An Incident That Changed My Life Essay

I admire a lot of people but the person I admire the most is my sister Rufaro .She has come to be the most important person in my life. There is no reason for me to live without her by my side. Rufaro is a nurse. She loves to help other because she says it was always her dream ever since she was a child. She works hard and she likes to learn something new every day. She leads a wonderful family life; she is always cheerful and happy. My sister has now been married for about 5 years and is a great mother to all her three children .She takes care of her family and still manages to find time for us. I just do not know where she gets that strength from. I admire her because she is very intelligent, ambitious and she has many goals in her life. My sister has a great enthusiasm about life that it becomes infectious when she is around other people .She also is a wonderful counselor and friend, very patient, sensitive and warm-hearted. She knows answers to almost every question, even those very silly ones. She is wise, patient and, sensible; she even helps others to solve their problems. She is also great fun to be with as she has a great sense of humor. Believe me; everybody who knows her says that about her. Even though Rufaro is younger than me in age, she is very important to me, because she teaches me to be a better person every day. She is an example to me and I love her for many more reasons. She always wants the best for our family .I wish everybody could have a person like Rufaro in their lives. Read more:Â  Essay About A Book That Changed My Life

Religion: And How it Has Changed My Life Essay

After thinking about it, I thought Wicca hasn’t really changed my life that much, at least not in concrete ways. I’ve always loved the Earth and thought of it as being beautiful and precious. I’ve always been fascinated at the beauty and mystery of the Moon and the starry sky. I’ve always found Nature to be healing in an all inclusive way that encompasses the physical, mental and spiritual realms. I’ve always believed that our minds have the power to accomplish amazing things. I’ve always thought that there is much more to this Universe than what we can see with our eyes and grasp with our minds. I rejected my family’s religion, Christianity, because despite many claims of it being filled with peace and love, I found their holy book to be filled with persecution and cruelty. I was certain that no single culture had a direct-line to the Divine, that there was no â€Å"One Truth†. I became interested in natural remedies. I celebrated the seasons in my own simple manner. In many ways, I am as I always was, and yet discovering Paganism has brought major changes to my life. When I realized that there was an actual religion whose beliefs so closely matched my own, I was filled with happiness and enthusiasm. I literally spent about a year and a half utterly consumed in learning all I could get my hands on: the lore, mythology, magick and ritual. It was fascinating, and all my spare time was devoted to gathering knowledge and attempting to incorporate what seemed true into my life. I know that I will always be learning and growing in my chosen philosophy, but it is more subtle now. I know the â€Å"basics† at a basic level. I am branching out, studying mythology to an even greater depth, using meditation and divination to know myself with ever greater understanding. I am certain that each individual’s path will be unique, but I consider Wicca to be a path more concerned with who I truly am and how I connect with this Universe. These are wonderful concepts to ponder, but how has Wicca actually affected my daily life? As I thought about the question I realized that it has affected me in subtle but myriad ways. It has become a deeply intertwined part of my life. I think it affects every aspect of my day to day existence. The small rituals, that are such a part of my daily routine now, enhance my  life and make it more more meaningful and fulfilling. When I wake in the morning I step outside and greet the Sun. I feel a moment of thanks for its warmth and life-giving rays. I read a poem or a meditation about a Goddess/God. My evening routine is similar. I go out and welcome the Night, the Moon and the Stars. I acknowledge the mystery and magic that I find intrinsic in their beauty. I try to spend as much time as possible out in Nature because I realize that such time is necessary for me. I light candles and whisper heartfelt thanks and love to my Goddess and God. But these actions, while important and meaningful to me, are things I’ve added to my life as a form of worship. How has Paganism changed my everyday, mundane existence? As I mentioned earlier, I did not have much respect for Christianity when I was younger. Learning about many different religions has helped me to realize that Christianity can be a satisfying and fulfilling path for many people. It is only in the hands of extremists that it can become a path of hatred–just as with any other religion. Wicca has helped me to be tolerant of other people’s spirituality as long as they aren’t spewing prejudice and hatred for any other religion besides their own. This didn’t happen overnight. At first I was indignant about Christianity’s attempt to destroy Paganism, the cruelty of the â€Å"Burning Times† and the intolerance that some modern day Christians show toward other spiritual paths. As I read and learned and pondered the issues, I realized that even Christianity, with its horrible history and its modern day fanatics, is a valid and rewarding path for most of its adherents. For most it is a path of love and peace. I never was too concerned about keeping my room â€Å"spotless†. I’m a bit of a pack rat, and things tend to pile up. I’m also a procrastinator, it’s easy for me to put things off until I’m in the mood to do them. Now I try to keep it less cluttered and more organized. This is a direct result of Wicca, because I don’t want negativity to gain a foothold in my home. I realize that messiness can affect the feeling of my home if only in subtle ways. I’m far from perfect, but much better than I used to be and improving with time. I often had a terrible time making decisions, especially important ones,  sometimes agonizing for days or even weeks over which choice to make. Now I’ve learned several different types of divination. These help me to know my own mind and make the best decision I can without second guessing myself or wondering if I should have chosen a different route. I hardly ever prayed before becoming Wiccan. I connected it with Christianity. Now prayer has become an important part of my life. This was something I didn’t plan. It just developed naturally. Prayer gives me peace of mind at times, gives me an instantaneous response to stressors and lets me have a spontaneous and intimate relationship with Divinity. I have always written poetry. I have become more prolific. Even if my words are only beautiful and meaningful to me, poetry adds a glorious dimension to my life. It is an amazing experience to begin writing and have the words flow onto the paper without any struggle, to realize that, in some very special moments, it is as if you are a conduit to Divinity and the words are a direct connection with God/Goddess. While I don’t believe anyone can know for certain what happens after death, I have accepted reincarnation as my personal philosophy. It just makes sense to me, and it gives me comfort and peace when I am faced with the death of others or my own mortality. I have become more calm and serene. I don’t let things bother me as much as I used to. I live more in the moment now than in worrying about the past or the future. I feel an even greater sense of gratitude for my life, the blessings that I have and the beauty and wonder of this amazing Universe. Meditation has given me much benefit, but the whole philosophy of life, that I’ve embraced in the past few years, gives my existence a deeper meaning and makes sense of things that I couldn’t understand before. I have learned spellcraft and use it to improve my life. I believe that much, of the changes that magick makes, is within ones self. It gives me a confidence and a surety that affects my whole life. I believe that to make outward changes, a person must first change their inner self. That is what  magick is to me, the ability to change myself for the better, to live in harmony with those that I love and the natural world around me. It also lets me communicate my desires to the Universe, and if it be for the greater good, I know my wishes will be granted. Perhaps in a way I hadn’t anticipated, but granted nonetheless. Of course I realize I must do the mundane work, and I never ask for more than I truly need. I am not as shy as I used to be. I love writing, but just about 5 years ago, I would have been too reticent to submit my thoughts in this essay or any other something that other eyes might see. I’m in the process of created my own website, I have been for about 2 years. This was a gigantic step for me, but I felt an almost overwhelming urge to honor my Goddess and God in this way. I joined a Pagan message board about two years ago. That was another huge step for me. It took me several months of â€Å"lurking† to get up enough courage to join, but I wanted to be a part of a community of like minded people and join in on those discussions that I found so interesting. This would have been impossible for me without all the small steps I’ve taken in the last few years. You could say that most of these things would have developed anyway as I gain the experience and wisdom that comes from living more than seventeen years. That may be true, but then again it might not. I know others my age who are torn by angst, whose lives seem filled with a steady stream of problems, who are anxious and unhappy and ever searching for what will bring them contentment and fulfillment. Perhaps it’s a matter of personality or temperament. I really don’t know, but I do know that Wicca has been a catalyst for changes that have greatly improved my personal life. My spirituality gives me a satisfaction that I searched for and couldn’t find for a long time. Wicca is an intrinsic part of me now. It affects my every waking moment perhaps not consciously, but at a deeper, more profound level. Wicca answers an abiding need deep within the very core of my being. Because I have accepted and embraced its philosophy, my entire life has been affected. I am a totally different person than I was 7 or 8 years ago, yet I  am the same in many ways. I know that’s a contradiction, but I know that it’s true also. We all change subtly with the passing of time. Hopefully we change for the better. Wicca has changed my life in both great and small ways. I believe I am a better person for it.

