Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Business Plan - Essay Example The Competition 8 6.1 Key Competitors 8 6.2 Competitive Analysis: SWOT Analysis 8 7. Commercialisation Plan 10 7.1 Overall Business Strategies 10 7.2 Sales Strategy 10 7.3 Key Marketing Strategy 10 8. Management 11 8.1 The current team and their roles 11 9. Financial Projections 12 9.2 Sources of finance 12 9.3 Profit & Loss Statement 13 9.4 Cash Flow Statement 15 REFLECTIVE LEARNING: 16 Week 1 16 Week 2: 17 Week 3 18 Week 4 19 Week 5 19 Week 6 20 Week 7 21 Week 8 22 Week 9 23 Week 10 23 REFERENCES: 25 1. Executive Summary The aim of this business plan is to produce a comprehensive report on creating a football events committee that becomes a major attraction for all the football fans on the various campuses such as (Add names of the campuses), providing quality equipment as well as an unparalleled experience for the participants. The aim is to steadily build it into a business that will not only cater to the football fan base but will also incorporate other activities which might in terest our consumers into the sports events later on. Through the extensive research explained later during this report, it can be forecasted that this business will grow over time and help us generate a fan base of sports enthusiasts. The customer base of the business at the start will be the football fanatics at the school, and as the committee starts to gain popularity, the customer base will increase to include the basketball, tennis and all the other sports fans as well as a secondary target market, which will include the participants as well as the spectators who enjoy watching sports. This segmentation has been formed after conducting a market research by the use of questionnaires. By gaining sponsorship from various interested organizations to provide financial backing as well as collaborating with Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), the events will be marketed creatively to provide the business’s customers with a complete package which gives them value for money. 2. Objectives For Year 1, the objectives include creating introductory awareness of the football club by putting up posters at various strategic as well as relevant locations where they can be made accessible to the target audience. Also, recognition can also be generated by word of mouth, or the favourable opinion by the customers of the business. This could be through Facebook could prove to be a vital tool in this regard as it can help spread out the word to the target market; that cannot be reached otherwise by employing the other market tactics (Muske, Stanforth and Woods, 2010). According to the forecasts made, which will be mentioned in the financial part, the sales projections of the ACTSA wrist bands as well as badges is estimated to be 25 each, whereas participants per events is proposed to be 80, leaving the business with a minimum total revenue of ?300 per event. The profit per event is estimated to be ? 300. The request for sponsoring the sports events has been responded b y Student union as well as Aqua Burst so far. By Year 2, the football club is likely to be substantially established through the employment of the advertising techniques mentioned above. A website could now be created in order to gain popularity as well as to give vital information about the business to the customers. Again, according to the forecasts made in the financial part of the business plan, we can estimate that the sales of the ACTSA wrist bands as well as the badges are projected to reach 200 each, while the participants per event will increase to around 150 per event. The total revenue per event will increase to a minimum of ?1000, while the profit generated per event is expected to be ?600. The sponsors likely to endorse the football club

Columbine Shooting Essay Example for Free

Columbine Shooting Essay Columbine high school was built in 1973 on a dirt road off a larger dirt road way out in horse country. It was named after the flower that blankets section of the Rockies. Hardly anybody lived near the school, but soon enough there were about 100,000 new arrivals that filled one continuous suburb with no town center: no main street, no town hall, town library, or town name. Littleton is what they called this quiet suburb where columbine lied several miles west from. Eric and Dylan called it Judgment Day. Monday, April 19th was the day columbine would erupt with an explosion killing hundreds of students and faculty. Eric read instructions to create bombs from the internet called The Anarchist Cookbook. The first step was to plant a bomb near Eric’s house, three miles from the school. That bomb could kill hundreds of people but was intended for only stones and trees. The attack was to begin with a decoy that would rock the neighborhood and divert police. There plan was separated in three acts. The first act would start with a massive explosion by using two bombs in the commons, which would have about six hundred students killed. The bombs would wipe out most of the lunch crowd and set the school ablaze. The bombs would be set out for maximum killing radius and would be planted near two thick columns supporting the second floor which would collapse after exploding. After the explosion, Eric and Dylan would start firing their weapons at whoever they see in sight. Each had a backpack and duffle bag to carry more weapons and explosives. There next step was to have bombs planted in their own cars in the school parking lot near the school exits that would detonate forty five minutes after the initial blast. The cars were placed near the ideal locations for police command, emergency medical staging, and news vans. The maximum body count they were planning on would be: nearly 2,000 students, plus 150 faculty and staff, plus who knows how many police, paramedics, and journalists. The bombs Eric and Dylan planted in the school had failed to explode, but that didn’t stop them from going in and opening fire. They took pipe bombs and threw them wherever they saw a big crowed and opened fire to anyone they saw. They both had trench coats on and Eric discarded his trench coat at the top of the stairs almost as soon as he began shooting. Dylan kept his on until he got to the library. Each costume change created another shooter that would confuse the students and faculty. Nate was a friend of Eric’s and seen something peculiar. He saw Eric walk into the building from the wrong parking lot at the wrong time, when he should have been walking out. Nate figured Eric and Dylan were up to something since he knew they had both been missing that morning. At this point students were running for their lives and finding classrooms they could hide in. no one really knew who the shooters were and didn’t know why they were doing such an attack. Even though Eric and Dylan were shooting whoever they find in sight, they were mainly looking for people with white hats on. People who wore the white hats at school were the jocks. Eric and Dylan had committed suicide once they saw empty halls and when the school looked abandoned. Before they shot themselves, the officers had discovered files on the boys. The cops had twelve pages from Eric’s website, spewing hate and threatening to kill. Dylan Bennet Klebold was born brilliant. He started school a year early, and by third grade he was enrolled in the CHIPS program which stood for Challenging High Intellectual Potential Students. Even among the brains, Dylan stood out as math prodigy. Tom and Sue were Dylan’s parents. His father couldn’t see his boy as the killer, saying â€Å"this was not my son. † Dylan’s service was done quietly with just fifteen people including, friends, family and clergy. The Klebolds were afraid to bury Dylan because his grave would be defaced. It would become and anit-shrine, so they cremated his body and kept the ashes in the house. Eric Dutro was evolving inside and the changes began to show in his sophomore year. Social status was important to Eric as he always made friends. People described Eric as nice, polite, preppy and a dork, but in sophomore year, he tried an edgier look with combat boots and all black outfits. He was breaking out of his shell and grew boisterous, moody, and aggressive. Eric was neither normal nor insane, he was a psychopath. He killed for two reasons: to demonstrate his superiority and to enjoy it. â€Å"Psychopaths are distinguished by two characteristics. The first is a ruthless disregard for others: they will defraud, maim, or kill for the most trivial personal gain. The second is an astonishing gift for disguising the first. It’s the deception that makes them so dangerous. You never see him coming (it’s usually a him – more than 80 percent are male. ) Don’t look for the oddball creeping you out. Psychopaths don’t act like Hannibal Lecter or Norman Bates. They come off like Hugh Grant, in his most adorable role. † (Cullen, 240) Psychopaths take great personal pride in their deceptions and extract tremendous joy from them. Lies become the psychopath’s occupation. The truth does work, but they lie for fun. I have read stories about columbine before but reading this book has really enlightened me on such details that actually happened in this event. I didn’t know that there were bombs involved in this massacre until I read the book. Columbine was organized and well planned by high school students. Eric and Dylan planned this for nearly a year and half so they knew what they were doing. They made home video tapes saying their good-byes to their parents and apologizing to them about the trouble the columbine shooting might cause them. So they knew at some point they were going to either be killed or commit suicide. This impacted me because as it said in the book, the people who do these devastating events can be friends of mine and I wouldn’t even know it. They are people who act good to the public eye, but also have hidden secrets behind closed doors. I can’t imagine someone that is close to me going through this kind of tragedy. The question that was brought to mind was: why would someone do this? Why would two kids want to kill hundreds of people? What was the reason? Was it video games? Was it depression? Was it because they were being bullied and wanted payback? Was it because they were psychotic? I believe they had all of these problems. They were psychotic, Eric did have depression and was taking depression pills for it, and they might have been aiming for jocks because they were bullied by them.

