The Secret to Success of Sumerian Civilization - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 654 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category History Essay Level High school Topics: Gilgamesh Essay Did you like this example? A culture brings together people by sharing social habits, language, religion, behaviors, and interactions. The Epic of Gilgamesh introduces us to the magnificent Sumerian Civilization. They invented and gave meaning to the idea of what a civilization truly consisted of; however, to create a well-functioning civilization, values, moral ideas, and social behavior rules need come to together as one and be practiced by the people. I will be expanding on the moral ideas that Sumerians believed in such as religion, strict social hierarchies, and assigned tasks and responsibilities according to gender. Sumerians are believed to have arrived before 3000 B.C. Villages consisted of reed-huts and sun-dried brick houses which they inherited from the illiterates who lived there before. They were the first literate inhabitants of Mesopotamia and were gifted people who influenced laws, language, and ideas. Worshipping the gods and religion were important rituals in their lives. They were strong believers that prayer and sacrifice would bring them closer to the gods. It was crucial for every city to have these beautiful buildings decorated with mosaics and reliefs called ziggurat (temples), strictly dedicated to worship. In relation to religion, divine kingship was a sacred moral idea that they practiced as well. Sumerians had set expectations for their rulers to live up to; this was known as the ideal Shepherd Kingship. Rulers were expected to protect civilians from invasions, provide safety and well-being to their people on behalf of the gods. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Secret to Success of Sumerian Civilization" essay for you Create order A social hierarchy was another important idea in Sumerian culture. An individuals rank was a sufficient way to determine what was proper and ethical in society. The top of the social triangle began with the upper-class nobles such as priests, government officials and most importantly warriors. Then followed skilled workers like merchants, traders, and artisans and at the bottom of the triangle were slaves. Priests and upper-class men would often give work to the poor and hire slaves to maintain their crops and give them responsibility on all manual labor. Those at the top of the social structure had the idea that slaves were given by the gods to give people with more power victory to have control of those inferior to them. As mentioned before, social hierarchy was crucial and important to Sumerians. Within the social structure, believe it or not, some wealthy with a higher economic status had the opportunity to learn how to read and write for them to represent their families in business and legal matter. Lower-income women were held responsible for the maintenance of households and child-care. They could not attend school; instead, they stayed home, learned household chores and as they got older, prepare themselves for marriage. As for the male population, power was given to them much easier because of their gender. They were in power of their wives actions; they could sleep with other women that werent their wives and dominated their lives. Here is an example of King Gilgamesh mistreating womens values and still being considered a king in The Epic of Gilgamesh, anonymous author states, His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warriors daughter nor the wife of the noble; yet this is the shepherd of the city, wise, comely, and resolute. In current times, there is a high chance a ruler or a man with higher power doing something like this could create chaos and debate but its important to remember that ancient times held different values than the ones in society now. Despite the differences between our engraved values, the Sumerian culture deserves respect and appreciation for their incredible inventions gifted to modern society. Some being fundamental like writing, geometry, and architecture, others being inventions that have changed the way people see the world in modern time. Sumerians successful developments formed an organized civilization along with innovations that are used even in our world today and will continue to influence future civilizations decades and decades from now and beyond.

NEO Personality Inventory Review - 2792 Words

NEO Personality Inventory Review The NEO- PI-R is a self -administered questionnaire based on the Five Factor Model. The NEO PI-R is considered to be a concise measure of the five factor domains of personality (Costa McCrae, 19921). It contains six traits or facets in each of the five domains. The domains are Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness (Costa McCrae, 19921). These domains help to provide an assessment of a normal adult personality. The test consists of 240 items and three validity items (Costa McCrae, 19921). The test requires at least a sixth grade reading level. Included in the NEO PI-R test manual is the NEO Five Factor Inventory. This inventory was validated in the four studies conducted by Holden, Wasylkiw, Starzyk, Book and Edwards (2006) in their article about the construct validity of the big four personality clusters. The manual costs sixty-eight dollars and the booklets can range in price from thirty-six dollars to sixty-eight dollars. The test is only available to be bought by qualified professionals who can administer and score the tests. An A level assessment is able to be purchased by a person with a bachelors degree in psychology or a related field or a person with training equivalent to a bachelors degree in psychology, and a professional membership in an organizations that requires training in psychology. A person can also purchase a level assessments with a certification in an organization withShow MoreRelatedPsychological Tests And Psychological Assessment4243 Words   |  17 Pagestypes of behaviors. According to the specific behavior or behaviors being assessed, tests are categorized into two types, ability tests and personality tests. Ability tests, which encompass achievement, aptitude, and intelligence testing are used to determine capacity or potential by measuring scores based on speed, accuracy, or both. On the other hand, personality tests, which include structured or projective are used to determine behavior traits, that may be overt or covert. The structured test, requiresRead MoreNeo Personality Inventory Revised ( Neo Pi R )4227 Words   |  17 Pages NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) Linda Laiton Dominguez Salem College Psych 220, Spring 2017 Dr. Mary Jacobsen April 18, 2017 Psychological tests or psychological assessments are an important asset in the field of psychology. These tests are designed toRead MoreThe Personality Of Personality Psychology Essay1051 Words   |  5 Pages some researchers believe that the personality is the one thing about a person that does not change over time. Genetics and environment equally contribute to the development of the personality. This is shown through the nature/nurture principle. The way a person behaves towards others, and reacts towards the world around them is determined by that person’s individual personality. No two personalities are alike. This is because a person’s individual personality is made up of a unique variety of characteristicsRead MoreConscientiousness: a Review1793 Words   |  8 PagesConscientiousness: A review Introduction: A major contribution of our personality is an essential trait known as Conscientiousness. It was first grouped in the Five Factor Model personality and the circumplex model of interpersonal behavior 40 years ago by well known psychologists named Tupes and Christal(1961) (McCrae and Costa,1985).Recent developments on the work were carried on by several other psychologists like McCrae and Costa (1985a), Digman and Inouye (1986), Hogan (1983), and PeabodyRead MoreAbstract . The Current Paper Presents A Critical Analysis1802 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract The current paper presents a critical analysis of the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), as it will be utilized by practitioners of Industrial Organizational Psychologists, based on the scholarly reviews from the Mental Measurements Yearbook. A description of the standardization sample and presentation of validity and reliability evidence of the HPI and the applications of HPI is included. The pros and cons of using the HPI as a practitioner of I-O Psychology are explored. The qualityRead MorePersonality Traits2403 Words   |  10 PagesIn psychology, personality traits could be explained from many aspects, and one of them describes personality traits as categorizations of people’s particular characteristics (Burger, 1997) while others hold opposite ideas that personalities are more unique and different for each individual depending on his or her peculiar life experience. 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Scientists have long been consumed in connections between personality and work performance With the development of personality in the field of psychology, organizations realize that employee personality that impact how individuals think, feel and act on and off the job are difficult to change. InsteadRead MoreWhat Is Personality?2947 Words   |  12 PagesWhat is personality? Everyday people meet new people and sometimes they try to figure them out in order to see what kind of personality they have. People do this subconsciously or unconsciously. Personality isn’t easily defined because it’s a broad topic that is still being researched. A brief definition of personality would be that personality is made up of characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make a person unique – that means that the personality of an individual rarely

Research Methods in Nursing and Social Work Free Essays

Research methods in Nursing and Social Work: Critical appraisal paper. The aim of this assignment is to look at two written research papers and carry out a critical assessment on them. I will present the assignment in two parts, Appendix 1 which is the first research paper called, â€Å"What professionals think about offenders with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system†. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Methods in Nursing and Social Work or any similar topic only for you Order Now This article conducts a research and its aim is to find out whether people with learning disabilities are being treated differently with the justice system, it focuses on the ideas of different professionals that work in the system and their view on the subject matter. Appendix 2 which is the second paper is called, â€Å"The prevalence of intellectual disability in a major UK prison†. This paper the first steps to undertake when critiquing a research paper is, to explain the piece by summarising its main aims and outcomes that have been gained through the research. One of the first tasks of critiquing a research article is to try to explain the performance and tasks that have taken place. Critiquing research involves a careful examination of all aspects of a study in order to judge its strengths, limitations, meaning and significance† (Hek, 1996). Appendix 1: Participants: The study was structured in a interview in order to collect the data. The Participants that were used all came from different professional background this meant that there was a good multidisciplinary team of respondents. Title: The title was very clear and to the point, it successfully reflects the purpose of the study and its findings. Abstract/Summary: This was written in a clear manner, which was very easy to understand and therefore was not complicated. The purpose, method and findings were comprehensibly outlined in a brief summary. Materials: The interview was Semi-structured, the advantages of using this method were that, the audience is specifically targeted it is also the best way to capture how a person thinks or feels on a particular topic, it can let the interviewee speak with more than just their words but with facial and bodily xpression too. Also, it allows the interviewee to go into as much depth as they feel they want to, whereas other interview types wouldn’t allow this type of freedom. It can also be a good method as it can lead to further questions that haven’t been written down but might be appropriate, so as to get a better perspective. The method is really suitable to sensitive issues as this one. However, there are draw-backs to the method, the main being that it is so time-consuming. Not just the collecting of the data, but the transcribing and analysis of the data. Also, it is very easy to digress and become sidetracked with anecdotes and generally inappropriate information. The preparation and time must be put into the organisation of this type of interview, to make sure that the questions that are asked are relevant to the subject matter and that they are neither confusing nor leading. Data collection: The data collection used Semi-structured interviews which were conducted in a face to face manner. The timings on the collection of data varied so that they suited the respondents, this was good as it allowed the respondents to do the interview when they were available this showed that the researchers where flexible. The duration of the actual interview where between, 0. 