Thursday, January 23, 2020

My Personal Philosophy of Education :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays

Philosophy of Education I believe all students have the potential to think critically and mathematically. However, each student manifests this ability at a different level and pace. Thus, it is the role of the teacher to facilitate learning by providing each student with the opportunity to grasp mathematical concepts. Too often teachers assume that only those who have demonstrated a high level of achievement in the classroom will be able to experience higher-order problem solving situations. Often, problems that require critical thinking are simplified to mere procedures and rules. Instead, I contend that it is precisely the struggle and challenge of these situations that can enhance all students’ understanding in some way. As an educator, it is my responsibility to provide the resources (information, experiences, problem solving strategies, etc.) to enable each student to improve his or her reasoning skills. However, it is often difficult to reach students individually and even more difficult to change the deep-set attitudes towards mathematics, especially among those who struggle. I propose that creating a caring, problem-solving based community is the best way to combat negative attitudes towards mathematics and to help individuals make gains in their critical thinking ability. If I encourage students to be working together as mathematicians in a community, then they can learn from and communicate with each other. In this setup, every student has some insight to bring and each will struggle and learn from problems at their own level. My role in this environment is that of a guide, presenting tools and strategies for the class to discover and reason through mathematics. The more students see that there are different ways of thinking about the same situation, the more they will be able to access resources when they encounter a problem on their own. For instance, in a 7th grade classroom , we used two color counters to introduce integer operations. For the exit exercises, some students still needed the idea of chips while others had established generalizations. Through guided discovery, they took away a level of understanding that best suited them. The students who needed visuals still were not forced to resort to generalized procedures that they did not yet understand. They were able to correctly perform the calculations in a way that made sense to them. I also must guide the establishment of a strong community by encouraging mathematical communication, critical commentary and sensitivity. My Personal Philosophy of Education :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays Philosophy of Education I believe all students have the potential to think critically and mathematically. However, each student manifests this ability at a different level and pace. Thus, it is the role of the teacher to facilitate learning by providing each student with the opportunity to grasp mathematical concepts. Too often teachers assume that only those who have demonstrated a high level of achievement in the classroom will be able to experience higher-order problem solving situations. Often, problems that require critical thinking are simplified to mere procedures and rules. Instead, I contend that it is precisely the struggle and challenge of these situations that can enhance all students’ understanding in some way. As an educator, it is my responsibility to provide the resources (information, experiences, problem solving strategies, etc.) to enable each student to improve his or her reasoning skills. However, it is often difficult to reach students individually and even more difficult to change the deep-set attitudes towards mathematics, especially among those who struggle. I propose that creating a caring, problem-solving based community is the best way to combat negative attitudes towards mathematics and to help individuals make gains in their critical thinking ability. If I encourage students to be working together as mathematicians in a community, then they can learn from and communicate with each other. In this setup, every student has some insight to bring and each will struggle and learn from problems at their own level. My role in this environment is that of a guide, presenting tools and strategies for the class to discover and reason through mathematics. The more students see that there are different ways of thinking about the same situation, the more they will be able to access resources when they encounter a problem on their own. For instance, in a 7th grade classroom , we used two color counters to introduce integer operations. For the exit exercises, some students still needed the idea of chips while others had established generalizations. Through guided discovery, they took away a level of understanding that best suited them. The students who needed visuals still were not forced to resort to generalized procedures that they did not yet understand. They were able to correctly perform the calculations in a way that made sense to them. I also must guide the establishment of a strong community by encouraging mathematical communication, critical commentary and sensitivity.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Victoria`s Secret Economic Environment

IntroductionThe apparel industry faces various supply chain challenges, many due to the fact that the major part of apparel manufacturing activity for the United States market has moved outside the country to low-labor-cost countries in the Far-East. Thus, due to long physical distances, apparel companies in the US are continuously challenged to quickly respond to changing trends, to reduce long lead-times, to execute collaborative product development with suppliers using effective communication and to ensure total supply chain visibility. Moreover, fickle consumer preferences and shortening of the product life cycles make the apparel industry very challenging from a supply chain perspective.The Victoria's Secret business provides a case study representative of most supply chain challenges faced by the apparel industry as a whole. Victoria's Secret is a multi-channel retailer selling its products through physical stores located throughout the United States, as well as through a colle ction of printed catalogs and an online shop. Its major product offerings lie in the category of intimate apparel, sleepwear, beauty, apparel, shoes and swimwear. For the purpose of this research, we focus on the intimate apparel segment of Victoria's Secret. Intimate apparel represents the largest portion of Victoria's Secret business and is sold through all the retail channels described above.Company HistoryAccording to company lore, after a disagreement with his father in 1963 over the operation of the