Monday, September 30, 2019

Cola Wars: Profitability of the soft-drink industry Essay

Historically, the soft drink industry has been extremely profitable. Long time industry leaders Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola largely drive the profits in the industry, relying on Porter’s five forces model to explain the attractiveness of the soft drink market. These forces allowed Coke and Pepsi to maintain large growth until 1999, and also explain the challenges that each company is currently facing. The relative duopoly that Coke and Pepsi share in the industry allows for higher profits, while also maintaining enough competition to promote firm improvement. The first of Porter’s forces is the threat of new entrants. Coke and Pepsi have been largely successful because of many barriers to entry that limits the risk of entry by potential competitors. Coke and Pepsi both have strong brand loyalty, made possible by their long history and adherence to tradition. When Coke strayed from its Coca-Cola Classic formula, its customers demanded a return to the original recipe. Pepsi and Coke also share an absolute cost advantage over others in the industry. They developed superior production operations by buying up bottling companies and performing the service in-house. These companies also have large economies of scale, as they both operate internationally and together control 84% of the market worldwide. Additionally, government regulations have prevented competitors from mimicking Coke’s secret formula, as evidenced by their relentless defense of their brand in court. All of these factors have made it difficult for competitors to enter the soft drink industry. The second of Porter’s forces is rivalry amongst established companies. The competitive structure of the industry has allowed Coke and Pepsi to sustain high profits. The industry is essentially an oligopoly, with Coke and Pepsi dominating the market. The firms are hurt by having similar products that are relatively undifferentiated. However, diversification of product lines into carbonated and non-carbonated beverages has created some product differences. High industry growth from 1975 to 1995 also provided a reprieve from the competitor pressure. Franchising and long-term contracts created higher switching costs, historically limiting the effects of rivalry on the two firms. Porter’s third force is the bargaining power of buyers. This has always been low in the industry, and continues to diminish over time. The low number of suppliers does not afford buyers much room to negotiate. Furthermore, the abundance of distributor options prevented the bottling plants from applying pressure on Coke and Pepsi. Exhibit 8 also shows that both Coke and Pepsi were among the top five consumer brands most important to retailers, suggesting that they were on the losing end of the transaction relationship. Porter’s fourth force is the bargaining power of suppliers. Coke and Pepsi have always set their price. Bottlers were forced to buy concentrate at set prices, usually negotiated in the favor of Coke and Pepsi. The small number of suppliers limited alternatives that could provide the necessary concentrate to bottling groups. Coke and Pepsi have continuously renegotiated contract terms to decrease their costs and enhance profitability. These contracts eventually eliminated marketing cost obligations for concentrate producers as well. Suppliers became so powerful that they eventually bought their own bottling plants. Porter’s fifth force is the threat of substitutes. Initially, other products that could fulfill the same objective of soft drinks (quench thirst) were very weak. According to exhibit 1, carbonated soft drinks were the most-consumed beverage in America through the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, bottled water has become increasingly powerful, cutting into U. S. consumption. A growing health awareness has led to higher demand for non-carbonated soft drinks. Coke and Pepsi have largely met this threat by diversifying into other product lines such as water, juice, tea, and sports drinks. A significant factor that has also allowed the soft drink industry to prosper is the success of the fast-food industry. By partnering with restaurants such as Taco Bell, McDonalds, Burger King, and Pizza Hut, soft drinks have become a complement to this other profitable sector. Pepsi has taken advantage of this trend in its merger with Frito-Lay. While these five factors all contributed to making the soft drink industry very profitable, the industry is more recently facing challenges that could lead to declining profitability. Industry demand is steadily decreasing, as the United States – the largest consumer of soft drinks in the world – becomes more health conscious. Furthermore, buyers are now threatening to produce soft drinks themselves, such as in-store brands at Walmart. This has increased the bargaining power of the buyer. Though the future profitability of the soft drink industry may be declining in America, Coke and Pepsi have taken substantial actions to spread their brands worldwide. Each has a long-term growth strategy to saturate new markets, whether domestically or abroad. Coke has already taken control of many international markets, while Pepsi claims that its progression to the snack industry provides synergy in its business. It is undeniable that the competition between Coke and Pepsi has resulted in a multitude of strategies employed by both sides.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Michelangelo Sistine chapel how is it humanism Essay

Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine (sins-teen) chapel in 1508. The chapel was Built by Pope Sixtus IV in 1481. Which happened to be in the Vatican, is known to be the pope’s headquarters in Rome. The chapel measuring in at 130 feet long and 44 feet wide – was a large undertaking to paint. The Sistine chapel particularly important to pope Julius II, since it was the site in which cardinals met to elect new people. Four three years (1508 – 1511) Michelangelo climbed scaffolding in the chapel to his perch about 65 feet above the chapels floor. From This perch, he painted more then 300 massive human figures onto the 5,8000 square-foot ceiling. It was messy, tiring work. Michelangelo wrote the following pome vividly describing his daily agony. My stomach is thrust toward my chin, My beard curls up, toward the sky, My head leans right over into my back, my chest is like that of an old shrew, The brush endlessly dripping onto my face, Has coated it with a multi-colored paving. Though as the paint dribbled into his eyes and down his face Michelangelo never lost sight of his inspiring design. The ceiling contains nine paintings illustrating the creation (Separation of Light From Darkness, Creation of the Moon, Stars, and Planets, and Separation of Land and Water), the story of Adam (Creation of Adam, Creation of Eve, and The Temptation and Fall), and the story of Noah (Noah’s Sacrifice, and The Flood, Drunkenness of Noah). Toward the center, he painted the scene that was meant to compel the viewer’s attention. This scene â€Å"The Creation of Adam† God is reaching out to infuse the spirit of life into Adam, the first man. One art historian  pointed out, â€Å"An electric charge seemed to pass between their fingers.† Humanists combined respect for classical learning with supreme confidence in human ability. Michelangelo’s painting represents humanism in the way it glorified the beauty and order in nature, while in older medieval paintings contained only temptation and evil. They thought of Humans are almost equals of god and believed that the powers of the human race should be glorified, in the 300 magnificent human paintings you can spot just how Michelangelo showed this love for the human power. â€Å"The Creation of Adam† shows god touching Adam, the two share an electric charge between the two finger tips. I think this shows that god gave humans power to be equals. Adam in the nude, signifies celebration of the human body proving just how wonderful, strong and beautiful it really is. Michelangelo brought humanism to us though his beautiful painting, showing that not only god can crate things beautiful but the common man can too.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Artificial Intelligence in Business Applications

Artificial Intelligence in Business Applications Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Business functions that can/cannot be automated INTRODUCTION Computer systems today are a part of almost all businesses; this is because they provide us, along with the added use of the Internet, with a variety of means that made business operations easier, productivity higher, and communication processes faster. Computers and the programs (or the software applications that are installed on them) along with the robotic systems do a great amount of the tasks that were previously performed by the employees and/or workers themselves. This transformation, towards an automated work environment, saved businesses a lot of unwanted expenses, a lot of time, and caused profits to increase steadily. Computers substituted, in different business structures, classical machines and tools, such as the calculator, the fax, the telephone, the photocopier and many more. The automation of different business functions led many organisations and companies to a higher level in what concerns production and management. But the point that should be understood is that even though many processes and functions related to businesses and organisations have been automated, there are still many aspects that are not, or that cannot be, automated for a wide range of reasons. BUSINESS FUNCTIONS The main objective of any business is to achieve success. To be able to reach success, an organisation needs to have an effective structure because any entity depends exclusively on two factors which are management and use of information. An efficient use of information systems can allow an easier and faster access to data that are essential for the workflow and for the quality of that work and, therefore, can assist the management in performing its duties in the best possible manner and in making the right decisions at the right times. In order to achieve such objectives, specific business functions should be established and specific tasks should be performed. Every k ind of business and every organisation, depending on the nature of their operations, the products or services that are provided by them, their geographic location, and depending on the management and production schools that they relate to, have different business functions, but there are certain generic functions that apply to all kinds of businesses all over the world. These functions are usually general management, information management, operations management, marketing, finance and accounting, and human resources. Lan and Unhelkar (2005) identify the various generic business functions by stating that they are the function of Management and Administration which is the department whose tasks are to â€Å"corporate resources, corporate image, quality in all aspects, industrial relations, stakeholders relations, productivity, [and] promotion,† the function of Human Resources that should deal with â€Å"job analysis, position classification, employee training, employee select ion, employee auditing and promotion† in addition to other related tasks, the function of Finance and Accounts that is responsible for â€Å"the capital operations required by the entire enterprise activities†¦ the funds required by management, administration, sales, marketing, human resources, [and] purchasing,† the function of Purchase and Procurement, the function of Sales and Marketing, and the function of Customer Care or Customer Support.