Material prices influence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Material prices influence - Research Paper Example Question 2 a) Monthly profit position for each of L Ltd and M Ltd if the sales of L Ltd : i. at their present level Particulars M L Selling prices 9 20 Sales in litres 750000 250000 Sales in drums 30000 10000 Total sales 270000 200000 Raw materials - 9 Other cost 5 3 Total VC for a month 150000 120000 Fixed costs 60000 40000 total cost 210000 160000 Profit 60000 40000 Assumptions 1. 1 drum = 25 litres 2. Current production capacity of L ltd if 1000 kilolitres p.m 3. Current production level of L ltd is 75% 4. Production and sales are same, no stock in hand (ii) at their higher potential level indicated by the market research, subject to a cut in price of 20%. Particulars M L Selling prices 9 16 Sales in litres 750000 450000 Sales in drums 30000 18000 Total sales 270000 288000 Raw materials - 9 Other cost 5 3 Total VC for a month 150000 216000 Fixed costs 60000 40000 Total cost 210000 256000 Profit 60000 32000 b) i. Difficulties when the market prices are used as transfer price produces underthe conditions outlined in (a) (ii) above. When the market prices are used as the transfer prices, it is disadvantageous for L ltd. This is because, it is planning to reduce its selling price by 20%, thereby increasing its sales by 80%. If this reduction in selling prices happens, then the profits enjoyed by L Ltd decreases even though there is an increase in sales by 80 %. The raw material prices are same for L ltd. There is no decrease in the raw materials which is purchased from M Ltd. As the production increases for L ltd, the raw material consumption also increases and which should bring down the raw materials cost down. The raw materials cost charged by M ltd, is based on the market price and hence, it does not benefit L Ltd. (ii) Factors to be...This is because, it is planning to reduce its selling price by 20%, thereby increasing its sales by 80%. If this reduction in selling prices happens, then the profits enjoyed by L Ltd decreases even though there is an increase in sales by 80 %. The raw material prices are same for L ltd. There is no decrease in the raw materials which is purchased from M Ltd. As the production increases for L ltd, the raw material consumption also increases and which should bring down the raw materials cost down. The raw materials cost charged by M ltd, is based on the market price and hence, it does not benefit L Ltd. As an accountant, I would consider the dual approach to fix the transfer prices. M ltd is currently selling for two parties, one L Ltd and other external parties. For L Ltd, the transfer price can be based on full cost approach and for the external customers, it can be based on the market prices. The actual cost of production should be estimated, including the research and development cost and other costs that are traceable to the division. A full cost absorption approach can be adopted to overcome these kind of problems.

The principle of party autonomy and the applicable law are playing Assignment

The principle of party autonomy and the applicable law are playing different but interrelated roles in international commercial arbitration. Critically evaluate this Statement - Assignment Example However, this tradition today fails to hold any weight given the numerous contradictions arising from facts. The most prominent facts arise from the European Commission law’s goal of establishing an integrated market within the European territory. The aim was to have goods move freely between member states as a way of facilitating production efficiency through allowing direct competition amongst producers in the member states. Such an economic angle totally or partially makes the private law of any nation irrelevant. In addition, a nation’s legal rule for the members are subject to internal market edification provided they belong to any branch of the summa division between public and private rules. However, the edification of an integrated European market within the European territory is contradicted by the diversity of legal systems in different nations that affect the costs of selling within their national public law rules and selling to other member states. The resul t of such alterations is conflict of laws, and with this realization, today’s scholarly writing recognize and focuses mandatory international laws absent in case laws, international conventions, and national statutes. Through mandatory international laws in resolution of conflict, there is no requirement to apply courts to any given disputes provided conflicts fall within such scope and without dictating the application of a foreign governing law. However, regardless of the emphasis on the purpose of forum rules in conflict of laws, the result is the weakening of their status due to widening opportunities for evasion by private operators. This weakened status of forum laws in conflict of laws is due to competition between legal systems that comes as a by-product of national market interconnectedness and cross-border trade liberalization and augmented function of party autonomy that accompany them (Muir-Watt & Brozolo, 2004). Consequently, the capacity of participants in

Brazil economic overview and solar power in Brazil Essay

Brazil economic overview and solar power in Brazil - Essay Example In 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and two ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt (Brazil Economy – overview, 2012). Along with India, China, Russia and South Africa; Brazil is one of the prominent members of BRICS countries. BRICS countries are the most rapidly developing regions in this world at present. While majority of the Latin American countries and America like wealthy countries struggling to develop properly, Brazil is developing rapidly. The injuries of 2007-2008 recessions have not affected Brazil very much. â€Å"In 2010, consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth reached 7.5%, the highest growth rate in the past 25 years† (Brazil Economy – overview, 2012). Even though the economic growth in Brazil has been slowed down a bit in 2011, the forecasts for 2012 and coming years are bright. â€Å"Despite slower growth in 2011, Brazil overtook the United Kingdom as the world's seventh largest economy in terms o f GDP. Urban unemployment is at the historic low of 4.7% (December 2011)† (Brazil Economy – overview, 2012). Social â€Å"The richest 10% of people in Brazil have access to over 40% of the country’s income. On the other hand, the poorest 10% receive about 1% of the income† (Brazilian Social Issues, 2011). The gap between the rich and poor in Brazilian society is extremely huge compared to that in many other countries. One of the most challenging problems facing by Brazil at present is the reduction of this gap. The living conditions of the rich people are advancing rapidly whereas poor people are still struggling to attain the benefit of economic growth in Brazil. Poverty, unemployment and other problems are still prominent in Brazil despite the huge economic growth. It is evident...This paper is the best example of PESTEL analysis of Brazil. There is also a strong analysis of current state of solar power industry development in Brazil provided in the pape r. Brazil is a federal presidential representative democratic republic, in which the president holds supreme power of the country as well as the government just like America. Even though multiparty system exists in Brazil, its democracy is different from other democratic systems Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries, and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets The gap between the rich and poor in Brazilian society is huge compared to that in many other countries. One of the most challenging problems faced by Brazil is the reduction of this gap. The technological developments in Brazil are not so much attractive. Indigenously developed technologies are less in Brazil compared to other emerging countries The rapid development of a country often brings many environmental challenges Deforestation, acid rain, endangered species, air pollution, waste disposal, etc are some of the major environmental problems facing by Brazil. Brazil is a federative republic, constituting an indissoluble union of States, Municipalities, and the Federal District. The Brazilian legal system is codified. In 2012, the Brazilian National Agency of Electrical Energy approved the most important piece of new legislation for the solar industry in the country to date. Net metering for solar systems up to 1MW was introduced and utilities were granted an 80% reduction in distribution taxes for power generated by solar plants up to 30MW in size

Annotated Bibliography-Sheila Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Annotated Bibliography-Sheila - Coursework Example Previous studies offered archivists as to the benefits of the cycle by the use of computers. Literature review consisted of other studies and archival theories that provide in-depth analysis to the study. Principal methods of research included case studies and observations that were common to other researchers. It is important to realize how advanced technology has changed the world of archives making records accurate. Duranti, L. (2010). Concepts and principles for the management of electronic records, or records management theory is archival diplomatics. Records Management Journal, 20(1), 78-95. doi:10.1108/09565691011039852 The article is published by Emerald Publishing group limited. It tries to examine the problems that are posed by electronic records as their authenticity is not guaranteed. The data recorded might not be consistent to provide analysis hence promoting further learning. The literature is not in consensus to the study since research proves otherwise given that electronic records cannot be trusted. However, it provides a complete analysis of the topic that provides good understanding of the reading. The methods of research was by use of studies from different fields to establish the reliability of electronic records which has been used by previous studies. It is significant though that technology is developed to be efficient which, in this case, proves otherwise. This is a book by Frank that was published by Chicago. It provides for the holistically cycles of the health records such as networks, emails and whatever technology that suits data records. The provisions contained does not recommend for other studies. The reviews nonetheless did not exist on the paper; hence no in-depth analysis could be established. The gaps conversely existed as to what records could be applied to the health facilities. The methods of research were samples of various data tools and their relevance to the health systems. It also used case studies

Change of Management - OH&S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Change of Management - OH&S - Essay Example In the entire process, stakeholders and those affected by change normally have to absorb the simple elements that define and make up the change process. As a result, time, effort and resources are required in order to make the process of change adoption more smooth and possible. Moreover, change is complex, which requires planning, organization, and implementation. Throughout the entire process of change, communication remains the critical aspect that glues the entire process of change. The concept of change as it is applicable in the organization has two major components; that of organizational change itself, and the change of people within the environment where people affected with change are perceived to be crucial to the success of change process. The understanding here is that successful application of change management should integrate the people within the organization and more so the entire process need to be inline with the values of the corporation or organization involved. The University’s Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management (OHSRM) system was established in 2002, in consultation with academic and administrative groups, as a practical mechanism to assist managers and staff at all levels to systematically manage OHS risks in their work areas. It is a key element in promoting the health, safety and well being of staff, students and visitors, and enabling compliance with NSW OHS legislation. As part of the OHSRM, an OHS Audit was undertaken in late 2010. The Faculty of Health Sciences which currently employs approximately 350 staff and educates 5,500 students, scored 20%, the lowest Faculty score within the University. The Faculty will be re audited in November 2011 and it is expected to achieve a minimum of 70%. The survey results portrayed an initial diagnosis of staff being unaware of safety procedures, evacuation plans, who to report incidents and hazards to. However, it was unknown if this was all staff or only

