Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Socrates, Plato, And The Nature Of Justice - 1363 Words

Socrates, Plato, and the Nature of Justice Throughout human history, humans have sought perfection and the ideal most likely to compensate for the unfairness and defectiveness of their day to day lives. The history of human kind has witnessed many in different cultures. The famous Greek philosopher Socrates, who was born 469 BCE and died some forty years later standing for his ideas and ideals in a famous trial as reported by one of his students, Plato (428-347) BCE, is an example that never dies. The idealistic views of Socrates cannot be clearer than what they are on the most famous of Plato’s books, the Republic. The Republic is said to be the most influential book in western history after the Bible and has four themes to it: Justice†¦show more content†¦Given historical facts about that period, Thrasymachus viewed justice as a tool, or to be more precise, a tool in the hands of the powerful and few. In his metaphors, Thrasymachus implies that justice is merely instrumental â€Å"The shepherd truly thinks of fleecing his sheep† 343b. Implying that justice is all about benefit of the powerful. On this part of the meaning of justice Socrates offers a completely different view. He contradicted Thrasymachus’ views by stating that what is in the interest of the strong may not be that obvious after all, and that by making mistakes, the justice of the powerful has worked against his interest. Socrates also later offers a view on the definition of justice that states justice is â€Å"the right condition of the human soul†. On the part of the second theme, of whether it is better to be just of unjust. Thrasymachus clearly states that despite how you define justice, it is better to be unjust than to be just. Thrasymachus states that the unjust man is happier than the just man. And that the unjust man will do better than the just man if they happen to encounter each other. Thrasymachus also adds the fact of how things are to the equation and reminds Socrates that high ranking politicians are corrupt, and that they got to their positions by being unjust. To this point Socrates objects

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

A Small Place By Christopher Columbus - 1619 Words

Colonization was used as early as the 18th century to expand a particular country’s territory. Essentially it supposed to be a positive thing, expanding the territory’s resources such as medicine, and education. Jamaica Kincaid, however, plead the opposite. In her book, A Small Place, she expounded on the after effects of colonialism on her small island, Antigua. The Island, discovered by Christopher Columbus, is only nine by twelve miles long, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean (Kincaid, 80), which has â€Å"swallowed up a number of black slaves† (Kincaid, 14). Jamaica Kincaid, described the slave owner (Europeans) as â€Å"Human rubbish,† who took â€Å"noble and exalted human beings from Africa† to enslave them (80). She†¦show more content†¦Kincaid believes that the slave like structure of the government was led by colonialism. She expressed her anger toward the colonists for colonizing the small island, tur ning it into England and turning everyone they met into English (24). She writes, â€Å"Have you ever wonder to yourself why it is that all people like me seem to have learned from you is how to imprison and murder each other, how to govern badly†¦? Have you ever wondered why it is that all we seem to have learned from you is how to corrupt our societies and how to be tyrants† (Kincaid, 34)? Kincaid wanted the colonist to realize it is by their own faults and their imperfections that Antigua is in the state that is in now. Kincaid also believed that colonialism caused the political corruption that has defrauded Antigua of many rights, such as the right to knowledge. She believed that the Ministers of Antigua gained knowledge to govern from the â€Å"Ill-mannered† British who paved the way for them (34). Throughout her book she has made it very clear that the library is an important source of knowledge for her as it should be for other Antiguan s as well. She reminisced on her childhoods experiences at the library as her own â€Å"sacred place, a cool retreat from the colonized world and an opening to the greater world away from the island† (Byerman, 94). On page 48, we found out that St. John, the largest city and capital in Antigua,

Monday, December 9, 2019

Is curleys wife a victim Essay Example For Students

Is curleys wife a victim Essay Is curleys wife a victim BY MI-HIM John Steinbeck planned out every word he put into his novel Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck did exactly this with the development of the character Curlers wife. She had started the novel as a tart or a nuisance of a character, but later she turned into an admriable character, one that you really feel for. In Of Mice and Men, Curlers wife is shown as a very unpleasant character. For example, while Lennie, Candy and Crookes were in Crooks room discussing their ranch, she walks in and says Listen, Nigger You keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny. (Pg 88 and 89). This shows she is taking advantage of the fact shes the bosss sons wife, and uses her position of power against Crooks, when all he ever did is ask for some privacy. She went off on a racist tangent when Crooks asked for privacy from his room because he wants no trouble with Curley. Another example of her unpleasantness is not about what she does, but what she unintentionally does, Curley is often upset with someone else on the range because he thinks they were being friendly with his ife, one example of this is when George, Candy, and Lennie are thinking of their house they want to one day own, Curley and Slim walk through the door Curley said Well I didnt mean nothing, Slim. I Just ast you. Slim said Well you been askin me too often. after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay Offa me. (pg 68) It shows Curlers wife causes unpleasantness even when she doesnt mean to. It also shows that even she isnt directly involved she can cause unpleasantness in others through Curley, whether its intentional or not the foulness till takes place. Curlers wife starts out the book on the wrong foot, but she turns up a new leaf in later chapters, by explaining her true self and life story. Curlers wife is truly an admirable character. One example is when she and Lennie were talking in the barn, Curlers wife tries to comfort him Dont you worry none. He was Jus a mutt. You can get another one easy. The whole country is full of them. (pg 95). This shows she doesnt always Just want to cause trouble and be a nuisance. She only wants to make friends and not feel lonely all of the time. In addition, she lso says Soons he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it . never got that letter. (pg 96). She is saying here that she thought she could one day be famous, and she doesnt like being with Curley at the ranch. She never wanted to be at the ranch, but after the letter never showed up, she went and married Curley. Curlers wife is compassionate and admirable, but very lonely. Loneliness is unavoidable for most characters on the ranch in Of Mice and Men. Curlers wife is one of the characters in this novel who fell victim to loneliness. It is shown when she xplains why Curley does not allow her to talk to the other men because of his insecurities: l get lonely, she said. You can talk to people, but I cant talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. HoWd you like not to talk to anybody? (pg 95). Curlers insecurities disable his wife from being able to talk to people. Curlers wife gets lonely, and it provokes her to act in a way of meanness when she does. Her loneliness I dont like to talk to somebody ever once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house all time? (pg 85). This directly shows that she is unable to have a social life outside of Curley. .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .postImageUrl , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:hover , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:visited , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:active { border:0!important; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:active , .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u746ba709bb3bbe508fbbabd3fa70e28d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Matt Haines EssayAlthough Curley isnt around, the boys still refuse to talk to her because they dont want any trouble with Curley. Curlers wife starts out as Just a regular woman on the ranch, but later turns into a woman you feel sorry for; like her horrid life is not her fault. Steinbeck created a character, that is so compelling and admirable from a character that is so repulsive in the start of the novel. He used friendship, and loneliness to contort the initial impression of Curleys wife. He does this to show how anyone, no matter the personality behind them, may have a back story, the kind that changes your entire impression of the person.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Wuthering Heights Analysis Essay Example For Students

Wuthering Heights Analysis Essay In this essay I will be examining the way in which Wuthering Heights fulfils the high expectations of the gothic genreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ As Wuthering heights was written in 1914, the time period, as it portrays in the novel is very different to the life style we lead today. Emily Bronte the author of this highly criticised novel in this era was born in 1818 she had two older sisters Charlotte and Anne who were also writers at this time. In my own opinion the pre-19 century was more formal and moralised than todays society we all live in, it may have something to do with the hierarchy or status of men and women today, which was totally different than the late 18th century. We will write a custom essay on Wuthering Heights Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Emily Bronte expresses all her thoughts, feelings and emotions in this novel but as women and children were to be seen and not heard a woman expressing her viewpoint and especially in a novel containing such violence emotions and anger it was classed as degrading. Although today Wuthering heights is a classical and highly acclaimed novel, which also helps us to understand the differences between todays society and historical times! Emily Bronte lived her live in the solitude of the bleak and uncolourful Yorkshire moorlands. Emily was always thought of as a young child to have a creative and vivid imagination, which developed into Emily along with her two older sisters to have the confidence to publish their much worked on novels. The sisters though had much difficulty publishing their texts so they had to publish them under a male pseudonym. Publishing under a male pseudonym didnt help the sisters and their reputation, as people were appalled with what they were reading whether written by a male or female they thought it was savage they didnt admit adultery, violence, alcoholism and vengeful revenge really happened! Emily Bronte was published under the male pseudonym of Ellis Bell. Pre 1914 was a peak time for the gothic period and gothic genre to be written. The gothic context of the genre is associated with this novel because in an overview Wuthering Heights contains some gothic portrayal, such as bleak and desolate locations -Moor lands. Black mists and secrets, which can be associated with Cathy and Heathcliffs relationship. Prophecy- Nelly Dean the narrator and us as the reader our predictions and opinions of our expectations towards the characters and happenings in the novelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Nelly is portrayed as being able to predict the future and help people in need to find a solution and resolution to their problems. Also evidence of women being threatened by a powerful, impulsive and tyrannical maleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Edgar Linton overpowering Cathy and luring her in a way to love him because of his status, riches and wealth. Although Heathcliff does act an overpowering and coveted male. Emily Bronte I feel achieved the differences between all of the characters well, as she has in a way I suppose by adding a  unpredictable personality for each of the characters, shows how ones characteristics can vary from the other, in a way it is much more realistic as peoples personalities and characteristics do vary even in todays society depending on there frame of mind and emotion. The gothic genre- European romantic pseudomevial fiction having atmosphere of mystery, suspense and often terror. The gothic genre also incorporated things for instance- romance, imaginative innovations, horror and as well as violence. In the time period in which this novel Wuthering Heights was written Emily fulfilled all of the expectations of a gothic novelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Romance- Hindley his wife, after his fathers death. Cathy Heathcliff, from childhood. Edgar Linton Cathy sees his riches, status and wealth. .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .postImageUrl , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:hover , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:visited , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:active { border:0!important; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:active , .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575 .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udd21cd3de24bf0a56c467d25024f4575:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: "My Antonia" EssayHeathcliff Sarah Linton as part of revenge and to win back Cathy. Cathy Heathcliff, Cathy is dying and realises her true love. Atmosphere- Wuthering Heights usually contains a certain unexplainable atmosphere, which us as the reader can sense. In some of the sections of narrative the atmosphere makes us tense, inquisitive along with occasionally scared. Mixed emotions- mixed emotions all around it seems in this novel with so much going on Emily Bronte couldnt help but get the reader all mixed up in the emotions as well, confusion, constant love, wondering we endure it all! The language in Wuthering Heights is so very different to our modern day language in the 21st century. As we tend to often use slang when we communicate in the form of speech whereas in the time period of Emily Bronte pre-1914 language was much more formal and you could understand the true meaning of each single syllable in each word. That is very different from today however. People of higher status used true formal Standard English; people of lower class spoke more formal than we would today, but less formal than people with higher status and higher up in the hierarchy than themselves. Issues of gender- Males stereotypically were in control unlike today where we are all classed as equal. Cathy didnt want to be so dull, she wanted adventure and excitement in her life before, during and after her marriage to Edgar Linton. I feel Emily Bronte portrays herself to have something in common with Cathy because she had the nerve to write such a novel I feel expressing her own thoughts and emotions and then saying I will say a man wrote this to get known, then say see we women can achieve things for themselves! In the novel we encounter two different peoples perspectives, Nelly Dean who is the main narrator Mr. Lockwood who also helps to narrate. Whilst Nelly Dean is narrating we understand what going upon her word actually happened, she helps the reader put forth their own opinion and generally come to terms with all of the past events which are in the present in the novel. With the two narrators it does seem confusing although  without the narrators there wouldnt be much point because the two narrators introduce us as the reader to the story. M y overview of the novel Wuthering Heights- as a contemporary reader I found the novel an interesting read, it enables us to come to terms with the differences of life in pre 19th century and the 21st century. The gothic genre is a very different type of read I would generally go for but I found that style of novel different and unique. One thing I really enjoyed about this novel is seeing how people were and reacted to situations in them days, overall I can understand why this novel wasnt very highly rated in the specific time period of the gothic genre and as to why it is a highly acclaimed novel in todays society

