Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Pricing Strategies for NIVEA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Pricing Strategies for NIVEA - Essay Example For this reason Nivea launched the ‘Nivea for Men’ in the year 2008 (The Times 100, 2008). In the face care category, Nivea Visage is the most successful product in the markets of Europe, France, Austria, and Germany. In Germany this product captured 1% market share, in Austria it surpassed 1% market share just 3 months after product launch, in France it covered more than double the target market share (Maschauer & Et. Al., 2004). In Germany’s shower segment, Nivea Bath Care occupied 11.9% share, in bath product segment Nivea Bath Care occupied 11.5% share, in the liquid soap segment, it occupied 7% of market share and in solid soap segment Nivea Bath Care occupied 13.6% market share (European Cosmetic Markets, 2007). Beiersdorf operates in imperfect competitive markets. There are generally many sellers in this type of competition. The offered products are primarily differentiated. There are competitor brands present such as Rexona, FA, Palmolive, Dove and many ot hers. There is free entry for entering the market and company can sustain in the long run. The products are also differentiated. The product cost in this type of competition is determined by market power and buyers or sellers have ideal information about the brand of the company (Reynolds, 2005). During 1970 to 1980, Nivea extended the brand to a wide range of skin care products, such as Nivea creme and Milk Soap among others. Nivea creme first came in the market of Germany in the year 1912. In Europe, this creme was launched in the year of 1912, in the United States it was launched in the year of 1922 and in other countries including South America, it was launched in 1926. The other products of the brand are body soap, powder and sun protection... Nivea is one of the leading names in the global consumer products market pertaining to skin care and beauty related products. The discussion will further proceed with identification of certain factors such as market share and products of Nivea along with the competition that the company faces. In the subsequent section of the assignment, value based market segmentation will be applied along with its six relevant steps in order to comprehend the market and consumer segment of Nivea. Nivea has emerged as a popular name in superior quality skin care and beauty products. It is one of the biggest cosmetic brands which transformed from a skin care product to a trustworthy personal care product for all family type. Nivea has been able to create a niche for itself in not only European market but also global market. It has been able to withstand tough competition globally and has emerged as a leading player. It has expanded its operations in many new markets such as South America, Eastern Eur ope, Central America and Asia. Nivea occupies almost 15% of men’s fairness market. Sales of male skincare products have increased after launching of the ‘Nivea for Men’. The company wanted to raise its share in the UK male skincare segment. Value based segmentation facilitates pricing with actual value perceived and delivered to customers. This provides information that which type of customers are paying most profitable price. For making a value based segmentation six steps are needed.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Corporate Governance and Financial Scandals in India

Corporate Governance and Financial Scandals in India INTRODUCTION: This research will identify Corporate Governance in India and the reasons of its failures that lead to the financial scandals in India. As the big companies, Enron and WorldCom, illegal operations were disclosed; the worlds business came into shock. Many other companies in the world came under this attack like Parmalat in Italy, all had problems in their corporate governance. This showed that the whole world had a problem in their corporate governance. Unlike the developed countries, the developing countries had corporate governance as the main issue far before these scandals took place as corporate governance and the economic development are linked as this helps in development of financial system which results in increase of growth and reduction in the poverty. Thus research tells us why there are corporate governance failures in big organizations and explains the factors that influence the corporate governance like ownership structure, structure of company board, financial structur e, etc. LITERATURE REVIEW: 1.1.1 Corporate Governance: An overview Corporate Governance is an extensive term that refers that the rules, processes, responsibilities and the privileges are shared by the corporate participants. It basically says that how the investors assure that they get a return on their investment. It is the decision making committee by which the managers work on their duties in order to maximize investors wealth. Acc to Keasey et. al.(2005) approaches Corporate Governance as, â€Å"Corporate Governance has two requirements, micro level and macro level. At the micro level it needs to ensure that the firm, as a productive organization, functions in pursuit of its objectives. Thus if we follow the traditional Anglo-American conception of the firm as a device to further the well being of its owner-shareholders, good governance is a matter of ensuring that the decisions are taken and implemented in the pursuit of shareholder value. At the macro level corporate governance, in the words of Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, Ã¢â‚¬Ë œhas evolved to more effectively promote the allocation of the nations savings to its most productive use. â€Å" A good corporate governance should aim at long term benefits to the shareholders and other stakeholders. It can reduce the national financial crises. Corporate governance and currency depreciation have inverse relationship. Asian crisis of 1997 is one example of poor corporate governance norms. The manager should be working in the interest of the shareholders. Managers have the control over the business and may not act in the benefit of the shareholders. This is the common problem all over the world. On the whole a good corporate governance can help in preventing the financial scandals that happened in the world. 1.1.2 Corporate Governance in India: In India, corporate governance was not understood till early 1990s. Indian legal system is based on the English common law and gives the highest protection to the investors and to lenders as well. The corruption rate is very high in India. The most important development in corporate governance and investors protection in India is the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 1992,(Chakrabarti et. at.,2007). It was established to monitor the stock trading which helped in making the basic rules for the conduct of corporate in India. Reforms were made to make the people rely more on market than on government. The public sector was targeted inorder to make it more efficient and to bring out the government holdings for sale to the public. Banking sector reforms were also made to bring them to the international levels. In 1998 a code- Desirable Corporate Governance in India and the companies followed it,(Mallin,2010). Many who didnt follow it experienced losses and end ed up in losing the confidence of people. SEBI also made a committee on corporate governance in 1999 headed by Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla and report was published in 2000,(Mallin,2010). This concentrated on the capital markets growth. The code is to be followed by the both public and private sector companies. The code tells about the structure of the company, the role played by them and what is everybody entitled for. i.e. Board of Directors, Nominee Directors, Chairman of the board, Audit committee, Remuneration committee, Shareholders, how corporate governance is implemented, management of the company and the board procedures. Though India has one of the best corporate governance laws but the implementation of them is very poor. In India, the main business type is the public limited companies. The legal system is the English Common Law, the structure of the Board is unitary and the ownership is basically family ownership or corporate but now the institutional investors ownership is increasing. 1.1.3 Financial Scandals: The corporate governance is influenced by the ownership structure, the structure of company boards, the financial structure and the institutional environment. If any of these doesnt work properly then the scandals are prone to happen. The people choose the board of directors, which further appoint managers for different work who actually work daily in order to maximize shareholders wealth. Its the board of directors that decided the corporate objectives and the managers are the one who carry them out. The main reasons that cause corporate governance to fail are as follows: the most important is that the work done is not watched properly and is very weak. There is not much respect for the shareholders, and moreover the management has the complete authority who works for their own benefits rather than the shareholders wealth maximization (KPGM, 2009). The few corporate scandals that have taken place all over the world are like Enron (USA), WorldCom (USA), Satyam (India) and many more ( Mehta et. al). RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES: The research aims to find the corporate structure and its role in fulfilling the objectives of an organization. The research about the present corporate governance structure and the changes it has come overtime and further any changes required according to international norms. The main objective of the research is as follows: How can corporate governance be more stringent to steer clear of scandals? How important is the Board structure and the Audit committee on the board for good Corporate Governance? Is there any alteration required in the current structure of corporate governance to make it work more efficiently? METHOD: The research is to be done, in particular, for the detailed information on the corporate governance and the reasons of its failure which result in the fall of huge companies based on the following two reasons i.e. the Board structure and the Audit committee. The qualitative approach will be used. The primary data collection for the Board structure will be done based on two companies i.e. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India and Infosys Technology Limited (India) which can be compared to the one of the major company of India, Mahindra Satyam, which failed due to poor corporate governance. All three are the software companies. Taking direct interviews with the high officials on the management committee will be of helpful in finding out the deep structure and changes that are required for the corporate governance to work more efficiently and how does it still help the companies to perform up to their shareholders expectations. The Board structure can be discussed by knowing the number of members on the board, their independence. Auditors play an important role because due to their reports people put faith in the company. The audit members will be found and the actual knowledge of the members will be collected from the CMIEs prowess database which will help in telling whether the committee has enough knowledge in order to fulfill the shareholders demand or not. Secondary data is the data in which researcher is not involved in the collection (Dale, Arber, and Proctor 1988). The secondary data collection also got some advantages as cost and time, high-quality data, opportunities for longitudinal analysis, more time for data analysis and reanalysis may offer new interpretations (Knight and Latreille, 2000). Secondary data will be collected from company website, annual reports, books, journals, newspapers and magazines. The data collected as secondary can provide important information about the company and can prove supportive in research. 3.1 ASSESS RESEARCH QUALITY: Reliability: The reliability of interview can be ascertained by ensuring that all questions are clearly understandable to all the interviewees and the replies received can be coded explicitly. The answers received from interview should make sense and must prove helpful to the research. The self-completion questionnaire must be filled by employees without any pressure from their managers. Therefore, a pilot test must be conducted before issuing of questionnaire (Saunders et al., 2003). Validity: The validity is concerned with the issue that whether the data collected is related to what it is expected to be. According to Saunders et. al(2003), validity is related to a question of casual relationship between two variables? The research will be conducted from February 2010 to May 2010. And there will be direct contact with senior managers in DAIPL to keep updated about any change in their motivational strategy or any change made internally. This will ensure the validity of the research done. Ethics: The code of ethical conduct stated that it is the responsibility of the researcher to assess carefully the responsibility of harm to research participants, and, to the extent that it is possible, the possibility of harm should be minimized (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Therefore, research conducted will be done only when managers and employees are willing to participate in research. The names of all participates would be kept confidential and not revealed at any reason. The questions in the interview will not be formulated in manner that they show any participants identity. Accessibility: The researcher here is been granted the right to access and publish all the findings that are relevant to all ethical requirements.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Advertising business aspects :: Free Essay Writer

Advertising business aspects Advertising business aspects? Not in this world. How can advertising be ethical when we live in a society that says sex sells? The less you have on the better the ad is. Then we also live in a time that still portrays most minorities in stereotypical roles. Most minorities are still seen as second-class citizens in some advertisements. I think until advertisements depict women and minorities in a better way, advertising will never be ethical. Women are seen as insurance to an advertiser to sell their product. Many advertisements that are targeted to men use partial or complete female nudity, sexual suggestiveness, and innuendo (Sex stereotyping in advertising 103). In other words these ads imply that the female in the advertisement is the man reward for him buying the product. For example there is a corona (beer) commercial out now. The first thing you see in the commercial is two women walking on a beach in tiny bikinis. Then after that you see a couple holding hands finally the corona bottle appears. Women are not only used for men advertising, female models that are half naked are used to sell women products also. Victoria Secrets commercials and ads would fall under this category. Although the product is clearly for women, according to Berger the advertiser is still trying to draw a male audience. Advertisers believe that men and women prefer to see female bodies in advertisement. Public Service Announcement is usually thought of as informative. Public service announcements are ad that tries to bring awareness about certain issues such as cigarettes. But there are some public service announcements that can send mixed messages out to the public. In one public service announcement there is an ad with this tall, thin and attractive women. In the poster she is smoking a cigarette, but she also have one of her hand on her butt and the other right under her breast. Then under the picture in bold letters it states, â€Å"AN UGLY BUTT CAN RUIN A GREAT BODY.† The word butt could mean to different things in this sentence. So what was meant to be a health issue has just changed to a health or sex issue. The cigarette looks as if it is adding to her sexual appeal instead of demeaning it. Now the message that cigarettes are harmful to body has gotten lost. Advertising cannot be ethical when we are not sure about the message of a cigarette public service announcement.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best

