When the Recession of the Late 2000s Began and Ended

When the Recession of the Late 2000s Began and Ended The recession that began in the late 2000s was, to date, the worst economic downturn in the United States since the Great Depression. They didnt call it the Great Recession for nothing. So how long did the recession last? When did it begin? When did it end? How did the length of the recession compare to previous recessions? See more: Even in Recession, Congress Pay Grew Heres a brief Q and A on the recession. When did the Great Recession begin? December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, a private, nonprofit research group. When did the Great Recession end? June 2009, though lingering effects such as high unemployment continued to plague the United States well beyond that date. In determining that a trough occurred in June 2009, the committee did not conclude that economic conditions since that month have been favorable or that the economy has returned to operating at normal capacity, the NBER reported in September 2010. Rather, the committee determined only that the recession ended and a recovery began in that month. And a slow recovery it would be. How does the committee define a recession and a recovery? A recession is a period of falling economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales, NBER said. The trough marks the end of the declining phase and the start of the rising phase of the business cycle. Economic activity is typically below normal in the early stages of an expansion, and it sometimes remains so well into the expansion. How does the length of the Great Recession compare to past downturns? The recession lasted 18 months, making it the longest of any recession since World War II, according to the committee. Previously the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-75 and 1981-82, both of which lasted 16 months. When and for how long did the other modern recessions occur? The recession of 2001 lasted eight months, from March through November of that year. The recession of the early 1990s also lasted eight months, from July 1990 through March 1991. The recession of the early 1980s lasted 16 months, from July 1981 through November 1982. How did the government deal with the Great Recession? In order to deal with the nation’s worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Congress passed legislation that increased discretionary government spending in order to stimulate the economy. This legislation created programs ranging from financial assistance to large banks and car manufacturers to direct tax rebates for low-income households. In addition, Congress funded a series of massive â€Å"shovel-ready† public works projects, such as highway construction and improvement. At its peak, in early 2009, total discretionary government spending reached about $1.2 trillion in annual terms, or 7% of the nation’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In other words, ending the Great Recession required spending a lot of money the government simply had not planned to spend. How did the Great Recession affect taxpayers? Recessions, especially â€Å"Great† ones, can be costly affairs for taxpayers. According to the Federal Reserve Board, the Great Recession raised the U.S. federal debt and fiscal deficit to record peacetime levels. The federal debt increased from 62% of the GDP in 2007 before the recession to over 100% in 2013, five years after the supposed end of the recession. Indeed, the effects of the Great Depression of 2008 will linger for years to come. Updated by Robert Longley

Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Facts

Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Facts The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia graminea, sensu) is a now-extinct subspecies of song sparrow that lived on Santa Barbara Island in California and was most closely related to the Channel Island Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia graminea). It was one of the smallest of the 23 subspecies of song sparrows and had a perky short tail. Fast Facts: Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Scientific Name: Melospiza melodia graminea, sensuCommon Name: Santa Barbara Song SparrowBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: 4.7–6.7 inches; wingspan 7.1–9.4 inchesWeight: 0.4–1.9 ouncesLifespan: 4 yearsDiet:  OmnivoreHabitat: On Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands, CaliforniaPopulation: 0Conservation Status: Extinct Description There are 34 subspecies of song sparrows in the world: It is one of the most polytypic birds in North America, with a good deal of variation, especially in geographically restricted species. The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow resembled other similar subspecies  and is described as most closely resembling the Heermanns Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia heermanni). It was one of the smallest song sparrow subspecies and was characterized by a particularly gray back with dark streaks. Most song sparrows are browner in color with dark streaks. In general, a song sparrows breast and belly are white with dark streaking and a dark brown spot in the middle of the breast. It has a brown-capped head and a long, brown tail that is rounded on the end. The sparrows face is gray and streaked. The Santa Barbara song sparrows were distinguished from other song sparrows by a smaller, more slender bill, and a tail which was shorter than the wing. Habitat and Range The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow was known to exist only on 639-acre Santa Barbara Island (the smallest of the Channel Islands) in Los Angeles County, California. The sparrows natural habitat on the island was much like the habitat of other species of the song sparrow, which are generally abundant and adaptable on the mainland United States. Habitat components on the island that the sparrow relied on included: Thickets of shrubs like sagebrush, dense grasslands, and other scrubby vegetation for nesting and shelter (cover)Food resources such as giant coreopsis (Coreopsis gigantean, also called the tree sunflower), the Santa Barbara Island live-forever, shrubby buckwheat, and chicoryStanding or running fresh water or a consistent source of moisture from fog or dew Diet and Behavior In general, song sparrows are known to frequently forage on the ground and also in low vegetation where they are protected from predators by thickets and shrubs. Like other song sparrow species, the Santa Barbara Song Sparrow ate a variety of plant seeds and insects (including beetles, caterpillars, bees, ants and wasps, and flies). In spring, during the periods of nesting and rearing of young, insects increased in terms of the important components of the sparrows diet. The year-round diet of song sparrows in California is 21 percent insects and 79 percent plants; the song sparrow also eats crustaceans and mollusks on the coasts. Reproduction and Offspring Based on extant species of song sparrows on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa islands in the Channels, the Santa Barbara song sparrow built compact, open nests of twigs and other plant material, which were optionally lined with grass. The female laid three broods per season, each between two to six red-brown marked, pale green eggs. Incubation ranged from 12–14 days and was tended to by the female. Both parents were involved in the feeding until the sparrows were fledged 9–12 days later.   The birds were serially and simultaneously polygamous, and DNA studies showed that 15 percent or more of the young were sired outside the social pair. Extinction Process During the first half of the 20th century, sparrow nesting habitat (scrub vegetation) on Santa Barbara Island began disappearing as a result of clearing land for farming and from browsing by introduced goats, European rabbits, and New Zealand red rabbits. Unnatural predation also threatened sparrows during this time, after the introduction of domestic cats to the island. The sparrows natural predators included the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), Common Raven (Corvus corax), and Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). Even with these new challenges to its survival, the song sparrows maintained a viable population through the summer of 1958. Unfortunately, a large fire in 1959 destroyed most of the sparrows remaining habitat. The birds are thought to have been extirpated from the island during the 1960s because years of intensive surveys and monitoring throughout the 1990s did not reveal any resident song sparrows on the island. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially determined that the Santa Barbara Song Sparrow was extinct and removed it from the endangered species list on October 12, 1983, citing a loss of habitat and predation by feral cats. Sources Arcese, Peter et al. Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia. Birds of North America: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, January 1, 2002.  BirdLife International 2016. Melospiza melodia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened: e.T22721058A94696727, 2016. Santa Barbara song sparrow (Melospiza melodia . ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  graminea: Delisted due to ExtinctionVan Rossem, A. J. â€Å"A Survey of the Song Sparrows of the Santa Barbara Islands.† The Condor 26.6 (1924): 217–220.Zink, Robert M., and Donna L. Dittmann. Gene Flow, Refugia, and Evolution of Geographic Variation in the Song Sparrow (Melospiza Melodia). Evolution 47.3 (1993): 717–29.

