Saturday, May 23, 2020

Speech On Cigarettes And Its Effect On Society - 983 Words

Cigarettes...I personally have never even so much as tried them a single time in my life. That said, i don t have a huge issue against them, and certainly not against smokers, neither collectively nor individually. again, though, I need to say that there exist a few big caveats to that statement, so perhaps I should have adorned it with an asterisk. when someone holds their cigarette out of the window of their vehicle in the middle of the summer and my vents suck the smoke in, yeah, I get a bit perturbed. You don t want that nasty smoke smell in your vehicle? Understandable. Oh, but you thought I did? How considerate you are. Pisses me off. then of course theirs the nicotine junkies, who can not/ will not pay for their child s basic†¦show more content†¦so let s see if we cant find out why it is that this particular vice, one that the most hardcore participants will typically admit is one of their greatest faults, costing them not only vast quantities of money, but years of f their life, is so alluring, and so hard to stop. we might attempt to give a very brief overview of some facts about cigarettes, and their health implications. Cigarettes, along with most readily available tobacco products, contain nicotine. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. when a person smokes a cigarette, the nicotine enters the bloodstream, and initiates a dramatic chemical effect upon the user. perhaps the first notable effect is the stimulation of the adrenal glans, resulting in a dramatic spike in the hormone epinephrine, commonly referred to as adrenaline. This raise in epinephrine levels in turn stimulates the central nervous system to increase blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate. The compound acetylalyhyde, which is common in tobacco smoke, is suggested to synergistically enhance the effects of nicotine on the user s brain. Perhaps the most significant reason for the desire to smoke, as well as why most find it nearly impossible to quit, is the fact that nicotine increases circulating levels of dopamine, much like illicit street drugs like cocaine and heroine. A neurotransmitter , dopamine effects the

Monday, May 18, 2020

Strategic Business Value/Supply Chain Analysis Nestle Essay

Strategic Business Value/Supply Chain Analysis: Table of Contents Section 1 – Executive Summary3 Section 2 – Introduction 4 Section 3 – Nestlà © Background 5 3.1 Brief History 5 Section 4 – Literature Review – The Value Chain 6 4.1 The Value Chain 4.2 Nestle and Porter’s Value Chain6 Section 5 – Nestlà © Strategies 7 5.1 Creating Shared Value7 5.2 Sustainability8 5.3 International Competitive Advantage8 Section 6 – Nestlà © Collaborations 10 6.1 Buy/Sell Agreements 10 6.1.1 Coco Plan Collaboration10 6.1.2 Sub-Collaborations 11†¦show more content†¦These theories demonstrate ways in which businesses operate on a domestic and an international scale, with differing perspectives for simplistic and complicated value chain management. Nestle, an internationally recognised multi-national corporation (MNCs), was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestlà © in Vevey, Switzerland. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s headquarters are still located today. Today, Nestle is the worlds leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company. The company’s mission of Good Food, Good Life aims to provide consumers with the finest tasting, most nutritious choices of products in an extensive range of food and beverage classifications and eating occasions, from sunrise to sunset. International competition around the world has now looked to Nestle as a principal th reat, counteracting new means of innovation and productivity established and utilised by Nestle. This report will discuss Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s global background as a leading brand in the food and beverage industry. The company’s vision of an effective and efficient value chain will be analysed and discuss, parallel with the strategies implemented to sustain global competitive advantage, Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s enterprise value and recommendations for change to reinforce Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s core values and business cultures. Section 3 – Nestlà © Background 3.1 Brief History Nestlà ©, an internationalShow MoreRelatedNestle’s Sustainable Growth in Mature Market1512 Words   |  7 Pagessustainable growth in mature market The company establishment Nestle was first founded by Henri Neslte in the 1860s by developing and producing food products for babies who could not adapt mother’s milk. Following the success in baby food products, Henri incorporated with an Anglo-Swiss condensed milk company to develop dairy products, especially for government supply in World War I. High sensitive and quick responding to the demand of consumer, Nestle continued to create and develop new product mix to cannedRead MoreContemporary Information Systems : Nestle Essay2325 Words   |  10 PagesAuthors 2.2. Terms of Reference 2.3. Length 3. Findings 3.1. Supply Chain 3.2. Distribution Chain 3.3. Soft