The Summary of Bhopal Disaster Essay Example for Free

The Summary of Bhopal Disaster Essay The Union Carbide plant was established in Bhopal in 1969 and it began to produce the insecticide Carbaryl. methyl isocanyte is an ingredient of carbaryl, and on the morning of December 3, 1984, a holding tank containing 43 tons of methyl isocyanate overheated and released the toxic gas. Because methyl isocyanate is heavier than air, it traveled over the ground through the Bhopal city center. The transportation system collapsed, and many people were trampled to death in a mad rush to flee the visible gases. In total, 15,000 people died and 150,000-600,000 people were injured. The contamination and deaths were a result of numerous factors: * Recent documents obtained through discovery in the course of a lawsuit against Union Carbide for environmental contamination (before a New York Federal District Court) revealed that Carbide had exported untested, unproven technology to the Indian plant. Unlike Union Carbide plants in the USA, its Indian subsidiary plants were not prepared for problems. No action plans had been established to cope with incidents of this magnitude. This included not informing local authorities of the dangers of chemicals used and manufactured at Bhopal. * Reports issued months before the incident by scientists within the Union Carbide corporation warned of the possibility of an accident almost identical to that which occurred in Bhopal. The reports were ignored outright and never made it to senior staff. Due to falling sales, staff had been laid off and safety checks became less and less frequent. * Slip-blind plates that would have prevented water from pipes being cleaned from leaking into the MIC tanks via faulty valves were not installed. Their installation had been omitted from the cleaning checklist. * At the time of the event, the MIC tank refrigeration unit was disabled to save money, and some of its coolant was being used elsewhere. A simple press of a button in the control room would have activated it to at least use the remaining coolant, but this was overlooked by staff. * The gas scrubber was placed on standby, and therefore did not attempt to clean escaping gases with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), which may have brought the concentration down to a safe level. The water curtain that may have reduced the concentration of the gas was only set to ~13 m and did not reach the gas; it was not designed to contain a leak of such magnitude. Though the audible external alarm was activated to warn the residents of Bhopal, it was quickly silenced to avoid causing panic among the residents. Thus, many continued to sleep, unaware of the unfolding drama, and those that had woken assumed any problem had been sorted out. The flare tower used to burn off gases before they are allowed to escape into the air was inoperational pending repairs. * Doctors and hospitals were not informed of proper treatment methods for MIC gas inhalation. They were told to simply give cough medicine and eyedrops to their patients. Union Carbide agreed to pay $470 million to the residents of Bhopal. That amount is lower than in the lawsuit and substantially lower than similar Asbestos cases Union Carbide was settling concurrently in the United States. By the end of October 2003, according to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, compensation had been awarded to 554,895 people for injuries received and 15,310 survivors of those killed. The average amount to families of the dead was $2,200. Union Carbide also attempted to distance itself from the tragedy by blaming its subsidiary in India and even fabricated stories about a Sikh extremist group and disgruntled former employees bent on sabotaging the plant. Health Effects Summary for MIC Immediate Health Effects   (0-6 months) * Ocular: Chemosis, redness, watering, ulcers, photophobia * Respiratory: Distress, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, pneumothorax * Gastrointestinal: Persistent diarrhea, anorexia, persistent abdominal pain * Genetic: Increased chromosomal abnormalities * Psychological: Neuroses, anxiety states, adjustment reactions * Neurobehavioral: Impaired audio and visual memory, impaired vigilance attention and response time, Impaired reasoning and spatial ability, impaired psychomotor coordination Long-term Health Effects * Ocular: Persistent watering, corneal opacities, chronic conjunctivitis * Respiratory: Obstructive and restrictive airway disease, decreased lung function * Reproductive: Increased pregnancy loss, increased infant mortality, decreased placental/fetal weight * Genetic: Increased chromosomal abnormalities * Neurobehavioral: Impaired associate learning, motor speed, and precision

Relationship Marketing By Mcdonalds Marketing Essay

Relationship Marketing By Mcdonalds Marketing Essay Relationship Marketing: The concept of Traditional Marketing which was mainly based on customer satisfaction has now totally shifted to Relationship building with the customers, customer retention and managing the relationships (Gronroos C, 1989). The marketing mix of 5 Ps has changed into 30Rs (Gummeson, 1996) due to the globalisation, modern business trends and ever changing consumers demand. (Webster, 1992) Now the businesses are not only focused on developing a marketing mix in accordance with the consumers demand but they need to sell their products and services in such a way that consumer should satisfy and return for making the next purchase which means maintaining relations with your customers and managing it in such a way tending the customers to stay with the business for a longer period. According to Gronroos, 1990, Relationship Marketing is to establish, maintain, manage and enhance relationships with the customers and other parties, at the profit, so that the objectives of the parties involved are met. This is actually achieved by a manual exchange and fulfilment of the promises. It is very important to build a relation with the customer in order to find out his needs, preferences and the attributes he values in the product, so that the marketer can easily formulate the strategies to fulfil those needs to satisfy the customers. Now both the parties are mutually helping each other in earning profit as customers are telling the marketers, what to sell and marketers are giving them what they need. Thus close relationship with the