Pfizer

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. is a research-based diversified health care company with operations around the globe. Pfizer Inc. has three main business groups. They include the Consumer Health Care Group, U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group, and the Pfizer Animal Health Products Segment. Pfizer Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world's best-known consumer brands.Pfizer was first started by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart in 1849. The two German entrepreneurs borrowed $2,500 to start a chemical plant in the United States. They wanted to produce chemicals that were unavailable in the United States. In 1862 because of the Civil War painkillers were needed. This was the first time Pfizer produced morphine as well as other drugs. Doctors and soldiers in the civil war were grateful for Pfizer's developments of pain killers. Because of the Civil War Pfizer's revenues doubled. This allowed for expansion. In 1880 because of the im portation of lemon and limes, Pfizer became the largest producer of citric acid.English: Royal St George's Golf Links On the horiz...Citric acid was used in many things such as food, drinks, as well as medications. In 1891 cofounder Charles Erhart left his share to his son William. Charles Pfizer offered to buy his share from him and William agreed. From 1892 and on the company belonged to just Charles Pfizer. The 1900's was a growing time for Pfizer. As many more cures were found, such as Penicillin which was discovered in 1928, Pfizer was able to grow very large. When Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin Pfizer offered to help back it up. Pfizer became extremely profitable from penicillin because it was known as the "wonder drug." Pfizer and penicillin were very popular during World War II. Many soldiers were treated with penicillin produced by Pfizer. In 1950 Terramycin, used to treat bacterial infections, was...

