Richard Branson

The strong, influential, and ambitious personality of adventurer and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson radiates throughout each of our lives. (Richard Branson, 1999) Richard Branson was born July 18th, 1950, in Surrey, England. He struggled in school and eventually dropped out at the age of 16. (Sir Richard Branson, 2012) It could be said that Richard Branson is arguably the most successful high-school dropout in business history. He overcame his battle with dyslexia and eventually became known as a modern entrepreneurial icon. Sir Richard Branson, 2012) Richard Branson exemplifies the idea of the American Dream. In addition to becoming an entrepreneurial success story that crafted an empire from scratch, he has formed an identity for himself that is comprised of great wealth, international prestige, rugged adventure, and fearless innovation. (Sir Richard Branson, 2012) Richard Branson has proved that he is not afraid to fail, a trait that has been confirmed through some of his busine ss and personal endeavors. (Moir, 2009) LEADERSHIP STYLES:Richard Branson has proven that he is a natural born leader. Although he battles dyslexia and struggled through school, he still became a success story by creating a vast business empire by using his weaknesses to his advantage. (Moir, 2009) When examining Branson’s history it is clear to see that he has utilized different leadership styles throughout the success of his career. Leadership consists of influence, it occurs among people, those individuals purposely desire change, and the change reflects the shared purposes of both followers and leaders. Entrepreneurship: The Virgin Company, 2006) Branson’s leadership styles are suggestive of those of the transformation and charismatic leadership theories. Branson is known for his outlandish and flamboyant leadership style. Rather than a hands-on manager, Richard Branson has become known as a charismatic and strategic leader. (Richard Branson – Leader Extraor dinaire, 2002) A marked distinction exists between management and leadership at the Virgin Group. Transformational leadership stems from the top-level executives and managers within the company.Branson along with other company executives have defined many common goals for the business to accomplish as a whole. (Carmichael, 2005) These goals consist of the utilization of new technology, expansion into international markets, customer loyalty, and joint business ventures. These types of goals are made known to all people associated with the company. This has become a great benefit to the company by giving every person involved a mission to accomplish. (Carmichael, 2005). The top tier of management promotes employees to leverage their skills in ways that will benefit the company the most.The purpose for this is to promote the philosophy that the overall benefit of the company will result in greater benefits for each individual involved. Rewards for shareholders, executives, employees, m anagers, and customers alike are obtained by through group contribution. (Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd, 2008) Leading is believed to be the most important and interesting function of management within the Virgin Group. Leadership dynamics begin with Richard Branson. Being a vocal and outgoing leader, his mission is to encourage his employees to work to their full potential for the benefit of the company.He advertises his belief that contributions to the good of the business will reap more rewards for everybody involved. (Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd, 2008) Branson has said that he attempts to bring out the best of his employees at all levels within the company. Management is expected to embrace this philosophy and pass it on to their subordinates. Richard Branson’s leadership style also consists of giving people a great level of freedom in their work. (Carmichael, 2005) Branson’s goal is to provide them direction in their duties, enabling them to take control of the situation thereafter.The freedom they are allowed in their work gives them an opportunity to excel without micromanagement. Branson’s company vision and leadership style has helped him become the center of attention within business and management discussions on a global scale. (Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd, 2008) RECOMMENDED LEADERSHIP STYLE: Richard Branson is an exceptional leader. Richard Branson’s management and leadership style can help teach us all. He has created a unique management style that has enabled the Virgin Company to achieve long term success.Although there is a marked distinction between leadership and management, the Virgin Company has achieved the integration of each in many aspects of the business. (Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd, 2008) Transformational leadership has become an essential tool for managers, exec utives, and workers as well. His leadership styles have given employees the desire to work together in an effort to better the company so they may reach their own personal goals. (Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd, 2008) Richard Branson is the definition of what a leader is.There has been no research found that suggests that Branson’s leadership is anything other than exemplary. Why fix something that is not broken? DEVELOPING A GLOBAL TEAM: Branson is constantly challenging his teams with new innovations, ideas, and ventures. (Branson, 2011) Richard Branson believes that forming a solid business foundation for the future is important – attracting investors, getting the contract correct, hiring core team members, selecting the best suppliers. (Branson, Richard Branson on Thinking Big, 2012) He would make sure that his teams have the correct tools for success. RICHARD BRANSON: The tools to succeed, the time to thrive, 2011) Branson would p rioritize his staff first, gather information from them, and follow up on their suggestions and ideas. Branson would make sure the details of the business venture would be sorted out with his employees and he would consider the challenges his employees may face including any improvements they would like to employ to secure the project’s success, keeping in mind that the ultimate beneficiaries will be the bottom line and the customers. (Branson, Richard Branson on Thinking Big, 2012) LEADERSHIP QUALITIES IN CURRENT ROLE:Richard Branson’s leadership practices can aid in the development of my own management and interpersonal skills. In my current position as the Executive Assistant to the County Administrator, I work closely with department directors and managers, as well as their support staff. When working on projects with County employees it is important for me to remember to assemble a great team, one with vision and passion. I need to remember that the employees are not just the resources of the County, but they are the County.It is their hard work and dedication that makes this County what it is. It is important to foster employees’ development by recognizing their accomplishments and giving praise. CONCLUSION: Richard Branson has a refreshingly unique opinion of leadership making it easy to understand why people enjoy working for him. (Richard Branson, 1999) Branson believes the best leaders listen and continue to learn even after they have become leaders and learned to successfully delegate. Great leaders get in front and aren’t scared to fight for their beliefs.Branson is a man who balances work and personal affairs, enjoys what he does, is fair and does not tolerate dirty tricks, and who leads from the front of a team of people who are dedicated to him – because they understand he honestly cares about them and the companies he owns. (Enderle, 2011) References Richard Branson. (1999, December). Retrieved February 2012, 14, from Askmen. com: http://www. askmen. com/celebs/men/december99/6_richard_branson. html Richard Branson – Leader Extraordinaire. (2002). Retrieved February 14, 2012, from IBS Center for Management Research: http://www. cmrindia. org/casestudies/catalogue/Leadership%20and%20Entrepreneurship/Richard%20Branson-Herb%20Kelleher-Leader%20Extraordinaire-Leadership%20and%20Entrepreneurship-Case%20Study. htm Entrepreneurship: The Virgin Company. (2006, March 31). Retrieved February 14, 2012, from WriteWork. com: http://www. writework. com/essay/entrepreneurship-virgin-group Management and Leadership of Richard Branson at Virgin Group Ltd. (2008). Retrieved February 2012, 2014, from UPX Success: http://www. upxsuccess. com/leadership_richard_branson. tml RICHARD BRANSON: The tools to succeed, the time to thrive. (2011, November 7). Retrieved February 14, 2012, from Business Day: http://www. businessday. co. za/articles/Content. aspx? id=158028 Sir Richard Branson. (2012). Retrieved February 14, 2012, from Bigraphy. com: http://www. biography. com/people/richard-branson-9224520 Branson, R. (2011, May 4). Richard Branson on Self-Motivation. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from Entrepreneur. com: http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/219563 Branson, R. (2012, January 17). Richard Branson on Thinking Big. Retrieved February

