Introduction to New Venture Development

Introduction to New Venture Development Executive Summary Poor nutrition leads to obesity which in turn causes illness or even death. According to American Medical Association (AMA), the increase in health related diseases and illnesses have been caused by the increase in obesity and overweight rates. Some of these diseases include: diabetes, cancer, insomnia, heart diseases, and cardicascular disease. An individual’s body weight can be measured using body mass index (BMI). Research has found that, about 20% of adults suffer from obesity having a BMI of 30 or more.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Introduction to New Venture Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More More than 30% are overweight with a BMI of 25 to 29.9. Graph 1 shows the obesity and overweight for children between the ages of two and seventeen years in Australia. There is therefore a strong call for involvement to perk up diet and health in order to curb the illnesses associated with poor nutrition. Nutritionists have argued that, water, fruits, and vegetables can be used to counteract this problem (Sturm, 2005). The aim of this product is to promote healthy eating while trying to fight with the increasing rates of obesity in both children and adults. It has been noted that, people have forgotten their traditional foods and are now relying on highly processed foods which increase the cholesterol levels in the body. Many nutritionists and doctors advocate for the use of fruits in reducing this problem but we think dried vegetables would also do a recommendable job. This product aims at being the market leader not only in Australia but other parts of the world. It aims at providing the best nutrients in its natural form since it is not processed with chemicals. Since the product is in its dried form, it aims as reaching a big market and can stay for long. It will be available in major outlets where even the rich people (who rely on the processed food) can acc ess it easily. This report focuses on the target market for the product, the quality of the product and how it can be used to prevent obesity in both children and adults. Part one of this report focuses on the product itself, how it is made and the opportunities available. It also focuses on the industry that is responsible for creating the product and the pros and cones of that industry in dealing with the product. Part two dwells on the anticipated (financial) performance. This part focuses on the business model to be adopted for the product, the estimated starts of orphan crops include finger, millet, and yams; these are crops that have been neglected for along period of time although they are very nutritious. The advantage of these foods is that they contain high nutrients that have some medicinal value. In addition to that, the traditional vegetable and orphan crops if well preserved can solve the problem of food security that is being experience in most part of the world (Whit e, 2010). This products aims at reducing the high obesity rates that are evident in Australia as it also works as a supplement to the main dishes. This product is provided in its most natural form to ensure that all important nutrients are present for boosting better health. Our team aims at introducing the product to the rich people, the elderly and sick because these people are not very active and take very little exercises. It aims at targeting the rich because; these are people who have been relying on the highly processed food that is becoming a problem to their health (Biggs, 2006). The product will be branded in several colours that symbolize the different elements of the product. For example, national colours will be used to show the origin of the product. Food is a basic need and a right for each individual on the universe, however most people do not have access to nutritious foods and this has facilitated the development of health related complications. The product (dried traditional vegetables and orphan crops), is aimed at helping the larger Australian population that rely on junk foods for their daily meals. The Opportunity There are many opportunities in the market which our team aims to take advantage of in meeting customers’ needs through the creation of awareness of the new product. These opportunities guarantees successes of the product because issues related to health have remained unsolved for quite some time now. Australia is one of the developed nations and almost all food industries focus on the processed food because of the development in technology.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Introduction to New Venture Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These foods seem easy to make and have been able to attract a wide population. However, they have not been able to solve the health related issues (which is a common problem) and instead they have accelerated the m. This has forced customers to incur additional costs as they seek for medical attention. This creates a very good opportunity for the dried traditional vegetables and orphan crops which guarantees sound health. The following table gives a summary of the factors that have created an opportunity for this new product Factor Opportunity Global increase in processed foods available in major outlets where they are accessed by everyone. People are no longer going to the market to purchase foodstuffs as they can get them in the supermarkets in their preserved form. Due to the increased need and demand for processed food. It has proved to be difficult to find a market for the fresh food products. This has resulted in the abandonment of the natural vegetables which contain high nutrients. To satisfy these customers, our product will be dried to ensure that it can stay for a longer period of time and will be available in supermarkets where other foods stuffs are stocked. Most people a re busy and hardly have time to do shopping after work. They prefer to shop during the weekends when they are relaxing. Most of the time they will go to the supermarkets because they are assured of getting everything under one roof as compared to going to the markets This creates an opportunity for the dried traditional vegetables. By branding them in different colours, they attract the customers’ attention and the content speaks for it self. This ensures that, this product is not swept out by other supplementary products. Good health is currently receiving both national and international attention. Many people have realized that, they are responsible for taking care over their health status and beyond what they can not provide, the government comes in. Dried vegetables and orphan crops would not have come at a better time than this. This product is assured of success because of the national concern of good health. Most international organizations are advocating for the use of vegetables in fighting heart disease, and other chronic diseases (National Institute of Health, 2010). Many international organizations such as the World Health organization (WHO) are fighting against increased obesity rates in Australia which has grown at a very alarming rate. This problem is common in children below the age of five years who are likely to develop health complications. To avoid this, these organization are discouraging customers from using highly processed foods and food reach in fats such as pizzas, because they are facilitating obesity in children (Morgan, 2010) Traditional vegetables such as cowpeas bunya nuts and Kakadu plums are the best solution to this problem. They are high in nutrients and contain less fat, if any. These products are also known to assist the white blood cells as they fight with disease causing organisms Powers (2007) noted that, people find it hard to avoid unhealthy foods and it has even become difficult for nutritionist to advice people on which food to take. It is therefore upon the government to ensure that people eat healthy foods. One way would be to raise the taxes on junk foods and make healthy