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

televsions effect essays

televsions effect essays Television is a pervasive and complex part of childrens lives, there are many factors that affect how much and what they view. In the essay Teaching as an Amusing Activity (1987), Neil Postman argues television conditions us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in chunks at a time. He explains the ways in which the media is changing the way our children are learning. Neil Postman starts off by explaining how television is being used as an attractive and seductive medium to make children to like school with shows such as Sesame Street. He describes how in a classroom setting allows the student to participate in asking questions and being interactive, while television lures the children with stimulating, colourful and creative images. Neil Postman than compares the difference in learning behaviours between the classroom setting and sitting in front of the television, which is the problem that is facing America today. Television does not encourage children to go to school but also affects their cognitive and social development. Neil Postman continues on with his idea on how children should learn. It is not what they are learning, since television shows can all be educational, it is how you learn it that is important. By watching television, the children are only expected to play a viewer role, while not realizing the familiarity of their role as a student in a classroom. This is leading American culture in the process of converting their culture from a word-centered to an image-centered society. Television is more and more becoming a curriculum as pointed out by Postman. It influences, warps and manipulates the young minds of children into believing that education is entertainment. Postman(1985) states that there are three basic commandments that educational television provides (pgs.147,148). The first one is Thou shalt have no prerequisites. It means that the viewer does no ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Definition of Cisman or Cisgender Man

Definition of Cisman or Cisgender Man Pronunciation: siss-man Also Known As: cissexual man, cisgender man, cisguy, natural-born man (offensive) Antonyms: transwoman Definition: A cisman, shorthand for cissexual man or cisgender man, is non-transsexual man- a man whose assigned gender is male, and whose assigned male gender is more or less consistent with his personal sense of self. This distinguishes him from transmen, shorthand for transgender men- men who were initially assigned a female gender, but who now have a male identity. If you identify as a man but are not a transgender man, youre a cisman.Cisgender and transgender identity are grounded in gender roles, but because gender roles are socially constructed and gender is not a very clearly-defined concept, the argument could be made that nobody is completely cisgender or transgender- that these are relative terms representing individual experiences of what gender is. As Ashley Fortenberry, a local transwoman, explains: Gender cannot be defined by anyone other than the individual... Gender is personal and is based on ideas and characteristics that usually pertain to a specific sex. The simp le fact is that everyone has characteristics of the opposite gender.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Modern Science Fiction Films Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Modern Science Fiction Films - Term Paper Example In modern science fiction films, man's power to control his environment has increased, especially through the applications of science, fiction moves from the heroic dimension to concern itself with the relationship between man and the power that is man's most important creation. Science fiction is the literature that takes technology seriously. It must deal with the relationship of man to his creation and with the combined power and responsibility that ensues. In Fritz Lang (1927) Metropolis, Joh Fredersen serves as an instructive paradigm: Joh Fredersen not only arrogates to himself the role of creator, but also botches his responsibility towards his creation, paying an enormous personal price for his hubris. From its generic inception, so has been a literature questioning man's ability to use effectively the power he is so capable of creating (Gibson 1986). Very often this power is symbolized by some terrible weapon of destruction. If people are to change our sociopolitical behavio r, they need to know the assumptions it rests upon, not what we "believe" to be true but what we actually do when we are not looking. Then, since the one thing that humans cannot do is not assume, we need to devise new assumptions to live by. As we have encoded the current assumptions in fiction, so we need to encode the new ones, to try them out as thought experiments, to make them "real" in our imagination, and then to adopt or reject them. This is not a call for "uplifting" or "moral" fiction, for self-conscious myth-making, but for creative exploration of new possibilities in human relations. Following Robertson (2000),Science fiction's tendency to fetishise technology, particularly military technology, and its reliance on stock types of character and plot that are often flat and caricaturing, surely limits its engagement with any meaningful comprehension of the marginal, of Otherness (p. 29).Science fiction films show that if the invention is a weapon, the threat must come from an enemy, and a superweapon requires a super enemy. Human "progress" comes from a combination of scientific curiosity and hard work; it can be measured by technology.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Proposal - Essay Example nces or the spectators have changed significantly in this present day context as compared to previous years with the growing expertise in worldwide film industry. It can be affirmed that promotion is regarded as an effective marketing tool, which assists in generating greater awareness of the products and/or services within customers’ mind. While making effective planning for the promotional concept of the movie â€Å"Star Wars†, it can be affirmed that ‘Lucasfilm’ launched the teaser trailer online for its upcoming movie â€Å"Star Wars: The Force Awakens†, which will hit the theatres on Dec’2015. The trailer is merely of 90 seconds duration and presents only the finest glances of a motion picture that the audiences might not see for more than a year. The Star Wars trailer set an instant wave of armchair comments and online study, which comprised a series of explanations and criticisms about the trailer. The movie is quite likely to be prefer red by young generation people having inclination towards science-fiction genre. It is in this context that attracting upper-middle class and suburban women shall become a challenge for the movie, as this particular group is likely to prefer watching family or comedy genre films. However, to attract this particular customer group, the marketing group of Star Wars may take the assistance of word-of-mouth promotional technique apart from the traditional approaches of media advertisements. Setting up Google alerts to track a gist of relevant links to be shared among audiences on social websites might prove to be quite beneficial, as most of the suburban and upper middle class women are nowadays accustomed with the use of online media promotions (Fischoff, Antonio and Lewis, â€Å"â€Å"Favorite Films and Film Genres as a Function of Race, Age, and Gender†). Specially mentioning, as internet has become one of the most preferred tools for the consumers in finding out information about any subject matter, the online media may

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Emergency Response in Franklin County Essay Example for Free

Emergency Response in Franklin County Essay The role of major health personnel in an emergency is to manage the safety and well being of the people in their community during and after a natural or man-made disaster. This is done by assessing the details of what occurred, what needs must be met and facilitating a team to organize information about the event and provide logistics as quickly as possible. This is seen in the simulation exercise for the â€Å"Disaster in Franklin County†. (Olson, Larsen, Scheller, Johnson, 2006) Roles are appointed in a chain of command format. It is ideal that all personnel have received some type of emergency management training, but even if not, skill sets must be assessed and duties assigned accordingly. An Incident Commander will be appointed and the Public Health Director assigns rolls that include finances, planning, logistics, public information liaison and operators. The Public Health Team will work closely and concurrently with other entities, such as the Fire Chief, Police Chief, Hazardous Materials Team, Public Works and EMS teams. The public health department is mostly concerned with the safety and logistics of sheltering victims and being sure that food and water provided is safe for consumption. The community health nurse is primarily concerned about the immediate welfare and safety of the public, including issues of safety in homes, sanitary food options and safe water availability. It is important to have press releases ready to go that are clear and informative, yet simple. Any public statement made by the nurse should be thoughtful and considerate, assuring the community that they are in good hands and that things are being taken care of by appropriate people and in a timely manner. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are an opportunity to gain trust and respect and show competence and compassion. In the Franklin County scenario, the public health nurse is assigned to do door-to-door interviews in an area of town hit the hardest by flood damage. The nurse is assessing for personal safety, being certain that there are no medically fragile patients, home bound persons or persons with special needs. Without electricity, a patient that requires at home oxygen, nebulizers, chemo or dialysis will need to be assisted to a shelter. Families with infants must be comfortable with an abundance of supplies. Contamination risks from food spoilage must be made aware, and the nurse must assess if he or she believes that the family has the means to safely prepare meals and have access to clean water. Finally, the nurse assesses for structural safety and advises community members on whether or not they should consider relocating to a shelter. With the uncertainty of going door-to-door, a nurse must be prepared to assess needs that are out of their scope of practice. They must be prepared to offer resources that may be out of their area of expertise. Situations that occur may range greatly, such as difficulty with foreign language communication, to chemical spills in yards or improper use of a generator. In cases such as this, the actions of the community health nurse must be resourceful and know that he or she can call on other professionals to reach out where they needed. A family with chemical leakage from flooding may be guided to a shelter for their immediate safety and the community health nurse may follow up by asking an Environmental Director to assess the property, instead of offering wrong or false advice to the homeowner. Natural and man-made disasters not only put community members at a physical risk, but also at emotional risk, as situation arise as homes are destroyed, insurance issues arise, or being separated from loved ones. The public health nurse also needs to take action and be resourceful in providing appropriate referrals for mental health, including providing phone numbers, access to call or reach out, and to follow up and be sure that there is enough man-power to assist with answering phones or counseling people. Techniques that were used were active listening and repeating statements back, validating that their thoughts and fears are heard. Assurance was given that the situation was grave, but not hopeless. Encouragement was provided to make appropriate, yet difficult, decisions such as leaving one’s house and personal belongings in a time of crisis. In widespread disaster scenarios, that affect greater areas, such as Hurricane Katrina, not only are public nurses needed, but it is important that nursing personnel from hospitals and state health departments are involved. In times of crisis, all professionals need to be on the same page to avoid offering mixed messages or advise to the public. Basic training in emergency management should be provided for all health care professionals. Emergency communication must also be set in place, as with no electricity or land lines, there must be agreed upon and practiced means of communication between all emergency responders. In area with high incidences of particular storms, flooding or power outages, PSA’s can be prepared ahead of time and are ready to go during times of crisis with minor modifications. The community health nurse is an import piece of the emergency management team, and is a direct liaison between the public and the resources.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Imagery in Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Essay

