See Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

See Below - Essay Example Within each of these halves, another wall separates the top and the bottom sections of the heart creating four chambers in total. These create the top chambers or the atrium (atria in plural) and the bottom chambers or the ventricles (Sherwood, 2012). The atrium is considered as a holding chamber, and the pumping chambers are the ventricles. Like the names suggests, each of the halves creates a separate system that has to work in sync for one to continue living healthily. Blood flows to the ventricles from the atria and never across the halves, thanks to the septum (Solomon, Berg and Martin, 2010). For effective flow of blood from the top chambers to the bottom chambers, openings called valves are present. They operate like trapdoors as they allow blood flow only in one direction to avoid a situation where blood would flow back to the atrium. These valves are not only present inside the walls separating the chambers, but also on the large arteries that are responsible for the carryin g of blood to the organs from the heart. These arteries are the pulmonary arteries and the aorta. While still at it, it is necessary to note that the pulmonary artery is the only artery that carries deoxygenated blood while the other arteries carry oxygenated blood (Solomon, Berg and Martin, 2010). ... Several capillaries form veins, which in turn form larger veins that empty blood into the heart and the cycle continues. This is called blood circulation (Sherwood, 2012). The main aim of blood circulation is to supply oxygen-rich blood to all the organs and tissues in the body. This happens in two cycles. The first one is a systematic cycle where blood is transported to every section of the body, and carbon dioxide is collected amongst other waste from these areas. The pulmonary cycle circulates blood to the lungs and from it to aid in the release of carbon dioxide and bring in oxygenated blood. The systematic cycle takes place in the left region of the heart while the right side handles the pulmonary cycle. The mitral valve at the upper part of the left-side chamber is pressed open by blood and allows it to trickle down to the left ventricle (Sherwood, 2012). The blood is then pumped directly into the aorta and is rich in oxygen. It is then transported to all other parts of the bod y and organs. Used blood is then collected back to the heart through two main veins. One is the inferior vena cava, which takes blood to the heart from the lower body sections. The other is the superior vena cava, which collects blood from the upper body. These two drain the blood into the upper right chamber (Solomon, Berg and Martin, 2010). Blood, from there, picks up the pulmonary cycle and gets to the right lower chamber from the right upper chamber. The blood is forced into the pulmonary artery which is divided into two: one part into the right and the other to the left lungs. The pulmonary veins carry the rich oxygen blood back to the left atrium, and the cycle continues.

Conflict Management and Negotiation Critical Thinking Essay - 1

Conflict Management and Negotiation Critical Thinking - Essay Example It is imperative for businesspeople to develop their negotiation skills. Investing in training and development lessons in negotiation for the marketing department workers is a very wise investment. The marketing department is directly responsible of generating sales for the company (Kotler, 2003). Sales are the engine that drives a company. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the negotiation process for a job offer with Joe Tech and Robust Routers. As a prospective employee for the company my first strategy during the initial talks of the negotiation is to establish how strong a candidate I am for the position based on my educational and work experience credentials. I would come prepare with the most recent HR data on compensation for professionals in my career. The data from a reputable source reveals that the $92,000 based salary is within the boundaries of what another professional with similar credentials receives. The overall benefits packaged on the table are very reasonable based on the industry standards. During the negotiation process I will ensure that I use good active listening. By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate† (Mindtools., 2013). I must act confident through the entire negotiations and my mindset must be positive. There are several things and can help a person achieve a successful employment negotiation. The person applying for a job vacancy must dress in a professional manner preferably in a suit for the first interview with the human resource representative or manager of the company. A second important tip for a person in the job application process is to perform research on the firm by searching information from different sources including the corporate website of the company and its annual report. All public companies are mandated to file annual reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Within the content of the annual report are the financial statements of a company (Sec, 2013). Analyzing the financial performance of the company is a good topic to bring up during the conversations of the negotiation. The employer will realize that the candidate came prepared to the negotiation table which shows competence. There are different negotiation strategies that can be used to obtain a p ositive outcome that allows the parties to reach a deal. These strategies can provide outcomes that result in win-win or win-lose outcomes. â€Å"In a successful negotiation, it’s up to each side to paint a vision – based on that side’s mission and purpose – which the other side evaluates as being beneficial or not† (Camp, 2013). In the negotiation process I must persuade the other party to visualize my proposition as a win-win outcome or win for them and lose for me. I have to reflect to the employer my value as a professional and that by hiring me the firm will increase its human capital tremendously. A lot can be learned about the parties involved during the initial negotiation process. The character of the person, communication style, personality, and body language are things that influence the conversations of a negotiation. A good negotiator is able to persuade and convince others (Sfh, 2007). During the early part of the negotiation it becom es notable whether the person negotiating has good verbal communication skills. The ability to communicate well will affect the negotiation from the start until the closure of the event. Compromising the terms of the labor contract now in hopes of being able to negotiate better terms in the future is a risky strategy. The compensation that a company owes an employee is stipulated in the term of the employment contract. If an employee signs a contract with a verbal

Off Balance Sheet Financing Practices Essay Example for Free