5 hr and 2. 5 hr, which was approximately 1 hr each, this was a weakness because it was important that each respondent had the equal and same amount of duration within the interview, and that by varying the times allowed some respondents to produce more information or answer questions in more depth as others. The interviews were recorded on tape this was good method of recording because sometimes when the information is written it can be translated different by the person who is recording the answers as they may interpret it differently. The other drawback that occurred in this study is that the exact design of the questions been asked to the respondents varied, this can affect the results as one person may elaborate more than someone else and therefore has the opportunity to be asked further questions. The exact format of each individual was determined by the participant, as the individual questions presented to each person varied according to earlier individual responses. † (Appendix 1) Results: The results obtained where accurate and well organised into three themes. They where clear to understand and very straightforward. The themes that emerged allowed the aim of the study to be acknowledged through its results, this was the most important part of any study. Discussion:  The idea of training for the Medical teams and professionals within the justice system is an excellent way to improve the awareness of learning disabilities and so that within the justice system it van be recognised and therefore allows a better awareness of it. The resolution to not change laws but however to accommodate them so that they reflect the needs of people with learning disabilities is also a very positive result. The fact that all participants had an interest in the study of people with learning disabilities which is why they accepted to be a part of the study. However the results varied in ethical values and opinions on that subject matter by the participants. Ethical: The research produced an ethical approval to proceed with the study from the research ethics committee at the University of Nottingham, this showed that the study was carefully thought of and recognised before it was conducted. The confidentiality of all the participants was kept, as all the respondents names were not identified anywhere in the study. Even though the details of the participants background and profession where mentioned this was carefully demonstrated as to not be able to identify any of the individuals. References http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/critique-mental-health http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/2981/1/Developing_a_framework_for_critiquing_health_research.pdf How to cite Research Methods in Nursing and Social Work, Essays

Legal Regulatory And Political Practices of USA and UK Australia

Question: Discuss about the Legal Regulatory And Political Practices of USA and UK Australia. Answer: Pestel- Australia: Political In order to adjust with the changes made by government relating to tax and other regulations as necessitated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), some political policies and laws are required. Every state of the country have their specific laws which makes it necessary to recognize the respective differences while operating in different states. Similar to the case of USA and UK, Australia also has a variety of legal, regulatory and political practices. The interference of the federal government have been witnessed a number of times in order to reduce the entry barriers and giving the consumers with more power in comparison with the two major supermarkets. When 20 cents discounts were being provided to the customers by Cole Express which was subsequently misleading the consumers, there was an intervention of the government. The changes introduced by government such as the $5 note resulted in significant costs for Coles due to the non- recognition of monetary value by self- checkout machines. The ban on plastic bag enforced by the South Australian Government on all Coles Departmental Stores and Supermarkets necessitated the purchase of plastic bags by the customers in case they do not carry their own environmental friendly shopping bags. This ban on plastic shopping bags was not imposed by other states in Australia. The changed government budget led to the reduction in sales due to its impact on the students. The sales number also gets impacted as a result of changes in the visa conditions for international students. The regulations of ACCC guide the Officeworks which lead to the promotion of fair trading practices and the legislations of competitive behavior. The industrial sector is monitored by the government as there are a number of rule and regulations that must be upheld by the organizations for the purpose of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every employee. There is stability in the political government which assists in providing a desirable market for the businesses. Diverse rules and regulations are encountered by the commercial property profiles in every state. An agreement has been signed by Wespine with WA Government for the purpose of ensuring that the purchases of saw laws are only created by state owned or private pine plantations over a period of 40 year. Economic There is low unemployment rate in Australia which can further reduced with the help of increasing store openings in Australia. The interest rates and inflation rate will contribute towards the buying power of the customers. A vital role is played by trade and investment in the economy which has strong relationships with various countries for the purpose of ensuring the effective maintenance of partnerships and trade agreements. The exchange rates and taxes are considered to be important due to the import of some products Bunnings. There is no volatility in the corporate tax rate which remains steady at 30% after 2006 (The Global Economy, 2017). The goods and services in Australia suffer from fluctuating tax rates from the past 10 years which have brought uncertainty to businesses. There is a stable trend in the taxes on international trade in Australia with a maximum of 2.52% and a minimum of 1.81% in the last