foods (such as vegetables and fruits) available and affordable for consumption. This is a good opportunity for our dried vegetables and orphan crops because we will be able to purchase them at reduced prices enabling as to offer them to the customers at affordable prices. We are also assured of a ready market because the government is creating public awareness on the importance of organic foods. How will the Product be sold The dried traditional vegetables and orphan crops will be sold in supermarkets which are strategically located in both the urban and rural centres in order to reach a big population. They will be offered at affordable prices because the main aim of the introduction of this product is to promote health to all people. After drying, the product will be packed in small, medium sized and big t ins decorated in different colours and with the nutritious values well specified on the tin. They are to be placed alongside other products although the team plans on carrying out a vigorous advertisement to create public awareness. We also plan to open up a small store in Victoria because most of the target population is concentrated in this area. Start-Up Strategy We understand that, the introduction stage is the most expensive stage in the product life cycle. This is the stage when we expect to create public awareness in all areas. To achieve this, our team plans to take orders from major supermarkets while at the same time use direct sales representative to reach the areas that may not be served by the outlets. We expect our start up costs to be approximately $30, 000 with the advertising budget taking the bigger percentage (about 30%). Vigorous marketing will be carried out in the areas where the target consumers are located for instance, near hospitals, schools and colleges. T he team seeks to reach its target population by using printed brochures and small pamphlets that explains what the consumer stands to gain by using the product. The pamphlets will be offered for free for every purchase made. The other percentage will be used for the production process and to pay human resources. Most of this products will be imported from African for, instance Kenya because they have a wide variety of vegetables which are yet to be exploited. Our work will be to dry and package these products before offering them for sale. Performance and Financials Expected Performance During the first year after the product has been launched into the market, we do not expect to make much sales because the product will be in its introduction stage which needs a lot of advertisement in order to create public awareness on the availability of the product.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most of the money collected from sales will be used for further advertisement in order to ensure that, the product kicks off during the growth stage. Since this is a natural product, we expect its sales volume to increase drastically towards the end of the first year so that a lot of profit is collected in the second year of operation. The cost of production depends on the type of vegetable and quantity, but since the product does not go through a lot of process, we expect one kilogram of vegetables or orphan crops to cost about $1.5 and the expected selling price is $3. This means that, our products will earn $1.5 gross profit per every kilogram sold. Some of this profit will be used to cater for the overhead costs while the rest will be saved as retained profits. During the first year, our team expects to sell more than fifty thousand kilograms of dried vegetables and orphan crops fetching close to one hundred thousand dollars as gross profit. This sales volume is expected to incr ease in the second year even though the product is expected to face some competition. During the second year, the product will be differentiated further and packaged in different tins with each tin containing different type of vegetable. Financial Analyses The expected financial performance for the first three years can be summarized in a table as shown below. Year Production cost/kg Selling price/kg Estimated sales (in kg) Gross profit Overhead cost Net profit one $1.5 $3 50, 000 $75, 000 $50, 000 $25, 000 two $1.5 $3 150, 000 $225, 000 $40, 000 $185, 000 year $1.5 $2.5 150, 000 $150, 000 $40, 000 $110,000 As noted earlier, during the first year of operation, we do not expect to make much profit because a lot of money will be used for advertisement. Also the sales are expected to be very low because people will not be familiar with the product. However, in the second year, sales are expected to shoot upwards while overhead costs declines due to reduced advertisement. Wi th time, competition will emerge in the market which is likely to force us to lower the selling price to at least $2.5 in the third year of operation. By lowering the prices we will be able to retain our market share although the overall effect will be a reduction in the profit levels. The product is expected to break even after three years since competition will have risen to significance levels. At this point, the product will be decline stage of the life cycle, instead of allowing the product to die; it will be sold to big companies Business Model The start-up capital will come from members’ contribution (which will be treated as share capital) and contributions from well wishers such as international organizations. Revenue model Having no other products in the market, our main source of revenue will be the sale of our products. With this revenue, we plan to start up other products and services to boost our revenue base and to ensure that our products do not die. Cost mode l Our costs include Product purchases Rent for the production centre Salaries and wages Transportation of both raw and finished products Paying contractors Licensing Market Market segmentation To ensure that our product does not die after reaching the maturity stage, we plan to use the cost leadership strategy. This is a strategy aimed at ensuring that costs remain as low as possible. It is a competitive strategy used by many organizations by giving them a competitive advantage in the market (Hitt, et al, 2009:81). Cost leadership strategy is an indication of how a firm’s theory in successful competition is centred on low costs and prices. It ensures that products of the same value are offered at a lower price in order to attract more customers. By using the cost leadership strategy, we will be able to position the product to target the average customers in the market with little or no differentiation. This strategy uses the low-margin high-volume kind of approach. Key areas in cost leadership are: materials, management of logistics and manufacturing. Consumers’ choices are complex and multifaceted. If consumers were concerned only about getting food at the lowest possible price, alternative agriculture would have a hard time taking hold, because industrial-style farming produces food cheaply. Consumers require the source of food that will be of most benefits to their bodies. Vegetables and orphan crops are the only type of food that can satisfy a wide range of consumers’ need. Most of the government health agencies and departments such as World Health Organization (WHO) have been fighting with the growing problem of obesity and unhealthy eating. They have been advocating for a modification in the health program to include more fruits and vegetable. Research has proved that, diets with a bigger portion of vegetables can lower or even prevent some illnesses such as cancer and heart diseases (World Health Organization, 2004). This is because diets rich in vegetables contain less cholesterol as compared to those rich in carbohydrates or proteins. Obese and overweight people are advised to increase their daily intake of vegetables as this will help them to maintain an incredible figure (Baourakis, 2004). This being the case, our product targets to reach people in hospitals, schools, colleges, and government institutions. By reaching these populations we are assured that