Dysfunctional Families and Family Violence

Using Italian Suffixes

Using Italian Suffixes Italian nouns (including proper names) and adjectives can take on various shades of meaning by adding different suffixes. Even though it’s likely  you haven’t thought about it, you’re familiar with many  common Italian suffixes. Here are a few you might have heard: Parolaccia - Bad word ( -accia is the suffix.)Benone - Really good ( -one is the suffix.)Ragazzino - Little boy ( -ino is the suffix.) Besides being fun to use, they also help you avoid using words like â€Å"molto - very† or â€Å"tanto - a lot† all the time. In this lesson, I’ll help you expand your vocabulary and creatively describe nouns and adjectives all with learning just six suffixes. 6 Suffixes in Italian To indicate smallness or express affection or endearment, add common suffixes such as 1) -ino/a/i/e Povero (poor guy) → Poverino (little, poor guy)Paese (town) → Paesino (tiny town) E.g. Sono cresciuto in un paesino si chiama Montestigliano. - I grew up in a tiny town called Montestigliano. Attimo (moment) → Attimino (small moment) E.g. Dammi un attimino. - Give me just a small moment. Topo (mouse) → Topolino (little mouse)Pensiero (thought) → Pensierino (little thought) 2) -etto/a/i/e Case (houses) → casette (little houses)Muro (wall) → Muretto (little wall)Borsa (purse) → Borsetta (little purse)Pezzo (piece) → Pezzetto (little piece) E.g. Prendo un pezzetto di margherita. - I’ll take a little piece of the margherita pizza. (To learn how to order pizza in Italian, click here.) 3) -ello/a/i/e Albero (tree) → alberello (small tree)Povero (poor person) → poverello (poor little poor man)Gioco (toy) → giocherello (poor little toy)Bambino (child) → bambinello (poor little child) TIP: Bambinello is also used to represent baby Jesus in nativity scenes. 4) -uccio, -uccia, -ucci, -ucce Maria (Mary) Mariuccia (little Mary)Regalo (gift) → regaluccio (little poor quality gift)Scarpe (shoes) → scarpucce (little poor shoes)Affari (business/affair) → affarucci (small lousy business) To Denote Largeness 5) -one/-ona (singular) and -oni/-one (plural) Libro (book) librone (big book)Lettera (letter) letterona (long letter)Bacio (kiss) → Bacione (big kiss) TIP: You could add â€Å"Un bacione† to the end of emails or say it at the end of phone conversations with friends. Here are some other ways to end messages. Porta (door) → Portone (big door)Ciccio (chubby person) → Ciccione (big, chubby person)Furbo (clever person) → Furbone (very clever person) Convey the Idea of a Bad or Ugly Quality 6)  -accio, -accia, -acci, and -acce Giorno (day) → Giornataccia (bad day)Ragazzo (Boy) → ragazzaccio (bad boy)Figura (impression) → figuraccia (bad impression) E.g. Ho avuto proprio una giornataccia. - I’ve had a really bad day! Tips: When a suffix is added, the final vowel of the word is dropped.Many feminine nouns become masculine when the suffix -one is added: la palla (ball) becomes il pallone (soccer ball), and la porta (door) becomes il portone (street door).

The dream act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The dream act - Essay Example migrants completed at least two years of military service at a higher learning institution, they would earn a six year temporary residence, within which they could qualify for permanent residency only if; one, they achieved a degree from a higher education institution in the U.S, too, they served in the military for two years, and three, to have completed two years while pursuing a higher or bachelor’s degree within the country (â€Å"DREAM Act Summary† n.p.). Come November 2013, most (14) states introduced customized versions of the Dream Act that controls the financial aid and tuition charges for state-level universities. The mentioned act resulted in both embracement and rebellions as well. The proposers supported the bill, saying it would create economic and social positives in that it would not support an amnesty program. Opposers on their part criticized the bill as one that would feed and promote illegal immigration, in addition to crippling deportations. The following text will discuss the Dream Act, focusing from an anthropological point on biopolitics and hegemony as social forms of governmentality. An overall definition of the term hegemony refers to it as a success of equalizing status quos between dominant classes and subordinate classes by presenting and exercising a common customized definition of reality as per a general worldview, and enforcing it on the different classes such that they accept it as common sense in achieving similar grounds. It is a rather effective mode of eliminating mean dominance in it eliminates exercising indirect dictatorship on other classes which establish status quos that only benefit members of their own while discriminating on the others. This is the â€Å"cultural hegemony† theory as explained by one Italian Marxist Gramsci. Concisely, the dominating class, by use of consensus pushes other classes into accepting their perspectives of the world as the only ones, therefore marginalizes them. Gramsci however, explains

Describing the Formal Elements of Line, Light, Form, and Space Before Essay

Describing the Formal Elements of Line, Light, Form, and Space Before you begin - Essay Example Hasegawa Tohaku dominantly used lines in his painting particularly vertical, contour and diagonal lines. Although lines are dominant in this painting, the artist produced a three-dimensional illusion in his painting. The lines are more of the romantic or expressive than analytic because the lines are not precisely straight but are soft and more of an impression. The use of vertical lines in the painting can visibly be seen as tree trunks and the expressive nature of the lines used helped in giving an impression of the texture and form of the trunk of pine trees which are not actually precise straight lines. The diagonal lines in the painting are perceptible in some of the tree trunks and the branches of the trees. These lines give an impression of movement among the branches and helps in providing a spatial illusion between the trees and the branches. In producing the three-dimensional effect in Hasegawa Tohaku’s painting, aside from lines the artist also employed the element of light. Since the medium used on the painting Pine Trees is ink, the artist skilfully produced a feeling of space, distance and the scene that depicts the trees as though under the moonlight or probably at dawn because of the impression of fog among the trees.

