Thursday, August 27, 2020

degenerate characteristics of dracula :: essays research papers

Degenerate Characters of Dracula In the novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker assembles an assortment of characters with a few qualities that are remarkable and to some degree the same from various perspectives. One way that a portion of the characters are comparative is that they give indications of being a ruffian. A savage is an individual who has sunk beneath a previous or ordinary condition and lost typical or higher characteristics. These individuals probably have intellectually and now and again truly become decayed to where they no longer can think and capacity as a typical individual would. Two characters in the novel that stand apart as ruffians are Dracula and Renfield. Both are degenerates in their own specific manners and furthermore have attributes that are somehow or another the equivalent. They follow the vast majority of the qualities that ruffians contain and depict it all through the novel. The most ideal approach to envision a savage individual is consider individuals on death roe in jail. The ones that aren’t contrite for what they did, and could think less about what others think. They don't have the foggiest idea what is directly from wrong, and regardless of whether one attempted to disclose it to them, they couldn’t make sense of it. Savages have no good judgment, not to mention a working mind. They are undoubtedly missing a couple of tightens there heads. These two characters of Dracula and Renfield both have a ton of these qualities that ruffians comprise of. Dracula most unquestionably contains degenerate qualities all through the novel. He has an absence of sympathy for people’s prosperity, and has indications of narrow-mindedness. Vampires fit under the savage topic quite well. How he turned into a vampire we don't know, in spite of the fact that Van Helsing calls him King-Vampire, as a result of his consistency and force driven fixations towards his yearnings. His forces remember a wide scope of capacities for which some are past the forces of different vampires or godlike individuals in the novel. Savages are fated to wrongdoing and don’t know why it isn't right. Van Helsing composed of Dracula by saying, "The Count is a lawbreaker and of criminal kind. Nordau and Lombroso would so arrange him, and qua criminal he is of incompletely framed mind" (Stoker part 28). With every one of his killings and nibbles he continues on individuals, Dracula battles the savage topic. Renfield also has characteristics and attributes of ruffians all through the novel. Renfield was taken under the consideration of Dr. degenerate attributes of dracula :: papers research papers Degenerate Characters of Dracula In the novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker assembles an assortment of characters with a few attributes that are one of a kind and fairly indistinguishable from multiple points of view. One way that a portion of the characters are comparative is that they give indications of being a ruffian. A ruffian is an individual who has sunk beneath a previous or ordinary condition and lost typical or higher characteristics. These individuals probably have intellectually and now and then genuinely become disintegrated to where they no longer can think and capacity as a typical individual would. Two characters in the novel that stand apart as savages are Dracula and Renfield. Both are degenerates in their own specific manners and furthermore have attributes that are here and there the equivalent. They follow the vast majority of the characteristics that ruffians contain and depict it all through the novel. The most ideal approach to envision a savage individual is consider individuals on death roe in jail. The ones that aren’t repentant for what they did, and could think less about what others think. They don't have a clue what is directly from wrong, and regardless of whether one attempted to disclose it to them, they couldn’t make sense of it. Savages have no presence of mind, not to mention a working cerebrum. They are without a doubt missing a couple of sinks there heads. These two characters of Dracula and Renfield both have a ton of these characteristics that ruffians comprise of. Dracula most certainly contains degenerate qualities all through the novel. He has an absence of empathy for people’s prosperity, and has indications of childishness. Vampires fit under the ruffian topic quite well. How he turned into a vampire we don't know, in spite of the fact that Van Helsing calls him King-Vampire, on account of his consistency and force driven fixations towards his yearnings. His forces remember a wide scope of capacities for which some are past the forces of different vampires or everlasting individuals in the novel. Savages are foreordained to wrongdoing and don’t know why it isn't right. Van Helsing composed of Dracula by saying, "The Count is a crook and of criminal sort. Nordau and Lombroso would so group him, and qua criminal he is of defectively framed mind" (Stoker section 28). With every one of his killings and nibbles he continues on individuals, Dracula battles the savage subject. Renfield also has characteristics and qualities of ruffians all through the novel. Renfield was taken under the consideration of Dr.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Birthing Cermonies Of Other Cultures Essay -- essays research papers

Birthing Cermonies of Other Cultures The birthing functions of the Indian culture has a ton of various angles then the American culture does. I surmise that is the reason they are various societies. All societies have various perspectives on various things such as religion, yet they share equivalent to well for instance each culture has some type of the family. This is the thing that enables most societies to comprehend other societies. In the Indian culture their perspective on carrying a kid into the world is very different then the American culture's view. In the Indian culture there are a ton of arrangements that go into getting the guardians and the network prepared for the new part. Their culture accomplishes more work with the kid before they are even conceived. Most importantly plans are made for them so they realize who will be there to witness the youngster being naturally introduced to their general public. They are generally the grandparents, the delegates, and the Godparents that were chosen by the guardians and the delegates. The mother is to continue filling in as she did before the child is conceived. They state that this shows the kid the significance of work in their way of life. During the pregnancy, around the seventh month, the mother presents the infant to the normal world. She does this by going for strolls in the fields and over the slopes. They accept that the infant is deliberately taking the entirety of this in to set him up/her for life inside that culture. At the point when the infant is brought into the world none of the moms kids ought to be around. The main individuals there are the ones that were picked by the delegates and the guardians. On the off chance that somebody can not make it, at that point somebody will need to fill in for them. The main individuals other than kids who are not permitted to see are the single ladies. The main way that they can go to is if there is nobody else to go. There must be three couples at the introduction of the youngster, the kid doesn't simply have a place with the guardians yet to the network too. It is viewed as an outrage if an Indian ladies goes to an emergency clinic to have a child. For the moms other kids there are not to know where or how the child is conceived. Just the three couples know where the youngster is conceived. The kids are informed that an infant has shown up and they can not see their mom for eight days. After the infant is brought into the world the placenta must be singed at a certain time. In the event that the child was conceived around evening time, at that point it is scorched at eight in the mo... ... lay down with more men at that point another person did. In our general public I accept we need to treat everybody the equivalent be that as it may, to me it doesn't appear as though we are doing a generally excellent activity of it. My next story is about another commencement yet this is into a clan of talent scouts. The test started when they had him set down in a pit of rapacious ants. He needed to lay there until they gave him a sign to get up since it was finished. The test doesn't stop there next was he needed to go into the woods with no weapons or food and make due for three days and evenings while three talent scouts are chasing you down. In the event that you bomb this piece of the test, at that point they do a custom thinking carefully, however on the off chance that you pass you are at last permitted to go along with them as talent scouts. They apply sexual orientation jobs sort of as we did. The male must be solid and not a defeatist though the female is subject to the male. In our society we have a great deal of inceptions that go on like for clubs, sorority, crew, yet none of them are typically this much dependent on mental fortitude the greater part of them depend on humiliating you. I believe that these four stories give you how your society isn't the one and only one and furthermore it isn't the best however only not quite the same as the entirety of the others.

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

PESTEL Analysis - Essay Example The nearness of mining will expand wages and keep the conversion standard solid, which can forestall different parts, for instance, horticulture, from being universally serious and therefore from understanding the open door for send out driven development (Mining and Poverty Reduction on the web). The higher wages of diggers can prompt rising neighborhood costs with the poor deserted; simultaneously, poor people and nonmining populace may have just constrained access to administrations gave by the mine (Mining and Poverty Reduction on the web). The regularly cruel day to day environments for diggers in little scope mining just as in huge scope mining, alongside the absence of data and instruction about anticipation, can add to a high commonness of human immunodeficiency infection (HIV) and other transferable maladies among excavators and their families. Likewise, business related wounds and wellbeing dangers lung malignant growth, for instance lessen the diggers' future and regularly put families in especially unsafe circumstances (Mining and Poverty Reduction on the web). Mining exercises can negatively affect the employment of indigenous individuals, with sociocultural clashes encompassing the foundation of mining exercises in any case rustic zones or in the wild (Mining and Poverty Reduction on the web). Natural harm can be brought about by mining.

Friday, August 21, 2020

The Crusaders and the Church Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Crusaders and the Church - Research Paper Example Neither can the works of witnesses and church fathers (indicted by Romans) be the takeoff point for analysis2. It is obvious at this point, there are contrasts in three previously mentioned writings and good methodologies, and the errand of scientist is to explain the thought processes behind various expository techniques as opposed to look for positive models of conduct. The Main Controversy It was no mystery for medieval church pioneers that quiet message of the New Testament was not proper for lecturing in their vicious world3. Additionally, there has consistently been a restriction to requires the butchery of unbelievers: for instance, Charlemagne was contradicted y such compelling figures as Alcuin of York and John Scot Erigena4. It was not until the eleventh century AC that fierce practices really won full authenticity in the congregation writings5. Also, the individuals who came to fights completely acknowledged what a requesting task it was, regularly profound as opposed to p hysical. For some knights, particularly the members of the principal campaigns, the walk was a type of strict commencement and contrition performed with supplications, fasts, and vows6. The thing that matters is striking: one gathering of individuals, the church, was lawfully precluded to participate in the crusades7; the otherworldly pioneers were against the homicides or if nothing else saw the contention. Another gathering, the knights and the individuals of lower social classes helping them, didn't feel that wars for the cross were dubious. That is the manner by which with the coming of the new persuasive social layers new profound quality code showed up in the effectively multifaceted Christian perspective. This new ethical quality merits progressively point by point assessment. The Knighthood Phillips sees that the pope Urban II (who roused the First Crusade) was delicate to the necessities of the new social class of war gentry, as the pope himself originated from the like cir cles: He connected a few fixings natural to medieval society, for example, journey and the possibility of a blessed war against the adversaries of God, with a remarkable proposal of salvation, a mix nearly ensured to enthuse the warriors of western Europe8. Another acknowledged act of this class was retribution, which undeniably compared the strategic the crusaders and reverberated the Old Testament9. Numerous knights were devout and seen their war administration as a sort of profound crucial. The models was the knight Matthew portrayed by Guibert of Nogent10. The traditions like discarding weapons after the campaign, fasting before genuine military missions, transitory chaste and making confirmations before takeoff was across the board all through the entire history of crusades11. The general thought of relinquishing home and family for the obscure future, the willful outcast was in accordance with the acts of self-mortification increasingly proper for monks12. All things considere d, even those ascetic practices were not ‘innocent’ in class terms: they affirmed that the knighthood participates in the campaigns intentionally and self-governingly, in contrast to the members of most blessed wars far and wide (this is the motivation behind why Riley-Smith recognizes the ‘holy war’ part of campaigns from the ‘penitential’ aspect)13. Notwithstanding, not all the knights were devout in this religious sense. There is a lot of proof of their ravenousness, debauchery, and mercilessness. A famous model was Hugh, check of Avranches (eleventh century AC), an epicurean, a butcher, and a run of the mill illustrative of â€Å"

