.e. internal activities which affect the external environment such as hiring practices, emissions and waste control) and outside-in linkages (i.e. social conditions which affect a companys capacity to conduct business, e.g. rules and regulations, local education and health supports). This platform of understanding implies that both business decisions and social policy have shared values, and lifts CSR from a nice to do (which is reminiscent of the moral obligation argument or philanthropic approach to CSR) to the have to do (which, although not acknowledged by Porter and Kramer, is an ext ension of the sustainability argument). Secondly, and this is the real benefit of Porter and Kramers thesis, they argue that each company should create a tailored (rather than a generic) corporate social agenda, and provide a practical tool to chart that agenda i.e. to identify those areas of social context with the greatest strategic value. 2.3 The practice of developing a new CSR strategy Porter and Kramers practical tool to developing a new CSR strategy encompasses the following steps: Choosing which social issues to address. The essential test that should guide CSR is not whether the cause is worthy, but whether it presents an opportunity to create shared value that is, a meaningful benefit for society that is also meaningful to the business. Porter and Kramer argue that companies should sort social issues into three categories (i) generic social issues which affect all companies; (ii) value chain social impacts which have a direct affect on the companys ordinary course of business; and (iii) social dimensions of competitive context which significantly affect the underlying drivers of a companys competitiveness in a specific location. Once the social issues have been categorised they should be ranked, i.e. prioritised, for action Creating a corporate social agenda. The selected social issues should be identified in an explicit and affirmative corporate social agenda. This agenda will reflect an approach to CSR which is both  responsive  to stakeholder concerns and anticipated risks, andstrategic  (i.e. integrates inside-out and outside-in linkages) Organising for CSR. The corporate social agenda should be integrated into affirmative business practices, i.e. to ensure that operating management is engaged in processes that identify and prioritise social issues based on their salience to business operations and their importance to the companys competitive context. Further, Porter and Kramer suggest that measurement of outcomes is critical to the agenda, and that value chain and competitive context investments in CSR need to be incorporated into the performance managers with PL responsibility. In particular Porter and Kramer argue for the measurement of the CSR initiatives in terms of social impact (although omit to discuss what those measures might be). Conclusion Porter and Kramer offer a new approach to CSR which focuses on identifying the shared values between a particular company and its social context, and developing a tailored and strategic response. Using Porter and Kramers tool to map social opportunities, and practical steps to identify, develop and organise for CSR, companies now have a new CSR framework to enhance business and social outcomes. If companies are able to successfully use this model (and Porter and Kramers article provides numerous case studies to that effect) then the benefits will be reaped in terms of both a competitive advantage and social enhancement. 3.An Empirical Analysis of the Strategic Use of Corporate Social Responsibility by Donald S. Siegel and Donald F. Vitaliano In a recent insightful survey of CSR, The Economist (2005, 8) identified four varieties of CSR based on whether this activity raised or lowered profits and raised or lowered social welfare. This paper constitutes the first empirical test of recent theories of strategic CSR. Specifically, we focus on the importance of the type of product or service sold by a firm as a determinant of managements decision to invest in CSR. This decision could represent a signaling device regarding the quality of the firms output. Consistent with these theories of strategic CSR, we find that firms selling durable experience goods or credence services are much more likely than comparable firms to be socially responsible. Ceteris paribus, our results imply that a firmselling financial services (a credence service) is more likely to opt for CSR by about 23 percentage points (compared to firms selling search goods). Similarly, a firm producing durable experience goods, such as automobiles or software, is mor e likely (than a firm selling search goods) to be socially responsible by about 15 percentage points. Firms selling experience services or nondurable experience goods, by contrast, are no more likely to adopt CSR than a firm whose product is a search good. While additional research is needed to pin down the diverse reasons why firms adopt a CSR stance, the evidence presented here supports a view that it is consistent with strategic theories of CSR and rational, profit-seeking management decision making. Others may view the same evidence as proof that CSR is a fraud or smokescreen to disguise the same behavior, which they abhor. Regardless of interpretation, we hope that this exploratory paper stimulates additional empirical research on the strategic use of CSR. Several caveats should be mentioned. The first is that our empirical analysis is based on a single cross section of data. It would be useful to test theories of strategic CSR using panel data, which would enable us to better control for unobserved firm heterogeneity and changes in CSR behavior and its determinants over time. A second concern is the possibility that our econometric analysis is subject to omitted variables bias; in contrast to ordinary least squares estimation, the estimated Co-efficients in a probit model would be inconsistent even if the omitted variables are uncorrelated with the included regressors (see Greene, 2000, p. 828). It is impossible to assess the importance of this effect on our estimates of the impact of good type on the propensity of firms to engage in CSR. It is also difficult to classify a company cleanly into selling search, experience, or credence goods and service. Although we eliminated conglomerate firms from our sample and relied on the firms primary products or services for our industry classification, we recognize that many firms are diversified, which introduces a certain amount of measurement error in our empirical analysis. In an ideal world, the division or perhaps, the plant or establishment would serve as the unit of analysis, rather than the firm.

Production Notes :: College Theatre Festival Papers

Production Notes Preface The slides and video that are found on this web site are recordings of a production of Measure for Measure mounted at the College of the Holy Cross in the fall of 1996. In February, 1997, the production was re-mounted at Brandeis University as part of the American College Theatre Festival. The following notes formed the conceptual basis for the production. First Response In the final months of the twentieth century, Measure provides us with a searing allegory about a society that is divided severely along economic and social lines. The ubiquitious moral rot of Shakespeare's play parallels our contemporary world. The political and social hypocricy of rulers who abuse power for personal gain while criticizing and punishing the lower classes comes right out of the evening news. Some issues of the play hit home harder today and in a radically different manner then they would have in Shakespeare's day. Ideas such as sexual harrassment and immorality connote wildly different things to a contemporary audience, particularly in light of recent current events. Talking Points I. Measure for Measure is a play about power--political, economic, and sexual power--and how these three interrelated phenomena intersect with catastrophic consequences when they are abused by an inadequate leader. But it is essential to note that the play is not against the use of power per se, because the entire crisis is instigated by the failure of a rightful ruler to exercise properly his responsibilities of office. Indeed, the entire arc of the play is about how this ruler--Duke Vincentio--learns about the nature of power and the necessity of its public demonstration. It can be argued that, in many respects, the play is a primer about effective leadership and must be viewed as a humanistic revision of Machievelli's The Prince. II. Political power must be exercised correctly and sexual desires must be pursued properly. Without sex there is no propagation of the species and without political restraint there is no maintenance of the social order. Political responsibility cannot be avoided and neither can the fundamental need of humans to fornicate. Without restraint, however, the pursuit of these intersecting fundamental drives will undermine the stability of society. Measure for Measure argues that political power must be exercised in a principled manner and sexual intercourse must occur under the sanction of marriage. III. A recurring theme in the plays of Shakespeare is the nature of effective leadership.