Securitization, Regulation and Factors Contributing to Financial Essay

Securitization, Regulation and Factors Contributing to Financial Crisis - Essay Example This paper reviews the current financial crisis with focus on securitization, causes of the crisis, current regulatory framework and the scope of Basel Committee and proposes possible measures regulating the financial sector. The process of securitization and its significance Securitization refers to the transfer of assets from an entity, the originator, to another entity that is set for such purchases with the aim of increasing the generator’s liquidity level. The generator, a financial institution, sells its debt assets to the third party who in turn, provides agreed amount of cash in exchange. The process of securitization incorporates a number of stakeholders. It begins with the financial institution that wishes to securitize its assets. The originator offers its assets to an issuer that must be an established entity for such a purpose and the issuer obtains rights over the assets. The issuer is further a native organization and acquires rights of the assets. Fundamental t o the securitization process is the special purpose vehicle concept that transfers possession of the subject properties from the originator to the issuer and safeguards the issuer’s right over the property should the originator be declared bankrupt. The process also involves the concept of â€Å"credit enhancement† where a ‘non-privity’ party guarantees quality of the involved credit that is then rated before securities are offered. Issue of notes that are structured before they can be offered in the market (Choudhry, 331, 332) accompanies the security offers. The process of securitization identifies diversified benefits to both originators and investors. The process facilitates the originator’s liquidity level by through funding that is derived from owned assets. It therefore allows the financial institutions