customer have become the vital part of todays businesses. (Aijo T. S., 1996). Along with this the company should keep in mind that if they had made certain promises with the customers should be fulfilled (Egelhoff, 1998), as these promises ma de by the company for products and services given attract and persuade customers towards that company in return they will help in companys progression by positive word of mouth and on the other hand if it is not so then it can result in disloyalty of the customers and even losing them (Colonius, 1988) and customers trust will help to maintain and enhance the relationship. (Moorman et al, 1993). Mc Donalds Company: Mc Donalds is the global fast food restaurant chain most recognised and respectable worlds leading food service retailers (www.mcdonalds.com, 2011) with more than 32000 restaurants serving 60 million people across 100 countries. (Bramhall, 2009) The company is growing with the fast pace with the promise of quality service every time and in every meal, which differentiate it from the rest of the other restaurant chains. To achieve its motive of par excellence Mc Donalds has always focused on the fact that the market and consumers demand are ever changing and has managed to adopt the marketing strategies to satisfy the customers and become the leader in the fast food industry. (www.essaysample.com, 2011) Mc Donalds follows QSCV strategy (Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value) at all its stores all over the world and the quality of products and services offered at all the stores is also the same. Out of the 32000 restaurants all over the world, 80% are franchised ( www.aboutmcdonalds.com, 2011) with a belief of working global but acting local. To maintain and manage close relationships with the customers, Mc Donalds has paid attention to the changing markets and customers wants and needs such as introduction of breakfast menus, adult food, kids zone, internet (wi-fi), Prà ªt a manger, training for the staff all over the world, adaptation of the choice of food demanded by the people in different parts of the world etc. (www.mcdonalds.com, 2011) Relationship Marketing by Mc Donalds: The customers for Mc Donalds are from the kids to the older persons, everyone can be heard saying I am lovin it. For all the customers visiting Mc Donalds, the environment seems to be the same with the consistent services as in any other part of the world (Egelhoff, 1998). Companys worldwide operations are held around a global strategy Plan to win and according to this the customers are offered with the exceptional and improved services to enhance their experiences with the Mc Donalds. (www.aboutmcdonalds.com , 2011) This is the main strategy of the Mc Donalds to retain and maintain its customers as every restaurant they are visiting they will find the best QSCV means the best quality, services, cleanliness and value for their money. For this mc Donalds is having a series of suppliers providing the same quality of the raw material needed for the products and trained staff to serve the customers in the best and the same way everywhere. Along with this the adaptation of the menu with t he new places such as Maharaja Mac instead of Big Mac in India due to preference for chicken and avoidance of beef, Samurai Pork Burger with teriyaki sauce in Thailand, Kiwi Burger in New Zealand etc (Sabana, 1996) and the adoption of new changes with the time and customers demand such as Golden Archs Hotel in Switzerland, Menu variations for people with diabetes, obesity and health consciousness, wi-fi, Mc kids, coupons, Mc Cafe etc (globaloneness.com, 2011, Butcher D., 1996). The acquisition of other brands such as Chiptole, Pret a Manger, Donatos etc has also added new customers to the company. (Light Kiddon, 2009) Kids: For kids it has set up kids zone, toys with the meal, Ronald (it is said that when children sees Ronald, they think of French fries and Burger), chicken Nuggets etc and can say fun food for the kids. (www.customessaymeister.com, 2011) Adults: For adults such as students and youngsters, it has set happy price menu as these people have limited pocket money and they value for the money they spend. They are served with burger, French fries, Mc puffs etc with coke. RM model for Mc Donalds: Its clear from the above description that Mc Donalds is using QSCV strategy and glocalisation strategy i.e. global product with the local flair to attract the new customers and retain them for a long by coping up their ever changing demands. We can say that the company is earning great success with its policy but the Loyalty Ladder model is used to assess the customers loyalty towards the company. Loyalty Ladder Model: The loyalty model is the heart of the CRM, the marketers want their customers to climb this ladder and become their loyal customers (Sanchez, 1997).The model shows that when a customer is known about a product or services he becomes the prospect and would like to try the product or services, then his next move is to buy the product and becomes the customer of the company. In such case if he likes the product would repeat the purchase and if not then he can turn to be a disloyal customer who will speak against the poor experience of the product or service delivered at every opportunity. But if they liked the product would like to repeat the purchase and become the regular client of the company, in such a case company should see to it that these clients are thoroughly satisfied as they will turn as a loyal customers in the near future. Mc Donalds is keenly acting locally with the global products so that the customers would tend to buy the product every time the new variations in the me nu or the combinations of the meals such as Happy Price Menu, Extra Value meals etc are introduced in the stores. The quality of the services and the product offered are of the superior quality with the local tastes and modifications which makes the customers of Mc Donalds, a loyal customer or a advocate who will always speak about the best experiences and the fun related to the new introductions with the time. Critical Evaluation of the Mc Donalds RM strategy: The QSCV strategy followed by the company and the global product with the local flair are the main strategies attracting the customer and the superior quality and consistency of the services are retaining them for long. Mc Donalds has gained success with its great