Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Report - Essay Example Electronic Retail Company, Strategy is the direction and scope of the firm over the long term preferably over five years which achieves advantage in changing environment through its configuration of resources and competencies with the aim of full filing stakeholder expectations (Kaplan & Norton, 2001, pg.7). This explains why the past 5 years of ERB Ltd as been put under critical discussion and analysis (Crosetto,2005,pg.38). The Strategic position of ERB Ltd. considers the influence on strategy on the external environment, the organisation’s goals, culture and strategic capability, which will include the resources and competences of the organisation (Abrams, 2003, pg.121). This is significant towards its continued competitive strategies in this dynamic business society influenced by globalization. The ERB Ltd. strategic position is concerned with the impact on strategy of the macro environment, internal resources and competences, expectations and influence of stakeholders (Abrams, 2003, pg.258). The Macro environment factors and competencies of ERB Ltd. are studied using Pestle, Swot, Porter’s 5 Forces, Strategic Capabilities Analysis and Stakeholder mapping. Our company follows cost leadership strategy. The reason of our choice is that we achieve to be supplied with products from manufacturers at lower cost. In addition, we do our best to offer the products to customers at the lowest possible price (Schermerhorn, 2010, pg.223). Since we are focussed on selling quality products and offering outstanding customer service to our clients, marginal cost pricing technique is paramount in respect to our continued profit margin. As accost leadership strategy believer, the company observes the pricing behaviour of other firms and set prices slightly below the market average thereby attracting more customers and realizing greater sales (Hill & Jones, 2010, pg.157). ERB Ltd reconciles the idea of affordability of their products with their relatively cheaper

