Fair Stood The Wind For France Essays - Fellows Of The Royal Society

Fair Stood The Wind For France Bates is a Romance ? Fiction set at the height of World War Two. The story follows the main character, John Franklin, through his journey when he brings his aircraft down into occupied France. The novel deals with love, war, isolation and conflict; although there is no specific theme to the book. I felt that the book's purpose was very clear. Bates wanted to show that within all the horrors of war, two people were able to find love and happiness. Franklin had crashed his plane and his arm was severely damaged. Yet while looking for help he found a wonderful family, and if that had not happened then Franklin would never have been able to meet Francoise. Bates makes it clear that there is always some good in all evil, even war. The book's title is taken from the poem by Michael Drayton (1563-1631) which is at the beginning of the book. The short verse of the poem is relative to a naval experience (from the referral to sails advancing), which partially ties in with the main setting of the book. Apart from "France", the actual title never said or made reference to. The title was taken from the poem, which most likely in its complete form was more to do with war. Although from just the book, the actual title does not have a significant amount of relation and ties in with the story poorly. The story takes place in the Second World War when Franklin and his co-pilots take the plane down. Franklin's arm is hurt very badly but luckily they go down in an area of France that is occupied and they can get help promptly. After walking for a significant amount of time they find a farm where a very pleasant family takes them. The family, which consists of Francoise (the girl), her father, her brother Pierre and her Grandmother see to it that Franklin's arm is taken care of. They also helped to get and/or make citizenship papers for the men. They seek medical help from two doctors who are successful in amputating Franklin's arm. They produce citizen papers for two of the men so they are able to go home. Hoping the same for the other two, their plan is for Franklin and O'Connor to leave once their papers are found. Franklin falls very ill though and not knowing how his future will develop O'Connor leaves once the appropriate arrangements are made. When the Germans kill the two doctors that helped Franklin the daughter of one of them becomes very depressed. With Francoise's father having a very strong liking of her he too becomes depressed which results in his suicide. Papers are finally produced for Franklin so he and Francoise leave heading for England. They journey up a river so that they are able to pass the Germans. At one point Franklin has a sudden urge to escape to England but when caught by gunned arms runs, he happens upon O'Connor. O'Connor is injured and rests while Francoise and Franklin look for his papers. They find citizen paper's for him and board a train headed for England. At the train station Francoise runs into problems with the Germans and the result is O'Connor's death. The style this book is not my preference although it is written very well. It is very descriptive, so much that it is extremely pictorial. Bates describes everything feasible and draws a very detailed picture in your mind. He also describes feelings extremely well. When Franklin is enduring much pain in his arm Bates is able to make you almost experience the pain for yourself. As well when Francoise and Franklin are falling in love their feelings for each other are depicted very well. The landscapes that the story comes across are also illustrated excellently. The authority of this book I feel is very much intact. The feelings portrayed in the novel are real and vivid. The love that Francoise and Franklin have for each other is extremely believable. Bates must know the way humans associate or have acquired some additional knowledge because the manner that the two relate to each other in the story is remarkably authentic to actual human interaction. Despite the previous authority mentioned when Franklin happened to meet Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Baker and they gave him their former butler's papers, I found that very overwrought.

Homeschool Planning and Organizational Tips

Homeschool Planning and Organizational Tips With the fresh start of a new year, January is a prime time for focusing on planning and organizing. This is true for homeschooling families, as well. This round-up of planning and organizing articles will help you prune time-wasters and become a master planner in your homeschool. How to Write a Homeschooling Philosophy Statement Learning how to write a homeschooling philosophy statement is an often over-looked, but logical first step in homeschooling planning and organization. If you have a clear picture of why you’re homeschooling and what you hope to accomplish, it’s much easier to figure out how to get there. A philosophy statement can also be helpful for parents of teens in explaining to colleges what your student has learned in your homeschool. This article offers a peek into the authors personal homeschool philosophy statement to give you a model for your own. How to Write Homeschool Lesson Plans If you still dont quite have a handle on the hows and whys of homeschool lesson planning, dont miss this article. It outlines several scheduling options and basic methods of lesson planning. It also features practical tips for writing realistic lesson plans that will allow plenty of room for flexibility. Homeschool Daily Schedules Get yourself and your kids organized in the new year by refining your homeschool daily schedule. Whether you prefer detailed plans or simply a predictable daily routine, these scheduling tips take into account your familys schedule and your kids peak productivity times. Homeschool schedules are as varied as the families they represent, so there is no right or wrong schedule. However, these tips can help you to work out the most effective schedule for your unique family. Teach Kids Organization With a Homeschool Schedule Daily schedules arent just for homeschooling parents. They are an excellent resource for teaching kids organizational and time management skills that they can use throughout their lives. The freedom and flexibility of homeschooling allows kids the opportunity to practice structuring their day and managing their time while under the guidance of their parents. Learn how to create a homeschool schedule for your students and the benefits of doing so. 4 Steps to Writing Your Own Unit Studies You may want to work on planning your own unit studies in the upcoming year. Doing so is not as intimidating as it may sound and can actually be quite enjoyable. This article outlines four practical steps for writing your own topical studies based on your kids’ interests. It includes scheduling tips to help you get the most out of each unit without overwhelming yourself or your kids. Spring Cleaning Tips for Homeschool Parents These 5 spring cleaning tips are also perfect for a mid-year organizational purge. Discover practical tips for dealing with all the papers, projects, books, and supplies that homeschooling families tend to accumulate over the year. A January purge may be just what you need to start the second semester clutter-free and focused. 10 Homeschool Support Group Topic Ideas If you’re a leader in your local homeschool group, chances are your New Year planning will include outings and events for your homeschool group. This article offers 10 support group topic ideas, including several that will be applicable in the first few months of the new year, including: Identifying and coping with learning strugglesOvercoming  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ or avoiding  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ homeschool burnoutCombating spring feverHow to wrap up your homeschool year Homeschool Field Trips Whether you’re planning field trips for your homeschool group or just for your family, this planning article is a must-read. It outlines practical tip for stress-free planning and offers field trip destination suggestions that will appeal to a wide variety of student ages and interests. If you’re like the majority of the population, this is the time of year that you’re focused on planning and organizing for the fresh start of a new year. Don’t overlook the opportunity to do so for the fresh start of your next homeschool semester!