asset customers who shared their fond experiences as a child or parents taking their family to the stores. The company is marketing, innovating and renovating the brand by huge publicity through television and other mass media sources. (Light Kiddon, 2009) But with the time the company has faced criticism such as decline of quality of food, health problems such as obesity, unavailability of same quality of raw material all over the world, toy with the meal was attracting the kids for the toy not food, health conscious customers were demanding organic food instead of the fatty stuffs. The company has successfully overcome such criticism through continuous innovations but there is need to do more for the customers as Mc Dona lds has close competitions with Burger King, KFC, Yumm etc and they are also offering the best services and global products like hamburger, chicken sandwiches and French fries etc so there is a possibility that the customers if not served well can switch to other brand very easily. The unsatisfied customers can turn to be the disloyal customers harassing the brand image of the company. Conclusion and recommendations: We can conclude from the above description that Mc Donalds is the leading brand in the fast food industry and has managed to win the hearts of the customers all over the world with its exceptional services and quality of the food offered. It has been successful in managing and maintaining good relations with the customers in spite of the criticism faced by the company over the time. But here are some recommendations for the company so that it can move on with the same pace and win the heart of the customers. Now as we know that the world has become a global market and the strategy once followed cant be successful at all the time, there is a need to introduce some changes over the time. Along with the QSCV strategy, timeliness criteria should also be introduced that the customers would be served in the particular period of time. The variations introduced according to the regions can be carried forward to the other regions also to provide an internationa l taste to customers all over the world e.g. Coconut milk served in Brazil by the Mc Donalds can also be introduced in India or Srilanka, countries where coconuts grow to give a Brazilian flavour to the meals etc. Regular innovations and communication with the public is very necessary for the company to be the top leader as it is facing tough competition in the fast food industry market with the Burger King, Yumm and KFC etc as they are also having their food specialised in a way or another so regular innovations with the meals are very necessary to keep the customers in touch regularly. References: Aijo, T.S., (1996), The Theoretical and Philosophical Underpinnings of Relationship Marketing, Environmental factors behind The Changing Marketing Paradigm, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 30 No. 2. Bramhall J. (2009), Mc Donalds Corporation, available at: http://www.hoovers.com/company/McDonalds_Corporation/rfskci-1.html Butcher D. (2010), McDonalds goes with Near Field Communications for sales lift, Mobile Commerce Daily, available at: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2010/07/14/a-merchant%E2%80%99s-argument-for-mobile-contactless-technology-celent Calonius, H., (1988).A Buying Process Model, in Blois, K., and Parkinson, S. (Eds), Innovative Marketing A European Perspective, proceedings from the 17th Annual Conference of the European Marketing Academy, University of Bradford. Custom essay meister,(2011), Marketing in Mc Donalds, Term paper on Marketing, available at: http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Marketing/6655.htm Egelhoff Tom (1998), Relationship Marketing: What it is and how to make it work for you, available at: http://www.smalltownmarketing.com/relationshipmarketing.html Essay sample (2011), ), Ray Kroc and Mc Donalds Marketing Strategy, available at: http://www.essaysample.com/essay/001900.html Global Oneness.com, (2011), McDonalds: Encyclopaedia II McDonalds Location-specific adaptations and variations, available at: http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/McDonalds_-_Location specific_adaptations_and_variations/id/1754532 Grà ¶nroos, C., (1989) Defining Marketing: A Market-oriented Approach, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 23 No. 1 Grà ¶nroos, C., (1990.)Service Management and Marketing. Managing the Moments of Truth in Service Competition, Free Press/Lexington Books, Lexington, MA Grà ¶nroos, C., (1994).From marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing, Management Decision, Vol. 32 No. 2 Light Kiddon, (2009), Six Rules for Brand Revitalisation, Wharton School Publishing, Pearson Education. Moorman, C., (1993) Relationships between Providers and Users of Market Research: The Role of Personal Trust, Working Paper No. 93-111, Marketing Science Institute, Cambridge Our Company, Getting us to know, Mc Donalds, available at: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company.html Our story 2011, Mc Donalds, available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story.html Sabana A.R., (1996), Why and How The Traditional Marketing Paradigm Based On Only Customer Satisfaction Has Evolved To The Concept of Relationship Marketing, available at: http://www.starbacks.ca/Athens/4584/article3.htm Sanchez (1997), Customer Relationship Marketing, Building Customer relationships for enduring Profits in the Wired Economy, available at: http://www.zunch.com/zunch/files/Zunch_CRM.pdf Student Research, (2011), Mc Donalds FAQ, Our Company, Mc Donalds, available at: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_faq/student_research.html The Loyalty Ladder, (2011), The marketing Teacher, available at: http://marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-loyalty-ladder.html Webster, Jr, F.E.