In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards created the emotion of fear by using imagery and figurative language to persuade his audience. He used imagery and figurative language so the wrath of God is more fearsome and gave you a mental picture of hell in your head. Imagery is one of the components that were used by Edwards to make his story more persuasive. As the short story begins, the first sentence was an example of imagery. Edwards wrote when men are on God’s hands and they could fall to hell. “…natural men are held in the hands of God, over the pit of hell…” Knowing that you might fall into hell at any moment should scare you. God decided to save you until he wants to let you fall into an eternity of burning flames. Another example of imagery is when he talks abo...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Importance of Moral Education Essay

Before 1976, education was the exclusive responsibility of the states. In the Constitutional Amendment of 1976, education was included in the Concurrent list. Since then, the central government continues to play a leading role in the evolution and monitoring of educational policies and programmes, the most notable of which are the National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986, and the Programme of Action, 1986 as updated in 1992. The modified policy envisages a national system of education to bring about uniformity in education, making adult education a mass movement, providing universal access, retention and quality in elementary education and expanding the structure of higher education. Moral education is not our priority. It is not included in any syllabi-whether of science or humanities. Morals or morality, broadly speaking, implies honesty of character, fairness in attitude and absence of evils like jealousy, hatred and greed from actions. Our system of education gives us formal know ledge of various types of subjects but does not teach us what is morality and how to bring the characteristics related to it in our mindset. Our schools, colleges and universities are churning out millions of young graduates every year who are experts in some field of science, art, commerce or technology. No teaching or training is given to the students on moral values. What have been the results of this system of education? We have professionals in every field, but we have few people in society who have a high moral character. The society reflects our education most of our officials whether in public sector or private sector are corrupt. The assets they have acquired are often several times higher than their known sources of income. We read about income-tax raids or Central Bureau of Investigation raids on the residences of high officials. Wealth amounting to crores of rupees is recovered during these raids. We watch on TV channels the scams that are unearthed after regular intervals. What do these incidents reveal? They reveal that our greed has reached gigantic proportions. The attitude of government employees has become so indifferent to public that they are not prepared to help. These unscrupulous workers do not work even for 50 per cent of the total hours of their duty. This is nothing but stealth of time. As students they were taught to solve various types of sums or write answers to different types of questions. They were not taught how to serve the nation. They were  not made aware of the happiness that one derives by working honestly and sincerely. The atmosphere in our schools, colleges and other institutions of education is full of competition. The students are taught to excel one another. Their competition, more often than not, becomes so intense that it leads to rivalries, jealousy and hatred among class-fellows. While it cannot be denied that competition is necessary to achieve higher goals but is totally undesirable if it breeds ill feelings. Our ancient universities of Nalanda and Patliputra created scholars of great repute like Kautilya in Economics and Susruta in Medicine, but they never used competition among the students to move ahead. Actually, these students were taught by the gurus the feelings of mutual help, of being complementary to one another. There was a spirit of sacrifice for the sake of justice and fair play. That is why our ancient societies were happy and prosperous. The teachers and other educationists who are concerned with the orientation of syllabi for schools and colleges are of the opinion that the characteristics of honesty, fair play, goodness and helpfulness which are the ingredients of morality cannot be taught as subjects in any educational institution. They are something which a child inherits from the parents and learns from his family, particularly mother and father. So far as religion is concerned it is also something which everyone acquires from one’s family and other members of the community. India being a secular country, cannot take up religious education in schools and colleges. They argue that, to the extent the moral education can be given in educational institutions, it is given through discipline and punishments for breaking the code of conduct. Any student who steals abuses or hurts others is punished. This is nothing else but imparting of moral education. What these teachers and educationists tend to ignore is that these actions teach only discipline in actions. Evils as they say have large fangs, desires are boundless. The students need to be told the ultimate consequences of acquiring wealth through illegal means when they grow up and take up some job. For this, moral education needs to be taken up as a subje ct. Our life on earth is for a limited period of time. The purpose of human life is not to indulge in luxuries and enjoy the material comforts. They give temporary happiness. The real purpose of life is to develop our spirit in a pure and chaste manner whereby we attain salvation. This is the spiritual lesson which every religion teaches. This is a part of moral  education which each faith teaches us. This should be a part of our education. The educationists have an argument to make in this regard also. They are of the opinion that while framing syllabi for language and literature, the novels, stories, poems and other write-ups of those great religious philosophers are taken which contain this spiritual education. The names of Guru Nanak and Swami Vivekanand are prominent. Among the social reformers the names of Gandhi, Raja Rammohan Roy and others are given. The works of great scholars are sufficient to develop a sense of justice and fairness among the students. It may be true to some extent but the fact remains that by including the works of great religious men and social reformers in the curriculum helps but little. In the examination, the students have to answer the questions based on the text. There is no examination which tests whether the students have adopted this philosophy-whether they have resolved to act according to the philosophy in their own lives. Moral values are extremely important for building a society which is free from the evils of violence, greed, hatred, avarice and jealousy. However, high economic growth do we achieve, whatever high amount of wealth do we accumulate, our society will be afflicted by corruption, inequality and perverity if moral education is ignored. India has been a beacon of light for the world for showing others the values of religion and morality. If we have lost our own path, what will we show to the world? We have to start from the grass-roots level to impart moral education on our children. The syllabi at schools and colleges must include this education so that surely, though slowly our society is purged of all evils and we become role models for others. A great responsibility devolves on the teachers to remove the ill feelings of jealousy and hatred from the pupils’ minds. They must teach the students to achieve their goals through hard work. The attitude of fairness and justice developed in childhood and teenage will lay the foundation of responsible citizens.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Parasitological examination of biological specimen

Ginger Ginger is a knotted, thick, beige underground stem (rhizome). The stem extends roughly 12 Inches above ground with long, narrow, ribbed, green leaves, and white or yellowish-green flowers. The Important active components of the ginger root are thought to be volatile oils and pungent phenol compounds (such as gingerers and gasohol). 1. 1 Parasitological examination of stool specimen This Is the examination of intestinal parasites. This aspect of the training was designed to Introduce students to the area of Woolgathering.Helmets refer to arms and can be divided to 3 groups: a. Nematodes-Round & segmented b. Custodies-Flat & segmented c. Dermatomes-Flat & engorgement's. During the collection of stool sample, samples to be examined must be freshly passed. The first test carried out on samples is the macroscopic test which involves the use of the unaided eye to see basic morphological features Including the presence of blood or mucus. The next step Is the microscopic test which In volves two steps: 1 Direct wet preparation 2. Concentration techniques. The procedure of the direct wet preparation is as follows: A drop of normal saline is deed to a clean, grease free slide using a Pasteur pipette. With a swab stick, a tiny quantity of the stool specimen Is collected and placed on the slide containing the normal saline, and Is emulsified with it. After emulsification, the slide Is covered with a cover slip and allowed to stand for 30 seconds to a minute and examined under a microscope using both low and high magnifications(ex. and ex.).It was noticed that the number of parasite eggs determine the degree of infectious parasite that could result. Concentration of the stool specimen allows for easy viewing of hidden micro organisms. Its advantage over the direct wet preparation Is that In cases of light infections, the causative agents can still be viewed and detected. Concentration can be carried out either using brine, or 10% formaldehyde ether. Summarily, brine c oncentration is a floatation technique employing the use of density.Some substances will float and stick to the cover slip and will be examined, while 10% formaldehyde ether is a sedimentation technique, where the substance desired to be examined descends to the bottom of a tube after centrifugation. The stain used for 1 . AAA Collection and examination of blood specimen This involves in the collection and examination of blood samples. Collection can occur through either finger prick using a sterile lancet-when little quantity is required, or vein puncture using a syringe-when a relatively larger quantity is required.After collection, preparation for microscopic examination follows, and this could be done by direct wet preparation, thin film or thick film methods. The direct wet preparation is carried out as follows: With a Pasteur pipette, 2 drops of blood is placed on a clean, grease-free slide and covered with a coveralls and allowed to stand for seconds to minute, and then viewe d under a microscope using low and high magnifications. Note that the standing is for easy identification of motile parasites.In the thin film preparation, a drop of blood is placed on a clean glass slide, CM from the edge (for labeling). Use another slide, inclined at 30-450 as a spreader. (Allowing the blood to spread within the width of the spreader before pushing forward to obtain a monolayer. ) When the thick film method is employed, 2 drops of blood is placed at the centre of a clean slide, and using the edge of another slide, spread the sample in n anti clockwise manner until a diameter of 1 centimeter is obtained. 1. B Staining techniques Staining is employed only when thin or thick layer preparations are used.Stains include: Wright stain, Leaching stain, Ageism and Field stains. It should be noted that Leaching stain is used for only thin films, while Ageism stain is used for both thick and thin film preparations. 1. C Blood group determination Three antiserum- A, B and D a re used to determine the possible blood grouping of a given blood sample. 3 drops of the blood sample is placed on a clean slide. A drop of entities A, B, and D are placed on drops 1, 2 and 3 respectively and the agglutination of any of the spots determine the blood grouping.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Difference Between the European and Native American Perspective †Sociology Essay

