Ragging Student and Experience Dear Friends - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 723 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/09/13 Category Advertising Essay Tags: Life Experience Essay Did you like this example? Does rag develop friendship? Answers: It does, upto a limit. But rag should not get serious, like you should not cause bodily twinge to the person getting ragged. I ahve felt this. Most of the most friendly seniors I own at college are the ones who ragged me. Source(s): Experience Dear Friends. Ragging  in school,colleges or any where else should be stopped Completely, Because of the Following reasons: 1. It De motivates our Juniors. 2. We can not build relationship with others, a bit it breaks the Relationship and friendship. 3. There would not unity. Please remember one thing, Unity is Great Strength. And so on. So, Lets STOP RAGGING. It can also be the building block of a relationship lol! Me and my friends rag on each other constantly, its a good method to pass the time! I will have to say yes! As long as you maintain it civil, as civil as it can be anyway with ragging lol. may be or may be not depends upon how u do ragging 3) After 3 years of college life and entering in the 4th year as the super senior in the college, it is indeed a moment of pride and happiness for me. But it is accompanied with a sense of responsibility. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ragging: Student and Experience Dear Friends" essay for you Create order Now, we are the senior most of all and this means that we have no one to look out for us but ourselves and also we have to look out for all the juniors as well. But then, when everything is as crystal clear as that, where lies the damn problem? Let me show it to you. In common parlance it is known as ‘Ragging’ but I call it ‘Attitude Adjustment’. Yes, the same old ‘devil’, which hashaunted the  colleges for years and will haunt them in future as well. The Government, with the help of judicial system and college management has tried to curb this menace and is successful to a large extent. Now, after this decision that anybody found indulged in any form of ragging will be suspended from the college for life, and he/she will not get  admission  in any other college/university throughout the country, this ‘djinn’ is some how contained in its bottle. But, as they say, there are two sides of every coin and this one is no exception. People only saw the one side of the coin and passed their judgement on the basis of that. I think, by stopping this ‘evil’ to the level of extent that a senior student is scared even to ask the name and background of a junior student in college premises is absurd. He is afraid he might be booked under the severe norms of ragging. The spirit of healthy interaction amongst students with different financial and social backgrounds is completely vanished. Now, no senior student is curious to know how many freshers came from his city this year. And not only is it social interaction, which is affected. The feeling of brotherhood is hampered to this extent that both seniors and juniors see the other guy with suspicion and do not want to be seen together. The frequent visits to the seniors’ rooms for help during the exams and project submissions do not happen any more as the ‘bonding period’ during which juniors came to know about the seniors has been banned. The honour and respect which the juniors used to give their seniors is no longer seen and which in the long run reflect in the lives of students, when they come out of the colleges in to the corporate world, and they are not used to give such respect to their bosses there. This could be a problem very well known as ‘Attitude Problem’. The bottom line is, as I see it, that physical or mental ragging in any form is not justified at all, and should be dealt with seriously. But social interaction and getting to know each other, to spread the word of friendship, brotherhood and love should not be prevented in order to curb ragging. There should be some border line to which it should be allowed. Otherwise, we will be developing a society of dumb people who will not be fit to work in a society with people different from themselves. Read more:  https://pratyushgarg. instablogs. com/entry/ragging-a-necessary-evil/#ixzz0zhP4PeWc 3)

Review for six companies (brief description specific examples for

Essays on Review for six companies (brief description specific examples for fixed cost, variable costs and mixed costs) Admission/Application Essay Company Operations and Related Costs The production costs of different companies exhibit different behaviors in relation to production levels. Because of these different behaviors exhibited, the costs are divided into three; fixed, variable and mixed. Fixed costs do not vary within relevant range of production, meaning they are incurred even in absence of production activity. Variable costs changes directly proportional to the production activity levels whereas mixed costs exhibit both fixed and variable cost behaviors (Albrecht, 1062). This paper examines costs of six different companies. Costco This company was established in the year 1976 under the name Price Club, in San Diego. Small businesses were the target at start. However, it expanded its operations to non-business members. It opened its first warehouse in Seattle in 1983. It made a record growth of 0- $3billion in less than 6 years. The organization operates as a membership warehouse club, providing its members best price on a variety of merchandise. Fixed costs of the organization include directors’ remuneration and depreciation. This is because whether operations continue or not, the directors will be paid and the vehicles used in distribution and delivery depreciated. Variable costs comprise fuel cost and purchases of merchandise. Fuel cost depends on the number of delivery or distribution trips made while purchases depend on the merchandise bought for resale. The possible mixed costs of this company are distribution costs and delivery cost since they involve vehicle depreciation and fuel costs. Deckers’ Outdoor Corporation This corporation was started by a student from University of California, Otto Doug, by making and selling sandals along the west coast. Currently it is accompany operating globally providing six different brands namely Ahnu, Sanuk, Mozo, Tsubo, Australia and UGG. It was ranked number 9th best small company in 2007 by Forbes. Company’s possible fixed costs include supervisors’ salary and plant depreciation. These two will be incurred regardless the state of operations. Variable costs are direct materials cost and direct labor. The raw materials bought dictate the direct material costs whereas number of labor hours completed determine the direct labor costs. For example, if overtime is clocked, the cost will increase. Mixed costs will include communication expenses and electricity cost. Communication cost cannot be classified as fixed or variable because it has no base whereas electricity cost involves that fixed portion utilized by offices and variable part depended on the machine hours. Ircon International Limited (IRCON) Ircon deals with construction services specializing in MRTS, EHP and Railway and Highway. It was incorporated as a government company in 1976 by India’s ministry of railways. It currently operates globally. The fixed costs are definitely the depreciation of the trucks and machines used for the construction and the company’s permanent employees. Fuel used by the construction machines will constitute variable costs together with wages to casual workers employed. On the side of mixed costs, communication costs and electricity usage on construction sites will count. Gulf Craft Inc It is concerned with making of yachts, a business it has carried for over 30 years. Four of its yards are located in Emirates while one is in Maldives. It provides four kinds of services spare parts (for damaged yachts), trailers (for moving boats from one location to another) and services centers (for serving customers with faulty products). Fixed costs include top managements remuneration and insurance. This is because the insurance amount is for a certain period. Variable costs include cost of direct material components used for yacht manufacturing and expenses such as sales commission to its representatives in foreign countries. Mixed costs possibly comprise electricity consumption at the yards, partly used by offices and machine hours. Biolea This company is based in the Crete. It produces organic olive oil through stone milling and cold pressing. All of the company’s organic olive oil production operations and processes are undertaken in the small village of Astrikas on Astrikas Estate. The Biolea Company was founded by Dimitriadis George in the year 1994. From a strong scientific base, the company adheres to innovation and self reliance principles. It promotes and preserves traditional farming techniques. Also, it supports sustainable agriculture. The company’s fixed costs are research and advertisement costs. This is because to uphold innovation, the company has to undertake research. To boost the sales volume, advertisements must be made to attract customers’ awareness. Theses two costs are independent of production levels, thus classified as fixed costs. Variable costs include cost of packaging, dependent on the amount produced and packaged, and labor costs, dependent on the hours worked. The mixed costs include water and electricity bills. This is because such costs comprise of a fixed amount plus a variable amount depended on the units used. Evian The company deals with two product lines, drinking water and facial spray. It bottles natural mineral water from the French Alps. To ensure serving most customers, it bottles the water in different bottles suitable for different purposes such as sports, leisure and for office. The fixed costs include the administrative overheads and advertisement costs. Whether the quantity of water bottled increases, decreases or remains the same, the costs relating to advertisement and administration remain the same. Cost of the bottles and fuel used in the operations constitute variable costs because they are dependent on quantity of water bottled and vehicles activity completed respectively. The cost of power used and telephone communication make up mixed costs, because they have a fixed amount and a variable amount dependent on the quantity used. Works cited Albrecht, W S. Accounting, Concepts Applications: What, Why, How of Accounting. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

