Monday, September 30, 2019

Mark Company Executive Summary Essay

Analysis Analyzing Mark X Company’s financial statements and projecting the expected numbers for the coming years we make a decision on whether or not Mark X Company qualifies for the loan extension of $6,375,000. The strength of Mark X as a company is its fixed assets turnover ratio, which rose from 1990 to 1992. This tells us Mark X’s ability to generate net sales from each addition of a fixed asset. Sales generated from the fixed assets are greater than the costs of the fixed assets, which imply that the fixed assets that were purchased are good investments for the company. This is really the only positive ratio they have at the moment. Weaknesses we found in Mark X were its debt ratio, which increased from 40.47% in 1990 to 46.33% in 1991 and from 46.33% to 59.80% in 1992. This shows us Mark X’s amount of debt relative to its assets is increasing and that its debt is equal to more than half of its assets by 1992. The current ratio and quick ratio has also indicated ne gative change, both decreasing between 1990 and 1992. The current ratio is a liquidity ratio that measures a company’s ability to pay short term obligations, while the quick ratio shows a company’s ability to pay its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. Both ratios are steadily decreasing, indicating to us the position of the company has become less and less favorable. The company’s asset management ratios also show decreasing numbers. The inventory turnover ratios have decreased as well as the total asset turnover. This explains the number of times a company’s inventory is sold and replaced during a period. The company’s days sales outstanding (ACP) also rose from 36.00 in 1990 to 53.99 in 1992. This shows us that Mark X’s average number of days to collect revenues after a sale has increased. This number is unfavorable because this means the company’s cash is tied up in accounts receivable for longer period. The profit margin ratio also fell from 5.50% in 1990 to 3.44% in 1991, and then from 3.44% to  0.39% in 1992. This is a ratio of profitability calculated as net income divided by revenues, showing us that the company’s profitability has dropped substantially. Similarly, the gross profit margin and the return on total assets has decreased over the past three years, the gross profit margin dropping from 19.48% in 1990 to 14.76% in 1992, and the return on total assets dropping from 16.82% in 1990 to 0.79% in 1992. This shows us the company’s financial health has declined, and the proportion of money left over from revenues after accounting for cost of goods sold has decreased. The return on equity using the extended DuPont Equation shows how the ROE was 28.26% in 1990, and quickly fell to 1.95% in 1992, well below the industry average. Looking at the data from 1990-1992, we feel that the bank should not lend the requested money to Mark X. Based on their data’s ratio-analysis; the companies leverage and liquidity are both dropping. The liquidity ratios show that not only does Mark X have problems obtaining cash, but these problems have been getting worse. Notice that their current assets consist of a very high percentage of inventories. This will make the task of converting its current assets into cash in a short period of time difficult. The leverage ratios show that their debt levels are not only extremely high, but they are only getting worse. Its TIE ratio is decreasing also; showing that Mark X’s ability to pay interests is decreasing. The problems do not stop there. Their efficiency ratios indicate that even though their fixed assets are increasingly being used to promote sales during 1990 and 1991, which is shown by their fixed asset turnover ratio, the decreasing total assets turnover ratio shows that Mark X’s total assets are not being efficiently used, so their overall asset management is becoming less efficient. Finally, their profitability ratios are showing that their ability to generate profit is decreasing. One of the major factors in the possible denial of the new loan is the lack of payments on their short term loans. Mark X could pay off their outstanding short-term loans by the end of 1993. The 1993 forecasted balance sheet shows a cash balance of $35,874 (all  dollar values in thousands). Their current outstanding short term bank loans are projected to be $24,608. Assuming that the company can survive on a cash balance of $11,266, it would be possible for Mark X to pay off all the short term debt by the end of the year. There is a potential that the bank could withdraw its line of credit and demand immediate repayment of the two existing loans. If that happens, Mark X has very limited plans of action. If the bank were to demand immediate payment of all outstanding loans, Mark X would have a real mess on their hands. They would need to make payments of $18,233 for the short term debt and $9,563 for the long term debt. This means that Mark X would need to pay $27,796 within a period of 10 days. Their total ending cash at the end of the 1992 year is only $3,906 which would only be a small chunk of the outstanding loans. The company now would be forced to demand payment from their accounts receivables which are valued at $29,357 and would cover the total of the loan. However, they would need to collect the entire amount in under 10 days to pay the bank back. If they do not succeed in obtaining the $27,796, their only other option is file for bankruptcy. The validity of comparative ratio analysis could be considered questionable in a couple of different situations. The first thing is that there could be some uncontrollable changes and the second is that the companies are not comparable in size. Large businesses have the advantage of economies of scale. For example, a large company can have larger earnings per fixed asset because they have a much larger market share than a small company that uses the same technology. You should also be careful comparing different years without taking the state of the economy into consideration. In recessions, it would not be smart to compare the earnings per share to a previous year before the recession. This may make it possible to lay blame on the wrong reasons and not properly evaluate the state of the company. The ratios should be used to measure areas that are controllable by them. In the situation of a recession, there is nothing that the company can do about it. The sensitivity analysis is a technique that indicates how much NPV will change in response to a given change in an input variable, other things held  constant. We perform a sensitivity analysis to show how sensitive the results are to things such as the sales growth rate, the cost of goods sold percentage, and the administrative expense ratio. If the results don’t vary too much when a given variable is changed to a less favorable value, than the bank would have greater confidence in extending its line of credit. Based on the analyses, Karen should recommend the extension of the existing short and long term loans and grant the additional $6,375,000. We feel the loan should be given because the projections show substantial improvement in many areas of the financial statements. Cash on hand in 1993 alone significantly increases about $32 million. Accounts payable and receivable both show improvements while the ratios continue to recover and regain strength. The Altman Z score of Mark X is projected to rise well above the industry average reducing their chances of bankruptcy. Contractual requirements for current, quick and debt ratios should be changed to require a higher standard of financial security for the bank. During the first quarter after the grant of additional funds, the bank should also continue the requirement of quarterly financial statements and continue to calculate the key ratios and the trends in these ratios to identify any deficiencies. If improvements aren’t shown after the 1993 appropriate measures will be taken by the bank.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Teen Speech

Good evening dear audience. As you all know I am here to discuss one of the aspects of the society in which I live in. I have come to talk to this adoring audience about a light-hearted and sometime humorous topic of the typical teen-age stereo-type as the announcer has already told you. Now I'd like to start out my little speech by telling you all that I am a people watcher. From time to time I was barely able to talk until now I have always preferred to watch the people around me rather then actually participating in any of their activities. It is because of this that I am so bold in pointing out what bothers me in teen-agers. One of the most prominent issues brought up by this people watching is the fact that teen-agers like for some reason to sound unintelligent and unsophisticated. Whatever they say does the opposite of command respect. For instance if I hear one more person use the catch phrase â€Å"whazzup† or use the word â€Å"like† 30 times in one sentence. I admit I'm not really the typical teen or the typical girl for that matter. And there are a few reasons for this but mainly I just see the life of a teen-age girl pointless, utterly exhausting and quite frankly lame. Back to the topic of how teen-agers talk though there is one thing you'll never find me doing and that is talking on the phone for 2 or 4 hours to one of my friends explaining some useless teen-age drivel and frivolous banter. I have no idea how girls can get on the phone and yap away for hours on end to some one they've already spent the entire day with. Perhaps it's just me. One thing that's even more bothersome then the phone talk however is the lack of any intelligent vocabulary. I find myself constantly dumbing down my speech and explaining vocabulary they should already know like â€Å"banter† and â€Å"naughty† . It's quite sad to think that these, my friends, are the smarter of the general masses. It's quite pathetic indeed. However you have to hand it to them, whatever teen-age girls lack in vocabulary they make up by adding drama to everything. I don't know about any one else but I'm quite sick of the drama queen acts myself. You all know the girl that just exclaims â€Å"oh but Johnny doesn't love me! I could just die! † or â€Å"Today was the absolute worst day of my life. I'm never going back for as long as I live! † Personally I am quite annoyed by the over use of exclamations and the absurd over exaggerations. However it's no small wonder why they talk the way they do. I blame the media, their music and their literature of which I'll be only talking about the latter since the media would take another half an hour to critique. All the girls I know of listen to pop music. This wouldn't be so bad if they actually all enjoyed it and there was actually something worthwhile to listen to but it's not. Pop music is the death of anything good in the music industry. The bands don't even write their own music or play their own instruments. Worse still they don't even sound good. I think they sound like either a dying goat or a cat caught in the fan belt of a car. The only reason these girls listen to such fluff is that they are supposedly cute. Now I'm not a genius or anything nor do I claim to be but when I listen to music it's my ears doing the listening not my eyes. So where does this whole cute factor fit in anyway? I'm also called by my own peers and called abnormal for my own individualistic view on life. Just because I'd rather watch some old band that actually writes their own music and plays their own instruments and not the queen of pop Miss Lady Gaga flaunt her bare skin and lip sinc on MTV does not mean I'm abnormal. On the contrary I think it leads one to believe I'm just smarter then the masses. And don't get me wrong, this isn't some slanderous anti-social statement, it's just my blunt black and white view of my own peers. Popular reading materials aren't much better then the music industry. Their woeful lack of vocabulary and absolutely pathetic plotlines make even the best of these only worth fire starters. I tried reading some of these books once. I got through 3 pages before I got so irked at the complete and absolute simplicity that I threw it across the room in frustration. I think I would have learned more from reading  Ã¢â‚¬Å"See Spot Run†Ã‚  than from those books. Quite simply put I am aggravated with the dull meaningless platitudes, not to mention the four for a pound romances that fill the shelves. I have always been a true believer that quantity is NOT quality. I like conviction in my reading materials, even if I don't agree with that is being stated I admire the writer for having the guts to say it. However the total lack of meaning in a teen-agers life is what bothers me above all else. For most teen-agers it is their only goal in life to fit in. I myself rather like not fitting in, because to fit in means to conform. Let me demonstrate my point. All of the â€Å"typical teen-agers† I know have a whole set of unwritten rules and ethics that rule their piddley little lives. One of them is to never say anything that may even be remotely offensive to anyone in your presence with the exception of profuse profanity, which in my personal opinion makes you look like you should be on the Jerry Kyle Show. Now, courtesy can be a good thing but not when it rules your life. There are certain situations in which it is most appropriate to stand for what you believe in, state what you really feel and not worry about what others think of such a bold move. I myself do this every day and perhaps this is why I have so few friends, because no one can put up with me. I'm all the happier for it though because the few friends I do have know who I am and not who they think I am. To me the majority of teen-agers cluster together in groups and try to fit themselves into a perfect mold. It is however like jamming a square nail in a round slot. I would never stoop so low as to alter all my opinions, what music reading and hobbies I enjoy just to fit in. I think it's horrible myself that anyone would do this. My peers shudder at my words. They see individuality, at least in the sense I see it as a threat to the way they live. Just merely telling them about individuality is most akin to teaching the dog quantum physics. They care way too much of what people think about them to be themselves and that's why they are always paranoid and overly concerned about everything. For instance what cuts me from the herd is I don't care diddley-squat if Johnny loves me or the most popular girl in town approves of me. This is all just nonsense. Thank-you for listening, I hope you now realise and understand the stereo typing of teen-agers.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Fantasy or Reality the Illusion of the On-line Realm Essay