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example The advertisement depicts an attractive toddler who is smiling in ecstasy to the adoring grin of a well-groomed mother. The well-placed image of a soda bottle is pointing in the direction of the child, along with specific messages about the inherent benefits of soda products. The most prominent message serves as a banner at the top of the ad, stating â€Å"for a better start in life, start cola earlier!†. As the middle-class homemaker was the primary child caregiver and shopping decision-maker in most households, the ad effectively gained desired market attention. The advertisement utilizes ethos, an appeal that is based on credibility, reputation or expert appeal. There is a block of text below the picture of the two actors that describes tangible laboratory research findings on early-aged soda consumption. The promotional message is attempting to illustrate that the claims being made can be founded on legitimate professional studies, which gives the product more influence in convincing the buyer that soda is a quality choice for early youth consumption. This ad also uses logos in its appeals, which is a petition based on logic and reasoning. One of the messages next to the soda bottle is â€Å"gives body essential sugars!†, which is a logic statement that also makes the potential buyer consider the legitimate benefits of the product. This is likely done in the event that other promotional messages are not necessarily accepted by the target market, thus a statement of the rational benefits of the product serves to support lucid and sensible decision-making. The ad further utilizes ethos in the advertisement, accomplished significantly well. The ad makes the claim that the aforementioned laboratory studies indicated that youths who start drinking cola very early in life gain better social acceptance. Because during this period, teens and pre-teens often frequented soda shops, it was

Strategic Analysis of Amazon.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Analysis of Amazon.com - Essay Example Amazon.com is an on-line retail company established in 1994 by Jeff Bezos and based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. The company, ranked 273 last year amongst Fortune 500 companies in America, began as a seller of books through the Internet but has grown into what is essentially a technology and logistics business enterprise, selling services such as Web hosting and supply chain management, and brand new and used products purchased from distributors, manufacturers, and publishers. The company operates seven retail Web sites, two search and navigation sites, and a movie database site (Amazon.com, 2006a). As of December 13, 2006 the company had annual revenues of $9.7 billion, EBITDA of $567 million, net income of $292 million, and some 12,000 employees worldwide. Table 1 shows a summary of how NASDAQ-listed Amazon.com compares with its competitors in the Internet Software and Services such as e-Bay and Barnes and Noble (Yahoo.com, 2006). Amongst the various manners of conducting a strategic analysis, this paper will focus on popular techniques such as SWOT (Ansoff, 1965; Chandler, 1962), PESTEL (Andrews, 1987), and Porter’s Five Forces model and Generic Strategies (Porter, 1980 and 1985). SWOT-PESTEL For this first part, we combine the SWOT-PESTEL approach. The SWOT analysis is so-called because of the acronym of four factors required for assessing the organisation’s internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats) environments. The PESTEL analysis considers six environmental factors that affect the enterprise and its business: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal. The strengths of Amazon.com are its customer-centred focus, the quality of its technology infrastructure, supply chain management experience, its brand name, and its huge database of global customers. Amongst its major weaknesses are product innovation (it sells for others), technology infrastructure utilisation, and a sagging stock price (down 22.3% in the last year) that opens it to takeover risk from other Internet (e-Bay and Google) or software (Microsoft) giants. The more important opportunities are the growth of on-line shopping and the need to innovate products and services to continue growing sales to generating higher margins and profits. These would address the threat from an increasing number of competitors that are eating into the business activity (on-line shopping) it used to dominate. The following PESTEL factors affect the industry and Amazon.com: Political: American legislation on taxation of on-line transactions threatens to reduce usage and margins. Economic: Slowdown in consumer spending in countries with high Internet penetration would drag down profits and margins. Retail giants (Wal-Mart and Tesco) would compete with Internet service providers. Social: Potential backlash from Internet users and competing brick-and-mortar retail shops that discover the anti-social effects of on-line transactions. Technological: Web 2.0 Internet technology is deemed to have a different set of users and protocols that may attract new upstart dotcoms as competitors. The fast obsolescence of the company's technology needs to be utilised and depreciated quickly. Security concerns of on-line transactions remain. Environmental: Server farms are ugly and consume huge amounts of energy. Legal: The risk of identity theft opens Internet companies to

The US has gone through several keyboom and bust cycles since the Essay

The US has gone through several keyboom and bust cycles since the Civil War - Essay Example There was also the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania, and coal in the Appalachian Mountains. In 1873, there was a recession causing the collapse of the New York Stock market. This recession lasted until 1897. The next period is the progressive era of the 1890 to 1920. This period saw the emergence of a powerful middle class who advocated for the regulation of the American business environment. Due to their efforts, the American congress passed the Sherman antitrust act. This law was meant to prevent large business organizations from controlling a particular industry. It was passed in 1890. In 1912, President Woodrow Wilson introduced the income tax system. It is during this period that saw the creation of the Federal Reserve2. The role of this organization was to regulate the monetary system in America. There was the growth of the American economy between the periods of 1920-1929. This point in time is called the Roaring twenties. It is during this period that the automobile industry grew, and there was a reduction in taxes. The oil industry grew, as well as the glass industry. As a result, millions of people were employed in these industries. However, between 1921 to 1941, the economy of the state came under recession. This period is referred to as the Great depression. There was a failure in the country’s stock market, and money circulation was low3. Due to an increase in the country’s debts, congress raised the rate of income tax. The periods of 1945 to 1973 saw the rise of the American economy. This period is referred to as the post war period. This period saw the emergence of a well educated workforce, and the maturity of $200 billion war bond. This period saw the emergence of labor unions to advocate for the right of workers. The periods of 1972 to 1992 saw an increase in the capital and operational costs of several sectors of the American economy4. This period is referred to as the deregulation and reagonomics phase. This period saw the enac tment of the airline deregulation act, and the monetary control and the depository institution deregulation act. President Jimmy Carter instituted the 1977 stimulus package for purposes of recovering the economy. In 1980, there was a massive unemployment rate, with over 1.1 million people losing their jobs. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan introduced the concept of reagonomics. This concept led to a reduction of the income tax. The rate of reduction was 25%5. Between the periods of 1990, to the late 2000 is the era of globalization. There was the growth of the American stock market, and an increase to its GDP by 69%. This period was followed by the great depression of 2008 to 2010. This period saw the collapse of the construction industry, and the housing prices6. There was a collapse of leading financial institutions such as the Lehman brothers, and AIG insurance company. To bail out the economy, the American congress passed out over $700 billion. President Obama initiated the 2009 Investment and American recovery act. This law was meant to provide a stimulus of about $ 787 billion to the American economy. In conclusion, this paper identifies seven major boom and bust cycles that America had. These are the gilded age, the progressive era, the roaring twenties, the great depression, the age of deregulation and reagonomics, the period of globalization, and the great depress

A Letter Format About the Advancements Essay Example for Free

A Letter Format About the Advancements Essay Dear Mr. Darwin, I am writing this letter to inform you of the current status of the finches you were so fascinated with what has changed since your visit, modern theories, and all of the currently identified species. First and foremost, I would like to tell you that your works and studies on the finches have become the most closely tied to you out of all of your other various studies. Modern-day scientists have become just as intrigued (if not more so) with the drab-colored little birds as you were. They show a great promise in explaining how evolution and natural selection works, and could easily be considered one of the most important scientific discoveries in history. Though the finches have not changed much in and of themselves since your last visit, much has been discovered about them that was not previously known. Although including all such discoveries in this text would be far too time and space consuming, I will inform you of some of the main changes below. Although you originally grouped all of the various types of finches into four genera, many modern-day scientists have decided that there are in fact six different genera: the Geospiza, Camarhynchus, Cactospiza, Platyspiza, Certhidea, and the Pinaroloxias. In addition, scientists have identified 14 species of finches, and there may be more scientists are still discovering things. Below I shall include a chart detailing the species in relation to the genera: Common Name Genus Species Small Ground Finch GeospizaFuliginosa Medium Ground Finch GeospizaFortis Large Ground Finch GeospizaMagnirostris Sharp-beaked Ground Finch GeospizaDifficilis Cactus Ground Finch GeospizaScandens Large Cactus Ground Finch GeospizaConirostris Small Tree FinchCamarhynchusParvulus Medium Tree FinchCamarhynchusPauper Large Tree FinchCamarhynchusPsittacula Woodpecker FinchCactospizaPallidus Mangrove Finch Cactospiza Heliobates Vegetarian FinchPlatyspizaCrassirostris Warbler Finch CerthideaOlivacea Cocos Island FinchPinaroloxiasInornata Although the above list is quite detailed, it doesnt include all of the various finches many are slightly different from the above species, but not so different as to count as a separate species. Many finches have similar coloration but slightly posses different beaks, or vice versa. It should also be noted that the above list only includes the finches discovered thus so far. There could very well be more finches that modern scientists are unaware of. The new species and genera are all new discoveries, and it is not certain whether or not they are newly evolved since your visit or simply hadnt been found by you. Either way, their discovery has helped the scientific world immensely in its attempt to understand evolution and natural selection. To draw a conclusion to this letter, I must once again congratulate you on your efforts all those many years ago they have helped to shape modern science, and have provided us with a greater understanding of the workings of the world. The world is indebted to you.

