Irony In The Canterbury Tales Essay

Chaucer’s Use of Irony in The Canterbury Tales In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer arranges a blend of stories on a journey into an allegorical portrayal of the medieval society wherein he lived. Chaucer’s stories have a punch and flair, which, to a normal peruser, appear to be unprecedented to the average medieval essayist, making his story increasingly magnificent. Certain things represent this style, particularly the author’s utilization of incongruity. A considerable lot of Chaucer’s characters are amusing as in they are so distant from what one would expect in the jobs they delineate, and furthermore the way that they are overwhelming. Each character has his particular character with his own social qualities. Chaucer additionally utilizes incongruity in his silliness, with its startling quality and arbitrariness. The spouse of Bath is a prime case of one of Chaucer’s characters who is overwhelming. She clearly isn't what one would expect of a moderately well off lady in her time. Her infamous attributes, for example, having five spouses, yet in addition wedding a dominant part of them for riches and cash stick in the psyche with their unexpected anomaly and shocking implications: â€Å"ËÅ"Johnny and Dame Alice And I myself, in the fields we went My significant other was in London such Lent; even more diversion for me†Ã¢â‚¬ I just mean The fun of seeing individuals and being seen By arrogant fellows; for how was I to know Where or what graces Fortune may bestow’. (273) Chaucer emphasizes her sporadic character in this extract by depicting her wanton activities and her absence of ethicalness. The spouse of Bath additionally shows incongruity in her activities by her requirement for command over others, particularly her husbands. † â€Å"ËÅ"So help me God, I need to chuckle by and large/Remembering how I made them work around evening time! /And confidence I set no store by it; no joy/It was to me’ (264)†. Here, the spouse of Bath portrays her mastery and command over her past, old, well off husbands. She gives no indications of righteousness in her activities to win her spouses, and to actually take their cash from them. In light of these amusing, overwhelming attributes of the spouse of Bath, she is a character that permits the peruser to allegorically build up a personal connection with her. She sticks in the reader’s mind, and is a character who is recalled everlastingly because of her startling ways and misrepresented qualities. The Friar is additionally an amusing character in his uniqueness and unexpectedâ traits. Some portion of this incongruity is because of the colossal measure of debasement the minister has. â€Å"He’d repaired numerous a marriage, giving each/Of his young ladies what he could bear the cost of her. /He was an honorable column to his Order (8)†. In this statement, the startling quality thoroughly catches the peruser unsuspecting he discovers that the Friar really impregnates ladies and afterward weds them to men. This is a perfect statement to show Chaucer’s additional energy in his accounts, adding to the intrigue of the peruser. As the friar’s overwhelming attributes are uncovered, a psychological picture creates, to as though the peruser is in the story. â€Å"Sweetly he heard his penitents at confession/With lovely exoneration, for a blessing/He was a simple man in atonement giving/Where he could would like to get by (9)†. Here, it is seen that th e minister is a common man who places cash at a high need in his life. Unexpectedly, he took the promises of modesty, destitution, and submission, and pitiably breaks every one of the three pledges. One of the most amusingly degenerate characters in the book is the Prioress. All through her story and the introduction, Chaucer depicts her as somebody totally not quite the same as what she ought to be as per her job as a religious woman. Above all else, the Prioress’ qualities and activities cause it to give the idea that she is going on the journey not in view of her adoration and regard for God, however rather to venture out and to go on an undertaking. â€Å"She positively was engaging/Pleasant and cordial in her manners, and stressing/To fake an elegant sort of beauty,/A masterful bearing fitting to her place,/And to appear to be honorable in the entirety of her dealings (6-7)†. This shows the Prioress is faking her character, duplicating her actual reason for being on the journey. Likewise, the Prioress is one of the most contemptuous characters in the entire story. In the Prioress’ story, she continually expresses her enemy of Semitic view towards Jews, inferring that the best Jewish individual is a dead Jewish individual. The amusing part is that the Prioress ought to be a mindful, adoring individual, for she is a sacred agent of God on earth. For some odd reason, the Prioress gets alarmed at seeing a hurt creature yet could think less about Jewish individuals. â€Å"She used to sob in the event that she however observed a mouse/Caught in a snare, on the off chance that it were dead or dying (7)†. In general, the Prioress is one of Chaucer’s most amusing characters in his story, and her activities appear to be random to the employment of being a religious woman. Chaucer as often as possible and effectively utilizes unexpected funniness to add to the punch of the story. Since the cleverness is surprising and creative, it draws from the peruser a longing and enthusiasm to peruse on. The tale of Chanticleer and Pertelote gives a perfect delineation of Chaucer’s humor. † â€Å"ËÅ"For shame,’ she stated, â€Å"ëÅ"you faint poltroon! /Alas, what weakness! By God above,/You’ve relinquished my heart and lost my affection. /I can't adore a weakling, come what may’ (216-17)†. Here, it is unexpectedly clever to have creatures depicting human qualities, yet in addition to make a circumstance that is similar to a hitched couple taking a seat at the morning meal table quarreling. The silliness is legitimately presented to the peruser because of the unforeseen being brought to words, blended in with a hint of craziness of the circumstance. The amusing incongruity is that the wedded couple is really a chicken and a hen. By utilizing such scenes, Chaucer adds to his story another bend that makes it all the more satisfying and interesting to peruse. The haphazardness of some of Chaucer’s stories likewise adds to the cleverness of the story. For example, it is entertaining to consider the haphazardness of the miller’s story and the inventive psyche one must need to concoct such a disorderly and silly story. The miller’s story is so complicatedly bound with plays on words, sexual jokes, uncivilized proclamations, that it includes an entertaining funny side of Chaucer to the story. Between the inept craftsman, and the insulted Absolon, grimy scenes are delineated, adding to Chaucer’s clever style. All things considered, the arbitrariness in Chaucer’s innovative and irregular comic stories is related with incongruity because of the way that the narratives are so unforeseen. The unexpected and unforeseen attributes of some of Chaucer’s clever scenes make the peruser giggle, become flushed, smile, and laugh. â€Å"He lay there blacking out, pale underneath his tan;/His arm in falling had been broken double†Ã¢ ¦ They told the town/That he was frantic, there’d got into his blood/Some kind of hogwash about â€Å"ËÅ"Nowel’s Flood (105)†. Here, when the woodworker tumbles from the roof in his mechanical assembly to spare his life and his wife’s, it is perceived how genuinely irregular and startling Chaucer can be. In general, incongruity adds quality and assorted variety to Chaucer’s story, making his compositions increasingly effective. Incongruity joined with Chaucer’s creative mind, wit,â humor, and knowledge makes The Canterbury Tales fruitful and intriguing to the peruser. This incongruity introduced in Chaucer’s characters and his amusingness assists with escalating Chaucer’s compositions. Indisputably, the genuine accomplishment of the story depends in the unfathomable intelligence of Chaucer. Nonetheless, the absence of Chaucer’s utilization of incongruity would make the aggregation of stories a lot more blunt and less one of a kind. Along these lines, the incongruity in the story includes force, and it takes into consideration Chaucer to expand his staggering accomplishment with his perusers.

Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Six Free Essays

â€Å"I don’t know how you might be bored,† Savitri said to me, inclining toward a perception deck rail as we watched out from Phoenix Station to the Magellan. â€Å"This place is great.† I investigated at her with mock doubt. We will compose a custom exposition test on Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Six or then again any comparable subject just for you Request Now â€Å"Who are you, and what have you finished with Savitri Guntupalli?† â€Å"I don’t realize what you mean,† Savitri stated, insipidly. â€Å"The Savitri I know was wry and bitter,† I said. â€Å"You are generally gushy, similar to a student. Accordingly: You’re not Savitri. You are some frightful spunky covered outsider thing, and I abhor you.† â€Å"Point of order,† Savitri said. â€Å"You’re a student, and you scarcely ever spout. I’ve known you for quite a long time and I don’t trust I have ever observed you associated with a spouting episode. You are on the whole spout free.† â€Å"Fine, you spout considerably more than a schoolgirl,† I said. â€Å"Which just aggravates it. I trust you’re happy.† â€Å"I am,† Savitri said. â€Å"Thank you for noticing.† â€Å"Hrrrumph,† I stated, feigned exacerbation for additional impact, and put forth a concentrated effort to the perception deck rail with restored touchiness. I was not really bothered with Savitri. She had a brilliant motivation to be energized; for her entire life she’d been on Huckleberry and now, at last, she was elsewhere: on Phoenix Station, the space station, the biggest single thing people had ever assembled, drifting above Phoenix, the home planet of the whole Colonial Union. For whatever length of time that I had known her †which was for whatever length of time that she had been my dad’s right hand, back in New Goa, on Huckleberry †Savitri had developed a quality of general brilliant assery, which is one explanation I venerated her and admired her. One must have good examples, you know. Be that as it may, after we had lifted from Huckleberry her fervor from at last getting the opportunity to see a greater amount of the universe had gotten to her. She’d been unguardedly amped up for everything; she even rose ahead of schedule to watch the Magellan, the boat that would take us to Roanoke, dock with Phoenix Station. I was cheerful for her that she was so amped up for everything, and I ridiculed her hardheartedly for it each possibility I got. At some point, indeed, there would be compensation †Savitri showed me quite a bit of what I think about being a smartass, however not all that she thought about it †yet up to that point it was one of only a handful scarcely any things keeping me engaged. Tune in: Phoenix Station is enormous, it’s occupied, and except if you have a real activity †or like Savitri are only in from the sticks †there is nothing going on. It’s not an event congregation, it’s only a major dull mix of government workplaces, docks and military base camp, all stuck into space. In the event that it weren’t for the way that venturing outside to get some natural air would murder you †no outside air, just lung-popping vacuum †it could be any enormous, unremarkable, dead-exhausting community place anyplace people meet up to do large, nondescript, dead-exhausting city things. It isn't intended for the sake of entertainment, or if nothing else any kind of fun I was keen on having. I guess I could have recorded something. That would have been a kick. Savitri, notwithstanding being numbly energized not to be on Huckleberry, was likewise being worked extremely hard by John and Jane: them three had invested almost the entirety of their energy since we showed up at Phoenix Station finding a good pace on Roanoke, finding out about the homesteaders who might be with us, and regulating the stacking of provisions and gear onto the Magellan. This didn’t come as news to me, however it left me with not a mess to do, and nobody a lot to do it with. I couldn’t even do much with Hickory, Dickory, or Babar; Dad advised Hickory and Dickory to hide out while we were on Phoenix Station, and mutts weren’t truly permitted the run of the station. We needed to spread out paper towels for Babar to do his thing on. The primary night I did this and attempted to get him to put everything in order, he gave me a look that said you must child. Apologies, mate. Presently pee, damn it. The main explanation I was getting some time with Savitri at all was that through a shrewd blend of crying and blame I had persuaded her to take her mid-day break with me. And still, at the end of the day she had brought her PDA and spent portion of lunch going over shows. She was even amped up for that. I revealed to her I figured she may be sick. â€Å"I’m sorry you’re bored,† Savitri stated, back in the present. â€Å"You should indication to your parents.† â€Å"Trust me, I did,† I said. â€Å"Dad really ventured up, as well. He said he’s going to bring me down to Phoenix. Do some very late shopping and other things.† different things were the fundamental purpose behind us to go, however I didn’t need to bring them up to Savitri; I was ill humored enough as it might have been. â€Å"You haven’t go over some other pilgrims your own age yet?† Savitri inquired. I shrugged. â€Å"I’ve seen some of them.† â€Å"But you haven’t addressed any of them,† Savitri said. â€Å"Not really,† I said. â€Å"Because you’re shy,† Savitri said. â€Å"Now your mockery comes back,† I said. â€Å"I’m thoughtful to your boredom,† Savitri said. â€Å"But less so if you’re simply marinating in it.† She glanced around at the perception work area, which had a couple of others in it, sitting or perusing or gazing out at the boats docked at the station. â€Å"What about her?† she stated, highlighting a young lady who looked about my age, who was peering out the deck window. I looked over. â€Å"What about her?† I said. â€Å"She looks about as exhausted as you,† Savitri said. â€Å"Appearances can be deceiving,† I said. â€Å"Let’s check,† Savitri stated, and before I could stop her called to the next young lady. â€Å"Hey,† Savitri said. â€Å"Yes?† the young lady said. â€Å"My companion here thinks she’s the most exhausted young lady on the whole station,† Savitri stated, pointing at me. I had no place to recoil. â€Å"I was thinking about whether you had anything to state about that.† â€Å"Well,† the young lady stated, following a moment. â€Å"I don’t need to boast, however the nature of my weariness is outstanding.† â€Å"Oh, I like her,† Savitri said to me, and afterward waved the young lady over. â€Å"This is Zoe,† she stated, presenting me. â€Å"I can talk,† I said to Savitri. â€Å"Gretchen,† she stated, stretching out her hand to me. â€Å"Hello,† I stated, taking it. â€Å"I’m keen on your fatigue and might want to hear more,† Gretchen said. Alright, I thought. I like her as well. Savitri grinned. â€Å"Well, since both of you appear to be similarly coordinated, I need to go,† she said. â€Å"There are compartments of soil conditioners that need my attention.† She gave me a peck, waved to Gretchen, and left. â€Å"Soil conditioners?† Gretchen said to me, after she had gone. â€Å"It’s a long story,† I said. â€Å"I’ve got only time,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Savitri is the partner to my folks, who are going up another colony,† I stated, and highlighted the Magellan. â€Å"That’s the boat we’re going on. One of Savitri’s occupations is to ensure that everything that’s on the show list really gets put on the boat. I surmise she’s up to soil conditioners.† â€Å"Your guardians are John Perry and Jane Sagan,† Gretchen said. I gazed at her for a moment. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"Because my father discusses them a lot,† she stated, and motioned toward the Magellan. â€Å"This state your folks are driving? It was his thought. He was Erie’s delegate on the CU lawmaking body, and for a considerable length of time he contended that individuals from built up settlements ought to have the option to colonize, not simply individuals from Earth. At last the Department of Colonization concurred with him †and afterward it gave the administration of the province to your folks rather than him. They told my father it was a political compromise.† â€Å"What did your father consider that?† I inquired. â€Å"Well, I just met you,† Gretchen said. â€Å"I don’t realize what kind of language you can handle.† â€Å"Oh. Indeed, that’s not good,† I said. â€Å"I don’t think he loathes your parents,† Gretchen stated, rapidly. Dislike that. He recently expected that subsequent to all that he did, he’d get the chance to lead the settlement. ‘Disappointment’ doesn’t even start to cover it. In spite of the fact that I wouldn’t state he loves your folks, either. He got a record on them when they were selected and afterward went through the day mumbling to himself as he read it.† â€Å"I’m sorry he’s disappointed,† I said. In my mind I was thinking about whether I expected to compose Gretchen off as a potential companion; one of those idiotic â€Å"our houses are at war† situations. The principal individual my age I meet, going to Roanoke, and we were at that point in various camps. However, at that point she stated, â€Å"Yeah, well. At one point he got a little moronic about it. He was contrasting himself with Moses, similar to, Oh, I’ve drove my kin to the guaranteed land however I can’t enter myself† †and here she made little hand developments to emphasize the point †â€Å"and that’s when I concluded he was going overboard. Since we’re going, you know. What's more, he’s on your parents’ warning board. So I instructed him to suck it up.† I squinted. â€Å"You really utilized t

How Negative Punishment Works

How Negative Punishment Works Theories Behavioral Psychology Print How Negative Punishment Works By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on January 17, 2020 Jekaterina Nikitina/Getty Images More in Theories Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology Negative punishment is an important concept in B. F. Skinners theory of operant conditioning. In behavioral psychology, the goal of punishment  is to decrease a certain unwanted  behavior. In the case of negative punishment, it involves taking something good or desirable away to reduce the occurrence of a particular behavior. One of the easiest ways to remember this concept is to note that in behavioral terms, positive means adding something while negative means taking something away. For this reason, negative punishment is often referred to as punishment by removal. Examples Can you identify examples of negative punishment? Losing access to a toy, being grounded, and losing reward tokens are all examples of negative punishment. In each case, something good is being taken away as a result of the individuals undesirable behavior. For example: After two children get into a fight over who gets to play with a new toy, the mother simply takes the toy away from both children.A teenage girl stays out for an hour past her curfew, so her parents ground her for a week.A third-grade boy yells at another student during class, so his teacher takes away his good behavior tokens that can be redeemed for prizes. Conversely, with positive punishment, something undesirable is added when an unwanted  behavior has occurred. For instance, when a child throws a temper tantrum, she is sent to her room for a timeout. Both types of punishment have the same end goal: to change behavior. The Effects of Negative Punishment While negative punishment can be highly effective, Skinner and other researchers ??have suggested that a number of different factors can influence its success. Negative punishment is most effective when: It immediately follows a response.It is applied consistently. Consider this example: a teenage girl has a drivers license, but it does not allow her to drive at night. However, she drives at night several times a week without facing any consequences. One evening while she is driving to the mall with a friend, she is pulled over and issued a ticket. As a result, she receives a notice in the mail a week later informing her that her driving privileges have been revoked for 30 days. Once she regains her license, she goes back to driving at night even though she has six more months before she is legally allowed to drive during the evening and nighttime hours. As you might have guessed, losing her license is the negative punishment in this example. So why would she continue to engage in the behavior even though it led to punishment? Because the punishment was inconsistently applied (she drove at night many times without facing punishment) and because the punishment was not applied immediately (her driving privileges were not revoked until a week after she was caught), the negative punishment was not effective at curtailing her behavior. Another major problem with negative punishment is that while it might reduce the unwanted behavior, it does not provide any information or instruction on more appropriate reactions. B.F. Skinner also noted that once the punishment is withdrawn, the behavior is very likely to return.