Friday, September 27, 2019

My personal philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My personal philosophy - Essay Example Personally, I have a philosophy that I have to make a difference in someone’s life on a daily basis. Nursing enables me to do that and give the comfort of life I need. I believe in quality healthcare. People should be provided with proper medical attention regardless the social status. As a nurse I aim at ensuring every individual has the efficient access to medical care. I do my best to ensure more lives are saved and people feel appreciated by my field of practice. In person I believe in changing the society in the capacity of my ability. Nursing as an indulging career, there is need for evolution in the field to make it easier and efficient for medical care provision (Frank, 2010). As a nurse I always aim at embracing positive change and disregarding setbacks. Nursing school provides the interested parties with a real picture of the nursing life. It is meant to prepare them for their professional lives. Nursing school is the pillar in the production of quality nurses (Leslie,

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Case study Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report - Case Study Example This type of operation was facilitated by the ownership of various brands of hotels operated by the Intercontinental Hotel Group. For instance, the Lido holiday inn. The multi-brand ownership strategy made it feasible for the company to operate in large scale. To be specific, a holiday inn hotel had 1000 standard rooms and 355 apartments. The IHG owned 26 holiday inn hotels, not to mention other brands. This ownership strategy was unique by then and was a source of competitive advantage to IHG. Second, the geographic locations of the hotels managed by the company were unique and complemented the purposes for which they were put up. That is, for holiday getaways. The unique geographical location, which could not be imitated by any other company, provided a sustainable competitive advantage for the company. Third, the company actively segmented its target market. Every target market had a suitable brand of hotel. This strategy ensured that the client’s needs were met. Fourth, the company was the first to establish a Chinese website for local customers to improve communication with a wider variety of customers who speak different languages such as English and Chinese. The website also provided a platform for reservations. This strategy was cost effective and efficient. Therefore, was a source of competitive advantage. Positioning strategy of the company involves making plans that make a company stand out among other rival firm. The Intercontinental Hotel Group has implemented the following strategies: first, the company has segmented its target market and provides hospitality services to match with the market need. For instance, on the onset, the company entered the China market with a unique service delivery strategy, including setting up of the first website in Chinese. The strategy facilitated the high market growth rate experienced. The open door policy in China in the year 1978 resulted in the rise in demand for

Questions and Answers - The Politics of Program Evaluation Essay

Questions and Answers - The Politics of Program Evaluation - Essay Example On the other hand, a communication plan for a quantitative evaluation is more concerned with objective and scientific factors. Where the qualitative evaluation was concerned with â€Å"how well† the plan worked, quantitative evaluation is concerned with â€Å"how much† the plan worked (LinguaLinks Library). Quantitative evaluation measures the level of awareness before and after the implementation of the plan. It takes into account the numbers of people, classes, and materials; measures investments against the results achieved. The aim of the quantitative evaluation is the measure all the aspects of the plan, including factors such as: the number of people involved, the amount of material used, the time allotted for the plan, the cost of plan, and most importantly the extent of transformation generated by the communication plan. 5. Some important aspects of a person’s demeanor that would encourage one to consider his recommendations would include: honest and simple mannerism, non-judgmental attitude and understanding of limitations. A person, whose demeanor or nonverbal behavior (Rashotte, 2002) is superior and judgmental, makes the person receiving the recommendations feel uncomfortable, unsure of him-self and looked-down upon. Hence, such a person’s recommendations will not be well received. The superior and judgmental attitude will only inspire resentment and disdain. On the other hand, a person who treats subordinates with respect and is accepting of their differences, without making them feel small, will always find his recommendations not only followed, but always sought after. A well-reasoned demeanor and un-pretentious attitude of the recommender serves as a positive role model, inspiring confidence and trust, thereby making it easy to understand and accept ones shortcomings without becoming defensive and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

To what extent was China a Buddhist country from the third to the Essay

To what extent was China a Buddhist country from the third to the sixth centuries (200-600) - Essay Example However, it is interesting to note that Buddhism has been able to gain acceptance in China despite the age-old philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism. This paper discusses the influence of Buddhism in Chinese society during the third and fifth centuries and argues that Buddhism became a definite characteristic of Chinese society during the third and fifth centuries. The Introduction of Buddhism in China Buddhism entered China at a time when China was experiencing a new period of prosperity and wealth. During the early decades of the third century, the Han Empire was consolidating its grip over the Chinese mainland. Wright (p. 9) explains that during this period, the Han elite had established its rule over the north and south of China. A new social order was being created. An intellectual process was taking place where thinkers were building a rational structure of the political and social changes taking place during Han rule. Confucian principles and values were blended with experie nces from reality to create a code of life. However, the gradual decline of the Han Empire resulted in a loss o favour with Han Confucianism as well as Daoism. In such an environment, Buddhism found a receptive audience among monks searching for a simpler and unadulterated code of life. Buddhist Influence in China’s Intellectual and Spiritual Life Buddhism gradually accommodated itself into the intellectual and spiritual life of the Chinese elite during the fourth century (Zurcher, p. 3). Zurcher (p. 3) further explains that because of the linguistic barrier between the original Buddhist texts in Sanskrit and the Chinese language, Buddhism in China assumed a distinct form compared to Buddhism in India. He also states that Buddhism was initially the interest of monks in the southern parts of the country and also among the well-to-do common population. Zurcher’s (p. 3) argument also reveals that Buddhism was eventually assimilated into the Chinese intellectual sphere ins tead of replacing Confucianism or Daoism. This, however, does not mean that the interest in Buddhism was restricted to the south of China. While Buddhism was finding a receptive audience in Jin-ruled southern China, Buddhist thoughts were also making an influence among the non-Chinese rulers of northern China (p. 4). However, it is interesting to note that the Chinese tendency to assimilate rather than supplant philosophies with earlier ones was prevalent in the north as well as the south, although Buddhist thought took different forms in both regions. In fact, because of the external threats to China from the north and the northwest, the development of Buddhist though in the north was more dynamic than the evolution of Gentry Buddhism in southern China (Zurcher, p. 3). This form of Buddhism was developed by Chinese monks and was accepted by the gentry or nobility in southern China as a means to high culture. The evolution of Buddhism in the north after the collapse of the Han dynas ty assumed a distinct direction but remained in favour of its widespread acceptance. The most significant development in this process was the introduction of the idea of the emperor as the incarnation of the Buddha (Reat, p. 141). The non-Chinese rulers of the northern part of the country adopted Buddhism as a means of legitimizing their rule. The old order based on Confucianism was no longer valid and there was need for a new belief system to give

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Technology and the Written Word Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology and the Written Word - Essay Example These have the advantage of showing moving screens full of color and capabilities that are very advanced. Books no matter how well are printed are sold more in the electronic forms than in the printed forms in today’s technological age (Richards, 2010). The digital reading platform will provide traditional publishers with many new opportunities such as the ability to package reading material (books) in new forms to attract more customers (Roush, 2010). It is envisioned by many that the publishing industry will provide basic text-centric digital content of books so cheap by 2020 that more people will become regular readers like paperback books did in 1940s (Roush, 2010). The publishers can therefore, begin to make up the profits which they have sacrificed by lower prices by increased volumes. E-books are designed in such a way that the readability of it will never degrade over time. The pages will not crumble, binding will never break and there will be no variations in the printing ink. The technology in the e-book has broken free of all the limitations of the printed books. E-books can have brought with itself the concept super portability combined with some useful technological features. For example, since e-books are in a digital text file format, any difficult word or phrase can be search instantaneously. The feature of duplication can give the readers the option to trade or share books with friends without actually giving up one of their possessions. But given this gain, a loss is also there. Copy right protections raise the question of trading and sharing these books. This is both good and bad for publishers. Duplication of e-books by the users can reduce the production costs causing the books prices to decline. But on the downside, the publishers cannot keep a lid on the trade and share of books causing books to be duplicated without copyrights. This raises the question

Monday, September 23, 2019

Issues of the Service Plan Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues of the Service Plan Development - Essay Example Therefore, Salama did not have much interest at first in development of the service plan. However, after much convincing she agreed to participate with me in the process of developing the service plan. The fact that she agreed to contribute to the making of the service plan together with her articulation and wise contribution makes me think that the process of making the service plan was effective. This is because the ideas and wishes of my client were encompassed in the service plan including identifying issues, setting goals, developing action plan, setting timelines, and estimating the outcomes. However, since Salama was a new migrant with no legal documents to work in Canada, we realized that we needed to look for the documents from the relevant authority before she could start working as we had planned. Thus, in future I would ensure that my client has the necessary documents to enable work according to the plans and therefore, avoid misses in meeting the timelines set. Further, because of the nature of my client having children and having no one to babysit them, we had to look for a babysitter first before she started looking for work. This was also an oversight in our planning because it delayed meeting certain goals and timelines and where we managed to meet timelines and outcomes were not as expected in our plan. Since I was the expert in the area of service planning, I made most of the suggestions that were included in the service plan. Salama on her part could only expound and seek clarification on what each goal implied in respect of her welfare. Nevertheless, her contribution was highly valued especially in the area of work and how she wanted to meet the goals that were set in the timelines. On my part, I believe that the goals that were set in the service plan are within reach of my client since they are all directed towards facilitating her

