Standard Deviation and Gulf View Condominiums

Case 2: Gulf Real Estate Properties. Please provide a Managerial Report that includes: 1. Appropriate descriptive statistics to summarize each of the three variables for the forty Gulf View condominiums 2. Appropriate descriptive statistics to summarize each of the three variables for the eighteen No-Gulf View condominiums 3. Comparison of your summary results from #1 & #2. Discuss any specific statistical results that would help a real estate agent understand the condominium market. 4. A 95% confidence interval estimate of the population mean sales price and population mean number of days to sell for Gulf View condominiums.Also, interpret the results. 5. A 95% confidence interval estimate of the population mean sales price and population mean number of days to sell for Gulf View condominiums. Also, interpret the results. Also, consider the following scenario and include your responses in your Report: 6. Assume the branch manager requested estimates of the mean selling price of Gulf View condominiums with a margin of error of $40,000 and the mean selling price of No-Gulf View condominiums with a margin of effort of $15,000. Using 95% confidence, how large should the sample sizes be? GULF VIEW CONDOMINIUMS List Price Sales Price Days to Sell 95000 475000 130 379000 350000 71 529000 519000 85 552500 534500 95 334900 334900 119 550000 505000 92 169900 165000 197 210000 210000 56 975000 945000 73 314000 314000 126 315000 305000 88 885000 800000 282 975000 975000 100 469000 445000 56 329000 305000 49 365000 330000 48 332000 312000 88 520000 495000 161 425000 405000 149 675000 669000 142 409000 400000 28 649000 649000 29 319000 305000 140 425000 410000 85 359000 340000 107 469000 449000 72 895000 875000 129 439000 430000 160 435000 400000 206 235000 227000 91 638000 618000 100 629000 600000 97 329000 309000 114 595000 555000 45 339000 315000 150 15000 200000 48 395000 375000 135 449000 425000 53 499000 465000 86 439000 428500 158 No Gulf View Condominiums List Price Sales Price Days to Sell 217000 217000 182 148000 135500 338 186500 179000 122 239000 230000 150 279000 267500 169 215000 214000 58 279000 259000 110 179900 176500 130 149900 144900 149 235000 230000 114 199800 192000 120 210000 195000 61 226000 212000 146 149900146500 137 160000 160000 281 322000 29250063 187500 179000 48 247000 227000 52 Let me know if you have any questions†¦ Answers (1) Descriptive statistics to summarize each of the three variables for the forty Gulf View condominiumsList Price |   | Sales Price |   | Days to Sell |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Mean| 474007. 5| Mean| 454222. 5| Mean| 106| Standard Error| 31194. 293| Standard Error| 30439. 72954| Standard Error| 8. 256078| Median| 437000| Median| 417500| Median| 96| Mode| 975000| Mode| 305000| Mode| 85| Standard Deviation| 197290. 03| Standard Deviation| 192517. 7534| Standard Deviation| 52. 21602| Sample Variance| 3. 892E+10| Sample Variance| 37063085378| Sample Variance| 2726. 513| Kurtos is| 1. 0113289| Kurtosis| 1. 183621479| Kurtosis| 2. 022026| Skewness| 1. 0958146| Skewness| 1. 159387914| Skewness| 1. 077642| Range| 805100| Range| 810000| Range| 254|Minimum| 169900| Minimum| 165000| Minimum| 28| Maximum| 975000| Maximum| 975000| Maximum| 282| Sum| 18960300| Sum| 18168900| Sum| 4240| Count| 40| Count| 40| Count| 40| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 63096. 412| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 61570. 16398| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 16. 69949| (2) Descriptive statistics to summarize each of the three variables for the eighteen No-Gulf View condominiums List Price |   | Sales Price |   | Days to Sell |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Mean| 212805. 6| Mean| 203188. 9| Mean| 135| Standard Error| 11536. 51| Standard Error| 10345. 38| Standard Error| 17. 98402| Median| 212500| Median| 203500| Median| 126|Mode| 279000| Mode| 179000| Mode| #N/A| Standard Deviation| 48945. 28| Standard Deviation| 43891. 72| Standard Deviation| 76. 29972| Sample Variance| 2. 4E+09| Sample Variance| 1. 93E+09| Sample Variance| 5821. 647| Kurtosis| -0. 08524| Kurtosis| -0. 46407| Kurtosis| 2. 215301| Skewness| 0. 543955| Skewness| 0. 304181| Skewness| 1. 360547| Range| 174000| Range| 157000| Range| 290| Minimum| 148000| Minimum| 135500| Minimum| 48| Maximum| 322000| Maximum| 292500| Maximum| 338| Sum| 3830500| Sum| 3657400| Sum| 2430| Count| 18| Count| 18| Count| 18| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 24339. 92| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 21826. 4| Confidence Level(95. 0%)| 37. 94296| (3) Comparisons The mean sale price of gulf view condominiums is greater than that of non gulf view condominiums. The mean number of days to sell gulf view condominiums is less tha that of non gulf view condominiums. The variation in the sale prices of gulf view condominiums are more than that of non gulf view condominiums. The variation in the number of days to sell of gulf view condominiums are more than that of non gulf view condominiums. (4) GULF VIEW CONDOMINIUMS 95% confidence interval for po pulation mean sales price is 45422. 50 ±61570. 16 =(392652. 34,515792. 6) 95% confidence interval for population mean days to sell is 106 ±16. 70 =(89. 30,122. 70) (5) NON GULF VIEW CONDOMINIUMS 95% confidence interval for population mean sales price is 203188. 90 ±21826. 84=(181362. 05,225015. 73) 95% confidence interval for population mean days to sell is 135 ±37. 94 =(97. 06,172. 94) (6) GULF VIEW CONDOMINIUMS Confidence level = 95% z= 1. 96 s=192517. 75 E=Z*s/vn = 40000 n = (1. 96*192517. 75/40000)^2 = 88. 99 The minimum sample size is 90 GULF VIEW CONDOMINIUMS Confidence level = 95% z= 1. 96 s=43891. 72 E=Z*s/vn = 15000 n = (1. 96*43891. 72/15000)^2 = 32. 89 The minimum sample size is 33

Modern Art Essay

After viewing Georg Baselitz’s Auftritt am Sandtreich II – bei (Remix), and Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #224, one can see two very different artists trying to convey a topic that is relatable on many levels. George Baselitz is a German Neo-Expressionist, while Cindy Sherman created work in the American, Metro Pictures genre yet both have chosen to â€Å"remix† the past into new and somewhat inherent images of the day. One can relate to these images on the basis of recognition, and interpretation of the cultural meanings of the time. Both artists have chosen to give the audience snapshots of their past, Sherman with the 1950’s women’s rights movement, and Baselitz portrayal of a post-World War II Germany. The images selected are form a more modern era, Baselitz-2006 than Sherman-1990, and it is interesting to see the changes from the work of the 1980s. Baselitz became famous for turning his paintings upside-down to shift the viewer’s focus away from the subject matter to the expressive surface. In his later work, though, the inverted subject matter indeed seems to be the focus, deliberately so in order to effectively portray the image after years of contemplation and healing. Sherman’s later work is similar in stance, but is a colored photographic interpretation of Caravaggio’s Sick Bacchus portrait. One can make the comparison that both artists have overcome adversity, and their imagery conveys a message of hope and promise stemming from difficulty. Georg Baselitz, Auftritt am Sandtreich II – bei + 30 C (Remix), 2006 Oil on canvas http://www.ecopolis.org/georg-baselitz-remix-paintings/ Georg Baselitz grew up in Germany during WWII, a time of unrest and ever changing cultural norms. This makes sense, as Baselitz himself moved from East to West Germany as a youth living in Germany through the reunification of the Nineties. In Auftritt am Sandtreich II – bei (Remix), Baselitz has revisited the most challenging aspects of his own history, with hindsight, and made a brand new version of the art. Not only were the paintings enlarged, they were also revisited with bright colors and bold lines. When one looks at the work, one can see an inverted soldier’s legs extending into the bright scenery of chunked color. The transparency of the soldier seems to indicate that this is an image of the past, with the ghostly interpretation of faded color. One can conclude that Baselitz has forgiven the transgressions of the war torn society, and views it now as a faded memory that has shaped him into the person he is today. While the image is still vaguely gruesome with the soldier’s splattered outline, implying death, it still somehow looks through that to a brighter day on the horizon. The pallet is very bright, and the canvas is mammoth, almost swallowing the viewer up in its scale. The subject matter does not possess any formal qualities of realism or training, but does follow in Baselitz’s tradition of inversion and loose brushwork. Baselitz has revisited many of his earlier works, and challenged his previous discern of modernism. Cindy Sherman, Untitled #224. 1990Chromogenic color print, 48 x 38†³ (121.9 x 96.5 cm). http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2012/cindysherman/gallery/audio/8-224.php In Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #224, she has transcended her Metro Photo roleplaying into the work of Caravaggio’s Sick Bacchus, the painting from the late 16th century. This photograph is drastically different form the rest of the Untitled series due to the strong makeup, and use of prosthetics to become male. The emasculated arm is a well done prosthetic to illuminate the male form. The arm is one of the only parts of the staging that is inconsistent with the original painting. The figure in Caravaggio’s painting is more feminine than that of Sherman, slightly ironic. The costuming is consistent with Sherman’s other works, with exact attention to detail and accurate props. Caravaggio’s painting is thought to be a self-portrait of the artist as the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Sherman was very interested in addressing the roles of women, and challenging society’s views on the subject, which at the time were primarily negative. Sherman’s Untitled #224 depicts a female in the role of a Greek god, which is not only a figure of power and celebration, but also a spiritual entity. As American culture was shifting towards equality in the 1950’s, Sherman’s work helped viewers to take on new roles otherwise unexplored by women. The implications were not only remixed to force a message, they were also liberating to women in a time of need. Both Baselitz and Sherman’s work sample information from the past. Both works reflect on their own cultural heritage with a moving awareness to historical events that they have experienced. So if one views these works in a Postmodernist standpoint the viewer is acknowledged to be an active participant in an explicit dialogue between the artist, the artwork, oneself, and one’s cultural context. Sherman’s Untitled #224 allows women to interact with the work in a comical and almost satirical way. Even though one should not take women’s rights lightly, nor denounce the impact that it has had on American culture, viewers of this work can role-play along with Sherman. It is an interesting choice of role-playing as Caravaggio’s interpretation of Sick Bocchus portrays a frail and hung-over drunkard as his subject. Sherman’s choice of subject matter can say that if a woman were in this position she would be strong and handle it with poise. Sherman does not seem to be concerned with feedback from viewers, but rather interested in conveying a message in a new way. Baselitz has allowed the influence of time and criticism to heighten his awareness of change and fashion a new outlook on an old subject matter. Postmodern viewers can more readily relate to the remix works as they lend themselves to a brighter pallet, a post war recover of sorts. Society and culture always has a way of persevering out of trial and adversity, and both of their artworks convey that message of hope and promise.

