Strategic Analsis of Ethiopian Airlines Essay Example For Students

Strategic Analsis of Ethiopian Airlines Essay This report is compiled for the partial fulfillment of the course entitled Global strategy Analysis and practice, based on analysis of the Ethiopian Airlines business strategy. The Ethiopian Airlines is a state owned enterprise which operates globally. The study will provide a brief assessment on the Ethiopian Airlines Business strategy based on analysis of data collected from secondary sources which includes data from the Internet, websites, company magazine, news papers, and annual reports. We have also conducted interview with the company senior management. The problem related to time constraints to collect raw data and access to primary data was the issues that limit the study. The first part of the report provides a brief overview about Ethiopian Airlines. On the next step we look a computational analysis that includes the SWAT, PESTEL and Porter’s five forces model. The last section addresses the conclusion and recommendation. We will write a custom essay on Strategic Analsis of Ethiopian Airlines specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now For a new entrant to the airline industry the current situation is un pleasant. Whereas for Ethiopian Airlines stayed in the market for a long time with a best safety record and operational reputability. It gives the company a strong brand name, loyal customer, big market share in the continent and has a good image in Europe and Asia. On contrary the domestic flight service has a weakness in satisfying the local customers like flight delay, flight cancellation and low service quality.. Ethiopian Airlines adopts demarcation basic strategy to get a competitive advantage by implementing electronic ticketing and online check-in. In addition, it gained a competitive advantage by focusing in new segments in the market. The airline wants to grow from 53 to around 80 destinations by 2015. Also it provides aircraft maintenance, pilot and technicians training including training by plane simulator, including for most African countries. Ethiopian Airlines sets its strategy to maximize stake holders’ interest by implementing latest aviation technologies, skilled manpower, provide aircraft maintenance which leads increasing its market share to become a world class African Airlines. RECOMENDATIONS In addition to the existing strategy of the company the study recommends the following shall be incorporated. Reduce operational costs Ethiopian Airlines should reduce the operational costs by improving maintenance processes, having high aircraft utilization, perform effective flight scheduling, out

