Introduction Chapter

Key Terms and Concepts (1-24) 1. Denudation is the total effect of all actions (weathering, mass wasting, and erosion) that lower the surface of the continents. 2. Weathering- the physical and chemical disintegration of rock that is exposed to the atmosphere. Mass-wasting- the short-distance down slope movement of weathered rock under the direct influence of gravity; also called mass movement. Erosion- detachment, removal, and transportation of fragmented rock material. 3.Openings in the surface and near- urface bedrock are frequently microscopic, but they may also be large enough to be conspicuous and are sometimes huge. In any case, they occur in vast numbers and provide avenues along which weathering agents can attack the bedrock and break it apart. Subsurface weathering is initiated along these openings, which can be penetrated by such weathering agents such as water, air, and plant roots. As time passes, the weathering effects spread from the immediate vicinity of the openings i nto the denser rock beyond. . Joints are cracks that develop in bedrock due to tress, but in which there is no appreciable movement parallel to the walls of the joint. Faults are breaks in bedrock along which there is relative displacement of the walls of the crack. 5. Master Joints are Joints that run for great distances through a bedrock structure. Master Joints play a role in topographic development by functioning as a plane of weakness, a plane more susceptible to weathering and erosion than the rock around it. 6.Mechanical weathering is the physical disintegration of rock material without any change in its chemical composition; also alled physical weathering. Chemical weathering is the chemical decomposition of rock by the alteration of rock-forming minerals. 7. Frost wedging is the fragmentation of rock due to expansion of water that freezes into ice within rock openings. 8. Salt wedging is the rock disintegration caused by the crystallization of salts from evaporating water. 9. Exfoliation is the weathering process in which curved layers peel off bedrock in sheets.This process commonly occurs in granite and related intrusive rocks after overlying rock has been removed, allowing the body to expand slightly. An exfoliation dome is a large rock mass with a surface confguration that consists of imperfect curves punctured by several partially fractured shells of the surface layers (due to exfoliation). 10. Oxidation is the chemical union of oxygen atoms with atoms from various metallic elements to form new products, which are usually more voluminous, softer, and more easily eroded than the original compounds.When iron-bearing minerals react with oxygen (become oxidized), iron oxide is produced. This reaction, probably the most common oxidation in the lithosphere, is called rusting. 1 . Hydrolysis- a chemical union of water with another substance to produce a new compound that is nearly always softer and weaker than the original. Carbonation- a process in whi ch carbon dioxide in water reacts with carbonate rocks to produce a very soluble product (calcium bicarbonate), which can readily be removed by runoff or percolation, and which can also be deposited in crystalline from if the water is evaporated. 2. Biological weathering is rock biological weathering is lichens. Lichens are primitive organisms that consist of algae and fungi living as a single unit. Typically they live on bare rock, bare soil, or tree bark. They draw minerals from the rock by ion exchange, and this leaching can weaken the rock. 13. Differential weathering is the process whereby different rocks or parts of the same rock weather and/or erode at different rates. 14. The steepest angle that can be assumed by loose fragments on a slope without downslope movement is called the angle of repose.This angle, which varies with the nature and internal cohesion of the material, represents a fine balance between the pull of gravity and the cohesion and friction of the rock materi al. If additional material ccumulates on a debris pile lying on a slope that is near the angle of repose, the newly added material may upset the balance and may cause all of part of the material to slide downward. 15. Rockfall (fall) is the mass wasting process in which weathered rock drops to the foot ofa cliff or steep slope. 16. Talus (scree) are pieces of weathered rock, of various sizes, that fall directly downslope.Sometimes the fragments accumulate relatively uniformly along the base of the slope, in which case the resultant landform is called a talus slope or talus apron. 17. A talus cone is a sloping, cone-shaped heap of dislodged talus. This cone pattern is commonplace because most steep bedrock slopes and cliffs are seamed by vertical ravines and gullies that funnel the falling rock fragments into piles directly beneath the ravines, usually producing a series of talus cones side by side along the base of the slope or cliff. 18. A rock glacier is an accumulated talus mass that moves slowly but distinctly downslope under its own weight. 9. Landslides do not require the lubricating effects of water or clay, although the presence of water may contribute to the action; many slides are triggered by rains that add weight to already overloaded slopes. Landslides may be activated by other stimuli as well, most notably by earthquakes. 20. A slump is different from other kinds of landslides because it is a slope collapse slide with rotation along a curved sliding plane. 21. A landslide is a general term for a type of slope failure involving an instantaneous collapse of a slope and movement along a generally flat sliding plane.A mudflow is a rapid, downslope movement of a dense mixture of weathered rock and water through or within a valley. 22. Earthflow is the mass wasting process in which a portion of a water- saturated slope moves a short distance downhill. A debris flow is a stream-like flow of dense, muddy water heavily laden with sediments of various size s; a mudflow containing large boulders. 23. A soil creep is the slowest and least perceptible form of mass wasting, which consists of a very gradual downhill movement of soil and regolith.Soil creeps happen slower than a snail can move, and they usually can be prevented if falling towards a house/building. 24. Solifluction is a special form of soil creep in tundra areas; associated with summer thawing of the near-surface portion of permafrost, causing the wet, heavy surface material to sag slowly downslope. Study Questions (1-5) 1. It is possible for weathering to take place beneath the surface of bedrock because of things such as Joints within the rock. If the Joints are deep enough, the weathering will take place underneath certain parts of the rock.There are many types of a whole, not Just the surface. 2. Chemical weathering is more effective in humid climates than in arid climates because arid climates do not have water. Humid climates have higher amounts of water and higher tem peratures so chemical weathering happens faster. 3. There is a direct relationship between gravity and ass wasting. Any mass moves in the direction of the vector sum of all the forces acting on it, with acceleration numerically equal to the magnitude of the sum of the forces divided by its mass.On or near the Earth's surface, gravity is always one of the forces. 4. Clay reacts to water by expanding, and when it dries, it contracts. Some clay does it so small that it's barely noticeable, some clay does it so much that you can very easily see it happen right in front of your eyes. If these clays are in a crack between rock, or in a layer beneath rock, or basically any place that the clay is omehow packed between two hard rocks, and it gets wet, then it will expand, and put force on the two rock layers.Then it will dry, and â€Å"pull† the layer or Joint into a weaker state. If this happens over a long enough time, then it will break the rock that is in the weaker position. 5. R ainfall can expedite mass wasting because when there is more water in the objects that are falling, the objects (falling rocks) become heavier, therefore the process is speeded up. The more rainfall there is, the more water will be accumulated and the heavier the falling rocks will be.

Instructions for Blockbuster

Effective 2005, Blockbuster began a new policy of no late fees. In late 2005, Blockbuster was experiencing financial distress and needed emergency financing to stay afloat. The stock price dropped from $12 to $4, and the debt traded as junk.Question 1: Analyze the soundness of the decision, given the contribution that late fees made to prior years’ results. Does an analysis of the company’s cash flows support or refute the company’s decision?What you need to do is as follows: Get the data from 2002-2004, which should all be in the 2004 10-k, compute what free cash flow would have been without the late fees during 2002-2004, and project what 2005 free cash flow would be if the no late fee policy stays in place and business doesn’t improve. Late fees are referred to by the euphemism â€Å"extended viewing fees†.Question 2: Is there any evidence that the 2005 results benefited from the no-late fees policy? If so, quantify the specific amount you believ e that the basic business improved due to the no late fees.Compare your projected 2005 free cash flow to the actual (from the 2005 10-k). Consider the known reasons that 2005 results differed from the no-late expectation from question 1: i) there were some large fees actually collected, ii) interest costs were higher than expected, iii) Capex was way lower than any reasonable expectation, and iv) a lot of cash went into working paper to replace the trade credit that was withdrawn. Use these four ‘known unexpecteds’ to form an adjusted expectation for 2005, and then compare that number to the actual.Notes: 1. It is important to remember the effects of tax. In particular, free cash flow should change by the after-tax amount of late fees, not by the gross amount of late fees. 2. Late fees are referred to in the income statement by the euphemism â€Å"extended viewing fees†. 3. Focus on Blockbuster’s data and  don’t get distracted by an analysis of Ne tflix. Avoid making testimonials about how much better Netflix is than Blockbuster, or vice versa.

A play Dennis Potter Essay Example for Free

A play Dennis Potter Essay ? Blue remembered hills is a play Dennis Potter. The title is taken from the poem ‘Shropshire lad’ by A. E Houseman. It challenges the perception that childhood is innocent and that all children are pure and ‘nice’. One of the ways he does this is by using adults to play children so the unrealisticness of the play forces adults to focus on the meaning of everything going on in the play. The main meaning of the play is focused around the mindless cruelty of war and how this affects children living through it. The style of the play is flared narration. The play was originally a television play for the BBC in 1979. it was set in rural west country. For our play we are using bright lights to show that we are outside. We are also going to have some stones and sticks on the floor to play with to help us show the kid’s restlessness and constant movement. Could kick them etc. the setting is rural and in 1943 during the 2nd world war, this has affected the children a lot. There is a lot of racist speak about the ‘Ities’ and the ‘Japs’. Then there are the games, also war related. Most of the games revolve around guns and violence. Lastly there is a lot of bragging that the boys do about what they are going to do in the army. In this essay I am also going to refer to ‘my mother said I never should’ by charlotte Keatley and ‘gum and goo’ by Howard Brenton. Charlotte Keatley was a feminist writer. My mother said I never should was first performed in 1087. In 1987 there were stronger roles for women and more active feminist movements in society. The play represents the plight of women and how women were treated in society, both by men and each other. The scene where the women are talking about menstrual cramps or the ‘curse’ as they call it contrasts directly yet is similar to when the boys are talking about the war in blue remembered hills. Both plays show children discussing ‘taboo’ subjects in an open and careless way. Howard Brenton play ‘gum and goo’ was first performed in 1969. Adults didn’t understand learning difficulty’s as well as they do now, in 1006. Ignorance leads to prejudice and eventually tragedy in gum and goo. This play is about an autistic girl who invents two friends, ‘gum and goo’, this character links directly to Raymond in blue remembered hills who has learning difficulties, maybe similar, but less severe to Michelle’s autism. . All three plays have adults playing children. This creates an objective distance so the unreality of the play is so obvious it doesn’t allow the audience to get absorbed into the play. This was the audience is forced to concentrate on the issues and the challenged perceptions of childhood. A play Dennis Potter. (2017, Sep 12).