Making reference to EU policies and institutions, identify and assess Essay - 1

Making reference to EU policies and institutions, identify and assess opposing theoretical arguments on the process of EU integration - Essay Example The process of EU Integration is an approach in accordance with which political and economic along with legal factors are integrated in European countries. Moreover, the integration process involves EU, Council of Europe and international organisations which include the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). The EU is recognised as a supranational organisation constituting of 27 member states. A Treaty of Lisbon has been formulated with the intention of being identified as a legal entity throughout the European nations as well as regions. Furthermore, a document named inter alia has been devised with the motive formulating the roles of Minister of External Affairs as well as President of the European nations as well as regions (Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit, 2009). The EU is the result of integration on the basis of treaties between member nations as well as regions. This union of the member countries is developed based on an institutional framework. The European Institution comprises the Commission, the Parliament as well as the Council which formulate policies and execute the administration operations of the EU (ILSP, 2000). The discussion will emphasize on intergovernmentalism and different methods of supranationalism in the process of integration. The paper will also discuss the theories of integration as well as include examples of institutions and EU policies in order to obtain a clear concept of these theories. The discussion will further emphasize upon policies as well as fiscal unions in the EU. European integration is one of the most debated topics with regard to identifying the advancement of the integration process. The main concern is about the extent to which the union of the European countries as well as regions have been accomplished. Moreover, the integration process aims to recognise whether the EU is devoted more towards the intergovernmentalism

Storm Drainage Design Project, Hydrographs Essay

Storm Drainage Design Project, Hydrographs - Essay Example Rainfall is the input used to a watershed and the stream flow is also considered as the output of the watershed. A hydrograph also represents how a watershed reacts to rainfall. King1998, in his report said that the response of a watershed to rainfall depends on several factors which affects the shape of a hydrograph. This represents the effect of rainfall on a particular basin. This is a hypothetical response of a watershed to the input of rainfall. This will allow calculations of the response to any input(rainfall). Hydrographs are often affected by factors of soil saturation and the surroundings. The vegetation type and the steepness of the surrounding lands, with the drainage density(Stott,2005). Very dry weather, nornmally creates a crust on river beds and wet winters would increase the discharge. Sand and clay produces a flashy hydrographs but there could be a difference between the two. be used as a water source of an open channel that would supply water to nearby reservoir. The hydrograph data was used to analyze the water activity in the river after a rainstorm. The study was done for a period of 96 hours. Measurements on the height of water was done on an hourly basis. The results of which are as follows. The water level was almost constant for the first 43 hours. At the start of the 44th hour, the water level started to rise. This stage of the rise of water is called the rising limb.It reached the peak, or the highest water level on the 58th hour. As it started to fall down, it undergoes falling limb. This is when the height of water level starts to recede. The falling limb would come after the rising limb . The peak discharge is when water reaches its highest point and there is the greatest amount of water in the river. The lag time is theperiod of time that is recorded between the peak rainfall and peak discharge. Design computation of the Channel Data provided Note: Apply the the Manning's Formula to get value for Q = 0.8 m3/s breadth b, of a channel with a given value for d. n = 0.012 S = 1/2000 = 0.0005 d = 0.3 Substitute the data in the equations below: V = where: v = velocity Q = Av R = Hydraulic Radius Q = A S = slope A = bd n = Manning's coefficient R = Q = discharge Solutions: A = db = 0.3(b) Q = A R = 0.8 = 0.3b 0.8(0.012) = 0.3b 0.0285 = 0.6b = 0.3 = 1.447 = (1.447)3 = b3 3.029 = 3.029 = 3.029 (0.36 + 1.2b + b2) = 0.09b5 1.0904 + 3.6348b + 3.029b2 = 0.09b5 1.0904 + 3.6348b + 3.029b2 - 0.09b5 = 0 b = 3.5799 m. In order to get the value of the discharge in the river, the first computations will be to solve the value of depth d: From the given data v = 4.0m3/s s = 0.0005 n = 0.012, Q = Av v = v = 4.0 = 4.0(0.012) = 0.048 = 2.17 ==

Difference between Liberalism and Socialism Essay

Difference between Liberalism and Socialism - Essay Example Socialism advocates for total control of resources that contribute to political and economic development. Only through such control, can the state achieve true success and economic prosperity of its people (Hinnfors, 2006). Introduction History and Political Science What is the difference between liberalism and socialism? Through socialism, most of the individuals in a nation are highly likely to be provided for in terms of basic resources. The government in a socialist system is also highly likely to ensure that the people of the nation have all needed social amenities. Socialism is likely to ensure that all the available wealth in a nation has been equally distributed regardless of economic state held by the country’s nationals. However, some of the socialist systems that have been observed in most countries have not been as efficient as they were originally meant to be. If the individuals in the government happen to be corrupt, it is the innocent nationals of a country that suffer since the wealth in the nation does not get distributed as it should be (Mcdonald, 2008). There are different forms of liberalism that are used in the learning fields. This paper will focus on the classical form of liberalism and its views. Liberalism dictates that the governing power should only be in charge of institutions in the country if there is no recorded progress. Individuals that support liberalism feel that the people of a nation are likely to have more freedom if the government is only involved in the control of some institutions (Tamanaha, 2004). What are the basic components and goals of a liberalist government? (Based on the ideas of J.S. Mill, Adam Smith and John Locke) Liberalist governments view the needs and wants of their people as being the most important. The government encourages a system whereby individuals are made to feel free in their environment. There is freedom of speech and other constitutional rights to encourage harmony in the society (Tamana ha, 2004). Liberalist governments are based on the ideals of liberty and equality. The main components of liberalist governments include the freedoms of speech, free elections and right to life and own property. According to John Locke, each individual should have the right to life, own property and liberty. Another component is the rejection of absolute monarchies, state religion and the divine right of kings. J.S Mill asserts that an individual should have the right to do harm on himself or herself as long as he is not harming other people. ((Mcdonald, 2008). Adam Smith, in his work on wealth of nations, he asserted that governments should ensure economic liberalism by not interfering with the markets. He opposed restrictive trade practices, subsidies to government monopolies and trade unions. According to liberalist goals, the selfish interests of individuals will make the economic markets self-regulate. However, Adam Smith argued that the government had limited role in the provi sion of public goods like schools and roads that cannot be provided adequately by the private sector. Adam Smith maintained such costs should be charged to citizens proportionately according to their consumption through tolls ((Mcdonald, 2008). Individuals such as John Locke were on the front in encouraging the adoption of liberalism in governing systems. Liberalism supports the giving of power to the people in communities. Individuals are ideally free to communicate their satisfaction/ dissatisfaction with a government and demand for a democratic way of governing. According to Locke, individuals are entitled to ownership of any form of rights, rights or freedom. A