Saturday, September 21, 2019

A governing body Essay Example for Free

A governing body Essay A governing body is eminent in every populace. Although the governing bodies of the United States and Sweden are both administered by Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, the role they play in the politics of their respective countries differs greatly. Both countries are subject to laws set forth by age-old constitutions. There is also variance in the number of representative parties for the population of each country. It is important to look at the age of the country and its influence on the government. The period of time in which countries are founded is very important in showing why certain countries have the institutions that they do. The early Swedish government was formed by aristocrats who nominated a king that used his rule to influence religion. This aspect of Sweden’s political history differs from that of the U. S. , which was founded hundreds of years later to be ruled by representation. U. S. Government The United States is the worlds oldest representative democracy. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the Constitution. Citizens are subject to three levels of government: federal, state, and local levels; most areas are subject to multiple local governments, such as county or metropolitan governments in addition to municipal government. The federal government is comprised of three branches, which are designed to check and balance one anothers powers. The Legislative branch is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, and has the power of making decisions regarding the budget and taxation, also known as â€Å"Power of the Purse. † The Executive branch is comprised of the President, who appoints, with Senate approval, the Cabinet and other officers. The Cabinet administers and enforces federal laws. The president is also Commander-in-Chief of the military. The Judicial branch is the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval. The Judicial branch interprets laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional. The United States Constitution is the supreme legal document that governs the American system. The document is considered a social contract for the people of the United States, regulating their affairs through government chosen by and populated by the people. All laws and procedures of both state and federal governments are subject to review, and any law ruled by the Judicial branch to be in violation of the Constitution can be overturned. The Constitution can be amended by two methods, both of which require the approval of three-fourths of the states. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Executive and legislative offices are decided by a plurality vote of citizens in their districts. Judicial and cabinet-level offices are nominated by the Executive branch and approved by the Legislature in the federal government and most states, although some state judges are elected by popular vote. American politics is dominated by the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Members of these two parties hold the majority of elected offices across the country at federal, state, and lower levels. Independent or third party candidates tend to do better in lower-level elections; however, there are currently two independent members of the Senate. Within American political culture, the Republican Party is considered conservative and the Democratic Party is considered liberal. Swedish Politics Information published by Nations Encyclopedia advises Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, of which King Carl XVI Gustaf is currently the head of state, but royal power is limited to official and ceremonial functions. The nations modern legislative body is the Swedish Parliament, also known as Riksdag, with 349 members, which chooses the Prime Minister. The Riksdag holds supreme authority in modern Sweden. The Riksdag is responsible for choosing the Prime Minister, who then appoints the ministers. The legislative power is then shared between the parliament and the Prime Minister-led government. The executive power is exercised by the government, while the Judiciary, unlike that of the United States is independent. Sweden’s judiciary system also lacks the ability to review laws that may be in violation of the constitution. Acts of the parliament and government decrees can be made inapplicable at every level if they are against constitutional laws. Legislation may be initiated by the Cabinet or by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis of proportional representation, or full representation versus the plurality voting system used in the U. S. The Constitution of Sweden can be altered by the Riksdag, which requires an absolute majority and two decisions with general elections in between. Since 1932, the Cabinets have been dominated by the Social Democrats. The following political parties currently hold seats in the Riksdag: Social Democrats, Moderates, Centre Party, Liberal People’s Party, Christian Democrats, Left Party, and Greens. There are six other parties, however, they do not currently hold any of the seats of the Riksdag. The six parties are: Swedish Democrats, Feminist Initiative, The Pirate Party, June List, The Health Care Party, and National Democrats. Religious and Cultural Aspects of Government Historicizing the formation of the Swedish government is to review the affects of aristocracy on government and government on religion. In the middle ages, struggle for power between powerful families and Great Men, also known as Stormannen, caused politically unstable situations. Sweden was a kingdom where the king was elected by members of a council of aristocrats; therefore, the throne was not inherited. The presence of powerful Great Men and chiefs meant that the kings influence was often quite limited. His political and fiscal control over the country depended upon support from the aristocracy. During the late Middle Ages political anarchy came about in Sweden. Constant struggle for power between a number of families and the Danish King Kristian II ended in the Bloodbath of Stockholm in the early 1500s. The result of this struggle enabled Gustav Vasa to become king in 1521. The most important reform Gustav Vasa made was the reformation of the Church. â€Å"The king was able to gain political control, as well as control the property of the Church, all Swedes suddenly became Protestants instead of Catholics†(History World, 2007). This made it possible for the king to establish himself, not the Pope, as head of the Church, and also to use the Church as a pedagogic tool on the people according to History World. Because everyone had to attend church on Sundays, the state could reach almost the entire populace with information, propaganda, and a certain amount of education. The Bible was, for instance, translated from Latin to Swedish during this time. This had a positive impact on literacy among the ordinary people. In the United States, the formation of the government was influenced by agenda and innovationists rather than religion or how politics could influence religion. â€Å"Our Founding Fathers were not known to practice Christian orthodoxy†(White House, 2007). Although they supported the free exercise of any religion, they believed there could be dangers in incorporating a religion into the creation of a government to serve all people. Most of them believed in deism and attended Freemasonry lodges. According to John J. Robinson, â€Å"Freemasonry had been a powerful force for religious freedom†(Free Masons, 2007). Freemasons took seriously the principle that men should worship according to their own conscious. Masonry welcomed anyone from any religion or non-religion, as long as they believed in a Supreme Being. Washington, Franklin, Hancock, Hamilton, Lafayette, and many others accepted Freemasonry. According to the Free Masonry Organization, in order to be a Free Mason, one must believe in the existence of a â€Å"Supreme Being,† which includes the â€Å"gods† of Islam, Hinduism, or any other world religion. Although many believe the anti-Biblical and anti-Christian beliefs and practices of this organization are partially hidden beneath an outward appearance of a supposed compatibility with the Christian faith, the organization supports every religion. The influence of a non-uniform Christian society on the U. S. government was probably due to the combinations of cultures and backgrounds of the individuals making up the fairly new society. The compilation of cultures that continues to make up U. S. society varies greatly from those of the Swedish culture at the time their government was developed. Sweden was a very old country; therefore, the majority of the inhabitants had lived there most, if not all, of their lives. The governments of the United States and Sweden both represent their diverse populations through their respective governments. The greatest variance in the way branches operate is in the Judicial system. In the United States, the Judicial System ensures that laws are upheld and amended to meet changing times without going against the Constitution. The Swedish Judicial branch lacks the ability to review laws that may be against their constitution.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Niels Bohr Father Of Quantum Physics Philosophy Essay

Niels Bohr Father Of Quantum Physics Philosophy Essay Niels Henrik David Bohr was a Danish physicist born in Copenhagen on October 7th 1885. His father, Christian Bohr, was a college professor at Copenhagen University. Bohr had one younger brother named Harald, who was a mathematician, and a sister named Jennifer (Niels bohr, 1992). Bohr married Margrethe Norlund in 1912 and had six children. Unfortunately two were lost, but the remaining four would become very successful like their father. Aage followed in his fathers footsteps as a physicist, receiving the Nobel peace prize in 1975 for his collective model of the nucleus. His other sons would become a chemist, lawyer and physician (the bohr model). Bohr began his education at Gammelholm Grammar School in 1903, later entering Copenhagen University where he received his masters in physics in 1909. Soon after, in 1911, he received his doctorate. His doctors disputation was a theoretical work on the explanation of the properties of the metals with the aid of electron theory. It remains a classic to this day. The same year he received his doctorate, Bohr traveled to Cambridge where he studied under JJ Thompson. Unfortunately, they did not get along, so in 1912 he traveled to Manchester to study under Earnest Rutherford. It was here that he completed a theoretical work on the absorption of alpha rays that was published in Philosophical Magazine in 1913. Working off some of Rutherfords discoveries about the atomic nucleus, Bohr was able to develop a working model of the atom (Niels bohr, 1992). Perhaps Bohrs most important work was that with the model of the atom. Bohrs model, sometimes referred to as the planetary model, was able to provide explanation for concepts that were previously indescribable. Working off Rutherfords previous work, Bohr was able to successfully explain the spectrum of the hydrogen atom. While Rutherfords model focused mainly on the nucleus, Bohr paid greater attention to electrons. The previous model of the atom stated an electron was an orbiting planet. The problem in this flawed model was that the electron, moving in a circular path, would be accelerating. Acceleration would create a change in magnetic field, which would in turn carry energy away from the nucleus. The electron would eventually slow and be captured by the nucleus. Bohrs model expanded upon Rutherfords and solved many flaws of the previous model (The Bohr model,). Bohr discovered that the atom consisted of a small, positive nucleus, with negatively charged electrons traveling around it due to the electrostatic force of coulombs law. (Matthews 2010). Bohr stated that electrons travel only in successively larger orbits. The outer orbits hold more electrons that the inner ones and its the outer orbits that determine the atoms chemical properties (Niels bohr, 1992). Although Bohrs model eliminated many problems of earlier renderings, it was not without its own flaws. Bohrs model violated the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle because it states that electrons have both a known orbit and radius. It also made poor predictions about the spectra of larger atoms, did not predict the relative intensities of spectral lines, provided an incorrect value for the ground state orbital angular momentum, did not explain fine structures and hyperfine structures in spectral lines and did not explain the Zeeman effect (Bohr model of the atom,). The Zeeman Effect is the splitting of a spectral line by a magnetic field (Foley). Even with these problems, Bohrs model was still important for laying a foundation for future study. Erwin Schrodingers electron could model, made possible by quantum mechanics, and would come to outdate the Bohr model in the 1920s (Niels bohr, 2009). Along with his structural model of the atom, Bohr was able to explain how atoms emit radiation. He suggested that when an electron jumps from an outer orbit to an inner one, it will emit light. His research found the wavelength of the emitted light is the same as the photon that carries the energy difference between the two orbits. This showed that atoms can only absorb and emit at certain wavelengths. This theory was later expanded into quantum mechanics (Niels bohr,). In 1930 Bohr changed his focus to the constitution of atomic nuclei along with their transmutations and integrations. He found that a liquid droplet would give a very good picture of the nucleus. He developed the liquid droplet theory which helped clarify and provide understanding of the mechanics of nuclear fission and the splitting of the uranium atom. This theory would provide an important basis for future studies in this field by Hahn and Strassmann (Niels bohr, 1992). Bohr was well known for his concept of complementarily. It helped to clarify some of the problems that he found in quantum physics. The theory stated that wave and particle aspects of nature are complementary and cannot both be true at the same time (Niels bohr,). In other words something must have either wave or particle like properties, not both. The concept of complementarity stated that classical concepts such as space-time location and energy-momentum, which in classical physics were always combined into a single picture, cannot be so combined in quantum physics (Complementarity principle,). In certain situations, the use of one certain classical concept will exclude the use of another classical concept. Bohrs views on the Principle on Complementarity were represented in a number of different essays he wrote from 1933-1926 (Niels bohr, 1992). Bohr was equally famous for his correspondence principle, formulated in 1920(Niels bohr,). This principle states that the behavior of systems described by the theory of quantum mechanics reproduces classical physics in the limit of large quantum numbers (Parker, 1983). In simpler terms, this principle is the idea that a new theory should be able to reproduce the results of older theories in the domains where those older theories work (Apply quantum principle, 1999). During the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Bohr being half Jewish, fled the country to escape persecution. He and his family left the country by fishing boat and went to Sweden. Bohr then traveled to England to discuss the invention of the atomic bomb. In 1943 he traveled to Los Alamos New Mexico to work on the Manhattan Project. He, along with other scientists, helped to develop the first atomic bomb. Because it had such a potential to cause catastrophic damage, Bohr viewed the bomb as a device that could unify nations. When the war was over, Bohr returned to Copenhagen and promoted the peaceful use of atomic weapons and energy. Niels bohr, 1992). Bohr gave back to the community by sharing his knowledge. In 1913 he held a lectureship in physics at Copenhagen University and did the same in 1914-1916 at Victoria University in Manchester. He was a professor of theoretical physics at Copenhagen University and from 1920 until his death; he was the head of the Institute of Theoretical Physics. Along with educating future scientists, Bohr was President of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and the Danish Cancer Committee, Chairman of the Danish Atomic Energy Commission and a member of the Royal Society and the Royal Institution (Niels bohr, 1992). Throughout his lifetime, Bohr received many different awards for his work in a variety of disciplines. The most prestigious being the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for his work on the atomic model. He also received the Hughes Medal in 1921, Matteucci Medal in 1923, Copley Medal in 1938, United States Atoms for Peace Award 1957 and the Sonning Prize 1961(Niels bohr,). Bohr had many other honors apart from theses medal and trophies. The institute of physics in Copenhagen was renamed the Niels Bohr Institute in his honor. On November 21st 1963 in Demark, the Bohr model semi centennial postage stamp was commemorated featuring Bohr, the hydrogen atom, and his formula for determining the difference in any two hydrogen energy levels. The atomic elements Bohrium and Hafnium were named for him along with asteroid 3948 Bohr. Towards the end of his life, Bohr began to show an interest in molecular biology. His final work, Light and Life, proposed an idea that life might not be reducible to atomic physics. It was unfinished and published after his death (Niels bohr,). Bohr passed away in Copenhagen on November 18th 1962 due to a stroke (Niels bohr, 1992). His work had an enormous impact on the scientific world of both his time and today. His extreme strides in developing the model of the atom led to the creation of an accurate model necessary for study in modern physics. His numerous formulas solved many existing problems and would lay the groundwork for future studies. If it were not for Bohrs passion and dedication to science many modern concepts would not exist today.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Imagery of Disease and Decay in Hamlet Essay -- GCSE English Literatur