Class and Culture

Class and Culture Introduction In various societies across the globe, culture is normally seen as an enabling or limiting factor for social, political and economic progression. Through this understanding it has been established that there is a strong relationship between class and culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Class and Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This relationship has been previously investigated by researchers such as Pierre Bourdieu who identified that class affects culture and consequently, culture affects ones life chances, income and other economic parameters (Lane 2000, p. 1). Many other researchers have often voiced their concerns over the increased gap between the rich and the poor (worldwide) and expressed their concern over the fact that the world has failed to acknowledge the role of culture in widening this gap (Fieschi 2011, p. 1). The relationship between class and culture is of a vertical nature and it has been evidenced all over the world that the culture of the highest class is the most distinguished culture (Christie 2001, p. 201). This observation is true because the culture of the highest classes is often deemed to be superior to the culture of the lowest classes. More importantly, it is essential to understand that the culture of the highest classes also stands out because the ruling class normally comes from the highest classes and so they exert their influence over other classes. From this reinforced relationship between class and culture, many philosophers have come up with a new insight purporting that culture in its true essence maintains class domination and therefore there is no strongly distinguishable difference in the way culture and economics relate, and how economic capital works (Fieschi 2011, p. 1). However, this debate is not only one-sided because in recent decades, there has been an upsurge of popular culture which seeks to encompass both low and hig h classes, thereby breaking the cultural wall that have been perceived to draw the line between the culture of the highest classes and that of the lowest classes (Motz 1994, p. 239).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Popular culture has brought a new twist to Pierre’s view of culture and economics because popular culture encompasses the attitudes, beliefs, values, ideas and perspectives of the majority and therefore, it cuts across the class divide to create a holistic perspective of culture. In the 21st century, the Western culture has stood out to be a popular culture sweeping across the globe and it is generally perpetrated by the media, though movies, sitcoms, magazines and the likes. Some researchers have identified this culture to be the American culture and proponents of the postmodern view do not even see the distinction between popular culture and the â⠂¬Å"high culture† (Motz 1994, p. 239). From this analysis, its is therefore quite difficult to establish whether the initial view of culture through class distinction still holds water, but deriving its conclusions, from present life events and current research studies, this study establishes that culture and class are still vertically ranked and the culture of the highest class still stands out as the most dominant culture. Unrealistic Mass Culture Since popular culture has been advanced by proponents of postmodern view that it transcends culture and class differentials; it is important to note that the advancement of popular culture through the media already punctures holes in their postmodern view of culture and class. This view is firmly held by past philosophers such as Nietzsche and Karl Marx, both of whom extensively criticized the role of the media in propagating mass culture (Kellner 2011, p. 1). In other words, they identify that there is no mass culture and its insi nuation is a creation of the media and an attempt to make people escape from the realities of life. Karl max especially launches an attack against the media in its attempt to propagate popular culture by identifying that the media is everywhere and â€Å"busy† in giving people whatever they want to hear. Goethe, another philosopher with the same view identified that the media inhibited creativity in the sense that, people spend countless hours reading and wasting their days without sitting down and coming up with something creative or something which is new and original (Kellner 2011, p. 6).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Class and Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, the media has been criticized for upholding passivity and conformity to given principles, attitudes and perspectives about life, without feeding the masses with dissenting ideas that can help them grow in their own light. Fr om this analysis, we can see that the media has done a god job in shaping public opinion and even though it has also done a commendable job enlightening the masses and promoting social freedom; its success is not true in the case of portraying the true picture regarding culture and social classes. Gans (1999) identifies that the points of view expressed by popular culture is a fallacy and a creation of the writers and journalists who write about popular culture. Often, they have been criticized by critics of popular culture that they have failed to conform to the principles of high culture and therefore they criticize it. Much to their advantage, they have been given the time of day because their audience is essentially people of low culture (the masses) and therefore they have found a big market for their works. This situation, has even led to the arrogance of some writers and journalists of popular culture who have stated in the past that so long as their audience buys their works , proponents of the high culture are either wrong or irrelevant (Gans 1999, p. 145). In this manner, they have consistently ignored criticisms from proponents of the high culture because they value the critics of their audience more. However, considering most popular culture authors critic works from the high culture and upper middle social classes, it has been identified that most of their readers are not versant with what the authors are critiquing and therefore they cannot critic any of the works written by writers of popular culture. For instance, proponents of popular culture (such as those cited in New York daily news) have been known to critic movies from foreign producers which their low culture readership has never seen and therefore they do not receive any criticism from their audience (Gans 1999, p. 145).