Sustainable Talent Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainable Talent Management - Research Paper Example † and recognize their Corporation’s talent pool. The personnel gap scrutiny helps recruiters to be exceedingly capable of delivering applicants that attain the fundamental expertise. This has been pre-established by the requirements of the position and the aims of the Corporation. It as well reveals a venture by the Corporation in the new personnel’s growth and progress, which expands a long-term affiliation of devotion and obligation (Berger & Berger, 2004). This is mutual for both the employee and the Corporation. Lost talent is expensive to restore, counter-productive to Corporation achievement so justifying the dangers linked with certifying job fit, and heartening growth and input are decisive to the achievement of the Corporation – and the worker. Creating a personnel talent management outline, which evaluates the voids amid an employee’s present performance and preferred expertise in that role, is imperative. Next, digging deep to recognize th e voids in talent all through the organization by establishing an organizational talent outline is imperative. Finally, gaining knowledge on how to control technology and compute performance at diverse levels of the firm is the final process. 2.0. Key Concepts and the Talent Review Process When people articulate aspects concerning talent pools they signify jobs, tasks or capabilities in a firm where 20 percent amplification in class or accessibility would formulate the principal difference to executive success. System for the Management of People (SMP) comprising of the talent pool growth course is centered on the notions and codes for an effectual managerial organization and administrative management, denoted to as the ‘obligatory organization’ model. Line directors will be educated in the framework of the execution and roll out of the course in their scopes of responsibility. A number of the key obligatory organization codes and perceptions regarding the talent pool s cheme are: †¢ All workers are an element of the talent pool. †¢ Individual's problem-solving capacities develop via adolescence and into adulthood, in expected patterns. This denotes that each person has an intrinsic prospective for cognitive growth after a while. The talent pool growth course is devised to side with the present and upcoming roles of personages with their personal potential. †¢ Line executives are liable for running talent, with human resources giving aid and support. †¢ The executive and manager-once-eliminated of either precise subsidiary has diverse accountabilities in regards of the current and future helpfulness of the inferiors: o The director, has a training role to make certain the worker is efficient in his/her present role. o The manager-once-eliminated, has a mentoring function to guarantee the subordinate expands to his/her complete potential. †¢ Judgments assumed as an outcome of the talent pool course are traced and moderated a mid directors and their managers-once-eliminated. Once moderated, every worker is given response on his or her growth graph to take the report of personal aspirations. †¢ Career growth plans are evaluated to guarantee these intentions are executed. Implementing the talent pool growth course in reviewing capabilities, moderating decisions and analyzing growth intentions is an annual process. 3.0. Talent Management Objectives to Measure Functional Expertise The aged

The Hairy Ape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Hairy Ape - Essay Example Yank grew up in an impoverished lower class family. From his accounts, he had a painful childhood. His parents would make him attend church every Sunday though. His father, working at the shore, was abusive. He grew up seeing his parents fight regularly that when his mother died from alcohol withdrawal relapse, he left home to evade the punishment he suffered. Due to lack of education, he is trapped in a social system amid the rising industrial revolution that he had to toil hard as a fireman/stoker in the transatlantic ocean liner for a measly wage. But he feels himself to be superior to others and confident due to his strength and his view that his effort makes the ship run. He defends the ship as his home. Yank met Mildred when she visited the ship’s boiler room while docked in Lisbon. The brute and hairy appearance of Yank disgusted Mildred and called him â€Å"hairy ape.† Yank is enraged when Mildred was frightened and disgusted of him. He realized that his physique to which he is boastful is loathed by others. Overcome by confusion, he struggles to find answers. He was traumatized and searched for his identity and belongingness. Yank became aware of the differences in the social class with Mildred’s reaction. His desire to get revenge with Mildred spread to the steel industry (owned by Mildred’s father) and the whole bourgeois class. When he said that others do not belong in society, he is actually expressing his own alienation. He feels strong when he â€Å"belongs.† Thus, when Mildred, the other ship workers and people on 5th Ave. rejected him, he felt weakness. On the larger analysis, Yank wants to redefine the social structure and belongingness in society. He â€Å"belongs† to the ship being useful to it just as the ship workers who run the ship. Meeting Mildred presented to him a new reality that he cannot seem to fathom and belong. After a series of rejection, he sought out where he belongs. I prefer to watch or listen to drama or fiction that

Performance Management - Research and Assessment Term Paper

Performance Management - Research and Assessment - Term Paper Example SM Energy Company has a goal planning sessions which undertakes development of goals by the employees which are later approved by managers (Aguinis, # 10). The business strategy in SM energy is done through cascading goals in order to support the process of performance management effectively and efficiently. Board of directors is the ones who sets and approves the goals and the goals are communicated to the organization by the management. The company has formulated training and education for workers which are formulated based on performance management. Performance management is an ongoing activity. Each employee should be kept updated thus why training is vital (Rausch, #34). SM Energy employee’s views performance management as effective and fair because they do not dispute its process. Evaluation of performance is done twice per year. Employees should be given the chance to give their opinions concerning performance management thus enhancing the handling performances issues that are difficult. Poor performance is well addressed in SM Energy Company. It is majorly based on progressive discipline. Before taking disciplinary actions, coaching is done first and later performance improvement plan is used to address the problem. Performance improvement plan is described as a structured document that discusses mainly the problem or the influence of the problem on department, person or the organization. It acts as a letter of warning before one is terminated from the organization. There are several measure that SM energy company employs like any other organization to determine whether the performance management process is effective. The first one is that at the end of each year they observe the distribution of ratings. This means that majority of the employees are meeting their set goals. Another measure is Lake Woebegone effect, this is the feeling that each person should be above average

Vulnerable Population and Healthcare Research Paper

Vulnerable Population and Healthcare - Research Paper Example Health care is therefore one of the most growing industries now. Institutes in the field have realized that the only way they can deliver effective services to those in needs is through first singling out the needy from the general sample and then personally taking the aid to them. This paper examines drug addicts as a vulnerable group and sees how the personal biases and attitudes of the healthcare professionals affect the delivery of the services. Drug addicts are one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals in dire need of help in all stages of their susceptibility (Chesnay, 2006). Many people view drug addiction as a lowly, self-harming habit with no hopes of recovery. However, nothing can be further from truth. Drug- addiction is more of an ailment, a chronic disease in which a patient keeps relapsing into the pursuit and in-take of harmful drugs that, to him, soothe his nerves and calm his body. It is true that the first doze is more of an outside-in process and depends on the will of the person completely, the subsequent changes in the physiology of brain makes it very difficult for the addict to quit and urges him to impulsively continue with the menace. However, treatments are now available to help these addicts recover from their addiction gradually and more successfully. As modern researches reveal, a good combination of medicinal and behavioral therapy can lead to a much better and quicker treatment of the problem. In addition, personalized treatments, which are, customized to the needs and attitudes of individual patients, make the recovery process quicker and less painful than it normally is. The demographics of drug addicts is rather interesting and at some instances, surprising. For instance, â€Å"in 2003, the rate of dependence on substance for youths between the ages of 12 and 17 years was 8.9% and that between the people of ages between 18 and 25 is 21% â€Å"(Wolf, 1998). In particular, â€Å"58.1% of the young drug addicts depend on illicit drugs while the ratio in adults is 37.2%. In 2003 only, males were twice as prone to substance-dependency as women† (Wheeler, 2006). However, in youths below 18 years of age, the substance abuse in both the genders was almost the same. Ethnically speaking, the dependency on substance is highest amongst â€Å"Native Americans and the Natives of Alaska, i.e. around 17.2%† (Wheeler, 2006). Second to this are â€Å"Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders with 12.9%. Asian Americans come last with 6.3%† (Wheeler, 2006). Contrary to popular belief, blacks have lower substance dependency rates than â€Å"Hispanics and whites, 8.1 percent as compared to 9.8 and 9.2 percent, respectively†. The dependency on drugs also differs in various age brackets. In 2003 only, there were â€Å"3.8% drug addicts in the range of 12-13 years, 10.9% drug addicts in the range of 14 to 15 years and 19.2% drug addicts† (Wheeler, 2006) in the range of 16 to 17 years of a ge. The illicit drug use also follow the same graph with ascending slope in the teens, peak at 20 years of age and then a gradual decline after that. Personally speaking, this research opened up some new dimensions of thinking. Earlier, drug addicts came around just as another marginalized group of people whom one should never be friends with. They usually confront stereotypes of being dangerous and unfriendly or homeless. Drug addiction is also paired with assault,

Dq-8-Terence Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dq-8-Terence - Coursework Example The characteristic of believing on internet communication over traditional boardroom meetings is both beneficial and disadvantageous to the generation. For instance, another trait that this generation has is being team oriented. The ladies and gentlemen who fall in this group are always striving to be part of the taskforce in charge of doing various assigned duties. It can be argued that this trait was obtained when these people were growing up as they played in teams and everyone struggled to participate. The millennial has grown up to be a generation that supports teamwork due to this factor. Being on the internet for close to 24 hours is one way through which this group enhances teamwork. Internet communication channels create a platform where people coordinate their work despite the distances. The Y generation is also characterized with boys and girls who love being given attention so much. The individuals in this age group will always struggle to seek attention through what they say, their dress code, and how they socialize. Due to this, the millennial generation is always engaging in extra ordinary deeds so that they can be noticed by everyone around. This can be beneficial in the sense that workers from this generation can be innovative. However, it can also be the cause of many uncalculated steps being taken by people in the society just for the sake of seeking attention. Some changes maybe observed in work environments as the Y Generation enters managerial posts, some of these changes maybe positive while others maybe negative. Implementation of the positive changes on certain fields may better the organizational success. For instance, since this is an ambitious generation, the productivity of the organization is likely to be seen that is when they really push their stuff to work harder and achieve higher