Monday, October 28, 2019

How to Analyze Sources and Information

How to Analyze Sources and Information By Riley Kohl       Today, we live in a world that runs on information. Information is gathered, shared, bought, and sold. More and more, individuals are consuming vast amounts of information and using it to shape themselves and the way they perceive the world around them. In our journey to reach new heights of understanding, we construct for ourselves a tall watchtower, with each brick being a new piece of information. Far too often, however, we dont ask ourselves a crucial question: what if this new brick has cracks? My goal is to explain why you need to be able to appraise the quality of the information you consume and to give you the tools to do so reliably and efficiently. A Growing Need One of the most commonly used sources of information is the news, specifically the mainstream media. In recent years, there has been a gradual, observable decline in the quality of journalism. Noticing this, the American people have subsequently displayed a gradual decline in the level of trust they place in the mainstream medias ability to report information in a trustworthy and unbiased manner. In a Gallup poll conducted in 2016 with a random sample of 1,020 adults, only 32% professed to having a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mainstream media.[1] A graph of this trend is provided in Figure 1. A Practical Demonstration In order to better grasp the methodologies of information analysis, and the need for such skills, a practical demonstration is best. On November 20, 2015, CNN published an article alleging that President-elect Donald Trump made a definitive statement regarding the implementation of a Muslim database.[2] Several hours later, an article was published by the Gateway Pundit claiming that the conclusions presented by the CNN article were based on falsified evidence.[3] Figure 2 provides a side- by-side view of the article headlines. This leads to the first, and most important, critical rule of information analysis: no source is above scrutiny because no source is infallible. CNN is a major media outlet. The first reaction of the average person would be to simply trust them over the Gateway Pundit, a relatively unknown source. The CNN article also provides a video which seems to support the claim presented in the headline. The two most notable arguments presented by the Gateway Pundit article are that the CNN video is heavily edited and that the reporter deliberately pushed a vague, unspecific question. The first step the reader must take at this point is to watch, or re-watch, the CNN video. It is clear that the video is edited, but this practice is not unusual. Videos provided in articles and reports are often edited for time purposes, cutting out unnecessary information in order to deliver the important information in a timely manner. Thus, we arrive at the second critical rule: when in doubt, consult the raw data. This is not always an easy task. In scientific reports, the raw data is often extensive or presented in a format that is difficult for laymen to understand. News articles, on the other hand, often draw their data from raw video or official statements. Given the positions presented by the two articles, at most only one of them can be correct. Therefore, at least one of these articles must be false. The result of this is that a person who believes the false article will likely form an opinion on Donald Trump, then a Presidential candidate. This newly assimilated information might affect a choice of action taken by the reader, such as who they vote for, which could have consequences as significant as deciding the next political leader of the United States of America. Placed in this perspective, it is clear that information and misinformation can be a powerful, dangerous forces. It is imperative that they a re properly evaluated by the readers. Methodologies for Appraising Information Some of the simplest methods for appraising the quality of an information source involve asking basic questions. These include confirming whether or the not source is unbiased, comprehensive, current, and clear.[4] While the latter questions are fairly simple, the question of bias is a tricky beat to handle. Bias is fundamentally difficult to avoid when writing, or choosing not to write, articles or reports. These are written by human beings, who have their own ingrained outlooks and opinions on the world. Additionally, the existence of bias extends outside the article itself, into the meta realm of publication. There can exist a bias in what information is published and what information is not. A news outlet might choose to only report on the legitimate scandals of a political figure and publish nothing regarding their accomplishments. Even though the published articles may be true, the bias still exists. A very common misconception is that the authorship of an information source is a good measure of its quality or trustworthiness. While this can serve as a significant, time-saving shortcut, it can also lull the reader into a false sense of security. The most well-respected news outlet can publish erroneous articles, and the most sensational tabloid can publish articles containing nothing but the truth. A final concept to note, before proceeding to a more orderly listing of methodologies, is the writing itself. The writing styles of information sources can vary widely based on their intended audience and purpose. A scientific report on geological predictions based on survey data will vary in appearance and flow from a news article reporting on a recent crime wave. Despite this, the hallmark of a good article lies with its objective reasoning. There should be a clear logical flow from the raw information being cited to the final conclusions drawn and presented by the author.[5] Faulty logic or subtle fallacies can take factual evidence and output misleading conclusions. A Simple Checklist for Appraising Sources Ask yourself the three Cs: Is it comprehensive, clear, and current? Look to see if the source has a logical flow of objective reasoning. Identify the purpose of the article. What is the writer trying to convey? Identify any potential for bias. Does the author have an underlying motive? Cross-reference with alternative sources. Consult the raw data if necessary. Remember that is is alright to decide that no definitive conclusions can be drawn from insufficient sources. Works Cited [1] Gallup, Inc. Americans Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low.Gallup.com. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017. [2] Trump would certainly implement national database for U.S. Muslims.CNN. Cable News Network, 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [3] Hoft, Jim. THEY LIED! Media Edited Video to Claim Donald Trump Said to Register All Muslims (Video).TheGatewayPundit. N.p., 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [4] Markel, Michael H. Practicalstrategiesfortechnicalcommunication. 1st ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. Print. [5] LibGuides: Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Critical Appraisal and Analysis.CriticalAppraisaland AnalysisCriticallyAnalyzingInformationSourcesLibGuidesatCornellUniversity. N.p., 27 May 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017.   Ã‚  