Chemosynthesis Definition and Examples

Chemosynthesis is the conversion of carbon compounds and other molecules into organic compounds. In this biochemical reaction, methane or an inorganic compound, such as hydrogen sulfide or hydrogen gas, is oxidized to act as the energy source. In contrast, the energy source for photosynthesis (the set of reactions through which carbon dioxide and water are converted into glucose and oxygen) uses energy from sunlight to power the process. The idea that microorganisms could live on inorganic compounds was proposed by Sergei Nikolaevich Vinogradnsii (Winogradsky) in 1890, based on research conducted on bacteria which appeared to live from nitrogen, iron, or sulfur. The hypothesis was validated in 1977 when the deep sea submersible Alvin observed tube worms and other life surrounding hydrothermal vents at the Galapagos Rift. Harvard student Colleen Cavanaugh proposed and later confirmed the tube worms survived because of their relationship with chemosynthetic bacteria. The official discovery of chemosynthesis is credited to Cavanaugh. Organisms that obtain energy by oxidation of electron donors are called chemotrophs. If the molecules are organic, the organisms are called chemoorganotrophs. If the molecules are inorganic, the organisms are terms chemolithotrophs. In contrast, organisms that use solar energy are called phototrophs. Chemoautotrophs and Chemoheterotrophs Chemoautotrophs obtain their energy from chemical reactions and synthesize organic compounds from carbon dioxide. The energy source for chemosynthesis may be elemental sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, molecular hydrogen, ammonia, manganese,  or iron. Examples of chemoautotrophs include bacteria and methanogenic archaea living in deep sea vents. The word chemosynthesis was originally coined by Wilhelm Pfeffer in 1897 to describe energy production by oxidation of inorganic molecules by autotrophs (chemolithoautotrophy). Under the modern definition, chemosynthesis also describes energy production via chemoorganoautotrophy. Chemoheterotrophs cannot fix carbon to form organic compounds. Instead, they can use inorganic energy sources, such as sulfur (chemolithoheterotrophs) or organic energy sources, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (chemoorganoheterotrophs). Where Does Chemosynthesis Occur? Chemosynthesis has been detected in hydrothermal vents, isolated caves, methane clathrates, whale falls, and cold seeps. It has been hypothesized the process may permit life below the surface of Mars and Jupiters moon Europa. as well as other places in the solar system. Chemosynthesis can occur in the presences of oxygen, but it is not required. Example of Chemosynthesis In addition to bacterial and archaea,  some larger organisms rely on chemosynthesis. A good example is the giant tube worm which is found in great numbers  surrounding deep hydrothermal vents. Each worm houses chemosynthetic bacteria in an organ called a trophosome. The bacteria oxidize sulfur from the worms environment to produce the nourishment the animal needs. Using hydrogen sulfide as the energy source, the reaction for chemosynthesis is: 12 H2S 6 CO2 → C6H12O6 6 H2O 12 S This is much like the reaction to produce carbohydrate via photosynthesis, except photosynthesis releases oxygen gas, while chemosynthesis yields solid sulfur. The yellow sulfur granules are visible in the cytoplasm of bacteria that perform the reaction. Another example of chemosynthesis was discovered in 2013 when bacteria were found living in basalt below the sediment of the ocean floor. These bacteria were not associated with a hydrothermal vent. It has been suggested the bacteria use hydrogen from the reduction of minerals in seawater bathing the rock. The bacteria could react hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce methane. Chemosynthesis in Molecular Nanotechnology While the term chemosynthesis is most often applied to biological systems, it can be used more generally to describe any form of chemical synthesis brought about by random thermal motion of reactants. In contrast, mechanical manipulation of molecules to control their reaction is called mechanosynthesis. Both chemosynthesis and mechanosynthesis have the potential to construct complex compounds, including new molecules and organic molecules. Resources and Further Reading Campbell, Neil A., et al. Biology. 8th ed., Pearson, 2008.Kelly, Donovan P., and Ann P. Wood. â€Å"The Chemolithotrophic Prokaryotes.† The Prokaryotes, edited by Martin Dworkin, et al., 2006, pp. 441-456.Schlegel, H.G. â€Å"Mechanisms of Chemo-Autotrophy.† Marine Ecology: a Comprehensive, Integrated Treatise on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters, edited by Otto Kinne, Wiley, 1975, pp. 9-60.Somero, Gn. â€Å"Symbiotic Exploitation of Hydrogen Sulfide.† Physiology, vol. 2, no. 1, 1987, pp. 3-6.

The Price of Diamonds Is too High Essay - 1119 Words

â€Å"The price of diamonds is too high† This essay discusses the statement â€Å"the price of diamonds is too high†; it will analyze the diamond cartel and its history in order to determine the validity of this statement. Various microeconomic theories will be discussed and explained, all of which are involved in the diamond cartel. The Oxford Dictionary defines a cartel as â€Å"an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition† [Oxford Dictionaries; unknown]. Therefore, the diamond cartel consists of a group of manufacturers/suppliers of diamonds who come together in order to restrict supply and as a result increase the price of diamonds. This essay will focus, mainly; on†¦show more content†¦However, this changed in 1870 when diamond mines were found in Kimberly (South Africa) [â€Å"Have you ever tried to sell a diamond?† – Edward Jay Epstein; unknown]. This discovery was a huge danger to the few manufactu res and suppliers of diamonds as with the large amounts, and therefore the increased supply, of diamonds, they would no longer be considered rare/scare [Ivona Vogelsang; 2005]; therefore their value and price would decrease as a result. This can be understood by using the diminishing marginal utility theory, the more people have of something (or the greater the quantity/supply) the less it is valued (the lower the utility) [Michael Parkin et al.; 2010]. The less it is valued, the less people are willing to pay (unless it is price inelastic) as a result decreasing the price of the product/service. De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. identified this threat and 18 years after the discovery in Kimberly they became integrated into South Africa. In order to monopolize De Beers began to buy, from African nations, private mining rights, they also managed to control mine output in order to restrict the supply of diamonds. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts to limit the supply of diamonds with the intention of increasing their price, in the 1930’s the demand for diamonds started to decrease rapidly [Ivona Vogelsang; 2005]. In response to the large decreaseShow MoreRelatedThe Price of Diamonds is Too High Essays1079 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"THE PRICE OF DIAMONDS IS TOO HIGH† For more than a century the diamond industry has flourished beyond expectations. The diamond has grown from a small yet rare gem stone to that of a rather large and powerful symbol of wealth. The industry has been controlled by one major corporation, De Beers. De beers along with the cartel it set up has built an industry that will last forever. 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Diamonds were extremely rare, only found in India and Brazil until the late nineteenth century (Vogelsang, 2005: 5). After the discovery of diamonds in South Africa, the diamond industry began to flourish. Diamonds then became very abundant and cheap to produce. In order for the value of diamonds to remain as high as they were during the phase in which they were still rare, a diamond cartel was introduced. A cartelRead MoreShould Diamonds Cost so Much? Essay1132 Words   |  5 PagesDiamonds have long been considered some of the most prized and sought after possessions. They have been perceived as indicators of wealth and romance. The diamond market however; has been one of the most controversial and controlled markets in history run by a cartel â€Å"†¦an association of suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition† (Oxford English dictionary) formed to prevent the market from becoming flooded with diamonds from too many suppliers, resultingRead MoreEssay on The DeBeers Diamond Cartel1139 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscovery of diamonds, the precious gem has always remained an item of luxury and great beauty and one that requires a great deal of financial sacrifice in order to acquire. Prices of diamonds have remained relatively stable over the last 100 years while prices of other commodities have fluctuated heavily (Hauser, 2002). Diamonds are a relatively rare commodity which gives them a high value and with the help of De Beer’s advertising campaign, spanning the last six decades, that high value appealRead MorePov Analysis Debeers1219 Words   |  5 PagesPOV ANALYSIS #1 De Beers Diamonds Corrin Wigren 10/10/11 Situation: The De Beers name has always been synonymous with diamonds due largely impart to the fact that in order for anyone to deal in the diamond business, at some point they will have to deal with at least one of our subsidiary companies, retailers or distributors. De Beers owns 43% of the worlds’ market shares of rough diamonds, but this is way down from the 80% we were at in the 80’s. The diamond demand is at the mercy of an

