Finding the Perfect Placement free essay sample

Tossing my rifle a good 30 feet into the air always ends well for me. As a spinner for my high schools Winter Guard, spinning is my life’s passion. I can do anything when the rifle is lofted into the air—a daring leap, a pretty arm, or even a simple turn around. As long as my eyes never leave sight of the weapon’s slender neck and bolt, I can trust it will quickly descend into my well-trained waiting hands. In a toss, it is not the rifle that is in charge, it is me. If my hands twist the wrong way, the rifle will â€Å"football† and land crashing into my face. If I toss into the wind, it will surely fly away. However, if my placement is just right, if my hands are perfectly aligned, the white rifle will fly straight up and fall straight down locking in to my free hand with perfect timing. We will write a custom essay sample on Finding the Perfect Placement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I began as a spinner 4 years ago and I instantly knew this was love at first sight. I didn’t know anything about spinning, but I had one sophomore friend on the team and she was over the top enthusiastic about it so I thought, â€Å"Why not try this?† What I came to find out is that guard is a mixture of so many things I already love. It is teamwork; it is performing; it is dedication; it is love. While I know spinning can’t be the activity that will consume my life after graduation, I plan on continuing my relationship in college through marching drum corps and independent teams. Tossing my rifle into the air always ends well for me. But tossing my self into other things has not always ended so well. All through middle school I would receive praise and honors for my writing. I completed assignments on time; I made the teacher smile. When I entered my freshmen English honors class, that moment is when things changed. I had never received a â€Å"C† on a writing assignment in my life and there it was in red, bold lettering, â€Å"Danielle, your average!† Ouch, that hurts. At that moment, I was sure I had twisted the wrong way and life was going to come down crashing into my face. I wanted to drop the class, cry, stop believing in myself, hate the teacher for lack of understanding my greatness, and never write another essay again. But it is not in me to run away from something I want. So the next time an essay came around I worked on my writing twice as long. I had at least 10 other people to read and comment on my writing. I even took it to my te acher before it was due for a last minute edit and check. The result: a â€Å"B†. It wasn’t the â€Å"A† I was working for, but I knew I had pushed past that moment of crash and burn. In my life, some chances for greatness have been tossed to the wind and thrown directly out of my hand. I didn’t take the SATs my senior year; I didn’t think I would do well enough so I didn’t try. I didn’t want to face a potential failure so I never took the risk. In chemistry my sophomore year, I had my priorities wrong. No lab book complete, no chapters in the text book read, no passing grades on exams—yet another opportunity flying away. And this essay, last minute to be sure. I was terrified to apply for a scholarship because I feared I would be rejected. But as I said before, it is not in me to run away from something I want. It is not the rifle who is in charge, it is me. It is me. I’m in charge of the direction my life will take from this moment forward. My eyes are focused on getting into the right college and not screwing it up. When I find myself with the wrong placement, I’m going to pick myself up and try it again. And when I do find that perfect placement, I know things will end well end for me.