year (The Global Economy, 2017). A strategy has been put in place by the departmental stores for the purpose of ensuring fair wages and long-term employment opportunities. Approximately 1300 people have been employed by Kmart Automatic and Services that contributes towards the economy in reducing the unemployment rate. Increase in units sold and transactions take place with the increase in number of stores opened. The products of departmental stores are sourced internationally and locally which assist in creating overseas jobs. There is a constant change in Australian economy due to the fluctuations in energy cost, foreign investment, interest rates, employment rates and economic growth. The prices of goods and services are also affected by the economic conditions. Officeworks is capable of providing low costs to the customers by way of sourcing these goods internationally. The entrance of Amazon within the retail business has become a challenge for various retail businesses. An Initial Public Offering has been already held by Officeworks for discussing the future of Officeworks with stakeholders. Multiple businesses are operated by WesCEF in Australia which in turn provides employment to nearly 1200 people. Skill development and job opportunities are facilitated by Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Plan. Community contributions equivalent to $310,000 have been provided for ensuring the support to councils and local programs. $30,000 was donated to WA Farmers Esperance Fire Appeal for contributing to bushfire damages to businesses. Merchandise is supplied by Workwear group to large overseas organizations which have the capability of positively influencing the Australian economy. Specialized clothing to emergency and defense service are also provided by Workwear Group. Financial services for other businesses are the center of focus of Gresham Advisory Partners Limited which assists the Australian economy. Long-term relationships have been maintained by Gresham with advisors and clients present in different international and domestic locations. Overseas relations are based in US and Europe. The commitment of the organization to constructing sawmill is ensured by the agreement of Wespine with WA Government that have the capability of increasing sales and positively impacting economies of scale. Socio- Cultural The growth in Australian population has led to the increased demand for household goods. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Increased demand for fat free foods and gluten-free foods has led to the requirement of adjustment in shelving within aisle for catering the shifting demand within business units that are responsible for selling food products. Bunning made sustainability commitments by introducing campaigns and offering financial assistance. This includes garden workshops, project assistance and sausage sizzles and makeovers. Priority is given to training and development programs for ensuring strong culture within organization and safe working environment for employees. Departmental stores such as Room to Read and Salaam Baalak are heavily invested by various community organizations overseas which focus on assisting children and families at the times of need. Officeworks participates in school activities and charities that focus on the significance of environment and recyclable cartridges. Importance is given to the health and safety of individuals which is reflected from the annual report by the reduced number of injuries in workplace. Leadership roles and team diversity are equally offered to women in the organizations along with providing indigenous employment programs for increasing opportunities. Safety of individuals is the focus of WesCEF within the workplace through their Safe Person, Safe Process, Safe Place programs, which concentrates on business responsibilities, leadership and support and involvement in environmental activities. Contributions are made by WesCEF to sponsors, community organizations, sporting clubs and local colleagues. WesCEF has sponsored STEM (science technology, engineering, mathematics) project which is a big community investment. Councils and local programs are supported by the community contributions worth $310,000. $30,000 was donated to WA Farmers Esperance Fire Appeal for contributing to bushfire damages to businesses. Merchandise is supplied by Workwear group to large overseas organizations which have the capability of positively influencing the Australian economy. Specialized clothing to emergency and defense service are also provided by Workwear Group. Success of the business is due to its employees for which their safety is important. The improved safety standards have led to reduced injuries in the annual reports of Wesrfarmers. Active involvement of Gresham Advisory Partners Limited along with its employees has been witnessed in foundations, charities and community activities. Disaster relief is addressed by Gresham nationally and overseas. Technology The combination of digital and retail formats is allowed by business units into one which allows the organization to target larger market which in turn will also provide the customers with online shopping platform. Regular servicing, updating and maintaining is required by equipment that are utilized which includes self- checkout machines, computer units and testing systems. Performance of the business is impacted by the instant communication between consumers and business through social media. Online shopping experience is provided to the customers by Coles which has changed the way in which goods are provided and delivered to the customers. Various electronic products and devices are offered by Bunnings which is important to the existing revenue. The Automatic Technology (ATA) performs its work with DD Technologies for producing a system with the help of which remote access is provided to the garbage gates and doors. Sales can be improved through technological advances in products and equipment. The relationship of Bunning will get influenced with suppliers, employees and customers by technological innovation as it will improve transactions and communications. IMB POWER 7 Technology has been implemented by Bunnings in 2011 for sustaining the expansion and growth in other countries. It will facilitate the communication of Bunning in an effective manner with UK, Ireland and New Zealand at any time. The benefits of technology to business have been identified with Bunning and therefore it has committed to invest in IT infrastructure for ensuring its competitive advantage. RFID card