Strategic Management business organization Essay

Strategic Management business organization - Essay Example It is highly important that the company designs and executes a specific strategy, as it will be the master plan with which it will pattern all its strategic moves and actions. Lack of a specific strategy is a "surefire ticket for organizational drift, competitive mediocrity, internal wheel-spinning and lackluster results (Thomson 2002)." Second, Thomson argues that business entities need to devise and implement strategies, as the efforts of all the functional areas in the company should be molded into a "coordinated, compatible whole." A comprehensive strategy takes all the business units into account making each action mutually supportive. Without a well-laid out strategic plan, there will be no basis for uniting the efforts of all the functional areas, no clear direction on the business decisions and plans that the business takes, and no conscious business model for profit generation. Kotler has argued that business entities are currently operating on hypercompetitive environment which is characterized by more stringent competition and higher buyer leverage. In this kind of situation, strategic management becomes more instrumental in the success and even mere survival of company. This report argues that strategic management directly and strongly affects the performance of an organisation. By organizational performance we refer to the ability of an organization to use its resources efficiently and to produce outputs that are consistent with its goals. This in order for an organisation to measure its performance, it must first establish a set of goals and objectives that it wants to achieve to use as benchmark with its actual performance. Setting the company's direction will enable managers know where the company is heading as well as the strategies to be employed in order to for the company to achieve what it wants to become. Consequently, organisational performance is often dependent on how well the company handling its strategic management. By employing the tools devised for strategic management, a company is able to gain significant information about its external and internal environment, enabling it to tailor a strategy to align its strengths with opportunities. Formulating the right strategy will enable the company to enhance its organizational performance. Strategic management is therefore one of the most crucial areas in management. Coming up with a specific strategy, which will be the basis of company's actions, processes and decisions is a must. A well-crafted strategy is indispensable to the company's performance and long-term success. It is therefore important that a business entity comes up with a unique strategy tailored for the achievement of its goals and objectives. Devising a purposeful and efficient strategy is a tedious task and managers should be armed with different techniques in diagnosing the company in order to prescribe the "right" strategy. The next section will look at the different models which are employed to aid managers in this strategy making process. PESTEL stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and

Manage an information or knowledge management system Research Paper

Manage an information or knowledge management system - Research Paper Example ii) The policy guidelines do not draw attention to the areas of underperformance but it is the system performance that can be said to be underperforming or not. 6. True 7. A contingency plan is the process in an organization that prepares it to act coherently to an unplanned occurrence. It is normally a plan used as an alternative plan if the initial plan fails to function. Also known as the plan ‘’B’’. 8. To manage the problem of IT failure when it occurs, one would need to retrieve the information by contacting IT expert. The system can be traced immediately to find the lost data. However, managing this problem for the future, one need to be proactive in that, they need to realize that IT may fail any time; therefore, a data backup system is always required in place. Internet security system should be implemented to avoid data theft through hackers and data destruction through viruses and malwares. 9. Analysis, evaluation, probe, investigation 10. Brainst orming is the process of soliciting for ideas from a group of people in order to find solution to a given problem. This normally begins by the group focusing on a problem, the creatively developing various possible solutions to the problem and pushing ideas as far as possible. 11. False. Auditing finds mistakes and builds on them, not strengths. 12. False. One system cannot be reviewed in isolation since a system is continuous and one system is connected to the other systems. 13. Audits can consider the performance of system interfaces. 14. True 15. Organizational job design, performance indicators and how are suppliers to be used? 16. Organizational mission statement. 17. a, b, c & d. Assignment 2 Case Study 1 Date Incident Consequence Reported by 12/4/13 Request for employment records for a former employee Subpoena-law requirement Susan-HR department Action taken Date Modified File given 12/5/13 Modified By Job Title Sign Susan’s Supervisor Supervisor 1. Good quality inform ation is necessary for decision making purposes, planning, and reference purposes as well as proper management of an organization. 2. The benefits of information and Knowledge management system include assisting organizations to identify, select, organize, disseminate, and transfer information. It also helps the organization to share knowledge towards meeting its objectives. It enables the organization to compare itself with its competitors. The major drawbacks include failure of the system to deliver the expected outcome and the inability to use by some users. 3. Whether it will be able to provide a basis for the valuation of the company, whether it can stimulate the management in order to focus on the important things and whether the investment in Knowledge Management is justified. I & KMS require that measures like tight information security be applied to the organization’s information system. Confidentiality and legal consideration while dispersing knowledge is critical, keeping the organizational success-knowledge secret for economic prosperity are some of the measures that need to be applied. 4. The type of knowledge information that a sugar processing company uses in the demand side for example, include knowledge of things like; sugar consumption rate, sister companies sugar production capabilities, industry sugar production capabilities, cement import and export levels. Strengths The organization