Psychological Analis of Sex Offenders Lab Report

Psychological Analis of Sex Offenders - Lab Report Example Over the years questions have been raised regarding constitutional challenges and concerns. Introduction Over the years the approaches to legislations governing the registration and the publication of sex offenders have always been primarily geared towards reducing the probability of repeat offences. The general realization is that sex offenders always demonstrate the tendency to repeat the sexual offences when relevant measures are not taken to sensitize the public and to construct deterring mechanisms. The essence of having sexual offenders register themselves is to ensure that during parole, the parole officers can keep track of the progress and ensure that the offenders are not in circumstances that might tempt them to repeat the offences. Although, various states are responsible for establishing their own systems and procedures when it comes to registration and publication of sexual offenders the federal government has existing laws to act as guidelines. The guidelines are clear ly outlined in the â€Å"Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children Act of 1994, Megan’s Law of 1996, and Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996† (Maddan, 2008, p. 10). ... In addition the paper will also address the extent to which the approaches employed by the state of Minnesota helps in preventing repeat offences by the offenders, sensitizes and protects the public and assists the authorities in keeping track of the movements and activities of sexual offenders. State Regulations in Minnesota Statistics from the state of Minnesota have prompted authorities within the state to construct legislations to ensure that communities are effectively notified of any sex offenders living within their neighborhoods. According to (Minnesota Police Department, 2011), most sexual offenders target people that know them and apparently trust them. In addition, most offenders who had been to prison were found to engage in child molestation, incest and rape with people who knew them very well. Therefore the legislations within Minnesota have always been geared towards addressing the issue of notifying communities concerning offenders living within their neighborhoods. T he legislations include the Minnesota Statute 243.166 and the Community Notification Act of 1996. The general realization is that it is usually inevitable to have sex offenders living among other members of the community due to law provisions that require offenders to spend a specific period of time in prison. In Minnesota the state regulations only require offenders to spend only two thirds of their sentences behind bars and the rest free but under the supervision of probation officers. Once the sexual offenders have been released and they will be required to adhere with certain registration regulation depending on the risk levels they have been assigned. Like most states Minnesota assigns sexual offenders one

The Victorians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Victorians - Essay Example A woman had to be virgin a so as to be considered a potential wives. She had to remain innocent as well as not having sexual or love thoughts before marriage. Such a requirement was not expected for men. Women were believed to have sexuality as their controller hence needed to be regulated hence the society demanded unquestionable compliance from a woman while no man was expected to do so. After marriage, a woman’s rights, identity and poverty ceased. The husband supervised her completely as per the law, owning the children, her property as well as her. Wife beating and rape was legal. Women held a significant position in marriage since they cared for household, servants as well as management of finances; however, men viewed them as overly emotional as well as mindless controlled by sexuality. Whatever a woman did was not seen to be as important as the work of a man. Motherhood could be separated from anything sexual almost all the time. Sex was not for pleasure for them but mainly for bearing kids. Sex for pleasure was viewed scandalous and dirty. Purity was significant for mothers to get appreciation. Mothers needed to be religious because religion supported women’s view of sexual satisfaction and passion. With lack of religious faith, a woman was unable to inspire sexual propriety within her daughter, hence not fit t be a mother. Adultery for men was allowed but for women it could lead to divorce. Adultery for men could only lead divorce if it were compounded by a different matrimonial offence for instance dissertation or cruelty. Prostitution was legal at this time and it was the second category. There was no that much difference between mothers and prostitutes in the sense that men saw all women as whores. However, prostitutes were referred to as the fallen women whom deserved disrespect and shame. All other professions were nt meant for omen except

Social and economic disadvantage for some ethnic groups in Britain Essay - 1

Social and economic disadvantage for some ethnic groups in Britain - Essay Example In determining values of different capitals and power development directs towards providing benefits to a section of people of the society while making it worse for the other people in that society(Social Class, 2012). In this respect, ethnicity is one of the major parameters associated with social capitals and in Britain it has been empirically found that ethnic minorities have been subjected to various disadvantages. The social scientists have propounded intersection theory which states that the intersection of race, class and gender fetches multiple disadvantages to the people in the societal and economic forefront (Macionis, 2006, p.350). Ethnicity forms one of the most important dimensions of identities of minority ethnic group but at the same time intersect with other social divisions like that of â€Å"age, ability, class, gender and sexuality† (Craig et al, 2012, p.211). In this paper, the main focus is to carry on a critical assessment of the ways in which ethnicity i ntersects other social divisions in the creation of social and economic disadvantage for some ethnic groups in Britain. In course of discussion, focus will be entailed on theoretical foundation. Although critical assessment will be made with respect to living standards, social security but education which is one of the major indicators in the determination of social and economic development will be also given special emphasis. The social scientists in analyzing the social classes often consider a stark difference in the ethnicity forefront.

Media Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media Studies - Essay Example This essay approves that newspapers existed on the earth in some form or other because of man’s innate tendency to know news and share it with other fellow men. People disseminated news by word of mouth, written correspondence or public notices before the development of printing technology. As more people learned to read and write, news reports became more. Ancient Rome had a particularly stylish system for spreading written news. The process of consolidation of the press and other tools of mass communication has been taking place in US and Canada in a big way. This process might spread to other parts of the world with the emergence of globalization as an unavoidable phenomenon in the world today. The number of newspapers in circulation keep on declining in most U.S. and Canadian cities. Many cities today have only one newspaper publisher. In Canada, only six cities are supplied by two or more independently owned newspapers. In more than 170 American cities, a solo publisher p roduces both a morning and an evening paper. Fewer than 30 U.S. cities have rival papers with different ownership. This report makes a conclusion that we are at the threshold of globalization, a phenomenon that is unavoidable. However, we need the systems in place to guard the values and ideals that man has developed over many years. To make the purpose of the press and other media as only providers of entertainment and statistical enumeration of data is a subservient role that we give to the media. Media has a much more important role to play in the world today as a remedial force and as a forum for engaging in healthy debates on cardinal issues of our times.

Balance Sheet and Income Statement Essay Example for Free

Balance Sheet and Income Statement Essay Balance Sheet and Income Statement Jennifer Grayson BSA/500 June 4, 2011 Brian Keltch Balance Sheet and Income Statement The following four companies are related to the companies that have been in review over the last four weeks. These four following companies show how well the company has been doing over the last two years or not so well. The company has pulled their balance sheets and income statement to see if all the company’s financial needs are being met. If the company’s needs are not being met, the company will show where the company needs to cut back and where the company needs to improve. National Plastic Co Conclusion National Plastic Co. s not doing well after a year. The company has less net fixed assets after a year. The company has borrowed less liability but the company has less revenue so with the changes it did not work in the favor for the company. AMERCO Inc. is still doing about the same after a year. The big thing is that the company is still able to bring in money with the economy at its worst. The company is able to run comfortable. Kout Food Group is doing about the same as the year before. No growth has happen and no lost has happen. Resaas Services Inc. has made the most growth in a year. In 2010 the total liabilities and equity was 0. 8% and in 2011 5. 67%. The company gained more than 5. 39%. Resaas is doing well. To look at all the different company’s income statements and balance sheets show that no two companies are the same. Some companies may do better than others may and some may not do well at all. It is important for all companies to make sure to have a financial statement. Reference BLOOMBERG L. P. (2012).