family store (Leslie's), Leslie Wexner, then 26, opened  the first Limited store in Columbus, Ohio, with $5,000 borrowed from his aunt. Leslie Wexner's desire was to focus on moderately priced fashionable attire for teenagers and young women (Hoover's Online). The Limited went public in 1969 with five stores. Rapid development of large malls spurred Limited's growth to 100 stores by 1976.Two years later, The Limited acquired Mast Industries, an international apparel purchasing an d importing company. In 1982, Limited purchased Lane Bryant (a plus size brand) and Victoria's Secret (lingerie). In March 2002 the so called The Limited changed its name to Limited Brands. Limited Brands is currently focusing on its star players, Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works.Company StrategyThe company strategy has evolved over time. Prior to 1995, the company's strategy was primarily driven by a knock-off design, shop-and-copy system. During this period, the company's merchants searched for forthcoming fashion designs, all over the world, especially in Europe, and produced merchandise inspired by these designs. Their strategy involved speed sourcing of the products and selling them out even before the original brand could actually be launched. By the early nineties, there remained little competitive advantage in this approach, as the rest of the world had figured out similar ways to do business (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005), between 1995 and 1998, the company st rategically planned an overhaul, focusing on developing a distinct brand identity.The Limited became the largest employer of apparel designers in the world (as mentioned by a top executive). The company re-positioned itself to operate like an upscale consumer package company. With aspirations to be a large powerful brand that controlled its own retail distribution channels and seeking a consistent repeatable business, the company soon incorporated vertically integrated capabilities into its supply chain. In its quest to narrow its portfolio and create a distinct brand image, the company closed all of its poorly performing businesses, including the sale of its bank, and spun off or sold Abercrombie and Fitch, Lane Bryant and six out of seven Henri Bendel stores (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005).Financial PerformanceVictoria's Secret Business UnitWithin Victoria's Secret, all three channels – Victoria's Secret Stores, Victoria's Secret Beauty and Victoria's Secret Direct â₠¬â€œ are experiencing revenue growth as well as profitability. As of august 2013, Victoria`s Secret stores sales increased 3% on top of a 9% increase last year. Increase was primarily driven by strength in bras and panties. Victoria's Secret Direct, the catalog and online business, also experienced growth. Direct enjoyed a 3% increase in sales in 2013. The growth came from improved clothing assortment at more competitive prices and growth of its intimate apparel category, especially of panties and sleepwear.Direct now represents approximately a third of Victoria's Secret sales. A 2001 â€Å"share of drawer† analysis indicated that one-third of the typical customer's lingerie drawer comes from the Victoria's Secret brand. Most of the drawer, however, consists of daily wear lingerie products, of which Victoria's Secret is a relatively lower percentage. Thus, the trend for the new product introductions will likely be toward more pretty, yet every day, styles like the Body by Vic toria sub-brand, a line of everyday intimate apparel.Victoria's Secret StoresVictoria's Secret (VS) is the most profitable as well as the biggest revenue generating brand for Limited Brands. Its net sales for the year 2013 were $ 271 million correspond of 16.7% of the total % of sales. Victoria's Secret comprises 3 sub-businesses: Victoria's Secret Stores (VSS), Victoria's Secret Beauty (VSB) and Victoria's Secret Direct (VSD) network of stores. VSD sells VS lingerie, sleepwear as well as 3rd party brands in the categories of apparel, shoes and accessories through its online store and catalogs. This case study focuses on Victoria's Secret's lingerie business.ProductsVictoria's Secret sub-brands or collections can be said to focus on a central theme. For example, the most recently introduced Victoria's Secret sub-brand called ‘Pink† is a new collection of intimate apparel aimed at a 19 year old  woman (Limited Brands Interview, 2005), and the â€Å"Victoria† is t he new glamorous fragrance launched that build on its fragrance business. Each of these collections is offered in a variety of different styles based on the extent of coverage given by the bra, the configuration of the bra strap or even its entire silhouette.Overall, the products carried by Victoria's Secret Stores can be divided into 3 broad categories: Launch Fashion Products, Non-Launch Fashion Products and Basic Products. About 60% of units in store are basic, 25% non-launch fashion and the remaining 15% are launch products. Basics consist of products which sell all year round and have styles and colors which can be sold in all seasons and for the most part, never go out of style. Beige Dream Angel's bras, white and black bras from the Body by Victoria collection are examples of basic products.Fashion products are loosely defined as items with styles, colors or silhouettes which typically sell for one season (1 season = 6 months) and then shift to regular replenishment. Launch p roducts are fashion items which are heavily promoted and may even announce the introduction of a completely new category. These products involve special planning and are typically launched two times per year, in spring and fall. An example of a highly successful recently launched product is the new The Close-Up ®. The company also engages in about fifteen annual reconfigurations of its stores also termed as â€Å"floorsets†. A floorset may or may not involve a launch.Customer SegmentsVictoria's Secret Stores is trying to be the dominant, young, sexy and sophisticated lingerie and beauty brand in the world. Victoria's Secret serves a wide range of customers with varied psychographics and demographics. On a household income scale, the VS customer loosely lies between 30-75 percentile ranges. With presence in almost all major malls in the United States, VSS aspires to become a destination brand, which means that a customer would be tempted to visit the malls just to see the VS store. With the Pink ® sub-brand, the space Victoria's Secret is trying to fill as â€Å"young and casual†, a category which had been previously overlooked  by Victoria's Secret.Pink was developed in response to the fast growing Abercrombie & Fitch brand, which was once a part of The Limited. Out of the three key words describing the overall target customer above, â€Å"young† is the most important. The goal