Strategic Marketing Plan For The French Fashion House Marketing Essay

Strategic Marketing Plan For The French Fashion House Marketing Essay In the ninetys the brand took a new direction: diversification and internationalization. From now, the company offered a wide range of product so women can dress from head to foot in Caroll. Also, the French company aimed bigger: shops, affiliations, and franchises locations in department stores appeared worldwide. Thanks to its strong two figures growth for the past few years, China became the favorite new destination for companies. Shalendra Sharma, associate professor of political science, University of San Francisco says that with an estimated 300 million Chinese consumers with much disposable income, it is an opportunity that should not be missed  [2]  , even if the current economic environment requires caution. According to the CCI and Cotton Incorporated Global Lifestyle Monitorà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Survey, apparel tops the list of items Chinese consumers prefer to shop for (31%), Notice that women are largely more interested than men (39% versus 22%). Figure 1: Lifestyle Monitorà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ SurveyDefinitely, China represents a great opportunity for clothes retailer. The country made its name and growth by assuring the role of world supplier, especially for clothes. Since the economy became better, Chinese want to enjoy more western lifestyle. That is why Caroll developed a growing interest for Chinese market. However, Chinese are specific needs, expectations and behavior that Caroll must understands and faces. The aim of the following analysis is to try to define how Caroll could tackle into the middle market in China, using internal and external analysis, outlining issues and opportunities for the brand. Situation Analysis An academic report written by several professors, Heiko Gebauer, Thomas Fischer and Elgar Fleisch, name Entering the Chinese mid-market segment: key to long-term success? pointed out major mistakes when entering the Chinese market: Misunderstood of the Chinese consumers, their needs and expectations. Companies overestimate their image value. Managers miss opportunities in focus on few cities only such as Beijing or Shanghai In order to handle those issues for Caroll, I will design a strategic marketing plan consisting in an analysis to match market opportunities to the resources and capabilities of the company. In this case, I will follow different steps to establish a SMP for Caroll: Environmental Analysis (PESTEL) Identifying Customers Competitor The company in its environment (Porters Five Forces and SWOT analysis) The company Marketing Mix: The 4 Ps and 3 Vs Value Creation (Value Chain, Boston Box and Ansoff matrices) The analysis is based on information found on Internet and on my personal experiences as women clothes consumer and Asian person and knowledge since I studied how to do business in China during five month at the SEM Tongji University in Shanghai in 2011. PESTEL analysis focuses in following area; political system and stability, economic stability, socio-cultural practices, technological advancements, environmental efforts and legal and judicial systems. It gives a global view, the big picture, of the environment in which the brand is interested to. It provides a strong framework of opportunities and risks.   P for Political Political advantages Political disadvantages Not Relevant Government stability Labor law Political stability Regulation/Deregulation Social/Employment Legislation Tariffs Tax Policy Trade Restrictions Bureaucracy Corruption Freedom of the press Environmental law Government type China is based on communism political system with on unique party, the Chinese Communist Party. Because of the unique party China is not seen as a real democratic country by foreigners. However the country enjoys political and government stability thanks to strong control and obedience. Indeed, no substantial political opposition groups exist (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). So, even if some issues exist like ethnic unrest in Tibet, they do not represent threats to its political stability. Since Mao Zedong, former president of China, the country uses capitalist economy in order to make China the first economic power. The path is still followed and the government decisions are design to ensure continuous economic growth. The country shows goodwill, regulations, tariff and tax policies are favorable to business and especially for foreign companies; reduction in taxation to foreign companies, creating designated free trade zones such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, investing in public amenities and facilities to attract foreign investors, and continuously liberalizing their trade regulations to create attractive and impactful investment centre. Nevertheless, corruption is strongly embedded in China government. It is called the East Asian paradox: countries displaying exceptional growth records despite having thriving corruption cultures (China economic review, 2012). E for Economic Economic advantages Economic disadvantages Not relevant Consumers Disposable Income Economic Growth GDP/GNP growth Globalization Labor cost and supply Exchange rate Interest rates Inflation rate Business Cycle Stage Likely Economic Change Unemployment Rate As I said earlier, China adopted for open market concept. Chinas continuous and gradual reforms started with phasing out agriculture activity; followed by liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, open banking and financial system, creation of share market, large amount of private sector investment, and large foreign direct investment (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). Thanks to its efforts, in 2010, China became the number two world economy in term of size. China benefits from a solid two figures growth even with the crisis. However, the country faces inflation and increasing local government debt which could represent a threat regarding government gifts for company and reduce the buying power of consumers. One of the main China economic challenges is to encourage local demand that is why the governments 12th Five-Year Plan, adopted in March 2011, focuses on the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make the economy less dependent on exports in the future (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). S for Socio-Cultural Social advantages Social disadvantages Not relevant Age distribution Career attitude Educational structure Attitude to work Social mobility Cultural taboos Health Consciousness Population Growth Rate Perception of safety Employment patterns China has 1,344,130,000 people and reached a 7.298 trillion USD GDP in 2011 (World Bank, 2011). In 2012 73,5% of the people is aged from 15 to 64 years old, 51,4% male and 48,6% female and the median age is about 36 years old (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). In 2010, 47% of the population lives in urban areas and China tends to become more and more urban. Indeed, people move to cities looking for job and life improvement. Official language is mandarin; however, there are more than 100 dialects in China. Students and executive employees are encouraged to learn English. When I was in China, I notice that the language was really important for Chinese. For example, you will get a different price when negotiating if you speak English, Chinese or the local language. The Chinese culture is influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. I think the most famous Chinese word is Guan Xi, meaning relationship; business practices in China focuses on building relationship. Also, as for many Asian cultures, the image is very important in China. They have a strong sense of shame and pride. Related to the importance of the image, Chinese, especially the upper and middle class society, have developed a sense of materialism where owning (luxury) goods and designer items give them status in the society. Deng Xiaoping, one of the important figures in the opening of the market  said  «Ã‚  to get rich is glorious  Ã‚ ». Contrary to western people, Chinese freely discuss about money, how much they earn, what they have à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ T for Technology Technology advantages Technology disadvantages Not relevant Impact of Internet (reduce communication costs) Rate of technological changes RD activities Technology incentives Technology transfer Degree of automation Emerging technologies To be honest, technological advancement is lower than in developed country. However, China does not ignore the importance of technology and has invested and still invests a lot in engineering, telecommunications, and manufacturing and information systems. China took advantage that many high end technology companies as Apple or Huawai are established in China to acquire new technologies. Indeed, when a company wants to settle in China, the law requires that half of the managers must be Chinese and part of employees too. Moreover, the government is trying to attract brains in China in order to not only copy others technologies but to develop their own. As for many areas, China wants to be the first and the best. E for Environmental Environmental advantages Environmental disadvantages Not relevant Environmental consciousness Weather Climate changes There is more than one documentary on pollution in China; the country suffers from its rapid growth and the activities linked. Even if the Chinese government thinks that environment is a serious issue that must be handling. However corruption and wish of development made environmental control difficult. It could either be on opportunity (cost) and a threat (image). L for Legal. Legal advantages Legal disadvantages Not relevant Employment law Antitrust law Consumer law General framework Health and Safety laws Discrimination law Chinas legislature is mainly derived from the soviet and continental civil code of principles. China has set up international trade and economic arbitration in order to attract foreign company and develop international business. However, Chinese prefers the use of arbitrator; it represents a saving time (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). According to me, the legal point represents the biggest threat for doing business in China. When I study in Shanghai, I had the chance to have a class about Chinese laws and I can affirm that the law and its application are designed to advantage Chinese part, always. For example, only a Chinese lawyer that is to say a lawyer who was graduated in a Chinese Law School is competent. Also, several cases show that it is usual that foreign court decisions are not enforce by Chinese courts. The PESTEL analysis of China point out that it represents a great opportunity for Caroll to tap into the Chinese market; huge potential, increasing buying power and middle class, sense of materialism, development of infrastructures, goodwill of the government Several other fashion clothes brands already entered the Chinese market and has registered high sales and profitability. Nevertheless, threats are as big as opportunities. As I just said, it is not good to have issues in China. I remember a story that my Chinese friend told me; in China, cars have the priority over pedestrians. He told me to be careful, because in the case a car hit me, even if the driver past the red light, as I am a foreigner I am wrong and all Chinese will defend the driver (strong collectivism value). I think that this point totally highlights that the Chinese culture is way different from the French culture and this represents the second threat: Caroll does not know the market and consumers. Exhibit 2: Growing mid-market households in China in millions. Boston Consulting Group The exhibit above shows that middle class are emerging, the study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (2010) estimates that in 2020 about 69 million people will be considered as middle class, more than the French population! Furthermore, it