Simulaitons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simulaitons - Essay Example In the present case, the optimum solution is obtained for- Profit maximized ($1254) when Tables for 4=10, Tables for 2=8, wait staff=3 and kitchen staff=2. Loss of sales is least ($941). Other than the proposed alternatives, we can have two more possible solutions. There are basically, two areas of concern namely- Order taking and the ovens. The speed of operation at both these places directly influences the waiting time. Therefore, the optimal automation of these two areas would do a great deal of good even if there were initial investments to be made. A) Given the significant downtime and relocation costs, once you have decided to reconfigure equipment to improve process layout, how do you balance the immediate production requirements versus future needs for the facility There must always be a scope for future improvement, and so in order to achieve this, there must always be an effort for finding out better alternatives and under the present situation, the existing production must not stop, and so the best option for this would be to relocate only one thing at a time. This will ensure that current production stays unaffected and there is scope for future additions into any vacant space. B) The "cost of delay" is an important cost t

Fauji Fertilizer Company Ffc Background Management Essay

Fauji Fertilizer Company Ffc Background Management Essay In 2002, FFC acquired ex Pak Saudi Fertilizers Limited Urea Plant, situated at Mirpur Mathelo. This acquisition, worth PKR 8,151 million, is one of the largest industrial sector transactions in Pakistan to date. Today, FFC has three plants with a combined capacity of 5,770 MTPD of prilled urea. It is one of the thirty biggest companies of Pakistan, represented via the KSE-30.2 Along with being one of the largest urea producers in the country, FFC is involved in training manpower and providing turnaround services within Pakistan and in the Middle East. A timeline of the evolution of FFC ensues.3 1978: Incorporation of the Company. 1982: Commissioning of Plant I, Goth Machhi with annual capacity of 570 thousand tonnes. 1991: Listed with Karachi and Lahore Stock Exchanges. 1992: Through the De-Bottle Necking (DBN) programme, the production capacity of Plant I was increased to 695 thousand tonnes per year. 1992: Listed with Islamabad Stock Exchange. 1993: Commissioning of Plant II, Goth Machhi with annual capacity of 635 thousand tonnes of Urea. 1993: Initial investment in Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited, a DAP and Urea manufacturing concern; currently stands at Rs 4.75 billion representing 50.88% equity share. 1997: With achievement of Quality Management System certification in Goth Machhi, FFC became the first fertilizer plant in Pakistan to achieve this distinction. 2002: FFC acquired ex Pak Saudi Fertilizers Limited (PSFL) Urea Plant situated in Mirpur Mathelo (Plant III) with annual capacity of 574 thousand tonnes of urea, which was the largest industrial sector transaction in Pakistan at that time. 2003: FFC obtained certification of Occupational Health Safety Assessment Series, OHSAS-18001:1999. 2004: With investment in Pakistan Maroc Phosphore, Morocco S.A. of Rs 706 million, FFC has equity participation of 12.5% in PMP. 2008: Investment of Rs 1.5 billion in Fauji Cement Company Limited, currently representing 6.79% equity participation. 2008: DBN of Plant III was executed and commissioned successfully for enhancement of capacity to 718 thousand tonnes annually. 2010: Investment in FFC Energy Limited, Pakistans first wind power electricity generation project. 2011: SAP ERP implemented in the Company, improving business processes by reducing time lags and duplication of work. Vision Pakistan is a burgeoning market, not just in terms of head count, but also in advancement in the way agri-business is now carried out. Gone are the days of antiquated fertilizers, instead, only the best is now sought. FFC foresees this market to be extremely lucrative. It wants customers to benefit from its palette of product offerings, both domestic and outside the home country. It seeks to be thought of as not just the best there is, but also as a conscientious and caring company. FFC aims to be positioned as a very well-rounded organization in the minds of all its stakeholders, whether external or internal. Its value chain has quality at its core. It strives to be successful via total integration of streamlined processes, incomparable products, driven and motivated workforce, and extraordinary service, all the while staying ahead of the competition and continuously scanning the market. Corporate Strategy Our flexible and dynamic corporate strategy strives for enhancing customer satisfaction by adding value over the long run. We aim at creating value for the stakeholders by maintaining and improving our competitive position in the market. This is achieved by focusing on our sustainable competitive advantage that is derived by continuously assembling and exploiting an appropriate combination of resources and capabilities in response to the changing market conditions. Our organizational culture is one of our most fundamental competitive advantages. We have built and preserved an innovation-adept culture, a culture that promotes transparency and accountability through honesty, integrity and diligence in our dealing with employees, customers, financial market, government, regulatory authorities, and all the other stakeholders. Diversification in business line is also being considered. Our unique corporate strategy gets aligned with the resource allocation system and flows down to the oper ational levels, thus ensuring its implementation at all levels along with the achievement of the intended results.6 FFC focuses on value addition. This means that everyone at the company tries to make each subsequent year better than the previous one. This enhances the value creation process. For this, the corporate strategy is characterised by flexibility and innovation, which are also the core components of the culture of the organization. FFC prides itself on having been able to develop a culture which is innovative, transparent, and honest. Innovation allows FFC to be able to anticipate and prepare for change, by aligning its internal strengths with the external opportunities. Transparency enables FFC to satisfy every stakeholders requisites, since nothing is swept under the rug. This promotes diligent behaviour and accountability at all levels. Honesty is a trait which is valued from the very top to the very bottom of the hierarchy at FFC. It is this particular combination of all the above that the culture is both employee centric and customer centric. The human element, be it in the form of a worker/manager or a customer, is highly valued at FFC. Therefore, while the former is kept abreast of everything that goes on in the organization, the latter is assured of premium quality product and premium quality service every single time. Organization is all about teamwork. FFC is aware of this, which is why it demands uncompromising integrity and hard work from all individuals, so that the sum is greater than the parts. There is mutual understanding, trust, and interdependence. In return, FFC has a very worker friendly environment. Commitments within the company as well as with business partners, suppliers and customers are valued and kept. FFC is founded upon the principles7 of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Honesty in communication; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Excellence in products and services; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consistency and synchronisation in words and actions; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Compassion in relationships within the micro and mega environments of the organization; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fairness to all stakeholders through adherence to laws, regulations and policies. FFCs Financial Health Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) enjoys stable gas supply from Mari gas fields because they come under Fauji Foundations ownership. This translates into a huge competitive advantage over other fertilizer manufacturers, which are linked with the Sui-based networks. Financial highlights of FFC for the current year appear in the table below. These are for the period ended September 30, 2012.8 2012 (Rs 000) 2011 (Rs 000) Turnover 29,208,413 36,321,157 Cost of sales -22,778,306 -22,565,347 Gross Profit 6,430,107 13,755,810 Administrative Expenses -677,700 -550,247 Other Income 695,185 1,092,089 Taxation -991,876 -3,721,386 Profit after Tax 2,130,481 7,169,794 Earnings per share (Rs.) 2.28 7.68 Source: FFCs Annual Report for the Third Quarter, 2012 Revenue increased by 49% during the first half of 2012, due to high urea prices and sales of imported DAP. FFC urea sales exceeded 500,000 tons in June, which made up for declining sales in the first five months of 2012. In total, urea sales were up by 6% to 1.2 million tons in the period under review.9 Urea prices remained volatile from April to June 2012, as the GoP decided on a price slash for May, along with an announcement of reversal of Rs 50 per bag in June. This was much needed so as to be able to compete with cheaper imported fertilizer, due to government subsidy on it. FFCs urea plant underwent 30% gas curtailment last year, which was ten percent more than that decided for the plants operating on the Sui gas network. This resulted in an extended shutdown of 27 days of the urea plant, and a decline of 17% in urea production, on a YoY basis. The scenario on the DAP front was opposite to the one on the urea front. In spite of the gas curtailment, FFC managed to operate the DAP plant at a level which exceeded 2010s production level of 0.66 million tons. Due to the imposition of Gas Infrastructure and Development Surcharge (GIDS), gross profit margin was 47% during April to June 2012, a decline of 12.52 percentage points on a yearly basis. This was also exacerbated by the net reduction of Rs 100 per bag of urea during the same period. Other income was unable to support the bottom line as it declined by 15%, mainly due to lack of dividend earning from subsidiary Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited. Financial charges increased by 36% which can be explained by the increase in short-term borrowings. However, long-term borrowings have declined, and the Company was able to have a very healthy debt to equity ratio (19% in 2011 as compared to 49% in 2006). Debt increased due to the Companys decision to revamp its urea and DAP plants several years back. FFC has been able to repay its long-term obligations because of its sustainable revenue stream. 10 IT Vision The IT Strategy at FFC shall complement our Corporate Vision by business transformation through technology innovation, introducing best practices and connecting our processes for timely information and optimized performance to succeed in our endeavours.11 Information Systems SAP project: the implementation of SAP ERP is finally complete, with the transformation from Legacy to SAP system gone smoothly at all locations. BMS: a Building Management System (BMS) is a centralized computer based control system, linking equipment for ventilation, fire, security, power, etc. onto one platform, which enables timely and coordinated response to different facilities at the same time. Also, the integrated end-to-end system optimizes energy consumption. Electronic recruitment: FFC launched an online career portal in accordance with its HR department, and development of the portal by its IT division. All this has been done to make the recruiting process efficient, and to match individuals to jobs. SAP implementation support: IT at all locations provided support to SAP users in learning to use and adapt to SAP. This support comprised of trainings, onsite and offsite support, and troubleshooting. Technical support was also provided to help resolve outstanding issues, in alliance with functional teams at SAP Project Office. Information Security Penetration testing at branch sites: the information security department contributed hugely in that it secured its information network post SAP implementation. It assessed the potential threats which could pose a security risk towards the FFC network and/or the SAP system. Security awareness sessions at branch sites and the Head Office: the importance of information security was imparted to employees everywhere via awareness sessions. Some of the key points covered in these sessions were security risks, threat vectors, hacking trends, etc. More than 200 employees of FFC attended these sessions at their respective sites. Business Model Fauji Fertilizer Company has several important factors at the heart of its business. These have been summed up in a business model, with three components, at FFC. Growth Drivers FFCs growth is primarily driven by exponential expansion in sales revenue, powered by strong demand for our product and effective distribution network all over the country. Efficiency enhancement is our long term goal. We continuously seek opportunities to improve efficiency of our business processes to optimise costs, utilising less to produce more. Our sales are largely cash based, which gives us the margin to effectively utilise available cash resources to fulfil the Companys working capital requirements, and hence minimise external funding requirements resulting in reduced finance costs. 