Boeing: Selling a Dreamliner

What is Boeing selling in the 787 Dreamliner? Discuss this in terms of the core benefit, actual product, and augmented product levels of 787 Dreamliner. The 787 Dreamliner core benefit is to provide an evolutionary step in air transportation by â€Å"looking at every aspect of the flying experience†. Boeing wanted to provide its corporate clients with an aircraft that falls into the midsized wide body market with ground breaking innovations that would translate into true benefits for its customers. Boeing 787 Dreamliner brings the speed range and capacity of the big jumbo jets to the mid-size market.It is designed to be the world’s lightest and most fuel efficient passenger jet, providing cost savings to their consumers. By looking at the entire flying experience, Boeing developed new product innovations in the 787 Dreamliner. Such innovations bring 20% less fuel consumption than comparability sized planes, an interior that offers a flexible design aimed at providing mu ltiple configurations for seating capacity, increased cargo capacity, enhanced safety and technology to cut departure delays and improvements to the passenger travel experience.Boeing prides itself on offering augmented product levels through superior customer relationships both during and after the sale. Boeing invests heavily in managing customer relationships during the lengthy sales cycle, through its sales and service technicians, financial analysts, planners, engineers etc. , all dedicated to finding ways to understand and satisfy airline customer needs. After the sale, the sales executives stay in almost constant contact with the customer to ensure that they stay satisfied.In this case of the delayed product delivery, Boeing augmented the product by announcing its commitment to working with its customers to minimize the impact of the delays as well as offering incentives and penalty payments to those customers. There are three major types of buying situations in Business mark ets. Identify which one better describes the situations of the airline mentioned as buyers of the 787 Dreamliner and explain.As a customer to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, I believe this situation is best described as a New Task, A business buying situation in which the buyer purchases a product or service for the first time. Although the customer may have purchased products previously from Boeing, this product line, the 787 Dreamliner, is a brand new, revolutionary product in the market. As such, the customer, not having a previous experience with that particular product, its impact or how it would fit into their own product portfolio would have to perform a complete benefit/risk analysis.Such investigations are including but not limited to: product specifications, their own price limits, contract payment terms, order quantities, delivery times and service terms. Without an investigation on the new product, the buyer can only leverage historical experiences from Boeing on different pr oduct lines and the company’s business reputation. This is not enough to make a purchasing decision. Discuss the customer buying process for a Boeing airplane. In what major ways does this process differ from the buying process a passenger might go through in choosing an airline?Customers looking to invest in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will undertake a Complex Buying Behavior for New Products. This behavior is identified for customers who are highly involved in the purchase and perceive significant differences amount brands. Consumers are highly involved with the product is expensive, risky, purchased infrequently or highly expressive. In the situation of buying the 787 Dreamliner, the purchasing cycle can take years of investigation and negotiations before the final contract is signed or the purchase is made.The length of the purchasing cycle and the behavior of the customer is identified by a number of stages, and these happen after the customer first identifies their need f or the airplane. After identifying if there is a need for the Dreamliner in the business, the customer will then go through a learning process about the product. They will investigate the 787 Dreamliner, compare the benefits and features with other competitive offerings. The customer will most likely analyze their finding through a comparative analytical model to help identify differences in the product and the value of those differences.Not only will the customer look at the core benefit of the product, the product itself, but the customer will also analyze the augmented product levels available to them (such as, warranty, maintenance, financing planners, engineers). It is during this evaluation that Boeing can be instrumental to the customer by managing the customer relationship by offering up an extensive team of company specialists all dedicated to finding ways to work closely with customers through the lengthy buying/discovery process. From here, the customer will develop first beliefs about the product itself.With only 2 competitors in the market for this type of product, the customer may already have a belief or attitude about the company itself (Boeing). It is now, that the customer will develop a belief, and then an attitude about the product and how the Dreamliner will fulfill their needs and what benefits it will bring to their portfolio. From there, the customer will make a purchase choice. A significant point is, that with this buying behavior, the cognitive dissonance the customer feels is relatively low, provided that the Boeing meets and provides the service and benefits that it marketed to the customer, thus providing customer delight.If Boeing fails to meet the criteria it set forth with the customer, than, as direct relationship with the price, the cognitive dissonance is very high. In contrast to a long buying cycle and decision making process that customers make in purchasing an airplane to round out their portfolio. The end user (the buye r) goes through a much shorter decision model and most likely fall in the Dissonance-Reducing Buying Behavior or even the Habitual Buying Behavior. I will review the Dissonance-Reducing Buying Behavior first.The Dissonance-Reducing Buying Behavior is when the buyer identifies a need they have (flying to a destination), that they are highly involved in the purchase as it maybe be an expensive, infrequent or risky purchased, BUT they see little difference among brands. As such, although the purchase price is expensive, and the buyer doesn’t see much difference between brands, the buyer may investigate options (shop around to learn what is available for pricing) but will buy relatively quickly.Provided that all pricing is relatively equal in the market (no large seat sales to take advantage of), the customer may do a preliminary scan of price offerings, stop overs, flight times et cetera; the customer will ultimately make a choice and purchase a ticket. As with most purchases, c ognitive dissonance will occur with this purchase. It will most likely not be over price, as all options available were of equal value, but it can occur from the service the buyer receives from the airline, or even through beliefs transferred from other’s experiences with that airline.The Habitual Buying Behavior occurs under conditions of low customer involvement and little significant brand difference. A significant portion of this buying behavior is based on the repetition of the product by the buyer. If the buyer is a frequent flyer, to him/her it may not matter about services, but about brand familiarity rather than brand conviction or brand loyalty. Once again, providing that price is not a factor in the buying decision, the buyer will continually return to the same airline out of habit provided that (s)he does not have a bad experience.As it is with Dissonance-Reducing Behavior, cognitive dissonance may occur, but most likely when the buyer receives bad service. Given that business and consumer marketers use many of same segmentation variables, which of the four categories of segmentation variables on page 242 of the textbook has Boeing used in planning for the 787 Dreamliner? Explain. Faced with a sullied reputation and suffering financial situation, Boeing fought back by first looking at the market and their products. They identified an opportunity in the mid-size wide-body market.Their current product line did not have the depth required to attack this market. When developing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing segmented their marketing tactics to Psychographic Segmentation, specifically targeting Benefits Sought. This segmentation group divides buyers according to the different benefits they seek from the product. With this understanding and segmentation in mind, Boeing not only developed a product to fit into this category, but Boeing focused on improving the â€Å"standard† design including a number of significant changes, (benefits ad ded).Boeing worked on adding â€Å"ground breaking innovations that would translate into true benefits for its customers, the types of benefits that would stand out to buyers and executives at major airlines†. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner brings the speed range and capacity of the big jumbo jets to the mid-size market. It is designed to be the world’s lightest and most fuel efficient passenger jet, providing cost savings to their corporate customers, who in which could pass along the savings to their customers, driving business and market share.Adding on to this innovation, Boeing developed additional product innovations in the 787 Dreamliner. Such innovations bring 20% less fuel consumption than comparability sized planes, an interior that offers a flexible design aimed at providing multiple configurations for seating capacity, increased cargo capacity, enhanced safety and technology to cut departure delays and improvements to the passenger travel experience.These change s or innovations are designed to provide their corporate customers with financial benefits through cost savings on fuel and cutting down on departure delays. The enhanced safety technology also provides a costs savings for the customer with increased safety provisions, and maintenance requirement reporting that can lead to reduced down time. The final advances, although aimed at the end user (the flyer), also promote a benefit to the customer. The customer can promote their flights to the flyer† and boast of the 60% noise reduction, more legroom, lighting that automatically adjusts to time zone shifts, and higher cabin pressure and humidity which reduce the common flying symptoms. By developing the 787 Dreamliner with innovations, cost savings, an end user comfort, Boeing was able to segment their market and target their product to the customers most interested in products that provide them with additional benefits. Identify and discuss the sources of competitive advantages fo r the 787 Dreamliner.Although the 787 Dreamliner has a â€Å"hefty† price tag, as compared to comparable models, at $168M, it also offers a number of competitive advantages over the competition: †¢ Worlds lightest and most fuel efficient passenger jet o Single piece fuselage made of lightweight carbon materials, eliminating 40000-50000 fasteners and 1500 aluminum sheets o Requiring 20% less fuel than comparable models o Fuel range of 8500 nautical miles and reaching speed of Mach 0. 5, bringing big jet speed and range to the midsize market, rivaling the jumbo jets o Innovations in safety technology o Technology in cutting departure delays and ground based com o Self-monitoring vital functions with maintenance reporting technology to cut on down time o Multiple interior configuration o Increased cargo space †¢ The flow through (or advantages aimed at the end user or flyer) are to reduce long-haul flying misery and to better imitate the life on the ground: o 60% quiet er than other planes in its class More leg room o Lighting that automatically adjust to time zone shifts o Larger over-head capacity to reduce content damage o Cabin pressures and humidity higher to reduce symptoms of flyer promoting a more comfortable ride o 19 inch self-dimming windows o Wireless internet o Entertainment system By looking at the entire flying experience, from maintenance, crew and the passenger, Boeing was better able to create a product that has distinct and definable advantages over that of its competitor.

Persuasive Essay on Astrology

The study of astrology may seem like a world full of mysticism and uncertainty. It is natural to question how someone’s personality traits can be determined by planetary alignments; after all it does seem far-fetched. Astrology and the zodiac are a lot more complex than the average person realizes. Until you take the time to fully research and understand astrology, it’s impossible to get the most accurate zodiac profile.In ancient times, astrology was closely linked to fields such as astronomy, philosophy and medicine. Astrology is a broad topic with deep roots in history that must be broken down in order to fully understand it. The average person is only aware of their sun sign; this is only the beginning of one’s zodiac profile. Each planet in our solar system is representative of a certain aspect of life. In order to get the most precise reading of your zodiac, you have to know which sign was affecting each planet on the date and time you were born. This can b ecome as specific as to what degree the planet is influenced by its respective sign. If you weren’t aware of how in depth a study astrology is, I encourage you to find out.Daily and even monthly horoscopes simply aren’t specific enough. No two people’s zodiac profile is the same (unless you were born on the same day, time and at the same place), so in essence no two people’s horoscope can be the same. Magazines and websites grouping whole zodiac signs into one small group and giving a general horoscope is why there is a drastic decrease in accuracy. You can’t blame people for becoming skeptics because the horoscopes they have been exposed to aren’t the product of â€Å"real† astrology.There are a number of different ways to discover your â€Å"true† zodiac, the easiest of these being through the internet. By simply typing in â€Å"zodiac calculator†, numerous websites will pop up. You want to choose one that requires you r date, time and place of birth. The results you get should be overwhelming, after all there’s a lot that goes into your zodiac. Most websites provide you with a diagram that shows the symbols for each planet and sign as well as how they correspond with each other. You may find you have a lot of the same signs in different planets, a variety of signs in the same planets or a mixture of both.Different websites offer different  explanations. Some are very detailed and not only explain what your sign and planet combination means but also, the â€Å"house† the combination is in. For a beginner who doesn’t know what all that means, I suggest just sticking to the basics, the sign, planet and degree. I can almost guarantee you this will be an enlightening experience. You’ll read something and think to yourself â€Å"oh my god, that’s me!† You may even feel like you’re privacy is being invaded and you’ll question how your zodiac can know so much about you, sometimes more than you know about yourself.I can’t explain how or why the zodiac is valid, but I encourage you to at least give astrology a chance. It will take less than five minutes to enter your information into a website and read the information it gives you. Whether you are a total skeptic of astrology or read horoscopes every now and then out of curiosity you should take the time to learn a little bit more about yourself through astrology.

FOCUS STORE BUSINESS PAPER URBAN OUTFITTERS Essay

FOCUS STORE BUSINESS PAPER URBAN OUTFITTERS - Essay Example Of those interviewed, 5 customers had not been offered any assistance by the store employees. However, since 10 of them had been asked if they needed help, it is clear that more than half of the customers had communications with the store. There are 2 employees and 1 manager who took the survey. Of them, 2 said they often ask the customers about what they want to buy. The manager however said that she never asks the customers what they need to buy. The main reason for asking this question during the survey was to find out how often the store communicates with its customers in order to make the customer’s experience at the store a better one. When I walked in to the store, several employees were informing the customers coming in that there was a sales promotion offer going on. Customers were happy to hear that and seemed eager to take advantage of the sale. Overall, this store is doing fine in communication. Several customers mentioned the location of the store is ideal and convenient, great or excellent in the survey. The particular Urban Outfitters I choose is located at centre Grand River Avenue. It is very near the school, and near to many clothes shops, bookstores and restaurants. The Urban Outfitters store is so well located that the customers find it convenient to arrive at the store. There is a bus stop in just near the store. The location is a good choice to set the shop at this area. There is a large choice of goods in the store. Most of them have plenty inventories. The clothing there are based on seasons in order to make sure that the customers can always get what they need and wish when they want it. This ability to meet the customer’s needs as they shift is an important one, especially for a focus store such as Urban Outfitters. Therefore, this is summer now. They changed all clothes to fit the season like dresses, t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, etc. I have shopped at