has been forecasted that by 2025, this segment will increase to 590 million with a whopping US$ 1.3 trillion spending power. Helen Wang, author of The Chinese Dream: The Rise of the Worlds Largest Middle Class and What It Means to You said that to be middle-class in China the person would earn between $10,000 and $60,000 a year. Considering the cost of Chinese life and living standards, much lower than in western countries, a middle class can afford pretty huge apartment, longer and better education and spends in entertainments and apparels. These citizens are mostly urban, engaged in services and have a modern world view; this new middle class represents China as a consumer society. As we saw earlier, the image is an important value for Chinese that is why they spend in good quality products or non-essential consumption in order to show their success (status). Families tend to buy more discretionary and small luxury items and the share of the household budget that goes food, clothes and other necessities shrinks (The McKinsey Quarterly, 2006). Mostly, middle class consumers are looking for famous product which showed they are part of the community and meanwhile tailored product; they need to keep their personality. With increasing product knowledge and surging purchasing power, mainland consumers in China are developing higher demands for quality and comfort in clothing. They usually prefer apparel made of natural fabrics (International Trade Centre, p.50, 2011). According to the China Textile Development Report in 2010, Chinese consumers ranked comfort at the top priority. Even if they are able to afford more expansive product, middle class consumers still but cheap product. They consider cheap and expansive products strongly different and pay attention to details (distribution channel, store, servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). It will be a huge mistake to think that they are not price consciousness. J. Roy says  [3]  , Most people only buy clothes online when they are looking for something cheap, not when they are looking for style. It would be a mistake for an American retailer like J. Crew or Gap to emphasize e-commerce over their in-store shopping experience, customer experience is highly appreciate by Asian consumers. According to the Global Monitor, web sites are used to read customer reviews and compare prices (59%) and browse the latest styles (58%), followed by buy clothes (55%). Also, customers tend to be more loyal to a brand. It is important for Caroll to create a good relation with consumers even if the maximal potential is not reached yet, Guan Xi. Chinese consumers develop a strong environment conscience, an important factor to consider if Caroll want to create a long term relationship. Understanding and adaptation are key words, for example Levis had launch a specific line designed specifically for Asian physiques and tastes, with different cuts and tighter fits. It common knowledge than Asian people are smaller but it another thing to redesign clothes to fit to their size. I think that is difficult to understand the Chinese middle class needs and expectation only based on studies. I had the chance to study with Chinese student in marketing that help me to better answer to this part but the analysis is not enough deep. Y. Chen  [4]  says that given the competitiveness of the market, it is only advisable (for retailers) to enter China if they are serious about it and also put required investments behind it. The domestic clothing market in China is dominated by brands of European origin and other imported products, such as Giorgio Armani, Cerruti 1881, Hugo Boss, Dunhill, Chanel, Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna and Salvatore Ferragamo. The middle and low end of the market has a product mix of foreign and domestic brands, with most of the goods being manufactured in China and least developed countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and Viet Nam) such as Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, CA and HM. However, we can notice a growing competition from Chinese brand as Bosideng, White Collar, Kaiser, Lily, Girdear, JNBY, Peacebird, Sierli and Gloria (International Trade Centre, p.35, 2011). In 2001, the China accessed to the World Trade Organization and after a short period, foreign brands started to target Chine; 2007 for HM, 2008 for Zara and Marks and Spencer, 2009 for Tommy Hilfiger à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Competitors to Caroll are already established in the Chinese market and so get a great advantage since Chinese consumers are more loyal and focus on long term relationship. Figure 3: Main foreign Apparel brands in the Chinese market (source ITC, 2011) Figure 4: Main domestic Apparel brands in the Chinese market (source ITC, 2011) SWOT Matrix Strengths Weaknesses International experience, in particular in Japan, first contact with Asian culture Trendy clothes Works with world famous fashion clothes designers Comfortable products Good quality product Prices policy, price of Caroll clothes are a little bit too high for middle class but far too low to be consider as luxury clothes Many unhappy opinion on the quality of service (customer reception, information ) Fails to create a sense of belonging to a community despite different attempts Opportunities Threats Increase of the middle class, the target Increase of purchasing power Low labor and estate cost Growing interest for clothes shopping Open market, government policies to attract foreigner (taxation, tariff à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Strong established competition Open market = upcoming competition Legal system and corruption Inflation = raise of cost Unknown in China I will not spend more time on opportunities and threats since we already spend times on it with the environment and competitors analysis; I will only repeat that opportunities are as great as threats are big. The SWOT analysis tends to demonstrate that Caroll has several strengths in order to fit with the Chinese demand. However, the company has to work hard on consumer experience and price that represent key drivers for change. Once again, adaptation is a key solution. In another field, we can take the example of Best Buy, an electronic retailer pretty successful who failed to tap into the Chinese market. Indeed, bargaining is a strong value of Chinese culture and the company didnt give the possibility to bargain in Best Buy Store. Within two years, the brand closed all its stores in China since it was unable to satisfy Chinese consumers. Porters five forces model Threat of new entrants High threat Low entry barriers with encouraging government policies, economy of scale and other costs advantages and really attractive market. Switching cost almost inexistent. In balance, significant capital requirement and well established huge players. Sustainable industry growth rate. Supplier bargaining power Moderate High supplier concentration (in 2008, China represented half of textile and clothes supplier). Low suppliers differentiation. Low switching cost. In balance, notable threat of buyers integration (growing Chinese competition). Low dependence with buyers. Industry Rivalry Highly competitive market Highly concentrated market with numerous and diversified competitors including some huge in size (like Zara or Mango). High fixed cost (physical store). Almost no switching cost. In balance, high industry growth rate in a product differentiation model with significant customer loyalty. Low exit barriers Customers bargaining power Moderate Consumers highly sensitive to consumers experiences and differentiation. Demanding market. Low switching cost. In balance, significant customer loyalty. Low buyers volume. High number of buyers relative to sellers. Threat of substitutes Low / Moderate threat Enormous choice of substitute at lower price and quality. Switching cost almost inexistent. In balance, substitutes are considered in a total different way with a total different consumers behavior and habits. The Porters Five Forces analysis totally complies with the environment, competitors, market and consumers analyses. The biggest threats are represented by the highly competitive market with existing and future competitors. Concerning customers and suppliers buying power, I will say that one word, Guan Xi. Everything is based on relationship; understanding and answering. Chinese are more willing to show loyalty than Western people, so the threat can be handle by creating good relationship. And last, the substitute threat is not really significant as customers are able to make a clear distinction between products. The marketing mix Product Price Variety product: several line casual working clothes evening clothes Quality: high quality product with noble and still comfortable fabrics Design: use of famous worldwide clothes designer = design + value for customers Brand name: Caroll is a well-established French company in Europe and can offer a certain image (elegance, wealthy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) to the customer. Service: attempt to reach the most complete and valuable consumers experience. Price: right match with the quality of the product and service and the image. Currently, I think that for the Chinese market, the price of Caroll is not justified. Promotion Place Advertising: China is a giant advertising place. Marketing and advertising are everywhere. This is an opportunity for Caroll to build solid brand awareness by using diversify communication event billposting commercial Internet Public relation: be present, involved is really important. Public relation is a key factor for success. Distribution channel: as we saw in order to tap into the middle market, Caroll must open physical store better than only online selling. Location: when I was in Shanghai, I was impressed by the number of mall, there are malls everywhere. Availability and good location will be an help to develop the brand into the Chinese market. The target is the middle Chinese class. The intended position is to represent a high valued brand representing the elegance, offering high quality product at reasonable price. Strategic Segments Align 3 Vs Valued Customers middle class working women living in urban area Value Proposition high valued and high quality fashioned clothes and accessories Value Network physical store enjoying satisfying customers experience. Value Value The Value Chain Firm infrastructure 400 stores, 274 in France, 123 worldwide Support activities Human resource management About 1200 employees Technology development Design Procurement Elegant and noble fabrics Operations Specific line product Outbound logistics Warehousing Services Customer support Online store Marketing and sales Advertising and promotion like fashion shows. Inbound logistics Inventory control Storing Chinese and least develop country for supply Primary activities Service The Boston Box matrix The following Boston Box matrix is based on personal perception of the market since no information was found. Evening clothes (dress for party for example) Casual clothes Working clothes Accessories shoes Ansoff matrix Market Development Diversification Chinese middle class represent a new market for Caroll, new customers needs and expectations so new business model and strategy. Target different geographical markets at home or abroad. There is no need to diversify more the brand. Caroll is already offering a wide range of products (clothes and accessories). Market Penetration Product Development Going to the Chinese market is one thing but stay strong in the European market is another. Even if the Chinese market offers great opportunities, this is a major issue to reinforce our position in existing market. Caroll has to work harder on: Introduce a loyalty scheme = community Increase and improved sales force activities. It is important to design specific line to fit with Chinese demand Design specific line for Chinese (taste, size à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Improve customer service or quality.