Financial Analysis of Reflect Corporation and Tranquility Inc. Essays

Financial Analysis of Reflect Corporation and Tranquility Inc. Essays Financial Analysis of Reflect Corporation and Tranquility Inc. Essay Financial Analysis of Reflect Corporation and Tranquility Inc. Essay Financial Analysis of Reflect Corporation and Tranquility Inc. Reflect Corporation (R. Corp. ) and Tranquility Inc. (T. Inc. ) are two companies that applied for a loan from us recently. In order to assess the risk of granting the loans, I analyzed both companies financial situations. This paper attempts to analyze the financial ratios of the two companies based on their financial statements, and thus we can determine which company is better able to pay the loan in time so that the risk of our losing money would be minimized. I will evaluate their financial situations hrough some crucial parameters, as follows: Liquidity Ratios Parameters R. orp. T. INC. Current Ratio 0. 86M Receivable Turnover 8. 82 (times) 115 (times) Average Collection Period 42 (days) 3 (days) Inventory Turnover 6. 87 (times) 8. 26 (times) Days In Inventory 53 (days) 44 (days) Liquidity ratios indicate the short-term ability of a company to pay its obligations. As we computed above, the current ratio of R. Corp. is 1. 62:1 in 2012. That means for every dollar of current liabilities, R. Corp. has $1. 62 of current assets. So, it has enough current assets relative to its currents debt. Comparatively, T. Inc. only has $0. 6 of current assets for every dollar of current liabilities, so it is not healthy financially. Specifically, this company would not be able to pay its short-term debt even if all of its current assets have been converted to cash The numbers of receivable turnover ratios are pretty different between the two companies: one is 8. 82 times, the other one is 115 times. To illustrate by a popular variant of receivable turnover ratio, R. Corp collects its receivables in about every 42 days, but T. Inc. collects its receivables in only 3 days. That means T. Inc. ould convert sales to cash ery quickly, and this is very g for the liquidity of its business. The Inventory turnover ratios of the two companies are relatively close, 6. 87 vs. 8. 26. It indicates that R. Corp. could sell out their inventory in 53 days, and T. Inc. could do that in 44 days. T. Inc has a higher value of inventory turnover ratio which indicates it do better performances to control inventory levels, and that means it has the less cash ties up in inventory and the less chance of inventory obsolescence. After comparing liquidity ratios of 2012, we can see that T. Inc. is much better than R. Corp. n the liquidity of eceivables and inventory, but this company have a lower value of current ratio. However, a relatively lower current ratio sometimes is not a serious issue if a company has no problem of cash flow and makes solid earnings. From the financial statements of T. Inc, we can see that the company made $13,295 net income in 2012. And, the gap between its current assets and current liabilities is not too large (about $10,000). Overall, I believe that T. Inc. has no problem on paying short-term debt and it has better liquidity than R. Corp. Profitability Ratios Profit Margin 4. 2% 3. 3% Ass ets Turnover 1. 55(times) 2. 8(ttmes) Return On Assets 6. 4% 7. 7% Profitability ratios give us the information regarding a companys ability to make profits. R. Corp. has a higher profit margin (4. 2%) than T. Inc. (3. 3%), but not much. However, their profit margin ratios are both low relatively, compared with common profit margin of companies in the market. For the two companies, each dollar of sales only makes 3 or 4 cents of profits; this is not a good number. But we cant make a conclusion from this data that they are failed in their business, because profit margin ratios are relatively low in some fields like discount stores or grocery stores. The ssets turnover ratio is a parameter that measures how efficiently a company uses its assets to make sales. In 2012, T. Inc. generated sales of $2. 38 for each dollar it had invested in assets, and R. Corp. made $1. 55 sales for each dollar of assets. 1. 55 or 2. 38 of assets turnover ratio is not a bad number for a company, no matter what industry the company . T. Inc is better on this factor. Return on assets ratio explains the percentage of each dollar of assets that results in net income, or how much income a company makes for each dollar of assets. Based on the financial statements, every one dollar of R. Corp. assets generates 6. 4 cents of net income, and every one dollar of T. Inc. s assets makes 7. 7 cents net income. These data show us that T. Inc. had a relatively better ability to make profits, using its assets. Although it has a lower profit margin ratio, it has the advantage in generating profits by using assets. T. Inc has total assets of $176,203, about 3 times mor e than R. Corp, and t at means it would make more profits. Solvency Ratios R. Corp. Total Debt to Total Assets 65% Times Interest Earned 7. 8(times) 1 1. 6(Ttmes) Analyzing solvency ratios can find out whether a company could survive well in a long eriod of time. : As a creditor, we are interested in the companys ability to pay interest and the face value of a long-term debt. R. Corp. s total debt to total assets ratio is 65%, and T. Inc. s is 60%. That means the creditors have provided 65% of R. Corp. s total assets, and 60% of T. Inc. s total assets. In other words, more than half of both companies total assets is provided by their creditors; this is not a desirable percentage for creditors. In this area, R. Corp. is worse than T. Inc. But, a relatively higher total debt to total assets ratio might be reasonable depending on what ndustry they belong. Lets take a look on another significant ratio which is the time interest earned ratio. T. Inc. makes income of 1 1. 6 times compared with interest expense; this means they have no problem in paying interest as it comes due. R. Corp. s number is 7. 8, which is not bad but worse than that of T. Inc. Comparing solvency ratios, we know that T. Inc. has a better ability to pay long-term debt than R. Corp. It has lower total debt to total assets ratio and it has better ability to pay long- term interest. Through analyzing financial ratios of the two companies, we find out that T. Inc. better in performing its business than R. Corp. The company has a better ability to pay short-term debt and long-term debt they owed to creditors. Especially, it can convert its receivables to cash very quickly, which guarantees they can get cash soon when it is necessary. Furthermore, it uses its assets more efficiently to make sales and profits as we analyzed above on profitability ratios. And, we cant doub t on its ability to pay long-term debt when we analyze its solvency ratios. Although the profit margin ratio of T. Inc is not so high, it would not matter when it could make profits stably. However, this companys current liability is a little higher than current assets. I would make a number of suggestions to resolve this issue. For example, the company could borrow money using a short-term note; or the owners could invest cash temporarily to resolve the short-term issue. To conclude, T. Inc. seems to be a better customer for us to reward a loan, after comparing the financial ratios of the two companies. Regarding R. Corp. , it has a problem in collecting receivables. This is harmful to its liquidity especially since it doesnt make a large amount of sales and incomes. The managers of R. Corp. ould do more work in communicating with their customers in order to collect cash faster. Also, R. Corps profit margin is too low. It should reduce the expense such as supplies to save money so that there would be more net income left. On the other hand, the Total Debt to Total Assets ratio is too high for R. Corp. This will decrease the companys credibility for creditor. I dont bel ieve the company should borrow more money before it resolves the issue of improving its performance. The values of financial ratios are not the only significant factors of a company to consider when deciding which company hould receive the loan. For example, the average profit margin ratio of companies in the market depends on which industry they belong, and it is same when we talk about liquidities. In other words, we need more background information of the two companies if we want to analyze their performance more precisely. Similarly, it would be better if we have more financial statements of previous periods of the companies. Thus, we could make a horizontal analysis of the financial accounts and have a better sense of a companys ability to make profits over a long-period of time.

Not sure yet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Not sure yet - Essay Example The new â€Å"knowledge based† economy is defined by the World Bank (Report, 2003, p1) as that which relies â€Å"primarily on the use of ideas rather than physical abilities and on the application of technology rather than the transformation of raw materials or the exploitation of cheap labor†. This is a new determinant that propagates the idea of life-long learning. This change is bound to have an effect on the choice of an individual’s vocational education and training methods. We witness a contradiction and a replacement of the traditional view of life-long education of what Longworth (2003,p33) sees as being â€Å"about the development of the whole person† with that of its contemporary view of what Bagnall (2000) calls as ‘economic determinism’. This need has come about with the emphasis laid upon the currency in paid employment and an unavoidable need to sustain one’s employment and currency in the growing face of change. This paper shall argue that there is an imbalance in the view of lifelong learning and that the need for life-long learning changes with the change in time, industrial circumstances and that it also relevant to economic carve. But we shall argue that the traditional conception of lifelong learning as being a mode of personal fulfillment also holds an important role in setting the real purpose of life-long Education while this view is given less importance in today’s world. A balanced outlook between that individual and social obligation of life-long learning is desirable and this shall be the perspective of the paper while not forgetting that the use of these two perspectives as the purpose and end of the life-long education depends upon individual and circumstances. The change that has come about in the view in Lifelong learning however, shall be exemplified with the change in education system, policies and globalization