Bookertee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bookertee - Essay Example He focused on that Blacks were not prepared for the conventional type of instruction; rather they should take up an occupation or an aptitude by which they can bolster themselves. Washington demonstrated a way to the battling Negroes by which they can make their fundamental personality and act naturally adequate over the long haul. Be that as it may, there were negative viewpoints to this arrangement as future scholastics, for example, Du Bois called attention to. Washington had focused on that the Blacks required specific instruction, that they were not fit to be taught in the conventional structure. Be that as it may, as indicated by Du Bois the African Americans merited a similar type of training as the Whites. He put stock in the way of thinking that Fast and Fury wins the race. As per him except if and until the Blacks made a battle to instruct themselves they would restrict themselves to the lower fragment of society inclined to be badgering by the Southern Whites. Another negative part of the arrangement was Washington’s stress that the Blacks embrace a subordinate job towards the Southern Whites. He is really soliciting the Blacks to give up from their battle against Whites and keep on being in reverse and oppressed individual from the general public. In the event that the Blacks had kept on foll owing his recommendation, there would not have been numerous conspicuous African Americans in the nation. As per me Washington was directly in requesting that the Blacks take a scholarly course to free them from White abusiveness. He solicited the individuals from his locale to adhere to instruction and secure any valuable exchange in order to increase monetary autonomy. A consistent salary would help in enhancing all the basic components of life. Instruction would open their psyche to more current prospects throughout everyday life and make them become more friendly. This strategy is still trailed by various African American of today who have moved to exchange and business to obtain lavishness throughout everyday life and push forward in the monetary stepping stool. a. A Negro Love Story: This sonnet

Friday, July 3, 2020

The Biggest Policy Flaw - Free Essay Example

In the world that we live in today, the thought of gun violence has been a major issue for many years and has been a issue proposed by the people to the government. The government needs to have some type of gun control laws to fix the problem in America on gun related violence. Anti-gun activists believe that by taking guns away the crime rate will drop. They believe it is too dangerous for the public to have access to weapons. I believe that if certain new gun laws were to be enacted crime would most likely change. I dont disagree that we have we have problem but the way people want to fix it is what I feel is wrong. If guns were to be completely wiped out people would be left defenseless against criminals and would be losing their second amendment rights. Last year nearly 40 thousand people were killed by guns in the United States marking it the highest year of gun deaths in decades. Cable news Network or CNN found that the number of people killed by guns in 2017 shows a 10,000 person increase from 1999. The center for disease control or CDC confirmed with CNN that these death numbers are correct. Every day, 342 people in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police interventions. In 2017, nearly 109 people died every single day from gun violence, Director of Public Health Research Adelyn Allchin said in a statement. Gun violence is a epidemic that requires a solution, which is why we must immediately enact and implement evidence-based interventions such as permit-to-purchase policies and extreme risk laws. Allchin also stated that he thinks its time that our elected leaders at every level of government need to come together to make gun violence rare and abnormal. I believe that the second amendment was put in place for a reason and that right to own a gun should still be available. Many Americans are troubled everyday deciding whether keeping a gun in the home is a good idea. Keeping a gun in the home comes with some risks. There are many accidents occurring daily due to people not understanding how to handle guns. Many of us take that risk because the thought of protection outweighs the negatives. Our right of free choice needs to be preserved, and if the second amendment was taken away, our democratic society would be overruling us. Whenever I turn on the news the only thing that I seem to see are all the deadly crimes that are taking place across the country. I feel like we all want this to stop yet we are trying to take away a form of protection. If we dont have weapons to protect our personal safety then we might as well let people just kill us without a fight. I feel like we all want to have the ideal environment but we cant have that so called environment unless we feel safe and have a sense of protection. It is clear that crime is not going away anytime soon. Our federal government has put into effect many different forms of public policies to try and fix the problems that are widely known throughout the United States. The most important laws that are in effect right now are the federal laws prohibiting certain people from owning firearms. This law stop certain types of people from getting hold of a weapon. These people can range from having certain kinds of criminal records, mental illness, immigrants without legal status, veterans with dishonorable discharge and many more lost their right to own a firearm. Another example that branches of from the previous policy are the people selling the guns. The government takes many steps to make sure everything goes right and no laws are violated, or so they think. Federal law requires all weapons dealers to conduct a background check with the F.B.I to check if any red flags show up with the buyer. This may seem like a lot of safety but their are still problems with the system. People have found major loopholes and are using them to get weapons when they are not allowed too. The biggest policy flaw is that their are small-scale sellers, off branch people like small companies including many who do business at local gun shows,at these gun shows sellers are not required to do background checks on the buyers. This hole lets the sale of guns to be hidden and not seen by the government. Another example of a weapons policy that was put in place was that the federal government placed a ban on the sale of many types of assault rifles, but the law expired and has not been looked at sense. A few states have assault weapon bans of their own that remain in place. In fact, most gun controls exist at the level of the state, Laws on concealed carry weapons vary upon location widely too. Most states allow anyone who legally owns a gun to carry it openly, in public, without requiring a license or permit. Concealed carry in New York requires a permit like most states, these fluctuations show how federal and state rules can vary and show what can can result from different viewpoints. By many different sides of the argument, President Obama can be seen as one of the key players who was against guns and fought extensively for tougher gun control laws. was a key driver of the news and conversation on the topic. Overall, Obamas is widely known for taking many presidential actions such as announcement of a Gun Violence Task Force, this was to be lead by Joe Biden. The biggest pro gun player would be none other than the NRA or National Rifle Association. They fight for people to keep their second amendment right of the availability to keep and bear Arms. You often hear about the NRA today and that they are leading the fight to stop people and the government from taking away weapons. Despite the wide array of variation with gun control across the United States cities, there is no correlation between measurable impacts of violence levels found. The measurable information seems to be that with violence their is a higher frequency with which guns are used. Therefore, I think that the significance of some gun controls are definitely needed and recommended such as background checks, permits and licenses. We need these things because they put up some sort of security to block suspicious gun buyers, similar to having to going to hunter education classes before you can get a license. All in all I believe that certain types of gun control can be part of the solution to fixing violence related weapons problems in the United States. Through what I have shown I think that the United States needs more control on violence rather then weapons. I think that the idea of only guns being the problem is wrong and for many people thinking they are wrong too, but thats my opinion. I feel like if we want to have change we need to have longer prison terms, mandatory sentencing, and more use of stricter penalties. Even though Firearms have good and bad sides to it, you cant tell which side is wrong, this is why Gun Control is a ongoing topic still being discussed in our government today. The use of guns can save lives but can also can destroy ones life in a trigger pull. That fact brings people towards guns or scares people away from guns. In conclusion I think that that guns dont need be taken away. Its true that our laws regulate the sale and possession of other dangerous instrumentalities. The deaths from gun violence are close to the deaths from car accidents so one could say that cars dont kill people, people kill people.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Recorded Music Industry - 1602 Words

The recorded music industry is currently experiencing difficulties unimaginable during the 1980s, which were a period of growth, consolidation, and technical advancement. The album sector was still strong across the industry, something that became a financial boom from the mid-80s onwards with the advent and subsequent popularity of compact discs (CD). CDs became the dominant carrier of recorded music and quickly superseded vinyl albums. This was a major fillip to record companies, as fans bought CDs of their favourite old vinyl albums, thus classic albums artists from the 60s and 70s sold substantial amounts of CD versions of their old album catalogue. As many major record companies were part of multinational electric goods companies, a valid argument can be that record companies were providing the software (CDs) for the multinationals hardware (CD players). To illustrate this point, the electrical goods giants Philips and Sony owned record companies, and as stated on the Philipsâ⠂¬â„¢ website also collaborated in the research and development of the compact disc. The effect of owning both aspects of the process resulted in profits being monopolised by the multinationals. The current malaise afflicting the recorded music industry can be traced to the development of digital downloads to the market. Recorded music can now be compressed and made available in a digitally transferable format known as MP3. However, due to the digital nature of the format it is easier to shareShow MoreRelatedThe Future Of Recorded Music1703 Words   |  7 Pagesto Media 17 November 2015 The Future of Recorded Music Historically, recorded music holds a prominent place in social and civil issues. People recorded music themselves from live concerts or radio play. More people also bought physical copies of music, such as records and CDs. Music both creates and comments on culture. Music brings together individuals of all backgrounds, creating an environment of safety and self-expression. Advertising for recorded music becomes increasingly difficult for artistsRead MoreThe Effects of Music Downloading957 Words   |  4 PagesEffect of Music Downloading on the Music Industry â€Æ' The music industry faces major effects with illegal downloading of music. So many people today are trying to find the cheapest way to get their favorite music, by their favorite artist, so they can listen to them from their phones or mp3 players; therefore, it is reducing the amount of music that will hit the market. There are many new devices and technology that are used to download music illegally that makes it harder on the music industry. IllegalRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Illegal File Sharing1571 Words   |  7 PagesMusic Industry in America is one of the most powerful music industries in the world and it consists of many record labels, nevertheless, the top three major labels are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. Most of music industries earn revenue by creating and selling their goods to music consumers and also music retailers. In the past, major labels or music companies sold their products through sheet music (the handwritten or printed form of music notation) thenRead MoreCase Study : A M Octone Records916 Words   |  4 Pages   FINAL CASE QUESTIONS:  AM Octone Records 1.  Ã‚  According to the case, recorded music decreased and concert tickets increased from the years 2004 to 2007. According to research done by Nielsen SoundScan, recorded music sales declined by 9.5% in 2007 (AM/Records,3). Additionally, the manufacture’s unit shipments and retail dollar value graph shows a decrease in physical CD album and CD single sales. By contrast, an increase in digital CD and album sales and the mobile and subscription base modelRead MoreThe Is A Latin American Female Singer / Songwriter With The Goal1151 Words   |  5 Pagesmake her success. We can divide the music industry structure into three factors as production, distribution, and consumption. It is not too much to say that distribution is the most important factor in the music industry. Record labels produce records and give them to the distributor, and the distributor disseminates the records to wholesalers or retailers. Then stores sell records to current and future consumers. This is how recorded music is distributed to the music market in general. However, majorRead MoreThe History of Sound Recording Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesThe History of Sound Recording The methods used to produce, edit, and record music and sound have changed with the introduction of new sound technology. The compatibility of computer technology with music recording has led to large scale developments in computer-based systems, especially by home users. Modern computer technology in music and audio is fundamentally different in comparison to older magnetic tape recording techniques because it is digital. New computerisedRead MoreThe Music Distribution Model : Oliver Small1677 Words   |  7 PagesMusic Distribution In his article about the music distribution model, Oliver Small describes a paradox that has emerged in the music industry within the last ten years: â€Å"consumers are listening to music more than ever, yet profits from the sale of recorded music continue to decline† (42). The 2000s in the music industry was a rough time for labels and artists economically due to the various online file sharing and streaming services that have become available to the public. Now that consumers areRead MoreSound Recording s Evolution : Does It Affect The Music Industry?1427 Words   |  6 Pagesit affect music industry? Music industry these days is an open world to every one. Building own and expensive music library over the years or spending hours in record stores seeking for your favourite taste of the sound†¦ is over. If anyone decide to hear album by for example: ’The Beatles’ or single called ‘Feeling Good’ by ‘Nina Simone’, it can be found and played within seconds. Music platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, SoundCould etc. gives us possibilities to reach any music at any timeRead MoreGlobalization in the Music industry1293 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Globalization in the Music Industry Jonathan Ben Ami ACOM 388 The music industry has been around for over two centuries (PBS). Its volatility can be measured by its ability to shift and change according to its time period, the technologies that arise through the ages and the public’s shift in musical taste. The music industry is comprised of many different components, organizations and individuals that operate within it. Some of these componentsRead MorePest Analysis Of China s Live And Recorded Music1212 Words   |  5 PagesPEST Analysis of China’s Live and Recorded Music The following is a PEST analysis showing the viability of recorded and live music sales in China. An analysis of the PEST factors divulges that it will be difficult for China to become a leading market in recorded and live music by 2028. Political factors China is politically stable relative to other emerging economies as regards to public service delivery and economic expansion. But the country’s public and private sectors experience rampant corruption