Difference Between the European and Native American Perspective – Sociology Essay Free Online Research Papers Difference Between the European and Native American Perspective Sociology Essay The European culture clashed with the Native American way of living largely due to barriers caused by the greed of the European mentality. The Spanish conquistidors arrived in the Western Hemisphere seeking fortune and fame. Christopher Columbus desired a shorter trade route to India. The settlers at Jamestown came seeking gold rumored to be in the New World. The French founded trapping camps in Northern America to gain pelts, valuable in Europe. All of these adventurers and fortune seekers left behind them a trail of shear devastation among the indigenous inhabitants. Plague and small pox spread among the Natives, killing thousands. Tribes where forced off land that they had lived on for uncountable years. Those that did not willingly leave where murdered or worse, enslaved. All of this devastation happened because of differences in cultures and beliefs. The Europeans saw themselves as champions of the civilized world, and saw the natives as uneducated savages. The result was a near genocidal catastrophe. The Europeans that arrived on the shores of the New World where under a monarchist government system. They lived in a world where orders where given and obeyed out of fear of punishment. The empowered owned all of the land, in fact, the social standing of a man was based on the amount of property he owned. The man with the most property had the highest rank in the social hierarchy. Thus, the ruling monarch was the highest because they controlled the most land. The desire to obtain more land and esentually material wealth was engrained into the minds of the men that sailed for America from the shores of Europe. The Natives living in America before the arrival of the first white settlers were not united under one ruling monarch, or even one centeral government. They instead lived in a tribal anarchy system, that consisted of several families binding together to create several small cultures over a large geographic area. This bands of families, or tribes, each had a system of laws and beliefs that where followed out of respect and honor, instead of fear of punishment. The tribes all had different means of survival based on the resourses available from the land. Some tribes where nomadic hunter/gathers, while others built villages based around agriculture or fishing. The Natives gave to the earth what they took and lived in harmony with nature. When the European explorers arrived and tried to offer the Natives material objects for their land the natives did not understand what they Europeans where asking. The concept of owning pieces of the earth did not make sense to them. How can one man own what is for all men? The Europeans could not grasp the communal mentality of the Natives, and desired their land. When the Natives would not leave their villages and move to less desirable land, the Europeans decided to take by force and disease the land occupied by the Native Americans. The women of European society had little to no social status aside from royalty, which where born into power. They were treated as second class citizens and where looked at with a â€Å"don’t speak until spoken to† mentality. Seen as objects more than people, women were neglected in politics. The thought of a women being a warrior was a laughable concept in the European mind. Women were for sex, child birth, servitude, and little else. In the eyes of the European soldiers that landed on the shores of the New World to be met by fierce warriors was unexpected. To be met often times by fierce women warriors had to have been an amazing culture shock. In many Native American societies women played a large role in tribal affairs. Female chiefs received the same respect and held the same authority as any male chief did. Research Papers on Difference Between the European and Native American Perspective - Sociology Essay19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaWhere Wild and West MeetCapital PunishmentCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionDefinition of Export QuotasBringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Executive summaries - Emphasis

Executive summaries Executive summaries No matter how well structured and well written your report is, some clients will feel they only have time to read the executive summary and this is particularly true for senior management. So it is absolutely essential that you put a lot of thought into its structure and content: * Make sure the summary can stand alone and that it contains real information, including hard facts and figures. * If your report includes recommendations, make it clear what these are and include their implications, values and costs (if applicable). * Stick to a maximum of two pages. * Use headings and bullets (but not too many), and perhaps a carefully selected graph or pie chart, to get your main message across.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The demand side basically includes the overall increase in population and the usage of grain in vehicle operated with fuel. Yearly demand has almost doubled due to the increase in population. The increase in demand of the crops used to produce oil has reduced the amount of land which could instead be used to produce wheat. Whereas, on the supply side it is the weather related issues, high land prices and the limited availability of water that are leading to less production of wheat. Moreover, hoarding of wheat is also one of the major threats (issue) that government has to face every year. It is done by flour millers, private sector, government agencies, distributors, traders, retailers, thus almost all the intermediaries involved through procurement of wheat from farmers to it selling by retailers, everyone to their extent is involved in stockpiling. Considering the above mentioned demand and supply situation, government should try to balance the competing interests of the two sides. The supply side should aim at increasing wheat productivity and output and also supporting the farmer incomes whereas the demand side should aim at increasing household food security by ensuring abundant wheat availability at affordable prices. In order increase wheat supply, the bottom line or crux of any policy pertinent to wheat should revolve around one principal that is in case there is wheat shortage in the country; the deficit could be met by the international markets where the prices of importing wheat are comparatively

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Undersea Release of Methane Is Under Way Article Critique Essay

Undersea Release of Methane Is Under Way Article Critique - Essay Example Cornelia Dean has used an important subject of science for this article. Global warming is an issue of concern for the entire world and Dean has explained the new atmospheric changes that can worsen the situation and promote further warming of the environment. The article has been supported by the research work which has been carried out by different countries including Britain, Germany and the United States. This highlights the fact that the subject is essential for all the countries across the globe and scientists are working towards checking for the climatic changes of the world. The article portrays a new research which must be new to a large group of readers. Many people would be unaware with regard to the fact that undersea release of methane could be an ongoing process. The author has written the article in a very understandable way and the writer has provided evidence from different studies. Thus, the article is readable by the common man and it will be of further assistance to the people possessing scientific knowledge. Â  It also serves to explain the subject in a complete manner by providing a proper history of the release of methane gas into the atmosphere followed by the negative effects of increased amounts of the gas in the atmosphere. The article explains the entire global climatic situation which results from the release of methane gas into the atmosphere. It highlights the fact that the increase in methane gas in the atmosphere occurred following the era of industrialization.... He also explained that the release of methane from under the sea bed was not in great amounts but this situation could take a different turn. Cornelia Dean has used an important subject of science for this article. Global warming is an issue of concern for the entire world and Dean has explained the new atmospheric changes that can worsen the situation and promote further warming of the environment. The article has been supported by the research work which has been carried out by different countries including Britain, Germany and the United States. This highlights the fact that the subject is essential for all the countries across the globe and scientists are working towards checking for the climatic changes of the world. The article portrays a new research which must be new to a large group of readers. Many people would be unaware with regard to the fact that undersea release of methane could be an ongoing process. The author has written the article in a very understandable way and the writer has provided evidence from different studies. Thus, the article is readable by the common man and it will be of further assistance to the people possessing scientific knowledge. It also serves to explain the subject in a complete manner by providing a proper history of the release of methane gas into the atmosphere followed by the negative effects of increased amounts of the gas in the atmosphere. The article explains the entire global climatic situation which results from the release of methane gas into the atmosphere. It highlights the fact that the increase in methane gas in the atmosphere occurred following the era of industrialization and it continued to increase owing to the activities of man which include agricultural activities as well

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

America Air Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

America Air Pollution - Essay Example The air pollution was in the first industrial revolution because of massive amounts high-sulfur coal usage in the production process. Great amounts of industrial production largely used high-sulfur coal hence producing abundant SO2 into the air. Air pollution specifically in the cities is not a new encounter. In the Middle Ages, using coal in the cities had escalated. The challenge of poor quality of urban air as early as in the sixteenth century depended on the use of coal. After the first industrial revolution, the air pollution problem formed and developed during the second industrial revolution as a form of â€Å"smoke†. Many industries were located in the cities and towns. The fumes from these industries and the coal from domestic heating in the home made the levels of air population in the urban region be high. In times of foggy situations, the level of pollution increased leading to the formation of urban smogs (a mixture of fog and smoke). This made the cities in America to be brought to a halt, interfering with the traffic and causing the rates of death to increase dramatically. The influence of pollution on vegetation and building was obvious. In the year 1960 to 1990, the congress of the United States enacted a number of clean air acts that were useful in strengthening the air pollution regulation. These initiatives were followed by many states in the United States. The Clean Air Act established some numerical concentration limits of th e basic air pollutants thus giving the reporting and mechanisms of enforcement.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Procter Gamble: Organisation And Development