Imagery of Disease and Decay in Hamlet  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare found that imagery was a useful tool to give his works greater impact and hidden meaning. In Hamlet, Shakespeare used imagery to present ideas about the atmosphere, Hamlet's character, and the major theme of the play. He used imagery of decay to give the reader a feel of the changing atmosphere. He used imagery of disease to hint how some of the different characters perceived Hamlet as he put on his "antic disposition". And finally, he used imagery of poison to emphasize the main theme of the play; everybody receives rightful retribution in the end.      Early in Hamlet, Shakespeare's first use of imagery was of decay. Marcellus says, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (I; iv; 90), to Horatio after Hamlet leaves to talk with the ghost of his father. The imagery of decay used here gives the reader a background understanding of a few things. First, it foreshadows that the king's throne (the state of Denmark) is on shaky ground because Hamlet will shortly find out that his father was murdered and not bitten by a snake as was originally thought. Also, it reveals the building atmosphere of suspicion (something is rotten) which would play a role for a big part of the play. Then, two scenes later, imagery of decay was used a second time when Hamlet says, "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion", (II; i; 182-183) to Polonius during their first conversation in the play. The imagery of decay used here subtly gets across information of a few things. First, it foreshadows that Hamlet (the sun) wil l kill Polonius (breed maggots in a dead dog). And secondly, at this point in the scene, Hamlet goes on to talk about his own ... ...mastery of imagery that helped Shakespeare lift himself in the world of literature and to give him a solid place as one of the greatest playwrights of all time.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bodkin, Maud. Death and Decay in Hamlet   Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1934. Burnett, Mark, ed. New Essays on Hamlet. New York: AMS Press, 1994. Levin, Richard. 1990. 'The Poetics and Politics of Bardicide.' PMLA 105: 491-504. Vickers, Brian. Appropriating Shakespeare: Contemporary Critical Quarrels. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 1993. Watson, Robert N. 1990. 'Giving up the Ghost in a World of Decay: Hamlet, Revenge and Denial.' Renaissance Drama 21:199-223. Wright, George T. 1981. 'Hendiadys and Hamlet.' PMLA 96:168-193. Shakespeare, William. The Tradegy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark.   New York: Washington Square Press, 1992

Macbeth - Downfall Of Macbeth Essay -- essays research papers

We see in the play Macbeth that when the motivation to succeed in life becomes overpowering, other people may easily influence one and elements and one may decide on wrongful actions to achieve a goal. Some of the influences on Macbeth include the witches and the apparitions, Lady Macbeth, and lastly Macbeth's own insecurities and misguided attempts to control his future. The witches and their prophecies are the first major influence on Macbeth's actions. Macbeth seems happy and content with himself until the witches tell him he will be king. He begins immediately to consider murdering Duncan. "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?" (I, iii. 144-147). Macbeth immediately writes Lady Macbeth. "'They met me in the day of success; and I / have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in / them than mortal knowledge." (I, v. 1-3). He obviously has great faith in the witches' words. Later on, the apparitions, called by the witches, influence Macbeth by making him believe he is invincible. "Rebellion's head, rise never, till the wood / Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth / Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath / To time, and mortal custom." (IV, i. 106-109). Lady Macbeth is a second major influence on Macbeth. As soon as Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' words from Macbeth's letter, we learn Macbeth is c...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Can Computer Think? :: essays research papers

Can Computers Think? The Case For and Against Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence has been the subject of many bad "80's" movies and countless science fiction novels. But what happens when we seriously consider the question of computers that think. Is it possible for computers to have complex thoughts, and even emotions, like homo sapien? This paper will seek to answer that question and also look at what attempts are being made to make artificial intelligence (hereafter called AI) a reality. Before we can investigate whether or not computers can think, it is necessary to establish what exactly thinking is. Examining the three main theories is sort of like examining three religions. None offers enough support so as to effectively eliminate the possibility of the others being true. The three main theories are: 1. Thought doesn't exist; enough said. 2. Thought does exist, but is contained wholly in the brain. In other words, the actual material of the brain is cap able of what we identify as thought. 3. Thought is the result of some sort of mystical phenomena involving the soul and a whole slew of other unprovable ideas. Since neither reader nor writer is a scientist, for all intents and purposes, we will say only that thought is what we (as homo sapien) experience. So what are we to consider intelligence? The most compelling argument is that intelligence is the ability to adapt to an environment. Desktop computers can, say, go to a specific WWW address. But, if the address were changed, it wouldn't know how to go about finding the new one (or even that it should). So intelligence is the ability to perform a task taking into consideration the circumstances of completing the task. So now that we have all of that out of that way, can computers think? The issue is contested as hotly among scientists as the advantages of Superman over Batman is among pre-pubescent boys. On the one hand are the scientists who say, as philosopher John Searle does, that â€Å"Programs are all syntax and no semantics.† (Discover, 106) Put another way, a computer can actually achieve thought because it â€Å"merely follows rules that tell it how to shift symbols without ever understanding the meaning of those symbols.† (Discover, 106) On the other side of the debate are the advocates of pandemonium, explained by Robert Wright in Time thus: â€Å"[O]ur brain subconsciously generates competing theories about the world, and only the ‘winning' theory becomes part of consciousness.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Humanistic Perspective on Classroom Management