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Gender Identity Being A Man And Woman - 2725 Words

Introduction Debates about identity as environmentally or biologically constructed have been on going in several studies. The belief that identity is innate is a form of common sense understanding that is challenged by the constructionist perspective of identity. The sex/gender identity is when a person who is determined as male or female based on biological criteria is required to act according to assigned gender roles of masculinity or femininity (Carrera et al. 2012). That being said, the sex/gender identity creates limitations on the categories a persons identity can fall under. Although we have these fixed categories, gender identity is socially constructed because there are groups outside of being a man and woman. Also, there are different types of gender identities across the world and identity is created over time. Current Debate Gender identity is environmentally constructed because there are groups outside of being distinctly a man or woman. Groups such as transgendered people, whose sense of self differs from the gender assigned to them at birth, have constructed their identities based on what they believe they are (Carrera et al, 2012). Therefore, transgendered people do not fit under the sex/gender category that is considered natural in our society. Transgendered people challenge these specific sexed bodies that we have created (Carrera et al, 2012) because if we were to see a transgendered person, the first thing we would ask ourselves is if they are a man orShow MoreRelatedCultural Landmarks : Pivotal Views And Information1541 Words   |  7 Pagessocial behavior, this article will be focusing on one I personally find exceedingly upsetting: gender identity. Since birth, we have been taught a certain kind of segregation - man and woman, mother and father, boys and girls - taught it as if it were fact, as if it were as concrete as a law of physics; more so, even. We are taught that gender and sex are synonyms, interchangeable, taught even less of gender divergence than we are of sexual orientation. However, recently in the media more and more prominentRead MoreGender Identity Has Changed Its Definition Over Time1578 Words   |  7 PagesEnclish 1C ​Gender identity has changed its definition over time. The psychological definition as stated from the social learning theory is that gender identity is the sense of being male or female. Seems simple but we now know in todays world the definition has broadened. Gender identity is now defined as one s personal experience of one s own gender. Gender identity can correlate with assigned sex at birth, or can differ from it completely. All societies have a set of gender categories thatRead MoreSex and Gender in Sally Potters Orlando1073 Words   |  5 PagesCritically assess Judith Butler’s notion that gender is not a primary category, but an attribute, a set of secondary narrative effects. Your answer should make reference to Sally Potter’s film Orlando. Though Judith Butler asserts that gender is not of any importance, her writings on this notion, understandably, must put a lot of emphasis on the subject of sex. How else could she prove her theory, if not through a discussion of the unimportance of gender? In any case, her hypothesis is one that practicallyRead MoreCatalina de Erauso: On Playing Gender Roles Essay1460 Words   |  6 Pageslate sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, gender roles were distinct and the opportunity gap was enormous. Catalina de Erauso compares the two roles through her memoir, â€Å"Lieutenant Nun,† where she recounts her life as a transvestite in both the new and old world. Through having experienced the structured life of a woman as well as the freedom involved in being a man, de Erauso formed an identity for herself that crossed the boundaries of both genders. Catalina de Erauso’s life demonstrates theRead MoreToni Morrison s Beloved : Dehumanization Of Slavery And Its Effects On A frican Americans And Their Basic Forms Of1268 Words   |  6 Pagesmotherhood and gender for black women. Rather than victimize Sethe’s as an enslaved woman, Morrision decides to celebrate her triumphs and suffering in Beloved. Therefore, Sethe’s identity as an enslaved black mother deconstructs the expectations of Eurocentric gender roles with her exertion of independence and control for the benefit of her children. To understand Sethe’s identity in the novel Beloved, one must acknowledge the intersectionality of her identity of being both black and a woman. KimberleRead MoreA Brief Look at Judith Butler831 Words   |  3 Pagestheory that gender is performative and that sex is constructed. When gender is being performed, it means that someone would take on a role, acting in such a way that gives society the idea of their gender and constructs part of their identity. To be performative means that we produce a series of effects.Gender is constructed and is not in any way connected ‘naturally’ to sex. Nobody is born with a set gender, the way we walk, talk, and dress gives off the impression of being a man or woman and thereforeRead MoreGender Faced By Judith Butler1620 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is gender marking according to Judith Butler, (From Undoing Gender) and how can this theory be applied to constructions to racial identity in the Western world? According to Judith Butler’s 1990 book Gender Trouble, presented a new concept for looking a t sex and gender. As contrary to the fixed masculine and feminine gender binary, Butler insisted that gender need be perceived as fluid, variable; the aspect of people’s behavior at various times instead of who individuals are. Butler proposedRead MoreAnalysis Of M. Butterfly By David Henry Hwang Essay1677 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscriminations not only affect Oriental women but women of the West as well. The plot of the story surrounds this man, Rene Gallimard, who is a French diplomat being sent to China. Although a married man, he begins to fall in love with Song Liling, an opera singer. Gallimard and Liling begin a secret relationship but at the end it is uncovered that Song Liling was actually a Chinese spy and not other than a man. The theme of the play begins to unravel here when it comes to the reader’s notice that the focus ofRead MoreGender Is The Definition Of G ender1345 Words   |  6 PagesOctober 29, 2015 What is Gender? The definition of gender depends on the time period. The basic and historically accepted version of the definition of gender is the state of being either male or female, masculine or feminine, or simply a man or woman. Historically we have lived in a world that only had binary gender, meaning that a person was solely either a man or a woman. While that is the general definition that has been accepted as a baseline representation of what gender is, in today’s societyRead MoreLiterary Analysis : For A White Woman Essay900 Words   |  4 PagesIn Passing, Clare Kendry ‘passes’ for a white woman to marry a white man and, in masking her identity, loses touch with her African-American roots. Irene describes Clare as â€Å"selfish, and cold, and hard. And yet she had, too, a strange capacity of transforming warmth and passion, verging sometimes almost on theatrical heroics† (Larsen 10). Clare is charming, attractive and there’s something uncanny about her stare. She is no angel, but she does carry herself differently than the other women of her