systems have been introduced for all stores which assist in eradicating long queues. Website has been launched by Officeworks which allows the customers to purchase the products online resulting in high inventory turnover. A dedicated IT team has been installed by Officeworks that ensured functional security across platforms. Constant maintenance and updates are required for construction building by Wespines machinery. For ensuring smooth production, regular maintenance of machinery and equipment is required for completing mining tasks. Environment Certain practices have been listed by Australian Government within retail industry such as process for waste management, use of plastic bags, sustainability reporting and recycling (department of industry and innovation). Environmental impacts are managed by Bunnings within its business operations. Energy usage levels are reduced by Coles at specific petrol stations, supermarkets and stores for contributing to sustainable environment. This includes changed refrigeration type for reducing energy, solar panels usage and use of LED lights. The reduction in transportation trucks assist in contributing cleaner air. There is very limited impact of the products of Departmental Stores on the environment. Better Together program focuses on environment, people and working conditions. Global environmental danger is contributed by internationally sourced products and air pollution is contributed by transportation of goods. Commitments relating to reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and improvement in energy efficiency are essential for Officeworks. Recyclable cartridges collection works alongside with Planet Ark and department of industry and innovation. BringITback program works alongside recycling collection of computer equipment. carbon intensity of products and waste recycled percentage is decreased by the recycling programs. Programs lead to the identification of waste reduction and recycling importance by the team leaders in the organization. Energy monitoring systems installation and implementation of LED lights in stores has contributed towards the environment. Officeworks make the use of paper products that are 100 percent recyclable. Chemical production is not sustainable for environment. Wellbeing and health of the individuals are affected by all chemicals as they are toxic and harmful. For screening and decking of products, the manufacturing of wood-plastic composite material is emphasized as they are environmental friendly. Wood- plastic is better substitute of timber. Pine is created by Wespine which is environmental friendly while producing timber for constructing building. Sustainable business is operated by BWP Trust. Itsmanagement and ownership of commercial properties have low impact on the environment such as emissions, waste, energy and materials, etc. Legal Success of an organization depends on the wellbeing and health of the individuals. The implementation of Health and Safety Standards is necessary across all stores along with the entitlement of the employees to the policies of Fairwork Australia. The change in laws relating to Tobacco and Alcohol provides that it can only be used by individuals over 18 years of age. All the stores across the world has to adjust due to the change in laws of displaying tobacco. The laws and regulations applicable to the wholesale and retail trade industry must be complied by Bunnings in electrical products, building supplies, hardware and floor coverings. Codes and safety standards are compulsory to be followed by Bunnings as regulated under The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The products imported by Wesfarmers are subject to licensing and permits under the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS). Australian national Fairwork and Health and Safety laws are required to be complied by Wesfarmers for all employees. Retail and wholesale trade industry also suffers from the application of taxation rules such as GST for export and imports. Fire and Building Safety has been committed by Kmart in Bangladesh for enhancing the working conditions and empowering its workers. For items such as glues, knives and scissors, age restrictions have been implemented. Ethical sourcing audit program and group- wide ethical sourcing policy have been implemented into organizations for decreasing the risk of practices that are unethical. Regular inspections are conducted by ACCC for ensuring the implementation of Fair Trading in all businesses in Australia. Hazardous and dangerous nature of working in industrial industry necessitates the requirement of insurance for employees and organization. Extra precautions are required for the health of employees when they are surrounded by chemicals all the time. Business principles are developed by BWP Trust into their business based the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. Business principles are classified into governance, environmental and social issues that are inserted in the policies, procedures and processes. Rules and regulations are required to be formed for leasing agreements for commercial properties according to the states in Australia. Portfolio management of Wesfarmer is focused on the diversification of its portfolio across various markets and industries along with making the identification of growth opportunities and business operations that maintains sustainability. Wesfarmers operates in various sections such as household consumables and retailing groceries. Liquor is also retailed through the chain of liquorland, 1st choice stores and Vintage Cellars. It also has convenience stores with petrol outlets through the joint venture of petrol retailer Shell and Coles Express. Coles also has section for financial services with insurance services and credit cards and operates in various hotels under the brand of Spirit Hotels (Wesfarmers Limited 2016). It is difficult to focus on all the strategies at a single time by the organization, therefore, for the purpose of achieving success, the primary target of the organization should be to provide sustained commitment to one of the strategies (Porter, 1980). According to Porters Five Forces Analysis, the strategy adopted by Coles is a combination of differentiation and cost leadership strategy. The cost leadership strategy of Coles ensures the value offered to the customers at lowest possible costs (Wesfarmers Limited 2016). Its prices have been lowered by the Down Down marketing campaign in comparison with the key brands due to the adoption of superior supply chain and activities that