Scottish Folk Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Scottish Folk Music - Essay Example It was introduced in the Scottish music industry many years ago (around the 15th century) and was recognized as a family and professional instrument. It passed on from generation to generation. The bagpipe is used in dances all across Scotland. Also, singing along with the music played from traditional instruments like Harp and bagpipe is also a common practice in Scotland. Some Scottish music is also specific to certain region and hence all in all, Scottish folk music is considered to be very unconventional and diverse. Many different musical instruments are used in playing Scottish music. One such instrument is the accordion which is mostly used by the countryside musicians. The bagpipe is another very popular instrument and it has already been discussed earlier. The Fiddle has been used to create regional music and is said to have evolved over time. It is used for playing cheerful and lively beats. The guitar is considered to be new in Scottish music and the harp, which is treated as an ancient musical instrument. Although Scottish music was never dull enough to be revived, it is said that Scottish music underwent a revival in the 1960s. Scottish singers always had an international following and heavy sales, in 1960s came the innovation to rejuvenate the spirit of the music. In 1970s, the music evolved from being completely a solo affair to being a band. In the 1980’s duos started and a popularity of rock and metal was observed. Ad in the present times, Scottish music is enjoyed in the form of symphonies and operas. Also Jazz is especially liked in Scotland and numerous famous artists have played their part in mingling Jazz with traditional Scottish music. One vocal genre of Scottish music is the Bluegrass music. It is a form of Jazz and is symbolized by tunes called breakdowns. It’s just like the old-time music in which only one instrument would dominate and continue to be played while other instruments would accompany it. Different people fro m all over the world like Bluegrass music and enjoy it. It is played on traditional acoustic music string instruments. It is also characterized by upright bass and guitar. But apart from instrumentation, the distinguishing aspect of Bluegrass music is the vocals. Inclusion of other musical instruments like accordion, harmonica, drums, harp and electric guitar resulted in an evolution of Bluegrass to Newgrass. Vocals are also done very differently with two, three or four parts. It is done with a deviating sound in the highest voice. This style of music is called ‘high lonesome sound’ The music itself is influenced by the music of African Americans. The orientation of the vocals and its synchronization is called Stack. A stack principally has a background voice, a main lead voice and a tenor voice. However, it is not necessary that one sticks to this sequence while singing a stack especially when female voices are included. The early days of the genre followed this trio t ype arrangement. Famous vocalists in this field include Alisson Krauss, Howard Watts and Osborne brothers. Blue grass music is enjoyed all over the world because people can easily relate to it; it is actually a narration from the everyday lives of people. This might include their love life, other tensions, unhappiness with changes that were unwelcomed or financial burdens that people face. It ranges from discussing the difficulty of living in