Body Language in a Job Interview

Body Language in a Job Interview Communication via body language in a Job Interview Introduction Communication is the process by which a message is a coded and sent and which the receiver decodes once received. Communication takes place among all individuals and living beings constantly throughout our lives whether it be intentional or unintentional. When talking about communication, the most common form of communication is perceived to be someone talking to another but this is incorrect. Research shows that only 7% of our communication takes place in a verbal form while out of the remaining 93%, 55% relates to our body language and the remaining 38% is via paralanguage. This clearly suggests that the non-verbal communication is highly significant and body language plays a key part. The important aspect about body language is that one could communicate a lot through it and still not know what he is communicating and what is being received on the other end Body Language There is an old saying which goes â€Å"His actions speak louder than his words†. In this context it is very true. Our body language affects our communication on a daily basis whether it be in our personal lives or in our professional environment. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions are all portrayed through our body language without us realizing it and it could betray our words too. We may speak out differently but our body language would show out to everyone exactly what we are feeling or thinking. Body language covers a whole wide range of signals. The way we walk, sit and conduct ourselves and the way we gesture our hands and all our facial expressions come under this. Our proximity to others, our contact (eye contact or physical contact) and also the way we dress and appear would communicate a lot to the others about us. Body language in a job interview A job interview is an important aspect of everyone’s lives. It is a moment in life which could be the stepping stone of your success or which pulls you back in life. Naturally, it can be quite demanding and stressful and could easily make anyone very nervous. So the way we handle the job interview is very important. While everyone prepares well for a job interview in the form of what they speak, it could be our body language in the end which decides if we get the job or not. There are many important signals which our body gives out during the interview which the interviewer would be looking out for. Making a good entrance It is easy to state that an interview probably starts even before we go to the interview room. The interviewer could watch us initially trying to get a first impression. First impressions are always important. It goes without saying that you need to be dressed up smartly for the interview and also have the right amount of cologne or perfume on you. The way you dress would speak volumes for you. You should also have confidence about you and try not to project any nerves. Having a good smile as you enter would do a lot of good. Having a steady walk to the interview room by following the person who is leading you instead of trying to lead that person and also having a good handshake would help you tick the right boxes. Your handshake should not be limp but should also not be overly aggressive. It needs to have the right amount of firmness. Facial expressions The facial expressions that one displays is probably as important as any other aspect. Your expressions could betray your true feelings. No matter how well you communicate verbally, your expressions would tell your interviewer if you are nervous or confidant or if you are unsure of any facts. Your eyes would speak volumes for you. This is why it is necessary to look the person in the eye when you speak. Sometimes there could be multiple interviewers. In that case it is advisable to give each interviewer a brief eye contact but by giving it more to the interviewer who asked the question. It is an accepted norm that if you are unable to look a person in the eye while speaking you could be lying. But it is also necessary to not stare too hard into the eyes of the interviewer as it would come out rude. The way your eyebrows raise would tell the interview if you have been caught by surprise or if you do not believe in something. This should be limited. While the interviewers may have a poker face with which they give out nothing, the interviewee should try to avoid it. Displaying the right amount of expressions in the form of smiling would help project the right amount of confidence. Postures The way you sit and walk and the way your hands and legs are placed at the time of the interview are also very important. Sitting with your legs crossed would display boredom while sitting hunched and very closed would make it appear if you are not very interested. It is important to sit up straight and lean slightly forward as this would make it appear that you are interested. Also crossing your hands across your chest would make it appear that you are a very closed person who does not like to share much. Having an open position while displaying your chest and stomach areas is the right way to go. The way you walk is also very important. Try to avoid being hunched and walking slowly with your hands in your pockets and with your eyes fixed on the floor. The right way to project confidence is to look up straight while walking and going about with a good pace with the proper swinging of arms. Gestures The way you move your hands and head while communicating verbally is also important. Unnecessary gestures like rubbing a part of your body or cupping hands over the mouth or having closed fists should be avoided. Gesturing with your hands while communicating is very good as it would show openness and confidence but too much hand movement should be avoided and raising your hands too high should also be avoided. Gesturing with your head by nodding while listening and also smiling is good as it would show the interest. Other gestures like glancing away or staring down or even clearing the throat, tapping fingers and frequently shifting around in the chair should be avoided as the interviewer may misinterpret it as signs of disinterest or nervousness. Departing from the interview An important part of an interview is how you finish it. Everyone generally focuses so much on the interview that they tend to forget that finishing an interview and departing from it is also very important. Even if the interview did not go as well as we would like, it is important to stand and leave with a graceful walk and a smile. If possible try to shake hands of the interview as you leave too. Conclusion Communicating via body language is very important in the job interview. No matter how well prepared we are and how good our verbal communication was, if our body language is not good it could betray all our feelings and all efforts could be in vain. Therefore, preparing our body language to a job interview is just as much as important as preparing our verbal communication http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-preparation/body-language-can-make-or-break-a-job-interview-hot-jobs/article.aspx http://www.cimaglobal.com/Thought-leadership/Newsletters/Insight-e-magazine/Insight-2013/Insight-February-2013/Body-language-in-a-job-interview/

Ads :: essays research papers

Smoke a lot. Drink more of what you have been drinking and try some new stuff. Eat real crappy food. Now go and exercise for ten minutes and soon you will be giving Arnold Swartzenegger a run for his money. Life is good when you are a guy in this day and age, especially when it comes to advertising. Recently I picked up an edition of the latest magazine, Maxim and after reading, starring, and goggling I feel like I have just left a bachelor party. Ad campaigns that are directed toward the male species believe it or not are constructed very simple: sex, booze, money, and did I mention sex? These are the very basic infrastructures of the male psyche. It is hard to believe that after a million years of evolution, placing a man on the moon, and constructing mile high buildings the basic ingredients to a successful advertisement to entice men to buy can be reduced down to sex or how to get it. The January edition of MAXIM magazine (Maxim, 1999) that featured the model/actress Shannon Elizabeth in a very skimpy top is very typical of what men want to see. The cover stories included, "Her secret sex fantasy" and "100 women tell you what really turns them on!" Right. I hate to be a skeptic but why would women want to tell me what turn them on especially after they have kept it a secret up until this point, at least that's what my dad says. On the other hand this could be the new Bible for men. The article of course is an advertisement for a book that I can easily purchase for a measly $9.97 plus shipping and handling. The ad instructs me that this is the latest book from Maxim's secret vault and it is so hot that it should be illegal! Illegal? It is also packed with scorching photos that are too hot for them to show! As I read on I am instructed that I will not believe it till I see it! And I must act now to receive a complimentary poster for the first 100 orders. I thought to myself that perhaps they should have offered a free cold shower because that what I needed after I goggled at the ad for a minute or two. This of course is a typical ploy of marketers according to Jeffery Shrank in "Why you buy-how ads persuade"(Shrank, 1994) in which an illustration is made depicting a technique to persuade using buzzwords.

rights of a woman Essay -- essays research papers

In her article â€Å"Women’s History† Joan Scott states that it is important for historians to be attentive to both â€Å"the ways in which politics constructs gender and gender constructs politics†. First, definitions for politics and gender will be established in order to analyze Scott’s claim. Second, what Scott meant by the claim â€Å"politics constructs gender† will be illustrated. Third, the contradictory claim â€Å"gender constructs politics† by Joan Scott will be explained. Finally, this paper will evaluate why it is important for historians to be attentive to both the notion that politics constructs gender and gender constructs politics. The usefulness of Scott’s claim on our understanding of both politics and gender will also be examined. The point that Scott was trying to get across in stating that historians should be attentive to the circular claim that â€Å"politics constructs gender and gender constructs politicsâ⠂¬  is that an incomplete history will be recorded if both sides of the equation are not considered hand in hand. To portray why Joan Scott believes it is important for historians to be cognizant of both gender’s effect on politics and politics effect on gender we must first establish what Joan Scott’s definitions of gender and politics are. Gender has many definitions that have been developed through the numerous approaches to history and the many other social sciences. The basic debate in defining gender is at what point is the distinction made between the natural (sex) and the cultural (gender). Gayle Rubin’s definition in â€Å"The Traffic in Women: Notes on the ‘Political Economy’ of Sex† is that â€Å"sex† is the raw material on which culture uses to produce â€Å"gender† and that gender is the cultural expectations of the differences between men and women. The important aspect of the definition of gender is that it is culturally defined and does not remain static over time. As society adjusts, so do its definitions of gender. Politics is the other key word in Scott’s statement that must be defined. Politics, according to Scott in â€Å"Women’s History†, is not just formal government but all relationships involving unequal distributions of power. Scott uses this broad definition of politics in order to explain the â€Å"cultural determination of the terms of sexual difference†. In other words this definition allows for a more complete explanation of what has shaped society’s e... ...he role of historians should be to record history and its significance. The third reason historians should look at the relationship between politics and gender is that if historians only look at the way formal politics shapes gender then a black and white picture of gender is portrayed. If a broad definition of politics is used, such as the one used by Joan Scott, then â€Å"arguments about the separate and distinctive qualities of women’s character and experience† can be avoided. As a result a clearer picture of history will be drawn that does not rely on â€Å"fixed distinctions† that have been made between the genders over time and in the present. Finally, by paying attention to the idea that gender and politics have an effect on one another we can get a clearer picture of where women’s history fits into the history books. In conclusion, Scott’s claim that historians should be attentive to both the ways in which gender constructs politics and politics constructs gender is a thought provoking comment that must be considered if an accurate and unbiased history is to be produced. Politics and gender are both socially construed notions and by definition will have an influence on one another.

Waste Land Essay: Ceremonies and Rituals :: T.S. Eliot Waste Land Essays

The Waste Land:   Ceremonies and Rituals  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ceremonies are prevalent throughout T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land. Eliot relies on literary contrasts to illustrate the specific values of meaningful, effectual rituals of primitive society in contrast to the meaningless, broken, sham rituals of the modern day.   These contrasts serve to show how ceremonies can become broken when they are missing vital components, or they are overloaded with too many.   Even the way language is used in the poem furthers the point of ceremonies, both broken and not. In section V of The Waste Land, Eliot writes,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "After the torchlight red on sweaty faces   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the frosty silence in the gardens   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the agony in stony places   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shouting and the crying   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prison and palace and reverberation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of thunder of spring over distant mountains   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He who was living is now dead" (ll. 322-328). The imagery of a primal ceremony is evident in this passage.   The last line of "He who was living is now dead" shows the passing of the primal ceremony; the connection to it that was once viable is now dead.   The language used to describe the event is very rich and vivid: red, sweaty, stony.   These words evoke an event that is without the cares of modern life- it is primal and hot.   A couple of lines later Eliot talks of "red sullen faces sneer and snarl/ From doors of mudcracked houses" (ll. 344-345). These lines too seem to contain language that has a primal quality to it.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the primal roots of ceremony Eliot shows us the contrast of broken ceremonies.   Some of these ceremonies are broken because they are lacking vital components.   A major ceremony in The Waste Land is that of sex.   The ceremony of sex is broken, however, because it is missing components of love and consent.   An example of this appears in section II, lines 99-100, "The change of Philomel, by the barbarous king/ So rudely forced"; this is referring to the rape of Philomel by King Tereus of Thrace.   The forcing of sex on an unwilling partner breaks the entire ceremony of sex.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rape is not the only way a broken sex ceremony can take place.  Ã‚  The broken ceremony can also occur when there is a lack of love, as shown in lines 222-256.   This passage describes a scene between "the typist" and "the young man carbuncular".