Corporate Governance And Itseffects On Firms Performance Evidences In Dissertation

Corporate Governance And Itseffects On Firms Performance Evidences In Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example Modern changes in the business environment have made it more frequent for families to own a whole corporate. This has its own benefits but side effects include a lot of problems between the agency, owners, management and shareholders. Conflicts are on the rise and due to this problem trust is more important than ever in the process of financial analysis and its reporting (Klein, 2002). The core issue that corporate governance deals with is the agency problem which serves as a conflict of interest for both managers and owners. This is because of the gap between the ownership and control. In most of the cases the management of shareholders is the duty of managers and the top most managers sometimes exploit their power. There are many corporate governance models some of them are; participative model, behavioural model, finance model, stakeholder model, political model, strategy model and the policy government model. Implementing good corporate governance in firms is designed to give res ults in terms of better firm performance and that can be accomplished by making better and more rational decisions. It has been a common practice among firms to expropriate the control of shareholders in order to receive a smoother stream of earnings. But as a better lubricant to smoothen the friction between the shareholders and managers comes corporate governance. With the placement of good corporate governance, firms are less likely to expropriate as more investors prefer to invest in firms with good corporate governance (Melis, 2004).... †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 2.5.2 Return on Assets (ROA) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 2.5.3 Earnings per Share (EPS) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 2.5.4 Book Value per Share (BV) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 2.6 Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦24 Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦25 3.1 Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..26 Works Cited †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦28 Introduction 1.1 Overview Modern changes in the business environment have made it more frequent for families to own a whole corporate. This has its own benefits but side effects include a lot of problems between the agency, owners, management and shareholders. Conflicts a re on the rise and due to this problem trust is more important than ever in the process of financial analysis and its reporting (Klein, 2002). The core issue that corporate governance deals with is the agency problem which serves as a conflict of interest for both managers and owners. This is because of the gap between the ownership and control. In most of the cases the management of shareholders is the duty of managers and the top most managers sometimes exploit their power. There are many corporate governance models some of them are; participative model, behavioural model, finance model, stakeholder model, political model, strategy model and the policy government model.

Stock Market Vs. Gambling Essay Example for Free

Stock Market Vs. Gambling Essay The difference between gambling and buying stocks of companies is that you are betting on the future of the company and you have records you can research. If something terrible happens to the country, like a natural disaster, stocks will go down. If the country does well, the stock market will most likely go up. The key to doing well in the stock market is to research the companies you are trying to buy stock in. If you just pick a couple random companies to invest your well-earned money in, it would be more like gambling. It is possible to lose a large sum of money buying stocks if a company that was once flourishing has something bad happen. For example, those who owned stock in BP were probably doing all right until they had a vessel drop hundreds of thousands of oil into the gulf. Gambling in a casino, on the other hand is completely different. The house always a edge, and even though the edge is slim it still makes it so that the house will always win in the long run. If you are gambling in Vegas you better be using money you are willing to lose. In conclusion, if you do your homework and research and choose your stock right, more likely than not you will be making money. One thing is for sure I would feel safer tying my money up in the stock market than at the blackjack table.

Nihilsmo, Fin de la Metafisica y Secularizacion en el Pensamiento de Nietzsche, Heidegger y Vattimo :: Spanish Essays