our products get to the right people. The elderly people are also our main point of focus because they too need a lot of vegetables to help then in fighting diseases and to grow strong. Vegetables are digested easily and can also be used to clean the stomach. Competition and Risks Being a new product in the market, we are expecting to face some risks and competition although this will not deter us from further production. Having the government fight against junk food by taxing them heavily is a good opportunity for us and we will take full advantag e of it. To be able to survive in the competitive market, we will charge low prices for our products so as to attract a big market. The low cost also gives us a competitive advantage which is a significant entry barrier. By charging low prices, we are able to buy large volumes of goods from suppliers thus we enjoy economies of scale. However, being a cost leader we are prone to face some risks (Hosler, 2008). The first risk is that, in most cases, there is a danger of out competition on the basis of cost. If this happens, the leader will be forced to continuously reduce prices which may not be profitable in the long-term. The other risk is that, the persistent force to cut costs may engrave corners that displease customers because more often than not these low prices will result in the production of poor quality products. Porters’ Five Forces Model Porter developed a structure for analyzing the nature and extent of competition within an industry. His argument was that, in eve ry industry, there are at least five competitive forces which establish the nature of competition within that industry. These five forces apply to our product and are discussed below: Buyer’s bargaining power Buyers have the ability to determine which products will move first and which will not. It is through buyers that a company realizes its competitive advantage in the market. We expect our product to be subjected to the following buyers’ power. Low switching costs Buyers are many and are not concentrated This is a weak force since the buyers have limited bargaining power Competitive Rivalry in the industry Within the food industry, there are businesses which compete with each other for the available market share. These businesses either specialize in the production of similar products or differentiated products. This competition is based on: Low prices Quality Performance High exits barriers Little product differentiation High investment intensity Though th ere are several companies which offer high quality and low cost products, there is still great rivalry in the industry as products are close substitutes to each other. Threat of Substitutes Our product is likely to face many substitutes in the market. Other companies are likely to come up and offer similar products thereby threatening the survival of our product. Threat of entry Dried traditional vegetables and orphan crops product will enjoy the following barriers: Strong economies of scale Brand loyalty of customers Strong capital cost on entry Legal constraints Mergers and acquisitions It stands to win over the threat of entry in the market because; the government has put strong entry barriers. Supplies’ bargaining power Flexibility to the industry’s request Volume and price provided Concentrated suppliers High switching cost The suppliers bargaining power is weak over the buyers’ and could always lower their prices to ensure a share of the buyersâ⠂¬â„¢ prospective profit. Environmental Analysis SWOT Analysis SWOT is an acronym for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. In order to understand where our product stands in the Australian market, we have first to analyze the strengths and opportunities of the product as well as the threats and weaknesses that the product will be exposed to. Strengths 1. Marketing power growth- strong brand creation through cross-promotion 2. Strategic expansion through customer-focused innovations 3. High turnover growth 4. A strong market strategy 5. Strategically placed to fight competition Weaknesses 1. Low profit margins 2. Lack of a well thought future market strategy Opportunities 1. Increased economic development 2. An unfulfilled customer need 3. Rise in per capita income 4. Increased technological advancement Threats 1. Industry rivalry 2. Entry of new firms 3. Strong government regulations 4. Competition 5. Emergence of substitute products PEST Analysis Political Free and f air government which promotes equality Fair Trade Practices Consumer Protection Taxation policies Economic Factors affecting the GDP- for instance employment, inflation, and government spending More disposable income Seasonality issues Developed Australian economy Socio-cultural Lifestyle trends and consumer preferences Demographic changes Increased consumer spending Multi-cultural society Technological Innovation capacity Improved infrastructure Australia is among the technologically advanced nations in the world The forces described above helps in the determining the market growth (or decline) of our product and the implication of its strategic business unit. If an economic recession occurs, the economic forces would have a considerable bearing on the future market strategies through ripple effects on the political and socio-cultural factors. Political factors put a restriction on the development of the industry by putting tough taxes and regulation requirements. Aus tralia has been experiencing low tariffs barriers which have led to an expansion in the international trade thereby resulting in increased demand for food products. Australia’s economic growth potential is facilitated by its demographic advantage and could therefore open up opportunities for industry development. Although the Australian economy has been doing well and the future is promising, our product has to overcome some obstacles before it realizes its full potential. First there is the government requirement which it has to adhere to before being allowed to operate, increased capital costs, requirement of skilled labour force, and rivalry from other firms. To add to these risks, the product is not guaranteed of a ready market in the rural areas making it a risky undertaking. Exit Strategy Since we may not be in a position to continue the production of our product because of competition, we plan to sell it to one of the major food industries in the country. Depending on the circumstances, we may even choice to emerge with big grocery firms and continue producing the product. Another option would be to franchise our product so that we maintain our market share and even attract new customers. All this will depend on the performance of the product after three years of operation. Reference List Baourakis, G., 2004. Marketing trends for organic food in the 21st century, Volume 3 Marketing Trends for Organic Food in the 21st Century. World Scientific Biggs, M., 2006. Overweight and obesity in Australia Web. Web. Hitt, M., et al, 2009, Strategic management: competitiveness and globalization: concepts cases. London, Cengage Learning Hosler, A. S., 2008. Assessing retail fruit and vegetables availability in urban and rural underserved communities, Public health research, practice and policy, 5(4): A123 Web. Morgan, C., 2010. Should the government control; what we can and can not eat? Web. Web. National Institute of Health, 2010. DINE Healthy: Diet improvem ent software Web. Available at:  https://rtips.cancer.gov/rtips/programDetails.do?programId=286002 . Powers, S., 2007. Organic for Health. New York, Sandra Powers Sturm, R., 2005. Childhood obesity- what we can learn from existing data on societal trends, part 1. Public health research, practice, and policy Web. White, Anne, 2010. Why organic Food costs so much Web. Available at:  https://blog.mint.com/trends/organic-food-07082010/ . World Health Organization, 2004. Fruit and vegetable for health, Report of a joint FAO/WHO workshop, Kobe, Japan Web. Available at:  https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/fruit_vegetables_report.pdf .

