Comparative Works of Lu Xun Essay Example

Comparative Works of Lu Xun Paper Lu Xun writes about the impending doom for China because he hates to see the homeland he loves diminish. The Story of Ah Q and The Madman’s Diary are both scornful critiques of Chinese traditions, values, customs and ways of life. He is able to express his underlying text by the uses of irony and symbolism. The Story of Ah Q and The Madman’s Diary are both prime examples of Lu Xun’s work that forewarns the citizens of China that the traditional way of life will lead the entire nation to a impending doom. Each story written by Lu Xun delivers a different message to the readers, The Story of Ah Q attacks the bad attributes that Lu Xun thought every single Chinese had. . The Madman’s Diary is a direct strike at the most popular ideology at the time, Confucius. Lu Xun brought about these issues because he believes they are the pieces that are holding China from becoming a world power. He has hopes that the Chinese citizens can take the themes from these stories and translate them into their own life’s. The Story of Ah Q was a depiction of a low class citizen in the village of Weichuang who embodied the distasteful traits of the traditional Chinese population. Ah Q was not a respectable man in the slightest; he did not possess any positive qualities and was not respected by anyone in the village. Some of the attributes that made up his personality were close-minded, arrogant, selfish and disingenuous to himself. Lu Xun made this character so that he could showcase every bad characteristic that was possessed by most Chinese people. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparative Works of Lu Xun specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Comparative Works of Lu Xun specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Comparative Works of Lu Xun specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Lu Xun attempted to built the readers disgust for Ah Q so that the citizens of China may realize that they are Ah Q and work on reforming themselves. Through out the short story of Ah Q, Lu Xun makes references to distasteful Traditional Chinese attributes such as insubordination of Women, China being disingenuous to itself by riding too high on their pride, and mimics China for their poor coordination and direction during the revolution. The treatment of women as second-class citizens can go far back as the traditional Confucian ideals. Lu Xun is bashing common practice and hopes that people can see that a problem is present. Ah Q thinks that he may need a wife to start a family, but then goes on to rant about how women have been the downfall of so many great empires. He considers them â€Å"a menace to mankind† and admits that they are naturally liars and whorish. Lu Xun must have realized that a true indicator of whether a country is â€Å"modern†, is by seeing how women are treated in the culture. The insubordinate Ah Q got into many fights, all of them resulted in him getting beaten senseless by people from a bar where Ah Q goes. But he does not walk home a sore loser, he feels as though he walks home a champion. â€Å"It is as if being beaten by my own son,† says Ah Q. Ah Q views his attacker as his son, thus giving him a psychological victory. Ah Q can attain this psychological victory because of the Confucian teaching of respecting your elders and never to raise a fist. Ah Q views himself as the elder and demands respect from everyone he meets. Ah Q feels more righteous and divine that he does have to use his fists in order to show his power over everyone. The deceitful intellect he views himself having makes him think he is far superior. Ah Q’s moral victories signify the habit of the Chinese of asserting their superiority even if it means ridiculing themselves. The revolution in the story bring upon two points of attack for Lu Xun. He first starts with the lack of revolutionary spirit that Ah Q possesses and goes on to criticize the hypocrisy of the revolution. When Ah Q first hears about the revolution he is excited to join because he could finally gain power and steal other people’s stuff. This is mocking the often misguidedness of the Chinese population when it comes to large-scale movements, such as breaking away from the Qing Dynasty and the May 4th Movement. While Ah Q is trying to become involved in the revolutionary movements, he walks in on a affluent revolutionary group and the swiftly kick him out. The elite of the town who are in the revolution only want to include other high-class citizens thus making it an elitist movement. Ah Q represents the masses of people who were ignored during the May 4th revolution, thus making it unsuccessful since only a percentage of the population, the elites, were actually involved in the revolution. No matter what happens to Ah Q he still tells himself that he is better than everyone around him. Much like China will always views itself as the superior no matter what flaws or defeat they encounter. As Ah Q is about to be publicly executed for committing revolutionary crimes, he noticed that the crowd watching wanted something more than him just to die, they wanted to eat his soul, cannibals. Ah Q believed that the traditional Chinese system could eat away at a human beings life. The story of A Madman’s Diary is a tale of a journal written by a man who is perceived to be mentally insane by everyone who knows him. The subtext can tell the reader something different though; the diary written by the sick man is actually a scathing analysis of traditional Chinese customs. Lu Xun’s goal in writing this expose was to enlighten the Chinese population on how traditional values are holding them back from enjoying the perks of â€Å"modernism†, such as democracy and science. The madman in the story is engrossed in the possibility that every single person that he meets and or sees wants to eat him. He must deal with alienation and struggle in an era where individualism is not tolerated. As he is consumed by his paranoia, he wants to find the history of cannibalism. While he is reading Confucian Virtue and morality, he can only read the words â€Å"Eat People. † The lingering influences of Confucius on Chinese traditions are harmful to Chinese society and need reformed. The madman who is reading the text is the individual and the people who want to eat him represent society, and the acts of cannibalism seizes society’s common practice to tear down anyone who lives out side â€Å"normalcy† and shatter tradition. Lu Xun believes that societies should act like evolution by changing rapidly, if no changes occur then the society is just eating its self because it cannot progress forward. An illness is diagnosed by people who know the madman and the readers of the story, but the madman is the only one who can actually see the truth the other are hiding from. The ugly truth that everyone in China is trying to hide from is something Lu Xun calls the â€Å"iron house. † He claims that the people of china are being suffocated while they sleep. He writes this story to help wake them from their somber and make them realize they are trapping themselves in the â€Å"iron house† by conforming to traditional ideals. Lu Xun gives a creative ending to the story by having the madman be cured and ends up working for the government. This makes the reader wonder what government is the madman working for, did his hopes of a new government prevail or did he get trapped into the traditional government. Lu Xun ends the story with hope that the children who have no yet be warped by Confucius ideals to save the future of the Chinese empire and bring about social change. But change is something that Lu Xun may not even feel is possible, he is sincerely writing this piece to wake people up in the somber of the â€Å"iron house†, not to necessarily motivate them to activate change. Lu Xun was an extremely brave writer at the time and provided the necessary sparks to light the fire called the May Fourth Movement. Lu Xun gave the masses a purpose of what to strive for and advice on how shed traditional ways. Even though Lu Xun gives great purpose behind each of his recommendations for bringing China to a better place, I do think that his goals are unrealistic. Breaking out of a millennia old practice is going to take more than two short stories, but its a start. It is truly up to the new generations to decide the fate of China, whether its impending doom or a prosperous future.