Friday, May 15, 2020

Beliefs of the Anti-Federalists Essay - 721 Words

The name, Anti-Federalists is not the best-suited name for what they truly are, or what they believe in. â€Å"They are called the Anti-Federalists, but it should be made clear at once that they were not Anti-Federal at all.† (Main xi) Originally, the word federalist, meant anyone who supported the Articles of Confederation. The term â€Å"Anti-Federalist† was placed on them to portray them as people who did not agree with the Federal Government, which was exactly opposite of what they are. According to the proper definition, the Anti-Federalists were really more â€Å"Federal† than the so-called Federalists. Many Anti-Federalists felt this way because â€Å"they took their bearings from the principles of federalism laid down in the Articles.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦They thought that the national government would soon dominate the state governments. The Federalists started calling the groups of people who disagreed with them the Anti-Federal ists. The Federalists felt that what they were trying to do what was best for the country and government, therefore being more â€Å"federal†. Not only were they calling their enemies Anti-Federalists just because they did not agree with them, but they also had a reason behind it. The Federalists’ idea was â€Å"the use of the term was the way some great men had to deceive the common people, and prevent their knowing what they were about.† (Main xiii) This idea states that the term â€Å"anti† puts on an image that they are not for the federal government. The Federalists were trying to convince the people that the Anti-Federalists were not fighting for, but against the country and government. In the Boston American Herald of December 10, 1787 there was a phrase that became helpful to the people: â€Å"A FEDERALIST is a Friend to a Federal Government- An ANTI-FEDERALIST is an Enemy to a Confederation. –Therefore, the FRIENDS to the New Plan o f CONSOLIDATION, are Anti-Federal, and its Opposers are firm Federal Patriots.† (Main xii) This newspaper was trying to show to the â€Å"common people† (Main xiii) what the Anti-Federalists believed in. The Federalists wanted a large national government and smaller state governments, whereas theShow MoreRelatedThe Federalists Believed That Central Government Should Be Kept At A Distance From The American People1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe Federalists believed that central government involvement should be kept at a distance from the American people. They were also dissatisfied with the Articles of Confederation. They wanted a republican form of government and their most vocal supporters included people such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay who wrote the Federalists papers in 1787 and 1788. The Federalists believed that the Articles of Confederation should be replaced with a Constitution that would allow the centralRead MoreEssay about Arguments Of Fedrealists V. Anti-Federalists1102 Words   |  5 Pagesobjected to this document. The Federalists were the group of people who desired to get the finished new constitution ratified and the Anti-Federalists were the group of people who disliked the new constitution and believed it shouldnt be ratified because it was missing several key parts. The Anti-Federalists formulated arguments based on the weaknesses they found in the new constitution and used them against the Federalists in order to gain support, while the Federalists convinced citizens of the righteousnessRead MoreFederalists Vs. Anti Federalists1518 Words   |  7 PagesIn early 1788, Federalists and Anti-Federalists held fierce debates over how the state of Rhode Island would vote on Constitutional ratification. Two models of democracy were contested: the Anti-Federalists argued in favor of mass participation in the form of a state referendum, and the Federalists argued in favor of elite representation in the form of a state convention. On the whole, while the state referendum model used in the debates in Rhode Island allows for greater participation and an opportunityRead MoreThe Conflict Between Federalists and Anti-Federalists1138 Words   |  5 PagesThe Conflict between Federalists and Anti-Federalists The Conflict between Federalists and Anti-Federalists While the anti-Federalists believed the Constitution and formation of a National Government would lead to a monarchy or aristocracy, the Federalists vision of the country supported the belief that a National Government based on the Articles of the Confederation was inadequate to support an ever growing and expanding nation. After the constitution was signed the next step was ratificationRead MoreFederalist vs. Anti-Federalist Essay844 Words   |  4 PagesFederalist vs. Anti-Federalist The road to accepting the Constitution of the United States was neither easy nor predetermined. In fact during and after its drafting a wide-ranging debate was held between those who supported the Constitution, the Federalists, and those who were against it, the Anti-Federalists. The basis of this debate regarded the kind of government the Constitution was proposing, a centralized republic. Included in the debate over a centralized government wereRead MoreAnti Federalists Vs The Ratification Of The U.s. Constitution1074 Words   |  5 Pagesthe other hand, Anti-Federalists were against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Unlike the Federalists, many of the Anti-Federalists were not included in the deliberations on the new constitution; they were not selected as delegates to the constitutional convention. Anti-Federalists were in favor of a confederacy; a system where the central government exercises no control over subunit governments (i.e. states) and acts for the subunits. Therefore, their name, Anti-Federalists, is not a goodRead MoreHamilton Madisons Role in the First American Political Parties778 Words   |  4 PagesHamilton and James Madison played on the first political parties. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were both very important political figures in the early years of our nation and their paths led them to two different political factions, The Federalist Party and the Democratic Republican Party, respectively. The years after the American Revolution were very hard on most Americans. The former colonies had huge debts to pay off from the war and the soldiers of the Continental Army, most of themRead MoreAlexander Hamilton Vs. Thomas Jefferson1289 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson During the ratification of the Constitution of 1787, the Federalist and Anti-federalist views created tensions and barriers between the two. Federalists, who supported the making of a new document, the Constitution, differed from Anti-federalists who believed that â€Å"the new system threatened liberties and failed to protect individual rights.† Anti-federalist, such as Patrick Henry, James Winthrop and Samuel Adams, believed in state s rights and only urgedRead MoreAnti Federalists And The Revolutionary War934 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough independence was just won, the country still needed protection from other hostile countries. Besides protecting the country from foreign enemies, the Anti-Federalists wanted to protect the American people from its own government. In fact, the â€Å"Anti-Federalists were especially concerned with preserving for ordinary citizens the ability to participate in government† (Amar). After all, the Revolutionary War was fought in order to gain freedom from oppression. However, by giving all of the powerRead MoreFederalists vs. Democratic-Republicans Essay743 Words   |  3 Pagesconflicting principles and ideology spawned, thus creating the first of the political parties; the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Although the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans ideology and stances on the power of the federal government, domestic economic policies and the group of constituents they represented differed vastly, members of both parties often compromised their own beliefs for the nation’s best interest as a whole. The limitations on the amount of power the federal

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Organizational Behavior Of Six Sigma - 2737 Words

Six Sigma Six Sigma Six Sigma Jessica Acevedo, Brenda Griner, Angeline Bernard and Dwight Skeete Organizational Behavior in Healthcare HSA 6118 Executive MHA Professor: Jennifer Attonito, Ph.D. Email: Jattonit@fau.edu Introduction Six sigma is a methodology, discipline and a set of techniques used to improve a process by eliminating defects. In addition, it is also considered a management philosophy. The core of this philosophy is to develop future leaders and display strategies on how to conduct a business effectively. Six Sigma creates common language throughout an organization and serves as a method to transform culture. At its highest level possible, six sigma is there to improve both efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency includes time, costs, and labor values; amounts of resources consumed, whereas effectiveness measures the degree to which the customer?s needs are met. This paper will examine the origin of Six Sigma and it?s evolution into the foremost accepted quality improvement processes across many disciplines. In addition, an examination will be done on the application of Six Sigma in the healthcare industry including all variables and their operational definitions. Clarification will be given on how the theory evolved into the foremost accepted process improvement methodology in the world. Finally, testing of the model will be conducted by applying the theory to a work setting within the healthcare environment. From the testingShow MoreRelatedProject Management : The Six Sigma Process1691 Words   |  7 Pagesand monitoring. Although there are many methodologies that are exercised in project management, the Six Sigma process offers a method of monitoring a project and ensuring quality, while offering a system for improvement and problem solving. Six Sigma presents a systematic approach to improve a project’s progression while reducing defects, enhancing quality, and improving customer satisfaction. Six Sigma In today’s fast paced and competitive marketplace, many organizations explore different methodologiesRead MoreExamining Structure Models for Ethics1113 Words   |  5 Pagesmajor financial disasters is evidence that corporation should have a models that can measure structural and behavioral organizational ethics. The various models that can utilize to measure structural and behavioral organizational ethics consist of â€Å"Six Sigma†, â€Å"Balanced Scorecard†, and â€Å"the Triple Bottom Line†. For the purpose of this paper this author will consider â€Å"Six Sigma†, and â€Å"the Triple Bottom Line† models. Moreover, this author will briefly explore the elements of these two models andRead MoreEssay on Module One Assignment1494 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Module One Assignment 1. Six of Demings 14 Points for Management that I believe are demonstrated in the organizational follows: practices and employee behaviors of Bronson Methodist Hospital (BMH) are ad. For each Deming Point chosen, write at least one sentence describing the point in your own words and at least one additional sentence regarding how that point is demonstrated. State SPECIFIC CASE FACTS -- not generalizations - to support your thoughts maximize earning full point credit.Read MoreLean Enterprise Organization Application Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pagestheir purchase of professional retail product in hand. Compare and contrast Six Sigma and TQM to Lean Enterprise I chose to compare and contrast Lean Enterprise with Six Sigma and TQM because although the two share similarities, they also have vast differences from each other and from Lean Enterprise. It is often stated that Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma go hand-in-hand and should be used together, which is how Lean Sigma came to fruition. Although there is some overlap, there are also several differencesRead More3ms Conundrum of Efficiency and Creativity Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesthe idea of taking that glue solution and using it on the back of paper to hold the paper to anything. So the invention of the post-it came out and the business really took off. in the 2000 the newly appointed CEO James McNerney implemented the Six Sigma management style. He did this because he felt the company was stale and not growing as much as he felt. This new management style is â€Å"designed to identify problems in work processes, and then use rigorous measurement to reduce variation, eliminateRead MoreFocus Questions for Innovation Within the Organization619 Words   |  3 Pagesbusiness is better equipped to contend with change in the organization to maintain its competencies and foc us energies toward long-term success. Organizational mobility is another key element in facilitating the core competencies of an organization. Companies must recognize and reward significant contributions from employees. The result is continued behavior with hope that it continues to contribute towards the benefit of the company’s core competencies. 3.) Strategies offered in bothRead MoreBusiness Complexity And Socio Technical Uncertainty1729 Words   |  7 Pagescondition for sustainable organizational change. What is the meaning of this concept â€Å"change capacity and readiness† and why is change capacity and readiness important for organizations? The definition of change capacity is the ability to form a mental state that focuses on the beliefs, attitudes ad intentions (Buono and Kerber, 2010). Change capacity seeks to communicate the change reason, building support for the change, and gather support for the change. â€Å"Building organizational change capacity reflectsRead MoreOrganizational Behavior Concepts: General Electric2127 Words   |  9 PagesOrganizational Behavior Concepts: ï ¿ ½ PAGE * MERGEFORMAT ï ¿ ½9ï ¿ ½ Organizational Behavior Concepts: General Electric William Ward Axia College MGT245 Thomas Jankowski June 1, 2008 ï ¿ ½ ï ¿ ½ Introduction Every business has a set of key characteristics or values that make up an organizational culture which is unique to its business. Organizational behavior examines the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations for the purpose of applying such knowledge towardRead MoreWhat Is The Automatic Quantifiable IC Effective Assessment Model?1139 Words   |  5 Pageswith Six Sigma (Zhou et al. 2016) is another alternative to apply statistical anomaly detection methods to achieve filtering overloading information. Statistically, Six Sigma is a practical tool to choose the activities that distribute on both tails of the distribution to investigate the original reason for these anomalies. At each time, the volume cannot be too much, but this tool can continuously adapt and tune the benchmark to fit operational reality. Hahn et al. (2000) described Six Sigma asRead MoreMacro and Micro Economic Factors that Influence Plant Activity1309 Words   |  6 P agesdown on waste. Along with the JIT approach we will utilize a six sigma strategy. Our ABC managers will become trained in these techniques which will benefit out organization worldwide. By eliminating waste and reducing mistakes ABC Complete Kitchens will become a leader within our industry. According to Terry, 2010: This is accomplished through the use of two Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC and DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC process (defines, measure, analyze, improve, control) is

Postman’s thesis on the ‘disappearance’ of childhood.