Strategic Changes That Reversed Sainsburys Fortunes Management Essay

Strategic Changes That Reversed Sainsburys Fortunes Management Essay In the last two decades of the twentieth century the UK supermarket chain, Sainsburys, suffered from an almost continuing decline in its corporate fortunes, which its management of the time seemed unable to stop. Not least important of these events was the loss of its competitive position within the UK supermarket sector. From a position of being the market leader by 1995 Sainsburys had relinquished this spot to its rival Tesco (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2005) and even this second position was lost to Asda, a brand that had been strengthened as a result of its takeover by the American giant Wal-Mart.(BBC News, 2006).As a result of the corporations problems, during the early part of this decade it began to look very likely that the Sainsburys brand would either disappear from the UK or be acquired by new owners as investors became increasingly disheartened with the business returns and performance. Justin King, the current CEO of Sainsburys, joined the business in March 2004 (Sainsburys 2005), at a time when, due to lack of competitiveness and poor performance in comparison with rivals, Sainsburys had become a constant target for potential takeover bids (Hutchings 2004). Contrary to expectations at the time of his appointment, during the course of the past five years King has been seen as responsible for the reversal of Sainsburys fortune, which can be evidenced by the fact that a 2007 takeover bid valued the business at  £10.6 billion, more than twice the  £5 billion bid considered three years earlier (Mail online 2009). It is the changes in Sainsburys fortunes that form the focus of this essay. The intention is to both analyse and evaluate the strategic choices the corporation has adopted under Kings leadership in order to improve its response to changes that occur within the industry and its marketplace. Strategic changes at Sainsburys post 2004 Research into corporate strategy, once concerned mainly with the internal operations of the business, has now been extended to include the impact of external forces and events (Johnson et al, 2005). Thus as Johnson, Scholes Whittington (2008) observe, it can be defined as an organisations abilities to renew and recreate its strategic capabilities to meet the needs of a changing environment. In this respect corporate strategy within supermarkets such as Sainsburys, was focused upon the creation of competitive advantage (Porter, 2004a), a position that was deemed as being achieved whenever it outperforms its competitors (Pettigrew, Thomas Whittington, 2002, p.55). However, as Grant (2004) and others have suggested, simply achieving competitive advantage is not sufficient. To sustain its success, a business has to continue to build upon its advantage to ensure is does not lose out to other competitors in the future, a situation which the management at Sainsburys had failed to address prior to 2004. On his appointment as CEO, King reviewed the current business strategy and introduced changes in several key areas as part of his three year programme aimed at turning the business around (Sainsburys 2005). The first task to be faced was to identify the core areas of potential business growth, which was deemed by King to be the UK market. This led to the sale of Sainsburys US supermarket chain and the use of the proceeds to acquire a number of Morrison stores that were sold as a part of regulatory conditions attached to its purchase of Safeway, as well as a planned expansion into the convenience store sector. As King said at the time, this was needed to strengthen our market position and deliver future growth (Food Drink Europe, 2004, para3). The second task was to decide where and how the business should refocus its drive for competitive advantage, which as Grant (2004) indicates, meant using either cost and/or differentiation as the main strategic drivers for success in terms of adding value for the customer and shareholder. It is clear from the latter part of this explanation that to create such an advantage it is important for the Sainsburys brand, to be seen as sufficiently different from those of its competitors so as to establish its own brand identification and customer loyalties (Porter, 2004b, p.9). In other words, as Tyreman (2009 para10) indicates within his study on marketing, the key and essential element of brand design and promotion is for the corporation to ensure that the chosen strategy of differentiation must be unique enough to enable it to stand out from its competitors. This is especially important in a case like Sainsburys which is competing for market share within a UK supermarket and grocery sect or, which is considered by many people to have reached a position of saturation over a decade ago (Q Finance,n.d.para15). In terms of cost, both Tesco and Asda had overtaken Sainsburys in the sector as a result of their low-price strategy. In addition, their quality of service and differentiation was perceived by the customer to be superior to the Sainsburys brand, which meant that Sainsburys new management team needed to develop a strategy that would address both of these issues. In relation to low-cost the business and marketing strategy was changed to concentrate more upon reducing prices. In addition to this impacting upon recognised brand goods, this led to a change of direction, which included the expansion and promotion of its low-price own brand alternatives within its stores, an area where competitors had built a significant advantage. To ensure that this approach did not have an adverse effect upon the financial performance of the business and the value being added for shareholders, this also meant that the business had to introduce a cost reduction and efficiency programme across the supply chain (Porter, 2004a). Improvements were therefore made to the supply chain processes, which included the introduction of new technology aimed at increasing cost efficiency, such as the implementation of IT knowledge and data management systems (Mari, 2009). As an integral aspect of this process the relationship with suppliers, and their influence upon the supply chain, particularly product design, cost and distribution were also re-evaluated in an effort to lower costs and improve delivery to the customer, for example with the adoption of a system geared towards the JIT inventory model (Just in Time). The effect of these changes was to aid the lowering of in-store prices whilst at the same time continuing to retain and grow business value. However, on their own these changes would not provide the change in fortunes required by the business unless they were accompanied by a process that would improve the relationship and brand image that it was promoting and marketing to both existing and potential customers (Wilson Gilligan, 2005). In terms of quality of service, this also meant that the business would require the commitment of its employees. As Sainsburys had learnt, through loss of market share, the relationship that a business builds and develops with its potential customer is essential to the long term success of the business and its ability to expand its share of the market(Lancaster Massingham,2001).As Kotler ( n.d. P.159) observes, the organisation that develops and implements the best tools to enable it to forecast where customers are moving, and to be in front of them, will be the one that gains the competitive advantage from these processes. Having failed to maintain its advantage in this respect, it was apparent that the existing approach to customer relationships at Sainsburys was another area of corporate strategy that King needed to address. Three main strategic changes were made within the business with regard to its relationship with customers. The first of these was to improve the communication process that existed between the business and its potential customer base, so that it could gain the required feedback that would help the business to understand the changing demands and needs of the customer (Lancaster and Massingham, 2001). This was achieved through a programme that included additional market research, which included in-store and external surveys and questionnaires. In addition, the management team was encouraged to spend more time in the corporations stores, talking to customers as well as employees in order to gain a better insight into how the business service and quality was perceived (Blackhurst, 2005). Secondly, driven by the results of this feedback, the business improved its employee training processes, particularly in the area of service quality, with the focus being on improving the customer shoppin g experience within their stores. One crucial element of strategy aimed at improving the customer shopping experience is reliant upon the management of the human resource function (Grant, 2005). In simple terms Human Resource Management (HRM) is defined as a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisations most valued assets-the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives(Armstrong, 2006.p.2.). It is the considered opinion of most academics that the type of relationship that business management has with its employees will have an important effect upon the success of its aims and objectives (Grant, 2005). Therefore, in keeping with other competitors within its own and other retail sectors, Sainsburys has had to review its HR policies and processes as part of the strategic changes required following the appointment of King in 2004. This review included both the internal aspect of human resources as well as the benefits and disadvantages the se will have upon the external business environment. One option that was immediately chosen was to increase the number of employees by 3,000; most were engaged in customer facing positions (Sainsburys, 2005). In addition the internal HR processes were changed. As Armstrong (2006) observes, there is generally considered to be two alterative options to HRM in business. These are the hard approach, which considers the management of employees should focus solely upon the effect that the individual or group of employees have in terms of assisting in the achievement of corporate goals, in other words what value the employee adds to the business. Alternatively, there is the soft approach, which is based upon employee involvement and motivation (Armstrong, 2006). With this approach the business seeks to understand and address the needs of the employee as well, primarily because it is considered that this will improve motivation and, as a result, increase quality and productivity. In Sainsburys it had already become apparent by 2004 that its major competitors, Tesco and Asda, had embarked upon a process of employee involvement which, using an appropriate approach to leadership and team building, was enabling these businesses to improve the success of their respective businesses in the area of human relationship management (Pettigrew et al. 2002). As Armstrong (2006) indicates the chances of successful adoption of a corporate strategy are much improved if the business has developed a relationship with the workforce that encourages involvement and participation at all stages of its development and implementation. It is not surprising therefore, that King and his management team decided the corporation needed to introduce a more robust HR regime and system; one that paid more attention to the importance of employee involvement and satisfaction within the decision making process of the business. Taking into account that it is the business front line employees who have the closest contact with the customer they therefore designed a strategic change that was designed around the soft approach. This change was achieved to a large extent by copying their competitors systems. In other words, they made management more accessible to the employee, involved them to a greater extent in business decisions, through a process of individual store and regional meetings and encouraged the employee to submit innovative and new ideas to their management team at all levels (Sainsburys, 2005). Finally, Sainsburys made significant changes to its approach in relation to the marketing and promotion of the brand. As Lancaster Massingham (2001) rightly observe, when any change in strategy is introduced it is important to communicate that message to the existing and potential customer. Therefore a new style of campaign has been developed by the corporation over the past four years that has concentrated upon delivering a message that focuses upon the low-price and customer service quality of the business offerings and shopping experience. This focused upon two main areas of the new strategy. The first, using a low-price approach, which concentrated on the promotion of its value brand and Meal for  £5, emphasised its commitment to a low-cost approach. The second, using celebrities such as Jamie Oliver to provide advice to customers about meals, using the companys products and portraying the friendliness of its employees, sought to reaffirm and build the business relationship wi th the customer. It is through the introduction of all of these strategic changes, culminating with the development of a promotional campaign, which includes the use of household celebrities that Sainsburys has sought to reposition the brand and increase its competitive advantage over other market players. The intention of this new approach has therefore been to improve its brand image, incorporating its new low-price focus with an improved range and choice of products and services. The objective being to change the customers previously held perception of the business. Impact of the Strategic changes Having analysed and discussed the various improvements that have been introduced at Sainsburys since King became CEO, the question that remains is to assess how positive the impact of these strategic changes has proven for the business and in this respect an evaluation of subsequent results produces mixed results. As will be discovered from the following comments, not all of these are positive. In relation to the change in Sainsburys market share within the supermarket sector, although there has been some improvement in this area resulting from the changes made to the corporate strategy, it still remains in third position (figure 1). This is in spite of the fact that in the past two years Sainsburys has improved its market share of the industry by almost 1% (BBC News 2006). Figure .Market Share Comparison Source: BBC News (2008) What is equally apparent from the decade comparison is that, when judged against its two main competitors, even taking into account recent improvements, it is noticeable that Sainsburys has still lost significant ground, in the case of Tesco by over 12%. It therefore follows that, in order to narrow the gap still further, and indeed to re-secure its position as the second biggest competitor in the sector, Sainsburys will have to continue to develop its strategy in a manner that provides it with a level of competitive advantage that remains superior to that of its rivals. Another aspect to consider in evaluating the success of strategic changes made from 2004 onwards, is the extent to which the strategic changes have delivered on expectations and predictions made at the commencement of the term of the new management team. In part it is these predictions that were responsible for the failure of the takeover bids being made for the business at that time, as investors considered that, if delivered, the return on their investment was likely to be improved. In the CEOs report within the 2005 financial statement, King suggested that the business had embarked upon a three-year programme designed to grow sales by  £2.5 billion by the end of 2007/08 and return Sainsburys to sustainable growth in both sales and profitability.(Sainsburys,2005).The subsequent financial results (figure 2) show that, this has been achieved, if one views this improvement from the 2005 results and, furthermore, that the improvement has been continued in subsequent years and, up to the year end for 2009 at least, seems to be defying the impact of the recent economic and financial crisis. Figure . Sainsburys Turnover 2001-2009 Source: Sainsburys (2005 and 2009) This potential improvement can be measured in another way, namely the performance of the share price for the same period of time. Figure .Sainsburys-10 Year Share Price Source: http://markets.ft.com/ft/markets/interactiveChart.asp It is confirmed from this comparison that, from its lowly position when King was appointed, Sainsburys share performance improved dramatically until around the end of 2007, when a new bidder for the business was rumoured to be occurring (Peston,2007). At that stage its performance almost matched those of Tesco and Morrisons. However, since the 2007 bid was aborted the adverse share performance between Sainsburys and the others has widened considerably, meaning that shareholders value is now a little more than 15% better than it was five years ago. Future Focus and Strategies Since 2004 Sainsburys has adapted and embraced change to secure its survival and prosperity. In todays challenging trading conditions it continues to focus on capitalising on these changes by identifying consumer trends and forecasting where such trends are leading, always with the end goal of securing trading success (Wilson Gilligan, 2005). In this current economic crisis Sainsburys has shown it has managed not only to ride out the recession but to emerge from it a winner with like for like sales in the quarter to January 2010 increasing by 4.2% .Analysts in 2010 are now saying that Sainsburys strong performance shows just how far the supermarket chain has come since March 2004 under King and acknowledge that his strategic changes have broadened the brand appeal of Sainsburys and turned its future around (Hall, 2010). With its future plans to focus on estate development and to step up its on-line resources in both food and non food, the support of its suppliers will be crucial to sustain Sainsburys future growth. To this end in March 2010 a Sainsburys Trade Briefing will be held to give all suppliers the opportunity to ascertain how they can work in tandem with the retailer in the testing year ahead to everyones mutual benefit. Conclusion In conclusion therefore, whilst it would be correct to say that the strategic changes made following the appointment of King have, to some extent led to a reversal of its former fortunes, certainly in respect of the comparison of its own revenue streams, in other areas the improvements have not been as beneficial as investors and the management anticipated. Gains in market share sufficient for the business to recover second position have changed little between 2005 and 2008, which means that the brand image and its promotional message needs to be improved to encourage more customers to choose Sainsburys in preference to other competitors. Similarly the share performance indicates that the business has still not totally convinced the markets that it can sustain its recovery.