Health and Social Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Health and Social Care - Essay Example Stroke is generally caused by irregular lifestyle involving physiologically affecting habits like smoking, drinking, and too much fat in diet. Other causes of a stroke include excessive exercise, shock or stress. Hypertension is the phenomenon of increased blood pressure in the arteries, which in turn increases tension in respective organs and can have very drastic impact on the brain. Many cases of blood vessel damage result from hypertension, some of which happen in the brain causing a stroke. Common causes of hypertension are blockages in blood vessels, excessive fat intake, high cholesterol, stress, lifestyle, medication, unregulated food habits, and excessive exercise. People suffer in from hypertension experience short breaths, organ swelling, fluid accumulation, and muscle dystrophy. Such patients are prone to heart attacks and need to be kept under regular medication till the condition subsides. Treatment for both the physiological disorders involves the use of anti-coagulants to increase blood flow. Physiological changes observed during treatment include reduction (normalization) in blood pressure, smoother flow of blood in the brain, greater healing in blocked areas. However, serious cases of blockage cannot be treated through medication and may require surgical removal of the blockage. When treatment is applied on a patient suffering from hypertension, he experiences calming of senses, lighter body weight, reduced giddiness and exhibits clear speech. When administered the right treatment, a patient suffering from a stroke regains consciousness, shows reduced eye dilation, clear speech, ability to move limbs, ability to walk steadily and normal skin and lip color. Patients suffering from stroke tend to show signs like slurring of speech, tongue moving to one end of the mouth, partial paralysis, asphyxiation,

Traditional clothes in Japan and Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Traditional clothes in Japan and Germany - Essay Example Culture is expressed by a range of values that are special and unique for a country or a region – these are history, language, cuisine, traditions. Clothes are a distinctive national peculiarity. Traditional clothes have evolved, as culture has evolved during the ages, influenced by historical developments, religious beliefs, regional and class subcultures.The Japanese traditional clothing today has become to represent Japan’s cultural identity. The word kimono or wafuku means simply â€Å"Japanese style clothing†, and is used to differentiate this style of attire from yofuku, which is the Western-style clothing Japanese prefer to wear today Traditional clothes have specific attributes like form or color that make them distinctive to the national culture. The thought here is that clothes’ elements and style in the past have developed for a reason, conveying meaningful messages to other people as part of the nonverbal communication process. The kimono is a universal symbol of Japan. It represents the traditional beauty and simplicity, having a single basic pattern in size and shape. Originally the kimono was worn in multiple layers of different colors. The symbolism behind this variety of colors is that during the Heian period women had to be protected by multi-layered clothes, whereby the different colors of the layers revealed the character of those who wore them. (Chiu, 2001). Elements of the clothing were indicative of woman's character - her skill in matching colors and even the smallest details in the kimono were highly valued as artistic sensibility. Other symbolic elements in the

Properrty Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Properrty Law - Case Study Example Arnold, however, paid the mortgage instalments until he died in 2001, leaving all his property to Wendy. Very shortly thereafter, Bill's marriage broke up and he had to leave his matrimonial home. Wendy invited him in writing to move in with her "as you have a share in it anyway". Bill moved in, together with his son, then aged 8. Thereafter Bill paid some of the mortgage instalments. The mortgage loan was paid off by 2006, Bill having paid instalments equal to 25% of the original purchase value. Wendy has now died, by her will leaving all her property in equal shares between her two daughters and one son, all of whom had by then left home. They are now indicating that they would like the house to be sold so that they can share the money between them. Bill and his son, now aged 15, wish, however to remain You are a trainee in the firm of solicitors consulted by Bill. Your principal has asked you to research the relevant law and report to the principal (in 1,000 words) on the legal principles and relevant case and statute law as to (ii) Your principal has also asked you to do a separate piece of research, unconnected to these facts, as she has heard that there have been a number of recent cases concerning the presumptions of advancement. She wants you to give her a summary, in 500 words, of the cases in the last 6 years that have concerned these presumptions. You are a trainee in the firm of solicitors consulted by Bill. Your principal has asked you to research the relevant law and report to the principal (in 1,000 words) on the legal principles and relevant case and statute law as to (a) what are the current legal and beneficial interests in the house (b) on the basis that Bill is not solely entitled, could Wendy's daughters and son (or any of them) force a sale of the house. The principal will then formulate the advice to give to Bill. (ii) Your principal has also asked you to do a separate piece of research, unconnected to these facts, as she has heard that there have been a number of recent cases concerning the presumptions of advancement. She wants you to give her a summary, in 500 words, of the cases in the last 6 years that have concerned these presumptions. Introduction The Parliament of Commonwealth has the power to legislate and standardise real estate practice that under the assumption that bill pass by the two houses. 2. Australian Constitutional system and power Constitution of Australia authorizes the legislative power to the commonwealth and states concurrently and divides it up by specifying a list of subjects on which the Australian Parliament may enact laws, which is known as Section 51 of the Australia Constitution Act (Ron McCallum 2006) . Any subjects who fall outside this list are exclusively available to the state parliament.This pattern of distribution follows the model of the United States Constitution and differs from the plan adopted by Canada by the British North America Act 1867 . It appears that the Federal Parliament is stronger than the State parliament, but only in the narrowly defined field of activity. So whether the real estate

Nursing sociology_Analysis and critical evaluation of primary health Essay

Nursing sociology_Analysis and critical evaluation of primary health and community care services from perspective of health professionals about aged care - Essay Example Home and Community Care (HACC) is a cost-sharing program between the Commonwealth and State/Territory governments to enable the aged individuals to remain in their own homes by financially supporting the old individuals’ primary carer. (Department of Health, 2008) As part of strengthening the goals of HACC program, members of HACC Program can receive financial support up to $12,000 each year whereas HACC carers can also receive $12,000 each year for their service (Aged Care Policy Directorate, 2006). Aside from HACC, Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) also Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) also strengthens support for aged population within their own home. CACP provides the aged people with support service which focuses on the complex caring needs of aged individuals whereas EACH aims to delivery health care services at home (Australian Government, 2008). Australia has inadequate number of registered nurses (Kearney & Thomas, 2008, p. 5) Because of the limited government funding, as much as 2.6 million people in Australia receive healthcare services from informal carers instead of receiving care from primary carers (Austin et al., 2005; Gilmore, 2004) as compared to the actual health care demands of the aged population. Allen Consulting Group (2007) reported that there are only 57 primary carers that handle the health care needs of 100 aged individuals today. Since informal carers do not have sufficient knowledge on ways to protect themselves from strains, this group of people are more prone to suffer from physical injury. To increase the number of primary nurses and protect their health and well-being from excessive workload, the Australian government provides educational financial assistance ($9,316) to nursing students (Kearney & Thomas, 2008: p. 5). Aged Care Policy Directorate. (2006, April). Retrieved September 25, 2008, from Guidelines for Service Provision Levels in the Home

Public University Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public University Analysis - Research Paper Example The financial statements in this institution contains some remarkable disclosure of the cost that the institution goes through in providing retirement benefits, related gains, assets and lastly all liabilities. These financial statements therefore, are able to provide the employees with a clear view of the risks and rewards that arise from the defined benefits. In addition, all funding obligations which are in relations to all liabilities of the benefits schemes defined are all clearly identified (University of Maryland, 2012). GAASB proposed changes are likely to reduce the liability burden as they will increase the level of accountability an aspect that is likely to reduce the cash lost due to cases of negligence. Proposed changes also address deeply on issues of common deposits and other investment risks such as interest rate risks and even fluctuating of the foreign currency risks. The policy recommendations to disclose all investments that are highly sensitive to these risks wil l reduce the money lost through fluctuating of the currency and changes in the interest rates (University of Maryland, 2012). One of the major economic condition that s likely to affect the growth of this institution is government changes in labor policies. Government is likely to change the policies such as medical policies and retirement policies. Some of the likely changes that are likely to be outlined include; increased amount contributed towards the pension scheme and specified amount that the institution should direct towards payment of medical insurance for its employees. This is likely to reduce the amount of money directed towards improving the status of the university. Second aspect that is likely to affect the future success of university of Maryland is increased government intervention and regulations in university through taxation. This is likely to slower the level of activities in the institution an aspect that will be replicated in the overall growth rate of the ins titution (University of Maryland, 2012). Changes in the foreign currency and interest rates will have direct impact on the overall growth of university of Maryland. The institution conducts many transactions some of which depend largely on the interest rates. Fluctuations in the currency and changes in the overall economy will therefore hamper the level of growth in the university (Gibson, 2012). In university of Maryland grants are used to fund major projects that are aimed at improving the education status in the university. In addition to this, they are used in daily running of the institution. Also, they are sometimes used to cover the liabilities that the institutions have incurred over the past periods in order to reduce burden to the institution (Gibson, 2012). Grants such as federal grants are used by the institution to offer students with the scholarships. This is aimed at helping the needy students who are not capable of paying for their school fees. In addition to this, t hese funds are directed towards equipping the institution with the current technology in order to improve the level of research conducted by the institution. As a result, the institution has been able to conduct many researches in different fields an aspect that has improved the overall growth of the state and economy at large (Gibson, 2012). With GAADB laid procedures on how to use funds in the institutio

Business Structure Advice Essay Example for Free

Business Structure Advice Essay Owner- Congratulations for taking the first step in starting your own business. I am confident that I can provide you the necessary information that you need in order to help you make the best decisions for you and your new business venture. Developing a detailed business plan is key in starting a successful business. When forming a business you will first need to decide on the business structure. In your email you stated that you were on whether or not you wanted partners. You have the following options for business structures: sole proprietorship or partnership. A sole proprietorship is the basic type of business structure. It would consist as you being the owner only to run and operate the business. The advantages of this business structure is that it is easy to start-up, the start-up costs are low and the owner receives all profits from the business. Also, the owner can upgrade to a partnership or corporation easily in the future. A disadvantage to this business structure is the proprietor is responsible for debts and obligations. Business earnings for a sole proprietorship is taxed once, thus making filing taxes not complicated. Funding for a sole proprietorship is usually from personal finances and friends and families. This is due to limited financial opportunities from lending institutions and investors. A partnership involves you and at least one other person. There is two types of partnerships: general and limited. In a general partnership owners are equal and split responsibilities accordingly. In a limited partnership the limited partner have a limited role. The advantage of a general partnership is that the business is easy to start and profits and losses are divided among the partners. A disadvantage is that all partners are liable for debt. Another disadvantage is that all partners are bound to actions or decisions made by one partner. Last, this is not a good structure if the partnership wants large capital. For this type of business structure, each partner is taxed. A limited partnership is ideal for who has a preference of not having an active role in the company. Advantages include: minimum government regulations, limited partners not held responsible for debt and liabilities, and gener al partners have complete control. Disadvantages for a limited partnership are: more expensive to create compared to a general.