A discussion of equality and diversity issues in a teaching situation-CTLLS Essay

5. A discussion of equality and diversity issues relevant to the candidates teaching/training situation. Equality is ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairly and equally and no less favourably than others. Equality is about the rights of the learners to attend and participate regardless of age, sex, race, gender reassignment, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage/civil partnership and pregnancy /maternity. Diversity is about recognising and being tolerant of different views which individual people have, in terms of cultural backgrounds and different lifestyle choices relating to any characteristics they may have. A diverse society is what we have as every individual has a different culture, belief and life experience to the next. Inclusion is about including all the learners in ‘relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason either directly or indirectly’ (Gravells 2008). ‘Every learner has the right to expect that they will receive high quality learning appropriate to their needs and circumstances ion a safe and healthy environment.’ (Success for all: DfES 2002). Inclusive teaching and learning is possible when promoted. In order to achieve this I combine both the training cycle and the learning styles from Kolb and Fry. These include using Concrete experience, Abstract Conceptualisation, Active Experimentation and Observation and Reflection. Learners the mixing up of which produces the learning styles that best suits a learner, ie; Converger, Diverger, Assimilator and Accommodator. By ensuring the lessons accommodate all learning styles all learners will feel inclusion. Along with the learning styles I would include relevant resource materials . If a learner requires more intervention then I may need to include the following; additional classroom support, adapted or specific resources, peer support, varied presentation, content selection, reducing or increasing time for activities Along with my mentor Geri walker I have written the 5 day induction programme for new starters within the organisation. This includes lectures in subject matter using power point presentation and notes (abstract conceptualisation), Direct discrimination occurs when you treat someone unfairly due to at least the nine characteristics discussed. Indirect discrimination occurs when a working condition, environment or rule disadvantages one group of people or person more than another. As a teacher it is important that to give equal support, you must not discriminate and  must not show favouritism in any way. A teacher should not impose views and opinions on the learners. It is necessary to ensure that the learners show dignity and respect to others in the learning environment. A teacher must recognise that each learner is different and accommodate for those differences wherever possible in the classroom. You should demonstrate your commitment to equal opportunities through everything you say and do in your work with adult students.† (Daines, Daines and Graham, 1993). Geoff Petty states that: Differentiation is an approach to teaching that attempts to ensure that all students learn well, despite their many differences. Catch phrases which go some way to capturing this concept include: ‘Coping with differences’. ‘Learning for all’ or ‘Success for all’ People began to realise it was not just ability that could be â€Å"mixed’’ and that teachers had to cope with differences: learning style, age, motivation, prior learning and experience, gender, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and so on. Consequently the term ‘mixed ability’ began to be replaced by the less vivid term: ‘differentiation’. It is important to work in partnership with the learner, get to know them, so that you can assess their ‘minimum core’ and what their learning needs are. If a learner knows what is expected from them and you tell them what to expect from you , successful learning can be achieved . This may be achieved by recognising the needs of a particular person or group of people. The learners within the sessions I teach include people with; learning difficulties, hearing impairments, those whose first language is not English, or those people who may require additional support with literacy, language, numeracy and ICT skills. The learners I teach come from different social and cultural backgrounds and during teaching I have had to respect the following and accommodate, prayer times, Ramadan and different beliefs to mine without impacting on others. I need to plan my sessions to enable all learners to take part and achieve their individual learning aims, taking into account how I communicate with learner (e.g. using appropriate vocabulary and terminology no abbreviations and jargon, my comments are not discriminatory or offensive or that my body language is appropriate. I need  to check that the resources used are non- discriminatory or stereotypical, suitable for the learners needs so that all the learners can participate. Teaching methods need to be varied and support all learning styles. The learning environment needs to promote inclusion ,e.g. for people with disabilities. The Kennedy Report (1997) stressed the importance of making learning accessible to all learners , focussing on people who may be disadvantaged due to social, economic or educational background. These create barriers to learning that may prevent adults from continuing developing their education e.g.lack of information, childcare support, basic skills and costs involved to study. References Daines, JW et al (2006) Adult Learning, Adult Teaching, 4th ed, Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press DfES (2002b) Success for All. London: HMSO Gravells, A, (2008).preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector.3rd ed. exeter: learning matters Petty, G, (2004) Teaching Today: A practical guide,3rd ed. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes Reisenberger A & Dadzie S (2002), Equality and diversity in adult and community learning – a guide for managers, Niacehttp://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/pdf/A1181.pdf Smith, M. K. (2001). ‘David A. Kolb on experiential learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved 17/3/13 from http://www.infed.org/b-explrn.htm.

Database Environment Paper Essay

In the business world, the use of many different types of databases is not only commonplace, but an essential part of day to day operations. A database is a structured collection of information that is stored on a computer or server that allows the data to be quickly accessed, analyzed, and allows the ability for queries to be run. The use of a database allows businesses to greatly increase efficiency accessing data and accuracy maintaining data. The Sacramento Capital Art Museum is currently in need of a database to accurately track the artwork, the name of the artist, and each piece of artworks location. Before moving any further, it is important to analyze the type of environment that you are working with. Database Environment A database environment describes all of the hardware, software, data, procedures, and personnel that you are working with. It directly relates to a projects scope and boundaries (part of the DBLC), as the boundaries are contained within the environment. Sacr amento Capital Art Museum is a relatively new museum that was established in 2012 by a group of avid art collectors living in the capital city. As a result of this, there is not any type of established database currently running inside of SCAM. While Excel databases have been used by employees on and off, there is nothing that is permanently kept on a public drive. The need to track all the artwork throughout the museum is a direct result of a piece of valuable art that was misplaced. Currently, the museum has 20 employees, each with their own work PC. There is a small server that is kept in house that stores the company’s information and is accessible by all work PC’s via a unique user login. The company is open to using any type of DBMS that will fit Database Environment Paper 3 their needs. I have chosen Microsoft Access as the DBMS for SCAM. Microsoft Access is a â€Å"tool for gathering and understanding all of your information†¦and providing a convenient way to enter, navigate, and report your data.† (Microsoft SQL and Access, 2014) We will be using a relational database for this project. A re lational database was developed in 1970 by an IBM researcher named E.F. Codd. (What are relationship databases, 2001) With a relational database, information is stored in uniform. Instead of one long, flat line of information, data is stored in tables. This allows data to be represented in columns and rows. This type of representation of data allows for quick comparisons, sort information by entity or attribute. They are referred to as relational databases because of the ability to use the relationship of other similar data to increase the speed and overall versatility of the database. Because of the type of data used for this database, a relational type would make the most sense. This DBMS will also allow for easy database maintenance. SCAM currently wants all employees to be able to access the database, while only allowing 10 of the 20 employee’s access to modify the database. Access will be given via unique personal logins and all access to the database will be monitored and logged in an attempt to deter theft. Attributes and Entities An entity is a person, place, or thing, or concept about which data can be collected. (Attributes, n.d.) An attribute describes the facts, details, or characteristics of an entity. For this project, the entities we are using are the individual pieces of artwork, the name of the artist, and the location of the artwork. The attributes that we are using are the type of art, the origin of the artist, whether it is stored or on display within the museum. Using a data modelling approach, such as the entity relationship model (ER) that was created by Peter Pin-Shan Chen, allows for the proper conceptual process to be laid out prior to the actual construction of the database. Database Environment Paper 4 Essentially, it is a database blueprint of how everything will be mapped out. During this process, you want to ensure that all the entities and attributes you wish to represent are logically and concisely laid out. Once the database is mapped out, construction of the database can begin. In the end, the database will be able to give the employees of the Sacramento Capital Art Museum immediate access to the location of every piece of art in the museums custody. The employees will be able to run queries to find out specifics about the art. For example, if they wanted to do an exhibit on Chinese art, they could run a query to find all the art that originated from China within their collection. Database Environment Paper 5 References â€Å"Microsoft SQL and Access† (2014) Retrieved from: http://www.computerhouse.com/microsoft- sql-and-access/ â€Å"What are relational databases?† (2001) Retrieved from: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question599.htm â€Å"Attributes† (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.teach- ict.com/as_a2_ict_new/ocr/AS_G061/315_database_concepts/attributes_entities/miniweb/pg3.ht