Off Balance Sheet Financing Practices Essay OBSF is most of the times used by business enterprises to maintain their leverage or gearing positions in such a way which would not have any negative implications on the company. In the business world of today, OBSF is recognized as an important means for raising finance by means of operating leases, joint venture and collaborations with respect to Ramp;D. Following Off Balance Sheet Financing method results in significant variations in the overall financial reporting of an entity. Considering the changes in accounting and financial reporting requirements, it is generally expected that the companies using these technique will be more able to run their operations efficiently. However, keeping in view the case of off balance sheet financing and accounting in this respect, it is argued that while using OBSF companies are able to not disclose entirely the financing of their capital expenditures and thus the information required to be disclosed in this respect is not made available to the interested parties (Tyrrell 1986). This report discusses this area of accounting and explains how OBSF is actually promoted by the market economies and the expectations of increased profits from the companies. The usage of off balance sheet accounting and financing is not new. In the beginning of 20th century, this concept of managing a company’s balance sheet gained fame and the banking and other corporate sector applied this technique in their best possible interest with the main objective of keeping their balance sheets light weighted. Apart from a benefiting role played by the off balance sheet ccounting techniques, there are some serious consequences which are often associated with the application of this concept. As for instance, it is argued that among many other reasons, the practices of off balance financing and accounting also had a significant share in the recent financial downturn (Allen, et al. 2002). In this regard, Enron would be a good example to look upon. While striving for a healthy outlook o f Enron’s balance sheet, the management made use of special purpose entities with the objective of making large transactions which would not appear on the balance sheet of the company. This resulted in a healthy balance sheet outlook with huge of amounts of capital inflows but at the expense of nothing. However, this bubble of progress did not last long as the company’s stock prices started fluctuating sharply and consistently. These events created a sense of being not informed entirely about the company’s operations among the investors and after the Enron’s climax, the regulators jumped in with Sarbanes Oxley Act 2002. The Act was aimed at securing the investments of investors and introducing regulations with respect to corporate social responsibility. But these checks proved to be ineffective upon the emergence of the financial crisis in 2008 (Hall and Liedtka 2007). Increase in the global competition and more expectations from the investors and shareholders to maximize their value of investments are regarded as the driving forces in the market which influence management to improve the financial picture of a company. In addition, these expectations pose pressure on the management to find ways which may result in better presentation of the financial statements and improved earnings (Boot and Thakor 1991). The Banking sector in particular and other sectors in general are mostly seen following this approach. As for instance, there has been observed a trend of investing in such portfolios and instruments which are regarded as high risk investments. But the intention behind this is to improve or strictly stating ‘inflate’ the earnings of an enterprise without having regard to the riskiness of such investment decisions and the fact that the stakeholders of the business need justification of such improvements in the performance in the form of financial statements disclosures. For the purposes of obtaining security on the risky investments, corporations tend to enter into complex third party arrangements which cannot be disclosed in the financial statements. Apart from this, one other motivating factor which is regarded as the major reason behind this approach of management is that they have their own interests and objectives. As for instance, managers are better off in their performance appraisals when the company is showing profits consistently (Boone and Raman 2001). The practices of off balance sheet financing and accounting, as stated earlier, comprise of operating leases, joint venture and collaborations with respect to Ramp;D. Among these options, operating lease holds special importance and is given more consideration by the management due to the fact that they require minimum disclosures in the financial statements and are usually for a long term. Lease accounting is covered by IAS 17, SSAP 21 (UK) and FAS 13 (USA) (McGerty 2004, Lim, Mann and Mihov 2005). Prior to the formulation of these accounting standards, there were no obligations on the companies to disclose in their financial statements the future payments related to lease and therefore leasing was recognized as an off balance sheet financing technique. Apart from leasing techniques, there are various other methods being employed by different companies to move certain items off the balance sheet of the company. The use of off balance sheet techniques has been used to manipulate things. The most commonly used techniques to manipulate the financial information presented in the balance sheet of a company include swaps, variable interest entities (VIEs) and Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) (Ketz 2003). Although these tools have been used by companies around the world for different purposes which are mostly disclosed and transparent but the misuse of these tools has been also observed frequently by way of not disclosing the true facts. This practice has caused major setbacks to the global economy and also shattered the confidence of shareholders and investors (Hall and Liedtka 2007). As for instance, the collapse of Lehman Brothers is argued to have resulted due to off balance sheet approach followed by the company. In order to narrow down its balance sheet, Lehman Brothers moved its assets worth US dollar 50 billion from its balance sheet with the objective of portraying less amount of debt in the balance sheet (Rezny 2010). Keeping in view the above discussion and the facts stated related to the real world cases, it can be said that it is high time for the respective authorities to take measures in relation to this area of financial reporting. It is recommended that the governmental authorities and other financial reporting standards issuing bodies shall intervene appropriately through the right channels to ensure transparency in the financial reporting. Apart from this, the board of directors of corporations shall standardize the decision making processes and perform an effective oversight duty. In addition, it shall be made obligatory for business enterprises notwithstanding the sectors into which they fall, that every transaction shall be disclosed appropriately in the financial statements. Furthermore, the managers shall be motivated not pressurized to perform in the best interest of the organizations (Adams 1998). While concluding this report, it can be said that applying off balance sheet accounting and financing, whether for a good or evil purpose, has become necessary due to the increased expectations of the investors and shareholders related to the profitability of a business concern and also for the purposes of improving the financial statements overlook. Moreover, the lack of regulatory measures in this respect also has its share in promoting the adoption of this approach. Apart from this, it can also be stated that the benefits resulting from off balance sheet accounting are also considered as a means of attaining hidden objectives by managers which in turn motivates them to misuse the concept and benefit from the regulatory loopholes. For the purposes of addressing these issues, it is pertinent that the regulatory authorities who are responsible shall make such arrangements which may promote such financial reporting practices which are more representative of the facts. In addition to this, the disclosure requirements related to off balance sheet accounting and financing activities are required to be revisited.