Freislyn Santana Revision English 106-112 (College English II) Professor Jaime Gallagher Essay #1- Short Story 11/12/2012 He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best Edgar Allan Poe is an extraordinary writer with many powerful pieces of work, such as The Raven, The fall of the House, and The Tell-Tale Heart. The author’s theme in the story â€Å"The Black Cat† is Overconfidence can betray. In his short story â€Å"The Black Cat† Poe explores the perils of overconfidence. Poe’s use of character, tone, and irony develop this dark tale of arrogance with adventure.To portray his theme, Poe uses the story element â€Å"character† towards the ending of the story, illustrating how the narrator believes there is no way he can be caught. IN the flowing days after the murder, he begins to feel free, happy, and secure. His overconfidence becomes evident when the police unexpectedly come to search his home. He felt no embarrassment nor regret in allowing them inside. He ac companied them in the search in a calm and collected manner. As the police prepare to leave, the narrator describes himself as too happy to contain himself and badly wanted to mention a single word of his triumph.He believes there’s no way he’s going to be caught, and becomes too confident and cocky. His overconfidence leads to his demise. His final act of overconfidence is evident as the police leave, he shows off by brazenly tapping the wall with his cane. The cat cries out from the wall which leads the police to tear down the wall. They find the cat atop the corpse, the same cat the narrator so loathed and believed had ran away. Furthermore, Poe also uses â€Å"tone† as a means to portray his theme. Poe establishes calmness when the police arrive to search the home.The narrator is not in any way nervous or afraid that he might get caught; in fact, he feels secure of his concealment of his wife’s remains. Faced with a police search, the narrator quivere d not a muscle. He says â€Å"His heart beats calmly as that of one who slumbers in innocence. † He invites the police in assists them in their search. The speaker is obviously calm, and Poe illustrates the tone calm here perfectly while also using a simile, comparing the narrator’s calm heart to that of one whom innocently sleeps.Lastly, Poe uses irony as a way to demonstrate his theme. The speaker’s thought triumphing over the cat is a good example of irony. The day after he hanged Pluto, his first cat, his house unexpectedly burned down. He imagines seeing in the ruins the shape of a cat imprinted on a wall, a cat with a noose around its neck. It’s clearly ironic that even though he killed the cat, his overconfidence of believing he defeated it leads to the Pluto having the last laugh when the narrator’s house and all his riches burn with it.Poe illustrates another example of irony when the narrator kills his wife and believes the cat has run aw ay in fear. When the narrator hides his wife’s corpse in the wall and during the search of his home out of overconfidence taps on the wall repeatedly, a cry responds leading the police to tear down the wall and discover the corpse and also the cat. It’s ironic that in the end it was the cat that leads to the narrator’s demise after believing the cat had ran away.In conclusion, Poe portrays his theme Overconfidence can betray by using story elements such as tone, character, and irony. There are several examples throughout the story and Poe uses them effectively. Imagine the joy and overconfidence combines with the adrenaline that one must have while knowing they’re about to get away with murder. In the end the narrator just couldn’t contain all that emotion. Put yourself in that situation, do you think you could’ve maintained composure and got away with it?

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Odysseus vs Rama Essay

Two exciting epics that are widely read and well-known across the globe hold many likenesses between the heroes. The Odyssey by Homer and The Ramayana by Valmiki, tell the tales of two heroes who hold many similarities between them even as their stories differ. Both poems are epics because their heroes are great men, well-known to their worlds, both suffer long difficult journeys, and both are aided by as well as taunted by gods and goddesses of their religions and cultures. But in the end both men overcome great tragedy and catastrophes to rightfully rule as kings of their own lands. Odysseus and Rama were both strong warriors of great stature. Athena speaks of Odysseus to his son and calls him â€Å"a mighty man† (Homer, Odyssey, Book I,p. 7). Griffith describes Rama as â€Å"Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb,† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) who has â€Å"†¦massive jaw and ample chest† and â€Å"strong arms reach below his knee† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1). Throughout the story these men both are challenged and use their great strength of the warrior to defeat their challengers. Odysseus is challenged by the sea many times and with great strength survives the power of the sea against him. In the house of King Alcinous he describes many a plight where he fought against the drowning waves and the storms of Poseidon. â€Å"†¦. Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift ship and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep†¦. I clung with fast embrace about the keel of the curved ship, and so was I borne for nine whole days†¦. † (Homer, Osdyssey, Book VII, p. 105). Only a man of great strength and endurance could cling in the moving waters for nine whole days without fail. Then, against Poseidon’s enormous waves, Odysseus later survives a storm at sea by swimming through the forcible waves to reach land. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up the same, who roused against me the winds†¦. Thus the storm winds shattered the raft, but as for me I cleft my way through the gulf yonder†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 105). Odysseus exhibits godly strength against the seas and her challenges. Rama displays an unconquerable stamina in Griffith’s epic. Rama slays a giant to gain the friendship of Agastya but this leads to his being attacked by the giantess Surpanakha and her three sisters. Still they are no match for Rama as â€Å"†¦. they and myriad fiends beside Beneath the might of Rama died† (Griffith, Book I stz. ). Both heroes are challenged by enormous odds and yet both are victorious proving stout strength and stamina above all other men. However, physical strength is not the only weapon these heroes wield. Cunning and strategy play an important role in defeating more powerful enemies. Odysseus exhibits such mental strength against Cyclops when he helps his companions to escape the Cyclops’ cavern. Odysseus devised a plan to deceive Cyclops and in his cunning is even smart enough to predict Cyclops’ call for help from his brethren. And in knowing this, he tells Cyc lops his name is â€Å"Noman. Thus does Cyclops call out for help after Odysseus blinds him with the torched end of a stake and cries â€Å"My friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, nor at all by force† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 137-8). Thus his friends who thought â€Å"no man† was assaulting their brother determined his suffering to be a sickness sent by Zeus and bade him to call upon his father Poseidon for help and went their ways. Odysseus further exhibits his craftiness when he devises a plan of escape. When Cyclops is blinded, he sets himself before the cave entrance with arms wide to prevent the men’s departure through the cavern mouth. However, Odysseus is more clever than he and fastens three sheep together across and ties a man beneath the middle one’s underbelly. For himself he hangs on beneath the magnificent ram until sunrise when they are allowed through the mouth of the cavern by Cyclops out to pasture to graze. Once far from Cyclops Odysseus comes out from under his ram and then unfastens his men, and they are all able to escape. By their hiding beneath the sheep, Cyclops only felt the fleece and thereby allowed the men to pass through. This is a grand display of cunning. Rama also portrays some semblance of intelligence when he chooses his allies against the demon king, realizing that he can win their loyalty by defeating their enemy and convincing the king of the monkeys that they share a suffrage because they both have been banished from their homelands, Rama is able to convince the monkey army to come to his aid (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) . â€Å"Who, knowing all the tale, before The sacred flame alliance swore. Sugriva to his new-found friend Told his own story to the end: His hate of Bali for the wrong And insult he had borne so long. And Rama lent a willing ear And promised to allay his fear† (Griffith, Book I, Stz. 1). With his crafty ways, Rama knew since he had slain the object of Sugriva’s , the monkey king’s, hatred, that he would be allied at once with the monkey armies. This was his key to finding his wife, Sita, and rescuing her. Odysseus and Rama were both intertwined with the deities of their cultures. Odysseus had the help of Athena throughout his entire trip home after the war in Troy and his exile with Calypso on her lonely island where he was a kept man by the goddess (Homer, Odyssey, Book I, p. ). Athena bodes Zeus â€Å"O father†¦. if indeed this thing is now well pleasing to the blessed gods, that wise Odysseus should return to his own home, let us then speed Hermes the Messenger†¦. to the island of Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare†¦. our unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may come to his home† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book I, p. 3). If not for Athena’s plea and reminder to Zeus, Odysseus would have remained with Calypso forever. But Athena provides further assistance and stays beside Odysseus along the way. She is with him when he travels to the house of King Alcinous and tries to protect him and to guide him. â€Å"At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city, and Athene shed a deep mist about Odysseus for the favour that she bare him, lest any of the Phaeacians†¦. should meet him and mock him†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 97). And disguised as a maiden she journeys with him home on the ship and stays until he has defeated his wife’s wooers who have consumed the spoils of his home. She lends her assistance when needed such as when she cloaked Odysseus and his son and his men in darkness so that they may leave the town to come back to defeat the wooers in battle. Athena provides even more aid as she convinces his son Telemachus to search for his father and to bring him home. She also gives him advice such as having his mother hide Odysseus’ bow that no man can string other than Odysseus, foreseeing the contest to prove his identity later after his journey (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book II, pp. 25-7). Rama himself is a god although he does not know this. He is the born human entity of the god Vishnu Narayana who has a premeditated plan to take human form and then to defeat the demon god, Ravana hated by all supernatural gods and goddesses alike. But it is not until the end of his epic journey that Rama remembers that his true essence is the god Narayana (Griffith, Book I, stz. 19). This is unlike Odysseus who was favored by the gods and knew of their help and their interest in him as he bore them many sacrifices in return. One such sacrifice being in the cave of the Cyclops as they awaited his return from shepherding his flock. â€Å"Then we kindled a fire, and made burnt-offering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 132). Such offerings are made throughout the story before and after challenges are met. Once the Cyclops was defeated, Odysseus took the best ram for offering â€Å"†¦the ram for me alone my goodly-greaved company chose out, in the dividing of the sheep, and on the shore I offered him up to Zeus†¦. and I burnt the slices of the thighs. † (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 142). From this a conclusion could be drawn: it is expected of a hero to make offering to the gods who find favor with him. Likewise, Rama shows respect to the gods and his father, King Dasaratha, when he unfailingly responds to their commands without question. When asked by Queen Kaikeyi if he promises to honor his father’s vow and do his bidding, Rama replies, â€Å"I, at the bidding of my sire, Would cast my body to the fire, A deadly draught of poison drink, Or in the waves of ocean sink: If he command, it shall be done,–My father and my king in one† (Griffith, Book II, stz. 8). Rama leaves for his banishment without delay and without question to honor his father’s vow to Kaikeyi. He meets his challenges without hesitation and follows what the Indians name â€Å"dharma†, the will of the gods (Brockington, 1984, p. 33) or what the Greeks refer to as fate, a story of life darned out by the Muse (Homer, Iliad, 1950, p. 175). Both epics contain heroes who follow their dharma or fate without question and praise and honor their gods. It is when the heroes anger or disrespect the gods that evil befalls them. For example, when Odysseus tells king Alcinous how he injured Cyclops and this angered the creature’s father, Poseidon who aided Cyclops as he attacked the ship with hilltop and large boulder causing waves to drive the ship back to shore. (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 141-2). Or when Rama slays the giant and angers the demon king Ravan, because Rama is vigilant in his respect to the gods, he overcomes the challenges brought before him when his wife is stolen from him. Rama is the example of true dharma and a great hero to the Indian religion of Hindu. Brockington, 1984, p. 8). Odysseus and Rama both face a great journey and banishment. Odysseus takes twenty years to return from the battle of Troy and suffers many hardships along the way that detain him from reaching his homeland for which he desires. One such suffering be at the hands of Calypso on the Isle Ogygia for seven years where she forced his stay as he had no means by which to depart until Calypso was bade by the gods to sent him adrift on a raft (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book V, pp. 74-75. Among these misadventures that halted Odysseus’ return, was the Isle of the Lotus-Eaters, where the men ate of the Lotus which made them lose their desire to continue their journey home, and the Sirens who attempted to attract them to their own deaths (Homer, Odyssey, Book IX, p. 128-130). The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’ journey home once he has befallen these challenges after the War of Troy. This journey takes more time as he meets hardships mostly set upon him by Poseidon, who â€Å"†¦. saw Odysseus as he sailed over the deep; and he was mightily angered in spirit†¦. (Homer, Odyssey, Book V, p. 79) and reveals â€Å"it must be that the gods at the last have changed their purposes concerning Odysseus†¦. But methinks that even yet I will drive him far enough in the path of suffering† (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, p. 79). Thus another journey begins and Odysseus is troubled once again, taking a total of twenty years before he reaches his homeland. If not for Athena’s aid and the aid of the other gods, Odysseus would not have been successful. Rama is also taken from his homeland. On the eve of his preparations to take over the throne for his father, one of his father’s other wives, Queen Kaikeyi , to whom King Dasaratha owes two vows as she had saved his life previously, beseeches the king to throne her son, Bharat and exile Rama for fourteen years to the forest. â€Å"These rites in Rama’s name begun Transfer them, and enthrone my son. The time is come to claim at last The double boon of days long-past, When Gods and demons met in fight. And thou wouldst fain my care requite. Now forth to Dandak’s forest drive Thy Rama for nine years and five, And let him dwell a hermit there†¦. (Griffith, Book II, stz. 11). With these words Kaikeyi reminds Dasaratha of his promise to her when she saved his life by caring for a fatal wound. She then asks for her son to be throned without challenge from Rama and also that Rama be exiled for fourteen years to live as a hermit in the forest. Kaikeyi only does such a greedy act because her maid Manthara has convinced her that horrible tidings await her future and that of her son if Bharat does not take the throne and Rama is enthroned (Griffith, Book II, stzs. -8). Still, honoring his father’s lamenting bid, Rama departs, ready to make a life anew with his wife and his one half-brother, Lakshmana (Griffith, Book II, stz. 19). As did Odysseus, so did Rama face many sufferings once he left in exile and his journey was not yet over. Sita, his wife, is stolen from him while he is away. Thus Rama, takes on the tasks of allying with the monkey armies to have aid in finding and saving his beloved wife. Then he faces Ravan, the demon king, to save her (Griffi th, Book IV, V, VI). Odysseus’ and Rama’s stories both reveal the importance of a warrior’s weaponry and strength in their respective cultures. When Odysseus returns home, with the deviousness of Athena, he and his son and wife, Telemachus and Penelope, devise a contest to prove his identity so that Odysseus may overtake his kingdom of Ithaca once more. Whosoever can string Odysseus’ prominent bow will have Penelope for his wife and all the kingdom of Odysseus for his own. So does Penelope set the bow and quiver before the wooers. And one by one they attempt to string Odysseus’ mighty bow. But none can accomplish this feat. Once Telemachus convinces the wooers to let the beggar who is his disguised father attempt the feat, â€Å"†¦. Odysseus straightaway bent the great bow, all without effort, and took it in his right hand and proved the bow string, which rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow â€Å" (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, Book XXI, p. 336). All at once he revealed his true identity and all was lost to the suitors of his wife.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Therapeutic Communication Essays