Nihilsmo, Fin de la Metafisica y Secularizacion en el Pensamiento de Nietzsche, Heidegger y Vattimo ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article is to articulate Nietzsche's criticism of morality which is centered in his experience of the death of God and the end of the subject of Modernity. Nietzsche considers nihilism as a nihilism of morality, not of metaphysics: it is morality and its history that has given rise to nihilism in the Occident. That is why Nietzsche separates himself from metaphysics as well as from morality and science, which differs from Heidegger's reasons. According to Heidegger, Nietzsche places himself in a primal position in the history of metaphysics, by which he means the consummation (Vollendung) of metaphysics' nihilism, which Heidegger tries to transcend. On the one hand, Heidegger shows us how Nietzsche consummates the Platonic philosophy by inverting its principles. On the other, Nietzsche consummates the metaphysics of subjectivity. Consequently he conceives the thought of the will of power and of the eternal recurrence as the two last forms of the metaphys ical categories of essence and existence respectively. On this ground it is possible to understand Nietzsche's and Heidegger's thought as the necessary first stage in the transition to Vattimo's postmodern philosophy and his notion of secularization. Si bien la discusià ³n en torno al nihilismo se remonta a la à ©poca del del idealismo alemà ¡n, tal como lo seà ±alara Otto Pà ¶ggeler oportunamente, el "nihilismo" es la nocià ³n fundamental sobre la que gira la meditacià ³n nietzscheana, asà ­ como el problema de su superacià ³n. (1) La conviccià ³n de la magnitud de tal tarea llamada en Ecce homo una "autoreflexià ³n de la humanidad" (Selbstbesinnung), se presenta como un "destino" dentro de la historia de la filosofà ­a occidental. (2) En noviembre de 1887 escribà ­a Nietzsche: "Lo que cuento, es la historia de los prà ³ximos dos siglos. Describo lo que viene, lo que no puede venir de otra manera: la llegada del nihilismo". (3) La llegada del nihilismo es "necesaria" porque: "son nuestros mismos valores habidos hasta ahora, los que conducen a à ©l, porque el nihilismo es la là ³gica llevada hasta el fin de nuestros mà ¡s grandes valores e ideales." (4) Por eso, el nihilismo es pensado desde Nietzsche, como nihilismo de la moral principalmente y no como nihilismo de la metafà ­sica, tal como postularà ­a Heidegger posteriormente. Por el contrario en Nietzsche el centro de la reflexià ³n lo ocupa la moral: "La moral, lo he dicho una vez, fue hasta ahora la Circe de los filà ³sofos.