Real Vampires Free Essays

string(234) " the image of the vampire was spawned from the story of Dracula written by Bram Stoker that is certainly not the case, the story of the vampire started thousands of years ago and span the globe, and continue to engross society today\." Vampires Stories Started Thousands of Years Ago in Myths Today They Are Very Real and Among Us ? Abstract Vampires have been a part of human culture for thousands of years. There have been stories of vampire like creatures in Mesopotamia, Greece, China, and Europe. These stories have spanned the globe and time. We will write a custom essay sample on Real Vampires or any similar topic only for you Order Now The vampire has evolved overtime based on the current trends and beliefs and culture of the time. Today when the word vampire is said many visualize Dracula from the stories by Bram Stoker or handsome alluring creatures that are ready to drain you of your blood. For most vampires only live in stories, the truth is that vampires are very real. There is a subculture of real vampires emerging out of the darkness all over the world they are very real and among us. Vampires Stories Started Thousands of Years Ago in Myths Today They Are Very Real and Among Us When the word vampire is said it evokes Hollywood images of handsome men and beautiful women, seductive creatures with fangs that lure in their prey with their hypnotic stare along with their good looks, wit and charm. Once the prey is seduced the vampire goes straight for the throat, biting down and draining their blood and ultimately their life. More recently the images may be of the sexy Vampire who is trying to pass as human in some high school setting that is amazingly fast, and strong, yet trying to be sensitive. Some sparkle in the sun and others must avoid it altogether, while still others wear some enchanted ring or jewelry in order to walk in sunlight. Oh yes, and let’s not forget their ability to go on living forever because one of the most incredible qualities is a vampire’s immortality, unless they have a wood or silver stake driven through their heart, or end up decapitated and burned, which would swiftly end there immortal reign. Whichever version of vampire you envision will depend on the most recent book, movie, or television series you are intrigued by. These images are the glorified Hollywood images that are spoon fed to us daily, but these are not the true definitions or characteristics of a real vampire. As much as most people believe that the image of the vampire was spawned from the story of Dracula written by Bram Stoker that is certainly not the case, the story of the vampire started thousands of years ago and span the globe, and continue to engross society today. You read "Real Vampires" in category "Papers" Every culture has their own story and origination point and these stories have spawned a growing fascination with vampires. It is important to look back and see where it all began in order to uncover the truth of real vampires today. One of the first stories comes from Mesopotamia; it goes back at least 4,000 years. It starts with Lamastu, the daughter of the sky God Anu. She was a demon goddess who preyed on humans. At night she would creep into people’s homes and steel their baby’s or worse, she would kill them while they were in their crib or even while in their mother’s womb. It is also said she would suck the blood from young men; this would bring sickness, disease, and sterility to the people. When you see images of Lamastu she is seen to have talons or claw like hands, as well as wings. This is very similar to another vampire like goddess from history, Lilith. (Harris, 2001: Lamastu, 2011) Lilith is a vampire like demon goddess as well, along with the wings and talons; she is sometimes shown to be in the form of an owl or a mix of woman owl type creature. There are a variety of stories that surround Lilith. The most prominent one seems to be the one coming from Jewish origins where it is said that Lilith was the first wife of Adam. In this story the trouble started when Lilith did not want to be in a submissive position to Adam during sexual intercourse. She believed since God fashioned them of the same dirt and was said to be an equal to Adam, she wished to be his partner and equal, not to be beneath him. She was banished from Adam and the Garden of Eden into darkness where she was then perceived as a Demon and in the darkness she began giving birth to her own children. These children were said to be demons like their Mother. God sent three Angels after her and they asked her to return to the garden but not as Adam’s equal. Lilith refused and for her punishment God killed a hundred of her children daily. In retaliation Lilith began to take her vengeance out on God’s children by killing human babies. Along with killing human children Lilith had seductive quality’s and would seduce men and come to them at night as a succubus. (Harris, 2001: Lilith, 2001) There are many other stories of similar creatures like Lamastu and Lilith all over the world, such as, the Empisai she came from Greek stories, she was the beautiful daughter of Hecate and would rise out of the ground at night and seduce the Sheppard’s in the fields and then devour them. In Chinese folk lore there were creatures that had glowing red eyes, they were covered in fur and they would bite their prey with sharp fangs, these creatures were called Kuang-shi. (Harris, 2001) As time went on people traveled from place to place and with them the stories of the vampire like creatures were spread. The stories morphed and changed with the current beliefs and knowledge of the time. There is a plethora of stories out there that blanket cultures and over time have developed a variety of versions and interpretations and created are current knowledge base of what a vampire is. As much as most people believe that the image of the vampire was spawned from the story of Dracula written by Bram Stoker you can see this is not the case and the story of the vampire started thousands of years ago, many of the beliefs, traditions and rituals real vampires have today are based on these ancient stories. So what is a real vampire? At first glance it can be hard to define, but when you delve in you will start to see categories. The first, most broad category falls under the term, vampire community, and this term is the broadest wording used to describe the vampire culture. Vampires refer to the vampire community in a similar manner as gay people speak about the gay community and African American’s speak about the black community. (TheoFantastique, 2009) The vampire community is not an organized structure according to Joseph Laycock, Author of Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism and graduate of the Harvard Divinity School, he refers to it as an identity group. (Laycock, 2009) Within that identity group you can find the terms life style vampire and real vampire. Real and lifestyle vampire are phrase’s used within the vampire culture to distinguish between the two groups. Life style vampires or lifestylers, as some would say, are the ones that are fans of vampire fiction such as Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and Stephanie Meyer. They enjoy dressing up as the undead and participating in role playing games such as Vampire the Masquerade. Some have prosthetic fangs and sleep in coffins. They love everything vampire and embrace all the stereo types. Ms Saige who is a lifestyle vampire has this to say about it,† I live the lifestyle but I am not a real vampire, nobody can live forever. † She goes on to say there is about 1,000 lifestyle vampires in New York and thousands more worldwide. There’s a clan in Europe, one in California and a huge clan in Texas. We all know each other. †(Mittelbach Crewdson, 2000) To be more definitive on the differences Joseph Laycock says the main difference between the two is lifestyle vampires choose their vampiric identity and real vampires see their vampire identity as unchangeable and something that is a part of them. (Laycock, 2009) Real vampires are, â€Å"individuals who feel a need to consume blood or feed on the subtle energy of other people in order to sustain their physical, mental, and spiritual health,† according to Joseph Laycock. Laycock, 2010) This is not to say that the murderers you here of in the news that consume blood and are labeled as vampire are the real vampire’s that are being spoken of here. Those people have been labeled vampire by the media. Real vampire is an identity group and is taken on freely by people. The Atlanta Vampire Alliance expands on the definition of a real vampire and goes on to say that if vampires do not feed off the blood or energy of other humans they will become tired, sickly, depressed, and can go through physical suffering or discomfort. A vampire can also have a variety of psychic abilities and be very psychically aware; such as, sense people’s emotions, see people’s auras and be highly empathetic. The term real vampire can be broken down into three more groups from there, based on their feeding techniques. (AVA, 2005-2011) The first are the Sanguine or Sang for short, vampires who actually consume blood from humans or animals. The amount of blood and the frequency of consumption can vary from vampire to vampire. It can be as little as a drop and can be as frequently as daily and in frequently as monthly. Blood that is consumed from a human source is always consensual and there is a written or verbal agreement between the donor, the person giving blood, and the vampire. These Sanguine Vampires need to drink human or animal blood to maintain their health and well being. (AVA, 2005-2011)It is not simply done because it arouses them sexually or they like the way it makes them feel or the taste of it. There is a genuine need for it to maintain their health. Though the act of feeding can evoke sexual desires and be a very enjoyable experience that is just an out come on the purpose of drinking blood. The second type is the Psychic or Psi Vampire they feed on the life force energy of other humans. This life force has been described in other cultures as chi in china, prana in India, or the soul in western religions. Vampires have the ability to draw the subtle energy or life force from other people by using a number of techniques. (AVA, 2005-2011) A vampire by the name of Linda Rabinowitz says, she is a psychic vampire and if you maintain eye contact with her for too long she may be tempted to start taking in your subtle energy. She goes on to say that she would never actually do that without a person’s permission, as good vampires operate under what is called The Black Veil. This is a code or ethic that states vampires must have the permission of their donors before they will feed off of them. (Monica, 2008 : Laycock, 2010) According to sanguinarius. org, a website dedicated to providing information and resources to real vampire’s, psi vampires can be broken down into further categories based on the type of energy they feed off of. Some of the examples are; empathic vampires who feed on the emotions of people, sexual vampires who feed on the energies generated during sexual intercourse, elemental vampires who feed off the energies of the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. Astral feeding is another term and this refers to vampires that travel in the astral plane a feed off the life force of creatures living within the astral plane, dream scape vampires can enter into people’s dreams and feed of the life force within the dream, and last on the list is magical vampires they are able to feed on and manipulate magical energies. This list is not all inclusive or set in stone one thing that is apparent within the vampire culture is that views on feeding techniques and their validity are ever changing and all the techniques are not accepted as valid by all. The third type is a hybrid vampire which is the combination of a sanguine vampire and a psychic vampire. These hybrid vampires both drink blood as well as feed off the life force energy. They have the ability to choose which source to feed from as they wish. (AVA 2005-2011) Hybrids have the ability to choose their technique or combine a couple. For instance a vampire may drink the blood of their donor while in the midst of a sexual act thus creating a situation where they are simultaneously feeding off the sexual energy. You can see an example of this in the story given to Katherine Ramsland in her book Piercing the Darkness Undercover with Vampires in America Today. The vampire described an account with a young man that spanned a short period of time. They had an initial encounter and the vampire continued to stalk the individual eventually it led up to an evening of exchanging blood and sexual contact. The vampire describes his desire by saying, â€Å"The mingling of blood and semen represents my hunger at the core of my being. It’s about me, who I am as a male with a great need for another’s life force, blood cell to blood cell. The very sight of blood stirs my loins. (Ramsland, 1998, p. 16) Vampires also can be broken down into categories by their beliefs. Vampirism in and of itself is not a religion but within the vampire community there is an array of belief systems. Just like with in main stream society you have Christians, Jews, Buddhist, and Atheist you too have this in the vampire community. There is also within the community groups of vampires that see their vampirism as a spiritual practice. There are different groups that have different beliefs just like any other religion. Father Sebastian, who is a fang smith, author, and founder of the clan Saber Tooth and the order of Strigoii said, during an interview in the documentary Vampyres, â€Å"his group follows the path of the Strigoii which means living vampire in Romanian. It is an older tradition that they have resurrected. It follows what he refers to as a left hand path, vampires are an emerging culture and that humanity is entering the fifth eon of man. Anton Lavey described it as the age of satin. He goes on to say that within the left hand path tradition people stand out as individuals because within the tradition the majority of people do not believe in such a thing as a god, there is no god except yourself, and that we are a projection of our higher self. † (Courau, 2007) The vampire community is vast and full of many verities of beliefs and ways of thinking. Though there is great difference in what they believe to be true of a real vampire there are some things they all agree that are not true. Along with the things that are true of real vampires there are many things that have been skewed and morphed from the current pop-culture trends, many of the Real Vampires of today would love to put an end to the many common beliefs about themselves, their activities, and culture. For starters real vampires do not need to sleep in coffins or the dirt from their hometown, they do not have aversions to the sun, although some claim a sensitivity to it but it borders more on an annoyance than the fire burning effects that the media shows just before they are turned to ash. They also know that they are on the world for a finite amount of time and do not live forever. They die just like you and me from anything that we as humans can die from. They do not go around stalking people and draining them of all their blood leaving them dead. Many of them love garlic and prefer to wear silver jewelry over gold. Holy water and crosses will not repel them, because many of them are Christian, or catholic or any of the many religions that are in the world. Last but not least they can come into your house uninvited but like most people they have manners and would not just invite themselves in. Vampires are living all over the world and are very much among us. Though it may be disappointing, the vampires of today are very much human and have no wild and fantastical ability’s to pass onto their victims through their bite or blood. Just because they are not the vampires we read about or seen on the big screen does not make them any less real. As with anything, Hollywood, and pop culture have become very good at taking the ordinary and making it bigger than it really is or more fantastical which can be with how witches, robots, and housewives are portrayed. Hopefully one day we will be able to separate the fantasy from the reality and see them for what they really are; people like you and me, going to work each day, living life a day at a time. They could be your doctor, friend, teacher or even your neighbor. People fear what they don’t understand, therefore if you look for the truth you will understand that the Real Vampires of today are not to be feared, they just have different energetic needs than the rest of us. References Atlanta Vampire Alliance [AVA] (2005-2011). Atlanta Vampire Alliance [AVA]. Retrieved October 16, 2011, from http://www. atlantavampirealliance. com/educational. html Courau, L. (Director). (2007). Vampyres [Documentary]. Harris, T. HowStuffWorks â€Å"How Vampires Work†. HowStuffWorks â€Å"Science†. Retrieved October 3, 2011, from http://science. howstuffworks. com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/vampire. htm Lamashtu (Mesopotamian demon) — Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia – Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 16, 2011, from http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/328457/Lamashtu Laycock, J. (2010). Real vampires as an identity group: analyzing causes and effects of an introspective survey by the vampire community. Nova religio, 14(1), 4-23. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Lilith. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. 2001. Retrieved October 09, 2011 from Encyclopedia. com: http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1G2-3403802788. html Mittlebach, M. , Crewdson, M. (2000, November 24). To Die For: Painting the Town Red, and the Capes and Nails Black – New York Times. NY Times Advertisement. Retrieved October 16, 2011, from http://www. nytimes. com/2000/11/24/movies/to-die-for-painting-the-town-red-and-the-capes-and-nails-black. tml? scp=1sq=ms. %20saigest=cse Monica, H. (2008). A Vampire’s Life? It’s Really Draining. The Washington Post. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Ramsland, K. M. (1998). Piercing the darkness: undercover with vampires in America today. New York: Harperprism. TheoFantastique | A meeting place for myth, imagination, and mystery in pop culture. (2009 , August 25). TheoFantastique | A meeting place for myth, imagination, and mystery in pop culture. Retrieved October 16, 2011, from http://www. theofantastique. com/2009/08/25/joseph-laycock-vampires-today/ How to cite Real Vampires, Papers