Bmw free essay sample

This case explains the elements that make up BMW’s strengths and weaknesses and illustrates the circumstances that surround the group in the mid 2000s. After an outline of the automobile industry, the case examines the product portfolio and the performance of the automobiles division of the BMW group. Students are likely to relate readily to the issues in this case, since the product and brands of the BMW group are well known. Also, as the products in the case are very desirable to most people, many students are likely to own or desire one. 2. Position of the case The case is best used as part of a strategy course dealing with positioning, branding, product portfolio and corporate strategy. It can also be used as part of courses that deal with strategic marketing issues, specifically brand development and management. The information on the automobile industry is limited, but sufficient for students to attempt some initial industry analysis, before moving on to consider the specific issues of BMW’s capability and positioning. We will write a custom essay sample on Bmw or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The case may be presented to students in two main ways: †¢ As an initial scenario that students will explore by themselves, with a general brief that requires them to identify and discuss the issues they see as critical in the case. Students who are used to an independent pattern of learning will favour this approach, and arguably they will learn more than in many other ways. This approach may also be extended to involve students in researching further some of the issues in the case, on the basis of an assessment of the existing information. As a self-contained scenario that is used by students as a source of information to answer a number of specific questions set by the tutor. †¢ 271  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual 3. Learning objectives The main learning objectives that students should achieve after working through this case study are †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Practising the competitive analysis of an industry Assessing the strategic capability of a company Practising the segmentation of a market Relating the factors that are key to the success in a market to the resources and competences that a successful player must possess Identifying positioning options Evaluating the importance of brand management as a competence that is critical to successful differentiation Choosing directions and methods for the strategic development of a company. 4. Questions for discussion The case supports a number of questions that together will help students to achieve the learning objectives. The following are questions that students should be able to address from the information in the case. The questions also indicate the type of issues that students should be discussing if the more general teaching approach is used. 1. What main trends are identifiable in the business environment in general and in the automobile market in particular in 2004 that might affect BMW strategy? 2. Using Porter’s five-forces framework, attempt an analysis of the competition in the automobile industry in 2004; adopt the BMW perspective. Consider the time horizon of strategic planning, and attempt to identify what future changes are likely for that period in the light of the factors at play in the macro-environment. 3. What were the critical success factors in the market segments in which BMW competed? How do BMW’s competences compare to these? Was BMW able to acquire and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage? 4. Discuss BMW’s sources of competitive advantage. What route(s) does it appear to pursue on the strategy clock? 5. What directions and methods of strategic development does BMW appear to follow? Evaluate their effectiveness in light of your understanding of the market segments in which the group competes. 272  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual 6. Discuss the corporate strategy issues relevant to BMW as a group. 5. Case analysis 5. 1 What main trends are identifiable in the business environment in general and in the automobile market in particular in 2004? The information in the case is limited, but it is clear that the industry was in the mature phase, therefore fiercely competitive, mostly on price, except for companies that managed to differentiate their products. The industry, characterised by global convergence, driven by technology push and market pull, was highly consolidated, with a few companies generating most of the output. The consolidation was driven by the need to generate economies of scale and of scope. Most suppliers of automobile parts were undergoing the same process. Two important related features of the market were the search for differentiation through design and the trend towards customisation, implemented on the back of a few major ‘platforms’. Given the maturity of the market, quality was no longer a differentiator, and branding was a major competitive tool. 5. 2 Using Porter’s five-forces framework, attempt an analysis of the competitiveness in the automobile industry in 2004; adopt the BMW perspective. Consider the time horizon of strategic planning, and attempt to identify what future changes are likely for that period in the light of the factors at play in the macro-environment The first issue that students must address in answering this question is to clarify the part of the industry and market to which they are going to apply Porter’s model. An accurate segmentation of the automobile industry is hard to perform because of the scarce information. Nonetheless, students should at least pose the question. So at a minimum they should identify some of the segments in which BMW competed, for example high performance saloon and sport cars. Potential entrants These segments were already crowded, made attractive by the premium price that the products sustained and increasingly attractive to players that could produce and promote differentiated automobiles. Examples were VW with Audi models and Ford with Volvo and Jaguar models. Ford had entered the market of luxury cars with a low-cost strategy. Potential entrants were a significant threat. 