James Monroe essays

James Monroe essays James Monroe was born in Westmoreland county Virginia, on April 28th, 1758. His father was Spence Monroe. He came from a Scottish family, but settled in Virginia in the mid sixteen hundreds. James was the eldest of four boys and one girl. In 1786, Monroe married a seventeen-year-old girl named Elizabeth Kortright on June 30, 1768. Together they had two daughters named Eliza and Maria, and a son but he died at the age of two. James Monroe had a good education. He studied at home with a tutor until he was twelve. Then his father sent him to the school of Parson Archibald Campbell. He had to leave home early in the morning just to reach school on time. Often he would carry a rifle so he could shoot game on his way through the woods. At the age of sixteen, James entered the college of William and Mary. But soon after enrolling, he would leave college, and join the revolutionary war. Monroe began his political career in 1782, when he won a seat in the Virginia assembly. In 1783, he was elected to the Congress Of The Confederation, where he served three years. In 1786, Monroe started practicing law in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But soon after, he ran for the Virginia assembly again and remained in the assembly for four years. In 1790, Monroe was elected to the United States Senate. He was a democratic republican. In 1794, president George Washington appointed James Monroe, Minister to France. During his talks in France, Monroe criticized Jays treaty between United States and Britain, as The most shameful transaction I have ever known. In 1799, Monroe was elected governor of Virginia. He played an important part in preserving democratic processes. In 1817, James Monroe was elected president of the United States of America. Daniel D. Tompkins was his Vice president. Monroes presidency was known as The era of good feeling. During this period, ...

Just what is that makes America culture so wrong-yet so appealing How Essay

Just what is that makes America culture so wrong-yet so appealing How have cultural theorists viewed America mass culture and why, for so many people, is America culture still a 'promblem' - Essay Example From a historical standpoint, what made this possible and is this a positive thing for the rest of the world? Just what is it that makes the American culture so wrong yet so appealing? Why for many people is American culture still a problem? Seeking to address these questions and many more with respect to American cultural hegemony and the world today, this essay will provide an in-depth exploration of American culture today. Addressing charges of cultural imperialism and the role of the United States in cultivating a mass market â€Å"world culture†, the following will begin with a concise overview of the history of American cultural imperialism looking at its roots in the social revolution of the 1960s. We then turn to an analysis of the commercialization and later globalization of the world through the spread of American economic culture. Finally, we turn to American military might and the unilateralist turn in US foreign relations. This is an important cultural component of the United States of America as its military is both emulated, envied and feared the world over. By looking at American cultural imperialism through a social, economic and political/military lens, this essay aims to provide a three-pronged approach to exploring an issue which remains incredibly timely and topical. The globalization of American values began in the post-World War II period following the near universal physical, economic and social devastation of the European continent. A social revolution paved the way for the export of American values and ideas across the world. For the United States, the social revolution of the 1960s was also a cultural revolution. In fact, the â€Å"rise of a specific, and extraordinarily powerful youth culture indicated a profound change in the relation between generations† (Hobsbawm 1994). Leading this Cultural Revolution were the young: teenagers started wearing jeans – prior to that

Organizational culture is fundamentally about symbolic meaning and as Essay - 6

Organizational culture is fundamentally about symbolic meaning and as such cannot be managed. Discuss - Essay Example The reason for such is that once a given culture is introduced into an organization, it ceases to become part of the manageable aspect of the organization but becomes a self regulatory aspect which anybody who joins the system in any rank automatically becomes assimilated into. This is the trend in most organizations. The following discourse mainly focuses on organizational cultures in view of their symbolic meanings and the implications they have on managements. The standards adopted or entrenched in the cultural domain of an organization are very important determinants in its productivity and overall performance. The quality of the customer care service, for instance, is one of the symbolic natures of the organizational attitude since this is the point of the first interaction between a client and the organization’s staff. It is imperative to note that even the quality of the products, levels of safety, and environmental care policies are basis of a firm’s tradition t hat can hardly be altered through the management process. This extends to the marketing mix techniques of a firm, methods of value creation, and the desire to develop new products in the market. The organization must also have a predetermined management structure. It is important to note that the culture of an organization is the symbol of its identity. Consequently, it is not easy to be changed by emerging management dynamics. It is a tradition that gradually grows with the company and ends up defining its overall operational discourse. This simply means that even if a new person is recruited into the firm in any position, one would be compelled to do things in line with the path of action already created. The tradition of an organization also looks like a template onto which all the guidelines towards the anticipated behaviors judged against. It is worth noting that an organization is just like any other social entity with many people working towards achieving a specific goal just like in the rest of the society. In that respect, it can be compared to the general society where, in most cases, the norms are not written anywhere but generations change without manipulating any aspect of the age old traditions. Besides, every generation is always compelled to conform to the dictates of existing norms. The way each organization runs its activities is always unique. This even includes such aspects as public perception of the organization which end up defining the organizational culture. These features are always based on beliefs, attitudes, and customs of the organization. They must always be adhered to for smooth working relations and comfortable working environments. This is not an issue of an overnight arrangement but it is built over a long period of time until it becomes the basis of all the policies of the organization which even the top managers cannot deviate from through any managerial action. The organizational culture is simply a platform on which a man agement tests and implements organizational policies. Take the case of the social standard of top brass managers and how they relate to other employees or members of the public; this is likely to give the true picture of a company (Woodside, 2010). The behavioral conduct of the organizatio