(1992), The Changing Role of Marketing in the Corporations, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 56 Write work (2011), Ray Kroc and Mc Donalds Marketing Strategy, available at: http://www.writework.com/essay/ray-kroc-and-mcdonald-s-marketing-strategy B2B Dual branding Strategy by Cemex: Abstract: This essay evaluates the B2B operations of Cemex plc that how the company has built its brand image and used dual brand strategy to become a global leader in the field of the construction materials suppliers. It will show that how the strategy has been formulated and used in different countries with a view to acquire the knowledge of the local markets and deploy this knowledge for the integration and acquisition in the global markets. B2B Marketing: Unlike B2C where businesses are directly exposed to the end users, B2B marketing is held between the businesses and it is very necessary for the businesses to maintain and manage the relationships with their suppliers, distributors and the retailers who are helping the company to not only produce a product but also transfer them to the end users. Cemex Company Overview: The Company has been established in 1906 in Mexico and from a local company it has grown to a top leader in the field of producing, distributing and marketing cement, ready mix concrete, aggregates and building related materials nearly all over the world. The company has annually 97 million metric tonnes cement production capacity, 54 million cubic metres of ready mix concrete and 168 million metric tonnes of aggregates production capacity (Kotler, 2001; Cemex.com, 2011). To provide the best products to its customers it is using local markets knowledge, combining it with the international networks and thoroughly satisfying the customers by providing integrated offering which are more reliable, of higher quality and consistent. The company has applied IT and e business ideology to gain and integrate worldwide knowledge on products, operations and customers and this has helped it a lot to provide the customers what they needed and use this knowledge for the global operations. The compa nys business model is based on the following principles: Focus on its core business of cement, ready mix concrete and aggregates Effective allocation of the capital Improving the operating efficiency and productivity continuously. Providing the customers with the best value propositions and satisfies their needs to the optimum. (Kotler, 2001) Along with these principles the dual branding strategy and acquisitions and mergers with the different local brands are helping the company to grow its empire all over the world. B2B relationship of the company: For maintaining the strong relationships with the business customers, the company is following dual branding strategy which means different local brands are operating under parent or umbrella brand. This is done to expand the business operations to the other nations and improving the brand image. The dual branding of the Cemex includes: 1. Transnational brand: this brand operates in different countries uniquely in accordance with the local market; the offerings and the operations are customized to fulfil the local conditions. Along with the local brand the main corporate brand is also advertised to make it familiar to the business consumers or the end users. (Kotler, 2001)But as it is said that it is very critical for the individual brand to cope up with the corporate brand as it is the strong brand having positive perception in the consumers mind if the individual brand fails to serve the consumers as its corporate brand then can harm the image of the main brand also. For this reason, Cemex first all work to make the individual brand or the subsidiary company successful and in accordance with the vision and mission of the corporate brand and if it is so then renamed it with the Cemex brand. For example: Cemex Thailand was bought in 2001 but renamed in 2002 after proper reconstruction and reorganisation and Cemex Sp ain in 2002 after refurbishing and making it quite successful. (Kotler, 2001) 2. Corporate brand: The corporate brand covers all the products and services offered by the company representing the corporate vision, personality and value in all its offering. Under this umbrella brand, other sub brands and individual brands are established and operated.(Esch, Tomczak, Kernstock Lengner, 2004) The prestigious brand name has an equity associated with it serving as a intangible asset for the company to leverage it.(Roll M., 2005) The main corporate brand is Cemex under whose name the main products of the company are sold. The company Cemex is rapidly growing in the cement industry across the world. It is operating in the countries like Mexico, Spain, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Venezuela and many Asian nations. (www.cemex.com, 2010) Cement market has growth potential in these countries as they need regular infrastructure and reconstruction carried out by the governments or the local contractors. Here the brand Cemex is sold in the bags not the cement, as the brand na me is associated with the strength, durability, prestige and stability distinguishing Cemex from the other cement. Along with the brand the promise to provide the customers the best value has enhanced the customer loyalty towards the brand serving as an intangible asset in such volatile economies and providing competitive edge to the company. 3. The core values of the company serving the business customers as under: Collaborations: Cemex operates its B2B relations through strong collaborations with the distributors, suppliers and the stakeholders. It licenses the brand to its distributors such as Consturama in Latin America, other than this it also offers competitive prices, training, best industry practise and marketing support with a view to build a smart world with all its collaborators and become a successful and competitive company with a positive impact on the world. (www.cemex.com,2010; Kotler, 2001) http://www.cemex.com/su/Su_lp.aspx For the successful collaborations with the distributors the company has made 3 commitments: 3.1.1 Competitiveness: Cemex believes in running business by increasing its competitiveness through improved operational efficiency, innovative products with high standards as demanded and liked by the customers. Impact reduction: Cemex is basically a cement company dealing in concrete, aggregates and other building stuffs which are more likely to be dangerous if not handled safely. Company strives to minimize the risks of fatalities at work place, noise pollution, air pollution etc to put a positive impact on the world. Stakeholders outreach: company deals with number of stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, customers and neighbours and always tries to manage good relations with them through training programs, dialog sessions, meetings and online services etc. This helps in overcoming