Financial Feasibility of the Business †Click to get a Free Solution

Question: Discuss about the Financial Feasibility of the Business. Answer: Introduction Mrs. Fanny who lives in Chicago has recently taken retirement and has received a sum of $475000 for 30 years of work with the pharmaceutical company. She has decided to start a new venture with the amount in hand. Mrs. Fanny wants to sell gourmet chocolates imported from France in the US markets. She will be purchasing the gourmet chocolates from Choc-O-LaySA an established company in France which is known for its fine chocolates with unusual and innovative flavors. Choc-O-LaySA will provide Mrs. Fanny exclusive rights to sell their products in USA. Mrs. Fanny will have to provide an upfront payment for the exclusive rights and the rights will be for 5 years. Her husband has decided to support her with her new business idea and has suggested to develop a financial plan for the feasibility of the business. Mrs. Fanny has conducted a market study in the USA to understand the demand of the gourmet chocolate and the price people will be willing to pay for the gourmet chocolate from France. The market survey by Mrs. Fanny revealed that the demand for the gourmet chocolate will be 750kg a month. But initially the demand will be only 75kg and gradually grow to its full potential and Mrs. Fanny will be able to sell 750kg a month by the end of the first year. The cost of the market study was $6500. Also it was found that the demand for the gourmet chocolate was price elastic i.e. the demand for the gourmet chocolate could be double if Mrs. Fanny reduced the price by 10%. Mrs. Fanny has decide to sell the gourmet chocolate directly to the customers via internet only and for this purpose has got in touch with a website developer who can make a website for her at $3500. She will require a refrigerator which will cost her $5250. The other expenses which Mrs. Fanny will have to incur are the packag ing and shipping cost of the gourmet chocolate to the customers which is at $2 per kg, credit card interest cost by the credit card company at 1% of the sales, rent of the office from where Mrs. Fanny will operate is $420 with a 3 month deposit to be paid and the cost of the employee who will help Mrs. Fanny with the business which will cost her $2650 per month. Apart from the internet sales, Mrs. Fanny will also be able to sell her gourmet chocolate t her friend Mrs. Mitch. Mrs. Mitch runs a small chain of delicatessens in Chicago. She is interested in Mrs. Fannys venture and has promised to purchase gourmet chocolate from her. However, she wants her to pack the gourmet chocolate in tin boxes with each tin box containing 550g of chocolates. She said if Mrs. Fanny could provide the same she will be purchasing 100 such boxes per month. The cost of purchasing such tin boxes is $1.75 per box and selling price would be $62. The assistant who can help Mrs. Fanny with processing such boxes will charge $750 per month. Mrs. Fanny will have to pay tax at 30% of the total profit generated every year. She can also request a loan of $50000 at 8% p.a. Mrs. Fanny wants to understand the financial implications of her business so that she can decide whether she should go ahead with this business or not. Breakeven Analysis Breakeven Analysis is a method to find the revenue a business must generate such that the total revenue is equal to the total cost of the business. i.e. at Breakeven point there is no profit and loss. It is given by Break even analysis = (Gallo, 2014) Cost of import of gourmet chocolates = 68.875 / kg = $76.45 [ 1 = $1.11] Transportation cost from France to USA = 18/ kg = $19.98 Shipping cost = $2/ kg Revenue = $120/ kg Credit Card cost = 1% of revenue = $12 Unit margin = 120 76.45 19.98 2 - 12 = $9.57 Refrigerator cost = $5250 Market study cost = $6500 Website design cost = $3500 Salary cost = $ 31800 Rent = $5040 Fixed costs = $5250 + 6500 +3500 + 40800 + 5040 = 61090 Thus breakeven point = 61090/ 9.57 = 5443.05 kg Thus Mrs. Fanny should sell more than 5443.05 kg of gourmet chocolate to earn profit. If the number of chocolates sold through internet is less than 5443kg then she will not be able to cover the fixed cost of $61090 she will incur. The net income of each month is given below. The company will be able to breakeven in 12 months. Month 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Net income -24312 -11456 -3644 -2566 -1420 -275 871 2017 3163 4308 5454 6600 87458 Cumulative -24312 -35768 -39412 -41979 -43399 -43674 -42803 -40786 -37623 -33315 -27861 -21261 66197 Profit and loss statement ITEMS ITEM BREAKUP FIRST YR. Operating Revenue Sale from Internet 627750.00 Other Revenue Sales to Mitch 74400.00 Total Revenue 702150.00 Cost of Goods sold chocolate imported from France 557013.80 Operating Expenses Salary Assistant and Employee 40800.00 Rent 5040.00 Market Study 6500.00 Credit card 1% of the revenue 7021.50 Shipping cost Due to sales on internet 10462.50 Depreciation Assuming Straight line for 5 years 1050.00 EBIT Revenue minus expenses 74262.00 Net Interest Expense No loan taken 0.00 PreTax Profit revenue minus operating and interest expenses 74262 Tax Expense 30%on earned income 22278.66 Net Profit after Tax total revenue minus tax expenses 51983.54 The Profit and loss statement is a financial statement which helps in summarizing the revenues, expenses and recording profit for a specific period (usually a year). This statement is useful for the investors and owners to understand the revenues generated by the company and if the business is able to generate profits for the shareholders. (Investopedia) The Profit and loss statement can be divided into Operating revenue, Other revenue, Operating expenses, EBIT and Profit. Operating revenue The Operating revenue of the company is the revenue generated by the company from daily sales. Thus it is the main source of income of the business. In this case, the sale of gourmet chocolate to the customers via internet is the primary source of revenue and hence the operating revenue. The company was able to sell 5231.25 kg via internet at $120 per kg and hence the operating revenue = $627750. Other revenue The Other revenue of the company is the revenue generated by the company from sources other than daily sales. Thus it is secondary source of income of the business. In this case, the sale of gourmet chocolate to Mrs. Keith was the secondary source of income of the business and hence the other revenue. The company was able to sell 1200 units to Mrs. Keith at $62 per box. Hence the other revenue = $74400. Thus the total revenue of the company = 627750 + 74400 = $702150. Operating expense: The Operating expense of the company is the expense incurred by the company to complete it sales. In this case, the Operating expenses include cost of import goods sold, rent of office, salary to the employees, credit card cost, market study cost, depreciation and shipping cost. Thus total operating expense = 557013.80 + 5040 + 40800 + 7021.50 + 6500 + 1050 + 10462.50 = 627887.80 Assuming the life of the refrigerator to be 5 year and applying straight line depreciation on the refrigerator we get depreciation = 5250/ 5 = 1050. EBIT: EBIT is earnings before interest and taxes. It is the earning of the company by reducing all the expenses from the revenue earned by the company to get the earnings of the company before it pays interest on loan (if any) and taxes . For the business EBIT is calculate by subtracting the operating expense from the operating revenue. Thus EBIT = 702150 557013.80 = $74262.20 Interest expense It is the amount of money to be paid by the business as interest over the loan taken by the company. This amount is deducted from the EBIT before tax is implemented on the earnings as no tax is implemented on the interest. Mrs. Fanny has not taken any loan for the business. Hence the interest expense = 0 Net Profit The Net Profit of the company is the amount of profit generated by the company by doing business after paying taxes and can be given to the investors in the form of dividend or reused in the business in form of retained earnings. Net Profit = Profit Before Tax taxes = 74262.20 22278.66 = $51983.54. Taxes = 30% of 74262.20 = 0.3* 74262.20 = 22278.66 Conclusion Thus from the Profit and loss statement of the given business it can be said that the business will be able to generate profit in the first year and it will be equal to $51983.54. The revenue generated from sales was 702150 and the operating expenses were 627887.80. The net profit generated by the business is quite high and Mrs. Fanny will be able to easily expand her business and pay royalty to Choc. The overall financial health of the company looks good from the Profit and loss statement. Thus Mrs. Fanny should go ahead with this venture as the business will be able to generate profits in a year. Balance Sheet The Balance Sheet of a company is the financial statement which summarizes the total assets, liabilities and equity of the company at a given point in time. The Balance Sheet has three important parts: Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders Equity For any Balance Sheet, Assets = Liabilities + Shareholders Equity. (Averkamp, 2015) The following is the balance sheet for Mrs. Fanny ITEMS ITEMS Breakup FIRST YR CA Cash Generated from sales 68597.45 CA Receivables credit sales to customers 96200.00 CA Rent Deposit three month deposit 1260.00 CA Inventories Chocolate and tin inventory 76703.26 Total Current Assets 242760.70 NCA Equipment Refrigerator 5250.00 Accumulated Depreciation Life = 5 years and straight line 1050.00 NCA Investments website 3500.00 Total NCA 7700.00 Total Assets CA+NCA 250460.71 CL - Account Payable suppliers, wages, yearly rent 159688.51 Total Curr. Liabilities 159688.51 Total NCL 0 Total Liabilities 159688.50 Equity 38788.66 Retained Earnings 519683.54 Total Equity 90772.20 The balance sheet can be broken into Assets which consist of Current Assets and Non Current Assets, Liabilities which consist of Current Liabilities and Non Current Liabilities and equity which has shareholders equity and retained earnings. CA or Currents Assets The Currents Assets includes all the cash and cash equivalent of the company which can be easily converted to cash. Eg Cash, securities, advance payment, accounts receivables, inventory, etc. In this case Current assets of the company = $242760.71. NCA or Non Currents Assets The Non Currents Assets of the company are assets which take longer to convert to cash (more than one year). Eg Equipment, Investment in Website etc. In this case Non Current assets of the company = $7700. Thus the total assets of the company = 242760.71 + 7700 = 250460.71. CL or Currents Liabilities The Currents Liabilities are all the liabilities the company needs to pay to its account holders in a short span of time (less than one year). Eg Salary, rent, accounts payable, etc. In