Fiscal Stimulus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fiscal Stimulus - Assignment Example The appreciation in the average hourly earnings also remained more or less fixed in the last six months, hovering around 10.5 percent (United States Department of Labor: Online). To improve the circumstances in the labor market, certainly some sort of a fiscal stimulus is imperative. Resorting to the monetary policy adjustments alone is not sufficient to rescue the current economic slowdown. The handling of the Japanese economy has proved beyond doubt that it is always wiser to intervene when the situation could still be rescued (Coy: Online). The economy is deteriorating at a fast pace and monetary measures alone will not be enough to restrain the current economic meltdown. This is an exceptional situation that validates opting for hitherto untried initiatives. The damage wrecked by the recessionary circumstances can be limited by a second fiscal stimulus. It was definitely wise on the part of the government to deal with the excess capacity by nudging the companies like GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy (Coy: Online). However such measures have worsened the unemployment situation. Hence, enhanced public expenditure is the only possible way to create more jobs. It could be said that the first fiscal stimulus failed to rescue the unemployment situation. Yet it is too early to analyze its impact. So a second fiscal stimulus is a step more on the side of caution and care. ... Augmenting fiscal deficit is a cause of concern. However, it is a phenomenon that could be managed and whose impact will be felt in the long run. By that time, the improved economic circumstances caused by the second fiscal stimulus will cushion the fallout of a high fiscal deficit. The immediate priority should be to rescue the credibility of the sinking markets and assuring the apprehensive investors. Dwindling credibility of Fed is often cited as a grave issue. The thing that needs to be kept in mind is that a fiscal stimulus should be seen as a measure that is aimed to extend first aid to the ailing economy and not as something that will be continually and irresponsibly repeated.Hence a second fiscal stimulus do stands an approval in the contemporary circumstances. However, care needs to be taken that the proposed bill is trimmed of all the expenditure to be diverted towards activities that will yield a harvest over a prolonged period and could be classified as non-productive in an immediate scenario. Total Words: 555 (2 pages and 55 words)Works Cited United States- Monthly Data. United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 13 Dec. 2009 http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm Coy, Peter. "Do we Need a Second Fiscal Stimulus". Business Week. 7 July 2009. 13 Dec. 2009