Influence of Christianity on Literature

Influence of Christianity on Literature Introduction Christianity and Islam are daughter religions of Judaism. They were established as splinter groups from Judaism at different times in the history of the Jews. On its part, Judaism is a very old religion which traces its origin from the Old Testament times of Abraham and Moses. In fact, all of its doctrines revolve around the Mosaic Law. These are sets of rules/commandments which were given to Moses by God (Yahweh) in Mount Sinai. It happened at a time when he was called by God to go back to Egypt and deliver His people (the Israelites) from the yoke of oppression from the ruthless Pharaoh. This followed the enslavement of the Israelites that lasted for over 400 years until they were eventually delivered by Moses. Later, Judaism became the official religion amongst the Jews[1]. On the other hand, Christianity is a religion which is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels in the Holy Bible, Jesus was born of Virgin Mary and Joseph[2]. Despite growing in strict Jewish traditions, He later directly criticized the actions of the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees who had been imposing stringent laws on the people. Thus, He advocated for transition into a new order which later turned to be Christianity especially after His death. This came as a result of the efforts of the early apostles under the leadership of St. Peter. All these were done because of the teachings of Jesus Christ who had been appealing to His followers to accept to repent their sins and accept the good news[3]. The good news was about the promise of eternal life which would accrue to anyone who would accept Him as their personal savior. In other words, Christianity is a new religion which split from Judaism and is based on the teachings of Jesus Himself. This clearly demonstrates that it is a daughter religion of Judaism. After all, it also reveres the Old Testament as a holy book. To the Judaists, Old Testament is the most important holy book used in advancing their teachings and doctrines. Meanwhile, Islam is also another religion which is also believed to have split from Judaism. It was the last religion which traces its origin to Judaism. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him) who lived a lot of years after the death of Jesus Christ. Unlike the rest of the religions, Islam came into existence after the interactions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). Meaning, it borrowed a lot of doctrines from Judaism and Christianity which were already established at the time it was founded. According to Islamic historians, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was the last and most important prophet amongst the Muslims. To the Muslims, Quran is the only Holy Book which should be used in the worship of Allah (the only God to be worshipped). However, the Quran is often used along side the hadith which contains the speeches about Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Why Christianity Dominates Literature As a matter of fact, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are some of the most prominent classical religions in the contemporary society[4]. According to the latest statistics, there are a total of 2.9 billion Christians in the world today. This is nearly a third of the world’s population. Meaning, it is the only religion with the highest number of followers globally. For Christianity to reach where it is today, it has actually had a very long history. This began at the time of Jesus who initially faced too much opposition from conservative Jewish sects such as the Pharisees. Because of their different world views, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law made it so hard to for Jesus to spread the gospel to His followers. Even after triumphantly defeating death, it was not easier for the early Church apostles to advance Jesus’ teachings and spread the good news to all the corners of the world as He had commanded them[5]. Thus, it means that Christianity has managed to dominate literary texts depicting its mother and sister religions due to the fact that it has had a lot of committed people who dedicated their life to serve humanity and make remarkable contributions to people’s lives. If it were not for their efforts, it might not be much easier for the authors, early church fathers, philosophers and theologians to write about. This might be attributed to the numerous extra-ordinary activities which they performed[6]. As already highlighted, amongst these people is Jesus Christ. It is a common knowledge to all Christians that Jesus is the most important figure in this religion. Had it not been for Him, Christianity would not have existed. This is because He managed to gather large multitudes and performed numerous miracles which many people, especially His critics could not believe. Therefore, because He had lots of stories to be written, several books have been published provide people with all these information. They are very important since they act as evidence for the great works that He did as He was battling the dominance of the Pharisees who had taken control of the Jewish community for a very long time. Unlike Jesus, these Pharisees were so conservative and had made life to be too challenging to the ordinary Jews who needed to be saved from such oppression. Right from His birth, Jesus Christ had a very complicated history. First, His birth had been prophesied by several prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah. God had planned that He would be born of a Virgin Mary (who still remained virgin even after His birth). Besides, His birth took place in the historical town of Bethlehem in a very unusual place[7]. Later, He made lots of contributions towards the development of Christianity. These include a series of sermons that He delivered in different laces which He traversed during His entire period of the ministry[8]. As a universal figure, He did not only concentrate in Israel, but even preached to the gentiles. This demonstrates that He had not only come for the Jews, but also for other people especially the sinners who needed to repent and accept to live according to the word of God. Therefore, these teachings are some of the most popular works which have been published by several scholars. In fact, the manner in which He exhaustively used the parables during His sermons made Him to be classified as the greatest and best teacher in the world. Everyone wanted to publish a book to record His works. A part from recoding the preaching of Jesus, many scholars have been interested in writing books about the miracles that He had performed. As already highlighted, Jesus Christ performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of