Graduation Speech: Remember Who You Are! :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Thirteen years of schooling - can you believe it? And we, County High Class of 2012, have made it! We're graduating! There may have been times when it was tiresome, frustrating, stressful, demanding, even physically, mentally and emotionally draining! Through the years I have felt all of these emotions and more, but one thing that has really kept me on the top has been my ability to smile. I have found that smiling, even when it seems too hard, helps to solve all kinds of problems. Not only does it improve your own attitude, but one smile affects an incredible amount of people. Think about it - if I were to smile at just three people in a day, each of them will probably smile at three people in the least, then those people will pass the smile on, and so on. It's like a contagious epidemic. That's what so intriguing about it! One quote that will always stick out in my mind is from Ms. Marris' "Quotes of the Day." Mort Walker said that "seven days without laughter makes one weak." Since you cannot read this quote, I need to tell you that weak is spelled w-e-a-k; this makes a difference if you were thinking w-e-e-k, because it is a fact that seven days make a week, but seven days without laughter makes you weak. Laughter is captivating - not only does it feel good outside and give stress relief, but there have been proven health benefits from laughter keeping with the old saying that "laughter is the best medicine." So don't be too stressed, find something to smile or laugh about! Don't get offended easily - be the kind of person who won't let another bring them down. Just "kill 'em all with kindness!" I hope that as each of us go our separate ways - whether it be off to college at BYU, UW, Western, Chicago, Boston or ECC, working or jumping into a family, that we will continue to live our lives with values, with integrity. Integrity to me means having the moral courage to do what you know is right. Found in the Holy Bible, Job proclaims: "Till I die, I will not remove mine integrity from me." To the religious and the non-religious alike, this quote can be admired and sought for in ourselves. I have many values and things that I know to be true, and I hope that I can have this integrity of Job to stay strong and true to what I believe - as I hope you all do in your own beliefs and endeavors.