Systems Methodology 3.4. Management Information System 3.5. Decision Support System 3.6. Executive Information System 4. Conclusion 5. References î ¿ ¾ Executive Summary Nestle is a very large international corporation that owns and operates over 2000 brands, the company, Nestle was originally first founded by Henri Nestle in 1866. The company offers a large range of products which includesRead MoreEvaluating The Strategic Factors And Approaches Of Nestle Company1429 Words   |  6 PagesNestle Introduction The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate Nestle Company industry based on the case study and comprehend how the company develops strategic intent for their business organizations following the strategic factors and approaches. I will analyze the strategic management process as firm used to achieve strategic competitiveness. In order to strengthen this assignment about Nestle, there are several methods of gathering data has been conducted, such as Core Competencies analysisRead MoreEvaluating Nestle Company On The Bases Of Case Study3590 Words   |  15 Pageswork is to evaluate nestle Company on the bases of case study. I will try my level best to analyze the strategic management processes of Nestle Company. In this report an analysis of strategy formulation will be made. This report will also elaborate the external threats and opportunities for the company. For this research work different methods of collecting data have been used which include: PEST analysis, Porter’s model of five forces, SWOT analysis and value chain analysis. At the end of thisRead MoreNestl S Corporate Strategy Analysis2548 Words   |  11 PagesNESTLE’S CORPORATE STRATEGY ANALYSIS 1 Global Strategic Analysis of Nestlà © (Corporate Strategy by Mr Croft) Rational model NESTLE’S CORPORATE STRATEGY ANALYSIS 2 I. Vision statements Concerned with the desired future state of the company. What do we want to be?  « I will build a motor car for the great multitude†¦it will be so low in price that no man making good wages will be unable to own one†¦when I am through, everyone will be able to afford one and everyone will have one.  » Henry FordRead MoreNespresso Porter Analysis1127 Words   |  5 PagesTASK 3: 1. INTRODUCTION Nespresso is an operating unit of the Nestlà © group based in Switzerland. Since the 90’s Nespresso sell machines, which have a market success. Packaged portions of espresso coffee are one of the fastest growing segments of the coffee market. It has between 20 and 40% of the value of ground coffee sales in the European coffee market, which totals USD 17 billion. Nespresso sales have been growing at an average of 30% per year over the past 10 years and more than 20 billionRead MoreNestles Operations Management6329 Words   |  26 PagesNESTLE A Project on Operations Management An understanding of current production systems, the quality aspects and supply chain management of Nestle 2012 Group-5 : SANTOSH KUMAR GUPTA, JAISON JOSEPH, NANJAPPA P.B., TANUJ GOYAL, MAITREE MISHRA, ANAND S. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ROHTAK 3/17/2012 Contents Executive Summary 3 Nestlà © 4 Brief Overview 4 History 4 Main Brands 4 Nestlà ©s Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) strategy 5 Global context 5 Key facts on Popularly Positioned ProductsRead MoreThe Strategic Partnership of Ferrero Group and Dunkin Brand in the Creation of Nutella Ice Cream786 Words   |  3 PagesStrategic Partnership Of Ferrero Group And Dunkin Brands To Create Nutella Ice Cream Introduction The intent of this analysis is to evaluate how Ferrero International S.A., the producers of Nutella, and Dunkin Brands (NASDAQ: DNKN), of which Baskin Robbins is a subsidiary, can from and execute a successful strategic partnership. Beginning with a comparative analysis of the industry followed by strategy and implementation and a discussion business cultures, this analysis provides insights intoRead MoreCoffee - Supply And Demand1143 Words   |  5 PagesCoffee – Supply Demand Introduction Today, a jug of moment espresso (a type of strong black coffee) can be found in 93 every penny of British homes and progressively buyers are going for diverse sorts of espresso, for example, cappuccino, coffee, mocha and latte. The growing purchaser interest for item decision, quality and worth has prompted an increment in the espressos made accessible to a recognizing open. Quality is the route in which the purchaser sees an association s item in correlationRead MoreInternal Analysis : Nestle s Resources, Tangible And Intangible Product1835 Words   |  8 PagesInternal Analysis: Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Resources, Tangible and Intangible Product: Resources are the source of the firm’s capabilities. Resources are bundled to create organisational capabilities. Some of a firm’s resources are tangible and intangible. Tangible resources are assets that can be seen and quantified. Intangible resources include assets that typically are rooted deeply in the firm’s history and have accumulated over time. Intangible resources are relatively difficult for competitors to analyse

Monday, May 11, 2020

Fear of Witchcraft as Metaphor in The Crucible by Arthur...