Civil War In Chad History Essay

Civil War In Chad History Essay After getting the independence from France in 1960, the north-central African nation of Chad has undergone four civil wars. These Chadian Civil Wars were against France, Libya, Sudan, Zaire/Congo, and the United States. . The current civil war is also connected to the neighbourers Sudan. Following are the civil wars that had been happened so far: 1.   First Chad Civil War (1965-1979) 2. Second Chad Civil War (1979-1982) 3. Third Chad Civil War (1998-2002) 4. Fourth Chad Civil War (2005-present)   First Chad Civil War (1965-1979) : The First Chadian Civil War started in 1965/66, with riots and insurgency against Chadian president Franà §ois Tombalbayes rule, known for its authoritarianism and distrust of democracy. By January 1962, Tombalbaye had banned all political parties except his own Chadian Progressive Party (PPT), and started immediately concentrating all power in his own hands. His treatment of opponents, real or imagined, was extremely harsh, filling the prisons with thousands of political prisoners. What was even worse was his constant discrimination against the central and northern regions of Chad, where the southern Chadian administrators came to be perceived as arrogant and incompetent. A long civil war began as a tax revolt in 1965 and soon set the Muslim north and east against the southern-led government. Even with the help of French combat forces, the Tombalbaye government was never able to quell the insurgency. Tombalbayes rule became more irrational and brutal, leading the military to carry out a coup on April 13, 1975 (in which Tombalbaye was killed), and to install Gen. Felix Malloum, a southerner, as head of state. In 1978, Malloum government was broadened to include more northerners. Internal dissent within the government led the northern prime minister, Hissà ¨ne Habrà ©, to send his forces against the national army in the capital city of NDjamena in February 1979. The resulting civil war amongst the 11 emergent factions was so widespread that it rendered the central government largely irrelevant. At that point, other African governments decided to intervene. Second Chad Civil War (1979-1982): The Translational Government of National Unity was coalition government of armed group that ruled Chad from the time period between 1979 to1982, during the most chaotic phase of the long running civil war which happened in 1965 to 1979.The GUNT replaced the fragile alliance led by Felix Malloum and Hissene Habre, which was collapsed in February 1979. The characteristics of the GUNT can be find out by the intense rivalries that led to armed confrontations and Libyan intervention in 1980. Libya intervenes in the support of the GUNT President Goukouni Oueddei against the former GUNT Defence Minister Hissà ¨ne Habrà ©. Because of international pressures and uneasy relations between Goukouni and Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, Goukouni asked the Libyans to leave Chad in November 1981; they were replaced by an Inter-African Force (IAF). The IAF showed itself unwilling to confront Habrà ©s militia, and on June 7, 1982, the GUNT was ousted by Habrà ©; Goukouni fled into exile. A series of four international conferences held first under Nigerian and then Organization of African Unity (OAU) sponsorship attempted to bring the Chadian factions together. At the fourth conference, held in Lagos, Nigeria, in August 1979, the Lagos accord was signed. This accord established a transitional government pending national elections. In November 1979, the National Union Transition Government (GUNT) was created with a mandate to govern for 18 months. Goukouni Oueddei, a northerner, was named President; Colonel Kamougue, a southerner, Vice President; and Habrà ©, Minister of Defense. This coalition proved fragile; in January 1980, fighting broke out again between Goukounis and Habrà ©s forces. With assistance from Libya, Goukouni regained control of the capital and other urban centers by years end. However, Goukounis January 1981 statement that Chad and Libya had agreed to work for the realization of complete unity between the two countries generated intense internationa l pressure and Goukounis subsequent call for the complete withdrawal of external forces. Libyas partial withdrawal to the Aozou Strip in northern Chad cleared the way for Habers forces to enter NDjamena in June. French troops and an OAU peacekeeping force of 3,500 Nigerian, Senegalese, and Zairian troops (partially funded by the United States) remained neutral during the conflict. Third Chad Civil War (1998-2002) The CSNPD, led by Kette Moise and other southern groups entered into a peace agreement with government forces in 1994, which later broke down. Two new groups, the Armed Forces for a Federal Republic (FARF) led by former Kette ally Laokein Barde and the Democratic Front for Renewal (FDR), and a reformulated MDD clashed with government forces from 1994 to 1995. Talks with political opponents in early 1996 did not go well, but Deby announced his intent to hold presidential elections in June. Deby won the countrys first multi-party presidential elections with support in the second round from opposition leader Kebzabo, defeating General Kamougue (leader of the 1975 coup against Tombalbaye). Debbys MPS party won 63 of 125 seats in the January 1997 legislative elections. International observers noted numerous serious irregularities in presidential and legislative election proceedings. By mid-1997 the government signed peace deals with FARF and the MDD leadership and succeeded in cutting off the groups from their rear bases in the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Agreements also were struck with rebels from the National Front of Chad (FNT) and Movement for Social Justice and Democracy in October 1997. However, peace was short-lived, as FARF rebels clashed with government soldiers, finally surrendering to government forces in May 1998. Barde was killed in the fighting, as were hundreds of other southerners, most civilians. Since October 1998, Chadian Movement for Justice and Democracy (MDJT) rebels, led by Yusuf Togoimi until his death in September 2002, have skirmished with government troops in the Tidbits region, resulting in hundreds of civilian, government, and rebel casualties, but little ground won or lost. No active armed opposition has emerged in other parts of Chad, although Kette Moise, following senior postings at the Ministry of Interior, mounted a small scale local operation near Moundou which was quickly and violently suppressed by government forces in late 2000. Deby, in the mid-1990s, gradually restored basic functions of government and entered into agreements with the World Bank and IMF to carry out substantial economic reforms. Oil exploitation in the southern Dobra region began in June 2000, with World Bank Board approval to finance a small portion of a project aimed at transport of Chadian crude through a 1000-km. buried pipeline through Cameroon to the Gulf of Guinea. The project establishes unique mechanisms for World Bank, private sector, government, and civil society collaboration to guarantee that future oil revenues benefit local populations and result in poverty alleviation. Success of the project will depend on intensive monitoring efforts to ensure that all parties keep their commitments. Debt relief was accorded to Chad in May 2001. Fourth Chad Civil War (2005-present): The current civil war in Chad began in December 2005. The conflict involved Chadian government forces and several Chadian rebel groups. These include the United Front for Democratic Change, United Forces for Development and Democracy, Gathering of Forces for Change and the National Accord of Chad. The conflict has also involved the Janjaweed, while Sudan allegedly supported the rebels, while Libya mediated in he conflict, as well as diplomats from other countries. In 2005, Chadian President Idriss Deby changed the constitution so that he could run for a third term in office, which sparked mass desertions from the army. The large-scale desertions from the army in 2004 and 2005, which forced Deby to disband his presidential guard and form a new elite military force, weakened the presidents position and encouraged the growth of armed opposition groups. The Rally for Democracy and Liberation (RDL) was formed in August 2005, and the Platform for Unity, Democracy and Change (SCUD), two months later, to overthrow the current government, accusing it of being corrupt and totalitarian. Later that year, the RDL and SCUD joined six other groups to form the United Front for Democracy and Change (FUCD).The situation was made worse by the alleged accumulation of oil wealth by Deby and his entourage. On 6 January 2006, Janjaweed militants crossed the border from Sudan into Chad and attacked the cities of Borota, Ade, and Moudaina. Nine civilians were killed a nd three were seriously injured.The Chadian government stated, The Sudanese militias attacked the settlements of Borota, Ade, Moudainayesterday killing nine and injuring three among the civilian population The Chadian government once again warns the Sudanese government against any hasty action because aggression by Sudanese militias will not go unpunished for much longer. In February 2007, a coalition of four rebel groups claimed to have taken the eastern border town of Adre. Chad rejected a plan to have U.N. troops along its eastern border. Victims from this attack were documented in the film Google Darfur. In March Former rebel Mahamat Nour Abdelkerim became defence minister. Government said Sudanese Janjaweed militia attacked and destroyed two villages in east Chad. On 26 October 2007, a peace agreement was signed between the government of Chad and four rebel groups: the Movement for Resistance and Change, the National Accord of Chad and two factions of the United Forces for Development and Democracy. In late November 2007, the rebel leader Mahamat Nouri accused Idriss Deby of ordering an attack on his fighters in the east of Chad. The army said on public radio there were several hundred dead and several injured among the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) fighters. Abakar Tollimi, secretary-general of the UFDD, disputed the army toll, saying only 17 rebels were killed. We have killed more than 100 from among the army ranks, he said after the clashes. On 30 November 2007, the UFDD declared a state of war against French and foreign military forces in an apparent warning to EUFOR Chad/CARà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½, comprising 3,700 European Union peacekeeping troops, who should deploy in eastern Chad on a U.N. mission to protect camps housing more than 400,000 Chadian and Sudanese refugees. Steps to be taken to stop the civil war in Chad: The main reason for the first civil war in Chad was the president of the Chad. He can stop those riots but he did not do so. Because he want all the power of Chad in his hand. First of all he should listen the need of the rebel groups. All the talk can be done by the violence but he did not do that. By spreading the violence it would be stopped. Efforts to end the war and resort to peace talks have been made, including by the U.S. government. There have been democratic advances, including the creation of a High Court and a Constitutional Court, the introduction of multi party elections and an increasingly free press. But Chad still remains highly divided along ethnic, cultural, political and regional lines and widespread repression by Debbys security forces continues.