HR Challenges In Companies International Expansion

HR Challenges In Companies International Expansion Nowadays with the companies increase pace to expand internationally, seeking new markets and chances, HR managers face different problems and challenges in human resources department. Knowing that it is more difficult to manage employees abroad, than if employees were in the home base. The growth of companies internationally determines new assignment and tasks and there is a need to successfully manage this for the benefit of both the firm and the individuals. This research study observes the change from domestic to international HR management, which examines issues of culture, contracts, agreements, recruitment process, and remuneration in companys expansion to other countries. All the same, the paper discusses suggestions for HR managers, which involve cultural research, and the functions of selection, training, performance management and remuneration. In this new era of globalisation, international human resource management is becoming a vital concept for human resource managers to be able to practice human resources functions, starting to mention, recruitment selection, performance appraisal, compensation benefits, training development and finally employees relations. This is important for human resource managers in multinational corporations and also in domestic based human resource managers who import employees from overseas. To stay updated with the changing world, human resource managers will have to have an international vision of how to manage their individuals successfully both at home and abroad. Managing international human resources allows companies to participate more effectively in the market place, and is a developing tool for its employees. Part 1: Introduction Human Resources Definition These last decades, humanity is witnessing the growth of globalization. Nowadays Human resources is no longer a traditional personnel, and administration, however Human resources role is more strategic that deals with strategic aspect, to make sure that employees contribute effectively and works in parallel with the company direction to achieve the firms goals and objectives. In other words, Human Resources is no longer only involved in paperwork, paying the employees their salaries and providing them with the benefits; yet it plays one of the organizations important role that is through hiring, training developing and most importantly retaining employees for the benefits of both parties. (McNamara, 1999) Gilley define human resources as The people employed by an organization (Gilley, Eggland, Gilley, 2002, p. 5). They define human resource management as the recruitment, selection, retention, development, and utilization of and accommodation to human resources by organizations (Gilley, et al., p. 9). Human Resources refer as well to the policies, systems and employment practices that are common to most firms, which are used first to attract talented people by recruiting and selection, secondly retaining talented people by salary, benefits and employees relations, and finally developing the people by training, development and performance appraisal. Thus, human resources is considered as an organization function, that focus on recruitment, providing career path for the people who work in the firm, and deals with personnel issues such as hiring, compensation benefits, performance appraisal, safety, employees motivation and finally training development. Knowing that Human Resources are no longer a business partner, but a strategic partner more related to the firm strategic goals. I will focus on the challenges that HR managers face while international expansion. How HR manager role differs around the world, and the need of the HR professions to be more familiar with culture awareness, language barriers, social differences and diversity promotion. (Halcrow A, 1998). Nearly every company say it People are our most important assets Human Resources importance and Need in International Companies The Human Resources department is important in all multinational and international companies. Recruiting and selecting is one function completed by HR, and their main responsibility is hiring and retaining companys most important asset that is our PEOPLE. Failure to do so, and lack of strong, motivated and satisfied employees, working in the right place in a firm will leads to hiring the wrong people, high turnover, employees will not do their best in their jobs and having some candidates demotivated. Thus, without good employees, the best business plan and ideas will be unsuccessful. Moreover Human resources take care of all the employees concerns, make sure to solve employees issues immediately and to play the fair judge between the employee and the organization, for both sides advantage. Nevertheless, Human resources guarantee smooth functioning of the operation, good and safe working conditions and ensure that all staff is performing their jobs efficiently and toward the organization goals and objectives. Accordingly, Human Resources Manager evaluates all the employees, reward, takes disciplinary actions or dismissal. Another important role under the human resources umbrella is training and development, and creating career path for all employees, to retain and develop the existing employees, and attract new talented people, in this way the HR will improve the organization reputation and commitment from staff, thus become an employer of choice and reduce turnover. Why Human Resources are important and needed for international expansion? In this world of globalization, and companys expansion to other countries, Human resources are important to be able to adopt new cultures, and take care of all legal requirements as per the new country rules and regulations, as well as managing payroll, and other presented benefits. These new skills create a new role for HR managers, requiring them to be strategic business partner.(Bharti Venkatesh). What could be the HR Challenges in companies International Expansion? Part 2: Analysis of the Organization Through the research study, I am discussing out the HR challenges that companies face while international expansion, and the study that companies have to accomplish from an HR perspective before opening in new markets. I am also investigating on the importance of HR functions in companys international expansion. For this aim to see how HR functions operates in the real life I took the example of Wooden Bakery expansion to KSA. Thanks to my manager, and due to my personal experience in Wooden Bakery human resources department, I had the chance to know in details the challenges the HR department face, while international expansion. Additionally I read lot of articles, books and blogs that I will mention in the end of my research. I will start by a small presentation of Wooden Bakery and then i will go deeper into the challenges of international expansion to KSA. 2.1- Wooden Bakery History Wooden Bakery was founded in Jal El Dib Lebanon in 1969 by Mr. Edward Bou Habib. It was a simple Bakery providing the market with freshly baked quality Bread. In the last decade Wooden Bakery literally revolutionized the bakery industry in Lebanon by setting new standards and upgrading its products and services. Edwards two sons Assaad and Ghassan Bou Habib planned and designed the new concept on paper in 1996. With immense vision and an innovative spirit, Wooden Bakery developed a unique concept gathering Bread (of all kinds), Pastries, Sweets, Sandwiches, Salads and Deli. The first Wooden Bakery Outlet opened at Zalka highway in October 1999. Wooden Bakery launched the first franchised operation in 2002 and expanded to 26 franchised outlets in Lebanon by the end of the year 2012. Wooden Bakery opened the first Master Franchise Operation in Saudi Arabia in July 2009, and currently negotiating the scale of the Master Franchise with a number of companies from the GCC countries. (www.woodenbakery.com) The Concept of Wooden Bakery Factory Wooden Bakery system revolves around a state of the art industrial baking facility. It includes the latest and most advanced machinery and equipment in the baking industry. Human Resources department make sure to hires top Master Bakers, Pastry Chefs, and highly qualified Managers and Quality Controllers to assure the freshest and most consistent products for our markets. The Wooden Bakery factory produces from 100 to 150 tons of flours per day depending on the market need and factory size. Wooden Bakery is the leading supplier of high quality Freshly Baked Arabic Bread in the Lebanese market. The Concept of Wooden Bakery Outlet Wooden Bakery Outlets are designed to service all classes of people in any market around the globe. All Wooden Bakery Outlets are located on Main Road Arteries in Strategic Areas, and considered as a One-Stop-Shop where one can buy Fresh Hot French and Arabic Bread, French, Arabic and American Sweets. The Wooden Bakery Outlets offers all mentioned products at Competitive Prices and offer a warm ambiance through its Unique Design, Clean Safe Environment and Excellent Service for its customers. 2.2- Mission and Vision Mission Statement: Our mission is to push our presence and create a brand in the Bakery Industry by Offering MORE and Delivering BETTER Vision Statement Our vision is to dominate the market by building stores on all main road arteries and major cities and towns in Lebanon and beyond, Our products would be available at ALL grocery stores, supermarkets, catering companies and therefore in every single home in Lebanon. 2.3- Local and Multinational Expansion Wooden Bakery first Outlet opened at Zalka highway in October 1999. The first Wooden Bakery franchised operation launched in 2002 and expanded to 26 franchised outlets in Lebanon by the end of the year 2012. Baabda-Hazmie Mansourieh Bauchrieh Elyssar Awkar Zouk Mikael Zouk Mosbeh Jounieh Jbeil Kfarhbab Amioun Tripoli Zahleh Zalka Jal El Dib Fanar Dekwaneh Chtaura Roumieh Burj Hamoud Sour Zgharta (Soon) Achrafieh (Soon) Chiah (Soon) Naccach (Soon) Bayada(Soon) Wooden Bakery opened the first Master Franchise Operation in Saudi Arabia in July 2009, and currently negotiating the sale of the Master Franchise with a number of companies from the GCC countries. Wooden Bakery KSA Wooden Bakery plan was centred on the key concept that customer satisfaction all over the world is the main goal. It has established and developed its first Master Franchise in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on July 2009. Its successful set up can be measured by how our products and services that we supply meet however surpass the Saudi customers expectations. The Bread Factory Outlet was built on a 10,000 m2 space to house all the production equipment that will supply Bread and Pastry products and Central Kitchen Food Production to a number of outlets along with the wholesale distribution of Wooden Bakery Products. The Store is spread over two levels that house a main showroom with an eating area and a restaurant. Wooden Bakery has received the award for the Fastest Growing Lebanese Company at the prestigious Social Economic Award 2011, instituted by the global communications agency First Protocol to recognize outstanding achievements by organizations in the social and economic sphere. Today, the name of Wooden Bakery not only spells trust and quality, however, it has become a marked proof that a brand can be born, even in the Lebanese bakery industry. Wooden Bakerys expansion in the Lebanese territory has facilitated the achievement of the owners mission, proving that Wooden Bakery is worthy of the award that comes as a natural translation of its ever-expanding drive to Offer More and Deliver Better. 2.4- Wooden Bakery SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Serves all classes of people Big Variety of products (produced and non-produced by WB items) One Stop Shop Mushrooming Franchise (outlets are located on main roads in strategic areas) All outlets have the same image Product differentiation in the PRESTO section sandwiches. Ex. Rustic Bread Customers loyalty Quality (Shelf life limited) Freshness products (core value) Diversity of products (Arabic, French Pastries Viennoiserie charcuterie Arabic Bread) Rank among the top 25 companies in Lebanon Hold high level of market share in Leb. Balance menu (variety, quality, and price) Quality Control Management during process, on final product and in outlets Franchise Support Weaknesses Outlets are rented premises which leads to increase the operating expenses Franchise operated outlets might not have same level of loyalty as the outlets owned by Wooden Bakery Increase in raw materials and labour costs Not every franchised store owner get involved in the PL statement No direct authority High start-up cost Delivery Service Advertising plan to increase sales through brand awareness Family Business Opportunities Market trend turning bakeries into a wider shopping outlets Healthy eating trend Opening new and international markets New inventions for competition Threats Increase in Labour costs put pressure on button line margins Increase in raw materials costs put pressure on gross profit margins Quality of service focus with the presence of competitors in the market Many competitors (bakerys, supermarkets, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Recommended Strategies to decrease the weaknesses and threats Part 3: Methodology and Results 3.1- Describing Human Resources at Wooden Bakery At Wooden Bakery, the human resources department used to work the traditional personnel management tasks, generating payroll and registering employees in NSSF. With the new era of globalisation, Wooden Bakery had to create a new concept and expand more to be able to compete with the market, with this new idea that exceeds only serving the market with bread, Wooden Bakery needed people to make the concept a reality. With more than 500 employees, the company needed a human resources department implanting all human resources functions to be able to succeed with the plan and become more a strategic partner. The Main human resources achievement was shifting from personnel management to human resources management, implementing all human resources functions, and be more involved in Wooden Bakery strategic plan. Human Resources department today mainly concentrates on recruitment, management, and providing directions and guidance for the people who work in Wooden Bakery, and off course hiring the right people in the right places. Human Resources department deals with employees concerns such as compensation, hiring, performance appraisal, employee motivation, safety, benefits, employees relations, and training development. Knowing that no one can evaluate employees better than the direct managers with the help of the HR department, The HR department main goal was to promote a positive atmosphere to be able to expand internationally with an encouraging environment. However, Wooden Bakery HR department make sure that all the employees are effectively contributing to the overall company direction and to accomplish the organization goals and objectives. The administration roles usually played by the Human Resources department are becoming increasingly aligned with the company strategic plan, which in turn is evolving the HR into becoming: Human Resources Management. 