Therapeutic Communication Essays Therapeutic Communication Essay Therapeutic Communication Essay Therapeutic communication is the face to face interaction who objective is to advance both physical and emotional condition of the patient. Therapeutic techniques are used by nurses to ensure that they have communicated well with their patients towards providing them with support and all the required communication. This report is aimed at providing the various techniques that were used during the week in ensuring that all the nursing goals have been achieved towards communication with the patient. Therapeutic communications techniques Asking relevant questions. I used this technique in order to seek all the information that I needed for decision making. The questions were asked one after another systematically and each question aimed at exploring all information about the patient. The open ended questions that I used allowed me to take a conversational lead towards introducing relevant information. Examples are What problems are majorly affecting you right now? or How has your pain impacted your daily life? Summarizing. This technique is aimed at pulling all the information about the client into one documentation. Importance of summarizing is that it provides the confidence that the nurse understand what the patient is suffering (Wachtel, 2011). . This is an exact review of what transpired during the time of interaction with the client. Example I have come to find out that you have improved and your pain level has dropped to one. This is because of the Vicodin you took in the morning. I think you should be taking the painkillers just before the doctors comes for the physical therapy as it has helped you to do the required rehabilitation process. Client response was Yes, taking the medicine just before the physical therapy has been successful due to the drop in pain in both my leg and arm. Communication blocks Reassuring clichs. These are techniques that are used by nurses often when communicating with clients. What the nurses are saying is automatically what is expected to communicate to their patients. Theses reassurance clichs are at times are not true, but it the only way the nurse can communicate to the patients. Example Everything will be all right, You are doing well and fine. The use of clichs is a block since as a nurse saying all is fine to the patient resulted from my sincere desire to see the patient have confidence that actually the pain is reducing. The use of clichs at times contradict what the patients are feeling. Telling a patient suffering from pain that all is will be alright might make the feel that the nurse is not intended in solving their problems. Disagreeing with the patients. These are statements that are made by nurses to their patients regarding what they feel. Disagreement come up when the nurse put off what the patient is saying. Example You are wrong No, that is not true Such statements contradict what the patients and nurses have indicated to them. These are blocks to communications as patients would feel threatened and therefore stop expressing themselves accordingly. The patient can even stop from talking about what they feel for fear of being disapproved. Alternative therapeutic communications techniques for the blocks to communicate. Clarifying. This is a technique that the nurses should use to try in understanding the patients for what they find not to be clear. The nurses ought to seek immediate clarification. The advantages of seeking immediate clarifications on what the patient has said will immediately stop any misunderstanding therefore resulting to smooth communication. Showing an interest on the patient automatically motivates the patients to full communicate their problems. Meaningful communication between the patients will only be achieved through effective understanding between the two parties. Example Could you please tell me more aboutbecause I am not sure if I am getting the clear meaning. Exploring. This technique is used to help the nurses to explore further into the reality of the subject they are discussing with the patients. A good nurse is expected to recognize and ensure that they have refrained from probing their clients. In case the patient makes a decision not to explore more about their problems, then the nurse should not probe the patient. The nurse is expected to respect the clients wishes. Example what kind of home are you living in? Tell me about it Swanson caring process Swansons theory of caring maintains that nursing care is a make of how a nurse can understand the patient is to ask every detail information about the current event for instance how the physical therapy has been impacting their health improvements. Being with the client emotionally and sharing their feelings provide them with ease and therefore they will not feel burden with the health situation at hand. Doing for means that the nurse is required to do to their clients what they would love to be done to. Example is comforting the patient when they feel pain. Maintaining belief is to sustain faith that the client will get through with the event. The nurse is supposed to maintain hope attitude and offer the client with realistic hopes. References Wachtel, P. L. (2011). Therapeutic communication: Knowing what to say when. Guilford Press. Swanson, K. M. (1993). Nursing as informed caring for the wellbeing of others. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 25(4), 352-357.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Great Gatsby