Procter Gamble: Organisation And Development INTRODUCTION Procter Gamble was created in 1837 by William Procter who was a candle maker and James Gamble who was a soap maker. Since then the company was growing bigger and bigger as years past by. Nowadays, Procter Gamble is a multinational organization operating in more than 180 countries and producing over 300 products. Firstly, at this report, the strategic development of PG will be clearly evaluated and it will be followed by the evaluation of its resources and competences. Then, the evaluation of the companys external environment will be analyzed through the use of swot analysis, pest analysis and 5 forces analysis. Subsequently, a strategic group analysis of the industry that PG is engaged to will be carried out to illustrate their differentiate characteristics from other companies. Finally, the longer term strategy of PG will be clearly demonstrated with some future recommendations that could be supportive. Pattern of strategic development Since 1837 when Procter Gamble was founded, the company continued to grow and following the changes at the external environment, the corporate strategy of PG was changing as well. From 1945 to 2020, PG has three stages of corporate strategy, which are: Product diversification strategy (1945-1980), Globalization strategy (1980-2003), and Sustainable Development Strategy (2003-2020). Product diversification strategy (1945-1980) In 1946, PG introduced Tide washing powder. Tides performance was better than the similar products in the market and so it soon got as a big success. Subsequently, PG launched a lot of new products. The first fluoride toothpaste Crest Obtained certification by American Association of Dental Prevention, then it became the leading toothpaste brand quickly. In 1961, PG introduced Pampers which is disposable baby diapers, it is still one of the top product that PG sells (Ifeng Finance, 2010 ). The disadvantage of this strategy is that it is too difficult for the company to control and manage so many products and the company may over pursuit the market share and might not pay attention to develop the star products which have core competitiveness. As a result, the original core competitiveness is weakening and the company does not have its own characteristics, the concept of the companys image and product become blurred. Globalization strategy (1980-2003) Through the acquisition of Norwich Eaton pharmaceutical company  ¼Ã‹â€ 1982 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° and Rechardson-Vicks company ¼Ã‹â€ 1985 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¼Ã…’PG is active in personal care products industry. In the late 80s, early 90s, through the acquisition of Noxell ¼Ã…’Max Factor ¼Ã…’and Ellen Betrix, PG plays an important role in cosmetics and fragrances industry (Ifeng Finance, 2010 ). These acquisition activities have accelerated the process of PG globalization. Moreover, Pampers, Whisper, Pantene, Tide, Ariel, Crest, and Olay and other brands has become a world-renowned brands. However, the biggest problem when a company involved into other countries, is the cultural differences which will lead to different reactions on product on the consumers, thus the marketing strategies need to be changed accordingly. Also, the different national legal systems and the differentiation in consumers budgets is also greatly affecting the conduct of globalization strategy. Sustainable Development Strategy (2003-2020) At the current stage, the tenet of PGs organization strategy is sustainability which means improving peoples life quality. In order to achieve this strategy, PG to start work from the following aspects: Products: PG developed and sold sustainable innovation products which can significantly reduce environmental pollution. In 2007, PG replaced the packaging of detergent as half of the originals, and adjusted the solution to double concentrated formula. The method saved the use of packaging materials and reduced wastes. PGs purpose is to make the environment a better place (Adweek, 2007). Operations: PG established the sustainable development team in the offices. Through green recycling box, the company recycled more than 4800 kilograms of waste paper, and in exchanged for 69,000 new pieces of paper, moreover, the companys power consumption dropped by 10%, saving 17 million kWh which is equivalent to 560 families a months electricity consumption. In addition, in some factories and distribution centers, PG also installed solar power and rainwater collection and processing device, to further reduce energy consumption. (21ST CENTURY BUSINESS HERALD, 2009) Social Responsibility: In 2009, PG signed United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and developed a global reduction in carbon footprint by 2012, and that will be published the results of carbon reduction stage. (21ST CENTURY BUSINESS HERALD, 2009) So far, all of the efforts which PG has done are win-win situation of business and environment. When the company set up the environmental value chain, it will get financial gains from using energy efficiency and reducing wastes. Resources and Competences PG as we know it, is one of the worlds largest consumer products company but what does makes PG so successful while it competes in the huge consumer products industry? This part of the report is mainly focuses on the PGs resources and competences and how the resources and competences works together creating a competitive advantages for the firm. Resources Tangible resource The tangible resource is easy to be identified by looking at the financial report. Their net sale was $ 78. 9 billion in 2010, which is markedly stable by compared with the last two years net sales ($ 76.7million in 2009 and $79.3 in2008 respectively). The net earnings were $ 12. 7 billion and net operating income was $16 billion in 2010. This illustrates that PG has enjoyed a stable and healthy profits. Intangible resources The intangible resources are the brand equity, corporate culture and human resources. PG is the 6th Most Admired Company in Fortunes 2010 list; it was also one of the most valuable brands in the world. The corporate culture is unique, tough lives and improve life every day is PGs philosophy which encourages the PGners engaging to improve consumers life. PG is also very good at research develop. PG has invested $2 billion in consumer research over the last decade in order to understand consumers needs and to improve customers satisfaction. Additionally, at the same time RD increases the product innovation. Competences Marketing strategy Product differentiation: each product has different brands, for example shampoo has Rejoice, Pantene, and Head Shoulders. Only one product has more than three brands and detergent has as many as more than nine brands. Product differentiation can lower risk in case if one brand goes wrong. Various functions: one product has different functions and different packaging, for example, some of detergents have fragrance and others with the function of strong cleaning. This strategy will increase the market share for PG, such as in china along, the market share increased from 30% to 40% in 2010. Advertising: PG tends to use celebrities to advertise its products in order to attract young customers. Localization is another strategy that PG has adopted, for example in china, the company sells shampoo by suing Chinese girl who has black long hear, because this can represent the Chinese culture. Consumer understanding PG is a company that did most investigations in consumers and market research. More than 15,000 researches has been conducted each year. PG invested $350 million a year in consumer understanding in order to improve the customer needs. PG is the first company to focus on customer feedback. Innovation PG is the Innovation leader in the consumer products industry. Over the past 15 years, 125 PG innovations have earned a spot on the top 25 Pacesetters list more than six largest competitors combined. Innovation program: connect develop (C+D): PG is always seeking the opportunity to collaborate with people or company who has innovative ideas. The VRIO framework evaluates the competitive advantage from four aspects: valuable, rare, inimitable, and organized. From the evidence above the corporate culture was the Competitive parity. Because each organization has its unique cultures, it is inimitable. Human resources are the short term competitive advantage of the company. People are not fixed assets of one company, they can go to other company as well if they wish to. PGs competitive advantages are its brand equity, RD, marketing strategy, consumer understanding and innovation. External business environment At this part of the report, the evaluation of PGs external environment will take place. This evaluation will be contacted through the SWOT analysis, PEST analysis and Porters Five forces analysis. SWOT Analysis (Opportunities and Threats) SWOT analysis is a way to analyse an organisation and its environment. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths and Weaknesses are the internal factors, Opportunities and Threats are the external factors. At this report we are only consider about the external factors. Opportunities The increasing demand for the section of male health and beauty goods is one of the biggest opportunities of PG and with the acquirement of Gillette, PG is growing rapidly at this particular market. Moreover, PG has a huge opportunity with its reaction to the enormous technological growth of the internet by utilizing different marketing techniques and online social networks. What is more, taking into consideration their long-term aims, they have been disconnected from some products such as the oral-care toothpaste of Gillette, Zest brand have been acquired by Brynwood Partners, etc. so PG will pay their full attention at brands of their interest. PG is persistently growing into more and more countries so at the moment operates in 80 countries and now due to the recession it is easier to acquire any smaller firms because of their financial problems (Canadian Business 2011, Worldlingo 2011). Threats PG as a global giant company have a lot of competitors like Kimberly Clark, Unilever, Johnsons Johnsons, etc. who in various countries causes large threat at the market share. Moreover, the competitors of PG are increasing their goods range through getting hold of other smaller firms. As a result of the recession, the consumers budget has been decrease and therefore their spending power is limited as well. Also, raw materials prices are rising thus the production cost is rising and the different currency rate place a huge threat on PG. PEST Analysis PEST analysis stands for Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors and it is used by the analysers to identify the external factors that may affect the organisation in an opportunity or as a threat. Political Factors ProcterGamble have created the PG Political Action Committee (PG PAC), which is a scheme that it was created to give the opportunity to the employees of PG to support candidates at the federal, state and local level who contribute to the quality of life at the communities. Moreover, PG by offering economic support contributes in the political process (Procter Gamble 2011). Economical Factors PG is designed to go through any type of economy as they are very capable and they have a commitment to the consumers. Subsequently, even at the time of the recession PG had margins to reduce costs and offer products to consumers ( Business Week 2011). Social Factors With the creation of Live Learn and Thrive Program, PG helps children in need to drink clean water so it helps them to have a healthy beginning in life. Moreover, it is making places, tools and programs available to them for better learning (Procter Gamble 2011). Technological Factors PG as a big organisation and as it is specified in a lot of different markets, they are focusing on more sophisticate technology and they have managed to reduce any unwanted errors. PG have managed to create new products and further improve their existing products (Procter Gamble 2011). Porters Five Forces Model (SlideShare INC. 2011) Porters five forces model is a framework that was created by Michael E. Porter in 1979 and it is consider with the buyers power, supplier power, the treat of new entrants, the treat of substitute and the rivalry of a firm. Buyer Power Consumers are well informed for all different brands of a specific product that are available mostly through advertising. Brand name is very important but consumers are very perceptive with price level as well. Thus, buyers power is high so PG organisation must remain competitive to keep being successful. Supplier Power The power of the suppliers to PG organisation can be low because the raw materials are easy to be find from different suppliers and what is more, such big firms have the opportunity to produce their own raw materials. Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants is very low since PG and their well known competitors are already huge global firms with very famous brand names and consumers will not just change their brand goods as easily. Moreover, setting up this kind of firm will cost millions. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes that PG have to face is high. That can be seen from the retailers shops and sometimes the substitutes have cheaper prices and same performance. Degree of Rivalry The variety of the goods between different companies started to be similar to each other so the firms must begin a differentiation with offers, vouchers or even better/cooler advertises. Strategic group analysis PG is one of biggest multiple customer goods company in the world. Thus each product could have its own competitors. However, the main competitors of PG are Kimberly-Clark Co, Johnson Johnson and Unilever. Net sale of PG and Unilever The chart above illustrates the net sale of PG and Unilever in the last six years. As it can be seen, Unilever has about 10 billion more sales than PG in 2005. Interestingly, as it can be seen from 2006 to 2010, the net sale of PG is considerably more than Unilever. Furthermore, in 2008, PG reaches the peak showing 20 billion Net Sales more than Unilever ¼Ã‹â€ PG official website 2010, Unilever official website 2009 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Product range and geographical scope Procter Gamble, Johnson Johnson, Unilever and Kimberly-Clark are the major international companies that sells their products all over the world. But as regard their geographic scope we can see huge differences. PG has been selling its products in more than 180 countries. Johnson Johnson is almost the same as Unilever, and they are both over 170countries. However, Kimberly-Clark has been developed up to 150 different countries. The product range of PG holds into 5 main product categories which are: Personal Beauty, House Home, Baby Family, Health Wellbeing and Pet Nutrition. Although the categories of PG are very similar with Unilever ¼Ã…’the food product of Unilever (Hearbrand, Lipton, sim-fast) gained an advantage over the other three companies. However, Johnson Johnson focuses its products on paramedical such as baby care, wound care and vision. In addition, Kimberly-Clark specializes in Health care products (PG official website 2010, Unilever official website 2009, Joh nson Johnson official website 2010, Kimberly-Clark official website 2010) Market share of shampoo in China With the development of shampoo market, the organization of PG became the leader of shampoo in Chinas market. PG basically owns five main shampoo brands which are Rejoice, Head Shoulders, Pantene ¼Ã…’Sassoon ¼Ã…’and Clairol; With these brands PG became the dominant position in many countries. Take china market as an example, PG take up nearly 60% shampoo market share in 2010. However, Unilever only accounted for 23%. The domestic brand C-bon only had 6.3% until 2010 (Bai Du website 2010). Successful factors PG adopts multi-brand strategy. When PG entered the China market, it launched Rejoice, Head Shoulders, Pantene, Sassoon and Clairol successively. What is more, each of these brands has its traits; for instance, the function of Head Shoulder should emphasis getting rid of surf and the function of rejoice is to soften the hair. Adopting the multi-brand strategy could have two advantages; Firstly, multi brand strategy can focus on different target market. Secondly, brand management can became very independent. In addition, at the same time it can reduce the risks. Supposing that one brand of PG frails, it will not affect the reputation of PG too much. On the other hand Unilever adopts the Monolithic Brand Strategy which with this method can save money on many advertisement fees, it lost the market share. PG always build the brand image with a massive advertising campaign. It is not only in newspaper, magazines, but also on major television channels. The advertisement of PG is very pertinence, because each of their brands are emphasizing its unique function (Bai Du website 2010). Long term strategy development of the organization References: Bai Du website (2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °Brand of shampoo strategy in China. [online] available from [20 January 2011] Bai Du website (2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °marketing analysis of PG and Unilever [online]available from [20 January 2011] Bai Du website (2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °PG took up more 60%market share in China. [online]available from [21 January 2011] Business Week (2011) PG is up [online] available from [19 December 2010] Canadian Business (2011) Brynwood Partners [online] available from [7 January 2011] Docstock (2010) PG Analysis [online] available from [29 December 2010] Ifeng Finance. (2010) Procter and Gamble Profile [Online] Available from [10 January 2011] Johnson Johnson. (2010) official website [online]available from [16 January 2011] Kai, H. (2009) Procter Gamble: Environmental Friendly Promoting Innovation. Newspaper of 21st Century Business Herald, 26 Kenneth R. Andrews. (1980) The Concept of Corporate Strategy. Richard D. Irwin, Inc Kimberly-Clark ¼Ã‹â€ 2010 Official website [online] available from [18 January 2011] PG (2010) Official Website [online] available from [5 January 2011] SlideShare INC. (2011) Fluff Pulp Fiction [online] available from [5 January 2011] Sustainable Packaging Coalition. (2007) PG Canada Liquid Laundry Concentrate [Online] Available from [8 January 2010] Unilever (2009) Official Website [online] available from [14 January 2011] Worldlingo (2011) List of Procter Gamble brands [online] available from [6 January 2011]