man. Here, He cured the sick, fed the hungry and raised the dead. Each of these is of a great importance to His followers. They proved that He was actually concerned about the welfare of His followers especially the poor, malnourished and the less fortunate in the society. For instance, by curing the lepers and those possessed by demons, Jesus demonstrated that He could liberate individuals from their agonies. This was particularly seen when He cured those who had been sick and abandoned for several decades. Therefore, inmost of the writings, all these information is captured. This has been evidenced even in the literary works which discuss about Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A part from Jesus Christ, the other important figure amongst the Christians is Virgin Mary. Of course, Mother Mary is a revered figure amongst the Christians, Judaists and the Muslims. The stories of Mary have been extensively covered in several books[9]. This is because she is believed to be holding a very important position both in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. For the Judaists, Mary is the mother of Jesus. It is through her that the Jews got a messiah who had been promised to them since the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah. For a very long time, the Jewish society had been waiting for a messiah who was to come and save them from their oppressors. Thus, Mary plays a very integral role in Judaism. If it were not her, Jesus would not have been born. The same applies to the Muslims who also believe in Jesus. However, unlike Christians, they hold that Jesus was not God, but a prophet just like others like Mohamed, Isaiah and Obadiah. Therefore, Mary is also revered by them as she is accredited with the bearing of Jesus. On the other hand, Mary holds a central position in the church. To the Christians, it is Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ, a messiah who had been promised to them by God. Therefore, by being the mother of Jesus, Mary is undoubtedly the mother of God. Thus, she is the mother of the church. For this reason, the information about Mother Mary has been disseminated by several writers. This is what has been evidenced in the stories such as The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady which are amongst the earliest books written to give accounts of some of the most memorable miracles performed by the Virgin Mary in the history of the Christian Church. In the Miracles of Our Lady, Gonzalo de Berceo gives a clear presentation about the miracles of Virgin Mary which she had performed to her followers. However, this is given from the perspective of Christianity. As it is recorded in the collections, Virgin Mary had used her powers as the mother of God to perform different types of miracles that she used to reward her faithful and obedient followers. At the same time, she performed some miracles in order to punish those who did not follow her ways, but opted to be subversive in their actions. Therefore, they had to be punished by Mary so as to act as examples and make them conduct themselves in line with Christian teachings. However, most of these teachings are highly held by the Christians. In Miracle Three: Cleric and the Flower, Virgin Mary performed a very extra-ordinary action which amazed everyone. It was an example of how she, as a Mother of the Church, could use her divine powers to perform miracles to demonstrate that it is a worthy thing for a person to live as per the word of God. In this miracle, there was a cleric who was a very righteous man of God. He always lived according to the teachings of the Bible. As a clergy, he was doing all the good things which are accepted by God. During that time, it was a tradition to accord Christians a decent burial. A person in his stature would be buried in a Christian cemetery which was specially designed to burry staunch followers like him. However, when he died, no one bothered to burry him as per the traditions. Instead, he was jealously buried in isolation. Based on his relationships with Mother Mary, she ordered that the man be buried in the designated Christian cemetery. Therefore, when he was to be exhumed, everyo ne was amazed to find out that the dead man was not rotten, but producing attractive and pleasant flowery smell. Hence, Mother Mary performed this miracle to reward the clergy for his dedicated services during his lifetime[10]. In miracle 16: The Little Jewish Boy, Mother Mary also performed a miracle which was classified as a reward for righteousness. In Bourges, there was a great division between the Jews and Christians. The members of the two religions were hostile to one another. In fact, this is similar to the situation that existed during the time of the early church in which the early church apostles were surprised by the Jews and Roman authorities. However, in this case, the little Jewish boy whose parents were strict Judaists got an opportunity to play with Christian and join them in a church service in which he saw, admired, liked and fell in love with the Mother Mary. Later, when he went back to his family and informed his father about it, he was infuriated. Therefore, he threw the boy into a raging fire. Surprisingly, the little boy was not harmed at all. When he came out, he attributed his escape to Mother Mary whom he had seen her image on the church wall. This miracle can also be used to just ify why Mother Mary is too popular amongst the Christians. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are related in many ways. A part from sharing similar history, they have a lot of common beliefs and doctrines. These include the belief in God and prominent historical figures such as Jesus and Mary[11]. Today, they still remain as the most popular classical religions in the society. However, Christianity still stands out very strongly. This is evidenced in the manner it dominates literary work in which all of these religions are included. This might be attributed to the fact that it has lots of significant people who constitute its long, turbulent and expansive history. For instance, in The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady, a lot of stories are presented about Virgin Mary who used her powers to perform lots of miracles to the Christian believers[12]. Even if Mary is accepted by all these religions, she holds a very important position in the Christian Church. In a publication like Miracles of Our Lady, it has to prominently feature about Christianity. It has to appeal most to the Christians because they are the ones who have placed Mother Mary in the highest status as compared to the Muslims and Judaists. To the Muslims, Jesus was not a central figure in the foundation of their religion. He was just a