In the summer of 1922, Nick, a working man in the bond’s business tells his story of his neighbor Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is a wealthy business man who lives in West Egg, Long Island. Gatsby was well known for his lavish weekend parties in his West Egg mansion, with excess amounts of liquor, and endless tables of food. Gatsby has an uncontrollable obsession with Nick’s cousin Daisy. She is married to a man by the name of Tom Buchanan. Tom is an old friend of Nick from their college days at Yale. Gatsby and Daisy have history together before Gatsby fought in World War I. Gatsby was stationed at a military base near Daisy’s home in Louisville Kentucky. They fell in love with one another but broke up when he had to leave for war. She promised to wait for him when he returned, but she never did. She then married Tom, who had a higher social status than Gatsby at the time. Although Daisy remained faithful to her husband throughout their marriage, Tom did not. Tom was having an affair with George Wilson’s wife Myrtle. George owned an automotive garage in the valley. Gatsby would like for Nick to arrange a tea party at Nick’s house without Daisy knowing that he will be showing up, forcing her to see him. Nick obliges to Gatsby’s wishes, and both Gatsby and Daisies rekindle their love for each other. They continue to see each other without Tom knowing that they are more than friends. One day Nick drives to East Egg the more prestigious, upscale part of Town, where Tom and Daisy live. Also joining them was Gatsby and Jordan Baker, who is a friend of Daisy as well as Nick’s lover. Daisy complains of her boredom and asks Gatsby if he wants to go into the city. Tom then steps in and agrees with Daisy that it would be a good idea. Nick rides with Jordan and Tom in Gatsby’s car, and Daisy and Gatsby rides together in Tom†™s car. On the way there they stop for gas at Wilson’s garage for some gas. They learn that Mr. Wilson found o... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Free Essays on Great Gatsby Timed Re-writing: The Great Gatsby In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, the character Jay Gatsby is neither a tragic hero nor a hero at all. In my opinion, Gatsby has done enough work to make it seem as if he classifies to be a hero or a tragic hero. Although behind all of his work, it revealed truly as to who and what he is. There are those who are responsible for the ending of his life. So, those who are around him are all collectively responsible. Jay Gatsby is not a tragic hero because of his behaviors and actions that was done throughout the book. According to the AP Language on Tragedy and Tragic Flaw/Hero, a tragic hero is a person â€Å"who may bring about his or her own downfall because of an error in judgment of because of a personality failure.† Jay Gatsby definitely â€Å"bring[s] about his own downfall.’ Not only he ruined his own life, he also jeopardized the Buchanan’s marriage, even though Tom himself is having an affair. His desire to be with Daisy Buchanan is not achieved because of many different situations. For example, Jay Gatsby is not from the same social class as the spoiled, delicate, little princess - Daisy. He does not do enough work to make his dream come true. He put in his mind the effort to achieve his highest goal, although, he stopped when he was almost done. Gatsby simply stands around during many of the situations throughout the book, hoping and having others do what he sh ould have done. For instance, inviting Daisy to have tea with him and Nick Carraway. What was worse, moreover, is the fact when he had Jordan Baker talk to Nick for him. He does not have the confidence to confront Nick and is too ashamed of himself to ask Nick to do such things. Jay Gatsby is not a hero also because of his actions and behavior. Throughout the novel, Jay Gatsby does not do much action. All he did was stand around waiting for his goals and desires to come to him. With this, it demonstrates that Jay... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Deeper Thought: the symbolism of â€Å"The Great Gatsby† It is understood that in language, each word has a specific understood meaning, and each combination of words has a compiled meaning. But throughout history, there have been writers who pushed the limits of words, who brought an underlying meaning to the words, and demanded consideration from their readers. F. Scott Fitzgerald was able to bring more depth into simple words. He was able to portray more than one meaning with simple sentences. Fitgerald used amazing symbolism throughout the book â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, and it forces the reader to consider each word for more than face value. Because of the great quantity of underlying symbolism within the story, it is difficult to select just two aspects to focus on. However, in the following paragraphs I have decided to examine the symbolism of â€Å"Daisy’s voice† and also of â€Å"The Green Light†. Throughout the story, Daisy’s character changes in the eyes of the reader from someone who is sympathized with, pitied, to someone with which it is almost impossible to feel anything but contempt. Her voice is a recurring theme in the book, and it was described somewhat abstractly, as if the sound of it could not be put into words, until the following passage on page 127: â€Å"’She’s got an indiscreet voice, ‘ I remarked. ‘Its full of-’ I hesitated. ‘Her voice is full of money.’ he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song in it... High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl....† In this passage, we gain further understanding into the character of Daisy. Gatsby observes something that we as readers are forced to imagine and consider. This passage marks the beginning of the change of Daisy in a readers mind. It has begun to ... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Fitzgerald exhibits the moral deterioration, the desire to obtain the ‘American Dream’, and how American ideals are different with the actual social conditions that exist in society, through Nick Caraway’s eyes in the novel The Great Gatsby. Each one of the characters in the novel, have a certain dream that they want to live. They each have a picture of what they want, and selfishly, they stop at nothing to get it. All; to reach what they believe to be â€Å"happiness†, puts religion, morality and kindness aside. Myrtle, whom entered her life striving to be wealthy, married a man who rented a tux for their wedding, and â€Å"wasn’t fit to lick her shoe†. She attempted to become a member of Tom’s wealthier, more sophisticated class. She begins an affair with Tom, resulting in her inheriting his values, and way of living. She begins to belittle people from her own class and loses all sense of the honor and respect she once had. Myrtle never reached the role she so desired. Instead, her life was cut short by the world she wanted to be apart of. Gatsby, the mysterious neighbor and gentleman, turns out to be nothing more then a love crazed suitor of Daisy’s. Since Daisy would not wed Gatsby because he was not rich or able to support her luxurious lifestyle, he vowed he’d get rich, and return for her. Gatsby fought to fit himself into another social group, the one of ‘old money’, and made his fate rest upon it. Gatsby obtained the riches and admiration he worked so hard to achieve, but only to be spiritually killed when he failed to win Daisy’s love. His physical death didn’t really matter, for he had already died of a broken heart. Jordan also exhibited a need for a better life. She lied herself to the top- within her golfing career and personality. Nick, who rarely talked negatively about anybody, made the comment that every word out of her mouth was a lie. Lying is a way of covering the truth, Jorda... Free Essays on Great Gatsby In the summer of 1922, Nick, a working man in the bond’s business tells his story of his neighbor Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is a wealthy business man who lives in West Egg, Long Island. Gatsby was well known for his lavish weekend parties in his West Egg mansion, with excess amounts of liquor, and endless tables of food. Gatsby has an uncontrollable obsession with Nick’s cousin Daisy. She is married to a man by the name of Tom Buchanan. Tom is an old friend of Nick from their college days at Yale. Gatsby and Daisy have history together before Gatsby fought in World War I. Gatsby was stationed at a military base near Daisy’s home in Louisville Kentucky. They fell in love with one another but broke up when he had to leave for war. She promised to wait for him when he returned, but she never did. She then married Tom, who had a higher social status than Gatsby at the time. Although Daisy remained faithful to her husband throughout their marriage, Tom did not. Tom was having an affair with George Wilson’s wife Myrtle. George owned an automotive garage in the valley. Gatsby would like for Nick to arrange a tea party at Nick’s house without Daisy knowing that he will be showing up, forcing her to see him. Nick obliges to Gatsby’s wishes, and both Gatsby and Daisies rekindle their love for each other. They continue to see each other without Tom knowing that they are more than friends. One day Nick drives to East Egg the more prestigious, upscale part of Town, where Tom and Daisy live. Also joining them was Gatsby and Jordan Baker, who is a friend of Daisy as well as Nick’s lover. Daisy complains of her boredom and asks Gatsby if he wants to go into the city. Tom then steps in and agrees with Daisy that it would be a good idea. Nick rides with Jordan and Tom in Gatsby’s car, and Daisy and Gatsby rides together in Tom†™s car. On the way there they stop for gas at Wilson’s garage for some gas. They learn that Mr. Wilson found o... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Great Gatsby There is not one person in the world that does not poses any type of a character flaw. Not everyone is perferct. For most people theses flaws don’t always lead to tragic events. Unfortunitally for the characters in the book The Great Gatsby, this is not true. Certain character flaws that these characters poses lead them in to bad trouble, and even for some death. There are many different flaws that could be argued as the most â€Å"dangerous† ones, but there are three that I would like to touch on. The three main flaws that the characters poses in this book that I think are the most tragic would have to be greed, desire, and the over all loss of moral values. Most would find it slightly odd that if you have a friend, and you go to their parties, and you say that you are their friend, that when this friend dies you don’t go to their funeral. Yet this is exactly what happened in the book. Everyone loved to attend parties that Gatsby had; they didn’t really know him, yet they all called him their friend. So why exactly did they not show up at this friends funeral? They really didn’t care, that’s why. They were so into the fact that they could go to his parties, and have fun, that when it all ended they were mad that it had to stop and not at all sad at the fact that they had lost a friend. Greed had driven these people to act this way. They all wanted to have fun, and enjoy life, and really didn’t seam to care who they hurt at all. Nick was the only one who appeared to really care at all. This is not the only example of greed in the book. The main idea of the story is achieving the â€Å"American Dreamâ⠂¬ , the idea of being ritch. Greed again is present. Everyone was so willing to do anything for money. Daisy does not marry Gatsby because she thinks that Tom can offer her â€Å"Old† money, and the life that she desires. Later on she realizes that Gatsby could have offered her this too, but her greed drove h... Free Essays on Great Gatsby In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is portrayed as an individual who strives to achieve the American Dream through acts that would otherwise corrupt a common person in the 1920’s. F. Scott Fitzgerald, however, lived his life in the 1920s with ambition, devotion, and perseverance: the ideal formula for achieving financial success. But Fitzgerald didn’t always follow the rules to the American Dream of monetary prosperity. Likewise, Gatsby wasn’t always a lucky crook. Recognizing Gatsby’s and Fitzgerald’s distinctions, one may ask themselves: how can these two personages be likened to each other? The answer lies in the way in which each either progressed or was damned in living his life. The Great Gatsby is, to the most part, an autobiography of F. Scott Fitzgerald himself. All humans have at least two selves: one who wants to set goals, work hard, and achieve success; and one who would rather sit around and have fun shopping or gossiping. To understand F. Scott Fitzgerald, the man and the writer, one must be familiar with the idea of doubleness. Fitzgerald was quoted in â€Å"The Crack-Up† to have said that â€Å"the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function† (Gottesman, 1615). Everything about Fitzgerald is touched by this idea. For example, he both loves and hated money. He was attracted to the life of the very rich as an outsider who had very little, and at the same time he hated the dishonesty, hypocrisy, and cruelty of their lives. He was disciplined, knowing that he had to have great mental and physical self-control to succeed as a writer, but he was often unable to exercise those very qualities he knew he would need in orde r to succeed. Part of Fitzgerald lived a dazzling life full of parties, joviality, and show; and part of him knew that this sort of life was a complete chara... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Fitzgerald’s The Great Winter Dream F. Scott Fitzgerald is said to have been one of the most important American writers in the twentieth century, not only for his realistic views on the â€Å"American dream† but also for his insight and use of prose. It seems as though Fitzgerald was somewhat fixed on the dreams that men strive to acquire. This is extremely apparent throughout the short story â€Å"Winter Dreams† and The Great Gatsby. In both stories, he shows the connections between love, money, and social status. Not only are these stories extremely similar in setting, but there is a parallelism between Dexter and Gatsby, and between Judy and Daisy. Dexter and Gatsby both had poor childhoods and worked extremely hard for the riches that they gained. The riches that they earned helped them fall in love with rich beautiful girls. The men believed that money could fill the idea; that they were searching for, women. Dexter and Gatsby both used their newfound wealth for their own personal enjoyment. The two men both created their romantic dreams when they were young boys and they both remember the past as much as possible. In essence, both men are extremely similar characters because they both were in search of wealth, happiness, and a beautiful girl. The parallelism between Judy and Daisy is less evident than that of Dexter and Gatsby. The two ladies are both described as pretty and enchanting characters. They both were raised in families with abundant wealth. They are portrayed as charming and elegant and give the â€Å"Illusion† of love. Dexer and Gatsby both center their lives around these women, but the women do the exact opposite in both cases. The two charming ladies lead to the downfall of their â€Å"lovers.† Judy leads to Dexter’s unhappiness and Daisy leads to Gatsby’s death.... Free Essays on Great Gatsby In Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald illustrates the theme, â€Å"Outward appearances can be deceiving.† This theme is shown in a few parts of the book. These outward appearances are not only found in people, but in the geographical areas of the New York area. The first deceiving outward appearance is that of Daisy. At first, we are lead to believe that she is a very happy person, as Gatsby’s love. But she is not, she is a rather tragic and selfish person. We see this when she uses Gatsby as a way to go to parties and look popular, while she is really more attracted to Tom. And in the end of the story, she takes off with Tom and doesn’t leave a trace to where they are going. There is a big irony in this. We see that Gatsby is pursuing the woman he loves. But Daisy ends up inadvertently causing Gatsbys death by killing Myrtle in the car accident, which set Wilson into a psychotic mood. Gatsby himself has an outside appearance that is deceiving. At first, we see that he is a wealthy, courteous, and handsome man who is trying to get the woman he loves. Later on, we realize that Gatsby uses enormous amounts of people to get to Daisy. By throwing these large parties to impress Daisy, he uses many people, including Nick, to get to her. Another small, but deceiving appearance is that of the New York area. New York and East Egg are seen as beautiful, wealthy cities. But these cities form a layer to cover the valley of ashes, the area of poverty and desolation of the cities. This deceiving appearance may be minor, but it is there to support a theme of the book. These issues in the book are all used by Fitzgerald to support the theme, â€Å"Outward appearances can be deceiving.† These issues all have to be pulled out of the story and torn apart before they can be understood by the reader. Fitzgerald does an excellent job of interweaving conflicts and plots to make the story... Free Essays on Great Gatsby Reserving Judgements is a Matter of Infinite Hope† pg. 6 F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby This quote is the fundamental axiom that the book revolves around. Nick’s father told this to him and he hasn’t forgotten the quote or the intrinsic moral significance that goes along with it. So much is spoken and gossiped about Jay Gatsby before he is even introduced in the novel that no one knows his true character, except for the fact he’s a rich man who throws wild parties in West Egg. In the novel, both social image and the perception of wealth play important parts in illustrating the internal class structure of West and East Egg. The fact the Gatsby is such an enigmatic character makes the audience wonder about the internal make-up of his personality, since most of his life Gatsby has been trying to escape his true image. In the case with Nick, the narrator, and Gatsby, as long as judgments are not made, Nick can be optimistic about Gatsby and their relationship and hope for the best, even if the best situation is not always reached. More generally, however, it advocates tolerance and understanding regardless of social status, or preconceived information. Within the first chapter of the novel, there is already a contradiction and a questioning of Nick’s moral integrity as he regresses from his comment slightly. While he nobly and humbly mentions that he is tolerant and nonjudgmental, he also regards himself as morally privileged, having a greater sense of ‘decencies’ than other people. It makes sense that New York’s social dichotomy and the vast difference between the rich and the poor, the arrogant and the humble has given Nick a complete moral spectrum. This quote not only symbolizes a creed that Nick lives by, but it also represents the ideal morality that unfortunately many of the frantic, materialistic, capitalistic easterners lack. Judgments and stereotypes and the declination of American values pla... Free Essays on Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby: Nick versus Gatsby Mainframe computers analyze information and present it so that the observer is able to make accurate observations. In The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells a story in which Jay Gatsby tries to attain happiness through wealth. Even though the novel is titled after Gatsby, Nick, just as a mainframe computer, analyzes the actions of others and presents the story so that the reader can comprehend the theme. Therefore, Nick is the hero in the novel. Throughout the novel, Nick is the vehicle used to gather all of the pieces together to learn about Gatsby. Nick is a one of a kind in the novel. He also, is the only character that changes in the novel from the beginning to the end. Nick is the literary device that is employed to learn about Gatsby, which ultimately tells the theme of the story. Throughout the novel, flashbacks are inserted to reveal piece by piece about the mysterious Gatsby. Nick patches the pieces of the puzzle together regarding Gatsby's past and lack of a future. Nick is like the box of a puzzle; the puzzle is impossible to put together without it. Without Nick, the reader's opinion of Gatsby would be extremely different. The reader's opinion would be influenced by the idea that Gatsby becomes rich through bootlegging alcohol and counterfeiting bonds. Nick persuades the reader that Gatsby is "†¦worth the whole damn bunch (rich class) put together"(Fitzgerald,162). Even though Gatsby struggles to be part of the upper class, he, fortunately, is different from them. Nick also analyzes Gatsby's behaviour in order to provide the reader with details and a summary of the great man. At the end of the novel, Nick comments on Gatsby's life by stating that "(Gatsby) had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was al... Free Essays on Great Gatsby The all out flaunting of money first came about in the 1920’s. In this time period, when people had money, they found some extravagant way to show it. The characters of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, reflected this type of lifestyle. The three characters, Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby, each reveal the theme of money can’t buy happiness, through their own unique way. The Great Gatsby includes three very different characters that all reveal a common theme. At first, Gatsby seems to be a sophisticated, and intelligent war veteran. However, once one gets past the surface, he comes to find out that Gatsby is frantically hanging onto the past. He reluctantly reveals the truth about events in his past when directly asked about them. His obsession with Daisy almost borders on insanity. However, he made his money work for him by impressing Daisy with his home. Gatsby thought that all of his material possessions would overwhelm Daisy. Still, Gatsby’s personality won over most of the people he encountered. He was an overall charming, and charismatic character that, in the end, proves that money can’t buy happiness. Throughout most of the book, Tom was a self-centered, materialistic person. Tom thought that Daisy was so in love with his money, that he could have an affair, and it not ruin his marriage. He thought of Daisy as just another one of his shallow, money driven possessions. Tom did, however, show some compassion, when he comforted George after his wife, and Tom’s mistress, was killed. Throughout the novel, Tom blatantly showed his shallow personality through his money-centered actions. At first glance, Daisy appears to be the most innocent of all the characters, but it is quickly learned that she too is immersed into money. Her extremely shallow personality was very evident when she told Gatsby â€Å"rich girls don’t marry poor boys.† Daisy’s words triggered something in Gatsby’s mind, and he reali...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Partir Conjugation in French, Translation, and Examples