the challenges faced for building strong relationship with the stakeholders. (www.cemex.com, 2011) Integrity: for leveraging the brand equity and making it a prestigious brand, the company is also engaged in social activities such as Patrimonio Hoy (www.cemex.com,2010, Letelier, Flores, Spinosa, 2003) which provides housing solutions to the low income families, using alternative sources of fuels to reduce carbon emission and making the world green such as Eurus, a wind farm project, supplying 25% of the energy needed by the plant in Mexico etc. Such activities makes the brand more familiar to the general public and their desire for the brand tend the suppliers and contractors to associate with the company increasing firms efficiency and profitability. Leadership: By integrating IT knowledge with its global operations, Cemex has strengthened its position for the global leader in the cement industry and acquisition of RMC has smoothed its path for success. The continuous feedback from the customers helps in regular improvement of the services, simplified business transactions and access to real time account has helped the company to improve its relationship. ( Kotler,2001) Cemex Capital: To enhance and improve customer relationships the company has launched a financial assistance body known as Cemex Capital, it is a credit branch of the company providing financial support to the business customers and partners. The assistance can be in form of credit for buying the products, to finance the working capital and allotting loans for construction projects. Besides this the loans are offered at the rates lower than the markets. Critical evaluation of the B2B relationships strategy of Cemex: The world leader Cemex in the cement industry has adopted dual branding strategy for managing business relationship. The corporate brand is associated with the reliability, stability and strength and the national brands are according to the local markets need fulfilling their unique needs and emotionally attached with the customers. The corporate brand has its brand equity providing value addition to the product and enhances consumers perception for the brand. ( Aaker, 1991; Keller, 1993; Bendixen et al, 2004). But at the same time, all the products under the umbrella brand are expected to be as good as the main product and deliver the promise made by the company, to provide the best quality to the consumers. The mergers acquisitions and collaborations with the stakeholders subsidiaries need deliberate efforts to amalgamate with the international brand, having its own corporate abilities, styles and reputation. (Lambkin, 2009)Before rebranding any local subsidiary, proper reconstru ction and reorganisation is done, the managers run a focus group activity and commercial team effort to establish the local brand with the corporate brand. If the company fails to properly communicate with the new stakeholders, employees and integrate the corporate culture (Balmer Dinnie, 1999; Krishnan et al., 2007) than can cause decline in service quality (Urban Pratt, 2000) and also lacks the competition in the outer world. (Reichheld Henske, 1991). So, it is necessary for the company to leverage its brand equity with proper amalgamation and rebranding policy to avoid any negative consequences in the business. Conclusion and recommendations: We can conclude that through strong corporate brand image Cemex has successfully become the worlds leader in the infrastructure industry, it is not only engaged in the supplies of the basic materials but also provide the other utilities under its brand name through a channel of the subsidiaries and individual brands operating under the umbrella brand Cemex all over the world. The strong corporate brand creation has resulted in cost efficiency and brand building advantage for the company. The individual brands allow the company to fulfil the local markets need and the corporate brand is providing an international platform to the operations of the company and maintains strong B2B links with the clients, distributors and the end users. The company is earning great success but still it is recommended that B2B branding strategy serves a better platform for managing and enhancing relationships but if done with care such as employee involvement, stakeholders knowledge and market study then it will be more successful. The company can also diversify its operation such as media, entertainment or technology for the purpose of risk reduction and using its corporate brand in these fields to get cost efficiency and more B2B relations.

In Which Of The 13 English Colonies Would You Have Preferred To Live? :: Informative, Personal Experience

I would have preferred to live in Pennsylvania out of all the thirteen colonies. Pennsylvania was a very prosperous colony due to the fact that everyone had economic opportunity. Also, the people had civil liberty, allowing them to surpass the other colonies that had multiple restrictions. In addition, they had religious freedom unlike other colonies. Pennsylvania had many great features compared to the other colonies. In Pennsylvania, progress was made toward social reform. No provisions had been made in order to receive military defense. This colony promoted peace. Also, no restrictions were placed on immigration, and naturalization was made easy, making it easier for new immigrants to move there. Many people in the colony disliked the idea of black slavery. Therefore, all of the social characteristics made it easier for the citizens to grasp the concept that there was no need for contradictions in social status. There were many economic opportunities in Pennsylvania. The soil was fertile and there was plenty of land. Grain was a big export here and earned Pennsylvania the title as one of the "bread colonies". The water was also very clean, which helped to prevent diseases. The economic characteristics of Pennsylvania helped the economy to prosper. Due to the fact that Pennsylvania was liberal, it helped it in politics, religion, and with ethnic ties. Pennsylvania had a representative assembly, voted by landowners. The colonists had freedom of worship and a "no tax-supported church". The rich mix of ethnic groups helped the colonists learn more about other cultures and also helped to bring forth new traditions. Therefore, liberation helped gain strength in the political, religious, and ethnic ties in Pennsylvania.