this case Current Liabilities of the company = $159688.51. NCL or Non Currents Liabilities The Non Currents Liabilities of the company are liabilities which the company needs to pay back in a longer period of time (more than one year).. In this case Non Current assets of the company = $0. Thus the total liabilities of the company = 159688.51 + 0 = 159688.51. Shareholders Equity: The Shareholders Equity consists of two parts: equity and retained earnings. Equity is the amount invested by the owners in the company to run the business. Retained earnings is the amount generated by the business as profit and which is reinvested in the business to help the business grow rather than sharing it with the shareholders. In this case Equity = 38788.66 and retained earnings = 51983.54. Thus Shareholders Equity = 38788.66 + 51983.54 = 90772.20 Cash Flow Statement The cash Flow Statement of a company tells in detail about the cash transactions of the company and helps in determining the cash present with the firm at any given point in time. In a business, the cash is used for operating activities (day to day operations of the business), investing activities (investment in long term assets like plant, property, machinery, etc.) and financing activities (purchase of shares, securities etc.) Cash Flow statement Month 1 Operating Activities Total revenue 0.00 Cogs 7232.44 Net income -7232.44 Rent -420.00 Credit card 0.00 Salary -3400.00 Cash used in operating activities -11052.44 Investment Activities Refrigerator -5250.00 Website design -3500.00 Rent advance Deposit -1260.00 Prepaid tax -22278.66 Market Study -6500.00 Cash used in investing activities -38788.66 Financing activities Equity 38788.66 The operating activities of the 1st month are: Revenue, Cost of goods sold, rent, salary, credit card cost. In the 1st month, the amount of gourmet chocolate sold will be received in the next month by the credit card company. Thus Revenue = 0. The Cost of goods sold is the amount paid for the purchase of the gourmet chocolate and shipping them to USA. COGS = $7232.44 Rent for the month = $420 Salary to the employees = 2650 + 750 = $3400 Since No revenue received this month, the cost of credit card = 0 Thus total cash flow in the operating activities = - (7232.44 + 420 + 3400 + 0) = - 11052.44 The amount is spent hence the cash flow is negative. The investment activities in the first month are purchase of Refrigerator, website design, market study, rent advance deposit and prepaid tax. Cost of refrigerator = 5250 Website design = 3500 Market study = 6500 Rent advance = 1260 Prepaid tax = 22278.66 Thus total cash flow in the investing activities = - (5250 + 3500 + 6500 +1260 + 22278.66) = - $38788.66 The financing activities in the first month is the amount invested by the Mrs. Fanny which is = $38788.66. Conclusion: The net cash flow value in the 1st month is negative. i.e. the cash outflow is more than the cash inflows. The revenue for this month will be realized in the next month so the income is zero but the expenditure for the month takes place hence net operating cash flow is negative. In the investment activities the cash outflow takes place due to purchase of assets and hence net investing cash flow is negative. In the financing activities, the cash inflow takes place due to investment from the equity. Annual Cash Flow Statement Cash Flow statement Year 1 Operating Activities Total revenue 702150.00 Cogs -504455.98 Net income 197694.02 Rent -5040.00 Credit card -7021.50 Salary -40800.00 Shipping cost -10462.50 Cash used in operating activities 134370.02 Investment Activities Refrigerator -5250.00 Website design -3500.00 Deposit -1260.00 Prepaid tax -22278.66 Market Study -6500.00 Cash used in investing activities -38788.66 Financing activities Equity 38788.66 Net cash 51983.54 The annual cash flow statement tells about the cash that goes in and out of the business. It helps in understanding where the cash was used and which the sources of revenue were for the company. The investors are interested in cash flow statement as it helps in determining whether the business will help them make profits and helps in understanding the viability of the business. In this case the net cash from the operating, investing and the financing activities is positive i.e. by doing the business the company will be generating more cash. Conclusion: The net cash flow is positive i.e. the company is able to generate cash by doing the business. Thus Mrs. Fanny should invest in the business as the business is profitable at the end of the first year. Discounted Cash Flow Analysis The discounted cash flow method is used for the valuation of the project by taking time value of money into consideration. In Discounted Cash Flow Analysis, the cash flow all the future years of the project is estimated and the these cash flows are discounted to their present value using the discount rate. If the sum of the discounted cash flow is less than the initial investment by the company, the company should not go ahead with the project but if the sum of the discounted cash flow is more than the initial investment by the company then the company should take the project as it will be profitable for the company. (Stockopedia, 2012) PV = present value = FV/ (1+r)n Where r is the discount rate and n is the number of years before the cash flow occurs, FV = future value of the cash flow. In this case, assuming straight line depreciation of the refrigerator with salvage value = 0 and life = 5 year, depreciation is calculated. Depreciation = (5250 - 0)/ 5 = 1050 Thus the Income statement for the next 5 years, assuming Mrs. Fanny is able to sell 750kg of gourmet chocolate each month is given below. Income Statement 5 years Year 1 2 3 4 5 kg of chocolates sold 5231.25 9000.00 9000.00 9000.00 9000.00 Sales 627750.00 1080000.00 1080000.00 1080000.00 1080000.00 Revenue from sales to Mitch 74400.00 74400.00 74400.00 74400.00 74400.00 Total revenue 702150.00 1154400.00 1154400.00 1154400.00 1154400.00 Expenses Rent 5040.00 5040.00 5040.00 5040.00 5040.00 Import of chocolate 504455.98 867881.25 867881.25 867881.25 867881.25 Shipping cost 10462.50 18000.00 18000.00 18000.00 18000.00 Credit card 7021.50 11544.00 11544.00 11544.00 11544.00 Employee salary 40800.00 40800.00 40800.00 40800.00 40800.00 Cost due to sales to Mitch 52557.83 52557.83 52557.83 52557.83 52557.83 Market Study 6500.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Depreciation 1050 1050 1050 1050 1050 Total Expenditure 627887.80 996873.08 996873.08 996873.08 996873.08 Profit before Tax 74262.20 157526.93 157526.93 157526.93 157526.93 Tax 22278.66 47258.08 47258.08 47258.08 47258.08 PAT 51983.54 110268.85 110268.85 110268.85 110268.85 The discount rate is given as 4%. Hence calculating the DCF for the 5 years we get Discount rate @4% 1 2 3 4 5 Discounted cash flow 37131.10 56259.62 40185.44 28703.89 20502.78 Initial investment = 38788.66 Thus the net value of the project = -38788.66 + 37131.10 + 56259.62 + 40185.44 + 28703.89 + 20502.78 = $166272.82 Conclusion: Thus the net value of the project has been calculated and was found to be 166272.82. Thus by taking up the project Mrs. Fanny will earn $166272.82. Also the royalty she needs to pay to Choc-O-LaySA should be less than 166272.82 if she wants to earn a profit from the business. Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity Analysis helps in finding how the change in an input value will affect the other dependent variables while the other assumptions are kept constant. (Investopedia, 2015). In this case the decrease in selling price by 10% will increase the demand by 2 times. Thus the company will be able to sell 150kg in the 1st month and the year-end monthly demand will increase to 1500 kg. Thus the new monthly cash flow statement will Month 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 kg of chocolate sold 150 375 487.5 600 712.5 825 937.5 1050 1162.5 1275 1387.5 1500 Sales 16200 40500 52650 64800 76950 89100 101250 113400 125550 137700 149850 162000 Revenue from sales to Keith 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 Total revenue 22400 46700 58850 71000 83150 95300 107450 119600 131750 143900 156050 168200 Expenses Initial Investment 16510 Rent 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 Import of chocolate 14465 36162 47010 57859 68707 79556 90404 101253 112101 122950 133798 144647 Shipping cost 300 750 975 1200 1425 1650 1875 2100 2325 2550 2775 3000 Credit card 224 467 588.5 710 831.5 953 1074.5 1196 1317.5 1439 1560.5 1682 Employee salary 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 3400 Cost due to sales to Mitch 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 4380 Total Expenditure 31275 45336 56652 67847 79042 90237 101432 112627 123822 135017 146212 157407 9882 Tax Prepaid 16957 Cash Flow each month -48231 -45336 -34252 -21147 -20192 -19237 -18282 -17327 -16372 -15417 -14462 -13507 146168 Thus it can be seen that the company will be able to recover the initial investment in 12 months and the profits will be much more than the profits earned at the current selling price. Hence the company should reduce the price. Conclusion Thus from the financial analysis I think Mrs. Fanny should go ahead with the venture as the business can breakeven in a year and generate profits for her and think that she should reduce her price by 10% so that profits are increased. Recommendations The following recommendations which I think can help Mrs. Fanny to run the business in a better way 1. In my view, the company should hedge the currency so that the fluctuations in dollar euro conversion rate will not affect the business 2. I would suggest Mrs. Fanny to choose suitable method of depreciation of assets to reduce the tax burden on the company. 3. I would recommend Mrs. Fanny to buy rights from Choc-O-LaySA at a price less than to earn profits in the business. 4. I think the company can reduce the shipping cost and bring efficiency in the distribution process to save on the spending. 5. In my view, investment in advertisement can help to increase the demand for the gourmet chocolate and hence the profitability of the business be increased. References Gallo,A. (2014). A Quick Guide to Breakeven Analysis. Retrieved on August 5, 2016 from https://hbr.org/2014/07/a-quick-guide-to-breakeven-analysis Averkamp, H. (2015). Introduction to Balance Sheet. Retrieved on August 5, 2016 from https://www.accountingcoach.com/balance-sheet/explanation Investopedia. (n.d.). Income Statement. Retrieved on August 5, 2016 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/incomestatement.asp Investopedia. (2015). Sensitivity Analysis. Retrieved on August 5, 2016 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sensitivityanalysis.asp Stockopedia. (2012). What is a DCF Valuation? Retrieved on August 5, 2016 https://www.stockopedia.com/content/valuation-101-how-to-do-a-discounted-cashflow-analysis-63489/