Fantasy or Reality the Illusion of the On-line Realm - Essay Example Whether it is the 75 year old grandmother, who plays online bridge, or the 7 year old child, that plays Scooby Doo, the internet is here and here to stay. I will be explaining why online should have more security and the risk of an online gaming obsession. In the article â€Å"Does Virtual Reality Need a Sheriff† by Alan Sipress.† He starts by explaining how a character in the game Second Life â€Å"allegedly raped another character†. Although this is a game meant for entertainment this incident could have possible long-term effects on the actual person in charge of controlling the character. Actions performed online such as â€Å"rape† can prove to be devastating, particularly to someone as emotionally vulnerable as a child. Unfortunately, there have been lots of sexual assault cases. One of the first known cases that had acutely been reported was back in 1993 by Julian Dibbell whom is a â€Å"prominent commentator on digital culture†(445). The natu re of Second Life as a highly complex virtual environment presents a great number of opportunities, yet it similarly poses a number of problems for Internet gamers. In addition to reported instances of sexual assault, there are also areas of the game where â€Å"avatars act out drug use, child abuse, rape and various forms of sadomasochism† (446). While individuals were outraged at such occurrences, other users indicated that simple role playing is not a serious violation, pointing out that no children were harmed during the game. While Internet gaming has generally not been considered a serious threat it is definitely a growing concern when one considers the ever increasing among of online gamers. For instance, the popular role playing game World of Warcraft has an estimated eight million participants. Within the structure of this game it’s been noted that there are regions of the game that have become highly problematic in that â€Å"Gang of animated characters have repeatedly preyed upon lone travelers, killing them and making off with their virtual belongings† (445). In these regards, gamers face the increasing threat of virtual assault. Japanese authorities even arrested an individual or such acts of virtual mugging. Indeed, the very nature of what constitutes a crime is a debated subject, with virtual depictions of child abuse not being illegal in the United States, yet being prohibited in Europe. With such a variety of legal understandings the problems for law enforcement in halting such violations is made increasingly difficult. Still, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has made strides in attempting to combat such abuses on Second Life. The F.B.I. has also launched investigations against gambling that has occurred within the online gaming environment. While the online gaming world largely remains a sort of contemporary Wild West, progress by such investigators as well as individuals desiring to institute a legal code on Sec ond Life, have started to make significant strides in combating such aspects of virtual crime. While crimes through online gaming poses significant risks to users, the nature of Internet gaming addictions poses just as large a challenge. Numerous reports have demonstrated that the effects of online gaming addiction have had similar deleterious effects on individuals as drug use. Indeed, psychological research has conducted tests wherein similar brain functions were shared by both drugs users and individuals addicted to online gaming (‘Virtual Addiction’). One such startling examined occurred in South Korea where online gaming has become so prominent that is has assumed the position similar to a national sport. Recently it was reported that in South

Friday, September 27, 2019

I will attach the article i choiced from the five articles i have Essay

I will attach the article i choiced from the five articles i have online. follow the instruction in the details and write a discussion - Essay Example The article also relates to the article I chose by Mark Joslin which rules out the effectiveness of the treatment provided in rehabilitation centers. The article I chose is based on logic arguments on the effectiveness on a brain focused treatment of addiction. The article provides concrete evidence on the effectiveness of the treatment by Dr. Sponaugle. The author of the article first recognizes the fact that rehabs do not provide addicts with full treatment. This is presented in real cases where patients’ experience relapses shortly after coming out from rehabs. From the article I increased my knowledge on the most effective approach to cure drug addiction. Prior to the information provided in the article, one believed in the effectiveness of the treatment provided in rehabilitation centers. From the information provided by Joslin, it is interesting to understand the fact that the brain provides the most appropriate centers for addiction treatment. By analyzing different areas of the brain Dr. Sponaugle could be able to cure the deficiency in brain stimulation. By understanding the parts of the brain he was able to come up with mechanisms of correction which were long term. In an argument by Cosgrove (2010) the number of addicts in the United States are increasing rapidly with more youths are increasingly abusing drugs. Additionally, the situation is made worse by the fact that most people believe in the treatment provided in rehabilitation centers. Addicts subjected to this treatment only have short term addiction free status (Cosgrove, 2010). Most of them have relapses after few weeks of treatment. From this argument it is an obvious assumption that the treatment provided in rehabs is not effective enough to lead an addict to full recovery. Additionally, full recovery from addiction requires a neurological approach as

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Issue 20 from taking sides clashing views on political issues Essay - 1

Issue 20 from taking sides clashing views on political issues seventeenth edition - Essay Example How much privacy can we maintain without actually jeopardizing national security? My position stands on the answer to what is warrantless and what is not. Our history shows that innocent people have experienced an invasion of their privacy because of human error regarding whether or not their behavior, contacts, and connections can be considered â€Å"terrorist activity.† Nowadays, it seems like everyone and everything is potentially terroristic and a threat to national security. Extremist opinion and attitude, one way or the other, exist even amongst those who are nothing close to what can be deemed a terrorist. Legally, what is warranted is underlined by the words â€Å"probable cause.† Probable cause is a sticky matter that can come under the consent of a judge, and in cases of emergency, can be exercised in the absence of that permission. Wiretapping, as legalized eavesdropping, is badly in need of judicial oversight. Without the legally necessary protections in place, wiretapping is wide open to abuse and leaves open the possibility of misinformation and unnecessary interrogation. It also effectively closes the door to those doing investigative work, because those who may be caught disclosing information will withdraw, retract, and retreat from all contact when they know the door is open for them to be exposed and possibly killed, even when they are inside informants helping the innate cause. In the topic book, Al Gores states, â€Å"Republican as well as Democratic members of Congress should support the bipartisan call of the Liberty Coalition for the appointment of a special counsel to pursue the criminal issues raised by warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the President.† Since then, the battle has been over the Patriot Act and whether its broad-sweeping secret legal interpretation differs so much in the public

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Land Law and Professional Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Land Law and Professional Advice - Essay Example However, it can be seen that there is some contribution from her in the land as she helped to â€Å"prop up the business and the farm†. In Jones v Kernott2, the male spouse left the house and stopped paying the bills and the mortgage. In his absence, his wife bore all the expenses. It was held that the wife had an equitable interest in the house and on the basis of equity; the share was 90:19 between the two. But in Lloyds Bank plc v Rosset3, upon sale by the husband who was the sole owner, the wife’s claim to a beneficial ownership was rejected despite her having made contributions in the improvement of the land. Therefore, Andrea’s contribution in the improvements to the land would be regarded as de minimis. From Fred’s letter to his wife, it can be construed that he did not want to authorize Andrea to make negotiations regarding the sale of the farm. Since Fred never really put Andrea’s name in the deeds and now the Land law emphasises on the nee d of putting such agreements into writing, Andrea could not have passed the title to Rachel Buchanan. From another point of view, since Andrea borrowed a â€Å"vast† sum of money from her father, it can be construed that she had made a big investment in the farm and her contribution might not be regarded as de minimis. From the judgement of Stack v Dowden4, it might be construed that Andrea had developed a constructive trust in the farm. This would enable her to transfer her equitable interest to Rachel Buchanan in the farm as seen in Chinn v Collins5. Therefore, Rachel now holds an equitable interest in the farm transferred to her from Andrea. Fred still has his interest and rights regarding the farm. Rachel mentions in her letter that there was an extremely valuable Georgian sun-dial in the garden. Andrea has taken the sun-dial and left the plinth. Rachel wants the sun-dial back. The contract was between Rachel and Andrea. At that time, Rachel had not seen the estate. Hence , she did not know that there was a sun-dial on the estate and it was not essential to her prospective business either. In Berkley v Poulett6, the seller had removed some pictures and a sun-dial. The buyer sought recovery of those items. It was held that the sun-dial was not a fixture and was affixed for mere enjoyment. The seller was entitled to remove it at any time as he pleased. Similarly, Andrea is entitled to have the sun-dial in her possession as it did not form a part of the contract and Rachel had no knowledge of its existence at the time of the contract. Rachel can have the plinth and it might be regarded as a fixture since it might do some damage to the land upon its removal. From Matthew Williams’ letter to Fred, it can be easily construed that Fred had completed the contract of transfer of the extension to the Hopgood farms to Matthew. The legal requirements are fulfilled and everything has been put into writing. Mathew is now entitled to obtain possession of the land and Fred is holding the land for him. However, a letter from Beryl Stanforth, the owner of Grange Farm, to Fred suggests that she has an equitable interest in the land and her permission is required to lease the land. Mathew has written in his letter that when he went to the estate, he had an encounter with Beryl. This means that he could have made