prophet like any other. Hence, it implies that Virgin Mary could be like an ordinary human being who gave birth to a prophet of Allah. Hence, she can not be more important than other mothers who gave birth to other prophets. Although slightly different, in Judaism, Virgin Mary was the mother of Jesus who came to liberate the Jews from their (political) oppression. He did not found their religion. However, this is much different from Christians who believe in Jesus as a messiah whose teachings should strictly complied with. Hence, Mother Mary becomes the mother of messiah who readily offered His life as a ransom to save humanity from their si ns. And because Jesus was God, Mother Mary obviously becomes the mother of God. Further more, since Jesus is embodied in the Church, Mother Mary too becomes the mother of the church[13]. This explains why she is still adored as the central focus of the church through whom the believers can receive blessings and salvation. She is more important to Christians than to any other religion. Bibliography Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). Flory, Jean, ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale Unive rsity Press, 2005). Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89),  251-66. Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [1] Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. [2] Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. [3] Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). [4] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [5] Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). [6] Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [7] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [8] Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). [9] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [10] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [11] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [12] Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). [13] Flory, Jean, and ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).

Captivity Narratives - Our Nig and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

Captivity Narratives - Our Nig and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson  Ã‚   Our Nig; or Sketches from the life of a Free Black and   A Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson   Harriet Wilson’s and Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narratives have three things in common.   First, they have a theme of sustaining faith in God throughout their trials.   Secondly, they portray their captors as savages.   Finally, they all demonstrate the isolation felt by the prisoner.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Our Nig: or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black by Harriet Wilson is the story of a Northern girl, born into an interracial family and later abandoned by her parents, forcing her to become the servant of the Bellmont Household. After Mary, Mrs. Bellmont’s daughter falls into a stream, Frado must endure a horrific beating by both women.   â€Å"No sooner was he out of sight than Mrs. B. and Mary commenced beating her unhumanly, then propping her mouth open with a piece of wood, shut her up in a dark room, without any supper.† (Wilson, 34-35).   Yet Frado is able to continually endure the wrath and violence of Mrs. Bellmont.   â€Å"But, Frado, if you will be a good girl, and love and serve God, it will be but a short time before we are in a heavenly home together.   There will never be any sickness or sorrow there.† (Wilson, 95). As she is continually tortured, Frado finds salvation through her faith, thus allowing her to survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mary Rowlandson’s A Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson displays this same theme as well.   The Narragansett Indians took Rowlandson and her children captive.   â€Å"All was gone, my Husband gone (at least separated from me, he being in the Bay, and to add to my grief, the Indians told me they ... ...ile Wilson’s novel exposed the savage treatment of â€Å"free† blacks in the North prior to the civil war. Works Cited American Authors. http://www.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/aufram.html (October 28, 1999). Harriss, Sharon M. â€Å"Introduction to Mary Rowlandson.† The Heath Anthology of American   Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988. Lauter, Paul, Ed. 340-342. Rowlandson, Mary. â€Å"A Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson."   The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983. 343-366. Wilson, Harriet. Our Nig; or Sketches from the life of a Free Black. New York: Vintage Books,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1983.    "In [a captivity narrative] a single individual, usually a woman, stands passively under the strokes of evil, awaiting rescue by the grace of God.† – Richard Slotkin.     

The Black Plague :: essays research papers

The Black Plague Then The people of the Crimea were dying from a plague. Believing it was a foreign disease brought to their shores by Italian merchants, the people of the East got back at the Italians by exposing them to the corpses of the victims. Ships arrived from Caffa at the port of Messina, Sicily. A few dying men clung to the oars; the rest lay dead on the decks. Ships carrying the good the Italians wanted now came with the plague. Turned away from Messina, ships traveled on to Genoa and other European ports, making the disease spread to the heart of Europe. The plague came ashore with the surviving sailors and the goods stored in the ship. Florence was the first of the cities of Europe to feel the full force of the epidemic. When it was over between 45,000 and 65,000 Florentines were dead of the plague. People traveled to the countryside to escape what was happing in the cities and the plague traveled with them. People wrote to family members telling them of the spread of the plague and what to expect. Many people fled the cities only to find that the Black Death was already there. In three years time, the plague spread throughout Europe and killed so many people they had no place to bury the people who had died. People blamed the plague on ethnic groups and those people suffered from persecution. Others blamed the plague on foul winds from the east or from earthquakes. In London, when the plague reached there, it killed fifty percent of the people there and the people that remained healthy or survived the Black Death were sure that it was the end of the world. The Black Plague Now We know now that the Black Death is called the Bubonic Plague and is caused by the bacteria Yersinia Pestis . This Bacteria was transmitted by fleas that bit infected rats and then bit humans.