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This analysis shows that the upsurge of popular culture is possibly built on fallacies and misconceptions, most of which are not factual. Its spread has therefore been attributed to the fact that most of the followers of low culture readership essentially encompass followers of the popular culture and therefore cannot critic the media’s role in propagating popular culture. The point of view advocated by proponents of popular culture is misleading and therefore there is a distinction between what they believe is good for themselves and what they believe will sell in the public. The distinction between the two is explained by Gans (1999) who states that: â€Å"The advocates of high culture interpret the existence of this distinction as evidence of the universality of their own standards and conclude that people either want more high culture than they actually get or that they prefer to choose what they think is bad as opposed to what they think is good. Both interpretations ar e inaccurate and reflect the invisibility of the aesthetic standards of the other taste cultures† (p. 146). Culture, as advocated by Fieschi (2011, p. 11), is an emancipator tool in the sense that, through it, the society can remove all social inequalities (by demystifying social classes). However, this point of view has not been embraced by the society. The reality on the ground is that culture and class are uniquely configured in various societies across the globe. Moreover, in developed societies where popular culture is believed to emanate from; there is still a strong link between culture and class. For instance in Britain, the cultural distinctions and the upheaval of the high culture is still strong (as can be evidenced from Kate Fox’s Watching the English) (Fieschi 2011, p. 11). This is to say that the British society is still confined to political, economic, and social distinctions of class barriers (even though it possesses a lot of cultural and creative freed oms). To expose the deep-seated cultural and class divide in the British society, Fieschi (2011) states that: â€Å"Culture in the UK, in other words, is still a reflection of the reality of Britain in the twenty-first century. Yet, alarmingly, and as pointed out by Gunnell and Bright in their 2010 Arts Council England report, Creative Survival in Hard Times, employment in the creative industries is in danger of becoming the preserve of a certain, exclusive class† (p. 12). From this analysis, we see that the bold leap into mass culture (or popular culture) as proposed by proponents of the postmodern view is still marred by idealistic barriers and from a general sense; many people are still lazy to embrace the new concept. Promotion of the High Culture Contrary to popular belief that popular culture is quickly gaining ground, there is still a high promotion of high culture throughout the society. This is because many people still desire to be among the elite and to conform to certain preferred principles of the high culture. This is true because even in present-day society, low culture is still frowned upon and the promotion of high culture is still receiving support from all quarters. This support did not however start in recent times but in the 19th century when high culture was extensively promoted through museums, theatre, concert halls and the likes, to give people more access to the high culture (this is the reason why classical music is still appreciated and held in high-esteem to date) (Spring 1998, p. 79). Currently, the access to University education has spread globally, and especially through the introduction of information technology (IT) enabling learning tools, but it should be acknowledged that university education is one of the widest platform through which high culture spreads. This is true because frankly, all elements of high culture are taught in university through various arts, linguistic, business and affiliated courses. This is a n ew development because in previous centuries, elements of high culture (probably with the exception of classics) were not included in the education system. This fact therefore exposes the increasingly dominant nature of the high culture in the society. To further affirm this view, it is essential to identify the increased uptake of liberal arts courses in university which essentially promotes concepts of the high culture, while generally shunning elements of the low culture. This is however not evidently seen because most universities have dropped the use of the term â€Å"high culture† but still teach its elements. Governments are also embroiled in the promotion of high culture, probably because a number of them are run by the ruling class who also profess the high culture. The involvement of the government is quite extensive but in the boldest of efforts, most governments in developed countries have come in to promote high culture through subsidies and increased funding of museums, operas, ballet companies, orchestras, cinemas (and such like forums) (Spring 1998, p. 79). The government influence and promotion of high culture is actually quite deep as can be seen in Britain where a fully-fledged government minister runs the Arts council. The same situation is also evidenced in most European countries. The momentum for promoting high culture has even increased because of the fact that there has been an increased demand for American movies, music and such like media elements which are threatening the very existence of European culture (for instance) and virtually all cultures across the globe. Spring (1998, p. 79) explains that the European commission has in the recent past focused a lot on high culture because of the influence by certain media conglomerates in the US which have consistently promoted the spread of American culture across the continents. Europe in its totality has therefore embarked on an effort to promote classical music paintings and ot her artifacts considered to be high art through a number of programs such as the Kaleidoscope program, Copenhagen program and the likes (Spring 1998, p. 79). Though governments in the developing world have not perfected the concept of subsidies for intellectual property and the likes, governments in the developed world have consistently subsidized the works of new composers, writers and artists (most of whom propagate the high culture). Such is the situation in the United States where the government has consistently supported private philanthropic funding of various forms of culture forums. However, the government has also taken a direct involvement in funding such programs, as can be seen in the federally funded corporation for public broadcasting (though the target audience is not necessary the public). The promotion of high culture is also upheld by the high appreciation of high art in the society. In fact, high art is sometimes considered priceless and invaluable in some English societies and the same situation is not different from other societies either (Everett1995, p. 228). High