3.2- HR Functions in Wooden Bakery 3.2.1- Recruitment and Selection The ability of Wooden Bakery to achieve its objectives of profitable and sustainable growth and high-quality product and service standards depends on the quality of its Human Capital. The recruiting function, which directly affects the quality of Wooden Bakerys human resources, will represent a critical function in the companys development. It is therefore important that a clear recruiting mechanism is established in order to optimize applicant selection, while supporting Wooden Bakerys strategic orientation and values. Proper and professional recruiting is necessary in order to avoid undesirable effects, including: Negative publicity or damage to the companys image Wasted time and effort to interview applicants who do not meet Wooden Bakerys needs Cost incurred in training recruits who should not have passed the recruiting interviews High turnover rates The hiring process in Wooden Bakery includes Recruiting, Processing, Eliminating, Selecting, Rejecting, File Building, Placing, and Orienting. The recruiting process is divided into three phases: Pre-recruiting, Recruiting, and Post-Recruiting. It involves: Posting a job advertisement in appropriate places Evaluating the information provided on each application Screening candidates to determine which ones to interview Verifying references and information Conducting personal interviews Deciding who will be offered the job Orienting the new employee about the organization 3.2.2- Performance appraisal Wooden Bakery faced a problem in its environment, having a negative atmosphere among its employees, almost a good number of its employees have the impact that they are not fairly treated, and based to my research employees have to be motivated to be able to give the best to their job. Wooden Bakery had to promote a positive environment to be able to expand internationally with employees with high morals. Accordingly, Wooden Bakery created a new assessment concept for evaluating employees, 365 Evaluation, that is created to monitor and evaluate the productivity of Wooden Bakery administration and management staff throughout the year. The concept covers three different aspects and tackles employees productivity by looking at: Missions accomplished (Monthly Evaluation) Key performance indicators (KPI) (Quarterly Evaluation) Yearly competency evaluation The purpose of the 365 Evaluation is to: Monitor the productivity of Wooden Bakery administration and management staff throughout the year. Compensate and reward exceptional achievements, and where applicable take disciplinary actions against under-achievers. The benefits to be gained from conducting performance appraisals include: Recognizing accomplishments and reflecting the results through monetary terms (Salary increase, Promotion, Bonus, etc.) Identifying newly acquired competencies Preparing employee development plans Planning improvement where deficiencies are found Goal-setting Communication between supervisors and employees Monthly Evaluation Mission Based Mission based evaluation is a tracking system that records and rates the mission undertaken by Wooden Bakery administration and management staff on Monthly Basis. Title Subtitle Illustration 1-Mission Details Title Missions name Date Duration Date of registering the idea and expected mission duration Owner The employee who created the idea and who is the custodian for its implementation Department Self-explanatory Mission Scope Objectives Scopeis the sum total of all products, services and outcomes needed to make sure that the mission is successfully done. Objectivesare the benefits, outcomes, or performance improvements that are expected to be accomplished by the mission. Authority Structure List of personnel involved and needed for the completion of the mission and the designed authority distribution 2-Mission Program Task Breakdown Breakdown of tasks and assigning a start and a duration for each task Start Duration 3-Mission Kick-off Registration Owner Signature The mission owner has to register the mission with the HR department after it has been noted by the direct supervisor and approved by the concerned VP Direct Supervisor VP (Concerned) Human Resources Manager 4-Mission Evaluation Score for Innovative At the completion of the mission, the owner has to get the formal evaluation of the concerned VP. 3 criteria will be used to evaluate the mission (Innovative, Importance, Impact) Score for Importance Score for Impact 5- Approvals 3 parties and the checking of the Internal Audit department Once rated by the concerned VP, the mission score is registered by the HR in the Mission Tracking System. The internal Audit team is entitled to monitor the proper implementation of the system. Quarterly Evaluation (Productivity Based) The Quarterly Evaluation is a system that measures the productivity of Wooden Bakery administration and management staff by looking at five (5) aspects: Attendance Mission Accomplishment Policy and Procedure Development (creation and implementation of new procedure) Introduction of Improving Ideas (Cost saving ideas Process improving ideas) Productivity Measurement (Vary from one department to another each department will be evaluated by using five indicators) Yearly Evaluation (Competency Based) The Yearly Evaluation is a systematic way of measuring, reviewing and analysing employee performance on a yearly basis and using the information gathered to plan for the employees future with Wooden Bakery. The feedback is used to judge employee effectiveness as well as provide necessary Training and development to improve the employees contributions to the Wooden Bakerys goals. The purpose of the Yearly Evaluation at Wooden Bakery is for the manager or the direct supervisor and the concerned employee to have an open discussion about performance expectations and actual performance. The employees actual level of performance is compared to the estimated level of performance using standards that were developed by the supervisor. This expected level of performance is to be derived from competencies needed to perform the job in the highest level of professionalism. The comparison of actual performance with expectations and standards serves as a basis for recognizing accomplishments and planning for improvement where insufficiencies are found. Performance appraisals may also be utilized in a progressive disciplinary process to resolve continuing poor performance. 3.2.3- Training and development Wooden Bakery encourage growth and career development of its employees by coaching, and helping them to achieve their personal goals, through providing adequate training, encouragement of staff development, and chances for growth. Wooden Bakery training methods include: Orientation training, Orientation training is the process Wooden Bakery use for welcoming a new employee into Wooden Bakery family. New employee orientation, often organized by a meeting with the Human Resources department, that generally contains information about the new job description, the work environment, company culture, company history, the organization chart, tour of department, introduction to colleagues, Wooden Bakery rules and regulations, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ On-the-job-training, on the job training is used in both our branches and factory to teach new employees how to perform job duties. Sometimes training sessions take place in the headquarters and some other times on site. For example, customer service, food safety and hygiene, menu implementation. Conferences and Seminars, Wooden Bakery works on developing its employees skills by sending them to international conferences, Seminars and Workshops. Some of the trainings attended by Wooden Bakery administration employees: RD Technician and RD Manager were sent in 2010 to Las Vegas to attend Baking Industry Trade Fair Production Manager and RD Manager were sent in 2012 to Bulguim to attend Professional training session held by PURATOS Quality Controller Supervisor and RD Supervisor were sent in 2012 to Paris to attend training with Chopin Technologies Maintenance Manager was sent in 2012 to Vienna to attend a conference in ROSENDAHL Company. 3.2.4- Compensation and benefits The term compensation in Wooden Bakery refers to the wages used to reward employees. As for benefits, Wooden Bakery offers paid vacations to its employees. Wooden Bakery wishes to maintain a sense of fairness and equity within the pay structure Grading System. For each position at Wooden Bakery the following will be defined: The Minimum, the Middle, and the Maximum fixed salary range The minimum and maximum of each fixed salary range is selected in line with market realities, and based on external salary surveys of comparable organizations. The parameters used to determine the weight of each job and thus giving an accurate grade based on numerical study: Know How Technical Knowledge Management Extent Human Relations Highest Education Level Problem Solving Reasoning Decision Making Communication Influence on Others Accountability Freedom to Act Magnitude of Action Impact of Decisions Working Conditions Long Working Hours Working during Holidays Extensive Traveling Hazardous Environment and Critical Encounters The grading system at Wooden Bakery offers a clear career path for employees who show potentials to advance within the company hierarchy. Moving horizontally within the same grade is governed by different factors including: Seniority (1.5 years spent in each level) Performance Appraisal Recommendations Acquiring Additional Skills (Experience and Education) Top Management Discression Moving vertically is governed by different factors including: Performance Appraisal Recommendations Acquiring Additional Skills (Experience and Education) Availability of the vacancy 3.2.5- Employees Relations Wooden Bakery promotes a positive atmosphere, and encourages positive relations between employees, to be able to reach the organization goals and objectives. Employees Relations is concerned to prevent and resolve problems involved by employees which arise out of or might affect Wooden Bakery work atmosphere. Wooden Bakery employees relation involves the relation between the employees with each other or their relation with their supervisors. Wooden Bakery concerned supervisors provide advises on how to correct poor performance and employee misconduct. The Company Disciplinary Action is to help and encourage employees to improve, achieve and maintain standards of conduct, attendance and job performance. It also enables management to deal effectively with those employees who do not comply with Wooden Bakery standards of conduct, attendance and performance in the workplace. Employee relations are designed in a manner which is non-discriminatory and which is Fair consistent and effective. It must also be applied in a timely manner and without undue delay. 3.3- What are the differences between Local HR functions and Global HR functions? The below mentioned HR functions will be the same for the HR management operating locally and globally; Recruiting and staffing Training and development Compensation and benefits Employees relations Performance appraisal But when the company operates globally it has to take into consideration additional aspects. (Jayant R Row, 2010) Globalizing the HR functions: After taking into consideration all the above HR functions and the additional global aspects, the HR department have to make sure that the HR policies fit with the new organization country, the HR department have to modify the policies to fit local requirements. 3.4- Human Resources Planning for Global expansion Global expansion is a growth strategy for the future. It is at the heart of Wooden Bakerys development strategy. The owners are constantly striving to raise market share through expansion primarily in the Middle east and subsequently worldwide, in order to win over increasing numbers of customers. Wooden Bakery began seeking out growth and expansion, looking to reach out into new markets through Master Franchising and/or Partnership/Joint Venture. Wooden Bakery planned to expand worldwide after going through a number of challenges and risks that need to be taken into consideration along with is the Human Resources. The human recourse factor refers to the hiring of employees in the foreign markets, and the challenges and risks that come with doing so. Wooden Bakery will always take into consideration the foreign country laws, rules and regulations, which might be far different from our country of origin and which may seem difficult to manage with. One of the differences is the employees contracts in other foreign countries, which define the parameters of an employees job benefits, including vacation time, working hours, salaries, compensation, severance pay, etc. The differences stated earlier will mandate that the total packages offered abroad are tangibly higher than those offered within the Lebanese region. Thus, the existence of all the above variances means that any organization looking to expand internationally will need to do unlimited researches in regards to the foreign markets, since it might affect its operation. Implementing a global business strategy requires having the right people in the right places; it requires specialized leadership skills-managing the work of people with different backgrounds and customs. 3.5- How to prepare from an HR perspective, for international expansion When a company seeks new opportunities and decide to target new markets, and ex