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay Unilever Plc (Unilever) operates as a single business entity. It was formerly known as Lever Brothers Limited. Unilever NV and Unilever Plc are the two parent companies of the Unilever Group having separate legal identities and separate stock exchange listings for their shares. Unilever Plc (Unilever) is a leading food and personal care product offering company in the world. The company is engaged in the manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. The company along with a strong and well differentiated portfolio of 400 global and regional brands operating across 14 categories operates in 150 countries with around 174,000 employees. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Unilever operates in four business segments namely, Personal Care; Home Care; Savoury, Dressings Spreads; and Ice Cream Beverages. The company also offers solutions for professional chefs and caterers. It has around 270 manufacturing facilities worldwide. The Personal Care segment includes business in the mass skin care, daily hair care and deodorants product areas. These products are sold under Dove, Lux, Rexona, Sunsilk, Axe and Ponds, Suave, Clear, Lifebuoy, Vaseline, Signal and Close Up. Its Home Care segment includes laundry products such as tablets, powders and liquids for washing of clothes by hand or machine. It also offers soap bars. In this segment, the principal brands are Omo, Surf, Comfort, Radiant, Skip and Snuggle. The household care products include surface cleaners and bleach that are marketed under the Cif, Domestos and Sun/Sunlight brands. The companys new products include Dove pro-age range of products, Dove Summer Glow self-tanning and body lotions, Clear antidandruff shampoo and Small Mighty concentrated liquid laundry detergents. The Savoury, Dressings and Spreads segment includes sauces, soups, salad dressings, bouillons, snacks, mayonnaise, spreads, olive oil, margarines and cooking products like liquid margarines, and frozen foods. These products are sold worldwide under Calve, Knorr, Hellmanns, Becel, Flora, Wish- Bone, Rama, Blue Band, Amora, Ragu and Bertolli brands. The Ice cream and Beverages division includes ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight management products, and nutritionally enhanced products. These products are marketed worldwide under various brand names such as Magnum, Cornetto, Carte dOr and Solero, Walls, Kibon, Ola and Algida, Ben Jerrys, Breyers, Klondike and Popsicle. The tea-based beverages are sold under Lipton, Brooke Bond and PG Tips brands. The weight management products are sold under Slim-Fast, and nutritionally enhanced products are marketed under Annapurna and AdeS/Adez brands. In the the Home Care division, it holds the global number two position in laundry, with a number one position in man developing and emerging markets. The company holds global number one position in mass skin care and deodorants, and the number two position in hair care where as in oral care and household care the companys strategy is focused on strong regional and local leadership positions in selected markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In the Foods division, it holds number one position in savory and dressings, spreads, tea-based beverages and ice cream. Unilever is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Products and Brands Unilever owns more than 400 brands as a result of acquisitions, however, the company focuses on what are called the billion-dollar brands, 13 brands, each of which achieve annual sales in excess of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 billion. Unilevers top 25 brands account for more than 70% of sales. The brands fall almost entirely into two categories: Food and Beverages, and Home and Personal Care. Unilevers billion$ brands are Axe/Lynx Lipton Blue Band[14] Lux (soap) Dove Omo/Surf (detergent) Flora/Becel Rexona/Sure Heartbrand Sunsilk Hellmans TIGI (haircare) Knorr Products of the company are distributed through distribution centers, group-operated facilities, satellite warehouses, and public storage depots, wholesalers, independent grocery stores, co-operatives, and various food service providers. Unilever invests around EUR 1 billion in research and development activities through five laboratories to develop new products and technologies. Geographic Presence Unilever has geographically diversified operations. It is engaged in manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. Its products are sold in more than 150 countries which include Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated 32% revenue from Western Europe, 32% from the Americas and 36% from the Asia, Africa and Central Eastern Europe. It is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Thus, wide geographic presence decreases the business risk of the company. This also acts as an easy way for the expansion plans of the company, as wider reach in terms of geography would mean reaping more benefits eventually improving the profit margins, attaining economies of scale and recognition on a worldwide basis. following are the name of some of the countries with Unilevers presences. Ireland Sudan Italy Sweden Japan Switzerland Pakistan Thailand Singapore Tunisia Spain United States Sri lanka United Kingdom Industry Comparison Revenue Growth Rate The companys compounded annual growth rate for revenue was 1.39% during 2005-2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 9.67%. A lower than sector average* revenue CAGR may indicate that the company has underperformed the average sector growth and lost market share over the last years. The companys underperformance could be attributed to a weak competitive position or inferior products and services offering or lack of innovative products and services. Return on Equity The companys return on equity (ROE) was 30.62% for fiscal year 2009. This was above the SP 500 companies average* of 18.69%. A higher than sector average ROE indicate that the company is efficiently using the shareholders money and that it is generating high returns for its shareholders compared to other companies in the sector. Operating Profit Margin The companys operating margin was 12.91% for the fiscal year 2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 18.74%. A lower than sector average* operating margin may indicate inefficient cost management or a weak pricing strategy by the company. Financial Analysis Instead of 2 year analysis of the financial position of the company analysis is performed on a five year data as this will provided with better coverage of the companies performance. Current ratio Current ratio of the company has been on the rising trend since 2005. Current ratio of the company has increased from 0.75 time in 2005 to 0.93 times in 2009. This trend shows that the company is moving toward a stable liquidity position. Whereas, in comparison to the averages of the industry trend and S P 500 companies Unilever is not able to maintain sound current ratio. Currently industry averages at around 1.53 times whereas; SP 500 companies averages around 1.91 times. This is almost as double to where Unilever currently stands. Quick ratio Quick ratio of the company has shown similar rising trend as that of current ratio. Quick ratio of the company has moved to 0.5 times in 2009, which is a rise of approximately 35% during the five year period (2005: 0.37 times). This ratio of the company is quite close to the industry averages (i.e., 0.78 times), whereas, SP 500 companies quick ratio averages to around 1.36 times. Considering the rising trend of the company, it appears that its liquidity position will improve in the near future to meet the industry averages. Gross Profit margin Gross Profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend over the years. During the period from 2005-2009 gross profit margin of the company stood at 48.32%, fall of just 2%. This shows that the company is in a stable position as it is able to stay consistent in maintaining its Gross Profit Margin. On the other hand, Industry average stands at 44.72%. Being on the higher side of the industry shows that the company is able to effectively manage its cost and pricing policies. Net Profit Margin Similar to the Gross profit margin, net profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend. On average the net profit margin of the company has increased by 4% during the 5 year period to 8.46% in 2009. This is higher then what the industry average is (Industry average: 7.25%). On the other hand SP 500 companies average net profit margin to approximately 12.59%, showing that the company is not meeting the SP 500 companies standards. Return on Assets Return on assets of the company has shown an increasing trend during the 5 year period. During the said period, ROA increased to approximately 10% in 2009 from 8.74% in 2005, this is a rise of 14%. In comparison, the industry averages the return on assets at around 7.71% and SP 500 averages assets at around 7.91%. This shows that the company is able to used the employed assets efficiently