There is no single set of beliefs about children; childhood is a social and cultural construct. Social constructionism is concerned with ideas about children, not facts about them. Indeed, many social constructionists would deny the existence of any universal facts about children (Woodhead and Montgomery 2003:46). Ideas about children change because they are dependent on their social, cultural and historical context. The ideas held concerning children have consequences, they affect the way children are treated and thought about (James and James 2008:122). Postman (1994) believes that childhood in its’ current conception is ‘disappearing.’ The following text will critically discuss Postman’s (1994) theory, principally it will consider†¦show more content†¦Postman (1994) recognises that childhood as we know it is an idea not a fact, he states, â€Å"When I speak about the disappearance of childhood, I am speaking about the disappearance of an idea.† (Postman 1994:52) During the years 1850-1950 childhood began to take shape as the model we recognise as childhood currently. Children were removed from factories and put into schools, children’s clothing, furniture, literature and games were developed; law also changed to recognise childhood. The stereotypical family also developed during this period (Postman 1994:67). Childhood became a birthright, due to theories such as, Piaget’s (1896-1980) theory of cognitive development childhood came to defined as a biological state as well as psychological (Postman 1994:67). Postman (1994:74/75) argues that childhood became obsolete at the same time that it was perceived as a permanent fixture, 1950. He choose this time as it coincides with the rise of television; as he believes it is through television that the divide between adulthood and childhood can be seen most clearly. Postman (1994:75) argues, it is television as we know it that is causing childhood to ‘disappear’. He believes there are several reasons to support this notion, most importantly, is the idea of accessibility to adult information. Prior to television only fully literate adults had access to this information. People watch

French Influence of Sir Gawain and The Green Knigh Essay Example For Students

French Influence of Sir Gawain and The Green Knigh Essay t Sir Gawain Green Knight EssaysFrench Influence of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight utilizes the convention of the French-influenced romance. What sets this work apart from regular Arthurian or chivalric romances is the poets departure from this convention. The clearest departure takes place at the resolution of the piece as the hero, Sir Gawain, is stricken with shame and remorse rather than modest knightly pride, even after facing what appears to be certain death and returning to his king alive and well. Although this manner of closure would leave much to be desired for an audience who is interested in reading a ridigly conventional romance, the coexistence of the romantic convention with the departure from it inspires questions concerning why the author would choose to work within such guidelines and what the significance is of breaching those guidelines. By employing the chivalric convention in romantic literature and then going beyond it to reveal other ways of thinking, the writer challenges the very notion of chivalric conventions of the surrounding social climate. He demonstrates throughout the work a need for balance. As symbolied by the pentangle worn by Sir Gawain, representing the balanced points of chivalric virture, each being codependent of the other in order to remain a whole, the narrative could be considered as a What accompanies an appreciation for the seemingly sudden shift from the typical romance at the end of the piece is the raised awareness that the change does only seem to be sudden. Careful exlporation of the plot, setting, and character descriptions illuminates several deviations from the established convention of the ideal society existing within the text. The effect is then a type of balancing act blah blah blah The opening of the piece sets a fairly typical stage for an Anthurian romance, giving relevant historical and geographical information. King Arthurs court is going on as it is expected to be within the social constructs, merrily feasting and celebrating the Christmas holiday. The entrance of the Green Knight into Arthurs court marks a significant event. He is a courtly figure from their recognizable world. He appears as a knight ought to appear: tall, handsome, and fashionably dressed; however, the Green Knights adherence to the conventions of the court is offset by his departure from that world. He has very unfashionable long hair and a beard; and, most noticably, he and the horse accompaning him are a stunning color green. The author brings to question what his motives are by juxtaposing his possession of holly, a sign of peaceful intent, with the monstrous axe he weilds. The fusion of human and supernatural characteristics add to the ambiguity of the piece, the balance between conventional and non-conventional, and give the first sign that the construction of the narrative is dependent on this balance. The match: a game, yet implies death Arthur swings with the temperment and yet nothing happens. The response of the Green Knight is completely passive. When Gawain intervenes, it can be seen in two ways, that he is intervening with the courtly manner of a true knight of the Round Table, or with an implied criticism of Arthur for involving himself in such a challenge and on the court for letting this to take place. This brings about questions of the reputation of the Round Table and of the truth of the chivalric nature of the knights in the court.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Most Dangerous Form of Radiation

Question: Discuss about theMost Dangerous Form of Radiation. Answer: Introduction Radiation alludes to the unconstrained breaking down or the decay of the core of iota by discharge of the particles. This is normally joined by the electromagnetic radiation. Natural radioactivity is showed by different components, which may incorporate polonium, uranium or maybe Radium. Radiation is normally created in three sorts, the alpha particles that is a core of an ordinary helium molecule, the beta molecule that has a fast electron and the gamma radiation that is the electromagnetic radiation which has short wavelengths (Glvez, Aguilera, Snchez?Roldn Herrera?Ceballos, 2016). The rate of breaking down of the substances of radioactive are normally assigned by its half-life. This is the time that is required for one portion of a given amount of the substance to rot. It is noteworthy to note that radioactivity might be initiated in the steady components by barrage with the particles of the high vitality. The Type of Radiation that is the Most Harmful To determine on the most harmful radiation it is significant to decide how far every voyages. The separation the radiation ventures is noteworthy for two reasons. One of the reason is that the further it venture to every part of the all the more effectively it would get to the body. Furthermore, is the separation in which it goes to your body decides how much the harm it causes. The gamma emissions are pure energy and have the highest penetrating power as well as the emission length (Martin, Harbison, Beach Cole, 2012). From an external standpoint of view the gamma emission can be the most hazardous of them all. It can penetrate the skin and cause damage on the skin. Nonetheless, alpha emission have such a high degree of ionization that if they were to get into contact to the living tissue it could cause the most harm nearly as twenty times the damage of the gamma rays (Glvez, Aguilera, Snchez?Roldn Herrera?Ceballos, 2016). Fortunately, the alpha and the beta particles travels only a few inches in the air that limit the potential for the exposure. The alpha particle cannot travel even a bit of common paper and the beta particles are quit utilizing a thin sheet of aluminum. By the by, to each control there is no less than one exemption (Martin, Harbison, Beach Cole, 2012). On the off chance that you are to eat or maybe breathe in an isotope that is an emitter, it does not need to enter on the skin any longer to get into the body. A portion of the alpha emitters, when they are breathed in, could be passed to the blood and illuminate on everything in the body. In such a circumstance alpha reactions are the most unsafe since their symptoms of backing off is that they store all their vitality to a short separation accordingly focusing on their effects. Radiation and the Living Cells (Radiation Source Inside the Body) In case the radiation slams into the nucleus of the living cells it could harm them. On the off chance that the DNA in the nucleus of the cell are harmed the cell gets to be cancerous. In this happen the cell get out of the control then partitions quickly and causes intense wellbeing issues. The great the effect of radiation get to the cells the more prominent the cells become more cancerous. In any case, high measurements of the radiation could execute the cell totally (Martin, Harbison, Beach Cole, 2012). On the off chance that the radiation is inside the body, possibly subsequent to being gulped or even taken in, the alpha radiation are the most harmful since they can be absorbed by the cells. The beta and the gamma radiation are not as risky since they are less to be absorbed by the cell. References Glvez, M. V., Aguilera, J., Snchez?Roldn, C., Herrera?Ceballos, E. (2016). Infrared radiation increases skin damage induced by other wavelengths in solar urticaria. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology Photomedicine. Martin, A., Harbison, S., Beach, K., Cole, P. (2012). An Introduction to Radiation Protection 6E. CRC Press.

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Sample Compare Contrast Essay For Middle School

Sample Compare Contrast Essay For Middle SchoolSample Compare Contrast Essay for Middle School will help middle school students who are struggling with their essays. Although they are typically not as good as high school students, many middle school students will find that they can still be a good writer when given this help and support. This guide will explain how to write a good middle school compare contrast essay and a few tips on what to avoid.One thing that middle school students generally struggle with is their essays. They tend to make them too long and tend to skip several key steps in the writing process. To help you avoid these mistakes, here are a few helpful tips:Use only two or three paragraphs per paragraph. With your first paragraph, start with a few sentences to get your reader's attention. It's better to give them enough information to get excited about your ideas rather than just dumping them all at once.Always be honest about what you know and how you know it. You do not want to get too detailed or too specific in your details. The point of an essay like this is to get your reader interested in your ideas, so don't try to get too specific too fast.Always begin your sample compare contrast essay with a couple paragraphs that are general. Make sure that you lay out some key points about the topic first. Then, offer some specific ideas in the next paragraph.As an example, say you were writing an essay about 'What Makes You Irresistible' then you might include one or two key points that would be irresistible to anyone. In addition, you could mention how popular some of the books you are mentioned in are.Another important pointis to think about how you are going to tie in your topic and how you are going to talk about your idea. Once you have decided what topic you are going to cover, then you should start writing. If you are unsure of where to begin, there are several sources for sample essays available on the internet that will give you some gr eat examples to follow.Although sample essays for middle school students tend to be short, they are also very effective. You can use a sample compare contrast essay to help you work through your homework problems and even help you learn what is and isn't working for other writers. Hopefully this article has helped you create a sample essay that is effective for you.