Hernando Washington free essay sample

Hernando Washington was the type of man who did not believe the consequences were rational to his actions. He went through his life not knowing what was socially acceptable, and when a crime was committed someone was to be convicted for it. In his neighborhood the violence and crimes was the way of life that he knew. Hernando had a sense of the laws at the time, due to his past of rape and being out on bail. When Hernando was arrested for the second rape and murder he still did not believe he was in the wrong because of the neighborhood and people he grew up around committing crimes and not getting caught. Hernando Washington kidnaps Sarah Gould as she was leaving her work at the hospital, at this time Hernando had no intentions or hurting Sarah in any way. Hernando’s excuse for taking Sarah was solely because he wanted money and he believed she had some. We will write a custom essay sample on Hernando Washington or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hernando seemed to give Sarah many unspoken chances to leave or escape, but she never took the chance. Many questions rose from this, and why Sarah never tried to escape Hernando. Quite possibly she never tried to escape Hernando because he kept telling her he was not going to hurt her and she had a hope that he was telling the truth. Sarah Gould may have had a belief that if she had done everything he asked, she would leave Hernando’s possession alive. There is no definite answer on why Sarah did not try to escape from Hernando, she was on her own and had to make a decision that no one could imagine themselves experiencing. After being with Hernando for some time, he saw no issues with raping her and keeping her in his trunk until he took care of business. He made her bounce back and forth between the car and trunk so no one would see her with him. I believe she did not try to escape Hernando because she was in fear, although he kept saying that he was not going to hurt her, she likely thought that if she tried to leave he would kill her. Sarah Gould had to be in fear of her life with Hernando, whether he told her or not that he was not going to hurt her, he just needed to find a safe place to drop her off to leave where there were no witnesses. In the end, Hernando did find a safe place to drop Sarah off and she probably felt relief until she made a mistake of not doing exactly what Hernando asked her to do. Sarah decided to head to the nearest house she saw and ask for help and when Hernando circled around to see if she was following directions he noticed this mistake. At this time Hernando changed his mind and decided to take her life right in the middle of the street where he was then arrested, put into custody and charged with the murder and rape of Sarah Gould.

Converting Cubic Feet to Liters

Converting Cubic Feet to Liters This example problem demonstrates how to convert cubic feet to liters. The cubic foot is the U.S.  and imperial unit of volume for a cube that has sides that are 1 foot in length. The liter is an SI or metric unit of volume. It is the volume of a cube that has sides that are 10 centimeters in length. The conversion between the two systems is fairly common, particularly if youre working with liquefied gases. Cubic Feet to Liter Conversion Problem What is this  volume  of  1 cubic foot  in liters? Many conversion factors are difficult to remember. Converting  cubic feet to liters would fall into this category. The unit-canceling method  is helpful in performing this kind of problem because it uses many easily remembered conversions that relate the original units to the final units, as follows: 1 foot 12 inches1 inch 2.54 centimeters1,000 cubic centimeters 1 liter Using these steps, you can express feet to centimeters as: Distance in cm (distance in ft) x (12 in/1 ft) x (2.54 cm/1 in)Distance in cm (distance in ft) x 30.48 cm/ft Convert these distances into volume measurements of cm3 and ft3: Cube volume (linear measurement)3, so:Volume in cm3 [(distance in feet) x 30.48 cm/ft]3Volume in cm3 (volume in ft3) x 28316.85 cm3/ft3 Convert cubic centimeters to liters: Volume in liters (volume in cm3) x (1 L/1,000 cm3)Volume in liters (volume in cm3)/1,000 L/cm3 Insert the cubic volume from the previous step: Volume in liters [(volume in ft3) x 28316.85 cm3/ft3)]/1,000 L/cm3Volume in liters (volume in ft3) x 28.317 L/ft3 Now you have your conversion factor of cubic feet to liters. Insert 1 cubic foot into the volume in ft3 part of the equation: Volume in liters (1 ft3) x 28.317 L/ft3Volume in liters 28.317 L Therefore, one cubic foot is equal to 28.317 liters of volume. Liter to Cubic Feet Example The conversion factor works the other way, too. For example, convert 0.5 liter to cubic feet. Use the conversion factor 1 cubic foot 28.317 liters: Cubic feet (0.5 liter) x (1 cubic foot / 28.317 liters) The liters cancel out on the top and bottom, leaving you with 0.5 / 28.317, and giving an answer of 0.018 cubic feet. Tips for Success The key to working the unit conversion correctly is to make certain the unwanted unit cancels out and leaves the desired unit. Its also worthwhile to keep track of significant digits. Remember there are about 28 liters in a cubic foot. If youre converting from cubic feet to liters, expect to get a larger number than you started with. If youre converting from cubic feet to liters, your final answer will be a smaller number.