William Butler Yeats Essay -- essays research papers

On June 13 1865 William Butler Yeats was born in Dublin Ireland. From the start Yeats had artistic influences, due to the fact that his father Jack Butler Yeats was a noted Irish painter. He had no formal education until he was eleven, at that time he started at the Godolphin Grammar School in Hammer*censored*h England and later he enrolled in Erasmus Smith High School in Dublin. Throughout his schooling he was considered disappointing student, his studies were inconsistent, he was prone to day dreaming, and poor at sports. In 1884 Yeats found his way to the Metropolitan School for the Arts, here he met a poet by the name of George Russell. Yeats and Russell sheared the same dreams, visions, and the enthusiasm for them. Russell and Yeats soon founded the Dublin Hermetic Society for the purpose of conducting magical experiments. They promoted their idea that "whatever great poets had affirmed in there finest moments was the nearest we could come to an authoritative religion and t hat their mythology and their spirits of wind and water were but literal truth." This sparked Yeats’s interest in the study of the occult. After his experience in the hermetic society he joined the Rosicrucians, Madam H.P. Blavavtsky’s Theosophical Society, and MacGregors Mather’s Order of the Dawn. Yeats consulted spiritualists frequently and engaged in the ritual of conjuring the Irish Gods. The occult research Yeats made was apparent in his poetry. The occult was a source of images to use in his poems, and evedence of this is in all of his works. In1885 Yeats met John O’Leary an Irish Nationalist and Fenian leader. O’Leary played a large role on getting Yeats’s his work first published in The Dublin University Review and directing Yeats’s attention to native Irish sources for inspiration. The influence of O’Leary caused Yeats to take up the Irish writer’s cause. England was trying to destroy all Irish literature in an attempt to anglicize Ireland through a ban on the Gaelic language. O’Leary’s nationalism and opposition to violence impressed many people including Yeats. These views helped shape political views that Yeats would hold for the rest of his life. In 1889Yeats met Maude Gonne, a woman he loved unrequitedly for the rest of his life. Yeats asked Gonne to marry him many times but she always turned him down. Gonne was an Irish patriot and an inspiration to... ...thorn-trees By the waters. I herd the old, old men say, ‘All that’s beautiful drifts away Like the waters.’ This poem was written some time between 1904 and 1910, at this time Yeats would have been between 39 and 45 years old. When Yeats wrote this he probably started to see changes in himself, and when he saw old men he realized how close he was to becoming one of them himself. Because of the subject, I find it strange that e used a lyrical style of writing. To a Squirrel at Kyle-na-no Come play with me; Why should you run Through the shaking tree As though I’d a gun To strike you dead? When all I would do Is scratch your head And let you go. Yeats wrote this poem between 1919 and 1928. I think that this poem has more meaning than just wanting to play with a squirrel. At the time it was written there was some major industrialization going on, so that leads me to believe that the squirrel represents all of nature, and he is trying to enjoy nature. The f act that the squirrel runs away shows that nature knows of mans destructiveness and it doesn’t trust man. What I think Yeats is trying to say is that he really doesn’t agree with industrialization, but again he uses a lyrical style.

Racquetball :: essays research papers

Racquetball is played by two or four players. When played by two, it is called singles and when played by four, doubles. A non-tournament variation of the game that is played by three players is called cut-throat. Racquetball is a competitive game in which a strung racquet is used to serve and return the ball. The objective is to win each rally by serving or returning the ball so the opponent is unable to keep the ball in play. A rally is over when a player (or team in doubles) is unable to hit the ball before it touches the floor twice, is unable to return the ball in such a manner that it touches the front wall before it touches the floor, or when a hinder is called. Points are scored only by the serving side when it serves an irretrievable serve (an ace) or wins a rally. Losing the serve is called a sideout in singles. In doubles, when the first server loses the serve it is called a handout and when the second server loses the serve it is a sideout. A match is won by the first side winning two games. The first two games of a match are played to 15 points. If each side wins one game, a tiebreaker game is played to 11 points. The specifications for the standard four-wall racquetball court follow. (a) Dimensions. The dimensions shall be 20 feet wide, 40 feet long and 20 feet high, with a back wall at least 12 feet high. All surfaces shall be in play, with the exception of any gallery opening, surfaces designated as out-of-play for a valid reason (such as being of a very different material or not in alignment with the backwall), and designated court hinders. (b) Markings. Racquetball courts shall be marked with lines 1 1/2 inches wide as follows: 1. Short Line. The back edge of the short line is midway between, and is parallel with, the front and back walls. 2. Service Line. The front edge of the service line is parallel with, and five feet in front of, the back edge of the short line. 3. Service Zone. The service zone is the 5' x 20' area bounded by the bottom edges of the side walls and by the outer edges of the short line and the service line. 4. Service Boxes. The service boxes, used in doubles play, are located at each end of the service zone and are designated by lines parallel with the side walls.

Mia Hamm Research paper Essay

At the beginning of the story Alice starts off being pressured into marring a man she doesn’t even love. Her sister tells her to go get married and live just happily ever after like her but her husband is cheating on her. I think Alice’s call was when she kept spotting the white rabbit in the bushes and began to follow him in the middle of getting purposed to. Also after she fell down the hole the rabbit was trying to explain to her who she is and how she’s supposed to be the champion for wonderland. Stage 2: Refusal of Call Alice starts to refuse when she begins telling them that she is not the right Alice their looking for. I didn’t think she would still be refusing even after they showed her the scroll of what happened. I kind of thought she was just saying no because she was afraid of what was ahead of her if she took on the challenge of becoming the champion. Throughout the beginning and middle of the movie she Lyric Perry 9/22/13 World Literature was trying to convince everyone that this was her dream and everything would be ok when she woke up. Stage 4: Crossing the first Threshold I thought during the whole story I think she crossed more than one threshold. The first one was when she fell down the hole and entered wonderland because the trees by the two holes were both twisted and looked very similar. Her coming out of the hole to Wonderland to me was like the crossing in a new unknown land. Another threshold was when she made it up in her mind that she was the hero and started believing in wonderland and the impossible. Stage 5: Belly of the Whale The belly of the whale is when a character is fully enclosed in the new world or adventure. I think she entered the belly of the whale when she began to accept the fact that it wasn’t a dream and wonderland is a real place. I think that Lyric Perry 9/22/13 World Literature the only way she was going to get out and go back to the real world was to complete her quest and slay the jabberwocky. Stage 6: Road of Trials Alice had lots of trials during her journey such as when the dog/polar bear thing started to chase her and cut her arm. At the tea party when the red queen’s knight, soldiers, and bloodhound came looking for Alice I felt it was a trial because if they were to have caught her she wouldn’t have been able to complete her goal. The road of trials is a very important stage because I think they help the character get ready for what they are about to embark on. Stage 11: The Ultimate Boon The ultimate boon to me was when she cut the head off of the jabberwocky. This was really important because the whole fate of wonderland was in her hands. I think the white queen was depending on her the most because she really wanted the crown and for the red queen to stop torturing Wonderland. Stage 15: Crossing the Return Threshold At the end of the story I saw two returning thresholds the first one when she climbed out of the hole and when she started standing up to everyone at the party back home. When she was climbing out of the hole she was crossing back over to the real world and her normal life. She started telling everyone the truth and saying what she really felt even things that sounded impossible. Stage 17: Freedom to Live I thought this happened for Alice at the very end of the movie because that’s when she really decided to live her own life and do what she wanted. Such as she told the man she wasn’t going to marry him she was going to find someone she loves. Alice starts talking to the man about his business and how he should move it china. Her falling down the hole to me was on purpose to get her to really follow her own bliss not everyone else’s.

World War I and United State Essay

World War I and United State Essay World War I and United State Essay Prior 1914 when war erupted in 1914, the US had followed neutrality and noninvolvement in European. Was the United state really neutral? By the time, developments in transportation and communication brought United State enter the Great war. There were many different reasons for this. But trading with Europe eventually brought American into World War I. World War I had had led America to biggest change in society. In addition, it led to a shift in U.S. foreign policy away from neutrality to involvement in world affairs. War broke out in Europe in 1914, the United State attempted to remain neutral. Isolationism, it advocated non involvement in European and Asian conflict in interventional politics. The United State was supposed to remain as contented neutral country by holding the tradition of Washington and Jefferson. In his Farewell Address, President Geoge Washington had advocated noninvolvement in European wars and politics. because the United States had just won war for independence. Also, the new country was relatively small and weak. Foreign policy was best made by neutrality. It was successful because the expanse of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans had made it possible to being neutrality and remain from the conflicts. Notwithstanding, during World War I, however president Woodrow Wilson made a case for United State neutral, but it wasn't successful until 1917, the United state was drawn into the war again by the case for U.S Intervention in conflict and United State interested in maintain a p eaceful word. According to document 4, january 22,1917 in the Woodrow Wilson-speech to the United State Senate. " †¦Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its people.." His goal was "make the world safe for the democracy" by " a war to end war" He wanted the American would be impartial and peaceful and by some development had motivate behind Wilson's decision to enter Word War I. Even though American had been out of World War I. We had traded with nation involved in the war. In 1915 Germany used submarines to stop trade between the Allies and the United States. According to the document 3, the U-boat depicted in the cartoon technology of submarine, the Germany U-boat would sink enemy ship in the war zone. In addition,the sinking ship in the cartoon represent the Lusitania was sunk without warning by German U-boat and American citizens were died. Wilson insisted that the America as a neutral nation had the right to trade with nation at war and to send its civilian on ships into war zone. He was defending the principle of freedom of the sea. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went to Congress to ask for declare war on