Desiree’s Baby

Desiree's baby Kate Chopin wrote the short story â€Å"Desiree's baby† in 1892, when black people where considered second-class citizens. Even though the slaves were freed in 1865 as a directly consequence of the north states victory at the civil war, racial segregation were at it highest, particular because of the â€Å"Jim Crow† laws. Black people were free – but their opportunities were not good. Even tough many new schools and churches were built for the black people, racism were a big sinner and black people were treated very bad – especially in the south states.Miscegenation was a cursed word, as the communities saw it as a crime and both the family and the baby were suppressed. Desiree felt that on her own body. â€Å"Desiree's baby† contains a lot of typical short story characteristics, e. g. â€Å"in media res† and an ambiguous ending – yet it differs on places, such as the length of the act and the number of characters â€⠀œ but Kate Chopin wrote both short stories and novels, so it's not unthinkable that she mixed the two genres here. The short story is told by an omniscient third-person narrator.It's not a limited narrator, as we hear more than one character's thoughts. E. g. in this sentence â€Å"it made her laugh to think of Desiree with a baby† one of the characters, Madame Valmonde's, inner thoughts are shared with us, while Armand bares his soul places like this â€Å"he thought Almighty God had dealt cruelly and unjustly with him; †¦ †. The main character is Desiree. She's â€Å"beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere – the idol of Valmonde† and an orphan, found in â€Å"the shadow of the big stone pillar† just outside Valmonde.She's adopted by the religious and kindly madame Valmonde, who believes that â€Å"Desiree had been sent to her by a beneficent Providence to be the child of her affection, seeing that she was without child of the fleshà ¢â‚¬ . Desiree's also described very gentle in her actions, e. g. with the slaves and she's madly in love with Armand, which sentences such as â€Å"when he smiled, she asked no greater blessing of God† intensely indicates – and it is, at least in the start, reciprocated. Armand is described as a very â€Å"hard† and strict person, but his love for Desiree makes him soft as butter.Their love is almost described as in a fairytale, as he fell in love with her â€Å"as if struck by a pistol shot†. He's blinded by love and even looks beyond her â€Å"obscure origin†, even though he's warned. Later, he grew even softer, as â€Å"â€Å"marriage, and later the birth of his son had softened Armand Aubigny's imperious and exacting nature greatly† – but all that changed, when it occurred to him that the baby was not white. He's a product of his time and surroundings – a â€Å"typical† south state man, who leads a cotton farm and perceives black people as second-class people. However, Madame Valmonde, is at some points ahead of her time.When Desiree wrote to her that the people were telling her that she was not white, she answered â€Å"My own Desiree: Come home to Valmonde; back to your mother who loves you. Come with your child. â€Å". Even though she gave birth to a â€Å"colored† baby, she still wishes to see and be in touch with Desiree AND the baby. That may be considered normal today, but at that time it was an enormous privilege. The setting of the story is the southern state, Louisiana, on the two plantations Valmonde and L'abri. Valmonde is the name of the family who owns the plantation, while L'abri is the French word for shelter.The reason that many French words and French sounding names appear in this story, is that Louisiana once was a French colony. The story takes place before slavery was abolished, so it's going on around the mid-nineteenth century. The community surrounding the c haracters of the story are very wealthy, as many slaves harvest the cotton at L'abri. Besides that, it is also a sign of status and money that Armand orders a â€Å"corbeille from Paris† to his wedding with Desiree, as the journey from Louisiana to Paris was incredibly long and difficult at that time.The story unfolds in the period July to August, as we hear that three months are going from the day Miss Valmonde visit Desiree to the â€Å"break up† of Desiree and Armand – and Desiree leaves Armand â€Å"an October afternoon†. One of the themes of the story is miscegenation. Kate Chopin wishes to bring the subject to the knowledge of people – to bring the topic to debate. Kate Chopin is famous for using naturalism in her work, which is a literate movement, with realistic writing, who brings social issues to debate.It's used her, as the story narrates about a white girl, giving birth to a colored child, taking the â€Å"easy† way out – disappearing, which is possible the death for her and her child. The hertz against â€Å"mixed†, and of course black, people, were something Kate Chopin wished to change and that's the issue she tried to put focus on with this short story. The story also deals with ethical and morale themes, such as the fact that it's not right to accuse people for something you're not sure about. Armand learns this the hard way, as he receives â€Å"nemesis† for his evil deed, when he discovers that it's him who's carrying the black genes. Desiree’s Baby Desiree's baby Kate Chopin wrote the short story â€Å"Desiree's baby† in 1892, when black people where considered second-class citizens. Even though the slaves were freed in 1865 as a directly consequence of the north states victory at the civil war, racial segregation were at it highest, particular because of the â€Å"Jim Crow† laws. Black people were free – but their opportunities were not good. Even tough many new schools and churches were built for the black people, racism were a big sinner and black people were treated very bad – especially in the south states.Miscegenation was a cursed word, as the communities saw it as a crime and both the family and the baby were suppressed. Desiree felt that on her own body. â€Å"Desiree's baby† contains a lot of typical short story characteristics, e. g. â€Å"in media res† and an ambiguous ending – yet it differs on places, such as the length of the act and the number of characters â€⠀œ but Kate Chopin wrote both short stories and novels, so it's not unthinkable that she mixed the two genres here. The short story is told by an omniscient third-person narrator.It's not a limited narrator, as we hear more than one character's thoughts. E. g. in this sentence â€Å"it made her laugh to think of Desiree with a baby† one of the characters, Madame Valmonde's, inner thoughts are shared with us, while Armand bares his soul places like this â€Å"he thought Almighty God had dealt cruelly and unjustly with him; †¦ †. The main character is Desiree. She's â€Å"beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere – the idol of Valmonde† and an orphan, found in â€Å"the shadow of the big stone pillar† just outside Valmonde.She's adopted by the religious and kindly madame Valmonde, who believes that â€Å"Desiree had been sent to her by a beneficent Providence to be the child of her affection, seeing that she was without child of the fleshà ¢â‚¬ . Desiree's also described very gentle in her actions, e. g. with the slaves and she's madly in love with Armand, which sentences such as â€Å"when he smiled, she asked no greater blessing of God† intensely indicates – and it is, at least in the start, reciprocated. Armand is described as a very â€Å"hard† and strict person, but his love for Desiree makes him soft as butter.Their love is almost described as in a fairytale, as he fell in love with her â€Å"as if struck by a pistol shot†. He's blinded by love and even looks beyond her â€Å"obscure origin†, even though he's warned. Later, he grew even softer, as â€Å"â€Å"marriage, and later the birth of his son had softened Armand Aubigny's imperious and exacting nature greatly† – but all that changed, when it occurred to him that the baby was not white. He's a product of his time and surroundings – a â€Å"typical† south state man, who leads a cotton farm and perceives black people as second-class people. However, Madame Valmonde, is at some points ahead of her time.When Desiree wrote to her that the people were telling her that she was not white, she answered â€Å"My own Desiree: Come home to Valmonde; back to your mother who loves you. Come with your child. â€Å". Even though she gave birth to a â€Å"colored† baby, she still wishes to see and be in touch with Desiree AND the baby. That may be considered normal today, but at that time it was an enormous privilege. The setting of the story is the southern state, Louisiana, on the two plantations Valmonde and L'abri. Valmonde is the name of the family who owns the plantation, while L'abri is the French word for shelter.The reason that many French words and French sounding names appear in this story, is that Louisiana once was a French colony. The story takes place before slavery was abolished, so it's going on around the mid-nineteenth century. The community surrounding the c haracters of the story are very wealthy, as many slaves harvest the cotton at L'abri. Besides that, it is also a sign of status and money that Armand orders a â€Å"corbeille from Paris† to his wedding with Desiree, as the journey from Louisiana to Paris was incredibly long and difficult at that time.The story unfolds in the period July to August, as we hear that three months are going from the day Miss Valmonde visit Desiree to the â€Å"break up† of Desiree and Armand – and Desiree leaves Armand â€Å"an October afternoon†. One of the themes of the story is miscegenation. Kate Chopin wishes to bring the subject to the knowledge of people – to bring the topic to debate. Kate Chopin is famous for using naturalism in her work, which is a literate movement, with realistic writing, who brings social issues to debate.It's used her, as the story narrates about a white girl, giving birth to a colored child, taking the â€Å"easy† way out – disappearing, which is possible the death for her and her child. The hertz against â€Å"mixed†, and of course black, people, were something Kate Chopin wished to change and that's the issue she tried to put focus on with this short story. The story also deals with ethical and morale themes, such as the fact that it's not right to accuse people for something you're not sure about. Armand learns this the hard way, as he receives â€Å"nemesis† for his evil deed, when he discovers that it's him who's carrying the black genes.