Fear of Witchcraft as Metaphor in The Crucible The Crucible uses fear of witchcraft in the America of the 1600s as a metaphor for the fear of communism that was widespread in America in the 1950s. Arthur Miller wished to show that the attitudes and behaviour of the villagers of Salem were as irrational and ill-founded as the attitude and behaviour of the committee chaired by Senator McCarthy. Essentially Miller uses the 17th century setting to provide critical distance between the events described and the emotions that they aroused. After three hundred years everyone understands that witchcraft was never a threat to society and we can look at the way people behaved fairly sensibly. The Crucible argues that communism is†¦show more content†¦John Proctor has committed adultery, Parris is in dispute over his pay and there are numerous examples of jealousy and greed among the inhabitants. The important thing is that, at the beginning of the play, the town seems harmonious but the tensions caused by Abigail and th e girls bring completely unconnected problems to the surface. Miller seems to be suggesting here that although 50s America seemed to be at peace with itself it was just as likely to be full of sin. The way in which the witch-hunt mentality develops is well illustrated by the progress of the childrens accusations of witchcraft. At first the children only accuse people whom they know are weak within their society so that the accusations are easily accepted. However, as others observe the children pointing the finger of suspicion, they too start to accuse their neighbours of witchcraft as a way of taking revenge or for personal gain: ...if Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property- thats law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. Miller uses incidents like this as a way of showing, without too much risk to himself, that this is what the committee chaired by Senator McCarthy, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the communist paranoia were doing - people were using it toShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pagesplays that came from the 1950s was Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. During a time when the U.S. was worried of communism taking over, Miller released The Crucible, which helped to capture the hysteria that was occurring. The play presents itself as a metaphor for the House of Un-American Activities Committee that was created during the Cold War when communism was spreading, but Miller never actually referenced it in the play. Although Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is set in the late 1600s, it offersRead MoreMccarthyism In The Crucible1743 Words   |  7 PagesIn Arthur Miller s powerful play The Crucible, written in 1953 as a allegory an d metaphor for the McCarthy hearings on communism in America, the idea of conscience is greatly emphasized in many of the main characters. Arthur Miller wrote the play The Crucible in response to the red scare of the 1950’s, in which he was was condemned for disrespect disapproval of the United States Congress for being unsuccessful in naming numerous individuals who had attended meetings with him. In a bid to notRead MoreAnalysis Of The Crucible 1364 Words   |  6 Pages Themes A theme in The Crucible is that a society ruled by theocracy and status based on religion is bound to fall apart. Salem s strict adherence to the Christian shurch is evident in everything the citizens do. They use measures of a person s knowledge and adherence to the religion as a means of judging their character and also their status in society. They believe God [was] provoked so grandly by such a petty cause (121), which is why the jails are packed (121). If the citizen didRead MoreThe Hands Of An Angry God1627 Words   |  7 Pagesand The Crucible Essay Two coarse yet uniquely fragile societies, three hundred years apart, devoured by individual ideologies that permeated belief systems, that blinded, deafened, and muted citizens, and that ultimately led to gruesome hysteria. â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†, written by Jonathan Edwards in the mid-1700’s, is a sermon directed to a Puritan congregation urging with orthodox fervor for transgressors to repent. Arthur Miller wrote the allegorical play The Crucible in 1953Read MoreThe Theme Of Reputation In Arthur Millers The Crucible1059 Words   |  5 Pageslooks for to find its merit† (Lowell). The theme of reputation emerges over many events in The Crucible. It sustains many characters to misinterpret the true light in the world but reveal their anguish about how their loss of reputation will impact the effect in their lives. In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, a little town in the late 17th century, a group of Puritan girls are accused of witc hcraft, including their leader, Abigail Williams. Out of revenge and resentment, Abigail deceives theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Crucible And A Scene by Arthur Miller Essay1254 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis Of The Crucible And A Scene by Arthur Miller The Crucible was first produced in 1953 during the McCarthy political witch-hunt. The Crucible is governed around, the corrupted degeneration of society during this sombre period. Arthur Miller saw many parallels in this period with the witch hunt in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Most significantly the naà ¯ve yet extremely unjust accusations, the forced confessions and ultimately the growth of such a diminutiveRead MoreThe Crucible and To Kill a Mockingbird: Compare the ways in which the two authors express THEMES of Power, Authority, Justice and Oppression.1912 Words   |  8 PagesThe Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in which he demonstrates the familiarities of the life he lived in the