273  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual Product substitutes Products competing for buyers’ disposable income in the segments where BMW competed ranged from other vehicles (e. g. motorbikes, boats) to leisure products (e. g. cruises), to properties (e. g. timeshare holiday homes). This is another significant threat. Power of buyers The power of individual buyers was very limited, since they had little bargaining power: they did not represent a threat. However, especially in the performance/ executive saloons range, fleet managers and car rental companies were powerful enough to exercise pressure on companies’ profitability. Power of suppliers Suppliers had little power: the attempt by some to differentiate their products by supplying ‘systems’ rather than ‘parts’ (i. e. the whole dashboard rather than some of the instrumentation) had given them little power, as their products were custom-made, thus unsuitable for most other buyers. Also, carmakers were capable of backwards integration. Competitive rivalry This was fierce. The industry was in a mature stage, with no growth, with little scope for differentiation, apart from (increasingly costly) branding, as quality had become a requirement, rather than an option. Design was also becoming a necessary requirement, but the increasing use of the same platforms for a number of models to reduce costs made many cars look very much the same. Exit was difficult, given the high asset intensity prevalent in the industry, and possibly political issues. In these conditions, competition for non-differentiated products was increasingly on price (often in the form of incentives), which had the effect of depressing the profitability of the whole industry. Future changes The changes that one could envisage taking place in the strategic time horizon of 5–6 years to the end of the decade were largely further intensification of the trends identifiable in the mid 2000s. 274  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Further consolidation of the industry, with smaller companies being acquired by the few big groups. A search for niches, on a global scale. Growth of cooperative links (joint ventures, strategic alliances), especially to enter new markets. Increased importance of IT in strategic decision making, in developing and managing knowledge (e. g. CRM), in managing the supply chain and in controlling operations. 5. 3 What were the critical success factors in the market segments in which BMW competed? How do BMW’s competences compare to these? Was BMW able to acquire and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage? The competences needed to underpin the critical success factors of players in the segments in which BMW competed were: Sound management of the supply chain and of the value system, through vertical integration and/or effective cooperation links to generate a high perceived value for buyers BMW achieved this by controlling most of the activities in the value chain, to ensure the high level of quality that buyers expect. Effective distribution network The control exercised by BMW on the distribution network contributed to its high global visibility, ensured top quality customer service and precious market intelligence. Size: the successful company is big enough to achieve high economies of scale and to deter predators BMW was large enough to achieve the desired economies of scale and scope that were required to be competitive in the segments in which it competed. The size, however, could be cause for some concern. In the mid 2000s the Quandt family seemed to be determined to keep its control of the group. Could this attitude change? What factors could influence it? 275  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual Above all, a strong brand that buyers associate with quality, prestige, status The BMW brand was very powerful: customers associated it with solid German engineering and craftsmanship. The brand was very prestigious – ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ – and reassuringly expensive: it was perceived as a must by successful executives around the world, and by those who aspired to become so. The vigorous product development was exploiting the power of the brand to extend the reach to other segments, still with differentiated products. What were the limits of such a strategy? To sum up BMW appeared to possess the competences that related to the critical success factors: its continued growth in the face of a generally stagnant automobile market testified to that. . Discuss BMW’s sources of competitive advantage. What route(s) does it appear to pursue on the strategy clock? BMW was very successful in pursuing route 4 – differentiation – on the strategy clock. The sources of competitive advantage that sustained such strategy were: 1. Improvements in product Through design expertise, vigorous RD, solid craftsmanship, continuing use of manual input in production operations were perceived by buyers as value-adding factors. Marketing-based approaches The ‘differences’ of BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce automobiles were effectively communicated to the markets: the concept of the ultimate driving machine was used to summarise the benefits accruing to buyers. 3. Competence-based approaches BMW seemed to exploit effectively the interrelationship of its strong RD, design capabilities, and sound engineering. Unlike many other German companies, BMW was successful in appropriating the additional revenue accruing to its products as a result of being produced in Germany (or under strict company supervision). BMW’s major competence in the mid 2000s was its brand management and communication. 276  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 Instructor’s Manual To sum up In the mid 2000s, BMW was successfully pursuing a differentiation strategy. It did so by offering a (perceived) improved product, which was realised through core competences embedded in the organisation and the benefits that the product would bring to buyers were effectively communicated to the market. The brands of the BMW group drove the buyers’ choice and generated extra revenue through their willingness to pay a premium price. What directions and methods of strategic development does BMW appear to follow? Evaluate their effectiveness in light of your understanding of the market segments in which the group competes BMW was following simultaneously a strategy of product development and market development. The continuous development of new models in new segments was coupled with entry into new markets, in particular China, Eastern Europe and India. The strategies appeared to be very effective and the response given by the markets demonstrates this. A question mark on the wisdom of the strategy in relation to its long term effects on the power of the brand is appropriate. 5. 6 Discuss the corporate strategy issues relevant to BMW as a group The corporate strategy issues relevant to the BMW group in the mid 2000s were of two kinds: 1. Portfolio management. The range of products generated by the group could be a cause for concern in relation to the different competences required to market, say, a Mini and a RollsRoyce – even considering that all the group’s products have in common the fact that they are differentiated. Perhaps more importantly, the expansion of the BMW brand range might weaken the brand that is now also supporting the other two, RollsRoyce and, especially, Mini. 2. Independence. Privately controlled but small in size when compared with the five giants, the group must rely on the loyalty of the family that owns a controlling share of its equity. The group’s survival if such loyalty were to falter was very much in doubt.