Rescale Test Scores by Using Sten Scores

Rescale Test Scores by Using Sten Scores Many times in order to make easy comparisons between individuals, test scores are rescaled.  One such rescaling is to a ten point system.  The result is called sten scores.  The word sten is formed by abbreviating the name standard ten. Details of Sten Scores A sten scoring system uses a ten point scale with a normal distribution. This standardized scoring system has a midpoint of 5.5.  The sten scoring system is normally distributed and then divided into ten parts by letting 0.5 standard deviations correspond to each point of the scale.  Our sten scores are bounded by the following numbers: -2, -1.5, -1, -0.5, 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2.0 Each of these numbers can be thought of as z-scores in the standard normal distribution.  The remaining tails of the distribution correspond to the first and tenth sten scores. So less than -2 corresponds to a score of 1, and greater than 2 corresponds to a score of ten. The following list relates sten scores, standard normal score (or z-score), and the corresponding percent of ranking: Sten scores of 1 have z-scores less than -2 and consist of the first 2.3% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 2 have z-scores greater than -2 and less than -1.5 and consist of the next 4.4% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 3 have z-scores greater than -1.5 and less than -1 and consist of the next 9.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 4 have z-scores greater than -1 and less than -0.5 and consist of the next 15% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 5 have z-scores greater than -0.5 and less than 0 and consist of the middle 19.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 6 have z-scores greater than 0 and less than 0.5 and consist of the next 19.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 7 have z-scores greater than 0.5 and less than 1 and consist of the next 15% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 8 have z-scores greater than 1 and less than 1.5 and consist of the next 9.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 9 have z-scores greater than 1.5 and less than 2 and consist of the next 4.4% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 10 have z-scores greater than 2 and consist of the last 2.3% of ranked scores. Uses of Sten Scores The sten scoring system is used in some psychometric settings.  The use of only ten scores minimizes small differences between various raw scores.  For example, everyone with a raw score in the first 2.3% of all scores would be converted into a sten score of 1.  This would make the differences among these individuals indistinguishable on the sten score scale. Generalization of Sten Scores There is no reason that we must always use a ten point scale.  There may be situations in which we would want to have use  of more or fewer divisions in our scale.  For example, we could: use a five-point scale, and refer to stafive scores.use a six-point scale, and refer to stasix scores.use a nine-point scale, and refer to stanine scores. Since nine and five are odd, there is a midpoint score in each of these systems, unlike the sten scoring system.

Consider why management should be designated a profession, with Essay

Consider why management should be designated a profession, with managers as 'professionals' who demonstrate not only leadership - Essay Example Sometimes a person working in the organisation tends to take on the role of a manager and employee simultaneously. For example, a sales manager of the organisation performs the role of manager while directing the sales force in order to meet the goals of the organisation but at the same time when he is contacting a customer the employee performs a non-managerial role. It can be said that in the former role the person directs the efforts of other members and in the latter role he is utilising the skills as sales man in order to meet the objectives of the organisation. Management is being involved in the act of achieving the objectives of organisations (Tripathi & Reddy, 2007, p. 2). With respect to organisational behaviour, management and organisational behaviour are inter-connected. Managerial work involves complexity, it is unpredictable and enriched with excitement and opportunity. The functions of management are â€Å"planning, organising, leading and controlling.† As organ isations make use of various sources in achieving the goals and objectives, in management the resources can be classified in four groups, namely, human, physical, financial and information resources (Griffin & Moorhead, 2011, p. 8). Organisational behaviour can be defined as a study of human behaviour with the context of organisation with the main focus on individuals and groups’ actions. Thus, it includes the exploration of both organisational and managerial processes in the context of an organisation (Brooks, 2007, p. 2). Organisational behaviour can also be defined as a broad area which aims at studying the actions of people in the organisation. Thus, managers can use the related theories, as well as knowledge, in relation to organisational behaviour in order to improve management practice and influence the employees to make them work effectively and attain the goals of organisations. The most successful organisations tend to make the best of use of the employees energies and talent. Organisations, which are able to effectively manage the employees, usually hold an advantage over its rivals. According to Pfeffer (1998), firms which have the ability to manage people can reap up to 40% gain and can build in commitment, learning, involvement and competence of the organisations. As employees are vital to the success of the organisation, interaction from mangers are also key towards success of management. Therefore, a manger that possesses skill in organisational behaviour will be able to effectively work with its colleagues and employees in the organisation and also assist, influence and support in achieving the goal and objectives of organisations. In today’s business environment the role of a manger is vital for the growth and better functioning of the business. Managers are important in any business and responsible for all the major activities which take place in the organisation. The main role of the management is delegating the various tasks to the most competent staff members. Before going into detail let us evaluate the characteristic of management (McGinnis, n.d, p. 39). In order to be effective manager need to possess various skills right