nineteen-fifties. He communicates through his work to the way people are in his society and what people were like in the seventeenth century. However, To Kill a Mockingbird is a prose, written by Harper Lee in the nineteen-sixties in which she illustrates, how racism was acceptable, and injustice was a problem in which everyone faced in the nineteen-thirties. Both of these literallyRead MoreThe Effective Use of Dramatic Devices in Millers The Crucible3571 Words   |  15 PagesThe Crucible by Arthur Miller is a famous play which was written in the early 1950’s. The Crucible is a play based upon the events in 1692, which led to the ‘Salem Witch Trialsâ€℠¢, a series of hearings before local magistrates to prosecute over 150 people accused of witchcraft. This was due to the hysteria caused by a group of girls accusing innocent people of witch craft. The play was set in Salem, Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. Salem was a very isolated and puritanical communityRead MoreWhy Is the Crucible so Called Essay2321 Words   |  10 PagesHow is #8216;The Crucible#8217; appropriately titled? The word #8216;crucible#8217; is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The #8216;kettle#8217; viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained aRead MoreFeminist Approach to Witchcraft; Case Study: Millers the Crucible6554 Words   |  27 PagesTitle: Re(dis)covering the Witches in Arthur Millers The Crucible: A Feminist Reading Author(s): Wendy Schissel Publication Details: Modern Drama 37.3 (Fall 1994): p461-473. Source: Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale. From Literature Resource Center. Document Type: Critical essay Bookmark: Bookmark this Document Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning Title Re(dis)covering the Witches in Arthur Millers The Crucible: A Feminist Reading [(essay date fall 1994) In the following

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Film Review The Bad Sleep Well - 1173 Words

Film Review – The Bad Sleep Well September 6th, 1998, Akira Kurosawa died at the age of 88 due to cause of a stroke in his home in Tokyo. He was classified as one of cinemas truly important directors. Mr. Kurosawa came across filmmaking after failing as a painter. He was seen as a domineering perfectionist. Kurosawa was noticed by dozens of directors of many generations. He had a major influence on many of them. This film resembling Hamlet, both feature a hero on a quest for revenge. Kurosawa got the idea of this film from his nephew, Mike Y. Inoue. Inoue wanted to become a scriptwriter. Inoue ended up giving up all of his scripts to his uncle, for his use. Kurosawa gave suggestions to his nephew about the scripts. Inoue spent six months rewriting the scripts for his uncle. He had them named â€Å"Bad Men’s Prosperity†. After giving the scripts back to his uncle for a final time, Kurosawa and several others reworked and wrote the scripts even more. Thus making the final versions of these scripts. In doing so, Inoue was not given screen credits in the film â€Å"The Bad Sleep Well†. The Bad Sleep Well, shows an importance of an attack on the corrupt corporate culture of this time period. Acknowledging the similarities in the plot of this film and Hamlet, it is brought to the attention that true parallels don’t surface until the middle of the film. The Bad Sleep Well happens to be the Kurosawa Production Company’s first film made. It was released January 22, 1963. Kurosawa decided onShow MoreRelatedEssay on Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps1412 Words   |  6 PagesProject B: movie response Global Financial Ethics – FIN6620 The movie response that will be covered in this essay will be on the film â€Å"Wall Street Money Never Sleeps †. It was directed by Oliver Stone, released during 2010 and is the sequel to the 1987 film â€Å"Wall Street†. The film starts with the release from jail of Michael Douglas Gordon Gekko before cutting to a rather elaborate plot involving Shia LaBeouf as the young trader with (some) scruples, whos rising in a world that just happensRead MoreFlight Movie Review Essay917 Words   |  4 PagesA well-known filmmaker Robert Zemeckis got a reputation as a state of the art filmmaker in 1985 when he directed the comedic time travel â€Å"Back to The Future† film series. He went on to make Academy Award movies such as ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit† and â€Å"Forest Gump† (June 3, 2011). â€Å"Flight† stars a well-rounded acting veteran Denzel Washington. Washington plays a flight captain, Whip Whittaker, who is at the difficult time in his life battling drug and alcohol addiction as a flight captain. He becomesRead MoreIs the Movie Twelve Years a Slave a Good Movie of Its Genre? Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe film industry has been showing many different aspects of the world we are living in. It shows fantasy, comedy, action, sport and many other genres that exhibit the needs of human entertainment. Some of these movies are only created and adapted by pure imagination of the film and script writers, while other movies are based on true stories with some adaptation by the script and/or film writer on the events happening in the film story, yet they are considered and said to be based on true storiesRead More Stanley Kubrick Essays1577 Words   |  7 Pagesof quarreling with your interpretation nor offering any other, as I have found it always the best policy to allow the film to speak for itself.quot; As one of the most widely acclaimed and influential directors of the postwar era, Stanley Kubrick enjoyed a reputation and a standing unique among the filmmakers of his day. He had a brilliant career with relatively few films. An outsider, he worked beyond the confines of Hollywood, which he disliked, maintaining complete control of his projectsRead More