The Cycle Shop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cycle Shop - Essay Example Shoulder movements such as shaking or nodding the head are movements created by an individual as an easier for the person to make a quick decision. People can also stiffen the body parts or at least reduce the movements by trying to control the reaction to the effect of the emotion. The slight head movements are hard to control because when a person is lying, for example, it is automatic for the expressions to occur and the individual may not have much ability to control it (Rosenberg & Ekman, 2005). Emotions expressed from the face such as blushing are also not easy to control because these are expressions, which occur as a result of tension in the body. One of the situations where the verbal and non-verbal expressions do not go together is when a person is telling the truth and his facial expression is suggesting that he intended to lie. In this process, the interviewer may be able to detect that the person is confused (Ekman, 2009). Other people may use the technique of looking down to avoid eye contact when they are lying even though it is also said the truthful people could make the same movements. Another situation is where one looks at an interviewee, and notices that his eye pupils are dilating. This is seen as a sign of lying, but it may not be consistent with the expression because at times the dilation may have been caused by bright light (Friesen & Ekman, 2003). There are a few emotional expressions which cannot be controlled. These are the expressions where the body does not necessarily have to produce any movements, but they are those that can be identified by just looking at a person’s face. They include paleness of the skin, redness of the face and eye blinking (Ekman, 2009). This is a situation where a person may be embarrassed or guilty and cannot control the changes occurring on his face. No matter how much the person may not want the interviewer to notice the expressions,

To what extent do transnational media exert influence on Asian Essay

To what extent do transnational media exert influence on Asian countries ---outline - Essay Example The sweeping wave of globalization has greatly impacted the media industry. Today, national and regional boundaries have ceased to contain flaws and flows even as countries struggle to institute measures to control international communications a noted by Alterman (1998). There are several advantages and disadvantages that have been associated with international communication as presented by media. Some of its advantages include the easy flow of ideas, influencing such things as transnational movements of people, capital, and goods. New practices in media have greatly shaped media spaces leading to the establishment of contemporary cultures and doing away with age old orders. Asian countries previously were considered to be closed societies, almost geographically isolated from one another (TBS nd). This has however changed due to a myriad of reasons. This study will focus on the extent to which transnational media influences Asian countries. Main Objective 1. To establish the extent t o which transnational media has influenced Asian countries Specific Objectives 1. To establish the presence and operation of transnational media in Asian countries 2. To establish the extent to which transnational media operates in various Asian countries 3.

Philosophy of Richard Rorty Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of Richard Rorty Essay In his philosophy as ‘edifying’ Rorty is at the midst of explaining the conceptual framework of the nature of philosophy in the past, present as well as the future. According to him, his philosophical framework comprises of editing the works and other philosophical conceptual thoughts. He thinks that, what other philosophers talk about philosophy in the ancient times, the modern and the future are unworthy and needs pragmatic changes to adequately meet philosophical reasoning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, in his philosophizing capacity, he has met various opposition from the community. They term his philosophy as unpalatable and without full exploration to the authentic nature of philosophical thoughts. Elsewhere, they accuse his philosophical thought as implausible with pragmatic thought, unclear, unconvincing and with full of misappropriation. However, a portion of the population argues that such philosophy is humanly liberating with profound image of exhilaration. According to his proposes, his philosophy provides a conception of changing imagery of the critique of philosophy in the real worldview. Since his philosophy comprehends challenge to the works of great thinkers, it would be illogical to undermine at a close range of his activity. Elsewhere, he made a fast sensibility and also formal response the cultural biography of philosophical adventures with the pragmatic world and   his system of philosophizing which comprise of finding, naming and/or creating new hypothetical philosophical literature is perhaps the best way to gain and create philosophical knowledge. (http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-13/chapter_x.htm) However, his philosophical sense is illusionary and incoherent to the factual knowledge search. His attack to the philosophical literatures is based on fallacious context which is only aimed at bringing personal tribute to the broad society. In my personal capacity, I think Richard is out of philosophical senses to edify the coherent philosophical biographies which have done a lot to shadow down global dogmatism. His edifying activity is only made to retract the accuracy of philosophical teachings from its liberal coherency.   (http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-13/chapter_x.htm) Reference Rorty: From Philosophy To Post-Philosophy. Retrieved on 10th March 2008, from   http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-13/chapter_x.htm