Partir Conjugation in French, Translation, and Examples Partir  is one of the most common French verbs and it means to leave, though it can take on other meanings as well. In order to use partir  in conversations, you will need to learn how to conjugate it. Partir is an irregular verb, so it does not follow the common patterns found in French. Therefore, you will have to memorize it in all its forms. With time you will learn it and, luckily, partir is so common that youll find plenty of opportunities to practice it. Partir  is not all alone in its conjugations, however. Most French verbs ending in  -mir,  -tir, or  -vir  are conjugated the same way. That means that once you learn one, each new verb becomes a little easier.   In this article you will find the conjugations of partir in the present, present progressive, compound past, imperfect, simple future, near future indicative, the conditional, the present subjunctive, as well as the imperative and the gerund. The Many Meanings of  Partir Partir  most commonly means to leave in the general sense of leaving a place. It is the opposite of  arriver  (to arrive). For example, Je vais partir ce soir (Im going to leave tonight) and Il nest pas parti hier (He didnt leave yesterday). Partir  has a few other meanings as well. For example, it can be used to mean to shoot or to fire: Le coup est parti tout seul (The gun went off (fired) by itself) and Le bouchon est parti au plafond (The cork shot up to the ceiling). Partir can also mean to start or to get off to: Tout à §a est bien/mal parti (It got off to a good/bad start) and On est parti sur une mauvaise piste (We got off on the wrong track, to a bad start). Partir  is a semi-auxiliary, meaning that in some cases it can act in the same way as à ªtre or  avoir.  Ã‚  In this instance, when  partir  is combined with an infinitive verb it means to leave in order to do something: Peux-tu partir acheter du pain  ? (Could you go and buy some bread?) and Il est parti à ©tudier en Italie  (He left to study in Italy). As a euphemism, partir  means  to die or to pass away: Mon mari est parti (My husband passed away). Partir  With Prepositions Partir  is intransitive, which means that it cannot be followed by a  direct object. However, it may be followed by a preposition and an indefinite object (e.g., the destination or point/purpose of departure), or by a day, time, or other modifiers: Ils partent de Paris demain. -  Theyre leaving (from) Paris tomorrow.Quand vas-tu partir la chasse  ? -  When are you leaving to go hunting?Il est parti pour luniversità ©.  -  He left for college / went to college.On va partir demain. -  Were going to leave tomorrow. Additionally,  partir  can have different meanings depending on the preposition that follows it. partir    infinitive means  to start (doing something, usually suddenly): As in,  Il est parti pleurer (He started crying, burst into tears) or  Je suis parti rire  (I started laughing, burst into laughter).partir dans   noun means to start (doing something which interrupts something else): As in, Il est parti dans une digression sans fin (He went off into an endless tangent) and Ne pars pas dans une grande colà ¨re (Dont get all mad).partir de  has two meanings:to begin on or to start from: As in, Le contrat partira du 3 aoà »t  (The contract will begin on August 3rd.) and Cest le deuxià ¨me en partant de la gauche (Its the second from the left).to come from: As in, Ça part du cÅ“ur (It comes from the heart) and Doà ¹ part ce bruit  ? (Where is this noise coming from?).partir pour   infinitive also means to start (and gives the impression of continuing for a long time): As in, Il est parti pour parler pendant une heure (He started talking and looked like hed keep going for an hour) and Elle est partie pour nous raconter sa vie (She started telling us her life story). Expressions With  Partir There are a few common French expressions that rely on  partir. For many of these, you will need to conjugate the verb, using what you learn in this lesson. Practicing these in simple sentences will make them easier to remember. partir de  - from (time, date, place) partir de maintenant  - from now on partir de ce moment-l  - from then on partir du moment oà ¹Ã‚  - as soon as vos marques  ! Prà ªts  ? Partez  !  - On your marks! Get set! Go!cest parti  - here we go, here goes Present Indicative The present indicative in French can be translated to English as the simple present tense I leave or as the present progressive Im leaving. Je pars Je pars tout seul. I leave by myself. Tu pars Tu pars de Paris. You leave Paris. Il/Elle/On part Elle part acheter du pain. She leaves to go buy bread. Nous partons Nous partons pied. We leave on foot. Vous partez Vous partez avec vos amis. You leave with your friends. Ils/Elles partent Ils partent au Canada. They leave for Canada. Present Progressive Indicative As mentioned above, the present progressive in French can be expressed with the simple present tense, but it can also be formed with the present tense conjugation of the verb à ªtre (to be) en train de the infinitive verb (partir). Je suis en train de partir Je suisen train de partir tout seul. I am leaving by myself. Tu esen train de partir Tu esen train de partir de Paris. You are leaving Paris. Il/Elle/On esten train de partir Elle esten train de partir acheter du pain. She is leaving to go buy bread. Nous sommesen train de partir Nous sommesen train de partir pied. We are leaving on foot. Vous à ªtesen train de partir Vous à ªtesen train de partir avec vos amis. You are leaving with your friends. Ils/Elles sonten train de partir Ils sonten train de partir au Canada. They are leaving for Canada. Compound Past Indicative Verbs like partir  require  Ãƒ ªtre  when used in compound tenses  like the  passà © composà ©. To construct this past tense, you will need the auxiliary verb  Ãƒ ªtre and the past participle  parti. Notice that when you form the passà © composà © with à ªtre, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. Je suis parti/partie Je suis parti tout seul. I left by myself. Tu es parti/partie Tu es parti de Paris. You left Paris. Il/Elle/On est parti/partie Elle est partie acheter du pain. She left to go buy bread. Nous sommes partis/parties Nous sommes partis pied. We left on foot. Vous à ªtes parti/partis/parties Vous à ªtes partis avec vos amis. You left with your friends. Ils/Elles sont partis/parties Ils sont partis au Canada. They left for Canada. Imperfect Indicative The imperfect tense is another past tense, but it is usually used to talk about ongoing events or repeated actions in the past, and is normally translated to English as was leaving or used to leave. Je partais Je partais tout seul. I used to leave by myself. Tu partais Tu partais de Paris. You used toleave Paris. Il/Elle/On partait Elle partaitacheter du pain. She used to leave to go buy bread. Nous partions Nous partions pied. We used toleave on foot. Vous partiez Vous partiez avec vos amis. You were leavingwith your friends. Ils/Elles partaient Ils partaient au Canada. They were leavingfor Canada. Simple Future Indicative Je partirai Je partirai tout seul. I will leave by myself. Tu partiras Tu partirasde Paris. Youwill leave Paris. Il/Elle/On partira Elle partiraacheter du pain. She willleave to go buy bread. Nous partirons Nous partirons pied. Wewill leave on foot. Vous partirez Vous partirez avec vos amis. Youwill leave with your friends. Ils/Elles partiront Ils partiront au Canada. Theywill leave for Canada. Near Future Indicative The near future in French is formed with the present tense conjugation of the verb aller (to go) the infinitive (partir). It can be translated to English as going to verb. Je vais partir Je vaispartir tout seul. I am going to leave by myself. Tu vaspartir Tu vaspartir de Paris. Youare going to leave Paris. Il/Elle/On vapartir Elle vapartir acheter du pain. She is going toleave to go buy bread. Nous allonspartir Nous allonspartir pied. Weare going toleave on foot. Vous allezpartir Vous allezpartir avec vos amis. Youare going to leave with your friends. Ils/Elles vontpartir Ils vontpartir au Canada. Theyare going to leave for Canada. Conditional To talk about hypothetical or possible events, you can use the conditional mood. Je partirais Je partirais tout seul si je n'avais peur. I would leave by myself if I were not scared. Tu partirais Tu partiraisde Paris si tu pouvais. Youwould leave Paris if you could. Il/Elle/On partirait Elle partirait acheter du pain si elle avais d'argent. She wouldleave to go buy bread if she had money. Nous partirions Nous partirions pied si ce n'à ©tait pas loin. Wewould leave on foot if it were not far. Vous partiriez Vous partiriez avec vos amis, mais vos amis ne peuvent pas aller. Youwould leave with your friends, but your friends can't go. Ils/Elles partiraient Ils partiraient au Canada s'ils voulaient. Theywould leave for Canada if they wanted to. Present Subjunctive The subjunctive mood is used in situations when the action of leaving is uncertain. Que je parte Mon pà ¨re suggà ¨re que je parte tout seul. My father suggests that I leave by myself. Que tu partes Le juge exige que tu partes de Paris. The judge demands that you leave Paris. Qu'il/Elle/On parte Le patron conseille qu'elle parte acheter du pain. The boss advises that she leave to go buy bread. Que nous partions Charles souhaite que nous partions pied. Charles wishes that we leave on foot. Que vous partiez Jacques prà ©fà ¨re que vous partiez avec vos amis. Jacques prefers that you leave with your friends. Qu'ils/Elles partent Le prà ©sident souhaite qu'ils partent au Canada. The president wishes that they leave for Canada. Imperative When you want to say something like Leave! you can use the imperative verb mood. In this case, theres no need to include the subject pronoun, so simply say, Pars ! Also, to form the negative commands, just place ne...pas around the positive command. Positive commands Tu pars ! Pars de Paris ! Leave Paris! Nous partons! Partons pied ! Let's leave on foot! Vous partez! Partez avec vos amis ! Leave with your friends! Negative commands Tu ne pars pas ! Ne pars pas de Paris ! Don't leave Paris! Nous ne partons pas! Ne partons pas pied ! Let's not leave on foot! Vous ne partez pas ! Ne partez pas avec vos amis ! Don't leave with your friends! Present Participle/Gerund The  present participle  of  partir  is  partant. This was formed by adding the ending  -ant  to the verb stem. One of the uses of the present participle is to form the gerund (usually preceded by the preposition en), which is often used to talk about simultaneous actions. Present participle/gerund ofPartir partant Je pleure en partant Paris. I cry while leaving Paris.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Overview 25 Years in the Technology Industry Essay