is clearly to target a young demographic. Finally, the company sees VS as an â€Å"aspirational† brand, and as such, older women may be encouraged to buy Pink  ®' products as well, as a 40 year old is likely to aspire to look like 30 rather than to look.Demand Forecasting and PlanningOn the demand planning and forecasting front, the Catalog and Web businesses are governed by separate strategies. This is primarily because the drivers of demand for the two channels are different. For the catalog, the demand forecast is mapped against the curve of the pr oduct life cycle from the point the catalog is mailed to when 98% of the product is sold. Moreover, circulation of printed books is the primary driver of sales. Within a catalog, dynamics related to location of the display of product, and to the model selected for the display, are sales drivers. Once Direct has visibility as to the actual product layout of the catalog, it re-forecasts the demand several weeks before it is mailed, and subsequently adjusts its purchase orders.For the web, on the other hand, the forecast is based on individual item performance on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. One of the key metrics that Direct uses to monitor its sales is given by the Net-Growth Ratio. This ratio measures for every $1 of demand generated, how much was generated for sales after accounting for returns, cancellations and failure to fulfill back-orders. Victoria's Secret Direct, especially the catalog business, has additional levers in the way that offer a wider breadth of fashion asso rtments. This is because the marginal costs of carrying fashion versus basics product in Direct is governed by different dynamics in comparison to stores, as the stores have huge fixed costs due to real-estate.Moreover, it is possible for Direct to leverage assets between the catalog and web operations such as common photography. About 400 million catalogs are mailed in a year; approximately one fresh book a week having anywhere between 60 to180 pages and including between 250 and 600 items. About 95-98% of the Direct products are sold in US. Semi-annual sales are  tied together with Victoria's Secret Stores and a sale period is comprised of 8 weeks, requiring approximately 8 mailings during this time (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Last, but not the least, if a product doesn't perform well in one media, it is not introduced in the other.Sourcing and ProductionVictoria's Secret Direct utilizes the Mast network, as do the Victoria's Secret Stores. Direct is able to maintain accur ate data about customer preferences and buying patterns due to the online nature of its business. It is therefore able to quickly translate this information to its vendors, making it much more responsive to changing customer needs than the Victoria's Secret Stores. This allows Mast to adopt a sourcing strategy based on the vendors' ability to deliver smaller and more frequent orders. Smaller orders mitigate risk of over-stocking and frequency allows the company to react closer to the demand and to get the right product out to market in time.Distribution and FulfillmentOn the distribution front, Direct uses its own distribution center in Columbus, Ohio, separate from the Victoria's Secret Stores' distribution center. Both web and catalog share this DC. The process of picking in distribution centers is different from stores, as these products are picked as single items based on orders, whereas in the Victoria's Secret Stores' operations the products are picked and shipped in cases. Th e average time it takes to get to customers is about two days. The online business is well integrated to inventory systems at the DC level, but is not integrated with Victoria's Secret Stores. With only about 15-20% of overlap in SKUs between the stores and Direct, this is not an immediate need (Limited Brands Interview, 2005).Direct keeps a close watch on its inventory and maintains fairly accurate item levels as well as order level data. For example, the current percentage of service level that Direct operates shows an 88% in stock and 12% back-order at the item level. This level of data integrity allows Direct to be much more responsive than Victoria's Secret Stores and  as a result allows them to make dynamic changes to order quantities, pre-packs and size-curves based on latest selling patterns. In contrast to placing large orders with Mast, as do Victoria's Secret Stores, Direct can thus place smaller and more frequent orders. Moreover, Direct doesn't require excess inventor y for the purpose of its floor and window displays as do Victoria's Secret Stores.Goals and ChallengesAs a part of the INSIGHT project, Victoria's Secret Direct is working closely with its production team to create a library of fabrics and raw materials to make a choice matrix such that lead times can be reduced dramatically. They are also a part of the same initiative to reduce concept to market lead times from 72 to 40 weeks.The challenge for the company is in the area of returns. Currently, returns amount to approximately 25% of demand and are primarily driven by the Swim and Apparel categories; however, a considerable part of returns are put back in stock. These are products which are in reasonable condition to be resold. The return rate for lingerie is negligible. One of the challenges that Victoria's Secret faces overall is in the category of fringe sizes. Fringe sizes are the ones which are on the tail-end of the demand curve and whose demand patterns are harder to predict. C ustomers looking to buy these sizes typically feel the need to try them on before purchase.If these products are carried by Direct, there is potential for reduced customer service levels. On the other hand, if Victoria's Secret Stores decides to carry these sizes to provide better customer service, they will be faced with challenges of less predictable demand patterns for these sizes, leading to over or under stocking of product. Therefore, the company has to work a delicate tradeoff between providing better customer service levels and the subsequent financial impact of this service. A survey about multi-channel retailing tactics used by retailers, conducted by Forrester research, showed that 87% of retailers allowed purchases made online to be returned to stores.Limited Brands fully integrated Victoria's Secret with its Direct business. This involves large logistical challenges for the brand but have a  positive impact of customer satisfaction levels as the customers are able to return goods purchased online to Victoria's Secret Stores, and are even able to order products in stores which they purchased online and have them delivered to their house with no additional cost.Victoria's Secret's Supply Chain FrameworkVictoria's Secret's business strategy has evolved from a shop-and-copy