Free Essays on Family Member

â€Å"A family is one's back bone; one cannot follow a straight path without them.† In every person’s life, there are certain people who are the most significant†¦ people who just seem to stick out more over a crowd. Many may not feel the same way, but in my point of view, family comes first. Who is there for me when the world turns its back? Who supports me and worries about my grades in school and about my future? Who is always there to provide unconditional love for me when no one else is around? Some people still might answer this question with â€Å"friends†, but in my case, I would have to disagree and say that family is the most important in my life. My parents are the only people in the world who will want me to achieve the highest. They are the only ones who encourage me to do my best and to not settle for less. They are also the only people who will tell me the truth about what is happening in my life and how to cope with it. No matter how long one has been friends with certain people, those friends will not want that person to excel much higher than them in everything they do. They will not necessarily let the person know what he/she should be doing at certain points of their life. Parents, on the other hand, will always provide the utmost truth availabl e to their child. I have been brought up to believe that I can achieve anything I put my heart into and that nobody can hold me back from my dreams. My parents have clearly taught me the difference between right and wrong, and good and bad, just like every other parent, but I apply it to my everyday life. Even though I do not have a 4.0 GPA or a 1450 on SAT scores, I still always work my hardest in everything. This does not only go for school, but in everyday situations, even if it as easy as deciding if I should make my bed in the morning or not, and this is all because of my parents. When I was a freshman in high school, I was invited to what was the so called â€Å"biggest ... Free Essays on Family Member Free Essays on Family Member â€Å"A family is one's back bone; one cannot follow a straight path without them.† In every person’s life, there are certain people who are the most significant†¦ people who just seem to stick out more over a crowd. Many may not feel the same way, but in my point of view, family comes first. Who is there for me when the world turns its back? Who supports me and worries about my grades in school and about my future? Who is always there to provide unconditional love for me when no one else is around? Some people still might answer this question with â€Å"friends†, but in my case, I would have to disagree and say that family is the most important in my life. My parents are the only people in the world who will want me to achieve the highest. They are the only ones who encourage me to do my best and to not settle for less. They are also the only people who will tell me the truth about what is happening in my life and how to cope with it. No matter how long one has been friends with certain people, those friends will not want that person to excel much higher than them in everything they do. They will not necessarily let the person know what he/she should be doing at certain points of their life. Parents, on the other hand, will always provide the utmost truth availabl e to their child. I have been brought up to believe that I can achieve anything I put my heart into and that nobody can hold me back from my dreams. My parents have clearly taught me the difference between right and wrong, and good and bad, just like every other parent, but I apply it to my everyday life. Even though I do not have a 4.0 GPA or a 1450 on SAT scores, I still always work my hardest in everything. This does not only go for school, but in everyday situations, even if it as easy as deciding if I should make my bed in the morning or not, and this is all because of my parents. When I was a freshman in high school, I was invited to what was the so called â€Å"biggest ...

Sample of The Theme of Adolescence in the Book Night by Elie Wiesel

Sample of The Theme of Adolescence in the Book Night by Elie Wiesel in order to emphasize the contrast between the good and the evil, as well as lifes fragility. For Elie Wiesel choosing a perspective of a teenagers vision of Holocaust horrors is not merely a literary technique, but a terrifying memory of his own life. This is why the theme of adolescence and learning is so closely related to experiences of death and violence. The main character, Eliezer, comes from Hungary but ethnically he is Jewish, like the author. In fact, he is almost a complete alter-ego of Elie Wiesel, as he tells his personal story making only the minor changes. He belongs to a family where spirituality is an important aspect; and from his early years Eliezer studies Tora. In fact, religious studies are not a punishment for him, like for many children; he takes sincere interest in them and is a true believer of God. At the point when the story takes place, the boy is in his teens. The narration is made in the first person, so the reader cannot see the whole context apart from Eliezers perspective, but this makes the story more confessional. Besides, small details elicited from his narration tell the truth about the whole pattern. Indeed, this picture is horrible. The family of Eliezer has to pass through several circles of hell when moving to its very center. With each step it seems that the situation can be worse, but it appears that hell has different degrees of monstrosity. At first, Eliezer and his family are captured by fascists and deported to Birkenau, which is a passage to Auschwitz. At this point the female and male parts of the family are separated forever, which is only a beginning of a tragedy. He and his father have to pass through a procedure, which will determine their fate to live and work or to die. They pass this evaluation but it takes much fear and humiliation imprinted in Eliezers teenage soul. Pure and deeply religious, having a genuine trust for the world, he suddenly discovers that his ideals of humanity are undermined, and that God does not see the suffering of his people. The most important theme in Night is that of theodicy: the struggle to believe in God's justice and goodness whe n the world created by the Deity is so filled with evil. The boy, Eliezer, lived in a Jewish world, where God was loved and the people were peaceful and good (Sternlicht, 2003, p. 35). It takes courage and determination to survive physically, but it is much more difficult to keep faith that gives sense to living. The story about living in Auschwitz deals much with the good and the evil aspects of the human nature. The degree of cruelty is beyond the limits that a normal human can bear. However, it is not only cruelty of the Nazis that is discussed in the book; the author recollects and explores how violence affects the victims and whether it is contagious. There is no single answer to the question, because people act in different ways. Many of them realize that mutual care and support is the only way to survive, because humanity is the main feature that distinguishes people from other creatures. However, there are people whose spirit is broken so much that animal instincts of survival switch on leaving all human feelings aside. Such people become violent to their own family members and friends just for the sake of their own living. The vividly depicted apocalyptic abominations of the Germans, a supposedly civilized people, cause Eliezer and Wiesel to lose faith not only in God's goodness, but also in humankind's capacity for goodness. Most often, they reduce human beings to animal-like savagery as they struggle to save themselves. We are not saints. (Sternlicht, 2003, p. 36).When watching this, Eliezer gets experience about the world, about different ways that people choose in their existence. He and his father are among those who try to oppose violence, yet the boy discovers that he seems to love his human touch too. No matter how hard he tries to save his father, he fails to do so and he dies in Buchenwald. This is the final blow to Eliezer, whose faith is broken. His body survives but his soul is empty. This experience has made him an adult very quickly but it destroyed the inner carcass of his relationship with God. The true bond to the essence of existence is lost and the previous communication does not exist any longer. Besides, he takes the relationship between a father and a son as something special, which reflects the idea of God as father. Now only his father is gone, but also an important part of his life. In conclusion, it is worth saying that the book Night is far from being a typical story of a teenager. The horrors faced by the main character make it impossible for him to think of small problems of adolescence; instead, he has to start thinking about the global values of humanity. In order to survive, he has to go through moral and physical torture, death of his father and break of his intimate bond with God. The author demonstrates that violence gives birth to violence, so staying human is the major challenge for a person.

Fundraising Through Commercial Social Networks by Non-Profit Assignment

Fundraising Through Commercial Social Networks by Non-Profit Organizations - Assignment Example Following the path set by Facebook, the other industry participants including Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace are managing to catch attention of people having shares of around 57%, 30% and 7% respectively in the year 2011. All these CSNs except Facebook have shown a sluggish negative growth as compared to the previous year. In terms of community membership, Facebook is well above from Twitter having an average of 6,376 members. Twitter is hardly chasing Facebook in this regard and having an average of 1,822 members in the year 2011. The effort of fund raising through Facebook has been growing but not as enormously as it can be. Groups that are generating funds from Facebook have a range of $1 to $10,000 per year. This statistics has risen from 38% to 46% from 2009 to 2011. The number of organizations which raises funds through Facebook and other commercial social networking operations has doubled from 0.2% to 0.4%. These organizations raise about $10,000 or more annually. But the amoun t and the number of fundraising organization is still a very thin slice of the entire sector. Non profits organizations believe that they see the efforts of commercial social networking as valuable enough. ... The average number of Facebook followers for a fundraising organization named as Master Social Fundraiser has approximately 100,000 members. This number of members is 15 times higher than the average number of members of fundraising organization. It testifies that the raising of large amount of dollars from social networks can have a huge community. Getting appropriate staff is another concern. 30% of the staff of Master Fundraiser dedicates 3+ staff to fundraising and managing for the presence at other social networks. It proves that resourcing is the major criterion to be considered while raising funds through a social network operation like Facebook. In fact, it really does not matter if the size of non-profits is large or small. If the management and staffing is done adequately and in proper manner, then even a small fundraising can generate $100,000 or more through Facebook. Why Nonprofits are not on Commercial Social Networks The late adopters who have establish presence on Fac ebook (10% of nonprofits) has revealed that it is due to lack of strategic goals and it is the only reason they stay off which is true for almost 60% of such organizations. Lack of good planning of budget and staff is another contributing factor towards this failure of such strategies which is about 36% and 57% respectively (lack of expertise). Controls and Privacy concerns also generate issues for fundraising for about 21 and 24% respectively. Hard – ROI Approach In order to get a better idea, regarding the effectiveness of fundraising through CSN, around 869 non-profit organizations are taken into considerations. These non-profit organizations use a hard-ROI approach in assessing the effectiveness of CNSs for their fundraising activity.

Literature Review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literature Review - Research Paper Example In her article, Bardot lists the provision of salary ranges, allowances, incentives and KPIs as ways of improving employee satisfaction. This eventually leads to Emiratisation. Apart from the listed ways, another method includes performance management. Here, UAE nationals can be subjected to different and easier KPIs and objectives. This, however, she does not confer with as she believes that appraisal of performances should be based on same standards as opposed to one’s nationality. The latter option proves to have racial prejudice. In addition, organizations with UAE employees, since they are younger in age compared to other nationalities, should set up similar performance targets but with lower hurdles. This ensures that their performance is recognized at an early stage. Organizations should also prepare referral schemes so that employees refer suitable and qualified people to work in the organization. Retention and recognition schemes must also be considered in an organiza tion or company. Bardot also considers the major challenges of Emiratisation especially in the private sector. Bhattacharya Suryatapa is another author of an article; New Emiratisation scheme targets 15% of private jobs in The National Blog. Here, the author also confers with the perceptions of Bardot concerning the UAE employees’ position in organizations. ... This division will be based on certain criteria, among them timely salary payment, organization’s compliance with labor laws and approach to the diverse labor force. This policy replaced the one that had been in place since 2005 where different sectors of an organization had different percentage expectation of Emirati employees. It brings about many advantages in an organization including upgrade in classification scale of the organization. Any organization that fails to heed this policy would be fined between DH 15000- DH 20000. Emiratisation: The way forward? is an article by Williams Jane which looks at the challenges facing AUE citizens in different nations. This is in contrast to the fact that most of AUE citizens are given financial assistance from the oil funds. However, global recession has seen unemployment rates rise at fourteen percent. This has seen the introduction of Emiratisation to cater for Emiratis welfare, a move that is faced by various challenges. The firs t challenge is the fact that many Emiratis are young and have high expectations which seems unrealistic. Another problem is that it becomes difficult for organizations to offer generous salary packages to Emiratis in an attempt to support Emiratisation. For instance, a graduate Emiratis fresh from university may demand a starting salary of $5,450 per month with rapid promotion. The UAE government is now investing in self reliance as opposed to the previous system that gave out handouts and subsidies. The government has also provided funds, AED444 million, for training and topping up the salaries of UAE citizens in non governmental organizations. Family name and network were the criteria observed when promoting Emiratis before. Today promotion and salary increment totally