Primark as a Subsidiary of ABF: Expansion Strategy

Primark as a Subsidiary of ABF: Expansion Strategy Primark is a subsidiary company within the Associated British Foods group. ABFs core values are shared taking care of our people, being good neighbours and fostering ethical business relationships along with the groups overriding principles in relation to human rights, employment conditions, business practices, suppliers and other stakeholders. Primarks success is led by a unique combination of fast fashion and lean operations with most based in India and Bangladesh. The first Penneys store opened in Mary Street, Dublin in June 1969 and within a year four more stores were added in the Greater Dublin area. Within a year, four more stores were added all in the Greater Dublin area. In 1971, the first large store outside Dublin was opened in Cork and by the end of that year there were 11 more stores in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland and the numbers of stores increasing to 18 by the end of 1973. In 1984, 5 more stores were added after acquisition from Woolworth. From 1984 to 1994 a further 13 stores were added in the UK and 12 in Ireland, bringing the total to 66 stores 32 in the UK and 34 in Ireland. Primark had a milestone year in 1995 with the development of the UK business following the acquisition of the BHS One-Up discount chain. This led to adding of 16 stores to the UK business in London area. The next major development occurred in 1999 with the acquisition of 11 stores from the Co-Op, including Reading. The Reading property, after much refurbishment, also facilitated the much-needed relocation of the UK buying offices. In 2000, C A retreated from the UK. Primark acquired 11 of their stores which brought store numbers to 108, consisting of 75 in UK and 33 in Ireland (Primark, 2010). A new store opened in Blanchard town, Dublin in 2001 and the numbers of stores was reached a figure of 108. It was followed by two new stores in Glasgow and Birmingham. At the end of 2001, the number of stores had grown to 109 (75 in UK and 34 in Ireland). In 2002, two major stores were opened in Glasgow and Birmingham. In the period of 2004-2005, 14 new stores were opened, and in 2005, six stores were acquired from Allders, three of which opened in 2006. In July 2005, the acquisition of Littlewoods stores by ABF plc which comprised an estate of 120 premises was completed, of which 41 stores were transferred to Primark. With an eye on global markets, Primark decided to go few step further by expanding its stores in Spain in 2006. After successful expansion in Spain, Primark decided to develop its market by entering Netherlands (Rotterdam) in December 2008, May 2009 in Germany (Bremen and Frankfurt) and December 2009 Belgium (Lià ¨ge). Despite the great expansions, internal capabilities to maintain healthy profits and lean operations, Primark, a cut-price clothes retailer, have had some ongoing bad press about their suppliers over the last couple of years including news about the use of child labour to produce their goods (Corporate EYE, 2009). The discount clothing chain beloved of bargain hunters, has been rated the least ethical place to buy clothes in Britain in 2005. Primark scores just 2.5 out of 20 on an ethical index that ranks the leading clothing chains on criteria such as workers rights and whether they do business with oppressive regimes. Mk One and Marks Spencer were ranked second and third worst for ethics by Ethical Consumer magazine (The Independent, 2005) PP protested outside stores in six cities drawing shoppers attention to the true cost of their clothes, collecting hundreds of signatures from shoppers and reaching an even wider audience through the press coverage they generated in 2005. Ethical Consumers criticised the company for not having a code of conduct, selling leather goods and environmentally-damaging PVC products and for operating in an oppressive regime China. According to Ethical Consumer, those people shopping in Primark because the prices are low, they must be aware that they are low for a reason (Ethical Consumer, 2010) Also Panorama puts Primarks claims that it can deliver cheap, fast fashion without breaking ethical guidelines to the test. Posing as industry buyers in India, the programmes reporter Tom Heap and his team find some of Indias poorest people working long, gruelling hours on Primark clothes in slum workshops and refugee camps far away from the Primark approved and inspected factories; breaking promises on child labour, working hours and wages. When presented with the results of the investigation Primark sacked a number of its suppliers and announced it was setting up a childrens foundation. Primark said it was unaware of the actions of its suppliers. They say they represent a tiny proportion of their supply chain and that its reinforcing its stringent ethical standards in meetings with suppliers (BBC, 2005) Companies often say that they are responsible but failing to recognize the real meaning and need of being ethical can affect a business in many ways. It is very important for businesses to operate in such a manner that if wont affects their reputation. This was the case with Primark who clearly failed to tackle the ethical issues well and ended up in the position of being the least ethical. Its ignorance of the interests of society led to many unsatisfied customers protesting against them. As corporate social responsibility refers to the moral obligations placed on organisations to act in ways which protect and improve the interests of the communities with which they interact and this may be in respect of local, regional, national or international communities, and relates both to social institutions and culture, and the physical environment, Watkinson Report (1973) has summed the essence of social responsibility as followed: A company should behave like a good citizen in business. The law does not (and cannot) contain or prescribe the whole duty of a citizen. A good citizen takes account of the interests of others besides him and tries to exercise an informal and imaginative ethical judgment in deciding what he should or should not do. This, it is suggested, is how companies should seek to behave. (Watkinson, 1973) Although the above statement seems quite reasonable, there is considerable debate about the extent to which organisations should respond and take on, to some extent, these kinds of responsibility. We can say that most organisations have accepted that they should, where resources permit, acknowledge at least some degree of responsibility above and beyond the law in respect of the concerns of society. Companies are, therefore, increasingly developing strategies to put this into effect, and in parallel, also developing strategies to enhance their reputation and using their socially responsible actions to build their image. Some of the main strategies for implementing social responsibility by companies are: Environmentally-Conscious Green Working Practices and Outputs with putting concern about the environment into practice means adopting policy and procedures that conserve and replenish resources, through such actions as: Ethical purchasing policies, Recycling waste products and using recycled products, Reducing the amount of physical resources used where they are not directly connected to the production process, or necessary within that (e.g. avoiding excessive packaging) and Energy conservation policies (GreenWorking, 2010) Social Accounting and Social Audit in order to assess how well an organisation is meeting its obligations to the society in which it operates, it has been suggested that it should compile a social balance sheet. This interesting idea reverses many of the points of classical accounting: for example, in terms of profit and loss, taxes paid by the organisation are treated as revenue (because they accrue to society) whereas fees and payments to the organisation are treated as costs (because they are paid by society). Society is seen as evaluating what it puts into the company and what it gets out of it. Social audit draws attention to the fact that a firms gain can sometimes be a loss to society (ASAN, 2009). Support for Community Projects using the term community to refer to the constituency served by the organisation: local, regional, national, international. Organisations support a wide variety of non-profit-making projects, such as theatre groups, concerts, sporting events. Ethical Outsourcing refers to the way in which operations are outsourced and the commitments made, and action taken, about the treatment of workers in outsourced operations. Is this particular case, Primark struggled as it failed to show the commitment made towards their suppliers. As in recent years the subject of corporate social responsibility has widened into what is generally referred to as business ethics. Ethics can be defined as moral philosophy which teaches people their duty and the reasons for it. Therefore, it can be said that ethics are principles concerned with interpersonal behaviour. If they are such principles, then: They should be universally applicable; they should provide the standards by means of which the conduct of people can be compared and they can be taught, and thus help to establish generally acceptable standards of conduct. Many business and professional groups, for example in the legal and medical fields, have adopted codes of conduct for their membership which help to establish a standard of acceptable behaviour and these in turn help to further ethical practices. After many draw backs, this is the case with Primark. Primark has developed strong code of conduct and started putting strong focused on ethical trading as they find out soon that the way in which organisations perform their activities within society has an effect both on society in general and on individuals and their values. The question how we can offer good quality fashion at low prices is now answered highlighting their success basing on big volumes, low mark-ups, and minimal advertising. The business responds quickly in the marketplace, and has short lines of management, good buying and excellent distribution. Being firm but fair with their suppliers, and offer terms that compare favourably with those of our competitors is key to their success. In fact, more than 95% of their factories are shared with other brands. Learning from the past, Primark is firmly committed to improving the ethical performance of their business and that of their suppliers and their factories. Primark recognises that as with other retailers, the key challenges in terms of endemic non-compliances remain control of working hours, unauthorised sub-contracting, minimum wages and the definition of a living wage. Working conditions are the most common cause of non-compliance but typically the easiest and quickest to address. The root causes of such poor practice in the supply chain are complex and Primark has a four-fold strategy for supporting compliance with the Code and live up to our ethical standards: supplier selection, auditing, remediation and training (Primark, 2010). Primark also supports many local charitable organisations, community projects, families and individuals across the UK and Ireland throughout the year.    Strategies that firm can Implement Primark has internal capabilities to for growth and analysing its external environment, it is suggested that Primark can invest in growth and further expansion with the focus on market development. The difficulty here lies in deciding which financial aspect to measure, since a companys financial situation represents different things to different people. For example: Shareholders in the company are mainly interested in the returns they receive for the money they have invested in terms of dividends paid and increases in share values. On the other hand, financiers, who have provided funds through loans to the company, are more interested in the risks which these represent as shown by its gearing ratio of debt/equity. Those who are suppliers of goods, services or materials to the company are mostly concerned about its liquidity and its ability to pay for such items in the short term. The companys employees are also interested in its liquidity, as this affects its ability to pay salaries. The Porters Generic Strategy Model including three strategies; cost leader, differentiator or focus/niche where Primark has placed clearly them as cost leader in the market. It has been a success adopting this strategy and therefore to maintain the position as a cost leader is beneficial for Primark. Direction of a strategy can take several different forms such as withdrawal from the market, either full or partial; can be the correct direction to take. Consolidation within a growing market is another strategic option. Market penetration is the third option which means taking advantage of opportunities to increase market share. The ease with which this can be done will depend, as with consolidation, on the current state of the market. If it is a growing market then penetration may be relatively easy, if the market is static it will be much more difficult due to the activities of larger market shareholders. In declining markets the scope for penetration will depend to a large extent on whether or not others are leaving it. Product development is another option and is often carried out by companies in order to cater for changes in consumer demands. Market development is often carried out by companies developing new markets whilst trying to maintain their position in their current market(s). One of the ways market development can be achieved is by companies starting to expanding or engaging in international trade. Diversification is an other direction which companies can take and enter into other products and/or markets, by means of internal or external development. When a company develops beyond its present product and market whilst remaining in the same area, this is described as related diversification. By developing products internally rather than using outside agencies, the company can have the advantage of using skills and knowledge acquired during the development in order to market the product more effectively. Similarly, developing new markets through the use of internal staff helps the sales force to better understand the market. Acquisition is another option. One of the advantages of acquisition as a method of carrying out a strategy is that it enables the company to obtain new products or markets very quickly. In order to test the effectiveness of acquisition Drucker has suggested five simple rules: (i) The acquiring business must