system to a branded concept, that of selling innovative, technologically advanced products at reasonably high profit margins. The Victoria's Secret brand is positioned to be the dominant, young, sexy and sophisticated lingerie and beauty concept, targeting young customers who appreciate the value of possessing innovative lingerie. At the same time, the company is somewhat risk averse.It does not rely solely on its fashionable bra launches for all of its sales. It distributes risk by having a mixed assortment of fashion and basic goods. However, having this mixed assortment adds complexity, in that the brand has to operate two supply chains; one for each of these types of products . Below I underlined the operating model, operational objectives and important tailored business activities that drive sustained competitive advantage within the Victoria's Secret supply chain and align with the overarching business strategy.Complementary Operating ModelThe operating model at Victoria's Secret Stores is to achieve desired brand recognition through innovative product development, glamorous bra launches and high shelf availability of its products. Most of the Victoria's Secret Stores' new product introductions are offered in both fashion (items with less predictable demand) as well as basic (stable demand) styles. This mix of fashion and basic items helps Victoria's Secret to distribute risk, to ensure profitability and to offer compelling value to customers. The company identifies that there is not a single all-in-one supply chain solution for both of these categories of products and therefore it maintains two different types of supply chains for each.The supply chai n for Victoria's Secret's fashion items is driven by â€Å"Speed-to-Market† to ensure responsiveness. This is reflected in the company-wide initiative to shorten its â€Å"Concept-to-Market† calendar. This supply chain is further governed by a sourcing strategy that requires a set of suppliers with an excellent record of product innovation, value-adding capabilities and no minimum volume requirements. Due to the prioritization of speed over low labor cost, these items are made in the most capable factories in the world, wherever they may be, and are consistently air shipped to the company's distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.On the other hand, the supply chain for Victoria's Secrets basic items is driven by factors like asset utilization and supply chain efficiency. As a result, basic goods are manufactured in vertically integrated factories which provide close control over capacity utilization and productivity. These factories run at full capacity and provide econo mies of scale (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Mast holdings have an equity stake in two of Limited Brands' largest factories in India and Sri Lanka. This is a strategic decision in order to maintain tighter control and better supply chain visibility.Operational ObjectivesThe help of Limited Logistics Services (LLS), Victoria's Secret has drafted a Service Level Agreement that defines various performance metrics for services to Victoria's Secret Stores. This agreement also defines the role of the Victoria's Secret Stores in successfully meeting these objectives. The performance metrics are divided into three broad categories as defined below.Customer ResponseThese metrics are customer-focused and customer-facing. They include a set of distribution metrics as well metrics related to store performance such as responsiveness, floor-set, business priorities, new stores, Value Added Services (VAS), meeting cadence, reporting, and air shipments.EfficiencyThese are internal metrics. They are productivity and cost-related and include a set of metrics at the manufacturing as well as distribution center level such as Auditing/Cycle Counts, Through- Put, Network Productivity, DC Metrics, DC Throughput, and Store Throughput.Asset Utilization These metrics are also internal-facing and largely focus on maintaining economies of scale. They include: Capacity Utilization and Inventory Turns.Objectives Balancing FrameworkThe focus placed on each of the metrics mentioned, varies by whether the product is basic or fashion. For example, in the category of basic products, asset utilization metrics like capacity utilization and efficiency objectives like supply chain costs and productivity carry more weight than responsiveness. The factories making these products run at full capacity with two shifts per day to efficiently deliver these products to market at minimum possible cost of production. These products generate moderate margins for the company in comparison to the fashion pro ducts.On the other hand, in high-margin product categories of fashion goods, particularly in highly promoted launch-related fashion goods, which are most often a result of innovative product development and have relatively short-product-lifecycle of just one season, responsiveness metrics are seen to carry more weight overall. The focus in this model is to increase in-season product availability to reduce lost sales and maximize margins.Tailored Business ActivitiesAt the operational level, there are a set of three tailored business activities that provide significant competitive advantage to the Victoria's Secret supply chain and place Victoria's Secret in a unique position in comparison to its competitors. These activities are aligned to the overarching strategy, which is to deliver an assortment of innovative  fashion products and less risky basic products. The first tailored activity emanates from the company-wide open innovation model. The decentralized design culture within V ictoria's Secret adds unique capabilities to its supply chain design.Product Innovation can come from the supplier, from in-house development or through design inspirations from external concepts. This creates the possibility of inter-company operating ties with outside suppliers. For example, if Limited Design Studios in New York initiates a design concept, it can go to a preferred supplier to be further developed and even changed. This relationship during the design process adds flexibility, which is hard to replicate.The second tailored activity has to do with the sourcing model that Limited has adopted as a whole. The presence of Mast Industries as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Limited Brands is of tremendous value to the company. Mast carefully selects its vendors based on capabilities to manufacture and deliver fashion versus basic products. Mast works with a set of vertically integrated factories as well as raw material suppliers to create a product that is hard to replicate.V ertical integration helps the company to control the production process from fiber to garment. On one hand, this leads to greater manufacturing efficiency required for