Critically evaluate the proposition that states are the worst Essay

Critically evaluate the proposition that states are the worst perpetrators of terror ( criminology) - Essay Example State crime is treated as a response or a consequence to the incidence of threats to national security, insurgent violence or a phenomenon that is endemic to the transitional and the third world countries (Ross 2000, p3). State crime is infiltrative and is committed in varying degrees by all countries in the world. The state is considered as the initiator rather than the target or the mediator of the crime. Despite the fact that the private institutions hold more forcible power, the state still holds the special legal authority to compel to do something (Ross 2000, p3). State crimes include homicide, sexual assault, crimes of violence, serious assaults, torture, kidnapping, embezzlement, bribery, all forms of corruption and economic crime. The magnitude of such crimes is sometimes very big and ordinary words like murder become inadequate and they are replaced by terms like genocide. Some of the most serious crimes in the world are committed by the state. This paper will critically evaluate state crimes in light of its seriousness in various occasions. Corruption can be described as the abuse of the public office for personal gain and the abuse of the public power for personal benefit. The World Bank defines corruption as the abuse of the public office for personal or private gain. The Transparency international defines corruption as the abuse of delegated for personal or private gain. Corruption is a form of behaviour that deviates from the official duties of the public role (Stachowicz-Stanusch 2010, p132). Corruption can be either be passive or active and this is dependent on the person to whom it is being requested or the person who has the power of decision making. Corruption can be private among certain individuals. Public corruption happens in the public sphere of government administration and politics (Stachowicz-Stanusch 2010, p132). Some examples of corruption include collusion, bribery, fraud, embezzlement of public funds, theft, abuse of

Corporate conflict and analyze the legal case Research Paper

Corporate conflict and analyze the legal case - Research Paper Example The key factor that denies the organization an appeal is its own guilty plea regarding the environmental crimes it had been charged with. Secondly, the organization opted for an administrative Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) as a way of getting a resolution to the violations. Among the limited conditions under which the courts can accept the withdrawal of a guilty plea is if it is presented before the judges have accepted the plea, and that is usually in the pre-sentence scenario (Weaver, 2001). It could also be accepted before defendants have been sentenced. Further, Walmart cannot show that they were served with obvious injustice because of conditions that existed during the time they were charged with the environmental crimes. The organization was aware of federal laws that required them to determine hazardous waste, prepare its manifest, and handle and dispose it as stipulated but failed to meet those requirements. At the same time, Walmart contracted Greenleaf to recycle its pesticide products, yet Greenleaf lacked the capacity for handling such products, which lead to the release of hazardous substances. Although it is not clear whether or not Walmart of aware of this lack of capacity, it was their legal responsibility to establish whether Greenlea f met all the requirements stipulated by law. This means that Walmart becomes legally responsible for contractors conducting business on its behalf. It can, therefore, be shown that the judgment served was sufficient to hold the organization accountable for its own as well as its contractor’s illegal and irresponsible business conduct that was a threat to the environment and life. Walmart may also not appeal against the ruling because there are no sufficient indications that they are not guilty because of lack of understanding the charges or consequences of pleading guilty. That can be demonstrated by United States v. Spencer, 836 F.2d 236, 239 (6th Cir. 1987). If the lawyers entered the guilty plea