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Game Theory for Applied Economists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Game Theory for Applied Economists - Essay Example This is very helpful in the formulation of the necessary strategies of the business. EXAMPLES OF GAME THEORY-EARLY CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT One of the earliest examples of game theory can be seen in the studies of Antoine Cournot in the year 1838. It studied the example of duopoly in the context of a formal type of game and theoretical analysis. The formal theory for the games was brought into the forefront by the mathematician Emile Borel, who had the suggestion of a formal theory of the games by the year 1921.It, was further developed by the likes of mathematicians like John von Neumann in the year 1928. The field of game theory was established as an entity in its own right after the publishing of seminal book called as Theory of Games and Economic Behavior by the likes of Vo Neumann and the economist known as Oskar Morgenstern (Binmore 114). It also received a lot of fillip from the studies of mathematician John Nash who demonstrated that the finite games have any equilibrium, wher ein all the players choose the option that is best for them keeping in mind the action of the fellow players. This is a fundamental unit of the design element that can be seen from the studies of these individuals. This concept of non-cooperative game theory was broadened by the application in the year 1950 and 1960’s. t has always been a central point for discussion. It has been applied to the areas of politics and war. This is one of the centralized concepts of this theory. It has also been accepted in the fields of sociology and physiology. It is also seen in the field of biology. These are some of the common points of the relationship that find mention in the development of theories. It received a lot of attention with the awarding of the Nobel Prize in the field of economics to the likes of Nash, John Harsanyi, and Reinhard Selten. At the period of 1990, it was seen that the game theory was being increasingly used in a number of the fields. It is being prominently used i n for the designing of auctions. It is being designed in such a manner that there is the distribution of maximum benefits for the population. It has also developed a level of understanding in terms of the number of the division of electromagnetic spectrum to the telecommunication firms. The usage of this theory has helped in raising billions of dollars in a number of governments. GAME THEORY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS The level of internal consistency and the basis of mathematics make it one of the primary tools of the modeling and design of many of automated processes of decision making as a part of interactive environments (Fudenberg and Tirole 173). As for example, one of the examples was setting up of efficient rules for the bidding process, websites, and the generation of tamper proof negotiation that is useful in the purchase of communication bandwidth. The automation of strategic choices is necessary for making the choices to be robust in nature. This is helpful in the avoidance of any kind of manipulation in the process of bidding and guards against any kind of abuse form any of the users. The strength of game theory comes from the process of structuring the problems in a way that all the options become clear.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Pubic speaking paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pubic speaking paper - Essay Example Our forefathers had a dream of building a great nation. Our country has made this large strides which can be traced back to the foundation of the dreams our forefathers had for this nation. They were ready to give their life for something they thought was greater than their individual interests. They wanted nothing but the best for our great nation. The United States of America remains one of the great and globally influental country and we hope to remain so for generations to come. We have been and we will always be so long we remain patriotic to our ideals and value the strength of our diversity. As a leader of this great country, I believe we will be able to achieve our millenium goals by being an exemplary global leader in investing in educating the young generation that will lead to globally competent leaders of the societies to come and offer lasting a lasting solution to global war crisis. There is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining to ones character than giving one’s all to a difficult task. United States of America is a far more diverse country than any other country in the world. We remain the most powerful nation because we have chosen the strength and the bonding we gain from our socio-cultural differences to be our driving impetus into the building of our great nation. The advancements we have achieved in providing globally competetive learning institutions and technological advancements are the prime indicators of our nation as the global harbour of knowledge for generations to come. Thats why we strive to make America a destination for the validity of any child’s dreams from any country in the world. This will go along way in academically financing children from needy backgrounds in the world by provision of fully of partially funded academic and merit based scholarship to study in our institutions of higher learning so that they ca n give back and change the leadership in

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Virtual Reality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Virtual Reality - Research Paper Example Virtual reality is turning out to be the topic with many opposing viewpoints. It has become the focal point of discussion among the general public for several reasons. Conceivably, this is mostly because of all the potentials which virtual reality develops (Hoffman, 2004). However, despite the disagreement this new technology has awakened, society should not stay dubious. Virtual reality if used in an optimistic way can bring a large technological development. Military and space technology, the entertainment industry, and the physical sciences contributed to the drive to make advanced computers user friendly. Initially, complex simulators presented low-definition displays through binocular headsets. Addition of position sensors introduced "motion parallax", with depth cues that created the illusion of being within a three-dimensional graphical display. The invention of a `DataGlove, whose movements could be sensed by the computer and then reconstructed in the display, enabled the observer and computer to interact with instructions given by the observer via simple hand movements such as pointing. The overall effect was that the observer experienced a computer-generated artificial or virtual reality (VR), whose credibility depended largely on the agreement between the simulated imagery and the familiar sensible world (Zimmer, 2004). Virtual reality applications are finding their way into the mainstream of society. Initially, the use of VR (virtual reality) was seen as valuable only to scientists and engineers whose highly specialized needs more than overcame the poor quality of the computer generated 3D images. For example, scientists can engage in molecular research by moving within molecules to examine their structures. Doctors and other medical personnel can practice elaborate or dangerous procedures before attempting them on human subjects. With special imaging software, the

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Marketing and Food Essay Example for Free

Marketing and Food Essay This literature review will focus on exploring marketing strategies employed when selling food. I will be looking at what influence these marketing strategies have on consumers decision making process and the effectiveness of these strategies. It is clear that consumers dont all buy the same things and I am interested to find out what causes this difference in product selection. There are many things that can influence these decisions, from the placement of products or the aesthetics of the product. Food companies may also take location or population into account when choosing what product to sell and where to sell it. Demographical marketing strategies use population statistics as a way of finding out what products will sell best. Lars Perner[1] uses age demographic as an example. â€Å"a firm interested in entering the market for sports drinks in a given country, or worldwide, might investigate the number of people between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five, who would constitute a particularly significant market.† In some countries such as Germany, it has been noted that the birth rate is dropping significantly, in this sort of market, a company may steer away from creating a baby food product in favour of a product geared towards older people, this is due to the old age market being larger than the young age market. Perner also discusses upward pull marketing. This takes advantage of social class in order to increase ones desire for a product. By Portraying a product as something the upper class society would consume, it can take advantage of the consumers desire to advance their social class. Companies such as Haagen-Daas, who display their product as a luxury ice-cream, and several wine brands make use of this strategy. The layout of a supermarket also has a dramatic effect on food sales. One example is the location of the entrance into supermarkets. One study[2] suggests that if the entrance to a supermarket is located on the right side, it encourages counter-clockwise movement throughout the supermarket. Whereas if the entrance is on the left, it encourages clockwise movement. The study claims â€Å"counter-clockwise shoppers spend $2 more per trip, than clockwise shoppers.† Products that have a large profit margin are usually located around the perimeter of the supermarket, as most shoppers favour travelling around the perimeter than traversing up and down the isles. Fresh fruit and vegetable sections are usually located at the start or end of the supermarket, and are presented as a cleaner and more welcoming area to the rest of the supermarket as most shoppers spend the most money in this section. Items placed at the ends of aisles serve as and introduction the items the customer will find in that aisle, the items in the centre of the aisle will receive less time with the customer, so items that will make more of a profit will be placed towards the end of aisles. Commonly purchased items such as milk or bread are generally located at the back of a supermarket, forcing the consumer to travel through many other products in order to get the item they need. It is then that advertising and aesthetic marketing come into play. Different tactics are employed in certain aisles in order to force customers into decisions. One example may be[3] the use of music and lights in junk food aisles. By using loud music and bright lights, the supermarket may cause the customer to be overwhelmed and make an impulse decision on what to buy, they may reach out for something that would comfort them, such as their favourite junk food. In a different situation, a supermarket may employ the use of dim lights and relaxing music, in order to convince the customer to take their time and spend more time in the supermarket, in turn having them buy more products. Some supermarkets tend to move items around from time to time in order to confuse their customers, having them search through all the aisles in order to find the product, picking up other products along the way. The location of the product is also important, most customers tend to only look at products at are at eye level. The most expensive items will also be found at eye level, with better deals being hidden away above or below. The packaging of a product can also influence the decisions of a consumer. †More expensive brands tend to have fancier labelling then generic brands. Therefore we assume the quality is better and are willing to pay higher prices, regardless of whether that is true[4]† Supermarkets also make use of the senses in order to draw customers in and attempt to force them into buying something they didnt intend to. They will cater to sight by using colours to evoke certain feelings, light blues and pinks may be used around baby food or sweet sections in order to appeal to children. Reds may be used around alcoholic beverages in order to appeal to consumers emotions such as anger or love, both of which have ties with alcohol and the colour red. They may bake fresh cakes and cookies in the bakery section to draw customers into buying the products due to the appealing smell. These findings provide evidence of a definite link between the marketing strategies used by supermarkets and brands, and the effect they have on sales of products. A number of ways in which strategies are employed have been noted, such as demographical marketing, placement of products and product aesthetics. Bibliography Perner, L. (2008). Food Marketing. Food Marketing. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/food_marketing.html (2008) The science of supermarket psychology | tribalinsight. The science of supermarket psychology | tribalinsight. [ONLINE] Available at:http://tribalinsight.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/supermarket-psychology/ (2008) Supermarket tricks. 2008, Supermarket tricks. [ONLINE] Available at: http://today.ninemsn.com.au/moneyandconsumer/598695/supermarket-tricks [1]Perner, L. (2008). Food Marketing. Food Marketing. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/food_marketing.html [2](2008) The science of supermarket psychology | tribalinsight. The science of supermarket psychology | tribalinsight. [ONLINE] Available at:http://tribalinsight.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/supermarket-psychology/ [3](2008) Supermarket tricks. 2008, Supermarket tricks. [ONLINE] Available at: http://today.ninemsn.com.au/moneyandconsumer/598695/supermarket-tricks [4](2008) Supermarket tricks. 2008, Supermarket tricks. [ONLINE] Available at: http://today.ninemsn.com.au/moneyandconsumer/598695/supermarket-tricks