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth Coursework

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Coursework Example One of the witches tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Glamis† (I, i, 45-46). The second witch tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Cawdor!† (I, i, 49-50). The third witch tells MacBeth that â€Å"that shalt be King hereafter!† (I, i, 51-52). Epstein (422) states that, after the final pronouncement by the final witch, MacBeth’s hair stands on end and his heart starts pounding. This shows that this is something that MacBeth has thought about himself – that he could be King, if only Duncan were out of the way. Epstein (422) further notes that the word â€Å"wyrd,† which was what the witches were called, as they were referred to as â€Å"weird sisters,† (I, i, 31), is actually misinterpreted. The modern plays interpret the word â€Å"wyrd† as being the same as â€Å"weird† in modern day language. After all, the three women were very weird. When we first meet them, one of them is killing swine, and the other on e speaks in rhymes – such as â€Å"in a sieve I’ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I,i,8-9), and â€Å"Here I have a pilot’s thumb, wrackd as homeword he did come. A drum! A drum! MacBeth did come!† (I, i, 29-31). Perhaps in Shakespeare’s day it wasn’t weird to speak in rhymes in the plays, so the audience for Shakespeare might not have thought that this was out of place, but the rhyming definitely made that particular sister seem weird. Therefore, the fact that the sisters are referred to as weird might be a modern-day interpretation of them and their overall characters. But Epstein (422) states that the word that was actually used as â€Å"wyrd,† which means fate. This would bring a variety of translations for the witches, assuming that the word is â€Å"wyrd† and the meaning is â€Å"fate.† This would be a pun, but a very meaningful one. This would be an answer to one of the questions that is central to the play, and that is whether or not our fate is determined by our own hands or by some kind of outside force. The outside force would be the witch’s influence over MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, both of whom are responsible for the bloodbath that is to follow. The implication is that the witches are responsible for MacBeth and Lady MacBeth’s overwhelming ambition that created the situation where there was a string of murders that MacBeth, an inherently good man, commits. If it were not for the outside influence on the proceedings at hand, there is not a way that a man like MacBeth could have done what he did. After all, the word â€Å"fate† implies a lack of control – that whatever happens in this world is predestined, and that we are powerless to stop it. Therefore, one of the functions of the witches is both in their persona and in the double entendre on the word â€Å"weird,† in that their persona is what ostensibly controls the situat ion, and the word â€Å"weird,† possibly means fate in this context. There is another interpretation of the word â€Å"wyrd,† according to Epstein, and this interpretation leads one to the opposite conclusion as the interpretation above. This is that the word might suggest â€Å"wayward.† This would imply that the witches were not even real, but, rather, were figments of MacBeth’s imagination. This interpretation would suggest that fate was not in control, at all, but, rather, MacBeth’s deep seated ambition is what is in control. This would imply that what happens to him is a result of his own free will, not the result of the witches influencing the proceedings a