Organisational Strategy at Flybe Essay

Introduction For the purposes of this report I have chosen Flybe as my main focus of discussion in the UK and European airline industry. Flybe is Europe’s largest regional airline with 162 routes, operating from a total of 53 departure points. In this report I will analyse why it has made sense for Flybe to build on their strengths of being a regional operator and how they have managed to find a niche in the crowded airline marketplace. I will also discuss their strategy for future growth and how they have chosen their battleground carefully. I will discuss in detail how Flybe is attempting to fulfil its mission statements of â€Å"Low Cost, But not at any cost† and â€Å"To give you safe, efficient and friendly service†(Flybe, 2008). Eye For Travel (2008) reports that Flybe’s financial reports for the year-ending 31 March 2008 show 46% increase in turnover to  £535.9m. There was also a profit before tax of  £53.4m. Flybe’s competitors such as EasyJet, Ryaniar and BMI Baby have not had such positive figures in these tough economic conditions. I have included in this report the capability analysis of Flybe, the stakeholders analysis and how Flybe can utilise its resources to gain competitive advantage. Relevant appendices and a bibliography are included at the end of the report. STRATEGIC CAPABILITY ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Effectiveness of strategies used 2002-2008 The period 2002-2008 was significant for Flybe. It coincided with a major shift in strategy in response to market conditions. Flybe adopted the LCC business strategy in 2002 (Done, 2003). The author’s aim is to identify the strategies using the Bowman’s Strategy Clock (1995). Evaluation of strategies will be done using the TOWS matrix (see Appendix 1 for Flybe’s strengths and weaknesses). Low Cost No Frills Strategy The adoption of the LCC business model by Flybe as a strategy can arguably be described as the positioning approach. This strategy could not have been planned but was rather an emergent one following the downturn in profits  exacerbated by September the 11th event. A closer analysis of the Bowman’s Strategy Clock reveals that Flybe’s initial strategy was that of low price. According to Done (2003), Flybe’s restructuring process was geared towards competing with the established no-frills airlines. Competition with Ryanair and Easyjet was therefore inevitable, but was this strategy sustainable? How effective was this strategy? According to Grant (2005), to compete effectively with a low cost strategy a company should be having economies of scale, experience curve and a lead on the market. Datamonitor (2007), notes that Flybe has had a lot of experience in the aviation business. It enjoyed economies of scale in its operations. It had a lot of experience in the airline industry. What it did not have was the large market share when it decided to adopt the LCC model of operation. Upon further analysis one can safely argue that this was a major risk that Flybe took by entering into this short haul business. A TOWS matrix analysis of Flybe (Appendix 1) suggests that Flybe adopted an effective strategy because it had strengths like economies of scale, dedicated staff, capital and resources to explore the expanding low cost business. Flybe only needed to offer a competitive product similar to its competitors. As a potential entrant into the business, there was no deterrence from the established airlines to stop Fl ybe from entering the market. On that basis, Flybe can be said to have used an effective strategy. It is also important to look at the strategies that sustained Flybe once it entered the market. Flybe’s Business Strategies Rapid expansion Restructuring of Flybe was associated with the rapid expansion programme. Flybe chairman, Jim French, announced the completion of its five year plan of rapid expansion programme (Annual report of 2007). There was an increase in the number of aircraft, network and profits for the corporation for the period 2002-2007. Rapid expansion was mainly achieved by the acquisition of BA Connect, a subsidiary of British Airways. The acquisition made Flybe one of the largest European LCC (Done, 2007, Annual Report, 2007). This fitted  well with his strategy of competition with its established airlines. However, acquisitions carry their own risks such as human relations problems (that can arise after the acquisition), not easy to dispose of unwanted parts of the company, problems of clash of national cultures particularly where target if foreign and high risks if a wrong company is targeted (Lynch, 2003). Re-branding Flybe has been reframed into a recognisable product on the market. The Flybe brand has continued to grow with passenger volumes up from 4.7million to 7million in 2006 and 2007 respectively (Done, 2007). The forecast for year 2008 was predicted to an annual turnover in excess of  £500 million and passenger volumes of 10 million (Done, 2007). It is debatable that Flybe’s initial plan was to establish itself on the market as phase one of the programme. Against a background of heavy losses, Jim French took a risk that paid off by sustaining Flybe into existence considering the intensity of competition on the market against established brands like Ryanair and Easyjet. Sustaining Flybe on the market would have been the second phase. Flybe adopted a strictly no-frills strategy between 2002 and 2006. However, a shift in strategy has been noted from 2006 onwards. This strategy is that of differentiation. The Differentiation Strategy Examining Bowman’s Strategic Clock (Appendix 2), Flybe has now shifted its strategy to differentiation without a price premium. Its major competitors have continued with the no-frills approach, while Flybe has commenced on product differentiation. Datamonitor (2007) noted that product differentiation for Flybe is in frequent flier programmes, on board deli, business express travel and corporate users. As highlighted in the 2007 Annual Report Flybe became the first LCC to charge baggage handling. However, its competitors have copied this and are doing the same. The advantages of differentiation as highlighted in research and literature include creating value for the customer, gaining a market share and enticing customer loyalty to the offered product (Grant, 2005). Judging by Flybe’s  results in terms of profitability and growth in passenger figures