Monday, April 13, 2020

Corporate finance and Volatility

Table of Contents Introduction Importance of WACC Calculating the cost of capital Cost of debt Cost of preference capital Conclusion Reference List Introduction Stocks’ beta expresses how much the stock prices may change as a result of changes in the financial market prices. A stock’s beta of 1.06 indicates that for a 1% change in general market prices, the price of the particular stock will change by 1.06%. Such a stock price is considered to be less volatile.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Corporate finance and Volatility specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Assets’ beta is the average of the different sources of finance that a firm chooses. The assets’ beta for a company that has been financed without debts is equal to equity’s beta. Weighted cost of capital represents the least amount of return that an investment can offer stakeholders. When the expected rate of return from a project is lower than WACC, it is considered unviable. Managers may consider those that break-even because of the economic level of returns. However, a project must have a higher rate of return than WACC before wealth is created for holders of securities. A majority of firms uses debts to finance growth rather than wait for the profits. Fabozzi et al. (2008, p. 507) discuss that when a firm has no debt, â€Å"the beta of its equity is the same as its assets’ beta.† They also note that it is very rare for a company to operate without incurring some debts. Using debts makes a company’s equity riskier. Fabozzi et al. (2008, p. 507) explain that financial leverage causes â€Å"the market risk of a company’s stock to be higher than its asset’s risk.† In that case, equity’s beta exceeds assets’ beta. When the firms choose to fund assets by a combination of equity and debts, the risk involved is shared between the two groups o f stakeholders. Fabozzi et al. (2008, p. 508) discuss that the â€Å"asset market risk is the weighted average of the company’s debt beta and equity beta because the asset’s risk is shared between creditors and owners.† In simple terms, the asset beta = debts beta (fraction of assets from debts) + equity beta (fraction of assets from equity). The equation of assets’ beta average is true because the variations from equity’s and stocks’ betas are correlated. The effect on one source of capital influences the chance of the other sources volatility.  Corporate taxable income is generated after deductions of interest paid on loans. The effect reduces what a firm pays as tax which makes their burden less. On the other hand, interest received by creditors is taxed after it is paid to them.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result of interest on debt being deductible, debts beta in most cases is assumed to be negligible.  WACC is used to â€Å"evaluate the impact of debt-financing on risk and returns to investments† (Geltner et al. 2010, p. 307). Leverage is a term used to describe the common practice used by firms to fund their projects from debts, and equity. The WACC is derived from the formula of basic holding period return (HPR). The formula expresses assets as a sum of debts and equities. It also equates property cash flow to the sum of debt cash flow and equity cash flow. The returns received are shared by holders, and creditors. It is derived from the returns to capital generated by the firm. WACC represents the least rate of return on a project that evaluators consider before allowing a business plan to be implemented. The formula for WACC as presented by Hawawini Viallet (2011, p. 410) is shown below. In this case, kE represents cost of equity and kD is the cost of debt before taxation. B ierman (p. 195) discusses that WACC can be interpreted as â€Å"the cost of both current capital and an additional dollar of new capital if the existing capital structure is maintained†. The existing capital structure refers to the percentage of debt and securities that have been used to finance a project. Debts tend to reduce WACC because of tax deductions. As it can be seen in the formula â€Å"1 – tax rate† has a lesser effect on WACC compared to equity when the cost of capital is considered equal for both equities.  WACC includes returns to creditors and shareholders. Baker and Martin discuss that WACC is the â€Å"cost of raising funds to the firm† (2011, p. 192). On the other hand, it is the rate of return that investors consider before lending a firm. Creditors receive interest on money owed to them. Shareholders expect dividends, and gains in market value. The gains in market value are only possible if the firm chooses growth opportunities with higher rates of return than WACC. A firm can only add value to its capital after exceeding the rate of return owed to investors. The investors evaluate the firm’s strategy, opportunities of growth, and risk.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Corporate finance and Volatility specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When a business opportunity promises slow growth, investors consider it as a high risk investment. Slow growth reduces a firm’s ability to repay its debts. For this reason, investors may require higher interest rates which may make a project unviable. The rate of return expected by investors also depends on what other financial assets receive as returns. Firms choose to finance their assets with a mixture of debt, preference shares and common equity. They choose a mixture that optimizes the price of their stock. Besley and Brigham (2009, p. 485) discuss that WACC â€Å"represents the minimum return the firm must earn on its investments to maintain its current level of wealth†. Besley and Brigham (2009) provide the formula below for calculating WACC. The WACC of most companies represents the average cost of its capital. Lumby and Jones discuss that the WACC of most companies may not be used to rate individual projects because most companies have their investments diversified (2003, p. 427). The WACC in most cases reflects the â€Å"average level of systematic risk throughout all its operations† (Lumby and Jones 2003, p. 427). Companies consider diversification as a means of reducing risk. The volatility of an individual project carried out by a company is unlikely to be represented by WACC because most companies calculate the overall value. The returns expected from different securities vary. Different capital sources carry different weights. Lumby and Jones (2003, p. 748) explain that â€Å"changing a firm’s capital structure changes its WACC†. Debts are an obligation. They are considered before financial assets. Dividends and other benefits are paid to preference shares before common shares.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Importance of WACC A higher WACC will require that the performance must be higher before generating wealth for stakeholders. Megginson Smart discuss that firms use WACC to value the amount of effort needed before the firm can actually generate returns for shareholders (2010, p. 420). The firm’s market value declines if its WACC increases as a result of factors that the firm cannot control. Megginson Smart discuss that when a firm’s WACC is increased by an event it cannot address â€Å"its existing assets and its prospective investment opportunities become less valuable† (2010, p. 420). Such an effect can be expressed through a drop its market value. Such investments may go for a long period without dividends. Calculating the cost of capital Cost of capital involves what investors are willing to receive regularly as a result offering finances. Benninga Czaczkles discuss that the present value of stock can be obtained from the discounted annuity values using an ticipated growth in dividend streams (2000, p. 28). They give an example in which the expected growth of dividends is 10%. The following year, the dividend received on each share is $3. The present value of each share (Po) can be expressed as shown below. In this case, rE is the cost of equity/discount rate. D1 is used to represent the expected dividend, and g to represent the expected dividend growth rate. According to Benninga Czaczkes (2000, p. 29), the formula is summarized as shown below. This formula holds only for firms with normal growth. This is the Leonhard Euler derivation. For supernormal growth where g rE, the Gordon Model is applied. The formula for the Gordon Model which has been discounted over five years can be expressed as shown below. According to Benninga Czaczkes (2000, p. 31), the cost of equity under Gordon Model is expressed as shown below. Considering that anticipated dividends can be expressed in terms of the dividends received in the current year (Do ). The formula for the cost of equity is expressed as shown below. In the classic SML (Security Market Line) model, the formula for calculating the cost of equity is expressed as shown below (Benninga Czaczkes 2000, p. 35). In this case, rf represents the rate at which investment is considered safe, and E(rM) represents the interest rates that the financial market are expected to generate. The risk-free rate of return is reflected in financial assets with the least amount of risk such as interest rates on securities issued by government (Bennninga Czaczkes 2000). Treasury bills are considered risk-free indicators because governments are unlikely to default. When the expression is adjusted to integrate corporate tax, the expression becomes as shown below (Benninga Czackles 2000, p. 36). TC is the corporate tax rate. The cost of newly issued stock is expressed as shown below (Calculating the Cost of Capital n.d., p. 3). The cost of retained earnings is expressed below using ris k-free rate, market expected rate, and stocks beta (Calculating Cost of Capital n.d, p. 2). using the discounted cash flow approach. Cost of debt The cost of debt has different approaches. Benninga Czaczkes (2000) discuss that the cost of debt can be estimated using a firm’s existing average cost of debt even though it is not an accurate measure. The cost of debt is expressed as shown below (Calculating Cost of Capital n.d., P. 1). rd is the rate of return expected by investors to be paid on debts. Cost of preference capital Preference capital is associated with preference shares. Debts reduce the amount of corporate tax that a firm is entitled to pay. Khan Jain (2007) discuss that preference share differs from debts because payments on preference shares are made after tax deductions. Some preference shares are redeemable at maturity while others do not have a fixed maturity date. Both types receive annual fixed rates of return. Khan Jain (2007, p. 11.10) express the co st of irredeemable shares in two expressions as shown below. In this case, kp represents cost of preference capital, Dp is the fixed dividend, Po is the expected preference share price, f is the floatation costs expressed as a percentage of share price, and Dt is the tax rate on preference shares dividend. Preference shares that have a maturity date and a stream of earnings are discounted to a present value. Khan Jain (2007, p. 11.10) express that the cost of preference shares with a maturity date â€Å"is the discount rate that equates the net proceeds of sale of preference shares with the NPV of future dividends and principal repayments†. This means that capital gains that an individual obtains today from sales are compared to the gains of holding the preference shares to maturity. The cost of preference shares with a maturity date is expressed as shown below. Po represents share price, f is the flotation cost expressed as a percentage of share price, Dp is for dividend, and Pn is the amount paid at maturity. Kumar (2010) gives a more simplified formula for the cost of redeemable share capital as shown below. D represents dividends, M.V is the value on maturity, N.P is the net streams gains received on preference shares, n is the number of years. Using the average cost of 25% tax, the asset beta can be calculated using the formula below. The asset beta is expressed as: asset beta= Equity beta/ (1 + (1 – tax) D/E) (Asset Beta n.d.). D is the percentage of financing received from debts, and E from Equity. Asset beta = 1.06/ (1+ (1 – 0.25) 0.35/0.65)) = 0.755 However, since the tax rate is still unknown, the cost of equity can be estimated using stocks’ beta and market rate of return. The WACC is then used to express the volatility of expected returns. From this formula equity beta can be generated as follows: cost of equity = risk free rate of return + beta (market rate of return – risk free rate) Cost of equity = 0.0395 + 1.06 (0.0601 – 0.0395) = 0.061336 KE is the cost of equity and KD is the cost of debt before taxation The value of Equity/ total capital can be expressed as: Equity = 45/60 * 100% = 0.75 The value of debt as a fraction of the total capital is represented as: Debt = 15/60 * 100% = 0.25 WACC = (0.75 * 0.061336) + (0.25 * 0.0485) = 0.046002 + 0.012125 = 0.058127 This is approximately 0.058. The WACC estimates the least returns expected from investments. It influences the volatility of stock prices. From the expression in the question: This indicates that the assets’ beta can be calculated from the sum of the product various sources of capital and their beta. Asset beta = (0.75 * 1.06) + (0.25 * 0.058) = 0.795 + 0.0145 = 0.8095 Asset beta = 0.8095 The volatility of the stock market is derived from the asset beta. A value of less than 1 indicates that the assets are less volatile. b) The same formula is applied to calculate the asset value of Coral Gambles’ Asse t beta by first calculating the WACC. This is used as an estimate of the debt beta. From, the explanations above, the debt beta is always close to zero. WACC = (0.65 * 0.061336) + (0.35 * 0.0545) = 0.0398684 + 0.019075 = 0.0589434 WACC value of 5.9% (0.0589) indicates that an additional unit of capital may cost the firm 5.9% interest. The firm must invest in projects that generate above the 6% rate of return for shareholders to get capital gains. Asset beta = (0.65 * 1.06) + (0.35 * 0.059) = 0.689 + 0.02065 = 0.691 According to Bragg (2012, p. 142), the cost of common stock is â€Å"risk-free return rate + beta (average stock return – risk free return†. From this formula, it can be derived that stock beta = (cost of stock – risk-free rate) / (expected market return – risk-free rate) Cost of stock = 0.0395 + 0.691 (0.0601 – 0.0395) = 0.054 Coral Gambles’ Stocks beta = (0.054 – 0.0395) / (0.0601 – 0.0395) = 0.0145/ 0.0206 = 0.703 9 The common stock’s beta indicates the value by which the firm’s stock price changes as a result of variations in the general stock prices. A value of 0.7039 indicates that when the market value changes by 1%, the stock price of Coral Gambles varies by 0.7%. This shows that Coral Gamble stock price is less volatile that the overall market prices. WACC = (0.65 * 0.0601) + (0.35 * 0.0545 (1 – 0.25)) = 0.039065 + 0.0143 = 0.053365 From this calculation, it can be interpreted that investments must generate above the 5% rate of return for the project to add value to shareholders. The least acceptable cost of capital is 5%. This is the point where the firm operates at break-even. Conclusion The market stock’s beta of the similar company is more volatile than Coral Gamble stocks or the general market price. Coral Gamble stock price is less volatile than the average market prices. The WACC for both companies indicate that the CFO needs to search for growth oppo rtunities that generate more than 6% rate of return. Investors may consider interest rates that are close to 5%. The price (Po) generated in the calculation of share price is the discounted value of the current share price, and expected income streams. The income streams are paid to shareholders as yield per share or dividends. The assets’ beta indicates less volatility than stocks’ beta. However, the stock’s beta generates its volatility from assets’ beta. The Coral Gamble assets’ beta indicates that the firm’s assets are more stable than shifts in market prices, and interest rates. The asset beta has been calculated as a sum of the impact caused by the volatilities of different sources of capital. It can also be calculated from the equity beta, ratio of debts to equity, and tax rate. Equity beta is the beta quoted by financial reports as stock price volatility. Assets’ beta is equal to equity in situations where a firm has not used debts to finance its assets. The impact of debts’ beta on asset beta is reduced by the fact that it reduces corporate tax. Reference List Asset Beta n.d. Web. Baker, H, Martin, G 2011, Capital Structure and Corporate Financing Decisions: Theory, Evidence, and Practice, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken. Benninga, S, Czaczkes, B 2000, Financial Modeling, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Besley, S, Brigham, E 2009, Principles of Finance, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. Bierman, H 2010, An Introduction to Accounting and Mangerial Finance: A Merger of Equals, World Scientific Publishing, London. Bragg, S 2012, Business Ratios and Formulas: A Comprehensive Guide, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken. Calculating the Cost of Capital n.d. Web. Fabozzi, J. F, Drake, P. P, Polimeni, S. R 2008, The Complete CFO Handbook: From Accounting to Accountability, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken. Geltner, D, Miller, N, Clayton, J Eichholtz, P 2010, Commercial Real Estate Analysis Investmen ts, Cengage Learning, Mason. Hawawini G, Viallet, C 2011, Finance for Executives: Managing for Value Creation, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. Khan, M, Jain, P 2007, Financial management, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Kumar, V 2010, Cost of Preference Share Capital. Web. Lumby, S, Jones, C 2003, Corporate Finance: Theory and Practice, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. Megginson, W, Smart, S 2010, Introduction to Corporate Finance, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. This assessment on Corporate finance and Volatility was written and submitted by user Jaylyn B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