Effects of Alcohol on the Family Essay

Alcohol Dependence, also known as alcoholism, is a very widespread disabling addictive disorder, affecting 4% of Canadians. Alcoholism may start innocuously, due to the acceptability of social drinking, but over time, can lead to serious health problems, including brain, kidney and liver damage. Although alcoholics seem to be doing the most damage to themselves, they are hurting their families even more. Lesser-known, but just as serious victims of alcohol abuse are the alcoholics’ children. The negative effects start in the womb, where drinking during pregnancy often causes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and other defects. After the baby is born, the risks continue, as the children in alcoholic families tend to lack a stable family environment and have a fairly high rate of abuse. These factors, as well as genetic predisposition, are strong precedents to the child developing alcohol abuse problems themselves. These children also tend to show more symptoms of anxiety and depression, and have lower self esteem than children from nonalcoholic families. These factors may also contribute to the likelihood of the child becoming an alcoholic. When a few drinks has turned into a few too many, a few too many times, some may start to suspect alcoholism. This is often how alcohol abuse starts, with acceptable social drinking increasing to the point where the drinker can no longer control their desire and compulsion to drink. Drinking too much alcohol over a long period changes the chemical balance in the brain linked to pleasure, causing the body to crave alcohol. Symptoms of alcoholism are frequent intoxication; drinking and continuing to drink alcohol in appropriate places and times; and often, denial of the problem. Due to the legality and availability of alcohol, it can be very difficult to quit or help another quit drinking, which can result in long-term alcohol abuse. When one has been abusing alcohol for long periods of time, it can cause a number of mental and physical problems, including, but not limited to liver damage, kidney damage, heart disease, alcoholic dementia, brain damage, and a myriad of psychological problems. Alcoholism also comes with a variety of comorbid disorders, most commonly major depressive disorder, and anxiety related disorders (Petrakis, 86). The order of the co-occurrence is not always clear; whether these disorders resulted from the alcoholism, or whether the alcoholism was triggered by the disorders varies accordingly, but regardless, the alcoholic has a much better chance of recovery if both problems are treated together. (Medline Plus) Drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been found to increase health risks to the fetus, especially after the first trimester. Any amount of alcohol may harm a developing baby, no ‘safe amount’ has yet been established; however the more alcohol consumed by an expectant mother, the higher the risks are of the baby developing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or FAS. FAS is a series of mental and physical defects that can develop in a fetus during pregnancy if the mother has been drinking. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states that approximately 5000 babies are born each year with severe FAS, and another 35000 are born with milder symptoms. If an alcoholic woman’s first child has FAS, the risk of her second child having FAS as well is a daunting 70%. The range of birth defects caused by FAS can be minor to major, and are nearly always long term. The infant will be born underweight and with an alcohol dependency. A detox period will follow birth, sometimes lasting for up to several months. These babies tend to have brain and skull deformities, and can have very distinctive facial features, such as small eye openings, thin upper lips, and long, flat faces. (Dozois, and Firestone 249-262) (Davis, and Frost 100-101) As the baby grows, learning problems that will keep the child from progressing normally may become apparent. FAS can cause damage to the central nervous system, which may result in severe learning disabilities. Due to this, the child may have problems learning to walk, being able to sleep, and focusing on motor skills; and have speech problems, hearing impairment, and decreased memory recall. They may have low self-esteem, be hyperactive, and be easily angered or frustrated. Mild or severe retardation, emotional issues, the inability to bond and communicate with other children their age are common traits for a child who suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It often results in lower and overall academic performance (compared to non-FAS children), and difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics. (Dozois, and Firestone 254) Another side effect of alcoholism in the family is the lack of a stable family environment. Alcohol has been known to negatively affect marital relationships, breaking up families, be the cause of suicide, result in unemployment and poverty, and cause or exacerbate child abuse. Over 3 times as many people report to have been previously married to an alcoholic, compared to those currently married to an alcoholic, demonstrating that relationships involving alcohol abuse are less likely to last than sober relationships. Often, if one parent is an alcoholic and the other is not, the sober partner feels that the drinking takes precedence over them and their family. This strongly affects couples with children, as they may effectively lose either parent, or end up being shuttled between them. Worse than losing a parent to divorce is the reality of losing a parent to suicide. The relationship between alcoholism and suicide is very clear, and has been well-documented. Alcohol is a depressant, and can bring on episodes of major depressive disorder. Alcohol abuse is often either self-medication for depression, or the cause of alcoholic depression. Often, alcoholic depression is a combination of the two, a vicious cycle of triggering and self-medicating that worsens one’s emotional state. This despair, combined with possible unemployment; marital, family, and financial problems; and declining health due to drinking, results in more drinking to ‘drink away’ the issues, which can push one over the edge and cause them to take their own life. (Alcoholic. ca) Even if both parents are alive and present in a child’s life, they may not always be the responsible adults and parents they are expected to be. Many severely alcoholic parents are not able to attend to and fulfill their child’s physical and emotional needs, and some may even require the child to prematurely assume the role of the parent and take care of the adult. They may be emotionally and financially supported by their children in cases where their alcoholism is too severe for them to be self-reliant and hold a steady job. If there are younger siblings, the responsibilities of parenting may fall to the oldest child, sometimes in their entirety. This role reversal is unfortunate, but all too common in families where the main caregiver is affected by substance abuse and alcoholism. This also results in the children lacking proper role models to learn from, and as teenagers, are more likely to do poorly in school, or drop out entirely and not pursue post-secondary education. Children of alcoholics have higher rates of truancy, arrest, depression, and addiction than their peers, and are usually more aggressive, obsessive, impulsive, and have lower self-esteem. (Parsons) Child abuse adds to the instability of the life of a child with alcoholic parents. While child abuse, unlike FAS, can also occur in families without alcoholic parents, 4/5 of reported cases involved substance abuse, commonly including alcohol. Alcoholism is also more prevalent among child-abusing parents than those who do not abuse their children, and is more commonly associated with child abuse than any other disorder. The abuse is not limited to physical abuse; it comes in many forms, including sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, as well as neglect. There are many reasons and theories behind the facts, all are true to a certain degree in most situations. Some say that alcoholics are generally more violent and prone to aggression, which makes their children a convenient target. The alcohol might be making them aggressive, or they may aggressive by nature, which is exacerbated by the alcohol. Also, since alcohol and child abuse are connected, many alcoholics were abused as children themselves, and as a result, are more likely to abuse their own children. This abuse puts their children at a greater risk of alcoholism, as well as abusing their future children, perpetuating the cycle. Emotional abuse and neglect commonly occur when the inebriated parent cannot correctly assess their own priorities, emotionally (or physically) abandons their child, or does not treat them as a parent should. Regardless of the reason, child abuse results in the children doing poorly in school, having self-esteem issues, anti-social behaviour, having feelings of guilt and shame, and suffering from depression. Abused children are also much more likely to grow up to abuse their own children, and to have substance abuse issues of their own. (Widom and Hiller-Sturmhofel 52-57) Despite the obvious hope that a child with alcoholic parents will learn from their mistakes and grow up to be an addiction-free adult, the opposite is usually true. The children of alcoholics are far more likely to become a product of their environment and develop substance abuse problems, likely including, but not limited to, alcoholism. Without proper role models and examples to base themselves off of, these children tend to fall into their parents’ habits and imitate their actions. Alcoholic parents are also more likely to have raised their children in an environment where alcohol abuse was more common or more accepted than non-alcoholic parents, where they may have been influenced by their peers. Along with alcohol dependency, these children are at a much higher risk of developing other substance abuses issues and addictions, most commonly to benzodiazepines. They are also likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and obsessive behaviours. Those who manage to stay sober tend to exhibit these characteristics as well. Some children of alcoholics may fall victim to the same traps as their parents, while others excel, possibly due to a desire to do better in life than their parents. (Brooke, et al 1980-1981) Alcoholism is a very tough habit to break, however anyone who desires to try has a multitude of options. There are certain medications in use that may be prescribed as part of treatment, but these usually accompany group therapy or psychotherapy, which is usually found to be the most effective. Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, is the most common program, due to its availability, anonymity, efficacy, and affordability. It is a free international program based on the mutual support of its members, where alcoholics learn to take responsibility for their actions, and support others through their journeys. It is based on the ‘12 Steps’, which are a set of principles and beliefs that focus on admitting to mistakes and addictions, recognizing a higher power, making amends, taking responsibility, and helping others through their addictions. AA famously schools its members that alcoholism is a disease, and that it is not something that they can control. However despite all the available support, unless those who suffer from Alcohol Dependence genuinely have a wish to get better, and are willing to put the in the time and effort required, their problems often do result in lasting effects, both for themselves and others. (Alcoholic.ca) (Alcoholics Anonymous). References Alcoholics Anonymous. â€Å"Alcoholics Anonymous: This is AA. † Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. , 2010. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Alcoholics Anonymous. â€Å"Alcoholics Anonymous: Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?. † Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. , 2010. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Medline Plus. â€Å"Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. † Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine, 15 Nov 2010. Web. 26 Nov 2010. . Parsons, Tetyana. â€Å"Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family. † AllPsych Online. AllPsych and Heffner Media Group Inc. , 14 Dec 2003. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Widom, Cathy Spatz, and Susanne Hiller-Sturmhofel. â€Å"Alcohol Abuse as a Risk Factor for and Consequence of Child Abuse. † Alcohol research & health: the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 25. 1 (2001): 52-57. Print. Alcoholic. ca. â€Å"Alcoholism and Suicide. † Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment in Canada. Alcoholic. ca, 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2010. . Alcoholic. ca. â€Å"Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment. † Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment in Canada. Alcoholic. ca, 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2010. . Dozois, David, and Philip Firestone. Abnormal Psychology. 4th Ed. , Perspectives. Toronto, Canada: Pearson Education Canada, 2010. 254. Print. Brooke, S, et al. â€Å"Familial Loading for Alcoholism and Offspring Behavior: Mediating and Moderating Influences. † Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 34. 11 (2010): 1980-1981. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Petrakis, Ismene L, et al. â€Å"Comorbidity of Alcoholism and Psychiatric Disorders: An Overview. † Alcohol research & health: the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 26. 2 (2002): 81-89. Print. Davis, Janet Haggerty, and Wendy Autumn Frost. â€Å"Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A Challenge for the Community Health Nurse. † Journal of Community Health Nursing. 1. 2 (1984): 100-101. Print.