CSR in Nokia Company Essays

CSR in Nokia Company Essays CSR in Nokia Company Essay CSR in Nokia Company Essay In the last few years, more organizations are spending a fortune on their corporate social responsibility. This is increasing growing as a result of customer relationship and interest shown by the consumers in both products and service. Consumers are not Just having a brand loyalty but are monitoring the company in places where are operating to see If they will be environmental friendly. In other to successfully scrutinize the firm, the managers of this company are evaluating their Impact on the people and the environment. Monika has done reasonably well and still setting target or future year in other to fully implement recommendations and research result. Corporate Social Responsibility is of the best way to monitor the progress and face the challenges confronting them. Every well-to-do organization has a role to play to sustain or add value to the economy where they operate. Every company that intends to grow and succeed must care about the people and the society, e. G Must be socially responsible. This is why a company like Monika, Invested so much in other to see changes reflected In the way they do business in the community where they operates and changes In the mobile industry. The transformation is noticeable as Monika has brought a lot of Innovation to the mobile Industry and in the process of Investing and Influencing this change, there are specific areas where the company will always face Issues and the degree of challenges defers depending on the region where its being operated. Some of the challenges faced by Monika in the process of operating included but not limited to the following:- Energy Conservation Monika has consistently reduced the electricity it generated to operate overtime. Accordingly 40% of the electricity used by Monika comes from renewable energy sourcesl . Waste Management Monika has reduced the landfill waste by more than half since 2008 and the company has achieved 98% reduction as at 2012. Material The company is working towards sustaining the use of recycled materials. As at 2012, It Is using about 66% recycled materials on packaging and working towards increasing to 100%. Nooks, 201 2) Other factors affecting Monika are In the area of health safety, product use, logistic and suppliers. This Is not peculiar to Monika but to every organization where they value the Corporate social Responsibility (CARS). In other to understand the factors and the challenges faced by Monika, it is imperative to SE the external factors such as the Politic al, legal, social and the technology to identify and understand the market conditions where the company is localized, and thus work out modalities that could help or sustains Monika global brand. POLITICAL Even though the core basic aspect of Ionians business Is connecting people via mobile data communication, it is important for Monika to understand each terrain where their company Is domiciled. In view of this, It Is pertinent for Monika to understand the political landscape of the economy as the government must not be partial In the dealings with corporate companies. If there Is a good political structure in an economy, there is a tendency for Monika to grow but where the environment is This is one of the biggest aspects of mobile data Communication Company. The legal system differs from one country to the other and thus Monika needs to understand the concept doing things right. It may be impossible to avoid legal matters in as much as contracts, trade, agreements and taxation issues are involve, but Monika can study each country mode of operations better before appending contract, defaulting on tax issue. As rightly put We go beyond current legal compliance, not merely taking it a saline but as a starting point for further improvement. Our goal is for our devices to contain no substances of concern. We continuously review and update our substance list to comply with any new requirements or restrictions. Moreover, we continuously explore and introduce new environmentally-friendly materials. (Monika, Report 2012). SOCIAL The social factor is a very important determinant aspect to a successful Ionians operation. This will determine the willingness of people to be able to afford to buy Ionians phone. The segmentation of the population will determine which age group guys what? This will be influenced by the purchasing power of the people. E. G. N Africa, majority of the youth prefer to own about three (3) phones, one of which is the Ionians phone due to the durability of the phone battery as most places do not have power to generate electricity on their own, others will prefer the shape of the phones while others are more concern with the content of the phone. But coming to the Middle East, majority of the youth do not have more than one phone but will prefer a classic or stylish pho nes. People per capital income will also show their purchasing ewer, whether more people can afford to buy a new Monika phone or not. All these are part of the social factors affecting Ionians operation and growth expansion. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Monika believes so much in investment into mobile technology and the company has spent significant amount of money on technological advancement. Without a continued innovation and research, a company cannot survive and this is where business environment values innovation. People prefer to have a phone with all-in- one mobile functionality. It is one of such investment in technology that is displayed n the New Monika Lamina with 42 camera MSP. CONCLUSION For Monika to have survive this far means that the company understand the challenges being faced and thus needs to continually study the political terrain of where they are operating, understand the legal aspect and strive to improve the social standard of the people while investing more in mobile technology. As stated in the Monika report, sustainability is about unleashing the potential of mobile technology to help people build better lives and a better planet. And its about minimizing possible negative impacts of our activities. (Monika Report, 2012).