“Erin Brockovich”: Effective Communication Essay

Competent Erin Brockovich’s Characteristics The main character in the movie Erin Brockovich is an easy going woman who seems tobe very competent in communication. This paper will discuss three characteristics that a competent communicator, such as Erin Brockovich possesses. I will also explain specific scenes where she demonstrated the following characteristics: self-monitoring, empathy, and commitment; commonly known as denominators that characterize effective communication. The first characteristic Erin displayed was empathy in relationships with her clients. In one scene, Erin met with a cancer suffering child and her family. A young girl named Anna, was suffering from alopecia and wearing a bandana. She had lost her hair from the cancer treatments she had received. Erin’s eyes reflected painful sadness even as she smiled and laughed with Anna. At the end of their conversation, Erin’s genuine concern for Anna left her speechless. Erin’s attitude displayed empathy, which involves feeling and experiencing another person’s situation almost as they do. It is the most important aspect of non-verbal communication competence. The second characteristic Erin showed was her intense commitment for the people ofHinkley. This characteristic was revealed during the scene placed at the Jensen’s residence. Erin sat on the end of the bed with Donna Jensen, the woman that was suffering from uterine cancer. Erin’s eyes filled with tears as Donna tells Erin that her cancer turned malignant, which is the fast spreading form of cancer. Donna’s eyes began to pour due to her fear and hatred she felt toward PG&E. Donna said, â€Å"We are going to get them aren’t we?† Erin replied, â€Å"Yes.† Erin’s willingness to listen and the desire to spend time with her proved her commitment to her. The third characteristic Erin portrays is self-monitoring. This was shown at Ed Masry’slaw office. Erin stood face to face with Ed. In a demanding tone of voice she said, â€Å"I need apaycheck!† Erin’s face turned a shade of red in anger. Her eyes began narrowing as she stared inhis eyes. Erin said, â€Å"I’m smart, hardworking, and I’m not leaving here without a job!† She waspersistent and determined to get the job. Erin’s eyes looked around the room only to notice theskepticism of Ed’s employees. Erin’s shoulders began  to droop and her guilty eyes driftedtowards the floor. She became aware of her behavior and the impression she had given. Sheknew she made a fool of herself. In a whisper Erin said, â€Å"Don’t make me beg.† She then said, â€Å"Ifit doesn’t work out, fire me.† Erin was able to change her behavior when she recognized thingswasn’t looking positive. Erin’s overall communication efforts displayed in her character was unique as well as knowledgeable. Self-monitoring, empathy, and commitment that were explained in this paper were shown with distinction. The communication techniques were useful and helpful to prove her drive for satisfaction and completion for the people in the town Hinkley.

Merriam-Websters 2017 Words of the Year

Merriam-Websters 2017 Words of the Year Merriam-Webster’s 2017 Words of the Year Merriam-Webster’s 2017 Words of the Year By Mark Nichol Toward the end of each calendar year, around the winter holidays, various dictionaries trot out their annual Words of the Year feature. This year, as can be expected, the focus (according to Merriam-Webster) was predominantly on terms directly or indirectly associated with politics. Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year, prompted by various events and incidents regarding gender equality and women’s right, is feminism. The term has various connotations, depending on one’s perspective about the concept, but the objective meanings, according to the company’s website, are â€Å"the theory of . . . equality of the sexes† and â€Å"organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.† More unusual words that appeared in Merriam-Webster’s top ten include dotard, which refers to one in a state or period of dotage, or senility; the root word is dote, the verb form. (However, dote is more commonly employed for the sense of â€Å"give generous attention or affection.†) Like dotty (meaning â€Å"crazy or eccentric,† or â€Å"obsessed† or â€Å"ridiculous†), dote stems from a Germanic word meaning â€Å"foolish.† Another term prominent in online-dictionary surges earlier this year is the spelling bee participant’s bane, syzygy, which simply refers to a generally straight-line configuration of bodies in a solar system or other gravitational system, such as occurs during an eclipse. The word, by way of Latin, is from a Greek term meaning â€Å"yoked together.† Greek is also the source of gyro, which made the list in the sense of a type of sandwich of Greek provenance, rather than a spinning device such as a gyrocompass. Both senses relate to turning; the sandwich is so named because the meat filling is traditionally turned on a spit over flame to cook it. Then there’s gaffe (meaning â€Å"blunder or mistake†), sometimes erroneously spelled gaff, the word from which it is derived. A gaff is any one of several types of hooks or hooked implements, and as a verb it applies to using or applying a hook. As a slang term, it means â€Å"music hall or theater†- my guess is that it’s derived from the notion of the proverbial hook used to yank poorly received vaudeville performers off the stage- and it also informally pertains to abuse or an ordeal, or a trick or hoax. (It also serves as a verb associated with these senses.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsHow to Punctuate Descriptions of ColorsRite, Write, Right, Wright