Friday, October 25, 2019

Doctor Faustus Essays: The Appeal of Evil in Dr. Faustus :: Doctor Faustus Essays

The Appeal of Evil in Dr. Faustus  Ã‚   Christopher Marlowe had a thorough idea of what his audience wanted. The audience of that time wanted to be wild and evil but due to the strong influence of the church this was not possible. Most people want to see violence, sin, and give in to temptation but could not because of the label that society and the church would place on them. Marlowe gave them a play where they could see and experience all of the things that people wanted to do but could not or would not because they were dangerous and sinful. In Act I Marlowe sets up the dramatic summoning of the Devil. First Marlowe lets Faustus describe the setting: Faustus. Now that the gloomy shadow of the night, Longing to view Orion’s drizzling look, Leaps from th’ antarctic world unto the sky And dims the welkin with her pitchy breath†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(I.iii, 1-4) If we look at this passage we see many references to how the stage looked and what the atmosphere of the audience was like. First, Faustus states that the setting is now perfect to begin the summoning of the Devil. Darkness would cover the stage and the audience as the gloomy shadow of night dimmed everything. The darkness loomed so low and black that Orion could not even be seen. Faustus went on to describe the scent in the air, the scent of Pitch, the scent of Hell! The audience was mystified and horrified at the same time. Now that the setting has been set and piqued the audience’s interest, the incantations can begin: Faustus, begin thine incantations And try if devils will obey thy hest, Seeing thou hast prayed and sacrificed to them. Within this circle is Jehovah’s name Forward and backward anagrammatiized, Th’ abbreviated names of holy saints, Figures of every adjunct to the heavens, And the characters of signs and erring stars, By which the spirits are enforced to rise: (I.iii, 5-13) Here we see that Faustus starts to summon the Devils from the depths of Hell. Faustus claims that he has sacrificed and prayed to them, that he has made Jehovah’s name anagrammatiized. At this point the audience would have been actually frightened. They would be fearful of what God might do for Faustus taking the names of holy men and changing the letters around and spelling words from them.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? Essay