The Terrible Transformation - A short video-tape critique essays

The Terrible Transformation - A short video-tape critique essays The 17th century was an altering time in history. Britains population had grown to an unmanageable amount and the poverty and unemployment were at an all time high. The poor needed a second chance in life. The word spread around Britain about a New World offering this second chance to those willing to go. It was the opportunity that many indignant poor people within Britain were looking for. In 1607, hundreds of families left their lives and set sail to Jamestown, Virginia. They built new homes, farms and a new way of life. By 1610, Virginia had suffered a hard summer and winter which took a toll on the new colonists. Unable to cultivate the land the settlers faced starvation resulting in them eating their livestock and ultimately eating one another just to stay alive. By 1611, only 60 of the new colonist were living. The failure of the first colonists did not stop the hopes of Britain for a new beginning. By 1613, over 200,000 people left their old way of life to travel to the New World. Desperate to find an edge for economic growth, they discovered that the lands favored the seeds of tobacco. They created plantation throughout Virginia and sold their goods to England. As time went on more and more people left the poor economy of Britain for America. They were unemployed servants given the promise of freedom from poverty if they worked a tour of several years as a servant in the New World. This promise would guarantee them food, sheltered and clothes in exchange for their work. Once their work tour was completed the servants were granted their freedom. The opportunity was too good to pass up. As the demand for more exported goods grew in American the need for more laborers grew also. The rich plantation owners began looking for alternative methods for obtaining workers. In 1619, a Dutch ship landed in Jamestown in need of food and supplies. They had captive Africans on b...

Monday, February 24, 2020

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

International business - Essay Example Globalization on the other hand is also associated with different businesses and financial risks. Globalization in context to Western Australia is no different from the rest of the world. It can have varied effects on different economies in the world. Various forces like investors, borrowers, financial institutions, etc. are affecting increased levels of financial globalization (Schmukler, Zoido, & Halac, n.d., p.1). Globalization describes the spread and interconnectivities of new advanced technologies, communication systems and production all over the world (Smith, & Doyle, 2002). Various benefits to citizens of a country as a result of globalization includes admittance to increased varieties of products and services at lower costs, increased number of job opportunities, higher standard of living, etc (International Monetary Fund, February 2008). Globalization and its impact on Western Australia in terms of job opportunity, economic growth, concerns and factor will be discussed in an illustrated manner to have an overview as how Western Australia has dealt with globalization and its effects. ... The political factors represent the current political stability of a country. It includes the factors such as political changes, tax policies, changes in the restriction of trades, tariffs and the stability of the government. In the context to West Australia the government is very much stable. The government follows federal system. The tax policies as well as the tariff structures are well structured. Western Australia in over 50 year has shown relative growth in terms of output and employment. The share of employment and output of share crossed the 30% mark in recent times (Graph 1). Population has played a major role in the growth of output in various industries in Western Australia (Graph 2). Immigration is the reason behind population growth which has vastly contributed to the industrial growth in this part of Australia (Collony, & Lewis, 2010). Graph 1 (Source: Collony, & Lewis, 2010) Graph 2 (Source: Collony, & Lewis, 2010) The trade policies of Western Australia and more speci fically Australia have been to focus on international markets. Western Australia initiated the need for globalization for its domestic industries as well as import of products from low-wage countries was in the agenda of the government. The main focus in context to structural reform is related to the building of competitive market for the private sector industry in domestic as well as global market. Globalization had a great impact on Australia’s trade which includes Western Australia as well. The globalization has made considerable growth in industries like manufacturing and service industry while rural sector has been affected (Graph 3). Graph 3 (Source: RBA, May 2012 a) The financial climate Globalization has established many new components into the financial market of

Friday, February 7, 2020

Insurance Claim Follow-Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Insurance Claim Follow-Up - Essay Example The follow-up process of insurance claims is essential, especially when such claims are unpaid. It is important to follow up unpaid insurance claims in order to ensure that relevant authorizations are made, and that the underlying payment will actually be made. Without follow-ups, claims that are not authorized are hard to detect (Padfield, 2012). This may lead to the clinics or hospitals realizing deteriorating financial well-being. Following up insurance claims especially those that are not paid confirms whether or not claim records are available to the insurer. This facilitates timely reimbursements by ensuring that claims are correctly and timely filed. Finally, the follow-up informs the claiming party of the claims that have been approved, those that have been denied, and those that are likely to be underpaid. In so doing, mistakes related to insurance claims are easy to detect and correct. Therefore, insurance follow-up ensures that the insured-insurer dealings do not jeopardize the normal operations and performance of

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Selecting An Automated Library System For Finnish Research Libraries Essay Example for Free