Understanding Acculturation and Why It Happens

Understanding Acculturation and Why It Happens Acculturation is a process through which a person or group from one culture comes to adopt the practices and values of another culture, while still retaining their own distinct culture. This process is most commonly discussed regarding a minority culture adopting elements of the majority culture, as is typically the case with  immigrant groups that are culturally or ethnically distinct from the majority in the place to which they have immigrated. However, acculturation is a two-way process, so those within the majority culture often adopt elements of minority cultures with  which they come into contact. The process plays out between groups where neither is necessarily a majority or a minority. It can happen at both group and individual levels and can occur as a result of in-person contact or contact through art, literature, or media. Acculturation is not the same as the process of assimilation, though some people use the words interchangeably. Assimilation can be an eventual outcome of the acculturation process, but the process  can have other outcomes as well, including rejection, integration, marginalization, and transmutation. Acculturation Defined Acculturation is a process of cultural contact and exchange through which a person or group comes to adopt certain values and practices of a culture that is not originally their own, to a greater or lesser extent. The result is that the original culture of the  person or group remains, but it is changed by this process. When the process is at its most extreme, assimilation occurs wherein the original culture is wholly abandoned and the new culture adopted in its place. However, other outcomes can also occur that fall along a spectrum from minor  change to total change, and these include separation, integration, marginalization, and transmutation. The first known use of the term acculturation within the social sciences was by John Wesley Powell in a report for the U.S. Bureau of Ethnology in 1880. Powell later defined the term as the psychological changes that occur within a person due to cultural exchange that occurs as a result of extended contact between different cultures. Powell observed that, while they exchange cultural elements, each retains its own unique culture. Later, in the early 20th century, acculturation became a focus of American sociologists who used ethnography to study  the lives of immigrants and the extent to which they integrated into U.S. society. W.I Thomas and Florian Znaniecki examined this process with Polish immigrants in Chicago in their 1918 study The Polish Peasant in Europe and America. Others, including Robert E. Park and Ernest W. Burgess, focused their research and theories on the outcome of this process known as assimilation. While these early sociologists focused on the process of acculturation experienced by immigrants, and also by Black Americans within predominantly white society, sociologists today are more attuned to the two-way nature of cultural exchange and adoption that happens through the process of acculturation. Acculturation at Group and Individual Levels At the group level, acculturation  entails the widespread adoption of the values, practices, forms of art, and technologies of another culture. These can range from the adoption of ideas, beliefs, and ideology to  the large-scale inclusion of foods and styles of cuisines from other cultures. For example, the embrace of Mexican, Chinese, and Indian cuisines within the U.S. This includes the simultaneous adoption of mainstream American foods and meals by immigrant populations. Acculturation at the group level can also entail the cultural exchange of clothing and fashions, and of language. This happens when immigrant groups learn and adopt the language of their new home, or when certain phrases and words from a foreign language make their way into common usage. Sometimes, leaders within a culture make a conscious decision to adopt the technologies or practices of another for reasons associated with efficiency and progress. At the individual level, acculturation may involve all the same things that occur at the group level, but the motives and circumstances may differ. For example,  people who travel to foreign lands where the culture differs from their own, and who spend extended periods of time there, are likely to engage in the process of acculturation, whether intentionally or not, in order to learn and experience new things, enjoy their stay, and reduce the social friction that can arise from cultural differences. Similarly, first-generation immigrants often consciously engage in the process of acculturation as they settle into their new community in order to succeed socially and economically. In fact, immigrants are often compelled by law to acculturate in many places, with requirements to learn the language and the laws of society, and in some cases, with new laws that govern dress and covering of the body. People who move between social classes and the separate and different spaces they inhabit also often experience acculturation on both voluntary and required basis. This is the case for many first-generation college students who suddenly find themselves among peers who have been socialized already to understand the norms and culture of higher education, or for students from poor and working-class families who find themselves surrounded by wealthy peers at well-funded private colleges and universities. How Acculturation Differs from Assimilation Though they are often used interchangeably, acculturation and assimilation are two different things. Assimilation can be an eventual outcome of acculturation, but it doesnt have to be. Also, assimilation is often a largely one-way process, rather than the two-way process of cultural exchange that is acculturation. Assimilation is the process by which a person or group adopts a new culture that virtually replaces their original culture, leaving only trace elements behind, at most. The word means to make similar, and at the end of the process, the person or group will be culturally indistinguishable from those culturally native to the  society into which it has assimilated. Assimilation, as a process and an outcome, is common among immigrant populations that seek to blend in with the existing fabric of society. The process can be quick or gradual, unfolding over the years, depending on the context and circumstances. Consider, for example, how a third-generation Vietnamese American who grew up in Chicago differs culturally from a Vietnamese person living in rural Vietnam. Five Different Strategies and Outcomes of Acculturation Acculturation can take different forms and have different outcomes, depending on the strategy adopted by the people or groups involved in the exchange of culture. The strategy used will be determined by whether the person or group believes it is important to maintain their original culture, and how important it is to them to establish and maintain relationships with the greater community and society whose culture differs from their own. The four different combinations of answers to these questions lead to five different strategies and outcomes of acculturation. Assimilation. This strategy is used when little to no importance is placed on maintaining the original culture, and great importance is put on fitting in and developing relationships with the new culture. The outcome is that the person or group is, eventually, culturally indistinguishable from the culture into which they have assimilated. This type of acculturation is likely to occur in societies that are considered melting pots into which new members are absorbed.Separation. This strategy is used when little to no importance is placed on embracing the new culture, and high importance is placed on maintaining the original culture. The outcome is that the original culture is maintained while the new culture is rejected. This type of acculturation is likely to occur in culturally or racially segregated societies.Integration. This strategy is used when both maintaining the original culture and adapting to the new one are considered important. This is a common strategy of acculturation a nd can be observed among many immigrant communities and those with a high proportion of ethnic or racial minorities. Those who use this strategy might be thought of as bicultural and may be known to code-switch when moving between different cultural groups. This is the norm in what are considered multicultural societies. Marginalization. This strategy is used by those who place no importance on either maintaining their original culture or adopting the new one. The result is that the person or group is marginalized - pushed aside, overlooked, and forgotten by the rest of society. This can occur in societies where cultural exclusion is practiced, thus making it difficult or unappealing for a culturally different person to integrate.Transmutation. This strategy is used by those who place importance on both maintaining their original culture and on adopting the new culture - but rather than integrating two different cultures into their daily lives, those who do this create a third culture (a blend of the old and the new).