The Afterpiece Essay -- English Theater Playlet

The Afterpiece: How and Why "Afterpieces were short, humorous playlets which followed the five act main attraction and concluded the theatrical evening in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries" (Bevis vii). During the eighteenth century the afterpiece became a fixture of the English theatre, but double billing was not a practice unique to English theatre. It was done in France during the late seventeenth century and probably had been experimented with elsewhere. But the afterpiece in England is believed to have originated independently of the French practice (Origins 58). The regular presentation of afterpieces began out of economic necessity and was continued after it was found to be a great asset to British theatre not only economically but artistically. During the rule of James I, the work day of the working and business classes ended well after the theatre evening had begun. It became customary for members of the working class to attend the last two acts of a play without having to pay anything for admission. The managers of the London theaters didn't view this late free admission as a problem and never attempted to dissuade people from taking advantage of it, but by the time Charles II took the throne theaters were losing profits by allowing it. After Dorset Garden and Drury Lane merged in 1682, the decision was made to begin charging those who came only for the second half of the show. Londoners could attend the last two acts of a five act play for a fraction of the price (Origins 53-54). Of course, after years of being admitted for free, there must have been many complaints from those who felt that they shouldn't have to pay if they were not going to see a complete performance of a piece. But, since there was only o... ...hose receipts (after house charges) went to the actor, actress, author or theatre employee whose `night' it was (Bevis xi). Works Cited Bevis, Richard W. Eighteenth Century Drama: Afterpieces. London: Oxford University Press, 1970. Hotson, Leslie. The Commonwealth and Restoration Stage. New York: Russell & Russell Inc., 1928. Jason, Phillip K. "The Afterpiece: Authors and Incentives," in Restoration and 18th Century Theatre Research, 12 (1973), 1-13. Jason, Phillip K. "The Afterpiece: Origins and Early Development," in Restoration and 18th Century Theatre Research, 1 (1986), 53-62. Lawrence, W.J. Old Theatre Days and Ways. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., 1935. Annotated Loftis, John. Steele at Drury Lane. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1952. Roose-Evans, James. London Theatre. Oxford: Phaidon Press Limited, 1977.

Sleepy Hollow:Heads Will Roll Essay -- Art

Sleepy Hollow:Heads Will Roll Have you ever heard of The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow? It’s a wonderful story, written by Washington Irving in 1819. It was then made into a movie entitled Sleepy Hollow by the gothic film maker Tim Burton in 1999. Basically, it tells the story of a constable named Ichabod Crane sent to a small Dutch community called Sleepy Hollow in the state of New York to investigate the deaths of many people found with their heads cut off. The locals say that the murders have been committed by the legendary Headless Horseman and Ichabod does not believe this, but with the help of the fair Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the town’s richest man, and the young son of one of the victims, young Masbath, he finds out indeed that a horseman was the key to the murders, but that he was controlled by a person of flesh and blood that possessed his skull, Katrina’s evil stepmother! She killed everyone that made her family suffer in the past to avenge herself and she also assassinated everyone that stood in her path to steal the richest man in town’s fortune: her husband. So Ichabod then recuperates the skull, gives it back to the horseman who then takes Katrina’s mother into his bloody g rave with him. The story takes place in 1799, and the movie represents that time very well. For example, when they write, they use a feather and some ink instead of a pen. Also, there are no cars in the movie, only horses are used. Another thing that is representative of the e...

Cooking with Your Children Essay

How many parents take the time to cook with their children? How many of you were taught to cook by your parents or someone else in your family? I actually started cooking with my mother when I was 6 years old rolling out bread dough to make crescent rolls (homemade, of course). Due to my childhood experience, I now cook with my children at least twice a week. Since I am normally only home on the weekends to see my children, I use this time for bonding; as well as for teaching them skills that they will need in order to survive in today’s world, better known as life skills. Cooking with your children is great way to strengthen family bonds, while enforcing math and life skills. First, cooking with your children can create strong family bonds. This provides the opportunity for spending quality time with your children. While preparing meals, daily discussions regarding current topics in and about their lives are abound (â€Å"How was your day†, â€Å"What did you do in class†, â€Å"Have you spoken to your grandmother†). These discussions during meal preparation can lead to enjoyable moments that children tend to remember as they grow older. They then share these experiences and moments with their children [ (Eisenhower) ]. In the words of my favorite T. V. Cook, Alton Brown of â€Å"Good Eats†, â€Å"Cooking with children is just plain fun†. How can you not have fun in the kitchen while cooking with your children? Yes, it can be messy; yes, it can be time consuming; but that is what makes it a fun learning environment. Make mistakes, get messy, have fun. Secondly, cooking with your children will teach them a necessary life skill, a required skill that they will need in order to survive on their own. Cooking not only teaches food preparation, but also educates them on making healthy food choices [ (Eisenhower; Ryan) ]. By allowing them to cook for themselves, they are not dependent on fast food or constant dining out. It also teaches the principles of time management. For example, if for dinner we are having a roast that requires four hours of cooking then they need to consider that the additional sides or â€Å"fixings† should be prepared in a sequence that would allow them all to be ready at the same time as the roast. These basic life skills of cooking and time management are important for your child and are necessary for them to survive. Third, cooking with your children helps to reinforce their math skills. Having your child count the beans or carrot sticks gives them a reason to count. It makes counting fun & purposeful or â€Å"Purposeful Counting† [ (Marinelli) ]. Employing your children in the kitchen can be fun and will reinforce their measuring skills. Using the volume method of measuring, such as one-quarter cup of flour or two cups of sugar, helps children to visualize the actual measurement. In my household, we also use ruler measurements when baking. When making cinnamon rolls we measure the length and width of the rolled dough for proper sizing. In the case of the cinnamon roll dough, we are looking for a perfect rectangle. In other baking situations, we will use other geometric shapes including circles, triangles, squares, cones. Cooking also teaches and reinforces their skills at telling time, which will assist with proper time management. Such as with the aforementioned roast, if you put it in the oven at 4 P. M. and it takes one and half-hours to cook, you can ask, at what time does the roast have to be taken out of the oven? Having your children count, measure and tell time can reinforces those skills with â€Å"Purposeful Counting†. These activities conducted in a fun atmosphere and used in â€Å"real world† situations reinforce the basic life skills that are important. In conclusion, Cooking with your children can create a naturally fun environment for family bonding. It gives them some of the skills, cooking and time management, they will need to survive. As well, cooking reinforces their math skills by letting them use what they have learned in a â€Å"real world† situation. Taking the time to cook with your children will create stronger family bonds, teach them basic life skills that they will need as they grow older and reinforces many math skills that they will not only be able to utilize at home but in school too. Works Cited Brown, Alton. â€Å"Apple Family Values† Foodnetwork. com, Food Network Season 2 Episode EA1B03 Video. Eisenhower, Julie. â€Å"Cooking With Children. † The Saturday Evening Post , Curtis Publishing August 1975, 94-110 Print. Marinelli, Noel. â€Å"Count & Cook. † Scholastic Parent & Child, Scholastic Publishing March 2006, 73 Print. Ryan, Kelley & Andrea. â€Å"Cooking With Kids. Nebraska Kitchens, Nebraska Life Publishing June 20088, 37-39 Print.