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 39

An Episode Seems Inevitable I rise before dawn on Christmas morning and begin my weight-lifting routine. I am nervous about being reunited with Nikki today, so I double-time my exercises in an effort to work off my anxiety. I realize the note Tiffany gave me last night suggests that Nikki might not be interested in meeting me at that special place once dusk rolls around, but I also know that in the movies, just when the main character is about to give up, something surprising happens, which leads to the happy ending. I'm pretty sure that this is the part of my movie when something surprising will happen, so I am trusting in God, who I know will not let me down. If I have faith, if I go to that special place, something beautiful will happen when the sun sets – I can feel it. When I hear Christmas music, I stop lifting and go upstairs. My mother is cooking eggs and bacon. Coffee is brewing. â€Å"Merry Christmas,† Mom says, and gives me a little kiss on the cheek. â€Å"Don't forget your pills.† I take the orange bottles from the cabinet and twist off the lids. As I swallow my last pill, my father comes into the kitchen and throws the newspaper's plastic cover into the waste bucket. When he turns and heads for the family room, my mother says, â€Å"Merry Christmas, Patrick.† â€Å"Merry Christmas,† Dad mumbles. We eat eggs and bacon and toast together as a family, but no one says much. In the living room we sit around the tree. Mom opens her present from Dad. It's a diamond necklace from some department store – tiny diamonds in the shape of a heart on a thin gold chain. I know for a fact that Mom has a similar necklace, because she wears it almost every day. My father probably gave her the same thing last year, but Mom acts really surprised and says, â€Å"Patrick, you shouldn't have,† before she kisses my father on the lips and then hugs him. Even though Dad doesn't hug Mom back, I can tell he is happy, because he sort of smirks. Next, we give Dad his present, which is from both Mom and me. He tears off the wrapping paper and holds up an authentic Eagles jersey, not one with iron-on decals. â€Å"Why doesn't it have any numbers or a name on it?† he asks. â€Å"Since McNabb went down, we thought you'd want to pick a new favorite player,† Mom says. â€Å"So when you do, we'll have the correct number and name sewn onto the jersey.† â€Å"Don't waste your money,† Dad says, putting the jersey back into the box. â€Å"They won't win today without McNabb. They're not going to make the play-offs. I'm done watching that lousy excuse for a football team.† Mom smiles at me because I told her that Dad would say as much, even though the Eagles have been playing pretty well. But Mom and I both know Dad will be watching the Eagles play the Cowboys later today and will pick a new favorite player late next summer – after watching one or two preseason games – at which time he will say something like, â€Å"Jeanie, where's my authentic Eagles jersey? I want to get those numbers sewn on before the season starts.† A few dozen presents are for me, all of which Mom bought and wrapped. I get a new Eagles sweatshirt, new running shoes, workout clothes, dress clothes, a few ties, a brand-new leather jacket, and a special running watch that will help me time my runs and will even calculate the calories I burn while running. And – â€Å"Jesus Christ, Jeanie. How many presents did you buy the kid?† Dad says, but in a way that lets us know he is not really all that mad. After we eat lunch, I shower and put on underarm deodorant, some of my father's cologne, and one of my new running outfits. â€Å"I'm going to try out my new watch,† I tell Mom. â€Å"Caitlin and your brother will be here in an hour,† Mom says. â€Å"So don't be too long.† â€Å"I won't,† I say just before I exit the house. In the garage, I change into the dress clothes I hid there earlier in the week – tweed pants, a black button-down shirt, leather loafers, and the expensive overcoat my father no longer wears. Next, I walk to the Collingswood PATCO stop and catch the 1:45 train to Philadelphia. It begins to rain lightly. I get off at Eighth and Market, walk through the drizzle to City Hall, and catch an Orange Line train headed north. Not many people are on the train, and underground it does not feel like Christmas at all. But the trash-smelling steam that wafts in at every stop when the doors open, the marker graffiti on the orange seat across from me, the half-eaten hamburger lying bunless in the aisle – none of it brings me down, because I am about to be reunited with Nikki. Apart time is finally about to end. I get off at Broad and Olney and climb the steps up into North Philly, where it is raining a little harder. Even though I remember being mugged twice near this subway stop when I was a college student, I do not worry, mostly because it's Christmas and I am a lot stronger than I used to be when I was an undergraduate. On Broad Street I see a few black people, which gets me thinking about Danny and how he always used to talk about going to live with his aunt in North Philly just as soon as he got out of the bad place – especially whenever I mentioned my graduating from La Salle University, which is apparently close to where Danny's aunt lives. I wonder if Danny ever made it out of the bad place, and the thought of him having Christmas in a mental institution makes me really sad because Danny was a good friend to me. I stick my hands into my dad's overcoat pockets as I walk down Olney. With the rain, it is sort of cold. Soon I am seeing the blue-and-yellow flags that line the campus streets, and it makes me feel happy and sad at the same time to be back at La Salle – almost like looking at old pictures of people who have either died or with whom you have lost contact. When I get to the library, I turn left and walk past the tennis courts, where I make a right and stroll past the security building. Beyond the tennis courts is a walled-in hill, with so many trees you'd never believe it was in North Philly if someone had led you here blindfolded and then removed the blindfold and asked, â€Å"Where do you think you are?† At the bottom of the hill is a Japanese teahouse, which is as picturesque as it is out of place in North Philly, although I have never been inside to have tea – because it is a private teahouse – so maybe the inside has a city feel to it; I don't know. Nikki and I used to meet on this hill, behind an old oak tree, and sit on the grass for hours. Surprisingly, not many students hung out in this spot. Maybe they did not know it was there. Maybe no one else thought it was a nice spot. But Nikki loved sitting on the grassy hill and looking down at the Japanese teahouse, feeling as though she were somewhere else in the world – somewhere other than North Philadelphia. And if it weren't for the occasional car horn or gunshot in the distance, I would have believed I was in Japan when I was sitting on that hill, even though I have never been to Japan and don't really know what being in that particular country is like. I sit down under a huge tree – on a dry spot of grass – and wait. Rain clouds swallowed the sun a long time ago, but when I look at my watch, the numbers officially make it dusk. My chest starts to feel tight; I notice that I am shaking and breathing heavily. I hold my hand out to see how bad the shakes are, and my hand is flapping like the wing of a bird, or maybe it is as if I am hot and trying to fan myself with my fingers. I try to make it stop, and when I can't, I shove both hands into my father's overcoat pockets, hoping Nikki will not notice my nervousness when she shows up. It grows darker, and then even darker. Finally, I close my eyes, and after a time, I begin to pray: Dear God: If I did something wrong, please let me know what it was so I can make amends. As I search my memory, I can't think of anything that would make You mad, except for my punching the Giants fan a few months ago, but I already asked for forgiveness regarding that slip, and I thought we had moved on. Please make Nikki show up. When I open my eyes, please let her be there. Maybe there was traffic, or she forgot how to get to La Salle? She always used to get lost in the city. I'm okay with her not showing up exactly at dusk, but please let her know that I am still here waiting and will wait all night if I have to. Please, God. I'll do anything. If You make her show up when I open – I smell a woman's perfume. I recognize the scent. I breathe in deeply to ready myself. I open my eyes. â€Å"I'm fucking sorry, okay?† she says, but it's not Nikki. â€Å"I never thought it would lead to this. So I'm just going to be honest now. My therapist thought you were stuck in a constant state of denial because you were never afforded closure, and I thought I might afford you closure by pretending to be Nikki. So I made up the whole liaison thing in an effort to provide you closure, hoping you would snap out of your funk and would be able to move on with your life once you understood that being reunited with your ex-wife was an impossibility. I wrote all the letters myself. Okay? I never even contacted Nikki. She doesn't even know you're sitting here. Maybe she doesn't even know you are out of the neural health facility. She's not coming, Pat. I'm sorry.† I'm staring up into Tiffany's soaking-wet face – wet hair, runny makeup – and I can hardly believe that it's not Nikki. Her words do not register at first, but when they do, I feel my chest heating up, and an episode seems inevitable. My eyes burn. My face flushes. Suddenly I realize that for the past two months I have been completely delusional, that Nikki is never coming back and apart time is going to last forever. Nikki. Is. Never. Coming. Back. Never. I want to hit Tiffany. I want to pound her face with my knuckles until the bones in my hands crumble and Tiffany is completely unrecognizable, until she no longer has a face from which she can spew lies. â€Å"But everything I said in the letters was true. Nikki did divorce you, and she is remarried, and she even took out a restraining order against you. I got all the information from – â€Å" â€Å"You liar!† I say, realizing that I am now crying again. â€Å"Ronnie told me that I shouldn't trust you. That you were nothing but a – â€Å" â€Å"Please, just listen to me. I know this is a shock. But you need to face reality, Pat. You've been lying to yourself for years! I needed to do something drastic to help you. But I never thought – â€Å" â€Å"Why?† I say, feeling as if I might vomit, feeling as though my hands might find Tiffany's throat at any moment. â€Å"Why did you do this to me?† Tiffany looks into my eyes for what seems like a long time, and then her voice sort of quivers like my mom's does when she is saying something she really truly means. Tiffany says, â€Å"Because, I'm in love with you.† And then I am up and running. At first Tiffany follows me, but – even though I am in my leather loafers and it is raining pretty steadily now – I am able to find the man speed she does not have, running faster than I ever have before, and after taking enough turns and weaving through enough traffic, I look back and Tiffany is gone, so I slow my running a bit and jog aimlessly for what seems like hours. I sweat through the rain, and my father's overcoat becomes very heavy. I can't even begin to think about what this all means. Betrayed by Tiffany. Betrayed by God. Betrayed by my own movie. I'm still crying. I'm still jogging. And then I'm praying again, but not in a nice way. God, I didn't ask for a million dollars. I didn't ask to be famous and powerful. I didn't even ask for Nikki to take me back. I only asked for a meeting. A single face-to-face conversation. All I've done since I left the bad place was try to improve myself – to become exactly what You tell everyone to be: a good person. And here I am running through North Philly on a rainy Christmas Day – all alone. Why did You give us so many stories about miracles? Why did You send Your Son down from heaven? Why did You give us movies if life doesn't ever end well? What kind of fucking God are You? Do You want me to be miserable for the rest of my life? Do You – Something hits my shin hard, and then my palms are sliding across the wet concrete. I feel kicks landing on my back, my legs, my arms. I curl up into a ball, trying to protect myself, but the kicking continues. When it feels as though my kidneys have exploded, I look up to see who is doing this to me, but I only see the bottom of a sneaker just before it strikes my face.