it appears as if differentiation strategy is working. On the other hand, it should be noted that Debonair came unstuck wh en it employed this strategy. Parnell (2006) has reiterated Porters argument that a company needs to have either a Low Cost Strategy or Differentiation Strategy combined with a focus strategy. If this does not happen then businesses risk their potential to maximise on performance. Flybe at present appears to be pursuing both strategies of Low Cost and Differentiation. Other authorities have argued for the co-joined approach suggesting the importance of customer perception in terms of price and value (Bowman and Faulkner, 1997). The author argues that Flybe might be leading ahead of its competitors. When Michael Oleary, Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair, was asked about what his next challenge was he suggested differentiation strategy (Done, 2007). Whilst Flybe has got competitive advantage at present in respect of differentiation, other competitors have already started thinking about it because it is easy to copy. Jim French can be said to have used an effective strategy again. As shown in Appendix 1(TOWS matrix for Flybe in 2008), Flybe has used its strengths of fleet efficiency and competitive routes to take advantage of the growing and expanding LCC market. It has also used product differentiation and customer loyalty to exploit a large share on the growing market. By purchasing environmentally friendly aircraft, Flybe has managed to counter threat of global warming concerns. Product differentiation has been used to insulate Flybe from the competitive environment where Ryanair and Easyjet have a large stake. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Stakeholder pressures Stakeholder pressures played a significant role in terms of strategies that have been chosen by Flybe. The main stakeholders include shareholders, employees, customers, governments, suppliers, environmental pressure groups, unions, foreign governments, media, airports, local governments, directors, financial institutions and competitors. . The stakeholder pressure shall be examined using a power-interest matrix (Appendix 3). As power and interest moves towards high power and high interest segment, it is indicative of an increased level of stakeholder pressure. Appendix 3 represents three periods when Flybe decided to change its business model in 2002, a period of stability between 2002 and 2006 and finally when it started showing interest in the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. Meeting the expectations and demands of all stakeholders has been described as almost impossible within literature (George, 2003). Pre-2002 period Flybe’s management was under considerable pressure from its main economic stakeholders. The company had gone for nearly three years without making any profits and with limited growth (Done, 2003). Pressure was mounting mainly from its shareholders for results in terms of profits. Tudway and Pascal (2006) pointed out that a shareholder’s perspective regarding responsibilities of directors as that of increasing shareholder value. Appendix 3 shows that there was a lot of pressure from financial institutions, creditors and share holding employees in the high interest- high power segment. Media had also started showing interest in what was happening at Flybe. Flybe’s competitors and suppliers were eager to find out what was happening in Flybe hence indicated in the low power- high interest segment. The resultant effect in terms of strategy was a change in management. Jim French was appointed the managing director and there was a change in the direction of the company. A positioning approach was adopted. Flybe announced its decision to establish itself as a LCC. The company was re-branded into Flybe. In that respect, stakeholder pressure was significant in influencing Flybe’s strategies. Between 2004 and 2006 there was a different kind of pressure as shown in appendix 3-1. There was a low interest from suppliers, media and the government with low power as well. There was high interest but with low power from competitors, unions, employees, pressure groups, creditors and financial institutions. Meanwhile Flybe had embarked on its strategy of rapid expansion. Heavy losses at BA Connect precipitated the move by Flybe  for a possible acquisition in 2006. The ultimate strategy was therefore fulfilled but the power-interest matrix also started showing a different picture before the acquisition (appendix 3-2). The government as a regulatory body had to come in with high interest and high power. Easyjet’s interest in BA Connect was blocked by the government paving the way for Flybe as the main competitor for the acquisition (Done, 2006). Media and environmental pressure groups also started getting involved towards the high interest and high power segment. Interests from secondary airports started to increase since they were going to profit from the acquisition. The resultant effect was the acquisition of BA Connect in 2007. Environmental pressure groups could be described as having played a significant role in Flybe’s decision to acquire smaller and environmentally friendly aircraft, the 78 seater Q400 turboprop aircraft. Flybe abandoned its initial interest in either Boeing or Airbus aircraft. Stakeholder pressure could be argued as having played a part, and still plays a significant part today. Stakeholder pressure is therefore a significant factor in firm strategies. However, not everybody’s demands will be effected by management. Some decisions will be taken at the expense of others. A power-interest matrix is a useful tool in stakeholder pressure assessment. RECENT STRATEGIC CHANGES THAT FLYBE HAS TAKEN Fit or Stretch future strategies Flybe achieved in its strategies of rapid expansion and re-branding the corporation within a short period of time. Change of business model, acquisition of BA Connect and differentiation strategies have all been aimed at gaining a substantial market share through positioning. The author argues that with its accelerated rate of growth Flybe now requires to consolidate its position on the market by focussing on its internal resources. Working on its core competencies, Flybe can still realise growth. The author therefore suggests that Flybe’s future strategies should be stretch based. Indeed, in the battle of the low cost carriers, Flybe have decided that an