Characters in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Characters in Hamlet Essay William Shakespeare uses various elements, themes and connections between them to present ideas of enduring value in ‘Hamlet. His character development in Hamlet Claudius and use of dramatic techniques present values in ‘Hamlet’ those of which are timeless. These enduring values include guilt, corruption and life death. Shakespeare has used various dramatic techniques to express his idea and enduring value of guilt. In Act 1, as Polonius talks about ‘the devil hiding’, Shakespeare uses a dramatic technique as Claudius acknowledges his conscience in an aside, â€Å"how smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience†. Claudius is the villain of the play, however Shakespeare has a created a complex character with a working conscience and serious feelings of guilt. Claudius sense of guilt emerges through the use of the dramatic technique, soliloquy. Furthermore, it also makes him a more ‘rounded’ character in his development, not merely evil or lacking in human qualities. His guilt is emphasized when he attempts to ‘pray’, and he finds that as a sinner, he cannot, while he still desires the fruits of his crime, these being Gertrude and the crown, â€Å"Forgive me my foul murder? That cannot be since I am still possess’d of those effects for which I did the murder. †Shakespeare has used metaphor and alliteration in, Oh bosom black as death† as Claudius, concedes that he is not really capable of praying. From this point, as a development of his character, his villiany increases as he becomes desperate to eliminate Hamlet and ultimately plotting his death. Gertrude can also be played as experiencing guilt throughout until she concedes her guilt and claims it will not go away, â€Å"I see such black and grained spots/ As will not leave their tinct†. Claudius and Gertrude share the guilt for what goes wrong in the play, as theirs is the corruption that infects Denmark. Corruption is another prominent value in ‘Hamlet’. In Act 1, the dramatic technique, monologue is used as Claudius addresses his court and celebrates his coronation and marriage to Gertrude to reconcile the grieving for Old Hamlet. His speech, â€Å"mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage† is commonly known as ‘spin’ today. There is a notion that Claudius’ motive for killing Old Hamlet is envy, strictly a lust for power and to be king however this cannot be interpreted as Claudius consistently shows true love for Gertrude and displays qualities of a good king. Consequently, it is plausible that the function of the marriage is genuine however also essential for Claudius’ agenda which makes his reign corrupt. Shakespeare demonstrates the idea of corruption, that if the king reigns on false or evil grounds, hence the whole kingdom suffers, as Marcellus says, â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark†. Furthermore, through Hamlet’s main source of distress of the thought of his mother remarried too soon, and to his uncle, he introduces the theme of corruption with the technique, imagery, â€Å"unweeded gardens†. Hamlet interprets news of Old Hamlet’s ghost as a reflection of the corruption in Denmark, â€Å"My father’s spirit in arms! All is not well†. He believes that foul deeds will rise and that evil will inevitably unravel. The use of Hamlet’s development of a complex multi-faceted persona demonstrates Shakespeare’s idea on life and death, conveyed through the use of the dramatic technique, soliloquy. Hamlet’s situation in the play is relevant today because circumstances force him from being a critical observer of the world to being a participant, an experience that is universal. The flaw in Hamlet’s character lies in the involutions of his character. He is guilty of â€Å"thinking too precisely on th’event†, a man who â€Å"continuously resolves to do, yet does nothing but resolve†. It is assumed Hamlet is honest and open in his soliloquys. At other times he is puts on a ‘faà §ade’, the main purpose is to hide his true state of mind and intentions often portraying himself as ‘mad’. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy he is already contemplating about the desire to disappear or commit suicide, â€Å"O that this too too solid fle sh would melt†. Hamlet rejects the idea of trying to predict the future and reaches a point of acceptance of life, death, and everything more, â€Å"Not a wit, we defy augury†¦ the readiness is all†. This expresses the idea that what is destined is inevitable and what is significant is ‘readiness’. Hamlet acknowledges this when he holds up Yorick’s skull. The dramatic technique of visual imagery of Hamlet looking at Yorick’s skull is one of the most enduring images in all of literary history. It is a human confronting the truth, contemplating death and decomposition that even the greatest of humans are subject to. His speech on ‘readiness’ is all about his own death. It is this, which he must become ready for, something, which is presented as central sad truth of human life. ‘To be, or not to be, that is the question’ is definitive on life and death. It provides a stark contrast to the intense confrontation with Ophelia as it is contemplative, intellectual and uncharacteristic for someone who is supposedly ‘mad’. Shakespeare implies through Hamlet’s character development that the reason people do not commit suicide is because of the fear of the after life which is unknown and could potentially be worse. Hamlet ponders the question as a matter of philosophical debate. Yet though the play is thus rooted in its own time, ‘Hamlet’ seems to have a rapport with all ages and centuries. It speaks eloquently to the twentieth century as it did to the 17th 18th and 19th. Reasons for the play’s enduring appeal is attributed to the values Shakespeare has expressed. How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience Forgive me for my foul murder? This cannot be for I am still possess’d of the effects for which I did the murder I see such black and grained spots/ as they will not leave their tinct Something is rotten in the state of Denmark Mirth in funeral, dirge in marriage O that this too too solid flesh would melt Not a wit we defy augury My father’s spirit is in arms! All is not well Unweeded garden To be or not be, that is the question

Columbian Exchange Essay -- History

On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus departed from Palos, Spain to begin his journey across the Atlantic Ocean. This was the first of many voyages that allowed him to explore a New World where he was able to discover plants, animals, cultures and resources that Europeans had never seen before. The sharing of these resources and combination of the Old and New World has come to be known as the Columbian Exchange. During these explorations, the Europeans brought diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and bubonic plague to the New World, wiping out entire Indian populations. There were also many other populations wiped out due to complications that came from this exchange. Were these explorations and the wiping out of entire populations worth the benefits gained by the exchange? The Beginning Christopher Columbus was a famous navigator and explorer who was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy. Columbus wanted to claim land for Spain so he could be rich and spread religion. He originally set out to find the East Indies for many reasons. One was that he hoped to establish trade routes and colonies in order to gain wealth. Another was that there were now bigger guns that could be strapped on ships so he felt that his voyage had more of a chance of being successful. The main reasons for his exploration was that he wanted to find a western route to Asia to find the riches that Marco Polo talked about in his book. So basically he was not courageous, he was just greedy. He intended on arriving in Japan on his first voyage, but instead, he arrived at the Bahamas archipelago. He ended up making numerous voyages and claiming the lands he visited for the Spanish Empire. Columbus continued voyages creating the first lasting European conta... ...ormation: tourism, travel, culture, language, business, people.  » Blog Archive  » Columbian Exchange." Professional Translation Services | Interpreters | Intercultural Communication & Training. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/colombia/Columbian-Exchange/5062 (accessed April 3, 2012). †¨ †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ Pelletier, Michelle. "The Columbian Exchange and Global Trade - CDA's World History Wiki." Welcome to CDA's World History Wiki Updates - CDA's World History Wiki. http://cdaworldhistory.wikidot.com/the-columbian-exchange-and-global-trade (accessed April 3, 2012). †¨ †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ Qian, Nancy, and Nathan Nunn. "The Columbian Exchange: A History of Disease, Food, and Ideas." Journal of Economic Perspectives 24, no. 2 (2010): 163-188. "The First Voyage of Columbus." The Columbus Navigation Homepage. http://www.columbusnavigation.com/v1.shtml (accessed April 3, 2012).