Macbeth vs Scotland, PA Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagescharacter who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy† (www.dictionary.com). And until recently we were satisfied with that†¦ At the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, a low budget comedy was unveiled. It was called Scotland, PA. This film was written by a first-time director, Billy Morrissette, and depicts the familiar story in a surprisingly different form. The premise of the plot is held in tact but the setting is shifted several hundredRead MoreSociology of Hunger Games1719 Words   |  7 Pagessurplus of luxury and wealth exhibited by the Capitol. The Games are held in an arena in a forested area. When they begin, Katniss rushes away from the excitement of the initial bloodbath and uses her hunting/survival skills to develop a strategy. She sleeps in trees and hunts game. Each night, faces of the dead are broadcast into the sky. As she stays hidden, she learns that Peeta has allied himself with the Career Tributes, those tributes from the richer districts who train their entire lives forRead MoreAnalysis Of Chop Shop1366 Words   |  6 PagesChop Shop also gives viewers the impression that Ale and Izzy will be able to escape from poverty soon with just a little hard work. After Ale confronts Izzy at night while she is working as a prostitute, she runs home upset and sleeps in the bathroom. The next morning, they awaken and meet outside the garage in the morning sunlight. Ale, smiling, begins feeding pigeons. Once there’s a large crowd, Izzy stands up and smiles and goes â€Å"HEY† and they all fly away (Bahrani) . The contrast between theRead More Hannibal Lecters Identity and Ethos Essay1071 Words   |  5 PagesSecond, even though Hopkins, has taken on numerous roles, his memorable roles (besides as Hannibal Lecter) are not so villainous such as his characters in Remains of the Day or Shadowlands. In relation to this ethnography of the audience viewing the film, Hannibals ethos is directly tied to Hopkins, ethos and it shows in audience reactions. Movie makers know the power of celebrity in American society, and as Americans, we usually like to cheer for characters played by actors that we admire orRead MoreThe Effects Of Stress Levels On Students Lives999 Words   |  4 PagesThis film is about stress levels in students lives. It was about the pressures of balancing homework, studying, sports, extracurricular activities, and family life. It chronicled elementary age students, high-school students, and a couple of college students. This movie stated how students have pressures from family, coaches, and society to push for the best and nothing less. They want to earn excellent grades and test scores to get into the top Ivy league schools so that they can ultimately getRead MoreFilm Analysis Of The Boy In The Striped Pajamas1611 Words   |  7 Pagesattention, characters that have depth and are relatable, and a strategic use of humor to keep it from straying into a documentary. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, has a choppy but haunting plot with shallow characters by design, and attracted favorable reviews from critics and fans alike. Also a historical fictionalization of the Holocaust, La vita e bella, or Life is Beautiful is a tragi-comedy with complex and detailed characters and stories that uses comedy to take the edge off the serious nature of

Is the war on terror Free Essays

The delight in comparing the historical accuracy of Arthur Miller’s play to the real events of the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s comes from both the time at which the play was published and the historical parallels between the two times in American history. Furthermore, the play holds value as an attempt to explain unexplainable behavior and to teach lessons from the history in the hopes that they will not be repeated. It is a sad lament that the lesson remains unlearned and fifty years later we are faced with another American witch trial, this time under the name â€Å"War on Terror. We will write a custom essay sample on Is the war on terror or any similar topic only for you Order Now † In short summation, â€Å"The Crucible† is a play ostensibly about the Salem Witch trials. In it, a preacher’s daughter falls ill after dancing in the woods with a slave and some of the other village teen agers. Her father calls in assistance from more world church investigators to find the root of the witchcraft that has left his daughter ill. After he threatens to whip the slave to death, she confesses to witchcraft and seeks to take blame away from herself by pointing the finger at other Salem citizens. Eventually, the finger is pointed at a married woman, Elizabeth Proctor, by her former maid Abigail who had been having an affair with the woman’s husband John. Her accusations are at first doubted because John admits to the affair and shows that Abigail is attempting to tarnish his wife’s reputation or indeed mess up his life, but Elizabeth, thinking she is protecting her husband, refuses to admit to knowing about the affair. She is eventually found guilty of witchcraft and spared the gallows because she is pregnant, but in the same misguided desire to spare herself more torment, accuses under questioning that her husband is also a witch. At the end of the play, John Proctor is being led to the gallows for his crime. Is any of this real? Yes. Elizabeth Proctor was given a stay of execution because she was pregnant and most of her family was executed during the Salem Witch Trials (Burns, 1). The pastor’s slave, a Caribbean Indian woman named Tituba was among the first accused and pointed the finger at her owner’s daughter and others in the community, but there is no historical evidence that John Proctor had an affair and the real Abigail was an 11 year old girl at the