and effectively then what the normal industry trend depicts. FINANCING STRUCTURE Unilever PLC is a highly un-geared company. Its total debt to total equity ratio stood at only 0.82 in 2009, which is a decline of around 46% during the 5 year period (2005: 1.51). Similar fall in the total debt to total capital ratio was observed, which fell by approximately 25% to 0.45 in 2009. On the other hand a slight increase of just 9% was observed in the Long term debt to total capital of the company during the same five year period. In contrast to the leverage ratios, a significant fall in the payout ratio was observed. Payout ratio of the company fell from 61.37% in 2005 to just 38.54% in 2009. This shows that currently the company is in the phase of financing its activities from its retained earnings instead of taking long or short term financing. In comparison to a competitor Reckitt Benckiser Group, the leverage of this company is similar to the leverage of Unilever PLC. During the year 2009, Total Debt to Total Equity ratio Reckitt Benckiser Group is only 0.82. Payout ratio of the Reckitt Benckiser is 50.28% in 2009, which is higher than that of Unilever PLC, representing the fact that Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is utilizing higher portion of its retained earnings as compared to Unilever Plc In comparison with the industry trends, average total debt to equity is approximately 1.16 times whereas, as per SP 500 it is around 0.73. In view of these average industry and sector trends, company is performing quite well. On the other hand, companys payout ratio is on the higher side when compared to the industry and SP 500 averages. Average industrys payout is almost is 42% whereas, average payout as per SP 500 is 28.82%. This shows that company is not availing its short term financing options. Taking up these short term financing will release some pressure from the retained earning and can be paid out to the shareholders of the company because as the low payout trend of the industry indicates that the shareholders are prone to short term gains in comparison to long term capital gains. 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Unilever PLC Total Debt/Equity 0.82 1.1 0.77 0.78 1.51 Long Term Debt/Total Capital 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.32 Total Debt/Total Capital 0.45 0.52 0.44 0.44 0.6 Payout Ratio 38.54% 43.04% 56.62% 83.71% 61.37% Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Total Debt/Equity 0.03 0.48 0.21 0.53 0.09 Long Term Debt/Total Capital (?) 0 0 0 0 0.04 Total Debt/Total Capital (?) 0.03 0.32 0.17 0.35 0.08 Payout Ratio (?) 50.28% 50.76% 41.93% 48.65% 42.39% WEIGHTED AVERAGE COST OF CAPITAL As discussed in the above section, Unilever PLC has a very low (nominal) gearing of 0.35%. Virtually the company is debt free; hence cost of equity of the company will be its weighted average cost of capital. In order to calculate Cost of Equity of Unilever PLC Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has been used. Beta for the company has been taken from the Dow Jones Report, which is 0.76 whereas; many technical issues were presents when indentifying risk free rate (Rf) and risk premium (Rm-Rf). Hence, the risk free rate and the market rate (Rm) are assumed to be 8% and 12% respectively for the purpose of this calculation. Cost of Equity = Rf + (Rm-Rf)b Cost of Equity = 8% + (12% 8%) 0.76 Cost of Equity = 11.04% Here, Cost of Equity = = WACC Hence, WACC = 11.04% NEW PROJECT Project Description Company has recently conducted a market survey for deodorant target only toward a young generation. Evaluation of the investment proposal to manufacture product XARI was performed. The product has performed well in test marketing trials conducted recently by the research and marketing department of the company. Key Elements of Project Initial investment cost Evidences for the initial investment cost can be found from various sources, research reports related to the particular industry, information from the companies which have recently invested in the respective sectors can prove quite useful, internal budget preparation etc. Annual revenues / operating costs Evidences of independent annual revenues and operating cost can be also be found from various sources, demand and supply of the particular products and projected by various research houses such as Business Monitor, by analyzing past trends of the company and peer analysis of the companies already operating in the industry/segments Rates of inflation Information related to the past and future rates related to inflation can be found in abundance. In addition to the government bodies, numerous independent research houses provided forecasted/projected inflation rates of different countries. These rates are calculated after critically analyzing and assessing various factors that affect the inflation rates. Report from Economic Intelligence Unit is one of the research houses which provides rates of inflation, both past trends as well as forecasted for different countries. Rates of taxation, and tax reliefs and allowances Best sources for finding information related rates of taxation and tax reliefs and allowance is to go through government regulated bodies. Legal regulations related to tax and updates in the upcoming changes can be found on government operated website and accurate and up to date information related to any legal issue is available there. Risk and Uncertainty After a through research I came to the conclusion that identification of risks is best done by a sequential manner. Firstly brainstorming exercise was done with some colleague of mine in order to evaluate what factors ,both beneficial and adverse, can be faced by the new project that the company was going to undertake. This exercise was purely for the identification of the risk that the project might face during the tenor of its operations. After my initial task of risk identification I assessed the likelihood of the occurrence of that risk and categorized them on the scale of high, medium and low. Then I assessed the consequences of each of risk if they occurred and whether, there occurrence will have a major impact on the operation of the company or its future prospect or not. Risks with low chances of occurrence and low negative impact were ignored and emphasis was placed on the risks that have high chances of occurrence or which could have measurable impact on the companys performance. This risk was than further classified into quantifiable and non-quantifiable risk (uncertainty). The impact of the quantifiable risk, such as rate of inflation, increase in the cost of raw material, fall in demand of the product etc, were incorporated when calculating the Net Present Value of the Project. Uncertainties such as war, political instability, change in government regulation etc, were a bit hard to incorporate. In order to overcome these problems sensitivity analysis was used. Via Sensitivity Analysis result of the project are categorized into three possible outcomes Best Case Scenario, Moderate Case Scenario and Worst Case Scenario. These 3 cases will show the performance of the company in the two most extremes situations that the company might operate. Result should then be interpreted keeping in mind of all the expected scenarios. Net Present Value After the successful test, following information has been prepared by me in order to assess the viability of the project. The research team has prepared the following forecasted demand of the product along with that various other variables such as selling prices and inflation rate are also estimated. These forecasts reflect, along with others, the expected life of the products, change in the economic conditions in the long run etc. Weighted average cost of capital has been calculated as above at 11.04%. The product has no terminal value at the end of four year. NPV of the project with respect to the following data is almost about 348,578 pounds Forecasted Information for Product XARI Initial Investment 2 million Pounds Selling Price (Current Price) 20 pound/unit Expected Inflation in Selling Price 3% per year Variable operating cost 8 pound/unit Fixed Operating Cost 170,000 per yar Tax Rate 30% Year 1 2 3 4 Demand (units) 60,000 70,000 120,000 45,000 Quarterly Report It appears that the company has performed reasonable well when compared to the forecast that the management prepared. Minor variances were witnessed by the company in most aspect of the project. Initial investment of the company exceed by just 100,000 pound. Company just sold 100 less units in first quarter as compared to the forecasted data. The reason for this relate to the factor that market awareness was not created by the company as it incurred less operating cost as anticipated. Company managed to sell units at a selling price 15% more the forecasted price. On the other 13% more cost was incurred on each unit than was projected. The reason for such a change could relate to the fact that the company underestimated the price of it project, and once market started to accept the product its selling price increased