Jackie Robinson

Jackie is historically recognized for his most significant impact on American society of breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947. After his initial introduction to the Major Leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie became the target of white race criticism all around the league including players and coaches. His challenge with the racism around the league was to not fight back, but stay a quiet, polite, ordinary baseball player.After his astounding first season and World Series appearance with the Dodgers, he became a true aspiration to African Americans and portrayed that anyone from any racial background is capable of achieving their goals if they set their mind to it. Although he was the first African to play in the MOL, he earned the respect of members of the MOL organization and ended up being known as one of the most talented baseball players of all time.His amazing stats over his career such as leading the league in stolen bases, double plays as a second b aseman, his Impressive eating average, and his MAP award, led to his induction to the Hall of Fame In 1962. His most famous statistic in his baseball career is his 19 stolen bases home. In 1997, the MOL decided to retire the number 42 for all teams In Jackass's honor, which prevents a player from ever wearing the number 42 again in MOL history. After his career in baseball, Jackie continued to fight to Improve the quality of life not only for Africans but also for society as a whole.He also became Vice President of Chock Full Nut's in 1957 and became the first African to do so In a major reparation. Robinson became an activist and leader of the African community with the NAACP in 1957 to raise money and ultimately end segregation. In his attempt to end the discrimination, he gave speeches, encouraged new Ideas, marched and stood at protests fighting for a better life among society. Jackie came Into the league hoping to Impact the racial struggle, which he did, but ended up significa ntly Impacting U. S. Imperialism's political status on the world stage.In present day, the blacks that play Major League Baseball and other Major League sports around America would not be able to do what they do without Jackass's courageous fight to end discrimination against African Americans. Cackle made American society have a different perspective on the world of sports today. By J_acquiring Jackie Robinson was born in Georgia in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers. Jackie is leading the league in stolen bases, double plays as a second baseman, his impressive batting average, and his MAP award, led to his induction to the Hall of Fame in 1962. He MOL decided to retire the number 42 for all teams in Jackass's honor, which After his career in baseball, Jackie continued to fight to improve the quality of life Chock Full Nut's in 1957 and became the first African to do so in a major end the discrimination, he gave speeches, encouraged new ideas, marched and stood at protests fighting for a better life among society. Jackie came into the league hoping to impact the racial struggle, which he did, but ended up significantly impacting U. S. jackie robinson

We Should Not Put Our Families in Nursing Homes

We should not put our families in nursing home Purpose To persuade my audience why they should not put their family members in a nursing home. Introduction Do you have a disable or elderly family member that can not do for themselves? We as people need to think about where we place our family members as far as nursing homes and facilities. Many of you may not have any disable family members, but I know you may have elderly family members, and you do not need to put your family member in a nursing home.I know this because I have been a nursing assistant for four years and I also have a sister who has been a nursing assistant for three years and has done home health care and nursing home services. I had two family members in a nursing home. One passed away and the other one did not start to recover until she came home. Central Idea I am here to convince you to that you should not put your family members in a nursing. Preview You should not put your family member in a nursing home becau se in a nursing home the ratio is 1 caregiver to 10-15 patients, your independence is limited, and the chances of your love ones improving are little to none.Body I. The first reason why you should not put your family member in a nursing home is because in a nursing home the ratio is one caregiver to ten to fifteen patients. A. The biggest problem in a nursing home is that they are short of registered nurses and nurse aides. 1. According to AHCA (American home care association) as of 2007 the vacancy rate for registered nurses at a nursing home was 16. 3% yet some nursing homes have only one registered nurse for 50 to 70 patients notes Charlene Harrington, a professor of sociology and nursing at the University of California. . For nursing assistants, they have the most work. 3. They have the task of feeding, clothing, bathing, hygiene care, transporting, and these are just a few are the task done on a daily basis. 4. A caregiver does these tasks for more then six patients and over n ight may have the minimum of ten. Subpoint: Now that you have learned about this first risk taking at a nursing home, lets move on to my second reason I. The second reason why you should not put your family member in a nursing home is because their independence is limited. . When being in a nursing care facility your time is limited. You have to get up, eat, and go to bed, etc. at a certain time. 2. When in a home care setting, you can get when you want or go wherever you want without having someone telling you. This gives your family member a chance to live a normal life everyone else. 3. According to the book Elder care: Choosing & Financing Long-Term Care by Joseph Matthews, one advantage of homecare is that you and family can better control the care you receive and avoid the care you do not need or would not need. 4.In homecare services you can also avoid the risks of a family being abused, neglected, and thief. Subpoint: Now that you have learned about these two risks of sendin g your family members to a nursing home, lets move on to my third reason. II. The third reason why you should not put your family reason member in a nursing home is because their chances of improving are little to none. 1. If it is not in the care plan the staff will not do it. This statement says that a caregiver will not take care of the family member any further than then what is on a piece of paper. 2.Failure to provide comprehensive care plans was among was among the top most frequently cited deficiencies in nursing homes facilities in 2008, according to a November 2009 report co-authored by Harrington of UC San Francisco. 3. They may also not provide the care for your family member of their particular need, for example, physical therapy. If a patient is paralyzed on one side or waist down, they may be ridding. In a home care setting, you will have your own social worker, a registered nurse that comes to the home to check on you, and can have therapy at your home or sign yourse lf up for therapy services.Being able to get out and move around whether the family member is in a wheelchair or not can help create a less risk of things like depression, cancer, and bedsores. Conclusion In conclusion, you should not put your disable or elderly family members in a nursing home because in a nursing home the ratio is one caregiver to ten to fifteen patients, your family member independence are limited, and the chances of someone improving in a nursing home are little to none.I am here to convince you that you should not put your family members in a nursing home, if you care about the needs for your love ones and want to avoid the risk of thief, neglect, and abuse. I urge you to better options for your loved ones and not a nursing home. Work Cited Page Matthews, Joseph. Beat the nursing home trap: A consumer’s guide to choosing & financing long-term care. Berkeley, CA: Nolo press, 1990. Print. Matthews, Joseph. Elder Care: A consumer’s guide to choosing & financing long-term care.Berkeley, CA: Nolo press, 1990 and 1993. Print. Bornstein, Robert F. and Languirand, Mary A. When someone you love needs nursing home care. New York, NY. NewMarketPress, 2001. Print. Strickland, Britney. Personal Interview. 2 Nov. 2012. Scherzer, Lisa Ph. D. and Stives, David Ph. D. 10 things nursing homes won’t tell you. N. P. 15 April 2010. Web. 29 Oct 2012