Friday, October 25, 2019

Vladimir Tatlin and Naum Gabo Modern Art Essay -- compare, contrast, ar

This paper will explore Vladimir Tatlin and Naum Gabo differences on the role of the Avant-Garde artists and how their beliefs influence the kind of work they produced. A pioneer of Russian design Vladimir Tatlin is a representative of Russian Realism. He left home when he was fifteen and served on the shipboard. When he became a painter, he often represented sailors in his pictures Art and culture in Russia after Revolution was a tool for creating industrially aesthetical reality. Tatlin’s project The Monument to the Third International (1920) one that so much can be considered an architectural work as a sculptural piece, it constituted by a spiral of iron that is expanded diagonally and enclosed by walls of glass of a much higher height to that of the Eiffel tower. It was never embodied into life, but this project shows that socialist order propagation was of primary concern for artists of the beginning of 20th century in Russia (Avant-Garde, Tatlin). Thus, in accordance wit h Tatlin, avant-garde artist transfers ideas of social reality of his modernity. In his project Tatlin wanted to reflect technological progress of post-revolutionary Russia. He was called â€Å"artist of great culture, a true master, who is a devoted worker for the proletarian revolution† (Avant-Garde – Abstraction in Constructivism). Tatlin, V. Model of the Monument to the Third International Naum Gabo is another representative of Constructivism and in his Realist Manifesto (1920) Gabo claimed that it was relevant and in the spirit of an epoch to substitute static mass with a dynamic form. He said about himself: â€Å"making images to communicate my feelings of the world†(Gabo, 1962). Gabo considered an artist as a talented master, who is able to catch up mome... ...sthetics and defends the liberty of creation; he defends the subjective thing in the work of art, the conscious process of creation. In conclusion Vladimir Tatlin and Naum Gabo have differences on the role of the Avant-Garde artist. According to Tatlin, avant-garde artist transfer ideas of social reality of his modernity and Gabo claimed that it was relevant in the spirit of an epoch to substitute static mass with a dynamic form. Even though both Tatlin and Gabo’s work were influenced by conceptually different beliefs their works are both represented abstractedly. Works Cited Avant-Garde – Abstraction in Constructivism: Vladimir Tatlin's 'The Monument to the Third International'. Available from: Gabo, N. Of Divers Arts. New York: Faber and Faber, 1962.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Invention of Blue Jeans

In 1873 blue jeans were invented by a well known man named Levi Strauss. Blue jeans became popular for farmers and workers, because they were tougher and less likely to rip. Many Americans wore jeans for comfort, too. A 24-year-old German immigrant named Levi Strauss departed from New York with  little supply of dry  materials. He also had the intention of opening  an extension  of his brother's New York business that he was bringing to San Francisco.Strauss did not want to be a prospector, so he decided he would make enough money by selling supplies to the miners. First, Strauss sold cloth, textiles, and sewing supplies to the miners, but he didn't earn much profit by doing that. Then he heard the miners complaining about how easily they ripped their pants, so Strauss decided to use some of his heavy canvas fabric to make the miners pants to wear. The first jeans were made of a material called ‘duck’, but this fabric was not particularly comfortable.Then Strauss made the jeans using fabric called denim. Denim is a tough, cotton fabric which is made by passing under two or more threads. This fabric made jeans much more popular for everyone to wear, not just workers. In 1873, Jacob Davis wrote him a letter saying that he could make durable pockets with metal rivets for the pants. But Davis didn't have enough money to share his idea, so he offered to give his idea to Strauss if Strauss agreed to pay his patent. Strauss agreed, and from then on blue jeans had metal rivet pockets.Then the idea for jeans was to dye them with indigo, to make jeans blue. After that, blue jeans were considered perfect. Blue jeans changed the style of dressing later in history. After they were invented, blue jeans were typically only used for protection. But soon after Strauss changed the fabric to denim, they became comfortable and stylish. American’s then thought of new ideas for jeans, and the styles changed to all different kinds of jeans like skinny jean s, straight leg, boot cut, etc.They initially changed the way of dressing, and the future style of Americans. Blue jeans became popular for farmers and workers, because they were tough, strong, durable pants that everyone could rely on not ripping. They became the apparel that changed America’s style of dressing too, and the most popular type of pants. Jeans are still largely popular, and they will continually be modified to fit the changing style of America.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