Service Desk Shift Supervisors Guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Service Desk Shift Supervisors Guide - Essay Example The code for the program that will be supplementary to the Supervisor’s Guide will be a program to determine scheduling for the various shift supervisor(s) so that data may be entered and then the subsequent schedule for the particular supervisor will appear. This is to supplement the Shift Supervisor Guide that has already been written and can be found in section B under section A entitled the Formal Report. Basically, the Shift Supervisor’s Guide contains 10 basic sections, all of which relate to issues that could come up at the service desk with regard to operating a computer lab. Thus, it is important to understand the set-up of the lab—depending upon the configurations for the supervisor’s client or employer. ... The Shift Supervisor should become familiar with all of the necessary precautions to take, well in advance of any problems from occurring. It makes sense to be current regarding all these issues so that the appropriate measures for system maintenance can be completed. Review of Other Work (2 pages) There have been several studies done showing that good technical writing yields helpful results, especially when it comes to task-oriented information. According to Pringle and O’Keefe (2003), â€Å"Task-oriented writing makes up the bulk of technical documentation—installation manuals, getting started manuals, and user guides, for example† (pp. 91). Here it will be discussed: the three main steps of technical writing in developing a software manual for a company; the objectives of technical writing; and the purpose and sub-steps of each step and how they relate to the manual. The three main steps of of technical writing include: creating an outline, doing research, an d connecting the research with known information. First, before one starts writing on a technical subject such as computer software, one must be familiar with what one is writing about. If the writer doesn’t understand the nature of the software he/she is writing about, he/she is certainly not going to be able to write clearly and well on how to use the software. So first it is key to have enough knowledge about the topic so that one can create a basic outline for the technical writing project. The main objective of technical writing is to help the consumer use a product—in this case, a software application. In other words, one’s writing is supposed to achieve a certain effect so people can pick up the manual without having previously had knowledge on the

The Federal Reserve Bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Federal Reserve Bank - Essay Example It was established in the year 1791 with its charter signed by George Washington. The bank used to perform all the major banking functions. After the expiry of the charter 20 years hence, country was without a central bank for few years resulting into inflation. Again a second bank came into existence in 1816 with a charter signed by James Madison. In 1833 again the charter expired and United States went without a central bank for 40 years. In 1873, gold was standardized into bimetallic standard. Then a private set up by the name of JPMorgan came into existence who was the lender of the last resort for the banks who are facing crisis. Federal Reserve Act of December 23, 1913 created the Federal Reserve System. A new central bank was established which would act as the lender of the last resort to banks facing crisis, assured the investors not to disinvest their money. Federal Reserve Bank was opened in 1914. Federal Reserve notes were provided by the Congress so that the currency supp ly in the economy remains flexible. The Federal Reserve System is the independent agency, that exists outside the Cabinet of the executive and its powers are derived from congress. Fed has acquired power over the past century and has played a strict role in supervising the banks in US and the legal status of the Federal Reserve Bank is that they are independent and controlled corporation. Purpose of Federal Reserve Bank Federal Reserve Bank is the central banking system in USA. Major purpose of the bank is to support the favorable economic conditions which will help to stabilize the monetary policy of USA. This factor includes price stabilization, money supply, acquisition of credit and increase in overall growth and employment. As a central bank it also needs to monitor and supervise the operations of other commercial banks to make sure the safety and security and to protect the interest of the customers. It also maintains the strength of financial system to mitigate the risk of fi nancial markets. The most important purpose of Federal Reserve is controlling inflation and employment opportunities in United States. It also helps the US govt. and other financial institutions in US in their operations. Other important purposes of Federal Reserve are to solve the problem of other banks in order to balance the interest of banks and responsibilities of the govt. Maintaining money supply in the nation to prevent unemployment and to maximize the utilization of resources which will help to control inflation or deflation. Financial stability is also a look out of Federal Reserve Bank and as a central bank it has to meet the liquidity needs among regions. The structure of Federal Reserve Bank Federal Reserve System is divided into two parts:- a centralized authority which is known as board of governors in Washington and the second part is decentralization of 12 Fed banks which is located in 12 districts in the country. Monetary policy of USA is set by the Federal Open Ma rket Committee and it includes the board of governors and presidents of the bank. The structure includes:- Board of governors:- it is an independent lawmaking agency which governs and look out the whole federal reserve system. Board of governors is the central main structure of Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. It includes seven board members and other staffs and

Marketing and Strategy Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing and Strategy Theory - Essay Example The introduction section examines the fact that the rate of failure for the introduction of new products in retail grocery industry falls within the 70 to 80 per cent range. It then develops a theoretical model explaining why this happens. The theoretical model then culminates in a set of hypotheses that are further investigated by the paper. The conclusion part of the paper summarises the main issues brought out by the paper and gives inferences where appropriate. It then confirms that indeed the rate of failure for the introduction of new products in retail grocery industry falls is very high. The rate of failure for the introduction of new products in retail grocery industry is very high; it falls within the 70 to 80 per cent range. Linton Matysiak and Wilkes is a product development and market research firm specializing in perishable foods. The firm carried out a review of 1935 new products introductions by top food companies in the United States (Linton, Matysiak and Wilkes, 1997). This review was aimed at determining national introductions, regional breakdowns, line extension mortality, new item mortality and the overall product mortality. It also ventured into determining the ratio of line extensions to new items. The firm examined a number of issues such as the number of product line extensions, the number of innovative and new items and the locations where new products were introduced. On the other hand, the review found that the Top 20 grocery retailers in the United States enjoy a 76 per cent rate of success in the introduction of new products. However, the bottom 20,000 food companies in the US found to have slightly less than 12 per cent rate of success for new products introduced (Linton, Matysiak and Wilkes, 1997). The review found a number of differences between the top 20 companies and the bottom 20,000 companies in new product introductions. A notable one is the lack of strategic marketing on the part of the bottom 20,000 new product introductions. The research also observed lack of research among the bottom 20,000 food companies in the US. On the other hand, the top twenty companies were observed to greatly embrace strategic marketing and research. Before any new product introductions, these companies had gathered all the vital information through research. Strategic marketing elevated them even higher (Quinn, 1998). These two aspects are what are believed to be the magic behind the success of the top 20 companies. New product introductions were found to cost an average of $270 per product for each store (Linton, Matysiak and Wilkes, 1997). This is quite a sum of money considering that every year a supermarket may introduce about 5000 new products. It therefore becomes very difficult for the small players to compete effectively with the larger and already established players in the retail grocery industry (Porter, 1980). Groceries spend about $956,800 for every store, most of which eventually fail. Strategic marketing and market research can therefore go a long way in increasing the success rate for new product introductions. This can greatly save money for both retail stores and manufacturers, since any successful new product introduction pays off in the long run. The survey further observed that big corporations practice strategic marketing as an essential part of their day-to-day business management. The firm made use of statistics from the US Commerce