Tesco: Dealing With Suppliers

Tesco: Dealing With Suppliers Business ethics refers to the study of morality on what is right and wrong that has been focus on moral standards as they are applied to the business, organization and behavior (Velasquez M.G., 2006). However, ethics can be defined as the application of morals to human activity (L. Manning, R.N.Baines S.A. Chadd, 2006). Therefore, ethical theories refer as the rules and principles. Ethical practices are important as it gives power and influence of business in society and offer major contributions to society. The reason for selecting Tesco is because this company is the third largest retailer in the world, which is encountering ethical and unethical practices that concerns much of the peoples daily life. Company Background Tesco was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen from a market stall in Londons East End. Over the years the business has grown and Tesco has 6,351 stores operating in 14 countries across Europe, Asia and North America (Tesco PLC, 2012). They have over 520,000 employees and serving millions of customers every week (Tesco PLC, 2012). Tesco is known to be the world third largest retailer selling groceries, household items, general merchandise and etc. However, Tesco is the second largest retailer in term of profits. Throughout the years, Tesco never stop expanding their business while also taking over other supermarkets which leads them continue growing. In Malaysia, year 2001 Tesco partners with Sime Darby and started their first store in Puchong in year 2002. In year 2009, Tesco was recognized as the number one hypermarket in Malaysia. Ethics is important for Tesco to maintain their valuable reputation and to build Tescos success. Hence, Tesco have to conduct their business in a manner of legal and ethical. Currently Tesco keep improving their merchandise, systems and stores to show that they are green, recycling-friendly, fair trading and ethical. Tesco aim to gain reputation of being ethical in their business following the footsteps of some ethical companies like The Body Shop which are retailer and manufacturer of naturally inspired and ethically produced cosmetic products. Body Shop is a company who appreciates the environment and social impact in its supply chain. Thus, the company ethical practices can be reflected in its Community Trade Programs and Ethical Trade (Business In The Community, 2012). 2.0 Ethical Dilemmas 2.1 Stakeholder Theory The method use for the analysis is stakeholder analysis. According to Edward Freeman (1984), a stakeholder in an organization is defined as group of individual who can affect, or is affected by the achievement of the organizations objectives (Freeman 1984:46). Evan and Freeman (1993) suggest two principles in order for a more precise definition of affects and affected by. First, principle of corporate rights which is the corporation has the obligation not to violate the rights of others. Principle of corporate effect refers to companies are responsible for the effects of their actions on others. Stakeholder theory comprises of competitors, customers, employees, community, suppliers, shareholders and government (Appendix 1). According to Freeman, others have a legitimate claim on the corporation. However, Freeman (1984) argues two perspectives which is the legal and economic perspective. Legal perspective is a legally binding contract which is protected legally in some ways while economic perspective is outside contractual relationships. Role of management by Freeman, states the broader view of responsibility towards multiple stakeholders assigns a new role to management. Rather than just agents of shareholders, the management has to take into account the rights and interest of the stakeholders. There are two models suggested which is stakeholder democracy and corporate governance. Stakeholder democracy gives the stakeholders the opportunity to influence and having control over corporate decisions. Whereby corporate governance regulates and codifies various rights of the stakeholder groups. 2.2 Ethical Dilemmas of Tesco 2.3 Supplier Ethical dilemmas encountered by Tesco are suppliers. Tesco being one of the market leaders is using its strength in the market place to deliver unbeatable value which in turn forcing the suppliers to push down prices of vegetables, meat, garments and etc. Therefore, this action shows that Tesco is paying its suppliers 4% below the industry average and has cause some UK farmers on the brink of bankruptcy (Friends of Earth, 2005). In addition, Tesco often make unnecessary demands on farmers to guarantee uniform products. Therefore, it became national standards inevitably (Friends of Earth, 2005). There have been also incidents whereby Tesco cancelled order at the last minute and this has cause financial losses to the suppliers especially to the farmers. Next, Tesco is loading various risks and costs of its fresh-produce business onto farmers whereby also passing it to the workers particularly woman (Oxfam, 2004). Tesco push the price below cost of production example: a basket of food which contains eggs, milk, bread, tomatoes, beef and apples which would total up for  £ 37 whereas the farmers only get  £11 (Friends of Earth, 2003). At the same time, Tesco also force suppliers to depend on cheap seasonal labour and exposing workers particularly woman to intolerable living and working conditions. However, the woman workers are employed in the form of temporary and irregular employment without basic rights. According to Oxfam (2004), Tesco put pressures on South African fruit and wine suppliers by making them to pay for promotions and paying them below cost of production. 2.4 Community Although Tesco has huge share of the market, this unethical practice towards suppliers will affect the communities. The unethical practices of Tesco will affect the communities by having low job security for workers such as farm workers. Permanent jobs will be lesser as more contract and temporary labour will be required. Therefore, workers is seen to have no job security as they are required to become seasonal workers working only 8-11 months a year and lose their benefits of a permanent employee (Friends of Earth, 2005). However, casual woman labourer lose out on benefits, as men get everything like boots and uniform while woman gets nothing when they work all year in a pear farm (Action Aid, 2005). Subsequently, Tesco affects the communities in terms of unemployment. When farmers fail to cover their cost of production, it will become a norm of being in debt. Thus, this affects them to be out of business and creating the way for the end of the small and family farms (Corporate Watch, 2004). Next, the unethical practices of Tesco affect the communities on their cost of living. As Tescos aggressive buying practices force suppliers to push their prices down. As a result leads them to receive poverty wages and unable to fulfill their daily basic needs. Wages are so low that they are unable to maintain standards of living whereby families are often malnourished (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2009). For example: Tawana Fraser who work in the pear farm that supplies to Tesco says that although wages of  £32.50 were paid every two weeks, she cant even afford to go to school functions, buy school uniforms and even cant pay for her daughters school fees (Action Aid, 2005). Besides that, Tesco affects communities on their poor living conditions. Workers live in dismal housing where they only sleep on the floor with a plastic sheet with no electricity and water. Furthermore, walls of the shack are made of cardboard. Subsequently, the unethical practices of Tesco affect the communities by having unsafe working conditions. Workers have no protective clothing and gloves when working while they have to climb wet leaders that are still wet from pesticides to pick up pears from the trees (Action Aid, 2005). 3.0 Dealing with the dilemmas 3.1 Supplier To deal with the dilemmas, Tesco joint venture with Impactt Limited (company that provides training, advice and develop ethical trading strategies) to deliver ethical buyer training for Tesco buyers around the world. This training is to raise buyers awareness on ethical issues and the effects that purchasing practices can have on labour standards of the suppliers (Impactt Limited, 2012). This training also aims to teach them to understand and reflect ethical considerations in their purchasing practices and also highlight that buyers are responsible for ensuring that their behaviors do not force suppliers to cut corners (Tesco International Sourcing, 2008). Besides that, Tesco has committed to fair trade by signing up the Governments Supplier Code of Practices (Friends of the Earth, 2005). It was revised and strengthened in 2008 to protect the suppliers from exploitation. Next, Tesco also deals with supplier dilemmas by introducing supplier viewpoint independent annual survey. The suppliers are required to answer this anonymous survey, which allows suppliers to voice out how they feel about working with Tesco (Tesco PLC, 2012). Hence, this allows Tesco to understand the problem the supplier is facing whereby enables Tesco to understand and rectify the problems with their supplier. 3.2 Community Tesco deals with their dilemmas by emphasizing on two over riding priorities on ethical trade. Thus, with the two over-riding priorities on ethical trade, Tesco is committed to ensure the well-being of workers in the supply chain, to ensure no human rights abuses and at the same time ensuring sustainable environment impact (Tesco International Sourcing, 2008). On top of that, Tesco being one of the founders and the members of Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) uses ETI base code as a standard for all workers in the supply chain (Appendix 2). Whereby, Tesco made efforts on monitoring to help the workers to improve conditions and address entrenched problems. To deal with community dilemmas, Tesco also implement Supply Chain Impact Assessments whereby frequent visits by Tesco personnel to better understand what the challenges the workers are facing. Whereby using participatory interviews, third party audits to collect information from workers about their workplace concern. Furthermore, Tesco have been working with UN representative, South African partners on human rights to pilot principles that can strengthen effective grievance mechanism. For example: Tesco have piloted a farm level grievance mechanism which involves more than 3000 workers to voice their problems they were facing. 3.3 Apply one ethical theory into dilemma Ethical theory refers to rules and principle which decide the right and wrong in a given situation. Ethical theory consists of two ethical theories which are normative ethical theories and descriptive ethical theories. Normative ethical theories suggest the morally correct way of acting while descriptive ethical theories describe how ethical decisions are made. The role of ethical theory by Richard De George (1999) suggests two extreme positions which are ethical absolutism and ethical relativism. Ethical absolutism is universally applicable moral principles which the right and wrong are objective qualities. However, ethical relativism claims morality is context dependent and subjective, whereas there are no universal rights and wrong that can be determined. It depends on the person, culture and location (Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2007). Under normative theory, it consists of traditional and contemporary ethical theories. Traditional ethical theories are separated into consequentialist and non-consequentialist theories (Appendix 2). Under consequentialist theories, egoism refer to an action which is morally right when decision maker is free to decide to pursue their individual short term desires or long term interest. According to Adam Smith (1793), it is morally acceptable when individual interest pursuit through invisible hand of market which creates benefit for all. Next, utilitarianism refers to an action which is morally right if the outcome is greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people affected by the action. Utilitarianism has been chosen to apply in supplier dilemma. Through a utilitarian perspective, we can see Tesco acts in a way to produce the greatest possible balance of good over dissatisfaction of their suppliers. Tesco implementing low price policy which instead pushes the price lower of the products from their suppliers which cause supplier to suffer from huge lost. Although forcing the suppliers to lower the price is unethical, yet with Tesco low pricing policy it creates the greatest amount of happiness for the community while the company can enjoy higher profits. As a result, if low pricing gives happiness and more benefit to the community, Tesco do not need to think about how unethical their practice is towards the suppliers. However, under non-consequentialist theories it is divided into ethics of duties and ethics of right and justice. Ethics of duties by Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) argues that morality and decisions of right and wrong could not depend on a state whereby it is let alone on the consequences of ones action (Appendix 3). For ethics of right and justice, natural rights are important, certain basic, unalienable entitlements that should be protected and respected in every action. Hence, justice refers that together all individuals must receive fair treatment in a situation whereby the outcome is everybody get what they deserve. According to Locke (1632-1714) the most important rights are rights to life, freedom and property (Appendix 4). Next, under normative theories which consist of contemporary ethical theories are divided into virtue ethics, postmodern perspective, feminist ethics and discourse ethics (Appendix 4). However, descriptive ethical theory involves two factors that influence the decision making which are individual and situational factors (Appendix 5). 4.0 Organization Best values and practices 4.1 Best Practices PG current practices are supplier engagement. PG work closely with their suppliers across the entire supply chain. In order for them to bring the best thinking that benefits the brand and business, PG implement supplier scorecard which is to improve supply chain environmental issues while also encouraging sharing of capabilities and ideas in the supply chain which leads to deliver better products and services to consumers (Procter Gamble, 2012) (Appendix 6). Based on the best practices of this company, Tesco should emulate the footsteps of the above mentioned company to achieve the best practices. The best practices Tesco should adopt are supplier engagement. Tesco could launch a supplier scorecard to measure and track the supplier environmental footprint while also a way to communicate with suppliers. Subsequently, scorecard creates a platform to receive feedback, sharing of capabilities and get ideas from suppliers. Thus, with the ideas and feedback Tesco could fine-tune its own procedures to communicate better with their suppliers for further improvement such as work practices and environmental issues. However, having better communication and good relationship with suppliers also gives suppliers better opportunity for business which in turn suppliers would not act unethically. 4.2 Best values Next, the values of NTUC Fair Price Hypermarket in Singapore are responsible retailing. Product safety and food handling is an important element in Fair Prices business to raise the standards of food safety in Singapore for their customers. As a result, the company is certified with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) which is the management system for the assurance of food safety and ISO 9001 quality management system (Appendix 7). Based on the values of this company, Tesco should emulate the following values of the above mentioned company. The best value that Tesco should also adopt is food quality and safety management. In the food retailing industry, food quality is the most important values that could deliver excellent standards for food and products consistently. By offering quality products to the customers, customers will have the trust and confidence to shop in Tesco. However, Tesco can establish Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Program which is a management system for the assurance of food safety. Thus, by adopting food quality and standards Tesco is able to increase the confidence level of customers that they are receiving high quality, safe products. In addition, Tesco can implement ISO 9001 (quality management system) to ensure that they conform to standards by ensuring the highest food quality and food safety for customers. Thus, by Tesco implementing these values, it is able to show that Tesco prioritize responsible retailing. 4.3 Apply one ethical theory Normative theory consists of traditional and contemporary ethical theories. Under contemporary ethical theories there is postmodern ethics which refers to questioning everyday practices, rules and to listen everyone and follow their emotions and gut feelings about what they think is right and wrong in a decision making (Crane, A. Matten, D., 2010) The best practices of supplier engagement can be applied with postmodern ethics as Tesco needs to have good communication and work closely with their suppliers in order to be a successful ethical company. Therefore, by applying postmodern ethics Tesco needs to question their suppliers on environmental practices and make sure they follow consistently supplier trading policy. On top of that, to make sure suppliers maintain high ethical standards on environmental issues and work practices. At the same time, also listen to suppliers sharing of ideas or listen to problems encountered by supplier which relates to work practices and environmental practices. By Tesco making sure their suppliers follow procedures consistently it will reduce the chances of both parties acting unethically. 5.0 Conclusion Practicing good ethics is important part for every company as it helps to maintain the companys reputation and brand image. Hence, when Tesco have bad reputation in ethics will lead to loose customer or community trust and loyalty. Whereby, in year 2012 shows Tescos market share first time in seven years have drop below 30 % which is 29.9% (BBC News, 2012). Therefore, for Tesco to gain back their market share, Tesco have to act ethically to gain back the communitys trust and confidence level in their practices and products. Hence, by Tesco acting ethically it enables Tesco to continue maintaining their position as the third largest in the world. Furthermore, Tesco have to act ethically in every aspect they deal with to benefit the communities. At the same time, also acting ethically in their business in order for them to penetrate into more countries to maximize the shareholders value, increase companys profit and deliver sustainable growth year to year.