time of the trials (Burns, 1). So why did Arthur Miller chose to make it all up? Possibly to give reason to the unreasonable. Though the witch hunts in Salem lasted a relatively short period of time, they left an indelible mark on American history, a time when man turned against his wife and children and neighbors to avoid being killed. Miller, a victim of Joseph McCarthy’s â€Å"Red Scare’, understood the premise all too well. The origins of the Red scare are much easier to trace than the origin of the Salem Witch Hunts, but Miller clearly could see the parallels between the two. In a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, in February, 1950, McCarthy made clear where his venom and hatred came from. â€Å"Five years after a world war has been won, men’s hearts should anticipate a long peace—and men’s minds should be free from the heavy weight that comes with war. But this is not such a period—for this is not a period of peace. This is a time of â€Å"the cold war.† This is a time when all the world is split into two vast, increasingly hostile armed camps—a time of a great armament race. â€Å"(â€Å"Enemies from Within†, 1). There is a term used in sociology to reflect the behavior, called identifying the â€Å"other†. The other is a person unlike ourselves who has some characteristic that makes them a threat to society as we know it. In the witch trials, it was witches. During the Red Scare, it was Communists. Today, it is anyone who appears Arabic or studies Islam and can therefore be deemed likely to be a terrorist.   Not having learned the lessons of history or of literature, after September 11, 2001, Americans were terrified and they turned to a new witch hunt, this time with the witches semi-identifiable by race. Too bad that you can tell an Arab-American who has lived her forever, or an Afghani refugee, or simply a hard-working Middle Easterner who has never considered the way of Al Qaida just by looking at them. Instead, we demonize a race and lock people up in Cuba at Guantanamo Naval Base on the suspicion that they might have knowledge about someone or something that might want to hurt us. The Patriot Act makes it an offense just to know people who might be associated with terrorism and encourages people to rat out their friends, with the same kind of threats that the preacher used on his slave Tituba. But this is not the first witch hunt since McCarthyism and is probably not the last. In fact, in many ways, Miller may have contributed to one of his own in the writing of â€Å"The Crucible†. In 1950s northern America, Communists were the enemy, but in the South, it was the uppity African-American wanting rights that he had been granted but not given after the Civil War. By making Tituba a Negro slave and implying that she practiced some form of voodoo, Miller may have contributed to this anti-African-American attitude (Hansen, 3).   By the 1970s, the witch hunt was against the American military and specifically those who had served in Vietnam, in the 1980s Reagan-era; it was those darned Communists again. The 1990s brought on a witch hunt in the Catholic Church, where suddenly every priest was assumed to be a pedophile and in 2001, Al Qaida made themselves into the witches of the new millennia.   At Guantanamo Bay, McCarthy’s famous question, â€Å"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?† (Popkin, 139) has been revised. The quest now is to find the next threat to Americans and the next unidentified witch. Works Cited Burns, Margo. â€Å"Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Fact Fiction (Or Picky, Picky, Picky†¦) October 24, 2003. http://www.17thc.us/docs/fact-fiction.shtml, November 17, 2007. McCarthy, Joseph R. â€Å"Enemies from Within†, February 9, 1950. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6456, November 17, 2007. Popkin, Henry. â€Å"Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’†.College English Vol. 26, No. 2 (Nov., 1964), pp. 139-146   Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/373665?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents, November 17, 2007. How to cite Is the war on terror, Essay examples

BT PLC and Vodafone PLC Telecommunication Companies - Sample Solution

Question: Choose two of the UKS Top three Telecoms companies from the list provided (Vodafone, BT Group BSKYB) and download the companies annual reports from the following links: BT Group PLC Vodafone PLC Produce the 2013, 2014 and 2015 ratio table for the companies you have chosen from the list above (Profitability, Liquidity and Efficiency ratios as performed in class.) Based on these ratios and any other additional information available from the annual reports, compile a report comparing the performance of the companies selected. Answer: Introduction BT PLC and Vodafone PLC both are telecommunication companies listed in FTSE 100 sector of mobile telecommunications. The former is the leader in the market and the other is having the scope to grow. Both have their own set of opportunities and threats. One is good in something and the other in something else. Vodafone after the demerger with Verizon was left with good amount of cash due to which its valuations is difficult, but with dividend factor it is solved. BT group has not merged or demerged itself but is into broadening the business in the new segments. Its earnings are backed by its huge amount of profits. It is already working in the sectors of phone, IT services and the broadband and also pay-tv. Comparison of performance of BT group plc and Vodafone group plc Financial ratios are used to assess how a company is performing. It is used to read and know the health of the enterprise. They are beneficial for all the users of the financial statements as it gives the information how well the company is doing. Other than these there are other factors which are used to