provide economies of scale (IBISWorld 2016). The differentiation strategy is brought by Coles through its brand image which has been developed over decades with the introduction of various products in the market. However, same products are being induced by the competitors that offer fresh food products with high quality as a result of which it is not able to gain competitive advantage. Therefore, both cost leadership and differentiation strategy has been integrated by Coles in order to provide different products at lowest possible prices. In other words, superior qual ity is offered by Coles to its customers through innovative ways at lowest costs. Merger, Acquisition And Downsize: Wesfarmers Limited- Future Strategic Merger, Acquisition or Downsize: Definitions and Recommendations Downsizing can be defined as the reduction in the operating costs of an organization by way of reducing the number of employees (Nelissen Van Selm 2008). It occurs due the reason of deficient performance or poor economic conditions. It also occurs due to high expenditures and costs suffered by the company which necessitates reducing the number of employees so that costs can be lowered and profitability can be maintained. It can also be a result of merger between two companies which requires reduction in the operating costs by reducing its employees (Edwards Patton 2012). The terms mergers and acquisitions are considered as synonyms but have different meanings. Merger takes place when two companies are combined into one entity or when one company buys another company (Bris Cabolis 2008). Acquisition always involves a purchase. The takeover of a company is also called acquisition when the existence of the acquired company comes to an end and a new owner is established (Tikhile 2014). Merger takes place between two companies which are of same size and agrees to proceed as a single newly formed company instead of operating with different owners. The manner of purchase also constitutes a difference between two legal figures. It means that hostile purchases are called acquisition and negotiations made in peaceful environment are called mergers (Betton, Eckbo Thorburn 2008). Various recommendations have been made for future downsizes acquisition or strategic merger of Wesfarmers Limited business units. The company should analyze the reasons and improvements that can be obtained from downsizing, expanding or selling. Firstly, synergy should be looked for the company which will improve the performance and reduce the costs by way of combining business activities (Kumar Bansal 2008). Secondly, merger and acquisition will provide benefit of diversification to Wesfarmers which in turn will reduce the impact of industry performance on the profitability of Wesfarmers (Arikan Stulz 2016). Thirdly, the opportunity of expanding the market share is provided by merger by purchasing the business unit of the competitor for a price. The products and customers are kept by the acquired business unit (Hoberg Philips 2010). Some business units of Wesfarmers such as Home Improvement through which great profits were obtained on 30June 2016 under Bunnings brand and Chemical s Energy and Fertilizers could obtain benefits of acquiring and merging with the distributors or suppliers. Costs can be eliminated with the help of buying them as the margins can be saved that were added to the costs by the supplier, known as vertical merger (Li, Liu Liu 2011). Some information should be taken into consideration at the time of taking the decision related to merger and acquisition. As an investor in a company, Wesfarmers should consider the benefits arising from the purchase. First step for consideration is valuation. The target company will be valued as high as possible from the sellers end and at the lowest price possible from the buyers end. Therefore, knowledge regarding various methods should be obtained in order to make the proper assessment of the target company which includes replacement cost, comparative ratio and discounted cash (Gomes et al. 2013). Second step includes proceeding with an offer. After decision regarding merger and acquisition is taken by top managers, the starting of the deal should take place with tender offer. At this stage, it is recommended that Wesfarmers should function with investment bankers and financial advisors. The deal ends when an offer is made by both parties that satisfy both parties after negotiation of the demanded amount (Collan Kinnunen 2011). Scrutiny is also faced by some companies from regulatory bodies and this should be understood by the company. This happens in cases when big size of the companies enables them to create monopoly or a threat in the industry (Collan Kinnunen 2011). After the deal is finalized by the companies, payment is made through cash, stock or both. Advice regarding which business units should be expanded by expansion and which SBU should be downsized or sold. Coles and Industrial safety Business units: downsize The definition of downsizing provides that the reason behind the downsizing of a company include its deficient economic performance and the need for reduction of costs and maintenance of profitability. The costs and expenditure of Coles can be effectively reduced by downsizing strategy and it will affect profit of Coles. In 2016, highest revenue was earned by Coles for Wesfarmers Limited with $39,242,000 but still it was not as profitable like the other business nits such as Kmart, Home Improvement or Chemicals Energy and Fertilizers.it is surprising that the company that have made the investment of $22,122,000 on its assets can earn a profit of $1,860,000, while the profits obtained by Home Improvement is $1,214,000 with revenue of $11,571,000 and assets of $6,620,000 which imply that 10.5% profits with respect to revenue as compared to Coles that account for 4.7%. For reducing the gap between profits and revenue, Coles is advised to downsize itself. The costs and expenditures of Co les are required to be reduced that are before profit and after revenue. For increase profit and maximizing efficiency, it is advised to restructure the company. The downsizing of Coles could increase its profitability. The costs and expenditure of Industrial and Safety business units are required to be reduced due to the fact that its profit as % of revenue is low (3.4%) in comparison to other business units. Resources and Target Business units: Sell The ultimate objective of a business is to generate profit. When there is no profitability in the business and there are no hopes for making profit in the future, selling