Canadas Independence from Britain

Canadas Independence from Britain Canada: An Independent Nation â€Å"A British subject I was born, a British subject I will die,† As said by the founding father of our nation, Sir John A. MacDonald, 1891. Like Sir John A. MacDonald, many Canadians have expressed full support and loyalty to Britain, as â€Å"Mother Empire.† Canada is one of the oldest established colonies of Britain and a senior member of the imperial family. Over the course of history beginning with Confederation Canada has developed a bond with Britain. This connection is rooted in common history, family ties, shared values and traditions. Though expressed support to Britain, Sir John A. MacDonald believed that Canada could be a â€Å"powerful auxiliary to the Empire,† in other words; he believed that Canada can be a powerful support to Britain as an independent country. Subsequently, it is without a doubt, that earlier on in history, Canada was meant to be a sovereign country. Certain battles and laws prove that Canada is, after all, a self-governing n ation. For this reason, the three most significant defining moments in Canadian history would be the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Statute of Westminster and D-Day when Canada emerged under the shadow of Britain, becoming a strong and independent nation. The 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge proves that Canada is a united and independent country through its ability to pull through a tough battle, as one unit. Even under British leadership, Canada was able to achieve control and gain victory at Vimy Ridge. Yet many had low expectations from Canadian troops from the start. This proves that Canadian troops are tough, well trained and can pull through any battle they are faced with. Vimy Ridge is a difficult location to capture – due to its strategic ridge – the territory was an advantage if captured. Even with restrictions, this was the first total Canadian victory under Canadian leadership with no British involvement. With the help of Canadian General Arthur Currie, Canadians created and mastered the â€Å"Vimy Glide,† a military technique used to help successfully capture the ridge. After all circumstances, the capture of Vimy Ridge became more significant due to the fact that other countries such as France and Britain fa iled to capture the ridge – and above all, Canada was successful. This helped increase Canada’s reputation as a strong, independent and professional nation, gaining the respect from many people. The Battle of Vimy Ridge is a battle contributing to Canada’s international reputation and as a united country, the first step to the growth of Canada’s independence. The Statute of Westminster, passed on December 11, 1931, officially proves that Canada is a self-governing, independent country from Britain. This law gave Canada its freedom to control it own foreign affairs and was no longer a colony of Britain. This British law outlined Canada’s full independence and freedom from â€Å"the Empire†. It is an important, defining moment in Canadian history, because it gave Canada the freedom to make decisions on their behalf, with no British involvement. Hence, this freedom was generally established during World War Two, when Canada was not automatically at war when Britain was, and was able to decide as an independent country. The Statue of Westminster contributed to Canada’s full independence from â€Å"the Empire,† revealing a supreme nation ready for anything that comes its way. The 1944 battle of D-Day is an important event for Canadians, proving the strength Canada has as a newly formed independent nation. It is one of the toughest, important battles Canadian troops had faced. Not only was battle of D-Day the largest, planned invasion against Germany, but also the turning point and end to World War Two. Being a part of this event, as an independent country, was significant for Canada. This battle made up for the Canadian efforts of the failed 1942 Dieppe raid. June 6, 1944 Canadian troops were assigned to capture â€Å"Juno Beach,† one of the five beaches of Normandy. Since Juno Beach was one of the central beaches, the most deadliest fighting took place here. Many Canadian soldiers drowned even before reaching the beach, just to show the harsh conditions experienced by the courageous troops. Although the beach was typically flat, Canadian troops had to go through a series of obstacles to advance this territory, for instance, barbed wire, mines and beach obstacles that prevented Canadian advance. As a result, Canadians successfully accomplished the mission given to them, particularly driving the Germans off the territory and capturing Juno Beach. The battle of D-Day proves to one important battle, demonstrating Canada’s independence and ability to carry out a mission. Although this was a tough battle, Canada was able to prevail during an important battle of World War Two. The Battle of D-Day proves Canada’s strength as an independent nation. In the long run, Canada gradually and peacefully emerged under the shadow of Britain, becoming a self-governing nation. As a part of the imperial family, Canada has demonstrated loyalty to Britain and has always been very close to the Empire. Events in history prove that Canada is, after all, an independent country. It was only a while ago when Canada fought alongside Britain during World War One and when Canada fought as an independent country during World War Two, proving that Canada has surely become a sovereign nation. Early on, fears of Canadian involvement in Britain’s foreign affairs were present even back to the late 1800s to the early 1900s. These fears were soon destroyed as the nation grew, revealing the true, independent side of Canada. That is to say, there was a time when Canada was dependent on Britain for most of their battles. Through the battle of Vimy Ridge, the Statute of Westminster and the invasion of Normandy when Canada grew, and developed into an indep endent nation, becoming one of the strongest, successful countries in the world.

The Red Symbol in The Handmaids Tale Essay -- Literature, Margaret At

In the dystopian novel, "The Handmaid's Tale" written by Margaret Atwood, the color red is a reoccurring, significant symbol throughout the book. The dominant color of the novel, the color red is paired with the Handmaids. The Handmaids are always seen in their red uniform, even down to their red shoes and red gloves. From the opening pages of the novel we are informed that they are trained at the â€Å"Red Centre,† and we are introduced to the importance of the red imagery as Offred, the narrator and protagonist of the novel, describes herself getting dressed: â€Å"The red gloves are lying on the bed. Everything except the wings around my face is red.† Which reveals to us how the handmaid’s are required to wear all red, representative of the way they are visually defined, and therefore confined within their role in the caste system as sexual servants to their Commanders. Red is worn only by the handmaids; the color red indicates sexuality, fertility and childbirth, accordingly outlining their function as a sexual object; their sole purpose being to bear children for their Commanders. One of the most reoccurring symbols throughout the novel, red is interrelated with all things female (the Handmaids.) Inversely, red is furthermore a symbol of death, violence and blood, which Offred portrays as a color which â€Å"defines us.† The reoccurring appearance of the color red creates a thought-provoking parallel between femininity and power, as it signifies the religious â€Å"sinfulness† of promiscuous sex between the handmaid’s and their â€Å"married† commander. Offred later states: â€Å"I never looked good in red, it’s not my color,† implying the sacrifice of her individuality due to the roles Gilead has forced her into. It is not their intellige... ...ed tulips in place and keeping them alive, there are human beings under the white bags, but Offred is beginning to neglect what is under her red dress. Offred aches to reminisce about the life she once knew, yet now images are enforced into her mind and she understands them how her cult/society now requires her to perceive this different world. Red is a scandalous and dishonorable color, outlining the Handmaids as such. Everything correlated with the handmaids is red; Offred’s own name, for instance, which so distressingly epitomizes dualism can be read as "Of Fred," signifying her ownership to her commander-yet furthermore can be read as "Off Red,† suggesting off with the red dress, symbolizing her yearning for nonconformity from the red dress and all the afflictions correlated with red in her life- blood, death and violence, which have come to â€Å"define† her.

Percy B. Shelley :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Percy Bysshe Shelley was born on August 4, 1792 to the extremely conventional Sir Timothy, who, being a man of influence, no doubt wanted his first born son to follow in his footsteps (Richards 671). Shelley, however, had much less conformist views, and was even â€Å"ragged† at Eton for expressing such (Matthews 196). He did not care to learn what his â€Å"tyrants† taught, but was interested rather, in science (which was outlawed from Eton at the time), Godwin, and the French skeptics. The rebellious nature persisted as he grew older and he developed a â€Å"delight† for controversy (Matthews 195). This â€Å"delight† ultimately lead to his expulsion from Oxford because of his writing â€Å"The Necessity of Atheism.† His patience for authority continued to diminish, until he eventually developed a passion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shelley wanted to fight tyranny, as well as slavery. His ultimate goal was to lead men to a â€Å"life of freedom, love, and apprehension of the beautiful† (Richards 672). Shelley felt that repression exist because mankind instituted and tolerated it (Matthews 200). He believed that â€Å"Mankind only had to will that there should be no evil, and there would be none† (Ford 161). This idealistic view of the world is evident in the majority of Shelley’s literary works.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1819, Shelley wrote â€Å"Song to the Men of England† (Editors 610). This poem was written for the same purpose as many of his others: to urge the working class of Great Britain to rebel. The imagery of a bee hive is evident throughout this piece. In stanza II, for instance, the â€Å"tyrants† are referred to as â€Å"Those ungrateful drones who would / Drain [the] sweat - nay, drink [the] blood.† In stanza III, a reference is made to the working class as the â€Å"Base of England.† The metaphor is picked up again in stanza VII, when Shelley orders the â€Å"Men of England† to â€Å"shrink to [their]...cells† (Editors 611).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most rebellion-inspiring lines are found in stanza VI:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sow seed - but let no tyrant reap;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Find wealth, - let no impostor heap;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weave robes, - let not the idle wear;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Forge arms, - in your defense to bear. (21-24) This is the second time, in this poem alone, that Shelley refers to the aristocrats and rulers of England as tyrants. This is evidence of his strong desire for political reform. He sincerely felt that the only way to gain freedom was by overthrowing â€Å"entrenched order† (Matthews 199).