Compare Article 5-109 (a) of the ( Amercian) Uniform Commercial Code Essay - 1

Compare Article 5-109 (a) of the ( Amercian) Uniform Commercial Code with the approach under english, the full question is in the attachment - Essay Example This also stands to be true in a scenario when the transaction being backed by a letter of credit does not actually take place. On the one side, the letters of credit extend to the sellers the assurance of a guaranteed payment, while on the other side they safeguard the interests of the buyers by necessitating the presentation of the right documents that to a large extent ensure performance. Such documents may be the like of insurance forms, transportation documents and quality related certificates. The underlying dogma supporting the autonomy principles associated with letters of credit is that the transaction backed by a letter of credit stands to be autonomous of the sales deed formalized by the buyer and the beneficiary. To put it simply, the two essentially contractual arrangements mentioned above are regarded as being independent of each other. In other words, the utility of a letters of credit is pragmatically solemnized by the severance of services and documents. It is this principle that is the legal ground on the basis of which banks agree to such transactions. As already mentioned, a letter of credit is the legal and financial instrument, which extends to the beneficiary the security of getting the payment due to one. Yet, this bolstering of security to the beneficiary in a way dilutes the security against risk or loss to the account party. Thus, in the letters of credit, the balance of risk is tilted more in favour of the seller. Though the autonomy principle practically assures the expected commercial results in business transactions, this principle stands to be defective and inequitable when the underlying transaction is vitiated by a fraud. Under such circumstances, the autonomy principle gets limited by the fraud exception. In the United States, in Maurice O’Meara Co v National Park Bank, the court of law simply denied the possibility of invoking a fraud exception.

Business Level Cooperative Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Level Cooperative Strategy - Term Paper Example According to the study findings  strategic alliances can be defined as co-operative agreement and arrangements between the two or more partners, and hence, the co-operative relationship management is one of the prime requirements in strategic alliances.   The strategies aim to meet this requirement are known as the business level co-operative strategies. Co-operation is one of the basic attributes of the strategic alliances and the partners must have a clear understanding of this attribute for framing a set of business level co-operative strategy. Kwok and Hampson have identified the very specific parameters to measure and frame the co-operative strategies in case of strategic alliances. Firstly, the level of co-operation should be out of any kind of mutual desire or need. Secondly, a partner must co-operate for sharing risk. Thirdly, partners’ co-operation should determine a strong foundation for business growth. Finally, the co-operation must aim to minimize â€Å"the l ikelihood of opportunistic behavior†.This paper highlights that  the need for greater consolidation within the highly capital intensive aerospace and defense industry segment has paved the way for greater alliance and collaboration among various organizations for an effective supply chain management.  The need to develop high-end research has also promulgated the need to have greater strategic alliances with international partners.  For example, the NATO partners are actively trying to enter into greater collaborations and strategic alliances with the US and European companies in a bid to improve upon the efficiency of the companies.