consider what value it can add to the acquired business. This may include management, technology, distribution, etc. Finance is necessary but unlikely to be sufficient on its own. (ii) A common core of unity must exist between the businesses in terms of markets, products, technology, etc. This helps to create a common culture or at least sympathy between the two separate ones. (iii) The acquiring companys management must understand the business being acquired. (iv) The acquiring company must put a quality management team quickly into the acquired business. (v) The acquiring business must be able to retain the best management from both businesses. One of the ways that businesses develop is through franchises, where the franchiser is Responsible for setting up an outlet (such as Spudulike or Kwik Print) and for marketing, training, etc., and the franchise holder undertakes specific activities such as selling. Joint ventures are arrangements between organisations which remain independent but have an equal share in the new organisation. In these arrangements the assets are jointly managed but can be separated. These are organisations which are innovative and regularly the first to bring new products into the marketplace. Such a company is likely to be powerful, with a large share in the market and having high resources. It will gain a competitive advantage from being first into the market. However, leaders have to have the necessary strategies to: protect their current market share; encourage existing customers to increase their demand; attract and retain new customers; update the product design/service for its customers; introduce new products to new markets. In order to carry out these strategies, the company needs to adopt a policy of: innovation by always being ahead of its competitors; and fortification by pursuing activities which are aimed at keeping the competition down (ABE/CSP, 2004) It is best suggested that Primark should take more advantage of globalisation and utilise the opportunity to develop new markets for the growth. It can be done by entering more international trading blocks such as European countries or expansion of market through new marketing mix such as improving product distribution by use of internet order and deliver system for customers. Diversification could be a option for the investment and add a sub strategic unit depending on the internal capabilities and external opportunities. However, as Primark has been performing strong in its existing operating business, it would be beneficial to choose a strategy related to market development and keeping the same product. Globalisation and technology As it would be hard to set one definition for globalisation, in generally globalization can be defined as the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Globalisation came to be seen as more than simply a way of doing business, or running financial markets it became a process. From then on the word took on a life of its own. Centuries earlier, in a similar manner, the techniques of industrial manufacturing led to the changes associated with the process of industrialisation, as former country dwellers migrated to the cramped but booming industrial cities to tend the new machines (Guardians, 2010). As the main advantage of can be seen as globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. It also enhances the civil liberties and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit which results in lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations. It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1.5 billion to 1.1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such p eople decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries (The World Bank, 2009). Globalisation has benefits in such a way that more economies and societies can take advantage. It has major effect on world market and it has resulted in many advantages. As the efforts of WTO have been paying hard to reduce barriers between the countries to promote international trade, it has been a major aspect of global economy. Goods and people can be now transferred with more ease and speed rather ten those traditional ways involving heavy documentation. One of the major points to be noted for the developing countries is the settlement of their own countries. It also increases the trade opportunities between the two countries that have dispute and by doing so it leads to avoidance of unnecessary disputes or wars. It also increases free trade between other countries and builds new or stronger relationship between nations. One of the biggest advantages is to be observed in the media sector. Global media connects all the people in the world. Not only the trade but also cultures and traditions have been transferred by people in ti all other countries leading to better understanding of cultures, religions and beliefs of each other. The society is more becoming like a global village. It also increases the interdependence of the nation states. Investment of developed countries in developing ones increases which has resulted from increased liquidity of capital. It also results in more flexibility of corporation of corporations to operate across borders increases. Effects of globalisation includes enhancement in the information flow between geographically locations. It will lead to more competition as well as new product development as the global market will be competing with new innovation which can be animated across the globe. The global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital. It is more likely that companies successful in home countries will expand and take advantage of global market. From consumers point of view, it increases the choice, style and quality of same products as companies compete for the market share which will lead to reduction of prices. It has increased foreign investment, including import/export, joint ventures and foreign direct investment. Production options are also increased for the companies to produce worldwide depending on the suitability for the organisation. Free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits. Global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions easier than before. Globalisation has also led to more innovations for the solution of telecommunication by use of communication satellites, the Internet, and wireless telephones. It has also resulted in the launch of criminal courts and international justice movements. The standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements are increased to protect the rights of the inventor over the whole world. Corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance and therefore, worldwide financial markets have emerged. International travel and tourism has increased and this has led to more cultural diversity. Worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games, Cricket Wold Cup and the FIFA World Cup are held globally in selected countries and it has been easier for spectators to follow the games whether through media or attending the event including music and film indu stries. Cross cultural contact increases and there is cultural diffusion all leading to increasing the desire to use foreign ideas and products. This will result in increased immigration between the countries and also give opportunities to local consumer products to be exported to other countries. Due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced. Technological developments are conceived as the main facilitator and driving force of most of the globalization processes. In simple definition, technology can be seen as the socialized knowledge of producing goods and services by the use of technological resources. Technology has five important elements: production, knowledge, instruments, possession and change. Technology improves our capacity to produce effective and efficient. Technology can also be defined as Know-How to produce products or services better then the competitors using resources in such a manner to gain a competitive advantage over your competitor. Technology is a result of intellectual activities and therefore, technology is type of intellectual property. Today technology is developed through research and development institutions as integral parts of the universities. Instruments are mostly physical such as computers, vacuum cleaners or pencils, but sometimes there are immaterial instruments too, such as databases or algorithms in computer programming. Those people who possess technology also control it. Controlling technology has usually something to do with economics and politics. Therefore we can speak of technologically rich and poor countries and the struggle among them usually in the forms of patents, transfers and protection of intellectual rights. Technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects, such as RHYPE RLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDD activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. (ABE/OB, 2005) Globalisation can be seen as market expansion, concerned with extending the area in which a business operates, so that more potential customers are aware of the products or services you are providing. It also includes extending your operation in different countries. Very often organisations cannot operate at full efficiency unless they take advantage of technological factors that help them to operate globally. The need to compete has continued to grow, so that, having covered a country, the next step is to move over a continent, and then finally to sell your products/services worldwide. Most capital goods companies have moved into overseas markets as their home markets become saturated. As more and more companies become multinational corporations, so more and more service organisations such as insurance companies, have been forced to follow because these multinationals are their clients. Exporting is a method of market expansion and is usually the first step towards international tra ding. This is often followed by the business setting up locations in other countries, where its products are manufactured as well as marketed, in order to take advantage of the local availability of raw materials, or of cheap labour, thus reducing transport costs. Technology factors such as transportation and telecommunication are vital. In the case of overseas investment, it is important to have Know-How to operate effectively and efficient in the new selected market. Apart from transportations technologies, telecommunication will play a major part as overseas department or productions points will be controlled from the head office using telecommunications such as internet and phones. This next stage in development towards global trading is for the organisation to locate some of its manufacturing, distribution or marketing operations overseas will involve all major technological factors. An international business applies marketing operations across national frontiers and will usual ly have subsidiaries established in its major markets. It may even export from these subsidiaries using the technology available to them including transfer of information. Multinational companies operate in a large number of different countries. They differ mainly from international companies in terms of scale and of attitude. National identities almost disappear and managers see the world as a whole, although having local differences. Technology aspects such as research and development and innovations are key factors for those organisations. On the other hand, the technology has supported globalisation heavily and it rapidly increases the efficiency to operate effective in global markets through telecommunications, navigation, satellite, transportations and RD. (ABE, MIO) Conclusion Primark is a subsidiary company within the Associated British Foods group. ABFs core values are shared taking care of our people, being good neighbours and fostering ethical business relationships along with the groups overriding principles in relation to human rights, employment conditions, business practices, suppliers and other stakeholders. Primarks success is led by a unique combination of fast fashion and lean operations with most based in India and Bangladesh. After much criticism, Primark recognises that as with other retailers, the key challenges in terms of endemic non-compliances remain control of working hours, unauthorised sub-contracting, minimum wages and the definition of a living wage. Working conditions are the most common cause of non-compliance but typically the easiest and quickest to address. As the main advantage of can be seen as globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. It also enhances the civil liberties and t here is a more efficient use of resources. Technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects, such as RHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDD activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. Sources Used Managing in Organisation, 2004, Association of Business Executives Organisation Behaviour, 2004, Association of Business Executives Corporate Strategy and Planning, 2004, Association of Business Executives Examples of how Technology Affects Processes in Global Business and e-Business:: http://www.securebusinessresource.com/Examples%20of%20how%20Technology%20Affects%20Processes%20in%20Global%20Business%20and%20e-Business.htm ASAN Social accounting and social audit http://www.asan.org.uk/page.php?identity=social_accounting_and_audit Green working (2010) www.eastsussex.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/working/ Bbc king of no frills fashion http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4466986.stm Primark (2010) www.primark.co.uk/ethical/trading Corporate Eye (2009) http://www.corporate-eye.com/blog/2008/06/handling-a-crisis-at-primark/ Primark is named as least ethical clothes shop By Martin Hickman Consumer Affairs Correspondent Thursday, 8 December 2005 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/primark-is-named-as-least-ethical-clothes-shop-518600.html Ethical consumer, Panorma puts Primark on the rach http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/EthicalConsumerBlogs/tabid/62/EntryId/201/Panorama-puts-Primark-On-The-Rack.aspx Business Social responsibility (1973), Watkinson Report www.submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id Guardians What is globalisation? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/oct/31/globalisation.simonjeffery The World Bank (2009) Globalisation http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTDECINEQ/Resources/1149208-1169141694589/GlobalisationandConvergence.pdf