The humanistic perspective on classroom management. In the education world of today, it is understood that one can only be effective in teaching by taking into consideration the different learning styles of students. In a classroom, it is expected that teachers would want their students to acquire a meaningful knowledge base, become proficient problem solvers and learn how to work productively with others (Biehler and Snowman, 2006, p. 370). If this is the case, teachers need to know how to be able to develop this situation in the classroom and make it more conducive to learning.Therefore, it would seem that they need to encourage students to converse with each other with group discussions and assignments, to make sure they are active in the class, physically as well as mentally, and that they as teachers are rational and firm authority figures in the classroom. The concept of a well-managed classroom would be equivalent to the picture painted here, where students may be interested, motivated and eager to learn. The humanistic approach to teaching is one that is centered on the student.How the student feels and how able they are to relate to what is being taught is most important. This theory believes that if a student can understand how they learn and their behavior in relation to it, and that the classroom can support this behavior, they are more motivated to learn (Biehler and Snowman, 2006, p. 372). The humanistic approach is one that helps students believe in themselves and their potential; it encourages compassion and understanding that fosters self-respect and respect for others.As human beings we all have an innate desire to attain our full potential and achieve what we can to the best of our abilities. This approach shows the appealing idea that students can learn on their terms, or the way they want to, as the instruction in the classroom is geared towards their needs. The humanistic perspective seems to suggest that students would have a more positiv e outlook on education if it was approached in this manner, and there are a lot of people, students included, who support the view also.In terms of instruction, one can see the importance teachers place, or rather should place on reflection; they must constantly be thinking of how to make their teaching better. When thinking about self-improvement, good teachers have to develop their own personal strategies based on existing theories and models; they then utilize those strategies to make decisions in the actual classroom setting. The humanistic perspective in education, seeks to enhance how the basics of reading, writing, computing, vocational skills, problem-solving and decision-making work, by going beyond what is seen as basic (van Zolingen, 2002, p. 19). Humanists know that these skills are necessary and therefore their main interest should be how to get their students to be interested and motivated enough to develop these basic skills. One of the strongest reasons for supportin g humanistic education is that, when done effectively, students learn. If a student feels that the teacher is genuinely concerned about them, accepts and values them and their opinions in the class, they would more likely open up to the teacher and express any concerns they might have.For example, if a student is failing a class, automatically teachers try to tell him or her how to study and prepare for the next test. A teacher following the humanistic perspective would rather, talk to the student about their interest in the subject, what they understand, how they study and even if the teacher’s methods are effective for them. This can better help students to understand their feelings and their role in learning (Biehler and Snowman, 2006, p. 373). It is evident, how this perspective focuses on the student and encourages them to learn by their standards.Considerable evidence shows that cooperative learning structures higher self-concepts, and the student's motivation and inter est in learning are related to greater academic achievement. Three different types of parenting styles are integrated into classroom for more effective teaching. These are the authoritarian, the permissive and the authoritative (Biehler and Snowman, 2006, p. 423). The authoritarian style is on one extreme end, where teachers apply strict rules and expect students to follow them without question and where nothing is negotiable.Their focus then, is not the student but getting compliance from the student, who would be rewarded or punished accordingly. The permissive style is on the other extreme and is as the name suggests. There are hardly any rules and the teacher simply desires the student to identify with and respect him or her. How the student learns and motivating them to do so is not the main priority. The style that is deemed best and superior to the other two is the authoritative.This style is adopted by teachers who desire autonomy in their students. They develop rules and cl assroom norms and explain them to the students, rather than force them to do as they say. This attitude encourages the students to realize how adapting to this behavior will allow them to learn more, which of course, is the main priority of the humanistic teacher. It is possible to say that humanistic education integrated with the authoritative parenting style can lead to fewer discipline problems, both at home and in the classroom.Many parents desire their children to listen more respectfully, choose less impulsively, calm down when overexcited, learn to be assertive without being aggressive and manage their time better. Many humanistic education methods teach students how to do these things. â€Å"Effectiveness training† for example, teaches students how to really listen to others, including parents and â€Å"values clarification† teach students to â€Å"thoughtfully consider the consequences† of their decisions (Green, 1994). Several humanistic education appr oaches teach students to relax and control their nervous energy and to plan and take more responsibility for their time.Humanistic educators often report that parents have told them how good communication was increased in their families as a result of some of the class activities and new skills the students learned. One of the pioneers of the humanistic approach is Abraham Maslow. He studied both behavioral and psychoanalytic psychology, but he rejected the idea that human behavior is controlled only by internal or only by external forces. Instead, Maslow developed a theory he called â€Å"humanistic psychology,† based on his belief that human behavior is controlled by a combination of internal and external factors (DeMarco, 1998).His studies led him to believe that people have certain physiological and psychological needs that are unchanging, identical in all cultures and genetic in origin. Maslow described these needs as being hierarchical in nature and classified them as e ither â€Å"basic† needs, which are low on the hierarchy, or â€Å"growth† needs, which are high on the hierarchy. According to Maslow, an individual must satisfy lower-level basic needs before attempting to meet higher-level growth needs. The basic needs are instinctual needs for food, shelter and safety.Once these necessities of life have been satisfied, higher needs such as understanding, aesthetics and spirituality become important. Maslow called the highest-level need â€Å"self-actualization† and claimed that it could not be attained unless all the needs below it on the hierarchy had been met. Self-actualization is â€Å"the movement toward full development of one’s potential talents and capabilities† (Biehler and Snowman, 2006, p. 543). Most people want to move up the hierarchy toward self-actualization. Unfortunately, the process often is disrupted by a failure to meet lower-level needs.In the classroom, teachers can motivate students to mo ve through the levels and attain self-actualization by understanding how the learning process relates to Maslow's hierarchy of needs (DeMarco, 1998). Maslow's theory of self-actualization describes how highly effective people reach their peak level of performance. Educators can respond to the potential an individual has for growing into a self-actualizing person of his or her own by applying Maslow's motivational theories to the learning process. In most cases, an individual must satisfy lower-level, basic needs before progressing on to higher-level needs.Even the most inspirational educator will not be able to reach a student whose lower-level needs are not being met. Educators cannot assume that all students' basic needs have been met and that it is safe to focus only on higher-level growth needs. Even if a student achieves a certain level on Maslow's hierarchy, life experiences such as a death or divorce in the family may cause an individual to revert to a lower level. Physiologi cal needs are the most basic. If a student is too cold, sleepy, hungry or has an urgent need to use the restroom, he or she will not be able to learn effectively.Teachers can help students meet their basic needs by ensuring that the classroom temperature is comfortable, by giving students breaks during long classes or clinical sessions and by ensuring convenient access to food and drink. After an individual's physiological needs have been met, he or she next focuses on safety needs. A student who is worried about the health or safety of a family member, foe example, cannot perform effectively. It is suggested that students be allowed breaks or the chance to go home and see to personal emergencies when need be. Next in the hierarchy is the need for love and belonging.Maslow points out that â€Å"belonging was an essential and prerequisite human need that had to be met before one could ever achieve a sense of self-worth† (Kunc, 1992). For instance, a student who is made to feel welcome, and to feel like he or she belongs in the classroom, would be more likely to perform well than one who does not have a sense of belonging. Having group discussions and sessions where the students in the class can associate and relate to each other can then promote a unified whole, and give students more of an opportunity to fit in and feel accepted. This then, in its own way promotes learning.In addition to this though, students do not merely want to be accepted alone. The ego is the next step in Maslow's hierarchy, which relates to the fact that students also want to be heard, appreciated and wanted. They need to be encouraged by the teacher, or to have the teacher acknowledge their efforts and praise them for at least trying. If a student is frustrated in the classroom or feels inferior, it will hinder their learning. The final level, self-actualization, is defined by Maslow as â€Å"the full use and exploitation of one's talents, capacities and potentialities† (T ennant, 1997, p. 3). Maslow believed that only 1 in 10 individuals become fully self-actualized, owing to the fact that our society primarily rewards people based on esteem, love and social status. In contrast to this, his theory emphasized that a person's idea of self-actualization can be anything that they want it to be. If a person desired to be class president, owner of a prestigious law firm or a manager in a store; wherever their desire lies, he believed that a person would do all that is possible to get to that point, and thus, attain self-actualization.Again, one can see how the teacher can encourage this in the classroom. A teacher, from his or her own perspective, can identify the strengths of the students in their classroom and encourage or motivate them to build on these strengths, thus helping them on their way to self-actualization and a new level of learning. The humanistic approach seems to be the most agreeable of theories in teaching techniques. Many share the opin ion that a student can truly learn if they have a meaningful relationship with the teacher and also with other students in the class.Students are more behaved and inclined to learn if they feel that their teacher is capable and they can respect him or her, and also, when this respect is reciprocated. The structure of classroom management should be facilitated by the teacher, agreed upon by both students and teacher, be open to revision, and be flexible to accommodate for growth and change in the needs of all classroom participants (DePonte, 2005). The humanistic approach allows one to recognize that part of mplementing any form of classroom management means to distinguish that â€Å"learning† is generated not only through textbooks and lesson plans, but also through interaction and communication prompted as a result of the social learning environment built-in to our classrooms. Therefore, it would seem that the ultimate goal of classroom management is for the teacher to prepa re his or her students for socialization in the â€Å"real† world.The humanistic perspective proves idealistic for instigating and maintaining acceptable â€Å"social learning† boundaries by the means of practical application (DePonte, 2005). For example, if a student demonstrates misbehavior in the classroom, instead of a teacher using verbal or physical punishment, he or she should communicate with the student, to give them the opportunity to realize their errors. The teacher can then guide the student towards a self-realization of consequences, and towards a plan for self-improvement.In this democratic society, it can only be concluded that by mutually agreeing upon rules with the students, a teacher is being proactive by encouraging students to practice self-discipline through collaboration of behavioral rules, and through promoting awareness and respect of their individual differences.ReferencesBiehler, R & Snowman, J. (2006). Psychology applied to teaching (1 1th ed. ). New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. DePonte, Steve. (2005).Classroom management plan. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www. calstatela. edu/faculty/jshindl/cm/DePonteCMP. htm Green, Bob. (1994).What humanistic education is†¦ nd is not. Retrieved November 23, 2008 from http://www. humanistsofutah. org/1994/art2jun94. html Kunc, Norman. (1992).The need to belong: rediscovering Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www. normemma. com/armaslow. htm Mary Lou DeMarco. (1998).Maslow in the classroom and the clinic. Radiologic Technology. Retrieved on November 22, 2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_hb3387/is_n1_v70/ai_n28711330 Tennant, Mark. (1997).Psychology and adult learning. Routledge. Van Zolingen, S. J. (2002). The role of key qualifications in the transition from vocational