The Beer Industry Insights Essay Example for Free

The Beer Industry Insights Essay Carlsberg Group is the fourth largest brewer in the world. Our extensive port- folio of beer brands provides a beer for every occasion and palate. Our flagship brand, Carlsberg, is one of the best- known beer brands in the world, and Baltika, Carlsberg, Tuborg and Kronen- bourg are among the biggest brands in Europe. In addition, we have a wide range of leading beer brands in local markets. Our business is focused in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia, where we have strong market positions. The rest of the world is mainly serviced through export or license agreements. Western Europe: Carlsberg is the second largest brewer in Western Europe, and in 2012 they had a 40bp market growth in this area. Eastern Europe: Carlsberg holds a strong no. 1 position in the region’s main market, Russia, and very strong positions in the other markets in the region. In 2012 they had a 38,2% market share in the area. Asia: Carlsberg’s Asian portfolio of businesses consists of mature markets such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as investments in growing beer markets such as China, India and Vietnam. In 2012 their organic beer volume growth was 9%. China is the worlds largest beer market. Carlsberg and the Market: For more than tree decades, Carlsberg has been one of the largest commercial sponsors of professional football, and Carlsberg beer and football are almost inseparable. * Since 2008, stadium beer sales has gone up 40% * There has been 6. 6 million visitors to fan parks * There has been 1 million cups of beer sold during half-time at the final. *Carlsbergs focus concerning the macro environment: see corporate social responsibility report COMPETITORS Heineken Heineken is the 3rd largest brewer in the world. HEINEKEN is a proud, independent global brewer committed to surprise and excite consumers everywhere. Four key attributes make the Company different: Heineken ® is the first and only truly global beer brand, enjoyed in 178 countries around the world; a unique, worldwide footprint with operations in 71 countries, ensuring a broader reach for our brands than any other brewer; an internationally diverse, dynamic, committed and entrepreneurial team of around 70,000 employees; and the passion of the Heineken family remains as strong today as it was in 1864 when we first started brewing beer. Western Europe: HEINEKEN is Europe’s leading brewer. We have operating companies in 10 countries and an Export and Duty Free business. Revenue â‚ ¬7,785 million, 42,3% Central and Eastern Europe: HEINEKEN has a rich product portfolio of leading brands.? We have operating companies in 14 countries and we own and operate more than 50 breweries across the region. Revenue â‚ ¬3,280 million, 17,8% Americas: We operate 20 majority-owned breweries and seven joint venture breweries in a region characterised by attractive, growing and profitable markets. Revenue â‚ ¬4,523 million, 24,6% Africa and the Middle East: HEINEKEN first imported beer into Africa in 1900. Today we have operating companies? in 20 countries in the region and brew a number of blockbuster brands. Revenue â‚ ¬2,639 million, 14,4% Asia: The acquisition of Asia Pacific Breweries means we now have? a presence in 19 countries in the region and operate 25 breweries. In India our joint venture company is UBL. It is the market leader and has 18 breweries. Revenue â‚ ¬527 million, 2,9%. Organizarion goal and objectives: Heinekens five business priorities: Each one helps us to achieve our goal of winning in all markets with Heineken ® and with a full brand portfolio in markets where we choose. * Aims for sustainable growth as a broad market leader and segment leadership * Expand and optimize brand portfolio * Embraced innovation as a key component of their strategy in areas of production, marketing, communication and packaging * Goal is to grow the business in a sustainable and consistent manner, while consistently improving profitability SWOT Heineken Strengths1. Heineken’s leading brand portfolio includes more than 170 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers. 2. The company has undertaken various advertising and promotional initiatives, which has improved its brand equity. 3. Strong brand portfolio helps the company to create a favorable image in the market and ensures stable revenues.? 4. Heineken has a large network of breweries. It owns over 125 breweries in more than 70 countries. 5. Since the breweries are located close to their end markets, the company is in a position to serve fresh beer to customers. 6. A geographically widespread plant network reduces transportation costs as well. 7. Strong network of breweries helps the company boost customer satisfaction and reduce costs8. Excellent branding and top of the mind recall owing to advertising and sponsorship initiatives| Weaknesses1. Beer markets in Western Europe faced a challenging year due to the combined impact of the financial crisis, mixed weather, smoking bans and unprecedented increases in excise duties? 2. Maintaining corporate values, image and quality standards in various countries is a challenge3. Being a leader susceptible to fake imitation products| Opportunities1. Heineken’s acquisition of other breweries and brands2. Expand product line – for new areas and to accommodate changes in taste and preference.? 3. Innovations contribute to the top-line growth and to the strength of the Heineken brand in particular. 4. Integration forwards and backward. 5. Driving top-line growth by winning customers at the point of purchase has been the key rationale behind the roll-out of Heineken’s extra Cold program. 6. Falling trade and ownership regulations in foreign countries. | Threats1. Tax regulations on the beer industry2. An increasingly negative perception in society towards alcohol could prompt legislators to restrictive measures. 3. Slowed industry growth rate. 4. Legal issues dealing with underage drinking – retailer’s license may be revoked or suspended. 5. Heineken has many operations in mature beer markets where the attractiveness of the beer category is being challenged by other beverage categories. 6. Changing buyer taste and preference. 7. Input costs (including transportation and energy) have accelerated to unprecedented levels in the past few years. | AB-InBev Anheuser-Busch InBev is the leading global brewer and one of the world’s top five consumer products companies. Our dream, shared by 118 000 people around the globe, is to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World. That means brewing beers with a heritage of quality and craftsmanship dating back to 1366, while maintaining an unwavering commitment to responsible drinking, environmental stewardship and the betterment of the communities in which we operate. A true consumer-centric, sales-driven organization, we have a strong, balanced brand portfolio, including six of the 10 most valuable beer brands in the world*, and we hold the No. 1 or No. 2 position in many of the? world’s leading beer markets. In 2012, our total revenues were 39. 8 billion USD. Our portfolio consists of over 200 beer brands, including three global brands, Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck’s; fast-growing multi- country brands Leffe and Hoegaarden; and strong â€Å"local champions†, such as Bud Light, Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Quilmes, Michelob Ultra, Harbin, Sedrin, Klinskoye, Sibirskaya Korona, Chernigivske, Hasseroder and Jupiler, among others. Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, Anheuser-Busch InBev operates? in 23 countries worldwide and works through six geographic Zones: North America, Latin America North, Latin America South, Western Europe, Central Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific — enabling consumers around the world to enjoy our products. Strategy: the words we live by â€Å"Our dream inspires us to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World — our People and our Culture make it happen. † Dream: Our shared dream energizes everyone to work in the same direction: to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World. Everything we achieve begins with our shared dream: to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World. This dream has inspired us not only to build and grow one of the leading global consumer products companies but also to commit ourselves to improving the world around us by promoting responsible drinking, environmental stewardship and involvement in our communities. Our dream is ambitious but credible, and we know that by stretching to achieve great things, we will become the size of our dream. People: Great people, allowed to grow at the pace of their talent and compensated accordingly, are the most valuable assets of our company. We know that great people are the key to transforming a great dream into reality. Our dream is shared by 118 000 AB InBev colleagues around the world, who represent our greatest asset and our only sustainable competitive advantage. It is because of our people — and their talent, engagement, drive and sense of purpose — that we have been able to deliver on our commitments to our customers, our shareholders, our communities and one another. Great people, motivated by leaders who clear the way for them to perform at their best, attract more great people to our company. And we believe that great people are attracted by an atmosphere of meritocracy, informality and candor. Our approach is to hire people with the potential to be better than we are, to ensure that leaders engage them fully and to provide challenging experiences to help them develop. We invest heavily in attracting the best people, developing their potential and enriching their opportunities through a range of programs and initiatives. Culture: * We are never completely satisfied with our results, which are the fuel of our company. Focus and zero complacency guarantee lasting competitive advantage. * The consumer is the Boss. We connect with our consumers through meaningful brand experiences, balancing heritage and innovation, and always in a responsible way. * We are a company of owners. Owners take results personally. * We believe common sense and simplicity are usually better guidelines than unnecessary sophistication? and complexity. * We manage our costs tightly, to free up resources that will support top-line growth. * Leadership by personal example is the best guide to our culture. We do what we say. * We don’t take shortcuts. Integrity, hard work, quality and consistency are keys to building our company. North America total volumes increased 0. 6% in 2012 AB InBev’s shipment volumes in the United States and selling-day adjusted sales-to- retailers (STRs) grew 0. 7% and 0. 4%, respectively. The company estimates it continued to make good progress on market share in the U. S. , with market share down less than 20 bps in 2012, due to significant improvements in the premium-plus category following the roll-out of Bud Light Platinum and Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita. These innovations helped the company to grow the market share of the Bud Light Family by approximately 70 bps in 2012 Michelob Ultra, Shock Top, Stella Artois and AB InBev’s other high-end brands also grew share, while company’s share remained under pressure as a result of softness in Budweiser and the company’s pricing strategy of closing the gap between sub- premium and premium brands within its portfolio. In Canada, beer volumes increased by 0. 1% in 2012 mostly driven by a tough comparison in terms of industry, poor weather and the ice hockey lock-out. Latin America North volumes grew 3. 0%, with beer volume growth of 2. 7% and soft drinks up 3. 7%. In Brazil, beer volumes increased 2. 5%, benefiting from an estimated industry growth of 3. 2%, a strong 2012 Carnival execution, the positive effect of higher consumer disposable income in 2012 additional price promotions in the fourth quarter of 2012 following the partial postponement of the tax increase announced on September 2012 as well as strong execution of commercial initiatives. Premium brands continued to grow ahead of the rest of the company’s portfolio. The company estimates that Budweiser, which has been in the market over a year, became the largest international premium brand in Brazil during the fourth quarter of 2012 Stella Artois is also growing quickly with over 45% volume growth during 2012 The company estimates that its market share was down by 50 bps during 2012 reaching an average of 68. 