Leadership Concepts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Concepts - Case Study Example Organizational climate has a crucial impact on company’s performance and profitability. The main features of positive climate are the absence of pressure; involvement; management support and co-worker cohesion (Sims 2002, p. 45). Following Johnson and Johnstone (2005): â€Å"an organizational climate encourages and rewards workaholic behaviors, then workaholics are likely to develop and flourish. When high pressure and long working hours are the norms, individuals are likely to work longer hours in order to succeed† (p. 181). Moral influence personal attitude of GeneOne employees and their perception of the work and the company. It is possible to say that Don Ruiz, John Kirby and Susan Wells establish a strong corporate culture and healthy climate which help them to motivate and inspire employees. A positive climate increases productivity and efficiency. In many cases, Board Members of GeneOne use situational leadership to motivate employees and sustain strong culture a nd morale. GeneOne introduced one of the most popular and effective problem-solving techniques: win-win approach. The ‘win-win’ problem-solving skills is a conflict resolution technique which helps to reduce the conflict situations and find the best solution that satisfies the needs of everyone involved. This technique is crucial because today conflict is treated seriously as an important aspect in the proper understanding of orga ¬nizational behavior. â€Å"The ‘win-win’ approach is action-oriented and tailored to suit specific organizational needs, namely conflict resolution†.... It is possible to say that Don Ruiz, John Kirby and Susan Wells establish strong corporate culture and healthy climate which help them to motivate and inspire employees. A positive climate increases productivity and efficiency. In many cases, Board Members of GeneOne use situational leadership to motivate employees and sustain strong culture and morale. Team Problem Solving GeneOne introduced one of the most popular and effective problem solving techniques: win-win approach. The 'win-win' problem solving skills is a conflict resolution technique which helps to reduce the conflict situations and find the best solution that satisfies the needs of everyone involved. This technique is crucial because today conflict is treated seriously as an important aspect in the proper understanding of organizational behavior. "The 'win-win' approach is action-oriented and tailored to suit specific organizational needs, namely conflict resolution" (Mcnary 2003, p. 144). By agreeing at the outset the objectives against which a proposed resolution would be assessed, the decision-making is far easier. Clearly if the parties can agree on mutual objectives then the problem is far easier to resolve than if they have conflicting objectless and personal agendas. This approach is based on participative leadership which helps GeneOne teams to avoid conflicts and find win-win solut ions in the shortest period of time. Organizational Coaching In GeneOne, coaching helps to improve performance of employees and a team. Effective coaching assists job performance and training methods. According to Parsloe and Wray (2000) "coaching is a process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance to improve" (p, 45 cited Sims 2002, p. 56). Effective

Assesment-3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assesment-3 - Essay Example For the purpose of recording a transaction an account is maintained like Cash A/C, Depreciation A/C etc. An â€Å"account† can be defined as the summarized record of the transactions. To obtain any information it is not possible to go through all the transactions. So, one can refer to the respective account and find out the details. An â€Å"account† is divided into two sides - debit and credit. The right hand side is the â€Å"credit† side and the left hand side is the â€Å"debit† side. The term â€Å"debit† represents all the expenses, losses etc. and â€Å"credit† all the incomes and gains. The net of the debit and the credit side gives the balance at the end of the year. At the end of the year, a statement ascertaining the profit and loss is prepared called the Profit and Loss A/c. It is prepared after closing all the accounts and posting the balances in the Profit and loss A/C. If the total of the credit side is more than the total of t he debit side there is a profit and if the debit side total is more than the credit side total there is a loss. An account is opened as follows – The process of allocation of the cost of the asset is called â€Å"depreciation†. In other words, the reduction in the value of assets over its useful life is called depreciation. It does not involve any cash outflow but is only a record in the books (National Productivity Council Of India, Pg no 1). In the books of account every year an amount is recorded as an expense and charged as depreciation in the statement of profit and loss. In accountancy, there are two aspects of recording a transaction – debit and credit. The debit side represents all the expenses, losses etc and the credit side represents the incomes, gains, etc. Depreciation is an expense to the firm and hence recorded on the debit side of the statement. This helps in finding out the true profit or loss of the business operations. The most

The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Act of Family and Medical Leave was updated on 16 June 2009 to include new military family leaves entitlements, which was enacted in 2008 under the National Defense Authorization Act. This act was put in place to enable workers to balance work and family responsibilities. The act accommodates employers’ legitimate interests while promoting equal employment opportunities for both women and men. The situation applies to case A, as the employee was taking leave to care for their newborn twins. He was eligible given that he had worked for more than 12 months. Further, the leave was less than twelve weeks. There was no violation in this case because the employee was granted leave and reported back at the stipulated time. Since the leave is unpaid, he was not entitled to any payment. The 1967 law of Age Discrimination was meant to protect individuals and employees aged 40 years and above from discrimination on the basis of age durin g hiring, compensation, discharge, promotion, terms, and conditions, or privileges of employment. â€Å"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces this act†. The situation applies in the case B as the employee, aged above 40 years, was denied promotion because of his age. This happened despite the fact that his work performance was above average. Clearly, this was a violation because the promotion was denied solely on account of his age. The Disability Act of America was enacted to prevent any form of discrimination against employees with disability in transportation, government activities, communication, and public accommodation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that the ADA Act of 1990 requires employers to make provisions for reasonable accommodations to qualified employees or job applicants with disabilities albeit without constituting an undue hardship to the company

Assesment-3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assesment-3 - Essay Example For the purpose of recording a transaction an account is maintained like Cash A/C, Depreciation A/C etc. An â€Å"account† can be defined as the summarized record of the transactions. To obtain any information it is not possible to go through all the transactions. So, one can refer to the respective account and find out the details. An â€Å"account† is divided into two sides - debit and credit. The right hand side is the â€Å"credit† side and the left hand side is the â€Å"debit† side. The term â€Å"debit† represents all the expenses, losses etc. and â€Å"credit† all the incomes and gains. The net of the debit and the credit side gives the balance at the end of the year. At the end of the year, a statement ascertaining the profit and loss is prepared called the Profit and Loss A/c. It is prepared after closing all the accounts and posting the balances in the Profit and loss A/C. If the total of the credit side is more than the total of t he debit side there is a profit and if the debit side total is more than the credit side total there is a loss. An account is opened as follows – The process of allocation of the cost of the asset is called â€Å"depreciation†. In other words, the reduction in the value of assets over its useful life is called depreciation. It does not involve any cash outflow but is only a record in the books (National Productivity Council Of India, Pg no 1). In the books of account every year an amount is recorded as an expense and charged as depreciation in the statement of profit and loss. In accountancy, there are two aspects of recording a transaction – debit and credit. The debit side represents all the expenses, losses etc and the credit side represents the incomes, gains, etc. Depreciation is an expense to the firm and hence recorded on the debit side of the statement. This helps in finding out the true profit or loss of the business operations. The most

Business Continuity and Crisis Management Essay

Business Continuity and Crisis Management - Essay Example As the study outlines most comments that arise in the use of business continuity and crisis management is that people tend to confuse its role with that of insurance companies. The manner in which business continuity and crisis management are also explored by providing an example from the City of London Resilience Forum. Introduction Business continuity management helps to ensure continuity of a business by focusing on the critical business process within and outside the organization. Unplanned events have a very devastating effect on both small and big businesses and they range from fire, damage to illness of key staff, IT system failure that makes it impossible to carry the smooth running operations of a business. The negative impact of business crisis is that it can make business loose customers who make an important component of the business and prevent the closure of businesses. Good planning of the business process helps minimize the potential impact of disaster thus prevent it from happening and spoiling for the business. Business continuity is an all-inclusive management process that recognizes potential effects that impends a business and gives an agenda for building elasticity and the ability for the organization to safeguard the interest of various stakeholders. According to Blyth, business continuity involves the management approving a strategic and tactical approach to dealing with emergency disasters that are unforeseen and may pose a negative effect to the company. In addition, business continuity can be defined as a cost-justified method aimed at reducing risks that may hinder the continuity of a business in the event of a disaster. Elliot, Swartz and Herbane in their book define business continuity as responding to a business interruption in such a way as to achieve the lowest level of inconvenience possible for the continued stability of the business. According to Regester and Larkini business continuity involves identifying the potential issu es that threaten to interfere with the existence of a business and formulate a framework that can effectively handle such issues whenever they arise. According to Kadam, business continuity management aims at managing risks in order to guarantee that the company endures in operating at the lowest prearranged risk level. An organization applies business continuity and crisis management practices to ensure continuity in the ways a business handles various crises. From this paper it is clear that the need for businesses to apply business continuity and crisis management strategies is conceived from the need to provide assurance for the continuity of the business process. The management should ensure that their business continuity and crisis management framework is able to restore a business to its earlier position and preserve all sectors of the business. Business continuity management is thus more than a crisis management since it is a comprehensive program that helps a business react quickly and effectively when faced with unplanned interruptions.