ABC Electric Company :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

ABC Electric Company Introduction ABC Electric has been in business since 1970. The company makes hand-held arc welders its primary customers are construction firms, shipbuilders, auto-repair shops, and â€Å"self-help† amateurs. The company has 30% of the current market share along with four other competitors it has an annual sales of $800 million. The company has a satisfied customer-base. Although, their products are priced above the competitors, customers prefer ABC’s welders due to their superior finish, reliability, and durability. Recently, demand for hand-held welders in the U.S. was steadily growing at a rate of 7% rate annually but has currently drop. However, demands are growing in the West European market, which is currently value at $1 billion. Recently, ABC Electric found its market share and profitability decreasing. Due to the fact that the company has made some gain in its customer base by improving product quality and service while maintaining price. Moreover, a component supplier of ABC has raised its price by almost 10%. In addition, industry wide competition has generated excessive price reduction, which help in the fluctuation of the company profitability. Strategic Issues Facing ABC Electric ABC Electric is facing several issues that needs to be address in order to stabilize their competitors growth as well as increasing their market share and profitability. These issues are closely related to their external competitive strategy, which seems to be non-existence on a whole. Base on my brief discussion above, I believe that ABC Electric has in-voluntarily allows, one of its competitors to make advancement by improving its quality and service of their product without increasing price. Due to the fact that, ABC perceived its customers to be immune to price thereby remaining loyal to its product because of the quality and reliability that comes with the product image. As a result, this perceived brand loyalty created a threat to the company. The second issue facing the company is, a supplier of whom ABC purchases its electric motors from for its welder has raised the price by almost 10%. In looking at this, the bargaining power of the supplier is very strong bec ause the switching cost might be very high. Moreover, it will become damaging to the company based on the current reduction in price within the industry if the problem is not solved.