In early March 2004, Alejandro Perez, president and CEO of Chilean forestry company, Arauco, was about to present his recommendations to the board of directors as to whether the company should invest US$1 billion to construct a new state-of-the-art chemical pulp plant. The plant, part of a multiphase project called Nueva Aldea, would increase Arauco’s capacity by approximately 800,000 tons to 3. 2 million tons, placing the company as the largest producer of market pulp, just ahead of Aracruz in Brazil. Two years earlier, Arauco’s board approved the first phase of the Nueva Aldea project for US$150 million, which consisted of building a sawmill, plywood mill, and energy complex. The second phase involved constructing a pulp mill following the inauguration of the new Valdivia plant on January 30, 2004. The Valdivia plant had a designed production capacity of 700,000 tons of pulp, with an operating life between 30 and 40 years and expected sales of USD $350 million per year. 1 Perez was concerned about the downward trend in market pulp prices over the last three years. In addition, major paper companies, the sole buyers of market pulp, were typically backwardintegrated into the production of pulp. Perez was confident, however, that the board would trust his judgment given Arauco’s tremendous success in recent ventures into remanufactured wood products (such as cut stock, blanks, clear rips, and decking balusters), plywood, and fiberboard panels. Perez anticipated the toughest question the board would pose: would shareholders be better served by a strong-willed forward integration move into paper manufacturing rather than the horizontal growth plan he was proposing? Furthermore, was a large resource commitment a good strategic move at this point? History of Arauco and COPEC Arauco was formed through a merger between Industrias Arauco and Celulosa Constitucion in 1979. Both companies had been created 20 years earlier by the Chilean government to develop forest resources, improve soil quality, and promote employment. In the late 1970s, the Chilean government had initiated an aggressive privatization program, which resulted in the sale of Industrias Arauco in 1977 to Compania de Petroleos de Chile (COPEC), a conglomerate involved in oil and gas, fishing, ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professors Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Jorge Tarzijan (Universidad Catolica de Chile) and Research Associate Jordan Mitchell prepared this case. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 705-474 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? forest management, and pulp. Two years later in 1979, COPEC purchased Celulosa Constitucion, merging the two entities to create Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion SA (referred to as Arauco). Arauco began its expansion plan in the 1980s, which involved purchasing land and plantations and installing new technology equipment to improve efficiencies to compete effectively in the world market pulp arena. The expansion plan paid off as the company’s total holdings in hectares2 grew from 170,000 in 1980 to 1,200,000 hectares in 2003. 3 Throughout the 1990s, the company increased its production capacity by constructing a second line at the Arauco mill, introducing new bleaching systems, entering new product lines, and expanding energy generation at its plants. By 1996, Arauco moved across the border to Argentina to purchase the company Alto Parana, expanding the company’s overall product offerings, land holdings, and production capacity. In 2000, Arauco aggressively increased its capacity yet again by purchasing its third mill in Chile, increasing production in Argentina, and entering into the MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and HB (hardboard) markets through stakes in sawmill PANELS plants such as Cholguan and Trupan. In late 2001, the company commenced a three-year construction project of its new mill, the Valdivia mill, at an estimated cost of US$600 million. The Valdivia plant had opened in January 2004 with a total construction cost of US$1. 2 billion; US$900 million was apportioned to the purchase of the plant’s assets (a pulp plant and other assets), and US$300 million was for the creation of a 100,000 hectare forest. 4 The plant was the world’s fifth-largest bleached kraft pulp plant and the largest in Chile. By 2004, Arauco was one of the world’s premier forestry enterprises in terms of plantation areas and yields. It was also involved in the production of market kraft wood pulp, saw timber, and wood panels with forest plantations throughout Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Arauco had sales offices in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Holland, Japan, and the U. S. , and distributorships in Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and India. (Exhibit 1 shows Arauco’s corporate structure. ) COPEC was the majority shareholder with 99. 98% ownership of Arauco’s shares. COPEC: This company was founded after the stock market crash in 1929 with the intention of guaranteeing fuel supplies in Chile. 5 As of the end of 2003, the market capitalization of COPEC was approximately US$9. 3 billion, which represented 12% of the market capitalization of all publicly traded companies in Chile. COPEC was publicly traded with the majority of shares being indirectly held by the Angelini Group (via another company, AntarChile). Anacleto Angelini, part owner of the Angelini Group, was deemed to be one of the 10 richest men in Latin America by Forbes magazine. 6 COPEC’s consolidated sales were US$2. 7 billion, with operating income at $375 million. Although 35% of COPEC’s sales7 came from forestry, COPEC’s profits were tied closely to pulp prices, since 78% of the company’s EBITDA originated from Arauco. 8 Other sales were derived from fuels (60. 4%), fishing (1. 4%), and other investments (3. 2%). Arauco’s Strategy Arauco explained its central strategy in a letter to shareholders: The central idea behind our global strategy is to strengthen our position as one of the most important forestry companies in Latin America, employing [the company’s] size to achieve the necessary economies of scale for positioning [ourselves] as a company that provides a reasonable return to its shareholders while properly meeting its responsibilities to its employees, the country and the communities where it develops its activities. In the forestry area, Arauco’s strategy is to increase the value of it forest resources, consisting of radiata and 2 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? 705-474 taeda pine and eucalyptus through further purchases but especially through making intensive use of the most advanced technologies in genetic improvement, forest management and pest, weed and fire protection. 9 The company felt that it could achieve its strategy through implementing a capital expenditure plan aimed at increasing capacity, efficiency, and productivity in both pulp and wood products. While the company’s current strength was in softwood through its radiata and taeda pine forests, Arauco wanted to increase its hardwood pulp production by planting eucalyptus trees. By using advanced forest techniques, the company hoped that it would improve product quality and increase margins. An analyst described Arauco’s cost advantage in comparison with its northern counterparts: Arauco has a leading business position in the volatile market pulp industry due to its lowcost production capabilities. Unlike bleached softwood market pulp producers in the Northern Hemisphere, Arauco produces bleached softwood kraft pulp for less than $300 per ton. As a result, Arauco has been able to generate positive cash flows during troughs in the market pulp cycle. Nevertheless, like all producers of market pulp, Arauco is not able to escape the impact of pricing swings on its financial performance. This is reflected in the company’s credit protection measures, which have improved over the past two years as prices have risen. 10 Perez gave his view of Arauco’s performance against its strategy, in light of difficult economic conditions in Chile: During several years, the company has been concentrated in the pulp business because we had young forests. But while they were maturing, we developed other important businesses like woods and panels that gave a bit more stability to the results. As well, investments made to improve our assets, our operational strength, and economic conditions—like the favorable exchange rate for export industries—have all helped to reduce operational costs. And, there’s a third reason that we’re different from other large Chilean companies that have a presence in Argentina. We’re oriented to exports. The crisis in Argentina has shook us like it has others, but our focus has allowed us to gain access to other markets and weather the storm. 11 An industry observer commented on Arauco’s decreasing reliance on pulp: â€Å"The firm . . . has been diversifying their business lines to minimize the impact of the volatility of pulp prices—one of their principal sources of income. The search to expand the company’s horizons have already had some repercussions to the company’s image: traditionally, they’ve been called Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion (Celarauco) or Celco, but now the company is positioning themselves more frequently with the name Arauco. †12 Product Segments Arauco had three main product segments: pulp products, such as bleached and unbleached kraft pulp; forestry products like pulpwood and sawlogs; and wood products, which included flitches, lumber, remanufactured wood products and panels. (Exhibits 2 and 3 show Arauco’s overall financials, employee base, and sales by product segment. ) Pulp Pulp was used primarily in the manufacturing of paper and paperboard products, although pulp was also employed in other products like rayon, photographic films, cellophane and explosives. 13 3 705-474 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? Ninety percent of the world’s pulp originated from wood and 10% was produced through alternative materials such as straw bamboo, bagasse, kenaf, flax, hemp, and cotton. 14 Processes and types There were several types of kraft pulp traded throughout the world. Pulp could either be bleached or unbleached and derived from either hardwood or softwood. Two processes existed for producing pulp: mechanical (produced by shredding logs or wood chips) and chemical (made by cooking wood chips in a solution). Chemical pulp was further subdivided into two groups: sulphite pulp and sulphate pulp (more commonly called kraft pulp, meaning â€Å"strong† in German). By 2004, the kraft process was the world’s predominant chemical pulping method accounting for 95 per cent of all chemical pulp. Kraft pulp was brown in color, and was thus bleached for most applications. For example, in the manufacturing of white paper, pulp was bleached at the end of the pulping process. In contrast, brown paper bags were manufactured from unbleached kraft paper. Arauco elected to produce all of their pulp through the kraft process. a Each region specialized in a given category: for example, northern bleached softwood kraft pulp was produced mainly in Canada, the U. S. , Russia and Scandinavia and bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp was made mostly in Latin America. Arauco’s production of pulp Over 50% of Arauco’s revenues were generated by pulp sales. As of early 2004, Arauco had five pulp mills in Chile: Arauco I, Arauco II, Constitucion, Licancel, and the newly constructed Valdivia. The company also controlled another pulp mill, which was part of the wholly owned Argentinean company Alto Parana. (Exhibit 4 provides information about each mill. ) Arauco Mills (both I and II) were located 600 kilometers south of Chile’s capital, Santiago, in what was known as the eighth region15 of Chile. The annual capacity of Arauco I was 290,000 metric tons of eucalyptus kraft pulp or 200,000 metric tons of RADIATA kraft pulp. Arauco II produced only bleached radiata pine pulp, and its annual production capacity was about 500,000 tons. Both mills were equipped to produce elementary chlorine-free pulp—a pulp that avoided the use of environmentally harmful chlorine gases. Constitucion Mill was located 360 kilometers southwest of Santiago in the seventh region of Chile, and boasted a capacity of 355,000 metric tons of unbleached pulp. Licancel made elementary chlorine-free bleached radiate and eucalyptus kraft wood pulp, which was used primarily in the production of printing, writing, hygienic, and industrial papers. Its production was about 120,000 tons annually. Based in Misiones, Argentina, Alto Parana produced approximately 350,000 tons of bleached softwood kraft wood pulp from tadea pinewood, supplied both from its own plantations and independent sources. The company’s pulp mills were not affected by seasonality and generally ran at capacity throughout the year except eight to ten days of maintenance every 12 months. Arauco was the world’s largest single producer of unbleached softwood kraft pulp, holding 15. 8% of the total market. The company actively exported around the world, with Asia as its major destination for export sales. Pulp represented US$709. 8 million or 48. 7% of Arauco’s sales in 2003. (Exhibit 5 shows Arauco’s pulp exports. ) Arauco Electricity Generation To combat against rising electricity costs in Chile in the first half of the 2000s, Arauco installed two electricity generating turbines beside its pulp production facilities at an approximate cost of $60 million. Combined, the turbines have a capacity of approximately 250 megawatts (MW) per year. Arauco’s plants used 120 MW, leaving 130MW extra electricity generation capacity. Arauco had decided to install the additional capacity (which cost roughly $20 million of the total $60 million) so that it could sell the extra electricity to the Chilean a The word â€Å"kraft† was derived from the German word â€Å"strong. † 4 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? 705-474 electricity grid. Arauco was the only Chilean manufacturer who engaged in energy trading of such magnitude; revenues from selling off the additional energy averaged about $100 million per year. Selling market pulp Arauco marketed all bleached pulp under the name â€Å"Arauco† and unbleached pulp under the name â€Å"Celco. † Pulp was a commodity and was marketed by pulp producers mostly on price and service to nonintegrated paper manufacturers. Arauco aimed to establish long-term relationships with nonintegrated paper manufacturers by providing competitively priced and high-quality pulp. (Arauco’s cost of producing pulp per ton is shown in Exhibit 6). Besides these costs, there were selling and administrative expenses averaging approximately 9% of yearly revenues. The asset beta of pulp production and sales was 0. 