Lolita Essay -- Literary Analysis, Vladimir Nabokov

A Love Story: Or Is It? â€Å"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins, my sin, my soul† (Nabokov 9). Quoted from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita, Humbert Humbert briefly describes his sensibilities towards his love Lolita. I’ve italicized love for the reason that this book is perceived often as not a true American love story but as a pedophile’s lust. The reasoning for the italicization is because I wanted to emphasis on the point that this book offers more than that of a pedophile’s love. Nabokov’s novel does a very good job of creating an interesting yet unorthodoxed plot. What Nabokov might find acceptable in today’s society, some people might find very offensive and disrupting. He does this to grab the reader’s attention; therefore, building their interests by having them see the other side of things. Why many readers may find this book to be associated with pornography or just another literary piece surrounded around pedophilia, Nabokov hits you with textual evidence, which may sway reader’s minds. As a reader of this novel, I am compelled to show you how this book is a true American â€Å"Love Story.† Before I move on, I’d like to actually show you that Humbert is indeed considered a pedophile and let’s not forget this. Gunter Schmidt, once wrote that: Pedophiles are men whose sexual wishes and desires for relationship bonds and love are focused either primarily or exclusively on children who have not reached puberty, whereby the relative importance of each of these three areas—sexuality, relationship, and love— may vary, as it does with other people as well. (Schmidt 473) As you can see, Schmidt has laid out a very narrow and precise definition of a pedophile. With only reading the first line, I noticed that auto... ...articles written by knowledgeable researches that help back up my argument. I agree that one may say that Humbert was a pedophile but people can change in flash and I feel that the evidence I have provide you with is substantial. Humbert isn’t a bad guy in the least bit, he’s just confused but then soon finds reality. Lolita was the best medicine for him. Lolita’s actions towards Humbert somewhat pushed him away from the pedophile stage because Humbert felt that he was the one being used. She was very mature than the other prospected nymphets, which had a great impact on him. Humbert has feared love his entire life until Lo enters his life. This novel may have some disturbing and gruesome parts but this just leads to the ultimate goal and that’s love. With evidence provided, Nabokov’s stylish, high-toned story is the greatest love story every published.

Machiavelli: The Realist Essay

Political realism did not become a popular concept until it was discussed by Niccolà ² Machiavelli, making him one of the most influential philosophers. According to another philosopher, Francis Bacon, Machiavelli was â€Å"the founder of a new, objective science of politics, concerned not with what should be, but with what is, not with hopes and fears, but with practical realities† (Wootton XXXVII). Machiavelli’s handbook for princes, titled The Prince, takes the world as it is and gives advice through the discussion of real world examples. Max Lerner, the deceased American journalist, once stated, â€Å"May I venture a guess as to the reason why we still shudder slightly at Machiavelli’s name†¦ It is our recognition that the realities he describes are realities; that men, whether in politics, in business, or in private life, do not act according to their professions of virtue.† When people read Machiavelli’s text they are astounded by some of his remarks. However, he persistently uses examples to validate that what he is saying. Although people may not want to accept his comments, he is merely making observations. Throughout his handbook, it is made evident that Machiavelli is indeed a realist. Throughout his handbook, Machiavelli makes it evident that he is indeed a realist through his examination of why a commitment to integrity and virtue is not possible for successful leadership, but deception, cruelty, and war are essential. The essential perception of reporting what actually occurs is expressed by Machiavelli. In explaining his purpose for writing The Prince, he states, â€Å"But my hope is to write a book that will be useful, at least to those who read it intelligently, and so I thought it sensible to go straight to a discussion of how things are in real life and not waste time with a discussion of an imaginary world† (Machiavelli 48). Unlike most other philosophers, Machiavelli does not believe in creating a utopia. He prefers to state the truth and make conclusions based on real events, which is exactly what he does throughout the text. According to Machiavelli: Many authors have constructed imaginary republics and principalities that have never existed in practice and never could; for the gap between how people actually behave and how they ought to behave is so great that anyone who ignores everyday reality in order to live up to an ideal will soon discover he has been taught how to destroy himself, not how to preserve himself. (Machiavelli 48) Machiavelli uses examples from the present time as well as the past to illustrate his advice for the princes. For example, Machiavelli refers to a contemporary Italian prince, whom he feels is a model of the ideal prince, on several occasions. His name is Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI. One time Machiavelli refers to him is when discussing individuals who acquire principalities through fortune. Instead of creating a hypothetical situation in which a person receives principalities through luck and making up possible outcomes, Machiavelli directly cites Borgia who received land from his father. He asserts, â€Å"Cesare Borgia, who was called Duke Valentino by the common people, acquired his state thanks to the good fortune of his father, and when that came to an end he lost it† (Machiavelli 22). By using real occurrences, Machiavelli’s advice becomes more convincing. The people know that he is basing his guidance on events which have actually taken place, and therefore they accept more of what he has to say. Machiavelli’s criticism of human nature is infamous for the obvious reason that he bashes humans. The words he uses to describe humans all have a negative connotation. While they may seem incredibly harsh, he is only stating the truth. Machiavelli explains, â€Å"For of men one can, in general, say this: They are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain† (Machiavelli 52). While some may argue that they do not possess these negative characteristics, Machiavelli disagrees arguing that while they may not show them, they are capable of them. He continues on to describe humans as being self-preserved. â€Å"As long as you serve their interests, they are devoted to you. They promise you their blood, their possessions, their lives, and their children, as I said before, so long as you seem to have no need of them. But as soon as you need help, they turn against you† (Machiavelli 52). People are willing to give up all that they have, but when the time comes to actually give their belongings away, they run away. This assumption that humans are being of pitiless self-interest follows with political realism. Machiavelli furthers his negative remarks about human beings when he discusses virtue. Based on Machiavelli’s use of the word virtue, he seems to be referring to qualities that would earn praise. He states several praiseworthy characteristics that most humans would think are beneficial to possess. Machiavelli continues pointing out: Now I know everyone will agree that if a ruler could have all the good qualities I have listed and none of the bad ones, then this would be an excellent state of affairs. But one cannot have all the good qualities, nor always act in a praiseworthy fashion, for we do not live in an ideal world. (Machiavelli 48) While his point is intended for princes, it can be applied to humans as well. His earlier case about humans being self-absorbed and fickle can apply here as well. He acknowledges that it would be better for society if everyone acted virtuously, but it is not an ideal world. Therefore, since not everyone can possess only good qualities, he turns to a blatant reality that people must be deceiving. They need to pretend to have positive characteristics in order to fool those who oppose them. He believes the good traits are more advantageous if a person merely seems to possess them. A person should seem to be compassionate, trustworthy, sympathetic, honest, and religious instead of actually being those things. Machiavelli makes clear that virtue is not possible for a prince to be successful. He emphasizes the need for deception, and then moves on to discuss cruelty. Machiavelli explains that while it is good to be loved by your people, it is better to be feared. This is because men who love you will remain loyal until they fear their interests are at stake and run away. If the men are afraid of you, then they will not be able to run away because their fear will restrain them. Machiavelli states, â€Å"†¦for it is impossible to keep an army united and ready for action without acquiring a reputation for cruelty† (Machiavelli 52). If a prince wants control and order, then he needs to be feared. According to Machiavelli, cruelty is the way to achieve this goal and is essential if a prince wishes to maintain his power. The third necessity for a prince to remain a leader is to be powerful during war. Machiavelli, who clearly believes it is important to refer to the past as a guide, advises rulers to read history books and study the actions of men who succeeded. He declares, â€Å"[A ruler] should see how they conducted themselves when at war, study why they won some battles and lost others, so he will know what to imitate and what to avoid† (Machiavelli 47). By learning about past leaders, a prince can imitate the actions of historical figures who are admirable in order to make himself better. Machiavelli’s emphasis on war may come from the fact that, during this time, Italy is in pieces, and he wishes for it to be united. He encourages rulers to â€Å"only think of military matters† and states that â€Å"in time of peace he should be even more occupied with them than in time of war† (Machiavelli 46). A prince should constantly be a step ahead of his enemies, and, therefore, needs to persistently focus on how he can be better prepared for war. By having a good army and a set plan, a ruler is able to maintain his power. Although many people criticize Machiavelli for his outrageous political realism, he was discussing the truth about reality. Some people may see it as harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. Machiavelli states, â€Å"So it is necessary for a ruler, if he wants to hold on to power, to learn how not to be good, and to know when it is and when it is not necessary to use this knowledge† (Machiavelli 48). He explains in depth why honesty and virtue are not factors in determining a prince’s success. Instead, a prince needs to be deceiving, cruel, and a powerful military ruler in order to keep his power. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolà ². The Prince. Trans. David Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1995. Print.