Nature good or bad

This is partly because human nature can e regarded as both a source of norms of conduct or ways of life, as well as presenting obstacles or constraints on living a good life. The complex implications of such questions are also dealt with in art and literature, while the multiple branches of the Humanities together form an important domain of Inquiry Into human nature, and the question of what It Is to be human. Is It good or evil? The nature of humankind has been explored endlessly, with no definitive answers. What people believe the nature of humans to be is a very personal belief.That belief s shaped by the religion they follow, the culture they grew up in, and by their life experiences. What people believe has a large elm[act on the way they live their lives. It Is the pylons of this writer that people are Inherently good. This writer's pylons that people are Inherently good has developed gradually over time. One reason for this viewpoint is the fact that I believe we are all crea ted in God's image by God to serve him. If that is truly the case, then I feel that people would be inherently good, as God is. It is this writer's belief that God would not create someone who was inherently evil.People do sin, and some people could even be considered ‘evil,' but overall I feel that most people do try and lead a good life by being kind to others and helping those In need. Another reason for my belief Is the culture that I have grown up in. This may seem strange, since many people complain that our society is too filled with violence and other ‘bad' things. However, the very presence of such arguments about our society shows this writer that most people do not find violence at violent programming or acts, society tells people what it rely values: love and peace.If violence did not bother people, then there would not be the debate that exists today. Therefore, the belief that people are inherently good is supported by the culture that I grew up in. The exp eriences that one has throughout their life also shape their belief. In my life, I have had many experiences that reinforce my belief that people are inherently good. I have seen people unselfishly helping others in many circumstances. Many people give blood to save some stranger they will never meet.A woman Just donated part of her liver to a young girl she did not know so that the girl could live. Others donate millions to feed starving children , donate their time to teach people the bible so they could have a better life. These people undergo pain to help others; with no reward for themselves other than knowing they did a good thing. When people have tragedy strike them, the community will surround them with support. One example was the earthquake in 2010 that destroyed my country people came from almost every where to help with many different things, from food to clothing to shelter.In daily life, one can usually find many examples of people helping people, I my self donate my time regularly my time to teach the bible o others to help them bring changes it sir lives and I know more than 9 millions are doing the same thing, and this has been an important factor in shaping my belief. If people were not good, then I do not feel that one would be able to find these things occurring with such frequency. But why are we in that situation where we some times have a tendency of doing ABA things? What the scientist think?SCIENTISTS are hard at work to try to find genetic causes for alcoholism, homosexuality, promiscuity, violence, other aberrant behavior, and even for death itself. Would it not e a relief to find that we are not responsible for our actions but are merely victims of biology? It is human nature to blame someone or something else for our errors. If the genes are to blame, scientists hold out the possibility of changing them, eliminating undesirable traits through genetic engineering. The recent success in mapping the entire human genome has given such aspirations new impetus.This scenario, however, is based on the premise that our genetic endowment is, indeed, the villain responsible for all our sins and errors. Have the scientific detectives found enough evidence to make a case against our genes? Obviously, the answer will profoundly affect how we see ourselves and our future. Before examining the evidence, though, a look at mankind's origin will prove enlightening. How It All Started Most people are familiar with, or at least have heard of, the account about the fall of the first human pair, Adam and Eve, in the garden of Eden.Were they made with some intrinsic defect in the genes right from the start, a sort of design flaw that predisposed them to sin and disobedience? Their Creator, Jehovah God, whose works are all perfect, proclaimed that his crowning earthly creation was â€Å"very DOD. † (Genesis 1 :31; Deuteron 32:4) As further evidence of his satisfaction with his work, he gave the first couple his blessing and i nstructed them to be fruitful, to fill the earth with human creatures, and to take charge of his earthly creation?hardly the actions of someone uncertain of his handiwork. ?Genesis 1:28.Regarding the creation of the first human pair, the Bible tells us: â€Å"God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God's image he created him; male and female he created in physical appearance, for â€Å"God is a Spirit. † Noon 4:24) Rather, it means that human returns were endowed with godly qualities and a sense of morality, a conscience. (Romans 2:14, 15) They were also free moral agents, capable of weighing a matter and deciding on the action to take. However, our first parents were not left without guidelines. Rather, they were warned of the consequences of wrongdoing. Genesis 2:17) So the evidence indicates that when Adam was faced with a moral decision, he chose to do what to him seemed expedient or advantageous at the time. He followed his wife in her wrongdoing instead of con sidering his relationship with his Creator or the long-term effects of his action. He also tried later to shift the blame to Jehovah, saying that the wife He had provided misled him. ?Genesis 3:6, 12; 1 Timothy 2:14. God's response to the sin of Adam and Eve is revealing. He did not try to correct some ‘design flaw' in their genes.Rather, he carried out what he told them would be the consequences of their actions, which led to their eventual death. (Genesis 3:17-19) This early history sheds much light on the nature of human behavior. The Evidence Against Biology For a long time, scientists have been tackling the monumental task of finding genetic causes and cures for human pathology and behavior. After ten years of work by six teams of researchers, the gene linked to Huntington disease was isolated, although the researchers have no idea how the gene causes the disease.However, reporting on this research, Scientific American quoted Harvard biologist Even Balkan, who said that i t would be â€Å"almost infinitely harder to discover genes for behavioral disorders. † In fact, research attempting to link specific genes to human behavior has been unsuccessful. For instance, in Psychology Today, a report on efforts to find genetic causes for depression states: â€Å"Epidemiological data on the major mental illnesses make it clear that they can't be reduced to purely genetic causes. The report gives an example: â€Å"Americans born before 1905 had a 1 percent rate of depression by age 75. Among Americans born a half century later, 6 percent become depressed by age 24! † It thus concludes that only external or social factors can bring about such dramatic changes in such a short time. What do these and numerous other studies tell us? While genes may play a role in shaping our personalities, there clearly are other influences. A major factor is our environment, which has undergone addict changes in modern times.Concerning what today's youth are expose d to in popular entertainment, the book Boys Will Be Boys observes that it is unlikely that children will develop sound moral principles when they â€Å"grow up watching tens of thousands of hours of TV shows and films in which people are assaulted, shot, stabbed, disemboweled, chopped up, skinned, or dismembered, when children grow up listening to music which glorifies rape, suicide, drugs, alcohol, and bigotry. † Clearly, Satan, â€Å"the ruler of this world,† has shaped an environment that caters to man's baser desires. And who can deny the powerful influence that such an environment exerts on all of us? ?John 12:31; Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:9, 12. The Root of Mankind's Trouble As we have already seen, mankind's problems started when the first human pair sinned. The result? While generations of Dam's offspring are not responsible for Dam's sin, they nonetheless are all born with sin, imperfection, and death as their entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned. â€Å"?Romans 5:12. Man's imperfection puts him at a decided disadvantage. But that does not absolve him of all moral responsibility.The Bible shows that those who put faith in Jehovah provision for life and conform their lives to God's standards will have his approval. Out of his loving-kindness, Jehovah made a merciful provision to redeem mankind, to buy back, as it were, what Adam had lost. That provision is the ransom sacrifice of his perfect Son, Jesus Christ, who said: â€Å"God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. â€Å"? John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22. The apostle Paul expressed his deep appreciation for this provision.He exclaimed: â€Å"Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! † (Romans 7:24, 25) Paul knew that if he succumbed to sin out of weakness, he could ask God's forgiveness on the basis of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. * As in the first century, today many who formerly led very bad lives or whose situation seemed hopeless have come to an accurate knowledge of Bible truth, made the necessary changes, and come in line for God's blessing. The changes they had to cake were not easy, and many still have to contend with harmful tendencies.But with God's help, they are able to maintain integrity and find Joy in serving him. (Philippians 4:13) we have in this society many example of people who started in a way with a bad life but turn around to do good things , have a complete change in their lives in order to please God or to have a better life for them self. Therefore Wearer Responsible Trying to pin the entire blame for our misconduct on our genes simply does not work. Rather than helping us to solve or overcome our problems, notes Psychology Today, ongoing so â⠂¬Å"may be teaching us a helplessness that is at the root of many of our problems.Instead of reducing the incidence of these problems, this seems to have fueled their growth. † It is true that we must contend with major adverse forces, including our own sinful tendencies and Satin's efforts to distract us from obeying God. (1 Peter 5:8) It is also true that our genes may influence us in one way or another. But we are surely not helpless. True Christians have powerful allies? Jehovah, Jesus Christ, God's holy spirit, his Word the Bible, and the Christian negotiation.Therefore the way one view the nature of human beings is very important as it shapes the way they look at their world. In this case, I must disagree with the â€Å"Theory that say people were born evil. † as I feel that people are inherently good. Most people will choose to be good over evil, and will help their fellow human beings without asking what they are to get from their actions. While there is evil in the world, it is the exception to the norm, and overall it is this my opinion that people can choose to be good . New world translation 2013 edition

“Helping and Hating the Homeless” A summary of Peter Marin piece Essay

Peter Marin’s piece, â€Å"Helping and Hating the Homeless† first appeared in Harper’s Magazine (January 1987). It is an account of why some marginalized people â€Å"choose† homelessness and why middle-class culture finds them so threatening. In this piece, Marin explains to his readers that homeless people were once just like the rest of us. Homeless are considered annoying by most Americans. Marin describes the problem of homeless people and the lack of help for this growing problem. Marin had many strong points in his article on the homeless. Marin strongly points out that society does not understand the reasons for the homeless problem because most people are ignorant to the problem or are misinformed. First of all, there are many different reasons as to why the homeless became homeless, but most people categorize all of these reasons into one, the homeless. They think it is one major group of people with the same problem; living on the streets. However, the homeless are made up of veterans, the mentally ill, single parents, physically disabled, runaway children, drug addicts and alcoholics. The majority of this list were normal people before becoming homeless. Some were members of the working class who ran into problems and ended up on the streets they had no were else to turn. The homeless problem is more complex than most people can imagine. â€Å"The word â€Å"homeless† tells us almost nothing† ( ¶ 8). People who do not agree with the American life style sometimes end up homeless because they want to be excluded from society. Some people do surprisingly choose to be homeless. Others choose to be homeless because they can not live within a â€Å"normal† society. For example, veterans might have to turn to the streets because they couldn’t escape the trauma and couldn’t live a normal life with all of the troubles they endure day to day. There are some homeless people â€Å"†¦who no longer want help, who no longer recognize the need for help, and whose experiences in our world has made them want to be left alone† ( ¶ 21). Some of these people are content with living on the streets. They do not want a change and seem to be happy in what seems to be a very unfortunate situation. Many people are misinformed  about this kind of circumstance. Some homeless people start out with a normal life then start living on the streets because of a traumatic experience they can not escape. The story about Alice shows this vividly. She had a job as a teacher and one day she was raped. This led to a nervous breakdown and three months in a mental institution. After returning she had no job and no belongings in her apartment. â€Å"We must learn to accept that there may indeed be people, and not only vets, who have seen so much of our world, or seen it so clearly, that to live in it becomes impossible† ( ¶ 17). She eventually felt she had no where to turn except the streets. Alice was a person similar to many others in society before she was raped. This story shows how the tables can turn in life suddenly and drastically. Most people would never realize that some of the homeless people they walk by day to day is a person like Alice. Society tends to think that the homeless are without homes mostly because of themselves and not because of traumatic experiences. In the end Marin points out that as a society, we owe it to the homeless to give them a place in the world that they, too, have contributed to. Just because twists of fate or bad luck have put them where they are now, does not give us the right to deprive them of the right to live a decent life just because we fear them, think that we are better than them, or simply believe that they are not our problem.† It may not be a moral Obligation,†¦, but an obligation non of the less.†( ¶ 47).