art in its own distinction is a basic component of high culture and it encompasses various forms of art (including visual arts, literature, music and the likes). Products of high art were essentially common in the sophisticated and increasingly wealthy societies of the high civilization period but its appreciation is evidenced throughout the world (through high art works coming from ancient Egypt, ancient, Greece, ancient Rome, ancient China, ancient India, Byzantium, Persia, Europe from the 14th century, and selected cultures in the Middle east). High Culture in the Ruling Elite The ruling elite in most societies have often been perceived to profess the high culture. This situation has often been the case in most democracies (even big democracies such as Britain and America). Also, when people from lower cultures get into leadership, they adopt the high culture eventually. Thi s trend has even been observed when popular culture is said to take root in most societies. There is a unique and synonymous attribution of the high culture to elitism and superiority which gives most rulers the right to govern the rest and those who do not conform to such principles are regarded unfit to rule. In other words, leadership is often presumed to be a preserve of the elite, or those hailing from the highest and the upper middle classes. Though not necessarily popular, the high culture is normally held in high esteem. The Caribbean is evidence of the upheaval of the high culture because just like other colonial territories, for the locals to take up leadership positions, they had to be inculcated into the colonialist culture, which in this context, refers to the high culture (Victor 2009, p. 1). Only those who could properly master this culture were deemed fit for leadership whiles those who did not, were shunned away. The situation has not changed much today because the high culture is still seen as one of the prerequisites of people who want to vie for leadership positions. Still bound to the Caribbean, the carnival event has been an important occasion in the country and to many external viewers; it seems like a rather popular movement. However, tracing the root of the event, we see that it was derived from the high culture (masquerade) (Victor 2009, p. 1). Moreover, in the same locality, it was established that the carnival designers and their antecedents basically came from the high culture and the manner in which the carnivals are designed is essentially a mimic of the high culture in medieval times (Victor 2009, p. 1). Moreover, the high culture is further held in high esteem from the fact that it’s been perceived as part of the Caribbean history. The issue of governance and how many societies across the globe view the concept as a preserve of those who’ve perfected the high culture can even be evidenced in monarchial systems lik e Britain where the royal family is synonymous with the high culture. The ruling family in Britain is perceived as a critical core of the history of the country and positioned at the very core of the country’s heritage. However, it is interesting to note that it is almost impossible to draw a line between the British monarchy and the high culture. Implicitly, it is therefore correct to note that the high culture is a significant part of the culture of Britain. Obviously, the country upholds the ruling family in high esteem and in the same manner; they uphold the culture that the ruling family professes. This scenario is not only observed in Britain but all over the world where monarchies still exist. Evidently, this is the situation in Netherlands, Swaziland, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, and Spain where the rulers have consistently professed the high culture and they are held in high esteem by their subjects (Project Britain 2009). The same situation is also evidenced in governme nts which do not have monarchial systems because in many countries across the globe, the ruling class often profess the high culture and because the electorate vote them into their offices, it is correct to note that the society still upholds the high culture in high esteem. Obviously, if this was not the case, and popular culture was as widespread as proponents of the postmodern view say; rulers would essentially hail from low cultures. In the world’s biggest democracy, America, successive regimes have often professed the high culture and even those who did not initially hail from such quarters, eventually professed it. For instance, the election of the incumbent president, Barrack Obama may essentially be perceived as representative of the minority people in America but the president in his own individuality professes the high culture in that, he studied in one of the best universities around the world and is a trained lawyer (qualities which are synonymous to the high cult ure). The same situation is evidenced in ruling families in the Arab world, Asia, Africa, Australia and other continents. Conclusion This study establishes the fact that class and culture are vertically related in the most mutually reinforcing ways and the view that popular culture is quickly gaining ground across the globe is misleading because the world is still hung on high culture and holds it in high-esteem. Through this analysis, we can therefore conclude that the culture of the highest classes is still the most distinguishable because it is perceived as the most superior culture. From the analysis of how the ruling class have essentially been sourced from the elite in the society, we can also establish that culture is a class signal that limits or extends ones chances in life and therefore, there is no significant difference in the manner economic capital works and how the relationship between class and capital works . These factors withstanding, we can conclude that the post modern argument and the view that popular culture has gripped the world is misleading and its time is yet to come. References Christie, C. (2001) Ideology and Revolution in Southeast Asia, 1900-1980. London, Routledge. Everett, S. (1995) Art Theory and Criticism: An Anthology of Formalist, Avant-Garde,  Contextualist and Post-Modernist Thought. London, McFarland. Fieschi, C. (2011) Preface to Culture and Class. Web. Gans, H. (1999) Popular Culture and High Culture. London, Routledge. Kellner, D. (2011) Nietzsches Critique of Mass Culture. Web. Lane, J. (2000) Pierre Bourdieu: A Critical Introduction. New York, Pluto Press. Motz, M. (1994) Eye on the Future: Popular Culture Scholarship into the Twenty-First  Century in Honor of Ray B. Browne. London, Popular Press. Project Britain. (2009) British Monarchy A Waste of Time? Web. Spring , J. (1998) Education And The Rise Of The Global Economy. London, Routledge. Victor, D. (2009) How High Culture Affects The Caribbean. Web.