Steps to Success Free Essays

string(148) " discover new things about myself, even if I may already think I know my own blind spots \(but then they wouldn’t be blind spots would they\? \)\." 1. Books are concentrated sources of wisdom. The more books you read, the more wisdom you expose yourself to. We will write a custom essay sample on Steps to Success or any similar topic only for you Order Now What are some books you can start reading to enrich yourself? Some books I’ve read and found useful are Think and Grow Rich, Who Moved My Cheese, 7 Habits, The Science of Getting Rich and Living the 80/20 Way. I’ve heard positive reviews for The Tipping Point, Outliers and The Difference Maker, so I’ll be checking them out soon. 2. Learn a new language. As a Singaporean Chinese, my main languages are English, Mandarin and Hokkien (a Chinese dialect). Out of interest, I took up language courses in the past few years such as Japanese and Bahasa Indonesian. I realized learning a language is a whole new skill altogether and the process of acquainting with a new language and culture is a totally a mind-opening experience. 3. Pick up a new hobby. Beyond just your usual favorite hobbies, is there something new you can pick up? Any new sport you can learn? Examples are fencing, golf, rock climbing, football, canoeing, or ice skating. Your new hobby can also be a recreational hobby. For example, pottery, Italian cooking, dancing, wine appreciation, web design, etc. Learning something new requires you to stretch yourself in different aspects, whether physically, mentally or emotionally. 4. Take up a new course. Is there any new course you can join? Courses are a great way to gain new knowledge and skills. It doesn’t have to be a long-term course – seminars or workshops serve their purpose too. I’ve been to a few workshops and they have helped me gain new insights which I had not considered before. 5. Create an inspirational room. Your environment sets the mood and tone for you. If you are living in an inspirational environment, you are going to be inspired every day. In the past, I didn’t like my room at all because I thought it was messy and dull. A few years ago, I decided this was the end of it – I started on a â€Å"Mega Room Revamp† project and overhauled my room. The end result? A room I totally relish being in and inspires me to be at my peak every day. 6. Overcome your fears. All of us have fears. Fear of uncertainty, fear of public speaking, fear of risk†¦ All our fears keep us in the same position and prevent us from growing. Recognize that your fears reflect areas where you can grow. I always think of fears as the compass for growth. If I have a fear about something, it represents something I’ve yet to address, and addressing it helps me to grow. 7. Level up your skills. If you have played video games before especially RPGs, you’ll know the concept of leveling up – gaining experience so you can be better and stronger. As a blogger, I’m constantly leveling up my writing skills. As a speaker, I’m constantly leveling up my public engagement abilities. What skills can you level up? 8. Wake up early. Waking up early (say, 5-6am) has been acknowledged by many (Anthony Robbins, Robin Sharma, among other self-help gurus) to improve your productivity and your quality of life. I feel it’s because when you wake up early, your mindset is already set to continue the momentum and proactively live out the day. Seth recently wrote a waking up early series which you should check out to help cultivate this habit. 9. Have a weekly exercise routine. A better you starts with being in better physical shape. I personally make it a point to jog at least 3 times a week, at least 30 minutes each time. You may want to mix it up with jogging, gym lessons and swimming for variation. 10. Start your life handbook. A life handbook is an idea I started 3 years ago. Basically, it’s a book which contains the essentials on how you can live your life to the fullest, such as your purpose, your values and goals. Sort of like your manual for your life. I started my life handbook since 2007 and it’s been a crucial enabler in my progress. 11. Write a letter to your future self. What do you see yourself as 5 years from now? Will you be the same? Different? What kind of person will you be? Write a letter to your future self – 1 year from now will be a good start – and seal it. Make a date in your calendar to open it 1 year from now. Then start working to become the person you want to open that letter. 12. Get out of your comfort zone. Real growth comes with hard work and sweat. Being too comfortable doesn’t help us grow – it makes us stagnate. What is your comfort zone? Do you stay in most of the time? Do you keep to your own space when out with other people? Shake your routine up. Do something different. By exposing yourself to a new context, you’re literally growing as you learn to act in new circumstances. 3. Put someone up to a challenge. Competition is one of the best ways to grow. Set a challenge (weight loss, exercise, financial challenge, etc) and compete with an interested friend to see who achieves the target first. Through the process, both of you will gain more than if you were to set off on the target alone. 14. Identify your blind spots. Scientifically, blind spots refer to areas our eyes are not capable of seeing. In personal development terms, blind spots are things about ourselves we are unaware of. Discovering our blind spots help us discover our areas of improvement. One exercise I use to discover my blind spots is to identify all the things/events/people that trigger me in a day – trigger meaning making me feel annoyed/weird/affected. These represent my blind spots. It’s always fun to do the exercise because I discover new things about myself, even if I may already think I know my own blind spots (but then they wouldn’t be blind spots would they? ). You read "Steps to Success" in category "Papers" After that, I work on steps to address them. 15. Ask for feedback. As much as we try to improve, we will always have blind spots. Asking for feedback gives us an additional perspective. Some people to approach will be friends, family, colleagues, boss, or even acquaintances, since they will have no preset bias and can give their feedback objectively. 16. Stay focused with to-do lists. I start my day with a list of tasks I want to complete and this helps make me stay focused. In comparison, the days when I don’t do this end up being extremely unproductive. For example, part of my to-do list for today is to write a guest post at LifeHack. Org, and this is why I’m writing this now! Since my work requires me to use my computer all the time, I use Free Sticky Notes to manage my to-do lists. It’s really simple to use and it’s a freeware, so I recommend you check it out. 17. Set Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). I’m a big fan of setting BHAGs. BHAGs stretch you beyond your normal capacity since they are big and audacious – you wouldn’t think of attempting them normally. What are BHAGs you can embark on, which you’ll feel absolutely on top of the world once you complete them? Set them and start working on them. 18. Acknowledge your flaws. Everyone has flaws. What’s most important is to understand them, acknowledge them, and address them. What do you think are your flaws? What are the flaws you can work on now? How do you want to address them? 19. Get into action. The best way to learn and improve is to take action. What is something you have been meaning to do? How can you take action on it immediately? Waiting doesn’t get anything done. Taking action gives you immediate results to learn from. 20. Learn from people who inspire you. Think about people you admire. People who inspire you. These people reflect certain qualities you want to have for yourself too. What are the qualities in them you want to have for yourself? How can you acquire these qualities? 21. Quit a bad habit. Are there any bad habits you can lose? Oversleeping? Not exercising? Being late? Slouching? Nail biting? Smoking? Here’s some help on how you can quit a bad habit. 22. Cultivate a new habit. Some good new habits to cultivate include reading books (#1), waking up early (#8), exercising (#9), reading a new personal development article a day (#40) and meditating. Is there any other new habit you can cultivate to improve yourself? 23. Avoid negative people. As Jim Rohn says, â€Å"You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with†. Wherever we go, there are bound to be negative people. Don’t spend too much of your time around them if you feel they drag you down. 24. Learn to deal with difficult people. There are times when there are difficult people you can’t avoid, such as at your workplace, or when the person is part of your inner circle of contacts. Learn how to deal with them. These people management skills will go a long way in working with people in the future. 25. Learn from your friends. Everyone has amazing qualities in them. It’s up to how we want to tap into them. With all the friends who surround you, they are going to have things you can learn from. Try thinking of a good friend right now. Think about just one quality they have which you want to adopt. How can you learn from them and adopt this skill for yourself? Speak to them if you need to – for sure, they will be more than happy to help! 26. Start a journal. Journaling is a great way to gain better self-awareness. It’s a self-reflection process. As you write, clarify your thought process and read what you wrote from a third person’s perspective, you gain more insights about yourself. Your journal can be private or an online blog. I use my personal development blog as a personal journal too and I’ve learned a lot about myself through the past year of blogging. 27. Start a blog about personal development. To help others grow, you need to first be walking the talk. There are expectations of you, both from yourself and from others, which you have to uphold. I run The Personal Excellence Blog, where I share my personal journey and insights on how to live a better life. Readers look toward my articles to improve themselves, which enforces to me that I need to keep improving, for myself and for the people I’m reaching out to. 28. Get a mentor or coach. There’s no faster way to improve than to have someone work with you on your goals. Many of my clients approach me to coach them in their goals and they achieve significantly more results than if they had worked alone. 29. Reduce the time you spend on chat programs. I realized having chat programs open at default result in a lot of wasted time. This time can be much better spent on other activities. The days when I don’t get on chat, I get a lot more done. I usually disable the auto start-up option in the chat programs and launch them when I do want to chat and really have the time for it. 0. Learn chess (or any strategy game). I found chess is a terrific game to learn strategy and hone your brainpower. Not only do you have fun, you also get to exercise your analytical skills. You can also learn strategy from other board games or computer games, such as Othello, Chinese Chess, WarCraft, and so on. 31. Stop watching TV. I’ve not been watc hing TV for pretty much 4 years and it’s been a very liberating experience. I realized most of the programs and advertisements on mainstream TV are usually of a lower consciousness and not very empowering. In return, the time I’ve freed up from not watching TV is now constructively used for other purposes, such as connecting with close friends, doing work I enjoy, exercising, etc. 32. Start a 30-day challenge. Set a goal and give yourself 30 days to achieve this. Your goal can be to stick with a new habit or something you’ve always wanted to do but have not. 30 days is just enough time to strategize, plan, get into action, review and nail the goal. 33. Meditate. Meditation helps to calm you and be more conscious. I also realized that during the nights when I meditate (before I sleep), I need lesser sleep. The clutter clearing process is very liberating. 34. Join Toastmasters (Learn public speaking). Interestingly, public speaking is the #1 fear in the world, with #2 being death. After I started public speaking as a personal development speaker/trainer, I’ve learned a lot about how to communicate better, present myself and engage people. Toastmasters is an international organization that trains people in public speaking. Check out the Toastmaster clubs nearest to you here. 35. Befriend top people in their fields. These people have achieved their results because they have the right attitudes, skill sets and know-how. How better to learn than from the people who have been there and done that? Gain new insights from them on how you can improve and achieve the same results for yourself. 36. Let go of the past. Is there any grievance or unhappiness from the past which you have been holding on? If so, it’s time to let it go. Holding on to them prevents you from moving on and becoming a better person. Break away from the past, forgive yourself, and move on. Just recently, I finally moved on from a past heartbreak of 5 years ago. The effect was liberating and very empowering, and I have never been happier. 37. Start a business venture. Is there anything you have an interest in? Why not turn it into a venture and make money while learning at the same time? Starting a new venture requires you to be learn business management skills, develop business acumen and have a competitive edge. The process of starting and developing my personal development business has equipped me with many skills, such as self-discipline, leadership, organization and management. 38. Show kindness to people around you. You can never be too kind to someone. In fact, most of us don’t show enough kindness to people around us. Being kind helps us to cultivate other qualities such as compassion, patience, and love. As you get back to your day after reading this article later on, start exuding more kindness to the people around you, and see how they react. Not only that, notice how you feel as you behave kindly to others. Chances are, you will feel even better than yourself. 39. Reach out to the people who hate you. If you ever stand for something, you are going to get haters. It’s easy to hate the people who hate us. It’s much more challenging to love them back. Being able to forgive, let go and show love to these people requires magnanimity and an open heart. Is there anyone who dislikes or hates you in your life? If so, reach out to them. Show them love. Seek a resolution and get closure on past grievances. Even if they refuses to reciprocate, love them all the same. It’s much more liberating than to hate them back. 40. Take a break. Have you been working too hard? Self-improvement is also about recognizing our need to take a break to walk the longer mile ahead. You can’t be driving a car if it has no petrol. Take some time off for yourself every week. Relax, rejuvenate and charge yourself up for what’s up ahead. 41. Read at least 1 personal development article a day. Some of my readers make it a point to read at least one personal development article every day, which I think is a great habit. There are many terrific personal development blogs out there, some of which you can check here. 42. Commit to your personal growth. I can be writing list articles with 10 ways, 25 ways, 42 ways or even 1,000 ways to improve yourself, but if you’ve no intention to commit to your personal growth, it doesn’t matter what I write. Nothing is going to get through. We are responsible for our personal growth – not anyone else. Not your mom, your dad, your friend, me or LifeHack. Make the decision to commit to your personal growth and embrace yourself to a life-long journey of growth and change. Kick off your growth by picking a few of the steps above and working on them. The results may not be immediate, but I promise you that as long as you keep to it, you’ll start seeing positive changes in yourself and your life. hk How to cite Steps to Success, Papers