An Explanation of Point Illustration

This semester, I learned point illustration explanation (PIE) in y writing skills which will be valuable in my future college papers. The topic that stood to me the most was point illustration explanation (PIE). PIE makes the reader understand one's purpose better. When using PIE, the flirts thing a person starts with Is the P which stands for point. The point Is the topic sentence and this sentence will be one of the claims the entire essay addresses which is pretty much the reader's the argument. Next is the I which stands for illustration.During the illustration phase, the writer shows the proof of one's argument I. E. , the writer can provide evidence to purport the point, or topic. Depending on the type of essay, this can take many forms. Whether it's textual evidence, a memory based on the point, or a supporting quote from an outside source. Last but not least we have the E which stands for explanation. This is where the writer must find the reasoning between the point and the Illustration, which Is kind of Like a conclusion because one is tying the Illustration back to one's point.While writing paragraphs may seem like an intuitive kind of skill, there are some easy things to keep in mind while writing to make sure paragraphs do hat they're supposed to do: illustrate an idea and end when it's done. This strategy helps prove one's point through the reader. This semester we read â€Å"How to watch Your Brother Die† by Michael Lease†. When writing this paper, I learned how to observe the types of strategy the author uses by providing the evidence (quotes) from the text and this is valuable because when a person Is writing a paper stating their point, that person has to prove that point.One can't Just state their point and expect the reader to agree with them. For Instance, In How to Watch Your Brother Die† the author uses vivid imagery; the quotes he uses to invite the reader in were: â€Å"Remember the time he was Jealous and opened you r eyebrow with sharp stick† (Lasses 479). â€Å"Feel the lover's hand on your arm restraining you. See In the guard's eye how much a man can hate another man† (Lasses 480). â€Å"Stand beside a casket covered in flowers, white flowers. Say Thank you for coming,' to each of several hundred men who file past in tears, some of them holding hands† (Lease† 481).In â€Å"How to Watch Your Brother Die†, Lasses uses vivid imagery. His Imagery Invites readers go threw his Journey with him, the narrator takes the reader with him in the past when his brother â€Å"broke his skin† causing him to bleed to watching him be buried, with his brother's gay friends being at the funeral for support. This semester we also watched a movie called the â€Å"Dead Poets' Society'. By watching the movie, I learned to pay close details to certain characters and I will value this in the future because I will be able to see the different methods the 1 OFF poetry affects t he students throughout the course. The Dead Poets were dedicated o sucking the marrow out of life. That's a phrase from Thoreau that we'd invoke at the beginning of each meeting. You see we'd gather at the old Indian cave and take turns reading from Thoreau, Whitman, Shelley; the biggies. Even some of our own verse. And in the enchantment of the moment we'd let poetry work it's magic† (Keating: Dead Poets' Society). Mellon chapter. The meetings will be conducted by myself and the other new initiates now present. Todd Anderson, because he prefers not to read, will keep minutes of the meetings.I'll now read the rotational opening message by society member Henry David Thoreau. ‘l went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life† (Neil: Dead Poets' Society). In the â€Å"Dead Poets Society' The boys create a club called the dead poets' society to express their thoughts to one another. Professor Keating encouraged them to believe in their own beliefs and to strive for their own voice. Professor Keating gives them clues to start something that has to do with language which is poetry and he showed the boys how language works and how it's all around us.I feel like using PIE has improved my writing skills from high school papers to college papers. If I had watched the movie the â€Å"Dead Poets' Society without having learned the PIE structure, I would of Just watched the movie without examining the details of the actual meaning of the movie. But having learned the PIE structure, I had the opportunity to go beyond the movie. And I loved it because of the way the characters acted and Just the movie itself. There was a lot of poetry through the professor's teachings but I don't think it's the actual poetry that changed his students o react the way they did which was by creating a secret club.And Neil ending up killing himself. I think the thing that really influenced his students was th e professor, the way it taught the class and made them read the poems and do activities inspired them. If they were to read the poetry on their own, they wouldn't have gotten the same reaction. Society then was not as good as it is now and by society I mean parents; all the parents controlled their child on what school that is good for them and what career they should do.But the professor changed that towards his dents, he also influenced them to think for their own no matter what anybody says â€Å"l always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for your self† (Keating: Dead Poets' Society). While learning the PIE structure, I had few difficulties throughout my papers. Looking back at my three essays I see how my writing has evolved. What I learned from my first essay that helped me write my second essay was being clearer when writing my explanation in PIE. For instance when using we or they, I need to be more specific on who I'm referring to.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Democratic Republic of Congo Compared to the United States of America Essay Example