TCS FInancial Statement analysis

Major Sources of Revenue: a) Revenue from operations: accounts for 98% of the total revenue of the firm and consists of the revenues from the below categories Information technology and consultancy services: contributes 97% of the total revenue from operations Sale of equipment and software lilicenses contributes 3% of the total revenue from operations b) Other Income: accounts for approximately 2% of the total revenue of the firm and consists of the revenues from the below major categories Interest Income: Contributes to 81. 0% of the total revenue from other income 73% of the Interest income comes from Interest on Bank & Interest on long term Bonds & Debentures. 25% of the Interest income comes from Inter-Corporate deposits. Profit from Sale of mutual funds and other current Investments Contributes to 0. 57% of the total revenue from other income Major Expenses a) Employee benefit expenses: consumes 35. 78% of the total operations revenue and consists of the below categories Salari es and incentives: accounts for 87. 57% of the total employee benefits expense Contributions to Provident fund & pension [Superannuation/Gratuity etc.Staff welfare expenses. b)BOperations and other Expenses: consumes 32. 11% of the total operations revenue and consists of the below major categories Overseas business expenses: – accounts for 43. 4 % of the total Operations and other Expenses Services rendered y business associates and others: – accounts for 18. 42% of the total Operations and other Expenses hardware and material costs: Software, – accounts for 1 1 the total Operations and other Expenses (c) Tax expenses: consume 7. 27% of the total operations revenue (d) Dividend on equity shares and tax thereon for Fiscal 2014 accounts increased by 40% Year on Year (7058. 2 crscoresiscal 2014) Major Uses of funds: a) Cash And Bank Balances: accounts for 21. 51% of the total Non-Current Investments and Current assets. Company has increased the Cash and Bank balan ces significantly in fiscal 2014. Horizontal analysis on the Balance Sheet for Cash and Bank Balances shows a Year on Year growth of 113. 34% for fiscal 2014. b)BPurchase of Fixed Assets: The Company has been investing in infrastructure development across various locations in India to meet its growing business needs. Additions to the gross block in fiscal 2014 amounted to 2,284. 7 crscoresHorizontal analysis on the Balance Sheet for fixed assets shows a Year on Year growth of 28. 27% for fiscal 2014. c)CNon-Current Investments: Company has increased the Non-Current Investments significantly in fiscal 2014. Horizontal analysis on the Balance Sheet for Non-Current Investments shows Year on Year growth of 134. 97% for fiscal 2014. d)DLong Term Loans & Advances: accounts for 10. 85% of the total Non-Current Investments and Current assets. e)EShort-term loans and advances: accounts for 6. 2% of the total Non-Current Question 2: Perform a horizontal and vertical analysis on the Balance Sh eet and Profit and Loss Account and comment on any significant changes that you observe over the last 2 years. AnNASPlease refer the attached excel sheet for arriving at the below conclusions a) Profit & Loss statement: Significant observations on Horizontal analysis. Net Profit After tax for Fiscal 2014 shows a Year on Year growth of 37. 70%. Net Profit After tax nearly doubled when compared with Fiscal 2012. EPPEPSEarnings per Share) also show consistent growth in the last few Fiscal years.EPPEPShows a Year on Year increase by 37. 58% in Fiscal 2014 Finance Cost for Fiscal 2014 has decreased significantly by 20%. Tax for Fiscal 2014 has increased significantly by 51% Year on Year. Profit & Loss statement: Significant observations on Vertical analysis. Despite a significant increase in the Employee base we find that Employee Expenses s a % of revenue remained constant around 35% in the last few Fiscal years Total Expenses as a % of revenue remained constant around 70% in the last f ew Fiscal years Total Tax as percentage of revenue, increased from 6. 37% in fiscal 2013 to 7. 2% b) Balance Sheet: Significant observations on Horizontal analysis. Non- Current liabilities shows a Year on Year growth of ofof4. 64% in Fiscal 2014. Fixed assets shows a Year on Year growth of 28. 27% in Fiscal 2014 Current liabilities shows a Year on Year growth of 34. 33% in Fiscal 2014. Reserves and Surplus shows a Year on Year growth of 27. 76% in Fiscal 2014. Share Capital shows a Year on Year negative growth of 33. 76% in Fiscal 2014. Current assets shows a Year on Year growth of 36. 62% in Fiscal 2014. Long Term borrowings shows a Year on Year negative growth of 2. 4% in Fiscal 2014. Balance Sheet: Significant observations on Vertical analysis. Cash and bank balances as a % of the total Assets excluding fixed assets increased from 12. 97% Fiscal 2013 to 21. 