calculate performance. BT PLC Debt - It is not uncommon for these companies to take loan for expansion of business, or covering the costs as the cost to build it is usually very high. The debt taken by this company is very high. The net debt shows decrease and also the interest coverage of this company is quite good. Dividend - The Company has shown increase of 469p in the last 12 months period which is merely a 6% increase. But, it can be seen that the dividends with this enterprise has been over 158% of increase, the shareholders are all in a goody position. The dividends have been of great amount for shareholders, which show the safe point of view for them. The increase is a result of long term hard work and determination. BT Group PLC The Increase in EPS is also an indicator of a good performance of the enterprise. With 31.5p in 2015 from 28.2 p in 2014 showing 12% increase is a good indicator. However, the value of shares increment is an indicator of the growth. It is to be noted, that the EPS for 2017. For year 2016 has fallen but it is expected that the growth is expected in the year to come, as the fall was temporary because of some right issues of the company. Profitability margins: Operating profit margin The ratio measure ho the company is able to cover its operating expenses and make profit. This ratio is increasing at a growth rate, showing that the company is easily meeting its operating expenses and is able to make profits. Net profit margin The ratio is increasing year on year thus making the way for much more profits left after deducting the operating and non operating expenses. This ratio is constant and the company is able to make appropriate use of its capital to generate the profits. Liquidity ratio Current ratio The standard ratio is assumed to be 2: 1. However, the ratio for the year 2015 is 0.96: 1, which is not a good ratio, as it not able to pay the short term liabilities instantly. Acid test ratio The acid test ratio is better than the current ratio, but then too, such amount is not enough to pay the short term liabilities. The ratio is not touching the standard ratio of 1: 1. Inventory turnover It shows the number of days in which an inventory is been sold efficiently. As per the ratios, the ratio was so good but in the last two years it has decreased. Asset turnover ratio This ratio is decreasing year on year basis. It means that the company is not using its assets properly. Receivable collection period It is the period in which the receivables takes to complete the payment procedure. The number of days is not very far. It is a good indicator that the goods sold are converted into cash easily. Trade collection period It is the period in which the outstanding liabilities are paid off. This period has increased at such a fast speed. It shows the incapability of the company to pay it short term debts. Vodafone Group Plc The debt for 2015 year is m 22, 435. and the interest coverage is at 1.62 times. The company does not have lower net debts to assets ratio as compared to BT group plc but it also dont have much funds as the profits are negative. The dividend given in 2015 year was 7.62p, whereas in 2014 it was 7.47p/ it has shown an increase in 2.0% increase on a year basis. The dividend is not much in value but it is showing a growth rate year on year basis. The dividends are not much covered by the earning of the company. It means that to pay dividends other sources of income is being used. EPS It has decreased from 2014 to 2015 from 223.84p to 21.75p, despite decrease in number of shares by the company through consolidation of 6 for 11 shares activated in 2014, February, there is no increase in the dividend. The condition of Vodafone is not too excelling in nature. Profitability ratios Operating profit margin The ratio is negative for the previous two years, but has shown positive results in 2015. It reflects the ability of the company that it is trying hard to cover up the expenses and make profits. Net profit margin has decreased significantly after the deduction of the operating expenses. It means that there are other indirect or non-operating expenses which are in large amount because of which even after meeting other expenses operating expenses, there is profit but the expenses are of great values. Return on capital employed was negative for previous last two years and only became positive in 2015. The company is not enough able to put its capital to use. Liquidity ratios Current assets ratio The ratio is fluctuating for the last three years. It also is not able to pay the current liabilities on a short notice. Acid test ratio This ratio has shown decrease in the last two years. It is either because of increase in current liabilities or decrease in the current assets. Efficiency ratio Inventory turnover This ratio has increased in the last three years. It shows that the products of this company are easily being sold. Assets turnover ratio It shows the efficiency of the company in using its assets to make sales or generate sales. The efficiency of the company has increased over the last few years. Receivable periods It is normal for all three years which shows the ability of the company in making a trip. Trade payable period This ratio too is appropriate as the company is at a constant rate to pay the trade payables for the year. Calculation of Ratios BT Group PLC Ratios Years 2013 2014 2015 Profitability Ratios Operating profit margin: 2,986 / 18,103 * 100 3,145 / 18,287 * 100 3,480 / 17,979 * 100 Operating income / Net sales * 100 16.49% 17.20% 19.35% Net profit margin: 1,948 / 18,103 * 100 2,018 / 18,287 * 100 2,135 / 17,979 * 100 Net profit / Total Revenue * 100 10.76% 11.04% 11.87% Return on capital employed: Net Operating profit / Employed capital * 100 2,986 / 17,275 * 100 3,145 / 17,211 * 100 3,480 / 19483 * 100 17.28% 18.27% 17.86% Liquidity