Features of a Financial Statement Analysis

Features of a Financial Statement Analysis TASK 1 Importance of Financial Statements All managers need to be able to interpret their company’s financial accounts as they hold valuable information about a wide range of factors that impact on the long term and short term profitability and stability of the company. By considering the various ratios below and, in particular, by drawing on trends between last year and the current position, it will be possible for the various division managers to identify where weaknesses lie and to determine what they can do in their own individual departments to improve the overall situation of the company (Fridson, 2002)[1]. Current Position of the Company In his statement, Robert assured management and staff that the company was in a â€Å"sound financial position†. A detailed review of the accounts has been undertaken, and all ratios are included in Appendix 1. Four key areas were looked at, across 2007 and 2008, as this is when the substantial changes occurred. These changes are profitability, efficiency, liquidity and stability, all of which are important to the company. Profitability has fallen dramatically between 2007 and 2008. The gross profit margin figure shows the company’s ability to control the costs of the goods that it produces. Although sales volumes could alter, it would be expected that the profit margins obtained would not alter dramatically. In 2008, gross profit margins were 36.33%, substantially less than the margins of 42.21% in 2007, which suggests that the cost of producing each item is increasing at an unacceptable level. The operating profit gives more information on how the company manages its overheads; these figures have also dropped significantly (from 20.57% to 10.56%). This is clearly partly down to the reducing gross profit margin, but also indicates that overheads are becoming increasingly problematic for the company, in terms of relative costs (Helfert, 2001)[2]. Efficiency ratios indicate how well the company is using its resources, both fixed and working capital. The ratio in relation to the efficiency of capital employed has dropped from 4.05 to 3.51, showing that the company has lost a considerable amount of efficiency in its operations and is not producing the same output with the capital employed as it was in 2007 (Friedlob, 2003)[3]. Liquidity ratios are incredibly important as these reveal the company’s ability to meet its current liabilities. Poor liquidity could cause immediate and massive problems for the company because it indicates that it will be unable to pay its debts as they fall due. The current ratio shows the ability of the company to meet all current liabilities with all current assets that it holds. In both 2007 and 2008, the figure was well in excess of the 1:1 cover, although it did drop from 2.00 to 1.70, which could be indicative of a downward trend in the company and should be looked at regularly in order to ensure that the figure does not drop further. More worrying is the quick ratio figure. This shows how readily the cash and easily available current assets could meet the current liabilities. A ratio of 1:1 is also desirable, yet the company had a ration of 0.38 in 2007, dropping to 0.12 in 2008. This suggests that much of its current asset inventory is held in non-readily convertibl e assets such as stock (Towsey, 1974)[4]. Stability ratios reveal the amount of long term debt a company is in and, where this company is concerned, the gearing has been consistently low, showing that there is not a great risk within the way the company is financing itself. Conclusions Robert was correct in stating that he felt the company was stable in the long term; however, there are considerable short term concerns, particularly in relation to liquidity, which need to be addressed urgently if the company is not to suffer short term issues. TASK 2 The Balanced Scorecard Kaplan and Norton (1993)[5] developed the concept of the balanced scorecard, which was initially created as a means of assisting management with their strategic planning. The model is two-fold, the first purpose being to improve the communications for the company (both internally and externally) and the second to assist managers in ensuring that their goals are reached. The balanced scorecard model forwarded by Kaplan and Norton works on assisting managers in having a clear strategic goal and in ensuring that the activity needed to achieve these goals is put into action, throughout the organisation. This process recognises that it is not possible simply to look at a company’s financial performance and from this to derive a set of actions that should be undertaken to improve performance, in future years. There is generally a time lag, when it comes to company performances, with inputs such as investment in machinery taking at least a few months to be seen in the financial returns. Kaplan and Norton encouraged companies to take a different approach and to look firstly at the inputs that management could make directly into the company. It is these factors that should be measured and, provided the correct strategic goal has been established, achieving these individual goals by management should ensure that the ultimate goals in terms of financial performance are met (Niven, 2006)[6]. Companies are encouraged to look at their businesses from four different perspectives when establishing their strategic goals: financial, customer, internal process and innovation and learning. The financial perspective is the one traditionally considered by organisations and includes factors such as profit growth and revenue. The management should, however, be encouraged to take a longer term view when setting strategic goals. The customer perspective is crucially important as it looks at the way the customer perceives the company and any possible changes to the customer perspective that would be needed for the company to achieve its ultimate strategic goals. Internal processes look at the way the company is run internally and how these can be adapted to help achieve the long term goals and are often related to the customer perspective, e.g. quicker lead times or more readily available stock. Finally, there is the innovation and learning aspect which directly leads into the long term growth by ensuring that the company is constantly looking for new ways of doing things, which either include efficiency savings or a better customer experience (Kaplan, 2004)[7]. The Development of Intangible Assets Introduction Intangible assets are those assets within the company that are often overlooked such as the knowledge base of the staff or the underlying strength of the information systems. When considering the intangible assets, this largely refers to the learning and innovation perspective within the balanced scorecard and can be broken down to look at jobs, i.e. the human capital and relevant expertise these individuals have, the systems capital which refers to the information systems within the company and the organisational capital which refers to the climate in which the company operates, i.e. the market place in which it is based (Wall, 2003)[8]. Intangible assets within the company Critically, the company mainly needs to consider both its human capital and its information systems. In relation to its human capital, the company has significant difficulties with its turnover, particularly within the packing division. With a high turnover of staff, it is difficult to maintain efficiency and quality in the products and makes innovation difficult as members of staff are unprepared to take a long term view. The technical department is clearly important when it comes to ensuring the maximum efficiency of the machines. Therefore, the turnover rate of 18% in relation to technicians and the seeming difficulty in recruiting new technicians is an issue that has to be looked at closely by management. Information systems are outdated within the company. Computer technology is not used adequately to ensure that information is shared between the sites. Failure to share information will result in wastage and unnecessary expenses as well as large overheads (a problem that the company has, as identified previously). Furthermore, no information is collected in relation to customer satisfaction which makes the task of improving and managing customer perceptions impossible. A fully integrated and operational information system is needed to improve both efficiency of production and customer satisfaction. How can these factors be developed? The first concern must be in relation to the employees. There is a substantial turnover of staff, averaging 12%. Direct operations have a turnover rate substantially below this, at just 5%. Critically, the direct operations and production teams have a structure of bonus payments which is generous and allows staff to receive extra payments as they become more efficient, thus encouraging staff to stay longer in their roles. Whilst the packing team recognises that it is generally less skilled, there is no incentive in relation to performance and there is clearly very little in the way of employee loyalty (evidenced by the way in which the staff shop is used). Consideration should be given to implementing a similar bonus scheme for the packers, as this would not only reduce staff turnover in the packing department but would also encourage better quality of work (Harvard Business School Press, 2005)[9]. Issues such as more flexible working patterns should be considered as the majority of the packers are female and, therefore, issues such as childcare are much more likely to be important to this section of the workforce. Benefits such as childcare vouchers may also be a good way of improving retention. Due to the skilled nature of the technicians’ role, advertisements should be placed further afield. Workers are often prepared to travel and by widening the search area the company may locate better skilled and more loyal staff for the important technical department. Investment is needed in the information technology systems. They are six years old and do not offer the necessary level of service. The systems, particularly in relation to sharing technical knowledge, must be integrated and additional automation would be beneficial to the ultimate efficiency of the company. There are also considerable uncertainties in relation to factors such as stock levels, work in progress, production costs, all of which are vital and need to be integrated into the information system (Kaplan, 2001)[10]. Conclusions In order to develop the intangible assets of the company, the focus must necessarily be on dealing with the issues in relation to employee retention and productivity as well as ensuring that the information systems adequately support the company moving forward. Both of these factors will require investment, but should amply pay for themselves, in the long run. TASK 3 Inventory Management Inventories refer to all goods and stocks held by the company, whether they are complete or not. As this is a manufacturing company, it would be anticipated that the level of inventory is rather high. However, even with this assumption, the total amount of stock being held by the company has risen dramatically to  £3,915,000 in 2008, from just  £2,765,000 in 2006 and is rightly a cause for concern by management (Mercado, 2007)[11]. Importance of Inventory This is not the only company to underestimate the importance and potential impact of inventory on the financial position of the company as a whole. A certain level of inventory is essential as the company relies on suppliers (of varying reliability) and, therefore, must build in a time lag between when the supplier delivers the material and when the goods actually leave the company. As well as the time lag, there are natural uncertainties which mean that a certain amount of stock must be held, particularly to deal with issues such as special offers from some of the larger retailers. There are also economies of scale to be had and it will be more profitable for the company to purchase material in bulk and to transport finished products in bulk (Koumanakos, 2008)[12]. Whilst all of these reasons for maintaining an inventory are valid, it is important to recognise that having too much in the way of inventory is potentially negative on the financial position of the company. The ratios suggesting problems with short term liquidity are indicative of this high level of inventory. Too much of the company’s cash is tied up in the stock, meaning that the company may not be able to meet its commitments to short term creditors. Working capital should also be of considerable interest to the company as it is another reflection of the short term liquidity of the company and is a way of looking at whether or not the company can meet its short term liabilities and operating expenses (Wild, 2002)[13]. Accounting for Inventory A vitally important way of managing and measuring working capital is to look at how many days it takes from the point at which money is paid out for the raw materials to the point when the company receives money in for the finished products. This length of time should, ideally, be as short as possible so at to ensure that the company gets a return on its products as quickly as possible. Reducing this time involves either extending the length of time it takes to pay suppliers, shortening the length of time it takes to collect money from customers or reducing the time it takes to manufacture the goods. This period of time is calculated by adding the inventory conversion period to the receivables conversion period and taking away the payables conversion period (each measured in days). The inventory conversion period is the inventory divided by the cost of goods sold multiplied by 365; the receivables conversion period is the receivables divided by sales multiplied by 365; and the payables conversion period is accounts payable divided by cost of goods sold multiplied by 365 (Toomey, 2000)[14]. By using the inventory figures for this calculation, it is easy to see whether or not the period of time is increasing and at which point there seems to be a blockage in the throughput. In the case of the company, it is clear to see that the amount of stock being kept is increasing; raw material inventory has only gone up a slight amount. However, the amount of bought-in finished goods that are being held has dramatically increased and should be an area that the management team concentrates on (Harrington, 1990)[15]. It is also worth bearing in mind that there are costs inherent with storing excess stock. It has already been recognised that overhead costs are in excess of what they should be for the company and are growing rapidly. These will almost certainly be related, at least partially, to the trend towards storing more stock. Conclusion Inventory management, despite being an issue for management teams to control, has a direct and substantial impact on the company’s financial accounts. Holding too much stock will be evident in terms of the current asset figures on the balance sheet, but also in the profit statement (Jones, 1985)[16]. Potential savings in reducing the amount of stock that is held can come not only from the availability of cash for other activities (such as meeting short term liabilities), but also in terms of ensuring that overhead costs such as storage are kept to a minimum. These factors must be considered by the management team as a matter of priority. TASK 4 Introduction Before introducing any new product, it is important that the management team consider all of the possible impacts of this introduction, both financially and practically. In this case, for example, it should also be considered that the HC007 is a new and improved version of the HC003 and the company wishes to develop a reputation for producing leading edge technology. Bringing in a new product such as this will naturally increase the company’s profile in the market and should not be disregarded as a benefit when analysing the raw figures in relation to the possible move (Rainey, 2005)[17]. The company should also consider the current level of inventory that is held in relation to HC003, both in terms of completed products and work in progress, as this may result in financial losses to the company, if these items cannot be sold on (Wilson, 2005)[18]. Theories of Product Appraisal A key way of determining the potential viability of the new product is to consider the breakeven point which will tell the company, based on the proposed sales value, how many products would have to be sold before the costs of production are covered. The breakeven point is established by taking the fixed costs and dividing them by the selling price, minus the variable costs. Therefore, in the case of the HC007, the fixed costs are thought to be 24,000 divided by 12 (18 – 6) making 2,000. On the assumption that the fixed and variable costs are the same for the HC003, the breakeven point for this would be 24,000 divided by 10 (16 – 6), making 2,400, which it is currently comfortably achieving (Daly, 2002)[19]. There are weaknesses in using this analysis. It assumes that the variable costs are constant for every unit of output and that there are no economies of scale involved. It also assumes that fixed costs are constant and would be incurred regardless of the level of production. Finally, there is the assumption that there is no wastage, i.e. all products produced are sold. This is unrealistic, as there is likely to be at least some degree of leakage. Analysis of the Hedge Clipper HC007 HC007, on the assumption that the full 4,000 prospective sales are made, would produce a total profit of 24,000. HC003, on the assumption that 3,500 units were sold, would achieve a total profit of 17,500. On the face of it, therefore, the new product HC007 would be a worthwhile addition to the product range. It should be noted that the nature of fixed costs means that they are going to be incurred, regardless of whether or not the HC007 is launched and should not, therefore, play any part in the decision making process. If this theory is followed, the profit margin on the HC007 would be 12, whereas working with the same numbers the gross profit margin for the current HC003 would be 11. This is the contribution available, through the production of these products to meet fixed costs. There is no substantial difference between the two and consideration should be given as to whether there could be a better use of the resources available within the company (Groth, 1996)[20]. An absorption or recovery rate of 300% seems incredibly high and consideration should be given as to whether the overheads in this particular area of production are viable. With such high overhead rates, there may be more productive ways to produce a profitable item, either through the use of automation or through better use of premises’ space (Kuczmarski, 1992) [21]. Careful consideration should also be given as to the prospective number of sales. The company is currently selling 3,500 hedge cutters and has predicted that the new model would generate sales of 4,000 hedge cutters. This suggests that 500 people would be expected to purchase the new product, purely because it is new and innovative. Conclusions Appraising a new product is not simply about seeing whether a company can sell the product for more than it costs to produce the product. Issues such as other opportunities that the company may be foregoing in order to produce this product need careful consideration. It is not about producing a profitable item; it is about producing the most profitable item (Constantineau, 1992)[22]. In this case, the company needs to ensure that the sales predictions are accurate and that there is no other potential new product line that would serve the company better. Appendix 1 Footnotes [1] Fridson, M.S. Alvarez, F., 2002. Financial Statement Analysis: A Practitioners Guide.  John Wiley and Sons. [2] Helfert, E.A., 2001. Financial Analysis: Tools and Techniques : a Guide for Managers. McGraw-Hill Professional. [3] Friedlob, G.T. Schleifer, L.L.F., 2003. Essentials of Financial Analysis. John Wiley and Sons. [4] Towsey, R.G., 1974. The use of operating ratios in retail management . International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 2, 4. [5] Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P., 1993. Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work. Harvard Business Review, Sep – Oct, pp. 2-16. [6] Niven, P.R., 2006. Balanced Scorecard. Step-by-step. Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results. 2nd ed., John Wiley Sons. [7] Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P., 2004. Strategy maps: Converting intangible assets into tangible outcomes. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. [8] Wall, A., Kirk, R. Martin, G.,2003. Intellectual Capital: Measuring the Immeasurable?  Elsevier. [9] Harvard Business School Press, 2005. Retaining Your Best People. Harvard Business School Press. [10] Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P., 2001. The Strategy-focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment. Harvard Business Press. [11] Mercado, E.C., 2007. Hands-On Inventory Management. CRC Press. [12] Koumanakos, D.P., 2008. The effect of inventory management on firm performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 57, 5. [13] Wild, T., 2002. Best Practice in Inventory Management. Institute of Operations Management,  Butterworth-Heinemann. [14] Toomey, J.W., 2000. Inventory Management: Principles, Concepts and Techniques. Springer. [15] Harrington, T.C., Lambert, D.M. Vance, M.P., 1990. Implementing an Effective Inventory Management System. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 20, 9. [16] Jones, T.C., Riley, D.W., 1985. Using Inventory for Competitive Advantage through Supply Chain Management. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 15, 5. [17] Rainey, D.L., 2005. Product Innovation: Leading Change Through Integrated Product Development. Cambridge University Press. [18] Wilson, R.M.S. Gilligan, C., 2005. Strategic Marketing Management: Planning, Implementation and Control. Butterworth-Heinemann. [19] Daly, J.L., 2002. Pricing for Profitability: Activity-Based Pricing for Competitive Advantage. John Wiley and Sons. [20] Groth, J.C. Byers, S.S., 1996. Creating value: economics and accounting perspectives for managers. Management Decision, 34, 10. [21] Kuczmarski, T.D., 1992. Screening potential new products. Strategy Leadership, 20, 4. [22] Constantineau, L.A., 1992. The Twenty Toughest Questions for New Product Proposals. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 9, 2.