5%, primarily due to price increases in the third quarter of 2012 Latin America South total volumes decreased 0. 8%, with beer volumes up 0. 1% and non-beer volumes down 2. 2%, respectively. In Argentina beer volumes declined 0. 4%, driven by an uncertain consumer environment and a weak industry. However, a strong performance from Quilmes and Stella Artois led to continued strong market share performance. Western Europe own beer volumes declined 3. 5%, while total volumes declined 4. 2%. Total own products, including cider, declined by 3. 0% in 2012. Own beer volumes in Belgium declined 4. 1%, driven by a weak, weather-related industry performance in the first half of the year. In Germany, own beer volumes fell 1. 4%. The company estimates that its market share was ahead during 2012 driven by a strong performance of its focus brands Beck’s and Hasseroder. In the United Kingdom, own product volumes decreased by 8. 2%, mainly driven by a weak industry and market share pressure due to competitive activity in the off-trade channel. Central and Eastern Europe volumes decreased 11. 3%. In Russia, beer volumes fell 12. 0%, driven by industry weakness following regulatory changes. Market share loss was driven by the implementation of tax-related and other selective price increases ahead of competitors, and promotional pressure in key account channels. However, the company continued to make progress with the optimization of its brand portfolio, with its premium and superpremium brands, including Sibirskaya Korona, Bud, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Lowenbrau gaining share, and now representing 35% of total volumes. Bud reached an estimated market share of 1. 4%. In Ukraine, beer volumes decreased 10. 3% in 2012 driven by a weak industry and market share loss. However, Bud achieved an estimated market share of 1% during the nine months since launch. Asia Pacific beer volumes grew 1. 9%. In China, beer volumes grew 1. 9% as industry volumes in our footprint declined by almost12% during the last quarter of 2012 due to severe cold and wet weather. Nevertheless, the company estimates it gained market share in China. The focus brands Budweiser, Harbin and Sedrin grew 8. 1% in 2012 SWOT AB InBev Strengths * They have a leading position in the market, due to which they are now an international company. * Their production line is very strong, and this is the reason why their brand is known all over the world. * They are much concerned about the making of their brands. These capabilities make them one of the leading brands around the globe. * They came up in the market when there was no such other beverage making industry in the country. | Weaknesses * Their concentration in the market is low. And this is the only reason why their customers are moving to other brands. * The trust on wholesalers is one of the major negative point about the company. * Anheuser Busch is having a problem in making the sufficient amount of beverages needed. * People have taken on the truth that due to some reasons this company is producing an imperfect amount of beer or beverages when it is needed the most. | Opportunities * By growing beer consumption in China, they will do more business. As China is one of the emerging countries and is a well named IT country, this will definitely help their business to expand internationally. * Joining hands with other companies and setting up the business in other countries, will led them to have strong sponsor ship and life time agreements. * By focusing on other drinks, they will increase their brand and in doing so their market shares will increase. * They can also run their business directly through the computers. So that the clients can be connected with them. | Threats * If some other beer Brewer Companies unites together, than this will be really challenging for Anheuser Busch to survive in the market. * The rise in the prices of the raw materials, which are used in the manufacturing, will result in the decrease of their production. * The change in the preferences is also another big risk for the company. * If they ever drop their real image in the market than it is going to be real hard for them to keep up the position in the present market. | SABMiller SABMiller is the 2nd largest brewer in the world, with more than 200 beer brands and some 70,000 employees in over 75 countries. We also have growing businesses in soft drinks and we are one of the world’s largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products. SABMiller has become a global leader by doing business locally, pursuing operational excellence and offering high-quality products backed by innovation and a commitment? to sustainability. Our success is built on a clear strategic direction, a shared vision and mission and a common set of values. Latin America: 32% Contribution to group EBITA 2012. 17 breweries, 14 bottling plants. * Our primary brewing and beverage operations cover six countries across South and Central America (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Peru). * In each of these countries, we are the number one brewer by market share. * We are also the third largest brewer in Argentina. * We bottle soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in El Salvador and Honduras, and for Pepsico International in Panama. * Regional office: Bogota, Colombia. Strategic focus area: * Drive strong top-line growth by expanding consumer occasions and entering adjacent categories * Increase share of alcohol and capitalise on differentiated and expanded brand and package portfolios * Optimise and extend distribution network and sales reach * Protect our licence to trade and business sustainability * Pursue operational excellence and efficiency in our businesses, optimising resources? and costs Europe: 14% Contribution to group EBITA 2012, 17 breweries. †¢ Our primary brewing operations cover eight countries – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain (Canary Islands) and the Netherlands. †¢ In the majority of these countries,? we are the number one or two brewer by market share. †¢ A further 16 countries including Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine are covered in a strategic alliance with Anadolu Efes through either brewing, soft drinks or export operations. †¢ We export significant volumes to a further eight European markets, of which the largest are the UK and Germany. †¢ Regional office: Zug, Switzerland. Strategic focus area: * Drive superior organic revenue growth and margin expansion through growing perceived category benefits and value per serving * Structure and shape the category by driving our full brand portfolios in growth segments in key markets through innovative 360 degree marketing programmes * Continue to drive differentiation through innovating in product, packaging and dispense systems * Design for scale, cost advantage and focus North America: 13% Contribution to group EBITA 2012. 8 breweries. †¢ MillerCoors is a joint venture with Molson Coors Brewing Company, formed in 2008 by bringing together the US and Puerto Rican operations of both groups. †¢ Headquartered in Chicago, MillerCoors is the second largest brewer in the USA, with 29% of the beer market. †¢ Our wholly owned Miller Brewing International business is based in Milwaukee, USA and exports our brands to Canada and Mexico and throughout the Americas. †¢ Regional office: Chicago, USA. Strategic focus area: * Win in premium lights with strengthened positioning of Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller 64 * Through Tenth and Blake Brewing Company extend and grow MillerCoors’ import and craft portfolio * Create value through strong revenue management. * Create leading capability and superior growth in retail sales * Support the three-tier distribution system to drive effectiveness and value Arfica: 13% Contribution to group EBITA 2012. 32 breweries, 19 bottling plants. * Our brewing and beverage operations? in Africa cover 15 countries. A further? 21 are covered through a strategic alliance with the Castel group and we also have? an associated undertaking in Zimbabwe. * In most of these countries we are the number one brewer by market share. * We bottle soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in 20 of our African markets (in alliance with Castel in 14 of these markets). * Regional office: Johannesburg, South Africa. Strategic focus area: * Drive growth in beer and soft drinks through full brand portfolios, wider price ranges and expansion into adjacent categories * Step up investment behind our mainstream brands and differentiated premium portfolio * Increase share of alcohol through accessible brand and package offerings * Further develop sales and distribution to enhance our outlet presence and extend our geographic coverage * Mitigate high imported input costs through innovation and local supply chains. Asia Pasific: 6% Contribution to group EBITA 2012. 23 breweries, 2 bottling plants. CR Snow, our partnership with China Resources Enterprise, Limited, is the largest brewer in China. †¢ With the acquisition of Foster’s in December 2011, we have a major business in Australia. CUB4 only contributed to our results from mid-December 2011. †¢ We are the second largest brewer in India. †¢ We have an operation in Vietnam and we export to various markets including South Korea and Cambodia. †¢ Regional office: Hong Kong. Strategic focus area: * Integrate the Foster’s acquisition and deliver the commercial and operational targets * Further build market leadership in China and enhance profitability * Continue to drive Snow, the largest beer brand in China, with additional premium variants to increase revenue * Pursue market liberalisation in India and focus investment on growth and profitability in selected states South Africa: 22% Contribution to group EBITA 2012. 7 breweries, 6 bottling plants. The South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd. (SAB) is South Africa’s leading producer and distributor of lager and soft drinks. It also exports brands for distribution across Namibia. †¢ Our soft drinks division is South Africa’s leading bottler of products for? The Coca-Cola Company. †¢ We have hotel and gaming interests through our associate Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd, the largest hotel and gaming group in South Africa. †¢ Regionaloffice: Johannesburg, SouthAfrica. Strategic focus area: * Leverage scale to drive productivity and reinvest savings in market-facing activities * Engage the competition in all alcohol categories * Ensure that key brands resonate. * Shape a culture of partnership and superior ?service offering in all classes of trade * Ensure societal leadership Four strategic priorities Financial goal: To deliver a higher return to our shareholders than our peer group over the longer term Strategic priority: * Creating a balanced and attractive global spread of businesses * Developing strong, relevant brand portfolios that win? in the local market * Constantly raising the profitability of local businesses, sustainably * Leveraging our skills and global scale SWOT SABMiller Strengths1. A strong portfolio of brands? 2. Strong sales and distribution network? 3. Presence in 75 countries across 6 continents? 4. SAB Miller also owns over 150 market-leading local brands5. Excellent marketing and branding have made the brand top of the mind6. Nearly 70,000 people form a part of the workforce| Weaknesses1. Have been unable to get a momentum in emerging markets? 2. Intense competition means market growth is limited| Opportunities1. Partnering the local breweries in particular countries can yield a bigger market share ? 2. Launching successful brands which have a strong following and brand equity in the newer markets3. More advertising and sponsorship would increase brand recall| Threats1. A strong competition from other brands? 2. Laws and regulations on advertising and establishing the business? 3. Slumping economy all over the world has been the greatest concern as disposable income of consumers in lowering| * Who are the key players in the industry and their relevant size? AB-InBev, Heineken, SABMiller * What are their objectives and strategies? * What are their strengths and weaknesses? * What are their market shares, the performance of the competitors in revenues, profits, and shareholder value? * What are the competitor’s capabilities, its organization, and its strategic alliances?