Friday, September 20, 2019

Comparison Of Nominal Gdp And Real Gdp Economics Essay

Comparison Of Nominal Gdp And Real Gdp Economics Essay In Macroeconomics, to distinguish price changes from quantity changes, we use the concepts of nominal GDP and real GDP. Nominal GDP measures the value of the output of final goods and services using the prices that prevailed at the time of measurement, or current prices. It is sometimes called current dollar GDP. Real GDP measures the value of the output of final goods and services using the prices that prevailed in some given or base year. It is sometimes called constant dollar GDP. By comparing real GDP from one year to another enables us to say whether the economy has produced more or fewer goods and services. Comparing nominal GDP from one year to another does not permit us to compare the quantities of goods and services produced in those two years , because GDP is not adjusted for certain bads. Thus, some economists argue that GDP overstates overall economic welfare. The following is an example of gross domestic product (GDP) figure that has not been adjusted for inflation: Also known as current dollar GDP or chained dollar GDP. It can be misleading when inflation is not accounted for in the GDP figure because the GDP will appear higher than it actually is. If the nominal GDP figure has shot up 8% but inflation has been 4%, the real GDP has only increased 4%. Real GDP is a macroeconomic measure of the size of an economy adjusted for price changes and inflation. Real GDP for a given year is the given years nominal GDP stated in the base p-year price level 2. Real GDP growth on an annual basis is the nominal and abnormal GDP growth rate adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percentage. Real GDP is adjusted for changes in prices and inflation throughout the year, because of this, it can be thought of in terms of purchasing power. Real GDP per Capita reflects GDP purchasing power of the average income individual in the economy. Nominal GDP is GDP evaluated at current market prices. Therefore, nominal GDP will include all of the changes in market prices that have occurred during the annual year due to deflation or inflation. Deflation is defined as a fall in the overall price level. Inflation is a rise in the overall price level. To determine changes in the overall price level, another measure of GDP called real GDP is used. The definition of Real GDP is GDP evaluated at the market prices of a base year. For example, if 1990 were chosen as the base year, then real GDP for 1995 is calculated by taking the quantities of all goods and services purchased in 1995 and multiplying them by their 1990 prices. GDP or Gross Domestic Product is the value of all the goods and services produced in a country. The Nominal Gross Domestic Product measures the value of all the goods and services produced expressed in current prices. On the other hand, Real Gross Domestic Product measures the value of all the goods and services produced expressed in the prices of some base year. An example: Suppose in the year 2000, the economy of a country produced $100 billion worth of goods and services based on year 2000 prices. Since were using 2000 as a basis year, the nominal and real GDP are the same. In the year 2001, the economy produced $110B worth of goods and services based on year 2001 prices. Those same goods and services are instead valued at $105B if year 2000 prices are used. Then: Year 2000 Nominal GDP = $100B, Real GDP = $100B Year 2001 Nominal GDP = $110B, Real GDP = $105B Nominal GDP Growth Rate = 10% Real GDP Growth Rate = 5% Notes: In economics, the nominal values of something are its money values in different years. Real values adjust for differences in the price level in those years. Examples include a bundle of commodities, such as gross domestic product, and income. For a series of nominal values in successive years, different values could be because of differences in the price level, an index of prices. But nominal values do not specify how much of the difference is from changes in the price level. Real values remove this ambiguity. Real values convert the nominal values as if prices were constant in each year of the series. Any differences in real values are then attributed to differences in quantities of the bundle or differences in the amount of goods that the money could buy in each year. Thus, the real values index the quantities of the commodity bundle or the purchasing power of the money incomes for each year in the series. The nominal/real value distinction can apply not only to time-series data, as above, but to cross-section data varying by region or householder characteristics. Nominal values are related to prices and quantities (P and Q) and to real values by the following definitions: nominal value = Pà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢Q = Pà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢real value. Nominal values such as nominal wages or (nominal) gross domestic product refer to amounts that are paid or earned in money terms. In the illustration of the previous section, for a single good with a nominal value, the nominal value of the good was divided by its unit price to calculate its real value, namely the quantity of the good. The same general method applies for calculation of other real values, except that a price index is used instead of the price of a single commodity. Real values (such as real wages or real gross domestic product) can be derived by dividing the relevant nominal value (money wages or nominal GDP) by the appropriate price index. For consumers, a relevant bundle of goods is that used to compute the Consumer Price Index. So, for wage earners as consumers a relevant real wage is the nominal wage (after-tax) divided by the CPI. A relevant divisor of nominal GDP is the GDP price index. Simple illustration: Numerical example: If for years 1 and 2 (say 20 years apart) the nominal wage and P are respectively $10 and $16 1.00 and 1.333, Real wages are respectively: $10 (= 10/1.00) and $12 (= 16/1.333). The real wage so constructed in each different year indexes the amount of commodities in that year that could be purchased relative to other years. Thus, in the example the price level increased by 33 percent, but the real wage rate still increased by 20 percent, permitting a 20 percent increase in the quantity of commodities the nominal wage could purchase. GDP can rise for at least two reasons. It can rise because of an increase in real production (which we like), or because of an increase in prices for the same amount of real production (which we do not like). To determine which is which, we differentiate the concepts of nominal GDP (that values products in terms of prices of that year) and real GDP (that adjusts for any price changes). Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the market value of all final goods and services produced and purchased within a country during a given time period. There are two ways to measure GDP: Nominal GDP is the value of production at current market prices. Real GDP is the value of production using a given base year prices.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Cultural Protectionism in the European Union Essay -- national film ind

Since the 1980s the European Union (EU) is pursuing a more liberal trade policy in its multilateral trade negotiations. This liberal approach is the result of the change in company preferences in favour of free trade. The change in business preferences also made politicians to support trade liberalisation. (Young, 2007) While the EU is a lead supporter when it comes to traditional trade policy, it is rather reluctant regarding the liberalisation in other trade areas. The European audiovisual industry is a good example to demonstrate the EU’s protectionist approach. Though there are countries, above all the United States, who are in contrary to the EU, great supporters of the full liberalisation of audiovisual industry. The US government seeks for liberalization of audiovisual services within the framework of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), while other countries, such as the member states of the European Union see the US and the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a threat to their film industry and national culture. In this paper within the European audiovisual sector I will focus on the European film industry. The main question of the paper: why does the EU pursue protectionist policy in case of its audiovisual sector, when in general it is expected to follow liberal trade policy? In order to explain the EU’s behaviour, Alasdair R. Young’s (2007) division of trade policy will be used as theoretical framework. Young differentiates three aspects of trade policy: traditional trade policy, commercial policy, social trade policy. Traditional trade policy includes tariffs and other quantitative measures, occurring at the border in order to discriminate foreign goods. With the rise of export orientation of European manuf... ... WTO members’ commitment in audiovisual services very low. (WTO, 2009) None of the EU member states, nor any other European countries made commitments to liberalize its audiovisual sector, but they all asked for exemption from the MFN principle. On the other side only two countries with considerable economy opted for the liberalisation: US and New Zealand. (Puppis, 2008) What would happen with the film industry in case of the liberalization of audiovisual sector? Why the EU and the member states are so resistant in this matter? Without the MFN exemption, or with more extended liberalization would lead to increase commercialization, even bigger US/ Hollywood share in the European cinemas and televisions. Under the MFN principle the European Union and its member states would not be allowed to set up programs like MEDIA, or quotas for European content. (Puppis, 2008)

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Analysis of Argentinean Debt Crisis: IMF and Government Actions Essay