12 What fuels growth at FFC? The retained earnings, which are the result of ever increasing demand for fertilizer. The Company is cost effective, which allows it to reduce dependency on external funding. Our Key Assets Human capital is by far our most treasured asset, directly affecting performance of the Companys business processes, ensuring success every year. Among our most valuable assets is our brand name Sona, which is the soul behind our existence, growth and prosperity. We are continuously investing in our production facilities to enhance operational efficiency and fuel the key growth drivers. Our extensive distribution network extends to all provinces of the Country, ensuring maximum market presence.13 What makes FFC click? Its workforce. Its brand name, Sona, which helped in putting FFC on the map. Investment in production facilities to have lean operations. Strong distribution. How We Leverage Our Assets Our assets in turn are leveraged by our management excellence and our consumer centric approach. Our strategies are focused around consumer satisfaction and quality perfection. The pursuit of excellence in every sphere of operation is our aim which ensures continued success. Our farsighted management strategies are focused on development of our key assets which form the foundation for future growth.14 Success at FFC results from managerial excellence, focus on the customer, no compromise on quality, and a long term orientation. REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY USED SAP ERP SAP AG (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) is a German multinational software corporation, which makes enterprise software to manage business operations, customer relations, operations, and record keeping. SAP ERP15 (Enterprise Resource Planning) is an integrated software solution that utilizes and consolidates information from all business functions and departments in an organization. It provides solutions for the following aspects of any business, with the modules in bullet points: SAP ERP Financials Accounts payable/Accounts receivable Financial reporting Risk management/Regulatory compliance Cash flow monitoring Travel management SAP ERP Human Capital Management HR and payroll Labour force analysis Placement/Recruitment and training/Talent management SAP ERP Operations Procurement and logistics Product development and manufacturing Sales and service Operations analytics Implementation On January 10th, 2011, one of the biggest feathers in FFCs cap was the implementation of the SAP, under its transition to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Abacus Consulting was its technical partner and consultant. Initially, SAP was used in tandem with FFCs old system, Legacy, but eventually, the latter was completely done away with. FFC holds the distinction of pioneering the introduction of an ERP system in Pakistan.16 FFCs management went ahead with the idea of SAP implementation believing that it would create value addition in departments of marketing, supply chain, finance, accounting, human resource, and procurement, amongst others. The SAP implementation at FFC was carried out in several phases. Despite the management being satisfied with the entire revamping program, the system is not without its drawbacks. The most crucial of these is that SAP cannot be operated optimally until the user has complete command over its functions. Therefore, consultants and/or specialists are required if SAP has to be fully utilized for its benefits at such an early stage of its installation. SAP ERP consists of several modules and sub-modules, an outline of which appears above. The software takes the information, data, statistics, etc. from all the modules, and combines them to facilitate the organizations decision making, process streamlining, human effort expended, through product design and development, production and inventory control, human resources, finance and accounting. This overall procedure is known as enterprise resource planning, and it is carried out on a companywide scale. If this procedure is carried out correctly, any organization can transcend from its old system to this fully integrated software. The magnitude of benefits to be reaped is huge, e.g. efficient business processes, inventory reduction, and lead time reduction, to name a few. Updates in SAP only need to be done once, and they automatically get implemented company-wide. It provides real time information, reducing the possibility of redundancy errors, shortages, and higher TATs. Areas like s upply chain, procurement, finance and accounting stand to benefit greatly. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the negative aspects. Firstly, the software is anything but cheap. Secondly, it is not just expensive; it is very technical, sophisticated, and intricate. Companies face problems while implementing SAP ERP software, for example, failing to be specific about operational objectives, no orientation towards change, flexibility, and futuristic perspective, and lack of a learning organization. The following sections detail some of the major advantages and disadvantages of using SAP.17, 18 Advantages of SAP Integration: SAP does not focus on or improve individual performance, so the goal of using SAP should be getting benefits from integration. This reduces erroneous data entry and overlapping entries. Flexibility: SAP allows organizations to create their own framework of operations within the SAP structure. This framework dictates issues like access levels of employees, signoffs required at which level, flagged and correct transactions, etc. For example, FFC has the authority to determine which employee can access what area in the SAP structure. Analytical software: apart from being able to keep track of various activities going on simultaneously, both short- and long-term, SAP has in-built analytical features. For example, it can monitor the value chain, and then evaluate when the next shipment or order is due, and time it accordingly. Monitoring, evaluation, decision making, and execution, are all enabled via the usage of SAP, all at once. Disadvantages of SAP Expensive: being able to utilize SAP optimally entails software, hardware, implementation, consulting, training, hiring specialists, programmers, repair and maintenance staff, etc. Employees have to be trained in those aspects of the software that they have access to. The story does not end here, because trainers might leave after training personnel, but the repair and maintenance experts need to be kept on retainer. Other ongoing costs include those incurred for software up gradation. If IT experts or consultants are outsourced, even that increases the labour costs of the organization overall. Hidden costs arise along the way of SAP systems integration projects. SAP projects are expensive enough to begin with. Add to that the burden of additional unanticipated costs, and the corporation can say goodbye to a high ROI. A common example of such a cost is those work items that were not part of the original project plan. These include custom modifications, applying more resources to areas of the implementation that were outside the project plan, etc. Detrimental to user accuracy: software does not have the ability to detect errors, and SAP is no exception. It also falls prey to the carried-forward error. The employees know that once a wrong entry has been made, it will be a part of the entire database of information. This makes employees/users more susceptible to make mistakes. Complexity: due to this feature of SAP, organizations spread out the implementation over a period of time, rather than all at once. The complete implementation might take several years, which also enhances employees skill set in pieces. The time taken for complete integration might become so exhaustive that the managements focus on post-integration planning be pushed into oblivion. The management might just settle for the system integration, and unconsciously avoid what is coming after the integration. Management: project managers, in some instances, have to deal with problems and provide solutions, instead of the users who logged in the original complaints into SAP. The software calls for scope management, which not every employee is capable of. ORACLE E-BUSINESS SUITE Oracle Corporation is an American multinational specializing in developing software for enterprises, with a focus on database management systems. It also has software for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM), to name a few.19 The company offered software for the financial aspect of businesses in late 1980s. Now however, its product palette is not just limited to ERP, CRM, or SCM, instead it reaches into areas like warehouse management, human resource, procurement, product lifecycle management, etc. Expansion and growth of Oracles application software business has come about through acquisitions and in-house developments. Oracle resorted to product bundling when it came up with its Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 (Oracle EBS R12). This version keeps Oracles core database management system technology intact, and the E-Business Suite branches out into several product lines.20 Oracle CRM Oracle Financials Oracle HRMS Oracle Mobile Supply Chain Applications Oracle Order Management Oracle Procurement Oracle Project Portfolio Management Oracle Quotes Oracle Transportation Management Oracle Warehouse Management Systems Oracle Inventory Oracle Enterprise Asset Management FERTILIZER INDUSTRY REVIEW For many developing countries, the focus is on economic recovery after the financial crisis of 2007-08. However, issues of increasing population and rising food prices have made food security a big concern for policy makers as well. The latter two issues are equally, if not more, important for the underdeveloped countries, and Pakistan is no exception. Pakistan is an agro-based economy. The agriculture sector has provided the impetus for economic growth. This can be observed by the fact that it provides employment to almost 45% of the total labour force, in one way or the other. It is a seasonal sector, so there are jobs all-year round. On the reverse side of this picture, income generated from this sector fuels demand for products made by other sectors (industrial and tertiary). This interdependence, so to speak, is indicative of the importance of this sector for Pakistan. Almost 21% of GDP is contributed by the agricultural sector.21 Some major crops and their contribution appear below: Crops Production (kt) 2009/10 Production CAGR 2000/01 2009/10 Yield (Kt/Acre) 2009/10 Gross Value Addition of Major Crops Wheat 23,864 2.60% 1.07 39% Cotton 2,159 1.90% 0.28 22% Rice 6,883 4.20% 0.97 18% Sugarcane 49,373 1.30% 21.2 10% Source: Economic Survey of Pakistan 2009/10 The agriculture sector of Pakistan was adversely affected due to the floods approximately two and a half years ago. They had damaged around 30% of the agricultural area, and resulted in crop losses worth USD 2.5 billion. This flood damage also affected the fertilizer sector. This is due to the evident strong inter linkages between the agriculture sector and the fertilizer industry.22 Crop-wise damage and the area affected are shown in the table below. Crops Affected Area (mn acres) Area Affected Cotton 1.3 17% Rice 1.4 23% Sugarcane 0.4 16% Source: Fertilizers in Pakistan. Demand, Production and Imports. By Eqan Ali Khan, Business Head, Fert and Agri Commodities; Mar 30, 2011 The fertilizer industry in Pakistan is basically an oligopoly. This oligopoly is characterised by 4 major players in the market: Fauji Fertilizer Company, Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited, Engro Fertilizer, and Dawood Hercules Fertilizer. A new and fast growing addition is Fatima Fertilizer, of the Fatima Group. If we look at the production of urea by the four companies respective contribution, FFC and FFBL dominate by producing 48% of the total, Engro produces 15%, and Dawood Hercules produces 6%. Almost 20% is imported and distributed through NFML. When we look at the production of phosphorus, a similar pattern emerges. FFC and FFBL stand at 47%, Engro at 28%, Agritech at 2%, RG at 1% and around 22% is imported. C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorDesktopUntitled.png Source: Fertilizers in Pakistan. Demand, Production and Imports. By Eqan Ali Khan, Business Head, Fert and Agri Commodities; Mar 30, 2011 Fertilizer production is concentrated in nitrogenous fertilizers, which comprises 85% of all fertilizers produced in the country. Although other types of fertilizers are also produced in Pakistan, the main reason for this concentration on nitrogenous fertilizers is that its main raw material, i.e. natural gas, is cheaply available in the country. The raw material for other fertilizers such as potassium and phosphate has to be imported.23 Fertilizer is Pakistans most important and expensive input in agricultural production. The contribution that the use of balanced fertilizer makes towards increasing yield varies from around 30 to 60 percent in different crops production. Almost all of Pakistans soil is deficient in nitrogen (N), 80 to 90 percent is deficient in phosphorus (P), and 30 percent is lacking in potassium (K).24 Land used for just one type of crop is facing declining fertility, for the obvious reason that only certain nutrients are being used. When these land holdings are not used in crop rotation, the soil does not get replenished, and productivity for future crops declines. Nutrient Actual (Kg/Acre) Recommended (Kg/Acre) Nitrogen 41 41 Phosphorous 9 20.5 Potassium 0.4 10.3 Source: Fertilizers in Pakistan. Demand, Production and Imports. By Eqan Ali Khan, Business Head, Fert and Agri Commodities; Mar 30, 2011 From July 2011 to March 2012, domestic production of fertilizer decreased by 1.4%. This was the result of the industry experiencing a curtailment in the supply of natural gas, which is the main raw material for producing urea, therefore some urea plants produced less than their production capacity. However, import of urea made up for this slack, increasing the supply of fertilizer by 16.3%. On the consumption side however, this increase in supply was met by a reduction of 4.9%. Screen Shot 2012-11-19 at 11.55.38.png Source: Fertilizers in Pakistan. Demand, Production and Imports. By Eqan Ali Khan, Business Head, Fert and Agri Commodities; Mar 30, 2011 Two major reasons for this reduced fertilizer consumption was the heavy and destructive rains in Sindh province, and the price hike faced by all fertilizers. The price of urea went up by 81.4% in July-March, 2011-12 (as compared to the same period of the last fiscal year). The prices of DAP, CAN and NP also increased by 38.8%, 75.5%, and 45.7%, respectively, over the same period last year.25 Fertilizer Pre-GST Co. to Dealer Transfer Prices (Rs/Ton) Taxation Impact Post GST Co. to Dealer Transfer Prices (Rs/Ton) Urea 20,400 13.20% 23,100 DAP 66,025 19.14% 78,660 MOP 48,200 17.05% 56,420 Source: Engro Analytics The actual price which the dealer faces is truly seen after the tax burden has been accounted for. The differential is huge, as the figures in the table above show. Pakistan is able to produce approximately 7 million tons of urea annually currently. Out of this total, capacity of 4 million tons is dependent upon gas from Mari gas fields, and the other 3 million tons on Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). During 2011, all these plants produced a little less than 5 million tons of urea.26 In the past, gas supply to fertilizer units linked to SNGPL was curtailed in winter. However, last year, units receiving gas from Mari faced 20% curtailment, and the ones getting gas from SGGPL and SSGC faced mandatory closure up to 60 days. In 2012, this mandatory closure is expected to exceed 90 days. The sorry state of affairs can be assessed by the fact that from January 1 till October 31, 2011, fertilizer plants on the SNGPL network received the equivalent of just 3.5 days of gas per week, relative to other sectors, which received 4 to 5 days of gas a week. For the fertilizer industry, gas is an input without which it cannot manufacture urea, whereas for other sectors, it is not an absolute necessity.27 If current levels of gas curtailment are adhered to, industry experts expect urea production to be around 4.8 million tons during 2012. However, this is an optimistic number. Realistically, units will probably have difficulty in achieving even this production level, mainly due to the widening gap between demand and supply of gas as projected by the government. It is pertinent to bear in mind that even if subsidy on gas were to be completely abolished by the Government, Fauji Foundation has under its ownership and control Mari gas fields. In a manner of speaking, backward vertical integration exists, so any adverse change in regulations regarding gas subsidy will not be detrimental to FFCs operations. With the demand for urea forecasted to be 6.3 million tons in 2012, the shortfall is expected to be around 1.5 million tons. This is a very bleak scenario for the economy, since internal capacity is well able to meet this demand. Externally, when imports will be resorted to, they will erode the countrys foreign exchange by USD 600 million, at the very least, based on current prices, and may be even more costly if international prices rise. It is expected that any hike in crude oil prices will automatically escalate urea prices in the international markets. Growing tension between the United States and Iran has already initiated a spiraling increase in global crude oil prices.28 Under consideration is the possibility that urea manufacturers should exercise the LNG import option to meet the shortfall in gas supply. There exist two schools of thought regarding this debate. One says that running plants on LNG is not feas