The Democratic Republic of Congo Compared to the United States of America Essay Example The Democratic Republic of Congo Compared to the United States of America Essay The Democratic Republic of Congo Compared to the United States of America Essay In a war torn country, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, there are a number of complex reasons why it is still to this day a poor nation. The central African country is bordered by numerous nations with whom it has had conflicts. There have been a number of complex reasons, including conflicts over basic resources such as water, access and control over rich minerals and other resources like oil, and various political agendas. This has been fueled and supported by various national and international corporations and other regimes which have an interest in the outcome of the conflict. There are clear statistical differences in why the Democratic Republic of Congo (D. R. C. ) is so much the opposite of the United States (U. S. ). Comparing these two places will show Just how poor and conflicted the DRC is to the U. S. The D. R. C. and the U. S. have relatively high foreign external debts, but the U. S. is especially higher. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (C. I. A. ) website on country statistics, the U. S. owes roughly $17 trillion today, whereas the D. R. C. , as of December 31st, 2012 only owes $6 billion. The United States provides approximately $428 million dollars a year to the D. R. C in economic and military assistance. In comparing their Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNI, formally GNP) with the U. S. , there is a significant difference. GDP at purchasers prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy, plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. Even though the D. R. C. has a huge total GDP of $27. 3 billion USD, their GDP per capita that is spent on each person a year is only $271. 97 USD (World Bank). The U. S. has a total GDP of $15. 94 trillion with the GDP per capita at $50,700 GNI is the sum of value added by all resident producers, plus any product (C. I. A. ). taxes not included in the valuation of output, plus net receipts of primary income. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the D. R. C. has a total GNI of $24. 53 billion USD and a per capita GNI of o nly $340. The U. S. in comparison has a total GDI of $16. 77 trillion and per capita GNI of $43,743. In understanding how their GDP and GDI can be so much higher compared to what they provide their people I will give other economic statistics on their trading partners and their main industries, rops, and minerals. The D. R. C. s main trading partners in exporting are China (53. 0%), Zambia (24. 5%), and Belgium (7. 9%) and in importing they are South Africa (21. 4%), China (15. 1%), and Belgium (7. 9%) (C. I. A. ). D. R. C. s main industries are mining, mineral processing, consumer products such as, textiles, plastics, footwear, and cigarettes, metal products, processed food and drinks, timber, cement, and commercial ship repair. Their main crops are coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, cotton, cocoa, quinine, cassava, bananas, plantains, peanuts, root crops, and corn. Main minerals include cobalt, copper, diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, niobium, tantalum, and petroleum. The United States in comparison fares far better off than the D. R. C. Our main trading partners in exporting are from China (19%), Canada (14. 1%), Mexico (12%), Japan (6. 4%), and Germany (4. 7%). The U. S. s main industries are petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, and mining. Our main crops are wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables, and cotton nd our main minerals are coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc and petroleum (C. I. A. ). There are also differences in the two countries. The population in the whole U. S. combined is roughly 317 milli on people, while in the D. R. C. there are about 75 million people. With those figures it appears that there is a much smaller population of people in the D. R. C. , but in reality with the amount of land that each nation encompasses, the differing amounts are closely the same. In the D. R. C. The population density is 28. and in the U. S. there are 34. 06 people. That is only roughly 5 more people per square mile in the U. S. , 34. 3% urban. The D. R. C. is the 20th largest nation in the world by population with the U. S. coming in at 4th, roughly 82% being urban. The life expectancy, fertility, and infant mortality rates in the D. R. C. are by far the biggest indicator on how bad their economy and health is. With the quality of life and society as a whole being impoverished, the D. R. C. s population on average is only expected to live to be 56. 14 years with a 2. 54% population growth rate. In the U. S. ur life expectancy is on average 78. 62 years with a . 09% population growth rate. With the D. R. C. having higher population growth than the U. S. , fertility rates are much higher. The fertility rate in the D. R. C. is 4. 95 children, per women whereas, in the U. S. our fertility rates are 2. 6 children, per woman. Infant mortality rates in the D. R. C. are 74. 87 deaths out of every 1,000 live births with the U. S. only having 5. 9 deaths out of every 1,000 births. In the D. R. C adult literacy rates are extremely low with only 66. 8% of people over the age of fifteen can read or write. In the United States 99% over the age of fifteen can do so. Access to clean water and sanitation might be one explanation as to why the people of the D. R. C. have so many problems. Only 45% of the D. R. C. population has safe water to drink and ways to stay clean, but in the U. S. ur total population is at 100% availability for clean water and sanitation (C. I. A. ). With there being wide spread poverty in the D. R. C. communications, the ability to reach the outside world is even less desirable. Telephone services are owned and operated by the corrupt government, and radio and television transmissions are State-controlled. According to a statistical website that aims to facilitate comparison of publicly available data on all countries of the world, states that there are 2 televisions, 19 cell phones, and 385 radios owned out of every 1,000 people in the D. R. C. compared to the U. S. at 1,180 televisions, 600 landline phones, 670 cellular phones, and 2,146 radios per 1,000 people (Allcountries. org)). In conclusion, the D. R. Cs economy being what it is, and a government that is riddled with corruption, there is a long road ahead of them. This republic government faces challenges that include the presence of armed groups in eastern D. R. C. , rampant corruption, inadequate infrastructure and human resources, and a limited capacity to raise and manage revenues. According to the U. S. Department of State, In trying to encourage the growth and living standards for the Congolese citizens, the U. S has taken steps to aid in the D. R. C. s structure. The D. R. C. and the U. S. belong to a International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. The U. S. relations with the D. R. C. are strong. The U. S. foreign policy in the D. R. C. is focused on helping the country become a nation that is stable and democratic, at peace with its eighbors, extends state authority across its territory, and provides for the basic needs of its citizens. In my opinion, the D. R. C. s government has made little effort to punish the rebel groups who are responsible for the chaos. The government itself is unstable and plagued by corruption which heightens the already devastating conditions. There needs to be real support for the ongoing peace process, and holding our allies in the region accountable for their actions. Being socially, politically, legally, and economically empo wered, I believe the citizens of the D. R. C. will rise up and promote a positive change.