queen victoria :: essays research papers

queen victoria was born in 1819 ands hs4e died in 1901. she was queen of the untted kingdom and empress of india.asjdfjasdlkfjslakdfjlll haskjfh hsadfhksadjfhksaf asdfhkshfksah sadkf ahdfdkafhksa ahfdj hakfdj h 'ahkdfj aif asj ahkfj hasi hsdfakf hafhu aisu hfasihf askjhriewt hiastu hai aiufh ak auf ha'jasdflkfja iaodsjf oasi ei fja joaisfj abjajg iagoii oaewitj oaji algjoia; aoijtr aoiej toia aoitj ao oaetj rao aoi tjoai oiat aoie wop aopt iaop hpaitr apTara Mulvihill Mulvihill 1 Mrs. Stambaugh English 351-4th April 9, 2002 Creative Paper â€Å"The Secret Life of Tara Mulvihill† â€Å"Good morning princess,† I heard a voice day in a British accent as I looked around the huge bed chambers where I found myself laying. â€Å"Where am I?† I whispered. â€Å"Well, you’re back home from boarding school. You were so tired last night you didn’t even say hello to your mother.† â€Å"Boarding school?† I thought to myself†¦.I don’t go to boarding school. â€Å"You need to dress, your mother is waiting to see you.† I slowly sat up and looked around. The room was gigantic. It was full of beautiful furniture and huge portraits. I wandered out of bed and over to the closet. I stepped inside and looked around. It was a long room filled with all the clothes I could imagine. I dressed and walked out into the hallway. The hallway was wide. On the walls hung more portraits of people I had never seen. Every so often there was a group of chairs placed symmetrically across from one another. There were so many beautiful a rchways and moldings. It was like a castle I had heard about in history. â€Å"Tara, Tara!† I heard a voice call. â€Å"I’ve been waiting for you to come home and hey you are not even coming to tell me hello. queen victoria :: essays research papers queen victoria was born in 1819 ands hs4e died in 1901. she was queen of the untted kingdom and empress of india.asjdfjasdlkfjslakdfjlll haskjfh hsadfhksadjfhksaf asdfhkshfksah sadkf ahdfdkafhksa ahfdj hakfdj h 'ahkdfj aif asj ahkfj hasi hsdfakf hafhu aisu hfasihf askjhriewt hiastu hai aiufh ak auf ha'jasdflkfja iaodsjf oasi ei fja joaisfj abjajg iagoii oaewitj oaji algjoia; aoijtr aoiej toia aoitj ao oaetj rao aoi tjoai oiat aoie wop aopt iaop hpaitr apTara Mulvihill Mulvihill 1 Mrs. Stambaugh English 351-4th April 9, 2002 Creative Paper â€Å"The Secret Life of Tara Mulvihill† â€Å"Good morning princess,† I heard a voice day in a British accent as I looked around the huge bed chambers where I found myself laying. â€Å"Where am I?† I whispered. â€Å"Well, you’re back home from boarding school. You were so tired last night you didn’t even say hello to your mother.† â€Å"Boarding school?† I thought to myself†¦.I don’t go to boarding school. â€Å"You need to dress, your mother is waiting to see you.† I slowly sat up and looked around. The room was gigantic. It was full of beautiful furniture and huge portraits. I wandered out of bed and over to the closet. I stepped inside and looked around. It was a long room filled with all the clothes I could imagine. I dressed and walked out into the hallway. The hallway was wide. On the walls hung more portraits of people I had never seen. Every so often there was a group of chairs placed symmetrically across from one another. There were so many beautiful a rchways and moldings. It was like a castle I had heard about in history. â€Å"Tara, Tara!† I heard a voice call. â€Å"I’ve been waiting for you to come home and hey you are not even coming to tell me hello.