Whats Actually Tested on the ACT Science Section Skills and Topics

What's Actually Tested on the ACT Science Section Skills and Topics SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you studying for the ACT? Not sure what to expect from the science section? You might be surprised to know that the science section one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of the ACT. So what exactly is tested on the ACT science section? And how much science do you need to know to do well? We'll break down this section for you with example questions so you know exactly what to expect. ACT Science Section Format The ACT science section is 35 minutes long and contains 40 questions. That means that you have about 53 seconds to spend on each question. The science section’s format is more like the reading section than the math section – which is surprising for some students! Each question on the math section has its own task or problem. But for both the ACT Reading and ACT Science, you have to read a passage and then answer a series of questions about it. There are seven passages on the science section. Each passage could contain graphs, charts, experiment summaries, or conflicting viewpoints from scientists. Every passage is followed by four to seven questions about it. So to do well on this section, you need to be able to quickly but accurately read and understand scientific data. What Does AP Science Test You On? Although the ACT Science section includes a wide range of science content, it tests your scientific skills more than your knowledge. As the ACT puts it, â€Å"the Science Test †¦ measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.† In other words, the science section tests skills, not specific facts or topics. So how exactly do you learn these science skills? From taking science classes in high school. The ACT website recommends you take at least three years of science in high school, and have taken at least one biology course and one physical or earth science course by the time you take the test. Aside from being more fun than the average class, doing science experiments helps you prepare for the ACT! By taking science courses, you’ll learn about the scientific method, how to collect and analyze data, and how to evaluate a theory or hypothesis. These skills will help you succeed on ACT Science. By taking biology and earth science, you'll get enough background on science terminology to be able to process ACT Science topics. Content you're tested on could include biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space sciences (including geology, astronomy, and meteorology). As an example, the Preparing for the ACT official practice test science section includes passages about finch beak depth, the process of ions being precipitated from the earth’s atmosphere, cloud cover, acid-base titration, stellar evolution (how stars evolve), and the human threshold of hearing. However, the ACT does not expect students to be experts on such a wide variety of science topics. Using these kinds of topics as starting points, the science section will ask questions about data representation, the research process, and conflicting hypotheses. So if your scientific reasoning skills are strong, you will be able to answer any ACT Science question – even if it’s about an obscure topic like finch beak depth! That said, science background from biology, earth sciences, and chemistry will be helpful, because you won’t be intimidated by scientific terminology on the test. As an example, it will be easier to break down a passage about finch beak depth if you are familiar with the concept of natural selection. But remember you don’t actually need an advanced knowledge of particular science concepts to do well on this section – you just need to be able to read and interpret graphs and studies. Now let’s explore the exact question types you will see on ACT science. ACT Science Question Types There are three different question types you will see on ACT science. The majority of questions focus on having you break down data and experiments, though you will also have to compare conflicting viewpoints between scientists. Check out the three different question types below to learn more. #1: Data Representation (30-40% of Questions) These questions have you read graphs, interpret scatterplots, and explain information presented in tables. While some knowledge of the subject being tested is helpful, what is more important is your ability to read and understand data. As an example, check out this question from an ACT practice test: Source: ACT Assessment Practice Multiple Choice Test, 2004. The topic of this passage is metamorphic rock formation. However, you don't need to be an expert on that, or even know much about metamorphic rocks at all, to break down the chart. The question asks you which conditions a Facies G rock is most likely to form under. Looking at the area of the chart representing Facies G rocks, you can see they form with pressure between roughly 10 and 14 kb, and temperatures between 200 and 1,000 degrees Celsius. Looking at the answer choices, only one (choice J) lists a pressure reading that a Facies G rock could form under. Therefore J is the correct answer. In other words, the question is testing your ability to read and interpret the graph. The question is not testing your knowledge of metamorphic rocks. #2: Research Summaries (45-55% of Questions) These questions require you to interpret the design and results of experiments. Again, specific content knowledge isn't as important as knowledge of the scientific method and data collection. Check out this example question to see what we mean. The topic of this passage is elaiosomes, nutritious structures in seeds that attract ants. However, you don't need to know much about ants, seeds, or elaiosomes to break down this study and know which variable was controlled. A controlled variable is a variable that remains constant. So all you're looking for is the variable in the experiment that was kept the same. Reading the study description, we see that "Two seed dishes were placed in each site." This makes G the correct answer. (The other answer choices, number of ants, mass of elaiosome of each seed, and type of seed taken by the ants, were not described as constant in the study summary.) So to get this question right, you have to know what a controlled variable is and how it relates to scientific study structure. You do not have to be an expert on ants or seed germination. This is why taking science classes and becoming knowledgeable in the scientific method is so important to doing well on ACT science. #3: Conflicting Viewpoints (15-20% of Questions) The final question type on the ACT science section tests your ability to understand, analyze, and compare alternate viewpoints or hypotheses. These questions will center around a single situation or problem, and you will read two different viewpoints and compare the similarities and differences. Check out the example below. The question is asking you to figure out the main point of disagreement between the two scientists. In this case, the disagreement becomes clear in the first sentence of each opinion. Scientist 1 says "the object was a comet," while Scientist 2 says "the object was a stony asteroid." This makes answer choice J ("the type of object that entered Earth's atmosphere") the correct choice. The scientists do not disagree on the other three answer choices. The location of the event (choice F) and speed of the object (choice G) are given in the initial description, and the scientists don't disagree on the density of Earth's atmosphere (choice H). Once again, your familiarity with the content, in this case comets and asteroids, is not important. What is important is your ability to read two different points of view and quickly hone in on similarities and differences. Even if you knew nothing about comets or asteroids, it would be possible to get this question right by using critical reading skills. Here's a summary chart of the types of questions you'll see on ACT Science: Type of Question Skills Needed Number of Questions (Percent of Questions) Data Representation Read and understand data About 15 questions (35%) Research Summaries Interpret the design and results of experiments About 18 questions (50%) Conflicting Viewpoints Compare, contrast, and analyze opposing viewpoints About 7 questions (15%) Bottom Line If you can read and interpret graphs, charts, and tables, analyze differing opinions, and understand the scientific method and study design, you will do well on ACT Science. This section tests your scientific skills, not your knowledge of scientific facts. As you practice for this section, focus on how well you are able to quickly read and understand data and experiments. Also make sure you are able to compare different viewpoints and find similarities and differences. Doing specific ACT preparation and using practice questions will help you see if your scientific reasoning skills are strong enough to do well on this section. What’s Next? If you haven't already, check out ourUltimate Study Guide For ACT Science.It contains dozens of ACT Science guides going into every question type tested, strategies to tackle the questions, and how you should be organizing your prep to raise your score. Now that you know what the ACT science section tests, try out a full practice science section with free, official ACT practice tests online. The ACT’s science section is just one factor that sets the ACT apart from the SAT. What are the other differences between the ACT and SAT? Find out with our comparison here, and learn for sure which test you’ll do better on. Do you have advanced science skills you want to show to colleges? Learn about AP Tests and SAT Subject Tests, which both have specific science options like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Pop Art and Photorealism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pop Art and Photorealism - Essay Example Photorealism, although a product of the much larger pop art movement during the 60s, had another aim during creation. The artists first took photographs of a place or event and then back in their studio the artist replicated the photo onto canvas. The paintings coming from photos were highly realistic and appealing. These artists differed from traditional pop artists in that they did not use already published material and superimpose it to a painting. Instead, the painter was intimately familiar with the location as the painter was also usually the photographer. Photo realism was not about the mockery of life, but more the enjoyment and wonderment of the ordinary. Anything could be ordinary, but when looked upon a different way, it became something new. While pop artists were able to use relatively any media for their paintings, photo realists had a specific set of rules on what constituted a photorealism painting. These five guidelines set about what it meant to be an originator of the movement. Due to these rules, only a select few could be considered founders of the movement. Artistic movements evolve and die out as new methods present themselves. Pop art, while extremely popular during the 1960s, has faded from popularity. Photo realism, on the other hand, gained popularity with its lifelike paintings and representations of life. Many remember Andy Warhol, while there are not that many photo realists that are household names. This is due to the fact that what pop artists did caused people to remember for days.