Research Paper Example

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The Call of the Wild by Jack London Quotes

The Call of the Wild by Jack London Quotes The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London (John Griffith London)first serialized in the summer of 1903 to popular acclaim. The book is about Buck, a dog who eventually learns to survive in the wilds of Alaska. Quotes From the Call of the Wild by Jack London ...men, groping in the Arctic darkness, had found a yellow metal, and because steamship and transportation companies were booming the find, thousands of men were rushing into the Northland. These men wanted dogs, and the dogs they wanted were heavy dogs, with strong muscles by which to toil, and furry coats to protect them from the frost.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 1He was beaten (he knew that), but he was not broken. He saw, once for all, that he stood no chance against a man with a club. He had learned the lesson, and in all his afterlife he never forgot it. That club was a revelation. It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law... The facts of life took on a fiercer aspect, and while he faced that aspect uncowed, he faced it with all the latent cunning of his nature aroused.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 1Here was neither peace, nor rest, nor a moments safety. All was confusion and action, and every moment life and limb were in peril. There was imp erative need to be constantly alert, for these dogs and men were not town dogs and men. They were savages, all of them, who knew no law but the law of club and fang.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 2 In this manner had fought forgotten ancestors. They quickened the old life within him, the old tricks which they had stamped into the heredity of the breed were his tricks... And when, on the still cold nights, he pointed his nose at a star and howled long and wolflike, it was his ancestors, dead and dust, pointing nose at star and howling down through the centuries and through him.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 2When he moaned and sobbed, it was with the pain of living that was of old the pain of his wild fathers, and the fear and mystery of the cold and dark that was to them fear and mystery.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3All that stirring of old instincts which at stated periods drives men out from the sounding cities to forest and plain to kill things by chemically propelled leaden bullets , the bloodlust, the joy to kill all this was Bucks, only it was infinitely more intimate. He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with how own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3 For the pride of trace and trail was his, and sick unto death, he could not bear that another dog should do his work.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 4The wonderful patience of the trail which comes to men who toil hard and suffer sore, and remain sweet of speech and kindly, did not come to these two men and the woman. They had no inkling of such a patience. They were stiff and in pain, their muscles ached, their bones ached, their very hearts ached, and because of this they became sharp of speech.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 5His muscles had wasted away to knotty strings, and the flesh pads had disappeared so that each rib and every bone in his frame were outlined cleanly through the loose hide that was wrinkled in folds of emptiness. It was heartbreaking, only Bucks heart was unbreakable. The man in the red sweater had proved that.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 5He felt strangely numb. As though from a great distance, he was aware that he was being bea ten. The last sensations of pain left him. He no longer felt anything, though very faintly he could hear the impact of the club upon his body. But it was no longer his body, it seemed so far away.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 5 Love, genuine passionate love, was his for the first time.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 6He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn. He linked the past with the present, and the eternity behind him throbbed through him in a mighty rhythm to which he swayed as the tides and seasons swayed.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 6Sometimes he pursued the call into the forest, looking for it as though it were a tangible thing, barking softly or defiantly... Irresistible impulses seized him. he would be lying in camp, dozing lazily in the heat of the day, when suddenly his head would lift and his ears cock up, intent and listening, and he would spring on his feet and dash away, and on and on, for hours, though the forest aisles.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7But especially he loved to run in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the subdued and sleepy murmurs of the forest, reading signs and sounds as a man may read a book, and seeking for the mysterious something that called called, waking or sleeping, at all times, for him to come.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7 It filled him with a great unrest and strange desires. It caused him to feel a vague, sweet gladness, and he was aware of wild yearnings and stirrings for he knew not what.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7He was a killer, a thing that preyed, living on the things that lived, unaided, alone, by virtue of his own strength and prowess, surviving triumphantly in a hostile environment where only the strong survive.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7He had killed man, the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club and fang.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7When the long winter nights come on and the wolves follow their meat into the lower valleys, he may be seen running at the head of the pack through the pale moonlight or glimmering   borealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows, his great throat a-bellow as he sings a song of the younger world, which is the song of the pack.- Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 7