producing basic products, which generate relatively lesser profit margins than fashion items. On the other hand, vertical integration also helps to speed the product development process essential for new and fashionable products.Finally, the role of Limited Logistics Services' (LLS) â€Å"shared service model† in the smooth operation of its supply chain is indispensable. As mentioned earlier, the Service Level Agreement with each of its brands, including Victoria's Secret, not only defines the detailed performance metrics but also defines the role of each brand in order to carry out the objectives on time. LLS consistently benchmarks itself against outside logistics providers and has been able to provide higher service levels to its brands at competitive costs. The dynamic ability of LLS to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate its performance against external agencies, helps Victoria's  Secret to stay ahead of the competition. In its logistics design, LLS incorporates the fact that whether a product being delivered is fashion or basic.For example, in most cases, fashion lingerie is air-shipped from Asia to Columbus, OH and basic products are ocean-shipped. This is because the fashion products, which have relatively higher margins, are less expensive to transportation costs per unit. Fashion and launch products may also have to go through a customized value-added service process in order to cater to the requirements of the individual stores to which they are shipped. These value-added services are performed at the DC level and the company claims to perform them more cost effectively and efficiently than an outside third party logistics provider. MarketMonopolistic competition is a form of imperfect competition where many competing producers sell products that are differentiated from one a nother (that is, the products are substitutes, but, with differences such as branding, are not exactly alike). In monopolistic competition firms can behave like monopolies in the short-run, including using market power to generate profit. In the long-run, other firms enter the market and the benefits of differentiation decrease with competition; Textbook examples of industries with market structures similar to monopolistic competition include restaurants, cereal, clothing, shoes, and service industries in large cities, which the company Victoria`s Secret fit perfectly.The â€Å"founding father† of the theory of monopolistic competition was Edward Hastings Chamberlin in his pioneering book on the subject Theory of Monopolistic Competition. Joan Robinson also receives credit as an early pioneer on the concept. Monopolistically competitive markets have the following characteristics: There are many producers and many consumers in a given market, and no business has total control over the market price. Consumers perceive that there are non-price differences among the competitors' products. There are few barriers to entry and exit.Producers have a degree of control over price.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Tables of Regular Italian Verb Endings

While there are many irregular verbs in Italian (not pointing any fingers at you,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"essere† or â€Å"avere†), a vast number of them follow a pattern that can be memorized and then applied on the spot. Below you’ll find tables with verbs endings for regular first-, second-, and third-conjugation verbs. INDICATIVE/INDICATIVO Present/Presente ENDING ARE ERE IRE I singular o o o/isco II i i i/isci III a e e/isce I plural iamo iamo iamo II ate ete ite III ano ono ono/iscono Mangiare - to eat io mangio noi mangiamo tu mangi voi mangiate lui, lei, Lei mangia Essi, Loro mangiano Credere - to believe io credo noi crediamo tu credi voi credete lui, lei, Lei crede Essi, Loro credono Partire - to leave io parto noi partiamo tu parti voi partite lui, lei, Lei parte Essi, Loro partono You may notice that in the third-conjugation section (-ire), there are two options—â€Å"-o† and â€Å"-isco.†Ã‚  So how do you know which one to use? The verbs that end in â€Å"-isc† are a part of a special group of third conjugation Italian verbs (verbs ending in –ire). One good example of such verbs is finire (to finish). PRESENT INDICATIVE //  finire - to finish io finisco noi finiamo tu finisci voi finite lui, lei, Lei finisce Essi, Loro finiscono Note that the â€Å"-isc† needs to be added to the stem of all three singular (io, tu, lei) and the third-person plural (loro) forms in the present subjunctive tenses, as well as the second and third person singular and the third-person plural forms of the present imperative tense. Other verbs that need the -isc- suffix and are conjugated similar to finire include  capire  and  preferire. Unfortunately, there is no way to know which third conjugation verbs are isc verbs beyond memorizing them. Imperfect/Imperfetto ENDING ARE ERE IRE I singular avo evo ivo II avi evi ivi III ava eva iva I plural avamo evamo ivamo II avate evate ivate III avano evano ivano Mangiare - to eat io mangiavo noi mangiavamo tu mangiavi voi mangiavate lui, lei, Lei mangiava Essi, Loro mangiavano Credere - to believe io credevo noi credevamo tu credevi voi credevate lui, lei, Lei credeva Essi, Loro credevano Partire - to leave io partivo noi partivamo tu partivi voi partivate lui, lei, Lei partiva Essi, Loro partivano Past absolute/Passato remoto ENDING ARE ERE IRE I singular ai ei/etti ii II asti esti isti III /ette I plural ammo emmo immo II aste este iste III arono erono/ettero irono Mangiare - to eat io mangiai noi mangiammo tu mangiasti voi mangiaste lui, lei, Lei mangi loro, Loro mangiarono Credere - to believe, to think io credei/credetti noi credemmo tu credesti voi credeste lui, lei, Lei cred/credette loro, Loro crederono/credettero Partire - to leave io partii noi partimmo tu partisti voi partiste lui, lei, Lei part loro, Loro partirono Note that the past remote tense isn’t as commonly used in daily conversation in the center and the north of Italy. It’s used, but if you’re a beginner or intermediate student, it makes more sense to stick to the tenses you’re going to need to have a flexible and fluid conversation, like the other three listed as well as il passato prossimo. Future/Futuro semplice ENDING ARE ERE IRE I singular er er ir II erai erai irai III er er ir I plural eremo eremo iremo II erete erete irete III eranno eranno iranno Mangiare - to eat io manger noi mangeremo tu mangerai voi mangerete lui, lei, Lei manger loro, essi mangeranno Credere - to believe io creder noi crederemo tu crederai voi crederete lui, lei, Lei creder loro, essi crederanno Partire - to leave io partir noi partiremo tu partirai voi partirete lui, lei, Lei partir loro, essi partiranno

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Ceo’s and Upper Management’s Acceptance of over...