Kevin Stevenson retires as AASB Chair Essay

This article is concerned with the accomplishments and achievements of Kevin Stevenson upon his retirement as the Chairman of the Australian Accounting Standards Board on 30th June 2014. During his tenure, Kevin Stevenson ensured that the long traditions of financial reporting were upheld both internationally and domestically and also provided counsel on issues concerning the FRC. Mr. Stevenson was an example of pioneer standard setters for generations down the line as he was among the founding members of the Accounting Standards Advisory Forum of the International Accounting Standards Board. Through his leadership, the AASB’s Research Centre was established as Stevenson served the Asian-Oceanian Standard Setters Group’s chair. His main focus was to work in the interest of the public, as stated by Lynn Wood, the FRC’s chair and trustee of the IFRS Foundation. In concurrence is Ian Mackintosh, the former Chair of the PSASB of Australia and Deputy Chair of IASB. Ac cording to Mackintosh, Stevenson largely contributed in the moves by Asia countries like Nepal and Korea to the IFRS. From the onset of the 1970s, Mr. Stevenson’ attention was driven towards setting ‘principal based’ standards and developing a Conceptual Framework to be used in financial reporting. He advocated for accounting regulations as evidenced by his association with the Accounting Research Foundation and later on watched over the growth of the AARF upon being appointed its Director. He was at the forefront of setting the international pace in the development of common accounting standards for both the public and the private sectors. Stevenson largely contributed to the formation of the Public Sector Accounting and also played a significant role in the establishment of the stable platform of International Financial Reporting Standards in 2005 for adoption in Australia and the entire Europe. Concepts, ideas and facts                      Teamwork and leadership are two important components that must be in alignment so as to provide effective high quality and efficient accounting services. A strategic human resource management model provides guidance to accounting teams and leaders to deliver high-quality services in a timely manner. Accounting operates within a performance measurement that tolerates no errors. Therefore, a state-of-the-art investigation requires scientific leadership working with major stakeholders as a team to provide the best accounting services to a fraud investigation. The new techniques of accounting are significant steps in the right direction and they require leaders with skills and business tools to apply concepts such as efficiency, cost benefit analysis, economies of scale and cost-effectiveness analysis that will measure continuous improvement on a regular basis. Effective leadership is needed to develop, design and implement a solution that would resolve the core competency of an organization. Strategic leadership in accounting provides quality and timely accounting services to a company. Such leadership like that o Stevenson brings together a fragmented system consisting of thousands of accountants working within a fragmented system of organizations. Effective teamwork and leadership in accounting shows the way through the development of new innovative fraud investigations for the future. Leaders in positions like that of Stevenson are encouraged to consider both the social and moral implications of their decisions with regard to how their decisions will affect the clients and shareholders of the company. It is the ethical responsibility of every employee to ensure their company does not illegally evade income taxes or allow questionable deductions. They should ensure that the company finds are allocated to the appropriate activities based on their importance and determine the important elements of the business. The accounting issue                      One major way of improving the confidence in financial reporting and accounting is to ensure that there is improvement in ethical standards, reporting mechanisms, strengthening of governance and adequacy of financial management. It is ethical to maintain the right to the truth while practicing accounting and financial reporting. Those who use financial statements have the right to accurate and truthful information when engaging in investment strategies. Clients have a legal right to receive competent and professional services from accountants who have a legal obligation to perform their responsibilities within the constraints of their skills. It is often argued that most accountants lack ethical ability to recognize and solve ethical dilemmas. This has necessitated the need to include ethics education as a major component of the accounting profession. The development of professional ethics and values should be initiated early in the accounting profe ssion and be emphasized throughout the career. Major issue of the article                      Stevenson clearly shows that it is the responsibility of management to serve the best interests of the company that they are providing auditing and accounting services for, investors and society as a whole. This can be done by providing truthful and accurate financial records. Ethical guidelines require that management should be honest, concise, accurate and complete while recording financial data to ensure ethics are held to the highest degree. It is also the duty of every employee to make wise, informed decisions about the future of a company. These accounting standards are useful in financial reporting and accounting as they are processes that are currently under a great deal of scrutiny. The two are important functions that organizations should take care of and ensure that they exhibit a high code of ethics. This is because clients and shareholders use accounting and financial reports in their decision making process. Legal and ethical issues ar e important elements of financial reporting and accounting as has been demonstrated by the positions assumed by Mr. Stevenson. These issues prompted Stevenson to establish financial reporting and accounting departments to set up specific sets of rules that govern the functioning of any organization. Relevant topics and theories                      The long traditions of financial reporting applied Positive Accounting theory by focusing on various aspects that are of major interest to accounting techniques and the issues that provided an informative background and the gives in depth details of the functionality of accounting in financial reporting. Positive Accounting gives a holistic description of what is currently unknown and proposes future considerations. Financial reporting and accounting apply to any economic entity relating to the company’s future business. The major ethical elements involved are objectivity, competence, independence and integrity. These ethical elements require that accountants and financial reporters are independent of the clients to whom they provide financial and accounting services. Ethical obligations help to determine the effectiveness of accounting and financial report and redress any imbalance that may alter information symmetry. The move by Nepal and K orea followed the ethical guidelines of financial reporting and never let the desire for a better living and acquiring more possession get in the way of their financial obligations. It is ethical for any employee of the accounting or financial department working in the public or private sector to remain loyal and impartial to ethical obligations when reviewing both individual and financial reports. It is usual for one to encounter various ethical issues and it is therefore important for one to remain vigilant to resist temptations to manipulate financial records that could violate ethical guidelines. Transparency and integrity are important ethical elements of normative accounting theory. Some companies may receive pressure from management to maintain a certain public image. This is because some public companies have the burden of succeeding at high levels and it becomes an ethical issue for them to maintain true reports of the company assets, profits and liabilities without succumb ing to the pressure from management. It is unethical for management to alter the financial records of its company and manipulate the numbers to create a false image of the success of the company. This only leads to prosperity in the short term since such fraud cases are discovered by the Securities and Exchange Commission ultimately spelling the downfall of the company. For these reasons, accounting theories assert that companies must remain ethically vigilant to avoid breaching the code of conduct. High standards of ethical behavior are expected for those people engaging in accounting and financial reporting. These standards provide rules and guidance to employees in the performance of their professional obligations. Poor decision making by management based on faulty or manipulated financial records aimed at deceiving the public about a company’s financial health has negative consequences on the business. It is therefore unethical for management to overlook such behavior. Gi ven how tempting it is for companies to manipulate their financial records in order to portray an image of economic health, management should provide the last defense possible to prevent accounting fraud. In comment letter 1, the Financial Reporting Committee of the IMA wrote to express its views on financial accounting standards on simplification of the income statement presentation through the elimination of the concept of extraordinary items. The FRC is in charge of several accounting books of different companies this in essence means that they are charged with the responsibility of making timely responses to statements, pronouncements, research legislations, proposals and pending legislations. Their main concern in this letter is the complex nature of financial statements in FASB comment letters. They support the simplication initiative adopted by the board as regards to making the financial statements easier to understand by the common folk CITATION Sch l 1033 (Schroder, 2014). Their support is on the elimination of elimination of extra ordinary items as in most times this criterion is not always met. Their proposal thus rids of the tedious work in the preparation of financial documents and whether this requirement is met by auditors in the process of doing their work. Their support is based on the fact that it reduces to a great extending the complex nature of the time for the allocation of the provision of income tax by reducing the occurrence of other income items occurring. They thus advocate for a thorough examination of the details of this suggested proposal CITATION Sch l 1033 (Schroder, 2014). In comment letter number 2, Marcum Accountants and Advisors write to the FASB regarding the proposed accounting standards through the simplification of the income statement by elimination of the concept of extraordinary items. Their letter is generally a response to several questions regarding the process of simplification of the income statement. They support the concept of elimination of extra ordinary items from the General Accounting principles. Their contention is based on the difficulty of application the extra ordinary items in accounting practice CITATION Giu14 l 1033 (Giugliano, 2014). They thus support the application for extra ordinary items in previous accounting periods. A sudden change of the rules would otherwise lead to confusion in the accounting practice. The ease of application of the proposed update makes it easy to make these recommended changes quite easy to adopt. They thus suggest the immediate adoption of the proposed update. They are in agreement with the decision by the board to stick to the principle of separate disclosure of infrequent transactions. Items must thus meet the definition of occurring infrequently in recurrent expenditure. They list the following examples as those that should not be classified as unusual or infrequently occurring: occupancy related expense, routine tax audit returns and losses and gains from reimbursements from insurance CITATION Giu14 l 1033 (Giugliano, 2014). They thus suggest the importance of offering guidance on the determination of unusual items. Proper definitions should thus be provided of the unusually occurring items. In comment letter 3, Ford Motor Company also writes in support of the simplication initiative by FASB. Their agreement is based on the objective of evaluation, identification and improvement of the generally accepted accounting principles CITATION Cal14 l 1033 (Callahan, 2014). This thus means that the reduction of the cost of complexity is possible with the simplification of the income statement. They are also in agreement with the board that such an update would not lead to data loss. The overall benefit would be to the end users of such financial statements. References Callahan, S. (2014). Ford Company. Giugliano, G. (2014). Marcum Accountants. Schroder, N. (2014). Institute of Management Accounting. Source document