Analysis of the Auditing Report Purpose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of the Auditing Report Purpose - Essay Example The essay "Analysis of the Auditing Report Purpose" overviews the main objectives and principles of accounting and the process of auditing that help an auditor in reporting the financial condition and working result of the organization. During auditing, the auditor may come across some errors and frauds although that is not the primary objective of the auditor. The auditor can also disclose whether the accounting system adopted by the company is efficient enough, during which time he may mention some several glitches in the system. The auditor has to examine books of accounts and any other relevant document so that they can report the financial condition of the firm. During the process, the auditor may come across some errors or frauds which can be in the form of clerical errors or errors of principle. Clerical errors can be divided into errors of commission, errors of omission, and compensating errors. Some frauds can be so damaging that they lead to the company bankruptcy. A good example is The Enron scandal that led to the bankruptcy of the corporation that was a result of audit failure. There are the following principles in auditing: planning, honesty, impartiality, secrecy, evidence, consistency and legal framework. The auditor has to plan before starting their work. The auditor decides to account about the internal control procedure and the accounting. Honesty and sincerity are the second most important principles of auditing. The auditor should exhibit a high degree of loyalty and professionalism.

Disc Arthroplasty Essay Example for Free

Disc Arthroplasty Essay Degenerative disc disease have been a problem for many people as this disease brings about low back pain that seems to paralyze the working force,   the middle adulthood population (Smeltzer, 2004). Not only does it bring impaired quality of life to those who suffer from it, but Arvind Kulkarni adds large health care expenses to the list of problems brought about by this disease as seen in his article entitled Prosthetic Lumbar disc replacement for degenerative disc disease. Spinal fusion, which is the medical management for degenerative disc disease, has been criticized by several doctors in the practice due to its untoward effects in the patient’s overall recovery and lifetime improvement. Specialist in the field, Christoph Siepe, identified these unpleasant effects as accelerated adjacent system degeneration, pseudarthrosis, spinal canal stenosis, and donor site morbidity. Adjacent segment degeneration, as mentioned by Peter Ullrich in his article entitled Fusion versus Artificial Disc Arthroplasty for Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease, stated that this is the major complication of spinal fusion and the reason why most surgeons want this procedure replaced. Adjacent segment degeneration or ASD happens when mechanical stress is transferred to the adjacent segment, also mentioned by Peter Ullrich. But research showed that this procedure can be modified to show more positive results. An anterior lumbar interbody fusion showed a low occurrence of revision surgery needed, which meant low frequency of adjacent segment degeneration, all pointed out in Mr. Ullrich’s paper.   However, to achieve this outcome, Mr. Ullrich declared that there should be an improvement in patient selection and in the procedure. The patients should be those patients having degenerative disc disease in their 5th lumbar to 1st sacral segment, because there is minimal motion at this level. By doing so, he states that fusing these segments do not change the patient’s mobility as much.   But not all are satisfied of this result. Doctors and specialists are continuously making efforts to totally changing the primary medical management for degenerative disc diseases. Studies have been conducted, and several replacement procedures were approved by the FDA. Peter Ullrich stated in his paper that the total disk replacement procedure was approved for medical use by the FDA in the year 2004 using the Charite artificial disc but for only one level of the spinal vertebrae, being the L4 – L5 or the L5 – S1. This is not the first time that a total or partial disc replacement was done. The history of this procedure was mentioned in an article in a website by Spine-Health that disc nucleus replacement was done first in 1955 by David Cleveland by injecting methyl-acrylic. Ever since then, there have two other FDA approved products aside from the Charite, the website Spine-Health states that the Prodisc was approved on August 2006 and the Kineflex lumbar on June 2005.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A total disc replacement is being described by Jose Reyna in his article, Advances in Artificial Disc Technology, as being composed of two pieces of plates made of metal that has teeth to be able to attach itself to the end plates of the vertebral bones above and below it. This means that the particular intervertebral disc that is causing pain has to be removed and replaced by an artificial disc. Several artificial discs have been developed by various manufacturers in the country and they only differ in design and composition. The Charite, as mentioned earlier, is made up of a unique sliding core with two metal alloy end plates. The Prodisc being based on spherical articulations is made up of cobalt chromium molybdenum alloy as stated in the website Spine-Health. Inventors Qi-Bin Bao and Paul Higham developed a hydrogel prosthetic nucleus made up of PVA powder and a solvent mixed together, as seen on the article, Hydrogel intervertebral disc nucleus with diminished lateral bulging. The total disc replacement procedure has its advantages and disadvantages. Even after some models being approved by the FDA, it is still being assessed thoroughly by specialists in the field. Charles Rosen and Douglas Kiester report poor results and complications in the total disc replacement procedure. As it was mentioned in their study, this procedure causes fractures, severe pain, dislocations, extrusion of the implant, facet joint degeneration, and unexplained radiculopathy. They attribute these substandard results to the fact that the center of rotation of segmented motion is erroneous. Jose Reyna Jr. also mentions several disadvantages of the procedure in his study, stating that the anterior approach to the surgery can cause injury to the aorta and the common iliac vessels, can cause retrograde ejaculation in men by injuring the superior hypogastric plexus, hemorrhage can result from the retroperitoneal approach, and infection can occur. However, he also stated some advantages, as this procedure is said to maintain range of motion in majority of the patients as a long-term outcome. There are still a lot of studies to be conducted, and patients to be experimented on. A three year study conducted by Christoph Siepe et al., entitled Clinical Results of Total Lumbar Disc Replacement With ProDisc II: Three-Year Results for Different Indications, intended to assess total disc replacement outcome in patients who actually underwent the operation. Their results showed that not all degenerative disc diseases can be treated with this medical management. The best outcome was seen in patients exhibiting degenerative disc disease condition plus soft disc herniation or nucleus pulposus prolapse. Outcome was measured against the patient’s improvement from their preoperative levels. There were inferior results from the patients who had bisegmental damages, and a higher complication rate. Also it was mentioned that the younger patients, more specifically those aged below forty exhibited better outcome than those older than forty. Technology like this is still being developed, studied and modified as we speak. What is important is that there are people out there who care and who try to make a difference, whether it is by inventing, criticizing or being the experimental person wherein these new devices will be made a reality. References Charles Rosen, Douglas Kiester, Thay Q. Lee: The Potential Biomechanical Etiology for Lumbar Disc Replacement Failures: Review of 24 Patients and the Rationale for Revision . The Internet Journal of Minimally Invasive Spinal Technology. 2007. Volume 1 Number 2. Medscape. (2002). Advance in Artificial Disc Technology. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/445057 Medscape. (2002). Clinical Results of Total Lumbar Disc Replacement With ProDisc II: Three-Year Results for Different Indications. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/542479 Neurology India. (2005). Prosthetic Lumbar disc replacement for degenerative disc disease. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.neurologyindia.com/article.asp?issn=0028-3886;year=2005;volume=53;issue=4;spage=499;epage=505;aulast=Kulkarni Neurospine. (no indicated year). Fusion versus Artificial Disc Arthroplasty for Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.neurospinewi.com/newsletters/fusionvsartificial.html Patent Storm. (1996). Hydrogel intervertebral disc nucleus with diminished lateral bulging. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5534028-fulltext.html Smeltzer, S. and Bare, B. (2004). Medical-Surgical Nursing. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Spine-Health. (1997-2007). Lumbar artificial disc surgery for chronic back pain. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.spine-health.com/research/discupdate/artificial/artificial01.html