The Argentina debt affected the country between the late 90’s to the early 2000’s and can be attributed to misdiagnosis and ineffective policy. During this time the IMF and Argetina’s government worked closely together. Previous to the crisis Argentina had been celebrated for its economic policies and growth. The government worked to put in place conservative economic policy, including the privatization of companies, looser trade regulations, among other conservative changes. Economic growth in that period appears to have been in large part the result of increasing amount of international debt. Before the end of the 90’s, things began to fall apart. The crisis can be traced back to the 80’s, where the country experienced extreme hyperinflation. The currency inflated at over 5000% this was during the presidency of Carlos Menem and, his finance minister, Domingo Cavallo who attempted three ways to limit inflation. The first was a stabilization act with the backing of a large private firm; the second attempt was to buy up certificates of deposit into government bonds (Nataraj & Sahoo 2003). After the first two methods failed the third option was introduced, this was to peg the argentine peso to the US dollar. To fixate the exchange rate, the currency board kept up dollar reserves, and could not change the supply of pesos without the same change in dollars as well (Sergio L., Eduardo, & Augusto 2003). By the mid-1990s, inflation had vanished but the government were unable to alter many of the concretionary policies that stabilized inflation yet hurt growth. When debt crisis began to develop, the government could not exp and the money supply as a means of stimulating the economy, resulting in stagflation in the 90’s (Macewen 200... ...e World Bank. IMF. The IMF and Argentina, 1991–2001. Rep. International Monetary Fund: Independent Evaluation Office, 2004. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. . Krueger, Anne. "Crisis Prevention and Resolution: Lessons from Argentina." Speech. "The Argentina Crisis" Cambridge, Cambridge. 17 July 2002. IMF. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. . Macewan, Arthur. "Economic Debacle In Argentina: The IMF Strikes Again." Foreign Policy in Focus Jan. 2002, Latin America & Caribbean sec. Print. Nataraj, Geethanjali, and Pravakar Sahoo. "Argentina's Crisis: Causes and Consequences." Economic and Political Weekly 38.18 (2003). Print. Paddock, John V. "IMF Policy and the Argentine Crisis." The University of Miami Inter-American Law Review 34.1 (2003): 155-87. Print.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Comparing Communism and Capitalism :: comparison compare contrast essays

Communism vs. Capitalism In Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto, he describes the Communists as the party that "fights for the interests of the working class"(136), while in a Capitalist society, the "living person is dependent and has no individuality-----only capital is dependent and has individuality"(84). That is not the case of today's society once you take a closer view at the comparison and contrast of communist Vietnam versus the democratic United States of America through their economy systems, educational systems, judicial systems, and the life style of their citizens in general. In a capitalist, democratic nation such as the U.S., freedom gives us just about everything and anything that the Vietnamese do not have under their communist government. Contrary to what Karl Marx has written in his manifesto, the living people of a capitalist nation (i.e. USA) of today are more independent and possess more individualities than ever. Economic-wise, Americans are the most progressive people in the world. The U.S. government is not directing the flow of its economy, but the individual businesses of its people are. These people have all the rights in the world to improve their businesses, as long as they are conducting them under the legal guidelines of the government. Such freedom in a capitalist society gives the Americans much greater advantages over the Vietnamese in improving economic conditions. When we touch upon the subject of education, only eighty percent of Vietnam's population is educated. The government does not provide free public education to its people, and not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford it. Many children, especially those in the rural areas, are pulled out of schools as soon as they know how to read and write, for some parents also feel that learning Marxism-Leninism does not benefit their families' income, i.e., putting food in their mouth. Further education is really not an option, for these children also have to work in order to raise their families. Begging in the streets, polishing shoes, toiling on the farms are some of the many jobs that children at the age of five are actively doing, since finding food for themselves and their families is their sole occupation. Fortunately, children in many capitalist nations are provided with adequate tools and supplies in their public schools. Almost all of the American population has at least pass ed the elementary and middle school levels.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Cash Buget Essay

The Cash Budget One of the major functions of corporate finance is to anticipate the need for funds in the company. Although there are several methods for forecasting these needs, the cash budget is the most accurate (and most commonly used) method available. Cash flows through a company like water flows through a pipe. (See the cash flow pipeline.) A cash budget essentially maps out these cash flows and indicates the period in which they will occur. Cash budgeting, at its core, is a very simple procedure that simulates cash flowing through a company. If we can accurate estimate (1) the amounts and (2) the timing of these cash flows, then we can also estimate whether the company will experience a shortage of cash (or an excess of cash) during any given month. The primary cash inflows for a company consist of (1) cash sales and (2) collection of accounts receivable. An accurate sales forecast is a necessity if we are to construct an accurate cash budget. If we then know the terms that we sell on (2/10, net 30, for example) and the past payment experience of our customers, we can estimate the amount and timing of these collections. The primary cash outflows are generally (1) payments on purchases, (2) labor costs, and (3) capital purchases (i.e., fixed assets). Other large payments may include rent, taxes, and These and other cash outflows must be estimated as to the amount and timing of the payments. Pro Forma Statements It is also useful to know what the company’s income statement will look like for the forecasted period and what the balance sheet will look like at the end of the forecasted period. If either of these two statements show weaknesses, we can plan now to take steps that will prevent these deficiencies from occurring. Fortunately, cash budgets and pro forma statements are easily programmed using electronic spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel. This is especially handy since cash budgets involve a large number of relatively simple calculations. Spreadsheets Cash budgets are usually placed on an electronic spreadsheet, where data may be entered and updated frequently. The two spreadsheets below are examples of spreadsheets for 3-month and 12-month planning periods. An Illustration Let’s consider a sample cash budgeting problem, with its solution. An explanation of how the numbers are determined may be seen by clicking on the appropriate links in the â€Å"Solution† section of this page. A SAMPLE PROBLEM Glenda Byers has gathered the data below needed for the preparation of a cash budget for the months of October, November, and December. SALES: (Actual sales for August and September, forecasted sales for October – February) August | $ 45,000 | September | 54,000 | October | 65,000 | November | 75,000 | December | 93,000 | January | 71,000 | February | 55,000 | Based on the past history and current credit terms offered by her firm, Glenda has estimated the following payment schedule for sales: 25% of total sales will be cash sales;   60% of total sales will be collected in the month following the sale; 15% of total sales will be collected in the second month following the sale . (Note: Notice that since the three above collections total 100%, no bad debts on accounts receivable are anticipated. If we anticipated a 2% bad debt rate, we could change the 15% number above to 13%. We would then be anticipating that we would collect only 98% of the total sales.) PURCHASES The company’s markup on inventory is two-thirds of the cost (e.g. a $40 profit on an item which cost $60.) In other words, the cost of the merchandise is 60% of the final selling price. The firm purchases enough inventory to cover sales one month in the future. Based on current credit terms, Glenda expects the following repayment schedule: 12% of purchases are paid for in cash; 78% are paid one month following the purchase, and 10% are paid for two months after the purchase. EXPENSES (per month, unless otherwise noted): Mortgage Payment | $ 2,300 | Wages and Salaries | 3,200 | Lease Payments | 750 | Capital purchases (to be purchased in October) | 7,600 | Property Taxes (to be paid in December) | 11,800 | Other Expenses (%) | 10% of sales | FURTHER ASSUMPTIONS 1. Cash: * As of October 1st, the firm has $3,000 in its checking account at the bank. * The firm desires to have a minimum cash balance of $3,000 at all times. 2. Loan Information: * As of October 1st, the company’s loan balance was $2,000. * The company’s bank requires that interest be paid each month. The interest to be paid is the interest due on the previous month’s loan balance. The interest rate is 1.0% per month on the outstanding balance at the end of the previous month. 3. Fixed Assets: The firm depreciates all capital equipment purchases over a five-year period using the straight line method. 4. Minimum inventory: The firm keeps $30,000 of safety stock on hand at all times.

Six Dimension Worksheet

Associate Level Material Six Dimensions of Health Worksheet Part 1 For each of the following six dimensions of health, list at least one characteristic, activity, belief, or attitude that reflects that dimension in your life. Provide a brief explanation with each example. Refer to Ch. 1 in the text for explanations of these dimensions. Physical health: Exercising daily is an activity that helps Social health: An activity that reflects social health would have to be interactions with other people. If you are an antisocial person then you will end up being depressed.Intellectual health: An activity that reflects intellectual health is thinking clearly. If you can’t think clearly then you will not be able to make decisions in life. Environmental health: The way that you treat your environment around you. When you recycle you are making a decision to help the environment. Emotional health: An activity that reflects ones emotional health would be expressing your feelings. If I†™m angry I keep my thoughts to myself so I won’t hurt anybody’s feelings. Spiritual health: Spiritual health involves your belief. Praying regularly is an activity that you do daily to strengthen your spiritual health.Part 2 In approximately 125 to 200 words, describe health and wellness in your own words using the ideas and concepts for each of the six dimensions of health. Your overall health is a reflection on your physical, intellectual, environmental, social, spiritual, and emotional health. If you maintain all six dimension of health then you are creating a healthy life for yourself. Taking care of yourself physically will increase your longevity. You can do this by eating healthy, exercising daily and regular doctor visits. You can be very social if you communicate with people on a daily basis.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Women Role in Christianity and Islam