Working Cass Families and Modern Education Systems Redefined under Neo-Liberalism Policies Essay Example for Free

Working Cass Families and Modern Education Systems Redefined under Neo-Liberalism Policies Essay Connell’s (2003) article focuses on the problematic relationship between working-class families, and modern education systems, which is being redefined under neo-liberalism policies. Connell explores this issue in relation to an Australian reform, which was created with an intention to make upper secondary education more inclusive, in particular  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ through more extensive vocational education opportunities. Connell explains that the level of which working-class youth’s needs have been met, or neglected throughout the past 150 years of mass schooling in advanced capitalist economies remains a core problem of social justice in education. (p. 235) Connell’s argument is that while social class is no longer officially recognised as an issue in Australian life, class inequality and exclusion have a marked influence on education in the present day. (p. 247) Connell states that the nature of which working class families respond to state schooling is a key issue of importance in research on class and education. Connell’s central argument lies in her criticism of the neo-liberal market agenda, which she states is ultimately seeking to ‘reconstruct mass education on a ruling-class education organisational model’. Connell argues that due to the fact neo-liberalism fails to acknowledge that class structure exists, and assumes its market model is universally applicable (an assumption which Connell states is disproven by British research) –problems associated with class structure will continue to go unacknowledged. (p. 37) Connell further argues that many working class families continue to grapple with the ‘bureaucratic machinery’ of state education in order to obtain a reasonable education for their children, however as Connell believes – ‘there’s still a long way to go’ before this relationship is cohesive and productive for all parties involved. (p. 247) In support of her argument of class still being a key factor of inequality in education, Connell cites authors such as Bettie (2002), Dent and Hatton (1996), Thompson (2002), Lynch Lodge (2002) Teese and Polesel (2003) (p. 235). Connell cites Marginson (1997) to argue that the motives of neo-liberalism’s market agenda in the 1980’s was to ‘push to privatise education’, and where public education institutions remained –restructure them to become market competitive. (p. 236) Using largely a methodical approach, Connell draws on close-focus research carried out across four socially and geographically diverse government secondary schools, obtained from the Vocational Education and Equity in Senior Secondary Schooling project, and undertaken by staff of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Education, the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Board of Studies. Through a series of qualitative interviews with students, parents and teachers of Years 11 and 12 VET classes over a period of two years, Connell explores the relationship between working-class families and schools today, which operate under this neo-liberalist influence, but which are also attempting to implement social justice reforms, particularly in regards to expanding vocational education options. (p. 238) Connell’s central argument is plausible and relatable in the sense of the extensive field data carried out across schools depicting various class structures. The article being ‘peer reviewed’ also adds more weight to her claims. The central theme of her argument is logically developed throughout the body of the paper, and further solidified in the conclusion, however at times she touches on international research, (for example; the British research she suggests disproves the neo-liberalist market model is ‘far from’ being universally applicable) (p. 237) without any further details as to why. Adding further detail of the international data Connell cited would have helped to solidify her key points.

Study On The Anthrax Disease Biology Essay

Study On The Anthrax Disease Biology Essay In 2001, letters containing the virulent Ames strain of anthrax spores were mailed to several news media offices killing five people and infecting 17 others. I found this story and the use of anthrax as a bioterrorism weapon fascinating Anthrax is a life-threatening infectious disease that normally affects animals, especially goats, cattle, sheep, and horses. Anthrax can be transmitted to humans by contact with infected animals or their products. However, anthrax does not spread from person to person. Anthrax  is an  acute  disease caused by the bacterium  B. anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals. As a member of the genus  Bacillus,  B. anthracis  can form dormant  endospores  that are able to survive in harsh conditions for decades.  For example, spores have been known to have re-infected animals over 70 years after the burial sites of anthrax-infected animals were disturbed. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host, they may become reactivated and multiply rapidly. If the spores of anthrax are inhaled, they migrate to lymph glands in the chest where they proliferate, spread, and produce toxins that often cause death. The symptoms vary depending on whether the anthrax spores were inhaled, ingested or through the skin. Inhalation Anthrax The first symptoms are subtle, gradual and flu-like. However as the illness worsens there may be severe respiratory distress, shock and coma. Spores are transported in the lymph nodes where they multiply producing deadly toxins, resulting in severe haemorrhage and necrosis. Usually causing death as although prescribed antibiotics are effective in eradicating the bacteria they do not destroy the toxins already released by the anthrax bacteria. Gastrointestinal Anthrax This form of anthrax is the rarest form. Gastrointestinal infection in humans is most often caused by eating anthrax-infected meat and is characterized by serious gastrointestinal difficulty,  vomiting of blood, severe diarrhoea, acute inflammation of the intestinal tract, and loss of appetite. Some lesions have been found in the intestines and in the mouth and throat. After the bacterium invades the bowel system, it spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, making even more toxins on the way. Gastrointestinal infections can be treated but usually result in fatality rates of 25% to 60%, depending upon how soon treatment commences. Cutaneous Anthrax Cutaneous anthrax is typically caused when  B. anthracis  spores enter through cuts on the skin. This form of Anthrax is found most commonly when humans handle infected animals and/or animal products. Cutaneous anthrax is rarely fatal if treated,  because the infection area is limited to the skin. The cutaneous form of anthrax starts as a red-brown raised spot that enlarges with redness around it, blistering, and hardening. There lymph nodes get swollen in this area. Symptoms include muscle aches and pain,  headache,  fever,  nausea, and vomiting. The illness usually resolves in about six weeks, but deaths may occur if patients do not receive appropriate antibiotics. The bacteria may be found in cultures or smears in cutaneous anthrax and in throat swabs and sputum in pulmonary anthrax.  Chest X-rays may also show characteristic changes in and between the lungs. Other than  Gram stain  of specimens, there are no specific direct identification techniques for identification of  Bacillus species  in clinical material. A specific feature of  Bacillus species that makes it unique from other aerobic microorganisms is its ability to produce spores. Although spores are not always evident on a Gram stain of this organism, the presence of spores confirms that the organism is of the genus  Bacillus. French scientist Louis Pasteur developed the first effective vaccine for anthrax in 1881. In most cases, early treatment can cure anthrax. The cutaneous form of anthrax can be treated with common antibiotics such as  penicillin,tetracycline,  erythromycin, and  ciprofloxacin.  The pulmonary form of anthrax is a medical emergency.  There are several vaccines in current use. The Russian vaccine, called STI is a  live-attenuated vaccine  based on spores from the  Stern strain  of  B. anthracis.  The STI vaccines serious side-effects restrict use to healthy adults. If a person is suspected as having died from anthrax, every precaution should be taken to avoid skin contact with the potentially contaminated body and fluids exuded through natural body openings. The body should be put in strict quarantine.  Full isolation of the body is important to prevent possible contamination of others. Protective, impermeable clothing and equipment such as  rubber gloves, rubber apron, and rubber boots with no perforations should be used when handling the body. No skin, especially if it has any wounds or scratches, should be exposed. Anthrax cannot be spread directly from person to person, but a persons clothing and body may be contaminated with anthrax spores. Effective decontamination of people can be accomplished by a thorough wash-down with  antimicrobial  effective soap and water. Burning clothing is very effective in destroying spores. After decontamination, there is no need to immunise, treat, or isolate contacts of persons ill with anthrax. Early antibiotic treatment of anthrax is essential, delay significantly lessens chances for survival. Treatment for anthrax infection and other bacterial infections includes large doses of intravenous and oral  antibiotics, such as  fluoroquinolones. In possible cases of inhalation anthrax, early  antibiotic prophylaxis  treatment is crucial to prevent possible death. Anthrax spores can survive for very long periods of time in the environment after release. Methods for cleaning anthrax-contaminated sites commonly use  oxidizing agents   and liquid bleach products containing sodium hypochlorite. These agents slowly destroy bacterial spores.   The pH of the solution should be tested with a paper test strip; and treated surfaces must remain in contact with the bleach solution for 60 minutes. Anthrax spores can and have been used as a  biological warfare  weapon. There is a long history of practical  bioweapons  research in this area. For example, in 1942, British bioweapons trials severely contaminated  Gruinard Island  in Scotland with anthrax spores of the Vollum-14578 strain, making it a no-go area until it was decontaminated in 1990. There are a number of economic impacts of a wide release of anthrax. These include loss of life and direct compensations to families. In addition healthcare, loss of property, decontamination, evacuation and return. After the 2001 attacks the cleanup of postal facilities and offices cost $130 million and took 26 months.

Architecture Essays -- Careers Jobs Architect

The career I have chosen for this project is an Architect. A building architect to be more specific. The career has many characteristics of work that I wish to pursue as I grow up. The main idea is thinking of new, and visually nice designs to grab your clients attention for them to buy your design. It also is a job were mathematics and now computer training is needed. The nature of work of an Architect is basically the design of building and other structures. The design of the building must not only be creative and what the client wants, but there are many different regulations and rules to follow to make the building affordable, safe, and proper size for it to fit in its specifically picked out plantation. First the Architect and the client must discuss the basic idea of the project, giving him basic ideas like size, shape, number of rooms and budget. The Architect will then make blue prints or drawing of his ideas, then present them to the client or clients who he is working for, to see if they like his idea and if they have any comments or suggestions that they would like to get met. If the clients like that idea of the building, the Architect must then draw final construction plans which show the building’s general appearance and details for it’s construction. Such details as the air-conditioning , ventilation and electrical systems to name a few. Architects now sometimes turn to computer-aided design and drafting or (CADD) only a few Architects will plan all their wo...