Frankenstein :: essays research papers fc

Frankenstein the novel and movie had a few similarities and many differences. Robert De Niro plays the Creature and he does a good job portraying the creature in the novel. Kenneth Branagh plays Victor Frankenstein and his play was good with the way he showed the consequences he faced during his life. Henena Bonham Carter is Elizabeth who has an important role in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1994 film, Robert De Niro is the creature. They d o an excellent job with the special effects and he looks exactly like how he is described in the book. â€Å"What kind of people is it in which I am comprised? Good people? Bad ds people?† (Shelley 56) In the beginning, it’s similar to the novel a man creates life from dead tissue. Then the creature escapes and creates havoc among the people. When the monster awakes in the movie, like the book, shows the monster is kind and gentle until he realizes he is not accepted or loved. However, in the book this period of corruption goes into much greater detail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The human’s reactions to the monster are also very similar. â€Å"Everyone starts at the sight of him, runs from his frightening features, or tries to kill him out of fear. In the film, the monster is incapable of speech, and the audience does not have the opportunity to view any thread of humanity within him.†(Frankenstein page 3) Instead of feeling pity, the movies aim is to invoke horror or fear. Specific scenes are also changed. When the monster finds a young girl by the water, instead of saving her like the book, he throws her into the water. Next is Victor Frankenstein and he is being played by Kenneth Branagh, who is the young scientist, around whose creation the story revolves around .He is the creator of the monster. Kenneth does a good job showing the problems he had growing up and the way his family got in the way of his experiments. From the film, one can see the affection towards his family and his love for experimenting with dead people. The film does show way too much romance and not enough blood and gore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henena Bonham Carter is Elizabeth. Henena does a well job of portraying Elizabeth. She does show the affection she has towards Victor, the picture that she creates is exactly as it is from the novel.

Research Methods, Quantitative and Qualitative Data Essay

Introduction The study of Research Methods has become both a more important and significant part of sport in recent years and there has been a rapid growth in interest in the theoretical side of Sport and Exercise. In this assignment I will be talking about the key issues in Research Methods for Sport and Exercise Sciences and focusing on two aspects in particular – Qualitative and Quantitative research. I will be giving examples and opinions of these methods and pointing out advantages and disadvantages backed up by references. Finally I will conclude, comparing the two and giving my opinion on which method of research is more superior. Task 1: Description of Quantitative Research. â€Å"Quantitative research involves either trying to discover a relationship or testing a hypothesis and is generally deductive research (this means that a scientist would start at a hypothesis and then begin observations to prove it). It is designed to establish differences, relationships or causality.† This type of research is both formal, factual and a systematic process in which numerical data is used to obtain information and is not influenced by emotions or personal prejudices. I feel this can also be described as using data and statistics to form an opinion. In line with the scenario outlined in this assignment, we know that research is a collection and analysis of data. An Example of Quantitative Research I am including in this report is that number of training sessions can or cannot determine an athlete’s performance. An example of where this is evident is when detraining the aerobic system in a runner, the participants level of VO2max (the maximal oxygen uptake or the maximum volume of oxygen that can be utilized) decreases. Recent studies show that there is little reduction in VO2max for the first ten days following inactivity in high performance athletes. It is cautiously mentioned that all of these guidelines assume the runner is a high performer, training consistently across a 4 – 6 month period of time. Beginner runners will lose fitness at a slightly faster rate as they have a smaller base of fitness. After two weeks of not running, studies prove that runners VO2max decreases by 6%. After 9 weeks VO2max drops by 19% and after 11 weeks of no running, studies show that VO2 max of an athlete falls by 25.7% from peak physical fitness. These statistics were obtained using  gaseous analysis where an athlete would be monitored on the development of their aerobic endurance and to find an e stimate of their VO2max. This type of quantitative research allows us to asses a runner’s fitness with numerical data at the end and is therefore factual and not opinion formulated. Advantages of Quantitative Research I believe an advantageous aspect of quantitative research is that it is based on facts and is therefore indisputable. Such like ‘the minimum weight for a flat jockey is 50.8kg’. Similarly a jump jockey needs to be a weight of 63.5kg, another example of a factual, quantitative statistic. Another reason why quantitative research is beneficial in Sport and Exercise Science is that it allows an approach which cannot be determined or interpreted, by opinions or feelings, it is simply factual†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢data talks’. Other positive factors are that it can generalise a research finding meaning differences are not considered, also the research conducts environment and situation and data analysis is less time consuming. Disadvantages of Quantitative Research A disadvantage in my opinion regarding this method of research is that it is too data driven and doesn’t account for emotion and the one emotion in particular that I feel can determine a stat or piece of numerical data and that is passion! It also overlooks factors such as, motivation, others understanding, emotion, also knowledge produce may be too abstract or influenced by environment or situation. Finally a significant point is that data analysis error may occur and give an inaccurate, unreliable or invalid conclusion Description of Qualitative Research â€Å"Quantitative Research is a subjective form of research that tries to explain differences, relationships or causality using non numerical data such as words† This type of research is based on personal opinion and experience, its aim is to explain differences, links, or something being caused and is a more social form of research, using techniques such as interviews, therefore concluding with non-numerical findings. Example of Qualitative Research I think that qualitative research is useful for discovering many things, including a commonly asked question – Why do people participate in sport? When it comes to sport participation, interviewing is the best technique to gather information. The interview allows the researcher to probe into the reasons why people participate and enjoy some sports and not others. An example to demonstrate this is that an interview with Spanish number 1 Rafael Nadal allowed a researcher to find out why Nadal decided to start playing tennis at such a young age. He quoted â€Å"I chose tennis because it was introduced to me by my uncle Toni, and from the first time I held a racket I knew that I needed nothing else† it is interviews with people like this whose words allow us to realise the emotions behind his choice of sport and looks at another aspect away from his stats. we now know that his success is party behavioural and that his passion and motivation is what drives his capabilities. This has led him to a very successful career. Advantages of Qualitative Research Qualitative research is very useful for in depth study, meaning a researcher can go into further detail about an athlete or topic, it is also useful for describing complex phenomena. The data collected is usually conducted in a natural setting, away from a lab so results aren’t too data driven and are more in the words of the participant. Disadvantages of Qualitative Research Despite many positives, qualitative research is very specific to the person being studied or observed. It also has lower credibility as it is not factual and results could be easily influenced or even biased, due to premeditated answers Bibliography www.moodle.hartpury.ac.uk www.skysports.com www.theguardian.com www.sportsblog.com www.bbcsport.com