PERSPECTIVE PAPER MEXICAN WAR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PERSPECTIVE PAPER MEXICAN WAR - Essay Example The population nearly tripled in less than half a century! And, with the high volume of immigration coupled with the need for larger families to sustain farms, this trend will likely continue at a more rapid pace. Acquiring land from Mexico would greatly help with this problem, by giving more land for our growing population to live in. Secondly, because of the harsh economic conditions that many in this country have faced, frontier land offers new possibilities. The economic depressions suffered by this country in 1819 and again in 1837 left many with next to nothing. Westward expansion offers a fresh start for such people. The reason for this is that frontier land costs very little, and in some cases, is free. This means that many people who could never have the means to become landowners presently may now have the chance. This is important, since landownership signifies wealth, power, and independence. At the same time, westward expansion opens the opportunity for new forms of commerce. A struggling craftsman on the East coast must deal with the competition of other craftsmen of the same trade. Place this same craftsman out west, and he may find that while need for his craft has not changed, he is experiencing little to no competition from rival craftsmen. He may even end up with more customers than he can handl e. Imagine the riches! Also, merchants who relocated out West will open West coast ports. This will allow trade between the United States and Pacific countries, making our nation even more prosperous. Lastly, it is our duty to spread democracy to the world. Democracy is God's plan for the world. And, seeing as how the United States is the perfect embodiment of God's plan, who better than us to spread democracy far and wide To not spread democracy to these unfortunate people who no nothing of the joys of democracy would be a sin. We must open their eyes and show them that this is the best way of life. We can begin to fill this duty by acquiring Mexican land and extending democracy to those who happen to inhabit it. As you can see, the desire of land acquisition is not solely a selfish one. I hope I have done my part to persuade you. We must declare war on Mexico in order to further the prosperity of this great country. I am afraid that without expansion, this country will never recognize its full potential. And, in the end, the acquisition of Mexican territory is what's best for everyone involved, both Americans and Mexicans. Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Good job of giving three reasons for the importance of territorial expansion - Might have specifically mentioned California and its potential May 2, 1846 Mr. President, I am writing you in hopes that this letter will aid you in your decision as to whether or not to declare war on Mexico. This is something that I believe very strongly in. I feel that a declaration of war is entirely unnecessary, and in fact could prove disastrous for this nation. First of all, I believe that expanding this nation would prove to weaken democracy. Ours is an experimental government and therefore, its boundaries are unknown. Our nation seems to be running smoothly at its present state, so why tempt fate It is my strong belief that the reason our government works so well is because this country is relatively small and the government is close to the people.

Week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 4 - Essay Example A constraint associated with capacity management that must be managed well in order to successfully launch the new products is time. Time can become a constraint if a customer has a specified delivery date (Tutor2u, 2009). Once the company determines the official launch date of the new battery-pack and solar power models it must carefully plan an efficient strategy to ensure the product reaches its destination on time. Capacity management can help the company lower the costs of moving the merchandise through the distribution network. The shipments of merchandise most of time are send in trucks that are not completely full. The company must coordinate its launch to take advantage of the unused capacity of its shipments to corporate clients. In order for the company to optimize its logistics the firm must invest in the latest information technology. A technology that can help John Deere coordinate its delivery of its new lawnmowers are radio frequency identification tags (RFID). RFID tags give managers the capability of tracking the position of the merchandise while the items are in transit or in a warehouse. E-commerce has become an integral strategy that must be utilized by multinational firms as a channel to move merchandise. The consumer purchasing patterns have changed a lot in the 21st century. There is a portion of the population who prefers to buy online. In 2008 in the United States e-commerce generated $146 billion of online retail sales (Plunkett Research, 2009). An e-business platform provides benefits for the supply chain of an enterprise. The implementation of such a strategy to market the new green lawnmowers would lower the operating costs of the company. Sales generated through the e-business are direct sales for the company. A direct sale eliminates the profits achieved by the distributor which raises the profitability of John Deere. The electric and solar powered lawnmowers the company developed are going to be a big hit among