Identification of the Healthcare Barriers-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Write a reflection about your anticipated Health Care Practice. Choose a group that interests you from the diversity of races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexualities and abilities in the Australian Population. Answer: Introduction Health may be defined as the functional efficacy of the body which includes the proper functioning of all the metabolic processes and the body organs (Brook 2017). The dysfunction of any of these processes would need proper medical care. It also represents the harmony between the people of its community, their family and the environment in which they reside. Australia is a land of many diversity that includes the various races, cultures and religion which seeks different approach of medical care. This report outlines the barrier faced during health care practices and the experiences of the good care of the bisexual community of Australia. The various steps that might be taken to improve the healthcare services are also discussed. Discussion Identification of the healthcare barriers and Good care experienced The health of the bisexual people is greatly affected by the social and behavioral factors. As a result, they often face difficulties while they seek for medical help. Some of the barriers that they often face are as follows (Koh, Kang and Usherwood 2014). The professionals often lack knowledge of the special healthcare needs required by the bisexual people and they possess a negative impression on them. The bisexual people frequently suffer from the homophobia within healthcare premises and the discriminations they face during their medical treatment (Akhan and Barlas 2013). These factors may be the reason they become late to seek any medical help during their time of need. They sometimes fail to get the appropriate medical help as they do not want to expose their sexual position (He, Goodkind and Kowal 2016). Their access to any healthcare may be affected by their education, financial background, isolation from the society and many other factors. The negative impact of the caregive r like restriction of partners entry to hospital room may have negative impact on the patient. These barriers are removing gradually as new LGBT healthcare centres with professionals providing culturally sensitive treatments are setting up. Their main focus is on medical services including prevention of other diseases. They provide mental care and support, legal services and parenting of this people. Reflection of attitudes, values and beliefs about bisexual community According to me, the bisexual people should be handled with special care regarding their healthcare practices. I feel that the health care personnel and the attending physician must not possess a negative impression on the bisexual people and should not have a discriminating mentality towards them. These negative attitudes from the caregivers and the professional would make a negative impact on them. I feel that the professionals also should possess a good knowledge of the ways and type of treatment that they require. They should be free with them so that they can share their physical problem with them without any hesitation. I feel that a speedy recovery of the patients can be achieved by allowing their partners access within the hospital premises and to the room itself. I feel that they should form a LGBT healthcare unit where they would recruit professionals. They would not only provide them proper health care services but also give them mental support and protection which they needed the most. These would help them to survive freely and prevent them from committing suicide that has become a part of their life within their community. They would suffer less from the mental problem and depression. Description about some cultural healthcare practices The bisexual people suffer from depression and attempt to commit suicide because of the constant humiliation they get from the society (Swannell, Martin and Page 2016). These made a negative impact in their lives. The National LGBTI Health Alliance has been formed whose chief aim is the commitment of the support that is to be provided. They provide a national agenda and voice that help to provide good health care services to the bisexual people. A suicide prevention program should be carried out (Morris and Jacobs 2017). A cultural competency program should be carried out that would help to communicate and learn the cultural beliefs of other. The professionals should be made to develop awareness regarding the cultural diversity and the values that they practice. The professional should try to acquire their capability to work in a cultural group with the bisexual community. The professionals should accept the choices that the bisexual people made relating to their life style and honou r their beliefs and values. National projects should be conducted that will focus mainly on the mental health and the prevention of the suicidal attempt. National projects on the LGBT ageing care are made in collaboration with the government (Chair: and Adams 2017). The organizations should be provided with adequate tools and resources so that can carry out their programs. Analysis on Outlining improvement process to healthcare service providers The bisexual people being the neglected community in the society because of their adaptation of a different lifestyle require a special healthcare practices (Anderson. and McCormack 2016). I feel that an extra care should be given to them both physically and mentally. I, as a health service provider, would try to understand their belief and culture and would try to listen to their problem. This positive approach would make them to freely share their problems and reveal their sexual characteristics without any hesitation. They would, therefore get a proper healthcare services. They would overcome their fear of visiting the healthcare. They should be accepted in the society when they feel rejected from the society and from their family (Watson 2014). A good mental support should be provided to them which would make them feel better and prevent them any suicidal attempt. The physician should have the good knowledge of the physical condition of the bisexual people and the special treatment and the care that they need (Law et al. 2015). This would help both the physician and the patient to get the proper treatment which these people mostly lack. Healthcare centres should have personnel with proper knowledge who would be able to take proper care to the patient and provide mental health. Conclusion The people belonging to the bisexual group of Australia frequently face humiliation and feels rejected from the society. These often lead to serious health and mental problems. These problems can be overcome by adopting the proper cultural heathcare practices and by providing them support and care. It can be concluded from the above discussion that by providing required cultural healthcare practices and forming different organizations these barriers can be overcome. It is also concluded that by collaborating with the government, the society can bring about a positive change in the life of the bisexual people in context to their health care practicesa References Akhan, L.U. and Barlas, G.., 2013. Study of health care providers and attitudes against homosexual, bisexual individuals.Journal of Human Sciences,10(1), pp.434-444. Anderson, E. and McCormack, M., 2016. Bisexuality as a Unique Social Problem. InThe Changing Dynamics of Bisexual Men's Lives(pp. 49-67). Springer International Publishing. Brook, R.H., 2017. Should the Definition of Health Include a Measure of Tolerance?.Jama,317(6), pp.585-586. Chair: and Adams, M., 2017. LGBT OLDER ADULTS IN AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, AND THE US: RESEARCH, PRACTICE, AND NEW GROUND.Innovation in Aging,1(suppl_1), pp.1329-1329. He, W., Goodkind, D. and Kowal, P., 2016. An Aging World: 2015. Koh, C.S., Kang, M. and Usherwood, T., 2014. I demand to be treated as the person I am: experiences of accessing primary health care for Australian adults who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.Sexual health,11(3), pp.258-264. Law, M., Mathai, A., Veinot, P., Webster, F. and Mylopoulos, M., 2015. Exploring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) peoples experiences with disclosure of sexual identity to primary care physicians: a qualitative study.BMC family practice,16(1), p.175. Morris, S. and Jacobs, R., 2017. LGBTI people in mental health and suicide prevention: a new strategy for inclusion and action. Swannell, S., Martin, G. and Page, A., 2016. Suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury among lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual adults: Findings from an Australian national study.Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry,50(2), pp.145-153. Watson, J.B., 2014. Bisexuality and family: Narratives of silence, solace, and strength.Journal of GLBT Family Studies,10(1-2), pp.101-123.