or closing the business is a best option. Two segments are there in the business units of Wesfarmers: Mineral and Metal Wholesaling in Australia and Black Coal Mining in Australia. The business unit resources suffered a loss of $310,000 on 30 June 2016 and revenue of $1,008,000 which was only 1.5% of the total revenue. Therefore, a major loss is represented by the business unit which was -30.8% as the profit as % of revenue. Moreover, there is a growth in the forecast of this business unit between 2017- 2022 equal to -7.4% which imply that resources as SBU are not going to make profits in future (IBISWorld 2016 pp. 15). Wesfarmers does not occupy the major portion of the market. Its major competitors occupy 38.9% of the market share. This and 420 other companies in the industry face a negative forecast growth rate w hich requires the development of strong strategy. Another business unit, Target, is also not making profits. In 2016, this business unit was restructured with Kmart for creating a new operational division known as Departmental stores. This was used as a strategy to incentive the performance of Target under the same strategy of Kmart which made an outstanding performance. On 30 June 2016, the revenue of Target amounted to $3,456,000 which was equivalent to 5.2% of Total Revenue. In fiscal year 2016, this business unit was ended with $195,000 loss which made profit as % of revenue to be -5.6%. Attempts are being made by Wesfarmers for making it sustainable and profitable. However, all the resources should be taken into consideration by the organization for the purpose of keeping Target alive instead of concentrating on other business units. This will assist in boosting profitability and growth of the business units. However, the results of Targets are not improving. The half year resu lts of Wesfarmers for the year 2017 provides the deficient performance of Target as its revenue was $1,623 million in December 2016 while it was $1975 million in December 2015. This implies there was negative revenue of 17.7% in 2016. These reasons suggest that the business units of Wesfarmers should be closed or sold off. However, Kmart and Home Improvement have the capability of improving its profitability with the help of acquisitions and future transactions. It is advised that Wesfarmers should sell Resources and Target which will help them in getting cash requested for acquiring business units from other organizations. Kmart and Bunnings Business units: Acquisition Home Improvement (Bunnings) and Kmart are the business units of Wesfarmers Limited that performed outstandingly well on 30 June 2016. The revenue of Home Improvement was $11,571,000 which accounted for 17.5% of the total revenue. The revenue of Kmart was 7.8% of the total revenue. Both the operational divisions concluded with profit with respect to revenue of 10.5% and 9.1%. For the year 2016, these two business units were found to be the second and third most profitable businesses. it is therefore recommended that Wesfarmers should increase its focus on these business units for the purpose of booting them. Any effort made in these businesses has the capability of leading it towards growth. Both Kmart and Bunnings are profitable but still it is recommended for Wesfarmers that the business of Bunnings should be boosted as it appears to be the most sustainable business unit. The historical growth of Bunnings was 6.8% for the operating segment Hardware and Building Supplies Retailing in Australia and the forecast growth rate amounted to 2.8%. Such rates were among the highest rates among all the operating segments. After taking into consideration the profit and revenue obtained by Bunnings through its operations along with its outstanding performance of Hardware and Building Supplies Retailing in Australia and the forecasts made relating to growth rates, diversification appears to be the most successful way of growing the business of Bunnings. This can be done with the help of acquitting other business unit from a company or corporation itself. By considering the benefit of the fact that the most important operating segment is building of suppliers, investment should be made by Bunnings in acquitting a company belonging to construction industry. The company could be in building or housing urban projects which in turn will allow the expansion and diversification of its operations to the industry of which it is a main supplier. It is the Australias third largest ind ustry and it also drives economic activity in a significant manner (Li Liu 2012). Bunnings can become the supplier of a new company by way of acquiring the company belonging to this sector. This will assist in subsequently reducing the costs of materials and will facilitate the profitability of the new company and creating a sustainable supply chain which will bring advantages to both the companies. Therefore, Bunnings should take steps for acquiring construction companies like AV Jenningsm ADCO Constructions, Burbank, BCI Australia and Cockram, etc.

California Essays - Central Valley Project, , Term Papers

California California was the 31st state, which received it's statehood on Sept. 9, 1850 , and nickname is ?the Golden State.? The bird is the California Valley Quail; the flower is the golden poppy; the tree is the California Redwood; and the state motto is ?Eureka (I have Found It). There are many sights to see in the state of California. Besides all the big metropolitan cities, there is the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Also there is the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Yosemite and Sequoia National Park, and any of the mountains in the northern part of the state. In addition to that, you can see Disneyland and the countless numbers of television and movie studios in Hollywood. Another hotspot is the beautiful Lake Tahoe, which borders Nevada. California is the most populated state and is the most dense , of the fifty states, at an average of 151 persons per square-mile. The majority of California's persons are white, but there is a notable number of blacks, Hispanics, and Japanese & Chinese Americans. About 95% of it's population is metropolitan, or urban, so about 5% is rural. Pretty much all of the rural population is ranches or farmers. California is very rich in minerals. They include crude petroleum, natural gas, boron, tungsten, sand and gravel, asbestos, copper, feldspar, iron ore, mercury, potash, rock salt, soda ash, sulfur, uranium, zinc, and gold. On Jan. 24, 1848, gold was found at Sutter's Mill. The news of the find spread quickly. Before