CEO’s and Upper Management’s Acceptance of over Compensation Are Unethical during Times of Financial Struggle within Organizations Financial Management Abstract This essay discusse s the overpayment of CEOs and the effects these high base salaries have on businesses. Understanding that well compensated CEOs are generally quite productive and well deserving; there are those that seem to drop the ball and the business suffers. CEOs are hired in with contractual compensation packages, which do not give stipulations to cover incidents such as decreases in stock value, company downsizing, or bankruptcy. Many argue that CEOs are not compensated enough for the pressures they endure, that they are generally they first to receive pay†¦show more content†¦The tremendous forfeitures that the housing and stock market are experiencing have in turn caused a credit calamity in America. According to the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy (2007), â€Å"last year CEOs of companies in the Standard Poor’s 500 index on average took in 10.5 million in pay, which was 344 times the average U.S. worker† (as cited in Reuters, 2008). If the government is going to ask tax payers to bail out the financial industry, the top executives of these mortgage institutions should be held responsible for getting these institutions back on track, and it should begin with compensation reductions not increases. Even after the economy does recover, these executives should not be able to regain the salary that they lost. According to Martha Graybow â€Å"Wall Street has become the focus of a rising populist anger as the sub prime and credit market problems have boiled over into an extraordinary taxpayer-funded rescue plan. Many executives whose firms have been hard-hit by the mortgage crisis have earned sizable pay. Richard Fuld, the chairman and chief executive of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., filed bankruptcy [early September 2008], was rewarded $22 million in fiscal 2007. Richard Ferlauto, director of pension and benefit policy at the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees aske d â€Å"Why should executives who were well paid,Show MoreRelatedOverview of Hrm93778 Words   |  376 Pagestheir bachelor degree program. This course is designed to provide you the foundations of HRM whether you intend to work in HRM or not, most of these elements will affect you at some point in your career. Either you will be working with some organizations or having people working for you, in both cases you will be dealing with people. To be understandable and lively means that we need to communicate you. We start every chapter with learning objectives. The most important thing you will get out ofRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesresources With WileyPLUS: Students achieve concept mastery in a rich, structured environment that’s available 24/7 Instructors personalize and manage their course more effectively with assessment, assignments, grade tracking, and more manage time better study smarter save money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u tRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 PagesProcess Audit Michael Hammer 124 BEST PRACTICE Human Due Diligence David Harding and Ted Rouse 138 144 EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES PANEL DISCUSSION There are 193 countries in the world. None of them are energy independent. So who’s holding whom over a barrel? The fact is, the vast ma jor the few energy-producin ity of countries rely on g nations that won the geological lottery, ble ssing them with abunda nt hydrocarbons. And yet , eve of raw resources import n regions with plenty some formRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesManagement Course: MBA−10 General Management California College for Health Sciences MBA Program McGraw-Hill/Irwin abc McGraw−Hill Primis ISBN: 0−390−58539−4 Text: Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition Cohen Harvard Business Review Finance Articles The Power of Management Capital Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition Hodgetts−Luthans−Doh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell LeadershipRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesBehavior This page intentionally left blank Organizational Behavior EDITION 15 Stephen P. Robbins —San Diego State University Timothy A. Judge —University of Notre Dame i3iEi35Bj! Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora AcquisitionsRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages. Organization Theory Challenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of workRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 PagesAlliance Doman Synthetic Fibres plc (B) Sony Corporation: Restructuring Continues, Problems Remain LEAX: Managing Through a Crisis Design and Development of Strategy Processes at RACC Consulting in MacFarlane Solutions NHS Direct: Managing in Difficult Times 235 254 257 264 270 276 281 285 289 295 299 307 311 317 322 326 329 335 340 345 350 353 357 4  © Pearson Education Limited 2011 Johnson, Whittington and Scholes, Exploring Strategy, 9th Edition, Instructor’s Manual Supporting resources

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Iran-Contra Scandal - 1621 Words