The Purpose of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Teaching Tea

The Purpose of Education As teachers endeavor into the field of education, it is imperative to ask exactly what the purpose of education is and why education has become one of the fundamental institutions of society. In examining this question, I realize that education serves as the basis for the organization of our culture, and essentially, the entire world and its influence is invaluable. I see four essential purposes of education: to foster thinking and reasoning skills in students, to create a sense of community, to develop life skills such as responsibility and cooperation, among others, and to provide a precursor for life’s continuous education. The most obvious purpose of education, and perhaps the one that many people view as the only purpose, is to instill in students a means of thinking. In our current education, this takes the form of several major subject areas, like math, science, history, and English, but these areas are constantly expanding to reflect our changing culture as students today are encouraged to expand their knowledges. But education goes beyond even providing subject information; it teaches students to think critically and rationally and to consider ideas— skills necessary in all life situations. The structure of education today, and throughout history, helps to provide a strong sense of community within society. Because students’ main access to other people outside their families is in school, thi...

Latin America’s Problems: Result of Violent History?

Latin America’s Problems:Result of Violent History?History plays a role in the problems of any nation, and for that matter in the lives  of individual people.   Does this mean that a country or person is fated to an inevitable  future that is colored mostly by its past?   To some degree the answer is yes, but to take  any particular feature of a society’s past, namely violence in this instance, and thrust the  whole burden of responsibility upon it may be irresponsible, in and of itself, in a sincere  quest to ameliorate and ultimately eradicate the problematic issues that need to be  resolved. If we do want to attribute the current state of affairs in Latin America to its  violent history, we also need to understand the nature and genesis of that violence. Many  countries, including the USA, achieved independence through wars and violence, but we  do not cite our current problems on the American Revolution or the Civil War which was  violence am ongst our own people. The source of violence can be a key to understanding  how the countries of Latin America and their people have not recovered from the nature of the  violence they endured.When wars are fought to expunge a common enemy there is a feeling of  camaraderie and nationalism to have fought and won not only against a common enemy,  but against the very evil represented by that enemy. This mindset unites people and  solidifies belief systems, ethics, and morals so necessary to the success and continued  success of civilizations and their governments. What happens, however, when the  violence is perpetrated by the very institution that is supposed to be the bulwark of good,  and when the violence is perpetrated by this institution against the very people that look  to it for their protection?Chasteen says that â€Å" At the most basic level, conquest is always about  exploitation.† (p.58). Although we do not always think of the process of relig ious  conversion as conquest,   perhaps we should give this careful consideration. Chasteen  seems to agree with this as he goes on to say that â€Å"Most Spanish and Portugeuse people  that came to the Americas in the early 1500s believed that spreading the â€Å"true religion†,  even by force, was a good thing.† (p. 58). The kind of religion that the Catholic Church  brought to the Americas in the early 1500s was a perfect example of non  church/government separation. â€Å"To sin against Catholic teachings was, in many cases, a criminal  offense.† (p.70). The Catholic Church did not merely have a religious presence in Latin America.  They controlled it.   Chasteen summarizes some of what Las Casas had to say about the control ofCatholicism. â€Å"The reason for the death and destruction of so many souls at   Christian  hands†¦was simple greed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 60).  To further substantiate the demonstration of evil by the Catho lic Church take a  look at an excerpt from Brief account of the devastation of the Indies by Las Casas referred to  by Chasteen as   A brief account of the destruction of the Indies, (p. 61) a translational title  difference of the same work:   â€Å" After the wars and the killings had   ended, when usually there  survived only some boys, some women, and children, these survivors were distributed among the  Christians to be slaves. The repartimiento or distribution was made according to the rank and  importance of the Christian to whom the Indians were allocated, one of them being given thirty,  another forty, still another, one or two hundred, and besides the rank of the Christian there was  also to be considered in what favor he stood with the tyrant they called Governor.The  pretext was that these allocated Indians were to be instructed in the articles of the  Christian Faith. As if those Christians who were as a rule foolish and cruel and  greedy an d vicious could be caretakers of souls! And the care they took was to send the  men to the mines to dig for gold, which is intolerable labor, and to send the women into the  fields of the big ranches to hoe and till the land, work suitable for strong men. Nor to either the  men or the women did they give any food except herbs and legumes, things of little substance.  The milk in the breasts of the women with infants dried up and thus in a short while the infants  perished. And since men and women were separated, there could be no marital relations. And the  men died in the mines and the women died on the ranches from the same causes, exhaustion and  hunger. And thus was depopulated that island which had been densely populated.†(http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/02-las.html).Although these are blatant examples of destruction, Chasteen also cites a more insidious  example the Church exercised, such as hegemony defined as â€Å" the basic principle of social  control in which a ruling class dominates others ideologically, with a minimum of physical force,  by making its dominance seem natural and inevitable.† (p. 325). â€Å"Religion offers one of the  clearest examples of cultural hegemony.† (p.69).   Even more dangerous than outright  exploitation, this creeps into the very fabric of the psyche of a people and carries over throughout  generations. As Chasteen points out, â€Å"When they accept the principle of their own  inferiority†¦they participate in their own subjugation.† (p.69).   The subjugation continued through history as Caudillos, rich landowners, were â€Å"the  party’s national leaders†Ã‚   (p. 124) in post colonial days.   In the neo colonial period from 1880-  1930, (p. 180), Latin America was still subjugated, but instead by cultures that had brought  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Progress† from other countries. The late 1800s saw â€Å"dicatorships or oligartch ies.† (p.192).During the time of   the US overtake of Cuba in the early 1900s we see the incendiary racistattitudes prevail, as Teddy Roosevelt coins the term â€Å"dago† for Latins. (p. 201). Right up until  the present day   it appears that Latins have never risen above the station that was thrust upon  them by the Church from the beginning.The book has opened my eyes to many injustices in Latin American history that I was  unaware existed and has provided food for thought as to the reasons Latin Americans seem to be  a problematic people. It is indeed, not the injustices in and of themselves, but the so called  Christian perpetrators of such injustices that give the history and the present fate of Latin  America such a fatalistic outlook and prognosis.Despite all of this and probably because of the  hegemony, it has happened without notice but it is interesting to note that †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Latin America has  always been Catholic, but now the majorit y of the world’s Catholics are Latin American.†Ã‚  (p. 320). At the end of the book Chasteen asks what the future will bring. (p.321).   He does not  provide an answer but it makes one wonder if   the subjugation can ever really end. Like a child  abused by a parent over years and years of time,   the Church ‘s abuse in the growing and  formative years of Latin America have left scars that will last an eternity.ReferencesChasteen, J.C. Born in blood and fire. A concise history of Latin AmericaDe Las Casas, B. Brief account of the devastation of the Indies. (1542). Retrieved fromhttp://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/02-las.html on November 26, 2006.