Overview 25 Years in the Technology Industry - Essay Example While technological change is an ongoing process, there are periods during which technological progress is especially rapid, resulting in new products and falling prices of existing products that have widespread uses in the rest of the economy. Such periods are generally identified with all-purpose technological revolutions. Earlier examples include textiles production and steam power in the industrial revolution, railroads in the nineteenth century, and electricity in the early twentieth century (the automobile could also be included, but its development was relatively gradual). The effects of such revolutions have generally occurred in three (often overlapping) main stages. First, technological change raises productivity growth in the innovating sector; second, falling prices encourage capital deepening; and, finally, there can be significant reorganization of production around the capital goods that embody the new technology. The growth of the information technology sector (IT) in the 1980s was an important development for the economy, but it spurred relatively little policy or media interest. True, IT was recognized as a driver of comparative advantage for the US and there were a few initiatives involving industrial policy and military preparedness, IT was of interest primarily to specialists. In the 1990's, however, things changed dramatically when the Internet became a topic of intense public discussion. Suddenly computers were not only a way to manipulate information, but also a way to communicate information. This led to a dramatic rise in the public and political awareness of the importance of information policy issues such as intellectual property, privacy, and security. A unique confluence of forces certainly came together in the 1990s: rapid technological advances in the information technology sector; widespread recognition that computers could be used to communicate information as well as process it; the rapid spread of a simple, inexpensive, and powerful wide-area computer network based on non-proprietary standards; and financial institutions ready to fund investment in advanced technology. These forces led to very rapid growth of the Internet. As firms and consumers flocked to the Internet in large numbers, it became evident that information policy issues, including importantly intellectual property, security, and privacy, required serious attention. Employment Statistics From 1993 to 2000 the number of workers in IT industries in the U.S. increased by close to 50 percent, almost two and a half times as fast as employment in non-IT producing industries. By 2000 there were some 5.4 million IT workers in the U.S., representing 4.9 percent of private sector employment. Number of Technology Firms Created The major companies that commenced operations during the boom period are listed below: Venture Capital The United States has the oldest and most developed venture capital industry in the OECD. Several successful high-technology companies in computers and communications, as well as in health-related sectors and services, were venture backed. Young high-growth firms also benefit from a continuum of complementary finance from business angels,

Friday, October 18, 2019

University of Queensland Admissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

University of Queensland Admissions - Essay Example In addition, as a third year student undertaking the real estate option, this is the opportune time for me to go on an exchange program to UQ because of the unique real estate classes like REDE3202 being offered that attracts considerable international investments. Furthermore, I will have the opportunity to learn and experience the upward swing of the current real estate curve in Australia. The benefits of taking the real estate and business classes abroad would be significant in the fact that I would be able to learn them in an English speaking global perspective, which is where I plan to utilize my real estate degree in the future. In addition to the business offerings, I can fulfill my required elective credits through the various unique and interesting UQ course offerings such as the marine biology of Australia. Overall, the University of Queensland offers the best academic environment and is the perfect fit to keep my academic progress in line. Professionally, University of Que ensland and Australia, in general, holds major opportunity for me to pursue international business connections and develop myself as a business executive. This is because I plan to immerse myself as much as possible into the business world to meet new people and develop connections, but most importantly to gain experience in an international business culture. I believe this global perspective will greatly enhance how I view and manage business and what I can apply back in my home country Canada.

Comprehensive Lesson Plan & Learning Activity Compilation Research Paper

Comprehensive Lesson Plan & Learning Activity Compilation - Research Paper Example Although English Language Learners (ELLs) are limited in terms of their proficiency in English, go to school with colossal disparity in terms of their home language skills, either from full literate and oral proficiency (Wright, 2010). These students also possess exceptionally limited skill sets; hence rich English-language instruction, which offers students written and oral access to their native languages, is at its core the epitome of effective and comprehensive instruction. This lesson plan focuses intently on students from the Filipino culture who speak Tagalog. In essence, the lesson will consider fourth grade students whose native or first language is Tagalog. The proficiency of fourth grade Filipino students deters their effective access to complex English material and content, hence the need to appreciate their native language to present such material in their native language so as to assist the students grasp the content sufficiently in English. Teaching English language arts, as well as reading to ELLs entails a variety of elements such as reading, writing, research, listening and speaking and written and oral conventions. Reading essentially entails students interpreting and comprehending a wide array of informational and literary texts. Writing, on the other hand, entails students composing an array of written texts by following a concise idea, sufficient detail and coherent organization of written content. The lesson plan will also take into account the significance of research through which students are meant to become knowledgeable of effective ways of locating an array of relevant sources and appraising, amalgamating and present ing information and ideas. The lesson plan also appreciates the importance of speaking and listening in terms of teaching English language arts and reading to Filipino ELLs (Caine & Caine, 1994). Listening and speaking involve students listening and reacting to other people’s idea while

Adolf Hitler was evil but not monstrous Research Paper

Adolf Hitler was evil but not monstrous - Research Paper Example itler, it is clear that the urge to establish peace and salvage Germany at a moment of crisis drove him to perpetrate the crimes that jeopardized his good reputation as an intelligent leader. In reality, his main aim was to streamline the economy of the country and make Germany a super power. In this effect, Adolf Hitler was an evil but not a monstrous leader. The evil side of Hitler is more pronounced than his good side in regard to his use of power within the time he led in Germany. Roberts notes that Adolf Hitler was an evil leader who fled the war that would span across the whole world and end in the worst suffering of human beings. Robert terms the First World War as â€Å"†¦ one of the worst crimes mankind has ever committed, the Holocaust† (7). In this war, over ten million of human beings lost their lives and many more became victims of suffering. His role as an army in the war depicts him as one of the most evil persons who was pleased with the suffering of the human beings. It is during the period of the war that Hitler started his anti-Semitism movement, which culminated into the suffering of the Jews. From this angle, it is clear that Hitler was a man who did not fear participating in evil. When Hitler gained political power in Germany, he perpetrated a lot of evil against human kind. His discrimination of the Jews depicts him as one the most evil leaders that could do anything to pursue his goals. Over the history of Germany, the people had a presumption that the Jews backstabbed the country and that they were the unloyal lot that betrayed the country. Roberts notes that â€Å"the idea that Jews had stabbed Germany in the back†¦. Was a lie† (14). However, Hitler’s reaction to this rumor was severe and especially on the part of the Jews. He formed concentration camps where he ordered the torture of Jews in a situation that was worse than any prison. In these camps, the Jews were starved and the quantity of food that they ate was just enough for

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Art History Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art History Paper - Essay Example This is usually different across the world and during the eras of time. Many individuals often experience the confusion when they have a different choice of opinions being offered from many sources in terms of the meaning of art. These opinions conflict with each other leading to even more confusion. This paper aims at expounding the relationship between society and art, based on two magazines photos, the photo of Marilyn Monroe and sculpture from MOMA bringing out the three works of Art and interpretation of photographs, from which the particular basis of art stems in. The photographs are from a magazine, and entails of two models, which in this case are titled Superstars and Superbitch. A well dressed gentleman and a lady both with grey suits. They look professional and their pause, looks and dress codes tells a lot. However, there is a caption based from Stout Hilary’s quote that talks about the man being good at his job, and the tells the readers that they are also good at their work. He then asks why the successful women look very different from the men, and how we can break from such labels and forget about it. The relationship between society and art is simple but complex depending on the work of the artist. Artists tend to give a definition to trends of how they look at it, acting as propagandist and defining the movements. The artist also symbolizes the principles of culture or rather act as a mirror. Some artists try to bring out new trends and thoughts, which relies on what and how he or she is trying to do. For example, some of the great artists who left a legend are; Gast John who helped in showing that the perfect American and his greatest point of his age. Audobon, who was ahead of time, was an innovator and a chronicle, showed the next step to Romanticism in its view of nature (Kleiner, 2011, Pg 72). The artist who took pictures of the two photographs â€Å"superstars† and â€Å"superbitch† seems to be ahead of time

The Comparision of two potential river or sea developments for one Essay

The Comparision of two potential river or sea developments for one city with the intention of attracting tourists - Essay Example However, there are hundreds of rivers that cut across the Rio de Janeiro state, most of them having cities, towns and settlements advanced along their banks. Therefore, natural resources and especially rivers are crucial for the life of Rio de Janeiro (Canadian Tourism Commission, 2013 p12). Among the popular rivers that cut right across the city of Rio de Janeiro are the Acari River and River Paraiba do Sul, which create spirited resources for the city (De Vries & Reilly, 2011 p21). However, the potential of these two rivers is completely tapped, and especially in favors to water-based tourism, which is evidently possible and attractive in these rivers. Therefore, any development and rehabilitation of the two rivers that is targeted towards this objective can deliver positive results and this is the major reason for the development of this river. The Acari River flows in the South eastern side of Brazil, through the Rio de Janeiro state, forming one of the major water-courses that s upply the city of Rio de Janeiro (Room, 1997 p311). The river cuts across the city of Rio de Janeiro from the western side, and it separates this city from the city of Duque de Caxias (Room, 1997 p303). The most substantial aspect about the strategic positioning of this River is that; it separates the most populous City in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area, which is the City of Rio de Janeiro, from the third most populous city in the county, which is the city of Duque de Caxias (Ades, 2004 p.322). This fact is especially important, considering the number of people, who will have an access to the tourist activities established on this river. The other essential characteristic of the Acari River, which makes it most suitable for development for the purposes of water-based tourism, is the fact that the Acari River is controllable (De Vries & Reilly, 2011 p32). The river crosses through areas that are well gifted for boat and canoe riding, so making it a suitable river for developing towards these purposes. Additionally, the Acari River presents no danger of derailing the riding of canoes and boats used for water-based tourism explorations (Krystek, 2012 n.p.). The Acari River has a very large flow of water, meaning that it is a river that can be changed for the purpose of water-based tourism, since it can manage to sustain and supply the flow of water required for this purpose throughout all seasons. The vegetation along the regions of boundary between the river and the land surface also serves the need for soil conservation purposes, by ensuring that no soil from the land masses can directly cause the siltation of the river, while also preventing soil erosion, because it enhances the filtration process (Ades, 2004 p319). The river also has several species of fish, especially on the upper side that is before the section where the Acari River reaches the cities, making it even more viable for water-based tourism, which has fishing as one of the major components . The river has also been widely used for transportation, through crossing from the side of

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Art History Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art History Paper - Essay Example This is usually different across the world and during the eras of time. Many individuals often experience the confusion when they have a different choice of opinions being offered from many sources in terms of the meaning of art. These opinions conflict with each other leading to even more confusion. This paper aims at expounding the relationship between society and art, based on two magazines photos, the photo of Marilyn Monroe and sculpture from MOMA bringing out the three works of Art and interpretation of photographs, from which the particular basis of art stems in. The photographs are from a magazine, and entails of two models, which in this case are titled Superstars and Superbitch. A well dressed gentleman and a lady both with grey suits. They look professional and their pause, looks and dress codes tells a lot. However, there is a caption based from Stout Hilary’s quote that talks about the man being good at his job, and the tells the readers that they are also good at their work. He then asks why the successful women look very different from the men, and how we can break from such labels and forget about it. The relationship between society and art is simple but complex depending on the work of the artist. Artists tend to give a definition to trends of how they look at it, acting as propagandist and defining the movements. The artist also symbolizes the principles of culture or rather act as a mirror. Some artists try to bring out new trends and thoughts, which relies on what and how he or she is trying to do. For example, some of the great artists who left a legend are; Gast John who helped in showing that the perfect American and his greatest point of his age. Audobon, who was ahead of time, was an innovator and a chronicle, showed the next step to Romanticism in its view of nature (Kleiner, 2011, Pg 72). The artist who took pictures of the two photographs â€Å"superstars† and â€Å"superbitch† seems to be ahead of time