Reflection of Daily Nutrition Intake Essay

Hypothesis: My daily caloric intake is anticipated to be higher than the recommended allowance of carbohydrates, lipids and sodium; however, it is expected to be lower than the recommended allowance for proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Research: In the United States, people use almost their entire food budget on processed foods which often have been treated with chemicals after being harvested or butchered. These chemicals are additives and preservatives which are substances intended to change the food before it is purchased by customers. Additives can be flavorings that enhance the food’s taste, dyes that alter the color, and dietary additives, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other supplements. Preservatives are used to extend a products shelf life by preventing bacterial or fungal growth, oxidation (which can lead to the discoloration or rancidity), or inhibiting the natural ripening of fruits and vegetables. Packaging is considered an â€Å"Indirect Food Additive† because it can add substances to the food it protects. A common preservative in the food that I eat is called propionic acid, which prevents mold in bread. Also, most processed foods rely on additives to restore the flavor that is lost in processing or create new flavors altogether. For example McDonald’s chicken products like Chicken McNuggets ® add â€Å"chicken flavor†. A food additive is considered fit for human consumption after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves it. However, this decision can prove to be poor because when certain chemicals are added to processed food products, some of these food and color additives provoke an allergic reaction or other critical health problems. For example, monosodium glutamate (MSG) causes headaches, nausea, weakness, difficulty breathing, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, and chest pain. This can be avoided because it is required for all of the ingredients to be listed on the food label. Unfortunately, additives and preservatives are often unclear as to what they include. Saturated fat is found in foods from animals and certain types of plants. Foods from animals include beef, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, and other dairy products made from milk. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat inclu de coconut, tropical oils, and cocoa butter. Two types of unsaturated fat are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. They are found mostly in fish, nuts, seeds and oils from assorted plants. Trans-fatty acids are found in small amounts in various animal products such as beef, pork, lamb and the butterfat in butter and milk. Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are considered to be healthy because they may help lower one’s blood cholesterol level when replacing saturated and trans fats. Unsaturated fatty acids are found in two different types: â€Å"cis† and â€Å"trans.† These terms refer to the hydrogen atoms physical positioning around the carbon chain. The cis form is more common than the trans form. In some studies hydrogenated fats, or trans fats, mostly raised the total LDL cholesterol level and lower the HDL cholesterol levels. This could result in the heightened risk of heart disease. Essential Vitamins and Minerals are often called micronutrients because only a small portion is needed to live a healthy lifestyle. Without these micronutrients one is almost guaranteed to become infected with a disease like scurvy, blindness or rickets. Although they are both considered micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic ways. Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid. Minerals on the other hand are inorganic and hold on to their chemical structure. Essential Vitamins include Fat-Soluble and Water-Soluble Vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins are B and C and the fat-Soluble Vitamins are A, D, E, and K. The fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E, and K. Firstly, Vitamin A is vital for good vision, prevents night blindness, keeps mucous membranes healthy and is necessary for healthy skin and hair growth. Next, Vitamin D is found in foods obtained from the sun. It helps bones use the mineral calcium to build strong bones and it prevents rickets. Also, Vitamin E helps breakdown polyunsaturated fats. It is an antioxidant that protects blood cell membranes from too much oxygen. Finally the fat-soluble Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood. It can be found in foods or produced in bacteria in the small intestines. The water-soluble vitamins are B and C. C is the most famous vitamin, and is also referred to as ascorbic acid. It helps form collagen, grow and repair body tissue and blood vessels, and prevent scurvy. However, too much Vitamin C can lead to the creation of Kidney stones and the breakdown of red blood cells. Vitamin B is complex and has several different types such as B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), Naicin, B6, B12, and Folacin. Amino Acids are organic compounds. They are the monomers of proteins and consist of both an amino group and a carboxyl group. The human body is unable to synthesize certain amino acids called â€Å"essential amino acids,† â€Å"the human body can synthesize all of the amino acids necessary to build proteins except for the ten called the â€Å"essential amino acids.†Ã¢â‚¬ (Nave 1) For example, some of the â€Å"essential amino acids are Leucine(leu) and Phenylalanine. Conclusion: My hypothesis was correct because as I cataloged my daily nutritional intake I found that the recommended allowance of carbohydrates, lipids and sodium is lower than what I eat and the recommended allowance for proteins, minerals, and vitamins is higher than what I eat. I am supposed to take in approximately 2000 calories a day and, on average, I only eat 900 calories a day. As I reflect on my daily nutritional intake I realize that in order to have a completely healthy lifestyle I must have more essential vitamins and minerals as well as proteins in my diet. Works Cited American Heart Association . â€Å"Cholesterol.† www.heart.org. American Heart Association , n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"Helpguide helps you help yourself and others.† Helpguide helps you help yourself and others. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . Nave, R. â€Å"Essential Amino Acids.† Essential Amino Acids. University of Arizona’s Biology Project , n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . Sustainable Table. â€Å"Food Additives, food additives pose threat – The Issues –

Disney Marketing Paper Essay Example

Disney Marketing Paper Essay Example Disney Marketing Paper Paper Disney Marketing Paper Paper This takes great planning and heavy research to make sure hat the Wall-E is being marketed as the right product, at the right price, sold in the right place, and promoted the best way. Some ways this can be done is by targeting a specific market location, identifying potential buyers (as well as the influences that make their purchasing decisions), and understanding the competitive landscape. Understanding and learning about these areas will help Disney launch the Wall-E toy in the best possible way. Segmentation and the Target Market To create a successful marketing strategy, Disney must first answer the question, who Is the customer who will be most Interested In new voice-activated robotic Wall-E toy. In order to find out the answer to that question, Disney must divide the market up into groups of customers with distinct needs, characteristics or behaviors, then select the segment that best suits the product; this is called market segmentation. The next step in this process of developing a marketing strategy is to decide how to best serve the target customer. This step is known as target marketing. Target marketing is a process to evaluate each of the segments and to select the one or more segments hat will generate the most customer satisfaction and the highest level of profitability. Target market selection is crucial to productive marketing efforts. Products and even companies sometimes fail because marketers do not identify appropriate customer groups at which to alma their efforts. Identification and analysis of a target market provide a foundation on which a marketing mix can be developed? (DDCD Marketing, 2006). The new release of the Disney,Polar movie, Wall-E Is currently for Pixies third-largest opening with $62. 5 million, according to studio estimates from Nielsen (Bowels, 2008). According to Scott Bowels from USA Today, surprisingly more than a fifth of the audience, during the opening weekend, included adults without children. The Disney Corporations numerous market segments all seem to be related and reinforce each other: The Disney Stores promote the consumer products which promote the [theme] parks which promote the television shows. The television shows promote the company (Seder, 2008). Ebbed also suggests, children are increasingly the target of advertising and marketing because of the amount of money they spend themselves, the influence they have on their parents spending (the nag factor) and because of the money they will spend when they grow With this In mind, Disney/Polar will broadly Identify the target customer for the new robotic toy as children. Children and teens, of all ages who presently watch the Disney channel will see previews for ten movie Ana commercials Tort ten product Trot ten movie. Enlarge will tombstone, ask parents to go see the movie and ultimately to the store to shop for related merchandise. Buyer/Consumer Disney has been a major player in toy development for decades and has always been n innovator when it comes to robotics and animation. Wholesale and retail buyers will not be in short demand. Most organizations are going to use the markups to price Wall-E, so price should not be an influential factor. Quality will be. Disney has a Strategic Sourcing and Procurement organization that will work with product development in order to select vendors that will bring the best value to the Wall-E robot. One of those vendors was Thinking Toys. Disney and Thinking Toys have teamed up in the past on such projects as Toy Story, Little Mermaid and Beauty in the Beast (thanklessly. Com). Thinking Toys has won numerous awards regarding quality and product. Having these types of partners on board will ease the concerns of organizational buyers. Demand will also be an influential factor for buyers. The continued success of the movie as well as promotions should keep demand high. Disney will be best served to continue to partner with numerous companies from local and regional retailers and wholesalers to the larger global ones such as Toy-R-Us. Additionally, Disney Interactive as well as the numerous Disney stores around the globe can stock their shelves according to their local markets emend and their distribution network will ensure there is always stock in hand. The consumers of the Wall-E robot are mostly going to be parents of children from ages 6 through their mid-teens. These are going to be parents at least in the working class or lower middle class income bracket and above. The Wall-E robot, while still cheaper than its more advanced competitor, is still an expensive item. Parents with tighter budgets constraints are going to be hesitant to purchase such an expensive item. The working class is also the majority class in the U. S. Making it the most ideal market to target. Working class consumers cover a broad range of different types, but they will be influenced by price more so than classes above them. Rebate offers may be very effective if deployed during a lag in sales. Middle class consumers have a comfortable standard of living, economic security, and will be more willing to spend the extra money to satisfy their wants. Warranties and service will be more important here as well as the Disney brand. Competitive Landscape Competitive landscape analysis identifies who the competitors are ND what the competitor is doing in order to generate sales of the product. The best way for an organization to compete is to prepare them with an in-depth knowledge of what the competition is doing. Chris Byrne, contributing editor of Raving Toy Maniac News, stated of the competitive landscape, there are innovations across the board, which deliver more fun no matter what kids are playing with. The interactive Wall-E two biggest competitors are the Polo dinosaur and the Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer. Polo is an interactive robotic dinosaur that is designed from the same maker of the Furry. This techno dinosaur is equipped with 35 sensors throughout its body, allowing Polo to react instantly to slant, sound Ana touch . I en Polo Languor Is also Adult Walt a camera-oases vowels system for light detection and navigation within its plane. With a price tag of 350 dollars, this high-end toy is not made for the average consumer. The Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer is a spoof from the original Japanese toy line, which debuted in 1984. The Transformers toys line from Hasher is unique in the fact that it features a toy vehicle that can be modified and changed into a robot, which is perfect or an inquisitive young boy. The Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer features an advanced animators design, which means the toy can move itself when in robot mode. His arms and wings move up and down, and his head moves from side to side. It seems to have full sound detection capabilities. It responds to noises, like clapping, by turning and making sounds. At $90, is said to be perfect for older children, toy collectors, and for adults with their inner child waiting to come out and play (Rose, 2006). The Wall-E is interesting, in that it combines characteristics from the top brand. With the price tag of $120, Wall-E falls in the middle-tier of its competitors. However, Wall-E wins the competitive edge stemming from the features-to-cost ratio against the top leaders. Dealing with competition can be difficult, as the competitor can duplicate the product or even improve on the strategies. It is critical for organizations to have a unique selling proposition that puts it above the competition. Conclusion All in all, research shows that Disney has identified their target market for the new voice activated robotic Wall-E toy to be parents of children from ages 6 through mid- teens. The targeted market location is believed to be in the working class, which covers a broad range of individuals, who will be influenced by the price more so than classes above them. Wall-E will be promoted through the Disney channel and commercials of the Wall-E movie. The toys top competitors are identified as the Polo dinosaur and the Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer. Both have features like the Wall- E robot, but the price is more reasonable for its targeted market. Being the movie tied for third largest opening with $62. 5 million, Disney should have great success with the release of the new Wall-E toy.