A Christian Woman is a woman who loves God more than herself. She is a woman who prays for her family, her church, her government and her country. She is a woman who reads God's Word and puts Him first in her life. From the beginning of the early Christian church, starting with Jesus, women were important members of the movement. The examples of the manner of Jesus reveal his attitudes toward women and show repeatedly how he liberated and affirmed women. Both complementarians and egalitarians see Jesus as treating women with compassion, grace and dignity. 2] The gospels of the New Testament, especially Luke, often mention Jesus speaking to or helping women publicly and openly, contrary to the social norms of the time. Jesus had female followers who were his sponsors,[Lu 8:1-3] and he stopped to express concern for the women of Jerusalem on his way to be crucified,[Lu 23:26-31] while Mary Magdalene is recorded to be the first person to have the privilege of seeing Jesus after resurrec tion. [Mk 16:9] The role of women in Christianity today depends almost entirely upon the context in which women find themselves or choose to be involved in. More conservative Bible-believing women will tend their participation in church leadership etc. The modern womens rights movement has had a dramatic impact on the role of women in Christian churches. â€Å"Women in Christianity† is a vast and complex subject with multiple dimensions as Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world practiced in different societies and cultures around the world. When we deal with the subject of â€Å"Women in Christianity† we need to understand that Christianity as that exists today is a mix of different denominations with Catholics and Protestants being the principle denominations. Further it would be prudent to delve into the history of Christianity to understand the role of women in this religion. In early Christianity there was no separate roles prescribed for men and women and women were not distinguished separately from men. This was despite the fact that the society in West Asia at that time was highly patriarchal in nature. Women in Christianity: The early Christian prophets From West Asia, Christianity spread to ancient Greece and Rome which were purely patriarchal societies. In these societies women and children were hought of as assets or possessions held by the head of the family. Men and Women were distinguished separately in this kind of set up and women were generally considered inferior to men. During these times Christians believed that the world will end soon and Christ will come to earth for the second time. There were many women teachers and prophets in Christianity in those days who believed in this proposition and went their way in preachin g this doctrine. Women in Christianity: Wave of change in twentieth century Only in the twentieth century things started changing in Christianity. With the churches loosing much of their clout and power in the twentieth century, with democratic governments firmly established in many countries in Europe as well as in America and with religion getting separated from politics things started to change in a dramatic fashion in Christianity that was never thought about in the last two thousand years of the religion. It all started with the early feminist movements and peaked with the second wave of feminism from the period of 1960s. This period saw a profound change in the status of women in Christianity as a religion. Women's rights came in the forefront. Women in Christianity: Women's liberation movement The period of 1960s and thereafter can be considered as the beginning of the â€Å"women's liberation movement† in history which advocated social, cultural, political and religious equality of the gender. Though the women's liberation movement went full throttle in this period the patriarchal set up did not vanish as such and the concept of sexual dualism still existed. This concept not only viewed the differences between men and women in mere biological terms but it also ranked and applied values to these differences. For instance, men were considered to be more idealistic, spiritual, and psychic than women. On the other hand, women were thought to be more emotional, instinctive, and physical than men. This was a senario of absolute â€Å"gender stereotyping† and it existed from last two thousand years. It was only the women's movement in 1960s that challenged these kind of thinking to some affect. Women in Christianity: The religious right and the liberal feminist theological movement It is quite natural that the Religious Right criticizes feminists, who challenge the superiority of men. They in fact resist everything about the feminist movement. For example they even dislike the liberal welfare policies for women because under such policies, single mothers who need to raise their children and the economically destitute are assisted financially. The Religious Right view such assistance as preventing the establishment of traditional families. They also reject the relativism of human existence and therefore they are intolerant to other views, cultures and religions. They believe in the absolutism and purity of Christian values and tradition. For the religious right â€Å"Patriarchal Christianity† is the central core of all existence. Anything outside this central core has to be resisted and absolutely rejected. The changes that happened in the Christian society in the last two hundred years have also affected other cultures and religions in a profound manner. The feminist movement owes its roots to the Christian society and thanks to it feminism has become a global phenomenon today which advocates gender based equality and ending of all types of discriminations and bias against women. In fact the study of the role of â€Å"women in Christianity† transcends the spectrum of â€Å"religion† and gives us a broad perspective of the struggle of women from the last 200 years for a right to a dignified and meaningful life.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Personal space Essay

Most social situations North Americans require a comfort zone of six to eight square feet per person, and any violation of that buffer can trigger a reaction (Bowen). â€Å"People use avoidance responses,† says Robert Sommer, a psychologist at the University of California-Davis and author of the book Personal Space (qtd. in Bowen). But where does the standard of personal space come from? According to Sommer, â€Å"a comfort distance for conversation varies from culture to culture.† Because Mediterranean and Asian countries are more densely populated, their personal space zones are much closer to the body than those of North Americans and Northern Europeans (qtd. in Bowen). The westerns are certainly planning on keeping this standard in the future. In fact, the world’s population is increasing at an incredible rate. Even the country offers its citizens plenty of spaces everywhere; they have to learn to make compromises on their personal space not only to accept the inevitable reality but also for the benefit of this compromise. First of all, urban Americans should make compromises on personal space when they are using public transportations. The New York City subway system is a really great representative example of personal space; the total number of urban citizens is more than 18 million, thus making the subway system extremely crowded every day. But even during the rush hours, the passengers are still careful about their distance with the others. If one person has a minor physical contact with someone and doesn’t express the apology, the other person will raise their voice instantly and say â€Å"excuse me† and certainly feels offended. This is totally unnecessary, especially during the rush hours, because some people might be late for work or school already, and someone might be thinking about today’s schedule. The rest of them are doing things that indeed catch their attention. Under such circumstances, it’s highly possible for passengers to have minor physical contact with others out of negligence they don’t notice. On the other hand, there is Shanghai, the second largest city in China with more than 20 million residents and most of them use the subway for daily transportation. It’s even more crowded compared to the New York City subway. So close to each other with their shoulders and backs passengers may nudge 2 or 3 persons at the same time, and they have been totally adapted to this situation without any discomfort. The Tokyo subway  system passengers have even less personal space during the rush hours. The metro staff will push the passengers back so that more people will have the opportunity to get in the train in the morning. What are the passengers’ reactions? They don’t feel offended at all. They are actually grateful because all of them can get to work on time, and their personal sacrifice is helping many people. Their joint efforts make the subway system much more efficient and indeed prevent lots of unpleasant arguments. â€Å"When they’re moving, they tend to keep a distance of three or four steps so as not to violate each other’s personal space.† said Larry Gould, director of operations analysis at New York City Transit (qtd. in Gardy). But the sheer density of the population is giving the Chinese a very different sense of personal space (Toy, 2). â€Å"Personal spaces overlap,† said Stuart Strother, an economist who has lived in China and who wrote a travel guide, â€Å"Living Abroad in China†. â€Å"It’s not that you don’t have any personal space, but I may have to share your space,† he said. Perhaps as a consequence, Strother said, pointing at and touching people, even total strangers, is not considered rude (Toy). There’s also another interesting phenomenon. You will never see two strangers sitting together in the New York City subway if there’s empty space somewhere else. The definition for â€Å"empty† means nobody is sitting next to you, and there’s at least one seat separating you from your surroundings. Most of the time, even during the rush hours, passengers prefer to stand rather than take the single seat between two passengers. Based on Robert Sommer’s theory, â€Å"The violation of personal space increases tension levels enormously (qtd. in Bowen)†. In other words, urban Americans prefer to sacrifice many things in order to sustain their high standard of personal space. But with the expansion of population, Americans eventually have to make compromises on personal space. So why not prepare to adjust the situation ahead of time? There’re also many benefits if they’re willing to do so. The most direct benefit is to increase the capacity of the train; more passengers can get in the train if most of them are willing to have less personal space. On top of that, more empty seats will be occupied if they sit close to each other. The amounts of seats are designed for a reason; it’s common to see 3 people occupy 4 or more seats. They sit apart simply because they want to have more personal space. Nothing bad will happen if  Americans make compromises on personal space. Urban Americans don’t need to create those invisible walls to protect themselves. They probably waste a great opportunity to make new friends sitting away from each other in the subway. Society will be filled with harmony and peace if people are not so suspicious and stop creating those invisible walls subconsciously. Lots of Americans are having a hard time adjusting to Chinese culture during their visit in Chinese cities. Some locals may come to them in order to take photos with the foreigners. Other locals are probably looking at the foreigners out of curiosity. Those actions are really common in China but the Americans are quite sensitive to those actions and sometimes feel offended. Their invisible walls are necessary to isolate them but indeed increase the tension levels. Americans’ perceptions and standards of personal space are definitely hard to change, but if they do, it always comes with a greater good. The United States is currently the No.1 country in the world, which receives millions of immigrants every year. By receiving those immigrants, United States not only receives the knowledge but also accepts their different cultural standards. Urban Americans can neither apply all the American standards to new immigrants nor expect them to adopt the entire standards by themselves. Personal space is only the tip of the iceberg, but it’s fairly important to live in the big cultural melting pot of New York. Subway passengers are highly diversified, and there’re probably people from 50 different countries taking the same train at the same time. According to Shuhan Wang, the executive director for Chinese language initiatives at the Asia Society, there’s an old Chinese saying â€Å"you treat other people’s elderly as if they’re your own, and you treat other people’s children as if they’re your own∙∙∙ So in a way, everybody in society is extended family† (qtd. in Toy). This is a good concept that urban Americans should take a look at to make compromises. By lowering the standard of personal space, it will be easier for foreign immigrants to be part of the society, and lower standards are always easier to be adopted gradually. The standards of personal space can also be interpreted through sociological perspective. According to Robert Pepper, a sociology professor at New York Institute of Technology, conflict theory can be used to explain the standards of personal space because people are competing for scarce resources; every single passenger would like to  have some extra space in the subway especially during the rush hour. He used the term â€Å"ethnocentrism† to suggest that Americans to make compromises on personal space. He believes Americans should not place their own cultural group above the rest. The standards of personal space are definitely different based on the culture, and the Americans should respect all customs and religions. â€Å"Chinese society emphasizes a collective mentality over an individualistic one.† said Stuart Strother (qtd. in Toy). But the American culture is exactly the opposite, thus making it even harder for urban Americans to accept. Having the idea of individualism, Americans are rewarded for behaving independently, making their own plans, and working toward achieving their personal goals. Under such circumstance, individuals are hired and promoted largely based on individual achievement and qualifications (â€Å"Culture†). And the Americans expand this idea of individualism into all areas; they want to be unique, to be easily distinguished from the crowd, and a high standard of personal space is definitely necessary. Chinese people are different, they emphasize the idea of the group, and everyone in the group shares things equally, so no one is necessarily better than the rest. People will stay together to achieve the group goal. No one wants to be unique because if you are unique that means you are isolated. The overall impact from high population density and idea of big groups are helping the Chinese adjust the lower standard of personal space in the long run. If Americans could learn some of the concepts, it will be much easier for them to make personal sacrifices in exchange for the greater good of the society. But some people may argue that lack of personal space can indicate people’s lack of manners and this is not right. In Lee, Patrick P’s article â€Å"Rush Hour,† he introduced his own life experience in Hong Kong which at the time was still a British colony. Hong Kong adopted the language, social order, peoples’ perceptions of things and especially manners. They are taught with the British gentlemen’s style, but on the other hand, there’s no need to say â€Å"excuse me† in the subway, or any doorway. The locals aren’t being rude when they invade your personal space. They simply need to go everywhere, nowhere, fast. In tiny and overcrowded Hong Kong, the concept of â€Å"personal space† is a luxury which one can’t afford and probably doesn’t exist (Lee, 2). This kind of situation will eventually happen in big US cities. If they’re making the compromise now, it  can be beneficial in the long run. The United States doesn’t have mandatory birth control which will inevitably make the population expansion even faster, and as a result the personal space will shrink. So to be prepared ahead of time is always a good thing. The younger generation will have different mind sets in the future in order to adjust the situation. Driven by individualism, urban Americans are treating their personal space as one of their birth rights. It’s complicated even verbally to ask them to make compromises on their personal space. But the whole world population just passed 7 billion 1 month ago; this inevitable reality should give urban Americans a wakeup call. If they choose to live in the big cities, they’re going to have to face the overcrowded society. They’re going to feel disappointed because their old standards cannot apply anymore. So, make the changes of mind from now and it will eventually give them greater benefits. They can have a good mood to start the new day with the crowded subway, if they’re willing to make minor sacrifice on personal space. They’re still very gentle persons even they sit next to someone because the society accept the different mind and adapt to the situation of fast expanded population and less personal space. Foreigners won’t feel the indivisible walls anymore because urban Americans don’t need them anymore. The whole society could be filled with harmony and urban Americans could be living more like a big family.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Strategic Management Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Analysis - Assignment Example Virgin Holiday is a UK based company. It is also considered as one of the market leaders that arrange travel trips to the USA along with Caribbean. From the year 1985, the company is arranging the entire holiday travels and has customized the experiences of holiday all throughout the world. Besides the two places it also offers holiday packages to other places such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, Far East, Middle-East, Indian Ocean, New Zealand, and Mauritius. The prime objective of the company is to provide customers with best holiday destination so that they can take pleasure of the place (Virgin Holidays, 2011). 1.2 Brief Introduction of Package Holiday Sector The package holiday industry in the UK is one of the largest as well as fastest emerging industries. The industry provides various holiday destinations to the customers. Besides other kinds of holiday packages, the package holiday is also arranged which provides customers with numerous destinations both internationally a s well as nationally. In the package holiday industry, tour operators perform as ‘wholesalers’ as they are entitled to bargain with the travel agencies regarding the commission for selling to the customers (Rowe & Et. Al., 2002). 1.3 Reason of Choosing the Company Virgin Holidays has been chosen because it is the successful ‘transatlantic tour operator’. The company is much efficient to arrange holiday programs for the travellers as it is operating in the market since the year 1985. It also possesses excellent customer service with unique travel intelligence (Virgin Holidays, 2011). 2.0 Task A 2.1 PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis will analyse the political, social, economical, technological, environmental and legal factors that have impact on the package holiday industry in the UK. Political The political insecurity has an impact upon the selection of tourist destination of a traveller. The political conflicts in various countries have restricted the pac kage holiday destination for visitors. From the UK, trip towards Croatia and Serbia has seen improvement as the political situation has re-established, particularly in Croatia. The different political scenario in various countries may decrease the package holiday trips to the attractive destinations, which may result in low demand of the tourism packages in the UK (Philip Allan, n.d.). Economic The tourism industry has faced challenges due to the fluctuation of economy in the UK. The economy of the country is rising; as a result it will result in growth of the service industry such as tourism sector. The changes in the GDP rate and wage will have an impact on the tourism industry in the UK. In the UK the NMW (National Minimum Wage) rate is as follows: Rate (per Hour) Age ?5.93 Greater than 21 ?4.92 18 - 20 ?3.64 16 - 17 ?2.50 Apprentice under 19