Monday, September 16, 2019

Economic Freedom

Part I. Introduction It has become apparent in recent years that the issue of vast globalization, economic development and its impact on various aspects of state wellbeing is the one that needs to be looked at very carefully. Moreover, direct investments into the country’s development and as a result improved quality of life are an additional incentive to increase the economic freedom level.Throughout the centuries scholars and economists have argued on whether economic freedom based on private property and free markets is the only beneficial and effective form of economy formation or centralized system of governing is better. Myriad researches have been brought to public, however, our group believes economic freedom is currently in increasing phase of its development, and thus should be thoroughly examined and reviewed basing on country background and scores obtained.This, in our view, will help to accelerate the wellbeing of Kazakhstan and possibly attract additional cash in flows from external market players. The paper will examine the issue of economic freedom and indices it defines in more details, will cover all the aspects included in consideration of the latter concept and will try to assess the relationship between economic freedom and potential investments rise. Brief definition of basic concepts In order to be in line with the topic and understand it deeply, below we present some underlying definitions of basic concepts that will be used throughout the paper.The classic definition of economic freedom and its index is outlined below: â€Å"Individuals have economic freedom when property they acquire without the use of force, fraud, or theft is protected from physical invasions by others and they are free to use, exchange, or give their property as long as their actions do not violate the identical rights of others† James Gwartney and Robert Lawson Economic Freedom of the World: 1996 Annual Report As obtained from www. economicfreedom. org , â€Å"economic freedom is the key to greater opportunity and an improved quality of life.It’s the freedom to choose how to produce, sell, and use your own resources, while respecting others’ rights to do the same. While a simple concept, economic freedom is an engine that drives prosperity in the world and is the difference between why some societies thrive while others do not. † Considering economic freedom is the issue of highest importance as it deals with each and every aspect of our life. Having greater economic freedom, the society ensures higher income levels, decreased poverty, less unemployment percentages and overall healthier state position in terms of economical, financial and political development.Economic freedom index (EFI) is defined as â€Å"a ranking of countries based on the number and intensity of government regulations on wealth-creating activity. Metrics that an economic freedom index evaluates include international trade restrictions, g overnment spending relative to GDP, occupational licensing requirements, private property rights, minimum wage laws and other government-controlled factors that affect people's ability to earn a living and keep what they earn. † (Extracted from www. investopedia. com).For all over the years, The Heritage Foundation in partnership with The Wall Street Journal has tracked the trends in economic freedom around the world and assigned indices to each country. It is a valuable source to gather information from, and the current paper is mostly based on the latter findings. The key factors influencing the level of economic freedom are the personal choice, voluntary exchange coordinated by markets, freedom to enter and compete in markets and protection of individual property from aggression of other including the government intervention.This implies that in economically free society government protects the individuals and their property, maintain stable monetary environment, refrain fr om creating barriers to trade and fairly allocate benefits; however, in case a government substitutes taxes, government expenditures, and regulations for personal choice, voluntary exchange, and market coordination, it may reduce economic freedom and thus diminish quality of life of the whole state.Five broad areas are considered when summarizing and stating the index for a country: * Size of the government: meaning sound taxing (low marginal tax rates) and wise spendings from the side of the government. * Legal Structure and Security of Property Rights: this indicates the consistence of a state’s legal framework with property protection and application of the laws in various spheres of business conducting and everyday life. * Access to sound money: the essence of this concept is whether a government is able not to abuse its monopolistic power. To get high ratings here, a country’s inflation must be low and stable, and the government must permit people to own currencie s of other nations† (Lawson, Robert A. , Economic Freedom, Library of Economics and Liberty) * Freedom to Trade Internationally: the core idea here is the presence of any barriers to free trade (quotas, restrictions or tariffs). * Regulation of Credit, Labor and Business: such concepts as minimum wages for workers, price controls, business licensing ; potential barriers to entry the business might be reviewed at this stage.Having examined the surface of the issue to be researched, we formulated the research question we are going to obtain the answer to at the end of the paper. Research question: Do countries that exhibit greater degrees of economic freedom perform better than those that do not and will the latter help Kazakhstan to attract more potential investments? Part II. Economic Freedom: Kazakhstani case In 2012 Kazakhstan scored 63. 6 in terms of economic freedom level, and thus ensuring Kazakhstani economy to be number 65th in the world list.As per the Heritage Foundat ion Report as of 2012, current country score is 1. 5 points higher in comparison with last year index. This amount represents slight improvements in property rights freedom, freedom from corruption and public spendings. Figure 1. 1 represents the history of indices obtained by the state in the last 5 years. Country| Year| Overall Freedom| Business Freedom| Financial Freedom| Kazakhstan| 2008| 61. 10| 56. 80| 60| Kazakhstan| 2009| 60. 10| 57. 90| 60| Kazakhstan| 2010| 61| 73. 50| 50| Kazakhstan| 2011| 62. 10| 74. 30| 50| Figure 1. 1 Figure 1. shows the overall trends of economic freedom indices throughout the time. It is clearly seen than in 2009 Kazakhstan scored the lowest, and the backup for this might be the substantial rise of global economic crisis. At that time the state encountered myriad barriers to healthy economic, financial and political environments, as it should have sustained positive financial balances all over the country, diminished bankruptcy potential, saved money of its citizens and remained attractive for the external investments. From that time on Kazakhstan tend to increase its economic reedom index and the line of indicating the latter steadily goes up throughout the years 2010-2012, and the last Heritage Foundation Report proves the fact that the country continues its positive trend of advancing economic freedom and ensuring constant development. As presented in the graph on Figure 1. 2, the state has become one of the first to turn back to the expansion and recovery from the global crisis. This is ensured by the enhanced regulation efficiency (at least endeavors towards that) and constant policy reforms in various areas of country wellbeing.Figure 1. 2 The country also scores higher results if compared to the world and regional averages. As according to The Heritage Foundation, Kazakhstan ranks 11th out of 41 countries in Asia-Pacific region, and it is recorded one of the 20 largest score improvements in the 2012 Index considerations. Figure 1. 3 summarizes the above stated information and graphically represents Kazakhstani standpoint in comparison with global and regional averages indices. Figure 1. 3The government of Kazakhstan being aware of the increased significance of economic freedom stability makes efforts in order to continue its positive index rising over time trend and adapts vast amount of laws, amendments and promotes individual’s freedom protection. â€Å"The link between economic freedom and prosperity is undeniable: the countries that score highly in terms of economic freedom also offer their people the best quality of life† (Azis Isa, Central Asian Free Market Institute Policy Analyst).Many empirical studies using the Economic Freedom Index reveal that a country’s economic freedom is highly correlated with its level of capital investment and the rate of economic growth (Gwartney and Lawson ; Holcombe, 2006). Non-monetary measures such as social welfare and peaceful and healt hy state environment also directly correlate with EFI. Scully (2002) has found that economic freedom is correlated with more equal distributions of income across countries. Rise of GDP per capita levels, promotion of decreased poverty percentages in a given country are also affected by the economic freedom situation of the country.Below is the session of graphs analyzing the correlation of economic freedom levels with various aspects of a state development. Countries with more economic freedom have substantially higher per-capita incomes ans thus more stable economic wellbeing of the society. Figure 1. 4. As seen from the graphical representation, those states that fall into â€Å"most free† group tend to have more vast growth rates and as a result higher level of economic growth throughout the country.The difference between the first and the last groups is rather big, and that proves the above stated assumption. Figure 1. 6 represents the correlation between economic growth and income per capita among the poorest strata of the society. As per the graph, we can suppose there is a direct positive relationship between the variables. Figure 1. 6 Kazakhstan has mostly faced economic freedom challenges throughout its history. Being a young state, it had no solid experience to rely upon rather than remaining habits and regimes obtained during Soviet Union times of ruling.Kazakhstani people do not have much influence over the government and its regulations and laws and majority of them encounter many difficulties in business sphere entry levels, further conducting and maintaining of the latter as well as improving their own individual micro economy. However, there are some positive trends in formation of economic freedom in Kazakhstan, and year to year steady development as shown in the Heritage Foundation Report proves that same fact.As according to the Heritage Foundation Report, â€Å"excessive dependence on raw commodity exports makes the economy particul arly vulnerable to global price changes. Rising commodity prices and improved domestic conditions encouraged substantial economic growth in 2010 and 2011†. The organization in partnership with the World Bank states Kazakhstan has an ambitious economic development program, which is planned to be outperformed in the nearest years, and outlines some problematic zones government of the country should pay intent attention to.The further section of the paper discusses the inefficient potential risk spheres the state should work on in order to relieve the situation in the future and continue its positive trend in developing economic freedom. Economic Freedom in Kazakhstan: Challenging restrictions Once the Annual 2012 Report is over and the country obtained its rating results, we recommend the government to consider the following currently inefficient spheres of the state wellbeing.Kazakhstan still faces many challenges on the way of improving its economic freedom level. * Rule of La w As stated in the Heritage Foundation Report, legal framework is currently very inefficient and actually does not cover some spheres of the freedom the way it should. For instance, intellectual property rights are still in a very shaky position and there is no clearly stated and stable position on that sophisticated issue from the side of the government.Although in the beginning of the current 2012 year there were some endeavors made in order to improve intellectual property rights in the country (banning some Internet resources sites, increased fines and jurisdiction cases), this particular policy just raised a new set of problems and questions and was vastly criticized from the side of the business owners as well as general public, because the new Law on Intellectual Property Rights interfered with basic Constitutional rights of every citizen to express the opinion and thoughts.In addition, the court system lacks the capacity to prove its stability and honesty – this year there were many cases of court system failure: judges were taken with bribes, inefficient cases regulations and many more. Recent changes in anti-corruption law only deepened the definition and presence of the latter in the society as it implies indirect potential involvement from the side of the governmental bodies. * Limited governmentOverall tax burden that exist in the country amounts in 21. 5 % of total domestic income. Government spendings are equivalent to 23. 5 percent of total domestic output. The difference between the two variables kept the substantially large oil revenues, thus relieving the whole situation and leaving public state debt standing at less than 15% of GDP. (as per the Heritage Foundation Annual 2012 report). * Regulatory efficiency ; Open marketsBusiness freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom inefficiencies cases could be considered in that particular section. They in overall have many problems, bureaucratic barriers and lack of regulation from the side o f the government. Business freedom in Kazakhstan, for instance, lack the easy entry possibilities for the individuals, as it is very costly and takes much more time than it is expected to, moreover, increased level of governmental taxes, quotas and tariffs are also barriers to free trade between people and states.However, there are some positive sides in that area – potential WTO entry, expansion of Customs Union are the positive measures Kazakhstan is undertaking in this regard. As for the labor freedom, there is a tendency to think only about employers, leaving the employees aside. Thus, it is very cheap for a company to hire new employee, and it costs nothing to fire him/her. Moreover, in many national companies and even governmental bodies working day are non-scheduled and overtimes are not paid at all.This is a large problem for the whole country. Child labor issue should also be considered attentively when pondering about economic freedom rise. Monetary freedom could be interfered by the government as it may tend to distort domestic prices and try to influence many industries in a row. Inflation rate is also increasing from year to year. This year it tends to be fluctuating thus leaving the individual suffer from potential commodity prices rise. Below is the summary of inflation rates statistics.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Advantages and Disadvantages of Dubai Museum Essay