Junaid Zia

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Module 1 - Case - Health Care Financial Environment - Essay Example Therefore, evaluation means conducting of assessment of perceived outcomes that are often measurable through standardized performances and regulations. It means an evaluation plan helps in achieving goals and objectives that are critical in enforcing the mission statements of a particular hospital environment (Speizman, 2009). Additionally, improvement of efficiency and effectiveness becomes of part of evaluation when CFOs examine the long-term investment decisions important for strengthening contract management. Planning, on the other hand, implies that CFOs must identify a project plan that is both feasible and operational in different environments. Accordingly, planning helps in the deconstruction of perceptions to convert them into reality when evaluating goals that need immediate implementation (Tolbert et al., 2010). It means all investment decisions are strategic because they serve certain purposes approved by CFOs in their quest to streamline the overall management (Burtrie et al., 2013). In other words, planning is a part of partnership with other management processes such as evaluation to assist in controlling of organizations cash flows and other pressing

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Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Example for Free

Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Creating luxury brands is a difficult marketing exercise. It requires heavy investment in marketing communications, excellent product/service quality, but above all these brands have to try to remain fashionable, which is notoriously difficult. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu are three successful so-called luxury brands, that retail to the high-end market. Both Gucci and Louis Vuitton are well-established brands that have been around for decades, even centuries. However Vertu, is a relatively new kid on the block, having only entered the luxury communications marketplace in 2000. Vertu sells expensive mobile phones that retail for thousands of pounds. Only a handful of brands can create a high status appeal among the world’s super rich (e.g. Ferrari, Rolex, etc.). These brands have to adopt innovative marketing strategies in order to succeed in this dynamic environment. What do they do differently to create this luxury appeal? 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To promote a product to the high-market it is important that the customers have the right experience so that the desired feelings, images and perspectives beco me linked with the product/service and their marketing programme. It is necessary for the brand to convey a personality that the customer can relate to, or wish to aspire to and then communicate this to others.  Consumers of these brands feel that they too are fashion and design conscious, that they too are wealthy, and that they are part of the â€Å"in-crowd†. In many cases, luxury brands are tapping into the â€Å"aspirational† buyer market; luxury brands are offering products at different price points in the hope that sometime during the customers’ lifetime they will trade up to their more exclusive ranges. However, the risk of ‘democratising’ the brand is that they may lose their aura of exclusivity – as it can be obtained by anyone. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu rely on the imagery of their products to appeal to the high-end market. The prestigious pricing of their products creates a high quality image and positions the goods in the mind of the consumer as a status symbol. The success of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu can be attributed to quality of service, brand image, retail environment, management structure and above all their ability to combine these factors to create an exclusive experience. We will now take a closer look at how these companies became what they are today, while focusing on unique product features and image, their brand imagery, retail environments and channels of distribution. Gucci Gucci has experienced many changes since it opened its first luggage company in Florence in 1921. At first, it mainly sold only luxury leather goods. Within a few years the store became popular among international and affluent clientele. By the 1950’s Gucci’s global presence was established with its first store in the US in New York. By the 1970’s stores were opened in London, Paris, Palm Beach, Hong Kong and Tokyo. It has become a truly global luxury brand. Today, Gucci has over 415 stores worldwide and in 2008 alone, reported sales of  £3.4 billion (an increase of 5.5% on the previous year). Gucci was also ranked number 41 in the Interbrand ‘Best Global Brand’Survey 2009. The high fashion industry is notoriously competitive with rivals such as Hermes, Dior, Chanel, and Prada, all vying for a slice of the action. This increased competition has resulted in the Gucci group becoming a multi-brand company, which consists of several well known brands, such as Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent. While the Gucci brand represents the core business of the Gucci Group (accounting for 65% of total revenue), the Gucci Empire now consists of eleven leading brands and the channel of distribution differs for each. For example, Yves Saint Laurent uses not only directly operated stores but also points of sale in leading  department stores mainly based in Europe to reach a wider range of customers. A major influence on the success of Gucci in the 90’s can be attributed to the appointment of leading designer Tom Ford. He joined Gucci in 1990 as the company’s Womenswear Designer and became Creative Director of Gucci. With Tom Ford’s vision, Gucci’s image was reinvented. He was responsible for product lines, store image and store design. In March 1995, Tom Ford’s first collection caught the attention of the press by utilising sex and glamour. Within a year of Tom Ford’s launch of his new collection, Gucci’s profits rose by 90% and the company is now worth nearly $500 million. However, Ford vacated his position in the Gucci Group in 2004 due to issues of control in the renewal of contracts, issues which could not be resolved between the two parties. 32-year-old Frida Giannini, who originally joined Gucci in 2002 as Handbag Design Director now serves as Creative Director for the entire Gucci brand and to date she served the company well, transforming Gucci classics into modern, successful designs. In addition to the role she plays in the creation of new Gucci products, Giannini immerses herself in other aspects of the business; she has taken an active role in developing new design concepts for Gucci stores, as well as taking responsibility for the creative direction of all advertising campaigns. She has also been responsible for the brand’s increased use of celebrities to promote the brand, including Drew Barrymore and Clare Danes for their jewellery campaigns and singers Rihanna and Madonna for their Unicef initiatives. So what is the key to Gucci’s success? The essence of Gucci is its exclusivity. The brand portrays a sexy and vibrant image, which is communicated through their designs, fashion shows and advertising. The importance of the Gucci brand’s positioning is that it is distinctive and has an aura of exclusivity amongst its target audience. The image and aura of prestige surrounding Gucci gives added value to their products. This is created through advertising, innovative designers and the whole experience of buying Gucci. Gucci uses controversial advertising such  as the promotion of their perfume ‘Opium’ with a naked image of Sophie Dahl. This caused uproar in Britain and was banned by the advertising standards, as it accounted for a third of all complaints about poster adverts. However this campaign managed to win advertising awards throughout Europe. Gucci’s advertisement in Vogue also created controversy with an image of a woman with the letter ‘G’ imprinted in her pubic hair. These illustrations helped gain media coverage for the campaigns and boosted brand awareness. Typically, the Gucci brand tries to appeal to women in their 20’s or 30’s with high quality, fashionable products, and those who aspire to be part of the jet set lifestyle. This image attracts people who feel they can relate to this profile or who wish to aspire to this image. Gucci achieves this in many ways; stores are located on expensive high street locations, thus attracting affluent consumers. The window displays are provocative and the interior has a free flow layout as its visually appealing and allows consumers to browse comfortably. The dà ©cor is rich and classic to add to the atmosphere of the store. The salespeople are model-like, smartly dressed all in black and ready to assist consumers in any way. Even the security guard is suitably dressed to add to the image. The distinctive Gucci packaging concludes the experience. Gucci has directly operated stores to ensure that they retain control over their products and can build their image around these stores. About 70% of sales are done in Gucci stores alone. It is also possible to view and purchase Gucci products online, thus reaching a far greater target audience. Louis Vuitton The famous brand started out back in the 1850’s. The founder was made famous for crafting luggage for Napoleon. From theses roots the brand has become synonymous with luggage and in particular handbags. Louis Vuitton is very much the envy of the industry, recording an operating margin of 45%, whilst the industry average is only 25% for luxury accessories. The company is famous for its handbags, but also sells a range of wallets, briefcases, eyeglass cases etc. The brand is estimate to be worth approximately $19 billion. Louis Vuitton stand out from their peers through their relentless focus on product quality. All products are extensively tested to make sure that they can withstand wear and tear, and that there are no imperfections. The company has blended mechanisation and handmade craftsmanship into their products, boosting their productivity, maintaining that high level of product quality, whilst still holding onto the allure of handmade quality. All Louis Vuitton products contain the eponymous LV initials and many of the products use the brown Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, which were first used by the company in the 80’s. The company markets its products through its own stores, which allows it to control quality and pricing. In maintaining the prestige image of the Louis Vuitton brand, the company operates a pricing integrity strategy amongst its entire distribution network; a Louis Vuitton bag is never reduced