Module 6 Practice Exercise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 6 Practice Exercise - Assignment Example The gross proceed from the stock sale is 3.080 million dollars. Lil John Industries’ equity includes 1.6 million outstanding shares selling at a price of 33 dollars per share. The total funds raised from equity are 52.8 million dollars. There are 26,000 bonds outstanding selling at 104 percent. The total debt is 26000*1.04*1000=27.04 million dollars. The debt equity ratio is 27.04/52.8=0.5=1:2.assuming the par value to be 1000 dollars. In scenario one where there is no debt, the EPS is obtained through dividing the outstanding shares with the EBIT. In the recession, the EPS is 4.8/9.44=0.51. In the average condition, the EPS is 9.8/9.44=1.04 million. In the boom condition, the EPS is 16.8/9.44=1.78 million. The retention ratio refers to that proportion of the net income paid out through other means and not paid as dividend. It is calculated by subtracting one from the dividend payout ratio (Springer, 2011). Springer L. (2011). How to Find a Stocks Value Using the Dividend Discount Model. Retrieved from

Answer 3 required and 3 of the optional questions from the uploaded Research Paper

Answer 3 required and 3 of the optional questions from the uploaded information - Research Paper Example These financial statements are to be prepared using a predefined set of standards and guidelines, widely known as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (Types of Accounting, 2013). Managerial accounting is an accounting process that reportedly produces information for the sole us of management of the organization. The form and the details to be included in the reportorial information would depend on the intricate and extensive requirements and purpose of management. It was actually disclosed that the information could be more detailed, as compared to financial accounting statements which were identified to be prepared exclusively for external uses. Thus, management could require budgets, forecasts, and financial highlights that would be used to make decisions regarding strategies and plans that would achieve identified goals. Cost accounting was noted to be a branch of managerial that focuses on monitoring and controlling costs. Tax accounting, on the other hand, as the term implies, focuses on accounting facets which are tax-related and are reportedly governed by tax rules and regulations, as well as observance to the GAAP. Governmental accounting, or also known as public accounting (or even fund accounting) was noted to be a type of accounting process and information system that is used by government agencies or public organizations. The main disparity of this type of accounting with private organizations’ accounting system is that their funds are governed by budgets set by the federal government. Likewise, the disbursement of funds are to be allocated subject to the aims or goals of the government agency. Internal auditing accounting focuses on an ongoing appraisal of the financial condition of the organization subject to conformity to accounting standards and accounting laws. Finally, international accounting is the type of accounting process or information system governed by international accounting standards, as contrasted with GAAP. 2. Describe the purposes of financial statements and corporate annual reports. The purposes of financial statements and corporate annual reports include the provision of accurate financial information to various users to serve various needs (Purpose of Financial Statements, 2013). For instance, financials statements are mandated to be published to the public to give them a general overview of the organization and provide information regarding the potential effects of the organization to the local community or to the economy, as a whole. Likewise, financial statements and annual reports are needed by management for decision-making purposes. The companies’ shareholders, on the other hand, use these financial information to determine returns on their investments and any potential risks from currently disclosed external or internal factors that impinge on the organizations’ operations. Concurrently, the investors of the organization need to be given accurate information on the financial condition and status through financial statements and corporate annual reports that contain profits, returns on investment, risks, and market value, as needed. In addition to these various users, financial statements are needed by other financial institutions, such as banks or lending institutions when organizations apply for loans or financial assistance in various endeavors. Suppliers also need the information disclosed in financial stateme

Changes In Policies Directed Toward Poverty Social Policy Essay