Organizational Conflict Management

Beauracracy essays

Beauracracy essays In a democratic society, we the people elect representatives to carry out our needs and trust in them that they will carry out that representation in an efficient and responsible manner for the best interest of the public they are representing. That United States government as a legislature, executive branch, and a judiciary branch carries out that responsibility usually with much success and fairness. When the government becomes almost controlled by bureaucracy, that is when our republic becomes undermined and the democratic government that we entrust is, falls apart. The bureaucracy is permanent or ongoing structure that will always exist and will never be replaced. It is comprised of individual groups of government working to finish a common task. It is made up of supervisors upon supervisors who all have a specific job so that the end task is completed with preciseness and in an expeditious manner. The thing that ends up happening is that while the legislature may make the law and the executive branch may have to administer them as supervisors, but what ends up happening is that it is the supervised who do the work and often they exceed their authority. When they do, the entire system is undermined. The executive and legislative branches have created laws and regulations to control bureaucracy as a whole. The bureaucrats often times tend to step on the shoes if you will of the two branches and take matters into their own hands and completely disregard the law. In drafting and enforcing the regulations they issue under the laws passed by the legislators, they often act in excess of their legal authority. Such things they do are unconstitutional. A recent example of this is an issue that came up with the FDA. The FDA attempted to create rules and regulations concerning smoking and tobacco. The almost passed the laws until the government said that is was against regulations and they couldnt do it. ...

The Impact of Leadership Servants on the Attitude of Managers and Essay

The Impact of Leadership Servants on the Attitude of Managers and Employees in Five Star Hotels in Oakland California, the USA - Essay Example Servant-Leadership is a practical philosophy which supports people who decide to serve first, and then lead as a way of rising service to individuals and institutions. Servant-leaders may or may not hold formal leadership positions. Servant-leadership encourages teamwork, trust, forethought, listening, and the ethical use of power and empowerment (Associated Newspapers, 2000, Pg. 37). No doubt the Oakland California hotels, suites & resorts journey information index page is helpful for tourist. This research has been build up by means of the wherewithal of more than a dozen reservation services so that can determine the premium deals on Oakland hotels. Some of these reservation systems proffer exacting accessibility, great negotiate rates, deals and discounts these are noticeable with a colored star (Graham, J.W. 2001, 105-119). No doubt, Influx of latest residents clamoring for amenities and sign of restaurant, edifying venue and night club breach are breathing latest life into downtown Oakland (Bass, B. M., 2001, 231-272). Eager to exploit on this impetus and attract summer revelers, the city of Oakland has developed, a many-sided marketing movement intended to bring more patrons into downtown otels and previous key sharing points all through Oakland, the direct is also "downloadable" from the city's new interactive, searchable. Beginning this month, the guide will also be present at two high-traffic San Francisco locations (B. M. 2005). 1.3 Leadership Servants On The Attitude Of Managers And Employees According to the expert analysis Servant leadership is all about the people who actually make a disparity in the real world. If one is to give a declared idea as to what it is servant leadership is in lots of ways is the uppermost spiritual path. A good leader serves somewhat beyond him, and cannot only provide sense to his own life, but to those of others (Bass, Bernard 2005). A surveillance of the columns offers us with the information that servant leadership does not go hand in hand with the behaviors of the academic inspiration grid. Whereas a study of the rows shows that servant leadership has less importance on leader behaviors connected with the significance of individuals at a moving level and less spotlight on learning from others (Bass, B. M. 2004). Servant leadership and originality argue that servant leadership tends to exploit the diversification of previously within reach form of creativity (Beazley, H., 2002). A distinction in leadership focus" mentions that the only distinction in these two leadership style is the focal point of the leader whereas if we are too look at the matrix, servant leadershi

Political science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political science - Research Paper Example ossible for hyperglobalization to be fully-embraced by countries without negative consequences.This is because one way or another, there will always be clauses within international policies set by the WTO that can either be beneficial or detrimental to a country’s growth, of which it may be impossible to fully change or circumvent these policies in the country’s favor. In turn, the government has to choose between following the international policy at the cost of the economy and of the local market, or be subject to the sanctions imposed to countries when these are unable to comply with international standards. Either way, unless governments are able to strike a balance between smart globalization and national democracy, it can be expected that local and international trade policies will always clash, and the government and its economy will bear the burden of its effects. Issues on hyperglobalization arose from incompatibilities between national interest and of international policy implementation. The issues that arose from Argentina’s economic problems in the 1990’s were able to capture the essence of the inherent incompatibility of hyperglobalization with national democracy, wherein the over-reliance of politicians to â€Å"tried-and-tested† methods of maintaining economic growth became its downfall upon the crash of the Asian markets and the devaluation of neighboring Brazil’s currency(185). Due to the reluctance of some politicians to change economic and trade laws that were considered obsolete even by then-standards, the crises that came about and resulted to the overvaluation of the Argentinian peso with respect to other neighboring countries made investments less profitable. This caused a large amount of capital to be pulled out from the country, which in turn cascaded into wider panic among citizens as more and mor e people pulled out their money from financial institutions and essentially reduced the monies circulating and fueling the economy. The