Compare and Contrast: Highschool vs. College Essay

My memory of the first day of high school brings me back to the feeling of being overwhelmed. There were students allocated everywhere in one building. It seemed like every one was confused on where to go and how to behave. It seems like a long time ago to me, but my first day at college brought back those feelings. Even though there weren’t as many people scurrying around, I still felt this overwhelming sense of confusion. Now I find myself as a freshman in college, somewhat similar to that freshman in high school with just a little more independence than what I had four years ago. Most students after grammar school are mandated to attend high school. On the other hand, college is a choice. Although high school teaches us many lesson on the path of maturity, college puts that lesson to a test. Even though there are many similarities between high school and college there are just as many differences. As a freshman in high school, you find yourself developing at an accelerated rate. You have a little more freedom than middle school, a very structured class schedule and most of all the same classmates stick with you throughout all four years. High school is a very structured environment. You become dependent on your teachers and other classmates to guide you through all four years. In college, you are self-reliant and manage your own time and schedule. Depending on others will not help enhance your grades. A high school student needs to structure his or her time and find tune in his or her study habits to ensure better results. To manage your time is a learned experience in high school and carried on through college. Learning how to manage your time in high school all comes together in college. Your time management skills are put to the test in college. Even though the environment in college is to be independent, you depend on the skills learned from high school to help achieve tha t independence. Classes in high school are very structured and defined by the mandatory credits for graduation. These classes are general and are distributed on an annual basis. All students share the same classes that are based on the grade level they are attending. In high school, you depend on your teachers  for that constant reminder of the completion of assignments. On the other hand, in college your professors simply lecture. It is up to the student to understand the material from the lecture. Courses are selected by the student based on their choice of major. Even though the courses are mandated, the selection of courses are defined by the student. For both, high school and college, grades are dependent on the achievement or failure of courses. Homework and assignments are given in high school as an extra credit mechanism to help raise grades. There is more leniency to help achieve a passing grade. In high school, by applying yourself to the classes you are assigned, your grade will reflect on the amount of participation during class. In college, homework is truly based on the amount of effort you place in studying. The professors in college don’t give that leniency. The expectation of a responsible student is to understand and know the material for future use. Tests are given based on the material to further ones knowledge of the course. These tests are based on your grade. Achieving this is based on the effort put into studying, similar to the effort that is placed in high school. In conclusion, some may think high school and college are different when in fact they have similarities. Grammar school prepares us for high school. High school prepares us for college. College prepares us for the future. These experience s define us as individuals. Each environment presents us with learning experiences that we depend on to enhance our abilities to become adults. These experiences are based on appropriate decisions and choices. In order to find the similarities and differences, a student must experience the learning environment for themselves.