Biography of Steve Wozniak, Apple Computer Co-Founder

Biography of Steve Wozniak, Apple Computer Co-Founder Steve Wozniak (born Stephan Gary  Wozniak; August 11, 1950) is the co-founder of Apple Computer and is credited with being the main designer of the first Apples. A noted philanthropist who helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Wozniak was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, the Silicon Valley Ballet, and the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. Fast Facts: Steve Wozniak Known For: Apple Computer co-founder with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne and the main designer of the first Apple computersBorn: August 11, 1950 in Los Gatos, CaliforniaEducation: Attended  De Anza College and the University of California, Berkeley; awarded a degree from Berkeley in 1986Spouse(s): Alice Robertson (m. 1976–1980), Candice Clark (m. 1981–1987), Suzanne Mulkern (m. 1990–2004), Janet Hill (m. 2008)Foundations Started: Apple Computer, Inc., Electronic Freedom FrontierAwards and Honors: National Medal of Technology, Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment, Inventors Hall of Fame inducteeChildren: 3 Early Life Wozniak (known as the Woz) was born on August 11, 1950, in Los Gatos, California, and grew up in the Santa Clara Valley, now known as Silicon Valley. Wozniaks father was an engineer for Lockheed and always inspired his sons curiosity for learning with a few science fair projects. He gave Steve his first crystal set at the age of 6. Wozniak got his ham radio license in the sixth grade and built an adder/subtractor machine to calculate binary arithmetic in the eighth grade. As a young man, Wozniak was a bit of a prankster/genius and wrote his first programs in his own version of FORTRAN at the University of Colorado but was put on probation for computer abuse- essentially, he spent the computing budget for the whole class five times over. He designed his first computer called the Cream Soda Computer, which was comparable to the Altair, by the time he was 18. He began courses at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was introduced to Steve Jobs by a mutual friend. Jobs, still in high school and four years younger, would become Wozniaks best friend and business partner. Their first project together was the Blue Box, which allowed the user to make long-distance phone calls for free; Wozniak himself thinks he should be remembered by posterity for running the first dial-a-joke service in the San Francisco Bay area. Early Career and Research In 1973, Wozniak dropped out of college to begin designing calculators at Hewlett Packard, but he continued to work on side projects. One of those projects would become the Apple-I. Wozniak built the first design for the Apple-I in his office at Hewlett Packard; he worked closely with an informal users group known as the Homebrew Computer Club, sharing schematics and giving away his code. Jobs had no input into the original build but was the visionary of the project, discussing enhancements and coming up with some investment money. They signed partnership papers on April 1, 1976, and began selling the Apple-I at $666 per computer. That same year, Wozniak began to design the Apple-II. In 1977, the Apple-II was revealed to the public at the West Coast Computer Faire. It was an astonishing success, even at the very steep price of $1,298, selling 100,000 units in three years. Jobs opened their first business office at Cupertino and Wozniak finally quit his job at H-P.  Wozniak has been credited by everyone, including Steve Jobs, as the main designer on the Apple I and Apple II. The Apple II was the first commercially successful line of personal computers, featuring a central processing unit, a keyboard, color graphics, and a floppy disk drive. Leaving Apple On February 7, 1981, Wozniak crashed his single-engine aircraft in Scotts Valley, California, an event that caused Wozniak to temporarily lose his memory. On a deeper level, it certainly changed his life. After the accident, Wozniak left Apple and returned to Berkeley to finish his degree in electrical engineering/computer science- but dropped out again because he found the curriculum confining. He was awarded a bachelors degree anyway in 1986 and has since been awarded numerous degrees from institutions such as Kettering and Michigan State University. Wozniak did return to work for Apple for a brief period between 1983 and 1985. During that time, he greatly influenced the design of the Apple Macintosh computer, the first successful home computer with a mouse-driven graphical interface. He still has a ceremonial role in the company, saying, I keep a tiny residual salary to this day because thats where my loyalty should be forever. He founded the UNUSON (Unite Us In Song) corporation and put on two rock festivals. The enterprise lost money. In 1990, he joined Mitchell Kapor in establishing the Electronic Frontier Foundation,  the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. In 1987, he created the first universal remote. In 2007, Wozniak published his autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon, which was on the best seller list of The New York Times. Between 2009 and 2014, he was hired as chief scientist for Fusion-io, Inc., a computer hardware and software company that was acquired by SanDisk Corporation. He was later the chief scientist at the data virtualization company Primary Data, which shut down in 2018. Marriage and Family Steve Wozniak has been married four times, to Alice Robertson (m. 1976–1980), Candice Clark (m. 1981–1987), Suzanne Mulkern (m. 1990–2004), and currently Janet Hill (m. 2008). He has three children, all from his marriage with Candice Clark. Awards Wozniak was awarded the National Medal of Technology by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators. In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment for â€Å"single-handedly designing the first personal computer and for then redirecting his lifelong passion for mathematics and electronics toward lighting the fires of excitement for education in grade school students and their teachers. Sources Kubilay, Ibrahim Atakan. The Founding of Apple and the Reasons Behind Its Success. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences 195 (2015): 2019–28. Print.Linzmayer, Owen W. Apple Confidential 2.0. San Francisco, California: No Starch Press, 2004. Print.Love, Dylan. 8 Reasons Why Woz Still Matters. Tech. Business Insider September 3 2013. Web.Owad, Tom. Chapter 1- the History of the Apple I. Apple I Replica Creation: Back to the Garage. Burlington: Syngress, 2005. 1–22. Print.Stix, Harriet. A UC Berkeley Degree Is Now the Apple of Steve Wozniaks Eye. Los Angeles Times, May 14, 1986. Web.Wozniak, Steve, and Gina Smith. iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon. New York: W.W. Norton Company, 2006. Print.