Pro-Death Pentally Essay example -- Capital Punishment

Pro-Death Penalty There are many studies which show the death penalty as a non-deterrent to the serious crime problem that is faced in the United States. The death penalty continues to be the most controversial sentence with over half the states re-instituting capital punishment laws since the Furman v Georgia decision in 1972. Nevertheless, even if the death penalty were no greater a deterrent than a life sentence, some people would still advocate is the only way to get rid permanently society of dangerous criminals who deserve to die. Being that the death penalty is considered a deterrent to criminal activity does it make the execution morally right or just brutal? The death penalty is the highest capital punishment, which serves as a strong deterrent for serious crimes. While capital punishment could probably not deter mentally unstable criminals, it could have an effect on the cold, calculating murderer, such as a hired killer or someone who kills for profit. With the capital death punishment sending red flags to potential criminals, the fear of death might convince felons not to risk using handguns during armed robberies. The deterrent effect of an execution can produce a substantial decline in the murder rate. Although, some believe that a death sentence is a deterrent, others believe that it is cruel, and unusual punishment. There is not enough evidence to prove that the treat of a death sentence can convince potential murderers to forgo their criminal activity. Most murders involve people who knew each other, very often friends, and family members. Since murderers are often under the influence of alcohol or drugs or suffering severe psyc hological turmoil, no penalty will likely be a deterrent. Som... ...ource=bl&ots=nf5duzwmfa&sig=IhQeXxqd8ChN_rlsZ5Lt3kDu1LY&hl=en&ei=yaOaTbDmO4vVgAfgzOGgBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&re Richard C. Dieter, E. E. (1998, 06). Retrieved April 03, 2011, from The Death Penalty in Black and White: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Decides: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-penalty-black-and-white-who-lives-who-dies-who-decides Siegel, L. J. (2009). Retrieved April 2011, 2011, from Essentials of Criminal Justice: http://books.google.com/books?id=22eNtpc6On0C&pg=PA355&lpg=PA355&dq=.+Racism+was+particularly+blatant+when+the+death+penalty+was+invoked+in+rape+cases+90%25+of+those+receiving+death+for+rape+in+the+South+and+63%25+of+those+in+the+North,+and+West+was+black STEWART, P. S. (1976 , March 31). Retrieved April 2, 2011, from Proffitt v. Florida (No. 75-5706): http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0428_0242_ZO.html

Chronichles of a madman :: essays research papers

Chronicles of a Madman   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Published by New American Library Character Physical Traits Johnny- Tall, skinny, short black hair, dark venomous eyes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Johnny was a tall slender type person who hated the way he looked.† â€Å"He stared down with dark eyes that seemed to go on as an abyss of space.† Squee- A small child with short black hair and blue eyes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Squee was Johnny’s friend, even if he didn’t want to be, it was strange Of Johnny to befriend a child.† â€Å"Squee is very short and portly with short black hair and blue eyes that were like giant sapphires.† Jakki- Tall, slender, long black hair with white streaks down the front sides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Jakki was a tall skinny Goth type girl with long black hair typically with white stripes down the front sides.† Character Personality Traits Johnny- Johnny is a crazy killer who will stop at nothing to annihilate the world’s population. Johnny is extremely cold hearted person who gruesomely murders any one who makes him mad. This is shown when he rips someone’s spine out of there body simply because the person sneezed on him. Squee- Squee is very scared and can never grip reality, growing up with the terrible parents that he has. He can never be happy, the only person he has been friends with is Johnny and he is frightened to death of him. Inside Squee is truly a great person, this is shown when he helps a dieing dog heal and stay alive, Squee spent weeks helping the poor dog. Jakki- Jakki is a strong, intelligent, brave person. She has been on the run from Johnny for almost two years. She has shown that she can overcome the hardest of times when she was right in the grip of Johnny’s wrath she was the only one to survive in a three mile radius. Setting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story takes place in a post apocalyptic future world, Johnny chases Jakki all around the world, but the book never really names the specific places. The whole world is in ruins due to Johnny’s wrath. Plot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first main event was that Johnny had met Squee. Johnny helped Squee understand that his parents are not the ones turning him into an evil person. Johnny helped Squee become a much better person   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another main event was when Johnny was chasing after Jakki, Being the only person he has never been able to kill has been quite vexing to Johnny. This event has been very exciting.