This Semblance of Movement :: Creative Writing Essays

This Semblance of Movement Afraid because my walking hurts the ground. Hesitate. That there would be nothing left to write. There are cracks in everything we've made. That does not mean futility. Father's faith in truth and then this stubborn repetition but what if. The moon looked paper-thin tonight. So I thought if I could slide more softly from now on. Sifting Liquid I am peeling off the liquid skin of a memory. Pulling crooked strings out of a silent field of dreams, sister keeps asking what she's missing in me. The sky was three shades of blue tonight, glass stars and frozen landscapes, caught in the pantomime of living. Time unfolds its battered wings and in that space I smile. Stealing blankets and the young girl fell. My first day home from the hospital, she only wanted to play, but reaching to tug, share a piece of my soft security, she tripped, cut her chin. The first blood of our tenuous intimacy. There was a safety scissors haircut (Mr. Rogers would have done it that way) and hours under chairs looking everywhere and up. Entranced by mobiles moving across distance, light, and eyes. In my crib, I would stand, arms reaching out for her, babbling. She, translating thoughts before lips knew how to form. My mother recalls a time early on when she woke in the middle of the night to noises down the hall. A four-year old and a three-year old at two in the morning, laughing. We had been building a bridge of cards from her bed to mine, so that we wouldn't fall in the water between us if we wanted to hold hands. The most unlikely of stories I never thought to question. Sister, less than a year old, lying on her mother's stomach. Head down, moving with the rhythm of familiar breath. One word. Baby. To discover, shortly after, for two months their silence had been shared. I remember the ways we used to pretend. In the water, we could have been dolphins, at home different versions of Barbie and Ken. Our Barbies lost countless heads perfecting dives off sofa's end and to think that's how I spent my years. Do I laugh or merely cry. When we played I think I was always the boy but I don't know if that changed the way I feel.

Altruism-John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy once said conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. Which is true the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive is normal to their society or social group makes them apart of the masses. Which makes me think; of the many different ways people submit there self into that category. For example watching someone be sexually assaulted and stabbed to death outside of an apartment building but never calling the police to help or even attempting to help yourself. That’s what happen to Kitty Genovese and she had thirty-eight witnesses.Why was it that thirty-eight people stood there and watch her murder? Because they were too busy diffusing the responsibility for the simple fact that all these people are around someone must have called. As humans we do that a lot not help someone on the side of the road because they must have someone coming to help, never look at the screaming nose outside you don’t want to g et involve, don’t help that person who’s being attack; diffusion of responsibility: Diffusing the responsibility of yourself being involved into a situation that might put you in danger.That seem reasonably but how about when you do something that doesn’t benefit you in anyway but you do it because it makes everyone else happy; this is altruism. Let say someone did go and help Kitty Genovese they could have been seriously injured but Kitty Genovese would have had her life. Altruism is any nice gesture you do for someone else at the expense of yourself it doesn’t mean you can't satisfaction from your acts. In most cases of altruism you would enjoy it but the con of it is sometimes you can’t say â€Å"No† when you should be saying no.You’re doing what others want you to do when that’s not what’s in your heart to do. All I know is that more people should stand up for others because in any case you would want people to ignor e you in your time of need. I can’t really say how to get help but if you’re in danger caught people’s attention, say something important, but most of all caught someone attention. One thing I must say be safe in this crazy world we call earth .

Pollution is our enemy Essay Essay

Pollution is when something is added to the environment that is harmful or poisonous to living things. Smoke in the air from factories is a type of pollution as it is bad for the lungs when breathed in. Sewage in drinking water is another type of pollution, as it can make people ill because it contains germs andviruses. People living next to a building site where there is too much noise can become sick as they cannot sleep orrelax. This is called noise pollution.Air pollution is caused by harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide and very small particles of carbon. Most of the pollution is caused by factories, vehicles and livestock. Today air pollution has become dangerous to humans. Heavy air pollution may causebreathing problems such as asthma or other health problems.Increase in human activities has also polluted air. Water pollution is the presence of harmful materials in water, such assewage, dissolved metals, waste fromfarms and fac tories and crude oil spilled from shipwrecked tankers. The three main substances that pollute water arenitrates from fertilisers, sewage anddetergents.[1] Pollution hey causes harm to organisms living in water and can also harm people’s health, and can cause problems such as cancer.[2] Noise pollution The harmful noises in the environment, such as the sound of vehicles, loud speakers, etc. in a city is called noise pollution. Noise pollution can cause ear problems or even permanent deafness, especially to older people. Noise pollution can be defined as the unwanted sound present in the atmosphere. Soil pollution Soil pollution pertains to the contamination of the soil due to man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons, heavy metals, solvents, and the like. These chemicals come mainly from industrial activities, and also from improper waste disposal. Soil pollution poses various health risks, as the chemicals can produce harmful vapors, or they can contaminate the water supplies located directly under the polluted soil.

The Glass Menagerie-Characterization and symbolism in Tennessee Williams play.