Healthy Eating Habits of African Americans Essay

America is an overweight nation with many being considered obese; African Americans in particular, make up a considerable fraction of the population due mainly to culturally poor eating habits and inactive lifestyles. The latest Gallup-Healthways well-being Index survey shows that up to 63. 1% of the US population was overweight or obese in 2009. That means two out of every three adults and 17% of children in this country are overweight. Out of that number, approximately 60% are African American men and 78% African American women. The survey also says that African Americans were the most likely to be obese at 36. 2% compared to a national average of 26. 5%. Disturbingly, African Americans rank at the top of many similar health studies. This group is at a higher risk for chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are normally lifetime diseases that have no cure, but can be treated and maintained. African Americans lead all other ethnic groups in the nation in most statistics on obesity. Even though the numbers are alarming and a bit sobering, there are a variety of unhealthy habits that help contribute. The top reasons for many of these social and health issues lifestyle choices that can be prevented by proper education on health and fitness. For many Americans, poor lifestyle choices make for vulnerability to an assortment of health issues. One of the challenges for African Americans to overcome is healthy food choices. The cultural diet that many African Americans share makes this even more of a hurdle so to speak. African Americans have a rich family tradition of soul food that can present problems for today’s less active lifestyles. Many African Americans accept the notion that soul food is African-American recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. â€Å"Soul food† meals traditionally depend on high levels of sugar, fat and salt for flavoring. Even though this may have some degree of truth to it, decreasing portion sizes and modifying recipes, can insure that blacks continue their cultural heritage of family eating traditions without expanding their waistlines. Decreasing the holesterol, fat and sodium content in their diets; African Americans can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes complications. Often these instructions by doctors and fitness experts result in dishes that can seem unfamiliar. According to the Department of Agriculture, (2002)11% of American households did not have access, at all times for to enough food for their family to support an active and healthy lifestyle. There is a direct relationship in the diets and eating habits of African Americans based on their socioeconomic status and education. African Americans have this and other cultural challenges to overcome. For example frying food is common method of cooking for African Americans due to the fast cooking time and versatility of meals that can be arranged quickly. The lack of affordability of higher quality meats, vegetables and fruits can also impact the opportunity leaner diets. A large amount of African Americans are on the poorer end of the poverty scale. Families scrambling to barely feed their households often select the cost conscious foods versus nutrition. The average African American family household income according to the Economic Census Bureau report (2007) was $33,916 compared to $54,920 for non-Hispanic White families. These issues are by no means excuses and in fact, change easily by a focus on health education and better diets alternatives. Meals can be modified by purchasing meats with less fat, fresh, green vegetables and fruit. African Americans can choose also choose better cooking methods such as baked, grilled or broiled. These methods can reduce saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium while keeping the original, intended flavor of the food. Many cookbooks and recipes have been created to offer options and alternative to traditional soul food and unhealthy â€Å"quick† meals. African Americans of all ethnic groups in the United States have shown the most difficulty choosing diets that are low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This would require a huge change in diet quality and working against this is the greater marketability of packaged and processed foods. The packagings of processed foods seem strategically designed to attract certain demographics and African Americans do not seem to be exempt. African Americans have the highest risk of almost all diet-related disease when compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are all leading causes of death in blacks. It’s a well know fact that being overweight can be dangerous to our health, however African Americans have to worry more about life-threatening disease like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain forms of cancer. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Latin white adults. Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in African Americans because fat interferes with body’s ability to use insulin. Death from heart disease was 30% more likely among African Americans compared to their white counterparts. (2005, CDC) The most serious forms of cancer like lung, prostate, breast, and stomach also are more likely to be a cause of death in blacks than whites. These often fatal diseases can be traced back to poor eating habits. Heart attacks are often discovered to start from blockage of arteries from high cholesterol and saturated fat. Proper screening and regular checkups is a proactive way to early detection. Many African Americans do not get blood screenings or physicals regular, let alone have a primary-care physician. Changing to more active lifestyles and a regular exercise routine are critical ingredients needed to reduce the chances African Americans have for stroke and heart attack. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans were 50% less likely to participate in active physical activity as non-Hispanic whites. Considering this, it’s of no surprise that they die from heart disease and stroke almost twice the rate of Whites also. A professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, Robert Newton Jr. , PhD, said in his Exercise for African Americans article that one of the perceptions of African Americans have is the belief that work provides sufficient exercise. Many African Americans are blue collar workers and often do strenuous jobs. He goes on to say other so-called barriers African Africans declare prevents them from regular exercise are myths like messing up their hair styles or dislike of public showers. Whether there is any validity to these claims or not, African Americans must educate themselves on the benefits of regular exercise and the affects of an in-active lifestyle. There are many books, programs, clubs and social activities that offer the specific, specialized support African Americans need in order to improve their overall health as a group. Many unhealthy habits of African Americans can be changed by simply adding in a regular exercise routine. Regular exercise brings along with it the desire to eat healthier. African Americans will first need to make some tough and ometimes unfamiliar choices. Choosing a family doctor or primary care physician is a positive step in the right direction. This is especially important when there are current health issues or one hasn’t been active lately. Educating themselves around the specific trends and downfalls they have as an ethnic group, can be a motivating factor in a lifestyle change. Also, developing a regular exercise routine will take firm commitment and discipline. One of the easiest ways African Americans can incorporate this into their current lifestyles is to start sneaking it into their daily activities. For example, they could take the stairs instead of the elevator at work, or go for walks during breaks or lunches. Even doing housework at a fast past can get the heart rate up and pumping. Yard work like raking leaves can provide extra-curricular activity too. Gym memberships and personals trainers can be a barrier to some African Americans due to the costs and fees associated with them. African Americans don’t have to look very far to find alternatives. Various local churches sponsor health programs or have created fitness committees to help improve their congregations health. A lot of companies sponsor mini-marathons or charity races to help a local cause and keep its staff in better physical shape. African Americans are still at the highest risk for a shorter life expectancy due to generations of poor eating habits and a lack of general health knowledge. These trends are evident in many Americans, but disproportionately still more in African Americans. With continued focus, attention and education by experts, schools, churches, even media and society as a whole, there can be a cultural shift. African Americans can close the gap between them and other ethnic groups in health statistics like obesity and body mass indexes (BMI). This is especially essential between blacks and non-Hispanic whites where the biggest gaps are evident. Chronic and diet related diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer can all partly be attributed to lifestyle choices. Healthful living, proper diets, and active lifestyles can greatly improve the health of all Americans, but essentially the African American people.