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Quality Management at EMC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quality Management at EMC - Research Paper Example Two aspects of process capability relates to: measuring the variability of the output of a process; and comparing that variability with a proposed specification or product tolerance level (Wikipedia 2011). The output of any process is expected to meet the requirements of customers’ specifications or product tolerances. Before process capability can be determined a survey needs to be carried out to determine customer specifications. The process should then be allowed to run several times to determine whether the process is stable. Statistical process control is used to test if a process is stable or unstable. If processes drift or shift significantly process capability indices are not applicable as they require statistical control. If the process is out of statistical control then capability does not mean anything as it only points to a general problem instead of being specific. There seems to be some knowledge of what the problem is at EMC and so process capability studies sho uld be possible. The plating and finishing process needs to be given close attention since the complaints relate to plastic insert falling out and sharp edges on the brackets. Last year there were 56 complaints; however, within four months of the current year there are 49 complaints. The fact is that no information is given in terms of how many products were manufactured last year or if the products that were found to be defective this year relates to last years production. Since there is some uncertainty there a number of process runs will be required in order to find out where the problem lies as there may be more problems than those that have been identified so far. Statistical control can be carried out to determine the measure of variability of each process. Statistical process control or control chart is a graph which is used to study how a process changes overtime (ASQ n.d.). If the process is stable then the mean and standard deviation can be reliably estimated. Process capa bility studies and statistical process control can be implemented by EMC but this has to start with management. They have to believe that a problem exists. Additionally, they have to have a specification that they require and this should be based on the customer requirements. The survey will assist management to determine which processes needs to be improved and which does not add value and therefore needs be eliminated. Quality improvements need to be a team effort and all employees at EMC need to be involved. The information from process capability studies and statistical control will indicate what level the firm is at. This can be translated into Sigma to determine how far the company is from achieving Six Sigma and ultimately zero defects. If EMC does not have persons who are qualified to coordinate the process then a consultant needs to be employed. A systematic approach has to be taken to solving the problem and as Deming suggests EMC needs to practice PDCA - Plan what is need ed; Do it; Check that it works; Act to correct any problems or improve performance (Business Balls n.d). Utilizing a Six Sigma Program A number of companies including Motorola and General Electric have utilized the Six Sigma program in their program to help improve their bottom line. This led to Motorola achieving the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Infant Observation Research Paper (The Infant Care Environment,

Infant Observation (The Infant Care Environment, Developmental Milestones) - Research Paper Example Under the song/rhyme activity (words to rhymes or songs), children are exposed to the cat and the own, Little Bunny Fu, Fu; Look at the Doggie at the window; Three birds and one fish, two fish, three and four fish. Under the language development activity, children learn pat the cat, the bunny hops, the doggy barking, this is the way the bird flies, and the fish swim. The activity on exercise/stimulation features tummy time boost, push the feet, roll over, jingle feet, and the gentle stretch. For the activity today’s music, children are taken through lullabies, soft rock music, easy listening music, classical music, and country music. During the massage time, children are massaged on the forehead, on the forehead and cheek, the eyebrows, the shoulders and the chin and ears. During playtime, children are taken through the cat is up and down, bunny hoping, doggie to the right and left, bird say tweet, tweet and the gold fish. For fun activities, children are taken through copy me , I love to dance, shake the rattle, and flashlight fun (Forman & Hall, 2005). Children of ages: 9 to 15 months: program range This program offers the infants with a fun-filled learning experience. The program offers heuristic play items, blended in preschool themes and inspired by a touch of Montessori. The lessons are grouped into weekly packages, all including group time exercises, sign language lessons (five taught in a month), language development exercises, words to rhymes and songs; and fun-filled learning exercises. 3. The room’s painting is based on a simple color scheme. Furniture are arranged in a manner that large, open spaces are available for activity sessions and smaller, containing spaces are available, which are best for social interactions and group work. On the floor were 4 by 4 feet rugs, which are used as leaning areas for the infants. Spaces are left for large block plays, book areas, and stacking and nesting play toys. Child-safe mirrors are useful to children and they also improve the supervision of the two caregivers (Moreno & Klute, 2011). Different rugs and large pillows, which offer protection when children fall, were also available. The larger pillows are placed at the spaces for older infants, as they can interfere with the sitting and crawling of younger infants. The shelves are low, as they are used as the display area for different toys. The toys are changed after every two days, to ensure that children remain interested and learning. The children’s baby-beds are personalized by the teacher, adding mobiles above different cribs. Others had homey touches, and a family photo, to bring familiarity to the spaces. The furniture at the infant center are low