Changes In Policies Directed Toward Poverty Social Policy Essay This assignment will examine the transformation of social welfare policy that was established and implemented during the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries to address the problem of poverty and to assist the poor at a time when rapid industrialisation hit Britain. These policies had been developed throughout this period using a combination of both state and charitable sector intervention that expanded and contracted at different levels within both sectors at different times. The assignment will be structured to incorporate the following distinct yet associated elements: Initially, I will explain what relief system/policy was in place to address rural and urban poverty leading up to the early part of the 19th century. Then, I will go on to set the environmental context in terms of how the rapid industrialisation that occurred in Britain could have contributed towards exacerbating the poverty being experienced by local communities and individuals during the early 19th century. I will then go on to concentrate on those policies and interventions that were introduced and/or endorsed by the state to specifically address poverty and help the poor; whilst considering in parallel, the differing perceptions of success and failure that surfaced during the implementation of these policies spanning a timeline of the 1800 1939 period. An integral part of this will include the differential categorisations and views on poverty that existed and subsequently evolved during this time period. Main body From the introduction of the Elizabethan Poor Law Act of 1601, those who were considered as deserving poor received relief from within their parish, which was subsidised by a compulsory poor rate levied on each parishs land and property owners. This was intended to give local control and responsibility for reducing the poverty being experienced by the poor, young, infirm or elderly within communities. These deserving poor were provided with what was termed Outdoor Relief in the form of either monetary payment or in-kind relief such as food, rent or clothes which enabled them to stay at home. Those who were classed as poor impotent people (2002, pg 11) and unable to help themselves, alongside the able bodied poor who were set to work, were provided with indoor relief within workhouses. This system continued well in to the late 18th century until the introduction of the Gilberts Act which advocated that workhouses should become poorhouses, run by poor law parish unions, to help only th e sick, the orphaned or the elderly. Joseph Townsend subsequently expressed his disapproval of this approach: and said that the workhouses operate like the figures which we set to scare the birds, till they have learnt first to despise them then to perch upon the objects of their terror. (Townsend 1788 cited in Spicker 1984, pg 10) The able-bodied poor could still claim outdoor relief but would be expected to find employment outside of the union workhouse, therefore poverty and poor relief problems became compounded further during a time of agricultural depression when wages were low and unemployment and population numbers were on the increase. By the early part of the 19th century the poor relief system was under significant strain as poor rates escalated, food prices were higher and the worlds first industrial society was spawned as industrialisation hit Britain. This was to be a period of rapid industrial advance and unprecedented urban growth; of major shifts in patterns of occupation (chiefly from agricultural to industrial and service) and of economic insecurity for many. (Kidd,1999; pg 4) Technological advancement moved into rural communities, and the agricultural labourer was replaced with more cost efficient machinery, such as horse powered threshing machines. This meant that agricultural workers and their families had little choice but to move to the more industrious towns and urban cities where wages were higher and there were more opportunities for work within factories, particularly in the textiles, transport and mining sectors. In reality, this optimistic view taken by those looking to escape the difficulties of the countryside and improve their standard of living would be faced with other prohibiting factors and subsequent poverty within the mass working class neighbourhoods would be harshly realised in various ways. Within the cities people were living in cheaply built, overcrowded terraced housing, which had inadequate sanitation and few amenities. Within the factories, conditions were no better as workers were subject to working unprotected around dangerous machinery, whilst working long hours for unduly low wages and receiving harsh punishments for non compliance. Similarly, employers could freely use child labour which they felt aided poor families by giving their children work from the age of five years upwards, much to the detriment of a childs education which was fated due to no enforced legislation being in place. In addition, there were increasingly instances of poor malnutrition that existed in families which was associated to the costly prices of food, therefore poor factory workers could usually only afford to buy rotten items. Taking into account all of these factors, the families of manual workers were always vulnerable to unemployment, sickness, old age or the death of the breadwinner, which reduced them to pauperism (Royle, 1997; pg 162) New Poor Law As population growth reached an unprecedented level, poor relief costs were also rising as more people were falling into a spiral of poverty and pauperism rather than benefiting from the increased wages and improved standard of living that optimists of the industrial revolution predicted. Politicians recognised that the current poor law system of 1601 needed to undergo considerable reform as there were clearly widespread frustrations on the back of what Malthus argued as providing encouragement to illegitimacy (Spicker et al 2007; pg 148) through the provision of family child allowance and that outdoor relief will diminish both the power and the will to save among the common people (Malthus cited in Kidd 1999; pg 21) inadvertently forcing more people towards poverty. Malthus subsequently concluded in saying that dependent poverty ought to be held disgraceful and the poor laws abolished. (Englander 1998; pg 9) Social reformer and laissez-faire economist Jeremy Bentham argued for a more disciplinary and corrective approach and believed in the primacy of the free competitive market in the solution of social problems. (Englander, 1998, pg 10) In 1832 in response to the pressures highlighted above a Royal Commission on the Poor Law was appointed, consisting of 9 members and several assistant commissioners ranging from economists to social reformers e.g. Edwin Chadwick. Their remit was to identify the flaws in the current poor relief system and make recommendations for a new, more cost efficient model for implementation. In the midst of this review, the first policy move against child labour occurred in the form of the Factory Act of 1833, whereby children younger than nine were not allowed to work, children were not permitted to work at night and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (INSERT SOURCE) After much assessment of fact and statistics in conjunction with the previous influential ideas portrayed by Malthus and Bentham the New Poor Law Report was published in 1834, that concluded the law itself was the cause of poverty. This led to the subsequent endorsement of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 that focused on the ethos of instilling a work discipline whilst controlling the costs of poor relief (Pierson, 2009). In order to do this, the act placed its emphasis on putting the deterrent workhouse at its core with the guiding concept of less eligibility which would distinguish between the able-bodied pauper and the independent poor and automatically weed out the merely work- shy from the truly indigent (Brundage, 2002; pg 35). Consequently, the pauper would experience poorer conditions within the workhouse than the lowest living standards of an independent labourer. The workhouse would resemble the layout and mechanics of a correctional institution, comprising segregation (a mongst different classes), uniformity, tedious work, a controlling discipline and the bare minimum in food and accommodation. This it was hoped would ultimately deter the able bodied from applying for indoor relief in favour of finding employment to survive, whilst simultaneously improving the ethical nature of the indolent people it housed and to encourage their eventual liberation. The Act also proposed to abolish all outdoor relief, however this actually persisted to provide assistance up until the 1840s as there were insufficient workhouses built to house the inevitable increase in paupers who would not get help outside. Another key feature that remained was the guardians control of the stringent settlement laws which would help avoid a large influx of paupers from the rural villages, thus keeping costs for the urban tax payer at a manageable level. At the start of the Victorian era in 1837 the view on poverty remained as one of self responsibility and character, whereby the individual was considered responsible for his/her own actions and subsequent survival in life irrespective of the environment they were living in. This opinion gathered momentum as people continually failed to or were reluctant to find a job, thus leading to the increased dependency on the state and little or no inclination to save money as a means of supporting themselves through difficult circumstances and into their old age. This became exacerbated further by those who simply ventured down the path of petty crime, sexual immorality, idleness and insobriety, which were defects which could be overcome by discipline and new attitudes (Townsend, 1993; pg 97); and thus further supported the principles and establishment of the deterrent workhouse system. As the 1840s progressed; the guardians began to reduce the levels of outdoor relief being distributed to the able bodied poor. People were becoming shamed and increasingly aware that to be considered for relief they would be expected to perform some work tasks with a view to accessing employment, otherwise they would be faced with the harsh reality of having to enter the workhouse with their families. Subsequently, people began to recognise the emerging stigma attached to relief and would focus their efforts on finding work and other means of assistance before succumbing to the indignities of the Poor Law and the ultimate indignity of a pauper funeral (Alcock et al, 2008; pg 13). This was similarly echoed by Jeremy Bentham who argued that people did what was pleasant and would not do what was unpleasant so that if people were not to claim relief, it had to be unpleasant (Spicker, 2007; pg 148) At this time the severe measures and conditions within the workhouse system were receiving a barrage of criticism and opposition from the religious sector and workers unions which led to the review and further amendments of the Amendment Act, removing the harshest measures of the workhouses. The Andover workhouse scandal, where conditions in the Andover Union Workhouse were found to be inhumane and dangerous, prompted a government review and the abolishment of the Poor Law Commission, which was replaced with a Poor Law Board. In 1842 Edwin Chadwick wrote and published a report made the statement that sanitation After the influenza and typhoid epidemics in 1837 and 1838, Edwin Chadwick was asked by the government to carry out a new enquiry into sanitation. His report, The Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population was published in 1842. In the report Chadwick argued that disease was directly related to living conditions and that there was a desperate need for public health reform. Over 7,000 copies of the report was published and it helped create awareness of the need for government to take action in order to protect the lives of people living in Britains towns and cities. Sir Robert Peel and his Conservative administration were unwilling to support Chadwicks recommendations. A pressure group, the Health of Towns Association, was formed in an effort to persuade Peels government to take action. However, it was only after the 1847 General Election, when Lord John Russell became leader of a new Liberal government, that new legislation was introduced. In 1848 Parliament passed a Public Health Act that provided for the formation of a Central Board of Health. This new body had powers to create local boards to oversee street cleansing, refuse collection, water supply and sewerage systems Edwin Chadwick Sanitation Report (1842) Charitable/self help movement COS (1869) Slum clearance freeing up land for housing developers (1870) Charles Booth (class division/ income) / Seebohm Rowntree Sanitation/Environment studies Physical deterioration/health Boer War National fitness Committee on physical deterioration Settlement Houses to mix upper class in with poor communities Bibliography Alcock, C., Daly, G. and Griggs, E. (2008) Introducing Social Policy, 2nd ed., London: Longman Brundage, A. (2002) The English Poor Laws 1700-1930, Basingstoke: Palgrave Englander, D. (1998) Poverty and Poor Law Reform in 19th Century Britain, 1834-1914 From Chadwick to Booth, Harlow: Longman Kidd, A. (1999) State, Society and the Poor in Nineteenth-Century England,Basingstoke: Macmillan Royle, E. (1997) Modern Britain: A Social History 1750-1985, 2nd ed., London: Arnold Spicker, P. (1984) Stigma and Social Welfare, Kent: Croom Helm Spicker, P., Alvarez Leguizamon, S. and Gordon, D. (2007) Poverty: an international glossary, 2nd ed., London: Zed Townsend, P. (1993) The International Analysis of Poverty, London: Harvester Wheatsheaf

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

On behalf of the class of 2006, the second graduating class of Digital Arts at George Cogswell College, we would like to welcome you. It is an honor for us to have you here to celebrate this special day with us. This is the last day of our school year and the beginning of our professional life. It is also a day that we have worked very hard for and we know we could not have done it without your help. We have studied diligently in these past three years and experienced many changes in the digital technologies. Some of us had no idea what we were getting into. We had to deal with both the creative side and the technical side of the digital arts. The creative side was always fun! We had fun designing characters, and then animating them. We had fun analyzing filming and audio techniques, we had fun listening to each other's scripts. Acting class was most amusing! I will never forget our storytelling class. We came up with various weird and fascinating movements for our classmates to act out. But when we applied all of this creative fun stuff digitally, the technical side tormented us. There was always new software to learn, especially in animation programs. Our 3D animation classes were excruciating; we had to memorize more than a generous amount of technical terminology and a myriad of short-cut keys. We had to learn to think in 3D, to understand the relationship of our model from top view to side view and front view and pay attention to every detail; practically everything from modeling to material, texture, and animation. If we were not careful, our character's hands and feet would disappear into cyberspace! Besides that, there were computer problems to worry about. Some of us had experienced system crashes through power outages during the storm season. Others experienced file corruption a few weeks before the finals. There were many sleepless nights. In fact, one of us broke the school rules and stayed overnight just to get some work done, disregarding the alarm in the hall. After this incident, every night at closing time, the on-duty instructor walked around the computer rooms many times to make sure that no one was hiding under a table. I'll never forget those moments. (Now the school has installed alarms in all computer rooms at the new building; there just is no excuse to try to stay over night.