in price and there are no sale periods. The company offers customised products such as personal engraving on hand luggage pieces, boosting its appeal further. Furthermore, the company sponsors elite sporting events such as yachting and motorsport events. This is in effort to match the audience of sponsorship property with the target audience of the brand itself. Like other premium brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton has also turned to the use of celebrity’s to market the brand, with the likes of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen featuring in advertising campaigns. Over recent years, the brand has tried to modernise its image by utilising the talents of young designers and artists to rejuvenate the image of some of their products, whilst maintaining the classic designs. An example of this was the use of designer Marc Jacobs who created a limited edition handbag range with featured graffiti over the monogram pattern in 2001. Other limited editions patterns created by designers for the brand include the Monogram Multicolore range and the Cherry Blossom Range, which were only made available to VIP customers, further enhancing the exclusivity of the brand. Hermes, a key rival of Louis Vuitton, create even greater exclusivity by having a three-year waiting list before one of their bags can be obtained. These bags are handcrafted, adding to their appeal even further. The reinvention and rejuvenation of Louis Vuitton in more recent years has assisted the brand in attracting a younger target audience, thereby increasing customer base. However no one designer has eclipsed the powerful brand image of Louis Vuitton itself, unlike other design brands. Vertu Vertu is a unique luxury brand specialising in top of the range, deluxe mobile phones. Established in 2000, the Vertu brand was a big gamble for Nokia, its parent company, to take. Nokia, previously the world’s most successful mobile phone manufacturer, developed this new brand as a way of creating an exclusive luxury brand in mobile telephony. However, Nokia does not publicise the linkage between Nokia and Vertu and therefore does not gain from any brand linkages or associations. In essence, their products are jewellery-like mobile telephones. Vertu headquarters are located in the United Kingdom with several offices situated worldwide including: Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. As a new entrant to  the market, Vertu’s main focus was on creating product awareness among the elite and to create a brand that is exclusive and luxurious. Vertu utilises craftsmanship, precision engineering, high-end technology and a unique personal service dimension to create a dis tinctive luxury brand. Vertu’s concept is to make mobile phones in the same vein as prestigious watch brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe. Mobile phones typically retail for around  £100  £400 pounds, however Vertu is aimed at the top end of the market, those who can afford to spend thousands on a mobile phone. For example, the most expensive model ever made by the brand is the Signature Cobra, which retailed at a massive â‚ ¬217,000! The most expensive ‘regular’ model made by Vertu is the Signature Diamond, at a more affordable â‚ ¬62,000. These phones are typically made using precious metals like gold, silver or platinum along with fine Italian leather for better grip and have jewelled bearings. When people buy a Vertu they are buying a badge of exclusivity, luxury and uniqueness. It was believed that if watches, pens or even wallets can be transformed into luxury brands, then why not a mobile phone. With mobile phone penetration constantly on the increase and having surpassed 100% in Europe alone, phone manufacturers need new strategies to get people to buy newer phones. Newer technology was a prime motivator in consumers buying a new phone. Vertu have taken a different approach; they want their phones to be status symbols. For a technology product, this is a first, as products lose their value very quickly, with constant technological advances offering new and improved product features. Rather than launch their new product range at technology shows, which is the industry norm, Vertu instead prefers to become associated with fashion shows, launching for example their new range during Paris fashion week. Thus this brand is aiming to create a fashion brand rather than a technology brand, in an attempt to woo people through its fashion status. A big selling point associated with these phones is the Vertu Concierge Service. Vertu Concierge provides specialised travel assistance, allowing users to access and reserve restaurants, hotels, concert tickets and much  more. Having a Vertu mobile phone allows users to access this exclusive concierge service, 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, where they will try to assist the every whim of the user. This service is free for the first year, but you have to pay a subsequent subscription of  £500 per annum to use the service. Vertu also offers a customisation service thus truly differentiating itself and allowing the firm to earn even higher margins. Also the company offers free upgradability when new technology emerges. The company has established flagship stores in exclusive shopping districts, so that it was close to other exclusive brands, thus benefiting from a halo effect. Vertu has developed a unique buying experience by creating a â€Å"gallery-like† feel to its retail environments. In order to create this new level of luxury to mobile communication retailing, Vertu focused an enormous amount of attention onto store layout. Each display case is made from architectural glass, limestone textures and floors combined with warm lighting, ultimately enhancing the ambience of the store. Minimalist design was used in order to create the illusion of space. In keeping with the element of exclusivity, original artworks were commissioned and exhibited throughout the stores. Selections of short films are also projected in-store. By offering a first class personal service combined with extensive product knowledge, Vertu has enhanced their image of reliability and expertise. Vertu announced the opening of its flagship stores in Paris and Singapore in October 2002. It has since opened new channels of distribution, with over 600 retail outlets worldwide and 400 employees and it intends to continue to build on this. Along with their stores in Paris and Singapore, Vertu has Client Suites in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore and also has points of sale located in some of the world’s leading department stores and fine jewellers. The company were extremely selective when choosing suitable retail channels. They sought department stores that catered for an international client base, and who target very affluent shoppers. Stores must have a global reputation of offering quality and luxury across all product ranges and whose philosophy of high product knowledge and excellent personal service are consistent with that of Vertu’s. For example, Vertu entered into a partnership with a renowned Hong Kong jeweller, King Fook  Jewellery. The introduction of these new speciality stores has made the Vertu range of phones more accessible to its exclusive client base in Hong Kong. As a direct result of this new partnership, Vertu’s Signature Collection is now available in a range of precious metals, such as gold and platinum. To date the company has entered into a number of joint ventures such as Vertu and Goldsmiths located at Harrods in London, Trafford Centre in Manchester, and Bluewater, Kent. This partnership was established to gain greater market share in the UK marketplace. Vertu phones are also available to purchase through their website. With the aid of this distribution channel, customers can now personalise their mobile phone to their own individual tastes Conclusion In order to retain product exclusivity it is clear that you need to provide an excellent product and exceptional service experience, as this creates an emotional attachment between the customer and the brand. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu have made this experience possible through their distinct products and services, their prestigious pricing (thus indicating their superb quality), their exclusive retail environment and their selective channels of distribution. Maintaining that fashion status and aura of exclusivity is of primary concern to these exclusive luxury brands. For example, the fashion brand Burberry has now become synonymous with the infamous â€Å"chav† subculture in Britain. This once fashion icon brand of the country elite has now be adopted as the brand of choice for thousands of working class Britons, devaluing the brand amongst the fashion elite. The emergence of the so-called â€Å"chav† subculture has garnered the Burberry brand unwanted press coverage. The Ben Sherman brand also fought hard to overcome its association with ‘yob’ culture; similarly Doc Martins were associated with skinheads. By extending their brands to items such as baseball caps, perfumes etc. it can diminish the exclusiveness of a label, sacrificing the brand equity for increased revenue. It is evident that Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use different promotional  strategies. For instance, Gucci incorporates controversial issues into their marketing strategy to promote brand imagery, Louis Vuitton utilises celebrity endorsements, whereas Vertu concentrates on the benefits and quality of product features. However, all brands are consistent when it comes to retail environment and channels of distribution. The store design and layout plays a crucial role in creating an image of exclusivity to appeal to the high-end market. It is essential to have alignment of the prospective target market expectations of a store offering and the identity that the brand wants to communicate. Companies targeting the high-end market must create the illusion of exclusivity, while generating a seductive atmosphere, appealing to the senses. Once blended together, these elements will help form a pleasurable and distinctive experience that will differentiate your product line from that of your competitors. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use exclusive channels of distribution to ensure greater control. This control enables them to exercise greater flexibility on their product ranges and the ability to adjust to the changing market efficiently. This adds to the image of exclusivity and quality of the products. Therefore it can be concluded that in order for a product to develop and retain its exclusivity, marketers must create an overall experience that appeals to and attracts the high-end market.