long, the Gold Rush was under way, bringing thousands of ?forty-niners? to stake their claims in northern California. Gold production peaked in 1852 but from there on, declined rapidly. Manufacturing brought in an estimated $40.5 billion a year in the mid-'70s. A large amount of it comes from fruits & vegetables, processed meat, canned fish, and beverages like wine and fruit juice. Most of the above come from or near the world-famous Napa Valley. Other goods made in California are steel, textiles and clothing, refined petroleum, metal, wood, plastics, chemicals, and printed materials. California's climate varies in different regions because of the great changes in topography and wide latitudinal range. Most parts of the state has two distinct seasons. A rainy, which lasts from October to April, and a dry period, May to September. Annual precipitation is greatest in the north, especially near the Pacific Coast, which gets around 80 in. dumped on them, while Los Angeles gets 15 in. and San Diego gets only 10 in. The desert gets even less precipitation. Temperatures along the coast are mild with small variations between the warmest and coolest months. The average recorded temperatures in January range from 50 F in San Francisco, 56 F in Los Angeles, and the July temps are 72 F for Los Angeles, and a very comfortable 59 F in San Francisco. The Central Valley usually has a mild climate, but other parts of the area are either hotter like Death Valley and the Mojave Desert, or colder like the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Earthquakes are quite common in California. An earthquake is the sudden shaking of the ground that occurs when masses of rock change position below the Earth's surface. Earthquakes, called tremblors by scientists, happen almost continuously. Fortunately, big earthquakes can be monitored by sensitive instruments called seismographs. Others that are felt are just small tremors or aftershocks. Earthquakes can be great destructers which produce such tragic effects as destroyed cities, broken dams, mud slides, tsunamis, and volcano eruptions. A very large earthquake usually rises at least once every year in some part of the world. All of California's earthquakes are from the San Andreas Fault, which is a major fracture in the Earth's crust at the mutual boundary of two of the major plates that make up the Earth's crust. The fault is about 50 miles inland of the California coast from southern California north to San Francisco, where it continues out 200 more miles before heading out to sea. A famous earthquake in San Francisco was in 1906. There were 700 deaths, many injured and it jumped up to 8.3 out of 10 on the Richter Magnitude Scale. In 1989, during the World Series which saw the Oakland Athletics -vs.- San Francisco Giants game interrupted by an earthquake of 7.1 on the Richter Scale, and 70 deaths. Sacramento is the capital city of California. It is the marketing and manufacturing center for the northern part of the great Central Valley. This rich agricultural valley is watered by the Sacramento River. To the East of the city rises then

The one and only anxiety essays

The one and only anxiety essays As you take a role as a student, you will have some worrisome along your education path. Its can be either positive or negative worrisome. Its up to you to determine and to overcome it. As a student, the one thing I am worried about is losing my lifeguard job because I will not be able to do several things. First, I cannot pay for the full credit tuition. Financial aid only pay 25% of the tuition, I still need to pay the rest. I want to take a full credits in every semesters. If I lose my job, I cannot take full credits in a semester, it would slow down my education. Secondly, I would not be able to help out my family to pay the bills. The 25% of my paycheck goes to the bills. If I ever get fired, my parents have to work extra hard and its hurt me inside, seeing them working more hours when they are old. Last, I will not have money to pay for the miscellaneous expenses. College has a lot of expenses a student has to pay. For example, I need to pay for foods and books. I spend 10 dollars every week on foods. Sometimes, I spend on books that will prepared for my tests. If I stop working, I will not have money to eat or buy books. I will not ask my parents because I will feel bad, I am an adult now, I cannot ask my parents for money. Overall, losing my job is the biggest worry in my mind as a student. I must keep my job, in order to do that, I have to do my job responsibilities correctly. ...

Explorations of Tessellated forms for Architecture Application Essay

Explorations of Tessellated forms for Architecture Application - Essay Example The design principles upon which the urban landscape depends touch every aspect of modern life, from the aesthetics involved in fashion or jewellery, to the functional tools developed for mechanical or surgical work. Similar design elements and technological solutions are applied which can inform urban design and architectural theories that shape our living environments. Design, architecture, and art embrace the new advances described during the course of this analysis to create potential for a new dimension of design techniques applicable not only in architecture, but throughout a wide range of disciplines. This study will explore a possible future of architecture made available through the adaptation of two relatively novel scientific concepts: 3-D printing and tessellation. In a broad sense, the theories of tessellation will be explored at length, combined with the new possibilities inherent in 3-D printing. The theoretical principles of tessellation are extremely applicable to the technology of 3-D printing, due to the ability to repeat the same procedures many times to make perfect copies of the design. This investigation will explore possible developments of this design system for use in architecture. In terms of current trends in Australian architecture, it is necessary to remain cognizant of the after effects of the recent global financial crisis, though these issues have affected Australia somewhat less than other countries. Regardless, it is inevitable that an interconnected global economy will still impact every other economy, especially in developed countries. Markets affecting new buildings and home design are strongly influenced by the electronic dissemination of information about new technologies around the world, and as a result, demand exists for structural flexibility as well as quality 1. Adaptation of new technologies can meet