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Rise of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rise of Capitalism - Essay Example In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation:The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms.... Therefore this system is different from the socialist and feudal systems in that there is private ownership of property. Competition: In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation: The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms of economic organisation. Given that production resources are scarce the individuals in the economy will compete

Monday, September 9, 2019

Border security issues (week 3) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Border security issues (week 3) - Essay Example However, Narco-Traficante economy has also provided income for some people and thus they use this money for buying of normal goods in the normal economy. Amexica being a region located between two countries has a multitude of cultures. These cultures originate from different generations, resulting to residents of this region adopting to more than one culture. The people of this region have however been able to maintain their native culture despite also adopting modern cultures. In terms of language the people of this region use English and Spanish interchangeably and have even coined a new language by mixing these two languages. â€Å"Spanglish† as known by Hispanic-Americans is a unique language that emerged as a result of the switching between English and Spanish languages (Meadow, 2009). The language borrows words from English and makes them have Spanish sounding for efficiency. To convey words that have cultural meaning the users mix Spanish between English sentences. Apart from a unique language the Amexica culture also has a unique and rich blend of music styles. The music in Amexica is a blend of some of the Mexican music styles with other music styles from other cultures such as the European culture (Meadow, 2009). This music has also been able to incorporate music instruments that were popular in Europe, for instance the polka and the accordion. Meadows, B. (2009). Nationalism and language learning at the US/Mexico border: An ethnographically-sensitive critical discourse analysis of the reproduction of nation, power, and privilege in an English language classroom. Detroit:

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Modern Marine Management Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modern Marine Management Practice - Essay Example In the study conducted, the main focus is the comparative analysis of the application of the McGregor theory and the Maslow hierarchy of needs. These theories as considered as two of the main theories that comprise the foundation of organizational behaviour and practices. In addition, the main objective is to be able to present the application of these theories in the modern management of marine practice. Specifically, to be able to achieve the results of the study it is important to the able to define the theories first and determine the methods for which they can be utilized in a system or organization. Upon the determination of the modes of action of the McGregor and the Maslow Theories, the subsequent objective is the possibility of application and even the effects of utilization in the marine practice. Thus, through the course of the study, the development of the concept related to the application and the achievement of the niche of the organizational behaviour theories in the practical field such as modern marine management can be determined and presented. To be able to achieve the set objectives of the study, it is important to define and determine the possible means of application of the organizational theories under study, specifically the McGregor Theory and the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Theory. The theory which w... The main components of the theory are theory X and theory Y. The main perspective the theory projects are the ways that a leader can lead and manage the people through motivation. Theory X revolves around a single motivation which is money and compensation. The worker can then be described selfish for own compensation and monetary value; can even lack the responsibility and the drive to work. When the leader recognizes the said type of people, it is important to consider that such subordinates are in need of guidance and close direction (Leonard, 2002; Miner, 2002) Theory Y, on the other hand, is composed of people and workers that are motivated by various types of factors. These factors are exclusive of monetary compensation. In cases in fact, the actions of the people can be considered as a result for their dedication and love for the job and the task at hand. In terms of motivation, commonly, they are self motivated, thus responsibilities are readily taken. In addition, decision making can also be an initiative. A leader with the said subordinates is at best provides guidance while making them independent (Leonard, 2002; Miner, 2002). Through the said components of the theory of McGregor, the leader can determine the type of leadership and the effective ways of motivation that can be undertaken. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Another important organizational and behavioural principle is the theory established by Abraham Maslow. The said theory can be applied to different field of behavioural aspect and organization. Thus, the utilization of the said theory in specific fields can be considered as one of the most important

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Single Tuned Harmonic Filter Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Single Tuned Harmonic Filter Design - Essay Example Ã' uÃ'•tÐ ¾merÃ'•, Ã'•tÐ °rting with hÐ ¾me Ð °Ã'€Ã'€liÐ °nÃ' eÃ'• tÐ ¾ interfÐ °Ã' ing with Ã' Ã ¾mmuniÃ' Ã °tiÐ ¾n equiÃ'€ment Ð °nd temÃ'€erÐ °ture riÃ'•e in Ð °ll Ã' Ã ¾nneÃ' ted eleÃ' triÃ' Ã °l elementÃ'•. TÐ ¾ mÐ °ke the netwÐ ¾rk mÐ ¾re reliÐ °ble Ð °nd Ã'•eÃ' ure, Ã'•tÐ °ndÐ °rdÃ'• Ð ¾f Ã'€Ð ¾wer quÐ °lity Ð °re Ð °Ã'€Ã'€lied in mÐ °ny diÃ'•tributiÐ ¾n netwÐ ¾rkÃ'•, Ð °nd limitÃ'• Ð °re deÃ'•igned fÐ ¾r tÐ ¾tÐ °l hÐ °rmÐ ¾niÃ'  diÃ'•tÐ ¾rtiÐ ¾n (THD). TherefÐ ¾re, the filterÃ'• Ð °re uÃ'•ed tÐ ¾ Ã' Ã ¾ntrÐ ¾l hÐ °rmÐ ¾niÃ' Ã'• in the netwÐ ¾rk. TÐ ¾ deÃ'•ign Ã'•uÃ' h filterÃ'•, it iÃ'• neÃ' eÃ'•Ã'•Ð °ry tÐ ¾: MinimizÐ °tiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f tÐ ¾tÐ °l Ã' Ã ¾Ã'•tÃ'• Ð ¾f the filter (Ð ¾bjeÃ' tive funÃ' tiÐ ¾n) Ã'•ubjeÃ' t tÐ ¾ Ã' ertÐ °in vÐ °lueÃ'• Ð ¾f filter Ã'€Ð °rÐ °meterÃ'• (Ã' Ã ¾nÃ'•trÐ °intÃ'•) iÃ'• the biggeÃ'•t Ã' hÐ °llenge fÐ ¾r filter deÃ'•ign. Ð n Ð ¾Ã'€timizÐ °tiÐ ¾n Ã'€rÐ ¾Ã' eÃ'•Ã'• Ã' Ã °n be defined Ð °Ã'• Ð ° mÐ °ximizÐ °tiÐ ¾n (Ð ¾r minimizÐ °tiÐ ¾n) Ð ¾f Ð °n Ð ¾bjeÃ' tive funÃ' tiÐ ¾n, f(x), Ã'•ubjeÃ' t tÐ ¾ Ã'•Ð ¾me Ã' Ã ¾nÃ'•trÐ °intÃ'• Ð ¾f the Ã'€rÐ ¾blem, g(x). TheÃ'•e Ã' Ã ¾nÃ'•trÐ °intÃ'• define the feÐ °Ã'•ible regiÐ ¾n, i.e. Ð ° regiÐ ¾n thÐ °t Ã' Ã ¾ntÐ °inÃ'• Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'•Ã'•ible Ã'•Ð ¾lutiÐ ¾nÃ'• Ð ¾f the Ã'€rÐ ¾blem. The Ð ¾bjeÃ' tive funÃ' tiÐ ¾n iÃ'• tÐ ¾ minimize the tÐ ¾tÐ °l Ã' Ã ¾Ã'•t Ð ¾f the filter Ã' Ã °n be fÐ ¾rmulÐ °ted Ð °Ã'•: where F iÃ'• the tÐ ¾tÐ °l filter Ã' Ã ¾Ã'•t; R the filter reÃ'•iÃ'•tÐ °nÃ' e; XÐ ¡ the fundÐ °mentÐ °l frequenÃ' y Ã' Ã °Ã'€Ð °Ã' itive reÐ °Ã' tÐ °nÃ' e; XL the fundÐ °mentÐ °l frequenÃ' y induÃ' tive reÐ °Ã' tÐ °nÃ' e; Q the quÐ °lity fÐ °Ã' tÐ ¾r; X0 the reÃ'•Ð ¾nÐ °nt reÐ °Ã' tÐ °nÃ' e; min Ð °nd mÐ °x: denÐ ¾te the minimum Ð °nd the mÐ °ximum limitÃ'•, reÃ'•Ã'€eÃ' tively. The Ã'€rÐ ¾blem Ð ¾f filter deÃ'•ign iÃ'• Ã'•tÐ °rted frÐ ¾m the limit thÐ °t twÐ ¾ Ð ¾r mÐ ¾re hÐ °rmÐ ¾niÃ'  Ã' Ã ¾mÃ'€Ð ¾nentÃ'• Ð °re generÐ °ted in the vÐ ¾ltÐ °ge Ð °nd Ã' urrent wÐ °veÃ'• due tÐ ¾ the nÐ ¾n-lineÐ °r Ã' hÐ °rÐ °Ã' teriÃ'•tiÃ' Ã'• Ð ¾f the reÃ' tifierÃ'•. The uÃ'•e Ð ¾f Ã' Ã ¾nventiÐ ¾nÐ °l LÐ   teÃ' hnique iÃ'• Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'€ulÐ °r, Ð ¾ne mÐ °y uÃ'•e due tÐ ¾ the Ã'•imÃ'€liÃ' ity Ð ¾f Ã'•yÃ'•tem mÐ ¾deling Ð °nd Ð ¾bjeÃ' tiveÃ'•. The quÐ °lity fÐ °Ã' tÐ ¾r determineÃ'• hÐ ¾w Ã'•hÐ °rÃ'€ly the filter iÃ'• tuned tÐ ¾ the tÐ °rget hÐ °rmÐ ¾niÃ'  Ð ¾rder.