Selecting An Automated Library System For Finnish Research Libraries Essay 1 The Present Situation All Finnish academic libraries and a number of other Finnish research libraries have used the VTLS software during the 90’s. The contract with VTLS Inc. was signed in 1988 and implementation took place during the following years. A uni? ed network called Linnea was created, consisting of the local installations and a common physical union catalogue which all were connected by the powerful academic data transmission network FUNET. The VTLS-based network, now called Linnea1, was very advanced when built a decade ago, and it has served Finnish libraries well. VTLS Inc. has also been a trusty companion of Finnish academic libraries during these ten years. Creation of the union catalogue Linda in early 90’s was an ambitious project. Not only was data from all academic libraries loaded into a single database; software development was also needed. For example, a duplicate control algorithm was designed in Finland and implemented by VTLS. VTLS developed many unique consortium features which enabled the libraries to use the Linda database ef? ciently for copy cataloguing purposes. Depending on the library, 50-90% of MARC records can be copied. ILL localisation is also very ef?cient, because Linda contains summary-level serials holdings from about 400 Finnish libraries. The Automation Unit of Finnish Research Libraries, created in the Ministry of Education in 1974, was instrumental in the implementation, development and running of the Linnea network. In 1993 the Unit, with all its tasks and resources, was moved to the National Library, where the Division of Library Network Services is now managing the Linnea1 network, functioning as a common agency for the academic libraries. In this capacity the National Library is also responsible for the new steps toward Linnea2, as the next generation network is called. 2 Selection of a New Automation System To summarize the need for a new generation software we can say that all library system vendors are building so-called third generation library systems with relational database and Client/Server technology, graphical user interface and web gateways, the ability to search multiple databases simultaneously, multimedia support and support for internationally accepted standards such as Z39. 50, Unicode, Edifact and ISO ILL, to meet the growing needs of the users. It was also evident that the classic VTLS system was coming to the end of 530 Annu Jauhiainen  its life-cycle and would not be developed further since VTLS Inc. is concentrating on their new system, which is called Virtua. The Finnish academic libraries have since early 90s enjoyed the bene? ts of being a consortium. The ten years of VTLS use have taught the libraries and all parties involved that co-operation is power, even if it is not always easy or simple. Because of the great success of Linnea1, there was no need to revise the basic service philosophy when moving to a new system. Libraries were satis? ed with the system and the work ? ows and with co-operation with one another. When the present VTLS system was purchased, the Ministry of Education funded the acquisition of both software and hardware. This time the universities had to ? nd the money out of their own budgets. Nevertheless, both the universities and their libraries wanted to ensure the bene? ts of the present common approach. Libraries also were open to totally new technical and organizational solutions if they should prove more favourable both functionally and economically. Libraries clearly wanted to avoid transplanting old patterns into a totally new environment. Everything had, therefore, to be looked at from a new perspective. Three major issues had to be tackled: the selection of the software, the future database or network architecture and the maintenance of the hardware. 2. 1 Selection of the Software The Linnea libraries started to look for a new-generation library system about four years ago. The National Library was asked by the directors of the Finnish academic libraries to survey the systems either on the market or being developed at the time. A questionnaire was compiled and sent to the vendors who had recently been shortlisted in corresponding procurements in Europe or in the U. S. The vendors were asked about their database management system, database structure, standards, various functions and features, the user interface, languages and formats, training, support, prices and future plans. Procuring a new library system for a large network is a major project which is regulated by European Union statutes. When the value of the contract exceeds the threshold, which is 200,000 euros at the moment, the procurement has to be advertised across the European Union. Of the three alternative types, the restricted procedure seemed to be the most suitable for the Linnea2 project. When VTLS was selected in the late 80’s, the selection process was handled by the Automation Unit of Finnish Research Libraries alone, without much involvement from the libraries themselves. This approach was quite natural at the time, because there was little experience of library automation in the libraries. More than ten years after, the situation was completely different. Libraries were well acquainted with at least one library system and, most importantly, they knew what their needs were and what they wanted of the new system. The resources of the libraries were welcomed by the National Library, which, as the service facility of the academic libraries, had the task of coordinating the process and pulling everything together. Selecting An Automated Library System for Finnish Research Libraries, Linnea2 531 The procedure started of? cially in April 1998 and the tenders were received in July. At this point, tenders were invited for software only, another procurement was planned for the hardware once the software had been chosen. During the fall the tenders were evaluated thoroughly. Attention was paid to the technical structure and the technical solution of the system, references from present and future users of the system, the services and the support offered by the vendor and the quality and the completion of the various functions and modules. Four systems were shortlisted based on these criteria. They were Horizon, Innopac, Taos and Voyager. These four systems had been found to ful? l our requirements best in the ? rst phase of the selection process. At the beginning of the second phase the four short-listed systems were all on the same line. In nine months we had to ? nd  out which of the four was functionally the most suitable and economically the most advantageous for the local databases as well as the union and national databases. The systems were ? rst demonstrated to a large group of library representatives. The next step was to get our hands on the applications. The National Library, together with the four vendors, organized the testing of these systems. This was the part of the evaluation in which the contribution of the libraries was most signi? cant. Over 70 people from the libraries and the computing centres of the universities participated in testing, which took about three months. A number of testing groups, each specializing in different functions, i. e. cataloguing, circulation, acquisition, OPAC, etc. listed the merits of the systems, without knowing how the other groups ranked them. Objectivity was the main guideline here. In addition to the ranking list, the groups also produced lists of open questions. Answers to these questions were sought in two ways, through site visits and negotiations with the vendors. A group of six people, representing both the National Library and other libraries as well as the university computing centres, visited libraries using these systems, both in Europe and in the U.S. The site visits were essential in ? nding out how the systems worked in real life. During these nine months of evaluation the National Library negotiated with the four vendors (Dynix GmbH, Innovative Interfaces Inc, Data Research Associates Inc and Endeavor Information Systems Inc) in several ways and on several occasions. The vendors came to Helsinki a number of times and we went to their headquarters once to talk with the development staff, support staff and the company management. There was also constant discussion via email whenever any questions about the functionality of the systems needed to be answered. An essential feature in selection processes was a fair and objective treatment of all parties involved. Since every step was documented, we would have been able to reconstruct the process, should it have proved necessary. We have been told both by many foreign colleagues and by the vendors that the Finnish library system selection process has been the most thorough ever carried out. It is clear that when purchasing a system for all major research libraries of a country we are dealing with a much more serious issue than satisfying the needs of just a single library. When the different parts of the selection process were drawn together, Voyager, by Endeavor Information Systems Inc. proved to ful? l the criteria best. Voyager was found to be a complete, integrated system that was ? nished in the essential, traditional functions 532 Annu Jauhiainen needed by the libraries, but which however is being further developed to meet the new needs and changing technologies. It ? ts both individual Linnea libraries and the Linnea network well. Local services can be streamlined and their scope extended. But centralised services will also bene? t from Voyager via its consortium-driven functions. Increased ef? ciency is largely based on improved networking since Voyager supports both Z39. 50 and ISO ILL. The company, Endeavor Information Systems Inc. had also been thoroughly investigated by an economic expert and found to be sound and stable, with good prospects. An example of the dif? culties in anticipating future changes is that Endeavor has since then been sold to Elsevier Science, raising a number of question marks. The National Library proposed to the libraries that Voyager should be chosen, which was unanimously accepted. The National Library was asked to conclude the negotiations with the company, and was also empowered to sign the contract on behalf of all universities and other bodies participating in the purchase. This happened on February 4, 2000. 2. 2 The Network Architecture One of the important decisions in Linnea2 was whether to merge existing databases or to keep the current structure. Discussions with Endeavor experts made it clear that although it is technically possible to merge databases, actually doing this would be timeconsuming and expensive. The technical merits of such action would be limited, since Voyager databases can be merged into a virtual union catalogue by using the Z39. 50 Information Retrieval protocol. Politically there was quite a lot of reluctance among libraries to merge databases, even though Voyager makes living with a shared database much easier than our present system. A decision was, therefore, made to retain the 24 databases in Linnea2. The next question was how many servers an optimal solution for the Linnea2 network would require. In the present Linnea1 network there are 17 HP3000 servers for the 24 databases. The number of servers was never really discussed during the implementation of Linnea1 because of the limitations of the computer technology of the time. How far can one go in centralisation? The answer depends on three factors, the available data transmission network, the capabilities of the software and the state of the computer technology. The Finnish Academic and Research Network, FUNET, is already at present a key factor for the Linnea network. Without the infrastructure provided by FUNET it would not have been possible to use the Union Catalogue Linda as a cataloguing tool in a way we have done since the early 90’s. A shared server is not possible if there can only be one database on the server. The Voyager software allows an unlimited number of databases on a single server. However, practical experience from other Voyager consortia made it clear that there should not be more than about 5-7 databases on a single server, since a large number of databases means that much time may be needed for Oracle and Voyager updates: it may take several days to update many large databases, and during the process all the databases must be shut down. Selecting An Automated Library System for Finnish Research Libraries, Linnea2. 533 More importantly, if all databases are dependent on the same hardware and operating system process, severe problems would have an impact on every library simultaneously. Fortunately, new server technologies make it possible to have a single server and still avoid this problem: there are servers that can be internally split into several logical (and physical) parts. Both Sun and IBM, which are the platforms Voyager supports, can deliver cluster-like computers, which can be separated into logical parts called domains (Sun) or nodes (IBM). Each part has its own operating system process and dedicated hardware from network card to processors. To the operators and users, the server looks like a cluster of computers. So there were no technical constraints on choosing the network architecture freely. Linnea libraries were eager to ? nd out whether centralisation would save money. In the 90’s the resources and budgets of the Finnish academic libraries have been cut; this is unfortunately a problem common to all kinds of libraries everywhere in the world. At the request of the universities three scenarios were analysed: – centralised model; all databases placed on a single machine – semi-centralised model; 3-5 servers – decentralised model; the current number of servers Cost analysis was based on both purchase price and the total cost of ownership, calculated for ? ve years. After a thorough analysis of the various options, Sun E10000 was chosen as the server system. The decision to go for Sun was based on technical merit and price. Both Endeavor and Oracle use Sun machines as their development platforms; this fact was also taken into account. The Linnea2 server will initially have 28 400 MHz CPUs. According to Endeavor, this is enough for 1400 active users, or more than 5000 concurrent users, about twice as much as now. Both Endeavor and we felt that an ample safety margin is needed in order to avoid performance problems. Of course buying a lot of CPUs is not enough; there may be other bottlenecks. The E10000 will have 24 GB of memory and 800 gigabytes of mirrored ? ber disk dedicated to Voyager databases. The universities had set an upper limit for the total purchase price of the software and hardware, including conversion of the databases. Because of the unfavourable exchange rate of the US dollar, the National Library felt increasing pressure to arrive at a low-price solution. We found out that even if list prices may tell you a different story, for a big customer like our consortium it was cheaper to purchase one big server system than a number of smaller ones. But bargain prices are not automatically offered. We managed to establish a competition between Sun and IBM in real terms because both companies saw Linnea2 as an important project. After the server was chosen, the decision was made to outsource the maintenance of the new server to the Center for Scienti? c Computing, CSC, a non-pro? t company owned 534 Annu Jauhiainen by the Ministry of Education. It hosts Finnish supercomputers and maintains the FUNET network. In spite of better maintenance coverage and better support from the hardware vendor, maintenance costs will diminish a lot compared with Linnea1. Basic maintenance of the 17 HP3000 servers takes about three man-years, but we estimate that a single E10000 will require less than a man-year. If this estimate is correct, we will save about two manyears or even more because managing a UNIX system is generally believed to be more time-consuming than managing an HP3000 computer. Thus we have good evidence for the claim that an unprejudiced approach to server architecture has enabled us to combine signi? cant savings with important technical improvements. Being a consortium helps a lot: libraries buying systems only for themselves will not be able to utilise new technology with similar ef? ciency. It is easy to understand from this point of view why library consortia are becoming more common in the US and some European countries. Finland has been one of the pioneering countries in this area, and our experiences from such co-operation are very encouraging. 2. 3 Implementation At present we are in the middle of the implementation phase. Building Linnea1 and implementing VTLS took several years, but this time all 24 databases will migrate from VTLS to Voyager during a fairly short period of time, April-August 2001. This means that everything has to be scheduled very carefully and the schedules have to be kept. We have a joint national implementation project, and each library has its own project. There are three parties in all of these projects: the Linnea libraries, the core group in the National Library and Endeavor Information Systems Inc. and all of these parties have to work together seamlessly. Endeavor is doing some software development for us. In general we are buying the system off the self and didn’t want as many customizations as in the VTLS time, for we have seen the problems raising from localization, but there are some things that could not be avoided. Training is a vital part of implementation. We use the †train the trainer† method, so that Endeavor is training only the trainers. This way we get customized training for Finnish local needs, and also save quite a lot of money. Endeavor has converted several VTLS databases before, but in spite of that, testing the loads is important. Early tests for some sites were carried through in the fall and at present we are doing test loads for all databases, to make sure that the production conversions will be successful. 3 Conclusion The cornerstone of this process has been co-operation, the will to pull together. This is not enough nevertheless: there also has to be a workhorse, to pull everything together. This is important, especially when there is no higher authority to manage the process, as was the case when Linnea1 was built and the Ministry of Education took care of the Selecting An Automated Library System for Finnish Research Libraries, Linnea2 535 negotiations and funded the whole process. This time university libraries felt the need to start the process of acquiring a new system together. They were willing to make an effort to ? nd a new solution to improve the quality of their services, as well as to use their scarce resources for the evaluation, which was seen as bene? ting all. They were also willing to ?nd the money to pay for the new system, with everything included. The Linnea2 consortium was build from below, the National Library acting as the workhorse but not as a higher authority. This was a successful approach. In order to continue this success, there must be a formal organisation for the consortium. That is why the Linnea2 consortium has just been established, with a formal organisational structure and bylaws. The thorough selection process for a new automation system for the Finnish research libraries has not simply been a question of technology and technical expertise, which the National Library has been responsible for. It was even more a question of policy and cooperation. Many things may be possible technically, but politically they are not, unless you know how to handle them correctly and diplomatically. Sometimes our neighbours in the Scandinavian countries say that libraries in Finland ? nd it easier to co-operate than libraries in other countries. Of course, this is not true. Libraries in Finland are as individualistic as libraries everywhere. They also have their particular local needs. But there is obviously a will to co-operate, as dif? cult as it may be at times.