Putting the Enterprise Into the Enterprise System

Davenport’s article â€Å"Putting the Enterprise into the Enterprise System† discusses the pros and cons of Enterprise Systems. These systems gather data—manufacturing, sales, logistics, financial, etc. , and then pull this data into a central warehouse that helps companies make informed business decisions. However, the Article’s main theme is, that while these can be powerful tools for an organization, the adoption of a cookie cutter solution may be counterproductive.The part that most interested me was the Article’s discussion that very often a software system designed by the software experts may, in fact, remove the competitive edge of that company. While we tend to think of computing systems as enhancing operations and making them more efficient through faster communication, automation, removing the need for people, etc. , I had never thought of them as having the potential to remove a company’s competitive advantage.Competitive advantage , of course, is doing something different that makes your company better than the others. The difference, as cited in the Article, is typically the service, speed of delivery, etc. , and not the product itself. If, however, you and your competitor all sign up for the same or similar systems that define your business methods, then you begin to operate the same. Now all you have to compete on is price, which is going to squeeze margins.Of course there is a way around this, as the Article discusses, and that is to customize the system to match your existing processes and differentials so that you get the benefits of the efficiencies where you want them, but still maintain the uniqueness that makes your customers continue to come to you. This Article should be read by any company that is about to embark on the integration of an Enterprise System into their organization.The Article gives a lot of good pointers, particularly on the last page of the items to consider and the need for peopl e who truly understand the company’s methods of operations and DNA to ensure that these carry on even after the software is introduced. For the cost investment of such software, it is vitally important that an organization comes out with a product that makes them better and stronger and doesn’t get pulled down to be just another one of the pack.

Cornell University Graduate School Essay †Example

Cornell University Graduate School Essay – Example Free Online Research Papers Cornell University Graduate School Essay Example 243 words 1.Why are you seeking an MBA from the Johnson school? What do you hope to experience and contribute here and what are your plans/goals after you receive your degree? What factors have influenced your career decisions to date? In 20xx, I might be in the middle of wrestle with my brain in terms of purchasing conditions such as local buyer, price, and market in the xxx trading firm. I might have to decide how the change in the market will happen and also how the decision-making procedure should vary. My short-term goal is to conduct the business as a trading manager who can analyze current situation of market, grasp the tendency of future, and make accurate decision as well as to maintain and develop the flow of efficient business with all the partners in East Asia including Korea. My long-term goal is to establish a professional trading company, introducing new selling technique based on a cutting-edge mechanism such as Internet Web Site. Highly necessary is the professional knowledge in the sense that I will have to learn through the curriculums of Cornell University such as marketing research, international marketing, integrated marketing communications. To the best of my belief, I am confident that my experience for the past x years will serves as great help achieving my goal. During the xxx Company, I learned the technique such as bridge loan, project finance, and risk hedge in the field of international finance as well as international marketing utilizing positioning in the field of international trade. In addition, I have analyzed the market price and the factors of demand fluctuation such as exchange rate occurred in international deal and the oil price. While working at xxx. for about x years, I have improved my capability to conduct business based on a rational decision through my main work of the collecting and analyzing the market data. I learned the role as a member of our team and a coordinator in the sense that we can create synergy effect that might go beyond each and every ones ability based on the teamwork. I chose Johnson Business School for the following reasons: First, small-scale classroom and small group interactions that Johnson Business School provides are the primary reason why I apply for. My colleagues and I will be able to learn the importance of cooperation in supportive environment that Johnson Business School will provide. Moreover, a variety of ethnicity of my colleagues will enhance my global perspective. Secondly, Johnson Business School will help me achieve a series of processes such as strategic pursuing, negotiation skill, finalizing business deals with the limited data in an efficient manner. Third, the program of Johnson Business School will serve as a decisive role in cultivating leadership in terms of the role not only as a manager on the spot in the short term, but also a leader in the establishment of a trading firm in the long term. 2.Describe a recent national or international event that has had a negative effect on the business or economic climate of a paticular region of the world. How would you address this issue? What are the implications of your approach? In 1997, an extreme shift in economy, which changed the structure of mindset of the Korean people, happened in Korea. In the wake of IMF regime, the invincible banks collapsed all of sudden. In addition, some big businesses-the so-called Chaebol- were bound to go out of business unless they rationally respond to the change in the business environment. In my company, xx% of all employers were destined to suffer from the massive dismissal due to restructuring of the company. Although I survived from the turmoil, I recognized many problems derived from the restructuring. The biggest problem was that arbitrary state-led restructuring could undermine the potential of the company. As a matter of fact, in case of xxx, the department of xxx- the prospective field that will reflect its outcome 5 years later was abolished due to its weak return on investment during that time. Since xxx, however, reestablished the same department a year after abolition, I realized the restructuring coerced by the government would bring about considerable damage on a national scale. Secondly, it is a matter of the means and the criteria of implementing restructuring. A number of Korean companies that selected the department system before IMF regime enforced the restructuring by each department. That is to say, while the team/department with good business record was bound to keep it as it had been, much more the status of the employees, the team/department with poor business record was likely to break down, much less the layoff of employees. In addition, as the size of restructuring regarding the number of employees in the context of the whole company was established, restructuring was implemented by ambiguous standards such as the layoff of women and the employee with longer career in the company. The means of restructuring should be formalized in the direction of enhancing the motivation of the employees and the productivity by utilizing the evaluation data and objectifying the coordination of labors through vocational training. While the concept of lifetime employment system in Japanese companies collapsed, Korea suffers from lots of problems such as distrust between the labor and the employer, the decline in motivation of members, moral hazard among members, and etc., in the wake of IMF regime. Many people say that the restructuring in 1997 was inevitable course of action. As far as Korean companies, however, do not establish proper business plan nor figure out the way of accomplishing its plan and appropriate number of labors in the project, it is not safe to say that there will be no more restructuring like that of 1997 in Korean economy. 3-b. The Johnson School is well known for its leadership curriculum and for building great business leaders. Please describe your most significant leadership experience. On December 7th in 19xx, I had serious conflicts with a general manager in our department as hard as I should consider the resignation as a last option when our xxx heading for the xxx with x million dollars worth of xxx was caught on the rock. Through this experience, I realized the important fact that the role of leader is basically the coordination of the group rather than the implementation for the purpose of obedience. In this case, I also experienced the fact that leadership is derived from the fairest judgment by collecting and analyzing information after the accurate evaluation of the situation. At that time, I had conflicts with my general manager in terms of the benefit in the future and the cost at the present. The net profit in a xxx trading was about xxx$ worth, whereas it required xxx$ worth of expense to pay for the repair in place of missing ship owner after declaring general average. In the situation in which there was more possibility for ship owner to declare bankr uptcy, I powerfully insisted on managing all business in the burden of our company because I judged that there was grand anxiety to lose long-term customers if we spent more time. General manager, however, avoided making a decision which could serve as major damage in his career. Therefore he was wasting lots of time by ignoring my opinion although I was in charge of the matter. As a consequence, we were able to deliver the xxx to the buyer in xxx after refilling the xxx under the instruction of the boss who recognized the seriousness of situation through the interview with me around 5 months later. Since then, however, Buyer in xxx got our firm to disqualify in the same bid in 19xx, which produced serious conflicts as to who was to blame inside the firm. No matter what is big or small problem, we are always in the situation where to find out the solution, and meet a great turning point in life by what decision we make. I found the important lesson from this case in the sense that the decision was not performed by the same fixed standard in every situation. In addition, it required accurate judgment of situation, the rational assessment of ones own capability, and the bold determination for the purpose of more desirable decision-making procedure. 4. Optional essay: I would like to account for the worse mark than expected in the listening section of TOEFL even though I graduated from xxx University. Although I sustained the availability of TOEFL, I would like to point out the vulnerability of objective assessment due to the problematic facility that implements the test. As a matter of fact, since each and every TOEFL is conducted in the classroom of university in Korea, the level of facility is different ranging from college to college. In one university, it is possible to take a test in as high quality of facility as the communication lab. In other university, it is almost impossible to take a decent test because of lots of noise and terrible echo in the listening test. In this context, it depends on the place s/he is supposed to take to get a good mark in TOEFL. That is, the mark in the listening section of TOEFL has a lot to do with the place where s/he takes it. In my case, I was able to take only one TOEFL because the time was running out. Besides, the level of facility in which I took the test couldnt be worse enough for 40 students to ask for retest. But the chances were so slim that my listening mark eventually turned out just as half as the original score that I had usually got in the tests. When I was in college, I took as many as 15 credits of English subjects. In that context, I tried to develop my command of English in terms of communication. In addition, when I was a senior in college, I made every effort to develop my communication skills through the courses such as English rhetoric and presentation for six months at the xxx Program provided by xxx University English xxx. I am confident about my English ability particularly in terms of communication skill because I reflected my fluent command of English while I prepared for the international conferences such as International xxx Association, xxx Seminar. Moreover, I was granted the citation of the top among xxx employees in the English test implemented by English institute in the company when I was working at xxx. If necessary, I am willing to prove my listening ability b y taking TOEFL again. Once again, I hope your school will not assess my English proficiency only based on TOEFL result. Thank you. 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History of the 1900 Olympics in Paris