â€Å"So I guess in a way they are counter revolutionary, and God bless them for being that way and I guess that makes them contras, and so it makes me a contra too.† In 1979, a bitter war broke out in Nicaragua between the Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction, the Nicaraguan government, and the Contras, a vicious rebel group. The goal of this war was simple, overthrow the Nicaraguan government and restore freedom for all Nicaraguan citizens. It was this that caught the eye of the American government and it was not too long before the U.S began to fund the Contras. Although the United States government funded the contras, they viewed them with skepticism being that they were extremely controversial. The U.S president during this time, Ronald Reagan, fell in love with the contras belief system and fought to keep them funded. Later on the United States support became limited, which left the president in search of a new way to keep the Contras money flow regular. Soon after, former president Ronald Reagan and his administrators contrived a way to continue to fund the contras without the Congress approval. They concluded that selling arms and weapons to a harmless ally named Iran was the only way to go. They would sell the weapons to Iran in exchange for money, which would then be put into a secret bank account and sent to the Nicaraguan Contras. This idea was brilliant but illegal as well, it was high treason. These series of events will forever be known as theShow MoreRelatedThe Iran-Contra Scandal1731 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The Iran-Contra Scandal occurred on the (insert specific dates) in the midst of the cold war. Oliver North, a member of the National Security Council of the United States, was accused of diverting money from weapon sales in Iran to support the Contras in Central America. Provide context of central America, how this was exposed, what happened to north, specific trial stuff, talk about the cold war/tensions†¦ state thesis at end of sentence, state arguments, conclude. Main ArgumentRead MoreIran-Contra Scandal Essay2291 Words   |  10 PagesThe Iran-contra scandal of the 1980’s, first brought to light in November 1986, is a complicated mess of scandal, arms dealings, hostage deals, and illegal acts (â€Å"Iran-Contra Affair† Infoplease.com). The original purpose of the arms sales was to improve United States-Iran relations (Sanders SNU.edu). However, when American hostages were taken throughout the 1980’s, members of President Reagan’s staff negotiated implicit deals with Iranian groups, which resulted in the U.S. selling arms in returnRead MoreEssay about iran contra scandal1913 Words   |  8 Pages Iran-Contra Scandal The Cold War peaked the interest of the entire globe. Each threat, policy and action that took place had ramifications far more reaching then ever imaginable. The world sat on edge because it feared its own destruction, after the introduction of nuclear warfare at the close of World War II, another World War could result in the Earth’s demise. This fear ran through the hearts and minds of citizens of both the United States and the Soviet Union, but it is the citizens elsewhereRead MoreEssay Iran-Contra Affair: The Diversion Scandal2952 Words   |  12 PagesIran-Contra Affair: The Diversion Scandal Eugene Hasenfus of Marinette, Wisconsin was captured when his cargo plane suffered damaging missile blows. Hasenfus’ outdated cargo plane was knocked from the sky as a result of Nicaraguan surface to air missiles. After notifying the office of the United States Vice-President, informants in both El Salvador and Costa Rica would scramble to assess and control a seemingly uncomplicated situation. While United States officials prepared to limit their damagesRead MoreReagan s Scandal Of The Iran Contra Scandal918 Words   |  4 Pages Reagan’s Scandal of the Iran Contra Scandal: Detecting Brave Politics and testing boundaries Question: Did President Ronald Reagan know about the decision by White House aide Oliver North and National Security Advisor John Poindexter to divert profits from sales to Iran to buy weapons for rebels? Why did President Ronald Reagan change his opinions about his knowledge of his role in the Iran Contra Scandal? Almost twenty years after the notorious Watergate scandal, the Iran Contra Affair tookRead MoreThe Iran Contra Scandal Was A Shocking And Nefarious Governmental Affair1246 Words   |  5 PagesThe Iran-Contra Scandal was a shocking and nefarious governmental affair which occurred during the executive administration of President Ronald Reagan. The affairs involved many people in the United States government and their dealings with other nations, and the congressional hearings which were held to expose the secrets and find the truth behind the scandal to determine who was involved and who would be deemed guilty of atrocious crimes (Vile). President Reagan arranged a deal with Iran, secretlyRead MoreIran-Contra Affair Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesIran-Contra: Crossing That Line I think everyone knew we were walking a very thin line.(Owen) Not many Americans know the truth that lies behind the Iran-Contra scandals. Most would be surprised to know about the deception of our leaders. Still today, some truth of Iran-Contra lies hidden in the conscience of the people who organized it, aided it, and went through with it. It started with good intentions, but soon was corrupted. Some may argue that we must do what we can to smother the flameRead MoreIran Contra Affair Essays1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe Iran-Contra scandal had a big effect on the United States but it had a huge effect on Nicaragua. Through out 1985-86, the Reagan administration was selling weapons to Iran illegally in order to encourage Iran to free hostages in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the Reagan administration wanted to support the Contras in Nicaragua, a rebel group fighting to overthrow the Sandinista government. The administration decided to use the money made from selling arms to Iran, a nd had it sent to the Contras withoutRead