The nation states affected by globalisation

The nation states affected by globalisation INTRODUCTION In Viewing Globalisation and the ways it has affected nation states; it is safe to study it from two different schools of thoughts: The globalists and the sceptics. It is almost impossible to talk about Globalisation without relating it to a Nation States economy or politics. The two go together. A Nation State is affected by Globalisation in so many ways, and vice versa. The hyper globalists argue that the nation states have lost their power completely in this era of globalisation. The fact that the world is globalised means the end of the nation states especially through what is termed the â€Å"Borderless World† (Ohmae, 1990:172). For the complex globalists, although the international organisations are powerful, the nation states havent completely lost their powers. (Held et al, 1999: p27). The Sceptics, on the other hand disagree with the theories of the globalists that see the â€Å"end of nation states†. For Hirst and Thompson, The nation states are still very much in control, in fact, they have the most power and there is no such thing as the word â€Å"globalisation†, therefore, the notion that there is an effect of globalisation on nation states does not make sense (Hirst and Thompson, 1999: p256-280) In this essay, the hyper globalists and the complex globalists are classified as the liberalists or the globalists as they accept the concept of globalisation, believe in the reduction of the nation states powers, view the world as â€Å"being governed globally and conceptualise globalisation as a reordering of the frame work of human action† (Held et al, 1999: p10). They believe that globalisation is being spread through the technologies arising everyday. The Sceptics are classified as the realists who believe that the word should not be â€Å"globalisation, rather it is internationalisation and regionalisation† (Held et al, 1999: p10) and this â€Å"internationalisation depends on states acquiescence and support† (Held et al, 1999: p10) Firstly, the term â€Å"Globalisation† would be defined for clarification and the definition would serve as a reference to my points. Secondly, this essay would point out the relationship between globalisation and nation states, the institutions that arose with globalisation and how they affect nation states politically, economically and culturally, with examples. Thirdly, I would raise arguments from the globalists and sceptics points of view; my argument would show that nation states have lost their power due to the spread of globalisation and I would buttress my argument with citations and relative examples. I would also examine concerns (if any). Lastly, I would draw a conclusion which would portray my personal thoughts on globalisation and how it has affected nation states as a whole. â€Å"A globalised world is one in which political, economic, cultural, and social events become more interconnected.by Globalisation, we mean the increase of connectedness between societies† (Baylis, J. et al, 2008:8) Globalization, affects states, not only political but culturally as well as economically. The connectivity of these states and their dependence on one another for political stability, economic growth and cultural modification or awareness is also a factor of Globalisation. Nation states are naturally dependent on themselves for different resources, it could be as a result of competition, power in the international arena, or simply, for sustenance to their own economy (which may not be as rich). One major effect Globalisation has had on nation states was obviously the spread of the Global Crisis earlier this year. The crisis which was believed to have started in the United States seeped its way through other nation states and affected a large number of countries economically. The idea of globalisation which relates to interconnectedness of states, broken barriers and â€Å"borderless world† seems to have played a huge role in spreading the Financial Crisis witnessed by nation states. Banks were shut down as a result of illiquidity, not just in the United States but some countries in the EU, Brazil, and Japan etc. Unemployment rates sky rocketed in countries like Nigeria. People were getting sacked from their jobs all over the world. Even though this economic crisis started in the United States, the fact that it has the biggest economy in the world and lots of other nation states were connected to its economy meant the downfall of these nation states too. It is safe to say that international organisations or institutions have become the defining factor for most nation states in their global relations. The United Nations (for example) is the only international organization that has the authority over a states security and economic developments, â€Å"encompasses the protection of human rights and..the environment† (Taylor Curtis in J. Baylis et al, 2008: p.314). This further explains the effect of globalisation on nation states. Due to the tribal and religious wars in Africa and Asia, for example, The UN stepped in to examine these conflicts. Nation States now have to rely on these international organisations in times of conflicts especially when they cannot solve their problems on their own. The United Nations was created in 1945 and hosts different positions such as UNICEF which assists children; WHO which works on global public health and the UNHCR which provides aids to refugees. (Weiss, Forsyth Coates in OBrien Williams, 2007: p125). In this organisation, Weiss et al also state that the peace keeping/building of nation states are treated and looked into as well as some elections. (2007: p125). The United Nations is a very powerful organisation because it makes its laws and compels nation states to abide by them, and not the other way round. Nation states have more benefits when they work with these international organisations in terms of the security they are being offered (most times). The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created in 1995 and is usually affiliated with trade and economic activities. The organisation has support from some of the wealthiest economies in the world such as the nation states in the EU, the United States and Japan. Developing countries would argue that some of these international organisations do not favour them because they are real powerful and tend to support the already developed countries in terms of these economic activities. The Rise of the Bretton Woods Institutions and its effect on Nation States. The Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 had a prominent effect on the world today. Out of this conference, two very important institutions: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and The World Bank emerged (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 209-210). The IMF was the regulatory body that nation states had to apply to, to be part of the â€Å"gold standard† policy. This policy meant that the dollar would be the worlds currency and would be exchange for gold to determine its worth. The policy did not hold but the IMF is still the body in charge of global exchange and interest rates (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 86-89). More nation states were trading with each other; therefore, it became necessary, with time, to have exchange rates. The decision on what a dollar is to a pound is based on the outcome of what the IMF has concluded; not the nation states. The World Bank on the other hand is known as â€Å"the lender of the last resort†. Although, it claims to benefit nation states in crisis by bailing them out, there are also strict rules governing this procedure. The World Bank has the final say on which countries are benefitting from whatever money it would lend. The Nation States are entirely under their control here, they play no significant role; their only â€Å"role† is to fulfil all the rules the World Bank has set, and they just might be eligible for these monies. Ngaire Woods describes the IMF and World Bank as â€Å"The Globalizers†. She says that they have inculcated a good number of nation states into world economy by advising the governments of these states to be more open to investments and capital, and to allow for global trade (2006, p 3). She also states that â€Å"they have presented globalisation as a solution to challenges they have faced in the world economy† (2006, p3) Another major effect globalisation has had in nation states; (especially in recent years) is in the area of Migration. In the EU states, the schengen visa makes it possible to visit as many states as there are in the EU. Years ago, one would have needed 12 different visas to visit 12 different countries in the European Union, but today, with the spread of globalisation, one visa gets you to those 12 nation states. The sceptics like Hirst and Thompson might argue that although, we are seeing the emergence of these international organisations (in this case, the EU), which might have a say in national policies, â€Å"people are less mobile than moneythey remain ‘nationalized, dependent on passports, visas, residence and labour qualifications† (Hirst and Thompson,1999: p257). Thereby arguing that in fact, we do not live in a borderless world; rules in terms of migration are still made by the nation states. Globalists can defend their theories here that although individuals may need visas to move around countries, it is still the organisations that determine the nature of these visas especially in the EU where a visa to Italy equates a visa to France. Currencies are no longer national, that is, peculiar to their nation states. The Euro, for example is being used by nation states in the European Union. The use of this single currency by countries in the European Union has made it possible to break barriers (if any) of economic trade across EU nation states. This was implemented, not by the nation states but by the European Monetary System. Globalisation has affected the states in the sense that they had no option than to give into the use of this common currency or face the threat of having a depreciating currency that would eventually lead to a depreciated economy. Therefore the benefit of being in a unit saves exposure in the case of Recession etc. It is no shock that the nation states with the most powerful economies have the most amounts of Multi National Corporations. A survey done in 2006 by Data from Fortune shows that the top 25 (twenty five) MNCs in the world consist of nine in the United States, thirteen in the EU countries and two in Japan. Twenty four out of the twenty five largest corporations (by revenues) are for the wealthiest states (OBrien Williams, 2007: p175). This shows how relevant these MNCs are to their nations economy. MNCs now find their ways into different nation states with thriving economies to make profit from them. Borders are broken when a US based MNC decides to have an operating base in China, for example. The above citation goes to prove that MNCs are no longer ‘nation-owned but actually control the nations in the sense that they move to whichever state they want to be situated. THE CONCERN Speaking as an individual from a third world country, it is easy to say that there is a major concern and it is rightly justified in the sense that these governing international bodies which have been springing up due to the spread of globalisation, has still been one-sided. Politically, in 2007, Nigeria witnessed the election of President Umaru Yaradua. Usually, during elections, the US organises an electoral committee to oversee the process, making sure it is free and fair. During the elections, the national television authority in Nigeria (NTA) announced that some of the ballot boxes had gone missing during the course of the elections. Of course, that meant that something was not right. The individuals sent by the Electoral Commission went on international television (CNN) and announced that they had, in fact, over seen the elections and it was free and fair so whatever the result, the election was a success. Now, to whos benefit? Is it to the Nigerian public? The Nigerian Politicians? Or the United States electoral body sent to conduct these elections? Culturally, norms and values are deteriorating speedily. In todays society, globalisation of the media and internet has made it easy to have access to Hollywood and the Western fashion. It is very easy to get lost in the world of pornography (easy access through the internet where restrictions are not followed), under aged drinking is more prominent with the youth today because they see their favourite stars on television and they believe its the norm. Nation States cannot stop these infringements into their societies because as they have embraced globalisation, they have welcomed its positive and negative results. We are aware of the show down that took place in sports recently. The World cup qualifiers between France and Ireland, to be more specific. A controversial goal was scored by William Gallass of France after Thierry Henry (France captain) was said to have handled the ball and passed it. The goal was allowed by the referee and France qualified on that note. After much contest and ‘a million highlights of that moment, The Irish football association (as a nation state) challenges FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) which is in charge of regulating laws concerning football internationally, to replay the match for a fair result. FIFA ruled against it and France was named as one of the countries participating in the world cup next year. The questions here are direct: Does France deserve to be in the world cup? More importantly, is France in the world Cup because Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president is close friends with French man Michel Platini, the UEFA (Union of Eu ropean Football associations) president? It is notable that FIFA and UEFA, the football governing bodies have the final decision on whatever happens on the pitch, sometimes, it could be a wrong call and nation states that are reportedly treated unfairly have no say in these matters. In my opinion, drawing concerns from globalisation is very crucial to nation states. Globalisations effect on nation states, as important as it may be, calls for a lot of attention and scrutiny. The systems that have come up as a result of our globalising world have not been entirely fair, because in the end, who are those governing in these international organisations and MNCs? Who are those in power making all these decisions? They are the people with hegemony, with power and wealth who are able to control nation states and make them puppets. They are the capitalists whose ultimate goal is to make profit, so we should definitely be concerned since it affects us globally. Globalisation is not successful until concerns are next to irrelevant. Every nation state should be able to benefit from the spread of globalisation, but at the moment, the powerful states are only getting more powerful, sapping resources form the developing countries by situating MNCs strategically. Nation states now go out of their way to create a more suitable business environment because these MNCs chose the best possible location involving cheap labour to situate their business. Therefore, states now compete with each other to be more and more favourable to the MNCs, most times, at the risk of their citizens. Generally, it would be of less concern if it benefitted the whole world equally. Concerns have risen because some nation states are being treated with more advantages than others. In concluding, the nation states played a huge role in policy making which affected individuals but with the spread of globalisation, states roles became very limited and less conspicuous in these political arenas. Territorial boundaries were becoming less important because they became more connected to one another (the states), flows of technology such as the internet and satellite made views and news more global; there by restricting in determining what its individuals are exposed to, movements became globalised such as the NGOs, INGOs; flows of capital ran through borders; and the media made everything recognisable especially through the consistent rise of Hollywood (the US film industry). Ohmae conceptualizes my idea on globalisation and how it affects nation states when he describes the states as â€Å"a dysfunctional unitrepresents no shared community of economic interest† (1990, p.24). It is clear that nation states are now being governed by external forces, whether it is the MNCs, the International Organisations, the NGOs or INGOs and it is important to note that most organisations are in business for profit making so the best possible state with the least possible labour would be a recipient of their businesses. However, many arguments may arise over the concerns of globalisation and how it affects nation states. Some may argue that it has enriched their nations economy; others may argue that it has given their nation states more exposure on the international scene, but a nation state that cannot make its own decisions because of a â€Å"governing body† is almost powerless. Decision making, governing its people, security for its citizens and most importantly, culture of a nations people should be overseen by its government. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baylis, J., Smith, S., Owens, P. (2008) The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) Held, D. Mc Grew, A., Goldblatt, D. Perraton, J. (1999) The Global Transformations: Politics, Economics Culture (Cambridge: Polity Press) Hirst, P. Thompson, G. (1999) Globalisation in Question, 2nd edition (Cambridge: Polity Press) OBrien, R. and Williams, M. (2007) Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) Ohmae, K. (1990) The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Inter linked Economy (London: Fontana) Stone, D. Wright, C. (2007) The World Bank and Governance: A Decade of Reform and Reaction (New York: Routledge) Taylor, P. Curtis, D. (2008) â€Å"The United Nations† in Baylis, J. et al, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 314-315 Weiss, Forsyth Coates (2001) â€Å"International Organisation and Governance† in OBrien, R. Williams, M., Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Maxmillian) Pg 125 Woods, N. (2006) The Globalizers: the IMF, the World Bank their borrowers (New York: Cornell University Press) Woods, N. (2008) â€Å"International Political Economy in an age of Globalization† John Baylis, J. et al, The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 244-258