The College Entrance Essay What Not to Do

The College Entrance Essay What Not to Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What’s the point of the essay? Put yourself in the admissions officers’ shoes. They’ve got hundreds, maybe thousands of data sets to review, one for each potential student. Imagine the big conference table where these folders are spread out under the fluorescent lights. You’re just one folder in a pile, and the essay is their one window into who you are. What about the rest of my application? Sure, grades show you can study and that you care about academic success; test scores show something of critical thinking skills; extracurriculars and volunteer work show you’re â€Å"well-rounded.† But everyone knows that these things, for most college-bound students, are standard. People have been telling you they’re â€Å"important for college† since you were in 8th grade, and admissions officers know that. So there’s a limited amount even a 4.0 GPA and a perfect score on the SAT can say about your readiness for many aspects of college. College isn’t high school 2.0 See, college isn’t just classes and parties; it’s a transition between childhood and adulthood. Plenty of kids with high GPAs and great test scores can have a hard time in college due to the lack of supervision and the less defined reward structure. In other words, high schoolers with determined parents can be coaxed or bribed into hundreds of hours of AP studying, varsity sports practice and all kinds of SAT prep. Those kids might build great applications that get them the acceptance letters they want. But none of that stuff will help them once they’re on campus. In addition to possessing academic prowess, students who get the most out of college know what they want and are willing to work for it. They are mature, self-motivated, curious, and able to think outside the box. In short, they’re (mostly) ready to be responsible adults. Why do different schools have different prompts? Different schools are looking for different variations on this ready-for-adulthood theme; Juilliard wants students who apply this maturity and determination to their art. Tiny liberal arts schools want students who will bring their passions to enriching the community on campus. Ivies want students who are clearly head and shoulders above their peers. But all colleges want students who, as alumni, will enhance their alma mater’s reputation, whatever it may be. And the admissions essay is unique in its ability to convey much of the information that could convince a school you’ll be able to handle the job of succeeding, not just in school, but in life. To that end, here are our top 3 tips on what not to write in your college admissions essay. 1. Don’t write about the easiest thing High schoolers have a bad reputation for being shallow. Adults tend to think of them as Facebook-obsessed, smartphone-dependent text-monsters who do whatever (and only) what their friends do. Along with these charming characteristics, teenagers are also seen as closed minded and self-obsessed. The essay is a chance to prove definitively that you are not one of these teenage whiners who thinks only of themselves, and one way to do that is to really put some thought into your topic. In other words, don’t write about the first thing you think of, or the thing you think you could most easily tailor to the prompt. Let’s look at an example: one of the 2014-2015 Common Application essay promptsis, â€Å"Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?† If you ask the average high schooler this question, some of the most common answers will be not making the team, not getting a desired grade, or losing the student government election. These are easy kinds of failure to talk about; they are the most obvious. But you want to show that you understand all the things failure can mean: disappointing someone you love, doing something you know is wrong, giving up when you could’ve persevered. Some kinds of failure are painful to think about, but hiding from painful feelings is exactly what teenagers are expected to do. Be unexpected. Think about the prompt from multiple perspectives and try to make it your own. 2. Don’t write about something lots of kids have done This one might seem obvious, but let’s examine it using another prompt from the current Common App: â€Å"Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.† Again, do not write about the most obvious things: graduating to Eagle Scouts, your Bar Mitzvah or your first job (unless you have an amazing twist on those old tales). Even events that may seem less common than the ones above aren’t: thousands of kids each year write essays about their mission trips, their parents’ divorces, and moving to new towns or schools. Maybe it seems like nobody at your school has done it, but that doesn’t mean kids at other schools all over the country aren’t doing it right now. Do a little research, give it some thought, and reach for an essay that will make the admissions counselors think, â€Å"oh, right, that’s the kid who was in the circus for a year.† 3. Don’t write about something that happened to you, write about something you did This one is less about your topic and more about the way you frame it. Let’s examine it using another Common App prompt: â€Å"Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?† This might seem like an impossible prompt to answer with something you do, and that’s why I chose it. When most people think of the word ‘content,’ they think of relaxing or lounging in a private space. But content actually means â€Å"in a state of peaceful happiness,† or â€Å"satisfied with a certain level of achievement, good fortune, etc., and not wishing for more.† Peaceful, here, doesn’t mean restful: it means untroubled, complete. This state can easily be attained through doing. See, they don’t really care about the place or environment you’re describing. They care about how your answer reflects your personality, maturity, and ability to think and write creatively. Note the question â€Å"What do you do or experience there?† So while a ton of students will answer this prompt with â€Å"my bedroom,† or â€Å"the hammock in the garden,† they’re losing ground by not considering the other varieties of contentment: a strong tennis player practicing forehands, a musician picking out strings for his guitar, a volunteer working with infants in the hospital nursery. Don’t worry about seeming weird or being wrong; the point isn’t to â€Å"do it right,† as it is in so many high school courses. The point is to communicate something unique and deep about yourself. 4. Consider the Bigger Picture The essay is only one part of the college application. Other parts include your GPA, extracurricular activities, and SAT / ACT score. If you're late in junior year or already in senior year though, you don't have too much leverage to increase your GPA and activities those have already been set by your high school career. The only two things you can affect at this point would be the essay, which you should write well, and your SAT / ACT score. Be sure to ensure your SAT score is good enough or ACT score is good enough. If not, seriously consider retaking it, as even a couple of weeks of study can boost your admissions chances a lot. For more information on admissions essays, see these resources: Essay Hell New York Times lesson plan for Common Application essay prep Essay Tips from the Admissions Office at Lewis Clark We at PrepScholar Online SAT Prep aren’t just SAT experts, we’re also admissions experts. If you liked what you read above, subscribe to our blog to the right to keep updated on the information we’re sharing not just with our customers, but with the whole world. Like what you read? Get our free Ebook to SAT prep!