Monday, October 21, 2019

War Vetreans essays

War Vetreans essays Throughout a process of the past few days we have heard from four different veterans including one from world war one and three from the Vietnam war. All of the war veterans had petty mush the same experience, all of them where in combat, they all had suffered during the war and still today deal with there various problem such as trauma, or having to sleep with a gun under there pillow such as the Vietnam veteran Paul, and other various addictions. I believe that all of their addictions and habits are very understandable because if u think about what all they have gone through and done for us, like go through torture in p.ow. Camps or just being constantly on the edge out in the field because youre afraid of being ambushed. Your alertness and reflexes cant just vanish in seconds once u get home, you also have to mentally stabilize your self witch could be very hard considering what they went through. I also think it would be very difficult to not be able to make any real relationshi ps with anyone and if you did you would have really no time to morn or anything if your friend was killed because if so you would be the next. Also I believe that how we were just recently attacked problly had a huge impact on there out look for the rest of their lives. Though they would not be put in to battle if a war were to arise they would problly have sons, grandkids, nephews or some one that would directly link them to the war. What is even worse is that they know what it is like to be in battle so they would know exactly what there loved ones are having to deal with, and what they still have to come to deal with. Also it would personally make me really mad to have fought in world war two witch was just a huge war and have to watch as we just continue to fight and fight again. To me having put my life on the line that would make me mad because world war two was supposed to be the war to finish all wars. ...