Storytelling :: essays research papers fc

Storytelling Storytelling has helped humankind evolve into a wiser species by allowing those with enough attentiveness and intelligence to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors. The Chinese culture, like many others world wide, base their beliefs largely on stories passed down from generation to generation. Because stories are told and retold, alterations and even new versions appear. Such is the case in " Fa Mu Lan," for more than one version is known to exist to this day. Many times the changes in a story are to put its message on a certain level for an individual to understand. If the change is to keep the message updated with society, the version would be a modernized one. These stories affect the stories with a flavor of their own personal character. In The Woman Warrior Maxine Hong Kingston utilizes stories told to her by her mother as a device to introduce readers to some aspect of her life. Kingston's mother pass down to her the wisdom she has acquired from her mistakes throughout her life along with best hopes and wishes. The Woman Warrior is a story about the life of Maxine Hong Kingston. It is easy to see her identity from those memorable occurrences that she mentions throughout her book, especially the stories her mother told her. The story of "Fa Mu Lan", for example, teaches women to strive to be the best they can be. It is a story about a woman warrior who takes place of her father in battle and returns in victory as a heroine. It evidently shows that her mother tells this story with her sincerest hopes and passions for her. Her mother wishes her to become more than what it was hope for . Even though woman in old China only grow up to be wives and slaves, she hopes and even dilutions of grandeurs for her daughters thrive in their hearts. Story-telling has been an essential part of their childhood. Maxine Hong Kingston was told that her aunt who committed adultery and brought shame, bad luck along with destruction to her family. She committed suicide because she could not face their families not tell who the father of the children is. The shame brought about by the incident was too much for her to bare. The story was told to warn the girls from having a child before getting married, as can be arrived at from this statement in The Woman Warrior: " Whenever she [her mother] had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one, a story to grow up on.

Qwertyuiop: Secretary and Belmont Secretarial College Essay

Based on the short story, QWERTYUIOP, write about a character that you like. Give three reasons why you like the character and provide evidence to support your reasons. In the short story, QWERTYUIOP, the character whom I like is Lucy Beck. She was the main character in the story. She had just finished studying in Belmont Secretarial College and was looking for a job. She was lucky because she got a job at Ross and Bannister’s. I like Lucy Beck because she was a determined person. In the beginning, Lucy had no confidence in getting a job. Even the principal in the college was doubtful because Lucy was a very slow typist. Lucy was determined to get the job as she came from a poor family. She was tired of eating macaroni cheese, baked beans and wearing second-hand clothes. She needed money to change her life-style. Lucy was also a courageous person. When she started working at Ross and Bannister’s she had problems. The spirit of a former secretary, Miss Broome, was haunting the typewriter she used. The spirit chased away all the previous secretaries. However, Lucy did not let the spirit frighten her. She needed the job and she bravely confronted the spirit and managed to persuade her to leave the office. Another reason why I like Lucy Beck is because she was intelligent. Although she was very slow at typing, her intelligence helped her to convince Miss Broome to leave and not haunt the office anymore. She managed to gather information about Miss Broome from Harry Darke, a worker at the office. Using the information, she praised Miss Broome saying that she was a good worker and that her late boss, Mr Bannister, missed her a lot. She also said that Mr Bannister still needed her services. In this way she managed to get rid of Miss Broome’s spirit and she can continue to work in the office peacefully. In conclusion, I like Lucy Beck because she looked simple and insignificant but she is able to defend her work using her own intelligence, courage and determination.

The Desert Biome essays

The Desert Biome essays The desert is a biome or as a life zone, for example another biome would be tundra. The desert in western United States in caused by the coastal ranges and the gigantic Sierras in California. These mountains cause the clouds to rain and by the time they reach the other side, there is little or no moisture left in them. That is why deserts are so cold. The desert is a very amazing place. In a place that most people would believe to inhospitable, life blossoms. Each animal and plant has adapted to survive in the hot desert. For example: The roadrunner, which is in the cuckoo family, is a consumer of the desert; it runs instead of flying, it is an omnivore, with reptiles and insects forming much of its diet. The Saguaro cactus, a producer, is the king of cactuses. It can reach a height of about 40 feet. It is home to many animals from an owl to bobcats perch while in danger. These cactus are build for the desert because of their tough skin and their advanced system for storing water. A desert tortoise, a consumer, eats plants and converts them to water and food. This is a good feature for a desert living creature. The tortoise during mating season fights with another male. The first to go upside down, loses and could even die if he does not turn right side up. The bullies of the desert are the pigs, or to be exact, the peccary and javelin. These pigs have a mean attitude and a ruthless set of teeth. They will practically eat anything. Even insects and spiders live in the desert. The tarantula that lives in the desert lives in a hole on the ground, an food that comes by it attacks and kills it with its venomous bite. The millipedes from your backyard live in the desert too. These insects have over 1000 legs and they produce an odor that hampers any tarantulas attempt to eat it. The kangaroo rat is an amazing little mammal. They are consumers and during the time, the plants are nice, they stuff their...

Catherine Earnshaw as a dominating presence in Wuthering Heights essays

Catherine Earnshaw as a dominating presence in Wuthering Heights essays In the novel Wuthering Heights there was one character who had a dominating influence on the way the novel went. Her name was Catherine Earnshaw and even after she died she still left a lasting impression on the people around her and after she was gone people still made some decisions based on her. While she was alive she had Heathcliff and Edgar rapped around her finger; she could have made them do anything she wanted and sometimes she did. While Catherine was dying Heathcliff spent the most time with her and she knew that at that point he would do anything for her and she used that against him. There are many examples of Cathys dominance in the novel and they will all be discussed in detail. The major instance of Catherines dominance is one that continues through the entire novel and that is her influence over Heathcliff. Catherine acquires this grasp over Heathcliff by telling him that he is not good enough for her and that he is also not civilized enough for her to marry him. To make Heathcliff even more desperate Catherine decides she will get married to Edgar instead of Heathcliff; she is naive enough to think that by doing so she will be able to lift Heathcliff from the degradation into which he has been thrust by Hindley. When in fact this makes Heathcliff very jealous and he goes away to make him self more refined for Catherine. When Heathcliff returns to find Catherine has married Edgar it sends him over the edge he gets furious and revenge is on his mind. He thinks that if he marries Isabella that it would bring Catherine back into his arms. Of course this does not work it only succeeds in making Edgar furious. Edgar disowns Isabella and tells Catherine she is not allowed to see Heathcliff, this enrages Catherine and she locks herself in her room with no food or water. She hopes that this would change Edgars mind as well as give her th...

Obesity in Older Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Obesity in Older Adults - Essay Example Introduction Obesity can be simply referred to a medical condition caused by excessive accumulation of body fat, which can eventually cause adverse effects on one’s health. To define, â€Å"obesity is an excess of body fat that frequently results in a significant impairment of health.† (Das, 2010, p.44). Although people use the terms obesity and overweight interchangeably, in fact, obesity and overweight are two distinct physical conditions which have already been clearly defined using scientific standards. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the common tool used to identify whether or not a person’s body fat is excessive. According to BMI standards, an individual is said to be overweight when his BMI lies between the ranges of 25-29.9. The person becomes obese when his BMI goes beyond the range 30. Evidently, obesity has become a major health issue among older adults. According to Villareal et al (as cited in Newman, 2009), the prevalence of obesity in people between the a ge range 50-69 increased by 56% in 2000 whereas in people above the age 70 it increased by 36%, since 1991. Causes of Obesity The relationship between energy consumption and expenditure is the major determinant of the body-fat mass. Medical practitioners opine that obesity occurs when an individual consumes more calories (in the form of food) than what he actually needs. People require calories not only to sustain life, but also to maintain a satisfactory body weight. However, studies point to the fact that energy expenditure in 50-65 year old age group considerably declines and therefore likelihood of obesity increases as one becomes old. It has also been identified that hormonal changes in older adults (65 years of age and older) during aging may result in excessive accumulation of fat. Various changes associated with aging, including resistance to leptin, contribute to older adulthood obesity. As Newman (2009) argues, genetic features, socio-environmental factors, and several oth er elements contribute to obesity. Evidently, heredity is one of the major determinants of obesity. In other words, biological inheritance plays a significant role in fat variations. The researchers like Bouchard established that genotype greatly influences visceral fat. Since an individual’s type of food choices, level of physical activity, and other lifestyle behaviors are influenced by his surrounding environment, socio-environmental factors greatly affect his body fat levels. To illustrate, increasing â€Å"eating out† food trends in Western countries directly lead to the consumption of excess fat content food and thereby obesity. While analyzing the global obesity data, it is obvious that obesity is more prevalent in Western countries, and especially in the United States. Several other factors including lack of sleep and continuous use of drugs also cause obesity. Some recent studies claim that issues such as joint pain and decreased mobility are also potential co ntributory factors to obesity as they cause decreased activity and thereby a proportionate decline in energy expenditure in older adults. Symptoms of Obesity As discussed earlier, a BMI of over 30 is the primary symptom of obesity. Large body frame is another notable symptom of obesity in older adults. Adults with obesity would face difficulties in doing their daily activities. In addition, breathlessness is another noticeable symptom