Canadas Dark Hour essays

Canada's Dark Hour essays During World War II, Canada was at war with Germany and Italy. Canada was fighting to protect the lifestyle that its citizens had become accustomed to. The soldiers in WW II gave their lives for the good of their great nation. Canada was also facing a major threat in the Pacific. The threat was the powerful nation of Japan. To that point in time Japan was the strongest military force that the world had ever seen. The Japanese government was strongly influenced by military leaders who were in favor of an expansion of Japanese power in the Pacific through military means. Japan had been sweeping through such strong military forces as China, Australia and Britain (Hong Kong). Japan was a major threat in World War Two to a lot of countries. Then when japan bombed Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack against the Americans. The Canadian government had to move quickly to protect its borders. The Canadian government decided that it was best that the Japanese be moved inland away from the coast. This was done for two main reasons, one to prevent spying and sabotage and secondly to protect the Japanese from anti-Asian violence. This decision was not only for the good of the country but also for the good of the Japanese people. The government made the right decision for the matter at hand. It is true that the Canadian Government noted that "no Japanese in Canada has been suspected of or linked to, an act of sabotage or espionage". Also in a RCMP investigation, the Japanese in Canada were not considered a real threat but the assessment was conducted before the country of Japan was officially in World War Two. These reports would have been outdated as the ideas and beliefs of the Japanese could have changed once Japan was at war with the world. People changed their views during times of change. As Japan officially entered W.W.II many passions of the people may have changed. The Canadian Government was faced with the treat of this poss...

Fieldstone Private Capital Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Fieldstone Private Capital Group - Essay Example ally offers advisory services to the corporation about leveraged buyouts, private capital raises and mergers and acquisitions in infrastructure and energy industries globally. The company takes pride in being an independent employee owned venture and that allows them to offer unbiased, objective and independent ideas that are specifically designed and developed for the purpose of fulfilling the client’s long term needs (FPCG, 2013a). The company caters to a diversified client base. It ranges from small and medium sector enterprises to some of the world’s largest corporations. In addition to private sector companies, Fieldstone also offers advisory services to the government firms especially in the area of infrastructure and energy. Apart from the financial services, Fieldstone is also active in the field of CDO and high yield markets through its Fieldstone Capital Group, which is a division of Fieldstone Services Corp (Forbes, 2009). b) Location of Fieldstone Fieldstone is a company which has been able to generate a sense of trust among the consumers around the world. This is due to the company’s presence in the market for over 2 decades. During this epoch, there are hardly any negative statements came into light which was against the company or that hampered the image of the company (Keillor, 2007). Fieldstone operates in a number of places around the world. The places in which the company has presence are Berlin, Johannesburg, Hyderabad, Kuala Lumpur, London and New York (Bloomberg, 2013). The service offered by the company is almost similar in every country. However in case of South Africa, where the company operate through its Johannesburg office, offer some additional services to the customers. In the context of German market, the company is considered as an... Fieldstone is a company which has been able to generate a sense of trust among the consumers around the world. This is due to the company’s presence in the market for over 2 decades. During this epoch, there are hardly any negative statements came into light which was against the company or that hampered the image of the company. Fieldstone operates in a number of places around the world. The places in which the company has presence are Berlin, Johannesburg, Hyderabad, Kuala Lumpur, London and New York. The service offered by the company is almost similar in every country. However in case of South Africa, where the company operate through its Johannesburg office, offer some additional services to the customers. In the context of German market, the company is considered as an important player in the financial advisory services industry. For example, it has played the role of a financial advisor for a number of vital projects within the country. In the recent past, Fieldstone ac ted as exclusive debt advisor for Mainova AG in structuring, developing and facilitating the execution of the transactions.

Human Right Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Right Law - Coursework Example Nonetheless, it is illegal for a public authority to function against the Article 10 of ECHR. A court in UK will be regarded as a public authority for this purpose. Thus, judges in UK are under obligation to develop the common law in accordance with Convention rights as regards to right to the freedom of expression1. The issue is whether the Home Secretary of UK , can use her power under UK criminal- justice legislation to shut down UKPFs website before the videos can be published, and this can be considered as an abusive of Norman’s right of freedom of expression granted both under HRA ,1998 and under ECHR ,1950? Nonetheless, the UK government has an obligation to safeguard people from terrorists’ menace and in such cases, freedom of expression can be confined to safeguard national security and public order. The right to freedom of speech or expression is granted under Article 10 of ECHR, which is subject to some restrictions such as it can be restrained in the interest of a country’s national security or to maintain public safety or to safeguard territorial integrity. A UK court cannot grant an interim order prohibiting publication of a material under section 12 of the HRA unless it is fully pleased that the claimant is probable to demonstrate at full trial that such publication should not be permitted as held in Cream Holdings Ltd v. Banerjee, 2 and it should have specific attention to the significance of the right to the freedom of expression, the magnitude to which such publication is in the public interest and any particular privacy codes. Due to this fact, it has become arduous to get interim injunctions against the media3. However, UK courts can use their power to protect any religious feelings as held in Wingrove v UK4 where a ban on short film â€Å"Visions of Ecstasy† was sought under blasphemous. It was alleged that the short film was intended to portray the visions of St. Teresa of Avila, in a sexually explicit manner. The