Seven Lessons Reluctantly Learned from Publishing My First Book

Seven Lessons Reluctantly Learned from Publishing My First Book When your first book is finally accepted and (miracle!) published, you may think all your writing problems are solved. But I found that publication, like finally losing those stubborn ten pounds, isn’t the Nirvana we imagine it to be. In the process of publishing my first book, I’ve learned some important lessons, shared here. I hope these seven (and I’m sure they’re only a fraction) help you cushion your own publication shock and plan your counterattacks.   Ã‚      1. Tell everyone. Perfect your elevator pitch- a one-sentence explanation to rivet the person who’s getting off the floor ahead of you. Here’s mine: In Trust Your Life: Forgive Yourself and Go After Your Dreams, I apply practical spirituality to help you let go of regrets, relabel your past, and reach your lifelong yearnings. Then I mumble something about AmazonBNBooksAMillionKindleNook and whip out my bookmark, which coincidentally displays purchase and website information. For nonfiction pitches, see Ann Brandt, â€Å"Marketing Your First Nonfiction Book,† Writing World, 10:22, Nov. 18, 2010. For fiction pitches, see AuthorBuzz, authorbuzz.com/dearreader/firth.shtml. 2. Once you broadcast the good news, accept congratulations graciously. Don’t deflect: â€Å"Awww, it’s only my first. Miss Successful-Author-Five-Years-Younger has twelve.† Instead, reply like a seasoned author: â€Å"Thank you so much for your kind words.† 3. Climb on your platform. When you’ve finally finished the last revision, or, as experts counsel, much before, concentrate on your platform. This is everything you can think of to promote your book: book launch, ads, press releases, blogs, websites, social media, articles, interviews, book tours . . . . Post your book notice on Facebook, tweet about it, Pinterest it. See, for example, Clary Lopez, â€Å"The Ultimate Book Launch Party,† http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Ultimate-Book-Launch-Partyid=857042. 4. Watch out for promotion envy. Someone always does it bigger and better. Larger launches, finer wine, catered monogrammed mini-cakes, more blogs posted, excerpts published, ads placed, reviews acquired, book clubs toured, interviews given, TV shows graced, emails blasted, friends liked, tweets twitted. Do what you can- sanely. For inspiration, good judgment, and gentle stretching of your comfort boundaries, see Christina Katz’s excellent article on platform-publicity-building, â€Å"50 in Five Minutes a Day,† writersdigest.com/whats-new/50-simple-ways-to-build-your-platform-in-5-minutes-a-day. 5. Guard against Overwhelm. Staring at an endless list of bloggers inviting guests, radio shows inviting interviews, or excellent ezines for excerpts from your book, you can feel like you’ve been handed a shopping list for double septuplets. Regain your bearings 6. Write about what you’re experiencing. If you have the urge to write about the entire process, do it! Spilling can help frustration, worries, and engulfment. For the first ten days after acceptance, I kept a â€Å"Book Journal† that channeled much of my anxiety. A journal may seem like it’s taking you away from revisions or yet more promotion. But you’ll feel better, and you’ll have the makings of a blog. 7. There is writing life after publication. When your book finally appears, in print and multi-e-forms, and you’ve got the publicity on a decent schedule, go back to your writing routine. Get to the next writing project you left hanging or pine for. You’ll feel more balanced and, paradoxically, despite your first-book publication, more like a writer again. My new project (admittedly publicity-related) is excerpting passages from Trust Your Life into articles and editing them for appropriate markets, judiciously cutting and reworking snappy endings that don’t segue to the following chapters. These lessons should help arm you in advance to better ease the publication shock, handle the disenchantment, and regain your writing routine. And keep you glowing with the wonder of publishing your first book.