ambitious strategy is the best way that they can prosper. The acquisition of  BA Connect accelerates this strategy. Flybe’s rapid growth will enable them to spread their costs over a far greater range of activity and routes than ever before. This should enable them to continue to be able to offer low cost fares (Bizl ed, 2008). Evidence in literature and research asserts that the development of competitive advantage could be through looking at a firm’s resources and capabilities (Foss and Kaudsen, 2003; Barney, 2001). Appendix 4 is a value chain system for Flybe. A close examination of the value chain has led the author to conclude that Flybe has huge resources at its disposal and capabilities that it can develop into core competencies. As such, its future strategy should be based on the inside-out approach. Looking at the inbound activities, Flybe made the right decision in terms of aircraft acquisition. Flybe’s 78 seat Bombardier Q400 Turboprop and the Embraer 195 (which will be fully operational in 2009) have been heralded as an environmentally friendly fleet, its capacity suits the market. Flybe’s competitors have gone for bigger aircraft instead, despite the threat of public protests and impending legislation (Done, 2007). Flybe could possibly have a competitive advantage from its assets. Effective operations supported by its links with Exeter University in terms of learning and development could improve and cut down on costs. For the period 2007-2008 financial year about  £10-15m has been set aside for marketing the Flybe product. In 2007 Flybe had cash reserves in excess of  £136.2m compared to the same period the previous year (Annual Report, 2007). This is strength and Flybe should focus on building route growth, developing its brand and increasing its fleet efficiency. Claiming a core-competency in Flybe business should concentrate on improving passenger load factor, reputation index and operational efficiency (Pegels and Yang, 2000). This is achievable considering Flybe’s resources. More importantly, Flybe is currently taking an exceptional change of nearly  £6.5m by writing down the asset value of its BAE 146 aircraft (Bized, 2008). This is an essential part of their strategy to operate more efficiently, and in a more environmentally friendly fashion. Flybe’s new fleet will be one of the youngest in the world (Bized, 2008). The acquisition of BA Connect saw Flybe’s staff increase to over 3000 in a relatively short period (Done, 2007). This author argues that with such a vital resource the process of integration should focus on building a vision and culture that promotes the corporate brand of Flybe (Hatch and Schult, 2003). Nonetheless, post-merger integration will be critical to the success of Flybe. Learning and development for increased productivity and enhanced corporate image should focus on employees. Flybe has recently unveiled details about its project to build a 160-bedroom hotel at Exeter International Airport (This is Exeter, 2008). The hotel would be operated by a third party, with Flybe guaranteeing to fill 80 rooms a night with all its employees and those from other industry sectors attending training courses. This would be part of resource management. In January 2008, Flybe also announced a landmark franchise Agreement signed with Loganair (The Scottish regional airline). This is Flybe’s innovative philosophy and strategy of continuing to build a market-leading position as Europe’s largest regional airline following the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. The flights commenced operations in October 2008 (Reuters, 2008). Flybe should now focus on organic growth. Research evidence has associated organic growth with stretch strategies (Leavy, 2003). However, a two-pronged approach has been suggested as a potentially effective strategy. The need to concentrate on resources while positioning a firm is considered as a dynamic and vibrant approach in the unpredictable market of today (Leavy, 2003). Flybe would be no exception to adopt such a strategy for the future. Flybe’s response to development on the market will determine the strategy to focus on. Jim French has not ruled out taking a predatory stance to opportunities that arise on the market. The author recommends a strategy based on stretch while keeping an eye on the industry structure. Other Future Strategy Options Flybe could consider the possibilities of mergers, alliances and sustained acquisitions of other businesses. Acquisition is where strategies are developed by taking over ownership of another organisation (Johnson, et al  2006). Flybe recently penned a three year exclusive contract with car rental firm Avis that will see both companies explore the possibility of integrating car hire with flight bookings (Skyscanner, 2008). However, Flybe would also have to consider the pros and cons of mergers and acquisitions. Another strategy option that Flybe could possibly consider would be stock market floatation, when the current market conditions and the economic situation become favourable. Conclusion As seen above, external factors either create threats or opportunities for firms in the industry. Industry structure analysis is vital to identify key drivers in the industry. Flybe has successfully chosen its strategies to date. It remains to be seen if future strategies will be as effective but the author has suggested a stretch based strategy while keeping an eye on the market. References Barney, J.B. (2001) â€Å"Is the resource based ‘view’ a useful perspective for Strategic management research? Yes.† Academy of Management Review 21, 41-56 Bized (2008) http://www.bized.co.uk/current/leisure Done, K. (2003) Companies UK: Flybe negotiates to join the big league [online] Financial times. London: Available from: http://ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2005) Companies UK: Walker trusts set Flybe on course for sale or float [online] financial times. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=2&y=6&drilldown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007) Done, K. (2006) BA sells regional unit to Flybe [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=11&y=b&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Regional airline sale costs BA  £105m. [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=1&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. 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