Fpi Assignment

Executive Summary The report is regarding to the knowledge of analyzing the accounting data of a listed company, using the various accounting information that provided to identify and examine the competitiveness and efficiency of the listed company. Besides, in order to examine the reliability of the data provided, analysis of the balance sheet and income statement is required. The financial information can be obtained from the annual reports of Harbour-Link Group Berhad.In addition, the report is required to include the top-down approach which consists of Economic analysis, Industry analysis and Fundamental analysis to analyze the listed company in the point of view for investors. Table of Content 1. Introduction 1. Objectives 2. Analysis of the statement of financial position, the statement of financial performance and cash flow statement. 1. Financial Analysis ratio: Asset efficiency ratio Capital Structure ratio Liquidity Ratio Profitability Ratio Share Price 3. Economic Analysis 4. Industry Analysis . Conclusion 6. Findings 7. References Introduction In this report, Harbour-Link Group Berhad is chosen among the listed companies. Harbour-Link Group Berhad is an investment holding company which provides shipping, forwarding and transportation, plant and machinery hiring, and engineering contract services primarily in Malaysia and Singapore. Harbour-Link Group Berhad was founded in the year of 1975 and it is based in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. It was officially listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in the year of 2004.Today, Harbour-Link Group’s success lies in its strong foundation of expertise in the industry and its ability to established the company as a reputable brand-name within the shipping, sea freight forwarding and transportation industries. Objectives 1. To identify the sources of funds, Balance Sheet and profit or loss of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad. 2. To analyze accounting data of Harbour-Link Group Berhad to examine its financia l performance using Financial Performance Indicators (ratio analysis) 3.To analyze the economy status, competitors within the same industries and evaluate the operating efficiencies of the listed company. 4. To examine the competitiveness and efficiency of the listed company by using the various accounting information provided. Financial Analysis Financial analysis ratios are used to examine the financial performance of a company in which it will be reflected in the ratios calculated. (Giles et al, 1994, p. 371) Asset efficiency Ratios Asset turnover ratio From the data calculated, the asset turnover ratio for the financial year of 2008, 2009 and 2010 are 109. 9%, 92. 12% and 79. 65%. This indicates that the Harbour-Link Group Berhad is not doing well in the sales of the products or services because the asset turnover ratio is decreasing from year to year. Debtor turnover (in days) Debtor turnover is the debtor collection period of a company. Harbour-Link Group Berhad had a debtor t urnover of 73 days in the year of 2008. In the year of 2009, the debtor turnover is 77 days. However, its debtor turnover is decreased to 71 days. This reflects that the possibility of default risk for the debtors is decreasing.In fact, this is a good thing in a company. Inventory Turnover Inventory turnover measures how many times the company can sell through its inventory for each year. In the year of 2008, Harbour-Link Group has an inventory turnover of 163 times. The turnover increased to 212 times in the financial year of 2009 but the inventory turnover decreased to 127 times in the year of 2010. This reflects that the company can sell better in the year of 2009 but it dropped tremendously in the year of 2010. Capital structure Ratio Debt to equity ratioThe debt to equity ratio of Harbour-link Group Berhad is decreasing from the year of 2008 to 2010 by 2%. This is caused by the reducing of total liabilities and the increasing of the total equity. Time interest earned The times- interest-earned ratio allows a lender to evaluate the company’s ability to meet its debt obligation. It is a ratio of the earning before interest and tax over the interest expenses. The time interest earned has a slightly increased from the year of 2008 to year 2009 but it has a greater decrease in ratio amount from the year of 2009 to year 2010.This means that in the year of 2010, Harbour-Link Group Berhad have lesser earnings are available to meet the interest payments and this makes the company to be more vulnerable to the increases in the interest rates. Liquidity Ratios Liquidity ratio is the ratio that is used to examine the liquidity of a company. It includes: Current Ratio Current ratio is the ratio of current assets to current liabilities. Harbour-link Group Berhad has it current ratio decreasing from the year of 2008 to 2010. Its current ratios are 1. 90, 1. 76 and 1. 57 respectively. The ratio is decreased by 14% and 19%.The data is calculated as shown in the findi ngs. Liquid Ratio Liquid ratio is the ratio of (current assets-inventory) to (current liabilities-bank overdraft). Harbour-Link Group Berhad has borrowings so there is bank overdraft existed and that’s why it is classifies as a debt financing organization. The company has a higher liquid ratio of 2. 34 in the year of 2010 compared to the year of 2008 and 2009 which is 1. 88 and 1. 75 respectively. The liquid ratio of the 3 financial years exceeded 1 and this indicates that the current assets are greater than the current liabilities.Higher liquid ratio reflects better performance of the company. Net working Capital Net working capital is the difference between current assets and the current liabilities. In the three financial years, Harbour-Link Group Berhad has the highest net working capital of RM 51. 4 million in the year of 2008. The figure of net working capital for Harbour-link Group Berhad decreased in the year of 2009 and 2010 by 0. 43% and 12. 32% respectively. This s hows that there is a drastic drop in the net working capital of year 2010. Profitability Ratios EBIT to total funds ratioEBIT to total funds ratio of Harbour-Link Group Berhad is decreasing in the range of 22% from the financial year of 2008 to 2009 and 21. 4% from the financial year of 2009 to 2010. The total funds consist of shareholders’ funds and borrowings. According to the annual report, Harbour-Link Group Berhad is practicing debt-financing to raise funds because there is borrowing existed. Return on Equity (ROE) Harbour-link Group shows a decrease in net income from year 2008 to 2010. This situation leads to the decrease in the return on equity (ROE) of 5%.In the financial year of 2010, it has the ROE of 0. 08 which indicates that for every RM1 of the capital that the shareholder invested into, they will get 8% of return. Return on Assets The return on assets measures the productivity of assets in terms of the level of profits each dollar of assets generates. (Karen D . H, 2004, p. 131) The return on assets of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad is decreasing from the financial year of 2008 to 2010. It decreased from 8% of year 2008 to 7% in the year of 2009 and then 5% in the year of 2010.This implies that the productivity of the company’s assets is not doing well in terms of profits that the assets generated. Net Profit Margin The net profit margin is the ratio of net profit after tax to the total revenues. In the financial year of 2008 and 2009, Harbour-Link Group Berhad has the net profit margin figure of 8%. It indicates that the company has a net income of RM0. 08 for each RM1 of sales. However, the net profit margin for the year of 2010 decreased by 2% which is only 6% in the financial year. This shows that for every RM1 of sales made by the company in year 2010, the net income is only RM0. 6 which is RM0. 02 lower than the previous year. Share Price Price to Earnings Ratio (P/E) Price to Earning ratio is calculated by using the share pri ce of the year 2010 over the earnings per share. The market price of Harbour-Link Group Berhad was amounted to RM 0. 72 in the year of 2010. From the annual report of the financial year of 2010, the earning per share is RM 0. 11. By using the formulae, the price to earning per share of 2010 is calculated as shown in the table with a figure of RM 6. 825. Current Economic Analysis Roots of Global financial crisisGlobal financial crisis are usually caused by bad regulation of the banking sectors, failure of fiscal and monetary policy implemented and so forth. In the year of 2008, Financial crisis began with the declared of bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. which is the fourth largest investment bank in United States. It was a severe ongoing world financial problem that began in U. S in the year of 2008. This recession has entirely hitting on the fragile global economy with the tremendous devastation in countries all around the world. The U.S government was trying to point the finger of the financial crisis to the rating agencies, who knew about the great risk that was coming but kept giving high reliability ratings to companies that did not deserve them and thus investors invested in the wrong companies. The cause of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc was the accumulation of debt and the increasing of loan defaults. Why it evolved into a world crisis The news on bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Company led to the drastic fall in the share price all over the world.The company had billions of dollars losses incurred in the mortgage market of United States. (BBC NEWS, 16th Sept 2008) In Lehman Brothers’ case and the other investment banks, the problem was provoked by 2 major factors which are the very high level of leverage ratio and the dependence on short-term debt financing. Commercial banks cannot leverage their equity more than 15 to 1 as they are regulated but for Lehman Brothers Company, it had a leverage ratio of more than 30 to 1. According to the table 1, Lehman Brothers had only $3. 30 of equity for every $100 of loans. With this ratio, it makes the company to be insolvent.Conversely, the instability arose from the leverage problem was aggravated by the strong reliance on the short term debt. Based on table 1(Lehman Brothers Liabilities and shareholder’s equity), at the beginning of the crisis, the company financed greater than 50% of the assets. Reliance on short term debt financing is profitable indeed when it comes to a low interest rate market environment. However, when the company faced rumors of the insolvency problem, the short term lenders will start to have doubt on the company’s performance and therefore, they will start to withdraw their funds from the company for self interest protection.This scenario will lead to a shortage of liquidity for the borrower and thus the company tends to default. After the crisis began, Lehman Brothers did try to decrease its leverage and reduce its de pendence on the short term borrowing but it was too late for them to amend the situation and therefore, bankruptcy occurred. The bankruptcy of Lehman’s brother forced the reassessment of risk in the market by looking at the price of the credit default trades. Impact on Malaysia and world economies The crisis started in the year of 2008 had a great hit on Malaysia and world economies.It causes the gas price had a drastic drop, decreasing of the value of real estates, the increasing of unemployment rate, Federal debt crisis and inflation. There is a global explosion in commodities price. The price of crude oil was remaining at high levels for few years till the end of 2008, the crude oil price dropped from the peak in July 2008 of US$145 to US$30. 28 per barrel in December 2008. (Forbes, 2008) According to the findings in table 2, the unemployment rate of Malaysia increased by 3. 13% from the year of 2008 to 2009 and 12. 12% from the year of 2009 to 2010.Malaysian future econom ic At first, Malaysia was aiming to have 9% of average annual Growth Domestic Product (GDP) until 2020. Suddenly, according to the Economic Planning Unit, the government noted that the number is absurd then they changed and told that Malaysia was capable to achieve 5. 4% of Growth Domestic Product (GDP) annually over the next 10 years to achieve the objective of becoming a high income economy by 2020, which is the vision 2020 (East Asia Forum, 2009). These seem that Malaysia’s economic future is uncertainty. It keeps changing.Besides, Malaysia’s government has a close relationship with its private businesses. Because of the relationship with some business groups have ostensibly led to the emergence of political cronies with unlimited access to public resources. Not only the relationship that mention above but also the experience of neighbouring Indonesia shows that it is a dangerous trend that could negatively affect economic development in the future. In this matter, changes in political leadership led to unstable political environment. Although it does not directly effect on Malaysia, it threatens he influx of refugees caused damage regional stability and social stability. Malaysia's maritime economy can be defined as the production and manner of use of the range of goods and services that are linked to the maritime sector (Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, 1997). It covers the activities that are resource based, including fisheries, oil and gas, marine biotechnology and those that are service based such as shipping ports, shipbuilding and repair and the myriad range of ancillary maritime services (Maritime Institute of Malaysia,2005).Malaysia's main concern is the future of marine economy of the future of Malaysian trade, because the country's foreign and domestic trade, or even almost totally dependent on sea transport facilities. From this we can know that it will have a very bright prospect in maritime economy. If Malaysia is to achieve the goals of industrialization, productivity-driven growth and enhancing competitiveness will depend on how the maritime sector is managed. The maritime sector has a main role to play in enhancing productivity-driven growth. An important element that will affect efforts to sustain international competitiveness is productivity.But, for longer term, Malaysia will need to maintain its international competitiveness, since there is rising competition from other emerging markets for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and for the transfer of modern technologies. Environmental issues are also important for Malaysia in the longer term as deforestation and global climate change may destabilize the country's agriculture, which still plays an important role in the national economy. What is the most important is the political will effect a change to system-centred thinking in planning the future of the economy. So, a stable political environment is very important to Malaysia.If the political environment of M alaysia is good, it will have a bright future of economy. Solutions to the Global Financial Crisis or crises in general. Banks and financial institutions can cause a downswing of an economy because of their ignorance of the business cycle. Besides, bankers are greedy with the fat bonuses that they will gain if they get the highest market shares results. When the economy is doing well, they expect that there will be no recession problem is going to occur and therefore they will give loans to their customers without considering their customers’ affordability to repay the loans.Once their customers cannot afford to repay the loans, recession will occurs. To overcome these crisis problems, several steps can be used. Government and bankers often intervene to smooth the peaks and valleys of the economic cycle. There are two objectives that the government and bankers can do to prevent serious downswing of an economy. 1) Speedy intervention to prevent a self-perpetuating downward spi ral, which means protecting depositors at minimal long term cost to the taxpayer.For example, the Federal reserve may restrict the money supply in good times to slow the expansion phase of the economic cycle, or deficit spend and cut interest rates to ease the recessionary phase of an economic cycle. 2) Ensure so far as possible that future booms are less exaggerated. This has implications for the form of any rescue package, and for the system of financial oversight that is put in place. The growth of consumer credits will increase the consumption of the consumer. The increase in the consumption will increase the aggregate demand of the country whereby AD equals to C + I + G + (X-M). Mc Taggart et al, 2007 p. 766). When the AD is increasing, it means that GDP is also increasing. This shows that the consumer credits provided will also be increased and therefore people will keep on borrowing money from the banks for consumption. This situation actually can amplify the business cycle a nd extend the upswing of the economy. Industry analysis The domestic and the world economy were in a downturn in the year of 2009. All the industry was affected and they are making an effort to maintain their previous performance and growth momentum. In the year of 2009, Harbour-Link Group Berhad suffered revenue declined by 5. 9% to RM 327. 6 million. The revenue decreased again by 5. 76% to RM 308. 7 million compare to the previous year due to lower selling prices and softer consumer demand. One of the Company competitors, Swee Joo Berhad was also suffered by achieved a turnover of RM 346. 7 million which is 9. 9% lower than the previous financial period. The lower turnover was also impacted by the recovery state for the economy. Swee Joo Berhad has a reduce in current ratio from 0. 648 to 0. 278 which seems to be lower than that of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad and therefore Harbour-link seems to have a better current ratio.Swee Joo Berhad has a negative figure for its Earnings b efore interest and tax of -11. 32 million and -176. 82 million in the year of 2009 and 2010. This is a huge loss for the company. It shows that Harbour-Link has a better performance than its major competitor, Swee Joo Berhad. Although the economy showed signs of recovery, but most of the economists hold that the sustained global recovery is still vague. This situation greatly influenced the consumers spending behavior. According to the Edge, Harbour-Link Unit obtained the secured contracts of RM75. 2 to supply gantry cranes for the Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd.The contracts were expected to be done in the year of 2012 and it’s also expected to escalate the future revenue and earnings positively for Harbour-Link Group Berhad. (The Edge, 11 April 2011) There are several ways for the companies to perform better during this hard period. However, the suppliers are also important causes which will affect the company performance. Although Harbour-Link Group Berhad suffered lower revenue dur ing the year, however, it obtained quite a number of big projects with a favorable amount of contracts worth which is believed to boost the revenues for the future of the company itself.This scenario will assist Harbour-Link Group Berhad to create a stronger visibility and allow it to be well positioned for the economic recovery. Findings [pic] Table 1 shows Lehman Brothers Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity Source: Lehman Annual Reports |Year |Unemployment Rate |Percentage Change | |2006 |3. 60 | | |2007 |3. 50 |-2. 78% | |2008 |3. 20 |-8. 7% | |2009 |3. 30 |3. 13% | |2010 |3. 50 |12. 12% | Table 2 shows the unemployment rate in Malaysia Source: CIA World Factbook Conclusion In conclusion, although the Harbour-Link Group Berhad has a downturn in its overall performances in the financial year of 2009 and 2010 as the results shown in the findings, but it has a better performance than its main competitor, Swee Joo Berhad in the shipping industries.The Harbour-Link Group Berha d is overall well organized in its financial statements as shown in the annual reports and it can be categorized as a profitable and successful listed company in Malaysia. On the perspective of investors, Harbour-link is counted as a good investment company and therefore investors are advised to consider Harbour-link Group Berhad as one of their investment company because the company has a good expectation to have a huge increase in its future economic benefits.The future economy of Malaysia is expected to have a good return and therefore this ensure that Harbour-Link Group Berhad is a wise investment for the future benefits. References Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, 1997, The Maritime Economy of Malaysia, Pelanduk Publication BBC News, 16 September 2008, http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/7615931. stm Bursa Malaysia 2010- Equities, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, viewed on 26 April 2011 http://www. bursamalaysia. com/website/bm/market_information/prices/ East Asia Forum, Malaysia’s Eco nomic Future, view on 1 May 2011, http://www. eastasiaforum. org/2009/11/24/malaysias-economic-future/Encyclopedia of the Nations, Malaysia- Future Trends, viewed on 2 May 2011, http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Malaysia-FUTURE-TRENDS. html Forbes 2008- Crude Oil Prices 1861 – 2009, Forbes. com 2010, viewed on28 April 2011, http://www. forbes. com/2008/05/13/oil-prices-1861-today-real-vs-nominal_flash2. html Giles, R & Capel, J 1994, Finance and accounting, 3rd Edition, MacMillan, London Harbour-Link Group Berhad 2011, harbour. com. my; Total Logistics &EPCC Provider N. V 2009&2010, Harbour-Link Group Berhad, viewed on 22 April 2011, http://www. harbour. om. my/ Karen D. Halpern, 2004, Understanding Finance: Money, Capital and investments, Pearson, New Jersey. Maritime Institute of Malaysia, Malaysia and Port Competitiveness, 2005 Mc Taggart et al, 2007, Macroeconomics, 5th Edition, Pearson, Australia The Edge Financial Daily, 11 April 2011 v iewed on 24 April 2011. http://www. theedgemalaysia. com/ The Star Online 2011- Market watch, Star Publications (M) Berhad, viewed on 24 April 2011, http://biz. thestar. com. my/marketwatch/charts/l. asp? code=2062~HARBOUR&p1=0. 99&p2=0. 985&p3=0. 99&p4=0. 985&p5=0. 99&p6=0&p7=0. 00&p8=915&p9=0. 532