My Mistress Eyes Essays - Literature, Rhyme, Sonnet, Poetry

My Mistress' Eyes Essays - Literature, Rhyme, Sonnet, Poetry My Mistress' Eyes JR BRUNER Lit 100 January 16, 1999 My Mistress' Eyes In this sonnet, Shakespeare seems to be very critical of this woman's physical faults. I tried to approach the poem from a comical view to be able to read it and be comfortable with it. She seems to be of African or Middle Eastern descent by his statement of the color of her eyes and wiry hair. The first line uses the most revealing part of a person's body, the eyes. He claims that her eyes do not compare to the sun, they are dark and cold. She is of dark skin by his reference to her being dun, dark or having brown pigmentation. The second stanza I had a problem with, a person can take it many different ways. One impression I got was she might have had a problem with her diet and just had bad breath. The other was she might have been a shameful hussy. Shakespeare claims that the other perfumes, maybe meaning other women he found to be a lot nicer. While his mistress cusses like a sailor. Shakespeare uses as a model a goddess, whom a person would accept as having perfect physical attributes. His mistress seems to be a very large woman who seems to have problems walking.

Vatican City Is an Independent Country

Vatican City Is an Independent Country There are eight accepted criteria used to determine whether an entity is an independent country (also known as a State with a capital s) or not. Let us examine these eight criteria in regard to the Vatican City, a tiny (the smallest in the world) country located entirely within the city of Rome, Italy. The Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, with over one billion adherents worldwide. Why the Vatican City Counts as a Country 1. Has space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK.) Yes, the Vatican City’s boundaries are undisputed even though the country is located entirely within the city of Rome. 2. Has people who live there on an ongoing basis. Yes, the Vatican City is home to approximately 920 full-time residents who maintain passports from their home country and diplomatic passports from the Vatican. Thus, it is as though the entire country is composed of diplomats. In addition to the over 900 residents, approximately 3000 people work at the Vatican City and commute into the country from the greater Rome metropolitan area. 3. Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money. Somewhat. The Vatican relies on the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications as governmental revenue. The Vatican City issues its own coins. There is not much foreign trade but there is significant foreign investment by the Catholic Church. 4. Has the power of social engineering, such as education. Sure, although there aren’t a lot of kids there! 5. Has a transportation system for moving goods and people. There are no highways, railroads, or airports. The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It only has streets within the city, which is 70% of the size of the Mall in Washington D.C. As a landlocked country surrounded by Rome, the country relies on the Italian infrastructure for access to the Vatican City. 6. Has a government that provides public services and police power. Electricity, telephones, and other utilities are provided by Italy. The internal police power of the Vatican City is the Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera). External defense of the Vatican City against foreign enemies is the responsibility of Italy. 7. Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the countrys territory. Indeed, and amazingly enough, the Vatican City does have sovereignty. 8. Has external recognition. A country has been voted into the club by other countries. Yes! It is the Holy See which maintains international relations; the term Holy See refers to the composite of the authority, jurisdiction, and sovereignty vested in the Pope and his advisers to direct the worldwide Roman Catholic Church. Created in 1929 to provide a territorial identity for the Holy See in Rome, the State of the Vatican City is a recognized national territory under international law. The Holy See maintains formal diplomatic relations with 174 nations and 68 of these countries maintain permanent resident diplomatic missions accredited to the Holy See in Rome. Most embassies are outside of the Vatican City and are Rome. The other countries have missions located outside Italy with dual accreditation. The Holy See maintains 106 permanent diplomatic missions to nation-states around the world. The Vatican City/Holy See is not a member of the United Nations. They are an observer. Thus, the Vatican City does meet all eight criteria for independent country status so we should consider it as an independent State.

The Use of Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Use of Social Media - Essay Example Needless to say, people use and depend on technology for their needs and the demand for technology has been on the rise (Lietsala & Esa 34). The impacts of technology on the society are far reaching. It has had both positive and negative effects on the society. However, it has had more positive effects than negative effects on the society. Technology has made the world we live in a small place to live. Technology, through social media has revolutionized how information is relayed and accessed. In reference to Collin et al (13), information spreads faster in social media than any other form of media. Most of the people first learn of any breaking news through social media. People have also switched from watching televisions for any updates to seeking such updates in the social media. This makes social networks the number one source of information for Americans. For instance, the news on the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden had spread faster even before President Obama made the announcement. People had already learnt about the incident through social networks and spread like wildfire. However, most of the people who saw the posts first did not believe them. This is because they thought it was just another internet hoax. Arguably, social media has been known to promote the spread of unreliable and false information . Almost 49% of people in United States have learnt of false reports in social media (Picazo-Vela et al. 506). Recently, social media were filled with false information that the missing Malaysian airlines had made a safe landing. After the plane was reported missing, numerous people spread news on Twitter and Facebook that the plane had made a safe landing in China. This news of safe landing was also picked up by international news media such as CNN and Malaysian media outlets. However, the rate of false information is lower than correct and reliable information. In most cases, media