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Summary and opinion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Summary and opinion - Research Paper Example Bankers state that pricing an offering for the company to register quick gains once the trading begins is the best approach. This is because the strategy enables the company to improve its relationship with the big investors while at the same improving the reputation of the company in the market. However, too much of hype is detrimental to the success of the company in the market. This is because the investors who buy the shares during the first week are likely to sell them very quickly in order to make high returns. In order to avoid a runaway stock, the company should control the number of shares it offers in the market. This is to reduce the demand which might increase the prices. In addition, the company should control the information being released in the market to avoid creating unrealistic expectations among the investors (Raice, 2012). Some companies might prefer to raise as much money as possible once they introduce the shares in the market. This approach can work with investors who are likely to be patient. However, there is a high risk that the prices of the shares might decline in the first weeks of trading. Therefore, creating a strong investor relationship is very important in securing the future of the company. Therefore, the company should communicate effectively, observe the ethical standards, comply with the set rules, and audit its operations in order to identify the need to make changes (Raice, 2012). With the entry of the internet in the market, it is becoming very hard for the companies to control the pop associated with entering in the stock market. However, companies need to audit their books in order to know their worth before releasing the information to the market. This is to ensure that they have a strong base to support their operations in case the shares fail to raise the expected amount of money. This has seen many companies fail to reach the target as many of the initial