51% Fiscal 2014. Non-Current Investments as a % of the total Assets excluding fixed assets has been increasing steadily in the last few Fiscals. Short-term loans and advances as a % of the total Assets excluding fixed assets eccreasedrom 10. 81% in Fiscal 2013 to 6. 42% in Fiscal 2014. Goodwill as a % of the total Assets excluding fixed assets decreased from 6. 86% in Fiscal 2013 to 3. 7% Fiscal 2014. Question 3: Scrutinize the Notes to Accounts and Statement on Significant Accounting Policies and check for any deviations in accounting policy over the last year with respect to major items. AnNASThere were no deviations with respect to significant accounting policies. However TCTTSdopted a new hedge accounting principle under the below category. a)AForeign currency forward, option and futures contracts: TCTTSnters into foreign currency forward, option and futures contracts to manage its exposure to exchange rate fluctuations, in accordance with its risk management policies.With effect from January 1, 2014, the Company has adopted hedge accounting principles in line with International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (referred to as IFFIRS), which align more closely with the Company's risk management policy. The change has resulted in a reduction of ‘ 4. 76 crscoresn profit before tax in fiscal 2014. Question 4: Examine the Statement of Cash Flows for the last 2 years and point out the following: ) Major sources and Uses of cash: Sources: -Operations: Cash generated from operations, post adjustments to profit before tax, has gone up from 16,436. 77 crscoresn fiscal 2013 to ‘ 21,795. 4 crscoresn fiscal 2014, registering a growth of 32. 60% over the previous fiscal. -Income from Interest InInterestn funds invested went up by 71. 22%, from 798. 80 crscoresn fiscal 2013 to 1367. 72 Uses: crscoresn fiscal 2014. During fiscal 2014, the significant uses of cash were Acquisition of French Company AlAlit. A. foFor52. 41 crscoresPayment of Dividend & dividend tax for 5,489. 54 CrScoresurchase of fixed assets Increase in inter-corporate deposits Investment in fixed deposit. Pay Taxes amounting to 7,043. 63 CrScoresover Working Capital expenditures (b) Were the cash flows from operations greater than or less than net income?Explain in detail the major reason for the differences in these 2 figures. For Fiscal 2014, by referring to the Consolidated financial statements we get the below fgfiguresNet Cash provided by from Operating activities = 14751. 41 CrScoreset Profit for the year = 19163. 87 crscoresnNASNet Cash provided by from operating activities is less the net income. Explanation: Working Capital fgfiguresnder the categories below are the major reasons for reducing the Net Cash value provided by from operating activities below the net income. ) Unbilled Revenue – (811. 60) CrScores) Trade Receivables – (4015. 80) CrScoresc) Was the firm able to generate enough cash from its operations to be able to pay for all its capital expenditures? For Fiscal 2014, by referring to the Consolidated financial statements we can arrive at the below table. Net Cash provided by/Used in Fiscal 2014 Fiscal 2013 Operating activities 14,751. 41 11,614. 96 Investing activities (9,667. 08) (6,085. 66) Financing activities 5,673. 24) (5,729. 48) Exchange difference on translation of foreign currency 21 5. 41 48. 5 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents after translation (373. 50) (152. 13) Purchase of fixed assets accounted for (3126. 15) CrScoresf the Net Cash of (9,667. 08) crscoressed in investing activities. From the above table we can clearly infer that the company generated enough cash from Operating activities to fund the capital expenditures on its own. (d) Did the cash flow from operations cover both the capital expenditures and payment of dividend, if any? AnNASDividend paid accounted for (5480. 7) CrScoresf the Net Cash of (5673. 24) crscoressed in financing activities.From the above table we can clearly infer that the company generated enough cash from Operating activities to fund both capital expenditures & payment of dividends on its own. (e) How did your firm invest its excess cash (if any)? Cash flow statement from Investing Activities indicate that the excess cash that remains after investing and financing is mamajoraintained in Short-term bank deposits. From the Cash Flow Statements we can see that Short Term deposits increased from 4911. 46 crscoresn Fiscal 2013 to 12948. 9 CrScoresn Fiscal 2014. This accounts for a significant growth of 163%. g)GAre there any other unusual / extraordinary items of cash inflow / outflow? AnNASCash outflow due to Taxes: Cash Flow Statements indicate a significant increase in Taxes for Tax for Fiscal 2014. Taxes have increased significantly by 46% Year on Year. By referring to Management Discussion & Analysis & Notes forming consolidated statements we can infer that company has paid (1) Additional tax of 2,129. 82 crscoresaid by TCTTStd on its higher income for the year and (2) 92. 00 crscoresf higher tax on dividend received y TCTTStd from its overseas subsi diaries.