ratios Current assets ratio: 4,674 / 7,604 5,706 / 7,687 7,471 / 7,708 Current Assets / current Liabilities 0.61 : 1 0.33 : 1 0.96 : 1 Acid test ratio: 4555 / 7604 4074 / 7687 5858 / 7708 Quick Assets / Current liabilities 0.59 : 1 0.53 0.76 Efficiency ratios Inventory turnover ratio Cost of goods sold / Average Inventory 12464 / 103.49 1550 / 92.48 1573 / 87.97 120.43 16.76 17.88 Receivable collection period 32.13 28.59 28.67 Trade payable period 90.61 667.83 647.39 Assets turnover ratio Net sales / Average total assets 18103 / 23820 18287 / 24862 17979 / 26044 0.76 0.74 0.69 Vodafone Group Plc Ratios Years 2013 2014 2015 Profitability Ratios Operating profit margin: (2202) / 38041 * 100 (3913) / 38346 * 100 1967 / 42227 * 100 Operating income / Net sales * 100 -5.788491365 -1.019663068 4.658157103 Net profit margin: 657 / 38041 * 100 59,420 / 38346 * 100 5917 / 42227 * 100 Net profit / Total Revenue * 100 1.727083936 154.9574923 14.01236176 Return on capital employed: (2202) / 109955 * 100 (3913) / 96801 * 100 1967 / 93676 * 100 Net Operating profit / Employed capital * 100 -2.00% -4.04% 2.09% Liquidity ratios Current assets ratio: 21649 / 28369 24722 / 25039 19847 /28897 Current Assets / current Liabilities 0.763121717 0.98733975 0.686818701 Acid test ratio: 17021 / 28369 20282/25039 16182/28897 Quick Assets / Current liabilities 0.6 0.81 0.56 Efficiency ratios Inventory turnover ratio Cost of goods sold / Average Inventory 26567 / 407 27942 / 445 30882 / 461 65.27518428 62.79101124 66.98915401 Receivable collection period 32.36 36.28 32.72 Trade payable period 52.97 59.03 57.7 Assets turnover ratio Net sales / Average total assets 38041/122713 38346 / 132227 42227 / 120648 0.31 0.29 0.35 Notes: The values taken are in m Revenue includes Gross revenue less Sales return. Operating income is derived from revenue less other operating expenses of the company. BT Group Plc 2013 = m 18,103 - m 15,155 = m 2,948 2014 = m 18,287 - m 15,142 = m 3,145 2015 = m 17,979 - m 14,499 = m 3,480 Vodafone group plc 2013 = m 38,041 - m 40,243 = (m 2,202) 2014 = m 38,346 - m 42,259 = (m 5,270) 2015 = m 42,227 - m 40,260 = m 1,967 Net Profit is Total Sales less all operating and non operating expenses and adding all direct income and indirect incomes to it. Employed capital = Total Assets Current liabilities BT Group PLC = 2013 = m 24,879 - m 7,604 = m17, 275 2014 = m24,898 - m 7,687 = m 17,211 2015 = m27,191 - m7,708 = m19,483 Vodafone Group Plc 2013 = m 138,324 - m 28,369 = m 109,995 2014 = m 121,840 - m 25,039 = m 96,801 2015 = m 122,573 - m 28,897 = m 93,676 Current Assets include all short term assets. Current liabilities include short term obligations. Quick Assets are Current Assets less Inventories and prepaid expenses. It is also calculate from adding cash and it equivalents, short term investments, short term receivables, short term marketable instruments. Cost of goods sold is the value of the costs incurred in making the product. It involves all the direct costs. Average Inventory is the opening and the closing inventory added together and divided by two. Receivable collection period and trade payable period is taken from financial ratios of the company. Average total assets are the total of total assets at the beginning and in the end of the financial period divided by two. The values for the ratios are picked from the Annual reports of the BT group PLC and Vodafone Group PLc for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015. Conclusion and Recommendation The BT group Plc is increasing the share prices, though not the dividend. It will result into more capital gain then. The profitability ratios are above average. The company is making enough profits to meet the operating or non-operating expenses. Talking about the liquidity ratios, the current asset ratio and acid test ratio are not in a good position. The standard ratio of current assets ratio is 2: 1 and 1: 1 for quick ratio. However for 2015, also the ratios are 0.96: 1 and 0.76: 1. The company is not having enough funds to pay the current liabilities on a short notice period. The efficiency ratio is also not in a good position. Only the inventory turnover ratio has got effective and changed for better. Now, the sales period of inventory is much earlier than before. Receivable period which is for receiving the debtors amount is constant and reflects the good position about the receipt of payment from debtors easily. Whereas, the trade payable period is approximately nearby two ye ars. It is because of fewer funds for payment of liabilities. The Vodafone groups shares are of less value than the BT plc and immediately sale is the good option in it. For this company the profitability ratios are not of good position. The operating profit is negative, because of which operating profit margin is also negative. It shows about how the company is not effectively able to cover all its expenses and also not able to use capital appropriately. The liquidity ratios are below the standard ratio because of less cash available and high expenses. Inventory turnover ratio is also quite good. The company doesnt take much time in selling its inventory. The receivable collection period and also the payable period are in a good position reflecting about the early receipt of payments from debtors and early payment to creditors. The asset turnover ratio is not of high value as the effective use of assets is not being done. The BT Group plc should focus on increasing he current assets and also cash, which will lead to faster payment to the trade payable. The Vodafone group plc should focus on reducing the operating and non-operating expenses in order to increase the profit and also to have control on the expenses. Additionally it should also focus on increasing the current assets. 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