History of the 1900 Olympics in Paris The 1900 Olympic Games (also called the II Olympiad) took place in Paris from May 14 to October 28, 1900. Planned as part of the immense World Exhibition, the 1900 Olympics were  under-publicized and completely disorganized.  The confusion was so great that after competing, many participants did not realize that they had just participated in the Olympics.   It is important to note, however, that it was in the 1900 Olympic Games that women first participated as contestants.   Chaos Although more athletes attended the 1900 Games than in 1896, the conditions that greeted the contestants were abysmal. Scheduling conflicts were so great that many contestants never made it to their events. Even when they did make it to their events, athletes found their areas barely usable. For instance, the areas for the running events were on grass (rather than on cinder track) and uneven. The discus and hammer throwers often found that there wasnt enough room to throw, so their shots landed in the trees. The hurdles were made out of broken telephone poles. And the swimming events were conducted in the Seine River, which had an extremely strong current. Cheating? Runners in the marathon suspected the French participants of cheating since the American runners reached the finish line without having the French athletes pass them, only to find the French runners already at the finish line seemingly refreshed.   Mostly French Participants The concept of the new, modern Olympic Games was still new and travel to other countries was long, hard, tiring, and difficult. This plus the fact that there was very little publicity for the 1900 Olympic Games meant that few countries participated and that a majority of the contestants were actually from France.  The croquet event, for example, not only had just French players, all the players were from Paris. For these very same reasons, attendance was very low. Apparently, for that very same croquet event, only one, single ticket was sold to a man who had traveled from Nice. Mixed Teams Unlike later Olympic Games, teams of the 1900s Olympics were often composed of individuals from more than one country. In some cases, men and women could also be on the same team. One such case was 32-year-old  Hà ©là ¨ne de Pourtalà ¨s, who became the first female Olympic champion. She participated in the 1-2 ton sailing event aboard the  Là ©rina, with her husband and nephew. First Woman to Win a Gold Medal As mentioned above,  Hà ©là ¨ne de Pourtalà ¨s was the first woman to win gold while competing in the 1-2 ton sailing event. The first woman to win gold in an individual event was British Charlotte Cooper, a megastar tennis player, who won both singles and mixed doubles.

Greed Field Ventures Limited Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Greed Field Ventures Limited - Essay Example Allison Madison has been in agricultural production since 1980s. He inherited a vast land at different locations. All together he inherited about 1150 acres. Only about half of the total farm land was cultivated at the initial stage. Farming was highly seasonal. Hence there the capital base was small. The turnover was about $89,500.00. Only the farm lands close to villages were cultivated. Labour was provided by villagers and seasonal migrants. There were no built structures except small round-shaped mud warehouses scattered in the village settlements. The crops produced were crops produced in the neighbouring village settlements. They were all cereals: maize, millet and guinea corn. Although production was above subsistence level, farm produce were largely sold in the village market. Thus prices were highly variable and unpredictable. There was no proper record of the inputs and outputs in the production process. Except for the processing of maize stalks into fence, there was no val ue added to the production process. By late 1990s Allison has settled down. The acreage inherited was fully utilized. The types of crops produced have increased. Ground nuts, soya beans and rice were produced. Manual labour was complimented by tractors. Two tractors were hired. The size and type of crops produced were not for village market. Two warehouses were consequently built, where farm produce were stored and sold when prices are favourable. A truck with capacity of conveying 3 tonnes was bought purposely for transporting produce to distant markets and buyers. Allison was assisted in the management of the farms by his son, with a degree in business administration, and his nephew with a diploma in agricultural economics.

Cowboys & Indians Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cowboys & Indians - Research Paper Example A closer evaluation and research on Native Americans would divulge that just like any other ethnic race, American Indians belong to different tribes and still exist in vast areas of the country. Further, the noted privileges were reported to have been products of treaties â€Å"that tribes signed with the federal government were provisions that the government would provide education and health care to the tribes in exchange for the millions of acres of tribal lands† (Fleming, 2006, p. 215). These misconceptions apparently became so prevalent because people have tendencies to oversimplify, to add personal interpretations to facts, or to apply some personal observations on limited individuals to the whole group, in general. As disclosed by Fleming (2006), â€Å"they can be a product of oversimplification, exaggeration, or generalization† (p. 216). When not immediately corrected or validated, these myths and stereotypes are spread throughout time like wildfire and become part of a culture’s misunderstood perceptions. Fleming, W. (2006, November). Myths and Stereotypes About Native Americans. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from jcu.edu: