Southwest airlines Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Southwest airlines Comparative Analysis - Essay Example s the customers choose increasing demand, the company also receives less complaints compared to other airlines and this has made it to become a market leader in the airline industry. There are however other factors that has led to the success of South west airlines and they include the organization structure, organization culture and leadership, the following is an analysis of the company’s structure, culture and leadership compared to its competitors. Organization structures include the flat structures, tall structures, hierarchical structure, centralized and decentralized structures and each structure adopted has advantages and disadvantage associated. The company is organized in a hierarchical structure whereby top workers include the CEO and executive vice presidents. (Hoffer, 29) The advantage of this structure is that authority and a responsibility are clearly defined. Clearly defined roles help in reducing conflicts in an organization and also help in improving productivity and specialization. The other advantage associated with the hierarchical structure is that promotion paths are clearly defined. This means that workers are well motivated to achieve higher positions in the organization, promotion is based on performance and therefore top managers are well aware of the operations and activities in their division. High productivity is achieved where worker are motivated to improve performance which in turn leads to high profitability. (McCartney, 2007) Managers are specialized in the hierarchical structure, managers are promoted from non managerial positions in the organization and also from the same division they work and therefore they specialize in the same position and this ensures efficiency in the company. The other advantage of this structure realized by the Southwest airline is that workers are more loyal to their divisions; the company is divided in several divisions and these department help in improving productivity of workers through

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay Tropical rainforests are located some distance around the equator and it is one of the earths spectacular wonders. It runs from the tropic of cancer in the northern side of the equator to tropic of Capricorn in the southern part of the equator. Examples of largest known tropical rainforests are found in Brazil (South America), South East Asia, Indonesia (islands near the Indian Ocean), and Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa), and in the Caribbean Islands (Isaac and William, 2007). The largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon rainforest found in the South America and which covers almost two thirds of the United States continent (Malhi and Philips, 2000). Tropical rainforests are defined by their wet climate condition in that it receives 400 to 760 cm of rainfall each year as observed by Morecroft and Keith (pp 298). The climate consists of uninterrupted warm temperatures, high humidity and high rainfalls. Its temperatures range between 25 to 30 Degrees Celsius. This paper will look at the climate that exists in the tropical rainforest and how it affects the growth of a variety of plants in the tropical rainforest. The tropical rainforests made is made up of mostly wet seasons and its climatologic regions lie within the inter-tropical convergence zone. The different types of rainforests are categorized according to the different types of weathers they experience during the year and considering their geographical location (Osterndort et al, 2001). These rainforests includes the monsoon, subtropical and the equatorial type. The rain is experienced almost every day and it lies between 1500 to 2500mm throughout the year. The temperatures vary during the day and night in that during the day, the temperatures range between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius while during the night, the temperature drops to between 19 and 24 degrees Celsius. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest is the equatorial climate and it is characterized by high relative humidity ranging from 77% to 88% and this supports a variety of plant species (Martinelli et al, pp 1107). The tropical rainforest is filled with green vegetables throughout the seasons because of the high rate of rainfall which encourages growth of trees that form canopies which provide shade to other plants and animals living in the area. The atmosphere is always humid, hot and damp due to the canopies that are formed from the trees. The rainforest provides a home to different types of animals and contains many species of plants more than any other type of vegetation areas known. Its climate has no pronounced summer and winter in that the temperature differences between the day and night is observed to be larger than the differences in temperature between summer and winter. The climatic characteristics that defines the tropical rainforest includes average daily temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius, the diurnal temperature change is between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius, the latitude comes under the doldrums low pressure belt all the year round, the rainfall is usually convection al and finally the midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. The rainforest soils are not usually fertile and this is because the continuous rains wash away the valuable nutrients. The daily weather cycle of the tropical rainforest begins in the morning when the sun shines, heats up the ground making hot and wet air rise in the atmosphere then in the afternoon, the dark clouds brings the rain and thunderstorms in the rainforest and this cycle is repeated continuously each day resulting to an ever wet area (Lewis, 2006). The rainforest is made up four layers namely; the emergent layer, the canopy, the understory and lastly the plants that make up the forest floors. Firstly, the emergent layer consists of a small number of trees that are tall which is referred to as Emergents. The trees grow above the canopy that is has been created by the other trees and reaches to a height of about 54m. These trees are adapted to withstand strong winds and high temperatures from the direct sunlight. It is usually in habited by eagles, monkeys, bats and some butterflies. Secondly, we have the canopy layer which also consists of tall trees of height 45m maximally. The canopy is estimated to contain an almost 50% of different plant species as it has been discovered to be the densest area of biodiversity. It contains epiphytic plants which attach themselves to tree trunks and branches for support. These plants also obtain water and mineral salts from rain and debris that is collected from the other supporting plants in the canopy region (Schneider and Root, pp 710). Thirdly, we have the understory layer which is located in the region between the forest floor and the canopy. These area forms a habitat to snakes, lizards, leopards, boa constrictors, birds and other predators. The region does not receive enough sunlight due to the canopy layer above it in that approximately, the under story receives 5% of total sunlight. It is sometimes referred to as a shrub layer. The last layer is the forest floor which is estimated to receive only 2% of sunlight. The area is characterized by low vegetations because of the relatively low sunlight penetration and only plants that are adapted to low light survive in this region. The rate of decay in plants and animal matter are sped up by the availability of warm and humid conditions. The presence of fungi also speeds up the rate of decay of plants and animals. For many years it was thought that plants in the tropical rainforest were unaffected by the equatorial climate but recent studies indicated that the warm temperatures of tropical rainforest affected the growth of a variety of plants in the region. Lewis (pp 198), stated that the drier conditions in the cloud forest could lead to extinction of some species of plants more especially the orchids. He also monitored tree growth, tropical temperatures and level of carbon dioxide released as a result of high humidity and warm climate. His researches on the matter revealed that the tropical rainforest trees gave off more carbon dioxide than they could use and this resulted to a change in the composition of forest. He also noted that the trees at times grew at a slower rate when the nights were warm. Other studies by Osterndort et al (2001) indicated that some trees grew at a faster rate when the level of carbon dioxide rose while other tree types declined in vitality. Lewis (pp 200), indicated that an increase of carbon dioxide in the tropical rainforest was the main reason for the abrupt shifts in species growth and this, he noted, could lead to serious ecological repercussions in the area experiencing these. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest has made plants growing in the area to adapt themselves so that they can survive the existing conditions such as growth of bushes and canopies. Examples of such plants and how they have adapted themselves includes; lianas which have thick vines that loops around the trunk of trees to reach the top and receive sunlight. Usually their stems come in different shapes and varying length. Their life begins from the forest floor but they grow upwards depending on trees for support until they reach to the top of the tall trees. When they reach at the top, they then spread towards other lianas and trees and wound themselves tightly so that they can be in a position to resists strong winds. Another type of plant in found in the warm environment of tropical rainforest is the fern. The ferns grow in the forest floor as they are well adapted to survive on such a condition. Apart from these, we also have the epiphytes or air plants which perch themselves high on the branches as they become detached from the ground. They begin their life from the canopy from seeds taken there by wind or birds. Some of the tallest trees have buttress roots system which ensures total stability against strong wind and to increase the surface area under which they obtain their nutrients from (Morecroft and Keith, 2009). The diversity in plant species is said to be highest in the tropical rainforest region and it is the responsibility of individuals to ensure that the trees are maintained to allow growth of these trees. Tropical rainforest is reported to maintain a clear environment that is safe for human stay in that it uses up all the carbon dioxide in the air and releases a clean atmosphere. Conclusion Conclusively, it has been observed from the above that the equatorial climate in the tropical rainforest favors the growth of a variety of plant species. It is noted that the tropical rainforest is the largest ecological area that supports and gives a habitat to a diversity if plants and animals. The climatic changes have been observed by Malhi and Philips (2000), to be unchanging and are characterized by high levels of rainfall and high humidity. The climatic condition has created the emergence of different layers which contains a variety of plant species making it one of the earths most spectacular scenery.

Grapes Of Wrath :: essays research papers

Years… Born:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1902 Died:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1968 Wrote:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He wrote The Grapes of Wrath in 1930’s and released it in 1939. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940. Nationality:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He was an American author who lived in Salinas, California. He was educated at Stanford University. He first worked as a fruit picker, but then moved to New York. He didn’t like it in New York so he moved back and became an author. Style:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Steinbeck’s style is to write about something that he knows first hand. He likes to have all the details before writing his stories. Prior to writing The Grapes of Wrath, he caught up with some migrants from Oklahoma and rode with them on their journey to California.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His style in The Grapes of Wrath is to have a chapter with dialogue and the story, and to then give a picture of the times. He describes the depression of the 1930’s and gives the reader a full view of what the migrants were going through. There is a dialogue and ‘story’ chapter, which is followed or preceded by an ‘intercalary’ (between) chapter. The ‘intercalary’ chapters are what serve to show the migrant’s struggling, and the big picture of what times were like. Genre:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Grapes of Wrath is considered a protest novel to many. Steinbeck originally wrote it to ask California farmers to have sympathy for the migrating ‘Okies’. However, today recognized as a classic, this would most likely fall under the genre of drama. Notes:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you read The Grapes of Wrath you must take into consideration that Steinbeck has traveled with Oklahoma migrants so that he is writing from experience. However, because he wants to get sympathy for migrants he may exaggerate conditions a little. Steinbeck uses a lot of symbolism in his writing. He starts with a turtle symbolizing the Joad family and the hardships they will face. Characters symbolize and foreshadow events, and small things can play a larger role than expected. Steinbeck’s mastery of symbolism and his relating to the bible can be seen throughout the entire novel. THE GRAPES OF WRATH Conversion and the many changes that take place   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom and his family undergo significant change due to uncontrollable forces that occur throughout the book. Through these events he and his family go through conversion, death and rebirth, migration, and are on constant pursuit for a better life. Many inner and outer changes occur throughout the entire novel. The Joad family begins the novel as self-centered individuals, and end the novel as a universal family with all the other migrants from Oklahoma, also known as ‘Okies’. Grapes Of Wrath :: essays research papers Years… Born:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1902 Died:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1968 Wrote:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He wrote The Grapes of Wrath in 1930’s and released it in 1939. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940. Nationality:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He was an American author who lived in Salinas, California. He was educated at Stanford University. He first worked as a fruit picker, but then moved to New York. He didn’t like it in New York so he moved back and became an author. Style:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Steinbeck’s style is to write about something that he knows first hand. He likes to have all the details before writing his stories. Prior to writing The Grapes of Wrath, he caught up with some migrants from Oklahoma and rode with them on their journey to California.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His style in The Grapes of Wrath is to have a chapter with dialogue and the story, and to then give a picture of the times. He describes the depression of the 1930’s and gives the reader a full view of what the migrants were going through. There is a dialogue and ‘story’ chapter, which is followed or preceded by an ‘intercalary’ (between) chapter. The ‘intercalary’ chapters are what serve to show the migrant’s struggling, and the big picture of what times were like. Genre:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Grapes of Wrath is considered a protest novel to many. Steinbeck originally wrote it to ask California farmers to have sympathy for the migrating ‘Okies’. However, today recognized as a classic, this would most likely fall under the genre of drama. Notes:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you read The Grapes of Wrath you must take into consideration that Steinbeck has traveled with Oklahoma migrants so that he is writing from experience. However, because he wants to get sympathy for migrants he may exaggerate conditions a little. Steinbeck uses a lot of symbolism in his writing. He starts with a turtle symbolizing the Joad family and the hardships they will face. Characters symbolize and foreshadow events, and small things can play a larger role than expected. Steinbeck’s mastery of symbolism and his relating to the bible can be seen throughout the entire novel. THE GRAPES OF WRATH Conversion and the many changes that take place   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom and his family undergo significant change due to uncontrollable forces that occur throughout the book. Through these events he and his family go through conversion, death and rebirth, migration, and are on constant pursuit for a better life. Many inner and outer changes occur throughout the entire novel. The Joad family begins the novel as self-centered individuals, and end the novel as a universal family with all the other migrants from Oklahoma, also known as ‘Okies’.

Technique of Indirect Characterization in “The Great Gatsby”

There is no single work of literature in the world, where a full, completed characterization of a person would be, no matter if he/she is the main character, or does not play any role in the novel at all. The main idea is to develop an image of a character through actions of others, and as it gets more complicated, the greater novel becomes. In Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby† the author uses the technique of indirect characterization to make the reader feel the atmosphere of the society of the nineteen-twenties by analyzing its behavior. Gatsby, the true representative of all the greatness, richness, and beautifulness of the period, plays the main role in the novel by being the most mysterious and fabulous person. This is the reason why everyone talks about him and creates various rumors about his enigmatic life. Nick and Jordan also play important roles. Their main job is to transmit the Gatsby’s character. During their first meeting they mentioned Gatsby’s name only once, but then it became usual and kept being talked about. When they first kissed, Jordan had already told Nick about Gatsby’s love to Daisy. These discussions tied them together. And as the relationship between Nick and Jordan becomes closer, more information the reader gets from the novel. There is another situation when Nick finds out some negative characteristics of Jordan, such as carelessness, the unsuccessful time period of Gatsby’s life becomes being known by Nick, and so, by the reader. Nick’s company makes Gatsby feel more comfortable and opened. He is not afraid of being trustful with him, because recognizes an unaffected person in Nick, it reminds Gatsby of himself. Nick, in his turn, finds out some characteristics of Gatsby, and creates an image of a swift, strong, and sometimes embarrassed man. The idea of manipulating characters in order to describe someone in a novel makes the reader think on the work, try to reorganize thoughts, and complete the image of the character.

Type 2 Diabetes

Living with Type 2 Diabetes Introduction Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems. No cure has been found for this disease. However, an important part of managing diabetes is maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and exercise plan. Olokoba, Obateru, Olokoba, 2012) Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin. The cause of type 1 diabetes is not known and it is not preventable with current knowledge. Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger (polyphagia), weight loss, vis ion changes, and fatigue. These symptoms may occur rapidly. Mosorovic, Brkic, Nuhbegovic, Pranjic, 2012) Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. Symptoms may be similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but are often less obvious. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen. (Mosorovic, Brkic, Nuhbegovic, Pranjic, 2012) Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, affecting 25. million people of all ages (8. 3 percent of the U. S. population). Of the 25. 8 million affected people, 7. 0 remain undiagnosed. Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and new cases of blindness among adults in the United States. (http://diabetes. niddk. ni h. gov) Meet Mrs. M, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 35. Mrs. M is now 57 years old. She has learned that although there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, it can be managed. She is aware that in order to better manage this disease she needs to eat well, exercise, and maintain a healthy weight.Mrs. M has graciously agreed to be interviewed. We will learn more about her, how she copes with this disease, and her struggle in maintaining a healthy weight by incorporating healthy cooking in her lifestyle. I will use the five holistic variables within the Neuman Systems Model (NSM) to identify how Mrs. M’s internal and external environment are affected. I will also assess Mrs. M’s learning needs and provide a trustworthy and reliable resource from which she can benefit from. Physical Variable Mrs. M was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 35 when she became pregnant with her last child.During a routine doctor’s visit, it was noticed Mrs. M w as gaining a significant amount of weight. Around her 24th week of pregnancy, the doctor ordered she have a glucose test. The test showed a high level of sugar in her blood. The test was repeated and once again, it showed that her glucose level was higher than normal and there was also sugar in her urine. At that point, the doctor diagnosed her with gestational diabetes. In 1990, the only thing that was prescribed was that she begin administering a daily injection of insulin. This came as a completely shock to Mrs. M. She had never even heard of this thing called â€Å"diabetes†.Even more disturbing was the fact that she, and her unborn baby, was now carrying this disease. The doctor advised Mrs. M that although the glucose could reach and affect her baby, the insulin would not cross over to the baby. She was pleased with the news that once she delivered the baby, she would return to her normal diabetic state. The doctor informed Mrs. M the importance of checking her blood gl ucose and maintaining a healthy diet after the birth. This would help to reduce her chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Despite the recommendations, Mrs. M ended up developing type 2 diabetes.For the past 22 years, Mrs. M has been living with this chronic disease. Her medication has been changed several times throughout the years. At the moment, she is taking Glucophage 500mg and 4 units of Humilin in the morning. From the last time Mrs. M was seen by her primary care physician, these were her results: she weighed 170 pounds, blood pressure was 122/78, average blood sugar was 125 mg/dL, average hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) average was 5. 98%, her cholesterol and triglyceride levels were within normal limits, her kidneys were working well, and no obvious sores or infections of her feet or skin.Her last optometry visit showed no problems with her vision. She knows dental exams and cleaning are important and makes sure to visit the dentist every six months. In assessing Mrs. Mâ€℠¢s physical variable, I determined that the lack of knowledge about diabetes as a major stressor. Mrs. M’s doctor visits have been a major resource. Socio-cultural Variable She is a traditional Mexican woman and her cooking or eating habits have never been a concern. She has always cooked traditional Mexican dishes, which are high in fat. She never learned to cook or eat healthy.It is a belief of Mrs. M that anything that is â€Å"low fat†, â€Å"nonfat†, or essentially â€Å"healthy† must not taste good. Mrs. M was recently laid off and is unemployed, leaving her with no insurance. She does not want to visit the doctor’s office because she says that it is too expensive. Not only does she have to pay for her medication, but also the doctor’s visit and the laboratory bill. This has given her motivation to try to lose weight. She does realize that if she loses weight, she could possibly be able to get off the medications she is on.At this poin t, she is walking on a daily basis but still finds it hard to start healthy eating habits. She would like to learn how to maintain a healthy diet that she and her family can benefit from. It is hard for her to break free from all the foods she has loved all her life. However, she realizes it is necessary to make this drastic change in order to help her lose the weight. In assessing Mrs. M’s social-cultural variable, I determined that the lack of insurance as a major stressor. Mrs. M’s motivation and willingness to lose weight are major resources. Psychological VariableJust like everyone else, Mrs. M has good days and bad days. On most days, she feels motivated and hopeful that she will be able to better control her diabetes and get off her medicine. She goes on daily walks and really enjoys it when her daughter goes with her. She says that when her daughter goes on these walks with her, it makes the time go by fast and she really enjoys the time they spend together. Th ese walks serve not only to lose weight but also as a distractor. Mrs. M uses this time to talk about her day and about life in general. However, there are days that are not so good for Mrs. M.There are days where she feels defeated and burned out by her diabetes. She feels like she is â€Å"old† now and her health is slowly declining. She has had this disease for so long now and doesn’t see any improvement. It has been a stagnant process for her and that really frustrates her. There are days when she gets angry that she can’t eat certain foods and that she has to take medications to be able lead a semi normal life. Some days, she feels like just giving up and letting God decide her faith. In assessing Mrs. M’s psychological variable, I determined her feeling of defeat is a major stressor. Mrs.M’s daily walks with her daughter are a major resource. Spiritual Variable Mrs. M is a devoted Catholic. She has complete faith in God, the Catholic Church, and the power of prayer. Mrs. M feels our whole universe isn’t controlled by human beings, but by God. Her life, past and future, lies solely in God’s hands. There is no question in her mind that there is an afterlife, where her soul and spirit will rise to and will go to a better place. She is not scared of death. She looks forward to the day when she will be at peace and free of worries and pain; a place where she will live eternally, full of happiness and joy.She anticipates the day when she can reunite with her father and be able to see him, talk to him, and hold him again. Mrs. M feels she has lived a gratifying and good life. She says she has been blessed to have had the opportunity to live and experience this thing we call â€Å"life†. She knows her disease has many health consequences and feels that if something happens to her, God made it happen for a reason. He controls her life and she is willing to accept what he has decided for her. In assessing Mrs . M’s spiritual variable, I determined that there is no stressor involved. Mrs.M’s faith in God is a major resource. Developmental Variable Stage of development Generativity vs. Stagnation is Erik Erikson’s second psychosocial development stage of adulthood and happens between the ages of 25-64. During this time, we establish our careers, settle down within a relationship, begin our own families and develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture. We give back to society through raising our children, being productive at work, and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. By failing to achieve these objectives, we become stagnant nd feel unproductive. Mrs. M is in the Generativity stage. (Craven, Hirnle, 2009) Tasks of developmental stage Mrs. M is married with 4 grown children, and will celebrate her 36th wedding anniversary on December 14, 2012. Mrs. M was born in Jalisco, Mexico and moved to the United States when she was 21 years old. Her ideas and customs still remain traditional to the Mexican culture. Mrs. M was raised with the idea that family should come before everything, even herself. Mrs. M put her education on hold to be able to provide for her family, leaving her to work low paying jobs.She has worked her whole life to give her children the most and best she can. This has included working 12 to 14 hour shifts and then rushing home to make sure her kids had dinner and did their homework. She has always strived to keep her family happy, safe, and united. Her children are grown now and she maintains a good relationship with them. Now that her children are grown, she feels a sense of emptiness. She admits to feeling an overwhelming amount of sadness when thinking of how her house was once filled with her children’s laughter and now is so â€Å"empty†.There have been days when she feels she may be depressed. On these days she has to force herself to get out of bed and doesn’t feel like eating. She knows this is not good for her and affects her diabetes. She has noticed when she is feeling this way, her blood sugar drops. On the other hand, remembering all the precious times she has lived with her family brings a smile to her face. Mrs. M has always made her kids her number one priority and feels they have not let her down. Knowing that her kids are positive and productive members of society gives her a sense of accomplishment.She has a glow on her face every time she speaks of her kids. It makes her feel proud, loved, and special to know she has a family she can depend on, regardless of the situation. In assessing Mrs. M’s developmental variable, I determined that the depression she deals with is a major stressor. Mrs. M’s family is a major resource. Health Learning Needs After speaking with Mrs. M, her main concern is incorporating healthy meals and eating habits into her lifestyle. She feels cooking healthy is something she has always struggled wit h and would like to get more information as to how to cook healthy meals.Mrs. M has made it clear that she is a visual and hands on learner. She needs to †first see it and then do it† in order to better understand a task. Due to this information, I believe Mrs. M would benefit from a website that plays videos and has live demonstrations. Learning resource My recommendation to Mrs. M is that she visits the American Diabetes Association website at www. diabetes. org. This website has a lot of information that is helpful to anyone with type 2 diabetes. Mrs. M would benefit from the â€Å"Food and Fitness† tab.Under this tab she can find information on what type of foods she should be eating, healthy recipes, and helps in planning meals. There is also information about fitness and weight loss. There are great exercise ideas which will help Mrs. M get motivated to lose weight. This website offers live videos which will help with her visual learning need. Conclusion In summary, the NSM aims to promote a client’s optimal wellness. This model helps us see beyond just the objective clinical manifestations, which we are trained to observe. It helps us understand our clients on a whole new level, an interpersonal and holistic level.By completing an accurate NSM assessment, we see how culture, economic resources, spirituality, and family affect a client’s disease process. With the help of the NSM, I was able learn more about Mrs. M, assess her learning need, and provide a trustworthy and reliable resource from which she can benefit from. The www. diabetes. org website will teach her how she can maintain a healthy weight by incorporating healthy cooking in her lifestyle. References Olokoba, A. B. , Obateru, O. A. , ; Olokoba, L. B. (2012). Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of Current Trends. Oman Medical Journal, 27(4), 269-273. oi:10. 5001/omj. 2012. 68 Mosorovic, N. , Brkic, S. , Nuhbegovic, S. , ; Pranjic, N. (2012). Quality of life of people with Diabetes Mellitus. Healthmed, 6(7), 1076-1080. Demirbag, B. (2012). Neuman system model as a conceptual framework for community-based nurses when working with patients. Healthmed, 6(7), 2438-2445. Craven, R. F. , Hirnle, C. J. (2009). Fundamentals of Nursing. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) (February 2011). Fast fact on Diabetes. Retrieved from http://diabetes. niddk. nih. gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#fast

CitySuburban Dichotomy essays

CitySuburban Dichotomy essays After LAPD officers Laurence Powell, Theodor Briseno, and Timoty Wind, supervised Sgt. Stacey Koon, were found "not guilty" of beating citizen King, the Los Angeles riots erupted. Why did the riots occur? The rebellion was an outcome of the fiscal and social troubles which conffroting America's city and now. To understand riots, one must understand the causes of social rage, ussually said to be racism, poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and why people who experience this rage manage it in such a destructive manner. America is a suburban country and urban America is still losing population. Today about three-quarters of all Americans live in metropolitan areas. Two-thirds of them - in other words, about half the nation's population - live in suburbs. Furthermore, in every region of the country - even where city population are increasing - the fastest-growing parts of the metropolitan areas are the surrounding suburbs. During the 1980's, for example, Los Angeles grew by 17.4%, while its suburbs grew by 29.5%. Baltimore lost 6.4% of its population while its suburbs grew by 16.5%. Between 1970 and 1990, Chicago was loosing 17% of its population as its suburbs gained 24%. Furthermore, in fact the suburbs dominate politics. The number of Congressmembers who represent cities is declining, while the number who represent suburbs is increasing. For example, in 1992,when the riots in Los Angeles occured, the House had 98 urban districts, 170 suburban districts, and 88 rural districts; the rest were a mix of urban-suburban or rural-suburban populations. Of course, members of Congress who present "suburban" areas may be personally sympathetic to the plight of the central cities,but it does not mean they will vote to spend their constituents' tax dollars to alleviate urban problems. These aspects have led to the movement of businesses to the suburbs, and these forces are extremely difficult to counteract. Because people live...

ISDN VS. Modem essays

ISDN VS. Modem essays Computers store all information as binary numbers. The binary number system uses two binary digits, 0 and 1, which are called bits. The amount of data that a computer network can transfer in a certain amount of time is called the bandwidth of the network and is measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (mbps). A kilobit is 1 thousand bits; a megabit is 1 million bits. A dial-up telephone modem can transfer data at rates up to 56 kbps; DSL and cable modem connections are much faster and can transfer at several mbps. The Internet connections used by businesses often operate at 155 mbps, and connections between routers in the heart of the Internet may operate at rates from 2,488 to 9,953 mbps (9.953 gigabits per second) The terms wideband or broadband are used to characterize networks with high capacity and to distinguish them from narrowband networks, which have low capacity. The Internet is a network of networks that interconnects computers around the world, suppor ting both business and residential users. The higher bandwidth needs of this application have highlighted the limited internet access speeds available to residential users. The accelerated growth of content rich applications and online gaming, which demand high bandwidth, has changed the nature of information networks. High-speed communication is now an ordinary requirement throughout business, government, academic, and home office environments. Internet access, telecommuting, and remote LAN access are three of the clearly defined services that network access providers are offering now. These rapidly growing applications are placing a new level of demand on the telephone infrastructure. In particular, the local loop portion of the network has become a challenge for telephone companies. Historically, this local loop facility has been provisioned with copper cabling which cannot easily support high bandwidth transmission. This environment is now being stre...

SAT Book Guide The Best Books for Intense Study

SAT Book Guide The Best Books for Intense Study SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're a student who wants to leave no stone unturned as you prep for the SAT,then this SATpreparationbook guide is for you. These are the best SAT books for students committed to devoting significant time, like 100 or more hours, to get ready for this important test. The recommendations on this book list go beyond a general review of the SAT and provide the skills, strategies, and insights you need to get a top score. Before diving into the SAT book list,let's consider an important question: are books the most effective way to study for the SAT? Are Books the Best Method for Intense Study? Since you're puttingin hard work to achieve your target scores, you also want to make sure your prep materials are working for you. If you're devoting asignificant amount of time to studying, you should see results. So what methods of test prep will be most effective in preparing you for the SAT? If you're looking to use books to prep, you should be aware that all test prep books have pros and cons. Some excel in teaching content while others focus on strategies. On the flip side, somehave unrealisticpractice questionsorbring in concepts that will never actually show up on the SAT. To truly delve into all sections of the SAT, you'd be best served by studying from several of these books together in a coherent sequence. Given this, I'll recommend a possible approach to tackle these books effectively, rather than trying to read them from cover to cover. Even with this plan of attack, studying from books requires a lot of self-discipline and self-motivation. Besides getting ready for the SAT, books pose the extra challenge of designing a logical study plan, prioritizing some concepts over others based on your needs, and sticking to your schedule. Because this degree of discipline is tough for students at all levels and ages, an alternative method of studying that can be very effective is online test prep. PrepScholar's online SAT program incorporates the most useful aspects of these books - content, strategies, high quality practice questions - while adding that helpful component of accountability. Plus it goes one step further and customizes the study plan to you. PrepScholar diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses, helps you design a study plan based on your individualprofile as a test-taker, and tracks your progress along the way. Books can be very useful for students looking to study intensely for the SAT. If you're using books, I recommend taking the time to develop a thoughtful approach and study plan customized to you, setting benchmarks along the way, and finding ways that help you stay accountable to your goals (even when a marathon of your favorite show is on). First on this list is the critical book that all students need for SAT prep. The Critical SAT Prep Book for Practice Tests The book that all students should use to prep for theSAT comes from College Board itself: College Board's Official Study Guide, otherwise known as the Blue Book. While this book is a must have, it also doesn't stand on its own as your only resource. Let's look at the pros and cons of the Blue Book. College Board's Official SAT Study Guide, or the "Blue Book" Amazon price: $16.43 Pros Why is this book so critical? The Blue Book has official practice questions from previously administered SATs. It has 10 official practice tests, meaning over 35 hours of practice testing and 1700 practice questions! Ambitious test-takers shouldnot just take these tests for practice, but also study them deeply. Take the time to understand exactly what each question is asking, as well as any mistakes you made and why. Was it a lack of knowledge? Difficulty managing time? A careless error? By scouring answer explanations and practicing thoroughly, you can become an expert in taking the SAT. Then the real one will just be another 3 hours and 45 minutes that you're well accustomed to. Students who want the full test-taking experience should note that these practice tests are actually only 3 hours and 20 minutes. Why? The real SAT will have an extra 25 minute experimental sectionfor the purpose of testing out future material and maintaining accuracy in scoring. The experimentalsection can be math, critical reading, or writing, but you won't know which one until you finish the test. Even then, you'll only know which section had extra time, but not specifically which 25 minute section was experimental. If you want the true experience in terms of testing time, you might consider adding an extra 25 minute section when you take practice tests. Since official questions are the gold standard, we've gathered 8 official SAT practice tests here that you can use, as well. Four of the tests are from the current version, while the other four are older. The drawback of these is that the answer key doesn't have explanations of each question. Besides the hours of practice testing and studying the Blue Book provides, what are some areas in which it's lacking? Cons The Blue Book stands above the rest for officialquestions, but taking practice tests is not the only part of SAT prep, especially for intense studiers. You want a thorough review of content and skills, plus those extra insights and strategies that will help you avoid the common SAT tricks and pitfalls. The Blue Book is not the best source of instructionor strategies. Since it's created by the test-maker, College Board, it's not going to give away its secrets! The other drawback of the Blue Book is that its answer explanations are not particularly thorough. It only gives a brief explanation why an answer choice is correct, but it usually doesn't delve into why the other answer choices are wrong. Since on the SAT most answer choices usually sound reasonable, this could leave you still feeling confused. Intense studiers should thoroughly understand what a question is asking, along with the common "distractor" answer choices that pop up, especially among passage-based Critical Reading questions. It's also helpful when books guide you through a question type step by step, so you can use that same thought processfor next time. Luckily, there is a book that provides more thorough answer explanations to some of the hardest questions in the Blue Book. You can think of it as the Blue Book's companion: the similarly named Black Book. The Critical SAT Prep Book for Strategy The SAT Prep Black Book by Mike Barrett supplements College Board's Blue Book and refers directly to official SAT questions. If you're looking for a deep understanding of SAT structure and question types, then this book is a must-have on your SAT prep book list. SAT Prep Black Book by Mike Barrett Amazon price: $17.97 Pros According to Barrett, the SAT is actually an easy test. It doesn't test particularly high levelskills, nor does it require you to have learned advanced concepts in math, reading, or writing. Instead, the SAT is difficult for students because it asks about basic concepts in strange ways. Barrett asserts that students can perform well on the SAT by learning about its "strangeness." By seeing through the tricky wording and distracting answer choices, students can use his strategies to greatly improve their scores. While his take may not resonate with everyone, I think he has highly useful insights to share about the test. He can help change the way you think about the SAT and approach and process each question. For instance, Barrett emphasizes that every multiple choice question has only one unambiguously correct answer. When students start to overthink all the realistic-sounding answer choices, that's when they run into trouble. He helps you identify which one is correctfor each question type, along with understanding exactly why the other ones are not quite right. The SAT Prep Black Bookgives thorough explanations of official practice questions, which is a key part of SAT prepfor any motivated student. A lot of his strategies influenced the developers of PrepScholar's online prep program and were incorporated into the way PrepScholarteaches students about the SAT. Cons Because the Black Book delves deeply into the SAT, it requires a lot of commitment from students. To get the most out of it, you really have to be disciplined and engage with the material. Some students find it overly wordy, which can make it hard to stick with. That's why the Black Book tends to be used by the most dedicated SAT studiers. While the Blue Book and Black Book supplement each other well, they are still not sufficient as your only sources of test prep (sorry!). You've probably noticed I talked about practice tests and strategies. So what's missing? Good old-fashioned instruction of content and skills. Drilling yourself on grammar rules, practicing solving algebraic equations, and sharpening your critical reading skills are still essential for doing well on the SAT. The Black Book's strength does not lie here. Instead, it assumes most students have a strong foundation of knowledge. For this kind of test prep, let's look at the best book for overall prep and then the best books by SAT section. The Best SAT Prep Book for General Study For students planning to devote a good amount of time to SAT prep, I recommend Barron's SAT for an examination of all sections of the SAT. Barron's SAT Amazon price: $14.31 Pros Barron's SAT has a comprehensive review of all sections of the SAT. It explains the various question types on Critical Reading and the grammar skills you need for Writing. It's especially thorough in its coverage of SAT math, which it breaks down into numerous subtopics, like percents, solid geometry, coordinate geometry, and logical reasoning, to name a few. Barron's helps you build your vocabulary with a High Frequency Word List and a 3,500 Word List. If you purchase the book, you can also access an online component that helps you design a study plan. Barron's encourages you to start out with a diagnostic test and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. In addition, it includes 6 full length practice tests with answer explanations. That's an additional 24 hours of testing and 1,020 practice questions! Combine that with the Blue Book practice tests, and you'll be well on your way to becoming an SAT expert. Cons Barron's SAT is a very thorough book, which is both a strength and a weakness. Because it covers so much, it can feel overwhelming to students. While the book suggests you customize your study plan based on your diagnostic test, this can feel like a lot of added planning. Another weakness of Barron's has to do with its strategies. The introductory chapters offer some suggestions for time management and identifying question types, but it doesn't go much beyond the obvious. It doesn't offer asinsightful a take asthe Black Book or some of the subject-specific books. Finally, many students find that Barron's SAT actually overshoots the SAT with overly advanced concepts, and that its practice tests are unrealistically hard. While overpreparing isn't necessarily the worst problem, you don't want to waste time with concepts you don't need or get an unrealistic sense of your scoring level. When using Barron's SAT practice tests, try to keep an eye out for its similarities and differences with official College Board practice tests. Having a critical eye will help you make the most use out of these unofficial practice questions. Another approach to delving into SAT material is to divide it up by section. These are my recommendations for the best books for SAT math, reading, and writing. Best SAT Prep Books to Study Math These three books - PWN the SAT, Dr. John Chung's SAT Math, and the Powerscore Math Bible - are designed for motivated students looking to gain a top math score. Let's consider the pros and cons of each. PWN the SAT: Math Guide Amazon price: $28.28 Pros According to the author, Mike McClenathan, he wrote PWN the SAT to help "ambitious, highly motivated kids maximize their SAT math scores. He takes a more engaging, personable approach than a lot of other test prep books, as you can tell right away in the introduction: "Do you crave a higher score? Are you willing to do a little hard work to achieve it? Good. I knew I liked you." Given the fact that other test prep books can be a little, ahem,dry,PWN the SAT is a welcome departure in style and tone. He spends the first 30 pages on test-taking strategies and techniques, discussing how best to read the math questions, how to not get fooled by questions that appear easier than they are, and useful guessing strategies that go beyond the obvious. McClenathan breaks each math concept into numerous subtopics, like ratios, prime factorization, symbol functions, circles, and probability. This detailed approach will truly help you leave no stone unturned in your review of any and all math concepts that may show up on the SAT. Like the Black Book, PWN the SAT is best used in conjunction with the Official Study Guide, or the Blue Book. It refers directly to official practice questions, giving detailed answer explanations for all the math questions you'll find there. These go beyond the answer explanations in the Blue Book and are usefulfor understanding your errors and applying the same skills and thought process to similar questions on future tests. In addition to referencing official questions, PWN the SAT has its own diagnostic drills to assess your skills. You can also check out the PWN the SAT website for useful blog posts and a discussion forum where you can connect with other students and leave questions and comments for the author himself. By the way, for any non-gamers out there (myself included), PWN means to conquer and is pronounced "pone." The more you know. Cons PWN the SAT excels in instruction and review, but it doesn't have a ton of its own practice questions. It has to be used alongside the Blue Book, to which it explicitly refers. You should also seek out more practice questions if you need to drill particular skills, like shape geometry or functions. Similar to Barron's SAT, PWN the SAT has been criticized for having overly challenging math questions and examples. Again, you want to keep a critical eye. If you become familiar with the SAT, then you'll be able to sense when a concept or wording of a question exceeds the difficulty level you'll actually encounter. It's also relatively expensive for a book that covers only one section of the SAT. Finally, some students find this book too wordy. I personally find it engaging and funny, at least as far as test prep books, but how much it resonates with you is a matter of individual opinion. You can check out a free preview at Amazon and decide if it speaks to you. Dr. John Chung's SAT Math: 58 Perfect Tips and 20 Complete Tests Amazon price: $26.59 Pros While some books are on the wordy side, Dr. John Chung's SAT Math is not one of them. It cuts down the math section to rules and practice problems. The 58 "tips" are the most important concepts you need to know for math, like linear functions, slope, and proportions. There isn't much here in the way of explanation, so it's geared towards highly achieving math students with a strong foundation in these concepts. It gives you lots of practice problems - 20 practice tests - to drill each of the 58 skills, with thorough, if concise, answer explanations. Cons One downside of this book is the cost, considering it covers only one section of the SAT. It is definitely geared towards more advanced math students, and doesn't offer much in the way of clarifying instruction. Students who don't want to do a lot of reading in their math review will like this approach. Again, check out the free preview on Amazon to see if this style resonates with you. Another con is that the questions can be overly challenging. They are still valuable, especially with the answer explanations, because they drill all the important math concepts. That being said, you want the most realistic practice questions possible to get a true sense of the SAT. Finally, this book has some typos and errors in layout. While this doesn't detract from the quality of the instruction, it can be distracting. Powerscore SAT Math Bible Amazon price: $25.08 Pros The Powerscore SAT Math Bible is a great resource for students with strong math backgrounds and those who feel less confident in this area. It starts with an "operation mastery" section to review important concepts, along with drills to reinforce each skill. It offers 8mainpractical strategies for attacking SAT math questions, along with example problems that show you exactly when and how to apply each strategy. It also explains confusing SAT wording with its "highlighted arithmetricks" and "SAT traps." The chapters are divided by content area - arithmetic, algebra, algebra II, geometry, coordinate geometry, data analysis, statistics, and probability - which are further broken down into subtopics. It also has a glossary to ensure you understand all the math-related terminology. Overall, the Powerscore SAT Math Bible has over 375 high quality example and practice questions, along with detailed explanations. Its online supplementary component also refers to official questions from the Blue Book and has extra study aids like math flash cards. One particular strength of this book is its frequency guide, which rates the importance of concepts from 1 to 5. This helps you prioritize your studying. While books like Dr. Chung's 58 Perfect Tips throw all the concepts at you at once, the Powerscore SAT Math Bible helps you sort them by frequency and importance. Cons While this book has numerous example and practice questions, it's not as substantial when it comes to actual practice tests. You'll want to make sure to incorporate at least a pre-test and post-test into your study plan to gauge your progress, as well as others to measure it along the way. Because this book is geared for students at all levels, it may have extra material you don't need if you're already well versed in the math concepts. For more advanced math students, it may not be immediately challenging because of its introductory sections and material. All three of these math books have strengths and can be effective as you work towards a high score. If you're looking to focus especially on Critical Reading and/or Writing, I recommend the guides by Erica Meltzer. Best SAT Prep Books to Study Critical Reading and Writing Erica Meltzer, who runs the blog, The Critical Reader, has written complete guides to the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT. They're both high quality books useful to students looking to master these sections. The Complete Guide to SAT Critical Reading by Erica Meltzer Amazon price: $31.95 Pros Erica Meltzer has a very lucid take on the SAT Critical Reading. She was an English major in college, but she recognizes that the skills you pick up in English classes don't necessarily translate to a high score on the SAT Reading. Instead, she teaches students about the types of questions and specific skills that SAT Critical Reading calls for. With these insights, she demystifies this section of the test that can otherwise be quite tricky to study for. She breaks down questions into types, like main point and vocabulary in context, and drills each skill with practice questions. Her passages are highly realistic, and she gives practical strategies for managing time and processing key information easily and efficiently. Besides the questions and in-depth explanations, this book has a comprehensive vocabulary section with high frequency words, multiple meaning words, and common roots. To help you prep for sentence completions, she has 75 practice questions featuring commonly used SAT words. Cons One con of this SAT book is the layout and visual presentation. It packs a lot of small font words into each page and doesn't break them up with graphics. This can get old when you're tired from studying for the SAT for hours. Some also find Meltzer's style on the dry side, while others appreciate that she doesn't add unnecessary fluff. It's also on the expensive side, especially taken together with The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar. Another aspect to consider is the way she organizes content by skill. It can be helpful to drill each skill you need for Critical Reading, but remember that the actual tests will present questions in random order. You'll need to both learn the skills and be able to identify what skill each question is testing on your own, without it already being labeled into categories for you. Her guide to SAT grammar similarly organizes content by rule and skill, which is especially useful for reinforcing your knowledge of grammar. The UltimateGuide to SAT Grammar (and SAT Grammar Workbook) by Erica Meltzer Amazon price: $27.86 ($28.45 for workbook) Pros The UltimateGuide to SAT Grammaris a must-have if you're looking for a detailed breakdown and drill of each and every grammar rule that is likely to appear on the SAT. There are dozens of exercises and practice questions to reinforce each rule. This book will help you recognize and correct errors, as well as identify question types so you can predict exactly which rule each question is testing. There are thorough explanations for each practice question, and you can find additional practice questions in the SAT Grammar Workbook. Similar to PrepScholar's approach to SAT Writing prep, Meltzer breaks the section down by skill and clearly instructs students on each one. Cons One major con of these SAT books is the price. If you purchase the reading, grammar, and grammar workbook together, then you're looking at almost $100 already. Since these books don't have a ton of practice tests, you'd also be using at least one or two other books for additional practice testing. While this book helps you drill each skill, you'll want to make sure you can identify and predict the skills on your own. This is another reason why you'll want to reinforce the lessons with practice tests, in which the skills tested byidentifying errors, improving sentences, and improving paragraph questions are all mixed up in random order. Now that you've read my recommendations for the best SAT books to read for intense study, you might be wondering how best to use these books to prepare. Stacking them up in a huge pile will just be daunting, increasing therisk that all these books just end upcollecting dust in a corner of your room. Let's talk about how you can approach these hundreds of pages of material in a manageable, scaffolded way. One step at a time to reach your target scores... How to Study from these SAT Prep Books How can you take this daunting amount of material and break it up into smaller, manageable goals, like taking steps up a long ladder? First, I would recommend taking a diagnostic practice test from the Blue Book. Score your test and use your results to gauge your level and determine which areas require the most focus from you. Depending on how long you plan to study, you can spread out other practice tests in increments. These can be used as benchmarks to track your progress. Remember to leave one for the end of your test prep, close to your actual SAT, to record your score improvements and if need be, do any last minute studying. Review each practice test section by section and mark the questions you miss by practice type and skill. Mike Barrett's Black Book can help you identify question type more clearly, as well as apply strategies to save time and eliminate "distractor" answer choices quickly and easily. After analyzing your results,I would suggest reviewing content and skills where you need tomost. If you're strong in math, you couldstart out by drilling yourself on reading, vocabulary, and grammar. If you scored well on reading, then you might turn to math first. Throughout, you can use practice tests to gauge your improvement and shift to another section once you've improved in the first. If you are a freshman or sophomore, you can start studying a year or so before your first real test. You can devote several hours a week to studying and then ramp up this time commitment in the months leading up to your test. To customize your study plan to your individual needs,I highly recommend analyzing your practice tests and then diving into your weaknesses with relevant recommended SAT prep books. This can help you build up both skills and confidence where you need it most. As planning and sticking to an effective study schedule is a challenging aspect of your test prep, you also might want to look into other options that help you with this planning. Which option will getyou the prize of a high SAT score? Is Studying from Books the Best Option for Intense Prep? Some of these recommended SAT books are highly comprehensive, while others dive into specifics. There are ones that focus on math, reading, and grammar instruction, and others that reveal test-conquering strategies. Taken together, they have the content you need to become an expert in the SAT and achieve top scores. At the same time, self-study from these books requires a ton of discipline. You need to customize your study plan to you, and make sure you sit down and put in the time. There's no one else who's going to know whether you're making time to prep or doing it effectively (except maybe your parents staring over your shoulder). Some students are able to chip away one day, week, and month at a time keeping their end goal in sight, but for most this is a trying test of willpower and motivation. Apart from the isolation of self-study, all these SAT preparation books can get expensive. If you wanted to draw on the strengths of all of them, you'd already be spendingover $200. Sadly, there's no great SAT preparation books with free pdfdownloads. PrepScholar's online program was developed with all this in mind. It has the expert content, strategies, and practice questions, while also understanding the stress, pressure, and challenges of scheduling surround test prep. It's not like you have all the free time in the world tostudy for the SAT, nor do you want to waste time on concepts you already have down. We understand that you want to make the most of your test prep, while getting the intensive prep you need to achieve top scores and be a competitive candidate on college applications. Because PrepScholar has an affordable, all-in-one program that helps you devise a study plan, keep track of your progress, and focus on the areas you need to the most,it has helped many highly achieving students find success. It also has the additional option of a one-on-one tutor, combining the best parts of customizable educational technology with the motivating coaching of an experienced tutor. Besides online prep, you can also find a plethora (10 points for SAT vocab!) of online resources with information and practice for the SAT. Among PrepScholar's SATstrategy guides are The 21 Critical SAT Math Formulas You Must Know How to Get an 800 on SAT Reading The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules 6 SAT Essay Examples You Can Use to Answer Every Essay Prompt Should You Guess on the SAT? 6 Guessing Strategies The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by a 2400 Full Scorer Before adding all these SAT books to your Amazon cart and clicking purchase, I would encourage you to explore and compare the various methods of test prep. If you're committed to working hard for your SAT scores, then make sure you're going about it in the way that's most enjoyable and above all, most effective for you. What's Next? The strategy guides listed above are just a few of the free resources we provideon the SAT. You can explore more practical strategies for the math, Critical Reading, and writing sections of the SAT here. Have you decided when exactly you're taking the SAT and how many times you plan to take it? Read about all the important considerations in choosing your SAT test dates here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Ethical approval Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Ethical approval - Essay Example (For example, outline of research methodology, what information/data collection strategies will you use, where will you recruit participants and what approach you intend to take to the analysis of information / data generated) Data will be collected through a face-to-face semi-structured interview of nurses and patients. This is only fitting considering that Hancock (1998) relates that data collection in a qualitative research involves direct encounters with individuals through one to one interviews. In-depth interview allows intensive exploration of a topic with someone who has had related experiences. Open-ended questions will be used during the interview. This is in contrast with close-ended questions which may limit further exploration of the participants’ experiences. Typically the recommended sample for grounded theory is about 20 to 30 participants (Polit & Beck, 2006). Determining the sample size depends on the quality and richness of the data. This research will aim to involve 20 nurses and 20 patients. Once College ethical approval is gained, the researcher will send a formal letter to the hospital administration in Kuwait and to the surgical unit supervisor or manager requesting permission to recruit patients and staff from the hospital. Once the approval is gained the researcher will then proceed to place a notice/poster in the surgical ward which will invite volunteers from among surgical nurses and patients who are willing to take part in the research or those who are readily available to become participants of the research. There is no ethical committee in the Kuwait hospital; therefore organisational approval will be gained from the Manager. The research will involve registered nurses who work in surgical units. Only those nurses who are currently assigned in the surgical unit of the Kuwait Hospital will be eligible to participate in the study. The questions for nurses covers main areas

Monogamous Sexual Inercourse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Monogamous Sexual Inercourse - Essay Example She also asked if they ever thought about marrying a virgin and they all said no. This writer thinks we have a new era where commitments are temporary, which is a bit of an oxymoron. If you marry and a relationship does not work you change to a new commitment. Some do it in through marriages some do not bother to marry. This is creating multiple problems in our society. Nine out of ten people polled by UNICEF believe the social fabric of our culture is under threat because of family breakdown. This article says much of the break down is to be blamed on the high numbers of single parent homes and step families. Since monogamy is not longer expected children do not have the same support base in the family that they had in the past. We see a rise in crime at younger and younger ages. We see more and more children treated for depression an anxiety. Our children no longer know where they belong. It appears that when there is an abandonment of long term commitment sexually there is also no long term commitment to parenting and we see a change in the behavior of children (Daily Mail, 2007). This is of course not good for the children it is also very expensive for our society. The second problem that comes with having multiple sexual partners is the number of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) reported today. The more partners an individual has the more likely they are to contract and STD. The cost of STD treatment including HIV rises every year. In 2006, if all STD numbers were combined it reaches epidemic levels in the United States (Update to CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines). It appears to this writer that multiple sexual partner is not wise from a wellness perspective. We stop smoking because it can cause illness why would we not advocate remaining monogamous to prevent illness? This writer sees the switch to multiple sexual partners and its generally

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Read the instruction - Essay Example SYPTOMS: The symptoms of this degeneration are sudden weakness on unilateral side of face that causes drooping, drooling, eye problems such as watery eyes or dry eyes, inability to taste, pain behind ear and numbness on affected side of face. DIAGNOSIS: The diagnosis of this condition is done on the basis of history and examination. The patient is asked question regarding the development of their symptoms. The patient’s facial nerve is also examined. Blood tests, MRI and CT scan can also be carried out. TREATMENT: The treatment of Bell’s Palsy is following. Some patients recover from this condition without using medications. These patients are those who can exercise their facial muscles. Treatment from corticosteroids such as prednisone helps in facial movement. Corticosteroids work at their best if their administration is started within 3 days of the appearance of symptoms. At times antivirals such as acyclovir can also be added to the drug regime (Current,

A job opportunity as an engineer in Thailand Essay

A job opportunity as an engineer in Thailand - Essay Example The quickest developing age group in the 1990s was 19 to 25 year-olds. In the 2000s, that age group dropped as an aftereffect of a falling conception rate in the 2000s and expanding essential and auxiliary school enlistment (Yong et al. 2011, p. 751). By 2014, the quickest developing gathering in the work energy in engineering in Thailand is matured, somewhere around twenty five and forty, with expanding interest by females. The extent of ladies utilized went from 66 percent in 2005 to around 70 percent by the end of 2013. Nowadays, female occupation in Thailand is most noteworthy in trade with 54 percent in 2010s, took after by 50 percent in engineering, 43 percent in businesses, and 36 percent in administrations since females are now well educated in Thailand. As far as territorial appropriation, the North has the least rate of work energy development in engineering, with 3growth between 2005 and 2014, emulated by the Northeast, with 3.3 percent as a consequence of restricted job opportunities in engineering, furthermore movement of the individuals from the region. Bangkok has the most elevated work power development in engineering with 6.9 percent due. Provincial development job opportunities depend halfway on the level of edu cation. An expanding number of new contestants in the work power of engineering have gotten an advanced education however not all that numerous. In 2013, the rate of the aggregate work constrains that had a basic education was 90.2. For individuals with lower and upper auxiliary or rather secondary education, but they can give work compel in engineering, has expanded from 4.8 percent to 10.4 percent from 2010 to 2015. The rate of the work energy with professional education has moved from 1.9 percent to 10.4 percent between the year 2011 and 2015. Since Thailand is among the developing countries, implying that its rate of improving infrastructure is so high,

An Exploration of Protestant Conservatism in South Korea Essay

An Exploration of Protestant Conservatism in South Korea - Essay Example The second article is â€Å"Sibling Rivalry in Twentieth Century Korea: Comparative Growth Rates of Catholics and Protestants† written by Donald Baker. The first article examines the growth of North Korean protestant church in South Korea with emphasis on Presbyterian denomination. In the article, the author Kang In- Cheol (157-190) accessed the influence of the protestant denomination and people that immigrated into South Korean republic on the prominent social political conservatism culture that has consistently defined the country from 1950s to date. South Korea has undergone profound political and social changes from 1950 that played a critical part in determining the role of the protestant church in the country. According to Kang In- Cheol (159), the major historical period that defined the protestant church influence on the country’s social political landscape was eight-year duration between liberation and the conclusion of the Korean War. During this period, Sout h Korea recorded unprecedented immigrants from the North Korea. These immigrants constituted the largest proportion of the extreme conservatives that continues to define the country’s social political climate for the last six decades. The Wolnam Protestants was the other most influential conservative group in South Korea (Kang In- Cheol, 163). According to Kang In- Cheol (167), wolnam group originated from the northwest region of Korean peninsula. The group is the most politically conservative inside the protestant church in South Korea. From the first article, it apparent that the protestant groups from North Korea have had a major influence in social political environment of south Korea since 1950s. Several factors contributed to the immense influence and control of the protestant groups from North Korea on South Korean church. According to Kang In- Cheol (185), the large sizes of the immigrant groups and their capacity to reorganize and integrate successfully within the So uth Korean society played a critical role in solidifying their conservative power in the adopted country. The immigrant protestant groups from North Korea capitalized on the growing internal conflict within the South Korean protestant churches to enhance their authority within the country’s religious structure. The ability to network and reconnect with foreign religious missionaries in South Korea enhanced the influence of incoming Protestant denominations in the country remarkably. The networking provided the Protestant Church with necessary funds for expansion and other logistical support that enhanced their appeal and influence in the South Korean society. Moreover, the â€Å"non-regional presbytery† system granted the incoming protestant churches from North Korea and other Wolnam Protestant group significant powers that enabled them solidify their influence in South Korea (Kang In- Cheol 174). Furthermore, non-regional presbytery system enhanced solidarity of the p rotestant churches within and across different protestant denominations. The above-mentioned factors promoted the social and political conservativism associated with the protestant denominations and enhanced their capacity to overcome difficult times that the church underwent when it split into different factions especially in the 1970s. The significant growth of protestant denominations in South Korea demonstrates the tremendous influence that foreign churches possess in the spread of a particular religion. Although political and social environment of the

The Third World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Third World - Essay Example The political conditions of many of these countries are extremely unstable, like in Somalia and Afghanistan, leading to the conditions described as ‘failed states’. Such unstable political picture also in turn leads to failing economic conditions which in turn give rise to increase in chaos and antisocial activities in the country, thus showing deteriorating social conditions. Developed countries on the other hand, show strong and stable economic and political conditions. The social conditions of these developed countries are extremely good with all sorts of facilities readily available to all its citizens. Health infrastructure is very well developed and population rate low. Basic education is made available to all people whose lifestyles show a certain standard of living. Kuznets analyses the differences between a developing and a developed country and tells us â€Å"the former have no ‘middle’ classes: there is a sharp contrast between the preponderant p roportion of the population whose average income is below the generally low countrywide average, and a small top group with a very large relative income excess. The developed countries on the other hand are characterized by a much more gradual rise from a low to high income shares†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (cited in Fields, 60). Asian, African and Latin American countries generally are clubbed together to form the developing countries. Canadian, American, European countries along with Japan are generally treated as the developed countries. However many developing countries are now progressing fast and are catching up with the developed countries. These include China, India, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the oil rich Middle East countries. The origins and importance of the liberal/orthodox approach to the study of the third world, exemplified by modernization theory and its strengths and

An Exploration of Protestant Conservatism in South Korea Essay

An Exploration of Protestant Conservatism in South Korea - Essay Example The second article is â€Å"Sibling Rivalry in Twentieth Century Korea: Comparative Growth Rates of Catholics and Protestants† written by Donald Baker. The first article examines the growth of North Korean protestant church in South Korea with emphasis on Presbyterian denomination. In the article, the author Kang In- Cheol (157-190) accessed the influence of the protestant denomination and people that immigrated into South Korean republic on the prominent social political conservatism culture that has consistently defined the country from 1950s to date. South Korea has undergone profound political and social changes from 1950 that played a critical part in determining the role of the protestant church in the country. According to Kang In- Cheol (159), the major historical period that defined the protestant church influence on the country’s social political landscape was eight-year duration between liberation and the conclusion of the Korean War. During this period, Sout h Korea recorded unprecedented immigrants from the North Korea. These immigrants constituted the largest proportion of the extreme conservatives that continues to define the country’s social political climate for the last six decades. The Wolnam Protestants was the other most influential conservative group in South Korea (Kang In- Cheol, 163). According to Kang In- Cheol (167), wolnam group originated from the northwest region of Korean peninsula. The group is the most politically conservative inside the protestant church in South Korea. From the first article, it apparent that the protestant groups from North Korea have had a major influence in social political environment of south Korea since 1950s. Several factors contributed to the immense influence and control of the protestant groups from North Korea on South Korean church. According to Kang In- Cheol (185), the large sizes of the immigrant groups and their capacity to reorganize and integrate successfully within the So uth Korean society played a critical role in solidifying their conservative power in the adopted country. The immigrant protestant groups from North Korea capitalized on the growing internal conflict within the South Korean protestant churches to enhance their authority within the country’s religious structure. The ability to network and reconnect with foreign religious missionaries in South Korea enhanced the influence of incoming Protestant denominations in the country remarkably. The networking provided the Protestant Church with necessary funds for expansion and other logistical support that enhanced their appeal and influence in the South Korean society. Moreover, the â€Å"non-regional presbytery† system granted the incoming protestant churches from North Korea and other Wolnam Protestant group significant powers that enabled them solidify their influence in South Korea (Kang In- Cheol 174). Furthermore, non-regional presbytery system enhanced solidarity of the p rotestant churches within and across different protestant denominations. The above-mentioned factors promoted the social and political conservativism associated with the protestant denominations and enhanced their capacity to overcome difficult times that the church underwent when it split into different factions especially in the 1970s. The significant growth of protestant denominations in South Korea demonstrates the tremendous influence that foreign churches possess in the spread of a particular religion. Although political and social environment of the

EXPLANATIONS FOR THE ORIGINS OF AGRICULTURE Essay

EXPLANATIONS FOR THE ORIGINS OF AGRICULTURE - Essay Example The first argument suggests that the development of agriculture was driven by a scarcity of resources. The second argument differs radically, claiming that it was a surfeit of resources that encouraged domesticity. This paper will discuss and compare these two argument types and conclude that while no one model appears to have all the answers it is Hayden’s model that appears more convincing. There are obvious academic merits attached to finding a solution to the problem of formative agriculture. Indeed, since the time of Darwin scientists, social-scientists, historians even theologians have all tried to put forward a convincing model that explains why certain hunter-gatherers decided to change thousands of years of practise and begin agriculture (Richerson et al 387-390). There have been a series of interesting and intriguing theories during that time – ranging from population pressure driving domestication to the development of rituals and theology encouraging a sense of place (Hayden 31). Naturally, the stakes are high. A well developed universal model of domesticity would explain once and for all the most important transition in human history. However, such a complete model does not yet exist. Two of the more interesting theories have to do with climate change, put forward here by Peter Richerson et al, and â€Å"competitive feasting† as explained by Brian Hayden, who suggests that the surplus of food encouraged social adaptation that encouraged the continued development of further agriculture and domesticity. The climate change theory consists of two major ideas. Essentially, there were ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. The former, at least according to Richerson and his colleagues, consisted of a sense of competition between Holocene societies which in effect made the development of agriculture during this period all but â€Å"compulsory† (Richerson 387). The second factor is comparatively simple –

Unilever SWOT and PESTLE analysis

Unilever SWOT and PESTLE analysis Company background and mission statement Unilever is a global company that can trace its origins to 1929, when a merger between a Dutch margarine manufacturer and a British soap maker was negotiated (Jones, 2002). Given the distinct sectors in which the two organisations were located, the merger was considered somewhat of a ‘curiosity’ (Jones, 2002, online), but it set the stage for a multinational corporation producing a wide portfolio of goods. Some of the world’s most recognised brands are produced by the company, including Surf, Lipton, Dove, Lynx, Magnum and Hellmann’s. Today, Unilever is one of Europe’s largest companies, and in terms of sales, it is the third-largest consumer goods firm in the world, after Nestle and Procter and Gamble (Thain and Bradley, 2014). The company has been floated twice, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index and the AEX Index. The stated aim of the company is to â€Å"provide people the world over with products that are good for them and good for others† (Unilever, 2014, online). Strategic Audit A strategic audit comprises a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of a company’s business environment and internal assets. There are two key elements to the audit: the external environment and the internal environment. The external environment identifies issues concerned with customers and competition, and examines the social, economic, technological, environmental political and legal elements impacting the business. A typical tool used at this stage is the PESTLE analysis. The internal analysis focuses on the resources the company possesses, such as the product distribution, product portfolio, sales and profit margins. A typical tool used at this stage is the SWOT analysis, in which the strengths and weaknesses, and the advantages and disadvantages of a company compared to its competitors are listed. Below, these tools are in turn applied to Unilever. The External Environment PESTLE analysis The PESTLE framework below analyses the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental dynamics of the environment in which Unilever operates. Political Unilever is co-headquartered in London and Amsterdam. Both the Dutch and the British political systems are in a time of flux. The British government currently comprises the first coalition government in the post-war period, with another expected after the General Election in 2015 (Taylor-Gooby and Stoker, 2011), while in the Netherlands, coalitions are standard. Such governmental frameworks have important implications for the conduct of business, for there tend to be policy ebbs and flows over short periods of time. For instance, in the Netherlands, the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) for businesses has changed three times since 2010 (Wolf, 2014). Both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are original members of the European Union (EU) which facilitates trade among member states by the harmonisation of certain rules relating to business and the removal of trade barriers. There is some political impetus in both countries, however to leave the EU. For instance, in 2012, the prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, threatened to pull the country out of the Eurozone as a means of easing the local Dutch economy (Dutch News, 2014), while in the UK there is a lobby for a referendum on EU membership. Exiting the EU would have massive implications for a co-headquartered business like Unilever. For this reason, Unilever has been vocal about its preference for both countries to remain in the Union (The Guardian, 2014). There is growing political unrest in the Middle East, and while Unilever does not currently operate there, 53 per cent of its business comes from developing markets (Unilever, 2014), and globalisation means that it may not be shielded from the effects of conflict and instability overseas. For example, in 2012, oil prices reached unprecedented levels (Smith, 2014). This is a matter of concern for the company because it directly impacts on transportation costs. Economic Shoppers in Europe are still suffering from the effects of the longest and deepest recession in the post-war period. Data from Eurostat shows that household consumption fell drastically across Europe following the recession, and while there has been some recovery in recent years, household consumption is still not back to its pre-2008 level (Gerstberger and Yaneva, 2013). In addition, unemployment has risen and wages have stagnated in several of the economies in which Unilever supplies consumers. Low household consumption, high unemployment and falling wages bring about drops in consumer demand which adversely affect manufacturers like Unilever. During recessions, households tend to cut back on non-essentials, which might impact some parts of the companys product portfolio. While the West has suffered from the financial crisis, economies in other areas, such as Latin America and China, are booming, providing considerable opportunities for the company. For instance, in 2013, sales of the companys products to emerging markets grew by 8.7 per cent (The Guardian, 2014). Social Life expectancy has been increasing over time in wealthy nations. For instance, in the UK in 1980, life expectancy stood at 70.4 years for men and 79.8 for women. By 2010, it had increased to 79.3 years and 83.6 years, respectively for men and women (Blossfeld, Buchholz, and Kurz, 2011). At the same time, the fertility rate has been falling over time. The increase in life expectancy and a below replacement fertility rate coupled with the ageing of the so-called ‘baby boom’ generation (those born between 1946 and 1965) are accelerating population ageing. The UK government has estimated that the proportion of the population aged 30 and under is set to fall, while the proportion aged 60 and above will increase. By 2034, it is estimated that 23 per cent of the British population will be aged 65, while just 18 per cent will be aged 16 or below (Office for National Statistics, 2009). There are important ramifications of the ageing population for businesses like Unilever. Firstly, there are likely to be changes in the structure of demand in future. Older people have unique needs and desires that will need to be met by Unilever. For instance, there is a greater demand for frozen ‘ready meals’ by older people (Ahlgren, Gustafsson and Hall, 2004) which will directly impact Unilever’s ‘Sara Lee’ brand. Secondly, there may be labour shortages in the future. Expanding businesses like Unilever will need to respond to this by encouraging workers to work longer or recruiting migrant workers (Maestas and Zissimopoulos, 2010) As a direct result of some high profile public campaigns, people are becoming more health and ethically conscious. This has led to an increase in demand for ethically produced and healthy products and heightened concern regarding genetically modified goods. This trend has already had a direct impact on Unilever’s product portfolio, with sales of two of its margarine brands (I Can’t Believe its Not Butter and Flora) seemingly in free-fall (The Guardian, 2014) Technological Increasingly, consumers, particularly younger individuals, utilise social media, retailing websites and mobile forms of communication to connect with retailers, to discuss with members of their social networks their purchasing decisions, and to review past purchases (Sashi, 2012). This means that consumables companies like Unilever need to harness the Internet and mobile technologies in accessing these customers. For instance, a growing number of companies now include social networking websites such as Facebook and micro-blogging sites like Twitter in their promotion mix as a means of engaging their current consumer base and recruiting new customers. At the same time, constant connectivity makes the selling environment for consumer products increasingly competitive. The readiness of product price and promotional information, the ability of shoppers to access online stores quickly and the aggregation of online content and offline information all mean that, in the digital age, firms like Unilever must carefully craft their marketing activity (Sashi, 2012). Legal Unilever has a presence in some 190 countries worldwide which means that it must abide by their national laws. The extent of the company’s multinational activity means that it must devote considerable resources to scanning the legal horizon and ensuring that it responds to changes accordingly. There have been significant legislative changes in the area of people management. For instance, across Europe many countries have enacted anti-discrimination laws which companies like Unilever must adhere to. In the United Kingdom, under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, businesses are not allowed to discriminate against individuals on the basis of factors such as gender, age, disability, religion and ethnicity in their recruitment, selection, training and promotional practices (Hyman, Klarsfeld, Ng, and Haq, 2012). Legal frameworks have also been put in place as a response to the ageing of the population (Maestas and Zissimopoulos, 2010). For instance, the mandatory age of retirement has been removed in both the UK and the Netherlands, which means that Unilever can no longer compel employees to retire once they reach the age of 65. Large companies also must put adequate pension provisions for workers in place under a new British scheme, which has a direct impact on business costs Environmental There is increasing political impetus to respond to environmental degradation, and the onus is on large manufacturers like Unilever to use fewer resources and produce less waste. In Europe, a major development affecting the company is the establishment of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which was set up in 2005 as part of a concerted and collaborative attempt to reduce carbon emissions under the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. The EU ETS is a system under which polluters emissions are ‘capped’; in order to pollute more, manufacturers must purchase credits from other polluters. Participation in the EU ETS is mandatory for all large factories and plants that produce more than 25 thousand metric tons of carbon dioxide and that use ammonia or petrochemicals (Ellerman, Converey and Perthuis, 2010). The Internal Environment SWOT analysis The second element of a strategic audit is an analysis of the internal mechanisms of the business. This part of the paper uses a SWOT analysis to identify and critically examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Unilever Strengths The size of the company is its major strength. Unilever manufactures more than 400 brands which it sells to some 190 countries (Unilever, 2014, the Guardian, 2014). In addition, it employs over 167,000 people and expends 928 million euros on research and development annually (Unilever, 2013). In terms of performance, the company has bucked recent economic trends. In 2013, the company reported profit growth of 9 per cent over the previous year, reporting a net profit of  £4.4 billion. In addition, global sales grew by over 4 per cent that year, with sales to emerging economies growing by 8.7 per cent (the Guardian, 2014). As well as its sheer size, a major source of strength for Unilever is its longevity and brand recognition. The company has been in existence since 1929 and is the world’s oldest multinational enterprise (Thain and Bradley, 2014) Another strength of the company is its geographical spread. Unlike some consumable manufacturers, which are headquartered in just one country and found on just one public index, Unilever has headquarters in two countries, is floated on two indexes and is secondarily floated on the New York Stock Exchange. Another of the company’s strength is its human capital. Human capital is the volume of skills, knowledge, experience and competencies embodied in individuals that staff and run the business. This is important for there is a good deal of empirical research that links high levels of human capital with firm performance (Huselid, Jackson and Schuler, 1997). The company’s chief executive officer, Paul Polman, who held senior positions at both of the companys major competitors, Nestle and Procter and Gamble, has been termed a ‘rainmaker’ that has taken the company from strength to strength (The Telegraph, 2014). On taking the reins in 2009, Polman set out a plan to double the size of the business, to double sales to  £80 billion and to boost efforts at environmentalism and sustainability. Weaknesses Some analysts have argued that the companys broad product portfolio is a source of weakness (the Guardian, 2014). The firm produces goods in four broad product categories – cleaning agents, food, personal care products and beverages. It is argued that such a broad portfolio can prevent the business from focusing its marketing efforts appropriately (Putsis and Bayus, 2001). Thus, in order to consolidate its activities, the company may need to divest some brands or product ranges in the future. Indeed, the company already seems to be taking steps in this regard, selling popular brands Peparami, Slim-Fast, Ragu and Bertolli in 2014 (The Telegraph, 2014). In addition, most of brands produced by the company are multinational brands which may prevent them from being tailored to the needs of local markets. A further weakness of the product line concerns the prices offered to consumers. The prices of Unilever brands are generally higher than those of its competitors (Thain and Bradley, 2014). The company has explained that prices are high to represent the quality of the goods, while analysts have attributed the high prices to the enormous amount the company spends on research and development and its massive marketing budget (Thain and Bradley, 2014). In 2010 alone, Unilever spent 6 billion euros on advertising, and today, the company is one of the world’s largest purchasers of advertising media (The Telegraph, 2011). Threats The company is facing a number of threats, particularly from competitors, the market and consumers. Firstly, while Unilever’s broad product portfolio might be conceived as unusual, it is not unique in this respect. Procter and Gamble and Nestle have very similar business models and product lines (Thain and Bradley, 2014). Indeed, in terms of sales, Unilever is outperformed by both of these competitors. A large proportion of Unilever’s products are premium brands aimed at consumers with relatively high levels of disposable income. This might be considered a threat in the context of the current economic downturn. Increased financial uncertainty might lead households to move away from these brands to own-brand and lower value products, negatively affecting both net sales and sales margins. Food prices have risen substantially worldwide (Headey and Fan, 2008). This represents a significant threat to the company because it must pass the cost of food inflation to customers in order to maintain current profit margins. This might explain why the firm’s CEO is starting to consider refocusing the company strategy on alternative product lines, such as sundries or hard lines (The Guardian, 2014) Although the company has a stated aim to double its sales levels, analysts have noted that the company is still far short of accomplishing that aim. As the Telegraph (2014, online) notes, â€Å"the acquisitions of TRESemmà © shampoo maker Alberto Culver and Radox bath foam have added almost â‚ ¬3bn in turnover†¦However, these deals have hardly moved the needle and Unilever is still sitting on a big pile of cash. With growth slowing in emerging markets where 60pc of the group’s sales are generated, investors may start pushing for Unilever’s leader to be a bit bolder if he is to reach his ambitious â‚ ¬80bn sales goal†. In the context of the recent economic downturn, there have been some demergers and sell-offs in some of the sectors in which Unilever operates. While in some cases this has proven to be an opportunity for the company (for instance, the firm has recently been able to purchase top hair care brand TRESemmà ©), it also poses a threat should any of these product lines fall into the hands of its competitors. For instance, the 2008 purchase of shaving brand Gillette by Procter and Gamble immediately made it the biggest company in men’s personal care (The Telegraph, 2014) An increased social ethic and concern for the environment among consumers should also be considered a threat to the company. In Japan, Thailand and particularly in India, Unilever has attracted heavy criticism for the manufacture of so-called ‘fairness’ products. These are products that are typically aimed at women and used for lightening the skin. While such brands are a major source of income for the company allegedly, one skin lightening agent produced by the company, Fair and Lovely, is used by 80 per cent of the population of Bangladesh (Unilever Bangladesh, 2014) – the company has also come under fire for promoting Westernised standards of beauty. In Thailand, an advert for one of the company’s fairness creams was withdrawn from media outlets after widespread censure because it correlated white skin and high levels of intelligence (The Guardian, 2014). Opportunities Social media offers considerable opportunities to Unilever, particularly given its aim to reduce its advertising expenditure (The Telegraph, 2014). Social media sites are increasingly used by companies to update consumers on new products, to offer discounts and special promotions, and to invite consumers to special events that are either held online or physically (Sashi, 2012). Unilever may be able to capitalise on this trend either through corporate accounts or through brand accounts. There are considerable opportunities to the company through its extensive research and development efforts. Unilever has research facilities in England, Shanghai, Bangalore, New Jersey and Connecticut, which are working continually to develop new product lines and refine existing ones. Through this investment the company is able to regularly introducing new brands or reintroduce redesigned brands to the market. Conclusion Unilever is a unique company. The firm is dual listed, co-headquartered in two of Europe’s wealthiest cities and it offers the market a vast and very broad range of products. This strategic audit has shown that while the company is operating in a turbulent business environment, it is managing to perform well, both in terms of sales and growth. Despite the company’s strengths, there are some external threats posed by market developments, customer attitudes and the actions of its key competitors. The company leadership will need to monitor these aspects if Unilever is to meet its objective to become the largest consumables multinational company in the world. References Ahlgren, M., Gustafsson, I. B., Hall, G. (2004). Attitudes and beliefs directed towards ready-meal consumption. Food Service Technology, 4(4), 159-169. Blossfeld, H. P., Buchholz, S., Kurz, K. (Eds.). (2011). Aging populations, globalization and the labor market: Comparing late working life and retirement in modern societies. Cheltenham, UK/Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar. Dutch News (2014). Opposition MPs call on premier to explain quit the euro claims. Retrieved from http://www.dutchnews.nl/elections/election_news/opposition_mps_call_on_premier.php on 11 October 2014 Ellerman, A. D., Convery, F. J., De Perthuis, C. (2010). Pricing carbon: The European union emissions trading scheme. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Gerstberger, C. and Yaneva, D. (2013). Household consumption expenditure national accounts. Retrieved from http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Household_consumption_expenditure_-_national_accounts on 09 October 2014 The Guardian (2014). EU exit could see Unilever cut investment in UK. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/21/unilever-warning-uk-withdrawal-european-union on 09 October 2014 Headey, D., Fan, S. (2008). Anatomy of a crisis: the causes and consequences of surging food prices. Agricultural Economics, 39(1), 375-391. Huselid, M. A., Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S. (1997). Technical and strategic human resources management effectiveness as determinants of firm performance. Academy of Management journal, 40(1), 171-188. Hyman, R., Klarsfeld, A., Ng, E., Haq, R. (2012). Introduction: Social regulation of diversity and equality. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 18(4), 279-292. Jones, G. (2002). Unilever – a case study. Business History Review 32(12). Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/3212.html on 09 October 2014 Maestas, N. Zissimopoulos, J. (2010) How longer work lives ease the crunch of population aging. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 24(1) pp. 139-160. Office for National Statistics, (2009), Health: ‘Life expectancy continues to rise’. Retrieved from http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/58499152/life-expectancy-continues-rise on 09 October 2014 Putsis Jr, W. P., Bayus, B. L. (2001). An empirical analysis of firms’ product line decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 38(1), 110-118. The Telegraph (2011). Unilever to shake up  £5.1bn global advertising spend. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/8954352/Unilever-to-shake-up-5.1bn-global-advertising-spend.html on 09 October 2014 Sashi, C. M. (2012). Customer engagement, buyer-seller relationships, and social media. Management decision, 50(2), pp. 253-272 Smith, D. (2014). The State of the Middle East: An Atlas of Conflict and Resolution. London: Routledge. Taylor-Gooby, P., Stoker, G. (2011). The coalition programme: a new vision for Britain or politics as usual?. The Political Quarterly, 82(1), 4-15. Thain, G, and Bradley, J. (2014). FMCG: The Power of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods. London: Design Publications Unilever (2014). About us. Retrieved from http://www.unilever.co.uk/aboutus/ on 09 October 2014 Unilever Bangladesh (2014). Our brands. Retrieved from http://www.unilever.com.bd/our-brands/detail/Fair-and-Lovely/366071/ on 09 October 2014 Wolf, R. (2014). Dutch Turnover Tax or EU VAT? On the Permeation of EU VAT Rules in the Dutch Turnover Tax Practise. Intertax, 42(8), 525-537.