Platos Allegory of a Cave, Wachowskis Matrix, and Marge Piercys Woman on the Edge of Time :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

Plato's Allegory of a Cave, Wachowski's Matrix, and Marge Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time Plato's Allegory of a Cave is a story about prisoners that are chained underground, who can not see anything except for shadows caste on a wall by a fire. The only thing that these prisoners can see is the shadows of people. Eventually, one of the prisoners breaks free of the chain and ventures out into the real world. In the real world the freed prisoner discovers that the shadows in the cave are created from light diverge off people. He recognizes there is a whole new world filled with light. The freed prisoner is very confused and blinded by the light so he decides to return to the cave. When the prisoner returns to the cave, he shares what he saw in the real world with the other prisoners. The remaining prisoners treat the freed prisoner like he is crazy and they tell the freed prisoner that the real world does not exist. The prisoners in the cave do not believe in the real world because the cave is all that they know exists. Platos story is a close parallel to the film The Matrix and Marge Piercys Woman on the Edge of Time. Platos theory suggests that masses should be silenced in order to discourage desire because desire leads people to be unjust. Thus, equilibrium is needed to create peace and prevent chaos between two powerful worlds. The parallel of Platos theory can be seen in Marge Piercys Woman on the Edge of Time. The novel is about a chosen person, Connie, and her journey to keep peace between the machine world and the human world. Connie has special communicating powers, in which she is able to contact two completely different future worlds. The first world is a total utopia where Connie communicates with Luciente. The utopian world is a very high spirited, trustworthy, healthy community which is extremely peaceful and relies very little on technology. The world in a dysutopian, is completely controlled by computers, and humans are slave-like to cyborgs. This world is very dirty and the world wa s completely trashed. Connie lives in the present, where the worlds future is threaten by complete control by machines or a world with no technology. Like the prisoner in Platos story, Connie is shunned by society and put in a mental hospital.

Wuthering Heights: Sympathy With The Villain Essay -- essays research

Heathcliff, the main character in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, has no heart. He is evil to the core - so savage that his lone purpose is to ruin others. Yet at the very moment at which the reader would be expected to feel the most antipathy towards the brute -after he has destroyed his wife, after he has degraded the life of a potentially great man, and after he has watched the death of his son occur with no care nor concern, the reader finds himself feeling strangely sympathetic towards this character. The answer to this oddity lies in the presentation of the character himself, which causes us to be more pitying of him than we otherwise might. Bronte’s describes the young boy, Heathcliff, as†dark, almost as if he came from the devil,† immediately spurring the reader to view the character as evil and immoral. His actions from thence forward largely tend to enhance this notion. From the very get go he hates Hindley, and although the feeling is mutual, Heathcliff certainly does his just portion of cruel deeds. In one incident Mr Earnshaw has given both Hindley and Heathcliff a colt. When Heathcliff’s colt goes lame, he threatens to blackmail Hindley if he does not trade with him. At a young age, he begins to plot revenge against Hindley. â€Å"I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back,† he says, â€Å"I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do!† And in his adult years, we find him teaching Hindley’s son Hareton to swear desiring that the boy become just as foul as he. As the novel continues, Heathcliff devel ops another aversion. This time, to the man that married his lover, Edgar Linton. In one particular scene Edgar, Catherine, and Heathcliff are all involved in a passionate dispute. â€Å"I wish you the joy of a milk-blooded coward,† he says, â€Å"....I compliment you on your taste. And that is the slavering, shivering thing you preferred me too. I would not strike him with my fist, but I’d kick him with my foot and experience considerable satisfaction.† After the completion of this speech, Heathcliff proceeds to just as he had discussed. Later, to gain power of Edgar, Heathcliff elopes with Edgar’s sister, Isabella. Their marriage proves to be far from delightful, for Heathcliff has no love for Isabella. â€Å"Is Mr Heathcliff a man?† Isabella writes, â€Å"If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil?† Heathcliff’s com... ...ovel draws to a close, Heathcliff realizes the futility of his life, as it has been spent on that one task. â€Å"I get levers and mattocks to demolish the two houses (referring to Edgar’s and Hindley’s) and train myself to be capable of working like Hercules, and when everything is ready and in my power, I find the will to life a slate off either roof has vanished!...I could do it; and none would hinder me. But where is the use?...I have lost the faculty of enjoying their destruction, and I am too idle to destroy for nothing.† Upon realizing this, Heathcliff wills himself to die. Thus, despite Heathcliff’s immoral behavior and throughly evil actions, the book closes leaving the reader with a pitying disposition on the character’s behalf. After never being taught to love, being abused, losing ones love, and living for one thing only to later discover it’s futilty, one might ponder that Heathcliff couldn’t help but be how was. The circumstances were almost beyond his control. The passionate, violent environment of Wuthering Heights shaped him into the fiend that he was. And to read of that hellish existence is enough to impart a sympathetic sigh from even the most critical of readers.