Performance comparison of two fast food businesses

Performance comparison of two fast food businesses The purpose of this article is to measure the performance of two companies in the same area of business, which is fast food industry. This study benchmarks two established global fast food sellers who have expanded operations further afield over their illustrious histories, displaying innovation, vision and success in the operation. The companies will be assessed using a range of financial methods such as horizontal, trend, vertical and ratio analyses. This will be done based on the companys financial statements for the last three years. Non-financial performance measures, which are based on evidence of business performance, will also be used. A SWOT analysis will then be done for each company in order to give the reader a concise picture about where both companies are now, and what they can do to improve their position in the market. Each company will then be assessed to see how attractive it is to both investors and employees. The companies chosen for this report are McDonalds and Burger King. They are two of the biggest fast food sellers that dominate the not only the UK but also the world fast food sector. When deciding how to position a product, marketing managers need to understand how product differentiation affects competition. Thus, this paper examines the relationship between product differentiation and prices and profits in the fast food industry. These companies were chosen as they are of interest to the author. The two fast food sellers are similar in nature as although they both have a substantial share of the UK market, either they are all famous the world. Therefore their financial data is relatively comparable. Historical BackgroundNames, addresses and logos of companies: Address McDonalds Plaza Oak Brook IL 60523 USA Address 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive Miami Florida 33126 USA Company History McDonalds Corporation McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest hamburger fast food restaurants, serving more than 58 million customers every day. McDonalds concentrate on sells hamburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast, soft drinks, shakes and deserts. It represents the trends of Western nations. While at the same time, it faces the criticism over the healthiness of its products. McDonalds has modified its menu to include alternatives considered healthier such as salads, wraps and fruit. The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. The site of the McDonald brothers original restaurant is now a museum. With the expansion of McDonalds into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. The company operates through five subsidiaries (structured on a geographic basis): McDonalds USA, McDonalds Europe, McDonalds AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa), McDonalds Latin America and McDonalds International. An additional subsidiary was created in McDonalds Ventures, which consists of the companys non-McDonalds brand. Burger King Corporation Burger King often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants like McDonalds headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Burger King Corporation banner operates the international business. The company began as a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain in 1953. After the company ran into financial difficulties in 1955, its two Miami-based franchisees, David Edgerton and James McLamore, purchased the company and rechristened it Burger King. Over the next half century the company would trade hands four times, with its third set of owners, a partnership of TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, taking the company public in 2002. The current ownership group, 3G Capital of Brazil, acquired a majority stake in the company in a deal valued at $3.26 billion in late 2010. The companys business is divided into three geographic segments; the US and Canada; Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific (EMEA/APAC); and Latin America. About 7,512 Burger King Stores are located in the US and Canada. Over 2,379 of the companys restaurants are located in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), 672 restaurants in Asia Pacific (APAC) and 1,002 restaurants in Latin America. Business activities and Product treeMcDonalds Corporation McDonalds operates, franchises, and services a worldwide chain of about 31,000 fast food restaurants in the world. Franchisee, Affiliate and Corporation are three ways, which McDonalds operate the worldwide stores. About 25% of the companys revenues come from franchisee outlets. The company and its franchisees use special method to guarantee uniformity in both services and standards. McDonalds restaurants offer a substantially uniform menu. It also tests a range of new products on an ongoing basis and sells a variety of other products during limited-time promotions. Source: McDonalds website Burger King Corporation Burger King (BKC) is the worlds second largest chain of fast food hamburger restaurants. Burger King operates more than 11,565 restaurants in 71 countries and the US territories, of which 1,360 restaurants are company restaurants and 10,205 are owned by independent franchisees. Among of these, 7,207 restaurants are located in the US and 4,358 are located in international markets. Burger King offers a range of reasonably priced food items, which content burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. The Whopper sandwich is its largest-selling product. Burger King was the first fast-food chain to introduce drive-through service, which now accounts for a majority of the companys business. But the development of drive-through stores is less than McDonalds. The company generates revenues from three sources: sales at company restaurants, royalties and franchise fees and property income from certain franchise restaurants that lease or sub lease property from the company. Source: Burger King Website Financial AnalysisThe following financial analysis of both companies uses the data provided in the Annual reports of each company from Fame or official website. Horizontal, trend, vertical and ratio analyses will be used as rationale to benchmark performance between the firms. Horizontal Analysis Conducting a horizontal analysis allows us to compare different items in each companys financial statements. This can be done over a period of time so that any changes that have taken place can be noted. Therefore it is a useful tool for comparing the performance of two companies. The data below shows the consolidated income statement of both firms between the years of 2007-2009. However, McDonalds financial report is calculated about in Europe, while Burger King is calculated in UK. Each companys performance will be analyzed and compared and any notable differences will be discussed below. McDonalds: there was an increase from 2008 to 2009 (3.2%) due to the world financial crisis. But there was also a significant decline from 2009 to 2010(11.9%), one reason is that the company is too large to operate. Burger King: with 6.0% growth from 2008 to 2009, Burger Kings performance is better than its competitors. Following with financial crisis end, there was 8.4% growth between 2009 and 2010. Gross Profits: This is worked out by taking the cost of sales figure away from turnover. Both companies even with high increases in operating cost for 2008, they ended up with a small increase in net income. This can be contributed to the exceptional gross profit earnings for the year. McDonalds gross profit for 2008 increased 3.2%, while Burger King only increased 1.3%. This can be attributed to the McDonalds grabbed the opportunity of financial crisis. However, McDonalds and Burger King also suffered a decline in 2009. The main reason is that companies with global operations translate sales and franchise revenue from foreign currencies into dollars. That can boost revenue and profit when the dollar is weaker but hurt results when the U.S. currency is stronger because foreign sales then translate into fewer dollars. Operating income The pattern visible for the operating income over the three-year period is different to the other indicators and causal factors are difficult to establish. It shows a huge increase in 2008, this could be attributed to the considerable increase in gross profit compounded by the operating expenses being trimmed providing a much-improved operating income for the year. In 2008 however, operating income falls, likely due to a combination of a gross profit decrease and an operating expense increase. Net Profit: this is the actual earnings of the company after all expenses and taxes have been paid and are usually referred to as the bottom line. Both companies are experiencing a small rate of organic growth in the year of 2008. This is despite the economies financial difficulty during 2008; people prefer to choose fast food as their daily food. It is likely that during 2008-09, the rise in turnover is partly down to the high price of fuel, caused by high oil. In Europe, two companies performance reflected Europes strategic priorities to upgrade the customer and employee experience, enhance local relevance, and build brand transparency. In addition, McDonalds enhanced customer trust in our brand through communications that emphasized the quality and origin of McDonalds food and our sustainable business practices, while Burger King did much better. Trend Analysis By conducting a trend analysis we can see the ways in which the companies have changed over the last three years. The year 2007 is taken as the base year and set at 100%. Each following year is then expressed as a percentage of the base year using this equation: Gross Profits: Whilst both companies experience similar growth in their turnover, McDonalds experience a decrease in gross profits in 2009-10. Burger King does not have this problem and so they experience almost same level in gross profits over the three-year period. Percentage Change in Gross Profit Operating Profit: Both companies experienced increases in their operating profit. This McDonalds plan is leading to the company becoming more efficient, which is reflected by this increase. Through this, the company has significantly reduced its administration expenses over the three-year period. They have also experienced a rise in other operating income pre operating profit, which has led to the rise in operating profit, despite the fall in gross profit. Percentage Change in Operating Profit Net Profit: Burger King net profit remains consistent for the first two years and then drops during the year 2009-10. This pattern is to be expected due to companies with global operations translate sales and franchise revenue from foreign currencies into dollars, which led to people trying to spend less money. McDonalds Net Profit rocketed in 2008-09, due to the fact that people would like to choose fast food during financial crisis. Percentage Change in Net Profit Vertical Analysis A vertical analysis shows us the relationship between each income statement item to the turnover. In other words, it shows all other figures as a percentage of the turnover or net sales, which is set at 100%. The following equation can be used in order to work this out: Balance Sheet A vertical analysis can also be conducted on the companys balance sheet, representing all items as a percentage of the total assets. In simple terms, this allows us to see where a business spend and receives its money. Fixed Assets: Fixed assets are those with a remaining useful life of over one year. Tangible fixed assets refer to physical assets such as buildings; land etc. and intangible assets refer to items such as goodwill and trademarks. McDonalds is much bigger than Burger King, which means it has more stores in Europe and UK. Current Assets: Current assets are those that are held for less than a year and can be realized quickly. They act as a source of funds for day-to-day activities (Investor Words, 2009). During the world financial crisis, two companies were under its influence in 2008. While in 2009, two companies had made a quick change. So their current assets suffer from a huge increasing. Total Liabilities: This figure is made up of both current liabilities and long-term liabilities. Current liabilities are the debts to creditors and suppliers, which the companies are expected to pay within a year, often in cash. Long-term liabilities are debts that do not need to be repaid within a year. Burger King has a lower share of long-term liabilities than McDonalds does. This suggests that Burger King is in a better financial position when it comes to repaying debt, as the majority of their capital comes from Shareholders funds instead of loans. Ratio Analysis Conducting a ratio analysis allows us to compare the specific items in each companys financial statements over the three years period. There are four classifications of ratio analysis: Profitability, Liquidity, Efficiency and Investment. Conducting a ratio analysis from each of the four classifications should give a good overall picture of each companys performance. Profitability: Gross Profit Margin Gross Profit Margin = Gross Profit x 100 Turnover Gross profit margin allows us to see the proportion of sales that is left over once the costs of sales have been accounted for. This gives us an idea about how much money the company is making on their sales alone, before accounting for other income, administration expenses, interest and tax. This is a particularly relevant measure for this industry as the vertical analysis showed that the cost of sales takes up a huge percentage of the total turnover. Generally, the higher the gross profit margin is the better a company is performing. Liquidity: Current Ratio Curent Ratio = Curent Asset Curent Liabilities The current ratio is used to test the liquidity of company. A high current ratio of over 2 to 1 suggests that a company would easily be able to pay off its debts using its current assets, putting them in a good financial position. Efficiency: Asset Turnover Asset Turnover = Sales (Turnover) Total Assets This ratio measures how efficient a company is at utilizing their assets in order to generate sales. A high ratio indicates that a company is making good use of its assets. McDonalds is using its assets more efficiently than Burger King. Both companies experience improvement in their asset efficiency throughout the two year period which could again be attributed to the improvement programs that they are both currently running. While in 2009, two companies suffered from a small declining. However, McDonalds is much better than Burger King. Investment: Price/Earnings Ratio P/E Ratio = Market Earnings per Share Price per Share This final measure is a clear indication to potential investors, of the earnings they will be receiving. The ratio essentially indicates the price they are paying for a unit of income. If one company has a higher ratio than the other then the relative earnings received is for the price of the share is less than the other company. When comparing two companies they can use as relative prices to determine which one delivers the greatest benefit for their price. In addition, the lower the value, the quicker the investment will be recovered through earnings. Both companies started in a similar position in 2009-10. This ratio does not necessarily mean the investor will receive less because the fluctuations in share prices paid by each investor may differ greatly, especially in this three year period where the decline was drastic in 2008. However, upon analysis by a potential investor, it may indicate that at the end of 2008s financial year, Burger King looks to provide slightly better earnings per share relative to the price paid. However this is not rigid, prices fluctuate by the hour and do not always resemble financial performance. Non-Financial Analysis It is also important to factor in a variety of non-financial measures of performance in order to help us to assess the position of these companies. This may help to explain why one company is experiencing success over another. The fast food industry in the world is extremely competitive and so a number of different performance measures ¼Ã…’ which are thought to be relative to the industry have been used. Global operations McDonalds concentrate on globalization, sometimes referred to as the McDonaldization of society. The Economist newspaper uses the Big Mac index to describe the McDonalds globalization. McDonalds was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. McDonalds wants to open a large number of drive-through stores in the world. McDonalds make a deal with the French fine arts museum, the Louvre, to open a McDonalds restaurant and McCafà © on its premises, in November 2009. Burger King was successful in the US and then it brought Chicken burger to Europe. Consumers are urged to cheat on beef, with the message that Burger King announces can offer more than just beef burgers. The creative marketing is likely to engage consumers, while chicken may appeal to more health to customers. To assist in its global expansion, Burger King has established several subsidiaries to develop partnerships and alliances to expand into new areas. In Europe, Burger Kings subsidiary Burger King Europe GmbH is responsible for the licensing and development of BK franchises in the that market. At the end of 2010 year, Burger King is the second largest hamburger fast food company, which the first one is McDonalds (32,400 locations) and the fourth largest fast food restaurant chain overall after Yum!(37,000 locations), McDonalds and Subway (32,000 locations). Success of Branding and Advertising im lovin it is an McDonalds Corporations slogan. It was created by Heye Partner. The English part of the campaign was launched in the UK in 2003. With the music of Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora (Mona Davis Music) and vocals by Justin Timberlake is famous all over the world. In Spring 2008, McDonalds published their new image and slogan: What were made of. This was to promote how McDonalds products are made. Packaging was tweaked a little to feature this new slogan. In Fall 2008, McDonalds started new packaging, eliminating the previous design stated above with inspirational messages, the im lovin it slogan. McDonalds also updated their menu boards with darker, yet warmer colors, more realistic photos of the products featured on plates and the drinks in glasses. In 2009, McDonalds expects to have all of this nationwide. As to Burger King, Golden Age of Burger King advertising was during the 1970s when it introduced its Magical Burger King. And then several well-known and parodied slogans appear. In 2003, Burger King published new advertising with the hiring of the Miami-based advertising agency of Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B). They have reorganized Burger Kings advertising with a series of new factors. It centered on a redesigned Magical Burger King character accompanied with a new online presence. A Burger King advertising running in recent weeks declares the Kings gone crazy. It shows the burger chains royal mascot running through a building and crashing through a plate glass window before being tackled to the ground by men in white coats. The advertising is supposed to trumpet Burger Kings new Burger King Steakhouse XT burger: The kings insane for offerings so much beef for $3.99, said the advertising. Success of Menus McDonalds decision to display nutritional information, including calorie and fat content and also on its product packaging well help restore faith in the brand by empowering customers menu choices. However, the move does not represent a fundamental change to the companys overriding mission. It just provides cheap, flavorsome food, served quickly. McDonalds clearly wants this increased disclosure will restore trust in its products. Indeed, data monitor research shows that transparency is clearly needed: 40% of UK consumers are skeptical about health claims made by food manufacturers, compared to 32% who are trusting. McDonalds healthier menu items that have this year helped promote sales in Europe. Consumers will soon be able to read that the Cheese, Ham and Pepperoni Deli Brown Roll contains 616 calories, compared to 493 in a Big Mac, along with almost 10% more fat and more than double the amount of salt. Nonetheless, as the worlds leading fast food company, McDonalds will always per form better. In contrast to other industry players, Burger King has not focused on making its food healthier in the past, believing that the Superfan values taste over health when making food choices. In 2005, for example, the company invested a lot on fast foods to make them less unhealthy, with less salt, sugar and fat, stating it wanted to focus on providing tasty foods. By focusing on taste, Burger King aimed to gain a competitive advantage and achieve a reputation for producing tastier burgers. While this focus on taste is appealing to the Superfan, health is an issue of growing importance to a large sector of society. Therefore, in order to remain competitive, the company has had to respond to this growing demand for healthier foods. Its rivals have already made health changes to their menus and, with this in mind, Burger King has reformulated some of its menu items. Consumers are urged to cheat on beef, Burger King announces that it can offer more than just beef burgers. The creative marke ting is to tall consumers, while chicken is more health. Burger King has announced that it will be provided new hamburger named the Tender crisp Premium Chicken burger in the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark. At the same time, Burger King wants to create new imagine that consumers go to fast food stores looking for health beneficial products, which will makes them feel better about their choice in turn. Market share Burger King has around 7,800 restaurants locally, while McDonalds has whopping 13,000 locations locally. Burger King has approximate 21.9% of the market share, while McDonalds has more than double that, a whopping 44% market share of the fast food industry. Comparatively, McDonalds has been expanding rapidly into the international market; in fact McDonalds has expanded in many third world countries, which include India, China, etc. Although Burger King also has international reach, its nowhere near McDonalds reach. Burger King has managed to expand in only a handful of international markets. Company PotentialMcDonalds SWOT Analysis McDonalds SWOT Analysis Strengths Market-leading position Robust all-round growth Strong brand equity Opportunities Alliance with Warner Home Video Innovations in the Menu Rising Hispanic population in US Strengths McDonalds is the worlds largest foodservice retailing chain. McDonalds serves one of the worlds favorite and most well known menus. The company has shown a strong growth in revenues. Its consolidated revenues have increased at a compounded annual growth rate. All segments of the company have witnessed strong growth. Europe, McDonaldss largest geographical market, saw revenues increase by 14.7%. McDonalds has a well-established brand that appeals to varied age groups and customer profiles. The Business Week magazine has ranked McDonalds as one of the ten most recognized brands in the world, a position that creates significant opportunities for the company. The company makes some of the largest selling fast foods in the world. Weaknesses The company witnessed an operating loss from its non-McDonalds brand restaurant operations. Operating losses from both these segments have lowered McDonalds overall profitability. McDonalds revenue per employee compared quite poorly with the average figures in the foodservice and restaurants industry. This indicates that the companys per employee productivity and profitability is lower than that of its competitors, a disadvantage in a fiercely competitive marketplace. During 2007-2009, McDonalds selling, general and administrative (SGA) expenses for Europe region increased substantially. Increasing SGA expenses in these segments have adversely affected the overall profitability of McDonalds. Opportunities A popular live-action series featuring Ronald McDonald will help further McDonalds popularity, especially amongst children. The company can cash in on this and boost its revenues. McDonalds continues to evolve its menu in order to maintain its leading market position. New products and branded everyday value remain a focus for McDonalds, as the company continues to refresh its offerings with its Euro Saver Menu in several European markets. Threats The company is facing pressures due to an increase in raw material prices. Owing to various import restrictions and higher demand, prices of beef. Further, the prices are expected to remain high during 2010 also. Beef is the major raw material for the companys products. A further hike in beef prices can have a negative impact on companys profitability. Over the past few years there has been a newfound emphasis on healthier eating. With a change in lifestyle, people are becoming more aware of the negative effects of unhealthy eating habits. This has a direct effect on the sales of the fast food chains that are associated with unhealthy food. Consumers are showing increased preference for fat-free and healthy food products. Food items containing trans-fat are losing market share as they are linked to cardiovascular diseases. Some negative publicity could adversely impact the revenues of the company, especially as consumers and government bodies all over the world get more conscious abo ut health effects of fast food. Burger King SWOT Analysis Burger King SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong market position and brand equity signifying customer acceptance Greater franchise mix-an attractive business model Innovative marketing campaigns and advertising to provide greater visibility Opportunities Expansion in existing and new markets-the rate of expansion in 2009 was 28% higher than the prior year Initiatives such as remodeling and usage if Bluetooth to enhance operational efficiency Positive outlook for quick service restaurant segment Strengths Burger King enjoys a strong market position with 11,925 restaurants operating in 73 countries and US territories. It is the worlds second-largest FFHR chain as measured by the total number of restaurants and system-wide sales. Additionally, BKCs Burger King and Whopper brands are two of the most widely recognized consumer brands in the world. Overall, the companys established brand image has enabled it to penetrate various global markets. The company leverages its strong market position to gain economies of scale and increase its bargaining power. BKC utilizes innovative marketing, advertising and sponsorships to drive sales and generate restaurant traffic. Strong and innovative marketing efforts will provide better visibility to the company, which will in turn have an impact on the revenue generating capacity of the company. Weaknesses Declining comparable sales growth-2009 recorded the lowest rate in three years BKC recorded a decline in its comparable sales growth in the recent past. Despite positive comparable sales growth across all reportable segments during 2009, comparable sales for the period were negatively impacted by significant traffic declines during the third and fourth quarters across many of the markets in which BKC operates. This was primarily driven by the continued adverse macroeconomic conditions, including higher unemployment, more customers eating at home, heavy discounting by other restaurant chains and the H1N1 flu pandemic. Declining comparable sales growth indicates the necessity of the management to focus on various product offerings that caters to the value conscious customers during times of poor economic conditions. Concentrated operations in terms of geographic presence and dependence on selected distributors-increases business risks. Opportunities Expansion in existing and new markets-the rate of expansion in 2009 was 28% higher than the prior year. Burger King is focusing on expanding its presence in existing and new markets. Expanding presence in existing and new markets will allow the company to establish a global footprint and favorably impact its revenue generating capacity. Initiatives such as remodeling and usage of Bluetooth enhance operational efficiency. Threats The fast food industry is intensely competitive and Burger King competes with many well-established food service companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. As the restaurant industry has few barriers to entry, the company competes with large competitor base including restaurant chains and individual restaurants that range from independent local operators to well-capitalized national and international restaurant companies. McDonalds and Wendys are BKCs principal competitors. The company also competes against regional hamburger restaurant chains. The company also competes against national food service businesses offering alternative menus, such as Subway, PaPa Jones and Pizza Hut. Some of the Burger King competitors have greater financial, non-financial and other resources, which may help them to react to changes in pricing, marketing and other segment in general better than Burger King. Investor Potential This section will examine the attractiveness of investment into McDonalds and Burger King. The following two graphs show the variations in each companys share price over the three financial periods looked at throughout this reports. Both companies graphs are taken from Yahoo! Finance as this website showed the fluctuations during the three years that the financial analysis was conducted, allowing the share price to be compared to the businesses financial success. Share prices vary depending on how a company is performing; with more investors buying shares when they think the company is about to experience success. Success leads share prices to rise, due to the laws of supply and demand. McDonalds share price This graph shows that McDonalds experienced an overall increase in share price during 2006 to 2010. This could be due to the success of the McDonalds strategies, suggesting that the company has adopted a successful growth strategy and encouraging people to invest. Burger King share price Burger King have seen a steady drop in their share price relative to their drop in net profit in 2007-08, which could lead investors to become less attracted to the company. However, Burger King does have quite a strong growth strategy