SUMMARY Research was conducted through distributing questionnaires to the visitors of the Dubai museum. The findings illustrated that the advantages of the location showed that it was easy to locate, and is located near the metro station. However, findings have also showed that the parking spaces at the Dubai museum are limited and lanes are more congested making it harder for other vehicles and tour buses to reach the museum. OBJECTIVES To identify the advantages and disadvantages of the Dubai museum location. To identify the different implications of visiting patterns. To exhibit the findings from the research taken and recommendations to improve the location of the Dubai museum. INTRODUCTION Dubai is known for its huge malls, ideal looking hotel and its gleaming skyscrapers; nonetheless, Bur Dubai maintains its culture and history (TVtrip, Bastakiya, 2013). Dubai museum is one of the most attractable historical monuments in Dubai with the aim of presenting a culture and a traditional way of life in the past. It is located in Al- Fahidi Fort, which is a landmark in the Gulf as well as the United Arab Emirates. Al Fahidi Fort subsisted to protect the city against any incursions; therefore, the Dubai Museum presents several dimensions of the region’s ethnicity before  oil was found (TVtrip, Bastakiya, 2013). The location also plays an important role in find some key elements, which may have effects on the museum. Therefore, analyzing the location would help the museum to find the best solution to improve the museum and increase an amount of visitors. As management perspectives, this report examines strengths and weakness of the location while highlighting benefits of visiting Dubai museum in order to identify a number of visitors coming and returning to the museum frequently. Museums are a place where people are able to see ethnicity, antiquity and originality. People are curious and want to gain knowledge of different people and cultures. The architecture of a museum is very important and it gives an insight into our history and the way a civilisation lived in the past (TVtrips, Hotels near: Dubai Museum, 2013). Al Fahidi Fort was built in 1799 and is a monument as it is a link between our history and our future. The Dubai museum is located close to Bastakiya, which is one of the oldest heritage places in Dubai (Virtual Tourists, Souqs, 2013); it presents an appealing indication of what Dubai previously looked like as it is filled with customary pizza houses and traditional wind towers (Virtual Tourists, Dubai Museum, Dubai, 2013). The walk from Bastakiya to the Dubai museum is approximately 130 meters, which is a two-minute walk (Google Maps, 2013). The Dubai museum is located near seven worldwide known hotels and they are: Arabian Courtyard Hotel and Spa, Orient Guest House, Regent Palace Hotel, Desert Rose Hotel Apartments, Horizon Holiday Apartments, Nova Hotel and Royal Mirage Residence and Spa (Plus. Google, 2013). According to the primary research conducted, there are numerous tourists that stay at hotels close to the Dubai museum in order to experience Dubai’s authenticity and culture. Furthermore, the results show that 88% of tourists and residents found the Dubai museum easy to locate. The reason for which the Dubai museum was set up in Al Fahidi fort was due to its surroundings and background. For instance, the residents of the vicinity can interact with the tourists, therefore, the tourist are given a vivid depiction of the authentic cultural experience. The location of the museum has been a very significant to its surroundings and heritage. Because of  it’s location, the Dubai museum is set in a culturally based area that is far from the advancement of infrastructure but set in a place where people are being presented of how Dubai was back then where it’s cultural heritage roots progressed. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES The Dubai museum is located near Al Fahidi metro station (1 km); this can be both, beneficial and detrimental. The first advantage is that the individual gets a further authentic experience by walking from the metro station and making stops to heritage sites. The notion ‘tourist gaze’ can be implied through the tourists taking their time in visiting cultural locations as they make their way to the Dubai museum. However, according to the questionnaire conducted, only 10% of the respondents use the metro, whereas 33% of the respondents use the tour bus, as it is more convenient. Furthermore, the survey results indicate that 59% of the people think that the location of the Dubai museum needs adjustments in relation to the parking spaces. The parking spaces available are very limited, therefore, visitors are forced to park their cars elsewhere. Using the example based on the customer feedback, there was difficulty in finding parking spaces; tourists had to wait approximately 15 minutes in order to find a parking space. Additionally, tour busses’ parking spaces are very limited as well and this can cause inconvenience to both, tourists and visitors. Moreover, due to the Dubai museum being located at the heart of Bur Dubai, lanes are very congested and as a result, getting to the museum is made more difficult. IMPLICATIONS OF VISITING PATTERNS The implications of Dubai museum for visitors are very significant. The Dubai museum provides experiences, enjoyment and education to people of all ages and backgrounds. The visitors are free to explore and discover the traditional way of life and the technological advancement of Dubai that may lead to intellectual and cultural growth. Moreover, the museum also facilitates the outside learning to develop some cognitive skills such as  divergent thinking, problem solving, critical analysis and better understanding of the history. Throughout Dubai museum, visitor would realize some important landmarks before the city’s rapid development from a small fishing village to a modern city. As the result, Dubai attracts a lot of people from different countries; for instance, in 2007 the Dubai museum welcomed 1,800 visitors per day with a total of 612,000 in a year (Johnson, 2008). According to the survey, 82% of the people said that it is their first time visiting Dubai museum. It depends on their purpose or their jobs such as travel guides or enjoyable purpose or educational purpose. All the reasons together prove that Dubai museum is an interesting and useful place for travel guides introducing to their tourists, people understanding deeply about Dubai history and student developing some necessary skills. Furthermore, as a result of the visitor’s satisfaction with the museum and what it has to offer, according to the questionnaire conducted, 88% of the respondents said that they would recommend the museum to their family and friends. THE FINDINGS We conducted a survey by distributing questionnaires to visitors of the Dubai museum in order to achieve our objective, which was finding the advantages and disadvantages of the Dubai museum location and the implication of its visitation frequency. The survey have shown that out of 58 people 35 who were the tourists have said that it was their first time visiting the museum. 15 out 58 were the residents and students who had stated that it was their first time. And only 8 of the respondents have said that it was not their first time.16% were the percentage of people who came by taxi.33% of whom preferred the bus. And 10% of them take the metro. 39% of the people who answered the survey said that they wouldn’t change anything about the location of the museum. However 59% of the people would suggest a better parking space. And 2% of the people said that they would want to have less traffic around the location of the Dubai museum. In accordance to recommending the museum to family and friends 88% of the respondents said yes and 12% of them said no. 88% of visitors found the Dubai museum easy to locate and the survey shows that 33% of visitors use the bus in order to  visit the museum. CONCLUSION The location of the Dubai museum is based in Al Fahidi Fort at the heart of Bur Dubai. Generally museums are representatives of a country’s ethnicity and heritage; and so therefore it has been placed in Al Fahidi Fort, which was built in 1799, creating an enhanced authentic experience. With a variety of strengths, Dubai museum is attracting both residents and tourists from many countries over the world. The advantages of the Dubai museum’s location are nearby hotels such as, the Arabian Courtyard Hotel and Spa, and Orient Guest House, as well as the existence of a nearby metro station making it more convenient. However, the location of the metro station can be a drawback as a result of hot summers and high chances of an individual losing their way towards the Dubai museum. A large proportion of people are very satisfied about what they have discovered in the museum and they would recommend Dubai museum to their friends and families as well as come back the museum for different purposes such as enjoyable, educational reasons or job purposes. Reference Lists: Google Maps. (2013). Distance between Bastakiya to Al Fahidi Fort. Available: https://maps.google.ae/maps?hl=en&gs_rn=8&gs_ri=psy-ab&pq=how+far+is+al+fahidi+fort+from+bastakiya&cp=8&gs_id=69&xhr=t&q=how+long+is+al+fahidi+fort+from+bastakiya&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&biw=1192&bih=617&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl [Accessed 16th April 2013] Johnson, A. (2008). UAE Museum: Dubai Museum, _Gulfnews.com_, Available: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/heritage-culture/uae-museum-dubai-museum-1.100262 [Accessed 20th April 2013]. Plus. Google. (2013). Mapping data. Available: https://plus.google.com/107865901515540879024/about [Accessed 15th April 2013]. TVtrip. (2013). Bastakiya (United Arab Emirates). Available: http://www.tvtrip.com/Monument+1-info/Bastakiya+u1KL0v [Accessed 15th April 2013]. TVtrip. (2013). Hotels near: Dubai Museum. Available: http://www.tvtrip.com/pnh1KL10-hotels-near-dubai-museum [Accessed 15th April 2013]. Virtual Tourists. (2013). Dubai Museum, Dubai. Available: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/United_Arab_Emirates/Dubai/Dubai-1857296/Things_To_Do-Dubai-Dubai_Museum-BR-3.html [Accessed 16th April 2013]. Virtual Tourists. (2013). Souqs, Dubai. Available: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/United_Arab_Emirates/Dubai/Dubai-1857296/Things_To_Do-Dubai-Souqs-BR-1.html [Accessed 15th April 2013].