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed :: College Admissions Essays

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed "Hello?" The police dispatcher answers the phone. "Hi there," I say brightly. "My name is Aaron Mesh, and I'm from the News Chief. Could you please transfer me over to Major Thomas? I need to ask her a few questions about the wreck over on Havendale Drive this morning..." This is my job. I'm an intern reporter at the News Chief, a daily newspaper in east Polk County, Florida. I've been on the job for the past 27 months. Once a week, I come into the Chief's newsroom and get to work: conducting interviews, gathering information, writing stories. Most of my life, I've had a strong interest - some would call it an obsession - with newspapers and journalism. From a young age, I was drawn to the paper, running out to grab it off the driveway and devour the contents. I may be the only 17-year old with an edition of the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual sitting in his bedroom for light reading. Working for a newspaper has helped develop one of my best skills: working with information. I've always enjoyed gathering facts, interpreting them, and explaining to others what I've learned. My internship at the News Chief has let me discover what it takes to find out what's going on in the world, and to understand and relate events to people in a fair, objective way. Weaker areas have also been strengthened by my News Chief work. I have become much better at working in a group setting, making friends and generally being socially adept. (On the other hand, I still haven't learned to type properly. We all have our faults.) Although my News Chief employment is far from my only interest - I could spend multiple paragraphs relating my love of the 4-H program, for starters - working with a newspaper has been a unique and defining facet of my high school experience. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped solidify my goals for the future. My love of the print media has congealed into a desire to work in that media. My goal, at least at this point of my life, is to become an educated, well-rounded journalist - one with a strong grasp of history, philosophy and literature. This understanding will allow me, while recording and dispersing the facts about current events, to communicate the truth in a deep in meaningful way.

Historical Example of Supply and Demand

The Great Depression happened because the stock market in the United States dropped dramatically. A major factor in bringing about the depression was a direct result of supply and demand. Supply and demand rely on each other and should be equal in a stable economy. Too much supply demand drops, demand goes up supply should go up to meet it. There was a large overage of products that the U. S. people could not consume. The overage happened because a technological advance changed how they produced goods. They were able to produce products more efficiently, however they did not increase employees wages. Therefore, people could not afford to buy the amounts of products that were being produced. This was a direct result. There was no equilibrium. When there was an overage of products there were less demands for laborers because they could not even sell the products that they had let alone produce more. The employers could have increased the employees wages to help the situation. This would not have completely fixed the problem. The industries would be forced by the law of supply and demand to drop their level of output to compensate in their loss of overall profit. Now there was less work, overage of products, and a failing economy. The Great Depression came to an end when the U. S. started making war goods for Britain. This created many jobs for U. S. citizens. This allowed people to earn money and begin spending again. President Roosevelt also had an impact on the recovery of the Great Depression. He made new policies, and changed how things in the economy went. He created different agencies to help with the situation. This in turn helped to create more jobs as well. The demand eventually caught up with the supply due to the labor market increase.

Philosophy Report

Compare, contrast, and evaluate Plato and Mill on the relation between the individual and society. Two of the greatest minds in intellectual thought, Plato and Mill living in relatively different times, they both shared the same issues and concerns but with very distinct perspectives. Plato believed that freedom was justice in the soul while Mill was defending freedom within a democracy. Is one freedom better than another freedom? Plato tries to show that individual justice mirrors political justice. He believed that the soul of every individual has a three part structure interchangeable to the three classes of society.Plato, being an idealist, he believed that his philosophers should be impeccable with knowledge. If â€Å"performing abortions† is morally offensive- in a Platonic society that debate wouldn’t happen, because it would be outright outlawed. So how would we know that it isn’t moral? We would never know. And THAT is the kind of suppression Mill disagr ees with- isn’t finding out the truth more important than morality? Or is ignorance better than understanding? Mill’s views in the individual and society completely differ from Plato’s. Mill’s view in the individual has the experience and environment that Plato considers unimportant.Mill also believed that a human could develop full potential only by offering the opportunity to define true ability in an individual. He was completely against forcing opinions from one group onto the other. It was doing injustice to the individual. Mill was for the people. He understood society’s struggles when it came to dangerous work stations to where the workers would be paid little to nothing at all. It was an injustice to them to be working so hard and not being appreciated for how hard of an effort workers put into their job. Freedom surely didn’t exist there and Mill strived for that to change.Virtuous and expert rules are possible if and only if the ru lers may be philosophers. Plato absolutely believed normal everyday people had no way in becoming a great leader because only intelligence and expertise is only found in Philosophers. He had the perfect picture of an ideal ruler. He also strictly believed one’s abilities portray the certain opportunities given to the philosopher while Mill believed in the complete opposite from that. Each person is naturally suited for a certain task. If you are gifted with intelligence, Plato believes it shouldn’t be put to waste.For example, you are better off being a Doctor than being a construction worker. â€Å"The good city† is possible when â€Å"experts† are in charge of it. Only two worlds existed in Plato’s Theory of the Forms: The visible world and the intelligible world. Knowledge comes down to having knowledge of the forms. You cannot know what is false. Opinion/belief cannot ever be wrong. Knowledge is about what is real or if you have facts to prove whether it’s true or false. Ignorance is separate from pinion but is much clearer than ignorance. It’s part truth, part ignorance.Mill thinks we should be free to do what we want, unless it doesn’t cause harm to society. It would be then, that kind of freedom should be restricted but when can these freedoms be restricted? Should it come to physically harming an individual to their brink of suicide? Physical harm and verbal harm play two different roles in society but I definitely believe are both dangerous. On Liberty, Mill makes funs of Plato that anyone can have an ideal society. Mill also defines justice in a variety of ways before making it into one whole thing.

Long-Term Investment Decisions Essay

Assume that the industry you wrote about in Assignment 3 wants to expand and has to make some long-term capital budgeting decisions. Now the industry is confronted with government regulations to oversee the merger. Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you: Explain why government regulation is or is not needed, citing the major reasons for government involvement in a market economy. Provide support for your explanation. Justify the rationale for the intervention of government in the market process in the U.S. Assume that the company’s is considering a merger. The possible merger currently faces some threats and that the industry decides on self-expansion as an alternative strategy, describe the additional complexities that would arise under this new scenario of expansion via capital projects. Analyze how the different forces will come together to create a convergence between the interests of stockholders and managers indicating the most likely impact to profitability. Provide support for your response. Use at least three (3) high-quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. Look more:Â  difference between irr and mirr essay Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Assess how managerial economics is used in business decision making. Evaluate how government regulation is constraining and enabling for managerial decisions related to maximizing shareholder wealth. Use technology and information resources to research issues in managerial economics and globalization. Write clearly and concisely about managerial economics and globalization using proper writing mechanics.

Similarities in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Siddhartha as Portrayed by an Unknown Author and Herman Hesse