Monday, October 14, 2019

Financial Analysis of BLD Plantation Bhd

Financial Analysis of BLD Plantation Bhd 1.1 Sime Darby Plantation Bhd According to Sime Darby (2013), the Sime Darby Plantation is the plantation and agribusiness arm of Sime Darby Berhad, at which has incorporated over 15 countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and so on. It was founded in 1910 and growth to become the largest conglomerate in Malaysia. However, it is the one of largest palm oil producer in the world which produce 2.47 million tones of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) output annually. Bloomberg (n.d) states that Sime Darby Plantation Bhd was mainly engages in upstream activities such as oil palm and rubber plantation development, cultivation, and downstream activities. The company was involved in the manufacturing of oils and fats products, and other fast moving consumer goods. The company was incorporated in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia during 2004 with other offices in Indonesia and India (Bloomberg, n.d). Besides, its downstream operations are divided into 2 sectors, that is food and nonfood. For food sector, CPO was manufactured into different types of oils and fat products such as cooking oil, margarine and cooking fats. The company also produces the customized products to meet their customers need and satisfaction. In nonfood sector, it was involved in the manufacturing of oleochemicals and biodiesel. In 2016, the company has commenced the first large scale planting of Genome Select high yielding oil palms, which allow themselves to produce mire oil in existing land. 1.2 BLD Plantation Bhd The BLD Plantation Bhd (BLDP) was incorporated in Malaysia as a public limited company under the Companies Act 1965 in October 2001. It was listed on main market of Bursa Malaysia under plantation sector on 2003 and served as parent company to Bintulu Lumber Development Sdn Bhd, Grand Mutual Sdn Bhd, and so on. According to Worldwide Company Profile (2011), the company was principally engaged in investing holding and provision of management services whereas the principal activities of group are cultivation of oil palm, processing of fresh fruit bunches and sales of related products. The Sarawak based BLD Plantation Group was mainly involved in cultivation of oil palm, processing of fresh fruit bunches into CPO and related products. The company was also involved in cattle farming and timber business but it has gradually declined and phased out in 2004. However, the company has produces the CPO and palm kernel (PK) and only sold to Bintulu Edible Oils Sdn Bhd (BEO), which is the major palm oil refinery in Sarawak. 1.3 Riverview Rubber Estates Bhd Riverview Rubber Estates Bhd is a publicly traded company which operates in the agricultural sector in Malaysia (Worldwide Company Profile, 2012). It was mainly involved in the cultivation of oil palm. However, it was incorporated in 1936 and has registered Headquarter in Ipoh, Malaysia. In 2006, the company had produced approximately 43,651 tons of fresh fruit bunches. Moreover, it was interested in two associated companies, that is Narborough Plantations company which is interests in the operation of oil palm plantations and Rivaknar Holdings Sdn Bhd which principally involved in investment holding. Riverview Rubber Estates is listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad and London Stock Exchange (Worldwide Company Profile, 2012). 1.4 IJM Plantation Bhd IJM is one of Malaysias leading conglomerates which was listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. The company has embraced the theme Nurturing Sustainability for its long-term success in agribusiness that are related to oil palm supply chain. However, they have their own vision and mission statements. Their vision statement is To be a leading regional plantation group while the mission statements is To uphold the highest standards of performance in our plantation and agribusiness. The companys theme Nurturing sustainability remain their long term success in oil palm business venture. As the group progresses, it has adopted and implemented strategies to embrace the pillar of performance, the productivity and innovations, and the care for environment. IJM Plantation Berhad was also listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2003. However, it represents one of the 5 main division of IJM group. 1.5 Innoprise Plantation Berhad The Innoprise Plantation Berhad is a Sabah based company listed on main board of Bursa Malaysia (RSPO, n.d). The company was undertaking planting and development at which have approximately 22,763 hectares of forest reserves land in Tawau, Sabah. However, the company has disposed the downstream wood product assets and start to refocus on oil palm. The company was planning to complete planting at which estimated 13,929 hectares of planted oil palm in 2013. In 2006, the company was entered into contract with its major shareholder, Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd to log over 30,000 hectares of Kuamut Forest Reserve over 10 years. This operation is to provide medium term revenue and partial funding for companys oil palm development project. Besides, Innoprise Group was highly emphasized on Corporate Social Responsibility as it recognizes the community, employees and the environment as stakeholders. With the limited resources, the company will continue to make contribution towards development of t he community especially education, sports and poverty alleviation. No. Company Name Data 1 Sime Darby Plantation 0.00221000 2 BLD Plantation 0.00893000 3 Riverview Rubber Estate 0.00599135 4 IJM Plantation 0.00552490 5 Innoprise Plantation BHD 0.01047740 6 KLCI 0.00289210 3.1 Expected Return Based on the expected return table above, we can know that the highest expected return among few companies from 2007 to 2016 is Innoprise Plantation Bhd. On the other hand, the lowest expected return among few companies from 2007 to 2016 is Sime Darby Plantation. Expected return is the amount of profit or loss that an investor expected on the investment that has various known or called as expected rates of return. Expected return is important to be calculate. This is because it can predict the future value of a portfolio and provide guidance from which to measure actual returns. Expected return is always calculate based on the historical data and is not guaranteed. (Investopedia, 2017) Expected return is also known as a process of determining the average expected probability of different types of rates of return that are possible on a given assets. There are some factors to determine the expected return which are different market conditions and an assets beta. (BusinessDictionary.com, 2017). The most important factor that affect the expected return is the stock price. The formula that calculate expected return is as below: Expected return, E(r)= 1/ TÆ ©t=1 r(i,j) Innoprise Plantation Bhd has a highest expected return from 2007 to 2016 compared to these companies. High expected return indicates that the higher risk, the higher the volatility and return potential. (Chirantan Basu, 1995). Based on the historical data, we can know that the highest price among these few year was RM1.85546 on July 2012 while the lowest was RM0.28545 on Dec 2008. Moreover, we can know that the stock price for each month has changed drastically especially the stock price has increased from RM0.46624 per share to RM0.942 per share on April 2010 according to the historical data. It increased by RM0.47576 per share on that time. On 12 April 2010, according to the Capital Reconstruction Exercise, the existing issued and paid-up share capital of the company of RM112,500,000 comprising 112,500,000 ordinary shares which are RM1 per share was reduced to RM 56,250,000 comprising 112,500,000 ordinary share of the company. Therefore, the entire paid-up share capital of 112,500,000 ordinary shares of RM0.50 per share were consolidated into 56,250,000 ordinary shares which are RM1 per share. (Annual Report of Innoprise Plantation Bhd, 2010) Subsequent to the Capital Reconstruction Exercise, the issued and paid up ordinary share capital of the company was increased from RM56,250,000 to RM188,611,300 by the way of the issuance of 132,361,300 ordinary shares which are RM1 per share for cash based on the Rights Issue Exercies for working capital purposes. The new ordinary shares have the same right in all respects with the existing shares of the company. (Annual Report of Innoprise Plantation Bhd, 2010) On the other hand, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd has lowest expected return from 2007 to 2016 compared to these few companies. Based on the historical data, we can know that the highest price among these few year was RM11.90 on January 2016 while the lowest price was RM5.20 on January 2015. Based on the graph of stock price from 2007 to 2016 in Sime Darby Plantation Bhd in appendix, we can know that the stock price among these few year were moved stability from 2007 to 2014. Start from 2015 to 2016, it was dramatically changed. The highest expected return in Sime Darby was 0.24064 on November 2015. The stock price was increased from RM9.35 per share to RM11.60 per share suddenly at that period. During the financial year 2015, the company increased its issued and paid-up ordinary share capital from RM3,032,053,404 to RM3,105,579,143 by the way of issuance of 147,051,477 new ordinary shares of RM0.50 per share at an issue price of RM8.94 per share amounting to RM1,314.6 million, according to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan of the company. The new ordinary shares have the same right in all respects with the existing shares of the company. (Annual Report of Sime Darby Plantation Bhd, 2015) No. Company Name Data 1 Sime Darby Plantation 0.05695000 2 BLD Plantation 0.06363000 3 Riverview Rubber Estate 0.00709225 4 IJM Plantation 0.00681400 5 Innoprise Plantation BHD 0.00938350 6 KLCI 0.03652390 3.2 Standard Deviation In finance, standard deviation is commonly explained as the annual rate of return of an investment to measure the investments volatility. We calculate the standard deviation of different company by using the formula below.    Standard Deviation = [1/n * (ri rave)2] ½   Ã‚   Where:ri = actual rate of returnrave = average rate of returnn = number of time periods Standard deviation is important for an investor to make investment decision. Why do we say so? Because standard deviation measure the dispersion about an average, illustrating how widely a return may varied over time. Therefore, investor tend to predict the range of rate of return by using the standard deviation of historical performance. For an example, a fund or stock with high standard deviation of rate of return, the predicted range of performance is vast, resulting in higher volatility. Without standard deviation, you cannot define or evaluate whether a data given is to the average or the data is spread out over a wide range. On the other hand, by using standard deviation, investor can have a much clear expectation of an investment before doing any investment decision. If a funds return follow the normal distribution, approximately 68% of the time will fall within one standard deviation of the mean return and approximately 98% of the time within two standard deviation. (Morningstar Investing Glossary) Lets say if fund A have an expected annual return of 20% and its standard deviation is 4%, then investor would expect a return between 16% and 24% about 68% of the time and between 12% and 28% about 98% of the time. From the table above, we can see that BLD Plantation has the highest standard deviation compare to the other four company. As we know that, higher standard deviation means that the investment will differ a lot from the average return. In other word, you can make high return from the investment but also make big loss in the investment as the return is high the risk is also high. BLD Plantation have the highest standard deviation, therefore the company may provide higher return but the level of variation is high which mean the investment return is not consistent. Investment in this company may have higher risk compare to the other 4 company. With a standard deviation of 6.36%, which mean the investment return may differ from the mean about 6.36% lower or higher. In the other hand, we can see that IJM Plantation has the lowest standard deviation compare to the other four company. It means that IJM Plantation may be generating lower investment return but the volatility is low which large variation are unlikely to occur. An investor who do not want to take higher risk will invest in this company as the lower standard deviation can prevent the investor to lose too much as it doesnt deviate from the mean value too much. Although BLD Plantation has the highest standard deviation, but looking at the standard deviation as a whole, these five companies still consider as company with low standard deviation in generating investment return. No. Company Name Data 1 SD vs BLD -0.000166 2 SD vs RV -0.000272 3 SD vs IJM -0.000168 4 SD vs Inno -0.000533 5 SD vs KLCI -0.000201 6 BLD vs RV 0.001854 7 BLD vs IJM 0.002451 8 BLD vs Inno 0.003689 9 BLD vs KLCI 0.001275 10 RV vs IJM 0.001862 11 RV vs Inno 0.001465 12 RV vs KLCI 0.000785 13 IJM vs Inno 0.001725 14 IJM vs KLCI 0.001340 15 Inno vs KLCI 0.002270 3.3 Covariance SD Sime Darby BLD BLD RV Riverview IJM IJM Inno Innoprise KLCI KLCI Based on the covariance table above, we can know that the highest covariance from 2007 to 2016 among these few companies is BLD Plantation Bhd versus Innoprise Plantation Bhd. On the other hand, the lowest covariance from 2007 to 2016 among these few companies is Sime Darby Plantation Bhd versus Innoprise Plantation Bhd. Covariance is a measurement of how much two random variables vary together. It is almost like variance but variance only give the information about the single variable varies while covariance give the information about the two variables vary together. A large covariance indicates that a strong relationship between variables while a weak covariance indicates that a strong relationship between variables in a different data set with different scales. (Statistics How To, 2017) We calculate the covariance to measure the linear relationship between two variables and understand the direction of the relationship between variables. Covariance figures are not standardized. Hence, the covariance figure can range from negative figure until infinity to positive figure until infinity. (Minitab Express, 2016). In a simply words, the positive covariance indicate that the two variables are moving together or varying directly while the negative covariance indicate that the two variables are moving in the opposite direction or varying inversely. (BusinessDictionary.com, 2017) Based on the table above, we can know that BLD plantation Bhd and Innoprise Plantation Bhd have positive covariance which is 0.003689. It indicates that both companies tend to increase together. By looking the graph of stock price from 2007 to 2016 in BLD Plantation Bhd and Innoprise Plantation Bhd in appendix, we can see that both companies has increased and decreased at the same direction. When BLD Plantation Bhd has increased the stock price which from RM8.38 per share to RM8.64 per share on July 2012, Innoprise Plantation Bhd has also increased the stock price which from RM1.42728 per share to RM1.85546 per share on July 2012. This shows that both companies had moving together and grow at the same direction. By the calculation of covariance among these two companies, we can know that these companies have strong relationship between each other. In contrast, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and Innoprise Plantation Bhd have negative covariance which is -0.000533. It indicates that one of these companies tend to increase as the other companies decrease. By looking the graph of stock price from 2007 to 2016 among Sime Darby Plantation and Innoprise Plantation Bhd, we can know that Sime Darbys stock price remained slightly from 2007 to 2014 and had fluctuated from 2015 to 2016. On the other hand, stock price in Innoprise Plantation Bhd has fluctuated from 2007 to 2016. This indicates that both of the companies did not have increase or decrease at the same direction. Hence, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and Innoprise Plantation Bhd have negative covariance. When Sime Darby Plantation Bhd has increased from RM9.35 per share to RM11.60 per share on November 2015, Innoprise Plantation Bhd has decreased from RM1.40824 per share to RM1.3226 per share on November 2015. This shows that both companies had moving in the opposite direction. No. Company Name Data 1 Sime Darby Plantation -0.15067000 2 BLD Plantation 0.95540000 3 Riverview Rubber Estate 0.58830585 4 IJM Plantation 1.00599700 5 Innoprise Plantation BHD 1.70142429 3.4 Beta Beta is commonly defined as a measure of the volatility or the systematic risk of a portfolio or securities comparing with the market as a whole. In other word, beta values are also considering as a tool used to compare each individual stock to the market performance by evaluating the relationship of a stock movement with the market itself. Beta values are one of the several values that investor use to analyse the companys risk profile. Different companies have different beta value due to different industry, different customer or different function. All these may affect the beta values of a company. Company with beta value close to 1 or equal to one are commonly found in the large companies with numerous operating segment. The demand of the product of these companies usually increase and decrease proportional to the aggregate to the economic expansion or contraction. However, companies that are related to pharmaceutical or healthcare usually have beta value less than 1. The demand of suck companys products is inelastic. This causes people hard to stop buying them or find a substitute for such product. This makes the company always have a steadily earnings and lead to low volatility in stock price. Companies with beta value have the highest volatility in stock price. These companies tend to react better than the market or worse than the market. We can take companies in cyclical industries such as airline company as an example with high beta values. When the economy contract or slow down, people will have no money to demand for travel and stock price will decrease dramatically, an d vice versa. This result in higher volatile earnings and the movement of share price. According to the data above, we can say that the beta is categorized in three groups which are higher than 1, between 0 and 1, and below 0. Beta is known as a measurement of a stocks volatility in relation to the market. There are two company that come with beta higher than 1 which are the IJM Plantation and Innoprise Plantation BHD. Innoprise Plantation has the highest beta value which is 1.70 follow by IJM Plantation with beta value of 1.006. Based on this value, we can say that Innoprise Plantation BHD stock is theoretically 70.14% more volatile than the market and IJM Plantation stocks is 0.6% more volatile than the market. This indicate that when there is a 10% increase in the stock market, stocks price for Innoprise Plantation BHD will increase by approximately 17% and also approximately 10.06% for IJM Plantation. This concept applies to the condition when market goes down too. These two company with beta value higher than 1 tends to perform better than the market when the mark et goes up and when the market slow down, the company will perform even worse compare to the market. With the beta value between 0 and 1 is BLD Plantation and Riverview Rubber Estate. Beta value for BLD plantation is 0.96 and 0.59 for Riverview Rubber Estate. These two companies are the companies with volatilities lower than the market, which means that BLD Plantation and Riverview Rubber Estate are theoretically less volatile than the market. If the market increase by 10%, BLD Plantation stocks price will increase only 9.6% and for Riverview Rubber Estate, the stock price will only increase by 5.9%. This also means that the company have a steadily earnings stream and lower volatility of the stock. The last company is the Sime Darby Plantation with a beta value lower than 0 which is a negative beta value. The beta value for Sime Darby Plantation is -0.15. A negative beta correlation indicates that the stock price will go in the opposite direction with the market situation. When the market rise about 10%, the stock price for Sime Darby will decrease about 1.5%, and vice versa. Conservative or safe playing investor will consider about BLD Plantation and Riverview Rubber Estate as the lower betas limit the volatility. Beta value of companies are one of the important element in the formula of capital asset pricing model which is known as CAPM. As how much diversify our investment is, there will be still some risk within it. So, as an investor, they claim that by taking the risk there must deserve a rate of return. By using CAPM, we can calculate the investment risk and what rate of return are we expecting from the investment. 3.5 Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is a model that describes the relationship between systematic risk and expected return for assets, particularly stocks. (Investopedia, 2017) CAPM is used to calculate the required rate of return for any risky assets. Required rate of return is a rate of total return needed to be compensated for the risk taken which is made up of a risk-free rate and risk premium. (Finance, 2009) The required rate of return is also an increase in value that should be expect to see based on the risk level of the assets. (InvestingAnswer, 2017) CAPM is an idealized portrayal of how financial markets fix the price of the securities and determine expected returns on capital investments. By using CAPM, it provides a methodology for quantifying risk and translating the risk into the estimated of expected return on equity. (David W.Muslim,Jr, 1982). The model says that the only reason that an investor should earn more on average by investing in one stock rather than another stock is that the stock is riskier. By the CAPM calculation, we can know that the required rate of return among these five companies is 0.0235305. We have use the beta information to calculate the required rate of return. The weight of these five companies are the same which are 0.1. According the CAPM, the beta is the only relevant measurement of a stocks risk. By knowing the beta, then we can get the required rate of return. In this case, required rate of return which is 2.35% is greater than risk-free which is 2.33% that stated. Hence, we should not invest in this portfolio. This is because we need to have higher rate to get back the return. To conclude all the information and analysis, the highest expected return among the few companies from 2007 to 2016 is Innoprise Plantation Bhd and the lowest expected return among few companies from 2007 to 2016 is Sime Darby Plantation. With the higher expected return, higher risk, the higher the volatility and return potential. Means Innoprise Plantation Bhd has the highest risk and highest volatility and return potential and Sime Darby Plantation has the lowest risk and lowest volatility and return potential. The highest Standard deviation among the few companies from 2007 to 2016 is BLD Plantation and the lowest standard deviation is IJM Plantation. The higher standard deviation means that the investment will differ a lot from the average return. Which means the BLD Plantation can provide higher return but the level of variation and risk is higher compare to other 4 companies. The IJM Plantation has lowest standard deviation means the company generating lower return but the level of variation and risk is lower to prevent too much loss. The highest covariance from 2007 to 2016 among these few companies is BLD Plantation Bhd versus Innoprise Plantation Bhd. On the other hand, the lowest covariance from 2007 to 2016 among these few companies is Sime Darby Plantation Bhd versus Innoprise Plantation Bhd. . A large covariance indicates that a strong relationship between variables while a weak covariance indicates that a strong relationship between variables in a different data set with different scales. Beta values are considering as a tool used to compare each individual stock to the market performance by evaluating the relationship of a stock movement with the market itself. Beta values are one of the several values that investor use to analyse the companys risk profile. The beta value can be categorized into three group, higher than 1, between 0 and 1, and less than 1. There are two company that come with beta higher than 1 which are the IJM Plantation and Innoprise Plantation BHD. Innoprise Plantation has the highest beta value which is 1.70 follow by IJM Plantation with beta value of 1.0. With the beta value between 0 and 1 is BLD Plantation and Riverview Rubber Estate. Beta value for BLD plantation is 0.96 and 0.59 for Riverview Rubber Estate The last company is the Sime Darby Plantation with a beta value lower than 0 which is a negative beta value and the beta value is -0.15. Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is a model that describes the relationship between systematic risk and expected return for assets, particularly stocks. By using the CAPM calculation, we can know that the required rate of return among these five companies is 0.0235305. Based on the evaluation of each company from (c), the lowest expected rate of return was Sime Darby Plantation, given by 0.00221000. The highest expected rate of return was Innoprise Plantation BHD, 0.01047740. The average expected rate of return of these five companies was 0.00662673 whereas the required rate of return was 0.0235305. For a good investment, the expected rate of return has to be higher than the required rate of return. To improve the situation, there are a few strategies taken by each of the companies to drive their operational efficiency, seek out investment while maintaining their capital discipline. Sime Darby Plantation planned to extend sustainable supply chain to include small producers since year 2016. Under the partnership, the supply of small producers will be secured. Sime Darby Plantation collaborate with Wild Asia to assist the rest of the small producers to achieve RSPO certification. As one of the worlds largest plantation company, Sime Darby manufactures, sales and marketing activities of oils and fats products, oleochemicals, palm oil-based biodiesel and other palm oil derivatives (Sime Darby News, 2016). The variety involvement of Sime Darby Plantation helps to improve the companys performance whether in short-term or long-term. Besides that, BLD Plantation had entered into a share sale agreement in year 2016 to acquire the entire 1.1 million shares of RM 1.00 each in the share capital of Pekan for RM 155.22 million. Since the agreement, BLD Plantation has conducted due diligence and it is still