The Glass Menagerie-Characterization and symbolism in Tennessee Williams play. People have a certain way of thinking, feeling, and reacting that is known as human nature. In everyday life many actions, however unintentional, give clues to our personal agendas. Insecurities, especially, have a way of showing their presence through gestures, eye contact (or lack thereof), and verbal utterings. In "The Glass Menagerie", Tennessee Williams utilizes intense characterizations to illustrate the specific traits of his various fictional personas.In the mother, Amanda, the reader sees an aging Southern belle who is so afraid of the farewell bow of her youth that she tries to live vicariously through her daughter. She repeatedly tells wistful stories of her days as "belle of the ball", almost as if she says the words enough she can regain her past. She is a harpy, a personality product evident in many people whose lives have taken an unexpected downward spiral. While her demeanor suggests displeasure with the actions of those around her, in actuality it is evidence of her displeasure with her own choices and life path.English: Last Will and Testament of Tennessee Will...People who live in the past tend to feel that if they can just get back there again, for even one fleeting moment, they can erase mistakes and begin anew. Amanda is to be pitied more than disliked, for anyone con-sumed with that much self-regret is inflicting punishment enough upon him or herself.Tom is overwhelmed by his responsibilities for the care of his mother and sister. He is angry with his father for leaving a son in this position while feeling that he has done nothing to deserve this fate. He writes to escape the realities of his existence and to rage against the fates (his father) that have done this to him. He has been patient for a very long time, but that patience is...

A Universal Definition Of Terrorism Essay -- Terrorism, Definition of te

The U.N description of terrorism as â€Å"any action, in addition to actions already specified by the existing conventions on aspects of terrorism, the Geneva Conventions and Security Council resolution 1566 (2004), that is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, when the purpose of such an act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a Government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act† (U.N). The U.K recommendation for the definition in 1996 by Lord Lloyd of Berwick states â€Å"The use of serious of violence against persons or property, or threat to use such violence, to intimidate or coerce a government, the public or any section of the public, in order to promote political, social or ideological objectives†(). It is important to point that the starting point of the definition of terrorism was created in 1989, reviewed in 1996, 2000 and 2006. The current definition of terrorism would be found in Section 1, Terrorism Act 2000, and it’s the least broad and vague definition of terrorism. To indicate and justify the components for a strodefine terrorism. 80% of countries worldwide have a broad definition of terrorism and the ones that do have a solid definition of terrorism like U.K could be identified as almost borderline invading human rights. MY DEFINITION OF TERRORISM WOULD BE ANY ACT OF VIOLENCE BY A GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL VIOLATING DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT LAWS, TO IMPOSE ITS WILL ON ANY PERSON, COMMUNITY OR ANY DOMESTIC OR INTERNANTIONAL GOVERNMENT FOR POLITICAL, PERSONAL OR RELIGIONS GAIN. My opinions on this matter are that of mine and mine only, and have no connection to that of the U.S Government. Wish everyone had a good week and Happy Fathers Day to every dad out there. This week been a different week, spent whole week PCSing back to the states. I totally forgot how much work and planning goes into moving. Hope to be able to post on time from now, have a great day everyone.

Hispanic Community Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hispanic Community - Personal Statement Example As far as I am concerned, if they cannot speak my language, then they are not in the right place. Countless who are connected inside the immigration arguments presupposes that there have been two sets of people inside this realm, immigrates along with non-immigrants. Their point of views draws a profound dark line amidst citizens, marking a characteristic where, in reality, does not subsist. Most members of our community looks like me. However, within my area more and more Mexicans, Muslims and Africans are moving in. Where as most of us would know, these people are very much different from what I look like, physically, mentally, even emotionally. On the other hand, for the longest time that they have been dealing with people who are locals in my community, they may have adopted already our way of life. As you may observe the majority of citizens within our town is White. Hispanics are the principal minority and their population is growing rapidly. With these figures of races, our town does not require to cope with a lot of prejudice or even discrimination. Since the composition of the (city) marginal population progresses, the quantity of immigrants existing here has sustained its quick increase in current years. The colored populations are made up of about 7.4% inside Rock Island County's inhabitants during the year 2000. Local administration administrators said that they anticipate the integer of Hispanics living within the Quad-Cities to practically increase twofold within the following 15 years, revealing a national drift. The greater part of the Hispanic folks repositioning towards the (city) hailed from Mexico, visioning of an enhanced life which can probably be afforded within their native soil.I think leaders within my community are giving special attention towards immigrants. Just like Ms. Camarillo-Martinez she said that she anticipates Hispanic depiction taking place on the Moline City Council as well as municipality boards to boost. Before now, numerous committees impart reports towards the council. Ms. Camarillo-Martinez said, "The connection among the government along with the Hispanic society is really nice.''Despite the fact that programs were present following World War II which permitted Mexican migr to be employed inside the United States of America on a provisional basis, thousands and thousands of Mexicans unrelenting to locate their way towards North of the boundary without records. During 1986, an official pardon program granted documentation for about 2.5 million Mexicans employed inside the U.S.I can see that people inside my community treat each and everyone with respect, may it be a local or an immigrant. I think that everyone must be in this manner so that cruelty and unkindness within the community would be lessen or may possibly be taken out permanently. I am a (type of race). Accordingly, within the United Kingdom, (type of race) are more apt than inside the United States to illustrate citizens from the Caucasus, even though it could still be exercised as a racial arrangement. Physically we (type of race) have (light skin also with our eyes; we have slim noses, along with lean lips) - your description. Some of us usually have wavy or straight hair.The local media embodies citizens like me, through televisions, newspapers, radios, etc. Just like in this newspaper, stating that why must a scheme which will recompense its staff poverty income receive subventions and special