Iraq 2002 - Reason for War essays

Iraq 2002 - Reason for War essays Without a doubt, almost all of the attempts to contain and deter the current Iraqi regime have eventually failed. The only policy that has a proven success against Saddam Hussein has been the use of military force. As the worlds only superpower, the United States of America has the capability to remove Saddam Hussein from power. But is a war with Iraq the only option? Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1933, have the destruction of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Proclaimed a republic in 1958, the country has in actuality been ruled by various tyrants and military strongmen since. Iraq is 432,072 square miles, approximately twice the size of Idaho (CIA World Factbook 2002 - Iraq). With a population of about 24 million people and a GDP of $59 billion (debt of $140 billion), Iraq is a relatively small country. The current president is Saddam Hussein, who originally rose to power in 1979 through a coup in which the Baath Party (Arab Socialist Renaissance Party) overthrew the government of General Abdul Arif (Iraq 12/01). During his twenty-year term, Saddam has engaged in many atrocities and human right violations. He has oppressed and massacred Iraqs native Kurdish population in the north and native Shia population in the south, which represent 20 percent and 60 percent of the population respectively (Pollack, 61). During Iraqs eight- year war with Iran, Saddam used chemical and biological weapons against his enemy, including a massive chemical weapons attack against the city of Halajaba that killed several thousand civilians (Iraq 12/1). In 1981 fourteen Israeli warplanes entered Iraq airspace undetected and blew-up Iraqs Osiraq nuclear reactor, the key to Saddams nuclear weapons program, setting his nuclear program back a few years (Pollack, 17). In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and was quickly counter-attacked by a U.S. led coalition. Though the coalition forces...

De-Stalinization in the Soviet Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

De-Stalinization in the Soviet Union - Essay Example Massive purges and the disappearance of anyone who challenged Stalin were very regular occurrences. Stalin's reign of terror had widespread negative effects on the political system of the Soviet Union and still affects Russian and Eastern European politics today. After Stalin's death in 1953, the committee that was left in charge of the Soviet Union immediately set out to reform the government and limit the influence of Stalinist policies. Khrushchev and Gorbachev were two Soviet leaders who attempted to reform the Soviet System to end authoritarianism. The policies of both were somewhat successful, but neither were able to reform the system. The Soviet Union collapsed when Gorbachev was in power. This was followed by a period of government that was free and democratic but highly corrupt and economically disastrous. In 1998 the authoritarian Vladimir Putin was elected to be the president of Russia. In 1953 Joseph Stalin died. It has been suggested by many that he was assassinated with poison by his opponents but this has not been proven. After his death, there was some confusion as to who was in charge due to the fact that a purge that was done a short time before his death had eliminated many senior officials in the Communist Party. A committee that included the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Nikita Khrushchev and a self appointed Premier of the Soviet Union Georgi Malenkov ended up as the leaders of the USSR. Lavrenity Beria was the First Deputy Prime minister and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was merged with the MGB at the time. Beria appeared to be very liberal and instituted liberal policies after Stalin's death, but he was also an official in charge of Stalin's Great Purge, and his power base was the secret police. Stalin's policies were unpopular with most people and the members of the committee promised that many r eforms would be made. A large number of high-ranking officials in the Communist Party secretly opposed Stalin and his policies. There was conflict in the party ranks between those who supported Stalinist policies and the current reformist leadership. Between 1953 and 1955 Khrushchev and Malenkov ordered many liberal reforms. Prices for many goods were reduced, amnesty was given to some political prisoners in the gulag system, forced labor was abandoned and the level of restrictions on private plots was reduced. Beria was accused of being a British agent, given a show trial, and executed in 1953.Malenkov was forced to resign due to blackmail in 1955. After this, Khrushchev became the Premier of the Soviet Union in 1958 and the undisputed leader of the USSR Khrushchev was a major reformist. In 1956, Khrushchev gave a speech to the party leaders called "On the Personality Cult and its Consequences. In this speech he formally attacked the policies of Stalin and exposed his crimes. A policy of de-Stalinization was announced. His plans were to reform the Soviet Union so that it would become a more liberal state and to change the USSR into a pure communist nation that would be economically stronger that the United States over a period of twenty years. The democratic planning ideas of the soviet economist Evsei Lieberman were highly influential in the economic policies of

Built to Last written by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras Essay

Built to Last written by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras - Essay Example They had been in the business for a long time and had proved that they were solid and not some one-song wonder. The best thing about your book was the criteria that set some firms apart from others. It was good to see that these visionary firms had been selected on the basis of some important traits. I totally agree with the criteria. These firms had to premier institution in their industry, admired by well-known business people and left an impression on the world. All the firms you had chosen did meet that criteria, for example Motorola, Merck and GE had all been extremely successful firms. But things changed for some of them and reading your book now, I feel that some of them wouldn't make it to the list again. For example Motorola is no longer the premier institution, Merck had struggled with its position as well. But there are also the winners such as Procter and Gamble and GE that continue to outperform their competitors. But they might not meet all the standards set for a visionary company. For me today, a visionary company would include some relatively small firms that have earned the respect and awe of public and rivals alike. And my list wouldn't include the big names like Philip Morris or Wal-Mart because there has been severe criticism against their practices.