9. Arauco also tightly controlled its inventories, attempting to sell its bleached and unbleached pulp at favorable market prices. (Exhibit 7 shows Arauco’s Chilean bleached and unbleached pine pulp prices (CIF) per metric ton. ) Forests Arauco’s forestry products were classified as either sawlogs or pulpwood. Arauco was Chile’s largest radiata pine owner, with 33% of the country’s total plantations. Radiata pine was a fastgrowing conifer tree and was highly regarded for its quality of wood. Chilean climatic conditions were ideal for the growth of radiata pine, and the country was generally considered to have the richest natural resources of radiata pine in the world. Common uses for the radiata pine were decorative veneer, form work, heavy and light construction, joinery, paneling, pulp/paper products, wainscotings, packing cases, boxes, crates, and building materials. In Chile, the harvesting of pulp logs could take place 16 to 18 years after planting and high-quality saw logs could be harvested in 25 years. In contrast, pulp logs cultivated in the northern hemisphere were harvested only 18 to 45 years after plantation and sawlogs required 50 to 150 years. Radiata pine in Chile had a high yield per hectare due to the quality of soil, making it possible to plant a larger number of pines by hectare. The first seven to 12 meters of the radiata pine tree was the highest quality part and was used in sawmills and plywood mills. The next eight to 13 meters was destined to sawmills or pulp mills depending on diameter and density of knot distribution. The top section was used for pulp and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) production. (Exhibit 8 shows a diagram of a tree and its multiple uses. ) Forests management Arauco’s forest holdings were geographically split by farmlands. To control forest fires, the company operated an organization dedicated to the constant identification and extinguishing of potential hazards. (Exhibit 9 summarizes Arauco’s land and forest holdings in Chile as of year-end 2003. ) In addition to the 900,000 hectares Arauco owned in Chile, it owned 200,000 hectares in Argentina and Uruguay. Bioforest Bioforest was the only forestry science and technology research center in Chile. In its laboratories, nurseries, and greenhouses, Bioforest conducted research and evaluated the latest techniques. The company fed innovations into the rest of Arauco’s operations but did not publicize its findings to the broader research community, nor did it offer consulting services to outside companies. The total spend on research and development was spread throughout several areas of the company and therefore, exceeded the research and development costs listed in the company’s annual financial statements. With advances in genetics and pest controls, Arauco was constantly seeking to improve the quality of its plantations. Bioforest had reached important achievements including the genetic 5 705-474 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? replication of high-quality radiata pine trees and eucalyptus trees. The company also researched soil fertility and insects aiming to develop strategies for plague control. Among other techniques to exterminate parasites, the company used natural predators biologically designed and reproduced in its own labs. Wood Products From its plantations, Arauco provided logs to sawmills and pulp mills, and to factories for the manufacture of panels. Arauco also sold logs and a variety of wood pieces on the open market. Arauco supplemented its production of pulp logs with purchases in the Chilean market. The plantations owned by Arauco covered approximately two-thirds of the raw material needed for production. The remaining one-third was purchased from providers and forest owners. The company hired independent contractors to perform most of its forest operations (planting, maintenance, thinning, pruning, harvesting, transportation, and access road construction). In 2003, the company employed over 10,000 workers through more than 300 subcontracting deals, with many contractors having long-standing relationships with Arauco. One important activity performed by independent contractors was the transportation from the forest plantations and between mills and ports. Fifteen years earlier, Arauco had owned a complete fleet of trucks, but by 2003 the company had outsourced the majority of its transportation needs. In some situations, Arauco provided capital to truck owners in order to expand and improve services. Arauco strove to establish long-term relationships and made renewable agreements of up to three years with truck owners and operators. Sawmills: Sawmills cleaned, dried, cut, and chopped logs into sawn timber. Arauco’s sawmills varied in capacity and capability, with some designed to produce green sawn timber (wood not dried in a kiln) and others designed to handle kiln-dried wood and remanufactured wood products. Arauco strategically built its sawmills close to its plantations to cut down on transportation costs and reduce time. The company owned 11 sawmills in Chile and two in Argentina that divided their production between sawn timber (green or kiln-dried) and remanufactured wood products, with an annual production capacity of 2. 5 million cubic meters of lumber. Arauco also owned five remanufacturing facilities that produced remanufactured wood products from reprocessed sawn timber. Like its forest operations, Arauco employed independent contractors to operate all of the sawmills and remanufacturing facilities. By 2003, Arauco’s sales of sawmill products represent 27. 5% of total sales. The mills had a total capacity of 5. 4 million cubic meters of sawlogs and 2. 65 million cubic meters of lumber. The Horcones II sawmill in Chile and the Misiones sawmill in Argentina were built in the first quarter of 2000 to increase production capacity by 520,000 cubic meters of sawn timber per year. The investment cost for Arauco was approximately US$52 million. At the same time, Arauco acquired Forestal Cholguan, through which it got the Cholguan sawmill, which further increased production capacity by 300,000 cubic meters of lumber per year. Panels Arauco produced plywood and fiber panels, which represented 20. 4% of the company’s sales in 2003. Arauco had expanded capacity first by building a plywood facility in 1997 at a cost of US$44 million, which increased production capacity by 230,000 cubic meters. In 2000, it built a second production line at a cost of US$30 million, and the total production of the facility reached 340,000 cubic meters. Maderas Prensadas Cholguan S. A. also became part of Arauco when the company bought Cholguan in 2000, increasing the capacity by approximately 300,000 cubic meters of MDF and HB. During 2002, two new mills MDF were set up, one in Chile and another in Argentina at a cost of US$135 million, amounting to a combined production capacity of 500,000 cubic meters. With all of these investments, Arauco’s current capacity was larger than one million cubic meters per year, making Arauco one of South America’s largest panel producers. 6 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? 705-474 Log Merchandizing Arauco used a process called â€Å"log merchandizing† to determine the location of cuts on each log and the order in which each section was sent to different adjoining facilities. Log merchandizing involved the use of a computer-driven scanner, which identified the log’s diameter, the shape of the knots and the optimal points for the cuts. After a log was cut, it was automatically grouped and then sent to one of three destinations: sawmills for timber, panel production or the chip plant (for eventual pulp production). It was estimated that the log merchandizing process saved millions of dollars per year as a 10-centimeter (3. 9 inches) error variation for an optimal cut in a major batch could result in $50 million in losses. The investment to install the specific assets related to log merchandizing cost about $30 million. As an Arauco executive stated: â€Å"You have no idea of the quality of the tree and the number of knots until you cut it down. The log merchandizing process ensures that we are using the parts of the tree for the right purpose. † Alto Parana Arauco acquired Alto Parana in 1996, with the main goal of kick-starting profitable businesses in Argentina. The acquisition included a pulp mill and plantations. Alto Parana was located 1,300 kilometers northeast of Buenos Aires, in the Misiones province of Argentina. The Alto Parana plant was the biggest pulp market producer in Argentina, with a capacity of 350,000 tons per year of bleached softwood kraft pulp. Arauco obtained raw material from Alto Parana’s plantations. While the plantations spanned 173,000 hectares, only 86,000 hectares were planted. Since these plantations were not sufficient for Alto Parana’s pulp mill capacity, approximately 50% originated from third parties. Alto Parana frequently entered into negotiations with third parties negotiating on the basis of price, quality, availability, and delivery. Sometimes, price negotiation escalated to local government as the forestry industry was the lifeblood of the Misiones province. The proximity of third-party resources was another vital concern as transportation costs ate into margins. Alto Parana was located far away from the main ports in Argentina. Thus, it was neither plausible nor cost effective to transport raw material from other countries. Argentina’s main forestry zones were located in the provinces of Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Chaco, and Patagonia. Apart from Misiones, where Alto Parana was located, Corrientes was the closest at 300 kilometers from the Alto Parana facility. In 2003, Corrientes had pine and eucalyptus plantations spanning 117,000 and 71,000 hectares, respectively. Exhibit 10 shows the approximate costs of lumber transportation inside Argentina. In addition, there were loading costs associated with moving raw materials from the forest plantations to the plants. Owners of Argentinean plantations had to choose between exporting the wood to foreign nations or selling the wood to local-based enterprises. It was estimated that the following firms would require approximately 50,000 tons of market pulp each. The main Argentinean firms that needed wood as a raw material were: †¢ Celulosa Argentina S. A. , specializing in the production of bleached pulp, and located in Santa Fe, 900 kilometers from Parana, with a capacity of 95,000 tons per year. †¢ Faplac S. A. , manufacturer of PBO (particle boards), located in the province of Buenos Aires about 1,000 kilometers from Alto Parana, with a capacity of 50,000 tons per year. 7 705-474 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? †¢ Ledesma S. A. , manufacturer of notebooks and commercial paper, with a production facility in San Luis, 1,400 kilometers from Alto Parana. Ledesma manufactured about 85,000 tons of paper a year, although most of the raw material it needed to produce pulp came from sugar cane. †¢ Massuh S. A. , manufacturer of pulp and paper, with a production of 120,000 tons per year. Its pulp and paper plant was located in Quilmes, Buenos Aires province, more than 1,300 kilometers from Alto Parana. †¢ Papelera Jujuy, paper manufacturer, located in Jujuy, 1,100 kilometers from Alto Parana with a capacity of 50,000 tons per year. †¢ Papelera Tucuman, paper manufacturer, located in Tucuman, about 1,000 kilometers from Alto Parana, with a capacity of 50,000 tons per year. Pulp and Paper Industry The global pulp and paper industry consisted of five main activities: forestry, pulp production, paper and board production, distribution, and converting. Most of the larger players in the industry had integrated operations that involved two or more of the above activities. The industry had undergone a number of mergers and acquisitions in the 1990s as pulp and paper manufacturers struggled to enhance efficiencies, increase capacities, and lower costs. Some industry observers felt that the highly fragmented nature of the industry meant that prices were less stable. Several of the larger companies were considered to be fully integrated with the ownership and operation of forests, pulp mills, paper factories, distribution, and converting facilities. Other firms chose to focus on a particular category. The overall paper demand was determined ultimately by consumers’ willingness to purchase products such as newspapers, magazines, office paper, stationary, and a host of home products such as tissue and toilet paper. Paper and paperboard in packaging was widespread and used across most consumer and industrial applications. The overall usage of converted paper products (newspapers, magazines, tissue paper, diapers, etc. ) created the demand, which determined the prices for pulp and paper. The main consumers of paper were from North America, with an average consumption of 326. 5 kilograms of paper per person per year. Western Europe, Japan, and China consumed approximately 190 kilogram per person per year. Developing countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America were also increasing their usage of paper products. For example, corrugated paper in China was estimated at 13 to 15 billion cubic meters a year, with growth rates projected to be 10% annually for the next 10 years. 16 The possibility of such growth had spurred several pulp, paper, and chemical companies to form joint ventures with Chinese firms. Pulp and paper prices fluctuated as producers lowered prices in times of soft demand, and moved to increase supply by building more capacity when demand was predicted to increase. Suppliers of pulp and paper controlled inventories tightly, releasing products to the marketplace at targeted times. (Exhibit 11 shows the worldwide consumption of paper. ) Environmental Considerations—Recycling and Substitutes to Paper Governments had been increasing regulations for pulp and paper companies to avoid clearcutting forests, to reduce chemical by-products such as chlorine, limit gas emissions from the operation of factories, and increase recycling. With greater environmental pressures, the three â€Å"R† slogan (reduce, reuse and recycle) was creating alternative industries and increasing global 8 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? 705-474 capabilities to recycle paper. For example, in the U. S. , it was estimated that approximately 42% of paper was recovered for recycling. 17 Recycled fibers from paper replaced the use of pulp in paper manufacturing. Using recycled fibers had several advantages, including lower costs to recycle paper than to produce pulp, the reduction of wood usage, lower residues released into the environment, and an overall drop in the cost of environmental treatment. The major disadvantage of using recycled fibers was that its output per comparable ton was much less than pulp. Recycled fibers could be reused between five to seven times; after seven times, the fibers became too short for papermaking. 18 Recycled fibers were experiencing modest growth, with production growing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6% moving from 48 million tons annually in 1980 to an estimated 150 million in 2000. Some industry observers felt that the increasing use of computers, handheld devices, and mobile phones would act as a substitute for paper. However, with more information passing through these mediums, other industry observers felt that paper usage would increase. The Paper and Paperboard Industry Over half of the material that went into making paper and paperboard was made using pulp. Other materials included recycled fiber, chemicals, and minerals. By mixing together different variations of softwood or hardwood pulp, the paper manufacturer could produce a product for a specific intent. Paper products ranged from uncoated free sheets (such as regular writing paper) to coated free sheets, tissues, newsprint, and coated and uncoated groundwood. The worldwide paper market was estimated to be greater than 330 million tons at the end of 2003. The paper market had experienced three years of soft demand with no real growth in dollar terms since 2000. As of March 2004, an analyst assessed the worldwide paper market: Global paper demand is on the mend. U. S. prices are likely to lead the way into price recovery with a meaningful positive effect on U. S. earnings in the second quarter and should gain further in the second half. The U. S. dollar sets the tone for the sentiment to invest in the paper sector. While a weaker U. S. dollar undoubtedly has negative implications for earnings in the near term the impact of a weaker U. S. dollar is dwarfed in comparison to the impact of higher prices. . . . European paper prices have bottomed in our view and it appears likely that higher prices should start to impact earnings in some early cycle segments from the third quarter onwards. Later cycle segments, such as newsprint and SC paper, should see a nice price rebound in the early stages of 2005. Prices have been on a downward trajectory since the fourth quarter of 2000 but the tide is now turning. 19 Paper and Paperboard Companies Most of the large paper companies chose to operate a completely integrated structure that included the ownership of forests, pulp mills, paper manufacturing facilities, distribution arms, and converting capabilities. However, there were a number of smaller local firms that produced paper based on the specific need of their markets. These smaller paper manufacturers typically purchased raw materials such as pulp from suppliers based on the type of pulp (bleached, unbleached, softwood, hardwood, etc. ), the cost, and the service details. Some industry insiders felt that maintaining a fully integrated structure allowed for greater negotiation leverage with the main suppliers to the industry, such as chemical providers and paper and pulp machinery manufacturers. 9 705-474 Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion? Exhibit 12 shows a list of 25 of the world’s largest paper companies. The top five producers included: 1. International Paper Co. (U. S. ) had revenues of $25. 2 billion and profits of $302 million in 2003. The company was a fully integrated enterprise producing plywood, paper, pulp, packaging, and chemical by-products from papermaking. It controlled over 10 million acres of forestlands in the U. S. , Brazil, and New Zealand. 20 2. Georgia-Pacific Corp. (U. S. ) had revenues of $20. 2 billion and profits of $254 million in 2003. Like its main rival, International Paper Co, Georgia-Pacific was a vertically integrated competitor in pulp, paper, lumber, plywood, oriented strand board, adhesives, and a number of paper consumer products. The company planned on spinning off its consumer products division but changed plans due to weak equity markets in 2002. However, it did sell majority ownership of its distribution arm, Unisource Worldwide. 21 3. Stora Enso Corp. (Finland) had revenues of $15. 2 billion and profits of $182 million. Stora Enso was involved in the manufacturing of a wide variety of products such as magazine paper, newsprint, fine papers, packaging, graphic products, office papers, wallpaper base, and sawn timber. 22