Definition and Examples of Critical Thinking

Definition and Examples of Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs. The American Philosophical Association has defined critical thinking as the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment. The process gives reasoned consideration to evidence, contexts, conceptualizations, methods, and criteria (1990). Critical thinking is sometimes broadly defined as thinking about thinking. Critical thinking skills include the ability to interpret, verify, and reason, all of which involve applying the principles of logic. The process of using critical thinking to guide writing is called critical writing. Observations Critical Thinking is essential as a tool of inquiry. As such, Critical Thinking is a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one’s personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good thinking, Critical Thinking is a pervasive and self-rectifying human phenomenon. The ideal critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well-informed, trustful of reason, open-minded, flexible, fair-minded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases, prudent in making judgments, willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results which are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit.(American Philosophical Association, Consensus Statement Regarding Critical Thinking, 1990)Thought and LanguageIn order to understand reasoning [...], it is necessary to pay careful attention to the relationship between thought and language. The relationship seems to be straightforward: thought is expressed in and through language. But this claim, while true, is an oversimplification. People often fail to say what they mean. Everyone has had the experience of having their \ misunderstood by others. And we all use words not merely to express our thoughts but also to shape them. Developing our critical thinking skills, therefore, requires an understanding of the ways in which words can (and often fail to) express our thoughts.(William Hughes and Jonathan Lavery, Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills, 4th ed. Broadview, 2004) Dispositions That Foster or Impede Critical thinkingDispositions that foster critical thinking include [a] facility in perceiving irony, ambiguity, and multiplicity of meanings or points of view; the development of open-mindedness, autonomous thought, and reciprocity (Piagets term for the ability to empathize with other individuals, social groups, nationalities, ideologies, etc.). Dispositions that act as impediments to critical thinking include defense mechanisms (such as absolutism or primary certitude, denial, projection), culturally conditioned assumptions, authoritarianism, egocentrism, and ethnocentrism, rationalization, compartmentalization, stereotyping and prejudice.(Donald Lazere, Invention, Critical Thinking, and the Analysis of Political Rhetoric. Perspectives on Rhetorical Invention, ed. by Janet M. Atwill and Janice M. Lauer. University of Tennessee Press, 2002)Critical Thinking and Composing- [T]he most intensive and demanding tool for eliciting sustained critical thou ght  is a well-designed writing assignment on a subject matter problem. The underlying premise is that writing is closely linked with thinking and that in presenting students with significant problems to write about- and in creating an environment that demands their best writing- we can promote their general cognitive and intellectual growth. When we make students struggle with their writing, we are making them struggle with thought itself. Emphasizing writing and critical thinking, therefore, generally increases the academic rigor of a course. Often the struggle of writing, linked as it is to the struggle of thinking and to the growth of a persons intellectual powers, awakens students to the real nature of learning.(John C. Bean,  Engaging Ideas: The Professors Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical  Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, 2nd ed. Wiley, 2011)- Finding a fresh approach to a writing assignment means that you must see the subject without the blinders of preconception. When people expect to see a thing in a certain way, it usually appears that way, whether or not that is its true image. Similarly, thinking based on prefabricated ideas produces writing that says nothing new, that offers nothing important to the reader. As a writer, you have a responsibility to go beyond the expected views and present your subject so that the reader sees it with fresh eyes. . . .[C]ritical thinking is a fairly systematic method of defining a problem and synthesizing knowledge about it, thereby creating the perspective you need to develop new ideas. . . .Classical rhetoricians used a series of three questions to help focus an argument. Today these questions can still help writers understand the topic about which they are writing. An sit? (Is the problem a fact?); Quid sit (What is the definition of the problem?); and Quale sit? (What kind of problem is it?). By asking these questions, writers see their subject from many new angles before they begin to narrow the focus to one particular aspect.(Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers. Wadsworth, 1991) Logical Fallacies Ad Hominem Ad Misericordiam Amphiboly Appeal to Authority Appeal to Force Appeal to Humor Appeal to Ignorance Appeal to the People Bandwagon Begging the Question Circular Argument Complex Question Contradictory Premises Dicto Simpliciter, Equivocation False Analogy False Dilemma Gamblers Fallacy Hasty Generalization Name-Calling Non Sequitur Paralepsis Poisoning the Well Post Hoc Red Herring Slippery Slope Stacking the Deck Straw Man Tu Quoque

How social networks are invading our privacy Essay

How social networks are invading our privacy - Essay Example This paper examines four articles that discuss the issue of social networking and invasion of privacy as a relevant issue today. In his article that appeared in the American Quarterly in 1999, Rosenzweig argued that the digital revolution and the rise of the information superhighway has big implications on how people lived and worked. His article is actually a summary of four books describing the reactions of people at various times how technology will impact their lives. There were a lot of conflicting visions about what will happen with one side claiming a new utopia where people will be able to re-organize society and establish a new kinship of humanity by bringing people closer together (Rosenzweig 160) while critics feared new technologies, like what the telephone of an earlier era, will enable the government to have a listening box (eavesdrop) on its citizens and invade their privacy without the people knowing. The same critics said that a new technology like the Information Highway and the Internet will destroy home life, prevent people from visiting other people (instead use technology to keep in touc h), and create a new nations of slugs too lazy to go out of their homes and offices. It is technology that had shaped societies in the past and it is the same technological changes that shape society today. The important thing about technology is that it is socially neutral and it is how people will use technology that determines the outcome or the ensuing changes that occur. Social networking sites operate and thrive under the open access policy of the Internet as the World Wide Web is conceived as the best example of liberal democracy where the individual person is a superior being entitled to protection of his rights as enshrined in democratic laws. However, this vital aspect of rights protection is conveniently ignored at times by some evil people who make other people who use these social networking sites

Great place to work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Great place to work - Assignment Example The automobile industry products are cars, sports utility vehicles, light commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, pickup trucks, buses, and recreational vehicles. The size of both industries can be analyzed with the help of the target market of each industry. The target market of the airline industry is usually the niche market. However, the industry also offers their services to the economy class. On the other hand, the automobile industry is targeting the niche as well as mass market. For the automobile industry, the vehicle regulations are the most crucial element for managing activities and processes. The reason is that the automobile industry must satisfy the requirements of vehicle regulations and other environmental and safety concerns. On the contrary, the airline industry faces many regulatory environmental issues. It is because the airline industry is one of those industries that get affected by the change in international and domestic regulatory environment. The economic condition of the airline industry has improved after the recent financial crisis because it is generating high profits with the help of high fares by providing high-quality services. However, it remains as one of the most volatile industries. On the other side, the economic conditions of the automobile industry are also improving with the use of the latest and new technologies in the automobile products. The company mission is to innovate and imagination to the future. The company mission is showing that there is need of some strategies that will help the company to make it easier for achieving the goal. Future plans of the company are required to build so that the company will move forward to increase its efficiency. The need of change in the human resource management will bring a change in the company. â€Å"We are constantly re-examining our capabilities and processes to ensure that our company is as strong and vital as our heritage. In fact, our culture mirrors

Intro to business Past exam paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intro to business Past exam paper - Coursework Example It includes variables like suppliers, customers, competitors and public. On the other hand, macro factors are those that have an indirect impact on the business, also known as PESTEL. It includes factors that create opportunities and threats to business and is categorized as the far environment. These include variables such as political, environmental, socio-cultural, technological, economic and legal. (ii) The purpose of macro environment analysis is to determine the opportunities and threats to the farming industry as a whole and those outside the control of the company. External factors that affected the agricultural industry includes economic, technological, socio-cultural, environmental and political. All factors were considered as they play a part in determining the overall business environment. Economic factors include inflation rate, growth in spending power, exchange rates and economic growth. Opportunities can be that higher national income growth may boost demand for a fir m's products and chances for expansion increases. On the other hand, a strong currency may make exporting more difficult as prices in terms of foreign currency rises. Also inflation may provoke higher wage demands from employees and raise costs. With respect to technological factors, internet played a crucial role and gave way to online orders and delivery systems. Opportunities in the future may include complex operational systems installation that may cut down on labor costs, improve quality and lead to new innovations and make it attractive as a segment. Threats can be the probable advancement of technology making prior systems obsolete. Socio- cultural factors played an equally important role in farming industry. Change in trends where consumers demand for fresh products provided business opportunities to farmers and provide scope for innovation. Entertainment dimension added onto the development of this industry. However, trends changes and there exist a niche market that deman ds such products which might get concentrated. This can thus pose as a threat to agricultural industry. In Environmental factors, Physical factors of climate relief and soils affected the business positively. With major climate changes and greater environmental awareness this external factor is becomes a significant issue for firms to consider. However, going for environmental friendly products and processes can create business opportunities now and in the future as well. Threats can be Laws on waste disposal, energy consumption, pollution monitoring etc. that would add to the cost of the businesses operating. 2. (i) Two main sources of U.K. laws include Legislation (Statue Law), Common Law (Judge-made Law) and the European Communities law. Legislation are most authoritative and passed by parliament whereas common law includes cases where there was no judicial precedent but which were known to exist since time memorial. Company law, or corporate law, of U.K. can be broken down into two main fields. Corporate governance in the UK mediates the rights and duties among shareholders, employees, creditors and directors. Corporate finance concerns the two money raising options of incorporators the above mention laws can directly affect the operations of Ford Company in UK. (ii) There are broadly four types of business ownership. The most basic form is sole proprietorship. It is owned by one person who is the in charge of day-to-day activities of the business and owns all the assets and bears

The Harm of Legalizing Marijuana Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Harm of Legalizing Marijuana - Term Paper Example They did not support a full fledged campaign to take Marijuana out of the criminal code but wanted to persuade other medical doctors to illustrate empathy for those patients who would be assisted from the smoking of Marijuana (Gray, 1998). In recent times also, massive spending had been made over the fact of legalizing Marijuana as a source of medicine. Police also made several attempts for the same (Medical Marijuana Group is Big Spender, 2004). As per author Jacob & Jacob, the usefulness of Marijuana is far more than its evil effects. He weighted his argument by saying that Marijuana could be used as a harmless substance and it did not encourage any crime. He stressed that the usefulness of the drug was immense and should be promoted in good spirits in life rather than legalizing it (Jacob & Jacob, 2009, pp. 43-130). Even though many people believe and stress upon the fact that Marijuana is harmless, Marijuana should remain within the illicit category of the controlled Substances A ct because medical use is unfounded and crime would become more pervasive. Harmful effects and arguments against legalization of Marijuana Few people exert importance over the usefulness of Marijuana and hold the view of legalization of the same without any reservation in the Control Substances Act. But the larger mass opposes the view and finds it harmful on the societal grounds. As per than the use of Marijuana is fatal and can encourage more crimes. So as pre them it is better to not to legalize the consumption of Marijuana in any way. Marijuana comes with several deadly effects on personal grounds of the life of any victims. Everyone responds in a different way towards the consumption of Marijuana. Most... The research paper studies the influence of marijuana intake on human's body. The above analysis contributes towards the fact that marijuana is not directly fatal does not indicate that it does not possess any acute risk. The fact that advocate and opponents characterized themselves on the right side of the equation respectively, suggested us that what is at stake is specifically the meaning of rationality. Eminent personalities had debated over the medicinal usefulness of marijuana. The court law considered the intake of marijuana as a source of medicine to be legal. Few other doctors emphasized over the fact that the medicine should be legalized as it served as the source to combat against fatal diseases like AIDS. Since 1960’s marijuana had been classified as the schedule drug which in turn hindered the researches of the scientists to determine whether the attributes were true in nature. The legal status of marijuana had endowed along with mystical properties which was harmful on the societal pretext. The usage of marijuana has also accounted for the several crimes and the same drug continue to be available to the common mass, then the degradation of the public health and that of the society would not be very far. The entire approaches made so far regarding the legalization had been unhelpful and exerted a negative effect. The courts and state legislature should answer these troublesome issues and take necessary steps to reconcile the conflicting issues and should not go for the legalization of the peril drug.