Hershey Report

THE HERSHEY CHOCOLATE COMPANY INTRODUCTION The Hershey Company was originally a purely chocolate manufacturer but extended to wafers and other products, some even non-chocolate. Now, the Hershey Company has grown to become a leader when it comes to dark chocolate and premium chocolate. Hershey’s Mission Statement is â€Å"Bringing sweet moments of Hershey happiness to the world every day† (www. thehersheycompany. com).This means delivering quality confectionary to consumer for all occasion, being a dominant and fun organization for the employees, having good business relationships for growth with customers, suppliers and business partners, creating value for shareholders and philanthropic activities for society as a whole. The company, adhering to its Mission from the founding day till today, strives to continuously create value by developing a number of products to cater to frequently changing consumers’ desire.Hence by creating a diverse portfolio which transfo rmed customer desires to reality, and by maintaining its quality The Hershey Company has managed to become one of the top chocolate brands in the market. HISTORY Hershey’s derived from a single decision- the decision of candy manufacturer Milton Hershey. In 1894 he decided to produce sweet chocolate which would coat caramels. He started off an enterprise and called it The Hershey Chocolate Company, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1900, the Hershey Chocolate Company started the production of milk chocolate bars, chocolate wafers and more.Hershey was the company which made the once a luxury item affordable to the common public by choosing to produce at a mass level. By using mass production the company had lowered its per unit cost and hence was able to sell it at a lower cost than other chocolates. The success of high sales led to Hershey’s expansion of new chocolate factories, one of them being in south-central Pennsylvania in Derry Township, close to the ports of New York and Philadelphia which supplied the imported sugar and cocoa beans needed, surrounded by dairy farms that provided the milk required, and with a local labor supply of honest, hard-working people.By 1905 the production of chocolate in this factory was flourishing. Today, the Hershey Company operates all over the world, employs more than 12,000 people and generates revenues of more than $5 billion. (www. thehersheycompany. com) ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Sales of chocolate depend majorly on the demand of chocolate, and these demands fluctuate heavily. And hence the success of a chocolate industry relies heavily on whether it’s the Easter, Halloween or Christmas season or a plain summer day, sales being lower in the latter.It has been noted that sales of Hershey’s or any chocolate brand for that matter, increases during the third and fourth quarter of the year, that is, the holiday seasons. For Hershey’s, the difference in the net sales of the first quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2009 was $248,087,000. (www. thehersheycomany. com). Judging from this, we can safely deduce that chocolate sales, on a large part, depends on the environment. If we look at the social environment, there are all sorts of consumers with different demands.Some would prefer cheaper chocolate and would be more than ready to compromise on quality and consider it just a snack while others demand a rich taste making chocolate more of a luxurious item. This requires the industry to produce a variety of products to meet the needs of as many customers to ensure greater sales. But there is also the issue of brand image. If a company produces both rich and cheap quality products, it does not develop a specific image of the brand. Hence the business needs to identify what demographics they want to cater to. The Hershey Company has a number of competitors.The company itself has an average of 5 billion dollar sales annually, 5132. 8 million dollars in 2008 (theher sheycompany. com) and employs 14,400 employees which is quite a large number but there are other similar brands in the market. Major competitors of Hershey’s are: †¢ Cadbury, with a sale of 7,792. 3 million dollars and 45,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Mars, with sales reaching 30,000 million dollars and a total of 70,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Nestle with sales of 104,060. 9 million dollars and 283,000 employees in 2008. (www. hoovers. com) MARKET ENVIRONMENT ANALYSISPorter’s Analysis By using ‘Porters five forces’ we can analyze the industry and subsequently to develop business strategy. These five forces present in the marketing environment will help determine the intensity of competition intensity and hence attractiveness of a market. In the marketing context, attractiveness refers to the overall profitability of the industry. A profitable business is an ‘attractive’ industry wherein the combination of these forces acts to pull up the overall profitability. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The supply of Cocoa is limited.Since it is produced in areas with tropical weather, a lot of chocholate manufacturers have to import the cocoa. Suppliers have more bargaining power over the chocolate industry since cocoa suppliers are limited (www. bpi. cam. ac. uk). Bargaining Power of Customers: Bargaining power of customers of Hershey is moderately high. From Hershey’s annual reports, we can see that sales volume is high for The Hershey Company and whenever consumers buy in large volumes, their bargaining power increases. This is specifically applicable to retailers, more specifically to retailers like Wal-Mart.Wal-Mart and other retailers who purchase large volumes of chocolate can bargain for lower prices and the industry’s profits can decrease. Threat of New Entrants: Threat of new entrants is not a major concern for The Hershey Company as Hershey’s uses the technique of mass production (Evan Carmi chael) that is, produces on a mass level and has achieved economies of scale. A new entrant would therefore have to be a mass level manufacturer. Also, there are factors such as capital requirements and channels of distribution which make it harder for business to be set up on a large level and to get the sales going.And, of course, there has to be something that sets apart the new entrant’s products from the existing businesses’ products. Threat of Substitute Products: Since chocolate is not a need-based product and a number of people consider in just a snack, they look to towards other products such as chips, ice-cream, other flavored products such as vanilla, orange etcetera as well. Also there are many people who deem chocolate as unhealthy and fattening and are ready to substitute it with other products. Competitive Rivalry within n Industry: Hershey is not the only chocolate company around. There are a lot more chocolate brands which are as established as Hershey . Consumers have a choice of buying Hershey or Cadbury or Mars or other more generic chocolates, and this provides a significant amount of competition. Hershey’s has to compete against other chocolate brands and watch out for substitute products which makes competition intense. However, this analysis looks at the forces closely affecting the business i. e. the micro environment.Hence the Porter’s Analysis is not a hundred percent useful on its own. For most marketing experts, porters five forces analysis is only a starting point or sort of a â€Å"checklist† and therefore the benefit of this analysis can be taken only when used in conjunction with other analysis techniques. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS: †¢ Rich history full of tradition, originality and philanthropic service: The Hershey Company produced Hershey’s Tropical Chocolate bars and Field Ration D bars for the troops at war giving it points for both originality and patriotism.Milton Hershey has a lso opened the Hershey Park in 1907 (www. hersheypa. com) †¢ Strong Brand Name and Image: Hershey has been in the market since 1894 and since then it has created a strong brand name and image. †¢ Diverse Product Portfolio: Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kisses, Mounds, Reese’s, Payday, York Peppermint Pattie, Milk Duds, Mr. Goodbar, Rolo, Skor, Whatchamacallit, Whoppers and Krackle Bar are only a few of Hershey’s products amongst many more. Having a huge variety of products increases chances of high sales for the company. Strong Alliances: Apart from acquiring a number of popular chocolate/candy manufacturing companies and has acquired licenses for producing and selling Cadbury and Nestle products, it has also, recently allied with Starbucks, which lead to a 30% increase in profits for Hershey. (MarketWatch) OPPORTUNITIES: †¢ A number of consumers desire and demand richer products and this gives Hershey to gain more of the upper strata of society †¢ The Hershey Company joined up with Starbucks, which was a wise move as it contributed to a 30% growth in Hershey’s profit (MarketWatch).More joint ventures with, for instance, Dunkin Donuts would boost sales of Hershey. †¢ In today’s day and age, people have started giving more importance to holidays as noted in the Quarterly reports of Hershey sales were higher in the holiday seasons. Hershey can use this to focus more on chocolates as gifts. †¢ Price decline of sugar †¢ Outsourcing of labor to cheaper areas WEAKNESSES: †¢ Hershey is North America’s largest chocolate producer (The Hershey Company) but the same cannot be said when it comes to the international market. Currently, the company’s presence is limited to Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. www. investopedia. com) †¢   A key weakness of Hershey is that it does not have much sales in the Asian markets and since Asia is the largest continent and a huge population, it is missing out on a lot. †¢ Price inflation is also an issue. As prices are relentlessly increasing, consumers think twice before purchasing a lot of things and Hershey products are no longer item that once can buy with the loose change in their pocket. Less people are willing to buy chocolates frequently. THREATS: †¢ There has been an increase in Nut allergies both in the UK and USA. ut allergies. (AAIR). A lot of Hershey products uses nuts and it has to consider this fact. †¢ Obesity is also on the rise and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a massive increase in obesity. â€Å"In 2008, only one state in the United States of America (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%†. Though there is no proof that chocolate equals obesity but that is the general conception and heatlh conscious people tend to buy little or no chocolate. If the health trend rises chocolate sa les will gradually decrease. Technology is becoming more and more advanced every day, and in order to be retain its economies of scale and to remain competent, Hershey has to keep up with technological progress in manufacturing and this will automatically increase cost.. †¢ A recent issue has been minimum wage for labourers. â€Å"Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increases to $7. 25 per hour†. (Labour Law Center) †¢ Price of milk has been on a steady rise. Milk prices reached its peak in July 2007 and consumers paid â€Å".. an average $3. 80 a gallon, compared with $3. 29 in January†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Vandore, 2007).If this trend continues in the future, Hershey will have to increase prices due to increased costs of production hence sales could plummet really low. †¢ There has also been a steady price increase in gasoline. In the Clayton News Daily, â€Å"The annual average price of regular unleaded gas is expected to increase from $2. 35 per ga llon in 2009, to $2. 83 in 2010, with similar price hikes on heating oil and diesel fuel†. In this case production costs of running the heavy machinery in factories will increase significantly, making it difficult for Hershey to maintain reasonable price of its products. SWOT of CompetitorsAmongst Hershey’s competitors, Cadbury is one of the major ones. Below is a brief SWOT analysis for Cadbury. |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESSES | |Has been in the market for 200 years- well established brand name &image. |Small product portfolio. There’s not much variety. | |Products sold in over 200 countries. |Very few new products are created by own group. | |High profits | | |Has been awarded Royalty. | |OPPORTUNITIES |THREATS | |Can expand into new markets |Other established brands in the market | |Should produce new products |Diversification of other brands into the market | MARKETING STRATEGY PRODUCT:The Hershey Company has a number of products, the main categories being as foll ows: 1. Chocolate Candy: This includes Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Bliss, and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate amongst a lot of others. 2. Pantry Items: This category includes Hershey Syrup, Hershey Toppings and Hershey’s Hot Cocoa mix etcetera. 3. Snacks: Some products of this category are Canola Bars, Snacksters, 100 Calorie Bars and SnackBarz. 4. Gum and Mint: BreathSavers mints, Bubble Yum bubble gum and Ice Breakers are the products of this category 5.Sugar Confectionary: To capture the market who is sugar conscious or health conscious, Hershey’s developed Hershey's Sugar Free Candy The Hershey Company has, in addition, acquired licenses to manufacture and sell chocolate and non-chocolate products of other brands such as Nestle Kit Kats, Rolos, and Cadbury. It also acquired a number of companies and now Jolly Rancher, Bubble Yum, Mauna Loa, Reeses, Whoppers, Twizzlers and Young & Smylie products are officially a part of the Hershey Company. PRICE: Her shey’s chocolates are priced at a moderate level.A plain Hershey bar of 1. 55 oz is priced at $0. 99 and a Toblerone, 1. 7 oz bar, is priced at $1. 49. Toblerone is 50% more expensive than Hershey, as we can see below. Following is a list of the general pricing of Hershey Products: †¢ Hershey’s Milk Chocolate (1. 55 oz) priced at $0. 99. †¢ Mr. GoodBar (1. 75 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Almond Joy 8 Pack (0. 6 oz x 8 pieces) priced at $2. 45 †¢ Almond Joy Eggs (1. 1 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Cadbury Caramel Eggs (1. 2 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Black Licorice from Y (8 oz bag, containing 55 pieces) priced at $4. 5 †¢ Bubble Yum (o. 17 oz oz x 5 pieces) priced at $0. 99 We can see the general pricing trend of Hershey, as almost all 1. 5 to 2 oz bars are priced at 0. 99 dollars PLACE: Hershey sells its products at a wide array of places. It sells to wholesale distributors, wholesale clubs, mass merchandisers, grocery stores, drug stores, vending companies, convenience stores, department stores, dollar stores and natural food stores. Then these customers of Hershey sell to end consumers in approximately 2 million outlets all over North America and worldwide. (The Hershey Company)One of the largest distributors of Hershey products is the Mc Lane Company Inc. , which in turn sells to other stores. It is the main distributor for Wal-Mart which is one of the few places which sells products of the Hershey Company. (The Hershey Company) PROMOTION: The Hershey Company uses a variety of mediums and techniques for advertising and promotion. Apart from regular mediums such as Billboard advertisement, Newspaper and magazine advertisements and Television commercials, it uses other techniques like using movies and Box Office to promote their company.For instance, in Hershey’s â€Å"Hulked-Up† promotion, you â€Å"enter to win† a Hulk Hummer and get a free T-Shirt by checking out featured products (ComicBookMovie. co m). Other promotions include HERSHEY’S Camaro Sweepstakes to win a 2010 Chevy Camaro, HERSHEY'S KISSES Cookie and HERSHEY’S and the Young Survival Coalition which was used to create breast cancer awareness along with promoting Hershey. (The Hershey Company) ADVERTISEMENT CRITIQUE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Looking at the financial statement of the last five years (www. thehersheycompany. om) has given the following results: †¢ Net Profit 10. 1% of Sales in 2005. †¢ Net Profit 11. 3% of Sales in 2006. †¢ Net Profit 4. 32% of Sales in 2007. †¢ Net Profit 6. 06% of Sales in 2008. †¢ Net Profit 7. 94% of Sales in 2009. These profitability ratios show that while Hershey has performed better in 2009 than two of its preceding years, its profits have decreased considerably compared to 2006. 2006: By taking a closer look at the quarterly reports of Hershey for these years it is noted that the first half had strong but the second half of 2006 saw a slow-down in sales.The Hershey Company’s long-term strategies seek to attain net sales growth of 3% to 4% annually (The Hershey Company) but results for 2006 did not meet their goals. Net sales growth was 2. 58% for 2006. There was a decline in market share during the second half, mainly in North American. Hershey tried to gain momentum again and succeeded with time but at a price. Apart from the increased interest costs for that year there were increased spending on advertising starting from the fourth quarter and continuing well into 2007, affecting the net profit for 2007 drastically. From a net profit percent of 11. % in 2006, it went down to 4. 32% in 2007. 2007: 2007 was also a difficult year. Net sales growth in this year was 0. 05% which is not even close to the company’s goal of 3%-4% per year, even with the increased sales from international business and sales from the Joint Venture formed with Godrej Beverages & Foods Limited formed that year (Wikipedia). Sales in North America was low, costs incurred were much higher than the previous year and the company saw a much lower profit in 2007. Business realignment and impairment costs rose from 14,576,000 to a whopping 276,868,000.The difference in net income percentage was -61. 7%. Increased investment spending for advertising and expansion of our international infrastructure also contributed to the lower income in 2007. 2008: Net sales growth increased from 0. 05% to 3. 8% in this year. The net income percentage which was negative in the previous year turned into a positive 45. 4%. Needless to say, Hershey gained momentum in the market again. Results for the 2008 up to mark and met the Hershey Company’s goals and expectations. FUTURE TRENDS Health Awareness: Many people don’t use chocolate for fear of become fat, getting acne or other health reasons such as cholesterol. This may reduce sales. †¢ Allergies: some children and adults have allergies, most commonly peanut allergies and o ther nut allergies. This, also, may decrease sales. †¢ High Class society gatherings/increased importance to holidays such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas which use a lot of chocolate and chocolate products. This could increase sales in the future. †¢ Price of cocoa and Price of fuel: The price of these two commodities will effect sales negatively if they continue to rise.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE: Keeping in mind the factors and trends that may increase or decrease sales in the future, Hershey can take a number of steps to improve their chances of turning unfavorable situations into ones that will actually benefit the company. A lot of people think of chocolate and think of one of these words: â€Å"junk food†, unhealthy†, â€Å"fattening† and so on. But the fact is that chocolate can actually promote good health. Especially dark chocolate, which has anti-oxidant effects and generates antithrombotic mechanisms, can lead to better cardiovascular health (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal).In layman terms this means it prevents the blood in the heart from clotting up. Hershey’s can use this knowledge for a different spin on their advertisements and removing the concept of unhealthy chocolate. Also many people and children have nut allergies, and since a lot of Hershey’s products include hazel nut and peanuts, this can pose a problem But with careful and well defined market research Hershey’s can overcome the problem of its chocolate bars containing nut not being sold, by finding out approximately what population of chocolate lovers is allergic to nuts and other ingredients which prevent them from buying chocolate.Another trend which poses a problem is the economy. Prices are constantly on the rise and cocoa and fuel are the two major concerns. Increase in fuel prices may lead to closure of a few plants to save on costs, or if the plants are not closed, prices of products may have to be raised to cover up the costs. Prices of cocoa are also on the rise, and an increase in this raw material may lead to an increase in price of the end-products. Since cocoa is produced in a few countries with tropical climate, chocolate manufacturers in colder climates have to import cocoa. Hershey has to pay mport taxes on top of the increased prices due to the global deficit of 145,000 tonnes of cocoa in the 2007-2008 season (confectionarynews. com). To reduce this cost, Hershey has two options. Either to buy as much cocoa in bulk as possible when prices are low and to buy as minimum as possible when the prices are high, or to outsource their manufacturing to places like Indonesia or Ghana where cocoa production is the largest (BBC News). CONCLUSION Hershey is a company which is already popular, but with a few well planned strategic decisions has the potential to be much more successful.They can do this by a reducing their costs, starting up new subsidiaries, perhaps even starting up production of th eir own cocoa beans instead of importing from Indonesia, Ghana and other cocoa manufacturers. The next thing they have to do is increase their advertising to countries Asia, as Asia has a large number of potential consumers.. APPENDIX REFERENCES About The Hershey Company. (www. thehersheycompany. com) < http://www. thehersheycompany. com/about/> Asthma and Allergy Information and Research. Nut Allergy- The Basics < http://www. sers. globalnet. co. uk/~aair/nuts. htm> BBC News. Peanut allergy on the increase < http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/2487769. stm> BBC News. BBC News. Cocoa price hits 14-year-high Clayton News Daily. Confectionerynews. com. Future of cocoa prices uncertain, says ICCO. ComicBookMovie. com. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emma Vandore. Got Milk? More People Want It Now. Contra Costa Times. Evan Carmichael. His Secret Recipe: How Hershey Achieved Success Groovy Candies. Hoovers. Labour Law Center.Federal Minimum Wage Increase for 2007, 2008, & 2009 Lunde ll, Dean â€Å"Capitalizing on Our Candy Cravings (NSRGY, CSG, HSY). † Investopedia. com. August 1st, 2007. November 13th, 2007. Investopedia website: Investor Relations: Annual and Quarterly Reports (www. thehersheycompany. com) MarketWatch. Hershey's 3rd-quarter profit rises 30% ; http://www. marketwatch. com/story/hersheys-third-quarter-profit-rises-30-2009-10-22; Products (www. hersheys. com) The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Plasma antioxidants from chocolate Oct, 2003 . Volume 22 Issue 10. p A7