Similarities in The_ Epic of Gilgamesh_ and Siddhartha As portrayed by an unknown author and Herman Hesse Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh believe in themselves, they do not let others define them or make decisions for them. Siddhartha demonstrates that he has strong will from the very beginning of the novel. He is taught by the Samana even though the teachings he received up to this point in his life say that the Samana’s wayis the wrong religion. â€Å"It is not fitting for a Brahmin to speak angry and violent words/But indignation moves my heart/I do not wish to hear that request a second time from your lips†(Hesse, 9). Siddhartha wants to make his own decision to study with the Samana, therefore, he needed to go against his father’s judgment and demand leave to travel with the Samana. This clearly shows Siddhartha’s strong will by wanting to study with the Samana strongly enough to disobey his father. Siddhartha also demonstrates determination when he does not fall prey to the temptations of Sublime ones teachings. Siddhartha believes you do not need a teacher or scriptures to be taught how to achieve Nirvana. He abandons the Buddha and also his friend with hope of finding the way to Nirvana on his own. Gilgamesh on the other hand is the ruler of Uruk. In order to be able to keep his people alive he needs to be level headed and strong willed. Gilgamesh is so strong willed he seems arrogant, he believes he is one of the Gods and immortal and forgets that he is only 2/3 God. The villagers of Uruk say that â€Å"[Gilgamesh’s] arrogance has no bounds by night or day†(tablet 1, 62). Although his strong will is mistaken for arrogance on numerous occasions, Gilgamesh changes through the course of the novel. After meeting Enkidu he seems less arrogant to the people of Uruk and becomes their hero. Gilgamesh’s strong will helps him through the trials he must face to reach immortality. He faces the battle with Hambaba, the death of his friend, he passes through the mountain pass, rows across the waters of death and then return to his people. Gilgamesh did not give up during his journey because he did not want to let the people of Uruk suffer an illfate. The thought of his people gives him courage and his strong will is what allows him to continue. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are two men from different times but they still share the same quality of being strong willed. The importance of loyalty is conveyed through Siddhartha’s and Gilgamesh’sloyalty to their friends. Siddhartha is loyal to every person he meets during his journey, but his most trusted friend is Govinda. They start their journey together; Govinda is in love with Siddhartha and therefore follows all his wishes. After meeting the Sublime One Siddhartha feels as though he has wronged his friend by bringing him along on his journey, because they have not found Nirvana: Govinda, my friend, now you have taken this step, now you have chosen this path. Always, oh Govinda, you've been my friend, you've always walked one step behind me. Often I have thought: Won't Govinda for once also take a step by himself, without me, out of his own soul? Behold, now you've turned into a man and are choosing your path for yourself. I wish that you would go it up to its end, oh my friend, that you shall find salvation! Siddhartha wants only the best for his friend so he waits for Govinda to decide to leave him instead of sending him away. Siddhartha wishes Govinda well, even though he knows later on he will feel lonely without his friend. Siddhartha and Govinda meet each other after they depart on two other occasions. On each meeting they speak as though they had never left one another’s side. Friendship thus plays a key role in Siddhartha as well. Gilgamesh initially does not seem like a loyal person because of his arrogance, however, when he meets Enkidu, Gilgamesh becomes a loyal friend. At the beginning of their relationship, Gilgamesh’s loyalty seems questionable, but after the death of Enkidu the reader can see the great love he has for his friend. â€Å"[. . . ] seven days and seven nights he wept for Enkidu† (Tablet, 96). Following the death of his friend, despite Gilgamesh’s vow to walk with him in the neverlands (valley of death), he leaves on a journey to find immortality because he does not want his people to suffer the way he has. Despite his journey to find immortality Gilgamesh comes to realize that immortality will not bring his friend back from the dead. He discovers that he must live his life the way Enkidu would have wanted him to; without grief. Gilgamesh decides to stay loyal to his friend and walk in the neverlands with him after his own death. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are loyal to their closest friends and they only wish the best for them. Through their loss they were able to achieve impossibilities. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh never truly experience grief until the death of the ones they love. Their experience with grief is similar because it helps them evolve as people and it changes their lives. After the death of Kamala, Siddhartha is enlightened and is able to experience the grief of this world as well as see the grief he inflicts on his father the day he leaves. Kamala’s death leaves Siddhartha with the responsibility of raising his son, who hates living as a ferryman. His son wants to return to the town but his father does not let him. â€Å"I hate you you’re not my father/even if you were her lover ten times over. † (Hesse,108). Siddhartha feels grief at that moment for not being loved by his son, but it is through grief that he can understand Nirvana. Gilgamesh has everything he has ever wanted and he has never had an occasion to understand or feel grief. He would have never felt grief if he did not enjoy the company of Enkidu. The death of Enkidu is the turning point in The Epic of Gilgamesh, because Gilgamesh, in order to forget his grief, sets out on his journey to find immortality, in his attempt to resurrect Enkidu, also to shelter his people from grief. For Gilgamesh and Siddhartha, grief is the turning point in their lives, because it helps them move forward. Siddhartha discovers Nirvana and Gilgamesh finds that you can’t escape reality with immortality. While writing Siddhartha and The_ Epic of _Gilgamesh the authors would have been influenced by the beliefs of the society in which they lived. Siddhartha follows the Buddhist belief that you can find Nirvana through teachings and meditation. Nirvana is a state of mind which is completely at peace and with complete clarity and lucidity without thoughts of volitional formation (Bhikkhu Bodhi). Herman Hesse wrote the novel Siddhartha during his time in India and China, where the central religion is Buddhism. It is unknown to this day who the author of The Epic of Gilgamesh really was. First the story was found on tablets years after it was written and secondly the tablets state that Gilgamesh himself had written the novel. The reason people do not believe it was Gilgamesh who wrote this novel is because it is written in the third person. But we do know that The Epic of Gilgamesh is influenced by the Babylonian’s beliefs of dream interpretation and the cosmic. Since the epic is found in Babylonian ruins, archeologists assume that the epic is written by the Babylonian’s who also believed in astrology. The novel states that it is written during the age of the Taurus, also Gilgamesh sacrifices a bull, which is a custom among the Babylonians (Tony Crisp). Both novels are influenced by the place they were written but also during the era they are written in. Siddhartha is written in 1922 by a German named Herman Hesse who studied the Buddhist religion during 1910-1922. Around the time that Hesse wrote Siddhartha, his wife was suffering from mental instabilities and his son was seriously ill. Hesse stayed positive and strived for spiritual self-realization. Hesse states that â€Å"There is no reality except the one contained within us†(Hesse, 1919), this is a concept found within the novel Siddhartha. The difficulties and trials Hesse has to face helped make his novel one that’s praised around the world. The Epic of Gilgamesh has no official author because it is written on stone tablets that were discovered in the mid nineteenth century by Austen Henry Layard. They believed the tablets to be written around 2000 BCE but the actualdate is still argued. The tablets were found in ancient Mesopotamia, where they discovered 12 incomplete tablets. More tablets with a Syrian script have been found as far away from Mesopotamia as Syria and Turkey. Richard Hines) Both novels were written as a work of fiction but in reality they are both written using the name of an actual historical figure. Siddhartha of Gautama is known as the â€Å"Awakened one† or the Buddha throughout Asia; Hesse’s story does not follow closely to that of the Buddha. The journey they follow is different but the path they take to find Nirvana is the same. They both end up finding Niravan through medi tation and self teachings. the tablets on which The Epic of Gilgamesh is written tell the true tale of the historical figure, Gilgamesh, fifth king of Uruk. Water is the sign of purity and rebirth, but in order to be reborn in water you must emerge from its’ depths. (Didier Coiffard) During Siddhartha’s attempt to escape his life as a merchant, he runs away and decides to commit suicide near a river bank. While under the water he sees the word OM in front of him and finds himself unable to commit suicide. He emerges from the water a renewed man with renewed knowledge. â€Å"The new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this flowing water and decided that he would not leave it again so quickly† (Hesse, 81). He then meets the ferryman and becomes his apprentice in order to study the water and relearn his skills as a Brahmin and Samana. Siddhartha learns to listen to the river and becomes friends with it. With the help of the ferryman and the river Siddhartha finds Nirvana. He also relearns his skills of fasting, thinking and waiting. It is with the help of the river that Siddhartha is able to become a renewed and awakened person. Gilgamesh was also fortunate enough to find rebirth near water. Gilgamesh ends his initial quest near the river of death and retrieves a magic plant. In order to reach the plant Gilgamesh needs to submerge himself in the river. Once he emerges from the water he finds new hope in the magic plant, knowing that he could help his city. On his way back to UrukGilgamesh falls asleep and a snake steals the magic plant. For whom have I labored? For whom have I journeyed? For whom have I suffered? I have gained absolutely nothing for myself, I have only profited the snake, the ground lion! Gilgamesh goes back to Uruk to be with his wife and children, he realizes that he is only human and will keep his promise with Enkidu and walk in the neverlands with him. Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh follow higher powers during their lives. Buddhists do not believe in a high power so Siddhartha follows the idea of spiritual awakening and a spiritual leader within himself . Siddhartha hears from his spiritual being when he leaves the Buddha and meets a woman that he desires but â€Å"[. . . ] upon hearing his innermost voice, and the voice said, no† (Hesse, 47) He immediately gives up on the woman and leaves her. He hears from his guide more than once through his journey. He hears the voice at the river and sees the word OM which is what gives him emotionalstrength. Like Siddhartha, Gilgamesh also follows a spiritual guide except for Gilgamesh believes in the gods. Until having met Enkidu, Gilgamesh has given his respect to the gods by sacrificing women and animals as well as building temples and shrines. After meeting Enkidu, he takes his fate into his own hands and kills Hambaba, but Enkidu dies by the will of the gods because he was not suppose to kill Humbaba. Gilgamesh has been touched by the gods since birth as his father, Utnapishtim is a god, which would make him 2/3 God and 1/3 man. The lives of Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are touched by a spiritual presence that helps them through their journey to find the meaning of life. In the beginning Siddhartha and Gilgamesh do not understand the meaning of life because they have never experienced anything outside of their cities. Siddhartha does not understand all aspects of life and therefore cannot experience nirvana. So his spiritual voice sends him on a journey to find and experience life. Through his journey he finds that there is no such thing as time, â€Å"Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence† (Hesse, 87). Without his journey into life he would have never found this wisdom and with knowing and understanding that time is irrelevant, he would have never found Nirvana. Gilgamesh is much like Siddhartha because he has not experienced anything outside of Uruk. After the death of Enkidu he realizes that he is not immortal and will die one day. This realization scares Gilgamesh so he sets out on his journey to find immortality. After meeting his father, Gilgamesh realizes that becoming immortal is impossible, so Gilgamesh acknowledges that one day he will die because he is only human. With this knowledge he goes back to Uruk and strives to be a good king for the rest of his life. Siddhartha learns that only through life experiences can the spiritual self be understood and Gilgamesh learns that even though one day everything will die, you have to do what youcan at the present time. Herman Hesse and the Babylonian text are stories that will always be loved by many readers. They are stories that can be passed down to future generations and taught for years to come because they show the true meaning of existence. Gilgamesh learns to appreciate his life as a human being as opposed to a god, and not wish for immortality. He also finds that he is only capable of so much. Siddhartha learns that life is meant to be experienced in order to find nirvana and be at complete peace. The stories tell the reader that they do not have to be perfect or have everything to be truly happy with the life they have. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are two fictional characters very similar in nature, despite having been written in two different times; ancient history and the twentieth century. The morals and ideas that these books hold true to this day, in order to find our spiritual selves we need to go on a journey to the depths of our souls and find the peace with us. Tomb of Gilgamesh believed found. † BBC News. 23 April 2003. Water a source of inspiration. Cite expos l’eau pour tous. 9 January 2008. â€Å"Nirvana. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 7 January 2008 â€Å"Babylonian Dream Beliefs. † Dream Hawk. Mesopotamia. 6 June 1999. World Civilizations, Richard Hines. 8 January 2008 < http://w ww. wsu. edu/~dee/MESO/GILG. HTM> â€Å"Free Siddhartha Essays: Themes in Siddhartha. † 123HelpMe. com. 04 Jan 2008 http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=10368.