A Study on Martin Luther King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Study on Martin Luther King - Essay Example Martin Luther King combined leadership, activism and clerical duties in his life time. He had a pivotal role in the civil rights progress, in United States, and globally. He advanced his civil rights crusade through nonviolence as mentored by Mohandas Gandhi. Martin Luther King is a national icon in modern American history because of his leadership style, policy and strategic thinking. In his activities, he advanced principles of strategy. His historical significance goes beyond his civil rights crusade or clerical work. He represented black leadership absent at the time in America. During this period, black leaders whether accommodative or reformists had minimum influence on power. These black leaders acted as power brokers for the white leaders or as spokesmen; they never expressed or acted on their own. However, Martin Luther King had his leadership rested on religious establishments that went beyond the church to a constituency that tagged him because of his strategy and ideology . He differed from the times, conventional leaders because of his independence from political machinery and institutional constraints. He addressed broader issues than race and the racial injustices (Barber, 2011, p. 52). Martin Luther King exemplified talented and strategic thinking, and leadership on both a national and international scale. In all his actions, he carefully advanced his strategic principles, and they all paid off. Growing Up and Early Influence Martin Luther King, born on 15th January 1929, grew up in Atlanta Georgia. The son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King, he had a younger brother and an elder sister. King devoted much of his time in the church choir, where he sang with the choir during the opening of the movie Gone with the Wind. During his early age, king had intelligence and the will to question. He did not believe in things easily without getting all the information required to make a conclusion (Kavaloski, & Kavaloski, 2011, p. 25). Most striking was his skepticism of the resurrection of Jesus at the age of 13. He afterwards noted the inescapable truths in the Bible. This led him to join the seminary at a tender age. He attended Booker T Washington High School, but as a precocious student, he jumped ninth and twelfth grade. He joined the Morehouse College where he graduated with a Degree in sociology. During his seminarian years, King’s educator and theologian Howard Thurman immensely influenced his life. Thurman crucially mentored him as seen by their closeness. The success of Mahatma Gandhi nonviolent resistance inspired King to nonviolence in the movement. He had a commitment to the American civil rights struggle. The oppression that the minority faced played a significant role as well in influencing his thinking. The rich and wealthy had all the powers to do anything they wanted while oppressing the poor. King observed that using nonviolence offered him a strategy to push for the oppressed human dignity a nd justice, and also fight for their civil rights (Barber, 2011, p. 53). King’s society was plagued by racial discrimination, segregation and poverty. He disliked the society’s social state and decided to fight for their justice. The society’s inequality also pushed him to study sociology and theology because he wanted to help socially (Carson, 2005, p. 8). Achievements, Challenges and Great Moments In his lifetime, Martin Luther King had many achievements. He secured the progress of civil rights in U.S, and before his assassination the U.S Congress passed the

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Education - Essay Example Additionally, the educational purposes of English will be weighed out in the classroom and in the outside world. This essay will be based on the small scale research I carried out during my serial practice week. I sought to bring together school staff’s opinion and perception of the National Curriculum and Framework, along with pupils’ views in order to justify the place of English. The given research, which includes interviews with teachers and pupils, and theoretical justification of the place of English in modern education, will also act as a foundation for conclusions made on the basis of practical and theoretical findings. I will begin with the evaluation of the role of English in the National Curriculum and the Framework. Although I have not found any evident research that would provide an explicit justification of the place of English in the current Curriculum, the justification which my study will be built upon is based on a practical consideration of both positive and negative personal and generally accepted views on the issue, on the current Curriculum and my academic readings. Trying to define English in ‘Literacy: Reading the Word and the World’ Freire’s understanding of English derives from English’ being a ‘critical literacy’ (Moss, 1998 p6); it is considered to be an active instrumental approach to encourage pupils to: Literacy is viewed as a common tool used by teachers during English lessons: pupils are encouraged to make meanings by evaluating and discovering the range of techniques that the author crafts. This critical awareness comes forth as pupils are encouraged to adopt a critical understanding of the text. They begin to consider how texts are trying to influence and change them as members of society. As a result, such an understanding changes their thinking process, both personally and socially, and influences the formation of a

A Study on Martin Luther King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Study on Martin Luther King - Essay Example Martin Luther King combined leadership, activism and clerical duties in his life time. He had a pivotal role in the civil rights progress, in United States, and globally. He advanced his civil rights crusade through nonviolence as mentored by Mohandas Gandhi. Martin Luther King is a national icon in modern American history because of his leadership style, policy and strategic thinking. In his activities, he advanced principles of strategy. His historical significance goes beyond his civil rights crusade or clerical work. He represented black leadership absent at the time in America. During this period, black leaders whether accommodative or reformists had minimum influence on power. These black leaders acted as power brokers for the white leaders or as spokesmen; they never expressed or acted on their own. However, Martin Luther King had his leadership rested on religious establishments that went beyond the church to a constituency that tagged him because of his strategy and ideology . He differed from the times, conventional leaders because of his independence from political machinery and institutional constraints. He addressed broader issues than race and the racial injustices (Barber, 2011, p. 52). Martin Luther King exemplified talented and strategic thinking, and leadership on both a national and international scale. In all his actions, he carefully advanced his strategic principles, and they all paid off. Growing Up and Early Influence Martin Luther King, born on 15th January 1929, grew up in Atlanta Georgia. The son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King, he had a younger brother and an elder sister. King devoted much of his time in the church choir, where he sang with the choir during the opening of the movie Gone with the Wind. During his early age, king had intelligence and the will to question. He did not believe in things easily without getting all the information required to make a conclusion (Kavaloski, & Kavaloski, 2011, p. 25). Most striking was his skepticism of the resurrection of Jesus at the age of 13. He afterwards noted the inescapable truths in the Bible. This led him to join the seminary at a tender age. He attended Booker T Washington High School, but as a precocious student, he jumped ninth and twelfth grade. He joined the Morehouse College where he graduated with a Degree in sociology. During his seminarian years, King’s educator and theologian Howard Thurman immensely influenced his life. Thurman crucially mentored him as seen by their closeness. The success of Mahatma Gandhi nonviolent resistance inspired King to nonviolence in the movement. He had a commitment to the American civil rights struggle. The oppression that the minority faced played a significant role as well in influencing his thinking. The rich and wealthy had all the powers to do anything they wanted while oppressing the poor. King observed that using nonviolence offered him a strategy to push for the oppressed human dignity a nd justice, and also fight for their civil rights (Barber, 2011, p. 53). King’s society was plagued by racial discrimination, segregation and poverty. He disliked the society’s social state and decided to fight for their justice. The society’s inequality also pushed him to study sociology and theology because he wanted to help socially (Carson, 2005, p. 8). Achievements, Challenges and Great Moments In his lifetime, Martin Luther King had many achievements. He secured the progress of civil rights in U.S, and before his assassination the U.S Congress passed the

United States History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

United States History - Assignment Example For fear of persecution, they first fled towards Holland but later travelled towards a remote area. Finally they settled into a place which began to be known as the Plymouth Colony, During that time, there were many Protestants who defied the authority of the Anglican Church. These men and women fled from England and boarded the ship name Mayflower and travelled to America in the hope of settling there. They finally settled in Cape Cod, which would later come to be known as Massachusetts. There they settled and created a charter with the name of Mayflower compact. This document holds immense importance since it played a vital role in the formation of the US constitution. Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends were a religious group prevalent in England. They believed in equality, justice and pacifism and that is why they never took part in any of the England’s wars. They also refused to bow down to any nobles or pay taxes if they believed that the revenues would be used for the purpose of war. As a result of their persecution, many of the Quakers travelled to America and stayed in Pennsylvania where they played a very important role in its development. The colonial charters held a very important position in the colonial society since they were the most basic charters of law or constitution of the colonies at that time. Charters were given to different states and they defined the relationship between the parent country and the colony without any direct involvement. The whole governance, with the exception of a few things was based on these colonial charters. These charters were also responsible for great historical developments. These include the revolutionary era in which some of the terms of the charter actually increased fuel to the fire. Also during the latter part of the seventeenth century, these charters were considered as an unnecessary hindrance and were put to an end

The Fears Of The Victorinan Era English Literature Essay

The Fears Of The Victorinan Era English Literature Essay The social theory of degeneration was developed as a result of Charles Darwins theory of evolution, it was believed if something can evolve, it can also devolve (Byron, 2000: 134). The notion of evolution meant that the human race was changeable and could evolve or even degenerate or devolve. The future of human existence was now unknown and seemed uncertain. Victorians because of this unknown future held an unpromising outlook assuming that the human race was in a state of decay. Theories backing up the idea of human degeneration came from various scientific fields, such as anatomy, physiology and psychology. The prospect of the human race returning to an ape like state concerned the Victorian public and we can see the anxieties of the era present in Victorian gothic literature where the characters often transform into monstrous or primitive ape like beings. A Companion to the Victorian Novel states that the Degeneration theory proposed that the human species was suffering from an i ntellectual, physical and moral decline, and becoming increasingly enfeebled through everything from syphilis, insanity, epilepsy, feminism, radicalism, crime and immigration to the stresses of modern civilization. In charting this steady decline toward racial suicide, degeneration both influenced and was influenced by a number of branches of scientific and psychological theory(2005). Scientists from different areas contributed to this notion of there being men who were genetically determined to be degenerate and deviant ( Botting,1996:137). The gothic novels discussed in this essay demonstrate the anxieties surrounding these theories. The distressing conditions at the end of the nineteenth century in urban environments such as the City of London provided perfect conditions for writing literature of terror. The Strange Case of Dr. Jeykll and Mr Hyde is one such book that profits from the circumstances and conditions at the time of its publishing. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Stevenson plays upon this innate fear of degeneration this is because Stevenson gave fictional form to an emerging crisis of the late-nineteenth century: the perception that the race itself was succumbing to degenerative tendencies that threatened the very fabric of society (Dryden, 2003). Dryden asserts that The fear of the beast within was the late nineteenth centurys fear of itself. Degeneracy could lead to atavism, which must be purged in order that the race evolves beyond its animal instincts (Dryden, 2003) The fear of degeneration is certainly located in the character of Edward Hyde. If we examine Hyde further he seems to fit perfectly into the mould of the criminal type of degenerate categorized and identified by Lombroso and Galton. Laurence Talairach-Vielmas states in his review of Tracing the Criminal: The Rise of Scientific Criminology in Britain, 1860-1918 that : Lombrosos theory, as expounded in Criminal Man, was grounded upon the premises that 70% of criminals were biologically programmed to commit crimes. Lombroso regarded his 219 criminal portraits as evidence of an atavistic criminal type and foregrounded the relevance of anatomical or physiognomical features, such as the prominence of the jaw, the harshness of the look, or the abundance of hair. Lombroso saw atavism as the primary biological cause of criminal behaviour and paid little attention to socio-economic factors; yet he gradually included congenital illnesses and forms of dà ©gà ©nà ©rescence in his criminal type , increasingly merging criminality, insanity and epilepsy, as underlined in his Crime: Its Causes and Remedies (1899). (Talairach-Vielmas,2007) Luomo Deliquente was published in 1875 which contained theories physically characterising the features of the criminal type. Lombrosso strongly suspected that the physical features of a person could indicate whether a person was a criminal. The Character of Edward Hyde has these inherit attributes of criminal degeneracy. These qualities can be seen not only through the horrendous and extraordinarily violent acts of crime but his physiognomy. Hyde seems to be a literal and precise characterisation of what Lombroso determined to be a criminal in his theory. Linda Dryden assets in The Modern gothic and literary doubles: Stevenson, Wilde and Wells For Lombroseo, the criminal was physically abnormal, like Hyde, whose appearance suggests to Enfield a strong feeling of deformity and the resemblance to primitive races is echoed in Hydes troglodytic appearance. (Dryden, 2003). Hyde is constantly described in a detestable nature with such words as ape-like, savage and dwarfish. Stephen Arata observes that Jekyll and Hyde articulates in Gothic fictions exaggerated tones late-Victorian anxieties concerning degeneration, devolution, and criminal man' (Arata, 1995:233). When Dr. Jekyll transforms into Hyde he therefore is degenerating to a lower form, this is highlighted and shown threw frequent comparisons to primitive forms of existence. Stephen Arata goes on to assert that Stevensons first readers could easily discern the lineaments of Cesare Lombrosos atavistic criminal. The describing words seem to flawlessly harmonize with Lombrosos description of what he names the criminal type. The Victorian reader would certainly have been able to see the comparisons between Hyde and the Criminal type and Arata goes on to further state that Stevensons middle-class readers would have had as little trouble deciphering the features of the abnormal and misbegotten Hyde, hi s body an imprint of deformity and decay, as Stevensons middle-class characters do (Arata, 1995:233). The character of Edward Hyde in addition is intensely disliked by all on first acquaintance. People seem to have this intriguing aversion to Hyde, he beholds this repugnant nature. The most intriguing point is that no one can actually pinpoint the exact root of Hydes unpleasantness. Richard Enfield articulates, I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why . . . he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldnt specify the point, while Lanyon elaborates, there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature that now faced me something seizing, surprising, and revolting (Stevenson:73). Utterson holds the same opinion and reports the same characteristics, he declares that Hyde was pale and dwarfish; he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation(Stevenson:15). Uttersons subsequent connection to this uncanny aura, detestable nature and indescribability in relation to Hydes appearance shows Hyde as an exemplar of Lomb roseo and Galton theories of criminal atavism. Hydes repulsive and vile appearance is instinctively associated with delinquency and criminality. Hyde seems to radiate this evil, repugnant aura, people who come into contact with him seem to adopt this instant loathing to him. Utterson illiterates this aura of repulsiveness in the following extract: the radiance of a foul soul transpires through, and transfigures its clay content (Stevenson: 15). Hyde comes across as deformed yet he lacks the distinct physical features of an inherent deformity. Utterson finds describing Edward Hydes deformity and evil aura meticulously hard, he states that hard all these points were against; but not all these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing, and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him(Stevenson:15-16). The specific qualities and features that account for his horrid appearance of deformity seem to remain unknown and evade comprehension. The Victorians held this fear of t he unknown and Hyde certainly embodies the uncanny which was a concept and theory developed by Sigmund Freud. The uncanny is where something can be familiar yet foreign at the same time leading to uneasiness. The other indicator of Hydes criminal degeneracy is an obvious one; it is his atavistic modes of conduct. The climax of the novel is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew in such a ferociously violent nature by Hyde. The crime is depicted in a horrific nature, in the following extract it is told that Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds, and clubbed to the earth. And next moment, with apelike fury, he was trampling his victim under foot, hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway (Stevenson, p27). Hydes repulsive appearance and volatile actions show that Stevenson has played on what Pick ascertains as the Victorian fears and anxieties of urban degeneration. The plot of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde can be compared to that of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Both novels share a characteristic gothic plot where there is this degeneration from higher to lower state. The novels expose the degeneration of the respectable middle class to a more primitive and bestial state. The middle class at the time witnessed the traditional values and family structures under great pressure as Britain observed a loosening of moral, aesthetic and sexual codes associated with fin de sià ¨cle decadence. This in turn is echoed and depicted in the literature of the time. The Victorian Gothic depicted members of the middle classes as the new victims of corruption and decay.For instance Dr Jekyll in the strange case transforms into this primitive form after taking a concoction while Dorian Gray similarity degenerates to a lower form of existence. The moral degeneration of Dorian Gray is shown through the portraits gradual decay, it is stated that the face painted on the canvas could grow bestial, sodden, and unclean (Wilde: 238). The further Dorian corrupts the more bestial the picture becomes it is the most magical of mirrors, (Wilde: 227). In Late Victorian Gothic Tales by Robert Luckhurst it is commented that The picture that Dorian Gray hides in his house is not only a metaphor of moral corruption, but is a precise record of physical degenerative decay. (Luckhurst, 2000)The visible changes that show the corruption of Dorians soul draw on Victorian fears of human degeneration and cultural decay: But here was a visible symbol of the degradation of sin. Here was an ever-present sign of the ruin men brought upon their souls. (Wilde: 78). However Dorians own appearance is unaffected and therefore his atavistic nature could not be deciphered threw physiognomy according to Victorian theory which in turn played on Victorian fears. Dorian Grays submersion in the Victorian underworld of sexual liberation, criminality and opium is portrayed in a similar nature to Edward Hydes. Wilde fuses the imagery of the upper class and lower class by having the allegedly respectable Dorian visit the poor and deprived districts of London. He remembered wandering through dimly-lit streets with gaunt black-shadowed archways and evil-looking houses. Women with hoarse voices and harsh laughter had called after him. Drunkards had reeled by cursing, and chattering to themselves like monstrous apes. He had seen grotesque children huddled upon doorsteps, and had heard shrieks and oaths from gloomy courts (Wilde: 114 ). In the previous extract the working classes are depicted as ape like beings and therefore Dorians involvement with this sphere highlights Dorian as primitive. Lord Henry asserts that crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders. I should fancy that crime was to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extra ordinary sensations (Wilde: 152). This previous extract not only shows the duality of Dorians nature as both a criminal and a respectable middle-class gentleman but it also illustrates the criminality of not only the lower classes. At this time characteristics of the criminal type were associated in the late-Victorian mind with the lower class, but Jekyll and Hyde and Dorian Gray both challenge that idea. For instance Stephen Arata asserts about Jekyll and Hyde that While his impulsiveness and savagery, his violent temper, and his appearance all mark Hyde as lower class and atavistic, his vices are clearly those of a monied gentleman. (Arata, 1995) Mans dual nature is a prevalent theme in Stevensons and Wildes masterpieces. This idea of people having a divided self was equally used in the Gothic novels and was a product of theorys such as the theory of social repression. This theory believed that the restricting moral codes of the bourgeoisie produced the divided and repressing life styles of the middle-classes, respectable by day and pleasure-seeking by night (Botting,1996: 136). Dorian can be noted as digressing from the higher class to the lower class sphere. Joseph Bristow remarks that Dorian wears a fine aristocratic face but possesses what may be referred to as a working-class (debased, gross, indecent) body, as he moves across and between different echelons of society (Bristow,1992: 60). Dorians character is much like that of Jekyll/Hyde, both are divided between upper and lower classes and good and evil. The strange case and Dorian Gray both demonstrate the vulnerability of the middle class to degeneration. Linda Dryden states in The Modern Gothic and Literary Doubles thatThe susceptibility of the upper class to moral decay was the theme of Degeneration (Dryden 2003). Theories of the time did not just focus on the lower class for instance Nordau took pains to insist that the degenerate population consists chiefly of rich educated people who, with too much time and means at their disposal, succumb to decadence and depravity (Arata 1996). The Victorian G othic novel certainly depicted members of the middle classes as the new victims of corruption and decay (Byron, 2000: 137). Clare Clarke illiterates that Both Edward Hyde, and indeed Dorian Gray, then, are figures that embody a bourgeois readerships worst fears not only about the atavistic and marauding poor but also of the decadent and immoral upper classes. (Clarke, 2005) Both the novels touched upon in this essay draw their power from fears and anxieties in Britain at the end of the 19th century in regards to the degeneration discourse. Problems inbuilt in human nature were believed to result in the regression to primitive forms and split personalities. Dorians corruption and decay must have been particularly alarming and distressing to the Victorian public because of his respectable middle class status, amongst the fact his physiognomy lacked the inherent signs of degeneracy and decay. Mr Hyde on the other hands appearance and uncanny nature give away his atavistic modes of conduct and his degeneracy although still alarming. This Victorian fear of degeneracy can be seen in both novels mainly focusing on the immoral higher classes and there degenerative tendencies. New theories caused this unease and tension in Victorian minds about the stability of human nature. The fact the Victorian era was that of much change, industrialization and scientific dev elopment just helped build uncertainty about the future of the human race. Crime rates were high, overpopulation in cities was rife and poverty was a huge problem just adding to theories surrounding decay and degeneracy. The mark of the era can be seen in the novels discussed toying with the fears and anxieties of the time.