Personal statement of admission in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal statement of admission in USA - Essay Example Since this period, my desire and fascination in computers and programming grew rapidly. When I joined secondary school, I learned various programming languages including C++ and HTML. This enabled me to conduct a presentation concerning these languages during the career day in the school. My fellow students were extremely amazed, based on my understanding of the languages. After this session, I was utterly motivated to select computer science as a personal career. I was satisfied by the decision because I usually enjoy acquiring new skills and information. In most cases, I use the acquired skills to enable my adaptation in the fast-changing world. This has also enhanced my interest in the innovation sector. According to my personal thinking, computer science would give me an incentive to improve personally and gain information. When I joined the University in Saudi Arabia, I was familiar with most of the freshman courses in the discipline of computer science and information technolog y. The facile nature of computers has even made it possible for me to gain more information in the study of computer science and information technology. Moreover, the versatility of computers has also solidified my interest in the discipline of computer science and information technology, hence; exposing me to the enormous potential of computers. The study of computers has also widened my background in certain concepts. This has left me enchanted and rapt in regard to the developing field. In addition, I have also gained practical knowledge in the discipline of computer science and information technology. I have managed to achieve this through the project works and internships. I completed my bachelor degree and majored in Computer Science and Information technology in Saudi Arabia. After this, I started studying English as a second language in a full time program (Extensive program) in USA at FLS International at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania since April 2011 until December 2011. Later on, I transferred to complete my English program at the University of Pennsylvania Institute since January 2012 till now. In most of the courses that I have studied in the bachelor program, I have gotten high scores, which have been helpful in my studies. Some of these courses include distributed systems and parallel processing, design and analysis of algorithms, computers architecture, operating systems, advanced databases, and software engineering. I have also scored highly in some of the courses related to mathematics including linear algebra, principles of statistics and probabilities, and differential and integral calculus. The experience I gained from this study was of extreme value to me. I integrated the knowledge gained with the serviceability and functionality of a variety of worldly applications. Through this, I took hold of the application of computer technologies in various sections of life. I have also tried to follow some of the technological innovations and design through gaining facts from different sources. Some of these information resources include attending technological conferences and seminars and reading books related to technological advancement. Also, in order to acquire knowledge on this widespread technology, I familiarized myself on them through a variety of certification courses.