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Eagle Eye Movie Review Essay

In the thriller Eagle Eye, two stranger’s lives are intertwined by a mysterious, female telephone caller. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) returns to his apartment one day to find he has received weapons, ammonium nitrate, classified DOD documents, and forged passports. Later, Jerry receives a strange phone call that informs him that the FBI is on the way and that he needs to flee, but he refuses and is arrested. Rachel Holloman’s (Monaghan) son’s life is soon later threatened by the caller, forcing her to assist Jerry Shaw in his escape from the FBI and other mysterious deeds demanded by the caller. Unfortunately, the requests of the anonymous caller become increasingly dangerous as the FBI quickly identify Jerry and Rachel as the country’s most wanted fugitives. It becomes apparent mid-way through the movie that the female caller is using everyday technology to track and manipulate the helpless pair. Although escaping conditions are futile, Jerry and Rachel come to realize they have to work together in order to find who disrupted their lives, and prevent the diabolical objectives of the genius behind the phone calls. First and foremost, this movie is highly unrealistic. It is clearly not possible that a computer could control cranes, power lines, and traffic lights during a high-speed chase to insure that a pair of innocent civilians could escape unharmed from dozens of police vehicles. However, Eagle Eye, does more than provide wildly improbable chase scenes in its plotting. This movie shows how technology can consume us by illustrating the helplessness of Jerry and Rachel. The two could do nothing to evade the computerized, female, phone calls because not only was the anonymous woman’s presence seen everywhere, but the lives’ of Jerry and Rachel were at stake along with the lives’ of their loved ones. Turkle similarly displays that technology has the capacity to consume us when she says, â€Å"I worried whether losing oneself in worlds within the machine would distract us from facing problems in the real† (xi). This quote applies to the movie because both Jerry and Rachel are completely distracted from their personal lives while under the influence of the caller. The manipulative nature of technology on Jerry and Rachel is seen when the pair obeyed the phone call and evaded the police and robbed an armored truck. Although one could say they are submitting to the  phone caller in order to save their loved ones, they could instead do the legal thing by turning themselves into the FBI. The message that I take away from this is that technology can consume people by making it seem that giving in to to technology is the only option. Turkle suggests that humans and technology have a symbiotic relationship. This seems to be straightforward, but what I believe she thinks we should realize is not what technology does for us, but what it does to us. In Eagle Eye, once Jerry and Rachel began to refuse to respond to the woman, the effectiveness of the havoc was reduced. Turkle states, â€Å"Computers no longer wait for humans to project meaning onto them. Now, sociable robots meet our gaze, speak to us, and learn to recognize us. They ask us to take care of them; in response, we imagine that they might care for us in return† (2). I think that once Jerry and Rachel saw that they were being manipulated by technology, they realized they had to choose not to respond. It becomes apparent that technology was not really serving its purpose because it was the phone caller utilizing Jerry and Rachel, technology using the humans, an awkward irony. Simply not becoming a victim was the solution. Eagle Eye is quite the far-fetched movie to say the least. However, we can see how manipulative technology can be by looking at the accounts of Jerry and Rachel. The female caller who symbolized technological corruption showed the frightening possibilities of a not so far away technologically centered world. Turkle has similar fears and foresights and realizes that humans are subjects to the power of their devices.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Qualifications to become an accountant in the UK Case Study

Qualifications to become an accountant in the UK - Case Study Example The accounting sector has revolutionised from what it was some decades ago. With the introduction of the internet and the popularisation of e-commerce, there is a need to incorporate some versatility in this profession. Gone are the days when accounting was thought to be something that involved numbers only. These days, accountants are required to be more analytical than technical. (British Expats, 2007)The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) is the largest accountancy body in Europe. It is seen as a body that yields financial qualifications of a reputable level. The ICAEW has about one hundred and twenty seven thousand members where twenty [percent of these members happen work and live ion regions falling outside the United Kingdom. This qualification is really relevant because it equips individuals with the ability to work in diverse areas of business. (ACCA, 2008)In order to enrol for an ICAEW qualification, a student needs to be above eighteen years of a ge. On top of this, they are required to have passes in GCSE and A-level. For the latter case, they should have two of those passes but for the former, they are required to have passes in 3 subjects. This must include English and mathematics. However, there may be exceptions for this, if a student has enrolled for AAT-ACA. This is a fast track course that facilitates students who plan on enrolling for ICAEW qualifications. Sometimes some international students may not have some of the above named requirements but if they have completed bachelor degrees then they may be allowed to join. Besides this, the main exemptions that exist for these particular qualifications are those students who have passed CIMA exams, ACCA finalists. This is something that has to be confirmed from the ICAEW centre. Also, candidates who have passed some of the exams in the professional stage of the qualifications may obtain credits for this. For the points required to enter this accounting qualification; ca ndidates must have a minimum of two hundred and twenty tariff points in UCAS or in general, they can have eighteen points. Besides this, for those entering using the avenue of degrees, the requirement is that candidates should have a first degree. Exams are normally conducted in two stages. The first is called the professional stage. In this stage, individuals are required to do twelve exams. These exams are normally conducted through computers and on average most of them last for one and a half hours. Candidates are expected to do application based modules. Examples of subjects covered in this area of study include; taxation, financial reporting, business management, business finance, audit assurance and accounting. These are subjects that are normally based on company law,. These are supposed to be six in number and normally take up about two and a half hours on average. The second stage of the exams is called the advanced stage. In this latter case, candidates are required to do two exams and are also expected to do one case study. Some of the topics to be taken in this stage include;

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Marks & Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Marks & Spencer - Essay Example Britain hypermarket net Tesco is one of such leaders. This company sails one third of all foodstuffs in the country. At first glance Tesco and Marks & Spencer have similar sites intended for online shopping. But in fact there is a good deal of differences, which can be disclosed after some working with the necessary parts of these sites. Marks & Spencer sails more elegant staffs (like clothes, gifts or furniture), so it's aimed to another audience. But surely the same person can do shopping as in Tesco so in Marks & Spencer shops, but in Tesco - each day, while in Marks & Spencer once a week or rarely. Tesco set close cooperation with University College London. The scientists offered new methods of gathering, checking, collating, review, storage, access, retrieval and update of statistics information of retail sells. Fed every second by Tesco's 12 million Clubcard holders, the Crucible database could in theory generate about 12 billion pieces of data a year if each cardholder bought just 20 items a week. This information is analyzed very attentively. MIS helps managers to understand what goods are sold better together, to place them accordingly on the counters in supermarkets. Experts, who carry out such analysis for Tesco, insist that the company has one of the biggest customer databases in the world. National brand buildup took place thanks to Tesco owners and managers, who understood British customers wishes, whims and the mechanism of decision making. It became possible after using Management Information System (MIS). In fact company's managers pay much attention to analyzing the customers behavior: what, when and why do they buy and in what way is it possible to lead them to buy more. At first, hypermarket provides constant (season, holiday, single) discounts for that goods and stuffs, which customer buys oftener then others. At the end of a quarter each Clubcard holder gets voucher, equivalent to sum total, he spent in Tesco hypermarkets. Additionally they are rewarded with coupons, which allow discounts to that goods, the customers can enjoy (according to MIS results). Surely, this generated information is based on purchase data analysis. Management Information System (relevant module) defines the consumer goods basket, which can be potentially interested to a customer. During the quarter Tesco sells about 6 million letters with propositions of different discounts to loyal clients. Surely, Marks & Spencer hasn't such a model. But they needn't! Their target audience differs from Tesco's, so as their discount system. They also offers great discounts on their site and a customer can immediately watch it. Let's provide a comparative analysis between two these sites. Each side should contain company information. At Marks & Spencer website this information is represented rather widely: you can see as general information (company