MoreTo What Extent was President Reagan’s Personal Role in the Iran-Contra Affair Significant?1831 Words   |  8 Pagesextent of significance of President Reagan’s role in the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980’s. Reagan’s role will be looked at while aiding the Nicaraguan Contras, releasing American hostages, both which led to the Iran-Contra affair, and during the cover up, in America and partly in Iran. An investigation account and American history are mostly used to evaluate Reagan’s role. Two of the sources used in this essay, Firewall: The Iran-Contra conspiracy and cover-up written by Lawrence E. Walsh and TheRead MoreEssay On Iran889 Words   |  4 PagesWhat would soon happen would alter the image of the president forever. Who would ever think â€Å"Contra† and â€Å"Iran† would be in the same sentence. In 1985, Iran contacted the United States and secretly asked them for a weapons deal. Iran was currently at war with Iraq. Robert McFarlane, asked President Reagan for approval, as congress had put an embargo against Iran. McFarlane showed that relations between both countries would not only improve, but would also increase influence in the middle east. This

Friday, December 13, 2019

American Culture and Women Free Essays

The fact that American culture positively recognizes single motherhood and not single fatherhood is wrong and in my opinion untrue. Single mothers do not in any circumstance have an advantage over single fathers. Especially in today’s society, when there are a lot of stay-at-home fathers, due to the economic recession, and the divorce rate being higher than ever this gives fathers an equal opportunity to be the primary caregiver in the child’s upbringing. We will write a custom essay sample on American Culture and Women or any similar topic only for you Order Now Most Americans positively recognize single motherhood and not single fatherhood. The question I would ask those people is, â€Å"Have you been raised by a single father? † Most likely the answer will be no. Those individuals probably were raised in a dual parent environment and don’t even know what it’s like to be raised by a single parent. I would then proceed to tell them that single fathers have the same ability as mothers to raise quality sons or daughters. There truly is no so called â€Å"advantage† when it comes to parenting. There is a wide range of skills required in raising a child, from codling them as small infants to disciplining them as adolescents. Either parent, mother or father, can posses those skills, who’s to say a mother is better at coddling and a father is better at disciplining. Single parents, whether a mother or a father can have the qualities needed to raise a confident, well-mannered, and respectful child. Neither one has an advantage over the other, they are both equal. If either one is willing to put the effort into being a parent then they should be successful. How to cite American Culture and Women, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Demon Days by Gorillaz free essay sample

For Damon Albarn, Blur’s extended hiatus wasn’t the end of his musical career. In fact, once teamed up with cartoonist Jamie Hewlett and studio wizard Dan the Automator, it proved to be the beginning of what is most likely the strangest, most ambitious â€Å"group† to ever grace the music scene: Gorillaz. Literally the world’s first virtual band, Gorillaz instantly trailblazed a unique, slightly edgy image for themselves both with their four animated â€Å"members†: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs, who were all completely animated by Hewlett; and their self-titled debut, which unbelievably went platinum in several countries and managed to sell seven million copies after it was released in 2001. Listening to this album now, in this day and age of tasteless, lifeless, and boring pop and hip-hop music, frankly comes as a real shock. Within its entire 53-minute running time, the album manages to include Blur-esque rock (â€Å"5/4†), lean punk (the appropriately named â€Å"Punk†), surreal trip-hop (the unlikely hit â€Å"Tomorrow Comes Today†), sample-looping hip-hop (â€Å"19-2000†), and even party music (â€Å"Rock The House†). We will write a custom essay sample on Demon Days by Gorillaz or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, the real standout here is the vibrant â€Å"Clint Eastwood†, which expertly mixes a mournful Albarn-voiced chorus with light background instrumentations and superb rapping delivered by Del the Funky Homosapien to result in what would deservedly become the album’s biggest hit ever. In short, if you only listen to one song on this album, this is it. â€Å"Gorillaz† isn’t exactly the most consistent album on the hip-hop scene. In fact, it could very well confuse or even baffle those who were expecting an hour or so of straightforward rap tunes to bop your head to repeatedly. Indeed, if you’re sick of constantly hearing music on the radio that repeat the same old melodramatic cliches and beats, then this is the album for you. However, the strangest part of the entire package is not its weird genre-hopping or experimentations, or even that the odd â€Å"Latin Simone† is entirely sung in Spanish. It’s that aside from Hewlett’s animations and Automator’s production, this â€Å"band† is really a Damon Albarn solo project. Whether you choose to view that as a mad stroke of genius or a ridiculously ambitious attempt at elevation is up to you to decide. Despite that, if you’re looking for something fairly enjoyable and teen-friendly (despite the Parental Advisory label, there are actually very few profanities to worry about) you could certainly do worse than hanging out with these Gorillaz.